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The Pining
Kevin's life changed forever the day he awoke to the face of a man with dark eyes. One bite transformed him from an ordinary suburban kid to a master vampire's drone.
Kevin struggles to adjust to his new life. Against his master's wishes, Kevin refuses to hunt, but he knows it's only a matter of time before he caves. The longer a person is a vampire, the more compliant they are to their master's will.
When Kevin decides to give the hunt a try, he's kidnapped by vampire hunters. Rather than endure their severe torture, he agrees to help them kill his master. The hunters' plan goes horribly awry, and they flee the scene with Kevin. But they have to devise a new strategy quick. The longer he's away from his master, the more painful his life becomes. He craves his master. He hungers for him. He pines for him. And as they get close to enacting their plan, Kevin isn't sure if he'll be able to follow through.
Kevin struggles to adjust to his new life. Against his master's wishes, Kevin refuses to hunt, but he knows it's only a matter of time before he caves. The longer a person is a vampire, the more compliant they are to their master's will.
When Kevin decides to give the hunt a try, he's kidnapped by vampire hunters. Rather than endure their severe torture, he agrees to help them kill his master. The hunters' plan goes horribly awry, and they flee the scene with Kevin. But they have to devise a new strategy quick. The longer he's away from his master, the more painful his life becomes. He craves his master. He hungers for him. He pines for him. And as they get close to enacting their plan, Kevin isn't sure if he'll be able to follow through.
244 pages, Paperback
First published October 8, 2014
29 people are currently reading
206 people want to read
About the author
Devon McCormack
49 books1,546 followersDevon McCormack grew up in the Georgia suburbs with his two younger brothers and an older sister. At a very young age, he spun tales the old fashioned way, lying to anyone and everyone he encountered. He claimed he was an orphan. He claimed to be a king from another planet. He claimed to have supernatural powers. He has since harnessed this penchant for tall tales by crafting worlds and characters that allow him to live out whatever fantasy he chooses. Devon is an out and proud queer man living in Atlanta, Georgia.
Devon's body of work ranges from erotica to young adult, so readers should check the synopses of his books before purchasing so that they know what they're getting into.
Devon's body of work ranges from erotica to young adult, so readers should check the synopses of his books before purchasing so that they know what they're getting into.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
November 2, 2014
FOUR HEARTS--I figured I'd review something in the paranormal genre in honor of today and this was a great choice! I've noticed themes for the last couple of my reading years and this year it's been the year of the man, or should I say, the year of the male authors. I've come across a number of new-to-me male authors that have impressed me enough to actually read more than one book from them. And I'm talking about a range with my new found male authors, angst ridden to smutty to interesting as hell.
This author, Devon McCormack, I think he's one to watch. Romance writer? *tilts head* Not really. Sometimes it's there but it's on the back burner. What this author does well is tell a story. One I want to read; wish it could be performed on screen because I would be a fan.
The story is told from Kevin Harding' POV. Kevin was a high school senior, eighteen years-old with acting aspirations. Sadly his dreams were cut short by his Master. A sadistic vampire who set his sights on Kevin, turned him into a creature of the night (without his consent) and added him to his meager vampire family which consists of the deranged and even more sadistic Alyssa and the ever-horny jock vamp, Dax. Vampires crave two things above all else, their master and blood. It's deeply ingrained. But Kevin wants to be human. He was happy being human. Being a vampire was thrust upon and he struggles with that. He's pissing off his mater and his partner. Luckily he finds consolation in the form of cock in the ever charming (yet shallow) Dax.
This leads Kevin down a path riddled vampire hunters, a duo of self taught vampire hunters to be exact - cowboy Ride and the young, gay Morgan. They add to this ensemble of characters. They also have real life issues that interplay with trying to rid the world of bloodsuckers.
Kevin is an exception as he is still new and the human side continues to war with that paranormal beast inside. This is not a vampire who revels in being a vampire. He's disgusted with that side of himself and tries to humanize more often than not. The book does get gory and bloody. I mean, this is Devon McCormack. He doesn't pull the punches.
Why I think this book rocks? There's a sense of realism that the main characters face while dealing with the paranormal tint. This is new adult - there are life changes that Kevin deals with and he handles it appropriately for his age. And just because there is no actually on page sex does not mean it is not had nor discussed. We are brought into the mind of an 18 year old male...sex is on there a lot. Along with sex, there's the awkwardness of that age, dealing with the vampire physiology (it sucks because you have to kill your victim to feed). The characters are descriptive and have normal features - big heads, eyes too close to their big noses, balding...no hot models in here. Well maybe Dax but he has some minor self hate/body image issues.
