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Dying of the Dark Vampires/Lifeblood Legacy #1
The Vampires' Last Lover
Txema Ybarra is the most unenviable nineteen-year-old girl alive.
Smart, pretty, and athletically gifted, this University of Tennessee freshman should be enjoying college life and her entrance into adulthood. And for a moment she does… until the vampires show up.
Born with an unusual ‘twin teardrop’ birthmark on her neck, Txema (pronounced Chema) is one of only a handful of females in the world who bear this trait. It marks her as a vessel of eternal youth and beauty for an elite vampire society determined to protect her precious blood… But it also is the only thing standing in the way of a rogue ‘undead’ nation determined to destroy mankind and usurp the power their sexier brethren have held uncontested for centuries.
Caught in the middle of this war after all the other bearers of the birthmark are murdered, Txema must flee America and heads to France under the protection of five beautiful vampires who all have a vested interest in her survival. The race is on to save her blood, as well as her very life, to ensure the survival of Les Amantes de Vampire.
Otherwise, Txema will be the last one… the vampires’ last lover.
Smart, pretty, and athletically gifted, this University of Tennessee freshman should be enjoying college life and her entrance into adulthood. And for a moment she does… until the vampires show up.
Born with an unusual ‘twin teardrop’ birthmark on her neck, Txema (pronounced Chema) is one of only a handful of females in the world who bear this trait. It marks her as a vessel of eternal youth and beauty for an elite vampire society determined to protect her precious blood… But it also is the only thing standing in the way of a rogue ‘undead’ nation determined to destroy mankind and usurp the power their sexier brethren have held uncontested for centuries.
Caught in the middle of this war after all the other bearers of the birthmark are murdered, Txema must flee America and heads to France under the protection of five beautiful vampires who all have a vested interest in her survival. The race is on to save her blood, as well as her very life, to ensure the survival of Les Amantes de Vampire.
Otherwise, Txema will be the last one… the vampires’ last lover.
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Published August 4, 2014
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About the author
Aiden James
84 books310 followersedit biographydelete
Biography
Aiden James is the bestselling author of "Cades Cove: the curse of Allie Mae", "The Judas Chronicles", and the "Nick Caine Adventures" (with J.R. Rain). The author has published over forty books and a new series is set to begin in the fall of 2022 (The BloodStar Chronicles). At present, he resides in Nashville, Tennessee with his wife, Fiona, and an ornery little dog named Pepper.
To learn more about Aiden James and his latest books, please visit AidenJamesNovelist.com, or look for him on Facebook (Aiden James, Paranormal Adventure Author) and Twitter (@AidenJames3).
You can also learn more about Aiden and Fiona, and their interests, at the links below:
FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/ManorHousePu...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
May 27, 2012
There really aren't that many authors that give us stories that manage to feel genuinely new, especially in the popular paranormal genre. Somehow Aiden James accomplishes exactly that with the Vampire's Last Lover. I'm no newcomer to the paranormal or fantasy genre, and this is coming from someone who has read a little bit of everything in this over-saturated category. The author creates characters who have no resemblance to ones from other popular series, which is a huge pet peeve of mine with vampire stories. Everything about the story is unique. My only wish was for just a little bit more 'steam', as I really enjoy the carnal nature of a vampire. This in no way hampered my enjoyment of the story though, and it was nice to see an author not have to rely on sex to make the story enticing. If you have been searching for a series that breaks the mold and dares to be different, this is the one. I highly recommend it!
July 12, 2016
3 Stars
Full Review:
*I received a free ecopy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
I had a hard time choosing a rating for this book because, while I did have a lot of issues with it, it wasn't all bad, and something about it made me interested enough to consider continuing the series (as of now I haven't, but I might at some point). Unfortunately some of my issues are spoilers, but I'll keep those hidden and do my best to list this out.
The Good:
- The writing itself was fine, aside from a few too many exclamation marks.
- The premise was unique---there are certain females whose blood is special and needed by the vampires in order to keep them sane and civilized, but the uncivilized vampires have been killing them all off so that Txema is now the last one.
- Some of the characters were realistic. And the rest were realistic sometimes. None of them were completely absurd, at least. (My favorite was Armando because he cracked me up, and someone needed to step in and remind Txema of where her priorities should be.)
- The romance had me intrigued. It was... surprising. I say that with hesitation because I didn't necessarily like the direction it went, but it did surprise me and was somewhat unpredictable. This is probably the main reason I'm considering continuing the series---I'm curious to see where the romance ends up.
The Not-So-Good:
- Some of the characters, especially Txema, made some truly terrible decisions. For example, Txema knew the vampires were specifically after her, yet she kept going out after dark, walking out in the open, and generally just putting herself in danger.
