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Immortalis #1
Immortalis Carpe Noctem
Newbie vampire Alyssa never asked for this life, but now it's all she has. Rescued from death by Lysander, the aloof and sexy leader of the Peregrinus vampire clan, she's barely cut her teeth before she becomes a target.
Kallisto, an ancient and vindictive vampire queen - and Lysander's old mate - wants nothing less than final death for her former lover and his new toy. She's not above letting the Acta Sanctorum, and its greatest vampire hunter, Santino, know exactly where the clan can be found.
With no time to mourn her old life, Alyssa's survival depends on her new family. She will have to stand alongside Lysander and fight against two enemies who will stop at nothing to destroy them.
Other Novels in the Immortalis
Immortalis Carpe Noctem (Book 1)
Hunters & Prey (Book 2)
Pandora's Box (Book 3)Soulstone (Book 4)Moonlight (Book 5)Dark Salvation (Book 6)
Immortalis (Omnibus Books 1-3)
Novellas By Katie
House of Immortal Pleasures
Halloween Fantasies
Karma & Melodies
Anthologies by Katie Salidas
Vampire Bites
Kallisto, an ancient and vindictive vampire queen - and Lysander's old mate - wants nothing less than final death for her former lover and his new toy. She's not above letting the Acta Sanctorum, and its greatest vampire hunter, Santino, know exactly where the clan can be found.
With no time to mourn her old life, Alyssa's survival depends on her new family. She will have to stand alongside Lysander and fight against two enemies who will stop at nothing to destroy them.
Other Novels in the Immortalis
Immortalis Carpe Noctem (Book 1)
Hunters & Prey (Book 2)
Pandora's Box (Book 3)Soulstone (Book 4)Moonlight (Book 5)Dark Salvation (Book 6)
Immortalis (Omnibus Books 1-3)
Novellas By Katie
House of Immortal Pleasures
Halloween Fantasies
Karma & Melodies
Anthologies by Katie Salidas
Vampire Bites
346 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
269 people are currently reading
2468 people want to read
About the author
Katie Salidas
58 books460 followersKatie Salidas is a best-selling author known for her unique genre-blending style.
Host of the Indie Youtube Talkshow, Spilling Ink, nerd, Doctor Who fangirl, Las Vegas Native, and SuperMom to three awesome kids, Katie gives new meaning to the term sleep-deprived.
Since 2010 she’s penned four bestselling book series: the Immortalis, Olde Town Pack, Little Werewolf, and the RONE award-winning Chronicles of the Uprising. And as her not-so-secret alter ego, Rozlyn Sparks, she is a USA Today bestselling author of romance with a naughty side.
Want some FREE reads? Join the VIP Reader Group and get three to start with: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, and Dystopian.
Try them today and fall in love.
http://www.katiesalidas.com/p/newslet...
Host of the Indie Youtube Talkshow, Spilling Ink, nerd, Doctor Who fangirl, Las Vegas Native, and SuperMom to three awesome kids, Katie gives new meaning to the term sleep-deprived.
Since 2010 she’s penned four bestselling book series: the Immortalis, Olde Town Pack, Little Werewolf, and the RONE award-winning Chronicles of the Uprising. And as her not-so-secret alter ego, Rozlyn Sparks, she is a USA Today bestselling author of romance with a naughty side.
Want some FREE reads? Join the VIP Reader Group and get three to start with: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, and Dystopian.
Try them today and fall in love.
http://www.katiesalidas.com/p/newslet...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 247 reviews
June 14, 2011
I'm going to be honest, the first 30% was 1 star. I struggled against the awkwardness of the writing and really wanted to put it down and read other things especially when Lysander, the 2000-year-old vampire and leading man, openly admitted to his newly sired vampire child that he'd watched with curiosity while she was tortured, almost raped and about to be dealt a death blow.
He only stepped in once she'd been stabbed and lay badly beaten waiting to be raped and murdered. I think in all the time he'd been alive he'd seen women beaten, stabbed and possibly raped before -why would he be curious about it now? Had he no feelings about it at all? I understand he was disconnected from the world but that stuck with me through the whole thing.
Anyway, after that first third of the book, the writing changed, new characters were introduced. The book lost that cabin-fever feeling with both Lysander and Alyssa getting at each other's throats and avoiding embarrassing lust-filled moments with only moderate success. The visiting clan of vampires brought with it 3 characters which made a true impact on Alyssa and the story: Jessie, Rozaline and Crystal. Jessie as the reckless youth and the others as wise elders.
Alyssa struggles with her new life as a monster killing people every night to survive. She even tries blood from a butcher which proved she had to have fresh blood from the living. She can't stand Lysander being right all the time and ignores his warning: "Immortality does not mean invincibility" defies him and follows another vampire's example leading to an unintentional death which preyed on her conscience because he was innocent and she meant to only kill criminals just as Lysander does.
Longing for her old life Alyssa imagines telling her best friend Fallon what she is and 'That I must feed every night, and because of that, I choose to feed from those who do harm to others? Even to myself, it sounded stupid. I sounded like some bastardized superhero.' I like how this was addressed because that's exactly how it sounds.
The adversary, Kallisto, was a woman scorned and we all know how that works. She's Lysnader's ex and believes herself worthy of worship and unending fealty as a sort-of queen of the vampires, as one of the eldest in existence. She's power-mad, selfish and cruel. No one matters but her own needs and survival. Lysander was her former king and mate though she never let him go, he walked away. She's given him every chance to re-join her and now she wants him dead because if she can't have him, no one can.
The people to be even more afraid of were the Saints, men of the Roman Catholic Church who came together to specifically hunt vampires. They even turned a dying warrior, Santino, into the very thing they condemned in order to kill more vampires, promising automatic entry into Heaven. He fails to acknowledge that lie, no matter how many times Lysander presents him with it:
The love or rather lust-becoming-more was borne out of a lack of other options, for Lysander in particular. I couldn't understand what he saw in 25-year-old Alyssa other than her youth and beauty. For Alyssa, on the other hand, she was presented with a knowledgeable older man who obviously wasn't hurting for money -that much was clear when their financial situation was contrasted with the gyspy-like travelling vampires. Of course, she would be infatuated by him, he was her teacher. He had power and authority over her. Her forgiveness of his hesitation to save her life at the beginning came too easily and quickly. It was brushed aside as something that didn't matter. No grudge, no fights over it. No disgust. Unrealistic.
I was surprised by Edmond's actions towards the end, honourable though they were. He worshipped Kallisto but he meant nothing to her which she delighted in telling Alyssa with Edmond in the room. I'm not sure how Lysander trusted what he claimed when he divulged the whereabouts of his life work and I'm unsure of what Edmond had ever really done to Lysander to provoke the death sentence he demanded but I found myself liking Edmond's character much more than Lysander.
Overall, I'm not particularly fond of the main characters. I liked the travelling vampires, Kallisto, Santino and Edmond. The writing was shaky and awkward to start with but improved as the author seemed to gain confidence in what she was doing, and the book became more interesting as a result.
*Although this was a free e-book from the author this did not impact on my rating or review.
'I regret that my fascination with the brutality of their attack prevented me from stopping them before they had done too much damage.[...] She was an innocent. A young woman. Too young to die.' ~An excerpt from Lysander's journal.
He only stepped in once she'd been stabbed and lay badly beaten waiting to be raped and murdered. I think in all the time he'd been alive he'd seen women beaten, stabbed and possibly raped before -why would he be curious about it now? Had he no feelings about it at all? I understand he was disconnected from the world but that stuck with me through the whole thing.
Anyway, after that first third of the book, the writing changed, new characters were introduced. The book lost that cabin-fever feeling with both Lysander and Alyssa getting at each other's throats and avoiding embarrassing lust-filled moments with only moderate success. The visiting clan of vampires brought with it 3 characters which made a true impact on Alyssa and the story: Jessie, Rozaline and Crystal. Jessie as the reckless youth and the others as wise elders.
Alyssa struggles with her new life as a monster killing people every night to survive. She even tries blood from a butcher which proved she had to have fresh blood from the living. She can't stand Lysander being right all the time and ignores his warning: "Immortality does not mean invincibility" defies him and follows another vampire's example leading to an unintentional death which preyed on her conscience because he was innocent and she meant to only kill criminals just as Lysander does.
Longing for her old life Alyssa imagines telling her best friend Fallon what she is and 'That I must feed every night, and because of that, I choose to feed from those who do harm to others? Even to myself, it sounded stupid. I sounded like some bastardized superhero.' I like how this was addressed because that's exactly how it sounds.
The adversary, Kallisto, was a woman scorned and we all know how that works. She's Lysnader's ex and believes herself worthy of worship and unending fealty as a sort-of queen of the vampires, as one of the eldest in existence. She's power-mad, selfish and cruel. No one matters but her own needs and survival. Lysander was her former king and mate though she never let him go, he walked away. She's given him every chance to re-join her and now she wants him dead because if she can't have him, no one can.
The people to be even more afraid of were the Saints, men of the Roman Catholic Church who came together to specifically hunt vampires. They even turned a dying warrior, Santino, into the very thing they condemned in order to kill more vampires, promising automatic entry into Heaven. He fails to acknowledge that lie, no matter how many times Lysander presents him with it:
"I know the commandments you are supposed to live by. There is no fine print in 'Thou shall not kill'."
The love or rather lust-becoming-more was borne out of a lack of other options, for Lysander in particular. I couldn't understand what he saw in 25-year-old Alyssa other than her youth and beauty. For Alyssa, on the other hand, she was presented with a knowledgeable older man who obviously wasn't hurting for money -that much was clear when their financial situation was contrasted with the gyspy-like travelling vampires. Of course, she would be infatuated by him, he was her teacher. He had power and authority over her. Her forgiveness of his hesitation to save her life at the beginning came too easily and quickly. It was brushed aside as something that didn't matter. No grudge, no fights over it. No disgust. Unrealistic.
I was surprised by Edmond's actions towards the end, honourable though they were. He worshipped Kallisto but he meant nothing to her which she delighted in telling Alyssa with Edmond in the room. I'm not sure how Lysander trusted what he claimed when he divulged the whereabouts of his life work and I'm unsure of what Edmond had ever really done to Lysander to provoke the death sentence he demanded but I found myself liking Edmond's character much more than Lysander.
Overall, I'm not particularly fond of the main characters. I liked the travelling vampires, Kallisto, Santino and Edmond. The writing was shaky and awkward to start with but improved as the author seemed to gain confidence in what she was doing, and the book became more interesting as a result.
*Although this was a free e-book from the author this did not impact on my rating or review.
May 15, 2015
This story is centered around a woman (college student) who has had a very bad day, ending with her being turned into a vampire to save her life. Thereafter, the reader is taken on Alyssa's journey to learning what living with vampirism means for her. We watch her struggle with saying goodbye to her mortal life and adjusting to her new life with her maker Lysander.
I enjoyed the beginning and the end. Somewhere in the middle, I was bogged down in lots of dialogue that didn't move the plot along. For example, Alyssa's casino game lesson was lengthy for no apparent reason, and the details of her learning how to control her mind around other vampires was unnecessarily verbose. Overall, the writing style throughout the book was easy to follow without many extra words, so I'm speaking mainly to lengthy scenes that made the story drag in certain places. Those could have been eliminated or reduced.
Regarding editing, I realize I am hypersensitive to this sort of thing, so I won't be nitpicky about typos here and there. There is one major issue with editing, however, that stood out to me because I don't remember seeing this in any other book. There is an abundance of hyphenated words, and I'm not sure why. I'm not talking about commonly hyphenated words like "dim-lit". I mean "some-thing", "de-tailed", "al-ready", "under-stood", "some-how", "worship-ping", "upset-ting", "pro-tests"...and many more. Even the character's name "Ly-sander" was hyphenated a few times. I'm not sure if the program used did this or what. I just wanted to point out that it was in the electronic edition I read and stood out in a major way. If the formatting program did this automatically, I hope that it can be adjusted under the settings and the book republished.
Alyssa worked my nerves with all her whining. At one point, she thinks, "I am so dumb." I agreed with her self-assessment. BUT I don't hold that against the story. Every character can't be a goddess, warrior, or all-powerful queen of the world. Immature--that is who Alyssa is, and I accept her for being who she is. It was just an observation. I mostly enjoyed the suspense generated by Kallisto (Lysander's former mate) and the Acta Sanctorum (governing vampire commune) threats. I probably would have enjoyed the book more if it had spent more time with these tensions and less with Alyssa showing her childishness. She *is* a new vampire, thrust into this world suddenly. I had to keep that in mind and empathize with her plight rather than be judgmental.
I think this is a good first book in a series that establishes a foundation with a flawed character that has room to grow in later books. FYI, this book is perma-free on Amazon, if you'd like to give it a try.
**edited to add: the author has updated the book.**
I enjoyed the beginning and the end. Somewhere in the middle, I was bogged down in lots of dialogue that didn't move the plot along. For example, Alyssa's casino game lesson was lengthy for no apparent reason, and the details of her learning how to control her mind around other vampires was unnecessarily verbose. Overall, the writing style throughout the book was easy to follow without many extra words, so I'm speaking mainly to lengthy scenes that made the story drag in certain places. Those could have been eliminated or reduced.
Regarding editing, I realize I am hypersensitive to this sort of thing, so I won't be nitpicky about typos here and there. There is one major issue with editing, however, that stood out to me because I don't remember seeing this in any other book. There is an abundance of hyphenated words, and I'm not sure why. I'm not talking about commonly hyphenated words like "dim-lit". I mean "some-thing", "de-tailed", "al-ready", "under-stood", "some-how", "worship-ping", "upset-ting", "pro-tests"...and many more. Even the character's name "Ly-sander" was hyphenated a few times. I'm not sure if the program used did this or what. I just wanted to point out that it was in the electronic edition I read and stood out in a major way. If the formatting program did this automatically, I hope that it can be adjusted under the settings and the book republished.
Alyssa worked my nerves with all her whining. At one point, she thinks, "I am so dumb." I agreed with her self-assessment. BUT I don't hold that against the story. Every character can't be a goddess, warrior, or all-powerful queen of the world. Immature--that is who Alyssa is, and I accept her for being who she is. It was just an observation. I mostly enjoyed the suspense generated by Kallisto (Lysander's former mate) and the Acta Sanctorum (governing vampire commune) threats. I probably would have enjoyed the book more if it had spent more time with these tensions and less with Alyssa showing her childishness. She *is* a new vampire, thrust into this world suddenly. I had to keep that in mind and empathize with her plight rather than be judgmental.
I think this is a good first book in a series that establishes a foundation with a flawed character that has room to grow in later books. FYI, this book is perma-free on Amazon, if you'd like to give it a try.
**edited to add: the author has updated the book.**
May 5, 2010
As I had not yet heard of Katie Salidas, when asked to review Immortalis Carpe Noctem, I wasn’t sure what to expect. However, after this first taste, I am certain we shall be hearing much more about Katie and her talents! After experiencing the “turning” through the eyes of a newborn vampire in Immortalis Carpe Noctem, it is a certainty that readers will be lined up for the next adventure in Immortalis: Hunters & Prey coming in 2011.
I genuinely enjoyed this story! It was very interesting to learn about the ins and outs of ‘turning’. The blurb on the cover: “Becoming a vampire is easy. Living with the condition, that’s the hard part.”, eludes to the direction of the story, but this reader found detailed, an aspect of vampirism I’ve not yet read very much about.
Please visit YzhaBella;s BookShelf for the rest of this review! Also, soon to come: Auhtor Interview w/ Katie Salidas and a Giveaway!
http://yzhabellasbookshelf.blogspot.c...
I genuinely enjoyed this story! It was very interesting to learn about the ins and outs of ‘turning’. The blurb on the cover: “Becoming a vampire is easy. Living with the condition, that’s the hard part.”, eludes to the direction of the story, but this reader found detailed, an aspect of vampirism I’ve not yet read very much about.
Please visit YzhaBella;s BookShelf for the rest of this review! Also, soon to come: Auhtor Interview w/ Katie Salidas and a Giveaway!
http://yzhabellasbookshelf.blogspot.c...
December 11, 2010
Immortalis Carpe Noctem is a great mix of Urban Fantasy, romance and Dark Fantasy. It’s very hard for me to enjoy reading a UF book with me being a true romance reader, but this story I really enjoyed and I am looking forward to reading the next book. Be warned this story has some scenes are brutal. You get murder, rape and these vamps kills their human blood host innocent or not. I liked the way this story is written in Alyssa POV you get to really know her.
Alyssa is waking home alone when a man stops her and asks a question, as Alyssa answers she has no clue that the turn of events to come next would change her life forever. She has a hard time coping with her new life even with her savior Lysander teaching her and helping her all he can. You find Alyssa is stubborn and whines a lot. Then again I guess I would whine too, if I had to go thorough what Alyssa did.
Lysander is very protective with Alyssa and as you read you’ll find out it’s not only because he is the one that turned her. Lysander is very lonely and is in need of someone like Alyssa to keep him on his toes.
I recommend this book to UF readers that doesn't mind a good sex scene and romance readers that likes reading some on the dark side.
Alyssa is waking home alone when a man stops her and asks a question, as Alyssa answers she has no clue that the turn of events to come next would change her life forever. She has a hard time coping with her new life even with her savior Lysander teaching her and helping her all he can. You find Alyssa is stubborn and whines a lot. Then again I guess I would whine too, if I had to go thorough what Alyssa did.
Lysander is very protective with Alyssa and as you read you’ll find out it’s not only because he is the one that turned her. Lysander is very lonely and is in need of someone like Alyssa to keep him on his toes.
I recommend this book to UF readers that doesn't mind a good sex scene and romance readers that likes reading some on the dark side.
July 21, 2011
3.5 Stars!
Book Summary: Explore the emotional upheaval that is the transformation from human to vampire.
Bleeding to death after brutal mugging on the campus of UNLV, Twenty-five year old Alyssa, is rescued by the cold and aloof, vampire, Lysander. Taking pity on her, he shares the gift-and curse-of immortality. She awakens as a vampire and is soon devastated by harsh realities of her new way of life: An unyielding thirst for blood as well as the loss of her friends, her independence, and her humanity.
As if having her humanity stripped away was not enough to make life interesting, Alyssa finds out her "turning", did not go unnoticed by the rest of undead society. Old enemies; an ancient sect of vampire hunters, known as the Acta Sanctorum, as well as a powerful Vampire mistress, each set plans in motion to destroy both Alyssa and Lysander.
Only by accepting her new-found immortality, seizing the night, will Alyssa hope to survive. She and Lysander must fight together against two sets of enemies bent on destroying them both.
This was very original in the sense that Katies Salidas explored the life changing effects of vampirism instead of the usual beauty, age and perception 'makeover' most writers go with. I am used to reading about how, once turned, the heroine's beauty is enhanced. She is overwhelmingly strong to the point of impervious, (barring wood and decapitation), she will never age, get sick, be turned down by the hot guy or be the last one picked for the team.
Although Alyssa will eventually enjoy most of these benefits, she is at first horrified at the supposed implications of her new life. Does she have a soul? Is she damned, dead? Can she ever re-connect with her old life? How will she survive...and so on? I found this approach by Katie Salidas to be a perfect fit in the Urban Fantasy genre. The characterization of Lysander was done well too. He only decides to turn her at the last minute to save her life. He actually hadn't plan to save her, just wait until the men assaulting her were done then he could feast. If you've lived centuries, seeing the evil in humanity, eventually you would probably realize you can't save 'em all. He did, however, and was faced with his own doubts about turning her.
I've said this before, Fantasy, horror, romance, whatever.... I love and need a dash of realism. Kaite gives us that and more. Impressive.
The only reason I gave this book a 3.5 star rating versus 4.0 was because for most of the book Alyssa acts like a brat. She didn't choose to become vampire, didn't realize they even existed, but complains about everything. She takes risks despite Lysanders warnings and eventually I just wanted her to get the ever-loving shit kicked out of her but she eventually gets past this.
This series is definately worth a second look. I will be reading number two as soon as I can because this book was great, Salidas's writing was very good and the theme hits the Urban Vamp Fantasy genre's nail on the head!
Book Summary: Explore the emotional upheaval that is the transformation from human to vampire.
Bleeding to death after brutal mugging on the campus of UNLV, Twenty-five year old Alyssa, is rescued by the cold and aloof, vampire, Lysander. Taking pity on her, he shares the gift-and curse-of immortality. She awakens as a vampire and is soon devastated by harsh realities of her new way of life: An unyielding thirst for blood as well as the loss of her friends, her independence, and her humanity.
As if having her humanity stripped away was not enough to make life interesting, Alyssa finds out her "turning", did not go unnoticed by the rest of undead society. Old enemies; an ancient sect of vampire hunters, known as the Acta Sanctorum, as well as a powerful Vampire mistress, each set plans in motion to destroy both Alyssa and Lysander.
Only by accepting her new-found immortality, seizing the night, will Alyssa hope to survive. She and Lysander must fight together against two sets of enemies bent on destroying them both.
This was very original in the sense that Katies Salidas explored the life changing effects of vampirism instead of the usual beauty, age and perception 'makeover' most writers go with. I am used to reading about how, once turned, the heroine's beauty is enhanced. She is overwhelmingly strong to the point of impervious, (barring wood and decapitation), she will never age, get sick, be turned down by the hot guy or be the last one picked for the team.
Although Alyssa will eventually enjoy most of these benefits, she is at first horrified at the supposed implications of her new life. Does she have a soul? Is she damned, dead? Can she ever re-connect with her old life? How will she survive...and so on? I found this approach by Katie Salidas to be a perfect fit in the Urban Fantasy genre. The characterization of Lysander was done well too. He only decides to turn her at the last minute to save her life. He actually hadn't plan to save her, just wait until the men assaulting her were done then he could feast. If you've lived centuries, seeing the evil in humanity, eventually you would probably realize you can't save 'em all. He did, however, and was faced with his own doubts about turning her.
I've said this before, Fantasy, horror, romance, whatever.... I love and need a dash of realism. Kaite gives us that and more. Impressive.
The only reason I gave this book a 3.5 star rating versus 4.0 was because for most of the book Alyssa acts like a brat. She didn't choose to become vampire, didn't realize they even existed, but complains about everything. She takes risks despite Lysanders warnings and eventually I just wanted her to get the ever-loving shit kicked out of her but she eventually gets past this.
This series is definately worth a second look. I will be reading number two as soon as I can because this book was great, Salidas's writing was very good and the theme hits the Urban Vamp Fantasy genre's nail on the head!
June 4, 2011
Immortalis Carpe Noctem was a dark introduction into the life and struggles of twenty-five year old, Alyssa. While walking home one night she's brutally attacked and on the verge of death when Lysander saves her.
Lysander is an ancient vampire and he saves her by turning her. He "knew she was far too injured to survive if {he} left her. {His} sloth in attacking [the men that attacked her] would be the cause of her innocent death, and {he} couldn't allow it. She did not deserve death, so {he} granted her immortality."
While she struggles to learn about the life she's been brought into, she also begins to fall for Lysander. When she initially tries to act on her feelings, he pushes her away. Not because he's not attracted to her, but because "everyone {he} cares for -everyone {he} brings into this life- dies."
The struggles she faces while adjusting to the need to drink blood, the smells and pulses of the humans around her were very well written. Taking a life for blood isn't something Alyssa's comfortable with having to do. But, she knows it's required to survive. She slowly uses it to take down those that would do others harm.
The definition of the title ~ Immortalis (Latin) immortal| not subject to death; eternal| everlasting| perpetual; imperishable ~ Carpe Noctem seize the night ~ explains exactly what Alyssa's trying to do ... adjust to her life as a vampire while seizing the night.
While her story is interesting, there were times where I felt she was a bit of a Wendy Whiner, but who knows how you'd react in her position. Hard to say. I really enjoyed the journals Lysander kept throughout his immortal life. I have no doubt I would do something similar in that case. What a great way to track what could be a very long and interesting lifetime.
I enjoyed learning about the history of Lysander's family and the battle with the Acta Sanctorum - the 'Saints'. "Their church promotes the hysteria that all supernatural beings, and anyone else who might be considered different, are unnatural. They see us as nothing more than monsters. They use fear to allow them free rein to kill whomever they please, to rid the world of what they deem evil." Santino is a very well written baddie.
The downsides: There was some repetition throughout and words which are inappropriately hyphenated (ex: to-night). Overall, this was a nice debut to a dark urban fantasy. I look forward to reading Hunters & Prey.
**Review also posted @ Smashwords and will appear on my blog, Random Musings, Tues, 7 June.
Lysander is an ancient vampire and he saves her by turning her. He "knew she was far too injured to survive if {he} left her. {His} sloth in attacking [the men that attacked her] would be the cause of her innocent death, and {he} couldn't allow it. She did not deserve death, so {he} granted her immortality."
While she struggles to learn about the life she's been brought into, she also begins to fall for Lysander. When she initially tries to act on her feelings, he pushes her away. Not because he's not attracted to her, but because "everyone {he} cares for -everyone {he} brings into this life- dies."
The struggles she faces while adjusting to the need to drink blood, the smells and pulses of the humans around her were very well written. Taking a life for blood isn't something Alyssa's comfortable with having to do. But, she knows it's required to survive. She slowly uses it to take down those that would do others harm.
The definition of the title ~ Immortalis (Latin) immortal| not subject to death; eternal| everlasting| perpetual; imperishable ~ Carpe Noctem seize the night ~ explains exactly what Alyssa's trying to do ... adjust to her life as a vampire while seizing the night.
While her story is interesting, there were times where I felt she was a bit of a Wendy Whiner, but who knows how you'd react in her position. Hard to say. I really enjoyed the journals Lysander kept throughout his immortal life. I have no doubt I would do something similar in that case. What a great way to track what could be a very long and interesting lifetime.
I enjoyed learning about the history of Lysander's family and the battle with the Acta Sanctorum - the 'Saints'. "Their church promotes the hysteria that all supernatural beings, and anyone else who might be considered different, are unnatural. They see us as nothing more than monsters. They use fear to allow them free rein to kill whomever they please, to rid the world of what they deem evil." Santino is a very well written baddie.
The downsides: There was some repetition throughout and words which are inappropriately hyphenated (ex: to-night). Overall, this was a nice debut to a dark urban fantasy. I look forward to reading Hunters & Prey.
**Review also posted @ Smashwords and will appear on my blog, Random Musings, Tues, 7 June.
June 13, 2010
If you can get past the poor grammar and awkward dialogue, you might actually enjoy this one. I found it entertaining and occasionally even poignant.
The main character, Alyssa, was a little grating at times. While I admired her stubbornness in some instances, at other times it seemed out of place and unnatural, like the author decided that "stubborn" was a primary trait of Alyssa and so felt obligated to make sure she demonstrated this characteristic at least twice in every chapter, even if it there wasn't good cause for her to do so. In general, though, I liked Alyssa. She is turned into a vampire early in the story, not by choice. I liked her transition; I feel like a lot of authors in this genre don't bother delving into the emotional turmoil that a human would feel at being turned against her will, having to say goodbye to her human life, all her friends and family, everything she knows. It's a really fascinating thing to think about, and it's a shame that more authors in this genre don't really explore the transition in depth. Alyssa, however, feels her loss acutely, and so her story is more interesting, her character more complex and real.
Lysander, Alyssa's maker and eventually lover, is also interesting, so long as you don't think too hard about his choices and motivations. He tells Alyssa the reason he didn't intervene earlier when she was being attacked and nearly raped early in the book was because of a "morbid fascination" with what the humans were doing to her. What? How does this fit in with the gentle, deep-feeling, noble Lysander that is displayed on practically every other page of the book? Putting that aside, another issue that I didn't fully understand was Lysander's strong feelings for Alyssa. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad they did fall for each other; I just don't see how a 3000+ year old vampire who is clearly still feeling pain from being dumped by his mate of many centuries - a rejection that happened hundreds of years ago - would fall so hard for a mere 25 year old in the space of a couple weeks.
The plot was indeed predictable. I actually thought for awhile that the person who wound up being the villain couldn't possibly be the villain, because there were just too many obvious clues. It seemed like the author was setting this person up as a red herring. But nope, I guess it really was just that obvious.
Predictability and character inconsistencies aside, this was still a fast-paced and exciting story, and one that was even occasionally moving. I was pleasantly surprised.
The main character, Alyssa, was a little grating at times. While I admired her stubbornness in some instances, at other times it seemed out of place and unnatural, like the author decided that "stubborn" was a primary trait of Alyssa and so felt obligated to make sure she demonstrated this characteristic at least twice in every chapter, even if it there wasn't good cause for her to do so. In general, though, I liked Alyssa. She is turned into a vampire early in the story, not by choice. I liked her transition; I feel like a lot of authors in this genre don't bother delving into the emotional turmoil that a human would feel at being turned against her will, having to say goodbye to her human life, all her friends and family, everything she knows. It's a really fascinating thing to think about, and it's a shame that more authors in this genre don't really explore the transition in depth. Alyssa, however, feels her loss acutely, and so her story is more interesting, her character more complex and real.
Lysander, Alyssa's maker and eventually lover, is also interesting, so long as you don't think too hard about his choices and motivations. He tells Alyssa the reason he didn't intervene earlier when she was being attacked and nearly raped early in the book was because of a "morbid fascination" with what the humans were doing to her. What? How does this fit in with the gentle, deep-feeling, noble Lysander that is displayed on practically every other page of the book? Putting that aside, another issue that I didn't fully understand was Lysander's strong feelings for Alyssa. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad they did fall for each other; I just don't see how a 3000+ year old vampire who is clearly still feeling pain from being dumped by his mate of many centuries - a rejection that happened hundreds of years ago - would fall so hard for a mere 25 year old in the space of a couple weeks.
The plot was indeed predictable. I actually thought for awhile that the person who wound up being the villain couldn't possibly be the villain, because there were just too many obvious clues. It seemed like the author was setting this person up as a red herring. But nope, I guess it really was just that obvious.
Predictability and character inconsistencies aside, this was still a fast-paced and exciting story, and one that was even occasionally moving. I was pleasantly surprised.
February 10, 2011
This book is hard to rate. As you can see from this blog, I rarely rate a book 5-star unless I absolutely loved the book. I wanted to give this a 5-star rating because I truly enjoyed, or even maybe loved it. However, it's not the same level as my love for Vampire Academy and other books in the 5 stars category. So how do I rate this book? Let me try.
What I loved in this book was the story of a newborn vampire. A lot of vampire books out there goes straight to the "after" stage but rarely we get to read stories of a newborn vampire. Saying goodbye to your life, friends, family wasn't easy. And wanting to be a good vampire wasn't easy as well. When Alyssa learned that she's been turned into a vampire, she could not decide whether she should be thankful to Lysander for saving her from mortal death or she should hate Lysander because she didn't want to be a killer (vampires here kill for blood). She didn't want this but she had no choice. Lysander threatens to kill her if she's not happy with her new life. So there's no choice but to accept her newfound immortality. She realized then that she didn't want to die and she could be a good vampire. Alyssa decided to only kill bad guys - like murderers, rapists, and killers. This was also her way of getting back to those two rapists who had brutally attacked and stabbed her. Alyssa is an interesting character, I feel her pain of losing her life and her friends for this immortality. As for Lysander! Wow! OH MY! He reminds me of Quinn, the ancient vampire in the Riley Jenson Guardian series. I realized I have this thing for ancient vamps!
I also love how the author used Greek myths for the Immortalis series. I love Greek myths ever since I read Edith Hamilton's Mythology book. They're fun to read and that's the book I can read every day and still love it. Now, back to the book, it was said there that vampires came from the Keres who mated with a mortal, creating the first vampire ever to walk the earth. The author did great in researching her materials for her series.
Now, what I didn't like was the ending of the book. This is a series so I expected a lot of OMG moments. But no - nothing like that. It was good but I wasn't quite satisfied with it. Overall, it was a fantastic read, ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ for the storyline, characters and settings but only ★ ★ ★ ★ for the writing style and the end of the book.
What I loved in this book was the story of a newborn vampire. A lot of vampire books out there goes straight to the "after" stage but rarely we get to read stories of a newborn vampire. Saying goodbye to your life, friends, family wasn't easy. And wanting to be a good vampire wasn't easy as well. When Alyssa learned that she's been turned into a vampire, she could not decide whether she should be thankful to Lysander for saving her from mortal death or she should hate Lysander because she didn't want to be a killer (vampires here kill for blood). She didn't want this but she had no choice. Lysander threatens to kill her if she's not happy with her new life. So there's no choice but to accept her newfound immortality. She realized then that she didn't want to die and she could be a good vampire. Alyssa decided to only kill bad guys - like murderers, rapists, and killers. This was also her way of getting back to those two rapists who had brutally attacked and stabbed her. Alyssa is an interesting character, I feel her pain of losing her life and her friends for this immortality. As for Lysander! Wow! OH MY! He reminds me of Quinn, the ancient vampire in the Riley Jenson Guardian series. I realized I have this thing for ancient vamps!
I also love how the author used Greek myths for the Immortalis series. I love Greek myths ever since I read Edith Hamilton's Mythology book. They're fun to read and that's the book I can read every day and still love it. Now, back to the book, it was said there that vampires came from the Keres who mated with a mortal, creating the first vampire ever to walk the earth. The author did great in researching her materials for her series.
Now, what I didn't like was the ending of the book. This is a series so I expected a lot of OMG moments. But no - nothing like that. It was good but I wasn't quite satisfied with it. Overall, it was a fantastic read, ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ for the storyline, characters and settings but only ★ ★ ★ ★ for the writing style and the end of the book.
September 30, 2010
This book was a very quick, enjoyable read. It had all the elements I love in a good Urban Fantasy novel (remember these are all the elements I love not necessary what makes a good Urban Fantasy novel in general). It had horror elements, strong world building, a good solid story, and romance (ok, not really romance but straight lust turned into romance but that is just a small technicality).
The author spends a large amount of time world building (can we use “world building” as verb, if not, pardon my poor use of the word) and she does an excellent job of it. I would say that I was sufficiently placed in the world Katie Salidas created. The rules in Salidas’s vampire world were clearly laid out, very logical and very interesting.
In fact, I was so deeply entrenched in this world, when Ms. Salidas failed to follow her own rules, I noticed. It probably was because I read fast (like many people on book sites). If an author is creating and explaining the world and rules the book is set in (for example on page 3), when I get to page 300, I still know all those rules vividly. Nevertheless, the gaps are not huge; they were small blips that had me thinking 1+1 was not equaling 2.
I would have liked to see a bit more character development at the beginning. Alyssa came across as a whiny bitch at the beginning and Lysander came across as an overbearing dictator. It was hard to feel anything for the two of them and it was until additional characters were added into the story that I began to warm up to the two main characters. The interaction with the other characters allowed Lysander and Alyssa to show their true personalities.
Another strong point in the book was the sexual tension. It was very interesting that when the act finally did happen, it was almost a letdown.
Overall, the book was a very good 1st in the series and even with the flaws in the character development and the discovered holes in the story, I will be reading book 2.
3.5 out of 5 stars.
The author spends a large amount of time world building (can we use “world building” as verb, if not, pardon my poor use of the word) and she does an excellent job of it. I would say that I was sufficiently placed in the world Katie Salidas created. The rules in Salidas’s vampire world were clearly laid out, very logical and very interesting.
In fact, I was so deeply entrenched in this world, when Ms. Salidas failed to follow her own rules, I noticed. It probably was because I read fast (like many people on book sites). If an author is creating and explaining the world and rules the book is set in (for example on page 3), when I get to page 300, I still know all those rules vividly. Nevertheless, the gaps are not huge; they were small blips that had me thinking 1+1 was not equaling 2.
I would have liked to see a bit more character development at the beginning. Alyssa came across as a whiny bitch at the beginning and Lysander came across as an overbearing dictator. It was hard to feel anything for the two of them and it was until additional characters were added into the story that I began to warm up to the two main characters. The interaction with the other characters allowed Lysander and Alyssa to show their true personalities.
Another strong point in the book was the sexual tension. It was very interesting that when the act finally did happen, it was almost a letdown.
Overall, the book was a very good 1st in the series and even with the flaws in the character development and the discovered holes in the story, I will be reading book 2.
3.5 out of 5 stars.
March 11, 2011
This book was PAINFUL to read!
I couldn't stand Alyssa with her constant whining and idiotic decisions. She even, at one point in the book decided to ponder a way to blame all her life problems on the fact that her parents were never there for her.(yes that is the type of person she is) I wanted to give her a good whack and remind her that her missing parents are not responsible for her getting mugged because she decided to start walking down a dark street....at night...in Vegas!
No, that genius idea is all her fault.
Then, there is Lysander who is just as bad as she is, if not worse! Here is the quote that really cemented my disdain of his character:
"Morbid curiosity stopped me from acting before it was too late, and Alyssa became their prey before I took my chance to attack. I regret that my fascination with the brutality of the attack prevented me from stopping them before they had done too much damage."
uhhh ok, so exactly how much damage were you hoping for? UGH! This guy makes my blood boil. He likes the fact that she is getting the crap beat out of her. She is being stabbed and tortured, but when they get to the part of the attempted rape he steps in to save the day. He claims in this quote that his "morbid curiosity stopped me from acting before it was too late," but he could have stopped the attack at ANY TIME. This is not a guy who stumbled upon a girl getting mugged. This is a guy who was stalking the attackers to begin with. He knew they were attacking her. He had a little wet dream while it was happening, and then he decides to save her when she is so beat up that she is dying and there is no other way.
I am sorry, but this book just disturbed me on so many levels. I can't believe all the positive reviews people wrote about it. I am very disappointed, because the synopsis really did seem promising, and I am always looking for new books to read, but I honestly wish I had passed this one up. It just wasn't worth my time.
I couldn't stand Alyssa with her constant whining and idiotic decisions. She even, at one point in the book decided to ponder a way to blame all her life problems on the fact that her parents were never there for her.(yes that is the type of person she is) I wanted to give her a good whack and remind her that her missing parents are not responsible for her getting mugged because she decided to start walking down a dark street....at night...in Vegas!
No, that genius idea is all her fault.
Then, there is Lysander who is just as bad as she is, if not worse! Here is the quote that really cemented my disdain of his character:
"Morbid curiosity stopped me from acting before it was too late, and Alyssa became their prey before I took my chance to attack. I regret that my fascination with the brutality of the attack prevented me from stopping them before they had done too much damage."
uhhh ok, so exactly how much damage were you hoping for? UGH! This guy makes my blood boil. He likes the fact that she is getting the crap beat out of her. She is being stabbed and tortured, but when they get to the part of the attempted rape he steps in to save the day. He claims in this quote that his "morbid curiosity stopped me from acting before it was too late," but he could have stopped the attack at ANY TIME. This is not a guy who stumbled upon a girl getting mugged. This is a guy who was stalking the attackers to begin with. He knew they were attacking her. He had a little wet dream while it was happening, and then he decides to save her when she is so beat up that she is dying and there is no other way.
I am sorry, but this book just disturbed me on so many levels. I can't believe all the positive reviews people wrote about it. I am very disappointed, because the synopsis really did seem promising, and I am always looking for new books to read, but I honestly wish I had passed this one up. It just wasn't worth my time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2010
Immortalis Carpe Noctem - Book One - Katie Salidas- 2010
"Becoming a Vampire was easy , Living with the condition-now that's the hard part"
Do you enjoy reading Vampire books ? Read the likes of Lynsay Sands , Chloe Neill , Rachel Caine and enjoyed them ?. If you answered yes, to any of those questions then this book is definitley one to add to your I must read list and if you are anything like myself , I guarantee you have the list written down somewhere or at least you belong to a site like librarything or goodreads. When reading this book , I found it similar to Chloe Neill's book Some Girls Bite , but unlike her main Character ,Katie Salidas's main girl Alyssa is definitley one with a bite and an attitude to suit, whilst walking through campus one day when her friend Fallon ( I love the name) stands her up, she is attacked and then a knight in fangs shows up to save her day or so she thought . Lysander is an ancient vampire, who has turned Alyssa and broken a few old-time rules. Can Alyssa conform to the vampire way of life or is her head still stuck in trying to define between the Reality Vampire and the Hollywood Vampire and according to Lysander "Dracula isn't at all old or classic", When Lysander is brought to a headstill and punished , Can Alyssa help gather together a band of Vampires to save him or will she be the death of him literally?, An amazing Vampire novel , that kept me intrigued and dying for more. My blood pulsates and heart beats excitedly as I prepare to wait in anticipation for Book Two : Immortalis : Hunter and Prey to be released in 2011 " What a long time , however will I cope". The Cover is also wonderful, kudos to the Illustrator of this awesome book
"Becoming a Vampire was easy , Living with the condition-now that's the hard part"
Do you enjoy reading Vampire books ? Read the likes of Lynsay Sands , Chloe Neill , Rachel Caine and enjoyed them ?. If you answered yes, to any of those questions then this book is definitley one to add to your I must read list and if you are anything like myself , I guarantee you have the list written down somewhere or at least you belong to a site like librarything or goodreads. When reading this book , I found it similar to Chloe Neill's book Some Girls Bite , but unlike her main Character ,Katie Salidas's main girl Alyssa is definitley one with a bite and an attitude to suit, whilst walking through campus one day when her friend Fallon ( I love the name) stands her up, she is attacked and then a knight in fangs shows up to save her day or so she thought . Lysander is an ancient vampire, who has turned Alyssa and broken a few old-time rules. Can Alyssa conform to the vampire way of life or is her head still stuck in trying to define between the Reality Vampire and the Hollywood Vampire and according to Lysander "Dracula isn't at all old or classic", When Lysander is brought to a headstill and punished , Can Alyssa help gather together a band of Vampires to save him or will she be the death of him literally?, An amazing Vampire novel , that kept me intrigued and dying for more. My blood pulsates and heart beats excitedly as I prepare to wait in anticipation for Book Two : Immortalis : Hunter and Prey to be released in 2011 " What a long time , however will I cope". The Cover is also wonderful, kudos to the Illustrator of this awesome book
March 18, 2010
You don't need to be a fan of the vampire genre to appreciate what Immortalis: Carpe Noctem has to offer. We all know about about the successes of Twilight and The Vampire Diaries, but Immortalis ups the ante by reminding us that those books are for "young adults" and this is for the critical reader who isn't interested in being coddled.
Picture early Ann Rice without the endless back-stories and you can get an idea of Mrs. Salidas' considerable talent. Her creation of vampire history is superb, and a welcome change from the usual "blood disease, bite and contract" methods employed by her peers.
The pacing of this book is excellent, and could easily be adapted to film because it reads like a movie already. The plot is not overly-complicated, and the characters are three-dimensional.
Of particular interest is Santino Vitale, a hulking ghost of a vampire hunter inspiring visions of serial-killer Michael Myers, but with a voice. I cannot wait to read more about him.
That brings me to another plus about Immortalis, and that's the voice. Each character doesn't sound like the author just channeling herself through different filters, but they all sound alive in their own ways. The poker room scene will confirm this for you.
Overall I had a lot of fun reading Immortalis: Carpe Noctem, and I would recommend this to anybody interested in the Urban Fantasy/Dark Fantasy genres.
Picture early Ann Rice without the endless back-stories and you can get an idea of Mrs. Salidas' considerable talent. Her creation of vampire history is superb, and a welcome change from the usual "blood disease, bite and contract" methods employed by her peers.
The pacing of this book is excellent, and could easily be adapted to film because it reads like a movie already. The plot is not overly-complicated, and the characters are three-dimensional.
Of particular interest is Santino Vitale, a hulking ghost of a vampire hunter inspiring visions of serial-killer Michael Myers, but with a voice. I cannot wait to read more about him.
That brings me to another plus about Immortalis, and that's the voice. Each character doesn't sound like the author just channeling herself through different filters, but they all sound alive in their own ways. The poker room scene will confirm this for you.
Overall I had a lot of fun reading Immortalis: Carpe Noctem, and I would recommend this to anybody interested in the Urban Fantasy/Dark Fantasy genres.
July 18, 2012
I read a couple of Katie Salida's books before and fell in love with her style of writing, so I knew I had to get this series. She didn't disappoint, in fact I think I became even more of a fan of hers.
The story draws you in from the very first page and doesn't let go until the very last page. The fact its written in first person is even better, yes you read this right I actually am becoming a fan of first person. What, at least to me is unique, is that you get to experience what its like to be turned and what happens and how the changes effect Alyssa.
I felt every emotion Alyssa felt, from confusion, to anger to finally acceptance. She is a tough, subborn but yet still vulnerable vampire. Lysander, oh how I love him, he is all I want in a vampire, broody, stern but you do eventually get to see his vulnerable side as well. If I had a maker he would be the perfect one to have.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, without a doubt, if you love vampires and wondered what it's like to be a newborn vampire, combined with action, and romance. This book is for you. I already read the second book and can't wait to dive into the 3rd. One thing I hope is that, this series continues on for a long time.
The story draws you in from the very first page and doesn't let go until the very last page. The fact its written in first person is even better, yes you read this right I actually am becoming a fan of first person. What, at least to me is unique, is that you get to experience what its like to be turned and what happens and how the changes effect Alyssa.
I felt every emotion Alyssa felt, from confusion, to anger to finally acceptance. She is a tough, subborn but yet still vulnerable vampire. Lysander, oh how I love him, he is all I want in a vampire, broody, stern but you do eventually get to see his vulnerable side as well. If I had a maker he would be the perfect one to have.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, without a doubt, if you love vampires and wondered what it's like to be a newborn vampire, combined with action, and romance. This book is for you. I already read the second book and can't wait to dive into the 3rd. One thing I hope is that, this series continues on for a long time.
May 16, 2010
Las Vegas is a city of chance. You roll the dice and hope that lady luck is on your side. Unfortunately for twenty-five year old Alyssa, she ended up with a bust. Alyssa gets attacked and is on the brink of death when she meets Lysander.
Lysander is a vampire. He gives Alyssa a second chance at a new life. At first Alyssa does not appreciate that Lysander has turned her. Though with Lysander’s teachings, Alyssa learns what it takes to be a vampire. She is ready to take on Sin City.
Immortalis: Carpe Noctem is a breath of fresh air. It is a nice take on vampires. Ms. Salidas incorporates her love for vampires into this book. It shows. I like how this book described in detail everything that Alyssa experienced as a newly made vampire from the thirst for blood and the smell of it…to the changes Alyssa went through. Talk about having a major crush on the teacher. Lysander is good looking for a dead guy. I liked seeing Alyssa progress from naïve to a creature of the night. I sank my teeth into this book and drank it all in. Katie Salidas will have you craving more. I am anxiety awaiting Immortalis: Hunters and Prey, book two as I enjoyed Immortalis: Carpe Noctem a lot.
Lysander is a vampire. He gives Alyssa a second chance at a new life. At first Alyssa does not appreciate that Lysander has turned her. Though with Lysander’s teachings, Alyssa learns what it takes to be a vampire. She is ready to take on Sin City.
Immortalis: Carpe Noctem is a breath of fresh air. It is a nice take on vampires. Ms. Salidas incorporates her love for vampires into this book. It shows. I like how this book described in detail everything that Alyssa experienced as a newly made vampire from the thirst for blood and the smell of it…to the changes Alyssa went through. Talk about having a major crush on the teacher. Lysander is good looking for a dead guy. I liked seeing Alyssa progress from naïve to a creature of the night. I sank my teeth into this book and drank it all in. Katie Salidas will have you craving more. I am anxiety awaiting Immortalis: Hunters and Prey, book two as I enjoyed Immortalis: Carpe Noctem a lot.
June 22, 2011
I like the more gritty vampire tales like this one. There is a price, an internal conflict among other life changes, to have to live with. Ms. Salidas created this aspect of the vampire world very well. The heroine had no easy go of it. She really had to struggle to adapt to her new life and let go of the old one.
The lore was well thought out, and I appreciated the old Catholic connection (quite inventive). Ms. Salidas creates a great mix of vampire mythology, a wonderful balance between the conventional lore and her own, making it very easy to follow and captivating as well.
What I wanted more of was the hero. He has such a dark, deep presence in the novel, an alpha who makes the heroine tremble from his power and tenderness. I fell in love with Lysander instantly, and his back story was amazing. I want to read that story. The series needs a prequel of Lysander's life before Alyssa - hint, hint ;)
The lore was well thought out, and I appreciated the old Catholic connection (quite inventive). Ms. Salidas creates a great mix of vampire mythology, a wonderful balance between the conventional lore and her own, making it very easy to follow and captivating as well.
What I wanted more of was the hero. He has such a dark, deep presence in the novel, an alpha who makes the heroine tremble from his power and tenderness. I fell in love with Lysander instantly, and his back story was amazing. I want to read that story. The series needs a prequel of Lysander's life before Alyssa - hint, hint ;)
July 10, 2010
what can i say it was awesome i loved it cant wait for the 2nd book to see what the next book brings for alyssa and lysander :0)
November 12, 2017
Alyssa unwisely chooses to walk home alone one night when her friend is unable to meet her for coffee. Attacked by two human males, she is rescued and turned by Lysander. Still trying to navigate the basics of being a vampire, Alyssa's life becomes even more dangerous when she is threatened by the ancient head of a large vampire clan who was once Lysander's mate. At the same time, Santino, a vampire who specializes in hunting and killing other vampires for the Catholic church arrives in town.
A entertaining and quick read. 4 stars.
A entertaining and quick read. 4 stars.
June 20, 2017
I wanted to like this story. But, I must admit that the main character's cluelessness got the better of me around halfway. She is so incompetent that it strained credulity in my mind. I did read through to the end but doubt that I'll go on to the other books in the series.
December 26, 2014
When Alyssa is walking home alone late at night she is brutally attacked by 2 muggers. Lysander rescues Alyssa but she is so badly injured that she is almost dead leaving Lysander no option but to change her into a vampire or watch her die. Waking up to discover she has been turned into a vampire comes as quite a shock to Alyssa - she had no idea that vampires even existed. While trying to come to terms with her new life Alyssa also has to deal with a powerful vampire mistress who isn't happy that Lysander turned her without permission and the Acta Sanctorum - vampire hunters. Will she survive long enough to learn how to use her new abilities?
I first heard about Immortalis Carpe Noctem when I saw it was going on a tour arranged by UK Book Tours, it wasn't a book seen before but it sounded interesting and I couldn't resist signing up to read it. I'm glad I did as I've discovered a new author who I will definitely be keeping an eye on in the future. This book is the first in the Immortalis series and I'm looking forward to reading future books as they are released.
I really enjoyed watching Alyssa deal with being turned into a vampire - she has been introduced to a whole new world without having any choice in the matter. As Lysander says in the book "Becoming a vampire is easy. Living with the condition, that is the hard part" I'm sure Alyssa would agree with this statement! I've not really read anything that covers the issue of being turned without prior knowledge of what is happening and goes into as much detail as this book did. I thought Katie Salidas did a great job of showing how hard that must have been for Alyssa. She had no choice but to leave behind her old life, for their safety she could have no contact with her friends and wasn't able to return to her apartment. Not to mention having to come to terms with needing to drink blood to survive.
I found it quite easy to relate to Alyssa and understand what she was going through. She did complain a fair bit at the beginning but I think that was to be expected in the circumstances. Lysander was a great character but at times he didn't make things easy for Alyssa. He wanted to protect her but didn't always manage to explain his reasons to Alyssa which led her to feel suffocated by him. I enjoyed watching the 2 of them interact with each other though and I really liked the Peregrinus - a travelling group of vampires who were friends of Lysander.
The action in the story was good but a little predictable in places, there was a good twist towards the end though. Overall Immortalis Carpe Noctem was an enjoyable start to a new series. It's one of those stories that crosses the lines between paranormal romance and urban fantasy so I think fans of either genre would enjoy this book. I'm looking forward to seeing what Katie Salidas comes up with next.
I first heard about Immortalis Carpe Noctem when I saw it was going on a tour arranged by UK Book Tours, it wasn't a book seen before but it sounded interesting and I couldn't resist signing up to read it. I'm glad I did as I've discovered a new author who I will definitely be keeping an eye on in the future. This book is the first in the Immortalis series and I'm looking forward to reading future books as they are released.
I really enjoyed watching Alyssa deal with being turned into a vampire - she has been introduced to a whole new world without having any choice in the matter. As Lysander says in the book "Becoming a vampire is easy. Living with the condition, that is the hard part" I'm sure Alyssa would agree with this statement! I've not really read anything that covers the issue of being turned without prior knowledge of what is happening and goes into as much detail as this book did. I thought Katie Salidas did a great job of showing how hard that must have been for Alyssa. She had no choice but to leave behind her old life, for their safety she could have no contact with her friends and wasn't able to return to her apartment. Not to mention having to come to terms with needing to drink blood to survive.
I found it quite easy to relate to Alyssa and understand what she was going through. She did complain a fair bit at the beginning but I think that was to be expected in the circumstances. Lysander was a great character but at times he didn't make things easy for Alyssa. He wanted to protect her but didn't always manage to explain his reasons to Alyssa which led her to feel suffocated by him. I enjoyed watching the 2 of them interact with each other though and I really liked the Peregrinus - a travelling group of vampires who were friends of Lysander.
The action in the story was good but a little predictable in places, there was a good twist towards the end though. Overall Immortalis Carpe Noctem was an enjoyable start to a new series. It's one of those stories that crosses the lines between paranormal romance and urban fantasy so I think fans of either genre would enjoy this book. I'm looking forward to seeing what Katie Salidas comes up with next.
October 2, 2013
I really enjoyed this story with Alyssa and Lysander. Alyssa was turned into vampire against her will. She was dying and the only way for Lysander to save her was to turn her. Becoming a vampire isn’t easy but siring one is drama. I could actually connect to Alyssa. She was so innocent but spunky. The way the author told her story completely entrapped me. You got to connect with the character on so many levels by watching her try and adjust to her new found life but also how she felt about Lysander. Lysander was sexy with an eerie of darkness. There was something off about him but I felt I liked him too much to judge him by that flaw but he would tick me off sometimes because he was so distant. You never knew what he was thinking and not only did that frustrated Alyssa it irked the hell out of me. But again, how can you be mad at a hot vampire. There were many characters that added oomph to this amazing story. I complete love Rozaline and their bunch when they first arrived on the scene. These characters brought out more of Lysander’s and Alyssa personality. Alyssa was learning to love who she was by experiencing it in a different fashion, but sometimes living cam with a price.
This story was interesting. The authors writing style kept me intrigued as we dwelled down the rabbit whole into the beginning of a new turned vampire. But the action is what kept me up all night. Especially since the bad guys would not give our hero his reprieve from his past. Kallisto and her bunch believed that they ruled the world and was forcing Lysander to obey their law. But what got to me most is that Kallisto pretended to be a women scorned. How is it that you cheat on Lysander and mate with Edmond but you are following him no matter where he goes just to insure he is miserable. I think because she still has some feeling for him because he left her rule. Well Kaliisto you cannot have your cake and eat it too. I am intrigued how this story is going to play out in the next edition. I am definitely adding Katie Salidas to my paranormal favorites list.
My recommendation:
I rated this book 4 out of 5 purple Rant hearts and would recommend this book to anyone that loves an intriguing paranormal romance.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the author, editor, publisher, or Promo Host. This is my honest opinion about this book and I did not receive any monetary compensation for writing this review nor was I obligated to write a positive one.
This story was interesting. The authors writing style kept me intrigued as we dwelled down the rabbit whole into the beginning of a new turned vampire. But the action is what kept me up all night. Especially since the bad guys would not give our hero his reprieve from his past. Kallisto and her bunch believed that they ruled the world and was forcing Lysander to obey their law. But what got to me most is that Kallisto pretended to be a women scorned. How is it that you cheat on Lysander and mate with Edmond but you are following him no matter where he goes just to insure he is miserable. I think because she still has some feeling for him because he left her rule. Well Kaliisto you cannot have your cake and eat it too. I am intrigued how this story is going to play out in the next edition. I am definitely adding Katie Salidas to my paranormal favorites list.
My recommendation:
I rated this book 4 out of 5 purple Rant hearts and would recommend this book to anyone that loves an intriguing paranormal romance.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the author, editor, publisher, or Promo Host. This is my honest opinion about this book and I did not receive any monetary compensation for writing this review nor was I obligated to write a positive one.
March 25, 2010
Alyssa was Just trying to have a fun night out after a bad day. Her best friend stand her up leaveing her to walk home alone. Once she is on her way home she is jumped and beaten by a group of men. Then saved by a strange man then her whole life changed in that instant.
Lysander takes pitty on her and desides to change her , feeling if he would have acted sooner on her attackers she would to be lying her dieing.
He brings her to his home and trys to teach her how to acept this new life but Alyssa is very disturbed by haveing to kill to survie and is haveign an extreamly hard time excepting this new life she was suddenly tossed into. she trys to do as Lysander tells her but she is very subbron and is haveing a hard time falling orders and is cousing them both a few issues along the way.
Her turning has brought notice to Lyasander from an old friend and is now threaghtening to kill them both if they do not go to her and persent the new fledgling. Lyssander will not risk Alyssas life so he trys to keep her safe . but with the arrivle of new friends of Lysanders a new threaght has presented its self. There are a goup of Vampire hunters from Rome whos attentions has now been bought to Vages.
In the midts of all this Alyssa finds she is drawn to Lysander but he is always so stand offish she cant read if what she feels is mutual or not.
Will he return her affection? Will the old friend find them before the Hunters do? Can Alyssa learn to accept what she has become ?
I though this book was good it was a quick read it keept you intersted in the whole time. It was very well put together the charectors wre very stong and the story flowed nicely. Its packed with action suspence a little romance and a nice twist at the end you dont see comeing.
Lysander is stong , a bit rough around the edges, overpretective, and lonley . I think at times he is a bit hard on Alyssa and its hard to see if he had feeling for her or not.
ALyssa is beautifull, stubborn, a bit insacure in the this new life, a little winny at times, and has a big heart that may prove to be her biggest weekness.
I enjoyed this book if you have not checked this book out before Click here for Katie Salidas web site ware you can read the first chapter in the book .
Lysander takes pitty on her and desides to change her , feeling if he would have acted sooner on her attackers she would to be lying her dieing.
He brings her to his home and trys to teach her how to acept this new life but Alyssa is very disturbed by haveing to kill to survie and is haveign an extreamly hard time excepting this new life she was suddenly tossed into. she trys to do as Lysander tells her but she is very subbron and is haveing a hard time falling orders and is cousing them both a few issues along the way.
Her turning has brought notice to Lyasander from an old friend and is now threaghtening to kill them both if they do not go to her and persent the new fledgling. Lyssander will not risk Alyssas life so he trys to keep her safe . but with the arrivle of new friends of Lysanders a new threaght has presented its self. There are a goup of Vampire hunters from Rome whos attentions has now been bought to Vages.
In the midts of all this Alyssa finds she is drawn to Lysander but he is always so stand offish she cant read if what she feels is mutual or not.
Will he return her affection? Will the old friend find them before the Hunters do? Can Alyssa learn to accept what she has become ?
I though this book was good it was a quick read it keept you intersted in the whole time. It was very well put together the charectors wre very stong and the story flowed nicely. Its packed with action suspence a little romance and a nice twist at the end you dont see comeing.
Lysander is stong , a bit rough around the edges, overpretective, and lonley . I think at times he is a bit hard on Alyssa and its hard to see if he had feeling for her or not.
ALyssa is beautifull, stubborn, a bit insacure in the this new life, a little winny at times, and has a big heart that may prove to be her biggest weekness.
I enjoyed this book if you have not checked this book out before Click here for Katie Salidas web site ware you can read the first chapter in the book .
September 21, 2016
I had a bit of a problem rating this because I really liked the premise and the writing, but the main character got on my nerves! She is very bratty, whiny, and very immature. She's in college, I think it was mentioned she's 25, but she acts like she is frigging 12 years old, so I had a hard time rooting for her. The story starts with Alyssa being attacked and nearly raped by 2 guys, but luckily Lysander saves her, but it is too late for her to go to the hospital, so because Lysander is a vampire, he turns Alyssa into a vampire. Alyssa proceeds to complain and bitch about being a vampire; just being all around annoying. I mean, if he didn't turn you, you would be dead! Stop being so rude! Lysander is aloof and stiff, but I suppose since he is such an old vampire, that's to be expected. There is romance in this book, but I don't really feel the heat yet. So, most of this book is about Alyssa learning about vampires and how to live as one, which I like vampires, so I liked that stuff, and we also get to know some other vampires, but I didn't really care for any of them. I feel like this is a set-up book, so I am really hoping that throughout the series, Alyssa grows as a person and becomes a bad-ass. I liked the action scenes, and I'm glad about what happened with Kallisto because I didn't want that to drag out. Despite not loving this, I feel like this series could really turn into something great, so I am looking forward to reading the next book!
August 2, 2012
If there was a book that portrayed the raw emotions and reactions that a freshly turned vampire goes through, I’d say this is it. Alyssa is a college student who, after a vicious attack while she walks home from her favorite hang out leaves her near death, an unlikely rescue gives her a second chance at life, as a vampire.
I really enjoyed this book, it was different from other vampire novels in which the heroine takes a long time to adjust to her new life. Her rescuer Lysander is quite patient with her, but she rarely takes heed to his advice and is definitely a rule breaker in a sense, which causes a lot of trouble for him and his clan, who have recently rejoined him in Las Vegas.
