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Blood #1
Blood and Rain
Vampire hunter Adrien Gilbert never dreamed he’d fall for his prey or that his love, Nicolas Lambert, would give him the gift of immortality. But when a hunter bent on destroying the truce between vampires and hunters throws the gauntlet at Adrien’s feet, Adrien must travel through time to save Nicolas, and with him, the entire vampire race. Born in the 1800s into a clan of vampire hunters, Adrien once wanted only to tend his family’s vineyard or read a good book. Then his older brother is murdered. Bound by his hunter’s oath, Adrien sets out on a path that will change his life when he agrees to execute his brother’s killer, the vampire Charles Duvalier.
After months chasing Charles, Adrien reluctantly makes a bargain with ancient vampire Nicolas Lambert. Adrien will escort Nicolas to Paris for his marriage to a rival clanswoman, and Nicolas will help Adrien find Charles. Nicolas’s quiet strength and gentle heart soon convince Adrien that Nicolas is nothing like the vampires he has sworn to destroy. But as the wedding draws nearer, a sinister figure threatens the already fragile peace. To secure both past and future for those he loves, Adrien must find a way to stop the looming war. But first he’ll have to let Nicolas go.
After months chasing Charles, Adrien reluctantly makes a bargain with ancient vampire Nicolas Lambert. Adrien will escort Nicolas to Paris for his marriage to a rival clanswoman, and Nicolas will help Adrien find Charles. Nicolas’s quiet strength and gentle heart soon convince Adrien that Nicolas is nothing like the vampires he has sworn to destroy. But as the wedding draws nearer, a sinister figure threatens the already fragile peace. To secure both past and future for those he loves, Adrien must find a way to stop the looming war. But first he’ll have to let Nicolas go.
268 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 15, 2014
13 people are currently reading
769 people want to read
About the author
Shira Anthony
43 books429 followersShira Anthony is a complete sucker for a happily-ever-after, and rarely reads or writes a story without one. Never a fan of instalove, Shira likes to write stories about real men with real issues making real relationships work.
In her last incarnation, Shira was a professional opera singer, performing roles in such operas as “Tosca,” “Pagliacci,” and “La Traviata,” among others. Her Blue Notes Series is loosely based upon her own experiences as a professional musician.
Shira is married with two children and two insane dogs and when she’s not writing, she is usually in a courtroom trying to make the world safer for children. When she’s not working, she can be found aboard a 36’ catamaran at the Carolina coast with her favorite sexy captain at the wheel. She’s given up TV for evenings spent with her laptop, and she never goes anywhere without a pile of unread M/M romance on her Kindle.
Interested in hearing Shira sing? Here's a link to a live performance of Shira singing an aria from Puccini's "Tosca": http://www.shiraanthony.com/wp-conten...
You can subscribe to Shira's monthly newsletter for updates, free fiction, and subscriber-only contests here: http://www.shiraanthony.com/newsletter/
In her last incarnation, Shira was a professional opera singer, performing roles in such operas as “Tosca,” “Pagliacci,” and “La Traviata,” among others. Her Blue Notes Series is loosely based upon her own experiences as a professional musician.
Shira is married with two children and two insane dogs and when she’s not writing, she is usually in a courtroom trying to make the world safer for children. When she’s not working, she can be found aboard a 36’ catamaran at the Carolina coast with her favorite sexy captain at the wheel. She’s given up TV for evenings spent with her laptop, and she never goes anywhere without a pile of unread M/M romance on her Kindle.
Interested in hearing Shira sing? Here's a link to a live performance of Shira singing an aria from Puccini's "Tosca": http://www.shiraanthony.com/wp-conten...
You can subscribe to Shira's monthly newsletter for updates, free fiction, and subscriber-only contests here: http://www.shiraanthony.com/newsletter/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
May 16, 2015
I really enjoyed the first installment of Shira Anthony's new vampire series, Blood and Rain. There were plenty of really good guys and just as many really bad guys, with lines pretty clearly drawn on that front.
I loved the brothers, Adrien and François, as their fates lead them away from their small pastoral vineyard in France and on to more adventurous pursuits than tending to grapes. You see, in addition to being farmers, the brothers were also born into a long line of vampire hunters.
There isn't a problem with vampires per se in this book, since vampires and humans co-exist peacefully, for the most part. The hunters only come into play when a vampire doesn't honor their treaty with the Council of Hunters that allows humans to live unharmed and in peace.
But as usual, humans don't always want to live and let live either, instead grabbing for power, not caring much about an already-fragile peace. Such a human is Verel Pelletier, the (insanely evil) Regent of the Council of Hunters, whose lust for absolute power is all-consuming. (If you've read Shira's other *amazing* series, Mermen of Ea, picture Pelletier as the evil island council and you'd be very close.)
Add to that, Nicolas, a self-sacrificing (hot and hunky gay) vampire prince willing to give up his own happiness to marry into the clan of enemy vampires to strengthen the peace and Pelletier being a complete and total arsehole at every turn and Shira has given us a very entertaining read indeed.
[PS - I petition to replace the above Nicholas with the one of much lesser hotness currently on the book's cover. Sexy sells.]
From death orders issued on an innocent, to prison breaks, to abruptly-halted weddings, to kidnapping the heart of our hero Adrien, this book has it all and there is never a dull moment. This book had so many moving pieces, which could have very easily gone off the rails, but Shira kept the story tight and running like clockwork, so kudos for that.
The only thing that I found a bit distracting about the book was all of the magical "swords of light" play during the fights. It was always the swords and the vamps never really got "vampy" and chomped down on an enemy throat during battle. You're vampires! Bite a bitch now and again already. : )
The swords spewing out magical light of heat (for the hunters) and ice (for the vampires) felt a bit more like I was re-reading the "Finding Home" vampire trilogy by Jennifer Wright (which was all kinds of *awesome*, too, BTW). However, in Wright's story, the vamps were very 'bitey' and the mages were the only ones who wielded any sort of magic.
But do not get me wrong. Other than a few minor points, I. LOVED. THIS. BOOK.
Since it's part of a series, there were plenty of open-ended plot points left, we're still left waiting for the happily ever after and for the bad guy to be thrown into the proverbial "Sausage Grinder of Comeuppance" and lots, lots more. (I personally can't wait for that grinder, because Pelletier is pretty fucktacular as far as evil villains go.)
Christ, I can't even begin to tell you how HARD it was to not give away more of the plot than that, but you're welcome. : )
4 1/4 *sex-it-up-a-wee-bit-for-more-please* stars from me this time around.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
My copy of this book was provided by the publisher for a fair, unbiased review.
I loved the brothers, Adrien and François, as their fates lead them away from their small pastoral vineyard in France and on to more adventurous pursuits than tending to grapes. You see, in addition to being farmers, the brothers were also born into a long line of vampire hunters.
There isn't a problem with vampires per se in this book, since vampires and humans co-exist peacefully, for the most part. The hunters only come into play when a vampire doesn't honor their treaty with the Council of Hunters that allows humans to live unharmed and in peace.
But as usual, humans don't always want to live and let live either, instead grabbing for power, not caring much about an already-fragile peace. Such a human is Verel Pelletier, the (insanely evil) Regent of the Council of Hunters, whose lust for absolute power is all-consuming. (If you've read Shira's other *amazing* series, Mermen of Ea, picture Pelletier as the evil island council and you'd be very close.)
Add to that, Nicolas, a self-sacrificing (hot and hunky gay) vampire prince willing to give up his own happiness to marry into the clan of enemy vampires to strengthen the peace and Pelletier being a complete and total arsehole at every turn and Shira has given us a very entertaining read indeed.
[PS - I petition to replace the above Nicholas with the one of much lesser hotness currently on the book's cover. Sexy sells.]
From death orders issued on an innocent, to prison breaks, to abruptly-halted weddings, to kidnapping the heart of our hero Adrien, this book has it all and there is never a dull moment. This book had so many moving pieces, which could have very easily gone off the rails, but Shira kept the story tight and running like clockwork, so kudos for that.
The only thing that I found a bit distracting about the book was all of the magical "swords of light" play during the fights. It was always the swords and the vamps never really got "vampy" and chomped down on an enemy throat during battle. You're vampires! Bite a bitch now and again already. : )
The swords spewing out magical light of heat (for the hunters) and ice (for the vampires) felt a bit more like I was re-reading the "Finding Home" vampire trilogy by Jennifer Wright (which was all kinds of *awesome*, too, BTW). However, in Wright's story, the vamps were very 'bitey' and the mages were the only ones who wielded any sort of magic.
But do not get me wrong. Other than a few minor points, I. LOVED. THIS. BOOK.
Since it's part of a series, there were plenty of open-ended plot points left, we're still left waiting for the happily ever after and for the bad guy to be thrown into the proverbial "Sausage Grinder of Comeuppance" and lots, lots more. (I personally can't wait for that grinder, because Pelletier is pretty fucktacular as far as evil villains go.)
Christ, I can't even begin to tell you how HARD it was to not give away more of the plot than that, but you're welcome. : )
4 1/4 *sex-it-up-a-wee-bit-for-more-please* stars from me this time around.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
My copy of this book was provided by the publisher for a fair, unbiased review.
Read
August 9, 2018The first installment in my 3-book "Blood" series from Dreamspinner Press. And, never fear, there is a HEA at the end of the series. Well, three HEAs to be precise, since there are three MM pairings in the series.
Adrien Gilbert is a vampire hunter who received the gift of immortality from an ancient vampire (born a vampire, not created), Nicolas Lambert. Adrien unwittingly becomes caught up in a struggle for the heart and soul of the powerful Council of Hunters.
Naive and bookish, Adrien has despised vampires since witnessing his mother's murder by a vampire years before. Adrien's world turns upside-down when his older brother, Francois, is murdered. The Council activates Adrien's commission and sends him off in pursuit of the vampire believed to have killed Francois.
But things aren't at all what they seem, and Adrien realizes that the true danger to humanity comes not from vampires, but from the hunters themselves. When vampire Nicolas offers to help Adrien find Francois's murderer, Adrien finds himself falling for the gentle vampire and an entire universe of possibilities begins to unfold before him.
Adrien's journey of the heart will take him to the past and back to a future he doesn't recognize. The stories are part historical, part contemporary paranormal, adventure/romance.
Series books:
1) Blood and Rain
2) Blood and Ghosts
3) Blood and Eternity
Books in the series should be read in order.
