Vampire Diaries: The Return: Nightfall - L.J.Smith

The fifth book in the Vampire Diaries series, but the first in The Return chapter of the story. Written almost two decades after the original books, the story picks up just after the last finishes, with Elena having just been brought back to life.

However Elena is not entirely human. She cannot speak, cannot remember, glows radiant white, and defies the laws of gravity. Not only does Elena and her friends have to deal with all those issues, but also the fact that her blood is now irresistible to vampires. And having two of them in love with her is bound to cause problems. Stefan who truly loves her and his brother Damon who wants her to be his princess of Darkness.

Although there is something new in Fell's Church, something more sinister than the vampires, that not only want Elena's blood, but want her dead. It will stop at nothing to get what it wants, and play with the residents of the town to make sure that it gets it, no matter the cost to everyone else.

Jaki's review

While I loved the first four books in the series, this one let me down a little. The writing is the same and the characters stay true to their original selves, but the story seems to fall apart. The underlying main story makes sense and is a good idea, but at times the way it is explained left me confused as to what exactly was going on, where the characters were and what motivation could have possibly lead a character to do something so out of character.

I thought and hoped that if I kept on reading it would all come together like a good TV crime show where everything is wrapped up in the end, but was left feeling a little cheated when I finished. Don't get me wrong I did enjoy the book as I love the characters and the world they live in, but I don't like feeling completely confused and lost reading a book and then still feeling that way when I finish it.

The open ending gives me a little hope though. Perhaps the next book The Return: Shadow Souls will restore my faith in the series and go back to having the same 'feel' as of the original four books. I've got it on pre-order so here's hoping.