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Embraced by the Shadows
Alana is surprised when she is chosen to manage a new restaurant. She has neither the training nor the experience to justify her success. But La Cueva del Vampiro has the kind of ambience she adores, for Alana has always had a penchant for the dark side of life. [Author's preferred version of "Dark Shadows."]
- GenresVampiresParanormal
Nook
First published April 15, 2006
1 person is currently reading
14 people want to read
About the author
Mayra Calvani
27 books201 followersMayra Calvani writes fiction and nonfiction for children and adults and has authored over a dozen books, some of which have won awards. Her stories, reviews, interviews and articles have appeared on numerous publications such as The Writer, Writer’s Journal, Multicultural Review, and Bloomsbury Review, among many others. When she’s not writing, reading, editing or reviewing, she enjoys walking her dog, traveling, and spending time with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 17, 2011
All of her life, Alana Piovanetti has had a taste for the macabre. As a young child, Alana was fascinated by blood. Alana and her best friend would play pranks at school, pretending to be possessed.
When an opportunity to work at a vampire themed restaurant and club arises, Alana jumps at the chance and is hired as the club manager. She can now go to work dressed as a vampire.
Alana has had strange and vivid dreams; dreams of flying, dreams of panthers, and dreams of a man. The dreams disturb Alana, but they also leave her happy and aroused. Finally the man in her dreams reveals himself. His name is Sadash and he has been her “guardian angel” for the last twelve years. Sadash has been following her, waiting for her…
I enjoyed this book. I loved the setting – I haven’t read many books that take place in sunny Puerto Rico. The location added some color and texture to the book. I loved the vampire themed club. Clever idea - a restaurant and club with staff dressed as vampires, werewolves, zombies and even Frankensteins. I liked the flashbacks to the main character’s past. It was interesting learning about her childhood and remembering moments when Sadash appeared to her.
I loved the friendship between Alana and Valeria. They shared a special bond, like sisters, best friends, and kindred spirits. Alana and Valeria always watched out for each other and were inseparable for most of their lives. I’m not sure if I liked the main characters. I found Valeria to be selfish and self-absorbed. Alana did not really have good self-preservation skills and I wondered if she had some kind of awareness of her “guardian angel” which increased her risk taking. Our mystery man Sadash was intriguing. Sadash’s past life in Turkey was fascinating. I didn’t like that Alana was not given a choice in her outcome. I wanted to see Alana take a little time and make an informed choice.
In all, a pleasant and enjoyable read. I’m looking forward to reading more of this author’s work in the future.
Thank you to the author for a review copy of this book.
Check out my review Badass Book Reviews. The author is offering 2 books Dark Lullaby and Cat Cellar and Other stories on Smashwords free until Oct 31.
When an opportunity to work at a vampire themed restaurant and club arises, Alana jumps at the chance and is hired as the club manager. She can now go to work dressed as a vampire.
Alana has had strange and vivid dreams; dreams of flying, dreams of panthers, and dreams of a man. The dreams disturb Alana, but they also leave her happy and aroused. Finally the man in her dreams reveals himself. His name is Sadash and he has been her “guardian angel” for the last twelve years. Sadash has been following her, waiting for her…
I enjoyed this book. I loved the setting – I haven’t read many books that take place in sunny Puerto Rico. The location added some color and texture to the book. I loved the vampire themed club. Clever idea - a restaurant and club with staff dressed as vampires, werewolves, zombies and even Frankensteins. I liked the flashbacks to the main character’s past. It was interesting learning about her childhood and remembering moments when Sadash appeared to her.
I loved the friendship between Alana and Valeria. They shared a special bond, like sisters, best friends, and kindred spirits. Alana and Valeria always watched out for each other and were inseparable for most of their lives. I’m not sure if I liked the main characters. I found Valeria to be selfish and self-absorbed. Alana did not really have good self-preservation skills and I wondered if she had some kind of awareness of her “guardian angel” which increased her risk taking. Our mystery man Sadash was intriguing. Sadash’s past life in Turkey was fascinating. I didn’t like that Alana was not given a choice in her outcome. I wanted to see Alana take a little time and make an informed choice.
In all, a pleasant and enjoyable read. I’m looking forward to reading more of this author’s work in the future.
Thank you to the author for a review copy of this book.
Check out my review Badass Book Reviews. The author is offering 2 books Dark Lullaby and Cat Cellar and Other stories on Smashwords free until Oct 31.
February 3, 2012
Alana Piovanetti was 10 years old when, at a family vacation in Istanbul, she saw a man with fangs in his mouth. Since that day Alana has been having the strangest of dreams, all surrounding creatures of the night taking her into wild rides. Fast-Forward twelve years and Alana is a recent college grad looking for a job, just like any other person in her beloved Puerto Rico. Landing the job as manager of La Cueva del Vampiro, (a hip, new vampire-themed restaurant/nightclub in San Juan) turns Alana’s dreams into nightmares; but when she meets a mysterious man named Sadash those nightmares turn into reality. Now Alana must face the ultimate decision between logic and love; one brings the safety and comfort of loved ones, the other brings unstoppable death.
The main reason I picked this book was because of its setting, being a Puerto Rican that have lived my entire life here on the Island I was beyond happy to see a story take place within my well known roads and I just love it. I am very visual and I have little problems imagining the places that authors describe in their tales, however there is such a great feeling to read about the cobblestone streets with its sometimes extremely steep inclines of Old San Juan and know that I have walked them up and down many times myself.
Word of advice to the female population, if you ever come here and visit Old San Juan leave you spiked heels at the hotel or whichever place you are staying. If you want high heeled shoes, opt for some pretty wedges or at least have a pair of those convenient bendable ballerina flats that you can keep in your purse; trust me on this, by night’s end you’ll want to throw them to the ocean.
Now, I already said that I loved the setting, I just wish there was a bit more of it. The story takes place primarily in San Juan and just a bit in El Yunke. What I wasn’t too happy about was the main character, Alana; yet I have to say that for the story her character works.
Alana is a 21-year-old woman who’s always felt like she doesn’t quite belongs anywhere, even though she is surrounded by people that love her. Among this Small group of people are Alana’s best friends Valerie, Humberto and her uncle (her only remaining blood relative). Alana’s personality is very gloomy, cold and distant, yet shy and introverted and sometimes impulsive. Something that irked me was that she enjoyed hurting Valerie’s feelings, even though she loves her and considers her to be her twin soul. The bottom line is that Alana behaves like a teenager throughout most of the book without the excuse of being one as a buffer.
In books, specially–but not exclusively–in Paranormal Romance (PNR), you find that for every female lead there is an equally strong male lead with whom the female lead finds her Happily Ever After (HEA), vice-versa or whichever couple combination is your favorite read; Calvani’s tale is no exception to this norm. In comes Sadash, the mysterious man that has recently made its way into Alana’s life, who turns out to be a couple-of-hundred-year-old master vampire. Now, be aware the Calvani’s vampires are not the typical sexed up characters that can make the most puritanical of women reach her all time high with a couple of well-placed kisses, oh no! In fact, Calvani’s vamps are completely impotent–they are dead after all–yet they have beating hearts:
That twist thrown in by Calvani was very unexpected but amusing nonetheless; Alana’s reaction to this bit of news made me smile. Still, that twist is not the only one, the whole feeding for the vampires and its co-relation with intimacy was a completely new concept (at least for me) and I found it very fascinating.
Back to Sadash, I cannot say much about him without giving away major plot points; I will say this, his attitude for more than half the book resembled that of a stalker, which I didn’t like at all, but by the time the book turned around he had grown on me a little.
Over all I am conflicted with this story, there were some aspects of it that drove me mad as I was reading it; including the pace which was a little slow at times and it made it drag a bit, which in turn made me put the book down more than once. However at some point after I was around 65%–70% into the story it picked up really well and I was hooked one more time. The moody characters work within the setting they've been placed, i guess they just weren't my style of characters.
This review appeared originally in Journey with Words
The main reason I picked this book was because of its setting, being a Puerto Rican that have lived my entire life here on the Island I was beyond happy to see a story take place within my well known roads and I just love it. I am very visual and I have little problems imagining the places that authors describe in their tales, however there is such a great feeling to read about the cobblestone streets with its sometimes extremely steep inclines of Old San Juan and know that I have walked them up and down many times myself.
