From the shelf: The Raven (The Raven #1)

Title: The Prince (The Raven #1)
Author: Sylvain Reynard
Genre: Romance, Adult fiction, Paranormal
Date read: April 5-9, 2015
Dawn Rates: ★★★★ (4/5)

Summary (cr: goodreads)

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Gabriel Series comes a dark, sensual tale of romance in a city shrouded in mystery…

Raven Wood spends her days at Florence’s Uffizi Gallery restoring fine works of Renaissance art. But an innocent walk home after an evening with friends changes her life forever. When she intervenes in the senseless beating of a homeless man, his attackers turn on her, dragging her into an alley. Raven is only semi-conscious when their assault is interrupted by a cacophony of growls followed by her attacker’s screams. Mercifully, she blacks out, but not before catching a glimpse of a shadowy figure who whispers to her…

Cassita vulneratus

When Raven awakes, she is inexplicably changed. She returns to the Uffizi, but no one recognizes her and more disturbingly, she discovers that she’s been absent an entire week. With no recollection of the events leading up to her disappearance, Raven also learns that her absence coincides with one of the largest robberies in Uffizi history – the theft of a set of priceless Botticelli illustrations. When the baffled police force identifies her as its prime suspect, Raven is desperate to clear her name. She seeks out one of Florence’s wealthiest and elusive men in an attempt to uncover the truth about her disappearance. Their encounter leads Raven to a dark underworld whose inhabitants kill to keep their secrets…

My Review: (also in goodreads)

A new series from Sylvain Reynard which seems like a familiar friend. The story centers around two new characters (and finally exploring the supernatural) but the familiar feel is there because of the Emersons as the side story. The book happens 2 years after the events of the novella 'The Prince'. William York, Gabriel's prime suspect in the disapperance of his Botticelli paintings, is a vampire (well, vampyre) price ruling over Florence for centuries. He s patrolling the city for ferals and for creatures (human and supernatural alike) who would want to take over his city when he meets a woman in the midst of danger. That's where their story starts. Once again, the author wrote in a poetic way making references to mythologies and ancient history. I loved Dante and Beatrice being portrayed metaphorically by Gabriel and Julianne and I think I would come to like Cupid, Zephyr and Psyche. I sort of have a bias for vampires in the supernatural world despote them being aristocratic, cunning and sort of cannibalistic. It was fairly obvious that there would be a sequel considering the biggest cliffhanger at the end.

Till the next read...