Helpful Score: 3
A real surprise. The book isn't quite centered on the world of vampires but on the weird happenings in Penance, Ohio. It makes for a very refreshing unconventional paranormal read while still satisfying your romantic needs. Great! I wish there was a sequel!
Helpful Score: 2
Honestly, Im still not real sure how I felt about this book. I finished it a couple of weeks back and thought Id let it simmer for awhile. It wasnt great but I didnt dislike it either. I thought the whole idea of being stuck in a town and unable to leave to be a great plot idea but it fell short in the execution of the idea. Reminds me a bit of a Twilight Zone episode. Why the monster (not the vampire) was there and how one of the other towns people came to have it under his control wasnt really explained very well. While I loved Graf and Jessas characters and their interaction was laugh out loud funny, the rest of the cast was pretty blah however. I was never able to discover if this was the start to a series ( I hope it is) but if so Ill definitely give the next book a try as I hope the world building will go into more depth. I didnt feel as if the vampire laws were fleshed out very well. Yeah, he had to stay out of the sunlight, needed blood and was some stronger than the humans, but it just wasnt enough. It just really felt lacking. A bit more on Grafs history would have helped too. I also felt that there were a lot of little side stories going on that either should have been better fleshed out or left out altogether. It sounds like I didnt enjoy the book but I never had any problem finishing it and really wish that the ending hadnt been so abrupt.
Helpful Score: 2
Generally I'm not a huge fan of paranormal romances, or vampire books. I try a lot out only to find myself stopping halfway thru either annoyed at the female lead being either too helpless or too grating and/or the male paranormal love interest being way too perfect and unrelateable.
This book I read in one sitting from cover to cover and totally enjoyed it.
I know a lot of reviews don't know what to make of this book, and I can see why, most are from dedicated paranomal romance readers, and while there is romance and sex, it's not really the focus of the story like most would be expecting from the genre.
In fact it's not really even integral to the plot that the love interest is a vampire. He could just as easily have been a human dude stuck in the same situation, it just kind of added a new wrinkle to the story but at the same time made him a lot more likeable than most fictional vampire heroes for me.
I grew up on R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike teen horror novels and honestly, this felt like one of those, just grown up along with it's audience.
Anyway, something about the book caught me and I'll be grabbing some more of Armintrout's books for sure.
This book I read in one sitting from cover to cover and totally enjoyed it.
I know a lot of reviews don't know what to make of this book, and I can see why, most are from dedicated paranomal romance readers, and while there is romance and sex, it's not really the focus of the story like most would be expecting from the genre.
In fact it's not really even integral to the plot that the love interest is a vampire. He could just as easily have been a human dude stuck in the same situation, it just kind of added a new wrinkle to the story but at the same time made him a lot more likeable than most fictional vampire heroes for me.
I grew up on R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike teen horror novels and honestly, this felt like one of those, just grown up along with it's audience.
Anyway, something about the book caught me and I'll be grabbing some more of Armintrout's books for sure.
Helpful Score: 1
Different take on vampires. Surprised this vampire didn't have a hypnotizing power to disable is prey so he could feed. Not as good as the Blood Ties series. But still an interesting read.
Helpful Score: 1
This was really good. Not the typical vampire romance. There was a great romantic element, but less emphasis on his being a vampire than you typically find in this kind of book. It is one of those hard-to-put-down books for me and I read it in a little over a day. I'd like to read more of her books if they're like this!
Helpful Score: 1
Great story on vampires and things that go bump in the night. If you love a good story with some twist to it, this will be the book for you.
Graf McDonald...is he a good vampire or a bad vampire...I don't know but I'm in love! He has stumbled upon a town called Penance that has been trapped and terrorized for the last five years by "It". No one can get in and no one can get out...until now. Graf has also stumbled upon a fiery independent woman named Jessa. She is the town outcast and has been labeled a man hungry spinster. Jessa has lost everything she has known and loved. When Graf comes into her life, she is cautious for many reasons. One reason, why was he able to get in when no one else has. Also, there is something off about him and she is going to find out what. After Graf realizes what is happening, he is starting to get a little worried. If he can't get out, he is going to have to start snacking on the citizens of Penance...and his first choice is Jessa.
This is definitely an original vampire story. I love that you have the small town mentality of "burn the witch" theme throughout the book, keeps you on the edge of your seat!
This is definitely an original vampire story. I love that you have the small town mentality of "burn the witch" theme throughout the book, keeps you on the edge of your seat!
As stated by others I was also not sure what to think of this book but couldn't put it down:lol:
This is not so much the vampire/pararomance/urban fantasy erotic story that we are so used to. Quite honestly I wasn't even sure that they would end up together in the end. They really don't like each other or trust each other for the longest time. He refers to eating people (drinking blood) and no pleasure from his bite. The other characters in the book are pretty unlikeable smalltown haters--no one who you would want to see in a sequel again. Their romance isn't very romantic to be honest but that sort of made it more interesting to me.
So I liked it...alot...for a change of approach and pace.
This is not so much the vampire/pararomance/urban fantasy erotic story that we are so used to. Quite honestly I wasn't even sure that they would end up together in the end. They really don't like each other or trust each other for the longest time. He refers to eating people (drinking blood) and no pleasure from his bite. The other characters in the book are pretty unlikeable smalltown haters--no one who you would want to see in a sequel again. Their romance isn't very romantic to be honest but that sort of made it more interesting to me.
So I liked it...alot...for a change of approach and pace.
American Vampire was worth the read. A different spin on the "normal" vampire tale. Not as good as "The Turning; but MUCH better than her dreadful (in my opinion) Queen of Darkness Trilogy.
Loved the subtext-(remember the painting American Gothic?) "What would happen to one 'ordinary' vampire trapped in Hillbilly Hell?" Not what you think, I assure you. It was a good read. It'll be interesting to see if she does a sequel.
Loved the subtext-(remember the painting American Gothic?) "What would happen to one 'ordinary' vampire trapped in Hillbilly Hell?" Not what you think, I assure you. It was a good read. It'll be interesting to see if she does a sequel.
I did not expect this book to be much. It has been in my TBR pile forever. (Got it in 2011, lol.) I started reading it last night, just to break up the series I've been reading a bit. Was I surprised! I wound up staying awake till 4 a.m. to read it to the end! Five stars! Great storyline, great believeable characters. I loved it!
