Title: Hunting Prince Dracula

Author: Kerri Maniscalco

Pub. Date: September 19, 2017

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

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Since this is a more recent release, I’m going to give my general reaction first, and then go into spoilers, because I NEED to talk about this book.

OH MY GOD.

OH MY GOD.

OH MY GOD.

I didn’t think Kerri could top Stalking Jack the Ripper but she did. She so totally did!

I also didn’t think I could love Thomas Cresswell and Audrey Rose Wadsworth anymore than I already did. I WAS SO WRONG. I LOVE THEM EVEN MORE.

Both of these characters are brilliant. Personally, I think it’s rare when I like – love – both main characters equally, but oh my god I love them to bits.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book, and it surprised me in all the best ways possible. There wasn’t a moment that I felt bored, or uninterested. My attention was focused the whole time.

Now, I listened to this on Audiobook through Audible, and holy crap! It was so good! Nicola Barber (the narrator) was amazing! I thoroughly enjoyed it, and will definitely be listening to Escaping From Houdini when it comes out in September (it’s on my Most Anticipated List!)  I definitely recommend listening to these books on audio, through Audible if you can, because they are just so good, and feel so real. I kept having to remind myself that I wasn’t in late 1800 England and Romania. Trust me, snapping back to the reality of work sucked, and I tried to spend as little time there as I could.

This book had so many twists and turns, and there were moments where my heart was thudding hard against my chest. This book is the next installment in Audrey Rose and Thomas’s journey, and it doesn’t disappoint.

Now. Time for spoilers!

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Last chance!

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I’m gonna jump ahead, because the ending of this book had some of the best scenes, and I don’t think I can wait to talk about them!

I loved how unexpected the Indiana Jones twists came about underneath the castle. But the scene in the room with the water rapidly filling. I WANTED THEM TO CONFESS THEIR FEELINGS! I wanted them to say everything that they had been suppressing, prosperity and society be damned! That scene, as the freezing water kept pouring into the room, as Audrey Rose’s skirts threatened to pull her under, to Thomas wrapping his arms around her to keep her afloat – my heart was screaming. I just love them together so much.

Then the creepy as hell grave yard – as gross as it was, it created a really vivid picture in my head, and I felt like I was there. That whole scene was so weird and intense and again I was on the edge of my seat.

I HAD NO IDEA IT WAS ANASTASIA. NONE. I kind of assumed it was the Headmaster, and I didn’t believe it was her body they found in the bat filled room.

Okay, now that I have thoroughly spoiled the end of this book, lets jump back towards the beginning.

Smart ass, cocky, inappropriate Thomas Cresswell…can he please be real? I love him. I love how much he cares for Audrey Rose, and it’s so obvious because more than half of the time nonsense comes out of his mouth as he tries to impress her. Especially when he tries to look out for her, and it severely backfires.

I understand why Audrey Rose reacted the way she did each time Thomas spoke up on her behalf. One of her fears is to be caged, and she doesn’t want that. Audrey Rose is pretty progressive, as is Thomas, and she just wants to be treated as an equal, and equally capable. I think Thomas, not knowing how to go about, showing her he cares deeply, does what he thinks is helpful – this is basically stated in the book – that he had good intentions, they just played out horribly. I’m just glad that they they eventually work everything out.

The scene in the village when Audrey Rose is looking at the dress made of dreams. I knew right then and there that Thomas Cresswell would be buying her the dress because he saw her reaction to it. It’s the little things. Oh, and the line, upon opening the box with the dress inside, where she says something along the lines of he bought me dreams – my entire body thrummed with excitement! I absolutely love the fact that he bought her the dress.

The one thing that did feel kind of out of place was the fact that Thomas just happens to be the last living male heir to Dracula himself. But at the same time, we the reader, don’t actually know that much about his past, and he says so himself, that he doesn’t like bringing it up. I’m still a little undecided how I feel about it, but it is what it is.

BUT ON THE OTHER HAND –

I could not, could not get behind Anastasia’s reasoning for doing everything she did. It felt a little clichéd. Of course, since Thomas is the last living male heir to Dracula, Anastasia is the last living heir to Lady Dracula. Her reasoning for everything was that she and Thomas would get together, have little Dracula babies, and rule Romania…yeah. Nope.

Just Nope.

As much as I wasn’t thrilled with this kind of half baked villain, I can’t bring myself to lower my rating for this book, because I just loved it so much, flaws and all.

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SPOILERS OVER!

Hunting Prince Dracula is definitely going on my Favorites of 2018 list, even though it was released in 2017. I adore this book and Stalking Jack the Ripper so much and I cannot wait to see what Audrey Rose and Thomas get into in Escaping From Houdini! I wish I could fast forward to September just so I can read it now! I’m going through Wadsworth and Cresswell withdrawals.