Blood Thirst

Charleston Vampire Chronicles #1

by L.A. Freed

BLOOD THIRST follows the transformation of Angela Trenton as she becomes a vampire. Attacked and left to die, she is faced with uncertainty and fear as her body begins to change. She is aided by another vampire named Elijah, and he becomes her mentor. He teaches her how to hunt, and quench her ever-demanding thirst for blood. He also reveals to her the name of her attacker - Matthew. She's determined to hunt Matthew down and kill him. But when Elijah leaves her, she is forced to push her hatred of Matthew aside so that she can learn the real truth of why he committed her to everlasting darkness.

Genres: Vampires, Horror

302 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

L.A. Freed is the author of The Charleston Vampire Chronicles which included BLOOD THIRST, BLOOD DIVIDED and BLOOD FEUD.

In addition to writing, she is active in dog sports, (agility, obedience, training) and is currently owned by 2 labradors and a border collie.

She is an avid photographer and has won numerous awards with her photography. She also enjoys watercolor painting.

L.A. Freed resides just south of Charleston, South Carolina.

Reviews

[Grady Hendrix · Rating 2 out of 5]

Added one star because it's set in my hometown. Added another star because it features an emo vampire dog that keeps trying to die.

[L.A. Freed · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first published book. Of course I thought it was amazing. I am currently updating it and will have it available for e-formats very soon.

Also, I know it's asking a lot, but this edition is over 20 years old. If you purchase it, I make no money from the purchase. I hope you will think about supporting my writing efforts by purchasing a new edition, and/or the upcoming sequels. Thanks!!

[katrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blood thirst is definelty like no other vampire novel I have read. I was drawn in from the very begining with such vivid descriptions and the way in which L A Freed got right into the storyline. THoughts and feeling where certainly well outlined. Im not going to go into much detail with the storyline, I found at first I was engrossed from the first pages, and after half way the read slowed down for me then gliding along at a steady pace.

The storyline still had me intrigued till the end, the background information into Matthews past and ANgela's constant blood thirst was well defined and outlined. The only thing I would like to have seen was more of a connection - chemistry between Angela and Matthew.. I hoping to see more in the next book ..

L A Freed definelty put forth The Vampire manerisms in this read, not holding back on the fact that vampires kill and have no remorse. I found Angela's compassion for animals very different, and her lack of compassion for her kills very much a true vampire trait.. however in saying this Angela seemed to gain compassion at other times not completely draining her victims dry.

L A Freed put forth different traits for her vampires, that I wont mention. I would like to have seen more passion and lust... However this concept is explained also. Not sure I enjoyed the part where I found out male vampires are different to others lol I always envisage, vampires with blood, hot sex, passsion and lust..

But saying this it was an enjoyable read and I will read the next story in this series to find out where Matthew and ANgela's life leads.

[Ren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted at A Little Bit of R&R Reviews

I will try to make this a spoiler free as possible, but no promises. This story is about Angela's transition as a newborn vampire. She was attacked one evening and left for dead. A vampire named Elijah came to her to offer her eternal life. She vows to find the vampire that did this to her and make him pay. With Elijah's help, she learns the ways of her new existence. Everything she knows is about to change. Matthew, the vampire that attacked her may not be the monster she originally believed him to be.

My thoughts...

Take a trip into this fantastic macabre work of fiction. I absolutely loved reading about Angela's transition into a vampire. I have never read a book quite like this one. You really feel like you know what she's feeling through her change. It's definitely not for the squeamish considering some details are very vivid. I prefer the gore. My favorite character would have to be Bong, Angela's new dog. I can't tell you much about Bong without spoiling the story, but I love that damn dog! I didn't know what to expect with this book. It was going in one direction and just wen you think you get it, the story changes. The author has this great way of leaving breadcrumbs. Just enough to hold your interest and keep you yearning for more. The relationship between Angela and Matthew is fully explained in the end. I had a hard time identifying with their relationship and I hope the next book will answer some of my lingering questions. I definitely recommend this book to anyone that's looking for a darker read. I will definitely be checking out the rest of the series.

[Brandy Blackerby · Rating 5 out of 5]

so far this book is OK....not great but not horrible there r some pretty grotesque things in it! Its not the normal type of book ive read & im struggling to keep my interest n it! Normally Ill get a book & read it in a day but NOT THIS ONE! Ill keep u updated as to if it gets better or not!

SOOO AS I SAID IF MY OPINION OF THE BOOK CHANGED I WOULD UPDATE...lol the funny thing is 2 pages after I wrote the first part of this review the book picked up became interesting & good so I must say after a slow start its picking up!!! YAY!! ill keep u updated!


MAN WAS I WRONG WRONG WRONG ABOUT THIS BOOK!!!! Yes it starts slow BUT ITS DEFINITELY A GOOD READ!!" The book is quiet unique n a good way so im continuing on & I'll give my FINAL FULL REVIEW TOMORROW but as for now its GREAT!!

WHAT AN EXCELLENT BOOK THIS HAS TURNED OUT TO BE!!!! I am almost finished IDK the way to actually do a review here so if I'm doin it Wrong someone please let me know! I will b doin a normal review after im done!! HOWEVER I WISH THIS BOOK WASN'T ALMOST DONE I WANT IT TO KEEP GOING!


As I first said this was a slow starter, BUT it picked up AMAZINGLY It flowed well & I ENDED UP LOVING THE BOOK!! I am hoping there will be sequels! I would LOVE to find out how Ainjul is figuring out her life, How Matthew is as well & I REALLY WOULD HOPE A LOVE CONNECTION WILL BLOSSOM between the 2! Also I'd like to know how Lijah is doing & see them REUNITED!! I have so MANY unanswered questions! I read @ the end that theres 3 books....HOWEVER THIS IS THE ONLY 1 I can find!

GREAT READ!

[Ladysmith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the book that began my love for all things vampire. I was twelve when it came out and I bought it with money I saved from my allowance. We were on vacation at a lake that week and I finished it in two days.

[Karina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first vampire book I ever read. I found it at a little hole in the wall used bookstore in Texas when I was in middle school or early high school. Admittedly, I picked it up because I was intrigued by the corny cover art! 🤣 I ended up loving it and re-read it so many times my copy fell apart. Then, in my adult years I discovered it was a trilogy and now I am the proud owner of all three books. Sadly, this first book is the best one in the whole series, IMO. I did NOT like the way the final book ended, at all. 👎

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this SO MANY TIMES in high school! I’ve searched and searched for the title. I could remember the plot perfectly but not the title! I feel giddy!

[Jennifer Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blood Thirst is the first of The Charleston Vampire Chronicles. I have been anxiously waiting to read this book and was not disappointed. Blood Thirst follows Angela Trenton through her change into a vampire. In the book, aside from the very beginning she is referred to as Ainjul, I will be calling her that as well.
I absolutely loved this book! At first it was a bit hard for me to follow because of Elijah’s accent, which was a deep drawl and written that way, but after the first couple chapters I got used to it.
Ainjul is attacked and bitten, then left for dead. She doesn’t understand what is happening to her until an elderly vampire named Elijah comes to her and explains what is happening. Ainjul goes through three months of being a fledgling vampire before she gains her full vampire strength and ability. During these months she goes through so much and L.A. Freed uses detail and description not found in many of the newer vampire novels today. Also, she brought in a character not typical of any other vampire book I’ve ever read, a vampire dog!
After going through her transformation and becoming a full vampire, Ainjul is forced to find a man, another vampire, whom she has been led to believe was her enemy, Matthew. Matthew is a very old vampire and once she finds him her whole existence starts coming together.
Because I don’t believe in posting spoilers (I know I say that in every single post) I have a hard time talking about the book. I don’t want to give anything away. But, what I can tell you is that this book is extremely well written, the characters are well developed and the story is amazing. You will not be disappointed if you read it.
By the time I got to the part of the book where Ainjul and Matthew meet, I was sucked in and could barely put it down. (I had to though, considering I have five kids) I loved the description, but there wasn’t so much that I got bored.
I’m now anxiously awaiting the next book in the series, which is supposed to release on Halloween! I can’t wait to find out what Ainjul and Matthew do in the next book, Blood Divided!

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had to no clue what to expect when I started reading Blood Thirst and WOW am I excited I did. I have no clue why I took so long to read this book.

Angela is on location for her job taking photos when she is attacked and left for dead. She wakes up in her car under water. Not knowing how she got there. She gets out and goes back to her hotel room but gets very ill. She gets a visitor the next day telling her he knows what she is going through and he can help. Angela dismisses him and tells him he is nuts. But Angela soon realizes that her mystery guest is telling the truth and if she doesn’t want to die she needs to feed from him and finish her transformation into a vampire. Angela decides that she doesn’t want to die so she goes to Elijah for help and she wants revenge on the vampire who attacked her. Elijah tells her she is no match for Matthew he is very old. But what Angela didn’t expect was the reason behind Matthew attacking her and the connection they have. Now she must decide if her revenge is worth it.

I loved this book so much. Angela is strong at every turn. She goes through so much during her transformation. The author really makes you feel it all right along with her. Elijah is so nice but he keeps some important things from Angela that annoyed me right along with her. Matthew took me longer to bond with but at times I loved him and other times I wanted to stake him myself. My favorite character is Angela’s dog Bong but I can’t really tell you much about him without spoiling him for you. But I will say I love that dog and would love to have him as my own.

If you are looking for a macabre, gore, darker type of vampire book then read Blood Thirst. Some of the scenes are not for the squeamish as L.A. writes graphic but it only adds to this story. I can not wait to read book two and see where this story goes. 5/5 Bats

[Dana Delamar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

In a word: Page-turner. Once I started this book, I didn't want to put it down and had to force myself away from it to get other (urgent) stuff done. I wasn't quite sure what I was getting into with this book. The story starts off with a bang when Angela is attacked by a vampire and left for dead, and I was pleasantly surprised that I couldn't predict what would happen next. I don't want to spoil all the twists and turns the story took, so I'm not going to detail the plot. You'll just have to read it yourself to find out what happens after Angela is bitten!

The book is very well-written, at times even lyrical, and enough detail is provided to make the settings and the characters come to life. There are a few typos here and there, but they don't detract from the experience (I'm *very* picky on this point). The author also makes good use of dialect to let us "hear" one of the main characters (which is very tricky to do right), though there were a couple times when I had to stop and re-read some of that character's dialogue to get the gist.

My only complaint is that I would have liked some more insight into Angela; she's so wrapped up in what's happening to her that we get very little info about her past. Whether she had friends, a boyfriend, etc., is never addressed, and the fact that she was a photographer never comes up again in the story after the first few pages. We learn the barest amount about her family, but I would have liked to know her better, but perhaps we'll get those details in the next two books.

Although the story is complete in itself, it appears to be only the first installment in a trilogy, and I'll definitely be going back for more.

4.5 stars

[W.H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC for Review. OMGosh Thanks for the opportunity to Read-N-Review this first Installment of Charleston Vampire Chronicles - Blood Thirst by L. A. Freed. I does NOT disappoint.

First off I went into this blind, not knowing what to expect. WOW! I was drawn in from the start when Angela Trenton is attacked and left for dead. As she wonders what is happening to her, Elijah, an older vampire enters her world and the story takes off into an amazing journey through Angela's vampiric transformation. Angela is dead and Ainjul is born, I think because Elijah is from a different time, his pronunciation is different, anyway, Ainjul is the name used for Angela from this point on.

As Ainjul goes through the 3 month transformation, the author's writing describes what is happening in detail making this story uniquely different from all others I have read.. She has even a canine vampire, now that is an awesome twist, the name of this canine is, well let's just say, fun. When Ainjul finally meets Matthew the story gets really intriguing, a real page turner for sure.

The world is very well described, consistent, full of intense emotions, mystery, suspense, terror, and a little of well placed humor. I enjoyed reading this immensely... The characters are well described bringing their victories and defeats to life.. Absolutely Amazing..

I would recommend this read for those 18+ and over due to its mature theme.

5 out of 5 Hearts
Lovetiggi's Book Reviews

[Ema Volf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished Blood Thirst by LA Freed, and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.

Angela was heading to her car when she was attacked by a vampire named Matthew. She managed to bite him in defense and swallowed some of his blood, but as a human, she was no match for him. She was knocked unconscious and thrown into a river. She managed to escape her sunken car and went back to her hotel. Near death and almost bloodless, she was visited by a vampire named Elijah, who offered to change her into a full vampire. If he didn't, she would die. After much deliberation, she went to find him, and not a moment too soon.

There are countless coming-of-age human stories. This is somewhat of a coming-of-age vampire story. We follow Angela through her change from mortal to immortal, mistakes and lessons included. LA Freed really pulls you into the story to the point where, at times, you feel like you're going through it yourself.

Much of this story is definitely not what it seems, not even Matthew and Elijah. Just when I thought I had things figured out, I was proven to have figured out absolutely nothing. It was unusual and welcome. With the countless vampire stories that have popped up recently, I'm happy to say that this is definitely not your average vampire story. It was positively captivating.

[Chrystal]

What a unique story. We are taken on a ride through the changes a newly made vampire experiences. Angela is attacked by a vampire one night and left for dead, her body is trying to make the change due to a counterattack on her part that allowed her to ingest some of the vamps blood, but she is not able to fully change on her own. Enter Elijah - who helps her become one of the undead by turning her completely. Angela is no longer and Ainjul takes her place. We follow Ainjul through the changes and some things that happen are pretty gory, but so well written.

Honestly, I wasn't sure what I was getting into when I agreed to review this book, but I am really glad that I did. It's such an interesting way to tell a vampire story and you won't be let down. I'm afraid to write any spoilers, so I'll leave it at intriguing, gory, emotional and exciting.

There are characters that you might change your mind about and an interesting twist on a canine pal that you just might fall in love with. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series to see what happens next, but this novel seems to leave off in a way that it almost feels complete on it's own.

Warning that this book contains content suited for 18+.

[Deaana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my god! I'm so excited this is finally available in ebook, and the sequels! Must read!

This book was the first vampire book I read as a teen and it got me into reading. It was a gateway to Anne Rice vampire books for me and I adored it. I purchased several copies because mine kept falling apart because I read it so much. I used to have it memorized!

I haven't read the revamp yet, but just from seeing the first page I can see it was heavily edited. I'm sure that will only make it better! I'm reading it NEXT!

Kudos to the author for finally releasing to ebook! I'll finally get to read the sequels!

Edited to add: The ebook is 95% the same as the original, and still great. Changes to the first page and minor updates to the rest, it's still a great book.

[Randy Robbins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was released in January 1989. I bought my copy in April '89 and read it that same year. I remember that I had enjoyed it.
And then it sat in my bookcases for 36 years.
Last week I picked it up and read it again in just five days. Turns out I still really enjoyed it.
I've always been a sucker for a good Vampire story. However there are a lot of bad Vampire novels out there.
This is not one of the bad ones. I enjoyed this novel start to finish. it is probably going to be hard to find a copy but I recommend this one. It's great fun.

[L.A. Freed · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the ebook version of Blood Thirst. This edition has been updated from the original version published by Pinnacle books in 1989. This is the first book of The Charleston Vampire Chronicles. Available at amazon.com or smashwords.com, it's priced right and is really a good read that will hook you on the series.

[soda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this in high school and just re read it. It's a unique take on vampires that focuses mainly on living life instead of just existing and the things we, as humans, take for granted. I thin Matthew was a little selfish in what he did, but if were in his shoes I probably would have done the same thing.

I just found out that there are 2 more and it's a series! Squeee!

Still love it :)

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my all-time favorite books. I read this book back in the 1980's when it first came out and I've re-read it many times since.

A vampire love story that stands the test of time with bits of myth and mystery about changelings.

Wonderful read.