This is gay fiction, with minor romance. There is minor suspense and action, it gets better as the story progresses. I always find learning about the vampire world an author creates fascinating - the rules and society - vampires are night dwellers, are immortal, and survive due to a vampire virus. There is a HEA of sorts. I am happy with how it is played out. It read a little rushed toward the end. But the key parts are answered. This author excels at creating a scene. This could have been a movie.
Do I recommend? *nods effusively* After reading hundreds of books, this author is just different. The writing is simple, easy to relate, not pretentious and gives good story.
And I'm a story girl. Give me a great one no matter what the subject is, make me forget any reservations I might have and you have a fan in me.
A copy provided for an honest review.
This author, Devon McCormack, I think he's one to watch. Romance writer? *tilts head* Not really. Sometimes it's there but it's on the back burner. What this author does well is tell a story. One I want to read; wish it could be performed on screen because I would be a fan.
The story is told from Kevin Harding' POV. Kevin was a high school senior, eighteen years-old with acting aspirations. Sadly his dreams were cut short by his Master. A sadistic vampire who set his sights on Kevin, turned him into a creature of the night (without his consent) and added him to his meager vampire family which consists of the deranged and even more sadistic Alyssa and the ever-horny jock vamp, Dax. Vampires crave two things above all else, their master and blood. It's deeply ingrained. But Kevin wants to be human. He was happy being human. Being a vampire was thrust upon and he struggles with that. He's pissing off his mater and his partner. Luckily he finds consolation in the form of cock in the ever charming (yet shallow) Dax.
This leads Kevin down a path riddled vampire hunters, a duo of self taught vampire hunters to be exact - cowboy Ride and the young, gay Morgan. They add to this ensemble of characters. They also have real life issues that interplay with trying to rid the world of bloodsuckers.
Kevin is an exception as he is still new and the human side continues to war with that paranormal beast inside. This is not a vampire who revels in being a vampire. He's disgusted with that side of himself and tries to humanize more often than not. The book does get gory and bloody. I mean, this is Devon McCormack. He doesn't pull the punches.
Why I think this book rocks? There's a sense of realism that the main characters face while dealing with the paranormal tint. This is new adult - there are life changes that Kevin deals with and he handles it appropriately for his age. And just because there is no actually on page sex does not mean it is not had nor discussed. We are brought into the mind of an 18 year old male...sex is on there a lot. Along with sex, there's the awkwardness of that age, dealing with the vampire physiology (it sucks because you have to kill your victim to feed). The characters are descriptive and have normal features - big heads, eyes too close to their big noses, balding...no hot models in here. Well maybe Dax but he has some minor self hate/body image issues.
This is gay fiction, with minor romance. There is minor suspense and action, it gets better as the story progresses. I always find learning about the vampire world an author creates fascinating - the rules and society - vampires are night dwellers, are immortal, and survive due to a vampire virus. There is a HEA of sorts. I am happy with how it is played out. It read a little rushed toward the end. But the key parts are answered. This author excels at creating a scene. This could have been a movie.
Do I recommend? *nods effusively* After reading hundreds of books, this author is just different. The writing is simple, easy to relate, not pretentious and gives good story.
And I'm a story girl. Give me a great one no matter what the subject is, make me forget any reservations I might have and you have a fan in me.
A copy provided for an honest review.
October 24, 2017
Another nice read from Devon McCormack. NA/YA story with likeable characters, some action, humour and a good ending.
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April 14, 2021
3.5 Stars
Review:
The description makes this sound like it’s going to be a dark romance about a newly turned vampire and his master. It was actually a romance between the vampire and a hunter that had some heavier elements but was overall sweet. I also didn’t really feel all that desperate pining the description and title allude to. So, not what I was expecting, but I enjoyed it!
The characters came across as realistic, people who were imperfect and flawed with struggles in life but not necessarily bad. Well, except for Master and Alyssa who were definitely bad, but I found it believable they would end up twisted after so long as vampires, especially after what Alyssa has been through. Kevin (main character) was struggling with being a vampire but not wanting to kill people. Morgan (love interest) was struggling with drug addiction and how the vampire hunting lifestyle was affecting his mental health. Ride was struggling with memories from his past. Even Dax, despite killing people, managed to fall somewhere in a gray area, as far as vampires go.
The romance was sweet, and I liked that we got to see the characters getting to know each other some and having at least one heartfelt convo.
One thing to note: Morgan had what was possibly a lazy eye, or just something wrong with his eyes. Kevin noticed it a lot and, although he eventually became romantically interested in Morgan and did find him attractive, he was also really demeaning about the eye thing sometimes and said/thought things that could be hurtful to some readers.
The other relationships had some complexity to them. Like how Ride basically raised Morgan and cared about him, but he also kinda forced Morgan into a life he didn’t want. And how Kevin didn’t approve of Dax killing people, but he had fun with Dax and cared about him and appreciated how Dax kind of took him under his wing after being turned.
The plot about the vampires and hunters and trying to kill Kevin’s master kept things moving along, kept things interesting, and added some action.
Overall, this was an enjoyable book with believable characters, a bit of action, a nice romance, and vampires!
*Rating: 3.5 Stars // Read Date: 2021 // Format: eBook*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes vampires, mlm romance, slightly complex relationships, and flawed characters.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
Review:
The description makes this sound like it’s going to be a dark romance about a newly turned vampire and his master. It was actually a romance between the vampire and a hunter that had some heavier elements but was overall sweet. I also didn’t really feel all that desperate pining the description and title allude to. So, not what I was expecting, but I enjoyed it!
The characters came across as realistic, people who were imperfect and flawed with struggles in life but not necessarily bad. Well, except for Master and Alyssa who were definitely bad, but I found it believable they would end up twisted after so long as vampires, especially after what Alyssa has been through. Kevin (main character) was struggling with being a vampire but not wanting to kill people. Morgan (love interest) was struggling with drug addiction and how the vampire hunting lifestyle was affecting his mental health. Ride was struggling with memories from his past. Even Dax, despite killing people, managed to fall somewhere in a gray area, as far as vampires go.
The romance was sweet, and I liked that we got to see the characters getting to know each other some and having at least one heartfelt convo.
One thing to note: Morgan had what was possibly a lazy eye, or just something wrong with his eyes. Kevin noticed it a lot and, although he eventually became romantically interested in Morgan and did find him attractive, he was also really demeaning about the eye thing sometimes and said/thought things that could be hurtful to some readers.
The other relationships had some complexity to them. Like how Ride basically raised Morgan and cared about him, but he also kinda forced Morgan into a life he didn’t want. And how Kevin didn’t approve of Dax killing people, but he had fun with Dax and cared about him and appreciated how Dax kind of took him under his wing after being turned.
The plot about the vampires and hunters and trying to kill Kevin’s master kept things moving along, kept things interesting, and added some action.
Overall, this was an enjoyable book with believable characters, a bit of action, a nice romance, and vampires!
*Rating: 3.5 Stars // Read Date: 2021 // Format: eBook*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes vampires, mlm romance, slightly complex relationships, and flawed characters.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
November 19, 2016
KU
The author put a lot of work into this and I appreciate that, but the book is just too juvenile for me.
The author put a lot of work into this and I appreciate that, but the book is just too juvenile for me.
March 23, 2020
So good.
September 30, 2014
One thing I love about Devon McCormack's books is that you know you are in for an interesting cast of characters before you read the first page. In The Pining of Kevin Harding, the reader is introduced to Kevin, a young vampire who is not happy with his new life. There's Dax, who I fell in love with instantly. Of course every new vampire has to have a master, so we have Master as well. Then there's the sadistic, evil partner of Master, who has a little fun with her victims before killing them. And we can't forget Morgan and Ride, two vampire hunters whose paths cross with the others in a very big way.
The Pining of Kevin Harding is a bit gory, at times sweet, and you may even chuckle a time or two. There's also a nice romance thrown in the mix. I was not expecting the ending to play out the way it did but I have to say it was perfect.
Full review can be found at - Greedy Bug Book Reviews.
This book was provided by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
The Pining of Kevin Harding is a bit gory, at times sweet, and you may even chuckle a time or two. There's also a nice romance thrown in the mix. I was not expecting the ending to play out the way it did but I have to say it was perfect.
Full review can be found at - Greedy Bug Book Reviews.
This book was provided by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Want to read
September 26, 2014This book is coming out October 8th. Just in time for Halloween!
October 20, 2014
I really only like vampire stories that create their own specific mythologies... if you don't change it up, what's the point of reading? And Devon McCormack does that in a really cool way, drawing metaphorical connections between vampirism as emerging sexuality and its similarities to drug use (the parallel of one character's heroin withdrawal with Kevin's hunger was very clever and perfectly understated). There's tons of action and blood and great characters as well. Well worth a read.
February 23, 2024
This was an interesting vampire story and reminded me quite a bit of some of the lore that S.T. Gibson uses in her novel, "A Dowry of Blood.". We meet Kevin, who has recently been turned into a vampire by his master and is now part of his thrall with two other vampires. They're all queer, and while there are some moments in the short novel, McCormack intended for this to be a YA indie novel, and so the spice is toned down in comparison to his other novels.
Kevin is forced by his master to go out hunting, and that is when he comes across two vampire hunters and becomes engangled with their attempt to kill his master and the other thralls while he attempts to ignore his master's subliminal control over his free will, which will cause him to eventually give in to his vampiric nature.
While there are some editing issues that should be fixed, and I felt at times that the world-building was just not there, along with some necessary chemistry to justify some of the actions and motivations of the characters, this was a fun quick read.
Kevin is forced by his master to go out hunting, and that is when he comes across two vampire hunters and becomes engangled with their attempt to kill his master and the other thralls while he attempts to ignore his master's subliminal control over his free will, which will cause him to eventually give in to his vampiric nature.
While there are some editing issues that should be fixed, and I felt at times that the world-building was just not there, along with some necessary chemistry to justify some of the actions and motivations of the characters, this was a fun quick read.
February 20, 2017
4.4 stars.
January 8, 2015
Kevin Harding is the newest vampire on Master’s family; he was just a boring teenager when he was turned and now he has to hunt. He doesn’t want to, but he knows he will do as his master wants. The longer he is a vampire, the stronger the connection to Master and the more compliant he becomes. So he goes hunting with Dax and he gets kidnapped by vampire hunters. Rather than endure torture, he agrees to help the hunters find and kill his Master; except the longer he is away from his master, the harder he pines for him.
The mayor strength here are the characters. Mr. McCormack once again creates a set of amazing characters that come out from the pages and become alive. We understand them, their loyalties and the reasons behind them; friendship, love, lust, romance, we get it all in a fantastic fanged package.
Continue reading “The Pining of Kevin Harding by Devon McCormack” »
March 22, 2017
Book & Author: The Pining by Devon McCormack
Rating: 4.5 stars
There are so many things that I loved about this story. Devon is one of those writers that is really great at bringing to life a cast of characters and emotions that leave you on the edge of your seat.
Kevin was a young vampire who had been struggling with the things he had to do to survive. He had this core of strength that came through at every turn, one that made his life with his “Master” not very easy. There was a literal war going on inside him, one that got harder to fight as the time passed. I loved Dax right from the start; he was funny and goofy and came across so young and full of life, for a vampire. Alyssa, the partner vampire to the Master that these three vampires were under, was a sick and twisted character. I never knew when or if she was going to go off the wall, but all the same, she intrigued me as much as she scared the crap out of me. As much as we didn’t get a great sense of who the “Master” was until more toward the end what we did know was that he was stoic, evil, and strict but just enough good that I was never sure if he is who Kevin should be with at the end. The twist - and man did that come from out of nowhere - toward the end is the huge piece of a puzzle of this character I had thought of as pretty simple but was actually not. I loved it!
In this world of vampire Masters and their drones, we also have vampire hunters and what vampire story is complete without them. Ride and Morgan are our hunters, and even a simple as that would seem, these two were as complex as the rest of the cast Devon brought to life for us. I was always a little bit wondering with Ride, was he bad or good, did he care for Morgan, or was he just using him to cure his own loneliness in the world he lived in? Morgan was immature in a lot of ways, being deprived of an actual childhood can do that, but he also was going through such a struggle with no one there to help him out.
I loved the world that Devon created with all the Masters, and struggles, and hunters, and love, the cast of characters that were complex, but not confusing to grasp, the internal and emotional struggle that Kevin had gone through nearly all the story. I loved Morgan and his whole story - that we eventually learn - especially his connection to Kevin which as small as it started it was clear to me from the start. There is nothing more than kisses throughout the story, but yet again, it was perfect just that way.
The whole thing was told from Kevin’s POV, and it was best that way. I literally growled when my kids would interrupt my reading time because I needed to know what was coming next. And being such a nice author that Devon is, he gave us clues, unraveling one thread at a time, until the very end when it all came loose.
