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“Compelling and calling for one to keep turning the pages... thank you for renewing my faith in a good vampire story.” - Emily Tuley, Great Minds Think Aloud Twenty-two-year-old Erin Rose wakes up one morning with no memory of her past. She’s in a strange apartment with only one a vampire bite scar on her neck. Determined to unravel the mystery of her true identity, she contacts the Spectavi vampires, who drink synthetic blood. When they can’t help her, she turns to the Sanguans, who feed on humans. Her investigation leads her deep into a centuries-old vampire war. Erin must decide how far she’s willing to go to learn the truth about her origins.
233 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 24, 2011
34 people are currently reading
462 people want to read
About the author
S.M. Perlow
9 books48 followersS.M. Perlow writes dark and historical fantasy novels. He strives to tell powerful stories that are deeply human. Learn more about his series, Vampires and the Life of Erin Rose, and other works, at smperlow.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
November 8, 2011
This is a hard book to review because I know it’s going to look like I’m tearing it to pieces, but I only do that with books I read that I feel have a lot of good/a lot of potential. Alone is definitely one of those books. I love stories that involve amnesia and having to investigate to find out ones identity. I also like Perlow’s choice to separate out the vampires and giving them a ‘who is the real bad guy?’ war between them.
That being said, Alone doesn’t quite make it as a favourite for a few reasons.
After the first chapter, the reader jumps two years into the future. I didn’t understand the jump or even the purpose of the jump. At no point did I feel it was necessary to the plot to have that jump.
I think the matter of Erin’s amnesia could have been handled better. Admittedly, in this day and age, amnesia like hers is hard to handle – especially when you want to keep the reader in the dark – but it continued to bother me throughout the book.
For example, she has a license, a lease on an apartment and a bank account – all of which you need a good amount of identifying documentation to get. If all of that had been set up for her, documents forged, officials bought off… Anything like that could have worked for the story, but those things simply weren’t addressed and it didn’t work at all for me. Even more so after the two year jump when she had more than enough time to find these things out.
Erin herself was a cold character. She seemed to be more vampire than the vampires with little emotions and little response to pain – even her fingers being broken. Little touches could have gone a long way to making Erin seem more human.
Yet, even with those things, I kept reading. I got sucked into the mystery and wanted to keep going. In that, Perlow did very well.
That being said, Alone doesn’t quite make it as a favourite for a few reasons.
After the first chapter, the reader jumps two years into the future. I didn’t understand the jump or even the purpose of the jump. At no point did I feel it was necessary to the plot to have that jump.
I think the matter of Erin’s amnesia could have been handled better. Admittedly, in this day and age, amnesia like hers is hard to handle – especially when you want to keep the reader in the dark – but it continued to bother me throughout the book.
For example, she has a license, a lease on an apartment and a bank account – all of which you need a good amount of identifying documentation to get. If all of that had been set up for her, documents forged, officials bought off… Anything like that could have worked for the story, but those things simply weren’t addressed and it didn’t work at all for me. Even more so after the two year jump when she had more than enough time to find these things out.
Erin herself was a cold character. She seemed to be more vampire than the vampires with little emotions and little response to pain – even her fingers being broken. Little touches could have gone a long way to making Erin seem more human.
Yet, even with those things, I kept reading. I got sucked into the mystery and wanted to keep going. In that, Perlow did very well.
August 22, 2018
I have mixed feelings about this book. For the most part, the writing was MEH at best. The character development felt hurried and half-assed for everyone including the heroine. The relationships were flat and barely sketched in. On the plus side, the plot was good, though rushed, and the premise was refreshingly unique for a vamps-are-normal-part-of-society supernatural thriller. For 90% of the book I was waiting for it to be over... but it it finished strong enough that I’ll probably end up reading the sequel. It just won’t be at the top of my list.
February 23, 2021
Must read!!!
This book is amazing! I couldn’t put it down. Everything about Erin was hypnotizing and wonderful. I loved the plot twist at the end. You have to read to understand. On to the next book. Can’t wait.
This book is amazing! I couldn’t put it down. Everything about Erin was hypnotizing and wonderful. I loved the plot twist at the end. You have to read to understand. On to the next book. Can’t wait.
February 27, 2012
In this world, there are two kinds of vampires. The Spectavi, who drink synthetic blood, are very spiritual and advertise that they are out to protect humans from the Sanguans. The Sanguans are the bad vampires of the story that drink human blood and always kill those they feed from. The Spectavi hunt down the Sanguans and kill them for harming humans.
Erin wakes up one morning with no memory of who she is or what happened to her. She is in a white, sparse apartment with a credit card and a driver’s license with the name Erin Rose on it. When she looks in the mirror, she has no memory of who she is looking at and is very self-conscious of a scar on her neck from a vampire bite.
A year and a half later, Erin has been trying to find out what happened to her. She went to the police and the Spectavi but no one can help her. So, she has taken it upon herself to go to Sanguans night clubs and ask around if anyone know what might have happened. While one the way to a club, Erin witnesses an old Sanguan killed by the Spectavi. Thinking this strange, she hunts down another Sanguan that was at the scene of the murder but was let go free.
Erin has stumbled into a war between the Spectavi and the Sanguan. Erin becomes caught in the middle when the Sanguan that is helping her find her past identifies her as a favorite human of the leader of the Spectavi. Erin goes undercover to find the truth but gets more than she was expecting.
I really liked this story. I got sucked in trying to figure out what happened to Erin. I liked how the Sanguans were defined as evil yet a lot of them really were just trying to survive like regular human. The only thing that I didn’t like was how wishy-washy Erin was. One moment she is all about finding out what happened to her then the next she doesn’t want to live outside her happy little bubble.
Having said that, I am really excited to read the next book in this series and find out what happens next.
I received this book for free from the Library Thing Member Giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
Erin wakes up one morning with no memory of who she is or what happened to her. She is in a white, sparse apartment with a credit card and a driver’s license with the name Erin Rose on it. When she looks in the mirror, she has no memory of who she is looking at and is very self-conscious of a scar on her neck from a vampire bite.
A year and a half later, Erin has been trying to find out what happened to her. She went to the police and the Spectavi but no one can help her. So, she has taken it upon herself to go to Sanguans night clubs and ask around if anyone know what might have happened. While one the way to a club, Erin witnesses an old Sanguan killed by the Spectavi. Thinking this strange, she hunts down another Sanguan that was at the scene of the murder but was let go free.
Erin has stumbled into a war between the Spectavi and the Sanguan. Erin becomes caught in the middle when the Sanguan that is helping her find her past identifies her as a favorite human of the leader of the Spectavi. Erin goes undercover to find the truth but gets more than she was expecting.
I really liked this story. I got sucked in trying to figure out what happened to Erin. I liked how the Sanguans were defined as evil yet a lot of them really were just trying to survive like regular human. The only thing that I didn’t like was how wishy-washy Erin was. One moment she is all about finding out what happened to her then the next she doesn’t want to live outside her happy little bubble.
Having said that, I am really excited to read the next book in this series and find out what happens next.
I received this book for free from the Library Thing Member Giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
August 15, 2013
This book managed to suck me in even while the strong Christian slant was very off putting to me. I also was happy that it seemed to be edited well, but I felt the characters lacked any depth of emotion. Erin states over & over how Kristi is her best friend, and she dates Todd for months, even moving in with him, but I never saw any emotion to really back that up. Everything felt very clinical...to the point that it didn't seem so much like fiction but more a research paper with dialogue. The story flow seemed choppy and disjointed, and at times I struggled to make sense of things while other times I found myself frustrated with how little sense some of the more fleshed out bits of the story made. I finished the book to see where it went, but I cannot say I will be buying more in the series.
I have to add more to this review. I was a little over halfway through when I first wrote my review, thinking I would not finish the book. I have since decided that I will finish it, no matter how much it makes me roll my eyes or how much I struggle with it. As of now, I am 75% in and I cannot believe how ridiculous this story is and how utterly stupid and naive the main character is. I realize that the character is missing all but the last 2 years or so of her life, but for her to be this completely clueless is painful to read. I won't go into detail, but suffice to say that for someone that is supposedly intelligent, she is moron. I am astounded at how many high star reviews this book received - I wasn't when I first started reading, the story line seemed interesting to me, if choppy. But as it has unfolded, I have become more & more disgusted with it and cannot wait to see the end of it.
I have to add more to this review. I was a little over halfway through when I first wrote my review, thinking I would not finish the book. I have since decided that I will finish it, no matter how much it makes me roll my eyes or how much I struggle with it. As of now, I am 75% in and I cannot believe how ridiculous this story is and how utterly stupid and naive the main character is. I realize that the character is missing all but the last 2 years or so of her life, but for her to be this completely clueless is painful to read. I won't go into detail, but suffice to say that for someone that is supposedly intelligent, she is moron. I am astounded at how many high star reviews this book received - I wasn't when I first started reading, the story line seemed interesting to me, if choppy. But as it has unfolded, I have become more & more disgusted with it and cannot wait to see the end of it.
October 12, 2011
The first book in a series, Alone follows the life of Erin Rose, a 22-year-old woman who wakes one morning to find that she has no memories of her past and no knowledge of who she is. The only clue she has to work with is a vampire bite on her neck. She is determined to find answers about her old life and what has happened to her, so she begins to question different vampires around the city to see if any of them know her. Instead of giving her the answers she so desperately seeks, her questions eventually lead her into the middle of a centuries long war between the two kinds of vampires – the Spectavi, who only drink synthetic blood, and the Sanguans, who drink from humans. Just how far will Erin go to find out her past?
Perlow did a great job with this book. While the characters were rather two-dimensional and the twists in the plot predictable, the story flowed well and was very easy to read and get into. The novel raises thought-provoking questions about morals and ethics and also questions the religious aspects of vampires and where they would fit into God’s plan. The religious aspect and questioning really had me thinking at times, and it was a welcome diversion from most vampire stories that I have read before. Some avenues of the story were left unexplored, but hopefully they will be followed through in some of the upcoming books in the series. All in all, this was a good vampire novel that has the reader eagerly turning pages.
Disclosure: I received my copy of this book free from Library Thing. However, this had no effect on my opinion of the book or my review.
Perlow did a great job with this book. While the characters were rather two-dimensional and the twists in the plot predictable, the story flowed well and was very easy to read and get into. The novel raises thought-provoking questions about morals and ethics and also questions the religious aspects of vampires and where they would fit into God’s plan. The religious aspect and questioning really had me thinking at times, and it was a welcome diversion from most vampire stories that I have read before. Some avenues of the story were left unexplored, but hopefully they will be followed through in some of the upcoming books in the series. All in all, this was a good vampire novel that has the reader eagerly turning pages.
Disclosure: I received my copy of this book free from Library Thing. However, this had no effect on my opinion of the book or my review.
October 9, 2011
From the beginning this book was a pleasant surprise. So many vampire novels of late focus upon the sexual drive and sensual nature of the vampires that at times I feel I'm reading nothing but one long drawn out romance novella or story that could be wrapped up in a matter of minutes instead of hours. The predictability of the story disappoints me and I would put the book down and move on to find something else. HOWEVER! I was pleased and very happy with Alone: Vampires and the life of Erin Rose. So much so that from the moment I started reading last night I did not put the book down till I had finished today. Minus the few hours of sleep I actually got.
Compelling and calling for one to keep turning the pages you get to see the life of Erin Rose or what she remembers what she goes through of love and loss as well as friends and her made up family before all of this. She is a marvelous young woman that you root for every time to over come what her life has put before her. All her struggles that culminate in the ultimate decision you would have never seen of her but find yourself shouting out HELL YA! and throwing your arm up in victory for her. I am so eager for the next installation of this series of books that I want to beg the author to allow me to read over his shoulder as he types just so I know what happens next. I am usually very patient but this one.. thank you is all I can say thank you for renewing my faith in a good vampire story.
Compelling and calling for one to keep turning the pages you get to see the life of Erin Rose or what she remembers what she goes through of love and loss as well as friends and her made up family before all of this. She is a marvelous young woman that you root for every time to over come what her life has put before her. All her struggles that culminate in the ultimate decision you would have never seen of her but find yourself shouting out HELL YA! and throwing your arm up in victory for her. I am so eager for the next installation of this series of books that I want to beg the author to allow me to read over his shoulder as he types just so I know what happens next. I am usually very patient but this one.. thank you is all I can say thank you for renewing my faith in a good vampire story.
February 1, 2016
I like this book and I didn't like it. What I liked - the plot. It was different enough to make me keep reading the book to find out more. The premise of two different factions of vampires. First off the Spectavi - synthetic blood drinkers, now in league with the government. The others supposedly the bad buys, the Sanguans, who are the human blood drinkers. I wanted to find out which one was the good guy. Liked the detailed descriptions of the vampire headquarters, and some of the inner workings of the headquarters.
What I didn't like - the characters. The main character seems shallow - I know she has amnesia - but she lacks any substance and seems too gullible and shallow. She just does these stupid actions and when you read about them you just think what is the heck wrong with you. For instance she is in the vampire stock hold and she keeps trying to sneak in the off limits buildings and, of course, gets caught every time. As sophisticated as the headquarters seems to be we know there would be surveillance and she makes no attempt at secrecy. The vampires could also have been given more character detail. I would have liked to get to know them a bit better so I could decide who I wanted to cheer for.
I don't know that I will get the second book of the series.
What I didn't like - the characters. The main character seems shallow - I know she has amnesia - but she lacks any substance and seems too gullible and shallow. She just does these stupid actions and when you read about them you just think what is the heck wrong with you. For instance she is in the vampire stock hold and she keeps trying to sneak in the off limits buildings and, of course, gets caught every time. As sophisticated as the headquarters seems to be we know there would be surveillance and she makes no attempt at secrecy. The vampires could also have been given more character detail. I would have liked to get to know them a bit better so I could decide who I wanted to cheer for.
I don't know that I will get the second book of the series.
August 18, 2013
Erin Rose is a twenty something who woke up in an apartment with no memory of how she got there, the belongings in the apartment, the clothes she has on or the face staring back at her out of the mirror. The only reason she knows her name is because her wallet with her Identification was on the dresser.
That's how the story begins and she restarts a life with no memory of her past in this world ruled by two camps of vampires. The Sanguans who still drink from humans, legally between four and five AM, and the Spectavi. I think Spectavi is supposed to be vampire for vegan though lines blur as the tale unfolds.
I give this a five out of five star for world building and four stars for the protagonist who seems to wander through the story becoming a serial victim. Four stars because she develops later. The alternate belief systems adopted by the vampires is interesting as is the political twisting in which they engage. I recommend this series to vampire aficionados. Enjoy.
http://www.amazon.com/Alone-Vampires-...
That's how the story begins and she restarts a life with no memory of her past in this world ruled by two camps of vampires. The Sanguans who still drink from humans, legally between four and five AM, and the Spectavi. I think Spectavi is supposed to be vampire for vegan though lines blur as the tale unfolds.
I give this a five out of five star for world building and four stars for the protagonist who seems to wander through the story becoming a serial victim. Four stars because she develops later. The alternate belief systems adopted by the vampires is interesting as is the political twisting in which they engage. I recommend this series to vampire aficionados. Enjoy.
http://www.amazon.com/Alone-Vampires-...
December 16, 2012
The premise of this book is interesting - young woman wakes up one day and has no memory of anything before then. She then proceeds to make a quiet life for herself, while trying to figure out her past. On top of that, in this world, vampires are a normal part of society, and even their mostly-internal war is accepted and known by all. Essentially this story is about solving the mystery and finding one-self.
Although the main character, Vera, makes a lot of headway, and actually starts living and, more importantly, enjoying life, in the end she falls short. Understandably, when Vera is faced with a difficult decision, is indecisive and wavers back and forth. This both annoyed and disappointed me. Her lack of thought further annoys and disappointments me, when I was able to see it so clearly...
Glad it was free. Characters could be a little more developed. Great premise, though!
Although the main character, Vera, makes a lot of headway, and actually starts living and, more importantly, enjoying life, in the end she falls short. Understandably, when Vera is faced with a difficult decision, is indecisive and wavers back and forth. This both annoyed and disappointed me. Her lack of thought further annoys and disappointments me, when I was able to see it so clearly...
Glad it was free. Characters could be a little more developed. Great premise, though!
July 31, 2012
Erin Rose wakes up in an apartment she doesn't recognize to a face she doesn't know and no idea of how she got there. Knowing she lives in a world where there are two factions of vampires, the Spectavi, who only drink synthetic blood or from a willing victim, and the Sanguan who only drink from humans, willing or not. Erin spends a year working at a job so she can try to figure out what happened to her and whyshe has no memory of the past. With the help of new Sanguan friends Erin infiltrates the Spectavi world to find out who is telling the truth. The idea of this book is very good, the writing style works very well but the Erin character was just annoying. The build up was great but Erin's character was all black and white with no shading. Good try and a was a pretty good way to spend an afternoon in the sun.
September 23, 2014
This is the first book in the series. I don’t think I’m going to read the others. Don’t get me wrong, I love the premise of the Federal government in cahoots with the Spectavi, the good vampires, against the Sanguans, the bad vampires to save humans. The writer took great care to describe the places, the situations, evening the requisite clothing, to build up to a certain mood and plunge the reader into a world where humans lived on a curfew and Spectavi and Sanguans fought to the death. However, I could not get close to the main character. Her musings had a way of slowing down or stopping the narrative. I didn’t care about her and thought all her interpersonal relationships felt artificial. It was sort of like smelling a good pizza, seeing the crust and cheese, but not being allowed to taste even a single pepperoni. Frustrating.
September 1, 2011
I received this ebook as a giveaway on Librarything. This book is about a girl named Erin that lost her memory and really doesn't know who she is so she tries to search for her past. This book brings you into a whole new world of vampires called "Sanguan" and "Spectavi" and they are constantly at war,saw Erin finds out that she is being uses by so many people. The First chapter really didn't catch my attention,and I didn't really know what was going on but then as I read everything came through,in the beginning I kinda throught this book was like "oh another story about a friend missing in a vampire club and she falls in love with the guy" THIS WAS NOTHING LIKE THAT its like an investigation story. I'm so Speechless I don't know what to say everyone should read this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2011
Once I started this book, I had a hard time putting it down. It had good momentum and unexpected plot twists. I found the worldbuilding really interesting - I love vampire lore and vampire origin stories and this one was fairly unique in my opinion.
I did feel that there were too many religious overtones, especially with Erin. Since she only remembers 2 years of her life, how did she come to have such a strong conviction?
But overall, this was a great read that rises above the cliches of vampire fiction. I can't wait to read more about this world!
I did feel that there were too many religious overtones, especially with Erin. Since she only remembers 2 years of her life, how did she come to have such a strong conviction?
But overall, this was a great read that rises above the cliches of vampire fiction. I can't wait to read more about this world!
October 3, 2011
I liked this book. I had to re-read some of it in the middle but all in all I liked it. It was nice not having a predictable story line. Each character had it good & bad sides. It was very hard to draw a line, defining the good guy/ bad guy. Erin will do anything to find out who she is. Edward is so busy atoning to God that he doesn't realize he's trying to be God. Psycho Uber Vampire twins. Twist and turns were great. I never knew who to trust.
April 1, 2012
Erin wakes up one day in a strange apartment, with no idea who she is or where she came from. The only clues are a drivers license with a name on it and some bite marks on her neck. She sets out to talk to the two groups of vampires to see if they can help her find her old life. When the "good" vampires tell them they can't help her, she tries the Sanguans. This changes her life for good. I really liked this book, vampires with a difference.
April 19, 2012
Okay, I loved this book. The writing felt detached, however, it should feel that way since Erin is detatched from the world. I would have liked more personality from her. They story line, people, vampires, and ending were all original. That is why I really enjoyed the book. I just hate that the character development was so poor. I didn't really get to know anyone in the book. Hopefully we learn more about everyone in the next book.