- Txema seemed far too unconcerned about the possibility of her friends and boyfriend being dead (I'm not saying whether they're dead or not, so I'm not spoiling anything). Occasionally she would stop and think something along the lines of, "Oh, wait, that's right, I forgot, I'm sad about my friends," and then go back to not thinking about them.
- Txema had nightmares/visions about the bad guy and his plans, yet she never told anyone even though it could've been helpful and important.
- This was the part of the romance aspect that didn't necessarily bother me, per se, but it did make Txema less likeable, and I know it's something that could bother some readers... *SPOILER ALERT* *END SPOILER ALERT*
- And this was something that might not bother other readers but did bother me... *SPOILER ALERT* *END SPOILER ALERT*
- The sex ritual was just too much for me. It seemed to be there entirely for edginess. It could have taken place privately and still had the same effect on the story. And the way the characters reacted to it and didn't seem to feel very nervous or awkward seemed unrealistic.
Overall:
As you can tell, almost all my issues were about Txema. I didn't find her likeable and couldn't relate to many of her decisions. But that's just me, so other readers might like her more. And readers may still enjoy the book for the other characters, the premise, etc. since I didn't find any major issues with those. Overall, though I did have some issues, I still found the writing decent, the romance intriguing, and some of the characters interesting.
Recommended For:
Anyone looking for a new adult vampire book with a unique premise and a surprising romance.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
Full Review:
*I received a free ecopy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
I had a hard time choosing a rating for this book because, while I did have a lot of issues with it, it wasn't all bad, and something about it made me interested enough to consider continuing the series (as of now I haven't, but I might at some point). Unfortunately some of my issues are spoilers, but I'll keep those hidden and do my best to list this out.
The Good:
- The writing itself was fine, aside from a few too many exclamation marks.
- The premise was unique---there are certain females whose blood is special and needed by the vampires in order to keep them sane and civilized, but the uncivilized vampires have been killing them all off so that Txema is now the last one.
- Some of the characters were realistic. And the rest were realistic sometimes. None of them were completely absurd, at least. (My favorite was Armando because he cracked me up, and someone needed to step in and remind Txema of where her priorities should be.)
- The romance had me intrigued. It was... surprising. I say that with hesitation because I didn't necessarily like the direction it went, but it did surprise me and was somewhat unpredictable. This is probably the main reason I'm considering continuing the series---I'm curious to see where the romance ends up.
The Not-So-Good:
- Some of the characters, especially Txema, made some truly terrible decisions. For example, Txema knew the vampires were specifically after her, yet she kept going out after dark, walking out in the open, and generally just putting herself in danger.
- Txema seemed far too unconcerned about the possibility of her friends and boyfriend being dead (I'm not saying whether they're dead or not, so I'm not spoiling anything). Occasionally she would stop and think something along the lines of, "Oh, wait, that's right, I forgot, I'm sad about my friends," and then go back to not thinking about them.
- Txema had nightmares/visions about the bad guy and his plans, yet she never told anyone even though it could've been helpful and important.
- This was the part of the romance aspect that didn't necessarily bother me, per se, but it did make Txema less likeable, and I know it's something that could bother some readers... *SPOILER ALERT* *END SPOILER ALERT*
- And this was something that might not bother other readers but did bother me... *SPOILER ALERT* *END SPOILER ALERT*
- The sex ritual was just too much for me. It seemed to be there entirely for edginess. It could have taken place privately and still had the same effect on the story. And the way the characters reacted to it and didn't seem to feel very nervous or awkward seemed unrealistic.
Overall:
As you can tell, almost all my issues were about Txema. I didn't find her likeable and couldn't relate to many of her decisions. But that's just me, so other readers might like her more. And readers may still enjoy the book for the other characters, the premise, etc. since I didn't find any major issues with those. Overall, though I did have some issues, I still found the writing decent, the romance intriguing, and some of the characters interesting.
Recommended For:
Anyone looking for a new adult vampire book with a unique premise and a surprising romance.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
August 27, 2014
Life for nineteen year old Txema Ybarra would never be the same after the night of her Birthday when she was visited by a vampire who warned her to not leave her dorm room. As she was on her way out to celebrate with her boyfriend…she was not going to heed the warning and attempted to leave and that is when life as she had known it ended and her nightmare began!
This book is filled with twists and turns that keep the action going in this amazing vampire story by the fantastic writing team of Aiden James and Patrick Burdine…and oh…what a story they have written!
