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klippy's review
5.0
I am over half way through this book and to my surprise I am really enjoying it. Has anyone read the entire series? If so - what did you think?
jessorella's review
2.0
I didn't finish this book… and I feel ashamed to say it! But, frankly, when a book just isn't grabbing me even though I'm a good few chapters into it, I have to let it go. I used to slog through books that I found hard or not particularly enjoyable, simply because I felt guilty for abandoning them. But now I have too many books waiting to be read and too little time to read them, so I'm afraid I parted with this book before the halfway point.
The premise of the book is interesting, weaving together the subplots of a murder investigation, a historical family link and a burgeoning romance between the two main characters, but I'm afraid I just couldn't get them all to gel together into something stimulating. The historical information was sometimes given in big "encyclopaedic" chunks, which I always find to be a no-no, and while there was clearly tension between the two main characters, I just didn't GET them. Sometimes when you follow characters through their attraction into a full-blown romance, you can really feel the emotion and the tension, but for some reason these two were just a little bit cardboard for me.
It's a shame really, because the back-cover blurb sounds great, and I would've been intrigued to follow the development of the murder investigation and find out "whodunnit", but this book just wasn't pulling me enough to make it worth the time. Sorry...
The premise of the book is interesting, weaving together the subplots of a murder investigation, a historical family link and a burgeoning romance between the two main characters, but I'm afraid I just couldn't get them all to gel together into something stimulating. The historical information was sometimes given in big "encyclopaedic" chunks, which I always find to be a no-no, and while there was clearly tension between the two main characters, I just didn't GET them. Sometimes when you follow characters through their attraction into a full-blown romance, you can really feel the emotion and the tension, but for some reason these two were just a little bit cardboard for me.
It's a shame really, because the back-cover blurb sounds great, and I would've been intrigued to follow the development of the murder investigation and find out "whodunnit", but this book just wasn't pulling me enough to make it worth the time. Sorry...
gooberdawn's review against another edition
5.0
I accidentally started further in the series, but I was not disappointed when I started the beginning of the series. I hope to read them all in order to see what happens!
perfectlymisaligned's review
2.0
I have conflicted feelings about this book. First off, I'm a huge fan of Heather Graham/Shannon Drake (SD is Heather's pseudonym). And there were several aspects to this book that I really liked; I thought the historical flashbacks were the best part of the story. I also loved the character of Lucian who is the main focus of the next book in the series [b:When Darkness Falls|176789|When Darkness Falls (Obsidian, #3)|Mercedes Lackey|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172444382s/176789.jpg|2295582]. However, the things that I found irritating about the story began to pile up towards the end of the book. HG/SD is known to have a fondness for sappy dialogue, which doesn't bother me in small doses. Here, it was used to a near constant distraction. Also, the climax of the 'mystery' (which really wasn't a mystery at all, since the killer was made obvious by about 20 pages in)seemed a little over-the-top.
I plan on continuing on with the series, and am hopeful that Lucian's story will not leave me disappointed.
I plan on continuing on with the series, and am hopeful that Lucian's story will not leave me disappointed.
r3ader's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
mcdermotte1639's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
emilyhei's review
4.0
Read this one years ago but it is one of my favorite vampire stories. Maggie Montgomery is not all she appears to be, when a murder happens close to her boutique it brings in Police officer Sean Canady, who has an unexpected tie with the owner.
judythereader's review against another edition
2.0
Through the centuries Le Vieux Carre has seen some strange things, but when Lt. Sean Canady follows a trail of blood from the decapitated body of a pimp to the doors of Montgomery Enterprises, there is a new level of different. From the moment he meets her, Sean is drawn to Maggie Montgomery and she feels the same, though at first she won't admit it. She's seen generations of Canady's pass at their nearby plantation and even loved one or two before. You see she's a vampire determined to live as just and moral a life as she would if her soul were not damned, and she does not want to bring Sean into the danger of her life.
I struggled with the rating on this book. On one hand, it has the classic Heather Graham formula of suspense, romance and friendship. On the other hand, I'm not sure I love her vampire mythology. Maggie comes across as slightly enhanced and completely unwilling or unable to use her vampire powers the way others do.
And, if I can offer yet another hand, there's the rape she learns to enjoy, while she develops deep feelings of friendship from the man who spends a century giving her no choice. There's the fact that her "sensual nature" means that she enjoys when men master her sexually. The sex scenes all feature the word force, while words like grab and violence make an appearance. This is an older book from a "simpler" time when readers were taught that we were supposed to find that kind of thing romantic. It's also a vampire romance and I've never read many of them, not because I'm not interested in the concept, but because this is a basic piece of vampire romance.
It's why I didn't make it past Twilight. Supernatural romance tends to used the physical power of the beings involved as an excuse for calling rape "forced seduction." He has the power to sneak into her room, follow her and even get into her head, but it's all because he loves her. It's abuse.
I read a book in the series several years ago and I don't remember that it was like this, but I was younger and more indoctrinated into this concept then. I may still try another to see if the books grew with the times.
I struggled with the rating on this book. On one hand, it has the classic Heather Graham formula of suspense, romance and friendship. On the other hand, I'm not sure I love her vampire mythology. Maggie comes across as slightly enhanced and completely unwilling or unable to use her vampire powers the way others do.
And, if I can offer yet another hand, there's the rape she learns to enjoy, while she develops deep feelings of friendship from the man who spends a century giving her no choice. There's the fact that her "sensual nature" means that she enjoys when men master her sexually. The sex scenes all feature the word force, while words like grab and violence make an appearance. This is an older book from a "simpler" time when readers were taught that we were supposed to find that kind of thing romantic. It's also a vampire romance and I've never read many of them, not because I'm not interested in the concept, but because this is a basic piece of vampire romance.
It's why I didn't make it past Twilight. Supernatural romance tends to used the physical power of the beings involved as an excuse for calling rape "forced seduction." He has the power to sneak into her room, follow her and even get into her head, but it's all because he loves her. It's abuse.
I read a book in the series several years ago and I don't remember that it was like this, but I was younger and more indoctrinated into this concept then. I may still try another to see if the books grew with the times.