Archive for Best Vampire Books
The first book in the Night Huntress series, Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost, has always been one of my favorite urban fantasy novels, so I was thrilled to see the latest in the series ready for purchase – Destined for an Early Grave. We all know that awesomely excellent feeling you get when you see that the next book in a series – a series that you know is a good one – is available. I bought it immediately! This ire book series has some of the hottest sex scenes I’ve read – and I’ve read a lot! Ms. Frost does such a good job of making you want to be Cat. She is vulnerable, sexy, strong, unsure, and wanted – wanted by Bones in a major way that’s still believable after four novels.
In Destined for an Early Grave, we have Cat and Bones still comfortably head over heels for each other. Cat is a part vampire/part human vampire killer and Bones is a several hundred year old Master Vampire. You don’t doubt him and his feelings. I’ve not felt that a man’s emotions were so genuine since Noah told Allie in The Notebook, “I want all of you, forever, you and me, every day.” Of course, this was right after Noah built a house for her.
Unlike Bones, Cat is still harboring some trust issues. Who wouldn’t, considering the fact that she’s the daughter of a vampire father and a human mother who was raped by that very same vampire. As such Cat is unable to show Bones any vulnerability; what if Bones knows how much he could hurt her? We’ve all been there – you duck and cover. And as you can imagine, Bones is astute enough to sense that Cat is holding back a piece of herself from him – something he has a hard time understanding.
But, I digress, sorry. Back to the book review.
In this installment, Cat is starting to have nightmares which trouble Bones. At first, she keeps them to herself, unaware of the danger inherent in having another vampire state that she belongs to him during her dreams. The “dream vampire”, Gregor, claims that he and Cat were married before she married Bones. Huh? How could this happen? I won’t give that away but it’s certainly worth the read. While the plot could have become confusing with memory replacement and timeline issues, I have to hand it to the author, she kept me reading.
With this book, you’ll get lots of great action and see all the other characters from the previous novels – Vlad, Tate, Spade, Ian – plus a few new ones to love and/or hate. And, there are quite a few surprises that keep things hopping. Whether you’ve read any of the other Night Huntress vampire books or not, you can read this as a standalone novel since it’s complete and interesting enough to stand on its own. As usual, Jeaniene Frost does not disappoint.
Finally – the wait is over and I just got book three in Adrian Phoenix’s Maker’s Song series, Beneath the Skin!
And, as I have seen with the first two vampire books in this series, each book just keeps getting better and better. I was so glad to read about my favorite couple again, FBI agent Heather Wallace and Dante Baptiste, a vampire (nightkind) and a creator (creawdwr). In this story, Heather has basically given up her old life as an agent to be with Dante. She has become the anchor in his life as government agents, fallen angels, and vampires all pursue him to find out exactly what he can do as well as discover a way to control him.
As Dante’s powers become stronger, it is too much for him to handle and when these new powers are combined with the horrible memories of his past, he is close to going insane. Unfortunately, his father, Lucien, a Fallen angel, is gone. Lucien had protected Dante from the day his powers first made themselves known. Without Lucien’s protection, the other Fallen are now after Dante. Dante is their chosen one – their Fallen Maker. But do they truly revere him or do they want to possess him?
Enter the vampires. They’re also interested in Dante because they believe he’s their True Blood prince. Here again, are they interested in acknowledging him as their leader or do they have a hidden agenda?
And lastly, a secret branch of the government has become aware of Dante and his powers. They’re curious about whether he can be used for their own purposes; if this proves unsuccessful they’re not above killing him since they’re not sure if his powers can be controlled.
This book was bit darker than the other two vampire novels – but the relationship between Heather and Dante is much more powerful than it was in either of the previous novels. They have cemented their love and passion for each other and every time I read a description of Dante through Heather’s eyes, I can actually picture the best looking man she has ever seen. I really like these two as a couple. For a series that began as a serial killer mystery I’m quite pleased that it has become so much more than that – an entertaining and engaging storyline that absorbs you completely. The ending of Beneath the Skin is just like the other books – it left me wishing the next vampire book was out already!
Get a copy of Beneath The Skin and get your vamp groove on.
See also: In The Blood, book #2 in the series.
At Grave's End
Did you notice I said “almost”?
As you progress through the book you start to see that there are so many obstacles put in Cat’s path one has to wonder if she’s going to make it. It’s a lot like trying to get into Walmart the day after Thanksgiving: as those people trample you on their quest to get the $35 DVD player you’re wishing you had a strong bodyguard around keep you from harm. The same applies to Cat in this book – without Bones, how will she survive?
