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No Such Thing #1
No Such Thing as Immortality
I will protect you until the day I die … forever!
A vampire does not have to feel any emotion not of his choosing. And Nathaniel Gray has spent two hundred years choosing not to feel. But when he accidentally runs Rowan Locke off the road, he is inexplicably flooded with everything she’s feeling, and that’s rage, and lots of it.
He is consumed with the need to protect Rowan at all costs, including from himself. To Nate what is happening is unthinkable, and is pretty much as unbelievable as the existence of faeries.
But you see, there is no such thing as … immortality.
This is Nate’s story …
A vampire does not have to feel any emotion not of his choosing. And Nathaniel Gray has spent two hundred years choosing not to feel. But when he accidentally runs Rowan Locke off the road, he is inexplicably flooded with everything she’s feeling, and that’s rage, and lots of it.
He is consumed with the need to protect Rowan at all costs, including from himself. To Nate what is happening is unthinkable, and is pretty much as unbelievable as the existence of faeries.
But you see, there is no such thing as … immortality.
This is Nate’s story …
320 pages, Paperback
First published November 13, 2012
8 people are currently reading
813 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Tranter
3 books50 followersI am a writer of romantic and paranormal fiction with the wonderful Choc Lit.
Formerly a political researcher, lobbyist and Public Relations professional, I moved from London nine years ago to settle in the beautiful Wiltshire countryside where I now live with my husband and two boys.
No such thing as … immortality is the first in the No Such Thing paranormal romance trilogy, and is my debut novel.
I am a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association's New Writers Scheme.
Formerly a political researcher, lobbyist and Public Relations professional, I moved from London nine years ago to settle in the beautiful Wiltshire countryside where I now live with my husband and two boys.
No such thing as … immortality is the first in the No Such Thing paranormal romance trilogy, and is my debut novel.
I am a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association's New Writers Scheme.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
July 22, 2017
Any new Vampire series released is going to get the inevitable ‘Twilight comparison’, and without thinking about it, whether you are a fan or not of Twilight, these comparisons will knock around in your head as you read.
For me ‘No Such Thing as Immortality’ is 100 times better than Twilight. Not only do the characters show huge emotional depth for acceptable and understandable reasons, rather than just being unreasonably broody, Sarah Tranter’s writing style is fantastic and electric, and I loathed the moments I had to put it down to go to my lectures.
Nate is a lovable and emotionally troubled Vampire, who you just want to drag out of the pages and give a big hug to, although he’s got plenty to keep him occupied from his thoughts what with his (rather awesome) friend James forcing him out onto supposedly deserted roads to race cars.
“Yeeeeesssss!! I just thrashed your anally retentive arse!”
I can not imagine a better first line than that. James is now my new best friend.
And what happens when immortal men think it’s a good idea to race cars? Yep. A crash happens.
Enter, Rowan Locke.
“You complete and utter moron.”
This is no weak and feeble Bella Swan, and straight away I’m hoping this will be Nate’s love interest. This is how I want to see a main female character; feisty, able to hold her own, and not content to let a man run her over (quite literally). This is what all girls should do if a man driving recklessly crashes into their car, get out, get angry and scream at them for being so high on testosterone they can’t use their eyes. Of course, in the interests of your personal safety (and that of your foot as illustrated by Rowan) you should probably wait for the police, but I for one was all for it. You go Rowan, make Nate grovel a little.
The fear Nate experienced feeling all of Rowan’s emotions as his own was beautifully written. You could feel his terror leaping off the page. Imagine having to live for over two hundred years without needing to feel any pain and then have an emotional woman’s every feeling hit you and become like your own. Now, as an emotional woman myself, I can announce that that would be painful.
I loved the development of Nate and Rowan’s relationship. How she could be stubborn and teasing, yet as shy and nervous as you’d expect someone to be when they find someone they like. But I love how she didn’t fall into his arms with a swoon (at his sexy and beautiful Darcy like speech), and she made Nate work for it a bit. That’s my kind of heroine.
And if you haven’t fallen in love with Nate already (which I can’t imagine personally) you will after this line;
“I have never tried Cat...I quickly dismissed the thought – too small, not remotely satisfying enough.”
Nathaniel Gray, I am officially in love with you.
I’m also loving Rowan’s Cat Tinks.
“Barking sometimes, I’d say.” Rowan added fondly. Tinks meowed loudly and leapt from her lap and stalked off.”
That’s right Tinks, you defend your feline rights to have no dog spoken of in your presence.
“Dear God! How the bloody hell could a two-hundred-and-thirty-year-old vampire, go to a human child’s birthday party, dressed as a bloody dinosaur.”
Think of the most romantic couple you can think of, fictional or otherwise. I can’t imagine even Damon Salvatore would dress as a dinosaur to make Elena Gilbert happy, and I’ve never seen someone more in love than him (If that made no sense, I urge you to go away and watch The Vampire Diaries and swoon at Damon’s bad-boy awesomeness.)
Yes, Nathanial Gray dressed up as Barny the dinosaur for Rowan. Now that is love right there. This chapter spoke to me so much. Nate had warned Rowan off making their relationship more intimate for the time being, fearing he would not be able to control his bloodlust, but I loved the simple chaste kiss he gave her. It was heartwarming and had me tearing up. It was simple, but beautiful and meaningful.
But Nate’s own humiliation at having to dress up as a dinosaur just couldn’t be complete without friends like James and Frederick to help you never live it down.
“Barney the WHAT? – Mama Mia! – Hamleys? – A HORNY KISS! – You dirty bugger! After everything you said to me...”
If I was Nate I’d take great pleasure in shouting “I know a song that will get on your nerves” on constant repeat in my head just to drive them mental, although I have to say Elizabeth’s own Vampire distracting techniques makes me whoop in delight for Team Girl Power!
“But I do have a great idea for protecting my thoughts from him and enhancing my marriage! I’ve bought a new book from Amazon. I’m going to read it and then simply think of it when he’s around.”
Can you guess?
“The Complete Illustrated Kama Sutra. It’s a bit tame, obviously designed with human limitations in mind, but it will get his imagination going on how a Vampire might improve on the positions.”
High five Elizabeth. And this round goes to the girls.
And I’m going to take a moment here to rave about how much I love the relationship between Nate and Elizabeth. You find out later in the book the reason for why they were both turned, and the respect I felt for Nate after finding out the reason behind his transition was overpowering. It’s very often in fiction that the sibling relationship is overshadowed by the romantic elements of the story, so I love that Sarah Tranter wrote such a beautiful, heartfelt relationship between Nate and Elizabeth that lets you know that they’ll always be there for each other in their times of need.
“We hugged, surrounded by giant cuddly toys and helicopters buzzing around our heads.”
This had me tearing up. Such a beautiful image, and if I can ever drag my own brother into a toy shop I’ll make sure to hug him by the cuddly toy stands in homage to this beautiful moment.
Seeing sadness in these characters is something that I love. Not because I like to see the characters in pain (I’m not that mean), but because of how they express it.
I am always furious when I read books and the heroine never cries during a hard time. We are women, that’s what we do best. We get emotional and we have a good sob to make us feel better. So I was thrilled to see Rowan crying when she was cruelly denied the right to change projects at work to avoid Simeon Frey.
“I could hear the rustle of the tissue as she wiped her nose. ‘I’ve been working here for eight years and have never cried in toilets before!’”
And speaking of Simeon Frey *shudders*...keep an eye on him. He’s far too slimy for his own good.
And when the moment we all dread arrives, I am strangely relieved that Rowan is scared of Nate.
“Do not be scared? Do not be scared? You’re a fucking vampire!”
Finally! As much as I love Twilight’s Bella, I’ve always thought she was incredibly stupid for just shrugging away the fact that Edward was a vampire as though he’d just told her he was a rock star. Even if the guy has been nice to you, take a moment to show a little bit of fear! Nate is amazing and I love him to bits, but Rowan is right to be afraid of him. She doesn’t know anything about him, doesn’t understand the way he lives or whether he has control over his bloodlust. For all she knows he could be out every night scoring with drunk girls and drinking the night away on B positive. So thank you Rowan for being sensible about this, and for that reason I will not be too angry at you for hurting Nate.
The confrontation scene between Simeon Frey, Nate and his friends, and the Fay was electric. I was on the edge of my seat as Frey and Nate battled it out.
“Rowan,” I choked. “Rowan, my love, you cannot leave me in this world without you. You cannot.”
This just killed me. One of my favourite classics is Emily Bronte’s ‘Wuthering Heights’ and the comparisons with this just blew me away. Heathcliff’s famous line, “Only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you” came to me the minute I read this heartbreaking scene with Nate. Nate and Rowan are such a beautiful couple, and just like Cathy and Heathcliff, they could never be happy with anyone else.
The final scenes of this fantastic book are the ones where you shake your head in despair at how hopeless Nate is when it comes to understanding women. Even when Rowan is desperately crying “I love you!” after him he still thinks she’s terrified of him.
“NO. NO. NO. She hadn’t just said that. She could not have. She was terrified of me.”
Just go and kiss her you hopeless, adorable man.
“You are not terrified of me?”
Finally he gets the hint.
Nothing makes a better ending than with Nate giving us some beautiful Darcy-like speech that has me giggling and swooning in equal measure.
“We need to talk, my love. Then if you still feel able to consider...a more physical relationship...then I would be honoured...so truly, irrevocably...unquestionably...honoured...to oblige.”
Oh Nate....Oh wait you weren’t talking to me...*sigh*
“Then talk – fast, Nate!”
Another high five to Team Girl Power.
5/5 stars. A definite recommended read!
For me ‘No Such Thing as Immortality’ is 100 times better than Twilight. Not only do the characters show huge emotional depth for acceptable and understandable reasons, rather than just being unreasonably broody, Sarah Tranter’s writing style is fantastic and electric, and I loathed the moments I had to put it down to go to my lectures.
Nate is a lovable and emotionally troubled Vampire, who you just want to drag out of the pages and give a big hug to, although he’s got plenty to keep him occupied from his thoughts what with his (rather awesome) friend James forcing him out onto supposedly deserted roads to race cars.
“Yeeeeesssss!! I just thrashed your anally retentive arse!”
I can not imagine a better first line than that. James is now my new best friend.
And what happens when immortal men think it’s a good idea to race cars? Yep. A crash happens.
Enter, Rowan Locke.
“You complete and utter moron.”
This is no weak and feeble Bella Swan, and straight away I’m hoping this will be Nate’s love interest. This is how I want to see a main female character; feisty, able to hold her own, and not content to let a man run her over (quite literally). This is what all girls should do if a man driving recklessly crashes into their car, get out, get angry and scream at them for being so high on testosterone they can’t use their eyes. Of course, in the interests of your personal safety (and that of your foot as illustrated by Rowan) you should probably wait for the police, but I for one was all for it. You go Rowan, make Nate grovel a little.
The fear Nate experienced feeling all of Rowan’s emotions as his own was beautifully written. You could feel his terror leaping off the page. Imagine having to live for over two hundred years without needing to feel any pain and then have an emotional woman’s every feeling hit you and become like your own. Now, as an emotional woman myself, I can announce that that would be painful.
I loved the development of Nate and Rowan’s relationship. How she could be stubborn and teasing, yet as shy and nervous as you’d expect someone to be when they find someone they like. But I love how she didn’t fall into his arms with a swoon (at his sexy and beautiful Darcy like speech), and she made Nate work for it a bit. That’s my kind of heroine.
And if you haven’t fallen in love with Nate already (which I can’t imagine personally) you will after this line;
“I have never tried Cat...I quickly dismissed the thought – too small, not remotely satisfying enough.”
Nathaniel Gray, I am officially in love with you.
I’m also loving Rowan’s Cat Tinks.
“Barking sometimes, I’d say.” Rowan added fondly. Tinks meowed loudly and leapt from her lap and stalked off.”
That’s right Tinks, you defend your feline rights to have no dog spoken of in your presence.
“Dear God! How the bloody hell could a two-hundred-and-thirty-year-old vampire, go to a human child’s birthday party, dressed as a bloody dinosaur.”
Think of the most romantic couple you can think of, fictional or otherwise. I can’t imagine even Damon Salvatore would dress as a dinosaur to make Elena Gilbert happy, and I’ve never seen someone more in love than him (If that made no sense, I urge you to go away and watch The Vampire Diaries and swoon at Damon’s bad-boy awesomeness.)
Yes, Nathanial Gray dressed up as Barny the dinosaur for Rowan. Now that is love right there. This chapter spoke to me so much. Nate had warned Rowan off making their relationship more intimate for the time being, fearing he would not be able to control his bloodlust, but I loved the simple chaste kiss he gave her. It was heartwarming and had me tearing up. It was simple, but beautiful and meaningful.
But Nate’s own humiliation at having to dress up as a dinosaur just couldn’t be complete without friends like James and Frederick to help you never live it down.
“Barney the WHAT? – Mama Mia! – Hamleys? – A HORNY KISS! – You dirty bugger! After everything you said to me...”
If I was Nate I’d take great pleasure in shouting “I know a song that will get on your nerves” on constant repeat in my head just to drive them mental, although I have to say Elizabeth’s own Vampire distracting techniques makes me whoop in delight for Team Girl Power!
“But I do have a great idea for protecting my thoughts from him and enhancing my marriage! I’ve bought a new book from Amazon. I’m going to read it and then simply think of it when he’s around.”
Can you guess?
“The Complete Illustrated Kama Sutra. It’s a bit tame, obviously designed with human limitations in mind, but it will get his imagination going on how a Vampire might improve on the positions.”
High five Elizabeth. And this round goes to the girls.
And I’m going to take a moment here to rave about how much I love the relationship between Nate and Elizabeth. You find out later in the book the reason for why they were both turned, and the respect I felt for Nate after finding out the reason behind his transition was overpowering. It’s very often in fiction that the sibling relationship is overshadowed by the romantic elements of the story, so I love that Sarah Tranter wrote such a beautiful, heartfelt relationship between Nate and Elizabeth that lets you know that they’ll always be there for each other in their times of need.
“We hugged, surrounded by giant cuddly toys and helicopters buzzing around our heads.”
This had me tearing up. Such a beautiful image, and if I can ever drag my own brother into a toy shop I’ll make sure to hug him by the cuddly toy stands in homage to this beautiful moment.
Seeing sadness in these characters is something that I love. Not because I like to see the characters in pain (I’m not that mean), but because of how they express it.
I am always furious when I read books and the heroine never cries during a hard time. We are women, that’s what we do best. We get emotional and we have a good sob to make us feel better. So I was thrilled to see Rowan crying when she was cruelly denied the right to change projects at work to avoid Simeon Frey.
“I could hear the rustle of the tissue as she wiped her nose. ‘I’ve been working here for eight years and have never cried in toilets before!’”
And speaking of Simeon Frey *shudders*...keep an eye on him. He’s far too slimy for his own good.
And when the moment we all dread arrives, I am strangely relieved that Rowan is scared of Nate.
“Do not be scared? Do not be scared? You’re a fucking vampire!”
Finally! As much as I love Twilight’s Bella, I’ve always thought she was incredibly stupid for just shrugging away the fact that Edward was a vampire as though he’d just told her he was a rock star. Even if the guy has been nice to you, take a moment to show a little bit of fear! Nate is amazing and I love him to bits, but Rowan is right to be afraid of him. She doesn’t know anything about him, doesn’t understand the way he lives or whether he has control over his bloodlust. For all she knows he could be out every night scoring with drunk girls and drinking the night away on B positive. So thank you Rowan for being sensible about this, and for that reason I will not be too angry at you for hurting Nate.
The confrontation scene between Simeon Frey, Nate and his friends, and the Fay was electric. I was on the edge of my seat as Frey and Nate battled it out.
“Rowan,” I choked. “Rowan, my love, you cannot leave me in this world without you. You cannot.”
This just killed me. One of my favourite classics is Emily Bronte’s ‘Wuthering Heights’ and the comparisons with this just blew me away. Heathcliff’s famous line, “Only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you” came to me the minute I read this heartbreaking scene with Nate. Nate and Rowan are such a beautiful couple, and just like Cathy and Heathcliff, they could never be happy with anyone else.
The final scenes of this fantastic book are the ones where you shake your head in despair at how hopeless Nate is when it comes to understanding women. Even when Rowan is desperately crying “I love you!” after him he still thinks she’s terrified of him.
“NO. NO. NO. She hadn’t just said that. She could not have. She was terrified of me.”
Just go and kiss her you hopeless, adorable man.
“You are not terrified of me?”
Finally he gets the hint.
Nothing makes a better ending than with Nate giving us some beautiful Darcy-like speech that has me giggling and swooning in equal measure.
“We need to talk, my love. Then if you still feel able to consider...a more physical relationship...then I would be honoured...so truly, irrevocably...unquestionably...honoured...to oblige.”
Oh Nate....Oh wait you weren’t talking to me...*sigh*
“Then talk – fast, Nate!”
Another high five to Team Girl Power.
5/5 stars. A definite recommended read!
December 9, 2012
A refreshingly different read from the hugely massive and popular vampire genre.
Now when I read that the male lead's name was Nathaniel Grey, I did moan a little - (50 shades sprang to mind, sorry ladies, but I hated it, and detest feeble female leads) but Nate is nothing like the odious Christian. He is the most human vampire I have met since Bill from True Blood. He thinks, feels, and hurts, and Rowan Locke, the female lead, causes a lot of these feelings and adjustments, which again is completely refreshing.
His vamp family are funny, engaging and help the novel move smoothly along, they do remind me slightly of the Twilight vamp family, whom I adore too, for their sense of belonging and humour.
Rowan is more Sookie Stackhouse then the feeble Bella Swan in the Twilight Saga, which I also love, which is great and sets this book apart from the rest.
All in all, this debut novel does not disappoint, and I can't wait to see what Sarah Tranter pens next. A worthy edition to anyone's bookshelf.
I reviewed the Kindle version, and have the paperback on pre-order :-)
Choc-Lit found a caramel truffle in Tranter, a glittering addition to their chocolate box of authors.
March 24, 2013
A very British vampire novel written by a new writer and published by Choc Lit. It has an absolute cracker of an beginning and I could just imagine it as the opening scenes of a movie. After Nate and Rowan's first meeting we begin to wonder if the car crash is an accident - or are there more scheming, sinister forces at play? Enter aunt Hettie and the plot thickens . . . I think this book works well because one one hand we have the dark lore of the vampire and on the other the 'family' atmosphere at Ridings. Nate is a great hero who bravely struggles to keep his dark side in check whilst falling in love with the sparky, Rowan. There is the requisite villain but there are also great secondary characters like James, Elizabeth and Frederick. I'm not a great lover of sequels - but in this case I'm prepared to make an exception as I'm dying to know what happens next. As I said above, the novel left me wanting more.
January 29, 2013
This is a vampire novel with a difference – it’s told entirely from the hero’s point of view. And not only is he the hero, he’s also what he himself calls “a monster”, a vampire. Only the reader sees a whole different side to him than the one he normally shows the world. One you can’t help falling in love with, just like the heroine does. I found this a fascinating story, compelling from start to finish and unbelievably poignant. There are villains and evil, magic and mysteries, but through it all there’s love. A love that shouldn’t be. A love that could be dangerous And I couldn’t stop reading until I found out if it could possibly work out … If you like vampires stories, you’ll love this one! If you don’t, you’ll like it anyway.
August 12, 2016
I don't know where to start...Gahh I love Nathaniel Gray.....I love all the characters actually, and Rowan is basically someone I would wanna be friends with, her and Nate's relationship is just really lovely, she's so funny and James, he reminds me of Emmeth (in twilight) his so funny, I love the way he and Elizabeths husband teases Nate. It's hilarious haha.
I'm not gonna spoil it for anyone so I'm just gonna say I am so recommending this book to anyone its a MUST READ not TO READ..trust me, you won't regret it....5 STARS FROM ME because I love the way Sarah wrote the book and the way she presents her characters I'm so glad this is not gonna be the last we hear about this lovely couple.
I'm not gonna spoil it for anyone so I'm just gonna say I am so recommending this book to anyone its a MUST READ not TO READ..trust me, you won't regret it....5 STARS FROM ME because I love the way Sarah wrote the book and the way she presents her characters I'm so glad this is not gonna be the last we hear about this lovely couple.
March 15, 2013
I found this a really original vampire tale, and I did enjoy it a lot. I liked the characters and it also made me laugh, really hard and probably more than any book in a long, long time.
January 17, 2013
I'm still reeling from the impact of this amazing book. As seen on our blog - theromaniacgroup.wordpress.com, the Romaniacs are big fans of Sarah Tranter, and we would heartily recommend No Such Thing... as a great page turner.
Nate is a hero to die for, but Rowan isn't ready to die yet. She has no idea what she's getting into when she literally runs into Nate (or vice versa) but he is certainly going to change her world - will it be for better, or worse?
As Rowan and Nate fall head first into a passionate, intense relationship, they both have many issues to face and dark areas of their lives that must be confronted before they stand a chance of a future together. But are these mountains too high to climb? And who, or what, is the sinister Simeon Frey?
Written from Nathaniel's point of view, which is refreshing in itself, Sarah's story takes us into a world where love and extreme loyalty are of prime importance, but where enchantment and supernatural powers can threaten Nate and Rowan at any moment. Family ties are different here, but no less powerful. With a bond between them that is like nothing they have ever dreamed of, the lovers should be invincible, but Nate hasn't banked on Rowan's past being as lethal and mysterious as his own.
I can't wait for the follow up to this book - hurry up, Sarah! Nate is haunting my dreams...
Nate is a hero to die for, but Rowan isn't ready to die yet. She has no idea what she's getting into when she literally runs into Nate (or vice versa) but he is certainly going to change her world - will it be for better, or worse?
As Rowan and Nate fall head first into a passionate, intense relationship, they both have many issues to face and dark areas of their lives that must be confronted before they stand a chance of a future together. But are these mountains too high to climb? And who, or what, is the sinister Simeon Frey?
Written from Nathaniel's point of view, which is refreshing in itself, Sarah's story takes us into a world where love and extreme loyalty are of prime importance, but where enchantment and supernatural powers can threaten Nate and Rowan at any moment. Family ties are different here, but no less powerful. With a bond between them that is like nothing they have ever dreamed of, the lovers should be invincible, but Nate hasn't banked on Rowan's past being as lethal and mysterious as his own.
I can't wait for the follow up to this book - hurry up, Sarah! Nate is haunting my dreams...
June 3, 2013
Choc Lit - whom I love - sent me the link to the free book, publicising it as a good fix for those of us still suffering from Twilight withdrawal. Well, I was hooked, as would any Twilight fan be. I can see why they make this claim as the writing is very similar, particularly the depths to which the author delves to explain the hero's perspective. (Hero POV). Unfortunately, and I cannot tell if this is due to editorial cutting or the author's decision, there are too many 'just there' moments. There is too little build up to significant events/emotions/decisions and too much build up in other places.
I do not see the point of Madeleine - she gives no additional insight to any of the characters psyche, unless her purpose is to be an information tool, but even that felt unnecessary as any of the other characters could have provided that.
The flashback to explain the current circumstances was so far into the book it was unnecessary - we'd managed to piece it all together by then and the regression just felt like we were being the same thing all over again.
Several times it took me a few sentences to work out what was going on - the first time this happened was at the very start of the book! I couldn't work out the scene at all and it took a few reads to ascertain that the hero is racing his souped up car against his friend's - with their lights off (why?). Why exactly did he crash into her - something that I would have expected him to focus on more. Does he have super-keen reflexes and would have expected to automatically avoid her? I'm still very confused about the whole scene.
Also, how old is the heroine? I originally thought she was in her early twenties, then, after calculating her relation ship with Jordan thought mid-twenties. But, later we are told the incident involving Seth was 29 years ago - so she's in her thirties? And she's been with the current architectural firm...I gave up.
I like the idea of the book. I'm intrigued by the concept of a faerie/vampire relationship, but I wish there were more clues about the nature of the heroine (and I don't mean the vague refusal to mention anything by Aunt Hetty/Heather).
That was another thing. The nickname/full name consistency. The book is from his POV, and either he calls his brother-in-law Freddy or Frederick. Stick with one, please, and after 200 years surely his whole 'coven' should be using the same nicknames? (This was my daughter's biggest bug bear and she insists there were too many nickname/full name combos).
So - Twilightesque? Vampires - tick. Emotionally intense - tick. Insta-attraction - tick. Wanting to kill on sight - tick. Someone wanting to kill her and he has to prevent it - tick. She is his life, etc - tick.
Yet...I'm not gasping for #2. Please, Ms Tranter, it is a wonderful storyline. Get a better editor and some enthusiastic beta-readers who aren't afraid to pull it to bits.
I do not see the point of Madeleine - she gives no additional insight to any of the characters psyche, unless her purpose is to be an information tool, but even that felt unnecessary as any of the other characters could have provided that.
The flashback to explain the current circumstances was so far into the book it was unnecessary - we'd managed to piece it all together by then and the regression just felt like we were being the same thing all over again.
Several times it took me a few sentences to work out what was going on - the first time this happened was at the very start of the book! I couldn't work out the scene at all and it took a few reads to ascertain that the hero is racing his souped up car against his friend's - with their lights off (why?). Why exactly did he crash into her - something that I would have expected him to focus on more. Does he have super-keen reflexes and would have expected to automatically avoid her? I'm still very confused about the whole scene.
Also, how old is the heroine? I originally thought she was in her early twenties, then, after calculating her relation ship with Jordan thought mid-twenties. But, later we are told the incident involving Seth was 29 years ago - so she's in her thirties? And she's been with the current architectural firm...I gave up.
I like the idea of the book. I'm intrigued by the concept of a faerie/vampire relationship, but I wish there were more clues about the nature of the heroine (and I don't mean the vague refusal to mention anything by Aunt Hetty/Heather).
That was another thing. The nickname/full name consistency. The book is from his POV, and either he calls his brother-in-law Freddy or Frederick. Stick with one, please, and after 200 years surely his whole 'coven' should be using the same nicknames? (This was my daughter's biggest bug bear and she insists there were too many nickname/full name combos).
So - Twilightesque? Vampires - tick. Emotionally intense - tick. Insta-attraction - tick. Wanting to kill on sight - tick. Someone wanting to kill her and he has to prevent it - tick. She is his life, etc - tick.
Yet...I'm not gasping for #2. Please, Ms Tranter, it is a wonderful storyline. Get a better editor and some enthusiastic beta-readers who aren't afraid to pull it to bits.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 26, 2013
After his involvement in a car accident, Nate (a vampire) finds himself emotionally connected to Rowan (a human ). It doesn’t take long before both of them fall deeply in love with each other. None of them are aware of the challenges and danger they will be subjected to.
I thought this book was absolutely amazing! The suspense Sarah created, left me wanting more from the first couple of pages onwards. I really enjoyed the storyline. Although the whole vampire/human love relationship is not entirely new, the author added some very endearing and exciting features.
There is a great mixture of funny and witty elements coupled with sheer emotion and intensity. All characters are extremely well created and developed. I can see why Rowan is attracted to Nate. If I would fall for a vampire it would definitely be him :-) Angel or Edward who?? :-)
The ending surprised and intrigued me even further – too many secrets remain unsolved and I cannot wait for the next installment!
I thought this book was absolutely amazing! The suspense Sarah created, left me wanting more from the first couple of pages onwards. I really enjoyed the storyline. Although the whole vampire/human love relationship is not entirely new, the author added some very endearing and exciting features.
There is a great mixture of funny and witty elements coupled with sheer emotion and intensity. All characters are extremely well created and developed. I can see why Rowan is attracted to Nate. If I would fall for a vampire it would definitely be him :-) Angel or Edward who?? :-)
The ending surprised and intrigued me even further – too many secrets remain unsolved and I cannot wait for the next installment!
December 17, 2012
This was a completely compelling read. I chose it because it's published by Choc Lit and I love their work, but wouldn't necessarily have chosen it otherwise, but I'm so glad I read it. I was hooked from the off with an odd but engaging narrative. The first few chapters I was willing the point of view to change to that of Rowan, but now am glad it didn't as Nate's "charm" definitely worked on me. The story line was fast-paced and intricate and the characterisation brilliant. I genuinely loved it.
August 19, 2013
When vampire Nathaniel Gray suddenly experiences emotions – after two centuries of their absence — he is so overwhelmed that he crashes into a mortal’s car. The victim is Rowan Locke, who becomes mightily pissed at him but with whom Nate falls for. However, the owner of the company Rowan works for has sinister intentions for Rowan, and Nate must protect her while getting her to fall for him, too.
The grammar in this novel is pretty good, which impressed me. Rowan also had qualities that I enjoyed—when she isn’t happy with something, she’s pretty vocal about it. This book is a clean read, which suits the characters. Certain scenes (ex. ) were cute and amusing.
The beginning was a disorienting, which was not helped by the bombardment of italics (and caps lock and exclamation points, all of which combined were distracting, especially the italics, when they were being used for both emphasis and unvoiced thoughts within inches of each other. Actually, the emphasized words occur on almost every single page. And all caps occurred regularly). I felt like a bird that had flown into a hall of mirrors and kept smacking against them, trying to find the right way out. I had no reason to care for Rowan when she gets into that car crash. The story wasn’t very concise. The dialogue in particular was very loose, and with all its interruptions (em dashes and ellipses), it was pretty jarring.
On Choc-lit, this book is described as: Our very own adult version of Twilight written solely from our hero’s point of view - the vampire!. I feel that is relatively accurate (obviously, the plot is not identical), considering these similarities:
Like Twilight: The others are worried that sex with a mortal will hurt her
Like Twilight: They drink the blood of animals as nourishment
Like Twilight: Nate can read minds (note: all vampires in this world can read the minds of other vampires – but not humans)
Like Twilight: Nate lusts for her blood
Like Twilight: Nate considers himself a monster
That being said, while I enjoyed reading Twilight (despite its own weaknesses), the same cannot be said for reading this one. I didn’t care for Nate as a hero... and the book was written entirely from his point of view. Despite the attempt to write solely from one perspective, it would have been more effective to see the Rowan’s point of view. She’s angry but might still have attraction. Nate’s ability to read emotions felt like an attempt to circumvent the need for her perspective. The characters fell flat with me.
The description had room for improvement. It was often sloppy and tended to either be vague (ex. 1) or lean on filler words like “appeared to” and “seemed to” and “looked to be” in places that didn’t need them (ex. 2)
Ex. 1: )
Ex. 2
Overall, No Such Thing As Immortality was a tedious read. Unfortunately, I didn’t like it, and combined with all of my comments above, that means it gets 1.5 stars. Sorry.
The grammar in this novel is pretty good, which impressed me. Rowan also had qualities that I enjoyed—when she isn’t happy with something, she’s pretty vocal about it. This book is a clean read, which suits the characters. Certain scenes (ex. ) were cute and amusing.
The beginning was a disorienting, which was not helped by the bombardment of italics (and caps lock and exclamation points, all of which combined were distracting, especially the italics, when they were being used for both emphasis and unvoiced thoughts within inches of each other. Actually, the emphasized words occur on almost every single page. And all caps occurred regularly). I felt like a bird that had flown into a hall of mirrors and kept smacking against them, trying to find the right way out. I had no reason to care for Rowan when she gets into that car crash. The story wasn’t very concise. The dialogue in particular was very loose, and with all its interruptions (em dashes and ellipses), it was pretty jarring.
On Choc-lit, this book is described as: Our very own adult version of Twilight written solely from our hero’s point of view - the vampire!. I feel that is relatively accurate (obviously, the plot is not identical), considering these similarities:
Like Twilight: The others are worried that sex with a mortal will hurt her
Like Twilight: They drink the blood of animals as nourishment
Like Twilight: Nate can read minds (note: all vampires in this world can read the minds of other vampires – but not humans)
Like Twilight: Nate lusts for her blood
Like Twilight: Nate considers himself a monster
That being said, while I enjoyed reading Twilight (despite its own weaknesses), the same cannot be said for reading this one. I didn’t care for Nate as a hero... and the book was written entirely from his point of view. Despite the attempt to write solely from one perspective, it would have been more effective to see the Rowan’s point of view. She’s angry but might still have attraction. Nate’s ability to read emotions felt like an attempt to circumvent the need for her perspective. The characters fell flat with me.
The description had room for improvement. It was often sloppy and tended to either be vague (ex. 1) or lean on filler words like “appeared to” and “seemed to” and “looked to be” in places that didn’t need them (ex. 2)
Ex. 1: )
Ex. 2
Overall, No Such Thing As Immortality was a tedious read. Unfortunately, I didn’t like it, and combined with all of my comments above, that means it gets 1.5 stars. Sorry.
January 3, 2013
The cover of No Such Thing As Immortality is stunning. The striking purple is a fantastic contrast to the white rose and I must say, it drew me to the book immediately.
The book kicks off to a fast-paced start as the characters come crashing into the story…literally. Vampire best-friends Nathaniel (Nate) and James are racing each other in their cars on a dark night, sharing some hilarious banter and enjoying being competitive. Nate is distracted for a split second – and crashes into the back of Rowan Locke’s car. As Rowan makes her way towards Nate’s car full of anger and rage, Nate is filled with everything that Rowan is feeling, and it is uncontrollable. As much as Nate tries, he can’t block out Rowan’s feelings, which is very strange as vampires can choose not to feel any emotion, and Nate has spent the past two hundred years not feeling at all. As Nate’s vampire friends and family try to work out the unexpected bond that ties Nate and Rowan to each other, they urge him to stay away, even to travel to the other side of the world in the hope that he might not feel Rowan’s emotions. But Nate is drawn to Rowan, and he feels a great need to protect her…to be near her…
I LOVED this book! I’m guessing a vampire book will receive comparisons with the Twilight books, as obviously it was Twilight which really kicked off the vampire novels in recent years. However – I’m going to come out with it and say that Sarah Tranter’s No Such Thing As Immortality is in my opinion MUCH MUCH better than the Twilight books! Leave Edward and Bella on your bookshelf for a bit – You need to become acquainted with Nate and Rowan!
This book is gripping! The dramatic scenes in the first chapter captured my attention straight away and before I knew it I had devoured half of the book in one sitting. I just could not put it down! The storyline has a fantastic blend of humour, action, and romance, not to mention the addition of vampires, and this all mixes together to create one captivating book! All throughout the story I felt as though I was on a rollercoaster ride, there are so many twists and turns and there is never a dull moment, just make sure to pause every now and again to catch your breath!
The characters are very-well written. Nate in particular is wonderfully written, he is instantly likeable from the first pages and I warmed to him straight away. I loved that Nate is a complex character, he has many layers and depth and it was fascinating to read about how he developed during the book. Rowan – Wow…What a character! She is fiery! From her opening scene in which she stumbles across to Nate’s car screaming at him, I knew she was going to be a brilliant addition! I loved her personality, her attitude and her passion for Nate.
Sarah Tranter has beautifully weaved Nate and Rowan’s relationship into the heart of the story. The connection and bond they had with each with each other was wonderful to read about, and I especially loved the protectiveness that Nate had for Rowan, how he desired to look after her and take care of her.
I was thrilled to learn that this is actually the first book of a trilogy, and that Sarah Tranter has more in store for us where Nate and Rowan’s story is concerned. Nate’s ‘family’ of vampires were very interesting to read about, especially James and Elizabeth, and I would LOVE to learn more about them in the next part of the trilogy.
No Such Thing As Immortality is a beautifully written love story. But if you want something more than a love story then look no further! This book is full of humour, drama, twists and turns and will have you on the edge of your seat desperate to read more! This is a brilliant start to the trilogy and I am very excited about the next book!
The book kicks off to a fast-paced start as the characters come crashing into the story…literally. Vampire best-friends Nathaniel (Nate) and James are racing each other in their cars on a dark night, sharing some hilarious banter and enjoying being competitive. Nate is distracted for a split second – and crashes into the back of Rowan Locke’s car. As Rowan makes her way towards Nate’s car full of anger and rage, Nate is filled with everything that Rowan is feeling, and it is uncontrollable. As much as Nate tries, he can’t block out Rowan’s feelings, which is very strange as vampires can choose not to feel any emotion, and Nate has spent the past two hundred years not feeling at all. As Nate’s vampire friends and family try to work out the unexpected bond that ties Nate and Rowan to each other, they urge him to stay away, even to travel to the other side of the world in the hope that he might not feel Rowan’s emotions. But Nate is drawn to Rowan, and he feels a great need to protect her…to be near her…
I LOVED this book! I’m guessing a vampire book will receive comparisons with the Twilight books, as obviously it was Twilight which really kicked off the vampire novels in recent years. However – I’m going to come out with it and say that Sarah Tranter’s No Such Thing As Immortality is in my opinion MUCH MUCH better than the Twilight books! Leave Edward and Bella on your bookshelf for a bit – You need to become acquainted with Nate and Rowan!
This book is gripping! The dramatic scenes in the first chapter captured my attention straight away and before I knew it I had devoured half of the book in one sitting. I just could not put it down! The storyline has a fantastic blend of humour, action, and romance, not to mention the addition of vampires, and this all mixes together to create one captivating book! All throughout the story I felt as though I was on a rollercoaster ride, there are so many twists and turns and there is never a dull moment, just make sure to pause every now and again to catch your breath!
The characters are very-well written. Nate in particular is wonderfully written, he is instantly likeable from the first pages and I warmed to him straight away. I loved that Nate is a complex character, he has many layers and depth and it was fascinating to read about how he developed during the book. Rowan – Wow…What a character! She is fiery! From her opening scene in which she stumbles across to Nate’s car screaming at him, I knew she was going to be a brilliant addition! I loved her personality, her attitude and her passion for Nate.
Sarah Tranter has beautifully weaved Nate and Rowan’s relationship into the heart of the story. The connection and bond they had with each with each other was wonderful to read about, and I especially loved the protectiveness that Nate had for Rowan, how he desired to look after her and take care of her.
I was thrilled to learn that this is actually the first book of a trilogy, and that Sarah Tranter has more in store for us where Nate and Rowan’s story is concerned. Nate’s ‘family’ of vampires were very interesting to read about, especially James and Elizabeth, and I would LOVE to learn more about them in the next part of the trilogy.
No Such Thing As Immortality is a beautifully written love story. But if you want something more than a love story then look no further! This book is full of humour, drama, twists and turns and will have you on the edge of your seat desperate to read more! This is a brilliant start to the trilogy and I am very excited about the next book!
January 22, 2013
Vampires eh? You’ve gotta love ‘em. Well, no, actually. I never loved them. In fact, they terrified the c**p out of me. When I was young, many, many moons ago, I remember being paralysed with fear watching the old Bela Lugosi black and white Dracula films. And have you ever been round The Dracula Experience in Whitby? Dear God, my sister-in-law and I were too petrified to move as a chilling voice warned us not to dawdle as something may be behind us, but not to run either, “for to run implies a chase.” See, it’s stayed with me. I never liked Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Not the book – the actual character. He wasn’t the anguished love-lorn passionate creature of the film now, was he? And Twilight left me cold. I watched the first two films but just couldn’t see it as anything other than teenage tosh. I’ve been assured that the films get better after that and that the books are great but I just wasn’t that bothered. Vampires. Nah. I’ll leave them be thank you very much and hope that they return the favour.
Except…well, now I’ve read No Such Thing As Immortality by Sarah Tranter. And you know what? I’m in love with vampires. Well, one vampire to be exact. Nathaniel Gray, or Nate to his friends and family, all of which happen to be vampires, too. For two hundred years Nathaniel and his sister Elizabeth, brother-in-law Frederick, and friends Madeline and James, have lived on Nate’s ancestral estate, Ridings, in the Derbyshire countryside, feasting on badgers, foxes and black pudding. These are not your average vampires. They don’t want to kill humans. Forced into a way of non-life that leaves him lonely and with his emotions all but vanquished, the only real feeling he has left is self loathing, defining himself as a monster.
Then one night, he is involved in a car accident, something that is unthinkable for a vampire. And suddenly his emotions are entangled with the girl in the car, the pretty and innocent Rowan Locke, and Nate’s awakening begins.
The keyword to this novel is intensity. It zips along from the opening paragraph and the emotions that Nate experiences are of a depth that grabs the reader from the beginning. His struggle to come to terms with his own feelings as well as coping with the onslaught of Rowan’s is beautifully portrayed. Nate is an old-fashioned Georgian gent and is baffled by the twenty-first century girl he loves. His every wish is to protect her, but how can he when he himself may be the most dangerous thing she will ever face?
There is more to this story than the romance, too, powerful though it is. There is a mystery running right through this book about Rowan’s background – her strange Aunt Hetty, her parents’ deaths, and the evil being Simeon Frey who stalks and terrifies her, driving Nate almost to the brink of madness and despair.
Told from the viewpoint of Nate himself, which is unusual in itself, this is a real gem of a novel. The hero is everything a hero should be – well, except alive. Still, you can forgive him for that and after all, nobody’s perfect. Rowan is a lovely hero with enough spirit and defiance in her to be likeable despite her vulnerability. Even Nate’s vampire family are all great characters and impossible to dislike despite their lack of a pulse. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for a passionate, intense love story or a paranormal romance or even a mystery. Or maybe you just want to cure your phobia of vampires? Well, it will work on that, too. The biggest compliment I can pay this book is that I just can’t wait for the sequel. And I may even go back to The Dracula Experience. Just don’t ask me to try black pudding…
Except…well, now I’ve read No Such Thing As Immortality by Sarah Tranter. And you know what? I’m in love with vampires. Well, one vampire to be exact. Nathaniel Gray, or Nate to his friends and family, all of which happen to be vampires, too. For two hundred years Nathaniel and his sister Elizabeth, brother-in-law Frederick, and friends Madeline and James, have lived on Nate’s ancestral estate, Ridings, in the Derbyshire countryside, feasting on badgers, foxes and black pudding. These are not your average vampires. They don’t want to kill humans. Forced into a way of non-life that leaves him lonely and with his emotions all but vanquished, the only real feeling he has left is self loathing, defining himself as a monster.
Then one night, he is involved in a car accident, something that is unthinkable for a vampire. And suddenly his emotions are entangled with the girl in the car, the pretty and innocent Rowan Locke, and Nate’s awakening begins.
The keyword to this novel is intensity. It zips along from the opening paragraph and the emotions that Nate experiences are of a depth that grabs the reader from the beginning. His struggle to come to terms with his own feelings as well as coping with the onslaught of Rowan’s is beautifully portrayed. Nate is an old-fashioned Georgian gent and is baffled by the twenty-first century girl he loves. His every wish is to protect her, but how can he when he himself may be the most dangerous thing she will ever face?
There is more to this story than the romance, too, powerful though it is. There is a mystery running right through this book about Rowan’s background – her strange Aunt Hetty, her parents’ deaths, and the evil being Simeon Frey who stalks and terrifies her, driving Nate almost to the brink of madness and despair.
Told from the viewpoint of Nate himself, which is unusual in itself, this is a real gem of a novel. The hero is everything a hero should be – well, except alive. Still, you can forgive him for that and after all, nobody’s perfect. Rowan is a lovely hero with enough spirit and defiance in her to be likeable despite her vulnerability. Even Nate’s vampire family are all great characters and impossible to dislike despite their lack of a pulse. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for a passionate, intense love story or a paranormal romance or even a mystery. Or maybe you just want to cure your phobia of vampires? Well, it will work on that, too. The biggest compliment I can pay this book is that I just can’t wait for the sequel. And I may even go back to The Dracula Experience. Just don’t ask me to try black pudding…
February 23, 2013
First of all I have to confess I am not a 'fan' of vampire romances. I've never quite been able to understand the attraction of a blood-sucking member of the 'undead'. However, the words 'I will protect you until the day I die...forever.' were enough to make me curious to read this novel - and I am so glad I did.
Nathanial Gray, ‘Nate', may be a vampire, but he and his little family group have sworn off feeding on human blood and instead live off the blood of animals - and blood pudding! If that last sounds a little humorous, there is a lot of humour in this story, as well as angst, passion, anger and deep sorrow. The incident where Rowan's parked car, 'modified' by Nate without her knowledge, is hit by a double decker bus with disastrous results - for the bus, had me laughing out loud! There were also times when I felt Nate’s passion and his pain and I could not help but empathise with him.
From the moment Nate accidentally rams into Rowan's car he is smitten by her, and his amazing and disturbing connection to her results in him feeling her emotions as well as his own. It takes a while for Rowan to return his feelings and the path of their romance is far from easy, with a previous lover and a mysterious and sinister figure, Simeon Frey, added to the mix and attempting to keep the two apart. Their relationship is also further complicated by the fact Nate longs to tell her what he is, but is afraid that if he does, he will lose her for ever.
Rowan also has some secrets in her past, and her Aunt Hetty in particular causes much speculation and concern to the vampires. There is something distinctly unusual about her and in addition, there is the question of the death of Rowan’s parents , when she and her sister were children, which now appears to have been murder.
Nate has all the charm of Mr Darcy, but is more vulnerable and sensitive. The anguish and fear he feels when his beloved Rowan is in danger comes across the pages as both mental and physical. He is also a perfect gentleman with the type of courtesy that is unfortunately all too rare these days. I am an old fashioned romantic, and a male who opens doors, carries the heroine up the stairs to avoid further injury to her foot, and sends her white roses, certainly has the ability to melt my heart. Sarah Tranter has a fantastic ‘voice’ and the scenes were written so vividly I felt I was there, experiencing it all with Nathan, Rowan and the great cast of supporting characters. I love first person narrative and Ms Tranter manages to pull off the male POV very convincingly.
Both Nate and Rowan are very strong characters. Nate, depite his gallantry has a fierce temper when provoked, and makes a formidable adversary. Rowan is feisty and independent, but where Nate is concerned, allows her softer side to emerge.
The story is fast paced and kept me turning the pages to find out what happened next, while at the same time I didn't want it to end. The climax is real edge-of-the seat stuff and although the ending was wonderfully satisfying, it left me with several questions, and yearning for more. I can't wait for the next book in the series.
April 10, 2013
No Such Thing as Immortality is a brilliant debut from Sarah Tranter that I thoroughly enjoyed! I really like Sarah's easy way of writing and I very easily fell into it.
The storyline is full of action, emotion, romance, intrigue and is peppered with mystery to keep you guessing. I was very interested and I think there is definitely more to this than just your typical vampire tale. Otherworldly beings are introduced and a lot of twists and turns will keep you fully engaged right up until the very end.
The best thing about this book has to be the characters, mainly Nathanial Grey *swoon*, he has this strong, dark, silent and moody thing going on which makes him quite moreish indeed! I think he is a bit of a mix between Edward Cullen and Mr Darcey if I'm honest and really that's not a bad thing. I especially like how he's so old fashioned, in his speech and even his way of thinking.
Nathanial Grey is a vampire who hasn't shown any sort of human emotion for more than 200 years. But his life changes dramatically when he crashes into Rowan Locke, and is overwhelmed with all of her feelings - they are anything but calm.
Nate becomes so drawn to Rowan that he can't seem to keep away, but as he gets to know her he realises there is someone or something out to do her harm. He knows he must unravel the mystery surrounding Rowan and her family and protect her at all costs....
I was really pleased with how things left off and I am overjoyed that there is going to be another book. I actually can't wait to see what's going to happen next and also to get to know the mysterious Nate a little bit better!
4.5/5 Stars!
http://fictionfascination.blogspot.co...
The storyline is full of action, emotion, romance, intrigue and is peppered with mystery to keep you guessing. I was very interested and I think there is definitely more to this than just your typical vampire tale. Otherworldly beings are introduced and a lot of twists and turns will keep you fully engaged right up until the very end.
The best thing about this book has to be the characters, mainly Nathanial Grey *swoon*, he has this strong, dark, silent and moody thing going on which makes him quite moreish indeed! I think he is a bit of a mix between Edward Cullen and Mr Darcey if I'm honest and really that's not a bad thing. I especially like how he's so old fashioned, in his speech and even his way of thinking.
Nathanial Grey is a vampire who hasn't shown any sort of human emotion for more than 200 years. But his life changes dramatically when he crashes into Rowan Locke, and is overwhelmed with all of her feelings - they are anything but calm.
Nate becomes so drawn to Rowan that he can't seem to keep away, but as he gets to know her he realises there is someone or something out to do her harm. He knows he must unravel the mystery surrounding Rowan and her family and protect her at all costs....
I was really pleased with how things left off and I am overjoyed that there is going to be another book. I actually can't wait to see what's going to happen next and also to get to know the mysterious Nate a little bit better!
4.5/5 Stars!
http://fictionfascination.blogspot.co...
March 27, 2014
This book has been on my wish list for some months now, and it was worth every moment of my waiting. No such thing as immortality is a beautifully crafted adult vampire love story.
A car crash is what starts it all- and hooks you in. I found I couldn’t put down the book down. Nate is so overprotective at times, he behaves like a mother hen, but it is that fierce loyalty that makes him such an exceptional character.
The thing that impressed me about No such thing as immortality is the portrayal and importance of family and friendship. Usually vampires are shown as solitary creatures but here we have actual family members in Nate’s sister, Elizabeth. It is refreshing to have a vampire marriage (Frederick and Elizabeth) and feature monogamy as theme.
Rowen’s and Nate’s relationship is portrayed honestly. Rowen’s reaction to finding out what Nate truly is- is probably as close to how it would be if you found out the man you loved was a vampire. At no point does it get all dreamy, the author did a wonderful job of dealing with all the practical problems of a vampire to human relationship.
In essence, I think this book is about unconditional love. It is about finding that rarity of a person whom you love more than yourself and would die to protect. Sarah Tranter’s writing is so beautiful and she expresses love so uniquely.
This is another gem of British Vampire fiction, and luckily for us- this is book one of a trilogy.
February 28, 2013
I was provided with a copy of No Such Thing as Immortality by Sarah Tranter in exchange for an honest review.
No Such Thing as Immortality is a vampire tale. A vampire does not have to feel any emotion not of his choosing. And Nathaniel Gray has spent two hundred years choosing not to feel. But when he accidentally runs Rowan Locke off the road, he is inexplicably flooded with everything she’s feeling, and that’s rage, and lots of it. He has an uncontrollable need to want to protect her and is consumed with it, even if it means doing it at all costs … even if it means that he must protect her from himself as well. Blown away by this desire, he is at a loss but he can’t control himself.
Although this book is about vampires, it isn’t like Twilight or the Sookie Stackhouse books. Yes, there are some similarities but the writing style is completely different and I definitely appreciated that. Sarah does a great job at crafting Rowan and Nathaniel Gray and I really enjoyed their instant chemistry. The two have an undeniable spark and I really liked watching Nathaniel suffer through feelings that he hadn’t experienced in such a long time. Overall, this story was very enjoyable, and at times, quite comical.
No Such Thing as Immortality is a vampire tale. A vampire does not have to feel any emotion not of his choosing. And Nathaniel Gray has spent two hundred years choosing not to feel. But when he accidentally runs Rowan Locke off the road, he is inexplicably flooded with everything she’s feeling, and that’s rage, and lots of it. He has an uncontrollable need to want to protect her and is consumed with it, even if it means doing it at all costs … even if it means that he must protect her from himself as well. Blown away by this desire, he is at a loss but he can’t control himself.
Although this book is about vampires, it isn’t like Twilight or the Sookie Stackhouse books. Yes, there are some similarities but the writing style is completely different and I definitely appreciated that. Sarah does a great job at crafting Rowan and Nathaniel Gray and I really enjoyed their instant chemistry. The two have an undeniable spark and I really liked watching Nathaniel suffer through feelings that he hadn’t experienced in such a long time. Overall, this story was very enjoyable, and at times, quite comical.
February 26, 2013
I absolutely adored Nathaniel Gray, the 250 year old vampire, from Derbyshire.
Quirky? Yes.
Humourous? Most definitely.
Intense? Oh yes.
Sexy? Hell, yes!
The supporting cast were great too, each with their own personality traits, Elizabeth was very sweet but had hidden depths and James' dry sense of humour really made me laugh at times.
Nate and Rowan had a great relationship, very intense and the chemistry between the two sizzled right off the page.
Sarah Tranter has a very distinctive style of writing, one which I found refreshing and captivating. I'm not one for vampires, but I really bought into the whole idea. The plot was exciting and at times had me on the edge of my seat, I really didn't know what was going to happen. This wasn't just a love story, it had action and adventure in it too and a smattering of humour throughout.
A most excellent read and I am already looking forward to the next book in the series.
Quirky? Yes.
Humourous? Most definitely.
Intense? Oh yes.
Sexy? Hell, yes!
The supporting cast were great too, each with their own personality traits, Elizabeth was very sweet but had hidden depths and James' dry sense of humour really made me laugh at times.
Nate and Rowan had a great relationship, very intense and the chemistry between the two sizzled right off the page.
Sarah Tranter has a very distinctive style of writing, one which I found refreshing and captivating. I'm not one for vampires, but I really bought into the whole idea. The plot was exciting and at times had me on the edge of my seat, I really didn't know what was going to happen. This wasn't just a love story, it had action and adventure in it too and a smattering of humour throughout.
A most excellent read and I am already looking forward to the next book in the series.
January 16, 2013
If you've ever wondered what goes on inside a vampire's head, this is the book for you.
The first in a trilogy is told entirely from Nathaniel Gray's point of view; a 200 year old vampire, with Austenesque ways, living in the modern world. He doesn't turn into a bat, and there's definitely no hanging around where the plot's concerned - it's pedal to the metal at the word go, but, as with all great stories, the pace varies, with moments of high tension, conversations filled with warm humour, and tender touches that bring the heart rate almost in time with Nate's. And the heroine's no push-over...
Published by Choc Lit, this is Sarah Tranter's debut novel and I will have no hesitation in pre-ordering the next in this set of three.
Essential reading for adult lovers of vampire-fantasy and romance.
Laura :-)
The first in a trilogy is told entirely from Nathaniel Gray's point of view; a 200 year old vampire, with Austenesque ways, living in the modern world. He doesn't turn into a bat, and there's definitely no hanging around where the plot's concerned - it's pedal to the metal at the word go, but, as with all great stories, the pace varies, with moments of high tension, conversations filled with warm humour, and tender touches that bring the heart rate almost in time with Nate's. And the heroine's no push-over...
Published by Choc Lit, this is Sarah Tranter's debut novel and I will have no hesitation in pre-ordering the next in this set of three.
Essential reading for adult lovers of vampire-fantasy and romance.
Laura :-)
February 25, 2014
Right from the start, Nate and Rowan are a scintillating combination - one so cool and intense, the other so fiery. It's a wonder one doesn't melt the other!
The additional contrast between the immortal earl (yummy!) and the sassy, modern woman is hilarious at times, making the book a fun read as well as a compelling one.
Nate's family is a story in itself. They form a great cast of support characters, each with their own hopes and dreams and fears; I'd love to meet them again.
Loads of drama, tons of humour, and a highly engaging storyline means I rate this as a solid 4 stars - and hoping there *will* be a sequel as some reviewers have indicated.
This is the first book I've read by Ms Tranter, and I'm pretty sure it won't be the last!
The additional contrast between the immortal earl (yummy!) and the sassy, modern woman is hilarious at times, making the book a fun read as well as a compelling one.
Nate's family is a story in itself. They form a great cast of support characters, each with their own hopes and dreams and fears; I'd love to meet them again.
Loads of drama, tons of humour, and a highly engaging storyline means I rate this as a solid 4 stars - and hoping there *will* be a sequel as some reviewers have indicated.
This is the first book I've read by Ms Tranter, and I'm pretty sure it won't be the last!
May 22, 2013
I absolutely loved this book! Highly recommend to anyone who has read and enjoyed the Sookie Southern Vampire series. I say that because it has the same quirky, sexy, mystery feel only this time we get the story from the point of view of the Vampire Nate. The story flowed nicely, the characters were well developed and I loved them all. The ending leaves you wanting sooooo much more. Can't wait for the next book.
February 5, 2013
A terrific vampire story like no other.
June 17, 2013
Nathaniel is such lovely character in a true Mr Darcy style.
July 2, 2013
This was a very enjoyable read. I look forward to reading more from this author.
August 28, 2015
Surprisingly good!
Can't wait for the next book! ;)
Can't wait for the next book! ;)
September 12, 2018
2.5
I almost ditched it in the first few chapters, but held out, and it did get more interesting. It wasn't too bad, but I did get the feeling (repeatedly) that I'd miss a book in a series or something... From what I can see, I haven't. There's just some stuff 'I should just know'. It's not all packaged together quite as neatly as it could be, so there are questions left hanging about. And the 'world' rulz annoyed me for the most part, but that could have just been how they were/n't explained quick enough (IMO) or how they were written/used.
Nothing to point out and say 'bad book', but too many little niggley bits for me to have been able to just read and enjoy.
I almost ditched it in the first few chapters, but held out, and it did get more interesting. It wasn't too bad, but I did get the feeling (repeatedly) that I'd miss a book in a series or something... From what I can see, I haven't. There's just some stuff 'I should just know'. It's not all packaged together quite as neatly as it could be, so there are questions left hanging about. And the 'world' rulz annoyed me for the most part, but that could have just been how they were/n't explained quick enough (IMO) or how they were written/used.
Nothing to point out and say 'bad book', but too many little niggley bits for me to have been able to just read and enjoy.
September 9, 2017
For a book about vampires, it is boring. To much about Nate and Rowan's feelings. I honestly think half of the book describes what he is thinking. Not enough action. It was passed 80% of the book, before there was some action and that wasn't even exciting. I honestly don't understand all the good reviews.
June 20, 2018
this book wasn't horrible but I didn't enjoy it either, it was a little annoying. I didn't really enjoy any of the characters either. Not to my taste at all but others might find it good.
February 18, 2021
Better than the other book that I read by the same author. But so melodramatic and memories of other books, plots and names are not far from the surface. Unable to recommend to the normal crew.
July 18, 2013
On the face of it, this book is a love story about a male vampire and a female human; and we all know how they go, right? Tortured souls longing to find light to their dark … wanting each other but knowing it can never be … desperate to unite their worlds and enjoy an eternity together. Yada, yada, yada. Well, in that respect this book is no different; if you’re looking to break the cliché, you’re reading the wrong genre. However, dig a little deeper and there is more here than first meets the eye.
Nathaniel gray is almost two hundred years old. Despite living with his sister, her husband and two friends—also vampires—he’s resigned himself to a life of solitude, shutting out all the emotions that make him weak. Then one night he has an unexplainable car accident, which brings him face to face with the fragile, but feisty Rowan Locke.
To hide the crash Nathaniel, or Nate, first considers ending Rowan’s life by sucking her dry, but as he’s strangely overwhelmed by her emotions his actions take an altogether different course. What ensues is a slow burning tale of a tortuous courtship, as told by Nate himself.
Sarah Tranter’s excellent writing skills shine as she manages to demonstrate Nate’s true age through his olde worlde language and gentlemanly manner; it’s very engaging. And despite there not being a single graphic, erotic scene, there is plenty of chemistry between the lead characters, proving a good writer can turn up the heat without turning on the sex.
The story chooses to poo-poo lots of typical vampire lore, including an aversion to sunlight, silver, a stake through the heart and garlic; it even has a little dig at very well know more modern day vampire tale, before going on to adopt one of its key features.
The climactic battle at the end of the story is a fantastic page turner that leads very nicely into the final “make it all better” scenes.
But ... and for me it was quite a big but, the story ends rather quickly with too many unanswered questions left blowing about in the ether. For example, there are numerous implications that Rowan is not a human, but actually the natural-born child of a vampire and fey creature, however these are not elaborated on. There’s also a monster in this story that’s never fully exposed for what he is or why he’s involved, or why he’s connected to Rowan’s ex-boyfriend. There’s a hint that Rowan’s Godmother may be a fairy, witch or changeling, and very possibly the unsuspecting Rowan’s pet cat, but we’re never told for sure. And there are numerous other connections between Nathaniel and Rowan that aren’t explored or explained, including what caused them to come together in the first place. It’s almost as if each little snippet was introduced just to bring the story along, but no longer of any use when we reach the end. Since finishing the book, the more I think about it, the more dissatisfied I am with everything I don’t know.
After the story ends (Kindle version) there is a comment that this is the first in a ‘No Such Thing’ series. So it’s very possible the author will elaborate on all these issues and we’ll get the answers we seek. But that very much depends if the characters in this book will be the basis for the series. I hope so, because if not it makes ‘No Such This as Immortality’ a very frustrating read indeed.
Nathaniel gray is almost two hundred years old. Despite living with his sister, her husband and two friends—also vampires—he’s resigned himself to a life of solitude, shutting out all the emotions that make him weak. Then one night he has an unexplainable car accident, which brings him face to face with the fragile, but feisty Rowan Locke.
To hide the crash Nathaniel, or Nate, first considers ending Rowan’s life by sucking her dry, but as he’s strangely overwhelmed by her emotions his actions take an altogether different course. What ensues is a slow burning tale of a tortuous courtship, as told by Nate himself.
Sarah Tranter’s excellent writing skills shine as she manages to demonstrate Nate’s true age through his olde worlde language and gentlemanly manner; it’s very engaging. And despite there not being a single graphic, erotic scene, there is plenty of chemistry between the lead characters, proving a good writer can turn up the heat without turning on the sex.
The story chooses to poo-poo lots of typical vampire lore, including an aversion to sunlight, silver, a stake through the heart and garlic; it even has a little dig at very well know more modern day vampire tale, before going on to adopt one of its key features.
The climactic battle at the end of the story is a fantastic page turner that leads very nicely into the final “make it all better” scenes.
But ... and for me it was quite a big but, the story ends rather quickly with too many unanswered questions left blowing about in the ether. For example, there are numerous implications that Rowan is not a human, but actually the natural-born child of a vampire and fey creature, however these are not elaborated on. There’s also a monster in this story that’s never fully exposed for what he is or why he’s involved, or why he’s connected to Rowan’s ex-boyfriend. There’s a hint that Rowan’s Godmother may be a fairy, witch or changeling, and very possibly the unsuspecting Rowan’s pet cat, but we’re never told for sure. And there are numerous other connections between Nathaniel and Rowan that aren’t explored or explained, including what caused them to come together in the first place. It’s almost as if each little snippet was introduced just to bring the story along, but no longer of any use when we reach the end. Since finishing the book, the more I think about it, the more dissatisfied I am with everything I don’t know.
After the story ends (Kindle version) there is a comment that this is the first in a ‘No Such Thing’ series. So it’s very possible the author will elaborate on all these issues and we’ll get the answers we seek. But that very much depends if the characters in this book will be the basis for the series. I hope so, because if not it makes ‘No Such This as Immortality’ a very frustrating read indeed.
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