Ghosts of Memories

Vampire Memories #5

by Barb Hendee

With her vampire protector Philip Brante and their human companion Wade Sheffield, a former police psychologist, Eleisha Clevon searches the world for isolated vampires--and offers them sanctuary. She wants to provide a home where she can teach them to follow the Four Laws that will protect them and their kind.
But not all vampires want to live by anyone's rules but their own. Christian Lefevre has been posing a psychic, catering to the upper crust of Seattle society by making contact with their dead loved ones--and leaving his clients faint and weak after each encounter. Now Eleisha must confront the most deadly predator she has ever faced--or lose everything she has fought to protect...

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Vampires, Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Supernatural

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 2, 2012

About the author

[See barbhendee.org]

Like most writers, I've worked at many jobs in my life, including teaching pre-school until I completed my master's degree in Composition Theory. Between 1993 and 2006, I taught college English while writing fiction on the side, some independently and some with my husband and life-long partner J.C.

Over the years, we've lived in Washington State, Idaho, Colorado, and now moved just south of Portland, Oregon. I love the Northwest, and it's a great place to write.

We have a lovely and talented daughter, Jaclyn, who lives in Houston, Texas along with our wonderful and talented son-in-law, Paul.

J.C. and I sold Dhampir in 2001, which changed our lives considerably. It was published in January 2003, and we've published a book in the Noble Dead Saga every year since. In May of 2006, we were both able to quit our teaching jobs and move into full time writing.

Recently, I've begun writing romance/suspense novels, beginning with: Alone with a Soldier. I am so glad my books have found an audience because I love to write fiction more than anything else in the world... and I'm not really good at anything else.

Reviews

[ceecee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bar-none this vampire series was one of the most gripping, heart pounding, suspenseful, blood dripping romance for teens that I've read in a long time. I've been looking for a vampire novel I can really sink my teeth into and I found it. I liked it so much that I set out to get all the books and devour them.

Ghosts of Memories was a fantastic squeal and ending to the series. Each new character is given such carefully written back story that makes you feel like you've known them forever. You feel for them while at the same time gripped with an intense feeling of OH-NO, what is going to happen next feeling.

I love all the permanent characters and the balance they each give to their little community. My favorite character by far is Philip. He's such a wonderful bad guy turned good that I just can't get enough of him. His back story continues to come up because he can't remember anything from his past life. You can see the scars that were left on him when he was human and you know that when he was turned he was nothing less then a deranged animal, but it all just makes his story all the more intriguing.

This story is about a vampire who is old and with a unique ability to plant suggestions into an unwitting victims minds. Unfortunately for all those who encounter them his ability is not limited to humans, but any one, including vampires. His gift is terrible because it can trap you into doing something you would never do or feeling something you never felt.

I love this series.

[Dion Cassidy]

Sped through and enjoyed it.

But it you really could imagine more in the series but suppose that would happen with immortals.

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 3-3.5

*Review*

It is with sad heart that I announce that Ghosts of Memories is the fifth and final installment of the Vampire Memories series. Barb Hendee’s series has been like a comfortable pair of shoes for me. You pretty much know what is going to happen and you still expect nuisances to jump up and bite you in the ass on the way to the completion of the story.

Hendee’s vampires are unique in that they are on a mission to locate and teach wayward vampires the four laws that were once important to the secrecy and safety of the vampire race. They have created an underground of sorts where they can learn not only the 4 laws, but be safe and not have to worry about being eliminated.

Each vampire, except for one, has a psychic ability that manifests itself after being turned. Each is expected to learn, and pass on the 4 laws which include but are not limited to: NO vampire shall kill to feed. NO vampire shall make another without the expression consent of the new fledgling.

So, this is my farewell to arms, as it were. We will no longer hear from Eleisha Chevon who is one of the more unique and intriguing characters in the UF genre. Eleisha has the unique ability to make everyone around her feel sorry for her. She has survived for a very long time because nobody believes she is dangerous.

Nor will we see the flippant and devilishly handsome Philip Brante who loves Eleisha to her core and does everything in his power to protect her even at the risk of his own life. Nor will human psychic and former police department psychologist Wade Sheffield crash our pages in a protective mode over Eleisha while working with Seamus the Ghost in locating lost vampires.

There will be no more of Julian Ashton jumping in at the last moment possible and killing off 50 percent of the vampires that Eleisha and crew have tried to help out and bring to their underground refuge for wayward vampires. We also don't to worry about Ghost Mary Jordane now that Julian has been tied up in a bow and dealt a final death blow due his stature of this series major pain in the ass.

