Tag Archives: First Blood

First Blood by Susan Sizemore, Erin McCarthy, Chris Marie Green & Meljean Brook

Book Review, , , , , , ,
Overview
First Blood

Title: First Blood
Author: Susan Sizemore, Erin McCarthy, Chris Marie Green & Meljean Brook
In: First Blood (Susan Sizemore, Erin McCarthy, Chris Marie Green & Meljean Brook)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Short story collections, Vampires
Dates read: 26th August – 30th September 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Anthology
Publisher: Berkley
Year: 2008
5th sentence, 74th page: She tried to shove him off of her, but he was stronger.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide
Synopsis

ONCE YOU ACQUIRE A TASTE FOR IT….

Susan Sizemore returns to the universe she created in her Laws of the Blood novels – with a sizzling story of the intimate relationship between a vampire Enforcer and a werewolf in “Cave Canem”.

In “Russian Roulette” by Erin McCarthy, fledgling vampire Sasha Chechikov flees the bright lights and dangerous slayers of Vegas for New Orleans, where she is saved by a vampire haunted by his past – and hungry for passion.

Set in the Vampire Babylon world, “Double the Bite” by Chris Marie Green puts the bond between twin female vampires to the test when one of them falls for her prey… and must choose between love and family.

And in Meljean Brook’s “Thicker Than Blood,” vampire Annie Gallagher needs help to save a young human girl named Cricket, but she doesn’t expect the help to come from the FBI agent she loved – and had to give up – when she was transformed.

These all-new darkly sensual tales will pull you into worlds that are as seductive as they are strange, where passion comes with a price… and longing is eternal.

Thoughts

This is a fantastic blood sucking selection of vampire romance tales. They’re full of lust, love and passion. Along with a little bit of kicking ass, finding yourself and forgiving the past. Everything that you want in a good collection of novellas. A little bit of spice, and a whole lot of sweet…

First Blood is a wonderful collection of tales. One that I thoroughly enjoyed sinking my fangs into and was a little bit disappointed when it ended. There is something kind of fun about vampire romances. Something which is fun and mostly sensual… if sometimes a little cliché. Luckily, none of these four novellas were able to be classified as overdone tropes… which, not so luckily, meant that I also have four series to add to my collection of to be read books.

This is a great collection of paranormal romance novellas. Every story is written by a master of her craft. And the stories are guaranteed to get your pulse racing, heart pumping, and imagination going wild. It’s just lucky that there aren’t likely to be any vampires waiting at your door for a nice romp in the dark.

 <- Thicker Than Blood ReviewCave Canem Review ->
Image source: Amazon

Thicker Than Blood by Meljean Brook

Book Review, , , , , ,
Overview
First Blood

Title: Thicker Than Blood
Author: Meljean Brook
Series: The Guardians #3.5
In: First Blood (Susan Sizemore, Erin McCarthy, Chris Marie Green & Meljean Brook)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Angels, Demons, Paranormal romance, Vampires
Dates read: 30th September 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Novella
Publisher: Berkley
Year: 2008
5th sentence, 74th page: All the while, telling me that I had to drink the vampire’s blood, that I had to willingly accept the change for the transformation to work.

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Synopsis

Six years ago, Jack Harrington was in love with Annie Gallagher, until her sudden death turned his world upside down. But when an intruder breaks into his home one night, the former FBI agent can barely believe his eyes – Annie’s alive… and a vampire.

After her sudden transition, Annie couldn’t bear to let Jack see all that she had become. One night she gives into temptation and decides to feed off a man who resembled Jack, only to find herself face to face with the man himself. Now that they’re together again, Jack’s not about to let Annie go, vampire or no. And Annie needs Jack’s help to find a missing girl named Cricket. Danger swirls around the pair as they search for Cricket while a demon bent on destroying all vampires closes in on the pair. Will love lost and found be able to overcome supernatural odds?

Thoughts

I found this story a little bit sad. Alright, there’s a happy ending… but the fact that a couple who so obviously loves one another is kept apart by a series of mistakes and misunderstandings… it was more than a little sad. I did like that the relationship was restored because of her constant need to be near him, and desire to find a little girl collide beautifully.

There are three tales which run through this story. Firstly, there’s the race to find Cricket with a mad man (or demon) on their trail. Secondly, a renegotiation of old relationships and sharing of the past as they try to find a future together. And, lastly, the thread which holds this novella to the rest of the Guardians series, the epic battle between light and dark that happens behind the scenes of our every day lives. Not many novellas would be able to include all of these storylines so seamlessly, but Meljean Brook managed to do this fantastically.

Thicker than Blood was a great novella with just the amount of angst and drama to keep me hooked, but not so much that I found it tedious. It made me want to run to my shelves and pick up the next book in the Guardians series, and just sink my nose into another day of fun and romance, forgetting the world and all of my responsibilities.

 <- Double the Bite ReviewFirst Blood Review ->
Image source: Amazon

Double the Bite by Chris Marie Green

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
First Blood

Title: Double the Bite
Author: Chris Marie Green
Series: Vampire Babylon #3.5
In: First Blood (Susan Sizemore, Erin McCarthy, Chris Marie Green & Meljean Brook)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Paranormal fantasy, Vampires
Dates read: 25th September 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Novella
Publisher: Berkley
Year: 2008
5th sentence, 74th page: As a deputy back home, he knew his way around an investigation.

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Synopsis

On a hunt to find the cause of his brother’s mysterious death, Ben Tyree finds himself at the infamous Studio 54, and soon in the path of two preternaturally beautiful women. Ginny and Geneva aren’t just twins, they’re vampires. Their connection is put to the test when Ginny falls for Ben, much to Geneva’s anger. How can Ginny choose between the man she’s falling in love with and the sister who won’t let her go?

