Serafina and the Silent Vampire

Serafina's #1

by Marie Treanor

Silence has never been so sinful…

Welcome to Edinburgh's unique psychic investigation agency, Serafina's.

Serafina MacBride is psychic - but not strictly honest. While staging a hilarious vampire attack at a client's party, Sera is stunned to encounter a real vampire - annoying, gorgeous and inaudible to everyone but her. When her client's son is found dead with puncture wounds in his neck, she tracks the silent vampire to his lair.

But the amoral and seductive Blair is also on a mission - to find and kill a nest of young vampires who've invaded his territory. Soon Sera is drawn into the bizarre world of the undead, where danger lurks in the shadows along with forbidden sensual delights - and a murderous conspiracy to flood the world with financially astute vampires who talk.

Supported and hindered by Blair's eccentric, undead friends, and by her own motley crew from Serafina's, Sera and Blair uncover surprising truths about each other and about the mysterious Founder from whom all vampires are descended.

In the end, Sera draws on powers she never knew she had in a frantic fight to defeat the forces of evil and preserve the strange, complicated being she's trying so hard not to love.

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

ebook

First published August 1, 2012

About the author

Marie Treanor lives in Scotland with her eccentric husband and three much-too-smart children. Having grown bored with city life, she resides these days in a picturesque village by the sea where she is lucky enough to enjoy herself avoiding housework and writing sensual stories of paranormal romance and fantasy.

You can find out more about Marie and her books on her website: www.MarieTreanor.com.

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Reviews

[Stacey Brutger · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars
DESCRIPTION:

Silence has never been so sinful…

Welcome to Edinburgh’s unique psychic investigation agency, Serafina’s.


Serafina MacBride is psychic – but not strictly honest. While staging a hilarious vampire attack at a client’s party, Sera is stunned to encounter a real vampire – annoying, gorgeous and inaudible to everyone but her. When her client’s son is found dead with puncture wounds in his neck, she tracks the silent vampire to his lair.


But the amoral and seductive Blair is also on a mission – to find and kill a nest of young vampires who’ve invaded his territory. Soon Sera is drawn into the bizarre world of the undead, where danger lurks in the shadows along with forbidden sensual delights – and a murderous conspiracy to flood the world with financially astute vampires who talk.


Supported and hindered by Blair’s eccentric, undead friends, and by her own motley crew from Serafina’s, Sera and Blair uncover surprising truths about each other and about the mysterious Founder from whom all vampires are descended.


In the end, Sera draws on powers she never knew she had in a frantic fight to defeat the forces of evil and preserve the strange, complicated being she’s trying so hard not to love.



REVIEW:

I found this book on NetGalley. The cover immediately caught my attention, but it was the blurb that lured me into grabbing a copy. Psychic? A Scottish vampire (in a kilt, no less!) who can’t speak? Must find out more.


Right off the bat, we get a feel for Serafina. The whole book was flavored with a charming British slang. She’s snarky. She’s psychic. Just because she can speak with the dead doesn’t mean the supernatural exists. So when a client came to her, wishing to save his son from a stalker who claimed to be a vampire, Serafina took his money. If he wanted to scam her, she’d scam him right back. Only, when the son showed up dead, Sera realized her tragic mistake too late. To make up for treating the job like a joke, Sera vowed to catch the real killer.


Things soon become complicated when her main suspect professed to be a real vampire. Convinced someone hired Blair to act a part, Sera sent him packing. But when the victim woke after hours with no heartbeat and walked out of the house, Sera realized that there might be more to this vampire thing than she'd ever imagined. Using all her psychic and street skills, Sera and her team uncover a secret world of supernatural beings. Vampires were plotting ways to gain power and take over the world. Realizing Blair might be their only hope, she tracked him down and convinced him to join their cause. Only, she underestimated him. The more time they spent together, the deeper Blair worked his way into her heart despite her best intention to keep him at arms length. To save him and her friends, she must risk everything and dig into the troubled past she’d long since buried.


I adored Blair’s tortured soul and how he managed to steal Sera’s heart…all without speaking a word. I wasn’t necessarily sold on Serafina in the beginning. I actually had to re-start the book twice. That said, I’ve enjoying learning about Sera and her troubled childhood. The insight to her past deepened my enjoyment of the book. Sera was just as scarred as Blair. She used her wounds as a shield to keep others at bay and protect herself. Underneath, she’s soft, vulnerable, and Blair quickly fell for this broken woman. He doesn’t want to like her, but her prickly, off limits attitude charmed him out of centuries of boredom. Together, they must hunt down this new breed of vampires before they, themselves, become the first casualties of the war. I loved the epic battle at the end, the lengths they went to protect each other. By the time I turned the last page, I surprised myself by thoroughly enjoying the book. I’ll continued this series, but I will have to read a few books in between to clear my palate.


Posted from my site: www.StaceyBrutger.com

[Mara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointed. Serafina is a take on Ms Treanor's other books, The Awakened series and Hunting Karoly. A mix-and-match that has nothing new, the only "fresh" take being the vampire's weird muteness. Otherwise, it has the same setting (which is not that problematic) and the same plot, with some switched positions. Unfortunately this is not sex, so the shuffling of positions wasn't meaningful < grin >

Add that nothing in Serafina was that interesting, except her con life, and you may get my meh attitude. No other character is grabbing and over all I had some difficulty in accepting people's behaviour, from the heroine's refusal to harm the villain (on the whimsy base that she's his unacknowledged-before/unknown to both/ daughter which, by the way, doesn't stop him from trying to strangle her), to her juvenile and childish "guilt" for the natural death of her foster family, to her friend's jealousy.

Not enough to keep me interested. But if you are not burned out on the genre, you might want to read it. I can't really think a reason why you should pick this book over others, unless you love Edinburgh, that is. In that case a vamp fight in Holyrod Park might be enough :D

