The King (Games We Play, #2)

by Liz Meldon

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

I received an ARC of “The King” (The Games We Play #1) to read for review purposes. When I found out that there was a prequel “The Fool” I purchased a copy to read prior to reading this installment. After reading the prequel I couldn’t wait to start “The King”, as I was eager to discover what happened after the events that took place at the masquerade ball.

The prologue was intriguing and made me want to delve further into the story. This installment was exciting, although there were moments when the story slowed down somewhat. This was probably due to volume of background information that was provided as it relates to the League and the various vampire clans.

I am a big fan of paranormal stories, especially those involving vampires. I have read quite a few, most of which follow a particular trend, where you may find the vampire being somewhat domineering. “The King” took a different direction. For me, this was more than a romance between a vampire and a huntress. This story had a lot of layers, one just have to take the time to peel each one away.

When I first met the characters in the prequel I was intrigued by them. I was curious to learn what made them tick. Delia is a vampire huntress who has spent years trying to prove her worth to the League, but to no avail. She never gained the respect she craved no matter what she did. I understood her need to go out on a limb to prove herself, but is putting her life on the line worth it? She tends to be a bit reckless as she does not think things through before acting. I didn’t like how she kept kowtowing to the upper echelons in the League, trying to gain their recognition. However, by the end of the book, I saw the real Delia shining through, by then my respect for her grew. She was a fighter and was willing to take on any challenge that came her way.

Claude Grimm, the vampire that stole Delia’s heart was absolute perfection. He was not your typical vampire. Not only was he handsome and charismatic, he was also patient and caring. He was a protector by nature. He was not afraid to go after what he wanted which was demonstrated in his pursuit of Delia. I liked that he did not force his will on her. He gave her room to make her own choices. However, he was not without his flaws. For a king, he was a bit laid back, which led to him being caught with his pants down (figuratively). I liked that he recognized his error, and took the steps he thought were best to handle the situation that had arose.

I enjoyed the interaction between Delia and Claude, although I found her actions at times frustrating. Claude pulled out all the stops to win her over, but she kept rejecting him, even though deep down she wanted to be with him. However, circumstances would force her hand and she had no option but to give in. At this point, things between them began to flow making for an interesting read. Their moments together made me smile and had me rooting for them especially in light of the forbidden nature of their romance.

I was hoping for a little more action where the hunters and rogue vampires were concerned. It wasn’t until about the last 40% of the book that things began to heat up.

“The King” is a story of love, betrayal and the quest for power. It demonstrated that the persons closest to us have the power to destroy us if we are not careful. This was something that both Delia and Claude would discover. This was a good story, one that I recommend to fans of paranormal romances. I am eagerly awaiting the release of “The Queen”.