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The Shadow Keepers #1
When Blood Calls
Attorney Sara Constantine is thrilled with her promotion until she finds out that she must now prosecute vampires and werewolves. The first defendant she’ll be trying to put away? Lucius Dragos, the sexy stranger with whom she recently shared an explosive night of ecstasy.
When Lucius kisses a beautiful woman sitting next to him at the bar, he’s hoping only to avoid the perceptive gaze of the man he’s planning to kill. But what starts as a simple kiss ignites into an all-consuming passion. Charged with murder, Luke knows that Sara is determined to see him locked away unless he can convince her that he’s not a monster. And that might mean making the ultimate sacrifice.
When Lucius kisses a beautiful woman sitting next to him at the bar, he’s hoping only to avoid the perceptive gaze of the man he’s planning to kill. But what starts as a simple kiss ignites into an all-consuming passion. Charged with murder, Luke knows that Sara is determined to see him locked away unless he can convince her that he’s not a monster. And that might mean making the ultimate sacrifice.
388 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
92 people are currently reading
3907 people want to read
About the author
J.K. Beck
11 books382 followersJulia A. Beck was born in Mountainview, California, USA on 1965. Her father was an aeronautical engineer, and her mother worked as a secretary. She grew up in Austin, Texas, where she attended Lyndon Baines Johnson High School, graduating as valedictorian of her class. She went on to the University of Texas, where she received a bachelor's degree in communications (radio-television-film). Afterward, she worked as a media specialist for a community college, before enrolling in Baylor Law School. Coincidently, her father was attending Baylor and earning his law degree at the same time. She graduated second in her class, and started to work as a lawyer.
She married with Donald "Don" Kenner, and when in 1995, she and her husband , moved from Los Angeles back to her hometown of Austin, she decided to try to focus some of her creative energy. She has always loved making up stories, particularly those with a happy ending, and romance writing was a perfect fit. Though her first manuscript will never see the light of day, her second sold to Harlequin Temptation after placing first in the Tampa Area Romance Authors' Contest. That novel, Nobody Does It Better, was published in February of 2000. Since that first sale, Julie continued writing and publishing, she quit the practice of law to write full time in 2004. She was the winner of Romantic Times' Reviewer's Choice Award for Best Contemporary Paranormal of 2001, the winner of the Reviewers International Organization's award for best romantic suspense of 2004 and best paranormal of 2005, and the winner of the National Readers' Choice Award for best mainstream book of 2005, and was also the two-time RITA finalist, both times for books about strong women. Her novel, Carpe Demon, is in development as a feature film with Warner Brothers and 1492 Pictures.
When she's not writing, she loves spending time with her husband, her two daughters, her cats and with the neighborhood cats who tend to hang around her house. She and her husband also love to travel—whether to small towns in the Texas hill country, or to more distant venues such as Ireland, London, or Paris. Julie's a movie buff, enjoying everything from the lightest romantic comedy to the most action-packed adventure! Julie loves to hear from readers, and you can write her at P.O. Box 151417, Austin, TX 78715-1417 (if you'd like free goodies, send a SASE), or send an e-mail to julie@juliekenner.com
She married with Donald "Don" Kenner, and when in 1995, she and her husband , moved from Los Angeles back to her hometown of Austin, she decided to try to focus some of her creative energy. She has always loved making up stories, particularly those with a happy ending, and romance writing was a perfect fit. Though her first manuscript will never see the light of day, her second sold to Harlequin Temptation after placing first in the Tampa Area Romance Authors' Contest. That novel, Nobody Does It Better, was published in February of 2000. Since that first sale, Julie continued writing and publishing, she quit the practice of law to write full time in 2004. She was the winner of Romantic Times' Reviewer's Choice Award for Best Contemporary Paranormal of 2001, the winner of the Reviewers International Organization's award for best romantic suspense of 2004 and best paranormal of 2005, and the winner of the National Readers' Choice Award for best mainstream book of 2005, and was also the two-time RITA finalist, both times for books about strong women. Her novel, Carpe Demon, is in development as a feature film with Warner Brothers and 1492 Pictures.
When she's not writing, she loves spending time with her husband, her two daughters, her cats and with the neighborhood cats who tend to hang around her house. She and her husband also love to travel—whether to small towns in the Texas hill country, or to more distant venues such as Ireland, London, or Paris. Julie's a movie buff, enjoying everything from the lightest romantic comedy to the most action-packed adventure! Julie loves to hear from readers, and you can write her at P.O. Box 151417, Austin, TX 78715-1417 (if you'd like free goodies, send a SASE), or send an e-mail to julie@juliekenner.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 281 reviews
September 5, 2010
My Thoughts: I'm going to try to write this review spoiler-free. It's going to be difficult but I have complete confidence in my highly intelligent, extreamely busty self. Extreamely busty.
Recap: Sara Constantine is a newly promoted attorney who gets the bitch slap from hell when she finds out that her first case is the prosecution of the guy she played hide the sausage with a few nights ago, Lucius Dragos. And he's a vampire, oh my!
Things I Liked About WBC:
..................I'm thinking..........................
Aha!
♠ The diversity of the supernatural species. In this novel, we have vampires, weres, poltergeist, soul-suckers, trolls, mind readers & a plethora of other supes not usually mentioned in PNR.
♠ Serge, when I ignored that he had a boner for a mentally disabled vampire.
Things I Didn't Like About WBC:
♠ Our heroine, Sara. She spends the whole book flipping between hate for Luke because he's a criminal & desire for him from they're one night stand. She's also very afraid of him for most of the novel, which I find ridiculous. Apparently, he means to do you no harm or he would've deep-sixed you while you were busy staring at his pecks. I also didn't find her desire for Luke believable. She spends most of the book trying to nail his ass for murder (even using some very underhanded tactics), of which the sentence is death. Nothing says love like "Baby, I want you to get the death penalty", eh?
♠ Our hero, Lucius aka Luke. Luke is in fact a killer. He's admitted to killing lots of bad people in the name of vigilante justice...but that's not my problem. My problem is that he constantly feels the urge to kill people & comes damn near close to killing a few innocents throughout the novel. Maybe I was supposed to feel sympathy for his plight, but all I thought was that dude was psycho as hells. Yes, there is a piss-poor excuse for his urges to kill. Does that redeem him enough to be a hero I'd root for? Hell no. Luke also has almost no personality other than being a poor caricature of the tall, dark & deadly vampire.
♠ Ryan Doyle. He's one of those "swinging my dick like it's a jump rope" cops who are constantly pissed for the hell of it. Meh. Somebody ate my toaster strudel! Time to go blow someone's head off!
♠ The serial killer plotline. There are honestly way too many convoluted plotlines as it is without dealing with being stuck in the head of a nut for a few chapters. I could've done without it.
♠ The cheesy ass sex scenes involving "Oh, Sara! My Sara!" I was hoping the sex would save the day but damn if I wasn't foiled again!
♠ NONE of the supes who play a prevalent role in this novel have self-control. As soon as I start to like a character, he/she goes off & decides to kill someone for a bs reason. I can understand it if your a supernatural newbie, but these people were not. How the hell can you have lived for centuries battling your darkside, but you can't refrain from killing the damn mailman?
♠ The interactions between Sara & Luke. They aren't in the same room for more than 5 minutes until around page 200 & their interactions after that are sporadic at best. I don't know what genre WBC is, but it's not romance. Not when the reader spends more time in the head of the supporting characters than with the actual h/h. And yet, by the end of the book I'm supposed to believe that Luke & Sara can't live without each other & it's yung trew luv? I call bullshit.
There are more issues I had with this novel but I didn't want to turn it into a complete rantview. Suffice it to say, this novel was crap. Beautifully packaged crap. Crap I'd have in my house for days before I realized there was shit beneath the extravagant bow. But crap, nonetheless. I hope that anyone who reads this novel has a way better experience than I did because I really wanted to like this romance...but it's not a romance. It's some kind of badly written, UF/Mystery hybrid. Anyway, take care.
Recap: Sara Constantine is a newly promoted attorney who gets the bitch slap from hell when she finds out that her first case is the prosecution of the guy she played hide the sausage with a few nights ago, Lucius Dragos. And he's a vampire, oh my!
Things I Liked About WBC:
..................I'm thinking..........................
Aha!
♠ The diversity of the supernatural species. In this novel, we have vampires, weres, poltergeist, soul-suckers, trolls, mind readers & a plethora of other supes not usually mentioned in PNR.
♠ Serge, when I ignored that he had a boner for a mentally disabled vampire.
Things I Didn't Like About WBC:
♠ Our heroine, Sara. She spends the whole book flipping between hate for Luke because he's a criminal & desire for him from they're one night stand. She's also very afraid of him for most of the novel, which I find ridiculous. Apparently, he means to do you no harm or he would've deep-sixed you while you were busy staring at his pecks. I also didn't find her desire for Luke believable. She spends most of the book trying to nail his ass for murder (even using some very underhanded tactics), of which the sentence is death. Nothing says love like "Baby, I want you to get the death penalty", eh?
♠ Our hero, Lucius aka Luke. Luke is in fact a killer. He's admitted to killing lots of bad people in the name of vigilante justice...but that's not my problem. My problem is that he constantly feels the urge to kill people & comes damn near close to killing a few innocents throughout the novel. Maybe I was supposed to feel sympathy for his plight, but all I thought was that dude was psycho as hells. Yes, there is a piss-poor excuse for his urges to kill. Does that redeem him enough to be a hero I'd root for? Hell no. Luke also has almost no personality other than being a poor caricature of the tall, dark & deadly vampire.
♠ Ryan Doyle. He's one of those "swinging my dick like it's a jump rope" cops who are constantly pissed for the hell of it. Meh. Somebody ate my toaster strudel! Time to go blow someone's head off!
♠ The serial killer plotline. There are honestly way too many convoluted plotlines as it is without dealing with being stuck in the head of a nut for a few chapters. I could've done without it.
♠ The cheesy ass sex scenes involving "Oh, Sara! My Sara!" I was hoping the sex would save the day but damn if I wasn't foiled again!
♠ NONE of the supes who play a prevalent role in this novel have self-control. As soon as I start to like a character, he/she goes off & decides to kill someone for a bs reason. I can understand it if your a supernatural newbie, but these people were not. How the hell can you have lived for centuries battling your darkside, but you can't refrain from killing the damn mailman?
♠ The interactions between Sara & Luke. They aren't in the same room for more than 5 minutes until around page 200 & their interactions after that are sporadic at best. I don't know what genre WBC is, but it's not romance. Not when the reader spends more time in the head of the supporting characters than with the actual h/h. And yet, by the end of the book I'm supposed to believe that Luke & Sara can't live without each other & it's yung trew luv? I call bullshit.
There are more issues I had with this novel but I didn't want to turn it into a complete rantview. Suffice it to say, this novel was crap. Beautifully packaged crap. Crap I'd have in my house for days before I realized there was shit beneath the extravagant bow. But crap, nonetheless. I hope that anyone who reads this novel has a way better experience than I did because I really wanted to like this romance...but it's not a romance. It's some kind of badly written, UF/Mystery hybrid. Anyway, take care.
September 12, 2010
3 stars – Paranormal Romance
With author endorsements from Kresley Cole, Larissa Ione, Gena Showalter, and Lara Adrian and an interesting premise, I had high expectations for the first book in J.K. Beck’s new Shadow Keepers series, but unfortunately When Blood Calls, although somewhat steamy, was a bit disappointing and fell rather flat.
