This is a spoiler-free review! The version I am reading is an ARC -- any changes made for the final publication are not reflected in this review.
I am going to be completely honest and say that I did not immediately remember how Stalking Jack the Ripper actually ended -- I read the book about four years ago and from what I can remember, I had to power through. Hunting Prince Dracula basically picks up right where the first book left off and throws you right back into the thick of it with Audrey and Thomas, our little workplace romance lovers that cannot seem to do anything with each other besides send longing glances each other's way.
Maybe it is because I usually do not read historical fiction, but this book was dragging on like no tomorrow. Every fifty pages I was crossing my fingers hoping something exciting or unpredictable would happen, and every fifty pages I would be disappointed. It was either riddled with Audrey complaining about Thomas or having her sneak off into the night, only to find some horrific crime scene or potential clue to solving the murders, which always ended up with her being interrupted. It became very repetitive very quick into the book, and I had to push myself to finish this second installment -- the last fifty pages somewhat made up for it though.
I wish we were able to have chapters with a perspective from Thomas -- it would have balanced out the story much more effectively, and we would have been able to see his thought processes behind a lot of the things he did throughout the story. Instead, we were given just little bits of letters between him and Audrey, which basically told us the bare minimum of what we needed to know about his decisions. Additionally, Audrey's constant references to the Jack the Ripper case had me wanting to pull my hair out. I understand that the case left some uneasiness behind on her, but mentioning it every other page seemed a but much.
The side characters provided a bit of relief from the constant complaining that Audrey never seemed to cease -- especially Anastasia, who was an absolute riot. The other boys who came to the academy also added a little bit of fun, some much more than others. With murders occurring left and right, you would think the involvement of these characters would increase, but they remained on the sidelines for quite some time before any of them seemed to get a line or two of dialogue.
Maniscalco did a fantastic job on describing anywhere that Audrey and Thomas found themselves -- the scenery was heavily detailed and really felt like you were in Romania at Bran Castle. Readers will definitely be able to immerse themselves into the story and gain a real grasp on the environment, which is much different compared to the streets of London where Stalking Jack the Ripper took place. I am a sucker for all things gothic and vampiric, so I can say with much certainty that I liked this setting more than the setting in the first book.
There was something about this book that just was not clicking for me, which is a shame because the premise and scenery really sounded intriguing. Audrey and Thomas has me giggling one minute and then wanting to throw my book across the room the next. At first I was on the fence if I would be continuing on with the series, but now I feel like I will only move on to the next to see what happens with Audrey and Thomas, rather than for their next case.
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