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Chronicles of Yavn #1
King of Darkness
ETERNAL COMMITMENT IS NOT ON HER AGENDA...
Scorned by the vampire community for her lack of power, Isabel Anthony lives a carefree existence masquerading as human-although drifting through the debauched human nightlife, she prefers the patrons' blood to other indulgences. But when she meets the sexy, arrogant king of the vampires, this party-girl's life turns dark and dangerous.
BUT TIME'S RUNNING OUT FOR THE KING OF THE VAMPIRES...
Dead-set on finding the prophesied mate who will unlock his fiery powers, Thad Morgan must find his queen before their race is destroyed. Their enemies are gaining ground, and Thad needs his powers to unite his subjects. But when his search leads him to the defiant Isabel, he wonders if fate had gotten it seriously wrong...
Scorned by the vampire community for her lack of power, Isabel Anthony lives a carefree existence masquerading as human-although drifting through the debauched human nightlife, she prefers the patrons' blood to other indulgences. But when she meets the sexy, arrogant king of the vampires, this party-girl's life turns dark and dangerous.
BUT TIME'S RUNNING OUT FOR THE KING OF THE VAMPIRES...
Dead-set on finding the prophesied mate who will unlock his fiery powers, Thad Morgan must find his queen before their race is destroyed. Their enemies are gaining ground, and Thad needs his powers to unite his subjects. But when his search leads him to the defiant Isabel, he wonders if fate had gotten it seriously wrong...
354 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2012
53 people are currently reading
2016 people want to read
About the author
Elisabeth Staab
25 books257 followersElisabeth Staab loves passionate stories and happy endings. Her books have been called “emotionally delicious,” “action-packed,” and “gloriously snarky.” When not writing romance about vampires and werewolves and emotionally wounded boxers (oh, my!), she enjoys date night with her husband, reading with her kids, and marathoning her favorite books or TV series. Keep up with all the latest shenanigans by following her newsletter, stopping by ElisabethStaab.com, or finding her on Facebook and Twitter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
January 30, 2012
I love a good vamp story, one that you can really sink your, er…teeth into, lol.
Something that gives a different twist to the mythical creature and has me sitting on my seat waiting for the next chapter.
Elisabeth Staab’s debut book, King of Darkness, doesn’t offer much originality, although it is a decent read. I am sure fans of the paranormal genre will flock to it for the simple fact that it is a vampire romance. However, her hero, Thad Morgan, never completely took over the role as the ultimate Alpha hero. I never completely fell for him. He see-sawed between likable to slightly irritating throughout the book.
Thad, king of the Vampires, is searching for his Queen, the female prophesized to rule beside him. From the first chapter, I felt that Thad acted hesitant, unsure of how to rule, and not strong enough to pull of the role of a king. I was more interested in his second, Lee Goram, and found myself wanting more of his story. For me, a king should be strong, fierce, and certain. All the characteristics that Thad lacked, in my opinion.
Isabel seemed just as indecisive as her predestined mate. And her background wasn’t thoroughly developed as I’d hoped. I would have loved to have seen a stronger connection between the two besides that of the carnal nature.
The two lovers came together too fast, an explosion of hot sex, too little of the emotions. I never actually felt their connection beyond the bedroom.
This story’s secondary characters were more interesting than the hero/heroine. I loved Lee and his loathing for humans. He is attracted to Isabel’s human friend, Alexia and loses his cool when around her. Now THAT had the right dash of sexual chemistry and frustration that I love to read.
There were some humorous points for me in the book, and I hope to see a book for Siddoh in the future.
Overall, the secondary characters stole the show for me in this story. And were the only reason why I liked this book.
Something that gives a different twist to the mythical creature and has me sitting on my seat waiting for the next chapter.
Elisabeth Staab’s debut book, King of Darkness, doesn’t offer much originality, although it is a decent read. I am sure fans of the paranormal genre will flock to it for the simple fact that it is a vampire romance. However, her hero, Thad Morgan, never completely took over the role as the ultimate Alpha hero. I never completely fell for him. He see-sawed between likable to slightly irritating throughout the book.
Thad, king of the Vampires, is searching for his Queen, the female prophesized to rule beside him. From the first chapter, I felt that Thad acted hesitant, unsure of how to rule, and not strong enough to pull of the role of a king. I was more interested in his second, Lee Goram, and found myself wanting more of his story. For me, a king should be strong, fierce, and certain. All the characteristics that Thad lacked, in my opinion.
Isabel seemed just as indecisive as her predestined mate. And her background wasn’t thoroughly developed as I’d hoped. I would have loved to have seen a stronger connection between the two besides that of the carnal nature.
The two lovers came together too fast, an explosion of hot sex, too little of the emotions. I never actually felt their connection beyond the bedroom.
This story’s secondary characters were more interesting than the hero/heroine. I loved Lee and his loathing for humans. He is attracted to Isabel’s human friend, Alexia and loses his cool when around her. Now THAT had the right dash of sexual chemistry and frustration that I love to read.
There were some humorous points for me in the book, and I hope to see a book for Siddoh in the future.
Overall, the secondary characters stole the show for me in this story. And were the only reason why I liked this book.
December 23, 2012
Thad has not been king of the vampire race for long. He has doubts about how he will ever fill his father’s shoes. He is also running around the country looking for the bride that was prophesized as his at the time of his birth. And because he does not have enough on his plate he has to deal with the fact that the wizards are hunting his vampire race into extinction. The fact that he finds his future queen in a rave club, dressed like a naughty school girl, with her fangs buried into the neck of another chick…really no stress as the king.
Isabel loves to party. She has few responsibilities. Her best friend and roommate is a human. Isabel has never lived in a society where she was surrounded by other vampires and she has never known the threat of a wizard attack. She now has to deal with tall, dark, and moody telling her that she is the queen of a race that she has never embraced as hers.
I found that I could not help but love Thad. He is not the typical hero. He has doubts about so many things, yet he never read as insecure. He had the attitude of ‘I can do this, I will probably screw it up, but I will succeed eventually.’ I want to know more about some of his vampire warriors, Lee and Siddoh specifically. Siddoh has snark. He also finds humor in almost everything and at inopportune moments. He was easy to laugh at.
I would like to have known a little more about the wizard conflict. I’m sure as the series goes on readers will learn more. I’m always curious about the origin of conflicts, the big evils reasons behind what they are after, or any little bit of info. I guess that is one of the reasons I love reading from the villains point of view. I’m hoping that some of the wizard issues will be explored more in the next book, the hero is a wizard.
Overall this is a great read. The author has created an entire cast of interesting characters that I am looking forward to reading more of. Staab has a smooth writing style that makes the book flow easily. I found that it was very easy to get lost in King of Darkness. I can’t wait to read how Anton and Tyra get to their happily ever after.
Isabel loves to party. She has few responsibilities. Her best friend and roommate is a human. Isabel has never lived in a society where she was surrounded by other vampires and she has never known the threat of a wizard attack. She now has to deal with tall, dark, and moody telling her that she is the queen of a race that she has never embraced as hers.
I found that I could not help but love Thad. He is not the typical hero. He has doubts about so many things, yet he never read as insecure. He had the attitude of ‘I can do this, I will probably screw it up, but I will succeed eventually.’ I want to know more about some of his vampire warriors, Lee and Siddoh specifically. Siddoh has snark. He also finds humor in almost everything and at inopportune moments. He was easy to laugh at.
I would like to have known a little more about the wizard conflict. I’m sure as the series goes on readers will learn more. I’m always curious about the origin of conflicts, the big evils reasons behind what they are after, or any little bit of info. I guess that is one of the reasons I love reading from the villains point of view. I’m hoping that some of the wizard issues will be explored more in the next book, the hero is a wizard.
Overall this is a great read. The author has created an entire cast of interesting characters that I am looking forward to reading more of. Staab has a smooth writing style that makes the book flow easily. I found that it was very easy to get lost in King of Darkness. I can’t wait to read how Anton and Tyra get to their happily ever after.
February 9, 2012
***original review posted at Romancing Rakes For the Love of Romance***
What a wonderful surprise this book was. At first after reading the blurb I thought to myself--sounds interesting but do I want to keep reading? Good thing I did! However, I had to put the book down a few times to get my bearings since there's so much going on. As with any start to a series, especially of the paranormal persuasion, there's a lot of world and mythos building.
I loved every page of this book. It goes something like this:
Thad: Dude, I'm here at this crazy ass night club trying to find my queen so I can gain my powers to rule over the vampire world.
Lee: Uh, sure but you've got to be careful. Are you sure she's here? This doesn't seem like the place for your future queen to hang out. Look at all this let's-do-The-Sexy-in-front-of-everyone-at-a-nightclub thing. This doesn't seem like her scene.
Thad: Naw dude, I can feel it in my veins. My future queen is here. We have to find her. Damn my old man for dying 100 years too early. Now I'm left to rule the vampire world but I have to have powers to do so.
Lee: Whoa! Check out that chick necking with that other chick. I think I just got a hard on. Ohhhh... that's your queen. Look at that tramp stamp of a tattoo that indicates she's your mate. Haha. Your woman likes chicks.
Thad: *silently brooding* Whatever. I'll just tell her that she's got the fate of the whole vampire race resting on her shoulders. She's my destiny.
Isabel: Hello tall, dark and brooding!
Thad: Hi. Uh... you're my future queen and you have with come with me. We will rule the vampire race.
Isabel: Tall, dark and brooding vampire dude who just told me that I'm his future queen say what now? I'm not queen material much less vampire-y. I'm only a halves-y.
Thad: You heard correctly. You are my queen. That tattoo on your lower back says so.
There's quite a bit of this going back and forth as to how Isabel is Thad's queen and she must accept him. An instant attraction develops between them which explodes into doing The Sexy the night that they meet. Bow chica wow wow. Then there's the complication of Isabel's human friend Alexia who is attacked by a crazy wizard. This in turn makes Thad take Isabel and Lexi back to his home to keep them safe from the next wave of evil wizards.
Thad: So have you thought more about being my queen?
Isabel: Yup and the answer is I don't think so. I'm not queen material. How many freaking times do I have to tell you this. I'll do whatever it is that needs to be done... some mating ritual or whatever and bam! you'll have your powers. Easy peasy.
Thad: Easy peasy? I'm falling for you but I can't say it out loud because I'll look like a total pansy.
Isabel: Oh jeez. I like you too but I can't let you know this because you deserve someone better. Someone who knows how to be a queen.
And it goes back and forth like that. But there's bigger games afoot. The wizards are closing in. They want Thad's half sister for their side so they send one of their own to kidnap her. He fails and is beaten within an inch of his life, wakes up with no memory but feels something for Thad's sister. Then Isabel runs away, okay, she goes out for a walk and is kidnapped by super evil wizards. Thad and the gang have to go rescue her. This of course makes Thad and Isabel realize that they're important to each other. Uh, DUH! Almost losing someone does make you re-evaluate your feelings.
FAVORITE QUOTE:
***quote subject to change in finished copy***
OVERALL: A wonderful debut from Ms. Elisabeth Staab. Vampires versus wizards. My first book of its kind. Where are the shifters? LOL. The characters were memorable. Especially that human hating vampire Lee. I had to laugh when he was attracted to Isabel's human bff. I love the smaller stories being built up around Thad and Isabel. The wizard who is sent to kidnap Tyra because she has an amazing power that could benefit their cause falls for her. Lee and Lexi have something going on. Sparks are flying that's for sure. I can't wait for the next book in this series!
***review copy sent by Kim at SOS Aloha***
What a wonderful surprise this book was. At first after reading the blurb I thought to myself--sounds interesting but do I want to keep reading? Good thing I did! However, I had to put the book down a few times to get my bearings since there's so much going on. As with any start to a series, especially of the paranormal persuasion, there's a lot of world and mythos building.
I loved every page of this book. It goes something like this:
Thad: Dude, I'm here at this crazy ass night club trying to find my queen so I can gain my powers to rule over the vampire world.
Lee: Uh, sure but you've got to be careful. Are you sure she's here? This doesn't seem like the place for your future queen to hang out. Look at all this let's-do-The-Sexy-in-front-of-everyone-at-a-nightclub thing. This doesn't seem like her scene.
Thad: Naw dude, I can feel it in my veins. My future queen is here. We have to find her. Damn my old man for dying 100 years too early. Now I'm left to rule the vampire world but I have to have powers to do so.
Lee: Whoa! Check out that chick necking with that other chick. I think I just got a hard on. Ohhhh... that's your queen. Look at that tramp stamp of a tattoo that indicates she's your mate. Haha. Your woman likes chicks.
Thad: *silently brooding* Whatever. I'll just tell her that she's got the fate of the whole vampire race resting on her shoulders. She's my destiny.
Isabel: Hello tall, dark and brooding!
Thad: Hi. Uh... you're my future queen and you have with come with me. We will rule the vampire race.
Isabel: Tall, dark and brooding vampire dude who just told me that I'm his future queen say what now? I'm not queen material much less vampire-y. I'm only a halves-y.
Thad: You heard correctly. You are my queen. That tattoo on your lower back says so.
There's quite a bit of this going back and forth as to how Isabel is Thad's queen and she must accept him. An instant attraction develops between them which explodes into doing The Sexy the night that they meet. Bow chica wow wow. Then there's the complication of Isabel's human friend Alexia who is attacked by a crazy wizard. This in turn makes Thad take Isabel and Lexi back to his home to keep them safe from the next wave of evil wizards.
Thad: So have you thought more about being my queen?
Isabel: Yup and the answer is I don't think so. I'm not queen material. How many freaking times do I have to tell you this. I'll do whatever it is that needs to be done... some mating ritual or whatever and bam! you'll have your powers. Easy peasy.
Thad: Easy peasy? I'm falling for you but I can't say it out loud because I'll look like a total pansy.
Isabel: Oh jeez. I like you too but I can't let you know this because you deserve someone better. Someone who knows how to be a queen.
And it goes back and forth like that. But there's bigger games afoot. The wizards are closing in. They want Thad's half sister for their side so they send one of their own to kidnap her. He fails and is beaten within an inch of his life, wakes up with no memory but feels something for Thad's sister. Then Isabel runs away, okay, she goes out for a walk and is kidnapped by super evil wizards. Thad and the gang have to go rescue her. This of course makes Thad and Isabel realize that they're important to each other. Uh, DUH! Almost losing someone does make you re-evaluate your feelings.
FAVORITE QUOTE:
Somehow she had gone from just another night at the club to hearing that she was the king's destined mate and being invited to move in with him, and then to being attacked in her apartment by something she had heard only in childhood stories. All of that before teleporting to some big ass mansion she didn't even know the location of with her sister-in-law. No, no. Thad's sister.,
***quote subject to change in finished copy***
OVERALL: A wonderful debut from Ms. Elisabeth Staab. Vampires versus wizards. My first book of its kind. Where are the shifters? LOL. The characters were memorable. Especially that human hating vampire Lee. I had to laugh when he was attracted to Isabel's human bff. I love the smaller stories being built up around Thad and Isabel. The wizard who is sent to kidnap Tyra because she has an amazing power that could benefit their cause falls for her. Lee and Lexi have something going on. Sparks are flying that's for sure. I can't wait for the next book in this series!
***review copy sent by Kim at SOS Aloha***
January 16, 2013
Braine's Review
Another "first". This is my first Elisabeth Staab book and I assure you it won't be the last! First off I want to thank my blog bestie, my Matey, Michelle of Novels On The Run for recommending this book. This is why I love book chatting with this Aussie because we get each other's taste when it comes to sexy.
Anyway, King of Darkness is a wonderful introduction to the series. Its character driven and each one of Staab's vamps, human and villain have distinct voices. The banter is snarky and funny and the heat level will make your windows, or in my case my eyeglasses, steam. The world building is great as well, the vamps are on the d/l, there's only a few of them and Thad has to protect and reign them in before their nemesis, those pesky Wizards, annihilate their race. A little trivia, I love how these vamps treats red wine like a frickin controlled substance, apparently the tannin gives them a high similar to what E can do to you.
There's a bunch of relationships budding and building and the main focus is between [King] Thad Yavn Morgan and Isabel Anthony. There's some formula thing going on for this two but if it ain't broke right? Going back they're destined for each other and there's a prophecy that Thad will need Isabel by his side to basically make his reign successful. Again the heat level between this two was scorching and literally they make the air hiss between them. What I find interesting and funny is how Thad, being older than Isabel by at least a hundred years, is such a gentleman. He's noble and from the get go he never treated Isabel in a casual way. Isabel being a woman of this century is more emotionally detached and outgoing. So when The Talk came it's both sweet and hilarious how much Thad is acting so emotional while Isabel is so guarded and nonchalant. Love the role reversal.
As I mentioned, as King of Darkness is the introduction to the series, we also get to meet the other characters, how they're connected to each other and Staab gave us hints of what their romantic situations are or will be like in the succeeding books. Aside from the protagonists, the villains are well developed too! Staab gives us a great background for them, outlining how they threaten Thad and the dwindling vampire community. This equal page time between two camps heightens the importance of Thad's cause and the intensity of the street war going on between them.
I don't want to speak too soon but Chronicles of Yavn (pronounced Yavin w/c Staab shares means Yet Another Vampire Novel) is a great, sexy PNR. My upsell is this: If you love BDB you'll definitely have a blast with this.
Another "first". This is my first Elisabeth Staab book and I assure you it won't be the last! First off I want to thank my blog bestie, my Matey, Michelle of Novels On The Run for recommending this book. This is why I love book chatting with this Aussie because we get each other's taste when it comes to sexy.
Anyway, King of Darkness is a wonderful introduction to the series. Its character driven and each one of Staab's vamps, human and villain have distinct voices. The banter is snarky and funny and the heat level will make your windows, or in my case my eyeglasses, steam. The world building is great as well, the vamps are on the d/l, there's only a few of them and Thad has to protect and reign them in before their nemesis, those pesky Wizards, annihilate their race. A little trivia, I love how these vamps treats red wine like a frickin controlled substance, apparently the tannin gives them a high similar to what E can do to you.
There's a bunch of relationships budding and building and the main focus is between [King] Thad Yavn Morgan and Isabel Anthony. There's some formula thing going on for this two but if it ain't broke right? Going back they're destined for each other and there's a prophecy that Thad will need Isabel by his side to basically make his reign successful. Again the heat level between this two was scorching and literally they make the air hiss between them. What I find interesting and funny is how Thad, being older than Isabel by at least a hundred years, is such a gentleman. He's noble and from the get go he never treated Isabel in a casual way. Isabel being a woman of this century is more emotionally detached and outgoing. So when The Talk came it's both sweet and hilarious how much Thad is acting so emotional while Isabel is so guarded and nonchalant. Love the role reversal.
As I mentioned, as King of Darkness is the introduction to the series, we also get to meet the other characters, how they're connected to each other and Staab gave us hints of what their romantic situations are or will be like in the succeeding books. Aside from the protagonists, the villains are well developed too! Staab gives us a great background for them, outlining how they threaten Thad and the dwindling vampire community. This equal page time between two camps heightens the importance of Thad's cause and the intensity of the street war going on between them.
I don't want to speak too soon but Chronicles of Yavn (pronounced Yavin w/c Staab shares means Yet Another Vampire Novel) is a great, sexy PNR. My upsell is this: If you love BDB you'll definitely have a blast with this.
August 29, 2012
I'm 80% through and forcing myself to continue.
Characters: While I don't hate them, I don't love them either. The main characters were somewhat likable but mostly annoying. I didn't really connect with any of them, even the antagonists. They strike me as a bit immature, especially the vampires who have been around longer than the humans. The main character has been a party girl/vamp for a long time and seems to lack the depth I like in order to connect to her, she had several TSTL (too stupid to live) moments. Thad, the male protag, was just juvenile. They were acting more like characters in a young adult book.
Plot: So so. This is supposed to be a paranormal romance. It felt more like a young adult vampire book with some shallow sex scenes. Also, I didn't feel that there was any depth of emotion from the characters. I felt that the author resorted to some cheap tricks in order to make the first sex scene happen. Blame the red wine, one-night stand type thing, just for the purpose of getting a sex scene in. The premise is the standard good vs. evil and the lines are clearly drawn. Wizards vs. Vampires. Yawn. The author jumps POV's quite a bit. It is constructed in such a way that it seemed obvious that she was trying to create a cliff hanger from one story line to the next, and I found it annoying.
Dialog: Somewhat stilted and annoyingly juvenile.
Professionalism of Writing: 3 out of 5. Nothing spectacular but not the worst either. It feels at though Ms. Staab is attempting to show the reader through her descriptions but mostly ends up using a lot of adjectives and telling the reader instead. There are a lot of word echo's as well as unnecessary words.
Setting: Present day as far as I can tell. No alternate history involved other than vamps and wizards exist and are in hiding from humans.
Characters: While I don't hate them, I don't love them either. The main characters were somewhat likable but mostly annoying. I didn't really connect with any of them, even the antagonists. They strike me as a bit immature, especially the vampires who have been around longer than the humans. The main character has been a party girl/vamp for a long time and seems to lack the depth I like in order to connect to her, she had several TSTL (too stupid to live) moments. Thad, the male protag, was just juvenile. They were acting more like characters in a young adult book.
Plot: So so. This is supposed to be a paranormal romance. It felt more like a young adult vampire book with some shallow sex scenes. Also, I didn't feel that there was any depth of emotion from the characters. I felt that the author resorted to some cheap tricks in order to make the first sex scene happen. Blame the red wine, one-night stand type thing, just for the purpose of getting a sex scene in. The premise is the standard good vs. evil and the lines are clearly drawn. Wizards vs. Vampires. Yawn. The author jumps POV's quite a bit. It is constructed in such a way that it seemed obvious that she was trying to create a cliff hanger from one story line to the next, and I found it annoying.
Dialog: Somewhat stilted and annoyingly juvenile.
Professionalism of Writing: 3 out of 5. Nothing spectacular but not the worst either. It feels at though Ms. Staab is attempting to show the reader through her descriptions but mostly ends up using a lot of adjectives and telling the reader instead. There are a lot of word echo's as well as unnecessary words.
Setting: Present day as far as I can tell. No alternate history involved other than vamps and wizards exist and are in hiding from humans.
April 17, 2012
Oh yeah baby ! This first book in the series was so darn good! I adore the main characters but the side characters as well. I mean sometimes it seems to drag when there are parts with the side characters . Not so here, at least for me. I loved the King. He was so uncertain and so damn sweet. But when he was mad boy he was mad and brooding. Poor guy took so much onto himself and so much happened in this book that he was blaming himself for all that had happened. I just wanted to hug him.
