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65th out of 90 books
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21 voters
The Blood Countess (Pandora English #1)
by
Tara Moss (Goodreads Author)
Pandora English is no ordinary small town orphan. When she's invited to live with her mysterious Great-Aunt Celia in New York City, she seizes the opportunity to escape her stifling hometown break from her tragic past and make it as a writer. Things, however, are not what she is expecting. For starters, her great-aunt's gothic mansion is in a mist-wreathed Manhattan suburb...more
Mass Market Paperback, 389 pages
Published
2010
by Pan Macmillan Australia
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Before I get to the review I wrote when I first read this book, I should point out that I'm re-reading it. The sequel (The Spider Goddess) is coming out soon and I enjoyed this book so much that I want the story fresh in my noggin before I start it. Ready for the review? Here goes...
I love supernatural stuff. Always have. Call me a stick-in-the-mud purist, but many of the new takes on established characteristics of supernatural folk set my teeth on edge. I'll take Anne Rice over Stephanie Meyer...more
I love supernatural stuff. Always have. Call me a stick-in-the-mud purist, but many of the new takes on established characteristics of supernatural folk set my teeth on edge. I'll take Anne Rice over Stephanie Meyer...more
You know what? I really enjoyed The Blood Countess by Tara Moss. It wasn’t super-deep (it’s about fashion and magazines in New York), and it wasn’t brooding and angst-ridden. It was fun, entertaining and amusing.
The main character, Pandora, comes to New York from some tiny hicksville town, to stay with her great aunt. She was desperate to get away from said small town partly because of the hicks and partly because it’s her dream to be a writer and work at a New York magazine. Back home, where sh...more
The main character, Pandora, comes to New York from some tiny hicksville town, to stay with her great aunt. She was desperate to get away from said small town partly because of the hicks and partly because it’s her dream to be a writer and work at a New York magazine. Back home, where sh...more
I have listed this as young adult novel because I feel in some ways it is but in other ways it is not.
Anyway when I started reading this book it felt like 'the devil wears prada' crossed with the paranormal. I found the first person style grating and I do not know why but it seemed a way to cheat you out the story.
I liked the ghost, Luke and I really held out that this would be a better book than some of the other paranormal stuff out there. The characters, except for Pandora, were rounded, in...more
Anyway when I started reading this book it felt like 'the devil wears prada' crossed with the paranormal. I found the first person style grating and I do not know why but it seemed a way to cheat you out the story.
I liked the ghost, Luke and I really held out that this would be a better book than some of the other paranormal stuff out there. The characters, except for Pandora, were rounded, in...more
I found this in the library while waiting for my ordered books to arrive, so decided to see what makes a Tara Moss book.
My overall impression of The Blood Countess is that the book is written in a very simple style that really made it feel like a YA book, although it was mostly about adult characters. The story is about a 19 yo, Pandora English, that moves from living with a very strict aunt in a hick town to living with a great aunt (who doesn't look so old) in a very old house in a part of Man...more
My overall impression of The Blood Countess is that the book is written in a very simple style that really made it feel like a YA book, although it was mostly about adult characters. The story is about a 19 yo, Pandora English, that moves from living with a very strict aunt in a hick town to living with a great aunt (who doesn't look so old) in a very old house in a part of Man...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
"For nineteen years I'd been told that I was weird and different and unnatural and wrong."
Nineteen-year-old Pandora English, moves out from her small town Gretchenville to live with her Great Aunt Celia in a rather odd town in New York. She lands herself a writing job for magazine also called Pandora and is told many requests along with warnings from Celia such as being out at night on the streets of New York.
While working at her new job, she reveals the truth about a cream known as BloodofYou...more
A great, fun read with a smart and engaging protagonist and a mystery to solve. Pandora English comes from a small town, where she went to live with a strict aunt after her parents died in Egypt. It's been drilled into her that she has strange fancies that her just her imagination, but the reader can see long before Pandora accepts it that she can see ghosts and has premonitions.
Pandora arrives in New York at the start of the book to stay with her elderly Great Aunt Celia, hoping to break into j...more
Pandora arrives in New York at the start of the book to stay with her elderly Great Aunt Celia, hoping to break into j...more
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3.5 stars
If I had to describe The Blood Countess I'd say it’s a mix of 'The devil wears Prada' with paranormal and mythology twists. Quite interesting if you think about it.
Pandora has spent her whole life dreaming of getting out of her small town. A town where she was looked at as "the weird kid" (especially after an incident when she was little where she told people she spoke to the local, recently departed, butcher). So when her great aunt Celia invites her to come live with her in NY, Pandor...more
If I had to describe The Blood Countess I'd say it’s a mix of 'The devil wears Prada' with paranormal and mythology twists. Quite interesting if you think about it.
Pandora has spent her whole life dreaming of getting out of her small town. A town where she was looked at as "the weird kid" (especially after an incident when she was little where she told people she spoke to the local, recently departed, butcher). So when her great aunt Celia invites her to come live with her in NY, Pandor...more
Vampires and high fashion models seem to be a recurring theme in a lot of modern paranormal romances. Is that a comment on the unnaturally good looks of these women, that normal girls can't possible look this good? Or am I reading too much into this, is it merely that Tara is familiar with this world so feels comfortable setting her characters there? Whatever the reason, it is not really my thing. I couldn't be less interested in the fashion world if I tried.
Stories of high fashion, fashion maga...more
Stories of high fashion, fashion maga...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I have read all of Tara Moss's thrillers so far (apart from the one JUST released) and have enjoyed them. I had no idea she had written two supernatural YA novels until I accidentally came across them. On the surface, it would seem Moss is cashing in on writing this book and its sequel, what with all the popularity of the Twilight books. But the way I see it, she has taken a genre and written new stories and has written them WELL. Twilight this isn't. Yes, this book centers around a teenager who...more
ok I wanted a better ending to this but I just hate books that just leave you hanging there waiting for the next book to come out like a year later... oh well back to the matter at hand I loved the book ether way the fact that the main can see ghosts is cool and that Kiss *faints* with the ghost not the other kiss, I wonder if he's alive?.....
This story ended with me kind of mad
"The next one?" what next one it's killing me not knowing but at lest I know the next books name The Spider Goddess co...more
This story ended with me kind of mad
"The next one?" what next one it's killing me not knowing but at lest I know the next books name The Spider Goddess co...more
The Blood Countess is a fairytale. Orphan girl grows up “different” in a small town. Great-aunt invites her to the big city. Great-aunt transforms her life. Girl has to discover her power (linked to discovering her identity) and use it. There are villains to defeat.
What gives this story life beyond the fairytale framework is the confident yet vulnerable voice of the heroine and the fabulous use of New York as the setting. New York is perfect for fairytales.
Two handsome princes was a nice touch…e...more
What gives this story life beyond the fairytale framework is the confident yet vulnerable voice of the heroine and the fabulous use of New York as the setting. New York is perfect for fairytales.
Two handsome princes was a nice touch…e...more
4 likes · like · see review
The Blood Countess is a clever, intense and delightful read that blends the glamourous world of fashion with the shadowy paranormal would that lies within to ours. I can’t get over how much I loved this, and can’t wait to continue Pandora’s adventures in the next books.
The story sucks you right in with Pandora’s unique and vivacious narration, and very soon you’re immersed in her life. She’s a great character: spunky, nervous but brave, courageous and intelligent, all the things I love in my pro...more
The story sucks you right in with Pandora’s unique and vivacious narration, and very soon you’re immersed in her life. She’s a great character: spunky, nervous but brave, courageous and intelligent, all the things I love in my pro...more
This book had a great premise. Orphan small town girl invited to NYC by great-aunt, gets job with fashion magazine only to discover that the new miracle cosmetic that everyone is raving about is not the product of mortal design and once it wears off, let's just say beauty is only skin deep. Meanwhile, our lovely young heroine sees and talks to ghosts. The problem with the book is that it was dull. Our heroine came from a one horse town and yet adapted to NYC like a duck to water yet continued to...more
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The Book Twins | YA & Adult reviews
I was given The Skeleton Key to review, but since I hadn't read the first two, I decided to track down the books to read and review them first. So while I am quite behind on my review for Book 3, I knew I had to read the first two first. I'm picky like that.
In the first installment to this Pandora English series, Tara Moss takes us on a journey as we discover a young girl, Pandora, 19 years old travels to New York City to live with her Grea...more
The Book Twins | YA & Adult reviews
I was given The Skeleton Key to review, but since I hadn't read the first two, I decided to track down the books to read and review them first. So while I am quite behind on my review for Book 3, I knew I had to read the first two first. I'm picky like that.
In the first installment to this Pandora English series, Tara Moss takes us on a journey as we discover a young girl, Pandora, 19 years old travels to New York City to live with her Grea...more
Pandora English leaves her small town life, to break free from her tragic past, when she is invited to live with her aunt in New York City. She knows nothing about her Great Aunt Celia except that she must quite elderly. Pandora is an aspiring writer and plans to make big changes in her life.
Things are not as Pandora expects when she arrives at her Great-aunt’s gothic mansion. It seems to be in a suburb that doesn’t appear on any maps. She soon learns there are many mysteries behind the almost i...more
Things are not as Pandora expects when she arrives at her Great-aunt’s gothic mansion. It seems to be in a suburb that doesn’t appear on any maps. She soon learns there are many mysteries behind the almost i...more
I've been a fan of Tara Moss for quite a while now, but this is the first Tara Moss book I've read.
Pandora English moves to New York City to live with her eccentric Great Aunt Celia and pursue her dream as a writer with a fashion magazine. Her Aunt lives on the top floor of a gothic revival style Victorian building located in Spektor, in Manhattan. I thoroughly enjoyed the references to the history and description of the mansion, and I share Tara's enthusiasm for gothic architecture and Victori...more
Pandora English moves to New York City to live with her eccentric Great Aunt Celia and pursue her dream as a writer with a fashion magazine. Her Aunt lives on the top floor of a gothic revival style Victorian building located in Spektor, in Manhattan. I thoroughly enjoyed the references to the history and description of the mansion, and I share Tara's enthusiasm for gothic architecture and Victori...more
So it took me a little while to actually get started on the book (mother and housewife duties) but once I got to sit down and read it I couldn't stop. Not only was the plot of the story intriguing but it was really easy to read. I had it done within a couple of hours. This is the first book that Tara Moss has written that I have read. I could tell from the way she described everything in the book that she did a lot of research before she started writing. I loved that. Reading this has made me wa...more
The lovely cover of this novel is what caught my eye... very mysterious! "The Blood Countess" is short and very easy to read! Each chapter starts off with a beautiful page lined with intricate swirls, a bit like the "Iron Fey" series by Julie Kagawa.
The story is of a young, nineteen year old woman named, Pandora English, who has finally escaped her small and quiet town for New York, where she stays in the mysterious house of her great aunt Celia, who, by right, should well be over 50, yet is st...more
The story is of a young, nineteen year old woman named, Pandora English, who has finally escaped her small and quiet town for New York, where she stays in the mysterious house of her great aunt Celia, who, by right, should well be over 50, yet is st...more
So I came across an audiobook on this one, I was a little nervous at the beginning. I am not exactly into Fashion or the Modeling world so the first half of the book, I was not so sure about. But it had enough mystery in it a that I kept listening. But in the middle of this book, a whole bunch of interesting things happen and then some action thrown in. And I do love me some action, female kick-ass scenes with just a little romance. So let me tell you a little about this book.
Pandora English: pa...more
Pandora English: pa...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I really enjoyed this book!
Pandora English is a small town girl who has moved to New York to find a job in journalism and to look after her frail old Great Aunt.
Of course when she gets there nothing is as it seems. Her Great Aunt is young, she lands a job at Pandora magazine (how appropriate), and she notices some strange things about the goings on around her.
There are a lot of paranormal books out there at the moment, but this one is fresh, light and fun.
I look forward to a new book in the seri...more
Pandora English is a small town girl who has moved to New York to find a job in journalism and to look after her frail old Great Aunt.
Of course when she gets there nothing is as it seems. Her Great Aunt is young, she lands a job at Pandora magazine (how appropriate), and she notices some strange things about the goings on around her.
There are a lot of paranormal books out there at the moment, but this one is fresh, light and fun.
I look forward to a new book in the seri...more
I was blown away by this book's mediocrity. A shame, I had such high hopes given I have read every one of Tara's previous books and loved them.
It made me feel slightly queasy quite a bit of the time. I guessed about the blood ingredient in the 1st few pages. I also felt like I was in an Addams Family twilight zone with some of the names she chose. I didn't identify with the heroine and the book was a disappointment in lots of ways.
Sorry Tara, you can't win 'em all.
It made me feel slightly queasy quite a bit of the time. I guessed about the blood ingredient in the 1st few pages. I also felt like I was in an Addams Family twilight zone with some of the names she chose. I didn't identify with the heroine and the book was a disappointment in lots of ways.
Sorry Tara, you can't win 'em all.
I didn't like this book to begin with (one of a bundle from the library). I found the writing quite clunky to begin with and the story 'Devil wears prada' meets vampire. However I was soon caught up in the story and will look at see if the next one is in the library. Wouldn't be rushing out and buying or seeking out other Tara Moss's though. Seems like unsophisticated youth fiction to me - not that there's anything wrong with that - but sophisticated better.
Not a bad book overall, easy and surprisingly quick to read, although it takes a while to get going. It's written in a YA style, and could have been much darker if written in a fully adult style, but it's appropriate for a story with a 19 year old lead character. This is clearly an introductory book to the series, and so not that fulfilling to read on it's own, which is a little disappointing. There is some good action towards the end though.
I thoroughly enjoyed the fun telling of this story. Looking forward to the rest of this series.
Pandora English may be the 'outsider' from Gretchenville (i.e hicksville) but she is a smart, sassy girl who wants to take on New York. She gets more than she bargained for, however, when strange things start happening. Starting with a man being in her room on the first night of her stay.
Pandora English may be the 'outsider' from Gretchenville (i.e hicksville) but she is a smart, sassy girl who wants to take on New York. She gets more than she bargained for, however, when strange things start happening. Starting with a man being in her room on the first night of her stay.
The Blood Countess feels at once modern and vintage, with Pandora the book's heroine coming from small-town America to New York to become a fashion journalist. But things only get stranger when she meets her great-aunt. I love Tara Moss's Makkede Vanderwall books and was excited to see her take on the supernatural. My only small gripe is that I now can't wait to read The Spider Goddess...
It took a while to get started, but by the end I couldn't put it down. Which surprising for me as usually I don't like supernatural themes. Don't go looking for great character development or literary pose. This is for entertainment value not great view changing ideas. Really the writing is a bit,...meh but if you can move past that the story itself has potential.
This book is just fabulous, could not put it down and cant wait to read the second one that is out on December 1st. Tara is the most amazing writer i felt i was there with Pandora on her journey. hope the second book is just an breathtaking to read. if you havent read this book, please do you will no regret it. Just beautiful.
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Tara Moss is a novelist, TV presenter, blogger and journalist.
Since 1999 she has written and published nine bestselling novels including Fetish, Split, Covet, Hit, Siren, Assassin, The Blood Countess and The Spider Goddess, and been published in 18 countries in 12 languages. Her 9th novel, The Skeleton Key, has just been published.
Her non-fiction writing has appeared in Australian Literary Review,...more
More about Tara Moss...
Since 1999 she has written and published nine bestselling novels including Fetish, Split, Covet, Hit, Siren, Assassin, The Blood Countess and The Spider Goddess, and been published in 18 countries in 12 languages. Her 9th novel, The Skeleton Key, has just been published.
Her non-fiction writing has appeared in Australian Literary Review,...more
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