Showing posts with label vampire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vampire. Show all posts

Haven Review

Haven
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I almost didn't read this book because of the cover. The cover gods did not smile on Kristi Cook's debut novel. But, thankfully, she didn't need it. Bit's and pieces of this novel reminded me of different parts of other books, but it was unique in it's own way. I could see where people could see where it reminded them of Twilight, but only slightly. Or maybe Fallen. Sort of. It reminded me most of the Eternal Ones. But even so, there was a spin on that, something I've never heard of and it would seem an obstacle that would be very hard to overcome.Violet (a popular name this year) is feeling like a freak because of her visions of things that will happen in the future. Usually bad things. No one believes her. But at Winterhaven, she finds she isn't a rarity. And she begins to have friends for the first time. And a boyfriend. Who blows hot and cold. And who she starts to have visions about. And her visions are never wrong. And he tells her something terrible and she avoids him. Then one terrible night, while wandering the streets of Manhattan when she's supposed to be visiting her step mother, she finds herself in the middle of the one vision that has been haunting her since she's met Aidan. And after that, she has to believe what he's told her, what she's seen. There is no denying it.
Hope that's enough to whet your appetite. I can't tell anymore of the story without giving anything away. I will say that Violet has some friends with interesting abilities and I was glad the author explained them more fully because I didn't know what they were. Anyone well versed on astral projection? No, me either. But the author is good about explaining everything we don't understand. With some interesting new folklore on a being we know a lot about. And we get some science lessons. Yeah, I just kind of let some of the harder stuff float by. But some of it was really interesting. And where this story is leading, well, there are a couple of threads, are all incredibly interesting and like nothing I've ever read before. So, while it might tickle your mind with some memories of other books, it really is fresh and unique and the writing is easy and flows from one chapter to the next. The book is written from Violet's point of view and there is something called "The Aidan Effect" that is really funny to read in action. It's almost four hundred pages long, but it goes by fast. There is a little lag time in certain points, but it picks right back up again. You really won't notice too much.
I can't recall bad words. There was some lusting, but no actual descriptions of sex. A memory of some kind, but I don't know if it could be called sex. Lots of kissing. I'd say 13 and up would be fine to read this.

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Department 19 (Department Nineteen) Review

Department 19 (Department Nineteen)
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I was lucky enough to recieve this book as an ARC from librarything.com
Everyone knows that vampires are the big trend these days. So picking up Department 19, one might be subject to believe that it is just like all the rest. But Will Hill's debut novel is far from unoriginal. He leaves no plot holes, but leaves the reader craving more. His characters feel realistic and it's not hard to get sucked up in the story.
Jamie Carpenter's life is ripped apart first when is father is killed for allegedly betraying the country, and then again when his mother is kidnapped by mysterious creatures and he is hauled off to Department 19, the government's most top secret agency. He is about to learn that he has a stronger tie to Department 19 than he knows.
One of the greatest things that the book did for me was the vampires themselves. They drank blood, they were ruthless, they burned in the sun, and they were the disturbing monsters that I would expect vampires to be. Hill reverts his vampires back to how they used to be, which is fresh and a nice change of pace from all the other vampire novels out there.
As a lover of Dracula, I found the tie-in to the classic novel in Hill's book delightful. Dracula can leave a lot of people wondering what happened next after the book was finished, and Department 19 fills this gap. Hill manages Stoker's characters well, and it is clear he did all of his research before writing his book. Even if someone has not read Dracula, it is easy to pick up on what happened in the story, and what it means for Department 19. And as for those who have, it is a nice treat to revisit Van Helsing and the rest of the gang and find out what happened to them.
I hope that Department 19 and the following books in the series really take off. The story takes a classic story, throws in some original characters, and takes the reader to a hidden war that has been going on for decades. I hope Department 19 does not get bogged down and lost in all of the other vampire books, and reaches its potential. The book is unafraid of itself and isn't afraid to go into the gory details. I would highly recommend it to anyone, even those who do not normally read vampire or fantasy stories. I for one will be picking up the next book as soon as it hits shelves.

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Demon's Kiss (Wings in the Night, Book 1) Review