Isabel was a party girl but she was also getting tired of it as well. I was so mad at her at times. I felt like she was toying with Thad's affections. The thing is that she would feel bad though so it was hard to stay mad at her .Maybe she wasn't toying with him? Cause she was upfront and frank with him even when it would hurt him. I guess that is just how I felt. Then when she wanders off and well things go from bad to worse I'm thinking you are such a idiot. Again she feels bad . Misunderstanding that don't get cleared up until about the last chapter or so. Then the ending was really very sweet. Oh and some nasty witches are the baddies and they are nasty. I hate them already!
But you are left with questions.... What is happening to Tyra and Anton? What was in the letter? Where did Lee go?? Why?? What is the deal with Sid? Seems to be so much more to him, like maybe secrets?
Feels like my review is all over the place. I guess that's just where I am at , at the moment. lol.
Isabel was a party girl but she was also getting tired of it as well. I was so mad at her at times. I felt like she was toying with Thad's affections. The thing is that she would feel bad though so it was hard to stay mad at her .Maybe she wasn't toying with him? Cause she was upfront and frank with him even when it would hurt him. I guess that is just how I felt. Then when she wanders off and well things go from bad to worse I'm thinking you are such a idiot. Again she feels bad . Misunderstanding that don't get cleared up until about the last chapter or so. Then the ending was really very sweet. Oh and some nasty witches are the baddies and they are nasty. I hate them already!
But you are left with questions.... What is happening to Tyra and Anton? What was in the letter? Where did Lee go?? Why?? What is the deal with Sid? Seems to be so much more to him, like maybe secrets?
Feels like my review is all over the place. I guess that's just where I am at , at the moment. lol.
February 21, 2012
This is a Quickie Review. For the full review, please visit The Romanceaholic.
Expected Release Date: February 1, 2012 (Available Now!)
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Imprint: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Author’s Website: http://elisabethstaab.com/
My Source for This Book: Netgalley
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 1, Chronicles of Yavn
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Steamy
In the end, this was a good fated-to-be-mated story, lots of steam, plenty of angst, and quite a bit of set-up for future stories. I almost wish that some of the many subplots had been pared down a bit, because I had the distinct impression reading it that there were actually three or four novels preceding this one in the series. There were times when there were so many characters in play, and just so many subplots playing out, that I kept feeling as though I'd missed something important, but couldn't quite put my finger on just what that "something" might have been.
Despite that, however, the mythology was intriguing and the setup for future stories definitely have me hooked, and the high steam rating makes this a perfect read for these cold winter nights.
4/5 Stars
Expected Release Date: February 1, 2012 (Available Now!)
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Imprint: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Author’s Website: http://elisabethstaab.com/
My Source for This Book: Netgalley
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 1, Chronicles of Yavn
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Steamy
In the end, this was a good fated-to-be-mated story, lots of steam, plenty of angst, and quite a bit of set-up for future stories. I almost wish that some of the many subplots had been pared down a bit, because I had the distinct impression reading it that there were actually three or four novels preceding this one in the series. There were times when there were so many characters in play, and just so many subplots playing out, that I kept feeling as though I'd missed something important, but couldn't quite put my finger on just what that "something" might have been.
Despite that, however, the mythology was intriguing and the setup for future stories definitely have me hooked, and the high steam rating makes this a perfect read for these cold winter nights.
4/5 Stars
August 3, 2014
The hero is a judgemental asshole, I don't like him. The jumping POVs don't help either.
December 22, 2012
BOOK REVIEW by Michelle 14th DECEMBER 2012:
RATING: 4 THAD, LEE & SIDDOH STARS!!
‘T’ aka Thad Morgan has recently inherited the role of King of the Vampires. His tattoo is heating up and sending him in the direction of Club Insomniac with Lee his right hand man as his protector. His tattoo, a crudely depicted cross on his forearm is signalling to him, pulsing when he is getting closer to his would be mate.
Lee and Thad come across ‘would be mate’ and find her tapping into the blood of a girl straddling her. Not the first thought to come to mind, but don’t judge a person by the position they are in. She could be into guys as well J
Of course she is!
Isabel Anthony is a self proclaimed party girl. Thad must now convince Isabel to be his Queen. Isabel feels she is definitely not Queen material. But is she? Does she even like Thad? I know daft question...well, he could have been a butt ugly King......lol!
Her roomie is a petite human named Alexia with a tribal tattoo around her left bicep passing over her shoulder. Siddoh and Alexia had a tattoo showing moment. I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.
There are a few storylines going on within this book. We meet Isabel and Thad. Lee the soldier who is bred for his power and size has had it rough with an ex mate and he appears to have a resisting thing for Alexia. I really like Lee. I think he is uber gorgeous.
Tyra, is Thad’s sister who works at the Ashfalls Interfaith Shelter, this ties in another storyline.
Anton is the son of the Master of Wizards. Daddy has got pissed off with Anton and wants him out of his life. Where does Anton wind up?
This bunch of characters and storyline has a definite Black Dagger Brotherhood feel to it.
The Wizards are the villains hunting the vampires down, eating their hearts to acquire their power. Of course you have a main honcho who is very unassuming in appearance , but oh so powerful.
Tyra and Siddoh have a bit of a sex only/no relationship, past , and Tyra wants/needs to move on.
I really like Siddoh. Hugh Jackman sounds like the inspiration for this character. Siddoh is the General to the King. At first I wasn’t sure about him, but by the end of this book, I really liked him. He is just a bit of a lad.
Lee is my favourite at the moment.
Thad is the reluctant King who decides it is time to act the part, throw on the big daddy King pants and wear the role like he should. He has to toughen up and get the respect his father earned as King, time to redecorate.
I enjoyed Elisabeth giving us a few storylines for further instalments in the series in this book. We have Thad and Isabel. A highly possible Lee and Alexia, a ‘very interesting to see how it plays out’, Tyra and ????
We are introduced to enough of the male characters to know that there will be a main story in a few books to come for each of them.
From wine shagging to ........... I like where this series is heading. The lads are all big humma, humma guys. We get hints of other lads we may get introduced to more, all big soldiers fighting the war against the Wizards, these lads for various reasons without mates. So yay, we get to read how they get the chickie babe. Plus fight the war .
A great start to this series that has left me wanting to know more..... and I shall, as I am reading Prince of Power next.
FAVE QUOTE:
...... "Maybe you can serve it to him wearing nothing but your best pearls and some strappy stilettos. After dinner, put on some sexy music, shove him down on the bed, and spank him like the bad, bad, boy that he is. Diana recoiled a bit. "Or , you know, whatever you feel moved to do."
Michelle
RATING: 4 THAD, LEE & SIDDOH STARS!!
‘T’ aka Thad Morgan has recently inherited the role of King of the Vampires. His tattoo is heating up and sending him in the direction of Club Insomniac with Lee his right hand man as his protector. His tattoo, a crudely depicted cross on his forearm is signalling to him, pulsing when he is getting closer to his would be mate.
Lee and Thad come across ‘would be mate’ and find her tapping into the blood of a girl straddling her. Not the first thought to come to mind, but don’t judge a person by the position they are in. She could be into guys as well J
Of course she is!
Isabel Anthony is a self proclaimed party girl. Thad must now convince Isabel to be his Queen. Isabel feels she is definitely not Queen material. But is she? Does she even like Thad? I know daft question...well, he could have been a butt ugly King......lol!
Her roomie is a petite human named Alexia with a tribal tattoo around her left bicep passing over her shoulder. Siddoh and Alexia had a tattoo showing moment. I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.
There are a few storylines going on within this book. We meet Isabel and Thad. Lee the soldier who is bred for his power and size has had it rough with an ex mate and he appears to have a resisting thing for Alexia. I really like Lee. I think he is uber gorgeous.
Tyra, is Thad’s sister who works at the Ashfalls Interfaith Shelter, this ties in another storyline.
Anton is the son of the Master of Wizards. Daddy has got pissed off with Anton and wants him out of his life. Where does Anton wind up?
This bunch of characters and storyline has a definite Black Dagger Brotherhood feel to it.
The Wizards are the villains hunting the vampires down, eating their hearts to acquire their power. Of course you have a main honcho who is very unassuming in appearance , but oh so powerful.
Tyra and Siddoh have a bit of a sex only/no relationship, past , and Tyra wants/needs to move on.
I really like Siddoh. Hugh Jackman sounds like the inspiration for this character. Siddoh is the General to the King. At first I wasn’t sure about him, but by the end of this book, I really liked him. He is just a bit of a lad.
Lee is my favourite at the moment.
Thad is the reluctant King who decides it is time to act the part, throw on the big daddy King pants and wear the role like he should. He has to toughen up and get the respect his father earned as King, time to redecorate.
I enjoyed Elisabeth giving us a few storylines for further instalments in the series in this book. We have Thad and Isabel. A highly possible Lee and Alexia, a ‘very interesting to see how it plays out’, Tyra and ????
We are introduced to enough of the male characters to know that there will be a main story in a few books to come for each of them.
From wine shagging to ........... I like where this series is heading. The lads are all big humma, humma guys. We get hints of other lads we may get introduced to more, all big soldiers fighting the war against the Wizards, these lads for various reasons without mates. So yay, we get to read how they get the chickie babe. Plus fight the war .
A great start to this series that has left me wanting to know more..... and I shall, as I am reading Prince of Power next.
FAVE QUOTE:
...... "Maybe you can serve it to him wearing nothing but your best pearls and some strappy stilettos. After dinner, put on some sexy music, shove him down on the bed, and spank him like the bad, bad, boy that he is. Diana recoiled a bit. "Or , you know, whatever you feel moved to do."
Michelle
February 10, 2012
3.5-4 Stars
Dark, passionate and full of suspense, King of Darkness makes for an intriguing start to an exciting new series!
After her parents were shunned by their own kind, Isabel Anthony and her family moved to the human world. At the tender age of thirteen though, Isabel loses her parents in a tragic accident and is orphaned, leaving her alone as a young vampire among humans. Now, years later, Isabel lives one party at a time. Hopping through clubs and raves, imbibing in red wine and drinking from humans she is free from responsibilities and attachments. Until the King of the Vampire’s shows up in the club with some farfetched idea about her being his destined mate, turning her life upside down.
Thad Morgan is the new and somewhat reluctant King of the Vampires after the recent passing of his father. Now he is traveling across the country searching for the mate an oracle foresaw unlocking his powers and helping him rule when Thad was first born; the female vampire that he finally catches up with at a rave if Florida though is a far cry from the mate he expected to find. Now Thad must convince Isabel that she is destined for more than just that party girl life style and woo her into a future with him by her side. Can Thad keep Isabel from running or will she fall right into the arms of their enemies?
The basis of the plot in King of Darkness really intrigued me. Thad is a new king, unsure of himself and his abilities as king searching for his destined mate. The author takes a new path in the paranormal romance genre with a hero that is not your typical alpha male vampire. The vampires themselves keep separate from humans and drink from each other for strength as human blood holds no power for them. Also, each vampire has their own unique gift though some never come into them, like Isabel’s parents. The enemies of the vampires are wizards who are a power hungry group that gain their abilities by consuming vampires and absorbing their powers. A unique twist for vampire romances but the icing on the cake is that drugs and such don’t affect vampires but red wine intoxicates them and has the side effect like ecstasy would for humans. This provided an interesting setting for the romance in the story.
Thad is a strong yet vulnerable character, uncertain in his ability to live up to his father’s name as King. When Thad meets up with Isabel his confidence is thrown another curve. Their relationship starts off pretty rocky and I had a hard time seeing these two jive together, the attraction was there with plenty of spark but there was nothing solid beneath it. As the story progresses though and misunderstandings are corrected and communication more opened, their relationship begins to flow. Two sub-romances between secondary characters are interwoven into the main plot giving the story another layer of depth and I look forward to reading more about these characters in future installments. As with most debut novels in a series, there was a lot of world building and the first half of the book was an introduction to this dark new world but I found it well written.
All in all, King of Darkness was a good debut for the author; the action, romance and suspense kept me turning the pages and the different characters kept me captivated. I would definitely say that author Elisabeth Staab is a bold new voice in vampire romance and I look forward to reading more from her.
I waffled between a 3.5 - 4 with this one because of the main character's shaky start but lean more towards a 4.
Dark, passionate and full of suspense, King of Darkness makes for an intriguing start to an exciting new series!
After her parents were shunned by their own kind, Isabel Anthony and her family moved to the human world. At the tender age of thirteen though, Isabel loses her parents in a tragic accident and is orphaned, leaving her alone as a young vampire among humans. Now, years later, Isabel lives one party at a time. Hopping through clubs and raves, imbibing in red wine and drinking from humans she is free from responsibilities and attachments. Until the King of the Vampire’s shows up in the club with some farfetched idea about her being his destined mate, turning her life upside down.
Thad Morgan is the new and somewhat reluctant King of the Vampires after the recent passing of his father. Now he is traveling across the country searching for the mate an oracle foresaw unlocking his powers and helping him rule when Thad was first born; the female vampire that he finally catches up with at a rave if Florida though is a far cry from the mate he expected to find. Now Thad must convince Isabel that she is destined for more than just that party girl life style and woo her into a future with him by her side. Can Thad keep Isabel from running or will she fall right into the arms of their enemies?
The basis of the plot in King of Darkness really intrigued me. Thad is a new king, unsure of himself and his abilities as king searching for his destined mate. The author takes a new path in the paranormal romance genre with a hero that is not your typical alpha male vampire. The vampires themselves keep separate from humans and drink from each other for strength as human blood holds no power for them. Also, each vampire has their own unique gift though some never come into them, like Isabel’s parents. The enemies of the vampires are wizards who are a power hungry group that gain their abilities by consuming vampires and absorbing their powers. A unique twist for vampire romances but the icing on the cake is that drugs and such don’t affect vampires but red wine intoxicates them and has the side effect like ecstasy would for humans. This provided an interesting setting for the romance in the story.
Thad is a strong yet vulnerable character, uncertain in his ability to live up to his father’s name as King. When Thad meets up with Isabel his confidence is thrown another curve. Their relationship starts off pretty rocky and I had a hard time seeing these two jive together, the attraction was there with plenty of spark but there was nothing solid beneath it. As the story progresses though and misunderstandings are corrected and communication more opened, their relationship begins to flow. Two sub-romances between secondary characters are interwoven into the main plot giving the story another layer of depth and I look forward to reading more about these characters in future installments. As with most debut novels in a series, there was a lot of world building and the first half of the book was an introduction to this dark new world but I found it well written.
All in all, King of Darkness was a good debut for the author; the action, romance and suspense kept me turning the pages and the different characters kept me captivated. I would definitely say that author Elisabeth Staab is a bold new voice in vampire romance and I look forward to reading more from her.
I waffled between a 3.5 - 4 with this one because of the main character's shaky start but lean more towards a 4.
February 4, 2012
3.5 of 5 Stars
With a hidden world of vampires and wizards, blood and magic, and destined life mates, Elisabeth Staab debuts a remarkable new book in the world of paranormal romance. In King of Darkness, rising new Vampire King, Thad, must find his prophesied life mate, woo her, gain his powers, and take the throne all while fighting off his enemies at every turn. Suddenly not only does he have to woo his life mate, Isabel, he has to protect her and convince her that she could be queen. Isabel is a party girl, not used to having any responsibilities or having to answer to anyone. When Thad enters Isabel’s life, her world is turned upside down, and Isabel must start living for more than herself.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story. I like the nature of the vampire community, with their political structure and their varying abilities. Also, the wizards, the enemies of the vampires who kill vampires and steal their powers, are an intriguing new villain, they act even less human than the vampires. This provides a solid and interesting setting for the story of how the new vampire king finds his mate and comes to power.
I will admit that I am not Isabel’s biggest fan. From the start, she is a fairly selfish character who has serious communication issues. At the same time, Thad has his own problems communicating, and the pair are constantly assuming incorrect things about each other. This can get frustrating at times, but as they get to know each other, this does get a little bit better. I like the supporting characters in this story, they give more depth to not only the story, but to the main characters as well.
King of Darkness is well written, the plot has definite twists and turns and the pacing kept me interested and reading. Combined with the varied characters and setting, King of Darkness is a very good, very solid start to a new paranormal series. I rate this King of Darkness almost 4 stars. Kudos to author Elisabeth Staab for this debut novel, I will be looking forward to reading the next installment in the Chronicles of Yavn series. I would recommend King of Darkness to readers who enjoy paranormal, paranormal romance, and urban fantasy books.
I received this book for review courtesy of NetGalley**
With a hidden world of vampires and wizards, blood and magic, and destined life mates, Elisabeth Staab debuts a remarkable new book in the world of paranormal romance. In King of Darkness, rising new Vampire King, Thad, must find his prophesied life mate, woo her, gain his powers, and take the throne all while fighting off his enemies at every turn. Suddenly not only does he have to woo his life mate, Isabel, he has to protect her and convince her that she could be queen. Isabel is a party girl, not used to having any responsibilities or having to answer to anyone. When Thad enters Isabel’s life, her world is turned upside down, and Isabel must start living for more than herself.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story. I like the nature of the vampire community, with their political structure and their varying abilities. Also, the wizards, the enemies of the vampires who kill vampires and steal their powers, are an intriguing new villain, they act even less human than the vampires. This provides a solid and interesting setting for the story of how the new vampire king finds his mate and comes to power.
I will admit that I am not Isabel’s biggest fan. From the start, she is a fairly selfish character who has serious communication issues. At the same time, Thad has his own problems communicating, and the pair are constantly assuming incorrect things about each other. This can get frustrating at times, but as they get to know each other, this does get a little bit better. I like the supporting characters in this story, they give more depth to not only the story, but to the main characters as well.
King of Darkness is well written, the plot has definite twists and turns and the pacing kept me interested and reading. Combined with the varied characters and setting, King of Darkness is a very good, very solid start to a new paranormal series. I rate this King of Darkness almost 4 stars. Kudos to author Elisabeth Staab for this debut novel, I will be looking forward to reading the next installment in the Chronicles of Yavn series. I would recommend King of Darkness to readers who enjoy paranormal, paranormal romance, and urban fantasy books.
I received this book for review courtesy of NetGalley**
April 2, 2012
This book was a big surprise for me, I had grabbed it thinking it would be an easy read and probably not an author I would feel the need to follow I have to many series I follow as is. So I was hoping for a nonseries book that was just a fun read. This definitely was anfun easy read, but what surprised me was how much I liked the character's right away. I found myself wrapped up in the plot right from the first page, this doesn't often happen with new authors for me its actually pretty rare. Something about the mix of plot, characters, and storyline just really sucked me into this vampire's world which is even more shocking cause I'm burnt out on vampire's right now. This story is about a vampire king who has been searching for his mate in order to bond with her and hopefully save there people. The book starts off where he's found her and is getting the shock of his sheltered life, his life mate is not where he expects or what he was expecting. But their attraction to each other is evident right from the start. This book kept a fast pace through out without seeming rushed or leaving out important information. The author's writing style was smooth and seemed effortless, I was very drawn to her emotional descriptions and how she portrays lust, love, and attraction it flowed and didn't seem odd or to soon for the level of attraction between the characters at such an early time. She explained the attraction so well and I honestly think the story would have been lacking in warmth and continuity. I enjoyed the action and fight scenes, they were great for showing us the vampires and mages powers instead of just telling us. Over all this book and author really impressed me I can't wait for a sequel, I will definitely be buying more books from this author and I suggest you check her out to.
February 6, 2012
Thad is king of the vampires and searching for his destined mate. But when he finds her she's not what he expects. Isabel is a party girl at a rave, and wants nothing to do with him. Her human friend is attacked by the vampires' enemies, the wizards, and so she and her friend end up going with Thad and his general back to Thad's estate. Faced with making the decision of whether to stay with Thad or not, Isabel wanders too far from the estate, putting herself and Thad's men in danger.
This story is geared towards readers who can handle first meeting the heroine at a rave when she has another woman in her lap. It's definitely for young or young-at-heart readers. Though the heroine herself is chronologically almost 60 years old she acts like she's in her 20's. And Thad is centuries old, yet he also acts young and inexperienced. Go figure. But who wants to read about stodgy old characters? Anyway, I got past all that and enjoyed the book though they seemed to fall in love rather quickly. Or maybe I just read the book too fast. ;) MINOR SPOILER: Although Thad and Isabel end up with a very nice HEA, there is a mystery left open-ended at the end which I assume leads into the next book.
This story is geared towards readers who can handle first meeting the heroine at a rave when she has another woman in her lap. It's definitely for young or young-at-heart readers. Though the heroine herself is chronologically almost 60 years old she acts like she's in her 20's. And Thad is centuries old, yet he also acts young and inexperienced. Go figure. But who wants to read about stodgy old characters? Anyway, I got past all that and enjoyed the book though they seemed to fall in love rather quickly. Or maybe I just read the book too fast. ;) MINOR SPOILER: Although Thad and Isabel end up with a very nice HEA, there is a mystery left open-ended at the end which I assume leads into the next book.
June 16, 2012
King of Darkness is a promising start to a new series, in this case the vampires are the good guys and we join them as Thad Morgan is readying himself to take over as King following the loss of his father. When Thad was younger it was prophesised that he wouldn't come into his vampire powers until he met his fated Queen. Knowing that now, more than ever, he needs that power Thad and his bodyguard, Lee set off in search of her.
Isabel isn't what you would expect a future Queen to be in some aspects, in others you can easily see her doing it and performing her duties well. Like most pnr they do fall into bed together pretty quickly but they are each fighting their own insecurities and there are obstacles to overcome if they wish to be together.
In an interesting twist the vampires aren't at war with humans, nope the bad guys in this one are wizards. This gave it the extra little twist that I feel may set it apart from other books in the vampire genre and will keep me going back for more.
For me the most intriguing part of this story was the addition of Alexia, Isabel's human best friend who gets hurt in a scuffle with a wizard and her attraction to Lee. You can feel the sparks between them and I feel that their story is going to be the most highly anticipated one!
Isabel isn't what you would expect a future Queen to be in some aspects, in others you can easily see her doing it and performing her duties well. Like most pnr they do fall into bed together pretty quickly but they are each fighting their own insecurities and there are obstacles to overcome if they wish to be together.
In an interesting twist the vampires aren't at war with humans, nope the bad guys in this one are wizards. This gave it the extra little twist that I feel may set it apart from other books in the vampire genre and will keep me going back for more.
