Tag Archives: Vampires

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The Homecoming Masquerade

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The Homecoming Masquerade (Girls Wearing Black #1)

My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
I have never read anything by this author before and even though this may not have really made a great impression on me, I am willing to try the next book in this series. I was not thrilled with the characters who were flat and did not really make me like or dislike them. I really was interested in the story based on the blurb but the execution was less than I would have liked to have seen. The majority of the story is spent inside a mansion with the mains looking back at what brought them there. The vampires here are not even remotely cuddly, and there is no type of romance between them and humans, these are soulless creatures.

Jill Wentworth has attended Thorndike Academy since her freshman year and knows a great deal about all of her classmates, both public and private. She also knows a great deal about the immortals who are in power in Washington and which families have the closest ties with them. It’s senior year and her class has only three candidates for coronation because it was planned that way by one family who feels they are more deserving.

Kim Renwick and her family have made it their mission to have as little competition as possible at Homecoming. She is surprised when another girl arrives unexpectedly in black throwing herself into the mix. The race to become the next immortal has begun and Nicky Bloom, the new girl, is determined to win.

There was no real action, a lot of talk, a lot of flashbacks and very little else. This was nothing more than an introduction to the characters and what the coronation is about, or so I hope. I was hard pressed to continue reading and if I had not kept expecting more to happen I would have stopped when nothing interesting had happened at 37%. Read this knowing not to expect much more than kids talking about power and money with a brief appearance by the vampires near the end. Enjoy the history of this world as much as is given.

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Ivory Terrors

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21848242

Ivory Terrors (The Cavaliers #3)

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have enjoyed this series from the first book and actually wish that we could have just one more so that I could see how things turn out for everyone after they have gotten past the worst. I love the fact that historical facts as well as fictions are interwoven giving it a richer feel and giving a fuller life to the characters. I have fond characters that I really liked and some that were kind of annoying but always got some type of reaction from me, which means they are well established in mind as more than two-dimensional. Descriptions of locations are so vivid that you can almost see them. I was immediately drawn back into the story of vampires who have forgotten their humanity and see killing a few people as nothing in the grand scheme of things.

The action starts right on the heels of the last book with Harriet still unconscious after George has mesmerized her and kidnapped her from the summer party. She is not allowed to wake until they arrive at their destination and finds herself in France with him, her mother and the man she has always believed to be her father, though he, was supposed to be dead. What she finds is that she has been brought to a man/vampire who wishes to kill her enemies but also wishes to kill the only father she has ever known, Augustine, who he hates for abandoning him. He wants Harriet’s help in setting up all his enemies and gaining him the power to take the Cavaliers in another direction. But does Harriet want to see Augustine dead, even if he is somewhat ruthless he has always been good to her.

The Roundheads are still out there and plotting their own retribution for the Cavaliers unaware of a third-party plotting to decimate their ranks. They are also not aware that a traitor has infiltrated their ranks and is working against them. When things finally come to a head everyone will be surprised by what is learned and what is lost.

This was a great way to end a series that has been riff with conspiracies from the very beginning. Betrayals were a way of life for all those involved whether human or vampire, love was given and taken away only to be redirected, lying was taken to a high art. I was very glad to get the full story behind Augustine because he was a big part of this and finally knowing what he had gone through to make him who he was made this so much more interesting. The only thing that annoyed me was who Harriet ended up with, really, him! While I loved everything else that was my one sticking point. Harriet went up and down for me because she was so mercurial about everything from her family to the men she claimed to love, but in the end she did what I would have done.

If you want to step off into a world that has beautiful men, fabulous parties, and more death than the law allows, then you have to read these books. I’d still like another one! 🙂

Look for the arrival of this last in the Cavaliers trilogy on May 1st.
  “Harriet dreamt of someone well dressed and flamboyant, who spoke like the lead in a black and white film, who drank champagne like other people drank Carling and who could talk about history and philosophy and life for hours, without making themselves sound like an idiot. Someone who made romantic gestures, who was generous to everyone and extravagant towards her. Someone, for preference, who rowed and had the muscles to prove it. When she was really having a bad day, someone with a title. Every time a well-meaning access scheme leaflet tried to reassure her and all the other state school applicants that Oxford wasn’t wall to wall Old Etonians permanently dressed in tuxedos, she died a little inside.”  ― Georgiana Derwent, Oxford Blood
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Screaming Spires

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Screaming Spires (The Cavaliers #2)

Lets start with the fact that I give this 4.5 stars.

