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Blood & Love and Other Vampire Tales
Award-winning author Rhiannon Frater delves deep into the vampire mythos in her new short story collection featuring the beautiful, but deadly undead. Spanning a hundred years and a diverse cast of characters, Rhiannon explores the themes of loneliness, revenge, blood and love in seven tales. How far will the bloodthirsty vampires go to find love, revenge, and family? Discover the truth in Love & Blood and Other Vampire Tales.
84 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 5, 2012
3 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
About the author
Rhiannon Frater
68 books1,660 followersRhiannon Frater is the award-winning author of the As the World Dies zombie trilogy (Tor) as well as independent works such as The Last Bastion of the Living (declared the #1 Zombie Release of 2012 by Explorations Fantasy Blog and the #1 Zombie Novel of the Decade by B&N Book Blog).
She was born and raised in Texas where she currently resides with her husband and furry children (a.k.a pets).
She loves scary movies, sci-fi and horror shows, playing video games, cooking, dyeing her hair weird colors, and shopping for Betsey Johnson purses and shoes.
She was born and raised in Texas where she currently resides with her husband and furry children (a.k.a pets).
She loves scary movies, sci-fi and horror shows, playing video games, cooking, dyeing her hair weird colors, and shopping for Betsey Johnson purses and shoes.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 1, 2012
Eeeeh, vampires à la Rhiannon Frater? Yes please!
This vampire anthology gives us vampiric tales from the vengeful to the romantic. Divided in 3 parts, we've got a good bunch of unique short stories that sticks with the classic vampire beliefs. The first part's stories are very short but they're fun; perfect to get you in the mood - like those little preluding mini movies in Pixar films. Although these ones aren't so cutesy. I mean - coming from Rhiannon and all.
All about strong, dependent women who don't take kindly to be treated like trash, part 2 is all about revenge on creeps who deserve it. Treating girls like a possession - manipulating and stalking them - has been ongoing in novels these days so I'm relieved when I read about empowered females who fight back. And these ones surely do. One thing I've noticed about Rhiannon's work is how she handles the fate of the hateful characters. They get everything that they deserve and my sadistic side relishes this! I could not have ended these better even if I tried.
As for part 3, we get a trilogy filled with romance, magic, and a touch of heartbreak. Each short story is a different point of view showing us unique sides of this family's tale. My personal favorite - of this part as well as the whole book - is The Memoirs of Moniki the Great. It's the POV of a little girl who's only 7 years old. Her tale is tragic and heartbreaking, but so very sweet. I loved her voice, she's so compelling she basically put me in her shoes. I felt her pain, her hope, and above all, her innocence. For a short story it was surprisingly profound. It's worth a read just for this one. It's unorthodox, though, as it includes a touch of magic, but I thought it was brilliant. Just a quick note of the final story of this trilogy. It was my first venture in a 2nd person narrative so it was very different for me. I'm not sure I would enjoy reading a full length novel with it, but it was interesting to see it applied.
True to its title, Blood & Love and Other Vampire Tales contains plenty of blood and an abundance of love inside this fantastic variety of vampire themed stories. Fans of Rhiannon Frater - this one's a given! Not a fan yet? You are missing out!
--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
This vampire anthology gives us vampiric tales from the vengeful to the romantic. Divided in 3 parts, we've got a good bunch of unique short stories that sticks with the classic vampire beliefs. The first part's stories are very short but they're fun; perfect to get you in the mood - like those little preluding mini movies in Pixar films. Although these ones aren't so cutesy. I mean - coming from Rhiannon and all.
All about strong, dependent women who don't take kindly to be treated like trash, part 2 is all about revenge on creeps who deserve it. Treating girls like a possession - manipulating and stalking them - has been ongoing in novels these days so I'm relieved when I read about empowered females who fight back. And these ones surely do. One thing I've noticed about Rhiannon's work is how she handles the fate of the hateful characters. They get everything that they deserve and my sadistic side relishes this! I could not have ended these better even if I tried.
As for part 3, we get a trilogy filled with romance, magic, and a touch of heartbreak. Each short story is a different point of view showing us unique sides of this family's tale. My personal favorite - of this part as well as the whole book - is The Memoirs of Moniki the Great. It's the POV of a little girl who's only 7 years old. Her tale is tragic and heartbreaking, but so very sweet. I loved her voice, she's so compelling she basically put me in her shoes. I felt her pain, her hope, and above all, her innocence. For a short story it was surprisingly profound. It's worth a read just for this one. It's unorthodox, though, as it includes a touch of magic, but I thought it was brilliant. Just a quick note of the final story of this trilogy. It was my first venture in a 2nd person narrative so it was very different for me. I'm not sure I would enjoy reading a full length novel with it, but it was interesting to see it applied.
True to its title, Blood & Love and Other Vampire Tales contains plenty of blood and an abundance of love inside this fantastic variety of vampire themed stories. Fans of Rhiannon Frater - this one's a given! Not a fan yet? You are missing out!
--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
May 3, 2013
'Life: thick and red.'
Vampire tales of loneliness, revenge and what love means.
Frater's superb characterization continues to thrill me, though now I'm a little scared of how she's able to so exquisitely bury inside the hearts and minds of vile predators and abusers and paint them in all their terrible glory. It's not often that stories are told from the villain's perspective, especially ones that I actually appreciate, but these I did.
Part I: The Ache of Loneliness
★★☆☆☆ The Whisper
An introductory story of a night-loving mortal woman coming upon a male vampire.
★★★☆☆ The Two Mothers
Before you think it, there are no lesbians here! A vampire woman longs for a child, spots one suffering from leukemia out walking with a mother willing to sacrifice everything for her love of him, including her life. I found it interesting how the mother was willing to share her child with another and let him call her "mama".
Part II: The Revenge of the Vampires
I love a good "revengeance" and Frater delivers in spades. This quote explains this section perfectly:
★★★★☆ The Predator
★★★★★ Vengeance
Sitting in a chair with a gun is an old man waiting for his annual visit from the wife he vilely abused. Every year she beats him to within an inch of his life for his awful violence towards her (rape and beatings), her children (the girl he molested, the male he rendered infertile) and the full-term unborn child he killed. By far my favourite story of the collection.
Part III: The Inner Sanctum Trilogy
★★☆☆☆ The Aspect of Her Eyes
A male vampire speaking of his love and admiration for his wife to his female progeny while watching said wife hunt their next meal.
★★★★☆ The Memoirs of Moniki
Memoirs of a 5-to-7 year old girl neglected and abused by her alcoholic father in the 1930s. Helped by a genetically-engineered rat created by the Nazis and rescued by the female vampire admired in the previous story. Contrasting the abuse Moniki received by her biological father and the endearing love by her new vampire parents was interesting, though I'm not sure the girl's loving grandmother would approve of her new life even though she's now safe and happy since they probably qualify as 'the devil' she feared.
★★★☆☆ Blood and Love
Our vampire couple showcase their enduring and all-consuming love for one another, paling in comparison to human love.
Vampire tales of loneliness, revenge and what love means.
Frater's superb characterization continues to thrill me, though now I'm a little scared of how she's able to so exquisitely bury inside the hearts and minds of vile predators and abusers and paint them in all their terrible glory. It's not often that stories are told from the villain's perspective, especially ones that I actually appreciate, but these I did.
Part I: The Ache of Loneliness
★★☆☆☆ The Whisper
An introductory story of a night-loving mortal woman coming upon a male vampire.
★★★☆☆ The Two Mothers
Before you think it, there are no lesbians here! A vampire woman longs for a child, spots one suffering from leukemia out walking with a mother willing to sacrifice everything for her love of him, including her life. I found it interesting how the mother was willing to share her child with another and let him call her "mama".
Part II: The Revenge of the Vampires
I love a good "revengeance" and Frater delivers in spades. This quote explains this section perfectly:
"When a woman says no, it's really best to leave her alone. You just never know who you are fucking with."
★★★★☆ The Predator
'She was undermining him.
He was so frustrated, when he lay in his bed during the day trying to sleep, he would fantasize about taking her forcibly right there at work. He could feel his hands closing over her neck, pushing her back onto a copier as she cried out in terror. Sometimes, that was his only solace when she ignored him. No matter what happened, he would always conquer her in his dreams.'
★★★★★ Vengeance
Sitting in a chair with a gun is an old man waiting for his annual visit from the wife he vilely abused. Every year she beats him to within an inch of his life for his awful violence towards her (rape and beatings), her children (the girl he molested, the male he rendered infertile) and the full-term unborn child he killed. By far my favourite story of the collection.
Part III: The Inner Sanctum Trilogy
★★☆☆☆ The Aspect of Her Eyes
A male vampire speaking of his love and admiration for his wife to his female progeny while watching said wife hunt their next meal.
★★★★☆ The Memoirs of Moniki
Memoirs of a 5-to-7 year old girl neglected and abused by her alcoholic father in the 1930s. Helped by a genetically-engineered rat created by the Nazis and rescued by the female vampire admired in the previous story. Contrasting the abuse Moniki received by her biological father and the endearing love by her new vampire parents was interesting, though I'm not sure the girl's loving grandmother would approve of her new life even though she's now safe and happy since they probably qualify as 'the devil' she feared.
★★★☆☆ Blood and Love
Our vampire couple showcase their enduring and all-consuming love for one another, paling in comparison to human love.
Read
September 17, 2014I wrote it, so I love it.
March 22, 2013
Blood & Love and Other Vampire Tales is a short anthology all written by Rhiannon Frater. Each story is about vampires. The book is separated into 3 parts; each part is fronted by a very personal authors note. The first part is general vampire stories, the second part is ‘girl power’ revenge stories and the third part is all about love.
Despite a few typos this book was generally well written. I really liked the different mix of stories and enjoyed everyone. The authors notes were very informative and a really nice touch.
This book is a quick and enjoyable read that vampire fans should read.
Despite a few typos this book was generally well written. I really liked the different mix of stories and enjoyed everyone. The authors notes were very informative and a really nice touch.
This book is a quick and enjoyable read that vampire fans should read.
April 6, 2013
There's something irresistibly hypnotic about Rhiannon Frater's writing. Evocative, dark, beautiful. While I won't be reading any of her zombie stories, as I don't care for the genre, I will definitely be seeking out more of her short stories. She has resuscitated my interest in vampires.
May 25, 2014
These short stories were okay, I liked two more then the others "The Memoirs of Moniki the Great" it was a cute short story told by the little girls point of view. Also I enjoyed "The Two Mothers".The other stories weren't as good but they weren't bad either, some you knew without a doubt where the short story was going to end up and the others weren't but a few paragraphs so it was too short to really enjoy the story. I really enjoy Rhiannon Frater's writing thought and loved the other books that I've read so far.
January 12, 2016
Well, some of these stories I liked and other not so much.
The one's with children had a lot of appeal. I liked those stories best. But the ones that were more brooding and internal monologue about what was happening around them bored me by the end of the tale. The language was poetic and pretty, but it got dry fast.
I really like this authors take on zombies, but I think I may just have to give their vampires books a pass if this is what I have to look forward to.
The one's with children had a lot of appeal. I liked those stories best. But the ones that were more brooding and internal monologue about what was happening around them bored me by the end of the tale. The language was poetic and pretty, but it got dry fast.
I really like this authors take on zombies, but I think I may just have to give their vampires books a pass if this is what I have to look forward to.
June 10, 2012
Part One: The Ache of Loneliness
The Whisper ★✮✮✮✮
The Two Mothers ★★✮✮✮
Part Two: The Revenge of the Vampires
The Predator ★✮✮✮✮
Vengeance ★★✮✮✮
Part Three: The Inner Sanctum Trilogy
The Aspect of Her Eyes ★★✮✮✮
The Memoirs of Moniki the Great ★✮✮✮✮
Blood and Love ★★✮✮✮
The Whisper ★✮✮✮✮
The Two Mothers ★★✮✮✮
Part Two: The Revenge of the Vampires
The Predator ★✮✮✮✮
Vengeance ★★✮✮✮
Part Three: The Inner Sanctum Trilogy
The Aspect of Her Eyes ★★✮✮✮
The Memoirs of Moniki the Great ★✮✮✮✮
Blood and Love ★★✮✮✮
June 7, 2012
This was a great short story to read, I know that the author stated that some of these stories were from her pass....but still they were just fab!!!! I love the darkness in these books, the love, and the utter familiarity the book gives me. I will read more from this author!!!
August 29, 2012
This was a good collection of short stories. I really liked it.
April 2, 2012
Awesome! I am so looking forward to the sequels for Vampire Bride and Pretty when she kills. These short stories were very good, kinda like a layover until the actual flight.
June 5, 2012
loved it!!!!
May 29, 2012
Free download today on http://rhiannonfrater.com/
September 20, 2013
3 stars for the stories "Two Mothers" and "The Memoirs of Moniki". The rest I didn't like that much...
However, will explore this author further on, also downloaded "The Tale of the Vampire Bride".
However, will explore this author further on, also downloaded "The Tale of the Vampire Bride".
October 3, 2014
How I loved 'The Memoirs of Moniki the Great' it touched me deeply.
Loved all the stories, but that one especially.
Loved all the stories, but that one especially.
April 6, 2012
A bit uneven perhaps, but I definitely enjoyed it.
Want to read
May 29, 2012Free download today on Rhiannon Frater's Blog.
February 23, 2016
2.5 stars; right in the middle of "I like it" and "It's okay".
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews