The Rest Falls Away (Gardella Vampire Chronicles, #1) by Colleen Gleason

Jan 01, 2010 new_user rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Historical and UF fans

Recommended to new_user by: Shannon Doerfler

Shelves: historical, urban-fantasy

I started The Rest Falls Away with some misgivings. Away opens with a cheesy ceremony, some cliché about destiny, and a series of infodumps through a wise aunt, teaching the audience along with Victoria Gardella, vampire hunter. However, once we're up to speed, there seems to be a spirit of, "Now let's get to the good stuff!" as author Colleen Gleason moves us swiftly into plotty goodness, beginning with Victoria's coming out ball, where she begins her vampire -and husband- hunting careers with...more

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Apr 13, 2010 Zeek rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: hist-pnr, pnr, favorite-hero, vamps

The author has billed her first novel as "Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Pride and Prejudice" and seeing as these are two of my all time favorite stories and settings- I was all over it!

I read it in one sitting, because after the first chapter I had to see how it all played out. Actually, it was around page thirty-about the time Ms. Gleeson laid out her idea of how the vampires came into being. (No Bram Stoker rip off this!) After I read it, I heard that familiar voice inside my head say "Oh, th...more

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Jun 24, 2008 Inara rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: novels-vampires, novels-romance-suspense, novels-paranormal, novels-romance-historical

Victoria Gardella Grantworth is called on the eve of her debut to London´s society to accept her family legacy to be a vampire hunter, a so-called Venator. Mentored and trained by her old aunt Eustacia she´s supposed to follow into her steps as the head of the Venators and destroy their arch-enemy the vampire queen Lilith the Dark. Victoria embraces her fate to be a vampire hunter fully but she has also to follow her social callings and find a suitable husband. When Phillip de Lacy, Marquess of...more Victoria Gardella Grantworth is called on the eve of her debut to London´s society to accept her family legacy to be a vampire hunter, a so-called Venator. Mentored and trained by her old aunt Eustacia she´s supposed to follow into her steps as the head of the Venators and destroy their arch-enemy the vampire queen Lilith the Dark. Victoria embraces her fate to be a vampire hunter fully but she has also to follow her social callings and find a suitable husband. When Phillip de Lacy, Marquess of Rockley London´s most eligible bachelor appears on the scene Victoria falls head over heels in love with the handsome young man. The feeling is mutual, they marry and live happily ever after... or don´t they?
I really liked this book! The plot captivated me at once and there were also some very interesting characters like the rude Maximilian Pesaro a master vampire executioner, who is constantly fighting Victoria (with words) and challenging her way of life and slaying. Then the enigmatic Sebastian Vioget, the owner of the Silver Chalice, an inn where vampires and humans mingle. Victoria, although deeply in love with Phillip nevertheless feels a strange attraction to the mysterious man, who seems to be her ally. But what are his real reasons to help her? I´d really like to read more about him and I´m looking forward to the moment when his secret is unveiled in one of the next books! I thought Phillip to be a bit pallid compared to the other two more colorful characters but I think he represents the "normal" in Victoria´s unusal life. She really loves him and in her youthful enthusiasm she thinks she´s able to be both at the same time – wife and Venator. She marries Phillip against the better advice of her aunt and Max and soon it shows how vulnerable this marriage makes her. Feelings of guilt because of her constantly lying, her fear of Phillip finding out about her "profession" and additionally the fear for his life when he unwittingly endangers himself because of his wish to help her with her "problem", doesn´t make her life any easier. Her heart is torn between duty and love. Victoria is a likeable heroine with some faults, she overestimates herself and her skills more than once and doesn´t think the consequences of her marriage completely through and to what fate it will condemn her unsuspecting husband. What I found a bit astonishing was how fast the Imperials, the most fearsome and strongest vampires on earth were destroyed by Max. I think they could have put up a better fight then this...underachievement for such powerful vamps, sorry guys!
This book has an execllent plot and some intriguing characters and is really worth a try if you like a story about a vampire hunter in Regency London.

Website of the author: http://www.colleengleason.com/
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Nov 28, 2010 Fani rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance-historical, urban-fantasy, best-of-2010, 2010-purchase, heroine-is-stupid, points-for-originality, paperbacks-read

Victoria Gardella is ready to make her debut in society. At the same time, she finds out she's a Venator or a Vampire Hunter. Looking forward to some action and freedom offered by her new role she jumps in readily to accept the challenge. She has her aunt and another Venator, Maximilian Pesaro, to guide her through her new duties. But things get complicated when she meets and becomes attracted to the Marquess of Rockley. He's innocent and ignorant of her night life and wants to marry her. Can Vi...more Victoria Gardella is ready to make her debut in society. At the same time, she finds out she's a Venator or a Vampire Hunter. Looking forward to some action and freedom offered by her new role she jumps in readily to accept the challenge. She has her aunt and another Venator, Maximilian Pesaro, to guide her through her new duties. But things get complicated when she meets and becomes attracted to the Marquess of Rockley. He's innocent and ignorant of her night life and wants to marry her. Can Victoria combine both parts of her life succesfully? Things get even worse when Victoria learns that Lilith, the leader of the vampires, is in London, seeking a book that will make her even more powerful and she must stop her. Seeking for information on the book, she stumbles upon Sebastian Vioget, an enigmatic man who seems willing to feed her some clues but with a price. Is he an ally or a foe?

