What do you think?
Rate this book
Hasea Chronicles #0.5
Without a Heartbeat
Not much is known about the mysterious vampire Scarlett. Until now.
The year is 1872. A darker, more unforgiving Alliance is working in the shadows, struggling to keep order on the streets of London. Meanwhile in Ireland, a young girl is about to take up a position as scullery maid in the sinister Oakley Manor. It is a decision that will alter her life forever and send her on a path of destruction and death.
A path that leads right to the Alliance.
The year is 1872. A darker, more unforgiving Alliance is working in the shadows, struggling to keep order on the streets of London. Meanwhile in Ireland, a young girl is about to take up a position as scullery maid in the sinister Oakley Manor. It is a decision that will alter her life forever and send her on a path of destruction and death.
A path that leads right to the Alliance.
- GenresFantasyUrban Fantasy
373 pages, ebook
First published November 1, 2012
24 people are currently reading
90 people want to read
About the author
Stuart Meczes
17 books99 followersStuart was born in the smoky outskirts of london. After years spent running the rat race, in 2008 he knew it was time to start working on the novel he’d been threatening to write since he was 16. several scrapped storylines, and one English and Creative Writing degree from the University of Birmingham later, The Awakening landed.
Stuart was more shocked than anyone when the novel became a sleeper hit and set him on an entirely different and far more exciting path through life than he ever expected.
Cut to 2018. six novels, a novella and several short stories down, Stuart spends most of his time in his home in Worcester, continuing to pen the bestselling Hasea Chronicles series, as well as new science fiction/fantasy stories, all whilst avoiding the addictive siren call of daytime television.
In addition to the ongoing hasea chronicles, Stuart has written the golden Wing - the first book in the children’s fantasy series, Tommy and the Simbots, and is also hard at work on London Burning, the first novel in the dystopian series, The Grit Saga.
Stuart was more shocked than anyone when the novel became a sleeper hit and set him on an entirely different and far more exciting path through life than he ever expected.
Cut to 2018. six novels, a novella and several short stories down, Stuart spends most of his time in his home in Worcester, continuing to pen the bestselling Hasea Chronicles series, as well as new science fiction/fantasy stories, all whilst avoiding the addictive siren call of daytime television.
In addition to the ongoing hasea chronicles, Stuart has written the golden Wing - the first book in the children’s fantasy series, Tommy and the Simbots, and is also hard at work on London Burning, the first novel in the dystopian series, The Grit Saga.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 16, 2015
I received the book from the author for an honest review.
I must admit this one is the most dark yet on the hasea series, but it was amazing and the end perfect I lover it.
I manage to live this series more with each passing book is awesome, I adore the characters they are so alive and complex.
I really do hope to read this series until the end is like a need.
I think anyone with a knack for paranormal will fall in love with this series.
I must admit this one is the most dark yet on the hasea series, but it was amazing and the end perfect I lover it.
I manage to live this series more with each passing book is awesome, I adore the characters they are so alive and complex.
I really do hope to read this series until the end is like a need.
I think anyone with a knack for paranormal will fall in love with this series.
January 24, 2015
Another superbly written novel from the Hasea series, couldn't put it down!
October 31, 2023
Without a Heartbeat is the prequel to The Awakening and although I enjoyed the first book in the series a lot, I really did love this one! It’s hard not to get sucked into this book especially with the 1800s manor house setting, great character that you can’t help but love and the fang-tastic plot tops it off!
Scarlett’s character always did intrigue me in the The Awakening, so it was great to find out more about her and her journey to becoming a vampire. I love the build up to her character as I felt like I really got to know her and her family. This does however make it hard to read her heartbreaking yet also heartwarming story of her new found family. She goes through so much at such a young age and I couldn’t help but read on to see how she would pull through.
This prequel is definitely intense with a flair of mystery. There is tons of action that I couldn’t pull my eyes away from. I particularly like the blood trials, they were very dangerous and interesting which really put me on edge. The only issue I had with it at all was a few typos but I didn’t let this take me out of the story.
Overall, this novella has really made me appreciate Scarlett’s character and see her in a different light as well as many other characters that I’m sure I will see again. This is definitely a book you can sink your teeth into either as a stand alone or to read with the rest of the series but it will leave you thirsty for more! I for one am glad I read this after the first book and before going into the next one as I feel like I have a deeper understanding of some of the characters.
Scarlett’s character always did intrigue me in the The Awakening, so it was great to find out more about her and her journey to becoming a vampire. I love the build up to her character as I felt like I really got to know her and her family. This does however make it hard to read her heartbreaking yet also heartwarming story of her new found family. She goes through so much at such a young age and I couldn’t help but read on to see how she would pull through.
This prequel is definitely intense with a flair of mystery. There is tons of action that I couldn’t pull my eyes away from. I particularly like the blood trials, they were very dangerous and interesting which really put me on edge. The only issue I had with it at all was a few typos but I didn’t let this take me out of the story.
Overall, this novella has really made me appreciate Scarlett’s character and see her in a different light as well as many other characters that I’m sure I will see again. This is definitely a book you can sink your teeth into either as a stand alone or to read with the rest of the series but it will leave you thirsty for more! I for one am glad I read this after the first book and before going into the next one as I feel like I have a deeper understanding of some of the characters.
November 8, 2020
Definitely a prequel
I think I would have enjoyed this book more has I already been familiar with the characters and the general storyline. It's an entertaining read otherwise.
I think I would have enjoyed this book more has I already been familiar with the characters and the general storyline. It's an entertaining read otherwise.
November 11, 2024
Decent.
Not a bad story at all. The spelling errors detract from my overall rating. I'm interested enough to continue the series and hope that the editing is better.
Not a bad story at all. The spelling errors detract from my overall rating. I'm interested enough to continue the series and hope that the editing is better.
August 17, 2015
I read The Awakening first and liked it a lot so I thought I would read the rest of the books in the series. I got them all on my Kindle Unlimited. After reading them all, I was then asked to review "Without A Heartbeat". I said sure I would review it but that I already had read it since I liked the whole series and I already got it free with my Kindle Unlimited so they didn't have to provide anything. #haseachronicles
Obviously, I loved this book. At first I wasn't sure that there would be much of a story to focus around Scarlett but I was very wrong. This story is soooo good. I don't want to give the whole story away but I can say that Scarlet has to go work at Oakley Manor as a scullery maid to help the family out financially. Her brother is sick and his medicine is expensive. She would never tell her father no because she knows how hard it was for him to ask her.
Unspeakable things happen to Scarlett while in Oakley Manor. Someone is watching her and knows that he needs to save her before something awful happens. He returns later to find that he is too late and Scarlett will never be the same. He is determined he will save her and give her the means to get her revenge. But is he good or evil?
This book grabs you and pulls you in so that you just have to see what happens next. Poor Scarlett, what she has to endure both at Oakley Manor and after the is "rescued" from there is just so heartbreaking. She becomes the very evil that she is trying to avoid. But is she to be held accountable? Could she help it? Or is she the victim in all of this? Read the book and you will never be bored. You will be on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens to Scarlett next.
I loved this book and the whole series in fact. Definitely worth reading! You can definitely read it as a stand alone but why would you, get the series, it is just worth reading!
Disclaimer: Well I was offered this book for free to give a honest review but I already had gotten the book free from Kindle Unlimited and read it before the fact. In any case, I didn't receive any compensation for this review. It is just my honest opinion of the book.
Obviously, I loved this book. At first I wasn't sure that there would be much of a story to focus around Scarlett but I was very wrong. This story is soooo good. I don't want to give the whole story away but I can say that Scarlet has to go work at Oakley Manor as a scullery maid to help the family out financially. Her brother is sick and his medicine is expensive. She would never tell her father no because she knows how hard it was for him to ask her.
Unspeakable things happen to Scarlett while in Oakley Manor. Someone is watching her and knows that he needs to save her before something awful happens. He returns later to find that he is too late and Scarlett will never be the same. He is determined he will save her and give her the means to get her revenge. But is he good or evil?
This book grabs you and pulls you in so that you just have to see what happens next. Poor Scarlett, what she has to endure both at Oakley Manor and after the is "rescued" from there is just so heartbreaking. She becomes the very evil that she is trying to avoid. But is she to be held accountable? Could she help it? Or is she the victim in all of this? Read the book and you will never be bored. You will be on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens to Scarlett next.
I loved this book and the whole series in fact. Definitely worth reading! You can definitely read it as a stand alone but why would you, get the series, it is just worth reading!
Disclaimer: Well I was offered this book for free to give a honest review but I already had gotten the book free from Kindle Unlimited and read it before the fact. In any case, I didn't receive any compensation for this review. It is just my honest opinion of the book.
August 17, 2016
Awful.
March 2, 2016
This may be one of my favorites of his despite some glaring editorial errors. They did not detract from the enjoyment though.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews