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Need
On the sultry streets of New Orleans, you can indulge every desire. Even when what you crave is blood.
As far as the mortal world knows, Cord Logan died two years ago. In reality, he stalks the French Quarter, searching for victims. Cord knew that coming back to New Orleans would be risky now that he’s broken with the fraternity of vampires who first claimed him. But a chance encounter with an old friend triggers unexpected desire, and reveals a lethal curse that endangers not just his kind, but all of humanity.
Cord’s quest to break the curse leads him on a journey of carnal self-discovery and deep into the bayous. Here, where magic reigns unchecked, Cord must tap into his dark, unpredictable abilities and all his seductive powers. And if he fails, he’ll have all eternity to regret it…
As far as the mortal world knows, Cord Logan died two years ago. In reality, he stalks the French Quarter, searching for victims. Cord knew that coming back to New Orleans would be risky now that he’s broken with the fraternity of vampires who first claimed him. But a chance encounter with an old friend triggers unexpected desire, and reveals a lethal curse that endangers not just his kind, but all of humanity.
Cord’s quest to break the curse leads him on a journey of carnal self-discovery and deep into the bayous. Here, where magic reigns unchecked, Cord must tap into his dark, unpredictable abilities and all his seductive powers. And if he fails, he’ll have all eternity to regret it…
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
7 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
September 25, 2012
Cord is a young bumbling baby vamp that has made some poor decisions that just leads him into even more trouble. He was only twenty when he was turned, and that was only two years ago. His maker has done an extremely poor job in teaching him the ways of his new life. Cord is not completely at fault for some of his mistakes, but none the less he has caught the scrutiny of the Council of Thirteen, which is never a good thing.
There is so much more going on than what Cord sees happening around him. Need is first person point of view from Cord’s perspective. Readers see what Cord sees, and Cord’s inner voice that he should listen to more often. I did enjoy seeing where (not in a location sense) Cord is at the end of the book. The baby vamp does quite a bit of evolving even if some of it is not his choosing.
The ending does appear to me that Need has potential to go into a series. The curse that lead Cord from baby vamp making poor decisions to the very different vamp Cord is at the end of the book opened some interesting possibilities. I think I would move on and read more of Cord if this did turn into a series. The events at the end definitely have my curiosity piqued.
I need to point out this is not a romance. There are numerous sex scenes and other sexual situations, but not in a romantic happily ever after way. Cord has many problems. One of his problems is the fact that he lacks the ability to differentiate between love and just sex for the purpose of pleasure. There are some dubious consent situations. Cord also seems to need to be debased sexually in some ways that border on violence.
There are several factors that brought the rating down for me. Need had an Urban Fantasy feel to me. I’m not a big UF fan. I’m also not a first person point of view fan. I love reading a book from multiple perspectives. Overall though it was not what I was expecting.
There is so much more going on than what Cord sees happening around him. Need is first person point of view from Cord’s perspective. Readers see what Cord sees, and Cord’s inner voice that he should listen to more often. I did enjoy seeing where (not in a location sense) Cord is at the end of the book. The baby vamp does quite a bit of evolving even if some of it is not his choosing.
The ending does appear to me that Need has potential to go into a series. The curse that lead Cord from baby vamp making poor decisions to the very different vamp Cord is at the end of the book opened some interesting possibilities. I think I would move on and read more of Cord if this did turn into a series. The events at the end definitely have my curiosity piqued.
I need to point out this is not a romance. There are numerous sex scenes and other sexual situations, but not in a romantic happily ever after way. Cord has many problems. One of his problems is the fact that he lacks the ability to differentiate between love and just sex for the purpose of pleasure. There are some dubious consent situations. Cord also seems to need to be debased sexually in some ways that border on violence.
There are several factors that brought the rating down for me. Need had an Urban Fantasy feel to me. I’m not a big UF fan. I’m also not a first person point of view fan. I love reading a book from multiple perspectives. Overall though it was not what I was expecting.
October 6, 2017
Cerita dia best tapi sangat-sangat tak sesuai untuk bacaan mereka yang berumur 18 tahun ke bawah.. Kalau tak ada adegan 18sx, cerita dia akan lebih menarik.. Mengenai vampire, witches dan juga makhluk fantasi lain.. Memang menarik dia punya plot, sebab tak sangka la pula mastermind yang jahat akhirnya mati macam tu je.. #need #toddgregory #fantasynovel #vampire #bookstagram #hobisaya #bookreview #booklover #bookworm #bloggerbuku #blogger #bloggerperak #blogkasihkuamani #membacajambatanilmu #hakmilikperpustakaannegaramalaysia
October 23, 2012
2.5 stars Half a star for the potential of becoming a series.
First, I love, love, love the cover. It's essentially what drew me to the book in the first place. However, I am sadden to say that this time it did not work as well as so many times before. This was a hard book to get through and I am sorry to say that I even considered shelving it as 'Did Not Finish'. What really saved it from my 'DNF' shelf was the addition of some new characters and a very interesting ending saved it from a 1 star rating.
I will go a different route on this one and just make a list of the Pros and Cons, since I don't want to give too much away and there are some things that are best kept quiet:
Pros:
1. A very interesting storyline that involved a fairly new made vampire who struggles with his place on his new world and distances himself from his maker and the discovery and journey into the breaking of a curse.
2. The addition of Nightwatchers Rachel and Nigel who come in to help Cord out and point out that he is cursed.
3. Great supernatural world of witches and curses at work in New Orleans.
4. Cord's characters develops from a young, naive vampire to a more matured one at the end of the book.
5. Very interesting ending that has the potential for a series. There were events that gave me the idea that there will be more books.
Cons:
1. Cord's voice can be too much at times. He goes on and on to the point where I wanted to skip ahead.
2. This is not a Romance, although it it categorized as such. Which is why I picked it in the first place.
3. There is A LOT of sex. Much of it was unnecessary since I didn't think it added to the story of Cord's journey into the breaking of the curse.
4. Cord comes off as very immature. He makes rash decisions and thinks about the consequences after the fact. That is why his development made a difference to me, but it came very late in the story.
5. The narration shifts from present day to past events without a clear distinction between the two. I tried to keep up but it became too overwhelming at times.
6. A lot of my confusion could have been avoided if the blurb would have mentioned that this book is based on a previous short story of the author, Todd Gregory, where Sebastian makes his appearance and from where some of the backstory came from.
The book was not a total loss, actually it had a lot going for it. I am curious to see if there will be more books to come. I have read many a series where the first book was good enough to pique my interest and then the others were great follow-ups. I hope that is the case with this one. The writing was good, even if the pace and some of the narrative dragged in places. There was action and a very interesting world of witches and curses that made up for the romance I was expecting. Like I said before, the sex was excessive but at least it was hot. I just missed the connection of the participants.
I think that without my expectations of romance and my lack of knowledge that this was based on a short story I could have enjoyed it more. But all in all, an okay paranormal read with enough of an interesting storyline to keep you guessing and a good ending to pick up another book if there were more to come.
First, I love, love, love the cover. It's essentially what drew me to the book in the first place. However, I am sadden to say that this time it did not work as well as so many times before. This was a hard book to get through and I am sorry to say that I even considered shelving it as 'Did Not Finish'. What really saved it from my 'DNF' shelf was the addition of some new characters and a very interesting ending saved it from a 1 star rating.
I will go a different route on this one and just make a list of the Pros and Cons, since I don't want to give too much away and there are some things that are best kept quiet:
Pros:
1. A very interesting storyline that involved a fairly new made vampire who struggles with his place on his new world and distances himself from his maker and the discovery and journey into the breaking of a curse.
2. The addition of Nightwatchers Rachel and Nigel who come in to help Cord out and point out that he is cursed.
3. Great supernatural world of witches and curses at work in New Orleans.
4. Cord's characters develops from a young, naive vampire to a more matured one at the end of the book.
5. Very interesting ending that has the potential for a series. There were events that gave me the idea that there will be more books.
Cons:
1. Cord's voice can be too much at times. He goes on and on to the point where I wanted to skip ahead.
2. This is not a Romance, although it it categorized as such. Which is why I picked it in the first place.
3. There is A LOT of sex. Much of it was unnecessary since I didn't think it added to the story of Cord's journey into the breaking of the curse.
4. Cord comes off as very immature. He makes rash decisions and thinks about the consequences after the fact. That is why his development made a difference to me, but it came very late in the story.
5. The narration shifts from present day to past events without a clear distinction between the two. I tried to keep up but it became too overwhelming at times.
6. A lot of my confusion could have been avoided if the blurb would have mentioned that this book is based on a previous short story of the author, Todd Gregory, where Sebastian makes his appearance and from where some of the backstory came from.
The book was not a total loss, actually it had a lot going for it. I am curious to see if there will be more books to come. I have read many a series where the first book was good enough to pique my interest and then the others were great follow-ups. I hope that is the case with this one. The writing was good, even if the pace and some of the narrative dragged in places. There was action and a very interesting world of witches and curses that made up for the romance I was expecting. Like I said before, the sex was excessive but at least it was hot. I just missed the connection of the participants.
I think that without my expectations of romance and my lack of knowledge that this was based on a short story I could have enjoyed it more. But all in all, an okay paranormal read with enough of an interesting storyline to keep you guessing and a good ending to pick up another book if there were more to come.
January 23, 2022
I'll start right off and say that I didn't bother to finish this book. 2/3s through I decided I didn't care about any of the two-dimensional characters. The writing was also frequently circular, churning through the same thoughts, emotions, and actions as if explaining something once wasn't sufficient. Add to.that the uninspired and nonarrousal of any of the sex scenes, and you get tired of trying to find redeeming qualities. It's extremely rare that any book gets only one star from me, but there you are.
