Review copy was received from Author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Night's Reckoning by Elizabeth Hunter Series: Elemental Legacy #3
Published by Self-Published on November 26, 2019
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 369
Format: eARC
Source: Author
Goodreads
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For over a thousand years, the legendary sword Laylat al Hisab—the Night’s Reckoning—has been lost in the waters of the East China Sea. Forged as a peace offering between two ancient vampires, the sword has eluded treasure hunters, human and immortal alike.
But in time, even the deep gives up its secrets.
When Tenzin’s sire hears about the eighth century shipwreck found off the coast of southern China, Zhang realizes he’ll need the help of an upstart pirate from Shanghai to retrieve it. And since that pirate has no desire to be in the middle of an ancient war, Cheng calls the only allies who might be able to help him avoid it.
Unfortunately, Tenzin is on one side of the globe and Ben is on the other.
Tenzin knows she’ll need Ben’s keen mind and political skills to complete the job. She also knows gaining Ben’s cooperation won’t be an easy task. She’ll have to drag him back into the darkness he’s been avoiding.
Whether Ben knows it or not, his fate is balanced on the edge of a thousand-year-old blade, and one stumble could break everything Tenzin has worked toward.
The Elemental Legacy series builds upon the very beginning which is Elemental Mysteries and then the Elemental World. I would classify Elemental Mysteries and Elemental Legacy as urban fantasy as they deal with one couple primarily, whereas Elemental World is more paranormal romance with a different couple or character in each book.
You could read just Elemental Legacy but being the OCD reader I am, I would start with Mysteries, then World, then Legacy. If that’s too much, you could probably just do Mysteries, the Bronze Blade, and then Legacy, or possibly just Bronze Blade and then Legacy. But I would really just read them all as they are great!
Ben and Tenzin are in the slowest burn romance EVER. I mean, seriously, they have lived together for five years but aren’t together! There is personal growth for both of them over the years and they are learning and growing their “business.”
Night’s Reckoning is what I expected but not what I expected. So without giving too many spoilers, I will try to explain and review. It’s a fascinating read where nothing happens as I would have thought.
Ben told Tenzin in Puerto Rico how he felt and she ran. They haven’t been in the same location since then, and they are not at the same place for very much time here. Ben is determined to make progress or move on in his life without Tenzin. Tenzin wants to forget they had this conversation and go on as friends.
There is however a treasure hunt which is their normal adventure. It’s in the area Tenzin is from and with her ex-lover and sire both involved, along with lots of politics. It’s a sunken ship which has been lost for hundreds of years. The diving and collecting of historical data and preserving artifacts involves water vampires and a university archaeological team. The glorious treasure is found, and eventually ends up where it belongs.
Ben and Tenzin both have emotional unease throughout the adventure. By the end, Tenzin seems calm and settled. It is hard to say what Ben is feeling. The story ends with the treasure hunt completed but the emotional issues not resolved.
Ben whistled slowly. “I don’t want to know how much it costs to run AC all year round in this heat and humidity.”
She set the tray of tea on a low table. ” That’s why I steal things, Benjamin. I have to take care of my books.”
About Elizabeth Hunter
Elizabeth Hunter is a contemporary fantasy and romance author. She is a graduate of the University of Houston Honors College and a former English teacher.
She currently lives in Central California with her husband, son, very ineffective canine assistants, and a pitifully empty fish tank.
ELIZABETH HUNTER is a ten-time USA Today and international best-selling author of romance, contemporary fantasy, and paranormal mystery. Based in both Central California and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, she travels extensively to write fantasy fiction exploring world mythologies, history, and the universal bonds of love, friendship, and family.
She has published over forty works of fiction and sold over a million books worldwide. She is the author of the Glimmer Lake series, Love Stories on 7th and Main, the Elemental Legacy series, the Irin Chronicles, the Cambio Springs Mysteries, and other works of fiction.
I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
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I didn’t even know this book from this author and it’s been yeard since I haven’t read one of her books
All her books are REALLY good. I’d recommend any of the series to you and say just pick a series and start reading it.
I’ve heard such good things about this author. I really need to try her – maybe she’ll start a new series! haha.
She’s amazing! I love all her series. I would see if your library has any of them and start there. My brother’s library has everything even the novellas. Let me know if you have a series you want to try.
Treasure hunt and paranormal races? Sign me up. Good to know that this is a spinoff.
The Elemental Mysteries and definitely this Elemental Legacy series are all about treasure hunts of one sort or another. Elemental Mysteries is more about tracking down priceless BOOKS. Legacy is finding actual treasure – jewels, gold, a priceless sword. The books are in diverse settings in Europe, Asia, and Africa. I highly recommend every book by this author.
great cover, and vampires…oh yeah. those teases have me hooked
They are all great! I’d start and the beginning and read them all. You can’t go wrong that way.
I am going to have to read Elizabeth Hunter. Her books sound wonderful but I do think I would want to start at the beginning. Glad you enjoyed it, Anne!
I highly recommend them all. As I tried to explain in the start of my review, there is the original series, the spinoff world and now this spin-off series. If you’ve read Jeanine Frost, Elemental Mysteries would be B and Gio (Cat/Bones) original, then Elemental World would be like the books about Spade and some others. Elemental Legacy would be like the separate series on Vlad or Mencheres or now Ian. But she has 2 other paranormal series Irin Chronicles and Cambio Springs. She has contemporary romance also.
She does such a great job with characters. Her books have a very realistic feel to them with diversity, Interesting and diverse locations, and believable emotions. Anyway, I hope you do read some of them; they are so good.
S
Sounds right up my alley and I’ve been wanting to try this author. Such an excellent cover too.
It is excellent but see my first paragraph about order of reading because I wouldn’t start with this one.
Yeah, I think it would be better to start at the beginning of this world. It would make for a better experience and less confusion.
I didn’t know about this series. I am working on her Ian Chronicles
I love all her series. This is the oldest and most spun-off one. I would start this series at the beginning when you get to it. There is also her Cambio Springs PNR series which oddly is my favorite. I love the Irin Chronicles also.