[Babel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging secondary characters, lively and funny dialogue, a sizzling hot couple and an intriguing angle on the vampire theme. I loved the whole story. It's about a psychic woman with a strong will who is hired to protect a retired banker's son from a stalking vampire. The mere idea is ludicrous but Serafina goes along with it for the money. She runs a business that deals with communicating with the spirit of the departed. She might appear callous at first, but she caters for her clients' needs in a deeper way. Her difficult past has made her tough, sharp-tongued and straight-to-the point. Nothing has prepared her, though, for her first encounter with a real vampire. Blair is fast, dangerously hypnotic and never utters a word. Except that she can hear him due to her psychic powers.
From that moment on, utter chaos ensues. When her assignment proves to be much more than anticipated, Serafina uncovers a conspiracy that involves the banker's son, her too-hot-to-touch-but-will-anyway new vampire acquaintance, and the past she's still carrying on her shoulders. The future of humankind might be at stake if she doesn't do anything about it. And it all begins in Edinburgh.
What I find so appealing of this story is that it combines many good paranormal elements with a fast-paced, intelligent plot and a really hot love story. It's got a mystery to solve regarding Serafina's family and the vampires in the city. A fresh enough angle is offered to want to know this slightly different vampires in depth. And it gives plenty of room to explore for future stories. I care for the characters too. I care for the love story. I want them to overcome all obstacles, even the ones they harbour inside, and get their happy ending. And, oh my, what a happy and steaming hot ending. Apart from the gripping storyline and the witty dialogue, the lust-slash-love relationship between Blair and Serafina made me a merry reader. I was very invested in their romance. It got pretty steamy every time and when it was almost impossible for them to get together I was actually frustrated. That, of course, made the last chapters so much better.
I think this novel is well-written, quick-witted, it's got a sexy romance and an engaging plot with vampire lore and psychic magic that will appeal to all paranormal lovers.

[Mindy (Book Snitch) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good and interesting read. It sort of felt like a cross between Sookie Stackhouse and Buffy with a dash of Sherlock Holmes and adult Scooby Doo. That isn't bad, but that's just what it kind of reminds me of.

Serafina is a multitalented psychic who speaks to the dead. She's been hired by a family to seek out their son's stalker who they believe is a vampire. Which Sera doesn't believe in vampires... until she meets Blair the silent vampire. None of Sera's friends can hear Blair speak. However Sera can because she can speak to the dead. Blair is charismatic and sexy 300 year old vampire. When they Sera and Blair first meet there is an instant connection and not just the psychic connection.

Overall, it's interesting and I will read the next book. However I would have really liked the sex scenes to be longer and more descriptive. They were a little mild for my taste. This also has a HFN ending.

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Meigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a very interesting take on vampires, both the originals and the "newbies". The original vampires, such as Blair, don't have the capacity to speak. Really, they have no need to. They speak telepathically to one another and have no reason to speak to humans, so it doesn't hinder them much. Serafina is a psychic and able to communicate with Blair through her mind.

I liked Serafina. She had a quite a tough life, which made her a rather cynical, yet tough adult. She doesn't believe in vampires and was in for the shock of her life when she discovers they are real. After much trepidation, Serafina and her friends team up with Blair to stop a wayward group new vampires who have plans to wreak havoc on the world.

I also really liked Blair. He was a sad sort of fella, he had grown very bored with his un-life. As an immortal, that's never a good thing. He meets Serafina and everything changes for him. He was a vampire with heart, I really hope he and Serafina are in the next book in the series which I definitely plan to read.

**I received this eARC on behalf of the publisher via NetGalley for my honest review.

[Literary George (For Your Literary Pleasure Blog) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story line was okay. I like Serafina even though she got to be a little annoying with her internal focus. She doesn't reach out to Blair and refuses to trust him which after how many pages is just downright rude. Especially when he has done nothing but help her *smh.* I must say they have some pretty awesome sex scenes, I kind of want a Blair for myself! Yet even with the super sex this book lacked in pizzazz. It wasn't a story that hasn't been told before and in moments it definitely dragged on. I did appreciate the switching perspectives between Blair and Serafina but overall it just didn't spark. It felt a little removed from the action in parts it should have been drawing me in. I would recommend it as a solid paranormal investigator novel. It's not anything ground breaking or hasn't been done before but for $3 why not give it a shot? Maybe you'll feel differently.
NB: I am currently reading the second book in the series and liking it MUCH MORE!

Read the full review

[Celeste · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really enjoyed this book. I the title and cover lead me to think i was reading something cheesy, but really enjoyed the authors different elements to vampires that I have not read before. The writing was a nice easy read, the characters were not complex. The plot could have been a bit deeper, but regardless an enjoyable book.

[Kathleen Kurdziel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really hard to get into at first. I didn’t particularly like Serafina or Blair. The last third of the book picks up and gives me enough hope that I will try the next in the series.

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of those rare instances when I was drawn to read a book strictly because of the title. I didn't read the blurb, I didn't check out reviews and I barely glanced at the cover. Nope, I was just intrigued by the title. Silent Vampire? Girl with a name like Serafina? Interesting...

Serafina MacBride is a psychic. She is both the real thing and a fake. She sees the dead and can even communicate with them, but many of her other paranormal services are just bunk and strictly for the money. Like this gig she is engaged in now for instance. Sera and her other employees are busy setting up garlands of garlic and crosses at a retired banker's home during a party because he claims he's being stalked by a vampire. Sera plans to give Mr. Bell a show with one of her people acting as a vamp and attacking another of her people and then she'll do her thing getting rid of the vampire and collecting her fee.

Too bad, she can't anticipate the arrival of a real vampire who can only communicate telepathically- though she isn't convinced its not another con artist horning in on her job- nor the real death of the man's son, Jason Bell. And then more bizarre, the son's body vanishes and he turns up alive. Sera's job and her world just got that much more difficult.

Blair is torn between finding the deletable human female who hears his thoughts so he can get her in his bed and sink his fangs into her and finding the mysterious vampire who drank from the banker and has the ability to speak aloud among other things. For the first time in years, he's interested in something. The female, Sera, is on his mind even as he encounters her during his efforts to find out who these new vampires are and what they are up to with their different gifts and making multitudes of others. He is concerned about their connection with another human who seems to be working with them.

Sera trusts nobody except her best friend Jilly and an old friend Mel, but finds herself needing the vampire's help when it comes to working against the other vampires. She's all worked up because of the way Blair affects her too. She fights the attraction and her secret longing to let him take her and her blood. Sera knows that he thinks about things from a different perspective and only looks on humans as potential food and distraction. But the death count is rising, the strange vampires are out to take over the world and she has made some shocking discoveries beyond that. She needs Blair's help even though she'd rather push him away because of the feelings he brings to the surface.

This turned out to be a rather different sort of story in many ways. I really liked this author's take on vampires and the lore she created. They really are very different from humans and aren't the creatures of romance. Gotta say the villain's plot cracked me up when it finally came out. Why I found it funny I won't say for spoiler issues.

