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Affliction Series #1
Bathory's Secret
Do Vampires live forever? Hell no! Immortality is earned...
The year is 1609 and fourteen year old Kati lives a quiet rural existence with her mother in the outskirts of Csejthe Castle, the home of the powerful Countess Erzsébet Báthory. When the Countess personally shows up at Kati’s house offering her a job as a servant, she is happy to go if it’ll help her mother break out of poverty. Once at the castle the Countess ensures that Kati is illiterate before giving her the task of binding a series of centuries old notebooks which hide a blood soaked and violent past. As the months progress Kati discovers that her new mistress is fearsome, cruel and dangerous, but she is unable to leave without fear of retribution. She realizes that her only hope of understanding and escaping the Countess hides within the journals she is unable to read. Finding herself in a desperate situation Kati must uncover the secret behind the Countess’s erratic behavior and stop her before it’s too late for her and everyone she loves.
The year is 1609 and fourteen year old Kati lives a quiet rural existence with her mother in the outskirts of Csejthe Castle, the home of the powerful Countess Erzsébet Báthory. When the Countess personally shows up at Kati’s house offering her a job as a servant, she is happy to go if it’ll help her mother break out of poverty. Once at the castle the Countess ensures that Kati is illiterate before giving her the task of binding a series of centuries old notebooks which hide a blood soaked and violent past. As the months progress Kati discovers that her new mistress is fearsome, cruel and dangerous, but she is unable to leave without fear of retribution. She realizes that her only hope of understanding and escaping the Countess hides within the journals she is unable to read. Finding herself in a desperate situation Kati must uncover the secret behind the Countess’s erratic behavior and stop her before it’s too late for her and everyone she loves.
252 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 25, 2014
10 people are currently reading
184 people want to read
About the author
Romina Nicolaides
3 books25 followersRomina has a Bachelor's degree in History and a Master's degree in Modern History both from the University of Reading in the United Kingdom. Over the years she has completed a work placement at BBC History Magazine, worked as a freelancer at the History Channel and Goodlife Media Publications in London. In recent years she has worked in Marketing as a translator and copywriter and in web content management for a prominent bank in Cyprus.
She is the author of Bathory's Secret, the first book in the Affliction series, a reexamination of the Vampire genre from a more realistic and human perspective.
She is the author of Bathory's Secret, the first book in the Affliction series, a reexamination of the Vampire genre from a more realistic and human perspective.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
October 26, 2014
I was lucky enough to be a beta-reader for a lovely lady from Cyprus named Romina Nicolaides, who is ofc the authour of this book.
Bathory's Secret is the first book in the Affliction Series, and this is probably one of my favorite vampire-book because Romina cleverly created her vampires with a little twist.
The story begins in the year 1609, and its set in Csejthe castle which was in Hungary. The fact that the author set her book in a realistic (or at least, it was) castle made the story feel very real and imaginable.
I really liked the main protagonist Katalina, even thought she was pretty young. You could see that she was really mature for her age, and I think that this was a consequence about her life-style. What I loved the most about this book was that Romina created two stories at once - and in some point they've collided together. At that point everything made sense, and the story felt complet. I think this was a really clever idea for how to create a base for further stories, and I can't wait to get my hands on the second book.
Without further ado, I would recommend this book to every vampire-historical-paranormal-book lovers, because I'm sure that you will enjoy it.
Bathory's Secret is the first book in the Affliction Series, and this is probably one of my favorite vampire-book because Romina cleverly created her vampires with a little twist.
The story begins in the year 1609, and its set in Csejthe castle which was in Hungary. The fact that the author set her book in a realistic (or at least, it was) castle made the story feel very real and imaginable.
I really liked the main protagonist Katalina, even thought she was pretty young. You could see that she was really mature for her age, and I think that this was a consequence about her life-style. What I loved the most about this book was that Romina created two stories at once - and in some point they've collided together. At that point everything made sense, and the story felt complet. I think this was a really clever idea for how to create a base for further stories, and I can't wait to get my hands on the second book.
Without further ado, I would recommend this book to every vampire-historical-paranormal-book lovers, because I'm sure that you will enjoy it.
February 16, 2015
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review).
(This review may contain spoilers).
I've seen vampires used a lot in fiction to date and it's always interesting to see the different kind of spins people put on the popular vampire myth... even though I do think vampires have been over-used to date.
I know the historical account of the Countess Bathory and I felt this book was not only an interesting twist on the vampire story, but also on the story of the Countess... despite the amount of poetic license that was taken throughout the book.
The start of the book was intriguing and enough to draw me into the plot. The character of Kati was quite an interesting one and I liked seeing her interacting with the other characters in the book. It was pretty creepy to see the Countess' home and what went on there through Kati's eyes. I was surprised that the whole book wasn't written in first person - although the first chapter was intriguing, I felt it wasn't entirely clear who the POV character was or how they knew all of this information.
The journals that Kati had to bind were quite intriguing to read, but I couldn't quite see the evolution from the the character of Theodora to the way she was in Kati's time.
The goals of the Countess, once revealed, made her more of an interesting character, I felt... if still clearly a villain. I would have liked to see some more of the servants in the castle and also have a few more details of the other girls attending the school.