March 12, 2018
I enjoy vampire books. This one was unique. Vampires are sexual creatures. And Cord is a super sexual vampire. Caught up in a plot to make him a god. Witches, evil witches. The book is definitely a must read. I hope there is a part two to the book. The way it ended there should be a part two.
February 4, 2019
Intriguing.
November 14, 2013
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.
Quick & Dirty: This M/M paranormal erotica is terribly repetitious in the beginning but it turns around and has a decent ending.
Opening Sentence: The damp air was thick with the scent of blood.
The Review:
Cord Logan has been a vampire for the last two years. He recently left his sire to return to New Orleans, the place of his death. Vampires are supposed to live with their sires for one hundred years in order to learn the ways/rules of the world. Cord is very naïve as a vampire. Just one week back in New Orleans and he has let himself feel the Need for blood, when that happens, vampires can barely control themselves when feeding. Cord ends up feeding off an old friend from when he was alive, unfortunately his wounds won’t heal and Cord doesn’t know what to do. He ends up trying to make his friend into a vampire because he is dying.
Cord doesn’t like the fact that he is essentially a weak vampire as he is often reminded by the vampires who find him in New Orleans. Due to the circumstances of Cord’s human death, he ends up being drawn into a world of witches and vampires that he knows nothing about. As a boy who had been in the closet, he uses this world to fully express himself in a way he never could.
Need is not a novel for everyone. It is a male/male erotic novel and it is definitely full of sex scenes, from current time to flash backs to daydreams, Cord’s sexual nature really overrides the story. The story is slowly revealed in between each of these scenes. The one problem that I really had with Need was the early repetition in the story. Cord kept repeating himself over and over as if he hadn’t already revealed that information already. The last half of the novel is not as repetitious as the first half but if I hadn’t been reading this story for review, I wouldn’t have made it that far. It wasn’t so much that all of it was vital information either, a lot of it was about his need to feed and how dangerous it was.
This novel is told entirely from Cord’s point of view. The attention to detail while in New Orleans certainly brought me back to some of the locations I remember while being there. As this story began and Cord bit is friend, then preceded to have sex with almost every man he runs across, I did wonder where this story was going. Need did have a satisfying ending that helped wrap up Cord’s life as a vampire.
Cord really isn’t such a bad guy once you get past the repetition of his storytelling. He just wants someone to love him and he wants to stop being such a weak vampire. He doesn’t really justify his behavior but I don’t really think he needs too, even as he hears another voice in his head mocking his behaviors.
Overall, Need is a decent book if you like male/male erotic encounters. The ending made the story as opposed to the horribly repetitious beginning, because of this I wouldn’t mind finding out what would be next for Cord, if there ever was a sequel.
Notable Scene:
“Yes.” I lay back down on the bed, resting my back against some lace-edged pillows that cushioned my weight. “You said you’ve made me a god. Why would you do something like that?” I asked, raising my eyebrows. “Isn’t it forbidden?”
“Rules.” He waved his hand contemptuously. “What use have we for rules? Rules that were made only to keep us hidden, cowing in the shadows, while humans destroy themselves, refusing to learn, making the same mistakes over and over again?” His white body gleamed in the moonlight. “Councils of witches, councils of vampires and other creatures, all with their stupid petty rules and petty politics, all threatening us with destruction if we don’t conform and go along with their idiocies.” He turned back around, his arms folded across his chest. “Sebastian was a genius, you know. He saw how stupid if all was, how for millennia we have all denied our true natures rather than developed our abilities and our potential, all because of some stupid rules made when humans still hadn’t figured out how to wipe their asses.” His lip curled in scorn. “Sebastian’s mistake was that he thought he was the one who would be able to combine the powers of a vampire with a witch.” He shook his head. “He was a genius in many ways, but his own ambitions blinded him.”
“The key was to give a vampire witch blood to drink,” I said slowly.
He nodded. “Vampires are practically immortal; witches are not. You feel the power, don’t you?” Nico stepped back over to me. “Your body is already changing.” He reached out and grasped my right bicep muscle. Again, it felt like a current flowed through his hand through my skin and into my arm. “Your muscles feel harder, bigger.” He smiled. “Together we can rule the world.”
I pulled my arm away from him. “The Nightwatchers will never sit still for this.”
FTC Advisory: Kensington provided me with a copy of Need. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: This M/M paranormal erotica is terribly repetitious in the beginning but it turns around and has a decent ending.
Opening Sentence: The damp air was thick with the scent of blood.
The Review:
Cord Logan has been a vampire for the last two years. He recently left his sire to return to New Orleans, the place of his death. Vampires are supposed to live with their sires for one hundred years in order to learn the ways/rules of the world. Cord is very naïve as a vampire. Just one week back in New Orleans and he has let himself feel the Need for blood, when that happens, vampires can barely control themselves when feeding. Cord ends up feeding off an old friend from when he was alive, unfortunately his wounds won’t heal and Cord doesn’t know what to do. He ends up trying to make his friend into a vampire because he is dying.
Cord doesn’t like the fact that he is essentially a weak vampire as he is often reminded by the vampires who find him in New Orleans. Due to the circumstances of Cord’s human death, he ends up being drawn into a world of witches and vampires that he knows nothing about. As a boy who had been in the closet, he uses this world to fully express himself in a way he never could.
Need is not a novel for everyone. It is a male/male erotic novel and it is definitely full of sex scenes, from current time to flash backs to daydreams, Cord’s sexual nature really overrides the story. The story is slowly revealed in between each of these scenes. The one problem that I really had with Need was the early repetition in the story. Cord kept repeating himself over and over as if he hadn’t already revealed that information already. The last half of the novel is not as repetitious as the first half but if I hadn’t been reading this story for review, I wouldn’t have made it that far. It wasn’t so much that all of it was vital information either, a lot of it was about his need to feed and how dangerous it was.
This novel is told entirely from Cord’s point of view. The attention to detail while in New Orleans certainly brought me back to some of the locations I remember while being there. As this story began and Cord bit is friend, then preceded to have sex with almost every man he runs across, I did wonder where this story was going. Need did have a satisfying ending that helped wrap up Cord’s life as a vampire.
Cord really isn’t such a bad guy once you get past the repetition of his storytelling. He just wants someone to love him and he wants to stop being such a weak vampire. He doesn’t really justify his behavior but I don’t really think he needs too, even as he hears another voice in his head mocking his behaviors.
Overall, Need is a decent book if you like male/male erotic encounters. The ending made the story as opposed to the horribly repetitious beginning, because of this I wouldn’t mind finding out what would be next for Cord, if there ever was a sequel.
Notable Scene:
“Yes.” I lay back down on the bed, resting my back against some lace-edged pillows that cushioned my weight. “You said you’ve made me a god. Why would you do something like that?” I asked, raising my eyebrows. “Isn’t it forbidden?”
“Rules.” He waved his hand contemptuously. “What use have we for rules? Rules that were made only to keep us hidden, cowing in the shadows, while humans destroy themselves, refusing to learn, making the same mistakes over and over again?” His white body gleamed in the moonlight. “Councils of witches, councils of vampires and other creatures, all with their stupid petty rules and petty politics, all threatening us with destruction if we don’t conform and go along with their idiocies.” He turned back around, his arms folded across his chest. “Sebastian was a genius, you know. He saw how stupid if all was, how for millennia we have all denied our true natures rather than developed our abilities and our potential, all because of some stupid rules made when humans still hadn’t figured out how to wipe their asses.” His lip curled in scorn. “Sebastian’s mistake was that he thought he was the one who would be able to combine the powers of a vampire with a witch.” He shook his head. “He was a genius in many ways, but his own ambitions blinded him.”
“The key was to give a vampire witch blood to drink,” I said slowly.
He nodded. “Vampires are practically immortal; witches are not. You feel the power, don’t you?” Nico stepped back over to me. “Your body is already changing.” He reached out and grasped my right bicep muscle. Again, it felt like a current flowed through his hand through my skin and into my arm. “Your muscles feel harder, bigger.” He smiled. “Together we can rule the world.”
I pulled my arm away from him. “The Nightwatchers will never sit still for this.”
FTC Advisory: Kensington provided me with a copy of Need. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
June 13, 2023
The world building was nice but I went in expecting a romance and instead, it turned out to be more erotica, a genre I don't like. I wish the author had worked more on the story because it had a lot of potential! Even the mystery was interesting.
February 7, 2017
Originally reviewed at Dark Faerie Tales: http://darkfaerietales.com/review-tod...
Quick & Dirty: This M/M paranormal erotica is terribly repetitious in the beginning but it turns around and has a decent ending.
The Review:
Cord Logan has been a vampire for the last two years. He recently left his sire to return to New Orleans, the place of his death. Vampires are supposed to live with their sires for one hundred years in order to learn the ways/rules of the world. Cord is very naïve as a vampire. Just one week back in New Orleans and he has let himself feel the Need for blood, when that happens, vampires can barely control themselves when feeding. Cord ends up feeding off an old friend from when he was alive, unfortunately his wounds won’t heal and Cord doesn’t know what to do. He ends up trying to make his friend into a vampire because he is dying.
Cord doesn’t like the fact that he is essentially a weak vampire as he is often reminded by the vampires who find him in New Orleans. Due to the circumstances of Cord’s human death, he ends up being drawn into a world of witches and vampires that he knows nothing about. As a boy who had been in the closet, he uses this world to fully express himself in a way he never could.
Need is not a novel for everyone. It is a male/male erotic novel and it is definitely full of sex scenes, from current time to flash backs to daydreams, Cord’s sexual nature really overrides the story. The story is slowly revealed in between each of these scenes. The one problem that I really had with Need was the early repetition in the story. Cord kept repeating himself over and over as if he hadn’t already revealed that information already. The last half of the novel is not as repetitious as the first half but if I hadn’t been reading this story for review, I wouldn’t have made it that far. It wasn’t so much that all of it was vital information either, a lot of it was about his need to feed and how dangerous it was.
This novel is told entirely from Cord’s point of view. The attention to detail while in New Orleans certainly brought me back to some of the locations I remember while being there. As this story began and Cord bit is friend, then preceded to have sex with almost every man he runs across, I did wonder where this story was going. Need did have a satisfying ending that helped wrap up Cord’s life as a vampire.
Cord really isn’t such a bad guy once you get past the repetition of his storytelling. He just wants someone to love him and he wants to stop being such a weak vampire. He doesn’t really justify his behavior but I don’t really think he needs too, even as he hears another voice in his head mocking his behaviors.
Overall, Need is a decent book if you like male/male erotic encounters. The ending made the story as opposed to the horribly repetitious beginning, because of this I wouldn’t mind finding out what would be next for Cord, if there ever was a sequel.
Quick & Dirty: This M/M paranormal erotica is terribly repetitious in the beginning but it turns around and has a decent ending.
The Review:
Cord Logan has been a vampire for the last two years. He recently left his sire to return to New Orleans, the place of his death. Vampires are supposed to live with their sires for one hundred years in order to learn the ways/rules of the world. Cord is very naïve as a vampire. Just one week back in New Orleans and he has let himself feel the Need for blood, when that happens, vampires can barely control themselves when feeding. Cord ends up feeding off an old friend from when he was alive, unfortunately his wounds won’t heal and Cord doesn’t know what to do. He ends up trying to make his friend into a vampire because he is dying.
Cord doesn’t like the fact that he is essentially a weak vampire as he is often reminded by the vampires who find him in New Orleans. Due to the circumstances of Cord’s human death, he ends up being drawn into a world of witches and vampires that he knows nothing about. As a boy who had been in the closet, he uses this world to fully express himself in a way he never could.
Need is not a novel for everyone. It is a male/male erotic novel and it is definitely full of sex scenes, from current time to flash backs to daydreams, Cord’s sexual nature really overrides the story. The story is slowly revealed in between each of these scenes. The one problem that I really had with Need was the early repetition in the story. Cord kept repeating himself over and over as if he hadn’t already revealed that information already. The last half of the novel is not as repetitious as the first half but if I hadn’t been reading this story for review, I wouldn’t have made it that far. It wasn’t so much that all of it was vital information either, a lot of it was about his need to feed and how dangerous it was.
This novel is told entirely from Cord’s point of view. The attention to detail while in New Orleans certainly brought me back to some of the locations I remember while being there. As this story began and Cord bit is friend, then preceded to have sex with almost every man he runs across, I did wonder where this story was going. Need did have a satisfying ending that helped wrap up Cord’s life as a vampire.
Cord really isn’t such a bad guy once you get past the repetition of his storytelling. He just wants someone to love him and he wants to stop being such a weak vampire. He doesn’t really justify his behavior but I don’t really think he needs too, even as he hears another voice in his head mocking his behaviors.
Overall, Need is a decent book if you like male/male erotic encounters. The ending made the story as opposed to the horribly repetitious beginning, because of this I wouldn’t mind finding out what would be next for Cord, if there ever was a sequel.
December 4, 2012
NEED is about a young vampire, Cord, who is caught in a web of supernatural beings, vampire law-and-order, and blood and bodily lusts. A combination of his youth and a negligent maker leaves Cord at risk when he ventures out on his own for the first time.
Cord has only been a vampire for two years when he decides he cannot live with his maker anymore. Against strong warnings, Cord returns to New Orleans where he was made a vampire. Cord gets himself into trouble when he runs into an old friend and struggles with controlling his blood lust. That is when Rachel and Nigel, Nightwatchers, come in to assist Cord.
Cord has no knowledge of Nightwatchers or the vampire Council because his maker, Jean-Paul, never explained anything of vampire laws to Cord. While Rachel and Nigel try to give Cord some much needed lessons on what it means to be a vampire, they also try to help him figure out if he has a curse placed on him. Rachel senses there is a curse and everyone believes it must be from Sebastian, the witch who kidnapped and tried to kill Cord right before Jean-Paul transformed him. What no one realizes is that there are older and stronger forces at work in New Orleans.
Cord, Rachel, and Nigel work to discover what Sebastian did to Cord and what lingering effects it is having on Cord. What they come to learn is that there are witches much more powerful than Sebastian whose desires go far beyond New Orleans and curses. When these witches try to pull Cord into their clutches, everyone must work together to save him and his future.
I enjoyed this book for the most part, and feel the storyline has a lot of potential, but a few elements kept me from giving it a higher rating. First, there were a lot of flashbacks, which were great for getting details of Cord’s life but disrupting to the flow of the story. Second, was the sex. While I fully enjoy a steamy and lusty sex scene in a novel, I want it to serve a purpose in the plot of the story. I really felt that there was too much sex, just for the sake of having a sex scene. The sex scenes were hot, don’t get me wrong, but too much of a distraction to the storyline at times. I was very happy to read that there is the potential for this to turn into a series. There was a lot of action and information given at the end of the book that I would like to see expanded upon. If there is a second book in this series, I will definitely read it.
Cord has only been a vampire for two years when he decides he cannot live with his maker anymore. Against strong warnings, Cord returns to New Orleans where he was made a vampire. Cord gets himself into trouble when he runs into an old friend and struggles with controlling his blood lust. That is when Rachel and Nigel, Nightwatchers, come in to assist Cord.
Cord has no knowledge of Nightwatchers or the vampire Council because his maker, Jean-Paul, never explained anything of vampire laws to Cord. While Rachel and Nigel try to give Cord some much needed lessons on what it means to be a vampire, they also try to help him figure out if he has a curse placed on him. Rachel senses there is a curse and everyone believes it must be from Sebastian, the witch who kidnapped and tried to kill Cord right before Jean-Paul transformed him. What no one realizes is that there are older and stronger forces at work in New Orleans.
Cord, Rachel, and Nigel work to discover what Sebastian did to Cord and what lingering effects it is having on Cord. What they come to learn is that there are witches much more powerful than Sebastian whose desires go far beyond New Orleans and curses. When these witches try to pull Cord into their clutches, everyone must work together to save him and his future.
I enjoyed this book for the most part, and feel the storyline has a lot of potential, but a few elements kept me from giving it a higher rating. First, there were a lot of flashbacks, which were great for getting details of Cord’s life but disrupting to the flow of the story. Second, was the sex. While I fully enjoy a steamy and lusty sex scene in a novel, I want it to serve a purpose in the plot of the story. I really felt that there was too much sex, just for the sake of having a sex scene. The sex scenes were hot, don’t get me wrong, but too much of a distraction to the storyline at times. I was very happy to read that there is the potential for this to turn into a series. There was a lot of action and information given at the end of the book that I would like to see expanded upon. If there is a second book in this series, I will definitely read it.
March 7, 2013
I actually finished the book back in November, but am just now reviewing because I didn't know what to say. I've decided I'm just going to be perfectly blunt.
There may be some people out there who like gay erotica that borders on rape fantasy, but I'm not one of them.
I was initially drawn to this book because I determined gay vampires and erotica was a smashing combination. I was wrong. Or, at least in the case of this particular, book I was wrong.
Cord is a baby vampire who had a really lousy maker who only turned him because he wanted to have kinky vampire sex with him before moving on to the next boytoy that caught his eye. Really, that's what starts this whole thing. When Cord figures out that orgies and dubious consent do not constitute love, he decides to strike out on his own. Except, he doesn't really know the first thing about being a vampire, because, like we said, his master didn't actually give a damn about what happened to him.
The actual story itself follows Cord as he A) has a lot of sex with strangers, B) tries to figure out the mystery behind his own death and why that roommate from his human life is suddenly way into him and C) has a lot of sex. I've read other erotic romance novels that had far more of a plot line than this book. The icing on the cake is that nearly every sex scene in the book occurs under some form of dubious consent. I think there may have been two where it was perfectly clear that we were dealing with two consenting males who wanted to have sex with each other for no other reason than they wanted to bang. Seriously, the sex scenes in this book were not my thing. If you want to read a m/m paranormal romance, I'd recommend 40 Souls to Keep.
It has the potential to be a fairly interesting series. But the first book doesn't actually inspire me to continue reading.
There may be some people out there who like gay erotica that borders on rape fantasy, but I'm not one of them.
I was initially drawn to this book because I determined gay vampires and erotica was a smashing combination. I was wrong. Or, at least in the case of this particular, book I was wrong.
Cord is a baby vampire who had a really lousy maker who only turned him because he wanted to have kinky vampire sex with him before moving on to the next boytoy that caught his eye. Really, that's what starts this whole thing. When Cord figures out that orgies and dubious consent do not constitute love, he decides to strike out on his own. Except, he doesn't really know the first thing about being a vampire, because, like we said, his master didn't actually give a damn about what happened to him.
