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Amber Fang #1
The Hunted
Librarian. Assassin. Vampire.
Amber Fang enjoys life's simple pleasures - a good book, a glass of wine and, of course, a great meal.
Raised to eat ethically, Amber dines only on delicious, cold-blooded killers. But being sure they’re actually killers takes time… research… patience.
It’s a good thing Amber’s a librarian. Her extraordinary skills help her hunt down her prey, seek out other vampires, and stay on the trail of her mother, missing now for two years. One day she stalks a rather tasty-looking murderer and things get messy. Very messy. Amber, the hunter, becomes the hunted.
And then, from out of nowhere, the perfect job offer: Assassin. She’d be paid to eat the world’s worst butchers. How ideal.
Until it isn’t.
Amber Fang enjoys life's simple pleasures - a good book, a glass of wine and, of course, a great meal.
Raised to eat ethically, Amber dines only on delicious, cold-blooded killers. But being sure they’re actually killers takes time… research… patience.
It’s a good thing Amber’s a librarian. Her extraordinary skills help her hunt down her prey, seek out other vampires, and stay on the trail of her mother, missing now for two years. One day she stalks a rather tasty-looking murderer and things get messy. Very messy. Amber, the hunter, becomes the hunted.
And then, from out of nowhere, the perfect job offer: Assassin. She’d be paid to eat the world’s worst butchers. How ideal.
Until it isn’t.
176 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 20, 2016
149 people are currently reading
441 people want to read
About the author
Arthur Slade
73 books523 followersArthur Slade was raised in the Cypress Hills of southwest Saskatchewan and began writing at an early age. He is the author of the bestselling The Hunchback Assignments series of books, Dust (which won the Governor General's award), Tribes and Jolted. He lives in Saskatoon, Canada (which really is a real place). Join his creative & somewhat clever newsletter at: what a zany newsletter!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
September 14, 2019
I read this book to fill the Vampires square of my 2019 Halloween Bingo Card.
This is a cute and irreverent frolic through the vampire mythos. Amber Fang was a sheltered young vampire, raised by a mother who believed in ethical eating--only remorseless killers allowed. Good thing that Amber was well into her Library Science degree and has mad researching skills.
Amber would obviously like to believe that she is at the top of the food chain. She reminds me of all the anthropological literature that makes the claim that humans are the world’s apex predator, when really if you turned most of us out into the wild, we would quickly expire from hunger & exposure!
Bonus points for the Icelandic librarian who moonlights as a sniper! My dream combination, violent little fantasist than I am.
I bought this book because I really wanted to support its author, Arthur Slade. Mr. Slade came to a book conference that I regularly attend and I was struck by what a decent guy he is. I think he gave this vampire tale a very playful twist and I’ll see if I can find his other two Amber Fang books.
This is a cute and irreverent frolic through the vampire mythos. Amber Fang was a sheltered young vampire, raised by a mother who believed in ethical eating--only remorseless killers allowed. Good thing that Amber was well into her Library Science degree and has mad researching skills.
Amber would obviously like to believe that she is at the top of the food chain. She reminds me of all the anthropological literature that makes the claim that humans are the world’s apex predator, when really if you turned most of us out into the wild, we would quickly expire from hunger & exposure!
Bonus points for the Icelandic librarian who moonlights as a sniper! My dream combination, violent little fantasist than I am.
I bought this book because I really wanted to support its author, Arthur Slade. Mr. Slade came to a book conference that I regularly attend and I was struck by what a decent guy he is. I think he gave this vampire tale a very playful twist and I’ll see if I can find his other two Amber Fang books.
December 1, 2016
3.5 stars. I liked this short paranormal novel and its main character, a vampire librarian with fastidious eating habits. Nothing original but the author knows how to weave a well-paced tale, and does a good job with irony. It's both a standalone and the first installment of a series.
It was embarrassing when your food outsmarted you.
It was embarrassing when your food outsmarted you.
December 11, 2020
I've got to say, this book was hilarious. I really love the sense of humor the MC had and the constant quips and jokes. Without her wittiness, I don't think the book would've been as fun to go through.
But her humor aside, I don't think this book had a plot. In less than 200 pages a bunch of things happened, but that's really it. There were few revelations, almost no character development, and really no change at all. If I were to map out the progression of this book on a curve it would look like a sinusoidal graph.
Or maybe something like a lie detector test. In any case, a couple of things happened but we still ended up where we started. And because of that, I think this book was meant to be more of a prologue where the scene is set for a lot of things that will happen in future books. Although I'm not quite sure, because there were a couple of loose strings at the end of book 1 but there wasn't a big unifying goal the MC had.
Technically, there was an idea/goal that the MC was making an effort to achieve, but there wasn't a lot of effort. The book was really her trying to get her next meal. I think the timely repetitiveness and the harsh stipulations around her meal made it difficult for the author to allow the MC to switch gears and focus on something else.
It's also a little frustrating because everything feels very standard. The organization she's part of kinda sucks and is kinda sus. The group she's after sucks and have done bad things. She's part of species that might have a moral code or might just eat people indiscriminately. A lot of the world-building was basic stuff, and as the reader, we learned really nothing about the organization to pin those aspects to the parts of the novel. If anything, all of those sentiments came from things they directly said, and their sus behavior.
It's also kind of interesting how Slade reasons the existence of vampires, playing a heavy reliance on genetics. But I think Slade might want to brush up on his biology because last time I checked heat doesn't dry you out so much as it makes you sweat buckets.
But I will say, she is hilarious and the book is short. So I will give the rest of the series a read. I also really hope my ship will sail because I think it's looking super cute.
But her humor aside, I don't think this book had a plot. In less than 200 pages a bunch of things happened, but that's really it. There were few revelations, almost no character development, and really no change at all. If I were to map out the progression of this book on a curve it would look like a sinusoidal graph.
Or maybe something like a lie detector test. In any case, a couple of things happened but we still ended up where we started. And because of that, I think this book was meant to be more of a prologue where the scene is set for a lot of things that will happen in future books. Although I'm not quite sure, because there were a couple of loose strings at the end of book 1 but there wasn't a big unifying goal the MC had.
Technically, there was an idea/goal that the MC was making an effort to achieve, but there wasn't a lot of effort. The book was really her trying to get her next meal. I think the timely repetitiveness and the harsh stipulations around her meal made it difficult for the author to allow the MC to switch gears and focus on something else.
It's also a little frustrating because everything feels very standard. The organization she's part of kinda sucks and is kinda sus. The group she's after sucks and have done bad things. She's part of species that might have a moral code or might just eat people indiscriminately. A lot of the world-building was basic stuff, and as the reader, we learned really nothing about the organization to pin those aspects to the parts of the novel. If anything, all of those sentiments came from things they directly said, and their sus behavior.
It's also kind of interesting how Slade reasons the existence of vampires, playing a heavy reliance on genetics. But I think Slade might want to brush up on his biology because last time I checked heat doesn't dry you out so much as it makes you sweat buckets.
But I will say, she is hilarious and the book is short. So I will give the rest of the series a read. I also really hope my ship will sail because I think it's looking super cute.
October 21, 2016
I must be open an honest with you. I am a huge Arthur Slade fan, I just check and I have read almost all of his books and since 2002 have read or reread his books 30 times. That being said this book is something completely new for him. In many ways it reads like a cross between the TV series Dexter with Angel except the lead is a woman, and an aspiring librarian at that. Or a mash up of Tom Clancy, Anne Rice but with more than a little humour smattered in.
This book has a little something for every reader. You have a secret government organization, a beautiful young vampire with a conscience (she only haunts murders and only if they have no remorse), you have academia, high prices shoes, and travelling the globe.
Amber Fang just needs her next meal, as a vampire she needs to feed every 28 days or possible go crazy with a blood lust. And since her mother disappeared she had been moving around, taking courses, working towards becoming a librarian, and using those research skills to find her next meal. But it had to be someone who met her strict criteria, they had to be a murderer and they had to be unrepentant. But things go sideways when on a hunt she is ambushed, drugged and almost captured. So leaving Seattle and the northwest she heads to Montreal starts back at school. There she gets an offer to be all she can be, we at least to have her meals presented on a platter. And soon she is off on adventures to exotic places like Dubai and Iceland. Hop a flight, have a meal return home to studies for a month. But even for a vampire the unlife does not often go as planned.
Amber's mother had always told her to never fall in love with her food, and yet she seems to be falling for her handler. She also realizes that being a hired hitman might not be all it was cracked up to be. And big brother is never really on your side even when he wants or needs something from you. She soon finds out the head of her organization might make Amanda Waller seam pretty tame. What has she gotten herself into? And what should she do now?
This book was a fascinating read, the vampire with a conscience and deep love of books and knowledge. It is just a story about a girl trying to finish school and find her next meal. It is a very fun read.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Arthur Slade. As well as an author profile and interview with Arthur and his alter Ego Stephen Shea.
This book has a little something for every reader. You have a secret government organization, a beautiful young vampire with a conscience (she only haunts murders and only if they have no remorse), you have academia, high prices shoes, and travelling the globe.
Amber Fang just needs her next meal, as a vampire she needs to feed every 28 days or possible go crazy with a blood lust. And since her mother disappeared she had been moving around, taking courses, working towards becoming a librarian, and using those research skills to find her next meal. But it had to be someone who met her strict criteria, they had to be a murderer and they had to be unrepentant. But things go sideways when on a hunt she is ambushed, drugged and almost captured. So leaving Seattle and the northwest she heads to Montreal starts back at school. There she gets an offer to be all she can be, we at least to have her meals presented on a platter. And soon she is off on adventures to exotic places like Dubai and Iceland. Hop a flight, have a meal return home to studies for a month. But even for a vampire the unlife does not often go as planned.
Amber's mother had always told her to never fall in love with her food, and yet she seems to be falling for her handler. She also realizes that being a hired hitman might not be all it was cracked up to be. And big brother is never really on your side even when he wants or needs something from you. She soon finds out the head of her organization might make Amanda Waller seam pretty tame. What has she gotten herself into? And what should she do now?
This book was a fascinating read, the vampire with a conscience and deep love of books and knowledge. It is just a story about a girl trying to finish school and find her next meal. It is a very fun read.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Arthur Slade. As well as an author profile and interview with Arthur and his alter Ego Stephen Shea.
February 2, 2019
Thanks to Netgalley for a chance to read early and provide an honest review.
This was a fun beginning to a new series. A Vampire librarian-in-training with a moral code is recruited by a secret organization to be a hit woman.
I liked the witty repartee between Amber and Dermot and the story was full of action. The ending was left wide open, and it was a good set up for the rest of the series
This was a funny, quick read - perfect if you're looking for something short to sink your teeth into. 😉
This was a fun beginning to a new series. A Vampire librarian-in-training with a moral code is recruited by a secret organization to be a hit woman.
I liked the witty repartee between Amber and Dermot and the story was full of action. The ending was left wide open, and it was a good set up for the rest of the series
This was a funny, quick read - perfect if you're looking for something short to sink your teeth into. 😉
February 9, 2025
2020 52 Book Challenge - 36) Written In First Person
I read this because the premise sounded really interesting - a vampire librarian Dexter? How cool does that sound? The main character was pretty funny and the plot moved along steadily. It kept me entertained.
However, I listened to the audiobook, and I think that the wrong person was chosen to narrate. I really did not like the way that they inflected, like every sentence was a short question. It was driving me insane.
I read this because the premise sounded really interesting - a vampire librarian Dexter? How cool does that sound? The main character was pretty funny and the plot moved along steadily. It kept me entertained.
However, I listened to the audiobook, and I think that the wrong person was chosen to narrate. I really did not like the way that they inflected, like every sentence was a short question. It was driving me insane.
December 17, 2018
This is being released (re-released) for young adults in 2019, or so it says on my review ARC.
May 3, 2019
THIS BOOK SLAPPED !! I love Arthur Slade’s genre fiction and he has a good grip on sarcasm and irony. I read an ARC so there will likely be some discrepancies between my copy and the published one but overall i loved this! Amber is a great character, very sassy and pissed off all the time, which was great fun, and the fight scenes are tense and engaging and in general the book was well-paced. i had some small issues with some of the writing in parts, but the book was so darn fun i ain’t even mad. can’t wait to read the next two in the series, i love vampires so dang much !
May 31, 2017
I love reading vampire novels and am always looking for new twists and new authors.
The premise of this book was interesting. Amber Fang is an ethical vampire, only feeding from murderers with no remorse, chosen after careful research. After all, she is a librarian.
When she is recruited as an assassin, she puts her trust in humans (which she was taught never to do).
I was given an audiobook version by the author/narrator/publisher and chose to review it. I was disappointed in this book for several reasons.
The narration was very choppy,w ith no flow to it. I think this was mostly due to the choppy writing style. Most sentences were very short, maybe three or four words.
Also, the story was disappointing. The ending was very abrupt (probably a setup for more books in a series). I don't think I will be continuing with the series if that is true.
The premise of this book was interesting. Amber Fang is an ethical vampire, only feeding from murderers with no remorse, chosen after careful research. After all, she is a librarian.
When she is recruited as an assassin, she puts her trust in humans (which she was taught never to do).
I was given an audiobook version by the author/narrator/publisher and chose to review it. I was disappointed in this book for several reasons.
The narration was very choppy,w ith no flow to it. I think this was mostly due to the choppy writing style. Most sentences were very short, maybe three or four words.
Also, the story was disappointing. The ending was very abrupt (probably a setup for more books in a series). I don't think I will be continuing with the series if that is true.
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July 28, 2018💝FREE on Amazon today (7/28/2018)!💝
Blurb:
Librarian. Assassin. Vampire.
Amber Fang enjoys life's simple pleasures - a good book, a glass of wine and, of course, a great meal.
Raised to eat ethically, Amber dines only on delicious, cold-blooded killers. But being sure they’re actually killers takes time… research… patience.
It’s a good thing Amber’s a librarian. Her extraordinary skills help her hunt down her prey, seek out other vampires, and stay on the trail of her mother, missing now for two years. One day she stalks a rather tasty-looking murderer and things get messy. Very messy. Amber, the hunter, becomes the hunted.
And then, from out of nowhere, the perfect job offer: Assassin. She’d be paid to eat the world’s worst butchers. How ideal.
Until it isn’t.
Blurb:
Librarian. Assassin. Vampire.
Amber Fang enjoys life's simple pleasures - a good book, a glass of wine and, of course, a great meal.
Raised to eat ethically, Amber dines only on delicious, cold-blooded killers. But being sure they’re actually killers takes time… research… patience.
It’s a good thing Amber’s a librarian. Her extraordinary skills help her hunt down her prey, seek out other vampires, and stay on the trail of her mother, missing now for two years. One day she stalks a rather tasty-looking murderer and things get messy. Very messy. Amber, the hunter, becomes the hunted.
And then, from out of nowhere, the perfect job offer: Assassin. She’d be paid to eat the world’s worst butchers. How ideal.
Until it isn’t.
December 22, 2019
I quite liked this. 3.5 stars. It had a super casual, conversational manner. A lot of humor. I rather thought it should have been titled Amber Fang: Librarian Assassin. This was a super quick read (I was listening to the audio edition, which I received free in exchange for an honest review. The text copy was also available to me on Kindle Unlimited, but I didn't need to refer to it). While I guess this was an "ending" of sorts, and definitely a set-up for sequels, it felt a little abrupt on the ending. I mean, it literally said "the end" and if it hadn't, I wouldn't have known it was the end.
Listening to the audio (very good narrator btw, I liked her voice, pace, enunciation, everything) I only stopped once to highlight a little something ... "Revenge was a dish best served in a shocking manner" but I know there were several times where the book made me smile, and even laugh out loud a little.
Fun, irreverent, read.
I would be interested in continuing on, but not quite enough to buy the sequels. Doesn't look like they are included on KU, and I would like to listen this narrator again. Maybe AudiobookBook will promote the next books too ;)
Listening to the audio (very good narrator btw, I liked her voice, pace, enunciation, everything) I only stopped once to highlight a little something ... "Revenge was a dish best served in a shocking manner" but I know there were several times where the book made me smile, and even laugh out loud a little.
Fun, irreverent, read.
I would be interested in continuing on, but not quite enough to buy the sequels. Doesn't look like they are included on KU, and I would like to listen this narrator again. Maybe AudiobookBook will promote the next books too ;)
February 1, 2019
Thank you to Orca Book Publishing for this book, and I have to say I was a bit dubious about reading it, but I really enjoyed it, it was a funny light hearted read even though there was a vampire and blood shed.
I found myself disappointed when I reached the end, I will be looking out for book 2 of this series.
