Sweep of the Blade – Ilona Andrews

The last book in the Innkeeper series introduced us to Dina’s sister Maud. Maud had married a vampire knight, but was recently widowed when his machinations had gotten the three of them (including their five year old daughter Helen) exiled to one of the nastiest planets in the galaxy.   She and Helen had managed to avenge his death before she was able to get word to Dina for rescue.

After swearing off vampires for good, she meets Arland, Marshall of one of the oldest vampire houses in the galaxy. During the course of the last book, they fall in love and he asks her to marry him. She says no, but follows him home anyway. Helen is half vampire, and it’s clear she’s more vampire than human. It would be best for her to grow up on a vampire world. And there’s also the fact that she does love Arland.

This book goes surprisingly quickly. I adore Arland’s family. They really don’t want to like Maud, but she wins them over quickly, because she really is awesome. (Probably more awesome than Dina, I have to admit.) The book is so fast paced, it’s hard to recap it without giving things way, but suffice it to say, Maud is thrown in the deep end, and manages to make things work in spades. Love this book – I want more!