Demon's Kiss (Wings in the Night, Book 1)
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While Demon's Kiss has paranormal romance overtones it is very much a relationship driven ensemble piece that develops a very interesting group of characters and relationships.
Seth has been waiting all his life for something and has had visions of a woman, a woman who is somehow wrapped up in his destiny. When Sean is mugged, beaten and left for dead Sean readily accepts vampire Reaper's offer of immortality and even on the brink of death Sean realizes that at last he is on the road to fulfilling his purpose. Reaper former CIA assassin during life and now vampire rogue hunter has compelling reasons for shunning any relationship, but since Seth is the one Chosen with whom Reaper has an undeniable bond, Reaper cannot ignore his compulsion to protect Seth. In Shayne's vampire world this bond is not necessarily a romantic bond and Reaper's bond with Sean allows Sean to begin to crack the isolation that loner Reaper has maintained in life and death.
Sean is also the catalyst for cementing the ragtag group that begins to form around Reaper, much to Reaper's frustration. Initially the group is Sean, Reaper, Roxy and Topaz. Roxy, the only non-vampire, is a seer and powerful in her own right. Roxy is the voice of reason for the group and was previously Reaper's only friend and privy to his dark secret. Topaz is a socialite pampered princess on the surface but tough and smart underneath. Topaz hooks up with the group to seek vengeance on the vampire that stole her heart and her money. The remaining important characters are associated with the rogue group that Reaper hunts:Vixen - held captive by the group - is Sean's mystery woman. Vixen is both vampire and fox-shifter but alien in her thinking, almost more fox than woman even when in human form. Briar - beautiful, dark and cruel, is no longer able to feel her own pain and revels in inflicting it on others. And Jack - perpetual con-man, is the vampire who broke Topaz's heart. Jack is always running a scam, loyal only to himself, he never lets any one close to his heart.
It is very difficult to write a decent synopsis for Demon's Kiss because all seven main characters have distinct personalities and roles to play in the action. Shayne intertwines her characters and sets up their relationships, so that while you can see six of them starting to pair off, there are other friendships and other bonds developing between the group that are just as important. Shayne does a good job weaving her story with threads following various members of the ensemble, coming together, splitting off and reforming.
Demon's Kiss is not one of those series romances that focuses solely on a single couple as they take their romantic turn in the spotlight. While Sean & Vixen's is the only romance that runs full course here, there is a strong foundation laid for the past and future relationship between Topaz and Jack. Reaper is also such a strong character that there is no way to keep Reaper staying meekly in the background. The beginning of the complex relationship between Reaper and the evil Briar, whose soul is just as dark and damaged as Reaper's own, steals the spotlight at times. I look forward to seeing where both of those relationships go in the follow on books: Lover's Bite (May 2008 Jack & Topaz) and Angel's Pain (Oct 2008 Reaper & Briar).
Demon's Kiss is set in the same world as Shayne's popular Wings in the Night/Twilight Series (Rhiannon makes a brief appearance here) so check these out if you are looking for something to tide you over until May. Some of the older stories are being released as ebooks, Shayne's website has summaries and a `family tree' that shows the connections between books, she also has a movie trailer for Demon's Kiss by the same production company that does Christine Feehan's, the short one is fun and the longer one a bit hokey.
The Twilight Series Vampire Romance:
Wings in the Night Reissue contains:
Book 1 Twilight Phantasies - Eric & Tamara,
Book 2 Twilight Memories - Roland & Rhiannon,
Book 3 Twilight Illusions - Damian & Shannon
At TwilightReissue contains:
Book 5 Born in Twilight - Jameson and Angelic
Book 4 Beyond Twilight - Cuyler and Ramsey
Book 7 Twilight Hunger - Dante & Morgan,
Book 8 Embrace The Twilight - William & Sarafina,
Two By TwilightReissue contains:
Book 9 Run From Twilight Micheal & Mary
book 6 Twilight Vows - Donovan & Rachel
Book 10Edge Of Twilight Edge & Amber Lily
Book 11Blue Twilight - Lou & Maxie
Book 12 Prince Of Twilight - Vlad & Stormy


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Even by vampire standards, Reaper is a loner, and his current mission to destroy a gang of rogue bloodsuckers is definitely a one-vamp job. Then fate takes a hand, and before he knows it, he's surrounded by a ragtag crew of misfit helpers: the newbie, the princess, the shape-shifter and the human healer. Seth is new to immortality, but he's sharp and strong-and he'll risk anything for the rogues' strange female captive, a secretive creature he doesn't understand but feels compelled to save.Vixen is confused by the emotions that swirl through her at the sight of her impulsive hero. She only hopes the brutal Gregor and his bloodthirsty renegades will leave her alive long enough to explore them.Or will Reaper himself be the one to destroy them all?

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Bitten & Smitten (Immortality Bites, Book 1) Review

Bitten and Smitten (Immortality Bites, Book 1)
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This is one of those books with a plucky heroine of the underdog sort nabs the powerful, sophisticated, and drop dead gorgeous hero. I like these sorts of stories if the heroine is sufficiently plucky that I really root for her - but Sarah never struck me as being particularly extraordinary. She's a college dropout secretary of unexceptional looks who is a self-described bubblehead. But she doesn't have, say, the breezy, irreverant boldness of (Undead and... series) Betsy Taylor - a character who manages to wear her faults with panache.
Nor is she really all that bold - she's just very insistent about going to the vampire club that the hero, Thierry, owns, and insisting that she be allowed to talk to him. Every night something happens that causes her to swear she will never return, and every night there she is, standing at the door demanding to see Thierry.
We are led to believe that she has some sort of conversion - that she realizes that she used to be an airhead and has changed her ways and will now approach life with more soul and thoughtfulness. But since the book's timespan is probably no more than a week, I wasn't really convinced.
Thierry is a good enough cold, in-control, bottled up, and uber powerful vampire master. That's kind of the problem. He seems intelligent, mature, and calm - I couldn't figure out why he was bowled over by plucky, which is to say whiny, Sarah Dearly. Not only that, for a good chunk of the novel he is fighting his attraction to her, which consists of being really, really convincingly not interested in her, and kind of contemptuous of her.
It was an entertaining enough read, but I was ultimately too frustrated with the heroine to really empathize with her.

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Demon Blood (The Guardian Series) Review

Demon Blood (The Guardian Series)
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I'm always worried that I'll ruin the story for someone so...if you're reading reviews to decide whether to buy this book, my answer is yes. But even though the author has done her best to make it so new readers can jump in at any book, don't start with this one. My official position is...order all of them, lock yourself in an a/c'd bedroom for a week or two and read them in order. Why deprive yourself? You'll thank me later.
Ok, if you've read the book and you're here to see what fellow readers thought, read on.
I really enjoy the Guardian series and I was counting the days til I received my pre-ordered copy of Demon Blood. I devoured it within a day or so, and then went back to read it again to make sure my initial impressions still held. I found the book to be satisfying, although a little uneven. It's definitely not my fave book of the series, but I'd have trouble telling you which one is.
Lately my favorite parts of these books are actually the subplots. Taylor's struggle with Michael for control of her consciousness is both frightening and fascinating. And how can anyone help but love little Khavi with her yellow slicker (Demon Forged) and potatoes? She brings much needed comic relief to this particular book, but not enough. I was looking hard for Lilith (and Sir Pup!) in this one, and I was surprised to see they were left out. I would have appreciated some follow up describing how she was adjusting to demon-hating Irena leading the Guardians. I think there's potential for some real humor, conflict and growth there. I assumed Meljean gave Lilith the position she did so she can be worked into the majority of her books. Hopefully Demon Blood was just a fluke in that respect.
I'm not a huge Deacon fan. I can understand and sympathize as to why he is as angry and vengeful and miserable as he is, but realistically I dislike people who lack the self control to exhibit some poise or common decency towards others even while in pain. His treatment of Rosalia was crude and cruel at times, even as he hated himself for it. The story of him rescuing her way back in the day didnt do enough to balance his character; I could have used some additional evidence
to prove he was more than an emo jackass.
Maybe Rosalia's personality was too close to my own for me to adore her as much as I did Irena, Savi and Lilith. Although towards the end she came to the realization she deserved someone who would trust and respect her, I had a hard time watching her accept such callous treatment from Deacon and even the people in her life. That being said, her calculations and manipulations of others went beyond
what I was comfortable with. I really expected Deacon to have flipped out a little more upon discovering she was the driving force behind his vampire transformation - regardless of whether he ultimately made the decision or not.
I felt their romance was a bit frustrating and sometimes tedious. I really prefer when couples have to overcome "obstacles" rather than their own stupid selves to achieve their happily ever after. Because there wasn't really any looming, immediate threat on anyone (besides Michael gunning for Deacon through poor Taylor) the book revolved more around Deacon and Rosalia's tense interactions, making the subplots a welcome relief from the constant animosity and sexual tension.
The sex, as always, was great. And finally - the p-word! lol I will admit that when her inexperienced characters try to have sex, the awkwardness
is very real. Sometimes too real - but really, that's just good storytelling. It would have been interesting to play up Rosalia's virginity more. (I'm assuming she
was, although it was never said explicitly.) That could have been a much needed point of tenderness and revelation between the characters.
The editing needs improvement. I think Meljean is brilliant and creative and funny, but someone needs to let her know when she's written a 57 word sentence that's so convuluted the meaning is lost. (p106) Furthermore, it's easy to lose track of who's saying what during extensive dialogue. (Guys, I'm not a rocket scientist, but I swear I'm not a complete idiot...) I love these books and I read them meticulously. I highly doubt her proofreader is paying closer attention than I am.
I have a feeling so many people have complained about her "showing" rather than "telling" that the author made an extra effort to address this tendency and ended up with some obvious and unecessary statements that really ruin the mood and flow of the scene. Other times the complexity of what's occuring could really
use a few clarifying lines. As talented a storyteller as she is, her editor/publisher needs to step up their game to make sure her final product does her abilities justice. It's frustrating to have to re-read paragraphs to figure out what's going on.
All in all, I really did like the book though I know my review is a tad critical. The plot itself was fascinating and I'm so excited for the next installment.
* Also, if the author reads these: I'm sorry if referring to you as "Meljean" offends you. "Ms. Brook" just seems really stiff and formal. Also, I adore you. Never stop writing! Kthnxbai.


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Jane Jones: Worst. Vampire. Ever. Review

Jane Jones: Worst. Vampire. Ever.
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I bought my 10yo daughter this book because Caissie is one of the funniest and sweetest people I follow online. The 10yo usually resists my book recommendations, but after a couple of pages of JJWVE, she was hooked. She read it until she had to go to bed, then snuck out of bed to read it some more. She finished it when she got home from school the next day. There are themes that some parents might find inappropriate for a fourth-grader, so read it first if you're concerned. I'm sure you'll love it too.