I found myself disappointed when I reached the end, I will be looking out for book 2 of this series.
February 1, 2019
Thank you to Orca Book Publishing for this book, and I have to say I was a bit dubious about reading it, but I really enjoyed it, it was a funny light hearted read even though there was a vampire and blood shed.
I found myself disappointed when I reached the end, I will be looking out for book 2 of this series.
I found myself disappointed when I reached the end, I will be looking out for book 2 of this series.
September 5, 2021
Fun!
A story full of sarcasm, humour and vampire gore. I loved the concept and background of the story. I liked some of the characters, but had an hard time with the main character, as much as the concept of a vampire that aims to become a librarian ticks all the boxes for me, her näivety is at time too unbelievable for someone that managed to survive on her on for years.
A story full of sarcasm, humour and vampire gore. I loved the concept and background of the story. I liked some of the characters, but had an hard time with the main character, as much as the concept of a vampire that aims to become a librarian ticks all the boxes for me, her näivety is at time too unbelievable for someone that managed to survive on her on for years.
August 28, 2019
the main character is irritating and beyond stupid. Not sure how she's managed to survive as long as she has undetected. The premise is interesting (librarian vampire?!) but the execution left a lot to be desired.
July 13, 2017
This was just okay for me. Vampires are my favorite and she was not. Disappointed
December 31, 2016
Amber Fang is a vampire with morals. I picked up this book because, as a huge fan of the TV show and book series Dexter, I was interested in seeing how a similar concept would play out with a female lead who just happened to be a vampire. And a librarian!
This book is incredibly fast-paced and short, and I finished it in (almost) one sitting. I loved how library school and librarianship was depicted accurately, and it was clear that Arthur Slade did his research. Amber Fang is a tough, well-educated vampire/librarian/assassin, and I can’t wait to find out what happens next in this series!
This book is incredibly fast-paced and short, and I finished it in (almost) one sitting. I loved how library school and librarianship was depicted accurately, and it was clear that Arthur Slade did his research. Amber Fang is a tough, well-educated vampire/librarian/assassin, and I can’t wait to find out what happens next in this series!
October 12, 2016
*I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book**
This was an interesting vampire story. I am having a hard time rating this book. It is more than a 3 star but I am not sure that it is a 4 star book either. The whole concept is interesting but there seems to be a lot of secrets that the League has. I am thinking that as those secrets unravel the story could become really good. I am definitely curious as to the direction the other is going in. This is the first book I have read by this author and I am intrigued enough to want to read book 2.
This was an interesting vampire story. I am having a hard time rating this book. It is more than a 3 star but I am not sure that it is a 4 star book either. The whole concept is interesting but there seems to be a lot of secrets that the League has. I am thinking that as those secrets unravel the story could become really good. I am definitely curious as to the direction the other is going in. This is the first book I have read by this author and I am intrigued enough to want to read book 2.
August 8, 2017
The character Abby Fang personality reminds me of Wednesday Addams! I love that! Abby is different by being a librarian, assassin ( probably one of a Wednesday Addams dreams), and an adult. There is other fifferences too.
This is the huge reason why I give this book 4 stars, despite the ending. The ending left me with so many unanswered question. Regardless, I will read the next book in the series. True, there is only one Wednesday Addams. If you miss Wednesday Addams and like a different twist with vampires, read this book!
This is the huge reason why I give this book 4 stars, despite the ending. The ending left me with so many unanswered question. Regardless, I will read the next book in the series. True, there is only one Wednesday Addams. If you miss Wednesday Addams and like a different twist with vampires, read this book!
November 1, 2016
Enjoyable.
April 13, 2019
The thought of a vampire librarian – with a Dexter twist – was enough to make me want to read this book, despite the somewhat stilted blurb. Unfortunately, while parts of it worked, it didn’t work well as a standalone novel for me.
Raised by her mother to eat “ethically” – only dining on remorseless criminals – Amber’s life revolves around completing her library sciences degree and finding a new criminal every thirty days. When a hunt goes wrong and she’s forced to move on – again – she’s intrigued when she encounters Dermot, a man who says he represents a secretive group called the League, and who want to hire her as their own personal vampire assassin. Intrigued by the thought of getting to travel the world while having her food sourced for her, she agrees to a trial mission. Things, though, are not quite what they seem, and soon Amber may wish she’d never met Dermot at all…
First off, what originally drew me to the book – the vampire librarian bit – was my favorite part. I liked reading about Amber’s classes and her love of books and the occasional bit of librarian nerd humor. The rest of it was a bit of a mixed bag. I vacillated between finding Amber annoying and sympathetic. Her entire life revolved around her mother’s rules, with no explanation as to why they were so important. After her mother’s disappearance, Amber was left to fend for herself, seemingly the only vampire in a world full of humans, but she still followed her rules. I felt for Amber, because it did seem like she was trying to do the best she could – surviving – while obviously handicapped by her mother choosing to withhold crucial information from her. It’s no surprise that the instant a friendly face, with superhuman strength and speed, popped into her life, she took a chance on the adventure. What I had a harder time understanding was her near-instant attraction and unfounded trust in Dermot, her League handler. After a life with no close relationships with anyone besides her mother, she practically imprints on him, and rather than enjoying their snarky partnership, I just sort of found it sad and exploitative. Frankly, I found a lot of the League’s actions incomprehensible or just plain criminal (why do the exact things guaranteed to break Amber’s trust?).
In addition to my problems with the plot, I found the writing style very choppy. It’s from Amber’s first-person POV, and there were a lot of short “I did this. Then I did that”-style sentences. It worked well for the action sequences, but not so much for the rest. The book also ended too abruptly for me. While I suppose, in terms of events, it made sense to end the book where it did, I didn’t feel like we had any sort of closure on any of the questions raised. While I understand wanting to reserve things for the rest of the series, the ending left me more frustrated than eager to read the next book.
This sounds like I completely hated the book, but I did find the premise intriguing and I thought the action scenes were well-done. I’m just not much of a fan of books where the main character is kept continuously in the dark and seemingly nothing is explained or even hinted at to the reader. Overall, not a book for me, and I won’t be continuing with the series.
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
“I won’t have someone else pick my food for me.”
“Food. Is that how you classify us?”
“Yes.”
“Do you think that’s a way of shutting yourself off from your connection to humans?”
“I have no connection to humans other than consumption. Oh, and I read their books and watch their movies.”
Raised by her mother to eat “ethically” – only dining on remorseless criminals – Amber’s life revolves around completing her library sciences degree and finding a new criminal every thirty days. When a hunt goes wrong and she’s forced to move on – again – she’s intrigued when she encounters Dermot, a man who says he represents a secretive group called the League, and who want to hire her as their own personal vampire assassin. Intrigued by the thought of getting to travel the world while having her food sourced for her, she agrees to a trial mission. Things, though, are not quite what they seem, and soon Amber may wish she’d never met Dermot at all…
“Mom said never to fall in love with my food, but she didn’t say anything about falling in love with their books.”
First off, what originally drew me to the book – the vampire librarian bit – was my favorite part. I liked reading about Amber’s classes and her love of books and the occasional bit of librarian nerd humor. The rest of it was a bit of a mixed bag. I vacillated between finding Amber annoying and sympathetic. Her entire life revolved around her mother’s rules, with no explanation as to why they were so important. After her mother’s disappearance, Amber was left to fend for herself, seemingly the only vampire in a world full of humans, but she still followed her rules. I felt for Amber, because it did seem like she was trying to do the best she could – surviving – while obviously handicapped by her mother choosing to withhold crucial information from her. It’s no surprise that the instant a friendly face, with superhuman strength and speed, popped into her life, she took a chance on the adventure. What I had a harder time understanding was her near-instant attraction and unfounded trust in Dermot, her League handler. After a life with no close relationships with anyone besides her mother, she practically imprints on him, and rather than enjoying their snarky partnership, I just sort of found it sad and exploitative. Frankly, I found a lot of the League’s actions incomprehensible or just plain criminal (why do the exact things guaranteed to break Amber’s trust?).
In addition to my problems with the plot, I found the writing style very choppy. It’s from Amber’s first-person POV, and there were a lot of short “I did this. Then I did that”-style sentences. It worked well for the action sequences, but not so much for the rest. The book also ended too abruptly for me. While I suppose, in terms of events, it made sense to end the book where it did, I didn’t feel like we had any sort of closure on any of the questions raised. While I understand wanting to reserve things for the rest of the series, the ending left me more frustrated than eager to read the next book.
This sounds like I completely hated the book, but I did find the premise intriguing and I thought the action scenes were well-done. I’m just not much of a fan of books where the main character is kept continuously in the dark and seemingly nothing is explained or even hinted at to the reader. Overall, not a book for me, and I won’t be continuing with the series.
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
January 30, 2020
*** Possible Spoilers ***
I was torn between giving this a one or giving it a three so I compromised. I didn't like it but I'm not the target audience. This is a YA book and it's possible young people would quite enjoy it. The best part about this book is the pacing. It moves quickly and it's only 193 pages so you can finish it in a day or two. The worst thing is the protagonist. Amber Fang is a vampire. She's also working through college to become a librarian. I thought the idea of a librarian creating mayhem was sufficiently novel to read the book. The idea is great. The presentation isn't.
In this world a vampire is a higher order on the food chain. Just as humans eat animals and plants, vampires eat us - or at least drink our blood. They're faster, stronger and have much better healing properties. Stakes aren't necessary to kill them. In this world, bullets work fine. Likewise they can go out in the sunlight and aren't bothered by religious symbols. Again in this world, vampires must feed every 30 days or go insane. Deprived of food they will feed on themselves in a frenzy of madness until they expire. Not surprisingly there aren't many of them.
Since killing people is bound to attract attention after a while, vampires move frequently. Amber was raised by a single mother who has gone missing. Her mother taught her how to hunt and how to stay safe. Unfortunately it appears the lesson didn't take because Amber is a walking disaster. She is supposed to be a top predator, a master killer, a cool and unrelenting hunter. Instead she comes across as a self-indulgent brat who messes up kill after kill.
Because this is the first book of a series the author felt free to leave a few plot points open. Seemingly unable to decide which ones, he left them all hanging. There are two highly secret competing organizations. We never learn anything about them. There are two castes of vampires, one who hates humans and one who is ethical about eating them and selects ONLY unrepentant murderers. We don't know why the one hates humans and why the other chooses victims based on their depravity. The latter isn't obvious. For some people, eating animals is unethical so they eat vegetarian food. But those who eat meat don't select specific cattle based on their behavior. As a result I found that particular idiosyncrasy a little jarring.
As I was reading this I was trying to remember my preferences when I was young. Would I have overlooked the plot irregularities and enjoyed it? I think I might have so I'm guardedly optimistic a young person could read and like this one. I don't recommend it for older individuals.
I was torn between giving this a one or giving it a three so I compromised. I didn't like it but I'm not the target audience. This is a YA book and it's possible young people would quite enjoy it. The best part about this book is the pacing. It moves quickly and it's only 193 pages so you can finish it in a day or two. The worst thing is the protagonist. Amber Fang is a vampire. She's also working through college to become a librarian. I thought the idea of a librarian creating mayhem was sufficiently novel to read the book. The idea is great. The presentation isn't.
In this world a vampire is a higher order on the food chain. Just as humans eat animals and plants, vampires eat us - or at least drink our blood. They're faster, stronger and have much better healing properties. Stakes aren't necessary to kill them. In this world, bullets work fine. Likewise they can go out in the sunlight and aren't bothered by religious symbols. Again in this world, vampires must feed every 30 days or go insane. Deprived of food they will feed on themselves in a frenzy of madness until they expire. Not surprisingly there aren't many of them.
Since killing people is bound to attract attention after a while, vampires move frequently. Amber was raised by a single mother who has gone missing. Her mother taught her how to hunt and how to stay safe. Unfortunately it appears the lesson didn't take because Amber is a walking disaster. She is supposed to be a top predator, a master killer, a cool and unrelenting hunter. Instead she comes across as a self-indulgent brat who messes up kill after kill.
Because this is the first book of a series the author felt free to leave a few plot points open. Seemingly unable to decide which ones, he left them all hanging. There are two highly secret competing organizations. We never learn anything about them. There are two castes of vampires, one who hates humans and one who is ethical about eating them and selects ONLY unrepentant murderers. We don't know why the one hates humans and why the other chooses victims based on their depravity. The latter isn't obvious. For some people, eating animals is unethical so they eat vegetarian food. But those who eat meat don't select specific cattle based on their behavior. As a result I found that particular idiosyncrasy a little jarring.
As I was reading this I was trying to remember my preferences when I was young. Would I have overlooked the plot irregularities and enjoyed it? I think I might have so I'm guardedly optimistic a young person could read and like this one. I don't recommend it for older individuals.
June 25, 2019
I read this book on the recommendation of a library sciences professor, and I regret having done so. First, the prose is predictable and the author relies on cliches. The plot equally as bad. You could skip entire pages and still know what's going on. I've read better fanfiction.
The characters are two-dimensional, and Amber came across as such a OP Mary Sue, I was astonished to find the book was written by a older man. The protagonist's dialogue came across as egocentric, disrespectful, and emotionally tone-deaf, which can't even be excused as part of her portrayal as a vampire, since she's supposed to be intelligent. There's one point where she's snide to a professor who is clearly attempting to hold some semblance of a lecture despite interruptions--it comes across as an adolescent power trip, not at all the behaviour I'd anticipate from a smart young woman. And the contrast between her supposed intellectualism and her actions continues with her using obscure library science facts as a litmus test for intelligence. The specific interest required to obtain a fact and the capability to memorize it are hardly a basis for proving someone's cognitive ability. The bizarre beliefs and actions of the protagonist frankly frame the author as someone with limited intellectual maturity and an unwarranted degree of pride.
Perhaps it is not so astonishing this is written by an older man. In an actual twenty year old woman, vampire or no, this sort of hubristic self-assurance would have been reproved (deservingly or not), and perhaps its the imposition of this confidence on a woman that comes across as so jarring. Anyways, this whole book is a lesson on the Dunning-Kruger Effect. I wish I hadn't read it, but I was stuck on public transit for an hour and a half with nothing else in my bag.
The characters are two-dimensional, and Amber came across as such a OP Mary Sue, I was astonished to find the book was written by a older man. The protagonist's dialogue came across as egocentric, disrespectful, and emotionally tone-deaf, which can't even be excused as part of her portrayal as a vampire, since she's supposed to be intelligent. There's one point where she's snide to a professor who is clearly attempting to hold some semblance of a lecture despite interruptions--it comes across as an adolescent power trip, not at all the behaviour I'd anticipate from a smart young woman. And the contrast between her supposed intellectualism and her actions continues with her using obscure library science facts as a litmus test for intelligence. The specific interest required to obtain a fact and the capability to memorize it are hardly a basis for proving someone's cognitive ability. The bizarre beliefs and actions of the protagonist frankly frame the author as someone with limited intellectual maturity and an unwarranted degree of pride.
Perhaps it is not so astonishing this is written by an older man. In an actual twenty year old woman, vampire or no, this sort of hubristic self-assurance would have been reproved (deservingly or not), and perhaps its the imposition of this confidence on a woman that comes across as so jarring. Anyways, this whole book is a lesson on the Dunning-Kruger Effect. I wish I hadn't read it, but I was stuck on public transit for an hour and a half with nothing else in my bag.
February 7, 2019
Solid 4/5 stars!
I very much enjoyed reading this! When I saw the synopsis, i just new that I had to try and read this. I'm always on the lookout for new vampire books, especially in YA. The synopsis was intriguing and seemed to hold a lot of action and mystery that should be fun to get into. The very first chapter sucked me in -ha sucked- and I was really intrigued in how Amber would go about the situation. I quite enjoyed learning about how vampires work in this world, and I found it refreshing to know that even Amber didn't know all there was to her kind. I appreciated the fast-pace this book had, as it felt there never really was a dull moment once you got to meet a certain character. As soon as things really picked up, the book went by in a flash. The action scenes were quite fun, I loved Amber's sarcasm, the conversations she has with her "partner", and the little twists and turns spread throughout. While I enjoyed it, I wish there was maybe a bit more to flesh out everything between her mother and father. I get that it's the first book, so I can see why things would be left unanswered. That's just me wanting to get to know these other characters, who are important to Amber, a little bit more. Also, I didn't particularly like the final chapter. I definitely understood how and why it happened, but it felt quite sudden. It just, well, ended. Despite this, I'm actually interested to see how book 2 goes. I'll defiitely be picking up the sequel, as I'm really interested to see how things unfold!
