Review: Sacrifice by Melinda Metz & Laura J. Burns *no spoilers*

Sacrifice (Crave #2)
by Melinda Metz & Laura J. Burns

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Release Date: September 20, 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Age Group: Older YA
Source: Simon & Schuster e-Galley Grab
Rating: Guilty Pleasure
Related Review(s): Crave
About the Book:

(highlight to read)

Gabriel and Shay are convinced that they can make their relationship work. Knowing that Shay is half-vampire, Gabriel thinks that his coven will embrace her as one of their own, but instead they view her as an abomination, a thing that doesn’t belong in either world. And they want her dead. Now Gabriel must make the ultimate decision - watch his love be killed by his coven or defy the people closest to him, the people he has spent centuries with to save her.

This review kicks off a quick series of upcoming vampire-related reviews. Yes, I'm happy to have been reading about vampires these past few days (Twilight didn't scare me off--just kidding, loved Twilight!).

While I really liked Crave much more, Sacrifice, I have to say, is a solid sequel and conclusion to this twosome series. I think I liked this one way more than others normally would, especially after the greatness of Crave, but it managed to rip emotions out of me that gave my family an excuse to look at me like I'd grown a giant green head. It was imperative that I get the rest of the story, and I'm so happy I finished the series.

As entrancing as Crave was for me, I think I shed a lot more tears this time for round two. Probably because I adore the characters so much. Sick girl with a strong will and a Heart of Gold. I think I've mentioned this before, HoG girls are my undoing. And when they're loyal and forgiving and loving like Shay, I can't help but fall for 'em. More, when an HoG girl meets her match and proceeds to heal his scarred heart and drive away the hate, well, color me delighted. The match here is Gabriel, and when I spoke about Crave, I mentioned that not only is he every girl's fantasy physically, but he's also sensitive and intelligent and deeply good, even though he couldn't believe it of himself at first. In Sacrifice, there's a lot more rehashing of his sad, sad past, which delves into particular memories of the horrible fate of a character who became dear to me throughout the course of book one. In came the sobbing and hurting.

Although I enjoyed Sacrifice for the lovable characters and the intensity of the 'race against time' plot line, I admit I wasn't as interested in Shay's POV as I was with Gabriel's, most likely circling back to the fact that I was more interested in learning more about what went down in the past than concerning myself with the present. That dreaded history kept me more absorbed than anything else. Still, the danger in the book makes for pulse-pounding, speedy turns of the pages.

In the end, though, I was satisfied. The conclusion could be termed bittersweet, but I'm happy with the way things ended, despite all the bad that had to happen first. Sacrifice, though not as impressive as Crave, is a sound conclusion to a very well-written, profound series that places an emphasis on choice, atonement, and what it really means to love and forgive. Even if it's not to continue the Crave series, I sincerely hope that Metz and Burns keep writing more books together, because, evidently, they're a successfully matched writing pair.

Despite their undermining qualities, Guilty Pleasure books still find ways to get you addicted and still like them... (My Rating System In-Depth)

WHILE SAM WAS SLOWLY DYING, GABRIEL HAD THOUGHT THERE COULD BE NOTHING WORSE THAN THE HORROR OF HIS DESPERATION. BUT HE'D BEEN WRONG.
THE WORST THING WAS THE END. GABRIEL WAS THE LAST TO DRINK FROM HIS BROTHER BEFORE THE ENTIRE FAMILY DRANK TOGETHER, TAKING THE LAST OF SAM'S BLOOD. GABRIEL FELT IT AS HE DRANK... SAM WAS NEARLY DEAD. GABRIEL PULLED AWAY, REMOVING HIS EYETEETH FROM SAM'S THROAT. HE'D AVOIDED SAM'S GAZE SINCE THE RITUAL BEGAN, EVEN THOUGH HE COULDN'T AVOID SAM'S EMOTIONS BLASTING THROUGH THE COMMUNION.
BUT THIS LAST TIME HE COULDN'T HELP HIMSELF--HE MET HIS BROTHER'S EYES.
SAM WAS LOOKING BACK. "YOU ACT OUT OF LOVE FOR YOUR FAMILY," SAM WHISPERED. "SOMEDAY YOU'LL REGRET YOUR PART IN THIS, AND WHEN YOU DO, REMEMBER... I FORGIVE YOU."
THAT WAS THE WORST PART. THE WORST MOMENT OF GABRIEL'S LIFE.