Claire has to attend the music industry conference. She needs the raise and her future Ex can suck it. It's there that she meets Bette, an Italian rare instrument dealer, and her two tall, dark and dangerous companions.
Cue the string of bad luck...Claire's singled out by a bewitched violin,dumped via text message... oh, and the clincher? She's un-dead and painfully unaware.
To make matters worse,Claire is attracted to two unlikely people-- both can light Claire's fire, but is either of them the only one? Unfortunately, life isn't all song lyrics and seduction. Tied to darkness by blood and power, she must harness her abilities if she hopes to survive this business trip from hell.
Kill Me , the debut novel from author Alex Owens, is a quirky paranormal fantasy complete with music, magic, fangs and freaks . It's the first in the Blood Chord series , with the completed series also available now.
Be forewarned, this is not your daughter's paranormal.
Born in the Deep South and raised right over the Mason Dixon line, Alex grew up feeling unsure where she belonged. That is, until she met up with a traveling Freak Show one fine day. Now she celebrates the unusual and appreciates how interesting life can be when you (ahem) open yourself to unique situations.
Residing in coastal Virginia, Alex spends her days wrangling words and children, and on occasion a sassy cat (or three), a bull-headed Labrador, or her old, cantankerous horse. Her husband has figured out that toeing the line is easiest in the long run. He’s a smart man.
Alex Owens' Kill Me is the first volume of the Blood Chord sequence, an interesting mix of motherhood, music, vampires, and erotic desires.
It all starts out as a straight-forward piece of chick-lit fiction, with a harried working mother struggling to juggle the demands of a career with those of a resentful husband and a lonely daughter. Claire is a bit awkward, adding a lightly comic tone to the story, and her strained relationship serves to ground the overall story. You can't help but immediately like her. Alex does a wonderful job of establishing her as a strong and admirable woman, more than worthy of our respect, while also developing her as a sympathetic character.
By contrast, Bette is a suave, sophisticated woman with genuine old-word class - a naturally powerful seductress who immediately insinuates herself into Claire's thoughts. I loved the interaction between these two characters, especially the prolonged homoerotic tease. It's a fine line to walk, keeping the sexual tension fresh and exciting, without exhausting the reader's patience for some kind of consummation, but Alex clearly understands the sensuality of the 'classic' vampire archetype.
The introduction of Gregor, another vampire into the mix, was definitely not something I expected, but Alex plays out the love/lust triangle very well. Claire spends so much of the book completely out of her depth, strung along, and forced to react to these two supernaturally powerful individuals, that it's exhilarating to see her discovering her own hidden strengths, ultimately wresting control of the unbreakable bond between vampires . . . and bending it to her own needs.
Almost primarily sensual and romantic, there are some very explicitly erotic scenes that are developed and introduced in such a way that they seem a natural progression of the storyline. They're definitely steamy, and a little dreamy, but they work very well within the context of the story, the path that's Clarie's life has taken, the way her relationships have developed, and the overall vampire mythology.
It's not your traditional, action-packed vampire tale, but it is one that's full of conflict - emotional, psychological, and (at times) extremely physical. Fast, fun, and . . . dare I say it, empowering . . . this is a wonderful story and one that will leave you anxious for more.
A suburban, working mother turned vampire (or almost) but with abilities the other vampires don't have: I haven't read much about vampire lore, but I think it's safe to say the premise of this book is unique—if only in an indirect way.
The writing style is easy to read. In fact, I found myself reading for longer periods of time than I normally do. Typically I read only for a few minutes at a time, the rest of my crazy schedule and life itself getting in the way. I made time for this book. I wanted to know what was going to happen next. The bits about the enchanted violin and guitar sessions intrigued me as I am an amateur musician (though I was more active back in my school days).
The biggest thing for me that brought it down to a 4 from a 5 was the amount of sexual material. Some of it was needed for the story to make sense, but I don't think it was needed to such an extreme. A few scenes I skimmed over and one I completely skipped. With the world getting more and more crazy about sex, it's a sad state when even our books have to escalate it further. Even the main character, the narrator, made a comment about the amount of sex among the vampires. But, that's enough about that soapbox.
I recommend this book to anyone who isn't bothered by some graphic sexual material (or at least is willing to skip over it). This is the first book in a series, and I would like to read the following, as this book ended with me satisfied but eager to know what happens next.
Great book but I felt the need to point out a large mistake, this is a the mistake I found from chapter 16.
"We passed through the quiet lobby unnoticed and arrived at my hotel room door within minutes. I opened the door and held it for Bette, who breezed into the room, kicked off her heels and made herself comfortable on my bed. I followed her in and started babbling questions before the door clicked shut.
Bette cut me off. “We will be talking all night at this rate and that is not what I have in mind. Perhaps it would be better if I just told you what I know and then if you have any questions at the end, you may ask. Okay?”
I took off my jacket and tossed it over the arm of the nearest chair. Kicking my heels off, I stretched my feet for a second before responding. “Okay, I guess.”
Bette crossed to the bed and sat. She removed her heels, placing them neatly beside the bed table. “First I will tell you about us, the Vampires in general. As you already know, we do drink blood from the living—never from something dead—only zombies do that.”"
So in the 1st paragraph it says Bette walked into the room and kicked her shoes off and got in the bed. Then a few paragraphs later it says Bette crossed the room sat on the bed and removed her shoes again. Sorry but it bugged the crap out of me seeing that but otherwise a great book.
I discovered this book was published as another title and am totally glad I read it; you can find my full review on Something Chosen (Shadow Vampire Series Book 1) Just wanted to let everyone know that still wanted to read this series not to lose hope in being able to read this series. I am glad I found out that It was republished as another title and that I will get to read the rest of the series.
The summary of this novel enticed me and I craved to know more about the main character, Claire.
At the beginning of the story, Owens throws us into Claire's life as she attends a music conference to land some new marketing clients. It's there she meets a mysterious Italian woman, Bette.
The next morning, Claire wakes up with no memory of the night before, but something life changing did indeed happen. Throughout that day, Bette fills her in on the gaps somewhat. Claire begins to feel even stranger than she usually does. Then mid-way through the novel she meets Bette's friends, Gregor and Clive. She has an instant dislike for Clive, but is drawn to Gregor in quite the same way she's drawn to Bette. The connection she has with the three of them complicates her already chaotic life.
Due to the fact that the story is told in first person, there are some things that are left a mystery. I was a tad surprised by the steamy bits of the novel, but they were imperative to the story. I like the fact that Claire was the bread-winner of her family as her husband, Pete, is unemployed. Even through the most difficult situations she faces, her thoughts are always on her daughter, Quinn, and her well-being.
Overall, the story has great character development, a healthy dose of romantic entanglements, and an intriguing start to what is to be a fabulous series. This novel is defiantly meant for an adult audience, so keep away from the tweens. I am anxiously awaiting the rest of the series, “Kiss Me”, due out summer 2012, and “Thrill Me”, due out late 2012/early 2013.
One day Claire is a working mom with a deadbeat husband and the next day, she’s a super powerful vampire. It’s quite a change to adjust to, but Claire not only manages, she thrives.
Kill Me by Alex Owens is a delightfully fun book that follows Claire as she adjusts to her new existence, but still manages to keep her humanity and dedication to her daughter intact. The book is written in quick and sometimes humorous prose that makes it an absolute joy to read. There are a few lines that are unforgettable (including a brief but hilarious explanation on Claire’s part as to why she hates the term “making love”).
The concept is a fairly original one, and it is nice to see a vampire who is still very human by the end of the book. Claire is an incredibly likeable character, one with whom I think many readers will be able to indentify. She really is the heart and soul of the book—moreso than many protagonists in this genre—and as a character, she drives the story on magnificently. She’s not the only character, though. Owens presents to the reader a cast of well-crafted characters including the sultry and mysterious Bette, the stoic Gregor and Creepy Clive, as Claire calls him.
The book gets a little steamy at times, but Claire’s vampire-sexual escapades are never presented in a trashy manner, and it never negatively affects the movement of the plot in any way.
Definitely give this book a try if you’re in the market for something a little quirky, a little dark and a lot of fun!
KILL ME is a fast and enjoyable read written in first person from Claire’s perspective. Her goal at this conference is to sign up lots of clients and then go home to her daughter and dead beat husband. That is until she met Bette. Then her world gets turned sideways.
Ms. Owens has done a wonderful job with her characters. It is all too easy emphasize with Claire and her worries about paying her bills. Bette is a mixture of sultriness and feminine softness. And the men that she meets are hot and well developed. As busy and fast paced as this story is, it is most definitely the characters that make this tale so enjoyable.
I did find a few editing errors when I was reading and one did pull me out of the story for a minute. But overall, they didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the story.
I do recommend this book to vampire lovers looking for something different.
I rate this book a 3.3.
**I received this book at no charge in exchange for a fair and honest review. No monies have or will exchange hands.
I won this novel from a member librarything giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
Kill Me is about Claire, a housewife turned professional mom, who is struggling to deal with her now dead beat husband as well as trying to make ends meet. She goes on a business trip that suddenly completely changes her life, and she meets the enigmatic Bette.
I had so much fun reading this book. I will put it out there that this is in no ways a book for kids or teens-- this is more for older women; and at times, I too thought I wasn't old enough for it! But this delightfully fun novel turns the stereotypical feeder of the night story on its head and indulges in more than just a little girl power. I blazed through it in one day and loved how it ended! I don't want to give away its secrets, but just believe me when I say it is well worth reading!
Overall, a fun, indulgent novel that will appeal to any woman who has struggled with being a working mom and wished for secret powers.
Take one overworked wife and mother just trying to get ahead and make ends meet, throw in a manipulative charismatic vampire and you have quite a ride. I really loved this book. Claire is sassy and smart and I love her character. Kill Me brings us a new type of vampirism and a world that full twisty paths that Claire must travel and she does it with a snarky wit and single-minded determination to make her circumstances work for her and her child. In my opinion this is a well written work with wonderful characters and world building and despite the intrigue and at times heartache is full of humor. I am really looking forward to continuing the journey with Claire and definitely recommend this read to anyone who enjoys a bit of humor with their fang and drama. I received this book from the author with a request for my honest review without any compensation whatsoever, other than the joy of reading a new book.
Big girl vampire book. That's right. No character as a role model in this book, the story line is not sugar coated, and Kill Me is definitely not the kind of book my mom used to read!
Did I enjoy the story? Oh yeah. Ms Owens kept things gritty and mostly real. A nice change in a genre that's downplayed the heartless, dangerous, selfish side of the vampire culture. Will the idea flow in future novels? Maybe. I'm definitely intrigued...and I'll read the next novel in the Blood Chord series. Who wouldn't want to see every day Jane survive, adapt and thrive?
I really did want to like this series. The premise is promising. My issues are all of the mistakes, grammer and inconsistencies. There were so many errors that they became a distraction from the story. The inconsistencies were from one paragraph to the next: ex...She wore silver sandals in one paragraph, the next it was turquoise heels; a halter top to a tube top back to a halter top. This is in all 3 books. ex...Book 1 silver drains vampires to the point of paralysis, book 3 no problems whatsoever; book 1 Gregor is Bettes maker, book 3 Clive is her maker. Having to reread a sentence to figure out what word should have been used, or which tense was also frustrating. It makes me wonder if this book was ever seen by an editor or at the very least a proofreader. It needs to be, or the current ones need to be fired and replaced. Fix the mistakes and I'll probably be able to upgrade my review.
I picked this up on Kindle Unlimited from a suggestion in the newsletter of another author and am glad that I did. It's a fun tale; some sass, some raunch and a nice steady plotline that kept my interest until the end.
From start to finish, there are large moments of confusion and glimpses of clarity that may make the series interesting. My biggest issue is the adult that acts and seems more of a late teen
This book started out slow. I almost put it back during the first couple chapters, but I'm glad I hung in there. I enjoyed the unique relations ships of Claire and the many characters in the book. She would do well with a vampire 101 book. Beware
This book was definitely interesting and isn't your typical teen vampire book. This is about Claire, a wife and mother who grabs the attention of a mesmerizing vampire. The book keeps you wondering what's going on, but right when the action gets going the book stops! Augh!!!
If you're a Laurell K. Hamilton or J.R. Rain fan, then this is right up your alley. Unique view on a well read genre. Fast-paced and somewhat humorous. Definitely excited about reading the rest of the series.
This is the first (and currently only) book in the Blood Chord series narrated by Claire who is working hard to support her daughter and increasingly burdensome husband. She has a natural empathic talent that makes her very good at finding clients, and she attracts the attention of the enigmatic Bette. Indeed, the attraction is mutual, and Claire discovers she is not as straight as she always believed. Bette, however, is a vampire and chooses to make Claire one too.
Claire spends much of the book trying to understand what is happening around her and to her, while also doing her job and having to deal with her husband ending the marriage. She becomes a vampire, and a bloodthirsty one too, but she's different, with strengths that make other powerful vampires seek to possess her.
I really enjoyed this book. Claire is intelligent and independent and makes an interesting human character as well as an interesting vampire. Blood, sex and morality.
I do have some minor complaints. Claire's sudden bisexuality coincides with Bette taking an interest in her, which is dangerously close to the age-old trope of the unnatural lesbian vampire seducing the innocent straight woman and converting her. And the plot relies a little too much on people not explaining things.
I received this book for free in exchange for a honest review. Claire is a hard working mom in a dead end marriage. On a business trip, something happens to her that changes her life forever. I loved this book! I know vampires have been written about a lot, but forget all those and read this book with a blank mind. It has a quirky, relatable main character that I adore. It incorporates music smoothly into the story, and the secondary characters are also well written without overpowering the storyline. The 'adult' scenes are nicely done! I fell into the story very easily and was shocked when it ended and I had no more to read. So, I immediately went online and bought the second book in the series. Let's hope it can equal the first one.
So I binge-read several items that i'd downloaded for free the other day. This was one of them. This is one of the very few books I couldn't finish. The idea of the book had great potential, but there was way too much going on to stay focused, and the sex was more gratuitous, not with purpose. Maybe if I had read past 60% of the book, it would make sense and improve, but I think it's better if readers get hooked earlier than that.
I love reading about vampires! But you throw in someone who has a career, who's a mother and wife then it just gets interesting!!! This was a fast read only becuase I couldn't put it down! But when I read the epilogue I was going to cry becuase I wanted more! I hope their is a book 2 becuase I have to know how it ends! I would for sure recommend this to all my friends who love vamps!
A co-worker of mine recommended this book!! I am so glad she did!! I loved this book!! It was so entertaining! A lot of books always do or say the same things, but not with this author!! She definitely mixed it up. Very quirky....I can't wait for more from this series!!
excellent book about lust and survival. Clair is overwhelmed by Bette the main vampire. Being turned Clair had a lot to learn.in the end she finds out she cant trust anyone. Cant wait to read the next in the series.
A very enjoyable read. Although a vampire book, it has humour and doesn't take itself too seriously. Lovable characters, an interesting and slightly different take on the usual vampire take. Looking forward to reading more from Alex Owens, starting with Blood Cord book 2!