For the most part, I felt the author did a good job of setting the scene historically... but I did feel there were a number of occasions where the language was a bit too modern. There were also a couple of times where the journal entries weren't clearly indicated and I had some confusion before realising Kati was reading them again.
There were a lot of disturbing scenes in this book and I found myself cringing at times. The descriptions came across really well. I thought good use was made of the other historical figures, too.
I probably would read the sequel to this book at some point in the future. It would be interesting to see where the author goes with the storyline next.
(This review may contain spoilers).
I've seen vampires used a lot in fiction to date and it's always interesting to see the different kind of spins people put on the popular vampire myth... even though I do think vampires have been over-used to date.
I know the historical account of the Countess Bathory and I felt this book was not only an interesting twist on the vampire story, but also on the story of the Countess... despite the amount of poetic license that was taken throughout the book.
The start of the book was intriguing and enough to draw me into the plot. The character of Kati was quite an interesting one and I liked seeing her interacting with the other characters in the book. It was pretty creepy to see the Countess' home and what went on there through Kati's eyes. I was surprised that the whole book wasn't written in first person - although the first chapter was intriguing, I felt it wasn't entirely clear who the POV character was or how they knew all of this information.
The journals that Kati had to bind were quite intriguing to read, but I couldn't quite see the evolution from the the character of Theodora to the way she was in Kati's time.
The goals of the Countess, once revealed, made her more of an interesting character, I felt... if still clearly a villain. I would have liked to see some more of the servants in the castle and also have a few more details of the other girls attending the school.
For the most part, I felt the author did a good job of setting the scene historically... but I did feel there were a number of occasions where the language was a bit too modern. There were also a couple of times where the journal entries weren't clearly indicated and I had some confusion before realising Kati was reading them again.
There were a lot of disturbing scenes in this book and I found myself cringing at times. The descriptions came across really well. I thought good use was made of the other historical figures, too.
I probably would read the sequel to this book at some point in the future. It would be interesting to see where the author goes with the storyline next.
December 11, 2014
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I love historical fiction and vampire lore, and this book does not disappoint!. It is a compelling read, telling a story within the story and weaving the two together skillfully, which is not always easily done. This isn't your current young adult vampire story, but based on an actual historical figure, the Blood Countess, Elizabeth Bathory. It touches on adult themes and has an intriguing plot twist on vampires that makes you want to keep reading to see what happens next, both out of fascination, hope and fear for the young woman narrating it. There are elements of intrigue, suspense, and careful attention to the small historical notes that make any reader of historical fiction happy.
There are a few typos here and there that should be corrected on a future edit, but overall the pace of the book is good, the story is solidly researched, and you are drawn into it quickly.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves good historical fiction - an added plus would be knowing the history of the Blood Countess to add to your enjoyment of Ms. Nicolaides' re-telling of that story. I am looking forward to the next installment.
I love historical fiction and vampire lore, and this book does not disappoint!. It is a compelling read, telling a story within the story and weaving the two together skillfully, which is not always easily done. This isn't your current young adult vampire story, but based on an actual historical figure, the Blood Countess, Elizabeth Bathory. It touches on adult themes and has an intriguing plot twist on vampires that makes you want to keep reading to see what happens next, both out of fascination, hope and fear for the young woman narrating it. There are elements of intrigue, suspense, and careful attention to the small historical notes that make any reader of historical fiction happy.
There are a few typos here and there that should be corrected on a future edit, but overall the pace of the book is good, the story is solidly researched, and you are drawn into it quickly.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves good historical fiction - an added plus would be knowing the history of the Blood Countess to add to your enjoyment of Ms. Nicolaides' re-telling of that story. I am looking forward to the next installment.
February 18, 2015
The story itself is a good one. It jumps between the protagonist Kati and her service to Erzsebet Bathory, and Theodora's journal entries. I think the introduction as a virus is a fresh spin on an old Vampire tale, and the author does a great job moving the story along. I was whisked away to Hungary, Venice, and Vienna—and thoroughly enjoyed the ride.
This book would be five stars without its glaring issues with sentence structure, wording, and some confusing jumps between journal entries and the actual book chapters. I also had a problem believing Theodora would start a relationship with Vyktor after/during a series of violent rapes that occur. Had there been a smoother, longer progression to their relationship it might have been believable after some time—but not right out of the gate. I just cannot buy into a virginal rape victim getting into a romantic, sexual relationship while violent assaults are still occurring.
The flow of the story is hampered by overused words, oftentimes in the same sentences (which are never ending). For example: “Initially a grasping chill sets in, only it gets worse and worse until it permanently settles the body's core temperature to about thirty five degrees centigrade and leaves it permanently cold to the touch and extremely pale.” There we have permanently twice in a sentence that reads like a paragraph--and there are many, many more. Also, the body is normally 37.2C--so 35C isn't terribly convincing as a dramatic change in temperature, at least not to a lay reader.
There are a lot of these issues throughout, but I found it (mostly) forgivable in the context of a good story. I enjoyed reading well outside my usual genre and comfort zone, and thank the author for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book would be five stars without its glaring issues with sentence structure, wording, and some confusing jumps between journal entries and the actual book chapters. I also had a problem believing Theodora would start a relationship with Vyktor after/during a series of violent rapes that occur. Had there been a smoother, longer progression to their relationship it might have been believable after some time—but not right out of the gate. I just cannot buy into a virginal rape victim getting into a romantic, sexual relationship while violent assaults are still occurring.
