Flora Reviews... The Last True Vampire (Last True Vampire #1) by Kate Baxter

 The Last True Vampire (Last True Vampire #1)

 by Kate Baxter

Read: 1^st – 4^th September 2015

Format: Kindle

My Overall Goodreads Rating:  5 Stars

...So what’s this book about?

This is the first book in a new paranormal romance series about vampires, half breeds, slayers and other creatures that go bump in the night. 

The blurb says:

Soul Survivor.  
He is the last of his race. King of the vampires. Michael Aristov roams the nightclubs of LA after dark, haunted by his past and driven by his hunger. The only Ancient One to survive the obliteration of his race, he's forced to hunt like a common vampire, governed by lust. Nothing can fulfil his needs ... until he meets the woman who finally awakens his soul.

Sweet Salvation.

Claire Thompson is the only mortal who can satisfy Michael's insatiable craving. She's sassy and seductive, and her intoxicating blood draws Michael like a moth to the flame. Their first fiery kiss sweeps Claire into a deadly world where darkness rules desire, and falling in love is the greatest danger of all. Everything is now at stake, for Claire has the power to seal Michael's fate - and the future of the vampire race - forever.

  

I was lucky enough to receive a digital version of this book for free via Netgally.com in exchange for an honest review.

...So, what did I like about it?

I found Ms Baxter’s writing style very easy to read. I thought her world building was really good; I liked the idea of all Vampires’ memories being connected (The Collective), the part that the Dhampiri (vampire half-breeds) played and their relationship to the Vampires.

I am an old romantic at heart so the “two halves of one soul reunited” love story part satisfied my mushy side but it was the will Michael and Claire actually get together, their doubts, their insecurities that added a very real and contemporary romance element to this tale that keeps you guessing.

The balance between tense scenes, action scenes and sexual scenes was good, there was a lump in my throat a number of times reading this story and I can’t tell you how many times the temperature seemed to mount while reading certain scenes too!

...So, ummm, was there anything I disliked about it?

In a word - no. J It’s the first book in a new series, so I was expecting a cliffhanger but I was pleased that the relationship part of this tale ended (in my opinion) happily. I’m OK that the background story arcs; battling Dhampiri covens and the vampire annihilation threat from the Sortiari slayers will be continued in the following books.

...So, basically what I’m saying is...

I really loved this amazing novel and I’ve found a new favourite author too! Woohoo!

If you’re a fan of adult paranormal romance stories where your heroines are intelligent, witty and independent and your heroes strong, sexy with a big heart waiting to be unleashed or if you’ve enjoyed reading the “destined soul mate” theme of Felicity Heaton’s Eternal Mates Series or Dianne Duvall’s Immortal Guardians Series, then I think you’ll love this paranormal romance novel too.

So, have I sparked an interested for The Last True Vampire in you? Just click on the links below and check out the book yourself.

*         See THE LAST TRUE VAMPIRE on Goodreads.com

*         Buy THE LAST TRUE VAMPIRE on Amazon.com

*         Buy THE LAST TRUE VAMPIRE on Amazon.co.uk

Flora Reviews "Dark Ghost" by Christine Feehan

Dark Ghost By Christine Feehan

Read: 29^th – 1^st September 2015

Format: Digital Proof

My Overall Goodreads Rating:  4 Stars

...So what’s this book about?

The blurb says:

He wasn't civilized or tame. He had his own code and he lived by it.

Monk. Bounty hunter. Vampire slayer. Andre Boroi has spent centuries battling the undead, holding out against the dark with honor. But now, gravely wounded by master vampire Costin Popescu, Andre will be easy to track - his spilled blood marking the killing trail for Popescu and his hungry band of underlings. Andre's only chance is to disappear into the gray mist of the Carpathians. To wait. To hope.

She had a healing touch and a scent that was his lifeblood.

In the mountains in search of a precious crystal, geologist Teagan Joanes suddenly finds herself hunted by those she once trusted. Then she comes across the warrior- wounded, wanting and irresistible. Andre has been craving her for an eternity: his lifemate. Her warmth envelops him. Her scent pulsates. And with every beat of her heart, Teagan surrenders to a passion she can't possibly comprehend.

Now they are bound by destiny, but is it enough to keep them safe from a stalking, relentless darkness that threatens to swallow them alive?

 I was lucky enough to receive this version for free via Netgally.com in exchange for an honest review. 

Dark Ghost is the 28^th novel in Christine Feehan’s very popular Dark Carpathians series but (lucky for me) it can be read as a standalone novel.

...So, what did I like about it?

I haven’t read any of Ms Feehan’s books before so know nothing of her Dark Carpathian series, but I was impressed how quickly I felt involved in this world; relevant back-story was explained sufficiently without causing a detrimental effect to the pace of this novel. All of the characters were written with a skill that gave them depth and became real for me very quickly. Andre and Teagan’s separate and very different lives, the reasons why their relationship would be a struggle from the start and how it developed during this paranormal tale was balanced nicely with Andre’s hunt for the undead and the dangerous threat of Armend and his friends finding Teagan.

...So, ummm, was there anything I disliked about it?

Nothing major but it’s the little things that niggle, right?!

Ok, well, the ending sort of just *bang* finished, kinda like a soft cliff-hanger; we didn’t really know what Andre and Teagan were actually going to do after the final “mind blowing” sex scene – I found it a bit frustrating? And that’s the other thing; I don’t find “brutal” sex erotic, it didn’t happen often but when it did, it took the edge off for me.

...So, basically what I’m saying is...

I have really enjoyed reading this book. The fact that it’s the 28^th novel in this series was a bit daunting but, luckily for me, it can be read as a standalone! Fabulous! If you enjoy strong alpha heroes and independent capable heroines, tense often traumatic and brutal confrontations and hot lust/romance scenes then give this a go. It’s certainly left me wanting to read more of The Dark Carpathian series.

Interested in Dark Ghost? I’ve even made it easy for you, my lovely followers; you can just click on the links below and check out the book yourself.

*         See DARK GHOST on Goodreads.com

*         Buy DARK GHOST on Amazon.com

*         Buy DARK GHOST on Amazon.co.uk

 

A Challenge to read more... August Series Challenge 2015

Since joining Goodreads I have found many “new to me” authors and series.

I took the site’s general “2014 Reading Challenge” and have signed up again this year. In addition to that I decided to sign up for a few reading challenges that the groups I belong to set.

“Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy” Group is for the discussion and recommendation of paranormal romances and paranormal erotic romance, along with urban fantasy, science fiction, futuristic, and fantasy romance. If you love vampires, werewolves, and hot faery men, this is the group for you. Join up and discuss your favourite books!

If you have questions or concerns, please contact a mod other than Pamela. She unfortunately doesn't have a lot of goodreads time at the moment, and you'll get a quicker response from another mod. Thanks!

We recommend members be over 18, since we do discuss books with adult content, but this is not strictly enforced. Please be aware that there will be adult discussion in this group!

So, this post is all about the monthly reading challenge that the “Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy” group have set for August 2015.

PNR & UF Group – August 2015 Challenge

Because August is just too hot to do anything strenuous (you know, like search the bookshelves or even visit a bookstore or library), we are going for a nice simple oldie here.

Read a book from 10 different series. Include the book’s title and author as well as the name of the series and what position it has in the series. E.g. Dragon Actually by A. G. Aikens, (Dragon Kin #1)

August’s Series Challenge each book must be from a different series

1. Man Of My Dreams (The Dream #1) by Gladys Quintal

2. Shadow of Night (All Souls Trilogy #2) by Deborah Harkness

3. Her Warrior Angel (Her Angel Romance Series #3) by Felicity Heaton

4. Dark Soul (The Legends of Regia #4) by Tenaya Jayne

5. Sourcery (Discworld Novel #5) by Terry Pratchett

6. Shadow Strike (Immortal Guardians #6) by Dianne Duvall

7. A Warrior Wedding (The Protectors Series #7) by Teresa Gabelman

8. Charles (Darkness #8) by K.F. Breene

9. Darkness Possessed (Order of the Blade #9) by Stephanie Rowe

10. Moon Dragon (Vampire for Hire #10) by J.R. Rain

I love these reading challenges, as my regular followers will know – just search my site for reading challenges and see how many results you get!! Lol!

Reading challenges are a fun way to “force” us to look further than our noses, to look past those tried and trusted authors and genres that we always read and step into the world of the unknown… we may experience disappointment but we could discover a new “favourite” author and a plethora of new worlds, characters and tales to sink our teeth into! Isn’t it worth the risk?

This challenge was a tough one for me, I love hunting out new to me authors and over the past year, I’ve found some. But, it seems that the hunt for “new” has meant that I’ve got a lot of books still in my wish list from series where I’ve read the first one or two books, liked them but not bought any more from the series because of my thirst for new. ;-) This reading challenge has helped me to work through that wish list and progress through some of those series!