I love to see books set in Las Vegas, it’s definitely a versatile place. It makes it easier to hide the bodies! Alyssa definitely is not as mature as you would want her to be, getting into loads of trouble. She has to get used to this new life, for otherwise, death is just around the corner.
A great start for an intriguing series. I highly recommend it. It does contain some adult content and is not a YA book. Just keep in mind.
I received this book via Top Shelf Book Tours for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book, it was different from other vampire novels in which the heroine takes a long time to adjust to her new life. Her rescuer Lysander is quite patient with her, but she rarely takes heed to his advice and is definitely a rule breaker in a sense, which causes a lot of trouble for him and his clan, who have recently rejoined him in Las Vegas.
I love to see books set in Las Vegas, it’s definitely a versatile place. It makes it easier to hide the bodies! Alyssa definitely is not as mature as you would want her to be, getting into loads of trouble. She has to get used to this new life, for otherwise, death is just around the corner.
A great start for an intriguing series. I highly recommend it. It does contain some adult content and is not a YA book. Just keep in mind.
I received this book via Top Shelf Book Tours for an honest review.
April 28, 2010
I picked up this book because I loved Twilight but wanted a more “adult” read, and I got just what I asked for! It took me to a dark, gritty place within few flips of the pages and I was hooked.
Immortalis revolves around the main characters Lysander and Alyssa, after he “turns” Alyssa after a brutal attack that would have killed her had he not intervened. They are up against vampire hunters as well as a vampire “queen”. The character Alyssa was loveable and a little ditzy in places, and Lysander a brooding hunk who seemed impatient with his new charge as she blunders about in her new identity as a vampire.
Salidas paints a very vivid picture, which is a whole lot darker than Twilight, and you’ll go on a journey full of strange mythical characters that somehow makes you believe they exist. You’ll be looking over your shoulder long after you put the book down.
I understand Immortalis is the first of a new series of vampire stories, and I can’t wait to get my hands on the others.
Recommended.
Immortalis revolves around the main characters Lysander and Alyssa, after he “turns” Alyssa after a brutal attack that would have killed her had he not intervened. They are up against vampire hunters as well as a vampire “queen”. The character Alyssa was loveable and a little ditzy in places, and Lysander a brooding hunk who seemed impatient with his new charge as she blunders about in her new identity as a vampire.
Salidas paints a very vivid picture, which is a whole lot darker than Twilight, and you’ll go on a journey full of strange mythical characters that somehow makes you believe they exist. You’ll be looking over your shoulder long after you put the book down.
I understand Immortalis is the first of a new series of vampire stories, and I can’t wait to get my hands on the others.
Recommended.
March 6, 2011
What happens when a vampire saves your life during a near brutal almost rape and turns you? How would you cope with needing, no, thirsting for blood all the time? Even if you don't want to kill another human being to obtain that blood?
This is what happens to Alyssa. She is stood up by her best friend late one night so decides to walk home alone. She is accosted by two unsavoury characters who nearly kill and rape her. Instead, they are killed and she is saved by an ancient vampire, Lysander. Against her will, she is turned into one, not knowing what it is that she is saying yes to in her hurt and brutalised state.
That is the basic storyline of this novel. It isn't badly written but it isn't the best either. It is however good enough to keep anyone's interest if vampires are your thing.
I found Alyssa's character to be irritating and annoying at times, like a petulant child. I suppose at 25 we were all like that once, naive and mature, childlike and adult at the the same time.
This is what happens to Alyssa. She is stood up by her best friend late one night so decides to walk home alone. She is accosted by two unsavoury characters who nearly kill and rape her. Instead, they are killed and she is saved by an ancient vampire, Lysander. Against her will, she is turned into one, not knowing what it is that she is saying yes to in her hurt and brutalised state.
That is the basic storyline of this novel. It isn't badly written but it isn't the best either. It is however good enough to keep anyone's interest if vampires are your thing.
I found Alyssa's character to be irritating and annoying at times, like a petulant child. I suppose at 25 we were all like that once, naive and mature, childlike and adult at the the same time.
March 1, 2011
Once I got into this book, I enjoyed the plotline especially the tales the Lysander tells Alyssa about the ancient times of being with the coven. As a history fanatic this was fascinating. I'd truly love to see his book.
Alyssa is not immediately likeable as I found her a bit weak and selfish, but she grew into her own as the story progressed. Her goodness shines through even when she does a horrendous act.
Lysander is very intriguing and could not resist his charms. He is strong silent and protective. He needs Alyssa and it’s apparent from the beginning.
The conflict between his old coven is touching in it’s sadness. Lysander has so much history with them.
The only writerly issue I really had was words that were two syllables were often separated by a hyphenate when they shouldn’t have been. I’m not sure if this is just an issue in the copy I got or if it made it’s way into production that way.
Alyssa is not immediately likeable as I found her a bit weak and selfish, but she grew into her own as the story progressed. Her goodness shines through even when she does a horrendous act.
Lysander is very intriguing and could not resist his charms. He is strong silent and protective. He needs Alyssa and it’s apparent from the beginning.
The conflict between his old coven is touching in it’s sadness. Lysander has so much history with them.
The only writerly issue I really had was words that were two syllables were often separated by a hyphenate when they shouldn’t have been. I’m not sure if this is just an issue in the copy I got or if it made it’s way into production that way.
February 24, 2013
Man, I didn't really like this book because the main character was so annoying. I only finished it because I was hoping the author would pull a Joss Whedon and kill her off.
Alyssa is a self-pitying 25 year old when she's brutally attacked. Quite brutally. Her attackers are dispatched by the vampire, Lysander, who turns her to save her from dying from her injuries.
So, now we have an immortal vampire who's a self-pitying, whining, screw up. Here's the thing, when you've only been a vampire for a few weeks and your sire tells you you're not ready to go out alone because it's dangerous you should say, "Thanks, for that tip guy who's been alive for 2,000 years and probably knows what he's talking about." Not Alyssa. "Stop trying to keep me caged up, I need my freedom, why don't you trust me?" And then she proceeds to frak up everything she does.
I really need to stop reading books just because there are vampires in them.
Alyssa is a self-pitying 25 year old when she's brutally attacked. Quite brutally. Her attackers are dispatched by the vampire, Lysander, who turns her to save her from dying from her injuries.
So, now we have an immortal vampire who's a self-pitying, whining, screw up. Here's the thing, when you've only been a vampire for a few weeks and your sire tells you you're not ready to go out alone because it's dangerous you should say, "Thanks, for that tip guy who's been alive for 2,000 years and probably knows what he's talking about." Not Alyssa. "Stop trying to keep me caged up, I need my freedom, why don't you trust me?" And then she proceeds to frak up everything she does.
I really need to stop reading books just because there are vampires in them.
May 6, 2010
Review-Immortalis Carpe Noctem is a fast-paced read for those who enjoy a darker urban fantasy novel. These vampires have a bite and aren’t afraid to go for the jugular. Many of the old traditions of vampire lore are upheld but presented with a new twist. Author, Katie Salidas sets her story against the glittering backdrop of Las Vegas, (complete with a few hands of Texas Hold ‘em) and creates a world were rival factions of vampires and a fanatical religious sect are engaged in a bloody war. Newborn vampire, Alyssa is caught in the crossfire of this centuries-old conflict between the powerful Callisto and Acta Sanctorum assassin, Santino that threatens to tear her from her master, Lysander and their coven, The Peregrinus clan. If you thirst for a red-blooded portrayal of vampires, you should definitely take a look at this book.
June 14, 2011
This book is hard for me to rate. While I loved the initial idea of the book, at times, it felt as though it was'nt all coming together. Alyssa, the female lead is only likeable/tolerable at times. Other times, I find myself wanting to skip over her endless inner dialogue. Romance is present in this book but it was a hard sell for me. I felt the two leads lacked chemistry and their one on one interactions did'nt flow as well as I would have liked. The two steamy scenes in this book were nicely written but even then, something was lacking.
There is an interesting supporting cast that helped to keep me interested and there is a lot of action in this book. It too was well written even if some of the scenes tended to drag out longer than needed. While I did'nt actually hate this book, I'm not sure I'll continue with the series. I may come back to it another time.
There is an interesting supporting cast that helped to keep me interested and there is a lot of action in this book. It too was well written even if some of the scenes tended to drag out longer than needed. While I did'nt actually hate this book, I'm not sure I'll continue with the series. I may come back to it another time.
April 17, 2010
Who would have known the vampires dwell in Las Vegas. Katie Saidas does so in her novel Immortalis Carpe Noctem. Katie gives the reader a look into the life of a just turned vampire, Alyssa. Immediately you are drawn into the dark world that she struggles to fit into. Led by Lysander, Alyssa sees both sides of the world and finds that being a vampire isn’t as bad as it seems. That is until the wrathful mother of all vampires shows up in the city of sin. What happens next shows the talent that Katie Saidas has and the thriving power that she puts into her characters. After you read this novel you will defiantly want more.
- Shawn Weaver, Author Sense of Honor
- Shawn Weaver, Author Sense of Honor
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