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For Jane Jones, being a vampire is nothing like you read about in books. In fact, it kind of sucks. She's not beautiful, she's not rich, and she doesn't "sparkle." She's just an average, slightly nerdy girl from an ordinary suburban family (who happens to be vampires.) Jane's from the wrong side of the tracks (not to mention stuck in the world's longest awkward phase), so she doesn't fit in with the cool vampire kids at school or with the humans kids. To top it all off, she's battling an overprotective mom, a clique of high school mean girls (the kind who really do have fangs), and the most embarrassing allergy in the history of the undead, she's blood intolerant. So no one's more surprised than Jane when for the first time in her life, things start to heat up (as much as they can for a walking corpse, anyway) with not one, but two boys. Eli's a geeky, but cute real-live boy in her history class, and Timothy is a beautiful, brooding bloodsucker, who might just hold the key to a possible "cure" for vampirism. Facing an eternity of high school pressure, fumbling first dates, or a mere lifetime together with Timothy, what's a 90-something year-old teen vampire to do?Fans of the Vladmir Tod Chronicles, You are So Undead to Me, and Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side will feast on this deliciously readable, smart, and fantastically funny debut.

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Vampire : The Masquerade (Revised Edition) Review

Vampire : The Masquerade (Revised Edition)
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Vampire: The Masquerade is an excellent product for the gamer who would rather have a character who has personality and, more often than not, a debilitating character flaw than a character who is a sword-swinging warrior or a blaster-wielding intergalactic hero. This game has a solid system that is simple to learn and a breeze to use, and the only dice that are used are ten-siders, eliminating problems with finding the four-siders or the twelve-sider under the couch. For the Vampire veterans out there, White Wolf has fixed and updated several things, including the insanely over-powered merit Iron Will, the damage rules (how does a dead guy take lethal damage from a bullet? Well, they fixed that little discrepancy for the Revised Edition), and the practically useless Giovanni Discipline of Necromancy has been fixed so it has more practical applications in chronicles without crossover to Wraith: The Oblivion. As a general rule, the Revised Edition of Vampire: The Masquerade is a wonderful product and an awesome improvement from the previous editions (they were great too, but the current version is better), with better art updated background information, and, perhaps the most convenient feature, every Discipline, clan, and sect in the same place; the scattering of this vital information over three $20+ books was a major shortcoming of the previous editions of Vampire. My only grievance is that the high-level Disciplines are not in this book. But beyond that, the Revised Edition of Vampire: The Masquerade is, in my opinion, a nearly flawless product.

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THE MIDNIGHT DANCE CONTINUES...They stalk in the shadows, moving gracefully and unseen among their prey. They are the blood-drinking fiends of whispered legends –Kindred, Cainites, the Damned. Above all, they are vampires. Their eternal struggle, waged sicne the nights of Jericho and Babylon, plays itself out among the vampires' grand Masquerade is imperiled, and the night of Gehenna draws ever closer.UNTIL THE END OF ALL THINGSThis new edition of Vampire: The Masquerade is an updated, revised version of the popular classic. In this mammoth volume can be found all 13 Clans, all major Disciplines, and a host of brand-new infomation on both the Kindred and the...things...that hunt them. This book compiles everything that a Vampire player or Storyteller needs to know about the Kindred and the World of Darkness for the new millenium. Plus, the new edition provides all-new information on the changes that affect the Clans, and on the beginning of the end of the Camarilla. Finally, the first of the Storyteller rulebooks is the best again!

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Boys that Bite (A Blood Coven Vampire Novel) Review

Boys that Bite (A Blood Coven Vampire Novel)
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Sunshine "Sunny" McDonald was doing pretty well; the hottest guy at Oakridge High School, Jake Wilder, has asked her to go to the prom with him, and life is now complete. At five foot four, with dirty blond hair and unimpressive muddy brown eyes, Sunny would have sworn that Jake didn't even know she existed. Freckles notwithstanding, she's not as easily recognizable as her twin sister, Rayne, who's so into the Goth scene, vampires, and wearing all black that it's not even funny. Yes, life is looking up--until Sunny lets herself get guilt tripped into attending Club Fang, a cheesy Goth club filled with wannabe vampires, and suddenly her life isn't so sunny anymore.
The night starts out okay--yes, the club is the epitome of cheesy and the smoke machine is making her cough--but improves vastly when an Orlando Bloom (Pirates of the Caribbean Orlando, not Lord of the Rings Orlando)introduces himself with a "Good evening..I'm Magnus..I believe you were expecting me" line. Sunny sure wasn't expecting him, and she definitely was not expecting the bite on the neck she gets from the totally hot Magnus.
Suddenly life is taking a dark turn, when Sunny finds out that Magnus is not only a vampire--for real!--but that he mistook her for her twin sister, Rayne. Now Sunny's going to turn into one of the undead--this close to prom!--unless she find the Holy Grail. Which is the one and only thing that can reverse the process of turning into a vampire. But even with thoughts
of Jake Wilder on the brain, Sunny's not so sure that being a vampire would be so horrible, or that being in league with Magnus would be the end of her life.
BOYS THAT BITE is a funny, action-packed read that will keep you turning pages long into the night. The characters--from Sunny, Rayne, Magnus, and everyone in between--are all well-rounded people, and the dialogue is smart and funny. As the three race to save Sunny from an eternal life as a member of the undead, she'll have to find out what's most important in life. And the ending, including a stunner regarding Rayne, definitely sets up the scene for a sequel. A great read!


