Velvet

Velvet #1

by Temple West

Equal parts steamy and funny, with a few genuinely creepy moments, this paranormal romance has everything -- compelling characters, plenty of witty banter, and a romance that just might be to die for.

After losing both her parents before age 17, aspiring designer Caitlin Holte feels like her whole world has been turned upside down, and that was before she accidentally attracted the attention of a demon. Then, she learns that her hot, bad-boy neighbor, Adrian -- who might have just saved her life -- is actually a half-demon vampire.

Suddenly, Caitlin is stuck with a vampire bodyguard who feels that the best way to protect her is to become her pretend boyfriend. Trouble is, Caitlin is starting to fall in love for real, while Adrian can never love a human. Caitlin trusts Adrian to keep her safe from his demon father, but will he be able to protect her heart?

Temple West’s debut novel Velvet is a sexy, delightful romance chosen by readers like you for Macmillan's young adult imprint Swoon Reads.

Genres: Vampires, Paranormal, Young Adult, Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Supernatural

416 pages, Paperback

First published May 12, 2015

About the author

Temple West, debut author of the YA paranormal romance Velvet, is as nerdy in real life as she is on the Twitter. Armed with a very shiny English degree, she spent four months in Oxford holed up at the Radcliffe Camera amongst the hush of ancient books and the rich musk of academia. Returning to Los Angeles, she acquired a concurrent degree in film, mostly as an excuse to write essays about The Princess Bride and Hook. She can sew (poorly), drive stick (please fasten your seatbelt), and mostly lift her feet off the ground while stuttering into first gear on a very small motorcycle. She currently lives in Seattle and is the proud mother to a one-year-old laptop and a vintage Remington typewriter.

She loves getting questions on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, and her website (or here on Goodreads), so don't be afraid to submit a question!

Reviews

[Steph Sinclair · Rating 2 out of 5]

My eye twitched after I finished Velvet. I rubbed it, it twitched again. Apparently, my eye didn't know what to make of Velvet any more than I did. Was it bad or was it good? Did I enjoy it or did I hate it? Is it possible to say yes to all of those questions? Just a heads up that this review is going to be even more convoluted that usual and skip around a lot. I regret nothing.

At first glance, Velvet appears to be the same Paranormal Vampire Romance novel we've all read a hundred times. Girl moves into a new town. Girl meets Hot Guy who's never shown interest in any other girls in town. Girl almost dies, but Hot Guy saves her. Blah, blah, blah... romance. So if you are tired of this kind of set up, then prepare to be highly disappointed for the first 40% of the novel. That fact is, if Velvet had been published during the Twilight Era--let's be honest, it totally belongs there--it would have probably been a huge hit. But now, it has a lot working against it. Readers expect more from their PNR and the Twilight-esqe model is, frankly, played out.

But moving on to what you actually really care about: was this any good? That is such a complicated question so, I will give an equally complicated response. Velvet is like an Oreo Cookie. It's not the best cookie you can have, but it will satisfy your desire for one. The end pieces are pretty terrible by themselves and the icing in the middle is just way too much high fructose corn syrup in one go. The cookie works okay when it's together, but still kinda leaves this weird aftertaste in your mouth. It's like your body subconsciously knows that you fed it a sub par treat and denied it a chocolate chip cookie. But at the same time, you find yourself reaching for another Oreo and your body is strangely okay with this. And after you've finished the entire pack, you end up craving a real Cookie.



The first 40% is an absolute struggle. It features a ridiculous premise (Adrian's demon, vampire father wants to impregnate Caitlin to produce more vampire babies for reasons), awkward dialogue (though some parts are chuckle worthy) and scenes that is sure to make your eyes roll. In fact, most of it is so unreal, that I often wondered what went through the author and editor's head when green lighting this. I really hate to say that because it sounds like an insult, but it was so bad to the point of hilarity, which made me wonder if I was reading actually reading a satire. If that was the case, then bravo to both West and her editor because they nailed it.

Oh shit. That's totally what Velvet is, isn't it? West purposefully stuffed every overused cliché into Velvet to both poke fun at PNR and attempt to write a better one at the same time! AHHHH, the world just came full circle!

Or maybe I just read it as a satire to actually make it through the book? Also a possibility.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. I need to really tell you guys how ridiculous the first half is. Many would say Velvet is just like Twilight. That's true, but not true enough. Others would say Velvet is nothing like Twilight. I guess, in a way, that's true, too. But again, not true enough, in my opinion. Velvet has an explanation for how vampires came into existence and it's as confusing as all getup, but at least the attempt is there. Then the love interest, Adrian, is actually a decent guy. He respects boundaries and goes away when Caitlin tells him to hit the road. So, I'd say Velvet is like Twilight with manners, science and a ridiculous/frustrating/fascinating plot.



While I was reading Velvet, I found some parts so unbelievable, that I went to find out what inspired West to write it. What I discovered was something shocking... she was inspired by Twilight! She wanted to write a vampire novel with a slightly different spin and therefore, it is inevitable for this novel to be compared to its inspiration. Just like how we all love to compare Fifty Shades of Grey to Twilight. Oh damn, I just went there. Anyway, in many ways, she did improve on an existing Vampire Novel Template. She excelled where Stephenie Meyer didn't for me. And I can't believe I'm about talk about some things I liked about Twilight. WTF has this world come to?

Twilight's beginning, while super slow, allows a good amount of build up for Edward and Bella to meet. I'm not referring to the insta love, because that definitely happened, but they had several interactions woven into Bella's boring life of cooking her dad dinner before things got started. Obviously, it goes downhill from there because the insta love arrives and sets everything on fire.

On the other hand, Velvet doesn't have the same setup and it makes it harder for the reader to be thrust into the novel with no real introduction. As soon as the novel starts, suddenly, Caitlin is in trouble and Adrian is there saving her.

"I nearly killed you, to keep you alive."

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

It was completely jarring to me because I was still trying to figure out who, what, when, where, why and WTF. And from then on there was a barrage of not-so-carefully constructed scenarios that forced the couple to be in close proximity. At one point the end up in a closet together and then a bed all in the same night. Yup. Adrian literally goes from not caring about any girl at the school to picking Caitlin up for school the next day.

"You're here two days and he just offers to drive you home?"

But of course, all these "happenings" are not without a purpose. I mentioned before that Adrian saved Caitlin from his demon vampire dad who wants to impregnate her. So it's his job to stay with her at all times to protect her.

"What did you mean when you said you were my personal shadow?"
He rubbed his eyes. "It means that you're in trouble."
I frowned, waiting for him to elaborate. "For instance--that storm? Wasn't a storm."
"The storm was not a storm."
"It was a disturbance."
I snorted. "In the force?"

As per the usual characterization of a PNR heroine, Caitlin brushes off the impending danger until she finds out what he wants. And if those quotes made you slow blink, feast your eyes on this gem:

"He wants to impregnate me? Like, with a baby that kind of impregnate?"
"I understand you're upset--"
"That does not even cover the middle finger of what I am feeling--"
"--but please believe me that nothing is going to happen to you while I'm here--while we're all here, my family and I."
"What about when you're not here?" I sputtered. "What about when I'm at home? Or when I'm asleep? What about my family?"
"This is not--he won't rape you, or anything," he said, struggling for words and looking awkward as hell. "He'll make you want him. It's--what they do. It's a game."

Because of course making someone want you, even when they actually don't, isn't rape. It's totally consensual! Like I said, the for the first 40% of Velvet, the struggle is REAL.



But then something strange happened when I hit the cream filling. I started to enjoy Velvet. My friends, who had the misfortune of being there when I decided to tell them every painful detail about the beginning, are convinced I suffered from Bookholm Syndrome. They say Velvet took my brain hostage and I started falling for my captive. But I think the real reason is, once West ditched the clichés and let the romance develop, it wasn't half bad.