NEWS FLASH: A special thank you for Blood Series readers is now up on my website! "The Price of Blood," is a previously unpublished scene from the Blood Series that didn't make it into the trilogy, but tells the story of how Charles Duvalier became a vampire. No spoilers for Blood Series books, so no matter where you are reading the trilogy, you'll be safe! Happy reading! https://shiraanthony.com/blood-series...
Adrien Gilbert is a vampire hunter who received the gift of immortality from an ancient vampire (born a vampire, not created), Nicolas Lambert. Adrien unwittingly becomes caught up in a struggle for the heart and soul of the powerful Council of Hunters.
Naive and bookish, Adrien has despised vampires since witnessing his mother's murder by a vampire years before. Adrien's world turns upside-down when his older brother, Francois, is murdered. The Council activates Adrien's commission and sends him off in pursuit of the vampire believed to have killed Francois.
But things aren't at all what they seem, and Adrien realizes that the true danger to humanity comes not from vampires, but from the hunters themselves. When vampire Nicolas offers to help Adrien find Francois's murderer, Adrien finds himself falling for the gentle vampire and an entire universe of possibilities begins to unfold before him.
Adrien's journey of the heart will take him to the past and back to a future he doesn't recognize. The stories are part historical, part contemporary paranormal, adventure/romance.
Series books:
1) Blood and Rain
2) Blood and Ghosts
3) Blood and Eternity
Books in the series should be read in order.
NEWS FLASH: A special thank you for Blood Series readers is now up on my website! "The Price of Blood," is a previously unpublished scene from the Blood Series that didn't make it into the trilogy, but tells the story of how Charles Duvalier became a vampire. No spoilers for Blood Series books, so no matter where you are reading the trilogy, you'll be safe! Happy reading! https://shiraanthony.com/blood-series...
June 30, 2015
It’s always more fun to experience great books with great friends. Deirdre and I had a blast sucking this book dry…and let us tell you why.
Sheri: Let me kick this off by saying…you are one of my favorite buddy readers (even though I have to race to keep up with your mad reading pace!) and this was one of my favorite buddy READS we’ve done in a long time. It was awesome!
Deirdre: Yes! We Always have fun reading together, but this was great! Vamps are so fun, and being able to text, email, and chat made it even more fun. Of course, having a great fast paced book series certainly helped. (And added to my mad fast paced reading Thank you)
Sheri: Ha! Thank heavens for smartphones. The first third of this book was overwhelming. I kept grabbing the phone, wanting to reach out and make sure I was following things correctly. It was heavy on the world-building/character-building and it was…complicated. Definitely a keep your eyes open book
Deirdre: I completely agree. I did find myself rereading sections. The pace of the book was FAST, the action scenes sucked me in, my heart was pounding and I was clicking the page turning business as fast as I could process words. So fun!! BUT …. It did get overwhelming sometimes, confusing. There were sections that became a tad bit of an info-dump. I do understand all the world building that had to happen for this book to be a standard Ebook length, but all the telling in certain spots was dry …
Sheri: Yep, it was speedy and a few scenes flew by with very little focus. Or I felt slightly cheated…wanting more in select scenes. It was a heart-pounder for sure. I almost felt as if I was watching a movie at times. Harry Potterish magical twist would you say?
Deirdre: all the magic made me think of Harry Potter …. But some of it made me think of Star Wars too!!! Some of the characters seemed to share wonderful qualities of Obi-Wan and Yoda. And I loved that! The all knowing Roland who has this quality that makes me think he is a power broker behind the scenes. There is definitely much more to Roland!
Sheri: Oh yes! You nailed it. I was quickly smitten with most of the main cast. Especially Charles, I think he might be my favorite. Then again, I am a huge Sean Connery fan and he screamed ‘Sean’ to me. The brothers were fantastic (despite Adrien being a bit of a hot-head) and I easily fell for Nicholas too. Strong secondary characters rounded out the cast nicely. It was obvious that time and care was spent creating deep and rock-solid characters. Who was your favorite?
Deirdre: Charles … I was quickly smitten as well. He has this ‘dapper’ quality to him that I find enchanting. Over time though Adrien won me over. We meet him in the present, but quickly head back to a young Adrien. Immature, untested, untrained with all the arrogance of youth. Then he meets Nicolas. And I was sold.
But … I have another but ….. The world building and action aspect of this story steal the show. The romances, while building, do take a back seat …. I did not mind that at all as I was completely invested in the action and intrigue. It also makes sense that I did not feel completely invested in the romance aspect just yet.
Sheri: Gahhh! I absolutely adored the flashback, which is honestly 95% of the story. You know me, not a big historical fan…but *cough* I actually loved the late eighteenth century setting. I did NOT like Adrien in the present, he was jaded and cold. But young Adrien? I am holding my breath that he gets his HEA…I desperately want him to have the peace and happiness he’s fighting so hard for. And you are spot on, the romance takes the back seat. I have a feeling we will get more intimate scenes in the next book. This was my first Shira Anthony book, but you are familiar with her work, aren’t you?
Deirdre: Historicals …. I have a list for you, Sheri. A big list!! The romance taking the back seat…. It really isn’t an issue. This is a three book series and we meet all the couples in book one. So it makes good sense it will take a bit to develop each couple and story line. I am willing to wait as I have a feeling the payoff is going to be great! And yes, I am a Shira Anthony fan. Her Blue Notes series is just swoon worthy and I *may* have read them each an embarrassing number of times. You need to try her mermen series as you seem to have a soft spot for shifters (think shifters in the ocean)
Sheri: Well….maybe I’ll take you up on that list. Maybe….but don’t tell anyone yet. ;) Ohhh, I am definitely pushing her books closer to the top of my endless TBR. I was quite impressed with the writing. You are right about the trilogy aspect and speaking of, we have three couples…3!
Deirdre: Yes! Three! Building this complex world, MAINTAINING the anticipation and action, as well as these three pairings is one heck of a task with just three books.
One of the things I love about this alternate world is the complete lack of homophobia. There are political pairings and arranged marriages, but people are not defined by heterosexuality. It was refreshing…. Wouldn’t it be great if it were real life??????
One of the characters who both intrigues me and break my heart is Adrien’s dad … He is characterized as a haunted man. We see him mumbling and going through the motions of life running an unprofitable vineyard. He is a soupy athletic character that I hope we see later on …with joy in his heart.
Sheri: That’s the thing….so much is not as it seems. I found myself dumbfounded again and again. Adrien’s dad, Nicholas’ brother, housekeepers….I was stunned countless times. And a real life free of homophobia? It would be amazing.
I still can’t believe that…..
Sheri: Let me kick this off by saying…you are one of my favorite buddy readers (even though I have to race to keep up with your mad reading pace!) and this was one of my favorite buddy READS we’ve done in a long time. It was awesome!
Deirdre: Yes! We Always have fun reading together, but this was great! Vamps are so fun, and being able to text, email, and chat made it even more fun. Of course, having a great fast paced book series certainly helped. (And added to my mad fast paced reading Thank you)
Sheri: Ha! Thank heavens for smartphones. The first third of this book was overwhelming. I kept grabbing the phone, wanting to reach out and make sure I was following things correctly. It was heavy on the world-building/character-building and it was…complicated. Definitely a keep your eyes open book
Deirdre: I completely agree. I did find myself rereading sections. The pace of the book was FAST, the action scenes sucked me in, my heart was pounding and I was clicking the page turning business as fast as I could process words. So fun!! BUT …. It did get overwhelming sometimes, confusing. There were sections that became a tad bit of an info-dump. I do understand all the world building that had to happen for this book to be a standard Ebook length, but all the telling in certain spots was dry …
Sheri: Yep, it was speedy and a few scenes flew by with very little focus. Or I felt slightly cheated…wanting more in select scenes. It was a heart-pounder for sure. I almost felt as if I was watching a movie at times. Harry Potterish magical twist would you say?
Deirdre: all the magic made me think of Harry Potter …. But some of it made me think of Star Wars too!!! Some of the characters seemed to share wonderful qualities of Obi-Wan and Yoda. And I loved that! The all knowing Roland who has this quality that makes me think he is a power broker behind the scenes. There is definitely much more to Roland!
Sheri: Oh yes! You nailed it. I was quickly smitten with most of the main cast. Especially Charles, I think he might be my favorite. Then again, I am a huge Sean Connery fan and he screamed ‘Sean’ to me. The brothers were fantastic (despite Adrien being a bit of a hot-head) and I easily fell for Nicholas too. Strong secondary characters rounded out the cast nicely. It was obvious that time and care was spent creating deep and rock-solid characters. Who was your favorite?
Deirdre: Charles … I was quickly smitten as well. He has this ‘dapper’ quality to him that I find enchanting. Over time though Adrien won me over. We meet him in the present, but quickly head back to a young Adrien. Immature, untested, untrained with all the arrogance of youth. Then he meets Nicolas. And I was sold.
But … I have another but ….. The world building and action aspect of this story steal the show. The romances, while building, do take a back seat …. I did not mind that at all as I was completely invested in the action and intrigue. It also makes sense that I did not feel completely invested in the romance aspect just yet.
Sheri: Gahhh! I absolutely adored the flashback, which is honestly 95% of the story. You know me, not a big historical fan…but *cough* I actually loved the late eighteenth century setting. I did NOT like Adrien in the present, he was jaded and cold. But young Adrien? I am holding my breath that he gets his HEA…I desperately want him to have the peace and happiness he’s fighting so hard for. And you are spot on, the romance takes the back seat. I have a feeling we will get more intimate scenes in the next book. This was my first Shira Anthony book, but you are familiar with her work, aren’t you?
Deirdre: Historicals …. I have a list for you, Sheri. A big list!! The romance taking the back seat…. It really isn’t an issue. This is a three book series and we meet all the couples in book one. So it makes good sense it will take a bit to develop each couple and story line. I am willing to wait as I have a feeling the payoff is going to be great! And yes, I am a Shira Anthony fan. Her Blue Notes series is just swoon worthy and I *may* have read them each an embarrassing number of times. You need to try her mermen series as you seem to have a soft spot for shifters (think shifters in the ocean)
Sheri: Well….maybe I’ll take you up on that list. Maybe….but don’t tell anyone yet. ;) Ohhh, I am definitely pushing her books closer to the top of my endless TBR. I was quite impressed with the writing. You are right about the trilogy aspect and speaking of, we have three couples…3!
