Tag Archives: Vampires

A Vampire’s Christmas Carol by Cynthia Eden

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview

Title: A Vampire’s Christmas Carol
Author: Cynthia Eden
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Christmas, Paranormal fantasy, Paranormal romance, Vampires
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novella
Year: 2013

Thoughts

I finally read Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol within the last few years. It was definitely one of those classics that I absolutely loved. So, I was honestly a little leery about reading this and how Eden’s reimagination of this beloved classic would go. And, honestly, it was brilliant. I loved it and look forward to adding this to my reread pile!

As anyone who knows the original story knows, the Scrooge is visited by three angels to show him the Christmases of his past, present and future. I love that all three of these angels are actually characters from the life of the vampire. And, that each of these Christmases visited are actually based around the love of his life. It gives a more romantic / love story slant to the classic. Which, admittedly had pretty much no love story, just hints of a past one. But I digress…

Ultimately towards the end of this story, you find out that there is a whole lot of hope for the vampire. And that the tragic love story that he has built up in his mind might not be quite as true as he believes. I love that there are sacrifices and tragedies throughout, but it is the ultimate sacrifice made in love that will melt your heart. And also that keeps this story within that same vein of redemption as the original Christmas Carol.

I absolutely adored this novella. It was a fun and slightly dark Christmas story. One that was a wonderful reimagining of one of my favourite Christmas classics. Definitely a testament to the enjoyment I get out of reading Eden’s work.

<- Until DeathWaiting for Christmas ->

Image source: Goodreads

Sin Slayer by Jenna Maclaine

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Overview

Title: Sin Slayer
Author: Jenna Maclaine
Series: Cin Craven #3.5
In: Huntress (Christine Warren, Marjorie M. Liu, Caitlin Kittredge & Jenna Maclaine)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Strong women, Vampires
Pace: Fast
Format: eBook, Novella
Year: 2009

Thoughts

I liked this different take on the Jack the Ripper story. I mean, it wasn’t necessarily introducing a whole new lore into the world, but it was still a fun and unique take on a very well known serial killer. It also helped to further place Cin and her cohort into the “reality” of the world. I also just love that they made such a truly horrible and terrifying man into a demon… I mean, it’s a great way to justify the horribleness of his deeds.

This novella does round out the Cin Craven series. But since I haven’t read any of the standalones and am not quite sure what happens in them, it also works wonderfully as a standalone. Which is wonderful, because with all of the different books on my TBR, it may take me a little while to truly get into this series…

Cin is wonderfully independent and powerful. Something about her outfit and strength has seriously stuck in my head. I’m always a huge fan of any story which features a strong and independent woman. But one that is in Victorian England, dressed in leather and lace? Yeah, that is right up my alley…

I love that although this is the last novella in the series – it also finishes on a note of hope and potential for the future. I love stories that make you think of the wonderful characters all happily riding off into the sunset together, to have more adventures. More life. After all, life continues after the happily ever after.

<- Down in the Ground Where the Dead Men GoHuntress ->

Image source: Amazon

Why Light? by Tanith Lee

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
Image result for teeth ellen datlow terri windling book cover

Title: Why Light?
Author: Tanith Lee
In: Teeth: Vampire Tales (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal fantasy, Vampires
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Harper
Year: 2011

Thoughts

Why Light? is the short story that rounds out the Teeth collection. And it was kind of a nice way to end out this anthology if vampire stories. It was surprisingly sweet and cute. Not even remotely what I expected from the author and / or the start of the story.

I really like the idea of ‘sun kissed’ vampires and ‘healing’ vampires. It was a little less gothic and aggressive than I was expecting, which was kind of a nice change of pace. Plus, the idea of these two vampire types joining together was kind of fantastic. I’d read more about this in the future.

Although this story didn’t actually end with a ‘happy ending’, there were lots of hints to it. Because I’m an optimist and a romantic, I choose to believe that there was a happily ever after in the books for these two… even if they’re both taking a huge leap of faith and trust into the unknown.

<- My GenerationTroll’s Eye View ->

Image source: HarperCollins

Slice of Life by Lucius Shepard

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
Image result for teeth ellen datlow terri windling book cover

Title: Slice of Life
Author: Lucius Shepard
In: Teeth: Vampire Tales (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal fantasy, Vampires
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Harper
Year: 2011

Thoughts

This short story jumps around a little bit in timeliness and apace, but it gives this constant sense of a life without hope. Its kind of depressing and sad to read at times. But also enjoyable – who needs happy stories ALL the time?

