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The Forbidden #1
Delicate Thorns
Waking up on a deserted island with no memory of who you are is scary, but when your throat burns for the thirst of blood, it’s terrifying.
For months, Jasmine has managed to feed her new hunger in solitude while teetering on the brink of insanity. As her delirium increases to a new level, an unthinkable opportunity offers an escape into a world of cruelty, vengeance, love and lust. Now the need to remember her past becomes vital if Jasmine plans to survive.
Delicate Thorns is a 26,000 word New Adult novella that brings an interesting twist to the vampire paranormal genre.
For months, Jasmine has managed to feed her new hunger in solitude while teetering on the brink of insanity. As her delirium increases to a new level, an unthinkable opportunity offers an escape into a world of cruelty, vengeance, love and lust. Now the need to remember her past becomes vital if Jasmine plans to survive.
Delicate Thorns is a 26,000 word New Adult novella that brings an interesting twist to the vampire paranormal genre.
116 pages, Paperback
First published September 26, 2014
1 person is currently reading
38 people want to read
About the author
Ainsley Shay
24 books45 followersAinsley Shay avoids insanity by living mostly in the fiction world. She believes surrounding herself with positive people, and strives for balance in everything. She owns more jeans with rips and holes than without; and has recently found the magic of patches. For her, reading or writing the perfect sentence is better than the smoothest piece of dark chocolate melting in her mouth. She is a deltiologist for pure enjoyment, not for the study of. She longs to move north one day, even though she hates the cold. (Go figure!) So, for now, she continues to live in warm south Florida with her incredible husband, three beautiful daughters, and two lazy cats. (We won’t mention the dog.)
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
January 16, 2015
Jasmine wakes up on a deserted island with amnesia. All she knows is that she’s a vampire lusting for blood. She names herself Jasmine because of the flowers surrounding her; she has no idea what her real name is. She goes on an intense emotional and physical journey when she leaves the island. Live humans with blood pumping through them are everywhere! There’s even a wonderful young man who captures her attention—but can a romance work out in her state of being? This story gripped me and I kept on wanting to know what would come next. This is a great new adult novella.
September 6, 2018
I received a copy of this book for free from the author and have voluntarily chosen to review it.
I don't usually care for vampire stories, but I did enjoy this one. It grabbed my attention when the main character woke up and had to decide on a name for herself since she had no memories of who she was. She decided on Jasmine since she was surrounded by Jasmine flowers. The story kept my attention as I watched her sneak off the island. I was anxious to know how she would interact with others. I am definitely looking forward to the next book to see what her memories will reveal.
I don't usually care for vampire stories, but I did enjoy this one. It grabbed my attention when the main character woke up and had to decide on a name for herself since she had no memories of who she was. She decided on Jasmine since she was surrounded by Jasmine flowers. The story kept my attention as I watched her sneak off the island. I was anxious to know how she would interact with others. I am definitely looking forward to the next book to see what her memories will reveal.
June 18, 2017
A great vampire story.
A woman waking up on a deserted island unable to remember who she is and on top of that she needs blood. What an unusual story. It drew me in with her needs for identity and sustenance warring in her mind. Thank goodness for the cruise ship that gives her a ride to the mainland. I liked the little bits of snarky the writers gave their character.
This is definitely one of my favorite vampire reads and I wish they would write a series starring Jasmine.
A woman waking up on a deserted island unable to remember who she is and on top of that she needs blood. What an unusual story. It drew me in with her needs for identity and sustenance warring in her mind. Thank goodness for the cruise ship that gives her a ride to the mainland. I liked the little bits of snarky the writers gave their character.
This is definitely one of my favorite vampire reads and I wish they would write a series starring Jasmine.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2017
Interesting twist on a vampire story. Waking up alone, thirsty and stuck on a deserted island, Jasmine has no idea who are what she is. No memory of her past or her maker. With a strong thirst for blood, Jasmine’s only way off the island is to stowaway on a cruise ship and sneak off at the next port.
It does not take long for Jasmine to draw attention to herself, attention from both her kind and the police. Can Jasmine learn to hide her new identity and keep herself safe or will Jasmine be destroyed by breaking the mysterious rules set by her kind?
Jasmine sets out on a journey to find companionship, learn who she once was and decide who she wants to become.
Overall it was a decent story, a little juvenile for my taste. I would have preferred to see Jasmine’s character better developed and learn more about her new world and how she survives.
I received this book free from the author and voluntarily reviewed it. This is my honest opinion.
It does not take long for Jasmine to draw attention to herself, attention from both her kind and the police. Can Jasmine learn to hide her new identity and keep herself safe or will Jasmine be destroyed by breaking the mysterious rules set by her kind?
Jasmine sets out on a journey to find companionship, learn who she once was and decide who she wants to become.
Overall it was a decent story, a little juvenile for my taste. I would have preferred to see Jasmine’s character better developed and learn more about her new world and how she survives.
I received this book free from the author and voluntarily reviewed it. This is my honest opinion.
August 1, 2017
Delicate Thorns by Ainsley Shay and Miranda Hardy was a good read. Jasmine has woken up on a deserted island; she has no idea why she is thirsting for blood, how she got there, or who she is. Jasmine finds a way to escape the island, but now needs to remember who she is. I enjoyed reading this book and can't wait to read more by the author.
June 1, 2017
Delicate Thorns is a short vampire novella regarding a young lady's self discovery of who & what she is, how she became, and the reality of her new undead life. A few steamy sexual encounters also make their way into the story. Overalls an enjoyable short audiobook
April 9, 2018
I enjoyed reading this novella. In this story, a woman wakes up with no idea how she got there, what her name really is, who she really is...and has this unexplainable thirst. If you are a fan of paranormal literature about vampires, you will probably enjoy this quick read.
November 29, 2017
Great book 1. Quick read leaving me with a want to know how Jasmine's life goes from here. Like the strength in Jasmine and hope to see it grow
June 15, 2018
What an amazing story. Jasmine wakes up on a deserted island with no knowledge of who or what she is. It seems she’s a vampire as she thirsts for blood. Couldn’t put it down.
June 18, 2021
I did not find this as good as other books and I am very disappointed in it.
August 4, 2016
Reviews in the worksI can honestly say this book was a little bit different than what I’m used to when it comes to vampire stories. But it’s what made me really like it! It’s so easy for storytellers to fall into the expected and it’s all around the same thing. However, Miranda and Ainsley didn’t do that.
This story follows a woman who has no clue who she is. She has no memory of how she ended up on an island in some part of the world or her own name. What she does know is, she has an incredible thirst. Not for water, but for blood. It becomes a battle of survival for her. The burning sensations, intense super hearing, super smelling, hypersensitivity overall is her nemesis. She has to feed, but could you imagine how the hell she can on an island that's void of people? She has to look to nature and the creatures that live in the forest to sate her hunger.
The opportunity to get away and get back to real land and maybe some answers comes finally. Jasmine literally jumps at the chance to get on a ship to civilization. Her journey on the ship is quite interesting.From there, once she hits land, she’s off and running. She’s determined to at least get somewhere safe.
Once she does, her journey becomes more intense. Since technically she has no humanity left in her, being able to feed her hunger shouldn’t be a big deal now, right? For her, no matter how she became a vampire, she has feelings of remorse. How does she do it then? I’m not spoiling it for you! You have to read it!
From there, the extended road she takes to settle herself back into the “real” world takes her on many stops of chaos. She finally ends up finding out the truth about who, why, when and what. She’s faced with choices she doesn’t want to have to make. Can she survive long enough to make them? To find the full truth?
Loved (positive): I really appreciated the intensity of the opening scene of the book. It sets you up to understand her. There are a few twists that change up things, like the fact she does meet her creator. But what happens after is even more interesting! There are several strong characters in the book. I felt like they supported the whole story pretty well.
Not sure (negative): I felt like the more intimate moments could have been described better. I also would have liked to have more background on Jasmine's past and her creators. It would have given more depth to the story.
Overall: The choices she has to make seem like no big deal maybe to use mere “mortals”. For her, they are critical decisions that threaten to overtake her. I found myself wanting to try and help her figure out her path. Even though I felt there were some things that could have added to the story, I really liked it. The moments I wasn’t sure about don’t take away from the story. I want to know more about Jasmine and where this takes her. If you’re looking for a quick paranormal read that goes in a different direction than the norm, this one is for you!
This story follows a woman who has no clue who she is. She has no memory of how she ended up on an island in some part of the world or her own name. What she does know is, she has an incredible thirst. Not for water, but for blood. It becomes a battle of survival for her. The burning sensations, intense super hearing, super smelling, hypersensitivity overall is her nemesis. She has to feed, but could you imagine how the hell she can on an island that's void of people? She has to look to nature and the creatures that live in the forest to sate her hunger.
The opportunity to get away and get back to real land and maybe some answers comes finally. Jasmine literally jumps at the chance to get on a ship to civilization. Her journey on the ship is quite interesting.From there, once she hits land, she’s off and running. She’s determined to at least get somewhere safe.
Once she does, her journey becomes more intense. Since technically she has no humanity left in her, being able to feed her hunger shouldn’t be a big deal now, right? For her, no matter how she became a vampire, she has feelings of remorse. How does she do it then? I’m not spoiling it for you! You have to read it!
From there, the extended road she takes to settle herself back into the “real” world takes her on many stops of chaos. She finally ends up finding out the truth about who, why, when and what. She’s faced with choices she doesn’t want to have to make. Can she survive long enough to make them? To find the full truth?
Loved (positive): I really appreciated the intensity of the opening scene of the book. It sets you up to understand her. There are a few twists that change up things, like the fact she does meet her creator. But what happens after is even more interesting! There are several strong characters in the book. I felt like they supported the whole story pretty well.
Not sure (negative): I felt like the more intimate moments could have been described better. I also would have liked to have more background on Jasmine's past and her creators. It would have given more depth to the story.
Overall: The choices she has to make seem like no big deal maybe to use mere “mortals”. For her, they are critical decisions that threaten to overtake her. I found myself wanting to try and help her figure out her path. Even though I felt there were some things that could have added to the story, I really liked it. The moments I wasn’t sure about don’t take away from the story. I want to know more about Jasmine and where this takes her. If you’re looking for a quick paranormal read that goes in a different direction than the norm, this one is for you!
May 6, 2015
She awoke alone on an island and has been so for some time now. She hungers for blood and avoids the sun. She has no memory of who she is nor does she know how she came to be on the island. Then a chance encounter with a group of tourists allows her to leave the island and rejoin society. Her missing past is a constant reminder that she isn’t normal. Her constant awareness of all the walking, talking meals is an annoyance.
Jasmine (for that is the name she chose for herself) fumbles through her life, Part II. At first, it was just about survival, and then it was about a little bit of happiness. She ended up in a larger city, one with a beach and a bad section of town, along with some higher end apartments that are mostly only inhabited by seasonal visitors. As she settles in and starts seriously wondering about her past, she also meets a young, handsome man who lives just a few doors down.
The most intriguing thing about this book was Jasmine’s hidden past. Of course I wanted to learn how she came to be on that island. Was she shunned by a vampire community? Was she once an oblivious tourist who was ambushed on that island and left to die to turn? There were plenty of questions swirling around Jasmine. Eventually, we do get the answers and they were doled out bit by bit, keeping the suspense high. The answer to this particular question was satisfying.
There are only a handful of characters in this book, being a novella or long short story. Jasmine gets the most page time and, hence, has the most development. I enjoyed her character arc from survivalist to answer seeker to someone just trying to fit in and live a life. The young man a few doors down was nice enough, though he was a little too perfect. If this had been a longer story, I would hope that he would have revealed some flaw sooner or later. Other characters show up late in the story so they don’t have time for deep thoughts, but they do play critical roles in unwinding Jasmine’s secret past.
The ending to the story was bitter sweet, and that is how I like it. Jasmine gets some, but not all, the answers and has to make some choices. I am hoping the authors choose to make this a start of a series as there is more for both Jasmine and the reader to explore.
Narration: Angie Hickman was a great voice for Jasmine, using the perfect mix of anguished, ticked off, and lost soul. Eventually, as Jasmine’s character starts to settle in, we get other feelings. There are some very ugly characters in this book that have very small roles and Hickman pulled these off well too, though it was probably a bit hard. She had a good range of male and female voices, and also accents for a few of the characters.
Jasmine (for that is the name she chose for herself) fumbles through her life, Part II. At first, it was just about survival, and then it was about a little bit of happiness. She ended up in a larger city, one with a beach and a bad section of town, along with some higher end apartments that are mostly only inhabited by seasonal visitors. As she settles in and starts seriously wondering about her past, she also meets a young, handsome man who lives just a few doors down.
The most intriguing thing about this book was Jasmine’s hidden past. Of course I wanted to learn how she came to be on that island. Was she shunned by a vampire community? Was she once an oblivious tourist who was ambushed on that island and left to die to turn? There were plenty of questions swirling around Jasmine. Eventually, we do get the answers and they were doled out bit by bit, keeping the suspense high. The answer to this particular question was satisfying.
There are only a handful of characters in this book, being a novella or long short story. Jasmine gets the most page time and, hence, has the most development. I enjoyed her character arc from survivalist to answer seeker to someone just trying to fit in and live a life. The young man a few doors down was nice enough, though he was a little too perfect. If this had been a longer story, I would hope that he would have revealed some flaw sooner or later. Other characters show up late in the story so they don’t have time for deep thoughts, but they do play critical roles in unwinding Jasmine’s secret past.
The ending to the story was bitter sweet, and that is how I like it. Jasmine gets some, but not all, the answers and has to make some choices. I am hoping the authors choose to make this a start of a series as there is more for both Jasmine and the reader to explore.
Narration: Angie Hickman was a great voice for Jasmine, using the perfect mix of anguished, ticked off, and lost soul. Eventually, as Jasmine’s character starts to settle in, we get other feelings. There are some very ugly characters in this book that have very small roles and Hickman pulled these off well too, though it was probably a bit hard. She had a good range of male and female voices, and also accents for a few of the characters.
August 14, 2019
An unusual start to a vampire tale that draws you in to a character's identity crisis rather than reveling in paranormal bloodiness or the same-old-same-old version of the undead moral dilemma.
A woman awakes alone in a cave on a deserted island. She doesn't know who she is or where she is, but she does know that she needs something to drink: blood. When cruise ships stop at the island, she is tormented by the knowledge that food is nearby, but the sun burns and she's tormented enough by killing animals to drink. A chance to escape gives her the opportunity to discover who she was before and how she came to be what she fears she has become.
I liked Jasmine. Yes, she does that whole tortured vampire thing, but her amnesia makes it a more interesting question. She doesn't really know what she is, guided only by vague memories and instincts. Whether any of her actions chime with who she was before... Who knows? Her story of self-discovery is well handled in such a short novella, being both surprising and tense enough to engage. I loved that I didn't expect the ending, and that despite it being low octane it didn't feel like a let-down.
What bothered me was more about continuity rather than the actual narrative. Things like how Jasmine has no memories of herself, yet can compare her age and appearance to other people despite not actually seeing herself reflected in a mirror until much later. Or how she starts referring to herself as a vampire despite earlier on not using the word; where did it come from? Was it a memory? She seems to know general things about life and northerners vacationing in Miami, so is it just her identity that's missing?
Oh yes, the sex scenes. The first made sense, the second... Seemed a bit out of the blue, stuck in there just because. Eh. There's some moderately graphic/gritty stuff that happens in a red light district, so TW if that's a concern of yours.
A good short & light read that should satisfy your thirst for vampire fiction (minus the sparkles).
-I received a free copy of this ebook via a giveaway-
A woman awakes alone in a cave on a deserted island. She doesn't know who she is or where she is, but she does know that she needs something to drink: blood. When cruise ships stop at the island, she is tormented by the knowledge that food is nearby, but the sun burns and she's tormented enough by killing animals to drink. A chance to escape gives her the opportunity to discover who she was before and how she came to be what she fears she has become.