Prosecuting attorney Sara Constantine is promoted to a new position with a secret division under Homeland Security after winning her most recent, high-profile case, and suddenly she finds herself in the middle of her worst nightmares when she discovers her new job involves persecuting supernatural creatures. Her first assignment is to prosecute powerful vampire Lucius Dragos for murder, and even worse, he’s the same sexy stranger she recently had a wildly passionate, soul shattering one night stand with. Well, that sucks...pun intended.
Now Sara has to determine if Lucius is really the cold blooded monster she’s being led to believe that he is, or if he’s really the complex, affectionate man revealed to her in their night of erotic ecstasy. Can she uncover Luke’s secrets in order to save him from the executioner’s stake?
The story had a lot of possibility, but it was really disjointed overall and a bit slow at times. There wasn’t much depth to the characters, the relationship between Sara and Luke wasn’t developed at all, and the romance was really weak. The reader is just expected to believe in their instant love/true soul mates because they had one blissful night together that’s only referenced here and there and not even revealed through flashback. I just didn’t feel the “love” between the H/H, and not having them interact, other than some brief defendant/prosecutor questioning, until around page 177 sure didn’t help in building a connection. And Sara’s complete, speedy turnaround from wanting to see Luke punished for his monstrous crimes to total adoration, acceptance of his killing ways, and willingness to become a vampire herself to spend eternity with him, with minimal development between them, felt rather forced and seemed a bit implausible.
So overall it’s not a bad read or a total waste of time, but there’s just nothing remarkable about it, except maybe the strikingly sexy cover. The premise of the story had a lot of potential, but with weakly crafted characters and artificial romance between a rather bland H/H, it just didn’t ever really come together or deliver like I’d hoped.
Will I continue with the series? At this point I’m honestly not sure because I never say never, but I’ll probably wait for reviews before buying the next book. The third book When Wicked Craves features Luke’s advocate and friend, Nicholas Montegue, who I found intriguing in this, so I’m tentatively hopeful that his story will be better.
With author endorsements from Kresley Cole, Larissa Ione, Gena Showalter, and Lara Adrian and an interesting premise, I had high expectations for the first book in J.K. Beck’s new Shadow Keepers series, but unfortunately When Blood Calls, although somewhat steamy, was a bit disappointing and fell rather flat.
Prosecuting attorney Sara Constantine is promoted to a new position with a secret division under Homeland Security after winning her most recent, high-profile case, and suddenly she finds herself in the middle of her worst nightmares when she discovers her new job involves persecuting supernatural creatures. Her first assignment is to prosecute powerful vampire Lucius Dragos for murder, and even worse, he’s the same sexy stranger she recently had a wildly passionate, soul shattering one night stand with. Well, that sucks...pun intended.
Now Sara has to determine if Lucius is really the cold blooded monster she’s being led to believe that he is, or if he’s really the complex, affectionate man revealed to her in their night of erotic ecstasy. Can she uncover Luke’s secrets in order to save him from the executioner’s stake?
The story had a lot of possibility, but it was really disjointed overall and a bit slow at times. There wasn’t much depth to the characters, the relationship between Sara and Luke wasn’t developed at all, and the romance was really weak. The reader is just expected to believe in their instant love/true soul mates because they had one blissful night together that’s only referenced here and there and not even revealed through flashback. I just didn’t feel the “love” between the H/H, and not having them interact, other than some brief defendant/prosecutor questioning, until around page 177 sure didn’t help in building a connection. And Sara’s complete, speedy turnaround from wanting to see Luke punished for his monstrous crimes to total adoration, acceptance of his killing ways, and willingness to become a vampire herself to spend eternity with him, with minimal development between them, felt rather forced and seemed a bit implausible.
So overall it’s not a bad read or a total waste of time, but there’s just nothing remarkable about it, except maybe the strikingly sexy cover. The premise of the story had a lot of potential, but with weakly crafted characters and artificial romance between a rather bland H/H, it just didn’t ever really come together or deliver like I’d hoped.
Will I continue with the series? At this point I’m honestly not sure because I never say never, but I’ll probably wait for reviews before buying the next book. The third book When Wicked Craves features Luke’s advocate and friend, Nicholas Montegue, who I found intriguing in this, so I’m tentatively hopeful that his story will be better.
June 19, 2011
http://www.theunreadreader.com/2010/0...
The 'bad' romance between the two main characters, Sara and Luke, was strange. I guess I can buy that in a matter of a couple of days, a centuries old vampire, Luke, falls in love with a woman he had a one night stand with, but it didn't really help make his ruthless assassin character believable. And Sara, an up and coming prosecutor who supposedly lives and breaths the law, was downright laughable with her willingness to throw all her better judgment (and possibly her career) aside to give into the fiery passion only Luke could ignite in her.
The supporting characters were beyond disturbing, starting with Luke's child-like ward, Tasha (aka Drucilla 2.0). Why Luke would want to burden himself with the responsibility of caring for the feeble minded Tasha, regardless of how Tasha reminded him of his human child that he killed when he was first turned, just didn't make sense. He kept her around because he felt guilty? Okay.
But just because Tasha plays with dolls and talks with a sing-song voice doesn't mean that she is completely innocent. She wants to do naughty things with boys. And Sergius, Luke's best friend and the vampire Luke trusts to look after Tasha, wants to give in to her, even as he describes that the most alluring thing about her is her child-like wonder. Sickening, I know, but that's a vampire for you.
Couple all of that with a human child molester/serial killer who is on the loose, and it is almost too much to stomach.
I really didn't care for Beck's brand of vampire either. They held no appeal, possessed as they were by inner daemons always threatening to come out. And the way this 'daemon within' theme was constantly repeated became rather irksome.
This book just wasn't for me. I found the writing too cliche and predictable in most area of the plot line, and in others, grossly over-exaggerated. This one was almost a DNF for me, but I forced myself to finish it since it was a tour book.
The 'bad' romance between the two main characters, Sara and Luke, was strange. I guess I can buy that in a matter of a couple of days, a centuries old vampire, Luke, falls in love with a woman he had a one night stand with, but it didn't really help make his ruthless assassin character believable. And Sara, an up and coming prosecutor who supposedly lives and breaths the law, was downright laughable with her willingness to throw all her better judgment (and possibly her career) aside to give into the fiery passion only Luke could ignite in her.
The supporting characters were beyond disturbing, starting with Luke's child-like ward, Tasha (aka Drucilla 2.0). Why Luke would want to burden himself with the responsibility of caring for the feeble minded Tasha, regardless of how Tasha reminded him of his human child that he killed when he was first turned, just didn't make sense. He kept her around because he felt guilty? Okay.
But just because Tasha plays with dolls and talks with a sing-song voice doesn't mean that she is completely innocent. She wants to do naughty things with boys. And Sergius, Luke's best friend and the vampire Luke trusts to look after Tasha, wants to give in to her, even as he describes that the most alluring thing about her is her child-like wonder. Sickening, I know, but that's a vampire for you.
Couple all of that with a human child molester/serial killer who is on the loose, and it is almost too much to stomach.
I really didn't care for Beck's brand of vampire either. They held no appeal, possessed as they were by inner daemons always threatening to come out. And the way this 'daemon within' theme was constantly repeated became rather irksome.
This book just wasn't for me. I found the writing too cliche and predictable in most area of the plot line, and in others, grossly over-exaggerated. This one was almost a DNF for me, but I forced myself to finish it since it was a tour book.
January 1, 2011
Desperate for some smut, I stood in the grocery store perusing titles. Dismayed by my choices, I still picked up all the books and read the backs. Hoping against hope there would be something less sucky than normal. Knowing it was wrong, knowing it would come to no good end, I saw my hands place this book in my basket.
It started well even if there was vamp sex and all. The author was a lawyer and created a nice little parallel judicial system for supes including arcane laws that often override human law. Seemed ok.
And then...and then...it began. Sara is mysteriously attracted to the dark stranger. He calls to her in a way that is just for her. Her vagina responds as it has never responded before. Next thing you know, her vagina practices law! Even though she knows it's wrong, she continues to help Luke with her expertise because her legal eagle vagina knows there is more than meets the eye and it knows how to work within the law. You'd think such a vagina would have difficulty staying awake for sex, but it is a multi-tasker that one!
Mundane and thoroughly preDICKtable ending. I found myself once again shamed at letting shiny paperback pulp fiction whisper sweet nothings from the shelves next to the batteries and greeting cards.
Fool me once grocery store books, shame on you. Fool me for the 6,576th time grocery store books, and well, I might need a 12 step program to break my compulsion.
It started well even if there was vamp sex and all. The author was a lawyer and created a nice little parallel judicial system for supes including arcane laws that often override human law. Seemed ok.
And then...and then...it began. Sara is mysteriously attracted to the dark stranger. He calls to her in a way that is just for her. Her vagina responds as it has never responded before. Next thing you know, her vagina practices law! Even though she knows it's wrong, she continues to help Luke with her expertise because her legal eagle vagina knows there is more than meets the eye and it knows how to work within the law. You'd think such a vagina would have difficulty staying awake for sex, but it is a multi-tasker that one!
Mundane and thoroughly preDICKtable ending. I found myself once again shamed at letting shiny paperback pulp fiction whisper sweet nothings from the shelves next to the batteries and greeting cards.
Fool me once grocery store books, shame on you. Fool me for the 6,576th time grocery store books, and well, I might need a 12 step program to break my compulsion.
January 26, 2016
The only reason I gave it 4 and not 5 was because there wasn't enough romance for me. lol Loved how the story played out in this one tho. Luke was just yummy. I really enjoyed the twist at the end. I thought maybe and then was like nah. But um wow ok yeah thats how it went down. This book is like Law and Order paranormal style. A huge chunk of the book is about murder and how done it. I found the way that the vampires were described refreshing. The law for them was hardcore. Cant wait to see what happens in the next book. Oh and the secondary characters are great! Hope there is something about Nick and Serg later loved them.
January 24, 2016
Este libro lo tomo para leer por pura casualidad y amo haberlo leído, tenia mucho tiempo sin meterme en el mundo paranormal y este me introduje de nuevo, en una manera maravillosa, me cautivo totalmente el personaje de Luke y la mujer fuerte que es Sara, es una historia audaz y llena de intrigas y juegos de poder, claramente que el final es todo un vuelco de tuercas que te deja :O, así que lo ame!
May 21, 2019
Beklentimin çok üstündeydi beni şaşırtan bir kitap oldu açıkçası 😅 konu basit ve klasik olmasına rağmen kendini güzel okuttu 3 yıldız vermeye de gönlüm el vermedi😎
January 2, 2018
2,5. Últimamente no encuentro un buen libro de cambiantes.
A ver, esta historia tenemos al vampiro Luke en una situación comprometida: presuntamente, ha asesinado a un juez retirado. Las pruebas de ADN y un anillo, han probado que ha sido él.
Por otra parte, tenemos a una recién promocionada fiscal, Sara, que por primera vez en su vida ha visto que hay cosas en el mundo a parte de humanos. Ahora se encargará de la fiscalía de lo sobrenatural, por así decirlo y su primer caso será Luke. Un hombre con el que se ha acostado hace un par de días y que no sabía que era vampiro. Los sentimientos encontrados hacia él le harán pasar momentos difíciles intentando encarcelar a Luke.
La historia empezó aburrida, luego casi parecía ponerse interesante, pero otra vez se puso aburrida y densa. Básicamente el problema de este libro es su extensión. Es demasiado largo, demasiadas historias contadas a la vez para que después no te enganche ninguna. Me gustaba esa relación completamente en tensión de Luke y Sara, pero es que tanta historia jurídica y que me interrumpieran la trama para contarme los problemas de los otros personajes me hacía perder el hilo y la intensidad. Tengo que reconocer que la trama no me la esperaba. No me esperaba a quien fue el verdadero culpable y es por eso que le doy bastante más nota de la que realmente merece... una pena porque iba para algo bueno.
A ver, esta historia tenemos al vampiro Luke en una situación comprometida: presuntamente, ha asesinado a un juez retirado. Las pruebas de ADN y un anillo, han probado que ha sido él.
Por otra parte, tenemos a una recién promocionada fiscal, Sara, que por primera vez en su vida ha visto que hay cosas en el mundo a parte de humanos. Ahora se encargará de la fiscalía de lo sobrenatural, por así decirlo y su primer caso será Luke. Un hombre con el que se ha acostado hace un par de días y que no sabía que era vampiro. Los sentimientos encontrados hacia él le harán pasar momentos difíciles intentando encarcelar a Luke.
La historia empezó aburrida, luego casi parecía ponerse interesante, pero otra vez se puso aburrida y densa. Básicamente el problema de este libro es su extensión. Es demasiado largo, demasiadas historias contadas a la vez para que después no te enganche ninguna. Me gustaba esa relación completamente en tensión de Luke y Sara, pero es que tanta historia jurídica y que me interrumpieran la trama para contarme los problemas de los otros personajes me hacía perder el hilo y la intensidad. Tengo que reconocer que la trama no me la esperaba. No me esperaba a quien fue el verdadero culpable y es por eso que le doy bastante más nota de la que realmente merece... una pena porque iba para algo bueno.
September 1, 2010
When Blood Calls by J.K. Beck
Paranormal Romance- Aug 31, 2010
4 1/2 stars
When Blood Calls is a promising and electric new series by well known author Julie Kenner. This is a suspenseful read that has some cool plots twists and a fascinating if shady underworld that is sure to enthrall!
Sara Constantine is a tough and beautiful prosecutor on the fast track. She is driven by personal tragedy to bring justice to her city. But her success has captured the attention of those in power and she is shocked when she is suddenly re-assigned to another case. A case that leads her down a murky and mysterious world in the ultra secret Division 6. There Sara is introduced to shifters, vampires and many more intriguing characters. And she discovers that her new case is to prosecute the murderer of a Judge. But this murderer just happens to be a vampire and the man that Sara just had and an incredible night of steamy sex with! Sara must struggle with her instincts versus the evidence of his guilt.
This story opens with a murder. It took me by surprise because the hero was a villain for a large section of the story and I loved that! I really enjoyed feeling a little lost in the beginning of the book as I tried to figure out what was happening and who was really the bad guy. As I got caught up by the plot I eventually had a suspicion of who the real villain was but instead of getting bored it made me more interested in how the author would play out the ending. I also enjoyed how the author introduces some really complex characters with intriguing paranormal powers. I hope that she may have future books past the next 2 in the series to explore them all. And I would really like to learn more details about Division 6.
I feel the author has created a remarkable world that I would love to know more about. I really liked the hero Luke. He was self sacrificing and noble even as you felt he could be very dangerous and even untamed. He was one character that always seemed on edge. Many times I thought he could go either way, good or bad and this kept me turning the pages! I also enjoyed Sara’s character. Her strong ethics would not allow her to let a murderer go free but at the same time she could not help but be drawn to Luke. The honest attraction between the main characters was very believable. And I was thrilled when they were pitted against each other. It only made the story hotter and more intense.
Lovers of edgy, dark and steamy romance such as Urban Fantasy will find this series one that will not disappoint!
Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
Paranormal Romance- Aug 31, 2010
4 1/2 stars
When Blood Calls is a promising and electric new series by well known author Julie Kenner. This is a suspenseful read that has some cool plots twists and a fascinating if shady underworld that is sure to enthrall!
Sara Constantine is a tough and beautiful prosecutor on the fast track. She is driven by personal tragedy to bring justice to her city. But her success has captured the attention of those in power and she is shocked when she is suddenly re-assigned to another case. A case that leads her down a murky and mysterious world in the ultra secret Division 6. There Sara is introduced to shifters, vampires and many more intriguing characters. And she discovers that her new case is to prosecute the murderer of a Judge. But this murderer just happens to be a vampire and the man that Sara just had and an incredible night of steamy sex with! Sara must struggle with her instincts versus the evidence of his guilt.
This story opens with a murder. It took me by surprise because the hero was a villain for a large section of the story and I loved that! I really enjoyed feeling a little lost in the beginning of the book as I tried to figure out what was happening and who was really the bad guy. As I got caught up by the plot I eventually had a suspicion of who the real villain was but instead of getting bored it made me more interested in how the author would play out the ending. I also enjoyed how the author introduces some really complex characters with intriguing paranormal powers. I hope that she may have future books past the next 2 in the series to explore them all. And I would really like to learn more details about Division 6.
I feel the author has created a remarkable world that I would love to know more about. I really liked the hero Luke. He was self sacrificing and noble even as you felt he could be very dangerous and even untamed. He was one character that always seemed on edge. Many times I thought he could go either way, good or bad and this kept me turning the pages! I also enjoyed Sara’s character. Her strong ethics would not allow her to let a murderer go free but at the same time she could not help but be drawn to Luke. The honest attraction between the main characters was very believable. And I was thrilled when they were pitted against each other. It only made the story hotter and more intense.
Lovers of edgy, dark and steamy romance such as Urban Fantasy will find this series one that will not disappoint!
Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
January 18, 2013
When Blood Calls is the first book in The Shadow Keepers series. This is a little bit darker than what fans of Julie Kenner have come to expect, but writing as J.K. Beck introduces us not only to a more dark side of one of my favorite authors, but also a start to a paranormal series that is more sinister than what I've read before.
I loved the world J.K. Beck creates that Sara Constantine finds herself a part of with her promotion. She will continue to prosecute villains but now those villains are of the paranormal variety. Her first case involves a man she had a one night stand with and with whom she can't stop thinking about. She had no idea he was a vampire who is facing a death sentence for brutally murdering a judge. I thought it was interesting how quickly Sara adjusted to her surroundings, which include not only vampires, but werewolves, trolls, goblins and demons. She is in an unusual predicament when she comes face to face with her first defendant and realizes she already knows him intimately. She quickly decides that she will remain true to herself and seek justice no matter her feelings and even when things get pretty intense between Sara and Lucius, she still wants to fight for justice.
I found Lucius to be a very compelling character. I enjoy reading a book where the hero and heroine are not perfect or are flawed in some way. Lucius is as flawed as a soul can get. He's a vampire and he has murdered and he makes no apologies for it. He's grieving the loss of his daughter centuries ago and is very protective of his ward, Tasha. He finds himself feeling connected to Sara, experiencing emotions he hasn't allowed himself to feel for a very long time.
There are several secondary characters that were introduced that I'm highly curious about and hoping to see in the rest of the series. The best thing about this book for me was that this story isn't predictable in the slightest. I thought I had a pretty good idea what was going on and felt confident with what I believed would happen next and as quick as I turned a page, the story shifts and knocks me over!
Overall, this is a very good start to a series that brings a different twist on the paranormal world. Interesting characters combined with some pretty hot romance and an intriguing story will fit the bill for most any reading preference. I am looking forward to the rest of the series.
I loved the world J.K. Beck creates that Sara Constantine finds herself a part of with her promotion. She will continue to prosecute villains but now those villains are of the paranormal variety. Her first case involves a man she had a one night stand with and with whom she can't stop thinking about. She had no idea he was a vampire who is facing a death sentence for brutally murdering a judge. I thought it was interesting how quickly Sara adjusted to her surroundings, which include not only vampires, but werewolves, trolls, goblins and demons. She is in an unusual predicament when she comes face to face with her first defendant and realizes she already knows him intimately. She quickly decides that she will remain true to herself and seek justice no matter her feelings and even when things get pretty intense between Sara and Lucius, she still wants to fight for justice.
I found Lucius to be a very compelling character. I enjoy reading a book where the hero and heroine are not perfect or are flawed in some way. Lucius is as flawed as a soul can get. He's a vampire and he has murdered and he makes no apologies for it. He's grieving the loss of his daughter centuries ago and is very protective of his ward, Tasha. He finds himself feeling connected to Sara, experiencing emotions he hasn't allowed himself to feel for a very long time.
There are several secondary characters that were introduced that I'm highly curious about and hoping to see in the rest of the series. The best thing about this book for me was that this story isn't predictable in the slightest. I thought I had a pretty good idea what was going on and felt confident with what I believed would happen next and as quick as I turned a page, the story shifts and knocks me over!
Overall, this is a very good start to a series that brings a different twist on the paranormal world. Interesting characters combined with some pretty hot romance and an intriguing story will fit the bill for most any reading preference. I am looking forward to the rest of the series.
June 20, 2011
Wow, this was definitely a page turner!
Just when I thought I knew whats going on, and it all figured out, WHAM!!! the twist in the storyline turned me for a loop. I really enjoyed reading this book.
Lucius Dragos is at a local bar when in order to avoid the perceptive gaze of the man he planning to kill he grabs the beautiful brunette sitting next to him and kissed her. And oh what a kiss it was!
What started off as a diversionary kiss turned in to an explosive night of passion that is all-consuming...
Sara Constantine is an up and coming prosecuting attorney who is thrilled about her promotion to the infamous and mysterious District 6. However, what she thought was a sector of Homeland Security, turns out to be the PEC- The Preternatural Enforcement Coalition and now she has learned she won't be prosecuting the average Joe anymore, but Vampyres, Werewolves and other things that go bump in the night.
Her first case hits a little closer to home than expected. She has to prosecute a man accused to murdering a retired judge. It's nothing she can't handle she handled plenty of cases and she is good at her job. However, what she wasn't prepared for was coming face to face with her defendant, none other than Lucius Dragos ,the mystery man from the bar. And that is not all, he's a vampyre...
Now Sara must do what is right and find evidence against Lucius even if it means his execution, no matter her feelings for him which are getting complicated by the day.
Meanwhile...Stemmons, a serial killer, one Sara just recently put away, has escaped and no little girl is safe, the attacks are getting worse and upon closer inspection, they look like a vampyre is assisting him.
The author does a great job putting a spin on the vampire life, giving them actual daemons who vie for dominance over each other. This was refreshing, because with so many Vampire series/books out there it's hard not to have overlapping or redundancy. I found J.K Beck's twist acceptable but not overdone.
Just when I thought I knew whats going on, and it all figured out, WHAM!!! the twist in the storyline turned me for a loop. I really enjoyed reading this book.
Lucius Dragos is at a local bar when in order to avoid the perceptive gaze of the man he planning to kill he grabs the beautiful brunette sitting next to him and kissed her. And oh what a kiss it was!
What started off as a diversionary kiss turned in to an explosive night of passion that is all-consuming...
Sara Constantine is an up and coming prosecuting attorney who is thrilled about her promotion to the infamous and mysterious District 6. However, what she thought was a sector of Homeland Security, turns out to be the PEC- The Preternatural Enforcement Coalition and now she has learned she won't be prosecuting the average Joe anymore, but Vampyres, Werewolves and other things that go bump in the night.
Her first case hits a little closer to home than expected. She has to prosecute a man accused to murdering a retired judge. It's nothing she can't handle she handled plenty of cases and she is good at her job. However, what she wasn't prepared for was coming face to face with her defendant, none other than Lucius Dragos ,the mystery man from the bar. And that is not all, he's a vampyre...
Now Sara must do what is right and find evidence against Lucius even if it means his execution, no matter her feelings for him which are getting complicated by the day.
Meanwhile...Stemmons, a serial killer, one Sara just recently put away, has escaped and no little girl is safe, the attacks are getting worse and upon closer inspection, they look like a vampyre is assisting him.
The author does a great job putting a spin on the vampire life, giving them actual daemons who vie for dominance over each other. This was refreshing, because with so many Vampire series/books out there it's hard not to have overlapping or redundancy. I found J.K Beck's twist acceptable but not overdone.
September 12, 2010
By B.A. Ruggiero for Romance Novel News
Attorney Sara Constantine has just won an important court case, sending a brutal serial killer to jail for life. While celebrating her victory at a local bar, she shares an explosive night with a mysterious stranger.
Sara is soon promoted and is hand-picked to be a prosecutor for a secret and ancient organization called the Preternatural Enforcement Coalition (PEC). The PEC operates under the Covenant, a series of laws put in place for millennia. All Shadow Creatures (those of the paranormal persuasion) must abide by these rules.
Sara’s first case is to prosecute a vampire for murder. In court, she comes face to face with Lucius “Luke” Dragos, a 2,000 year-old vampire with a tortured past. He is also the mystery man who shared her bed the night before.
Sara grapples with her newfound feelings for Luke while prosecuting him for a murder she doesn’t believe he committed. Her judgment could mean life or death, in more ways than one.
“When Blood Calls” offers an exciting approach to the ever popular paranormal romance genre.
Full of surprising plot twists and dark, captivating story lines, Beck peppers her story with a host of unusual and dangerous beings. Her vampires drink scotch, drive Mercedes and have “daemons” to contend with - the urge to do evil, which they must control. Sara soothes Luke’s daemon and he’s unable to give her up, even it means putting her life at stake to keep her.
Beck uses her legal experience to add a gritty layer of crime drama to this sexy thrill ride of good vs. evil. Fans of “Buffy” and “Angel” will appreciate Beck’s nod to Wolfram & Hart in the halls of the PEC.
The second book in “The Shadow Keepers” series, “When Pleasure Rules,” will be released in September.
Attorney Sara Constantine has just won an important court case, sending a brutal serial killer to jail for life. While celebrating her victory at a local bar, she shares an explosive night with a mysterious stranger.
Sara is soon promoted and is hand-picked to be a prosecutor for a secret and ancient organization called the Preternatural Enforcement Coalition (PEC). The PEC operates under the Covenant, a series of laws put in place for millennia. All Shadow Creatures (those of the paranormal persuasion) must abide by these rules.
Sara’s first case is to prosecute a vampire for murder. In court, she comes face to face with Lucius “Luke” Dragos, a 2,000 year-old vampire with a tortured past. He is also the mystery man who shared her bed the night before.
Sara grapples with her newfound feelings for Luke while prosecuting him for a murder she doesn’t believe he committed. Her judgment could mean life or death, in more ways than one.
“When Blood Calls” offers an exciting approach to the ever popular paranormal romance genre.
Full of surprising plot twists and dark, captivating story lines, Beck peppers her story with a host of unusual and dangerous beings. Her vampires drink scotch, drive Mercedes and have “daemons” to contend with - the urge to do evil, which they must control. Sara soothes Luke’s daemon and he’s unable to give her up, even it means putting her life at stake to keep her.
Beck uses her legal experience to add a gritty layer of crime drama to this sexy thrill ride of good vs. evil. Fans of “Buffy” and “Angel” will appreciate Beck’s nod to Wolfram & Hart in the halls of the PEC.
The second book in “The Shadow Keepers” series, “When Pleasure Rules,” will be released in September.
October 22, 2014
This was my first foray into Julie's writing beyond her current, contemporary series, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's been a while since I read vampires. (I think everyone needed a break for a bit.) Julie made jumping back into the vampire pool quite fun.
The world is great and the characters are even better. Definitely will read the rest of the series.
The world is great and the characters are even better. Definitely will read the rest of the series.
September 1, 2010
Prosecutor Sara Constantine has just won a major case and while out celebrating, she is swept into the arms of a handsome stranger who she spends one incredible evening with. A couple days later she finds she has been promoted to the secretive Division 6 where she will now prosecute the criminals of the paranormal world. Before she can truly recover from the shock of learning she lives amongst werewolves and vampires, she finds that for her first case, she will be up against Lucius Dragos. The man who gave her a night to remember in his arms is now on trail for a heinous crime.
Lucius never expected to feel the way he does about Sara but she sooths his daemon like none have before. He knows that she is exceptional at her job and will do what she must in order to win her case and convict Lucius of murder. He will need to convince Sara that he is not the monster she sees him as but a man who will do what is necessary to protect what is his.
Sara is a strong woman who believes in the justice system even though she personally knows that sometimes the truly guilty sometimes slip through the crack. At first she sees things in black and white but with the arrival of Lucius in her life, she starts to see more in grey. At times it did feel like she was a little too easily swayed by Luke and the lust she felt towards him. While she does loosen to the idea that sometimes justice needs to be taken by others, she does not fully give up what she believes in and will continue to fight for victims. Luke is very much the opposite. As a member of the Alliance (a paranormal organization outside the law that steps in when the system has failed) he doesn't think twice about taking down a killer. He is fiercely protective of those close to him and seeks retribution when someone dares to harm his own. He is a deadly, passionate character and you can feel that he intimidates those around him. While I liked both their characters individually, together I just didn't feel the connection. There were some steamy scenes but other than that, I just didn't get it. I believed he cared for her but I didn't feel the deep love they say they felt.
Tasha was a interesting character. She is Lucius' ward and is basically a bit crazy. She has the mind of a child but you know there is more to her than she lets on. Nicholas Montegue is a character that you know is more than what he seems. He is Luke's lawyer and beneath his angelic face you know there is a powerful man who is hiding something. I'd love to get to know more about Nick and what his secrets are.
The world that is built in When Blood Calls is interesting but at times a bit much. There are a lot of names and creatures that are thrown in and it was confusing at times. Some of it felt unnecessary. What I did like what that there was structure to the paranormal world. In some books there is a free far all and no type of system to keep the paranormal in check. Even though they weren't always followed, there are laws and restrictions set. I especially liked the public theater where those guilty were executed. It was how I picture a paranormal justice system in action. Overall, When Blood Calls was full of suspense, testosterone fueled action and a good dose of romance. It was a great start to a new series.
~Stephanie G
_____________________________
Sara Constantine is great prosecuting attorney, and she has been promoted to work for a secrete division of Home land security. Sara as she enters the division , she notices the extreme difference is that most of the people working her are not even human. Then to top it all off she is assigned her first case, a vampire.He has killed one of their judges,and has been accused of other crimes that they could never make stick long enough to prosecute. Then when she walks in the room to the accused , sitting there across the room form her is the breath taking handsome Lucius Dragos, the man she took home with her the night before. She could still feel his hands on her, he stayed all day with her; leaving her flowers on her door step in a romantic gesture, that made her heart melt. How can this be the man she is to prosecute? How can she do her job properly when she can still feel the lure of him? How can she not do what is right and put away a man who has taken the life of another?
Lucius Dragos knows the special authorities that handle his kind will be coming for him but he has a plan. It has to be this way has to protect Tasha, she is all he has left in this world and he has promised to protect her at all costs. That crocked judge hurt her and Lucius could not allow that to go unpunished. Now he must make sure that this never comes back on Tasha she is too fragile to handle this. But his escape plan falls apart and he is forced to be taken into custody. He sits in the interrogation room knowing there has to be a way out of this; plotting his escape option the prosecutors walk in and to his surprise it is Sara, his Sara from the night before; the woman who stirs him like no other , the woman who soothes the daemon inside him. She could be the answer to his plan to get out of this, he could use her to get himself out. But can he use her like that? How can he not, he can’t leave Tasha to find for herself?
Lucius is an irresistible Vampire with extreme power. He radiates danger and you can tell that he would kill you as soon as look at you. But his affection for Sara is different, something he has never had before. He is torn between what he wants to do and what he should do. I think he was a very strong character. Sara is also a strong character she was not a bit whinny and when she walking in to a room full of the things that children's nightmares are made of she didn’t bat an eye, she took it with class and kept going . I loved the fact that she did not change her morals or try and be someone she wasn’t just because she didn’t want to see Luke executed. She still prosecuted him to the full extent of her abilities. I think this was a strong story, written very well and it was exciting from beginning to end. The story is refreshingly original. It has not stop excitement and a small twist at the ending. I knew it was going to turn out how it did, but it was not disappointing that it turned out as I thought ; it was more exciting that wow I was right! I enjoyed it a lot and I am very excited for the next two installments in this series. This would be a definite add to the TBR pile.
~Athenna
Lucius never expected to feel the way he does about Sara but she sooths his daemon like none have before. He knows that she is exceptional at her job and will do what she must in order to win her case and convict Lucius of murder. He will need to convince Sara that he is not the monster she sees him as but a man who will do what is necessary to protect what is his.
Sara is a strong woman who believes in the justice system even though she personally knows that sometimes the truly guilty sometimes slip through the crack. At first she sees things in black and white but with the arrival of Lucius in her life, she starts to see more in grey. At times it did feel like she was a little too easily swayed by Luke and the lust she felt towards him. While she does loosen to the idea that sometimes justice needs to be taken by others, she does not fully give up what she believes in and will continue to fight for victims. Luke is very much the opposite. As a member of the Alliance (a paranormal organization outside the law that steps in when the system has failed) he doesn't think twice about taking down a killer. He is fiercely protective of those close to him and seeks retribution when someone dares to harm his own. He is a deadly, passionate character and you can feel that he intimidates those around him. While I liked both their characters individually, together I just didn't feel the connection. There were some steamy scenes but other than that, I just didn't get it. I believed he cared for her but I didn't feel the deep love they say they felt.
Tasha was a interesting character. She is Lucius' ward and is basically a bit crazy. She has the mind of a child but you know there is more to her than she lets on. Nicholas Montegue is a character that you know is more than what he seems. He is Luke's lawyer and beneath his angelic face you know there is a powerful man who is hiding something. I'd love to get to know more about Nick and what his secrets are.
The world that is built in When Blood Calls is interesting but at times a bit much. There are a lot of names and creatures that are thrown in and it was confusing at times. Some of it felt unnecessary. What I did like what that there was structure to the paranormal world. In some books there is a free far all and no type of system to keep the paranormal in check. Even though they weren't always followed, there are laws and restrictions set. I especially liked the public theater where those guilty were executed. It was how I picture a paranormal justice system in action. Overall, When Blood Calls was full of suspense, testosterone fueled action and a good dose of romance. It was a great start to a new series.
~Stephanie G
_____________________________
Sara Constantine is great prosecuting attorney, and she has been promoted to work for a secrete division of Home land security. Sara as she enters the division , she notices the extreme difference is that most of the people working her are not even human. Then to top it all off she is assigned her first case, a vampire.He has killed one of their judges,and has been accused of other crimes that they could never make stick long enough to prosecute. Then when she walks in the room to the accused , sitting there across the room form her is the breath taking handsome Lucius Dragos, the man she took home with her the night before. She could still feel his hands on her, he stayed all day with her; leaving her flowers on her door step in a romantic gesture, that made her heart melt. How can this be the man she is to prosecute? How can she do her job properly when she can still feel the lure of him? How can she not do what is right and put away a man who has taken the life of another?
Lucius Dragos knows the special authorities that handle his kind will be coming for him but he has a plan. It has to be this way has to protect Tasha, she is all he has left in this world and he has promised to protect her at all costs. That crocked judge hurt her and Lucius could not allow that to go unpunished. Now he must make sure that this never comes back on Tasha she is too fragile to handle this. But his escape plan falls apart and he is forced to be taken into custody. He sits in the interrogation room knowing there has to be a way out of this; plotting his escape option the prosecutors walk in and to his surprise it is Sara, his Sara from the night before; the woman who stirs him like no other , the woman who soothes the daemon inside him. She could be the answer to his plan to get out of this, he could use her to get himself out. But can he use her like that? How can he not, he can’t leave Tasha to find for herself?
Lucius is an irresistible Vampire with extreme power. He radiates danger and you can tell that he would kill you as soon as look at you. But his affection for Sara is different, something he has never had before. He is torn between what he wants to do and what he should do. I think he was a very strong character. Sara is also a strong character she was not a bit whinny and when she walking in to a room full of the things that children's nightmares are made of she didn’t bat an eye, she took it with class and kept going . I loved the fact that she did not change her morals or try and be someone she wasn’t just because she didn’t want to see Luke executed. She still prosecuted him to the full extent of her abilities. I think this was a strong story, written very well and it was exciting from beginning to end. The story is refreshingly original. It has not stop excitement and a small twist at the ending. I knew it was going to turn out how it did, but it was not disappointing that it turned out as I thought ; it was more exciting that wow I was right! I enjoyed it a lot and I am very excited for the next two installments in this series. This would be a definite add to the TBR pile.
~Athenna
September 22, 2010
Those of you who have been reading my blog for a little while know that I research books before I purchase them. I check with my reliable bloggy friends and I check Goodreads. That is mainly why I rate books a little high – I only buy books that I think I’ll really enjoy. Well, I was at the bookstore last week and I had forgotten my trusty book planner at home. You know, the one where I write all the books I want to read someday and all the release dates that I want to recall. I decided that I was an independent woman of the 2010s and that I could pick my own damn book without having to rely on someone else telling me about it first. I could totally do this!
Well, apparently I can’t… :(
I read the back of “When Blood Calls” by J.K Beck and it sounded as though it held great promise. A new prosecutor (Sara) is recently thrust into the ‘dark side of the world’. The first guy she must prove guilty is a man (sorry, vampire, Lucius) who she recently shared one hot and passionate night with and whom she can’t get out of her head. (Who doesn’t like shared nights of explosive ecstasy with a side of astonishment in a police interrogation room?!) And then there is the question…is he really guilty or is he just misunderstood? All the makings for a really fun ride, right?
Unfortunately, I just didn’t mesh with the characters. It’s not that we didn’t find out enough about them to feel for them. I did feel sad when I learned that Sara’s father was murdered when she was only eight. I even felt for Lucius when we learn his back story – no matter how horrific it was. Sara is a strong woman who fights for justice. She understands that sometimes criminals will get away with their crimes, but she is willing to do what she cans to prevent that from happening on her time. Lucius is a member of the Alliance – a paranormal organization that deals justice when it feels the justice system has failed. He is as alpha as they get, very protective of those close to him and very passionate about everything else. Alone, they are alright. Together, I just didn’t get it. Yes, the scenes with the two of them together are written with lots of heat, but the heat just didn’t translate and the chemistry fell a little flat.
One of my favorite parts of a romance book are the exchanges between the hero and the heroine. How you get to witness the beginnings of their relationship through dialogue and interaction. For almost 200 pages, Sara and Lucius hardly interact at all. There are some flashback scenes that bring you back to the time they were together before Sara knew what Lucius was and yes, those flashbacks are sizzling. But waiting almost 200 pages before I got to see them together in a room other than in a prison questioning cell just didn’t help me feel their bond. And even when they did join up, I couldn’t really feel why they were so hot for each other. Why they were made for each other.
There are a lot of characters and I found that sometimes I was a little lost and that some characters were unnecessary. The story was a little slow at times too. Yes, everything sort of meshes at the end, but I would have needed a little meshing a little earlier on to truly enjoy the flow of the story.
I did enjoy how J.K. Beck described the paranormal’s justice system. She has a background in law and you can tell. The details are good and I like that there is a solid system in place to handle the night dwellers’ transgressions. I even liked how the victims could be the ones to publicly execute the offenders. That was pretty cool.
It wasn’t a terrible book. I can’t say that I wondered why I wasted my time on it. Parts of the story were muddled and I just didn’t feel enough for the characters or the story line to fall for this book. The premise is fantastic. It just, for me anyways, lacked a little on the execution.
Well, apparently I can’t… :(
I read the back of “When Blood Calls” by J.K Beck and it sounded as though it held great promise. A new prosecutor (Sara) is recently thrust into the ‘dark side of the world’. The first guy she must prove guilty is a man (sorry, vampire, Lucius) who she recently shared one hot and passionate night with and whom she can’t get out of her head. (Who doesn’t like shared nights of explosive ecstasy with a side of astonishment in a police interrogation room?!) And then there is the question…is he really guilty or is he just misunderstood? All the makings for a really fun ride, right?
Unfortunately, I just didn’t mesh with the characters. It’s not that we didn’t find out enough about them to feel for them. I did feel sad when I learned that Sara’s father was murdered when she was only eight. I even felt for Lucius when we learn his back story – no matter how horrific it was. Sara is a strong woman who fights for justice. She understands that sometimes criminals will get away with their crimes, but she is willing to do what she cans to prevent that from happening on her time. Lucius is a member of the Alliance – a paranormal organization that deals justice when it feels the justice system has failed. He is as alpha as they get, very protective of those close to him and very passionate about everything else. Alone, they are alright. Together, I just didn’t get it. Yes, the scenes with the two of them together are written with lots of heat, but the heat just didn’t translate and the chemistry fell a little flat.
One of my favorite parts of a romance book are the exchanges between the hero and the heroine. How you get to witness the beginnings of their relationship through dialogue and interaction. For almost 200 pages, Sara and Lucius hardly interact at all. There are some flashback scenes that bring you back to the time they were together before Sara knew what Lucius was and yes, those flashbacks are sizzling. But waiting almost 200 pages before I got to see them together in a room other than in a prison questioning cell just didn’t help me feel their bond. And even when they did join up, I couldn’t really feel why they were so hot for each other. Why they were made for each other.
There are a lot of characters and I found that sometimes I was a little lost and that some characters were unnecessary. The story was a little slow at times too. Yes, everything sort of meshes at the end, but I would have needed a little meshing a little earlier on to truly enjoy the flow of the story.
I did enjoy how J.K. Beck described the paranormal’s justice system. She has a background in law and you can tell. The details are good and I like that there is a solid system in place to handle the night dwellers’ transgressions. I even liked how the victims could be the ones to publicly execute the offenders. That was pretty cool.
It wasn’t a terrible book. I can’t say that I wondered why I wasted my time on it. Parts of the story were muddled and I just didn’t feel enough for the characters or the story line to fall for this book. The premise is fantastic. It just, for me anyways, lacked a little on the execution.
September 6, 2010
The first time I heard about When Blood Calls and The Shadow Keepers series many months ago, I knew I wanted to read it. The series was being marketed as a "dark, edgy" paranormal romance and that's just how I like my paranormal romances... and I thought this book delivered!
Sara Constantine was an attorney and she just was just promoted to a very secretive division of Homeland Security--one that deals with the paranormal population living unbeknownst to the human population. Sara was suddenly thrust in a world where vampires, werewolves, demons and other creatures of the night exist and what was worst was that her first high profile case puts her face to face with sexy Lucius Dragos, the man she shared an explosive one night of passion with. She will come to learn that Luke, the man she must now put away for murdering an important judge, is a vampire.
I really liked tough, strong-willed Sara. After witnessing a very traumatic incident at a very young age, she grew up seeing the world in black and white and determined to serve justice to criminals. But her world was rocked by Luke and her undeniable attraction to him, forcing her to reexamine her principles--Sara's inner struggle was the most interesting part of the book for me. As for Luke, he is tall, dark and sexy and he finds that only Sara can tame and soothe his inner daemon. I really liked them together and I thought the chemistry between them is great and I was rooting for these two all throughout the book. I thought the Shadow Keepers world of Ms. Beck created was outstanding and I really liked the diverse paranormal creatures that populate it. The world building was one my favorite aspect of this book but I have to admit that it, and the introduction of the other characters, did take away a bit of the buildup of Luke and Sara's relationship and romance (which is typical in the first book of series). However, the secondary characters were very interesting in their own right and I can't wait to revisit them in the next book. As for the mystery part of the book, there are plenty twists and turns to entertain a reader and there was a plot twist in the end that I didn't see coming.
If you are looking for a wonderfully written, dark paranormal romance with set in an intriguing world of diverse paranormal creatures, When Blood Calls and the Shadow Keepers series is definitely worth checking out! I am very excited to read the next book in the series, When Pleasure Rules, and jump back into the world Ms. Beck created.
Sara Constantine was an attorney and she just was just promoted to a very secretive division of Homeland Security--one that deals with the paranormal population living unbeknownst to the human population. Sara was suddenly thrust in a world where vampires, werewolves, demons and other creatures of the night exist and what was worst was that her first high profile case puts her face to face with sexy Lucius Dragos, the man she shared an explosive one night of passion with. She will come to learn that Luke, the man she must now put away for murdering an important judge, is a vampire.
I really liked tough, strong-willed Sara. After witnessing a very traumatic incident at a very young age, she grew up seeing the world in black and white and determined to serve justice to criminals. But her world was rocked by Luke and her undeniable attraction to him, forcing her to reexamine her principles--Sara's inner struggle was the most interesting part of the book for me. As for Luke, he is tall, dark and sexy and he finds that only Sara can tame and soothe his inner daemon. I really liked them together and I thought the chemistry between them is great and I was rooting for these two all throughout the book. I thought the Shadow Keepers world of Ms. Beck created was outstanding and I really liked the diverse paranormal creatures that populate it. The world building was one my favorite aspect of this book but I have to admit that it, and the introduction of the other characters, did take away a bit of the buildup of Luke and Sara's relationship and romance (which is typical in the first book of series). However, the secondary characters were very interesting in their own right and I can't wait to revisit them in the next book. As for the mystery part of the book, there are plenty twists and turns to entertain a reader and there was a plot twist in the end that I didn't see coming.
If you are looking for a wonderfully written, dark paranormal romance with set in an intriguing world of diverse paranormal creatures, When Blood Calls and the Shadow Keepers series is definitely worth checking out! I am very excited to read the next book in the series, When Pleasure Rules, and jump back into the world Ms. Beck created.
June 3, 2010
When Blood Calls is a dark and edgy start to a new series. I like the concept of a super secret division of the government that prosecutes preternatural criminals. A great cast full of damaged, but redeemable heroes, and strong-minded women. I enjoyed the alternating points of view. It switched between the two main characters, and several of the secondary ones. The vampires in this book are intense, and some are struggling to maintain control. Loads of action, mystery, and steamy romance. I loved the connection between Lucius (Luke) and Sara. It was sizzling!
There is a smorgasbord of paranormal beings in this book. Daemons, vampires, werewolves, goblins, and even trolls. The author built a very detailed world for her characters to inhabit. I find this can be both an asset, and a disadvantage to the first book in a series. It makes for an interesting setting, but all the time spent focusing on world building can feel a little tedious to the reader. This is really my only complaint about When Blood Calls. Still a great start to a new series, and one I plan to continue.
J.K Beck is the alter ego of author Julie Kenner. You may be familiar with her series about a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom.
There is a smorgasbord of paranormal beings in this book. Daemons, vampires, werewolves, goblins, and even trolls. The author built a very detailed world for her characters to inhabit. I find this can be both an asset, and a disadvantage to the first book in a series. It makes for an interesting setting, but all the time spent focusing on world building can feel a little tedious to the reader. This is really my only complaint about When Blood Calls. Still a great start to a new series, and one I plan to continue.
J.K Beck is the alter ego of author Julie Kenner. You may be familiar with her series about a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom.
August 9, 2016
This story is about a one night stand that is so much more. When Sara has her one night stand with Luke she thinks she will never see him again (then again maybe not) but anyway he so completed her and she completed him. BUT love was not to be why you ask well you see Sara is an awesome lawyer and just got promoted to the supernatural justice league that she did not even know existed. Luke on the other hand has been arrested for murder. You can guess what happens next Sara must now prosecute Luke.
There are some good things about this book and that was the whole legal side. I love law and order so this worked for me. The writing is not bad but it was confusing. This reads more like dark urban fantasy than PNR which was fine.
What was not fines was that I never felt a connection between Luke and Sarah and quite honestly I did not care. . Plus it was a lot of people doing a lot of stuff from a lot of point of views.
There are some good things about this book and that was the whole legal side. I love law and order so this worked for me. The writing is not bad but it was confusing. This reads more like dark urban fantasy than PNR which was fine.
What was not fines was that I never felt a connection between Luke and Sarah and quite honestly I did not care. . Plus it was a lot of people doing a lot of stuff from a lot of point of views.
December 24, 2018
"Bir Lucius Dragos numunesi. Kendisi son derece seksi, tuttuğunu koparan, güçlü, akıllı bir vampir. Bir kaç bin yaşında olduğunu söylemiştim, değil mi?"
Yazının tamamı Sevgili Kitap'ta:
http://sevgilikitap.blogspot.com/2013...
April 27, 2013
10. ÜKG Blog Turu dahilinde yazdıklarım için tıklayın :)
May 31, 2016
Ich hoffe wirklich, dass da die anderen Bände vielleicht doch noch kommen!
March 8, 2018
I didn't like how it started. Lucius killed someone and tasted the man's fear in his blood. Ew. Then it switched to two Preternatural Enforcement Coalition officers, and I really didn't like that decision. We should have gotten to know Sara.
I literally almost put the book down as "Luke"--and why would you ruin a cool name like Lucius and call him plain old Luke?--was talking to Tasha on the phone and she asked where he went last night and he said she knew where and she giggled and said not last night. That was for me because you love me. That made anger boil up and I was so turned off. I had no patience for the simple-minded woman and dreaded finding out how close they were.
I've read hundreds of romance novels and not once have I encountered the hero and heroine meeting and having sex before the book even started. I could not wrap my head around such an idea. Readers don't even get to experience their first time together. I knew from the summary that they had sex, but not that it happened before the book started. I thought it would be included. And hearing from Lucius about her made me really dislike her. I don't like characters who sleep with someone the first time they meet them, especially when they've been drinking too much. That's not my kind of person. He told her to come with him and she looked him up and down and said "Yeah. That's kind of my plan." Ew.
I thought it was cool how Lucius had a home that sat in front of a graveyard. And his security room had a secret exit in the floor, which led to the cemetery and was the perfect getaway. That was a cool detail.
Lucius came off as really lame that he got himself captured, or let himself be captured. He was standing there in black jeans and wraparound sunglasses and the image wasn't cool. I thought he should have evaded capture altogether and outsmarted them, especially since he'd been making plans to do just that.
I hate characters that you just can't even stand, have no interest in and no tolerance for. Tasha was that character. She's in a 17 year old's body but she's hundreds of years old. She said that Serge's pulse burned for her just like Lucius's. Ew. That was such a turnoff I can't even explain. Finding out that Lucius desired her too was disgusting and turned me off of him. Made even worse because Sergius would have been a cool character had he not lusted after a damaged 17 yo. Serge called her an "addle-brained ward." Idk if it's supposed to be hot that two grown men desire a mentally challenged 17 year old girl, but I can tell you it is, in fact, the opposite of hot. I was so creeped out and disgusted with the both of them. And for some reason authors just love having disgusting, crass details about side characters. She ran her hand over her stomach and "mound." I was ready to throw up. And it was all Serge could do to say no to her when she tried to have sex with him, and he knew it was going to be almost impossible to resist her. It felt like pedophilia.
Nothing is more upsetting in a paranormal novel when a character instantly accepts the existence of creatures that up to that point had been nothing but legends. This is exactly what happens when Sara received a promotion and was brought to a secret area of the department. Porter, one of her new bosses, briefly told her that werewolves, vampires and demons are all alive and well--and apparently in desperate need of human legal action, ha--and Sara immediately started picturing Dracula on the stand. A very realistic reaction if I do say so myself. But what immediately transpired was so ludicrously unrealistic I wanted to stop reading. I had to put the book down for a second, and it was all I could do to go on.
Sara saw a room full of wolves, an orange creature with cloven hooves, and a woman surrounded by mist. Her instinct, I kid you not, was to step into the room, "to prove a point," instantly believing what she was seeing, and since no vampire rushed to drink her blood, she started "looking boldly around." She was smiling and trying to play it cool with Porter. Her next big move in the Worst Confrontation with Paranormal Creatures Ever was to identify the room as a reception area. That's right, folks. If ever you run into a roomful of made-up creatures, your first thought would be to find out what kind of room they're in, and then just go from there.
Porter asked if she needed a minute or wanted to keep going. "As unbelievable as this was, Marty had been right--this was one hell of a promotion. More than that, it promised to never be dull." This was all in the span of less than a page and a half. Less than 1 1/2 pages for Miss Invincible to announce that she's ready to move on. After accepting the existence of monsters without blinking an eye. She saw it as a career move and was pleased she had answered that way when Porter looked proud. She saw the whole thing as "political games." Now that's a new one. Utter crap.
She then moved on to believing Bosch could read her thoughts, with no disbelief whatsoever.
"Surprised to find she wasn't nervous about him leaving her alone down here. Just the opposite, actually. She was eager to get on with it. To find out the details of this strange new world."
That's when I couldn't take it any more. I had had enough. Believing entirely in the supernatural as soon as you see it is atrocious and a total insult to how human beings actually think. Not one thing about it was realistic; it was an insult to my intelligence that this broad would accept things like that and immediately jump into her new job. I didn't like her, didn't care about her, and never, ever wanted to read any more from Tasha and Sergius. I immediately went and checked out reviews and I can see I'm not missing anything because it's certainly not going to be romantic and these 2 aren't worth reading about. First time I've ever stopped reading a book based on instant belief into the supernatural, but this is the worst it's been.
It's such a shame too, because it has such a good cover. It feels like a crime when a horrible book has a great cover, because it's so misleading. The only good thing is I was lucky enough to get this for free, because the bookstore I volunteer at throws away books that have been on the shelves too long, and they let volunteers take them home for free. So no money lost, just some time, hope and expectations.
I literally almost put the book down as "Luke"--and why would you ruin a cool name like Lucius and call him plain old Luke?--was talking to Tasha on the phone and she asked where he went last night and he said she knew where and she giggled and said not last night. That was for me because you love me. That made anger boil up and I was so turned off. I had no patience for the simple-minded woman and dreaded finding out how close they were.
I've read hundreds of romance novels and not once have I encountered the hero and heroine meeting and having sex before the book even started. I could not wrap my head around such an idea. Readers don't even get to experience their first time together. I knew from the summary that they had sex, but not that it happened before the book started. I thought it would be included. And hearing from Lucius about her made me really dislike her. I don't like characters who sleep with someone the first time they meet them, especially when they've been drinking too much. That's not my kind of person. He told her to come with him and she looked him up and down and said "Yeah. That's kind of my plan." Ew.
I thought it was cool how Lucius had a home that sat in front of a graveyard. And his security room had a secret exit in the floor, which led to the cemetery and was the perfect getaway. That was a cool detail.
Lucius came off as really lame that he got himself captured, or let himself be captured. He was standing there in black jeans and wraparound sunglasses and the image wasn't cool. I thought he should have evaded capture altogether and outsmarted them, especially since he'd been making plans to do just that.
I hate characters that you just can't even stand, have no interest in and no tolerance for. Tasha was that character. She's in a 17 year old's body but she's hundreds of years old. She said that Serge's pulse burned for her just like Lucius's. Ew. That was such a turnoff I can't even explain. Finding out that Lucius desired her too was disgusting and turned me off of him. Made even worse because Sergius would have been a cool character had he not lusted after a damaged 17 yo. Serge called her an "addle-brained ward." Idk if it's supposed to be hot that two grown men desire a mentally challenged 17 year old girl, but I can tell you it is, in fact, the opposite of hot. I was so creeped out and disgusted with the both of them. And for some reason authors just love having disgusting, crass details about side characters. She ran her hand over her stomach and "mound." I was ready to throw up. And it was all Serge could do to say no to her when she tried to have sex with him, and he knew it was going to be almost impossible to resist her. It felt like pedophilia.
Nothing is more upsetting in a paranormal novel when a character instantly accepts the existence of creatures that up to that point had been nothing but legends. This is exactly what happens when Sara received a promotion and was brought to a secret area of the department. Porter, one of her new bosses, briefly told her that werewolves, vampires and demons are all alive and well--and apparently in desperate need of human legal action, ha--and Sara immediately started picturing Dracula on the stand. A very realistic reaction if I do say so myself. But what immediately transpired was so ludicrously unrealistic I wanted to stop reading. I had to put the book down for a second, and it was all I could do to go on.
Sara saw a room full of wolves, an orange creature with cloven hooves, and a woman surrounded by mist. Her instinct, I kid you not, was to step into the room, "to prove a point," instantly believing what she was seeing, and since no vampire rushed to drink her blood, she started "looking boldly around." She was smiling and trying to play it cool with Porter. Her next big move in the Worst Confrontation with Paranormal Creatures Ever was to identify the room as a reception area. That's right, folks. If ever you run into a roomful of made-up creatures, your first thought would be to find out what kind of room they're in, and then just go from there.
Porter asked if she needed a minute or wanted to keep going. "As unbelievable as this was, Marty had been right--this was one hell of a promotion. More than that, it promised to never be dull." This was all in the span of less than a page and a half. Less than 1 1/2 pages for Miss Invincible to announce that she's ready to move on. After accepting the existence of monsters without blinking an eye. She saw it as a career move and was pleased she had answered that way when Porter looked proud. She saw the whole thing as "political games." Now that's a new one. Utter crap.
She then moved on to believing Bosch could read her thoughts, with no disbelief whatsoever.
"Surprised to find she wasn't nervous about him leaving her alone down here. Just the opposite, actually. She was eager to get on with it. To find out the details of this strange new world."
That's when I couldn't take it any more. I had had enough. Believing entirely in the supernatural as soon as you see it is atrocious and a total insult to how human beings actually think. Not one thing about it was realistic; it was an insult to my intelligence that this broad would accept things like that and immediately jump into her new job. I didn't like her, didn't care about her, and never, ever wanted to read any more from Tasha and Sergius. I immediately went and checked out reviews and I can see I'm not missing anything because it's certainly not going to be romantic and these 2 aren't worth reading about. First time I've ever stopped reading a book based on instant belief into the supernatural, but this is the worst it's been.
It's such a shame too, because it has such a good cover. It feels like a crime when a horrible book has a great cover, because it's so misleading. The only good thing is I was lucky enough to get this for free, because the bookstore I volunteer at throws away books that have been on the shelves too long, and they let volunteers take them home for free. So no money lost, just some time, hope and expectations.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 15, 2022
Ehhh maybe a 2.5? Maria did not finish but I persevered and completed our trashy vampire romance novel book a few weeks ago, it was slow going though because I simply was not a big fan. It had some things going for it, world building was alright, the spicy bits were mid, was in fact surprised by the twist at the end but I’m not sure I liked where it went.