This book picks up pretty much where the first book, Oxford Blood, leaves off. The story is flawless in its continuation of the plot line making for a great reintroduction before moving forward. All the elements that made the first book so enjoyable are here again with the added pleasure of getting to know a bit more about some of the secondary characters as well as some mains who were not fully fleshed out. This is keeping me so engaged partially because of the triangle which developed early on and does seem to be resolved, even though you expect it to be, things have just gotten that much more tense. The introduction of new characters only deepens the mystery of what is going on and adds another layer to what/who is involved. I can only guess at the language, which can be a bit confusing sometimes, thank goodness for BBC America, I can at least understand most of the terms without a translator. 🙂 There are multiple factions and multiple plots playing out so knowing the players makes it easy to keep track.

Harriet is back at Oxford for her second year after a summer break that left her in a broken condition. She and Tom are still dating but George is never far from her thoughts which makes her feel disloyal. When George does something for her, which he claims was out of love, she cannot think straight about what she should do. Two vampires, both Cavaliers, and both claiming they have feelings for her. After all the revelations she has had to deal with, this does not make her life any easier. The one bright spot for her is the return of her best friend Caroline.

There are also darker forces gathering who do not have Harriet nor the Cavaliers best interests at heart. They are bent on revenge and anyone who gets in their way is fair game. Someone close to her also has an agenda and it may or may not be to her benefit. Harriet is going to learn the hard way that while she may be considered vampire royalty for her lineage, she must decide how to live with what she continues to find out about those around her.

I was drawn back into this world swiftly and thoroughly with the first few sentences. I had really liked Harriet when I read the first book but feel a bit more ambivalent about her now, because she seems just a bit more wishy-washy than she did before. Even though she was young she seemed to have more of a backbone and did not allow herself to be pushed or swayed one way or the other. I’m partial to Tom even though he may not be the strongest, he does seem to have more integrity than any of the others. I am enjoying this series because it has everything I like in a vampire novel, blood, sexy vampires, romance, sexual tension, rivalries, revenge, and well-defined friendships. This cliff-hanger killed me because I had no idea how long I would have to wait to find out the conclusion. I know what I want and can’t wait to find out what happens. I would recommend this series highly.

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Logan’s Acadian Wolves

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Logan’s Acadian Wolves (Immortals of New Orleans #4)

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was another great entry in the Immortals of New Orleans series. I am never disappointed and get great characters, great action, great romance and a mysterious person in the shadows who needs to be found. The introduction of new characters and old ones who have become like family is handled in a way that makes it plausible, for the world where  the supernatural exist, and easy to follow. The narration and language are always well done with few if any typos and grammar errors to drive you crazy. All the characters have a back story that helps you get to know who they are and what their place is in the current and past story if necessary.

Logan had been the Beta for Tristan and his friend for many years, but when he goes to check on things in New Orleans he finds that Marcel is dying and insists that he become the Alpha of the Acadian wolves when he dies. This is not something that Logan has ever considered but for his friend he takes the challenge. This means returning to his roots full-time and facing challenges from those who did believe that he should lead them.

Logan has been dreaming of a woman who he watches be murdered over and over again. Then he finds her running through the streets being chased by vampires and unwilling to disclose why. Wynter has grown up around wolves and understands many things about pack life but not what it means to be attracted to the Alpha. She has been working on something that could have bad results if it falls into the wrong hands and those hands are looking for her because they want her back along with the knowledge she carries. Logan has no idea what or who he has allowed into his pack and the danger that he has brought among them.

I loved Logan the first time I read about him with Tristan, he is hot and forceful and all male. But he does not like being lied to and he can hold a grudge easily, he is also loyal and kind. He is everything you could want in a man and then some. Wynter is a sweet girl who gets in over her head but is brilliant and a good match for Logan.

Alright, we know I recommend this because I think it’s wonderful. Now this one is not as hot as the others but gives some good action sequences along with a love story that has a lot of rocky moments that make them together even better.

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Moon Dance

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Moon Dance (Vampire for Hire #1)

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have never read anything by this author before but that is all about to change. I really enjoyed this novel more than I though I would. I was drawn into the story from the beginning, probably because it seemed at first that things were just so normal when I knew they weren’t. I’m glad that it started after she had been dealing with the situation for a while instead of taking us through the whole thing and having to arrive at that point. The characters are interesting and the situation unique to anything I have read in the past. The story is simple but at the same time incorporates a mystery that is fairly complex and keeps you guessing. You have the occasional missing word, wrong word, or typo but nothing that detracts from the action. The story moves along quickly with language that is fitting and characters who are given life enough to allow you to get a sense of who they are and what you can expect from them later.

Samantha Moon was your ordinary wife and mother who had a job in a government agency. She was attacked and when she recovers from her injuries discovers that her life has been changed forever. She has become a vampire and has to adapt this new life to her old one, which means changing jobs as well as being a much more tired mom since she must forego regular sleep in order to be awake during the day for her children. Samantha has become a very good private investigator in demand because she closes cases using her new abilities and her government connections. Her life seems normal on the surface but things are not as good at home as she could hope them to be.

Samantha is hired to find the person who attempted to kill Kingsley Fulcrum, a defense attorney who is maybe to good at his job. He was attacked and shot multiple times but survived and now wants to know who did it and why. If anyone can find out it is Sam.

I felt sorry for Sam because she was turned against her will and it made her life so much more difficult. Their was not a lot of action but for a get to know you story it was just right. Light romantic moments, introspection, a nasty husband, and a hot werewolf. Worth reading and worth following her continued story.

“I surveyed the others, who had all stopped in their tracks. “So what was the plan, boys? You were all going to get a fuck in? The very definition of sloppy seconds – hell, sloppy thirds and fourths and fifths. Than what? Slit my throat? Leave me for dead? Let some school janitor find me stuffed in a dumpster? You would deny my children their mother for one night of cheap thrills?”
― J.R. Rain, Moon Dance   J.R. Rain
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The Den

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17207004

The Den (Vampire’s Witch Saga #1)

My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
This was almost like a stream of consciousness type of thing. The story seemed to proceed from point to point without any real feeling about anything. It was a ramble that had me trying to figure out what was going on for the first 5 (five) chapters with no idea what it was about. The characters were never really fleshed out and did not make me care about them but I felt they might do something interesting at some point, but they didn’t. The dialogue seemed awkward and not thought out, and the descriptions of locations could have been crisper and more visual. Not awful but not what I had expected it to be.

Skyla Jane Judge is a girl who has drifted through life with no real goals, feeling different from all those around her. She has always had strange abilities that she used sparingly because she was told that they were a curse by her mother. They said she was a witch. Just before graduating from college a psychic tells her something that could change her life forever and she is not surprised. When she and her friend move to New York she is still drifting, then she meets Alex and starts on an adventure which will find her in a new city, with new people who claim to know her and seem to want more than she may be willing to give.

Skyla was a character who I wanted to like but she was so drab and seemed to allow life to happen to her instead of really living. She finally grows a backbone at the end, or so it seems, but it is a bit late to really redeem her. Alex is mysterious but still transparent to the reader, you know exactly what he is about from the moment they meet and remains so. The rest of the characters are just background noise with no substance at this point.

I am debating with myself whether to try the next book and see if things start to pick up since it was left on a cliff hanger. I wouldn’t say don’t read this but go in knowing that the action is weak, the heat is lukewarm, and the characters are a bit annoying.

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A Bit of Bite

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A Bit of Bite

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was a quick and great read! I have never read anything by Cynthia Eden before and if this is an example of what I can expect from future reads then I am very happy to have found her. Though this was a short novella it was tight and gave me the benefit of getting the characters known quickly and easily. The story was fast paced but left me with the feeling of knowing what was going on and why these things were happening. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this book and these characters.

Sheriff Ava Dushaine was assigned to Crossroads, Mississippi as the paranormal liaison in the area. When the paranormal community made themselves known 10 years ago they were assigned areas within the states that they could reside in, this usually had both werewolves and vampires living in close proximity to each other. The people of the towns close to them are wary and feel that they are in danger from the having the supernatural so close to them, and someone is stoking that fear even higher.

With three murders of humans in a short period and the bodies being found on the land between the paranormal land Ava has to solve this quickly. When the Alpha, Julian Kasey, shows up at the murder scene she has no choice but to take him in for questioning. What she doesn’t realize is that things are more complicated than she would have ever thought and her life may hang in the balance.

This was an exciting story about what a person will do in order to gain what they want and who they will sacrifice for that goal. It is also about gaining love even in the midst of bad things. Definitely worth reading and giving you a taste of what you can look forward to in the future.

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Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs

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Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs (Jane Jameson #1)

by Molly Harper (Goodreads Author), Amanda Ronconi (Narrator)
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was one of those rare laugh out loud, make people stare at you books. I can say without a doubt that I have fallen in love with Jane Jameson and Gabriel Nightingale. The story progressed rapidly from beginning to end with no slow points to make you pause, it was just such fun to follow as it unfolded. The language was perfect and did not make me wonder about what was being talked about and seemed perfectly natural for the characters. The characters themselves are so natural they remind you of people you may have met in your life, that includes the vampires who just seem like anyone else. This is what I think a small town would be like, though I have never lived in one.

Jane Jameson is a librarian who has always loved her job and done it well, then for no reason she no longer is employed. Depressed she heads out to drown her sorrows at a bar and while doing this runs into an interesting man, Gabriel, who actually can talk books and proceeds to drink the hurt away. When she leaves the bar Gabriel walks her to her car and she leaves for home, but unfortunately never makes it there. Three days later she wakes to find that everything in her life has changed and she is in a strange house. Now not only is she unemployed she is a vampire, and lucky for her they have come out of the closet. She is also lucky that her sire is one sexy man.

For Jane however nothing ever goes smoothly. All she wants to do is get on with her new existence but someone seems to have other plans for her. Jane finds herself the target of gossip in the community and the target of a murder investigation only days after being born into the life. She is being stalked by someone who wants her out-of-the-way and she does not know who would want to harm her or those she loves.

I really liked this and Jane in particular, she was sarcastic, pushy, sympathetic and a world of things in between. I listened to this and think it lent more to the story because of the narration of Amanda Ronconi who gave life to the characters in such a wonderful way. If you are looking for a good story, with lively and fun characters then this is the place to go.

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Tristan’s Lyceum Wolves

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Tristan's Lyceum Wolves (Immortals of New Orleans #3)

Tristan’s Lyceum Wolves (Immortals of New Orleans #3)

My rating 5 of 5 stars
Once again a story I could fall into and enjoy without any major distraction other than my own stops to absorb here and there. The characters are as vivid as ever and makes knowing them a pleasant prospect in every book. They have rich and varied lives that could fit in anywhere and with any other people. I can follow and know that where it takes me will always be vastly interesting even with the violence which comes in their world.

Tristan is like any other man wolf or not. He values his freedom and thinks that settling down with one woman will take that from him, he does not give any thought to the fact that a woman might feel the same way. That is what it means to be Alpha, to be adored and obeyed, but not to always look at all sides of things. He and his Beta, Logan, have shared everything for years like their attitudes about finding a mate and on many occasions women.

Tristan wants to find out who fire-bombed his club and is trying to start a territory war. There are a lot of possibilities but he will need to narrow them down and he has only one clue which might help him with that. After getting a new club up and running within a week he hopes that he can now concentrate on that. He is given a lead that does not seem to be going anywhere at first but leads him to more than just the arsonists, but to his true mate as well.

Violence, sex, revenge, abuse, jealousy, betrayal stand right along side loyalty, love, and forgiveness. This is a great installment and I am in love with Tristan and Logan both. If I had to have an Alpha I would take Tristan any day of the week, he is strong and powerful yet tender and sweet. As a second no one can compare to Logan who loves his Alpha and would do anything to protect him. These characters speak to me and make my days a little less dreary when I am immersed in their world.

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Kiss Across Time

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Kiss Across Time (Kiss Across Time #1)

Kiss Across Time (Kiss Across Time #1)

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I love vampires and I love time travel and to have them combined is fantastic. I actually was pulled into this story after the first page and would have read it straight through if I had not had to work and sleep. There is nothing ambiguous about the story or the characters, it flows naturally from plot point to plot point and fully engages. The characters are true to life and you can imagine either knowing them or having seen their type around at some. The conversations are believable as far as language and tone which makes it easy to follow.

Everything begins because of Taylor Yates, a history professor who has been researching her thesis on a man who does not seem to have ever existed. When she is fired from her position because of this research she is less than happy but is astonished to hear the lyrics of a poem written in 5th century England blaring from the apartment of her neighbor. Upon finding out that it is being performed by a death metal band she insists on meeting them by any means necessary. At the concert for Nocturnal Rain she does make it backstage and meets with Brody Gallagher, lead singer, and his partner Veris, two very handsome and virile Vampires. What starts out as an academic search soon turns into much more for all three of them as a kiss transports them back in time.

There is a story of history in the dark ages, a quest to bring a lost poet’s contributions back into the light of history, there is guilt, pain, love, and lust. All the elements which make a story worth reading. There are also some very hot sex scenes! If mm play does not appeal to you I would say avoid this, also if  a threesome are objectionable I would give the same warning.

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