I liked Jasmine. Yes, she does that whole tortured vampire thing, but her amnesia makes it a more interesting question. She doesn't really know what she is, guided only by vague memories and instincts. Whether any of her actions chime with who she was before... Who knows? Her story of self-discovery is well handled in such a short novella, being both surprising and tense enough to engage. I loved that I didn't expect the ending, and that despite it being low octane it didn't feel like a let-down.
What bothered me was more about continuity rather than the actual narrative. Things like how Jasmine has no memories of herself, yet can compare her age and appearance to other people despite not actually seeing herself reflected in a mirror until much later. Or how she starts referring to herself as a vampire despite earlier on not using the word; where did it come from? Was it a memory? She seems to know general things about life and northerners vacationing in Miami, so is it just her identity that's missing?
Oh yes, the sex scenes. The first made sense, the second... Seemed a bit out of the blue, stuck in there just because. Eh. There's some moderately graphic/gritty stuff that happens in a red light district, so TW if that's a concern of yours.
A good short & light read that should satisfy your thirst for vampire fiction (minus the sparkles).
-I received a free copy of this ebook via a giveaway-
June 13, 2015
Title: DELICATE THORNS
Author: Ainsley Shay, Miranda Hardy
Type of Book: Audiobook - Unabridged
Narrator: Angie Hickman
Length: 2 hours 43 minutes
Genre: Paranormal Fiction
Release Date: January 15, 2015
Publisher: Quixotic Publishing
Rating: 3.5 of out 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
* I received a free copy of this audiobook through Audiobook Blast in exchange for an honest review.
Awakening on a deserted island with no memories of who she is or how she got there, Jasmine is completely bewildered and confused.
All she knows for sure is that she is hungry. Despite fruit and other plants and seafood being available, only the blood of the island's animals is able to ease her painful stomach cramps.
When an opportunity to escape the island presents itself, she is determined to take advantage of it.
With no memories, no home and a craving for blood, Jasmine needs to find answers, but will she like what she discovers?
Does Jasmine have any chance to find love and happiness? Or is she doomed to a solitary existence?
This audiobook is only two hours and forty-three minutes in length which is very short.
The narrator is Angie Hickman who I have listened to before. Angie has a terrific voice for narration and seems particularly well suited to the paranormal genre. She speaks clearly and places emphasis on the words and sentences that need it. She does not make the common narrator's mistake of overacting. Angie Hickman's narrative style is not overly dramatic which I really like. I give the narration 5 out of 5 stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I enjoyed the ending of this audiobook. It was unexpected, which was a nice surprise. It also offers up the opportunity for more books to follow.
I rate this audiobook as 3.5 out of 5 stars. I liked the story, but I did not love it. I think this is because there is so much vampire fiction available that a story of this genre must be spectacular to earn a four or five star rating from me.
Author: Ainsley Shay, Miranda Hardy
Type of Book: Audiobook - Unabridged
Narrator: Angie Hickman
Length: 2 hours 43 minutes
Genre: Paranormal Fiction
Release Date: January 15, 2015
Publisher: Quixotic Publishing
Rating: 3.5 of out 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
* I received a free copy of this audiobook through Audiobook Blast in exchange for an honest review.
Awakening on a deserted island with no memories of who she is or how she got there, Jasmine is completely bewildered and confused.
All she knows for sure is that she is hungry. Despite fruit and other plants and seafood being available, only the blood of the island's animals is able to ease her painful stomach cramps.
When an opportunity to escape the island presents itself, she is determined to take advantage of it.
With no memories, no home and a craving for blood, Jasmine needs to find answers, but will she like what she discovers?
Does Jasmine have any chance to find love and happiness? Or is she doomed to a solitary existence?
This audiobook is only two hours and forty-three minutes in length which is very short.
The narrator is Angie Hickman who I have listened to before. Angie has a terrific voice for narration and seems particularly well suited to the paranormal genre. She speaks clearly and places emphasis on the words and sentences that need it. She does not make the common narrator's mistake of overacting. Angie Hickman's narrative style is not overly dramatic which I really like. I give the narration 5 out of 5 stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I enjoyed the ending of this audiobook. It was unexpected, which was a nice surprise. It also offers up the opportunity for more books to follow.