Unlike Twilight, Caitlin and Adrian's romance is very slow burn. For most of the novel, they aren't "together" and don't particularly want to be, but they do have an attraction. And I have to admit, it was nice seeing their banter and watching their obvious feelings growing. West never rushed it and therefore made me appreciate it more. The only thing I have to complain about with this was that the sexual tension got ridiculous. Once Caitlin and Adrian finally admit their feelings for one another, the spend the night as his place, in his bed, clothes off, cuddling. I just don't buy that.

Another thing Velvet did right was female friendships. Caitlin's best friend is considerate and kind as well as the other girls in the novel. They hang out outside of Adrian's presence, have sleepovers and talk about topics other than boys or Adrian. Basically, what I'm trying to say here is that Velvet completely passes the Bechdel test and that's something I never expected. Even some of my favorite YA novels fail at this.

All good things came to a swift end when the final conflict caught up with the plot. Unfortunately, I was let down. I went through the entire novel waiting to find out more information about why Adrian's dad sought out Caitlin in particular only to discover nothing. I was given virtually no new development! It just ends on the same note it began, but with more romance. It was so frustrating! It feels like it was a cheap attempt to get me to read the second book and goddamn it, I think it worked because yes I'll fucking read the sequel and I'm not happy about it. UGH! Where's a real cookie when you need it?!



I don't know if I'd seriously recommend Velvet to anyone. Well, that's a lie. I kinda do want some of my friends to read it because I'm super curious of what their face would look like while doing so. And now you all know what gift you're getting on Friendship Day. I'm an awesome friend.

All jokes aside, I don't really know what to make of Velvet and I suspect its target audience is smaller than it would have been 5 years ago. If you are in the mood for cliché-filled vampire romance, double-stuffed with occasionally overly sweet, witty banter, smashed in between two, over baked, sad excuses for cookies, then this might be a good choice on a rainy day. Just remember, "C" doesn't just stand for Cookie, it stands for Crap, too. BAM!



For you visual folks, here's a book talk video on Velvet. (Yes, I drew fangs on my picture. I had one job in photoshop.)

[Stacee · Rating 5 out of 5]

January, 2019: Yep, this is still as awesome as I thought it was.

Still love Caitlin and Adrian and their banter. The snark was fantastic. And though I don’t remember everything from book 2, there are some intriguing points that made more sense this time around.