The actual story itself follows Cord as he A) has a lot of sex with strangers, B) tries to figure out the mystery behind his own death and why that roommate from his human life is suddenly way into him and C) has a lot of sex. I've read other erotic romance novels that had far more of a plot line than this book. The icing on the cake is that nearly every sex scene in the book occurs under some form of dubious consent. I think there may have been two where it was perfectly clear that we were dealing with two consenting males who wanted to have sex with each other for no other reason than they wanted to bang. Seriously, the sex scenes in this book were not my thing. If you want to read a m/m paranormal romance, I'd recommend 40 Souls to Keep.
It has the potential to be a fairly interesting series. But the first book doesn't actually inspire me to continue reading.
October 23, 2012
Review written for www.books-n-kisses.com
3.5 Stars I have to say that the synopsis did not explain everything this book is about. Honestly it is gay erotica with a touch of a vampire story. There is a lot of sexual scenes and while it is very well written and even though it is nothing that I expected it to be I really enjoyed the storyline but I was a bit surprised by all the gay erotica
As I said it is well written and a very interesting story but there is a bit too much of the same thoughts over and over. The story would have worked better as a short story. Not because there is not enough storyline, there is, it is just things are repeated too often and take up too many pages.
I liked Cord but there were so many sex partners that it was distracting. Cord just falls into bed with anyone and after thinks “maybe I shouldn’t have done this” which makes the reader feel that the book was really a chance to write a gay erotica and the author figured vampires were popular now.
That being said if you enjoy vampire stories AND gay erotica than this is the book for you. This is just a story that you need to know the details going in before reading.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 Stars I have to say that the synopsis did not explain everything this book is about. Honestly it is gay erotica with a touch of a vampire story. There is a lot of sexual scenes and while it is very well written and even though it is nothing that I expected it to be I really enjoyed the storyline but I was a bit surprised by all the gay erotica
As I said it is well written and a very interesting story but there is a bit too much of the same thoughts over and over. The story would have worked better as a short story. Not because there is not enough storyline, there is, it is just things are repeated too often and take up too many pages.
I liked Cord but there were so many sex partners that it was distracting. Cord just falls into bed with anyone and after thinks “maybe I shouldn’t have done this” which makes the reader feel that the book was really a chance to write a gay erotica and the author figured vampires were popular now.
That being said if you enjoy vampire stories AND gay erotica than this is the book for you. This is just a story that you need to know the details going in before reading.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
April 22, 2013
I admit that the cover is what caught my interest. (Look into my eyes!) I can't resist the dark and broody brow. Then the blurb captured my curiosity into thinking this might be something different for me to enjoy in the vampire world.
This was a book that I had to force myself to finish. There were many points where rolled my eyes and hoped I was getting closer to the finish line. This book was also bogged down by history and setup for the character with tons of narration. Back story can be a good thing, but too much is overkill. I also need my characters to have interaction and less flashback. While the story had promise with a good foundation, it was one that was overly done without the bang it needed.
Another thing I want to mention is that this book does fall into the M/M category of paranormal romance. If this isn't your cup of tea, then please step back and go back to your usual reading. The sex scenes weren't as sexy as I thought they would be, and at times they seemed to be there for page filler.
This was another case of great cover art luring me in, but the story failed to keep me interested or entertained. This is not to say it was horrible or not worth a try for some, just not one I would want to read again.
This was a book that I had to force myself to finish. There were many points where rolled my eyes and hoped I was getting closer to the finish line. This book was also bogged down by history and setup for the character with tons of narration. Back story can be a good thing, but too much is overkill. I also need my characters to have interaction and less flashback. While the story had promise with a good foundation, it was one that was overly done without the bang it needed.
Another thing I want to mention is that this book does fall into the M/M category of paranormal romance. If this isn't your cup of tea, then please step back and go back to your usual reading. The sex scenes weren't as sexy as I thought they would be, and at times they seemed to be there for page filler.
This was another case of great cover art luring me in, but the story failed to keep me interested or entertained. This is not to say it was horrible or not worth a try for some, just not one I would want to read again.
December 7, 2012
Need is a M/M erotica wrapped with a cloak of vampiric elements. It felt, at times, that the book was less about vampires and more about Cord's struggle with being gay and making quite a few very bad decisions. Cord is young and immature, believing himself to be in love with his college roommate, and his behavior reflects that of someone that is trying too hard, which is something I could easily imagine, but I also wanted to see more personal growth. Cord does seem to mature a bit as the book comes to a close, but a great majority of the book was him f@#$^%g every man he encountered, which was less about blood lust as it was about having serial sexual experiences. Sex in a seedy bar? Okay. Sex when your life is at risk? Maybe. Sex with almost every person you meet? Not so much. Cord really is a busy guy. The cover and description made me think of Lestat, but once I started reading that image was quickly replaced by frustration because the storyline was explained with a great deal of repetition. I'll admit to not reading many M/M titles, but I think I'd rather stick to erotic titles that include more romance.
