Transfusion (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter, #1) by Nikki Jefford

Dec 13, 2012 Justine rated it 5 of 5 stars

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There is SO MUCH I want to say about this book, trying to decided where to start is tricky… but I will start with Aurora. I think you can look at the kind of books I give high marks to and it’s pretty obvious I like characters with a good sense of humour. I loved Auroras inner voice and how strong her personality came through. She clearly has been through a rough patch, almost dying and finding about...more

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Apr 06, 2013 Claire rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, vampires

Watch out Buffy. There's a new Vampire slayer in town. Hmmm.. In Alaska, that is!

Aurora thought her life couldn't get more boring, especially when she had always been at the sidelines, unluckily dodging an incoming volleyball, or witnessing a couple making out and kissing behind lockers.

Then the unexpected happened. Aurora almost died from a car crash. A team of government agents did everything to revive her, even replaced her other body organs, just to secure her survival.

All seemed OK. Until A...more

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Mar 26, 2013 Kristen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, paranormal, romance, vamps, mature, new-adult

GENRE: New Adult Paranormal
THEME: Romance, Mystery, Vampires
RECEIVED: Tour
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/

3.5 stars

REVIEW:
Great start to a new series by Nikki Jefford, a new twist to vampires and hunter, one that is a mix of Japanese anime Blood Plus and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. If you haven’t seen either of those, then get ready for some vampire butt kicking, high school drama, romance and government conspiracy.

Trasfusion follows Aurora Sky, a normal teenage girl whose popularity is dow...more GENRE: New Adult Paranormal
THEME: Romance, Mystery, Vampires
RECEIVED: Tour
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/

3.5 stars

REVIEW:
Great start to a new series by Nikki Jefford, a new twist to vampires and hunter, one that is a mix of Japanese anime Blood Plus and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. If you haven’t seen either of those, then get ready for some vampire butt kicking, high school drama, romance and government conspiracy.

Trasfusion follows Aurora Sky, a normal teenage girl whose popularity is down the drain, but it doesn’t matter because shes got college on the brain and cant wait to get out of Alaska. That is until a terrible accident changes everything and she is given a difficult decision to work for the government to hunt vampires and become their weapon.

Aurora Sky (by the way I love this name) is someone who has a good head on her shoulders. She wants to go to Notre Dame and start over in a town that is warmer than Alaska. After her accident she is pretty much forced into being a vampire hunter and her mother practically signs her life away. I felt bad for her at the beginning because she’s pretty alone. But then after the accident changes into a more adventurous and provocative character, that I felt was a bit too over the top. It was a drastic change but in a way understandable after being forced into a life she didn’t want and her family not really understand whats happening to her. I also liked her bond with her mentor, that I hope we get some more training scenes with in the future, I kind of fell for the fellow hunter Dante.

Fane at the beginning I wasn’t sure if I liked him or not,. He’s mysterious, gothic and would give any girl the chills with his intense demeanor. As the story moves on I began to love this guy, deep down he’s good caring person that lives a certain life. I don’t want to give anymore away about this charmer.

Overall I still have a lot of questions, especially about the Agency and if they have any other ulterior motives. I hope to see more of Aurora coming into her hunter self, having to use her blood to fight against vampires is one thing but battling with weapons makes her even more kick butt. Lastly I’d like to know more about her family, her mother seems like a sweet person and her father is a big mystery, I don’t get him. The setting is perfect for a vampire story, being set in cold Alaska, you can only imagine how many vampires would like to be there. I ‘ll definetly be continuing this series to see how what’s next for Aurora and Fane.

RECOMMENDATION:
This is a Young Adult that I would categorize as more New Adult Paranormal with the mature content. Fans od The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa and The Chicagoland Vampire series by Chloe Neill will enjoy this vampire goodness by Nikki Jefford.
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Mar 26, 2013 Tee loves Kyle Jacobson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-books, 2012-must-reads, 2013-must-read, march-2013, xpresso-tours

Okay let me start by saying I love love Vampire stories. I love how each and everyone is different and the back stories that follow is incredible. Nikki did a great job showcasing a new world and creating characters that built upon on another. Another thing I loved is the fact that there was no insta love. I am a sucker for love at first sight because it does happen but Nikki built the love between the two characters which had me at the edge of my seat wondering the whole time if they were going...more Okay let me start by saying I love love Vampire stories. I love how each and everyone is different and the back stories that follow is incredible. Nikki did a great job showcasing a new world and creating characters that built upon on another. Another thing I loved is the fact that there was no insta love. I am a sucker for love at first sight because it does happen but Nikki built the love between the two characters which had me at the edge of my seat wondering the whole time if they were going to be a couple.

