Helpful Score: 2
This book was a very quick, enjoyable read. It had all the elements I love in a good Urban Fantasy novel (remember these are all the elements I love not necessary what makes a good Urban Fantasy novel in general). It had horror elements, strong world building, a good solid story, and romance (ok, not really romance but straight lust turned into romance but that is just a small technicality).
The author spends a large amount of time world building (can we use world building as verb, if not, pardon my poor use of the word) and she does an excellent job of it. I would say that I was sufficiently placed in the world Katie Salidas created. The rules in Salidass vampire world were clearly laid out, very logical and very interesting.
In fact, I was so deeply entrenched in this world, when Ms. Salidas failed to follow her own rules, I noticed. It probably was because I read fast (like many people on book sites). If an author is creating and explaining the world and rules the book is set in (for example on page 3), when I get to page 300, I still know all those rules vividly. Nevertheless, the gaps are not huge; they were small blips that had me thinking 1+1 was not equaling 2.
I would have liked to see a bit more character development at the beginning. Alyssa came across as a whiny bitch at the beginning and Lysander came across as an overbearing dictator. It was hard to feel anything for the two of them and it was until additional characters were added into the story that I began to warm up to the two main characters. The interaction with the other characters allowed Lysander and Alyssa to show their true personalities.
Another strong point in the book was the sexual tension. It was very interesting that when the act finally did happen, it was almost a letdown.
Overall, the book was a very good 1st in the series and even with the flaws in the character development and the discovered holes in the story, I will be reading book 2.
3.5 out of 5 stars.
The author spends a large amount of time world building (can we use world building as verb, if not, pardon my poor use of the word) and she does an excellent job of it. I would say that I was sufficiently placed in the world Katie Salidas created. The rules in Salidass vampire world were clearly laid out, very logical and very interesting.
In fact, I was so deeply entrenched in this world, when Ms. Salidas failed to follow her own rules, I noticed. It probably was because I read fast (like many people on book sites). If an author is creating and explaining the world and rules the book is set in (for example on page 3), when I get to page 300, I still know all those rules vividly. Nevertheless, the gaps are not huge; they were small blips that had me thinking 1+1 was not equaling 2.
I would have liked to see a bit more character development at the beginning. Alyssa came across as a whiny bitch at the beginning and Lysander came across as an overbearing dictator. It was hard to feel anything for the two of them and it was until additional characters were added into the story that I began to warm up to the two main characters. The interaction with the other characters allowed Lysander and Alyssa to show their true personalities.
Another strong point in the book was the sexual tension. It was very interesting that when the act finally did happen, it was almost a letdown.
Overall, the book was a very good 1st in the series and even with the flaws in the character development and the discovered holes in the story, I will be reading book 2.
3.5 out of 5 stars.
