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Ancient Blood #1
Wicked Soul
He saved me... And then he blood-bonded me. Now I'm his.
My first meeting with a Chicago vampire went better than expected. Up until that night, all I knew about vampires was limited to a few common facts: they drink blood, they get a mean sunburn and if you find yourself alone with one, you’re dead. Except he didn't kill me. Sexy, broody Warin clearly had his own reasons for sparing my life and tying me with his blood, but if he’d known how much trouble I’d attract, I bet he wouldn’t have bothered. When he blood-bonded me, secrets even I didn’t know about myself came to light. Secrets that will pull us both deep into the eternal war between vampires and the witches determined to rid the world of their evil. We have only one choice now: fight the forces hell-bent on breaking our bond… Or die.
My first meeting with a Chicago vampire went better than expected. Up until that night, all I knew about vampires was limited to a few common facts: they drink blood, they get a mean sunburn and if you find yourself alone with one, you’re dead. Except he didn't kill me. Sexy, broody Warin clearly had his own reasons for sparing my life and tying me with his blood, but if he’d known how much trouble I’d attract, I bet he wouldn’t have bothered. When he blood-bonded me, secrets even I didn’t know about myself came to light. Secrets that will pull us both deep into the eternal war between vampires and the witches determined to rid the world of their evil. We have only one choice now: fight the forces hell-bent on breaking our bond… Or die.
496 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 10, 2018
81 people are currently reading
703 people want to read
About the author
Nora Ash
45 books1,257 followersI am Nora Ash, and I write a plethora of different romance books. Some of them are really dirty, some of them are only kinda-dirty, some are paranormal, some are contemporary… Basically, I have a rampant imagination and no way of controlling it, except from just writing down whichever idea pops into my head at the time.
The one thing my books always have in common, though? A great story and a guaranteed HEA.
If you’re ever in doubt about what you’re about to read, have a look at my book page. It has a flame rating for each series, so you know what you’re getting yourself into!
I’m originally from the cold North (AKA Scandinavia) but these days I live in rainy England with my amazing fiancé and our two pesty cats. When I’m not writing, I’m probably reading, watching Real Housewives of Wherever (reality tv it’s my shameful addiction) or hiking in whatever bit of woodland I can find.
Three fun facts about me
I once ran away with a traveling circus
I’m bilingual. Almost-kinda trilingual, but my Spanish is terri-bad these days.
I’m a decent rider (English style only, though)
You can (and definitely should!) keep in touch with me via my newsletter or by joining my Facebook group.
The one thing my books always have in common, though? A great story and a guaranteed HEA.
If you’re ever in doubt about what you’re about to read, have a look at my book page. It has a flame rating for each series, so you know what you’re getting yourself into!
I’m originally from the cold North (AKA Scandinavia) but these days I live in rainy England with my amazing fiancé and our two pesty cats. When I’m not writing, I’m probably reading, watching Real Housewives of Wherever (reality tv it’s my shameful addiction) or hiking in whatever bit of woodland I can find.
Three fun facts about me
I once ran away with a traveling circus
I’m bilingual. Almost-kinda trilingual, but my Spanish is terri-bad these days.
I’m a decent rider (English style only, though)
You can (and definitely should!) keep in touch with me via my newsletter or by joining my Facebook group.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
February 12, 2018
Olivia really tested my patience, but the author did such an incredible job with the world building and giving definition to her secondary characters, that it made her heroine’s commentary worthwhile. Of course, my favorite character was Warin. He was the vamp to beat all vamps in this story. He was fierce, alpha, honorable, lethal, loving, etc. I would have given just about anything to get his perspective in this book. While it was nice getting Liv’s perspective on him and learning about who he was through her eyes, there were certain scenes where his POV would have been more appreciated. Especially when it came to the inner workings of the vampire world.
So, Warin and Olivia knew that their connection was more than meets the eye. I really liked that their bond was something that was solidified centuries ago, without their present knowledge. That piece of their past gave these two and their relationship that much more depth. And really, the entire story had a lot of depth. Whether it was through the conflict between the vamps and witches and skinwalkers, or the expectations of vampire society, or the nuances of each character, this story didn’t lack in excitement. Now I’m eager to read the next book, which should be covering Warin’s brother, Aleric. I’m hoping to see more of Warin in it and I wouldn’t complain about seeing Roy again ;)
Release: Feb. 10, 2018 | Genre: PNR - Vampires & Witches | POV: Heroine - 1st person | Heat: 3.5 out of 5 | Standalone - Book #1 of the Ancient Blood series
Check out the Blog Tour! http://bit.ly/2H7yN9g
So, Warin and Olivia knew that their connection was more than meets the eye. I really liked that their bond was something that was solidified centuries ago, without their present knowledge. That piece of their past gave these two and their relationship that much more depth. And really, the entire story had a lot of depth. Whether it was through the conflict between the vamps and witches and skinwalkers, or the expectations of vampire society, or the nuances of each character, this story didn’t lack in excitement. Now I’m eager to read the next book, which should be covering Warin’s brother, Aleric. I’m hoping to see more of Warin in it and I wouldn’t complain about seeing Roy again ;)
Release: Feb. 10, 2018 | Genre: PNR - Vampires & Witches | POV: Heroine - 1st person | Heat: 3.5 out of 5 | Standalone - Book #1 of the Ancient Blood series
Check out the Blog Tour! http://bit.ly/2H7yN9g
October 27, 2021
RTC! Need some time before I review. This is like like 75% fan fiction. Some of it lands, and some of it needed to go back to the drawing board.
~FULL REVIEW~
*cracks knuckles*
I'm going to try to write coherently as much as I can on Nora Ash's Wicked Soul because there is a lot wrong, but a lot right in this PNR. Which is why I'm going to split it up into pros and cons.
Pros
1. Heroine is occasionally funny.
I have a lot of notes on the heroine, but for the good, I will admit that she can be funny. She occasionally has funny comebacks and POV. She was hilarious when, at the vampire party, she gets bored so she goes to the bathroom and loses track of time, playing Candy Crush.
2. The last half, if you stick with it, does move fast.
At about the 40% mark or so when it was very fanfiction, I started to get frustrated but then it seems a flip or a gear was switched and things moved fassst. The pages truly flew up as stakes were raised, metaphorically speaking.
3. World-building is good, when not derivative.
I'm not sure if drinking dead blood is lethal to vampires is a common but this was interesting. So was the interaction with the witches, the reincarnation rape. The whole thing with Thea was a little subtle, I wish that there was more done with this before the HEA.
4. Cover is pretty?
I mean, a lot of effort was put in this cover. It did call to me. That and the book blurb.
Cons
1. Heroine is cringe
I honestly think if I read this when I was 12, I would be laughing my ass off but as a crone, I found this heroine quite irritating. Heroine was clearly meant to be the snarky but awkward heroine inspired by the likes of Tina Fey, Amy Schumer - very sharp, but also a bit of a hot mess, and their insecurities blind them to how rude they are.
The cruelty comes out in the casual misogyny the heroine feels for all the other female characters. Like, seriously, she has NOTHING good to say about any females she is around. She also has no friends and it's like, no shit. She is threatened by Warin's beautiful and stylish second in command, and she also is dismissive of her co-worker, Raven, for being a witch until later she's like, WOW so you actually ARE a real witch. It's incredibly rude. And I get that she has her own family trauma but come on.
