Colleen Gleason The Rest Falls Away

The Rest Falls Away is a debut novel by Colleen Gleason. I've been meaning to pick up a copy since it came out and the debut contest was the perfect motivation to do it. This novel takes the battle between good and evil into the streets of historical London.

When Victoria, 19, begins having unusual dreams she goes to her Aunt Eustacia and discovers that she is the last in a long line of vampire hunters. Victoria Gardella has been born with the strength and skills to become a Venator. But first, she must pass a test and kill a vampire, unfortunately, this test falls on the same night of her debut ball. Victoria must balance her role in society, with her role as a lean, mean, vampire-slaying machine.

Lord Rockley, Phillip, is the tons most eligible bachelor and has set his eyes on Victoria. She can't help but embrace his love. She realizes that being a proper young socialite and a strong venator is no easy task. The silent and harsh Maximilian, fellow venator, and Sebastian, the handsome and humorous tavern owner, are the two other men in Victoria's life. There is a tantalizing possibility that Phillip is not the only man for Victoria.

Behind the growth and development of Victoria, is the evil machinations of Lillith, the daughter of Judas. Lillith is the queen of the vampires and would like nothing more than to see the last of the Gardella's destroyed. There is a venator prophecy that it can only be one of the Gardella line to kill Lillith. Is Victoria the one?

Colleen has captured the feeling of the era and placed the reader in the heart of a tantalizing story. Victoria is an enjoyable character. I enjoyed reading about her. The writing is solid and Colleen's voice is strong. There were no skips or difficult writing to get through. The plot is tight and while I'm left with many questions, they are the kind that just increase my interest on reading the second book, the continuation of Victoria's tale.

If you like historical romance or if you enjoy a good vampire tale - this is definitely a book you may want to consider. You can stop by Colleen's blog to see more about her and her writing career!