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Two sisters--as different as the sun and the rain. For one, getting into the Blood Coven is to die for. But for the other, getting out could be lethal...When Sunny McDonald gets dragged to Club Fang by her twin sister Rayne, she doesn't expect to find anything besides a bunch of Goth kids playing at being vampires. But when some guy mistakes Sunny for her dark-side-loving sister and bites her on the neck, she finds out that his fangs are real--and deadly. Now, Sunny has less than a week to figure out how to reverse the bite, or else she's going to end up as the perpetually undead. And not only will she be a vampire, she'll also be bonded to Magnus--the bloodsucker who bit her--forever. And forever is a really long time...

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Anne Rice's The Master of Rampling Gate: A Graphic Tale of Unspeakable Horror by the Author of 'The Vampire Lestat' Review

Anne Rice's The Master of Rampling Gate: A Graphic Tale of Unspeakable Horror by the Author of 'The Vampire Lestat'
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A short story that Rice wrote a few years back, this is the first time it's been published in audio
format. It's a lot like something a writer from the 19th century would have written, old-fashioned,
yet oddly compelling.
A woman and her brother inherit an estate when their father dies, but are given a stern order in
his will: Burn Rampling Gate to the ground; destroy it! Curious, the siblings travel to the estate
and instantly fall in love with it. They can't figure out why in the world no one has lived in the
400-year-old mansion except for the housekeeper. They begin to think their father was a bit nuts
when he went on about some unspeakable horror that lived in the house - that was why it needed
to be destroyed.
But neither of them find any horrors and thoroughly enjoy themselves in the mansion and on the
grounds. They can't bear to tear the building down. They even visited the nearby village to ask if
there were any ghost stories or legends associated with the estate and no one has heard of any and
say nothing but good things about the mansion - to the villagers, it's a part of their lives and they
love it as much as the siblings.
Then one night, the sister awakens in the middle of the night after an odd dream. She wanders
downstairs and sees the fire is still going in the drawing room. As she enters, she realizes there is
a man in the chair, and he's not her brother. When he notices her and stands, papers fall from his
hands - a story she was writing. She recognizes him as the horror her father spoke of, the
mysterious thing that haunts the mansion and she screams. He disappears and of course, her
brother think she's as nuts at their father supposedly was.
She is determined to prove this man is real and instead becomes spellbound, not by the house,
but by this mysterious man. And he's not alive. Nor is he dead.
(The Master of Rampling Gate was originally published in Redbook magazine in 1984.)

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Vook presents a powerful story by the undisputed Queen of Vampire Literature, Anne Rice. The Master of Rampling Gate is a chilling tale of vampiric seduction enhanced by seductive videos about vampires, the black plague, the gothic style, and Anne Rice herself.Set in the gasslit streets of 1888 London and the wild moors of the countryside beyond, The Master of Rampling Gate tells the story of Julie, a young woman who becomes obsessed with the house her father swore her and her brother to tear down upon his death. Julie can't imagine what lies in wait at Rampling Gate, a spirit that haunted her father for years and now yearns for her flesh. The Master of Rampling Gate is a sublime love story in which Julie struggles to choose between the world of reason and rationality and the dark promises of a creature she is almost helpless to resist. Experience this rare Anne Rice short story as a Vook. Read AND watch the heart pounding tale as you take a journey back in time to the late 1800s, a world of endless nights, secret passions and the promise of dark and nameless pleasures.--This text refers to the Kindle Edition with Audio/Video edition.

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Dracula, Prince of Many Faces: His Life and His Times Review

Dracula, Prince of Many Faces: His Life and His Times
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Florescu and McNally have done a commendable job not only at revealing the historical person of Dracula but also at providing the reader with a fascinating window into the man's world. I found this work extremely informative since I am deeply interested in the history of Eastern and Central Europe and well-written and well-researched works in English can be difficult to come across when it comes to this part of the world. It is nice to read a book about this period and not have to wade through a myriad of contemporary Western biases.

