Tag Archives: vampires

Bitter Blood (Morganville Vampires #13) by Rachel Caine-a review

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Bitter Blood (Morganville Vampires #13) by Rachel Caine

Bitter Blood by Rachel Caine

Bitter Blood (release date November 6, 2012) is Book 13 in The Morganville Vampire Series

Blurb:

For years, the human and vampire residents of Morganville, Texas, have managed to co-exist in peace. But now that the threat to the vampires has been defeated, the human residents are learning that the gravest danger they face is the enemy within…

Thanks to the eradication of the parasitic creatures known as the draug, the vampires of Morganville have been freed of their usual constraints. With the vampires indulging their every whim, the town’s human population is determined to hold on to their lives by taking up arms. But college student Claire Danvers isn’t about to take sides, considering she has ties to both the humans and the vampires.

To make matters worse, a television show comes to Morganville looking for ghosts, just as vampire and human politics collide. Now, Claire and her friends have to figure out how to keep the peace without ending up on the nightly news… or worse.

Review:

Bitter Blood picks up a few months after the draug were defeated in Black Dawn. Michael and Eve are married, much to everyone’s dismay, human and vampire alike. The only support they get are from their best friends and housemates, Claire and Shane.

Rules are changing in Morganville. Oliver seems to have become inseparable with Amelie, the Founder. And his influence is showing. And Claire is not happy about it. Upon receiving their new “registration” cards in the mail, Claire, Shane and Eve discover that they now have to carry an I.D. card that gives all of their vital information. They are not excited about the cards, but when Eve opens Michael’s and they discover the new rules for the vampires, it hits the fan. Seems the vampires have some new rules as well, namely, they can now legally “hunt” one time a year. And that goes over like a lead balloon.

Claire and Shane go to Amelie to try and dissuade her from allowing the vampires to hunt, but Oliver is there and his influence over Amelie is undeniable. And, seemingly, ironclad. Everyone in Morganville seems on edge. Myrnin comes to Claire to tell her to get out while she can, but she refuses to leave her friends. (Due to Claire’s saving the vampires several times, the Founder has told her she can leave any time she chooses)

The Glass House, where Claire, Shane, Michael (Glass) and Eve live, is attacked by people who are NOT happy about the marriage between Michael and Eve. Both sides, vampires and humans, say it’s not natural. And the tension just keeps getting worse. To add to the tension, a television show crew shows up wanting to see if they can find some paranormal activity. Ironic, right? Well, let’s just say things aren’t always as they appear.
Things go from bad to worse quickly in Morganville. Eve is brutally attacked. Myrnin is missing. Michael is not himself, nor, for that matter, is Oliver. And, some folks just won’t stay dead. There is a play for power. Can Amelie survive this latest move? Will our fab four survive all of the fallout? What about Myrnin? Did he just up and leave Morganville and Claire? You’ll have to read and find out.

Everyone knows how much I looooove this series. And, I hate to say it, but this one fell just a little short for me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good book, but I expect more from the residents of Morganville. This one wasn’t action packed like the previous few books. Oh, there are revelations, some attacks and a few surprises, but just not what I was expecting. We do finally get to hear a few things from Myrnin’s POV and it made me love him even more. Two of the fab four (Claire, Shane, Michael & Eve) disappointed me to the point where I wanted to climb into the book and hit them on their heads. I know, I know!! It is YA, but dang!! All in all, a good story. I just expected more.

LINKS TO ORDER:  Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository / Amazon

Reviewed by Vickie M.

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Sweet by Uzuri Wilkerson-a review

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Sweet by Uzuri Wilkerson- a review

Sweet by Uzuri Wilkerson

Book Description: Release Date June 2012

Witnessing a brutal murder at work is only the beginning of Celia’s problems. The fact that the victim is a vampire only proves to complicate her life even more. The vampires of New England have always had an undetected existence among humans but with the unprovoked death of one of their own, the lust for revenge has begun. Celia’s concerns are magnified when a hunter from Dallas arrives in town. With Jay’s sexy smile and rugged ways, Celia finds herself wanting to spend time with him despite being mysteriously linked to the nest that is threatening to become extinct if Jay gets his way. When four bodies are found drained of blood; Jay teams up with a local bunch to take out all the undead which coincidentally, includes her boyfriend Victor. Celia won’t stand seeing anything happen to Victor but refuses to hurt Jay as well. Confusion, lust, rage and violence intertwine as worlds collide. Celia will soon discover that her neat little existence is not what it seems as her cryptic past and present start to unravel.

