Blood on Silk

Awakened By Blood #1

by Marie Treanor

The debut of a seductive new contemporary series of vampires, lust, and revenge.

While in Romania researching historical superstitions, Scottish academic Elizabeth Silk comes upon the folk tale of Saloman, a seductive prince staked centuries ago, legend's most powerful vampire. Now, in the ruins of a castle crypt, Elizabeth discovers supernatural legends that have come alive. Her blood has awakened him. Her innocence has aroused him. But Elizabeth unleashes more than Saloman's hunger, and it's going to unite them in ways neither could have imagined.

Genres: Vampires, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Adult

336 pages, Paperback

First published July 29, 2010

About the author

Marie Treanor lives in Scotland with her eccentric husband and three much-too-smart children. Having grown bored with city life, she resides these days in a picturesque village by the sea where she is lucky enough to enjoy herself avoiding housework and writing sensual stories of paranormal romance and fantasy.

You can find out more about Marie and her books on her website: www.MarieTreanor.com.

Catch all her latest news on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Marie-T....
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Join the party on her new blog: Marie Treanor's Romantic Theme Party
http://romanticthemeparty.blogspot.com/

Reviews

[Katya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the last line of this book....

"I AM SALOMAN. GIVE ME MY SWORD!"

~4.75 stars~

This book is the first in a trilogy about vampires. It is a paranormal romance novel but relies heavily on the story line making it feel more like a UF. It is not dripping with romance and sappy lingo. It is not all about the relationship and the characters. This is a story about revenge, world building, betrayal and trust. And the hero, Saloman, is not quite a hero at all. He is a flawed, angry, at times uncaring vampire who appears to hold very little value in the lives of his fellow vampires and humans.

Saloman wakes up hundreds of years after being buried in a crypt and having a stake driven through his heart by those closest to him, including his lover. He feels betrayed and is determined to avenge his staking. a vampire of pure blood who was over three thousand years old. He has unimaginable power and had spent most of his life as a voice & arm behind thrones and powerful political leaders over time. He is feared and known for his ruthless regard for humans and other vampires. Power is what motivated him. He is awakened, week, and in order to regain his full potential in power he needs to drain the blood from his Awakener.

Saloman tells Elizabeth that he needs to kill her in order to gain his full power back but is so drawn to her that he postpones ending her life. Her humanity and spontaneity intrigue him. Theirs takes on a almost love/hate relationship as the story develops. She learns more about how he lived and how hungry he is for power and starts to see how inhumane he can be at times. She also meets vampire hunters who offer to teach her how to kill vampires and why she should join their group...if nothing else but to stay alive. She knows sooner or later, Saloman will come for her and drain her.

But Saloman keeps showing up where ever she is, stalking her, playing cat and mouse with her life. One scene, she wakes up in her house and he is sitting on the edge of her bed smiling at her. ...But always walks away saying he is not going to kill her today. She starts being able to predict when Saloman is around...she get's this feeling on the back of her neck. And he taunts her by telling her that he imagines the interesting conversations he could have with her if he didn't have to kill her.

He is on a revenge bend. His friends and supporters betrayed him along with his former lover (Tsigana). They staked him because they felt he was gaining to much political power and his lover because he refused to turn her. He has had centuries to think about how he will find them and kill them for this betrayal. He is cold hearted and each time he picks off one of his betrayers...he does it without mercy....

But when it comes to killing Elizabeth...he doesn't. He is fighting some inner struggle with his impulse and need to kill her and his pull towards her. Throughout the book he is always sizing Elizabeth up to his previous lover who betrayed him almost as if he is separating them in his mind (or heart???)...Tsigana was power hungry and greedy...where Elizabeth is innocence and learned. Each time he comes close to killing her...he backs away....saving the kill for next time.

There is a pretty hot dance in the club Angel with Saloman and Elizabeth...they come as close to sex in public as you can without actually doing it. Their romance is not the center of this story but the pull between these two...the vampire who needs her life and blood and the hunter who feels it is morally right to remove a power hungry vampire set on conquering and ruling the world can't seem to detach themselves from the growing bond they have for one another. Reading this romance feels like a rubber band is being pulled and the growing constant tension will eventually break the band and explode.

She struggles with these questions: Is he insane? Does he know what he is doing? Is he dangerous for the world? Should he be eliminated? Am I doing the right thing trying to kill him? What do I feel for him? Can she kill him before he kills her? The novel culminates in a showdown between several vampires, Zombies, the hunters, a twice betrayed Saloman and an angry, (he doesn't understand how she could plan his death) and a vengeful Elizabeth.

At the end of the battle, Saloman and Elizabeth are left. She ready to stake him, walks up to him with all this pent up anger and he turns and goes for her neck. In that moment she draws up her fist with the stake and looks into his black eyes and angry face. She will have one shot....and at that exact moment it finally dawns on her.....she loves him. (I know this sounds crazy but the author does a great job building up to this. She tells him....she hates herself for saying the truth, but it is the truth. Stakes are dropped, anger is dissolved and what comes next is a very hot, passionate scene (again in public.)

After a very blissful evening spent in each others arms, she asks when he will kill her and he tells her that he will never kill her. She sadly tells him that when the morning comes that they will go back to being enemies and what they only have now....He nods and kisses her...then he whispers in her ear: "But, Elizabeth, what we have, what is between us, will never be over."

Now this is a goooooood story....I am looking forward to book number two. I read that this will only be a trilogy and that the story resolves in book three. A very enjoyable read! Love it!

Note: There is something about angels too....The author makes a big deal of this...and Elizabeth is reminded of angels over and over....angels in the church where he lived, in her dreams...everywhere. There are angels painted all over his crypt...the crypt of a vampire????? and he hangs out at this nightclub called The Angel who's owner is Angelika and this club has a famous statue in it of an angel. Not sure where this is going yet.

[Euridice · Rating 5 out of 5]

la historia me atrapo, es algo poco comen realmente, o así lo pienso, no se centra en un vampiro conocido, ni tampoco la historia es mala, es un vampiro si se puede decir nacido no creado, pero la manera de volverte vampiro no como un virus, sino mas bien es de una especie algo evolucionada, que puede volver de los muertos. sin embargo, no existen ya muchos de estos, así que la mayoría que queda en el mundo son los vampiros creados.

La mentalidad de saloman es realmente fascinante, no ve las cosas desde un punto de vista de un bien mayor, pero tampoco las ve egoistamente, es natural para e ver las cosas de esa manera, pero para el resto el es un vampiro malvado. no siento que en esta historia todo tenga que ser negro y blanco, mas bien soy del pensar que esta historia contiene mucho de escala de grises que ayudaría a comprender muchas cosas en la vida real.

Elizabeth por otro lado le falta un poco ver mas los contextos que lo enfrente de ella. ya que si hiciera esto vería que puede haber cosas que no son "malvadas", y lo que tal vez es "bueno" la verdad no lo sea.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Review:

The Plot:

An academic researching her thesis, Elizabeth Silk finds herself falling head first into the one myth she's trying desperately to debunk: the existence of vampires.

