Covent

Author: Melissa Darnell
Format: eARC via Netgalley
Print Length: 496 pages
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Published: Sept. 25, 2012

Dangerous to be together. Painful to be apart.

Savannah Colbert knows she broke up with Tristan Coleman for the right reasons. Most of all, to keep from killing him with her new vampire abilities. But try telling her heart. Now, lost in a sea of hostile Clann faces, Sav tries to come to terms with what she's becoming and what that means for her future. And that someone is doing their best to bully her into making a terrible mistake.

Tristan can't believe Sav won't even talk to him. If being apart is her decision, fine. Just don't expect him to honor it. But even as he prepares to fight for the girl he loves, forces beyond their control take them both in directions neither could have foreseen or prepared for.

A reckoning is coming…and not everyone will survive.

My Thoughts

Crave was a book so superbly written that there was no way that I was going to avoid Covet.  Even with the book having not one but two writer’s curses placed upon it- sophomoric slump and book two of a trilogy.  Often book two of a series is the time-sucker book.  One where the main characters are buying their time until the big baddie in the next book shows up.  This causes the main characters to be whiny, boring and with no plot development many readers want to give up on the series.  Melissa avoids both curses with the gracefulness of a Prima Donna ballerina.

At the end of Crave, you know what Savannah promises to do.  While I understood the reasoning behind her promise, it still kinda made my heart hurt a little.  Then I remembered who she was with Tristan, the boy who would not go down without a fight.  Hope grew in my heart that these two would one day be together again. 

Covent starts off, exactly where Crave left off- they are on a plane returning to the states after facing the Vampire Council.  Savannah receives a phone call, her Granny is missing and her mother is frantic.  Savannah, Tristan and her daddy race to the Clann to intervene.  I must give props to Savannah, when that girl takes on a Council man does she do it with glamour and flare.  Unfortunately, Tristan could not prevent the series of steps that will lead to Savannah’s heartbreak and the demise of their relationship.

Savannah leaves him after a tragedy involving one of the most endearing characters that crossed the pages of Crave.   Fans everywhere will weep upon realizing what happened, tears of not just sorrow and disbelief but also happiness.  Due to the heartbreak and tragedy befalling our beloved characters before chapter three, one of the writer’s curses will be broken within the first fifty pages.  Readers can say bye, bye to the curse of the second book in a series. 

Tristan tries repeatedly to reach out to Savannah but being afraid for his life she rebukes his attentions.  Some of the younger Clann see this as an opportunity and arrange for Tristan to have a mishap, Savannah and his sister ultimately save his life.  Tristan’s mom steps in and arranges for one of the other Charmers flirt with him.  This causes Savannah to think he has moved on.

Due to their lack of communication there is a lot of misunderstanding that occurs between the two of them.  Both sides end up hurting the other, more than they ever wanted to.  As a reader, behind the scenes there is something endearing about how Savannah and Tristan repeatedly try to save each other.  Yes, at times they are insensitive to each other, but goodness forbid someone or thing attempting to hurt the one they love.

Melissa avoids curse number two with the same sparkling flare of a firecracker on the 4^th of July.  The characters’ internal development is astonishing as is their realization that they truly are loved by the other.  More so, though is the development of Savannah’s friends and enemies.  The readers are offered more insight into why some members of the Clann treat Savannah as a second rated citizen as well as how strong some friendships are. 

The plot thickens as Clann members across America are showing up dead, with puncture wounds in their throat.  A vampire set-up, or the real deal is the question of the hour.  While there was some predictability into what has going to happen, it was still entertaining.

The last few chapters of the book pick up pace like there is no tomorrow, for some of the characters there will be no tomorrow. Darnell choreographed Covent to be the perfect bridging book between Crave and Consumed.

Covent met and then exceeded my expectations.  I have told anyone who will listen about the author of this book series- she is an amazing story-teller.  The story was engaging and entertaining without dragging on for pages on end.  The characters experiences were real and their development believable.  The end was holy heck, you just have to read it.  Needless to say Consumed cannot be released fast enough.

My Rating 4 out of 5 stars

Other Characters

Dylan- Clann member, former best friend to Tristan, strongest known enemy to Savannah.
Bethany- Charmer, who is dating Tristan, regardless of what he may think.
Ron- Anne’s former boyfriend, Savannah’s biology partner- Tristan thinks they are dating.
Anne- Savannah’s best friend, finds out Savannah’s secret but is keeping some of her own.
Gowin- Vampire on the Council sent to keep an eye of Savannah.