She makes these offhand, judgmental comments about all the women, as if she's so funny and wise to the bullshit, yet she gives benefit to her boss, Dennis, and is nice to the bodyguard Warin loans to her. That really irritated TF out of me.
The heroine rarely landed with her comments. In fact, I found her embarrassing and oftentimes wanted to groan. The sloppy club dance (so mid-aughts!), the blurted advice at the super serious vampire and witch meeting - I get, on one level, she lightens up the mood, but it's so cringe.
2. Fan fiction
Every other scene, I was like, hm this reminds me of...
HBO's True Blood. Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse. Twilight. There is the period smell scene that feels like R-rated Twilight. The flying scene. The vampire club scenes. I've never watched Vampire Diaries so not sure if there are any comparisons there, but for the majority of the story, I was like, am I reading straight-up fan fiction?
And honestly, I wouldn't have minded if the heroine wasn't so irritating.
3. Warin's too frozen to be with heroine
Warin has the stuffy Darcy vibe because we have the heroine punching him playfully on the shoulder, and saying awkward things, and most times than not, Warin just stares blankly at her. Although I believe that Warin and the heroine get along because they can be comfortable in being themselves, I also think she was too awkward for him because he never jokes back. I think that if Warin acknowledged her when she said something very dumb, it would have been cute because he's playing along with it.
Overall, maybe skip this if you have other things to read? I am interested to read Nora Asha' omegaverse reads!
~FULL REVIEW~
*cracks knuckles*
I'm going to try to write coherently as much as I can on Nora Ash's Wicked Soul because there is a lot wrong, but a lot right in this PNR. Which is why I'm going to split it up into pros and cons.
Pros
1. Heroine is occasionally funny.
I have a lot of notes on the heroine, but for the good, I will admit that she can be funny. She occasionally has funny comebacks and POV. She was hilarious when, at the vampire party, she gets bored so she goes to the bathroom and loses track of time, playing Candy Crush.
2. The last half, if you stick with it, does move fast.
At about the 40% mark or so when it was very fanfiction, I started to get frustrated but then it seems a flip or a gear was switched and things moved fassst. The pages truly flew up as stakes were raised, metaphorically speaking.
3. World-building is good, when not derivative.
I'm not sure if drinking dead blood is lethal to vampires is a common but this was interesting. So was the interaction with the witches, the reincarnation rape. The whole thing with Thea was a little subtle, I wish that there was more done with this before the HEA.
4. Cover is pretty?
I mean, a lot of effort was put in this cover. It did call to me. That and the book blurb.
Cons
1. Heroine is cringe
I honestly think if I read this when I was 12, I would be laughing my ass off but as a crone, I found this heroine quite irritating. Heroine was clearly meant to be the snarky but awkward heroine inspired by the likes of Tina Fey, Amy Schumer - very sharp, but also a bit of a hot mess, and their insecurities blind them to how rude they are.
The cruelty comes out in the casual misogyny the heroine feels for all the other female characters. Like, seriously, she has NOTHING good to say about any females she is around. She also has no friends and it's like, no shit. She is threatened by Warin's beautiful and stylish second in command, and she also is dismissive of her co-worker, Raven, for being a witch until later she's like, WOW so you actually ARE a real witch. It's incredibly rude. And I get that she has her own family trauma but come on.
She makes these offhand, judgmental comments about all the women, as if she's so funny and wise to the bullshit, yet she gives benefit to her boss, Dennis, and is nice to the bodyguard Warin loans to her. That really irritated TF out of me.
The heroine rarely landed with her comments. In fact, I found her embarrassing and oftentimes wanted to groan. The sloppy club dance (so mid-aughts!), the blurted advice at the super serious vampire and witch meeting - I get, on one level, she lightens up the mood, but it's so cringe.
2. Fan fiction
Every other scene, I was like, hm this reminds me of...
HBO's True Blood. Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse. Twilight. There is the period smell scene that feels like R-rated Twilight. The flying scene. The vampire club scenes. I've never watched Vampire Diaries so not sure if there are any comparisons there, but for the majority of the story, I was like, am I reading straight-up fan fiction?
And honestly, I wouldn't have minded if the heroine wasn't so irritating.
3. Warin's too frozen to be with heroine
Warin has the stuffy Darcy vibe because we have the heroine punching him playfully on the shoulder, and saying awkward things, and most times than not, Warin just stares blankly at her. Although I believe that Warin and the heroine get along because they can be comfortable in being themselves, I also think she was too awkward for him because he never jokes back. I think that if Warin acknowledged her when she said something very dumb, it would have been cute because he's playing along with it.
Overall, maybe skip this if you have other things to read? I am interested to read Nora Asha' omegaverse reads!
dnf
February 11, 2018DNF At 18%
This book started off very interesting but took a dive a few chapters in. It won me over in the first few pages with this quote: "Jesus, the state of public education is as bad as the Internet says, huh? I swear to you, reading a paranormal romance novel is not the same as actually banging a vampire".
A few chapters after that the book mentions that the heroine is 27 years old. There would be nothing wrong with that if I hadn't assumed (for some reason, I don't know why) this was a young adult novel (which it is not) because of the way the heroine was acting. With all her random babbling and naiveté towards dangerous people/situations I thought she was, at most, 17 years old. I also won't comment on her immaturity levels because they were off the charts and proved to be VERY annoying.
Her sense of self-preservation needs to be looked at more closely as well. Who in their right mind would go through what she did in the beginning of the book and after months of keeping it to herself just babble it out because of a simple and generic question her friend asks her? What if her friend secretly hates vampires? What if her friend is secretly planning to do something worse to her to get close to the vampire she knows? At this point, we (the reader) don't know anything for certain and the heroine knew this friend for about 4 or 5 months.
That's as far as I'm willing to endure this book. I couldn't take another second of the heroine whose name escapes me at this moment. Overall, this book wasn't for me. I'd also like to mention that this novel would benefit from another round of editing.
This book started off very interesting but took a dive a few chapters in. It won me over in the first few pages with this quote: "Jesus, the state of public education is as bad as the Internet says, huh? I swear to you, reading a paranormal romance novel is not the same as actually banging a vampire".
A few chapters after that the book mentions that the heroine is 27 years old. There would be nothing wrong with that if I hadn't assumed (for some reason, I don't know why) this was a young adult novel (which it is not) because of the way the heroine was acting. With all her random babbling and naiveté towards dangerous people/situations I thought she was, at most, 17 years old. I also won't comment on her immaturity levels because they were off the charts and proved to be VERY annoying.
Her sense of self-preservation needs to be looked at more closely as well. Who in their right mind would go through what she did in the beginning of the book and after months of keeping it to herself just babble it out because of a simple and generic question her friend asks her? What if her friend secretly hates vampires? What if her friend is secretly planning to do something worse to her to get close to the vampire she knows? At this point, we (the reader) don't know anything for certain and the heroine knew this friend for about 4 or 5 months.
That's as far as I'm willing to endure this book. I couldn't take another second of the heroine whose name escapes me at this moment. Overall, this book wasn't for me. I'd also like to mention that this novel would benefit from another round of editing.
February 15, 2018
Reviewed on behalf of http://bookaddict.live,
I have been lucky this month with the opportunity to read some paranormal romance, and enjoy it. At one time that was all I read and then I took a break, only reading a few of my favourite authors. So I was looking forward to reading this one, and I didn’t even read the blurb as I wanted to go in blind. I so glad I did I thoroughly enjoyed it. We have witches, skin walkers and vampires and I loved every minute of it.
We have Olivia, who is kidnapped for reading a romance with a vampire hero in it. In this world the public know that vampires exist. Olivia is then thrown in a cage with what she thinks is an ordinary young man. That’s all I‘m to say because I don’t want to spoil it.
This book has love,sex, action as fighting for your life action and did I say witches. There is plenty to get your teeth into, and this is the beginning of a Series which I am going to read. So if you love to read new Paranormal Series give it a go.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I have been lucky this month with the opportunity to read some paranormal romance, and enjoy it. At one time that was all I read and then I took a break, only reading a few of my favourite authors. So I was looking forward to reading this one, and I didn’t even read the blurb as I wanted to go in blind. I so glad I did I thoroughly enjoyed it. We have witches, skin walkers and vampires and I loved every minute of it.
We have Olivia, who is kidnapped for reading a romance with a vampire hero in it. In this world the public know that vampires exist. Olivia is then thrown in a cage with what she thinks is an ordinary young man. That’s all I‘m to say because I don’t want to spoil it.
This book has love,sex, action as fighting for your life action and did I say witches. There is plenty to get your teeth into, and this is the beginning of a Series which I am going to read. So if you love to read new Paranormal Series give it a go.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 18, 2018
Knowing vampires exist is ok until things gets real. Such is the case for Olivia when she's abducted and put in a cage with a real fanged blood sucking vampire. Her abductors make it clear that she's to be the vamp's dinner and won't be arounmd to enjoy dessert. To everyone's surprise said vamp doesn't want anything to do with Olivia. As a last resort their captors up the ante to entice Warin to feed on Olivia.
Miraculously escaping, Warin and Olivia find they have made a connection with ties to their distant past. This may be why outside forces will do anything and everything to prevent the two from discovering secrets long buried.
Fortunately Warin & Olivia create a blood bond which may be the only hope the two have to deal with the roadblocks and hurdles their enemies plan to throw at them and change what has been foretold to repeat.
* * * *
New series/new to me author paranormal romance that does include adult content scenes.
I noticed this book on my feeds and was interested enough to purchase it after reading the "sample" option. To my surprise I really enjoyed the world building/character development/story line/plot premise. One point I feel I should share is that for a majority of this story I felt it came across as a YA sort of read. Was ok with that and life was good only to have the author include borderline adult content scenes into the mix. So, for those who need to know ... there is erotica content but not to any real overly graphic degree. Enjoy.
The world building had it's ups and downs. Overall I appreciated the author's concept of a world where vampires and paranormals openly lived and were accorded a place in society. As is the case in all situations though, there were pockets of rebellion - those who actively seek to kill off vampires in general which serves as the starting point of this story. How the author evolved into featuring ... more ... was well done.
The central characters Olivia & Warin were well matched though I had more than my share of eye rolling moments in getting on board with certain behavioral concepts. Seriously, Wren's age and experience had certain expectations on my part while Olivia's had the same. Deviation to this perception didn't leave me with any warm fuzzies. Regardless, I'm a happy reader that the two were matched and am good with things as a whole.
Secondary characters. The characters in general did add to the world building and supported the concept they had a role in this story. Aleric is the one character I'm in flux about. I loved him. I hated him. I loved him again. I hated him again. I loved him more. I .... Well, the ending solidified my opinion which I'm not gonna share because it would be spoiler info. hehehehe
This was a story that was a change of pace from other similar themed genre stories. I've seen mention that readers have found it fit a 'dark romance' tag but for me it had more of a romantic suspense with humorous/snarky side. While it had some problems for me, overall I am a fan and look forward to getting my grubby little hands on Debt Of Bones (Ancient Blood #2): Nora Ash which as of yet doesn't have a release date issued....
mmmm. need to message author to beg for an ARC copy to find out where this series is headed and if my opinion on certain characters is on point or not as I can't stand the wait. lol
Miraculously escaping, Warin and Olivia find they have made a connection with ties to their distant past. This may be why outside forces will do anything and everything to prevent the two from discovering secrets long buried.
Fortunately Warin & Olivia create a blood bond which may be the only hope the two have to deal with the roadblocks and hurdles their enemies plan to throw at them and change what has been foretold to repeat.
* * * *
New series/new to me author paranormal romance that does include adult content scenes.
I noticed this book on my feeds and was interested enough to purchase it after reading the "sample" option. To my surprise I really enjoyed the world building/character development/story line/plot premise. One point I feel I should share is that for a majority of this story I felt it came across as a YA sort of read. Was ok with that and life was good only to have the author include borderline adult content scenes into the mix. So, for those who need to know ... there is erotica content but not to any real overly graphic degree. Enjoy.
The world building had it's ups and downs. Overall I appreciated the author's concept of a world where vampires and paranormals openly lived and were accorded a place in society. As is the case in all situations though, there were pockets of rebellion - those who actively seek to kill off vampires in general which serves as the starting point of this story. How the author evolved into featuring ... more ... was well done.
The central characters Olivia & Warin were well matched though I had more than my share of eye rolling moments in getting on board with certain behavioral concepts. Seriously, Wren's age and experience had certain expectations on my part while Olivia's had the same. Deviation to this perception didn't leave me with any warm fuzzies. Regardless, I'm a happy reader that the two were matched and am good with things as a whole.
Secondary characters. The characters in general did add to the world building and supported the concept they had a role in this story. Aleric is the one character I'm in flux about. I loved him. I hated him. I loved him again. I hated him again. I loved him more. I .... Well, the ending solidified my opinion which I'm not gonna share because it would be spoiler info. hehehehe
This was a story that was a change of pace from other similar themed genre stories. I've seen mention that readers have found it fit a 'dark romance' tag but for me it had more of a romantic suspense with humorous/snarky side. While it had some problems for me, overall I am a fan and look forward to getting my grubby little hands on Debt Of Bones (Ancient Blood #2): Nora Ash which as of yet doesn't have a release date issued....
mmmm. need to message author to beg for an ARC copy to find out where this series is headed and if my opinion on certain characters is on point or not as I can't stand the wait. lol
March 13, 2018
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January 5, 2024
Vampire romances are always a fun read once done correctly and this one was pretty much on the mark. My issue with this - some of the plot points needed to be properly fleshed out. The author would drop a pretty big plot point...then leave it there without an explanation.
I'm not sure what happened with the second book of this series (it's been years since this one came out), but I would definitely read it if and whenever it comes out. Really because I'm hoping some of the plot would be cleared up a bit more.
I'm not sure what happened with the second book of this series (it's been years since this one came out), but I would definitely read it if and whenever it comes out. Really because I'm hoping some of the plot would be cleared up a bit more.
March 3, 2019
Oh my goodness...
You know..there are some books that leave a permanent mark on you. Such a mark, that when you have finished the book there is such a yearning in your bones and chest you have never felt. You feel like a piece is missing and you just simply MUST know more..what happened next? And Wicked Soul is such a book. I have now read many of Nora Ash 's fantastic books, but this one holds a special place in my heart.
Olivia with her pure strength of character, such a survivor and strong woman, was a wonderful heroine to get to know. Alaric was painful and left me with such an ache, his fears...his absolute loyalty... I cried for him. And our Viking himself...our warrior and vampire King of Chicago...Warin.
Their story is so captivating, beautiful, but also full of suspense, POWER, witches, giants?!, shifters?!..oh my.
The erotica is steamy, the killing is gory - all in all an absolutely fantastic book, I could not put it down.
It compelled me to keep reading....and I simply could not resist.
You know..there are some books that leave a permanent mark on you. Such a mark, that when you have finished the book there is such a yearning in your bones and chest you have never felt. You feel like a piece is missing and you just simply MUST know more..what happened next? And Wicked Soul is such a book. I have now read many of Nora Ash 's fantastic books, but this one holds a special place in my heart.
Olivia with her pure strength of character, such a survivor and strong woman, was a wonderful heroine to get to know. Alaric was painful and left me with such an ache, his fears...his absolute loyalty... I cried for him. And our Viking himself...our warrior and vampire King of Chicago...Warin.
Their story is so captivating, beautiful, but also full of suspense, POWER, witches, giants?!, shifters?!..oh my.
The erotica is steamy, the killing is gory - all in all an absolutely fantastic book, I could not put it down.
It compelled me to keep reading....and I simply could not resist.
January 3, 2019
Looking for a tasty paranormal story to sate your romance thirst? Look no further! Olivia “Liv” and Warin are a winning pair and will keep you enthralled as all the supernatural creatures come out to play.
Liv is a mouthy, nerdy, oh-so-casual chick who works odd jobs and moves frequently. Warin is an ancient vampire with vast powers, loyal subjects, and a rather bleak outlook on life. After being mistaken for a vampire hussy the pair are thrown together in a twisted world of witchcraft, shapeshifters, and vampire hierarchy. At times Liv’s inability or unwillingness to grasp the serious of situations was annoying. Also- Warin is described as a 6ft muscular vampire. When Liv’s clothes were damaged she attempts to put on Warin’s pants but can’t get them past her thighs... yet the top fit fine. Am I to assume Liv is significantly pear-shaped? I spent several moments trying to imagine what she looks like and nothing comes up smelling like roses.
Liv is a mouthy, nerdy, oh-so-casual chick who works odd jobs and moves frequently. Warin is an ancient vampire with vast powers, loyal subjects, and a rather bleak outlook on life. After being mistaken for a vampire hussy the pair are thrown together in a twisted world of witchcraft, shapeshifters, and vampire hierarchy. At times Liv’s inability or unwillingness to grasp the serious of situations was annoying. Also- Warin is described as a 6ft muscular vampire. When Liv’s clothes were damaged she attempts to put on Warin’s pants but can’t get them past her thighs... yet the top fit fine. Am I to assume Liv is significantly pear-shaped? I spent several moments trying to imagine what she looks like and nothing comes up smelling like roses.
February 10, 2018
Secrets and lies dominate this story. Liv is a great heroine. She has had a very unpleasant life and yet when she is kidnapped and locked in a cage with Warin, a vampire, her dominating thought is how to save him. Warin eventually saves them both and there begins a relationship which is hard to define. Alaric, Warin's brother is keeping secrets. Liv has a secret that she doesn't even know she is keeping. Throw in some witches, shapeshifters and a whole heap of vampires and you know this is going to get messy. There is lots of chemistry between Warin and Liv and a happy ending. I look forward to the next book. I recieved an ARC but have voluntarily reviewed.
February 12, 2018
Warin is back and he’s just as hot as he was in the prequel to this series, Origins. Warin and Liv are thrown together by vampire hunters (vampires are out and people know about them), who are hoping that she will become vamp dinner. Liv is a funny, smart character but she does get a bit naive at times. I loved that, FINALLY, a character notices that someone is unconscious, with pallid skin, cool to the touch and not breathing and they perform CPR. CPR on a vamp. Perfect.
February 14, 2018
Liv is life. Her thoughts, her personality, her wants and wishes. Warin is unlife.
This incredible story, by Nora Ash, has a such funny components, with Liv’s bubbling and infectious personality splattered all over the place. Such a contrast to the almost stoic Warin, who, as an Ancient, starts to feel alive, or as least as much as he can, from their first meeting.
Treasure this love story, as you read it. Very close to perfection! Waiting for the next in the series❤️
This incredible story, by Nora Ash, has a such funny components, with Liv’s bubbling and infectious personality splattered all over the place. Such a contrast to the almost stoic Warin, who, as an Ancient, starts to feel alive, or as least as much as he can, from their first meeting.
Treasure this love story, as you read it. Very close to perfection! Waiting for the next in the series❤️
December 8, 2018
4 stars
This was not at all what I was expecting from this book. Since everything else that I've read by this author was violent and mostly erotic romance, color me surprised when I see that this book is so nice and sweet and so very good .
I freaking loved it!
So, don't let the description fool you. This book is worth it.
This was not at all what I was expecting from this book. Since everything else that I've read by this author was violent and mostly erotic romance, color me surprised when I see that this book is so nice and sweet and so very good .
I freaking loved it!
So, don't let the description fool you. This book is worth it.
February 11, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed Warin and Olivia's story. There is lots of suspense, danger and loving in this amazing book. Apparently, ancient witch spells can be broken. So looking forward to Aleric's story.
February 26, 2018
COMPLETELY SPELLBINDING!!!
Title: Wicked Soul
Series: Ancient Blood
Author: Nora Ash
Designation: Book 1 of Series, Full-Length, Not A Standalone, Happy For Now, #paranormal #supernatural #romance #vampires #witches #skinwalkers #magick
My Rating: Five Sinfully Sexy Stars*****
Oh my! I loved, loved, loved Wicked Soul, the first book in a deliciously dark new paranormal/supernatural romance series entitled Ancient Blood by the amazingly talented Nora Ash. Although Wicked Soul is Book One of the Ancient Blood Series, it is NOT the first release in the series and not recommended as a standalone. It should only be read after Origin, the series prequel. In Origin, Ash establishes the premise, sets up the storyarc, introduces the primary characters, and skillfully lays the groundwork for the interconnected underlying conflict featured throughout the Ancient Blood series. And does it all skillfully and beautifully! Nobody, and I mean absolutely no author I've ever read, does dark, erotic paranormal romance like Nora Ash! I fell in love with Ash's dark, sultry, erotic prose after reading her Demon's Mark Series four years ago and have been a loyal fan as she expanded her talent into other genres. With the release of the Ancient Blood Series, Ash has returned to her roots, and I couldn't be happier! Don't get me wrong; I love everything she writes, but her deliciously wicked paranormal romance will always be my favorite! Now, let me tell you why!