Believing that vampires are merely an excuse to explain or justify communal threats and unlawful killings, Elizabeth's research is doing a marvelous job at proving her point except for the persistent re-occurrence of one man named Saloman. An enigmatic being that crops up again and again since the birth of Christianity through to the nineteenth century, Elizabeth can't find any evidence of his birth or death as she has for all the other famous "vampires" in her thesis. Frustrated that Saloman's existence jeopardizes everything that she's worked so hard for, when a Romanian villager claims to know of Saloman's final resting place, Elizabeth wastes little time locating his tomb. But when her voracious curiosity has her unwittingly awakening the ancient vampire from his three hundred year sleep, Elizabeth's life is about to be turned up side down.

Saloman awakens to a burning need for blood followed quickly by revenge. Three hundred years ago he was betrayed by those closest to him, murdered in a sense by his friends and lover. Now, while his instinct as an Ancient is to drink his Awakener dry, the spunky courage of his female intrigues him to the extent that he lets her go virtually unscathed. However, she'll not go far for he eventually must kill Elizabeth to regain his full power but in the meantime he'll soak up as much of her as he can. Saloman must also protect Elizabeth from other vampires. There will be those that don't want him to regain his former strength and influential power rendering Saloman's arrogant decision to leave his Awakener alive as dangerously stupid for both him and her. But Saloman wishes to savor his Awakener and will do whatever is necessary to protect Elizabeth for while her death is a surety, he can at least make the moment the most pleasurable of her life.

Clinging to her cynicism, Elizabeth at first believes that the frightening experience in Saloman's tomb was simply an elaborately orchestrated hoax and when three people arrive at her hotel room door the next morning she fully expects to hear their apology before she boots them to the curb. But these people aren't just random pranksters, they're vampire hunters and they need her help to stop the evil that she, in her naivety, unleashed upon the world. They claim Saloman is insane with ambitions to conquer the world and enslave humans to his every whim. As an Ancient, he's nearly impossible to kill and if he's given the opportunity to kill Elizabeth as his Awakener, as well as kill the vampires who conspired in his death, than he'll be absolutely unstoppable. While Elizabeth wants to right the wrong she's inadvertently committed, there's one little problem: she's in love with Saloman.

The Heroine:

Emboldened by a feisty intelligence, Elizabeth's clever mind is balanced by a stubborn naivety, one that gets her into trouble more often than not. She's a loner, a woman who has grown more than accustomed to her independence yet she also retains an intrinsic loneliness that combined with her extreme wariness of others helps keep her alone.

Saloman is the first man to ever make her feel wanted and beautiful and while his desire of her spells Elizabeth's death sentence, she can't stop her heart from wanting him in return. He didn't lie when he said that he'd show her life at its greatest before he killed her for Elizabeth does experience more in the weeks following Saloman's awakening than she's ever experienced in her thirty years. He opens her eyes to an exquisite world, he puts her in the position to make friends with the vampire hunters that are desperately trying to protect her, and most of all, he instills confidence in herself. It's a strange and complex dichotomy that envelopes these two, a dance of push and pull that changes everything.

The Hero:

Saloman, for the first third of the novel, is a being of no redeeming qualities. He's positively lethal with his plain spoken fact that Elizabeth will die at his hand, that their moments together are nothing but a game of cat and mouse as he plays with her heart and her fears. Waiting patiently for his humanity to be revealed, it's his anti-heroism that gradually comes to light.

A three thousand year old vampire, his humanity is truly gone and lost when he first meets Elizabeth. He thinks nothing but of himself and the retribution he deserves with the deaths of those that once conspired against him. Elizabeth however is a perplexing development. Saloman finds her decidedly interesting with her modern ways, feisty courage, and quick intelligence. But it's Elizabeth's complete lack of self awareness and the effortless shine of her inner and outer beauty that inspires Saloman's inner hero. He longs to show her true happiness and what it's like to feel true desire.

Elizabeth's impact on Saloman is nothing short of paramount. She inspires him to pause, to wait for the rage and anger to subside before he makes his kill. Death is so final and it leaves no time afterward for questions. Saloman now waits, tries to understand the motives of his enemies before he strikes - if he strikes at all. And while Elizabeth's death beneath his sensual mouth would return his ultimate power, he resists due to the love that he feels in his heart for the woman that opened the window to his humanity, even if it is a mere crack.

My Final Thoughts:

BLOOD ON SILK is at times a difficult and complex read but its also rewarding. Utilizing old vampire myths, Treanor soaks her novel in a decidedly gothic and dark romanticism. Her vampires are every bit of the cloak and dagger beings from which their haunting legends arose from. They're dangerous, sensual beings with no humanity to speak of and care little but their own existence and the power they feel they're entitled to. The vampire hunters with their slashing wooden stakes also bring a distinctly historic flavor to the read but their advanced technology swiftly brings you back to the present with resounding clarity. This is a layered and beautiful read that if given a chance, one where all angles are viewed, a reader can easily appreciate what the author has done with such antiquated and redundant myths.

A rarity in the romance world, Treanor's use of the anti-hero is a welcomed delight. Saloman's death sentence for Elizabeth is one that feels very real and he's a being that's fully capable and willing to make due on his promise. And while his blossoming love for Elizabeth is perplexing, Saloman does little to reject what he feels for his Awakener. Instead he embraces her and learns from Elizabeth's humanity, implementing her intelligence and researcher heart into his own thought process thereby stilling his lethal instincts. Elizabeth is Saloman's Awakener in every sense of the world. She awakens his heart, his breath, his love, and ultimately his humanity.

As if BLOOD ON SILK couldn't get more any more interesting or complex, there is no traditional Happily Ever After to be had in this gothic romance. However, reader disappointment is eased with the fact that Saloman and Elizabeth's story doesn't finish with simply "the end" but continues on with Book Two, BLOOD SIN. Thank the book gods!

For die-hard vampire romance lovers, don't miss BLOOD ON SILK. If you find that the first third of the novel is slow and thoughts of desertion arise, push through it for the remaining two-thirds are more than worth your earlier efforts.

