Pretty When She Kills (Pretty When She Dies, #2) by Rhiannon Frater

Sep 19, 2012 Lori rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: classics, fantasy, paranormal-adult, must-read, favorites, rhiannon-frater-melts-faces, thrillers

Rhiannon Frater fans (like me) will not be dissapointed with this new book. Everything gets better. Amaliya is still that smart mouthed vamp that we love. Cian...oh man! Samantha--my new hero/fucking hilarious! Jeff is such a sweety. I'm not as attached to Jeff as I am to the other three but he is growing on me. I don't really want to talk about the plot. I will give too much away. This book is sexy, scary, and heart breaking. I was bawling at one point. Come on dudes. It's Rhiannon. She's ruthl...more

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Sep 30, 2012 jD rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2_kindle_own, 2012, 2012_5-stars, fantasy_urban, fantasy_vamps, must-read-seq

This is the second book of the trilogy "Pretty When She Dies" and once again, I am blown away.

I don't normally read unfinished duologies and trilogies because there is always a "Game of Thrones" out there that can take 20 years to wrap. It's never worth being left hanging. So when I initially picked up Pretty When She Dies, I didn't know it was a trilogy. I didn't learn it until I read Ms Frater's remarks at the end of this one. I don't normally read these notes but I wanted to know when the ne...more This is the second book of the trilogy "Pretty When She Dies" and once again, I am blown away.

I don't normally read unfinished duologies and trilogies because there is always a "Game of Thrones" out there that can take 20 years to wrap. It's never worth being left hanging. So when I initially picked up Pretty When She Dies, I didn't know it was a trilogy. I didn't learn it until I read Ms Frater's remarks at the end of this one. I don't normally read these notes but I wanted to know when the next book was coming out. This one does not have a 'hard' cliffhanger but there is the edge of a knife kind of feel. As it turns out, Ms. Frater expects to finish this trilogy in 2013. Not so bad. I can work with that.

As for this book, Amelia is back with her rag-tag group of heroes. Amelia and Cian are still together and making their undead relationship work. I like them together. Their banter is never boring or without revelations. Samantha, Jeff, and the Grandma are back. A few new heroes and bad guys are introduced into the mix which expanded my enjoyment considerably. As before, the price of getting to the truth of it all is bloody with a high price. Amelia learns more about her necromancy while Samantha discovers an unexpected side-effect of drinking Amelia's blood when she was dying in the previous book. I didn't see that twist coming but it was an entertaining development.

Once again, I could not forsee most of what Ms. Frater had planned for these characters. The story felt more Urban Fantasy this time because Amelia was so much stronger. She rolled with the punches like she had been a badass her whole life. I feel like I got to know Cian better in this one. I am hesitant to fall in love with him because Ms. Frater doesn't seem especially sentimental. I would not put it past her to do him in or turn him into a secret bad guy. I would not put money on it either way. Ms. Frater is very good at making knots so complex you can't see what's tied up.

This is really good stuff. All of it. There is nothing I would take away or add. I highly recommend this one to UF fans especially if you like smart bad guys, loads of fighting, and fresh humor thrown in to add a little light to the darkness. There is sex but I would still consider this YA on the PG-13 side. Perfect overall.(less)

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Oct 22, 2012 Kimba (Caffeinated Book Reviewer) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Pretty When She Kills is the second book in Rhiannon Frater’s dark, gritty vampire trilogy. I was delighted to step back into this dark world and it was quite the adventure. Vampires do not sparkle in Frater’s world and instead have uncanny abilities and territorial rivalries. I quickly became enthralled in this action packed tale and consumed this in a single afternoon.

The tale picks up a few months after book one ended. Cian and Amaliya are wrapped up in their romance and she is dreaming of ha...more Pretty When She Kills is the second book in Rhiannon Frater’s dark, gritty vampire trilogy. I was delighted to step back into this dark world and it was quite the adventure. Vampires do not sparkle in Frater’s world and instead have uncanny abilities and territorial rivalries. I quickly became enthralled in this action packed tale and consumed this in a single afternoon.

The tale picks up a few months after book one ended. Cian and Amaliya are wrapped up in their romance and she is dreaming of happily ever after. We soon learn those thoughts will have to be put on hold when multiple forces work to overthrow Cian to gain control of Austin, Texas and harness Amaliya and her power. With an attack eminent, Cian and Amaliya enlist the help of the Vampire Hunter and his motley crew. The tale that unfolds offered awesome battle scenes, humor, and danger. I found myself completely immersed and cannot wait for the final chapter of this beautifully written tale.

I adore the characters Frater has created in this series. Even the villains have to be admired for their cunning and unique personalities. We see growth in Amaliya and new abilities emerge. She is still kick-ass and totally snarky. While she still likes to jump into the thick of things, she is trying to think things through. I loved that when she is mad she jams out on her drum set. Cian is beginning to realize he should have secured Austin better and worries about those he cares for. The romance while not quite as steamy as book one certainly made my heart race. While Amaliya still doubts Cian s unbridled feelings, he certainly convinced me. It amazes me how she can take on monsters but still has so much self-doubt. Amaliya’s grandmother, cousin and others are back and in jump in the mix. Jeff the vampire hunter and his crew help out. I adore Jeff and totally dig his life. Samantha Cian's ex is back and if you remember I hated this little minx. Well guess what, she totally rocked this book and was even kick-ass. Yep, miss preppy and annoying was cool. New characters added to the tales page-turner suspense. I loved and loathed the villains and wanted them shown no mercy.

Frater took me on one heck of ride and had my emotions all over the place. I was angry, sad, fearful and cheering the next. Quite frankly I didn't want the journey to end. I am completely in love with this urban fantasy and the way the author portrays this world. Her unique twists to vampires, supernatural powers and epic battle scenes had me deliriously happy one minute and screaming at her the next. (yep, that's right I yelled aloud to Frater and the air turned blue) When an author gets me that wrapped up in the tale, that I shout publically while reading…you know it’s a winner. I cared, I wanted more and most of all I believed. The characters are so fleshed out that the lines of reality blurred. The transformation of Samantha’s character and the supernatural elements woven into this tale gave me goosebumps. From the creepy-tasitc prologue to the last sentence I was held captive. If you haven't entered Frater’s vampire world you are completely missing out on some stellar reading.
Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer (less)

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Sep 10, 2012 Glass rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, vampire, arc, blog-tour, urban-fantasy, way-too-hot, zombies, witch, magic, girl-power

This was such a fun book to read! I enjoyed in it even more than with Pretty When She Dies.

Rhiannon Frater continues to write story about Amaliya in the same doomed and gloomed mode. Right from the opening scene you will already be forced to cover your head and scream "Bloody hell!!!"

Biggest difference compared to the first book is that Pretty When She Kills has this... how to put it? Romantic side? But let me assure you that romance in this book is more like something that you could find in...more

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Sep 08, 2012 Shelley aka Gizmo's Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-releases, blog-tour

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Rating: 3.5-4.0

*First Thoughts*

Amaliya Vezorak is back in the sequel to Pretty When She Dies. As a matter of opinion, this book was well worth the wait. Amaliya continues to be a badass vampire necromancer. She and Cian, the vampire master of Austin, are in a relationship that has become smoking hot. They are still under attack by outside forces who want to take over their territory and capture Amaliya. There are other dangers awaiting them as well, and it will be a miracle i...more

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Oct 04, 2012 Smash added it

Shelves: arc, horror, urban-fantasy, read-2012, review-request-complete, read-own-ebooks

Courtesy of Smash Attack Reads

Interest in Book: After the ending inPretty When She Dies, I definitely needed to know where the story would take Amaliya and Cian. The book ended on a good note, but there was a lot left up in the air. And, in true Frater form, she doesn't make it easy on her characters or readers!

World-Building: The world-building just gets me all giddy and excited in this series! I think Rhiannon is pretty masterful at this process, but I just love the little twist she throws int...more Courtesy of Smash Attack Reads

Interest in Book: After the ending in Pretty When She Dies, I definitely needed to know where the story would take Amaliya and Cian. The book ended on a good note, but there was a lot left up in the air. And, in true Frater form, she doesn't make it easy on her characters or readers!

World-Building: The world-building just gets me all giddy and excited in this series! I think Rhiannon is pretty masterful at this process, but I just love the little twist she throws into a seemingly normal, gritty vampire tale. Cian rehashes his vampiric history and I truly loved the lore expansion. We are introduced to a were coyote, a dhampir and a witch, and Samantha gets more than she bargained for when she decided to hang out on the wild side. The world expands nicely, but it doesn't make your head spin. And we get a taste of Amaliya's new life and powers right along with her. What an experience!

Characters: Rhiannon introduced more POVs during this installment, with many interconnecting story lines. Some of the characters are very tricky and treacherous. The bad guys are seriously bad, yet some might surprise you. Some characters make you laugh out loud, some make you sob, and others make your heart soar with love. Rhiannon has incredible characterization skills. She can build relationships up, break them down, smack them around and reel them back in. There is a lot of grey area with her characters, which keeps both the characters and the readers on their toes.

There was some growth with all of the main characters. Amaliya is learning more about what she is and controlling the power she possesses. Cian is opening up to the idea of expanding his family. Samantha's life becomes overwhelming and unbearable but with the help of her friends, she's able to gain control. I think this leads to some soul-searching and compassion-feeling, and Samantha's characters becomes a little less annoying. She does, however, have quite the mouth on her and she made me laugh numerous times. As did Eduardo, a new addition to the story who has eyes all over Amaliya. Amaliya plays it up, which makes Cian squirm. Fun times.