*I received a copy of this book through http://diversereader.blogspot.com/*
Rating: 4.5 stars
There are so many things that I loved about this story. Devon is one of those writers that is really great at bringing to life a cast of characters and emotions that leave you on the edge of your seat.
Kevin was a young vampire who had been struggling with the things he had to do to survive. He had this core of strength that came through at every turn, one that made his life with his “Master” not very easy. There was a literal war going on inside him, one that got harder to fight as the time passed. I loved Dax right from the start; he was funny and goofy and came across so young and full of life, for a vampire. Alyssa, the partner vampire to the Master that these three vampires were under, was a sick and twisted character. I never knew when or if she was going to go off the wall, but all the same, she intrigued me as much as she scared the crap out of me. As much as we didn’t get a great sense of who the “Master” was until more toward the end what we did know was that he was stoic, evil, and strict but just enough good that I was never sure if he is who Kevin should be with at the end. The twist - and man did that come from out of nowhere - toward the end is the huge piece of a puzzle of this character I had thought of as pretty simple but was actually not. I loved it!
In this world of vampire Masters and their drones, we also have vampire hunters and what vampire story is complete without them. Ride and Morgan are our hunters, and even a simple as that would seem, these two were as complex as the rest of the cast Devon brought to life for us. I was always a little bit wondering with Ride, was he bad or good, did he care for Morgan, or was he just using him to cure his own loneliness in the world he lived in? Morgan was immature in a lot of ways, being deprived of an actual childhood can do that, but he also was going through such a struggle with no one there to help him out.
I loved the world that Devon created with all the Masters, and struggles, and hunters, and love, the cast of characters that were complex, but not confusing to grasp, the internal and emotional struggle that Kevin had gone through nearly all the story. I loved Morgan and his whole story - that we eventually learn - especially his connection to Kevin which as small as it started it was clear to me from the start. There is nothing more than kisses throughout the story, but yet again, it was perfect just that way.
The whole thing was told from Kevin’s POV, and it was best that way. I literally growled when my kids would interrupt my reading time because I needed to know what was coming next. And being such a nice author that Devon is, he gave us clues, unraveling one thread at a time, until the very end when it all came loose.
*I received a copy of this book through http://diversereader.blogspot.com/*
September 28, 2018
This book lacked on many levels. It did not go in depth or detail about any of the themes it was trying to depict. It didn't even give us much about the MC. It was very PG, calling sex 'play'. Books don't have to be raunchy or vulgar but who is the age target? Then the ending was very much like a shotgun wedding. It was overly domesticated and sappy. I didn't like this book.
June 8, 2019
Fun
This is that type of very serious story that is set in a world just different enough to be plausible and entirely silly at the same time.
A very fun read that I enjoyed immensely.
This is that type of very serious story that is set in a world just different enough to be plausible and entirely silly at the same time.
A very fun read that I enjoyed immensely.
January 6, 2026
This books was not what I expected it to be, but it sure was an experience.
March 11, 2017
I'm not sure what to say about this one
I can't particularly say I enjoyed this book but I can say I'm glad I read it. It's an interesting study in desire and conditioning wrapped up in a paranormal tale of violence, honour and perhaps a little bit of love.
Great imagination but the story itself is muddled and feels a little rushed at times plus, for a Devon McCormack story, there's surprisingly little sex in it, which is a shame as he is a master craftsman when it comes to those.
I did like that both Kevin and Morgan were both young and relatively clueless though and that Morgan wasn't a conventional romantic looking hero.
I can't particularly say I enjoyed this book but I can say I'm glad I read it. It's an interesting study in desire and conditioning wrapped up in a paranormal tale of violence, honour and perhaps a little bit of love.
Great imagination but the story itself is muddled and feels a little rushed at times plus, for a Devon McCormack story, there's surprisingly little sex in it, which is a shame as he is a master craftsman when it comes to those.
I did like that both Kevin and Morgan were both young and relatively clueless though and that Morgan wasn't a conventional romantic looking hero.
May 20, 2015
Kevin doesn’t want to be a vampire. He doesn’t want to kill people to live and so far he has resisted – but his master is getting impatient and his power and control is impossible to resist
Do vampire hunters offer another risk – or a final opportunity to escape?
This one didn’t work for me – for several reasons, but largely down to the whole thing feeling rushed and slap dash.
