Archive for Vampire Books

Dracula, My Love:  The Secret Journals of Mina Harker by Syrie JamesTitle: Dracula, My Love: The Secret Journals of Mina Harker
Author: Syrie James
Release Date: July 20, 2010
Pages: 480 pages
Genre: Vampire Romance

Best Book Quote: I will never forget the magic of being held in his embrace, the compelling magnetism of his eyes as he gazed at me, or how it felt to whirl about the dance floor in his arms. I still shiver with delight when I recall the dizzying sensation of traveling with him at the speed of light, and the way his slightest touch could make me gasp with unimaginable pleasure and desire.

What is it about vampires that women love so much? If you had asked me what I thought about vampires when I was a teenager, I wouldn’t have had much to say. By then I’d read the original Dracula and I certainly didn’t end the book wishing a vampire would rescue me from my boring life.

I recently read “Dracula, My Love: The Secret Journals of Mina Harker” by Syrie James. When I decided to read it, I half-heartedly thought back to my boring experience reading the original Dracula novel.

My experience with this book was COMPLETELY different.

As with the original Bram Stoker novel, this story introduces us to Jonathan Harker, a solicitor that’s been sent to Transylvania to finish a real estate transaction with the wealthy and mysterious Count Dracula. The horrors that befall Jonathan during his stay at Dracula’s castle drive him temporarily insane and leave his fiancée Mina back home fretting about what may have happened to him. Meanwhile, Dracula learns of beautiful Mina through Jonathan and decides to travel to England to court her. He successfully uses his charm and his special powers of persuasion on her and she does indeed fall for him.

If you’ll remember, in the original novel Dracula was evil and not the kind of character you would want to spend the rest of your days with. In Syrie James’ version, the story is written from the point of view of Mina. The author skillfully constructs a story that lets us understand why Mina fell so hard for Dracula. We enter Mina’s psyche and fully understand her wants, her fears and her desires. We likewise develop an understanding of Dracula’s motivations. This insight explains why a human woman and a “monster” would literally ache to be with one another.

Dracula, My Love made me feel the way I did when I first watched the Frank Langella Dracula movie from 1979 and the Gary Oldman Dracula film from 1992: exhilarated, enthralled and completely mesmerized. Reading the classic story from a woman’s perspective adds an element of sensitivity to the tale that greatly enriched my reading experience.

Vampire book lovers will absolutely love this book. If you read it I think you’ll agree that Syrie James’ retelling of the story is brilliantly executed and deserves to be added to your “to be read again” shelf of books.

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Night Runner by Max TurnerNight Runner is a vampire novel that I am very happy to have found. The author, Max Turner, has written a story for teens that works for readers of any age. The story centers around a fifteen year old boy named Zack Thomson who was orphaned when he was seven. His mother died when he was two and his anthropologist father was killed in a tomb cave-in five years later – while Zack watched. Even worse, as his father lay dying, Zack was attacked by some kind of wild dog and he ended up with a strange disease.

Some people have called his illness “allergies” but whatever his condition, it causes him to sleep all day and eat a very restricted diet. His unique medical problems also cause irritability, so much so that a mental institution has become his home. At the institution, Zack is given the attention and the exclusive strawberry smoothie diet that he needs to thrive – all under the special care of Nurse Ophelia – a woman who has become like a mother to him.

After spending eight quiet years in the mental institution with Nurse Ophelia, Zack’s life is about to change. In a big way.

To start, Zack meets a man claiming to be his long lost uncle. Through this man he’s told about his parents and their demise; stories Zack has a hard time believing.

After his uncle leaves a crazed man crashes through the window to his ward, yells at Zack to run for his life and then proceeds to help him escape from the institution. Once outside the institution, the man takes him to a safe house. Through him Zack finds out more about his odd disease and about the secrets kept from him by his family.

But Zack isn’t sure who to trust.

However, his best friend Charlie has always been faithful and trustworthy so Zack contacts him and they go on the run together, trying to figure out what the heck is going on in Zack’s life. Through their adventures Zack meets a girl (the first girl his age he’s ever met) and begins to learn about the world outside his old institution.

This particular fantasy novel really caught my attention because it’s unique and has such an original storyline. I casually picked it up, looking for something to help me go back to sleep one night and ended up staying up half the night reading it until I was finished. Max Turner took the story of a fifteen year old boy finding out he was a vampire and made it realistic. As such, regardless of your age, you’ll have an easy time identifying with Zack, his feelings and his actions. The pacing was good, the characterizations were realistic and the suspense and intrigue kept the story moving forward quite well. Max Turner has written a thoroughly entertaining and believable fantasy story and I hope he’s busily working on a sequel!