From the momemt I read the description -and saw the cover- of the book in goodreads, I felt I had to read it, although a couple of my friends tried to dissuade me. In the end, although I now understand why they did it, I'm glad they failed:) I ended up liking the book, besides its faults.

Its faults are in my opinion, mainly focused on some inconsistancies in the plot and the TSTL heroine. Yes, she did stupid things more than once. Yes, she kept being beaten up and then running out to kill more vamps alone because she felt no one could beat her *gasp*. Yes, she kept her mouth shut when she shouldn't. She also made a silly, stupid decision that was doomed for the start and eventually brought trouble to others. The weird thing is, I didn't hate her despite all that. Although she exasperated me, I liked the writing, the plot and the atmosphere so much, that I was able to overcome my problems with her. I can hope though, that she learns from her mistakes and acts more maturely in the next books or I might have to drop the series at some point. But for now, I'm not just determined to go along; I'm looking forward to it!(less)

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Aug 28, 2010 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2010

Victoria is a normal young lady looking forward to her debut into London Society - until she discovers she is the latest in her family to be chosen as a Venator or vampire hunter. She has the choice to accept her calling and become a Venator or to deny it and have her memories of the existance vampires taken away. Thinking it will be a big adventure and she will have more freedom than most young ladies she decides to accept her destiny and is given a vis bulla - an amulet that will give her the...more

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Apr 24, 2011 Yulia Rudkov rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: vampires, paranormal, romance, historical, fantasy, urban-fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jun 18, 2008 Celly rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book has been labeled romance. Don't even try and find it anywhere else in your bookstore/library. It's really too bad though, because true believers in romance novels will be disappointed and those who like a good romp will forever miss out!

This first book in the Gardella Vampire Chronicles lays out the ground work for what I think is a very promising series. We meet Victoria Gardella who has been born into a legacy of slayers that precedes her by hundreds of years. She trains by day and...more

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May 05, 2009 Theresa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Theresa by: Suzann.

Shelves: fantasy, 2008

The beginning of this book was so incredibly slow and dull that I almost gave up. About half-way through the book, I found myself engaged in the story - it was a miracle! :)

It really seemed as though two different authors wrote this book. The beginning had no character development, no internal thoughts, no sense of how much time was passing between scenes, and the characters had no personality to speak of. The second half of the book suddenly had all of those things.

If I had to base the star ra...more

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May 08, 2011 Debora rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: preferiti, ebook, fisicamente_posseduto

Che dire di questo primo romanzo della Saga dei Gardella? Personalmente, l’ho trovato molto coinvolgente, intrigante ed a dir poco appassionante. Devo ammettere che l’idea di una Cacciatrice nel periodo ottocentesco mi ha intrigata in modo formidabile. Forse questo è dovuto dalla mia convinzione che il fenomeno ‘vampiresco’ appartenga, per l’appunto, a quel periodo. Vittoria è affascinante, testarda, pungente, ribelle e determinata. Accetta la sua Eredità con maturità e sicurezza per poi finire...more

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Apr 11, 2013 Aimee rated it 4 of 5 stars

Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets 19th century London. I was overall entertained by the novel and plan to read the rest of the series. Victoria has the potential to be one of those strong, sarcastic heroines that I love reading about, but she's not yet quite up to par with Gail Carriger's Alexia Tarabotti, quite possible my favorite such heroine. There were a few things about the novel that bothered me. Things weren't quite spot on in terms of historical accuracy. I can't imagine anyone in 19th cen...more

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Apr 09, 2013 Miraphora rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: vampiri

