Oh my stars, where do I even begin with this one? I stumbled across "Red's Salvation" late one night while nursing my usual insomnia, and suddenly it was sunrise and I hadn't moved from my reading nook. I've got the dark circles to prove it, but absolutely zero regrets!
As someone who typically rolls her eyes at academy settings (I mean, how many magical schools can one person read about?), I was pleasantly surprised by how this one grabbed me. The author took what could have been just another "girl discovers her powers" story and twisted it into something deliciously different. The main character's journey from being beaten down to finding her strength resonated with me deeply - though I will say I wished she'd been a bit more proactive about investigating all the mysterious elements surrounding her situation.
The romance aspect? *fans self* The slow burn is absolutely exquisite. The way the relationships develop feels earned rather than rushed, though I did find myself getting a tad impatient waiting for certain characters to show up. No spoilers, but let's just say some of these men are worth waiting for!
What held this back from absolute perfection for me were the somewhat underdeveloped magical elements. For a story set in a magical academy, we see surprisingly little actual magic in use. My inner world-building enthusiast was left wanting more details about how everything works. Also, fair warning to my fellow sticklers - there are some editing hiccups that might make you twitch.
But here's the thing - despite these flaws, I couldn't put it down. The story has this addictive quality that makes you forget about little technical issues because you're so invested in what happens next. I found myself completely swept up in the main character's emotional journey and the developing relationships.
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (4.5 stars)
Would I recommend it? Absolutely, especially if you enjoy strong female leads, slow-burn romance, and don't mind staying up way too late reading "just one more chapter." Just maybe keep some coffee handy - you're going to need it!
*pours another cup of tea and checks countdown to book two*
Librarian Emily finds a cursed ancient book about vampires that makes her mysteriously ill and connected to it. Vampire Alexander is tasked with retrieving the book but falls for Emily instead. Now he must protect her from an evil vampire coven also after the book, while trying to break the curse that binds Emily to it.
