This was the first book I read by Cynthia Leitich Smith. I was amazed by the story, the characters and the world creation. This book was so good that I bought and read Tantalize immediately upon finishing this story. Set in the same world as Tantalize but with a new set of characters, this story is fast-paced, riveting and extremely addictive. It is a story of love, but a love that can never be. It is the story about falling and possibly about redemption.

The story is told in alternating chapters from the perspectives of Zachary a guardian angel and Miranda his 17 year-old charge. But maybe Zachary loves Miranda too much; in an attempt to save her life he reveals himself in full radiance. Miranda is kidnapped by a vampire and is being trained to be Vampire Royalty, a Princess. Zachary is stripped of most of his powers and spirals down until a former colleague appears and tells him he has a new mission and gives him a start and an address. When Zachary gets there it is Miranda's new home and he becomes her personal assistant. He tries to assert his influence and save her soul.

Can an angel who is out of grace redeem himself and more importantly complete his initial mission guarding the soul of Miranda? As the story goes back and forth between their two views, we see both sides of this story. Yet both of them will need to learn who they really are at the core of their being and through that what sacrifices they must be willing to make to live up to who the are.

This story was incredibly addictive. I did not want to put it down. It was hard to go back to work from breaks reading it. Cynthia Leitich Smith has done an amazing job creating a world, and populating it with characters you cheer for, root for and a few who you hope get what is coming to them. She wrote a previous book in this world called Tantalize and has a third book coming out in 2011 called Blessed.

~(Possible Spoiler Alerts!)~
Second in an "unjoined" series (Tantalize being the first, but comprised of different characters), Eternal tells the story of a normal teenage American girl-Miranda- who ends up becoming a vampire princess. It also tells the story of Zachary, a guardian angel who ends up falling from grace when he falls in love with his human, Miranda. The only way for Zachary to become a true angel again is to stop an evil vampire. But when Miranda gets in the way, trouble starts brewing, and an ancient evil may choose to destroy them both.
Most people don't seem to give this book a chance, and I personally do not understand why. At times the changing viewpoints of the two main characters is slightly annoying, but the plot and characters are fleshed out well. This book is a must for people who not only like vampire novels, but a double-edged sword: both fun and flirty and deep and dark at the same time. Cynthia Leitich Smith has started writing the third book, Blessed, which will be coming soon, and she promises that the characters from both books will meet in it. If you like angels and vampires, pick this book up. You will be glad you did. I know I certainly was!
~Note: attached are the two books related to this one. Blessed is coming soon; Tantalize is the first in the set.

I loved the idea. The concept was amazing. It could have gone in any direction. The characters, though, fell flat. I think the author could have done more with the story. The author mentionned that she wanted to discover the castle of Dracula. There was a bit of that like the dungeon, the ball room and the office (More was emphasized on the dungeon, though).

I think the best part of the book was when Dracula returns. That was about it. Everything else, the imagery didn't do much justice to the story.

This is a borrow type of book, not one you can keep in your collection.

was this supposed to be the 2nd book for tantalized because i found it was not related.the book itself was slow and the change between Zachary and Meranda's perspective got confusing. personally i wish i waited for it to be in the library.