A VAMPIRE'S KISS IS FOREVER
Once featured in a horror movie, the crumbling Wolfram estate is said to be haunted by ghosts, witches, and worse. But Elena doesn't believe a word of it-- until she spends the night and wakes up in the arms of a compelling stranger...
Tall, dark, and disturbingly handsome, Drake is the most beautiful man Elena has ever seen. For centuries, he has lived alone, and Elena is the first woman to enter his lair-- and survive. And Drake is the first man to touch her heart and soul. By the time she discovers who he really is-- and what he craves-- it's too late. Blood lust has turned to love, and Elena is deeply under Drake's spell. But forever comes at a price for each of them...
I was contacted by Mandy to do this review for her. I couldn't have been more happier than to do another Amanda Ashley review since it's been awhile from the last one I've done. Mandy sent me an autographed ARC of Bound by Night, autographed bookmarks & book covers of Bound by Night & Bound by Blood. It was an extreme honor as always that she took the time to think of me, a lonely blogger in his hectic schooling. This was a welcomed relief from studies...
So this is my fifth book review for Amanda Ashley. While this wasn't my favorite, my favorite being A Darker Dream, it was at the top of the books I've done for her that has held me so emotionally rapt. Many of the happenings in this novel were so realistic that I couldn't help feeling the full spectrum of emotions carried throughout the novel.
As I have said before in my previous posts, I always write down my notes as I read the book so I can reflect when I finish it. This novel had one and one half a page worth of notes. At some point close to the end of the novel my first page mysteriously disappeared. I cleaned my entire bedroom in seek of this one piece of paper. Much to no avail I never did find it.
One thing that stood out for me with this book is the new vampire lore features Mandy included. One of those features is sheep and I don't mean the cute little farm animals. I mean the human kind that vampires would "farm" in order of maintaining their appetite for blood. I have never read or seen of this in any other vampire movie or book, and trust me I've been through enough! The other feature is that of the aging process of humans living off of vampire blood. It's sort of like a vampiric blood "Fountain of Glory."
Another thing that I immediately picked up on was the use of the names Elena and Cullin. I know that Mandy is a hard-core fan of both Twilight & The Vampire Diaries. I am wondering if Elena wasn't inspired by The Vampire Diaries, and Cullin (different spelling) from Twilight? Or is it just merely a coincidence?!
I found it extremely hard to not jump ahead and find out what happened. Although what I didn't find hard was just how much I despised Tavian Dinescu's character. In all of the books read for Mandy, I have never had a monster mortal or immortal in them that has caused me such intense disgust for. I found myself way more aggravated and upset with a fictional character than I ever have been in any reading from any author to date.
In chapter 20 I did begin to become frustrated with the events going on. I think they could have been played out drastically different, then again I am not Amanda and these are not my characters. On page 193 I was a little confused at how one character was said to be reading books but then it went on to say movies with no mention of movies prior to that? I think this is possibly an editing error, or I am simply not understanding how the author was trying to state this specific scene?!
If it weren't my prior knowledge to knowing how Mandy writes her books I would have been extremely upset, as a potential new reader, on how the novel ended. Thankfully for me, I can appreciate the way that Mandy doesn't do sequels, more like spin-offs. With that being said, I anticipate Bound By Night being in stores for sale in September 2011 for Mandy. I also can't wait for Kaitlyn's story that will be in stores October 4, 2011, the title Bound By Blood.
Thank you once again Mandy for the pleasure of these gifts, this review, your continued friendship and support. Best wishes and all my love.
xoxo
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