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It's an empath thing...

Using your "powers" to help the Dark Hills Police Department hunt down serial killers doesn't leave much time for dating. Not that Piper Anast is complaining. The last thing she needs is some guy brushing up against her and pumping his pornographic thoughts into her head.

When she meets Bennett Slade, a sexy, tormented vampire, Piper stumbles headlong into a telepathic connection with his missing daughter. She can't leave the kid to the evil surrounding her unwanted visions, nor can she resist her draw to Slade. He's the first guy she's been able to touch vision-free in, well, forever.

As she and Slade close in on the evil creature holding his daughter, Piper's powers morph into a deadly fury. To save Slade's daughter-and herself-Piper must face down demons she never knew she had and trust the one thing she keeps from everyone.

Her heart.

288 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 22, 2011

811 people want to read

About the author

Rachel Firasek

19 books272 followers
Rachel Firasek spends her days daydreaming of stories and her nights putting the ideas to ink. She has spent a dull life following the rules, meeting deadlines, and toeing the line, but in her made up worlds, she can let the wild side loose. Her wonderful husband and three children support her love of the written word and only ask for the occasional American Idol or Swamp People quality hour.



She has a philosophy about love. It must devastate or it isn’t truly worth loving. She hopes that you all find your devastating love and cling to it with all your heart! http://www.rachelfirasek.com/

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
Profile Image for Rhonda.
241 reviews57 followers
August 4, 2011

This book was fantastic!!!

Okay I’m about to gush over this big time.

Rachel Firasek has put together a fabulous story, full of everything I love. A heroine that would now be among one of my favorite. A sexy Vampire hero, and a great paranormal / urban fantasy story, with some suspense mixed in. It was chocked full of action, plenty of tension between the H/h and wonderful characterization. I love how well she brought out each of the characters distinct personalities, and flaws. The story was perfectly paced, and I loved every page, it grabbed me at the prologue, and swept me away. Firasek brought Piper’s first person account of the story to the pages beautifully, without feeling like I was missing something. I had a difficult time putting this down, and was disappointed only when it was over.

Piper Anast is an empath, she can see a persons memories from touching objects. She can also see other peoples thoughts and feelings by touching someone, and for this reason, she avoids touching people. After Piper’s mother died when she was around 8 yrs old, she was raised by her mother’s best friend Mabel. Now at 24, she works with the Dark Hills police department to help with missing person’s and murder investigations using her empath abilities. She doesn’t date, well because you know how men’s minds work, and she can see all of sexual thoughts, and fantasies going on in their heads. I loved Piper so much, she strong, stubborn and has qualities that make her unique to her character, but I also see in her vulnerability, and I think she projects a lot of her cynicism as self preservation.

Piper’s life is about to change forever, and with it, her empath abilities start to change and grow stronger. There is a serial killer in town, and Piper has been brought in to help with the investigation that has no leads. This case and the appearance of the sexy Bennett Slade are about to turn Piper’s world upside down. Piper has spent most of her life without touch because of her empath abilities, and when Slade comes into the picture she’s awestruck because this is the first man that she hasn’t gotten the sexual images from. When she touches him she senses nothing evil about him either. But Piper doesn’t really know how to handle all of this. Slade wants Piper to help him find his missing daughter that disappeared 5 years ago, the day his wife was murdered. These events set in motion a lot of self discovery for Piper.

I don’t want to give away too much of the story, I have left out a lot of details intentionally. I went into this knowing very little about it and enjoyed it so much, I can’t express that enough. I recommend this highly to anyone who likes a great PNR / UF, and enjoys a terrific heroine.

I can’t wait for the next book, and I hope Firasek doesn’t keep me waiting too long. This book definitely goes on my “favorites” shelf.

Profile Image for Fatima.
887 reviews352 followers
June 13, 2012
HOLY HELL OF BURNING FURY !!! THIS BOOK WAS JUST AMAZING !!!

Loved it a lot !! Piper , oh my god - Piper has to be the best female MC that I've read about in like forever ! Man , that woman is just so full of awesome ! She's smart , witty , quick , funny , aggresive and to top it all , she has a really bad temper !! HELL HATH NO FURY LIKE A WOMAN NAMED PIPER ANAST .

Cover speak : GOTHIC ,SEXY AND DARK !! To me it almost seemed like that eyes peeping through the hole is kinda similar to fury or anger or ravaging madness peeking out from the windows of your soul . Waiting .. waiting for a chance to strike . Ooooooh eerie !! Loved it !

Everything about this book was mind blowingly good . The characters , the story line . I loved how everything was connected to each other and all of it - in a big way - was connected to Piper . Slade was also an awesome Male MC . His connection to Piper screamed SUPER SEXY all the way !! Together , they were just YUMMMMM !! The other supporting characters were great too ! And the ending - oh my god !! I want book 2 like right now ! I cant wait to see what's in store for our amazing Piper and Slade !!

Recommended for readers who enjoy reading about Vampire's and Demon's . And also to readers who think Romanian Vamps are an absolute delish ....

Kirino Pictures, Images and Photos
Profile Image for Rachel Firasek.
Author 19 books272 followers
Read
March 27, 2011
Uhm, yeah, duh, I'm gonna give this one a 5 star. LOL!!!
Profile Image for Tracy.
933 reviews72 followers
March 16, 2013
Loved the Concept, Not the Execution
Piper Anast came home from elementary school one day full of excitement from a teacher's praise. She walked into a bloodbath, her slaughtered mother's body sprawled out on the couch, broken and torn in incomprehensible fashion. The police never found the 'who.' Piper has never understood the 'why.'