For me the most intriguing part of this story was the addition of Alexia, Isabel's human best friend who gets hurt in a scuffle with a wizard and her attraction to Lee. You can feel the sparks between them and I feel that their story is going to be the most highly anticipated one!
November 5, 2012
3.5 Stars
These novels very well have the potential to become one of my favourite paranormal romance series to date. As I read it I couldn't help thinking that fans of The Black Dagger Brotherhood series would enjoy this just as much. It's not the same by any means but it does have its own original vampire lore and history that I could so appreciate. It really blew me away even though there were one or two things that just didn't jive for me. But overall, I am most definitely looking forward to the next book!
These novels very well have the potential to become one of my favourite paranormal romance series to date. As I read it I couldn't help thinking that fans of The Black Dagger Brotherhood series would enjoy this just as much. It's not the same by any means but it does have its own original vampire lore and history that I could so appreciate. It really blew me away even though there were one or two things that just didn't jive for me. But overall, I am most definitely looking forward to the next book!
March 3, 2012
A first book by this author and it really hit the mark. Ms. Staab's world building and characters where dead on. I was able to follow along and not get bored with to much information overload.
The characters are well developed and likeable.
I don't know if this is going to be a series but I sure hope so.
The mix of vampires and their enemies; the wizards, are just as strong and just as determined as the vamps, had my stomach in knots.
Good pace, good plot, good characters; what's not to like?
Recommend this read...
The characters are well developed and likeable.
I don't know if this is going to be a series but I sure hope so.
The mix of vampires and their enemies; the wizards, are just as strong and just as determined as the vamps, had my stomach in knots.
Good pace, good plot, good characters; what's not to like?
Recommend this read...
February 15, 2013
Got just past the 50% point for this one. I cannot even believe this was published it was so beyond ridiculous!
The feel of the writing did not match the story. This threw me off from the start. I did try to give this a chance. We are just not meant to be. Thankfully it was a rental and not a purchase. Blessings abound.
The feel of the writing did not match the story. This threw me off from the start. I did try to give this a chance. We are just not meant to be. Thankfully it was a rental and not a purchase. Blessings abound.
February 16, 2012
Loved this book and I think all my friends who love paranormal romance should read it asap.
March 26, 2012
I loved this book. The characters were great, the conflict between vampires & wizards was refreshing. I can't wait for the next one.
August 15, 2025
Inheriting the title of King after his father is killed and his mother committed suicide - unwilling to live without her mate- it has been prophesized that the hero needs his own mate to fully awaken the powers within. He's searched for some time to find this woman and that search has lead him into a world he never imagined his fated mate would live.
Raves, drugs and open sexual relationships are so not the heroes cup of tea. He's a bit startled when he enters the club and witnesses the events happening around him. But then he sees her. Beautiful, young and getting a little too close to another woman, the hero is immediately aware that his search has ended. Now all he has to do is convince the heroine to give him the time of day.
After a moment of brief cowardice as she flees to the bathroom, she eventually agrees to speak with him. It's not like she can turn down an audience with the King, even if her parents her outcasts from the vampire world. Plus this male does something very special to her insides and she finds herself unable to resist the chance to know him better. He is obviously uncomfortable with the subject matter but he tells her that she is meant to be his mate.
The burning of her scar, the same scar that matches the one on his body, tells her that what he says may be true but hell if she's going to admit it. She's not queen material....But she still can't resist accepting the heroes body. She enjoys making this innocent and in a lot of ways sheltered man open his eyes to the possibilities of her world. He is hansom and at heart a very decent man. He will make a great king but she is not meant to be his queen. Still, after a wizard attack she is forced to take shelter in his mansion.
There, the heroines reluctance to accept her feelings towards him or to accept that something far more deep than just sex is happening between them begins to wear the hero down. Once gentle and very undemanding, he begins to act like a savage bear, growling at everyone and generally having a hard time loving a woman who obviously does not love him back. But as the danger surrounds them and the circumstances of having to accept what a King truly is and what he stands for, the hero begins to grow as a man.
The heroine is helpful regardless of her denial of suitability but its the hero who must suck it up and man up before everything he cares about is lost.
I liked this book. Actually I liked the hero and heroines developing relationship but my problem with this book was the fact that a great deal of time and attention was spent on secondary characters. In fact, half the book was spent on subplots and characters who will have their own stories in the books to follow. I didn't feel like enough effort went into the main characters story and that was a shame.
The hero was almost geeky in his inexperience towards the sort of life the heroine lived. He was unassuming and almost timid at times regardless of his physical appearance. He doubted himself and it made things worse. He had to learn how to be a King and it took some time and whole lot of heartache but he finally achieved it with the heroines help. She was very good at prodding him and pushing time towards the direction he needed to go. He began to turn into a grumpy gus half way through the book because of the tension with the heroine and who could blame him. It was hard for him to love a woman so deeply, crave her so passionately while at the same time understanding the reasons why she held him at a distance.
The heroine was a very contradictory character. She was strong and independent but subservient and almost meek at times. She rarely lost her temper and I thought she handled her situation with a great deal of patience and openness. She was frightened to suddenly have this much pressure put on her. Pressure to be a mate and a queen. She didn't want any of it because she didn't want to lose anyone close to her again.
I grew a little frustrated with the hot and cold aspect of her personality and that paired with the shortened time frame which the novel takes place in. I liked this book but I didn't love it. It could have been so much better if a bit more devotion to the main characters was present.
Raves, drugs and open sexual relationships are so not the heroes cup of tea. He's a bit startled when he enters the club and witnesses the events happening around him. But then he sees her. Beautiful, young and getting a little too close to another woman, the hero is immediately aware that his search has ended. Now all he has to do is convince the heroine to give him the time of day.
After a moment of brief cowardice as she flees to the bathroom, she eventually agrees to speak with him. It's not like she can turn down an audience with the King, even if her parents her outcasts from the vampire world. Plus this male does something very special to her insides and she finds herself unable to resist the chance to know him better. He is obviously uncomfortable with the subject matter but he tells her that she is meant to be his mate.
The burning of her scar, the same scar that matches the one on his body, tells her that what he says may be true but hell if she's going to admit it. She's not queen material....But she still can't resist accepting the heroes body. She enjoys making this innocent and in a lot of ways sheltered man open his eyes to the possibilities of her world. He is hansom and at heart a very decent man. He will make a great king but she is not meant to be his queen. Still, after a wizard attack she is forced to take shelter in his mansion.
There, the heroines reluctance to accept her feelings towards him or to accept that something far more deep than just sex is happening between them begins to wear the hero down. Once gentle and very undemanding, he begins to act like a savage bear, growling at everyone and generally having a hard time loving a woman who obviously does not love him back. But as the danger surrounds them and the circumstances of having to accept what a King truly is and what he stands for, the hero begins to grow as a man.
The heroine is helpful regardless of her denial of suitability but its the hero who must suck it up and man up before everything he cares about is lost.
I liked this book. Actually I liked the hero and heroines developing relationship but my problem with this book was the fact that a great deal of time and attention was spent on secondary characters. In fact, half the book was spent on subplots and characters who will have their own stories in the books to follow. I didn't feel like enough effort went into the main characters story and that was a shame.
The hero was almost geeky in his inexperience towards the sort of life the heroine lived. He was unassuming and almost timid at times regardless of his physical appearance. He doubted himself and it made things worse. He had to learn how to be a King and it took some time and whole lot of heartache but he finally achieved it with the heroines help. She was very good at prodding him and pushing time towards the direction he needed to go. He began to turn into a grumpy gus half way through the book because of the tension with the heroine and who could blame him. It was hard for him to love a woman so deeply, crave her so passionately while at the same time understanding the reasons why she held him at a distance.
The heroine was a very contradictory character. She was strong and independent but subservient and almost meek at times. She rarely lost her temper and I thought she handled her situation with a great deal of patience and openness. She was frightened to suddenly have this much pressure put on her. Pressure to be a mate and a queen. She didn't want any of it because she didn't want to lose anyone close to her again.
I grew a little frustrated with the hot and cold aspect of her personality and that paired with the shortened time frame which the novel takes place in. I liked this book but I didn't love it. It could have been so much better if a bit more devotion to the main characters was present.
March 12, 2012
Buffy Is That You?
This promising new series by Elisabeth Staab, Chronicles of Yavn, pits Wizards against Vampires. In King of Darkness, the first book in the series, Vampire King Thad Morgan must find his mate or risk dissension amongst his subjects. In an interesting twist Vampires are hunted by Wizards who kill and dissect them to steal their magic. Thad’s magic has not manifested and a prophesy he received at birth suggests that the only way for him to acquire his magic, and rule successfully, is to find his destined mate.
Isabel Anthony is NOT the kind of mate that Thad has been looking for, but she is his mate. She hangs out at clubs, drinks wine—which is like ecstasy for vamps, and dresses like a naughty school girl, pigtails and all. Isabel isn’t too keen on Thad either. In the Vampire world not having powers means you are mistreated and Isabel doesn’t have powers either. To protect her Isabel’s parents isolated her from the rest of Vampire society so she doesn’t want to be their Queen and is instantly on guard around Thad.
The beginning of the novel was clunky for me. There was nothing compelling about Thad or Isabel. Part of it, I think, is there really wasn’t anything endearing about either of them. There was much more drama and emotion in the early scenes revolving around Anton so he was the initial reason I kept reading. Once Thad and Isabel left for his estate in Michigan Thad’s growing feelings for Isabel and insecurities about ruling the Vampires makes him more interesting and complex and easily readable. While Isabel’s emotional baggage causes the quintessential relationship foibles consistent with romance novels, her inner strength saves the reader from being utterly annoyed by some of her stupid and predictable mistakes.
Staab does a great job of introducing the plots that will undoubtedly be explored throughout the series in upcoming novels and seamlessly weaves in and out of scenes that involve future main characters like Anton Smith, half Wizard, half human son of the evil Wizard Master and Tyra Morgan, half human, half Vampire sister of King Thad.
Alexia is Isabel’s human roommate and best friend. She is fiesty and endearing and I hope we get a story featuring her and Thad’s right hand man, moody and insulting Vampire Lee Goram—who is becoming fixated on Alexia despite his best efforts. aversion to humans, and deep heartbreak over an ex-mate. I was hoping that their story was next, but in January 2013 (sad face) we will be reading about Anton and Tyra. (I’m not completely sad. I think Anton and Tyra’s story will be great. I just wish we could read about Lee and Alexia first.)
Although my fiance would die if he heard that Vampires were the victims in a novel, I think it is an interesting plot change. It is also interesting for vampires to have magic and I like that the Wizards are the evil entity. Thad and Tyra were ultimately a great pair to read about, but they were often overshadowed by the secondary characters in the novel. I would recommend reading King of Darkness so that you aren’t behind when the second book comes out, but it may be better to start with the second book in the series.
This promising new series by Elisabeth Staab, Chronicles of Yavn, pits Wizards against Vampires. In King of Darkness, the first book in the series, Vampire King Thad Morgan must find his mate or risk dissension amongst his subjects. In an interesting twist Vampires are hunted by Wizards who kill and dissect them to steal their magic. Thad’s magic has not manifested and a prophesy he received at birth suggests that the only way for him to acquire his magic, and rule successfully, is to find his destined mate.
