Aurora Sky Vampire Hunter

Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter #1–3

by Nikki Jefford

Aurora Sky narrowly escapes death only to end up as a vampire hunter with unusual cravings and heightened desires. To protect the people she loves, she will have to make sacrifices, and evade the biggest threat of all . . . a forbidden love. Fast-paced and full of twists, the Aurora Sky series takes an entirely new, sci-fi approach to what it means to be a vampire.

AURORA SKY (Volume 1)
If there is one thing eighteen-year-old Aurora Sky wants, it's to get off the iceberg she calls home. Then a near-fatal car wreck changes everything. Government agents step in and save Aurora's life in exchange for her services as a vampire hunter. In Alaska. Basically she's a glorified chew toy. All thanks to her rare blood type, which sends a vampire into temporary paralysis right before she has to finish the job . . . by hand.

Now Aurora's stuck with an overzealous partner, a group of misfit friends, and a maddening attraction to a rebellious man keeping secrets of his own.


NORTHERN BITES (Volume 2)
Love bites.
Probation sucks.

Thanks to Dante’s recklessness, Aurora is now partners with Valerie: the redheaded, backstabbing vixen.

Dante is in full flirt mode. Fane’s tactics are more ruthless. Something carnal has awakened in Aurora and neither boy is helping tame her cravings.

When a member of the unit’s team is found dead, Aurora and Valerie are sent after a vampire in Sitka, but Aurora suspects the killer’s much closer to home.

STAKEOUT (Volume 2.5)
Noel Harper got a second chance at life when the government recruited her as an undercover vampire informant. Since the day they brought her back from the good-as-dead, she has wanted to prove herself worthy.

When a member of her investigative unit is murdered, Noel is paired up with a vampire hunter named Dante to spy on a suspect in Fairbanks. The problem? They're not the only ones on stakeout. Taking down murderous vampires is one thing. Dealing with the past is another. But this time, Noel isn't letting fear win. She's calling in help from the other side and discovers a shocking secret along the way.

BAD BLOOD (Volume 3)
Aurora returns from boot camp to a new assignment, an unwelcome roommate, and the increasingly amorous attentions of a certain vampire hunter.

College is starting, and so is Aurora’s undercover work at a network of swanky parties known as “Tastings” for high rolling vampires who like their blood laced with fine wine. But Aurora’s not the only one on the prowl. An underground investigation is under way to find out who killed one of Anchorage’s most prominent vampires… and Aurora is a prime suspect.


AURORA SKY SERIES READING ORDER
Aurora Sky (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter, Vol. 1)
Northern Bites (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter, Vol. 2)
Stakeout (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter, Vol. 2.5)
Evil Red (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter, Vol. 2.6)
Bad Blood (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter, Vol. 3)
Hunting Season (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter, Vol. 4)
Night of the Living Dante (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter, Vol. 4.5)
Whiteout (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter, Vol. 5)
True North (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter, Vol. 6) - Final Volume

Genres: Paranormal, Vampires, Fantasy, Amazon, Audiobook, Young Adult, Paranormal Romance

858 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 2, 2014

About the author

Reality is overrated ... which is why I write!

Vampire hunters, wolf shifters, witches, elves and Fae with humor, romance, snark and steam. I love bad boys with hearts of gold and heroines who kick ass.

To get in on the fun and adventure, visit my website for release alerts, updates, exclusive giveaways, and a free story when you become a VIP newsletter subscriber: http://nikkijefford.com/

Reviews

[Bj · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who doesn't love a deal, especially when it's a great audiobook listen. YA PNR/UF romance enthusiasts will not want to miss checking out the Aurora Sky Vampire Hunter Box Set which includes all of the first 3 (full-length!) stories from the Vampire Hunter Series. For just one Audible credit you get 22 and 1/2 hours of entertainment!

Book 1 Review:

4.5 "A New Bite on Life" Stars for the story and narration!

Move over Buffy, there is a new teenage vampire huntress in town! Given that YA vampire romance is how I became hooked on audiobooks (yes, you know which series I'm talking about: )) and that I watched nearly every episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer way back in the day, I'm ecstatic to say that I have found a new vampire series to dig my teeth into: Aurora Sky! Book 1 in the series does a fabulous job of setting up this creative take on vampire lore with a YA audience in mind. Moreover, Em Eldridge's smooth narration makes this a perfect choice to experience in audio format!

When Aurora Sky wakes up from a car accident, on a secret military base, as a different person (literally--or at least a highly engineered version of herself--think the teenage huntress equivalent of the Bionic Woman), Aurora knows that her life will never be the same again. Injected with a virus that makes her blood similar, and yet highly toxic, to vampires; the military agents inform Aurora that if she wants to continue receiving the frequent antidotes that she will need to keep her alive, she must work with them to kill vampires. Aurora who has never been particularly athletic, is perplexed by this request, until she learns that her secret weapon requires no prior or unique combat skills: its her blood--one bite renders a vampire immobile allowing her to easily finish him or her off.

But Alaska resident and 18 year-old, high-school senior, Aurora, is still a teenager with typical teenage problems, as can be best demonstrated by a list of resolutions she compiles shortly after her transformation:

1. Kill first vampire,
2. Get drunk,
2. Kiss a boy, and
3. Lose virginity

"With the first done, everything else should be easy!" Famous last words?

Book 1 also introduces us to a number of potential love interests. From Aurora's vampire hunting partner, Dante, to a boy from school, called Fane, who turns out to be so much more than just a boy, Aurora has her hands full with both her personal life as well as her nocturnal activities. But will she actually get to cross all the items off her list before she finds a vampire who hunts her down instead?

Having listened to, and thoroughly enjoyed Em Eldridge's narrations before (in her narrations of several books of Penny Reid's Knitting in Clay series), I knew I was in for a treat from a narration perspective. I'm happy to say that Ms. Eldridge didn't disappoint. From her perfect rendition of Aurora, who I can picture just from her intonation, to even her perfect British accented intonation for Fane's roommate, Ms. Eldridge spares no detail in making her narration exactly adapted to the story that Nikki Jefford has penned! Moreover, Ms. Eldridge's pacing and smooth voice make listening to this title seamless, so that you can just sit back and enjoy the story.

All in all, Aurora Sky is a great debut to a YA PNR/UF romance series that I will no doubt want to explore in much greater detail. Now I can't wait to start book 2 in the Vampire Hunter Series, Northern Bites!

Book 2: Northern Bites

4.5 "New Allies?" Stars for the story and narration.

Northern Bites, book 2 in the Aurora Sky: Vampire Huntress Series, continues rights where book 1 leaves off. After a mission gone awry, Aurora, and her vampire hunting partner (Dante), are under probation. Moreover, and perhaps even worse from Aurora's perspective, they have a new informant they are forced to work with and who is none other than Valerie from the first book, who helped cause Aurora's break-up from her vampire boyfriend, Fane. Can this possibly be a recipe for vampire hunting success?

Further complicating matters, when the death of another vampire hunter agent (and a high school boy with a connection to Aurora) requires them to end their probation early and go to a mission in Sitka, they are also forced to work with Jared, a recruiter in their organization. As things begin to unravel, it becomes clear that there is more to Jared than first meets the eye, and not necessarily in a good way. Can the vampire hunting team complete their mission under such circumstances? Moreover, what secrets is Jared hiding, and what's his true agenda?

But not everything in Aurora's life in Northern Bites is work. There are also several developments in Aurora's love life. Even as she misses Fane and despairs over the fact that a relationship could never work between a vampire and vampire hunter anyway, the flirtatious tension between Aurora and Dante rise to a new level. Could we possibly have a love triangle?

Further complementing this intriguing YA PNR/UF series is Em Eldridge's satisfying and pleasing narration. Having already grown to enjoy her rendition of Aurora Sky and the other players in the Aurora Sky Vampire Hunter Series from book 1, it was easy to join right into where book 1 leaves off at the beginning of Northern Bites. Moreover, I truly appreciated the remarkable consistency that Ms. Eldridge maintained between the characters' voices that appear in both books. Additionally, I think Ms. Eldridge does a fabulous job of capturing the personalities of each character in her intonations. In Northern Bites I particularly liked her fun and yet somewhat mischievous portrayal of Valerie, who plays a much larger role in this book. I also enjoyed her voicing of Jared who also plays a larger role in this book (sounding appropriately mysterious and authoritative--just what is he up to?).

I can' wait to continue to hear Aurora's, and her cast of vampire and vampire hunting friends' story, in book 3, Bad Blood. I'm particularly looking forward to see which direction her love interest takes. Personally, I'm rooting for Fane, though the obstacles in their way are certainly of the "deadly" variety.

Book 3:

4 "Hunter or Hunted" Stars?

Book 3, Bad Blood, picks up a short while after Book 2, Northern Bites. Aurora has been away at vampire hunter agent training camp for six months, and she's about to take a test to see if she passes and can finally go back home. Meanwhile, Aurora's past hunts are coming back to haunt her--not literally, but by at least one "family" vampire member, and a separate vampire--who she already knows--conducting an investigation into Marcus' death. Can Aurora evade those who are after and investigating her, or will the vampire hunter become vampire prey?

As if things with her job were not bad enough, more evidence comes to light that certain individuals at the government agency she works for may not be who they at first seem. Will they protect Aurora or do they have her true interests at heart? As part of her job, Aurora also has to once again work and get along with Valerie and Noel. But can she trust them?

Last but definitely not least the love triangle continues to flourish with both Dante and Fane vying for Aurora's attentions. But just who makes her heart beat faster?

Em Eldridge continues her well done narration in Bad Blood. Having not only the same narrator but also a narrator who makes a concerted effort to maintain consistent character voices across books really helps the listener settle right into the story. In addition, Bad Blood tests Ms. Eldridge's ability to deliver French phrases and French accented voices with the appearance of a French teacher who draws Aurora's suspicions.

This third book was a little slower in the beginning with so many plot lines tempting and tantalizing us with potential plot twists. However, the last quarter of the book really heats up with potential directions, from what Aurora really is to what she really wants to accomplish. My mind is swirling with possibilities. Now I can't wait to see which direction Aurora decides to take, and who she decides to align herself with from a friends and allies perspective. Nevermind, who she will ultimately end up with from a love perspective: Fane or Dante? I can't wait to listen to book 4, Hunting Season, to keep piecing together how Aurora's story will ultimately end.

Source: Review copy provided for review purposes.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very different kind of Vampire story than most with a delightful twist by the time you get to the third book in this set you know just what happen and who did it but you do not know the why of it. I can’t even imagine why these people have built up their warriors and for what reason. Yes they are taking down the Vampires one at a time and we are told what they want us to believe but all fingers are pointing to a much deep reason that most likely will be mind blowing. This starts out with action from the first page which is more or less never ending.

AURORA SKY
Aurora has her whole life planned out before her what college she will go to, where she might live isn’t really important as long as she get out of Alaska to somewhere warmer maybe a sunny beach or a cool crisp mountain side that is until the day she got in her car to face a deadly scene of a car coming straight at her. She wakes up to find that her life is over as she knows it, she won’t be going to the college she pick, she won’t be leaving Alaska and just what the heck have they done to her. What have they made her? How can she get out of this nightmare and will she be able to ever be normal again?

When the government steps in why she is on death row changing her making her better than she was before or did they? Now she must stay in Alaska as her true mission comes to light it scares the crap right out of her. She must train and hunt down vampires have them bite which sends a vampire into temporary paralysis which gives her enough time to kill them. Is she a vampire or not, maybe somewhere in between. She must partner up with others like her to hunt down the bad vampires that the government decides needs to die.