December 22, 2010
This is another good example of a great Urban-Paranormal book. I found this book compelling, a page-turner and an awesome find. The story building that J.K. Beck does gives a twist to the parallel reality angle, where humans literally live above the supernaturals.
In this dark, gritty and captivating story lines, the author transports us into a world where justice is swift with PEC (Preternatural Enforcement Coalition), the methods unorthodox (from a humans perspective), the bad guys are not so bad, and the innocent not entirely lily white. The world building is excellent, where vamps, shifters, daemons and such all live together and along side unsuspecting humans. In books like these, the romance part is usually the main focus... but in When Blood Calls it's more of a secondary plot, as the main characters have each their own motivations, agendas and history.
The story starts with both Sara and Lucius reminiscing a night of complete and absolute passion with a stranger, knowing that that one stand is just that, a one night stand. Little did they know that their paths are bound to cross again and not in the matter that they both would have liked. Since the situation that they're both in requires both of them to face the other as the "enemy", it's fun to see how both characters dance around each other, both throwing subtle and oh not so subtle sexual innuendos. They keep trying to feel out the other, neither one willing to be the first to budge.
Sara is a strong woman who believes in the justice system and is like a dog with a bone when on a case. At first she sees things in black and white but that is soon set to change. At times it did feel like she was a little too easily swayed by her hormones (courtesy of Luke) making me want to smack her senseless (why? because her goes on vacation sometimes with all the lust thing going on!) While she does loosen to the idea that sometimes justice needs to be taken by others, she does not fully give up what she believes in and continues to have a great sense of justice for the victims.
Lucius is this mysterious guy (aka vampire)who has always evaded the justice system, although has been the top suspect for numerous cases... they just can't pin him the crimes. He's always planning 5 steps ahead and has erected this huge wall around his heart in hopes of preventing to feel any pain again. As a member of the Alliance (a paranormal organization outside the law that steps in when the "Justice Systems" fails) he doesn't think twice about taking down a killer. He is fiercely protective of those close to him and seeks retribution when someone dares to harm his own. He is a deadly, passionate character and you can feel that he intimidates those around him.
I also found the other characters intriguing... Take for example Tasha, Luke's ward (aka vamp-child). She's what you can call... hmmm... well, crazy. She was changed by Lucius in a moment of weakness, when she reminded him of his own daughter. Thinking that he can correct past mistakes, he changes her, without foreseeing the disastrous consequences later on. Another one that I liked very much was Luke's best friend and lawyer, Nicholas. As described in the book, he has an angelic face, but you can tell that he's powerful on his own and has something to hide. I'd also like to mention Serge. At times I really did feel sorry for him, with all the torment thing going on, but really, kudos for him! Oh and let's not forget about Ryan! He was hard-on in condemning Luke... but turnaround's a b!tch. But hey, at least he really played his part well, and knows that sometimes, you have to gain some perspective in order to understand a situation, that personal hatred can't be the excuse you use to not acknowledge the truth...
Overall, I loved the book in whole: world building, characters, character-interaction, the plot and twists. I would recommend this book for all Supernatural fans, Urban-Paranormal lovers.
In this dark, gritty and captivating story lines, the author transports us into a world where justice is swift with PEC (Preternatural Enforcement Coalition), the methods unorthodox (from a humans perspective), the bad guys are not so bad, and the innocent not entirely lily white. The world building is excellent, where vamps, shifters, daemons and such all live together and along side unsuspecting humans. In books like these, the romance part is usually the main focus... but in When Blood Calls it's more of a secondary plot, as the main characters have each their own motivations, agendas and history.
The story starts with both Sara and Lucius reminiscing a night of complete and absolute passion with a stranger, knowing that that one stand is just that, a one night stand. Little did they know that their paths are bound to cross again and not in the matter that they both would have liked. Since the situation that they're both in requires both of them to face the other as the "enemy", it's fun to see how both characters dance around each other, both throwing subtle and oh not so subtle sexual innuendos. They keep trying to feel out the other, neither one willing to be the first to budge.
Sara is a strong woman who believes in the justice system and is like a dog with a bone when on a case. At first she sees things in black and white but that is soon set to change. At times it did feel like she was a little too easily swayed by her hormones (courtesy of Luke) making me want to smack her senseless (why? because her goes on vacation sometimes with all the lust thing going on!) While she does loosen to the idea that sometimes justice needs to be taken by others, she does not fully give up what she believes in and continues to have a great sense of justice for the victims.
Lucius is this mysterious guy (aka vampire)who has always evaded the justice system, although has been the top suspect for numerous cases... they just can't pin him the crimes. He's always planning 5 steps ahead and has erected this huge wall around his heart in hopes of preventing to feel any pain again. As a member of the Alliance (a paranormal organization outside the law that steps in when the "Justice Systems" fails) he doesn't think twice about taking down a killer. He is fiercely protective of those close to him and seeks retribution when someone dares to harm his own. He is a deadly, passionate character and you can feel that he intimidates those around him.
I also found the other characters intriguing... Take for example Tasha, Luke's ward (aka vamp-child). She's what you can call... hmmm... well, crazy. She was changed by Lucius in a moment of weakness, when she reminded him of his own daughter. Thinking that he can correct past mistakes, he changes her, without foreseeing the disastrous consequences later on. Another one that I liked very much was Luke's best friend and lawyer, Nicholas. As described in the book, he has an angelic face, but you can tell that he's powerful on his own and has something to hide. I'd also like to mention Serge. At times I really did feel sorry for him, with all the torment thing going on, but really, kudos for him! Oh and let's not forget about Ryan! He was hard-on in condemning Luke... but turnaround's a b!tch. But hey, at least he really played his part well, and knows that sometimes, you have to gain some perspective in order to understand a situation, that personal hatred can't be the excuse you use to not acknowledge the truth...
Overall, I loved the book in whole: world building, characters, character-interaction, the plot and twists. I would recommend this book for all Supernatural fans, Urban-Paranormal lovers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 21, 2010
Review courtesy of AllThingsUrbanFantasy.blogspot.com
J. K. Beck’s (aka Julie Kenner) new series, The Shadow Keepers, introduces us to hidden world of vampires, werewolves, and demons and the harsh, but just system that tries to contain them. In WHEN BLOOD CALLS, Beck thrills and chills in this multilayered paranormal romance that bleeds, bites, and sizzles on every page.
Full of warring political factions, centuries old vendettas, government agencies like the PEC (Preternatural Enforcement Coalition), the world building in WHEN BLOOD CALLS is excellent and sets up a truly fascinating world for her characters to play in.
The main plot was not as mysterious as it was intended to be, but no less entertaining for its predictability mainly due to the realistic main and supporting characters (especially the tormented vampire Serge). So often in PNR, the love interest is merely that, only identifiable in relation to the protagonist. In WHEN BLOOD CALLS, the two main characters each have their own depth and unique motivations that exist entirely independent of the other. They each could have had their own book and it would have been good. Of course, then we would have missed out on the super steamy romance.
For the first part of WHEN BLOOD CALLS, Sara and Luke are reminiscing about the one night they spent together before he became the new defendant in the murder case she was prosecuting. They have to dance around each other and fight their attraction while still letting subtle and not-so-subtle sexual innuendo slip into their very public encounters. After a few false starts, when they finally get together again, it’s sizzling but not in a salacious way.
Overall, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book (especially since naked man covers are usually a hard sell for me), but Beck has created a dark and provocative new series with just the right amount of procedural and suspense elements, along with a smoking hot romance. The next two Shadow Keepers novels are coming out back to back in September (When Pleasure Rules) and October (When Wicked Craves) which means I won’t have to wait long to enjoy this world again.
Sexual Content: References to rape including chapters from the POV a child rapist/murderer. Several scenes of graphic sensuality, several graphic sex scenes.
J. K. Beck’s (aka Julie Kenner) new series, The Shadow Keepers, introduces us to hidden world of vampires, werewolves, and demons and the harsh, but just system that tries to contain them. In WHEN BLOOD CALLS, Beck thrills and chills in this multilayered paranormal romance that bleeds, bites, and sizzles on every page.
Full of warring political factions, centuries old vendettas, government agencies like the PEC (Preternatural Enforcement Coalition), the world building in WHEN BLOOD CALLS is excellent and sets up a truly fascinating world for her characters to play in.
The main plot was not as mysterious as it was intended to be, but no less entertaining for its predictability mainly due to the realistic main and supporting characters (especially the tormented vampire Serge). So often in PNR, the love interest is merely that, only identifiable in relation to the protagonist. In WHEN BLOOD CALLS, the two main characters each have their own depth and unique motivations that exist entirely independent of the other. They each could have had their own book and it would have been good. Of course, then we would have missed out on the super steamy romance.
For the first part of WHEN BLOOD CALLS, Sara and Luke are reminiscing about the one night they spent together before he became the new defendant in the murder case she was prosecuting. They have to dance around each other and fight their attraction while still letting subtle and not-so-subtle sexual innuendo slip into their very public encounters. After a few false starts, when they finally get together again, it’s sizzling but not in a salacious way.
Overall, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book (especially since naked man covers are usually a hard sell for me), but Beck has created a dark and provocative new series with just the right amount of procedural and suspense elements, along with a smoking hot romance. The next two Shadow Keepers novels are coming out back to back in September (When Pleasure Rules) and October (When Wicked Craves) which means I won’t have to wait long to enjoy this world again.
Sexual Content: References to rape including chapters from the POV a child rapist/murderer. Several scenes of graphic sensuality, several graphic sex scenes.
September 8, 2010
When prosecuting attorney, Sara Constantine, wins her first really big case against a child predator and murderer she celebrates with a drink at a local bar. After a surprising and satisfying make-out session with a sexy and mysterious man, she ends up taking him home for a little bedroom aerobics. What should be a one night stand ends up making Sara feel like it is so much more.
The next day Sara is offered a job with an agency everyone assumes is some secret branch of homeland security. That’s when Sara learns that the agency is the governing power and laws for all the creatures that Sara thought existed only imaginations and movies. Suddenly she is faced with a new world and reality, one that includes Vampires, Werewolves, and Goblins… Oh, my! She is given her first case on that first day; she will be prosecuting a vampire accused of murder. When she meets the defendant she is to be prosecuting it turns out to be none other than her last nights roll in the hay, Luke.
This was a complex tale where the supernatural world has their own laws and rules and names for things. I ended up getting confused from time to time on who was who and what was what. In a lot of series of this type, the authors offer a glossary at the back of the book to help the reader along the way; I really wish this book did, too.
I really like the plot and all the individual characters. The author did a great job of creating a read that has a really compelling storyline. I loved the main characters and though they definitely had sizzle, their happily ever after wasn’t as believable as it could have been to me.
This series holds a lot of potential and promise. Unfortunately, for me, the delivery of this first book was uneven and could have used a little more polish. I am holding on to the hope that the next books in the series won’t be as confusing or scattered because I’d really like to see what happens next.
Cherise Everhard, September 2010
The next day Sara is offered a job with an agency everyone assumes is some secret branch of homeland security. That’s when Sara learns that the agency is the governing power and laws for all the creatures that Sara thought existed only imaginations and movies. Suddenly she is faced with a new world and reality, one that includes Vampires, Werewolves, and Goblins… Oh, my! She is given her first case on that first day; she will be prosecuting a vampire accused of murder. When she meets the defendant she is to be prosecuting it turns out to be none other than her last nights roll in the hay, Luke.
This was a complex tale where the supernatural world has their own laws and rules and names for things. I ended up getting confused from time to time on who was who and what was what. In a lot of series of this type, the authors offer a glossary at the back of the book to help the reader along the way; I really wish this book did, too.