April 25, 2012
This is not your typical vampire story, which I appreciated. I found the story intriguing enough that I continued reading even through the slower parts of the book. Since Erin has amnesia of some sort, I felt very connected to her throughout the story - never truly knowing who was trustworthy until the end. I wouldn't say this book was amazing, but it was good enough that i definitely want to continue reading the series.
January 8, 2014
Erin Rose
Good book. Easy to follow. The author makes you feel the frustrations and other emotions of the main character without having to give an insane amount of detail. It's as easy as slipping into her shoes. Did not expect the ending to go quite like it did, but wasn't upset by it either...rather more curious as to what happens next. Definitely not a book you want to read if you want all your questions answered right now.
Good book. Easy to follow. The author makes you feel the frustrations and other emotions of the main character without having to give an insane amount of detail. It's as easy as slipping into her shoes. Did not expect the ending to go quite like it did, but wasn't upset by it either...rather more curious as to what happens next. Definitely not a book you want to read if you want all your questions answered right now.
December 20, 2015
Different and Compelling
Erin's quest to find out who she was takes her between two warring vampire factions. One supposedly good the other dark. She's a bit to trusting but courageous. She just begins to move forward with her life and is pulled back into the mysterious story of her possible past. The storyline is uniquely different than most in this genre, captivating in its story telling.
Erin's quest to find out who she was takes her between two warring vampire factions. One supposedly good the other dark. She's a bit to trusting but courageous. She just begins to move forward with her life and is pulled back into the mysterious story of her possible past. The storyline is uniquely different than most in this genre, captivating in its story telling.
June 7, 2016
This was a unique spin on a paranormal suspense filled vampire novel. Erin Rose wakes up and doesn't know who she is. For two years, she builds a relationship with a man named Todd and a girl named Kristi. Little does Erin know that her memory has been taken from her by a most powerful and evil vampire named Edmond. Erin finally learns the truth about her past and what happens next leaves you wanting to read further on in this series.
February 23, 2015
I found this book a little strange as i liked the start and the end but found that over a third of the book was extremely hard going. I almost gave up but did continue and ended up not really sure if I liked it or not.If the author does continue with the series I will probably get it mainly to see how Erin/Vera plays out.
March 24, 2016
What pulled me in is the prologue that is at the end of Alice Stood Up (Vampires and the Life of Erin Rose Short Story). I loved this book. I love Erin Rose and how she can't remember her previous life. it is a good story. Some of the writing is choppy, but it kept my attention as I didn't go to sleep last night at all due to the fact I had to know what happened next.
February 19, 2014
I really enjoyed this, although it did take a while for me to get properly into it. Once I did, I was hooked.
I like the world that was created, and the descriptions and flaws of both humans - and yes - the undead. I'm definitely going for the next book - soon! Can't wait.
This first novel in the series was a freebie on Amazon.
I like the world that was created, and the descriptions and flaws of both humans - and yes - the undead. I'm definitely going for the next book - soon! Can't wait.
This first novel in the series was a freebie on Amazon.
August 14, 2013
I enjoyed this book even though the ending drove me nuts!!! I look forward to finding out if things set in motion are going in positive or negative direction in the next book. It was a great set up book and I felt like I was taking the journey with Erin.
June 30, 2013
I loved the book. I just bought the 2nd book off the series. It starts of just at the end of the first . So far so good, I hope in this book the Erin character is better developed better.
September 15, 2013
I really liked this book and will be starting #2. I HAVE to see what happened.
August 18, 2014
Flat characters moved through a twilight zone story. I felt this could have been good, but that disjointed elements were distracting.
March 28, 2015
Pretty good book
Nice twist on a vampire story. Started off a little slow but by the end I was hooked. Will have to see what happens next for Erin.
Nice twist on a vampire story. Started off a little slow but by the end I was hooked. Will have to see what happens next for Erin.
December 20, 2015
Alone
This is a very creative and well calculated vampire tale. A masterpiece of drama and action. You will like it if you are into the vampire genre.
This is a very creative and well calculated vampire tale. A masterpiece of drama and action. You will like it if you are into the vampire genre.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews