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The Apocalyptic Series #1
Craving
After a messy divorce and the suicide of her younger sister, Lilith Pierce sets about the responsible task of cleaning up Eva's final mess. She orders the casket, cleans the apartment, but is plagued by a frighteningly prophetic conversation preceding Eva's death. When Lilith begins to investigate the bizarre details of Eva's life, she has no idea the path of personal transformation she has embarked upon. Down the rabbit hole, she dives, into a world of strange powers, koan-spouting immortals, and dangers to humanity only she seems destined to prevent.
"Angels, Demons, villains, vampires . . . they don't stand a chance."
Stephenson's "Snow Crash" meets "Siddhartha" in this fascinating metaphysical thriller from debut author Kristina Meister. "Craving" is a suspenseful tapestry woven through with the golden threads of myth, philosophy, and sarcasm, exploring the nature of love, faith, and how ideas can change the world.
"Angels, Demons, villains, vampires . . . they don't stand a chance."
Stephenson's "Snow Crash" meets "Siddhartha" in this fascinating metaphysical thriller from debut author Kristina Meister. "Craving" is a suspenseful tapestry woven through with the golden threads of myth, philosophy, and sarcasm, exploring the nature of love, faith, and how ideas can change the world.
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First published January 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
October 25, 2013
I first read in May 2013. I am re-reading it prior to reading the sequel, The One We Feed.
Book Info: Genre: Dark Urban Fantasy/Metaphysical Thriller
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: Anyone to whom it appeals
Trigger Warnings: violence, murder, suicide
My Thoughts: This is a very strange—but absolutely amazing—book, full of mysteries and hallucinations. The reader never quite knows if something is really happening or not, which can lead to a bit of confusion at times, but the story is beautifully written, with gorgeous language. In many cases, at least for me, this can make all the difference between loving a book and being so confused I can't finish it. An example of the sort of writing I'm talking about:
Described as a metaphysical thriller, I've added “dark urban fantasy” to it, due to the monsters and mayhem that lurk at the edges of the story. Or do they? Again, I was never quite sure what was real, what had really happened, and what was just a dream in the main character's mind.
I spoke to the author of this book shortly after I started it to tell her I was enjoying it, and she wrote back to let me know that there are lots of little clues sprinkled throughout the book, things that will help with understanding the rest of the trilogy as it is released.
This is a trippy little story. It was certainly not what I was expecting from JournalStone, but I absolutely loved it. If you're interested in metaphysics, Buddhism, enlightenment, or just a wonderful story, check out this book. I'm already looking forward to reading it again, when the second book in the trilogy is released. Highly recommended.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this e-book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewer's program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: After a messy divorce and the suicide of her younger sister, Lilith Pierce sets about the responsible task of cleaning up Eva's final mess. She orders the casket, cleans the apartment, but is plagued by a frighteningly prophetic conversation preceding Eva's death. When Lilith begins to investigate the bizarre details of Eva's life, she has no idea the path of personal transformation she has embarked upon. Down the rabbit hole, she dives, into a world of strange powers, koan-spouting immortals, and dangers to humanity only she seems destined to prevent.
"Angels, Demons, villains, vampires . . . they don't stand a chance."
Stephenson's "Snow Crash" meets "Siddhartha" in this fascinating metaphysical thriller from debut author Kristina Meister. "Craving" is a suspenseful tapestry woven through with the golden threads of myth, philosophy, and sarcasm, exploring the nature of love, faith, and how ideas can change the world.
Book Info: Genre: Dark Urban Fantasy/Metaphysical Thriller
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: Anyone to whom it appeals
Trigger Warnings: violence, murder, suicide
My Thoughts: This is a very strange—but absolutely amazing—book, full of mysteries and hallucinations. The reader never quite knows if something is really happening or not, which can lead to a bit of confusion at times, but the story is beautifully written, with gorgeous language. In many cases, at least for me, this can make all the difference between loving a book and being so confused I can't finish it. An example of the sort of writing I'm talking about:
“The immense windows that made up the north-facing wall were tinted so that the entire scene had an aura of man beating materials into a sterile kind of submission. A bank of elevators shone behind the security guard's head in a vicious silver beam, but dinged cheerfully. Clones in every kind of suit moved around like ichor in the fat, hardened, corporate arteries, their leather shoes clicking impatiently.”
