Born of Ashes

Roane’s Guardians of Ascension vampire romance (after 2011’s Wings of Fire) focuses on former blood slave Fiona Gaines and her Guardian, Warrior of the Blood Jean-Pierre Robillard. The two are breh-hedden, soul mates, which Fiona sees as another form of imprisonment while Jean-Pierre believes it puts him at risk of being betrayed again. Fiona is obsessed with eliminating blood slave facilities and the vampire who held her captive; the rest of her team wants to learn more about her special talents as part of the obsidian flame trio of prophecy, and to use her skills to battle the deadly gorgeous death vampires. Excessive length, unclear big-picture motivations, confusing hierarchies and powers, and an incomplete glossary will discourage any but already devoted readers from venturing into this universe. Agent: Spencerhill Associates. (Jan.)