Embraced by the Shadows By Mayra Calvani
Alana Piovanetti is the intriguing protagonist of Mayra Calvani’s Embraced by the Shadows. Alana is not your typical 22 year old. Just having graduated college in Boston, she has returned to Puerto Rico and has somehow managed to land a job managing La Cueva del Vampiro, the newest and hottest nightclub in San Juan. She has no experience in restaurant management, but in many ways the job seems perfect for her since throughout her life she has been drawn to the paranormal, the occult, and darkness. She shares an apartment with her best friend and ‘twin soul’ Valeria Acosta. The two have been closer than sisters since childhood both before and after Alana’s mother dies in a tragic accident. Everything changes for Alana after La Cueva opens and she meets the enigmatic Sadash, a vampire. Who is he and what does he mean to her?
Embraced by the Shadows is a well written dark fantasy with romance and mystery. The relationship between Alana and Valeria is well drawn – they love each other, they disagree, they make up, they keep secrets. Alana is what you would expect from a 22 year old – sometimes sure, sometimes uncertain, sometimes irritating – as she deals with what is happening to and around her. As Alana navigates through the story she must face questions about herself, her friendship with Valeria, her mother’s death, and her relationship with Sadash. This was a fascinating read that held my attention from Prologue to Epilogue with its quick pace and unexpected turns. I give it 4 ½ tombstones.
Book Excerpt: “Istanbul, twelve years ago…
As soon as he saw her, he knew the time would come when he would make her his eternal companion.
She shone like a sparkling jewel amidst the crowd, with her slightly-slanted large black eyes and her silky reddish curls rippling down her small back. A mere child-woman, she stood in front of one of the many shops which swarmed this ancient place, gazing intently at an oil painting of angels displayed in the vitrine. Dramatic and somewhat disturbing, the painting depicted in painful detail an auburn-haired angel being cast out of Heaven. He caught her scent. Somewhat dazed, he stared at her.”
Book Stats:
- Paperback: 238 pages
- Publisher: Paladin Timeless Books (October 15, 2011)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1933353902
- ISBN-13: 978-1933353906
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Sounds like a great story!