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Voice of Blood #1
La Voz De La Sangre
A Ariane le aburre su vulgar vida de universitaria. Ignora que, a un paso de ella, hay un mundo de oscuridad y decadencia, de vida eterna y muerte infinita. Tras caer presa de Ricari, sin embargo, aprenderá más de lo que nunca ha soñado sobre ese universo.
Desde los clubes nocturnos de San Francisco hasta un hotel desierto de Hollywood conocido como Rotting Hall, los moradores de esta tierra de oscuridad dominan la noche. Pero, por seductores y eróticos que puedan resultar estos depredadores, Ariane descubrirá pronto los peligros que entraña cualquier relación con ellos.
Con un estilo originalísimo y teñido de erotismo, Jemiah Jefferson nos sumerge en una novela diferente sobre la esencia de la cultura gótica, la desesperanza de la juventud y los dilemas morales entre los humanos y los vampiros.
Desde los clubes nocturnos de San Francisco hasta un hotel desierto de Hollywood conocido como Rotting Hall, los moradores de esta tierra de oscuridad dominan la noche. Pero, por seductores y eróticos que puedan resultar estos depredadores, Ariane descubrirá pronto los peligros que entraña cualquier relación con ellos.
Con un estilo originalísimo y teñido de erotismo, Jemiah Jefferson nos sumerge en una novela diferente sobre la esencia de la cultura gótica, la desesperanza de la juventud y los dilemas morales entre los humanos y los vampiros.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
February 7, 2017
4 Beautiful Grotesquery Stars
“I want to climb inside you … climb inside you, love, and wrap your skin around me like a blanket. Slither around in your blood. Inside you I feel warm, I feel … immortal. Invincible.”
In Heather’s review of Voice of the Blood she compares this novel to Lost Souls by Poppy Z. Brite and I think there is quite a bit of merit to that statement. However unlike my coffee and flower fuelled friend I found this less powerful than Brite’s novel… by a margin. Obviously by my four stars you can conclude that I really enjoyed this story BUT I did not love it.
There is one major reason for that. And it isn’t those scenes or the bleak revulsion I felt while reading about the heinous acts committed in this story (in fact I would wager that Jefferson is probably a fan of Brite herself, there is an almost palpable similarity to the way these stories are written). I quite enjoyed the heathenism of these vampires, their unnatural otherness was both compelling and disturbing.
The reason this book falls short of the mark for me is that in a similar way to Brite’s novel we have a side character who is diminutive and easily dismissible but whose strength of character belies the cruelties that life has foisted upon him. A character that bleeds with hope and honesty, a damaged angel in a sea of selfishness and destruction; in Lost Souls that character was Ghost, here he is known only as ‘Lovely’. And I quite frankly ADORED Lovely (in a similar way to my love for the aforementioned Ghost), and then Jefferson went ahead and made everything he represented irrelevant. That’s unforgivable to me. It took this novel from deliciously dark to plain old depressing.
Now onto the praise element of my review; I found the writing almost lyrically beautiful. Jefferson told this story in a hindsight manner, almost like Ariane was reliving these defining moments of her life to a captive audience and I truly enjoyed that. The way the characters monstrosity played off of each other, showing that these vampires while always destructive are like people in the differing ways that they can exhibit their destructiveness. I found the choice to make her a brilliant scientist absolutely inspired, it added a level of realism to the darkness of these creatures.
I’m not sure if he made the conscious decision to not be my companion, or whether he’s just wandering about compulsively, like a half-wild housecat. I don’t know why he became that way, while I became thus; the vampire blood pulsing through what was a human brain can do some weird things to people.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the majority of this disastrous novel. Thank you for putting it on my radar, heatherdoll! ♥
“I want to climb inside you … climb inside you, love, and wrap your skin around me like a blanket. Slither around in your blood. Inside you I feel warm, I feel … immortal. Invincible.”
In Heather’s review of Voice of the Blood she compares this novel to Lost Souls by Poppy Z. Brite and I think there is quite a bit of merit to that statement. However unlike my coffee and flower fuelled friend I found this less powerful than Brite’s novel… by a margin. Obviously by my four stars you can conclude that I really enjoyed this story BUT I did not love it.
There is one major reason for that. And it isn’t those scenes or the bleak revulsion I felt while reading about the heinous acts committed in this story (in fact I would wager that Jefferson is probably a fan of Brite herself, there is an almost palpable similarity to the way these stories are written). I quite enjoyed the heathenism of these vampires, their unnatural otherness was both compelling and disturbing.
The reason this book falls short of the mark for me is that in a similar way to Brite’s novel we have a side character who is diminutive and easily dismissible but whose strength of character belies the cruelties that life has foisted upon him. A character that bleeds with hope and honesty, a damaged angel in a sea of selfishness and destruction; in Lost Souls that character was Ghost, here he is known only as ‘Lovely’. And I quite frankly ADORED Lovely (in a similar way to my love for the aforementioned Ghost), and then Jefferson went ahead and made everything he represented irrelevant. That’s unforgivable to me. It took this novel from deliciously dark to plain old depressing.
Now onto the praise element of my review; I found the writing almost lyrically beautiful. Jefferson told this story in a hindsight manner, almost like Ariane was reliving these defining moments of her life to a captive audience and I truly enjoyed that. The way the characters monstrosity played off of each other, showing that these vampires while always destructive are like people in the differing ways that they can exhibit their destructiveness. I found the choice to make her a brilliant scientist absolutely inspired, it added a level of realism to the darkness of these creatures.
I’m not sure if he made the conscious decision to not be my companion, or whether he’s just wandering about compulsively, like a half-wild housecat. I don’t know why he became that way, while I became thus; the vampire blood pulsing through what was a human brain can do some weird things to people.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the majority of this disastrous novel. Thank you for putting it on my radar, heatherdoll! ♥
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September 25, 2017Let me start by saying that I am a normal person. I only picked up the book because it had a cool picture and it sounded cool. If I had known beforehand what the book was about I would have never ever not in a million lifetimes picked it up.
You see. I rarely ever read books like this and you are probably wondering “why ever not?” Well I will tell you why, there are some really perverted books out there full of some real pedophiles and nymphomaniacs. This is one of those books, yeah one of those rare books that after the first chapter leaves you in a “why the fuck am I reading this?” state. But for some reason I kept reading and these are my findings:
(1) What was the plot? Was it just the main character banging a bunch (around 6) guys?
(2) Was the author trying to be creative or does she just have a sick mind? Within the first couple of pages, we had a vampire (in wrinkly old dude form) drinking the blood of the main character, but no, it was not any blood it was her period blood. And you know what else, I showed this to one of my friends (Tegan and Leesa) when they came over for a sleepover, we had Tegan reading the book aloud, that exact scene. It’s a little fucked up.
(3) Her boyfriend was perfectly fine. Why did she go bonking a bunch of other guys?
(3.5) Why was one of those guys described as feminine and small looking, I imagined the main character with 12-year-old acne ridden boy. It was disturbing.
(4) I have more findings, but I really don’t have the time to list them all. So that will have to do.
Should you read the book? If you are a fucked up pedophile nymphomaniac, go ahead. Who am I to stop you? But if you are not a pedophile nymphomaniac, hell no! Don’t read it, it is just wrong. Not even good wrong but ultra gross – disturbing kind of wrong!
You see. I rarely ever read books like this and you are probably wondering “why ever not?” Well I will tell you why, there are some really perverted books out there full of some real pedophiles and nymphomaniacs. This is one of those books, yeah one of those rare books that after the first chapter leaves you in a “why the fuck am I reading this?” state. But for some reason I kept reading and these are my findings:
(1) What was the plot? Was it just the main character banging a bunch (around 6) guys?
(2) Was the author trying to be creative or does she just have a sick mind? Within the first couple of pages, we had a vampire (in wrinkly old dude form) drinking the blood of the main character, but no, it was not any blood it was her period blood. And you know what else, I showed this to one of my friends (Tegan and Leesa) when they came over for a sleepover, we had Tegan reading the book aloud, that exact scene. It’s a little fucked up.
(3) Her boyfriend was perfectly fine. Why did she go bonking a bunch of other guys?
(3.5) Why was one of those guys described as feminine and small looking, I imagined the main character with 12-year-old acne ridden boy. It was disturbing.
(4) I have more findings, but I really don’t have the time to list them all. So that will have to do.
Should you read the book? If you are a fucked up pedophile nymphomaniac, go ahead. Who am I to stop you? But if you are not a pedophile nymphomaniac, hell no! Don’t read it, it is just wrong. Not even good wrong but ultra gross – disturbing kind of wrong!
February 28, 2017
ERMAHGERDDDD. My first (hopefully not the last) successful vampire book of the year!
Where has this book been all my life???
A few years ago I read Lost Souls, but ultimately was disappointed in it. Something about it just didn't fit with me. In a way, though, Voice of the Blood reminds me of it. It's just that, somehow, VotB is much more to my taste.
It's nasty. Sexy. Uncomfortable. Weird.
And awesome. It's just about everything I want my vampire novels to be.
These aren't romanticized vampires. They do want they want. They aren't noble. They make no sacrifices for the weak little humans who flock to them.
This book was rather plotless, but I enjoyed all the descriptions and details. The relationships happen SO FAST. Non-existent one page, fully formed on the next. But somehow I didn't mind because the characters conversed at length, roaming the night as they did so. They stopped in pricey cafes, diners, crumbling hotels, dark clubs, and more. The vampires killed people. They gorged on blood. They manipulated people with their powers and didn't give a fuck.
Finally. Some real vampires—none of these watered-down ones I've found myself reading about recently.
I just have to say it one more time: this book is nasty. Definitely not for the faint of heart or anyone looking for their next romantic vampire read.
I can't wait to read the rest of the series. I NEED THEM NOW!!!
4.5 bloody stars
Where has this book been all my life???
A few years ago I read Lost Souls, but ultimately was disappointed in it. Something about it just didn't fit with me. In a way, though, Voice of the Blood reminds me of it. It's just that, somehow, VotB is much more to my taste.
It's nasty. Sexy. Uncomfortable. Weird.
And awesome. It's just about everything I want my vampire novels to be.
These aren't romanticized vampires. They do want they want. They aren't noble. They make no sacrifices for the weak little humans who flock to them.
This book was rather plotless, but I enjoyed all the descriptions and details. The relationships happen SO FAST. Non-existent one page, fully formed on the next. But somehow I didn't mind because the characters conversed at length, roaming the night as they did so. They stopped in pricey cafes, diners, crumbling hotels, dark clubs, and more. The vampires killed people. They gorged on blood. They manipulated people with their powers and didn't give a fuck.
Finally. Some real vampires—none of these watered-down ones I've found myself reading about recently.
I just have to say it one more time: this book is nasty. Definitely not for the faint of heart or anyone looking for their next romantic vampire read.
I can't wait to read the rest of the series. I NEED THEM NOW!!!
4.5 bloody stars
September 15, 2021
Twenty-something Ariane is a grad student who is dating a fellow scientist...until one night she meets a vampire and her life is never the same again.
I really enjoyed the writing here and the characters were wonderful. It reminded me at times of both Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice and Lost Souls by Poppy Z. Brite but still managed to be its own thing. There is some graphic sexual content and some violence and general goriness, including a brutal vampire transformation scene. I really liked how it combined the classic romantic idea of the vampire along with more visceral and sexual aspects.
I did find it a bit of a hurdle to get over the fact that Ariane just dropped her life so quickly; there was hardly any conflict or decision making in leaving her boyfriend and career. I think as long as you just get on board and go with it it’s still very enjoyable.
Even though I’m not much of a series reader I would be interested to carry on with this one. That said this book does end in a way that you could stop here and still be satisfied.
I really enjoyed the writing here and the characters were wonderful. It reminded me at times of both Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice and Lost Souls by Poppy Z. Brite but still managed to be its own thing. There is some graphic sexual content and some violence and general goriness, including a brutal vampire transformation scene. I really liked how it combined the classic romantic idea of the vampire along with more visceral and sexual aspects.
I did find it a bit of a hurdle to get over the fact that Ariane just dropped her life so quickly; there was hardly any conflict or decision making in leaving her boyfriend and career. I think as long as you just get on board and go with it it’s still very enjoyable.
Even though I’m not much of a series reader I would be interested to carry on with this one. That said this book does end in a way that you could stop here and still be satisfied.
