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The Progeny #1
The Progeny
“No fate other than the one I choose.” The timeless creed, and tattoo, bore by the Rousseaus— a vampire clan with the purest bloodline of any vampire family. Out of this clandestine group came one who was different, yet the same: Ascher - a half-bloodling— half- human, half vampire.
Ascher questions the purpose for his existence and which world he truly belongs to: the human world or the vampire world. Two months from sealing to Ursula— a prearranged union to a woman he abhors — he’s at his wit’s end. He knows if he calls off the sealing, the Romanian clan will strike with deadly force, but he cannot see eternity with a cold empty shell of a woman like Ursula.
Just when he thought life was complicated enough, he meets Shauna— a beautiful, bi-racial human wiccan — and immediately develops an unshakable attraction to her. She makes him feel alive and vital despite his origins and Ascher makes a decision that turns his immortal world upside down.
Ascher questions the purpose for his existence and which world he truly belongs to: the human world or the vampire world. Two months from sealing to Ursula— a prearranged union to a woman he abhors — he’s at his wit’s end. He knows if he calls off the sealing, the Romanian clan will strike with deadly force, but he cannot see eternity with a cold empty shell of a woman like Ursula.
Just when he thought life was complicated enough, he meets Shauna— a beautiful, bi-racial human wiccan — and immediately develops an unshakable attraction to her. She makes him feel alive and vital despite his origins and Ascher makes a decision that turns his immortal world upside down.
348 pages, Paperback
First published January 31, 2012
6 people are currently reading
356 people want to read
About the author
Ashlynne Laynne
14 books68 followersAshlynne Laynne is the author of contemporary romance and the award-winning erotic paranormal romance succession, The Progeny Series, as well as an accomplished songwriter and poet. She’s an avid horror movie fan, admitted vamp groupie, and lover of all things Celtic. A hopeless romantic, she’s always had a thing for the fanged ones and hot guys in kilts.
Ashlynne writes on the edge and combines erotica and romance in sensual tales that always feature heroes with heart. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, reading, and watching crime shows.
Ms. Laynne is an advocate of autism research and is currently working on a project to benefit the cause. She lives in the southern United States.
Ashlynne writes on the edge and combines erotica and romance in sensual tales that always feature heroes with heart. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, reading, and watching crime shows.
Ms. Laynne is an advocate of autism research and is currently working on a project to benefit the cause. She lives in the southern United States.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
March 6, 2012
The Progeny by Asslynne Laynne
Asslynee Laynne brings us a fantastic paranormal love story, her writing is good, I really enjoyed this novel and I hope there is more to come in the future. The character descriptions were done well and her words flowed easily giving the reader enough information to understand what is going on in the story. Asslynne has written two great characters in Ascher and Shauna and you feel for them throughout this story. There are some small grammatical errors but I tend to skim right by them as they weren’t enough to make be dislike this book.
Ascher Rousseau is half human, half vampire, all his life he feels out of place and not sure why he exists. Being a hybrid he feels like he doesn’t belong to any group; humans or vampires. Ascher can walk in the sunlight making him very different from the other vampires and as far as humans go they have no idea what he is.
Shauna is half human, half Wiccan who works in Ascher brother’s bar she is beautiful and she sure peaks his interest. Things start to change for Asher he knows he should stay away from her but he can’t seem to help himself he wants Shauna to be his.
Then we meet Ursula, the woman Ascher has been arranged to marry, knowing he has found his true mate in Shauna he must fight to keep her safe. But with Ursula out there knowing his secrets can he really protect Shauna. You must read to find out more.
I really enjoyed Asslynne Laynne book and she has written an explosive love story I cannot wait to read the next book in this series and please tell me it won’t be that long.
I have rated this novel 3.5 stars and would clearly give it 4 if the grammatical errors were fixed. Overall though I enjoyed it and would recommend The Progeny to anyone who loves to read paranormal love stories.
Asslynee Laynne brings us a fantastic paranormal love story, her writing is good, I really enjoyed this novel and I hope there is more to come in the future. The character descriptions were done well and her words flowed easily giving the reader enough information to understand what is going on in the story. Asslynne has written two great characters in Ascher and Shauna and you feel for them throughout this story. There are some small grammatical errors but I tend to skim right by them as they weren’t enough to make be dislike this book.
Ascher Rousseau is half human, half vampire, all his life he feels out of place and not sure why he exists. Being a hybrid he feels like he doesn’t belong to any group; humans or vampires. Ascher can walk in the sunlight making him very different from the other vampires and as far as humans go they have no idea what he is.
Shauna is half human, half Wiccan who works in Ascher brother’s bar she is beautiful and she sure peaks his interest. Things start to change for Asher he knows he should stay away from her but he can’t seem to help himself he wants Shauna to be his.
Then we meet Ursula, the woman Ascher has been arranged to marry, knowing he has found his true mate in Shauna he must fight to keep her safe. But with Ursula out there knowing his secrets can he really protect Shauna. You must read to find out more.
I really enjoyed Asslynne Laynne book and she has written an explosive love story I cannot wait to read the next book in this series and please tell me it won’t be that long.
I have rated this novel 3.5 stars and would clearly give it 4 if the grammatical errors were fixed. Overall though I enjoyed it and would recommend The Progeny to anyone who loves to read paranormal love stories.
February 10, 2012
Novel Concept Publishing is a small e-publisher, which does nothing to change my expectations of quality in a book. In this case, that expectation was too highly placed, as the e-mail offering me an ARC was the most professional thing about the book. The Progeny was full of basic grammatical errors, awkward dialogue, and important things popping up suddenly instead of having any foreshadowing whatsoever. I've never hoped so fervently for differences between the ARC and the finished copy, but judging from the sample I downloaded of the final product, all these very basic issues are still there. I've never seen so many unnecessary commas in a book. After awhile I started thinking of them as tears on the page, crying for crimes against grammar. Sentences like this were disturbingly common: "She spent tons of money buying concealer to cover the, two or three, scars she'd gotten, in adolescence, when her face waged a holy war against her." Seriously, why you gotta make the book cry? My brain is reading this like William Shatner is narrating, since all the, pauses, are unnecessary.
The dialogue wasn't much better. In what is supposed to be a sexy scene, Ascher stops Shawna before they go too far, knowing she's a virgin. "I want you more than you know. We still shouldn't. Your first time is a big deal. I want you to be sure. You are so precious to me and your virginity is just as precious. When it's gone, you can't get it back." Honestly, what man talks like this? The sentiment itself is fine, but unless he's a stereotypically camp gay man, "you are so precious" is not something I can see coming out of a man's mouth. (And, uh, if he's the gay best friend, that whole scene has even more problems.)
And since we're on the subject, he doesn't know she's a virgin because she told him. It's not even because he read her mind. No, he knows because he can smell it. In her blood. Because whether or not you've had sex before affects the quality of your blood apparently.
The book suffers a lot from infodumping. No subtleties, no weaving pieces in bit by bit. The reader is told what's going on rather than permitted to draw their own conclusions. At one point, 90 pages into the story, Ascher informs us, "He sighed with frustration as he heard her thoughts about his necklace. He already heard her questions about his eating habits and strange eyes constantly, via her curious brain." At his point I could be heard muttering "No, no he didn't!" Not long previously, there was a scene involving a cupcake that would have been a natural place to put that sort of question in there, and I waited for the subject to come up. It didn't. Not until later, when we're just informed via a throwaway line after the fact. Much reader rage followed.
Most problematic is the relationship between Shawna and Ascher itself. During their slow courtship, he's basically a giant tool about everything. He plays hot and cold with her a lot in his efforts to try to resist her. Without any explanations for his behaviour, from Shawna's perspective this should be a big red flag that he's just not that into her, but she doesn't require more than a half-hearted apology after he avoids her for a week. He not only doesn't tell her about his fiancé, but actively lies about her. When Shawna inevitably finds out the truth and is enraged, the book treats her behaviour as unreasonable, going so far as to have her apologize for her reaction.
Yes, all the terrible things she said, like about him being a liar. Since, y'know, he lied to her. Directly. Actively. Purposefully.
There are a few other issues (awkward phrasing, Ascher's ability to do everything since being a half-blood evidently means he has the advantages of both vampires and humans without the disadvantages and a few extra ability besides, poor weak Shawna is constantly portrayed as being less than Ascher...) but at this point I feel I've ranted long enough a few more problems isn't going to change anyone's mind about picking up this book or not. There are some ideas worth exploring in here, the glimmer of promise, but The Progeny needs some heavy editing and rewriting before I could encourage anyone to spend money on it.
The dialogue wasn't much better. In what is supposed to be a sexy scene, Ascher stops Shawna before they go too far, knowing she's a virgin. "I want you more than you know. We still shouldn't. Your first time is a big deal. I want you to be sure. You are so precious to me and your virginity is just as precious. When it's gone, you can't get it back." Honestly, what man talks like this? The sentiment itself is fine, but unless he's a stereotypically camp gay man, "you are so precious" is not something I can see coming out of a man's mouth. (And, uh, if he's the gay best friend, that whole scene has even more problems.)
And since we're on the subject, he doesn't know she's a virgin because she told him. It's not even because he read her mind. No, he knows because he can smell it. In her blood. Because whether or not you've had sex before affects the quality of your blood apparently.
The book suffers a lot from infodumping. No subtleties, no weaving pieces in bit by bit. The reader is told what's going on rather than permitted to draw their own conclusions. At one point, 90 pages into the story, Ascher informs us, "He sighed with frustration as he heard her thoughts about his necklace. He already heard her questions about his eating habits and strange eyes constantly, via her curious brain." At his point I could be heard muttering "No, no he didn't!" Not long previously, there was a scene involving a cupcake that would have been a natural place to put that sort of question in there, and I waited for the subject to come up. It didn't. Not until later, when we're just informed via a throwaway line after the fact. Much reader rage followed.
Most problematic is the relationship between Shawna and Ascher itself. During their slow courtship, he's basically a giant tool about everything. He plays hot and cold with her a lot in his efforts to try to resist her. Without any explanations for his behaviour, from Shawna's perspective this should be a big red flag that he's just not that into her, but she doesn't require more than a half-hearted apology after he avoids her for a week. He not only doesn't tell her about his fiancé, but actively lies about her. When Shawna inevitably finds out the truth and is enraged, the book treats her behaviour as unreasonable, going so far as to have her apologize for her reaction.
"What can I do to help?"
"I just need you." She broke into louder sobs. "I'm so sorry, Ascher. I'm so sorry for everything. I don't expect you to want me anymore, but I love you. I never stopped."
"You are so absurd. Of course, I still want you. If anyone should apologize, it's me. I didn't try to explain to you about Ursula. It's entirely my fault. You reacted the way anyone would. That's behind us now. I'll never giveyou reason to doubt me again. I love you more than my own life. You don't need to worry about that."
"But I said all of those terrible things to you. I'm ashamed of the terrible things I said."
"Forgotten..."
Yes, all the terrible things she said, like about him being a liar. Since, y'know, he lied to her. Directly. Actively. Purposefully.
There are a few other issues (awkward phrasing, Ascher's ability to do everything since being a half-blood evidently means he has the advantages of both vampires and humans without the disadvantages and a few extra ability besides, poor weak Shawna is constantly portrayed as being less than Ascher...) but at this point I feel I've ranted long enough a few more problems isn't going to change anyone's mind about picking up this book or not. There are some ideas worth exploring in here, the glimmer of promise, but The Progeny needs some heavy editing and rewriting before I could encourage anyone to spend money on it.
September 16, 2013
This interracial paranormal romance is the first in a vampire series that revolves around the Rousseau family. This first book is the story of Ascher, the half human half vampire who is engaged to be sealed to Ursula, the only daughter of a powerful Romanian vampire clan to fulfill a prophecy. Ascher, however, doesn't love Ursula and falls for Shaunna, the new employee at the bar his family owns. Shaunna captivates him from their first meeting and she is drawn to him as well although Ascher comes off less than charming. Shaunna is a college student on her own after leaving her parents home where she felt stifled and restricted under their overly constraining rules and beliefs. Shaunna has powers that she doesn't know about as well as possessing qualities that vampires refer to as the "trinity"-she's a virgin, vegetarian, and doesn't drink alcohol and this combines to make her scent and blood enticing to any vampire. The secondary characters are just as interesting as well. The Rousseau brothers are all set up in a way that you want to know their back stories as well. Tristan has a newly turned vampire bride named Kara who still has trouble controlling both her emotions and blood lust. Quinn is a lighter version of the brothers, but doesn't hesitate to get in a to the death fight when it's required. And finally, Gabriel who met Shaunna first and because of his feelings for her is at odds with Ascher. There are witches and covens. Aggie, Ascher's estranged best friend is a strong witch in her own right and has to deal with her feelings for Ascher that aren't reciprocated. Although this is further towards the New Adult genre than I normally read I truly enjoyed it and best of all it's free right now at Amazon and the following books are only $2.99 each which is a steal. I guess that pretty soon I am going to have to stop saying that I don't read New Adult because more and more I am being exposed to and enjoying this genre. I suppose that being exposed to a broader group of books is what I was looking for when I started this blog and that is certainly what is happening!
March 2, 2013
The Progeny is two firsts for me. The first of an amazing, original exciting, memorable, touching and fun paranormal read and my first time reading anything by Ashlynne Layne. A definite MUST read for any paranormal romance fans out there that enjoy a magical and endearing story.
Ascher is a devastatingly handsome one of a kind male in his world. Not so much ridiculed for being different, but cherished and smothered in some ways. He picks on himself more than any others do. He’s a very special male that finds himself alone no matter the company, incomplete even though he is whole and unhappy even though joy surrounds him. That’s until the day he meets Shauna. Once he sets his eyes on her, his whole existence changes in the very best of ways.
Shauna is another that is a beautiful person inside and out but does not have a sense of belonging anywhere. Being different in anyway makes it hard for her to be accepted by many. On top of that, she’s had a VERY traumatizing past that constantly haunts her. She’s never had a real relationship in any way shape or form, except for with her sister. Their bond is unbreakable and true. When she meets Ascher, he world tilts on its axis and further exploration of why he makes her feel the way she does is in order.
I absolutely LOVE these two together and cannot wait to see what happens next for them and the rest of their family and friends. An amazing group of people (characters) that are so lovable (well except for one or two meanies), that they linger in your mind even days after you’re through reading…
Ascher is a devastatingly handsome one of a kind male in his world. Not so much ridiculed for being different, but cherished and smothered in some ways. He picks on himself more than any others do. He’s a very special male that finds himself alone no matter the company, incomplete even though he is whole and unhappy even though joy surrounds him. That’s until the day he meets Shauna. Once he sets his eyes on her, his whole existence changes in the very best of ways.
Shauna is another that is a beautiful person inside and out but does not have a sense of belonging anywhere. Being different in anyway makes it hard for her to be accepted by many. On top of that, she’s had a VERY traumatizing past that constantly haunts her. She’s never had a real relationship in any way shape or form, except for with her sister. Their bond is unbreakable and true. When she meets Ascher, he world tilts on its axis and further exploration of why he makes her feel the way she does is in order.
I absolutely LOVE these two together and cannot wait to see what happens next for them and the rest of their family and friends. An amazing group of people (characters) that are so lovable (well except for one or two meanies), that they linger in your mind even days after you’re through reading…
September 16, 2013
The Progeny by Ashlynne Laynne
My review.
“No fate other than the one I choose.” The timeless creed, and tattoo, bore by the Rousseaus— a vampire clan with the purest bloodline of any vampire family. We meet Ascher, the youngest of the clan who is a halfling. That is to say he is half vampire, half human. He feels he does not belong in either world and spends quite a bit of the beginning of the book brooding over where exactly he belongs. He is very beloved by his older brothers Quinn, Gabriel and Tristan. Ascher is also very unhappy that he is sealed to be mated to a cold, loathsome vampire from another clan named Ursula.
Suddenly in walks Shauna a beautiful Wiccan waitress that has begun to work at their family bar. He is extremely attracted to her for reasons I shall not go into, and she him. Shauna comes with issues of her own that bring more layers to the story.
But what are Shauna and Ascher to do? He is promised to Ursula and breaking that sealing could cause all out war between the two most powerful Romanian Clans?
I really enjoyed this book. The secondary characters are fully developed and support the primary characters and there is a lot to love about this book. Love, Sex, Loyalty, Family, Murder, Betrayal. It has it all baby!
4 out of 5 Bats
Review by Toni
My review.
“No fate other than the one I choose.” The timeless creed, and tattoo, bore by the Rousseaus— a vampire clan with the purest bloodline of any vampire family. We meet Ascher, the youngest of the clan who is a halfling. That is to say he is half vampire, half human. He feels he does not belong in either world and spends quite a bit of the beginning of the book brooding over where exactly he belongs. He is very beloved by his older brothers Quinn, Gabriel and Tristan. Ascher is also very unhappy that he is sealed to be mated to a cold, loathsome vampire from another clan named Ursula.
Suddenly in walks Shauna a beautiful Wiccan waitress that has begun to work at their family bar. He is extremely attracted to her for reasons I shall not go into, and she him. Shauna comes with issues of her own that bring more layers to the story.
But what are Shauna and Ascher to do? He is promised to Ursula and breaking that sealing could cause all out war between the two most powerful Romanian Clans?
I really enjoyed this book. The secondary characters are fully developed and support the primary characters and there is a lot to love about this book. Love, Sex, Loyalty, Family, Murder, Betrayal. It has it all baby!
4 out of 5 Bats
Review by Toni
August 9, 2012
I love paranormal books and this one had it all. Murder, vampires, wiccan, love, sex, romance and suspense. What more could a paranormal lover want?
Ascher Rousseau is a half bloodling from the purest of bloodlines. His mother was a human and his father was a vampire. He has three brothers, Quinn, Gabriel and Tristian. The family owns a club called Rousseau and one day a woman walks in who will turn Ascher's life upside down. Her name is Shauna McCutchin and she is the new bartender.
Ascher is the youngest of the brothers and he is to be mated to Ursula from the Romanian clan. It is a prearranged marriage and one that Ascher is having difficulty accepting. Ursula is a cold hearted woman and every time he is near her he feels ill. How can he spend an eternity with someone he can't stand to be around? If he breaks off the mating, he risks a bloody reprisal from Ursula's clan that could mean war between the two families. He would be risking his family as well as himself.
But when Shauna arrives he realizes that there is something between them and he knows that he has to break off the marriage no matter the consequences. Shauna is a beautiful bi-racial woman and he can't get her off his mind. She has no idea what Ascher is but she also has an immediate reaction to him.
Shauna grew up with very religious parents who punished her for anything that they felt was wrong. Her childhood was a very unhappy one and her parents eventually disowned her. They refused to talk to her or allow her sister Katy to have a relationship with her. Katy could only text Shauna or meet her on the sly. Katy is everything to Shauna and the only family she has. When Ascher calls off the mating with Ursula, Katy suddenly disappears. There is no doubt who took her and why. Revenge. Can she be found? Is she alive? The quest for her is very exciting and suspenseful.
There are many characters in the story and the author gives the reader a full understanding of their lives. I loved reading about Ascher's brothers and his father. We learn the truth about Ascher's birth and about his mother. There are so many secrets and all questions were fully answered.
This is an author I would have no hesitation in reading again. The story just moved smoothly and never left me feeling let down.
Reviewed by: Linda Tonis
Member of the Paranormal Romance Review Team
_________________________________
Ascher Rousseau is a half bloodling from the purest of bloodlines. His mother was a human and his father was a vampire. He has three brothers, Quinn, Gabriel and Tristian. The family owns a club called Rousseau and one day a woman walks in who will turn Ascher's life upside down. Her name is Shauna McCutchin and she is the new bartender.
Ascher is the youngest of the brothers and he is to be mated to Ursula from the Romanian clan. It is a prearranged marriage and one that Ascher is having difficulty accepting. Ursula is a cold hearted woman and every time he is near her he feels ill. How can he spend an eternity with someone he can't stand to be around? If he breaks off the mating, he risks a bloody reprisal from Ursula's clan that could mean war between the two families. He would be risking his family as well as himself.
But when Shauna arrives he realizes that there is something between them and he knows that he has to break off the marriage no matter the consequences. Shauna is a beautiful bi-racial woman and he can't get her off his mind. She has no idea what Ascher is but she also has an immediate reaction to him.
Shauna grew up with very religious parents who punished her for anything that they felt was wrong. Her childhood was a very unhappy one and her parents eventually disowned her. They refused to talk to her or allow her sister Katy to have a relationship with her. Katy could only text Shauna or meet her on the sly. Katy is everything to Shauna and the only family she has. When Ascher calls off the mating with Ursula, Katy suddenly disappears. There is no doubt who took her and why. Revenge. Can she be found? Is she alive? The quest for her is very exciting and suspenseful.
There are many characters in the story and the author gives the reader a full understanding of their lives. I loved reading about Ascher's brothers and his father. We learn the truth about Ascher's birth and about his mother. There are so many secrets and all questions were fully answered.
This is an author I would have no hesitation in reading again. The story just moved smoothly and never left me feeling let down.
Reviewed by: Linda Tonis
Member of the Paranormal Romance Review Team
_________________________________
May 6, 2013
I know that if you follow my blog or facebook pages at all, it is fairly obvious that I am romance book whore. But do you know that my go to genre, the type that I would read a thousand times over, is vampire. I LOVE VAMPIRES. So, when two of my favorite people asked if I would be willing to do this series, I said sure. What an amazing trilogy. I read all three books in one night. When I do that I find it easier on me to do one big review rather than individual reviews so here goes.
Honor and Loyalty are at the heart of the Rousseau family. It is the bond that binds their loyalties. When Ascher meets Shauna there is no turning back. Sometimes in life, fate takes a hand to complete a destiny. Shauna and Ascher are a destined couple. Try telling that to Ursula. She will not stand for the humilation of having the seal with Ascher broken. She goes to war and revenge is the name of her game. I like that Shauna’s sister Katy has a role in the book. Sometimes the secondary characters can draw you in more than the main ones.
In the second book, I was a little distraught. Miscarriages in a book bother me for personal reasons and Shauna’s at the hands of Ursula’s was harsh. Shauna and Ascher are bonding and her sister Katy is in love. Ursula intrigues me. I know that evil never needs a reason for the things they do but there were some places that I just wondered why she kept going on. I understand she was furious with the humilation of getting dumped but I really wanted to tell her to grow up and get over it. How does she think she is going to beat destiny? Why does she think she is more powerful than a prophecy?
In the third book they have finally married but war is ever on the horizon and Ursula has more tricks up her sleeve than a magician. Shauna and Ascher are a wonderful couple and the love and passion they share is breathtaking.
If you follow my reviews then you know that I don’t like spoilers. I think they take the essence of the author’s work away from the reader. This series is a fabulous read for anyone that likes paranormal. Yes, it shares some basic characteristics with other vampire books. In this day and age I think it would be hard not to. This is one of those series that needs to be savored and devoured. Read it. Then come back here and tell me that I was right and it’s a kickass series.
Honor and Loyalty are at the heart of the Rousseau family. It is the bond that binds their loyalties. When Ascher meets Shauna there is no turning back. Sometimes in life, fate takes a hand to complete a destiny. Shauna and Ascher are a destined couple. Try telling that to Ursula. She will not stand for the humilation of having the seal with Ascher broken. She goes to war and revenge is the name of her game. I like that Shauna’s sister Katy has a role in the book. Sometimes the secondary characters can draw you in more than the main ones.
In the second book, I was a little distraught. Miscarriages in a book bother me for personal reasons and Shauna’s at the hands of Ursula’s was harsh. Shauna and Ascher are bonding and her sister Katy is in love. Ursula intrigues me. I know that evil never needs a reason for the things they do but there were some places that I just wondered why she kept going on. I understand she was furious with the humilation of getting dumped but I really wanted to tell her to grow up and get over it. How does she think she is going to beat destiny? Why does she think she is more powerful than a prophecy?
In the third book they have finally married but war is ever on the horizon and Ursula has more tricks up her sleeve than a magician. Shauna and Ascher are a wonderful couple and the love and passion they share is breathtaking.
If you follow my reviews then you know that I don’t like spoilers. I think they take the essence of the author’s work away from the reader. This series is a fabulous read for anyone that likes paranormal. Yes, it shares some basic characteristics with other vampire books. In this day and age I think it would be hard not to. This is one of those series that needs to be savored and devoured. Read it. Then come back here and tell me that I was right and it’s a kickass series.
May 29, 2012
A Hot Chocolate Fudge Sundae is what this book was like. I mean a very hot book. I had to have a glass of water at times, while I was reading this book. Vampire books are sometimes tricky to write, yet this book was an absolute delight to read.
What was particularly strong in this book was the relationship between Ascher and Shauna. I mean the writer developed Shauna and Ascher having a friendship first. I mean Shauna isn’t like other girls that Ascher has met. She intrigues him and makes him curious. Plus he is trying to avoid his upcoming sealing to Ursula because of the presence of Shauna.
He is very attracted to Shauna for a variety of reasons, but they get to know one another for their own reasons. For Ascher it’s about connection and feeling that you’ve found your other half and for Shauna someone she can relate to, share things. I think that this is the basis for any good lasting relationship. They have their obstacles of course through out the book.
One of the major obstacles in this book was Ursula, who I found to be a great villain. She will do anything to get Ascher and him to be her mate… but she doesn’t want to let go of him and move on with her life. Ursula wants Ascher for completely selfish and doesn’t care who she hurts. She is a really great flesh out villain.
I also love how Shauna and Ascher’s love scenes were written. They were written so beautifully that you felt that these two characters truly loved and cared for each other. Not to mention that these were some of the hottest scenes I ever read. I had to have a glass of water at times.
Also like the fact that that were some great developments when it came to Shauna’s powers and abilities. I love when they make the female heroine have powers. I felt that this made the book work so much better. Because Shauna is Ascher’s equal in this way.
What I love is even though there are so many great twists in this book, I felt that this book was a true romance. I haven’t read a really good vampire book in a long time. This book had a great hero, heroine and a good cast of supporting characters. Yet the romance to me was what propelled the story. An excellent Vampire romance to be savored.
Rating: Five Hearts
What was particularly strong in this book was the relationship between Ascher and Shauna. I mean the writer developed Shauna and Ascher having a friendship first. I mean Shauna isn’t like other girls that Ascher has met. She intrigues him and makes him curious. Plus he is trying to avoid his upcoming sealing to Ursula because of the presence of Shauna.
He is very attracted to Shauna for a variety of reasons, but they get to know one another for their own reasons. For Ascher it’s about connection and feeling that you’ve found your other half and for Shauna someone she can relate to, share things. I think that this is the basis for any good lasting relationship. They have their obstacles of course through out the book.
One of the major obstacles in this book was Ursula, who I found to be a great villain. She will do anything to get Ascher and him to be her mate… but she doesn’t want to let go of him and move on with her life. Ursula wants Ascher for completely selfish and doesn’t care who she hurts. She is a really great flesh out villain.
I also love how Shauna and Ascher’s love scenes were written. They were written so beautifully that you felt that these two characters truly loved and cared for each other. Not to mention that these were some of the hottest scenes I ever read. I had to have a glass of water at times.
Also like the fact that that were some great developments when it came to Shauna’s powers and abilities. I love when they make the female heroine have powers. I felt that this made the book work so much better. Because Shauna is Ascher’s equal in this way.
What I love is even though there are so many great twists in this book, I felt that this book was a true romance. I haven’t read a really good vampire book in a long time. This book had a great hero, heroine and a good cast of supporting characters. Yet the romance to me was what propelled the story. An excellent Vampire romance to be savored.
Rating: Five Hearts
January 16, 2013
I have decided to use a vampiric analogy to best describe this book in one small paragraph...
The beginning is as if drinking from a corpse, the flow is sluggish, and the mind is left clouded and slightly confused. Suddenly, you hit the carotid and the flow of sweet, glorious blood is seductive, and quite erotic to the soul. Before you can drink too much, destroying the donor, you are brought back to reality, and the wound seals. Your thirst is sated, but for how long? That will be the question, until you read book two, Blood Bonds.
Enough of a review? Of course not! You know I have more to say.
The story that Laynne has created has some great strengths, and a few weaknesses. The strengths stand in a good story line, excellent characters, and a talent for drawing you into the story. The weaknesses are... initially it is hard to get into this story due to a bumpy plot and a linguistic issue that makes it hard to follow the character Ash. I think that Laynee is trying to blend his past into the present, and sadly it just ends up causing a story flow issue.
When the story does heat up though, watch out, it gets mighty steamy, very fast. (ADULTS ONLY NOVEL) Laynee captures the passion superbly, but does an injustice with some of the cruder aspects of portraying the act of sex. I personally would have preferred to be seduced with the words of love, which to me would have been more befitting to the story. The ending is an intense move, with a nice flow, until you hit what can almost seem like an abrupt stop.
Regardless, I would add this to any bookshelf, and am looking forward to taking a bite out of Blood Bonds. Review for that coming in February 2013.
The beginning is as if drinking from a corpse, the flow is sluggish, and the mind is left clouded and slightly confused. Suddenly, you hit the carotid and the flow of sweet, glorious blood is seductive, and quite erotic to the soul. Before you can drink too much, destroying the donor, you are brought back to reality, and the wound seals. Your thirst is sated, but for how long? That will be the question, until you read book two, Blood Bonds.
Enough of a review? Of course not! You know I have more to say.
The story that Laynne has created has some great strengths, and a few weaknesses. The strengths stand in a good story line, excellent characters, and a talent for drawing you into the story. The weaknesses are... initially it is hard to get into this story due to a bumpy plot and a linguistic issue that makes it hard to follow the character Ash. I think that Laynee is trying to blend his past into the present, and sadly it just ends up causing a story flow issue.
When the story does heat up though, watch out, it gets mighty steamy, very fast. (ADULTS ONLY NOVEL) Laynee captures the passion superbly, but does an injustice with some of the cruder aspects of portraying the act of sex. I personally would have preferred to be seduced with the words of love, which to me would have been more befitting to the story. The ending is an intense move, with a nice flow, until you hit what can almost seem like an abrupt stop.
Regardless, I would add this to any bookshelf, and am looking forward to taking a bite out of Blood Bonds. Review for that coming in February 2013.
May 13, 2013
Full of action, love, fighting, and romancing, The Progeny is an amazing read.
Ascher is a unique vampire. Born a half-bloodling - half human and half vampire, he has been living his existence pretty much alone. With the exception for his family, he loves no one else-not even his fiancée. That is until he sees the new bartender.
Shauna is your average college student. Starting a new bartending gig, she instantly feels something for her boss Ascher. Unexplainable feelings of want, lust, and need course through her.
As a chain of events are set into motion, these two become inseparable and so much awesomeness happens! I'm not saying anything else so I suggest you start reading The Progeny to find out.
Ashlynne did an outstanding job of creating great lead characters as well as amazing supporting characters. Very descriptive and highly entertaining, I found the storyline easy to follow and was able to lose myself in the story. I am definitely looking forward to reading Blood Bonds, Book 2 of the Progeny Series.
Ascher is a unique vampire. Born a half-bloodling - half human and half vampire, he has been living his existence pretty much alone. With the exception for his family, he loves no one else-not even his fiancée. That is until he sees the new bartender.
Shauna is your average college student. Starting a new bartending gig, she instantly feels something for her boss Ascher. Unexplainable feelings of want, lust, and need course through her.
As a chain of events are set into motion, these two become inseparable and so much awesomeness happens! I'm not saying anything else so I suggest you start reading The Progeny to find out.
Ashlynne did an outstanding job of creating great lead characters as well as amazing supporting characters. Very descriptive and highly entertaining, I found the storyline easy to follow and was able to lose myself in the story. I am definitely looking forward to reading Blood Bonds, Book 2 of the Progeny Series.
May 29, 2012
The Progeny by Asslynne Laynne was a great find for me. I love vampires and this story sure delivers.
Ascher is a half bloodling--half human, half vampire. Shauna is half human, half Wiccan. And together they make an explosive couple.
The author really brought the emotions of these two to life. She combined action, sex, bloodlust, and power into a fantastic story. The world she created was new and fresh and I thoroughly enjoyed losing myself in it.
I look forward to the next book in this new series. I hope I don't have to wait too long.
Ascher is a half bloodling--half human, half vampire. Shauna is half human, half Wiccan. And together they make an explosive couple.
The author really brought the emotions of these two to life. She combined action, sex, bloodlust, and power into a fantastic story. The world she created was new and fresh and I thoroughly enjoyed losing myself in it.
I look forward to the next book in this new series. I hope I don't have to wait too long.
July 16, 2012
A paranormal, suspense-driven storyline with a taste of erotica thrown in makes for an excellent read! I highly recommend Ms. Laynne’s book and I can’t wait to read the sequel, Blood Bonds. I’m not sure why others picked apart the book for grammatical errors so harshly because I have read much worse. I found a couple of errors, but they didn’t distract from the story at all.
March 22, 2013
Ashlynne pens "The Progency" in a plot that is filled with emotions, vampires, witches, love, suspense and steamy sex. A great start to a new series with well developed, understandable characters. A must read for all erotic paranormal fans.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the author which was provided for an honest review.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the author which was provided for an honest review.
March 24, 2013
If you loved the Twilight books by Meyer, then you will like this one. Granted, there are some areas that need more description. Some areas are rushed and not explained well, but overall, it's a good story. It has suspense and some of the characters you will fall in love with. Give it try!
October 16, 2017
My First 1-star review... I don't like that feeling, but I need to state the truth....
DNF 40%
Style of writing was not my cup of cake and I couldn't get myself myśleć to finish that book.
The concept seemed decent but... something was lost... nothing kept me interested.
DNF 40%
Style of writing was not my cup of cake and I couldn't get myself myśleć to finish that book.
The concept seemed decent but... something was lost... nothing kept me interested.
June 21, 2014
“No fate other than the one I choose.”
Let me preface my review with the fact that I generally do not read many vampire/fantasy books. Not really my genre. There are a few I really enjoy, but just not a fan in general. Regardless of the book I am reading, however, I always keep an open mind. Since I love to read, I give all books a good chance. Now that being said, did I like this book? Yes I did. Did it just amaze me and blow me away? No. If you are a fan of the genre though, it is defiantly worth checking out. Ascher is a peculiar character in that he has human emotions, the warmth of a human, and the heartbeat of a human. On the flip side, he is also very much vampire. He runs a bar with his Dad and 3 brothers. They are all full blood vampires. The half-human thing sometimes causes family tension among the brothers. Shauna is employed to work at this bar. Upon seeing her and smelling her scent, Ascher couldn’t stay away. She has what is known as the trinity. She is a virgin, vegetarian, and does not drink alcohol which makes her blood irresistible. There is also more to her than meets the eye. There are things about her even she don’t know or understand herself. Ascher is destined to seal with Ursula in just a few weeks. He has been struggling with the idea of whether he is in control of his destiny or if he is predetermined to live the life chosen for him. Shauna makes him question this more. If he does not go through with the arranged sealing, it could mean war and death for his family.
What you can brag to your mama about:
I liked the flow of the story and the flow of the character development. I thought Laynne did a good job at portraying the story and characters without feeling like she was just telling you about it. They really truly just developed. I liked that even though Ascher is the only half-human vampire in his family, the brothers and dad get to show the fact they have emotions too. Even though they probably wouldn't like to admit it. They are fiercely protective over their family and loved ones. Even though Ursula is the bad guy in this story, I like her character as well. Jealousy and greed can make a woman do crazy things. Ironically, I think she might have been my favorite character. Even if she was despicable.
There is also plenty of action and there is some suspense when it comes to trying to figure out if Katy is ok, what is Gabe's motives, etc.
What mama was talking about when mama said knock you out:
This may just be me and the fact I am not a huge vampire book reader. But it seemed to kinda follow the pattern and mold of the other vampire books I have read. Is this really a bad thing? Maybe not as it seems to be working for all the other books as well. But it was something that did not make this book stand out in a major way when I finished it. While the book is in no way a bad book, it didn't just have any major standing out points. I also didn't relate well to Shauna. It may have just been a Melody thing. I just couldn't really relate to her. I am super close to my sister like she is. But other than that totally unrelatable to me. She just didn't really engage me much. To be honest I didn't care either way what happened to her.
OVERALL OPINION:
I did enjoy The Progeny. It was a mix of romance, greed, jealousy, and a little old fashion violence. I would have liked for the love of Ascher's life, Shauna, to be a little bit more relatable. Not sure what it says about me that I related more to the mean evil chick than the sweet virgin chick. Excuse me while I go pray for my soul! LOL
My blog partner Melody reviewed this on JC's Book Haven
Let me preface my review with the fact that I generally do not read many vampire/fantasy books. Not really my genre. There are a few I really enjoy, but just not a fan in general. Regardless of the book I am reading, however, I always keep an open mind. Since I love to read, I give all books a good chance. Now that being said, did I like this book? Yes I did. Did it just amaze me and blow me away? No. If you are a fan of the genre though, it is defiantly worth checking out. Ascher is a peculiar character in that he has human emotions, the warmth of a human, and the heartbeat of a human. On the flip side, he is also very much vampire. He runs a bar with his Dad and 3 brothers. They are all full blood vampires. The half-human thing sometimes causes family tension among the brothers. Shauna is employed to work at this bar. Upon seeing her and smelling her scent, Ascher couldn’t stay away. She has what is known as the trinity. She is a virgin, vegetarian, and does not drink alcohol which makes her blood irresistible. There is also more to her than meets the eye. There are things about her even she don’t know or understand herself. Ascher is destined to seal with Ursula in just a few weeks. He has been struggling with the idea of whether he is in control of his destiny or if he is predetermined to live the life chosen for him. Shauna makes him question this more. If he does not go through with the arranged sealing, it could mean war and death for his family.
What you can brag to your mama about:
I liked the flow of the story and the flow of the character development. I thought Laynne did a good job at portraying the story and characters without feeling like she was just telling you about it. They really truly just developed. I liked that even though Ascher is the only half-human vampire in his family, the brothers and dad get to show the fact they have emotions too. Even though they probably wouldn't like to admit it. They are fiercely protective over their family and loved ones. Even though Ursula is the bad guy in this story, I like her character as well. Jealousy and greed can make a woman do crazy things. Ironically, I think she might have been my favorite character. Even if she was despicable.
There is also plenty of action and there is some suspense when it comes to trying to figure out if Katy is ok, what is Gabe's motives, etc.
What mama was talking about when mama said knock you out:
This may just be me and the fact I am not a huge vampire book reader. But it seemed to kinda follow the pattern and mold of the other vampire books I have read. Is this really a bad thing? Maybe not as it seems to be working for all the other books as well. But it was something that did not make this book stand out in a major way when I finished it. While the book is in no way a bad book, it didn't just have any major standing out points. I also didn't relate well to Shauna. It may have just been a Melody thing. I just couldn't really relate to her. I am super close to my sister like she is. But other than that totally unrelatable to me. She just didn't really engage me much. To be honest I didn't care either way what happened to her.
OVERALL OPINION:
I did enjoy The Progeny. It was a mix of romance, greed, jealousy, and a little old fashion violence. I would have liked for the love of Ascher's life, Shauna, to be a little bit more relatable. Not sure what it says about me that I related more to the mean evil chick than the sweet virgin chick. Excuse me while I go pray for my soul! LOL
My blog partner Melody reviewed this on JC's Book Haven
March 20, 2013
After reading The Progeny by Ashlynne Laynne I'm left with feelings reminiscent of when I read the Twilight books. There were some parts I enjoyed but I had problems with the main characters. Ascher is almost a carbon copy of Edward in his demeanor and his poetic love for the woman that will endanger his world, as well as his youthful appearance and desire to be around humans by going to school yet again. Shauna is reminiscent of Bella with her extreme naïveté, over the top emotions, and her part in a relationship that leads to an unexpected result with big ramifications.
Ascher is the only half-bloodling, created as an experiment whose special abilities are desired by others but make him feel like an abomination. Throughout almost the entire book he bemoans how awful and dangerous he is while still lusting and chasing after Shauna, who has otherworldly abilities of her own that don't become apparent until she comes into contact with Ascher's world. Ascher wants Shauna in his life no matter that setting aside the woman he's been arranged to marry means war to him, his family, and the woman whose blood calls to him. Shauna's life gets turned upside down too by meeting Ascher and she's willing to do anything to be with him, including trusting him with her very life since her blood is special and therefore very hard to resist. She easily jumps to conclusions though and runs headlong into danger without thinking. There were many times I just wanted to strangle her but kept reading as the secondary characters completely won me over and had me fully invested in their outcomes.
The relationship between Ascher and Shauna was annoyingly unrequited in the early parts of the story as Ascher didn't trust himself around her. It's in the latter half of the book where their relationship gets steamy and results in the unexpected, which again brought to mind Edward and Bella. Amongst their sexual interludes were some fast-paced action sequences as Ursula, the woman Ascher spurned, starts an all out war that leads to lots of bloodshed but not a clear cut conclusion.
Even though I had problems with the main characters I found myself drawn to the secondary characters, especially the romance between Gabe and a female close to Shauna. They're much more likable characters and stronger-willed and I wish we could've seen more of them together. Quinn also won me over with his charming pseudo-womanizing ways that hid a heart damaged by too many losses. He's extremely loyal and protective and deserves a HEA of his own. It's these characters that kept me reading as much of the rest of the book feels reminiscent of other stories.
With its frustrating main characters and over the top villainess there were times I wanted to scream but the immensely likable cast of secondary characters kept dragging me back. Although not everything in this story worked for me I still think paranormal fans will find it satisfying, as will Twilight fans, and I look forward to Ms. Laynne's future works to set herself apart from what's come before.
Ascher is the only half-bloodling, created as an experiment whose special abilities are desired by others but make him feel like an abomination. Throughout almost the entire book he bemoans how awful and dangerous he is while still lusting and chasing after Shauna, who has otherworldly abilities of her own that don't become apparent until she comes into contact with Ascher's world. Ascher wants Shauna in his life no matter that setting aside the woman he's been arranged to marry means war to him, his family, and the woman whose blood calls to him. Shauna's life gets turned upside down too by meeting Ascher and she's willing to do anything to be with him, including trusting him with her very life since her blood is special and therefore very hard to resist. She easily jumps to conclusions though and runs headlong into danger without thinking. There were many times I just wanted to strangle her but kept reading as the secondary characters completely won me over and had me fully invested in their outcomes.
The relationship between Ascher and Shauna was annoyingly unrequited in the early parts of the story as Ascher didn't trust himself around her. It's in the latter half of the book where their relationship gets steamy and results in the unexpected, which again brought to mind Edward and Bella. Amongst their sexual interludes were some fast-paced action sequences as Ursula, the woman Ascher spurned, starts an all out war that leads to lots of bloodshed but not a clear cut conclusion.
Even though I had problems with the main characters I found myself drawn to the secondary characters, especially the romance between Gabe and a female close to Shauna. They're much more likable characters and stronger-willed and I wish we could've seen more of them together. Quinn also won me over with his charming pseudo-womanizing ways that hid a heart damaged by too many losses. He's extremely loyal and protective and deserves a HEA of his own. It's these characters that kept me reading as much of the rest of the book feels reminiscent of other stories.
With its frustrating main characters and over the top villainess there were times I wanted to scream but the immensely likable cast of secondary characters kept dragging me back. Although not everything in this story worked for me I still think paranormal fans will find it satisfying, as will Twilight fans, and I look forward to Ms. Laynne's future works to set herself apart from what's come before.
March 5, 2012
A half-bloodling, Ascher Rousseau is a half human, half vampire hybrid that knows he shouldn't actually exist. He's gone through his entire life questioning his existence, wondering what his actual purpose is. Unable to truly understand as to why he was born in the first place, he knows he doesn't quite fit into either world. Because of the fact that he can walk in daylight, most of the vampiric world consider him to be an abomination. Humans, on the other hand, have no idea as to what he truly is.
Discontent with the way his life is going, he's drifted through life as if nothing has ever really mattered. His way of thinking changes when he meets Shauna, a woman working at his brother's bar who's beautiful as well as brawny. There's something about her he can't quite put his finger on that peaks his interest.
Knowing that he should leave well enough alone, he sets off to win her heart against his better judgment. Inadvertently drawing Gabriel's ire because of this, Ascher briefly wonders if he should back away. Shauna could do better, he surmises. Yet his need of her trumps all and he gives in to the longing he feels deep inside to truly call her his own.
When Ursula, the woman he's been arranged to marry, catches wind of what he's up to, she's determined to thwart Ascher's plans. She won't give him up without a fight. It doesn't matter that Ascher doesn't want her, she's intent on staking her claim upon the Rousseau's and the secrets they guard closely.
Thwarting her every move, Ascher does his best to protect Shauna at every given opportunity. He knows now that she's his true mate and will stop at nothing until his enemies are dead. When several family members are caught in the crossfire, hers included, he realizes there's more to the situation than meets the eye and it's up to him to set things straight, once and for all.
This was quite an intriguing story. There were quite a few grammatical errors and running sentences that needing fixing, though. Overall, the premise of the story is a unique one. The book was a good read.
Discontent with the way his life is going, he's drifted through life as if nothing has ever really mattered. His way of thinking changes when he meets Shauna, a woman working at his brother's bar who's beautiful as well as brawny. There's something about her he can't quite put his finger on that peaks his interest.
Knowing that he should leave well enough alone, he sets off to win her heart against his better judgment. Inadvertently drawing Gabriel's ire because of this, Ascher briefly wonders if he should back away. Shauna could do better, he surmises. Yet his need of her trumps all and he gives in to the longing he feels deep inside to truly call her his own.
When Ursula, the woman he's been arranged to marry, catches wind of what he's up to, she's determined to thwart Ascher's plans. She won't give him up without a fight. It doesn't matter that Ascher doesn't want her, she's intent on staking her claim upon the Rousseau's and the secrets they guard closely.
Thwarting her every move, Ascher does his best to protect Shauna at every given opportunity. He knows now that she's his true mate and will stop at nothing until his enemies are dead. When several family members are caught in the crossfire, hers included, he realizes there's more to the situation than meets the eye and it's up to him to set things straight, once and for all.
This was quite an intriguing story. There were quite a few grammatical errors and running sentences that needing fixing, though. Overall, the premise of the story is a unique one. The book was a good read.
February 4, 2014
Intriguing Plot.
Ahscher Rosseau life can’t get any worse. Half-blooding vampire his different then his full blooded brothers. He has a heartbeat, can blush and most of all has human emotions guiding him. It’s these differences that makes his marriage to another full blooded vampire seem like doom. Unable to love her, he rather avoids her, and have given up on hope for something more… for love.
That’s until his brother Gabe appoints a beautiful young woman as bartender at their local club. Shauna was the essence of ecstasy. He can’t get his mind of her, but even worse her blood calls to him. Struggling to control himself around her Ahscher tries to stay away, but every time something calls him back to her. And then the inevitable happens, he falls in love with this beauty. If he brakes the promise to marry the vampire, war will descend upon his family. If he tells Shauna the truth she would run screaming into the night. Even with all these dangerous, destiny keeps him coming back to Shauna until he can’t keep away anymore.
This novel had an intriguing plot keeping you turning pages to discover the origin of both Ascher and Shauna. It was fascinating to find out where both fits in and how they came to be. Ascher was a strong confident character, but every time he is near Shauna she rocks his foundations and send his world spiraling. Shauna on the other hand was a mixture between strong and scared. During the read I was determined that she was going to find courage and just stand strong, I wasn’t disappointed.
The only disappointment was the back and forth bickering between Shauna and Ascher. The turmoil’s of their relationships was frustrating and slowed me down a little. It really discourage me and I had to drag myself through the final part of the novel. Overall the novel was well written and the plot was intriguing.
Ahscher Rosseau life can’t get any worse. Half-blooding vampire his different then his full blooded brothers. He has a heartbeat, can blush and most of all has human emotions guiding him. It’s these differences that makes his marriage to another full blooded vampire seem like doom. Unable to love her, he rather avoids her, and have given up on hope for something more… for love.
That’s until his brother Gabe appoints a beautiful young woman as bartender at their local club. Shauna was the essence of ecstasy. He can’t get his mind of her, but even worse her blood calls to him. Struggling to control himself around her Ahscher tries to stay away, but every time something calls him back to her. And then the inevitable happens, he falls in love with this beauty. If he brakes the promise to marry the vampire, war will descend upon his family. If he tells Shauna the truth she would run screaming into the night. Even with all these dangerous, destiny keeps him coming back to Shauna until he can’t keep away anymore.
This novel had an intriguing plot keeping you turning pages to discover the origin of both Ascher and Shauna. It was fascinating to find out where both fits in and how they came to be. Ascher was a strong confident character, but every time he is near Shauna she rocks his foundations and send his world spiraling. Shauna on the other hand was a mixture between strong and scared. During the read I was determined that she was going to find courage and just stand strong, I wasn’t disappointed.
The only disappointment was the back and forth bickering between Shauna and Ascher. The turmoil’s of their relationships was frustrating and slowed me down a little. It really discourage me and I had to drag myself through the final part of the novel. Overall the novel was well written and the plot was intriguing.
March 29, 2012
Today's review is on The Progeny by Ashlynne Laynne
The Progeny is the first book I have read by Laynne, and I have to say, the story was sweet, touching, and has potential to be a decent series. That said, it needs quite a bit of work to get there.
At the forefront, it seems that the editor of this book had no idea on the proper usage of punctuation. Commas, for example, were appearing where they were not necessary and absent where they should have been. That however is just one of the many issues I have with this book.
I'm also curious about the audience the author is writing for. Though not explicitly written, the sex scenes do not leave much to the imagination. If you are going to write for young adults, there are things you just do not write about OR imply. If the book is for adults, then by all means bring it on, don't hide it.
In essence, The Progeny is your basic vampire/human romance with just a little twist. The vampire isn't a full-blooded vampire, and the human doesn't know that she is a witch. The rest of the story pretty much follows much like Twilight. "Epic" fight with another vampire clan, an unplanned pregnancy, and a happy ending.
Though the book was enjoyable to read; once I ignored the poor editing, I have to base my rating on the book as a whole. And with the number of negatives outweighing the positives, I feel I'm being generous with a 3 star rating.
Being a good writer is not something many people are born with. It takes time to develop and grow. The more books you read, the more you notice what works and what doesn't. Most importantly, don't be afraid to ask for help, and if in doubt remember that you ultimately get what you paid for.
3 of 5 stars
Available at Amazon
The Progeny is the first book I have read by Laynne, and I have to say, the story was sweet, touching, and has potential to be a decent series. That said, it needs quite a bit of work to get there.
At the forefront, it seems that the editor of this book had no idea on the proper usage of punctuation. Commas, for example, were appearing where they were not necessary and absent where they should have been. That however is just one of the many issues I have with this book.
I'm also curious about the audience the author is writing for. Though not explicitly written, the sex scenes do not leave much to the imagination. If you are going to write for young adults, there are things you just do not write about OR imply. If the book is for adults, then by all means bring it on, don't hide it.
In essence, The Progeny is your basic vampire/human romance with just a little twist. The vampire isn't a full-blooded vampire, and the human doesn't know that she is a witch. The rest of the story pretty much follows much like Twilight. "Epic" fight with another vampire clan, an unplanned pregnancy, and a happy ending.
Though the book was enjoyable to read; once I ignored the poor editing, I have to base my rating on the book as a whole. And with the number of negatives outweighing the positives, I feel I'm being generous with a 3 star rating.
Being a good writer is not something many people are born with. It takes time to develop and grow. The more books you read, the more you notice what works and what doesn't. Most importantly, don't be afraid to ask for help, and if in doubt remember that you ultimately get what you paid for.
3 of 5 stars
Available at Amazon
July 29, 2014
Shauna is a young woman who is just trying to get by in college. Alone in life, all she has is her sister that her family keeps from her. She find employment as a bartender at a club and meets a mysterious man named Ascher Rousseau. He seems a little off at first and Shauna isn't sure how to react to it. Soon they hit it off, but not without many bumps.
First they have an ex of his that has a sinister side, her sister disappears, she finds out what Ascher truly is, she's swept away to the Rousseau home and ends up in unruly war. All while, she finds out herself that he is something other than she thought she was.
In the end, everything turns out how it sort of should, but there is a cliff hanger and one to keep you interested in finding out more...
I loved the story line and twist of the vampire love story. Some of the story dragged and left me thinking on whether or not I wanted to continue on reading. Once I was about half way through, I was hooked. Ashlynne did a nice job with this story and I look forward to reading more of this series.
First they have an ex of his that has a sinister side, her sister disappears, she finds out what Ascher truly is, she's swept away to the Rousseau home and ends up in unruly war. All while, she finds out herself that he is something other than she thought she was.
In the end, everything turns out how it sort of should, but there is a cliff hanger and one to keep you interested in finding out more...
I loved the story line and twist of the vampire love story. Some of the story dragged and left me thinking on whether or not I wanted to continue on reading. Once I was about half way through, I was hooked. Ashlynne did a nice job with this story and I look forward to reading more of this series.
August 17, 2016
I was excited to read this first book in the series, and the first half of the book was enjoyable. But there were a few minor points in the story that didn't add up that I found issue with. Like Shauna running off and leaving her sister at the bar with no form of transportation, and went without checking in on her for 3 weeks..... (And supposedly her learning to control her witch powers with Ascher's ex-best friend. Even though she never really acknowledged them during her fits of losing control. Or Katy, Shauna's high school aged sister entering into a relationship with Ascher's 24 year old brother. I'm just not with it). Then towards the end I lost a bit of an interest. It could have done without some of the long drawn out chapters before an important scene. Somewhere along the line the heroine devolved into a bit of a whiny mess (just my opinion). Despite that I did like the storyline and Shauna and Ascher's relationship.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 17, 2013
The Progeny. Yeah, it reminds me a lot of Twilight. Not sure if that's a good thing, though... I'm not going to write a full review on this one. Just a quicky.
I like the characters and the writing, but like I said, the story is a lot like Twilight. (Some characters too, but okay). That's probably why the rating isn't that high. I was annoyed by Ascher and Shauna and again I thought about Edward and Bella. So... I liked it, but not that much. I'm not sure whether or not I'm going to read the sequels. If I do, I'm not going to do that soon. I'm sorry, but that's the way I feel about it. At least the vampires in here don’t sparkle.
If you love Twilight, you will like this a lot too I think.
I like the characters and the writing, but like I said, the story is a lot like Twilight. (Some characters too, but okay). That's probably why the rating isn't that high. I was annoyed by Ascher and Shauna and again I thought about Edward and Bella. So... I liked it, but not that much. I'm not sure whether or not I'm going to read the sequels. If I do, I'm not going to do that soon. I'm sorry, but that's the way I feel about it. At least the vampires in here don’t sparkle.
If you love Twilight, you will like this a lot too I think.
March 6, 2014
My rating should really be 2 and a half stars. It wasn't awful, but it was a bit much in places and some of the wording was repetitive at times. I also felt the hero and heroine were immature? It reminded me a lot of Twilight at times and Ascher reminded me of Bella, who drove me crazy. Such a drama queen and over the top when it came to his emotions or feelings. I do plan on reading the next one and am hoping that the writing gets better as the series goes along.
August 12, 2014
A little too much like Twilight for my tastes. Not bad, just not my style. Brought up some interesting concepts, like the whole half-blood thing, and the concept of "sealing" (although since I kept thinking Twilight, I kept relating it to "imprinting" although I could tell it was different).
June 22, 2015
The Progeny (The Progeny #1) by Ashlynne Laynne is a good story. The writing is good and the story is exceptional. And oh, some very hott vampire lovin'. This is a terrific way to begin this trilogy and I cannot wait to read more. Well done.
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February 16, 2013review to come :)
July 5, 2013
I loved the love story of Shauna and Ascher. I was very glad to have found this author and hope to soon read another book in the series.
June 25, 2013
This was one of those books that I just had trouble getting into. Overall it was just ok.
October 12, 2013
good read.
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