Word of advice to the female population, if you ever come here and visit Old San Juan leave you spiked heels at the hotel or whichever place you are staying. If you want high heeled shoes, opt for some pretty wedges or at least have a pair of those convenient bendable ballerina flats that you can keep in your purse; trust me on this, by night’s end you’ll want to throw them to the ocean.
Now, I already said that I loved the setting, I just wish there was a bit more of it. The story takes place primarily in San Juan and just a bit in El Yunke. What I wasn’t too happy about was the main character, Alana; yet I have to say that for the story her character works.
Alana is a 21-year-old woman who’s always felt like she doesn’t quite belongs anywhere, even though she is surrounded by people that love her. Among this Small group of people are Alana’s best friends Valerie, Humberto and her uncle (her only remaining blood relative). Alana’s personality is very gloomy, cold and distant, yet shy and introverted and sometimes impulsive. Something that irked me was that she enjoyed hurting Valerie’s feelings, even though she loves her and considers her to be her twin soul. The bottom line is that Alana behaves like a teenager throughout most of the book without the excuse of being one as a buffer.
In books, specially–but not exclusively–in Paranormal Romance (PNR), you find that for every female lead there is an equally strong male lead with whom the female lead finds her Happily Ever After (HEA), vice-versa or whichever couple combination is your favorite read; Calvani’s tale is no exception to this norm. In comes Sadash, the mysterious man that has recently made its way into Alana’s life, who turns out to be a couple-of-hundred-year-old master vampire. Now, be aware the Calvani’s vampires are not the typical sexed up characters that can make the most puritanical of women reach her all time high with a couple of well-placed kisses, oh no! In fact, Calvani’s vamps are completely impotent–they are dead after all–yet they have beating hearts:
That twist thrown in by Calvani was very unexpected but amusing nonetheless; Alana’s reaction to this bit of news made me smile. Still, that twist is not the only one, the whole feeding for the vampires and its co-relation with intimacy was a completely new concept (at least for me) and I found it very fascinating.
Back to Sadash, I cannot say much about him without giving away major plot points; I will say this, his attitude for more than half the book resembled that of a stalker, which I didn’t like at all, but by the time the book turned around he had grown on me a little.
Over all I am conflicted with this story, there were some aspects of it that drove me mad as I was reading it; including the pace which was a little slow at times and it made it drag a bit, which in turn made me put the book down more than once. However at some point after I was around 65%–70% into the story it picked up really well and I was hooked one more time. The moody characters work within the setting they've been placed, i guess they just weren't my style of characters.
This review appeared originally in Journey with Words
November 3, 2011
What did you think of the premise?
Heidi: I liked the different take on vampires. The use of telepathy and mind control. And they could fly. Any good vampire should know how to fly. It was also refreshing to read a story that took place in a country that spoke Spanish and not English. There is however one thing about the vampires that left me a little.. unsatisfied. I don’t want to say what though, but if you read the book, I think you’ll understand what I’m talking about ;) But let me say that what left me unsatisfied, might be a refreshing change for others.
Celeste: I liked the fresh take on vampires and the bonds they created. I could really feel how drawn Alana was to Sadash. However, I totally agree with Heidi; I also felt with all that chemistry between humans-turned-vampire and their makers, it could have been more old fashioned romantic. You definitely have to read to know what we mean since we don’t want to spoil.
Did you like the characters?
Heidi: To be honest, not much. Alana was kind of cruel and I had trouble feeling any love towards her. I did not understand friendship with Valeria. But I had to read on to see how that developed! I was surprised to realize the one character I did feel any love towards was Humberto, who actually only plays a minor role in the book.
Celeste: I was definitely intrigued by the characters but never loved any of them. I thought Alana was quite mean to Valeria, who she considered her best friend. It seemed as if she just wanted to hurt her all the time. I did love the initial relationship that was so mysterious between Sadash and Alana.
Did you feel the chemistry between Alana and Sadash?
Heidi: Can’t say that I did, unfortunately. It all felt a little weird, for me. And the whole deal with his daughter looking so much like Alana was sort of creepy. I understood that he did love her, and that she loved him, but it all felt manipulated by Sadash. There was no telling if her feelings were real.
Celeste: Yes, I felt it. It was like Alana’s love for Sadash was compulsive and she couldn’t help feeling drawn to him. At the same time, she did love him through and through. I guess that is what made the bond between Alana and her maker so strong.
What did you think of the setting?
Heidi: The restaurant and nightclub was cool. I would have loved working there! But I see now, that the setting actually never took a hold, because I honestly can’t remember much aside from the restaurant and nightclub. And Alana and Valeria’s apartment. This is not necessarily a bad thing, there was much more focus on the characters. I remember them quite clearly.
Celeste: I loved that the story took place in Puerto Rico. It was so exotic! The nightclub idea was interesting, but the menu for the restaurant was not realistic. The club part slightly reminded me of the bar in the Sookie books, Fangtasia.
What did you think of the ending?
Heidi: The ending.. It was alright. Being my bloodthirsty self, I would have liked a more vengeful ending (LOL), but it was good. It leaves it open, so that if the author want to continue and make it a series, she can. But it also works standing alone. That’s good.
Celeste: I felt satisfied with the ending! It went rather quickly but all the loose ends did get tied up.
All in all, was it worth the read?
Heidi: Yes, I think so! I never loved the book, but I was not straight out disappointed either. It was different, and different can be good! I am pretty sure many people will find the book interesting. But it will not be re-read by me.
Celeste: Yes, I enjoyed the book. It was an interesting read and I wanted to know how it all ended. I would recommend it if you love vampires and are looking for something new.
Heidi: I liked the different take on vampires. The use of telepathy and mind control. And they could fly. Any good vampire should know how to fly. It was also refreshing to read a story that took place in a country that spoke Spanish and not English. There is however one thing about the vampires that left me a little.. unsatisfied. I don’t want to say what though, but if you read the book, I think you’ll understand what I’m talking about ;) But let me say that what left me unsatisfied, might be a refreshing change for others.
Celeste: I liked the fresh take on vampires and the bonds they created. I could really feel how drawn Alana was to Sadash. However, I totally agree with Heidi; I also felt with all that chemistry between humans-turned-vampire and their makers, it could have been more old fashioned romantic. You definitely have to read to know what we mean since we don’t want to spoil.
Did you like the characters?
Heidi: To be honest, not much. Alana was kind of cruel and I had trouble feeling any love towards her. I did not understand friendship with Valeria. But I had to read on to see how that developed! I was surprised to realize the one character I did feel any love towards was Humberto, who actually only plays a minor role in the book.
Celeste: I was definitely intrigued by the characters but never loved any of them. I thought Alana was quite mean to Valeria, who she considered her best friend. It seemed as if she just wanted to hurt her all the time. I did love the initial relationship that was so mysterious between Sadash and Alana.
Did you feel the chemistry between Alana and Sadash?
Heidi: Can’t say that I did, unfortunately. It all felt a little weird, for me. And the whole deal with his daughter looking so much like Alana was sort of creepy. I understood that he did love her, and that she loved him, but it all felt manipulated by Sadash. There was no telling if her feelings were real.
Celeste: Yes, I felt it. It was like Alana’s love for Sadash was compulsive and she couldn’t help feeling drawn to him. At the same time, she did love him through and through. I guess that is what made the bond between Alana and her maker so strong.
What did you think of the setting?
Heidi: The restaurant and nightclub was cool. I would have loved working there! But I see now, that the setting actually never took a hold, because I honestly can’t remember much aside from the restaurant and nightclub. And Alana and Valeria’s apartment. This is not necessarily a bad thing, there was much more focus on the characters. I remember them quite clearly.
Celeste: I loved that the story took place in Puerto Rico. It was so exotic! The nightclub idea was interesting, but the menu for the restaurant was not realistic. The club part slightly reminded me of the bar in the Sookie books, Fangtasia.
What did you think of the ending?
Heidi: The ending.. It was alright. Being my bloodthirsty self, I would have liked a more vengeful ending (LOL), but it was good. It leaves it open, so that if the author want to continue and make it a series, she can. But it also works standing alone. That’s good.
Celeste: I felt satisfied with the ending! It went rather quickly but all the loose ends did get tied up.
All in all, was it worth the read?
Heidi: Yes, I think so! I never loved the book, but I was not straight out disappointed either. It was different, and different can be good! I am pretty sure many people will find the book interesting. But it will not be re-read by me.