There is a little love interest here that doesn’t come out all the way until a little later on. It is very interesting and a lot of fun to watch it play out. You have Fane and Dante both are very hot and have their own place in this story.
NORTHERN BITES
In this we find Aurora teaming up with Valerie who is out for anyone’s blood not just vampires. Unlike Aurora she isn’t a hunter she is the food for them. The action continues throughout as they take on more vampires. Aurora learns more about Fane not all is as it seems. She learns more about the agency which makes her start asking question. One of their beloved team mates and a friend of Aurora’s are found dead it sends Aurora and Valerie after a vampire in Sitka. Something just isn’t right and things do not turn out as to be expected leaving Aurora head spinning as she learns new things about herself. As she learns new things she finds she remembers some old ones leaving her to believe that they might be killing the wrong people. Jared becomes a major player in this book which leaves us with very scary thoughts. Something happens here that she must get out of town and off to boot camp she goes. I believe here she finds something that upsets her in trying to find a place to get her thoughts together she finds herself in a mess of trouble with little or no way out. My heart really went out to her in this book as she finds people she trusts can’t be trusted. Fane really wasn’t my favorite character in this book. What happen to Valerie and where did she go?

BAD BLOOD
This starts out with Aurora being at book camp she must do one mission, given one tool and a time frame to take out a vampire. If she passes she gets to go home if she does not she must start the training all over. This is very fast paced with lots of action. She comes home to start college and find more shocking surprises. I really like Noel in the first book but by the end of the second she isn’t my favorite character. She plans a very big role in book 3 with some very surprising twists. Fane is back in the picture which doesn’t make Aurora very happy. As the book moves on Aurora finds out more about herself and the day she dies. There is much mystery in all three books but I think this one has the most so far. You start to wonder if they aren’t on the wrong side and just which side is the right one.

We have more trying times with an unexpected roommate that she can’t get along with which brings so exciting scenes. Fane is back and Dante takes on a bigger part in her life. Valerie is back causing major trouble which just about leaves her dead. Revenge is the names of the game for this book from Valerie to the mystery lady both are out for blood and it looks to be Aurora they want. Aurora finds her family might not be safe. With all that goes on in this book it really turns her life upside down leaving her wondering where to turn and who she should trust.

*
The narrator had me on pins and needles really bring this audio to life. She did a great job of bring the emotion, pain and sorrow to the front leaving you with your heart beating double times as she pulls on mind trying to unravel the mystery of all that is going on around you. Her character voices are wonderful you always know what each one is feeling and have no trouble knowing who is taking. Her male voices are just as wonderful as her female ones. There are no repeats of words and no breaks were taken that I could tell. There are no background noises just a clean, clear audio that leaves you hanging on her every word. She really puts her emotions in to this audio never leaving you guessing as to what each character is feeling. The action scenes really come to life in your mind as danger is near or the hunt is on. You can almost feel the bite and the shaking of the victim right before he or she is taken out. I really enjoyed this narrator and cannot wait to listen to more of her work.

The author gives you wonderful characters you can relate to and feel their pain. My heart really went out to Aurora mother from the trouble in her marriage to having to decide what to do about her daughter as she is at deaths doors. Than to have to deal with what she has done there is no wonder she kind of lives in her own world. Aurora grandmother is something else all together. Her father I really didn’t understand until later and then I really didn’t like him. Fane and Dante what is there not to love until Fane does something that really just about breaks your heart? By the end of the story I am torn between which one I like the most and would love to see Aurora with.
For the author she did a wonderful job giving a new twist to an old story that is old as time. She really just about made me believe in vampires. There are times you really dislike some characters only to find you come to like them and she turns the tables on you again. I really loved some and couldn’t get enough. You will have a mixture of feelings throughout this whole box-set. There isn’t very much filler in this story each scene has a point to make as the author twists and turns her way into your heart. This is one author that knows how to keep you on the edge with the mystery and unknown. You really do not know what to believe and spend your time yelling at a few characters. It isn’t all gloom and doom there is humor and laughter. I spend my time smiling, laughing or waiting to cry. Aurora has always had my heart from the first page. Noel I really liked and then not so much now I am unsure. There is so much more going on than meets the eyes. I can’t wait to find out what everyone is hiding. There is some romance but mostly it is about the hunt, the kill, the who and what the heck is really going on. This is the first I have read/listen of her work and am really looking forward to listening/read more of this series.

Note: I really should have work on my review after listening to each book. My mind is a little confused as to some of the things that happened from one book to another. All in all it blends well and is very entertaining.

[Flugschütz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like these books. I read though to the end of this set because I kept expecting/hoping/waiting for some big event to happen, but it never did. The storytelling just plodded along and when some reveal did occur, it was expected and failed to surprise. Apart from nothing significant actually happening throughout this box set, it became harder and harder to get to the end of it. Really, it was just one big high school teenage drama. My eyes are so fatigued from all the eye rolling going on in my head.

However, the biggest and most chafing thing about this entire box set was the constant use of the verb "glare". Just for kicks, I just now indexed "glare" and the results are 15 pages with 6 instances per page for 90 uses! Utilized relatively sparingly early in the box set, appearances became more and more frequent. There were many times I almost stopped reading this series for good just because this. Good grief! Get some range, Nikki!

[Hayley Bradshaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slow, but good.

I liked the first book a lot - there are quite a few twists and turns, but most you can see coming. It’s an overall good story, but it’s slow. Very slow. By the middle of the second book, I found myself skimming through chapters, reading only dialogue. I think six books is a stretch for this story - it could easily be told in three 😉

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed listening to this story! It was entertaining from the beginning to the end but there is no hea just yet. Can’t wait to get it ASAP. The only thing I was annoyed about is that she never made up her mind to be with Fane so those parts are frustrating but other than that everything else I loved the world the author created and the characters.

[Patience Cruise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing twist on vampires

Aurora Sky doesn't have life easy as a teenager or as a vampire hunter.
This series will suck you in. Thankfully it's a three book bundle because you won't be able to put it down!

[Nancy Morse · Rating 2 out of 5]

Only read the first book in the series. It was okay, entertaining. But, I never got back to the rest, guess I always found something else I would rather read.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed

This was quite the page-turner. The characters were real and very relatable. I look forward to reading the next book.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok

The series started off slow for me. Nothing really grabbed my attention until book three. Ok story line but I do like the characters

[I.A. Cintron · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need to get the other boxset so I can finish hearing this amazing story and I still don't trust agent melcher

[Slate R. Raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Started out a bit whiny and annoying but that’s the high school life. Things picked up and I gotta say it was a worthwhile box set!

[Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got book 1 free, and decided to go with this set to get 2, 2.5 & 3. 18+ book series. I love YA paranormal books. Not the whiny normal teenage story you expect though.

I was hooked right from the beginning. I love Aurora Sky's personality, and her attitude. I love how she adapted to what she's got going on, and even though she didn't want to do it, she did it. And continues to do it. She's quirky, and funny. Sarcastic! Love her sarcastic side! We meet Aurora before hand, where, she's a normal teenage girl, and then we get to see and watch her grow, into the Vampire Hunter Aurora. I love vampire novels. This one is no exception, just that it is brought about in a different way, and that is exciting and weird too. I really like Dante and Fane too. They bring out different sides to Aurora, and challenge her as well.

Each book gets better. After reading Book 2 there was a Book 2.5. I don't usually read these, because they're just not interesting enough for me, but 2.5 was an introduction to Noel. And what I read was perfect, to help me understand Noel a little more. So I enjoyed that portion of the set as well.

There wasn't a book 2.6, Evil Red, which surprised me a little bit, it is only .99 cents, but I feel like it should have been included in there. For me this one, is about Valerie, and I don't like her character a whole lot, and so the read was a waste for me.

Overall, I have really enjoyed this series, and I can't wait to start Book 4 today.

[Carien · Rating 4 out of 5]

The truth is finally out, but will Aurora learn to live with it? And who can she really trust? It seems every turn she takes brings new enemies and a true and loyal friend she’s not quite sure of.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very entertaining, engaging and enjoyable series so far. A little bit of a twist on vampires. It started off a bit slow and it took me a bit to really get into the story, but by the halfway mark of the fist book I was hooked. It just slowly reels you in until you can't stop listening. Even after 22 and 1/2 hours I was ready to start the next book immediately. I will definitely be continuing with the series, I have to find out how it ends. Worth your time and credit? Yes, absolutely.

Action, suspense, romance, vampires, clandestine agencies, vampire hunters and much more are woven into a very entertaining series that will keep you awake and listening until the end.

Who's a vampire and who's not? Balancing being a vampire hunter with trying to finish high school and then attend collage can be very challenging. Throw a tangled love life into the mix and things get really complicated.

I would classify it as more of a Young Adult/New Adult series. Yes, there is a scene where she loses her virginity but it isn't anything over the top, steamy or intense. It's more of a blip in the story.

Em Eldridge did a fantastic job with the narration. This is the first time I have listened to her narrate a book. Pleasant voice. Great character voices and accents. Clearly spoken with a smooth even pace. She brought the characters and story to life through her narration. Very enjoyable

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator or publisher.

[Rabid Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an entertaining and exciting set of three stories about a teen who becomes a reluctant vampire hunter. Aurora's life is saved by a secret government agency after she is severely injured in a car accident. Her blood type makes her special and their means of "saving" her costs her Aurora her freedom. She has no choice but to work for the agency but she hates and to kill and comes to realize that there is a hidden undercurrent to the agencies functioning. The three stories flow well into each other and you soon became attached to Aurora. She is to some degree a typical winey teen who does things without thinking but in other ways she is brave and innovative. Caught in a complex situation that she has no control over and with disruption in her home life, she actually manages to cope very well. The interplay between the characters is appealing and often amusing, and her budding romances are enjoyable and typical of teen behavior. The narration suits the books and she did a good job of both the male and the female voices but I did find her voice failed to build sufficient tension on occasions. I enjoyed all three stories, they were fun, exciting, had action, romance and enough twists to keep you entertained. Even though the stories are individual, they still build on one another adding depth and interest to the world. I will look forward to listening to or reading the next in the series. I received this audiobook set in a giveaway.

[Lynn Zagrod · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this audiobook free for an honest review. I really liked this 3-book series. The continuation of this series is in my wish list. Too bad audible doesn't have the .5 books in the series. I really enjoyed this young adult story. Nikki Jefford does an excellent job of giving us a story that has suspense, thrill and young love. She includes the "high-school bully" scenario and the spoiled girl. Is there life after death? Well, maybe not life as we know it, but there is definitely a story after death. The author does a fabulous job of creating the characters and the narrator does an awesome job of telling the stories and portraying each individual person so uniquely you really get to know them and can easily distinguish each character in the story. Loved the 3 books I was given. Looking forward to the next ones in this series.

[Deborah]

This collection is a different take on the usual vampire story. The pace was steady with enough action to keep the listener's interest. The narration was excellent. The last book ended in a cliff hanger.

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

[Pat Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed all the books

I might be old to read these books. I would recommend them to others.
If my family lived here or my friends were.closer I would tell them all about them.

[Barbara Dunbar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Auroras Sky

I enjoyed this read but are teenagers this clueless? I was but I grew up in a very tiny hamlet.

[Christine Hayes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was on sale for less than a buck. Was ok.

[Lelouch · Rating 4 out of 5]

This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom dot com.

Really loved the narrator's natural voice. The plot isn't really another vampire diaries clone. I was a little bit let down by the vampires, but it's a different take. It's a story of morality and what it means to be a monster.

[Lari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good books, liked them. I liked the plot twists.