And that leads me to speaking about the characters. The story is told from alternating point of views mostly the two main characters, but sometimes by a secondary character.
Blair is unapologetic about who and what he is even as he feels attraction to a human for the first time ever and even as he feels the stirrings of interest in life and wanting to live.
Sera is a gifted human. She has led a hard life growing up in the foster system and feeling the abandonment of parents and family. She has grown up hard and strong so she'll survive. She too has some larceny in her. She runs a few cons and has no trouble taking people's money. Granted she tends to discriminate over who she cons and who she cons to help them. I loved the scene with the two greedy guys she conned. Sera won't allow herself to believe, trust or feel when it comes to other people. While I understood her issues, it still made for a frustrating read. She blew hot and cold and then got angsty when Blair couldn't seem to keep up or had other things going on besides her to deal with. The denials and lying to herself and others just got old. I really liked them together- they sizzled- and I enjoyed the exciting storyline so I tolerated her hang-ups for the most part.

The secondary characters were true gems too. I loved meeting Sera's staff (though Jilly was nearly as annoying as Sera with her tough girl act) and Blair's friend Phil was cool. They were all well-drawn characters that I look forward to encountering in future books.

Another little tid bit that I liked about this story was that it is set in Edinburgh and is written by a Scottish author. Not that I'm opposed to PNR set in America or other popular places, but it was just a refreshing change.

All in all, this was a good read and I look forward to continuing with the series. Paranormal or vampire romance lovers should give this a try.

My thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this one in exchange for my honest review thoughts.

[Petra Grayson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
I was really surprised by how much I liked this one. I've been out of the vampire scene for quite a while and I wasn't too sure that I wanted to get back into it. This one has a lot of the “normal” vampire troupes like the sexuality involved in being bitten, but it sort of took a broad view of vampirism without getting too specifically into the hows and whys.

This story is about Serafina MacBride, a psychic/telepath who can sense emotions and speak to the dead. Interestingly enough, she doesn't believe in vampires until she's presented with conclusive evidence. She runs a paranormal style agency, partly as a scam and partly to resolve her own guilt about the people in her life that she thinks she should have been able to save.

Serafina is really complex. She's smart and tough and generally tries to avoid love, but she's really protective of her friends and pretty much anyone who's hurting. She's so intense that she loses friendships easily, but she does whatever she can to give people the benefit of the doubt. She always is alone because of her psychic abilities but she also feel special because of them. She was very relatable. I liked her and knew where she was coming from.

Blair was also a likable but complex character. He wants to seem all tough and he is, but he also really cares for his friends and his responsibilities. He pretends like he's unfeeling and cold but it's all an act. I didn't find him to be all that emotionally intelligent. He doesn't express his emotions verbally or even when the story picks up his perspective, but he's definitely action oriented and shows he cares pretty obviously.

It was a really interesting perspective that these vampires are unable to speak. Not only are they separate and trying to stay hidden, but they have no connection to humans except as a food supply. I don't think I ever saw one of Blair's set write, text, use a computer, etc. They had no means of communication with humans except body language and the occasional bit of telepathic suggestion until Blair meets Serafina. It made the vampire world in this book really closed off and separate. Even the vampires individually were very disconnected from each other.

I felt like the location of the story was really dark and oppressive. Like dark storm clouds hanging around and keeping everything rather drab and gray. It felt very low to the ground. Almost a steampunk/post-apocalyptic feeling. The only place I remember some color was inside Blair's house. It's the way lots of vampire stories feel to me, but at least for this one the action is pretty constant so you don't end up feeling like the story itself is depressed.

In the same vein, I kept throwing myself into the Regency period with this one. It's a modern day story, but most of the time it completely works as a Regency too. There are only occasional use of cars or phones or modern technology (although there was lots of coffee). I'd be reading along and forget the time period until there was a computer thrown into the story and then I'd feel like I got whiplashed back into the modern era.

The people in this story generally had a positive, can-do attitude. So even with the closed off and restricted nature of the story, it was action packed and enjoyable without feeling depressed or fatalistic. Even with all the violence, it all gets painted with a somewhat broad brush so we're not sucked into the disaster, but can simply look from the outside. We don't have to deal with the nitty-gritty, but can enjoy the fast pace and thrill.

I ended up taking quite a while to read this one. Only getting in a couple pages at a time before I'd get called away again. But the story was well told and concise enough that I never felt lost re-entering this world. It's the first book in a series, so there were lots of pieces thrown into the story that weren't resolved yet. Nothing like a cliff hanger, but just lots of whys that I hope will be resolved later in the series. I liked this story a lot and I will definitely read the next book in the series.

I received a complementary ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Marlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally published at Reading Reality

A psychic who doesn't believe in vampires! How delightfully unexpected. You would think that one person firmly resident on the eerie side of the fence would automatically give at least some credence to the possibility that there might be some truth to rumors about the other denizens of the night.

But not Serafina. And that's just a part of what makes Marie Treanor's Serafina and the Silent Vampire so delicious.

Serafina MacBride absolutely does speak with the dead, among other "tricks". But her own spooky powers are the only ones she has any faith in. So she uses them. Sometimes for good, and sometimes for things decidedly not so good.

She knows her current client, Ferdy Bell, is hiding something from her. He says there's a vampire stalking him. Sera believes in ghosts, because they're a natural part of being. We live, we die, our spirit passes on. But vampires are unnatural, so they must be fake. Therefore, Ferdy must be having her on.

However, Ferdy is a wealthy banker. His money is no lie. And he wants protection. Serafina's, the psychic investigations agency that Sera owns, is perfectly happy to provide it. And while Ferdy is hosting a big house party for all of his rich friends, Sera and her friends have a plan to scare him with a fake vampire attack, all in good fun.

Too bad for Sera that their fake attack is crashed by two very real vampires. One kills Ferdy's son, Jason, and gets clean away. The other very nearly seduces Serafina just when the murder is taking place.

Serafina still doesn't believe that the man she met in her client's garden--the one she saw biting her friend's neck!--is a vampire. Even though he only speaks to her in her head, and not with his vocal chords. She's the only one who can hear him.

She doesn't believe until she sees Blair in action. beating up the "bad" vampires, the ones who killed, and turned, Jason Bell.

Blair and Serafina are surprised to discover that they have a common cause--eradicating the nest of vampires that is taking over the heart of Edinburgh's banking industry. Serafina wants them removed because their insidious plan is to control Edinburgh, and eventually a much larger territory, by pulling the strings on a vast financial empire. They're turning humans in key financial positions into vampires.

Blair wants these new vampires out of his territory. Edinburgh is his domain, and, reminiscent of Highlander, there can only be one -- at least without an invitation. Too many vampires in one place risks exposure.

But Blair is working with Serafina for another reason, a much more personal one. The greatest enemy of the immortal is boredom. Until Serafina careened into his unlife, Blair had felt nothing for a very long time. With Serafina around, he's been angry, frustrated, horny, satisfied, curious, excited, fascinated, impatient, eager and every other emotion he hasn't felt for centuries. But he's never, ever been bored.