Txema is a descendent of a rare group that all bear a unique birthmark in the form of two tear drops on their neck. This mark makes her a target for a vicious group of Nosferatu type vampires whose intent is to end mankind as we know it. Her protectors, a group of “the beautiful” vampires who only wish to live in peace are her only hope to escape what would surely be her death at the hands of the depraved vampires.
The ensuing story is filled with a fantastic cast of characters with each one adding so much to the outcome of the book. I loved the way the authors descriptions of the scenes were so detailed…painting a picture with their words so the reader could envision the scenes as they were reading.
I have and do recommend this story to my friends and to anyone who is looking for a different type of vampire story that will both entertain and engross you in a wonderful story. Kudos Mr. James and Mr. Burdine on what I thought was a very captivating and enjoyable story!
This book is filled with twists and turns that keep the action going in this amazing vampire story by the fantastic writing team of Aiden James and Patrick Burdine…and oh…what a story they have written!
Txema is a descendent of a rare group that all bear a unique birthmark in the form of two tear drops on their neck. This mark makes her a target for a vicious group of Nosferatu type vampires whose intent is to end mankind as we know it. Her protectors, a group of “the beautiful” vampires who only wish to live in peace are her only hope to escape what would surely be her death at the hands of the depraved vampires.
The ensuing story is filled with a fantastic cast of characters with each one adding so much to the outcome of the book. I loved the way the authors descriptions of the scenes were so detailed…painting a picture with their words so the reader could envision the scenes as they were reading.
I have and do recommend this story to my friends and to anyone who is looking for a different type of vampire story that will both entertain and engross you in a wonderful story. Kudos Mr. James and Mr. Burdine on what I thought was a very captivating and enjoyable story!
November 27, 2012
Your average college co-ed at the University of Tennessee meets vampires. Women start getting gruesomely murdered. A couple of vampires come to warn her that something is coming...for her and to not leave her dorm. Of course, she doesn't listen. Bad things, really bad things start happening and she is whisked to safety by more vampires. She is told there is a legacy and that she is the last of her kind. She has a decision to make that could change the world's future. Read this wonderfully written tale, a first in a series, to see what happens next.
May 27, 2012
This was an excellent book! : ) What an interesting story that had you wondering what was going to happen next. Nice cliffhanger at the end! I must say in reading this it is like the author has dropped me into the story and I am one of the gang hanging out with the characters. Aiden writes in such detail that it is always so easy to picture everything in my head.
August 20, 2011
I really liked this book!! I liked the characters and the interaction between them. I didn't see the turn that the end took. The ending definitely left me wanting the next book now!!
April 7, 2015
I got this book from NetGalley a while ago, but only just got round to reading it. No idea why I waited though as I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Txema (pronounced Chema) is a university student, enjoying all the joys of student life and for the first time finds herself a serious boyfriend. However, her life starts to take a turn for the worst when a fellow student, who looks fairly similar to Txema, is killed in a very brutal attack. Two vampires appear in her dorm to tell her of the danger she is in, but having no knowledge of what any of this all means, she almost dismisses the danger. The killings soon increase and other girls are kidnapped only to return in parts days later.
When the evil vampires attack her dormitory one night, the "good" vampires whisk her away, out of the country and she finds herself on a boat in the middle of the ocean bound for France. Although the vampires have told her that she is vital to their survival and for the protection of the human race, she doesn't really get told why. That explanation comes much later and it did keep me wondering as to her significance for ages. She did seem to accept this saving from danger quite well, maybe it was all the designer clothes they kept in dressed up in!
This book is only the first part of Txema's new life and although she doesn't become a vampire, she is the saviour of their race and the only way she can protect mankind from being totally annihilated by the evil vampires is to reproduce and have a baby girl who will carry on the bloodline. I wasn't particularly keen on the babymaking scene, although I guess it was necessary in a way for the story, but it was a bit too voyeuristic compared to the rest of the story. There wasn't any explanation as to why she couldn't have "relations" with another not quite human man either. I want to know why Chanson was so against it.
My only real problem with the book was the lack of fighting scenes in the big show down at the end. There was a big bang, some shouting and then Txema blacked out yet again (seems to be her defence mechanism) and then she wakes up hours later after all the fighting is over. I wish the authors had written that scene in or at least have someone tell her about it as the book was from her point of view anyway. I think with such a crucial stage of the war between the two sets of vampires, we needed more details especially in how they managed to get Txema away from it all. It had the reminiscence of "I woke up and it was all a dream!" that actually did happen a few times in the book as well.
I will read the next book in this series as I want to see what happens to Txema and her baby now. I think this series has potential and I hope it doesn't fall flat with the introduction of a baby!