I can’t even wait to see how everything plays out in book 3.

~~~~~~~

This was exactly what I wanted to read. There's snark and swoons and awesome friends {Trish FTW!} and fighting and even more snark.

I adored being in Caitlin's head. Her inner monologue was a lot of fun. And don't get me started on Adrian. I loved that they were together for most of the book because their banter was hilarious.

If there is going to be another book, then I'm okay with the info we got and the ending. If this is a stand alone, I will lose my shit. There are some happenings that need an explanation and some serious things that need a resolution.

All in all, it was a super fun read with characters I really enjoyed. I look forward to future works by Temple.

**Huge thanks to Swoon Reads for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I mentally snorted. I hadn’t snagged a boy; I’d snagged a freaking vampire.”

This was a YA paranormal romance story, featuring vampires.

I liked both Caitlin and Adrian and thought that they made a cute couple, even if their relationship was forbidden.

The storyline in this was about Caitlin being in danger from a demon, and Adrian trying to protect her. There were a few moments that were a little twilight-like, but there were enough differences that it didn’t really matter, especially as the take on vampires was a little different. The romance in this was quite slow building, and the chemistry was good, the overall pace was maybe a little slow though.

The ending to this was pretty good, and I liked the action!



7.5 out of 10

[Natalie (Never trust a duck) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Andye from http://www.readingteen.net/ for letting me review this arc!

This was the first vampire book I've read in a long long while. Imagine my surprise when I found out it wasn't filled with sparkling vampires.



JUST KIDDING. I have nothing against Twilight.

Caitlin was a great main character and the banter between her and Adrian was constantly on point. I loved how their relationship grew. When the romance finally blossomed, they had been close friends for a while already and I LOVED IT. All the characters in this book were so unique.

The way Temple West described the vampire condition in such a scientific explanation was genius. Not that I understood every word, but the fact that she made it seemingly realistic was absolutely brilliant.

A little back story to my history with vampires. I was utterly terrified of them. When I went to bed, I had to make sure my hair was covering my neck in case one dropped in for a midnight bite. The mere mention of "vampire" had me shaking in my crocs. I even told my friends that if they absolutely felt compelled to say vampire, I would be forever grateful if they said "the v-word" instead. A couple people actually humored me.

But what does that sad part of Natalie's past have to do with Velvet? Well, I crushed on a vampire. Adrian de la Mara (could you have a better last name? No. The answer is no), the main fang-boy in this novel, was the instigator of many MANY swoons. He was viewed as a bad boy because he was aloof due to the fact he wasn't allowed to make human friends, but he was actually so sweet and cute and lovely and, one trait that will resonate with most of us, a nerd.


It was an incredibly fun and snarky read. Definitely recommend!

Happy Reading!!!

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will start right away by saying two things: one I didn’t read anything about this book before purchasing it, just simply cover lusted and bought it and two: you should know from the get go that this is Twilight meets The Lux Series with a touch of White Hot Kiss. I’m not a hater of Twilight but neither am I a fan, but I am a lover of Lux…. This put me in a weird predicament when it came to Velvet. For all the reasons I loved Lux were the reasons I loved this book. It was a sweet romance, with great banter between our leads, and a story line I found additively well written. For all the reason I hated Twilight were the same reasons I disliked parts of Velvet. Until the twist happened towards the middle I was almost positive was re-reading Twilight. Once that twist happened, one I didn’t see coming, I changed my mind. The first half of this book just had some many similarities between those two books that I was thankful the last half
mixed it up for us.

I really enjoyed the two leads in this book. Caitlin at first wasn’t my
favorite; but by the end grew on me. I really loved her personality
and how she’s kind of “whatever” about everything. The big thing that
kept me from liking her at first was that she was so ungrateful for so
long. I get the whole angry at the world thing, because I’ve been in her shoes before, but I still couldn’t connect to how hateful she was
being.I was beyond ecstatic when she stopped being such a brat. As
far as Adrian went, I have absolutely zero complaints about him. I loved everything about his character. Everything from his looks to personality worked for me. He was what set this book apart from the others. I like my mystery men sweet, sarcastic, and caring; trust me when I say he hits all those nails right on the head. At one point I had a hard time reading because my eyes had literally turned into hearts. Hands-down one of the best fictional guys I've read in awhile.

The scenes that he weren’t in had me praying there would be some kind of excuse for him to come into the picture. The relationship between these two was also grand. Seriously so freaking sweet!!!! Definitely swoon-worthy. However I did hear that this book was supposed to be super steamy, and I will say I was a tiny bit let down when it wasn’t. I wanted more hot and heavy moments. The sweet moments we got however were great.

The best part about Velvet was that it was a light read with great writing. The writing never seems forced or too youthful. The storyline though a little predictable, was still fast and fun. I also really enjoyed the new spin on Vampires. The best part about this book was that it had more of a contemporary feel to it than it did
super-natural. I’m not a big contemporary reads person, but I really
enjoyed that that’s what it felt like.It made me feel like I was getting something I usually miss from contemporary reads.

Overall I was really happy about this read. It's some good time chick-lit with a light heartedness that I think most will enjoy.  It may look like a winter read but I think it fit perfectly into my summer. It's hard to believe that this is Temple's debut novel. I look forward to book two and reading whatever she puts out in the future.

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[Stacee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore this book. The reread was perfection and I'm desperate for book 2.

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Velvet by Temple West
Book One of the Velvet series
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Publication Date: May 12, 2015
Rating: 4 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

First rule of dealing with hot vampire bodyguards? Don't fall in love.

After losing both her parents before age seventeen, aspiring designer Caitlin Holte feels like her whole world has been turned upside down, and that was before the terrifying encounter with a supernatural force. Then, she learns that her hot bad-boy neighbor, Adrian—who might have just saved her life—is actually a half-demon vampire.

Suddenly Caitlin is stuck with a vampire bodyguard who feels that the best way to protect her is to become her pretend boyfriend. Trouble is, Caitlin is starting to fall in love for real, while Adrian can never love a human. Caitlin trusts Adrian to keep her safe from his demon father, but will he be able to protect her heart?

What I Liked:

I honestly had no idea what to expect when I received Velvet for review. I remember browsing through Macmillan’s catalog and seeing the book, and something about this book made me pause. I’ve been on an anti-vampire streak for years, probably since about 2009 ish (that’s about six years, woah). So when I saw the word “vampire” in the synopsis, I should have been deterred, right? But I also saw the world “bodyguard”, and I was curious. Ultimately, I gave this book a shot with absolutely no expectations, and I’m glad I did!

Caitlin just moved to Stony Creek, New York, after her mother died a few days ago. Her father has been dead for years. So she’s living with her mother’s sister now, an aunt, uncle, and cousin that she never knew. They never came to visit her mother when her mother was sick. Caitlin is still grieving, and pushes away her family. She has an emotional meltdown in a forest, and something strange happens, involving a boy who saves her. Caitlin begins school in Stony Creek, and becomes friends with Trish. But the boy who saves her also goes to the school. Caitlin doesn't remember what happened to her, but she remembers him – Adrian. Soon, she’s caught up in a life she never thought would exist. She has a vampire bodyguard, trying to keep her safe from a demon who is absolutely nuts. Caitlin never meant to fall in love with Adrian, but somewhere along the line, she did. But is she just a duty to him, someone to protect? And can he keep her safe from a seemingly inevitable and hopeless fate?

When I first started reading the book, I remember thinking, oh my gosh this is going to be a rip-off of Twilight. UGH. There are definitely some elements that parallel. Like a vampire male and human female together in high school. Female recently arrives, catches his attention like no other (and he catches her attention). Suddenly they're seen everywhere, and the aloof Adrian de la Mara and the new girl Caitlin Holte are inseparable. Sometimes he rescues her, and acts really protective.

Despite these similarities, I wouldn't say that this book is a rip-off from that blockbuster series, nor is it fan-fiction or what have you. There is a lot of humor to this book, and there is angst, but legitimate angst (unlike Twilight). Caitlin's mother died just days before this book begins. She's allowed angst for the whole series!

I think I liked Caitlin a lot! She's a bit reserved, very angry, feisty, caring in her own way. She is angry with her aunt and uncle, for never visiting her mother when she was sick. Caitlin finds it hard to forgive them and move on, which is understandable. Caitlin is tougher than she lets on, and deals with finding out Adrian is a vampire, and that a demon is after her, pretty well. What's more, she comes to care for Adrian's broken little brother, Lucian, who was taken by Adrian's father into a demon world when Lucian was really little. Lucian is a little... messed up. But Caitlin is sweet to Lucian from the start, and cares about him.

Adrian was difficult to read in the beginning of the story, but I grew to like him pretty quickly. He's pretty sweet himself, though he does have a caveman streak at times. I constantly wondered, why her, throughout the first part of the story, but when we got the explanation about the demon after Caitlin, everything starts to make sense. Adrian is a nice bad boy, though he's waaaay older (obviously, vampire), forever young, and restricted by tons of vampire rules.

The explanation about the demon being after Caitlin makes sense, and isn't cliche. It isn't because she's gorgeous (she might be, she might not be), or because she has some sort of immunity to vampires/demons (she doesn't). Caitlin isn't anything special. The demon is after her for a purely coincidental reason, and to me, that reason made sense and wasn't too cliche. Basically, the story was well-developed and very interesting!

There is romance, of course. Caitlin is drawn to Adrian, at first because she vaguely remembers that he carried her home (in the first few pages of the book, no spoilers), but then in school, because he's gorgeous and a bit antisocial and has an air of mystery about him. Adrian is given the duty of protecting Caitlin fairly quickly, so we're sure that it's a job for him. Since this book is written in first-person, limited to Caitlin, we never know when Adrian falls for Caitlin. But Caitlin lusts after Adrian, and eventually, falls for him. The lust-turned-love feelings totally worked in this book. I loved seeing the two of them wrestle with their growing feelings - and their attraction to each other. Of course, there are vampire rules, and Adrian is a good vampire. But there is no shortage of chemistry and romance in this book!

The ending of this book is quite dramatic! There are some things that made me cringe, some things that made me sad, and some things that, well, totally heated up this book. The ending has a bit of everything in it - right until the end, when a huge bombshell is dropped. The ending is slightly cliffhanger-y, but involving a secondary character. Meaning, the protagonists aren't part of the cliffhanger. Someone else is! In any case, it's an ending in which you'll want the next book, but it's not an aching, cruel need. It's more like a gimmee-asap-I'll-wait-not-so-patiently need.

What I Did Not Like:

Mmm, I can't think of anything at the moment. Perhaps the Twilight parallels were a little too much, in the beginning? I can see why some people got frustrated with the book initially. It does have a Twilight vibe at first. But that kind of disappears as the story goes on. In my opinion.

Would I Recommend It:

Coming from the girl that stayed away from vampire books for years on end... yes, I would! I can definitely see why the Swoon Reads imprint of Macmillan picked up this series - it's humorous yet dark, cute yet sexy, lighthearted yet heart-stopping. This one is definitely worth the read, if only to get your swoon on!

Rating:

4 stars. I'm glad I gave this one a chance, on a whim. I had no expectations and had read no reviews nor seen any feedback, and I'm really glad that was the case. This one was a fresh read for me, and it really worked! I can't wait to read the sequel.

[shady boots]

What the hell is this? Would you guys just read that blurb and then check the release date for me? o_O If not for the 2015 release date I would've thought this was a book released in like, 2009 or some shit.

Just look at the glaring unoriginality of that synopsis. It's riddled with age-old YA tropes that I thought were long extinct at this point. Yuck. I probably shouldn't judge too quickly, but come on. It's 2015, y'all, give me something else.

No me gusta.

[Fafa's Book Corner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review posted on Fafa's Book Corner !

Beware spoilers ahead!

This book was recommended to me by my dear GR friend Alyssa! Click on her name to read her review.

I had been hearing about this book for awhile. Around early March. Through Twitter and some blog posts. The cover was eye-catching as was the title, so I looked it up on GR. I read the synopsis and thought nothing of it at the time. After some contemplating I realized that I missed reading a good vampire book. When I went on GR to add it I came across Alyssa's review. Her review made up my mind that I wanted to read this book. I am happy to say that I enjoyed it!

The book begins with Caitlin out in the forest drawing. She's successfully managed to escape her aunt Rachel for the time being. Caitlin's mother died from bone cancer three days ago. Caitlin was supposed to live with her grandmother but the court saw her grandmother as an unfit guardian. So now here Caitlin is living with her aunt, uncle, and her cousin.

Caitlin realizes the time and makes her way to her aunt's place. She slips off the rock she was sitting on and slams into something. She realizes that she's slammed into a boy who looks about her age. The boy flips her over. Caitlin hears a really loud storm. Then she sees that it isn't a normal storm it looks like a fiery tornado. The boy apologizes and touches her forehead. He then starts to speak she doesn't understand. She feels as if her head is going to explode. Then the boy takes her back to her aunt's place. Caitlin forgets everything that happened while she was in the forest.

Caitlin refuses to get along with her family. She knows that her mother didn't like her aunt, and they never bothered to visit her mother when she was in the hospital. They called a few times and sent her e-cards. Caitlin is furious with them and rebuffs all of her aunt's attempts to talk to her. But alas she has to go to school.

One of the girls in her class takes a liking to Caitlin and the two become friends. The rest of the students take a hint and leave her alone. Well expect for Trish (the girl mentioned above). School goes well. Caitlin spots the guy that saved her life when she was in the forest. According to Trish his name is Adrian and he tends to keep to himself. Much to Caitlin's surprise Adrian offers to drive to school and back home. Caitlin agree's thinking she could use this to scare aunt Rachel and her uncle.

I actually thought that I would end up rating this four stars. While I did enjoy it, I was kind of disappointed. Nonetheless I still liked it! The writing style was pretty good! The author did a tremendous job fleshing out Caitlin! The book is written in first person in Caitlin's point of view. There are chapter titles which were sometimes funny to read.

I really liked Caitlin's character! Her pain was realistic and I never felt that it was overdone. She spends the majority of the book trying to heal and dealing with vampire stuff. It wasn't until the end of the book that Caitlin was truly happy with everything in her life. Which I found to be realistic. Caitlin also had goals. She wants to go to New York and open up her own clothing store. Knowing a bit of sewing myself I understood everything that was mentioned. It was interest to read about a character who could sew. That doesn't happen in most YA. Her friendship with Trish was sweet! There was some awesome female friendship in this book. The relationship she had with her family was complicated and I understood it. She does start to open up to them and care for them.

The relationship with Adrian was so sweet! I loved reading about their friendship and later on their romance. This was slow burn romance. The best relationship in this book was Adrian and his little brother Lucien. I barely read about brother relationships so it was a nice change. Caitlin was also very close to Lucien.

Adrian's family was the opposite of Caitlin's. His siblings haven't interacted with humans in years and that has affected them. They're very cold and don't care about Lucien. Adrian doesn't feel comfortable being himself around them because they would shun him and wouldn't understand him. The only people he's happy around are Caitlin and Lucien.

The vampire's were original in this book. There was some science towards them and it was unique. I liked how upfront Adrian was about everything. He didn't keep anything a secret from her. The information he didn't tell her he wasn't allowed to tell. They start 'dating' fairly early on in the book. This book does start to get dark around the time Caitlin starts having horrifying nightmares and it is implied that everything regarding Lucien is very dark.

I only had two problems with this. As I mentioned earlier most of the book is spent developing Caitlin's character and relationship with everyone around her. So it was quite slow. But realistic and necessary. I was happy that Caitlin didn't insistently move on with her life. And all of a sudden forgive her family. However this resulted in the book being very slow. I expected there to be more action considering it's a vampire book. I would've liked more information on the vampires and some more action. This is most likely to happen in the second book.

The mini fight that Caitlin and Adrian got into did become annoying. I understood why it happened and I know both of their sides. But I felt that it was a tad bit more dramatic then it needed to be. Nonetheless I enjoyed this book!

Note this is not like Twilight. Yes there are vampires, a few scenes in the forest, and a vampire council, but that it where the similarities stop. Caitlin is a much better character than Bella and Adrian is more appealing than Edward. I have noticed a lot of readers comparing this to Twilight but when I started reading Velvet it didn't sound like Twilight. It's like when most people compare middle magic books to Harry Potter. While there are a few similar elements you can find them in other books as well. I've mentioned this so that you won't be discouraged from reading this based on the fact that you didn't like Twilight.

Overall this was a good book! I will definitely be reading the sequel Cashmere! I recommend it to anyone looking for a light vampire book series.

[Rachel (APCB Reviews) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read the full review @ A Perfection Called Books

In a genre that's quickly starting to fade, I didn't even realize I was missing the paranormal scene until I opened this book. It's light on the clichés and doesn't take itself too seriously. It's frothy fun with a wide scope of lovable characters.

The author's voice really shines through to bring a fun and lively story. Caitlin's inner thoughts are hilarious. I love the banter between her and Adrian. There's something charming about this book that I can't put my finger on. It was a fun and addictive read that I didn't want to end.

I'd recommend checking this one out!

[Ri · Rating 5 out of 5]

By the quotes alone this book deserves five stars.

------------

This review was originally posted on my blog, Hiver et Cafe, along with a moodboard I created.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion in any way nor was I compensated in any way in exchange for this review. Special thanks to Nikki Kelly for the hookup! <3

