Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel

Lenah Beaudonte is a 500+ year old... teenager. She was turned by her maker when she was a mere 16 years old. She has ruled as vampire queen for centuries and time has made her into a monster. She kills for sport, has no feelings, no emotions. She has longed to be human, if for nothing else then to save herself and any who might cross her path, and with the help of her maker and former lover, Rhode, she has accomplished just that. She is human! Enrolled in the private and secluded Wickham Boarding School she must now pass for an average 16 year old. But her deserted coven will not stand for Lenah's abandonment and she knows she is on borrowed time. This is Lenah's quest to not only be a human teenager, but to stay a human teenager.

Wow, wow, wow!!! I loved this book.

Ms. Maizel has created a wonderful leading lady in Lenah. What a unique character - one of the most creative I've read in a while. I loved that she was a terrible, horror-invoking, menace when she was a vampire. She's a mean girl - gone good. The flashbacks throughout her life, giving you glimpses into her long existence were so bleak and blood-filled, you could not help but hope that her plans of being human work out.

Another thing that I found very interesting were her love interests. Rhode, her vampire sire, lover and the one that I ultimately went TEAM RHODE! over, then there was Vicken, the man she turned vamp in order to replace her loneliness when Rhode was away and, now, Justin, all-around human teen heartthrob. Her chemistry with all three of her beaus ranged from heart-stopping, sigh-worthy, to just plain, give me a minute while I swoon over here. I also really liked some of the supporting characters, but my favorite was Tony, who quickly jumps in as BFF and sidekick to Lenah.

Aside from the characters and their interactions, I really felt that this story worked well. I loved the alternating between the present and the future. Which was pretty neat since Lenah is so, well... human, in the present and such an evil b*tch in her past. I found myself caught up with Lenah learning to be human again after being a vampire for so long, the ever lurking danger of her past and the joys of finding love when least expected.

I have to say that this character-driven novel is one that I truly enjoyed. Its premise was engaging, the writing and content is mature, the characters are flawed, intense, dark and edgy. An overall perfect package... oh, and did I mention the ending? I definitely didn't see that one coming and there was a wicked cliffhanger too. I can't wait to see what happens next.

This book was provided for review by St. Martin's Griffin.

GIVEAWAY: And because I ♥ this so much - I will gladly give away my gently read ARC copy - to spread the love. Just leave a comment and make sure to leave an email address. Open internationally. Winner will be chosen 8/29/10.