[Mihaela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read this book back in 2011 and re-read it quite a few times since. I loved it.
Blood on Silk is not a love story. Do not expect the usual drama of a vampire complaining about his condition and trying to change it or the brainless girl/woman who thinks she’s the one who’ll save him. Nope. None of that.
Saloman has spent the last three centuries with a stake in his heart, buried in a crypt beneath a chapel, after those he considered his friends had betrayed him. Now, he’s waiting for his Awakener and planning bloody revenge.
Scottish academic Elizabeth Silk is writing her thesis on historical superstitions, more exactly vampires, and what better place to do it than Romania, the country where Dracula was born. She doesn’t believe in vampires but she’s intrigued when Saloman’s name keeps popping up.
What began as a thesis research will forever change her life and bring her in contact with a world she had no idea it even existed.
Saloman is finally free and ready to get back what was taken from him. But first, those who helped imprison him and their descendants have to die. And Elizabeth is one of them.
I hated Saloman almost the entire book for the way he played with Elizabeth.
BUT, like I said in the beginning, he’s not one of those vampires who feels sorry for themselves. Not even after he’s been betrayed and imprisoned. He’s strong, confident, intelligent, calculating and, yes, his arrogance knows no limits.
He doesn’t rush head first into anything, mostly because he’s perfectly conscious of the fact that he’s not at the top of his strength yet. Instead, he makes alliances and works on building his power by hunting his betrayers one by one.
Elizabeth is a strong character too. Yes, she is attracted to Saloman, but she doesn’t allow her libido to rule her decisions. She’s aware of the danger and that nothing will stop the vampire if he decides to end her life, so she has to find a way to protect herself.
But things are not simple and Elizabeth soon discovers she’s been lied to by those who claimed to be her friends. She’s so much more that Saloman’s Awakener and her role in the story is more important than they told her.
As the connection between her and Saloman evolves, she’ll have to make a decision. To stay, become his toy and eventually be killed or to take her life in her own hands and try to change her destiny.
Action, intrigue, mystery, passion and so much more in this amazing book that you should definitely read as soon as possible. I couldn’t put it down until I was finished.
4.5 stars.
Happy reading!

[Bookaholics · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blood on Silk by Marie Treanor
Paranormal Romance- Sept 7, 2010
4 1/2 stars

Elizabeth Silk, a Scottish scholar doing research in Eastern Europe, has unwittingly awakened the great Saloman - an ancient vampire whose was feared and revered in the past. Saloman, a figure of legends and myth, must be stopped. Vampire hunters from a shadowy organization are amassing to stop Saloman from taking over the world. Elizabeth is torn between her attraction to Saloman and saving herself. She must choose a side. If she chooses to yield to desire, will Saloman spare her life? If she chooses to fight him, can she possibly succeed?

At last, a sensible and mature vampire novel that is so not a Twilight clone. You don’t know how long I’ve been waiting for a decent vampire novel that does not have the girl swooning brainlessly at the feet of her vampire paramour - especially one that sparkles in the sun. This is one of the better vampire novels that are being churned out by the publishing industry nowadays. For one thing, the tension between Elizabeth and Salomar is so skillfully maintained and exciting that I couldsn’t put the book down! To yield or not to yield? That’s the question for Elizabeth. Treanor is a fantastic writer - she kept me suspense me all the way to the end, keeping me hoping and wishing that Salomar and Elizabeth will end up together. Treanor’s pacing is superb; there’s not a single slow or overly sappy/unnecessary page in the book.

But readers, be warned! This is a sexually steamy book. Well, not pornographic, just hot. The love scenes are not gratuitous - it happens for a reason and after all the constant tug-and-pull, readers will feel very, very gratified when the two of them finally come together. It’s inevitable and so satisfying. Still, as this is the first book in the series, be aware that there’s a lot of unfinished business plot-wise, which leaves craving for more. I know I did. The only gripe I have with this book is that it gets crowded and magically out-there at the final fight. Goblins? Who cares about goblins and zombies? We just need humans and vampires. That’s it. I wish writers will stop bringing in the entire supernatural horde and just focus on a smaller cast. Quality over quantity, you know? Thankfully, this small gripe does not bring down the whole book for me.

Overall, great read and an awesome debut by Miss Treanor.

Reviewed by Pauline from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club

[Tori]

DNF

Originally posted at http://www.smexybooks.com/2010/09/rev...

Scottish academic Elizabeth Silk is spending the summer in Romania researching historical superstitions for her PhD. While she is tracing local folktales, one subject in particular sparks her imagination. His name is Saloman, legend's most powerful vampire, a seductive prince staked centuries ago. Now, in the ruins of a castle crypt, Elizabeth discovers the legends are real. Her blood has awakened him. Her innocence has aroused him. But Elizabeth unleashes more than Saloman's hunger.

An army of vampire hunters has amassed to send Saloman back to hell. Sworn to help - yet fearing Saloman's deadly blood lust - Elizabeth seeks to entrap him, offering her body as bait. But something stronger than dread, more powerful than revenge, is uniting Elizabeth to her prey. Caught between desire and rage, Elizabeth must decide where her loyalties lie...and what the limits are to a yearning she can no longer control.

Blood on Silk is a DNF (did not finish) for me. I was unable to connect with this story nor her characters.

The premise was promising. Elizabeth Silk is writing her doctoral thesis on vampires myths and travels Romania for research. When her blood awakens Salomen she is both frightened and attracted to him. A centuries old vampire, Salomen was slain by betrayal and buried for over 300 years. He now rises to re secure his kingdom and wants to rule world. Since she is a descendant of his lover and betrayer; she must die.

The beginning is slow and didn’t capture my attention. I didn’t feel any passion in the writing. Everything reads rather matter of fact. I found Saloman’s lack of humanity to be a huge turn off. I feel his character is trying to be this unbelievably handsome & passionate vampire who we will all love to hate. But I didn’t get that with him. The constant references to how much he can make Elizabeth love to die for him grated on my nerves. I didn’t feel like he loved her or even liked her. His whole attitude is, “I’m a vampire and this is what I do. Deal with it.” Elizabeth has potential but she is portrayed as being so torn between Salomen and her duty that it’s over kill. She is an emotional mess. We are led to believe that Elizabeth’s frantic switching between lust and rage is due to Salomen’s influence on her but honestly, I’m not sure what was going on. I did enjoy some of the other characters-maybe because we only see them occasionally and they are allowed to develop more naturally.

The sex scenes between Elizabeth and Salomen are hot and heavy but the chemistry’s not there. To much emotional angst; it smothers the characters and the scenes.

About halfway through I knew this was not the book for me and could not go on.

I give this a DNF

[Karissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this book up a number of years ago because I liked the cover and the synopsis sounded interesting. It ended up being a pretty stereotypical paranormal romance novel. It was okay but not great. This is the first book in a trilogy.

Elizabeth Silk is a Scottish academic researching her thesis in Romania. She is doing research on the folklore featuring vampires and trying to come up with a theory behind these legends. One legend always escapes her theories though; that of Saloman. By a strange set of circumstances she ends up finding Saloman’s tomb and accidentally awakens him. Little does Elizabeth know how much danger the human race is now that she has awoken one of the Ancient Ones.

This book started out promising. I liked the idea of an academic woman who is researching all these vampire legends. Unfortunately this skeleton of a story was only there to drive Elizabeth to Saloman and have her fall instantly in love with him.

There are a lot of very typical paranormal elements to this story. Elizabeth is a super frigid woman who doesn’t care about sex..until seeing Saloman turns her into a giant raging pulsing hormone of a woman. Even when Saloman is abusing her she is drawn to him and wants him (yawn). Not only that, but Saloman (who is thousands of years old) is completely undone by Elizabeth and falls instantly in love with her.