I like that the ending of this tale is open and full of potential for a future. It might be a bit vague as to which / what future is likely to be chosen, there is still something on the horizon for the lead character.

Louise / Ellen is definitely a character who is going to sink or swim on her own. The way she is able to stand on her own feet and manipulate others makes me think that there’s going to be a lucrative future for her. But still… there is a naivety to her actions that makes me want to know how she goes on her own…

<- The Perfect Dinner PartyMy Generation ->

Image source: HarperCollins

The Perfect Dinner Party by Cassandra Clare & Holly Black

Book Review, , , , , ,
Overview
Image result for teeth ellen datlow terri windling book cover

Title: The Perfect Dinner Party
Author: Cassandra Clare & Holly Black
In: Teeth: Vampire Tales (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Horror, Vampires
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Harper
Year: 2011

Thoughts

This is one of the few short stories in the Teeth collection that I’ve put on my horror shelf. Because it is way, way creepier and disturbed than I was expecting. I mean, the narrator voice is downright messed up, and the fact that it’s all coming from the body of a little girl? Disturbed. And yet, I loved it.

I think part of what made this story so creepy is that it is literally a list of rules to make the ‘perfect’ dinner party. It starts off kind of archaic, but understandable. Then, the sinister undertones become more and more obvious. I mean, you know that it’s about a vampire because of the collection its in. But the obvious brain washing and dated etiquette starts to make it a little more… uncomfortable.

It’s kind of easy to like Charles throughout this story. Probably because he is shown through the lens of a doting sister. And, he’s not quite creepy. But the sister? The narrator? Damn is she terrifying, I mean, it would be scary being turned at 14. But I just had these porcelain doll kind of vibes the whole way through this. I get shivers up my spine just thinking about it.

<- HistorySlice of Life ->

Image source: HarperCollins

My Generation by Emma Bull

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
Image result for teeth ellen datlow terri windling book cover

Title: My Generation
Author: Emma Bull
In: Teeth: Vampire Tales (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Poetry, Vampires
Pace: Slow
Format: Poem
Publisher: Harper
Year: 2011

Thoughts

I’m always up to read a good poem. Mostly because they have so many layers and interpretations. It doesn’t matter how often I read a poem, depending on my mood, the weather, etc. I get something else out of the words that I didn’t find before.

The main words that came to me when reading this poem was curfews and darkness. There was something almost gothic and restrictive about the prose. I loved the mystery that it added to my reading.

Then there was the theme of constantly moving and hiding. Constantly learning new things. And always having to shift about. I can’t imagine being immortal and this constant shifting and darkness just reinforced that idea.

<- Slice of LifeWhy Light? ->

Image source: HarperCollins

History by Ellen Kushner

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
Image result for teeth ellen datlow terri windling book cover

Title: History
Author: Ellen Kushner
In: Teeth: Vampire Tales (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal fantasy, Vampires
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Harper
Year: 2011

Thoughts

There are a lot of books on my shelves that have some kind of age gap. But, the age gap in this story is definitely a whole lot bigger. Probably because it’s between a college girl and a vampire. So that kind of makes sense. I’ve read a lot of fantasy books that feature this kind of age gap. But, for some reason, in this short story, that just felt slightly… wrong.

I think part of the reason that the age gap and relationship in this story felt wrong was that it felt kind of like the girl was being used. She definitely had feelings for the older vampire, but he didn’t seem to have them for her. It was an interesting story, but I definitely felt bad for the young girl. She even seemed to be aware of the fact that she was just being used to pass the time / decades…

There is so much history that must be seen by an immortal. I too would want to ask a thousand questions. So being constantly told “I forget” would drive me absolutely bonkers. I mean, seriously? So much knowledge, and no chance of having ANY of it shared? Even reading this drove me a little bit nuts…

<- TransitionThe Perfect Dinner Party ->

Image source: HarperCollins

Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview

Title: Guilty Pleasures
Author: Laurell K. Hamilton
Series: Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #1
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Urban fantasy, Vampires
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 1993

Thoughts

As keen as I’ve been to actually get into this series (I love some of the older urban fantasy / vampire books), it took me 1) forever to actually pick this up and 2) a little while to actually get into this storyline. I love that Anita’s background (both socially and genetically) is quite a mystery from the very beginning, and it makes you ask a whole lot of questions from the very first page. But, it did take quite a bit to get into the actual action. I appreciated all of the work that Hamilton went to to actually set up the whole background story and this world. But it was also somewhat slow going to get there. Having said that, as soon as I FINALLY started to get into the action, this became a very hard book to put down.