October 11, 2012
*M/M erotica with paranormal elements (vampires)
When I began reading this it seem like there was a prior story to it like it was a part of a series. As I searched there were no other similar books that Gregory wrote.
Cord passed away two years in what seemed to be a house fire but actually it was when he was transformed into a vampire by Jean Paul.
Life for Cord has been simply empty for him and breaks ties with the fraternity that claimed him.
Cord ventures back to where it all began, New Orleans.
One evening while Cord was on the hunt to feed, he stumbles upon Jared. Jared is a friend who Cord went to college. Jared was under the impression that Cord died but felt that he never truly passed away.
Cord feeds on Jared but things go wrong afterwards the bite marks doesn't heal as it should. Cord is left with no other option but to change him.
Why is Jared so different? What will happen next?
Interesting story and plot that was nicely put together...
When I began reading this it seem like there was a prior story to it like it was a part of a series. As I searched there were no other similar books that Gregory wrote.
Cord passed away two years in what seemed to be a house fire but actually it was when he was transformed into a vampire by Jean Paul.
Life for Cord has been simply empty for him and breaks ties with the fraternity that claimed him.
Cord ventures back to where it all began, New Orleans.
One evening while Cord was on the hunt to feed, he stumbles upon Jared. Jared is a friend who Cord went to college. Jared was under the impression that Cord died but felt that he never truly passed away.
Cord feeds on Jared but things go wrong afterwards the bite marks doesn't heal as it should. Cord is left with no other option but to change him.
Why is Jared so different? What will happen next?
Interesting story and plot that was nicely put together...
February 20, 2013
Sometimes you come across a book, read the blurb, and think "wow, this has potential". Occasionally you are very wrong. I am a HUGE fan of the paranormal romance genre as well as a vampire lover so this was a big disappointment for me.
When I came across Todd Gregory's Need on NetGalley, I thought I'd give it a shot even though I had never heard of the author. That's one of the big advantages of being a book reviewer. Sadly I was only able to make it about a third of the way through the book before giving up on it.
I'm not going to say that Need was horrible because it wasn't, I just didn't care for it. I felt that there was too much back story that should have been the first book in a series instead of shoved into this book. Because of the long, drawn out beginning, Need was a DNF for me.
*REVIEW COPY PROVIDED BY NETGALLEY*
When I came across Todd Gregory's Need on NetGalley, I thought I'd give it a shot even though I had never heard of the author. That's one of the big advantages of being a book reviewer. Sadly I was only able to make it about a third of the way through the book before giving up on it.
I'm not going to say that Need was horrible because it wasn't, I just didn't care for it. I felt that there was too much back story that should have been the first book in a series instead of shoved into this book. Because of the long, drawn out beginning, Need was a DNF for me.
*REVIEW COPY PROVIDED BY NETGALLEY*
October 31, 2012
The book starts of slow, and the first half is a long series of flash backs. Which was silly. I understand that this was the second story after a short story, but he might as well have just started from the beginning. So that those who already read it could skip ahead, and those that didn’t could just read along. Because the author ended up retelling the story anyway. It wasn’t until the last third or fourth of the book that it got interesting and the sex was actually erotic instead of a lame drug induced quickies. The changes in Cord and the new world he is entering could make a very good story. This one however was so/so at best. Its saving grace was that its not a very long book, so you can power through most of it.
January 28, 2013
I liked this book ok, but it isn't the book I was expecting. I found this book in the YA section at the bookstore. I wouldn't want my young teen reading this! I'm not a prude by any means, but this book contained GRAPHIC & sometimes kind of kinky gay sex. I didn't mind it, but I don't know that it is appropriate for younger readers... Other than that, it was a decent enough vampire story ( but the author apparently has a problem with Christianity)
October 4, 2012
A really fun follow up to a short story by Gregory, it explores a young man coming to terms with both his new life as a vampire AND his sexuality. A lot of interesting parallels here and the revelation that immortality doesn't necessarily make things easier. A fun book if you like gay sex and vampires, which I totally do.
March 15, 2013
Gregory wrote a short story that gave birth to these characters, and I was extremely excited that he expanded upon them in a full length novel. I loved this story!! My only complaint: it was too quick a read because I couldn't put it down and then suddenly it was over! I hope there's a sequel. It was a unique universe of vampires and witches that he wove here.
August 10, 2013
I enjoyed parts of this book: the description of my old stomping ground from college ( French Quarter and gay boy bars), the storyline of witches and vampires, the struggle with the religion of childhood in the South. But too much
M/M sex and man part talk for me!
M/M sex and man part talk for me!
Read
October 18, 2012DNF
November 25, 2012
Yikes!
I don't know how I got this one...fascinating story but so not the book for this ex Catholic school girl!
I don't know how I got this one...fascinating story but so not the book for this ex Catholic school girl!
Read
January 26, 2013DNF
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