We have a world with vampires – vampires that are masters and create hives of drones that are compelled to be loyal through various supernatural beings – but we never really go into that, into what it means to be a vampire, into their society (which they clearly have), their physiology or much of anything else. There are vampires, some are masters. That’s it
Similarly there are hunters who manage to drive the vampires to hide and run all the time – yet at the same time seem to be a highly disorganised group of individuals with, at best, loose contact and organisation (as opposed to the vampires). Yet at the same time seem to be able to invent nifty vampire killing tools including a special vampire dissolving acid… none of this is essentially contradictory but it is highly unlikely without some more actual exposition
The world building feels like it wasn’t so much built as bits were thrown in when it was narratively convenient without any attempt to make any foundation or extrapolate on these elements that were created, leaving gaping holes, lots of fuzzy areas and leaving me somewhat bored and disinterested.
Which applies to the characters as well. Morgan is a one-note damaged hot guy with a tragic backstory who will be cured with the magical sexing. Dax is the rather simple buff hot guy who… know I can’t even expand on that. That’s all he is. Kevin is a somewhat blah character from a somewhat blah background who is… somewhat blah. I can’t really point to one memorable thing about him. He apparently always wanted to be an actor, but is painfully shy and introverted. He’s pretty childish which only manages to pass because Morgan is so much more EPICLY childish (complete with massively whiny tantrums) that Kevin’s own immaturity is masked. That’s kind of all I know about Kevin – he’s a vampire, he doesn’t want to be, he’s whiny, he’s shy and introverted and he falls in love waaaay too fast.
Ironically, the bad guys – Kevin’s master, Kevin’s master’s enemy and are more developed. But only because the master’s enemy had to engage in a massive convoluted info-dump to try and justify his utterly bizarre actions. Not that they are developed particularly – for all of his massive info-dumped past (whyyyyy?), Kevin’s master is just old, powerful and bizarrely infatuated with Kevin after facebook stalking him. And? She’s just evil. Sadistic and monstrous without even the slightest shred of human development – and since she’s the only real female character in this book that is doubly shady. I also don’t remember a single POC in the book – the only diver element was the men being gay.
Read More
Do vampire hunters offer another risk – or a final opportunity to escape?
This one didn’t work for me – for several reasons, but largely down to the whole thing feeling rushed and slap dash.
We have a world with vampires – vampires that are masters and create hives of drones that are compelled to be loyal through various supernatural beings – but we never really go into that, into what it means to be a vampire, into their society (which they clearly have), their physiology or much of anything else. There are vampires, some are masters. That’s it
Similarly there are hunters who manage to drive the vampires to hide and run all the time – yet at the same time seem to be a highly disorganised group of individuals with, at best, loose contact and organisation (as opposed to the vampires). Yet at the same time seem to be able to invent nifty vampire killing tools including a special vampire dissolving acid… none of this is essentially contradictory but it is highly unlikely without some more actual exposition
The world building feels like it wasn’t so much built as bits were thrown in when it was narratively convenient without any attempt to make any foundation or extrapolate on these elements that were created, leaving gaping holes, lots of fuzzy areas and leaving me somewhat bored and disinterested.
Which applies to the characters as well. Morgan is a one-note damaged hot guy with a tragic backstory who will be cured with the magical sexing. Dax is the rather simple buff hot guy who… know I can’t even expand on that. That’s all he is. Kevin is a somewhat blah character from a somewhat blah background who is… somewhat blah. I can’t really point to one memorable thing about him. He apparently always wanted to be an actor, but is painfully shy and introverted. He’s pretty childish which only manages to pass because Morgan is so much more EPICLY childish (complete with massively whiny tantrums) that Kevin’s own immaturity is masked. That’s kind of all I know about Kevin – he’s a vampire, he doesn’t want to be, he’s whiny, he’s shy and introverted and he falls in love waaaay too fast.
Ironically, the bad guys – Kevin’s master, Kevin’s master’s enemy and are more developed. But only because the master’s enemy had to engage in a massive convoluted info-dump to try and justify his utterly bizarre actions. Not that they are developed particularly – for all of his massive info-dumped past (whyyyyy?), Kevin’s master is just old, powerful and bizarrely infatuated with Kevin after facebook stalking him. And? She’s just evil. Sadistic and monstrous without even the slightest shred of human development – and since she’s the only real female character in this book that is doubly shady. I also don’t remember a single POC in the book – the only diver element was the men being gay.