Isabel Anthony is NOT the kind of mate that Thad has been looking for, but she is his mate. She hangs out at clubs, drinks wine—which is like ecstasy for vamps, and dresses like a naughty school girl, pigtails and all. Isabel isn’t too keen on Thad either. In the Vampire world not having powers means you are mistreated and Isabel doesn’t have powers either. To protect her Isabel’s parents isolated her from the rest of Vampire society so she doesn’t want to be their Queen and is instantly on guard around Thad.
The beginning of the novel was clunky for me. There was nothing compelling about Thad or Isabel. Part of it, I think, is there really wasn’t anything endearing about either of them. There was much more drama and emotion in the early scenes revolving around Anton so he was the initial reason I kept reading. Once Thad and Isabel left for his estate in Michigan Thad’s growing feelings for Isabel and insecurities about ruling the Vampires makes him more interesting and complex and easily readable. While Isabel’s emotional baggage causes the quintessential relationship foibles consistent with romance novels, her inner strength saves the reader from being utterly annoyed by some of her stupid and predictable mistakes.
Staab does a great job of introducing the plots that will undoubtedly be explored throughout the series in upcoming novels and seamlessly weaves in and out of scenes that involve future main characters like Anton Smith, half Wizard, half human son of the evil Wizard Master and Tyra Morgan, half human, half Vampire sister of King Thad.
Alexia is Isabel’s human roommate and best friend. She is fiesty and endearing and I hope we get a story featuring her and Thad’s right hand man, moody and insulting Vampire Lee Goram—who is becoming fixated on Alexia despite his best efforts. aversion to humans, and deep heartbreak over an ex-mate. I was hoping that their story was next, but in January 2013 (sad face) we will be reading about Anton and Tyra. (I’m not completely sad. I think Anton and Tyra’s story will be great. I just wish we could read about Lee and Alexia first.)
Although my fiance would die if he heard that Vampires were the victims in a novel, I think it is an interesting plot change. It is also interesting for vampires to have magic and I like that the Wizards are the evil entity. Thad and Tyra were ultimately a great pair to read about, but they were often overshadowed by the secondary characters in the novel. I would recommend reading King of Darkness so that you aren’t behind when the second book comes out, but it may be better to start with the second book in the series.
March 19, 2012
Originally posted at: http://www.longandshortreviews.blogsp...
Newly crowned King of Vampires, Thad Morgan, doesn’t simply want to find his destined mate he needs to find her. The safety and fate of the entire Vampire community hinges on Thad coming into his powers. For that to happen he needs to find "the one". Naturally, he'd find her at a late night rave, right?
Elisabeth Staab’s debut novel is fast paced and descriptive. In a refreshing take on vampire wars the villain in the Chronicle of Yavn are a covey of sadistic wizards out to kill and steal vampire powers. Book one is centered on Thad and Isabel. She’s a vampire seemingly without powers and therefore useless in the vampire community. He needs to find the one that was foretold to be his mate before his own powers can be released.
Thad isn’t the typical hero you might think of when you hear “king of the vampires”. Most readers would assume he’s going to be a super-pumped up alpha male with heaping doses of self confidence. On the contrary, Thad isn’t nearly as confident as he needs to be to garner the respect of his people. A queen at his side would go a long way in changing the minds of the vampires to support and obey Thad.
Likewise, Isabel “Izzy” is hardly “queen” material. As I mentioned, she doesn’t have a power since her parents didn’t have power. Or does she? It took me a little while to buy into Thad and Isabel’s attraction but that’s okay because it took them a while as well. The sexual chemistry is there in spades and they take full advantage to explore those sparks every chance they get. The sex is descriptive and intense but Ms. Staab does a good job not making it the focus of the story.
I was hooked from the moment Thad laid eyes on Isabel. She isn’t at all what he expected but he soon realizes she’s exactly what he needs. When Isabel and her human roommate, Alexia, are attacked Isabel comes to terms with needing Thad as well. Their relationship is rocky for a while due to a distinct lack of trust and lots of miscommunication but in the end the lust they felt early on grows into love.
The secondary characters in this book make a strong impression and are sure to be seen again soon. In fact, Ms. Staab has already noted that Anton and Tyra’s story will be out next with Prince of Power. I’ll be interested in seeing how they reconcile their major differences in the coming book. Another sub-plot that captured my attention was between Thad’s protector and friend Lee and the very human spitfire, Alexia. I’m not sure Lee knows quite what to do with her but he certainly wants her!
This series has some real potential. It works well to give readers a taste of the world Ms. Staab has created as well as a preview of things to come. Since this is the first book in the series, it’s the perfect opportunity to get a taste of Ms. Staab’s talent and be a part of a striking unique new series.
Newly crowned King of Vampires, Thad Morgan, doesn’t simply want to find his destined mate he needs to find her. The safety and fate of the entire Vampire community hinges on Thad coming into his powers. For that to happen he needs to find "the one". Naturally, he'd find her at a late night rave, right?
Elisabeth Staab’s debut novel is fast paced and descriptive. In a refreshing take on vampire wars the villain in the Chronicle of Yavn are a covey of sadistic wizards out to kill and steal vampire powers. Book one is centered on Thad and Isabel. She’s a vampire seemingly without powers and therefore useless in the vampire community. He needs to find the one that was foretold to be his mate before his own powers can be released.
Thad isn’t the typical hero you might think of when you hear “king of the vampires”. Most readers would assume he’s going to be a super-pumped up alpha male with heaping doses of self confidence. On the contrary, Thad isn’t nearly as confident as he needs to be to garner the respect of his people. A queen at his side would go a long way in changing the minds of the vampires to support and obey Thad.
Likewise, Isabel “Izzy” is hardly “queen” material. As I mentioned, she doesn’t have a power since her parents didn’t have power. Or does she? It took me a little while to buy into Thad and Isabel’s attraction but that’s okay because it took them a while as well. The sexual chemistry is there in spades and they take full advantage to explore those sparks every chance they get. The sex is descriptive and intense but Ms. Staab does a good job not making it the focus of the story.
I was hooked from the moment Thad laid eyes on Isabel. She isn’t at all what he expected but he soon realizes she’s exactly what he needs. When Isabel and her human roommate, Alexia, are attacked Isabel comes to terms with needing Thad as well. Their relationship is rocky for a while due to a distinct lack of trust and lots of miscommunication but in the end the lust they felt early on grows into love.
The secondary characters in this book make a strong impression and are sure to be seen again soon. In fact, Ms. Staab has already noted that Anton and Tyra’s story will be out next with Prince of Power. I’ll be interested in seeing how they reconcile their major differences in the coming book. Another sub-plot that captured my attention was between Thad’s protector and friend Lee and the very human spitfire, Alexia. I’m not sure Lee knows quite what to do with her but he certainly wants her!
This series has some real potential. It works well to give readers a taste of the world Ms. Staab has created as well as a preview of things to come. Since this is the first book in the series, it’s the perfect opportunity to get a taste of Ms. Staab’s talent and be a part of a striking unique new series.
January 17, 2013
เรารักหนังสือที่ไม่ยึดติดกับสูตรสำเร็จ และเพราะคิดว่าเรื่องนี้จะเป็นไปตามสูตรสำเร็จของหนังสือแนวพานานอมอลก็ทำให้เราวางทิ้งเอาไว้ไม่อ่านอยู่เกือบปี จนกระทั่งเล่มสองออกขาย
ไม่มีอะไรที่เหมือนสูตรในเล่มนี้ในส่วนของคาแร็คเตอร์ แม้ว่าพล็อตเรื่องจะยังเป็นอะไรที่ซ้ำซากเหมือนเดิมอยู่บ้าง เมื่อราชาแห่งแวมไพร์ได้ออกตามหาเจ้าสาวของเขาเพื่อให้เป็นไปตามคำทำนายโบราณ หาไม่แล้วเขาก็จะไม่ได้รับพลังอันเครื่องหมายแห่งอำนาจ
แต่ราชาแห่งแวมไพร์ในเรื่องนี้ชื่อว่า แทด มอร์แกน ขอบอกว่าก่อนจะเริ่มอ่าน เจอว่าพระเอกชื่อแทด ก็อึ้ง ๆ ไป คิดว่ามันไม่โรแมนติกเอาเสียเลย แต่พออ่านก็เห็นว่า ชื่อนี้เหมาะกับเขามาก เพราะแทดไม่ใช่พระเอกแนวอัลฟ่า ออกแนวดาร์คทนทุกข์ แต่เขาคือแวมไพร์หนุ่มอายุแค่ร้อยปี ซึ่งน้อยมากเมื่อเปรียบเทียบกับคนในเผ่าพันธุ์ ทั้งยังไม่ค่อยมั่นใจกับภาระที่ตัวเองได้รับ กลัวว่าจะไม่อาจทำหน้าที่ได้ดีเท่ากับที่พ่อของเขาเคยทำ พระเอกเรื่องนี้ไม่ดาร์ค แต่ไม่ได้ไลท์จนไร้สาระ แต่ลงตัวและเหมือนมนุษย์ที่เรารู้จักในชีวิตประจำวัน มีความไร้เดียงสาในบางเรื่องที่ทำให้เรายิ้มเมื่ออ่านเจอ
นอกจากพระเอกแล้ว คาแร็คเตอร์ตัวอื่นในเรื่องก็ไม่มีอะไรเป็นไปตามแบบที่ควรจะเป็น (ถ้านักเขียนเขียนตามสูตรสำเร็จ) คนที่เราคิดว่าเป็นน้องสาวของแทด ที่เราคิดว่า จะเป็นสาวน้อยตาใสลูกครึ่งมนุษย์และแวมไพร์ ที่ต้องได้รับการปกป้องทนุถนอม กลายเป็นพีสาวที่แก่ว่าแทดยี่สิบปี แถมยังชอบเรียกน้องชายที่เป็นราชาว่า "Baby Brother" ทั้งยังเป็นคนที่มีพลังเก่งกว่าใครในเรื่อง
องครักษ์ของราชาที่น่าจะเป็นคาแร็คเตอร์ที่แสนซื่อสัตย์ และทำทุกอย่างตามหน้าที่ ก็มีอะไรมากกว่าที่เห็น
สรุปว่าคาแร็คเตอร์ในเรื่องนี้ไม่มีใครเป็นอย่างที่คาดคิด แม้ว่าในส่วนของพล็อตจะค่อนข้างซ้ำซากอยู่ (การต่อสู้กันของชนเผ่าแวมไพร์ที่ใกล้สูญพันธุ์กะพ่อมดที่ต้องการพลังของพวกเขา) แต่คาแร็คเตอร์ช่วยกันพยุงให้เราอ่านเล่มนี้ไปตลอดรอดฝั่ง
อ่านเรื่องนี้จบแล้วต้องวิ่ง (ใช้คำนี้เลยค่ะ ไม่ใช่เดิมธรรมดา) ไปหยิบเล่มสองมาอ่าน เรื่องโฆษณาว่า เป็นเรื่องความรักระหว่างศัตรู ลูกชายของผู้นำเหล่าพ่อมด กับพี่สาวของราชาแห่งแวมไพร์ ซึ่งทั้งคู่ออกมาในเล่มนี้ให้เห็นคาแร็คเตอร์กันแล้วทั้ง และไม่มีใครเป็นอย่างที่คิดสักคน (ตอนนี้อ่านไปครึ่งเรื่อง ขอบอกว่าสนุกมากกว่าเล่มนี้ซะอีก)
Edited to Add หลังจากเขียนจบไปแล้ว ก็นึกอะไรเกี่ยวกับเรื่องนี้ได้หลายอย่าง
คงต้องบอกว่า นี่เป็นผลงานเล่มแรกของนักเขียนคนนี้ ดังนั้นจึงไม่หลายอย่างที่ไม่ราบรื่น มีข้อผิดพลาดของนักเขียนหน้าใหม่ เช่นการตายของคาแร็คเตอร์ตัวนึง (ที่ไม่สำคัญในเล่มนี้เท่าไหรนัก) ตายไปแล้ว ก็บรรยายฟื้นขึ้นมา แล้วก็ตายไปใหม่อีกรอบ เลยทำให้เรามีความคิดว่า น่าจะมีอะไรสำคัญในส่วนของการตายแล้วฟื้น (แล้วตาย) ของตาคนนี้บ้าง แต่อ่านไปจนจบเรื่อง ก็ไม่มีอะไรเกิดขึ้น ตายไปแค่นั้นเอง
แล้วเราค่อนข้างชอบการออกนอกเรื่องของตัวละครหลักไปพูดถึงบรรดาตัวละครรองในเรื่อง เราคิดว่าสื่อประเด็นซึ่งเป็นพล็อตใหญ่ของชุดได้ดี แต่ไม่ทำให้โฟกัสของตัวละครหลักสูญเสียไป (แต่ก็ไม่แน่ใจนะคะว่า ที่คิดแบบนี้เพราะเรากรี๊ดกะคาแร็คเตอร์ที่จะเป็นตัวละครหลักในเล่มสองมากรึเปล่า)
เล่มนี้คะแนนที่ 70
ไม่มีอะไรที่เหมือนสูตรในเล่มนี้ในส่วนของคาแร็คเตอร์ แม้ว่าพล็อตเรื่องจะยังเป็นอะไรที่ซ้ำซากเหมือนเดิมอยู่บ้าง เมื่อราชาแห่งแวมไพร์ได้ออกตามหาเจ้าสาวของเขาเพื่อให้เป็นไปตามคำทำนายโบราณ หาไม่แล้วเขาก็จะไม่ได้รับพลังอันเครื่องหมายแห่งอำนาจ
แต่ราชาแห่งแวมไพร์ในเรื่องนี้ชื่อว่า แทด มอร์แกน ขอบอกว่าก่อนจะเริ่มอ่าน เจอว่าพระเอกชื่อแทด ก็อึ้ง ๆ ไป คิดว่ามันไม่โรแมนติกเอาเสียเลย แต่พออ่านก็เห็นว่า ชื่อนี้เหมาะกับเขามาก เพราะแทดไม่ใช่พระเอกแนวอัลฟ่า ออกแนวดาร์คทนทุกข์ แต่เขาคือแวมไพร์หนุ่มอายุแค่ร้อยปี ซึ่งน้อยมากเมื่อเปรียบเทียบกับคนในเผ่าพันธุ์ ทั้งยังไม่ค่อยมั่นใจกับภาระที่ตัวเองได้รับ กลัวว่าจะไม่อาจทำหน้าที่ได้ดีเท่ากับที่พ่อของเขาเคยทำ พระเอกเรื่องนี้ไม่ดาร์ค แต่ไม่ได้ไลท์จนไร้สาระ แต่ลงตัวและเหมือนมนุษย์ที่เรารู้จักในชีวิตประจำวัน มีความไร้เดียงสาในบางเรื่องที่ทำให้เรายิ้มเมื่ออ่านเจอ
นอกจากพระเอกแล้ว คาแร็คเตอร์ตัวอื่นในเรื่องก็ไม่มีอะไรเป็นไปตามแบบที่ควรจะเป็น (ถ้านักเขียนเขียนตามสูตรสำเร็จ) คนที่เราคิดว่าเป็นน้องสาวของแทด ที่เราคิดว่า จะเป็นสาวน้อยตาใสลูกครึ่งมนุษย์และแวมไพร์ ที่ต้องได้รับการปกป้องทนุถนอม กลายเป็นพีสาวที่แก่ว่าแทดยี่สิบปี แถมยังชอบเรียกน้องชายที่เป็นราชาว่า "Baby Brother" ทั้งยังเป็นคนที่มีพลังเก่งกว่าใครในเรื่อง
องครักษ์ของราชาที่น่าจะเป็นคาแร็คเตอร์ที่แสนซื่อสัตย์ และทำทุกอย่างตามหน้าที่ ก็มีอะไรมากกว่าที่เห็น
สรุปว่าคาแร็คเตอร์ในเรื่องนี้ไม่มีใครเป็นอย่างที่คาดคิด แม้ว่าในส่วนของพล็อตจะค่อนข้างซ้ำซากอยู่ (การต่อสู้กันของชนเผ่าแวมไพร์ที่ใกล้สูญพันธุ์กะพ่อมดที่ต้องการพลังของพวกเขา) แต่คาแร็คเตอร์ช่วยกันพยุงให้เราอ่านเล่มนี้ไปตลอดรอดฝั่ง
อ่านเรื่องนี้จบแล้วต้องวิ่ง (ใช้คำนี้เลยค่ะ ไม่ใช่เดิมธรรมดา) ไปหยิบเล่มสองมาอ่าน เรื่องโฆษณาว่า เป็นเรื่องความรักระหว่างศัตรู ลูกชายของผู้นำเหล่าพ่อมด กับพี่สาวของราชาแห่งแวมไพร์ ซึ่งทั้งคู่ออกมาในเล่มนี้ให้เห็นคาแร็คเตอร์กันแล้วทั้ง และไม่มีใครเป็นอย่างที่คิดสักคน (ตอนนี้อ่านไปครึ่งเรื่อง ขอบอกว่าสนุกมากกว่าเล่มนี้ซะอีก)
Edited to Add หลังจากเขียนจบไปแล้ว ก็นึกอะไรเกี่ยวกับเรื่องนี้ได้หลายอย่าง
คงต้องบอกว่า นี่เป็นผลงานเล่มแรกของนักเขียนคนนี้ ดังนั้นจึงไม่หลายอย่างที่ไม่ราบรื่น มีข้อผิดพลาดของนักเขียนหน้าใหม่ เช่นการตายของคาแร็คเตอร์ตัวนึง (ที่ไม่สำคัญในเล่มนี้เท่าไหรนัก) ตายไปแล้ว ก็บรรยายฟื้นขึ้นมา แล้วก็ตายไปใหม่อีกรอบ เลยทำให้เรามีความคิดว่า น่าจะมีอะไรสำคัญในส่วนของการตายแล้วฟื้น (แล้วตาย) ของตาคนนี้บ้าง แต่อ่านไปจนจบเรื่อง ก็ไม่มีอะไรเกิดขึ้น ตายไปแค่นั้นเอง
แล้วเราค่อนข้างชอบการออกนอกเรื่องของตัวละครหลักไปพูดถึงบรรดาตัวละครรองในเรื่อง เราคิดว่าสื่อประเด็นซึ่งเป็นพล็อตใหญ่ของชุดได้ดี แต่ไม่ทำให้โฟกัสของตัวละครหลักสูญเสียไป (แต่ก็ไม่แน่ใจนะคะว่า ที่คิดแบบนี้เพราะเรากรี๊ดกะคาแร็คเตอร์ที่จะเป็นตัวละครหลักในเล่มสองมากรึเปล่า)
เล่มนี้คะแนนที่ 70
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March 18, 2019Didn't read it through. The writing didn't make sense to me. Find it a bit chaotic, without structure and overly amateur.
January 11, 2012
King of Darkness is the first book in the new Chronicles of Yavn series by Elisabeth Staab and a Paranormal Romance from SourceBooks Casablanca.
Book Blurb:
ETERNAL COMMITMENT IS NOT ON HER AGENDA...
Scorned by the vampire community for her lack of power, Isabel Anthony lives a carefree existence masquerading as human--although, drifting among the debauched human nightlife, she prefers the patrons' blood to other indulgences. But when she meets the king of vampires this party girl's life turns dark and dangerous.
BUT TIME'S RUNNING OUT FOR THE KING OF VAMPIRES...
Dead-set on finding the prophesied mate who will unlock his fiery powers, Thad Morgan must find his queen before their race is destroyed. Their enemies are gaining ground, and Thad needs his powers to unite his subjects. But when his search leads him to the defiant Isabel, he wonders if fate has gotten it seriously wrong...
My thoughts:
Isabel Anthony was raised in the human world, even though she is the vampire daughter of vampire parents. At the young age of thirteen, she lost her parents in a tragic accident , leaving her to make her way alone in the world.
Now years later, she is an independent party girl just looking for a good time, a glass of red wine, and a sexy meal on heels (or in boots, she doesn’t discriminate).
Upon the death of his father, Thad Morgan became the King of vampires, a task he feels unready to shoulder. When he was born, an oracle came forth with a prophecy that promised Thad a Queen who would unlock his powers and rule by his side.
Thad has been looking for his Queen for some time now, and he thinks he’s found her - at a rave in Florida.
Isabel is all for taking a walk on the wild side with Thad - but become his Queen, rule by his side? Not so much.
The vampires are fighting a never ending war with the wizards, and they are losing ground. Thad can lead his people without an active power - but having one may make all the difference in the world. And having Isabel by his side, definitely makes life worth living.
King of Darkness is a great read. Full of sexy alpha males, sassy females and plenty of action. I completely enjoyed it and can’t wait for more.
I give King of Darkness 4 out of 5 stars.
Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (2-7-12)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1402263155
ISBN-13: 978-1402263156
Book Blurb:
ETERNAL COMMITMENT IS NOT ON HER AGENDA...
Scorned by the vampire community for her lack of power, Isabel Anthony lives a carefree existence masquerading as human--although, drifting among the debauched human nightlife, she prefers the patrons' blood to other indulgences. But when she meets the king of vampires this party girl's life turns dark and dangerous.
BUT TIME'S RUNNING OUT FOR THE KING OF VAMPIRES...
Dead-set on finding the prophesied mate who will unlock his fiery powers, Thad Morgan must find his queen before their race is destroyed. Their enemies are gaining ground, and Thad needs his powers to unite his subjects. But when his search leads him to the defiant Isabel, he wonders if fate has gotten it seriously wrong...
My thoughts:
Isabel Anthony was raised in the human world, even though she is the vampire daughter of vampire parents. At the young age of thirteen, she lost her parents in a tragic accident , leaving her to make her way alone in the world.
Now years later, she is an independent party girl just looking for a good time, a glass of red wine, and a sexy meal on heels (or in boots, she doesn’t discriminate).
Upon the death of his father, Thad Morgan became the King of vampires, a task he feels unready to shoulder. When he was born, an oracle came forth with a prophecy that promised Thad a Queen who would unlock his powers and rule by his side.
Thad has been looking for his Queen for some time now, and he thinks he’s found her - at a rave in Florida.
Isabel is all for taking a walk on the wild side with Thad - but become his Queen, rule by his side? Not so much.
The vampires are fighting a never ending war with the wizards, and they are losing ground. Thad can lead his people without an active power - but having one may make all the difference in the world. And having Isabel by his side, definitely makes life worth living.
King of Darkness is a great read. Full of sexy alpha males, sassy females and plenty of action. I completely enjoyed it and can’t wait for more.
I give King of Darkness 4 out of 5 stars.
Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (2-7-12)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1402263155
ISBN-13: 978-1402263156
March 25, 2012
Thad and Isabel were the perfect characters that blend into a stunning and delectable well written story about vampires, wizards (???) and a prophecy who's mixed up to create an enthralling, fast-paced and original PNR book.
I'm a vamps freak and I totally fell for this new take on vampire’s story. Hell yeah, vampires against wizards, I don't read a lot about this in PNR world! This one was new to me and I was instantly transported into this lethal world!
The story was more based on the prophecy between Thad, the future king of vampires, and is mate to-be Isabel, who's living outside the vampires ''stronghold''. The vampires and wizards are at war for century: wizard gets the power by stealing the life force (that's the way I understand it) of the vampires and by doing so, killing the poor vamps.
Isabel was a kind of an outcast by living outside the wall of the vampire’s city, but when she meet Thad, the reaction/attraction between them is undeniable and she totally freak out. Even if Thad is handsome, super sexy and seems to take a great care of his people, all he wants is to be able to protect the vampires and find his true mate. The romance between them was wild and hot so I give my hot chocolate love!
I appreciated the action and all the characters in this novel! The wizards are a bunch of pure sadistic. They only crave for more power, but we don't really get into the world in the first book. We meet the ''bad Guy'' but we only get a glimpse of what they really are!
I really love the use of humour in this story. The author Elisabeth Staab did a really good job with this first book of the Chronicles of Yavn #1. I enjoy the world she created and I was eager to read something different about vampires. There were some sad moments that almost make me cry and some pretty funny too! I love to read about arrogant and strong male who falls for the beautiful/kick-ass female! I don't want to sell all the punch so I won't say more, but I truly recommend this book to every vampire’s fans and PNR lovers.
I'm a vamps freak and I totally fell for this new take on vampire’s story. Hell yeah, vampires against wizards, I don't read a lot about this in PNR world! This one was new to me and I was instantly transported into this lethal world!
The story was more based on the prophecy between Thad, the future king of vampires, and is mate to-be Isabel, who's living outside the vampires ''stronghold''. The vampires and wizards are at war for century: wizard gets the power by stealing the life force (that's the way I understand it) of the vampires and by doing so, killing the poor vamps.
Isabel was a kind of an outcast by living outside the wall of the vampire’s city, but when she meet Thad, the reaction/attraction between them is undeniable and she totally freak out. Even if Thad is handsome, super sexy and seems to take a great care of his people, all he wants is to be able to protect the vampires and find his true mate. The romance between them was wild and hot so I give my hot chocolate love!
I appreciated the action and all the characters in this novel! The wizards are a bunch of pure sadistic. They only crave for more power, but we don't really get into the world in the first book. We meet the ''bad Guy'' but we only get a glimpse of what they really are!
I really love the use of humour in this story. The author Elisabeth Staab did a really good job with this first book of the Chronicles of Yavn #1. I enjoy the world she created and I was eager to read something different about vampires. There were some sad moments that almost make me cry and some pretty funny too! I love to read about arrogant and strong male who falls for the beautiful/kick-ass female! I don't want to sell all the punch so I won't say more, but I truly recommend this book to every vampire’s fans and PNR lovers.
February 19, 2012
Synopsis:
This first book in a hot, edgy, dark paranormal romance series from a debut author has all the right stuff: a deep urban fantasy feel, a take-no-crap tough heroine and a sexy, arrogant vampire king who gets his comeuppance.
Isabel Anthony has lived a carefree existence masquerading as human, but when this party-girl meets the king of vampires, her world turns deep, dark, and dangerous double-quick. Thad Morgan is looking for the prophesied mate who will unlock his powers. But when he finally finds Isabel in a seedy nightclub, he thinks fate must have gotten it wrong
My Thoughts:
I found the book a bit rough to read but had moments of brilliance. I truly enjoyed the interaction between the main characters;Thad and Isabel. But found the secondary characters were lacking. I wanted to like them..and did but just could not connect with them. I found the story a bit disjointed. Thad was a great hero, unsure of himself, not afraid to show emotion, it made it easy to connect with. Isabel not as easy to sympathetic with, she seemed very shallow and it was only towards the end that she became more likeable. In some ways this story's characters were a bit of a role reversal. The whole Anton story line was confusing and not resolved I can only guess that this will be resolved in the next in the series but a lot of pages in this book were taken up with a not concluded story and I found that frustrating. I think these pages would have been better spent letting us know some of the other main players more intimately.
A 3 star read for me..with hopes that in the next book it all comes together better. A good first outing for Elisabeth Staab, I look forward to her future novels.
This first book in a hot, edgy, dark paranormal romance series from a debut author has all the right stuff: a deep urban fantasy feel, a take-no-crap tough heroine and a sexy, arrogant vampire king who gets his comeuppance.
Isabel Anthony has lived a carefree existence masquerading as human, but when this party-girl meets the king of vampires, her world turns deep, dark, and dangerous double-quick. Thad Morgan is looking for the prophesied mate who will unlock his powers. But when he finally finds Isabel in a seedy nightclub, he thinks fate must have gotten it wrong
My Thoughts:
I found the book a bit rough to read but had moments of brilliance. I truly enjoyed the interaction between the main characters;Thad and Isabel. But found the secondary characters were lacking. I wanted to like them..and did but just could not connect with them. I found the story a bit disjointed. Thad was a great hero, unsure of himself, not afraid to show emotion, it made it easy to connect with. Isabel not as easy to sympathetic with, she seemed very shallow and it was only towards the end that she became more likeable. In some ways this story's characters were a bit of a role reversal. The whole Anton story line was confusing and not resolved I can only guess that this will be resolved in the next in the series but a lot of pages in this book were taken up with a not concluded story and I found that frustrating. I think these pages would have been better spent letting us know some of the other main players more intimately.
A 3 star read for me..with hopes that in the next book it all comes together better. A good first outing for Elisabeth Staab, I look forward to her future novels.
January 6, 2013
I was promised:
World-building: non-existent. We are never explained an inch of this world. We only know vampires and wizards are enemies. No explanations on anything, even within the book itself.
Plot: what plot? The story is full of tricks to keep it going on.
Characters: possibly the worst point in this book. Juvenile doesn't even cover it. The leading pair reads as thirthteen or fourteen year olds. His sister, who is supposed to be older, has a problem with authority that's never explained. The heroine is supposed to be this survivor (orphaned at 13, without support from the community, she lived alone with the humans), but you never understand how she did it. She reads as a spoiled brat. He is the heir to a kingdom. I understand self-doubt, but that's basically all he ever has.
I almost DNF'ed the book and I sympathize with those readers who actually did it. The wine scene at the beginning was one of the worst I ever read and I see how you could think "WTF"? And stopped.
Please, see Tracy for a positive review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
...a hot, edgy, dark paranormal romance series from a debut author has all the right stuff: a deep urban fantasy feel, a take-no-crap tough heroine and a sexy, arrogant vampire king who gets his comeuppance.. What I got was a shallow Young Adult mess with some sex in it and too many a wink towards the BDB.
World-building: non-existent. We are never explained an inch of this world. We only know vampires and wizards are enemies. No explanations on anything, even within the book itself.
Plot: what plot? The story is full of tricks to keep it going on.
Characters: possibly the worst point in this book. Juvenile doesn't even cover it. The leading pair reads as thirthteen or fourteen year olds. His sister, who is supposed to be older, has a problem with authority that's never explained. The heroine is supposed to be this survivor (orphaned at 13, without support from the community, she lived alone with the humans), but you never understand how she did it. She reads as a spoiled brat. He is the heir to a kingdom. I understand self-doubt, but that's basically all he ever has.
I almost DNF'ed the book and I sympathize with those readers who actually did it. The wine scene at the beginning was one of the worst I ever read and I see how you could think "WTF"? And stopped.
Please, see Tracy for a positive review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
February 25, 2013
King of Darkness
By Elisabeth Staab
Welcome Elisabeth to the Adult Paranormal book world, we are so glad you gave us this fantastic vampire versus the wizard world!
This is the first book written by Author Elisabeth Staab, and she doesn’t disappoint. This story starts off at a Rave with pulsating music, gyrating hips and newly named vampire King looking for his mate. He finds his mate, doing all sorts of things in the secret VIP room. Things just get more heated from there.
Wizards and vampires is a plot line not explored by many authors, with wizards being the evil entity. These wizards track and kill vampires, sacrificing and stealing the vampire’s power for their own. In this book we meet evil wizards, strong sexy vampires, Vampires morning a great loss and so many other interesting characters. The books in this series should be plentiful and I look forward to many more. With the excitement, romance and plethora of characters I give this 4 out of 5, recommending that you give this new Vampire world a chance. ~Candice, Paranormal Reads
**This review is copyrighted, owned by me and cannot be copied or shared without my permission except by the author or publisher for promotion purposes**
By Elisabeth Staab
Welcome Elisabeth to the Adult Paranormal book world, we are so glad you gave us this fantastic vampire versus the wizard world!
This is the first book written by Author Elisabeth Staab, and she doesn’t disappoint. This story starts off at a Rave with pulsating music, gyrating hips and newly named vampire King looking for his mate. He finds his mate, doing all sorts of things in the secret VIP room. Things just get more heated from there.
Wizards and vampires is a plot line not explored by many authors, with wizards being the evil entity. These wizards track and kill vampires, sacrificing and stealing the vampire’s power for their own. In this book we meet evil wizards, strong sexy vampires, Vampires morning a great loss and so many other interesting characters. The books in this series should be plentiful and I look forward to many more. With the excitement, romance and plethora of characters I give this 4 out of 5, recommending that you give this new Vampire world a chance. ~Candice, Paranormal Reads
**This review is copyrighted, owned by me and cannot be copied or shared without my permission except by the author or publisher for promotion purposes**
February 25, 2012
Isabel Anthony is a Party Girl who frequents raves to get a sip of the best...blood. Isabel is a vampire, but because she has no power she lives outside vampire communities and that's just fine with her. She has been free and on her own since she was 13 years old...answerable to no one.
Thad Morgan is heir apparent to the crown governing vampires. The only step left is to find his prophesied Queen and come into his power. Finding Isabel, Thad makes his immediate move, thinking his search is over he enjoys a night of unbridled passion with Isabel...when the Vampires deadly enemies,Wizards, finds them, he immediately removes Isabel and her roommate to the Vampire Kings estates.
But Isabel doesn't feel that she's good enough to be Queen...and so comes the story of Thad not wanting to control Isabel, but romance her. Isabel is so confused and goes for a walk off of the estates and is kidnapped by the Wizard faction. Thad must risk all to find and rescue the woman who has come to mean so much to him. Also in this story are side stories which will, I'm sure become future books from Ms. Staab. Good tale Elisabeth...very good!
Thad Morgan is heir apparent to the crown governing vampires. The only step left is to find his prophesied Queen and come into his power. Finding Isabel, Thad makes his immediate move, thinking his search is over he enjoys a night of unbridled passion with Isabel...when the Vampires deadly enemies,Wizards, finds them, he immediately removes Isabel and her roommate to the Vampire Kings estates.
But Isabel doesn't feel that she's good enough to be Queen...and so comes the story of Thad not wanting to control Isabel, but romance her. Isabel is so confused and goes for a walk off of the estates and is kidnapped by the Wizard faction. Thad must risk all to find and rescue the woman who has come to mean so much to him. Also in this story are side stories which will, I'm sure become future books from Ms. Staab. Good tale Elisabeth...very good!
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