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In a single night Bay-Lee has two visitors, a dead rock star and a reaper. One comes with a threat and the other with a warning. They know she's on her way to being the newest student at Van Helsing's school, where she will learn to be a great hunter like her father. Before she can reach her goal she will face wraiths, an angry boy with a dark prophecy hanging over his head, and her worst nightmare: werewolves. She's determined nothing will stop her, not even a pair of jungle green eyes. Her roommate is killed. Her mentor doesn't want to mentor her. A border monster tries to kill her. Nothing is the way she imagined it would be. Students whisper behind her back, saying she's cursed. They want her to go home, but Bay-Lee isn't going anywhere, not when she's this close to getting everything she's ever wanted. At Orientation, she learns she's been given the rank of Bait. Why? Because that is all new students are good for, to be used as bait to draw out monsters so the 'real' hunters can kill them. She realizes no one is going to take her seriously until she moves up to Hunter. With that in mind and a few friends at her side, Bay-Lee is going to tackle a dangerous mystery. Why are hunters dying on their birthdays? If she solves it, she will move up in rank. If she doesn't... her birthday is just around the corner.
386 pages, Paperback
First published November 6, 2012
210 people are currently reading
1533 people want to read
About the author
K.C. Blake
10 books114 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
This author also writes under the name Kasi Blake.
This author also writes under the name Kasi Blake.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
November 30, 2015
Kasi Blake has a giveaway for her Spirit Realm Series! Enter to win an eCopy of Hunter!
Click an Banner to enter = Ends December 14, 2015 - INTL where allowed!
Bay-Lee is finally going to follow in her father’s footsteps and become the best monster hunter ever! Tough order, but she is determined, dedicated and able. The only thing left is to prove to everyone else, including her father that she has what it takes. What could you expect from the daughter of Van Helsing? If she happens to get to grab a little revenge for her mother’s death on the way, that is a pure bonus, because she has a date with evil and she plans on winning.
Enter the hallowed halls of Van Helsing’s school for hunters where young Bay-Lee will face the cold indifference of her father, the hazing of her fellow students and the loathing of her mentor, quite possibly the most amazing and troubled young man she has ever met. Slow down, girl, you are here to learn to be a hunter and perhaps much more, but first you start as Bait.
Wraiths, reapers and monsters are standing in her way to greatness, and she must try to take the all down. Too bad her mentor is doing all he can to teach her nothing but what it is like to feel less than human. Nick has reached the rank of Warrior, fierce, deadly and full of darkness, does he resent Bay-Lee for who she is and has decided to help her fail, as opposed to being her mentor/trainer? What does he have against her when he makes her heart beat out of her chest?
Kasi Blake’s take on the Van Helsing family, focusing on Bay-Lee goes beyond a plot full of twists. Twists can be followed and unraveled fairly easily, not so here as this convoluted tale unfolds into a labyrinth of subplots, emotional entanglements and secrets that were never meant to come to life. As Bay-Lee questions all she has ever known, the sacrifices she has made because of who she is and wonders what her future will bring, every step of her journey is like walking a mountain trail, one false step and everything will come crashing down. Ms. Blake’s characters are like a cross-section of people we have known, from the girl with attitude, to the quiet and gentle types, to some of the same high school antics with a twist, everyone is capable of being deadly. Follow Bay-Lee’s journey through pain, loss, joy and tears as each brick in the foundation of her life is knocked away, only to be replaced by something more tenuous and fragile. If you haven’t read Bait by K.C. Blake, you’ll never know the rest of the Van Helsing story, Next Generation style!
Series: Order of the Spirit Realm - Book 1
Publication Date: April 25, 2013
Publisher: Kasi Blake
ISBN-10: 1500480231
ISBN-13: 978-1500480233
Print Length: 387 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Click an Banner to enter = Ends December 14, 2015 - INTL where allowed!
Bay-Lee is finally going to follow in her father’s footsteps and become the best monster hunter ever! Tough order, but she is determined, dedicated and able. The only thing left is to prove to everyone else, including her father that she has what it takes. What could you expect from the daughter of Van Helsing? If she happens to get to grab a little revenge for her mother’s death on the way, that is a pure bonus, because she has a date with evil and she plans on winning.
Enter the hallowed halls of Van Helsing’s school for hunters where young Bay-Lee will face the cold indifference of her father, the hazing of her fellow students and the loathing of her mentor, quite possibly the most amazing and troubled young man she has ever met. Slow down, girl, you are here to learn to be a hunter and perhaps much more, but first you start as Bait.
Wraiths, reapers and monsters are standing in her way to greatness, and she must try to take the all down. Too bad her mentor is doing all he can to teach her nothing but what it is like to feel less than human. Nick has reached the rank of Warrior, fierce, deadly and full of darkness, does he resent Bay-Lee for who she is and has decided to help her fail, as opposed to being her mentor/trainer? What does he have against her when he makes her heart beat out of her chest?
Kasi Blake’s take on the Van Helsing family, focusing on Bay-Lee goes beyond a plot full of twists. Twists can be followed and unraveled fairly easily, not so here as this convoluted tale unfolds into a labyrinth of subplots, emotional entanglements and secrets that were never meant to come to life. As Bay-Lee questions all she has ever known, the sacrifices she has made because of who she is and wonders what her future will bring, every step of her journey is like walking a mountain trail, one false step and everything will come crashing down. Ms. Blake’s characters are like a cross-section of people we have known, from the girl with attitude, to the quiet and gentle types, to some of the same high school antics with a twist, everyone is capable of being deadly. Follow Bay-Lee’s journey through pain, loss, joy and tears as each brick in the foundation of her life is knocked away, only to be replaced by something more tenuous and fragile. If you haven’t read Bait by K.C. Blake, you’ll never know the rest of the Van Helsing story, Next Generation style!