July 2, 2011
This is a series that gets us back to the way vampires should be; scary, crazy, bloodthirsty, non-sparkly, horrific and still somehow kinda sexy.
I was just amazed at this 1st person account of finding vampires existed and wanting to become one. I loved that the process to become a vampire was horrific and disgusting. I loved that she didn't gloss over the down and dirty parts of blood drinking.
Yes, it was gross. It's a horror book for Christ's sake.
I was just amazed at this 1st person account of finding vampires existed and wanting to become one. I loved that the process to become a vampire was horrific and disgusting. I loved that she didn't gloss over the down and dirty parts of blood drinking.
Yes, it was gross. It's a horror book for Christ's sake.
January 27, 2016
The plot of this one may seem like an everyday vampire novel from first glance but thankfully it's a lot different once you bite in. Ariane, a grad student with a promising future and a semi-messy relationship with her fiancé, meets a vampire by fate. From then on she's caught in the uproar of being mesmerized by the forbidden, and spends the novel searching for a way to get into this "exciting" world. But as life usually goes, she learns all that glitters is not gold, and that she may have gotten in too far over her head.
There is one thing about this book that is slightly out of the norm: it definitely focuses on the sexual side of both humanity and vampires. While this isn't really different from any other vampire tale, what makes it stand out is that it's loaded with it. There are explicit details, naughty dialogue, and a high number of sexual encounters, from the first chapter to basically the last one. Not to mention not all of the sex is even straight; I wouldn't call this one PG-13. But it is erotic.
Don't go into this one expecting a peaceful, happily after ending. I was a little surprised when my eyes devoured the last sentence - from the way this novel had been going I was excepting a little bit of a different turnaround. But hey, surprises keep the blood flowing don't they? The atmosphere is mainly light with some dry humor and sarcasm, but also with cruel characters. Sex plays a large amount in the atmosphere.
Ariane is one of those characters it's hard not to emphasize with. She's realistic, but also cute without trying to be. Her intelligence is definitely higher (she's a scientist), and she has this internal sense of humor that kept me chuckling throughout. Seeing things in first person through the eyes of a character like this always make a story flow smoother; from page one we're smacked right in the middle of the action. With this novel, I feel like I'm reading about a creature with dimension, with substance, not just a cardboard monster.
Thankfully Jefferson's vampires were anything but typical; new vampire rules are invented here, no day-old formula was followed. One is a saddened, disheartened creature who is always down, similar to Louis in Interview with the Vampire. The other is well, not like Lestat but very interesting and unpredictable.
I won't give away too much on the other characters involved, for to do so would be giving away a lot of the spoiler. Basically the major characters are vampires, and they all work together to unravel the present Jemiah Jefferson made up for us.
The author also did an admirable job having us feel confused WITH Ariane. When things were dreamy for her, my mind got a little foggy. When she didn't know what was going on, I definitely didn't have a clue. It's hard for auth! ors to get that type of feeling across sheets of paper, but this one does.
The pace is fast. You definitely didn't have to wait long from opening the book to get right to the point. Your brain is sucked in and it stays there. There was a point in the middle where I started getting slightly bored being in the same situation and became a little impatient for things to get rolling again. But when all was said it done I could easily overlook that small fault and be content.
The style of the writing was fast-paced and to the point. The transition between chapters was done well, and the overlying mood was dark but also fun and light. It's no easy feat to blend all those in one novel, but Jefferson manages to make it his craft.
Overall a satisfying and somewhat surprising novel, Voice of the blood reads very quickly, has enough varying emotions to keep you interested.
There is one thing about this book that is slightly out of the norm: it definitely focuses on the sexual side of both humanity and vampires. While this isn't really different from any other vampire tale, what makes it stand out is that it's loaded with it. There are explicit details, naughty dialogue, and a high number of sexual encounters, from the first chapter to basically the last one. Not to mention not all of the sex is even straight; I wouldn't call this one PG-13. But it is erotic.
Don't go into this one expecting a peaceful, happily after ending. I was a little surprised when my eyes devoured the last sentence - from the way this novel had been going I was excepting a little bit of a different turnaround. But hey, surprises keep the blood flowing don't they? The atmosphere is mainly light with some dry humor and sarcasm, but also with cruel characters. Sex plays a large amount in the atmosphere.
Ariane is one of those characters it's hard not to emphasize with. She's realistic, but also cute without trying to be. Her intelligence is definitely higher (she's a scientist), and she has this internal sense of humor that kept me chuckling throughout. Seeing things in first person through the eyes of a character like this always make a story flow smoother; from page one we're smacked right in the middle of the action. With this novel, I feel like I'm reading about a creature with dimension, with substance, not just a cardboard monster.
Thankfully Jefferson's vampires were anything but typical; new vampire rules are invented here, no day-old formula was followed. One is a saddened, disheartened creature who is always down, similar to Louis in Interview with the Vampire. The other is well, not like Lestat but very interesting and unpredictable.
I won't give away too much on the other characters involved, for to do so would be giving away a lot of the spoiler. Basically the major characters are vampires, and they all work together to unravel the present Jemiah Jefferson made up for us.
The author also did an admirable job having us feel confused WITH Ariane. When things were dreamy for her, my mind got a little foggy. When she didn't know what was going on, I definitely didn't have a clue. It's hard for auth! ors to get that type of feeling across sheets of paper, but this one does.
The pace is fast. You definitely didn't have to wait long from opening the book to get right to the point. Your brain is sucked in and it stays there. There was a point in the middle where I started getting slightly bored being in the same situation and became a little impatient for things to get rolling again. But when all was said it done I could easily overlook that small fault and be content.
The style of the writing was fast-paced and to the point. The transition between chapters was done well, and the overlying mood was dark but also fun and light. It's no easy feat to blend all those in one novel, but Jefferson manages to make it his craft.
Overall a satisfying and somewhat surprising novel, Voice of the blood reads very quickly, has enough varying emotions to keep you interested.
October 18, 2011
'Voice of the Blood' started off scorching. I mean - wow! It's hot. In an unusual, though erotic way. Some might not find it so, and don't get me wrong, I'd never want to be where the character found herself (ew) but it was written so that it still applies the heat.