Now twenty-four, Piper lives a life closed off from people, barred from humanity by a unique ability and a soul-deep rage that is as much a part of her as her breath or the color of her eyes. She functions as best she can with her ability, the one thing that has always kept her apart, marked her as abnormal. She is an empath of sorts, and through her touch can sense feelings and see visions of things and people. The darker the soul, the more twisted her visions. As if that wasn't reason enough to wear full body armor, men are inexplicably drawn to her, and their touch fills her mind with every one of their prurient fantasies.

She doesn't date any more.

In fact, she has no social life at all, and if it weren't for her best friend, Detective Tally Jensen, and her Ducati, she's probably never leave the house she shares with her mother's best friend, Mabel, the woman who took her in sixteen years ago and gave her a home and a love that she can never, since that fateful, bloody day, truly return.

Using her ability to help the police find missing persons is something she feels is her duty, but that ability has limits and exacts a painful toll. Accepting the pain is Piper's cross to bear to help bring the lost home. When a new case stirs memories of childhood horror, though, and a request for help from a friend of Mabel's nephew can't be denied, Piper realizes that the past is not truly done. In certain circumstances, it can and does come back to haunt you, to taunt you, and if you're not very careful...to kill you.

Drawn into a world of vampires and demons, of truths too bitter to be accepted, horrors too intense to be believed, catching the bad guy isn't the only imperative. To survive, Piper will have to do something even more difficult: discover the truth about herself.

~*~

I loved the world that Rachel Firasek has created here, and I adored the concept for the novel. The touch-sensitive empath Piper works with the police to find missing persons and her past is traumatic and cloaked in mystery. Her life is limping along until a new case strikes too close to home and Bennett Slade drops into her path, asking her to help him find his missing daughter. I can say with absolute authority, I've never read a book in which a vampire is searching for his abducted child, so it was very original. I also thought the backstory and mythos surrounding the vampires as a race was nicely conceived. I've seen similar themes in other books and series, and it's one I favor in the genre.

All of those points served the novel very well and make for a compelling read. Unfortunately, the writing suffered from execution problems, and I had some major issues with the main character.

There's a lot of story in the book, a lot of different plot points and developments, a lot of stuff happening to the characters. While that's a good thing when everything is given time to develop and evolve, the narrative of the book speeds through plot points, developments, and happenings like a juiced horse at a stakes race, and the cost for that haste was keenly felt in other integral areas.

There was a decided lack of depth in the all the characters, but it was most notable in secondary characters Tally and Mabel. They seemed more like caricatures than actual people. The emotional expressions and reactions in the book always felt slightly off to me, flashing and changing like quicksilver, overly exaggerated and unnatural to the characters or the story situation. In particular, Piper and Slade both seemed to suffer from emotional ADD, and the wildly fluctuating emotions in their budding association/relationship didn't allow for me to really connect with either of them.

I had the biggest problem with Piper in that...and every other regard. I just couldn't get a bead on her character from one moment to the next. Her emotions and personality were all over the map. Of course if I didn't like it on one page, I just had to wait until the next, as it quickly...too quickly and often...changed. I spent the vast majority of the book vacillating between tolerating her and at least understanding her latent hostility and issues with her nature to detesting her childish, selfish, whiny ass to the point that I wished someone would just behead her. Not to mention, she was not a particularly nice person throughout most of the book, and the way she treated her 'inner circle' was disturbing at times.

There were also some contradictions in the plot, some inconsistencies, and some things that didn't make a lot of sense. One pretty egregious moment occurred between one page and the next. Slade is pleased that Piper can use her abilities at will, saying that they now "have a way to fight back." Literally one page and two lines of his dialogue later he's telling her she's not going to the very fight in which he wanted her abilities as a weapon. That was a bit of an eye-rolling moment for me. Another serious contradiction happens towards the end of the book, and I threw up my hands totally at that one. Details withheld to prevent spoilers.

There was a lot of promise in the book, and a lot of things I'd like to see continue to develop. I wasn't exactly thrilled in the telling of it, but the story itself was full of original ideas and unique situations. I'd give a second book a try to see how some of the chips fall, but I'd want to see a smoother, less helplessly frenetic narrative and a bit more emotional stability and depth in the characters. Without that, the series would end there for me.

~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
Profile Image for Natalie.
71 reviews26 followers
June 11, 2011
It's an empath thing...

Using your "powers" to help the Dark Hills Police Department hunt down serial killers doesn't leave much time for dating. Not that Piper Anast is complaining. The last thing she needs is some guy brushing up against her and pumping his pornographic thoughts into her head.
When she meets Bennett Slade, a sexy, tormented vampire, Piper stumbles headlong into a telepathic connection with his missing daughter. She can't leave the kid to the evil surrounding her unwanted visions, nor can she resist her draw to Slade. He's the first guy she's been able to touch vision-free in, well, forever.
As she and Slade close in on the evil creature holding his daughter, Piper's powers morph into a deadly fury. To save Slade's daughter-and herself-Piper must face down demons she never knew she had and trust the one thing she keeps from everyone.

Her heart.

My Thought's:

I am so excited to do this review. I have read many Vampire books, and sometimes find they are all the same with just a bit of a twist. Piper's Fury is not your average Vampire book, it is a story that will leave you wanting more.
Piper has psychic abilities and her job is to help the local Police Department with cases they can not solve. Touching people for Piper can sometimes be a problem,as she can see into their minds, thoughts and sometimes their souls. She meets Bennett Slade through Mable, Mable who has taken care of Piper since her mothers murder. Mable's nephew Gage, who has been in love with Piper since childhood brings his new bride to dinner and his new bride's cousin, Slade. Piper is drawn to him for reasons she can not figure out right away.
Bennett Slade has a tortured past like Piper and is in need of Piper's special abilities. Slade approaches Piper and ask's for her help to find his daughter who is only 5-years old. She refuses him at first, but his daughter finds Piper in a dream and now Piper doesn't seem to be able to refuse him much longer.
While fighting Vampires, Demons, and trying to find Slade's daughter, Piper is also trying to fight her desire to be with Slade, and deal with what she unravels about her own identity along the way.

I can't say anymore or I will have this review filled with spoilers. The first chapter pulled me in completely and had me captivated, and I found myself not being able to put this book down. If I did have to, I was thinking about it lol. I love the fast paced action, I love Piper's strong feisty attitude, her caring sensitive side (when she lets people see it) and she drives a Ducatti, now that's freakin cool.
Slade, well what can I say about Slade, yummy. He has all the manners a woman wants in her man, but still holds that mysterious allure that every woman loves. They have fantastic chemistry together, they made me laugh, made me get mad when Piper was being stubborn, but cheer them on when things were getting steamy. It would be a big mistake to miss out on this book, it's funny, steamy, sexy the characters are wonderful, I loved this book, has all the right ingredients of a great Paranormal, mystery/thriller with a love story in the mix.
I can not wait to read book 2. Check it out you will not be disappointed.

About the Author:

If you'd like to find out more about Rachel and her book, you can find her at the links posted below:

Website: http://www.rachelfirasek.com/apps/blog/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/rfirasek
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/raebob78
Profile Image for katrina.
993 reviews70 followers
June 17, 2011
Pipers Fury revolves around the life of Piper - an Empath who can see visions from touching people. Quiet often not the ideal party trick , so Piper tends to avoid alot of people - avoid touching them. This tends to lead her a lonley single life... Except for Mabel her adoptive mother.

To fill her time ad earn cash , Piper works for the Dark Hills Police Department side by side with her Best friend Tally Jensen. They solve murders, find missing people and life as Piper knows it is full of unbeknown questions unitl she meets Bennett SLade. Upon touching him, Piper doesnt feel a thing and she finds this quiet intriguing.

Slade approaches Piper in need of help to find his daughter Evelyn. Evelyn has been contacting Piper, through her mind, and Piper is now discovering new abilities she didnt know she had.

Rather than chuck a hissy fit, she deals with it.

Piper is a bit of a loner due to her abilities, cant get close to many people, only the ones with pure souls - but feels drawn to help Slade to find his daughter. An attraction since day one !! Piper and Slade team up to find his daughter as Evelyn directs Piper in the right direction to find her. Can Piper keep her job purely professional and resist the electric current running between her and Slade ? **I know I couldnt << I certainly needed more ** lol..

Slade is human but also vampire ?? Your intrigued !!!You will have to read to find out !! Piper is not who she thinks she is and her past not what she thought it was !!!!

dNNNNNNNN AND YES IT GETS BETTER !!!!! Mwahharrrrrr ....

Rachel has created her own world In Pipers fury, unique qualities of its own, and a journey Im sure that will have you briskly reading from front to back. I know I did. A paranormal read, filled with horror, action, romance, hot stuff ** sexy love scenes,** hot and sensual and kickarse characters that dont give in. A storyline that takes off from page one, filled with a climax that will have you gasping and luscious sex scenes that will have your toes curling !! Between who.... ** raises eyes ** read it and find out !!!! An array of fantastic characters, both good and evil, ones you will be happy to see burn at the stake and others you will be waiting in sheer anticipation to get it on !!

Demons, vampires and a plot like no other. Creatively written, to not only pique your interest but have you intrigued from page one. Storyline fluent and fast paced,with kiss arse action, sensual love, horror to its degree ,,, and even humour thrown in to lighten the mood .

Im sure Pipers fury will have you wanting more !! More Slade !! More Piper and of course book 2 will tell us where the ending left off.. A hanger I eagerly await !!


PIPERS FURY is filled with paranormal ruckus- brouhaha - Demonic encounters, and romantic liasons – a story packed with intrigue, and will have you mind boggled till the very end.

4 1/2 stars !! something to definetly sink your teeth into ;)




Profile Image for Michelle .
2,128 reviews304 followers
June 7, 2011
Wow! This book grabbed me right away and did not release its hold until I had devoured it in one night. I seriously could not put this book down! It was that good! Piper is awesome, and feisty and strong and everything I like my girl main characters to be.

The concept of this book was so original. If you like True blood, you will love this book. It reminded me of true blood, but different, and dare I say it- better. This book is so fast paced, it has you moving right along from one thing to the next and it never gives you a second to get bored or tired. Everything in Piper's Fury is really interesting. I was so into this book that I just had to know what was going to happen next. Most of the time when I am reading a book, i'll come to a certain page or part and think, "ok this is a good place to stop reading". I couldn't find that here, I just HAD to keep reading. And as much as I love Piper, I give most of the credit to Slade. He just had some quality about him that I loved reading about. I loved finding out tidbits of information about him and I love how strong his emotions are. He is passionate. Most of the time vampires are depicted so separate from humanity and I loved that Slade seemed to be so connected with his human side. Oh, and yea there is also the teensy, tiny little fact that Slade is HOT! I mean really hot, I loved the effect that he has on everyone- heck he was having that effect on me too! Even his name is hot.

So talking about Slade's hotness, I also wanted to mention how much I loved the development of Piper and Slade's relationship. It was awesome that even though Piper is so guarded, she could not maintain her guard around him. He calmed her, which is just so sweet and perfect. And then you get to the passionate part of their relationship... And let's just say it was HOT! (bet you didn't see that word choice coming) But honestly, that is really the only way to describe it. I cannot see how they are going to handle being friends in the next book. Something tells me that will not last too long. At least I hope it doesn't.

The ending of this book killed me. What a way to end it, now I totally do not want to have to wait for the next book to come out! I need to know what is going to happen right now! The cliffhanger sets up what I'm sure is going to be such an amazing second installment, and I can't wait to read it!

A word of warning about this book though- it is addicting, so I would suggest not reading it on a day where you have anything too important to do because you will not be able to put it down. Amazing book, one of my favorites this year!
Profile Image for Elena R a.k.a. Lunies R.
120 reviews109 followers
June 20, 2011
5+ Stars

Great start to a new series!

The novel itself is very fast paced,and enthralling.You are guaranteed to be addicted!

For a PNR it marked it's spot on my "favorite shelf" It was what I needed to beat my paranormal craving. *Screams, Bite Me Slade* Just in case you're wondering, Slade is the Sexy Vampire that makes me think "Could I compare him to Bones?(from:The Night Huntress series) My Answer; O Hell Yeah!! Bite me wherever you please!! LOL! Sorry,I'm getting carried away here.Back to my point.This book is a must-read,The Heroine will make you waddle with excitement.Piper is a handful,but such a loveable character.I loved every other character in the book as well.(except the villan and his posse of course =P) The story plot was feisty with a bundle of action.It had enough twist and turns to make my heart skip a beat.Once I was done reading it,I just wanted to be able to pick up the next book and read it.It was just that good!

You want a quick paranormal novel and be satisfied? Pick this novel up and take your chances.You'll Love it!

Profile Image for Debra Anastasia.
Author 42 books3,807 followers
February 2, 2012
Wow.

Rachel can write a kick ass heroine. I love that. Actually, it's getting to the point where I require it. Did you like Darkfever and the Fever series? Darkfever (Fever, #1) by Karen Marie Moning This book reminds me of that tone. The plot is so very important to the safe-keeping of the world. Piper is full of surprises. I really loved the element of mystery in the book that kept me guessing but managed not to be crazy complicated. That's a really fine line that Rachel totally succeeds at. She can also describe the living hell out of something. Love that she doesn't ever overdo it, but many times I sighed at the way she strung the words together. I'm such a fan of an exquisitely worded sentence, and I highlighted quite a few in this book.

This genre is a new favorite and I think I'm spoiled now my the last two authors I have devoured. (Moning and Firasek)

Very worth your time and really, that's what we readers want!

Profile Image for GraceMyBookSnack.
321 reviews26 followers
July 2, 2012
More please!

Seeing that several of my book buddies had given this book a high rating, I had to find out what all the fuss was about. Piper Anast is one feisty empath who you'll want on your side. Team her up with Slade, a tortured vampire who asks for her assistance in finding his daughter, and you've got quite the dynamic duo! The story is engaging, unique, and suspenseful with nice action scenes. At one point I was throwing punches in the air cheering on Piper and Slade. I wanted to yell out “You go, girl!” several times. If you love independent and badass heroines in your PNR, then read Piper's Fury! I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
Profile Image for Ciara Knight.
Author 118 books804 followers
January 27, 2012
Rachel Firasek masterfully creates a dark world full of intrigue, passion, and suspense in which she incorporates a tough and snarky heroine with a kind-hearted, hot, alpha-male vampire. What a combination! I’ll admit I’m not a vamp girl, because of the good vs. evil and neatly tied up plotlines, but this story does not disappoint. Ms. Firasek includes the deeper gray area which creates a more engaging plot. This is a spicy romance that will hook your interest and keep you turning the pages.
Profile Image for Babs.
Author 15 books188 followers
June 7, 2011

What do I think about this book, good question? From the moment I turned on my ipad and started reading, I was taken in from the first paragraph. Piper is a go getter. She doesn't let anything stand in her way even a good looking man as Bennett Slade. In fact, he comes to see her with her cousin Gage, one night. Mable was so happy to see her nephew and new wife, but Piper was not. While growing up Gage would pester her and wanted her to love him back. Needless to say, Piper was disgusted by him. Slade found out Piper helps the local police department find missing people and or killers. He asks her to help her find his missing daughter who he has not seen since she was 1 year old. At first, she tells him no as it has been 5 years and that is too long for her to sense anything. He doesn't let up and Piper is not sure she wants him to. She keeps stalling until one night she has a dream or so she thought at first. Slade's daughter ask her for help and Piper can't turn her down. What she has to encounter to help his daughter and herself is crazy, but you want to find out what is going on. You will be very surprised.