Now that he's found a reason to live, there's someone out to kill him.

Escape Rating A: I didn't want this one to end. The case had to be over, but it's wide open for the next book in the Serafina's series, and I want to find out what happens next to these people. Not just where things go between Serafina and Blair, but also Serafina's whole crew.

Serafina and Blair's love story isn't just steamy (although it certainly is that!) but you feel the push/pull of Seraphina very properly worrying whether this is a good idea and what possible future they might have, and whether a fantastic time right now is worth the inevitable heartbreak.

And there's Sera's posse, who are also terrific. I hope that future stories will see them getting their own happy-ever-afters.

Oh yeah. Making the vampires silent was a stroke of genius. Very, very cool!

[Tash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed for Confessions From Romaholics

To see review at Confessions

I absolutely love the premise of this series. You see, Serafina ‘Sera’ MacBride is a psychic who runs her own psychic agency in Edinburgh, Scotland – called Serafina’s . She’s a fiery lady made tough by her foster home upbringing. She’s a lot less superstitious than most of her clients and not averse to use her psychic gifts to make them happy – with a little help from her friends. As her reputation grows she gets a chance to snag the biggest job of her career.



Notably, Ferdinand Bell, a former financier, has hired Serafina’s Psychic Investigations services. As it happens, Ferdy suspects there’s a vampire stalking his family. Sera doesn’t believe in vampires but she’s willing to take the case as Ferdy and his wife believe in all things paranormal and are active in their circle.



So we first meet the heroine when she’s in the midst of a party hosted by the Bells to celebrate their son Jason’s new promotion at the bank. Sera is in her element. Together with her childhood friend Jillian they are setting up the scene, hanging garlic and stakes all around the house to the guests’ amusement. One of Serafina’s staff, Jack, is there too, incognito. According to the plan he’s supposed to cut Jillian’s cousin Tam with custom clippers to make it appear like the vampire stalker’s attack so that Sera can scare the fiend away afterwards.



However, the plan backfires. Sera finds Tam in a trance with bite marks on her neck and a mysterious man loitering around. Then another tragedy strikes and again looks like it’s caused by vampires, only Sera doesn’t want to believe in it. She’s sure the stranger she encountered holds the clue to the mystery.



All this action is packed into the first 30-50 pages – I was instantly hooked. But it gets even better!



Blair, a third generation vampire is the Master of Edinburgh. He is not amused by the goings on in his area. There’s a big influx of strange vampires who are causing a lot of trouble, endangering all night feeders with exposure to the human public. Blair needs to find out who these newcomers are and put an end to it ASAP. He tracks one of the new vampires to the party. While there he decides to snack on Tam and so gets acquainted with Sera who, he instantly sees, is – or can be – much more powerful than she thinks.



Only a vision of a mysterious auburn-haired vampire from Blair’s past convinces Sera the vampires exist and he’s one of them. They form an uneasy alliance in order to stop the enemy but Sera’s still unsure whether to trust Blair or not. On top of this she’s got a problem with the police too – they also got wind of the case because what’s happened at that fateful party now is happening all over Edinburgh…





It was really hard to put this book down. If not for the demands on my time, I’d have happily spent a couple of hours and read it in one go. The author knows how to write a paranormal romance that will satisfy you and at the same time leave wanting for more – in a good sense. I liked the changes she made to the vampire lore as well – her vamps are pretty original. We are also given an insight into a job that has been stigmatized as a fraud. I loved the way Sera handled the people who accused her of being a fake. Little did they know how right they were! I’m sure the fans of other series by Marie Treanor will enjoy this new one. I highly recommend the book and give it 5 couples.

[Sapphyria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review Copy Courtesy Of: Bewitching Book Tours, in exchange for an honest review.

Saph's Review:

Holy Smokes! This book is excellent!!

Serafina (Sera) MacBride is a psychic, and owner of Serafina's Psychic Investigations Agency. When she's hired by a former prominent banker, Ferdinand (Ferdy) Bell, to track down a family stalker, she knows he's hiding something from her. He all but indicates that the being that's doing the stalking is a vampire, and while Sera believes in ghosts, she does not believe in vampires. In order to prove their non-existence, Sera and her crew; Tam, Jilly, and Jack, put together an elaborate scheme to frighten Ferdy the night of a large social gathering. As the plan is being put into motion, Sera is shocked to find Tam, a key player, with a gorgeous man latched to his throat; a gorgeous man that apparently only she can hear speaking. Unfortunately, while Sera is assisting Tam in removing the leech from his throat, Jason, Ferdy's son, is killed in the garden of Ferdy's home.

Or so they thought, until Jason't body disappears and he returns home the following evening like nothing ever happened. Curious about not only Jason's magical reappearance but Blair, the silent vampire, Sera continues to investigate what the heck just flipped her non-believing world upside-down.

As all of this transpires, Blair, the vamp found attached to Tam, is dealing with problems of his own. He dwells in boredom--having and extraordinarily long life tends to do that. His normally uneventful life is turned upside down with the appearance of an unknown vampiress in his territory. Worst of all?....She's not alone. Someone is creating vampires in mass droves and it's up to him to figure out who is doing it and why.

Still reeling from the fact that vampires truly do exist, Sera finds herself hunting Blair down for more information. When it's revealed that the other vampires invading her little town are up to no good and plan on taking over, one financial institution at a time, she knows she must team up with the only vampire she knows...Blair. Her character, as well as Blair's, are written so well that they felt real. Some of terms used were unfamiliar to me, I'm sure that's because the author lives in Scotland, but it didn't detract from the novel at all. I found myself drawn to the book long after having to stop reading because real life took the reins.

The heat between Blair and Sera is so undeniable, yet that's what Sera does...she tries to deny it. And Blair, now that he's finally found a reason to keep living, discovers that the financial vamps may just want him dead. Their relationship (or however you would like to define them) creates a sense of normalcy within the crazy world written between the pages. Blair is broody, moody, and as bada** as they come, but meeting Sera brings out feelings in him that one would assume got lost the further you were from your humanity.

The background provided on Sera was excellent and explained a lot about her character. Her hesitancy to acknowledge any feelings for Blair aren't just based on his being a vampire. She discovers that much about what she's been told about her past is indeed not factual. There is a plot twist concerning these facts later on in the novel, and while it's sort of hinted at and expected, it doesn't detract. Not all revelations need to be blunt and shocking. Ms. Treanor does a great job developing this.

The cast of supporting characters are charming in their own right, as well.

I'm am really anticipating Serafina, Book 2 and hope it continues the greatness that is Sera and Blair.

[Emsy Van Wyck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marie Treanor's Serafina and the Silent Vampire is a sexy, fun, suspenseful, and HOT five star read. What is the perfect Halloween read? Marie Treanor's Serafina's series without a doubt. Set in modern day Scotland and populated by psychics, witches, vampires, zombies, faeries, leprechauns, ghosts, ghosts, rockers (some of the scariest of the bunch), and more, this a fabulous series that is filled with a bit of mystery, suspense, the supernatural, humor, and a lot of hot, sexy romance. In fact, this is the perfect read for any paranormal romance fan, and I'd extend that to romance fans with a thing for sexy hunks in Scottish kilts and lovers of Scottish brogues.

The first book of the series, Serafina and the Silent Vampire, introduces us to psychic and medium Serafina, and her assistants Jilly and Jack. Her agency, Serafina's (for which the series is named), investigates the paranormal, sometimes exposing fraud, sometimes helping move spirits on, and sometimes, well, let's just say you shouldn't try to fool Sera as she might just take you for a ride.

While at a party in an upperclass Edinburgh home, we first encounter Sera, Jilly, and Jack hanging garlic and trying to protect against vampires that they don't believe in, but their client thinks may be stalking him. Soon Sera finds herself encountering a real-life vampire who is sucking a little life-blood from an associate and bodyguard, Tank. No one but Sera seems to hear the amazingly handsome, sexy Blair, dressed only in a tartan - with a very sexy bare chest.

Soon it becomes apparent that in Treanor's world vampires descended from the "Old One" are silent for reasons revealed in this book. As Sera can communicate with the dead and is a strong psychic perhaps that's the link between her and Blair. But there's a little more and their romance scenes are HOT.

When you begin this book, be prepared for a fast-paced and amazing ride as Treanor throws plot twists and characters in fast and furiously, making this a fascinating story. I loved it and fell a bit in love with Blair myself. Who could resist? Tall, dark, handsome, brooding, and ... silent… Sera is fabulous too - smart, inventive, sassy, with a heart of gold under a hard shell, and a powerful faith in good that's tested time and again. The only thing I wished for was to learn more about her associates and my wishes were granted in the next two books in the series.

Fab Fantasy Fiction
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I received a digital galley from the publisher through NetGalley for use in this review.

[Marta Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now this was different! A vampire that's silent and not sparkly! It's a fabulous idea to make the main vampire character capable of mind speak instead of the usual oral skills that ordinary humans possess. The fact that Serafinas a psychic just opened up this book to more possibilities as not only can she hear him but she can understand him and communicate back. Such a novel idea and one completely new to me.
Serafina is a very sceptical psychic who unfortunately has seen that too many humans have bad intentions. She's a young woman who doesn't remember her birth parents and has spent her younger years in foster care. Realising that she can put her gifts to good use she has set up an agency in Edinburgh to aid those who wish to get in touch with their departed loved ones but there's always someone who is just out to trick her. With the help of her most trusted friends she takes an assignment to out a vampire at a party of a retired banker. Believing that it's all an elaborate hoax to frighten people the last thing Serafina expects to find there is an actual blood sucking vampire and yet thats just what she discovers!
Blair is a very charismatic ,seductive vampire. From their first meeting something draws them together. Serafina is determined not to fall prey to his charms but with the apparent death of her clients son they are inexplicably finding themselves treading the same path. Blair is a world weary vampire who sees humans as food but his hunger for Serafina sees him considering a possibility that he had never envisaged. Could this exasperating, beautiful woman mean more? Is it possible that she could see beneath the vampire to the man inside ? The connection between them is off the charts but Serafina is very much alive and determined to stay that way and Blair has been dead a long time .
Blair will not stand by and see his territory invaded by new vampires and teams up with Serafina to find their hideout. Her abilities to track psychically and sense lies prove invaluable but it puts Serafina in incredible danger as secrets come to light. Suddenly no me is safe and the vampires look set for world domination!
Really enjoyed this book and looking forward to reading the next in this series. Interesting characters and a fun plot that keeps you guessing. A very sensual read that didn't feel too rushed or forced and of course just the right amount of angst to make the reader want to turn the page.if you enjoy paranormal romance then definitely give this book a go and at such a low price (£1.49) for 411 pages is a steal!
4 and a half from me

[Jeannie Zelos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Serafina and the Silent Vampire. Marie Treanor.

Review from Jeannie Zelos Book Reviews.

I've not read any of Marie's books before, but loved this so will look out for more from her. These vampires are different from the seductive emo types so often seen. They are seductive but they're unashamed of what they are, tough survivors who use humans for blood and sex. Blair is a real stunner, drop dead gorgeous, he's the current “vampire in charge” of Edinburgh while his sire is away. Serafina doesn't believe in vampires, she's a psychic who runs an agency that caters for people wanting odd requests, contacting the dead, readings and in this case, protection from vampires. As she doesn't believe they exist yet her client is convinced they do she's set up a little act to help the party flow...but the jest is on her when she meets Blair. These vampires have no need for speech being telepathic, and Blair is astonished that she can hear and “talk “ to him....He's on the track of what's been happening in his city, suspecting something is amiss with the vampires society. He's supposed to be the only one living there but bodies have been turning up and his job is to ensure that humans don't suspect vampires exist, that's how they've survived for centuries..
I loved Blair right from the start, silent and yet so sensual in his actions, and poor Sera thinks she's going mad. Vampires? She saw him biting one of her friends – but there are no marks, so what could she have seen. Then there's the dead son, and the fact that she can't pick up traces from his body even though she can usually from the dead. Something weird is going on and she's determined to get to the bottom of it. Sera needs to find solutions to things that aren't explained and she won't let this one go.
A great story, good cast of characters that make you laugh – and cry at times. Sensual, dangerous and at times funny vampires, secrets from the past revealed along with a daring plot that spells certain danger for humans. Blair feels a real pull to Sera which shakes him and she goes from not believing vampires exist to having hot and steamy, heavy and erotic sex with one...Then there's the actual mystery – a well planned plot and nicely played out, building up slowly to a riveting climax and lost of emotion from Sera and friends. Loved it and look forward to more in the series. Great value too at just £1.49 for 411 pages.

ARC supplied via Netgalley

Stars: five, great read.

[Christi Snow · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Review:

When we lived in England, we got to spend one absolutely fabulous weekend in Edinburgh. Reading this book was just like going back there to visit and I loved that about it. I could visualize it all. Vampires, especially uber-sexy ones that ride motorcycles in Edinburgh...it's a VERY NICE fit!!

I liked the twist on vampires and magic that this book presented. Blair is a vampire and one of the parts of vampirism in this world is that they don't have the ability to speak to humans. They speak telepathically to each other. Since Serafina is a true psychic, she can hear Blair speak. Until she met Blair though, she never realized that vampires were a true entity. See, Serafina runs a business....it's on the up-and-up for those that truly need the service of a psychic, but she isn't against making a buck off of those who just enjoy the sensationalism of psychics. That's what she thinks she's doing when she runs into Blair. She has a new client who is feeling stalked by a vampire. Serafina is "protecting" her client, thinking that she just needs to put on a good show. So it's quite a shock when she runs into a real vampire, Blair.

Everything snowballs from there as Serafina discovers that not only are there vampires, but now there's a whole new regime of them in the world who are out there trying to take over the world's banking system. Like I said, it's an interesting premise...both in the vampires, but also with the witches and psychics and their ability to all interact in this world.

I really liked all the characters here and think that this is setting up for what could be a really enjoyable series. I loved Blair and the fact that meeting Sera has pulled him back from the edge. I like all Sera's friends and the different personalities there. There are also some rather interesting characters in the vampire world. The only character I'm not quite sold on yet was Sera and I truly think that's because she was being pulled in so many different directions in this book without being sure what exactly was right. Now that she's more settled and understands everything better, I think that I will like her (and the book) more in book #2. When she would just relax around Blair, I loved the two of them together. Like I said, I think that this is setting up to be a series to definitely watch.

[Slytherin Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Genre: Romance/vampire
Author: Marie Treanor
Book: Serafina and the Silent Vampire
My Star Rating: 3 out of 5
Will I read I read it again?
Intro: Silence has never been so sinful…

Welcome to Edinburgh's unique psychic investigation agency, Serafina's.

Serafina MacBride is psychic - but not strictly honest. While staging a hilarious vampire attack at a client's party, Sera is stunned to encounter a real vampire - annoying, gorgeous and inaudible to everyone but her. When her client's son is found dead with puncture wounds in his neck, she tracks the silent vampire to his lair.

But the amoral and seductive Blair is also on a mission - to find and kill a nest of young vampires who've invaded his territory. Soon Sera is drawn into the bizarre world of the undead, where danger lurks in the shadows along with forbidden sensual delights - and a murderous conspiracy to flood the world with financially astute vampires who talk.

Supported and hindered by Blair's eccentric, undead friends, and by her own motley crew from Serafina's, Sera and Blair uncover surprising truths about each other and about the mysterious Founder from whom all vampires are descended.

In the end, Sera draws on powers she never knew she had in a frantic fight to defeat the forces of evil and preserve the strange, complicated being she's trying so hard not to love.
At first I didn’t think I was going to like it. It is hard for me to get into a book when authors have the character names close to other names in the book. Like Jack and Jason. I kept forgetting who was who.
Also I found that in the beginning of the book the conversations were kind of off to me. I do understand that it is a Scottish book and there sayings are a little different than American sayings. And I also found it got easier to read later in the book.
The book did pick up for me and I got into it. I got to say that I really like Phil and I hope he gets his own book soon. The other characters I did like and some I didn’t. I don’t know how I feel about the main person Serafina. I am not to keen on her milking some people but I can see that some people kind of asked for it.

I was given this book to read and give an honest review. This review is my honest opinion and I have fully read this book.

[DelAnne Frazee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Serafina and the Silent Vampire - Serafina Book 1
Author: Marie Treanor
Published: 8-27-12
Publisher: Self Published - Marie Treanor
Pages: 411
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Sub Genre: Sci Fi & Fantasy; Vampires; Psychics;
ISBN: 9780957301634
ASIN: B017QJCZ6Y
Reviewer: DelAnne
Reviewed For: NetGalley
My Rating: 4 1/2 Stars


.
Serafina MacBride is a psychic and owner and operator of Edinburgh's most unique psychic investigation agency. She is use to the unusual, but the paranormal incident are of her making, such as the fake vampire attack at a client, Ferdy Bell's party. Unfortunately she encounters a real vampire that only she can hear. When her clients' son, Jason is found dead with puncture wounds in his neck she goes in search of the sexy vampire from the party. Blair is on a mission of his own. To find and dispose of a group of young vampires who have encroached into his territory. Sera is pulled into Blair's world of the undead and danger. Not to mention the physical attraction for Blair that Sera is fighting. A plan is set to place vampires in key positions which could throw everything into chaos. Laughter abounds as the two are "helped" by co-workers and friends. Will the world survive? Will they?



Marie Treanor has the beginnings of a very funny and sensual series. Serafina is may have questionable practices, but once she sets her mind to something she lets very little get in her way. All the characters are well done. The story is filled with humor and a touch of drama. Ms. Treanor's words will draw you into the story and have you looking for the answers with Blair and Serafina. My overall rating is 4 1/2 out of 5 stars. I can't wait to read book 2, Serafina and the Virtual Man.



Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01...


Barnes and Noble link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/seraf...


GoodReads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...


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[The Nauti Vixen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Title: Serafina and the Silent Vampire
Series: Serafina Series Book #1
Author: Marie Treanor
Rating: D
Review: This book was not quite what I was expecting. It's one of those that had me going back and re-reading the blurb, wondering if I misread something! I was almost immediately turned off to the story by Serafina herself. To say that she was 'not strictly honest' is a bit of an understatement. She spends the majority of her time as a charlatan, conning people out of their money. Not only does she con them, but her and her 'employees' stage events in order to do so. The way the story was told regarding that left you with no sympathy for her or her friends whatsoever.
Loving books on vampires, I thought for sure this one would be great - however, even the vampire aspect of it didn't really mesh with me. I didn't really think that the 'inaudible' part would actually mean that he talks without ever moving his lips! I assumed that he would be invisible to everyone but Serafina, and that she would be the only one who could hear him. That it would be somewhat of a twist on vampire lore and he would be somewhat like a ghost (rather it be a permanent thing or simply temporary). Instead, he's visible to everyone, no one else notices anything weird about it, and to Serafina he doesn't move his lips. The idea of this in my head just weirded me out on the whole storyline, and it just didn't get any better for me after that.
Perhaps it's just me, but I just didn't connect with this book at all. It started off on the wrong foot with me, and it just never clicked into place. I usually like something a little different from the standard, particularly when the author can pull it off and make me believe that it could be possible. But I just didn't feel that with this book. So much so that I had a hard time reading it.
Apparently, I am in the minority here....after writing this review I checked it out on Amazon. At the time it had 31 reviews - 12 of them were 5 star ratings, and 13 of them were 4 stars, so keep that in mind if you're thinking about picking it up.
http://thenaughtyvixen.wordpress.com/

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

We first meet this interesting cast of characters getting set up for a party and the only way to put it is that things definitely dont turn out the way they had planned. And from there on out it is a constant moving puzzle where things are not always as they appear and there are more paranormal happenings going on that even one psychic is aware of.

Sera is a great character. She really is a psychic and can talk to the dead. But she is not always a completely honest one. If she can help you, she will. But if she can fool you for money, it is entirely probable that will happen as well. She is assisted by a great group of loyal friends and coworkers. Which all come together to make the group a Serafina's nothing if not unique.

Blair is a vampire. Those are Serafina's dont entirely believe in a real vampire. But he is there to show them reality. Blair has been living a long time and has gotten accustomed to a peaceful but boring life. This is when he starts discovering random "vampire" kills around the city. This helps start him on the path where he and Sera will cross.

Both are interesting characters with intriguing histories and loyal if slightly odd friends. Its very entertaining and great fun to watch them all try to get along to accomplish what is needed to save humanity.

Another thing I liked about this story is the alternate characteristics of a vampire. Here a true vampire can not talk to just anyone. They can only communicate telepathically. Which can make it quite a challenge when one is talking to you out in public! They are loners. Rarely coming together in a group and never too many living in one area. All of which make this new breed of vampire Blair discovers even stranger.

This was a great paranormal story from one of my favorite authors. And I highly recommend you pick it up and see what you think of Serafina's for yourself. I am looking forward to seeing what they all get caught up in next.

[Cameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted on the blog: What the Cat Read

Let me first start off by saying that this was a fun read! I enjoyed Treanor’s characters and found the plot to be both humorous and intriguing.

There’s no question that I love Serafina. She’s definitely a live by your wits type of girl who grew up in the school of hard knocks. While she tends to use her psychic gifts to help others, I will admit that I found humor in those moments where she went out of her way to pull the wool over the eyes of those who deserved it. She’s real, and I must say it was great to see her grow as the story progressed. Blair, on the other paw, was a challenging character to get into. There were moments where I loved him and other moments where I wanted to claw him to death because he struck me as being overbearingly smug. This sadden me a bit because he’s rather hot all things considered. By far my favorite characters were Jilly, Jack, and Phil. These three sidekicks provided several moments of comedic relief which left me giggling every time they appeared. I’d love to see Treanor write a book entirely about these three.

As far as the plot goes, it was enjoyable. I liked how both characters danced around their feelings for each other rather than just jumping into bed right from the start. They each had real baggage issues to work through, and that made their relationship feel more real to me. I also really liked the scenes involving Serafina and her business. In particular I loved the scene involving her and a seance she does for two brothers. I won’t say any more as I wouldn’t want to spoiler things, but it definitely made me laugh.

Overall, I’m curious to see what Treanor has in store next for these characters and I must say that this is a great start to what promises to be an exciting series.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Marie Treanor! Thank you for giving me a new vampire hero and human heroine to fall in love with. Beautiful, fiesty and psychic Serafina MacBride is a real Psychic and has her own business helping people let go of their pain by contacting the newly deceased. But with some people trying to debunk her by pretending to have need of her talents comes the goal to punish by charging high prices and putting on really fun shows to "stick it to" the people trying to bring her down. So when a very rich man says a vampire is stalking his family and he needs her help to protect them, it's time to get into this fraudulant man's pocket and put on a show of her own. Unfortunately there was truth in the man's statements and at a party where Sera is planning her show a real vampire shows up and kills the man's son. And Sera made a deal to help Mr. Ferdinand Bell and Sera does have a concience enough to follow through with her pledge to help. But the fun is only starting, and many more people will be changed into vampires. So with the help of a drop dead gorgeous vamp Sera and her colleagues will hunt down the growing crowd of new vampires to find out what it's all leading up to. With Sera's growing attachment to Blair, the leading vampire in Edinbergh, and her ability to talk telepathically with vampire's who no longer have a voice, she will have some juggeling to do to keep everyone she cares for safe.
I was so excited to recieve this very fast paced read from the author and I really am glad she chose me to review this marvelous book. It's good, I mean 5 star good ☆☆☆☆☆¸.“˜¨! Go forth and read my friends...I guarantee you will love this first in the "Serafina" series. I MUST HAVE the next in this frantastic set to see what mischief and romance Serafina and her motly get into next!

[Eva Millien · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book in the Serafina series is an intriguing and entertaining paranormal read with some unique twists.

Serafina is a psychic with an investigation agency, when she’s hired to stop a vampire stalker she thinks it is a joke and she is stunned to encounter a real vampire. Blair is an amoral and seductive vampire on a mission to stop a nest of young vampires that are invading his territory and he enlists Serafina’s help. They both find more than they bargained for and in frantic fight to defeat the forces of evil and save the strange being she’s trying so hard not to love, Serafina will draw on powers she never knew she had.

This steady paced plot is intriguing with some unique twists and paranormal elements that grabs the reader’s attention and doesn’t let go. The author paints a vivid picture with great detail that makes it easy for the reader to picture every scene as they follow Serafina’s adventure. All the characters are compelling with strong and charismatic personalities that are easily related to and leave the reader wanting to know more.

The chemistry between Blair and Serafina radiates heat from every page as they investigate the bad vampires and the sex scenes are well written and hot and steamy. The author conveys the emotions of the characters with an intensity that has the reader laughing and crying along with them. The intriguing story has lots of surprising twists and the setting is makes things interesting for these unique paranormal characters.

I found this book to be very enjoyable with its unique paranormal and magical elements and interesting premise, the great characters adds lots of depth and it makes for a refreshing look at vampires, psychics and witches, although there were a couple of places where the story seemed a little slow. I am looking forward to reading where the next book takes us.

[Diana (DomesticGoddess) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somewhere between 3.5 and 4 stars.
She strings garlic around entrances, nails crosses to walls and carries wooden stakes in her black leather jacket. No, we're not talking about Buffy. The book begins with the owner and employees of Serafina's Psychic Investigations attending a posh party, not as guests, but as protection against a vampire stalker. Not that they believe in vampires.
Sera has trust issues. If she thinks someones is screwing with her, she can and will outdo them. And charge them lots of money in the meantime. She isn't above charlatanism if she feels the situation calls for it, although she really does communicate with the dead. Which is why she can hear vampire Blair "speak" when no one else can.
The plot intrigue is a little wacky - even the text admits it:

"She threw off the quilt and leapt out of bed, as if by doing so she could escape the unbearable thoughts in her head. They weren't worth a damn anyway, besides the rather more important issue of her sodding father taking over the world with entranced vampires.
What B-movie writer had thought that one up?"

