Review: Balthazar by Claudia Gray

Balthazar by Claudia Gray
Release Date: March 12, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 374 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen
Series: Evernight
Source: Library

Description from Goodreads:
Haunted by memories from his first days as a vampire, Balthazar has spent hundreds of years alone—without allies, without love. When he emerges from his isolation to help Skye Tierney, a human girl who once attended Evernight Academy, Balthazar has no idea how dangerous it will be. Skye’s psychic powers have caught the attention of Redgrave, the cruel master vampire responsible for murdering Balthazar and his family four centuries ago. Having learned of Skye’s powers and the remarkable effect her blood has on vampires, he plans to use her for his own evil purposes. As they stand together to fight the evil vampire, Balthazar realizes his lonely world could finally be changed by Skye...just as Redgrave realizes that he can destroy Balthazar once and for all by taking her for his own.

In a story filled with forbidden love and dark suspense, one of the most beloved characters in Claudia Gray’s New York Times bestselling Evernight series will captivate readers with his battle to overcome his past and follow his heart.

I really enjoyed the Evernight series. Honestly and truly, I did. And I was Team Balthazar all the way. So of course when I saw there was a whole book devoted to him, I wanted to read it. Then, when I saw it on the shelf of the library I certainly had to grab it. Balthazar surprised me, though.

I found it incredibly interesting to find out more about Balthazar's past. Things I had always wondered about were answered--things like what happened to that Jane girl who was mentioned numerous times and why, exactly, had Balthazar done what he did to Charity. I always enjoy learning about characters I adore.

Still, I did have some trouble just getting into the story. I wasn't as caught up in the world Claudia was creating for us as I had been throughout the whole Evernight series. Everything just felt so disconnected from everything we knew and loved in Evernight. EveryONE, too. Balthazar seemed like a totally different person to me in this book. Which isn't horrible, but not as comforting as I thought this book would be.

I positively enjoyed the parts where we saw/talked to Bianca and Lucas again. Those were some of my favorite parts. It was really nice to see what Balthazar thought of Bianca through his eyes. That made me really happy. It was like a taste of the series that is sadly over. Kind of nastalgic.

Character rundown: Balthazar. OH, BALTHAZAR. Kind, strong, wise, and (how can we forget?) attractive. He's almost the same guy we always knew, but he's much more guarded. His logic for his guardedness got repetitive. I'll always adore him, though. And Skye. Skye is a girl I would be friends with if I knew her in real life. She can stay calm in situations most people would flip out, and I respect that. She's not exactly who I pictured would end up with Balthazar, but that's okay because I don't think I'll be happy with who he ends up with. No one will ever be good enough in my mind.

The ending. The end of this book makes me think. Like, will there be another book? Or was that THE END? Aside from the very end being somewhat confusing (to me but probably not others), I was pleased with it. There was a part that seriously had me saying "GO CHARITY!" I was proud of her.

Overall, I liked this book. It was a nice read, but it's not something to read if you're looking for more Evernight. There are a bunch of different characters and only a few of the same. The only constant old characters are Skye and Balthazar for the most part. If you adored Balthazar, as I did, you should definitely read this book.

Okay, that's all I have to say about Balthazar. Thank y'all for checking out my review!

Have a wonderful day, Friends!

♥Jessica(: