Reviewed by Michelle Randall for Readers' Favorite

Julia was not always a Lost Soul; she was once the daughter of a wealthy man about town in a time when daughters were nothing more than property to be bartered off to the highest bidder in marriage. Julia begins the story by telling us that she is going to write down her history to hopefully rid herself of her nightmares. Given some of the things she experiences, if all she has are nightmares then she is lucky. Julia begins her life naive and thinking that she is worth something, only to be crushed by her father and husband. Luckily, someone is watching out for her and she begins her life as a vampire. Author Theresa Van Spankeren gives the vampire community progressive ideals for the time period; the belief that women are equal to men and not just property. Throughout her life, Julia learns more with the vampires than she ever would have in her worldly life.

Lost Soul (War of Destiny) (Volume 1) begins Julia's story and sets the stage for a saga of the vampire community. There is a war brewing; to live among the humans and befriend them or to use them only as food and kill them. Theresa Van Spankeren gives the reader a look into the world throughout different time periods with the history of different vampires, yet at the same time they all are very progressive in their thoughts, or at least the band that Julia belongs to. The reader is easily able to identify with them and feel for them, wanting them to succeed in their endeavors to bring about change and equality. It is a great read for adults or older, more mature teens.