Tag Archives: Vampires

Circle Unbroken by Ann Aguirre

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for the mammoth book of vampire romance 2 book cover

Title: Circle Unbroken
Author: Ann Aguirre
In: The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2 (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Vampires
Dates read: 6th November 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: Cyrus would be delighted to escort you.

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

She’s the leader of her people and has to find a Chosen to sustain her long, long life. But, her latest Chosen seems to have cast a spell on her. One that even she may not be able to resist.

Thoughts

I’ve always imagined reincarnation as a bit of a circle – alright, in my head it’s a seriously squiggly, knotted line. But, it joins up at either end in a never ending loop, so it’s kind of like a circle. Which means that a story in which this rebirth has been interrupted… it was kind of quickly going to pull me in.

At first I didn’t understand how this story was actually a romance. It mostly explored the horribleness of obsessive love. Not just for the focus of such an obsession. But also for the person who is feeling that obsession. I might be in love, but if I felt that way…I’d fight it just like the man in this story. the all-consuming, terrifying passion that is felt is not comfortable, not okay and seriously awkward.

This story was really about the circle of soul mates and lovers. About giving up everything for the one that you love and finding a way to make your own happily ever after. Even if you are a vampire who has to take a new lover frequently to slake the thirst…

<- The Vampire, the Witch and the Yenko ReviewSkein of Sunlight Review ->
Image source: Bookdepository

Once a Demon by Dina James

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for the mammoth book of paranormal romance book cover

Title: Once a Demon
Author: Dina James
In: The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Demons, Paranormal romance, Vampires
Dates read: 31st October 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: She made a wonderful effort to pronounce it, and asked if she could shorten it to simply ‘Kail’.

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

Katrina has decided that Kyle needs a good friend. With the help of her husband, she lures this reclusive vampire into their home. But, when she finds out more about his past, she has to question everything that she’d believed to be true.

Thoughts

Unlike many of the short stories found in The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance, the two leads in this story aren’t the love interests. Actually, there’s no romance whatsoever between them with Katrina being a very, very happily married woman and her counterpart in this tale being a fairly notorious recluse. I liked the departure from the expected. It was nice to have two different people who had found their soul mates connecting on a more platonic level and finding common ground in their stories.

I absolutely adored Katrina in this story. She was so obviously in control of all of the men in her life and it was her very naïve sweetness that allowed her to do this. A bit of a reminder that we can conquer all with our femininity, as well as with a sword (but that would be other stories which feature a sword). Having the men wrapped around her finger helped to draw out the other characters and almost offer a sense of healing that was previously missing. Something that I think is so important, and completely beautiful.

Using a demon / vampire hybrid was totally unexpected. But very much welcomed. I’m actually quite disappointed that this is just a standalone short story. I would have loved to explore both the powers of Lucifer’s son and the politics behind his fall. Because, although the fall was beautifully described in this short story, I feel like there could be so much more going on behind the scenes… maybe I’ll just have to make it all up in my own mind’s eye.

 <- Grace of Small Magics ReviewNight Vision Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

The Vampire, the Witch and the Yenko by Tiffany Trent

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for the mammoth book of vampire romance 2 book cover

Title: The Vampire, the Witch and the Yenko
Author: Tiffany Trent
In: The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2 (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 3 (On the fence about this one)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Vampires
Dates read: 31st October 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: I won’t give you what you want.

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

A witch bounty hunter has a score to settle. A male vampire just doesn’t want to be used as a stud. Will they be able to work together for a better future?

Thoughts

I’ve never read a vampire story where the female vampires go into heat and effectively rape the male vampires. Or use them for stud, whichever way it can be looked at. In this short story, the crazy female vampire definitely had a rapey vibe. But I did love that it was a very unique take on vampire reproduction, society and morphology. Also that the vampire society described was matriarchal, not patriarchal (another first).

A vampire, and a witch bounty hunter are a pretty fun match. Especially when they are both aiming for similar things, working on cars together and just generally fighting injustice. A very fun little connection, especially when, yet again, the woman ends up rescuing the man and being the powerhouse in the relationship. It’s nice when more common gender roles are turned about.

Whilst I enjoyed this story, it still had a bit of a lah storyline. Overall, the tale was great. But, I tended to find that it was over explained in the wrong parts, and rushed through the more interesting bits. Not really to my taste… but that could have also been my mood at the time.

 <- The Ghost of Leadville ReviewCircle Unbroken Review ->
Image source: Bookdepository

The Ghost of Leadville by Jeanne C. Stein

Book Review, , , , , ,
Overview
Image result for the mammoth book of vampire romance 2 book cover

Title: The Ghost of Leadville
Author: Jeanne C. Stein
In: The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2 (Trisha Telep) & Vampires: The Recent Undead (Paula Guran)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Vampires, Westerns, Wild west
Dates read: 29th October 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: We do not.

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

She’s lived in Leadville before. But it was a different time, a different place, and full of fond memories. The Wild West meets vampires and a life full of regret.

Thoughts

This is a beautiful, bittersweet short story about loss and the possibilities of a future. It’s kind of sweet, incredibly nostalgic and a nice little read to occupy your time for about 10 minutes. I loved the narrative voice of this tale – she’s waxing nostaligic about her past love, but not in a way that makes you completely regret her past.

I thoroughly enjoyed the time travelling aspects of this – it starts in the present, flickers to the past, and then shudders back into the present again. Giving the reader not only an insight into modern-day vampiric life, but also the joys and tragedies of her past as she works towards a more interesting future. Or at least one that she’s a little happier with and more involved in.

I loved the fact that this is a Western Vampire story. you have Doc Holliday and Billy the Kid. A saloon. And a prostitute. All aspects of stories which I quite enjoyed and want to find out more about in the future…

 <- Eternity Embraced ReviewThe Vampire, the Witch and the Yenko Review ->
Image source: Bookdepository

Eternity Embraced by Larissa Ione

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for the mammoth book of vampire romance 2 book cover

Title: Eternity Embraced
Author: Larissa Ione
Series: Demonica #3.5
In: The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2 (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Demons, Paranormal romance, Vampires
Dates read: 27th October 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: Then we consider your idea about moving to New York.

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

Desire…
Demon slayer Andrea Cole has always taken down the demons and vampires she hunts without mercy. But when a fellow slayer is captured and turned into a vampire by a sadistic monster, she must choose between loyalty to her family and the man she loves.

Versus Instinct…
Kaden Quinn has dedicated his life to slaying vampires, so when he is turned into one, his greatest nightmare comes to life. And when the woman he loves is thrown into a dungeon with him ― as food ― he must battle new instincts and old desires, and choose between his life, and hers.

Thoughts

This story is a bit of a cliffhanger, and as I was reading it, I was seriously hoping that it was part of a greater series. I was lucky, it is. Which makes me super happy, because this world building is brilliant. Although, I wanted more of a backstory… which I will get when I finally buy the novels!!!

This is so a true love conquers all kind of story… after all, it’s the thing which makes sure that Kaden doesn’t turn evil. Even when Andrea fully expects him to. This isn’t a ride off into the sunset, happily ever after story. It’s more of a there’s a chance for the future, but we’re not really sure what’s going to happen next kind of tale. And it’s the perfect hook to make you want to buy the rest of the series.

Eternity Embraced is an incredibly sweet, beautiful story. It’s an easy read, and one that sweeps you away for five, ten minutes. Just enough to sweep you off your feet and make you believe in true love again. Or at least, a love that give you an amazing future.

 <- Blood Gothic ReviewThe Ghost of Leadville Review ->
Image source: Bookdepository

Blood Gothic by Nancy Holder

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for the mammoth book of vampire romance 2 book cover

Title: Blood Gothic
Author: Nancy Holder
In: The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2 (Trisha Telep) & By Blood We Live (John Joseph Adams)
Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)
My Bookshelves: Mental health, Vampires
Dates read: 18th October 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: She awoke from these dreams drenched in sweat and feeling exhausted.

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

She’s been dreaming of her vampire lover for years. Now she just has to wait until he finally comes to claim her. But, things may not be quite as they seem when she finally returns from her trip to Transylvania.

Thoughts

I really wouldn’t call this a romance. And I would not have expected to find such a story in a collection of vampire romance stories. There is just nothing romantic about this tale. Obsessive, yes. Vampiric, kind of. But romantic? Nope, nope, nope. And if someone reads this thinking that it’s romantic… they need to sort their brains out a little better…

Ever since Twilight came out, I didn’t really understand the vampire obsession. After all, vampires feed on humans. In the last few years, I’ve read some stories that are romantic and lustful, but that teenage, angsty attachment and obsession? Still really don’t get it. This short story kind of feels like it echoes that. This woman is completely fixated on the idea of a vampire lover that visits her in her dreams. But I’m not sure that he’s actually real. Her obsession turns to a sickness of some kind and I kind of like to believe that the end of the story is actually a gentle way to say that it is the end of her life. Completely due to a weird obsession and an inability to find the reality in the world.

In a book of romantic, lustful tales, this short story leaves you with a somewhat uncomfortable feeling. It’s a bit huh, a bit weird, and a complete reminder of the idea that sometimes we need to stop and look at our obsessions. Pause so that we can take a step back and fix our own mental health. Or at least, that’s what this story reminded me of.

 <- With Friends Like These ReviewEternity Embraced Review ->
Image source: Bookdepository

With Friends Like These by Dawn Cook

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for the mammoth book of vampire romance 2 book cover

Title: With Friends Like These
Author: Dawn Cook
In: The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2 (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)
My Bookshelves: Urban fantasy, Vampires
Dates read: 15th October 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: “You can’t kill me,” he said, boots scuffing.

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

His roommate has a way with women. And people in general. But, even if he’s a little bit jealous… he loves their nightly run. That is, until he finds out the truth about Jim…

Thoughts

Alright, so the friend in this kind of sucks. He uses his room mate to find his way back into the vampire hierarchy. He kind of drugs him. And then he almost gets him killed. Oh, and he’s a douche nugget to women. Like I said, a really bad friend… but what can you expect, he’s a vampire.

My biggest issue with this story though is the fact that they like to run late at night. I don’t like running. I would never run in a city… and doing so late at night? That just seems ridiculously unrealistic. Like stupidly, unbelievably unrealistic. Who the heck runs late at night in a city in a dangerous part of town? Oh, right, a vampire and his pet friend…

This was a really well written story, one that I thoroughly enjoyed. But it did kind of leave a sour taste in my mouth… after all, he stuck with the insane vampire even after her realised how much manipulation had occurred. And the nasty vampire man also treated women like trash… I know that I definitely don’t need (or want) friends like these…

 <- Point of No Return ReviewBlood Gothic Review ->
Image source: Bookdepository

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.

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

Point of No Return by Jennifer St Giles

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for the mammoth book of vampire romance 2 book cover

Title: Point of No Return
Author: Jennifer St Giles
In: The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2 (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Historical fiction, Paranormal romance, Vampires
Dates read: 26th September 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: How could a mortal believe a slayer over a man like you?

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

She’s been half in love with a statue for as long as she can remember. But when she meets the man in real life, her life may just be put in jeopardy. Will he arrive in time to save her?

Thoughts

Love hits us all. Not so often in the form of an obsession with a statue. But it still hits us. Luckily, nothing untoward happens with the statue… rather it happens with the man who inspired the physique. Which I can kind of understand… I too have stared at some gorgeously constructed artwork…

Prejudice exists in everyday life. But it seems to be so much more potent when told through the lens of fantasy and fiction. Maybe something to do with the fact that it removes us a little further from the situation, so we can see it a lot clearer. I like that instead of focusing on vampire prejudice (I have a LOT of those stories), this tale focuses instead on assumptions made about women and their sexuality. Actually, it was mostly the belief that she’s a witch because of her red hair… but still…

Every action has a consequence. I kind of hate the consequences in this story… in trying to save the woman he loves from a life of the night, he inadvertently places her in even more serious danger. Danger which makes you want to reach through the pages and punch the idiots who perpetrate it in the face. But that’s a soap box moment for another day…

 <- I Need More You ReviewWith Friends Like These Review ->
Image source: Bookdepository