Series: Order of the Spirit Realm - Book 1
Publication Date: April 25, 2013
Publisher: Kasi Blake
ISBN-10: 1500480231
ISBN-13: 978-1500480233
Print Length: 387 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
March 25, 2016
You can find this, the first in the series, at Amazon, Smashwords, B&N, apple, etc. The second book will be out in October 2013.
April 26, 2014
I got this book free based mainly on the summary and the idea of reading about the daughter of Van Helsing seemed like a new and original idea. BAIT pulled me in from the beginning. I'd state Blake can write a good story...but, I was pretty far into the story before I realized it was a YA book (the woman on the cover IS NOT 16 years old)...not that that's bad, it isn't...it's good. I appreciated the writing even more once I realized the genre.
What I Liked:
1. The writing and the length
2. You know how some books drag on or you find paragraph after paragraph seems to have been included just as filler? Well, this book did have those.
3. Blake was able to pull off the switches between Nick and Tyler (one in the same)
4. The author did some nice character studies delving into Bay-Lee's and Nick's/Tyler's situations and conflicts
What Bugged Me:
1. Okay, these are just my personal opinions...everyone will read this and react differently; however, I found myself continually looking for more family details—I mean, it's the Val Helsings and she was his daughter!
2. After some reveals, the uncertain romance suddenly...I mean, instantly—within 12 hours—was there with all the "I love yous" and talking about tattoos and discussing long-term (maybe even life-long) decisions.
3. Yep, the fact that Bay-Lee was only 16 years old and Nick/Tyler was 20 (almost 21) was very uncomfortable. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, it does. But when you read about it...well, he just has so much more experience and she had nothing we could even consider substantial in the way of relationships. She never had a boyfriend or a chance to be a little intimate with any guy.
4. Why don't guys ever get all dreamy and dopey when love whacks them upside the head? Why? Because we'd find their sudden 180 personality change BORING. So, why is it that strong heroines who can deal with and handle just about anything thrown at them seem to become so indecisive once they fall in love? That was disappointing in this book.
5. Also disappointing was the way their relationship seemed so immature...going from goo-goo ga-ga to both ready to throw in the towel over something said to even giving up their personal dreams for the other....it was just unbelievable their relationship could adapt and continue...it would have been good to see some growth after all of that.
6.
OHHH, and how did he manager to fool Van Helsing?
7.
8.
Overall, I did actually enjoy reading this interesting book but I probably won't continue with the series. However, the K.C. Blake can write and seems to have had a pretty original idea with this particular book. I'd recommend it you young adults, even some adults...as long as you keep in mind it is YA—and it is still FREE.
What I Liked:
1. The writing and the length
2. You know how some books drag on or you find paragraph after paragraph seems to have been included just as filler? Well, this book did have those.
3. Blake was able to pull off the switches between Nick and Tyler (one in the same)
4. The author did some nice character studies delving into Bay-Lee's and Nick's/Tyler's situations and conflicts
What Bugged Me:
1. Okay, these are just my personal opinions...everyone will read this and react differently; however, I found myself continually looking for more family details—I mean, it's the Val Helsings and she was his daughter!
2. After some reveals, the uncertain romance suddenly...I mean, instantly—within 12 hours—was there with all the "I love yous" and talking about tattoos and discussing long-term (maybe even life-long) decisions.
3. Yep, the fact that Bay-Lee was only 16 years old and Nick/Tyler was 20 (almost 21) was very uncomfortable. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, it does. But when you read about it...well, he just has so much more experience and she had nothing we could even consider substantial in the way of relationships. She never had a boyfriend or a chance to be a little intimate with any guy.
4. Why don't guys ever get all dreamy and dopey when love whacks them upside the head? Why? Because we'd find their sudden 180 personality change BORING. So, why is it that strong heroines who can deal with and handle just about anything thrown at them seem to become so indecisive once they fall in love? That was disappointing in this book.
5. Also disappointing was the way their relationship seemed so immature...going from goo-goo ga-ga to both ready to throw in the towel over something said to even giving up their personal dreams for the other....it was just unbelievable their relationship could adapt and continue...it would have been good to see some growth after all of that.
6.
OHHH, and how did he manager to fool Van Helsing?
7.
8.
Overall, I did actually enjoy reading this interesting book but I probably won't continue with the series. However, the K.C. Blake can write and seems to have had a pretty original idea with this particular book. I'd recommend it you young adults, even some adults...as long as you keep in mind it is YA—and it is still FREE.
September 24, 2021
Amazing Read
I enjoyed this story. I'm a big fan of Van Helsing. This story was full of epic adventures that I loved reading. Ready to read the rest of the series. Kasi Blake is doing great things and I am now a fan of her work.
I enjoyed this story. I'm a big fan of Van Helsing. This story was full of epic adventures that I loved reading. Ready to read the rest of the series. Kasi Blake is doing great things and I am now a fan of her work.
June 12, 2013
I was captivated right from the 1st page of this stellar novel. Blake’s writing pulled me in even before I’d figured out what was going on. The author kept pulling me further and further into the story until I couldn’t put the novel down. It was a phenomenal rush!
With this novel Blake took the notion of a hereditary Van Helsing legacy and ran with it fast and far. It was a very unique take on an old story that kept me captivated throughout. Blake’s amazing storytelling definitely helped with this. She has the ability to highlight emotions and minute details in a way that plants them in your mind to be recalled at a later detail. She also has the ability to take you from laughing out loud to bringing tears to your eyes in the span of a page. Her attention to detail also brings her readers right into the novel. You can clearly picture everything, from the mundane to the uniquely crafted border monsters. It all adds to the very well put together story that Blake presents for our enjoyment.
The characters in this novel are also very captivating. She develops each in their own right. They all stand true as warriors and hunters of the supernatural. They are all also unique in their personalities. By creating such well-developed characters that both mesh with and stand out from the norm for the genre Blake allows her readers the ability to immerse themselves in the story without fighting with discrepancies in their expectations of the genre (which Blake surpasses with flourish).
As a whole, this novel was an intriguingly captivating introduction to Blake’s series that you won’t want to end. And above all, prophecies do have a way of coming true. And I bet they will in the sequel to this awesome novel.
Please note that I received this novel free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review.
With this novel Blake took the notion of a hereditary Van Helsing legacy and ran with it fast and far. It was a very unique take on an old story that kept me captivated throughout. Blake’s amazing storytelling definitely helped with this. She has the ability to highlight emotions and minute details in a way that plants them in your mind to be recalled at a later detail. She also has the ability to take you from laughing out loud to bringing tears to your eyes in the span of a page. Her attention to detail also brings her readers right into the novel. You can clearly picture everything, from the mundane to the uniquely crafted border monsters. It all adds to the very well put together story that Blake presents for our enjoyment.
The characters in this novel are also very captivating. She develops each in their own right. They all stand true as warriors and hunters of the supernatural. They are all also unique in their personalities. By creating such well-developed characters that both mesh with and stand out from the norm for the genre Blake allows her readers the ability to immerse themselves in the story without fighting with discrepancies in their expectations of the genre (which Blake surpasses with flourish).
As a whole, this novel was an intriguingly captivating introduction to Blake’s series that you won’t want to end. And above all, prophecies do have a way of coming true. And I bet they will in the sequel to this awesome novel.
Please note that I received this novel free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review.
June 19, 2020
*Source* Kindle Unlimited
*Genre* Young Adult / Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
Bait - Van Helsing Academy, is the first installment in author K.C. Blake's Order of the Spirit Realm. Ever since her mother was murdered by werewolves 11 years ago, 16-year old Bay-Lee Bishop has been living under assumed names while being protected by her uncle Connor, and her friend Gavin Murdock. After Bay-Lee is visited by both a Reaper and Tyler Beck in the same night, she is warned that her uncle and her father are keeping secrets from her and it's past time for her to open up her eyes and seek the truth before something kills her on her 17th birthday.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Young Adult / Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
Bait - Van Helsing Academy, is the first installment in author K.C. Blake's Order of the Spirit Realm. Ever since her mother was murdered by werewolves 11 years ago, 16-year old Bay-Lee Bishop has been living under assumed names while being protected by her uncle Connor, and her friend Gavin Murdock. After Bay-Lee is visited by both a Reaper and Tyler Beck in the same night, she is warned that her uncle and her father are keeping secrets from her and it's past time for her to open up her eyes and seek the truth before something kills her on her 17th birthday.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
June 21, 2013
Wow, to tell you the truth, I don't usually read romance novels, (I'm a guy) and I don't read paranormal fiction. But when the author asked me to read this book, when I started it, I was hooked.
First, I noticed how smooth the writing is. This author knows her stuff. I read on her author profile that she used to write for Harlequin. I was not surprised. She commands your attention to the story, and holds you there. I found absolutely no errors in this book.
Now, I'm a guy who, at times when bored, and wondering what the fuss was about, tried to read portions of the Twilight Saga. Each book made me feel like falling sleep! So I never read more than about 15 pages of any of the Twilight books. And the movies ... please don't get me started! I never wanted to see more than any five minutes of the Twilight DVD's at other people's houses after initially having an open mind, and curiosity.
So you see, I have little interest in paranormal or urban fantasy. But the author writes so well, she just drew me in. Against my natural likes, I just found myself caring about the relationship between Bay-Lee and Nick. (Also, I'm past the young adult age, so that gives you some idea how good the book was).
I really enjoyed learning about the different types of monsters in this book. Each class of monsters is described in good but not overwhelming detail so you feel like you are learning. I didn't know there were different kinds of ghosts and really enjoyed these descriptions.
I enjoyed reading the romance. There are no stereotypes there. Bay-Lee is driven by revenge, but questions what is important in her life - to forgive, or to avenge something traumatic that happened to her when she was young? And Nick - he has more than his fair share of demons (the personal kind that is) in his life. You can see how the sparks of attraction fall between Bay-Lee and Nick.
I even checked out "Van Helsing" on Wikipedia after reading this book as I was curious about his background. I'm not a Dracula fan at all and have never read books about Dracula or seen his movies. So you can see that it must take an excellent book to grab my interest, and this author pulled it off!
Now, for me to read another book of this specific genre, it will take only this author!
First, I noticed how smooth the writing is. This author knows her stuff. I read on her author profile that she used to write for Harlequin. I was not surprised. She commands your attention to the story, and holds you there. I found absolutely no errors in this book.
Now, I'm a guy who, at times when bored, and wondering what the fuss was about, tried to read portions of the Twilight Saga. Each book made me feel like falling sleep! So I never read more than about 15 pages of any of the Twilight books. And the movies ... please don't get me started! I never wanted to see more than any five minutes of the Twilight DVD's at other people's houses after initially having an open mind, and curiosity.
So you see, I have little interest in paranormal or urban fantasy. But the author writes so well, she just drew me in. Against my natural likes, I just found myself caring about the relationship between Bay-Lee and Nick. (Also, I'm past the young adult age, so that gives you some idea how good the book was).
I really enjoyed learning about the different types of monsters in this book. Each class of monsters is described in good but not overwhelming detail so you feel like you are learning. I didn't know there were different kinds of ghosts and really enjoyed these descriptions.
I enjoyed reading the romance. There are no stereotypes there. Bay-Lee is driven by revenge, but questions what is important in her life - to forgive, or to avenge something traumatic that happened to her when she was young? And Nick - he has more than his fair share of demons (the personal kind that is) in his life. You can see how the sparks of attraction fall between Bay-Lee and Nick.
I even checked out "Van Helsing" on Wikipedia after reading this book as I was curious about his background. I'm not a Dracula fan at all and have never read books about Dracula or seen his movies. So you can see that it must take an excellent book to grab my interest, and this author pulled it off!
Now, for me to read another book of this specific genre, it will take only this author!
May 17, 2013
I really like the idea behind this book, with a child of the Van Helsing line and all. I was relieved to see that the story's monsters involved more than just vampires (of which I'm not the biggest fan). In fact, throughout the story vampires are something more mentioned in passing. The major monsters at play are the different forms of ghosts and what the book refers to as "border monsters".
Although the love story the book revolves around is your typical romance (boy meets girl, they hate each other, then they suddenly realize they actually love each other) and Nick's attitude is extremely typical for the male love interest (broken, broody, mood swings worse than a menopausal sociopath), I mean seriously people, find me a romance that isn't written like this these days! Still, a lot it actually makes sense for how this particular story plays out, which is way more than I can give other romances. Bay-Lee and Nick can't like each other from the get go and Nick treats Bay-Lee poorly due to a prophecy which trashed Nick's life. But hormones and the teenage belief that you will only love one person ever (thank you Romeo and Juliet) win out and set the lovers on a crash course for destruction.
I'm actually rather impressed with some of the risks K.C. Blake took in who she killed and who she left alive in this story. A lot of authors will skirt around killing anyone of actual importance, or save it for a late installment in the series. Blake was unabashed about who got the ax which added a lot to the story and helped build the suspense.
As for the characters, (aside from my comment about Nick) they were well defined and as a reader you like who you're supposed to like and are annoyed by those you're supposed to find annoying. I don't really think there was anyone to hate in this particular installment. There were bad guys, don't get me wrong, but their plans are intricate and, at times, almost beneficial to the good guys. Not to mention the specific bad guy in this book is a mystery until the end, so you don't have much time to hate him.
I'm interested to see where this series goes and am eagerly awaiting the next installment due in October.
Although the love story the book revolves around is your typical romance (boy meets girl, they hate each other, then they suddenly realize they actually love each other) and Nick's attitude is extremely typical for the male love interest (broken, broody, mood swings worse than a menopausal sociopath), I mean seriously people, find me a romance that isn't written like this these days! Still, a lot it actually makes sense for how this particular story plays out, which is way more than I can give other romances. Bay-Lee and Nick can't like each other from the get go and Nick treats Bay-Lee poorly due to a prophecy which trashed Nick's life. But hormones and the teenage belief that you will only love one person ever (thank you Romeo and Juliet) win out and set the lovers on a crash course for destruction.
I'm actually rather impressed with some of the risks K.C. Blake took in who she killed and who she left alive in this story. A lot of authors will skirt around killing anyone of actual importance, or save it for a late installment in the series. Blake was unabashed about who got the ax which added a lot to the story and helped build the suspense.
As for the characters, (aside from my comment about Nick) they were well defined and as a reader you like who you're supposed to like and are annoyed by those you're supposed to find annoying. I don't really think there was anyone to hate in this particular installment. There were bad guys, don't get me wrong, but their plans are intricate and, at times, almost beneficial to the good guys. Not to mention the specific bad guy in this book is a mystery until the end, so you don't have much time to hate him.
I'm interested to see where this series goes and am eagerly awaiting the next installment due in October.
August 18, 2013
Holy Fricken Moly!! From the very first page I was swept away, with surprises around every corner, kick-ass action, addictive characters and a love story for the ages, this story will have you hooked too. K.C. Blake has created a wonderful world full of Hunters, wraiths, vampires, shifters, ghosts and loads more. When I read the blurb all I saw was "Van Helsing's daughter" and I was sold. I'm a huge fan of the movie (starring Hugh Jackman) and the book, which I have in my collection. When I started Bait I wasn't sure what was coming, but Blake knows how to keep you guessing and keep you coming back for more. I was completely dumbfounded with the way the book ended, I seriously didn't see it coming and I loved that!! (I was a little emotional, lol)
We meet Bay-Lee, not your average teenage girl. Bay-Lee is carrying a huge secret that could shock the world or have her killed.. she's Van Helsing's daughter. With a tragic past and on a quest of pure vengeance she trains to become the best hunter in the world so one day she will be strong enough to act on her revenge. One night she gets a visit from two unsuspected guests, a reaper with a warning and a rock star spirit full of curiosity and hatred. From that point on things start to get interesting. When finally she gets the ok to start hunters school and being able to get started on her plan, things start to happen that she hadn't planned for. The rock star is attending the same school and just happens to be the best hunter besides her father. Nick Gallos is head strong and completely stubborn, he truly hates Bay-Lee but is curious about her. Hate soon turns into love and that's where things start to get serious!
I could keep going but I'd spoil too much and believe me this book needs to be personally experienced. Devour and enjoy!!
Can't WAIT to find out what happens next, I'll be keeping an eye out for book 2 Hunted, coming in October.
We meet Bay-Lee, not your average teenage girl. Bay-Lee is carrying a huge secret that could shock the world or have her killed.. she's Van Helsing's daughter. With a tragic past and on a quest of pure vengeance she trains to become the best hunter in the world so one day she will be strong enough to act on her revenge. One night she gets a visit from two unsuspected guests, a reaper with a warning and a rock star spirit full of curiosity and hatred. From that point on things start to get interesting. When finally she gets the ok to start hunters school and being able to get started on her plan, things start to happen that she hadn't planned for. The rock star is attending the same school and just happens to be the best hunter besides her father. Nick Gallos is head strong and completely stubborn, he truly hates Bay-Lee but is curious about her. Hate soon turns into love and that's where things start to get serious!
I could keep going but I'd spoil too much and believe me this book needs to be personally experienced. Devour and enjoy!!
Can't WAIT to find out what happens next, I'll be keeping an eye out for book 2 Hunted, coming in October.
June 12, 2013
Favorite Line “Pride shone in his eyes like the noonday sun. “She was nine when she told me she would help protect my daughter, pretend to be her and move around the country to keep the monsters guessing. In exchange, she wanted me to train her so she could kill the werewolves who had taken her mother from her.”
Let me tell you about my journey of reading Bait. It started when I met this fabulous woman named K.C. Blake and we both realized we loved Supernatural (Dean and Sam how could we not) so after reading her Rule series and falling in love with it. She told me about a book she had written and of course me being me I told her well if you ever need a beta reader I know someone HINT HINT so I was sent a chapter or 2 at a time until chapter 8 and OMG I loved it... How could you not love a book about a rock star who is really a hunter who has to fake his death.
Bay-Lee is one of a kind to the people around her she is a average teenager and that's just the way Conner (her fake dad) likes it... In reality she is a brilliant, kick butt hunter in training. While I'm reading the first couple chapters I'm thanking the Book Fairy (not me the other one) that I found this amazing author.
Now back to Bait! What's not to love we have Van Helsing group,The order, the spirt realm, reapers, and of course Werewolves.... I just finished and loveeeeedddss it!! It also had a family secret that makes you scream OMG ARE YOU SERIOUS!!! I just loved loved it.... It's a paranormal drama filled book that sucked me in from page one!
You will too so go pick up and get ready to enter a world that I for one would love to live in!
Another hit from an amazing author!!
I was given this book by author in exchange for an honest review.
FIVE HUNTER FAIRIES
Let me tell you about my journey of reading Bait. It started when I met this fabulous woman named K.C. Blake and we both realized we loved Supernatural (Dean and Sam how could we not) so after reading her Rule series and falling in love with it. She told me about a book she had written and of course me being me I told her well if you ever need a beta reader I know someone HINT HINT so I was sent a chapter or 2 at a time until chapter 8 and OMG I loved it... How could you not love a book about a rock star who is really a hunter who has to fake his death.
Bay-Lee is one of a kind to the people around her she is a average teenager and that's just the way Conner (her fake dad) likes it... In reality she is a brilliant, kick butt hunter in training. While I'm reading the first couple chapters I'm thanking the Book Fairy (not me the other one) that I found this amazing author.
Now back to Bait! What's not to love we have Van Helsing group,The order, the spirt realm, reapers, and of course Werewolves.... I just finished and loveeeeedddss it!! It also had a family secret that makes you scream OMG ARE YOU SERIOUS!!! I just loved loved it.... It's a paranormal drama filled book that sucked me in from page one!
You will too so go pick up and get ready to enter a world that I for one would love to live in!
Another hit from an amazing author!!
I was given this book by author in exchange for an honest review.
FIVE HUNTER FAIRIES
August 19, 2013
I received this book in an exchange for a review..... and I give it 5 stars!!! It was a fabulous book and I cannot believe that I did not read this book sooner! That is the first thing I will say..... secondly I love Bay-Lee and Nick Gallos.... seriously! I can only say one thing, and that is that this book takes off from the very beginning. There was no waiting for it to "get good".... it just was! Basically... you can read the blurb for the book, here on Goodreads...... so I will not go into too much detail.... but you have a Rock Star hunter, Bad Boy...... and then the female character is a bad ass Hunter (descendent of the Van Helsing's), literally....... well technically she is "Bait" until she passes to the level of Hunter, at an extremely fast pace......but just a great, awesome read! I love a book that I cannot put down from the beginning..... and that is exactly what happened with Bait, by KC Blake. Nicely written and beautifully edited for an indie author.... and LOTS of mystery, tortured romance and lots of fighting to keep you entertained! CANNOT wait for Hunter....... which I think is out in October.... I will be adding it to my "to-read", and "Cannot-wait-to-read" lists asap! I need to know what happens all around and what happens to Bay-Lee and Nick! Lovers of YA/NA and paranormal novels will love this book!!!! (LoP)
June 5, 2013
Great start to a new series. The plot is good, the characters are interesting and believable. Bay-Lee is in interesting girl, living her life for revenge, but life gets in the way. This is a complex beginning to what I'm sure will be a fantastic story. I can't wait for the next installment in this series to come out. Fantastic!!
April 28, 2013
This book is available online at ebook retailers such as Amazon, Smashwords, B&N, etc. It is the first in the series with the second coming out in October 2013. It will also be available in print in July 2013.
February 12, 2021
A Paranormal Who Done It and Done It and Done It . . . .
The writing is good. The plot is good and actually takes a few twists I didn't anticipate by more than a few paragraphs. This is a fairly standard Supernaturally Themed Murder Mystery novel. There is a "Young Heroine" and a "Bad Boy Love Interes"t for her; for bad guys there are the usual suspects: Werewolves, Vampires, Ghosts, Wraiths, Reapers (Well, theses are less than usual, but you get the idea), and Border Monsters (Which are pretty unique to this Literary Universe); in the good guys column there are the Bait, Hunters, Warriors, and Legends of the VanHelsing Hunter's Academy; and under the heading of "trouble" there is a Prophesy (the standard algebraic curse, "Doom shall befall you if you X, Unless she Ys, then you all Z.)
Frankly, I had trouble keeping interest in the Novel until the last five chapters, when last plot twist kicked in "Bad Boy Love Interest" finally gets to slip into the "Young Heroine" and then they do some serious Monster bashing. It was the fact that I kept losing interest in the plot which led me to dock the rating by a point. The denouement is pretty emotional and sets up some hints on what's to come in the next novel. Possibly the second novel will be more interesting to me, now that most of the Literary Universe's framework is place.
The writing is good. The plot is good and actually takes a few twists I didn't anticipate by more than a few paragraphs. This is a fairly standard Supernaturally Themed Murder Mystery novel. There is a "Young Heroine" and a "Bad Boy Love Interes"t for her; for bad guys there are the usual suspects: Werewolves, Vampires, Ghosts, Wraiths, Reapers (Well, theses are less than usual, but you get the idea), and Border Monsters (Which are pretty unique to this Literary Universe); in the good guys column there are the Bait, Hunters, Warriors, and Legends of the VanHelsing Hunter's Academy; and under the heading of "trouble" there is a Prophesy (the standard algebraic curse, "Doom shall befall you if you X, Unless she Ys, then you all Z.)
Frankly, I had trouble keeping interest in the Novel until the last five chapters, when last plot twist kicked in "Bad Boy Love Interest" finally gets to slip into the "Young Heroine" and then they do some serious Monster bashing. It was the fact that I kept losing interest in the plot which led me to dock the rating by a point. The denouement is pretty emotional and sets up some hints on what's to come in the next novel. Possibly the second novel will be more interesting to me, now that most of the Literary Universe's framework is place.
August 21, 2023
Bait is kind of a perfect title, as the MC is too young for the love interest. Jailbait. Period.
The plot was sort of compelling, in a trainwreck sort of way, but I did enjoy parts of the story. The romance seemed forced, though. His character is all over the place, which is why annoying.
Also, there are some grammar mistakes like missing or added words and some misspelled words.
For my clean readers: violence-lots of fighting, murder, etc . And there are gruesome details. Under age drinking. Language-no f-bomb. Romance-kissing and teenage/adult dating(never says exactly how old the guy is, but even he tells her to back off because she's too young).
The plot was sort of compelling, in a trainwreck sort of way, but I did enjoy parts of the story. The romance seemed forced, though. His character is all over the place, which is why annoying.
Also, there are some grammar mistakes like missing or added words and some misspelled words.
For my clean readers: violence-lots of fighting, murder, etc . And there are gruesome details. Under age drinking. Language-no f-bomb. Romance-kissing and teenage/adult dating(never says exactly how old the guy is, but even he tells her to back off because she's too young).
December 12, 2017
I loved the characters and the plot drew me in from the very beginning. I loved the variety of creatures and the explanations about how they all came to be. I think my favorite thing is that this book is filled with plot twists that will leave you guessing all the way to the end. When you think you understand what is happening, think again because another plot twist is about to creep up on you. Overall, I really enjoyed this great start to another interesting series.
September 26, 2024
I have to say I absolutely loved reading this , I found it to be very addictive.
The storyline is strong and very unpredictable with it's twists and turns
The characters are very well appointed and as the storyline is gripping and full of twists I will find it hard to say much with out giving spoilers.
I will say I thoroughly recommend this book and can't wait to read rest of series.
The storyline is strong and very unpredictable with it's twists and turns
The characters are very well appointed and as the storyline is gripping and full of twists I will find it hard to say much with out giving spoilers.
I will say I thoroughly recommend this book and can't wait to read rest of series.
September 27, 2024
what a read!
What a great read…
Great characters, great storyline and great twists…
From beginning to end this book had me hooked…
Literally could not put it down… what a story…
Mysterious deaths, a disturbing prophecy and Van Helsing…. What’s not to like…
Definitely better than I’d anticipated….
A really great read…. Can’t wait to follow where Bay goes from here….
What a great read…
Great characters, great storyline and great twists…
From beginning to end this book had me hooked…
Literally could not put it down… what a story…
Mysterious deaths, a disturbing prophecy and Van Helsing…. What’s not to like…
Definitely better than I’d anticipated….
A really great read…. Can’t wait to follow where Bay goes from here….
July 13, 2017
Love story with a twist
I loved getting to know the main characters but didn't like the last 10% of the book. Star crossed love with werewolves, wraiths, rock stars and a link to the Van Helsing legacy.
I loved getting to know the main characters but didn't like the last 10% of the book. Star crossed love with werewolves, wraiths, rock stars and a link to the Van Helsing legacy.
April 14, 2019
This book hooked me from the start.
I loved the story of van helsing's daughter.. Bay-lee was seriously kick ass. The story had some great twist and turns it certainly didn't give anything away...
There was a few things that I didn't get or that didn't make sense but over-all I liked it.
I loved the story of van helsing's daughter.. Bay-lee was seriously kick ass. The story had some great twist and turns it certainly didn't give anything away...
There was a few things that I didn't get or that didn't make sense but over-all I liked it.
October 10, 2019
Really good
At the beginning I didn’t know what to think of the story but it turned out to be really good, I couldn’t put it down and read it in one sitting. Great story, great characters, and I will definitely be buying the rest if the series.
At the beginning I didn’t know what to think of the story but it turned out to be really good, I couldn’t put it down and read it in one sitting. Great story, great characters, and I will definitely be buying the rest if the series.
June 11, 2018
Excellent
Excellent storyline and characters that you grow to love. . . . . . . . . . . .
Excellent storyline and characters that you grow to love. . . . . . . . . . . .
May 31, 2020
Horrible ending. The reviews don't say much about future books. Will not continue.
June 26, 2021
Good book
It’s a good book to read need. I couldn’t put the book down and had to read the whole thing right away.
It’s a good book to read need. I couldn’t put the book down and had to read the whole thing right away.
September 2, 2021
Great read
January 15, 2022
Great Book!
Fantastic book, even though it had me crying bucket loads at the end!! Thank God for happy endings!! A truly amazing author!
Fantastic book, even though it had me crying bucket loads at the end!! Thank God for happy endings!! A truly amazing author!
October 3, 2021
OMG loved it can't wait till I can get more of the series
October 30, 2013
I had visions of Buffy the Vampire Slayer while reading this with the addition of a school for supernatural hunters. Bay-Lee is the daughter of the legendary Van Helsing and following in the footsteps of such a legend has it's downsides, namely preconceived ideas of who she is and what she is capable of, and special treatment she receives. Bay-Lee isn't exactly interested in making friends and things that most girls her age are into like shopping and boys. She is more concerned about avenging the death of her mother. In order to do that she needs to become a hunter....but first she has to graduate from being Bait. Bait refers to the lowest of low military rank at Van Helsing's secret school for hunters. "...the only thing you are good for is to be used by us to draw out monsters." My favorite description of Bay-Lee from the book: "She possessed a "bite me" expression that must drive vampires crazy."
Nick is the last person she wants to be around and his feelings towards her are mutual, but because of his own agenda he steps in as her mentor at the school, with no intention of ever actually mentoring her. Bay-Lee however refuses to let him blow her off and she sets out to force him into the responsibility and role he took on. They are both very strong willed and hard headed characters. Bay-Lee can reach the status of Hunter passing all her classes and impressing the instructors. Or she can move up in ranks such as Warrior by doing amazing things. "...capturing a creature we've never encountered, solving a great mystery before anyone else does, or stopping a murder plot put together by the Order". But with the help of Nick, the best hunter at the school, who also is a Warrior, she can reach her goals a lot quicker with his guidance. So Bay-Lee sets out to solve the mystery of what is killing hunters on their birthday with the help of fellow classmate and the only friend she has, Keisha.
This is a story about how our plans don't always go the way they've played out in our minds. Filled with twists and secrets this book kept me guessing on who the mysterious killer was and there were a lot of surprises I wasn't expecting. You want romance in a book - there's some yummy scenes you'll love! Below is a snippet of one of my favorite squeal-worthy scenes:
Final Rating - 4.5 stars!
Thanks K.C. Blake for asking me to be a part of this book tour! I can't wait for book 2!!
Nick is the last person she wants to be around and his feelings towards her are mutual, but because of his own agenda he steps in as her mentor at the school, with no intention of ever actually mentoring her. Bay-Lee however refuses to let him blow her off and she sets out to force him into the responsibility and role he took on. They are both very strong willed and hard headed characters. Bay-Lee can reach the status of Hunter passing all her classes and impressing the instructors. Or she can move up in ranks such as Warrior by doing amazing things. "...capturing a creature we've never encountered, solving a great mystery before anyone else does, or stopping a murder plot put together by the Order". But with the help of Nick, the best hunter at the school, who also is a Warrior, she can reach her goals a lot quicker with his guidance. So Bay-Lee sets out to solve the mystery of what is killing hunters on their birthday with the help of fellow classmate and the only friend she has, Keisha.
This is a story about how our plans don't always go the way they've played out in our minds. Filled with twists and secrets this book kept me guessing on who the mysterious killer was and there were a lot of surprises I wasn't expecting. You want romance in a book - there's some yummy scenes you'll love! Below is a snippet of one of my favorite squeal-worthy scenes:
She abandoned her chair to straddle Nick's lap. It was a toss up as to which of them was more stunned by her uninhibited behavior. This was a first for her. She wasn't the type of girl to get pushy with a guy. Maybe the abrupt, insensitive way he treated her was fueling her desire to make him shake in his shoes. She told herself she wasn't serious. This was just a game.
"W-what are you doing?" he asked. His arms dangled at his sides as if he didn't trust himself enough to touch her for the length of time it would take to remove her from his lap. The look or pure terror on his face provoked her to continue.
She whispered, "Call it an experiment."
"You need to stop."
Her slim fingers slid beneath his hair to stroke the back of his neck. "I want to know what it feels like to kiss you."
Final Rating - 4.5 stars!
Thanks K.C. Blake for asking me to be a part of this book tour! I can't wait for book 2!!
May 29, 2013
Sometimes, you just really want to read a clever, fun, action-packed, paranormal romance. If you are like me, you just really want a clever, fun, action-packed, paranormal romance that will cause you to stay up way past your self-assigned bedtime and have you thinking about it nonstop when you eventually drag yourself away from the brightly lit screen that has become a backdrop to your life and go into bed. (Is that a run-on sentence? I ramble...) Bait delivers.
From the beginning, the idea intrigued me. I am a huge fan of all things that go bump in the night, and Bait is full of all of them. You like vampires? Werewolves? Reapers? Ghosts? Monsters? Illusionist? Yeah, Bait has all of that. And the novel doesn't glamorize all of the monsters into being sexy, misunderstood secretly-sensitive heartthrobs, which is also refreshing. Having a protagonist that is the daughter of Van Helsing? If that isn't cool, then I no longer wish to be cool. I am also highly amused at the fact that the newbies are labeled as 'Bait' before they can move onto 'Hunter' and 'Warrior' or - even - (gasp!) 'Legend'. (It's the little things...) So, as far as the synopsis goes, Bait is absolutely brilliant.
I really liked the characters as well. I thought that the majority of them were developed excellently, and they are easy to connect to. Bay-Lee is a great voice to read, and I found myself rooting her on the entire time. (Which, you know, is what you are supposed to do with a protagonist, not that it always is the case.) Even the characters that ended up being not-so-good were written pretty-freaking-good (well, I know, but that doesn't fit the parallel, now does it?) Not that I can resist a well-crafted villain. (I can't.)
I am a little bit torn on Nick's character. On one hand, the hopeless romantic in me can't talk too much about it, given that she is too busy swooning on the floor. What self-respecting teenage girl doesn't fall for these bad-boy characters? Especially when they are funny and slightly Narcissistic like me? And can kick butt? And sing? Is it getting hotter in here, or...? I liked Nick's voice and character, I really did. There were just certain things that fall into the other hand. The romance is a bit cliche sometimes. The whole I-Was-A-Total-Ladies-Man-But-I-Never-Knew-Love-Until-I-Met-You is used a lot. Don't get me wrong, it can be okay, but it is a little less believable. I guess you can pull off the instalove with the whole "fate" argument, but the concept of "instalove" itself does not bother me too much. This is fiction, after all. Quickly falling in love is allowed. I think what got me is the whole tattoo thing. You'll know what I mean if you read the novel. Just...slightly unnecessary.
Even through the eh-parts, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Bait. The Mock Battles were insanely cool, and probably my favorite scenes.
Fans of the paranormal, this is a band wagon that you would want to jump on. Bait has excellent pacing, excellent characters, and will keep you interested the entire time. I am excited to be able to read more.
***Originally posted on http://www.theyalitchick.blogspot.com
From the beginning, the idea intrigued me. I am a huge fan of all things that go bump in the night, and Bait is full of all of them. You like vampires? Werewolves? Reapers? Ghosts? Monsters? Illusionist? Yeah, Bait has all of that. And the novel doesn't glamorize all of the monsters into being sexy, misunderstood secretly-sensitive heartthrobs, which is also refreshing. Having a protagonist that is the daughter of Van Helsing? If that isn't cool, then I no longer wish to be cool. I am also highly amused at the fact that the newbies are labeled as 'Bait' before they can move onto 'Hunter' and 'Warrior' or - even - (gasp!) 'Legend'. (It's the little things...) So, as far as the synopsis goes, Bait is absolutely brilliant.
I really liked the characters as well. I thought that the majority of them were developed excellently, and they are easy to connect to. Bay-Lee is a great voice to read, and I found myself rooting her on the entire time. (Which, you know, is what you are supposed to do with a protagonist, not that it always is the case.) Even the characters that ended up being not-so-good were written pretty-freaking-good (well, I know, but that doesn't fit the parallel, now does it?) Not that I can resist a well-crafted villain. (I can't.)
I am a little bit torn on Nick's character. On one hand, the hopeless romantic in me can't talk too much about it, given that she is too busy swooning on the floor. What self-respecting teenage girl doesn't fall for these bad-boy characters? Especially when they are funny and slightly Narcissistic
Even through the eh-parts, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Bait. The Mock Battles were insanely cool, and probably my favorite scenes.
Fans of the paranormal, this is a band wagon that you would want to jump on. Bait has excellent pacing, excellent characters, and will keep you interested the entire time. I am excited to be able to read more.
***Originally posted on http://www.theyalitchick.blogspot.com
July 12, 2013
Bait came highly recommended to me by my sister-in-law and fellow blogger, Holly @ Words Fueled by Love. So I decided to check it out and join the blog tour. I liked the idea of a series being about Van Helsing's daughter. While there might be a whole heap of books dedicated to all things Van Helsing, I've never actually read any of them, so Bait came off as being an original (or at least, new) concept to me.
Bait does have an insta-love kind of relationship going on that I know many readers will shy against. While I understand instant attraction, I have enjoyed the insta-love theme of a lot of paranormal books less and less lately. Of course this comes double when the relationship is forbidden. Sometimes forbidden love is the best kind to read about, and sometimes it's just annoying. I can't quite decided which way I felt about Bait's forbidden romance. Without getting into to many details, there's this whole prophecy thing. And while I like the idea of everything a character does (fighting against or not) actually brings them closer to the prophecy versus working to break the prophecy, what I don't enjoy about prophecies, curses, and destiny is when it just changes randomly. But that's enough about that.
It's hard to describe the way I feel about these characters. At some points, I really liked them and felt like KC Blake did a good job flushing out their motivations and backgrounds. But at other points I felt like behavior was out of character or left unexplained. And sometimes I felt like perhaps the writing wasn't as deep as I prefer--but only just barely. There were moments that I can't discuss in detail because of spoilers that I just wanted more from. And the questions that I was left with at the end of the book weren't so much about what's to come in the sequel, but more about things within the characters that I didn't understand.
Keisha for instance. I couldn't decide throughout the book if I thought she was good or bad, real or fake. I am still left wondering. For the majority of the book I felt like this was probably good writing...keeping me guessing. Because it's true, I didn't guess the culprit. I was torn between praying that it wasn't the obvious person and not knowing how it could be any other person. After Bait was over, I was left feeling like perhaps Keisha wasn't as flushed out as she should have been. Maybe this will play into future books in the series, but I felt her behavior was often contradictory. Even Bay-Lee and Nick had moments that behavior seemed out of character to me. *shrugs*
I wanted to be hooked. I wanted to blow through this one as quickly as my sister-in-law had. I wanted to be fanning myself from the steamy romance....but I wasn't. It took me longer to read that I wanted. I'd get hooked for periods of time and not want to put the book down. But looking back over the entire book, I feel I was left being more confused than anything else. Bait gets 3.5 Stars from me. Have you read Bait? What did you think? Let me know!
For more reviews, check out Somewhere Only We Know.
Bait does have an insta-love kind of relationship going on that I know many readers will shy against. While I understand instant attraction, I have enjoyed the insta-love theme of a lot of paranormal books less and less lately. Of course this comes double when the relationship is forbidden. Sometimes forbidden love is the best kind to read about, and sometimes it's just annoying. I can't quite decided which way I felt about Bait's forbidden romance. Without getting into to many details, there's this whole prophecy thing. And while I like the idea of everything a character does (fighting against or not) actually brings them closer to the prophecy versus working to break the prophecy, what I don't enjoy about prophecies, curses, and destiny is when it just changes randomly. But that's enough about that.
It's hard to describe the way I feel about these characters. At some points, I really liked them and felt like KC Blake did a good job flushing out their motivations and backgrounds. But at other points I felt like behavior was out of character or left unexplained. And sometimes I felt like perhaps the writing wasn't as deep as I prefer--but only just barely. There were moments that I can't discuss in detail because of spoilers that I just wanted more from. And the questions that I was left with at the end of the book weren't so much about what's to come in the sequel, but more about things within the characters that I didn't understand.
Keisha for instance. I couldn't decide throughout the book if I thought she was good or bad, real or fake. I am still left wondering. For the majority of the book I felt like this was probably good writing...keeping me guessing. Because it's true, I didn't guess the culprit. I was torn between praying that it wasn't the obvious person and not knowing how it could be any other person. After Bait was over, I was left feeling like perhaps Keisha wasn't as flushed out as she should have been. Maybe this will play into future books in the series, but I felt her behavior was often contradictory. Even Bay-Lee and Nick had moments that behavior seemed out of character to me. *shrugs*
I wanted to be hooked. I wanted to blow through this one as quickly as my sister-in-law had. I wanted to be fanning myself from the steamy romance....but I wasn't. It took me longer to read that I wanted. I'd get hooked for periods of time and not want to put the book down. But looking back over the entire book, I feel I was left being more confused than anything else. Bait gets 3.5 Stars from me. Have you read Bait? What did you think? Let me know!
For more reviews, check out Somewhere Only We Know.
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