Archive for Best Vampire Books
Title: Kiss of Death
Author: Rachel Caine
Release Date: April 27, 2010
Pages: 256
Genre: Urban Vampire
So, the two couples set out – Shane and Claire, Michael and Eve – along with Oliver on their way to music fame and fortune. Everyone is so excited because passes out of town are few and far between – you don’t leave Morganville without the okay of the lead vampire, Amelie. It is all going great until they stop for food in a small town that has more than its share of rednecks. When Oliver disappears on some mysterious mission and tells them not to leave the little town, things go from bad to worse. When rogue vampires from Morganville track them down, intent on having Claire and Eve for lunch, rednecks are the least of their worries. As Shane tells the sheriff, “we’re not the bad guys here”.
The writing in Kiss of Death transports you to small town Texas, letting you connect with the unique personality of each character. The story of joy-riding teenagers, happy about their freedom, being sidetracked by hating humans and malevolent vampires delivers an exciting read that never lets up on the action. Rachel Caine delivers yet another great installment in her Morganville Vampire series. If you are looking for a fun, fast-paced, road trip adventure, you’ve got to read Kiss of Death.
Title: Dying Bites
Author: D.D. Barant
Release Date: June 30, 2009
Pages: 320
Genre: Urban Vampire
Best Book Quote: “Morning. I open my eyes and the last miniscule of hope that everything is just a dream evaporates with a tiny, melodramatic scream. Good Riddance, I think. I’d rather deal with reality – no matter how bleak – than have some ridiculous, forlorn hope distracting me. Yeah, and I hate kittens and puppies too.”
In the supernatural fantasy, Dying Bites the author D D Barat has taken the creative writing spirit to new heights. This is the first book in a new series entitled The Bloodhound Files. As I was reading it I found myself constantly thinking about what a wonderful imagination the author has – the alternative universe she creates opens up endless possibilities; you never know where this wonderful adventure might lead you.
The lead character in the story is Jace Valchek, a top notch successful FBI profiler. One day she’s living a normal life but then, mysteriously wakes up in an alternate universe where humans are an endangered species. But that’s not all; the person responsible for her journey is a vampire.
It seems that David Cassius, the vampire head of his universe’s National Security Agency, needs her expertise in dealing with a human serial killer that’s targeting vampires and werewolves, the creatures that make up most of the population. The supernatural beings in this new world, where magic is the norm and humans are nothing more than blood bags, have no experience dealing with insanity and they need Jace to find the killer. It’s because Jace is such a strong and skilled woman that she’s able to function in this new world and help David with his problem.
Now, the descriptions of the murder scenes are not for the weak of stomach. However, although they’re very graphic they’re not overdone. Since the murders are an integral part of the story the descriptions help the reader understand the compelling nature of the crimes. I would not really call this book a romance but there is enough hanky panky going on to keep paranormal romance fans interested. Dying Bites provides a unique spin on a not-so-common storyline that many fantasy readers will enjoy.
Title: Descent into Dust
Author: Jacqueline Lepore
Release Date: March 23, 2010
Pages: 384
Genre: Gothic Vampire Fantasy
In Descent into Dust author Jacqueline Lepore creates a world where ancient Romanian legends meet early twentieth century England. It opens with the protagonist, Emma Andrews, suffering a strange and intense headache as she approaches a relative’s country mansion for a short stay. Constantly haunted by her mother’s past insanity, Emma tells no one of the bizarre and persistent headache.
It’s only after meeting a mysterious visitor to the estate, Valerian Fox, that her headache ceases. Even stranger, when viciously attacked by unknown forces she’s able to aptly defend herself with heretofore unknown skills. It’s clear that Valerian has knowledge that can bring light to these occurrences but he refuses to divulge any information when probed by Emma. But when an evil master vampire threatens Emma’s young cousin, the two adversaries become allies – even though Emma is still fighting with Valerian to get the answers she seeks.
Lepore’s masterfully handles the budding relationship between Emma and Valerian. Emma is a young widow who lost her older husband about a year ago and isn’t ready to give up her independence. Valerian is a man of mystery whose interest in Emma is obviously not just related to their fighting evil together. It should be noted that although Emma and Valerian’s interactions form an appropriate subplot to the book’s primary conflict, the novel’s secondary characters are brilliantly fleshed out and add additional depth to the storyline: there’s the foppish but fiercely loyal Sebastian; the pompous and demanding sister Alyssa; and Father Luke, the warrior priest with a hero complex. All three characters play an integral role in the good vs. evil element present throughout the book.