Lasting Impressions:The ending was an epic WTF and I just loved how it all played out. I truly love this series! It's gritty and entertaining. There is a lot of action, great lore and great smexy time! There is heart-break, revelations, soul-searching, romance and ass-kicking! It's got a little bit of everything that makes a book fun to read.(less)

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Oct 10, 2012 Heidi rated it 4 of 5 stars

“Four Stars: A thrilling sequel with outstanding characters and a thick story line!

Amaylia is learning to be happy as a vampire. After her thrilling defeat of The Summoner, she is settled in with Cian content for once in her life. Of course, danger is still looming on the horizon. The other vampires are plotting and looking for ways to oust Cian. Her grandmother and cousin Sergio are now adopted vampire hunters and Samantha and Jeff are an item. Danger sneaks toward the happy couple from all ang...more

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Sep 27, 2012 Kristin (Blood,Sweat, and Books) rated it 5 of 5 stars

I received this book for review from the Author. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated in any way for them.

Review:

Pretty When She Kills continues following the story of Amaliya Vezorak the badass vampire established in Book 1 Pretty When She Dies.

The Good

The Characters- OMG I didn't think I could like these characters anymore than I already did but I totally do. I still think Amaliya is my favorite but shockingly I found myself liking Samantha (Cian's Ex)more and more as the book pro...more I received this book for review from the Author. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated in any way for them.

Review:

Pretty When She Kills continues following the story of Amaliya Vezorak the badass vampire established in Book 1 Pretty When She Dies.

The Good

The Characters- OMG I didn't think I could like these characters anymore than I already did but I totally do. I still think Amaliya is my favorite but shockingly I found myself liking Samantha (Cian's Ex)more and more as the book progressed. I love especially how even minor characters who you know are there purely as lambs to slaughter have a voice no matter how brief. It's surely a testament to Rhiannon's writing.

The Pacing- To say that it was good would be an understatement. I read through this book in one sitting. I didn't even realize how quickly the time had passed until I hit the last page.

The Sexy- I wouldn't call this book Romantic even though I love watching Cian and Amaliya together. If you ever watched Buffy I think of their relationship as more Buffy/Spike than Buffy/Angel. It's gritty,powerful and full of just primal desire to be together. Whereas with Angel it's sweet, tender, and safe.

The Vampires- Throw your perfectly coiffed hair, daylight walking, sparkly vampires out the window. These vampires will rip your throat out and do it with a smile on their face. I love Rhiannon's vampires they encompass everything a proper vampire should be. I think that is what makes them so enjoyable to read about.

The Bad

Jeff- I feel a bit bored during his scenes. I like his character and especially where I believe it's headed but I don't know.... I just have this disconnect with him that I don't have with the other characters.

Final Thoughts

Overall Pretty When She Kills is another great book by Rhiannon Frater. I really don't have any faults with the book as a whole and I cannot wait for the next in this series. I have no doubt it will be epic. If your looking for a Bloody good time then I Highly suggest picking up Pretty When She Kills. I will be rating Pretty When She Kills by Rhiannon Frater 5★★★★★.(less)

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Sep 12, 2012 Melissa Caldwell rated it 5 of 5 stars

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

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Sep 20, 2012 Hannah (Jaedia) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror, paranormal-urban-fantasy, vampires, fiction, ebook, indie, received-for-review

This series is a fantastic example of indie authors who do it right. It feels as polished as any traditionally published novel. Oh and if you've been wondering what happened to all the dirk and dirty vampiric urban fantasy after the Twilight implosion - here you go.

Pretty When She Kills begins with the resurrection of Bianca, another of the Summoner's progeny, and Rachon's (the Summoner's most loyal offspring) need to kill her before she wreaks too much havoc as a newborn vampire. Except when sh...more This series is a fantastic example of indie authors who do it right. It feels as polished as any traditionally published novel. Oh and if you've been wondering what happened to all the dirk and dirty vampiric urban fantasy after the Twilight implosion - here you go.

Pretty When She Kills begins with the resurrection of Bianca, another of the Summoner's progeny, and Rachon's (the Summoner's most loyal offspring) need to kill her before she wreaks too much havoc as a newborn vampire. Except when she finds the ghostlike girl has Necromantic powers she can't bring herself to do it and so decides to bind her to her. Already we find ourselves glued to the pages as it starts with as much of a bang as Pretty When She Dies.

There is a lot of character growth in Pretty When She Kills, which might well be why I much preferred it a little to Pretty When She Dies. The major player in my opinion being Samantha who I found incredibly annoying before. She's just a little lost and afraid and I just want to hug her! She has her own stuff to deal with now and relationships of varying types to entangle, romantic and non, and I really respected her and the way she embraced how crappy life can be and decided to kick it's arse. After despising her so much before, she has definitely become my favourite character. How's that for character growth? Amaliya, as well, had some growing to do. As we already know she has a tendency to want to run when things get hard and she hasn't changed, but she also embraces a few things and I felt even more sympathy for her than before. She's still very human at her core.

