I had some trouble really getting into this book in the first part. The book jumps from one scene where you don’t really know what is going on to another of the same. Thankfully things get a whole lot better by the second part of this four part book. The action never lets up but you are finally able to really see some personality in the characters and you get to see just what is at stake for them to follow their duty. I liked Andersen’s style of action-packed writing. The end of the world is four years away and the urgency to learn more and do more for the Nightkeepers never drags. Andersen does a wonderful job of fusing the history and culture into the story without making it feel like a lecture. A lot of information about the Mayan gods and the end time prophecy were woven into the story without breaking up the pace and making me loose interest.

My big problem with this book is that I really liked the characters that were meant to be secondary in this story. When the other Nightkeepers are found and they all come with their own history and storylines that’s when this book really drew me in. The main couple just didn’t do it for me at all. Leah lost her brother and is trying to get some answers. She gets touched by a Mayan God but then has her mind wiped. Jox and Red-Boar, Strike’s mentors, keep telling him what an awful idea it is to get involved with her. The Nightkeepers have so much hanging over their heads that by the time Leah finally comes to join the group the book is halfway through and I just didn’t care about her. Strike I really wanted to like. He’s a sort of laid back alpha male who has lots of potential, a few shinning moments but ultimately is a let down. It takes him forever to step up and do the things he should be doing. He’s all about not making mistakes like his father and doing what should be done in preparation for the end time, but at every turn he’s more interested in Leah, a woman he knows nothing about and stays away from the majority of the book. It was like all of a sudden they were in love with each other after very little interaction and then he was willing to risk everything. I know that’s what the romance is all about but it just seemed careless on his part. I wish there could have been a better end to the book. In a book about trying to save the world when the hero is selfish and stubborn it’s a big turn off.

So even though I usually hate books that I don’t like either main character, this one worked for me. All the Myan history and prophecy really gave this book a great foundation to stand out. The blood magic and all it’s different forms and uses give it a really great fantasy element. The other characters all have intriguing relationships and talents that really make you want to follow along with the series. ( )

Good plot, fast paced. Kept me interested in the first half. Second half wasn’t as well written ( )

“Every twenty-six thousand years, the earth, sun, and moon align at the exact center of the Milky Way…and all Hell breaks loose.”

That’s the first sentence. The book starts in with non-stop action and I can’t believe I am saying this, but it’s too much. I really didn’t feel Anderson took enough time to set the background up. It was way too hurried for me and I didn’t find the story or characters believable.

Although this wasn’t for me, I believe fans of J.R. Ward will fall in love with this book, which is the first of book in the Novels of the Final Prophecy series. ( )

Nightkeepers - Jessica Andersen
The Final Prophecy, Book 1; Paranormal Romance; 9/10
I thought this looked really interesting when I first heard about it. Sure, it was the start of another series about warrior brothers fighting evil, but it was based of Mayan mythology for a change and the end of the world had a fixed date, four years from now. I read Andersen's excerpt on her website and decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did and I enjoyed the book a lot. Again, it's a "go along for a fun ride" book more than anything else, but there's nothing wrong with that. While it is marketed as a romance and does indeed feature a main couple, this book is really more about the overall story and setting up the book's universe than a close study of a couple's relationship. Strike and Leah's romance is well-written and I enjoyed it, but it is part of the book's story, not all of it. It's very well integrated, but you need to want to read about the Nightkeepers as a whole rather than just a single couple or you'll probably be disappointed. I'm planning on reading the next in the series when it comes out. ( )