I know in my heart that this is the last book in the series, and that questions and evil villains needed to be wrapped up tightly and shown the exit by slicing off their heads once and for-all! Hendee goes out in style by introducing yet another egomaniac character in Christian LeFevre. Christian is a piece of work. Once he sets his mind and his sights on something, there’s no deferring his actions. Probably the one character I could relate to, in a way, is Ivory Daniels who was stuck with Christian for over 200 years after being forcibly changed. She feels trapped and hopeless until Wade comes along and opens her eyes to the reality of pure freedom.

Ghosts of Memories works pretty well for a standalone novel. Hendee make sure she revisits certain aspects of her series, and adds just enough action to keep readers occupied and happy until the end of the novel. However, I would definitely recommend that readers take the time and get to know Hendee’s world building and her unique characters. I think that once you do, you will come to appreciate them as much as I do.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ghosts of Memories is the fifth and final installment of the Vampire Memories series, so the review here will contain spoilers for the previous books. If you haven't dug into the other books yet, though, you're out of excuses since the entire series is now out for you to glom, so you may want to go do that, starting with Blood Memories.

Every time I review one of these books I talk about how much I like what Hendee's done with Eleisha, and this is no exception. So many urban fantasy novels rely on physical strength above everything else when it comes to the main female character, where it seems being able to swing a sword or handle a gun is far more important than being able to count to ten. In this way, Eleisha is very different from your typical urban fantasy heroine. She's sweet and gentle, and this becomes her strength. She couldn't beat anyone up, at least not physically, but there's an inner steel there, especially when someone is threatening her friends. Her entire mission is one based on a genuine kindness, wanting to find "lost" vampires and help them, but she's by no means a pushover. The complex combination of strength and fragility makes for a fabulous character, and one more relatable than most of the urban fantasy heroines lining the shelves.

Hendee's plots are complex, nuanced things, but they never feel forced or difficult to follow. The plot always seems to spawn from the characters and their personalities and their decisions rather than trying to force them along a pre-determined route, which makes for a more natural feeling story. There's a lot going on, and a lot of characters acting on their own interests, but they're both vivid and distinctive enough there's no effort to keeping them all straight.

And the all-important question: how is it as the series finale? Well, it helps that wrapping the series up with book 5 was the author's idea, so the loose ends are tied up rather than leaving holes for a sequel that never comes. Both the plot points from this particular book and the bigger arcs that span the series are handled with finality. They're not tied up improbably tight, though; you can believe the characters will continue happily, but they'll keep busy.

Final verdict? Satisfying and enjoyable ending to a series I've been delighted to return to with each installment. I'd be hard pressed to find another series to compare The Vampire Memories to, and in the overcrowded urban fantasy market, something with that kind of originality is a gift.

[Michelle Leah Olson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha - Michelle L. Olson:
*ARC provided by the Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Ghosts of Memories is the 5th installment of Barb Hendee's VAMPIRE MEMORIES series, but can easily be read as a standalone novel.

In this installment, Eleisha, our sweet & charming 'vampire social worker' is still on the hunt for others of their kind to offer them refuge at the Underground, the shelter she runs out of a church with her damaged protector and lover Philip and heroic human partner Wade. She's also still making a home for Maxim, Rose, and their ghost Seamus, while helping each to heal in their own way. They've become more than just a group helping one another. They've become a family.

Unfortunately, there's still a diabolical and unstable vampire out there whose only goal is to wipe out any and all vampires whom he sees as competition, and in his head, that's pretty much any vampire except Eleisha, whom he feels he needs to track down those remaining of their kind - in order to eliminate them all.

When Wade and Eleisha find Christian and Ivory, two vampires running a bit of a con game, they set out to make contact and try to convince them to return with them to the Underground where they can keep them safe and introduce them to others of their kind. Things don't go quite as planned, however, and those that they're trying to help just might end up being more trouble than they're worth.

I loved the way that Barb introduced more than 1 villain into this story, and even though the greatest threat started out as Julian in continuation with the books before, it became clear that a calculating vampire with a God complex and an unbalanced sense of self-righteousness is a much greater threat than any crazy psycho with a blade.

I also loved how she used flashbacks to give us more character information and introduce additional emotion into the story. The overlapping histories were a beautiful spin as well and made the interaction between the characters in this release that much more compelling.

While one storyline of the series may have been wrapped up in this installment, the door was opened for a multitude of other possible plotlines for either this series or a spin-off and I can't wait to see where Barb takes us next in this unique and gripping world.

