All Souls Night: Blood Ties Book 4 by Jennifer Armintrout

Released: June 2008

Jennifer Armintrout's Blood Ties is the best contemporary vampire series I've read in recent years. Blood Ties tops out Charlaine Harris' "Sookie Stackhouse" series and also MaryJanice Davidson's "Queen Betsy" series by FAR! Our main protagonist and heroine Carrie has wit and intelligence that the ditzy, annoying and ridiculous females from the aforementioned series above lack considerably.

All Souls Night is the fourth and final book of the Blood Ties series in which Carrie and gang must conquer the evil Soul Eater, whom is close to establishing "God" status. Characters both alive and dead from the previous three books come back in All Souls Night to help Carrie win the battle of good versus evil.


Armintrout has built up a cast of strong, stable characters we've grown to know and appreciate, with great rapport and a terrific ongoing storyline. After having several years of separation from the series with a large gap between books three and four, I found it incredibly easy to jump back into the Blood Ties world - it was as if I had read the previous novels yesterday.

I love how Armintrout has given Carrie newfound powers in All Souls Night without being over-the-top triumphant, and I'm always loving how Carrie was a doctor in her previous life versus a shoe-collecting whore or waitress like rivaling vampire series, ahem. I must also say All Souls Night is a first and a breakthrough for me when it comes to homosexual love scenes between two men. I am proud to say that Armintrout has done a tasteful, outstanding job in approaching the gay love scene in the classiest way possible. This particular scene is very erotic and hot, without being disturbing, or even disgusting for those normally against reading gay or lesbian romantic fiction. I'm so impressed!

The ending of All Souls Night and the finale to the Blood Ties series is everything I wanted it to be, and also very romantic.

I am really looking forward to reading Armintrout's Lightworld/Darkworld series which begins with Queene of Light (2009). Don't miss the rest of the Blood Ties series beginning with The Turning (2006), Possession (2007) and Ashes to Ashes (2007).