Sera and Blair remind me of Mac and Barrons from the Fever series. He is all unapologetic animal instinct and lust; she doesn't trust him not to break her heart - with good reason. At least we don't have to wait four books in to get to the sex part. There are other differences too - although both were human once, Blair isn't all that old compared to Barrons and we get to see inside his head - and the confusion he experiences around his feelings (?!?) for Sera.
This is a fun, sexy and quick read. And what the heck - it's only $.99 at Amazon. Review also posted there.

[Aimee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Serafina, the main character, has had a difficult life, being bounced around to various foster homes and never knowing her parents. She is also a gifted psychic who uses her talents to variously help people and rip people off, the latter only if they deserve it. (A psychic Robin Hood, if you will.) She operates a psychic investigation agency with friends Jilly, Jack, Tam, and secretary Elspeth. During a case where she is trying to prove to her client that vampires don’t exist, she experiences a little hitch—turns out they are very real. Serafina all of a sudden finds herself in the midst of a new breed of vampires planning world domination, and she has to partner with vampire Blair to put an end to it. Of course, romance ensues. Serafina also finds out more about her birth parents, but it’s more than she bargained for. Can Serafine find the strength to end the vampire menace? And can she trust Blair to help her?

When I saw the titles of the books in this series, I was prepared for not-so-well-written cheesiness. I admit to being pleasantly surprised. I actually really liked the characters, especially Serafina. I have to admit that the series reminds me somewhat of Darynda Jones’ Charlie Davidson series. You’ve got the detection agency, the supernaturally gifted investigator, the loyal sidekicks, the supernatural romantic interest, and you even get the meddling/sometimes cooperative cop friend. I can’t admit to liking Serafina as much as Charlie, and Serafina needs to go to Sarcasm 101 to be nearly as funny as Charlie, but if you are a fan of Jones’ series, I think you’ll probably like this one, too.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book from the author and the Lovers of Paranormal Group in exchange for a honest review.

My thoughts: I really thought this book would be better. It was OK to me. The evil plot by the sorcerer to control his vampire minions to take over the financial sector in order to siphon money from banks was boring. The hero and heroine's relationship did not develop beyond sex. There was no emotion at all. I found some of the secondary characters interesting especially Phil.

The story: Sera owns Serafina's Psychic Investigations and has been hired by Ferdinand Bell. She and her employees are at his party because he fears a vampire is stalking his family. Sera does not believe in vampires so she is going to conduct a ruse to make it appear that she has caught the vampire. Nothing goes as planned. By the end of the night, Jason Bell(Ferdinand's son)is dead and she has encountered Blair who is a real vampire biting her friend. After the party, Jason disappears from the house. Jason has been turned into a vampire.

The next day, she tracks Jason down at work. There she is attacked by vampires. Blair rescues her. Blair is on the trail of these new vampires for invading his territory. Eventually, Blair tracks these vampires down and they tell him their plan. They want to recruit him so he just plays along. Their master Nicholas Smith (sorcerer) and his vampires want to take over the financial world.

The rest of the books deals with Sera and Blake's relationship, Sera's absent fathers return, and Sera and her friends quest to thwart Nicholas Smith's plan.

Overall, a disappointing read for me.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Serafina and the Silent Vampire is quite an interesting twist on the classic “Who Done It.” Sere, as her friends call her, is a psychic investigator. Sometimes she really uses her psychic abilities, sometimes she pulls incredibly believable scams. So, really, she works both ends of the “psychic” spectrum. Her team consists of Tam (the muscle), Jake (the researcher), Jilly (techie), and Elspeth (recovering alcoholic secretary).

We start with Sere and her team pulling a scam that ends up all too real. As real as a silent vampire talking to her in her head. But Sere doesn’t believe in vampires, so who could this mysterious man be?

Blair really is a vampire, and in Marie Treanor’s world vampires are mute. They are telepathic with each other, but they never speak to humans. Blair is surprised and intrigued that this woman, Sere, can hear him and converse with him. Her blood wouldn’t be bad either… Serious sparks will fly!

Set in modern day Edinburgh, Scotland, you will find this city’s mix of ancient, mystical, mythical and modern the perfect setting for a paranormal romantic mystery.

So, Sere has to believe in vampires and join with Blair to stop a plot that endangers not just individual lives, but literally the world.

This series offers you a little bit of everything in a delightful package that is perfect for a summer day by the pool or at the beach.

I hope you enjoy Serafina and the Silent Vampire as much as I did… I charged right off and bought the rest of the series!

[Cocktails and Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome to a world where vampires live solitary lives, can't speak aloud and enjoy whiskey like it's water... or in a vampire's case... blood. Marie Traenor did a phenomenal job of retelling the age old story of a vampire falling in love with a human, with a few interesting twists.

Psychic and con woman Sera MacBride finds herself in a deep trouble. While on the job, she lost her client's son. Now she finds herself trying to solve the mystery of what happened to her client's son, in a love/hate relationship with a vampire, battling a new breed of speaking vampires and inadvertently learning about her past. So what's a psychic to do? Why you call in the cavalry, of course!

Although there is definite chemistry between Sera and her silent vampire, I enjoyed how realistic Treanor made the romance. They each had their own baggage to wade though causing them both to fight the attraction they felt for each other, even as they couldn't resist the pull. Two people, from opposite sides develop strong feelings for each other against the odds. I couldn't help but keep thinking of West Side Story while I was reading this. Good thing West Side Story is a favorite of mine.

I must say though, the sidekicks were my favorite. On Sera's side we have Jack and Jilly (I fully expected the joke to be made atleast once). On Blair's side we have Phil, who's never met a bottle of whiskey that he didn't like. With friends like these, this promises to be a great read and it does not fail.

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book! Vampires have lived among us, beside us, but not with us. They need us for food and sex but certainly not for companionship.

Serafina is a human who can talk to ghosts and tell when someone is lying. She does not know that there are vampires amongst us. She makes this discovery while serving as a "supernatural bodyguard" for a rich banking family.

Blair is a very old and very powerful vampire. He stumbles upon Serafina while he is feeding on one of her friends. Vampires cannot speak, but communicate telepathically with each other. He is shocked when Serafina can "hear" him. And he is just a little intrigued.

They ABSOLUTELY do not need each other! However, they do enjoy each other. They also must combine forces to fight a new group of vampires invading Blair's territory and endangering humans. But they do NOT need each other! Really.

This was a very fun book to read. I enjoyed the different spin on the vampire; i.e. not being able to speak. I thought Serafina was an interesing character, the not-quite 100% honest psychic. I enjoyed how she reluctantly became more attached to Blair and how Blair slowly realized that maybe Serafina was more important to him than just being his next meal.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes the supernatural. Also readers of Patricia Briggs and Ilona Andrews.