Reading this book made me so happy. I couldn't stop smiling probably through the first two thirds of the book. VELVET is written in first person from Caitlin's perspective, so we get to see everything from her side and experience her internal monologues. I could really hear Caitlin's voice as I was reading because her internal monologues are so unintentionally hilarious and her dialogue with Adrian is similarly hilarious. It's not so much funny as in blatant jokes, but it's witty and snarky in the way that I love.

I really enjoyed all the scientific explanations as to how the vampires in this world worked. It's clear that Temple put time into creating a perhaps plausible reason for the way they work. (I'm not a life sciences major and so I would have to ask my friends. ;) ). There's a lot of thought put into the lore behind demons and vampires as well, which I really enjoyed because it's different from anything that I've ever read.

I really like Caitlin's character. She's hilarious, though it may be unintentional. She's not a stupid or completely helpless heroine. She's just not quite properly equipped to deal with demons herself. I enjoyed watching her open up to others through out the book, since she starts off acting quite cold. It's understandable though, as her mother just passed away.

Adrian de la Mara. Can I say swoon? He's a tall broody vampire that with great style, rides a Harley and is secretly a nerd. Also his house coughmansioncough has a library with floor to ceiling bookshelves, with rolling ladders. You can also use a harness to jump and swing around in the air, in his library. Besides his fabulous library, he's super sweet to Caitlin and for the most part, a pretty great guy. (the library you guys.)

Besides Adrian and Caitlin, my favourite has to go to Lucian. Lucian is an eleven year old vampire who lived with his father (a demon) in hell for ten years, before Adrian's family took him back from hell. Because of this, he doesn't understand social cues or social norms, and generally just a lot of "normal" things. I find him adorable. He's just a poor misunderstood child.

I knew I was going to love this book back when I read the quotes that Temple was putting out back in July of last year and I'm so happy I wasn't disappointed. I can't wait for you guys to read and love it as much as I do. VELVET is a fabulous YA vampire novel that will have you laughing out loud with its distinct voice and of course, swooning, over the romance.

[~Tina~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Ah, now this was a great read! My first love in reading has always been paranormal and it's been a long while since I've been able to read a vampire book, so this book was a pleasantly fun escape.

I really enjoyed West's writing, it's strong and the pace and flow was steady, smooth and always interesting. I really loved this particular twist on vampire lore. There is some traditional elements, but for the most part this was rather unique and imaginative and I enjoyed the emotional approach concept and I also liked the combination of vampires, demons and even a little scientific in the way of explanation, it may seem a little out there to some, but given this is myth/legend it didn't feel that way for me, just a new fascinating take on an old lore that has me completely absorbed no matter how many vampires stories I've read. The plot was rather cool, the spin was a lot of fun and extremely creeptastic and the characters were great, realistically flawed and easy to connect with. I also loved the setting and thought it fit the tone of the book perfectly.

Ok, so Caitlin wasn't exactly easy to get along with when we first meet her. She's bitter, reckless and even cruel. I get that her mother passed away and she's feeling empty and angry and wants to blame the world, but it started to get a little annoying with the way she was treating everyone. But, as the story moves on, I started to realize that her emotional state actually plays a bigger role in the overall story, so it was easier to overlook and thankfully, bitter Caitlin started to act a little more human. I ended up really enjoying her funny personality and witty attitude, she's got great spunk, feist and a big heart.
As for Adrian? I couldn't help love him from minute one. Mysterious, fiercely protective and intense at first but then eventually we got the more playful, warm and even a little adorably nerdish Adrian that I couldn't help love even more. There was a moment there where his hot/cold attitude was a little frustrating, but it was easy to forgive given the impending situation and how far Adrian would go to protect Cait. I simple adored the friendship between Adrian and Caitlin. They have the greatest chemistry, banter and sarcasm and were so incredibly funny, sweet and cute with real moments that made me smile all big and stupid. Forbidden romance and rules be damned. These two belong together. Period.
This has a decent ending, but it's totally lined up for more which is great since I'm simply not ready to let go of these amazing characters or this world quite yet.

All in all, this was a really fun entertaining escape that has just about everything I want in my vampire books. Action, intrigue, and swoon-worthy romance. West is a great new voice for paranormal romance and I can't wait to find out what happens next! An excellent debut!

[Nora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cashmere is coming!

Cashmere is finally almost here everyone! Squee! It's coming out on February 14th (how perfect is that?!) so be sure too pre-order! I have a feeling it's going to be awesome:)

Review (May 15th 2015):

5 Stars

This is exactly the kind of book I wanted to read; fluffy, funny, light, steamy and quirky, but with actual quality in it. It seems common with books like this to have loads of perversion from the love interest and lots of slut shaming of girls other than the MC. So you can imagine my surprise and joy when I found that this book had absolutely none of that bullshit.

The Characters:


Our MC Caitlin was funny, nerdy, sarcastic and so very real. When she felt pain, I felt it too. Her inner monologue was very often laugh-out-loud worthy. I loved her spunk and bravery. So basically everything that makes up a fantastic character - not something you often see when dealing with PNR YA lit. She wasn't like some strictly innocent-minded girl who would never dare let a curse slip past her lips - no she was bold and brazen. She's also intelligent and acts upon her thoughts instead of just sitting there like someone else I know . . .

Yeah I'm talking about the third one there. Anyway back to Caitlin. I really got to say I think she must be in my top ten favorite heroines. Ever.



Our love interest Adrian was also unexpected. He was the perfect blend of good humor, nerdiness, hotness and protectiveness that makes the perfect dude. It was so great that he was this complete nerd underneath the layers and layers of hotness(which as you all know is very rare for a guy in YA - the nerd part, not the hotness:D). I really truly loved him. Also his name. Adrian de la Mara. In what way is that not perfect? And plus he's actually only 18 even though he's immortal - THANK YOU GOD!!!! No pedophilia here. So basically he's not this guy:


The banter between them was absolutely heavenly. Really. It was just so well done. Here's some examples:

"So you’re a vampire, eh?”
“’Eh’?” he asked.
“I’ve decided to turn Canadian.”
“I thought you were dead.”
“They don’t have Canadians in heaven?”
“I’ve never met any.”

"What is it with you and running away from me?” he asked quizzically, slinging an arm over my shoulder.
“Maybe you’re hideous, and I can’t stand the sight of your face,” I offered casually.
He looked thoughtful. “Mmm, no, that’s not it.”

“Oh my gosh, you totally have a Gryffindor scarf, don’t you? And an Elder wand and a Goblet of Fire. Tell me you have a Goblet of Fire.”
He blushed,and it was adorable. “No Goblet of Fire…I might have the wand.”

'Science words,” I warned. “When you say ‘hemoglobin’ I just think of little Irish tricksters who live in caves, or Lord of the Rings.”
“You mean ‘goblin’?”
“Yes.”

See what I mean? Is that not awesome?

World Building:

Really great. The author explained the science of vampires so well it kind of boggled my mind. Like guys, it actually made legit sense. You're probably just as shocked at that as I am.

To sum it up:

This book is basically what Twilight should have been. The fact that this book exists gives me great joy and I hope it can mend some bad opinions of vampires - it sure changed mine!

Enjoy!


BONUS TIME!!!!!

The Green Thing(this is actually in the book).


EXTRA BONUS TIME!!!!!

Twilight memes!











That's all for now guys! But before I bid you farewell I just want to thank Temple West so much for righting the wrong that was Twilight - let's all give her a big round of applause!


And look even George likes it!


Bye!!!!!!

P.S. This review is dedicated to Lara Croft.

[mith · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE REVIEW. THE SWOON. THEY'RE UP ON MY BLOG. Click HERE {for the review} and HERE {for the swoon} (if you feel so inclined.)
---
Velvet has to be one of the best vampire books I've ever read. That's saying something because it was a vampire series--Cirque du Freak--that got me into reading. And with vampires seemingly dead the past few years, this was both refreshing and fun.

If I had to pick one word for this book, it would definitely be fun. I like to think Temple West had a lot of it while writing this book. Between the characters, the dialogue, and the interactions, there were a lot of golden moments in this book. It genuinely made me laugh and smile and, more than once, it made me wish I knew Caitlin and Adrian.

Of course, that isn't to say there isn't more to the book--there definitely is. I think that's what makes West's debut so much better. She balances both the humour and the darkness of the novel exceptionally well.

Caitlin was an angry girl. An angry and sad girl when she moved to her aunt and uncle's farm in Stony Creek. Never once did I think her pain, her anger, her sadness, was over exaggerated. It was raw, it was real, and watching Caitlin slowly overcome those feelings felt amazing. You couldn't help but root for her.

In general, Caitlin felt so relatable. She was funny and smart and bad at math. She didn't do stupid things; wasn't unnecessarily headstrong. She had her whole world turned upside down and she dealt with it accordingly. Hell, she even took Adrian's admission of being a vampire surprisingly--and accurately--well. She never took anyone's shit and did what she thought was right. Suffice to say, I adored Cait. I loved her development, I loved her jokes, and I loved her relationship with Adrian.