I really like the plot and all the individual characters. The author did a great job of creating a read that has a really compelling storyline. I loved the main characters and though they definitely had sizzle, their happily ever after wasn’t as believable as it could have been to me.
This series holds a lot of potential and promise. Unfortunately, for me, the delivery of this first book was uneven and could have used a little more polish. I am holding on to the hope that the next books in the series won’t be as confusing or scattered because I’d really like to see what happens next.
Cherise Everhard, September 2010
April 28, 2013
Bu yorum ÜKG Blog Turu adına Romancekolikte yayınlanmıştır.
Yayınevinin o tanıtımıyla meraktan kuduracak gibi olanlardansanız bilin ki yalnız değilsiniz! Kısa bir araştırmadan sonra yazarımızı daha önceden okuduğumu fark etmem de bende şaşkınlık yarattı. Ah şu yazarlar ve takma adları!
Kitaba gelirsek benim ara ara sıkıldığım bir kitap oldu maalesef. Öncelikle işe polisiyenin bu kadar karışacağından haberdar değildim. Ben fantastik bile olsa işin politik tarafıyla pek uğraşmayı sevmiyorum. Bu yüzden bende fantastik öğelerin serpiştirildiği polisiye bir roman havası bıraktı. Arzu ettiğim gibi kafamda fantastik bir dünyaya yolculuk edemedim. E tabii birde arka kapakta ki gibi bir "seksüllikle" karşılaşamam beni birazcık hayal kırıklığına uğrattı. Çiftimiz doğru düzgün bir araya gelemedi ki!
Sanırım bu kitap yazarımızın ilki, bu sebeple kurgu boşlukları olmasa da yazım kısmında zayıf buldum.Okuyucuyu hikayeye çekecek kadar heyecan unsuru ancak kitabın sonunda vardı. Herşeye rağmen çiftimizin arasındakileri iyi yansıtmıştı bence. Birbirlerine çaresizce hissettikleri ama buna rağmen oğlanın, kızın rolünden vazgeçmesi için ona baskı yapmamasını takdir ettim. Keşke Lucius'un geçmişini biraz daha okusaydık. Roma askeri olması gibi detayları fazlasıyla ilgimi çekmişti. Hatta yazar keşke kurguyu o döneme taşısaydı. Oldukça ilginç bir şey çıkardı ortaya.
Kapağı hem görsel olarak hemde elime alıncada sevdim. Çevirisine gelirsek bu kısım verdiğim değerlendirmeyi etkileyen büyük unsulardan biri. Açıkçası ben çeviriyi sevemedim. Gözüme batan çok durum oldu. Nereden tutsam bilemiyorum. Yüklemsiz o cümleler mi desem, moda mod çeviri mi? Üzülerek söylüyorum ki bence kitabın ruhunu kaybetmesine neden olmuş. Herşeye rağmen okunamayacak bir çeviri değildi. Benim gibi pek takan biri değilseniz rahatsız bile olmayabilirsiniz belki.
Yayınevinin o tanıtımıyla meraktan kuduracak gibi olanlardansanız bilin ki yalnız değilsiniz! Kısa bir araştırmadan sonra yazarımızı daha önceden okuduğumu fark etmem de bende şaşkınlık yarattı. Ah şu yazarlar ve takma adları!
Kitaba gelirsek benim ara ara sıkıldığım bir kitap oldu maalesef. Öncelikle işe polisiyenin bu kadar karışacağından haberdar değildim. Ben fantastik bile olsa işin politik tarafıyla pek uğraşmayı sevmiyorum. Bu yüzden bende fantastik öğelerin serpiştirildiği polisiye bir roman havası bıraktı. Arzu ettiğim gibi kafamda fantastik bir dünyaya yolculuk edemedim. E tabii birde arka kapakta ki gibi bir "seksüllikle" karşılaşamam beni birazcık hayal kırıklığına uğrattı. Çiftimiz doğru düzgün bir araya gelemedi ki!
Sanırım bu kitap yazarımızın ilki, bu sebeple kurgu boşlukları olmasa da yazım kısmında zayıf buldum.Okuyucuyu hikayeye çekecek kadar heyecan unsuru ancak kitabın sonunda vardı. Herşeye rağmen çiftimizin arasındakileri iyi yansıtmıştı bence. Birbirlerine çaresizce hissettikleri ama buna rağmen oğlanın, kızın rolünden vazgeçmesi için ona baskı yapmamasını takdir ettim. Keşke Lucius'un geçmişini biraz daha okusaydık. Roma askeri olması gibi detayları fazlasıyla ilgimi çekmişti. Hatta yazar keşke kurguyu o döneme taşısaydı. Oldukça ilginç bir şey çıkardı ortaya.
Kapağı hem görsel olarak hemde elime alıncada sevdim. Çevirisine gelirsek bu kısım verdiğim değerlendirmeyi etkileyen büyük unsulardan biri. Açıkçası ben çeviriyi sevemedim. Gözüme batan çok durum oldu. Nereden tutsam bilemiyorum. Yüklemsiz o cümleler mi desem, moda mod çeviri mi? Üzülerek söylüyorum ki bence kitabın ruhunu kaybetmesine neden olmuş. Herşeye rağmen okunamayacak bir çeviri değildi. Benim gibi pek takan biri değilseniz rahatsız bile olmayabilirsiniz belki.
September 2, 2010
This was one delicious book and a wonderful start to the J. K. Beck name. Oh my, talk about wanting to have a romp in the dark with a blood sucking stud muffin. Yowzer! Hawt is too mild for this book and it has a wild pace that will keep you moving and guessing.
Sara Constantine is plagued by nightmares of vicious, dangerous, murdering beasts due to see her father killed right before her eyes when she was just a child. Now as an adult she is an attorney for the percussion of those that would harm anyone. Little does she know though that those things that we are told about as children that go bump in the night are actually as real as you and I. A promotion in her job takes her into a world that a very select few know about and more dangerous that even the worst serial killer.
Lucius Dragos is about as hot as they come. Tall, dark, handsome and with an air about him that commands attention and that's before you take into account that he is a vampire. Sex with this delicious package is tender but wild and hotter than a skillet over the fire. His one fault is that he doesn't always let the law divvy out the justice because Lucius is not patient when it comes to pay back.
J.K. Beck has given us a beginning to a series that promises top dollar in both romance and action. A creative imagination as to the creatures of the unknown leaves you scratching your head wondering what else she will throw into upcoming books. Oh the possibles are wondrous. For those of you who are literal creatures instead of visual, this book will give you all you lust for and more. I so cannot wait for the next one coming in late September early October to see who is next in the chain of trouble that is finger licking good.
Sara Constantine is plagued by nightmares of vicious, dangerous, murdering beasts due to see her father killed right before her eyes when she was just a child. Now as an adult she is an attorney for the percussion of those that would harm anyone. Little does she know though that those things that we are told about as children that go bump in the night are actually as real as you and I. A promotion in her job takes her into a world that a very select few know about and more dangerous that even the worst serial killer.
Lucius Dragos is about as hot as they come. Tall, dark, handsome and with an air about him that commands attention and that's before you take into account that he is a vampire. Sex with this delicious package is tender but wild and hotter than a skillet over the fire. His one fault is that he doesn't always let the law divvy out the justice because Lucius is not patient when it comes to pay back.
J.K. Beck has given us a beginning to a series that promises top dollar in both romance and action. A creative imagination as to the creatures of the unknown leaves you scratching your head wondering what else she will throw into upcoming books. Oh the possibles are wondrous. For those of you who are literal creatures instead of visual, this book will give you all you lust for and more. I so cannot wait for the next one coming in late September early October to see who is next in the chain of trouble that is finger licking good.
August 26, 2010
Sara Constantine, prosecuting attorney, meets Lucius Dragos while she's out celebrating a recent court win. They end up at her condo together for a night of passion. Sara thinks she's found a man who just might be worth keeping. Then her boss (the District Attorney) offers her a job with the Division, the department that deals with Homeland Security cases, or so she's been told. As it turns out, the department actually deals with paranormal cases, and Sara is introduced to a whole new world filled with vampires, werewolves, and ghosts (oh, my!). It seems the head of the Division has been following her career and he thinks she'll be perfect to prosecute the high-level murder case they've just landed. The suspect has been brought in and is none other than...you guessed it...Lucius. Turns out Lucius is a vampire and the evidence against him is pretty solid. So now poor Sara has to reconcile the fact that she's fallen for a vampire who might also be a stone-cold killer.
I really enjoyed this book. Sara and Lucius are well-developed and believable, as are the secondary characters. The storyline is tight and fast-paced. There is a plot twist I didn't see coming at all, which makes figuring out "who done it" much more difficult. The world J.K. Beck (a.k.a. Julie Kenner) has created is fascinating as well. It's much grittier than her usual fare (demon-hunting soccer moms and superhero central). She's added an interesting twist to vampires I have not read about anywhere else. It's sort of a paranormal Law and Order, and I'm looking forward to reading book two to see where she takes the series. Personally, I think it's off to a terrific start. Well done, Julie!
I really enjoyed this book. Sara and Lucius are well-developed and believable, as are the secondary characters. The storyline is tight and fast-paced. There is a plot twist I didn't see coming at all, which makes figuring out "who done it" much more difficult. The world J.K. Beck (a.k.a. Julie Kenner) has created is fascinating as well. It's much grittier than her usual fare (demon-hunting soccer moms and superhero central). She's added an interesting twist to vampires I have not read about anywhere else. It's sort of a paranormal Law and Order, and I'm looking forward to reading book two to see where she takes the series. Personally, I think it's off to a terrific start. Well done, Julie!
September 1, 2011
It's something I never thought I'd be able to say, but this book actually brings something new and fresh to vampire lore! J.K. Beck has created a new world with a very creative and compelling take on how vampires are created and what they do to stay "alive". I usually steer clear of vampire romances lately because they are like cookie-cutter imitations, but I was really excited to get into this one.
Likewise, I was equally interested in the entire world of creatures that the author has created and again felt that there's a new twist to all of them. This isn't just any old world-building. It's different and unique.
The heroine Sara appealed to me and I liked that she was neither a silly fool or overly rigid when faced with this brand new world. Her reactions felt honest to the character and I felt her back story really played well into the plot and conflict.
Lucius made for an hero that really rode that line of good and bad with a past that lets you in on why he lives his life in such extremes and makes you go back and forth in how you as a reader feels about him, his being a vampire, and if it's smart to be with him.
There were a few things about this story that threw me off slightly but it's hard to go into without plot telling a little. I will say that I felt the ending was a little predictable with what happens to Sara and wish this part of the book would have been drawn out more to really play with some twists before the inevitable happens. Other than that, I thought it was a really awesome debut book and a great start to the series!
If you think Vampires are getting tired, give this one a try and it might revitalize your feelings on them!
Likewise, I was equally interested in the entire world of creatures that the author has created and again felt that there's a new twist to all of them. This isn't just any old world-building. It's different and unique.
The heroine Sara appealed to me and I liked that she was neither a silly fool or overly rigid when faced with this brand new world. Her reactions felt honest to the character and I felt her back story really played well into the plot and conflict.
Lucius made for an hero that really rode that line of good and bad with a past that lets you in on why he lives his life in such extremes and makes you go back and forth in how you as a reader feels about him, his being a vampire, and if it's smart to be with him.
There were a few things about this story that threw me off slightly but it's hard to go into without plot telling a little. I will say that I felt the ending was a little predictable with what happens to Sara and wish this part of the book would have been drawn out more to really play with some twists before the inevitable happens. Other than that, I thought it was a really awesome debut book and a great start to the series!
If you think Vampires are getting tired, give this one a try and it might revitalize your feelings on them!
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