Described as a metaphysical thriller, I've added “dark urban fantasy” to it, due to the monsters and mayhem that lurk at the edges of the story. Or do they? Again, I was never quite sure what was real, what had really happened, and what was just a dream in the main character's mind.
I spoke to the author of this book shortly after I started it to tell her I was enjoying it, and she wrote back to let me know that there are lots of little clues sprinkled throughout the book, things that will help with understanding the rest of the trilogy as it is released.
This is a trippy little story. It was certainly not what I was expecting from JournalStone, but I absolutely loved it. If you're interested in metaphysics, Buddhism, enlightenment, or just a wonderful story, check out this book. I'm already looking forward to reading it again, when the second book in the trilogy is released. Highly recommended.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this e-book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewer's program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: After a messy divorce and the suicide of her younger sister, Lilith Pierce sets about the responsible task of cleaning up Eva's final mess. She orders the casket, cleans the apartment, but is plagued by a frighteningly prophetic conversation preceding Eva's death. When Lilith begins to investigate the bizarre details of Eva's life, she has no idea the path of personal transformation she has embarked upon. Down the rabbit hole, she dives, into a world of strange powers, koan-spouting immortals, and dangers to humanity only she seems destined to prevent.
"Angels, Demons, villains, vampires . . . they don't stand a chance."
Stephenson's "Snow Crash" meets "Siddhartha" in this fascinating metaphysical thriller from debut author Kristina Meister. "Craving" is a suspenseful tapestry woven through with the golden threads of myth, philosophy, and sarcasm, exploring the nature of love, faith, and how ideas can change the world.
October 5, 2012
In Craving, Lilith Pierce unpacks the mystery behind her younger sister's suicide. In the process, she meets characters whose pasts are shrouded in mystery, and encounters ancient cults dominated by people who can live indefinitely. The deeper she digs, the bigger the mess, and worse, she's changing...but into what?
Craving is an excellent paranormal novel. The premise is unique and original, and the writing is strong. Kristina Meister challenges the (hazy) boundaries of philosophy and religion. The plot was not entirely unpredictable (at least I saw the twists coming) but enjoyed it nonetheless.
A few, minor issues for me: some key threads in the novel that were alluded to repeatedly did not seem adequately explained, such as the blood-drinking element, and why/how Lilith became so powerful when others did/could not. The author tried to explain the latter, but it didn't make sense or seem plausible enough to me. I also found some of the philosophical discussion a bit repetitive and started glossing over it, flipping pages to find where the action started up again.
Still, an excellent novel, overall, and highly recommended for a change from the typical paranormal novels out there.
Craving is an excellent paranormal novel. The premise is unique and original, and the writing is strong. Kristina Meister challenges the (hazy) boundaries of philosophy and religion. The plot was not entirely unpredictable (at least I saw the twists coming) but enjoyed it nonetheless.
A few, minor issues for me: some key threads in the novel that were alluded to repeatedly did not seem adequately explained, such as the blood-drinking element, and why/how Lilith became so powerful when others did/could not. The author tried to explain the latter, but it didn't make sense or seem plausible enough to me. I also found some of the philosophical discussion a bit repetitive and started glossing over it, flipping pages to find where the action started up again.
Still, an excellent novel, overall, and highly recommended for a change from the typical paranormal novels out there.
October 21, 2012
I had a real hard time getting into this book. I found it confusing and not worth the effort of trying to figure it out. The character of Lilith was irritating and unlikable. The word that kept coming to me when I was reading this was: bland. It had a lot of promise, but just fell short for me.