In fact, I thought throughout the first few chapters - "This is five stars." Unfortunately, from there on its as though the author had nowhere to go. It really should have been an erotic novella. It would have gotten five stars from me then.
It was a page-turner, but only in the sense that I kept reading hoping for the plot to develop more and characters to move beyond two-dimensional profiles. The characters could have really come alive, I saw so many options in my head as I digested the disappointment on each page.
Her beta readers and editors have a lot to answer for here too! It had potential, but the author needed guidance she clearly either never got or refused.
I didn't like any of the characters because they were all contradictory, weak, vacuous, selfish, drug using, murdering, childish morons. One review likened the heroine to having an addictive personality, saying "Ariane just goes from one addiction to another. 1st she's a workaholic, then she gets addicted to the 1st vampire Racari. She's obsessed, she quits work, she doesn't pay bills. Sounds like an addiction to me. Then she becomes obsessed/addicted to the next vampire Daniel. Through the whole thing, she's taking drugs - more addiction." They were spot on.
She is also narcissistic, cold, self-serving individual without a single redeeming feature. Why one person would even like her is baffling, but why four men, two of whom are vampires, would love her is simply ludicrous. And utterly unexplained or accounted for. She claims to love them all in return of course. Again without reason or understanding or real evidence.
I never got to know or like any of the characters.
The last few chapters were the worst, however. How she came up with that ending, I have no idea? Was it thrown together on the back of a napkin while out getting pissed one night, for research purposes of course? Was she asked to right the worse ending possible? Perhaps. And then the epilogue just adds an extra laying of stupidity and misery on top. The only worthy person, her human boyfriend, ends up with a fate worse than death. But she thinks it doesn't matter one bit that the vampire who caused it, calls her out of the blue for a natter. Nah .. Our selfish, empty, vacuous heroine has long since brushed it of like fluff on her jumper. Her 'boyfriend' still suffers daily and will for eternity, but it really doesn't matter at all to her as she chats and giggles away.
I'm so gutted by this book - To the author - If you've only got a novella in you - Write a fabulous novella. If you can develope characters the reader will like or loath or be moved by, or understand, care about in some way, and can promise an actual plot, then write a novel. The grasp of the written word is not the issue here, but there are many others. I'm actually stunned that there are so many five stars? Is there a service where you can buy them perhaps?
Shah @ WordsinSync
In fact, I thought throughout the first few chapters - "This is five stars." Unfortunately, from there on its as though the author had nowhere to go. It really should have been an erotic novella. It would have gotten five stars from me then.
It was a page-turner, but only in the sense that I kept reading hoping for the plot to develop more and characters to move beyond two-dimensional profiles. The characters could have really come alive, I saw so many options in my head as I digested the disappointment on each page.
Her beta readers and editors have a lot to answer for here too! It had potential, but the author needed guidance she clearly either never got or refused.
I didn't like any of the characters because they were all contradictory, weak, vacuous, selfish, drug using, murdering, childish morons. One review likened the heroine to having an addictive personality, saying "Ariane just goes from one addiction to another. 1st she's a workaholic, then she gets addicted to the 1st vampire Racari. She's obsessed, she quits work, she doesn't pay bills. Sounds like an addiction to me. Then she becomes obsessed/addicted to the next vampire Daniel. Through the whole thing, she's taking drugs - more addiction." They were spot on.
She is also narcissistic, cold, self-serving individual without a single redeeming feature. Why one person would even like her is baffling, but why four men, two of whom are vampires, would love her is simply ludicrous. And utterly unexplained or accounted for. She claims to love them all in return of course. Again without reason or understanding or real evidence.
I never got to know or like any of the characters.
The last few chapters were the worst, however. How she came up with that ending, I have no idea? Was it thrown together on the back of a napkin while out getting pissed one night, for research purposes of course? Was she asked to right the worse ending possible? Perhaps. And then the epilogue just adds an extra laying of stupidity and misery on top. The only worthy person, her human boyfriend, ends up with a fate worse than death. But she thinks it doesn't matter one bit that the vampire who caused it, calls her out of the blue for a natter. Nah .. Our selfish, empty, vacuous heroine has long since brushed it of like fluff on her jumper. Her 'boyfriend' still suffers daily and will for eternity, but it really doesn't matter at all to her as she chats and giggles away.
I'm so gutted by this book - To the author - If you've only got a novella in you - Write a fabulous novella. If you can develope characters the reader will like or loath or be moved by, or understand, care about in some way, and can promise an actual plot, then write a novel. The grasp of the written word is not the issue here, but there are many others. I'm actually stunned that there are so many five stars? Is there a service where you can buy them perhaps?
Shah @ WordsinSync
October 15, 2011
There were things about this book I liked A LOT - namely the casual brutality of these vampires - and then there were things that I wasn't as enamoured of. For one thing, I never felt like Ariane liked herself. She threw away the man she loved at the first chance she got and fell for a man who denies a very fundamental part of himself. Although part of me can see how Ariane would be attracted to to Ricari, part of me wanted to sit her down and give her a stern talking to. Why would she love a man who hates himself?
Then there was Daniel. As the polar opposite of Ricari, I understand why she'd be drawn to him. His charisma and flamboyance were seductive after the way Ricari slunk through life. Yet, I never felt like Ariane and Daniel fit together. She was a scientist, he's a sociopathic killer who embraces a lifestyle of excess and the occasional depravity. On one hand, her moral compass appeared to crash and burn once she hooked up with Ricari so maybe I'm reading too much into it.
Darkly written with a fast-paced voice, Jemiah Jefferson has created a world peppered with sometimes brutal, sometimes uncaring, always sensual creatures. I didn't always understand the choices the characters made but I couldn't put the book down once I started it. As a word of warning, this book contains lots of blood and even more sex. Sometimes at the same time.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
Then there was Daniel. As the polar opposite of Ricari, I understand why she'd be drawn to him. His charisma and flamboyance were seductive after the way Ricari slunk through life. Yet, I never felt like Ariane and Daniel fit together. She was a scientist, he's a sociopathic killer who embraces a lifestyle of excess and the occasional depravity. On one hand, her moral compass appeared to crash and burn once she hooked up with Ricari so maybe I'm reading too much into it.
