Archive for New Vampire Books
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.
Title: Descendant: Chronicles of the Ipswich Witch
Author: Miranda Bachman
Release Date: July 1, 2010
Publisher: CreateSpace
Pages: 268
Genre: Fantasy Romance
In 1780, she devised an elaborate plan to cross the paths of her future granddaughter Raven (twenty generations down her line), with an ancient vampire named Alasdair. Aided by the use of spells, incantations and Uber-shadowing, her plan moved into motion in 1983, when Alasdair discovered Raven and set his heart on making her his companion.
Through a span of nearly seventy years, he guarded her, all throughout her mortal life. However, once he gave her his eternal kiss he ultimately, and without his knowing, led their lives down a path which neither of them had the ability or knowledge to escape from what lay ahead. Does good always conquer evil, or does evil win once in awhile?
Find out in DESCENDANT: Chronicles of the Ipswich Witch.
Title: Samson’s Lovely Mortal
Author: Tina Folsom
Release Date: May 25, 2010
Publisher: Smashwords
Print Length Equivalent: 324 pages
Genre: Paranormal Romance
His scruples about taking Delilah to his bed vanish when his shrink suggests it’s the only way to cure his problem. Thinking all he needs is one night with her, Samson indulges in a night of pleasure and passion.
However, another attack on Delilah and a dead body later, Samson has his arms full: not only with trying to hide the fact he’s a vampire, but also with finding out what secrets Delilah harbors for somebody to want her harm.
Samson’s Lovely Mortal is available in:
• Kindle format
• Other e-formats
Title: Insatiable
Author: Meg Cabot
Release Date: June 8, 2010
Publisher: Harper Collins
Pages: 464
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Author Quote: “Insatiable is Girl Gothic, featuring empowered heroines who stand up for themselves and have goals outside of snagging a man (but who still love men, exasperating though they can be at times), and who don’t believe that being dead is a happy ending.”
But her bosses are making her write about them anyway, even though Meena doesn’t believe in them. Not that Meena isn’t familiar with the supernatural. See, Meena Harper is psychic and knows how you’re going to die.
But not even Meena’s precognition can prepare her for what happens when she meets – and then makes the mistake of falling in love with – Lucien Antonescu, a modern-day prince with a bit of a dark side. A dark side that a lot of people, like an ancient society of vampire hunters, would prefer to see him dead for.
And while Lucien seems like everything Meena has ever dreamed of in a boyfriend, he might turn out to be more like a nightmare.
Now might be a good time for Meena to start learning to predict her own future . . . . if she even has one.
Insatiable will be released June 8, 2010 and will be available in both hardcover and Kindle formats.
Christopher Farnsworth has written a vampire book that may start a whole new trend. In “Blood Oath: The Presidents Vampire” we’re introduced to a whole new way of looking at vampires. Nathanial Cade, a vampire, is the President’s “go to” man for missions that require a vampire’s special talents. He’s been doing this for over 100 years.
Some backstory on Nathanial: while aboard a ship as a sailor in 1867 he, and other members of the crew, were attacked by a vampire. Although many of the crew members died, Cade did not. Instead, he’s transformed into a vampire himself. Unfortunately, as a new vampire he’s unable to quell his thirst for blood and ends up killing several of his friends aboard the boat. When the ship arrives in port he’s convicted of murder and would have been killed until the current President, Andrew Johnson, decides that Cade’s special skills could be put to use on behalf on the government.
There’s just one minor flaw with this logic: how do you control a vampire? Johnson solves this problem with the help of a voodoo specialist who puts Cade under an oath that binds him forever – hence the title Blood Oath. Cade, who’s had suicidal thoughts about being a creature damned for all eternity, is more than willing to take an oath that binds him to the President and his staff; it gives him a sense of purpose and redemption.
The primary plot of the story centers around a mission to locate and thwart those intent on assassinating the current President. Cade and his liaison, agent Zach Barrows, have their hands full dealing with all sorts of baddies. But not the type you’re probably imagining. Just know that in Blood Oath, terrorists make use of the supernatural in order to further their causes.
The set up for this book reminded me of reading a great Robert Ludlum spy thriller, but with supernatural elements thrown in. What pulled me in immediately was how Farnsworth incorporated the supernatural into a real world thriller setting – without making you feel like you were reading fantasy. As such the book has major crossover appeal; fantasy, mystery and thriller fans alike will love this one.
Christopher Farnsworth has written a story that flows quite nicely, giving us Cade’s history without bombarding us with too much past information. Combine superb character development with a fast-paced plot and you have a book with the makings of a great Jim Butcher or Simon R. Green novel; the quality of Farnsworth’s writing is that impressive. Here’s hoping there will be more books in The President’s Vampire series – I for one am eagerly awaiting additional installments.
Rachel Caine, the New York Times bestselling author of the young adult Morganville Vampires series, has a new book out called KISS OF DEATH. This is the 9th book in the series and if it’s like the others, it will be a great read for vampire fans.
I first began reading Rachel’s books when she started her Weather Warden series. From there I started reading her Outcast series and then “discovered” her Morganville Vampires books. I like everything I’ve read by her thus far. Rachel writes books that have plenty of action, which I love, but even better her characters are always really interesting. You grow to care about their fate. This is probably because she wisely develops main characters that have flaws, I mean, no one’s perfect right? That’s what I like about her books.
