THE LOST VAMPIRE (Last True Vampire #5) by Kate Baxter-a review
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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 1, 2017
Soul mate–or tragic fate?
Once one of the oldest dhampirs in existence, Saeed now faces a treacherously uncertain future as a vampire. He believes that the only thing that can restore his position within his coven and tether his lost soul is the flame-haired fae who is destined to be his mate.
Cerys Bain is a soul thief. She is feared by those who dwell in the supernatural realm–and hopelessly bound to the ruthless mage Rinieri de Rege. The raw, sensual vampire who enters her world is both a threat and an intoxicating temptation: No one has ever made Cerys feel the way Saeed does. But to claim their fate as soulmates, Saeed must first find a way to free Cerys from Rin. Is their desire worth the risk of certain destruction–and eternal doom?
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REVIEW: THE LOST VAMPIRE is the fifth installment in Kate Baxter’s contemporary, adult LAST TRUE VAMPIRE paranormal, romance series. This is newly turned vampire Saeed Almasi, and Fae /soul thief Cerys Bain’s story line. THE LOST VAMPIRE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty but I recommend reading the series in order as there is an ongoing premise throughout. Saeed’s story line begins in The Untamed Vampire .
Told from several third person points of view including Cerys and Saeed THE LOST VAMPIRE follows newly turned vampire Saeed Almasi as he goes in search of his mate. Thought to be mad due to the Collective memories that are destroying his mind, Saeed is desperate to find the woman that will return his soul, and calm the madness that continues to grow. Enter Cerys Bain, the woman Saeed knows to be his mate, and a woman whose life is no longer hers to control. What ensues is the building relationship between Saeed and Cerys, and Saeed’s struggle to free his mate from centuries of slavery to an ancient Master who uses Cerys’ powers to exact payment from those he believes have done him wrong.
Cerys Bain is a soul thief; a Fae female whose special abilities have been used to destroy too many lives but a woman whose guilt and anguish are tempered by the fact that Riniere de Rege, mage and boss of the local underworld, has custody of our heroine’s soul. Centuries of servitude and stealing soul’s for a man she despises have begun to take its’ toll on our story line heroine as each new soul collected takes a little of her life. Saeed Almasi was once one of the oldest dhampirs in existence. With only a few remaining vampires in the world, Saeed’s turning comes at a cost-the Collective memories of all of the vampires that have come before threatened to destroy any semblance of peace and sanity for our story line hero. Tethering his mate will return his soul but the mate he seeks has no soul to tether.
The relationship between Cerys and Saeed is one of immediate attraction but Cerys is leery about Saeed’s true intent. Without a soul Cerys knows that Saeed will not be able to tether his mate, and Saeed’s patience and growing love begin to evoke too many emotions from Cerys that have remained dormant for far too long. The $ex scene are intimate and seductive without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.
There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including Fae (Breanne and Fallon), shifters, vampires (Sasha Ivanov and Diego,Bria, Siobhan) , dhampirs (Jason), berserkers ( Warlord Ian Gregor) and mage (Rin). We are reintroduced to several previous story line characters including Mikhail Aristov (King of the vampires).
The world building continues to focus on the political structure, history and infighting between the various supernatural species. Six hundred years earlier the Sortiari and the Beserkers had all but wiped out the vampire race from existence as retribution for the vampires killing most of the Beserkers female population. The Beserkers became the mindless killers, enslaved by the Sortiari, and are now seeking retribution for sins of the past.
THE LOST VAMPIRE is a story of one man’s struggle to find purpose, to find his mate, and to find peace and quiet from the memories that threaten to destroy his mind. Relinquishing leadership of his coven, Saeed goes in search of a fantasy pulled from the memories of those who died long before. The premise is detailed and entertaining; the characters are colorful, many and spirited; the romance is emotional and intense. THE LOST VAMPIRE is an energetic and passionate look at the supernatural.
Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley
Reviewed by Sandy
