ETERNAL RUIN

A young woman plots to outmaneuver a secret society that embraces lifelong alliances with vampires.

In the alluring series opener Immortal Dark (2024), Kidan Adane discovered that she and her missing sister, June, were the last living descendants of Adane House. Kidan believed a bloodthirsty vampire stole June away; her search led her to Uxlay University, where vampires and their willing human companions sustain a delicately balanced coexistence. Now Kidan’s goals are not only shaped by vengeance and her hatred of vampires, they’re also grounded by her motivation to save June from the seductive danger of their birthright. But Kidan is sent reeling by the realization that June has betrayed her—how could someone she trusted and loved turn out to be her enemy? As she races to learn how to become the true master of Adane House, Kidan’s charged relationship with the vampire Susenyos threatens to erase an ever-weakening boundary. Girma’s cinematic continuation of Kidan’s journey crackles with the heat of forbidden romance and the prickly paranoia of sociopolitical intrigue. June’s characterization presents a stark contrast to Kidan’s, but both sisters ride the line of moral grayness, and the story’s multiple points of view provide an immersive narrative experience. The ending sets up unresolved questions, leaving readers eager to dive into the next twisty act.

A heady sequel that ups the stakes, further explores compelling internal dilemmas, and delivers horror laced with hope.