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Raina Kirkland #1
Fatal Retribution
Raina Kirkland is a witch without magic and an elf without grace. She lives in a wondrous world that parallels our own in every way, save for one fantastic detail. Every story ever told, every monster, every god, every demon is spectacularly real!
Even so, Raina seems to live an unremarkable life up until the day her family falls victim to a spree of unauthorized vampire infections. Without government oversight humans are becoming terrorizing blood thirsty murderers all over the Pacific Northwest.
Raina is just coming into her own as a woman when she realizes the police can no longer be trusted to stop this unbelievably violent trend, and she engages in an amazing journey that brings her to her breaking point and beyond.
Even so, Raina seems to live an unremarkable life up until the day her family falls victim to a spree of unauthorized vampire infections. Without government oversight humans are becoming terrorizing blood thirsty murderers all over the Pacific Northwest.
Raina is just coming into her own as a woman when she realizes the police can no longer be trusted to stop this unbelievably violent trend, and she engages in an amazing journey that brings her to her breaking point and beyond.
248 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 28, 2012
40 people are currently reading
188 people want to read
About the author
Diana Graves
14 books27 followersDiana was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. Always the artist, painting, acting and drawing were her mediums of choice until she discovered the written word's ability to create strange new worlds, to craft new life and new civilizations, to boldly take readers where they've never been before. (Geek Bomb!) Besides writing, Diana has a full time job, a beautiful baby girl, an equally beautiful teenaged live-in sister, a black border collie- lab mix (or a borador), two sleek black cats and an adoring husband all packed into a humble cottage on a hill.
Blog= http://dianagraves.blogspot.com/
Twitter= Diana_Graves
Facebook= www.facebook.com/gravesnovels
Blog= http://dianagraves.blogspot.com/
Twitter= Diana_Graves
Facebook= www.facebook.com/gravesnovels
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
November 16, 2013
It always puts a huge smile on my face when I discover a new series that I love and can get stuck into. Nothing else in life is like a good read.
The main character is really likable and doesn't even begin to lose credibility by being perfect. I don't know about you, but anyone who seems too good to be true, very probably isn't too good. Nothing like keeping your devious habits behind closed doors. As the saying goes, a good friend helps you move house, a really, really, good friend helps you move a dead body. That would be the sort of friend I might have scored. Really human (and obviously I'm a very approachable and great best friend!).
She doesn't have a fantastic figure, she isn't drop dead gorgeous, and she has real hangups, just like the rest of us, that doesn't bog down the book with too much negativity.
Her family is equally realistic, and she experiences the kind of genuine emotions that gives a book that intimate touch.
The story keeps you involved and for me, it was a 'must finish tonight' type of book. Yehhh!
I will have to move straight on to the next novel and hope it lives up to my now admittedly high expectations.
The main character is really likable and doesn't even begin to lose credibility by being perfect. I don't know about you, but anyone who seems too good to be true, very probably isn't too good. Nothing like keeping your devious habits behind closed doors. As the saying goes, a good friend helps you move house, a really, really, good friend helps you move a dead body. That would be the sort of friend I might have scored. Really human (and obviously I'm a very approachable and great best friend!).
She doesn't have a fantastic figure, she isn't drop dead gorgeous, and she has real hangups, just like the rest of us, that doesn't bog down the book with too much negativity.
Her family is equally realistic, and she experiences the kind of genuine emotions that gives a book that intimate touch.
The story keeps you involved and for me, it was a 'must finish tonight' type of book. Yehhh!
I will have to move straight on to the next novel and hope it lives up to my now admittedly high expectations.
February 15, 2014
I received this book from the Author and Lovers of Paranormal (LOP) at Goodreads.com for an honest review.
Hook, line and sinker I am caught in the world of Raina Kirland. What an explosive story!!! The author has definitely come to the party with a well executed story with so much intrigue, lust, blood, guts, gore and so much excitement. I immediately felt for Raina, an outcast in an outcast world, where she can’t belong even where the belonging don’t belong. You are thrown into the world of pain and upheaval from the onset, with the “death” of her brothers. Raina’s world is turned upside down even more with her own problem, yet out of the chaos finds a love match with Mato that I only hope will transpire. Raina seems to finally find her own destiny and calling, but will it be at the sake of her brother Tristan. Having already lost the love of her mom who I was appalled by (dad unknown), it’s hard to understand how she has still remained with such an undeniably beautiful heart. The author managed to capture a whole new world for me, one I wish wouldn’t end.
Hook, line and sinker I am caught in the world of Raina Kirland. What an explosive story!!! The author has definitely come to the party with a well executed story with so much intrigue, lust, blood, guts, gore and so much excitement. I immediately felt for Raina, an outcast in an outcast world, where she can’t belong even where the belonging don’t belong. You are thrown into the world of pain and upheaval from the onset, with the “death” of her brothers. Raina’s world is turned upside down even more with her own problem, yet out of the chaos finds a love match with Mato that I only hope will transpire. Raina seems to finally find her own destiny and calling, but will it be at the sake of her brother Tristan. Having already lost the love of her mom who I was appalled by (dad unknown), it’s hard to understand how she has still remained with such an undeniably beautiful heart. The author managed to capture a whole new world for me, one I wish wouldn’t end.
January 10, 2015
**I received this book in exchange for an honest review (LoP or Lovers of Paranormal)**
Fatal retribution has been an amazing read, a gripping storyline with fantastic characters and unlike anything I have ever read before. This book is going straight into my list of favourites possibly along with the second in the series which I will be reading as of tomorrow. In short I loved this book and in case anyone is curious about the rating I can already say 5 stars.
