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Book Review By Debbie
The Blood Waltz by Ria Dimitra

The Blood Waltz begins with Selena D'Agostino feeling burned out and frustrated with her writing career. She is a popular author of young adult books, but her last two books were not as well received. Her agent suggests that she take a break. Selena is not sure where she will go when she receives an unexpected invitation to visit the DeMontforts in their English castle. It seems that the DeMontforts are distantly related to her and would like to meet her. When Selena arrives at the castle, nothing is as she expected. All of the servants are mute, her "aunt" Eugenia hardly has any time to spend with her, she doesn't meet her cousins for a couple of days, no one eats dinner with her, they have no modern conveniences - what is going on? When Selena finally meets her two gorgeous cousins - Philip and Kieran, she finds them vying for her affections. Philip is very handsome, but she finds that it is the frustrating Kieran who haunts her dreams. Before too long, Selena starts "seeing" things, discovers that her mail is being confiscated, and that someone doesn't want her to leave...

I felt that, as a whole, the book was kind of flat and shallow. Nothing was treated with any depth. The author had some great ideas, but she would just introduce them and never follow through. My biggest complaint is that the book ends abruptly. One reviewer described it as a cliff-hanger, but I would say that the author just decided to stop writing and call it a day. This was a bit startling at the end of the book, especially since she kept putting her characters through the same senarios over and over again throughout the book. I think that this author has a lot of potential, though, and look forward to giving her another chance on her next book.



Plot & Themes
Tone of book - very upbeat
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - fantasy story on current Earth
Romance Yes
Romance plotlets: - two lovers coping with tough mission
Magical Beings/Mental/Magical/Powers Yes
magical powers:
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 10 %
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30 %
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40 %
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 20 %
Human/magical couple? Yes
Type of couple: - Both human, he has magical powers

Main Character
Identity: - Female
Profession/status:
Age: - 20's-30's

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - long-lived adults
Profession/status:
Has magical powers? Yes
Magical/mental powers of main antagonist: - super strength - can fly - Invisibility - can read emotions - is very quick
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - an above average amount
How sensitive is this character?
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters

Setting
Earth setting: - current (early 21st century)
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Writing Style
Accounts of torture and death? - explicit references to deaths
How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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