ARC provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I very much enjoyed reading this! When I saw the synopsis, i just new that I had to try and read this. I'm always on the lookout for new vampire books, especially in YA. The synopsis was intriguing and seemed to hold a lot of action and mystery that should be fun to get into. The very first chapter sucked me in -ha sucked- and I was really intrigued in how Amber would go about the situation. I quite enjoyed learning about how vampires work in this world, and I found it refreshing to know that even Amber didn't know all there was to her kind. I appreciated the fast-pace this book had, as it felt there never really was a dull moment once you got to meet a certain character. As soon as things really picked up, the book went by in a flash. The action scenes were quite fun, I loved Amber's sarcasm, the conversations she has with her "partner", and the little twists and turns spread throughout. While I enjoyed it, I wish there was maybe a bit more to flesh out everything between her mother and father. I get that it's the first book, so I can see why things would be left unanswered. That's just me wanting to get to know these other characters, who are important to Amber, a little bit more. Also, I didn't particularly like the final chapter. I definitely understood how and why it happened, but it felt quite sudden. It just, well, ended. Despite this, I'm actually interested to see how book 2 goes. I'll defiitely be picking up the sequel, as I'm really interested to see how things unfold!
ARC provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 11, 2019
A vampire book that’ll have you believing in the vampire genre all over again!
When I think of a librarian, I think of a quiet book nerd who enjoys helping others figure out the wonders of the written word. What I don’t think of is a vampire with the mission of ridding the world of depraved murderers one meal at a time. Amber Fang, fits both categories and she fits them well; she’s a young vampire used to running from one town to the next for fear of discovery as it’s all her mother(whose missing) had taught her. We meet her for the first time in Seattle where she has a run in with a man who sets her spidey senses tingling, leading her to believe that all was not right with this meal. She escapes narrowly and flees to Canada where she picks up her studies in library science and all seems to have gone back to normal until she is cornered by a man by the name of Dermot who suspiciously offers her a position in the “League” as their paid assassin (paid by meal), though hesitant at first, she ends up joining and this organization leads her into a world of near death experiences, the meeting of her father (who was also captured) who calls her a human sympathizer and her own incarceration at the hands of this “do-gooder” organization.
Suspiciously when she has enough of them and walks out, they let her go to return to her normal life but OBVIOUSLY things don’t work like that in creepy secret government organizations so I cannot wait to find out the fate of Amber Fang in the next installment.
Even though this was a really short read, it was definitely worth the read and it kept me entertained for the duration of the book.
When I think of a librarian, I think of a quiet book nerd who enjoys helping others figure out the wonders of the written word. What I don’t think of is a vampire with the mission of ridding the world of depraved murderers one meal at a time. Amber Fang, fits both categories and she fits them well; she’s a young vampire used to running from one town to the next for fear of discovery as it’s all her mother(whose missing) had taught her. We meet her for the first time in Seattle where she has a run in with a man who sets her spidey senses tingling, leading her to believe that all was not right with this meal. She escapes narrowly and flees to Canada where she picks up her studies in library science and all seems to have gone back to normal until she is cornered by a man by the name of Dermot who suspiciously offers her a position in the “League” as their paid assassin (paid by meal), though hesitant at first, she ends up joining and this organization leads her into a world of near death experiences, the meeting of her father (who was also captured) who calls her a human sympathizer and her own incarceration at the hands of this “do-gooder” organization.
Suspiciously when she has enough of them and walks out, they let her go to return to her normal life but OBVIOUSLY things don’t work like that in creepy secret government organizations so I cannot wait to find out the fate of Amber Fang in the next installment.
Even though this was a really short read, it was definitely worth the read and it kept me entertained for the duration of the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 12, 2019
Warnings: gun violence, body horror, non-consensual medical procedures
I was immensely entertained by this short, fast-paced story of a vampire with a moral code, that sort of reminded me of Cracked. Amber Fang aims to be a librarian, loves the simple life of hunting monthly, and is a bit over tracking down new victims for every feeding cycle. Living a mostly nomadic life, her path intersects with a mysterious organization that is interested in hiring her for some difficult-to-get-to targets. However, as she gets further involved, she learns more about the secrecy (or lack thereof) of vampires in the human world, as well as the existence of others of her kind.
As I said before, this one is a short and fast read. The story is pretty straightforward, and introduces us to Amber and the organization called the League, which she is introduced to by Dermot, one of their agents. Her targets are high-level, and for the first time, she actually has trouble with hunts. But there may also be a target on her back, and allying with the League seems like the safest bet, until it isn't. The ending of the book felt a bit confusing as to the canon, but it is more a setting up for the next books than a proper conclusion. Nevertheless, it is an entertaining book with a humorous protagonist, and I look forward to reading more in this series.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Orca Book Publishers, via Netgalley.
I was immensely entertained by this short, fast-paced story of a vampire with a moral code, that sort of reminded me of Cracked. Amber Fang aims to be a librarian, loves the simple life of hunting monthly, and is a bit over tracking down new victims for every feeding cycle. Living a mostly nomadic life, her path intersects with a mysterious organization that is interested in hiring her for some difficult-to-get-to targets. However, as she gets further involved, she learns more about the secrecy (or lack thereof) of vampires in the human world, as well as the existence of others of her kind.
As I said before, this one is a short and fast read. The story is pretty straightforward, and introduces us to Amber and the organization called the League, which she is introduced to by Dermot, one of their agents. Her targets are high-level, and for the first time, she actually has trouble with hunts. But there may also be a target on her back, and allying with the League seems like the safest bet, until it isn't. The ending of the book felt a bit confusing as to the canon, but it is more a setting up for the next books than a proper conclusion. Nevertheless, it is an entertaining book with a humorous protagonist, and I look forward to reading more in this series.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Orca Book Publishers, via Netgalley.
June 23, 2017
I quite liked this book. I don't read horror and I don't read vampires, but Amber Fang has caught me because the story isn't really horror and her being a vampire is almost a background fact -- I say "almost" because, of course, the whole story happens because she is a vampire and has certain abilities due to that. It's basically like iZombie, where the protagonist is a zombie but has a job where she can deal with her desire to eat brains and then ends up tangled up in a bunch of stuff relating to zombies. (I also don't do zombies, but I do watch "iZombie" on TV.) I was about halfway through when I thought of a comparison with "Forever Knight" (the Canadian TV show where Geraint Wynn Davies plays a vampire who is a police officer) but it's not really comparable beyond the whole "I don't do vampires but I do watch/read this thing." ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel" are also in this category.)
Given that librarians aren't often protagonists (except for Rex Libris and the TV series "The Librarians" [and the prequel movies, which I watched and enjoyed]), this was a fun break from my usual reading material.
I noticed two, possibly three, copyediting errors but they weren't egregious enough to dampen my enjoyment of the book.
I'm intrigued and will be looking for more, should Art decide to write more!
Given that librarians aren't often protagonists (except for Rex Libris and the TV series "The Librarians" [and the prequel movies, which I watched and enjoyed]), this was a fun break from my usual reading material.
I noticed two, possibly three, copyediting errors but they weren't egregious enough to dampen my enjoyment of the book.
I'm intrigued and will be looking for more, should Art decide to write more!
September 7, 2019
(I’ll update to the recent YA edition when it becomes available...) Amber Fang studies to be a librarian with enthusiasm. In her spare time she plies her research skills to finding nefarious nearby targets – unrepentant murderers. Then she tracks and neutralizes them with detached precision. She is an enthusiastic student; a reluctant, obsessively ethical vampire; and a brilliant assassin. Her life is ordered and tidy but the research can be tedious. Socially she must keep to herself and discourage romantic entanglements. Also she has to relocate every few years – one can’t murder ALL of one’s nefarious neighbours without the local constabulary getting perturbed.
So, when Amber is offered an international assassination assignment of an infamous arms dealer (AKA unrepentant murderer) she accepts. Social exchanges longer than a few sentences ensue. An unconventional relationship blooms. Beautiful shoes are bought and lost. Amber’s interest in the world and curiosity about people is piqued. Amber Fang is courageous, clever, ethical, funny and Canadian (initially living in Montreal). There are a few Canadian jokes but there are a lot of librarian jokes. This book reads like the author was having a riot. Teenage and grown-up readers will too. I personally cannot wait for book two (Amber Fang: Betrayal) and three (Amber Fang: Revenge), both publishing in the Fall.
So, when Amber is offered an international assassination assignment of an infamous arms dealer (AKA unrepentant murderer) she accepts. Social exchanges longer than a few sentences ensue. An unconventional relationship blooms. Beautiful shoes are bought and lost. Amber’s interest in the world and curiosity about people is piqued. Amber Fang is courageous, clever, ethical, funny and Canadian (initially living in Montreal). There are a few Canadian jokes but there are a lot of librarian jokes. This book reads like the author was having a riot. Teenage and grown-up readers will too. I personally cannot wait for book two (Amber Fang: Betrayal) and three (Amber Fang: Revenge), both publishing in the Fall.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2017
*I was given a code for this audio book to be honestly reviewed*
This was pretty fun entertaining, and I actually give the book itself 3.5. Amber is a fun character, I love, love, love her sass! I was a little bored at the beginning, but was drawn in and laughing right after Dermot (Sorry, I have no idea if I spelled that correctly!) arrived. I laughed more than once through the rest of the book!
The narration....well, I just wasn't a fan. Her voice is fine and all, I just couldn't get into the story as well I would have liked to, as her voice didn't match what you think of when someone is telling you a story. It wasn't all bad, though. Sometimes the stresses seemed off of what it felt it should be, but she had the sassy come backs sounding just right!
Overall, I enjoyed the few hours it took to listen to this, and I'm intrigued enough to definitely want to hear the next one.
Bob says 3 Platypires overall
This was pretty fun entertaining, and I actually give the book itself 3.5. Amber is a fun character, I love, love, love her sass! I was a little bored at the beginning, but was drawn in and laughing right after Dermot (Sorry, I have no idea if I spelled that correctly!) arrived. I laughed more than once through the rest of the book!
The narration....well, I just wasn't a fan. Her voice is fine and all, I just couldn't get into the story as well I would have liked to, as her voice didn't match what you think of when someone is telling you a story. It wasn't all bad, though. Sometimes the stresses seemed off of what it felt it should be, but she had the sassy come backs sounding just right!
Overall, I enjoyed the few hours it took to listen to this, and I'm intrigued enough to definitely want to hear the next one.
Bob says 3 Platypires overall
March 15, 2019
I received this book through LT Early Reviewers in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, I really really enjoyed this book! It was fun to read right from page 1, and the pace was fast and frantic, with lots of twists and surprises. Sharp and sarcastic, Amber Fang is a vampire that is impossible not to like. Clearly still growing and figuring out herself as a person separate from that of her Mom, and struggling with questions about her past that she has no answers for, she is clearly a character hat many young adults could relate to in a variety of ways. She is caring and funny and fierce and full of doubts and insecurities, never knowing who she can truly trust as a friend. I just flew through this book and the only real criticism I have is that it left me wanting to read more about Amber and wanting to see what happens next. If I could go out and buy the next book in the series right now, I would!
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