Synopsis: Amedeo is Cruxim, a mysterious, immortal fallen angel. Destined to seek redemption as a vampire hunter, he quenches his insatiable hunger on vampire blood. But when the object of his passion, the novice nun Joslyn, is turned into a vampire and enters a vampire coven, Amedeo’s worlds collide. Helping him along the way is Sabine, a Sphinx and guardian who also protects humans from vampires. Shattered by the loss of his beloved, he vows to rid the world of vampires once and for all, even if it means destroying Josyln in the process.
Review: Cruxim was an enjoyable read. Though the story is on the shorter side, I felt that the it was refreshing and offered an interesting new world. The concept was a bit of a twist on what’s usually served up in the vampire and angel genre. I think those who enjoy the Angelology series by Danielle Trussoni would also enjoy this. The writing styles are similar, though each offer unique takes on mythology and the character traits are different.
I thought it was pretty cool that while vampires prey on humans, Cruxim preys on vampires. These “angels” have a very savage streak, but they are very honorable and complicated creatures. Sabine as a sidekick worked well for me. She was a standout character with a real presence and real feelings that you could sympathize with, despite being half lion. I’d really like to see a cover of Sabine in the future.
I wouldn’t go into this looking for a satisfying romance. Cruxim is noble but he has a self-loathing quality that makes the romantic prospects a bit frustrating, but I have to give credit to Karin Cox for keeping it unpredictable. The dynamic between Cruxim and Josyln and Cruxim and Sabine are both intriguing in their own ways.
That said, I honestly was not thrilled with how it ended. I’m not a big fan of cliffhangers, but on the plus side it looks like this is setting up for an ongoing series, so there will be more. I am looking forward to Cruxim’s growth the next time around and how his actions and the vampires’ are going to affect the future.