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Morningside
It's easy to get caught up with bad-ass vampires, a killer love triangle, broken engagements, assumed clones, and enough sexual tension to drive anyone crazy.
Night falls across the town. When she is first turned, she assumes all is lost: her future, her social life, even the opportunity to one-day experience the release of death. But when she suddenly reverts to human form soon as her first immortal night comes to a close, it becomes painfully clear that she is no ordinary vampire. With nowhere else to turn, she finds herself at the mercy of the other vampires, and they do not hesitate to use her as an easy food source. Days later, as her excitement and adrenaline spikes, her thirst for blood returns.
Neither she nor the other vampires know what to make of her condition. Is she a hybrid? A mutant? Without any clues to a cure, she is caught between two worlds, battling humanity and immortality. One day she is the hunter, the next day the hunted. She can't imagine her situation could get any worse, but soon a new threat emerges. A powerful vampire is after the secret held within her veins, and he will stop at nothing to get it.
Night falls across the town. When she is first turned, she assumes all is lost: her future, her social life, even the opportunity to one-day experience the release of death. But when she suddenly reverts to human form soon as her first immortal night comes to a close, it becomes painfully clear that she is no ordinary vampire. With nowhere else to turn, she finds herself at the mercy of the other vampires, and they do not hesitate to use her as an easy food source. Days later, as her excitement and adrenaline spikes, her thirst for blood returns.
Neither she nor the other vampires know what to make of her condition. Is she a hybrid? A mutant? Without any clues to a cure, she is caught between two worlds, battling humanity and immortality. One day she is the hunter, the next day the hunted. She can't imagine her situation could get any worse, but soon a new threat emerges. A powerful vampire is after the secret held within her veins, and he will stop at nothing to get it.
- GenresVampires
Paperback
First published March 18, 2010
1 person is currently reading
169 people want to read
About the author
Ashley Madau
1 book31 followersAshley was born and raised in Michigan, with an adoration of the vampire folklore stemming from her Romanian heritage. Graduating from 2012 from Michigan State University's technology programs, Ashley focuses on all forms of creation, not limited to pen and paper. An avid gamer, video games are an extension of Ashley's love for stories and storytelling, some of her favorites being Final Fantasy X & XIII, Beyond Good and Evil and Prototype. Why stay in reality when there are so many places to escape?
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
October 29, 2012
Ava is a normal girl in the 1920s. One night sees her attending a wedding; an event that should be full of fun and goodwill quickly turns into one of danger instead and before she knows it she’s been turned into a vampire – except she isn’t a normal kind of vampire. Events see her leaving her sire’s home, only to return 80 years later. Someone’s after her blood, and they won’t stop until they get it.
This is a difficult review for me to write because everything really comes down to one issue: development. The ideas behind Morningside are brilliant. I really liked the idea of a half human, half vampire being – but it’s not in the way you might think. I also liked the kind of vampire that Julian was; Ashley Madau definitely has some original ideas here. Reading from Ava’s perspective was quite enjoyable because I could always get a sense of her emotions and each image was clear in my head.
For me, what we have here are the bones of a story. Disjointed scenes and ideas left me really quite confused because there was little flow and explanation; pretty much every scene and character could have done with fleshing out. Ava didn’t seem to be overly troubled by the fact she would never be able to contact her family again; she didn’t question the fact that Liam had human food in the kitchen (of which, incidentally, there was no sign of eighty years later). What also confused me somewhat was why it was her blood that the mysterious E was after. E was the sire of Liam, who had turned Ava into a vampire. While I knew that Ava’s blood was obviously different, I didn’t see how it was supposed to achieve the goal that E was chasing.
Liam was an OK character, but he was really closed-off. One minute hot, one minute cold, there was very little insight to his character. I grew attached to him only slightly, and it was a shame because what I saw of him – the true him, behind the mask – I really liked; what would have been better was to see much more of that. The same went for Julian also. In terms of what he was and what he could do – fantastic. There was some emotional insight but again, not enough. So for me, what I was seeing was this half-hearted, unexplained love triangle. Not a good combination. Because of this lack of development, I couldn’t see why Ava was interested in either of them…and I didn’t know what it was about her that pulled them in. strangely enough, though, if I had to pick, it would’ve been Liam.
There were some good scenes in here – when it comes to action, Madau knows how to make it compelling. That was when I started to actually feel what was going on. What was key here was the description. These scenes were the ones that were more fleshed out, that flowed better, that just had more detail. It would have been great to see this consistently across the book.
The ending, I think, was what sealed the deal. It felt very rushed, and there were no answers. None. No closure. Which then begs the question – what was the point of the story? If all that stuff happened, if Ava’s life was in danger and her blood was the key, surely we’re supposed to find out why? Find out what she is? Maybe, if it was written with care, it might just make sense. It might just be fair. But it was written so casually and quickly that it just didn’t sit right. Oh, and that love triangle? It’s not worth taking sides.
Overall, I found this to be really disappointing. What I was reading was ideas, and the ideas were fantastic. No question about it. But they needed developing and expanding; answers were needed for the question. The way it was wrapped up leaves no room for a sequel, though I can’t say for definite if there will or won’t be one. It just needs a whole lot of development, and had there been, I would have enjoyed this so much more.
Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
This review is also posted on my blog.
This is a difficult review for me to write because everything really comes down to one issue: development. The ideas behind Morningside are brilliant. I really liked the idea of a half human, half vampire being – but it’s not in the way you might think. I also liked the kind of vampire that Julian was; Ashley Madau definitely has some original ideas here. Reading from Ava’s perspective was quite enjoyable because I could always get a sense of her emotions and each image was clear in my head.
For me, what we have here are the bones of a story. Disjointed scenes and ideas left me really quite confused because there was little flow and explanation; pretty much every scene and character could have done with fleshing out. Ava didn’t seem to be overly troubled by the fact she would never be able to contact her family again; she didn’t question the fact that Liam had human food in the kitchen (of which, incidentally, there was no sign of eighty years later). What also confused me somewhat was why it was her blood that the mysterious E was after. E was the sire of Liam, who had turned Ava into a vampire. While I knew that Ava’s blood was obviously different, I didn’t see how it was supposed to achieve the goal that E was chasing.
Liam was an OK character, but he was really closed-off. One minute hot, one minute cold, there was very little insight to his character. I grew attached to him only slightly, and it was a shame because what I saw of him – the true him, behind the mask – I really liked; what would have been better was to see much more of that. The same went for Julian also. In terms of what he was and what he could do – fantastic. There was some emotional insight but again, not enough. So for me, what I was seeing was this half-hearted, unexplained love triangle. Not a good combination. Because of this lack of development, I couldn’t see why Ava was interested in either of them…and I didn’t know what it was about her that pulled them in. strangely enough, though, if I had to pick, it would’ve been Liam.
There were some good scenes in here – when it comes to action, Madau knows how to make it compelling. That was when I started to actually feel what was going on. What was key here was the description. These scenes were the ones that were more fleshed out, that flowed better, that just had more detail. It would have been great to see this consistently across the book.
The ending, I think, was what sealed the deal. It felt very rushed, and there were no answers. None. No closure. Which then begs the question – what was the point of the story? If all that stuff happened, if Ava’s life was in danger and her blood was the key, surely we’re supposed to find out why? Find out what she is? Maybe, if it was written with care, it might just make sense. It might just be fair. But it was written so casually and quickly that it just didn’t sit right. Oh, and that love triangle? It’s not worth taking sides.
Overall, I found this to be really disappointing. What I was reading was ideas, and the ideas were fantastic. No question about it. But they needed developing and expanding; answers were needed for the question. The way it was wrapped up leaves no room for a sequel, though I can’t say for definite if there will or won’t be one. It just needs a whole lot of development, and had there been, I would have enjoyed this so much more.
Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
This review is also posted on my blog.
October 24, 2012
**Recieved free copy for a fair review**
***Spoilers are in review***
I struggled with this review because the book was not what I expected. After starting the book and realizing I was not going to be reading what I thought,I got on an author thread and found out the premise of the book was for us to see what life was like for a vampire who had just been turned. We were to find out things as the vampire found out things. The writer doesn't even give us the vampires name until almost the end, because must of us don't think of ourselves as name. I believe this book did accomplish this. However, by accomplishing this the writer left me confused and frustrated.
The vampire never really has explained how she became a vampire except is was an accident, and she accepts this with amazing calm and very few questions. The entire book is spent with her seemingly go through 80 years of life finding out very little and questioning even less. This left me the reader annoyed and wondering what was going on. The events did not make sense and of course where only shown for the vampires side, and most of them where never resolved or explained. However, I did like the authors writing and style. The book was an easy read in that respect. So I almost gave it a three or higher because I believe the author accomplished what she wanted to accomplish. However since the rating is if I like the book or not I went with how I felt about the book, and I was wishy wash until the epilogue where the writer advises that there is no HEA. To me this is a deal breaker. If I am reading a book it needs an HEA, espicially since I thought this was a paranormal romance with a love triangle, and then she doesn't end up with either guy!! To me that was the final straw. I read the entire book that did not answer any questions, still unsure of what the vampire even learned about herself except she is different and apparently that is a good thing, and there is no HEA, and she addes an epilogue so we know this. Again as I said before that was the final straw for me.
***Spoilers are in review***
I struggled with this review because the book was not what I expected. After starting the book and realizing I was not going to be reading what I thought,I got on an author thread and found out the premise of the book was for us to see what life was like for a vampire who had just been turned. We were to find out things as the vampire found out things. The writer doesn't even give us the vampires name until almost the end, because must of us don't think of ourselves as name. I believe this book did accomplish this. However, by accomplishing this the writer left me confused and frustrated.
The vampire never really has explained how she became a vampire except is was an accident, and she accepts this with amazing calm and very few questions. The entire book is spent with her seemingly go through 80 years of life finding out very little and questioning even less. This left me the reader annoyed and wondering what was going on. The events did not make sense and of course where only shown for the vampires side, and most of them where never resolved or explained. However, I did like the authors writing and style. The book was an easy read in that respect. So I almost gave it a three or higher because I believe the author accomplished what she wanted to accomplish. However since the rating is if I like the book or not I went with how I felt about the book, and I was wishy wash until the epilogue where the writer advises that there is no HEA. To me this is a deal breaker. If I am reading a book it needs an HEA, espicially since I thought this was a paranormal romance with a love triangle, and then she doesn't end up with either guy!! To me that was the final straw. I read the entire book that did not answer any questions, still unsure of what the vampire even learned about herself except she is different and apparently that is a good thing, and there is no HEA, and she addes an epilogue so we know this. Again as I said before that was the final straw for me.
October 22, 2012
I received a free advance copy of this novel from the author for purpose of review. Actually, I had my eye on this book before getting the chance to review it, so jumped at the chance. I liked the cover, and I enjoyed the style of writing in the sample chapter. I'm predisposed to like stories told in the first person by a female vampire. So I started very optimistically.
I love the writing. It is poetic and beautiful, without distracting from the story. I like the way the setting resonates with the emotional tones. I like the originality in the story and in the nature of the vampiric characters. So, all in all, I really enjoyed reading this.
However. There is a persistent vagueness and lack of clarity, and it's often unclear what is really known or what has happened. The narrator's feelings seem limited to anger and desire, with no real warmth. There's a love triangle here, but I never really believed she loved anyone, or was even capable of love. Indeed, while she may be physically half-human, half-vampire, emotionally there was little left of humanity.
I love the writing. It is poetic and beautiful, without distracting from the story. I like the way the setting resonates with the emotional tones. I like the originality in the story and in the nature of the vampiric characters. So, all in all, I really enjoyed reading this.
However. There is a persistent vagueness and lack of clarity, and it's often unclear what is really known or what has happened. The narrator's feelings seem limited to anger and desire, with no real warmth. There's a love triangle here, but I never really believed she loved anyone, or was even capable of love. Indeed, while she may be physically half-human, half-vampire, emotionally there was little left of humanity.
October 18, 2012
So heeerrrreeere is the deal with this book:
This author has raw talent- it's not fully reigned in yet- but it's there. She has a distinct knack for laying out a visual that will absolutely take your breath away. During the early moments in the book, we are placed at a wedding reception where our female and male leads are in attendance. We are immersed in a world where every candle or dancing flicker of light comes alive before us- I can see the beautiful cake iced in an abundance of yellow buttercream roses.. I can feel the gauzy material of her dress and long to hold the beautiful green clutch she carries with her. I cringe with embarrassment of awkward first conversations between new friends. In later chapters, we are exposed to the deep frost and extreme bite of chill in the air; I am dazzled by the shimmer of a new days snow cloaking the trees that surround her and the rain that darkens the sky. No doubt about it- the landscapes this author creates are incredible.
I love anything vampy- seriously. Chicagoland vamps, Twilight, Cat and Bones- I love em all. When the author told me this book presents a twist on what we think about vampires- I was automatically there..."Vamps?? Where?? Lead the way!!!"
Our cast of characters include Ava, Liam, Julian (nice lil chaste love triangle where everyone just ignores their feelings and runs far, far away), and a bevy of other vamps (Gabriela, Rachel, Oliver, Elim and Eden), then we'll add in a few people who just aren't all that important to the storyline (Blake, Kennedy, Cole).
We start in the present day with Ava sneaking into Liams home, she sneaks up on him, he turns around and points a pistol to her head, demanding to know why she is there. She reminds him and recalls that he offered so many years ago to take responsibility for his "carelessness" that ruined her life.....from here we drift to the past.
Ava's memories take us back to 1928 where Ava and Liam first meet during a wedding reception. Ava, 24, is strangely drawn to her table mate, Liam, for unknown reasons. Despite her normally shy demeanor, she proceeds with witty banter and engaging conversation, vying for Liam's attention. When Liam disappears during the first course, she is intrigued and is determined to know why he slipped away. She investigates while walking through the double doors where she last saw him, only to find herself somewhat bloodied, unconscious, and laying on the side of the road. She is awoken from unconsciousness to an incredible smell she absolutely must find. As she follows the delectable aroma, she is lead to a blood soaked, dead raccoon (yummy!!) and (SUPRISE!!) Liam. He proceeds to say he's sorry- and she automatically responds with "You did this to me???"- for me, confusion begins here and weaves me around like a drunk teenager throughout this book- I never really did get UNconfused. Even in the epilogue. I was still scratching my head mumbling "what???". I mean if i were to wake up on the side of the road wanting to snack on a dead raccoon, and the hottie I've been macking on all night walks up and says "I'm sorry", I'm pretty confident I wouldn't automatically think hottie had something to do with it.
Anywho. She passes out again and wakes up on his couch- she doesn't struggle, doesn't ask if people are looking for her- they just hang out doing vampy kinds of stuff- it's 1928...she's not concerned with her virtue or her family, or even if she's going to live or die or kill people. She just asks what happened to her, and when he breaks out the vampire news, shes like "that sucks" type of thing- no crying, hitting, mourning. Just acceptance; it was weird. There is not enough character development for me to really get a bead on all of the characters, much less get a concrete feel for the relationships that are blossoming..Liam and Ava do share a few moments where sexual tension claims some space- and I suppose its enough to keep me mildly interested and wanting more. That being said, the development of spaces and places was SO intricate and spot-on, it was surprising that the characters were so very undeveloped. Frustrating when you see so much promise.
The main undercurrent of this book is that Ava is "different"- she can involuntarily (key word here) switch from vampire back to human. While she's vamp, she has limited control of herself and seeks blood- while she is human she loves her some pb&j and coffee (natch.)- which is kinda cute and endearing.
While she is learning about herself, we are introduced to vampires Julian and Gabriela. Literally, a few paragraphs about Julian, and Ava is walking alongside him to a strange house- while walking there, she realizes he is different too, although not quite like her. The next thing you know, the house they walked into is a blazing inferno, Julian becomes ashes and Liam is dragging her out. Ava says that it's all her fault. Nothing else is ever said about it. How was it her fault??? How and why did the fire start?? How did Liam appear out if thin air to save Ava?? I was SO confused at this point.
Not long after the infamous fire that claimed Julian's life, Liam determines he can no longer keep Ava safe from his own bloodlust while she is in her human form, and demands that she leave. She takes off for Wisconsin, meeting two regular 'ol humans (Blake and Kennedy) along the way, neither of which she talks about or mentions again. Then we are launched back into the present. No other time periods or memories of her life are touched upon. I guess 1928 was just a REALLY memorable year???
SO. We are back to the present day. There is no discussion of the lives Liam and Ava have been leading separately for the last 80 years. Apparently, Liam no longer has a problem controlling his bloodlust, and according to Rachel (new vamp in the house), he has the hots for Ava. Confusion abounds. How did we get from gun pointed at head to romance? Definitely needed detail to bind up those loose ends.
There are a few other interesting things that happen, which definitely add to the storyline, but they are spoilers, so I will keep em to myself ;) But I can tell you this, it involves a bit of a love triangle (albeit a very MILD one) and some wicked awesome vampy fights.
This is NOT a "romance" or Adult read.. There is no sexy-time, only a few chaste smooches here and there- nobody's "hard length" is rubbin up on anyone else's "mound"- nobody tastes like peaches. Although....I might have given another star for some HAWT vampire lovin'. I digress.
I hate to give a read 2 stars, especially one that started out so promising, this book just isn't there yet. WAY too many loose ends blowing in the wind, way too confusing, character development is lagging, and some of the elements need to be simplified. However, this author shows immense promise; if she can flesh out these characters the way she does settings, she'll be off and running. If she can pull together all of the loose ends, even better. Break down the elements of why a few "different" vamps are so important (can they endanger others?? How??), why it matters, and why it's essential to solve the code so to speak, then we have a book that can contend with the others of this genre.
I will be watching the author in the future, to see what else she can bring to the table- I think we can look for some entertaining reads in the future.
I was provided a free EARC from the author in exchange for a fair review
This author has raw talent- it's not fully reigned in yet- but it's there. She has a distinct knack for laying out a visual that will absolutely take your breath away. During the early moments in the book, we are placed at a wedding reception where our female and male leads are in attendance. We are immersed in a world where every candle or dancing flicker of light comes alive before us- I can see the beautiful cake iced in an abundance of yellow buttercream roses.. I can feel the gauzy material of her dress and long to hold the beautiful green clutch she carries with her. I cringe with embarrassment of awkward first conversations between new friends. In later chapters, we are exposed to the deep frost and extreme bite of chill in the air; I am dazzled by the shimmer of a new days snow cloaking the trees that surround her and the rain that darkens the sky. No doubt about it- the landscapes this author creates are incredible.
I love anything vampy- seriously. Chicagoland vamps, Twilight, Cat and Bones- I love em all. When the author told me this book presents a twist on what we think about vampires- I was automatically there..."Vamps?? Where?? Lead the way!!!"
Our cast of characters include Ava, Liam, Julian (nice lil chaste love triangle where everyone just ignores their feelings and runs far, far away), and a bevy of other vamps (Gabriela, Rachel, Oliver, Elim and Eden), then we'll add in a few people who just aren't all that important to the storyline (Blake, Kennedy, Cole).
We start in the present day with Ava sneaking into Liams home, she sneaks up on him, he turns around and points a pistol to her head, demanding to know why she is there. She reminds him and recalls that he offered so many years ago to take responsibility for his "carelessness" that ruined her life.....from here we drift to the past.
Ava's memories take us back to 1928 where Ava and Liam first meet during a wedding reception. Ava, 24, is strangely drawn to her table mate, Liam, for unknown reasons. Despite her normally shy demeanor, she proceeds with witty banter and engaging conversation, vying for Liam's attention. When Liam disappears during the first course, she is intrigued and is determined to know why he slipped away. She investigates while walking through the double doors where she last saw him, only to find herself somewhat bloodied, unconscious, and laying on the side of the road. She is awoken from unconsciousness to an incredible smell she absolutely must find. As she follows the delectable aroma, she is lead to a blood soaked, dead raccoon (yummy!!) and (SUPRISE!!) Liam. He proceeds to say he's sorry- and she automatically responds with "You did this to me???"- for me, confusion begins here and weaves me around like a drunk teenager throughout this book- I never really did get UNconfused. Even in the epilogue. I was still scratching my head mumbling "what???". I mean if i were to wake up on the side of the road wanting to snack on a dead raccoon, and the hottie I've been macking on all night walks up and says "I'm sorry", I'm pretty confident I wouldn't automatically think hottie had something to do with it.
Anywho. She passes out again and wakes up on his couch- she doesn't struggle, doesn't ask if people are looking for her- they just hang out doing vampy kinds of stuff- it's 1928...she's not concerned with her virtue or her family, or even if she's going to live or die or kill people. She just asks what happened to her, and when he breaks out the vampire news, shes like "that sucks" type of thing- no crying, hitting, mourning. Just acceptance; it was weird. There is not enough character development for me to really get a bead on all of the characters, much less get a concrete feel for the relationships that are blossoming..Liam and Ava do share a few moments where sexual tension claims some space- and I suppose its enough to keep me mildly interested and wanting more. That being said, the development of spaces and places was SO intricate and spot-on, it was surprising that the characters were so very undeveloped. Frustrating when you see so much promise.
The main undercurrent of this book is that Ava is "different"- she can involuntarily (key word here) switch from vampire back to human. While she's vamp, she has limited control of herself and seeks blood- while she is human she loves her some pb&j and coffee (natch.)- which is kinda cute and endearing.
While she is learning about herself, we are introduced to vampires Julian and Gabriela. Literally, a few paragraphs about Julian, and Ava is walking alongside him to a strange house- while walking there, she realizes he is different too, although not quite like her. The next thing you know, the house they walked into is a blazing inferno, Julian becomes ashes and Liam is dragging her out. Ava says that it's all her fault. Nothing else is ever said about it. How was it her fault??? How and why did the fire start?? How did Liam appear out if thin air to save Ava?? I was SO confused at this point.
Not long after the infamous fire that claimed Julian's life, Liam determines he can no longer keep Ava safe from his own bloodlust while she is in her human form, and demands that she leave. She takes off for Wisconsin, meeting two regular 'ol humans (Blake and Kennedy) along the way, neither of which she talks about or mentions again. Then we are launched back into the present. No other time periods or memories of her life are touched upon. I guess 1928 was just a REALLY memorable year???
SO. We are back to the present day. There is no discussion of the lives Liam and Ava have been leading separately for the last 80 years. Apparently, Liam no longer has a problem controlling his bloodlust, and according to Rachel (new vamp in the house), he has the hots for Ava. Confusion abounds. How did we get from gun pointed at head to romance? Definitely needed detail to bind up those loose ends.
There are a few other interesting things that happen, which definitely add to the storyline, but they are spoilers, so I will keep em to myself ;) But I can tell you this, it involves a bit of a love triangle (albeit a very MILD one) and some wicked awesome vampy fights.
This is NOT a "romance" or Adult read.. There is no sexy-time, only a few chaste smooches here and there- nobody's "hard length" is rubbin up on anyone else's "mound"- nobody tastes like peaches. Although....I might have given another star for some HAWT vampire lovin'. I digress.
I hate to give a read 2 stars, especially one that started out so promising, this book just isn't there yet. WAY too many loose ends blowing in the wind, way too confusing, character development is lagging, and some of the elements need to be simplified. However, this author shows immense promise; if she can flesh out these characters the way she does settings, she'll be off and running. If she can pull together all of the loose ends, even better. Break down the elements of why a few "different" vamps are so important (can they endanger others?? How??), why it matters, and why it's essential to solve the code so to speak, then we have a book that can contend with the others of this genre.
I will be watching the author in the future, to see what else she can bring to the table- I think we can look for some entertaining reads in the future.
I was provided a free EARC from the author in exchange for a fair review
October 30, 2012
I received a free copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. So, let me be honest. It was just OK for me, in terms of my overall experience reading this book.
The writing style has a poetic flair and the tone is mysterious. That was a double edged sword for me. I found the imagery beautiful and interesting sometimes, and other times the language seemed too convoluted, which muddled the meaning for me. There were many sentences I had to read over and over to "get" them. Sometimes I figured out what was off, other times I didn't and just moved on. Also, sometimes the imagery and emotion jumped around so much that I lost track of the action, or some combination thereof. Overall, there could have been some line editing. (And I don't mean editing for typos, hopefully those are taken care of before the release; I mean line by line rewrites to tighten the writing in places.) This author will continue to improve; she has the raw talent. She really does.
As for the story itself, the female protagonist narrates in first person, and we get to follow her through her change from human to vampire. The twist is that she switches back and forth between vampire and human and no one knows why. Here seems to be the central question. Why is she different? (By the way, we don't get her name until almost the end of the book, so I will not mention it here. This fits with the tone and did not bother me, however.) We get to follow her sporadically through an 80 year period after she is bitten in 1928. (As an aside, I don't think the twenties time period was given much thought as far as detail or authentic dialogue.) There are many characters that move in and out of the story. There are some intriguing incidents. But, overall, this question is not answered for the reader. We follow the protagonist around and find out a few things, but many things are kept from us, even things she seems to know. We get to hear conversations that she appears to follow, and we get to see what kind of emotional reaction she has, but we don't know what everyone is talking about. Very frustrating. The answer to this central question is apparently answered, finally, for the protagonist, we just don't get to find out what it is. Hmmm. Some backstory is finally revealed to us by a massively huge monologue by Liam, her sire. This monologue comprises the entire 9th chapter, several pages. I was glad to get the information, but an entire chapter of monologue is not really how I wanted to get it. As for the love triangle aspect of this story, it was not a central plot line, and there was no real development of the relationships therein, or even any real love scenes. So, I wasn't emotionally invested in either relationship and didn't much care if she ended up with either guy, Not what I was expecting from the plot summary.
The disjointed storytelling, lack of information, mysterious tone, and the somewhat detached nature of the protagonist gave this book an esoteric nature that did not, ultimately, hold my interest. The book is fairly short (190 pages in PDF), and I was able to easily set it aside for periods of time. I thought I would burn through it in a day. I just couldn't get into it, even though I was intrigued by the central question. I do think this author has promise and should continue to work at her craft. I may read more from her in the future, especially if reviews of future work indicate she's willing to lift the curtain on the mystery a little more. The author has indicated there is a sequel to this. Maybe more answers will be found there.
To try to leave my review on a more positive note, some of my favorite scenes involved the protagonist experiencing things as a vampire for the first time (or at least early on in her vampiric career) that were just beautifully described and interesting and by turns comedic and tragic. Loved the scene where she sneaks back into her house after turning vampire because she misses her family. She enters the house as a human and pets her cat while the family sleeps. The emotion here touched me and I really loved the writing in this scene. And there are scenes where she's injured herself, or tried to push the limits on what she could do as a vampire, that were so nice to read from her fresh perspective and beautiful description. I could list them, but that would be one giant spoiler, so suffice it to say that there is much to appreciate in a more literary sense than a story-satisfying genre-like sense. (Did that make sense?! Ha! I hope so!)
The writing style has a poetic flair and the tone is mysterious. That was a double edged sword for me. I found the imagery beautiful and interesting sometimes, and other times the language seemed too convoluted, which muddled the meaning for me. There were many sentences I had to read over and over to "get" them. Sometimes I figured out what was off, other times I didn't and just moved on. Also, sometimes the imagery and emotion jumped around so much that I lost track of the action, or some combination thereof. Overall, there could have been some line editing. (And I don't mean editing for typos, hopefully those are taken care of before the release; I mean line by line rewrites to tighten the writing in places.) This author will continue to improve; she has the raw talent. She really does.
As for the story itself, the female protagonist narrates in first person, and we get to follow her through her change from human to vampire. The twist is that she switches back and forth between vampire and human and no one knows why. Here seems to be the central question. Why is she different? (By the way, we don't get her name until almost the end of the book, so I will not mention it here. This fits with the tone and did not bother me, however.) We get to follow her sporadically through an 80 year period after she is bitten in 1928. (As an aside, I don't think the twenties time period was given much thought as far as detail or authentic dialogue.) There are many characters that move in and out of the story. There are some intriguing incidents. But, overall, this question is not answered for the reader. We follow the protagonist around and find out a few things, but many things are kept from us, even things she seems to know. We get to hear conversations that she appears to follow, and we get to see what kind of emotional reaction she has, but we don't know what everyone is talking about. Very frustrating. The answer to this central question is apparently answered, finally, for the protagonist, we just don't get to find out what it is. Hmmm. Some backstory is finally revealed to us by a massively huge monologue by Liam, her sire. This monologue comprises the entire 9th chapter, several pages. I was glad to get the information, but an entire chapter of monologue is not really how I wanted to get it. As for the love triangle aspect of this story, it was not a central plot line, and there was no real development of the relationships therein, or even any real love scenes. So, I wasn't emotionally invested in either relationship and didn't much care if she ended up with either guy, Not what I was expecting from the plot summary.
The disjointed storytelling, lack of information, mysterious tone, and the somewhat detached nature of the protagonist gave this book an esoteric nature that did not, ultimately, hold my interest. The book is fairly short (190 pages in PDF), and I was able to easily set it aside for periods of time. I thought I would burn through it in a day. I just couldn't get into it, even though I was intrigued by the central question. I do think this author has promise and should continue to work at her craft. I may read more from her in the future, especially if reviews of future work indicate she's willing to lift the curtain on the mystery a little more. The author has indicated there is a sequel to this. Maybe more answers will be found there.
To try to leave my review on a more positive note, some of my favorite scenes involved the protagonist experiencing things as a vampire for the first time (or at least early on in her vampiric career) that were just beautifully described and interesting and by turns comedic and tragic. Loved the scene where she sneaks back into her house after turning vampire because she misses her family. She enters the house as a human and pets her cat while the family sleeps. The emotion here touched me and I really loved the writing in this scene. And there are scenes where she's injured herself, or tried to push the limits on what she could do as a vampire, that were so nice to read from her fresh perspective and beautiful description. I could list them, but that would be one giant spoiler, so suffice it to say that there is much to appreciate in a more literary sense than a story-satisfying genre-like sense. (Did that make sense?! Ha! I hope so!)
October 23, 2012
My Rating: ★★★
Book Description:
It’s easy to get caught up with bad-ass vampires, a killer love triangle, broken engagements, assumed clones, and enough sexual tension to drive anyone crazy.
Does society really know what it means to be a vampire? What it feels like? Tastes like? The struggles of going through life in a state of unacceptance, and using every fiber of your being to change?
MORNINGSIDE shows vampires in a new light. Humanity believes them to be one thing, without any deviation-- the perfection of a human hunter. One woman is able to prove them wrong. Trapped between both the mortal and immortal realms, she becomes the line between humans and vampires, and both the differences and similarities they share. When her life is put at stake, the worlds begin to collide.
Page Count: 242 pages
My Thoughts:
This was a difficult story for me to rate because there were moments that I enjoyed but others not so much. What I enjoyed was the premise of the story. There be vampires...but not in fashion that most readers are familiar with. The female protagonist of this book lived in equal measure in the human and vampire world.
Turned as a vampire in 1928 by Liam, her sire, she begins an odyssey of discovering who and what she is. The story takes an interesting explorartive as Liam tries to teach her how to "be" a vampire only to discover that she was not...at least not completely. The story kept my attention as I read the first 30% but at about 35% I begin to realize that we never learned the female protagonists' name which was quite odd in a full length novel. The reader didn't actually find out that her name was Ava until about 90% into the story. As such, it was hard to connect with her because I didn't know her name and her basic physical description was vague and only consistent of a brief mention of her hair and eye color when she "vamped out".
On the subject of the "love triangle" between Ava, Julian, and Liam, I just didn't see what she saw in either of them. Liam killed her and was hot-cold toward her. Conversely, Julian essentially faked his own death and lied to her. Neither male provided the best foundation for a functional relationship. But I liked that particular byplay in the story.
I would have loved to read more about why the infamous "E" aka Eden targeted Ava for her blood and what was so special about it. I believe that there is another book in the series (I hope) that will deal with the "why" of it all.
The things that I didn't care about what the sequencing and pacing in the story. There was a choppy splicing together of events and details that provided a slightly chaotic feel to the story. Ava followed Liam outside and in a blink she's a vampire. At first it was just she and Lian and the Gabriela and Julian are introduced with little fanfare. Julian's "death" came so out of the blue that I had to read it to see how it happened because I felt as if I had missed something. There were a few others odd moments in the story; however, with a bit of scene tightening, the story would have definitely been a 4 or 4½★ read for me.
Note for PNR lovers: Although there is hinted romance between the characters, there is so sexual interaction between any of the them.
The author provided a review copy of this book for an honest review.
Reading Time: 6 Hours
Book Description:
It’s easy to get caught up with bad-ass vampires, a killer love triangle, broken engagements, assumed clones, and enough sexual tension to drive anyone crazy.
Does society really know what it means to be a vampire? What it feels like? Tastes like? The struggles of going through life in a state of unacceptance, and using every fiber of your being to change?
MORNINGSIDE shows vampires in a new light. Humanity believes them to be one thing, without any deviation-- the perfection of a human hunter. One woman is able to prove them wrong. Trapped between both the mortal and immortal realms, she becomes the line between humans and vampires, and both the differences and similarities they share. When her life is put at stake, the worlds begin to collide.
Page Count: 242 pages
My Thoughts:
This was a difficult story for me to rate because there were moments that I enjoyed but others not so much. What I enjoyed was the premise of the story. There be vampires...but not in fashion that most readers are familiar with. The female protagonist of this book lived in equal measure in the human and vampire world.
Turned as a vampire in 1928 by Liam, her sire, she begins an odyssey of discovering who and what she is. The story takes an interesting explorartive as Liam tries to teach her how to "be" a vampire only to discover that she was not...at least not completely. The story kept my attention as I read the first 30% but at about 35% I begin to realize that we never learned the female protagonists' name which was quite odd in a full length novel. The reader didn't actually find out that her name was Ava until about 90% into the story. As such, it was hard to connect with her because I didn't know her name and her basic physical description was vague and only consistent of a brief mention of her hair and eye color when she "vamped out".
On the subject of the "love triangle" between Ava, Julian, and Liam, I just didn't see what she saw in either of them. Liam killed her and was hot-cold toward her. Conversely, Julian essentially faked his own death and lied to her. Neither male provided the best foundation for a functional relationship. But I liked that particular byplay in the story.
I would have loved to read more about why the infamous "E" aka Eden targeted Ava for her blood and what was so special about it. I believe that there is another book in the series (I hope) that will deal with the "why" of it all.
The things that I didn't care about what the sequencing and pacing in the story. There was a choppy splicing together of events and details that provided a slightly chaotic feel to the story. Ava followed Liam outside and in a blink she's a vampire. At first it was just she and Lian and the Gabriela and Julian are introduced with little fanfare. Julian's "death" came so out of the blue that I had to read it to see how it happened because I felt as if I had missed something. There were a few others odd moments in the story; however, with a bit of scene tightening, the story would have definitely been a 4 or 4½★ read for me.
Note for PNR lovers: Although there is hinted romance between the characters, there is so sexual interaction between any of the them.
The author provided a review copy of this book for an honest review.
Reading Time: 6 Hours
November 13, 2012
I received an ARC ebook of this book from the author to provide a honest review. This is the author's debut novel.
The beginning was slow and filled with inessential information and/or details. I understand that world building is crucial, however, the information and/or detail I'm referring to is truly not necessary to keep the story moving forward nor is it of value to enhance the story. It felt more like a word count filler.
The connection between the heroine and hero is not clear, neither is the attraction. They met at a party, he's good looking, he accidentally turns her into a vampire, then the twist and they hang out. See? Usually, there's something that brings the two together, whether it is fate or being that this is a PNR, the usual "mate" story line or even "instant connection". There was also no "chemistry" between them. None of the usual occurs which makes it hard to understand why they are together.
There needs to be more depth to the characters and details about who the characters are and what's going on. The connection I usually feel for the characters isn't there. Perhaps its partially because we don't learn the name of the heroine until almost the very end or that her reaction to things or the situation doesn't feel "right" or "real". There are way too many unanswered questions and the author doesn't provide the answers or clues. The story needs more time to develop.
The premise of the story is interesting, though the execution wasn't the best. Again, this is the author's debut novel and she has potential.
The beginning was slow and filled with inessential information and/or details. I understand that world building is crucial, however, the information and/or detail I'm referring to is truly not necessary to keep the story moving forward nor is it of value to enhance the story. It felt more like a word count filler.
The connection between the heroine and hero is not clear, neither is the attraction. They met at a party, he's good looking, he accidentally turns her into a vampire, then the twist and they hang out. See? Usually, there's something that brings the two together, whether it is fate or being that this is a PNR, the usual "mate" story line or even "instant connection". There was also no "chemistry" between them. None of the usual occurs which makes it hard to understand why they are together.
There needs to be more depth to the characters and details about who the characters are and what's going on. The connection I usually feel for the characters isn't there. Perhaps its partially because we don't learn the name of the heroine until almost the very end or that her reaction to things or the situation doesn't feel "right" or "real". There are way too many unanswered questions and the author doesn't provide the answers or clues. The story needs more time to develop.
The premise of the story is interesting, though the execution wasn't the best. Again, this is the author's debut novel and she has potential.
February 28, 2018
Although a very good story concept, its execution was choppy, incomplete, and ultimately, confusing to me. Having said that, it was intriguing and has so much potential that I sincerely hope that this author writes more. I will definitely look for future publications.
PROS –
STORYLINE!
Interesting likeable characters
Villains I wanted to hate
Interesting setting/locale
Interesting likeable characters
Action!
Improved as it went along
Interesting likeable characters - I really want to know more about all the characters the author introduced (even still!)
I so wanted to love this book. However, I really struggled to keep reading, easily putting it aside to read something else.
CONS –
Unclear on the who, what, when, where, and why basics of the story
Story was hard to follow - not enough exposition and transitional story to tie the timeline or characters together
Had to reread sentences several times to try and figure out what was been said
Had to go back reread whole sections to figure out what was going on
Some challenging dialogue - I found myself wondering "why did they say that? what does that mean?" - unclear motivation. I think this is byproduct of just not knowing enough about what is going on in the scene or what has gone on before with the characters
My best wishes to this author - an obvious talent.
PROS –
STORYLINE!
Interesting likeable characters
Villains I wanted to hate
Interesting setting/locale
Interesting likeable characters
Action!
Improved as it went along
Interesting likeable characters - I really want to know more about all the characters the author introduced (even still!)
I so wanted to love this book. However, I really struggled to keep reading, easily putting it aside to read something else.
CONS –
Unclear on the who, what, when, where, and why basics of the story
Story was hard to follow - not enough exposition and transitional story to tie the timeline or characters together
Had to reread sentences several times to try and figure out what was been said
Had to go back reread whole sections to figure out what was going on
Some challenging dialogue - I found myself wondering "why did they say that? what does that mean?" - unclear motivation. I think this is byproduct of just not knowing enough about what is going on in the scene or what has gone on before with the characters
My best wishes to this author - an obvious talent.
October 29, 2012
I got a copy of this book from the author and I was asked to read and review it. This is one of my first reviews but I'll try my best.
Although this book confused me in parts once I started reading I found it hard to put down for the simple fact that I wanted to know what happens. This book starts along the same lines as most vampire stories but towards the end it starts its own unique twist. It has the changing, the love triangles, the past with a few twists along the way. The lead character is nameless until the end but the other characters make random visits throughout the book. The book is left open at end so hopefully another is on its way so we can continue the story. I found the story jumpy in places. Something would happen but it wasn't clear until later in the book what actually happened. I feel the author as well as the story line have great potential but this book could have been better in places. I enjoyed this book and I know others will. I also know that some people won't.
Although this book confused me in parts once I started reading I found it hard to put down for the simple fact that I wanted to know what happens. This book starts along the same lines as most vampire stories but towards the end it starts its own unique twist. It has the changing, the love triangles, the past with a few twists along the way. The lead character is nameless until the end but the other characters make random visits throughout the book. The book is left open at end so hopefully another is on its way so we can continue the story. I found the story jumpy in places. Something would happen but it wasn't clear until later in the book what actually happened. I feel the author as well as the story line have great potential but this book could have been better in places. I enjoyed this book and I know others will. I also know that some people won't.
November 7, 2012
This ebook was provided to me by the author in exchange of an honest review.
My opinion never been so conflicted towards a book (except maybe for The Fault in our Stars). When I started reading it, I doubted I could get to the end. The first few chapters were badly written, sketchily described and very, very hard to get into. I dropped the book at first after reading some thirty pages. Then, weeks later I picked it up again. And I read it. And it got better.
And better.
And better.
I liked the way Ava grew in the story. I liked the way the love triangle was handled - I didn't have the urge to curse it all the way to hell. But you can also see Madau's writing improving as you read the book. A lot was happening too quickly at the beginning and it was hard for me to keep track of the progression of the story. I was glad to see the way the author managed to tie everything up together later.
The premise and the setting in which the whole story was completely different from what we are used to. The vampire worlds is shown differently from what we are used to in YA books and that really caught my attention. The MC's struggle between two parts of herself was interesting - though poorly described at times. But the thing is as I continued reading I got so caught up in what was happening I was willing to ignore the little glitches here and there. And thus the extra one star instead of the two I would've given.
The ending was pure torture.
PHASES OF MY MIND THROUGHOUT THIS BOOK
Before reading
First few chapters
The next few chapters
The next next few chapters
The Ending
[image error]
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
NO MISS MADAU YOU CANNOT END A BOOK LIKE THAT! WHERE THE FUCK IS MY SEQUEL???!!!
My opinion never been so conflicted towards a book (except maybe for The Fault in our Stars). When I started reading it, I doubted I could get to the end. The first few chapters were badly written, sketchily described and very, very hard to get into. I dropped the book at first after reading some thirty pages. Then, weeks later I picked it up again. And I read it. And it got better.
And better.
And better.
I liked the way Ava grew in the story. I liked the way the love triangle was handled - I didn't have the urge to curse it all the way to hell. But you can also see Madau's writing improving as you read the book. A lot was happening too quickly at the beginning and it was hard for me to keep track of the progression of the story. I was glad to see the way the author managed to tie everything up together later.
The premise and the setting in which the whole story was completely different from what we are used to. The vampire worlds is shown differently from what we are used to in YA books and that really caught my attention. The MC's struggle between two parts of herself was interesting - though poorly described at times. But the thing is as I continued reading I got so caught up in what was happening I was willing to ignore the little glitches here and there. And thus the extra one star instead of the two I would've given.
The ending was pure torture.
PHASES OF MY MIND THROUGHOUT THIS BOOK
Before reading
First few chapters
The next few chapters
The next next few chapters
The Ending
[image error]
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
NO MISS MADAU YOU CANNOT END A BOOK LIKE THAT! WHERE THE FUCK IS MY SEQUEL???!!!
October 18, 2012
To read this review and others, visit: http://mycrazybookobsession.blogspot.se/
Morningside started off very good, it was very mysterious and held my attention but then things started being confusing instead of mysterious. After the first 30% of the book I just went through the pages confused. We would just jump into a conversation that seems important but I have no idea what they are arguing about.
Morningside started with the heroine attending a wedding with her family where she met vampire Liam and instantly felt attracted to him. He changed her when she followed him out while everybody was busy celebrating the wedding and then took her to live with him and meet his vampire friends, Julian and Gabriela. Just as Julian and the heroine start to bound, Julian is burned under mysterious circumstances. Liam then disappears from the heroines life because he can't control himself around her, leaving her to wander the earth alone, only to come back to him after eighty years.
Most of the characters actions weren't explained. Like, why Liam attended the wedding, why she came back to him, and why he left her in the first place. Oh, and why don't we find out the name of the heroine until the last page of the book? I couldn't bound with any of them, the conversations and the interactions between the characters were really brief, making the characters appear two dimensional to me.
I still don't know why she loved Liam or Julian. The heroines feelings weren't really made clear. I was just supposed to know that she loved them but I didn't feel it, in fact I was surprised when I figured it out. If anything I was annoyed with both men for their actions that I didn't get most of the time.
The author spends most of the book describing places and not what really was going on. Even if the description was beautiful it just took more space that the plot. I could see something in the storyline that kept me reading but if it wasn't as confusing I would have enjoyed the book more.
Morningside started off very good, it was very mysterious and held my attention but then things started being confusing instead of mysterious. After the first 30% of the book I just went through the pages confused. We would just jump into a conversation that seems important but I have no idea what they are arguing about.
Morningside started with the heroine attending a wedding with her family where she met vampire Liam and instantly felt attracted to him. He changed her when she followed him out while everybody was busy celebrating the wedding and then took her to live with him and meet his vampire friends, Julian and Gabriela. Just as Julian and the heroine start to bound, Julian is burned under mysterious circumstances. Liam then disappears from the heroines life because he can't control himself around her, leaving her to wander the earth alone, only to come back to him after eighty years.
Most of the characters actions weren't explained. Like, why Liam attended the wedding, why she came back to him, and why he left her in the first place. Oh, and why don't we find out the name of the heroine until the last page of the book? I couldn't bound with any of them, the conversations and the interactions between the characters were really brief, making the characters appear two dimensional to me.
I still don't know why she loved Liam or Julian. The heroines feelings weren't really made clear. I was just supposed to know that she loved them but I didn't feel it, in fact I was surprised when I figured it out. If anything I was annoyed with both men for their actions that I didn't get most of the time.
The author spends most of the book describing places and not what really was going on. Even if the description was beautiful it just took more space that the plot. I could see something in the storyline that kept me reading but if it wasn't as confusing I would have enjoyed the book more.
November 10, 2012
The book started out strong for me, the scenery and the dialog between the characters at the wedding good. I thought her premise of this vampire was different and interesting and something I had never read before. However, I didn't connect with the main character. I didn't know what she wanted, what her goal was. She seemed to meander through time with no thought or direction. The secondary characters were just names on the page. I wanted to know more, get deeper into all their personalities. What made them tick. The time line had me confused as well, so much so I went back to the beginning thinking I had missed something.
This story has a lot of potential. I enjoyed the scene when she fights with E, and enjoyed who E actually was. I do think the reader needs to know a little more about who the E's were if that makes sense, so as not to be blindsided. They took me by surprise. I hate to be so critical, because this story is good. I want the plot and the characters to be fleshed out. I need to be invested in the outcome of our heroine's very unique situation. I want to know more about the other characters. What are the E's to them? What are their stories and what motivates them to act as they do. At the end I like how the protagonist's name is revealed. Very clever. I'm sorry to be so hard, but I feel this story deserves more time and substance.
This story has a lot of potential. I enjoyed the scene when she fights with E, and enjoyed who E actually was. I do think the reader needs to know a little more about who the E's were if that makes sense, so as not to be blindsided. They took me by surprise. I hate to be so critical, because this story is good. I want the plot and the characters to be fleshed out. I need to be invested in the outcome of our heroine's very unique situation. I want to know more about the other characters. What are the E's to them? What are their stories and what motivates them to act as they do. At the end I like how the protagonist's name is revealed. Very clever. I'm sorry to be so hard, but I feel this story deserves more time and substance.
January 26, 2013
Morningside is the story of a woman in the 20s who accidentally gets turned into a vampire and her struggle to accept not only her change of life as a vampire, but also her life as an abnormal vampire.
After finishing this book, I have a lot of mixed thoughts on it. The writing is very well done, and since page 1, I felt deep in the story. However, while I love fast paced books, I felt this one was too fast paced. I had a little trouble keeping up in some parts, because the story shifted so quickly.
I enjoyed the suspense and mystery throughout, but I wish that the main male lead Liam hadn't been so much of a mystery. Yes, we do get a fabulous background story about half way through, but I still don't know his real feelings for the main character, Ava, if he has any.
I really hope this isn't a stand alone book, because if it is, I will be really let down by the ending. I feel like so much was left unsaid and questioned, and I don't understand so many things about Ava and what's going on with her.
This book did do a great job of making you feel engrossed in this story, and the beginning of it went very smoothly. The later parts of the plot just had me wanting a little more. I would recommend it to people who enjoy different takes on vampires, especially those who may be looking for something outside the YA realm (although the content is fine for probably 15 or 16 +).
After finishing this book, I have a lot of mixed thoughts on it. The writing is very well done, and since page 1, I felt deep in the story. However, while I love fast paced books, I felt this one was too fast paced. I had a little trouble keeping up in some parts, because the story shifted so quickly.
I enjoyed the suspense and mystery throughout, but I wish that the main male lead Liam hadn't been so much of a mystery. Yes, we do get a fabulous background story about half way through, but I still don't know his real feelings for the main character, Ava, if he has any.
I really hope this isn't a stand alone book, because if it is, I will be really let down by the ending. I feel like so much was left unsaid and questioned, and I don't understand so many things about Ava and what's going on with her.
This book did do a great job of making you feel engrossed in this story, and the beginning of it went very smoothly. The later parts of the plot just had me wanting a little more. I would recommend it to people who enjoy different takes on vampires, especially those who may be looking for something outside the YA realm (although the content is fine for probably 15 or 16 +).
October 6, 2012
3.5
My thoughts for Morningside are mixed. The start was a bit dragged and confusing but when action started I was in for a ride.
I overall thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved how the characters grow on you. Ava was an absolute astounding fictional character. I admire the to control she had over her emotions - when it came to love. Her ability to take risks made things just so much more pleasing to read. So it was profoundly wonderful to finally see a great female heroin.
Another great thing about this book is the love triangle. The resolution of it was unexpected but satisfying. Things made complete sense and I ended up not caring who Ava ended up with. I also loved how the relationships between Ava and the males grew through time and literal conversation - not just raging hormones.
A WORD FROM A FAN
You know how i said I didn't care who Ava ended up with? Well: my favorite character from the triad is Liam. Yeah... I still don't mind who ends up with who but I love Liam the most because he turned from a character I disliked to a charcter I adored. I just have a fetish and a weak spot for the bad boys. Oh and raging hormones
I am really lucky to have read this book. Thank you for giving me an EARC version.
My thoughts for Morningside are mixed. The start was a bit dragged and confusing but when action started I was in for a ride.
I overall thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved how the characters grow on you. Ava was an absolute astounding fictional character. I admire the to control she had over her emotions - when it came to love. Her ability to take risks made things just so much more pleasing to read. So it was profoundly wonderful to finally see a great female heroin.
Another great thing about this book is the love triangle. The resolution of it was unexpected but satisfying. Things made complete sense and I ended up not caring who Ava ended up with. I also loved how the relationships between Ava and the males grew through time and literal conversation - not just raging hormones.
A WORD FROM A FAN
You know how i said I didn't care who Ava ended up with? Well: my favorite character from the triad is Liam. Yeah... I still don't mind who ends up with who but I love Liam the most because he turned from a character I disliked to a charcter I adored. I just have a fetish and a weak spot for the bad boys. Oh and raging hormones
I am really lucky to have read this book. Thank you for giving me an EARC version.
November 15, 2012
Let me start off by saying I was really excited to have the opportunity to read the ARC for this book as part of my Goodreads Paranormal Romance with a Kick Group's new forum! It's an awesome way for writers and readers to connect within a specific genre and I hope to take part in more reviews later (even though I'm a day late on this review thanks to NaNoWriMo).
Now for the not so great news. I don't want to discourage anyone from reading this story because it does have its moments, but it was the misbegotten child of an "Interview With A Vampire" and "Twilight" coupling to me. I know that the story probably all made perfect sense to Madau as she wrote it, but that didn't translate to me as a reader. It jumped around so much that I wasn't sure what was happening at several points in the story - which quickly turned my experience into an "annoying item to get through" rather than an "enjoyable read."
Again, this doesn't mean that someone else out there won't absolutely love it and I want to congratulate Madau on following her dreams to get this out there. But I think that she should have spent a little more time developing the story, the characters and even the setting before sending it into the world.
Now for the not so great news. I don't want to discourage anyone from reading this story because it does have its moments, but it was the misbegotten child of an "Interview With A Vampire" and "Twilight" coupling to me. I know that the story probably all made perfect sense to Madau as she wrote it, but that didn't translate to me as a reader. It jumped around so much that I wasn't sure what was happening at several points in the story - which quickly turned my experience into an "annoying item to get through" rather than an "enjoyable read."
Again, this doesn't mean that someone else out there won't absolutely love it and I want to congratulate Madau on following her dreams to get this out there. But I think that she should have spent a little more time developing the story, the characters and even the setting before sending it into the world.
December 9, 2012
Wow, Morningside. A unique and unusual read in a reading world full of much of the same. I think the book, for the author's rare writing style alone, should be rated higher. I understand how confusion could arise, but with that said, it all made sense to me. (I'm being confusing now; I know.) The abrupt "fire" scene was the only place I really stumbled, and that was addressed in the end. So all is well in my world.
Anyway, this is clearly the first book in a series, and that's okay for me. There is more to the story yet to be shared, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it all unfolds. I like the sexual tension between characters and am curious to see who ends up with who, or if new love interests are introduced.
Yikes ... my review was cut off. Let's continue here:
Overall I enjoyed this book and give it an enthusiastic 4 stars. This is not a story to breeze through, rather it should be read slowly to enjoy the details and savored to better let the author's rare writing style resonate.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide a fair and balanced review of a ARC copy of this book.
Anyway, this is clearly the first book in a series, and that's okay for me. There is more to the story yet to be shared, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it all unfolds. I like the sexual tension between characters and am curious to see who ends up with who, or if new love interests are introduced.
Yikes ... my review was cut off. Let's continue here:
Overall I enjoyed this book and give it an enthusiastic 4 stars. This is not a story to breeze through, rather it should be read slowly to enjoy the details and savored to better let the author's rare writing style resonate.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide a fair and balanced review of a ARC copy of this book.
October 3, 2012
I was asked to review this from the author.
This is an amazing book about vampires and humans. How one human (Ava) has been turned into a vampire. How she defied the odds, didn't change into a vampire quite wholly and entices different vampires along the way. She likes/loves 2 different vampires (1 who turned her and another who can become human at times).
I thought it was thought-provoking and really good storyline. I hope this author does more as I would definitely buy her books.
This is an amazing book about vampires and humans. How one human (Ava) has been turned into a vampire. How she defied the odds, didn't change into a vampire quite wholly and entices different vampires along the way. She likes/loves 2 different vampires (1 who turned her and another who can become human at times).
I thought it was thought-provoking and really good storyline. I hope this author does more as I would definitely buy her books.
October 29, 2012
See my review here: http://www.bittenbyparanormalromance....
From the start Morningside confused me. It made me feel like I missed out on something. Throughout the whole book you never get to learn the main characters name. Intentional? I'm thinking so. With that being said, I liked the plot of the story. The author has a wonderful way of describing things that will put the story right in your minds eye.
From the start Morningside confused me. It made me feel like I missed out on something. Throughout the whole book you never get to learn the main characters name. Intentional? I'm thinking so. With that being said, I liked the plot of the story. The author has a wonderful way of describing things that will put the story right in your minds eye.
September 28, 2013
So I will start off by saying that I don't normally read vampire novels but this one had me intrigued. I actually really enjoyed the vampire story line and some of the character progression. Unfortunately I went through most of the book confused.The beginning started out slow and I was very confused through most of it. Once I figured out what was actually happening it flowed a little smoother but it would still go off and become confusing to me at times.I liked the interaction between Ava, Julien, and Liam; especially Ava and Liam. However there were times when I couldn't figure out how the characters actually felt about each other and there were some things said in parts that were left kind of open ended, again I was confused.I thought the book was okay and I especially liked the part where Liam finally opened up to Ava. That was my favorite part of the book. I do like that some action was thrown in but I just didn't feel the pull of it as I do in some books. I guess I just had trouble putting myself in the book and feeling the emotions that go along with that.All in all this book was okay. If the flow was less confusing I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more. I definitely liked the story line and the plot and believe this could have been an absolutely fantastic book. But in the end it just left me with a feeling of "Oh, it's over. Well, okay then."
February 23, 2013
This book was quite well written. I never once got lost in the writing of the story. Sentence, paragraph, and chapter structure were phenomenal. I did, however, get a bit muddled up in the storyline. For me, this was one of those books that you want to see pulled apart and made into a couple of different books. There was a little too much going on for the page count, which meant that there were a great deal of things happening that didn’t get enough attention. Because of this, details were lacking in areas and you found yourself wondering where it was going. I found that the story just flitted around a bit and then ended without any real conclusion.
The characters in this novel were quite interesting. Some were developed in such a way that they had a mysterious air but didn’t seem underdeveloped. Others were more developed. You got to know a great deal about the main character. She fit with her role, including being the whiny debutante who is unsatisfied with her lot in life (because really, what deb is ever satisfied?). I also appreciated that Madau didn’t fall into the trap where an interesting minor character eclipses the main characters.
By focusing on the pertinent details to the main story and avoiding unnecessary narrative this story could have been phenomenal. The potential is definitely there. It had enough to keep me intrigued. I’d be very interested to see more from this author to see changes made.
The characters in this novel were quite interesting. Some were developed in such a way that they had a mysterious air but didn’t seem underdeveloped. Others were more developed. You got to know a great deal about the main character. She fit with her role, including being the whiny debutante who is unsatisfied with her lot in life (because really, what deb is ever satisfied?). I also appreciated that Madau didn’t fall into the trap where an interesting minor character eclipses the main characters.
By focusing on the pertinent details to the main story and avoiding unnecessary narrative this story could have been phenomenal. The potential is definitely there. It had enough to keep me intrigued. I’d be very interested to see more from this author to see changes made.
February 14, 2013
3,5 Stars!
12/11/2012 -- Finished reading
I've got this book for a review.
So my thoughts about it..
The start was a bit bumpy. There was a lot going on, and it was a bit hard to handle.
But as the book progressed It was easier to grasp everything. This book is nothing like I've ever read before.
I don't think I enjoyed the style it was written in. But it was Ok.
The story goes about a girl-turned vampire, who's struggling to accept what she is and what she's not.
Time-line changes through the book, but most the action is in present.
And there's a love triangle of course. But mostly this book is about the girl and what she's going through emotionally after change. Her thoughts and feelings are the foundation for this book.
Honestly I didn't liked in the beginning, but till I reached the end I guess I connected with the characters enough not to hate it :)) It was strange for me, cause it's seems author has way different view about everything then what we're used to. And that's a good thing!
And no matter what other comments say, I think Ashley Madau have a huge potential, and she should keep writing cause I'd really like to read more from her!
November 5, 2012
This book is about a young woman who suddenly finds herself a vampire. She is no ordinary vampire for she changes back and forth from human to vampire whenever her temper flares. She does not know how to accept her situation and there is a lot of introspection and soul searching. There is the vampire that made her, Liam and they have a chemistry between them that flares and leads to a lot of sexual tension. Nothing ever really happens between them and I was confused by some of their fights.There are other vampires that seem to guard her from a really nasty vampire that hates her changing and feels it will lead to the extinction of the vampire race.
There is a big battle between the right or wrong of her existence. Sometimes she does not want to live and other times she does. She seems wishy washy and her constant introspection in her head made me confused.
I liked the new concepts on vampirism. I also liked the descriptive poetic license Madau uses but I was really upset with the ending. First the story was a little slow then it seemed to pick up speed and my interest flared but the ending left me flat. Following her for eighty years and I still don't know her name. I know Liam, Julian, Rachael, Gabriela and "E" but not her.
I give her three stars for I did enjoy reading the book.
Thanks for a different vampire book on the feelings of a new vampire.
There is a big battle between the right or wrong of her existence. Sometimes she does not want to live and other times she does. She seems wishy washy and her constant introspection in her head made me confused.
I liked the new concepts on vampirism. I also liked the descriptive poetic license Madau uses but I was really upset with the ending. First the story was a little slow then it seemed to pick up speed and my interest flared but the ending left me flat. Following her for eighty years and I still don't know her name. I know Liam, Julian, Rachael, Gabriela and "E" but not her.
I give her three stars for I did enjoy reading the book.
Thanks for a different vampire book on the feelings of a new vampire.
October 8, 2012
Ashley Madau’s Morningside is a vampire story unlike any I’ve ever read before it. From the very beginning you’re drawn into the life of the main character and her abrupt thrust into vampirism. Her struggle, her pain and even her pleasure at being forced to live a life she never would have chosen for herself is set against a growing love triangle and an enemy she is unaware exists.
Morningside is a gritty, beautiful, tantalizing portrayal of what it is like to live as a vampire. The main character is so real and her inner turmoil is almost tangible. The conflict she has over trying to understand who she is and what she has become can be felt through the pages themselves. One moment you can relate to how she feels and want to reach through and hug her, and then she goes all dark, twisted, blood drinking nightwalker and you remember she’s a vampire.
I couldn’t put this book down. Ashley’s ability to create a world where vampires are both the things of nightmares and emotional creatures keeps you turning the pages and lusting for more. Throw in two hot, sexy guys that are the polar opposite of each other, sexual tension and an antagonist you’ll never see coming, and you won’t be able to put it down either!
Morningside is a gritty, beautiful, tantalizing portrayal of what it is like to live as a vampire. The main character is so real and her inner turmoil is almost tangible. The conflict she has over trying to understand who she is and what she has become can be felt through the pages themselves. One moment you can relate to how she feels and want to reach through and hug her, and then she goes all dark, twisted, blood drinking nightwalker and you remember she’s a vampire.
I couldn’t put this book down. Ashley’s ability to create a world where vampires are both the things of nightmares and emotional creatures keeps you turning the pages and lusting for more. Throw in two hot, sexy guys that are the polar opposite of each other, sexual tension and an antagonist you’ll never see coming, and you won’t be able to put it down either!
October 21, 2012
First let me start off by saying I'm not the best at writing reviews, but since i received this book to review & give my opinion, here it goes:
The book is an interesting read & a new take on vampires. (some of the same concepts with a few twists on the characters.) There is the inevitable love triangle, villain-vampire & likable characters. It gives plenty of back story where they came from & why they are in the situation they are currently in. The only thing I was really confused on was the main characters name-Ava. I suppose that was what the author was going for, not to give you her name until the end? But either way, this was an enjoyable read, consumed in less than 24 hours! I hope there will be a sequel or even a series to Morningside!
The book is an interesting read & a new take on vampires. (some of the same concepts with a few twists on the characters.) There is the inevitable love triangle, villain-vampire & likable characters. It gives plenty of back story where they came from & why they are in the situation they are currently in. The only thing I was really confused on was the main characters name-Ava. I suppose that was what the author was going for, not to give you her name until the end? But either way, this was an enjoyable read, consumed in less than 24 hours! I hope there will be a sequel or even a series to Morningside!
September 28, 2012
Intriguing Read with Enlightening Truths
This fabulous little book grips you in the first paragraph and keeps you hanging on till the end. Its fast pace and incredible characters reveal a side to vampirism that is rarely expressed. My compassion for the main character touched my heart as if she were my own sister—alone, in pain, and struggling with commonalities that most humans take for granted. If you are looking for a realistic tale about vampires, this is a must read. I found the storyline refreshing and the characters believable.
This fabulous little book grips you in the first paragraph and keeps you hanging on till the end. Its fast pace and incredible characters reveal a side to vampirism that is rarely expressed. My compassion for the main character touched my heart as if she were my own sister—alone, in pain, and struggling with commonalities that most humans take for granted. If you are looking for a realistic tale about vampires, this is a must read. I found the storyline refreshing and the characters believable.
October 31, 2012
I was intrigued when I read the excerpt about this book. It is an interesting concept I have not read before. I wanted to read how Ava could straddle both the human and vampire world but not fully embrace either one. After she is attacked and converted by Liam, Ava develops some interesting characteristics. She has the ability to switch from vampire to human. Ava doesn't understand why she is this way and feels like an outcast.
I liked the premise of the book, but I never connected to the characters or the story. The story was too chaotic for me.
I liked the premise of the book, but I never connected to the characters or the story. The story was too chaotic for me.
November 5, 2012
I like the story and the way it was written. I just found the first few pages didn't flow like the rest of the book.
I found myself intrigued by the story line and falling in love with the characters.
I like the fact that you don't know the heroines name, it added a little curiosity.
Some places I found the story a little confusing or lacking in depth. Some seance seemed to be cut short.
But overall it was good and I will be looking forward to seeing what the next book has in store.
I found myself intrigued by the story line and falling in love with the characters.
I like the fact that you don't know the heroines name, it added a little curiosity.
Some places I found the story a little confusing or lacking in depth. Some seance seemed to be cut short.
But overall it was good and I will be looking forward to seeing what the next book has in store.
October 28, 2012
Okay...so far I am about half way in and the author can write, but I am just not feeling this...I have already skipped ahead trying to get an idea of what's to come. I read the last few chapters and I should not have because the only thing worse than a love triangle is
I have decided to table this for a few days until I can stomach finishing it....
I have decided to table this for a few days until I can stomach finishing it....
November 14, 2012
I received a free copy of this in order to write a review.
I wanted to like this book. I really wanted to like this book. The idea was intriquing. Vampires in a different way, I'm all for it.
I think she just needed to flesh out the story a little more. It was hard for me to really care about the characters because I felt lost sometimes in the story. I think this was a decent enough first novel though.
I wanted to like this book. I really wanted to like this book. The idea was intriquing. Vampires in a different way, I'm all for it.
I think she just needed to flesh out the story a little more. It was hard for me to really care about the characters because I felt lost sometimes in the story. I think this was a decent enough first novel though.
October 22, 2012
I gave this book 3 1/2 stars. Was a good book overall, just had a lot of information to comprehend and kind of felt like the storyline was going all over the place vs flashback. I really did like the characters in the book & the writing was good & was able to keep your attention.
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