The main character is Raina, she is a witch elf hybrid in a world where all paranormal species and God's and anything else supernatural are living along with humans who as always are oblivious to what is happening around them. When Raina and her brothers are bitten by a vampire they are forced into a situation that they would not normally be in and since Raina is the only one of them not to turn into a full vampire it makes her question who her family really are. I loved Raina as a main character as she was too shy to turn into a whiney main character who only cares about boys yet was still aware of boys and she had the perfect kick ass, sassy attitude that I feel every female character should have. This book is very much an emotional journey for Raina and yet she remains a constant throughout, this main character was so expertly written that it will take hopefully more than three books before I inevitably tire of reading about her (which I do with every female character).
There are a lot of secondary characters in this book I however feel the most noteworthy are Nicholas, Mato, Tristan and Damon. Nicholas is one of Darian's brothers that got bitten and subsequently turned into a vampire, due to the strain of blood from the vampire who bit him Nicholas's turning happened so fast and because of his elf blood pretty much shattered the reality of him living by the same moral code he was before the bite. Nicholas struggles throughout this book to come to terms with what has happened to him and I feel this makes Raina nervous about her inevitable fate. Mato acts in a role that is almost like he is a vampire law enforcement officer for the area Raina and her brothers are bitten; he stays throughout the book I think because as well as being attracted to Raina he is also curious about what will happen to her. Tristan is Raina's non vampire brother who helps her with disputes with her mother who rejects her now that she will be a vampire. And Damon is a teacher Raina goes to see about how to deal with issues she will face as a vampire. All the secondary characters play a big part in Raina's life and ultimately I chose to talk about the ones that stay with her until the end of this book.
The pacing was great building up a great plot to get us hooked then an explosive finale appearing us forward to want to read the next book. I loved that we were chucked straight into the story and then given the appropriate time to learn about each and every character during a transition phase before giving us the big twist.
The storyline is fantastically original and unique giving us a brand new almost fantasy world where all paranormal and supernatural species can live in with humans not knowing.
I thought this book was fantastic and original, 5 stars and bring on book 2 - mortal sentry.
Fatal retribution has been an amazing read, a gripping storyline with fantastic characters and unlike anything I have ever read before. This book is going straight into my list of favourites possibly along with the second in the series which I will be reading as of tomorrow. In short I loved this book and in case anyone is curious about the rating I can already say 5 stars.
The main character is Raina, she is a witch elf hybrid in a world where all paranormal species and God's and anything else supernatural are living along with humans who as always are oblivious to what is happening around them. When Raina and her brothers are bitten by a vampire they are forced into a situation that they would not normally be in and since Raina is the only one of them not to turn into a full vampire it makes her question who her family really are. I loved Raina as a main character as she was too shy to turn into a whiney main character who only cares about boys yet was still aware of boys and she had the perfect kick ass, sassy attitude that I feel every female character should have. This book is very much an emotional journey for Raina and yet she remains a constant throughout, this main character was so expertly written that it will take hopefully more than three books before I inevitably tire of reading about her (which I do with every female character).
There are a lot of secondary characters in this book I however feel the most noteworthy are Nicholas, Mato, Tristan and Damon. Nicholas is one of Darian's brothers that got bitten and subsequently turned into a vampire, due to the strain of blood from the vampire who bit him Nicholas's turning happened so fast and because of his elf blood pretty much shattered the reality of him living by the same moral code he was before the bite. Nicholas struggles throughout this book to come to terms with what has happened to him and I feel this makes Raina nervous about her inevitable fate. Mato acts in a role that is almost like he is a vampire law enforcement officer for the area Raina and her brothers are bitten; he stays throughout the book I think because as well as being attracted to Raina he is also curious about what will happen to her. Tristan is Raina's non vampire brother who helps her with disputes with her mother who rejects her now that she will be a vampire. And Damon is a teacher Raina goes to see about how to deal with issues she will face as a vampire. All the secondary characters play a big part in Raina's life and ultimately I chose to talk about the ones that stay with her until the end of this book.
The pacing was great building up a great plot to get us hooked then an explosive finale appearing us forward to want to read the next book. I loved that we were chucked straight into the story and then given the appropriate time to learn about each and every character during a transition phase before giving us the big twist.
The storyline is fantastically original and unique giving us a brand new almost fantasy world where all paranormal and supernatural species can live in with humans not knowing.
I thought this book was fantastic and original, 5 stars and bring on book 2 - mortal sentry.
July 16, 2014
This book surprised me in multiple ways. Although when I read the synopsis, I thought it would be something that I would enjoy, but I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I truly did. So now I will point out all the ways that I found this book awesome.
1. Raina's eyes. I loved the description of Raina! Her hair caught my attention, but the description of her eyes captivated me. I loved the idea that her distinct mahogany & red eyes revealing the fact she was a witch. I found the eye colour descriptions throughout the book showing the person's nature fascinating, but none were as appealing as Raina's eyes.
2. Raina's an empath! Way to go author. Although being a witch is cool, after reading multiple books using the same skill sets (vampires, witches, shifters) it seems like books start to blend together for me. The fact that Raina was an empath set this book apart from the rest for me. She was given a unique talent that quickly became far more interesting after her infection. I just loved this interesting quality that grew into something even more powerful and interesting than before.
3. This one is probably my favourite, but I loved the fact that the author was realistic in how these different creatures were treated. Although it was heartbreaking that Raina's half sister was so coldhearted toward her, I found it intriguing that she spouts out "Thou shall not suffer a witch to live!" towards her own flesh and blood due to fear. It's a sad aspect of the book, but the realism is definitely appreciated. I also enjoyed the thought that the older indigenous vampires were untrusting of the country as a whole since it's difficult to establish trust in someone that actually has the memories of their family being slaughtered. This was highly interesting and made me wonder if our country would have such peace if Native Americans withheld those memories throughout the years.
So overall, this story has so many different aspects (I could go on) that I really thought made the book stand out from just the run of the mill witch vs the world kind of story. Not only were the characters well fleshed out and explained, but the storyline was fast paced and interesting. Th author left enough mystery to make you want to keep reading without so much that I was frustrated with the small amount of information given.
I would recommend this to paranormal readers and I hope to read the next installment soon!
1. Raina's eyes. I loved the description of Raina! Her hair caught my attention, but the description of her eyes captivated me. I loved the idea that her distinct mahogany & red eyes revealing the fact she was a witch. I found the eye colour descriptions throughout the book showing the person's nature fascinating, but none were as appealing as Raina's eyes.
2. Raina's an empath! Way to go author. Although being a witch is cool, after reading multiple books using the same skill sets (vampires, witches, shifters) it seems like books start to blend together for me. The fact that Raina was an empath set this book apart from the rest for me. She was given a unique talent that quickly became far more interesting after her infection. I just loved this interesting quality that grew into something even more powerful and interesting than before.
3. This one is probably my favourite, but I loved the fact that the author was realistic in how these different creatures were treated. Although it was heartbreaking that Raina's half sister was so coldhearted toward her, I found it intriguing that she spouts out "Thou shall not suffer a witch to live!" towards her own flesh and blood due to fear. It's a sad aspect of the book, but the realism is definitely appreciated. I also enjoyed the thought that the older indigenous vampires were untrusting of the country as a whole since it's difficult to establish trust in someone that actually has the memories of their family being slaughtered. This was highly interesting and made me wonder if our country would have such peace if Native Americans withheld those memories throughout the years.
So overall, this story has so many different aspects (I could go on) that I really thought made the book stand out from just the run of the mill witch vs the world kind of story. Not only were the characters well fleshed out and explained, but the storyline was fast paced and interesting. Th author left enough mystery to make you want to keep reading without so much that I was frustrated with the small amount of information given.
I would recommend this to paranormal readers and I hope to read the next installment soon!
March 18, 2014
Fatal Retribution by Diana Graves
I received this book in exchange for an honest review by the Author and the “Lovers of Paranormal” Group on Goodreads.com
I fantastic read... I was quickly drawn in and became absolutely engrossed in this book until the very end. A successful mix of action, romance and adventure, with a good helping of blood and gore added to the mix. This book follows the story of Raina Kirkland, who is essentially an outcast in an outcast world. Her world is turned upside down after a life changing family camping trip. The characters are brilliant and very well defined. The writing is rich, descriptive and flows effortlessly. With its unique plot this book has a refreshing twist and is original and creative. A wonderful read that I found myself completely immersed in, and that I enjoyed immensely. But I have to warn you that this book does leave you wanting more. If you enjoy books with a Supernatural theme or Urban Fantasy, this will not disappoint with its generous helping of everything supernatural. I will definitely be looking out for more of this talented authors work.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review by the Author and the “Lovers of Paranormal” Group on Goodreads.com
I fantastic read... I was quickly drawn in and became absolutely engrossed in this book until the very end. A successful mix of action, romance and adventure, with a good helping of blood and gore added to the mix. This book follows the story of Raina Kirkland, who is essentially an outcast in an outcast world. Her world is turned upside down after a life changing family camping trip. The characters are brilliant and very well defined. The writing is rich, descriptive and flows effortlessly. With its unique plot this book has a refreshing twist and is original and creative. A wonderful read that I found myself completely immersed in, and that I enjoyed immensely. But I have to warn you that this book does leave you wanting more. If you enjoy books with a Supernatural theme or Urban Fantasy, this will not disappoint with its generous helping of everything supernatural. I will definitely be looking out for more of this talented authors work.
November 22, 2014
I received this book from the lovers of paranormal group for an honest review.
I loved this book, it captured me from the first page. I loved how the author developed the characters and made them all identifiable. My heart broke for Nick and Tristan kind of annoyed me. Raina is still living with her mum at twenty one years of age and they have a strange relationship, her mother says all the right things but doesn't show it.
This book was full of intrigue, mystery and Gore with a little romance thrown in. Mato and Raina's relationship is only beginning and I like that they didn't fall into bed or in love two days after meeting. I can't wait to read the next book to see how everything develops!!!
I loved this book, it captured me from the first page. I loved how the author developed the characters and made them all identifiable. My heart broke for Nick and Tristan kind of annoyed me. Raina is still living with her mum at twenty one years of age and they have a strange relationship, her mother says all the right things but doesn't show it.
This book was full of intrigue, mystery and Gore with a little romance thrown in. Mato and Raina's relationship is only beginning and I like that they didn't fall into bed or in love two days after meeting. I can't wait to read the next book to see how everything develops!!!
February 8, 2014
**I received this book in exchange for an honest review. Lovers of Paranormal, LoP **
This book was a great read. I loved the story. One great aspect of this book was that the story did not follow mainstream paranormal qualities. The way the story was told was well thought out and brilliantly crafted. The characters are all unusual and perfect for this story. The way the story flowed was great. I look forward to reading more of Raina's life. A must add to your tbr list.
This book was a great read. I loved the story. One great aspect of this book was that the story did not follow mainstream paranormal qualities. The way the story was told was well thought out and brilliantly crafted. The characters are all unusual and perfect for this story. The way the story flowed was great. I look forward to reading more of Raina's life. A must add to your tbr list.
July 12, 2014
I received this book in exchange for an honest review (Lovers of Paranormal). This was a great book. I loved reading about all the different supes. I was fascinated by the town of Darkness as well. Raina is a fun character, part elf, part witch, and a couple other things. I'm very curious to find out about her father. I was totally into this book from start to finish and will continue on with the series.
February 27, 2017
Lots of promise
New take on the supernatural. MASSES of storylines and characters. Real promise however just a little too much going on nationwide. Nearly 4 stars if edited a but more to tighten up the storylines.
Give this series a go though
New take on the supernatural. MASSES of storylines and characters. Real promise however just a little too much going on nationwide. Nearly 4 stars if edited a but more to tighten up the storylines.
Give this series a go though
August 13, 2013
I love finding a new female hero who steps onto the stage at the beginning of the book already strong and willing to grow stronger. Raina Kirkland is just such a hero. Raina lives in a world no one I know has ever visited even though Fatal Retribution is set in the Pacific Northwest. Her world is our world turned on its head, where elfs and vampires and witches and many more paranormal entities reside, existing within a society which knows them and for the most part accepts them as part of the landscape. To me, a novice to this particular subset of urban paranormal novels, the only word I could use to describe it is steampunk.
Raina's tale begins with her joining her siblings for a camping trip which turns into the camp-out from hell as they are attacked by a raging newly "born" vampire. Two of her brothers are bitten and must undergo dying and being reborn in a VCC (Vampire Care Center--see what I mean about an alternate reality?) before being allowed back out into the world. For some reason, Raina, part elf, part witch and part human, survives her bite and must learn what it means to be a "living" vampire. It all has to do with genetics, and I must say that Graves does an admirable job of explaining the physiology behind vampirism as she takes us through Raina's experiences and the experiences of her relatives and friends, old and new.
Raina, like any only slightly post-adolescent young woman, suffers from self-esteem issues and endures a meddling mother who means well but refuses to admit that her little girl is a grownup. (Living at home doesn't help.) And yet, she is feisty and forever questioning what she doesn't yet understand. No waiting for some guy to come along and save her; this gal has spunk and she uses it as she becomes involved in the mystery of who is illegally offering humans the opportunity to become immortal by shooting up altered vampire blood.
My only quibble with Fatal Retribution is the grammar and word usage issue. Graves is an excellent storyteller, but too often one gets caught up in the lack of punctuation that could have helped a sentence make sense and the use of the wrong word, usually a homonym of the correct word. I would have given a 5-star review had the quality of the text come up to the delight of the storytelling. Regardless, I do recommend it and look forward to more from Graves' prolific imagination.
Raina's tale begins with her joining her siblings for a camping trip which turns into the camp-out from hell as they are attacked by a raging newly "born" vampire. Two of her brothers are bitten and must undergo dying and being reborn in a VCC (Vampire Care Center--see what I mean about an alternate reality?) before being allowed back out into the world. For some reason, Raina, part elf, part witch and part human, survives her bite and must learn what it means to be a "living" vampire. It all has to do with genetics, and I must say that Graves does an admirable job of explaining the physiology behind vampirism as she takes us through Raina's experiences and the experiences of her relatives and friends, old and new.
Raina, like any only slightly post-adolescent young woman, suffers from self-esteem issues and endures a meddling mother who means well but refuses to admit that her little girl is a grownup. (Living at home doesn't help.) And yet, she is feisty and forever questioning what she doesn't yet understand. No waiting for some guy to come along and save her; this gal has spunk and she uses it as she becomes involved in the mystery of who is illegally offering humans the opportunity to become immortal by shooting up altered vampire blood.
My only quibble with Fatal Retribution is the grammar and word usage issue. Graves is an excellent storyteller, but too often one gets caught up in the lack of punctuation that could have helped a sentence make sense and the use of the wrong word, usually a homonym of the correct word. I would have given a 5-star review had the quality of the text come up to the delight of the storytelling. Regardless, I do recommend it and look forward to more from Graves' prolific imagination.
February 22, 2014
First and foremost let me begin by stating that I received a free copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review (LOP R2R). Thank you
Let me start by being direct, I incorrectly selected this book from the list of LOP R2R books to be reviewed; I actually meant to select the book below it. I am so glad for my mistake; this book was amazing I finished it in 2 days. I couldn’t put it down. I wanted; I needed to know what was going to happen to Mateo and Raina. I wanted to find out every little detail about what made Raina special and discover who (or better yet what) her ancestors were.
The opening chapter was a bit confusing (since I had no clue what the book was about) and completely enthralling. I wanted to know what kind of creature was could take and defeat a group of witches and warlocks. It was both exciting and fast-moving. I really expected Nicholas to be the bad warlock that Raina would safe from a doom future, wow was I wrong (well sort of). It’s a great book that will keep your attention from chapter 1 to chapter 40.
************************warning: Spoiler Alert ********************
One of the few things I didn’t care about the book was that the story didn’t explain why Mark was so intent about finding a cure for Vampirism. It stated that Admetus had him purse a cure to save his life, but really all he had to due was kill Alcestis. He had her detain and would kill her at sunrise and he would have been free. Like I said, a minor thing in such a great book.
The rest of the book was amazing. It just left me with a few questions which I hope the next books answer. I want to know if Damon is Raina’s father and that’s why he is so protective of her? Why is Raina’s mom so nasty? How can a mother throw out her kid; only because Nicholas was a warlock and Raina is curious? Is like she can only love her kids if they are perfect, and act exactly how she wants them to, just like Tristan.
All and all a great book…
Thank you for allowing me to review it.
Let me start by being direct, I incorrectly selected this book from the list of LOP R2R books to be reviewed; I actually meant to select the book below it. I am so glad for my mistake; this book was amazing I finished it in 2 days. I couldn’t put it down. I wanted; I needed to know what was going to happen to Mateo and Raina. I wanted to find out every little detail about what made Raina special and discover who (or better yet what) her ancestors were.
The opening chapter was a bit confusing (since I had no clue what the book was about) and completely enthralling. I wanted to know what kind of creature was could take and defeat a group of witches and warlocks. It was both exciting and fast-moving. I really expected Nicholas to be the bad warlock that Raina would safe from a doom future, wow was I wrong (well sort of). It’s a great book that will keep your attention from chapter 1 to chapter 40.
************************warning: Spoiler Alert ********************
One of the few things I didn’t care about the book was that the story didn’t explain why Mark was so intent about finding a cure for Vampirism. It stated that Admetus had him purse a cure to save his life, but really all he had to due was kill Alcestis. He had her detain and would kill her at sunrise and he would have been free. Like I said, a minor thing in such a great book.
The rest of the book was amazing. It just left me with a few questions which I hope the next books answer. I want to know if Damon is Raina’s father and that’s why he is so protective of her? Why is Raina’s mom so nasty? How can a mother throw out her kid; only because Nicholas was a warlock and Raina is curious? Is like she can only love her kids if they are perfect, and act exactly how she wants them to, just like Tristan.
All and all a great book…
Thank you for allowing me to review it.
September 6, 2016
R2R (LoP) Fatal Retribution
I received a free copy, through LoP, in exchange for a review.
Welcome to a world where there are humans and non humans, all living together, just trying to get along. Well, some more so than others. Raina, a witch, elf human is just trying to keep her life going and deal with her other than perfect family, some not human, some human. One of her brothers suggest that all of the siblings get together for a nice camping trip. No harm in spending time with your loved ones, even if they don't love you back. This trip turns out to be a life changing experience; one dies, then come back, one changes and then of course Raina becomes something that cannot be, the living dead. Now, she is on a mission, to figure out how and why this happened and how best to prevent this “virus” from spreading.
“You see, “Ruy began. “There are creatures out there that are immune to the virus but they aren't humans, elves or witches, and that's all you claim to be.” That last part sounded too accusatory for my taste, too much like he thought I was lying. But, to what end?
“That's because that's all I am. I'm a mutt, like most people these days.”
“That can't be all that you are, or you would be a vampire right now,” said Nenet. “Vampirism does nothing to a creature that is immune to it. However, a combination of a creature that is immune and one that is not has unpredictable outcomes when infected. Some die on the spot, others turn, and some become as you are.”
This story was easy enough to become so absorbed in. Great read, good characters and not over the top. Loved it so much, that I got the second book. I'm really looking forward to this series!
I received a free copy, through LoP, in exchange for a review.
Welcome to a world where there are humans and non humans, all living together, just trying to get along. Well, some more so than others. Raina, a witch, elf human is just trying to keep her life going and deal with her other than perfect family, some not human, some human. One of her brothers suggest that all of the siblings get together for a nice camping trip. No harm in spending time with your loved ones, even if they don't love you back. This trip turns out to be a life changing experience; one dies, then come back, one changes and then of course Raina becomes something that cannot be, the living dead. Now, she is on a mission, to figure out how and why this happened and how best to prevent this “virus” from spreading.
“You see, “Ruy began. “There are creatures out there that are immune to the virus but they aren't humans, elves or witches, and that's all you claim to be.” That last part sounded too accusatory for my taste, too much like he thought I was lying. But, to what end?
“That's because that's all I am. I'm a mutt, like most people these days.”
“That can't be all that you are, or you would be a vampire right now,” said Nenet. “Vampirism does nothing to a creature that is immune to it. However, a combination of a creature that is immune and one that is not has unpredictable outcomes when infected. Some die on the spot, others turn, and some become as you are.”
This story was easy enough to become so absorbed in. Great read, good characters and not over the top. Loved it so much, that I got the second book. I'm really looking forward to this series!
July 24, 2012
To the uninitiated, the Urban Fantasy genre takes our favorite monsters, ghouls and demons - creatures hard core horror masters try to make believable, exotic and therefore frightening - and pigeon holes them comfortably into contemporary society. Thus, Elves, Ogres, Warlocks and werewolves are all part of the story and nobody makes a big thing about it. "Fatal Retribution" even features a Vampire rehab clinic.
It takes an awful lot of exposition to “sell” this reality, which slows the pace in the first quarter of the novel. I’ll admit that it had me drumming my fingers a little as yet another critter had to be explained and a government acronym spelled out – but these are norms for the genre. The cool thing about “Fatal Retribution” is that Diana Graves manages to integrate this into a coherent, if slightly wacky tapestry and then cuts right to the chase as mysteries are solved, conspiracies unmasked and bad guys worthy of Ann Rice’s “Queen of the Damned,” and their flunkies are brought to accounts.
Is there any room left over for character development? What about intra-personal relationships? The answer is a resounding Yes! An affable, believable post teen narrator/protagonist; some scenes of genuinely frightening supernatural mayhem and a villain big enough, mean enough and crazy enough to merit the struggle keep those pages turning.
Truth to tell: I enjoyed "Fatal Retribution.”. It’s a charming, exciting, WELL WRITTEN piece of slightly bloody, good fun.
It takes an awful lot of exposition to “sell” this reality, which slows the pace in the first quarter of the novel. I’ll admit that it had me drumming my fingers a little as yet another critter had to be explained and a government acronym spelled out – but these are norms for the genre. The cool thing about “Fatal Retribution” is that Diana Graves manages to integrate this into a coherent, if slightly wacky tapestry and then cuts right to the chase as mysteries are solved, conspiracies unmasked and bad guys worthy of Ann Rice’s “Queen of the Damned,” and their flunkies are brought to accounts.
Is there any room left over for character development? What about intra-personal relationships? The answer is a resounding Yes! An affable, believable post teen narrator/protagonist; some scenes of genuinely frightening supernatural mayhem and a villain big enough, mean enough and crazy enough to merit the struggle keep those pages turning.
Truth to tell: I enjoyed "Fatal Retribution.”. It’s a charming, exciting, WELL WRITTEN piece of slightly bloody, good fun.
November 18, 2012
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What a unique fantasy story with so many unhuman creatures. I really enjoyed this story due to the fact that you never know what Rania is getting herself into. This girls drama never stops, and for a 22 year old she has got some major issues bearing down on her shoulders. Coming from a family where both of the parents are so self centered, Rania depends on her brothers for the fulfillment of love. In this world, vampires, elves, witches, demons and other unhuman beings are a part of life. Rania and her brothers are a mix of elf and witch but their father is human. So that means mom carries all the unhuman genes. When Rania and her siblings are attacked by a vampire during a camping trip, Rania and her 2 brothers are now turned to vampires. Unfortunately for Rania, she doesn't turn normally, actually she doesn't turn at all. She becomes a living vampire. Something so uncommon that the vampire families all want her to join them. Becoming a living vampire means there is something else to Rania, but her mother who is the key to the answer is not so forthcoming. Rania helps the sheriff of the town of Darkness to try to stop the spread of vampire blood being handed out on the streets. During this pursuit of justices, Rania will find that she has more power than she knows and that just might hurt the fragile relationship she has with her family. If you enjoy a good adventure with mystery, romance and action then you will definitely enjoy this series.
What a unique fantasy story with so many unhuman creatures. I really enjoyed this story due to the fact that you never know what Rania is getting herself into. This girls drama never stops, and for a 22 year old she has got some major issues bearing down on her shoulders. Coming from a family where both of the parents are so self centered, Rania depends on her brothers for the fulfillment of love. In this world, vampires, elves, witches, demons and other unhuman beings are a part of life. Rania and her brothers are a mix of elf and witch but their father is human. So that means mom carries all the unhuman genes. When Rania and her siblings are attacked by a vampire during a camping trip, Rania and her 2 brothers are now turned to vampires. Unfortunately for Rania, she doesn't turn normally, actually she doesn't turn at all. She becomes a living vampire. Something so uncommon that the vampire families all want her to join them. Becoming a living vampire means there is something else to Rania, but her mother who is the key to the answer is not so forthcoming. Rania helps the sheriff of the town of Darkness to try to stop the spread of vampire blood being handed out on the streets. During this pursuit of justices, Rania will find that she has more power than she knows and that just might hurt the fragile relationship she has with her family. If you enjoy a good adventure with mystery, romance and action then you will definitely enjoy this series.
February 11, 2014
I received this book in exchange for an honest review by the Author and the "Lovers of Paranormal" Group on Goodreads. Thank you for this wonderful opportunity!
Fatal Retribution is a very intriguing story that pulls you in from the very beginning. I was captivated by the creativity of the storyline and all the twists and turns it took – it keeps you guessing all the way to the end!
Raina Kirkland is a mutt –a mix of witch, elf, and human– though she doesn't display good attributions for any. Her two older brothers are skilled witches and graceful elves. Her step-brother and step-sister are purely human. All the siblings go on a camping trip that turns out to be a nightmare, scarring and changing their lives forever.
“Being a witch was one step up from being a vampire and a step down from being a thieving gnome.”
“Is there a law somewhere that says all vampires have to walk like super models?”
“I can’t, I’m a virgin. Virgins don’t die.” “In my time, virgins were always the most likely to die.”
The Author did a wonderful job creating a world where all imaginable creatures live along side of humans. I immensely enjoyed this book from start to finish! It was fresh and flowed nicely. I am looking forward to the second installment!
Fatal Retribution is a very intriguing story that pulls you in from the very beginning. I was captivated by the creativity of the storyline and all the twists and turns it took – it keeps you guessing all the way to the end!
Raina Kirkland is a mutt –a mix of witch, elf, and human– though she doesn't display good attributions for any. Her two older brothers are skilled witches and graceful elves. Her step-brother and step-sister are purely human. All the siblings go on a camping trip that turns out to be a nightmare, scarring and changing their lives forever.
“Being a witch was one step up from being a vampire and a step down from being a thieving gnome.”
“Is there a law somewhere that says all vampires have to walk like super models?”
“I can’t, I’m a virgin. Virgins don’t die.” “In my time, virgins were always the most likely to die.”
The Author did a wonderful job creating a world where all imaginable creatures live along side of humans. I immensely enjoyed this book from start to finish! It was fresh and flowed nicely. I am looking forward to the second installment!
December 3, 2014
Urban fantasy is a hard thing to write. A lot of times, mixing fantasy themes and incorporating them successfully into modern day life can be challenging. I am extremely happy to report author Diana Graves (awesome name, by the way) completely nailed it.
Without giving too many spoilers, Raina is a half elf/witch who struggles with magic. She can do it; however, not very well. As tragedy strikes her family, Raina has to deal with that chaos as well as other problems that arise.
…As I think about this, It’s really hard not to give too much away. Just pick it up, it’s good stuff.
As a side note, as a writer myself, I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed Diana’s narrative voice. I honestly wish I would write as well as she can. Her words danced off the page in such a graceful way, it made reading this story such a pleasure. By saying ‘she’s a wonderful writer’ is an understatement. I am thankful for the wonderful opportunity to review her work.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review (LoP or Lovers of Paranormal)
Without giving too many spoilers, Raina is a half elf/witch who struggles with magic. She can do it; however, not very well. As tragedy strikes her family, Raina has to deal with that chaos as well as other problems that arise.
…As I think about this, It’s really hard not to give too much away. Just pick it up, it’s good stuff.
As a side note, as a writer myself, I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed Diana’s narrative voice. I honestly wish I would write as well as she can. Her words danced off the page in such a graceful way, it made reading this story such a pleasure. By saying ‘she’s a wonderful writer’ is an understatement. I am thankful for the wonderful opportunity to review her work.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review (LoP or Lovers of Paranormal)
April 3, 2014
I received this book in exchange for an honest review (LoP or Lovers of Paranormal)
I loved how original the characters of this book was as well as the actual story line. Fatal Retribution was a fresh perspective on the oh-so-popular Paranormal Novels. I liked that not everyone what the perfect stereotype of what a leading/influential character would look or act like. This was a different and interesting read for sure.
The only reason this book received three stars from was because felt like the book was lagging one moment and then completely rushed the next. The characters were kind of thrown at you and you had to remind yourself who they all were. Plus....Raina's mom irritated the crap out of me and what happened to Katie and the abusive step dad?
This is a great book to read if you want something different and your okay with gore. Interesting read for sure!
I loved how original the characters of this book was as well as the actual story line. Fatal Retribution was a fresh perspective on the oh-so-popular Paranormal Novels. I liked that not everyone what the perfect stereotype of what a leading/influential character would look or act like. This was a different and interesting read for sure.
The only reason this book received three stars from was because felt like the book was lagging one moment and then completely rushed the next. The characters were kind of thrown at you and you had to remind yourself who they all were. Plus....Raina's mom irritated the crap out of me and what happened to Katie and the abusive step dad?
This is a great book to read if you want something different and your okay with gore. Interesting read for sure!
February 19, 2014
This story was a good fun read. Plenty of action, scenes are descriptive and the characters are likeable. The book could definitely use some editing. I find things like patience for patient annoying, just try to overlook them. The main character Raina is 21, a college graduate in psychology with dysfunctional family relationships. Her parents only seem to care for their first born Tristan. Seems like a psych major would have it together a little better but I have the feeling more development will come in the next books. The book reads well as a standalone and has a conclusive ending but there is the also the promise of more to come. I’ll be reading the next installment. I was given this book in exchange for an honest review for LoP.
January 21, 2015
I'm the author, so of course I think it's worth every star. LOL. This book is the first in a series of five, and each book is so very different from the last. I think I might be correct in assuming that my signature as a writer is utter unpredictability.
Fatal Retribution has been described as a coming of age story. Since Raina is 21 and a virgin...I guess it kind of is. The overall theme of the book is overcoming adversity, mystery, and of course, REVENGE!
Raina's just a girl...a witch/elf turned living vampire, faced with heaps of family drama and questions about her past, while also being willingly sucked into the hunt for the man who's responsible for her vamp infection and the death of so many innocents.
Fatal Retribution has been described as a coming of age story. Since Raina is 21 and a virgin...I guess it kind of is. The overall theme of the book is overcoming adversity, mystery, and of course, REVENGE!
Raina's just a girl...a witch/elf turned living vampire, faced with heaps of family drama and questions about her past, while also being willingly sucked into the hunt for the man who's responsible for her vamp infection and the death of so many innocents.
September 2, 2013
Fatal Retribution easily overcomes a few typo-shortfalls to deliver an action-packed paranormal romp. It's full of emotion, heart and guts -- and I mean guts in every conceivable way.
It's great paranormal fun with a parade of the most human supernatural creatures you're likely to meet, starting with the narrator, Raina. She's a lovely three-dimensional character, who ranges from tender-hearted and vulnerable, to snarky and annoyed, to furious and raging, to insightful and analytical, to romantic and sexy.
It's great paranormal fun with a parade of the most human supernatural creatures you're likely to meet, starting with the narrator, Raina. She's a lovely three-dimensional character, who ranges from tender-hearted and vulnerable, to snarky and annoyed, to furious and raging, to insightful and analytical, to romantic and sexy.
February 11, 2014
I was given this book in return for an honest review (lovers of paranormal LOP). I absoluetly love this book, Raina's character I loved. Diana Graves makes it very easy to fall in love with the characters from this story. There wasn't a dull moment in the storyline at all and the suspense kept me on the edge of my seat. I can't wait to read the next book in this series. Well done!
August 3, 2016
**I received this book in exchange for an honest review. Lovers of Paranormal, LoP **
I love how the female hero grew in this book. She started out a little unsure of herself and blossomed. I like the variety "species", it didn't leave anyone out. This book was different from mainstream, which is why I liked it so much. The characters felt real to me. The story flowed well.
I love how the female hero grew in this book. She started out a little unsure of herself and blossomed. I like the variety "species", it didn't leave anyone out. This book was different from mainstream, which is why I liked it so much. The characters felt real to me. The story flowed well.
October 17, 2015
Raina Kirkland is a wonderful character, making this paranormal story feel real. I love the imagination that went into this work. Fast paced, this jumps right into the action and runs with it non-stop to the end, making it an exciting read. I look forward to reading the rest of this series.
February 29, 2012
The plot is riveting,with solid characters.An exciting new world.
September 28, 2018
Fatal Retribution by Diana Graves is the first installment in the five book Raina Kirkland series, which follows the titular character, a young woman with a human father who also happens to be an elven-witch hybrid. Raina is by all appearances a normal being with a strained family dynamic, similar to what one would expect in a YA series. However, while on a camping trip with her brothers they are attacked and affected by a rogue vampire...and where all other infected become undead, Raina herself becomes a living vampire. The attack is wholly unprecedented as vampire activity is regulated, which puts Raina on the path to finding answers herself in a mission that uncovers corruption, details of her past, danger, and plenty of action along the way.
Fatal Retribution is unique in that it imparts elements of realism into a popular genre. Diana Graves has created the society Raina inhabits as one where the species of creatures co-exist in a sense, although the difference between what is dictated and what is actually adhered to is interchangeable just as it is among cultures, races, and socio-economic clusters in “real life”. It's this realism and the human elements of Raina that makes Graves' first entry into the series a fresh twist. Like all good coming of age stories there is a budding romance and some good angst thrown in, but its the layered plot and character-driven narrative that steals the show here. I'd recommend this well written and engaging story to all who enjoy good paranormal young adult fiction. Fortunately, books two through five have already been released so there's no waiting time between reads for even the most rabid fans of the series.
Review written for Readers' Favorite.
Fatal Retribution is unique in that it imparts elements of realism into a popular genre. Diana Graves has created the society Raina inhabits as one where the species of creatures co-exist in a sense, although the difference between what is dictated and what is actually adhered to is interchangeable just as it is among cultures, races, and socio-economic clusters in “real life”. It's this realism and the human elements of Raina that makes Graves' first entry into the series a fresh twist. Like all good coming of age stories there is a budding romance and some good angst thrown in, but its the layered plot and character-driven narrative that steals the show here. I'd recommend this well written and engaging story to all who enjoy good paranormal young adult fiction. Fortunately, books two through five have already been released so there's no waiting time between reads for even the most rabid fans of the series.
Review written for Readers' Favorite.
March 15, 2017
1.5 stars.
An entertaining idea that was somewhat lost in amateurish writing that gave it all a YA/ NA flavour spiced liberally with inconsistencies and plot holes. It also didn't help that since this was written in 2011 the market has been flooded with many similar stories that I've read about late teen/ early 20s women who describe themselves as boring nobodies but then turn out to be "super special" individuals due to needlessly mysterious ancestry.
The very last few chapters were pretty exciting and action-packed, but getting there was a chore. The "plot" not only rambled but frequently jumped to a different track completely, plot hooks and characters were picked up with no warning only to then be put down and never mentioned again, there was a mutual insta-crush/love going on that managed to get zero development time and yet somehow managed to become weirdly clingy, and I found the main character to generally be an unlikeable, selfish, whiny brat that admitted to having no attachment to half her immediate family and treated her parents like she was a stereotypically stroppy and teenager . Also for someone who received a degree in psychology she's not very good at understanding the basic daily motivations and reasoning of (non)humans (and who the hell does a degree in psychology if they aren't then going to do further training, such as becoming a nurse or therapist, etc.?)
Maybe if I'd read this when it first came out then I'd merely have rolled my eyes at points, but as it is I was severely underwhelmed by this in 2017 and my reading tolerances are much less forgiving than they used to be.
An entertaining idea that was somewhat lost in amateurish writing that gave it all a YA/ NA flavour spiced liberally with inconsistencies and plot holes. It also didn't help that since this was written in 2011 the market has been flooded with many similar stories that I've read about late teen/ early 20s women who describe themselves as boring nobodies but then turn out to be "super special" individuals due to needlessly mysterious ancestry.
The very last few chapters were pretty exciting and action-packed, but getting there was a chore. The "plot" not only rambled but frequently jumped to a different track completely, plot hooks and characters were picked up with no warning only to then be put down and never mentioned again, there was a mutual insta-crush/love going on that managed to get zero development time and yet somehow managed to become weirdly clingy, and I found the main character to generally be an unlikeable, selfish, whiny brat that admitted to having no attachment to half her immediate family and treated her parents like she was a stereotypically stroppy and teenager . Also for someone who received a degree in psychology she's not very good at understanding the basic daily motivations and reasoning of (non)humans (and who the hell does a degree in psychology if they aren't then going to do further training, such as becoming a nurse or therapist, etc.?)
Maybe if I'd read this when it first came out then I'd merely have rolled my eyes at points, but as it is I was severely underwhelmed by this in 2017 and my reading tolerances are much less forgiving than they used to be.
April 23, 2025
A Dark Urban Fantasy That Dares to Go Deeper
Diana Graves doesn’t just flirt with darkness she dives into it headfirst. Fatal Retribution is a gutsy, bloodstained tale of justice and identity in a world where magic is both salvation and curse.
Raina is a heroine with teeth not the polished, picture-perfect kind, but one forged in fire and betrayal. Her journey through Seattle’s supernatural underbelly is equal parts haunting and exhilarating.
What makes this novel stand out isn’t just the action (which is top-notch), but the emotional weight behind every choice Raina makes. The consequences are real.
The stakes are personal. And the villains? They’re not just evil - they’re disturbingly familiar in their charisma and corruption. If you like your fantasy with real bite, tangled loyalties, and mythic resonance, Fatal Retribution will leave a lasting scar in the best way possible.
Diana Graves doesn’t just flirt with darkness she dives into it headfirst. Fatal Retribution is a gutsy, bloodstained tale of justice and identity in a world where magic is both salvation and curse.
Raina is a heroine with teeth not the polished, picture-perfect kind, but one forged in fire and betrayal. Her journey through Seattle’s supernatural underbelly is equal parts haunting and exhilarating.
What makes this novel stand out isn’t just the action (which is top-notch), but the emotional weight behind every choice Raina makes. The consequences are real.
The stakes are personal. And the villains? They’re not just evil - they’re disturbingly familiar in their charisma and corruption. If you like your fantasy with real bite, tangled loyalties, and mythic resonance, Fatal Retribution will leave a lasting scar in the best way possible.
Read
March 10, 2017DNF around 20%
September 1, 2017
This book was given to me by the author through Lovers of Paranormal in exchange for an honest review.
Raina is part Elf and part Witch who doesn't know how to use her gifts. She lives and works with her mother but their relationship is quite fragile. She has a good relationship with her brothers. When, they go on a camping trip, one of her brothers is attacked by a vampire, which leads to her being infected as well. The only thing is that she becomes a living vampire instead of an undead like her other two brothers. After this incident, she is intent on finding out who is responsible for spreading the virus because as a rule, the vampires don't usually attack others as they are monitored until they can live alongside humans without pausing any danger to the society.
This leads to a whole lot of complications and Raina discovers that those responsible for their safety are corrupted. She meets Mato, a vampire who works in the police department and they become very close whilst trying to solve this problem. This book is full of mystery, suspense, danger and a little romance. All in all, I liked the whole concept of the story, which flowed nicely. This book deserves a five star rating and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
I would like to thank the author for giving me the opportunity to read this book and would recommend to those interested in reading a supernatural story with a difference.
Raina is part Elf and part Witch who doesn't know how to use her gifts. She lives and works with her mother but their relationship is quite fragile. She has a good relationship with her brothers. When, they go on a camping trip, one of her brothers is attacked by a vampire, which leads to her being infected as well. The only thing is that she becomes a living vampire instead of an undead like her other two brothers. After this incident, she is intent on finding out who is responsible for spreading the virus because as a rule, the vampires don't usually attack others as they are monitored until they can live alongside humans without pausing any danger to the society.
This leads to a whole lot of complications and Raina discovers that those responsible for their safety are corrupted. She meets Mato, a vampire who works in the police department and they become very close whilst trying to solve this problem. This book is full of mystery, suspense, danger and a little romance. All in all, I liked the whole concept of the story, which flowed nicely. This book deserves a five star rating and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
I would like to thank the author for giving me the opportunity to read this book and would recommend to those interested in reading a supernatural story with a difference.
Want to read
November 16, 2021🎁 FREE on Amazon today (11/16/2021)! 🎁
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