I rate this audiobook as 3.5 out of 5 stars. I liked the story, but I did not love it. I think this is because there is so much vampire fiction available that a story of this genre must be spectacular to earn a four or five star rating from me.
June 23, 2015
** I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review **
This was a great quick listen, and I am hoping for another installment in the Jasmine story...The story starts with a young girl waking up on an island alone and having a thirst for blood! She is tortured on a daily basis by people coming to the island in the daylight but leaving before dark, so she can not feed...she thinks she is in hell...she can not remember who she is, or how she got here! One day a boat remains on the island till dark because of engine trouble...and she takes her chance to escape....she feeds for the first time and assumes the girls identity...She gets off the island..and on to a cruise ship..quickly escapes it...and finds herself free....she has to find a place to sleep and get out of the sun...so she breaks into a condo...she then meets Dylan, he is very nice to her...and a bit of romance develops....Well she begins to go on the hunt at night and kills only bad guys...but others of her kind quickly find out because she does not clean up her killing messes and from there she learns how this happened to her and how to go on....really a good story...and I recommend it...well worth your time and a credit!
Thank you Audiobookblast(dot)com
This was a great quick listen, and I am hoping for another installment in the Jasmine story...The story starts with a young girl waking up on an island alone and having a thirst for blood! She is tortured on a daily basis by people coming to the island in the daylight but leaving before dark, so she can not feed...she thinks she is in hell...she can not remember who she is, or how she got here! One day a boat remains on the island till dark because of engine trouble...and she takes her chance to escape....she feeds for the first time and assumes the girls identity...She gets off the island..and on to a cruise ship..quickly escapes it...and finds herself free....she has to find a place to sleep and get out of the sun...so she breaks into a condo...she then meets Dylan, he is very nice to her...and a bit of romance develops....Well she begins to go on the hunt at night and kills only bad guys...but others of her kind quickly find out because she does not clean up her killing messes and from there she learns how this happened to her and how to go on....really a good story...and I recommend it...well worth your time and a credit!
Thank you Audiobookblast(dot)com
March 27, 2016
Delicate Thorns is such an appropriate title for this work. From the short form to Angie Hickman’s voice, everything seems like a gentle bubble that if you touched it, it would break into a thousand glimmering drops.
The movement of the rising action drifts daintily into the subtle drama of the climax, leaving me feeling that this is simply a few diary entries read aloud by the one who’d forgotten she’d written anything down.
I’m glad to see that other people like this story. I must be one of the few for whom this story does not resonate.
The imagery is interesting, lacking certain clichés most writers of intimate scenes fall into. In that, it was a bit different.
However, it just feels so soft that I can’t quite grip it in my mind. Even just after finishing it for the second time, I’m losing details that probably should have been able to stick with me.
Others have said that it is refreshingly different. Maybe I’ve read way too many vampire stories, but other than the amnesia, figuring out who you are once you’ve become one of the monsters is a constant in this idea of a story.
I really wish I’d been blown away. But I simply was not. Jasmine’s story simply lacks the grit that I enjoy.
Check out other reviews at: https://trippingthepagefantastic.word...
The movement of the rising action drifts daintily into the subtle drama of the climax, leaving me feeling that this is simply a few diary entries read aloud by the one who’d forgotten she’d written anything down.
I’m glad to see that other people like this story. I must be one of the few for whom this story does not resonate.
The imagery is interesting, lacking certain clichés most writers of intimate scenes fall into. In that, it was a bit different.
However, it just feels so soft that I can’t quite grip it in my mind. Even just after finishing it for the second time, I’m losing details that probably should have been able to stick with me.
Others have said that it is refreshingly different. Maybe I’ve read way too many vampire stories, but other than the amnesia, figuring out who you are once you’ve become one of the monsters is a constant in this idea of a story.
I really wish I’d been blown away. But I simply was not. Jasmine’s story simply lacks the grit that I enjoy.
Check out other reviews at: https://trippingthepagefantastic.word...
July 1, 2015
Audiobook
Narration - Angie Hickman - Pretty good. She has a voice that is lovely to listen to.