I loved this book. Rachel is a suburb writer. She knows how to grab your attention and run with it. I did not want to put the book down. It was fast paced, thrilling and mysterious read. The characters are all charismatic even the villains. I would have to say Slade is my favorite character along with Piper as a close second. Blade is mysterious at first and you want to learn more about him. I like the way his character thinks and the relationship with Piper and her family. I liked Piper because of her stubbornness and the fact she is a bit mysterious as well.

I highly recommend this book rather you like paranormal, mysteries, thrillers or suspense this book is for you. I will be watching for book 2. I would love to see what happens with Piper and Slade.
Profile Image for Heather.
108 reviews28 followers
June 13, 2011
PIPER'S FURY by Rachel Firasek
I have chosen this book in part for a mission requested by Boss Lady Rachel Firasek to read her book and give a review. She told me to give an honest review and I shall as I do all my reviews. So here goes.

Welcome to the world of Piper Anast. Her story leads you down the road of demons, vampires, and gypsies. This is the story of one woman who has the gift of empathy and how she copes with it and also with relationships and love. She meets Bennett Slade who asks for her help in finding his young daughter. As the story unfolds, Piper finds out that evil isn't always what it appears to be. She learns about the origins of her gift as well as her growing feelings for the dark and mysterious Slade.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story as it gives you another take on vampires and gypsies and clears up some misconceptions. It's not your usual vamp story. I'm not much of a romance genre reader but the relationship between Slade and Piper drew me in. It blends well with the storyline and explores the fear of commitment and the feelings that consume us when we are in love. It shows there are no boundaries when true love finds you.

Rachel Firasek combines action, suspense, raw love and lust into an intoxicating story weave.

And what is there not to dig about a kick ass heroine who rides a Ducati. Purr Purr.

All these things makes for a page turner that you can't bring yourself to put down until it's finished and then leaves you wanting more.
Profile Image for Scooper Speaks.
604 reviews28 followers
July 31, 2011
Favorite Lines: “I followed him upstairs, glad he was leading the way. The fabric of his dark slacks stretched tight across his rear with every lift of his leg. I admired the firm treat. The man was built like an ancient warrior–bronze skin stretched over hard muscle.” (p. 89, ebook)

I found the blurb for Piper’s Fury on GoodReads. Intrigued by the blurb, I contacted the author and requested a copy to review. I usually don’t read books from new to me publishers unless I’ve heard rave reviews from bloggers I trust. This definitely an exception to the norm and I’m glad I read the book. It was a good experience and I plan to check out Crescent Moon Press‘s other books.

Rachel Firasek has written an easy to read, fast paced and entertaining story about a woman who is a vampire’s only hope of ever finding his missing daughter.At the same time a serial murderer is on the loose and the heroine is trying to stop him. The plot lines quickly interweave allowing the heroine, Piper, and the vampire, Slade, to regularly interact.

The author did a great job setting up the meeting between the hero and heroine. It occurred early in the story which made a burgeoning romance possible. There were many aspects of the book that I enjoyed and there were a few things that made me wrinkle my eyebrows in consternation.

For example, I fluctuated between liking the heroine and not understanding why others liked her. Piper is brusk, yet caring woman in her 20s. She is extremely immature despite the things which should have forced her to mature. She can’t touch people or be around people without hearing their thoughts. This ability allows her to assist the police in missing person cases, but makes having a sex life non-existent. She’s seen horrible things and heard nasty thoughts, but they don’t prevent her from lashing out at everyone.

Piper is a bitch. She isn’t nice to the woman who raised her or to anyone else. However, most people go out of their way to do things for her. Things that could get them in serious trouble. It wasn’t even done out of fear. I believe the people truly love her, but don’t see how or why. I think the reason for Piper’s behavior became clear by the end of the book, but getting to a point where I could accept her for who she was took quite a while.

I also had a hard time wrapping my mind around the kidnapped child story line. Why? Because the little vampire girl was kidnapped at the age of one. That was five years prior to Slade meeting Piper. However, the kidnapped child, Evalyn, was so much older in spirit. I don’t know if it’s a vampire thing or a side effect of being a kidnap victim. It felt…wrong. Every time she mad an appearance I was taken out of the story because I’d think this isn’t the voice of a 6-year-old.

It didn’t stop me from reading the book. I couldn’t flip the pages fast enough. At one point I even became emotionally involved. There’s a scene where the heroine is laying in the rain that made me feel horrible. I jumped on the bandwagon with Piper and rational thought had nothing to do with it. (To avoid spoiler territory, I won’t say more. If you’ve read the book let me know how you feel about that scene.)

Read it or Skip it? Read it. Firasek is a new voice in the vampire romance genre. The book is a nice way to fill time when you’re waiting for one of the many paranormal must own books to be released.

Warning!!! Piper’s Fury is one of those books that may leave people angry. There is no clean, this story is over, ending. The biggest plot line, rescue a kidnapped child, is resolved. However, resolving that issue created a new problem. That new problem fully manifests in the final pages of the story creating a cliffhanger ending. I’m okay with the ending, but others might not be.

my link text
253 reviews10 followers
May 16, 2011
Piper Anast is an empath who can see what a person is thinking when she touches them. This comes in handy when she is helping the Dark Hills Police Department catch serial killers, not so much when she is just trying to live her everyday life. It seems Piper gives off some sort of vibe that makes every man who sees her want to do more than see her. Who needs to know those thoughts?

Her well meaning, but entirely too nosey, adoptive mother Mabel, is constantly trying to get her to go out more, so one night she invites her nephew and his wife to dinner with Piper. They bring along a mysterious, too good looking for his own good, man named Bennett Slade. Turns out Slade has heard about Piper’s “talents” and needs her to help find his little girl who was kidnapped years ago. Piper is hesitant at first. She wants to help, but Slade’s daughter has been gone so long that there is little chance of Piper being able to pick up any useful information. Slade also makes her uncomfortable; she can’t seem to pick up any of his feelings. Slade’s daughter, Evelyn, manages to contact Piper in her dreams, so now the hunt is on. Piper and Slade team up to find his daughter and try to solve the current serial killer case. Will Piper be able to resist the attraction she feels for Slade and live to tell the tale?

What a fun, exciting read this book was. Piper is written as a strong woman with a few quirks; she doesn’t understand how she gets her power and isn’t always thrilled with it. Slade, it turns out, is a vampire but not really a vampire. Confusing? Not really; Ms. Firasek has given us a different twist on the vampire, making them human with a few tweaks. You can’t help but like Slade. He is not only great to look at, but has the patience of a saint when dealing with Piper’s somewhat erratic emotions. There is a well rounded supporting cast of characters, all of whom give us some great moments. Mabel, Piper’s adopted mother, is quirky and fun; you just love her relationship with Piper. Tally Jenson, Piper’s best friend and a detective with the police department, is a tough cop but always a great friend. The villains are truly nasty, terrible people and you just love to hate them. This book is packed with everything you would want from this genre. There are some kick butt action scenes, some breath stealing love scenes, some poignant moments and many laughs along the way.

I enjoyed the way Piper was presented to us; she isn’t one of those women who take everything at face value. For once we have a heroine, who when faced with the fact that vampires exist says “No sirree bob tail, I don’t think so” (my words) and takes off at a dead run. The interaction between Piper and Slade is never boring and certainly not easy. There is some violence in the book, but it flows well with the story and while a tad graphic is not so much you want to loose your lunch. The love scenes are pretty explicit but again, not in your face and there is even some humor interspersed in them. There is a cliffhanger of sorts at the end of the book, but it’s not the type that makes you think the book was just written as a lead in for a sequel. All in all, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more of Ms. Firasek’s work. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of paranormal romance with a bit of quirky humor, action and a new take on the old phrase “don’t make me angry, you won’t like me when I’m angry”.

reviewed as a member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team

Profile Image for Dahlia (yadkny).
943 reviews140 followers
June 29, 2011
Something evil was unleashed in the town of Dark Hills years ago, but vanished just as quickly. Now it is back to wreak havoc and create the chaos it thrives on, but one young woman will stand in its way.

Piper Anast is incredibly gifted yet infinitely cursed. The “powers” she possesses may be used toward the greater good, but the side effects are extreme. Unwanted lust-based attraction from the male species, no accidental touching, as well as physical and mental exhaustion, are just to name a few. Working with the Dark Hills Police Department offers an outlet for her talents while being productive and earning some much needed cash for her and her adoptive mother Mabel.

After working a particularly difficult case, the last thing Piper wants to do when she gets home is entertain guests, but Mabel won't be denied. When Bennett Slade is introduced, all sorts of naughty thoughts and feelings assault Piper and for the first time she is aroused. Not one to be ruled by lust, Piper denies the irresistibly sexy vampire's charm, but won't be able to deny his one request. Slade's daughter is missing and only Piper can find her.

When a crack in a case leads to a horrific discovery, Piper becomes even more determined, but not all is as it seems. Impossible connections start forming that will have Piper questioning her very existence and a young girl's life hangs in the balance.

“Who better to pin this on than the person we all know finds more dead bodies than live ones?”

Bad guys be warned because Piper's fury knows no bounds.

This is one furiously fantastic thrill ride! With every page, the plot thickened and my heartbeat quickened. Ms. Firasek pen's not only a creatively entertaining plot, her characters are unforgettable.

I was instantly drawn to the feisty and innately curious Piper. Her fierce independence also comes with a bit of stubbornness, rudeness, petulance, and a really bad temper. She becomes irritable quite easily and makes mistakes by throwing caution to the wind frequently. She's flawed, yet underneath it all is a very caring and loyal person just trying to do her bit of good in the world. Her confidence masks the underlying vulnerability of getting close to anyone for fear of being hurt.

The rest of the amazing cast of characters are the perfect balance to Piper. The charmingly patient Slade, the enigmatic Mabel, the trusting best friend Tally, and the cleverly cute Evie. The chemistry and dynamics between all of the characters are believable and at times quite humorous.

In this extreme reality of vampires and demons, temptations abound with just enough sexual tension to not be overdone. The storyline has plenty of action both on and off the field, so the pacing is consistently riveting.

"Relax? I can't relax. My hands are sweating, my stomach's churning, and you're touching me."

Extraordinary start to the Passion of the Soul series and I am absolutely addicted! Paranormal romance readers rejoice! There's a new author in town and she's sure to be a favorite in your library!
Profile Image for Sherri Bryant.
1,364 reviews67 followers
April 4, 2012
New to me author Rachel Firasek delivers an entertaining and enjoyable story about a woman who doesn’t play well with others but is in the business of helping others. When we first meet Piper, she is a child who has been suddenly orphaned. Fast forward to the present and the woman Piper has become is someone who shields herself from others. The touch of other people brings visions she would rather not see. The opposite sex is drawn to Piper in a sexual nature and though Piper is used to it, she does not appreciate it.

Piper works with the Dark Hills Police Department helping her friend Tally look for missing people. As an empath, Piper is able to draw images of someone’s memory from an item they own in the hopes that it will provide enough clues to lead the police to finding them. When Piper meets Bennett Slade, she is shocked that his touch doesn’t result in crude visions and instead of making her trust him, her guard goes up even higher. Slade’s wife was murdered years ago and his daughter was kidnapped. He asks for Piper’s assistance in locating her and Piper refuses. Initially, I was a little annoyed at Piper’s attitude. She’s got a huge chip on her shoulder and when she gets angry, she can be quite mean. Piper relents and agrees to help Slade, only after having a dream about his daughter. She suspects Slade is not being honest with her and thinks he might have had something to do with his wife’s murder and daughter’s disappearance.

I liked Slade immediately, though his existence as a vampire was not revealed soon enough for me. I got a quick sense that Slade is drawn to Piper and is desperate for her help. Unfortunately, he doesn’t tell Piper what he is and when she finds out, she’s less than happy. I enjoyed the author’s take on Slade’s breed of vampire. He can walk in daylight and doesn’t sleep in a coffin like the vampires we are used to. Instead, Slade is part of a race of people who have to consume blood as a medical necessity. Though Piper is upset when she learns the truth, she has to trust Slade because the evil being responsible is not like anything Piper has come face to face with before.

I eventually warmed up to Piper once I realized her attitude and apathy towards people shielded a woman who has seen unspeakable horror and endured pain nobody should have to experience. I also admired how she connects to Slade’s daughter and the lengths she is willing to go through to rescue her. Though she is easily annoyed at the woman who raises her, she risks everything to ensure her safety as well.

Overall, this was a good start to a series that looks to be intriguing and I am very curious what Piper will do with what she has discovered at the end of Piper’s Fury.
Profile Image for Lisa.
79 reviews12 followers
April 17, 2011
I didn’t know what to expect going into this book. I purposely did not read the blurb before I read the book, I wanted to go into it fresh and really just enjoy the story. I was pleasantly surprised with the story line and characters. Let’s get into the story a bit
So vampire stories are every where these days so in some ways that means that the stories are all starting to sound a little bit the same. I am happy to say that Piper’s Fury brings some new ideas to the table and that makes it very interesting for me. I think one of my favorite things about this book is that Piper is aware in the beginning of this story that vampires, or Strigoii Vii, as they are called in this book. It makes it a very different story in comparison to a lot of stories out there. I think that whole premise of the Strigoii Vii is a bit different as well too. They are actually humans who have a gene mutation and need to have blood to regenerate their blood and that they can eat human food and still need both. This is very different for me. I like the story line that Piper is approached by Slade to research his daughter’s disappearance, five year prior. Piper immediately refused as too much time has passed but then she has a crazy dream of Slade’s daughter begging for her help. The story takes crazy twists and turns from here everything from the love story between Slade and Piper to demons and betrayal of Slade’s people . I enjoyed the love scenes are pretty hot and steamy which I really enjoyed in the story. While the are very steamy it was just what I was looking for out of this book! Maybe not at first but once I got to know Piper and her anger issues and lack of personal awareness I really wanted for Slade to win her over and have them get involved. The story was left in a place where I cannot wait for the next book to come out so I can find out what is going to happen. I think that my favorite part of the book was there was always some twist that was coming up so I could not pin down the story until it was over. the one thing that I did get a little frustrated the fact that Piper was not aware of the power that she had and I really never understood why anger gave her the power. The book started pretty slow but it did pick up quickly. All in all I really enjoyed this book and recommend it!
Profile Image for Sharon.
396 reviews18 followers
July 24, 2011
It is no secret I love Alpha males, and the paranormal genre is a virtual Alpha buffet where I can taste them all. Vamps, Shifters, Fae, immortal warriors, I don’t care as long as they are a little spicy ;) Piper's Fury has so much Alpha male action it's a prime entrée on the buffet.

When I started Piper’s Fury, I really connected with Piper. She has just the right amount of snark and when you learn about her “issues” you realize her attitude and behavior is warranted. Her emotions felt genuine instead of forced, which is the case with some snarky heroines.

Then I met Bennett Slade (excuse me, I got to take a minute) Okay, Slade turned me into a puddle every time he spoke, he is a gentleman alpha. He doesn’t feel the need to prove his awesomeness, he just simply is awesome. He is gentle, considerate, confident and sometimes that inner beast comes out to play and that is all I need to say...