Ghosts of Memories was a wonderful 4 1/2 skull read. I love these characters and I love the emotion that Barb brings in every book!

[Melliane · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5

Mon avis en Français

My English review

And here it is, the fifth book in the Vampire Memories series by Barb Hendee. We find our group as usual with one more person: Maxim, a character we've met in the previous volume. He has changed a lot since they found him and has evolved gradually towards the person he should have been. Of course, he is still very fragile and can’t afford to support Eleisha in her missions.

Wade has discovered the presence of two new vampires in Seattle. Christian is a name that resonates within Philip as a person from his dark past. A person he wants to know and also fears to meet. A vampire he does not remember about but he is far from knowing the determination of his companion who thinks it is her duty to gather all the vampires and help them. So they will go with Wade in Seattle to meet this indicator and his assistant and try to convince them to come and live with them. But not all vampires are nice and lost causes and we can quite see that with this new character. He has a special gift that allows him to defend and handle all those close to him. And when he sees Eleisha for the first time, he is determined to stole her to Philip and take her with him instead of his assistant. And the more we progress in the story the more we understand that the idea is his ultimate goal.

It is quite sad to see how Christian is able to manipulate them all without them noticing it. He is really good at what he does and it will take some time before the others really understand what is happening. Of course, as we have an elder, we also have our dear Julian, determined to stop them all, along with Mary. It’s heartbreaking to see Mary like that, she is so naive throughout the story in the hope of finding her beloved, deceased. I was surprised she does not understand what is happening.

It was nice to discover this novel, it allows us to learn more from the Philip’s past, something we had not yet had the chance to really discover as he keeps things for himself. I was surprised by how the story finished, I did not expect it at all and it is true that I wonder if this volume is the last one of the series. I will surely keep an eye on the releases to determine if this is really the case or not.

[All Things Urban Fantasy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my second of the Vampire Memories series, and I am reminded by how much I enjoy Hendee’s alien yet human vampires. Eleisha and Phillip remain as much co-dependent as in love, Eleisha’s altruistic quest still sends them out into danger to help others, but in GHOSTS OF MEMORIES a new danger emerges from the shadows. While IN MEMORIES WE FEAR focused on the dynamic of Eleisha’s group, GHOSTS OF MEMORIES takes us out into the memories of a few new characters… and a potential new villain.

GHOSTS OF MEMORIES is very accessible as a stand alone book, both in terms of how Hendee sets up this story and resolves it. It made me so happy to read about Maxim’s slow recovery, how he’s adopting animal strays and making himself at home in the Underground. All of the major characters are shown enjoying some measure of peace and contentment in this book, bracketing the usual cat and mouse action of finding new vampires while evading Julian. I even enjoyed how much of this book takes place in the past, as telepathy allows characters (and therefore us) to experience past events as if they were there. Hendee uses this mechanic to take an essentially modern story and transport the narrative into the past. Fans of Kristin Cashore’s Graceling series will recognize how dangerous and insidious one of Hendee’s new characters is, and I liked how Hendee gave me closure on one plot line while leaving the door open for future drama.

While GHOSTS OF MEMORIES is a satisfying end point, I’m sad to see the close of the Vampire Memories series. Hendee leaves enough potential woven into the book that I feel like her characters are living on past that last page. Given how much I enjoyed this author’s unique take on vampirism, I’m looking forward to her next project, the Mist-Torn Witches.

Sexual Content: None.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my second of the Vampire Memories series, and I am reminded by how much I enjoy this alien and slightly disturbing series. Eleisha and Phillip remain as much co-dependent as in love, Eleisha's altruistic quest still sends them out into danger to help others, but in GHOSTS OF MEMORIES a new danger emerges from the shadows. While IN MEMORIES WE FEAR focused on the dynamic of Eleisha's group, GHOSTS OF MEMORIES takes us out into the memories of a few new characters... and a potential new villain.

Fans of Kristen Cashore's Graceling series will recognize how dangerous and insidious Hendee's new character is, and I liked how Hendee gave me closure on one plot line while leaving the door open for future drama. GHOSTS OF MEMORIES is very accessible as a stand alone book, both in terms of how Hendee sets up this story and resolves it. It made me so happy to read about Maxim's slow recovery, how he's adopting animal strays and making himself at home in the Underground. All of the major characters are shown enjoying some measure of peace and contentment in this book, bracketing the usual cat and mouse action of finding new vampires while evading Julian. I even enjoyed how much of this book takes place in the past, as telepathy allows characters (and therefore us) to experience past events as if they were there. This allows Hendee to take an essentially modern story and transport the narrative into the past.

