The Tale Of The Vampire Bride (Vampire Bride, #1) by Rhiannon Frater

Mar 25, 2012 Giselle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, adult, gothic, historical-fiction, horror

I don't give 5-stars often, in fact, half of the ones I gave this year are all for Rhiannon's As the World Dies series, so I was a bit afraid to give this a 5 and have you think it's only because I heart Rhiannon, thus I'm biased, but no, she deserves every single one of these stars. I guess in a way I am biased, she's just one of those authors who could make restaurant menus the best thing you've read all year. She takes a story and gives it heart, filling it with characters who bring it to lif...more I don't give 5-stars often, in fact, half of the ones I gave this year are all for Rhiannon's As the World Dies series, so I was a bit afraid to give this a 5 and have you think it's only because I heart Rhiannon, thus I'm biased, but no, she deserves every single one of these stars. I guess in a way I am biased, she's just one of those authors who could make restaurant menus the best thing you've read all year. She takes a story and gives it heart, filling it with characters who bring it to life; The Tale of the Vampire Bride is no exception.

Set in the 1800s, we go back to the traditional vampire folklore in this old school Dracula tale which takes us into the life of Lady Glynis Wright and her dark, violent fate as a vampire bride. I was a bit wary at first because I'm not often a fan of stories set in past eras, but once I started reading I could not put it down. The prose is wonderful, I never felt overwhelmed by the old-fashioned ambiance. In fact, I was so entranced by it that the other book I was reading felt too modern. As I keep saying, Rhiannon has a way of addicting you to her words. There is constantly something happening that has you especially intrigued, therefore, you can't ever bare to quit. From beginning to end, the suspense will keep you on your toes, the horror will leave your eyes wide, but don't worry, Glynis stumbles into the arms of a sexy, mysterious lover, giving us a romance that will make your heart aflutter.

Lady Glynis Wright, what can I say? I'm absolutely thrilled by her character. She's stubborn, incredibly determined, and grows immensely throughout the novel. This is another thing I love about Rhiannon's books, her characters are ALIVE. They have depth, personality; they are imperfect and get right inside your heart. Evil and merciless, Vlad is a despicable villain. However, at the same time, he's terribly fascinating. I wanted to know everything about him: his intentions, his past, his customs. Sorry to break it to you, though: this one, he doesn't sparkle.

The setting: I absolutely loved it! The castle, the towns, the carriages - it's all hauntingly beautiful. We're taken back into an era where there are no cars, no electricity, small town living; same as her characters, this is all brought to life. I could see myself walking the streets of Buda, and the Castle halls. It really has incredible charm that's constantly peeking through all the animosity.

Even if you're not familiar with the classic Dracula tale, vampire fans who are craving for an honest to goodness old school vampire story can truly find it all in The Tale of the Vampire Bride. We've got horror, romance, plenty of twists, non stop action, all narrated by a strong, defiant heroine that you will simply adore.

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Feb 08, 2011 Felicia A rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror

Having had the absolute honor and pleasure to be the editor for this outstanding book, I may be a little bit biased. That said, though I am not a vampire buff, I found this to be a wholly terrific story.

It will be tough to review this with no spoilers, but I am going to give it the old college try!

It is a period piece, set in the 1800s, and the main character, Lady Glynis, spoiled, outspoken and headstrong, is one hell of a character. She is beautiful and intelligent, and wants what she wants....more

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Jul 24, 2012 Alyssa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror, paranormal, pnr

What I liked:
*Good, descriptive writing that really sets the mood of the book. The story is loosely based on Bram Stoker's take on Dracula and the writing is similar in style.
*Dracula is portrayed as a complex character and you can't help but be both horrified and intrigued by him.
* There were moments when I wondered where the plot was going but just as my mind was about to wander off, a new twist is added to the storyline that gets my full attention and made me turn the pages quicker.
*The story...more

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Apr 06, 2012 Lisa {Silverlight} {Paranormal/Urban Fantasy Reviews} rated it 5 of 5 stars

Gothic Horror at it's best, Amazing!

Miss Frater works magic with her writing, and storytelling ability.
Seriously, she can make you hate the worse character with bile rising within' your mouth, wanting to tear into the book and strangle the monster within the pages, to actually feeling a tender spot for this unmerciful character.

Lady Glynis Wright a young lady who has reached the age of marriage is a strong, outspoken, feisty, character.
It's the 1800's, and her parents decide it is time for her...more

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Aug 28, 2012 VampireNovelFan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Simply put, this is another one of those novels that you will either love or hate. As for me, my goodness I loved it!

Lady Glynis Wright is Dracula’s love interest of choice in Rhiannon Frater’s dark and gothic novel. She aspires for a carefree life where she can seek out her own opportunities, however her aristocratic parents have other plans in mind. They want their daughter married to a man of high status and means. Unfortunately, their ambition leads to nothing but trouble as they wind up in...more Simply put, this is another one of those novels that you will either love or hate. As for me, my goodness I loved it!

Lady Glynis Wright is Dracula’s love interest of choice in Rhiannon Frater’s dark and gothic novel. She aspires for a carefree life where she can seek out her own opportunities, however her aristocratic parents have other plans in mind. They want their daughter married to a man of high status and means. Unfortunately, their ambition leads to nothing but trouble as they wind up in Dracula’s home and ultimately his evil clutches. It’s going to be a hell of a battle to get him to let go.

Overall I was very impressed. By the 20% into the story I had no idea where things would go next. This book at 20% would be another book at 100%, I guarantee it. This really built anticipation and excitement for me. Though Frater introduces her own take on this age old tale, it successfully incorporates Braham stoker’s fictional world in a manner that provides endless possibilities while still feeling familiar. While it feels long at times, I honestly never wanted to put the novel down because I was so immersed.

Your mental approach to this book will mean everything. If you want to enjoy it, I highly recommend that you envision Dracula as the villain. This book is NOT, I repeat, NOT a love story and if you keep that in mind you may be more willing to stay on this roller coaster ride to see how it all plays out. Dracula gets so much focus that you want him to seem like an anti-hero, but honestly he is Glynis’s nemesis who she must overcome. I loved how this dynamic broke the usual formulaic mold of a brooding guy who may be an ass to the heroine; however he hasn’t yet crossed that moral event horizon–therefore he’s redeemable.

Some of the themes are very disturbing, especially the sexual themes. While this is fiction, it really pushed the limits for me and I feel that it’s not for the faint of heart. It’s brutal and downright ugly at its most intense and lowest moments. Then games are even more psychological and political than physical and I felt true horror as I read a number of the scenes.

I didn’t really know what to expect when I read this book, but I LOVED getting this kind of surprise.(less)

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Dec 18, 2009 Floridapossum rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror

I had the pleasure of reading this book a few weeks ago. It is truly one of the best vampire novels I have read in a very long time. This book allows us to see another dimension of the legendary vampire and slip into their skin. Reading "The Tale of the Vampire Bride", will take you on a roller coaster ride of emotions and it's no kiddy ride.

Thoroughly enjoyable and in the ilk of Bram Stoker's original "Dracula", I highly recommend this read for any fan of the vampire genre.

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Jul 30, 2012 Lori added it

5 stars...try like...One Million Stars. This book has everything I want and more in vampire books. I don't mind new age vampire novels with their lovey feely vampires that sparkle and have sweet dogs. I don't absolutely love them either. I may like the romance of the the story but for the most part I find vampires like that kinda meh. I have never had a problem finding anything Rhiannon does as meh. Ever. If I am going to lose myself in a vampire book I WANT my vampires to be horrifying. I want...more 5 stars...try like...One Million Stars. This book has everything I want and more in vampire books. I don't mind new age vampire novels with their lovey feely vampires that sparkle and have sweet dogs. I don't absolutely love them either. I may like the romance of the the story but for the most part I find vampires like that kinda meh. I have never had a problem finding anything Rhiannon does as meh. Ever. If I am going to lose myself in a vampire book I WANT my vampires to be horrifying. I want them bloody. I want them slightly mad with blood lust and power. I want them to sexual predators....wait that came out wrong. I want the to be sexy, and dark, and beautiful but most of all I want them deadly and covered in blood. Vampires shouldn't be you prom date. They should be haunting you and conspiring to slaughter your school at prom. (Hello shout out to Buffy the Vampire Slayer the movie, and TV show). They should be stealing virgins and scarficing them, unleashing the swamp monster, and wolf man all whilst looking for the amulet to free the forces of hell. Frankenstein should be your friend. (shout out the Monster Squad). You get my point. I grew up in the day and age where vampires were MONSTERS! Thank you Rhiannon Frater for giving me those monsters.
Now to talk about this particular book...LOL that's what you thought I was doing? Well I was. But not specifically.
To me this book has two parts to it. The first part is the betrayal, the changing, and the aftermath. The second part is the discovery of self, love and power. These are my distinctions not Rhiannon's.
The first part of this book is dark. Very dark. The mood matches Vlad's castle, Glynis matches Vlad's castle. It is gothic horror at it's best. Vlad is an evil dickhead. He is gross and disgusting and I hate him as much as Glynis does. The light at the end of the tunnel. Well Glynis's relationship with the sister brides. I love the relationship she has with them. They very much save her from being destroyed by Vlad. They also remind Glynis of what she doesn't want to become. Seeing their devotion to Vlad allows her to keep her soul. It disgusts her so much that she is able to maintain her independence.
The second book is much lighter. Even though Glynis clearly cannot go into the sun light I picture their time in Buda as being sunny. Glynis is much happier out the castle's gloom. She has freedom. The light well I won't tell you. But it is yummy.
The last 30% of this book. Oh wow, was everything thrown up in the air. I loved the way the pieces landed. It was wonderful. I never grew to love Vlad and neither did Glynis (thank goodness) but I did enjoy his monsterhood. It was refreshing. Glynis spent as much time covered in blood in the book as she did in gowns. Swoon. I love that!! Thank you Miss Frater for the monsters! (less)

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Mar 28, 2012 Kris43 rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: horror, dark-fantasy, gothic-horror, historical-fiction, favorites, historical-horror, sweet-evil, vampire, gothic

Don't let the pretty lady on the cover fool you. This is NOT a heart-wrenching cheesy romance! If you are looking for light 'sparkly vampire' fluffy romance type of reading, look elsewhere.

This is a REAL HORROR in every sense of the word! Its full of dark deeds that will make your blood freeze.
It made my cry, terrified me, enraged me, horrified me, outraged me and god knows what else.... But not for one moment was i bored or indifferent about it!
I recommend it for real horror lovers.

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Jan 20, 2013 Dawnie rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was pretty awesome. It was very old school vampire... It sort of had this feel to it.

Except the vampire looked more like this

Except he had a mustache...

Crap. I can't get this right :/

You get the point though. He was hot and he had a mustache. I used to think those two were mutually exclusive, but Rhiannon Frater has some serious powers of persuasion because I was sensing some serious hotness from the main vampire/bad guy. (I looooove it when you can't figure out if you're supposed to l...more

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Oct 30, 2012 Heidi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Four stars: A terrifying tale that takes us back to the most famous vampire of all time!

Glynis resents the fact that she is being carted all over Europe to prospective male suitors. Why does she have to marry? Why can't she be free to choose her own mate and live a life free of societal constraints? As the coach lumbers up the treacherous mountain road, she feels an overwhelming sense of foreboding. When their journey is suddenly halted by boulders in the road, her anxiety grows. The giant rocks...more

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Jun 03, 2012 Jackie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: on-my-kindle

This little gem puts Twilight to shame. I must admit that Vlads abuse of Glynis was terrible to read but I persevered their rocky relationship and was relieved after he takes her to Buda. That's when it gets better. Glynis seemed more happy and content there, Vlad mellows out a bit, and it is where she meets Ignatius whom she loves, but besides Vlads wrath, she encounters a Dhampir, Gregor, and a group of Vampire Hunters in that town. They are responsible for burning down Dracula's Estate in Bud...more

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Jan 13, 2011 Stefanie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Horror, Paranormal Romance, Suspence and Goth

I admit it. I have a vampire thing... along with half a million other people... However, I am starting to notice that most of the leading male vamps are well kinda... soft... Like seriously, what's the point of dating a Vampire who'd rather not drink blood and glitters in the sun? I like my Vamps with a heavy dose of bad assness.

Enter Vlad The Impaler.

Nice.

It was on reputation alone that I kindled this book. I've really been getting burnt with the Vampire Romance thing and didn't really know if...more

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Feb 06, 2012 Megan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Words can not describe how much I love this book. But here is my attempt to try and explain my love. I found this book on my iBooks app bored one day trying to find something interesting to read. Needless to say, I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. My eyes were glued to my phone. People probably assumed I was some crazy phone addict playing Angry Birds or something but seriously I was just..so impressed. I love Glynis's character and how much depth is put into every character. I love Rhiannon's character o...more

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May 23, 2011 Future Slayer Girl (aka: kitten) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorite, horror, vampire, rhiannon-frater

You know when you get a present from someone that you really don’t know all that well. You haven’t told them what you wanted, yet you take it with some trepidation, but at the same time you have this internal excitement that you just might get something super good?

That is what reading The Tale of the Vampire Bride was about. I have to admit that about a quarter way through the book I hated it. I wanted to stop and tell everyone about the bitter taste it left in my mouth. However, I am a sucker...more You know when you get a present from someone that you really don’t know all that well. You haven’t told them what you wanted, yet you take it with some trepidation, but at the same time you have this internal excitement that you just might get something super good?

That is what reading The Tale of the Vampire Bride was about. I have to admit that about a quarter way through the book I hated it. I wanted to stop and tell everyone about the bitter taste it left in my mouth. However, I am a sucker for abusive, sociopathic, and brutish vampires apparently, because against my better judgment I keep on reading.

Was I glad I did?

HELL YES! This book unraveled in this complicated weaving of the traditional Dracula tale, with the perspective of his unwilling Bride Glynis Wright. I have to admit that I loved her from that start and I was so angry over her treatment in the beginning half of the book. Then the plot started to evolve. Then things started to click in my brain. Then I just couldn’t stop, but I had to. I had to walk away and take a deep breath because I was getting far too involved in the characters.

I was starting to somewhat fall for the abuser!

I felt dirty, I felt wrong, but in all fairness, it makes since. Vlad is the ultimate bad boy. He suddenly sees, and by then it is too late, his brutality is his ultimate downfall.

There are some grammar errors throughout the book, which I know that ultimately the stuck up reader will judge the whole book on. Trust me, I have seen a very and truly amazing story be taken down brutally by the stuck up reader just because of grammar issues. I am not said stuck up reader and I saw the book for what it was, one hell of a damned good vampire book! The heroine was strong, the villain was an anti hero that I want more of, and the love interests’ fate was left to the unknown. It was a book filled with twists and turns, and the narrative totally sucked me into Glynis’s world.

I recommend this book to ANYONE that wants a good juicy vampire book to sink into. It is not for the faint of heart and it will piss off most women, but in the end I’m pretty sure you will be left like I am, wanting more and it’s on its way. According to the author’s blog she’s on Chapter 19!
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Jun 28, 2012 Kristin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, horror, kindle, own

If you like your vampires classically wicked, nasty and powerful, you'll love this nightmare of a tale from Rhiannon Frater!

Frater has become known as of late for her zombie trilogy, As The World Dies, and the hugely popular The Last Bastion of the Living: A Futuristic Zombie Novel. But before zombies, I think she loved her vampires a bit more. Case in point, the classic and sophisticated nightmare-ish tale of The Vampire Bride.

Told in the first person through diary entries, Lady Glynis Wright...more If you like your vampires classically wicked, nasty and powerful, you'll love this nightmare of a tale from Rhiannon Frater!

Frater has become known as of late for her zombie trilogy, As The World Dies, and the hugely popular The Last Bastion of the Living: A Futuristic Zombie Novel. But before zombies, I think she loved her vampires a bit more. Case in point, the classic and sophisticated nightmare-ish tale of The Vampire Bride.

Told in the first person through diary entries, Lady Glynis Wright is a nineteen year old English aristocrat whose parents are bound and determined to marry her off despite her protests. Glynis refuses to play nice while meeting potential suitors. On a last ditch effort to find her a husband, the family heads to Hungary to meet Count Vlad Dracula. Dracula, a name of prestige and wealth in society, soon becomes the true meaning of evil to Glynis.

I had been hearing about author Rhiannon Frater all over the blogs and how terrific her books were. Not having read a lot of zombie books, I decided to start with her Vampire Bride series, a genre I know and love. I started reading urban fantasy with Anita Blake so my first love is Jean-Claude and I will always love him most. He might have some competition, though. We'll have to see...

I absolutely loved getting into this vampire tale fraught with evil, true love and ultimately tortured souls that had me feeling empathy for the bad guy at moments. Truly, sometimes even I wasn't sure who the bad guys were. Ms. Frater convincingly had my emotions shredded back and forth consistently throughout the entire length of the book. If the rest of the book sucked, I would have given this book 5 stars on the ending alone!

The pace of the book was timed perfectly. There were absolutely no lulls in the story where I felt comfortable putting the book down. And I connected with each and every character, even peripheral characters whose motivations I quickly understood even as briefly as they were "on the scene".

Ms. Frater doesn't hold anything back in the horror, torture and evil departments. This is NOT a light, breezy read. I think I like that most about the story. There is no dancing around the subject here! Hold on!

It IS a great, classic vampire tale for the mature audience; for those of us who can appreciate a dark tale of despair, love and hope. I think all vampire fans MUST read this book, if not for the sheer pleasure of reading a good book, but to read an example of what a classic vampire, in my opinion, truly is in literature. (less)

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Dec 03, 2012 beepbop rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: vampires, thriller, pnromance, new-adult-ya, angsty-love, sexy-men, unhealthy-love, all-time-favorite

Oh..my..I am utterly speechless...What a wonderful book..I must say I enjoyed it a lot. Glyniss knows how to take care of herself. She knows what she must do throughout the story and she never forgot it. Although she did seem like a spoiled child, I think she developed into a strong and outstanding woman. I truly thought this would be another erotic vampire book but BOY WAS I WRONG. There were minimal graphic scenes but for once, I didn't mind. Vlad was a total dick to her for more than 75% of t...more Oh..my..I am utterly speechless...What a wonderful book..I must say I enjoyed it a lot. Glyniss knows how to take care of herself. She knows what she must do throughout the story and she never forgot it. Although she did seem like a spoiled child, I think she developed into a strong and outstanding woman. I truly thought this would be another erotic vampire book but BOY WAS I WRONG. There were minimal graphic scenes but for once, I didn't mind. Vlad was a total dick to her for more than 75% of the story. But I'm glad that he realized he can't change her and that was what made her so special.
In a sick twisted way, he loved her.
DEFINITELY MY FAVORITE SCENES: WARNING...EXTREME SPOILERS!!!!!!! Seriously, don't click the spoiler if you want to enjoy the book the way I have.
YOU WERE WARNED
(view spoiler)
SPOILERRRR!!!
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Apr 17, 2013 Micky "CafeAuLait" rated it 5 of 5 stars

My best friend had been telling me to get this book for the last 2 years but I refused. However, once I saw all of the glowing reviews I was compelled to purchase it.

When I first started reading it I thought, "Great, just what I needed, Dracula's story re-hashed by yet another author." I honestly became frustrated. Much to my amazement just a few short pages after my dreadful thoughts I realized how wrong I was. This was so much more than another spin on Dracula.

The story of Lady Glynis, her fam...more

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Apr 04, 2012 Sara Z rated it 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars Frater is a very good writer. Having read other books of hers I have noticed that she can change her style of writing based on the story and time period shes writing about and she will always make you want to read the book in one sitting. I have never wanted to put her books down once I have started them. She makes every story exciting, interesting, intriguing and believable and this makes an excellent writer, and this story was no different. She kept me interested right from the start...more

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Sep 22, 2011 Deanna rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal, own-kindle-edition, vampire, dark-fantasy, must-have-auto-buy-author-series, rhiannon-frater, vampire-bride-series, horror, favorites, adult, gothic, re-read, part-of-a-series

I would put this book as surpassing Bram Stroker's Dracula by a long shot. Any Anne Rice fan's will love this series. A true future "classic" of Dracula by the bloody brilliant novelist Rhiannon Frater. She is now in my top 5 Arthur's. She left me speechless in a good way.

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Aug 12, 2012 Stacy rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: all my friends

This book had me from page one following Lady Glynis and her trip thru her short life into becoming undead. She has so much sadness in her life (and rebirth) Her rebirth will entrap you and make you feel her madness that she uses to her advantage to "live" she is so strong and Beautiful inside and out.. As for Vlad Count Dracula I know he is the bad guy and believe me I really did not like him but yet I felt for him I am not sure why there is just something about him that pulls at your heart str...more

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Jun 08, 2011 A rated it 2 of 5 stars

Hmm...This started out really good! Especially after reading The Historian. This was Dracula how vampires should be. I did think the heroine got a bit over the top after she turned. Yea, we get it, you hate Vlad. Yea, he's mean and violent. How many times does Glynis need to stomp her foot? Oh right, once more with feeling please! I think some of the story could have been edited out due to repetition and there were still a few grammatical errors that stood out, but hey - it was still an ok story...more

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Aug 27, 2012 Lynn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Rhiannon blew me away with this book. My friend borrowed me the book not thinking I would read all of it. I am a bit of a book snob if I can't get drawn in I usually bag the book. she was expecting to give the book back before she left my house. Instead when she left the house I had no clue I was pulled in this dark Gothic novel and was devouring. I wanted Vlad dead so badly he made me so anger what he did. Rhiannon did an excellent job of making me hate Vlad beyond words. Lady Glynis stole my h...more

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Oct 19, 2012 Chelsina Kong rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

When I saw the book, I hesitated to start reading it as it was very thick and the writings were smaller than the usual books I read before. However, once I started the book, it was hard to stop. Whirlwind experience. Even sobbed at the part where she had to suck the life out of Glynis' mother. The book had me hate Vlad Dracula in the beginning. Oh yes, I hated him so much. But as the story goes on, I kind of felt for him. Was hoping Glynis would fall for him.

Halfway reading the story, I was eag...more

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Sep 06, 2011 Anna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-books

Don't let the cartoon-ish style cover fool you, this book is a dark, delicious treat of traditional Gothic horror that showcases everything that vampires should be~ cruel, violent, selfish, mysterious, powerful, arrogant, mesmerizing, and decadent...with just a hint of romance.

Glynis is a woman ahead of her time, albeit slightly immature, and the trappings of Victorian society hold no appeal. She seeks romance and adventure, fancying herself in love with the famous, and controversial poet, Lord...more

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Jul 16, 2011 Julie S. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A delicious and eerie horror novel :)

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Dec 04, 2012 Mary rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: everyone

Edit: 12/4/12 - I have decided that I didn't like my wording on a few things so I've tweaked the review. Still love the book!

I loved this book! It kept me awake the night I finished because I couldn’t stop thinking about Glynis, the main character, and how this part of her story ended. As a woman, I appreciated her strength but she did try my patience a few times. In the end I decided that it was okay for her to be a little petulant (stomping her foot and pouting when she didn’t get her way). I...more Edit: 12/4/12 - I have decided that I didn't like my wording on a few things so I've tweaked the review. Still love the book!

I loved this book! It kept me awake the night I finished because I couldn’t stop thinking about Glynis, the main character, and how this part of her story ended. As a woman, I appreciated her strength but she did try my patience a few times. In the end I decided that it was okay for her to be a little petulant (stomping her foot and pouting when she didn’t get her way). It actually made her more charming. She may have been too harsh otherwise.

I don’t want to give away too much because I am recommending that anyone who enjoys vampire, dark gothic horror or just GOOD books should read this. Glynis is travelling with her family so that they can find her a husband. Keep in mind that she doesn’t want a husband but her family is anxious to get her married. They love her and I think they want the best for her. But, given the time period, this urge to get your teenage daughter married was the norm. When they come to Vlad Tepes’ / Count Dracula’s / Prince Vlad’s home, things don’t quite go as planned (to say the least). This isn’t Twilight, people. Don’t expect Vlad to be a sparkly, piano-playing, tree-climbing introvert. He is BAD and things get ROUGH! Did I mention that this is DARK gothic horror? Let’s just say that I, along with Glynis, hated Vlad with a passion during most of this book. There is a love interest for Glynis, Ignatius. But I have to admit that, as a character only, he wasn’t as interesting as Vlad.

When I finished the book, I debated the rating with myself. It isn’t perfect (my e-book has several typos which would usually drive me nuts). But, the strength of the story more than overshadowed those slight issues so this is definitely a 5-star read for me. The scenes where Vlad shows himself, the violent life that he has lived and his true feelings were written in such a way that while you could never forgive him, you could at least have some understanding. This is rare for me and it takes a very talented author.

Rhiannon Frater rocks. Read her books!
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Sep 01, 2012 Ashley (The Bibliophile's Corner) rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the second book by Rhiannon that I have read. And oh my lord! I love her.

I have been a huge fan vampire stories since I was in middle school. All kinds of vampires. And Rhiannon's Vampire Bride series is very much like the old, Gothic horror vampires that seem to be lost to today's modern novels.

Glynis is headstrong, stubborn, and speaks her mind. Oh, how I love her. She is a redhead, so her fiery temper gets her in trouble a lot. What I love the most about her is that she while she fo...more

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Jul 30, 2012 Lori rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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

5 stars...try like...One Million Stars. This book has everything I want and more in vampire books. I don't mind new age vampire novels with their lovey feely vampires that sparkle and have sweet dogs. I don't absolutely love them either. I may like the romance of the the story but for the most part I find vampires like that kinda meh. I have never had a problem finding anything Rhiannon does as meh. Ever. If I am going to lose myself in a vampire book I WANT my vampires to be horrifying. I want...more 5 stars...try like...One Million Stars. This book has everything I want and more in vampire books. I don't mind new age vampire novels with their lovey feely vampires that sparkle and have sweet dogs. I don't absolutely love them either. I may like the romance of the the story but for the most part I find vampires like that kinda meh. I have never had a problem finding anything Rhiannon does as meh. Ever. If I am going to lose myself in a vampire book I WANT my vampires to be horrifying. I want them bloody. I want them slightly mad with blood lust and power. I want them to sexual predators....wait that came out wrong. I want the to be sexy, and dark, and beautiful but most of all I want them deadly and covered in blood. Vampires shouldn't be you prom date. They should be haunting you and conspiring to slaughter your school at prom. (Hello shout out to Buffy the Vampire Slayer the movie, and TV show). They should be stealing virgins and scarficing them, unleashing the swamp monster, and wolf man all whilst looking for the amulet to free the forces of hell. Frankenstein should be your friend. (shout out the Monster Squad). You get my point. I grew up in the day and age where vampires were MONSTERS! Thank you Rhiannon Frater for giving me those monsters.
Now to talk about this particular book...LOL that's what you thought I was doing? Well I was. But not specifically.
To me this book has two parts to it. The first part is the betrayal, the changing, and the aftermath. The second part is the discovery of self, love and power. These are my distinctions not Rhiannon's.
The first part of this book is dark. Very dark. The mood matches Vlad's castle, Glynis matches Vlad's castle. It is gothic horror at it's best. Vlad is an evil dickhead. He is gross and disgusting and I hate him as much as Glynis does. The light at the end of the tunnel. Well Glynis's relationship with the sister brides. I love the relationship she has with them. They very much save her from being destroyed by Vlad. They also remind Glynis of what she doesn't want to become. Seeing their devotion to Vlad allows her to keep her soul. It disgusts her so much that she is able to maintain her independence.
The second book is much lighter. Even though Glynis clearly cannot go into the sun light I picture their time in Buda as being sunny. Glynis is much happier out the castle's gloom. She has freedom. The light well I won't tell you. But it is yummy.
The last 30% of this book. Oh wow, was everything thrown up in the air. I loved the way the pieces landed. It was wonderful. I never grew to love Vlad and neither did Glynis (thank goodness) but I did enjoy his monsterhood. It was refreshing. Glynis spent as much time covered in blood in the book as she did in gowns. Swoon. I love that!! Thank you Miss Frater for the monsters!(less)

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Jan 20, 2013 Amy at bookgoonie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult, ebook, own, series-f, vampires, 2012-read

You know how I love read-alongs. Well I’m even more grateful for them, because one of them introduced me the dark greatness that is Rhiannon Frater. My first contact with her work was a read-along Pretty When She Dies. She lured me in with her tragic situations and feisty characters. It didn’t take any arm twisting to get me to devour her zombie series, As the World Dies. Another WIN! So I patiently waited for the perfect time to read The Tale of the Vampire Bride…HALLOWEEN. (Really it sat on my...more You know how I love read-alongs. Well I’m even more grateful for them, because one of them introduced me the dark greatness that is Rhiannon Frater. My first contact with her work was a read-along Pretty When She Dies. She lured me in with her tragic situations and feisty characters. It didn’t take any arm twisting to get me to devour her zombie series, As the World Dies. Another WIN! So I patiently waited for the perfect time to read The Tale of the Vampire Bride…HALLOWEEN. (Really it sat on my Nook and glared at me.) It is even more tragic and Glynis and Vlad refused to be ignored.

I really wasn’t prepared for the horror that Glynis was going to experience. She is trapped in the Victorian choke-hold. She must suitably be married off…blaa, blaa, blaa. She bucks all attempts by her parents to make her comply, especially those that don’t suit her at all. This leads her to some far off castle and Prince Vlad. When she denies Vlad, her worst nightmares come true. The nightmare rains down on her over and over again. I almost got torture-fatigue. I even questioned whether I was enjoying the book at this point. I was totally getting it. Life sucked big time for Glynis. She wished she was dead. She had a restricted Victorian life ripped away and replaced with an harem abusive vampire existence. There was half the book to go and I couldn’t stay in her dungeon through more of the same.

Then they take unexpected trip to Buda, here things get really interesting. She was always strong, but she starts to understand her vampire power. She is able to enjoy a measure of freedom and love. She experiences love for the first time in the hands of an unknown vampire. Buda is about change and Vlad has changed too. He tries his hardest to turn his passion for cruel into something that could win over Glynis’ heart. It was a beautiful and fulfilling thing to watch Glynis change from the victim that refused to be broken to the master of her own fate. But the process of the quest for power and love and the balance wrenched my heart and at times I really didn’t know which path I wanted her to take.

It was so worth and necessary to experience the cruel acts of Vlad and his reign to fully basque in character development and richness of that process.

It is both haunting and beautiful. A strong woman that refuses to be broken can eventually direct her own fate.(less)

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Oct 05, 2011 Angela ♥ Mrs. Hollywood ♥ rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dark-fantasy, favorites

This book is incredible.
It is a Dracula story, set in the 1800s.
The aristocratic Wright family, have been trying to find a proper husband for their daughter Glynis. A friend of theirs suggested that she meet Count Dracula. The family agreed that the Count would be her perfect match. Once the family visited Vlad's castle, they realized what a mistake it was to try to force their daughter into a marriage with this evil man. The family was unable to leave the castle, and Glynis was forced into be...more

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The Tale Of The Vampire Bride (Vampire Bride #1)

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