Review: Killer Bytes by Alan Williams

Title: Killer Bytes
Author: Alan Williams
Series: Standalone
Genre: Crime Novel
Format: E-book
Source: Partners in Crime Tour
Pub. Year: 2012
Purchase: Amazon/Smashwords
I receive this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

Blurb from Amazon:
A killer is stalking London; a banker is already dead, killed in an explosion, and there are more victims in the killer’s sights.
Techno geek and Internet journalist, Wil Jackson becomes inadvertently embroiled in the investigation when he interviews one of the murder victims, and the killer starts communicating with Wil via the Internet.
Can Wil help the police stop the killer before the body count increases further?

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It feels good to read a crime novel without a serial killer in it. Yes, there is a killer but he has a specific goal in mind.

The motivation for the killings was a dead give away for me (but I read a lot of crime novels, so that may just be me). A banker and a real estate agent tend to usually be tied in the same type of crimes over and over. However, it was interesting to follow how the killer was going to kill the victims and what Wil’s role was in the story. I like Chief Inspector Gavin Price but there were certain moments that felt like he might have been a “dirty” cop in the past. He felt relatively clean and honest so it wasn’t a huge doubt, it was a really small seed though.

Wil took more than his fair share of being an asset to the police. Honestly, he may have done more work in finding the killer’s identity than the police. It was a little skewed towards Wil but it happens. His love interest was the one who threw me for a loop. I wasn’t sure what her role was going to be. Is she just a love interest or is she related to the killer? It was a surprise to see what she brought to the table but it was really lucky for Wil

The best part of the novel is how it brings the setting to life, especially in the beginning, and in turn, it gives the novel a different feel. As an American reader, my attention is brought to the “tube”and “Inspector.” Instead of inspectors, I’m used to reading about detectives so it helps make the setting more realistic. It brings the feelings of “an other” into the story and makes me believe that I’m in London. That is really fantastic because just mentioning Big Ben doesn’t give the reader a feel for London.

My one issue is that I couldn’t get a feel for the characters. I couldn’t picture them in my head too clearly so I had to fill in the blank spots. It wasn’t too bad most of the time. The novel is entertaining and doesn’t allow the reader to wallow in the physical appearance of the characters.

Overall, it was an entertaining crime novel. Like Inspector Price and the London setting. Knew what the motivation for the killer was but it was fascinating to go through the process.

4 BB-Ready for capture

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33rd in the 150+ Reading Challenge
Also contributes to: E-book, Self-published,Where are you reading?-London

I receive no monetary compensation for my review.

Wishlist Wednesday # 14

Wishlist Wednesday is hosted by Pen to Paper. It is the place to showcase one book that has been on our wishlist. Click on the image if you feel like joining in on the fun.

On My Wishlist is: On The Fringe by Courtney King Walker

Blurb from Amazon:
Claire is struggling to overcome the murder of her childhood friend and secret crush, Daniel. Everyone else seems to be moving on with their lives, but she’s still trying to cope. The fact that she finds herself alone and drowning on her 16th birthday isn’t helping.
Neither is thinking she sees Daniel’s face in murky water as she mysteriously resurfaces. But something happened during those four and a half minutes that will make her realize it was not just her imagination.
As Claire and Daniel try to grasp a possible reconnection, other grudge-holding beings have plans of their own. Now, the two of them have to decide if their fleeting relationship is worth the possibility of Claire being trapped on the fringe forever.
Beautifully told, On the Fringe intertwines fresh ideas about devotion, revenge, and the consequences that come with life and death.

I’m really loving the whole drowning and water imagery so the cover attracted me to the book. It does sound like something I could have read before, old storyline, but it could be interesting. I do love the reading the impossible romance between ghosts and the living.

Review: No Remorse by Marylynn Bast

Title: No Remorse
Author: Marylynn Bast
Series: Heart of a Wolf # 1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format: E-book
Source: Tour
Pub. Year: 2012
Purchase: Amazon
I received this novel free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

Blurb from Amazon:
Due to her unusual birth, Amber has abilities no other werewolf has ever possessed. On the run since childhood, the lone wolf avoids contact with other werewolves at all cost, continually moving, constantly looking over her shoulder and always alone.