Review:

Talk about a love triangle……….. A young woman in love with a vampire and enamored with a vampire hunter. But, first things first. When I started this book, I wasn’t enamored. It felt forced to me. There was a need for better editing due to some grammatical errors and I didn’t think the story was flowing the way it should. Then a funny thing happened. I found myself hooked. These vampires are edgy. The good ones are sometimes “bad” without meaning to be. They get lost in the feeding frenzy, but feel remorse if something goes awry. The bad ones, of course, feel no remorse. Nothing new there. It is the battle of good, bad and in between that draws you in.

The cast of characters is diverse. We meet a nest of vampires that has some colorful characters. Victor is not a member of the nest, but is a friend and is accepted by them. Well, most of them anyway. Of course, the vampires are a secret and there are hunters hunting them. Again, nothing new there, but these hunters have a different feel to them. They’re not evil and have no evil intent. They are just ridding the world of unnatural, blood-sucking beings. I have to tell you, they remind me of the earlier Lessening Society in my all time favorite series. Even though this bunch is a ragtag group, and are not evil, they seem familiar.

I really liked this story. I like that the vampires have “normal” vampire abilities and are killed in “normal” ways. Although I’m not a fan of love triangles, this one worked for me. Celia is a great character and her friends are an added bonus. The interaction between her and Victor is written well. As is her family interaction. I can only guess that there is more to her family than we found out about in this book. There are also some vampires that I can’t wait to read more about, both good and bad. This series has potential and, I for one, look forward to the next book in the series.

Links to order: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

Copy supplied by the publisher.

Reviewed by Vickie M.

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VAMPIRE DREAMS ( A Samantha Moon short story) by J.R. Rain-a review

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VAMPIRE DREAMS (A Samantha Moon Short Story) by J.R.Rain

BOOK BLURB: Six years ago federal agent Samantha Moon was the perfect wife and mother, your typical soccer mom with the minivan and suburban home. Then the unthinkable happens, an attack that changes her life forever. And forever is a very long time for a vampire.

Samantha Moon is a mother, an agent and a vampire, but not a vampire by choice.  Over the previous several days, Samantha is besieged with a nightmare showing a young human woman obliterated by a city bus.  Usually nightmares and dreams are just that, but Samantha has a gift of ESP, and she believes she is actually seeing the future.  Although nothing about the woman is familiar, she will soon discover the place and time will be closer than she thought. 

Samantha would soon recognize a young woman sitting on a bench waiting for a bus.  Hoping to stop a disaster from happening, Samantha tries in vain to ‘push’ the young woman into moving.  Thinking Samantha is crazy lady, the potential victim of the accident blows Sam off.  When the nightmare never occurs, Sam will soon realize she is at the wrong stop.  Hoping to save the other woman, Sam takes off but knows she will never make it on time.  But no sooner is she heading to the other stop, does something strange and overwhelming happen-she finds herself flying to her destination and has no idea what has happened.

VAMPIRE DREAMS is a very short story, approximately 19 pages, in J.R.Rain’s Samantha Moon series.  Although it is an intriguing novella released on September 17, 2012, it isn’t necessarily worth $1.99.  In June 2012 the author released SAMANTHA MOON: THE FIRST FOUR VAMPIRE FOR HIRE NOVELS anthology which includes Vampire Dreams.  If you are interested, I would suggest this particular anthology as it includes the first 4 Samantha Moon novels and a couple of short stories.

LINKS TO ORDER: Samantha Moon: The First Four Vampire for Hire Novels -anthology
Amazon Paper Books
Amazon Kindle
B&N Nook and Paper Books
Powells
Books A Million

Reviewed by Sandy

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SAVAGE REDEMPTION (Vampires #5) by Alexis Morgan-a review

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SAVAGE REDEMPTION (Vampires #5) by Alexis Morgan

SAVAGE REDEMPTION (Vampire #5) by Alexis Morgan

SAVAGE REDEMPTION is the fifth storyline and September 1, 2012 release in Alexis Morgan’s VAMPIRE series of novels. A little background information to Alexis’s vampire line-Chancellors are a hybrid combination of vampire and human with the ability to stay up during the day. Like many hybrid storylines, there is discrimination against the Chancellors for their vampire like qualities, from both humans and vampires alike.

Conlan Shea had no idea what to make of his current circumstance. Finding his one-time love Kat Karr holed up against an armed assault brought back too many memories of betrayal and time spent in jail that could have ended his life. Not knowing why Kat and her two young nieces were on the O’Day estate where he was head of security amped up Conlan’s anxiety as much as seeing the woman who had broken his heart.

Kat Karr did not want to go to Rafferty O’Day, but with Rose and Maggie depending on her she knew the only place they would be safe was with Rafferty O’Day and his mate. Kat had not planned on seeing Conlan Shea, and with that, the look of pain and betrayal in his eyes, was all too familiar. Hoping to keep one step ahead of Councilman Cyrus Eddington, Kat hoped the full vampire O’Day would help find a place for the girls when she was gone. With a death warrant on her head, Kat knew her time was limited.

Conlan had barely recovered in the last year from his experience in prison where he spent two years when his last involvement with Kat went terribly wrong. Now he was willing to risk his life once again for a woman he can no longer trust. But Conlan knew that Kat has been set up three years earlier and he wasn’t about to let her go through it all over again.

Conlan’s emotions are all over the place. Knowing Kat the way he did, he wasn’t surprised when his instincts to run kicked in, but Kat was hiding a secret-one that almost cost him his life. But when she revealed the truth behind the original charges brought against, Conlan, he  knew he had to help prove her innocence, because now it was not only their lives in danger, but all vampires and Chancellors as well. Eddington had a plan to purify the planet.

SAVAGE REDEMPTION is an amazing storyline that finally gives Conlan his long awaited story. I have read the entire VAMPIRE series by Alexis Morgan and each story gets better. I love the fact that Alexis brings in many of her characters from the previous novels allowing for a more intimate and familiar flavor to the story.

READING ORDER:
1.What’s At Stake (Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance Anthology)
2.A Vampire For Christmas
3.A Vampire’s Salvation
4.A Vampire’s Vindication
5.Vampire Vendetta
6.The Vampire’s Desire
7.Savage Redemption

Reviewed by Sandy

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BLOOD BETRAYED (Sons of Navarus #2) by Gabrielle Bisset-a review

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BLOOD BETRAYED (Sons of Navarus #3) by Gabrielle Bisset-a review

BLOOD BETRAYED (Sons of Navarus #2) by Gabrielle Bisset

BLOOD BETRAYED is the second storyline (May 2012 release) in Garbrielle Bisset’s Sons of Navarus series focusing on a the power struggle between the infertile Archons and the ancient order of the Sons of Navarus. Without the ability to sire one of their own, the Archons targeted the Sons to ensure that only their own kind remained.

The war between the Archons and the Sons of Navarus now focused on Declan (Saint) Collins. Following the murder of his brother Teagan, Declan had hope to one day face the Archons in a final fight. But the Sons of Navarus had a plan to protect Declan, and the plan involved someone from his past. When his own sired vampires refused to come to his aid, Declan’s only hope was the Sons. Shunned by his own for dishonoring the sire/vampire relationship Declan has been alone for years. 

Solenne was a spy for the Sons. Following the staking of her sire, Solenne agreed to ferret out information about the Archons. And with Declan’s reputation for denying the vampires he sired, any hope of help was long past- a penance Declan thought he deserved. But knowing he was to seek refuge with the one person who could truly hurt him, turned in his gut because he blamed her for something that happened many years ago.

Marc Verrater is an Archon. Abusive and cruel, it is Marc’s duty to find and destroy the Sons, but his treatment of Solenne is abhorrent.  The Archons have targeted the Sons of Navarus to prevent the Idolas Prophecy from coming to fruition requiring Solenne to stay under cover to secure what little information she can. But the rumors regarding Solenne and Marc reach the Sons, and Solenne is called before the vampires she is trying to save and is accused of betrayal.

Deciphering the Prophecy would take time. As fellow Sons of Navarus vampires Ramiel and Thane continue their search for clues, it becomes apparent that the Sons will play a major role in the outcome, and for that reason the Archons must hunt and destroy, for their power and control will soon be eliminated. 

Declan and Solenne’s relationship is rocky. When Teagan sired Solenne, Declan had fallen in love with his brother’s vampire, and like many sibling rivalries jealousy and betrayal accusations abound.  For close to 100 years, Declan walked the earth alone, believing that the only woman he has ever loved left him for another man. 

BLOOD BETRAYED is a vampire story of sibling rivalry and the hunt to forestall the Idolas Prophecy. Throughout the storyline, the Sons of Navarus continue to decipher the ancient text knowing that the longer is takes, the more at risk everyone will become. Solenne’s love for Declan has never waivered but has been questioned by those close enough to care and it will be Declan’s love for Solenne that will force a heartbroken Solenne to take refuge with another one of the Sons.

Gabrielle Bisset writes a fascinating tale the weaves ancient prophecies with vampires and love, heroes and villains, family and friends. The sire/vampire relationship is continually questioned as the handling of their progeny is different for each of the Sons, and Declan’s sired vampires have a different story to tell.

READING ORDER
1. Vampire Dreams Revamped
2. Blood Avenged
3. Blood Betrayed
4. Blood Spirit

LINKS TO ORDER
Amazon Kindle
Amazon Books
B&N Nook
KOBO

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Sandy

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VAMPIRE DREAMS REVAMPED (Sons of Navarus 0.5) by Gabrielle Bisset-a review

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VAMPIRE DREAMS REVAMPED (Sons of Navarus 0.5) by Gabrielle Bisset- a review

VAMPIRE DREAMS-Revamped (Sons of Navarus prequel) by Gabrielle Bisset

NOTE: Series contains mature adult content

VAMPIRE DREAMS is the prequel novella (July 2012 release) to Gabrielle Bissett’s Sons of Navarus series. Brandon Riley was a 200 year old vampire who had yet to sire another. Lonely in a world full of vampires and humans, Brandon thought he finally found the one he could make his own. Brandon wanted to find love.

Arden Stephens was homeless. Following the death of her father, she was left penniless with no experience or hope. Trying to make a life on the streets was next to impossible, yet when a complete stranger saved her from a stalker, Arden couldn’t refuse his offer of a job. But something about her new employer was different. And every night her dreams were becoming increasingly sexual and Brandon figured prominently in every one.

Vasilije is Brandon’s sire. For over 200 years, Brandon was Vasilije’s favorite. Cruel and sadistic, Vasilije needed his connection to Brandon and refused to allow Brandon the one thing he wanted more than anything else.

VAMPIRE DREAMS-REVAMPED is a short story that introduces Vasilije, an ancient vampire who has sired many vampires over the years. The Sons of Navarus series will focus on Vasilije and the vampires of The Sons of Navarus. The storylines are both sensual and erotic, with a little gothic horror to keep the vampire genre alive.

READING ORDER
1. Vampire Dreams Revamped
2. Blood Avenged
3. Blood Betrayed
4. Blood Spirit

LINKS TO ORDER
Amazon Kindle
B&N Nook
KOBO

Reviewed by Sandy

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SOULED OUT (Volume 1) by Blakely Chorpenning- a review

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Souled Out (Volume #1) by Blakely Chorpenning

SOULED OUT (released July 2012) by Blakely Chorpenning

Ell Clyne is a cypher: a twin: and without a soul. At twenty, she has been a cypher for the Members for 4 years. The Members are the vampire-elite-the political and legal structure for the vampires. With her ability to ‘decipher’ or read souls, she is called upon nightly to reveal the future. But Ell has a secret that she keeps deeply buried-only now it appears that the Members and the Mass have found out the truth.

Working as a cypher for the vampires has a few benefits. A longer life and more money then she knows what to do with. But it ends there. At 16, Ellenore was chosen as the next cypher, but with it came the headaches and the lost connection to her friends, her parents and recently, the connection with her twin sister Myranda. With a deepening depression, Ell continues to pull away from the reality of life and is determined to withdraw from everything. Yet each night, Gabriel continues to bring a parade of people and vampires that the Members need to be read.

Gabriel is a vampire. Working for the Members, Gabriel is charged with bringing anyone the Members considered important to their future. Reading souls was taking a toll on Ell, and Gabriel was one of the few who knew the reason. Gabriel too, had a past he keeps hidden. But there was more to their relationship than professional courtesy-the continuous battle of wills between Gabriel and Ell was cracking the façade that Ell wrapped tightly around herself-only Gabriel was aware of what drove Ell and he was hoping for something more.

Seth is another vampire who has crossed paths with Ell on a couple of occasions, but Seth is looking for something more as well. And when Ell suddenly finds the Mass (vigilante vampires) waiting for her return, it will be Seth and Gabriel who take it upon themselves to be bodyguard and guardian-only neither has the ability to stop the Mass from attacking their intended victim. And Ell will find herself beaten, near death and buried alive with no hope for rescue. But sometimes friends will reveal themselves at the strangest places and times.

When Ell is brought before the Members, it is Gabriel who will stand by her side. But when the truth is finally revealed, 2 sets of twins-one set once thought to be close-and the other set- still farther apart-will be pulled into a melee of betrayal and conspiracy of a jealous sibling. No one had ever said family was easy.

The character of Ell is in a world of hurt. Perceived rejection by her parents and her sister, as well as the continuous strain of the cypher, will pull Ell into a deepening spiral of self-loathing, self-doubt and anxiety befitting every psychiatrists nightmare. And it will take 2 strong vampires to show her that life doesn’t end, when your family calls it quits.

SOULED OUT is a fascinating look at the vampire storyline. Not your typical vampire genre, Souled Out is a mix of the paranormal and urban fantasy. A story replete with the powers of an aging witch, Souled Out is a dark tale of betrayal at the deepest level. Another unique and interesting vampire novel and a couple of vampire myths –shot all to hell. An excellent read.

LINKS TO PURCHASE:
Amazon Kindle
Amazon Paper Book

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Sandy

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ETERNAL BEAST (Mark of the Vampire #4) by Laura Wright-a review

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ETERNAL BEAST (Mark of the Vampire #4) by Laura Wright-a review

ETERNAL BEAST (Mark of the Vampire #4) by Laura Wright

ETERNAL BEAST is the fourth novel (August 2012 release) in Laura Wright’s Mark of the Vampire series and, Gray and Dillon’s story. MOTV features pureblood vampires, impures (1/2 human/1/2 vampire) and an assortment of terms found at the beginning of each storyline and novel. Throughout the series, Laura has teased us with bits of information about Gray and the tragedies that have unfolded in his life. Eternal Beast will prove that Gray is more than an Impure vampire and Dillon is more than a Pureblood veana.

Gray Donohue is the current leader of the Impure Resistance-originally founded by his father Jeremy, Gray and his band of warriors (Rio, Vincent and Piper) pool their resources and powers to rescue the Impures held in the Paleo by The Order. The Order is the powerful and self-appointed judge, jury and executioner of everything vampire related. Only now, Gray’s connections to the Resistance are known by the Order and a plan to secure his whereabouts will be aided by someone close enough to call family. But a warning of intent will come from a very unlikely source.

As a pureblood veana, Dillon has never had to worry about The Order, but now that her ‘alter ego’ has been revealed, Dillon is no longer safe. Hunted like a wild animal, Dillon discovers that the man she once called father, is pure evil. And the lies that she and her brothers have been told, only served to add fuel to their need for revenge.

The relationship between Gray and Dillon has been disconcerting throughout the series. There is an obvious attraction between the pair, but more so on the side of Gray. But in Eternal Beast, Dillon reaches a ‘maturity’ of sorts and needs her mate to help sustain her humanity. Without a True-Mate, Dillon’s circumstances will change and what is uncovered was never revealed but kept secret by the man who is more like Dillon than anyone could have imagined.

The mutores (Vampire Shape-shifters) figure prominently in Eternal Beast, as they aid the Roman brothers with their attempts to locate and secure a run-away Cruen. But it will be the relationship between mutore and vampire that will force everyone to look at one another differently from now on. But it will be Erion’s relationship with Ladd that sparks the next instalment in the Mark of the Vampire series-ETERNAL DEMON- set for release in May 2013. But  we must not forget Eternal Beauty in April 2013 and Eternal Sin in November 2013.

Reading Order
1. Eternal Hunger
2. Eternal Kiss
3. Eternal Blood (enovella)
4. Eternal Captive
5. Eternal Beast

LINKS TO ORDER

Amazon Kindle
Amazon Paper Books
B&N Nook and Paper books
The Book Depository
KOBO

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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