Saloman is super alpha and uber bossy. Him and Elizabeth can’t stand each other unless they are having really hot and spontaneous sex. The sex scenes themselves were fairly ho-hum...I just wasn’t feeling the chemistry between these two.

There is some plot about Saloman going up against both other ancient vampires and a group of vampire hunters (that Elizabeth ends up involved with). But really most of the story is Elizabeth and Saloman either trying to kill each other or screw each other.

The writing is decent and the story flows decently as well. I just found most of it to be plain silly and very typical, not at all something creative or new. In the end I was glad to be done with it and had absolutely no need to ever read about Elizabeth or Saloman again.

Overall very typical and predictable paranormal romance. I didn’t really enjoy the characters and thought the story was readable but not all that intriguing or engaging. This just wasn’t my cup of tea. On top of that there are a ton of vampire paranormal romance books out there to read that are better than this one. Not recommended.

[Katherine McCarthy · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Is Evil in the eye of the beholder?”

My first thought is how refreshing it is that we have a vampire tale based in the old world of Romania and Hungary that brings us back to its origins. It has been a while.

The main characters are complicated. Their obstacles are staggering and the situation is further twisted by many external influences. Our heroine, Elizabeth, is seemingly apathetic and content to dedicate her life to her research. Then discovers a hidden passion that leads to heartbreaking inner struggles.

After an imprisonment of more than 300 years, Saloman awakens eager to exact vengeance on those responsible. Not surprising. He finds the new world appealing but at the same time morally corrupt, strife with famine and overrun with violence and prejudice. He’s certain he can make a change that will help vampires and humans alike. Only thing is he wants to achieve this by taking over the world.

For this reason, we question is it evil? Well, it depends on how you look at it. Evil is in the eye of the beholder.

Elizabeth doesn’t agree that he should get to decide who lives and who dies. Therein lies the difficulty this couple must overcome. Her mind is at odds with her heart. (A position I would imagine most of us found ourselves in at some point in our lives.)

Although, Elizabeth refuses to accept it, they love each other. To quote his words as they share a night of passion:

“And if I have learned anything over the millennia, it is this: that in love, only the moment matters.”…”For this moment, this night, Elizabeth, I love you.”

I have to say I was unhinged with that scene, and in my opinion, the novel is worth the read for that scene alone.

The epilogue leaves us with a very intriguing scene that will certainly entice me to pick up the next novel in this series (Blood Sin).


My Viewpoint

My opinion is that this novel has a:
• Major bad boy hero,
• Strong-willed heroine,
• Relationship that has challenging times ahead,
• Quests for power, and
• Good vs. bad theme.

That’s enough for me to pick up the next in the series!

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blood on Silk
5 Stars

Synopsis:
An academic researching Vampire superstition in Romania, Elizabeth Silk is tricked into awakening Saloman, the most seductive and dangerous of the species. Saloman needs Elizabeth’s blood to survive but finds himself inexplicably drawn to her innocence, and the two soon find themselves on opposing sides of an age old conflict between humans and vampires. Which will be victorious?

Review:
The characterization and world building are excellent, and the plot leaves you guessing right up until the end. The book contains elements of paranormal romance but leans more toward the urban fantasy genre with first-rate action scenes and an ongoing storyline revolving around the two main characters.

The chemistry between Saloman and Elizabeth is mesmerizing and their scenes together often left me breathless. Saloman is a traditional vampire and while some readers may find him evil and repulsive with questionable morals, the fact that he is “old-school” adds a captivating intensity to his character as well as an additional dimension to the heroine’s struggle with her feelings for him.

Elizabeth is an intriguing character who must come to terms not only with the knowledge that vampires are real but with the fact that she has a personal stake in Saloman’s resurrection and the danger that he poses to humanity. It is fascinating to see her transformation from a studious academic to a fully-fledged vampire hunter.

The secondary characters are well-developed with singular identities and motivations. They are integrated smoothly into the overall storyline and never feel superfluous.

The writing flows smoothly and it is easy to become immersed in the world Treanor has created. I particularly enjoyed Saloman's backstory and the unique explanation of the origins of vampires. Hopefully more details will be forthcoming in the next book, which is set up nicely in the epilogue.

Overall, Blood on Silk is a compelling and exciting read with provocative and thought-provoking characters and themes.

[Lindy Bustabad · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the story fine, but I’ll give this 3/5 mostly because Saloman is hotttttttttttttttttt

[Karielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elizabeth, a captive of academia, is a no-nonsense woman whose trip to Romania is solely for the completion of her thesis. Elizabeth is wickedly smart—sometimes too smart for her own good—but it is the solid head on her shoulders that has gotten her so far in life. And yet, devastatingly, it is Elizabeth, whom, in the first of Marie Treanor's thrilling Awakened by Blood series, accidentally but fatefully brings Saloman, the last of the Ancient vampires, back from his grave. And this is when her safe, sensible life goes perfectly, disastrously awry.

There are so many things about this book that I love—I'm not even sure where to start! The plot is gripping and fast-paced, and the history of vampires in its wake, fascinating. The premise involving Elizabeth's attraction to Saloman is tragic, but absolutely absorbing. As Saloman's Awakener, especially as an Awakener who is a descendent of one of Saloman's original slayers three-hundred years previously, Elizabeth is a powerhouse waiting to be bitten, and yet, an initial spark of attraction—a desperate plea for affection—prevents him from killing her. Lust-crazed, he may be—in his past life, he always got what he wanted: sex and blood—but there's just something about her that keeps him from delaying the prophesied.

The dynamic between Saloman and Elizabeth is charming, witty, and absolutely smoldering! In their first catastrophic encounter, Elizabeth escapes from his clutches by sweet-talking him, and even making him laugh. But after that, it's no longer fun and games; it's power, sweet, succulent power... but in the end, it's desire that consumes them both.

Saloman's quest to take revenge against Zoltán, the evil vampire who has been in rule during his rest, is severely hindered by the distraction that is the naïve and beautiful Elizabeth Silk. During his unpeaceful rest, Saloman had no choice but to be patient, to be dead with his eyes open, but even he knows now it is time for vengeance. Yet the startlingly tender Elizabeth—the surprisingly hilarious and clever girl who's smart in all areas, except for those of herself—prevents him from leading a direct path to Zoltán. To me, this was the typical forbidden love story, nothing original, but I loved it nonetheless. What I didn't really favor was how vampires seem really idealized: all of them are attractive, all of the powerful ones have the same clichéd paranormal powers (telepathy, inhuman speed, etc.), which is a bit annoying. But if that's what it takes to create a character like Saloman, a girl can dream, right? LOL.

The fine lines between love and hate, good and evil, and loyalty and betrayal are crossed, then crossed back in Blood on Silk, and the ride itself will leave you squirming in arousal and panting for breath. Treanor's eloquent, sensual writing style definitely enhances the story. This book was hard to put down and definitely hard to let go of.

