Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel

Infinite Days (Vampire Queen #1)

byRebecca Maizel (Goodreads Author)

 

 

Paperback, 336 pages

Published August 3rd 2010 by St. Martin's Griffin 

 

* A copy of this book was provided to me by st. Martin's Griffin in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

“Throughout all my histories, I found no one I loved more than you... no one.”

Those were some of Rhode’s last words to me. The last time he would pronounce his love. The last time I would see his face.

It was the first time in 592 years I could take a breath. Lay in the sun. Taste.

Rhode sacrificed himself so I, Lenah Beaudonte, could be human again. So I could stop the blood lust.

I never expected to fall in love with someone else that wasn’t Rhode.

But Justin was... daring. Exciting. More beautiful than I could dream.

I never expected to be sixteen again... then again, I never expected my past to come back and haunt me...

Infinite days was entirely refreshing. It takes readers back to the days when vampires are EVIL. They may love...and yearn for the human existence, but overall their thirst for blood and mayhem overcomes. Unless they actually do become human again that is...

To be honest, I was a bit wary when I started reading the story. A nearly 600 year old vampire pulling off returning to modern day highschool? It seemed overdone, and I awaited *facepalm* moments to be revealed. However, the way Rebecca Maizel tells this tale makes it feel much more heartfelt and real than I would have expected. 

In the world that Maizel created vampires' nerve endings are dead, one of the first things Lenah notices when she wakes up human is that she can actually FEEL the wood beneath her fingertips. It's texture. Unlike when she was a vampire and she could feel it's presence, but nothing more. Having not experienced things as a human for so long, it was fun to watch Lenah really LIVE. To experience things like they were firsts again. Who wouldn't want to relive some of their firsts?  Food, love, even something so simple as feeling the sun on her skin.

It was amusing at times. Heartbreaking at others. 

Infinite days does not always give the warm and fuzzy feelings. I mean there are plenty of those, but throughout the course of the book I honestly felt it all. I laughed, I got angry, I grinned from ear to ear and swooned.. and I Cried. 

The flashbacks throughout the story were perfect. Showing readers how Lenah has truly changed over the ages. From Sweet and innocent human, to newbie vamp.. Then brutal and terrifying.. and then human again. Still carrying memories of her vampire self, but trying to be better. Trying to earn the second chance she has been given. 

The characters were vibrant and varied, a wonderful blend: 

Tony: Lenah's new best friend. Artsy and a bit on the quite/geeky side. 

Justin: The popular guy vying for Lenah's attention. Drawn to her awkward innocence. I found myself torn when it came to Justin. Both enjoying what his character brought out in lenah, and being worried that he was just going to break her heart. 

And then you have the " Triplets": Annoying, Preppy and pretty much seems like they have no mind of their own. Doing whatever seems " in". BUT is that all there is to them? Or is there more beneath that follower exterior?

Infinite days is rich, exciting and beautiful as well as dark. Giving a bit of a deeper look into vampires in YA. 

This is not just a story for one " fandom". If you like Twilight- Great! Infinite days has romance and teenage angst. If you don't like Twilight and think and think all YA vampire stories nowadays are "fluff" Try infinite days and see if it proves you wrong. 

- For those of you thinking " just stop comparing everything In YA to Twilight!" I get it. I'm simply referencing it because... well.. it's well known. It's easy for some readers to relate. I could also say - Anne Rice Vampires as modern day teens! 

Basically. Just try it. It freaking rocked. 

Rating: 5/5