Daybreak
4.5 Stars

Synopsis
As children, Penelope Sheehan and Tru Daughterly lived through the Change together but ultimately went their separate ways. Now, they have been reunited by chance and are subject to a passion that knows no bounds. But in a time of danger and uncertainty, Pen and Tru's love will be tested and they must decide whether to risk everything for each other and for humanity.

Review
Pen and Tru were intriguing characters in the first book and their story does not disappoint.

Tru is an amalgamation of opposites in both his human and animal forms. He initially comes across as selfish, amoral and uncaring but this is merely a facade to conceal his fear of love and loss. In this respect, his character is merely an older version of the punk teen from book #1 who hid is insecurities behind a sarcastic attitude.

Pen is a powerful witch but she fears her abilities, and this makes her prone to misplaced martyrdom. The way in which she grows, learns and accepts that she is worthy of giving and receiving love makes her a wonderful heroine.

Together, Tru and Pen are extremely likeable although there are some questionable aspects to their sexual relationship (Pen is willing to barter her body for Tru's protection and later bewitches him during sex). Nevertheless, they have a compelling chemistry and an all-encompassing passion and abiding love. They learn to accept each other without reservations and this makes them a truly remarkable couple.

The plot involving the struggle for survival in a changing world continues with the battle against a megalomaniac leader bent on garnering power and enslaving those who oppose him (reminiscent of The Postman with Kevin Costner). The villain, however, doesn't hold a candle to the smarmy Bethlehem in the movie. He is too remote an evil and as such never constitutes a significant threat.

The climax is action packed and exciting, and the conclusion very satisfying with some "aww" moments. It would have been even better if Mason and Jenna had been present.

Overall this is an excellent conclusion to an entertaining series, and I look forward to more from these authors. ( )

When the end of the world came upon them, the heroine was a scared little girl whose mother was just murdered in front of her and the hero was an angry and bitter teenager. Going their separate ways, they thought they would never see each other again. The heroine, tormented by an incident where her loss of control over her powers killed 5 little girls, she's not dedicated her life to doing everything she can to bring down an evil warlord. Then she is reunited with the hero. The angry teenager has grown up into a selfish man who is the portrait of what humanity has developed into. He fits into this new destructive world because he doesn’t seem to care or want to care about anyone else. But the heroine isn’t a stranger, they have a history together no matter long since they parted ways, so he doesn’t feel comfortable treating her like everyone else. The heroine, untrusting of others just as must, offers a bargain. If he helps her and the young boy she rescued get safely to the haven that’s rumored to exist on the coast, she’ll sleep with him. He’s uncomfortable with the arrangement but he’s also attracted to her. At first, their relationship is rocky at best. He’s very quick to point out and criticize her almost goddess like mythical stature in there world. She’s considered to be a savior; a beacon of hope and inside she is capable of doing such wonderful things. But she also has no idea how to love people. She doesn’t love the people she saves or considers herself anything but a human woman, uncomfortable when others refer to her as the Orchid. I liked this book because it switched up the characters personality as we went along. At first, it was the heroine who was the saint and the hero who was the selfish man who cared for nothing and no body. But as they story went on, it was actually the hero who developed into the ‘good guy’. He had reasons for the way he acted and the way he treated people but deep inside, I truly felt he was the one who knew how to love other people. True he was only helping the people of the haven because of his love for the heroine but he did it with honesty in his heart. He did it because he loved her and he knew how to show it. She on the other hand had to really search herself and realize what love was and what it truly means to love another person. I loved the real emotions and the brutal honesty between the characters ad in the disruption of the world they now live in. It was deep. But it showed that no matter what, there is always to possibility of hope. Another aspect of the story that I quite enjoyed was the fact that the hero and heroine were not the leaders of the rebellion. Instead, they combined their efforts to help put another better man in charge. I thought that was cool and a nice change of pace. I liked this story BUT, I found myself dragging my butt to finish it. It got sort of slugging mid way through and I didn’t feel a natural flow in the story. It was jagged at parts and I found myself really having to focus when my mind began to wonder. I’d like to rate this book a 3 ½ star but since that doesn’t register, I think this author deserves a bump up. ( )