Celeste: Yes, I enjoyed the book. It was an interesting read and I wanted to know how it all ended. I would recommend it if you love vampires and are looking for something new.
November 10, 2011
3 1/2 STARS
As a child of 12, while on vacation with her mother in Turkey, Alana Piovanetti is mesmerized by an oil painting of fallen angels. A man in the shadows reminds of her of the angels on the canvas or did she just imagine his face? Sadash an ancient vampire, turned during the time of the Ottoman Empire, is enraptured by the child. A child he follows through the years.
Nearly 10 years later Alana has graduated from college and returned to her island home of Puerto Rico to live with her childhood friend Valeria Acosta. It’s a rekindling of a friendship and a new beginning for both girls. Though Valeria has a good job and is settled in her life, Alana is struggling to find her place in the world until an ad in the paper catches her eye. A new night club, the La Cueva del Vampiro, is about to open and is advertising for a manager. Throughout her life Alana has been drawn to darkness and the occult. She feels the job is made for her. Alana applies for the position, despite the fact she has no restaurant experience, and is hired. During the opening night festivities Alana is surprised by a face in the crowd. It’s the face of the man who lingered in the shadows that day in Istanbul. The face reminiscent of the fallen angels in the painting she had wanted so desperately.
Embraced by Shadows is not your usual vampire tale. This is a dark fantasy with elements of romance and mystery but without the sexuality or eroticism prominent in many of the vampire genre written today. This is not a vampire who can walk in the sun or have sex with abandon until exhaustion of his partner. This is vampire whose sole nourishment is blood and sex is an impossibility and an enjoyment of life not missed. The blood is everything.
What I liked initially in the story was the relationship between Valeria and Alana. They were childhood friends, supportive of each other through their years in school, then through the death of Alana’s mother; and now as they begin their working lives and relationships.
What I didn’t like about the story was the character of Sadash. He is not a likeable character. SPOILER ALERT He was drawn to a child that years later, he admits reminded him of his dead daughter. Yet despite that initial reaction to Alana, he follows her through the years and seduces her. Her dreams of a vampire, and midnight flights are steeped in a reality blurred by the vampire’s power. She doesn’t have a chance and too soon her life as she’s known it is over. From this point on, Embraced by Shadows takes an unexpected turn and the heart of the story becomes how Alana’s mother really died.
I would have enjoyed this story a lot of more if the author wove these two story lines into a synchronistic plot, weaving the stories together to a simultaneous conclusion; or at least as close as possible. Instead, two story streams are awkwardly pulled together by two characters — Valeria and Alana and the transition is blunt from one to the other.
Overall, I found enough to like in Embraced by Shadows that I would read another work from Ms. Calvani based on the uniqueness of this story.
As a child of 12, while on vacation with her mother in Turkey, Alana Piovanetti is mesmerized by an oil painting of fallen angels. A man in the shadows reminds of her of the angels on the canvas or did she just imagine his face? Sadash an ancient vampire, turned during the time of the Ottoman Empire, is enraptured by the child. A child he follows through the years.
Nearly 10 years later Alana has graduated from college and returned to her island home of Puerto Rico to live with her childhood friend Valeria Acosta. It’s a rekindling of a friendship and a new beginning for both girls. Though Valeria has a good job and is settled in her life, Alana is struggling to find her place in the world until an ad in the paper catches her eye. A new night club, the La Cueva del Vampiro, is about to open and is advertising for a manager. Throughout her life Alana has been drawn to darkness and the occult. She feels the job is made for her. Alana applies for the position, despite the fact she has no restaurant experience, and is hired. During the opening night festivities Alana is surprised by a face in the crowd. It’s the face of the man who lingered in the shadows that day in Istanbul. The face reminiscent of the fallen angels in the painting she had wanted so desperately.
Embraced by Shadows is not your usual vampire tale. This is a dark fantasy with elements of romance and mystery but without the sexuality or eroticism prominent in many of the vampire genre written today. This is not a vampire who can walk in the sun or have sex with abandon until exhaustion of his partner. This is vampire whose sole nourishment is blood and sex is an impossibility and an enjoyment of life not missed. The blood is everything.
What I liked initially in the story was the relationship between Valeria and Alana. They were childhood friends, supportive of each other through their years in school, then through the death of Alana’s mother; and now as they begin their working lives and relationships.
What I didn’t like about the story was the character of Sadash. He is not a likeable character. SPOILER ALERT He was drawn to a child that years later, he admits reminded him of his dead daughter. Yet despite that initial reaction to Alana, he follows her through the years and seduces her. Her dreams of a vampire, and midnight flights are steeped in a reality blurred by the vampire’s power. She doesn’t have a chance and too soon her life as she’s known it is over. From this point on, Embraced by Shadows takes an unexpected turn and the heart of the story becomes how Alana’s mother really died.
I would have enjoyed this story a lot of more if the author wove these two story lines into a synchronistic plot, weaving the stories together to a simultaneous conclusion; or at least as close as possible. Instead, two story streams are awkwardly pulled together by two characters — Valeria and Alana and the transition is blunt from one to the other.
Overall, I found enough to like in Embraced by Shadows that I would read another work from Ms. Calvani based on the uniqueness of this story.
October 23, 2011
The prologue introduces us to a mysterious vampire, Sadash, lurking in the shadows watching a girl with long red curls. We are instantly aware that he is mesmerized by this girl. Now twelve years later, Alana, who was the little red haired girl, is having strange and morbid dreams. Sometimes they are about a panther and other times about a creature caressing her with his long fingernail. Her best friend and roommate Valerie informs her that she is also sleepwalking. Alana knows she should be checked out but she is too busy with her new job as a restaurant manager at La Cueva del Vampiro, a new nightclub. This new job is just the stepping stone to her new life with Sadash who has been waiting patiently for Alana to grow up so that he can make her his for eternity.
Right away I will tell you this book was not the most exciting book that I have read. It has the typical brooding vampire and his obsession with a mortal woman. Of course he must turn her and now teach her the art of being a vampire but first she must discover certain truths that he cannot help her with. The uniqueness of Calvani’s vampires is an interesting aspect but I felt it feel short in the romance department. These vampires are not love-making machines; in fact it isn’t even possible for them. Calvani’s vampires are all about feelings. The feeling that they get from drinking blood is the same as they had made love. Even Sadash’s “love” for Alana isn’t love but instead a left over feeling from his love of his daughter, who looked like Alana.
Vampires never really leave their feelings behind in their mortal life; instead they become transferred onto others. Alana and Valerie’s friendship is a prominent theme throughout the book and is put to the ultimate test at the end. Because of their very tight bond; Alana is unable to leave her behind but she knows she doesn’t want Valerie to have to live this way. Valerie who seems very loveable at first has her own dark side that she has kept hidden from Alana. The mystery that surrounds Alana’s mother’s death did keep me reading the book and when all was revealed at the end it was a bit of a surprise but not a complete shocker.
Right away I will tell you this book was not the most exciting book that I have read. It has the typical brooding vampire and his obsession with a mortal woman. Of course he must turn her and now teach her the art of being a vampire but first she must discover certain truths that he cannot help her with. The uniqueness of Calvani’s vampires is an interesting aspect but I felt it feel short in the romance department. These vampires are not love-making machines; in fact it isn’t even possible for them. Calvani’s vampires are all about feelings. The feeling that they get from drinking blood is the same as they had made love. Even Sadash’s “love” for Alana isn’t love but instead a left over feeling from his love of his daughter, who looked like Alana.
Vampires never really leave their feelings behind in their mortal life; instead they become transferred onto others. Alana and Valerie’s friendship is a prominent theme throughout the book and is put to the ultimate test at the end. Because of their very tight bond; Alana is unable to leave her behind but she knows she doesn’t want Valerie to have to live this way. Valerie who seems very loveable at first has her own dark side that she has kept hidden from Alana. The mystery that surrounds Alana’s mother’s death did keep me reading the book and when all was revealed at the end it was a bit of a surprise but not a complete shocker.
January 15, 2013
Sadash, the vampire, first notices Alana Piovanetti while she vacations with her family in Istanbul. She is very young, a child really, but he is drawn to her. Three hundred years ago he would not have hesitated to drink of her blood - all of it. Not now, however. Since that long ago time he has vowed not to take advantage of a child. He watches as she gazes at a painting of a red-haired angel being thrown out of heaven. Her coloring is very much like that angel. Later in the story this painting and the angel's appearance will be important.