Everything changes when Amber saves a werewolf from the mere brink of death, Blake, the only werewolf to ever protect her. Love blossoms, but not without tribulations when Amber realizes she must help her new pack rescue a member who is being held hostage by a rival pack.

Warring with emotions of going from lone wolf to the pack leader’s mate, Amber must decide if she is willing to risk Blake’s life to know true family and friendship despite the fact that the Council is hell bent on locating her and will stop at nothing until she is found. Will Amber’s special abilities be enough to keep everyone safe?

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Random: I think I have a thing for older gentleman (only in books, not in real life).

It took me awhile to get into the book because I wasn’t sure where the novel was heading. Especially the beginning. It paints an unflattering view of Amber in the first 15 pages but we sympathize with her once we learned her history. I don’t like the introduction but the novel gets better as it goes on.

This novel really likes surprises. It enjoys making the reader believe certain ideas only to have another character come in and say “You know what they said, yeah, it’s all a lie, sorry.” Those are some pretty big lies and secrets that are being kept (and I did not appreciate some of the lies being told. One of them really pissed me off). Anyways, it is interesting to uncover the lies but at the same time, I have to question the trust that is realistic there. It was the secrets that Amber didn’t know existed that lead her to go on the run and kept her on the run. How can Amber trust the people around if all they have done is lie to her? What is to prevent them from lying to her again? Even if it was for Amber’s own protection the saying “once a liar, always a liar” is very true.

Amber is a strong character that is mostly true to herself. She is fiercely independent and doesn’t want to follow the pack. She doesn’t want to be submissive to a pack leader (or men). She is a runner who is tired of running so she wants to stay with Blake’s pack even as she claims dissatisfaction with staying in the pack. She is a strong woman with interesting abilities. She can evaporate and reappeared in new places which is odd for a werewolf. It’s a vampiric ability so guess what else she is. No, she is not half vampire but how she obtains the abilities of a vampire is interesting. I’m curious as to how vampires will come into play in the next book.

My favorite character has to be Gabrial, the grandfather of Amber. He has this really sweet and strong personality. He is funny, warm and inviting when he is talking with Amber about her origins. This might sound weird but he appears to be a sexy grandpa. He did the awkward cough when he mentioned sex, it was kind of cute. Lol, my mind is making him out to be really hot because there isn’t a lot of physical description. Just the repetition of his chocolate brown eyes. With his personality, he has to be charming and good-looking.

If I had to complained about something and I usually do, it has to do with the sex scenes. They were long and detailed (that’s not the problem); same position in a different room (a little problem) but my issue is the fellatio that Amber performs. This woman was a virgin before meeting Blake and on her second (human) sex experience, she is really good in giving fellatio. It just feels like there should be a little bit of awkwardness, considering it is her first time. Maybe Amber is really good at acting like she knows what to do.

I have to give this novel 4 black butterflies. I understand the lying but I’m not fond of how the trust issues are just dismissed. Don’t get me wrong, there is some struggling with forgiveness but most of the time, the idea that love is enough for trust to be there is forced through.

4 BB-Ready for capture

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32rd in the 150+ Reading Challenge
Also qualifies for: E-book, First in a Series,

Review: Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klaus

Title: Blood and Chocolate
Author: Annette Curtis Klaus
Series: Standalone
Genre: YA Paranormal
Format: Paperback
Source: Personal Purchase
Pub. Year: 1997
Purchase: Amz/ B&N/ TBD

Blurb from Amazon:
Vivian Gandillon relishes the change, the sweet, fierce ache that carries her from girl to wolf. At sixteen, she is beautiful and strong, and all the young wolves are on her tail. But Vivian still grieves for her dead father; her pack remains leaderless and in disarray, and she feels lost in the suburbs of Maryland. She longs for a normal life. But what is normal for a werewolf?

Then Vivian falls in love with a human, a meat-boy. Aiden is kind and gentle, a welcome relief from the squabbling pack. He’s fascinated by magic, and Vivian longs to reveal herself to him. Surely he would understand her and delight in the wonder of her dual nature, not fear her as an ordinary human would.

Vivian’s divided loyalties are strained further when a brutal murder threatens to expose the pack. Moving between two worlds, she does not seem to belong in either. What is she really–human or beast? Which tastes sweeter–blood or chocolate?

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Cover Love: I love the red wolf there. At first, I just thought it was red paint splatter on it. Why? I have no idea, I’m just weird like that.