I found Lepore’s writing style befitting for setting a mood that matches the dark, gothic overtones of the novel. At times her prose is almost lyrical; it reminded me of great poetry. I found myself actually reading some of the passages out loud because I thought they were so beautifully composed.
Descent into Dust is a gothic vampire tale that totally captivated me. I was thoroughly entertained by this book and I recommend it to vampire lovers as well as the fans of gothic romance.
About Jacqueline Lepore
An avid reader of Nancy Drew mysteries, Jacqueline had written several short story collections by her senior year in high school. With the Emma Andrews series Jacqueline returns to one of her first loves: Gothic novels. The second book in the series is titled “The Cyprian Queen” and is slated for a March 2011 release. You can learn more about Jacqueline at her website: JacquelineLepore.com.
Reviewed by Debbie
Turncoat is the 11th book in the Dresden Files series but for this reviewer it was the first. I had never read any of the books but I have watched the television show and absolutely loved it. Usually, if I come across a book based on a TV show I only read it after I’ve first watched it on TV. I am officially breaking my usual routine because I am going to read every book in the Dresden Files series even though it’s not on TV any more. Also, you should know that although I’ve not read the first 10 books in the series, I perfectly understood what was happening in this story.
The book opens with Dresden answering a knock at his front door finding his worst enemy, the Warden Morgan, injured and begging for help. The most fun was reading the thoughts that popped into Dresden’s head because I would have been thinking the same things had I been in his situation. In the end, his constant need to do what is right takes over and he decides to give the guy a chance to explain himself. Once his enemy has recovered enough to talk, he tells Dresden that he has been falsely accused of murder and he needs Dresden to investigate what is going on. Dresden decides to help, for now…
Dresden knows this case is going to be tough but, when he is attacked by a Native American skin walker that no one can defeat, he knows that he has bitten off more that he can chew. He barely escapes from this attack and loses some very good friends in the process. But, he knows that the Warden is innocent now and he will do whatever it takes to keep an innocent man from being executed – even if that same innocent man tried to have him executed years earlier for a crime he did not commit. There is a traitor on the Wizard White Council and Dresden has to find out who it is to clear Warden Morgan and prevent a war between the councils that could turn everything they know upside down.
The author did an excellent job of keeping the reader informed of who people were and how they fit into the overall picture, which is why I was able to completely understand the story as I read. I had seen the television show based on the books but there is absolutely no comparison between the two. The books are much better than the show ever was so, as I mentioned earlier, I am quite glad that I finally read one of the books. I can now read the other 10 books in the series and I’m happy in the knowledge that the author, Jim Butcher, has mentioned the possibility of over twenty books in this series before he is done. Nice to know that my reading pleasure will continue for some time to come.
Here are the new vampire books that have a March publication date. I’m really excited about these books because they include some great entries from some of my favorite authors like Chris Marie Green, Mario Acevedo and L.A. Banks.
Here we go!
Deep In The Woods by Chris Marie Green
With the female master of the London Underground in her hands, stuntwoman-turnedvampire hunter Dawn Madison must fight off her followers, a vicious pack of undead teenage girls who put the vamps Dawn had to deal with in Los Angeles to shame . . .
Werewolf Smackdown by Mario Acevedo
A sure-to-be-bloody civil war is brewing between rival werewolf factions, and private investigator Felix Gomez will do anything he can to make sure it doesn’t explode into a vicious battle that engulfs all creatures, living and dead. Between that, the sudden reappearance of an ex-girlfriend, and a gang of other vampires trying to take off his head, this is one rumble that Gomez, a fanged detective extraordinaire, may find hard to handle.
and Falling, Fly by Skyler White
In a dark and seedy underground of burned-out rock stars and angels-turned- vampires, a revolutionary neuroscientist and a fallen angel must put medicine against mythology in an attempt to erase their tortured pasts…but at what price?
Olivia, vampire and fallen angel of desire, is hopeless…and damned. Since the fall from Eden, she has hungered for love, but fed only on desire. Dominic O’Shaughnessy is a neuroscientist plagued by impossible visions. When his research and her despair collide at L’Otel Mathillide-a subterranean hell of beauty, demons, and dreams-rationalist and angel unite in a clash of desire and damnation that threatens to destroy them both.
Key To Justice by Talia Gryphon
Psychologist to the paranormal Gillian Key has a new patient. He is a vampire who calls himself Csangal, but he is also a creature hiding his true motives-and his true identity: Dracula.
Death Blows by D.D. Barant
FBI profiler Jace Valchek was pulled into this parallel realm to hunt for Aristotle Stoker, a human serial killer who preys on vampires and werewolves. Now she works for the National Security Agency of the Unnatural States of America – and her boss is a vampire.
At a bizarre crime scene, Jace finds a bloodsucker murdered by magic, fried to the bone and dressed in the costume of the comic book hero the Flash – a character who isn’t supposed to exist here. Comic books have been outlawed for their powers, including crossover spells like the one that transported Jace to this world. Soon, she’s following a trail of dead bodies into the sinister underworld of black-market comics – where a deranged madman gives new meaning to the term “super-villain” . . .
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith
When Abraham Lincoln was nine years old, his mother died from an ailment called the “milk sickness.” Only later did he learn that his mother’s deadly affliction was actually the work of a local vampire, seeking to collect on Abe’s father’s unfortunate debts.
Using The Journal of Abraham Lincoln as a guide, the true life story of our great president is reconstructed for the first time—all while revealing the hidden history behind the Civil War, and uncovering the massive role vampires played in the birth, growth, and near-death of our nation.
Never Cry Werewolf by L.A. Banks
The last fight between the werewolf clans spilled onto the streets of New Orleans—and now the whole city’s on red alert. Martial law has gone into effect. Mediums, ghost hunters, and other supernatural pundits have taken over the media, swarming the Big Easy to expose the hard truth about lycanthropes. And to make matters worse, a beastly killer is clawing up humans…
Secret government operative Sasha Trudeau doesn’t like what she’s seeing—a series of brutal and bloody slayings that appear to be wolf-like attacks. It might be the work of a copy cat killer – a vampire or fae. But while Sasha races to find suspects and motives, the panic level is rising—and the city’s human population is clamoring for an all-out wolf hunt . . .
Remember when we pulled all-nighters in school, studying like crazy, drinking cup after cup of coffee and just trying to make it through the night? Well, the heroine of Some Girls Bite does the same thing, only not as a student. And it’s not coffee she’s drinking to keep her awake.
Twenty-seven-year-old Merit is minding her own business, strolling on the University of Chicago campus one night, when she is attacked and nearly killed by a wayward vampire. In this novel by Chloe Neill, vampires have recently come out of the casket and are living side by side with humans rather peacefully. But that’s about to change.
In Merit’s world vamps are assigned to one of four Chicago houses, pretty much like a frat or sorority, and they answer to masters who run the houses. Fortunately for Merit, a strapping, hot-blooded, centuries-old master named Ethan sweeps in to save her after the attack- and in the process makes her one of his own.
But Ethan is one of those guys, you know, one of those “bad boys” that girls have a hard time staying away from. While Merit doesn’t want to give in to his controlling and at times, manipulative behavior, she’s strongly drawn to him.
Now an unwilling inhabitant of Cadogan House (run by Ethan), Merit has to deal with learning how to live the life of a vamp along with breaking the news about her new lifestyle to her high society family and friends. And we all know how some mothers can be.
A few twists add to the complexity of the story: another hot vamp is chasing after Merit, and pretty, young co-eds are dropping like flies. The question is, can Merit maneuver her way around the landmines of her new life, while juggling two new guys and fending off a killer?
If you’re looking for a fast-paced entertaining read with hot love scenes, suspense, an infusion of humor and a unique plot, you should pick up this book. Neill introduces us to an exciting new world with Some Girls Bite and the book is the perfect set-up for future installments. Friday Night Bites, Merit’s next adventure, is now available as well.
Both books are available from that store that starts with an “A” . . . you know the one.
Librarian Jane Jameson is having a lousy day. Her boss, in a fit of nepotism, just gave her job away to a family member. To add insult to injury, her severance pay is a gift certificate to the local bar. So Jane does what any self-respecting, recently fired, unlucky in love 30-something female would do: she bellies up to the local bar to drink away her sorrows.
A sexy and sympathetic vampire named Gabriel happens to be hanging out nearby and after listening to her story, gets her sober and helps her to her car. Unfortunately for Jane, her car quits halfway home; to top off a really crappy day, she gets accidentally shot by a drunk hunter who mistakes her for a potential wall trophy. Gabriel, following her to make sure she gets home safely, sees the accident and comes to her aid. Since Jane is near death he gives her a choice: she can either die now or be “turned” and come back as the undead. She chooses Door Number Two.
Suddenly, the loss of her job is the least of her problems. She now has to learn what it means to be a vampire. Fortunately, vampires are completely “out” and there’s a synthetic blood product available that doesn’t taste too bad. But while trying to deal with her new condition, her newly dead aunt appears as her roommate. She has to forget about her favorite Southern-fried cooking and settle for cold bags of blood. She has to struggle through the daylight hours and pretend to actually still be breathing. And her mother won’t stop asking annoyingly pointed questions.
Jane’s also being framed for a vamp murder, and she better locate the real killer quick before she’s targeted by the entire vampire community. Her on-again, off-again relationship with Gabriel is one most girls can relate to, and provides heat and chemistry that smolders throughout the book.
Jane, isn’t just another one-dimensional character, though. She’s portrayed as a normal, nice girl, not overly neurotic, who loves to read, is kind to babies and small animals, and puts up with her bad-mannered family with aplomb.
Harper fleshes out other likable characters with a tongue-in-cheek approach , including Jane’s best friend Zeb, who’s in love with a werewolf named Jolene, and Dick Cheney, a bad-boy vamp with a crush on Jane. The tale is told in Jane’s sarcastically witty voice.
If you have any sense of humor, you will enjoy this read, and will no doubt want to read Harper’s next installments, Nice Girls Don’t Date Dead Men and Nice Girls Don’t Live Forever. But first, start by getting Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs!
Lover Awakened is the third book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood vampire romance book series by J.R. Ward. Those of you who have read the previous novels know of the conflict between the “Lessers” (rogue vampires) and the vampires. The Black Dagger Brotherhood is a band of six warrior vampires who are the self-sworn protectors of the remaining vampire population, and their story is a dark one.
This book focuses on Zsadist (Z), one of the most dangerous yet intriguing of the brothers. With a history of being a blood slave for a female aristocratic vampire, he has experienced the worst abuse imaginable, including physical, sexual, and mental abuse. As a consequence, his heart is cold and his soul is scarred. However, a strange turn of events finds him tending to a female vampire whose presence unsettles him and affects him emotionally.
Bella is an aristocratic vampire that was kidnapped by the Lessers. Because of the reputation of the Lessers Bella’s family had given up on looking for her. However, Z decides to use his skills to track her down; he perseveres until he finds her held captive underground in a tight metal cylinder. Z is able to free Bella and takes her to his mansion to keep her safe. It’s ironic that he should fall for someone who is of the same clan that was responsible for his torture, but perhaps it’s befitting. While recuperating Bella tries to get closer to Z and to gain access to a part of him that was closed-off to the rest of the world a long time ago. Readers will be pulled in by Bella and Z’s dramatic relationship and will be excited to find out their fate.
The intense character development adds thought to an already engaging book. While most of the book focuses on Z, we also see a glimpse into his twin brother Phury’s world that shows his inner self to be just as bleak as Z’s in some aspects. Phury is a fellow member of the Black Dagger Brotherhood who rescued Z from his bitter fate many years ago. Phury’s blind devotion to his brother causes him to be a silent victim, as he backs off and locks up his own attraction to Bella.
In addition to the noteworthy character development, the storyline in Lover Awakened holds its own. The plot progresses smoothly with several heart-pounding and heart-wrenching events as well as sinuous twists and turns.
Lover Awakened is a must-read; it’s a hybrid of adventure, suspense, and romance. J. R. Ward has written another strong addition to the Black Dagger Brotherhood paranormal romance book series.
You MUST get Lover Awakened and experience the sweet romance that develops between Z and Bella. Don’t hesitate – I know you’ll love this vampire romance book!