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January 28, 2015
4 star review by Dan
Kevin Harding is your typical high school senior, just months from graduating. He has a scholarship to a prestigious acting school and life is good, but he wants an exciting life. The old adage “be careful what you wish for” comes true in his case. Suddenly he is awoken by a vampire who bites him and turns him into a vampire.
The vampire, who Kevin knows as “Master” also has two other protégé “children”, one, Alyssa, who has been with him for hundreds of years, and the other, Dax, who has been with him for two years.
Kevin is fighting the conversion to full vampire and does not want to kill a human being by drinking their blood. So far Master has been bringing him recently dead bodies to feed off when he has to feed. Finally, he gives in and goes on a hunt with Dax to a gay bar. Their vampire pheromones make both him and Dax super desirable to the men in the bar, and one in particular catches both their eyes and their senses, because he smells Wonderful!
Kevin and Dax meet the man who smells so good to them and they leave with him after a bar fight. Only one problem, he is secretly a vampire hunter. Dax escapes, but Kevin is taken prisoner, and tortured at the hands of Ride, a second vampire hunter. Morgan seems more sympathetic to Kevin, but Ride is the boss.
What follows is a tale of vampire masters, their protégé “children”, the vampire hunters, and the ever increasing something that is growing between Morgan and Kevin.
I very much enjoyed this book. The book is very well written, and the characters are believable, as long as you believe in Vampires! I liked it a lot and would highly recommend it to both the Young Adult, as well as Adult markets. I particularly liked that the author incorporated a section of how the vampire stalked Kevin through his Facebook profile. The vampire told Kevin that because he had conveniently listed his school on his page, it was really easy for the vampire to hang out near the school and follow Kevin home. Since this book is probably primarily marketed to the Young Adult population, that is a good warning. Although there might not be vampires stalking you on Facebook, there could be predators. Thank you Devon for including that section.
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews, author interviews, guestposts and giveaways!
Kevin Harding is your typical high school senior, just months from graduating. He has a scholarship to a prestigious acting school and life is good, but he wants an exciting life. The old adage “be careful what you wish for” comes true in his case. Suddenly he is awoken by a vampire who bites him and turns him into a vampire.
The vampire, who Kevin knows as “Master” also has two other protégé “children”, one, Alyssa, who has been with him for hundreds of years, and the other, Dax, who has been with him for two years.
Kevin is fighting the conversion to full vampire and does not want to kill a human being by drinking their blood. So far Master has been bringing him recently dead bodies to feed off when he has to feed. Finally, he gives in and goes on a hunt with Dax to a gay bar. Their vampire pheromones make both him and Dax super desirable to the men in the bar, and one in particular catches both their eyes and their senses, because he smells Wonderful!
Kevin and Dax meet the man who smells so good to them and they leave with him after a bar fight. Only one problem, he is secretly a vampire hunter. Dax escapes, but Kevin is taken prisoner, and tortured at the hands of Ride, a second vampire hunter. Morgan seems more sympathetic to Kevin, but Ride is the boss.
What follows is a tale of vampire masters, their protégé “children”, the vampire hunters, and the ever increasing something that is growing between Morgan and Kevin.
I very much enjoyed this book. The book is very well written, and the characters are believable, as long as you believe in Vampires! I liked it a lot and would highly recommend it to both the Young Adult, as well as Adult markets. I particularly liked that the author incorporated a section of how the vampire stalked Kevin through his Facebook profile. The vampire told Kevin that because he had conveniently listed his school on his page, it was really easy for the vampire to hang out near the school and follow Kevin home. Since this book is probably primarily marketed to the Young Adult population, that is a good warning. Although there might not be vampires stalking you on Facebook, there could be predators. Thank you Devon for including that section.
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews, author interviews, guestposts and giveaways!
March 6, 2016
JFC every time!
Again with unseen ending. Eff dude. Really? Alright, I bought this days ago, not really that interested cause, like, ya know vampires. Yawn. But, it's freaking Devon McCormack so damnit I had to. It's like a drug. I mean how can you stay away from something that you KNOW is going to be good? Of course, a page or two in and I was hooked, mostly, there were a few breaks in between cause sadly not my favorite by McCormack and through most of it I was thinking, "This may be the first time I'm gonna have to rate him below five stars!" Until the end. Ah, that glorious end where my favorite part happened.
"Master was already at my side, clutching Jon's throat. He crushed down and forcefully pulled a long, bloody tube from his neck. Jon's esophagus."
