INITIAL THOUGHTS
To be totally honest due to health & family issues too I had been in a bit of a reading slump, or rut whatever you would call it. So I thought I should go back to the genre that got me back into reading and blogging back in 2010 and that was vampires! As this is a collection of novella's I decided to just read the first novella and see how I went.
MY REVIEW
I downloaded this one from Netgalley for free in exchange for my honest opinion/review.
So from my initial thoughts above I think I have more or less explained I fancied a different pace/genre of book, and have to say this book did not disappoint on either point.
The cover of the complete serial is a bright red squishy looking heart which really stands out from the grey, aged weathered looking background of the cover. To me this really represents the series very well. The bright squishy heart being Angelina, and the grey, aged, cracked background representing Morgan and the life he is living before Delilah and Irene intervene by placing Angelina in his lair (mansion) and preventing her from leaving without their personal permission. they quite literally force Angelina's presence on Morgan.
So the two main character's in this book are Mr Morgan Ward, his sister Delilah and her personal assistant Angelina. To say Angelina is good at her job is an understatement she truly puts in the hours at work, often foregoing her own pleasure's to a side to put her boss, Miss Delilah's quirks and wants first! One of the strangest things Miss Delilah asked her to find were an obscure black orchid. . . it took research and a lot of time but Angelina did source and order the orchids for her employer. So when Angelina is summoned to the private quarters of Miss Delilah, to help her choose which dress to wear for her brother Mr Morgan Ward's enormous birthday party, she just automatically goes to see the outfits and accessories. Once in the room it becomes clear Miss Delilah has a whole different agenda as she almost orders Angelina to try on the outfits and then suddenly informs her that she is to attend the most talked about party ever!
Only Delilah and later we learn Irene (Delilah & Morgan's mother/maker) have rather ulterior motives in taking Angelina to the birthday party, she is to be a "gift" to Morgan as she is "his type". It's only once it's too late that Angelina realises she is a prisoner in Morgan wards home and that Morgan, Delilah and Irene are vampire's!
The book goes on describing the fledgling friendship they have and it's many up's and down's. It is soon clear they are both wanting more than just friendship. . . though Morgan is a very private man with many dark secrets in his past. Morgan has plenty of issue's to work through before he can even begin to have a relationship with any true meaning, rather than just sex. So now I have mentioned the word "sex" there are quite a few "sex scene's" and sexual references. Would I personally call it erotica? Honestly no, it's more steamy and a little racy I guess some would say. The main reason I wouldn't say it is erotica is that there is a definite plot line to this novella collection, there's a genuine bond built between the characters of Morgan, and Angelina.
My opinion on Delilah and Irene changed continually whilst reading this series. From being horrified by Delilah and Irene forcing Angelina to stay in Morgan's mansion. Thinking they are just using Angelina to almost torment Morgan. But then as you read on, your thoughts do change. I mean Irene, Morgan and Delilah have been around centuries surely they should know by now how to coexist and not just be pushing one another's buttons and game playing
I could go on and on about this novella collection, but hey I have to leave you lots to discover for yourselves, and it's certainly worth reading. At the very beginning I was a little dubious as to how I would get along with it, due to the sexual references, and language used, and I admit I was initially a little put off by the first of the scenes, but then I found I wanted to know more about what would really happen between two unsuspecting people, one vampire, and one human that were thrown together. So I ploughed on and ended up really enjoying the book.
I loved the character of Morgan's butler, and the friendship that grows between him and Angelina. I also adored how Angelina changed as a person herself as well as her attempts at chipping away the hard exterior he has built around himself.
Even though the characters of Delilah and Irene are cast as what you could say more evil vampires, that scheme and use humans and treat them as toys that are expendable once they have been used in whatever game they are playing at the time. Though both women come across as hard hearted and at times quite vindictive it is very clear by the end of the book that they both truly love Morgan and want him to be happy and find love once again.
So from initially planning on just reading the first novella, I just continued on and on reading until I had finished the whole collection! When reading the collection there are certain title headers as you go through it but it doesn't actually number the novella's so though I felt I had read more than just one novella, the collection never seemed to drag on, the collection flows beautifully and fits well has a full length novel.
So did I enjoy the book? I surprised myself a little by getting through the steamy racy parts, though I would say that is because of the strong plot, and well developed characters.
Would I recommend the book? I would, though due to certain language, descriptions and content I would say it is for the New Adult, Adult Audience so probably 18+ age group.
Would I want to read more novella's/novels in this series? I think there are just five novella's in the "Ward Of The Vampire" Series but when I checked out Kallysten on Goodreads there are more novella's etc featuring some of the other character's in the book such as Irene, and Delilah so I fully intend to read those to learn more about the female vampires. I mean have they had relationship, how were they created? Will Morgan feature in these other novella's? How and why was he created? I still have so many questions and thoughts about these characters.
Would I want to read more titles by Kallysten? Yes I loved her vampires and how they interacted with humans so I'd love to read more of her vampire related titles as well as a few of the others such as The Demon's Age Series, and The Serenade Series as well as some of the standalone titles too.
FINAL THOUGHTS
How have I not discovered this author before? I'll definitely be checking out more of her books, starting with the other titles about certain characters from this series of novella's.