Full review to follow.

Sexual Content: None.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

After giving myself some time to mull it over, I've decided that I guess I am okay with the way this series ended. The ending was rather anti-climatic and leaves a lot of room for the reader to make their own assumptions about the characters' futures. I feel that the format of the series made it so that it really couldn't have a definite ending, though. Well, unless all the characters just died. But only hardcore Harry Potter fans would be okay with an ending like that.

This series really did have an episodic, kinda serial, feel to it -- meaning that each book could be read out of order and it really wouldn't make that much difference (as long as you had read the first book first so you knew why the characters were doing what they were doing). Thus the series ended with the same formulaic story-line and a "they lived happily ever after doing the exact same thing they've been doing for the last six books."

So basically, I would recommend this series -- just don't expect anything overly dramatic at the end.

[R. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Knew something had to change with this book since it was supposedly the end of the series. Julian's death would certainly fit that bill. Ivory was an interesting find, but Christian almost struck me as being worse than Julian. His only saving grace in that rating is that he wasn't actively hunting down all of his own kind... just Phillip and Wayde since they were directly in the path of what he wanted. Rather disappointed that the group didn't put it all together until they all nearly died as a result given they knew his powers and personality after Elisha seeing Christian's memories and Wayde seeing Ivory's. Too little too late I guess. Certainly seemed to apply here. Overall very anticlimactic for the ending.

[Collette Skroch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book, and the series, I read the last book 2 years ago and then hadn't retread the series sense than. I love the chemistry between Eleisha and Phillip. I love how he gets so jealous after not showing so many feelings through out the first few books. It has shown just how human he really is while in a not so human body. I have to say that this book deserves 5 out of 5 stars. I am sad to see it go and would love to Barb Hendee to write another book, even a spin off, can you imagine how great if a book that would be. This last book really wrapped up a lot of stuff for me and I recommend it to anyone who wants to read a vampire book with just a little romance and a great story line!

[Jenifer1223 · Rating 5 out of 5]

The only complaint I have about this book is: It's the end of the Blood Memories series.

I can't even find the right words to say how much I enjoyed reading this. Barb Hendee really does let it all loose on this one; if she wanted this series to go out with a bang...she did it.

There were actually 2 people I would call villains in this book...the traditional, "I'm going to kill you" type, and then a more subtle one that is more like..."hmmm..I wonder if I can get you to do what I want..." type. This made it just plain fun!!

All of the characters were on their A game...even Philip was redeemed...a little bit...for me and I...don't not like him as much!! haha!

Love Love this book. Wonderful! I hate that this is the end!

[Anika · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to wonder if this is this end of a series considering one of the main characters in the book died and it looks like the other side/Elisha is free to do what she wants without anyone getting in her way. I liked the book and was wondering if this was another book where the only difference was a different vampire involved. It seemed that way until one of the main characters who has been in all the books was killed and he was the reason why Elisha's group couldn't focus on their plain but now that he's gone what could lend the book the suspense and action, I suppose the different personalities of the various vamps she finds. I guess I'll have to see.

[Cassandra Ulrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Parting is such sweet sorrow. I really enjoyed "Ghosts of Memories", the last book in the Vampire Memories series by Barb Hendee. Eleisha's search for more vampires with her friends Wade, Philip, and Seamus did not disappoint. Barb's decision to end the series with a story containing riveting fights and a wonderful twist was well timed. I will miss them, but it is time to let go. I do not regret stumbling upon this series. So here I stop before I spoil the ending. Thank you, Barb, for a great series.

[Whitney · Rating 3 out of 5]

This installment was good, but it felt slightly like a repeat of the third book. This is apparently the last book in this series and it was good to see some things resolved but I still felt like there were a lot of open threads at the end, so maybe not quite all the closure I would hope for from an end of series novel. But it was still good and the series overall was interesting and unique.

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read and even though I haven't read the other books, I had no problem enjoying this. I do, however, wonder who Paul Marron was supposed to be? The baddie Julian? The secondary baddie Christian? Or was he supposed to be the human Wade, with Ivy on the cover? Or perhaps Philip with Eleisha? I have no idea.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elisha and Wade have found a new vampire but his gift can be more than they can handle with Julian hunting them all down.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The last two in the series have been the best. I was bummed to realize that this probably ends the series. I was finally hoping for more.

[Dramatica Darmody · Rating 3 out of 5]

a good read but memories of envy was better.

[Blue]

Passed 2022
4 Stars 2013

[Jeannie Lopez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wish there was another ... :(

[Lilla]

received for review: 11 Sept 2012