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Primo romanzo nella serie della Famiglia Gardella, Cacciatori di Vampiri è la storia del debutto di Victoria Grantworth nella società della nobiltà della Londra della fine ottocento e contemporaneamente come cacciatrice di vampiri. La sua eredità si manifesta dopo cinque sogni in cui un vampiro la insegue, questo è il segnale che la porta da sua zia Eustacia, a sua volta cacciatrice di vampiri, che la inizierà nell’arte di famiglia.
Nella presentazione il libro viene descritto come un’unione tra...more Primo romanzo nella serie della Famiglia Gardella, Cacciatori di Vampiri è la storia del debutto di Victoria Grantworth nella società della nobiltà della Londra della fine ottocento e contemporaneamente come cacciatrice di vampiri. La sua eredità si manifesta dopo cinque sogni in cui un vampiro la insegue, questo è il segnale che la porta da sua zia Eustacia, a sua volta cacciatrice di vampiri, che la inizierà nell’arte di famiglia.
Nella presentazione il libro viene descritto come un’unione tra Buffy e Jane Austen, ed in effetti i richiami a Buffy sono davvero molti e notevoli, alcuni anche un pochino banali se vogliamo. Per esempio, Victoria caccia con una facilità tale da rendere inutile la descrizione dei combattimenti, tranne forse che in un paio di occasioni, ogni volta che un vampiro muore viene scritto come se fosse successo così velocemente e facilmente da non essere degno di essere nominato, cosa che succedeva sempre nel telefilm. Buffy, che mentre parla, fa esplodere 5 o 6 vampiri come niente, succede anche con Victoria, che svolazza nei suoi vestiti da brava ragazza dei tempi che furono, impalandoli e puf, facendoli sparire. Un’altra somiglianza con Buffy è il fatto che Victoria sia destinata ad essere una Cacciatrice, che a quanto pare compare una volta in ogni generazione della famiglia Gardella. Per il resto tutto è descritto abbastanza bene, accurato anche dove non serve e a volte un po’ caotico dove la chiarezza sarebbe stata apprezzata (tipo la scena nella carrozza con Sebastian non l’ho capita…ho dovuto rileggerla per capire il chi come ). Mi è piaciuto molto l’attenzione dei particolari dei vestiti, delle acconciature e per esempio dei balli, che letti pensando al fatto che in mezzo ai riccioli si nasconde un paletto o che in mezzo ai damerini si aggirano i vampiri rende il tutto molto più intrigante.

Per quanto riguarda i personaggi devo ammettere che quelli maschili sono meglio riusciti rispetto alle tre grandi protagoniste, quasi preferivo la madre di Victoria con le sue amiche alla zia Eustacia, che a volte era un po’ noiosetta. Victoria tanto per cominciare, nasce come una giovane ragazza che debutta in società, tutta presa dai vestiti e dal divertimento, che dopo la piccola bomba sganciata dalla zia si dedica con altrettanto divertimento alla caccia ai vampiri, salvo poi rendersi conto verso la metà del libro che la situazione in cui si è cacciata non è poi così divertente e semplice come sembra. Zia Eustacia dovrebbe essere un punto di riferimento per Victoria, in quanto ex cacciatrice mi sarei aspettata maggiori interventi nella storia, invece la cara zietta artritica è sempre chiusa nella sua casetta, dove impartisce ordini e dove se la spassa con il suo amichetto indiano. La grande cattivona Lilith mi sembra tanto un cadavere ambulante che sta per crollare da un momento all’altro, per tutto il libro si crea questa aspettativa attorno a lei: è potentissima e cattivissima, ma poi quando (alla fine) arriva il suo momento tutta la sua aura maligna fa puff e diventa un personaggio limitato da una cosa banale come la luce del sole, avrebbe potuto fare di più e farlo anche peggio, però è solo la sua prima entrata in scena, mi aspetto che quando ricomparirà nei prossimi romanzi sarà più incattivita. Tornando ai personaggi maschili, quello che mi ha intrippato di più è ovviamente Max, l’italiano che non si chiama come un italiano e che ha solo il cognome (Pesaro) che può sembrare italiano. Lui si che è un Cacciatore tutto d’un pezzo: gelido, arrogante, assolutamente concentrato sul suo compito, imparziale e tanto che ci sono pure gnocco. All’inizio mi aspettavo una specie di mezzo inciucio con Victoria ma non si conclude nulla sul quel versante perché invece lì troviamo Phillip, ovvero colui che compare lungo tutta la storia per poi finire puff. Ammetto che Phillip non mi piaceva molto, più che altro ero neutrale nei suoi confronti, ed era palese che gli sarebbe successo qualcosa, perché Victoria non poteva rimanergli sposata e poi perché era troppo in mezzo alle balle. Mi è dispiaciuto per come sia uscito di scena perché in fondo aveva del buon potenziale, ma dopotutto così è andata e quindi ci adeguiamo, anche perché probabilmente verrà sostituito da Sebastian. Sebastian che ancora non ho capito cos’è o chi è, ma l’autrice ha reso molto chiaro essere tutto sui toni del marrone, bello, seducente, sveglio e intrallazzato. Mi ha ricordato un pochino il caro Jean-Claude dei primi tempi nella serie di Anita Blake, uno che conosce tutti e ha legami con tutti, che sa tutto e che è abbastanza furbo da riuscire ad ottenere sempre qualcosa in cambio. Senza contare che è l’unico che ha fatto ballare la macarena agli ormoni per qualche riga dato che per il resto del tempo sono rimasti zitti e muti.

In sostanza è un libro piacevole da leggere, senza pretese nel senso che non vuole essere un vero horror ma allo stesso tempo strizza l’occhio a quel genere (nuovo in America da noi inesistente) che si può mettere sotto al romanzo d’amore a tema paranormale. Dico che strizza l’occhio perché sebbene ci sia una storia d’amore in mezzo, il libro non verte attorno alle vicende amorose di Victoria, ma gira attorno al come lei si destreggia tra l’essere moglie e cacciatrice assieme. È tutto molto concentrato su di lei, anche se ogni tanto cambia il punto di vista passando da Victoria ed entrando nella testolina degli altri personaggi (tranne Sebastian se non sbaglio). Quindi speriamo che il secondo non si faccia troppo attendere (vero Newton & Compton??!) e che il seguito di questo romanzo della serie sia piacevole e divertente come lo è stato il primo.
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Dec 31, 2012 Clary rated it 3 of 5 stars

Cacciatori di Vampiri è il primo volume della serie urban fantasy omonima di Colleen Gleason, pubblicata per la prima volta dalla Newton Compton nel 2007. Non avevo mai preso in considerazione questa saga prima di qualche mese fa, poco incuriosita tanto tanto dalla cover quanto dalla trama. Quando però ho scoperto della pubblicazione italiana del volume unico che raccoglieva tutti e cinque i libri della serie, mi sono documentata e ho deciso di provarla ad acquistarla. All'inizio pensavo di fare...more Cacciatori di Vampiri è il primo volume della serie urban fantasy omonima di Colleen Gleason, pubblicata per la prima volta dalla Newton Compton nel 2007. Non avevo mai preso in considerazione questa saga prima di qualche mese fa, poco incuriosita tanto tanto dalla cover quanto dalla trama. Quando però ho scoperto della pubblicazione italiana del volume unico che raccoglieva tutti e cinque i libri della serie, mi sono documentata e ho deciso di provarla ad acquistarla. All'inizio pensavo di fare un'unica recensione dove vi avrei parlato dell'intera saga, ma una volta terminato il primo volume e iniziato il secondo, mi sono resa conto di avere troppe cose da dire su ogni singolo libro per poter pensare di fare una sola recensione. Così ora vi parlo del primo romanzo, Cacciatori di Vampiri, una buona seppur imperfetta introduzione ad una saga che migliora di capitolo in capitolo.

Protagonista del libro è Victoria, giovane ventenne la cui unica preoccupazione è il debutto in società: vestirsi elegante, comportarsi in modo adeguato, attirare l'attenzione di pretendenti alla ricerca del futuro marito. La sua vita monotona viene però sconvolta quando la ragazza scopre di appartenere alla prestigiosa stirpe dei Gardella, secolare famiglia di cacciatori di vampiri. All'improvviso Victoria viene catapultata in un universo completamente opposto al suo, fatto di duri allenamenti, paletti di legno, occhi rossi ed infinite cacce notturne. Al suo fianco avrà solo Eustacia, amata zia della ragazza, e Max, esperto cacciatore che pare avere solo parole dure e sguardi truci per lei. Divisa a metà tra la sua vita apparente e quella reale, per Victoria sarà sempre più difficile nascondere la verità alla persone che la circondano, specialmente al marchese di Rockley, il suo grande amore.

Victoria, il personaggio principale dell'intera saga, è una ragazza forte, coraggiosa, testarda ed estremamente orgogliosa, che per certi versi mi ricorda Eloise della Winter. Purtroppo, a differenza di quest'ultima, non sono riuscita ad immedesimarmi molto in lei, ritrovandomi spesso in disaccordo con i suoi pensieri e le sue azioni. Non credo sia il personaggio meglio riuscito nella serie, nonostante il suo non essere la solita damigella indifesa dei libri YA me l'abbia fatta apprezzare maggiormente.
Eustacia è la zia di Victoria, la donna che le farà da guida nel suo nuovo mondo e che la aiuterà in più di un'occasione. Ammetto di averla trovata leggermente stereotipata: donna anziana saggia e rispettata, che dà consigli materni alla protagonista; tuttavia nel complesso non è un personaggio mal riuscito.
Sono i personaggi maschili, tuttavia, ad essere i più interessanti del romanzo. E con personaggi maschili intendo Max e Sebastian (Non certo Rockley, che ho a malapena sopportato sin dalla sua prima apparizione).
Max è un cacciatore di vampiri dal passato sconosciuto e dal comportamento freddo e distaccato. E' costantemente avvolto da un alone di mistero e questo, se da una parte mi ha confuso non aiutandomi a capire se mi andava a genio o meno, dall'altro lo ha reso decisamente intrigante. Sebastian, però, è il personaggio che mi è piaciuto di più. Victoria fa la sua conoscenza quando una ricerca sui vampiri la conduce al Silver Chalice, un locale che accoglie sia umani che non morti e di cui Sebastian si rivelerà essere il proprietario. Il loro rapporto è a mio parere bellissimo, seppur caratterizzato da alti e bassi, causati spesso dall'ambiguità di Sebastian, del quale si scopre continuamente qualcosa di nuovo.
Il cattivo della situazione, la vampira Lilith, è pressoché assente in questo primo romanzo, cosa che spero (e da una parte, so) che migliorerà nei prossimi volumi.

L'aspetto che forse ha maggiormente penalizzato questo romanzo è lo stile della Gleason. Non riesco bene ad indicarne il motivo, ma l'ho trovato pesante e difficile da seguire: il problema non è l'essere molto descrittivo, cosa che personalmente apprezzo molto in un libro, ma l'essere descrittivo nei punti sbagliati. Mi spiego: c'erano momenti in cui l'autrice utilizzava un'intera pagina per descrivere un salotto, mentre quando succedeva qualcosa di importante veniva liquidato in due righe.
Un esempio sono i combattimenti tra Victoria e i vampiri. Ora, io non sono una lettrice accanita di libri con lotte, guerre o quant'altro, ma mi aspetto che venga detto qualcosa in più di "Il vampiro le si avvicinò e con un colpo di paletto Victoria lo tramutò in una nuvola di polvere", specialmente se questo avviene in ogni singola battaglia e se in altre situazioni mi ritrovo con descrizioni chilometriche.
Per quanto riguarda questo aspetto, comunque, avendo già letto i due libri seguenti, sono felice di poter dire che il problema verrà risolto e che lo stile dell'autrice, già dal secondo volume, migliorerà notevolmente.
Un'altra cosa che vorrei fare notare è la scelta dell'autrice di ambientare il romanzo nell'Ottocento... Non so se sia stata una buona idea o meno. Non c'è una grande descrizione della società, l'unica cosa che ci fa intuire l'epoca è l'abbigliamento e i dialoghi (che, mi dispiace ammetterlo, ma talvolta appaiono un po' forzati). Per il resto, credo che l'autrice abbia esagerato con i balli e le feste, mentre l'aspetto dark e avventuroso che mi aspettavo di trovare è a malapena accennato.

In generale non l'ho trovato un libro poco interessante o piacevole da leggere. La trama è intrigante e la mitologia che descrive l'autrice è decisamente originale, cosa che ha influenzato molto sulla scelta del voto. Tuttavia non mi ha soddisfatta pienamente, non come mi aspettavo almeno. So che molti degli aspetti che non mi sono piaciuti si sistemeranno col proseguire della saga, motivo per cui non ho avuto dubbi nella scelta di continuare la lettura dei romanzi.

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Oct 26, 2012 Guillaume Jay rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Un roman victorien avec des méchants vampire, et une jeune ingénue en chasseresse de vampire débutante.
Première déception : pas de steampunk. J'ai beaucoup de mal avec le victorien s'il n'y a pas de petites touches steampunk (ou des zombies : cf Pride Prejudice and Zombies).
On retrouve dans ce roman un certain nombre d'éléments classiques de l`ère victorienne : la relation de l’héroïne avec un Mr Darcy insupportable et séduisant, le mentor exotique, l'importance du mariage...
Il y a un peu d'hum...more

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Jul 15, 2011 Sara rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2-5-stars

Plot: 2.5 Stars
The premise of the series is very promising, but didn't quite deliver. There were a few major flaws in the plot, and a lot of necessary information is either not given or given too late. Each time Victoria runs into a new kind of vampire (there are three kinds), it's a complete surprise because there was no classification beforehand. Since Victoria is new to being a venator, we only learn what she has learned about the job. I would've liked a little more information and backstory...more Plot: 2.5 Stars
The premise of the series is very promising, but didn't quite deliver. There were a few major flaws in the plot, and a lot of necessary information is either not given or given too late. Each time Victoria runs into a new kind of vampire (there are three kinds), it's a complete surprise because there was no classification beforehand. Since Victoria is new to being a venator, we only learn what she has learned about the job. I would've liked a little more information and backstory to the job.

Pace: 1.5 Stars
The pace of this novel threw me completely. In the beginning, it is of utmost importance that the venators find an important book. We're led to believe that it will be a big part of the book, but it is found within a hundred pages or so. Normally this wouldn't be a problem, but after the book is found, nothing happens for the majority of the book. Most of the action is jammed into the last couple chapters, which were very hard to get through. I almost put this novel down and gave up a number of times because the story just wasn't moving.

Characters: 3 Stars
I liked Victoria as a main character. She was strong and headstrong and stuck to her guns. But I feel like we barely learned anything about anyone else. I would've liked a little more information about Rockley and Max, her aunt Eustacia and her mother. I feel like we only got to see the surface of the other characters, and not what's underneath. Not much about the past was uncovered. And we also didn't learn all that much about the vampires.

Cover: 3 Stars
The cover is appealing, and definitely gets the vampire angle across with the stake. But it's a bit bland for me. I think it would've been better with the natural colors of the scene instead of the monochromatic reds. My biggest issue with the cover is the cross inlayed into the end of the stake. You can plainly see that it's computer generated, and the stake would've looked much more natural without it.

Overall: 2.5 Stars

Disclosure: I bought this book for my own enjoyment. (less)

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May 30, 2011 SATIN SUE rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book starts with a very dramatic start, where Victoria is having a dream about being chased by a strange man... when she awakes it starts to tell you about how its Victoria's first season and how she is a vampire killer, it goes into great detail about how she has to cope with acting like a proper young girl as well as training to be a vampire killer. Along the way 3 guys come into her life. An may i say all very sexy in there own way, theres Max is tall and sexy but very moody, Phillip is...more

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Jan 11, 2011 Ithlilian rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

About halfway through this book I was still enjoying learning about what it means to be a vampire hunter while juggling "real life." The main character has to attend balls while looking out for vampires. She has to make excuses to get away from determined suitors to kill those same vampires. On top of that there is an evil queen of the vampires that needs to be contended with. I was interested when our main character had to dress up like a man to enter a shady vampire/human bar. However, shortly...more

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Aug 13, 2010 Avrelia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, girly-stories, historical-fantasy, vampires-are-dead, romance

I do not regret it. :)

So we meet a girl on brink of an adult life, who suddenly learns that she possesses unique strength and skills – and a destiny to kill vampires. She doesn’t mind killing vampires, but she would rather have a normal life – with balls and entertainments, beautiful gowns and dances, and with handsome men who would want to marry her. Sound familiar? Duh!

She is not the Vampire Slayer, she is the Venator, and she is not the chosen one, though she has the potential to be the best....more I do not regret it. :)

So we meet a girl on brink of an adult life, who suddenly learns that she possesses unique strength and skills – and a destiny to kill vampires. She doesn’t mind killing vampires, but she would rather have a normal life – with balls and entertainments, beautiful gowns and dances, and with handsome men who would want to marry her. Sound familiar? Duh!

She is not the Vampire Slayer, she is the Venator, and she is not the chosen one, though she has the potential to be the best. Her name is Victoria, and she lives in Regency London.

I have to admit, the first pages were like an old game of “find 10 differences in these pictures”. After a while, the story found its stride and sucked me in with its setting and the characters and the mythology.

The setting is so familiar and comfortable for us Regency epoch. Vampires don’t seem to be out of place there, but it is amusing to see how the presence of vampires influences a typical Regency romance. Apparently, it is much harder to hide a stake in a empire dress, and big purses are not yet in fashion, so our heroine has several stakes in different colours that her maid hides in a fancy hairdo. I think it was the blue-colored staked that won me over. 

The characters grew on me fast enough – Victoria, her grandmother Eustasia, Marchess Rockley, maid Verbena, gloomy Italian guy Max, mysterious guy Sebastian…

Rockley is that perfect Regency hero that we are used to seeing as the ultimate reward for the heroine. And he really is that good. He is handsome and rich, and brave and generous in spirit… However, he has all the historically appropriate values. How would he react to his chosen bride hunting vampires at night? Hmmm….

Victoria herself is just a product of her time, yet she takes everything that happens to her in the stride. Well, more or less. She is brave, stubborn, reckless, smart, she makes mistakes and learns from them. And she really enjoys dancing.

One more thing I liked about this story is the vampire mythology. Let’s face it, Buffyverse mythology has more holes in it I can count, which I all forgive, because the story works for me on emotional and metaphorical level. This story has much less holes in it. It’s vampire myth is based on some Christian apocrypha, on the legends of Judas, and in this context vampires’ dislike of Christian symbols actually makes sense.

Another thing I liked that Victoria’s strength is a part of a legacy, and as such is in her blood. But when handed this destiny she still can refuse to follow it and forget all about vampires. On the other hand, one can be unrelated by blood, and still to choose the destiny of a Venator.(less)

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Jul 21, 2010 NorwegianBook rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-favorite-books

"The Rest Falls Away" is the first book in the Gardella Vampire Chronicles, a series consisting of a total of 5 books. The book was actually the ninth novel Colleen Gleason wrote, but the very first to earn her a contract with a publisher. Some people have described the Gardella - series as "Buffy meets Jane Austen", and Gleason have admitted to being inspired by Buffy.
- what would it be like if Buffy had been living during the times of balls and chaperones and the ton? And thus The Gardella Leg...more "The Rest Falls Away" is the first book in the Gardella Vampire Chronicles, a series consisting of a total of 5 books. The book was actually the ninth novel Colleen Gleason wrote, but the very first to earn her a contract with a publisher. Some people have described the Gardella - series as "Buffy meets Jane Austen", and Gleason have admitted to being inspired by Buffy.
- what would it be like if Buffy had been living during the times of balls and chaperones and the ton? And thus The Gardella Legacy was born, says Gleason on her website.

Victoria Gardella Grantworth is ready for her big introduction into the upper - class society in 19th century England. But soon she is introduced to much more sinister events than worrying about who she will dance with at the balls. She is chosen to become a "venator" - a vampire hunter. Victoria is torn between responsibility and desires, between love and thrilling suspense. And not everything is entirely as it seems.

Colleen Gleason has done a great job bringing Victoria Gardella to life. She is both tough and vulnerable, as a heroine in a story like this ought to be. It is easy to sympathize with her and you want to get to know her better. She is full of initiative, but also a descent Victorian girl who knows her manners. In the right situations, she takes responsibility and glows.

This was such a refreshing and joyful read. "The Rest Falls Away" literally has everything: Romance, suspense, mysteries, thrilling scenes, handsome guys and some erotic scenes. But there isn’t a lot of sex. The few erotic scenes comes as a natural part of the story.

The book differs from a lot of the other typical vampire stories that are out there. And to me it is a big incentive that the author placed the story in 19th century London , this gives the book a very special atmosphere. And I am a sucker for Victorian tales. Besides, being a female vampire hunter in a society and a time where women were chaperoned by their men and couldn’t go anywhere alone, makes for some interesting and suspenseful situations in the book.

A lot of the characters are somewhat draped in mystery. You can’t tell by first glance who’s evil and who’s good, and I like that. Maximillian and Sebastian have won my curiosity and I can’t wait to read more about them.

I had a great time reading this book and will definitely read the next installment in the series.(less)

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Jan 11, 2010 Jenny rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-fantasy, adult-romance

In every generation, one of the Gardella family is chosen to rise above mere humanity and become something more. Barely a week before her debut as one of the season's most eligable young ladies, Victoria Gardella Grantworth discovers her calling - vampire slayer. It's more difficult than one might think, balancing balls and parties and musicals with, well, hunting down the undead. But Victoria is determined to do it - to fall in love, marry, and live a normal life... while becoming one of the mo...more

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Aug 07, 2009 Natasja rated it 4 of 5 stars

Victoria Gardella Grantworth debut season was delayed because of the death of her grandfather and father, but now it’s finally here. Victoria is really looking forward to attending the balls and maybe even find a husband. But there is something bothering her, for the last couple of weeks she has dreams about killing vampires and she is not sure what to think of it. The only person she can talk to about this kind of stuff is her eccentric Aunt Eustace and after a good talk Victoria discovers more...more Victoria Gardella Grantworth debut season was delayed because of the death of her grandfather and father, but now it’s finally here. Victoria is really looking forward to attending the balls and maybe even find a husband. But there is something bothering her, for the last couple of weeks she has dreams about killing vampires and she is not sure what to think of it. The only person she can talk to about this kind of stuff is her eccentric Aunt Eustace and after a good talk Victoria discovers more about her family legacy than she already knows. It appears she is this generation vampire slayer, a venator.

During the day Victoria is training to become a ruthless vampire slayer, guided by her aunt Eustace and her personal trainer and during the evenings she attends balls en opera’s with her mother to find the suitable husband. Victoria tries to keep the two worlds apart, but at her coming out party when she meets handsome Lord Phillip de Lacey, she senses a vampire and she knows it is time to make her first kill.

When she’s about the make her first kill Victoria almost stakes the vampire executioner Maximilan Pesaro and he is not happy about it. Maximilan believes that Victoria cannot keep her personal life separate from the hunting. And Victoria is about to find out how right Max really is.

The rest falls away by Colleen Gleason is the first novel in the Gardella vampire chronicles. It’s the fist novel I’ve read by Miss Gleason and I have to say she didn’t disappoint me at all. I have to be honest I had the first two novels on my shelves for ages, but after a friend of mine mentioned that the series was fabulous I needed to find it out for myself and I have to say what a lovely surprise that was.

Victoria Grantworth is just a young woman who just comes out for her debut season and hopes to find a suitable husband, at least that’s what her mother wants. But after some strange dreams about vampires, she’s wondering if there is more in her life. So she goes to the only person who will understand her and explains to her what and who Victoria really is. From the moment Victoria decides to fight the vampires and take her place as the next venator, her life is turning up side down and never will be the same again.

There are three strong male characters in this novel, Phillip de Lacey who could be the suitable husband Victoria is looking for. Maximilan Pesaro, one of the vampire slayers who don’t believe Victoria will be able to do her job as venator and live her life in society. And then there is Sebastian Vioget, the handsome owner of a vampire bar who seem pretty much impressed by Victoria and show it to her every opportunity he’s got.

If you put Buffy and historical “regency” romantic fantasy together then you will get Victoria Grantworth and her adventures. You find it all in this novel, historical romance, young female slayer, some nasty vampires and good doses of male characters to make things very interesting. I cannot wait to see what will happen to Victoria in the next novels.
(less)

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Jan 29, 2013 Teresa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: bookclub-read, paranormal

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Victoria is a high society gal. Her main concern is to find a suitable husband, hopefully one that is wealthy. She has a family legacy, as well though, She has been chosen to be a venator (vampire slayer). Female Venators wear a vis bulla (cross charm) in their navel giving healing and strength to go against vampires. Victoria goes to all society events, such as balls. She skips out of them when she gets a chill on the back of her neck letting her know a vampire is near. One of the dilemmas she...more

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Sep 13, 2009 Summer rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance

If I could give 2.5 stars, I would, but given the choice between "it's okay" and "liked it," I definitely have to stay with "it's okay."

My main beef with this book is simply style...or rather, the lack thereof. Not everyone can be a gifted writer, no, but I felt like I was reading a teenager's second or third "novel" on some sort of free internet publishing site (no names named). And even saying that might be insulting to some of those teenagers who tell a lesser story in a damned more compellin...more

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Mar 17, 2013 _elena_88 rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Libro dalla lettura scorrevole, l'ho trovato carino. Dalla copertina la saga di Victoria Gardella viene paragonata a quella di Anita Blake ma credo che ci siano profonde differenze tra le due saghe. è scritto in modo scorrevole ma meno intrigante e appassionante. I libri di Laurell Hamilton e anche quelli della Rice sono molto scritti meglio, con una scrittura più matura. Molte scene mi sembrano descritte in modo molto veloce, senza parlare delle scene della madre con le sue amiche...
ATTENZIONE...more

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Jan 15, 2012 Meghan rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2012

2.5 stars.

First off, I was under the impression that this was a romance, which it is not. That is to say, it had a love story but does not meet one of the most important basic requirements of the romance genre. I will not say which for fear of spoiling it.

I did not have high expectations of believability or historical accuracy from a book about regency vampire slayers, obviously, but it looked like a fun book so I dived in. I was still a bit disappointed. Certain plot elements, like the magical...more

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Oct 04, 2011 Nicki Markus rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I picked up this book after having loved the Regency Draculia trilogy by the same author. This story was okay, but it failed to catch my attention the way Regency Draculia did.

The opening was very slow and rather clichéd and a few times I had to convince myself to keep reading. Unlike the Regency Draculia series, which was fresh and interesting, I read this feeling that I'd seen it all before in Buffy. Victoria's character never grew on me, the men were insipid and the plot was fairly predictabl...more

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Feb 07, 2011 Pia rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

(Ich hätte auch null Sterne gegeben, wenn man es bei Goodreads tun könnte)

In dem ersten Roman der Das Buch der Vampire Reihe geht es um den jungen Venator Lady Victoria Gardella. Da ihre Tante an Athritis leidet und ihre Mutter und dessen Vater davor das Erbe der Gardellavampirjäger abgeleht hat, ist Victoria die Einzige, die ihrem größten Vampirfeind - Lilith, die Tochter des Abtrünnigen Judas Ischarot - gefährlich werden kann. Neben Victoria gibt es nur noch Maximilian, ein Freund ihrer Tante,...more

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May 15, 2013 Jodi Aubihl daume rated it 4 of 5 stars

There are 5 books in this series - the Gardella Vampire series. I have read them all and they are consistently good. The biggest issue I had was that the series were set in the 1820's or so and the heroine was staking vampires in her corset and layers of clothing. Plus it didn't seem like a very large group of vampire hunters - it doesn't seem like they would have prevailed against vampires, but anyway, that being said, there are many things I liked about it.

The main characters were well develop...more

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Feb 13, 2012 Esme rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: horror-fantasy-scifi

Lady Victoria Gardella Grantworth bereitet sich auf ihr Debüt in der Londoner Gesellschaft vor. Dabei stehen nicht nur Bälle an, auch ihren ersten Vampir muss sie pfählen. Lady Victoria ist ein Venator, ein Vampirjäger. Dieses familiäre Erbe nimmt sie recht gelassen auf und steht mit fliegenden langen Röcken ihren Venator.

Der Roman The Rest Falls Away (Bleicher Morgen) von Colleen Gleason ist im viktorianischen England angesiedelt und das macht einiges von seinem Reiz aus. Es ist komisch, wenn d...more

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Dec 19, 2009 The Flooze rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to The Flooze by: Shannon

Shelves: urban-fantasy-paranormal, vanquished_2009

At the start of The Rest Falls Away, Victoria is arrogant and naïve in embracing her calling as a Venator. Her induction into the hunting elite is handled almost too easily. Vampires poof to ash with practically a flick of a well-turned wrist. She stubbornly maintains a duality--dancing debutante vs. ruthless killer--and she seems to get away with it.

But as the story unfolds, the dichotomy takes its toll. And that's where Victoria becomes interesting.

Gleason lists Jane Austen and Joss Whedon as...more

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Jul 13, 2011 ♫ ♪ nOUsha ♫ ♪ rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-star, historical-romance, vampire, colleen-gleason, favorites

I devoured each page of The Rest Falls Away and was reminded of how much I had loved reading about different time periods, the way people dressed and behaved, even spoke. It was always like looking through a window into the past...

The Rest Falls Away gave me the chance to look back again, this time into 19th century London, moving back and forth between high society balls and parties, and midnight raids as part of a secret battle between good and evil. What great fun!

Victoria Gardella Grantwor...more

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The Rest Falls Away (The Gardella Vampire Chronicles #1)

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