Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Kiss of Death (Blood Kissed)

by Seleste deLaney (Goodreads Author)

4.25 of 5 stars 4.25 · rating details · 12 ratings · 5 reviews

Too many years of killer vamps have triggered the curse of the Blood Kissed. They’ve awakened the bloodline that can alter their world, because her blood has the power to control them all—even make them destroy each other.

Jocelyn thought her troubles with vampires were over when she drove a stake through her boyfriend Max’s heart two years ago. Even though she’s engaged to...more

Published August 2012 by Mundania Press LLC

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

This book is not yet featured on Listopia. Add this book to your favorite list »

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 55)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Oct 31, 2012 E_bookpushers rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, fantasy, reviewed, series

Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2012/10/31/...

Publisher: Mundania Press
Publish Date: Out now
How I got this book: From the author

Too many years of killer vamps have triggered the curse of the Blood Kissed. They’ve awakened the bloodline that can alter their world, because her blood has the power to control them all—even make them destroy each other.

Jocelyn thought her troubles with vampires were over when she drove a stake through her boyfriend Max’s heart two years ago....more Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2012/10/31/...

Publisher: Mundania Press
Publish Date: Out now
How I got this book: From the author

Too many years of killer vamps have triggered the curse of the Blood Kissed. They’ve awakened the bloodline that can alter their world, because her blood has the power to control them all—even make them destroy each other.

Jocelyn thought her troubles with vampires were over when she drove a stake through her boyfriend Max’s heart two years ago. Even though she’s engaged to Chad, she’s never really forgotten him. Now Max is back, and Chad is taking her into the heart of the vamp community—and they’re the ones trying to keep her alive. The ones who love her and each seek to claim her for their own. Because once the elders know who she is, they’re all going to want her…or want her dead.
This blurb came from the author’s website here.

I happen to have a pretty evident soft spot for vampires so when we received a request to consider reviewing Kiss of Death and the blurb was included I decided to give it a try. Overall I enjoyed reading it and the different bits and pieces of history along with the introduction of different supernatural creatures but I kept feeling like I was missing something. If the blurb of a book captures me from the beginning then I do not tend to do any research on the book before I decide to give it a try. As a result I did not do any research on the story before I started reading it so I didn’t realize that this was part of a series until I was finished reading. Now that I know that and I have looked at the blurbs of the previous short stories a lot of the different pieces are falling into place.

There are a lot of things going on in this book. Jocelyn finds out that both Max and Chad claim to love her yet they lied to her in the same way. She also learns that she is special and as a result she doesn’t know whom to trust. Members of the vampire council are scheming and most of them look like they are getting very old for vampires while one still keeps his youthful appearance. I am not sure if that is because he really is that much younger than the rest of the council or if he has something a little bit extra. I could tell that he wants to take over the council while the others are trying to keep him excluded from council business. The entire council shows that their politics aren’t for the faint of heart and can be used to get what they want regardless of the cost to others. In fact sometimes things will be done just to keep another council member from gaining an advantage over the others regardless of the long-term consequences.

I have mixed feelings about the relationship between Max, Jocelyn and Chad. First I thought it was going to be a traditional love triangle but Jocelyn broke that stalemate by refusing both men. Then I thought it was going to move towards a ménage but while the two men claimed to work together to project Jocelyn they couldn’t stop fighting each other enough to even hint at being in a relationship together. So then I didn’t have a clue about the romance aspect.

Max had my sympathies first but than I found out what he had done in the past regarding Jocelyn and his potential ulterior motives. Chad I didn’t like but then I realized that he was rather cocky, young, and immature but really thought based on his limited understanding of vampire society that he was doing the best thing to keep Jocelyn because he loved her. Jocelyn seemed willfully obtuse at times. Some of that I could understand from the shock of everything that she learned, her struggle against her implanted memories, and from the hints I received about her childhood. But she also had some TSTL moments long after I thought she should have realized that some of the things that go bump in the night will also come after in the daylight.

Even with my doubts about the three main characters I thought the world deLaney created was interesting. She drew from some interesting legends and characters of history/mythology to populate this story. I found their introductions interesting and it made me wonder about the back-story of some of the other older characters. I think if I had read the first two short stories before reading this one I would have had a better feel for Max, Chad and Jocelyn and therefore enjoyed the complexities of their interactions with each other more. I also wouldn’t have expected a romance. Kiss of Death does not end with Jocelyn, Max or Chad involved with anyone but their story obviously isn’t over so it is possible that the overall story arc does include a romance. I highly recommend that even though this review contains some spoilers for the first two that you read them first. I think establishing those characters first as well as the overall tone is key. I didn’t have that and as a result found that I didn’t like this as much as I had hoped.

I give Kiss of Death a C(less)

like · see review

Sep 14, 2012 Danielle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Kiss of Death falls into place after the events of The Ghost of Vampire Present.

I really enjoyed this instalment. The characters are rich and intriguing. I'm definitely more a fan of Max than I am of Chad, but I think that's because I have a hard time believing Chad really loves Jocelyn. I don't buy his feelings at all. But, I've always been a Max fan, so I'm biased. :D

My only problems with this book were that A) It was too short, and B) it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger! Oh well, just means w...more

2 likes · like · see review

Sep 06, 2012 Julie-anne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Jocelyn thinks her seeing Max in The Ghost of Vampire Present was all a dream, as well as Chad being a vampire. But she soon finds out neither of them are dreams, she thought she killed Max in Of Course I Try but his feeding on her is what enabled him to come back to life. Soon, she has to trust her two betraying ex-boyfriends as they both compete for her back while playing bodyguard/soldier at the same time. And Jocelyn (and us) finally find out exactly why vampires are so attracted to her.

So I...more

1 like · like · see review

Nov 04, 2012 Melissa Hayden rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, paranormal-fantasy-romance

Max is watching over Jocelyn, his love, who "killed" him. At Christmas he made a promise to not bother her but to only come when she was in danger and needed him. Max knows Jocelyn is in trouble with the vampire world, eventually they will find her. And she doesn't know it. Max keeps to the shadows, watching and learning about her new boyfriend, until the day Chad takes her openly into a vampire club that could be her death. Jocelyn feels she is losing her mind since Christmas with the ghost of...more Max is watching over Jocelyn, his love, who "killed" him. At Christmas he made a promise to not bother her but to only come when she was in danger and needed him. Max knows Jocelyn is in trouble with the vampire world, eventually they will find her. And she doesn't know it. Max keeps to the shadows, watching and learning about her new boyfriend, until the day Chad takes her openly into a vampire club that could be her death. Jocelyn feels she is losing her mind since Christmas with the ghost of her grandma visited, and still visiting, and the strange dreams of three vampires visiting. But she still dreams of it in her nightmares and worries. Kidnapped by her past love, thought to be dead, Jocelyn's mind breaks down and tries to put the pieces together, which is dangerous to her as well as who is after her. Jocelyn doesn't realize how powerful she is and by coming out in the open she has vampires, vampire hunters, and a magic yielder after her before the weeks out.

First, this is a romance read with a story full of paranormal happenings. There are a few intimate scenes as well. So if you like romance and love with a story line this one is it. Definitely an adult read with sex scenes present. And there is a love triangle as well.

Max is a curious one to me. For some reason he's stronger than others his age, like elder strong. And for this he has to be careful the Elders don't find out. Oh when I read the one novella, I thought his and Jocelyn's relationship might have been a touch abusive, but in this story I see it in a whole new light. And I think he's my favorite of them all. Chad...well, he's a keeper too, but he's still a little young yet. Young in the way of knowledge of vampires ways, naive in a way. Then there's Remy. Ahh, he is powerful and flamboyant The other elders don't much care for him. But, I get a feel he has a bigger plan in the making here. He is gently pushing people into things by helping in other ways. No magic there, but he is a manipulator and very talented at it. And we have Jocelyn, who is a bit close-minded for a while. Her grandmother even comments on it while giving her cryptic hints to what she needs to know.

We get to see different sides of the story with point of views from Max, Jocelyn, Chad, and the elder Dominik. And I like getting all this information to know what and why things are happening.

I really enjoyed this story and meeting these characters. These characters really stood out to me. So different. And I felt they really blended and clashed in a genuine manner. I really was taken by them all! There is a blend of action and romance here. My only thing is I'm not sure how Jocelyn is to 'control' the vampires yet. We learned about her blood and the history, but I'm not sure how it will work to take control. Making a stronger soldier, yes, but I think she might have something else that she's not aware of yet.

I do look forward to reading more of Jocelyn, Max (sigh), Chad, and Remy as well. Great combination of characters and personalities. Really enjoyed relaxing with this one, and flipping the pages.

Do you have to read the short stories and novellas before reading this? No, I don't think so. But you will learn all the back story that leads into this and why things are so confusing to Jocelyn. The poor girls mind has been scrambled more than a few times. The relationship connections that you read in the short stories and novellas are made here, but you could get the feeling up front and get to see more of those events transpire if you read them. At least the short stories are free, go ahead and give them a try.(less)

like · see review

Dec 24, 2012 TFGamer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Very good read. Fun, broody, sexy, interesting. =)

like · see review

Apr 30, 2013 Zozs92 marked it as to-read

Apr 18, 2013 Scooper Speaks marked it as to-read

Mar 26, 2013 Stephanie marked it as to-read

Mar 20, 2013 Pale Fairy marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Dec 24, 2012 Krishna hari marked it as to-read

Dec 16, 2012 Tracey marked it as to-read

Dec 15, 2012 Ellen marked it as to-read

Dec 15, 2012 Cassandra marked it as to-read

Dec 15, 2012 Megan Bamford rated it 4 of 5 stars

Oct 31, 2012 Angel marked it as to-read

Oct 06, 2012 Axia marked it as to-read

Shelves: paranormal

Sep 10, 2012 Lillie marked it as to-read

Sep 06, 2012 Misha726 marked it as to-read

Sep 03, 2012 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Sep 02, 2012 Dannik rated it 4 of 5 stars

Aug 28, 2012 Linda marked it as to-read

Aug 26, 2012 Steph at Starry Night Book Reviews marked it as to-read

Aug 26, 2012 Kristina marked it as to-read

Aug 25, 2012 Donna marked it as to-read

Aug 25, 2012 Jennifer marked it as to-read

Aug 24, 2012 L marked it as to-read

Aug 23, 2012 Anne marked it as to-read

Aug 23, 2012 Smartmouth Texan marked it as to-read

Aug 23, 2012 Caila marked it as to-read

Aug 22, 2012 Erin marked it as to-read

« previous 1 2 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

combine
Other Editions (2)

Genres

Romance > Paranormal Romance

2 users

See top shelves...

About Seleste deLaney

Author of speculative romance (aka Julie Particka, young adult author).

Two series coming soon from Entangled Publishing!

My steampunk romance series is from Carina Press: BADLANDS and CLOCKWORK MAFIA (coming April 2013).

The Blood Kissed novels (KISS OF DEATH and, coming soon, KISS OF LIFE) are available from Mundania Press.

The short stories that begin the Blood Kissed series (OF COURSE I TRY an...more

More about Seleste deLaney...

Books by Seleste deLaney

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Kiss of Death

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

title link	preview: Kiss of Death
avg rating	preview: Kiss of Death Goodreads rating: 4.25 (12 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13574499-kiss-of-death?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1333387344l/13574499.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13574499-kiss-of-death?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Kiss of Death by Seleste deLaney[/url]

Kiss of Death (Blood Kissed)

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topicDiscuss This Book

combineOther Editions (2)

Genres

About Seleste deLaney

Books by Seleste deLaney

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Kiss of Death

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (2)