This is a paranormal shorty. Jasmine wakes up on an island and doesn't know who she is, but she craves blood. She lives off animals on the island and after learning that the sun can burn her she, she hides in a cave during the day. Through a twist of fate, she finds her way off the island and back into civilization where she ultimately finds more of her 'kind'
This is certainly a unique vampire story and I really enjoyed it. If it has a flaw, it's that it's short. It's not that there are gaps or holes in the story, but there is a lot of potential with this story-line that could be more fully developed. If these authors were so inclined - I think they could run with it and create a nice series of full length novels with this concept and go more in depth.
Really enjoyed it!
I received this title free of charge in exchange for an unbiased review
Narration - Angie Hickman - Pretty good. She has a voice that is lovely to listen to.
This is a paranormal shorty. Jasmine wakes up on an island and doesn't know who she is, but she craves blood. She lives off animals on the island and after learning that the sun can burn her she, she hides in a cave during the day. Through a twist of fate, she finds her way off the island and back into civilization where she ultimately finds more of her 'kind'
This is certainly a unique vampire story and I really enjoyed it. If it has a flaw, it's that it's short. It's not that there are gaps or holes in the story, but there is a lot of potential with this story-line that could be more fully developed. If these authors were so inclined - I think they could run with it and create a nice series of full length novels with this concept and go more in depth.
Really enjoyed it!
I received this title free of charge in exchange for an unbiased review
June 27, 2016
I absolutely love reading new authors and this is what i got when reading this book. Jasmine is a vampire with no memory of how she became the girl she is today, after waking on an island and craving blood she feels like she has to get back to civilisation which is exactly what she does when a ship comes along. With a face of a man haunting her that she doesn't know she finds solace in a home where no-one is living. Meeting the neighbour who brings feelings to her that she has not felt in a long time as far as she can remember. Killing bad men for food has become her thing but this has left her in a position she is not used to as she has brought more vampires to the seaside living to deal with things she has no idea about. Meeting her maker and deciding her fate is all the things she needs to deal with. A great story and it will suck you in from the first word.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2016
186 days is all she can remember but it’s more than she wants to. That is how long she was there on that little island with no one else to talk to and no one else to explain why she is like she is. Death has become a hell of its own for her. She cannot go into the daylight it hurts too much. She cannot talk to anyone because those on the island leave at night. On a given chance to leave the island she takes it and heads to a place that has people and a chance to actually live but she has no idea what living is anymore. Will she find what she needs or will it kill her trying.
Great new read!!!
Great new read!!!
July 13, 2016
An unusual novella that tells the tale of Jasmine and her survival as a new vampire. With no memory of who she is or how she became a vampire, she has to come to terms with drinking blood in order to live, as well as navigate the turbulent waters of her new existence. The narrator has a pleasant voice, did a good job with the different characters but I did find her rendition a little flat at times. This short audiobook is softer than most vampire books, it is a story of discovery rather than action and has thread is sadness to it. I received this audiobook from the author in exchange for an honest review
July 7, 2016
186 nights on a deserted island. No memory of your life before then. Not even your name. The only thing you do know is that you're a vampire. How's that for an introduction? This was a very different read from the beginning. It unfolds like a journal as you see and feel what Jasmine sees and feels. You're given no answers beyond what she discovers. As her resolve sharpens and her decisions are made, you find yourself at the end of the story with a not-so-happy, but satisfying, conclusion. I look forward to the next phase of Jasmine's journey.
I was given a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
I was given a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
January 15, 2018
Ainsley Shay and Miranda Hardy have a great read in "Delicate Thorns." It has an amazing opening that really hooks you in. There is great imagery, you can really imagine being in her place, doing what she does. It's a new vampire tale like I've never heard. I like the mythology. There's also a sweet romance too...it's a bit naughtier than your average YA, but not erotic though. I will definitely read more from these authors.
July 23, 2016
Jasmine wakes up alone on an island used solely for a stop by cruise liners. She is confused and thirsty....This is just the beginning of Delicate Thorns. From there, the story takes a whole new look at what becoming a vampire can do to a young woman. If you're looking for something fresh and new, give this story a try.
June 7, 2015
Review posted on Audible
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