Book Review: Rival by Lacy Yager

Rival is the second book in the Unholy Alliance series by Lacy Yager. This young to new adult novel is about  a fifth generation vampire Chaser, seventeen-year-old Emily Santos wants nothing more than to join the family business. But Emily's mother refuses, so Emily must channel her aggression into her martial arts training, at least until her eighteenth birthday. Black belt senior Brett Carson has decided it's time to rid himself of his unrequited feelings for Emily. But when he finds himself in the middle of an altercation with Emily and a gang of vampires, he is drawn into a world he never expected. And Brett is hiding his own secret.

I have not read Unholy Alliance, the first book in the series. I am glad to say that while there is some connection between the two, I do not feel like I enjoyed Rival any less for that lack. Emily is a smart and strong teen that would rather be off riding four wheelers in the mud with her cousin, sparing at the gym, or even hunting vampires than getting ready for a catilion. Brett is a fellow martial artist with a crush on Emily, and a secret he thinks will make her view him as weak. Coinidence and vampire attackes make thier relationship even more complicated, and might be just what they need to see each other as they really are. I liked that Emily is strong, not just mentally but physically as well and that she want take part in a dangerous proffesion she is not reckless. Brett is dealing with his own issues, and while he has feelings for Emily he is aware of hoe unobtainable she was and was not being the dopey suiter you sometimes see in this sort of book. He is aware of himself and his ewmotions and how the effect those around him. 

I enjoyed Rival, and while I do not know if I will go back and read the first book, but I know i will keep an eye out for future books by Yager. this is not typical vampire fiction, in faction the vampires in this book are not actual characters, only a source of danger and violence, which is not true in Unholy Alliance according to the description.