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Blood Thirst #1
The Undead Heart
Rebecca Stockdale had enough issues in her life; parents that hated her for the strange abilities that she had been born with, she was about to move away from her sister and only friend, Bev, and she had had a really bad date that would change her forever.
Just when she was about to escape the drama that she had always lived in, Richard, a vampyre, walked into her life and shattered her reality with one request; travel back in time to 1888 to stop a psychopathic vampyre bent on revenge and save the family she never knew she had.
She would be joined on her journey by a band of vampyre hunters. Hunters who, centuries ago, had vowed to slay all vampyres. A vow they set aside to protect the family that they had come to love, knowing that the outcome of that decision would be an eventual battle. A battle of decapitation and blood; a battle they may not survive.
She was leaving a life she would kill to get away from for a family she would gladly die to protect, but could she do it? Could she make it back alive? Did she possess the strength and courage it would take to change the past and save their future?
She was about to find out.
The Undead Heart is a tale of love, life, horror, humor and family and is the first novel in The Blood Thirst Series.
Just when she was about to escape the drama that she had always lived in, Richard, a vampyre, walked into her life and shattered her reality with one request; travel back in time to 1888 to stop a psychopathic vampyre bent on revenge and save the family she never knew she had.
She would be joined on her journey by a band of vampyre hunters. Hunters who, centuries ago, had vowed to slay all vampyres. A vow they set aside to protect the family that they had come to love, knowing that the outcome of that decision would be an eventual battle. A battle of decapitation and blood; a battle they may not survive.
She was leaving a life she would kill to get away from for a family she would gladly die to protect, but could she do it? Could she make it back alive? Did she possess the strength and courage it would take to change the past and save their future?
She was about to find out.
The Undead Heart is a tale of love, life, horror, humor and family and is the first novel in The Blood Thirst Series.
362 pages, Paperback
First published June 8, 2010
14 people are currently reading
455 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
December 21, 2010
First, I must say Ms. Jackson has an incredible gift for creating stories! She reminds me of those bards of yesteryear who could sit down and tell a story that would leave their audience enthralled and begging for more. Unfortunately those bards TOLD a story rather than WROTE the story. The mechanics in this book need a lot of work.
To name a few:
1. The tenses were often mixed up. In one sentence past tense was used, “she was sitting...” but then the following sentence would switch to present tense, “she gets up”. Not good.
2. Unbelievable discrepancies. Situations such as after Beck was raped, she walks to the hospital. We read of all her broken and crushed bones, least of which is her pelvis. That just could not believably happen. A person is not able to walk with a crushed pelvic bone. Even in a paranormal where suspended belief is expected, the reader must be able to buy into the reality of the story.
3. Even when writing for an adult audience, explicit language should be used with caution. Sprinkled here and there, words can add intensity to the dialogue. Used gratuitously they’re just offensive and distract from the story and here, gratuitously could be an understatement. Overuse also offends a large portion of readers.
As far as characters were concerned many were written very well. Unfortunately those were not the Hero and heroine. Beck, the heroine was horribly abrasive, especially to Richard, the hero - and the one she was supposed to be in love with. I quit counting the times she would "scream" at him rather than just reply to his comments. For his part, Richard was portrayed as a complete wuss, cowering in her presence and apologizing constantly. That is just no fun to read about. How can we root for a totally unsympathetic heroine and her doormat lover?
Ms. Jackson's potential is great, IF she can work out all those rough spots.
July 8, 2010
At first I liked the main characters and often laughed when they were arguing, but then it got to be too much. Suddenly Beck went from a strong and independent woman to really bitchy, careless, just mean and kind of a bully, I felt sorry for Richard.
The most problem I had was the writing..It was a bit dry and very poorly written. It felt like everything was rushed in the beginning and I did like reading when she went back in time but then when she came everything was just a mess, there were too many characters, I had a problem of identifying who as who and not to mention lots of random happenings of to be honest nothing interesting. And when she started to ask every single one how they were turned I have to admit I skipped a page or two.
Overall I did like the idea of the story, but the book should have ended after she came back and then started with the second book from there.
The most problem I had was the writing..It was a bit dry and very poorly written. It felt like everything was rushed in the beginning and I did like reading when she went back in time but then when she came everything was just a mess, there were too many characters, I had a problem of identifying who as who and not to mention lots of random happenings of to be honest nothing interesting. And when she started to ask every single one how they were turned I have to admit I skipped a page or two.
Overall I did like the idea of the story, but the book should have ended after she came back and then started with the second book from there.
August 19, 2010
I don't know how to begin to describe this book. First and most important -- I really liked it. I had some technical difficulties with my Kindle but I can't blame the writer despite the fact that the missing sentences made it a difficult read. None the less, Tate Jackson did a wonderful job building her vampire culture. She took great pains to make sure readers got to know the characters and understood their motivations. The primary characters, Beck and Richard are like no other paranormal couple I have come across. I know so many women like Beck, cuss first, apologize later. She is a spitfire. Richard is laid back for the most part until you mess with Beck or piss him off about Beck.
The vamps live as brothers and sisters in a community they built for themselves alongside vampire hunters that they have befriended. Think of a sixties group living enviroment without everyone sharing their bodies with one another. There were some vamp characteristics that I personally don't care for such as vamps walking around in the day, shopping at Walmart, or the lack of fangs. I got over this quickly because the story had heart and lots of laughter. I laughed out loud so many times that I nearly dropped my Kindle. When I was not laughing, I realized I was smiling. It felt good to follow these characters through their day. I felt like I was reading about the trials and tribulations of a big family trying to deal with unusual day-to-day events. There is a cliffhanger at the end but for once, it did not bother me. I was expecting it.
I do not understand what that cover is all about but hey, the book was fun and I will read the next one for sure.