March 23, 2011
New twist! I loved it! Deep philosophy and not what i expected
August 22, 2016
3.5, round up
You know, when you read reviews of vampire book you often hear comments about the book being a new take on the myth. This one really is though. I've read hundreds of vampire books and never come across one that takes the origins of vamparisim in this direction. Granted, this isn't just about vampires. In fact, they're a small portion of the story. But it's still fun to find something new.
The main character, Lilith, is not an immediately likable character. She has been a shite sister for one thing and doesn't seem to grieve well. But she's also an incredibly unreliable narrator. It just takes a little while to realize this. As the book progresses she becomes more likable, relatable and forgivable. All the other main characters, lets just call them good guys, are wonderful. I adored them all.
I also really liked that the Arhat seemed to be basically asexual by choice or inclination, not inability, but there was still recognizable love of various forms obvious between the characters. The fact that Lilith was 35 and Matthew even older was something to appreciate too. Sometimes I feel like characters over 27 never get to be heros.
Unfortunately, the book does suffer a little bit from too-perfect heroine syndrome. Lilith developed new abilities at an astounding rate and always just when she needed them. They felt very deus ex machina (several times). It also tended toward lecturing. All the philosophical discussions slowed the pacing down quite a bit. Even with all those philosophical explanations, I felt like the actual mechanics of the 'change' were left very vague. As a result it felt very...well, woo-woo—even occurring over the phone at one point. Lastly, there is a notable repetition of the word askance. It's one of those words that stands out, especially when seen several times (sometimes as a noun, which I'm not sure it can be).
All in all, a fun ride and I'm looking forward to reading book 2.
You know, when you read reviews of vampire book you often hear comments about the book being a new take on the myth. This one really is though. I've read hundreds of vampire books and never come across one that takes the origins of vamparisim in this direction. Granted, this isn't just about vampires. In fact, they're a small portion of the story. But it's still fun to find something new.
The main character, Lilith, is not an immediately likable character. She has been a shite sister for one thing and doesn't seem to grieve well. But she's also an incredibly unreliable narrator. It just takes a little while to realize this. As the book progresses she becomes more likable, relatable and forgivable. All the other main characters, lets just call them good guys, are wonderful. I adored them all.
I also really liked that the Arhat seemed to be basically asexual by choice or inclination, not inability, but there was still recognizable love of various forms obvious between the characters. The fact that Lilith was 35 and Matthew even older was something to appreciate too. Sometimes I feel like characters over 27 never get to be heros.
Unfortunately, the book does suffer a little bit from too-perfect heroine syndrome. Lilith developed new abilities at an astounding rate and always just when she needed them. They felt very deus ex machina (several times). It also tended toward lecturing. All the philosophical discussions slowed the pacing down quite a bit. Even with all those philosophical explanations, I felt like the actual mechanics of the 'change' were left very vague. As a result it felt very...well, woo-woo—even occurring over the phone at one point. Lastly, there is a notable repetition of the word askance. It's one of those words that stands out, especially when seen several times (sometimes as a noun, which I'm not sure it can be).
All in all, a fun ride and I'm looking forward to reading book 2.
February 27, 2017
There is only one thing that really bugs me about books. I get infuriated when books aren't consistent throughout. I don't care if a book is terrible from the beginning to end as long as it's consistent. I've read some terrible books that I actually enjoyed more than this one.
This book starts off incredibly strong. I started this book in the middle of the day, but I found the first two chapters to be really creepy. It was a promising start with a "who-dunnit" kind of premise. The writing was fantastic, and the beginning really drew me into the story. I wanted to know Lilith and I wanted to take the journey with her to find out the mystery surrounding her sister's death. I was addicted to the first 30% of this book. The strong writing, the interesting characters, the mysterious elements combined with the slight philosophical writing made for a great combo. I was forced to expand my mind to understand some of the ideas and I really liked it.
And then it lost me. It went from a mystery story with some philosophy to a philosophical book, completely putting the mystery on back burner. Lilith started to grate on my nerves and it was a chore to plod through this book. I don't think I've sighed so much in all my life. Half of the time, I couldn't even understand what they were talking about. It wasn't the Buddhist philosophy I had trouble with, it was the fact that these characters seemed to spout wisdom without any reason to. Every sentence was so pretentious. I finished this book, though not happily. The best thing I can say about it is that it ended.
If only the end had been as great as the beginning. Alas.
I received this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.
This book starts off incredibly strong. I started this book in the middle of the day, but I found the first two chapters to be really creepy. It was a promising start with a "who-dunnit" kind of premise. The writing was fantastic, and the beginning really drew me into the story. I wanted to know Lilith and I wanted to take the journey with her to find out the mystery surrounding her sister's death. I was addicted to the first 30% of this book. The strong writing, the interesting characters, the mysterious elements combined with the slight philosophical writing made for a great combo. I was forced to expand my mind to understand some of the ideas and I really liked it.
And then it lost me. It went from a mystery story with some philosophy to a philosophical book, completely putting the mystery on back burner. Lilith started to grate on my nerves and it was a chore to plod through this book. I don't think I've sighed so much in all my life. Half of the time, I couldn't even understand what they were talking about. It wasn't the Buddhist philosophy I had trouble with, it was the fact that these characters seemed to spout wisdom without any reason to. Every sentence was so pretentious. I finished this book, though not happily. The best thing I can say about it is that it ended.
If only the end had been as great as the beginning. Alas.
I received this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.
October 13, 2012
“Craving” by Kristina Meister captured my interest with the blurb on the back and the image on the cover. I was drawn into the book easily when I began it… but about half-way through I found myself losing focus and wanting to skip ahead.
The main character of this book, Lilith Pierce, was a sympathetic character when she finds out that her younger sister committed suicide and Lilith flies out to where her younger sister lived to clean out her apartment and take care of her affairs. When she gets there, she finds that she didn’t know her sister at all and that she (Lilith) was mostly responsible for the rift that happened between them. Lilith, convinced it wasn’t a suicide, goes on to meet a whole cast of characters in order to prove that her sister was murdered.
When Lilith starts “changing” I feel that she became less interesting and more annoying. I liked the other characters surrounding her, though.
This book takes the reader on a twisty-turvey ride while tasking the reader to question meaning of life. I enjoyed the philosophical theme, but sometimes felt a little lost in it. Although I am only giving the book three stars, I encourage the reader to give it a chance.
The main character of this book, Lilith Pierce, was a sympathetic character when she finds out that her younger sister committed suicide and Lilith flies out to where her younger sister lived to clean out her apartment and take care of her affairs. When she gets there, she finds that she didn’t know her sister at all and that she (Lilith) was mostly responsible for the rift that happened between them. Lilith, convinced it wasn’t a suicide, goes on to meet a whole cast of characters in order to prove that her sister was murdered.
When Lilith starts “changing” I feel that she became less interesting and more annoying. I liked the other characters surrounding her, though.
This book takes the reader on a twisty-turvey ride while tasking the reader to question meaning of life. I enjoyed the philosophical theme, but sometimes felt a little lost in it. Although I am only giving the book three stars, I encourage the reader to give it a chance.
November 4, 2012
After the death by suicide of her sister Lilleth Pierce arrives to get answers. However from the start she gets more questions and confusion thrown at her than she knows how to deal with.
How can she have met the the detective assigned to her sisters death and arrive there just as the body comes in. How can she seem to know everything that is going to happen before it occurs and who is the stranger at her sister funeral?
As the truth unfolds she gets deeper and deeper into the murky past of the local nightclub a front for rituals of blood letting and the search for eternal life. But how does this link to the gentler side of side of the religion she is becoming to believe in and be a major part of?
An interesting book and a proper good v evil storyline which gives enough twists in the plot to cover over the fact that, every now and again, philisophy and questions are repeated a bit too often.
The ending with them leaving on a road trip is a bit too American for me though but does open the way for future stories. An idea which I think would work for a while as there is enough life in this group and idea to bring a few more books to life!
How can she have met the the detective assigned to her sisters death and arrive there just as the body comes in. How can she seem to know everything that is going to happen before it occurs and who is the stranger at her sister funeral?
As the truth unfolds she gets deeper and deeper into the murky past of the local nightclub a front for rituals of blood letting and the search for eternal life. But how does this link to the gentler side of side of the religion she is becoming to believe in and be a major part of?
An interesting book and a proper good v evil storyline which gives enough twists in the plot to cover over the fact that, every now and again, philisophy and questions are repeated a bit too often.
The ending with them leaving on a road trip is a bit too American for me though but does open the way for future stories. An idea which I think would work for a while as there is enough life in this group and idea to bring a few more books to life!
September 30, 2012
In Meister’s paranormal novel, Lilith Pierce’s younger sister commits suicide, and following a visit to the coroner’s office to collect the body she quickly discovers that the last several days were all a dream that never actually happened.
Aided by a detective who witnesses her brush with the paranormal, she looks carefully into her sister’s shadowy life. After reading hundreds of Eva’s detailed journals Lilith still has no explanation or suicide note. Her search becomes an obsession that brings on more questions than answers, until she meets a stranger at her sister’s funeral.
Drawn to the man, Lilith seeks the help of his friends which include an immortal, blue-haired hacker and a Desert Storm veteran. As her visions intensify and powers develop, she uncovers a culture woven into the fabric of history itself—a culture founded on the idea of peace gone astray.
From philosophy, to faith, to genetic mutation, man’s deepest desires become his greatest flaws. Those who succumb turn to monsters and Lilith will follow.
Well written, a lot of philosophy.
Aided by a detective who witnesses her brush with the paranormal, she looks carefully into her sister’s shadowy life. After reading hundreds of Eva’s detailed journals Lilith still has no explanation or suicide note. Her search becomes an obsession that brings on more questions than answers, until she meets a stranger at her sister’s funeral.
Drawn to the man, Lilith seeks the help of his friends which include an immortal, blue-haired hacker and a Desert Storm veteran. As her visions intensify and powers develop, she uncovers a culture woven into the fabric of history itself—a culture founded on the idea of peace gone astray.
From philosophy, to faith, to genetic mutation, man’s deepest desires become his greatest flaws. Those who succumb turn to monsters and Lilith will follow.
Well written, a lot of philosophy.
October 27, 2012
This book is similar in many ways to Karen Marie Moning's "Fever" series. This is a very good thing because I loved that series. The protagonist, Lilith, begins as an unwilling participant in several very strange events and gradually realizes she has special powers. I won't spoil the plot by providing much more than that but suffice it to say that Lilith gets into, and out of, a lot of potentially deadly situations and along the way learns who and what she is becoming. There are lots of references to Buddhism and Buddhist beliefs in the story but this adds to and does not detract from the book.
I would highly recommend "Craving" if you enjoy a fast paced read with lots of twists and turns.
I would highly recommend "Craving" if you enjoy a fast paced read with lots of twists and turns.
October 11, 2012
A very different and dark book written in first person but easy to follow. The story delves into philosophy, Zen and Buddhism while masterfully using imagery to paint a surreal and dark fantasy.
Lily who travels to settles her sister's affairs discovers through his sister's journals the mysterious evil events surrounding her sister's death. Using her gift of clairvoyance Lily soon discovers that foul play was at hand.
Lily who travels to settles her sister's affairs discovers through his sister's journals the mysterious evil events surrounding her sister's death. Using her gift of clairvoyance Lily soon discovers that foul play was at hand.
March 4, 2013
Craving is a fantasy novel with plenty of twists and turns. The story delves into Zen ,Buddhism and Philosophy. Lily travels to settle her sisters affairs after her death. And discovers through her sisters journals the evil events surrounding her death. Lily uses her gift of clairvoyance to discover that her sisters death involved foul play. a truly fantastic read I look forward to reading more books by Kristina Meister.
August 4, 2011
CRAVING is a deliciously dark story. This is truly one of the most unique stories I've ever read. Meister is an expert at weaving a suspenseful paranormal ride for her readers, and knows how and where to add unexpected thrills. Make sure you pick this book up and the highly-anticipated sequel, THE ONE WE FEED.
April 5, 2013
Very, very interesting. A rather unique way of creating immortal beings Also, at least as far as I can tell not being a Buddhist myself, very Buddhist.
A woman comes to deal with the aftereffects of her sister's suicide, and then... things go very, very strange. Well, they even *start out* fairly strange.
A woman comes to deal with the aftereffects of her sister's suicide, and then... things go very, very strange. Well, they even *start out* fairly strange.
October 27, 2011
Well written, good adventure, and an excellent philosophical journey! An entertaining read for anyone with an open mind.
July 31, 2013
"...so I finished Craving quite a while ago, but sitting here and thinking about it to write this has brought the story and the character pretty easily to the front of my mind again. The philosophy/spiritualism is a little on the heavy side for some, I think, so it would certainly not be everyone's cup of tea; it wasn't preachy exactly, but if you're looking for more of a "mindless" read to just kick back and get through, I don't think I'd recommend this one.
That being said, I rather enjoyed Craving, in part because it ended up being very different from what I'd expected. Based on the sisters' names and on the title, I thought this would be a Judeo-Christian morals in disguise kind of thing - Eva and Lilith? Yeah. Not very subtle, or so I thought. But most of the philosophy in the book centers around Buddhism, which is something I honestly don't know too much about, so if anything is inaccurate, I wouldn't know. It all sounded very well-researched to me, so either way, it made for some fairly rich storytelling. The vampire element was interesting and because of the nature of the rest of the plot, Meister has given the reader an "unconventional" take on that niche that might be at least a little more palatable to vampire "purists" than the sparkling variety presented by Meyers in the Twilight saga..."
For full review, please visit me at Here Be Bookwyrms on Blogger:
http://herebebookwyrms.blogspot.com/2...
That being said, I rather enjoyed Craving, in part because it ended up being very different from what I'd expected. Based on the sisters' names and on the title, I thought this would be a Judeo-Christian morals in disguise kind of thing - Eva and Lilith? Yeah. Not very subtle, or so I thought. But most of the philosophy in the book centers around Buddhism, which is something I honestly don't know too much about, so if anything is inaccurate, I wouldn't know. It all sounded very well-researched to me, so either way, it made for some fairly rich storytelling. The vampire element was interesting and because of the nature of the rest of the plot, Meister has given the reader an "unconventional" take on that niche that might be at least a little more palatable to vampire "purists" than the sparkling variety presented by Meyers in the Twilight saga..."
For full review, please visit me at Here Be Bookwyrms on Blogger:
http://herebebookwyrms.blogspot.com/2...
July 27, 2012
When Lilith Pierce’s younger sister commits suicide, Lilith consoles herself with cleaning up Eva’s final mess. But when she returns to the coroner’s office to collect the body, she finds that the last few days were all a bizarre waking dream that never actually happened.
Aided by the detective who witnesses her brush with the paranormal, she tears apart her sister’s shadowy new life. Yet after reading hundreds of Eva’s detailed journals Lilith still has no explanation and no suicide note. Her search becomes a maddening obsession uncovering tantalizing questions but no answers…until she meets a stranger at her sister’s funeral.
Drawn to the mysterious man in a way she cannot explain, Lilith seeks the help of his crew of equally bizarre friends, including an immortal, blue-haired hacker and a Desert Storm veteran. As her prophetic visions intensify and she begins to develop even stranger powers, she uncovers a culture woven into the fabric of history—a culture founded on an idea of peace gone horribly wrong.
From philosophy, to faith, to freakish genetic mutation, man’s deepest desires became his greatest flaws, turning all those who succumb into vicious monsters.
And very soon, Lilith will become one of them.
Aided by the detective who witnesses her brush with the paranormal, she tears apart her sister’s shadowy new life. Yet after reading hundreds of Eva’s detailed journals Lilith still has no explanation and no suicide note. Her search becomes a maddening obsession uncovering tantalizing questions but no answers…until she meets a stranger at her sister’s funeral.
Drawn to the mysterious man in a way she cannot explain, Lilith seeks the help of his crew of equally bizarre friends, including an immortal, blue-haired hacker and a Desert Storm veteran. As her prophetic visions intensify and she begins to develop even stranger powers, she uncovers a culture woven into the fabric of history—a culture founded on an idea of peace gone horribly wrong.
From philosophy, to faith, to freakish genetic mutation, man’s deepest desires became his greatest flaws, turning all those who succumb into vicious monsters.
And very soon, Lilith will become one of them.
December 10, 2015
"Craving" by Kristina Meister is an amazing book about a young woman, named Lilith. Lilith is a young woman emotionally suffering from the tragic death of her sister. She struggles to uncover the mysteries surrounding the death, in a way of dealing with her grief. She is thrown into a supernatural world where she has to adapt quickly to survive. I enjoyed the exciting action, in which Lilith shows an unexpected ability to protect herself and those around her. While Lilith searches for answers, she finds herself involved in a greater mystery. Her ideal of the world around her and her place in the world will be challenged. Their are many thought provoking concepts throughout the book, of which, I found myself happily pondering the meaning. " Craving" by Kristina Meister is something rare in the world of supernatural fiction. A truly new story unlike any I have read before. Loved it and look forward to reading future books in this series.
January 21, 2021
I recieved this book through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers.
After Eva commits suicide, her sister Lilith come to town for her property. Only to be drawn into a crazy, complex world of Buddism & vampiric creatures. With the help of some new friends, she discovers Eva's strange new life and why she took her life.
At first the story interested me. It seemed like it was gonna be a great mystery/detective story. When the vampiric creatures and Buddism came into it, I seemed to lose interest. I like supernatural stories, but this one just had too much going on and got confusing. The explanations of what was happening and why were too long and boring.
I didn't care for the main character. Lilith seemed too self absorbed. Making her some all powerful creature was a mistake.
Just my opinion. I wouldn't recommend this book. Very confusing and boring.
After Eva commits suicide, her sister Lilith come to town for her property. Only to be drawn into a crazy, complex world of Buddism & vampiric creatures. With the help of some new friends, she discovers Eva's strange new life and why she took her life.
At first the story interested me. It seemed like it was gonna be a great mystery/detective story. When the vampiric creatures and Buddism came into it, I seemed to lose interest. I like supernatural stories, but this one just had too much going on and got confusing. The explanations of what was happening and why were too long and boring.
I didn't care for the main character. Lilith seemed too self absorbed. Making her some all powerful creature was a mistake.
Just my opinion. I wouldn't recommend this book. Very confusing and boring.
February 11, 2013
Maybe 2.5 stars. I received an ARC of this book on LibraryThing and it took me ages to read. Mostly because it wasn't all that engaging - especially after it really got started. It began okay, and the author has skill with words, but like another reviewer said, "it suffered a little from too much reliance on the mythology and philosophy which underpinned the storyline, rather than the story itself."
I never expected the book to feel so ... meandering, trying too hard to make Buddhism blend well into a believable vampire/immortal genre type book. The characters pontificated on and on and on, talking in circles that made no sense. It made the overall story generally not compelling enough to care about most of the characters. Especially the 'protagonist'.
I never expected the book to feel so ... meandering, trying too hard to make Buddhism blend well into a believable vampire/immortal genre type book. The characters pontificated on and on and on, talking in circles that made no sense. It made the overall story generally not compelling enough to care about most of the characters. Especially the 'protagonist'.
January 23, 2013
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
What a unique and interesting take on the traditional paranormal novel! Ms Meister combines Buddhism and myth origination with elements of the supernatural and psychic abilities. There are plenty of twists throughout the book; unfortunately, once you've gotten into the swing of how things work in this world, most of those twists seem fairly predictable. There are a few places where the exposition is a bit too much, but it's rather to be expected in a) the first novel of what seems likely to be a series and b) a novel that is such a change from the typical world familiar to most paranormal readers.
What a unique and interesting take on the traditional paranormal novel! Ms Meister combines Buddhism and myth origination with elements of the supernatural and psychic abilities. There are plenty of twists throughout the book; unfortunately, once you've gotten into the swing of how things work in this world, most of those twists seem fairly predictable. There are a few places where the exposition is a bit too much, but it's rather to be expected in a) the first novel of what seems likely to be a series and b) a novel that is such a change from the typical world familiar to most paranormal readers.
July 6, 2013
Lilith Pierce is struggling with divorce and the relationship with her sister Eva. After Eva’s apparent suicide, Lilith enters a journey that will reveal the truth about her sister and change her views on life and death.
Craving is a read that’s entrenched in philosophy and Buddhism that redefined this subgenre for me. The characters are fresh,entertaining and sometimes mystifying. Author Kristina Meister is able to delve deep into philosophy while still keeping the story entertaining and manageable.
Craving is a read that’s entrenched in philosophy and Buddhism that redefined this subgenre for me. The characters are fresh,entertaining and sometimes mystifying. Author Kristina Meister is able to delve deep into philosophy while still keeping the story entertaining and manageable.
May 17, 2013
A thoroughly intriguing story with fascinating philosophical concepts mostly Buddhist). Interesting characters, unexpected story turns and a fresh take on a contemporary genre. Got a bit bogged down in the middle but persevere because it returns to form. I didn't know what to expect of this book and was pleasantly surprised with its intelligence and entertainment value. Don't read anything with spoilers!!
June 12, 2013
I really enjoyed the opening of the book and with a twist to the traditional vampire and immortal sagas I really was looking forward to the rest of the read. Sadly however midway into the book the story lulled and only picked up again in the last few closing chapters. I did find the swearing unnecessary and while the Christian referenced blasphemy was only occasional it was completely out of place in a story that focused on Zen and Buddhism.
December 28, 2012
3.5 stars.
I had a really hard time finishing this book, it doesn't usually take me nearly 2 weeks to read a book. There were good as well as bad things in this book. I liked the characters alright, and the plot was pretty original and intersting. What I didn't like was the buddha,zen,philosophy. It was a little much at times, and I didn't understand half of the book. I really enjoyed the last 5 chapters, that's when things really started to happen.
I had a really hard time finishing this book, it doesn't usually take me nearly 2 weeks to read a book. There were good as well as bad things in this book. I liked the characters alright, and the plot was pretty original and intersting. What I didn't like was the buddha,zen,philosophy. It was a little much at times, and I didn't understand half of the book. I really enjoyed the last 5 chapters, that's when things really started to happen.
November 28, 2012
first reads book. I'm having to put this book on the back burner so I can get caught up on my college class readings. It's been an interesting book in a good way and am looking forward to finishing it in the next week or two.
September 19, 2012
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was a good story and had things that made you think. A lot of it was based in Buddhism, which I'm not familiar with, so it was difficult to follow at times. I did enjoy the twists in the storyline and was glad to be able to read this as a first reads winner.
July 30, 2012
Review to Come (great if you like your horror with some philosophy thrown in)
September 5, 2012
I LOVED this book. Few books surprise me any more and this one did. I suggest you ignore the Publisher's Weekly Review and try it for yourself.
March 11, 2015
exciting read..
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