Get Night Runner while it’s on sale!

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Midnight Reign by Chris Marie GreenMidnight Reign, the second installment in Chris Marie Green’s Vampire Babylon series, is a non-stop thrill from beginning to end. I loved the first book and could not wait for this one. The latest adventure with Dawn, Breisi, Kiko and “The Voice” as they work to find Dawn’s father (as well as destroy the Vampire Underground), was an exciting, enthralling read. The wait was not in vain . . .

Let me begin by introducing you to the vampire slayer team:

Breisi: a kick butt fighter and Dawn’s father’s girlfriend
Kiko: a little person with pretty powerful psychic abilities
Dawn: a former Hollywood stuntwoman and the newest member of the team
The Voice: a disembodied “voice” that calls the shots and directs the team

The story begins with Dawn being a bit upset with the man referred to as The Voice, also known as Jonah. She feels that he betrayed her with the deception he used to get her to Los Angeles (in the first book) in search of her father. As such, she no longer trusts him and believes Jonah is only interested in finding the Underground so he can destroy it. She’s sick of his secrecy and she’s sick of his ability to manipulate her through sex. Instead, Dawn begins focusing her attention on Matt, an investigator who intrigues her with his straightforward and seemingly honest manner. Although Matt may have some secrets of his own, Dawn is determined to be done with Jonah – or so she thinks.

In the meantime, the team is busy working to solve a series of murders. These murders mimic the previous slayings of a serial killer, Lee Tomlinson. Problem is, Lee is already in prison. However, Lee is still a person of significant interest to the team because of his link to the Underground. And it’s pretty obvious that the Underground is involved because the throats of the victims are torn out and the victim’s bodies are drained of blood. Could Lee know the identity of the copycat killer?

To complicate matters, as they continue their investigation it becomes clear that the vampire leader of the Underground is intensely interested in Dawn. What methods will he use to lure her to him?

This fantasy story keeps you guessing about the characters, how they are related, and how Dawn will deal with all the men who not only want her, but who also want to control her. But let’s be clear: Dawn is not a girl who is easily controlled. Chris Marie Green has written an excellent sequel to her first fantasy novel and if you like a strong female lead who holds her own, this is a book for you. If you read the first one, you’ll be thrilled that there are additional books in the series. If you haven’t read any of Ms. Green’s work before, I envy you for the great read you have ahead of you.

Check out Midnight Reign – you’ll thank me for it later . . .

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Feb
22

New Fantasy Books for March 2010

Posted by: Fantasy Books | Comments (1)

I love finding new fantasy books!

There a TON of new fantasy books being released in March 2010. I’ve narrowed the list down to urban and contemporary books since that’s what I review at the site. Notice that there are a good number of vampire books on the list as well as a few werewolf books. Hurrah!

Let’s get started!

Silver Borne by Patricia BriggsSilver Borne by Patricia Briggs
When mechanic and shapeshifter Mercy Thompson attempts to return a powerful Fae book she’d previously borrowed in an act of desperation, she finds the bookstore locked up and closed down.

It seems the book contains secret knowledge-and the Fae will do just about anything to keep it out of the wrong hands. And if that doesn’t take enough of Mercy’s attention, her friend Samuel is struggling with his wolf side – leaving Mercy to cover for him before his father discovers his problem and decides he’d be better off dead.

All in all, Mercy has had better days. And if she isn’t careful, she might not have many more to live . . .


Werewolf SmackdownWerewolf Smackdown by Mario Acevedo
Vampire private investigator Felix Gomez finds him caught between alpha werewolves battling for supremacy in sunny Charleston, S.C. When a high-powered werewolf attorney tries to hire Gomez to kill his rival, Gomez refuses. The last thing he wants is to be the guy responsible for breaking the “uneasy truce” that exists among supernatural entities. But as soon as Gomez dodges that metaphorical bullet, someone tries to put a real one through him. Finding the answers will bring Gomez up against an estranged old lover and an old enemy, and just might get him killed.


Shift by Rachel VincentShift by Rachel Vincent
Being the first female werecat enforcer isn’t easy. Scars accumulate, but I’m stronger in so many ways.

As for my personal life? It’s complicated. Choices worth making always are. Ever since my brother’s death and my father’s impeachment, it’s all I can do to prevent more blood from spilling. Now our Pride is under attack by a flight of vicious thunderbirds. And making peace with our new enemies may be the only way to get the best of our old foe.

With the body count rising and treachery everywhere, my instincts tell me to look before I leap. But sometimes a leap of faith is the only real option . . .


Shadowglass by Erica HayesShadowglass by Erica Hayes
Welcome to a secret world hidden behind shadowy fairy glamour, where thieving spriggans rob you blind, beautiful banshees mesmerize you with their song, big green trolls kick heads at nightclubs and vampire Mafiosi rule the streets. Here a seductive magic mirror lies hidden deep in a demon’s lair, with a simple warning: don’t stare at the glass…Ice is a light-fingered fairy who can’t resist a look at the powerful mirror. The mirror offers her a chance to achieve everything she’s ever dreamed of. But when she pilfers it, she discovers that its power comes with a price: the mirror is a gateway to obsession and madness…and it will take every trick in her arsenal just to survive.


Roadkill by Rob ThurmanRoadkill by Rob Thurman
It’s time to lock, load, and hit the road . . . Once, while half-human Cal Leandros and his brother Niko were working on a case, an ancient gypsy queen gave them a good old-fashioned backstabbing. Now, just as their P.I. business hits a slow patch, the old crone shows up with a job.

She wants them to find a stolen coffin that contains a blight that makes the Black Death seem like a fond memory. But the thief has already left town, so the Leandros brothers are going on the road. And if they’re very, very lucky, there might even be a return trip . . .


A Local HabitationA Local Habitation by Seanan McGuire
Toby Daye-a half-human, half-fae changeling-has been an outsider from birth. After getting burned by both sides of her heritage, Toby has denied the fae world, retreating to a “normal” life. Unfortunately for her, the Faerie world had other ideas…

Now her liege, the Duke of the Shadowed Hills, has asked Toby to go to the Country of Tamed Lightening to make sure all is well with his niece, Countess January O’Leary. It seems like a simple enough assignment-until Toby discovers that someone has begun murdering people close to January, and that if the killer isn’t stopped, January may be the next victim.


Dominion by Fred SaberhagenDominion by Fred Saberhagen
When two ancient, ruthless beings, locked in a struggle for the ultimate magic Weapon, bring their blood feud to New York, Vlad Tepes (a good guy vampire) races to hide the coveted weapon.





Deep In The Woods by Chris Marie GreenDeep In The Woods by Chris Marie Green
With the female master of the London Underground in her hands, stuntwoman-turned­vampire hunter Dawn Madison must fight off her followers, a vicious pack of undead teenage girls who put the vamps Dawn had to deal with in Los Angeles to shame . . .




Born To Be Wild by Christine WarrenBorn To Be Wild by Christine Warren
Josie Barrett brings out the animal in men. Literally. As the local veterinarian in a town that’s approximately seventy percent Others—mostly shapeshifters—Josie deals with beastly situations all the time. It’s practically part of her job description. But when the werewolves of Stone Creek, Oregon, start turning downright feral, Josie smells a rat—among other, more dangerous critter.

Teaming up with the ferociously sexy Eli Pace, a full-time sheriff and part-time were-lion, Josie tries to contain the shapeshifting problem before it spreads like a virus. But when more shifters get infected—and stuck in their animal forms—the fur really begins to fly. Josie and Eli have to find the cause, fast, before the whole town goes to the dogs. But first, they have to wrestle with a few animal urges of their own.


And Falling Fly by Skyler Whiteand Falling, Fly by Skyler White
In a dark and seedy underground of burned-out rock stars and angels-turned- vampires, a revolutionary neuroscientist and a fallen angel must put medicine against mythology in an attempt to erase their tortured pasts…but at what price?

Olivia, vampire and fallen angel of desire, is hopeless…and damned. Since the fall from Eden, she has hungered for love, but fed only on desire. Dominic O’Shaughnessy is a neuroscientist plagued by impossible visions. When his research and her despair collide at L’Otel Mathillide-a subterranean hell of beauty, demons, and dreams-rationalist and angel unite in a clash of desire and damnation that threatens to destroy them both.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire HunterAbraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith
When Abraham Lincoln was nine years old, his mother died from an ailment called the “milk sickness.” Only later did he learn that his mother’s deadly affliction was actually the work of a local vampire, seeking to collect on Abe’s father’s unfortunate debts.