Here’s a snippet about Kiss of Death, the latest Morganville Vampires book:
“Vampire musician Michael Glass has attracted the attention of a big time producer who wants him to cut a demo and play some gigs – which means Michael will have to enter the human world. For this, he’s been assigned escorts that include both a dangerous immortal as well as Michael’s all-too-human friends. With that mix of personalities, this is going to be one road trip from hell . . .”
Rachel will be promoting Kiss of Death by visiting bookstores in the US signing copies of her books and answering questions from fans!
Here’s where she’ll be next:
Friday, May 7th
6:30 PM
Murder by the Book
2342 Bissonnet St
Houston, TX 77005
Saturday, May 8th
2:00 PM
Barnes & Noble
1430 Plaza Place
Southlake, TX 76092
For updated information on her schedule and other fun events (like free book giveaways), check out Rachel Caine’s website.
And check out these reviews of Kiss of Death
It seems that Sasha Trudeau never gets tired and the same is true in the latest book ‘Never Cry Wolf’ by L.A. Banks, the latest in her supernatural series, Crimson Moon. Sasha, a shadow wolf, had most recently stopped a war between wolf packs in the author’s last book, Undead on Arrival. You would think after all that adventure, she might go on a romantic vacation with her mate, Max, but it is not meant to be. After all, she is a soldier and duty comes first. So, after dealing with all the trouble in New Orleans, she and her team go back to her unit, the PCU (paranormal containment unit), for debriefing. They are sent to Colorado immediately to be questioned because they feel Sasha and her team were negligent in their duties since humans were killed in the process of stopping the wolf pack war. Sasha defends her team and her methods but she is still saddled with a second team commanded by a Colonel Madison who just happens to be a supernatural-phobe. He hates all things supernatural – and this especially includes Sasha and her team.
This new team becomes a real problem when an enemy from the past returns, Jung Suk, who is determined to punish everyone who has ever defied her. She hopes to succeed in her task by allying herself with Vlad the Elder of the vampires. Dead bodies begin to turn up after the unholy alliance is formed and both teams, Sasha and Colonel Madison’s, are sent to investigate. Sasha knows that this new Colonel is going to lead them into a death trap because he has no idea what he is getting into and he does not want to know – he won’t listen to reason. Sasha has to try and stop the killers from continuing their murder spree while also trying to keep the Colonel on a short leash.
If anyone is up to the task, Sasha is.
This latest novel by L.A. Banks was a good read but, more than that, it alleviated some of the issues I had with Sasha and Shogun from previous novels. Finally, it looks like Shogun is going to find someone new and the form that new love interest takes is very interesting indeed. I did not see it coming and I totally liked how the author handled it. I have always wondered, as I was reading the series, how Shogun was ever going to get over Sasha. I always felt sorry for him. Now, I can relax and enjoy the ride in the next book without having to feel sorry for poor Shogun. There is nothing worse than unrequited love.
It might seem to a new reader of L. A. Banks that picking up this book in the middle of the series would be difficult, but the author is good about filling in the back story, so, do not let the fact that you might be starting in the middle of the series put you off – it is still a fun book to read. ‘Never Cry Werewolf’ is an excellent urban fantasy – it’s the perfect example of what keeps you going from book to book in this series, just waiting for the next installment. Banks is especially adept at making the supernatural seem plausible by using the military as a back story to the crazy fantasy stuff going on throughout the book. This seems to make it a more interesting fantasy story than usual. The Crimson Moon series was a great read that I think you’ll enjoy.
“Bite: A Vampire Handbook” by Kevin Jackson is the perfect book for anyone who wants to be a vampire. Even if your aspirations do not hit that lofty goal, this book is still perfect for the person who wants to know everything there is to know about vampire folklore. Kevin Jackson has written the perfect vampire handbook.
The book is a nonfiction work that covers vampire folklore from the earliest writings available. There has been some mention of a monster like a vampire in cultures all over the world. It begins by explaining the vampire in folklore and then concentrates on the modern vampire in film today. The book also explains many of the myths surrounding vampires. For example, the German vampire can be killed by having an apple put into its mouth while inside the coffin. The German vampire also likes to clutch its thumb while resting in the coffin.
The book also discusses ways to become a vampire. If you commit suicide or die before being baptized, you will become a vampire but, since a good portion of the world’s population is not Christian, I think vampires would have run out of food by now. According to the vampire handbook, in Albania, if you commit a crime and get away with it your entire life, you will become a vampire. That seems like a very interesting way to prevent crime. In cultures from Russia to China, it is believed that if a cat or other animal walks over your corpse, you will become a vampire. It is even believed by dream interpreters that people who dream about vampires are feeling overwhelmed in their lives. These and many more interesting facts about vampires from all cultures are included in the handbook.
The book tries to explain how a creature that once was used to terrify children has become a mainstream phenomenon. There are accounts of “real vampires” as well as biographies of famous people related to vampire culture. Bite is full of excerpts from famous books as well as movies, screen plays, and documents. Bite also revises some very interesting facts about the vampires of the world and throughout history. The book traces the history of the undead down the ages as well as offering a plethora of information about vampire trivia, and believe it or not, vampire tourism. Jackson also mentions the best songs you might listen to about vampires.
But of course, the most important information in the handbook deal with the different ways to kill a vampire – just in case!
I enjoyed reading Kevin Jackson’s Bite and found it very enlightening and well written. This handbook is a ‘must-have’ for any vampire aficionado. It’s suitable for teens and adults alike and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about vampires and their origins.