The vamps live as brothers and sisters in a community they built for themselves alongside vampire hunters that they have befriended. Think of a sixties group living enviroment without everyone sharing their bodies with one another. There were some vamp characteristics that I personally don't care for such as vamps walking around in the day, shopping at Walmart, or the lack of fangs. I got over this quickly because the story had heart and lots of laughter. I laughed out loud so many times that I nearly dropped my Kindle. When I was not laughing, I realized I was smiling. It felt good to follow these characters through their day. I felt like I was reading about the trials and tribulations of a big family trying to deal with unusual day-to-day events. There is a cliffhanger at the end but for once, it did not bother me. I was expecting it.
I do not understand what that cover is all about but hey, the book was fun and I will read the next one for sure.
July 25, 2010
Me and 13 of my friends read this book. I wasn't expecting much but it is hands down the best book I've ever read. It has something for everyone in it. If you haven't read it yet, then your missing out. It;s much better that Twilight because its for a more adult reader. It's available from www.amazon.com. it's a series so we cant wait for the next one to come out. All 13th of us cant wait.
March 26, 2013
I hate this book. The vampire character is so so cheap. The plot is not unique at all. I don't think I am up for this review unit. :(
August 12, 2010
Of course I love it, I wrote it!
November 28, 2010
I'm sorry, but I just couldn't finish it.
I felt that the storyline was there but the characters still needed alot of work. Everyone seemed to love Beck instantly and it was never explained why except that Jackson wanted them to. Although some of the characters began to sound interesting they needed alot more fleshing out as they all seemed to act the same until they blurred together.
The beginning was rushed and the middle seemed to drag on for a bit too long. I appreciated the research that had been put into the Jack the Ripper case but the research wasn't consistant or believable with other aspects of the story (the time machine and employers for example).
Beck was alright, but she started turning into a bitch and it seemed that her character would start to swear or get into arguments just to sound badass. Richard was really interesting at the start but then started to become very weak and emotional.
All in all, I think Leso turned out to be my favourite character. I do think it's a good start for a first book, and I congratulate Jackson on that, there have definately been other books I've read that were worse, but this just wasn't my cup of tea.
I felt that the storyline was there but the characters still needed alot of work. Everyone seemed to love Beck instantly and it was never explained why except that Jackson wanted them to. Although some of the characters began to sound interesting they needed alot more fleshing out as they all seemed to act the same until they blurred together.
The beginning was rushed and the middle seemed to drag on for a bit too long. I appreciated the research that had been put into the Jack the Ripper case but the research wasn't consistant or believable with other aspects of the story (the time machine and employers for example).
Beck was alright, but she started turning into a bitch and it seemed that her character would start to swear or get into arguments just to sound badass. Richard was really interesting at the start but then started to become very weak and emotional.
All in all, I think Leso turned out to be my favourite character. I do think it's a good start for a first book, and I congratulate Jackson on that, there have definately been other books I've read that were worse, but this just wasn't my cup of tea.
November 24, 2010
Loved it
Loved it
Loved it
Beck isn't you average girl when she meets richard
she find out exactly how odd she is.
Richard is a vampire who drinks animal blood.
he is also married to Beck.
add a bit of Timetravel and you have yourself a very entertaining book
Richard has his flaws, but Beck keeps him in line.
he has a tendency to treat Beck as a very fragile female human.
she isn't and she constantly reminds him of that.
i am eager to read the next book.
Loved it
Loved it
Beck isn't you average girl when she meets richard
she find out exactly how odd she is.
Richard is a vampire who drinks animal blood.
he is also married to Beck.
add a bit of Timetravel and you have yourself a very entertaining book
Richard has his flaws, but Beck keeps him in line.
he has a tendency to treat Beck as a very fragile female human.
she isn't and she constantly reminds him of that.
i am eager to read the next book.
August 4, 2010
Wonderful novel. I loved just about everything about the book but it did make me cry at the end {you'll see why}. I'm hooked and will be waiting impatiently for the 2nd one. I loved the way she did the time travel. And I love the way she incorporated so much humor into the book. It's a must read!
December 2, 2010
Rebecca Stockdale aka Beck is a very strong willed character and very intelligent. She has always been different in that she knows when someone is telling a lie, and she has an affliction with electricty. She doesn't feel sorry for herself when bad things happen to her. Her parents have hated her and never really supported her in anyway and even tried to interrupt her wedding. Thankfully she has a sister that is a few years older and wicked cool. When Beck is beaten up and ends up in the hospital thanks to a freaking dipwad, it is her sister that is there for her. I love the sisters relationship and how it remains strong throughout the story.
The chemistry between Richard, the vampire, and Becca is not unlike that of Cat and Bones of the Night Huntress series. There are plenty of fireworks when they have sex, and they have plenty of fights, because Richard wants to protect her from evil, and Becca believes she is fine without all the coddling. But, in the end, they are soul mates. Becca even has the ability as Richard's soulmate, to make his heart beat.
I liked the aspect of going back in time to explore Jack the Ripper and discovering who the killer really was. Becca, however, after going back as part of the Jack the Ripper time travel experiment, has other ideas. She wants to save Richards vampire family from Elderson.
I love the ending where Elderson demands that Becca come to him.
“Come to me,” Elderson commanded, catching her gaze.
Beck asked Richard, “Is he trying to mesmerize me?”
“Yes, he is.”
“That doesn’t work with me, but I’ll tell you what. If you want me so
badly, then come get me,” she challenged.
Love it! Just like something Cat would say to Bones when being challenged by a ghoul or another vampire.
If you are looking for vampires, then this is your story. There even an interesting twist to this storyline in that hunters and Vampires live and work together and consider each other to be family.
This is the first book in the series, and yes the author left the ending open for the next book. That's fine. It gives me something to look forward to. Thanks to Ms Tate for allowing me to read this book, and review it. Good luck on the sequel.
The chemistry between Richard, the vampire, and Becca is not unlike that of Cat and Bones of the Night Huntress series. There are plenty of fireworks when they have sex, and they have plenty of fights, because Richard wants to protect her from evil, and Becca believes she is fine without all the coddling. But, in the end, they are soul mates. Becca even has the ability as Richard's soulmate, to make his heart beat.
I liked the aspect of going back in time to explore Jack the Ripper and discovering who the killer really was. Becca, however, after going back as part of the Jack the Ripper time travel experiment, has other ideas. She wants to save Richards vampire family from Elderson.
I love the ending where Elderson demands that Becca come to him.
“Come to me,” Elderson commanded, catching her gaze.
Beck asked Richard, “Is he trying to mesmerize me?”
“Yes, he is.”
“That doesn’t work with me, but I’ll tell you what. If you want me so
badly, then come get me,” she challenged.
Love it! Just like something Cat would say to Bones when being challenged by a ghoul or another vampire.
If you are looking for vampires, then this is your story. There even an interesting twist to this storyline in that hunters and Vampires live and work together and consider each other to be family.
This is the first book in the series, and yes the author left the ending open for the next book. That's fine. It gives me something to look forward to. Thanks to Ms Tate for allowing me to read this book, and review it. Good luck on the sequel.
November 29, 2010
I can honestly say -once again- that I fell in love with a new paranormal series!
Rebecca Stockdale (Beck) is not your average teenager. Her parents hate her, she has no friends other than ghosts (and her sister Bev), she can sense other peoples feelings, and has a slight electrical problem. If her emotions were high she has been known to blow out light bulbs, applicances, and shock people with static electricity during storms.
Then she meets Richard, a secret childhood hero of hers that saved her from many accidents (though since never actually meet him yet, she referred to him as "The Man"). Richard soon explains that he is actually her lover and soul mate back in time. He is also a sexy and handsome vampire ;)
She's a time traveler.
She was sent on a mission in time (at age 26) to find the identity of man "Jack the Ripper" that killed several women in 1888. When there she meets Richard.
In time, caught between a battle with vampires and hunters (made to kill vampires with thier own special powers, who are also immortal, human and have all vampire abilities except dinking blood), and one crazy vampire seeking revenge on Richard -their journey begins in a amazing story about Love, Family & Survival. Also a book you will not want to put down with its humor!
I cannot wait for the next book. There isn't anything that I can think of that I didn't like about this book. The plot is amazing! I love all the characters especially Beck and Richard, they are both funny and loving. Beck is a strong person and will tell you straight up, that's what I love most about her.
I love the family bonding between all the charaters and protectivness. I love how sometimes everything falls into place. There was a cliffhanger in the end but that just lets me know there's more to look foward to! Can't Wait! :)
Rebecca Stockdale (Beck) is not your average teenager. Her parents hate her, she has no friends other than ghosts (and her sister Bev), she can sense other peoples feelings, and has a slight electrical problem. If her emotions were high she has been known to blow out light bulbs, applicances, and shock people with static electricity during storms.
Then she meets Richard, a secret childhood hero of hers that saved her from many accidents (though since never actually meet him yet, she referred to him as "The Man"). Richard soon explains that he is actually her lover and soul mate back in time. He is also a sexy and handsome vampire ;)
She's a time traveler.
She was sent on a mission in time (at age 26) to find the identity of man "Jack the Ripper" that killed several women in 1888. When there she meets Richard.
In time, caught between a battle with vampires and hunters (made to kill vampires with thier own special powers, who are also immortal, human and have all vampire abilities except dinking blood), and one crazy vampire seeking revenge on Richard -their journey begins in a amazing story about Love, Family & Survival. Also a book you will not want to put down with its humor!
I cannot wait for the next book. There isn't anything that I can think of that I didn't like about this book. The plot is amazing! I love all the characters especially Beck and Richard, they are both funny and loving. Beck is a strong person and will tell you straight up, that's what I love most about her.
I love the family bonding between all the charaters and protectivness. I love how sometimes everything falls into place. There was a cliffhanger in the end but that just lets me know there's more to look foward to! Can't Wait! :)
November 27, 2010
well all i have to say is damn it.... i cant believe that it ended like that... but the overall of the book was awsome, great job tate i loved it and i cant wait to see what happen to beck and richard and there new big happy family.
beck, what can i say damn i love her, she is a badass woman and at the same time she can be kind and caring. when i first started the book she was shy and quite. but threw out the book she start to open up her self to bev and richard and then she got really hard and not shy anymore. For richard well i love him i dunno why but he is one of my fav charater. richard is beck opposite, the ying and yang, and the reason i say that bc that is how they are thew out the book they are soo different but at the same time they are ment to be. yes beck was always seem to be arguing w. richard but he took and and in the end they worked together and i love how u did that w. these two characters. i love how u made richard a kind and loveing man but at the same time he can really be a bad ass when someone hit or talk back about beck, shit richard go heman on us. i mean he will kill anyone that mess w his woman and that is y i love him. i love a story that a man would do anything for his woman and protect her form anything and anyone. god i jsut loved how richard and potter are good brother but at the same time they fight each other(richard mostly beating potter for some reason to beck (love it)) but tate writes that these brother love each other and know that they wont littrally kille each other. i like how u make then brothers to the end and i like that jenny is potter mate and they fit so well omg i love those to. this book is kinda mix w. twilight mix w.vampire academy. but the overall of this book is that i love it tate u did a awsome job w. the store and i cant wiat to read the next one next year :(.
beck, what can i say damn i love her, she is a badass woman and at the same time she can be kind and caring. when i first started the book she was shy and quite. but threw out the book she start to open up her self to bev and richard and then she got really hard and not shy anymore. For richard well i love him i dunno why but he is one of my fav charater. richard is beck opposite, the ying and yang, and the reason i say that bc that is how they are thew out the book they are soo different but at the same time they are ment to be. yes beck was always seem to be arguing w. richard but he took and and in the end they worked together and i love how u did that w. these two characters. i love how u made richard a kind and loveing man but at the same time he can really be a bad ass when someone hit or talk back about beck, shit richard go heman on us. i mean he will kill anyone that mess w his woman and that is y i love him. i love a story that a man would do anything for his woman and protect her form anything and anyone. god i jsut loved how richard and potter are good brother but at the same time they fight each other(richard mostly beating potter for some reason to beck (love it)) but tate writes that these brother love each other and know that they wont littrally kille each other. i like how u make then brothers to the end and i like that jenny is potter mate and they fit so well omg i love those to. this book is kinda mix w. twilight mix w.vampire academy. but the overall of this book is that i love it tate u did a awsome job w. the store and i cant wiat to read the next one next year :(.
April 20, 2013
My Thoughts - 5 out of 5 unicorns - I absolutely loved this book!!
If you are a paranormal romance reader, this book is a must read!! The only thing I couldn't stand was not having enough time due to working to read it straight through!! I can't wait to start the next book in this series. This book of course has romance but it also was funny, had sadness, time traveling, serial killer, crazy people, vengeance, fights, vomiting, adoption of adults, weddings, and did I mention funny and romance. This book was an awesome surprise like waking up without an arm that was there when you went to sleep kind of surprise. I can't even begin to put into words why I loved it so much because it would ruin your journey, and I wouldn't want to take that from you. I absolutely love Beck and Richard and their entire family :) This author just hit my favorite list, and I will read all her PNR books :) Definitely worth the read and recommended to all PNR fans!!!
**received the book free from the Making Connections group for an honest review
If you are a paranormal romance reader, this book is a must read!! The only thing I couldn't stand was not having enough time due to working to read it straight through!! I can't wait to start the next book in this series. This book of course has romance but it also was funny, had sadness, time traveling, serial killer, crazy people, vengeance, fights, vomiting, adoption of adults, weddings, and did I mention funny and romance. This book was an awesome surprise like waking up without an arm that was there when you went to sleep kind of surprise. I can't even begin to put into words why I loved it so much because it would ruin your journey, and I wouldn't want to take that from you. I absolutely love Beck and Richard and their entire family :) This author just hit my favorite list, and I will read all her PNR books :) Definitely worth the read and recommended to all PNR fans!!!
**received the book free from the Making Connections group for an honest review
April 30, 2013
Just finished reading this book and It was not bad but it was not great. I was confused at the beginning because somethings were not made clear..like..what are they talking about time traveling? You did not find out until she actually got there what was going on. I also did not like Beck at all, she annoyed me. Don't get me wrong I like a strong character but she was cussing Richard out for simple stuff and it was like Dang girl..get a grip! Then there was never a climax. After the time travel thing there was all this other stuff going on and some of that could have been saved for another book and more detail building the realtionship.. It was just too much "stuff" fights, kidnapping, changing species.Plus there were alot of errors not sure if that was from the file transfer or what. It just seems alot was being packed in like 4 pages of "How did you become a vampire??"...ugh. Like I said it wasn't bad but it wasn't great.
March 28, 2014
I wasn't sure how I was going to like this book, but I thought it was really good. It had a different twist to a book about vampires. You have your primary characters of Beck and Richard, but there were also so many other characters in the book that brought the whole story together and played an important part of the book. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series "Blood Thirst". I'm glad that I don't have to wait to read the second book after the way the first one ended. I can say that if you haven't read it yet, then you are missing out. I'm off to read the second book in the series!!
December 7, 2010
The Undead Heart is hands down the best Paranormal Romance I've read this year! Richard and Beck share a bond that all women secretly want (at least i know I do. Lol). I loved all of the characters in this book (Richard, Beck, Bruce, Harly, Bev and Jenny) but my favorite (and hottest) character is Potter (a vampire hunter) and the relationship he has with this vampire family. The Undead Heart has love, horror, drama and a good does of humor. I recommend it to all paranormal lovers!
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January 13, 2011I am not going to rate this as I didn't finish it. I received the book as a promotion, and I truly wanted to like it, but I just couldn't get through all the grammatical errors. Maybe once the book gets some better editing and polishing I will try it again.
April 6, 2012
I love this book !! Can't wait for the next one to come out...
May 30, 2011
enjoying this story. Will update later. Not my usual read but well written and entertaining.
March 31, 2018
Good story, buy bad editing makes it hard to follow at times and takes away from the reading experience
February 5, 2020
Not for me...
I think the story idea is great, but it needs work. There are some errors in spelling. Reads too fantastical.
I think the story idea is great, but it needs work. There are some errors in spelling. Reads too fantastical.
December 30, 2010
I received a free copy of this book to read and review.
In the blurb this book is basically described as Twilight for adults, and in this Jackson has succeeded. There are certain similarities between the two throughout the book, but the adult aspects definitely make it more 'true to life' as it were. Language, sex and violence all appear, though not of them particularly prominently. The story is intriguing in itself and different from anything else I've ever read but there are just a few too many problems with both it and the writing.
Characters are introduced and we instantly know their height (in feet and inches), build, hair colour and eye colour. This was frustrating: I don't know about you but height and build are just things I don't particularly notice when I meet people for the first time unless there is something extraordinary about it. This is just one example of the over-specificity of some of the details given throughout the story. There are whole sections which could be cut quite easily from this book without losing any of the heart of the story.
One chapter in particular was just helping the reader get to know (i.e. get attached to before the big climactic ending) some of the slew of new characters that had been introduced a hundred or so pages previously. About 30 new people and names had been thrown at you before this in the space of two paragraphs and I found it difficult to remember anything about the majority of them. The names would crop up later and I couldn't for the life of me remember whether they were a hunter or a vampyre.
The main character - Beck - was likeable enough but sometimes unbelieveable. At one point she reels off information about small pox as if she were reading straight from a medical textbook. There is no reason for her to know this, and it adds nothing to the story. At another she is playing a movie in her head for another character claiming to be able to replay the entire thing from memory. This is pretty much physically impossible no matter how many times you had seen the film - you wouldn't be able to remember the lines and your brain wouldn't be able to concentrate on the same thing for that amount of time.
She is also one of these characters which everyone loves. Instantly. I can understand Richard's apparent instant-love, but many of the other characters love her for little or no reason other than the fact that she is the main character and they have to.
There were a few historical problems, and scientific things which went unexplained as well, but I'm not going to go into them.
Sorry for the ranting, but these were things that were seriously bothering me for the entire time I was reading the book.
Having said all this, there were some really good points to this book. As in Twilight, Beck's vampyre lover - Richard - has a huge adopted family (which is later expanded through various events) and there are some wonderful scenes of family dynamic, teasing and banter. A couple of times I found myself laughing out loud: not something I was expecting from this sort of book.
Beck and Richard's relationship was also nice to see. Once you get past the whole 'instantly falling madly in love with each other' part, they just had a normal relationship. They fought. The got angry. They lied to each other. They made up. They made sacrifices for each other.
There were three main secondary characters: Beck's sister, Bev; Richard's brother, Leso; and a vampyre hunter, Potter. These are all well-written, likeable characters who have some really nice moments with both Beck and Richard. They are, however, pretty much the only other characters you really get to know; the majority of the others were more background than anything.
This book never really grabbed me, but I still enjoyed it and there definitely enough good aspects to more than balance out the bad and the ending was quite a cliffhanger. I'm quite intrigued to see where the next book will go.
In the blurb this book is basically described as Twilight for adults, and in this Jackson has succeeded. There are certain similarities between the two throughout the book, but the adult aspects definitely make it more 'true to life' as it were. Language, sex and violence all appear, though not of them particularly prominently. The story is intriguing in itself and different from anything else I've ever read but there are just a few too many problems with both it and the writing.
Characters are introduced and we instantly know their height (in feet and inches), build, hair colour and eye colour. This was frustrating: I don't know about you but height and build are just things I don't particularly notice when I meet people for the first time unless there is something extraordinary about it. This is just one example of the over-specificity of some of the details given throughout the story. There are whole sections which could be cut quite easily from this book without losing any of the heart of the story.
One chapter in particular was just helping the reader get to know (i.e. get attached to before the big climactic ending) some of the slew of new characters that had been introduced a hundred or so pages previously. About 30 new people and names had been thrown at you before this in the space of two paragraphs and I found it difficult to remember anything about the majority of them. The names would crop up later and I couldn't for the life of me remember whether they were a hunter or a vampyre.
The main character - Beck - was likeable enough but sometimes unbelieveable. At one point she reels off information about small pox as if she were reading straight from a medical textbook. There is no reason for her to know this, and it adds nothing to the story. At another she is playing a movie in her head for another character claiming to be able to replay the entire thing from memory. This is pretty much physically impossible no matter how many times you had seen the film - you wouldn't be able to remember the lines and your brain wouldn't be able to concentrate on the same thing for that amount of time.
She is also one of these characters which everyone loves. Instantly. I can understand Richard's apparent instant-love, but many of the other characters love her for little or no reason other than the fact that she is the main character and they have to.
There were a few historical problems, and scientific things which went unexplained as well, but I'm not going to go into them.
Sorry for the ranting, but these were things that were seriously bothering me for the entire time I was reading the book.
Having said all this, there were some really good points to this book. As in Twilight, Beck's vampyre lover - Richard - has a huge adopted family (which is later expanded through various events) and there are some wonderful scenes of family dynamic, teasing and banter. A couple of times I found myself laughing out loud: not something I was expecting from this sort of book.
Beck and Richard's relationship was also nice to see. Once you get past the whole 'instantly falling madly in love with each other' part, they just had a normal relationship. They fought. The got angry. They lied to each other. They made up. They made sacrifices for each other.
There were three main secondary characters: Beck's sister, Bev; Richard's brother, Leso; and a vampyre hunter, Potter. These are all well-written, likeable characters who have some really nice moments with both Beck and Richard. They are, however, pretty much the only other characters you really get to know; the majority of the others were more background than anything.
This book never really grabbed me, but I still enjoyed it and there definitely enough good aspects to more than balance out the bad and the ending was quite a cliffhanger. I'm quite intrigued to see where the next book will go.
January 5, 2011
Well firstly I must say I loved it !!!** The whole story idea blew my mind, The undead heart that beats, when they find the love of there life *Their Soul mate* . Unique and one of a kind !! ** Im a romantic at heart ** grins...
Being a paranormal romance reader AKA **I LOVE VAMPYRES** it was everything I enjoyed in a book.
The character building was great! Storyline full of substence, everything explaned, characters ,background information on story, phew what can I say !!.
I found I strugged at first through the first few chapters but only due to the necessity of the back ground information needed, once you get past this its a up hill run !!! So dont be deturbed by this , this gives you insite to the rest of the story..
Richard has watched over Beck her entire life, protecting her from harms way, saving her life on several occassions and always being just a step behind Beck her whole life. He was always **The man** she knew nothing about.
Then once Beck starts Uni there lives begin in a turn of events. Richard and Becka are soul mates. Destined to be together from the past to the present. Beck goes back in time to save Richards family and what she must do in the past to insure the present.I must say at first I was a bit skeptic but once the story line was put forward, very clever indeed on Tate's behalf. It blended in well with the story and gave it that definete mystery the whole time reading. I found myself giggling at certain parts, smiling and the end teary eyed.
I enjoyed the Romance between Richard and Beck.The constant struggle to be together. The trials and heartaches to get through as well as Beck's horrid past and happier looking future with Richard was a light at the end of the tunnel for Beck. But never a concrete future.
Till the avenging Vampyre decideds to go on his evil vendetta which as span over 100 years now to Kill Beck and make Richard suffer for eternity. He then dicovers Beck is no longer human and Richard no longer a vampire his plans backfire but To Richard and Becka 's heartache lives are lost.
I enjoyed all the characters much so,the character developement was fantastic the twins, potter, Leso and I gained a soft spot for Potter and the twins. Overall this story had everything in which you could ask for substance, romance, paranormal, thrills, heartache and a bit saucy to get your heart started. I was sad to see it end and eagerly await the next book. ;)
** I am not a writer I am a reader, I post my personal opinions of why I enjoyed this book** I recomend to all who enjoy Vampires and paranormal !!!! ell
Being a paranormal romance reader AKA **I LOVE VAMPYRES** it was everything I enjoyed in a book.
The character building was great! Storyline full of substence, everything explaned, characters ,background information on story, phew what can I say !!.
I found I strugged at first through the first few chapters but only due to the necessity of the back ground information needed, once you get past this its a up hill run !!! So dont be deturbed by this , this gives you insite to the rest of the story..
Richard has watched over Beck her entire life, protecting her from harms way, saving her life on several occassions and always being just a step behind Beck her whole life. He was always **The man** she knew nothing about.
Then once Beck starts Uni there lives begin in a turn of events. Richard and Becka are soul mates. Destined to be together from the past to the present. Beck goes back in time to save Richards family and what she must do in the past to insure the present.I must say at first I was a bit skeptic but once the story line was put forward, very clever indeed on Tate's behalf. It blended in well with the story and gave it that definete mystery the whole time reading. I found myself giggling at certain parts, smiling and the end teary eyed.
I enjoyed the Romance between Richard and Beck.The constant struggle to be together. The trials and heartaches to get through as well as Beck's horrid past and happier looking future with Richard was a light at the end of the tunnel for Beck. But never a concrete future.
Till the avenging Vampyre decideds to go on his evil vendetta which as span over 100 years now to Kill Beck and make Richard suffer for eternity. He then dicovers Beck is no longer human and Richard no longer a vampire his plans backfire but To Richard and Becka 's heartache lives are lost.
I enjoyed all the characters much so,the character developement was fantastic the twins, potter, Leso and I gained a soft spot for Potter and the twins. Overall this story had everything in which you could ask for substance, romance, paranormal, thrills, heartache and a bit saucy to get your heart started. I was sad to see it end and eagerly await the next book. ;)
** I am not a writer I am a reader, I post my personal opinions of why I enjoyed this book** I recomend to all who enjoy Vampires and paranormal !!!! ell
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 28, 2010
I can honestly say after reading The Undead Heart that I think it may just be the best book released all year. When I first read the plot summary, I was a bit worried how original it would be, as at the time I didn’t think that these days that there was anything such as an original paranormal romance novel with vampyres in it, however The Undead Heart really proves this wrong. Not only was it extremely original, the plot was also very interesting and addictive. I found it almost impossible to stop reading it, and when I finished it I was left wanting more of the story.
The characters were probably my favourite part of this novel, as they were all not only interesting, but they also didn’t feel too polished, instead they felt real. Also unlike most main characters in this genre, Beck is both likable and a strong person, who doesn’t let other people dictate her life. In fact, I don’t think that there was a single good character who I didn’t like and enjoy reading about. I was very surprised how much I ended up liking some of the supporting characters, and how much I wished I could have seen a bit more of them, but with as many rather main characters as there was near the end, it isn’t surprising that there wasn’t time to spend too much time on the anyone but the most main characters.
While Beck and Richard’s relationship does move surprisingly fast both times, it still feels real and the relationship been faster then normal makes sense considering their past. Their relationship was probably so enjoyable to read about because Beck never lets Richard boss her around, and yells at him if he tries to make decisions for her. This is sadly rather unusual in this genre, so it was definitely a nice change to read The Undead Heart.
I can’t think of a single thing I didn’t like about this book, with the exception of that I have finished it and the sequel is a while off being released. Anyone who wants an original paranormal romance, with a great plot, interesting and strong characters, and a great relationship between the main characters should definitely give The Undead Heart a read.
The characters were probably my favourite part of this novel, as they were all not only interesting, but they also didn’t feel too polished, instead they felt real. Also unlike most main characters in this genre, Beck is both likable and a strong person, who doesn’t let other people dictate her life. In fact, I don’t think that there was a single good character who I didn’t like and enjoy reading about. I was very surprised how much I ended up liking some of the supporting characters, and how much I wished I could have seen a bit more of them, but with as many rather main characters as there was near the end, it isn’t surprising that there wasn’t time to spend too much time on the anyone but the most main characters.
While Beck and Richard’s relationship does move surprisingly fast both times, it still feels real and the relationship been faster then normal makes sense considering their past. Their relationship was probably so enjoyable to read about because Beck never lets Richard boss her around, and yells at him if he tries to make decisions for her. This is sadly rather unusual in this genre, so it was definitely a nice change to read The Undead Heart.
I can’t think of a single thing I didn’t like about this book, with the exception of that I have finished it and the sequel is a while off being released. Anyone who wants an original paranormal romance, with a great plot, interesting and strong characters, and a great relationship between the main characters should definitely give The Undead Heart a read.
October 7, 2012
First things first: A bunch of thanks to Tate Jackson for sending me an ebook copy:) Thanks for considering me:D
This is the kind of book you either hate or love. There were these moments which I didn't want to finish it, when there were these other moments which I was anxious for the story.
I was a little disappointed because the edition was poor and I sometimes observed language mistakes as well as expression difficulties. All these were disturbing; I found myself really impatient to finish this book.
But (there's always a BIG BUT) the story and the characters were funny, sarcastic and interesting. I loved Richard and Leso (ok, hot guys too) and I really-really-really fell in love with Beck and Richard as a couple. They were always fighting but they were made for each other. Literaly. This story reminded me a lot of Twilight, some scenes were the same but I liked the "originality" of this book; a time travel to save her family.
What is more, this book was based on dialogues, something we don't see much often. We all know paranormal novels are "wordy" and very descriptive (something I HATE:/) However, this novel took me (again) by surprise! You got more for the characters and their feelings from what they say than what they think. This was a pleasant surprise (I admit it I missed at times some descriptions) but I liked it.
The plot was good , without so many twists but the time-travelling kept me on edge. Unfortunately, I wasn't so anxious or nervous for this book while I was reading it but I enjoyed it. If you're into paranormal-vampire novels, if you're carving for loads of humour and laugh and if you're a Twilight-er , GO FOR THIS BOOK!
Overall, it was a fun and an entertaining reading with a flat but interesting story and characters. I'm expecting the sequel will be much more thrilling and breath-taking.
This is the kind of book you either hate or love. There were these moments which I didn't want to finish it, when there were these other moments which I was anxious for the story.
I was a little disappointed because the edition was poor and I sometimes observed language mistakes as well as expression difficulties. All these were disturbing; I found myself really impatient to finish this book.
But (there's always a BIG BUT) the story and the characters were funny, sarcastic and interesting. I loved Richard and Leso (ok, hot guys too) and I really-really-really fell in love with Beck and Richard as a couple. They were always fighting but they were made for each other. Literaly. This story reminded me a lot of Twilight, some scenes were the same but I liked the "originality" of this book; a time travel to save her family.
What is more, this book was based on dialogues, something we don't see much often. We all know paranormal novels are "wordy" and very descriptive (something I HATE:/) However, this novel took me (again) by surprise! You got more for the characters and their feelings from what they say than what they think. This was a pleasant surprise (I admit it I missed at times some descriptions) but I liked it.
The plot was good , without so many twists but the time-travelling kept me on edge. Unfortunately, I wasn't so anxious or nervous for this book while I was reading it but I enjoyed it. If you're into paranormal-vampire novels, if you're carving for loads of humour and laugh and if you're a Twilight-er , GO FOR THIS BOOK!
Overall, it was a fun and an entertaining reading with a flat but interesting story and characters. I'm expecting the sequel will be much more thrilling and breath-taking.
March 19, 2012
The beginning of a series, The Undead Heart by Tate Jackson has enough to fill several episodes or books all rolled into one. What if vampyres weren’t exactly as we imagine them? Okay, that one’s been done before, but what if there’s time-travel too, the bogeyman, Jack the Ripper perhaps, abusive parents and a child born with a curious affinity for electricity…
The Undead Heart has an intriguing plot and includes a lot of very careful and detailed description, from characters’ heights and hair coloring to history and the details of how to travel in time without leaving your clothes behind. As parallel selves take center stage some interesting questions arise about inherent identity and the way events define us. There’s a very rough justice exercised in this story that sometimes made me squirm, but it’s balanced with some intriguing questions of morality and the rights of one person (or vampyre) to make choices for another.
With lots of characters, all with their own backstories, and many different perils to be overcome, it’s not surprising to find this is a pretty long book. Descriptions and detailed conversations do tend to slow the reading, but there’s much to assimilate with so many different ideas in a single tale, so perhaps it’s best to read slowly. The plotlines come together in a suitably violent ending, but the story’s ends up less complete than its backstories, and there’s clearly more to come.
Disclosure: I received a free ecopy of this novel through a blog advertisement.
The Undead Heart has an intriguing plot and includes a lot of very careful and detailed description, from characters’ heights and hair coloring to history and the details of how to travel in time without leaving your clothes behind. As parallel selves take center stage some interesting questions arise about inherent identity and the way events define us. There’s a very rough justice exercised in this story that sometimes made me squirm, but it’s balanced with some intriguing questions of morality and the rights of one person (or vampyre) to make choices for another.
With lots of characters, all with their own backstories, and many different perils to be overcome, it’s not surprising to find this is a pretty long book. Descriptions and detailed conversations do tend to slow the reading, but there’s much to assimilate with so many different ideas in a single tale, so perhaps it’s best to read slowly. The plotlines come together in a suitably violent ending, but the story’s ends up less complete than its backstories, and there’s clearly more to come.
Disclosure: I received a free ecopy of this novel through a blog advertisement.
August 15, 2013
I got this book from the author, free of cost in exchange of an honest review from my part. I'm glad that I got the opportunity of reviewing this great book. Thank you Stephanie Jackson!
The plot and story line is unique and the characters are 'just fab!'. The writing really impressed me a lot, no use of bombarding vocabulary but still it has got the essence of an enriched writing which really eases the reading of the readers.
The author synchronized the old days mysterious and superstitious world with the modern world along with its open mindedness and technology. You'll find Richard as old school whereas Beck is a totally modernized up to date girl but the chemistry between them will leave you speechless!
In this series I got the cream of sensational romance, heart wrenching emotions and exciting suspense and anticipation which will drive you crazy and you will bite all your nails off for sure.
I was totally overwhelmed by this book and it really satisfied the expectations I had from it.
But my excitement was dulled a little because of the third person POV! If it was written from the POV of Beck ( the main character) then it would have been really great! It often became a little confusing in understanding the actual speaker of the dialogue but the good points really outweighs the bad points for sure!
I don't want to ruin the element of surprise and the suspense and excitement of the readers who have approached this book already or are keen to give it a shot so I'm not adding any spoilers in my review. Hope ya all enjoy it as much as I did.
The plot and story line is unique and the characters are 'just fab!'. The writing really impressed me a lot, no use of bombarding vocabulary but still it has got the essence of an enriched writing which really eases the reading of the readers.
The author synchronized the old days mysterious and superstitious world with the modern world along with its open mindedness and technology. You'll find Richard as old school whereas Beck is a totally modernized up to date girl but the chemistry between them will leave you speechless!
In this series I got the cream of sensational romance, heart wrenching emotions and exciting suspense and anticipation which will drive you crazy and you will bite all your nails off for sure.
I was totally overwhelmed by this book and it really satisfied the expectations I had from it.
But my excitement was dulled a little because of the third person POV! If it was written from the POV of Beck ( the main character) then it would have been really great! It often became a little confusing in understanding the actual speaker of the dialogue but the good points really outweighs the bad points for sure!
I don't want to ruin the element of surprise and the suspense and excitement of the readers who have approached this book already or are keen to give it a shot so I'm not adding any spoilers in my review. Hope ya all enjoy it as much as I did.
May 8, 2013
The Undead Heart was an AWESOME read. I LOVE vampires, so I was very excited to read this one and I was not disappointed! I have read books from this genre that have hunters but they are usually very much at the disadvantage but not in Ms. Jackson’s paranormal world! Her hunters were actually created to kill my beloved vampires! But everything works out as it should! That’s all I will say about that. Don’t want to ruin it for you! The action in this book had me sitting on the edge of my seat and white-knuckling my kindle…KILLER!
Beck, aka Rebecca Stockdale, is a sassy, smart, strong woman that has definitely had her share of head butts from life but she just keeps getting stronger! I loved her temper, being a southern woman myself, I had to laugh out loud when she took charge. The relationship between she and her soul mate, Richard, was spot on! The chemistry was explosive. The relationship dynamics were incredible. I loved the fact that she would not let him fight her battles, you have got to love a feisty heroine! And the fact that as his soul mate she makes his heart beat…swoon…
I have never really been into time travel in the books I read but I must commend Ms. Jackson with her portrayal. It was easy to follow and really added to the story line.
This story has just about everything you could ask for in a novel. Love, drama, excitement, thrills, and a poignant relationship between sisters! THIS BOOK ROCKS! READ IT!
Beck, aka Rebecca Stockdale, is a sassy, smart, strong woman that has definitely had her share of head butts from life but she just keeps getting stronger! I loved her temper, being a southern woman myself, I had to laugh out loud when she took charge. The relationship between she and her soul mate, Richard, was spot on! The chemistry was explosive. The relationship dynamics were incredible. I loved the fact that she would not let him fight her battles, you have got to love a feisty heroine! And the fact that as his soul mate she makes his heart beat…swoon…
I have never really been into time travel in the books I read but I must commend Ms. Jackson with her portrayal. It was easy to follow and really added to the story line.
This story has just about everything you could ask for in a novel. Love, drama, excitement, thrills, and a poignant relationship between sisters! THIS BOOK ROCKS! READ IT!
May 11, 2013
Rebecca (Beck) Stockdale is an unusual young woman. Her parents call her a freak because she wants to study parapsychology. Beck's older sister Bev and "The Man" have been her constant supports through out her life in ways that her parents never will be. Beck's life changes the day "The Man" decides to tell her who he really is to her. Beck's life will never be the same again and she likes it that way. "The Man" is really Richard Beck's mate. Richard is really a vampyre and knows that to drink Beck's blood is poison to him and other vampyre's like him. Richard tells Beck that his all alone except for his brother Leso since the rest of his family is dead. Beck wants to change this for Richard and Leso for all the happiness they've brought her. Only one thing can put a damper on this idea vampyre named Elderson. Can Beck truly bring back Richard and Leso's family? How is this accomplished? What about Elderson? Your answers await you in The Undead Heart.
I loved the vampyre lore presented in this story! It follows most of traditional vampyre lore but with truly unique twists not yet explored by other authors. Hands down the best character in this story has to be Beck. She literally does not put up with other people's personal hang ups which other people stumble over into big drama. I appreciate how the author handle alot of aspects in this story that could have been real stumbling blocks. I look forward to the next installment in the series.
I loved the vampyre lore presented in this story! It follows most of traditional vampyre lore but with truly unique twists not yet explored by other authors. Hands down the best character in this story has to be Beck. She literally does not put up with other people's personal hang ups which other people stumble over into big drama. I appreciate how the author handle alot of aspects in this story that could have been real stumbling blocks. I look forward to the next installment in the series.
August 29, 2015
Several weeks after I started this book, I still haven't finished reading it. Sometimes a book doesn't manage to suck me right into the story, and I've come to realize that "The Undead Heart" by Tate Jackson is a book like that.
I don't like to give up on a book. Doing that, I feel like I might be missing out on an amazing book, because after all, you never know when it'll make a turn for the better.
"The Undead Heart" by Tate Jackson involves vampires, time-traveling,... maybe too much to be good? I have to say though, that to me the combination of time-traveling and vampires is quite new, but it didn't seem to work in this story.
Usually, I don't mind lengthy novels, but this time, the length didn't do the story any good. And even though it had a lot of description, I still found the storyline confusing sometimes. Also, at some points the story moved to fast and at others it seemed to drag on.
Some events and decisions didn't make sense to me and the characters never really grew on me. The characters' emotions were described, but I couldn't 'feel' them.
All of this made it very hard to read "The Undead Heart" and that's why I have decided to give up on it for now. Who knows, maybe one day in the future I'll have the patience and the time to finish it, but for now, it'll remain unfinished.
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