Betrayal by Lili St. Crow

Betrayals: A Strange Angels Novel by Lili St. Crow

PJVs QUICKIE POV: Kick-ass, with a bit of a raunchy flavor, the Strange Angels Series has been promoted to a favorite YA series in my eyes. I really enjoyed Strange Angels and Betrayals was a highly competent follow-up, not the best, but I'm definitely anticipating reading Jealousy. There were a few problems that I found within the book, but besides those minimal flaws, the book was hard hitting, fast paced, emotional and well written.

REVIEW: Ensconced firmly into the new world Dru Anderson has just discovered, the Order has taken her in as an oddity and a rare gem...a female dhampir. She's been enrolled in a small schola and placed into remedial classes until she blooms. They are treating her like fine china, she can't even spar with the boys. And boys boys there are. She is the only female is a school full of teenagers, and in their midst is a traitor, someone who wants her dead.

Chistophe has disappeared and Graves has become reveared among his wolfy peers as another oddity and rare gem, the loup garrou. Dru is alone, alone with her thoughts her fears and the sudden onslaught of a new feeling, blood lust. And as the plot thickens around her and the suckers begin to attack, Dru thinks she might just be a sitting duck and it's time blow this taco stand...

With a slow start and a bit of confusion, I didn't really hit this book feet first like I did with the first installment. St. Crow has an interesting technique of highlighting Dru's thoughts within dialogue. So this can get a bit confusing as you are reading. The inner dialogue was thick in the beginning with Dru practically in need of lithium she was so mentally unstable. By a third in, she had stabled out and was starting to think coherently so the book settled and began to catch my interest and from there it was a non-stop read.

I really enjoyed the blooming relationship with both Graves and Christophe, and I can't wait to read the third installment and see if she settles on a winner. Vamp vs. Wolf. Nor original, but the ideas that surround them are. Christophe is very different than any other vampy character that I've read. When their inner vamp is revealed, I'm sure they are the only vamps that get instant highlights...

This is also the only book that I haven't really picked teams. I was Team Christophe in the first book, but Graves grew on me in Betrayals. 


RECOMMENDATIONS: I highly recommend reading Strange Angels before undertaking Betrayals. Gritty but still PG-13. Nothing too heavy for happy teens.