I really don't want to think too hard on why this had my eyes lighting up and a grin taking over my face. I blame being a child of the 80's and growing up watching horror movies like Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th. Regardless, this and a few other lines such as, "The masters throat breaking into fragments and falling from his jaw." I mean seriously? Who wouldn't love the imagery that these lines evoke?
Of course with anything written by McCormack the worlds he create are spectacular. The characters are well developed and seem realistic. I also like how McCormack seems to create imperfect characters. No perfect godlike beauty, just regular guys or woman who you might find attractive in their own way, ya know? Like Morgan's wonky eyes. Or Masters freakish forehead.
Highly recommend for anyone who likes vampire stories or maybe even fans of the show Supernatural cause there are "hunters" in the story. No Sam and Dean sadly, but still two really awesome characters that bring a lil fun into the book.
Again with unseen ending. Eff dude. Really? Alright, I bought this days ago, not really that interested cause, like, ya know vampires. Yawn. But, it's freaking Devon McCormack so damnit I had to. It's like a drug. I mean how can you stay away from something that you KNOW is going to be good? Of course, a page or two in and I was hooked, mostly, there were a few breaks in between cause sadly not my favorite by McCormack and through most of it I was thinking, "This may be the first time I'm gonna have to rate him below five stars!" Until the end. Ah, that glorious end where my favorite part happened.
"Master was already at my side, clutching Jon's throat. He crushed down and forcefully pulled a long, bloody tube from his neck. Jon's esophagus."
I really don't want to think too hard on why this had my eyes lighting up and a grin taking over my face. I blame being a child of the 80's and growing up watching horror movies like Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th. Regardless, this and a few other lines such as, "The masters throat breaking into fragments and falling from his jaw." I mean seriously? Who wouldn't love the imagery that these lines evoke?
Of course with anything written by McCormack the worlds he create are spectacular. The characters are well developed and seem realistic. I also like how McCormack seems to create imperfect characters. No perfect godlike beauty, just regular guys or woman who you might find attractive in their own way, ya know? Like Morgan's wonky eyes. Or Masters freakish forehead.
Highly recommend for anyone who likes vampire stories or maybe even fans of the show Supernatural cause there are "hunters" in the story. No Sam and Dean sadly, but still two really awesome characters that bring a lil fun into the book.
October 31, 2016
Devilishly fun
A sharp wit filled story, with colorful characters in a blood soaking flesh melting delightfully deranged tale of a barely legal just turned vamp who can't catch a break. I found myself laughing and repulsed and strangely turned on reading this sinfully fun story by Devon McCormack, told with sharp dialogue vivid imagery of some really grotesque scenes and plenty of off colour humour. If your looking for a fast paced crawl under your comfortor guilty pleasure, this is for you!! I mean we all are looking just to find love and be "normal" after all!!!
A sharp wit filled story, with colorful characters in a blood soaking flesh melting delightfully deranged tale of a barely legal just turned vamp who can't catch a break. I found myself laughing and repulsed and strangely turned on reading this sinfully fun story by Devon McCormack, told with sharp dialogue vivid imagery of some really grotesque scenes and plenty of off colour humour. If your looking for a fast paced crawl under your comfortor guilty pleasure, this is for you!! I mean we all are looking just to find love and be "normal" after all!!!
October 19, 2016
Awesome
I loved the pining it was incredible
Kevins journey were so intense I loved everything about the storyline the characters they were amazing
I couldn't put the pining down it had me on the edge of my seat it was just wow
Thank you Devon McCormack for another incredible story
I loved the pining it was incredible
Kevins journey were so intense I loved everything about the storyline the characters they were amazing
I couldn't put the pining down it had me on the edge of my seat it was just wow
Thank you Devon McCormack for another incredible story
November 29, 2016
Not bad...
I love Devon McCormack but this book it started of good but kind of just went a little wrong after.I'm not entirely sure what was missing but something was..Kevin was sweet and I wanted Dax to have a bigger role..I'm glad this was on KU it was a quick little read that passed the time..
I love Devon McCormack but this book it started of good but kind of just went a little wrong after.I'm not entirely sure what was missing but something was..Kevin was sweet and I wanted Dax to have a bigger role..I'm glad this was on KU it was a quick little read that passed the time..
January 30, 2017
I read straight through. Enjoyed it. Couldn't quite get into the main character but the action was fast enough to carry me through.
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