Aurora Sky is your ordinary teen wanting to graduate from her senior year and take off to college in another state to get far away from her family as possible. If you have ever lived in a small town you know your only escape is college and Aurora can't wait for that to happen. Yes she loves Alaska but she needs a break. But the break will never come for Aurora because she gets into a horrible accident that almost takes her life. The government comes in and saves her and the price she has to pay is one I am not sure I would have agreed to but Aurora really does not have a choice. She will work for the government and become a Vampire Hunter. See her blood type is very rare and it causes paralysis for the vampires which makes it easy for Aurora to kill them. Lord can you imagine being the blood bag for all those crazy vampires?

Aurora will become someones meal right before she kills them. Lord she is not liking it but she has no choice. So Aurora goes back to school and befriends the Vampire groupies and she even starts to like one of the guys at school Fane. He is sexy and popular and Aurora sees something in him. Fane and Aurora build up a friendship and then things start to get weird and Aurora knows Fane is keeping a secret. Will he tell Aurora his secret? What happens when Aurora does find out the secret? Will they be together? Will her training prevent her from being with Fane? This is a must read vampire story and I need book two like ASAP to follow along!(less)

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Mar 25, 2013 Lauren rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-release, ebooks, mar-2013-read, read-in-2013, tour, ya, vampires, own

As I said above, I was really excited to be part of this tour because I had read Entangled and really enjoyed Nikki Jefford’s writing style. Needless to say Transfusion thrilled me, it was everything I was hoping for and more!

The main character, Aurora, was actually not a favorite of mine. I liked her more coming onto the end of the book but for the first part of the story I thought she was really moody and reactive. Ok, granted she just found out she was a vampire hunter but she was still so me...more

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Mar 08, 2013 Tanja Brewer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I had mixed feelings about this book when I first jumped into it. Aurora gets in an accident I get that her life changes understandable but the military is what threw me. The title explains it Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter. When the military took a seat in the story I was scared it was going to turn into a terminator tale the military beefs her up she does the dirty work. Yeah I will admit I was wrong! I stayed up all night to finish this book. Yes the accident was tragic and she had surgeries but...more

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Jan 19, 2013 Tony rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya

Aurora Sky is not your typical type of vampire novel! It’s fresh, fun, and contains a really unique premise.
Throughout the course of the book, Aurora transforms from a shy, insecure teen to a strong, independent woman. Yes, there was some angst involved in-between, but the acting out only made her a more “real”and likable character. I enjoyed seeing Aurora make mistakes (because, let’s face it, people in real life aren’t perfect), and it was even better to see her learn and grow from them.
Ms. J...more

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Jan 11, 2013 Jennifer Bielman (Reading and Writing UF and PNR) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, vampires, urban-fantasy, self-published, reviewed, paranormal-romance

From http://readingandwritingurbanfantasy....

3.5 stars

At A Glance
I really enjoyed the concept and dark elements of this book but the execution was a little off.

The Good
With graduation looming, eighteen year old Aurora was finally going to get to leave Alaska. But almost dying in a car crash screwed that plan all up. Now the weird government agents who saved her life are telling Aurora that she works for them. Why? Because she has unique blood that incapacitates vampires. Doomed to stay in Alask...more

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Dec 20, 2012 Lily rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This book was really nice, the plot, how vampires came to be etc. I loved how unique and new this was. Everything was great, but how the characters acted and all that stuff totally ruined the whole book for me.

I like Aurora's character but there were just parts I was annoyed about.
Lets just say you who didn't know and believe that vampires exist like 10 minutes ago and then some people just throw and lock you in with a bloodsucker to fight. They let it bite on your neck though it does no harm to...more This book was really nice, the plot, how vampires came to be etc. I loved how unique and new this was. Everything was great, but how the characters acted and all that stuff totally ruined the whole book for me.

I like Aurora's character but there were just parts I was annoyed about.
Lets just say you who didn't know and believe that vampires exist like 10 minutes ago and then some people just throw and lock you in with a bloodsucker to fight. They let it bite on your neck though it does no harm to you but actually paralysis the vampire so you can kill it. Yes, I would kill it. But after getting let out I would attempt to kill those bastards who locked me up there risking my life even if they were the ones who revived me. No, I would not whimper a few protests then follow their orders like a dog even if I failed to kill them. That's basically how Aurora was, following their orders like a dog after what they have done to her.

The agents are such jackasses. One that acts all kind and gentle (Agent Melcher) and one that is a real bitch(Agent Crist). Saying something along the lines of "Try to make it less messy next time." after Aurora killed her first vampire, I don't know but that sounded quite rude to me because it's like they are ordering her what she should and not do. And they keep saying, "You'll get to live a normal life", what a load of bull. I don't take getting hunted by bloodsuckers a normal life and not being allowed to leave Alaska a normal life, also her school life is pretty much messed up even more after what they did.

And Fane. One of the male characters that top my hate list. I don't find him hot or cool or anything at all. No outstanding qualities but very annoying. He has a girlfriend (Valerie) who is also part of the government thingy as an informant. Always making out with her. He starts talking with Aurora after her accident only when they are alone or not with Valerie. When Valerie is there, he basically ignores Aurora, while she is an idiot thinking that he will talk to her. So basically he is flirting with another girl behind his girlfriend's back. A quality I definitely don't want in a boyfriend. And then when Fane actually breaks up with Valerie he goes out with Aurora, all is good except the fact when Aurora found out his 'secret' she breaks it off. And guess what? Yep the very next day or school day we hear that he is making out with his ex-girlfriend Valerie. Apparently they are back together. Now I can't blame him, he truly has the right to go back being a couple with Valerie since Aurora broke it off. But that kind of guy is a big no no, going back and forth between girls, which made me hate him since that happened because I know he will be back with Aurora in the end, which I don't think he deserves. And I just don't get what Aurora sees in that guy. I mean, I prefer Dante...and I think the dog Tommie is cute~

Aurora's mother and father,,omg what a screwed up family. I think the mother has mental issues and the father is a total dick. The mother is so weak and pathetic, getting ordered and ignored around by her husband and daughter, she is so totally lost. They should get a divorce, really.

All the other characters were great, their roles fit well. The story was well written but because one of the focus is romance, meaning that it will include Fane. I don't want that kind of guy as a main character's lover. For me, romance is very important in a book so yeah I'm not going to read its next one.

I love the plot, but the characters are also important but too bad I can't stand them.
But if you like those kind of characters, then go on and read it because it is really a good read.(less)

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Nov 29, 2012 Kim rated it 5 of 5 stars

Aurora Sky is the first book in the new Transfusion series by Nikki Jefford, author of the fantastic Spellbound trilogy. Below this review will be a giveaway for some book swag and some books, so be sure to enter that, too! I got this ARC from the author and began reading within moments and couldn't put it down. It is unlike anything I have read, an entirely new twist on the vampire genre. Mystery, intrigue, conspiracy theory, teen angst, horror, and even some humor combine to make this a really...more Aurora Sky is the first book in the new Transfusion series by Nikki Jefford, author of the fantastic Spellbound trilogy. Below this review will be a giveaway for some book swag and some books, so be sure to enter that, too! I got this ARC from the author and began reading within moments and couldn't put it down. It is unlike anything I have read, an entirely new twist on the vampire genre. Mystery, intrigue, conspiracy theory, teen angst, horror, and even some humor combine to make this a really great read. The book pulled me in so much that there were times when I realized I just wanted to slap some of the characters on Aurora's behalf! I love a book that draws me in like that!

Aurora opens the story as a fairly typical teen girl, with all the angst and awkwardness that you would expect. But a horrific car accident changed all of that for her, turning her into someone I don't think even she really recognizes. While she was recovering, her mother made choices for her that have lifetime ramifications for Aurora. That theme, that Aurora was essentially being extorted into living a life she wouldn't have chosen for herself, was a big part of the emotional pull for me. While I understand why her mother did the things she did, the fact that Aurora had no choice made me feel all of the frustration that Aurora herself felt. It made her a very real character for me. All of the characters, regardless of their role within the story, were completely three dimensional, whether you liked them or not. And there were definitely several that I truly disliked! Some of the less central characters were so well developed that it allowed the reader to know them, reminding me of people I known in my own life. Of course, most of these were in a negative way!

This is a really great read if you like mystery and intrigue. The vaguley "conspiracy theory" aspect of the government's involvement in saving Aurora adds a different element to the horror of the story. It definitely elicits emotion from the reader, a protective feeling for Aurora. There are lots of twists and turns, horror and action, even some romance and fun. I highly recommend this read! It is also freshly released so go get it now!(less)

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Mar 28, 2013 Jenny rated it 4 of 5 stars

3.5 stars
I really liked the basic story concept of the story. Vampires come from people who have AB negative blood, but have also contracted horrible diseases. These diseases at as a catalyst in the blood, suspending the person into an undead status What is really creepy about this is that I have AB negative blood!

So Aurora is in a horrible car accident where she almost dies. The government saves her, and injects this "formula" into her blood, which makes her lethal to vampires. Its a very diff...more

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Mar 28, 2013 Lelia Taylor rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: full-reviews

I have wanted to visit Alaska for more years than I can count but only if I can go in July or August because I really, REALLY hate cold weather. I’m even willing to put up with the legendary mosquitos if it can just be warm. As much as I don’t like being cold, though, I enjoy reading about it in fiction, maybe because it makes me feel warmer here in Virginia. Will I ever get there? I don’t really know but a lady can dream, right?

Er, hold the phone. It seems that the state has been overrun, inund...more I have wanted to visit Alaska for more years than I can count but only if I can go in July or August because I really, REALLY hate cold weather. I’m even willing to put up with the legendary mosquitos if it can just be warm. As much as I don’t like being cold, though, I enjoy reading about it in fiction, maybe because it makes me feel warmer here in Virginia. Will I ever get there? I don’t really know but a lady can dream, right?

Er, hold the phone. It seems that the state has been overrun, inundated, taken over by vampires, of all things, drawn there by…get this…the cold. See, I knew there was a reason I prefer heat.

When I started Transfusion, my first thought was that this is kind of a cool idea but, after a while, I began to think that some of what was going on was just plain silly and goofy. By the time Aurora goes on her first mission with Dante, I had decided that it was all good fun and I’d just enjoy the ride. Agents Melcher and Crist are the perfect parody of government agents, especially Melcher who always seems to have a smile plastered on his face even as he’s dooming Aurora to a life of hinky blood and chasing down the undead. These two are actually indicative of how engaging almost all the primary and secondary characters are. Aurora herself, with all her snarkiness and resistance to authority and to her future, is really appealing as is her new friend Noel. Fane and Dante, while they play very different roles in Aurora’s life, are among the best young male characters I’ve come across.

Worldbuilding is not nearly as important here as in some novels since a crucial aspect of vampires is their existence in a world like our own but Ms. Jefford has used her personal experience of Alaska to create an atmosphere of danger and, yes, cold. So, all in all, have your humor hat on and sit back for an enjoyable journey—and stop trying to be logical ;) when you read this first in the Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter series. I’m already looking ahead for the next book, Northern Bites.

Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, March 2013.(less)

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Mar 27, 2013 Haley (Beach Kissed YA Books) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-challenge-2013, e-books, series, books-i-own, vampire-s-paranormal

Transfusion was a very enjoyable read. Nikki Jefford was able to break all the vampire stereotypes, and make her own new vampire species. She was able to piece together Aurora and Fane's love, while adding in the vampire hunting with danger.

Obviously, Aurora and Fane were my 2 favorite characters, while Noel came in close 3rd. Aurora is this witty, comical, sarcastic senior in high-school that made me chuckle and smile while I turned the pages. Even though she has been through quite a lot, she m...more Transfusion was a very enjoyable read. Nikki Jefford was able to break all the vampire stereotypes, and make her own new vampire species. She was able to piece together Aurora and Fane's love, while adding in the vampire hunting with danger.

Obviously, Aurora and Fane were my 2 favorite characters, while Noel came in close 3rd. Aurora is this witty, comical, sarcastic senior in high-school that made me chuckle and smile while I turned the pages. Even though she has been through quite a lot, she made the best of every situation with her side comments. Fane is this mysterious,(SPOILER ALERT!) charming vampire that I came to love as he interacted with Aurora. He stole my heart from the beginning, and had me swooning every time he is mentioned. Noel is a character I adored. She is part of this "groupie" at their high-school and has just become friends with Aurora. Not only did she really care for Aurora like a sister, she really helped her out in the end like any close friend would have done. Noel was like a little kitten; I just wanted to hold her and hug her tight! Oh, and yes, Dante. Boy, he was scrumptious! I actually imagined him looking like Emmett Cullen(Kellan Lutz) in The Twilight Saga. For all you twilight lovers like me, you may get the comparison I'm trying to make: Dark hair, skin, big and muscly ;) I could have cried with happiness when Jefford added this little part in the book when Dante was interested in Aurora. You could probably hear me chanting TEAM DURORA! TEAM DURORA! Sadly, Nikki chose not to commit to their possible love :(

When Aurora became a Vampire Hunter, her whole demeanor changed, in a good way. She became tougher and a better fighter than before. Aurora was very calm in most of the vampire killings throughout the book, which is a trait that I admire. I know that if that was me, I'd probably either go crazy or break down and cry.

All in all, Transfusion was a great jump start to Nikki Jefford's new series, and I can't wait to read the next book in the series, Northern Bites(less)

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Jan 26, 2013 Carrie Ardoin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: tour, vamps

3.5 STARS

Aurora Sky is muddling through her final year of high school, waiting for the day when she can leave Alaska for college. Her dreams are dashed in an instant when she gets into a life-changing car accident. Aurora's saved from the brink of death, and is now part of a government agency that eradicates vampires.

Suddenly, Aurora's world isn't so boring anymore. She's not entirely sure why, but her entire personality has changed, and her old life gets left behind. But between killing vamps a...more 3.5 STARS

Aurora Sky is muddling through her final year of high school, waiting for the day when she can leave Alaska for college. Her dreams are dashed in an instant when she gets into a life-changing car accident. Aurora's saved from the brink of death, and is now part of a government agency that eradicates vampires.

Suddenly, Aurora's world isn't so boring anymore. She's not entirely sure why, but her entire personality has changed, and her old life gets left behind. But between killing vamps and spending time with the darkly gorgeous Fane, she doesn't have much time to worry about it. Aurora's plans have changed, but that doesn't mean her future will be boring.

This was a really quick read for me, and I quite enjoyed it. I did find some things a bit predictable, but on the other hand there were a couple of things I didn't see coming at all.

I felt for Aurora, really, in the beginning. She just kind of...exists in her school, and even her so-called best friend doesn't seem to care about her at all. Even worse, her parents do not agree on anything where Aurora is concerned. Her mom is there for her no matter what, but her dad turns tail and runs when things start going in a direction he doesn't like.

When Aurora awakens from her accident and goes home with the knowledge that she is now a vampire hunter, her personality does a complete 180. Suddenly, she's courageous, sassy, confident, and so over the friends she had in the past. But, just like before, she seems to be alone. Until she catches the attention of Fane Donado.

I have to say that the unveiling of Fane came as much more of a surprise to Aurora than it did to me. I mean, simply the way she described him gave it away! And this is a first person narrative, so when she saw all his weird habits, something should have clicked for her way before it did.

I wish that a few more things would have been explained, such as where Aurora's father went, and what his problem was anyway; why Aurora changed so completely after becoming a hunter; and how the "Agency" knows who to recruit anyway. This is a series, so I'm hoping these questions may be answered at some point in another book.

I really liked the fight scenes, I just didn't feel there were enough of them. I also thought the way things ended with Renard and Co. was kind of abrupt. But I loved the teasing between Fane and Aurora and I'm excited to see how things will progress between them.

I'm totally on board for more Aurora Sky--I just hope to see her kicking more vampire butt in the next installment!(less)

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Jan 23, 2013 Andrea Heltsley rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads-books-for-review, read-in-2013

Who doesn't love a good Vampire Hunter story? This girl most certainly does!! Nikki Jefford brought an interesting take on an old storyline. I'm ashamed to say that her other three novels are in my Kindle library waiting to be read.

I liked the transformation Aurora goes through in all facets of the book. She begins to change who she is at the beginning in school. Then things snowball from just one freak incident. Suddenly Aurora wants to be the bad girl she never was before.

An effect of this bad...more

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Mar 26, 2013 Kazhy (My Library in the Making) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, blog-tour, from-author, buy-and-shelve

Actual rating: 3.5

(This review was originally posted at My Library in the Making.)

I read and loved the first book in Nikki Jefford's Spellbound series, Entangled, so when I found out about this new book of hers, I immediately grabbed the chance to review it. Sadly, Transfusion didn't quite amaze.

Aurora Sky's life wasn't going all too well: her only friend was leaving her for the in-crowd, her dad often went MIA on her and her mom, and to top it all off, she even got in a fatal car crash. But tha...more Actual rating: 3.5

(This review was originally posted at My Library in the Making.)

I read and loved the first book in Nikki Jefford's Spellbound series, Entangled, so when I found out about this new book of hers, I immediately grabbed the chance to review it. Sadly, Transfusion didn't quite amaze.

Aurora Sky's life wasn't going all too well: her only friend was leaving her for the in-crowd, her dad often went MIA on her and her mom, and to top it all off, she even got in a fatal car crash. But thanks to her rare blood type (AB negative), Aurora was chosen by a secret government agency to be revived, in exchange of her working for them as a vampire hunter.

In the first few chapters before Aurora's second life, she was spunky and sarcastic, two characteristics that almost always make me love a character. The same was true with Aurora, so I was beyond excited for the vampire hunter part of the plot to kick in. But instead, she went downhill when she learned of it. She felt trapped by the service required of her when she hadn't even chosen it, so she decided to live a careless life. She irritated me by making quite a few stupid decisions, I must admit.

But the story started picking up when Fane, the hot goth who turned out to be a real gentleman, came swooping into Aurora's new hopeless life. He was sweet and, at the same time, he knew how to sweep Aurora off her feet. But he wasn't an open book, keeping a lot of things to himself. Honestly, I can't imagine this being a surprise for everyone so I'll just get it out: he's a vampire. His diet wasn't like Edward Cullen or Stefan Salvatore's, but he drank fresh blood just enough to quench his thirst and had never killed anyone, so he's still one of the good vamps.

Fortunately, Aurora—and everything about this book—got better when her hunter training started, and even more so when she started taking on missions. As expected, she was daunted by the thought of killing even if they were evil vampires, but she was good at it, nonetheless.

Although the characters fell flat for the most part, the climax didn't feel climactic at all, and the twist in the end somehow confused me, I still enjoyed this book. The right word to describe it would be addictive, because I read this for hours on end. The "science" behind this take on bloodsuckers was truly unique and interesting, and Jefford's clear and simple writing has me looking forward to the sequel.

MY FAVORITE PARTS were Aurora and Fane's happy couple moments.(less)

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Dec 12, 2012 Kate rated it 5 of 5 stars

Firstly I’d like to thank the author for sending me an ARC to read and give an honest review. This is the first book in her new series and after really enjoying Entangled by the same author, I couldn’t wait to get reading! It has been labelled as being suitable for ages 18+ and I’m assuming this is because it’s quite a sexually charged story, particularly during the first half of the story.

The blurb indicated that this vampire story had a very different twist to others that I’ve read, I loved th...more Firstly I’d like to thank the author for sending me an ARC to read and give an honest review. This is the first book in her new series and after really enjoying Entangled by the same author, I couldn’t wait to get reading! It has been labelled as being suitable for ages 18+ and I’m assuming this is because it’s quite a sexually charged story, particularly during the first half of the story.

The blurb indicated that this vampire story had a very different twist to others that I’ve read, I loved the idea that human blood could be a weapon against vampires.

It began with a brief introduction into Aurora’s school life, it didn’t seem like she was very happy and she continuously dreamt of going to college. It wasn’t long before the action started with a car accident that was set to change Aurora forever, it was at this point that her life began to spiral out of control. The moment she wrote her New Years resolutions I just knew she was going to go a little wild!

Aurora’s vampire hunter initiation was intense and really got my heart pounding, it seemed to change her – she became harder and more outspoken. There were a few moments of laughter for me especially when Aurora got drunk for the first time and experienced her first kiss.

All of the characters were interesting, there were lots of hot males involved (they’re kind of essential in vampire books I think) and my favourite of these were Fane and Dante – Fane was dark and sexy, Dante was cute and cheeky, I look forward to seeing more of them in the future.

There was a mysterious and dangerous feeling to the story, the writing style was good and flowed easily which meant that I was turning page after page to find out what would happen next. I didn’t want the book to end so when it did (after just a few hours I might add) I was very disappointed, I can’t wait to see where the story takes me in the next instalment.

This was a fantastic read with the perfect mix of vampires, teenage angst, sex and danger.(less)

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Mar 26, 2013 YA Reads Book Reviews rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nichole

Originally posted on www.yareads.com, reviewed by Nichole.

Aurora Sky started out really strong. It’s about a girl who gets into a fatal car crash, and is revived on a military base. They renewed a lot of her important organs, but there was a catch. They also implanted a virus in her body. Now Aurora must get mandatory shots in order to stay alive. They put this virus in Aurora’s body so that her blood will be fatal to any vampire who bites her and sucks her blood. But Aurora doesn’t want this li...more Originally posted on www.yareads.com, reviewed by Nichole.

Aurora Sky started out really strong. It’s about a girl who gets into a fatal car crash, and is revived on a military base. They renewed a lot of her important organs, but there was a catch. They also implanted a virus in her body. Now Aurora must get mandatory shots in order to stay alive. They put this virus in Aurora’s body so that her blood will be fatal to any vampire who bites her and sucks her blood. But Aurora doesn’t want this life. It’s something that she can’t get out of, and her life slowly starts to spin out of control.
I was a big fan of the very beginning of Aurora Sky. I thought that it was well-written, the characters were interesting and relatable, and the idea of the book was eye-catching and fascinating. I find the concept of vampire hunters really interesting. This is something that the YA community really hasn’t gotten a chance to read about. We’ve read about vampires before, sure, but vampire hunters? That’s a new idea…and one that I like!
The character of Aurora got on my nerves a little bit as the story progressed. Obviously she had some major changes happen to her, and she spiraled out of control. All of a sudden she was drinking, having sex, being a disrespectful little brat, and…well, she was just really upset. I don’t like reading about characters who are so out of control and depressed. This is just a personal thing though. I know that there are a lot of people out there who enjoy these types of characters.
I was also a bit bothered by the amount of sex and romantic scenes included in the book. I would categorize Aurora Sky as a new adult book, so it was perfectly acceptable for that genre. However, I had to skim a lot of those scenes. I’m not opposed to romantic scenes, but it bugs me with high school students. I know they do stuff…I was a high school student once…but it’s a little uncomfortable for me to read about.
The story itself was a little predictable, but I actually ended up really liking the storyline. Nikki Jefford’s is a very strong writer, and I found myself really drawn to the words that she created. I was also a BIG fan of Fane, the leading male character. He was SO gorgeous! I would recommend the book simply for him! You have to read about him!
Overall, I thought that it was a great first book in the Vampire Hunter’s series. I didn’t fall head over heels in love with it, but it kept me interested. Again, this is a New Adult book, so there are some scenes maybe not so appropriate for the younger crowd. Other than that, I would recommend that fans of paranormal reads give this one a chance!(less)

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Feb 21, 2013 Cindi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, bloodsuckers-and-more, contemporary-romance, dangerous-hero, dangerous-hero-2013-general-reading, paranormal-romance, part-of-a-series, young-adult

I really enjoyed this book by an author new-to-me, Nikki Jefford. Thank heavens for Fiction Vixon who recommended it :)

Aurora is NOT Bella. Sure she's got issues but she is not Bella. Fane is NOT R-Pat (can't remember his vampire name, sorry). He's reclusive and gothy and appears to have a girlfriend and never exercise but he is NOT Edward (THAT'S his name!). So feel free to read this cute little book and not weep sugar tears, etc.

Aurora is klutzy in gym and then gets in a wreck. When she wakes...more

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Dec 12, 2012 Thomas Winship rated it 5 of 5 stars

With two very successful novels already under her belt, one might be inclined to think Nikki Jefford would take some time to stop and smell the proverbial roses. And who’d blame her if she did?

No one I know, that’s for sure. But it really doesn’t matter what I think, because, instead of stopping to smell anything, Ms. Jefford opted to release yet another novel!

This time, instead of regaling readers with further tales of the Twitches who star in her “Spellbound” series, Jefford reaches deep into...more

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Jan 30, 2013 Leigh (Little Book Star) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: a-d, book-tour, 013, paranormal, ya

ORIGINAL REVIEW AT: LITTLE BOOK STAR
Rate: 3.5/5

I really enjoyed reading this book! It was kick ass of course since our protagonists are vampire hunters. Aurora Sky is our 18 year old protagonist, and when the story starts out, she isn’t a vampire hunter…yet. Aurora was crazy, independent, and kick ass. Sometimes her craziness annoyed me though (how crazy she acted with Fane, her boyfriend). I do like how she wants to do things her way and she does not let her mom get in the way. Fane is a kick a...more

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Jan 13, 2013 Candy marked it as to-read · review of another edition

I enjoyed reading this book.I always like when authors take "the norm" and twist into a fresh new idea.Yes Aurora Sky is a vampire teen romance but the fact that she is a walking weapon is intriguing.The fact that the government uses teens to hunt vampires in exchange for being saves from a fatal accident is a little disturbing,in a good way though.It adds dynamics to the story.I have to say the ending left me gaping at the last page,I need to know what happens next.
Aurora is a evolving charact...more

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Jan 22, 2013 Naomi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

4.5 Stars

I was intrigued by the book description and decided to sign up for the book tour and do a review. So it was a bit of a surprise as to how blown away I was by the storyline that I read the whole book in one morning!! It was an amazing book!! The way the Vampires are created and also the Vampire Hunters, was a new little twist for me (as I have read A LOT of Vampire books!). And to put an 18 year old girl into the mix who only wants to be a normal girl and do normal things, kept me captiv...more 4.5 Stars

I was intrigued by the book description and decided to sign up for the book tour and do a review. So it was a bit of a surprise as to how blown away I was by the storyline that I read the whole book in one morning!! It was an amazing book!! The way the Vampires are created and also the Vampire Hunters, was a new little twist for me (as I have read A LOT of Vampire books!). And to put an 18 year old girl into the mix who only wants to be a normal girl and do normal things, kept me captivated until the final page in the book.

Right from the beginning I liked Aurora. She has her life set out for her; she is doing well at school, has already been accepted to Notre Dame College and will finally be getting out of Alaska. She came across as the good girl that could do anything and never causes trouble. After her accident her attitude is totally different and she has a more care-free approach about life. She decides that she is not going to let life pass her by and decides to write herself a small bucket list of things to do before she dies……

Kill first Vampire
Get drunk
Kiss a boy
Lose virginity

Sounds like a good list to me!! Lol! Aurora is determined to get through the list and thinks it will make her a better person. Before the accident, she didn’t have many friends and even after she returned her friend Denise still shuns her and I felt bad for Aurora. She quickly makes some new friends and finally has found her place, so it was nice to see her happy for a change.

There is a boy in Auroras Gym class, Fane, which she has always thought attractive. He has shown no interest in her before, but now that she has returned to school he seems to be appearing whenever she goes out. The more time they spend together, the harder it is for her to resist him. They don’t appear to have much chemistry in the beginning but it soon builds and it becomes undeniable. Fane turns out to be quite a gentleman and goes out of his way to do nice things for Aurora and I think that’s what made me like him so much, because he made Aurora feel special. His dress sense may be a bit unusual and Aurora’s mother certainly did not approve, but you cannot judge a book by its cover!! I would have Fane any day!

The Government was able to fix Aurora after her accident and they have plans for her to serve her country. She needs to complete some tasks for them even though she doesn’t want to. They end up sending her a mentor, Dante, to help her adapt to her new life style. Together they complete a mission in Fairfield and he becomes like a brotherly figure for her. All this secrecy has her thinking of Fane and she doesn’t know how to juggle her two lives and she has to make some decisions that will be the best for her in the long run.

I was sucked into this story almost immediately and I just couldn’t put the book down. With each little twist in the book I was glued to the pages. Nikki Jefford has written a remarkable story and left me hanging on the final page!! I loved both Aurora and Fane and even some of the other characters gave great spice to the story too. Aurora’s new life is just beginning and I can’t wait to see what happens to her now!!

I received a copy of this book from the Author in exchange for an honest review.(less)

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Jan 18, 2013 Martha rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Interesting story but was missing a few things.

The MC, Aurora, I thought would be way more kick-butt than she turned out to be. She whined a lot. Kind of got on my nerves to be honest. Then again her predicament was her mum's fault, but I can sympathize with a mother. What mother wouldn't do everything she could to save her child? We also have a case of bad parents. The dad is never home and when he does finally show up he leaves because he can't deal with Aurora. Um...ok! She gets drunk on New...more

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Mar 31, 2013 Kay rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really enjoyed this book. I am a huge fan of novels about vampires and seeing what new characteristics the author gives them. Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter didn't let me down when it came to unique vampires. This is dark novel that takes a whole new spin on high school senioritis.

The Vampires: I enjoyed the new twist on vampires and I really think that the link between vampires and different diseases/viruses was very interesting. Although really creepy, I love how Aurora has to kill vampires. The...more I really enjoyed this book. I am a huge fan of novels about vampires and seeing what new characteristics the author gives them. Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter didn't let me down when it came to unique vampires. This is dark novel that takes a whole new spin on high school senioritis.

The Vampires: I enjoyed the new twist on vampires and I really think that the link between vampires and different diseases/viruses was very interesting. Although really creepy, I love how Aurora has to kill vampires. They have to bite her so she can take them down. In the end, It all comes down to the blood.

Setting: This book takes place in Alaska! I was super excited to have a brand new setting that I haven't come across before. I loved it!

Aurora: I really do love Aurora. She is a complex character that goes through a lot in the span of a short book. She has great personality quarks and I felt her come alive through the pages. My other favorite thing about Aurora was getting to see her relationship with Dante, my favorite male in this book, who just so happens to be her vampire hunter mentor. They work really well together and I love how they don't just go around stabbing vampires with stakes, it is more complex than that. On the other hand, I'm not a big fan of Fane, Aurora's love interest. I don't know why but I just wasn't really feeling him as a character, he did get better, but their relationship just felt awkward at times. I'm not sure how else to explain it so I guess you will just have to read for yourself to find out.

Plot: This plot was exciting, fun, and although sometimes predictable still entertaining, and it had a decent shock value. The biggest aspect of the book that I love is that it was new and fresh. At times I felt like the plot could have been slightly better executed. Although it was well written and I enjoyed it, there was still something missing. I just can't seem to put my finger on it.

I say Read it. If you like vampire novels then you should give it a chance. It has some very intense scenes, the setting is awesome, Aurora is cool, and the story was new. I'm intrigued enough that I will be reading the second book. That right there should count for something.

** Thank you Xpresso Book Tours and author Nikki Jefford for giving me the chance to read and review this novel! Thanks for the free copy. It in no way impacted my honest review. (less)

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Dec 14, 2012 Rachael Wade rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

"On the way home from school, I stared out the bus window dreamily. The world outside no longer existed. I lived in my own world and I liked it there."

That's my favorite line in the book. It pretty much sums up Aurora's character, in my opinion. And as a writer, I can relate to it.

So, where to begin...

This is officially my new favorite YA paranormal series, and I really don’t like a lot of paranormal YA with the exception of Jennifer Armentrout’s Lux and Covenant series. I guess when I say “not...more

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Dec 28, 2012 Cheyenne Teska rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebooks, for-review, reviewed

When Aurora wakes up after a near-death experience, she finds herself face-to-face with the dead. Vampires to be exact. Before the accident, her life was mostly normal. Now there are secrets that the government are keeping from the public, and Aurora has been thrown into the fire. The transfusion that she was given is toxic to vampires, but having that blood inside her is also keeping her from the life she wanted to live.

Aurora is a great main character. I always admire the badass Buffy types, a...more

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Nov 29, 2012 Danielle Young rated it 5 of 5 stars

I love what she did with witches and couldn't wait to see what she was going to do with the vampire!

And I am happy to say that I was not disappointed. In most vampire hunter stories the hunter relies on their ability to be able to over power vampires, but Aurora has a different set of skills. Her blood is paralytic and instead of beating vampires into submission until she can get a kill shot, she lures them in with the temptation of her blood. And this little twist blew me away and I never saw i...more

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Mar 22, 2013 Kari rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: blog-tour, 2013-paranormal-reading-challenge

**4 Stars**
I received a copy of this book for an honest review as part of a blog tour.

MY OVERVIEW: Ok, I will admit that I was a little hesitant about reading this book at first, as I am a big Buffy fan. However, the way both the hunters and the vampires are done in this book is so different that I really enjoyed it. They aren’t your typical vampires.

PROS: I felt so bad for Aurora. I wanted to yell at the agents in the book. I would hate to go through what she went through and would probably hav...more

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Nov 29, 2012 Janina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-for-review-blog-tour, vamps

If you are a vampire/vampire hunter book lover, then I think this book would be for you. I really enjoyed the story and the writing style of Nikki Jefford. The new concept of the vampire hunter that she brought along really caught my attention. I really enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next installment! I definitely think you should give this book a try :)

As I mentioned before, I really enjoyed the new concept that Nikki Jefford had with the vampire hunters. The whole blood transfusion/v...more

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title link	preview: Transfusion
avg rating	preview: Transfusion Goodreads rating: 3.96 (152 ratings)
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Transfusion (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter #1)

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