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Dead Is So Last Year Review

Dead Is So Last Year
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Daisy Giordano and her older sisters Rose and Poppy have just returned home from vacation in Italy the summer after Daisy's junior year. Their psychic mother has stayed behind to work on an important case and is unavailable to help solve a big mystery here in Nightshade, the quirky little town where the Giordanos live in Northern California. Doppelgängers of local residents are appearing all over the place, a fact the girls hesitate to mention to their mother because one of the mysterious doubles appears to be their long-lost father. Their mother has never stopped trying to find him for the past six years, and Daisy and her sisters don't want to get their mother's hopes up about him until they are 100% sure that the man who looks and acts like their dad--at least some of the time--is really him. But figuring out the truth is made doubly hard because they are prejudiced in favor of the man due to their desperate longing that he might truly be their beloved father. Fortunately, they have working in their favor Rose's ESP, Poppy's telekinesis, and Daisy's ability to do both those things, as well.
On top of this pressing family problem, Daisy is confounded by the fact that a big portion of the players on the high school football team--including her hunky boyfriend Ryan--have bulked up massively in just the three short weeks Daisy has been in Europe. This seems physically impossible, and Daisy is determined to get to the bottom of this mystery, too, while simultaneously attempting, along with her two sisters, to make a little money at a summer job. Rose is working for an eccentric scientist at a secret lab at the local university, Poppy is running a concession stand at the beach, and Daisy is cooking and waiting tables at the local diner. The fact that her boss is permanently invisible and his juke box is enchanted doesn't phase Daisy a bit compared to the many other problems facing her during the weirdest summer on record.
This book is another big hit for Marlene Perez, in her wonderful "Dead Is" series. Daisy is as unstoppable as ever, and the kooky characters in her town alternate between being spooky, scary and downright hilarious, including, besides her boss, the juke box, and the sugar-snarfing doppelgängers, a powerful witch and assorted werewolves and vampires.
This book is the third of five books, which are best enjoyed in order. Book 1 is Dead Is the New Black. Book 2 is Dead Is a State of Mind. Book 4 is Dead Is Just a Rumor. Book 5, the final book in the series, is Dead Is Not an Option. It is scheduled for release in 2011.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys light, humorous YA fantasy stories with an intriguing mystery plot.
Note for parents, teachers and librarians: This book is G-rated. There are no incidents of drinking, drugs or adolescent sex either on or offstage, and Daisy's family relationships are warm and loving.
I grade the book as follows:
Heroine - 5 stars
Subcharacters - 5 stars
Fantasy world-building - 4.5 stars
Writing - 5 stars
Mystery Plot - 4 stars
Romantic Subplot - 4 stars
Overall - 5 stars


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Something very strange starts happening in Nightshade the summer that the eldest Giordano sister, Rose, gets a job working at Dr. Franken's research laboratory. People are starting to see double. Doppelgängers of Nightshade residents are popping up all over town. Daisy, Rose and Poppy think it's a coincidence, until the rumors start that their father, who disappeared several years ago, has been spotted in town. Meanwhile, Daisy's beau, Ryan is spending all of his time training for football, and like the other guys on the team, he's grown enormous almost overnight. Samantha Devereux's boyfriend's neck has doubled in size since school ended. Could the football players be resorting to extreme measures to win? Between summer jobs, sugar rushes, and beach parties, the Giordano girls get to the bottom of these mysteries and more.

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Real Vampires Don't Diet (Glory St. Claire, Book 4) Review

Real Vampires Don't Diet (Glory St. Claire, Book 4)
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If you are new to the REAL VAMPIRE books, witty dialogue, fascinating snippets of history and a captivating cast of characters are just a few of the reasons all four books are a must read! Each stands alone, but read one and you'll be hooked.
If you are already a Glory fan, REAL VAMPIRES DON'T DIET is populated with familiar friends and foes while adding a sinister new villain with the ability to freeze victims into living statues.
When a family emergency forces Glory's boyfriend, Blade, to fly off to Europe on New Year's Eve, she expects to spend a quiet evening watching chick flicks. A phone call from pop star Ray Caine, a newly turned vampire who Glory has taken under her wing, causes her to rush to his lake house, where a party is in full swing. Alcohol is like poison to vampires. Ray is feeling depressed and well on the way to being drunk when Glory arrives.
Needing a safe distraction, Glory agrees to go for a midnight boat ride with Ray. Unfortunately, their trip puts them in the path of a Siren who has been cursed by the Goddess of Night. To break the curse, the Siren must deliver three vampires to the Goddess. Fortunately, even Sirens swoon under the spell of Ray's love songs, which enables him to make a deal - Ray and Glory have until the next full moon to deliver three replacement vampires to the Siren or they will be sacrificed to the Goddess. WORSE, they are now forcibly compelled to answer the Siren's call. Regardless of what they are doing, how far away they go, day or night, when the Siren calls it is impossible for Glory and Ray not to respond.
With the clock ticking, Glory and Ray must pose as an engaged couple to fool an old enemy, the head of the Energy Vampires, with hopes of luring him and couple of his cohorts into the Siren's web. Energy Vampires are the "human" equivalent to drug pushers. Having three fewer on the streets of Austin would be a good thing and solve their problem. Only the fickle Goddess decides that one of the sacrificial vampires must be Casanova - the brother of Flo, Glory's friend and roommate. If the situation weren't bad enough, Glory never found the opportunity to tell Blade about the `pretend' engagement to Ray, and he returns from Europe to find Glory and Ray in a very compromising situation.
Will Glory find a way to satisfy the Siren's demands, save Flo's brother and win Blade's forgiveness? Don't miss this exciting and fun adventure with Glory St. Claire!


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Real readers love this series and its "vampire to die for"(Kimberly Raye, USA Today bestselling author of Dead End Dating)-from the author of Real Vampires Get Lucky. Gloriana St. Claire-curvy, stylish, and undead-is spending New Year's Eve alone. And it's all because her boyfriend, Jeremy Blade, is traipsing off to parts unknown to rescue his supposed daughter from the clutches of "dangerous radicals." But just as Glory settles in for the evening, a phone call from the bodyguard of a drunk, newly-undead rock star could end her year on a crazy note.