Using The Journal of Abraham Lincoln as a guide, the true life story of our great president is reconstructed for the first time—all while revealing the hidden history behind the Civil War, and uncovering the massive role vampires played in the birth, growth, and near-death of our nation.


The Midnight Mayor by Kate GriffinThe Midnight Mayor by Kate Griffin
One by one, the protective magical wards that guard London are falling. This is not good news. An array of supernatural defenses – a mix of international tourist attractions and forgotten urban legends – formed a formidable magical shield around the city, one that could protect London from the greatest threat it has ever known. But what could be threatening the safety of the entire city?

Against his better judgment, Matthew Swift is about to find out. And if he’s lucky, he might just live long enough to do something about it . . .


Mind Games by Carolyn CraneMind Games by Carolyn Crane
Justine Jones has a secret. A hardcore hypochondriac, she’s convinced a blood vessel is about to burst in her brain. Then, out of the blue, a gorgeous man named Packard peers into Justine’s soul and invites her to join his private crime-fighting team. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime deal. With a little of Packard’s hands-on training Justine is able to fight some of the worst criminals in the city.

But there’s more to Packard than meets the eye. Soon, while battling her attraction to Packard and a handsome police chief, Justine plunges deeper into a world of wizardry, eroticism, and cosmic secrets, and discovers a reality more frightening than her worst fears.


The Devil's Playground by Jenna BlackThe Devil’s Playground by Jenna Black
Morgan Kingsley, a kick-ass exorcist, can deal with Lugh, the super-sexy demon living inside her, but does he have to moan softly during her intimate moments with her mortal lover? Understandably, Brian is reluctant to share the pleasures of Morgan’s flesh with a gorgeous rogue from the Demon Realm.

But personal matters will have to wait when the opportunistic owner of The Seven Deadlies demon club in Philadelphia enlists Morgan’s help in heading off a crisis: It seems that demons have started showing up at the hot spot in alarming numbers and in the unwilling bodies of rough trade club-goers. Morgan is sure that Dougal, Lugh’s sworn enemy, is behind this, but why? To find out Morgan must summon every ounce of power at her command—or risk becoming just another casualty in an all-out demon war.


Never  Cry Werewolf by L.A. BanksNever Cry Werewolf by L.A. Banks
The last fight between the werewolf clans spilled onto the streets of New Orleans—and now the whole city’s on red alert. Martial law has gone into effect. Mediums, ghost hunters, and other supernatural pundits have taken over the media, swarming the Big Easy to expose the hard truth about lycanthropes. And to make matters worse, a beastly killer is clawing up humans…

Secret government operative Sasha Trudeau doesn’t like what she’s seeing—a series of brutal and bloody slayings that appear to be wolf-like attacks. It might be the work of a copy cat killer – a vampire or fae. But while Sasha races to find suspects and motives, the panic level is rising—and the city’s human population is clamoring for an all-out wolf hunt . . .


Master Of None by Sonya BatemanMaster Of None by Sonya Bateman
Gavyn Donatti is the world’s unluckiest thief. Just ask the partners he’s lost over the years. And when he misplaces an irreplaceable item he was hired to steal for his ruthless employer Trevor, well, his latest bungle just might be his last. But then his luck finally turns: right when Trevor’s thugs have him cornered, a genie appears to save him. Unfortunately, this genie – who goes by the very non-magical name of “Ian” – is more Hellboy than dream girl. An overgrown and extremely surly man who seems to hate Donatti on the spot, he may call Donatti master, but he isn’t interested in granting three wishes. He informs Donatti that he is bound to help the thief fulfill his life’s purpose, and then he will be free. The problem is that neither Donatti nor Ian has any idea what exactly that purpose is. At first Donatti’s too concerned with his own survival to look a gift genie in the mouth, but when his ex-girlfriend Jazz and her young son get drawn into the crossfire, the stakes skyrocket. And when Ian reveals that he has an agenda of his own – with both Donatti and the murderous Trevor at the center of it – Donatti will have to become the man he never knew he could be, or the entire world could pay the price . . .


Key To Justice by Talia GryphonKey To Justice by Talia Gryphon
Psychologist to the paranormal Gillian Key has a new patient. He is a vampire who calls himself Csangal, but he is also a creature hiding his true motives-and his true identity: Dracula.






Embers by Laura BickleEmbers by Laura Bickle
Anya spends her days as an arson investigator with the Detroit Fire Department, and her nights pursuing malicious spirits with a team of eccentric ghost hunters. Anya, who is the rarest type of psychic medium, suspects a supernatural arsonist is setting fires in order to summon a fiery ancient entity that will leave the city in cinders. The spell will soon be complete unless Anya – with the help of her paranormal investigating team – can stop it.

This time Anya’s risking everything important: her city, her soul, and a man who sees and accepts her for everything she is. Keeping all three safe will be the biggest challenge she’s ever faced.


Death Blows by D.D. BarantDeath Blows by D.D. Barant
FBI profiler Jace Valchek was pulled into this parallel realm to hunt for Aristotle Stoker, a human serial killer who preys on vampires and werewolves. Now she works for the National Security Agency of the Unnatural States of America—and her boss is a vampire.

At a bizarre crime scene, Jace finds a bloodsucker murdered by magic, fried to the bone and dressed in the costume of the comic book hero the Flash – a character who isn’t supposed to exist here. Comic books have been outlawed for their powers, including crossover spells like the one that transported Jace to this world. Soon, she’s following a trail of dead bodies into the sinister underworld of black-market comics—where a deranged madman gives new meaning to the term “super-villain” . . .


Can't Teach An Old Demon New TricksCan’t Teach An Old Demon New Tricks by Cara Lockwood
Don’t get an east Texas girl good and mad – there might be hell to pay!

Rachel Farnsworth doesn’t believe in the paranormal—she can find plenty of evil forces right in Dogwood County, like the Mega-Mart that’s driving her family’s hardware store into the ground. Then there’s her own little hell-raiser – a rowdy toddler who can turn his birthday candles into a blazing inferno with just one breath. But when her marriage goes up in smoke, Rachel discovers her husband, Kevin, isn’t just a deadbeat, he’s also a demon (a sloth demon, no less, which explains why he never helped around the house). Then there’s a renegade bounty hunter – a fallen angel named Sam – who’s chasing down a powerful secret Kevin has kept for a millennium or two.

Sam’s downfall was a beautiful mortal woman . . . and now, the heavenly attraction she feels for Sam has Rachel believing in celestial magic. But will it be enough to save her and her son from the dark forces Kevin unwittingly unleashed on Dogwood County?


Succubus Shadows by Richelle MeadSuccubus Shadows by Richelle Mead
Georgina Kincaid has formidable powers. Immortality, seduction, shape-shifting into any human form she desires, walking in heels that would cripple mere mortals–all child’s play to a succubus like her.

Helping to plan her ex-boyfriend’s wedding is a different story. Georgina isn’t sure which is worse–that Seth is marrying another woman, or that Georgina has to run all over Seattle trying on bridesmaid dresses. Still, there are distractions. Georgina’s roommate, Roman, is cluttering her apartment with sexual tension. Then there’s Simone, the new succubus in town, who’s intent on corrupting Seth.

But the real danger lies in the mysterious force that’s visiting her thoughts, trying to draw her into a dark, otherworldly realm. Sooner or later, Georgina knows she’ll be too weak to resist. And when that happens, she’ll discover who she can trust, who she can’t–and that Hell is far from the worst place to spend eternity. . .

So, that’s 21 NEW BOOKS to check out! Some of these look really good and I’ve already placed several of them in my shopping cart.

Hey guys! The next Sookie Stackhouse book is available for pre-order! It’s called Dead In The Family and will be Book #10 in the series.

Here’s the book description from the Amazon UK site:

“If you think your family relationships are complicated, think again: you haven’t seen anything like the ones in Bon Temps, Louisiana. Sookie Stackhouse is dealing with a whole host of family problems, ranging from her own kin (a non-human fairy and a telepathic second cousin) demanding a place in her life, to her lover Eric’s vampire sire, an ancient being who arrives with Eric’s ‘brother’ in tow at a most inopportune moment. And Sookie’s tracking down a distant relation of her ailing neighbour (and ex), Vampire Bill Compton. In addition to the multitude of family issues complicating her life, the werewolf pack of Shreveport has asked Sookie for a special favour, and since Sookie is an obliging young woman, she agrees. But this favour for the wolves has dire results for Sookie, who is still recovering from the trauma of her abduction during the Fairy War.”

It hits the streets on May 4th but if you pre-order it you’ll get it delivered right to your door as soon as it’s available!

Also, if you pre-order it you get the book at a discount!

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