At Grave’s End has its share of entertaining subplots. Cat finds that it’s getting easier for rogue vampires to recognize her. Someone close (biologically speaking) to Cat would like to see her head on a skewer. An evil and extremely powerful female vampire from Bones’ past wants to change his status from undead to permanently dead. And an armageddon-like vampire war looming on the horizon will force vampires to choose between good and evil.
Cat and Bones have a lot on their plates.
An interesting twist in the book is the interplay between Cat and Tate, a member of Cat’s elite vampire killing super-squad who shows constant devotion to her no matter how off-putting she is. The way he expresses his feelings for her will make you think “hmmn, what if….?” But that won’t happen because Bones is the central vampire in Cat’s life, even though her fellow squad members disdain him. Still, the exchanges between Bones and Tate are engaging.
This vampire book book contains lots of fast-paced action sequences which is nicely rounded out by dashes of witty banter and suspense. And speaking of suspense, the new villain introduced in this story was nicely done and kept me guessing to the very end.
As with previous books in the series the writing is tight, the storyline is engaging and the characters are believable and well fleshed out. You can’t go wrong with Jeaniene Frost. She writes some of the best vampire books on the market. Vampire book lovers will definitely appreciate At Grave’s End, the 3rd entry in the Night Huntress vampire book series.
In the Blood is Book Two in the Maker’s Song series by Adrian Phoenix. I was seriously impressed by Book One – A Rush of Wings – and I have not been let down by the sequel. When I wrote my original review of Rush of Wings, I talked about what a great vampire movie it would make. Book Two continues that thought process unchanged. Often, a sequel to a movie or a book is a disappointment, but this is not true with In the Blood.
The story picks up right where the first one left off. Special Agent Heather Wallace is putting her life back together after killing the Cross Country Killer in a heinous lab that had been running a program called “Bad Seed”. Both the now dead killer and her romantic interest, Dante Prejean, had been a part of the Bad Seed program. Dante is a nightkind (vampire) and creator with powers to make or unmake life. There were so many mysteries and atrocities performed in the Bad Seed program that it was a blessing when she and Dante destroyed it along with its creator, Dr. Johanna Moore. Unfortunately, another doctor involved with the Bad Seed program, Dr. Robert Wells, wants to pick up where his dead boss left off.
Dr. Wells was a partner in the Bad Seed program and was the one who “programmed” Dante when he was a child. He holds the key to controlling Dante and he wants to use Dante’s special powers to save his dying wife. Enlisting his son, Alex (who he has also genetically modified) to help him get Dante to their home, Dr. Wells wants to force him to perform his miracle of creation and save his wife. Of course, with a power like that, there are others who seek out Dante, none of them good. I mean, world domination (be it human or supernaturally controlled) is never a good thing.
Heather had been saved by Dante after the shootout at the lab in the first book and it’s given the two of them a special bond. However, even with their unique bond, Heather has decided to separate herself from Dante for awhile. There’s only one problem with that plan: neither can stay away from the other. They soon decide that with events on the horizon that could destroy their lives, it’s important that they fight together as one.
If you were facing something that could kill you, wouldn’t you want to fight it with the one person you loved the most in the world?
Adrian Phoenix takes us into a world with tremendous passion and caring combined with evil beyond comprehension. In the Blood is a complex story that leaves you begging for more. I have to admit that when I finished the book, I was a little sad because I knew I was going to have to wait for the next fantasy book to come out. Having become so immersed in the action, I was not a happy camper when I hit the last page. Stay tuned for my review of the next fantasy book in the series – Beneath The Skin!
Check out In The Blood, available from online retailers.
Remember the great mini-series Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth? Millions of us fell in love with Mr. Darcy and his strong, silent and brooding manner.
Well, what if I told you that the writer of that book, Jane Austen, was alive and well in modern day New York? What if she’d just published a book written in the 1800’s and was now being stalked by a rival from the past due to her new found fame?
What if I told you she was a vampire?
That’s the premise of the hilarious new book Jane Bites Back by Michael Thomas Ford. The book just hit the street this week and is now on sale at Amazon. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and know you will too!
First things first: If you haven’t been following J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series, where have you been? Secondly: start with an earlier book in the series. You’ll have a better appreciation for the storyline of Lover Avenged, Book #6 in the series, if you do.
For those of you that have enjoyed the previous books, Lover Avenged doesn’t disappoint. It’s the story of Rehvenge, a pusher and nightclub owner and all-around badass vamp who’s also a sympath. He hooks up with a vampire nurse, Ehlena, who’s a bit of a recluse and spends her time either working at her clinic or nursing her schizoid father.
As a patient of the clinic, the other nurses steer a wide path around Rehv because of his menacing attitude. I mean, unless you’re attracted to the dark brooding type, wouldn’t you? On top of that Ehlena’s got her own problems, and at first is oblivious to Rehv and his attraction to her.
However as Rehv and Ehlena draw closer, he still must keep his true identity as a sympath a secret. If he reveals it he faces exile to a colony full of crazies. But when Rehv is asked to murder the Blind King Wrath, leader of the Brotherhood, the only person he can turn to is Ehlena.
The story follows a handful of other intriguing characters, like Wrath struggling with his new role. Tohrment, John Matthew and Xhex (characters from previous books) make appearances too. A large part of the book deals with Lash, a really unpleasant creature who’s a lesser, beings who have devoted their lives to ridding the world of vampires. This time he has a sexual appetite, and it makes for some really creepy and fun reading.
The intricate storyline and the relationship between Rehv and Ehlena work together to make Lover Avenged a strong addition to the Black Dagger Brotherhood paranormal romance book series.
Why do we love vampires?
Within the last 2 years our fascination with this supernatural creature has risen exponentially. Think about it: True Blood (HBO), Being Human (BBC America), The Vampire Diaries (The CW), and Twilight (Summit Entertainment).
As you know, the vampire books below have already crossed over into television and film:
-The Twilight Saga
-The Vampire Diaries
-Sookie Stackhouse Books/True Blood
But did you know that the following vampire books are slated to be made into movies?
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater (Werewolves)
Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare
Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant
Here are more vampire-themed movies slated for production:
The Bleeding (2009)
Blood: The Last Vampire (2009)
Castlevania (2009)
The Coffin (2009)
Cirque du Freak (2009)
Daybreakers (2009)
The Dead Matter (2009)
Hello Darkness (2009)
High Midnight (2009)
The Informers (2009)
Lesbian Vampire Killers (2009)
Live Girls (2009)
PCP… A VanGuard Chronicle (2009)
Priest (2009)
The Revenant (2009)
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Undead (2009)
Sodium Babies (2009)
Suck (2009)
Twilight Watch (2009)
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009)
Vampire in Vegas (2009)
Virulents (2009)
Baltimore, or The Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire (2010)
The Historian (2010)
The Knights Templar (2010)
Last Blood (2010)
Let the Right One In (U.S. Remake) (2010)
New Moon (2010)
The Un-Dead (2010)
That’s a total of 32 movies! Of course, not all of them made it to the big screen, but if half of them did, that’s still a large number of vampire movies!
Additionally, recently The New York Times Bestsellers List for Mass Market Paperback Fiction had 4 vampire books (and 2 werewolf books) in the Top 20:
#4: Born of Night (A League Novel) by Sherrilyn Kenyon
#5: The Renegade Hunter: A Rogue Hunter Novel by Lynsay Sands
#11: Dark Curse: A Carpathian Novel by Christine Feehan
#18: From Dead to Worse (Southern Vampire Mysteries Book Eight) by Charlaine Harris
Where will it end? I, for one, love vampire books but I’m concerned that we may see a backlash against the vampire craze if the market is too saturated with vampire books, TV shows and movies. However, since the Harry Potter craze is still going strong after several years, I may be wrong.
Also, note that these books typically fall into two categories:
adult vampire books that contain more explicit sex (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Laurell K. Hamilton, Christine Feehan, Keri Arthur, etc.)
young adult vampire books (Twilight, Vampire Diaries, House of Night)
Let’s hear from you: why do you think we love vampires so much?
Don’t you love the holiday season?
This year, because vampires are so darn popular, I’m getting my friends gifts that are vampire-themed. If you have friends that love the undead, check out these cool stocking stuffers:
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Amazon Kindle. Read your vampire books on the Kindle. Now ON SALE! |
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True Blood DVD: The Complete First Season (HBO Series). Give the True Blood DVD to friends who don’t have HBO! They’ll definitely get hooked! |
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Twilight (Twilight Saga Book #1). This is the first Twilight book that started it all. |
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Sookie Stackhouse Box Set (Books 1-8). Get your True Blood fix – the books and the TV show are VERY different! |
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Twilight The Movie DVD, 2-Disc Special. The Bella and Edward craze started with this movie. |
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J.R. Ward Box Set (Black Dagger Brotherhood Series) (Books 1-6). These books have smokin’ hot vampires and a great fantasy storyline! |
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New Moon (Twilight Saga Book #2). This is the book that the current movie is based on. Hot werewolves! |
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True Blood 2010 Wall Calendar . Each month showcases a scene from the show! |
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A Touch Of Dead by Charlaine Harris. This book is a compilation of Sookie Stackhouse short stories. |
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Vampire Diaries: The Awakening & The Struggle (Books 1-2 ). This is a great young adult vampire series. |
NOTE: most items on this list qualifies for free shipping. That means no tax, no shipping costs and it gets delivered right to your doorstep!