The flow of the story is hampered by overused words, oftentimes in the same sentences (which are never ending). For example: “Initially a grasping chill sets in, only it gets worse and worse until it permanently settles the body's core temperature to about thirty five degrees centigrade and leaves it permanently cold to the touch and extremely pale.” There we have permanently twice in a sentence that reads like a paragraph--and there are many, many more. Also, the body is normally 37.2C--so 35C isn't terribly convincing as a dramatic change in temperature, at least not to a lay reader.
There are a lot of these issues throughout, but I found it (mostly) forgivable in the context of a good story. I enjoyed reading well outside my usual genre and comfort zone, and thank the author for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 10, 2015
This is set in and around Castle Csejthe in the Kingdom of Hungary, in 1610 - Countess Bathory's last year of freedom - and follows a young girl, Kati, who is brought to work for the Countess, binding books that tell a terrifying tale of a vampire. Kati's story is woven with the tale of Theodora Laskari as she reads the books she binds.
There is much to like about this novel. I particularly like the historical setting and detail - vampires provide an almost unique opportunity to have characters whose lives span centuries, and here we have Theodora Laskari, a well written female vampire, born in Constantinople in 1195 and reaching Venice in 1575. I'm less thrilled with the way the story was developed in-between, however; it feels like a wasted opportunity, hiding away from history rather than embracing it.
Kati's story feels much more comfortable in its setting and clearly the author has done her research into the life of Erzsébet Báthory. Kati herself may be an echo of Katalin Beneczky, although the former is a fourteen-year-old girl and the latter was an elderly washerwoman.
It's an absorbing read and often tense, and certainly worthy of four stars if the grammar and formatting could be cleaned up.
There is much to like about this novel. I particularly like the historical setting and detail - vampires provide an almost unique opportunity to have characters whose lives span centuries, and here we have Theodora Laskari, a well written female vampire, born in Constantinople in 1195 and reaching Venice in 1575. I'm less thrilled with the way the story was developed in-between, however; it feels like a wasted opportunity, hiding away from history rather than embracing it.
Kati's story feels much more comfortable in its setting and clearly the author has done her research into the life of Erzsébet Báthory. Kati herself may be an echo of Katalin Beneczky, although the former is a fourteen-year-old girl and the latter was an elderly washerwoman.
It's an absorbing read and often tense, and certainly worthy of four stars if the grammar and formatting could be cleaned up.
March 12, 2015
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. If I could give this 5+ stars I would. I was not initially familiar with the Countess, but I extremely fascinated with the story that opened up and consumed me entirely to the point that I will soon hit Google and get more information. This is an especially easy read, but also, rich with facts and even a note from the author explaining that some of the story has been changed in order for the story to flow correctly. A wonderful read!
February 17, 2015
A wonderful, must-read book, beautifully written with some great characters. Already hooked, waiting super-eagerly for the next in the series to come out and discover how the characters develop. I especially enjoyed the chapter on the Order of the Knights of the True Blood and the dark and imaginative edge that runs throughout the narrative. There are many vampire books out there, but true fantasy lovers will agree that this book stands out amidst the crowd. Excellent work by the author.
February 1, 2015
I received this book free from Read It And Reap at Goodreads.com, in exchange for an honest review.
Kati is a poor peasant girl whose fortunes apparently change overnight when she catches the eye of the Countess Elizabeth Bathory, who hires her to work as a servant in her castle. Kati has been chosen because of her oxymoronic illiteracy and bookbinding ability. The Countess has stacks and stacks of papers that she wishes to have bound into book form.
When one of the Countess' wards befriends Kati and offers to teach her to read, Kati jumps at the opportunity, and finds herself learning more from those papers about the Countess than is safe for her to know.
I wanted to enjoy this story more than I did. I wasn't entirely disappointed, because the tale has excellent bones, which is why I'm giving it 3 stars. I can also tell that the author did some research on the time period as well as bookbinding and other aspects of the story. But it is still in need of some fleshing out. For example, much of the phrasing is far too modern for the story. Obviously, because it is for modern readers, a certain amount of modernity is required. But phrases such as, "put up with it", which was used frequently, could have been changed to more sophisticated verbiage so as not to be so glaring.
Other editing issues included punctuation and grammar. One instance which comes to mind, is when referring to people, we should use the word "who" rather than the word "that". For example, "These are the people WHO like me", rather than, "These are the people THAT like me." This type of grammatical error occurs frequently, and made the story clunky.
Certain other issues arose which made me wince. *Spoilers follow* In one scene, a female prisoner is being violated by her captor. It is the first time it has occurred in the story, but the prisoner tells us that the only thing that gets her through these "nightly visits" is fantasizing about killing him. Why are we being told that this is a nightly activity when this is the first time it's happened? And later in the story this same girl tells us that a fellow captive becomes her Keeper and they begin nightly intimacies in secret. Where did her jailer go? Is her captor permitting this for some reason of his own? Considering that she had previously been raped "nightly", I found it glaring that, even though they were answered later in the story, the character did not ask those questions at any time.