Deirdre: Yes! Three! Building this complex world, MAINTAINING the anticipation and action, as well as these three pairings is one heck of a task with just three books.
One of the things I love about this alternate world is the complete lack of homophobia. There are political pairings and arranged marriages, but people are not defined by heterosexuality. It was refreshing…. Wouldn’t it be great if it were real life??????
One of the characters who both intrigues me and break my heart is Adrien’s dad … He is characterized as a haunted man. We see him mumbling and going through the motions of life running an unprofitable vineyard. He is a soupy athletic character that I hope we see later on …with joy in his heart.
Sheri: That’s the thing….so much is not as it seems. I found myself dumbfounded again and again. Adrien’s dad, Nicholas’ brother, housekeepers….I was stunned countless times. And a real life free of homophobia? It would be amazing.
I still can’t believe that…..
December 22, 2014
1.5 Woeful Stars
Wow. Color me disappointed. I am a Shira Anthony fan, big time. Blue Notes series? Love it! Mermen of Ea? Mermen are hawt! In short, Shira Anthony is an auto-buy for me and deservedly so. Sadly, Blood and Rain missed the mark ... by a mile. I never really connected with any of the characters. Adrien was uptight, insecure, and contrary. (Read: TSTL) Francois was a martyr to the max. I hate martyrs and this book was full of them: Charles also had his moments as did Nicholas. Which brings me to Nicholas. He was the best of the bunch but that's not saying much. I somewhat understood his intended sacrafice of entering into a loveless marriage for the sake of peace between the rival clans. But this backstory was one hot mess. Between the immortals and vampires and hunters, I was frustrated by the confusing world-building or perhaps the lack thereof. Maybe there was some rhyme or reasons to it but,frankly, it escaped me. Instead, the plot seemed riddled with inconsistencies and holes. The inner monologues irked me and smacked of telling rather than showing.
Bottom line: It bums me to say this but this was a total bust.
Wow. Color me disappointed. I am a Shira Anthony fan, big time. Blue Notes series? Love it! Mermen of Ea? Mermen are hawt! In short, Shira Anthony is an auto-buy for me and deservedly so. Sadly, Blood and Rain missed the mark ... by a mile. I never really connected with any of the characters. Adrien was uptight, insecure, and contrary. (Read: TSTL) Francois was a martyr to the max. I hate martyrs and this book was full of them: Charles also had his moments as did Nicholas. Which brings me to Nicholas. He was the best of the bunch but that's not saying much. I somewhat understood his intended sacrafice of entering into a loveless marriage for the sake of peace between the rival clans. But this backstory was one hot mess. Between the immortals and vampires and hunters, I was frustrated by the confusing world-building or perhaps the lack thereof. Maybe there was some rhyme or reasons to it but,frankly, it escaped me. Instead, the plot seemed riddled with inconsistencies and holes. The inner monologues irked me and smacked of telling rather than showing.
Bottom line: It bums me to say this but this was a total bust.
February 15, 2015
Note: This book was provided to me by the publisher through Hearts on Fire Reviews in exchange for an impartial review.
One of the things I most love about Shira Anthony, aside from her highly creative imagination, is the way she yanks on my heartstrings and literally drags me into the story even though I know I’m going to be heartbroken and devastated along the way when she sets me up with ill-fated lovers. And she does that brilliantly in this book right from the opening scenes when she gives us a glimpse of Adrien Gilbert, immortal hunter, longing for Nicolas, his vampire lover whom he hasn’t seen in several lifetimes.
The story unfolds in flashback as we learn that Adrien was born into a family of hunters, those who protect the peace among the vampire clans and the hunters. When vampire Charles Duvalier murders his brother François, Adrien vows to hunt him down. But when the Council of Hunters makes Adrien a member of the Council of Hunters and charges him with Charles’s execution, Adrien feels more than justified in leaving his father and sister to tend their family vineyard as he sets out on a quest which will change his life forever.
In order to find Charles, Adrien reluctantly accepts a proposal from Nicolas Lambert, a vampire prince from an ancient line. Ancients are stronger than other vampires and uniting two ancient clans may bring about peace among the vampires and hunters after years of war. Nicolas is planning to marry the daughter of a rival ancient clan and wants Adrien’s assistance in getting to Paris for the wedding. Apparently, the combo of a hunter and a vampire is difficult to beat, and in return for his help, Nicolas will help Adrien find Charles. What he finds, however, is more than just Charles. He finds his brother François who is not dead but has become a vampire. He also finds love along the way—love for Nicolas that will eventually become a bond for life when Nicolas saves his life and grants him immortality in a battle led by hunters. The story is complex and highly imaginative, very emotional and compelling, and will leave readers stunned when it ends.
As I said, Shira Anthony grabbed my heartstrings right from the beginning, but that cliffhanger ending really turned me upside down. I want more, and I want it now! (stomps feet) Please don’t make us wait too long for the sequel, Ms Anthony. I couldn’t bear it. Obviously, I highly recommend this story. It’s perfect for lovers of vampires—perfect for those who enjoy a fantasy in which the world-building is highly detailed and provides a different twist on the “same old, same old” vampire stories. It’s also the right note for those who want romance, undying love, and eternal longing. Both the primary MCs and the secondary characters, Charles and François, fill that need and give us that perfect bond. Don’t miss a chance to read this book!
One of the things I most love about Shira Anthony, aside from her highly creative imagination, is the way she yanks on my heartstrings and literally drags me into the story even though I know I’m going to be heartbroken and devastated along the way when she sets me up with ill-fated lovers. And she does that brilliantly in this book right from the opening scenes when she gives us a glimpse of Adrien Gilbert, immortal hunter, longing for Nicolas, his vampire lover whom he hasn’t seen in several lifetimes.
The story unfolds in flashback as we learn that Adrien was born into a family of hunters, those who protect the peace among the vampire clans and the hunters. When vampire Charles Duvalier murders his brother François, Adrien vows to hunt him down. But when the Council of Hunters makes Adrien a member of the Council of Hunters and charges him with Charles’s execution, Adrien feels more than justified in leaving his father and sister to tend their family vineyard as he sets out on a quest which will change his life forever.
In order to find Charles, Adrien reluctantly accepts a proposal from Nicolas Lambert, a vampire prince from an ancient line. Ancients are stronger than other vampires and uniting two ancient clans may bring about peace among the vampires and hunters after years of war. Nicolas is planning to marry the daughter of a rival ancient clan and wants Adrien’s assistance in getting to Paris for the wedding. Apparently, the combo of a hunter and a vampire is difficult to beat, and in return for his help, Nicolas will help Adrien find Charles. What he finds, however, is more than just Charles. He finds his brother François who is not dead but has become a vampire. He also finds love along the way—love for Nicolas that will eventually become a bond for life when Nicolas saves his life and grants him immortality in a battle led by hunters. The story is complex and highly imaginative, very emotional and compelling, and will leave readers stunned when it ends.
As I said, Shira Anthony grabbed my heartstrings right from the beginning, but that cliffhanger ending really turned me upside down. I want more, and I want it now! (stomps feet) Please don’t make us wait too long for the sequel, Ms Anthony. I couldn’t bear it. Obviously, I highly recommend this story. It’s perfect for lovers of vampires—perfect for those who enjoy a fantasy in which the world-building is highly detailed and provides a different twist on the “same old, same old” vampire stories. It’s also the right note for those who want romance, undying love, and eternal longing. Both the primary MCs and the secondary characters, Charles and François, fill that need and give us that perfect bond. Don’t miss a chance to read this book!
January 5, 2015
“You used to captivate me by your resonating light… Now, I'm bound by the life you left behind. Your face, it haunts my once pleasant dreams. Your voice, it chases away all the sanity in me... I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone...too much that time cannot erase.” ~ Evanescence, 'My Immortal'
Adrien Gilbert, from 'Blood and Rain' by Shira Anthony, has been trained from birth to be distrustful of vampires. In spite of a truce between hunters and vampires, Adrien finds it hard to put old feelings aside, that is, until he meets Nicholas Lambert. Nicholas causes Adrien to doubt some of his preconceived notions, since Nicholas is so different from what he expects. Adrien's assignment seems simple, although somewhat unconventional. Adrien is to be Nicholas's bodyguard while traveling to meet his intended. When strong emotional and sexual feelings develop between Adrien and Nicholas, it puts them in a seemingly impossible situation, one which can only lead to heartbreak.
Adrien has sworn allegiance to a group called the hunters. Although Adrien trains like others born into the hunter group, he never expects to use his abilities. He always considered his brother, François, to be stronger, the more proficient of the two, and the one who would carry on the hunter legacy. When his brother is killed, Adrien takes up his brother's mantle and has to give up the idea of a simple life as a farmer. As Adrien travels, he learns more skills necessary to his calling; and he is shocked to realize that many of the beliefs he's had are not valid. Also, all things are not as they seem; this underlying current of deceit and lust for power insinuates itself into Adrien's life with dangerous consequences. As time goes on, it becomes consistently harder to distinguish the truth from the lies. Adrien's notions are further challenged when he meets and quickly comes to admire Nicholas Lambert, a vampire born to a very ancient and powerful family.
Nicholas is a beautiful, intelligent, and powerful vampire who has been raised in a somewhat sheltered environment. Although exquisitely trained, Nicholas has never traveled too far from home. He is too important to the family, considered to be the crown prince of the Lambert clan. Nicholas agrees to an arranged marriage in hopes of bringing a lasting peace between two warring vampire families. He's surprised to learn that Adrien, a hunter, will be his bodyguard during the journey. As powerful as Adrien is, he still has a lot to learn, not just about other vampires and hunters, but about his untapped abilities. Nicholas sees Adrien's vast potential and takes it upon himself to show Adrien what he's up against, while helping him develop to a level where he's a match for almost anyone; hunter or vampire.
The first section of the book shows Adrien's mental and emotional state and almost broke my heart with its intensity. Shira has captured Adrien's sadness and longing in an exquisitely excruciating, almost tangible fashion. Many of the ideas about vampires in this series are unique departures from the norm. Shira shows their power, blood lust, cunning, and attractive appearance, yet she also portrays them as men and women, capable of reproducing, with deep emotions and loyalties. Vampires have always been shown as charming and cunning, but Shira's vampires have a finesse and a depth of feeling which I've seldom seen. I couldn't help but admire and actually like them. If you enjoy a lyrical writing style with a different brand of vampires, as well as conspiracies, intrigue, angst, and passionate, star-crossed lovers, then you may love this book. Thanks, Shira. It looks like it's going to be a rough, but gratifying ride. I can't wait to see how the series develops.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Adrien Gilbert, from 'Blood and Rain' by Shira Anthony, has been trained from birth to be distrustful of vampires. In spite of a truce between hunters and vampires, Adrien finds it hard to put old feelings aside, that is, until he meets Nicholas Lambert. Nicholas causes Adrien to doubt some of his preconceived notions, since Nicholas is so different from what he expects. Adrien's assignment seems simple, although somewhat unconventional. Adrien is to be Nicholas's bodyguard while traveling to meet his intended. When strong emotional and sexual feelings develop between Adrien and Nicholas, it puts them in a seemingly impossible situation, one which can only lead to heartbreak.
Adrien has sworn allegiance to a group called the hunters. Although Adrien trains like others born into the hunter group, he never expects to use his abilities. He always considered his brother, François, to be stronger, the more proficient of the two, and the one who would carry on the hunter legacy. When his brother is killed, Adrien takes up his brother's mantle and has to give up the idea of a simple life as a farmer. As Adrien travels, he learns more skills necessary to his calling; and he is shocked to realize that many of the beliefs he's had are not valid. Also, all things are not as they seem; this underlying current of deceit and lust for power insinuates itself into Adrien's life with dangerous consequences. As time goes on, it becomes consistently harder to distinguish the truth from the lies. Adrien's notions are further challenged when he meets and quickly comes to admire Nicholas Lambert, a vampire born to a very ancient and powerful family.
Nicholas is a beautiful, intelligent, and powerful vampire who has been raised in a somewhat sheltered environment. Although exquisitely trained, Nicholas has never traveled too far from home. He is too important to the family, considered to be the crown prince of the Lambert clan. Nicholas agrees to an arranged marriage in hopes of bringing a lasting peace between two warring vampire families. He's surprised to learn that Adrien, a hunter, will be his bodyguard during the journey. As powerful as Adrien is, he still has a lot to learn, not just about other vampires and hunters, but about his untapped abilities. Nicholas sees Adrien's vast potential and takes it upon himself to show Adrien what he's up against, while helping him develop to a level where he's a match for almost anyone; hunter or vampire.
The first section of the book shows Adrien's mental and emotional state and almost broke my heart with its intensity. Shira has captured Adrien's sadness and longing in an exquisitely excruciating, almost tangible fashion. Many of the ideas about vampires in this series are unique departures from the norm. Shira shows their power, blood lust, cunning, and attractive appearance, yet she also portrays them as men and women, capable of reproducing, with deep emotions and loyalties. Vampires have always been shown as charming and cunning, but Shira's vampires have a finesse and a depth of feeling which I've seldom seen. I couldn't help but admire and actually like them. If you enjoy a lyrical writing style with a different brand of vampires, as well as conspiracies, intrigue, angst, and passionate, star-crossed lovers, then you may love this book. Thanks, Shira. It looks like it's going to be a rough, but gratifying ride. I can't wait to see how the series develops.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
January 14, 2015
I've read a lot of vampire stories, but oh my! Blood and Rain is so deliciously unique. The characters captured my attention right from page one and never let me go. Adrien has me cheering, when I'm not scared to death his temper will get them all killed. Words cannot describe the exquisite beauty of Nicolas, the power and charisma of Charles and Francois. The magic is done in fire and ice, masterfully written imagery that will steal your breath. The plot leaves your heart racing and wanting more. This is a thoroughly enjoyable, fresh take on the vampire legend. I do believe this author has come into her own.
February 11, 2015
Nice. Starts and finishes in modern day America, but the majority of the novel takes place in 19thC France.
Beautifully written, the period style language flows easily from the author's pen/keyboard, and this Vampire & Hunter novel is certainly action-packed. Cliff hanger ending, so be warned.
Loses one star for me as the plot moves along at such a pace, it's at times, difficult to keep up. Lots of secondary characters, so concentration needed.
Great read. Looking forward to Book 2.
Beautifully written, the period style language flows easily from the author's pen/keyboard, and this Vampire & Hunter novel is certainly action-packed. Cliff hanger ending, so be warned.
Loses one star for me as the plot moves along at such a pace, it's at times, difficult to keep up. Lots of secondary characters, so concentration needed.
Great read. Looking forward to Book 2.
August 30, 2018
This was very uneven for me. I loved the world and the plot but that was almost spoiled for me by Adrien. Though I know Adrienne is only seventeen, he is so damn immature and childish I wanted nothing so much as to slap him silly. He consistently, through the whole story, refused to listen to anyone or anything, even when it could have gotten him killed. He was foolish to the extreme and I was over him by the end, when it appears that he gave up for hundreds of years and just played the “woe is me” card. Somebody needs to kick that boy in the ass. I volunteer.
However, despite Adrien getting on my nerves, the rest of the story and other characters were strong enough for me to want to read the next book .
However, despite Adrien getting on my nerves, the rest of the story and other characters were strong enough for me to want to read the next book .
January 1, 2015
This was really good even if it did end with a heck of a cliffie!
February 9, 2015
Fascinating, Deliciously Unique & Gripping! I Loved It!
February 14, 2015
Review can be read at It's About The Book
I love a good vampire book. There’s always a power struggle and politics that lend itself to interesting world building. This one had all that with a twist. It had a group of humans raised to bet Hunters. Descendants from families who are trained to fight and vow to protect man kind from the vampires that don’t play by the rules. Hunters are sent to kill them. In this world Vampires are very powerful but Hunters are meant to balance them out. There’s more than just brute strength and speed. This book also has magical elements that Hunters and Vampires both possess. Almost like superpowers. Some families have more powers or strength than others. Like the ancients. They’re born vampires not created. Vampires and Hunters aren’t exactly sworn enemies. A council was set up to keep a balance of power because they all have a place in the world. It was quite a lot to take in. I’m not sure I fully grasped it all quite yet but for me it worked because some of the characters were learning as they go too. I’m sure we’ll learn more as the series continues.
Adrien is a boy when his mother is murdered by vampires. His family are descendants of Hunters so he’s known about them since he was quite young. Both he and his older brother Francois are marked with the gift. Both men have sworn their loyalty to the Hunters. However, Francois has fallen in love with a Vampire named Charles. Charles is a bit of a loner and is about to move on because he knows Francois wants him and he will be no good for young man with a bright future. Francois can’t bare the thought of not being with Charles and abandons his family to follow him. Charles gives into blood lust and almost kills Francois but instead turns him into a vampire.
Adrien thinks his brother is dead and swears vengeance against Charles. Understandably at this point he’s not fond of vampires. The council hires him to kill Charles which he’s happy to do. Through his hunt for him he meets Nicolas. A beautiful ancient vampire prince who is betrothed to a rival clanswoman in hopes the two families can make peace after years of unrest. From the beginning there’s an attraction but Adrien fights it. Nicolas is about to be married and he’s a vampire. There’s only heartbreak there. They become good friends. Soon Adrien learns he’s been deceived by the council of Hunters. A power struggle to take over has things shifting and some ambitious power hungry Hunters doing terrible things to gain the upper hand. Everything Adrien learned from a young age comes back into question as he has to come to terms with with what is right and where his loyalties stand.
There are multiple POVs in this book as well as multiple love stories taking place. I really enjoyed them all but ultimately the main couple is Adrien and Nicolas. They’re doomed from the beginning. Nicolas is duty bound to marry a woman he doesn’t love if it means keeping his people safe. Adrien is incredibly stubborn and angry. He’s told he will be a very powerful Hunter but he doesn’t see it. He doesn’t want to love a man that he can never have. Adrien struggles with his prejudice and feelings for the majority of this book. You know from the first chapter set in present time that the couple’s HEA isn’t going to be an easy one. You just don���t know the details of why until you get further in the story. The longing Adrien and Nicolas have for each other is palpable. Both are honorable men and do what is necessary while their hearts break knowing they can’t be together.
Francois and Charles are an angst-fest couple if I’ve ever saw one. “I love you but don’t deserve you” is pretty much Charles’s motto when it comes to Francois. Francois gives all of himself to Charles. He’s naive in believing he can be a hunter after being turned and be free to love Charles. The Hunter council has more sinister plans and takes Francois prisoner doing some truly awful things in their quest for power.
Be prepared to HATE the baddies in this one. They’re very powerful and in positions of authority. They do what they want with little concern for those in their way. Torture and murder are nothing to them. They’re supposed to be the good guys but power corrupts men. The politics in this world are very interesting. There are a few good men and vampires left willing to take them on and fight for what’s right. The feud between the Vampire families has me intrigued. There’s more history there that I’m looking forward to reading about. Hopefully more about Jean and Blaise. Please don’t leave me hanging!
This book does end in a pretty brutally in a cliffhanger. It’s a planned trilogy with the next book releasing April 20th. I have little to no patience for waiting but I am glad I read it. I’d much rather pick up book 2 right now but alas I will just have to wait. If you like vampire stories I’d recommend picking this one up. There is a somber tone throughout the book. Lots of yearning for love that’s out of reach. There’s also a very strong good vs evil theme. The side of good may be blurred a little but you know who you’re rooting for. This book is full of action packed battles and heartache but I have faith it’ll all pay off in the end. Those boys have to find their way back together and the baddies must be defeated. I found myself wanting to pick up a magic sword and join the battles. You could say I’m invested. :)
I love a good vampire book. There’s always a power struggle and politics that lend itself to interesting world building. This one had all that with a twist. It had a group of humans raised to bet Hunters. Descendants from families who are trained to fight and vow to protect man kind from the vampires that don’t play by the rules. Hunters are sent to kill them. In this world Vampires are very powerful but Hunters are meant to balance them out. There’s more than just brute strength and speed. This book also has magical elements that Hunters and Vampires both possess. Almost like superpowers. Some families have more powers or strength than others. Like the ancients. They’re born vampires not created. Vampires and Hunters aren’t exactly sworn enemies. A council was set up to keep a balance of power because they all have a place in the world. It was quite a lot to take in. I’m not sure I fully grasped it all quite yet but for me it worked because some of the characters were learning as they go too. I’m sure we’ll learn more as the series continues.
Adrien is a boy when his mother is murdered by vampires. His family are descendants of Hunters so he’s known about them since he was quite young. Both he and his older brother Francois are marked with the gift. Both men have sworn their loyalty to the Hunters. However, Francois has fallen in love with a Vampire named Charles. Charles is a bit of a loner and is about to move on because he knows Francois wants him and he will be no good for young man with a bright future. Francois can’t bare the thought of not being with Charles and abandons his family to follow him. Charles gives into blood lust and almost kills Francois but instead turns him into a vampire.
Adrien thinks his brother is dead and swears vengeance against Charles. Understandably at this point he’s not fond of vampires. The council hires him to kill Charles which he’s happy to do. Through his hunt for him he meets Nicolas. A beautiful ancient vampire prince who is betrothed to a rival clanswoman in hopes the two families can make peace after years of unrest. From the beginning there’s an attraction but Adrien fights it. Nicolas is about to be married and he’s a vampire. There’s only heartbreak there. They become good friends. Soon Adrien learns he’s been deceived by the council of Hunters. A power struggle to take over has things shifting and some ambitious power hungry Hunters doing terrible things to gain the upper hand. Everything Adrien learned from a young age comes back into question as he has to come to terms with with what is right and where his loyalties stand.
There are multiple POVs in this book as well as multiple love stories taking place. I really enjoyed them all but ultimately the main couple is Adrien and Nicolas. They’re doomed from the beginning. Nicolas is duty bound to marry a woman he doesn’t love if it means keeping his people safe. Adrien is incredibly stubborn and angry. He’s told he will be a very powerful Hunter but he doesn’t see it. He doesn’t want to love a man that he can never have. Adrien struggles with his prejudice and feelings for the majority of this book. You know from the first chapter set in present time that the couple’s HEA isn’t going to be an easy one. You just don���t know the details of why until you get further in the story. The longing Adrien and Nicolas have for each other is palpable. Both are honorable men and do what is necessary while their hearts break knowing they can’t be together.
Francois and Charles are an angst-fest couple if I’ve ever saw one. “I love you but don’t deserve you” is pretty much Charles’s motto when it comes to Francois. Francois gives all of himself to Charles. He’s naive in believing he can be a hunter after being turned and be free to love Charles. The Hunter council has more sinister plans and takes Francois prisoner doing some truly awful things in their quest for power.
Be prepared to HATE the baddies in this one. They’re very powerful and in positions of authority. They do what they want with little concern for those in their way. Torture and murder are nothing to them. They’re supposed to be the good guys but power corrupts men. The politics in this world are very interesting. There are a few good men and vampires left willing to take them on and fight for what’s right. The feud between the Vampire families has me intrigued. There’s more history there that I’m looking forward to reading about. Hopefully more about Jean and Blaise. Please don’t leave me hanging!
This book does end in a pretty brutally in a cliffhanger. It’s a planned trilogy with the next book releasing April 20th. I have little to no patience for waiting but I am glad I read it. I’d much rather pick up book 2 right now but alas I will just have to wait. If you like vampire stories I’d recommend picking this one up. There is a somber tone throughout the book. Lots of yearning for love that’s out of reach. There’s also a very strong good vs evil theme. The side of good may be blurred a little but you know who you’re rooting for. This book is full of action packed battles and heartache but I have faith it’ll all pay off in the end. Those boys have to find their way back together and the baddies must be defeated. I found myself wanting to pick up a magic sword and join the battles. You could say I’m invested. :)
November 5, 2015
Perhaps 2.5 to maybe 3 Stars. BUT...I had a VERY hard time getting invested in this book. It should not take over 50% of the story before it starts to grab my interest. I'm amazed I stuck with it. It did take multiple tries to get through it though...I read several other books in between attempts to read this book. Just could not hold my interest during the first half. Too many boring words & descriptions? IDK.
Once I finally, finally, got a true interest in the book...I had to read pretty much non-stop until it was finished. But then...Oops. Sorry. You must read book 2 to find out what happens to the MC's. WTH?
I loved Ms. Anthony's Blue Notes series and looked forward to reading her Vamp series. We shall see if book 2 is any better.
Once I finally, finally, got a true interest in the book...I had to read pretty much non-stop until it was finished. But then...Oops. Sorry. You must read book 2 to find out what happens to the MC's. WTH?
I loved Ms. Anthony's Blue Notes series and looked forward to reading her Vamp series. We shall see if book 2 is any better.
December 16, 2014
I loved this book! It's kind of part contemporary, part historical, and the whole vampire universe was really well done. I really loved Nicolas, and Adrian grew on me (after he got over himself!) The worldbuilding was really well done, especially the whole connection with the hunters and vampires. I liked the way they used their swords for powers. I loved the way there were some familiar vampire ideas, but some were totally different from what I've read before.
The ending isn't really a cliffhanger, but the story isn't over yet. I read the teaser for the next book and just about squealed! Can't wait for the next book!
The ending isn't really a cliffhanger, but the story isn't over yet. I read the teaser for the next book and just about squealed! Can't wait for the next book!
January 17, 2015
3.75 STARS
December 17, 2014
Loved this! I loved how she wrote the vampires and set up the conflict with the hunters. The characters were great too.
When does the next one come out????
When does the next one come out????
December 22, 2014
4 star review by Vicki
This book was kind of confusing to me, so I’m going to try to break the plot down a bit more than the blurb does, partly for myself and partly for this review. I found myself wanting to make notes as I went to try to keep track of it all!
In this world, there are vampires and hunters. The vampires are born or created, and there are older clans/families that have been around forever that are not the best of friends. The hunters are ruled by a council that was put in place years ago to monitor vampires and punish bad behavior. Not all vampires are bad, not all hunters are good. Hunters are born to their job, having special powers that make them stronger and able to fight vampires. The council sends warrants out to hunters, sending them out to kill vampires who have killed humans. Vampires drink blood but eat food as well, don’t seem to have an issue with daylight, and have some bad ass powers. The hunters seem to have some powers involving swords and magic too. There are also immortals, who are not really vampires, but are kind of like them, some drink blood, have even more bad ass powers. There are ancient vampires as well, who also have bad ass powers. All of these various people are all mixed up in this story, the big plot of which is vampires vs hunters vs other vampires, I think!
Caught up in the midst of this are four men, Francois and Adrien who are hunters and brothers, Charles a made vampires, and Nicholas an ancient vampire (although he’s not really old).
Charles is a lonely vampires traveling around France, who sees Francois near his family vineyard and flirts with him a bit. Francois is quite smitten with Charles, and would like to be with him, even though Charles is a vampire and Francois is a hunter. Charles know he’s bad for the sheltered Francois and tries to do the good thing and leave. Francois follows him, they talk a little, kiss a little, and Charles bites him going too far, and has to transform him in to a vampire. This somehow creates a second body for Francois (totally didn’t get how that happened!), the old human body dying and being found by his family, the new vampire body being taken by Charles.
Adrien, Francois’ younger brother, is hired by the hunter council to find and execute the vampire that killed his brother. Off he goes in search of Charles. He’s totally not prepared to do this, and spends some time wandering around trying to find Charles, who doesn’t seem to really be hiding…. Adrien is then told he’s to go escort Nicholas, the brother of one of the ancient vampire clan leaders, to his arranged marriage to the neice of another ancient vampire clan leaders, in exchange for help locating Charles. Adrien goes to pick up Nicholas and off they go to look for Charles. Of course some flirting happens between them and…
So we have Charles and Francois, and Adrien and Nicholas as the main couples of this story. There is a big cast here, the main four, but the heads of the two clans, the hunters, the council, there are some other family members, all thrown in the mix and I got lost a couple of times. There is a lot going on. A big struggle between the clans, some bad hunters trying to take over the council, vampires, hunters, immortals, ancients, it was all confusing honestly! There is a lot of history and information tossed about, I almost felt like I needed a glossary to keep track of who was who and what they could do, and why. They all have powers and fight with swords and magic, ice and fire. It was cool but overwhelming!
Basically I liked the book and the plot, but I wish it had been a little longer and we’d gotten all of the information slower. It was good but so much came at me so fast I couldn’t always remember what had happened. I liked the four main characters, but with the big plot and switching perspectives it was hard to get to know them. I would have liked a little more time with them. I don’t know how the history and information could have better been given to us, but it was fast and I lost track. There were a couple of times that I had to back up and reread something because I felt like I had missed some information. Especially at the beginning, it starts with Adrien and a guy he picks up in a bar, then jumps back a hundred and some odd years to Charles and Francois. I was expecting Adrien and Nicholas from the blurb and didn’t know who Charles was and why we were spending so much time with him. It eventually does all hook up, but it was confusing for a bit.
I am a fan of paranormal romance novels and vampires in particular, I like seeing different authors interpretations of the traditional aspects of vampire myths. There were some changes in this world, I liked that just fine. I mostly liked the writing, although I wish things had been a little slower so I could have had time to let it all sink in… but not too slow! I don’t know exactly what I wanted, it was just all so much so fast. I liked the characters, but there wasn’t a lot of sex and I think that creates a stonger bond between couples. I missed that physical connection. I liked the epic-ness of the plot, and the world Shira has created. Overall I think it was a good book, and I look forward to reading the next in the series!
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews, author interviews, guestposts and giveaways!
This book was kind of confusing to me, so I’m going to try to break the plot down a bit more than the blurb does, partly for myself and partly for this review. I found myself wanting to make notes as I went to try to keep track of it all!
In this world, there are vampires and hunters. The vampires are born or created, and there are older clans/families that have been around forever that are not the best of friends. The hunters are ruled by a council that was put in place years ago to monitor vampires and punish bad behavior. Not all vampires are bad, not all hunters are good. Hunters are born to their job, having special powers that make them stronger and able to fight vampires. The council sends warrants out to hunters, sending them out to kill vampires who have killed humans. Vampires drink blood but eat food as well, don’t seem to have an issue with daylight, and have some bad ass powers. The hunters seem to have some powers involving swords and magic too. There are also immortals, who are not really vampires, but are kind of like them, some drink blood, have even more bad ass powers. There are ancient vampires as well, who also have bad ass powers. All of these various people are all mixed up in this story, the big plot of which is vampires vs hunters vs other vampires, I think!
Caught up in the midst of this are four men, Francois and Adrien who are hunters and brothers, Charles a made vampires, and Nicholas an ancient vampire (although he’s not really old).
Charles is a lonely vampires traveling around France, who sees Francois near his family vineyard and flirts with him a bit. Francois is quite smitten with Charles, and would like to be with him, even though Charles is a vampire and Francois is a hunter. Charles know he’s bad for the sheltered Francois and tries to do the good thing and leave. Francois follows him, they talk a little, kiss a little, and Charles bites him going too far, and has to transform him in to a vampire. This somehow creates a second body for Francois (totally didn’t get how that happened!), the old human body dying and being found by his family, the new vampire body being taken by Charles.
Adrien, Francois’ younger brother, is hired by the hunter council to find and execute the vampire that killed his brother. Off he goes in search of Charles. He’s totally not prepared to do this, and spends some time wandering around trying to find Charles, who doesn’t seem to really be hiding…. Adrien is then told he’s to go escort Nicholas, the brother of one of the ancient vampire clan leaders, to his arranged marriage to the neice of another ancient vampire clan leaders, in exchange for help locating Charles. Adrien goes to pick up Nicholas and off they go to look for Charles. Of course some flirting happens between them and…
So we have Charles and Francois, and Adrien and Nicholas as the main couples of this story. There is a big cast here, the main four, but the heads of the two clans, the hunters, the council, there are some other family members, all thrown in the mix and I got lost a couple of times. There is a lot going on. A big struggle between the clans, some bad hunters trying to take over the council, vampires, hunters, immortals, ancients, it was all confusing honestly! There is a lot of history and information tossed about, I almost felt like I needed a glossary to keep track of who was who and what they could do, and why. They all have powers and fight with swords and magic, ice and fire. It was cool but overwhelming!
Basically I liked the book and the plot, but I wish it had been a little longer and we’d gotten all of the information slower. It was good but so much came at me so fast I couldn’t always remember what had happened. I liked the four main characters, but with the big plot and switching perspectives it was hard to get to know them. I would have liked a little more time with them. I don’t know how the history and information could have better been given to us, but it was fast and I lost track. There were a couple of times that I had to back up and reread something because I felt like I had missed some information. Especially at the beginning, it starts with Adrien and a guy he picks up in a bar, then jumps back a hundred and some odd years to Charles and Francois. I was expecting Adrien and Nicholas from the blurb and didn’t know who Charles was and why we were spending so much time with him. It eventually does all hook up, but it was confusing for a bit.
I am a fan of paranormal romance novels and vampires in particular, I like seeing different authors interpretations of the traditional aspects of vampire myths. There were some changes in this world, I liked that just fine. I mostly liked the writing, although I wish things had been a little slower so I could have had time to let it all sink in… but not too slow! I don’t know exactly what I wanted, it was just all so much so fast. I liked the characters, but there wasn’t a lot of sex and I think that creates a stonger bond between couples. I missed that physical connection. I liked the epic-ness of the plot, and the world Shira has created. Overall I think it was a good book, and I look forward to reading the next in the series!
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews, author interviews, guestposts and giveaways!
August 21, 2018
Picture the world in a quasi-nineteenth century where ancient, sometimes sad and lonely beings imbued with incredible powers are at war for the prize of global domination over humankind.
No, it’s not Highlander, though Blood and Rain focuses tightly on immortals, and their responsibilities as well as their rights. In this world of vampires and hunters, ancients and immortals (not the McLeod variety!), the players in the Great Game -- if I may borrow the term often used for the “game of empire” right up to the First World War -- have gifts like those of Jedi Knights. Magic swords crackle with lightsaber-like energy, firing beams of power; adepts of fighting arts passed down from time immemorial possess the levitational gymnastic abilities of Yoda himself.
Blood and Rain is high fantasy set mostly against the backdrop of a late nineteenth century that is not the history our ancestors knew. This world is different in profound ways; there’s a timelessness to the environment Anthony describes, a quality setting the tale afloat in a temporal sense. As principal protagonist Adrien Gilbert leaves home to undertake his quest -- vengeance for the apparent murder of his brother -- it could as easily be d’Artagnon setting out to join the Musketeers. In this scenario, everything travels at the languid speed of the horse, whereas at this very time in the Europe and America of the world we know, people covered great distances fast, by train. Similarly, in this period of our own history, if a foe appeared utterly unstoppable, he'd walk headlong into a battery of Gatling guns and dynamite ... and even vampires won’t heal if head and limbs land twenty yards apart! Blood and Rain pointedly ignores technology even to a stage where the telegraph and gramophone, workaday objects in our own past, never appear.
It is important to focus on the fantasy aspect of this story (the first segment of a trilogy) yet at the same time mark the difference between Anthony’s scenario and steampunk, in which future tech is transplanted backwards, and frankly unfeasible tech works just fine. The author has created a fresh, complex and intriguing playing field which would be impossible to do justice, here, in anything remotely resembling a thumbnail of the plot.
Suffice to say, Adrien fully believes his elder brother, Francois, has been killed by an immortal vampire, Charles; and since Francois was a hunter and Adrien is a hunter in training, it falls to the younger Gilbert to fill his brother’s shoes ... hunt down Charles, though his skills are inadequate to the task. Along the road he meets the love of his life, Nicolas, who is already betrothed in a match made in hell, a desperate attempt to wreak peace between warring vampire clans. Then the plot thickens: friends become foes, enemies become allies, nothing is as it seems and the story twists will keep you guessing till the end.
The book is definitely a first segment, and concludes on a “to be continued” moment which will frustrate some readers, insofar as no resolution, no matter how provisional, is reached. The next segment should begin right where this one simply stops, and Anthony does promise a happy ending in the final part.
For myself, once the penny dropped and I realized this is pure fantasy, not historical (which relies on exhaustive research, painstaking attention to detail and the depiction of history under the lens of absolute realism) I allowed myself to be entertained by Anthony’s gift for free invention. The strength of Blood and Rain is in the new ground broken by the author, who creates a satisfyingly complex scenario. Great heroes and complete villains exist among the vampire and also among the hunters, who are charged by both humans and honorable vampires to exterminate the rogue predators who victimize humans, vampires and hunters alike. Go along for the ride; prepare to be surprised.
Several romances unfold in tandem, and all are troubled. The road for Adrien and Nicolas is as rough as that walked by Charles and Francois; and these are not the only couples in physical and psychological jeopardy. The novel is romantic throughout, sexy in places without being overwhelmed by sensual episodes, as m/m fiction is liable to be. For me this was a bonus. The sex scenes are written quite delicately; the romance is fraught, balanced on the fine line where melodrama can tip over into the simply maudlin. Anthony does a good job of keeping it just on the right side of the line.
The major characters are clearly drawn, and Anthony has allowed plenty of space for development. Adrien in particular grows visibly during this first novel, from a sometimes rather annoying Skywalker type (d’Artagnon, if you prefer -- the archetype is at your fingertips), to an introverted, introspective young man ready to sacrifice for those he loves. Blood and Rain is peopled by such a large cast of characters, readers might take time to get to grips with them all.
The prose is simple, easily read, suffering only here and there from repetition and cliché, though Anthony does have the common habit of overusing names, which can begin to annoy. To balance this, occasionally the narrative is lyrical, and once again it’s hats off to Dreamspinner Press for producing a long novel in which I spotted exactly one very minor typo.
The tenor of the book is extremely intense, and the denouement does tend to be somewhat lumpy, with dream sequences nested within flashbacks, all buried inside the major flashback forming the main body of the story. However, though the plot often unfolds in a choppy manner, it is not difficult to follow.
Blood and Rain does have some bloopers, and a couple are whoppers. Anthony might occasionally consult a map, for example. At one point our heroes visit England, and ... well, I understand that, like Australians, Americans think of England as a very small country -- and indeed, it is. But it’s not that small. Adrien and party come ashore in Dover and arrive in Cambridge by horse-drawn carriage in the late afternoon of the same day. In fact, Dover to Cambridge by the shortest road route is 117 miles. At the best speed of carriage horses, and allowing for team changes, the journey would have taken at least two full days ... a few hours by train, but no such tech in employed in this scenario. A chapter or so later, a character walks out of a house in Cambridge and, on foot, goes swimming in the ocean. Cambridge is over 70 miles from the nearest beach. (And yes, I know Kevin Costner pulled this same geographical trick in Prince of Thieves, when Robin Hood lands on the south coast and beds down in Nottingham the same night. But ... only if he had a ticket on the intercity express, folks!)
However, perhaps the fantasy aspect of Blood and Rain excuses this. The narrative promotes a strong impression of being afloat in space as well as time: there's no sense of “Englishness” in the chapters set there, and no sense of “Frenchness” in the remainder of the book, which is staged entirely in France. Instead, the cast moves through an almost chillingly surreal landscape that is ... elsewhere, dislocated from the real, separated from what we know of real places, real times. The essence of the novel is almost dreamlike, as if past and present are strangely compressed and geographical locations are inconsequential, interchangeable. Modern-idiom dialog might seem at odds with a setting where there's not so much as a gramophone or telegraph pole. Immerse yourself in the fantasy, let the hair stand up on the back of your neck. The narrative’s very incongruity is its strength.
Having said all this, Anthony did come perilously close to losing me in the middle of the book, where the action quite literally becomes a videogame for several chapters. (Confession: I’m not a gamer, never was -- film is my preference.) If you love your X-Box, you’ll lap it all up, but I did skip all the energy-shooting-sword scenes. I also picked up the threads and continued, and was glad I persevered. Much world building lay ahead, and the author surprised me a couple of times with welcome plot twists.
If you like a fantasy with an m/m romance at the core; if you love your PlayStation (or know how to turn over many pages devoted to magic energy swords and gravity defying feats, a la Yoda); and if you enjoy an utterly surreal reinterpretation of history that’s entirely different from steampunk, this one is for you. I can only give it three stars, because Anthony came *so* close to losing me in the middle, I put the book down for weeks and read two others before coming back to finish this: I hate not finishing a book.
No, it’s not Highlander, though Blood and Rain focuses tightly on immortals, and their responsibilities as well as their rights. In this world of vampires and hunters, ancients and immortals (not the McLeod variety!), the players in the Great Game -- if I may borrow the term often used for the “game of empire” right up to the First World War -- have gifts like those of Jedi Knights. Magic swords crackle with lightsaber-like energy, firing beams of power; adepts of fighting arts passed down from time immemorial possess the levitational gymnastic abilities of Yoda himself.