Darkly written with a fast-paced voice, Jemiah Jefferson has created a world peppered with sometimes brutal, sometimes uncaring, always sensual creatures. I didn't always understand the choices the characters made but I couldn't put the book down once I started it. As a word of warning, this book contains lots of blood and even more sex. Sometimes at the same time.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
February 5, 2017
This is one of the best Vampire romance books that I have read thus far.. Thankfully, it was a Kindle Unlimited Loaner. And IMO, the author needs to shop this one around for a publishing deal, if she doesn't already have one.
To be succinct, this amazing book was captivating, highly imaginative, and very seductive.
But, I would be doing potential readers a disservice, if I did not mention the "yuck" factor that becomes blaringly visible, within the first few pages of this book,...
If you can get past that bloody event, and not toss your cookies, you'll be in for a treat..
Giving this one: 5 humongous sts
To be succinct, this amazing book was captivating, highly imaginative, and very seductive.
But, I would be doing potential readers a disservice, if I did not mention the "yuck" factor that becomes blaringly visible, within the first few pages of this book,...
If you can get past that bloody event, and not toss your cookies, you'll be in for a treat..
Giving this one: 5 humongous sts
March 12, 2013
Love Love Love this book! I read lots of Vampire novels and always have. I don't care so much for the sappy old world romance vampire novels. I like mine with more pizzazz, horror, sex, raw and gritty. I like it to be a fun read and want to be left wanting more. It's imaginative, smart, and pretty edgy and not soft at all. I got all of that in this book. If your sick of all the twilight garbage and looking for a good Vamp read, check this out. You will not be disappointed.
August 21, 2011
Heading: Vanity and Veins
In Voice of the Blood by Jemiah Jefferson, Adriane Dempsey has a promising future as a bioscientist, but she is feeling a little unsettled as her attractive smart fiancé, Dr. John Thurbis, has accepted a position to be a guest fellow at Cambridge for the upcoming semester, and verbal fighting has become their main form of communication. One night after a fight, Adriane retreats to her laboratory to distract herself with work, and is surprised by an intruder and has an unusual but most erotic experience that leaves her hospitalized. Shortly thereafter, Adriane receives a letter of apology, and an invitation to meet her attacker, Orfeo Ricari. Curiosity gets the better of her and she accepts the invitation. It is a most pleasant meeting and Adriane learns Orfeo is a vampire who seems to defy the myths regarding vampires and their culture. This just fuels Adriane to push Orfeo for the full story and to learn more about his world. But as the saying goes, “curiosity killed the cat,” and Adriane is drawn deep into a world of glitter and gutter and tries to forge her own place within it, yet still craving the normalcy of the human world. And just want is she going to do when John returns?
Voice of the Blood is a racy, erotic vampire story. The author has done a wonderful job of creating an original cast of vampires who dispel the current characterizations of their world. The diverse group of vampires, from the hermit-like Orfeo to the rock-star-like Daniel with his groupies, entices the reader to keep turning the pages. This character-driven story is more about transformations than good versus evil.
As the first book in the Vampire Quartet, we get an introduction to the main characters in the series, but this book is Adriane’s story. As the story narrator, we get to see the world through her eyes and experiences, but while you may not always like the lifestyle choices she makes, it does give insight on how easily one can be seduced by the fantasy of unending pleasure, forbidden love and a youth-obsessed culture.
There is a heavy emphasis on sensuality, which to the characters are erotic and pleasurable, but for many will be raw and racy. This is definitely adult storyline, and this theme works well to illustrate the dangerous passions and tragic betrayals that can propel unexpected reactions. The action is well-paced, though I would have liked to see a little more suspense built in so the unexpected violence did not seem so sudden and uneven. The story takes place in the academic world of San Francisco and the often unseen seedy side of Hollywood with the different locations reflecting the multiplicity of characters and moods.
I recommend this book to adult readers of vampire fiction who do not mind racy storylines that push the boundaries on the gothic horror genre.
Reviewed by Beverly
APOOO Literary Review
In Voice of the Blood by Jemiah Jefferson, Adriane Dempsey has a promising future as a bioscientist, but she is feeling a little unsettled as her attractive smart fiancé, Dr. John Thurbis, has accepted a position to be a guest fellow at Cambridge for the upcoming semester, and verbal fighting has become their main form of communication. One night after a fight, Adriane retreats to her laboratory to distract herself with work, and is surprised by an intruder and has an unusual but most erotic experience that leaves her hospitalized. Shortly thereafter, Adriane receives a letter of apology, and an invitation to meet her attacker, Orfeo Ricari. Curiosity gets the better of her and she accepts the invitation. It is a most pleasant meeting and Adriane learns Orfeo is a vampire who seems to defy the myths regarding vampires and their culture. This just fuels Adriane to push Orfeo for the full story and to learn more about his world. But as the saying goes, “curiosity killed the cat,” and Adriane is drawn deep into a world of glitter and gutter and tries to forge her own place within it, yet still craving the normalcy of the human world. And just want is she going to do when John returns?
Voice of the Blood is a racy, erotic vampire story. The author has done a wonderful job of creating an original cast of vampires who dispel the current characterizations of their world. The diverse group of vampires, from the hermit-like Orfeo to the rock-star-like Daniel with his groupies, entices the reader to keep turning the pages. This character-driven story is more about transformations than good versus evil.
As the first book in the Vampire Quartet, we get an introduction to the main characters in the series, but this book is Adriane’s story. As the story narrator, we get to see the world through her eyes and experiences, but while you may not always like the lifestyle choices she makes, it does give insight on how easily one can be seduced by the fantasy of unending pleasure, forbidden love and a youth-obsessed culture.
There is a heavy emphasis on sensuality, which to the characters are erotic and pleasurable, but for many will be raw and racy. This is definitely adult storyline, and this theme works well to illustrate the dangerous passions and tragic betrayals that can propel unexpected reactions. The action is well-paced, though I would have liked to see a little more suspense built in so the unexpected violence did not seem so sudden and uneven. The story takes place in the academic world of San Francisco and the often unseen seedy side of Hollywood with the different locations reflecting the multiplicity of characters and moods.
I recommend this book to adult readers of vampire fiction who do not mind racy storylines that push the boundaries on the gothic horror genre.
Reviewed by Beverly
APOOO Literary Review
October 13, 2022
Ariane is a 20-something university scientist living in San Francisco. A fateful and horrific night with a monster leads her into the shadowy, blood-fueled world of vampires. Ariane moves from the 200 year old Ricari to the 90 year old Daniel and experiences the turmoil and seduction of vampire life through the two vampires.
If you like Anne Rice and tortured, villainous bloodsuckers, you'll enjoy Voice of the Blood. The relationship between Daniel and Ricari reminded me of Louis and Lestat, if Louis was the one who made Lestat. I enjoyed the unique take on traditional vampire mythology, and the backgrounds for all the vampires were thoroughly thought out. This book certainly didn't shy away from queer themes, which is something pleasantly different from Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles.
This is not a romance and definitely more of a psychological horror with lots of gore and sexual scenes. The vampires are not good "people," and the things they do are morally detestable. Please check your trigger warnings before diving in.
3 stars.
If you like Anne Rice and tortured, villainous bloodsuckers, you'll enjoy Voice of the Blood. The relationship between Daniel and Ricari reminded me of Louis and Lestat, if Louis was the one who made Lestat. I enjoyed the unique take on traditional vampire mythology, and the backgrounds for all the vampires were thoroughly thought out. This book certainly didn't shy away from queer themes, which is something pleasantly different from Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles.
This is not a romance and definitely more of a psychological horror with lots of gore and sexual scenes. The vampires are not good "people," and the things they do are morally detestable. Please check your trigger warnings before diving in.
3 stars.
November 14, 2024
How I became a vampire by falling in love with four disparately sexy guys and having a lot of crazy sex: the novel. I've been an avid reader of idfic since, oh, forever, and never landed such a motherlode in trad publishing. Is it too much of a good thing? Absolutely. This is fanfic rules applied to OCs, ridiculous and masturbatory; it feels like it could have posted on LJ in serial installments. And it's great. The total commitment is eminently satisfying: love, bound up in weird psychic vampire mind control powers, examined in depth from radically different angles via multiple overlapping relationships. File this between Lost Souls and paranormal romance: not as gritty or amoral as Brite, but sharing Brite's aesthetics, plenty thorny as questions of vampire morality/mortality ought to be, and glossed by an indulgence of sex. I plowed through this and will probably try the sequels.
April 9, 2014
This book was quite entertaining, and was the only thing that keot me reading. I really can't say i liked any of the characters. Maybe Ricari. There was alot of gratuitous sex with anyone and everybody. Alot of blood with sex, which was why i put it down for a while. I'm glad i did finish because the best part was how people turned into vampires. Very gory, gruesome and bloody. I loved it! However, considering everything else i didn't give it a good rating. I wanted more of a story and it was about this girl running around from vampire to vampire. I might read another as this a trilogy of sorts, but I'm left unsure. I wouldn't really reccommend unless you are truly curious and don't care for much if a plot.
September 15, 2015
I didn't expect much so maybe that is why I enjoyed this so much. I nearly rated it 5 stars just because I couldn't put it down and the vampires were real. It was not without flaws but I loved it. Nothing irritates me more than those vampire books that have these big badass guys who are searching for centuries for their true mate and fall instantly in love. Who aren't classic real vampires but some other culture blah blah blah. This book reminded me of Ann Rice but with sex, it's more along that line of story telling.
July 22, 2019
This book felt like going back in time for me, in a good way. It reminded me of a lot of the older vampire books that first got me into the genre as a teenager.
The real strength of this book is the fact it reminded of what vampires used to be like before they became super hot, with millions of chiseled abs and were just hot guys who happened to have fangs.
These vampires are alluring rather than drop dead gorgeous, their appearance strange but sensual. And above all, they are depraved and dangerous. They might not all wallow in their depravity, but that otherness and darkness is very much there.
That's what is missing from so much more recent vampire PNR and UF. They're too human, or too perfect, or too tortured. They're not strange and unsettling, yet you can't help but become entranced with them.
I can understand some of the negative reviews. The plot is pretty slow and in many ways very disjointed. There's lots of random, musing behaviour, then something jarring will happen.
I'm not entirely sure I liked any of the characters, apart from maybe Lovely, but that was another strength of the book really. They're vampires; you're not meant to like them.
I'm not sure if I'm going to pick up any of the others yet, but I am really glad I read this, if only for a trip down memory lane.
It also makes me want to re-read Poppy Z Brite's Lost Souls, which was arguably a similar, but more effective book.
The real strength of this book is the fact it reminded of what vampires used to be like before they became super hot, with millions of chiseled abs and were just hot guys who happened to have fangs.
These vampires are alluring rather than drop dead gorgeous, their appearance strange but sensual. And above all, they are depraved and dangerous. They might not all wallow in their depravity, but that otherness and darkness is very much there.
That's what is missing from so much more recent vampire PNR and UF. They're too human, or too perfect, or too tortured. They're not strange and unsettling, yet you can't help but become entranced with them.
I can understand some of the negative reviews. The plot is pretty slow and in many ways very disjointed. There's lots of random, musing behaviour, then something jarring will happen.
I'm not entirely sure I liked any of the characters, apart from maybe Lovely, but that was another strength of the book really. They're vampires; you're not meant to like them.
I'm not sure if I'm going to pick up any of the others yet, but I am really glad I read this, if only for a trip down memory lane.
It also makes me want to re-read Poppy Z Brite's Lost Souls, which was arguably a similar, but more effective book.
April 19, 2012
Though I am not a squeamish reader, I did not enjoy reading this book. The plot was neither interesting nor challenging. Its only purpose seemed to be to give the author plenty of room to let off steam writing violent sex scenes and other 'shocking' elements. I could never sympathise with any of the characters but either loathed them or pitied their dumbness. Though a likeable character is not a prerequisite for a good book, it can be a further let down if the rest of the book is disappointing.
I really wanted to like this book, as it has the right premise depicting vampires as cruel and brutal creatures and not shying away from showing all the nasty details. Nevertheless, the book did not work for me.
I really wanted to like this book, as it has the right premise depicting vampires as cruel and brutal creatures and not shying away from showing all the nasty details. Nevertheless, the book did not work for me.
did-not-finish
May 12, 2008Made it to page 190 before giving up on it. I can read gruesome stuff but there's a difference between gruesome and just out right gross. This author seems obsessed with menstrual cycles.