Before I get to that, though, I really want to talk about Adrian. He was so cute! He totally came off as a bad boy in the beginning, and I was getting ready for the cliché bad boy attitude, but boy was I surprised. He was such a gentleman and possibly the biggest nerd I've ever come across. He was so sweet, so kind, and gentle to Caitlin. He was always there to help her, never in a condescending manner either. He was patient, helping her both with homework and understanding everything vampire related. He grew throughout the novel as well, going from an antisocial mystery in their high school, to just another student who jokes around with people during lunch.

Their relationship was one of the most realistic I've ever read about, which is hilarious for a vampire novel. They started off as friends and they grew into something more, and watching their relationship develop--all the nerdy jokes, Harry Potter references, and library shenanigans--was honestly the more adorable thing ever. They also had that whole fake relationship thing going on, which is one of my favourite tropes. Watching--well, er, reading about--them fall in love was amazing. Also swoony. They were very swoony.

I loved the friendships in this novel! Trish was an amazing friend and while she wasn't looped into everything Cait was going through--understandably--West never wrote her as someone to just push to the side. She made every side character--from Cait's extended family to the new friends she makes to Adrian's family--all important. She adds depth to them, makes them realistic. West truly excels with her characters.

Overall, I thought this novel was BRILLIANT. I can't believe I waited so long to read it! 4 stars!

[♛ Garima ♛ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Velvet was …interesting read. I could not find more word that is fitting to describe this but it was definitely very different read than I expected. I already checked few reviews and it seems we have another ‘Twilight fanfiction’ here.

To be perfectly clear I love Twilight Saga. I’ve read entire series like 3 times already and will read it in future because even though I might not like love stories that much – Twilight is expectation that proves that rule (well to tell you the truth, the exception to the rule would be Pride & Prejudice, but hey who’s counting?) However, since this is Twilight rip-off, let’s talk about that here, ok?

As I said I loved Twilight, but I always thought it would be great if Bella has more character than her mere dull existence and Caitlin (Finally I remember her name), was different. I’m not saying she was better than Bella but she certainly has more depth in terms of character. Oh, I was very frustrated with her at the beginning – I mean while Bella was downright Depressed (notice capital D) –


Caitlin was mean and angry.





But, she was smart-ass too. Therefore, after sometime, either I get used to her or cut her some slack because she is teenager or whatever.

The story is pretty much could be summed up by Caitlin –

So, you’re immoral. Your dad’s a demon. You absorb emotions as energy. You can do freaky things with your eyes and make people forget stuff, your brother was stored digitally in hell, and for some grand, mysterious reason, I am being intentionally informed about your secret vampire society.



And because Adrian’s father wants Caitlin, it is his moral responsibility (oh how convenient) that he will become her bodyguard and pretend boyfriend.



So like, I said, interesting…



There are few things which are not revealed in this book so it would be interesting to read sequel.

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I seen the cover of Velvet, I fell in love with it. It’s so insanely pretty! I didn’t read the synopsis so when I found out Velvet was about vampires, I was a little disappointed. I’m not a fan of vampires with the exception of the Blood of Eden series by Julie Kagawa. I started Velvet very hesitantly and got one of the big surprises in a long while. I loved Velvet way more then I could have even hoped.

Right from the first few pages, I really got caught up in this book. There was so much snark and humor right away and I definitely wasn’t expecting that.

I was really unsure about the whole “Caitlin is stuck with a vampire bodyguard who feels that the best way to protect her is to become her pretend boyfriend” thing. I’m not a fan of when YA male characters thing it’s their job to “protect” girls. It gets on my nerves like crazy. But, after a few chapters, Temple’s writing was able to turn something that I thought I would hate into something was was more of a humorous aspect of this book. I think Montana at The Book Belles said it was like a rom-com and that’s a perfect way of putting it.

I spent a good part of this book laughing. I was holed up in my room giggling at all the crazy things that Caitlin and Adrian were doing and the things that happened to them. The most insane thing about this book is that it has more of a contemporary feel to it than a supernatural one. I felt like a was reading a really cute, fun contemporary.

Overall, this book is crazy good. I enjoyed it so much and I had a great time reading it. The writing style is so great and I loved the execution of the plot. If you’re looking for a really fun YA, Velvet is definitely a good you want to check out.


Win a finished copy of Velvet

[Bryce Rocks My Socks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would let adrian drink my blood (well I'd probably let any vampire drink my blood but that's not important)

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of Velvet through Swoon Reads in January of 2015 (thanks to good friend and author of The Styclar Saga, Nikki Kelly!!!), and I'm SOOOO glad I did. Let me tell you, I could barely get through a paragraph of this book without snapping a picture of a page and sending it to Amber to giggle about it. Temple West is a fantastic debut author who is blazing a trail towards stardom. Seriously. She is my freaking HERO. So this review is pretty much going to be me raving about this book. Fasten your seatbelts, people.

It's not very common that I give a book five stars, and it's pretty much nonexistent that I can't find a single thing I dislike about it. I mean, it was an ARC copy so there were some typos that set off my inner Grammar Nazi, but that comes with the territory and I was more than happy to deal with it.

So first, the story itself. I read the back cover of the book and automatically my brain zeroed in on the word vampire. And since I'm being honest here - I cringed inwardly. I've read a million and one vampire books, and each one was seemingly worse than the next, which would mean that Velvet was going to be downright awful.

Man, was I wrong.

This book is like no vampire book I have ever read before. First of all, Caitlin may be a regular girl, but her sass and wit never stopped making me laugh. Especially when it comes to her banter with Adrian. And speaking of Adrian......

Just give a second here. *deep, calming breath* *hurriedly tries to wipe heart-eyes off of my face to speak properly*

That boy...is amazing. Seriously. Amber and I have been getting into fights about who lays claim to him nonstop since we both picked up the book. (And I'm the one who gets him, of course.) I wish he was real so I could have him. (On a side note: My real-life boyfriend, however, isn't so enthusiastic about the idea.)

Anyway, Adrian is the most perfect guy in existence. And the fact that he's a super hot, chiseled vampire with a great fashion sense and a sexy demeanor doesn't make him any less likeable. As the summary explains, he and Caitlin are only supposed to be pretend boyfriend and girlfriend so he can protect her. But Adrian and the vampire Council doesn't seem to take into consideration the fact that Caitlin is human and therefore has very human-like responses to things. In other words, her brain may know the relationship between the two of them is fake, but her heart is anxiously straining to blur that line and make their love for real.

My favorite line of the book, by far, has to be: "I love you, you stupid boy."

I dropped my book and laughed about that for awhile. It's just something so human to say. Even though Adrian may be a vampire, he's still a teenage boy, and just as clueless when it comes to love as the rest of them. It may be such a small line in the story, but it definitely stood out to me.

A million and one more scenes in Velvet stood out to me, too, but I don't want to spoil anything for you guys. ;)

Pretty much, I loved this book ten thousand percent. It's easily one of my favorite 2015 reads by far (even if it is only January right now - I can already tell. Book bloggers can do that sort of thing.), and I can't remember the last time I openly gasped and laughed and cried while reading a book. I definitely don't remember the last time I had to put a book down and take deep breaths because I was smiling so much.

All in all, Temple West's debut novel Velvet was a freaking awesome book that I would recommend to anybody looking for a little love and romance and tons of swooning over the most perfect male specimen in existence. (This is NOT an exaggeration.) The way the book ended hinted that there will definitely be a sequel on the horizon, and as soon as I find out the release date, I'll be counting down the days! West is a great writer and an even sweeter person that I've spoken to on Twitter many times, and I wish her the best of luck with her career lying ahead of her. Hooray for debut authors!

I also have a review coming to The Book Bratz in early April 2015, so be on the lookout for that! :-)

[Sophie "Beware Of The Reader" · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars.

This book was a recommendation from a Goodreads friend. She thought I “might like it” and she was right! I’m glad it took me out of my book funk.
This is the first book by this young author but some serious beta reads and editing work must have been done as it did not feel tentative.

What’s this book about? The theme: vampires, demons and star crossed lovers.

The plot: Caitlin has just moved in with her aunt and uncle after her mother’s death. She is in a tiny town, in the middle of nowhere and she is angry, so, so angry. She’s bursting with sadness and rage. Why are her parents dead? Why is she left alone? Why was she forced to go to her aunt and not her grandmother? Her aunt never visited her mother, did not come to the burial, she did not care! And now, she is stuck with them. As soon as she can, she’ll be out of their hair and will find a job to become a clothes designer.
But, something strange and frightening happened in the middle of the woods and a mysterious stranger saved her life. She does not remember much about it. She was feverish and really tired. There was a storm….
First day at her new school: she is the new girl and makes friend with the intimidating Trish. Soon enough, the mysterious local hottie, Adrian, catches her attention. It’s him, her savior!
Different from the other kids with flawless body and face, designer clothes and really closed off, Adrian is unattainable. He’s never dated anyone but has all the girls lusting after.
From the very first day, he’ll trail Caitlin, offering her a ride home, wanting to tutor her, etc. Every time she is lost or sad or needs some kind of protection, even against herself, Adrian comes to the rescue.
But there’s more than meets the eye and Caitlin will learn Adrian is not your average (if better looking) teenager. He is a vampire, son of a demon, the same demon targeting Caitlin. The vampire Council has decided to protect Caitlin and tries to catch Adrian’s father. Adrian has to be her shadow. As he has to stay close, they’ll pretend being boyfriend and girlfriend.

But there is one big problem: Caitlin is falling for her vampire bodyguard and vampires can’t form any bond with humans….

What I liked about the book:

-Caitlin. She is full of feelings and rage. She feels powerless and has been dealt bad cards in life. She is grieving and will reject her aunt and uncle. She’ll fall very low sometimes, due to her loss but also other problems I won’t reveal. She felt “real”. Not the strong and flawless heroine but not the weak type either. She also has a passion in her life, wants to reach her goal. Through all her ordeals, she is a driven person and I liked it.
Even if she discovers a supernatural world, she does not freak out and try to adapt, to survive;

-Lucian, Adrian’s younger brother. He was really weird, untamed but so loveable. The boy with the goggles. The boy puzzled by his hands: what are they for? The little monkey in the library, always spacing out and needing bedtime stories to fall in asleep;

-Adrian even if I was sometimes angry with him. Too perfect at times, I wanted to shake him when he distanced himself. He wanted to be “different” from the other vampires but he did not act on it. I understood there were consequences but… Anyway, he was gorgeous, supportive and had his own battle to fight. And at the end, he redeemed himself.

-The plot itself, with the subplots. Even if it could be a second Twilight, it’s not. Adrian does not have (much) to fight the need to drink Caitlin’s blood, does not have to avoid light, has no superpower (yes he is stronger, faster and hears better but he can’t read minds). Caitlin is no Bella either. She has more issues and I liked she was so torn and conflicted. Aaand we don’t have a love triangle (Yay!).

-The mysteries: we guess there are some hidden things about Caitlin, what she is, what she could do but these questions remains unanswered at the end of the book. There are still many things to discover about vampires and demons. I like when we’ve something to chew on and have to wait for the second book to discover what’s been hidden.

So, who should read this book?
I would say any vampire lover looking for a good time. As it has no sex at all, teens would have no problem to read it.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is probably more of a 2.5...

A lot of this book - especially the first half seemed like a direct comparison or commentary on Twilight - girl moves to a rural town with a relative, falls for the loner uber rich boy/vampire. Girl is not clumsy, though! Plus lots of other little things that seemed similar or purposefully different. The second half of the story picked up for me…until Adrian takes Caitlin to a school dance in an Aston Martin. After that, I just couldn't take the book seriously any more. It's interesting how little details can really throw me off, but that was way too Edward and Bella for me, even if what happens at the event is very different. That detail just wasn't needed. Speaking of things that pulled me out of the story, this book takes place in rural New York, and yet the characters have lunch outside at picnic tables all winter long. Snow is talked about several times, but no one mentions being cold once! I know high schoolers don't like to wear proper coats, but they would be shivering out there! It made no sense to me at all.

I will say that what saved this book for me was Caitlin. I liked her a lot, and was able to connect in well to her emotions. She is suffering from intense grief when the story begins, and I felt all of her anger and sadness along with her. She's also direct, asks questions and has ambition to be a designer. I never felt like she was slow to figure things out, and I was on the edge of my seat with her, nervous about what was going to happen. I also love that she's not afraid to speak her mind to Adrian when he he's being an idiot - love that she blew up at him a few times. I do wish we'd gotten some perspective from him, however. The book is all in Caitlin's POV and it was really hard to tell what he was thinking. He also plays the typical "I'm going to be an asshole for your own good" angle, which I despise, though I could understand his reasons.

I liked several of the secondary characters, especially Adrian's brother Lucian, with whom I wish we'd spent more time. Julian also ended up being more complex than at first. I really liked Caitlin's friend Trish, though all the others ran together, and I couldn't understand why Jenny seemed so important.

I struggled with some of the drama at the end, but that is mostly my own personal issues. However, I do think the way it all played out was well done. The book is clearly part of a series, as the end leaves readers with lots of questions as well as a cliffhanger. Several things were hinted at about Caitlin - something is different about her that the Council knows. It also looks like we'll find out more about the Council itself in the next installment. I'm very eager to find out more about this mysterious organization (although they sound a lot like the Volturi). Information about them, and their interest in Caitlin was vague. We still don't know why it's so important for Adrian's dad to be impregnating women, and I have a feeling that the long ago disagreement between Caitlin's mom and Aunt is going to come up again in a key way.. I'm curious about several details, but I'm not sure I'll be reading on or not.

I just hope the next book doesn't try to go the New Moon route…

Love Triangle Factor: NONE and there doesn't appear to be any other prospects either, thank goodness!
Cliffhanger Scale: Medium mostly involves a side character, whom I fell in love with and am worried about!

[Casey Ann Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

So in my head I said "I want to read a Vampire romance novel" "There isn't any new ones out" my next thought was. I did my research and found this bad boy.

Loved it! amazing characters, Beautifully written emotional scenes between the two love interesting! blood, biting humans all that fun stuff. and an epic twist at the end! Im so in love and I need the next one like NOW! cannot recommend enough! look out for the little spoon scene AWHHH!! <3

[Dark Faerie Tales · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Entertaining YA paranormal story with relatable characters, suspenseful plot, and amazing romance. The beginning was a little rough for me but overall this was an amazing read and I would highly recommend it!

Opening Sentence: “By the suits and ties of Tim Gunn, I swear I will hunt you down and eat you for breakfast.”

The Review:

Four days ago Caitlin Holte’s entire world was basically destroyed. Her very loving mother died from a long struggle with cancer and this left Caitlin an orphan since her father died when she was only five years old. She has been sent to live with her aunt and uncle whom she has never met. They live on a ranch in a tiny town called Stony Creek. This isn’t home for Caitlin and no matter how much her aunt tries to comfort her it doesn’t help. All Caitlin has to do is get through the next two years of high school and then she can move to New York City and fulfill her dreams of being a fashion designer! But Caitlin’s life is about to get even more complicated.

After being in Stony Creek for only two days she manages to attract the attention of a demon and a gorgeous half demon-vampire saves her life. It turns out that Caitlin now needs to be protected from the demon and her hot vampire neighbor, Adrian, appoints himself as her bodyguard. To make things simpler they decide that they should pretend to be dating, but soon Caitlin finds herself falling for Adrian for real. It is forbidden for vampires and humans to be together, but Caitlin can’t help that Adrian seems to be the only thing that brightens her otherwise dark days!

At first Caitlin is a very frustrating character. She is in a lot of pain from the loss of her mother and it has turned her into a bitter person. She doesn’t care about anyone or anything and while I could sympathize with her situation, her negative attitude made it hard to form a connection with her. But as the story progresses and she gets out of her slump I started to really like her. She turns out to be a really sweet, witty girl with great ambition. She actually has a really big heart and it has been crushed so many times that she wanted to give up, but in the end she realizes that’s not what her mother would want. While I didn’t love her at the beginning, I do think her reaction to her mother’s death was very authentic and it made her a much more realistic character. In the end, I loved her character and I can’t wait to read more of her story!

Adrian is one of those guys you can’t help but fall madly in love with. He is the quiet brooding type that pretty much stays away from everyone. Because he is a vampire there are rules he has to follow when it comes to interacting with humans. Basically he isn’t allowed to form any type of attachments to humans and the only way he has been able to do this is by crafting a wall around himself that keeps everyone out. Underneath that wall is a sweet, gorgeous guy that is a total nerd at heart! He is funny, charming, loyal, and so easy to like. His relationship with Caitlin is adorable! It is very hot and cold because of the whole vampires can’t be with humans rule, but I loved every minute of it! Adrian quickly burrowed his way into my heart and I can easily see him becoming one of my favorite book boys!

Velvet is a fun, unique paranormal read with interesting characters, wonderful romance, and great action. The beginning of the story was a little rough for me and it took a while for me to get into the story. But once things picked up, I couldn’t put the book down. I will say that there are some undeniable similarities to Twilight. Like the fact that the main character is new to town and happens to be the only girl to ever attract the attention of the gorgeous aloof boy who is a vampire. But really that’s where the similarities stop. West put her own unique spin on vampires and I found the world she created very fascinating. The romance was written really well, and I enjoyed getting to know all the different characters. The plot was intriguing and besides the rough start this was an extremely entertaining read. I was a little worried when I finished the book because I didn’t know if it was going to be a series and while things were wrapped up pretty well at the end, I was still left with tons of unanswered questions. Luckily this is going to be a series and I am really excited to see what happens in the next book. I would highly recommend this to anyone that is looking for a great YA paranormal story!

Notable Scene:

He searched my eyes for a moment, then leaned down, hovering half a centimeter away, giving me the chance to pull back.

But I didn’t.

So he kissed me.

Even while it was happening, I wondered if I could count this as my first “real” kiss—because in the end, it wasn’t really real. It was soft and slow and perfect and it sucked because I wanted this, but not like this.

FTC Advisory: Swoon Romance/Macmillan provided me with a copy of Velvet. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[Amber (Ambee's Bookish Pages) · Rating 5 out of 5]

ohmygod my poor feels. Review coming VERY soon

[Ellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a nice read.
I loved the characters and have fallen in love with Adrian and Lucian.
I gave this book 3 stars because as much as I loved it, I didn’t like how Adrian revealed himself to Caitlin. I felt that there was a lot of build up to that moment but when the time actually came, the scene didn’t hold up to my expectations. Also, I felt as if parts of this book was just copying the idea of twilight. It was by a far stretch, but it took a away from the book a little.
Overall, Velvet was a fun read with lovable characters and a fast paced interesting plot. I especially love Temple West’s writing and how she develops her characters. I usually don’t have a book where I love so many people in it so this book really impressed me in that area.

[Moriah · Rating 5 out of 5]

*This review will also appear on A Leisure Moment*

Reading this book is probably one of my best decisions of 2016. Seriously, I loved this book. I started it during finals (yeah, that would not be one of the best decisions that I’ve ever made) and would have rather had escaped back to Stony Creek than studied. I loved this world. I’m a huge fan of New York, but now even the small towns are appealing.

Caitlin Holte was an orphan. Four days after losing her mother, she’s forced to move in with an aunt and uncle that she had never met. The relationship she had with her newfound family was as important to the development of the story. Caitlin had a lot of deep-seated pain from the non-existent relationship she had with the little family that she had left. The underlying connections that she had to make with her aunt, uncle, and cousin weren’t at the forefront of the story but created an atmosphere around Caitlin. Under all the snark and sarcasm was a girl in pain, not just a girl that was mad about her circumstance.

She also loved to sew. The story was not centralized around Caitlin’s love of sewing, though the title is deep once it all ties together, but it added a little oomph to her character. She had purpose and a hobby, and even someone who has never touched a sewing machine will understand her love of fashion and art through a needle and thread.

These might be my favorite vampires. West did a wonderful job of creating a new and unique brand of vampires. Sure, I had some Twilight flashbacks here and there, story wise, but these vamps could not have been anymore different. There was a scientific slash paranormal explanation for why they even existed that confounded and intrigued me at the same time.

Adrian de la Mara…yes. Just so much yes. I loved him. I am in love with another male lead and do not even care. He was swoon times infinity, and even though I wanted to smack him a little (ehmm, a lot) toward the end, he made up for it. He was a vampire that blushed—blushed. I mean, come on. What’s not to love about that? Like I said, these are not the vampires that you’ve come to know, and it was one of Adrian’s charms. He was also a closet nerd with a sense of style and dreamy silver eyes that had the propensity to dance.

There were two side characters that particularly stole my heart: Lucien and Trish. Lucien, Adrian’s little brother, was adorable times ten. Sure, he was strange and not used to being a corporeal being, but it made him all the more interesting and huggable. Trish was the friend that wouldn’t let up. She was determined to be friends with Caitlin, and instead of pushing her away Caitlin let her. They didn’t have the most conventional friendship, and at first I didn’t expect it, but it worked out perfectly.

Why have I not read this book sooner? Part of me is beating myself up over not reading this book, like, a year ago because it’s been on my radar for a long time. The other part of me is thinking about how sensible it was to wait and read it until there was a definitive release date for book two. The ending had the closure of the first book in a series. It wasn’t a major cliffhanger, but it left a lot of loose ends. I have to know what’s in store for Adrian and Caitlin.

For all the vampire haters of the world, you obviously haven’t read Velvet.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received Velvet in return for an honest review as part of the tour hosted by FFBC. Caitlin hasn’t had the best year her mother lost her battle with cancer. She’s been forced to leave the only home she knows to live with her aunt who never had anything to do when her mother was sick. Caitlin isn’t handling the loss of her mother well, and after leaving the house one afternoon she catches the attention of two strangers one who wants to use her and the other who wants to protect her. In order to keep her alive, Adrian will need to pretend to be her boyfriend so he can protect her from a demon.

While it starts out innocent enough just a plan to keep Caitlin safe they find themselves falling for the other spending every chance together. Unfortunately for Caitlin she doesn’t have a future with Adrian after all he’s a half-demon vampire who can’t die and will live forever plus the council won’t let them get attached to humans. Thanks to Adrian she is settling into life even making friends, even stopped being hostile to her aunt. Suddenly the dreams start and things change but with the help of Adrian she even learns to handle them until the night everything changed. Will Caitlin and Adrian be able to survive the demon who is hunting her? What about after when they have to end their fake relationship?

I instantly connected to Caitlin right from the start she’s dealing with some tough emotions and it isn’t easy to get over losing the only home she’s known. It’s been rough watching her mother deal with the loss of her father when she was little wasn’t easy either but she’s been given a new start and she learns to make it work. I loved Adrian he’s exactly what she needed in her life and she is what he needed. They each didn’t have the best childhoods but I know that they will figure it out in the future.

I wasn’t sure what to expect the synopsis sounded really interesting and the cover is beautiful. I picked up Velvet with high hopes it was the first sentence that sealed the deal I was hooked. Typically it takes at least a page or couple chapters for me to be hooked to a book but it’s the opening sentence. I loved the characters they are easy to connect with I found myself sucked into Caitlin’s world right away. I enjoyed that Velvet while a vampire/demon story is unique the concept I found refreshing compared to other YA vampire romance novels. Velvet is one of those novels that is hard to put down loaded with action, romance, and just enough suspense to keep you on the edge of your seat. I like an emotional story that makes you cheer the characters on and Velvet doesn’t disappoint. My only complaint is that it’s a cliffhanger and I need the next one yesterday so I can see what happens next. I loved Velvet and can’t wait for the next one.

[Tee loves Kyle Jacobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy Vampires and Demons!

I loved this book so much. I had so much fun reading it and when I came to the end I wanted to keep reading and wished I had book two to read because lordy lordy I need more of Caitlin and Adrian.

One of my favorite quotes from the book is "First rule of dealing with hot vampire bodyguards? Don't fall in love."

Caitlin Holte has had a great life until her mother dies from cancer. When she is left parentless she is sent to live with her aunt and uncle who live in a small country on a ranch. Caitlin is horrified because she has never been on a ranch and she has never met her aunt or uncle. All she wants to do is graduate high school and go to college in New York for Designers.

As if her world is not turned upside down already she encounters a supernatural being who wants her. She is saved by her hot neighbor Adrian. She thanks him for saving her and that is when her world really turns upside down because Adrian tells her he needs to protect her and they need to come up with a plan for them to always be together. So Adrian tells her they will tell people they are dating.

The only problem is is that Caitlin is falling in love with Adrian and Adrian tells Caitlin he can not date humans because he is a demon vampire and it is forbidden to be with humans. Plus he reveals to Caitlin that the person who wants her is his demon father.

What will happen to Caitlin and Adrian? Will his father get what he wants...... or will Caitlin get what she wants Adrian.......

[aniryllis]

THIS SOUNDS SOOOOOO GOOD!

asdfghjklasdfghjkl

DO. WANT. NOW.

“Oh my gosh, you totally have a Gryffindor scarf, don’t you? And an Elder wand and a Goblet of Fire. Tell me you have a Goblet of Fire.”
He blushed,and it was adorable. “No Goblet of Fire… I might have the wand.”

For this quote only, I'M SOLD.


“Science words,” I warned. “When you say ‘hemoglobin’ I just think of little Irish tricksters who live in caves, or Lord of the Rings.”
“You mean ‘goblin’?”
“Yes.”

[Tabetha · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were obvious references to Twilight throughout, and in the beginning, the forest scenes were right out of Forks...Adrian's glowing eyes, and his family is similar to the Cullens family...and he is immortal but can't ever have children (tears)...I actually enjoyed the initial funny moments and banter between Caitlin, sad from having just lost her mother, and dark/brooding/handsome/brilliant Adrian. The book took on a darker tone when Caitlin began to experience horror-filled nightmares...but the unexpected creepy scenes towards the end, made me cringe...and ask, was that really necessary? I am not sure if I will continue with the series...

[Jasmine Pearl Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book: Velvet
Author: Temple West
Finished Reading: June 21, 2015 (Sunday)

I'M NOT REALLY A FAN OF A VAMPIRE-ISH book. I haven't read Twilight yet (don't throw rocks at me, okay?). This book made me start loving vampires now. I loved Adrian! I loved his library. I can't wait to read the sequel of this book.

FULL REVIEW TO COME.