As much as I might lament how long it took to get into the action of this story, I did seriously love how this is the beginning to a series. From the very first page you can feel all the things that Hamilton is trying to set up in her storyline. That there is going to be reveal after reveal throughout the series. There are just so many secrets, not just in some of Anita’s partial immunity, but also what kind of connection she now has to some of the master vampires in the city, the politics that she’s facing going forwards, and whether we’re going to see the rat king again. I also loved that although it’s obvious that Anita has some extra-ness to a normal human, she’s also so completely human. In fact, throughout most the story she tends to lament how human she is and what danger she is placing herself in. The battle is won by intelligence and trickery, not brute force, the only way to win against a bigger and scarier opponent.

I have a lot of urban fantasy / vampire books on my shelves that I truly love reading. However, most of them are most definitely a lot less adult in feeling than this one. There is talk about sex clubs, orgies and fetishes. All things that are not as blatantly addressed in many of my other books. Which, of course is part of what I loved about this. I mean, a lot of people sexualise vampirism today, so why not include that in a story which actually features these beasties? I love how it is such an uncomfortable relationship in this book – the woman who hunts the vampires and the people who fetishise them. There’s a wish to not totally ignore each other and be a total dick, but also serious discomfort which left me feeling a bit uncomfortable on reading some of these scenes too.

Although this was a slow start and it took me a while to fall in love, once I did, I dived right in. I can’t wait to read The Laughing Corpse and hopefully have a few of my lingering questions about Anita answered. Although, I’m sure that there will then be a whole slew of new questions to ask…

<- More Laurell K. HamiltonThe Laughing Corpse ->

Image source: Amazon

Ringing in the Reefer by Marie Booth

Book Review, , , , , ,
Overview

Title: Ringing in the Reefer
Author: Marie Booth
Series: Steamy Bites #1.5
In: Worst Holiday Ever (Miscellaneous)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Christmas, Paranormal romance, Vampires
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Year: 2018

Thoughts

I laughed so much throughout this story. It was hilarious and pithy and sassy. Everything I like in a short story that is designed to just sweep you away for a little while. I should have gotten from the title that I would find this humorous, but as the story unfolded I just found everything more and more entertaining.

Bringing families together can always be a fairly intimidating thing to do. It’s almost always slightly chaotic, but the pure, unadulterated chaos in this story was of a whole other kind. The fact that it was going to be chaotic due to the secrets that Rafe was hiding anyway, started it off on a good note. But then the fact that his family basically got Mai’s tightly buttoned crew high… such a ridiculous story. Honestly, everything about this was funnily ridiculous.

I loved this short story. It was a fun and chaotic Christmas family time. Mixing in the paranormal, secrets and drugs… a recipe for pure enjoyment and chaos.

<- Touched by FateThe Thanksgiving Parade from Hell ->

Image source: Fantastic Fiction

Driftwood by MaryJanice Davidson

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview

Title: Driftwood
Author: MaryJanice Davidson
Series: Wyndham Werewolf #5.5
In: Over the Moon (Angela Knight, MaryJanice Davidson, Virginia Kantra & Sunny)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Vampires, Werewolves
Pace: Fast
Format: eBook, Novella
Year: 2007

Thoughts

I always forget how damn funny and pithy Davidson’s writing is. She’s sassy and delightful, with enough lust and excitement to count as a great paranormal romance. Mostly though, I just really, really love the sass with which she writes female characters. Diving into this novella made me remember why I rushed to buy Undead and Unwed in the first place (and then haven’t quite gotten around to reading it yet…)

I must admit, Burke is a bit of an oddbod from the very beginning of this story. I mean, he’s eating class and then chewing on tires… I thought he’d get a little more normal as the storyline went on. But he really, really didn’t. And that total oddness totally grew on me. He was pretty entertaining, and totally down with vengeful murder. Which, again, I loved.

As somewhat of a klutz myself, I can totally imagine somehow falling into a hole. And then getting stuck, there. Sierra’s refusal to get out and her biting retorts to Burke when he tries to help just cemented my love for her. I mean, she falls into a hole and then out sasses the man who tries to rescue her? How could you not love this?

Reading this novella just reminded me how much I want to dive into the Undead / Queen Betsy series. I have loved all of the novellas that I’ve been able to read, but now I want a full-length version…

<- Between the Mountain and the MoonMona Lisa Three ->

Image source: Penguin Random House