October 27, 2009
Jemiah usurped Anne Rice's place in my heart for number one vampire writer. And Ms. Rice was there for a loooong time, well since the '80s.
Read everything by her you can get your hands on.
Read everything by her you can get your hands on.
May 8, 2012
I remember buying this book when I was in junior high from the Dollar Store. It's still the best vampire novel I've ever read.
May 28, 2025
Slay just slay
January 27, 2019
Ariane Dempsey is a scientist. One night she walks into her lab to find something sucking the blood out of her lab rats. The creature attacks her and tries to wipe her mind of the incident, but she can’t forget it. Later she gets an elegantly handwritten apologetic note asking her to go to a hotel room and meet him.
[whoa… you’d go wouldn’t you?]
She does, especially as she is studying molecular biology. It’s an offer she can’t refuse.
She meets a vampire - Orfeo Ricario - he is very old and very tired of his undead life. He has reached a stage where he barely needs to feed any more. But his strong Catholicism means he can’t kill himself. Some foolish youths unearthed him and paid with their lives. He asks her to kill him and she agrees but she has some questions.
But the more time she spends with him, the more she falls under his spell. And the harder it is to keep her side of the bargain.
One night they have a fight and he injures her. Unable to deal with it, he throws her in a cab and sends her to his ‘child’ Daniel Blum in LA.
Daniel is living his best life as a kind of Velvet Underground clone - doing musical performances in German and photography exhibitions and filling his condemned house with the young runaways that always converge on such places. He uses them for blood and sex.
They all use fake names in an attempt to reinvent themselves. Lovely has sold his ass on the streets for years, and is one of Daniel’s current favourites. Chloe runs his businesses and others flutter around him like moths to the flame. They’re all human, Daniel hasn’t had a lot of success with turning people.
But Ariane upsets the balance; Daniel wants to turn both her and Lovely. He wants to keep them with him.
He introduces them both to other vampires and Ariane is more than a little in love with him, too. But she hasn’t forgotten John, her ex-fiance, who was away in England when her world became nocturnal.
Daniel sets their death date.
***
Well … points for having very gory, very real vampires. Period blood? It’s a delicacy.
It’s got a lot of movie and music references from the time period - early to mid eighties I guess - [I remember … sighs]
Ariane is biracial - a quadroon she calls herself - with red hair.
It’s the first of a series and was published in 2001. There are still a lot of threads hanging, especially concerning her bloodwork experiments. And the story structure is a little odd.
I liked the way the vampires are all very different. Orfeo rolls his eyes at Daniel still eating food. Daniel is just reckless and wild. Treading a fine line between being famous and over exposed. And leaving a literal trail of bodies.
4 stars
[whoa… you’d go wouldn’t you?]
She does, especially as she is studying molecular biology. It’s an offer she can’t refuse.
She meets a vampire - Orfeo Ricario - he is very old and very tired of his undead life. He has reached a stage where he barely needs to feed any more. But his strong Catholicism means he can’t kill himself. Some foolish youths unearthed him and paid with their lives. He asks her to kill him and she agrees but she has some questions.
But the more time she spends with him, the more she falls under his spell. And the harder it is to keep her side of the bargain.
One night they have a fight and he injures her. Unable to deal with it, he throws her in a cab and sends her to his ‘child’ Daniel Blum in LA.
Daniel is living his best life as a kind of Velvet Underground clone - doing musical performances in German and photography exhibitions and filling his condemned house with the young runaways that always converge on such places. He uses them for blood and sex.
They all use fake names in an attempt to reinvent themselves. Lovely has sold his ass on the streets for years, and is one of Daniel’s current favourites. Chloe runs his businesses and others flutter around him like moths to the flame. They’re all human, Daniel hasn’t had a lot of success with turning people.
But Ariane upsets the balance; Daniel wants to turn both her and Lovely. He wants to keep them with him.
He introduces them both to other vampires and Ariane is more than a little in love with him, too. But she hasn’t forgotten John, her ex-fiance, who was away in England when her world became nocturnal.
Daniel sets their death date.
***
Well … points for having very gory, very real vampires. Period blood? It’s a delicacy.
It’s got a lot of movie and music references from the time period - early to mid eighties I guess - [I remember … sighs]
Ariane is biracial - a quadroon she calls herself - with red hair.
It’s the first of a series and was published in 2001. There are still a lot of threads hanging, especially concerning her bloodwork experiments. And the story structure is a little odd.
I liked the way the vampires are all very different. Orfeo rolls his eyes at Daniel still eating food. Daniel is just reckless and wild. Treading a fine line between being famous and over exposed. And leaving a literal trail of bodies.
4 stars
July 24, 2022
This book compelled me, right off the dusty shelf of a used bookstore, picked up on a whim and purchased because I haven't seen many women horror authors. It's not a style I have read a lot of but the summary was cheesy and that was just what I was in the mood for. I'm not sure I knew what I was getting myself into but I liked it. I really liked it. It was SO cheesy but that is what I liked the most.
The worldbuilding here is carefully crafted. It is clear what the rules of the vampires are (what they can and can't do) and I enjoyed that we skipped right through Ariane wondering whether they are real or not. Skipped right to entering that world. Excellent. And the way that sexuality was handled, I found to be quite graceful. A lot of the things/situations written were meant to be sort of 'shocking' to the reader but the queer aspects felt natural.
Overall, fast paced and fun. I got a kick out of sharing my reading progress with my housemates, and they were always asking for more of the dirty details. It leads to fun debates like 'wouldn't it be nice to have your period over and done with?' etc...
The only thing that fell short for me was the harem situation. I hated it. I'm fine with there being vampire groupies hanging around. Sure. The fact that they were all underage really rubbed me the wrong way, which was probably the point, but I didn't think we needed any more reasons to dislike Daniel. I'm by no means a prude but it's... for me, it's just sort of a line. I skipped through a lot of these pages and spent most of the time wishing Ariane would leave Daniel and do something else. I'm glad I didn't give up on the book because the last 1/5 of it was very good, and turned around my opinions on the book entirely, enough to where I might eventually give the rest of the series a try.
The worldbuilding here is carefully crafted. It is clear what the rules of the vampires are (what they can and can't do) and I enjoyed that we skipped right through Ariane wondering whether they are real or not. Skipped right to entering that world. Excellent. And the way that sexuality was handled, I found to be quite graceful. A lot of the things/situations written were meant to be sort of 'shocking' to the reader but the queer aspects felt natural.
Overall, fast paced and fun. I got a kick out of sharing my reading progress with my housemates, and they were always asking for more of the dirty details. It leads to fun debates like 'wouldn't it be nice to have your period over and done with?' etc...
The only thing that fell short for me was the harem situation. I hated it. I'm fine with there being vampire groupies hanging around. Sure. The fact that they were all underage really rubbed me the wrong way, which was probably the point, but I didn't think we needed any more reasons to dislike Daniel. I'm by no means a prude but it's... for me, it's just sort of a line. I skipped through a lot of these pages and spent most of the time wishing Ariane would leave Daniel and do something else. I'm glad I didn't give up on the book because the last 1/5 of it was very good, and turned around my opinions on the book entirely, enough to where I might eventually give the rest of the series a try.
September 21, 2017
It feels so weird to me, coming back to this novel so many years later.
I think the first time I picked it up, I was an ornery 14-year-old lurking around the library who had a penchant for reading in the bathtub, and when I closed the back cover of this novel... I had to laugh, because here I was, 15 years later, doing the exact same thing.
This was the first non-Anne Rice vampire novel I ever read, and now coming back to it... it's definitely still one of my favourites. I love Jemiah's writing style, and she had such an influence in my own writing later on. I feel almost like I'm coming back to an old friend. I still have such a love-hate relationship with Daniel. Orfeo was and still is my favourite character in this novel. Ariane is great... at times I found myself annoyed with her, but I am that way with most book heroines.
This definitely is one to read if you like very raunchy, grungey vampire stories. I am so grateful to Amazon for having this in paperback (and the rest of the series)... my local bookstore couldn't get it in and I am so thrilled to have this (and now the other three *maniacal laughter*) in my collection.
I think the first time I picked it up, I was an ornery 14-year-old lurking around the library who had a penchant for reading in the bathtub, and when I closed the back cover of this novel... I had to laugh, because here I was, 15 years later, doing the exact same thing.
This was the first non-Anne Rice vampire novel I ever read, and now coming back to it... it's definitely still one of my favourites. I love Jemiah's writing style, and she had such an influence in my own writing later on. I feel almost like I'm coming back to an old friend. I still have such a love-hate relationship with Daniel. Orfeo was and still is my favourite character in this novel. Ariane is great... at times I found myself annoyed with her, but I am that way with most book heroines.
This definitely is one to read if you like very raunchy, grungey vampire stories. I am so grateful to Amazon for having this in paperback (and the rest of the series)... my local bookstore couldn't get it in and I am so thrilled to have this (and now the other three *maniacal laughter*) in my collection.
October 26, 2018
I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series. I think Ariane was never happy with anything she found in life. I hope she finds a way to ground herself without relying upon man after man to full fill herself. She doesn't care for or kills anyone woman around her. It would have been nice for there to be more women vampires around.
The blood, disgusting way vampires are made is amazing. The description is something I wouldn't want to see but couldn't look away from if it was right there.
This is a book that presented the brutality of vampires like velvet over steel. I'm not sure if I would want to be a vampire in this universe but they were fun to read about.
I could not stand Daniel at first but he grew on me. By the end I was back to intense dislike but I suppose that's what she was shooting for. Daniel is not someone could can be indifferent about.
Orfeo was so morose but his long life made him interesting. I wonder if he got some thrill about being right in the end.
The blood, disgusting way vampires are made is amazing. The description is something I wouldn't want to see but couldn't look away from if it was right there.
This is a book that presented the brutality of vampires like velvet over steel. I'm not sure if I would want to be a vampire in this universe but they were fun to read about.
I could not stand Daniel at first but he grew on me. By the end I was back to intense dislike but I suppose that's what she was shooting for. Daniel is not someone could can be indifferent about.
Orfeo was so morose but his long life made him interesting. I wonder if he got some thrill about being right in the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 15, 2020
Ariane loves John. Ariane is attacked in her lab one night at the college she works at. John goes out of the country for his work. Ariane falls in love with a vampire named Ricari. They spend many boring, useless nights together. She falls in love with Ricari, but he will not turn her into a vampire like him. They fight one night. Ricari attacks Ariane and sends her injured self away to another vampire, a vampire he turned long ago and can no longer be around because they are far too different from each other. Daniel, the other vampire, takes Ariane in to live with him and his vampire groupies. Daniel quickly professes love to Ariane. Everyone is having sex with everyone else. Daniel and Ariane run into trouble and have to go back to Ricari for help. There is no real story here or, at least, not a real good one. I found myself mostly bored, waiting for something interesting to happen, but it never did! It's not even that the writer is a bad writer because she isn't, but the story just isn't there.
June 3, 2021
This was the strangest, and perhaps most disturbing, vampire novel I have ever read. Pornographic is not too strong a word to describe the multitude of sex scenes between the protagonist and her many lovers. Although characterization left something to be desired and the occasional plot crutch was annoying, the novel does a good job of exploring the stark contrasts of human (and vampire) nature--from Ariane's deep dive into excess to Ricaro's staunch morality to John's quiet introspection. Of all the messages one might take from this book, the clearest is also the most human (or vampire): we hurt the ones we love the most.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 17, 2022
I just wanted to try out one of those early vampire goth books and came upon this recommendation. It was terrible - the main character has no inner thoughts besides randomly obsessing over Ricari. There’s so much insta-love/lust. I could not figure out why anyone even liked Ariana because she had no personality or inner thoughts. So many gross things happen in here too. Animal cruelty, pedophelia, fetishizing child-like features, sexual assault, cults, suicidal ideation, blood. I’ve read books with worse’s things but the way this was handled was gross. Ariane literally had no thoughts or moral dilemmas about any of this??
July 20, 2024
don’t really see myself ever seeking out the next book in this series. i went into this blind and, even if i hadn’t, i probably would have read this either way. it’s your classic louis and lestat vampire dynamic but with a love interest in the middle, who we follow, in the middle. i really enjoyed part two of this book and i wish that had been a bigger focus overall. i liked the opening quite a bit, but the rest of part one was kind of bland and then part three felt so rushed. it’s not the perfect book but it’s alright
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