Thank you to the authors and publisher for giving me this copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Txema (pronounced Chema) is a university student, enjoying all the joys of student life and for the first time finds herself a serious boyfriend. However, her life starts to take a turn for the worst when a fellow student, who looks fairly similar to Txema, is killed in a very brutal attack. Two vampires appear in her dorm to tell her of the danger she is in, but having no knowledge of what any of this all means, she almost dismisses the danger. The killings soon increase and other girls are kidnapped only to return in parts days later.
When the evil vampires attack her dormitory one night, the "good" vampires whisk her away, out of the country and she finds herself on a boat in the middle of the ocean bound for France. Although the vampires have told her that she is vital to their survival and for the protection of the human race, she doesn't really get told why. That explanation comes much later and it did keep me wondering as to her significance for ages. She did seem to accept this saving from danger quite well, maybe it was all the designer clothes they kept in dressed up in!
This book is only the first part of Txema's new life and although she doesn't become a vampire, she is the saviour of their race and the only way she can protect mankind from being totally annihilated by the evil vampires is to reproduce and have a baby girl who will carry on the bloodline. I wasn't particularly keen on the babymaking scene, although I guess it was necessary in a way for the story, but it was a bit too voyeuristic compared to the rest of the story. There wasn't any explanation as to why she couldn't have "relations" with another not quite human man either. I want to know why Chanson was so against it.
My only real problem with the book was the lack of fighting scenes in the big show down at the end. There was a big bang, some shouting and then Txema blacked out yet again (seems to be her defence mechanism) and then she wakes up hours later after all the fighting is over. I wish the authors had written that scene in or at least have someone tell her about it as the book was from her point of view anyway. I think with such a crucial stage of the war between the two sets of vampires, we needed more details especially in how they managed to get Txema away from it all. It had the reminiscence of "I woke up and it was all a dream!" that actually did happen a few times in the book as well.
I will read the next book in this series as I want to see what happens to Txema and her baby now. I think this series has potential and I hope it doesn't fall flat with the introduction of a baby!
Thank you to the authors and publisher for giving me this copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
August 14, 2016
Just finished reading “The Vampires’ Last Lover (Lifeblood Legacy Book 1), by Aiden James and Patrick Burdine...and let me just say from the get go that it behooves me when people who review books on Amazon or elsewhere give a book low marks and in their own review admit to not even finishing the book, or that you should not read a book because it’s in a series and you will not know the ending. Well if you would have finished the book maybe some of your bad review remarks may have been explained or answered, and you know from the get go that it’s a series, and if you’re not willing to invest in the next book well that’s your fault. Okay, that’s off my chest…sorry but it just angers me that people find those kinds of reviews “helpful”.
I loved this read. I was totally engrossed and lost in the adventure. I thought the characters were well written and developed. I was taken on quite a journey with the many different characters and locations. I was stuck on who to trust and found that very intriguing. This book kept me reading and wanting to find out what happens next and wanting more...and I will find that out when I read the next book in this unique and somewhat twisted Vampire Series.
Synopsis from back cover: “Txema Ybarra is the most unenviable nineteen-year-old girl alive.
Smart, pretty, and athletically gifted, this University of Tennessee freshman should be enjoying college life and her entrance into adulthood. And for a moment she does… until the vampires show up.
Born with an unusual ‘twin teardrop’ birthmark on her neck, Txema (pronounced Chema) is one of only a handful of females in the world who bear this trait. It marks her as a vessel of eternal youth and beauty for an elite vampire society determined to protect her precious blood… But it also is the only thing standing in the way of a rogue ‘undead’ nation determined to destroy mankind and usurp the power their sexier brethren have held uncontested for centuries.
Caught in the middle of this war after all the other bearers of the birthmark are murdered, Txema must flee America and heads to France under the protection of five beautiful vampires who all have a vested interest in her survival. The race is on to save her blood, as well as her very life, to ensure the survival of Les Amantes de Vampire.
Otherwise, Txema will be the last one… the vampires’ last lover.”
I loved this read. I was totally engrossed and lost in the adventure. I thought the characters were well written and developed. I was taken on quite a journey with the many different characters and locations. I was stuck on who to trust and found that very intriguing. This book kept me reading and wanting to find out what happens next and wanting more...and I will find that out when I read the next book in this unique and somewhat twisted Vampire Series.
Synopsis from back cover: “Txema Ybarra is the most unenviable nineteen-year-old girl alive.
Smart, pretty, and athletically gifted, this University of Tennessee freshman should be enjoying college life and her entrance into adulthood. And for a moment she does… until the vampires show up.
Born with an unusual ‘twin teardrop’ birthmark on her neck, Txema (pronounced Chema) is one of only a handful of females in the world who bear this trait. It marks her as a vessel of eternal youth and beauty for an elite vampire society determined to protect her precious blood… But it also is the only thing standing in the way of a rogue ‘undead’ nation determined to destroy mankind and usurp the power their sexier brethren have held uncontested for centuries.
Caught in the middle of this war after all the other bearers of the birthmark are murdered, Txema must flee America and heads to France under the protection of five beautiful vampires who all have a vested interest in her survival. The race is on to save her blood, as well as her very life, to ensure the survival of Les Amantes de Vampire.
Otherwise, Txema will be the last one… the vampires’ last lover.”
January 22, 2012
I picked this up as a Kindle freebie. At first glance, I was a little put off by the poor cover art, but in over all I liked the book. It was entertaining enough, yet I found myself a little disappointed with the level of action in the book. Overall, there was no where near enough action. On the other hand, I did like the interaction between Txema and her roommate Tyreen. That was cute, Tyreen was kind of mothering her or acting as the responsible one during all the chaos on campus.
I also liked a few of the "good" vampire characters. Txema's cousin Chanson seemed to be the only one truly who had her best interest at heart. Several of the male vamps have ridiculous crushes on her. Kind of odd that so many old men would fall for this 18 year...who happens to be pretty immature in the scheme of things. There is also a very old immortal human, an alchemist, whom also clearly isn't quite right but is trying with all his prowess to hook up with Txema.
The protagonist Txema finds herself in them middle of a vampire war and at the end of the book, the "bad" vampires storm the castle where she is being hidden. I was expecting to get a awesome fight scene. No...what we got was Txema blacking out just as the vampires storm in and then she awakes somewhere else. What a cop out. That was truely disappointing. The scenes that took place during most of the book led me to believe that would continue until the end, but it didn't. Honestly, if sort of felt like the author ran out of steam in the last quarter of the book.
Unfortunately, this book isn't very memorable. It was a decent read, but I probably wouldn't read the next book if I had to pay for it. Since in fact, I did pick up the 2nd installment as a freebie, I'm going to continue on and read it. I hope that the story becomes more intense in the next book.
I also liked a few of the "good" vampire characters. Txema's cousin Chanson seemed to be the only one truly who had her best interest at heart. Several of the male vamps have ridiculous crushes on her. Kind of odd that so many old men would fall for this 18 year...who happens to be pretty immature in the scheme of things. There is also a very old immortal human, an alchemist, whom also clearly isn't quite right but is trying with all his prowess to hook up with Txema.
The protagonist Txema finds herself in them middle of a vampire war and at the end of the book, the "bad" vampires storm the castle where she is being hidden. I was expecting to get a awesome fight scene. No...what we got was Txema blacking out just as the vampires storm in and then she awakes somewhere else. What a cop out. That was truely disappointing. The scenes that took place during most of the book led me to believe that would continue until the end, but it didn't. Honestly, if sort of felt like the author ran out of steam in the last quarter of the book.
Unfortunately, this book isn't very memorable. It was a decent read, but I probably wouldn't read the next book if I had to pay for it. Since in fact, I did pick up the 2nd installment as a freebie, I'm going to continue on and read it. I hope that the story becomes more intense in the next book.
February 9, 2012
This a good wee romp of a novel with some interesting twists on Vampire novels which at least dont do away with the central ethos of vampires ie they can't go out in sunlight (are you listening twighlight). I bought this as part of the 12 days of kindle and liked it enough to buy the other 2 to finish the story. Not highbrow, not badly written and well paced plus its got Vampires in it whats not to like?
June 3, 2016
Bringing a fresh story to the genre is quite shocking
Given that it has been just about worn out, but Aiden and Patrick do just that. -The chupacabra syndrome is genius and the 2 different types of vampires is intriguing.
The heroine is funny and reacts honestly to the insane situation she has been thrust into. I'm not a fan of graphic sex scenes in books, but this one was handled tastefully enough.
I'm sold and I cannot wait to find out more about this new world.
Given that it has been just about worn out, but Aiden and Patrick do just that. -The chupacabra syndrome is genius and the 2 different types of vampires is intriguing.
The heroine is funny and reacts honestly to the insane situation she has been thrust into. I'm not a fan of graphic sex scenes in books, but this one was handled tastefully enough.
I'm sold and I cannot wait to find out more about this new world.
August 22, 2012
I enjoyed this book. It was interesting enough to keep me entertained. Though, I admit she was quite compliant compared to what you would think she would be, but it was still not enough to detract from the story itself.