Even more importantly, it was never really discussed why the Countess wanted the papers bound in the first place. It was a foundational question that was never answered to my satisfaction, and it left the story feeling a little unbalanced to me.
Better editing could have made this a better book, but I did very much enjoy the premise. It provided a fresh perspective to vampire lore. I hope that the author's next installment in the series will have more polish, because it certainly has excellent potential.
Kati is a poor peasant girl whose fortunes apparently change overnight when she catches the eye of the Countess Elizabeth Bathory, who hires her to work as a servant in her castle. Kati has been chosen because of her oxymoronic illiteracy and bookbinding ability. The Countess has stacks and stacks of papers that she wishes to have bound into book form.
When one of the Countess' wards befriends Kati and offers to teach her to read, Kati jumps at the opportunity, and finds herself learning more from those papers about the Countess than is safe for her to know.
I wanted to enjoy this story more than I did. I wasn't entirely disappointed, because the tale has excellent bones, which is why I'm giving it 3 stars. I can also tell that the author did some research on the time period as well as bookbinding and other aspects of the story. But it is still in need of some fleshing out. For example, much of the phrasing is far too modern for the story. Obviously, because it is for modern readers, a certain amount of modernity is required. But phrases such as, "put up with it", which was used frequently, could have been changed to more sophisticated verbiage so as not to be so glaring.
Other editing issues included punctuation and grammar. One instance which comes to mind, is when referring to people, we should use the word "who" rather than the word "that". For example, "These are the people WHO like me", rather than, "These are the people THAT like me." This type of grammatical error occurs frequently, and made the story clunky.
Certain other issues arose which made me wince. *Spoilers follow* In one scene, a female prisoner is being violated by her captor. It is the first time it has occurred in the story, but the prisoner tells us that the only thing that gets her through these "nightly visits" is fantasizing about killing him. Why are we being told that this is a nightly activity when this is the first time it's happened? And later in the story this same girl tells us that a fellow captive becomes her Keeper and they begin nightly intimacies in secret. Where did her jailer go? Is her captor permitting this for some reason of his own? Considering that she had previously been raped "nightly", I found it glaring that, even though they were answered later in the story, the character did not ask those questions at any time.
Even more importantly, it was never really discussed why the Countess wanted the papers bound in the first place. It was a foundational question that was never answered to my satisfaction, and it left the story feeling a little unbalanced to me.
Better editing could have made this a better book, but I did very much enjoy the premise. It provided a fresh perspective to vampire lore. I hope that the author's next installment in the series will have more polish, because it certainly has excellent potential.
February 24, 2017
I was almost afraid to read this book because of some of the content. While disturbing, it wasn't as graphic (thank God) as I thought it would be. I had an interest in Elizabeth Bathory from other novels in which she was mentioned. I have read quite a few biographies and while appreciating the facts, I found some very dry. So I decided to go for a fictional account. This book kept my interest from beginning to end. I didn't go into it to tear it apart for anachronistic flaws etc. The author wrote a very, in my opinion, good book. There were only a few times that I had to check to see who's POV I was reading and it never interfered with the story. When you're reading a book and you realize two hours have gone by in the blink of an eye, well, that's a good read. This story flowed smoothly along and made me keep turning the pages until the end. I throughly enjoyed it and I will be purchasing the next in the series.
February 9, 2015
I received complementary copy of this book for an honest review.
Parental advisory: this book portrays a warped sense of what Christianity is. Priests who pray to God, capture, contain and rape vampires, all in the name of Jesus, as well as drink vampire blood to elongate their own lives. I've never read a vampire novel before, but it was a good read, with thought-out, well developed characters. I would have given this book a higher rating were it not for the graphic scenes beginning in chapter 8.
I love how the book opens up to explain about a virus that changes your body composition and how the person then becomes "Afflicted" or otherwise known as a vampire. It also explains from a first person point of view, all the myths about vampires, such as using garlic or a crucifix o ward off a vampire. Silver is specifically pinpointed as something that can harm someone with the VN73 virus.
This author has very poor usage of commas, which prevents the sentences from being read smoothly and I have had to reread numerous sentences to understand what is trying to be said.
Our main character, Kati, is a 14 year old, underprivileged girl, who lives with her mother. She is approached by the Countess, Bathory, to work at her castle and bind a bunch of papers into books. Kati can not read up to this point, which is what the Countess is looking for in a book binder. The Countess brings in 4 young, wealthy girls to teach how to become ladies, one of whom befriends Kati and teaches her how to read.
*Graphic Spoiler Alert*
Kati begins to read the Countess' journals and we discover the Countess' childhood. Up to the chapter 8 mark, this was a clean book, but at the middle of this chapter, there is a graphic rape scene between the captured young vampire and a Priest. We are told that this would be a nightly occurrence, and not necessarily by the same Priest, each time. There are also other scenes between the girl and her vampire keeper, Vyktor, later on in the book. This book ends with a cliff hanger. What happened with the Countess' son who was to be healed? Is that in the supposed next installment that the author mentions at the end?
All in all, I would recommend this book to those that have a firm understanding of Christianity and know that what the Priests in the underground compound, are not correct in their thinking and warp what the Bible says to be true. Use your own judgement. As a Christian, I would not let my children read this book because it goes against what we believe to be true.
Parental advisory: this book portrays a warped sense of what Christianity is. Priests who pray to God, capture, contain and rape vampires, all in the name of Jesus, as well as drink vampire blood to elongate their own lives. I've never read a vampire novel before, but it was a good read, with thought-out, well developed characters. I would have given this book a higher rating were it not for the graphic scenes beginning in chapter 8.
I love how the book opens up to explain about a virus that changes your body composition and how the person then becomes "Afflicted" or otherwise known as a vampire. It also explains from a first person point of view, all the myths about vampires, such as using garlic or a crucifix o ward off a vampire. Silver is specifically pinpointed as something that can harm someone with the VN73 virus.
This author has very poor usage of commas, which prevents the sentences from being read smoothly and I have had to reread numerous sentences to understand what is trying to be said.
Our main character, Kati, is a 14 year old, underprivileged girl, who lives with her mother. She is approached by the Countess, Bathory, to work at her castle and bind a bunch of papers into books. Kati can not read up to this point, which is what the Countess is looking for in a book binder. The Countess brings in 4 young, wealthy girls to teach how to become ladies, one of whom befriends Kati and teaches her how to read.
*Graphic Spoiler Alert*
Kati begins to read the Countess' journals and we discover the Countess' childhood. Up to the chapter 8 mark, this was a clean book, but at the middle of this chapter, there is a graphic rape scene between the captured young vampire and a Priest. We are told that this would be a nightly occurrence, and not necessarily by the same Priest, each time. There are also other scenes between the girl and her vampire keeper, Vyktor, later on in the book. This book ends with a cliff hanger. What happened with the Countess' son who was to be healed? Is that in the supposed next installment that the author mentions at the end?
All in all, I would recommend this book to those that have a firm understanding of Christianity and know that what the Priests in the underground compound, are not correct in their thinking and warp what the Bible says to be true. Use your own judgement. As a Christian, I would not let my children read this book because it goes against what we believe to be true.
March 24, 2015
Timeline: 1/1610-8/17/1614, Hungary Countess Erzsébet Báthory & her family & the help lived in the Csejthe Castle (1250, Nádasdy family).
Kati Bosko (Katalina) & her mom raised vegetables for her to sell at the daily market. Her mother was a book binder by trade.
Countess Erzsébet Báthory came to speak to the mother about Kati (14) coming to work for her.
Done deal.
Count Nádasdy (husband) had died several yrs. ago.
Kati was expected to be able to do about everything. Bookbinding 1 of them.
Kati met Miloš (8, kitchen help).
Oriana (f, Moravia) was next employed & secretly started teaching Kati how to read/write, & how to translate/speak several other languages.
Kati started to explore the castle. What would she find?
As Kati began to bind & read the Countess Erzsébet Báthory journals what more bizarre secrets would she uncover?
8/3/1576 AD a plague in Venice was on its 3rd yr. of mass destruction.
Will Kati be able to escape the wrath of Countess Erzsébet Báthory?
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written true/false historical fictional horror book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great horror movie, or mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free Story Cartel; PDF book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
Kati Bosko (Katalina) & her mom raised vegetables for her to sell at the daily market. Her mother was a book binder by trade.
Countess Erzsébet Báthory came to speak to the mother about Kati (14) coming to work for her.
Done deal.
Count Nádasdy (husband) had died several yrs. ago.
Kati was expected to be able to do about everything. Bookbinding 1 of them.
Kati met Miloš (8, kitchen help).
Oriana (f, Moravia) was next employed & secretly started teaching Kati how to read/write, & how to translate/speak several other languages.
Kati started to explore the castle. What would she find?
As Kati began to bind & read the Countess Erzsébet Báthory journals what more bizarre secrets would she uncover?
8/3/1576 AD a plague in Venice was on its 3rd yr. of mass destruction.
Will Kati be able to escape the wrath of Countess Erzsébet Báthory?
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written true/false historical fictional horror book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great horror movie, or mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free Story Cartel; PDF book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
July 19, 2015
Bathory's Secret is an interesting take on the story of Erzsébet Báthory, known as the Blood Countess.
The most peculiar aspect of this novel is that the Countess is I usually prefer historical novels which are more realistic, but the idea is appropriate when it comes to Báthory's story, and the author did quite a good job with it. I must say I did not much like that Apart from that, I think the story blends historical elements with supernatural ones quite well, so you should enjoy it if you like these kind of books.
The book is quite short so the plot is mostly eventful and not boring, but there are some slow points. For example, I think the parts of Báthory's diaries concerning her imprisonment were a little dragged out.
As for the characters, I liked the main character, a servant girl named Kati. Even if she makes some foolish decisions, she is so young that her actions are easily justifiable, and I appreciated her courage and her kindness. Unfortunately, even if we read her diaries, the Countess herself remains an ambiguous character. Her motivations are not entirely explained, and she is not as charismatic or as frightening as I would have liked. And yet, her portrayal is not bad, and definitely better than some books I have read about her.
Overall, I would recommend this book to readers who love books about Erzsébet Báthory, and to readers who love historical fiction mixed with supernatural elements.
The most peculiar aspect of this novel is that the Countess is I usually prefer historical novels which are more realistic, but the idea is appropriate when it comes to Báthory's story, and the author did quite a good job with it. I must say I did not much like that Apart from that, I think the story blends historical elements with supernatural ones quite well, so you should enjoy it if you like these kind of books.
The book is quite short so the plot is mostly eventful and not boring, but there are some slow points. For example, I think the parts of Báthory's diaries concerning her imprisonment were a little dragged out.
As for the characters, I liked the main character, a servant girl named Kati. Even if she makes some foolish decisions, she is so young that her actions are easily justifiable, and I appreciated her courage and her kindness. Unfortunately, even if we read her diaries, the Countess herself remains an ambiguous character. Her motivations are not entirely explained, and she is not as charismatic or as frightening as I would have liked. And yet, her portrayal is not bad, and definitely better than some books I have read about her.
Overall, I would recommend this book to readers who love books about Erzsébet Báthory, and to readers who love historical fiction mixed with supernatural elements.
December 1, 2014
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book was unbelievably good. I don't normally read books with a vampire theme, but I am so glad I read this one. This book features a beautifully rich story, in-depth characters (some of which are likeable and others to hate), and even a tale within a story, which is one of my favorite things about this novel.
This book also offers love, loss, oppression, and a kitten. Additionally, there were a few gory parts, as well as some very interesting religious undertones that are pretty fascinating, if you keep an open mind.
You can really feel for Kati at times, and you can even feel for the Countess at times, but I also found myself wishing for the best the whole time, while expecting the worst. The whole novel is full of great moments of suspense and intrigue, and nothing was glossed over. I really am interested to see what happens in the second installment.
This would be a great book to read if you are interested in fiction books based on historical people, horror, or vampire titles.
January 29, 2015
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves good historical fiction and for those like me, who love to read stories about vampire, ( in this case Afflicted).
Countess Elizabeth Báthory de Ecsed has been labelled the most prolific female serial killer in history. Báthory and four collaborators were accused of torturing and killing hundreds of girls. She is often compared with Vlad III the Impaler of Wallachia, on whom the fictional Count Dracula is partly based, and has been nicknamed The Blood Countess and Countess Dracula. Romina has a Bachelors degree in History and a Masters degree in Modern History so she used her knowledge and well-known story and create great twist. There are basically story within a story and I really enjoyed reading it very much. I will be waiting for the next book to see what happens for Kati next.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves good historical fiction and for those like me, who love to read stories about vampire, ( in this case Afflicted).
Countess Elizabeth Báthory de Ecsed has been labelled the most prolific female serial killer in history. Báthory and four collaborators were accused of torturing and killing hundreds of girls. She is often compared with Vlad III the Impaler of Wallachia, on whom the fictional Count Dracula is partly based, and has been nicknamed The Blood Countess and Countess Dracula. Romina has a Bachelors degree in History and a Masters degree in Modern History so she used her knowledge and well-known story and create great twist. There are basically story within a story and I really enjoyed reading it very much. I will be waiting for the next book to see what happens for Kati next.
January 12, 2016
3.75 stars; it could have received 4 if a better edit was done. In any case, I really liked the story and its creativity. (I love fiction with a mix of the historical and the paranormal).
*SPOILER ALERT*
History presents the Countess Bathory as one twisted, sadistic woman with vampiric tendencies; in Bathory's Secret, we get the added bonus of her actually being a long-lived imposter vampire, who kills the real countess and takes her place - brilliant!
An amazing story, overall, but there were some structural items that threw me off:
- Besides some grammatical errors, there were some run on sentences that made me re-read sections on several occasions
- I felt that the parts of the book that were Theodora's story (the imposter countess) should have been written in italics, to make it easier to read
I also would have liked to have known what happened to Theodora's son. (Maybe he will be addressed in the second book)?
Anyway - I really did enjoy this book, and will be reading the second one soon!
*SPOILER ALERT*
History presents the Countess Bathory as one twisted, sadistic woman with vampiric tendencies; in Bathory's Secret, we get the added bonus of her actually being a long-lived imposter vampire, who kills the real countess and takes her place - brilliant!
An amazing story, overall, but there were some structural items that threw me off:
- Besides some grammatical errors, there were some run on sentences that made me re-read sections on several occasions
- I felt that the parts of the book that were Theodora's story (the imposter countess) should have been written in italics, to make it easier to read
I also would have liked to have known what happened to Theodora's son. (Maybe he will be addressed in the second book)?
Anyway - I really did enjoy this book, and will be reading the second one soon!
January 26, 2015
As the prologue said, this is not the usual vampire story. I didn't know what to expect but in the end I liked it.
In a few parts, I thought it was too descriptive, but the more you read on, the more you realize that those details were important to have a better understanding of the character's behaviour.
It is the first book of a series. If the story ended with this book I would have liked it anyway, the fact that there is a sequel makes me wonder what could happen next... While reading the end I started to ask myself questions, I guess the next book will answer them.
For those like me, who love to read stories about vampire, I would surely recommend it. It differs from the stories I have read so far.
In a few parts, I thought it was too descriptive, but the more you read on, the more you realize that those details were important to have a better understanding of the character's behaviour.
It is the first book of a series. If the story ended with this book I would have liked it anyway, the fact that there is a sequel makes me wonder what could happen next... While reading the end I started to ask myself questions, I guess the next book will answer them.
For those like me, who love to read stories about vampire, I would surely recommend it. It differs from the stories I have read so far.
February 28, 2015
In general I do not read historical fiction. However, historical vampire fiction, count me in. When its writer has done an amazing job with the combination, well I am definitely following her and waiting for another of her books to emerge. This book is well written, correct in historical reference, has characters of depth, a story within a story and kept me reading. Great ending too! I can not say enough good things. I believe it may need a few editing tweeks but very few. I can't wait to see whats next from Romina Nicolaides.
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
November 2, 2015
I really enjoyed this take on Countess Elizabeth Báthory de Ecse, concerning the vampire lore. The Countess travels to the local town and picks out a young peasant girl, Katalina, to bind centuries old, secret journals. The Countess made sure the girl could not read because there are terrible stories depicted in the journals. Once Kati is at the castle, she discovers she must find out what's in the journals.
I enjoyed the historical setting of this story and the details were wonderful. I enjoyed the vampire story and Kati's story as well!
I can't wait to read the next book in the series!
I was given a complementary copy of this book for an honest review.
I enjoyed the historical setting of this story and the details were wonderful. I enjoyed the vampire story and Kati's story as well!
I can't wait to read the next book in the series!
I was given a complementary copy of this book for an honest review.
February 6, 2015
Cool retooling of both the vampire story and the Bathory mystery. Really liked this book and am looking forward to the next one.
December 6, 2019
Very different
This is a different take not only on the vampire story, but on Bathory herself. As a whole, I quite enjoyed the book. However, I did deduct a star because it lagged and was a bit disjointed in some areas. I did really enjoy the story within a story (the diaries). I can honestly recommend this book.
This is a different take not only on the vampire story, but on Bathory herself. As a whole, I quite enjoyed the book. However, I did deduct a star because it lagged and was a bit disjointed in some areas. I did really enjoy the story within a story (the diaries). I can honestly recommend this book.
February 24, 2015
Disclaimer: I got this book free and was asked to review it in return.
On the whole I enjoyed this book. There was a stage (somewhere around the middle) I wondered how this would all tie back into Bathory but I like what the author did with this. I was concerned that this would be a "lets re-write history" attempt but the little I know about the real Bathory was touched upon here in such a way as to be realistic (if vampires existed!)
I very much enjoyed the introduction - the writing was different enough to stand out, in places a thesaurus was seemingly used but, in my opinion, I think a 400ish year old vampire would use words that are 'out of the norm' and I liked this effect. It certainly drew me in.
As I said I did get a bit... not bored but my mind started to wander during the history part of this. Thinking back on it however I think that was more down to wondering how on earth the author would tie all this together - in hindsight this section of the book was really quite interesting and leaves a number of questions unanswered - did the 'order' reflect upon any real religious movement? What happened after the epidemic - surely some remnants must have survived? What about the 'ghost' babies that grew to maturity? Perhaps these things will be touched upon in a future book - I would like to know more about Valgt - did someone else wake him up? What about Oriana - does Kati ever see her again? Again, very possible such questions will be answered in a future book.
I did find some things the author did to be jarring - for example in the prologue the information about the cause of vampirism in this book is given very precisely but at the same time the writer (this part of the book strikes me as being a journal entry) of this is rather imprecise about other things - a strange juxtaposition.
I also struggled to reconcile the last part of the book - , though considering the events of the book perhaps I am not lending them enough weight....
This wasn't quite a four star book in my opinion but it really isn't far off. It was an enjoyable read with a different take on vampires than what I have seen in other books.
On the whole I enjoyed this book. There was a stage (somewhere around the middle) I wondered how this would all tie back into Bathory but I like what the author did with this. I was concerned that this would be a "lets re-write history" attempt but the little I know about the real Bathory was touched upon here in such a way as to be realistic (if vampires existed!)
I very much enjoyed the introduction - the writing was different enough to stand out, in places a thesaurus was seemingly used but, in my opinion, I think a 400ish year old vampire would use words that are 'out of the norm' and I liked this effect. It certainly drew me in.
As I said I did get a bit... not bored but my mind started to wander during the history part of this. Thinking back on it however I think that was more down to wondering how on earth the author would tie all this together - in hindsight this section of the book was really quite interesting and leaves a number of questions unanswered - did the 'order' reflect upon any real religious movement? What happened after the epidemic - surely some remnants must have survived? What about the 'ghost' babies that grew to maturity? Perhaps these things will be touched upon in a future book - I would like to know more about Valgt - did someone else wake him up? What about Oriana - does Kati ever see her again? Again, very possible such questions will be answered in a future book.
I did find some things the author did to be jarring - for example in the prologue the information about the cause of vampirism in this book is given very precisely but at the same time the writer (this part of the book strikes me as being a journal entry) of this is rather imprecise about other things - a strange juxtaposition.
I also struggled to reconcile the last part of the book - , though considering the events of the book perhaps I am not lending them enough weight....
This wasn't quite a four star book in my opinion but it really isn't far off. It was an enjoyable read with a different take on vampires than what I have seen in other books.
November 24, 2015
I feel bad for giving a low score to the first book of a new author, but I much rather give a honest review than lying. Good feedback will help her more than a 5-star review with no comments.
This book falls in my category of abandoned books. I usually don't like to leave books unfinished, but I also have very limited time for my leisure activities, therefore I have created this rule for myself: I try to read at least half the book, and if by then I don't really like it, then I can leave it. Abandoned books can only be 1 or 2 star ratings. 2 star ratings may be continued later on if one day I "feel" like trying again and give it another chance. 1 star ratings are forever lost to me.
This is a 2 star rating. Which means is not really the worst. It just lacks certain things.
I was really excited about this book. I have always felt attracted to the Bathory myth. And mixing it up with vampires? It sounded amazing, considering I love all things vampire.
But this book just didn't do it. I didn't feel a connection to Katalina, and I felt the pace of the book rather dull, like following a straight line (I don't really know how to express myself: like when someone reads out loud some passage of a story to you, with a dead tone voice, without any changes to the mood and the pitch...) which means that no matter how innovative or interesting the story could be, it didn't click on me.
I must recognize to the author the new twist she gave to vampires, and I liked it how it was a virus rather that something demonical.
Also, although English is not my mother tongue, like other reviews, I think that some commas are missing. Nothing a little bit of editing can't fix, though.
I hope I don't leave any harsh feelings because of this review. I am just trying to give my honest opinion and be of some help.
This book falls in my category of abandoned books. I usually don't like to leave books unfinished, but I also have very limited time for my leisure activities, therefore I have created this rule for myself: I try to read at least half the book, and if by then I don't really like it, then I can leave it. Abandoned books can only be 1 or 2 star ratings. 2 star ratings may be continued later on if one day I "feel" like trying again and give it another chance. 1 star ratings are forever lost to me.
This is a 2 star rating. Which means is not really the worst. It just lacks certain things.
I was really excited about this book. I have always felt attracted to the Bathory myth. And mixing it up with vampires? It sounded amazing, considering I love all things vampire.
But this book just didn't do it. I didn't feel a connection to Katalina, and I felt the pace of the book rather dull, like following a straight line (I don't really know how to express myself: like when someone reads out loud some passage of a story to you, with a dead tone voice, without any changes to the mood and the pitch...) which means that no matter how innovative or interesting the story could be, it didn't click on me.
I must recognize to the author the new twist she gave to vampires, and I liked it how it was a virus rather that something demonical.
Also, although English is not my mother tongue, like other reviews, I think that some commas are missing. Nothing a little bit of editing can't fix, though.
I hope I don't leave any harsh feelings because of this review. I am just trying to give my honest opinion and be of some help.
March 9, 2015
I didn't like this story, even though I did read it right to the end. The archaic style made it hard for me to enjoy. Some words used in the wrong context were annoying, as were inconsistencies in points of view. While Kayti's character is reasonably well developed, I couldn't warm to her enough to want to know what she does in the next book. Bathory was like a cartoon character. I felt some scenes showed hints of affection in her actions towards Kayti, but this was then belied by her words. Confused, I am left wondering if this was a show of disguised feelings, or careless writing, because I kept expecting them to become friends.Torture was mentioned in a brief, almost casual way. If you are concerned about graphic violence, don't be. I mean, a bit of dismemberment and holding living hearts is hardly the stuff of nightmares these days!
I didn't know this was a vampire story when I read the blurb, else I might not have downloaded the free review copy from Story Cartel in exchange for my review. I also didn't know it was based on a true character. If it was written in a modern way, it might have been okay.
I didn't know this was a vampire story when I read the blurb, else I might not have downloaded the free review copy from Story Cartel in exchange for my review. I also didn't know it was based on a true character. If it was written in a modern way, it might have been okay.
March 10, 2015
More like 2.5 stars
I opened this book with a bit of excitement. It sounded quite interesting and just up my reading alley. While the base story is great the over abundance of run on sentences number so great that it is hard to wrap your head around all of them not to mention that many are without any breaks leaving you gasping for much needed breath. (My last sentence is an example of those runaway sentences! *a few commas here and there would be a good thing.*)
Also, some of the terms used felt far too modern to have been spoken in 17th century. So out of place that I found myself pulled from the story as my brain hiccupped. Also, there were many things that happened, things that made the reader want to know more, but were never explained. Maybe they'll be addressed in future books? I don't know, and never will as I won't be reading further.
Because of the aforementioned issues, it almost became a chore to finish this book; almost.
I received a copy for review via StoryCartel.
I opened this book with a bit of excitement. It sounded quite interesting and just up my reading alley. While the base story is great the over abundance of run on sentences number so great that it is hard to wrap your head around all of them not to mention that many are without any breaks leaving you gasping for much needed breath. (My last sentence is an example of those runaway sentences! *a few commas here and there would be a good thing.*)
Also, some of the terms used felt far too modern to have been spoken in 17th century. So out of place that I found myself pulled from the story as my brain hiccupped. Also, there were many things that happened, things that made the reader want to know more, but were never explained. Maybe they'll be addressed in future books? I don't know, and never will as I won't be reading further.
Because of the aforementioned issues, it almost became a chore to finish this book; almost.
I received a copy for review via StoryCartel.
August 5, 2015
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