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The Light-Bearer #1
Charmeine
Can romance develop between a Heavenly Light-Bearer and a Hellish Vampire Blood-Hunter?
Tabbruis is an extremely attractive Blood-Hunter who has reconciled himself to be alone forever. Over millennia Tabbruis has wandered the Earth alone, aimlessly living through many historical events.
Charleen (aka Charmeine) was found in 1997 as a teenager, unable to remember where she was from or where her family was. She was sent to an orphanage where she met her best friend, Shane. With determination, she works hard and becomes a school teacher.
Tabbruis comes to her aid when she is attacked by a Blood-Hunter. Charmeine’s power as a Light-Bearer, one who throws lightning, is triggered when she meets Tabbruis, and it grows exponentially.
When they meet, the attraction is immediate, romantic and passionate. They are polar opposites and clash together in a dramatic way.
Will Charmeine and Tabbruis fulfill their destinies? Will they realize their importance in both the Blood-Hunter and Light-Bearer world?
“Charmeine” is an action-packed emotional roller-coaster of passion and fury!
Tabbruis is an extremely attractive Blood-Hunter who has reconciled himself to be alone forever. Over millennia Tabbruis has wandered the Earth alone, aimlessly living through many historical events.
Charleen (aka Charmeine) was found in 1997 as a teenager, unable to remember where she was from or where her family was. She was sent to an orphanage where she met her best friend, Shane. With determination, she works hard and becomes a school teacher.
Tabbruis comes to her aid when she is attacked by a Blood-Hunter. Charmeine’s power as a Light-Bearer, one who throws lightning, is triggered when she meets Tabbruis, and it grows exponentially.
When they meet, the attraction is immediate, romantic and passionate. They are polar opposites and clash together in a dramatic way.
Will Charmeine and Tabbruis fulfill their destinies? Will they realize their importance in both the Blood-Hunter and Light-Bearer world?
“Charmeine” is an action-packed emotional roller-coaster of passion and fury!
172 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
8 people are currently reading
748 people want to read
About the author
Emily Guido
7 books174 followers Emily Guido is a Published writer under Invictus/PDMI Publishing and Emily Guido Publishing, US. She is a Young Adult, Paranormal Romance Author. Inspiration to write The Light-Bearer Series came from a premise of light and dark characters who have an epic romance. Emily has published four novels, Charmeine, Mactus, Accendo, Seditious. She is working on more novels in The Light-Bearer Series Ransom and Conundrum which will be released soon.
Notes to Reviewers and Readers: The Blood-Hunter Race or Elders have been on Earth for several millennia. Use of contractions like I'm, don't or can't is not practiced. They use a refined way of speech. Also, please read the CURRENT edition of my books. There are several OLD editions out in circulation. Please contact me at guido.emily@gmail.com, I will provide a current edition.
Notes to Reviewers and Readers: The Blood-Hunter Race or Elders have been on Earth for several millennia. Use of contractions like I'm, don't or can't is not practiced. They use a refined way of speech. Also, please read the CURRENT edition of my books. There are several OLD editions out in circulation. Please contact me at guido.emily@gmail.com, I will provide a current edition.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
April 23, 2012
http://www.romancenoveljunkies.com
BRIEF SUMMARY
Both Charmeine and Tabbruis descended to earth not remembering who they really are. Charmeine grew up in an orphanage and Tabbruis has been walking the earth for centuries as a blood hunter/ vampire. With a chance meeting, both will uncover secrets about themselves that will lead them to constantly fight to save their new but somewhat old discovered loved.
THOUGHTS
This was an appealing story that has caught me off guard in a surprising way. I would shelf this book in the category of one of the breakout books for me that I have read for 2012. The first few chapters pulls you in immediately as the build up to Charleen aka Charmeine meeting with Tabbruis. Both these character’s chemistry was so intense, emotionally, that you couldn’t look away. There is nothing like forbidden love and a reunited love between a light bearer and a blood hunter vampire who finds their connection with Billy Joel’s music.
Once the characters met, the story took off in ways that reveals a lot and connects the other supporting characters Shane, Thomas, Neal and Dmitri to Charmeine and Tabbruis in ways that are exciting and unexpected. Although I have to admit that as exciting as the connection between Charmeine, Tabbruis and Shane was, it felt a little awkward for me as I reconnect with them in their newly discovered roles. The action sequence within the story was not lacking also as both characters tries to battle and defeat other blood hunters and the council. With Charmeine being a light bearer and Tab being a blood hunter, their love is forbidden, and both most fight to keep their family together. Well done to the author on her first book and first book within the series.
What I will say and note to the readers is that there were editing issues, so if you are able to bypass that issue then there shouldn’t be any problems for you. The story is also extensively lengthy. Throughout the story there were times when the plot had it’s high and low points. As much as I enjoyed the story and from my personal taste, I felt certain scenes weren’t necessary. Lastly, to the readers who like physical intimacy within their story, this really had none, however, that didn’t bother me as much as the story was strong enough with the emotional connection from the characters.
Length: Kindle 8816
Story: GREAT
Enjoyment: FAIRLY GOOD
More reviews for this author:
http://romancenoveljunkies.com/Emily_...
BRIEF SUMMARY
Both Charmeine and Tabbruis descended to earth not remembering who they really are. Charmeine grew up in an orphanage and Tabbruis has been walking the earth for centuries as a blood hunter/ vampire. With a chance meeting, both will uncover secrets about themselves that will lead them to constantly fight to save their new but somewhat old discovered loved.
THOUGHTS
This was an appealing story that has caught me off guard in a surprising way. I would shelf this book in the category of one of the breakout books for me that I have read for 2012. The first few chapters pulls you in immediately as the build up to Charleen aka Charmeine meeting with Tabbruis. Both these character’s chemistry was so intense, emotionally, that you couldn’t look away. There is nothing like forbidden love and a reunited love between a light bearer and a blood hunter vampire who finds their connection with Billy Joel’s music.
Once the characters met, the story took off in ways that reveals a lot and connects the other supporting characters Shane, Thomas, Neal and Dmitri to Charmeine and Tabbruis in ways that are exciting and unexpected. Although I have to admit that as exciting as the connection between Charmeine, Tabbruis and Shane was, it felt a little awkward for me as I reconnect with them in their newly discovered roles. The action sequence within the story was not lacking also as both characters tries to battle and defeat other blood hunters and the council. With Charmeine being a light bearer and Tab being a blood hunter, their love is forbidden, and both most fight to keep their family together. Well done to the author on her first book and first book within the series.
What I will say and note to the readers is that there were editing issues, so if you are able to bypass that issue then there shouldn’t be any problems for you. The story is also extensively lengthy. Throughout the story there were times when the plot had it’s high and low points. As much as I enjoyed the story and from my personal taste, I felt certain scenes weren’t necessary. Lastly, to the readers who like physical intimacy within their story, this really had none, however, that didn’t bother me as much as the story was strong enough with the emotional connection from the characters.
Length: Kindle 8816
Story: GREAT
Enjoyment: FAIRLY GOOD
More reviews for this author:
http://romancenoveljunkies.com/Emily_...
January 5, 2013
Notes to Reviewers and Readers:
First, the Blood-Hunter race or Elders have been on Earth for thousands of years. Because of this, they do not use contractions like I'm, don't or can't. They communicate in a more refined way because of their age.
Second, there are several OLD editions out in circulation of my books. Please leave a review on the current edition. Please feel free to contact me, Emily, at guido.emily@gmail.com to check the edition you have is the recent edition.
First, the Blood-Hunter race or Elders have been on Earth for thousands of years. Because of this, they do not use contractions like I'm, don't or can't. They communicate in a more refined way because of their age.
Second, there are several OLD editions out in circulation of my books. Please leave a review on the current edition. Please feel free to contact me, Emily, at guido.emily@gmail.com to check the edition you have is the recent edition.
April 9, 2012
Hea y'all Anne here and I want to tell y'all about Charmeine by Emily Guido. First off I read this book blind to what to expect, I hadn't read any reviews or breakdowns. This book was utterly amazing. Emily has created a story that will invade your mind and touch your soul. It's a sweet romance with no erotica which I happen to like, it allows the reader to follow the story baseline and not get distracted by heavy sex scenes. When I first started this book I noted that the start of the story brings forth Angels and the unyielding love they share for one another. Soul mates in heaven and families living together in the purest of places. That's when the twists start, Tabbruis and Charmeine a pair of angels who are not only soul mates but a family full of love and devotion. Their story takes a drastic turn when Tab Hunter wakes alone and with no memory. He lives through centuries not knowing what happened or why. His memory is plagued with visions of a beautiful woman, her smile and her light leaves him wanting and searching for her.
Charlene was found lost and wondering the streets, she can't remember her past she only remembers 4 little letters Char. Taken to an orphanage she lives through her last teenage years pushing herself to become a teacher and to achieve her goal of helping as many people as possible. Charlene has an inner light that makes her a target for a new brand of bad guy called the blood hunters. Now Vampires are not a new thing but the author Emily spins this tale to bring a new life into view. Blood Hunters and Light Bearers are natural enemies and must kill each other on sight. However an ancient prophecy has been told of a pair that will bring forth the end of the age old feud between the two groups.
This book is filled to the brim with stories of love, devotion, pain and loss that will warm your heart and break it at the same time. Emily has developed each character into its own beautiful fixture into the story. No stone is left unturned in the telling of this romantic story. I found myself crying and holding my breath and in astonished awe of this new and exciting twist on some of our favorite classic paranormal beings. When light and dark meet and begin to care what happens to the world? What happens when the harbinger of peace and light is already in love? What will become of the new era for Blood Hunters and Light Bearers? I can't wait for more from this story, I was hooked and addicted 20 pages in and I'm anxiously awaiting for more from all of these characters and any new ones that come about. 5 out of 5 stars for Charmeine by Emily Guido, get this book and fall in love with the new twists and turns that come at you.
Charlene was found lost and wondering the streets, she can't remember her past she only remembers 4 little letters Char. Taken to an orphanage she lives through her last teenage years pushing herself to become a teacher and to achieve her goal of helping as many people as possible. Charlene has an inner light that makes her a target for a new brand of bad guy called the blood hunters. Now Vampires are not a new thing but the author Emily spins this tale to bring a new life into view. Blood Hunters and Light Bearers are natural enemies and must kill each other on sight. However an ancient prophecy has been told of a pair that will bring forth the end of the age old feud between the two groups.
This book is filled to the brim with stories of love, devotion, pain and loss that will warm your heart and break it at the same time. Emily has developed each character into its own beautiful fixture into the story. No stone is left unturned in the telling of this romantic story. I found myself crying and holding my breath and in astonished awe of this new and exciting twist on some of our favorite classic paranormal beings. When light and dark meet and begin to care what happens to the world? What happens when the harbinger of peace and light is already in love? What will become of the new era for Blood Hunters and Light Bearers? I can't wait for more from this story, I was hooked and addicted 20 pages in and I'm anxiously awaiting for more from all of these characters and any new ones that come about. 5 out of 5 stars for Charmeine by Emily Guido, get this book and fall in love with the new twists and turns that come at you.
July 31, 2015
Move over Edward, there’s a new player in town called Tabbruis.
Emily Guido, a new Paranormal / vampire Author. She discovered me on wordblogg and I followed her on wordblogg, twitter, facebook you name it. She wrote a 100.000! word novel in 1 week!!!! Called Charmeine. I read her book in 1 week!!!
At first a little skeptical, an Angel as vampire? But that also intrigued me. I’m a sucker for original vampire love stories. And I must say I absoluty loved it!!!!!
Combine Angel from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Cas from supernatural and you have Tabbruis a Blood Hunter from Hell. Who roamed the earth searching for the one thing he missed in his live, love. But, as a Blood Hunter he also has enemies, the Light-Bearers. Their quest is to destroy the Blood Hunters and protect the humans.
And then you have Charmeine, a lovely teacher who lost her memory and struggles through live. Until she meets that dark handsome strangers who rescues her from a blood hunter attack, or is it the other way around?
Needless to say that the stranger is Tabbruis and they fall hopelessly in love with each other. And then things move fast. Charmeine discovers she’s a light bearer and thus she and her love Tabbruis are sworn enemies. They fight for their love, their family and discover their past together in heaven. Will they succeed? I won’t tell. You have so read for yourself and it’s a good read.
Like I said, I couldn’t stop reading and it took me about 4 days to read the whole book. And I can’t wait till Emily’s next novel Ransom, due in May 2012. Thankfully I won’t have to wait so long. She is a great debut author whom we will be hearing much more of. She writes funny, fast and fantastic and I give this book and 8 out of 10, or 4 out of 5 stars. As you like it. All I can say is read this book, follow Emily Guido and spread the word!
Emily Guido, a new Paranormal / vampire Author. She discovered me on wordblogg and I followed her on wordblogg, twitter, facebook you name it. She wrote a 100.000! word novel in 1 week!!!! Called Charmeine. I read her book in 1 week!!!
At first a little skeptical, an Angel as vampire? But that also intrigued me. I’m a sucker for original vampire love stories. And I must say I absoluty loved it!!!!!
Combine Angel from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Cas from supernatural and you have Tabbruis a Blood Hunter from Hell. Who roamed the earth searching for the one thing he missed in his live, love. But, as a Blood Hunter he also has enemies, the Light-Bearers. Their quest is to destroy the Blood Hunters and protect the humans.
And then you have Charmeine, a lovely teacher who lost her memory and struggles through live. Until she meets that dark handsome strangers who rescues her from a blood hunter attack, or is it the other way around?
Needless to say that the stranger is Tabbruis and they fall hopelessly in love with each other. And then things move fast. Charmeine discovers she’s a light bearer and thus she and her love Tabbruis are sworn enemies. They fight for their love, their family and discover their past together in heaven. Will they succeed? I won’t tell. You have so read for yourself and it’s a good read.
Like I said, I couldn’t stop reading and it took me about 4 days to read the whole book. And I can’t wait till Emily’s next novel Ransom, due in May 2012. Thankfully I won’t have to wait so long. She is a great debut author whom we will be hearing much more of. She writes funny, fast and fantastic and I give this book and 8 out of 10, or 4 out of 5 stars. As you like it. All I can say is read this book, follow Emily Guido and spread the word!
May 23, 2012
OH MY WOW !!!!
Romance between a Vampire and a light bearer is something so new , I had to read this book to find out what the buzz and feel is all about .. And all I can say is that book didnt disappoint at all !
Tabbrius is a blood hunter , and has been a loner like forever , thats until Charlene/Charmeine walks into his life - first in his dreams and everywhere he looks then for real .
Charmeine is an orphan who cant remember anything about her past . What she does know is that she has recently become the target of a group hunters called the blood hunters .. Why are these hunters after her ?? Well Charmeine is no ordinary girl , she is a light bearer a beacon of hope to the dark and twisted world .. What happens when Tabbrius and Charmeine meet ? How will their love survive the dangers that are lurking to destroy them ... ?? All this and more is what this book is all about .
Cover speak : My first thoughts when I looked at this cover was - " Hmmmm interesting ." But Honestly speaking it never came across to me as a Vampire and angel story . To me it felt more of like a contemporary romance . It was'nt till I read this blurb did I figure out what this was about . Either ways , I loved this cover .
Things I loved about this book :
The romance in this book was definitely the biggest highlight for me . When Tabbrius and Charmeine meet , it was definitely a classic case of Insta-love and I enjoyed the kind of conversation they had . It almost felt like two teenagers , falling in love for the very first time . I loved how Tabbrius was never doubtful of his love for Charmeine . Their love for each other had me smiling to myself a lot of times ..
But as they say where there's love there's pain too .. And It was the same here as well . Tabbrius and Charmeine had to fight to keep their love and peace on earth . This was the kind of story that involved Heaven and Earth . Will they win , or will love be lost forever ??
I absolutely loved Emily's writing style . She made her characters so real , and the emotions so true that I could'nt help but sry and laugh when something bad or good happened !! Emily is definitely one of my fav authors , and the way this book ended had me begging for more . I cant wait to read more from this series and find out whats is store for Tabbrius and Charmeine .
Recommended for readers who love an absolutely amazing love story between a sexy vampire and a sugary sweet angel . This one's a must read from me !!
Romance between a Vampire and a light bearer is something so new , I had to read this book to find out what the buzz and feel is all about .. And all I can say is that book didnt disappoint at all !
Tabbrius is a blood hunter , and has been a loner like forever , thats until Charlene/Charmeine walks into his life - first in his dreams and everywhere he looks then for real .
Charmeine is an orphan who cant remember anything about her past . What she does know is that she has recently become the target of a group hunters called the blood hunters .. Why are these hunters after her ?? Well Charmeine is no ordinary girl , she is a light bearer a beacon of hope to the dark and twisted world .. What happens when Tabbrius and Charmeine meet ? How will their love survive the dangers that are lurking to destroy them ... ?? All this and more is what this book is all about .
Cover speak : My first thoughts when I looked at this cover was - " Hmmmm interesting ." But Honestly speaking it never came across to me as a Vampire and angel story . To me it felt more of like a contemporary romance . It was'nt till I read this blurb did I figure out what this was about . Either ways , I loved this cover .
Things I loved about this book :
The romance in this book was definitely the biggest highlight for me . When Tabbrius and Charmeine meet , it was definitely a classic case of Insta-love and I enjoyed the kind of conversation they had . It almost felt like two teenagers , falling in love for the very first time . I loved how Tabbrius was never doubtful of his love for Charmeine . Their love for each other had me smiling to myself a lot of times ..
But as they say where there's love there's pain too .. And It was the same here as well . Tabbrius and Charmeine had to fight to keep their love and peace on earth . This was the kind of story that involved Heaven and Earth . Will they win , or will love be lost forever ??
I absolutely loved Emily's writing style . She made her characters so real , and the emotions so true that I could'nt help but sry and laugh when something bad or good happened !! Emily is definitely one of my fav authors , and the way this book ended had me begging for more . I cant wait to read more from this series and find out whats is store for Tabbrius and Charmeine .
Recommended for readers who love an absolutely amazing love story between a sexy vampire and a sugary sweet angel . This one's a must read from me !!
April 19, 2012
I adored this book! Loved it!
A few weeks ago, I received a message from one of my reviewer friends saying that I HAD to check out this book. I read the book without really knowing much about it, and without reading any reviews, which was unlike me. I fell in love!
Charmeine was an absolutely breathtaking book! The story is unbelievable. It's unique, it's powerful, it's romantic and it's beautiful! The novel is rather long, but it's a fast read because it's addictive and hard to put down for even a moment. It really sucks you in and captivates you as well as captures your emotions and holds them hostage. The pacing and the world building are fantastic. The background information really helps the readers get to know who the characters are and why they're like that. I enjoyed it immensely.
I loved everything about the book! All the characters, major and minor, especially the two main characters Charmeine and Tabbruis! Talk about swoon worthy moments between those two! Charmeine is a Light Bearer (angel)and Tabbruis is a blood-hunter (vampire). Their love is forbidden, so they've got kind of a star-crossed lovers thing going on and have to beat all sorts of odds and obstacles for the chance to actually be together. But the story is so much more than that. Emily did a great job coming up with such a wonderful plot!
The story is filled with action, romance, and both historical and religious aspectsas well as some crazy twists thrown in for good measure! One of the best things about this book is that it is full of religious things, but in no way is it boring or is the author preaching. It is simply there to solidify an already great story. I believe this is what makes the story so powerful. It's a tale of not only true love, but of great always overcoming evil.
I recommend this book to anyone that likes a unique paranormal romance. I think that this book deserves a lot of attention, and I think that it will indeed get just that in the next few months! I think that people worldwide should pick up this story and fall in love with this incredible world!
I will be anxiously awaiting until I can get my hands on book 2, titled Ransom!
A few weeks ago, I received a message from one of my reviewer friends saying that I HAD to check out this book. I read the book without really knowing much about it, and without reading any reviews, which was unlike me. I fell in love!
Charmeine was an absolutely breathtaking book! The story is unbelievable. It's unique, it's powerful, it's romantic and it's beautiful! The novel is rather long, but it's a fast read because it's addictive and hard to put down for even a moment. It really sucks you in and captivates you as well as captures your emotions and holds them hostage. The pacing and the world building are fantastic. The background information really helps the readers get to know who the characters are and why they're like that. I enjoyed it immensely.
I loved everything about the book! All the characters, major and minor, especially the two main characters Charmeine and Tabbruis! Talk about swoon worthy moments between those two! Charmeine is a Light Bearer (angel)and Tabbruis is a blood-hunter (vampire). Their love is forbidden, so they've got kind of a star-crossed lovers thing going on and have to beat all sorts of odds and obstacles for the chance to actually be together. But the story is so much more than that. Emily did a great job coming up with such a wonderful plot!
The story is filled with action, romance, and both historical and religious aspectsas well as some crazy twists thrown in for good measure! One of the best things about this book is that it is full of religious things, but in no way is it boring or is the author preaching. It is simply there to solidify an already great story. I believe this is what makes the story so powerful. It's a tale of not only true love, but of great always overcoming evil.
I recommend this book to anyone that likes a unique paranormal romance. I think that this book deserves a lot of attention, and I think that it will indeed get just that in the next few months! I think that people worldwide should pick up this story and fall in love with this incredible world!
I will be anxiously awaiting until I can get my hands on book 2, titled Ransom!
September 29, 2012
What a wonderful new series! Charmeine is an innocent, selfless, generous heroine who only wants what’s best for herself and her best friend Shane. Our hero, Tabburis is kind of tired and lonely until they meet, then, he’s very interested! This book not only has excitement to spare, but our author, Ms. Guido takes the time to build a wonderful foundation for her series in-between all the excitement. Ms. Guido has a very original story line, the twists and turns in this book! I am counting on Ms. Guido’s surprises to continue! This is a must read book for all of the paranormal romance fans!
May 22, 2012
I started following http://emilyguido.com/ She is the author of Charmeine, the first book in the new Light Bearer Series. Everyday I would impatiently check my email waiting for another excerpt from her book Charmeine. When I found out that the next book in the series is going to be released soon, I decided that I needed to read the entire book, not just the snippets. So I purchased my copy (first book I've bought in ages) and started to read...
In Heaven, Charmeine and Tabbruis are worried. Charmeine, an Angel of Harmony, has a mission to provide harmony and peace in times of trouble. Lately she feels a serious drain on her power and her ability to provide harmony was lessening daily. Tabbruis is the Angel of Self-Determination and is several levels higher than Charmeine. He allows us to use our free will and inspires us to think of new ways to do things. He must help an Archangel to have conviction in his beliefs and will therefore be unavailable to the family for most of the day. They are waiting to hear what the Prophecy will bring but neither believes it will be good news.
We then go back, back to a time before Tabbruis and Charmeine have met. When Tabbruis used another name and Charmeine had no idea who she really was or what her real name was. Back before love had finally made them complete.
Tabbruis is a Blood Drinker, a vampire. He believes his destiny is to walk earth always in need of blood. Human blood is best, but Tabbruis has learned to use wild animal blood instead to curb his craving. He can go out in sunlight, but prefers the darkness, he seldom sleeps, he is very wealth and very handsome. People usually bend to his will with little or no problem. He prefers to be alone. The sound, the smell and the action of the sea calms him.
Charleen has beautiful brown eyes and a very sweet nature. Summer is her favorite time of year, she loves the feel of sun on her skin. She learned Judo so she will never be a victim. She has never really dated and has never really been attracted to any man, and she has no interest in finding out why. She tries to tell herself she is happy but she knows that really she wants a man in her life, someone to share with. Charleen loves to go and watch the waves at the sea shore. its very peaceful.
Tabbruis and Charleen meet. They stare deep into each others eyes and they know. They have found the other half of themselves. But will it be enough to overcome all the obstacles both known and unknown in their paths? Can there be happiness between two such different creatures?
I am very satisfied with this story. There were many things to like such as vampires, the supernatural, action scenes, good characters who throughout the book evolve and a very emotional romance involving two people of different races/cultures.
I did at times feel the writing was a little stilted (the kindle edition needs some editing) and that did effect the flow of the story.
Overall, this is a great read, and a terrific debut novel for Emily Guido!
I look forward to the next book in the series.
In Heaven, Charmeine and Tabbruis are worried. Charmeine, an Angel of Harmony, has a mission to provide harmony and peace in times of trouble. Lately she feels a serious drain on her power and her ability to provide harmony was lessening daily. Tabbruis is the Angel of Self-Determination and is several levels higher than Charmeine. He allows us to use our free will and inspires us to think of new ways to do things. He must help an Archangel to have conviction in his beliefs and will therefore be unavailable to the family for most of the day. They are waiting to hear what the Prophecy will bring but neither believes it will be good news.
We then go back, back to a time before Tabbruis and Charmeine have met. When Tabbruis used another name and Charmeine had no idea who she really was or what her real name was. Back before love had finally made them complete.
Tabbruis is a Blood Drinker, a vampire. He believes his destiny is to walk earth always in need of blood. Human blood is best, but Tabbruis has learned to use wild animal blood instead to curb his craving. He can go out in sunlight, but prefers the darkness, he seldom sleeps, he is very wealth and very handsome. People usually bend to his will with little or no problem. He prefers to be alone. The sound, the smell and the action of the sea calms him.
Charleen has beautiful brown eyes and a very sweet nature. Summer is her favorite time of year, she loves the feel of sun on her skin. She learned Judo so she will never be a victim. She has never really dated and has never really been attracted to any man, and she has no interest in finding out why. She tries to tell herself she is happy but she knows that really she wants a man in her life, someone to share with. Charleen loves to go and watch the waves at the sea shore. its very peaceful.
Tabbruis and Charleen meet. They stare deep into each others eyes and they know. They have found the other half of themselves. But will it be enough to overcome all the obstacles both known and unknown in their paths? Can there be happiness between two such different creatures?
I am very satisfied with this story. There were many things to like such as vampires, the supernatural, action scenes, good characters who throughout the book evolve and a very emotional romance involving two people of different races/cultures.
I did at times feel the writing was a little stilted (the kindle edition needs some editing) and that did effect the flow of the story.
Overall, this is a great read, and a terrific debut novel for Emily Guido!
I look forward to the next book in the series.
April 5, 2012
We all know God created someone for everyone. Tabbruis and Charmenine were two such people. Actually Angels. Tabbruis was the Angel of Self Determination in the 4th choir of Angels. Charmeine was the Angel of Harmony in the 9th choir of Angels. They were the yin to each others yang. Their family was happy and doing well until they were ripped apart by a mistake. A miscalculation. For centuries they were each alone. Feeling as if something was missing but not sure what. Tabbruis, Tab Hunter, had become a blood hunter, immortal. Charmeine, Charleen Davis, became a light bearer, also an immortal. For some unknown reason are drawn to each other. After spending time together, they realize they have something special. Each has seen the other in their dreams but never thought they'd be together. Like most good things, it comes with a price. They must defeat the blood hunter's council before they can truly be together forever. With questions and issues, they begin the journey and realize they are not alone.
This story is a fantastically tender, romantic one of timeless love. I enjoyed the fact they'd fought so hard to find each other and nothing or no one would tear them apart. I loved the fact it explained how the situation came to be and what they must do to right their lives again. Another good thing was the friends and family they had helping them along the way. This is a first novel for Emily Guido and she did a great job with it. I would be less than honest if I said it didn't have problems. It's mostly editing, grammar and repetition. Still this story is well worth a read!!
The only issues I stated above.
I gave this one 4 out of 5 stars because of the redundancy in places.
This story is a fantastically tender, romantic one of timeless love. I enjoyed the fact they'd fought so hard to find each other and nothing or no one would tear them apart. I loved the fact it explained how the situation came to be and what they must do to right their lives again. Another good thing was the friends and family they had helping them along the way. This is a first novel for Emily Guido and she did a great job with it. I would be less than honest if I said it didn't have problems. It's mostly editing, grammar and repetition. Still this story is well worth a read!!
The only issues I stated above.
I gave this one 4 out of 5 stars because of the redundancy in places.
April 23, 2012
Tabbruis knows there is something missing in his life; he always sees a face calling to him, but never knows what the face want’s from him. Tabbruis is a Bloodhunter, a fallen angel who wonders the earth and survives on blood. After he meets Charleen, he finally knows his purpose…..to love and protect her.
Charleen can’t help the instant attraction she feels for the hunky and charming Tabbruis. She has never needed a man before, but she can’t help but connect to Tabbruis, and connect they do!
Tabbruis and Charleen soon fall madly in love, but can love save them from the evil after their newly renewed family?
Author, Emily Guido does a fabulous job of creating loveable and unforgettable characters. You can feel the love she put into the story behind every word. Tabbruis and Charleen (Charmeine) share a love that all of us dream about. The scenes were beautifully described and the plot is creative and intriguing. The Light-Bearer Series is sure to be the next fabulous Angel series on your “To-Read” shelf!
FAVORITE QUOTES:
“Loneliness… it is torture in a way. No, it’s worse, because at the end of the torture, you have rest.”
" I… don’t know why but I’m drawn to you. You quiet me and stir my passion all at the same time.”
To read the full review, visit here: http://shadowkissedcassie.blogspot.co...
Charleen can’t help the instant attraction she feels for the hunky and charming Tabbruis. She has never needed a man before, but she can’t help but connect to Tabbruis, and connect they do!
Tabbruis and Charleen soon fall madly in love, but can love save them from the evil after their newly renewed family?
Author, Emily Guido does a fabulous job of creating loveable and unforgettable characters. You can feel the love she put into the story behind every word. Tabbruis and Charleen (Charmeine) share a love that all of us dream about. The scenes were beautifully described and the plot is creative and intriguing. The Light-Bearer Series is sure to be the next fabulous Angel series on your “To-Read” shelf!
FAVORITE QUOTES:
“Loneliness… it is torture in a way. No, it’s worse, because at the end of the torture, you have rest.”
" I… don’t know why but I’m drawn to you. You quiet me and stir my passion all at the same time.”
To read the full review, visit here: http://shadowkissedcassie.blogspot.co...
April 26, 2012
OMGosh I am loving this first installment immensely! Emily has created a world of LOVE going so deep, the hardcore romantic within me can totally feel the characters emotions.Thank you Emily Guido for following your heart and writing his beautiful story and for allowing me the privilege to Read~N~Review it.
This book spans from Heaven to Romania, it is filled with emotions that will make you laugh, cry, and feel all of it right along with the characters. I was so upset at one point I wanted to throw my phone across the room saying, "OH NO, she did NOT just do that."
The characters and their backgrounds are amazingly portrayed in this uniquely refreshing story.
The world created is original, breathtaking and consistent. Imagine yourself on a secluded beach on the Black Sea with your soul mate, or being in the middle of a battle between good and evil. It is chock full of tasteful romance and tenderness.
I recommend this read to anyone who wants a truly amazing read.
LOVE is deep and if you believe with all your heart, mind, body, and spirit anything is possible. I want my own Tabbruis!!
5 out of 5 Hearts
Lovetiggi's Book Reviews
This book spans from Heaven to Romania, it is filled with emotions that will make you laugh, cry, and feel all of it right along with the characters. I was so upset at one point I wanted to throw my phone across the room saying, "OH NO, she did NOT just do that."
The characters and their backgrounds are amazingly portrayed in this uniquely refreshing story.
The world created is original, breathtaking and consistent. Imagine yourself on a secluded beach on the Black Sea with your soul mate, or being in the middle of a battle between good and evil. It is chock full of tasteful romance and tenderness.
I recommend this read to anyone who wants a truly amazing read.
LOVE is deep and if you believe with all your heart, mind, body, and spirit anything is possible. I want my own Tabbruis!!
5 out of 5 Hearts
Lovetiggi's Book Reviews
April 22, 2012
This was an interesting read that will take you on a journey from Heaven to Earth. The story starts off in Heaven with the angels where we are introduced to Tabbruis who is the Angel of Self-Determination and Charmeine who is the Angel of Harmony. They are happily married but a great battle occurs between Lucifer and the other angels. Tabbruis and Charmeine wake-up on Earth not knowing who or what they are. Tabbruis wakes up a Blood-Hunter,someone who needs blood to live and Charmeine wake up a Light-Bearer, someone who throws lightning. Blood-Hunters and Light-Bearers are mortal enemies. They are drawn to each other not knowing their previous connection or what will happen to them.
The author does an excellent job of developing each character as the story progresses. She gives vivid details but at times it is too much. I would definitely recommend this book! It has a everything a good story needs love, sacrifice, forgiveness and good versus evil.
The author does an excellent job of developing each character as the story progresses. She gives vivid details but at times it is too much. I would definitely recommend this book! It has a everything a good story needs love, sacrifice, forgiveness and good versus evil.
April 24, 2012
I thought "Charmeine" offered so much!
It was a great love story and a lot of action. I was sure in the beginning that these heavenly and earthly beings would not survive. Charmeine was the heroine and so loved by Tabbruis. Their love was undying and how the author wove in all the characters to be a family which Charmeine was determined to do, and above all keep them safe. Of course, I was happy with the ending and how Shane fared. Shane was one the characters I liked so much. I felt his pain when Sandra was out of his life knowing that she would return to him somehow.
While the characters were part earthly and heavenly, it only gave meaning to the story. The battle that they had to fight to be free and live together in harmony was exciting! The author brought God into their lives because there was a tremendous reference to Him all throughout the book; however, not in preachy way. Each of the characters were fully developed, and I felt like I was part of their battle. I was silently rooting for them.
The author's imagination in the writing captured the vampire spirit but yet not in horror as vampires are usually portrayed but in a loving way.
Tabbruis was a man that anyone would fall in love with! How he adored his beautiful Charmeine and never once ever doubted his undying love for her. How Tabbruis saw her face in all his dreams and then she was the love of his life, "She's Got a Way About Her," like Billy Joel's song says it all. The song fits so nicely into the book.
The author had each character contributing! Their earthly conversations were more formal for the older blood-hunters, and then the light-bearer's more modern language, with some funny expressions make me laugh!
So I give "Charmeine" 5 Stars because the author's story got me hooked. I think the readers will feel the same way.
It was a great love story and a lot of action. I was sure in the beginning that these heavenly and earthly beings would not survive. Charmeine was the heroine and so loved by Tabbruis. Their love was undying and how the author wove in all the characters to be a family which Charmeine was determined to do, and above all keep them safe. Of course, I was happy with the ending and how Shane fared. Shane was one the characters I liked so much. I felt his pain when Sandra was out of his life knowing that she would return to him somehow.
While the characters were part earthly and heavenly, it only gave meaning to the story. The battle that they had to fight to be free and live together in harmony was exciting! The author brought God into their lives because there was a tremendous reference to Him all throughout the book; however, not in preachy way. Each of the characters were fully developed, and I felt like I was part of their battle. I was silently rooting for them.
The author's imagination in the writing captured the vampire spirit but yet not in horror as vampires are usually portrayed but in a loving way.
Tabbruis was a man that anyone would fall in love with! How he adored his beautiful Charmeine and never once ever doubted his undying love for her. How Tabbruis saw her face in all his dreams and then she was the love of his life, "She's Got a Way About Her," like Billy Joel's song says it all. The song fits so nicely into the book.
The author had each character contributing! Their earthly conversations were more formal for the older blood-hunters, and then the light-bearer's more modern language, with some funny expressions make me laugh!
So I give "Charmeine" 5 Stars because the author's story got me hooked. I think the readers will feel the same way.
April 20, 2012
This book draws you in from the first page. It starts off with preparations for a great battle in heaven and continues completely through with battles on earth. Charmeine and Tabbruis were made for each other in heaven and when they are separated for hundreds of years, with no memory of who or what they are, their mission looks pretty grim. But you will learn that where there is love, there is always the strength to go on.There is no down time in this story. There are no long bouts of filler information. This book is pure raw adrenaline from start to finish! So well written that at times I felt unable to breathe during some of the fights. It's heart wrenching at times and at others you will be so filled with joy that you think you really might burst. It's about fighting for and trusting the person you love no matter the consequences. It's about the belief that time nor space could ever separate two people who are meant to be. I loved that their road was far from easy and at times it would have been easier to just give up but they never did. I will definitely be waiting for the second installment, " Ransom " when it is released.
April 23, 2012
I really like this book and I cannot wait for the second one. I am one that loves a strong female lead as well as a male. I had only read the small overview for the book before beginning it, and let me tell you, I was in lust.
Tabbruis grabbed a hold of me by my collar and pulled me through the book. It wasn’t many pages into it and I was hooked on the story. I wanted to know more about this blood hunter and the mysterious face he saw.
The more I read the more I loved this book. The emotion that the writer managed to capture in those pages, wraps around you bringing you in the centerfold of the action. I was quite impressed with this being a breakout first novel.
If you love romance on the paranormal side of things, which I do, I would recommend this book. It leaves you wanting to know more. I know I will be purchasing the second one as soon as it’s released. Well done, Emily, really well done.
Tabbruis grabbed a hold of me by my collar and pulled me through the book. It wasn’t many pages into it and I was hooked on the story. I wanted to know more about this blood hunter and the mysterious face he saw.
The more I read the more I loved this book. The emotion that the writer managed to capture in those pages, wraps around you bringing you in the centerfold of the action. I was quite impressed with this being a breakout first novel.
If you love romance on the paranormal side of things, which I do, I would recommend this book. It leaves you wanting to know more. I know I will be purchasing the second one as soon as it’s released. Well done, Emily, really well done.
May 12, 2012
Charmeine was amazing, this book is filled with love, devotion, pain, loss and will leave you with a rollercoaster of emotions. The characters were well developed as well as the story line. I really can’t wait for book 2!
Tabbruis knows there is something missing in his life; he always sees a face calling to him, but never knows what the face want’s from him. Tabbruis is a Bloodhunter, a fallen angel who wonders the earth and survives on blood. Little does he know Charleen is the one he’s been seeing! They both have an instant attraction to one another. Soon Tabbruis and Charleen Start to fall in love. But that is right around the time everything starts to fall apart. The vampire council will do everything to keep them apart and to kill all light-bearers. Love and friendships are formed as they go about their destiny, but will it be enough to save them?
Tabbruis knows there is something missing in his life; he always sees a face calling to him, but never knows what the face want’s from him. Tabbruis is a Bloodhunter, a fallen angel who wonders the earth and survives on blood. Little does he know Charleen is the one he’s been seeing! They both have an instant attraction to one another. Soon Tabbruis and Charleen Start to fall in love. But that is right around the time everything starts to fall apart. The vampire council will do everything to keep them apart and to kill all light-bearers. Love and friendships are formed as they go about their destiny, but will it be enough to save them?
May 16, 2012
A real page turner:
"Charmeine" is a paranormal romance that is filled with, mystery, action, adventure,glimpes of hystory, spiraling plot points, solid backstory and wonderful intimate romance at its best.
Charmeine and Tabbrius are a couple who, against all odds, have found each other again after being separated.
This novel is much more than a book about Vampires and Angels, it was an adventure!
Charmeine and Tabbruis at their first time meeting was so poignant that I felt like a teenager again reading all their hopes and desires wrapped into a touch of their hands.
This couple had to fight to stay alive with their new found family. I cannot tell you the ending but suffice it to say it will have you turning the page for more and more.
I give "Charmeine" 5 out of 5 stars. Kathleen M. Burns
September 18, 2014
Reviewed for Booked Up . Stay tuned for the review to be posted on Booked Up's goodreads account and the Blog
April 27, 2012
Wow what a great read!! I was hooked!!!!!!!!;);)
May 16, 2012
5 out 5 Star Review for "Charmeine"
I am not a big reader, so when I read books they have to be really good.
I read "Charmeine" because the wife said to. I am glad I did because I got into the story. "Charmeine" was a compelling book that I could not put down once I started it.
It had action in it and warped into something unexpected to me because it is pegged as a Paranormal Romance but it really had a lot more to offer.
My favorite part of the book is the historical mythology that the author created with the characters. There were many flashbacks. But they were used well in the plot.
So guys, "Charmeine" isn't a bad read at all. Don't wait until your wife forces you to read it. Take it from me, I'm glad I read it.
I'll be reading "Ransom" as soon as it comes out, and the wife won't have to make me read it either.
May 23, 2012
Tabbruis is a blood-hunter, vampire, but the author neveruses that word once in the novel and brings a refreshing twist to the vampirelore.
Charmeine (Charleen) is a powerhouse light-bearer, angel, who is beautiful, determinedand loves Tabbruis and her family very much.
Tabbruis and Charmeine are total opposites. When they meet, the sparks fly! However,light-bearers and blood-hunters are mortal enemies of each other. Because Tabbruis refuses to bend to theblood-hunter Elder Council to kill Charmeine, they both are marked fordeath. They ba
From the very beginning, Charmeinewas a super read which gripped my attention!
Charmeine 5 out of 5 stars for a riveting romance. I look forward to the author’s second novel, Ransom, soon to be released in earlyJune 2012!
January 18, 2013
As Tabbrius held Charmeine, he asked her if she thought the Prophecy would be revealed today.
Charmeine - Angel of Harmony
Tabbrius - Angel of Self Determination
Charmeine (The Light-Bearer, #1)
Tabbrius had fed from the stag and was ready for a hot shower. He hopped in his Dodge Charger SRT8 and drove to the hotel.
After his shower, he looked in the mirror and saw her. She appeared in the steam, a vision to behold. He knew it wasn't real, but he couldn't forget her.
For some reason, he felt an urgent need to go to New York City. He always stayed at the Ritz Carlton, in the Penthouse Suite. He loved it there and Ferrell always took such good care of his needs and wants. He was alone, but he liked his luxuries and some of the things he required were above and beyond the normal.
Charleen was a school teacher and Shane, her best friend, called to tell her he had to cancel their Billy Joel concert date. Ferrell, his boss, had a super job for him that was too good to pass up. Charleen ended up going to the concert by herself.
In the orphanage, Charleen and Shane had become like brother and sister.They were drawn to each other, but never had the desire to take it further.
While Shane drove Tabbrius around, they listened to a Billy Joel CD.All Tab could think about was her. He listened to the CD and felt as if he was being called to the concert.
Charleen watched the concert, until a feeling of fear overcame her. She felt she was in great danger and knew she had to get away. Tabbrius had felt it too and was heading towards her. He came upon her, lying on the ground with a Blood Hunter standing over her.
Charleen saw Tabbrius was losing the fight. She reached out to him. Before he lost consciousness, he saw her face and a brilliant white light.
Tabbrius had one friend, Dimitri. They were both Blood Drinkers and Dimitri had helped him when he had lost everything. He had told him about himself and the others, the Blood Hunters and the Light Bearers. The Light-Bearers are the good of God, God's Angels. Dimitri also told him about The Prophecy - a special Light- Bearer, along with her mate, a Blood Hunter, and her family, would bring justice and harmony to Earth.
Tabbrius was in a desperate situation. It was time to call Dimitri for help.
3 STARS - Would Recommend To Others
**********************************I am not surprised that the story started out slow, I feel it is just setting the foundation for the series. The first three books were meant to be one BIG BOOK. So don't be discouraged, you really need to read on********************************
The cover is pretty and caught my eye. I love brilliant, saturated colors.
I love hot cars, so any time I can slip one, especially a super cool one, into my post, I do. ^_^ I felt if Tabbrius drove such a hot car, he had to be hot, too. ^_^
I had heard and seen so much about this series, I felt I had to read it for myself. I am not a huge romance fan, so I wasn't sure if I would like the book. I really want more to the story than love and happiness. I like a lot of action and as I read along, the story began to pick up the pace. By the time I reached the end of the book, I was ready for more. A love story, but so much more. You can feel the love oozing out of the pages, the sexual tension builds until ............
Emily Guido's writing will draw you deeper into Charmeine's and Tabbrius' lives as they discover their true purpose. Is it Fate? Is it Destiny? Have their lives already been written?
What would you do, if in the blink of an eye, everything you believed in was no more?
Do you believe in angels? If you believe in good, there must be bad.
As Emily described the fight, I could picture it. I love it , when the writing is so descriptive, I can picture the scenes. The story unrolls like a movie in my mind. When Emily says she pictures the characters and scenes in her mind, I can definitely relate, as the scenes played out in my head because of her deep and thorough descriptions.
Emily wants you to know that Charmeine is just the tip of the iceberg in the series....to really get to the lip-smacking gravy part, you really need to read Charmeine, Mactus and Accendo, which were one book. That is why, for the giveaway, if you already have Charmeine and Mactus (which were free on Amazon, which is how I got mine), Emily will replace your win with Accendo.
By the time I got to the end of Charmeine, I was ready for Mactus. Some people look at a big book and won't even pick it up. It seems all the publishers want authors to make two books instead of one, but I can get into long books. So the series are good because it's like a really long book and I can get so into the story, that when I'm done and the last page is read, it is such a let down, that I almost go into a depression from such a deep feeling of loss. It's kind of silly really, it's just a book, and the characters are not real, but I have always been emotionally involved in my reading. I love traveling into new worlds and meeting new people through the characters in books.
I picked up this book on a FREE day on Amazon and I am very glad I did. I see many hours of traveling through time with Charmeine and Tabbrius.
A Couple Of My Favorite Quotes
"Semper tuus ero......I am forever yours"
"You quiet me and stir my passion all at the same time."
Charmeine
Emily Guido
Charmeine - Angel of Harmony
Tabbrius - Angel of Self Determination
Charmeine (The Light-Bearer, #1)
Tabbrius had fed from the stag and was ready for a hot shower. He hopped in his Dodge Charger SRT8 and drove to the hotel.
After his shower, he looked in the mirror and saw her. She appeared in the steam, a vision to behold. He knew it wasn't real, but he couldn't forget her.
For some reason, he felt an urgent need to go to New York City. He always stayed at the Ritz Carlton, in the Penthouse Suite. He loved it there and Ferrell always took such good care of his needs and wants. He was alone, but he liked his luxuries and some of the things he required were above and beyond the normal.
Charleen was a school teacher and Shane, her best friend, called to tell her he had to cancel their Billy Joel concert date. Ferrell, his boss, had a super job for him that was too good to pass up. Charleen ended up going to the concert by herself.
In the orphanage, Charleen and Shane had become like brother and sister.They were drawn to each other, but never had the desire to take it further.
While Shane drove Tabbrius around, they listened to a Billy Joel CD.All Tab could think about was her. He listened to the CD and felt as if he was being called to the concert.
Charleen watched the concert, until a feeling of fear overcame her. She felt she was in great danger and knew she had to get away. Tabbrius had felt it too and was heading towards her. He came upon her, lying on the ground with a Blood Hunter standing over her.
Charleen saw Tabbrius was losing the fight. She reached out to him. Before he lost consciousness, he saw her face and a brilliant white light.
Tabbrius had one friend, Dimitri. They were both Blood Drinkers and Dimitri had helped him when he had lost everything. He had told him about himself and the others, the Blood Hunters and the Light Bearers. The Light-Bearers are the good of God, God's Angels. Dimitri also told him about The Prophecy - a special Light- Bearer, along with her mate, a Blood Hunter, and her family, would bring justice and harmony to Earth.
Tabbrius was in a desperate situation. It was time to call Dimitri for help.
3 STARS - Would Recommend To Others
**********************************I am not surprised that the story started out slow, I feel it is just setting the foundation for the series. The first three books were meant to be one BIG BOOK. So don't be discouraged, you really need to read on********************************
The cover is pretty and caught my eye. I love brilliant, saturated colors.
I love hot cars, so any time I can slip one, especially a super cool one, into my post, I do. ^_^ I felt if Tabbrius drove such a hot car, he had to be hot, too. ^_^
I had heard and seen so much about this series, I felt I had to read it for myself. I am not a huge romance fan, so I wasn't sure if I would like the book. I really want more to the story than love and happiness. I like a lot of action and as I read along, the story began to pick up the pace. By the time I reached the end of the book, I was ready for more. A love story, but so much more. You can feel the love oozing out of the pages, the sexual tension builds until ............
Emily Guido's writing will draw you deeper into Charmeine's and Tabbrius' lives as they discover their true purpose. Is it Fate? Is it Destiny? Have their lives already been written?
What would you do, if in the blink of an eye, everything you believed in was no more?
Do you believe in angels? If you believe in good, there must be bad.
As Emily described the fight, I could picture it. I love it , when the writing is so descriptive, I can picture the scenes. The story unrolls like a movie in my mind. When Emily says she pictures the characters and scenes in her mind, I can definitely relate, as the scenes played out in my head because of her deep and thorough descriptions.
Emily wants you to know that Charmeine is just the tip of the iceberg in the series....to really get to the lip-smacking gravy part, you really need to read Charmeine, Mactus and Accendo, which were one book. That is why, for the giveaway, if you already have Charmeine and Mactus (which were free on Amazon, which is how I got mine), Emily will replace your win with Accendo.
By the time I got to the end of Charmeine, I was ready for Mactus. Some people look at a big book and won't even pick it up. It seems all the publishers want authors to make two books instead of one, but I can get into long books. So the series are good because it's like a really long book and I can get so into the story, that when I'm done and the last page is read, it is such a let down, that I almost go into a depression from such a deep feeling of loss. It's kind of silly really, it's just a book, and the characters are not real, but I have always been emotionally involved in my reading. I love traveling into new worlds and meeting new people through the characters in books.
I picked up this book on a FREE day on Amazon and I am very glad I did. I see many hours of traveling through time with Charmeine and Tabbrius.
A Couple Of My Favorite Quotes
"Semper tuus ero......I am forever yours"
"You quiet me and stir my passion all at the same time."
Charmeine
Emily Guido
April 21, 2012
I realize I’m in the minority but I can’t get higher than 2.5stars here. I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
The conceit of having the star couple (Tabbrius & Charmeine/Charleen) be “mortal” enemies is a well used saw and the journey to having them find their way to each other and ultimately impact each other’s lives was fine in the abstract. I had issues with the execution of it. I’m very sorry to say, this was disappointing. Not the storyline so much but the punctuation and grammatical errors really bothered me. They kept taking me out of the story as I had to stop and make sense of what was being said. Their “voices” changed from old world English, to modern English (including slang) and back. The repetition of scenes and conversations was also not for me. Overall I found the story needed a good editor to help tighten the story. In too many places the story was repetitive, disjointed, over descriptive and jarring in flow, which kept it from being an enjoyable read for me.
The plot and storyline were engaging and the main characters were essentially fine. Basically I think this could be a good foundation for a series. The story doesn’t contain sex and has God as a peripheral character which alone makes this story stand apart from its competition.
The conceit of having the star couple (Tabbrius & Charmeine/Charleen) be “mortal” enemies is a well used saw and the journey to having them find their way to each other and ultimately impact each other’s lives was fine in the abstract. I had issues with the execution of it. I’m very sorry to say, this was disappointing. Not the storyline so much but the punctuation and grammatical errors really bothered me. They kept taking me out of the story as I had to stop and make sense of what was being said. Their “voices” changed from old world English, to modern English (including slang) and back. The repetition of scenes and conversations was also not for me. Overall I found the story needed a good editor to help tighten the story. In too many places the story was repetitive, disjointed, over descriptive and jarring in flow, which kept it from being an enjoyable read for me.
The plot and storyline were engaging and the main characters were essentially fine. Basically I think this could be a good foundation for a series. The story doesn’t contain sex and has God as a peripheral character which alone makes this story stand apart from its competition.
April 26, 2012
The premise for Charmeine is not one that I've read before; an Angel cast out of Heaven by God along with Lucifer by mistake, leaving behind his wife and their child. His wife, unable to contemplate an existence without her husband, leaves Heaven to be with him on Earth. Although, I have to be honest and say that the Christian in me keeps whispering that God doesn't make mistakes.
I find the premise of this book to be rather unique as it's not one that I've encountered before in a market saturated with repetitive themes. Tab, Shane, Dimitri, Charmeine, and Neal are all enjoyable characters. However, I do question how Tabbruis became a blood hunter after falling from Heaven. Maybe this question will be answered in the sequel.
While I liked the premise of this book, it would be irresponsible of me to with-hold the fact that this book is in need of an editor. I liked it, but it needs to be fine-tuned. There were a lot of grammatical mistakes along with repetitive scenes that just didn't keep the story flowing as smooth as it could.
I find the premise of this book to be rather unique as it's not one that I've encountered before in a market saturated with repetitive themes. Tab, Shane, Dimitri, Charmeine, and Neal are all enjoyable characters. However, I do question how Tabbruis became a blood hunter after falling from Heaven. Maybe this question will be answered in the sequel.
While I liked the premise of this book, it would be irresponsible of me to with-hold the fact that this book is in need of an editor. I liked it, but it needs to be fine-tuned. There were a lot of grammatical mistakes along with repetitive scenes that just didn't keep the story flowing as smooth as it could.
December 25, 2012
There are very small sections on by bookshelf and on my kindle which are dedicated to the DNF books. The reason that they are small is because I love to read and it is very rare for me not to finish the book, however trying in some cases it may be, mainly due to the respect for the author’s effort. Unfortunately, Charmeine will become the latest addition to this section as 3/4 through the book I just could not force myself to continue.
Writing a negative revue is not easy, especially for the book that have been receiving high praise from other readers. Unlike with the positive revue, you feel the need for justification, so here it is:
The reasons that this book did not work for me (and please be advised that I will not re-cap the book’s description and try to avoid any spoilers, but I Will use some direct quotations)
To start with, I found the writing style extremely choppy, like you may find in a book’s summary. With short, sometime disconnected paragraphs it felt like an extended synopsis or writer’s notes and not like a finished book. When the dialogue was introduced, there was absolutely no flow or a feel of a conversation. It was written more like stage directions for theatrical production as if an author had to insure that whenever the character supposed to open his/her mouth the reader had to be informed, so there is no mistake, of who is talking and how the lines should to be delivered or expressed, e.g.
“Dmitry furrowed his brow and said:” ….
“Tabbruis shook his head and questioned:”…..
“Dmitry laughed and replied:” ….
“Tabbruis made a questioning (?) look and said“
And it happens every time when the characters converse!!
Now, speaking of characters, I do not remember ever reading the book where the characters spend so much time with their voice volumes set on Extra Loud. It seems that they are required to yell at every opportunity, situation or location. And they don’t just yell. They:’Yell sarcastically”, “Shout with a thick undertone of spite”, “Holler” and have “Booming voice”. Unfortunately, very often, these high decibels are emitted by our heroine (“booming voice” included), who have a tendency to bang her empty glass on the table (no, she is not a drunk teamster but an almost 30yo school teacher) and use the phrases like:”Damn it to hell!” “Geez Louise!” and, my favorite, “Geez Louise, my knees!” When she is not exercising her vocal cords, she behaves like a “petulant child”. The hero, Tabbruis comes across as just a dull, sad, lonely aimless individual and the pair of these star-crossed lovers could not conjure any sympathy, warmth or interest in me.
And finally, the repetitions were killing me! I understand that they may be unavoidable, but there is a difference between trying to repeat some things for reinforcement and totally hammering it in to the ground – I realize that the hero’s name is Tabbruis, but to have it repeated 4 times in a 5-line paragraph?
I am not a writer, editor or a literary critic – I am a reader and for me the books were are and always will be a feast for soul and imagination. However and please forgive the food analogy, even at any feast we may come across something that others may joyfully consume while it does not agree with you. For the readers who enjoyed this book – I am glad that it gave you pleasure. I am; sadly, find myself “Charmeine” – intolerant.
Writing a negative revue is not easy, especially for the book that have been receiving high praise from other readers. Unlike with the positive revue, you feel the need for justification, so here it is:
The reasons that this book did not work for me (and please be advised that I will not re-cap the book’s description and try to avoid any spoilers, but I Will use some direct quotations)
To start with, I found the writing style extremely choppy, like you may find in a book’s summary. With short, sometime disconnected paragraphs it felt like an extended synopsis or writer’s notes and not like a finished book. When the dialogue was introduced, there was absolutely no flow or a feel of a conversation. It was written more like stage directions for theatrical production as if an author had to insure that whenever the character supposed to open his/her mouth the reader had to be informed, so there is no mistake, of who is talking and how the lines should to be delivered or expressed, e.g.
“Dmitry furrowed his brow and said:” ….
“Tabbruis shook his head and questioned:”…..
“Dmitry laughed and replied:” ….
“Tabbruis made a questioning (?) look and said“
And it happens every time when the characters converse!!
Now, speaking of characters, I do not remember ever reading the book where the characters spend so much time with their voice volumes set on Extra Loud. It seems that they are required to yell at every opportunity, situation or location. And they don’t just yell. They:’Yell sarcastically”, “Shout with a thick undertone of spite”, “Holler” and have “Booming voice”. Unfortunately, very often, these high decibels are emitted by our heroine (“booming voice” included), who have a tendency to bang her empty glass on the table (no, she is not a drunk teamster but an almost 30yo school teacher) and use the phrases like:”Damn it to hell!” “Geez Louise!” and, my favorite, “Geez Louise, my knees!” When she is not exercising her vocal cords, she behaves like a “petulant child”. The hero, Tabbruis comes across as just a dull, sad, lonely aimless individual and the pair of these star-crossed lovers could not conjure any sympathy, warmth or interest in me.
And finally, the repetitions were killing me! I understand that they may be unavoidable, but there is a difference between trying to repeat some things for reinforcement and totally hammering it in to the ground – I realize that the hero’s name is Tabbruis, but to have it repeated 4 times in a 5-line paragraph?
I am not a writer, editor or a literary critic – I am a reader and for me the books were are and always will be a feast for soul and imagination. However and please forgive the food analogy, even at any feast we may come across something that others may joyfully consume while it does not agree with you. For the readers who enjoyed this book – I am glad that it gave you pleasure. I am; sadly, find myself “Charmeine” – intolerant.
July 26, 2013
Charmeine is the first in the Lightbearer series. Emily Guido introduces us first to the origins of the Light-Bearers and Blood-Hunters, with some mythology in their original world, then we find Tabbruis on his own, trying to make sense of the earth. Blood-Hunters live here, encouraged by their Elder Council to make the most of the blood provided by the population of humans that spawns everywhere. Tabbruis and some friends decide that humans are, for them, off-limits, which is a slight relief if the reader's stomach is not up to the bloodthirstiness of their usual lifestyle.
Charleen (who we discover is really Charmeine) and her friend Shane are woven into the story deftly. Two lost souls who ended up caring for each other as they grew up in an orphanage, Shane gets a job to drive Tabbruis around New York City while he's visiting. It's fortunate that Tab has felt the need to be there, as Char has been singled out for an attack by other Blood-Hunters, who envisage a very nasty end for her indeed. Tab fights them off, with Char discovering her own amazing powers that assist in very special ways. And then Tab and Char realise their mutual attraction, against all Tab's instincts as a Blood-Hunter - since he realises that Char is a Light-Bearer.
The rest of the story covers a few more attacks and how they grow to understand each other better. There are plenty of loose ends to be followed up in the rest of series.
On the whole I felt the story was well written, fast-moving and full of excellent imagery. I cared what was happening to the characters; I wanted to know how it would be resolved. I found the typesetting confusing since sometimes italics was used for thoughts, and other times it may have been used for intensity or emphasis, but there was no clear distinction. I wondered if they thought-read at one stage, and thought that would be a nice power, but I think I was wrong.
I felt it was an excellent introduction to a story and a world with new rules. If it's your sort of thing, I think you'll be driven very quickly to the second in the series. It's exciting, pacy and thought-provoking, with delightful characterisation. Well done Ms Guido!
Charleen (who we discover is really Charmeine) and her friend Shane are woven into the story deftly. Two lost souls who ended up caring for each other as they grew up in an orphanage, Shane gets a job to drive Tabbruis around New York City while he's visiting. It's fortunate that Tab has felt the need to be there, as Char has been singled out for an attack by other Blood-Hunters, who envisage a very nasty end for her indeed. Tab fights them off, with Char discovering her own amazing powers that assist in very special ways. And then Tab and Char realise their mutual attraction, against all Tab's instincts as a Blood-Hunter - since he realises that Char is a Light-Bearer.
The rest of the story covers a few more attacks and how they grow to understand each other better. There are plenty of loose ends to be followed up in the rest of series.
On the whole I felt the story was well written, fast-moving and full of excellent imagery. I cared what was happening to the characters; I wanted to know how it would be resolved. I found the typesetting confusing since sometimes italics was used for thoughts, and other times it may have been used for intensity or emphasis, but there was no clear distinction. I wondered if they thought-read at one stage, and thought that would be a nice power, but I think I was wrong.
I felt it was an excellent introduction to a story and a world with new rules. If it's your sort of thing, I think you'll be driven very quickly to the second in the series. It's exciting, pacy and thought-provoking, with delightful characterisation. Well done Ms Guido!
March 16, 2013
Branching out into another genre that I haven’t spent many hours in, I was totally taken away with Charmeine. I couldn’t wait to get back into the mystery and the romance that awaited me inside my Nook and I wondered just how long this sensuous world would hold out before it came crushing down before them. Tabbruis, although he is over 8,000 years old is one hot guy who has just learned exactly who he is. A Blood-Hunter who has switched his thirst from humans to animals, he feels a calling to go to New York City. A city populated by humans and very few large animals for his taking, Tabbruis has made accommodations and the Ritz-Carlton suite is at his beck and call. While learning of his past, Tabbruis learns that Blood-Hunters do not mix with Light-Bearers and they are to kill them if they come in contact with them. Tabbruis also learns another fact about Light-Bearers and Blood-Hunters but he does not give this fact a second thought. Out at a social function, Tab starts to have some strange feelings that something is not right and that is when my Nook pages fly by. Tabbruis encounters a Light-Bearer named Charmeine and instead of feeling the need to kill her, he feels the total opposite. He wants to protect her because right behind her is another Blood-Hunter and that’s when things start to get interesting.
The author does a great job of explaining the characters and the history behind the scene. There is lots of romance, tender moments and adoration between the characters. I liked that there was not a lot of characters and unnecessary information thrown into the story to make the story confusing or longer. I thought the writing style was choppy at times when details were explained and other times, it flowed so smoothly like when the characters were thinking, talking or moving, almost effortlessly by the author. Great high points in the book and I can’t wait to see what happens next.
“It was like she was a pool of warm water on a very warm day. He wanted to dive in and satiate his need to have her encircle him.”
The author does a great job of explaining the characters and the history behind the scene. There is lots of romance, tender moments and adoration between the characters. I liked that there was not a lot of characters and unnecessary information thrown into the story to make the story confusing or longer. I thought the writing style was choppy at times when details were explained and other times, it flowed so smoothly like when the characters were thinking, talking or moving, almost effortlessly by the author. Great high points in the book and I can’t wait to see what happens next.
“It was like she was a pool of warm water on a very warm day. He wanted to dive in and satiate his need to have her encircle him.”
March 23, 2013
I think I found a new series that I am in love with...The Light-Bearer Series!
WOW! Blown away from the first book. I had an old edition but the author gave me the new edition and that is what I am reviewing.
This is going to be a great series, because I was up all night reading it on my iPad and could not put it down.
Why did I like it so much? Well, first and foremost, the author explains each character and doesn't introduce a lot of new characters at once. I was taken in by Tabbruis' violent transformation into doing good. Also, the build-up of Tabbruis and Charmeine (aka Charleen) meeting was wonderful.
The writing was wonderful. The POV was multi on the page but it was handled well and quotes like this made me in LOVE!
"Never having a family, he hung his head and loathed his hunger. Now, this little girl had no one, just like he had no one."
I felt his every emotion, and I LIKED it... a lot.
Then this has to be my favorite quote of the book:
“Loneliness…it’s torture in a way. No. It’s worse because at the end of the torture, you have rest.”
I mean... WOW! I don't know what you are reading, but I'm reading Mactus, the second book, as soon as I'm done... I'm hooked!
Like I said, the author gave me the up-to-date version because I had an old one. This review has been an honest review of a great book.
September 1, 2012
You should get in on the start of Emily Guido's career and stand back. Few young authors have the talent to draw attention to their first works. The fact that E.G. has already been recognized for her contribution in the new author category is so impressive.
This book deals surrounds the dark with light. It is written with youthful innocence and exuberance leaving the reader satisfied with an overall hopeful, optimistic outlook. I would especially recommend this series for YA or "smart 12's" and up.
Looking forward to watching the development of talent. I'm a fan who is planning to read all her books.
This book deals surrounds the dark with light. It is written with youthful innocence and exuberance leaving the reader satisfied with an overall hopeful, optimistic outlook. I would especially recommend this series for YA or "smart 12's" and up.
Looking forward to watching the development of talent. I'm a fan who is planning to read all her books.
September 18, 2012
Can light and dark live together? This is the question asked over and over in this book and many books thoughout time.
I started out not liking the book much. The male main character was questioning why was he here and kept "dreaming" of a face. The female main character is wondering why she was always alone and never "in love"... A story line I have read many times....
But as I kept reading I found myself drawn more and more into the story and wanting to know what happens next.
I really liked the book and I can't wait for the next one to see what will happen, for while this book is complete ,the story is far from ended.....:)
I started out not liking the book much. The male main character was questioning why was he here and kept "dreaming" of a face. The female main character is wondering why she was always alone and never "in love"... A story line I have read many times....
But as I kept reading I found myself drawn more and more into the story and wanting to know what happens next.
I really liked the book and I can't wait for the next one to see what will happen, for while this book is complete ,the story is far from ended.....:)
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