There was a kick-ass story to go along with these characters, I should probably talk about that too. Piper is an empath with some serious anger issues. She can’t touch people because she can see into their thoughts, which makes dating impossible. There are only two people in her life that she can be close to: her aunt Mable, who raised her, and her best friend Tally who works for the police department. Then she meets the vampire Slade (swoon). Did I mention how hawt Slade is? Piper doesn’t initially know what Slade is and I like the way we learn about him at the same time Piper does.

Piper ends up getting thrown into a world of vampires and demons that she never knew existed. Along the way Piper and Slade face betrayal and surprises, you'll never stop guessing. Piper’s empath abilities also begin to change in unexpected ways and she learns the secret her mother tried to keep from her.

I really loved this story, until the end. Freaking cliff hanger endings. That and freaking heroines that don’t know a good thing when it bites them . Rachel Firasek is working on the second book in this series and I look forward to more Slade…er seeing what happens.

I give this 4 1/2 puddling Sheep
Profile Image for Read2review.
183 reviews55 followers
December 31, 2011

** For the full review please check out www.read2review.com **
Piper’s Fury has been on my radar since I stumbled across Rachel Firasek on the Crescent Moon Site and since becoming one of her Sassy Street Sirens I had to read the book.

Piper’s Fury centralises around Piper and her friendship / relationship with Slade as she helps him to find his daughter. Evie, Slade’s daughter, contacts Piper through the visions she has and through the visions they are lead to her. It is not as easy as that though and they encounter family members gone evil, a demon that Piper realises is her father and a co-worker that has been playing for both sides.

I love the way Rachel writes! Each character has a clearly defined personality and each place is easy to picture. Firasek really catches you and pulls you, vigorously at times, into the heart of the book. I found myself totally gunning for Piper and Slade to get together in the end! Did they? Well you’ll just have to read the story for yourself! I will say though be prepared for some very hot and steamy sexual content on the journey!

Rachel assures me that there is more to this story – THANK GOD! I was left wanting more, if I had the second book I would have been up all night reading that straight after I had read Piper’s Fury! I am not sure when it comes out but I hope to be one of the lucky ones to review it first. There is more to this story that I have to find out.

** Read More At : http://read2review.com/our-reviews/r/...
Profile Image for Linda.
1,128 reviews54 followers
June 16, 2011
Piper came home from school one day to find her Mom had suffered a violent death. Thankfully, her Mom's best friend gave Piper a home. Piper never knew her father. Piper was different as she had abilities that set her apart from other children; For instance, just touching someone could initiate painful visions for her... so she wore gloves and made sure her body was well-covered in public so as not to have an empathic episode. Then... she met Slade who wanted her to help him find his missing daughter. Of course, it wasn't that simple. His daughter isn't a run-of-the-mill daughter either. AND Slade is a vamp, a Strigoli V who does not set off visions when they touch. Along the way, Piper experiences growing pains as she learns more about herself and both of her parents. She also learns that our world is home to many paranormal creatures. Witches, Vampires, Demons... they're all here! Don't miss this sexy paranormal romp!
Profile Image for Traci Bell.
Author 3 books13 followers
April 11, 2011
Piper Anast is a woman whose psychic abilities make it difficult for her to get close to others. Bennett Slade is a handsome, mysterious man with a missing daughter. Together they search for his little girl, and their search uncovers secrets in Piper's past and forces them to confront evil in the truest sense. The action builds nonstop from the time Piper and Slade meet until the last page, where you're left waiting impatiently for Book 2!

Piper is complex, powerful, and yet vulnerable. There is a kind, steel core to Slade that perfectly offsets Piper's complexities and makes their relationship ripe for sexual tension and love. If you like sexy, sensual vampires, you'll love Slade!
Profile Image for Rhonda.
32 reviews
May 24, 2012
I'm kind of disappointed. I loved the ideas in this story but everything felt rushed and sometimes Piper would be annoying to me. I liked certain things about her character but one minute she gets angry too easily and then she gives in too easily. I just felt she excepted everything so quickly. Also, there were so many parts that just seemed too convenient. Which is fine but the same kinds of things kept happening over and over again.

I'm kind of confused on the high ratings for this story. It's not a bad story but I think it could have been a whole lot better. Like I said, the ideas were great but didn't play out as well as I thought it would.
Profile Image for Melissa Stark.
6 reviews3 followers
April 28, 2011
I loved this story right from the beginning. Piper is a strong woman who knows what she wants and how to get it. Slade is just as engaging. And hot. Oh yeah, he's hot. Rachel really knows how to bring her characters to life. I was so engaged in the story and the plot twists and turns that I stayed awake until 3:00 am to finish it. I highly recommend. Now I'm looking forward to Rachel's next story!
151 reviews9 followers
October 20, 2012
Wow, this is a great book. I'm not usually into this type of book, but found it very good. Piper and Slade are fighting the forces of evil to find his daughter. Piper finds out a lot more about herself during it all. They also fall in love. I would definitely recommend it.
Profile Image for Tammy Ramey.
94 reviews7 followers
April 24, 2011
i won this book thru a contest on another authors blog and i have to say it is one of the best books i have read in along time. i usually don't read books in this genre but i can't wait for the next book in this series!
Profile Image for Michelle.
Author 21 books68 followers
December 19, 2011
Piper's Fury is a fast paced, edge of your seat story that is well written and character driven as well. I truly enjoyed reading this and eagerly await a sequel. There is a sequel in the works, isn't there?!
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