June 22, 2013
This is a fantastic take on the well used vampire stories. The three (soon to be four)books would make a spectacular movie. I honestly couldn't put it down. I highly recommended this. Aiden has out done himself. Oh yeah, Aiden, get a move on with that fourth book. The waiting is killing me!!!!!
May 16, 2011
This was a free book on kindle. Turned out to be quite good. 1st in a series but #2 is not yet available. Guess I will have to wait.
January 30, 2012
3 and i/2 stars. I like the main character and want to read more about her.
April 9, 2012
Read my full review here ---> http://puretextuality.com/2012/03/07/...
March 12, 2012
Pretty good book, and a new take on the vampire world.
March 29, 2012
Review to come.....
April 4, 2012
Very interesting twist on the vampire legends. Very good. Read a more detailed review here - http://www.abookloverslibrary.com/1/p...
February 11, 2013
great book! can't wait to read the next one! I love this different take on the usual vampire story!
May 13, 2020
Love this book. Can't wait for the next one.
September 15, 2020
Savior
Txema believes she is just a college student until she learns differently. She is the last of her kind. She has a mission to fulfill. She is to be the savior of the civilized vampires. Will she be able to do it? Very interesting story.
Txema believes she is just a college student until she learns differently. She is the last of her kind. She has a mission to fulfill. She is to be the savior of the civilized vampires. Will she be able to do it? Very interesting story.
April 14, 2021
Not what I expected
Good read just nothing like I expected thought it would be about vampires but it was & was not. No I am not confused just don’t know how to describe it without giving it all away on to book 2
Good read just nothing like I expected thought it would be about vampires but it was & was not. No I am not confused just don’t know how to describe it without giving it all away on to book 2
November 18, 2019
The plot is a little thin and seeing that the other 2 books in the series are not readily available on kindle, I didn’t get too attached to the characters.
June 21, 2022
I found this story good, but some smaller parts are a bit boring to me. I would not mind to read the next one.
December 8, 2012
Started reading this as someone in feedback said that this author has been added to their fav list and thought that sounded promising...
I thought the story idea was great, an original twist on the vampire-story-bandwagon. It wasn't however executed very well. The writing didn't suck the reader in, it lagged (especially in the beginning) it wasn't pieced together well at all. The story would have you in a dramatic scene but would leave out all details as well as the end of the scene. It left the reader frustrated. Is it too much to ask for details? What did the scene feel like to the character(s) throughout the scene?? Example: Ski scene. It was bits and pieced together. Maybe it was just over-edited??
The main character really irritated me. She was immature (especially around worldly and old vampires) she came off as a typical spoiled American young girl, which is okay as it's what the character was... but way overdone. She was selfish, childish, rude, had a complete inability to grasp the extreme danger of the situations she faced. She made stupid choices with little to no thought process. I find it humorous as she was picking terribly on the character Peter in the beginning about how analytical he supposedly is, yet you feel like pointing out all of her flaws. This type of thing takes a reader out of the story, you want to like the characters (good and bad) yet you end up not being interested at all here... and making the reader feel like that from the beginning.. thats not a good thing.
Now for those characters.. they fell flat to me. I know they (most) are dead (according to this authors version of vampires) but they came off literally lifeless, loveless, uninteresting. I was a bit better 75% through, but then fell flat again near the end.
The whole treatment of Peter, the whole ease of acceptance of her 'abduction' and the whole forced to procreate scene in front of 200 vamps was just... humph. If it had to be it should have been written better. It wasn't uncomfortable (it should have been for the characters) it just came off as ridiculous.
I had hopes the whole way through for this to get better and for me it just didn't. I'm not even compelled to read the following teaser at the end. Two stars to be nice. Probably delete from my kindle.
I thought the story idea was great, an original twist on the vampire-story-bandwagon. It wasn't however executed very well. The writing didn't suck the reader in, it lagged (especially in the beginning) it wasn't pieced together well at all. The story would have you in a dramatic scene but would leave out all details as well as the end of the scene. It left the reader frustrated. Is it too much to ask for details? What did the scene feel like to the character(s) throughout the scene?? Example: Ski scene. It was bits and pieced together. Maybe it was just over-edited??
The main character really irritated me. She was immature (especially around worldly and old vampires) she came off as a typical spoiled American young girl, which is okay as it's what the character was... but way overdone. She was selfish, childish, rude, had a complete inability to grasp the extreme danger of the situations she faced. She made stupid choices with little to no thought process. I find it humorous as she was picking terribly on the character Peter in the beginning about how analytical he supposedly is, yet you feel like pointing out all of her flaws. This type of thing takes a reader out of the story, you want to like the characters (good and bad) yet you end up not being interested at all here... and making the reader feel like that from the beginning.. thats not a good thing.
Now for those characters.. they fell flat to me. I know they (most) are dead (according to this authors version of vampires) but they came off literally lifeless, loveless, uninteresting. I was a bit better 75% through, but then fell flat again near the end.
The whole treatment of Peter, the whole ease of acceptance of her 'abduction' and the whole forced to procreate scene in front of 200 vamps was just... humph. If it had to be it should have been written better. It wasn't uncomfortable (it should have been for the characters) it just came off as ridiculous.
I had hopes the whole way through for this to get better and for me it just didn't. I'm not even compelled to read the following teaser at the end. Two stars to be nice. Probably delete from my kindle.
August 4, 2016
(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)
Txema Ybarra is the most unenviable nineteen-year-old girl alive.
Smart, pretty, and athletically gifted, this University of Tennessee freshman should be enjoying college life and her entrance into adulthood. And for a moment she does…until the vampires show up.
Born with an unusual ‘twin teardrop’ birthmark on her neck, Txema (pronounced Chema) is one of only a handful of females in the world who bear this trait. It marks her as a vessel of eternal youth and beauty for an elite vampire society determined to protect her precious blood….But it also is the only thing standing in the way of a rogue ‘undead’ nation determined to destroy mankind and usurp the power their sexier brethren have held uncontested for centuries.
Caught in the middle of this war after all the other bearers of the birthmark are murdered, Txema must flee America and heads to France under the protection of five beautiful vampires who all have a vested interest in her survival. The race is on to save her blood, as well as her very life, to ensure the survival of Les Amantes de Vampire. Otherwise, Txema will be the last one…the vampires’ last lover.
I am sorry - I couldn't read this.
While I appreciate the effort the author went to in trying to get a different spin on the vampire lore, this just did not work. 2 stars for the ideas.
Paul
ARH
Txema Ybarra is the most unenviable nineteen-year-old girl alive.
Smart, pretty, and athletically gifted, this University of Tennessee freshman should be enjoying college life and her entrance into adulthood. And for a moment she does…until the vampires show up.
Born with an unusual ‘twin teardrop’ birthmark on her neck, Txema (pronounced Chema) is one of only a handful of females in the world who bear this trait. It marks her as a vessel of eternal youth and beauty for an elite vampire society determined to protect her precious blood….But it also is the only thing standing in the way of a rogue ‘undead’ nation determined to destroy mankind and usurp the power their sexier brethren have held uncontested for centuries.
Caught in the middle of this war after all the other bearers of the birthmark are murdered, Txema must flee America and heads to France under the protection of five beautiful vampires who all have a vested interest in her survival. The race is on to save her blood, as well as her very life, to ensure the survival of Les Amantes de Vampire. Otherwise, Txema will be the last one…the vampires’ last lover.
I am sorry - I couldn't read this.
While I appreciate the effort the author went to in trying to get a different spin on the vampire lore, this just did not work. 2 stars for the ideas.
Paul
ARH
October 10, 2014
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I’m not exactly sure what I was expecting from this book based on the title and cover, but I was definitely surprised at how the story progressed.
Txema (yes, a really hard to get used to type of name) is a college student who is doing the usual college type things until one night when a quirky vampire shows up and takes her blood. Upon waking, she also does the typical thing, and assumes it was all a weird dream until two quirky vampires show up. Txema has been lucky enough to be deemed someone special by the vampire race. She has a vampire’s bite birthmark that indicates she is one of the few women in existence who can make vampires less yucky monster-y and more sexy sparkly. Throw in some murders of people who closely resemble her and you’ve got a very stressed out college girl.
Oh, and the story wouldn’t be complete without a love triangle or two, just to keep the romance elements alive. Overall, this story was a spin on your usual vampire tale but I kind of had some trouble with the POV and writing style in the beginning. I eventually got used to it, but it certainly slowed down my read. There was a lot of setup in this book that I assume gets more fleshed out in books to come. This was certainly an interesting start to a series.
I’m not exactly sure what I was expecting from this book based on the title and cover, but I was definitely surprised at how the story progressed.
Txema (yes, a really hard to get used to type of name) is a college student who is doing the usual college type things until one night when a quirky vampire shows up and takes her blood. Upon waking, she also does the typical thing, and assumes it was all a weird dream until two quirky vampires show up. Txema has been lucky enough to be deemed someone special by the vampire race. She has a vampire’s bite birthmark that indicates she is one of the few women in existence who can make vampires less yucky monster-y and more sexy sparkly. Throw in some murders of people who closely resemble her and you’ve got a very stressed out college girl.
Oh, and the story wouldn’t be complete without a love triangle or two, just to keep the romance elements alive. Overall, this story was a spin on your usual vampire tale but I kind of had some trouble with the POV and writing style in the beginning. I eventually got used to it, but it certainly slowed down my read. There was a lot of setup in this book that I assume gets more fleshed out in books to come. This was certainly an interesting start to a series.
July 12, 2015
2.5
*Book source ~ A review copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.
Virginia native Txema Ybarra is a typical nineteen-yr-old college student at the University of Tennessee. Or so she thought. Then the attacks started. Women who fit her description were being brutally murdered and the closer the killers get to her location the more nervous she becomes. Handsome, mysterious strange men visiting her at night don’t help the situation. Txema has no idea that she’s at the heart of a war between the vampires and the undead rogues. But she’s about to find out and fast.
I have to admit to being disappointed in this book. The concept sounded new and fresh, but the execution left much to be desired. The pacing was all over the place, at times plodding along with too much detail and then bam! Flying along and barely touching on the events that were happening. Sometimes too much detail and sometimes not enough. And don’t get me started on Txema. I completely disliked her. She calls herself stubborn, I call her TSTL. She grated on my nerves so much that I reached the point where I hoped she would die. The rest of the characters are flat. I cared for none of them. While I won’t be continuing with this series, I do want to try other works by this author because I’ve read Fractured Earth, The Actuator, #1 that he’s written with James Wymore and I enjoyed it.
*Book source ~ A review copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.
Virginia native Txema Ybarra is a typical nineteen-yr-old college student at the University of Tennessee. Or so she thought. Then the attacks started. Women who fit her description were being brutally murdered and the closer the killers get to her location the more nervous she becomes. Handsome, mysterious strange men visiting her at night don’t help the situation. Txema has no idea that she’s at the heart of a war between the vampires and the undead rogues. But she’s about to find out and fast.
I have to admit to being disappointed in this book. The concept sounded new and fresh, but the execution left much to be desired. The pacing was all over the place, at times plodding along with too much detail and then bam! Flying along and barely touching on the events that were happening. Sometimes too much detail and sometimes not enough. And don’t get me started on Txema. I completely disliked her. She calls herself stubborn, I call her TSTL. She grated on my nerves so much that I reached the point where I hoped she would die. The rest of the characters are flat. I cared for none of them. While I won’t be continuing with this series, I do want to try other works by this author because I’ve read Fractured Earth, The Actuator, #1 that he’s written with James Wymore and I enjoyed it.
September 8, 2014
Hidden Supernatural Heritage Comes To Light
This series must be read in order. This is the first book.
Txema Ybarra is Basque and to her that is just her ancestry... Little does she know that soon all that WILL matter is her heritage! She feels like a normal college girl... She LOOKS like a normal college girl ... As long as you ignore the two tear shaped birthmarks on her neck. She is special and she does not even know it... Until too late.
It is Txema's birthday and she is getting ready to go out with her boyfriend Peter for dinner and dancing. Then there is a strange man in her dorm room begging her to stay in... When she won't promise he bites her neck? She passes out and when she comes to all she has are questions. Who was that guy? How did he get into her room? What did he do to her? What was he? Why MUST she stay inside? Why is whoever is hunting her hunting her?
This was a fast paced paranormal thriller with a dash of romance and a lot of action and adventure. The heroine's place in the grand scheme of things is an intricate mystery to unravel. There is intrigue and suspense along with a little dark humor. I was very enthralled by this new take on the vampire mythos and can't wait to read the next book!
***This series is suitable for adult readers
This series must be read in order. This is the first book.
Txema Ybarra is Basque and to her that is just her ancestry... Little does she know that soon all that WILL matter is her heritage! She feels like a normal college girl... She LOOKS like a normal college girl ... As long as you ignore the two tear shaped birthmarks on her neck. She is special and she does not even know it... Until too late.
It is Txema's birthday and she is getting ready to go out with her boyfriend Peter for dinner and dancing. Then there is a strange man in her dorm room begging her to stay in... When she won't promise he bites her neck? She passes out and when she comes to all she has are questions. Who was that guy? How did he get into her room? What did he do to her? What was he? Why MUST she stay inside? Why is whoever is hunting her hunting her?
This was a fast paced paranormal thriller with a dash of romance and a lot of action and adventure. The heroine's place in the grand scheme of things is an intricate mystery to unravel. There is intrigue and suspense along with a little dark humor. I was very enthralled by this new take on the vampire mythos and can't wait to read the next book!
***This series is suitable for adult readers
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