What I love about this book is the old perspective of werewolves and the “Old Ways.” It feels like the current werewolves have gotten demystify and declaw in favor of more attractive werewolves. The werewolves in Klaus’s novel considered themselves as different from humans, and at points, superior and feel pity towards humans because humans are not wolves. They also called themselves Humus Lupus to signify their difference. It is a different change from the werewolves that crave to be human again. They embrace what they are in life and that is wonderful because people should not hate what or who they are.

Let’s talk about Vivian. She is a wolf who is dating outside her gene pool. She was an interesting character because she was in conflict with her identity. She doesn’t like the current werewolf pack mentality because her father isn’t leading it but it also feels more aggressive than what she is used to. Vivian likes the quick romance with Aidan because it is sweet and non-aggressive.

I didn’t really like Aidan; he felt like those types of rebels that try to rebel without cause and in the end, follow his father’s footsteps. Besides when Vivian was with him, she wanted to be aggressive with him so she was hiding what she wants in order to not hurt him. It was a relationship based on secrecy and I felt that he was too weak to accept what she was.

I definitely like Gabriel as the packmaster of the werewolves. He was strong and assertive. He cares about the pack. The Five is a group of young male werewolves around Vivian’s age and they are not really differentiable. We know their names but never get to know as individuals except for the description that Vivian gives us. Still, they were a fun group; serenading Vivian when she falls ill. It’s cute.

One of the things I find odd with this book is the relationship that Vivian has with her mother, Esme. Vivian always refers to her mother as “Esme.” In very rare instances does Vivian address her as “Mom.” It makes wonder why is there such a huge tension between them.  There has to be more than her mother moving on from the death of her husband or  maybe it just that. I wonder if it just a style Klaus choose to implement but even if we are reading from the third-perspective, we are still inside Vivian’s head so why is Vivian addressing her mother by her real name. It is just odd to me. Nonetheless, it doesn’t really detract from the novel.

I’m going to give it a 4.5 because I really like the book. I understood where Vivian was coming from in terms of rebelling against the traditions of the werewolves. The werewolves and their beliefs are a breath of fresh air. I also love Gabriel’s short story at the end. It was a bit bittersweet like dark chocolate.

4.5 BB-Ready for capture, Total keeper

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31st in the 150+ Reading Challenge
Also qualifies for: Where are you reading?-Virginia

Review and Giveaway: Halo of the Damned by Dina Rae

Title: Halo of the Damned
Author: Dina Rae
Series: Halo # 1
Genre: Paranormal Fantasy
Format: E-book
Source: FMB Tours
Pub. Year: 2012
Purchase: Amz/Eternal Press
I received this novel from FMB Tours in exchange for an honest review.

Blurb from Amazon:
A chain of advertising agencies, a new breed of humans, and a fallen angel to worship…

Andel Talistokov is known for his slick advertising agencies across the globe. He is a fallen angel that uses advertising as a weapon for Satan’s work. His growing power emboldens him to break several of Hell’s Commandments. Furious with his arrogance, Satan commands him to return to Hell after finding his own replacement. Yezidism, an ancient angel worshiping religion, quietly expands throughout the West. Armaros appears as a guest of honor during their ceremonies. He mates with young women to produce nephilim, a mixed race of humans and angels. They are alone and unprepared for their supernatural power. Joanna Easterhouse, a recovering drug addict, steps out of prison shortly after her mother’s fatal accident. She and her sister, Kim, unravel their mother’s secretive past. Intrigued, they learn their bloodline is part of a celestial legacy. Both worlds collide. Halo of the Damned is a horrifying tale that weaves research together with suspenseful twists and turns.

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I’m slowly falling in love with books about fallen angels and nephilims. They are very interesting characters because they rejected God but don’t appear to appreciate Satan as well. Nephilims, the children of fallen angels, are just stuck in the middle. Kind of sad that they are fighting a war that they did not start but the sins of the parents tend to carry on.

It was fascinating to learn more about the advertising industry and the Yezidi (which is a legit religion, that is surprising). The worshiping of Satan is a still a mystery to me but I’m more concerned as to what is the purpose of human-made angels on Earth. What is there to gain? It is very important to the worshipers to have an angel yet Satan’s contract doesn’t allow it so where does the idea come from? It is an interesting question that is not answered but perhaps in the second book, it may be.

The dark characters, the bad guys, they are not as interesting as the characters who are considered bad but are walking the fine line between good and evil. The Yezidi followers are not interesting because there isn’t an explanation for what they are doing. What is the end goal? The ones who have reasons for  joining the Yezidi or for following fallen angels, they are interesting. Father Dominick Sardenelli is one character who is walking that line and for good reasons. Rae does an excellent job of providing moral ambiguity to the Father. He felt used and abused by the Catholic Church so he left but he is aware that there is something off with the Yezidi. He is stuck. I like him. Tony is another character walking the fine line as well.

I love Joanna and Tony, they are a great couple. I’m a sucker for opposite-attracting couple and that’s what they are. From the moment Tony meets Joanna, he is a very suave and likeable. It’s very hard to spoil Tony’s character but I like him. I’m glad  he proved he  is worthy of being trusted. Sean and Kim were a hard couple to like but they did grow on me. It was a little hard to like Sean when he had his infatuation with Lydia, Kim’s mother. It seemed kind of wrong to date the daughter after dating the mother but Sean does seem to care for Kim. Plus, she didn’t seem to mind that Sean dated her mother.

My one issue with this novel is how certain moments are lacking in bringing emotions to the reader. I couldn’t feel the horror of reading a detective’s eye be plucked out by birds. It is really visible in the sex scene between Joanna and Tony. Rae tells the reader what is going on but it seems clinical, detached from what is going on. It’s not a style I’m fond of but it only happens in certain scenes. Visually, we can always see what is going on so that is fantastic. It just certain scenes that don’t bring up the expected emotions.

I’m looking forward to the second book. Hopefully, there is an in-depth to the followers of Yezidi because I don’t understand (and  I can usually understand the villains of most books). Plus, Tony is going to be there and I can’t wait to see how he handles his gift.

4.5 BB-Ready for capture, Total keeper

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3oth in the 150+ Reading Challenge
Also qualifies for: First in a Series, E-book, Where are you reading?- Illinois

This tour was put together by FMB Blog Tours. I did not receive monetary compensation for reviewing.

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GIVEAWAY TIME, INTERNATIONAL

Want to win an e-copy of Halo of the Damned? All you have to do is a leave a comment with your e-mail.

Ends on April 30.
Following is not required.

Review: Fruit of the Lemon by Andrea Levy

Title: Fruit of the Lemon
Author: Andrea Levy
Series: Standalone
Genre: Contemporary
Format: Paperback
Source: Personal Purchase
Pub. Year: 2007
Purchase: Amz/ B&N/ TBD

Blurb from Amazon:
Faith Jackson knows little about her parents’ lives before they moved to England. Happy to be starting her first job in the costume department at BBC television, and to be sharing a house with friends, Faith is full of hope and expectation. But when her parents announce that they are moving “home” to Jamaica, Faith’s fragile sense of her identity is threatened. Angry and perplexed as to why her parents would move to a country they so rarely mention, Faith becomes increasingly aware of the covert and public racism of her daily life, at home and at work.

At her parents’ suggestion, in the hope it will help her to understand where she comes from, Faith goes to Jamaica for the first time. There she meets her Aunt Coral, whose storytelling provides Faith with ancestors, whose lives reach from Cuba and Panama to Harlem and Scotland. Branch by branch, story by story, Faith scales the family tree, and discovers her own vibrant heritage, which is far richer and wilder than she could have imagined.

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I was required to read this novel for my British literature class. I’m being honest because let’s face it, I would not have picked this novel up voluntarily.  The blurb doesn’t captivate me and neither did the story.

The main character is Faith Campbell who literally knows nothing about her Jamaican heritage. Adding to her personality is the fact that she is super naïve about racism in England. The fact that people discriminate against her based on skin color is a complete shocker to Faith to the point that it is unrealistic. She is not shelter enough to not have experience it beforehand. She lives in the city and with people who are not her race so she must have experience it.

She does go to Jamaica but how it helps still leaves baffles. Basically, her trip to Jamaica consists of eating sugar cane for the first time and learning about her family through stories. She does not actively participate in her culture nor does she experience it. All she hears are stories about family members that are dead. It’s a really complicated family tree where you literally need the family tree in the back of the book to read it. All of sudden, she understands her heritage and accepts her Jamaica-ness. She has discover herself and accepts herself through stories that don’t directly impact her. If only it was that simple in real life.

The first part of the book which takes place in England, that is where the story is the best. She is experiencing racism first hand and it is emotional turmoil because of it. It would have made her character stronger if she had discovered a Jamaican community in England instead of running away to Jamaica where nothing interesting happens. In England, that’s where the interesting characters are. There is Ruth who is a Jamaican girl raised by white parents and is one the biggest source of discomfort to Faith. Ruth was raised by white parents and she is more Jamaican (in Faith’s view) than Faith who was actually raised by Jamaican parents. That particular relationship would have been wonderful to explore.

This novel is not for me because I could not relate to Faith at all. How can someone be that naïve when people are being racist towards her? I feel Jamaica did nothing for her but Faith learned her lesson. OK…

3 BB-Pretty to look at

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29th in the 150+ Reading Challenge
Also qualifies for: Where are you reading?- Jamaica

Showers of Book Giveaway (International)

Welcome to Showers of Book Giveaway which is hosted by the lovely Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not  Writer and One A Day YA.

The book you can win at this site is The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

Blurb from Amazon:
The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it’s the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Soon Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn’t notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.

I have actually read it and I love it. I don’t have a review for it but it is really a great novel.

Mandatory: Fill out this form. You do not have to be a follower to enter.

Not required but garners extra points. The Form does ask for this so you do not have to leave it in the comment.
+1- Follow on Twitter
+1-Be my friend on Goodreads
+2- Follow by e-mail

I wish you all good luck. Head on over to Master Giveaway List to continue the Shower line of giveaways

Review: Thoughtless by Jacqueline Gardner

Title: Thoughtless
Author: Jacqueline Gardner
Series: Thoughtless # 1
Genre: YA Paranormal
Source: Author
Pub. Year: 2012
Purchase: Amz/ Smashwords
I received a copy of this novel free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Blurb from Amazon:
When Bridget finds a dead cheerleader in the janitor’s closet, she becomes the killer’s next target. High school just got worse. It’s bad enough that she can hear the shocking truths that pass through her classmate’s heads. Now she has to worry about staying alive, and all clues point to the one person whose thoughts she can’t read – her boyfriend Terrence. Someone is taunting her, threatening to expose her secret. And when Bridget tries to single out her blackmailer, she’s nearly beaten to death by a mind controlled minion with fiery eyes.

But when Bridget finally comes face-to-face with the killer, suddenly a horde of brainwashed students programmed to destroy her life doesn’t seem so bad.

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Cover Love: The platinum hair confused me…at first. But it is cool.

I enjoyed reading this novel. It was entertaining. It’s been awhile since I have read a novel about a mind-reader.

Let’s talk about Bridget. Yes, she can read minds and yes, she is interested in Terrence because she cannot read his mind. In the span of few days, she is head over hells over for him which is what a school romance usually is. Even though, Terrence is suspected of committing the murder, Bridget sticks to him but the good thing is that she at least questions it at times. Her questioning is not always successful since she does convince herself that he didn’t do it which is actually normal. No one would like to admit, even to themselves, that a person they care about could commit a murder. The importance thing is she does question his involvement.

Rory and Emma are Bridget’s friends. Rory becomes entangled with Bridget in finding who the murdered the cheerleader because the killer is after him as well. Rory does warm up to Bridget in the end. He grows to care about her and warns her about Terrence. He is a really smart guy that does come up with a good plan to catch the killer. Emma is Bridget’s cheerleader friend who doesn’t know about the mind-reading ability. She was just there to prove Bridget has social interactions but they do genuinely care for each other.

What I find interesting is the Coven. I’m not sure if they are witches or just people with special abilities but they are the antagonist of the series. They are highly organized and members have to kill in order to advance their status in the Coven. It doesn’t seem like they have a grey side that would make Bridget want to join them. But who knows? They seem bent on world domination so I really want to find out how and why the group got started.

My one issue is the hoard of the brainwashed students. They are not really there. I counted two important instances where victims of brainwashing come after Bridget (and one of them is not a student). I was picturing a zombie-like attack in my head. Instead the attacks are very specific.

In the end, I did like this book and I can’t wait to read the second book. I want an in-depth look into the Coven because they are scary. I think Bridget was realistic in her infatuation with Terrence and wanting to believe in his innoncence.

4.5 BB-Ready for capture, Total keeper

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28h in the 150+ Reading Challenge
Also qualifies for: E-book, Self-published, First in a Series,

Wishlist Wednesday # 11

Wishlist Wednesday is hosted by Pen to Paper. It is the place to showcase one book that has been on our wishlist. Click on the image if you feel like joining in on the fun.

On My Wishlist is: The Declaration by Gemma Malley

Blurb from Amazon:
Anna Covey is a ‘Surplus’. She should not have been born. In a society in which ageing is no longer feared, and death is no longer an inevitability, children are an abomination.

Like all Surpluses, Anna is living in a Surplus Hall and learning how to make amends for the selfish act her parents committed in having her. She is quietly accepting of her fate until, one day, a new inmate arrives. Anna’s life is thrown into chaos. But is she brave enough to believe this mysterious boy?

A tense and utterly compelling story about a society behind a wall, and the way in which two young people seize the chance to break free.

I must be in a dystopia mode because I like the sound of this novel. It also makes me angry that society punishes the children of rule breakers. It is not the children’s fault if the parents choose to disobey rules but people do forget this important fact. Oh well. Still, it sounds very interesting and I love the butterfly on the cover.

Review: Intangible by J. Meyers

Title: Intangible
Author: J. Meyers
Series: Intangible # 1
Genre: YA Paranormal
Format: E-book
Source: Author
Pub. Year: 2012
Purchase: Amz/ B&N
I received a copy of this novel free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

Twins Sera and Luke Raine have a well-kept secret–she heals with a touch of her hand, he sees the future. All their lives they’ve helped those in need on the sly. They’ve always thought of their abilities as being a gift.

Then Luke has a vision that Sera is killed. That gift they’ve always cherished begins to feel an awful lot like a curse. Because the thing about Luke’s ability? He’s always right.
And he can’t do anything about it.

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Cover Love: I love the purple color.

There is so much more to the book than the blurb is willing to give away. It starts with a bang, there is a little lull in the middle due to the romance addition, and it ends quite different than what I expected in a good way.

The blurb keeps things hidden so I’m going to exposed just a little bit. It blew my mind away when vampires came into the pictures. It’s a “What the hell is going on” moment because the blurb never mentions vampires and another supernatural creature that I won’t reveal. I assumed it would just be psychic siblings in a contemporary setting instead the siblings are dropped right in the middle of a paranormal world. It’s a bang to start with because there is no warning about other paranormal creatures.

Character-wise, there is ambiguity on what side the supporting characters are on. Sera and Luke are the good side; there is no doubt about that. Fey is a good friend of the twins but she knows more than she lets on. That’s always problematic. Marc certainly has his own motivations for seeking the twins but his own emotions make him a complicated character. He is a not a bad guy (entirely) because we see his reasoning but it just hard to root for him. Jonas is a vampire who is not entirely sure if he wants to kill or protect the twins. We see the interactions with the twins shake his thinking about them. The supporting cast is interesting because they are just not define by good vs. evil ideology.

The romance, for me, hit a snag early on. I think it has to do with knowing right off the bat that Marc has darker intentions for Sera. It’s not entirely romantic to root for Marc but his conflicted emotions does bring realistic qualities to him. I much prefer a Jonas and Sera romance storyline. Healer and fighter.

World-building, I did find interesting that vampires live in the Realm which is separate from the human realm or maybe they just called the supernatural society the Realm. I’m a little unsure but it is fascinating. Lilith as the mother of all vampires makes a fantastic antagonist. She is more stable in her moral guiding so she leans towards the dark side. There is some sort of peace agreement that appears to be fragile. It kept Lilith from being too extreme but it is interesting how she pushes the boundaries of the agreement.

I can’t wait to read the second book in the series. The ending was a small cliffhanger because the leading force of the novel was resolved. There is a also a minor character called Quinn that I would like to get know better. Plus, the politics of the world created by Meyers is getting interesting and I hope we meet some of the major players there.

4.5 BB-Ready for capture, Total keeper

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27th in the 150+ Reading Challenge
Also qualifies for: First in a Series, Self-published, E-book, Where are you reading?-Vermont