Erin Reviews: The Crimson Hunt (Eldaen Light Chronicles) by Victoria H. Smith

The Crimson Hunt (Eldaen Light Chronicles) by Victoria H. Smith-NA Science Fiction Romance

Kindle format given by author for review

College junior Ariel Richmond is working on year three of Project Normalcy.
Her house reeks of keggers past and her bestie is just a slight bit vulgar. But the thing is—they both aid in making life refreshingly uneventful.

So much for hard-earned mediocrity when Luca Grinaldi appears on the scene.
Luca’s sudden presence on campus is hard to ignore. Those bright eyes act like a beacon to unsuspecting females, and with features like his, he’s got to be moonlighting for GQ. Luca hopelessly captivates Ariel with his confidence and charisma, but the mysteries surrounding him make him nearly untouchable. And just when Ariel grows close enough to unlock his secrets, a tragic event sends her life in a downward spiral.
That steady life is no longer an option and allies quickly become scarce. The mysterious Luca seems to be the only one willing to help her—but with that trust comes the burden of his secrets. He has a dark mission of otherworldly proportions, and is willing to sacrifice as many lives as it takes to see it completed.
Gone are the days of simply maintaining normalcy, and if Ariel isn’t cautious with her trust, so soon may be her future.

The Crimson Hunt is a New Adult Science Fiction Romance.

Erin's Take:

This was such a neat twist on the paranormal/sci fi storyline! Victoria Smith packs in captivating characters, action-packed thrills, suspense, and a genuinely unique plot into an otherworldly love story that I really enjoyed reading! 

Most of the first half of this book lulls the reader into a sense of false normalcy, with Ariel carrying out her days as a college student with her best friend Piper. They deal with the usual college drama-boys, challenging classes, worries about their future careers, and finding time to squeeze in the occasional party. But the mysterious Luca has planted a seed in Ariel's mind that has him front and center of her thoughts, whether she wants him there or not. Sure he's gorgeous with a perfect body, but he's also rude one minute and flirtatious the next, leaving her confused and wondering why she bothers. There were many times where I wanted her to just grab Luca by the collar and plant one on him, but there's a reason for his hot and cold behavior. It all started to make sense once it became clear Luca was not just the hottie with a split personality disorder. He's in her life for a reason, and it puts her in grave danger from a threat not of this world, but it turns out she has a role to play, too...and it's a big one! 

I loved that this story wasn't like anything I'd seen in the sci-fi genre, as original concepts are hard to come by these days. I don't want to give too much away, but Smith wove an intriguing web to create her Eldaen beings and to design their purpose on earth. Human-hunting assassins with supernatural powers, a determined young woman with something worth fighting for, and a prophecy of great change all came together while the future of two worlds hung in the balance. I do wish that it hadn't taken quite so long for the mystery to be revealed, as there was a section of the story that lagged for me. Once Luca shared his secrets with Ariel and he could admit his feelings for her, though, I was drawn into their romance and the suspense and danger that followed them. It was a sexy, exciting, thrilling adventure! 

I really loved Ariel as a heroine, she was strong and had just the right amount of spunk in her attitude to keep me entertained. She and Piper together had me laughing over their banter, and she definitely brings out a side of Luca that made him easy to fall for. She's going to play a key role in the future of the human race when all is said and done, and I'm anxious to see how she handles her new fate. There are clearly some major battles ahead for her in this series, but I'm hoping she and Luca get the happy ending they deserve once the dust settles!!