Escaped the Night by Jennifer Blyth

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The giveaway is closed. The winner of the signed, print copy of Escaped the Night is Aralynlove.

Enjoy the review!

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Shanntal has had a rough month, presumably due to the disturbing nightmares she has almost every night. As thus, it's only fitting that the story begins with a nightmare where Shanntal is being stalked by a dark figure with red eyes and bloody hands. Shanntal has dreadful nightmares like this almost every night. She wants to put those nightmares behind her and have fun. What better way to do so than by spending the night at her best friend Ginata's house?

Unfortunately, hanging out with Ginata only makes Shanntal's month that much more difficult. Ginata's interest in witchcraft and Ouija boards grabs the attention of a powerful vampire named Daray who claims he's been searching for Shanntal. One thing leads to another until Shanntal's home becomes nothing more than a mortuary. In the span of one night, Shanntal loses both her family and Ginata's family.

The police have no leads on the murderer(s). Reporters insist that Shanntal is somehow behind the deaths. The only thing Shanntal knows is that the bodies were drained of all liquids and had various bite marks.

With very few reasons to remain in Greyton, Shanntal decides to move to Blackwood with Stephanie, her aunt, and Danier, her uncle. That's how she meets Jayce, an extremely good looking guy with a dangerous vibe who quickly befriends and woos her, and all of his friends. Instead of trying to hide their oddities and powers, they make them clear from the get-go.

However, that powerful vampire Ginata and Shanntal talked to with the Ouija board isn't out of the picture yet. It turns out Shanntal and Daray had a past together. Soon Shanntal finds herself torn between Jayce and Daray. Who should she choose? To make matters worse, there are rumors about a war brewing amongst the immortals. The outcome will be up to Shanntal, since they believe she is the key to keeping peace as the savior. Can Shanntal succed?

The first one hundred pages were pretty rough. I spotted a couple of typos and awkwardly phrased sentences. Even though there were sections dedicated to Shanntal's background and family life, I couldn't quite grasp her special attributes or her seemingly nonchalant reactions to never aging and missing certain memories.  At some points, Shanntal felt like a Mary Sue, mainly because almost everyone was willing to protect and work for Shanntal at a moment's notice due to her being special and unique. I had a hard time understanding why Jayce fell for her so very fast.

However, the story picks up when Shanntal and Jayce get into an argument and Shanntal decides to gather her own small group of friends to find things out herself. When she can't rely on Jayce, Daray, or her shapeshifter friend, the reader really gets a fulfilling and interesting peak into what makes Shanntal unique and special. After adventuring on her own, Shanntal's characterization rounds out and Escaped the Night becomes a read worth finishing.

I'd say that this book appeals most to paranormal romance fans and those who loved Twilight. The start is rocky, but the book is an enjoyable read overall, and the overarching message that love and friendship conquers all is sweet and charming.

Jennifer Blyth is also a painter.

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