As for characters, Treanor does a splendid job fleshing them out really well, both primary and supporting. Elizabeth is extremely relatable, in that she's a quiet sort of beauty, who is still insecure in identity and desire. She is contradictory in herself: lonely but self-sufficient, innocent but cynical, solemn but witty, fearful but unexpectedly bold, reserved but entirely passionate. She's torn between the well-researched, highly driven vampire hunters who only want to help her, and the beckoning of true desire and obscured evil; I think any reader will be able to sympathize with her frustratingly mixed feelings. Having brought Saloman back to "life" (because he's still technically dead... or undead), she has the self-determined obligation to save humanity and put him back to rest, but her unbearable attraction to him tampers with her emotions and he in parallel, prevents her from fulfilling her duties as well.

Saloman, on the other hand, is the exact opposite: sexually experienced, mysterious, and quite shady, but an enchantingly complex and deep character. Not much is revealed to readers about him, aside from what he tells Elizabeth, but he's the most powerful vampire in the world—who are we readers to trust him? I obviously swooned over him... he's such a perfect evil hero! Marie Treanor cunningly and delicately shapes a lovable, devastating vampire, one who's more human than we think. His struggle and greed for power fuels his passion, evil, and destruction, which I think is perfectly portrayed. Saloman is all of alluring, magnetic, and dangerous, and throughout the book, is someone Elizabeth gets to know by heart, but then again, not really much at all. I'm looking forward to discovering more of him in the next book, Blood Sin (review to come!).

Both Elizabeth and Saloman fall for the monster in each other—he, for the enemy and she, for the evil—and in between the throes of passion, both will commit the ultimate act of surrender out of lust. But the question is raised: is it really only lust?

From both characters' perspectives, the shame, humiliation, and lingering insecurity of being in love with someone who may have ulterior motives is so true to life. The torture of Saloman's ever-presence that remains in Elizabeth's mind causes her to behave recklessly, and drives her into an emotional mess... but no one ever said love would be easy. And so readers recognize, love in Saloman was something she did not expect, but to be fair, love in Elizabeth was not Saloman expected, either.

The unworldly and rather reclusive Elizabeth helplessly opens her heart up to Saloman, and he, even more tragically, does the same to her. Treanor magically and precariously sheds light upon the importance of living in the moment, in the name of love, while weaving a heart-pounding, steamy love story about two lost individuals who find each other even under the most extenuating of circumstances.

Pros:
Saloman is a perfectly evil, dangerous, provocative, swoon-worthy, marvelous character // Elizabeth is extremely relatable and likable // Witty, sexy banter // Explosive love scenes // Awesome secondary characters that are also well-developed // Forbidden love is heart-wrenching and equally hot // Plot is well-formed, with many facets explored and still unrevealed // Stylistically smooth

Cons:
Elizabeth reacts lustily every time Saloman remotely comes near her and Saloman has an erection every time she comes remotely near him // Vampires are way too glamorized

Love:
"You really are a bit of a bastard, aren't you, Saloman?"
"Oh no. I'm a complete and utter bastard. One can perfect these things over the millennia."

Verdict:
The pages of Blood on Silk are absolutely scorching hot. From the chemistry between the main characters, to the heartbreaking storyline involving a star-crossed encounter and fate, this modern vampire tale combines the mystique of the world's oldest paranormals, with the enamoring backdrop of Scotland, and it's one you don't want to miss. The characterization is strong, the sex hot, and the love powerful in Marie Treanor's Awakened by Blood debut. False hopes, unconquerable desires, and the repercussions of unspoken longings convey a powerful message in Blood on Silk: that when it comes to love, sometimes doing the right thing, isn't always the best thing

9 hearts: Loved it! This book has a spot on my favorites shelf

Source: Complimentary copy provided by publisher, via Bewitching Book Tours, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you both!)

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plot Summary: Scottish academic Elizabeth Silk is spending the summer in Romania researching historical superstitions for her PhD. While she is tracing local foktales, one subject in particular sparks her imagination. His name is Saloman, legend's most powerful vampire, a seductive prince staked centuries ago. Now, in the ruins of a castle crypt, Elizabeth discovers the legends are real. Her blood has awakened him. Her innocence has aroused him. But Elizabeth unleashes more than Saloman's hunger.

An army of vampire hunters has amassed to send Saloman back to hell. Sworn to help - yet fearing Saloman's deadly blood lust - Elizabeth seeks to entrap him, offering her body as bait. But something stronger than dread, more powerful than revenge, is uniting Elizabeth to her prey. Caught between desire and rage, Elizabeth must decide where her loyalties lie...and what the limits are to a yearning she can no longer control.

Review: I liked the fact that the author didn't try to sugar coat the fact that Saloman was an evil SOB, and has world domination on his mind. After all, he's been "dead" for 312 years, and he wants revenge, badly on those who betrayed him in the past. Including Vampires Karl, Lajos and Maximillan.

Salmon, however, finds himself entranced by Elizabeth's beauty. Even though it is desire to kill her, since she is a decesdant of Tsigana, the human who along with the said referenced vampires, staked Salomon centuries before and the fact that she awakened him.

Salomon is the last reference ancient left alive. A fact that his nemesis Zoltan fully intends to take advantage of by killing him.

The back story with the vampire hunters was okay as well. We actually get to take a look at the inner workings of the organization, as well as it's libraries. It leads to a discovery that Elizbeth has powers of her own, that she had no clue existed. And, each time she slays a vampire, her powers grow.

Of all the vampire hunters, Mihaela is probably the most likable for me. Konrad also comes from a long line of vamp hunters, and if Salomon drinks his blook, he will get even more powerful.

Blood On Silk is the first novel in Marie Treanor’s new Awakened by Blood paranormal romance series with Blood Sin releasing April 2011. This, again, is a new author to me which I find myself doing more and more to keep from getting stale with one particular series and author.

I will go as far as to say that PNR readers may, in fact, be disappointed in this installment. Yes, there are sex scenes, and yes, Elizabeth finds herself desiring Saloman. But, the story is much more about Saloman and his Awakening. Elizabeth just didn't move me as much as Saloman did.

The Good: Saloman’s enthrallment of Elizabeth in the club was an pretty hot and steamy if you ask me. This is the HOLY CRAP that's freaking hot moment.

The Bad: The dialogue was really off kilter. Call it cheesie if you like.

Overall: Bad heroine, Evil SOB vampire. 3 stars

[Cocktails and Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elizabeth Silk is in Romania working on her doctoral thesis on historical superstitions. Through all of her interviews, the name Saloman kept coming up. This name was the one name and superstition that she couldn't disprove, which threw a wrench in her thesis. With a helpful hint by one of the locals, Dmitru, Elizabeth heads to the crypt of a castle ruins (which coincidentally was being demolished from vacation homes. LOL!) in search burial spot of the elusive Saloman.

When she enters the crypt, she's excited by her find...a beautiful sarcophagus of a beautiful man she can only assume is Saloman. As she runs her hands over the sarcophagus, she discovers she dripped some blood on the stone (damn rose thorn). She tries to rub it off the stone lips, but only makes it worse. Instead of continuing down that path, she instead looks for a latch on the sarcophagus. What she gets instead is a painful pinch on her neck and then the sensual drinking of her blood. She manages to escape her attacker, who claims he's Saloman, but she's left wondering if she hadn't imaged everything. The next morning, she learns that not only didn't she image what happened but she had infact awakened the ancient vampire, Saloman. As his awakener, she is now in great danger from other vampire hunters and vampires who wish to kill her for waking Saloman and also from Saloman himself who wishes to kill her as a decent of his original killer and lover, Tsigana, and his awakener.

Elizabeth soon finds herself immersed in a vampire's need for revenge and the vampire hunter's league's need to silence Saloman forever. The only probably, Saloman keeps getting underneath Elizabeth's skin and she finds herself questioning whether she should kill him or love him.

I'm starting to amass quite a Vampire Boyfriend list. Saloman is one of those bad vampires that I just love. He's out for revenge and seems to only worry about himself, but he finds himself torn when it comes to Elizabeth. He knows he must kill her, but he enjoys her too much and wants her all the time, so he finds himself in a strange place with her.

Of course, Elizabeth feels the same way. She knows Saloman means to kills her. She hates him for putting her smack dab in the middle of this vampire nonsense and ruining her thesis (he can't be a superstition if he's real), but she's also drawn to him. The minute he kisses her, all her reasons for hating him go out the window. She knows everyone wants to kill him, but she's not sure if she can really take part in ending her eternal life.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one, especially the push and pull that happened with Elizabeth and Saloman. The ending was cliffhangerish, so I'm glad I had the next book to jump into. Can't wait to see what happens next.

[Ayana · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars! This story truly fascinates me! It keeps me hooked right from the beginning till the end. On top of that, the best part of it that knowing I finished with this, I don't have to wait for the second book because the series is already ended. Yess! No more waiting around with barely suppressed anticipation! Banzai for that. :)

The author of the book done a good job twisting the plots and playing with the characters. Although the whole vampire thing is bit cliche but it has unique spins in it. I admit that I know nothing of Saloman and his story. I even thinking is the name was spelled wrongly? Solomon, yes I've heard but not Saloman (and I kinda figured it is indeed was spelled like that). Who the hell is he? What exactly he is? Vlad the Impaler? Yes I know. Dracula? Definitely. Edward Cullen? Who doesn't? *making face here.. But never I've heard of Saloman and for me, this is the biggest attraction of all. I want to know who he is, his history, myth and all that and as a character, he is an intriguing one. For a moment, I thought I had him figured out but some of his actions kind of missed my predictions. I thought "Oh yeah.. This is gonna be interesting!" while rubbing my hands with glee. ;P The heroine, Elizabeth Silk, is a post-grad PhD student doing her thesis in historical superstitions and I just love her. Unlike most other women who fell down and melted like a puddle of goo at Saloman's feet, she try to resist him (at first though she did after half of the book) with snarky remarks and uncertain libido. Her history also a unique one and makes her all the more "interesting".

All in all, the book is an awesome read. I really recommend it to everyone especially to vampire lovers out there. Off to read the second book! :)

[Jonetta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elizabeth Silk is a Scottish academic working on her thesis about the lore of vampirism and what conditions fostered the "myths." While in Romania, she is manipulated into awakening an ancient vampire, Saloman, who has been stilled in a crypt for over 300 years. The story takes off at this juncture as Saloman seeks to avenge those who caused him to be in repose and to reassume the power he once had. Elizabeth becomes a pawn for so many who have a stake in the matter.

I fell in love with the story, Elizabeth and Saloman and had a hard time putting it aside. Elizabeth and Saloman have an unusual relationship to say the least and Treanor has crafted some of the most seductive writing I've come across in quite awhile. The interplay between them is written brilliantly and on point with the characters. The writing is really good, the pace is perfect, the characters are well defined and the leads are erotically sexy in a GOOD way:) The story is extremely interesting and unpredictable without being absurd. The vampire world is reminiscent of those of old so there are no gimmicks here, simply greed, jealousy, revenge and power struggles at play in a fascinating way. 

It's great that this is a series because I want more. Ironically, Elizabeth is called the Awakener but you can assert that Saloman served the same role for her just in a different way. Only someone as guileless as Elizabeth  could have intrigued Saloman so completely. 

Be forewarned...for fans of the Night Huntress series, this book has a scene in the Angel Club to rival Chapter 32. Enough said. I'm ready for the next book in the series.

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just finished this book and I am still sitting here trying to decide what I think. I overall think it was just ok. Salomon is the typical arrogant 'I've lived for a millenia' vampire, and he definitely lives it to the extent in this book. I like Elizabeth, she is a strong and smart character, most of the time. I am still not entirely sure Salomon is the right kinda vamp to get involved with...he has no qualms about killing or doing any other dastardly vampire deeds.

I definitely felt that some of this book is cliche, there are so many books that use the classical vampire, but I don't think that Ms. Treanor used it to her advantage. I wanted to laugh out loud at a couple of parts because they were just silly to me. The sensual scenes are pretty good, all the way back to the involuntary lust sort of deal. I think it has a tinge of Carpathian flavor as well, but....they are pretty classic vampires to so that could be what I am picking up.

Overall, this book was ok. I will probably give the second book a try just to see where Ms. Treanor takes her loose ends. This is one you will have to decide for yourself on.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

reviewed by http://urbanfantasyinvestigations.blo...

I wasn't sure how I would feel about BLOOD ON SILK and it took me a really long time to even pick it up and read it. The book ended up being one of those OMG why did it take me so long to read you books. I enjoyed Elizabeth's character. She has a strong knowledge of the things she enjoys and has no troubles staying on course. When Soloman drops into her life she is torn between duty and desire. I wasn't sure about Soloman at the beginning but he slowly grew on me and became a favorite character of mine. The plot was well spaced out and played out in a way that kept me interested. I felt BLOOD ON SILK was a great start to the series.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK...Here's a REAL concept on Vampire love. He's a stone cold killer, he's awakened from a murder attempt, and fallen for his unplanned for "Awakener". She's a scholar and believes in the good in people...and unknowingly releases evil back in to the world after a long enforced sleep. Will love conquer all, will these two combine to create a passion no one could foresee? It's a bumpy ride and well worth the ticket. So get on board...I can't wait to crack open the next in this series!

[Ashley · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointed. I didn't even get past the twenty-third page before I threw the book away. Let's be real. By page 23, what could have been an interesting novel was already porn. I wouldn't recommend it, I wouldn't read it, and I wouldn't even sell it. On a literary point, the characters were weak and poorly portrayed.

[Katie(babs) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very blah and dry. The sex scenes were okay but not connection between the two main characters.

[Erika Celeste · Rating 4 out of 5]

Treanor's twist on the typical vampire drama/love story was very entertaining to read. The story focuses on the young academic, Elizabeth Silk, who upon researching for her thesis discovers a world which she presumed to be part old folktales. Seduced and enthralled by her discoveries she soon must make a choice of giving into her desires or saving humankind from discovering that the world is not as ordinary as it seems. Looking forward to the next book in the series!

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

From academic nerd to hunter-in-the-making Elizabeth Silk is a very different kind of Vampire Slayer/Romantic Interest.

The trilogy has been waiting for me to read for years, before the middle of May will have managed to do exactly that while trading off this series with digital reads as a change of pace.

[Jennifer Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had me from the first page and kept me tantalized on the edge of my seat with the will he or won't he, and what will she choose to do and if they will end up together or will there opposite sides keep them apart forever, I can't wait to read the next one.

[Barbara ★ · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good story but nothing new added to the vampire genre.

[Christy Bustabad · Rating 5 out of 5]

This trilogy is my all time favorite. I read it so often, sometimes as a “palate cleanser”! I was BEYOND happy to stumble across the many spin offs on the hunter characters!

[Johanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blood on Silk
(Awakened by Blood, Book #1)
by Marie Treanor

Genre: Paranormal Romance | Fantasy

Scottish academic Elizabeth Silk is spending the summer in Romania researching historical superstitions for her PhD. While she is tracing local foktales, one subject in particular sparks her imagination. His name is Saloman, legend's most powerful vampire, a seductive prince staked centuries ago. Now, in the ruins of a castle crypt, Elizabeth discovers the legends are real. Her blood has awakened him. Her innocence has aroused him. But Elizabeth unleashes more than Saloman's hunger.

An army of vampire hunters has amassed to send Saloman back to hell. Sworn to help - yet fearing Saloman's deadly blood lust - Elizabeth seeks to entrap him, offering her body as bait. But something stronger than dread, more powerful than revenge, is uniting Elizabeth to her prey. Caught between desire and rage, Elizabeth must decide where her loyalties lie...and what the limits are to a yearning she can no longer control.

Elizabeth is finishing up research in Budapest when she gets a tip about a historic castle tale that would be a great contribution for the historic superstition thesis she is working on for her doctorate. Upon her visit, she discovers a secret tomb and accidentally awakens that last ancient vampire. While vampire rules decree that Elizabeth's blood upon death will fully strengthen the ancient Soloman back to full power, she becomes equally frightened and tempted by his mocking and lustful ways. Thus, as the two wickedly banter back and forth, Elizabeth pursues other options in hope to remain alive and joins a local vampire hunter organizations to learn techniques in taking down the undead. Yet, while the vampire world around them is all abuzz with the new arisen ancient and as her feelings for Soloman grow deeper as well as her mental bond with him develops new shocking abilities for herself, Elizabeth must decide just which side she should choose.

I had delayed reading this series for awhile now and am kicking myself for it, since it was a wonderfully enjoyable book that I should have read long ago. I quickly bonded with Elizabeth and relished in the fact that she was a strong, likeable female lead by solely being studious and brave without coming off as overly cocky or too fragile. On the flip side, Soloman was very charismatic and amusing and their interactions together really complemented each other and created an easily believable love-hate relationship that kept me, as a reader, turning the pages late into the night. The silly mockery between Soloman and Elizabeth really kept the story alive for me and seeing that relationship evolve throughout the story while each were being torn away due to being different added much spark to the tale and had me jumping right into book #2 of the series as soon as I finished. So, if you're wanting a juicy paranormal romance with a bit of a comedic twist, you won't miss out with Blood on Silk.

Likes: As a cultural/superstition history buff, I was easily fascinated by Elizabeth's work.

Dislikes: I wasn't really a fan of the vampire hunters, but can understand how their presence in Elizabeth's life added much tension to the story due to the fact that she had to keep her attraction to Soloman secret.

[Isalys B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Note: Read and reviewed for The Season for Romance.

Treanor crafts a mature, oftentimes witty and suspenseful story with provocative and compelling characters.

Elizabeth Silk is a Scottish Academic who visits Romania to acquire research material for her thesis. During her visit, she is led to the supposed grave site of an ancient vampire who was revered and feared for many centuries but has now become the stuff of legends and stories. While inspecting the crypt, she unwittingly awakens the great Saloman from his 300-year slumber. A once bloodthirsty and ruthless leader of vampires, Saloman now craves two things: Elizabeth and power.

Elizabeth quickly learns that vampires aren’t just myths but an all-too-real threat. She is approached by a secret organization of vampire hunters who are amassing to stop Saloman from his quest of power and human domination. Elizabeth is torn between her unnatural attraction to the seductive Ancient and her need to save herself – for she knows that Saloman’s ultimate return to power will come in the form of her death.

In this novel, Treanor crafts a mature, oftentimes witty and suspenseful story with provocative and compelling characters. I was delighted to read that Saloman was a traditional, villainous vampire. I have read many paranormal novels and I find that vampires are becoming overly romanticized. Treanor goes back to what vampires used to be, charming monsters. Elizabeth was a great heroine in that she was smart, funny and strong-willed. She did not simply swoon brainlessly at the feet of her vampire paramour. The sexual tension between Saloman and Elizabeth was deliciously and skillfully maintained throughout the novel. It was this very tension that led to some gratifying love scenes for both the characters and the reader.

One of my favorite qualities of this book is the dialogue. The banter between Elizabeth and Saloman was amusing because Saloman almost couldn’t believe how Elizabeth could seem so fearless. She verbally cut him down as if he was no more than a regular, annoying guy. Equally funny were some of the conversations between Saloman and his closest vampire “friend” who tried to educate him in the ways of a modern world that includes escalators, nightclubs and paper money.

Truth be told, the one thing I could have done without were the brief introductions of other various supernatural creatures such as goblins and zombies. Although they served a purpose in the story, I feel that the story would have done just as well without them. Understanding that supernatural creatures are increasingly popular these days, it is all too easy for a story to become inundated with them. However, at the end of it all this did not hurt the story or its ending.

Overall, the novel was well-written and well-paced with no lags in the storyline or overly sappy moments. As the first book in a new series, there remain some unanswered questions and unfinished business. It is these loose ends that have me looking forward to the next installment.

[Sandy M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve finally found that good vampire story I’ve been looking for lately. I’ve been putting vampire book after vampire book aside, they just didn’t pique my interest. But after receiving a couple of emails featuring Blood on Silk, I was intrigued enough to begin reading. I’m so very glad I did.

What I like the most is Ms. Treanor has given us her different take on the usual vampire story. While staking is still a way to kill a vampire, our hero, Saloman, is an Ancient, one of the last, and more than mere staking has to be done to kill him. His betrayers, the few who are left three hundred years later, are finding they should have taken that extra step now that he’s been awakened by Elizabeth Silk, who is working on a thesis concerning vampire lore in the Romanian mountains and who just happens to be a descendant of Saloman’s former lover - and one of his betrayers. But when the time comes for him to take his awakener’s life, her blood making him stronger than ever, he hesitates and allows Elizabeth to live.

However, Elizabeth plays a good game when it comes to her life or her death. Having first to deal with the fact that vampires are real, shattering her non-belief in such things, she suddenly gives in to Saloman’s sexual demands - though, if she’s honest, she’s as turned on and wants him as much as he wants her - she pulls off the unexpected and walks away intact. To fight another day. And she takes the fighting seriously, learning all the right moves from local vampire hunters. Elizabeth’s new goal is to eliminate Saloman, but the closer she moves in that direction the more confused she becomes, because she also still desires the creature and time after time buckles under that desire when with him. And those scenes are intense and sizzling hot. Saloman has a lot of time to make up for when it comes to sex.

There’s several times during the book I wondered when Elizabeth was really going to chuck everything and go where she belongs - with Saloman. Then I have to remember to tell myself this is an urban fantasy, this story will be strung out over a number of books. ACK! I normally don’t like urban fantasy because I’m one of those readers who likes my HEA tied up with a big, red bow at the end of a book. But Ms. Treanor keeps the intrigue, the mystery, the betrayal, the on-edge desire and so much more going page after page, along with the allure of Saloman, that this time I really don’t care I’m being baited from book to book. Especially when I read the excerpt at the end of this book for the next in the series - something I usually don’t do - and the intrigue and Saloman’s enticing magnetism is still there even in those few pages. I’m hooked!

So much happens in this book. This is only a very top-of-the-iceberg review. Be sure to pick it up soon, because the next one, Blood Sin, is due out in April. BoS is definitely worth a day on the couch with no interruptions until it’s read, and I know Blood Sin will be the same.

See my complete review at http://www.goodbadandunread.com

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say, the more I blog the more surprised I seem to get with each book I read. I really lived a very sheltered life within my world of books, I usually didn't go outside of my favorite authors and was quite happy to stay there, and then one day I finished the book I was reading and went to my shelf to get another and low and behold every obsessed readers nightmare.........my shelf was empty lol. I didn't have anymore books to read. So I said to myself "Away to the Internet to see if one of my favorite authors has released anything new for me to buy". So off I go to the Sony ebook store and found some good books and happened to look at one of the reviews, which took me to the Goodreads website, which got me talking to some bloggers which brought me to having my own blog, which totally got me reading way outside of anything I usually read.

I have to say I have never been so happy. I would not have had the absolute privilege of a lot of very amazing authors. So here I am blogging as part of a book tour for Bewitching Book Tours and again I have found another amazing series that I am proud to recommend. So now that I have babbled on about my journey to this point lol (sorry lol) I will share my thoughts on this wonderful series.

Since I have read all three books, I am going to review as a whole set instead of individually :)
So to start with, we have two main characters which absolutely drew me right into their story, you can the pull and attraction they are fighting, especially since they are meant to kill each other. Marie does an incredible job at making you FEEL the attraction they have for each other. In the second book you see Saloman and him being so stubborn in not sharing his feelings for Elizabeth, and she keeps denying him, but also her loyalty of her feeling for Saloman, and so it carries on to the third book as Elizabeth gets somewhat obsessed with Saloman. It truly is a great love story you wont want to miss out on.

All three books are superbly well written, I was hooked from book one and couldn't turn the pages fast enough to get to book two, well if I wasn't hooked from the first book I was with the second and on to book three I went, I love Marie's writing style, it just flows so smoothly, she takes you right into their worlds with such description I almost felt like I was right there. The whole story is such a refreshing new story line and so exciting from page one to the end and into the next book and then the third, my advice is to make sure you have all three books when you start reading or you will find your self at the book store minutes before it closes to get the next one.

Now if I say anymore I will be giving away and spoil the story for you all and we all know how much I hate doing that to anyone, so I will be finished now and just say, go to the store now or online and order your set of this amazing series, I cannot wait for the next book. Enjoy everyone, I know I did.

[Beleth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Elizabeth Silk es una escocesa que está en Rumanía investigando leyendas y mitos sobre vampiros. Todos los habitantes recuerdan una sobre un ser especialmente cruel: Salomon. Supuestamente murió en 1697 al ser estacado por sus enemigos. Ella tiene una teoría, que todas estas leyendas están basadas en sucesos que en realidad tuvieron lugar pero que no ocurrieron exactamente así, lo llega a comparar con la quema de brujas tan famosa ya que tuvo lugar en medio mundo. Y esto es precisamente lo que ha venido a investigar para su tesis.

El problema empieza cuando Dimitriu, uno de pueblo, le dice donde encontrar la tuma de Salomon y ella, inocente que es, cae directamente en la trampa. Sí, encuentra la drua y fría tumba de blanco mármol pero, por error, unas gotas de sangre caen justo encima de los labios de la figura de la tumba.

Elizabeth no lo sabía, pero esta era la única forma de despertar de nuevo al terrible vampiro y, lógicamente, Saloman no va a desaprovechar la oportunidad de quedarse con la chica (muy guapa, por cierto) y de vengarse de los que le encerraron hace ya más de 300 años.

Al mismo tiempo, todavía existe una organización que pretende acabar con los vampiros y se dedica a proteger a los pobres humanos de ellos estacándolos sin ton ni son. Cuando se enteran de la burrada que ha hecho Elizabeth tratan de protegerla y la usan como cebo para atraer a Salomon. Obviamente las cosas se torcerán bastante cuando empiecen a surgir sentimientos entre ambos....y empezarán los problemas, los de verdad.

Para ser el primer libro de una serie está bastante completito y repleto de situaciones límite. Me han gustado mucho los dos personajes, especialmente Salomon, y la relación que va surgiendo entre ellos poco a poco. Al principio Elizabeth no tiene muchas ganas de estar con él pero va cambiando de idea según va aprendiendo cosas de su terrible pasado y descubre lados de él que nunca nadie había visto antes. Eso sí, Salomon tiene muchas ganas de dominar el mundo y acabar para siempre con sus enemigos, cosa que desencanderá más de una sangrienta pelea y riñas entre amantes.

Una pequeña pega que tiene el libro es la forma de narrar a saltos que tiene la autora. Vamos dando brincos de uno a otro personaje en mitad de las páginas sin saber muy bien donde nos encontramos en cada momento y, a veces, es un poco complicado seguir la historia y saber con los ojos de quién estamos viendo lo que sucede.

Hay mucha acción, más de una sorpresa que la autora se guarda en la manga, y desde luego vampiros a montones. Visitaremos la ciudad de Budapest y recorreremos sus calles y castillos.

Un primer libro más que prometedor y que me ha dejado con muchas ganas de leer más y ver qué sucede finalmente entre la pareja protagonista.

3.5/5