Twelve years later Alana is living in Puerto Rico where she was born and raised. She recently found a job as the manager of the new 'in' place called El Cuevo del Vampiro. She does not consider herself qualified - she was a philosophy major in college, but the owner's representative assures her she is exactly the right person for the job. That same night the erotic dreams begin. Dreams of a man like no other she has known takes her in his arms and seduces her in away she never imagined possible. Later she meets Shadash the man of her dreams who is even more alluring in the real world. He shows her what the life of an immortal is truly like. Vampires never age and can never be destroyed even by fire. Alana wants to be with him forever, but what about her dearest friend Valeria. How could she watch as this person she loves ages and dies?
Mayra Calvani has created a sensuous world of mystery and dark, complex romance. The fascinating characters and their tantalizing story will keep readers engrossed from the first page to the last.
From Patricia's Vampire Notes
Twelve years later Alana is living in Puerto Rico where she was born and raised. She recently found a job as the manager of the new 'in' place called El Cuevo del Vampiro. She does not consider herself qualified - she was a philosophy major in college, but the owner's representative assures her she is exactly the right person for the job. That same night the erotic dreams begin. Dreams of a man like no other she has known takes her in his arms and seduces her in away she never imagined possible. Later she meets Shadash the man of her dreams who is even more alluring in the real world. He shows her what the life of an immortal is truly like. Vampires never age and can never be destroyed even by fire. Alana wants to be with him forever, but what about her dearest friend Valeria. How could she watch as this person she loves ages and dies?
Mayra Calvani has created a sensuous world of mystery and dark, complex romance. The fascinating characters and their tantalizing story will keep readers engrossed from the first page to the last.
From Patricia's Vampire Notes
October 15, 2011
I received this as an ARC through e-mail about a week ago and accepted it enthusiastically because it sounded like a good book. And it was for the first few 50 pages.
The beginning really drew me in. The scenario took place in Puerto Rico which was new and welcoming from my part. I like reading books in different scenarios so thats a plus for the unique setting. In the beginning we meet Alana our protagonist and her bestfriend Valeria. They have this undying bond with one another that is beyond normal and kind of freaked me out a bit but Calvani made up for it by introducing a vampire lead into the equation that is called "Embraced by the Shadows". He was haunting, dark, handsome and all kinds of alluring. But I was disappointed when certain things came into view about him and how vampires work in this book. Though it may be more realistic than other vampires in different books. It just seemed like he lacked this essence that I was looking for.
As the story progressed, I began to get annoyed at all the characters. They weren't as well constructed as I hoped they were and the story line just began to lose its favor with me to the point where I disliked it. It was great within 50 pages then Calvani took the book into another 158 pages and it seemed as if it was rushed and not well thought of. It was missing the WOW factor. But I did enjoy the book enough to read the first 50 then the next 158 without a sweat. Calvani's skill can grow and I look forward to see if she go beyond boundaries.
The beginning really drew me in. The scenario took place in Puerto Rico which was new and welcoming from my part. I like reading books in different scenarios so thats a plus for the unique setting. In the beginning we meet Alana our protagonist and her bestfriend Valeria. They have this undying bond with one another that is beyond normal and kind of freaked me out a bit but Calvani made up for it by introducing a vampire lead into the equation that is called "Embraced by the Shadows". He was haunting, dark, handsome and all kinds of alluring. But I was disappointed when certain things came into view about him and how vampires work in this book. Though it may be more realistic than other vampires in different books. It just seemed like he lacked this essence that I was looking for.
As the story progressed, I began to get annoyed at all the characters. They weren't as well constructed as I hoped they were and the story line just began to lose its favor with me to the point where I disliked it. It was great within 50 pages then Calvani took the book into another 158 pages and it seemed as if it was rushed and not well thought of. It was missing the WOW factor. But I did enjoy the book enough to read the first 50 then the next 158 without a sweat. Calvani's skill can grow and I look forward to see if she go beyond boundaries.
September 24, 2013
The premise:
I liked the fresh take on vampires and the bonds they created. I could really feel how drawn Alana was to Sadash. However, I totally agree with Heidi; I also felt with all that chemistry between humans-turned-vampire and their makers, it could have been more old fashioned romantic. You definitely have to read to know what we mean since we don’t want to spoil.
The characters:
I was definitely intrigued by the characters but never loved any of them. I thought Alana was quite mean to Valeria, who she considered her best friend. It seemed as if she just wanted to hurt her all the time. I did love the initial relationship that was so mysterious between Sadash and Alana.
The chemistry between Alana and Sadash:
I felt it. It was like Alana’s love for Sadash was compulsive and she couldn’t help feeling drawn to him. At the same time, she did love him through and through. I guess that is what made the bond between Alana and her maker so strong.
The setting:
I loved that the story took place in Puerto Rico. It was so exotic! The nightclub idea was interesting, but the menu for the restaurant was not realistic. The club part slightly reminded me of the bar in the Sookie books, Fangtasia.
The ending:
I felt satisfied with the ending! It went rather quickly but all the loose ends did get tied up.
I enjoyed the book. It was an interesting read and I wanted to know how it all ended. I would recommend it if you love vampires and are looking for something new.
I liked the fresh take on vampires and the bonds they created. I could really feel how drawn Alana was to Sadash. However, I totally agree with Heidi; I also felt with all that chemistry between humans-turned-vampire and their makers, it could have been more old fashioned romantic. You definitely have to read to know what we mean since we don’t want to spoil.
The characters:
I was definitely intrigued by the characters but never loved any of them. I thought Alana was quite mean to Valeria, who she considered her best friend. It seemed as if she just wanted to hurt her all the time. I did love the initial relationship that was so mysterious between Sadash and Alana.
The chemistry between Alana and Sadash:
I felt it. It was like Alana’s love for Sadash was compulsive and she couldn’t help feeling drawn to him. At the same time, she did love him through and through. I guess that is what made the bond between Alana and her maker so strong.
The setting:
I loved that the story took place in Puerto Rico. It was so exotic! The nightclub idea was interesting, but the menu for the restaurant was not realistic. The club part slightly reminded me of the bar in the Sookie books, Fangtasia.
The ending:
I felt satisfied with the ending! It went rather quickly but all the loose ends did get tied up.
I enjoyed the book. It was an interesting read and I wanted to know how it all ended. I would recommend it if you love vampires and are looking for something new.
November 14, 2011
When I first started Embraced By The Shadows I knew that this wasn't going to a typical vampire book by all means. From the beginning I could tell that this book was going to go deeper and darker then any other vampire theme book that I ever read.
In many of the books that I have read have the human and the vampire falling in love then they have a battle between good and evil. In Embraced by the Shadows Alana is trying to figured out something that she not sure that she saw but still haunts her today along with her mother's death.
I found Embraced by the Shadows and riveting, on the edge of you sit thriller that not only has you not only keeps you wondering but also has you loving and hating all the characters at one time. For me it was a refreshing break for the sparkly vampire love stories out there today.
In many of the books that I have read have the human and the vampire falling in love then they have a battle between good and evil. In Embraced by the Shadows Alana is trying to figured out something that she not sure that she saw but still haunts her today along with her mother's death.
I found Embraced by the Shadows and riveting, on the edge of you sit thriller that not only has you not only keeps you wondering but also has you loving and hating all the characters at one time. For me it was a refreshing break for the sparkly vampire love stories out there today.
December 9, 2008
Alana Piovanetti is the intriguing protagonist of Mayra Calvani’s Embraced by the Shadows. Alana is not your typical 22 year old. Just having graduated college in Boston, she has returned to Puerto Rico and has somehow managed to land a job managing La Cueva del Vampiro, the newest and hottest nightclub in San Juan...
For the entire review please go to the Best Paranormal & Urban Fantasy Review site on the web, Bitten By Books for the review of Embraced by the Shadows in it's entirety. You won't be sorry.
For the entire review please go to the Best Paranormal & Urban Fantasy Review site on the web, Bitten By Books for the review of Embraced by the Shadows in it's entirety. You won't be sorry.
October 16, 2011
I'm hosting an interview with Mayra Calvani and a giveaway of Embraced by the Shadows on my blog: http://www.readinista.com/2011/10/int...
Giveaway is open through the October 31st.
Review to come.
Giveaway is open through the October 31st.
Review to come.
October 10, 2011
Review pending...
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