Keeper of Light and Dust by Natasha Mostert
Stand Alone
Genre: Urban Fantasy / Supernatural Thriller
Format: Paperback, 352 pages
Published: 02/02/2010 by Penguin Group (USA)
ISBN: 978-0451229090
Received From: Penguin Group (USA)
Summary from Goodreads:
Mia Lockheart has a secret. Her mother was a Keeper, as was her grandmother—women who were warriors, healers, and protectors. As Mia practices her craft among the boxers and martial artists of South London, and begins a romance with her childhood friend, the fighter Nick Duffy, she has no idea that a man who calls himself “Dragonfly” is watching from the shadows.
Adrian Ashton is a brilliant scientist, an expert in the breaking field of biophoton emissions from cells within the human body. He is also a skilled martial artist—and a modern-day vampire. With the aid of the enigmatic Book of Life and Death, written in the thirteenth century by the legendary Chinese physician Zhang Sanfeng, he preys on other martial artists and drains them of their chi—the vital energy that flows through the body.
Mia finds herself drawn to his dark genius, but when he targets Nick as his next victim, she is forced to choose between the two men. It becomes a fight to the death in which love is both the greatest weakness and the biggest prize.
My Ramblings:
Keeper of Light and Dust is mixture of martial arts, science and mystical intrigue, told from the three main characters' point of view. It also offers a very different look at the makeup of a vampire. Instead of the traditional immortal vampire living off of a person's life blood, the vampire here lives off a person's life energy to obtain immortality. Natasha Mostert has a very easy writing style that's easy to follow and she's subtly reveals secrets about each character as you read, keeping you glued to the book. There's also a great deal of historical facts and information about the different martial arts disciplines, which will make this great reading for those who enjoy these elements.
My favorite part of reading Keeper of Light and Dust was the interest tidbits dropped in about martial arts and beliefs from different Asian cultures. I've never practiced any martial arts myself but I've always been fascinated by it and the discipline it takes to perfect these arts. And I was intrigued by the fact that Mia wasn't only a practitioner of martial arts but also a tattoo artist, these talents gave her such an interesting air about her that I wish she was someone I could actually sit down and have a long chat with. I also found myself more drawn to the bad guy, Adrian more than the good guy Nick. That’s just my preference for the tragic bad boy persona.
While I did enjoy reading it and how it ended, I found myself wanting more to happen than what did by the end of the book. Plus, Natasha Mostert had created such fantastic world surrounding Mia’s heritage but I felt just the surface was skimmed in the story in regards to it.
Keeper of Light and Dust was a suspenseful psychological thriller steeped in mysticism and modern day science that made for fast enjoyable reading. And it isn’t as steeped in the paranormal and fantasy as the typical Urban Fantasy novel; it had more a mystical air to it. I liked Natasha Mostert’s writing well enough that I plan reading her other stand alone novel Season of the Witch.
My Rating: 
Places you can find Natasha: Web Site | Facebook | Discussion Board
Other Ramblings:
