Review: Serpent’s Kiss

Author Thea Harrison 

Format e-book 

Print Length 336 pages 

Publisher Berkley Sensation 

Published October, 4, 2011 

In the latest Novel of the Elder Races, a Queen on the brink of sanity has no one to rely on except the Wyr warrior whose conviction is every bit as strong as his passion.

In order to save his friend's life, Wyr sentinel Rune Ainissesthai made a bargain with Vampyre Queen Carling—without knowing what she would ask from him in return. But when Rune attempts to make good on his debt, he finds a woman on the edge.

Recently, Carling's Power has become erratic, forcing her followers to flee in fear. Despite the danger, Rune is drawn to the ailing Queen and decides to help her find a cure for the serpent's kiss—the vampyric disease that's killing her.

With their desire for each other escalating just as quickly as Carling's instability spirals out of control, the sentinel and the Queen will have to rely on each other if they have any hope of surviving the serpent's kiss. 

My Opinion 

Due to the events of Storm’s Heart, Rune now owes a debt to Carling, the vampire elder. So he takes a leave of absence from working as a sentinel for Drago and goes to her island. Here he finds that Carling has basically been banished to the island due to a vampire disease. She has been looking for a cure, but has given up. Rune decides that that is not an option. 

Carling was interesting in that she came as a complete surprise. Seen by the world as unbending, cold, manipulative and on the verge of being evil internally she is none of those things. Thousands of years old we get to see into her past quite a bit, she was a sorcerer before a vampire. Finding out what occurred in those years was pretty cool. Here is a strong, knowledgeable lady who can’t figure out her how to cure her disease. She is meticulous, a scientist, a researcher and she didn’t give up. It was awesome that she didn’t depend on anyone else to help her solve the problem for over three hundred years. 

Rune for the first two books, was the Beta to Dragos Alpha. He was the one to use comic relief, he was the Enforcer, funny and strong. Here he is just determined- it was as if the powerful Gryphon turned into a puppy dog. I really don’t get why he didn’t trust his friends if he had known them for centuries. I guess it was that his 

The world building is still on point. Here we get a lot of Egyptian mythology, mysteries, some time travel and of course Djinn. Yeah that is what made the book for me. When Khalil was introduced, I was hooked. Getting glimpses of him was why I continued because when I say that it was a bit slower, I mean snail pace at some points.The romance was steady, strong and mutual. The action and danger didn’t really happen for me until the end. By then I was more concerned with the people that were introduced than with the two main characters. The romance part was already settled, so there was nothing else to do but wait for the big baddie to show up. Then it was race to the Oracle, who I ended up wanting to more about like now not later. Plus, I was annoyed how Rune and Dragos ended up in the end. I mean they are suppose to be besties so what happen here? 

I liked this one, but it didn’t wow me like the previous. I didn’t care if I was interrupted by life while reading it. It was a good book, and sometimes that is all you need. 

My Rating 3 out of 5 stars

Favorite Quote Passion is a choice, and staying in love is a decision. 

Other People 

Khalil- Djinn 

Grace- Oracle 

Rasputin- Carling’s dog 

Rhoswen- Carling’s assistant 

Julian- Nightkind King