Blood and Rain is high fantasy set mostly against the backdrop of a late nineteenth century that is not the history our ancestors knew. This world is different in profound ways; there’s a timelessness to the environment Anthony describes, a quality setting the tale afloat in a temporal sense. As principal protagonist Adrien Gilbert leaves home to undertake his quest -- vengeance for the apparent murder of his brother -- it could as easily be d’Artagnon setting out to join the Musketeers. In this scenario, everything travels at the languid speed of the horse, whereas at this very time in the Europe and America of the world we know, people covered great distances fast, by train. Similarly, in this period of our own history, if a foe appeared utterly unstoppable, he'd walk headlong into a battery of Gatling guns and dynamite ... and even vampires won’t heal if head and limbs land twenty yards apart! Blood and Rain pointedly ignores technology even to a stage where the telegraph and gramophone, workaday objects in our own past, never appear.
It is important to focus on the fantasy aspect of this story (the first segment of a trilogy) yet at the same time mark the difference between Anthony’s scenario and steampunk, in which future tech is transplanted backwards, and frankly unfeasible tech works just fine. The author has created a fresh, complex and intriguing playing field which would be impossible to do justice, here, in anything remotely resembling a thumbnail of the plot.
Suffice to say, Adrien fully believes his elder brother, Francois, has been killed by an immortal vampire, Charles; and since Francois was a hunter and Adrien is a hunter in training, it falls to the younger Gilbert to fill his brother’s shoes ... hunt down Charles, though his skills are inadequate to the task. Along the road he meets the love of his life, Nicolas, who is already betrothed in a match made in hell, a desperate attempt to wreak peace between warring vampire clans. Then the plot thickens: friends become foes, enemies become allies, nothing is as it seems and the story twists will keep you guessing till the end.
The book is definitely a first segment, and concludes on a “to be continued” moment which will frustrate some readers, insofar as no resolution, no matter how provisional, is reached. The next segment should begin right where this one simply stops, and Anthony does promise a happy ending in the final part.
For myself, once the penny dropped and I realized this is pure fantasy, not historical (which relies on exhaustive research, painstaking attention to detail and the depiction of history under the lens of absolute realism) I allowed myself to be entertained by Anthony’s gift for free invention. The strength of Blood and Rain is in the new ground broken by the author, who creates a satisfyingly complex scenario. Great heroes and complete villains exist among the vampire and also among the hunters, who are charged by both humans and honorable vampires to exterminate the rogue predators who victimize humans, vampires and hunters alike. Go along for the ride; prepare to be surprised.
Several romances unfold in tandem, and all are troubled. The road for Adrien and Nicolas is as rough as that walked by Charles and Francois; and these are not the only couples in physical and psychological jeopardy. The novel is romantic throughout, sexy in places without being overwhelmed by sensual episodes, as m/m fiction is liable to be. For me this was a bonus. The sex scenes are written quite delicately; the romance is fraught, balanced on the fine line where melodrama can tip over into the simply maudlin. Anthony does a good job of keeping it just on the right side of the line.
The major characters are clearly drawn, and Anthony has allowed plenty of space for development. Adrien in particular grows visibly during this first novel, from a sometimes rather annoying Skywalker type (d’Artagnon, if you prefer -- the archetype is at your fingertips), to an introverted, introspective young man ready to sacrifice for those he loves. Blood and Rain is peopled by such a large cast of characters, readers might take time to get to grips with them all.
The prose is simple, easily read, suffering only here and there from repetition and cliché, though Anthony does have the common habit of overusing names, which can begin to annoy. To balance this, occasionally the narrative is lyrical, and once again it’s hats off to Dreamspinner Press for producing a long novel in which I spotted exactly one very minor typo.
The tenor of the book is extremely intense, and the denouement does tend to be somewhat lumpy, with dream sequences nested within flashbacks, all buried inside the major flashback forming the main body of the story. However, though the plot often unfolds in a choppy manner, it is not difficult to follow.
Blood and Rain does have some bloopers, and a couple are whoppers. Anthony might occasionally consult a map, for example. At one point our heroes visit England, and ... well, I understand that, like Australians, Americans think of England as a very small country -- and indeed, it is. But it’s not that small. Adrien and party come ashore in Dover and arrive in Cambridge by horse-drawn carriage in the late afternoon of the same day. In fact, Dover to Cambridge by the shortest road route is 117 miles. At the best speed of carriage horses, and allowing for team changes, the journey would have taken at least two full days ... a few hours by train, but no such tech in employed in this scenario. A chapter or so later, a character walks out of a house in Cambridge and, on foot, goes swimming in the ocean. Cambridge is over 70 miles from the nearest beach. (And yes, I know Kevin Costner pulled this same geographical trick in Prince of Thieves, when Robin Hood lands on the south coast and beds down in Nottingham the same night. But ... only if he had a ticket on the intercity express, folks!)
However, perhaps the fantasy aspect of Blood and Rain excuses this. The narrative promotes a strong impression of being afloat in space as well as time: there's no sense of “Englishness” in the chapters set there, and no sense of “Frenchness” in the remainder of the book, which is staged entirely in France. Instead, the cast moves through an almost chillingly surreal landscape that is ... elsewhere, dislocated from the real, separated from what we know of real places, real times. The essence of the novel is almost dreamlike, as if past and present are strangely compressed and geographical locations are inconsequential, interchangeable. Modern-idiom dialog might seem at odds with a setting where there's not so much as a gramophone or telegraph pole. Immerse yourself in the fantasy, let the hair stand up on the back of your neck. The narrative’s very incongruity is its strength.
Having said all this, Anthony did come perilously close to losing me in the middle of the book, where the action quite literally becomes a videogame for several chapters. (Confession: I’m not a gamer, never was -- film is my preference.) If you love your X-Box, you’ll lap it all up, but I did skip all the energy-shooting-sword scenes. I also picked up the threads and continued, and was glad I persevered. Much world building lay ahead, and the author surprised me a couple of times with welcome plot twists.
If you like a fantasy with an m/m romance at the core; if you love your PlayStation (or know how to turn over many pages devoted to magic energy swords and gravity defying feats, a la Yoda); and if you enjoy an utterly surreal reinterpretation of history that’s entirely different from steampunk, this one is for you. I can only give it three stars, because Anthony came *so* close to losing me in the middle, I put the book down for weeks and read two others before coming back to finish this: I hate not finishing a book.
December 26, 2014
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.5 stars
Blood and Rain is the first book in Shira Anthony’s new Blood series and it is a really interesting take on the vampire story. This is obviously a genre that has been done many times, but Anthony has a really creative approach to her world building here. The vampire mythology, the connection between the hunters and the vampires, the role of the ancients, all of these elements are really cleverly built and we end up with a world different from any I have read. The various powers and abilities, the origins of the vampires, and the different roles of hunters, vampires, and immortals were all quite interesting. I particularly liked the vampire/hunter link and the way this connection plays out in their powers, in their politics, and their relationships.
As well done as I think this world building is, I did struggle a bit with the complexity. There is so much going on here as we follow the journeys of both Nicholas and Adrien, as well as Charles and Francois. This story is just dense, filled with politics and schemes and various vampire/hunter lore that I didn’t always totally follow, to be honest. I sometimes felt overwhelmed with just the sheer volume of information and detail and there is just a lot going on here. As I said, we follow the stories of both of these couples (despite the blurb, Francois and Charles get almost equal time in the book), and we are given viewpoints of all four men. We jump around among them frequently, sometimes within very short periods as their stories intersperse, which at times had me needing to reorient myself a bit as to whose POV we were in. There are also many side characters with various connections, and it was sometimes hard to keep track of who knew who, how they were connected, and who were allies or enemies. I think this is a side effect of the really creative and detailed world Anthony has built, but I did find it overwhelming at times.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
3.5 stars
Blood and Rain is the first book in Shira Anthony’s new Blood series and it is a really interesting take on the vampire story. This is obviously a genre that has been done many times, but Anthony has a really creative approach to her world building here. The vampire mythology, the connection between the hunters and the vampires, the role of the ancients, all of these elements are really cleverly built and we end up with a world different from any I have read. The various powers and abilities, the origins of the vampires, and the different roles of hunters, vampires, and immortals were all quite interesting. I particularly liked the vampire/hunter link and the way this connection plays out in their powers, in their politics, and their relationships.
As well done as I think this world building is, I did struggle a bit with the complexity. There is so much going on here as we follow the journeys of both Nicholas and Adrien, as well as Charles and Francois. This story is just dense, filled with politics and schemes and various vampire/hunter lore that I didn’t always totally follow, to be honest. I sometimes felt overwhelmed with just the sheer volume of information and detail and there is just a lot going on here. As I said, we follow the stories of both of these couples (despite the blurb, Francois and Charles get almost equal time in the book), and we are given viewpoints of all four men. We jump around among them frequently, sometimes within very short periods as their stories intersperse, which at times had me needing to reorient myself a bit as to whose POV we were in. There are also many side characters with various connections, and it was sometimes hard to keep track of who knew who, how they were connected, and who were allies or enemies. I think this is a side effect of the really creative and detailed world Anthony has built, but I did find it overwhelming at times.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
January 2, 2016
4.5 stars!
Once again, I picked up this book because of the offer. I did come across this book before and was a little curious but not enough to pick it up before now. I've even come across some reviews about it praising the world building. And after reading the entire book straight, I can see that.
The world of vampires and hunters was really well crafted and intriguing. I would expect the hunters to associate themselves more with humans but they seem just as detached from normal humans as well. In all, it was a really interesting world that one slowly learns about as the book progresses.
The book was well paced and there seems to be a larger plot at hand with some politics (as most books with power hungry villains tend to have). The only difficulty, strangely for me, was that I kept mixing up the villains names.
As for the characters, at the beginning, based on the book summary, I expected it to be solely focused on Adrien but a good portion of it was focused on Francois. It turned out good for me so it was more of a pleasant surprise.
The ending makes me want to start the next book immediately and luckily enough, there is a sale for that too! As this is a trilogy, I'm sure I can't wait for the 3rd book as well.
Once again, I picked up this book because of the offer. I did come across this book before and was a little curious but not enough to pick it up before now. I've even come across some reviews about it praising the world building. And after reading the entire book straight, I can see that.
The world of vampires and hunters was really well crafted and intriguing. I would expect the hunters to associate themselves more with humans but they seem just as detached from normal humans as well. In all, it was a really interesting world that one slowly learns about as the book progresses.
The book was well paced and there seems to be a larger plot at hand with some politics (as most books with power hungry villains tend to have). The only difficulty, strangely for me, was that I kept mixing up the villains names.
As for the characters, at the beginning, based on the book summary, I expected it to be solely focused on Adrien but a good portion of it was focused on Francois. It turned out good for me so it was more of a pleasant surprise.
The ending makes me want to start the next book immediately and luckily enough, there is a sale for that too! As this is a trilogy, I'm sure I can't wait for the 3rd book as well.
March 26, 2015
Original review on Molly Lolly
Five stars!
My review can pretty much be summed up into these two sentence. “OH MAN IT’S SO FREAKING GOOD!!! BUT IT ENDS!!!”
The longer version is far more eloquent. I loved this book. From the beginning Shira pulls you in and makes you want to keep going and read what happens with the characters. There’s not just one set of main characters, one key couple. There are two obvious ones, one that you have to squint a little to realize is there (they are, just not in the spotlight quite yet), and a whole bunch of other characters that you care about and want to know more about. Some of my favorite scenes are towards the end. Adrien forgiving Nicolas. Charles dancing with Francois after all of his struggles.
The book doesn’t end with a HEA, or even a HFN. It’s more just the end of one book where the next one continues. I cannot wait to read the next book, but what I REALLY want is the last book to know how it all wraps up nicely and neatly.
Five stars!
My review can pretty much be summed up into these two sentence. “OH MAN IT’S SO FREAKING GOOD!!! BUT IT ENDS!!!”
The longer version is far more eloquent. I loved this book. From the beginning Shira pulls you in and makes you want to keep going and read what happens with the characters. There’s not just one set of main characters, one key couple. There are two obvious ones, one that you have to squint a little to realize is there (they are, just not in the spotlight quite yet), and a whole bunch of other characters that you care about and want to know more about. Some of my favorite scenes are towards the end. Adrien forgiving Nicolas. Charles dancing with Francois after all of his struggles.
The book doesn’t end with a HEA, or even a HFN. It’s more just the end of one book where the next one continues. I cannot wait to read the next book, but what I REALLY want is the last book to know how it all wraps up nicely and neatly.
February 23, 2016
I enjoyed the world building in this book and it's a pretty unique vampire book...This book had a lot of promise but it didn't quite meet my expectations. While I liked the characters I never was all that invested in them. I also never really felt the MC's attraction to one another. It was like I was just being told that they loved one another. I did really like how the book was set up though. The beginning takes place in the present but then the rest of the book (until the very end) takes place in the past. I thought this worked really well to explain how events unfolded and how Adrien came to be alone in the present.
I'm interested to see how the story progresses so I'll keep reading the series.
3 Stars
I'm interested to see how the story progresses so I'll keep reading the series.
3 Stars
June 18, 2015
An interesting world for sure. I quite enjoyed reading this one. The romance between the two main characters was slow but simmering which is always my favorite kind of romance in books. They didn't jump into sex as soon as they met which makes the story better for me. In this world while the vampires aren't known to everyone they are known to some people who work with the vampires to ensure vampires don't go around killing as they please. I thought that was an intersting twist on vampire hunting. Being a vampire book there was of course the requisite violence and bad guys. I can't wait for the sequel to this book because the ending was enough of a cliffhanger to make me want it.
February 13, 2019
Ends with cliffhanger
I loved the writing, story and characters. The vampires are like nothing I've ever read and it was wonderful BUT there was no resolution. I will wait for all the books to be released before I read another one.
I loved the writing, story and characters. The vampires are like nothing I've ever read and it was wonderful BUT there was no resolution. I will wait for all the books to be released before I read another one.
March 25, 2015
I really enjoyed reading this vampire themed story and I'm looking forward to reading the next book.
May 5, 2015
3.5 stars well written, slightly hard to follow which took away from bonding with the MC's. There are a lot of secrets and they show themselves at odd intervals.
June 4, 2015
Shira Anthony captivates you with ber writing. She really knows how to weave a tale.
Read
August 5, 2015Loved this. I don't read many vamp books, but Shira made me want to start. Beautifully written and kept me on the edge of my seat. Can't wait to read the second one.
October 21, 2016
Great book! Glued to the pages!
May 7, 2020
Chroniqueuse pour le blog Au cœur d'une passion voici mon avis.
Un très grand merci à Juno publishing de leur confiance pour ce service presse fascinant et un énorme coup de cœur pour moi.
J'ai dévoré cette histoire passionnante et fascinante. Un coup de cœur pour ma part.
On suit les aventures d'Adrien Gilbert chasseur de vampire.
Il ne souhaite qu'une chose vivre et s'occuper de l'exploitation agricole de sa famille.
Les choses change pour lui le jour ou il découvre le corps sans vie de son frère, tué par un vampire.
On lui confie la tache de tuer celui qui est à l'origine du meurtre de son frère.
Mais que lui est-il vraiment arrivé ? Pourquoi avoir choisi Adrien pour cette tache ? Autant de question que l'on se pose et qui trouve réponse.
A partir de là tous les événement s’enchaînent pour nous plonger dans une bataille entre vampires et chasseurs.
J'ai beaucoup aimé Adrien. C'est un personnage un peu naïf au début mais qui prend très vite de la maturité au vu de sa situation. On le voit grandir et apprendre.
Nicolas est un vampire prêt à tout pour sauvegarder la paix entre son clan et leur rival depuis toujours.
Il décide donc de se marier à la nièce du souverain actuel pour unir les deux clans.
Son frère Jean va demander à Adrien de conduire son frère à Paris pour son mariage en échange de l'endroit ou ce trouve l'assassin de son frère.
Entre Adrien et Nicolas va naître une amitié hors du commun. Ensemble ils vont affronter bien des danger mais pas que.
Chut je ne peux pas vous en dire plus, se serais gâcher votre plaisir.
J'ai adoré le personnage de Nicolas prêt à sacrifier son bonheur pour le bien de son clan. Il est lucide, fidèle et attachant.
L'intrigue palpitante nous emporte dans un univers ou les coups bas et les manigances politiques règnent en maître.
La plume fluide et addictive de l'auteure nous entraîne dans un monde emplie de danger, de passion, d'amour, de tromperie et de combats.
Le rythme de l'histoire est très marqué et très dense mais jamais au détriment des descriptions qui nous permettent de comprendre le monde ou vit Adrien et ses amis.
Je dois dire que je me suis tellement plongé dans l'histoire que j'ai eu mal avec eux, pleurer avec eux et aimer avec eux.
Je ne peux vous en dire plus sans spolier. Je dois dire que le résumé en dit déjà beaucoup.
Pour finir je vous dirais juste de plonger dans l'univers des vampires et des chasseurs qui semblent être bien plus complexe qui n'y parait. C'est une histoire ou vengeance, manipulation et pouvoir ce mélange pour notre plus grand plaisir. Un coup de cœur pour moi.
Alors si vous aimez les vampires, les chasseurs d'un autre temps ce livre est fait pour vous. Il vous séduira par le réalisme des lieux et de l'époque, par les péripéties qui se succèdent et s’enchaînent et par l'envie d'en savoir plus.
C'est avec un grand plaisir que je vais me plonger dans le tome 2.
Un très grand merci à Juno publishing de leur confiance pour ce service presse fascinant et un énorme coup de cœur pour moi.
J'ai dévoré cette histoire passionnante et fascinante. Un coup de cœur pour ma part.
On suit les aventures d'Adrien Gilbert chasseur de vampire.
Il ne souhaite qu'une chose vivre et s'occuper de l'exploitation agricole de sa famille.
Les choses change pour lui le jour ou il découvre le corps sans vie de son frère, tué par un vampire.
On lui confie la tache de tuer celui qui est à l'origine du meurtre de son frère.
Mais que lui est-il vraiment arrivé ? Pourquoi avoir choisi Adrien pour cette tache ? Autant de question que l'on se pose et qui trouve réponse.
A partir de là tous les événement s’enchaînent pour nous plonger dans une bataille entre vampires et chasseurs.
J'ai beaucoup aimé Adrien. C'est un personnage un peu naïf au début mais qui prend très vite de la maturité au vu de sa situation. On le voit grandir et apprendre.
Nicolas est un vampire prêt à tout pour sauvegarder la paix entre son clan et leur rival depuis toujours.
Il décide donc de se marier à la nièce du souverain actuel pour unir les deux clans.
Son frère Jean va demander à Adrien de conduire son frère à Paris pour son mariage en échange de l'endroit ou ce trouve l'assassin de son frère.
Entre Adrien et Nicolas va naître une amitié hors du commun. Ensemble ils vont affronter bien des danger mais pas que.
Chut je ne peux pas vous en dire plus, se serais gâcher votre plaisir.
J'ai adoré le personnage de Nicolas prêt à sacrifier son bonheur pour le bien de son clan. Il est lucide, fidèle et attachant.
L'intrigue palpitante nous emporte dans un univers ou les coups bas et les manigances politiques règnent en maître.
La plume fluide et addictive de l'auteure nous entraîne dans un monde emplie de danger, de passion, d'amour, de tromperie et de combats.
Le rythme de l'histoire est très marqué et très dense mais jamais au détriment des descriptions qui nous permettent de comprendre le monde ou vit Adrien et ses amis.
Je dois dire que je me suis tellement plongé dans l'histoire que j'ai eu mal avec eux, pleurer avec eux et aimer avec eux.
Je ne peux vous en dire plus sans spolier. Je dois dire que le résumé en dit déjà beaucoup.
Pour finir je vous dirais juste de plonger dans l'univers des vampires et des chasseurs qui semblent être bien plus complexe qui n'y parait. C'est une histoire ou vengeance, manipulation et pouvoir ce mélange pour notre plus grand plaisir. Un coup de cœur pour moi.
Alors si vous aimez les vampires, les chasseurs d'un autre temps ce livre est fait pour vous. Il vous séduira par le réalisme des lieux et de l'époque, par les péripéties qui se succèdent et s’enchaînent et par l'envie d'en savoir plus.
C'est avec un grand plaisir que je vais me plonger dans le tome 2.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews