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Blood Ties #1
A Iniciação
Eu não sou cobarde. Quero deixar isso bem claro. Mas, depois de a minha vida se transformar num filme de terror, passei a levar o medo muito mais a sério. Tinha-me tornado na Dra. Carrie Ames apenas há oito meses, quando fui atacada na morgue do hospital por um vampiro.
Haja sorte. Por isso agora sou uma vampira e descobri que tenho um laço de sangue com o monstro que me criou. Este funciona como uma trela invisível, pelo que estou ligada a ele, independentemente daquilo que faça. E, claro, ele tinha de ser um dos vampiros mais malévolos à face da Terra. Com o meu Amo decidido a transformar-me numa assassina sem escrúpulos e o seu maior inimigo empenhado em exterminar-me, as coisas não podiam ser piores – só que me sinto atraída pelos dois. Beber sangue, viver como um demónio imortal e ser um peão entre duas facções de vampiros não é exactamente o que tinha imaginado para o meu futuro. Mas, como o meu pai costumava dizer, a única forma de ven cer o medo é enfrentá-lo. E é isso que irei fazer. Com as garras de fora.
Haja sorte. Por isso agora sou uma vampira e descobri que tenho um laço de sangue com o monstro que me criou. Este funciona como uma trela invisível, pelo que estou ligada a ele, independentemente daquilo que faça. E, claro, ele tinha de ser um dos vampiros mais malévolos à face da Terra. Com o meu Amo decidido a transformar-me numa assassina sem escrúpulos e o seu maior inimigo empenhado em exterminar-me, as coisas não podiam ser piores – só que me sinto atraída pelos dois. Beber sangue, viver como um demónio imortal e ser um peão entre duas facções de vampiros não é exactamente o que tinha imaginado para o meu futuro. Mas, como o meu pai costumava dizer, a única forma de ven cer o medo é enfrentá-lo. E é isso que irei fazer. Com as garras de fora.
336 pages, Paperback
First published May 31, 2006
183 people are currently reading
7982 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Armintrout
13 books487 followersJennifer Armintrout is a pseudonym for Jenny Trout aka Abigail Barnette.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 624 reviews
August 21, 2015
Ugh, that's it. I yield. Carrie's whinging, selfish splooge is like driving an icepick through my temple.
This book was a fail on so many levels. While there are elements of horror, the true focus is the first-person idiocy of Carrie as she rebels against her dead parents by justifying her lust for some obnoxious, sleazeball vampire with floor-length hair & brocade bathrobes. His name is Cyrus (yes, really) & he has an unabashed fondness for the rape-and-murder of teenagers. But he only needs a mate, see? And Carrie is just that precious! :D Not that it makes her a bad person, though. They have a blood tie & he's got daddy issues, because apparently those two things excuse any bad behavior by her & Cyrus both. (Yeah, whatever.) I bailed when she leaves her young teenage friend alone with the guy -- while he's drugged, tied up, & reeling from a feeding haze -- only to be shocked when Cyrus nearly kills him with bites & sex. You stupid woman.
...And that's not to mention her repeated tantrum-throwing baggage re: said neglectful parents, a derailed medical career, the requisite love triangle, & sundry problems that result from Snowflake status. Rarely have I felt such unbridled hatred for a fictional person -- not mere annoyance or disgust, but genuine loathing. If I spent any more time with her I might have hurt something fragile, like a teapot or my forehead.
Nope. Not gonna happen.
Aside from Carrie, the book is awful. The vamps & their cultural disputes are cliche, the prose ranges from blah to painful, & the pop culture refs make me want to hurl. As for a vampire motorcycle gang called The Fangs...*clutches head* The Fangs, y'all.
A steaming pile of DNF with a healthy helping of STFU.
This book was a fail on so many levels. While there are elements of horror, the true focus is the first-person idiocy of Carrie as she rebels against her dead parents by justifying her lust for some obnoxious, sleazeball vampire with floor-length hair & brocade bathrobes. His name is Cyrus (yes, really) & he has an unabashed fondness for the rape-and-murder of teenagers. But he only needs a mate, see? And Carrie is just that precious! :D Not that it makes her a bad person, though. They have a blood tie & he's got daddy issues, because apparently those two things excuse any bad behavior by her & Cyrus both. (Yeah, whatever.) I bailed when she leaves her young teenage friend alone with the guy -- while he's drugged, tied up, & reeling from a feeding haze -- only to be shocked when Cyrus nearly kills him with bites & sex. You stupid woman.
...And that's not to mention her repeated tantrum-throwing baggage re: said neglectful parents, a derailed medical career, the requisite love triangle, & sundry problems that result from Snowflake status. Rarely have I felt such unbridled hatred for a fictional person -- not mere annoyance or disgust, but genuine loathing. If I spent any more time with her I might have hurt something fragile, like a teapot or my forehead.
Nope. Not gonna happen.
Aside from Carrie, the book is awful. The vamps & their cultural disputes are cliche, the prose ranges from blah to painful, & the pop culture refs make me want to hurl. As for a vampire motorcycle gang called The Fangs...*clutches head* The Fangs, y'all.
A steaming pile of DNF with a healthy helping of STFU.
December 8, 2009
First off, this is not a paranormal romance, contrary to what the cover wants you to think. This is a dark urban fantasy with many violent scenes. There is a great deal of pain, blood, and assault.
I loved the first chapter, thought it was perfect and original. I liked the main character, the secondary characters, and set up. Then the blood tie kicked in and was used for all sorts of ridiculous behavior and dialogue. I stopped liking the main character when her actions stopped making sense.
I understand what was attempted. I love feeling sympathy for a villain but it did not work here. The characters were too inconsistent. The author failed to convince me that characters would instantly be so accepting of certain behaviors, regardless of the weak plot devices used.
I’m actually really annoyed with this book and will be using this one and the next in the series as store credit at my used book store. And I’m not reading book 2 before doing so.
I loved the first chapter, thought it was perfect and original. I liked the main character, the secondary characters, and set up. Then the blood tie kicked in and was used for all sorts of ridiculous behavior and dialogue. I stopped liking the main character when her actions stopped making sense.
I understand what was attempted. I love feeling sympathy for a villain but it did not work here. The characters were too inconsistent. The author failed to convince me that characters would instantly be so accepting of certain behaviors, regardless of the weak plot devices used.
I’m actually really annoyed with this book and will be using this one and the next in the series as store credit at my used book store. And I’m not reading book 2 before doing so.
May 14, 2012
Ugh. Cutting my losses on this one. I read to about half way and flicked through the rest but it doesn't seem to get any better. None of it makes sense. The heroine is a hospital doctor who gets turned into a vampire and one of the first things she gets told to do and does in pretty short order is quit her job. Because people will start noticing that she doesn't age. Ummmm, yeah, but probably not for at least another 10 years or so. She's only 28, FFS. And wouldn't it make sense for her to stay working at the hospital at least for a little bit. You know, easily accessible supply of donor blood (however unethical it would be to steal it) would come in handy. But nooooo, the very first time she needs to feed she goes out and stalks someone and gets herself stabbed and nearly dies. The words "dumb" and "ass" come to mind.
Of course the heroine is so incredible everyone falls in love with her on sight, of course there is a love triange, of course she suddenly acquires mad fighting skillz that come literally out of nowhere (you just need to let go and let your nature take over) and of course there is a blood tie that is used to justify a bunch of inexplicable, illogical and downright despicable behaviour. The heroine's "sire" is a psychotic rapist/murderer and the heroine voluntarily and for no good reason hands herself over to him, allows him to abuse and murder 15 year olds (she even starts to enjoy the view!), develops feelings for said psycho which are not entirely down to the tie (yeah, poor boy, there must have been something to cause him to become like that, it's not his fault) and really, I just couldn't go on reading this bull.
Rant over.
Of course the heroine is so incredible everyone falls in love with her on sight, of course there is a love triange, of course she suddenly acquires mad fighting skillz that come literally out of nowhere (you just need to let go and let your nature take over) and of course there is a blood tie that is used to justify a bunch of inexplicable, illogical and downright despicable behaviour. The heroine's "sire" is a psychotic rapist/murderer and the heroine voluntarily and for no good reason hands herself over to him, allows him to abuse and murder 15 year olds (she even starts to enjoy the view!), develops feelings for said psycho which are not entirely down to the tie (yeah, poor boy, there must have been something to cause him to become like that, it's not his fault) and really, I just couldn't go on reading this bull.
Rant over.
October 31, 2017
#HalloweenReading 2015
Avoid Sunlight - Drink Blood - Hate Yourself - Welcome To Immortality
Avoid Sunlight - Drink Blood - Hate Yourself - Welcome To Immortality
September 21, 2011
Opening Line: “I read a poll in the newspaper once that said the number one fear of Americans aged eighteen to sixty-five is public speaking. Spiders are second and death is a distant third.”
Wow, this was a fun. Not quite what I was expecting but as it turned out a great ride. For some reason I went into this thinking paranormal romance which is so not the case here. I would categorize Armintrout’s world as urban fantasy/horror. Its dark, violent, blood spattered and often gory and that would include the sex scenes (notice I said sex and not love.) I should also mention that even though this is not my genre of choice I did really enjoy it.
BLOOD TIES is unique and let’s face it that’s saying something with all the vampire books on the shelves these days. The writing is smart, sassy and the overall plotline managed to surprise me several times along the way. Each chapter comes with a title heading, which I loved, there’s a love triangle (of sorts) and a wonderful balance of good VS Evil, made all the better because once I got to know the back-story of the characters I was sympathetic to all of them. Yes even the sadistic and maniacal Cyrus, which to me is the sign of some clever writing when you feel for the bad guy. So be warned there aren’t any sparkly vampires here and it’s a bit of a blood bath but its also super good.
Dr. Carrie Ames is working in the ER the night they bring in the horrifically injured “John Doe”. Through his one remaining eye, he seems to reach out to her, and when he succumbs to his injuries she is drawn to visit him in the morgue. Bad idea Carrie. John Doe is the evil vampire Cyrus Kerrick and Carrie’s blood is what he needs to heal himself. Through the violence of Cyrus’s feeding (attack) Carrie ingests some of his blood and the “blood tie” is forged. Over the following weeks as she recovers Carrie undergoes some major changes including a new sensitivity to sunlight and an insatiable hunger that no amount of food, drink or cigarettes will quench.
Eventually Carrie is found and rescued by Nathan Grant, a member of the “movement.” (His job is to destroy all non affiliated vampires and protect mankind.) Nathan takes Carrie in and quickly schools her in all things vamp which includes reading the Vampire bible (available on eBay FYI) He then offers her a choice; join the movement or be destroyed.
It should be an easy decision right? Especially with the growing attraction between them but Carrie can’t get past the invisible leash that binds her to the monster that sired her. She is quite literally a slave to the evil yet arousing Cyrus and he is of course #1 on the movement’s hit list and Nathan’s arch enemy. When a jealous witch vying for her sire’s attention casts a spell over Nathan the only way Carrie can save him is to give herself over to Cyrus for the cure. And that’s when the games begin. Hang onto your heart folks. Cheers 250jb4
Wow, this was a fun. Not quite what I was expecting but as it turned out a great ride. For some reason I went into this thinking paranormal romance which is so not the case here. I would categorize Armintrout’s world as urban fantasy/horror. Its dark, violent, blood spattered and often gory and that would include the sex scenes (notice I said sex and not love.) I should also mention that even though this is not my genre of choice I did really enjoy it.
BLOOD TIES is unique and let’s face it that’s saying something with all the vampire books on the shelves these days. The writing is smart, sassy and the overall plotline managed to surprise me several times along the way. Each chapter comes with a title heading, which I loved, there’s a love triangle (of sorts) and a wonderful balance of good VS Evil, made all the better because once I got to know the back-story of the characters I was sympathetic to all of them. Yes even the sadistic and maniacal Cyrus, which to me is the sign of some clever writing when you feel for the bad guy. So be warned there aren’t any sparkly vampires here and it’s a bit of a blood bath but its also super good.
Dr. Carrie Ames is working in the ER the night they bring in the horrifically injured “John Doe”. Through his one remaining eye, he seems to reach out to her, and when he succumbs to his injuries she is drawn to visit him in the morgue. Bad idea Carrie. John Doe is the evil vampire Cyrus Kerrick and Carrie’s blood is what he needs to heal himself. Through the violence of Cyrus’s feeding (attack) Carrie ingests some of his blood and the “blood tie” is forged. Over the following weeks as she recovers Carrie undergoes some major changes including a new sensitivity to sunlight and an insatiable hunger that no amount of food, drink or cigarettes will quench.
Eventually Carrie is found and rescued by Nathan Grant, a member of the “movement.” (His job is to destroy all non affiliated vampires and protect mankind.) Nathan takes Carrie in and quickly schools her in all things vamp which includes reading the Vampire bible (available on eBay FYI) He then offers her a choice; join the movement or be destroyed.
It should be an easy decision right? Especially with the growing attraction between them but Carrie can’t get past the invisible leash that binds her to the monster that sired her. She is quite literally a slave to the evil yet arousing Cyrus and he is of course #1 on the movement’s hit list and Nathan’s arch enemy. When a jealous witch vying for her sire’s attention casts a spell over Nathan the only way Carrie can save him is to give herself over to Cyrus for the cure. And that’s when the games begin. Hang onto your heart folks. Cheers 250jb4
August 16, 2021
Two stars is supposed to mean "it was okay," but I use it also when there's a balance between what I liked and what I disliked, as here. This is a very dark urban fantasy. There's a high degree of gore and violence from beginning to end--imagine the climactic scene of a horror novel being repeated again and again without the creepy slow build-up typical of the horror genre. This story pulls you right into it and doesn't let you go till it's over. Big trigger warning, especially for the savagery that's perpetrated more than once on the first-person narrator, Dr. Carrie Ames.
This book is all about vampires, and some of the ideas in it were delightful. For one thing, all vampires have two hearts. A human heart is insufficient for the workload of a vampire's body, with that strength and speed, so when a human is turned, the body grows a new heart, bigger and stronger than the old one, which is kind of pushed into the background (of the rib cage). And even though the old human heart is no longer needed, it's the one that kills the vampire when it's staked--not the new vampire heart!
And the old human heart can be removed and stored in a box (this happens more than once in the novel), and it's still the case that if that heart is destroyed (staked), the vampire dies in flames, and at any distance.
As in other vampire stories, a person is turned into a vampire by a blood exchange, but once that happens, although that person is irrevocably a vampire from then on, there is a period of "turning" (see title) that takes a month or so before the full vampire nature manifests. Time to grow that new heart, maybe? Anyhow, once the body is ready, a triggering experience suddenly awakens the blood hunger and sensitivity to the sun, etc.
That sensitivity is at the extreme end of the vampire genre--exposure to sunlight causes something like third-degree burns, just like fire, and the vampire has only seconds to avoid death. Rapid healing, super strength, and an erotic desire for fresh human blood are as expected. More intense than in many other vampire novels is the effect of the "blood tie" (see series title) between sire and fledgling. It's a powerful emotional bond, with more than telepathy, as blood can be used to project the mind into the other's past experiences as though they were real in the present. (Much of the violence and gore in the novel comes along that route.)
The story is well written, quite readable, and scenes are easy to visualize--all too easy if you don't want to look at the details of people being torn apart and devoured by hungry vampires. Cyrus, the evil master vampire (600 year old), throws parties for other vampires in his mansion where homeless teenagers are rounded up and hunted down by the guests in an old-fashioned maze next to the house. The butler hauls off the corpses, or what's left of them. These vamps don't suck neatly, they devour chunks of their victims till they're satiated.
Cyrus is the "monster who sired" narrator Carrie Ames that night in the hospital morgue, by attacking her in just that fashion till she too was a corpse. But in his hungry carelessness, he dripped a bit of his own blood into her wounds, and she came back to life for a long convalescence in the same hospital. A month later, remarkably healed from her injuries and almost ready to return to work, Carrie discovers the hard way what the sun does to her. Eight months after getting her M.D. she has to resign--there's no way she can arrange for nights only and skip all meetings!
Carrie makes contact with Nathan Grant, a Scottish vampire who's a little out of place there in "mid-Michigan," and his teenage protege/ward Ziggy, who immediately attacks Carrie with an axe. And Ziggy is the most sympathetic character in the book. Nathan represents the worldwide Movement (full name Voluntary Vampire Extinction Movement), headquartered in Spain with a fleet of special jets that shield traveling vampires from the sun. The Movement is composed of vampires who kill non-member vampires with the idea that, once the members are the only vampires left, they will commit suicide to free the world of their evil. Possibly the most unusual and most head-shaking element of this book!
Anyhow, Nathan (the good guy who would be the hero if this were a romance) gives Carrie the vampire manual (called Sanguinarius) and an ultimatum. She has two weeks to apply for membership in the Movement or she will be on their kill list. He assures her that he only kills vampires when he gets a written assassination order from the Movement. If and when an order comes through for her, he will quickly kill her. He's the good guy, remember. If she's accepted into the Movement, she will have to follow the strict rules that govern Nathan, including carrying out orders to kill.
But her blood tie draws her inexorably to Cyrus, and she's caught between the two of them. Carrie goes one way and the other, feeling both revulsion and delight at Cyrus's carnage, feeling strong attraction to both Cyrus and Nathan, and sunk in a welter of emotion that overcomes reason again and again. She does many stupid things, takes impossible risks, and simply never has a clear head. On top of that she has to deal with Dahlia, a witch in Cyrus's retinue who keeps trying to kill her to prevent Cyrus from making her his queen.
The novel might have worked better with close third-person narration to provide an authorial voice distinct from Carrie's. All the characters are too heavily invested emotionally in one another to tell a story effectively, and that's true of Carrie especially. Her new heart is all over the place, and her account is quite overheated--it could be a soap opera except for all the blood and gore. And vampire life.
This book is all about vampires, and some of the ideas in it were delightful. For one thing, all vampires have two hearts. A human heart is insufficient for the workload of a vampire's body, with that strength and speed, so when a human is turned, the body grows a new heart, bigger and stronger than the old one, which is kind of pushed into the background (of the rib cage). And even though the old human heart is no longer needed, it's the one that kills the vampire when it's staked--not the new vampire heart!
And the old human heart can be removed and stored in a box (this happens more than once in the novel), and it's still the case that if that heart is destroyed (staked), the vampire dies in flames, and at any distance.
As in other vampire stories, a person is turned into a vampire by a blood exchange, but once that happens, although that person is irrevocably a vampire from then on, there is a period of "turning" (see title) that takes a month or so before the full vampire nature manifests. Time to grow that new heart, maybe? Anyhow, once the body is ready, a triggering experience suddenly awakens the blood hunger and sensitivity to the sun, etc.
That sensitivity is at the extreme end of the vampire genre--exposure to sunlight causes something like third-degree burns, just like fire, and the vampire has only seconds to avoid death. Rapid healing, super strength, and an erotic desire for fresh human blood are as expected. More intense than in many other vampire novels is the effect of the "blood tie" (see series title) between sire and fledgling. It's a powerful emotional bond, with more than telepathy, as blood can be used to project the mind into the other's past experiences as though they were real in the present. (Much of the violence and gore in the novel comes along that route.)
The story is well written, quite readable, and scenes are easy to visualize--all too easy if you don't want to look at the details of people being torn apart and devoured by hungry vampires. Cyrus, the evil master vampire (600 year old), throws parties for other vampires in his mansion where homeless teenagers are rounded up and hunted down by the guests in an old-fashioned maze next to the house. The butler hauls off the corpses, or what's left of them. These vamps don't suck neatly, they devour chunks of their victims till they're satiated.
Cyrus is the "monster who sired" narrator Carrie Ames that night in the hospital morgue, by attacking her in just that fashion till she too was a corpse. But in his hungry carelessness, he dripped a bit of his own blood into her wounds, and she came back to life for a long convalescence in the same hospital. A month later, remarkably healed from her injuries and almost ready to return to work, Carrie discovers the hard way what the sun does to her. Eight months after getting her M.D. she has to resign--there's no way she can arrange for nights only and skip all meetings!
Carrie makes contact with Nathan Grant, a Scottish vampire who's a little out of place there in "mid-Michigan," and his teenage protege/ward Ziggy, who immediately attacks Carrie with an axe. And Ziggy is the most sympathetic character in the book. Nathan represents the worldwide Movement (full name Voluntary Vampire Extinction Movement), headquartered in Spain with a fleet of special jets that shield traveling vampires from the sun. The Movement is composed of vampires who kill non-member vampires with the idea that, once the members are the only vampires left, they will commit suicide to free the world of their evil. Possibly the most unusual and most head-shaking element of this book!
Anyhow, Nathan (the good guy who would be the hero if this were a romance) gives Carrie the vampire manual (called Sanguinarius) and an ultimatum. She has two weeks to apply for membership in the Movement or she will be on their kill list. He assures her that he only kills vampires when he gets a written assassination order from the Movement. If and when an order comes through for her, he will quickly kill her. He's the good guy, remember. If she's accepted into the Movement, she will have to follow the strict rules that govern Nathan, including carrying out orders to kill.
But her blood tie draws her inexorably to Cyrus, and she's caught between the two of them. Carrie goes one way and the other, feeling both revulsion and delight at Cyrus's carnage, feeling strong attraction to both Cyrus and Nathan, and sunk in a welter of emotion that overcomes reason again and again. She does many stupid things, takes impossible risks, and simply never has a clear head. On top of that she has to deal with Dahlia, a witch in Cyrus's retinue who keeps trying to kill her to prevent Cyrus from making her his queen.
The novel might have worked better with close third-person narration to provide an authorial voice distinct from Carrie's. All the characters are too heavily invested emotionally in one another to tell a story effectively, and that's true of Carrie especially. Her new heart is all over the place, and her account is quite overheated--it could be a soap opera except for all the blood and gore. And vampire life.
March 26, 2008
Blood Ties book one: The Turning by Jennifer Armintrout is such a breath of fresh air. Not the typical vampire romance that I'm used to reading and one I'm glad I didn't pass by.
Dr. Carrie Ames is a doctor that shouldn't be. Squeemish, insecure with low self esteem, she is the perfect candidate for this good vs. evil vampire must read. Easily controlled even though she really doesn't want to be, curious as a cat with nine lives you can see why she is the most ripe cherry for this battle.
Nathan is Vampire perfection with everything a girl could want. That is unless you can't make up your mind easily. For something that takes his work seriously, almost to a fault, he sure can act the part of a 2 year old toddler not being able to get his way. The temper tantrams are cute but annoying and you'd just like to give him a swat on the bottom. When he acts his age you just want to lick every morsel you can see of him. YUMM!
Cyrus is evil beyond extreme. What girl woundn't be attracted to the rebelious side of him. Extremely handsome, lucious as a lollipop, just one lick isn't enough. At what cost would you be willing to lick though. Nothing is ever for free. Demanding, spiteful, cruel beyond words he makes Bela Lugosi look like a saint. If I seen Cyrus strutting his stuff towards me I'd freeze in place too. The angel on my right shoulder would be screaming for me to run but the devil on my left would be drooling and whispering in my ear about all the wonderful erotic things that Cyrus would do to me if I just stayed right where I am. Hmm...damned if I do and damned if I don't.
The other lesser characters in this story take you on an emotional roller coaster ride. Their rolls here might be minor but they add the little bits and pieces to the story that make it the must have page turner that it is.
The author did an excellent job with every facet of the story and I can't wait to get my hands on book two.
Dr. Carrie Ames is a doctor that shouldn't be. Squeemish, insecure with low self esteem, she is the perfect candidate for this good vs. evil vampire must read. Easily controlled even though she really doesn't want to be, curious as a cat with nine lives you can see why she is the most ripe cherry for this battle.
Nathan is Vampire perfection with everything a girl could want. That is unless you can't make up your mind easily. For something that takes his work seriously, almost to a fault, he sure can act the part of a 2 year old toddler not being able to get his way. The temper tantrams are cute but annoying and you'd just like to give him a swat on the bottom. When he acts his age you just want to lick every morsel you can see of him. YUMM!
Cyrus is evil beyond extreme. What girl woundn't be attracted to the rebelious side of him. Extremely handsome, lucious as a lollipop, just one lick isn't enough. At what cost would you be willing to lick though. Nothing is ever for free. Demanding, spiteful, cruel beyond words he makes Bela Lugosi look like a saint. If I seen Cyrus strutting his stuff towards me I'd freeze in place too. The angel on my right shoulder would be screaming for me to run but the devil on my left would be drooling and whispering in my ear about all the wonderful erotic things that Cyrus would do to me if I just stayed right where I am. Hmm...damned if I do and damned if I don't.
The other lesser characters in this story take you on an emotional roller coaster ride. Their rolls here might be minor but they add the little bits and pieces to the story that make it the must have page turner that it is.
The author did an excellent job with every facet of the story and I can't wait to get my hands on book two.
February 27, 2015
I don't have any objections to the plot, it was decent, but the characters . . .
Carrie got on my last friggin' nerve:
NO.
The truth should have come out. The truth needed to come out, but it also needed to happen any other way than the way it did.
Having Carrie tell both of the people her selfless act benefited was not only weak, but It completely undermined the selfless gesture. TWICE.
Then we have Cyrus.
Would a 600+ year old vampire give his (literal *rolls eyes*) heart to a female who was able to betray him despite the compulsion of his sire bond when she was no longer sire-bonded to him?
NO. A hundred times NO. Not in a million years. And no amount of willful suspension of disbelief is going to change that.
And Nathan. I-can't-love-you-b/c-I-still-love-my-70-years-dead-wife-that-oh-by-the-way-I-killed-and-am-therefore-irreparably-damaged Nathan.
I'm so bored.
Carrie got on my last friggin' nerve:
NO.
The truth should have come out. The truth needed to come out, but it also needed to happen any other way than the way it did.
Having Carrie tell both of the people her selfless act benefited was not only weak, but It completely undermined the selfless gesture. TWICE.
Then we have Cyrus.
Would a 600+ year old vampire give his (literal *rolls eyes*) heart to a female who was able to betray him despite the compulsion of his sire bond when she was no longer sire-bonded to him?
NO. A hundred times NO. Not in a million years. And no amount of willful suspension of disbelief is going to change that.
And Nathan. I-can't-love-you-b/c-I-still-love-my-70-years-dead-wife-that-oh-by-the-way-I-killed-and-am-therefore-irreparably-damaged Nathan.
I'm so bored.
November 4, 2014
Ugh. This book is terrible. The author never met a stereotype she didn't like (not just for vampires), and it is just full of sloppy prose like soft carpets that cut the heroine's skin like razors. Rug burn, I might believe. Razors? No.
Note: The rest of this review has been withdrawn due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook
Note: The rest of this review has been withdrawn due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook
September 24, 2010
I didn't have high hopes for The Turning. No offense to Jennifer Armintrout intended, but there is just so much crap flooding UF/PR shelves these days. However, I ended up being pleasantly surprised by this book.
It starts when Dr. Carrie Ames is attacked by a master vamp and unintentionally left behind to become a vampire herself. I had to love Carrie’s initial reservation to drinking blood. As a nurse and a germophobe, I can appreciate her revulsion to the whole thing based on the extreme ickiness of blood borne pathogens. In most situations, Carrie had just enough snark and humor to make her believable and enjoyable to read about. And for you dirty readers (you know who you are!) there is no waiting around for the smut ~ plenty of naughtiness here in the first book.
But Carrie is not the perfect heroine. There are a few instances when she displays her unhappiness by stamping her foot. (Do women really do that???) And when she is in a dangerous or threatening situation, she has a tendency to become even more snarky and headstrong. I will never understand why smart, strong women also have to become extra sarcastic and know-it-all when placed in a dangerous situation. Is it really so bad to admit that you are scared, in over your head, and may not know as much as you think you do? Yes, there is something to be said for instinct. But there is also something to be said for being cautious and learning through observation. Ok… that might not make the most interesting protagonist ;) For just once though, I would love to read a about heroine who doesn’t respond to danger by getting into a pissing contest with every older, more powerful, more informed, evil beast she encounters. At least Carrie does tone down the snark when she is out of harms’ way.
Armintrout does an interesting job with her vamps. She was clearly influenced by a lot of modern books and movies on vampirism. However, she did invent some of her own vampire mythology that, frankly, didn’t make a whole lot of sense. (I know, I know… the whole vampire thing doesn’t make sense anyway!) For example, drinking a person’s blood will allow you to briefly live in select memories (think of Dumbledore’s pensieve.) This occurrence becomes incredibly helpful to the plot in that the memories witnessed are always pertinent to what is currently happening. Hmmm….. lazy writing trick? Also, vamps have two hearts ~ the regular heart, and a special seven chamber vamp heart. When the human heart is pierced, the vamp is dead. Not so odd, but the human heart can actually be removed from the body, and as long as it isn’t pierced, the vampire is ok. Huh? Sires and fledglings have a psychic type bond that is also quite handy to certain scenes. And new vamps conveniently don’t need much blood; it’s the older ones who turn into gluttons in order to maintain their undead existence. So, her vampires have some crazy rules and abilities ~ at least they don’t sparkle!
The Turning is better than a lot of what is on the market these days. I definitely recommend it to fans of UF/PR. Well… it’s not exactly PR, in that the plot isn’t driven by the romance, but there is definitely a stronger romance aspect to it than most UF novels. Anyway, I enjoyed this book, and am looking forward to the second in the series.
It starts when Dr. Carrie Ames is attacked by a master vamp and unintentionally left behind to become a vampire herself. I had to love Carrie’s initial reservation to drinking blood. As a nurse and a germophobe, I can appreciate her revulsion to the whole thing based on the extreme ickiness of blood borne pathogens. In most situations, Carrie had just enough snark and humor to make her believable and enjoyable to read about. And for you dirty readers (you know who you are!) there is no waiting around for the smut ~ plenty of naughtiness here in the first book.
But Carrie is not the perfect heroine. There are a few instances when she displays her unhappiness by stamping her foot. (Do women really do that???) And when she is in a dangerous or threatening situation, she has a tendency to become even more snarky and headstrong. I will never understand why smart, strong women also have to become extra sarcastic and know-it-all when placed in a dangerous situation. Is it really so bad to admit that you are scared, in over your head, and may not know as much as you think you do? Yes, there is something to be said for instinct. But there is also something to be said for being cautious and learning through observation. Ok… that might not make the most interesting protagonist ;) For just once though, I would love to read a about heroine who doesn’t respond to danger by getting into a pissing contest with every older, more powerful, more informed, evil beast she encounters. At least Carrie does tone down the snark when she is out of harms’ way.
Armintrout does an interesting job with her vamps. She was clearly influenced by a lot of modern books and movies on vampirism. However, she did invent some of her own vampire mythology that, frankly, didn’t make a whole lot of sense. (I know, I know… the whole vampire thing doesn’t make sense anyway!) For example, drinking a person’s blood will allow you to briefly live in select memories (think of Dumbledore’s pensieve.) This occurrence becomes incredibly helpful to the plot in that the memories witnessed are always pertinent to what is currently happening. Hmmm….. lazy writing trick? Also, vamps have two hearts ~ the regular heart, and a special seven chamber vamp heart. When the human heart is pierced, the vamp is dead. Not so odd, but the human heart can actually be removed from the body, and as long as it isn’t pierced, the vampire is ok. Huh? Sires and fledglings have a psychic type bond that is also quite handy to certain scenes. And new vamps conveniently don’t need much blood; it’s the older ones who turn into gluttons in order to maintain their undead existence. So, her vampires have some crazy rules and abilities ~ at least they don’t sparkle!
The Turning is better than a lot of what is on the market these days. I definitely recommend it to fans of UF/PR. Well… it’s not exactly PR, in that the plot isn’t driven by the romance, but there is definitely a stronger romance aspect to it than most UF novels. Anyway, I enjoyed this book, and am looking forward to the second in the series.
August 26, 2016
I haven’t read a vampire book this entertaining and exciting for a long time. These vampires are mean and they are killers. And now Carrie has found herself turned into one. She not too thrilled about it either. This has ruined her life. To her great misfortune, she just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and gets attacked and left for dead. This starts her new life as the undead.
While I usually love the gothic undertones of most vampire novels, this one has very few. I think Armintrout decided to go for grit and danger more then vampire lore, and the book is very strong because of that. I couldn’t set this book down. I was also truly worried about the characters and afraid for their lives.
Carrie is a great heroine. While I’m not sure she really struck me as a doctor (not enough medical knowledge) that didn’t really bother me. She’s a likable heroine. She doesn’t wallow in endless reflection and self-analysis. She’s not a Buffy badass who kicks everyone’s ass. She’s just candid and straightforward about her thoughts, and she has the bad luck of being overwhelmed by the bad guy’s mind control. She also questions her morality, pondering the duel side of being a vampire, yet doesn't do it excessively.
I liked how the character’s actions sort of make sense (which is kind of rare in horror paranormal.) I can’t tell you how many horror books and movies where I’ve thought to myself, why the hell are they going down in the basement or why the hell is she still with him? LOL
I like how I wasn’t quite sure was going to happen. I liked how the dialogue was used to convey information and character development instead of endless lame jokes like most paranormal YA books. Yes there are some of the Paranormal romance clichés, but they didn’t bother me. I don’t think Armintrout’s world is wildly imaginative, but the book seems wonderfully refreshing and different anyway, which is surprising since this is a genre that has been oversaturated.
My biggest beef with the book was the ending. It was kind of weak and I didn’t buy it. But it was exciting, so I will overlook that.
I’ve looked at book 2 and I see that the bad guy is brought back to life, which disappoints me a little, because it takes away from the raw grittiness of this book. The Turning was damn entertaining though, and I really enjoyed it, so I’m giving it five stars!
While I usually love the gothic undertones of most vampire novels, this one has very few. I think Armintrout decided to go for grit and danger more then vampire lore, and the book is very strong because of that. I couldn’t set this book down. I was also truly worried about the characters and afraid for their lives.
Carrie is a great heroine. While I’m not sure she really struck me as a doctor (not enough medical knowledge) that didn’t really bother me. She’s a likable heroine. She doesn’t wallow in endless reflection and self-analysis. She’s not a Buffy badass who kicks everyone’s ass. She’s just candid and straightforward about her thoughts, and she has the bad luck of being overwhelmed by the bad guy’s mind control. She also questions her morality, pondering the duel side of being a vampire, yet doesn't do it excessively.
I liked how the character’s actions sort of make sense (which is kind of rare in horror paranormal.) I can’t tell you how many horror books and movies where I’ve thought to myself, why the hell are they going down in the basement or why the hell is she still with him? LOL
I like how I wasn’t quite sure was going to happen. I liked how the dialogue was used to convey information and character development instead of endless lame jokes like most paranormal YA books. Yes there are some of the Paranormal romance clichés, but they didn’t bother me. I don’t think Armintrout’s world is wildly imaginative, but the book seems wonderfully refreshing and different anyway, which is surprising since this is a genre that has been oversaturated.
My biggest beef with the book was the ending. It was kind of weak and I didn’t buy it. But it was exciting, so I will overlook that.
I’ve looked at book 2 and I see that the bad guy is brought back to life, which disappoints me a little, because it takes away from the raw grittiness of this book. The Turning was damn entertaining though, and I really enjoyed it, so I’m giving it five stars!
July 15, 2024
2.5 stars rounded down
It wasn’t terrible, but Carrie’s terrible decision making killed a lot of this for me. If there’s one thing I can’t take it’s insanely reckless FMCs and MMCs in the books I read. Her falling for the rapey, pedo villain didn’t do it for me either. I kid you not, he was literally thinking of r@ping and killing a 16 year old girl while having sex with Carrie. I wasn’t a fan of the MMC’s son being brutally killed off mid book either 🙃
I wish there would have been more time spent on Carrie and Nathan developing a romantic relationship together rather than on Cyrus’ frickery. I can tell the author liked writing Cyrus a lot more than the other characters.
I can appreciate the original vampire lore that Jenny Trout came up with for this book. The two hearts thing was especially cool. I also really liked the Mid Michigan setting as that was pretty original too.
The audiobook narrator was nightmarishly terrible. She made an 18 year old kid sound like he was 5. The fake Scottish Brogue that she did for Nathan didn’t do it for me either.
I might try the next book in the series if I have nothing else to read as this is arguably better than True Blood and more original than Twilight, even if it lacks Twilights arguably better romance.
It wasn’t terrible, but Carrie’s terrible decision making killed a lot of this for me. If there’s one thing I can’t take it’s insanely reckless FMCs and MMCs in the books I read. Her falling for the rapey, pedo villain didn’t do it for me either. I kid you not, he was literally thinking of r@ping and killing a 16 year old girl while having sex with Carrie. I wasn’t a fan of the MMC’s son being brutally killed off mid book either 🙃
I wish there would have been more time spent on Carrie and Nathan developing a romantic relationship together rather than on Cyrus’ frickery. I can tell the author liked writing Cyrus a lot more than the other characters.
I can appreciate the original vampire lore that Jenny Trout came up with for this book. The two hearts thing was especially cool. I also really liked the Mid Michigan setting as that was pretty original too.
The audiobook narrator was nightmarishly terrible. She made an 18 year old kid sound like he was 5. The fake Scottish Brogue that she did for Nathan didn’t do it for me either.
I might try the next book in the series if I have nothing else to read as this is arguably better than True Blood and more original than Twilight, even if it lacks Twilights arguably better romance.
June 3, 2018
Ένα καλό urban fantasy που δεν είναι ιδιαίτερα πρωτότυπο όμως...Έχει πολύ γρήγορο ρυθμό και είναι από τις περιπτώσεις βιβλίων που ο κακός έχει περισσότερο ενδιαφέρον από τους βασικούς πρωταγωνιστές!
(Το είχα διαβάσει και πιο παλιά αλλά επειδή δεν του είχα δώσει ιδιαίτερη σημασία τότε, είπα να το προσπαθήσω και πάλι!)
(Το είχα διαβάσει και πιο παλιά αλλά επειδή δεν του είχα δώσει ιδιαίτερη σημασία τότε, είπα να το προσπαθήσω και πάλι!)
September 20, 2010
Desde o sucesso da saga Twilight de Stephenie Meyer que a Gailivro tem vindo a apostar cada vez mais nos vampiros. “A Iniciação”, o primeiro volume da trilogia Laços de Sangue, da autoria da americana Jennifer Armintrout, é a sua mais recente aposta.
Carrie Ames é uma médica que recentemente se mudou para o Michigan para trabalhar no Serviço de Urgência de um hospital. Certa noite, é atacada na morgue por um vampiro, supostamente um doente falecido há minutos atrás. Enquanto se debate com a inconcebível ideia de que se transformou numa vampira e toda a sua vida ficou para trás, vê-se envolvida numa guerra entre duas facções de vampiros: a do seu criador, com quem tem um forte laço de sangue, e a do inimigo dele, por quem ela cria uma afinidade especial.
Ora aqui está uma bela surpresa. Numa altura em que as histórias de vampiros começam a saturar um pouco, “A Iniciação” surpreende e oferece uma história envolvente e cativante que supera alguns dos clichés associados a estes seres sobrenaturais.
Escrito na 1ª pessoa pela voz da Dra. Carrie Ames, o leitor cria desde o início uma grande ligação com ela. Acaba por ser um dos pontos mais fortes da obra, a poderosa protagonista que, apesar de transformada em vampira, concentra em si uma humanidade e um realismo deliciosos, pautados por um humor inteligente e uma maturidade há muito exigida neste género. E se Carrie é uma protagonista marcante, as personagens secundárias não lhe ficam atrás, cada uma delas bastante peculiar e com um humor muito próprio. Destaco por exemplo o vampiro Nathan ou a bruxa Dhalia.
Outro elemento bastante interessante da obra é a quantidade de referências culturais que encontramos um pouco por todo o lado. Referências ao mundo do entretenimento, a obras literárias, etc., tornam a leitura muito mais rica e complexa. Em adição, a autora não se inibe de fazer descrições mais sangrentas ou sexuais, tornando “A Iniciação” num livro mais maduro e realista.
Porém, “A Iniciação” não se livra de alguns clichés associados aos vampiros, fazendo com que quem está habituado a este género se sinta um pouco frustrado se procura algo novo. Jennifer Armintrout admite que se inspirou em Anne Rice e L.C. Smith e isso é visível especialmente na imagem de Cyrus (o criador de Carrie) e no mundo vampírico que o rodeia.
“A Iniciação” é daquele tipo de livros que chega sorrateiramente, sem grande alarido e que surpreende ao apresentar uma história viciante com personagens realistas e marcantes. Dirigido a um público mais maduro, certamente vai agradar aos fãs de histórias de vampiros e não só. Uma das pequenas grandes surpresas do ano na fantasia urbana publicada em Portugal. A minha sede pelos volumes seguintes é muito grande!
(Crítica publicada no blog Bela Lugosi is Dead)
Carrie Ames é uma médica que recentemente se mudou para o Michigan para trabalhar no Serviço de Urgência de um hospital. Certa noite, é atacada na morgue por um vampiro, supostamente um doente falecido há minutos atrás. Enquanto se debate com a inconcebível ideia de que se transformou numa vampira e toda a sua vida ficou para trás, vê-se envolvida numa guerra entre duas facções de vampiros: a do seu criador, com quem tem um forte laço de sangue, e a do inimigo dele, por quem ela cria uma afinidade especial.
Ora aqui está uma bela surpresa. Numa altura em que as histórias de vampiros começam a saturar um pouco, “A Iniciação” surpreende e oferece uma história envolvente e cativante que supera alguns dos clichés associados a estes seres sobrenaturais.
Escrito na 1ª pessoa pela voz da Dra. Carrie Ames, o leitor cria desde o início uma grande ligação com ela. Acaba por ser um dos pontos mais fortes da obra, a poderosa protagonista que, apesar de transformada em vampira, concentra em si uma humanidade e um realismo deliciosos, pautados por um humor inteligente e uma maturidade há muito exigida neste género. E se Carrie é uma protagonista marcante, as personagens secundárias não lhe ficam atrás, cada uma delas bastante peculiar e com um humor muito próprio. Destaco por exemplo o vampiro Nathan ou a bruxa Dhalia.
Outro elemento bastante interessante da obra é a quantidade de referências culturais que encontramos um pouco por todo o lado. Referências ao mundo do entretenimento, a obras literárias, etc., tornam a leitura muito mais rica e complexa. Em adição, a autora não se inibe de fazer descrições mais sangrentas ou sexuais, tornando “A Iniciação” num livro mais maduro e realista.
Porém, “A Iniciação” não se livra de alguns clichés associados aos vampiros, fazendo com que quem está habituado a este género se sinta um pouco frustrado se procura algo novo. Jennifer Armintrout admite que se inspirou em Anne Rice e L.C. Smith e isso é visível especialmente na imagem de Cyrus (o criador de Carrie) e no mundo vampírico que o rodeia.
“A Iniciação” é daquele tipo de livros que chega sorrateiramente, sem grande alarido e que surpreende ao apresentar uma história viciante com personagens realistas e marcantes. Dirigido a um público mais maduro, certamente vai agradar aos fãs de histórias de vampiros e não só. Uma das pequenas grandes surpresas do ano na fantasia urbana publicada em Portugal. A minha sede pelos volumes seguintes é muito grande!
(Crítica publicada no blog Bela Lugosi is Dead)
July 30, 2010
Real Rating: 4.5
Este primeiro livro da série Laços de Sangue foi uma boa surpresa. Confesso que andei a evitá-lo durante uns bons dias, pois pensava cá para mim: "Ora boa, mais um livrinho de vampiros...". E apesar de já ter lido bastantes este ano, este mostrou-se diferente. Conceitos diferentes, atitudes diferentes, o que contribuiu para que fosse ganhando entusiasmo ao longo da leitura. Tanto, que acabei por lê-lo em dia e meio.
Carrie, personagem principal e narradora, é uma médica que a certa noite nos Serviços de Urgência, se vê deparada com um doente brutalmente maltratado. Parte do maxilar desfeito, uma cavidade ocular sem olho, enfim, completamente arrasado. Mesmo tendo outros médicos a ajudar o paciente e a chamá-la, ela paralisa e não consegue tirar os olhos daquele moribundo. Quando este lhe retribui o olhar, ela fica muito intrigada, algo não está certo. E a curiosidade dela, após a morte do paciente, muda-lhe a vida... Para sempre.
Jennifer Armintrout construiu um mundo um pouco diferente do que estamos habituados. Se nos últimos romances sobrenaturais modernos, os vampiros podem andar à luz do Sol e a água benta e as estacas não os matam... bem, aqui isso é tudo bastante diferente. As personagens são, na sua maioria, muito misteriosas, com passados dolorosos. Quando um vampiro decidi "iniciar" (transformar) uma pessoa, é necessária uma troca de sangue e isso cria um laço entre eles. O iniciado, com o sangue do seu progenitor a correr nas suas veias, sente-se sempre compelido a estar e a zelar pelo seu progenitor.
Carrie, Nathan e Cyrus, as personagens princnipais, são todas elas bastantes determinadas. Cyrus é de uma crueldade que rasa a abominação. Nathan, embora tenha o mesmo sangue a correr nele que Cyrus, é bastante diferente e luta por ideais completamente diferentes.
Ao conhecerem Carrie, a vida destes deles nunca mais será a mesma.
É um romance bastante brutal na sua violência e nos sentimentos retratados. Não há cá um ideal cor-de-rosa onde tudo acaba por ser perfeito. Não. Há sofrimento, luta, violência e paixão. Não é uma completa obra prima, mas é bastante bom. A escrita da autora, simples e directa, a juntar aos ingredientes que ela tão bem soube misturar, faz com que continuar a ler se torne uma necessidade. Gostei bastante e só posso esperar que a Gailivro lance os outros (até agora a autora já lançou 4) para acompanhar esta história.
Este primeiro livro da série Laços de Sangue foi uma boa surpresa. Confesso que andei a evitá-lo durante uns bons dias, pois pensava cá para mim: "Ora boa, mais um livrinho de vampiros...". E apesar de já ter lido bastantes este ano, este mostrou-se diferente. Conceitos diferentes, atitudes diferentes, o que contribuiu para que fosse ganhando entusiasmo ao longo da leitura. Tanto, que acabei por lê-lo em dia e meio.
Carrie, personagem principal e narradora, é uma médica que a certa noite nos Serviços de Urgência, se vê deparada com um doente brutalmente maltratado. Parte do maxilar desfeito, uma cavidade ocular sem olho, enfim, completamente arrasado. Mesmo tendo outros médicos a ajudar o paciente e a chamá-la, ela paralisa e não consegue tirar os olhos daquele moribundo. Quando este lhe retribui o olhar, ela fica muito intrigada, algo não está certo. E a curiosidade dela, após a morte do paciente, muda-lhe a vida... Para sempre.
Jennifer Armintrout construiu um mundo um pouco diferente do que estamos habituados. Se nos últimos romances sobrenaturais modernos, os vampiros podem andar à luz do Sol e a água benta e as estacas não os matam... bem, aqui isso é tudo bastante diferente. As personagens são, na sua maioria, muito misteriosas, com passados dolorosos. Quando um vampiro decidi "iniciar" (transformar) uma pessoa, é necessária uma troca de sangue e isso cria um laço entre eles. O iniciado, com o sangue do seu progenitor a correr nas suas veias, sente-se sempre compelido a estar e a zelar pelo seu progenitor.
Carrie, Nathan e Cyrus, as personagens princnipais, são todas elas bastantes determinadas. Cyrus é de uma crueldade que rasa a abominação. Nathan, embora tenha o mesmo sangue a correr nele que Cyrus, é bastante diferente e luta por ideais completamente diferentes.
Ao conhecerem Carrie, a vida destes deles nunca mais será a mesma.
É um romance bastante brutal na sua violência e nos sentimentos retratados. Não há cá um ideal cor-de-rosa onde tudo acaba por ser perfeito. Não. Há sofrimento, luta, violência e paixão. Não é uma completa obra prima, mas é bastante bom. A escrita da autora, simples e directa, a juntar aos ingredientes que ela tão bem soube misturar, faz com que continuar a ler se torne uma necessidade. Gostei bastante e só posso esperar que a Gailivro lance os outros (até agora a autora já lançou 4) para acompanhar esta história.
December 20, 2015
The reason I first picked this book was because it's about vampires and the heroine wasn't a 16 year old waiting for the prince charming. As she says she was 28 years old but she looked barely 21 (whatever!).
So a vampire story with lots of blood, gore and a fascination with eyes. I mean the things this author did with eyes!She took them out, borrowed them, changed them, staked them and all that in detail! Jennifer, what do you have against eyes?!?
Now our heroine, Carrie, is a doctor with daddy-issues, self-proclaimed perfectionist and she has the weirdest libido ever! I mean her friend is down with blood all over him, the house is on fire and a witch wants to voodoo her but in comes the sex-on-legs roommate and she starts salivating!Have some priorities, girl!
The bad guy, Cyrus, is bad because it's fun. He has daddy issues too and just wants somebody to love him. In the end, I kind of liked him, but it was then when Carrie went all Xena, the warrior princess, on him and the little fledgling, who didn't even know how to bite, took down the hundreds old, poor, bad vamp all by herself.
And for the end, the third of this erotic triangle, the good guy, Nathan. He's like Angel in Buffy. So good, but so tormented as well, he wants to kill all the vampires to protect the human kind. He's still running from the nightmares of his past and he plays dad to a teen.
As a story it was something different but I didn't like the way this author writes. It's very cold and I couldn't connect with the characters.
So a vampire story with lots of blood, gore and a fascination with eyes. I mean the things this author did with eyes!She took them out, borrowed them, changed them, staked them and all that in detail! Jennifer, what do you have against eyes?!?
Now our heroine, Carrie, is a doctor with daddy-issues, self-proclaimed perfectionist and she has the weirdest libido ever! I mean her friend is down with blood all over him, the house is on fire and a witch wants to voodoo her but in comes the sex-on-legs roommate and she starts salivating!Have some priorities, girl!
The bad guy, Cyrus, is bad because it's fun. He has daddy issues too and just wants somebody to love him. In the end, I kind of liked him, but it was then when Carrie went all Xena, the warrior princess, on him and the little fledgling, who didn't even know how to bite, took down the hundreds old, poor, bad vamp all by herself.
And for the end, the third of this erotic triangle, the good guy, Nathan. He's like Angel in Buffy. So good, but so tormented as well, he wants to kill all the vampires to protect the human kind. He's still running from the nightmares of his past and he plays dad to a teen.
As a story it was something different but I didn't like the way this author writes. It's very cold and I couldn't connect with the characters.
May 3, 2015
I actively disliked this one. I thought the main character had such potential and instead became revolting.
Carrie is a doctor, so I accept that she wasn't squeamish when Cyrus' dinner is a dead body, and then he plucks the corpse's eyeball and drops it into his drinking glass. But since Carrie is a doctor and sworn to help people, I DON'T forgive her for seeing a girl being attacked and closing the shades on her window so she wouldn't have to hear it. I don't forgive her for letting Cyrus have Ziggy without ATTEMPTING to help. I don't get it. Did she have a personality transplant when she became a vampire?
Later, Carrie finds out that Cyrus likes to rape and murder young girls, and she's still all over him and head over heels in lust. W.T.F. Isn't that a bit of a turnoff?
Who is this person, and why would I root for her?
Carrie is a doctor, so I accept that she wasn't squeamish when Cyrus' dinner is a dead body, and then he plucks the corpse's eyeball and drops it into his drinking glass. But since Carrie is a doctor and sworn to help people, I DON'T forgive her for seeing a girl being attacked and closing the shades on her window so she wouldn't have to hear it. I don't forgive her for letting Cyrus have Ziggy without ATTEMPTING to help. I don't get it. Did she have a personality transplant when she became a vampire?
Later, Carrie finds out that Cyrus likes to rape and murder young girls, and she's still all over him and head over heels in lust. W.T.F. Isn't that a bit of a turnoff?
Who is this person, and why would I root for her?
August 27, 2016
6/7/2014
So.
I read this book awhile back. I thought it was 'okay' (as you can see by how I rated this back in 2009). Am now going to go back to do a reread based on author's commendable behavior with regard to despicable trolling/bully sites.
http://jennytrout.com/?p=7720
http://jennytrout.com/?p=7708
This, on the heels of a certain 'world famous' *rolls eyes here* authoress who's decided that readers/reviewers who post less than sycophantic comments/posts, and less than adoring reviews are 'gangster bullies,' (yes, you read that correctly - cough - Anne Rice) has re-interested me into second chances.
I'm a firm believer that (though not intrinsic) an author's behavior has an impact on how I perceive their works.
May not be today, but a reread is imminent.
So.
I read this book awhile back. I thought it was 'okay' (as you can see by how I rated this back in 2009). Am now going to go back to do a reread based on author's commendable behavior with regard to despicable trolling/bully sites.
http://jennytrout.com/?p=7720
http://jennytrout.com/?p=7708
This, on the heels of a certain 'world famous' *rolls eyes here* authoress who's decided that readers/reviewers who post less than sycophantic comments/posts, and less than adoring reviews are 'gangster bullies,' (yes, you read that correctly - cough - Anne Rice) has re-interested me into second chances.
I'm a firm believer that (though not intrinsic) an author's behavior has an impact on how I perceive their works.
May not be today, but a reread is imminent.
August 24, 2015
This is completely different from what I am used to reading. I wasn't sure the first few chapters if I wanted to continue but it sucked me in. Deliciously disturbing so I must be sick in the head. A truly dark look into the not so good side of being a vampire. Violence, gore, blood and torture and teen rape. This is not a "romance" like bonding or mating that is generally read. I appreciate the change and it is very well written.
Best quote from book:
"Every moment I spent with him faded my anger, like a photograph exposed to sunlight."
Best quote from book:
"Every moment I spent with him faded my anger, like a photograph exposed to sunlight."
May 20, 2019
Thank you Nenia for recommending this to me!
December 30, 2018
Meh. Kinda boring, I've read other, better books on this subject.
December 29, 2007
This is no sweet, humorous vampire romance. Violence abounds from the first pages to the end. The story is unique for the approach to vampires, the changes in their bodies, and the link between sire and fledglings. And the idea that vampires would work to eradicate the "bad" vampires is not new, but that the Movement would strive to destroy all of the vampires was a shock.
Carrie's new nature is hard to resist and with the additional pull of her sire it is almost impossible to control herself. On top of this she finds herself attracted to the vampire who is committed to killing her if she doesn't join the movement. Carrie is between a rock and a hard place and it looks like she has nowhere safe to turn.
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/5...
Carrie's new nature is hard to resist and with the additional pull of her sire it is almost impossible to control herself. On top of this she finds herself attracted to the vampire who is committed to killing her if she doesn't join the movement. Carrie is between a rock and a hard place and it looks like she has nowhere safe to turn.
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/5...
July 2, 2022
☠️ November Kindle Unlimited BotM at the URR™ ☠️
For the record, I totally blame the Trash Panda for this! 😂
DNF @ Page 66 (16% - Ch.5)
For the record, I totally blame the Trash Panda for this! 😂
February 21, 2015
I wasn't even able to finish this book. It's awfull, awfull, awfull. The crappy translation to Portuguese didn't help aswel.
I do not recommend it.
I do not recommend it.
May 1, 2017
I was right - I had read this before! But it was so long ago and so many books have been read since I didn't remember the entire story - but I did remember a few key turning points.
Saying that - I'm glad I picked it up again - i really enjoyed it!
Carrie is a great character and Nathan is too. And altho some intimacy has been seen, no romance is on the cards there yet. Nathan is still very much in love (or guilty) with his wife from the 1920s.
Cyrus turns out to be an interesting villain when you get to the end. He plays a good baddie throughout and his father - now known as 'The Soul Eater' sounds just damn right scary and something you'll run screaming from in daylight let alone a dark alley.....
Ziggy was such a sweet character and I felt for both Carrie and Nathan when the Vampire New Year party didn't go quite as planned.
We have a newcomer called Max at the end of the book which I suspect we'll see more of....in fact if I remember right I'm pretty sure we do!
yes I'm pretty sure I've read the next one too but couldn't tell you the exact specifics.
Huh. I found a plus side to my lousy memory!!!!😂
onto book two.......
Saying that - I'm glad I picked it up again - i really enjoyed it!
Carrie is a great character and Nathan is too. And altho some intimacy has been seen, no romance is on the cards there yet. Nathan is still very much in love (or guilty) with his wife from the 1920s.
Cyrus turns out to be an interesting villain when you get to the end. He plays a good baddie throughout and his father - now known as 'The Soul Eater' sounds just damn right scary and something you'll run screaming from in daylight let alone a dark alley.....
Ziggy was such a sweet character and I felt for both Carrie and Nathan when the Vampire New Year party didn't go quite as planned.
We have a newcomer called Max at the end of the book which I suspect we'll see more of....in fact if I remember right I'm pretty sure we do!
yes I'm pretty sure I've read the next one too but couldn't tell you the exact specifics.
Huh. I found a plus side to my lousy memory!!!!😂
onto book two.......
September 21, 2014
Dr Carrie Ames’ life changes dramatically when she is attacked in the hospital morgue. Thankfully found and saved in time, she undergoes her long and life threatening recovery. Her body then experiences some strange changes, such as a big increase in appetite and sensitivity to sunlight; things that can be explained medically, but Carrie knows the truth. She is a vampire and she needs help. She meets Ziggy and the ‘sex walking’ good vampire, Nathan, who educates Carrie on her new life. But soon Carrie seeks out her perverse and twisted sire and discovers the blood tie that binds them. Will she be able to resist Cyrus?
(Please be aware that this review may contain spoilers before reading further.)
And so the story begins of Carrie's vampirehood. Vampires in Armintrout's world just don't grow fangs when they're hungry or angry. No, their whole face changes into something ugly; a snout, even. I liked this as it's going back to the 'monster' feel, where vampires aren't supposed to be beautiful or... sparkly, but creatures of horror.
This book was definitely entertaining, foolish heroine aside. I didn't find myself bored at any time, as I found it had a good pace and I was definitely surprised at some points. I really like that in a book - the unpredictable and the excitement that comes with that. A lot of books you just know what will happen and reading it then becomes a chore.
However, I don’t know if I like Carrie. She’s not one of those characters I fell in love with instantly, or at all. I disliked her from the very start, right where she mentioned she despises people who show fear. I understand she was brought up to see fear as a weakness, because of her father, but using the word ‘despise’ really crumbled any hope of liking her easily. If I stated the same thing, then there simply wouldn't be anyone to like, because everyone shows fear, at some time or the other. A bit naive of her, if you ask me. I wouldn't have cared if she perished and I actually wanted her to at times. I know it sounds mean of me, but we all come across characters that rub us the wrong way. I am willing to give her a chance, though.
I liked Nathan and Ziggy and their relationship. Nathan holds so much inside that I wanted to hug him. Also, he was the one hot male for me in this book, as Cyrus didn't do it for me at all. Indeed Cyrus was a good villain, twisted and manipulative, as well as tortured and yearning to be loved. He also gave the book a slight punch, with his perverse and disturbing antics. Dahlia I had mixed feelings for, but I found I liked her. She was crazy, yes, but she loved a man that didn't love her and simply used her. That was make anyone crazy, right?
Now to the utter cringe worthy part. I know Carrie was affected by the blood tie and I know what it made her feel, but her willingly having sex with a child molester and enjoying it... well, those scenes weren't as enjoyable as I usually find with hot interactions. She actually admitted she wanted him despite the tie and at the end, cared for him and felt sorry for him. I mean... what? I'm sorry, but would you desire someone who has sex, even rapes, teenage boys and girls? I don't think so. Would you mourn for them? Hell no. Let 'em burn in hell.
In the end, I didn't think Carrie deserved Nathan. Her mouth often spilled out hurtful things that Nate definitely didn't deserve!
I will continue reading this series, as I don’t give up on series’ easily.
© Red Lace 2011
(Please be aware that this review may contain spoilers before reading further.)
And so the story begins of Carrie's vampirehood. Vampires in Armintrout's world just don't grow fangs when they're hungry or angry. No, their whole face changes into something ugly; a snout, even. I liked this as it's going back to the 'monster' feel, where vampires aren't supposed to be beautiful or... sparkly, but creatures of horror.
This book was definitely entertaining, foolish heroine aside. I didn't find myself bored at any time, as I found it had a good pace and I was definitely surprised at some points. I really like that in a book - the unpredictable and the excitement that comes with that. A lot of books you just know what will happen and reading it then becomes a chore.
However, I don’t know if I like Carrie. She’s not one of those characters I fell in love with instantly, or at all. I disliked her from the very start, right where she mentioned she despises people who show fear. I understand she was brought up to see fear as a weakness, because of her father, but using the word ‘despise’ really crumbled any hope of liking her easily. If I stated the same thing, then there simply wouldn't be anyone to like, because everyone shows fear, at some time or the other. A bit naive of her, if you ask me. I wouldn't have cared if she perished and I actually wanted her to at times. I know it sounds mean of me, but we all come across characters that rub us the wrong way. I am willing to give her a chance, though.
I liked Nathan and Ziggy and their relationship. Nathan holds so much inside that I wanted to hug him. Also, he was the one hot male for me in this book, as Cyrus didn't do it for me at all. Indeed Cyrus was a good villain, twisted and manipulative, as well as tortured and yearning to be loved. He also gave the book a slight punch, with his perverse and disturbing antics. Dahlia I had mixed feelings for, but I found I liked her. She was crazy, yes, but she loved a man that didn't love her and simply used her. That was make anyone crazy, right?
Now to the utter cringe worthy part. I know Carrie was affected by the blood tie and I know what it made her feel, but her willingly having sex with a child molester and enjoying it... well, those scenes weren't as enjoyable as I usually find with hot interactions. She actually admitted she wanted him despite the tie and at the end, cared for him and felt sorry for him. I mean... what? I'm sorry, but would you desire someone who has sex, even rapes, teenage boys and girls? I don't think so. Would you mourn for them? Hell no. Let 'em burn in hell.
In the end, I didn't think Carrie deserved Nathan. Her mouth often spilled out hurtful things that Nate definitely didn't deserve!
I will continue reading this series, as I don’t give up on series’ easily.
© Red Lace 2011
June 8, 2012
Desde que a capa me cativou, e o mesmo não posso afirmar quanto à sinopse, que queria ler o livro. Tanto que o comprei a ele e aos dois seguintes. Finalmente consegui pegar nele!
Ora bem, no geral achei o livro bastante cómico e cheio de acção. Do inicio ao fim, acontece quase tudo à protagonista, desde tentar sobreviver e afirmar-se no meio de internos sedentos de atenção, a ser desmoralizada pelo chefe, atacada por um vampiro, morrer no bloco operatório, sobreviver, encontrar outro vampiro, encontrar uma bruxa, que por sua vez a esfaqueia, etc etc etc... Poderia aqui estar o resto da manhã e mesmo assim não diria todos os acontecimentos que recheiam esta obra. Isto é sem dúvida um ponto positivo, porque de monótono o A Iniciação não tem nada.
O mesmo posso dizer de Carrie. Esta personagem principal é bastante inconstante e caricata, muito diferente de outras dentro do género. Arma-se em heroína muitas vezes, mas na outra parte do tempo ou está a ser esfaqueada, esventrada ou abusada. Resumindo, ou é muito cobarde ou é muito estúpida. Além disso, começa o livro a afirmar as suas convicções para a vida, mas logo depois começa a sua auto-destruição e a mostrar que afinal não é talhada para ser médica, acabando mesmo por o deixar de ser. Na própria sinopse diz que não é cobarde, mas por inúmeras vezes suplica por perdão e clemência - o que me deixou um pouco perplexa perante estas mesmas cenas. Nunca tinha encontrado semelhante personagem! Apesar de parecer tudo um pouco estranho, digo que isto tem o seu quê de originalidade, a meu ver, e me faz querer acompanhar as suas restantes aventuras e peripécias.
Outra personagem que me agradou bastante foi a Dahlia. Quando ela surge não nos passa pela cabeça a importância que ela vai ter na história. Tal como Carrie, também vai ser pontapeada e mal tratada, mas ao contrário da personagem principal, esta tem uma personalidade muito mais forte e marcante, e que irá acompanhar a restante saga com grande importância. Mais uma vez estarei cá para assistir.
Infelizmente, os elogios terminam aqui, por enquanto. Jennifer Armintrout mostrou-se bastante boa na arte de criar personagens diferentes, divertidas e únicas, mas falhou redondamente na ligação entre elas. Tanto a nível romântico como a nível familiar, não havendo convicção ou boas descrições que transparecessem os sentimentos que daqui resulta, ou deviam resultar. As relações entre o trio amoroso são demasiado distantes e forçadas, principalmente as cenas de sexo e a relação com o primeiro progenitor, que se torna um pouco artificial de tanto se referir ao laço de sangue. Ficamos sem saber se a protagonista se sente atraída por ele de verdade ou não, mesmo até ao final do livro.
Apesar de ser o primeiro livro (e estou a espera de mudar de opinião nos próximos), o movimento constituídos por vampiros que matam outros vampiros não me pareceu estar muito bem construído ou explicito, apesar da "bíblia" e das muitas explicações e personagens a ele ligadas.
Terminando, uma das minhas cenas preferidas, e correndo o risco de soar um pouco mórbida e sem coração, foi a morte do Jimmy. Não pela morte em si, mas sim pelo inesperado e situação pouco óbvia.
Ora bem, no geral achei o livro bastante cómico e cheio de acção. Do inicio ao fim, acontece quase tudo à protagonista, desde tentar sobreviver e afirmar-se no meio de internos sedentos de atenção, a ser desmoralizada pelo chefe, atacada por um vampiro, morrer no bloco operatório, sobreviver, encontrar outro vampiro, encontrar uma bruxa, que por sua vez a esfaqueia, etc etc etc... Poderia aqui estar o resto da manhã e mesmo assim não diria todos os acontecimentos que recheiam esta obra. Isto é sem dúvida um ponto positivo, porque de monótono o A Iniciação não tem nada.
O mesmo posso dizer de Carrie. Esta personagem principal é bastante inconstante e caricata, muito diferente de outras dentro do género. Arma-se em heroína muitas vezes, mas na outra parte do tempo ou está a ser esfaqueada, esventrada ou abusada. Resumindo, ou é muito cobarde ou é muito estúpida. Além disso, começa o livro a afirmar as suas convicções para a vida, mas logo depois começa a sua auto-destruição e a mostrar que afinal não é talhada para ser médica, acabando mesmo por o deixar de ser. Na própria sinopse diz que não é cobarde, mas por inúmeras vezes suplica por perdão e clemência - o que me deixou um pouco perplexa perante estas mesmas cenas. Nunca tinha encontrado semelhante personagem! Apesar de parecer tudo um pouco estranho, digo que isto tem o seu quê de originalidade, a meu ver, e me faz querer acompanhar as suas restantes aventuras e peripécias.
Outra personagem que me agradou bastante foi a Dahlia. Quando ela surge não nos passa pela cabeça a importância que ela vai ter na história. Tal como Carrie, também vai ser pontapeada e mal tratada, mas ao contrário da personagem principal, esta tem uma personalidade muito mais forte e marcante, e que irá acompanhar a restante saga com grande importância. Mais uma vez estarei cá para assistir.
Infelizmente, os elogios terminam aqui, por enquanto. Jennifer Armintrout mostrou-se bastante boa na arte de criar personagens diferentes, divertidas e únicas, mas falhou redondamente na ligação entre elas. Tanto a nível romântico como a nível familiar, não havendo convicção ou boas descrições que transparecessem os sentimentos que daqui resulta, ou deviam resultar. As relações entre o trio amoroso são demasiado distantes e forçadas, principalmente as cenas de sexo e a relação com o primeiro progenitor, que se torna um pouco artificial de tanto se referir ao laço de sangue. Ficamos sem saber se a protagonista se sente atraída por ele de verdade ou não, mesmo até ao final do livro.
Apesar de ser o primeiro livro (e estou a espera de mudar de opinião nos próximos), o movimento constituídos por vampiros que matam outros vampiros não me pareceu estar muito bem construído ou explicito, apesar da "bíblia" e das muitas explicações e personagens a ele ligadas.
Terminando, uma das minhas cenas preferidas, e correndo o risco de soar um pouco mórbida e sem coração, foi a morte do Jimmy. Não pela morte em si, mas sim pelo inesperado e situação pouco óbvia.
June 14, 2015
The Turning' is the first book in the 'Blood Ties' series by Jennifer Armintrout. It's a solid start to a series if a little uneven. It also doesn't really sit within the urban fantasy genre or the paranormal romance genre but somewhere in between in my opinion. Although there are a few gruesome scenes that may be too explicit for PNR fans, especially if they are just after a romance and nothing else.
Carrie Ames is a doctor working in a hospital when a John Doe is pushed through the hospital doors brutally beaten, body mangled and at the point of death. Carrie finds it a difficult case to work on and discovers, to her embarrassment that she just can't deal with it and runs from the ER. Unfortunately, the guy dies and so later in her shift Carrie decides to confront her fears and view the body. Unfortunately, she meets something far worse than a dead body down in the morgue and her life is changed forever.
The hero of the story is a vampire called Nathan who is a very likeable character. He's the 'good' guy and helps Carrie come to terms with her new life. There's also the vampire, Cyrus, the anti-hero who is quite a disturbing character. He's the vampire who 'changed' Carrie and who enjoys killing, torturing and raping fifteen year old girls. It's Carrie's interactions with this particular character which prevented me from connecting with her, as I really didn't understand her attraction towards such a despicable man/vampire.
Because of the 'blood tie', Carrie finds herself drawn to Cyrus physically and if it was just the 'blood tie' I could have let it slide. But unfortunately it wasn't. Carrie was attracted to him even without the blood tie and when seeing visions of him raping a young girl it was hard for me to understand her attraction. Cyrus was just downright disgusting.
Nathan on the other hand is a true hero. Someone who sticks to the rules, who cares and wants to help, but who is also strong, handsome with a hot body to boot. Of course Carrie is attracted to Nathan as well as Cyrus, but I could understand why. The sex scenes are fairly explicit but not overly so, unfortunately there was no love involved with either Nathan or Cyrus.
VERDICT:
I found 'The Turning' to be a very easy book to get into and the pace steady, which kept me turning the pages with ease. It has a fairly exciting plot with characters that are vivid and interesting. I did find Carrie to be a little irritating at times as her thoughts chopped and changed constantly, which made it difficult to connect with her. However, I enjoyed it enough that I will definitely continue the series and fortunately have book two already at hand.
Carrie Ames is a doctor working in a hospital when a John Doe is pushed through the hospital doors brutally beaten, body mangled and at the point of death. Carrie finds it a difficult case to work on and discovers, to her embarrassment that she just can't deal with it and runs from the ER. Unfortunately, the guy dies and so later in her shift Carrie decides to confront her fears and view the body. Unfortunately, she meets something far worse than a dead body down in the morgue and her life is changed forever.
The hero of the story is a vampire called Nathan who is a very likeable character. He's the 'good' guy and helps Carrie come to terms with her new life. There's also the vampire, Cyrus, the anti-hero who is quite a disturbing character. He's the vampire who 'changed' Carrie and who enjoys killing, torturing and raping fifteen year old girls. It's Carrie's interactions with this particular character which prevented me from connecting with her, as I really didn't understand her attraction towards such a despicable man/vampire.
Because of the 'blood tie', Carrie finds herself drawn to Cyrus physically and if it was just the 'blood tie' I could have let it slide. But unfortunately it wasn't. Carrie was attracted to him even without the blood tie and when seeing visions of him raping a young girl it was hard for me to understand her attraction. Cyrus was just downright disgusting.
Nathan on the other hand is a true hero. Someone who sticks to the rules, who cares and wants to help, but who is also strong, handsome with a hot body to boot. Of course Carrie is attracted to Nathan as well as Cyrus, but I could understand why. The sex scenes are fairly explicit but not overly so, unfortunately there was no love involved with either Nathan or Cyrus.
VERDICT:
I found 'The Turning' to be a very easy book to get into and the pace steady, which kept me turning the pages with ease. It has a fairly exciting plot with characters that are vivid and interesting. I did find Carrie to be a little irritating at times as her thoughts chopped and changed constantly, which made it difficult to connect with her. However, I enjoyed it enough that I will definitely continue the series and fortunately have book two already at hand.
November 22, 2017
See my other reviews at Never Enough Books
The things that go bump in the night are often the things that fascinate us the most. There is a sort of unknown taboo feeling about them that seem to draw us in. No matter how dangerous these things can be, we humans find them darkly fascinating.
Dr. Carrie Ames is a new resident at her local ER. When a John Doe comes through the doors and subsequently dies from his injuries, it sets Carrie on a path that changes her life forever. Because she ran from the ER originally, Carrie looks to confront her fears in the Morgue and is brutally attacked and left for dead. Though she survived the attack, Carrie is changed and not for the better.
Looking for answers, Carrie finds Nathan Grant, a fellow vampire and member of the Movement. The Movement seeks to eliminate all vampire in order to save mankind and the vampire who turned Carrie, Cyrus Kerrick is enemy number one. Nathan then gives Carrie a choice – join them or be killed by them.
To add insult to injury, Carrie learns of her ‘blood tie’ with Cyrus. A sort of psychic bond it ties Carrie to Cyrus, allowing him to read her thoughts and even control her emotions towards him. She finds herself attracted to Cyrus but also Nathan. What is a girl to do?
Despite the interesting premise, I was rather disappointed by this book. Though the action was fairly solid, the characters were not. I found them all one-dimensional and not at all interesting. The main protagonist, a vampire who is evil and cruel just because he can be. The potential love interest, another vampire with a checkered past who still has feelings for his long dead wife. The main female character, emotionally stunted with a less than loving childhood. Tropes, all of them, and not in a good way. For me, there was only one interesting character I wanted to know more about and he died!
Dark and gruesome at times, eye-rolling bad at others. Personally, I did not enjoy this book and won’t be seeking out the others in the series.
The things that go bump in the night are often the things that fascinate us the most. There is a sort of unknown taboo feeling about them that seem to draw us in. No matter how dangerous these things can be, we humans find them darkly fascinating.
Dr. Carrie Ames is a new resident at her local ER. When a John Doe comes through the doors and subsequently dies from his injuries, it sets Carrie on a path that changes her life forever. Because she ran from the ER originally, Carrie looks to confront her fears in the Morgue and is brutally attacked and left for dead. Though she survived the attack, Carrie is changed and not for the better.
Looking for answers, Carrie finds Nathan Grant, a fellow vampire and member of the Movement. The Movement seeks to eliminate all vampire in order to save mankind and the vampire who turned Carrie, Cyrus Kerrick is enemy number one. Nathan then gives Carrie a choice – join them or be killed by them.
To add insult to injury, Carrie learns of her ‘blood tie’ with Cyrus. A sort of psychic bond it ties Carrie to Cyrus, allowing him to read her thoughts and even control her emotions towards him. She finds herself attracted to Cyrus but also Nathan. What is a girl to do?
Despite the interesting premise, I was rather disappointed by this book. Though the action was fairly solid, the characters were not. I found them all one-dimensional and not at all interesting. The main protagonist, a vampire who is evil and cruel just because he can be. The potential love interest, another vampire with a checkered past who still has feelings for his long dead wife. The main female character, emotionally stunted with a less than loving childhood. Tropes, all of them, and not in a good way. For me, there was only one interesting character I wanted to know more about and he died!
Dark and gruesome at times, eye-rolling bad at others. Personally, I did not enjoy this book and won’t be seeking out the others in the series.
April 2, 2008
Just in case you, like me, got this book confused with paranormal romance: it's not romance. That should hopefully dispel any expectations on that score which will only be disappointed.
Carrie is a doctor who has a bit of a breakdown when she sees the horrific injuries of a patient brought in one night. Trying to overcome her fear, she goes to the morgue to view the corpse only to have it attack her.
After spending some time in hospital herself, recovering, she struggles to return to her job. The side-effects of the attack are making her suspicious, and in the end she decides to look into the possibility that she's been turned into a vampire.
As skeptical as she is, meeting Nathan and his donor, Ziggy, force her to accept the truth: she's a vampire. And her sire, Cyrus, is not one of the "good guys". Because the blood tie between sire and fledgling, she feels a pull to Cyrus, while also feeling attracted to Nathan - and Cyrus wants her. He's lonely, and all his other fledglings have been killed by the Movement. An attempt on Nathan's life forces her to make a bargain with Cyrus: Nathan's life for her.
---------------------------
I can't quite decide how much I liked this book. There were elements of it that I really enjoyed, and other things that bugged me. The writing was generally good, though there seemed to be a few plot holes or slips, and Armintrout seems confused by the difference between a serf and a peasant. I hate coming across mistakes in books, it makes the entire story harder to believe in.
I appreciated that the characters weren't black-and-white: Cyrus wasn't evil, it's not that simple, and Nathan has a dark past. Carrie was believable, not sweet and innocent like Feehan's heroines (do romance heroines always have to be sweet? Nah), and struggled between her attraction to both men.
Not bad for a debut, not bad at all, but I'm undecided on whether I'll continue the series or not.
Carrie is a doctor who has a bit of a breakdown when she sees the horrific injuries of a patient brought in one night. Trying to overcome her fear, she goes to the morgue to view the corpse only to have it attack her.
After spending some time in hospital herself, recovering, she struggles to return to her job. The side-effects of the attack are making her suspicious, and in the end she decides to look into the possibility that she's been turned into a vampire.
As skeptical as she is, meeting Nathan and his donor, Ziggy, force her to accept the truth: she's a vampire. And her sire, Cyrus, is not one of the "good guys". Because the blood tie between sire and fledgling, she feels a pull to Cyrus, while also feeling attracted to Nathan - and Cyrus wants her. He's lonely, and all his other fledglings have been killed by the Movement. An attempt on Nathan's life forces her to make a bargain with Cyrus: Nathan's life for her.
---------------------------
I can't quite decide how much I liked this book. There were elements of it that I really enjoyed, and other things that bugged me. The writing was generally good, though there seemed to be a few plot holes or slips, and Armintrout seems confused by the difference between a serf and a peasant. I hate coming across mistakes in books, it makes the entire story harder to believe in.
I appreciated that the characters weren't black-and-white: Cyrus wasn't evil, it's not that simple, and Nathan has a dark past. Carrie was believable, not sweet and innocent like Feehan's heroines (do romance heroines always have to be sweet? Nah), and struggled between her attraction to both men.
Not bad for a debut, not bad at all, but I'm undecided on whether I'll continue the series or not.
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