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Angel of Vengeance: The Novel that Inspired the TV Show Moonlight Review

Angel of Vengeance: The Novel  that Inspired the TV Show Moonlight
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I'm a fan of the Moonlight series and I was so excited to read this book. The noir feel of the show is amplified in this awesome book. The storytelling is tremendous. Mick Angel is the new Mick St. John. Thanks Trevor!!
I definitely recommend this book to everyone. It's a great read from start to finish. I can't wait to see what Trevor O. Munson comes up with next.

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Be Mine Tonight (The Brotherhood of Blood, Book 1) Review

Be Mine Tonight (The Brotherhood of Blood, Book 1)
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just got done reading Be Mine Tonight, and.. I really, truly loved it. A wonderful job all the way around - the characterizations were very three dimensional, not to mention that Pru Ryland is one of the best heroines I've ever read. Kathryn Smith's new take on vampire legend was very smart, unique and believable. I loved that Chapel didn't end up as that all-too-familiar vampiric hero stereotype. He was very vital, warm and alive, instead of being darkly brooding and menacing in the way I've come to expect from vampire fiction. As for the story itself, I don't want to give too much away I was asborbed every step of the way as the two main characters, Pru and Chapel, fell in love very convincingly without falling into cliches. I cried so hard through parts of this book that I've blocked my right ear, but it was a fabulous read. I'm usually a picky b*tch and not too many authors make it into my auto-buy list, but this one just did. I'm really looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series, and hope they'll all be as wonderful as this one.

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I am called Chapel . . . For nearly six centuries I have roamed the night, a mortal man no longer. Would that I could undo the past -- when I entered the sanctuary of the Knights Templar to wrest from them the Holy Grail, only to discover the chalice I raised to my lips was not the sacred relic but a hellish cup of damnation. Now I shun the day and all things human, driven by an ungodly thirst. And yet... Never have I known a maiden the like of Prudence Ryland, whose beauty and spirit awaken a heart I feared long cold and dead. But her young life is slipping away, and she also seeks the deliverance of the Grail -- unaware that the cost of her search could be her soul. I must help Prudence, for in six hundred years, no other woman has stirred my passions so. But dare I tender to my beloved that which she most desires -- the sensuous "gift" of forever that is both rapture and a curse: my immortal kiss?

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Bite Me Review

Bite Me
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Bite Me is one of those books that has been sitting on my shelf forever and I'm just now getting around to reading. It's also one of those books I wish I'd picked up the second it came in my mailbox.
While the first couple of chapters start out slow, Bite Me quickly wrapped me up in lots of suspense, drama, and romance. It was a nice change of pace from many of the other paranormal books out there because, instead of fawning over the vampires and their hotness, these characters are kicking vampire butt. In fact, my favorite thing about the book was the characters. They had spunk and personality, which added so much to the story. I also loved all of the different paranormal creatures introduced.
Like I mentioned, the plot moves pretty quickly and there's a lot of fun vampire-butt-kicking, as well as some romance and drama.
The one thing I do feel like I need to mention is that while this is marketed towards YA, there's a lot of romance that I feel would also be more suited for an adult novel. But, that's just my personal opinion and while it didn't take away from the story for me, I just wanted everyone to be aware of that.
Overall, I highly recommend this.


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Bite MeYoung Adult Vampire HunterA Fictionwise Fantasy BestsellerAn edgy book for teens that spans the gap between YA and adult fiction. Life after high school is tough enough without having to go 15 rounds with your inner demon. Val Shapiro is just your ordinary, part-demon, teenaged vampire hunter with a Texas drawl. And a pet hellhound named Fang. Soon enough she finds herself deep in the underbelly of the city, discovering the secrets of the Demon Underground and fighting to save those she loves. Whether they love her back or not.Reviews:'Parker Blue creates a new vamp book with the kick-butt smart and snarky attitude of Buffy in Val and an awesome side-kick dog who can talk. It's perfect for teens craving more vampire books or those who love dark paranormal tales. And who can resist the title?" YA Book Nerd'A good companion to the Morganville Vampires books; they both deal with characters around the same age who are dealing with similar paths in life." Someone's Read It Already Reviews'Val's new life is just beginning, and I'm looking forward to seeing where it takes her next. This is a young adult read that centers on an eighteen year old who's just beginning to spread her wings as she transitions into adulthood." - Darque Reviews'So far the only fantasy books i've read was the Twilight Saga. But Bite Me is a strong competitor." -- That Teen Can Blog'I found myself being sucked into the story . . .I couldn't put it down; I read most of it in one sitting. . . the suspense kept me on the edge of my seat until I finished the last page, and I didn't want it to end! I wanted more Val and Dan.I also liked how hard Val tried to keep her inner succubus caged up; it really showed her self control. I thought it was cool that Val was like two entirely different characters when she finally let Lola out." -- Just Blinded Book Reviews'Full of charm, wit and a kickin' attitude, Val is about to take the Demon Underground by storm. She is bound and determined to save her family, whether they want her to or not. . . I am already craving more of Val and Fang !!" -- WENDY'S MINDING SPOT'Above all, Bite Me is an entertaining, police procedural mystery with loads of action and witty banter. Val's' adventures take her into an unrealized world of the supernatural, whose depths she is only just beginning to understand. Engaging for readers of all ages, this new YA urban fantasy is recommended. I look forward to Parker Blue's next ‘Demon Underground' tale with Val, Dan and Fang. You will too." --SciFiGuy.ca'Parker's book would be a popular addition to public libraries teen/fantasy collections. I look forward to the next in the series." Grinnell Book Review

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The Vampire Queen's Servant (Vampire Queen, Book 1) Review

The Vampire Queen's Servant (Vampire Queen, Book 1)
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Jacob Green has spent his life searching for purpose, but the day he saw Lady Elyssa Yamato Amaterasu Wentworth he knew he had found his destiny. He disregarded the fact that he was a vampire hunter and that he had no way of entering her world. Jacob would find a way to fulfill his destiny and spend his life serving Lady Lyssa. However, when his dream becomes reality, he finds that his life is now a constant struggle within himself: Jacob must renounce all he considers as "himself" and exist only as an extension to Lady Lyssa or he must walk away.
Lady Elyssa Yamato Amaterasu Wentworth is the last remaining vampire of royal blood. Her life is spent protecting herself from attacks from other vampires and keeping the façade of indifference to all the posturing of lesser vampires. The day she lets her guard down --even for a moment-- it could mean her death. However, these last years she has been fighting a foe that can't be defeated and must be faced alone, or so she thinks. When Jacob enters her world, Lady Lyssa has no idea how to take what he is clearly offering her; not without condemning Jacob to death. However, if Lady Lyssa does accept Jacob as her human servant, she must mold him to survive within the vampire world, something which might drive Jacob away form her.
When I was first offered this book for review I was delighted, as I had enjoyed books by Joey Hill in the past. The Vampire Queen's Servant is a book that is very well written and it evolves in the complex world of vampire society which is interesting in a horrifying way. However, I have to say that this book was difficult to for me to read for several reasons. The relationship that develops between Lady Lyssa and Jacob goes beyond your typical BDSM explored in mainstream erotica. In The Vampire Queen's Servant, we see Jacob struggle against becoming not much more than an obedient dog capable of performing complex tricks and providing sexual pleasure when Lady Lyssa demands. It also bothered me that rape was considered a spectator sport serving to arouse the watchers and physical torture (read broken bones and the like) was something utilized as easily as a hanky for no other purpose than proving who held the power. Jacob's thoughts at times seemed, to me, to reflect what we typically hear from abused spouses: it hurt, I don't like it, but I deserved it. I was completely unable to live the story from the character's perspective in order to understand their motivations. It was these things that made it very hard for me to care one way or another if Jacob and Lady Lyssa got a Happily Ever After. Also, the plot of the book moved so slowly that I found myself looking for reasons to put it down and at the same time I was desperate to finish it and therefore put myself out of my misery. I don't suggest that you pick up this book unless you are not squeamish and you enjoy extremely hardcore BDSM and senseless violence. The Vampire Queen's Servant is not a book for the faint of heart or those who enjoy fast paced books.

Sabella
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

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Paranormal erotica from an award-winning author who stands out in a genre known for its out-of-the-ordinary love play." (Romance Studio) Lady Elyssa Yamato Amaterasu Wentworth is a centuries-old vampire who's been given a new servant-Jacob, a total alpha male unaccustomed to submitting to any woman's wishes. What really binds Jacob to her are not her sensual midnight hungers, but something far more provocative. It stirs her blood, renews her life, and awakens her soul like only true love can. The passion between Elyssa and Jacob yields something else unexpected-a shared history that reaches back through the centuries and is fated to challenge their destiny like nothing ever will again.

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Dead Is the New Black Review

Dead Is the New Black
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This is the first in a series of Paranmormal adventure's aimed for young adults 12 years and up. I am not in the market range but I enjoyed this story very much before passing it along to my stepdaughter. I intend to read the other books in this series as well. This book tells the story of Daisy, a non-psychic child who lives with her mother (a psychic) and her sisters Rose and Poppy, who both have psychic abilites. Daisy feels like she doesn't quite fit in. With her family or at school. But suddenly Nighshade's cheerleaders are becoming very deathly ill..its almost like something is literally sucking the life from them. As a favor to her ex-best friend Samantha, Daisy joins the squad. From that vantage point, Daisy and her new boyfriend start to investigate the murder of a teenage girl who shows up walking and talking to the pep rally...It soon apparent that Nightshade has more than its fair share of odd beings. This story was quick and quirky and fun. It definetly caught and kept my attention and my step-daughter loved it. The writing is well done and the characters are well crafted. The paranormal jukebox is just one of many great touches. I think this book will captivate any teen or pre-teen and maybe their parents. I recomend this book as lighthearted, clean, paranormal fun.

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