Thoughts

I don’t think I will ever understand why men are so obsessively fascinated by identical twins. Ever. I do not understand the attraction. But I do get that it’s there, and it’s a great story tactic to fill out the hours. After all, there’s a huge attraction to the stereotype, so why wouldn’t it be used in a paranormal romance tale?

The idea that blood means you can get away with pretty much anything has never quite sat well with me. It’s not a great ideal, and, as is the case in this story, that bond is used in the worst possible way. Alright, that bond has previously been twisted beyond all recognition by a sadistic S.O.B. but it still added complications which shouldn’t have been there. Although, I can’t quite imagine going so far with getting my sister to stop… I suppose I’m just lucky that I’m not a twin and my sister is not certifiably insane…

This was a great story which took two sides of the same coin and showed how differently they can handle some severe changes in their social dynamics. For one, a sense of compassion and need to find oneself came about her awful turning. For the other, a desperate need to feel anything which led to a lot of death and mayhem. I like that the one who finds compassion also finds love… although, they may just be interlinked. Regardless, this story was intense, bloody and oh so good. Well worth the read.

 <- Russian Roulette ReviewThicker Than Blood Review ->
Image source: Amazon

Russian Roulette by Erin McCarthy

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
First Blood

Title: Russian Roulette
Author: Erin McCarthy
Series: Vegas Vampires #5
In: First Blood (Susan Sizemore, Erin McCarthy, Chris Marie Green & Meljean Brook)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Romance, Vampires,
Dates read: 20th September 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Novella
Publisher: Berkley
Year: 2008
5th sentence, 74th page: It suited Alistair, the contrast of bright and dark, and he stayed inside during the day, asleep, and hit the streets at night to work, to dine, to socialize.

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Synopsis

Alistair Kirk is a bar owner, a musician, and a vampire. When he hears that a fledgling vampire is being held captive and faces certain death, he rushes to the rescue.

Sasha Chechikov, once a vampire slayer, now a vampire herself, is on the run from her former associates. Sasha’s past leaves her wary of trusting anyone, but she can’t deny the sparks that fly between her and her sexy saviour. Will Alistair be able to protect Sasha from her enemies? And will two vampires who seem so different from one another learn what it means to truly love?

Thoughts

I’m really glad that I read this novella before Sucker Bet. If I had’ve started this after Sucker Bet, and realised that it was a tale about Sasha… I probably would have been seriously pissed off. She was kind of a bitch in the novel. But this novella made me sympathise with her and actually like her. Or at least, admire her a little more for her strength and gumption…

Unlike the glitz and glam of Las Vegas, New Orleans has a wonderfully different flavour. Changing the setting, and making it a little less “wow” was a great way to round out the last of the stories in the Vegas Vampires series. It also kind of highlighted that who Sasha was in Sucker Bet wasn’t really her true persona… rather, it was all a façade.

Aaron is exactly the kind of male protagonist / love interest that I tend to like. He’s not quite what you would consider “traditional”, completely different to the kind of man that I would go for, and is quiet in his pursuit of women. It’s a bit of a change from many of the domineering men that seem to fill Erin McCarthy’s stories. One that I think I needed at this point. Actually, my biggest complaint about this story was the fact that it was a novella, I think that the ending of Sasha’s story could have been dragged out far longer in a far more enjoyable manner… but maybe I’ll just pick up another Erin McCarthy book instead.

 <- Sucker Bet ReviewDeal or No Deal Review ->
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Cave Canem by Susan Sizemore

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
First Blood

Title: Cave Canem
Author: Susan Sizemore
Series: Laws of the Blood #5.5
In: First Blood (Susan Sizemore, Erin McCarthy, Chris Marie Green & Meljean Brook)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Urban fantasy, Vampires
Dates read: 26th August 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Novella
Publisher: Berkley
Year: 2008
5th sentence, 74th page: Of course, she hadn’t been aware of him since the companion connection had been severed between them several years before.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide
Synopsis

When hellhound pups are stolen from under Dan Conover’s nose, an unlikely alliance is made. Vampire enforcer Dan is bound by a promise to guard the hellhounds. Werewolf Tess Sirella is charged with making sure no hellhound is trained to tap into its evil, murderous potential. Vampires and werewolves aren’t supposed to be attracted to one another… but for every rule, there’s an exception.

Thoughts

This was a fun, engaging and enjoyable paranormal romance. The involvement of demons, hellhounds, vampires and werewolves drew me in from the very beginning. As did the jump in timeline from the prologue to the main story. The only thing I didn’t love was the fact that the man had been involved with her many times great-grandmother. It felt a little creepy that he’d been intimate with a woman, and then falls for her descendant. There’s even a moment when he notices the similarities between the two of them…

There’s not much I love more in this world than my dogs. So I understood the drive of the hellhounds owners. After all, once that bond is formed, it’s almost impossible to break. Or at least, that’s what I’ve found so far. I really enjoyed the search for the missing puppies, the need to ensure their safety and the drive to indicate their innocence. I can’t imagine a day without my dogs, and the two men in this story obviously feel the same.

I haven’t yet read any of the Laws of the Blood series so I don’t exactly understand how this fits into the bigger world. Yet, Sizemore manages to give you enough information that you don’t feel completely confused by her world. But not enough that you don’t want to read the rest of the series. It’s a great little tease to draw you in, or let you revisit a world you’ve already seen before.

 <- First Blood ReviewRussian Roulette Review ->
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