"It really is different for you, isn't it? Being what you are?"
Amaliya gave her a brief nod.

We also meet a few new characters in Pretty When She Kills who provide even more interesting side stories and funny quips but I shan't spoil these for you because they're fun to meet on your own.

Even the bad guys are intriguing. Some are just straight-forward nasty, like the Summoner in Pretty When She Dies, but some have another side to them which really leaves us questioning: how bad are they? This is an aspect of Rhiannon's writing that I adore. The fact that nothing is simply black and white. This along with her fab way of setting up an atmosphere that really puts you in the moment. And there are a few twists in the story. You know, just to keep it interesting. Not once did I find the novel getting 'samey', I pretty much loved it throughout. It's freaking epic and book three is only going to be better.

Pretty When She Kills is a definite improvement on Pretty When She Dies which I thoroughly enjoyed, I just adored this one a little more. It felt more polished and was fast-paced throughout. If you're not sure whether or not to pick this one up - do. I promise it's worth it. Ooh, and we meet a few new supernaturals in this one..(less)

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Oct 07, 2012 Stéphanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, kindle, own, vampires-and-shapeshifters, supernatural-paranormal, urban-fantasy

Rhiannon Frater has done it again by writing this amazing novel. The sequel to Pretty When She Dies, PRETTY WHEN SHE KILLS is as interesting as the first book of the series. Amaliya was a great main character to read about in the previous book and I was overjoyed to read more about her in this installment. However, since I enjoyed the first book so much, the original novel still remains my favorite Rhiannon Frater book. PWSK is a close second and should be read by anyone who liked PWSD.

One thing...more Rhiannon Frater has done it again by writing this amazing novel. The sequel to Pretty When She Dies, PRETTY WHEN SHE KILLS is as interesting as the first book of the series. Amaliya was a great main character to read about in the previous book and I was overjoyed to read more about her in this installment. However, since I enjoyed the first book so much, the original novel still remains my favorite Rhiannon Frater book. PWSK is a close second and should be read by anyone who liked PWSD.

One thing I was disappointed with is the fact that, unlike book 1, PRETTY WHEN SHE KILLS doesn’t concentrate on mainly one point of view. Since I like the Amaliya character so much, I found it difficult to have to constantly jump from one POV to the other. Personally, I would have liked to read more from Amaliya’s view but I understand how difficult the story would have been to write if the author would have been limited to one POV. The Amaliya in PWSK is very similar to the character we meet in the first book, if not a little more mature. She has truly embraced her life as a vampire and is only starting to comprehend the extent of her necromancer powers. Her relationship with Cian is very fitting and and great to read about. Obviously, it’s not a perfect relationship but all it remains something solid since both characters care about each other very much.

I’m glad Rhiannon Frater took her story beyond the vampires and the necromancer myths. She added magic and witches to the mix, which in by opinion, adds so much more interesting bits to the story. New and old enemies make appearances throughout the book and even if I was confused in determining who the real antagonist was, the surprising dénouement kept me on my toes until the very end. Obviously, the story doesn’t finish with this novel. A third will follow this one to complete the Pretty When She Dies trilogy. For those of you who don’t like unfinished stories, I would recommend waiting for the third book to be published before reading PWSK. A couple of death will sadden many readers. Two important characters meet their end during the final battle and obviously these deaths affect Amaliya on a deep level, despite her being a strong character. I truly don’t know if the death were truly necessary but I’m sure they will be a huge incentive for Amaliya in the next novel.

I admire the author’s ability to combine sarcastic humor and pop culture to a horror and urban fantasy setting. Personally, I find Buffy references never get old, and the Clueless mention was simply awesome. Overall, Rhiannon Frater’s vampire are original enough, but what distinguishes her series from other is the lore and myths included in the stories. The authentic and original characters are also a huge advantage. Personally, I find characters are the backbone of any story and throughout all her novels, Rhiannon has never failed in creating some interesting ones. Vampire fans who haven’t read this series will absolutely adore it. If you haven’t added this series to you TBR piles, I don’t know what you’re waiting for!

¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨°º©©º°¨¨¨¨¨¨¨°º©©º°¨¨¨¨¨¨
An electronic advance reader's copy was provided by the author.

Also reviewed on Tynga's Reviews
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Sep 21, 2012 Stephanie Ward rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, owned, ebook

'Pretty When She Kills' is the second book in the paranormal horror trilogy that focuses on our heroine, Amaliya, as she continues adjusting to her new life as a vampire. Aside from being turned in the first book, Amaliya figures out that she is also a necromancer (awesome!) and had to defeat her enemy. Not everything was bad - she also fell in love with Cian, the vampire master of Austin. In this second installment, Amaliya is faced with even more problems as a huge paranormal war seems imminen...more

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Oct 02, 2012 Jenne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ghosts, shifters, read-in-2012, vampires, witches

4.25
In the second installment of pretty when she dies Amilyia is growing more comfortable in her new vamp and necromancy powers. Meanwhile Sam has started seeing ghosts and one of the Summoners offspring has decided to get revenge for his murder. Pete, Sergio, and Innocente have hooked up with a vampire hunter who claims he can cure Amilyia. Lots of little plots happening that tie into one major oh me ending! The group of vamps, humans, hunters, shifters, and necromancers reminds me of Georgin...more

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Mar 14, 2013 Nika **~OhMyShelves~** rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-favorite-books, favorite-series, necromancer, vampires, vampires-hunters, shifter, wish-it-didn-t-end, zombies, marchfacts

Original Review Posted @ Oh My Shelves

Pretty When She Kills picks up where Pretty When She Dies left off. I was enthralled with this book from the very beginning. Amaliya is attempting to adjust to life as a vampire and a necromancer. After she was able to eliminate the threats that were looming in the first book she soon realized that her and Cian will never be safe with her by his side.

This book was riveting; as I turned every page it only got better. Pretty When She Kills was far from predic...more

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Sep 25, 2012 Kristin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, kindle

Rhiannon Frater is one of the best writers of horror and urban fantasy out there. Okay, that's just my humble opinion. In the case of Ms. Frater's Pretty When She Dies series, she brings to the table an urban horror tale balanced with love interest(s), humor to lighten the load, and a tightly packed plot with virtually no holes (none that I saw) and lots of twists that turns that had me saying, "Oh, no she did NOT just do that!" And no, her vamps are not the sensitive, touchy feel-y sort; they m...more Rhiannon Frater is one of the best writers of horror and urban fantasy out there. Okay, that's just my humble opinion. In the case of Ms. Frater's Pretty When She Dies series, she brings to the table an urban horror tale balanced with love interest(s), humor to lighten the load, and a tightly packed plot with virtually no holes (none that I saw) and lots of twists that turns that had me saying, "Oh, no she did NOT just do that!" And no, her vamps are not the sensitive, touchy feel-y sort; they most certainly don't sparkle!

World Building - Because this horror tale is set in an urban setting, Ms. Frater didn't need to spend time drawing a picture for us of what the world looks like; it's ours. Where world building came into play with this book was explaining what was happening to Samantha. Ms. Frater did a great job of letting us discover, at the same time as Samantha, just what Samantha is capable of. Ms. Frater also graced us with a few more supernatural races and what she refers to as "super powers" for the humans. I really loved what she did with Samantha; especially for one crazy scene at the end of the book (I can't tell you but it is so freaking amazing I about spit out my coffee!!)

I'm especially fond of the city Rhiannon chose to set her book in, Austin, TX. Many times the characters lament that the city is changing and they're each trying to decide if it's for the better or the worse. It's a great metaphor for the vampires' lives. Change is hard and uncomfortable, but to get what you want, sometimes you need to do the hard stuff.

Characters - Samantha, Samantha, Samantha... yeah, I pretty much hated her character in the first book. I never really have a problem with characters I dislike in a book because they usually serve a purpose. Samantha definitely serves a purpose and grew on me. We get to meet some of Jeff's team of vampire hunters. Secretly, I wish I could be Jeff: own a bookstore, be a leader of a group of vampire hunters, and drive around in an old Land Rover. And we also get some new characters added to the mix that only add to the story, never weighing it down. I really can't wait to see what happens in the next book :)

And it truly amazes me how consistent Ms. Frater remains with her characters, especially after how much time has passed between when she wrote Pretty When She Dies and Pretty When She Kills (Ms. Frater must have KILLER notes!!) Amaliya is still that unrefined drum playing, cigarette smoking girl who likes to run away from her problems. Cian is still an ass sometimes. Innocente is still smart as hell and Sergio is a great sidekick for her.

Story & Tempo - Ms. Frater wrote the best darn (or damn?) prologue I've read in a long time! Horror, horror, horror!!! She shocks ya and then dumps you into Cian and Amaliya's life. Brings you UUUPPPPPP, and then dumps you on your ass. I LOVE IT!!! Ms. Frater does that often throughout the book; ending some chapters on cliffhangers. Many times I was like, "I don't want to read about this other stuff NOW, I want to know what happened!!!" But then you get wrapped up in the new direction Ms. Frater has taken you and your dumped on your ass again!!

And the use of that writing method does not lessen the plot at all and you're never lost. The plot and story are tight. You have your twists and surprises on top of some hard emotions that had me crying for about 10 minutes (that's a long time for me and a book to do the weeping thing).

Rhiannon Frater is just a freaking amazingly talented author. Just go buy her books NOW, okay?!?! Her next book in the series, Pretty When She Destroys (Pretty When She Dies #3), is going to be out sometime next year. On top of that, the trilogy has been optioned for film and has a script for the first movie! Amazing! The producer is in the process of shopping the script.(less)

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Jan 05, 2013 Kat rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: series, arc-review, vampires, horror, texas, 2012-read, updated

This day is a very important one in my reading history. It's the day when I finally proclaim that I will no longer avoid vampire books, that I actually LIKE reading vampire books and that Rhiannon Frater is now firmly in my lists of favourite paranormal AND zombie writers.

Pretty When She Kills is a fantastic mixture of vampire, witches, dhamphirs, necromancers and several other paranormals, coupled with larger-than-life characters and an action-packed storyline with allegiances, betrayals, roman...more This day is a very important one in my reading history. It's the day when I finally proclaim that I will no longer avoid vampire books, that I actually LIKE reading vampire books and that Rhiannon Frater is now firmly in my lists of favourite paranormal AND zombie writers.

Pretty When She Kills is a fantastic mixture of vampire, witches, dhamphirs, necromancers and several other paranormals, coupled with larger-than-life characters and an action-packed storyline with allegiances, betrayals, romance and lovey-times.

Amaliya makes a huge progression as a person in Pretty When She Kills - no longer giving in to her flight mode at the first sign of trouble, she pushes her self-doubt aside and stands up for the people she loves, even if it means putting her own life at risk. Although I loved her in the first book, I loved and respected her by the end of this one - she is the kind of character that I would love to sit down and have a beer with and just pick her brains.

Cian is one hot vamp, Samantha is an awesome foil for Amaliya and we're introduced to some awesome new character that I immediately wanted to learn more about. The dialogue is gritty and real, and the pacing is absolutely perfect - enough time to absorb what is happening without feeling bogged down by detail or dialogue.

The plot is full of twists and turns as new characters are introduced, old characters reappear and one of my favourite things about Ms. Frater as a writer is that she isn't afraid to kill off favourite characters. Pretty When She Kills is more than just an entertaining story, I finished feeling I had also learned things about the characteristics of paranormals, parciularly some of the lesser-explored areas.

Pretty When She Kills is also an incredibly creepy tale - I was almost afraid to read it at night in some parts because it got so far under my skin. This is paranormal/horror as it should be!

Hot on the heels of reading the first book in this series, Pretty When She Dies, plunging back into Amaliya's world felt seemless. The characters, which were big and bad and fabulous in the first book are back bigger and better, and the intensity is wratched up more than a few notches. I can't wait (although I'll have to!) for the third book in the series.

Read more of my reviews at The Aussie Zombie (less)

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Oct 14, 2012 Chapter by Chapter rated it 5 of 5 stars

If you loved Pretty When She Dies, you are definitely going to love Pretty When She Kills. I, personally , loved it even more than the first. Probably because Amaliya seems more comfortable with her badassness, and because…you know…she and Cian are together. I love this couple! Seriously best undead couple ever!

Pretty When She Kills pretty much picks up from where the first left off. Amal and Cian are together, Samantha is still coming to grips with the end of her engagement with Cian and is now...more If you loved Pretty When She Dies, you are definitely going to love Pretty When She Kills. I, personally , loved it even more than the first. Probably because Amaliya seems more comfortable with her badassness, and because…you know…she and Cian are together. I love this couple! Seriously best undead couple ever!

Pretty When She Kills pretty much picks up from where the first left off. Amal and Cian are together, Samantha is still coming to grips with the end of her engagement with Cian and is now dating Jeff, Innocente and Sergio have been inducted into the Vampire Hunter’s guild thing, and the other vampire Masters are wanting Amaliya for their very own, since new shad leaked out that the Summoner is dead and gone, and Amaliya is the new baddie to have on their side.

Amaliya is still trying to learn exactly how her gift of necromancy works and learn how to harness her powers. But it looks like there’s a new kid on the block who shares the same powers as Amaliya. And she’s been in contact with her grandmother begging for help, and warning them that Amaliya is in trouble.

Rachon, sister to Cian via their creator, the Summoner, has been requesting a meeting with both Cian and Amaliya to discuss a potential pact, to keep Amal safe and to keep Austin in Cian’s hands. But is that really what Rachon wants? Or does she have something else more sinister up her sleeve…

Let me start off by saying…holy plot twists! Pretty When She Kills is full of twists and turns that you definitely do not see coming. Once you think that everything is on the table, and there can no longer be any more surprises…BAM! Rhiannon Frater throws in another, and another, AND ANOTHER! It was such a thrill ride, and I loved every minute of it.

The characters are still as lovable as in the first installment, and what I loved most was the very Buffy-esque theme. A few Buffy innuendos thrown into the mix, with some specific name calling. Jeff is now dubbed Giles, Samantha has considered herself as Buffy, we’re introduced to a new coyote shifter named Eduardo who reminds me of a more badass Oz. We’re also introduced to a pretty powerful witch with a Willow/Tara feel to it. I could keep going, but suffice it to say, it was this little this coincidence that had me falling even harder for this phenomenal cast of characters.

We are also introduced to Bianca, a newly born vampire who seems to have the same powers as Amaliya since…ya know…the Summoner created them both and seemed to have infused them both with the same gift. We also get to see a whole new cast of characters and watch the parts they play in this game of chess. Among them is a Vampire Hunter/Bounty Hunter named Ethan who is one dude you don’t want to mess around with. I love how you as you’re reading, you’re constantly wondering whether he’s on Team Good or if he’s batting for Team Not so Good.

The writing and world building in Pretty When She Kills surpasses that of its predecessor and has left me craving the next installment, Pretty When She Destroys…which I am in need of ASAP! I can’t get enough of this storyline, and need to know what will happen with this Scooby gang. And let me just say, as a side note, that I loved the World of Warcraft (WoW) tidbit thrown in. I say this because, Rhiannon Frater mentions the whole “stopped playing WoW when it got too easy to level to 60”. A little secret about myself…I quit playing WoW when it got too easy to level to 80! Yes, I was a WoW addict…sshhhh…

Fans of Rhiannon Frater will love the first two installments to this trilogy. Commonnnnn #3!(less)

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Sep 29, 2012 Book Twirps rated it 5 of 5 stars

It’s no secret that I love Rhiannon’s books. The As the World Dies trilogy is by far one of my favorite series ever. I think this series is quickly becoming my second favorite.

I read Pretty When She Dies a couple of weeks ago and immediately fell in love with Amaliya. She’s the typical strong, feisty, no BS kind of heroine Rhiannon creates so perfectly. What I like best about Rhiannon’s stories are her characters. She really gets into their heads and makes us feel for them. At the same time, non...more It’s no secret that I love Rhiannon’s books. The As the World Dies trilogy is by far one of my favorite series ever. I think this series is quickly becoming my second favorite.

I read Pretty When She Dies a couple of weeks ago and immediately fell in love with Amaliya. She’s the typical strong, feisty, no BS kind of heroine Rhiannon creates so perfectly. What I like best about Rhiannon’s stories are her characters. She really gets into their heads and makes us feel for them. At the same time, none of her characters feel the same. Each of her leads are their own person which can be difficult for some authors.

Warning: Don’t read further if you’ve not read the first book. There are spoilers ahead.

In the last book, Amaliya and Cian defeated the Summoner (the vampire/necromancer) and moved in together back in Austin. Samantha broke up with Cian and there was a hint of something cooking between her and Jeff (the vampire hunter). Everything seemed to be well in Amaliya’s world (or at least as well as it could be), but in true Rhiannon fashion, things are far from well. The vampire king of San Antonio wants Amaliya to join him. He saw her necromancer powers at work in the first book, and he wants her power for his own evil use. There’s a new villain, and they are just as frightening, if not more so, than the Summoner from the first book. I honestly wasn’t sure this was even possible.

I won’t say any more about the plot because I don’t want to spoil anything. This book definitely elevated the series to a whole new level for me. It was scarier than the first, and I really grew attached to a lot of the characters. In the first book, Samantha kind of got on my nerves. Maybe it was because she was engaged to Cian and I wanted him to be with Amaliya, but she annoyed me. I’m happy to say that she redeemed herself in this book. In fact, she really grew on me and totally cracked me up. I’m also happy that we got to see more of Jeff. He was important to book one, but I didn’t feel close to him. I’m glad he got more to do in this installment.

As always, the writing is brisk and fluid and the action rarely stops. Every scene has a purpose here and there’s no wasted space on the pages. Also of note are the sex scenes. I mentioned they were hot in the first book, and they have not cooled off. Keep a spray bottle handy to cool yourselves down while reading.

I know I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. If you are a fan of vampires, or if you used to be, but have grown tired of the over-saturated market, you need to give these books a try. Rhiannon has restored my faith in bloodsuckers!(less)

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Mar 24, 2013 Mary rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: free-author

"The girl stood drenched in blood in the center of the graveyard." That, my friends, is how you begin a book about vampires.

All of the major players from PWSD are back - Amaliya, Cian, Innocente, Sam, Jeff, Sergio. Even some of the secondary characters play a more major role - Pete, Rachon. And, we meet Bianca, Eduardo, Cassandra, Aimee and more.

Others are after Amaliya for her powers. She and her own Scooby Gang have to fight the big bads to not only save her but also....well, I don't want to g...more

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Oct 01, 2012 Jackie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: on-my-kindle, i-own-it

It begins a depiction of a horror scene.

Bianca Leduc rises as the latest necro-vamp created by The Summoner, but Rachon decides to keep her for herself. Being Amaliyas college friend, we get the impression Bianca is friendly when she appears as a ghost to Innocente. Amaliyas mother had a dream where Bianca is asking for her help. She says Amaliya is in trouble , that Rachon wants to kill her. OK

This book is full of terror and excitement and humor. As you can imagine Amaliya can raise the dead a...more

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Sep 25, 2012 Amy Fournier rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc

I want to start off by doing some crazy fan girl dance or something. For real, this book was amazeballs!! I thought I loved the first one, but this one was just overflowing with awesome!! Rhiannon turned up the heat, the action, and the creepy factor in this one and I loved every second of it!! The character development is really great too. I love getting to know the different characters better.

Amaliya is still one kick ass chick and things get a lot more crazy for her. She of course still has...more I want to start off by doing some crazy fan girl dance or something. For real, this book was amazeballs!! I thought I loved the first one, but this one was just overflowing with awesome!! Rhiannon turned up the heat, the action, and the creepy factor in this one and I loved every second of it!! The character development is really great too. I love getting to know the different characters better.

Amaliya is still one kick ass chick and things get a lot more crazy for her. She of course still has the spunky personality that I loved in the first one, but I love seeing the softer side of her too. It comes out a lot more in this book than it did in the first one now that she is more adjusted to the fact she is a vampire/necromancer. Her relationship with Sam is still quite intense and I love their interactions. Amaliya is a seriously funny, tough as nails chick and I can't get enough of her.

We meet some pretty dangerous characters too. Rachon for one is an old vampire that is not one to be messed with, but it seems that she is now a big thing to worry about. She is coming to Austin and Amaliya knows that it's a very bad thing. There is also another Necromancer/Vampire they have to worry about. Innocente has been seeing her. On top of that Sam is even more pissed than before because now she is seeing dead people thanks to Amaliya's blood. Forget the fact that Amaliya saved her life, she is livid about it!! Pete is on a mission to help Amaliya. It's very sweet and sad at the same time. He loves her so much, but of course we know that she is happy being a vampire and she loves Cian.

This book is just full of action and suspense. It gets very intense as they realize there is more to it than just Rachon wanting revenge and a necro-vamp calling out for help. This book had hooked! There is so much going on and we learn a lot of new things, but it's never to the point where it's too much at a time. It's like an adrenaline rush that you can't get enough of. And lets not forget the steamy, sexy scenes. We still get some of those too, though not as much since they are fighting for their lives. (or un-lives I guess) I can't really say much more except you are in for one hell of a ride reading this book!(less)

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Sep 20, 2012 Erin Hayes rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the same review I posted on Amazon:

I preordered an early copy from Ms Frater and devoured this book from the second I downloaded it to my Kindle. The buttons on it are probably still jammed from me pressing too hard to turn the page.

Book one, Pretty When She Dies, was one of the very first indie ebooks I ever bought. And I loved it. It opened up the whole world of indie authors that I now proudly support - my Kindle is full of indie books now. Some have been awesome, some have been real...more

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Dec 27, 2012 Seyma rated it 5 of 5 stars

Amaliya destroyed her creator, the Summoner. Cian, her vampire lover, are trying to make a life for themselves. But nearby vampire clans want to claim the high rank, including Cian's blood sister Rachon. but Rachon has other plans, including revenge for their vampire father. Loved the book, R. Frater does NOT dissapoint!

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Mar 03, 2013 Art Lueder rated it 5 of 5 stars

WoW! Ms. Frater sure knows how to write a kick ass battle of the supernatural. An excellent second book with some solid twists in it as the cabal of Austin grows. This series flows (no pun intended) more like True Blood than Twilight (thank God) in lore and humor. I can't wait for the third and I guess final of the trilogy.

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Sep 17, 2012 Jasper rated it 5 of 5 stars

Slow build up, last chapters it became much more interesting.
It was well written, but as I said in the last comment, the build up was slow, so sometimes I had the urge to skip here and there some often.
Will definitly re-read it.

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Sep 11, 2012 David rated it 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed the second installment of the trilogy. The story has a great flow to it but I do not think this book was as good as the first.

The addition of the new characters near the end seemed to disrupt the flow for me as opposed to complementing the existing characters. Not enough character building and setup for that bit of a twist to the story leading to the climax at the end. It just did not seem necessary and for me and was distracting in which it was laid out.

That said, I will certainly rea...more

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Oct 18, 2012 Sarah rated it 1 of 5 stars

This book was disappointing. Not as well written as the first one and NOWHERE near as good as her As the World Dies series. I know she can do much better and hope she delivers on the next book.

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Sep 30, 2012 Heidi korpar rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book was absolutely amazing!! I have to say this has been my favorite read all year.

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May 10, 2012 Giselle marked it as to-read

Dude! I didn't even have this on my GR shelves yet! *blasphemy*

*taps hand* Bad stalker!

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Mar 11, 2013 ★Rachael ★ rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really liked this loads of new character introduced and a shock horror big twist at the end that means that there will defo be a book 3 Yay!

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Pretty When She Kills (Pretty When She Dies #2)

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