Format: Kindle Edition
Print Length: 320 pages
Publisher: Zebra Books; Reprint edition (February 1, 2011)
Once, Sarah Bingham’s biggest challenge was making her students pay attention in class. Now, after rescuing a wounded stranger, she’s landed in the middle of a battle between corrupt vampires and powerful immortals who also need blood to survive. Roland Warbrook is the most compelling man Sarah has ever laid hands on. But his desire for her is mingled with a hunger he can barely control . . .
In his nine centuries of immortal existence, no woman has tempted Roland as much as Sarah. But asking her to love him is impossible -- when it mean forfeiting the world she’s always known, and the life he would do anything to protect.
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How could I not have read this book yet?! It's been sitting in my Kindle since February and I just got to it now? I blame Larissa Ione for my sudden need to read paranormals. *cough Eternal Rider cough*
This book started out a little slow. I had a few WTF moments but after 100 pages, it got better. This is my first book (EVER) with a hero named Roland. An interesting choice. There are still quite a few questions that were left unanswered as of the end of the book. Perhaps the next book will reveal what I have been wanting to know.
13 Things About This Book:
- Roland Warbrook: Hero, immortal, not a vampire, betrayed by those he loved. Pretty much sums up Roland. He's got trust issues. I guess you would too if you had told those closest to you your deepest darkest secret, and then wake up to find them standing over you with a knife. Yikes! If he's immortal but not a vampire, is he a god? Nope.
- Sarah Bingham: Heroine, schoolteacher, human, organic health nut. Poor Sarah, just minding her own business, tending to her garden when a vampire's minions stake some poor guy in a field behind her backyard. Armed with just a shovel, she takes them out and nurses the guy to health. And that is where the adventure begins.
- Immortals: Ok, here's where I was having a WTF moment during the first 100 pages of the book. If you're not a vampire or a god, how are you immortal?! Well, turns out immortals are gifted humans (i.e. teleportation, psychometry, healing, etc) who are turned (bleed slowly) by vampires.
- Vampires. Apparently, they are non gifted humans who turn rabid less than 100 years into their new life. Sounds like a party and then some. Not!
- The love story. I was cheering so hard for these two. I wanted them to get together and realize how much they were meant to be by the 50th page. Seriously.
- Marcus. It's always the secondary characters that seem to hold my interest these days. He's there for support and comical relief. I want to know more.
- Seth. The oldest of the immortals, there's got to be an amazing back story there and can't wait to find out what. He can teleport! I'd love to have that power.
- Bastien. He's not what he seems. And I will leave you with that. I even went 'whoa!' when the twist came.
- Acceptance. After Sarah freaked out and ran away from the fight that ensued at her house, she seemed quite accepting of the fact that Roland and Marcus were Immortals. It did take a bit of explaining on Roland's part but she didn't scream, faint or try to get away.
- Immortals rarely transform vampires. Interesting that vampires transform humans and Immortals alike but Immortals don't.
- Blood source. It's always been interesting to me that in most books with vampires, they prey mostly upon pedophiles, rapists and murderers. Occasionally on the innocent who happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time aka when the vampire is so low on blood and needs it to heal.
- The mystery woman. I want to know more!! If she doesn't have any special gifts, how is she able to regenerate/grow missing body parts?
- Research. Ms. Duvall definitely thoroughly researched certain aspects of her book. She was very knowledgeable when it came to having an organic diet.
"None of the heavier meats, processed, or artificial foods that contain known carcinogens or other harmful chemicals. The same things that cause cancer, heart disease, and genetic mutations in humans increase our need for blood because of the damage they spawn in our bodies that the virus must heal, so we simply avoid them."
Favorite Quote: "I don't want to hunt vampires. Though your chauvinistic, autocratic, I'm-the-man-so-you'll-do-as-I-say attitude may prod me into it."
Overall: Another take on the vampire mythos and I love it! It started off with a bang (at least with a shovel to some poor guy's head) but as with any first book in a series, there's world and character building that must take place. So for the first 100 pages, there was a lot of explaining to do. The book whet my appetite for what is to come. Ms. Duvall, I am very much looking forward to what you have in store for your secondary characters.
***This was a Free Read from Amazon: February 15, 2011.***