Ash is a gifted storyteller, talented wordslinger, and skilled wordsmith who excels at creating imaginative and compellingly layered storylines infused with danger, drama, suspense, and dark romance, set in fascinating worlds populated with intriguing, complex characters who literally explode from the pages and capture your imagination as well as your heart. And this book/series is certainly no exception! Wicked Soul is a riveting, fast-paced, full-length paranormal tale filled to the brim with spine-tingling danger, chilling suspense, sinister machinations, heart-wrenching angst, explosive passion, and seductive romance. The narrative is beautifully written in the third person with the primary perspective from the female protagonist, Olivia 'Liv' Green. There is a short, second perspective given only in the epilogue by one of the other characters. I'll be the first to admit I generally prefer dual perspectives. Without at least two points of view, I feel the readers are often left questioning the motives and sincerity of the silent protagonist but in this instance, it works, mainly because the omission of Warin's thoughts, feelings, and motives helps to build suspense in the story. The dialogue is smart, snappy, well-executed, at times humorous, and flows effortlessly. But without a doubt, my favorite component of every Ash story is her cast of well-developed characters, always flawed yet imperfectly perfect. And again, Ash doesn't disappoint! There's nothing better than a well-written antihero, and Ash pens some of the best I've ever read, and that's saying a lot since I'm an old bird whose favorite vampire book of all time is Bram Stoker's Dracula which I've read several times since discovering it 50 years ago. As a teenager, I raced home from school every afternoon to watch Dark Shadows when it was first televised by ABC in 1966. Yeah, I'm that old, but I've always been somewhat of a vampire groupie and still love vampire fiction, both movies and books! I was immediately smitten with the dangerous, dark, broody European vampire Warin Waldlitch when he was introduced in Origin which takes place approximately 800 years in the past. Fast forward to present day, Warin is now a wealthy, charismatic, and powerful ancient who rules the supernaturals of Chicago. Our heroine is Olivia Green, a beautiful, free-spirited young woman with a painful past which has resulted in self-esteem issues. Liv has never been able to put down roots, constantly moving from place to place, always in search of happiness but never finding it. But despite her personal issues and cynicism, Liv has remained upbeat but has pretty much given up on love and leads a solitary, lonely existence - until now! Warin and Liv were complete opposites but complemented each other brilliantly. The chemistry between them was mesmerizing. When the reserved Warin meets the lovely, talkative Liv, his entire existence implodes. Watching their interaction was like seeing two freight trains barreling at a hundred miles an hour toward each other on the same track.You know there's going to be an explosive collision, but you just can't look away! Poor Warin, he never knew what hit him! lol... No spoilers from me but I will say this... A beautiful, plucky, 27-year-old shop clerk who'd never even met a supernatural creature until she was abducted from a coffee shop and thrown in a cage with a vampire to be used as his food, simply because she'd been reading a vampire romance-check! Oh my! I hate to think why they may have done to me for my preferences in literature. lol... A handsome ancient vampire who allows himself to be captured while conducting an investigation into the disappearance of his subjects in Chicago, but instead of answers, he finds more questions along with an intriguing young woman he can't seem to remove from his thoughts-check! Dark secrets, a mysterious conspiracy, evil machinations, and magic galore-check! Danger, drama, action, suspense, intrigue, betrayal, and lies-check! Vampires, witches, and malevolent shape shifters-check! Heated attraction, steamy passion, agonizing angst, and heartwarming romance-you bet! That and a whole lot more!
So, did I like this book? No, I LOVED it! Would I recommend it? You bet, and I am but only for adult readers since it does contain explicit language, sex, and violence. Usually, I feel compelled to warn readers about the hero's dirty talk but in this case, it's the heroine! Liv had such a filthy mouth and no filter at all! My kind of girl! lol... As I stated earlier, this is not a standalone and should only be read after first reading Origin, the series prequel. It does NOT end with a cliffhanger per se, but more like a happy for now. There's an important underlying conflict that runs throughout the series storyline which will be resolved as the series progresses. I also feel compelled to mention the book contained an unusually large number of typos but nothing that distracted me from the story. I will say that this is NOT typical for Nora Ash. In the past, Ash's books have always been well crafted and edited so this may have been the result of simply uploading the wrong file. Whatever the case, I still loved it! It may not have been perfect, but it was perfect for me! Will I read this author again? Absolutely! And finally, was I entertained? Completely! I was glued to my seat, white knuckling my reader with my heart fluttering wildly in my chest as the pages flew as quickly as the time. Fabulous entertainment and an awesome read! I can hardly wait for the next book of the series, Debt of Bones!
Merged review:
COMPLETELY SPELLBINDING!!!
Title: Wicked Soul
Series: Ancient Blood
Author: Nora Ash
Designation: Book 1 of Series, Full-Length, Not A Standalone, Happy For Now, #paranormal #supernatural #romance #vampires #witches #skinwalkers #magick
My Rating: Five Sinfully Sexy Stars*****
Oh my! I loved, loved, loved Wicked Soul, the first book in a deliciously dark new paranormal/supernatural romance series entitled Ancient Blood by the amazingly talented Nora Ash. Although Wicked Soul is Book One of the Ancient Blood Series, it is NOT the first release and not recommended as a standalone. It should only be read after Origin, the series prequel. In Origin, Ash establishes the premise, sets up the storyarc, introduces the primary characters, and skillfully lays the groundwork for the interconnected underlying conflict featured throughout the Ancient Blood series. And does it all skillfully and beautifully! Nobody, and I mean absolutely no author I've ever read, does dark erotic paranormal romance like Nora Ash! I fell in love with Ash's sexy erotic prose after reading her Demon's Mark Series four years ago and have been a loyal fan as she expanded her talent into other genres. With the release of the Ancient Blood Series, Ash has returned to her roots, and I couldn't be happier! Don't get me wrong; I love everything she writes, but her deliciously wicked paranormal romance will always be my favorite! Now, let me tell you why!
Ash is a gifted storyteller, talented wordslinger, and skilled wordsmith who excels at creating imaginative and compellingly layered storylines infused with danger, drama, suspense, and dark romance, set in fascinating worlds populated with intriguing, complex characters who literally explode from the pages and capture your imagination as well as your heart. And this book/series is certainly no exception! Wicked Soul is a riveting, fast-paced, full-length paranormal tale filled to the brim with spine-tingling danger, chilling suspense, sinister machinations, heart-wrenching angst, explosive passion, and seductive romance. The narrative is beautifully written in the third person with the primary perspective from the female protagonist, Olivia 'Liv' Green. There is a short, second perspective given only in the epilogue by one of the other characters. I'll be the first to admit I generally prefer dual perspectives. Without at least two points of view, I feel the readers are often left questioning the motives and sincerity of the silent protagonist but in this instance, it works, mainly because the omission of Warin's thoughts, feelings, and motivations helps to build suspense in the story. The dialogue is smart, snappy, well-executed, at times humorous, and flows effortlessly. But without a doubt, my favorite component of every Ash story is her cast of well-developed characters, always flawed yet imperfectly perfect. And again, Ash doesn't disappoint! There's nothing better than a well-written antihero, and Ash pens some of the best I've ever read, and that's saying a lot since I'm an old bird whose favorite vampire book of all time is Bram Stoker's Dracula which I've read several times since discovering it 50 years ago. As a teenager, I raced home from school every afternoon to watch Dark Shadows when it was first televised by ABC in 1966. Yeah, I'm that old, but I've always been somewhat of a vampire groupie and still enjoy vampire fiction, both movies and books! I was immediately smitten with the dangerous, dark, broody European vampire Warin Waldlitch when he was introduced in the series prequel, Origin, which takes place approximately 800 years in the past. Fast forward to present day, Warin is now a wealthy, powerful ancient who rules the supernaturals of Chicago. Our heroine is Olivia Green, a beautiful, free-spirited young woman with a painful past which has resulted in self-esteem issues. Liv has never been able to put down roots, constantly moving from place to place, always in search of happiness but never finding it. But despite her personal issues and cynicism, Liv has remained upbeat but has pretty much given up on love, living a solitary, lonely existence - until now! Warin and Liv were complete opposites but complemented each other brilliantly. The chemistry between them was mesmerizing. When the reserved Warin meets the lovely, talkative Liv, his entire existence implodes. Watching their interaction was like witnessing two freight trains barreling at a hundred miles an hour toward each other on the same track. You know there's going to be an explosive collision, but you just can't look away! Poor Warin, he never knew what hit him! lol... No spoilers from me but I will say this... A beautiful, plucky, 27-year-old shop clerk who'd never even met a supernatural creature until she was abducted from a coffee shop and thrown in a cage with a vampire to be used as his food, simply because she'd been reading a vampire romance-check! Oh my! I hate to think what they may have done to me for my preferences in literature. lol... A handsome ancient vampire who allows himself to be captured while conducting an investigation into the disappearance of his subjects in Chicago, but instead of answers, he finds more questions along with an intriguing young woman he can't seem to remove from his thoughts-check! Dark secrets, a mysterious conspiracy, evil machinations, and magic galore-check! Danger, drama, action, suspense, intrigue, betrayal, and lies-check! Vampires, witches, and malevolent shape shifters-check! Heated attraction, steamy passion, agonizing angst, and heartwarming romance-you bet! That and a whole lot more!
So, did I like this book? No, I LOVED it! Would I recommend it? You bet, and I am but only for adult readers since it does contain explicit language, sex, and violence. Usually, I feel compelled to warn readers about the hero's dirty talk but in this case, it's the heroine! Liv had such a filthy mouth and no filter at all! My kind of girl! lol... As I stated earlier, this is not a standalone and should only be read after first reading Origin, the series prequel. It does NOT end with a cliffhanger per se, but more like a happy for now. There's an important underlying conflict that runs throughout the series storyline which will be resolved as the series progresses. I also feel compelled to mention the book contained an unusually large number of typos but nothing that distracted me from the story. I will say that this is NOT typical for Nora Ash. In the past, Ash's books have always been well crafted and edited so this may have been the result of simply uploading the wrong file. Whatever the case, I still loved it! It may not have been perfect, but it was perfect for me! Will I read this author again? Absolutely! And finally, was I entertained? Completely! I was glued to my seat, white knuckling my reader with my heart fluttering wildly in my chest as the pages flew as quickly as the time. Fabulous entertainment and an awesome read! I can hardly wait for the next book of the series, Debt of Bones!
Title: Wicked Soul
Series: Ancient Blood
Author: Nora Ash
Designation: Book 1 of Series, Full-Length, Not A Standalone, Happy For Now, #paranormal #supernatural #romance #vampires #witches #skinwalkers #magick
My Rating: Five Sinfully Sexy Stars*****
Oh my! I loved, loved, loved Wicked Soul, the first book in a deliciously dark new paranormal/supernatural romance series entitled Ancient Blood by the amazingly talented Nora Ash. Although Wicked Soul is Book One of the Ancient Blood Series, it is NOT the first release in the series and not recommended as a standalone. It should only be read after Origin, the series prequel. In Origin, Ash establishes the premise, sets up the storyarc, introduces the primary characters, and skillfully lays the groundwork for the interconnected underlying conflict featured throughout the Ancient Blood series. And does it all skillfully and beautifully! Nobody, and I mean absolutely no author I've ever read, does dark, erotic paranormal romance like Nora Ash! I fell in love with Ash's dark, sultry, erotic prose after reading her Demon's Mark Series four years ago and have been a loyal fan as she expanded her talent into other genres. With the release of the Ancient Blood Series, Ash has returned to her roots, and I couldn't be happier! Don't get me wrong; I love everything she writes, but her deliciously wicked paranormal romance will always be my favorite! Now, let me tell you why!
Ash is a gifted storyteller, talented wordslinger, and skilled wordsmith who excels at creating imaginative and compellingly layered storylines infused with danger, drama, suspense, and dark romance, set in fascinating worlds populated with intriguing, complex characters who literally explode from the pages and capture your imagination as well as your heart. And this book/series is certainly no exception! Wicked Soul is a riveting, fast-paced, full-length paranormal tale filled to the brim with spine-tingling danger, chilling suspense, sinister machinations, heart-wrenching angst, explosive passion, and seductive romance. The narrative is beautifully written in the third person with the primary perspective from the female protagonist, Olivia 'Liv' Green. There is a short, second perspective given only in the epilogue by one of the other characters. I'll be the first to admit I generally prefer dual perspectives. Without at least two points of view, I feel the readers are often left questioning the motives and sincerity of the silent protagonist but in this instance, it works, mainly because the omission of Warin's thoughts, feelings, and motives helps to build suspense in the story. The dialogue is smart, snappy, well-executed, at times humorous, and flows effortlessly. But without a doubt, my favorite component of every Ash story is her cast of well-developed characters, always flawed yet imperfectly perfect. And again, Ash doesn't disappoint! There's nothing better than a well-written antihero, and Ash pens some of the best I've ever read, and that's saying a lot since I'm an old bird whose favorite vampire book of all time is Bram Stoker's Dracula which I've read several times since discovering it 50 years ago. As a teenager, I raced home from school every afternoon to watch Dark Shadows when it was first televised by ABC in 1966. Yeah, I'm that old, but I've always been somewhat of a vampire groupie and still love vampire fiction, both movies and books! I was immediately smitten with the dangerous, dark, broody European vampire Warin Waldlitch when he was introduced in Origin which takes place approximately 800 years in the past. Fast forward to present day, Warin is now a wealthy, charismatic, and powerful ancient who rules the supernaturals of Chicago. Our heroine is Olivia Green, a beautiful, free-spirited young woman with a painful past which has resulted in self-esteem issues. Liv has never been able to put down roots, constantly moving from place to place, always in search of happiness but never finding it. But despite her personal issues and cynicism, Liv has remained upbeat but has pretty much given up on love and leads a solitary, lonely existence - until now! Warin and Liv were complete opposites but complemented each other brilliantly. The chemistry between them was mesmerizing. When the reserved Warin meets the lovely, talkative Liv, his entire existence implodes. Watching their interaction was like seeing two freight trains barreling at a hundred miles an hour toward each other on the same track.You know there's going to be an explosive collision, but you just can't look away! Poor Warin, he never knew what hit him! lol... No spoilers from me but I will say this... A beautiful, plucky, 27-year-old shop clerk who'd never even met a supernatural creature until she was abducted from a coffee shop and thrown in a cage with a vampire to be used as his food, simply because she'd been reading a vampire romance-check! Oh my! I hate to think why they may have done to me for my preferences in literature. lol... A handsome ancient vampire who allows himself to be captured while conducting an investigation into the disappearance of his subjects in Chicago, but instead of answers, he finds more questions along with an intriguing young woman he can't seem to remove from his thoughts-check! Dark secrets, a mysterious conspiracy, evil machinations, and magic galore-check! Danger, drama, action, suspense, intrigue, betrayal, and lies-check! Vampires, witches, and malevolent shape shifters-check! Heated attraction, steamy passion, agonizing angst, and heartwarming romance-you bet! That and a whole lot more!
So, did I like this book? No, I LOVED it! Would I recommend it? You bet, and I am but only for adult readers since it does contain explicit language, sex, and violence. Usually, I feel compelled to warn readers about the hero's dirty talk but in this case, it's the heroine! Liv had such a filthy mouth and no filter at all! My kind of girl! lol... As I stated earlier, this is not a standalone and should only be read after first reading Origin, the series prequel. It does NOT end with a cliffhanger per se, but more like a happy for now. There's an important underlying conflict that runs throughout the series storyline which will be resolved as the series progresses. I also feel compelled to mention the book contained an unusually large number of typos but nothing that distracted me from the story. I will say that this is NOT typical for Nora Ash. In the past, Ash's books have always been well crafted and edited so this may have been the result of simply uploading the wrong file. Whatever the case, I still loved it! It may not have been perfect, but it was perfect for me! Will I read this author again? Absolutely! And finally, was I entertained? Completely! I was glued to my seat, white knuckling my reader with my heart fluttering wildly in my chest as the pages flew as quickly as the time. Fabulous entertainment and an awesome read! I can hardly wait for the next book of the series, Debt of Bones!
Merged review:
COMPLETELY SPELLBINDING!!!
Title: Wicked Soul
Series: Ancient Blood
Author: Nora Ash
Designation: Book 1 of Series, Full-Length, Not A Standalone, Happy For Now, #paranormal #supernatural #romance #vampires #witches #skinwalkers #magick
My Rating: Five Sinfully Sexy Stars*****
Oh my! I loved, loved, loved Wicked Soul, the first book in a deliciously dark new paranormal/supernatural romance series entitled Ancient Blood by the amazingly talented Nora Ash. Although Wicked Soul is Book One of the Ancient Blood Series, it is NOT the first release and not recommended as a standalone. It should only be read after Origin, the series prequel. In Origin, Ash establishes the premise, sets up the storyarc, introduces the primary characters, and skillfully lays the groundwork for the interconnected underlying conflict featured throughout the Ancient Blood series. And does it all skillfully and beautifully! Nobody, and I mean absolutely no author I've ever read, does dark erotic paranormal romance like Nora Ash! I fell in love with Ash's sexy erotic prose after reading her Demon's Mark Series four years ago and have been a loyal fan as she expanded her talent into other genres. With the release of the Ancient Blood Series, Ash has returned to her roots, and I couldn't be happier! Don't get me wrong; I love everything she writes, but her deliciously wicked paranormal romance will always be my favorite! Now, let me tell you why!
Ash is a gifted storyteller, talented wordslinger, and skilled wordsmith who excels at creating imaginative and compellingly layered storylines infused with danger, drama, suspense, and dark romance, set in fascinating worlds populated with intriguing, complex characters who literally explode from the pages and capture your imagination as well as your heart. And this book/series is certainly no exception! Wicked Soul is a riveting, fast-paced, full-length paranormal tale filled to the brim with spine-tingling danger, chilling suspense, sinister machinations, heart-wrenching angst, explosive passion, and seductive romance. The narrative is beautifully written in the third person with the primary perspective from the female protagonist, Olivia 'Liv' Green. There is a short, second perspective given only in the epilogue by one of the other characters. I'll be the first to admit I generally prefer dual perspectives. Without at least two points of view, I feel the readers are often left questioning the motives and sincerity of the silent protagonist but in this instance, it works, mainly because the omission of Warin's thoughts, feelings, and motivations helps to build suspense in the story. The dialogue is smart, snappy, well-executed, at times humorous, and flows effortlessly. But without a doubt, my favorite component of every Ash story is her cast of well-developed characters, always flawed yet imperfectly perfect. And again, Ash doesn't disappoint! There's nothing better than a well-written antihero, and Ash pens some of the best I've ever read, and that's saying a lot since I'm an old bird whose favorite vampire book of all time is Bram Stoker's Dracula which I've read several times since discovering it 50 years ago. As a teenager, I raced home from school every afternoon to watch Dark Shadows when it was first televised by ABC in 1966. Yeah, I'm that old, but I've always been somewhat of a vampire groupie and still enjoy vampire fiction, both movies and books! I was immediately smitten with the dangerous, dark, broody European vampire Warin Waldlitch when he was introduced in the series prequel, Origin, which takes place approximately 800 years in the past. Fast forward to present day, Warin is now a wealthy, powerful ancient who rules the supernaturals of Chicago. Our heroine is Olivia Green, a beautiful, free-spirited young woman with a painful past which has resulted in self-esteem issues. Liv has never been able to put down roots, constantly moving from place to place, always in search of happiness but never finding it. But despite her personal issues and cynicism, Liv has remained upbeat but has pretty much given up on love, living a solitary, lonely existence - until now! Warin and Liv were complete opposites but complemented each other brilliantly. The chemistry between them was mesmerizing. When the reserved Warin meets the lovely, talkative Liv, his entire existence implodes. Watching their interaction was like witnessing two freight trains barreling at a hundred miles an hour toward each other on the same track. You know there's going to be an explosive collision, but you just can't look away! Poor Warin, he never knew what hit him! lol... No spoilers from me but I will say this... A beautiful, plucky, 27-year-old shop clerk who'd never even met a supernatural creature until she was abducted from a coffee shop and thrown in a cage with a vampire to be used as his food, simply because she'd been reading a vampire romance-check! Oh my! I hate to think what they may have done to me for my preferences in literature. lol... A handsome ancient vampire who allows himself to be captured while conducting an investigation into the disappearance of his subjects in Chicago, but instead of answers, he finds more questions along with an intriguing young woman he can't seem to remove from his thoughts-check! Dark secrets, a mysterious conspiracy, evil machinations, and magic galore-check! Danger, drama, action, suspense, intrigue, betrayal, and lies-check! Vampires, witches, and malevolent shape shifters-check! Heated attraction, steamy passion, agonizing angst, and heartwarming romance-you bet! That and a whole lot more!
So, did I like this book? No, I LOVED it! Would I recommend it? You bet, and I am but only for adult readers since it does contain explicit language, sex, and violence. Usually, I feel compelled to warn readers about the hero's dirty talk but in this case, it's the heroine! Liv had such a filthy mouth and no filter at all! My kind of girl! lol... As I stated earlier, this is not a standalone and should only be read after first reading Origin, the series prequel. It does NOT end with a cliffhanger per se, but more like a happy for now. There's an important underlying conflict that runs throughout the series storyline which will be resolved as the series progresses. I also feel compelled to mention the book contained an unusually large number of typos but nothing that distracted me from the story. I will say that this is NOT typical for Nora Ash. In the past, Ash's books have always been well crafted and edited so this may have been the result of simply uploading the wrong file. Whatever the case, I still loved it! It may not have been perfect, but it was perfect for me! Will I read this author again? Absolutely! And finally, was I entertained? Completely! I was glued to my seat, white knuckling my reader with my heart fluttering wildly in my chest as the pages flew as quickly as the time. Fabulous entertainment and an awesome read! I can hardly wait for the next book of the series, Debt of Bones!
October 12, 2023
I'm torn, seriously, I am.
Objectively this book is more of a 3...but I enjoyed it quite a lot and read it within a day, so I think a 4 might be (subjectively) justified. Though, judging from the FMC it would be a 2, max
Jesus Christ, the FMC. Easily under the top 5 naivest FMCs ever. A 13 year old raised in a cloister with mute nuns on a mountain would be wiser and more street-smart. For someone who apparently reads loads of vampire romances - you know, the sort of book this book is - she eagerly fall into every single cliché-trap and makes every single cliché-stupid-decision possible (like not listening to people more experienced than herself in matters she has no clue about). She's also "snarky" and "different" - I'm not exaggerating, the MMC calls her the last one multiple times . I do have to say though, that she was quite funny from time to time and I did like her drunkenness & what it causes.
Fortunately I am absolutely in LOVE with the MMC. Warin single-handedly saved this book. Him and the amazing sexual tension. He's stiff and a bit cold sometimes...but is also super protective and extremely possessive which I personally really like. And well...again: the sex is great, there were many walls, a lot of biting and some choking involved.
He's got some family trauma too (as every good brooding male hero obviously needs) and he too, is different from all the other vampires (obviously).
Now onto a few other things I noticed:
the writing can be a bit choppy sometimes. People suddenly (Especially at the beginning) reveal things that come out of nowhere and seem a bit disconnected from what is currently being discussed.
connected to this is that the FMC has weirdly sudden emotional changes / is written inconsistently sometimes. She apparently "lived her entire life with the unwavering knowledge that she should never trust anyone to have her best interests at heart" but she very readily trusts every single person in this book - Warin, the bodyguard, the witches, her co-workers - even when she sees them for the very first time. I mean she takes a
it is also heavily inspired by multiple books. There is a near exact quote from 50 Shades for example (I fuck. Hard.). Also a few scenes straight up out of Twilight (I am a killer, Bella). And the throne scene (if you know you know) was very ACOTAR like. I don't mind that honestly but I did notice it.
the whole Thea thing was there but at the same time it wasn't? Like it was mentioned but it never actually, really mattered. I mean, I'm happy about it because I hate the whole trope, but it seemed especially unnecessary. It was only there to give the bad guy a reason to be bad.
there is also one talk about . I found it interesting that she says ...I don't know but that just irritated me because it doesn't make any sense.
Oh and there was that one scene that I absolutely loved:
All in all...hmm, I would recommend it and might even read it again but objectively it has a lot of faults.
Objectively this book is more of a 3...but I enjoyed it quite a lot and read it within a day, so I think a 4 might be (subjectively) justified. Though, judging from the FMC it would be a 2, max
Jesus Christ, the FMC. Easily under the top 5 naivest FMCs ever. A 13 year old raised in a cloister with mute nuns on a mountain would be wiser and more street-smart. For someone who apparently reads loads of vampire romances - you know, the sort of book this book is - she eagerly fall into every single cliché-trap and makes every single cliché-stupid-decision possible (like not listening to people more experienced than herself in matters she has no clue about). She's also "snarky" and "different" - I'm not exaggerating, the MMC calls her the last one multiple times . I do have to say though, that she was quite funny from time to time and I did like her drunkenness & what it causes.
Fortunately I am absolutely in LOVE with the MMC. Warin single-handedly saved this book. Him and the amazing sexual tension. He's stiff and a bit cold sometimes...but is also super protective and extremely possessive which I personally really like. And well...again: the sex is great, there were many walls, a lot of biting and some choking involved.
He's got some family trauma too (as every good brooding male hero obviously needs) and he too, is different from all the other vampires (obviously).
Now onto a few other things I noticed:
the writing can be a bit choppy sometimes. People suddenly (Especially at the beginning) reveal things that come out of nowhere and seem a bit disconnected from what is currently being discussed.
connected to this is that the FMC has weirdly sudden emotional changes / is written inconsistently sometimes. She apparently "lived her entire life with the unwavering knowledge that she should never trust anyone to have her best interests at heart" but she very readily trusts every single person in this book - Warin, the bodyguard, the witches, her co-workers - even when she sees them for the very first time. I mean she takes a
it is also heavily inspired by multiple books. There is a near exact quote from 50 Shades for example (I fuck. Hard.). Also a few scenes straight up out of Twilight (I am a killer, Bella). And the throne scene (if you know you know) was very ACOTAR like. I don't mind that honestly but I did notice it.
the whole Thea thing was there but at the same time it wasn't? Like it was mentioned but it never actually, really mattered. I mean, I'm happy about it because I hate the whole trope, but it seemed especially unnecessary. It was only there to give the bad guy a reason to be bad.
there is also one talk about . I found it interesting that she says ...I don't know but that just irritated me because it doesn't make any sense.
Oh and there was that one scene that I absolutely loved:
All in all...hmm, I would recommend it and might even read it again but objectively it has a lot of faults.
May 27, 2022
I HATE the heroine. She is A.N.N.O.Y.I.N.G. I mean I reeaaalllyyy wanted to go into the page and punch her face for being so damn annoying and frustrating. And the way she was talking- the all "I laugh when I am nervous and make jokes on funerals" kind of personality was crawling under my skin. Her talking style would make me snap at her to "shut the fuck up" in real life. She was testing my patience the whole time. I repulse from female characters like this. I don't know why maybe it's the typical "cool American girl" character where she will make light of every situation and not take your words seriously and make it a point to defy you at every turn really gets on my nerves. Look at an example of her confronting werewolves the first time:-
"“Deadwhore,” he snarled.
“Really? You’re… you’re what, some sort of a werewolf, and you’re still a goddamn evangelical fanatic?”
What are you in a fucking SNL skit? Who talks like this?
How am I supposed to relate to this character if she talks every sentence like she is in a comedy show?
On top of her lame attempt at being funny, she has zero filter and negative IQ ...She doesn't know when to keep her trap shut. She is so stupid she basically tells everything about Warin to her witch colleague when Warin specifically warned her to keep everything to herself and not let anyone know what she knows about vampires. She will do exactly the opposite of what she's told not to do. And she's supposed to be "unique" because of these traits and special to Warin. What? These stupid traits are nothing unique, these are traits of someone who should be wiped out of natural selection for their stupidity in a human race. She's an epitome of TSTL and I would even vouch for her to die so that her pathetic existence ceases to annoy me.
I only tolerated her because she was tall and wider on the hips which is very close to my body type so I stuck on.
And what is this? Some YA wattpad manuscript? I am 40% into the book and there's not a single kiss scene...let alone smut. It was so PG13 that I fell asleep reading half of the book. I was skimming through the middle of the book to get a glimpse of atleast SOME romance, some Heat. But No. Nada. Zilch. And it was Nora Ash! Her Feral Alpha series were my favourite because her smut is Delicious! But I was dissappointed in this one.
The starting was promising...then it became fucking PLATONIC between the MCs. I was done.
"“Deadwhore,” he snarled.
“Really? You’re… you’re what, some sort of a werewolf, and you’re still a goddamn evangelical fanatic?”
What are you in a fucking SNL skit? Who talks like this?
How am I supposed to relate to this character if she talks every sentence like she is in a comedy show?
On top of her lame attempt at being funny, she has zero filter and negative IQ ...She doesn't know when to keep her trap shut. She is so stupid she basically tells everything about Warin to her witch colleague when Warin specifically warned her to keep everything to herself and not let anyone know what she knows about vampires. She will do exactly the opposite of what she's told not to do. And she's supposed to be "unique" because of these traits and special to Warin. What? These stupid traits are nothing unique, these are traits of someone who should be wiped out of natural selection for their stupidity in a human race. She's an epitome of TSTL and I would even vouch for her to die so that her pathetic existence ceases to annoy me.
I only tolerated her because she was tall and wider on the hips which is very close to my body type so I stuck on.
And what is this? Some YA wattpad manuscript? I am 40% into the book and there's not a single kiss scene...let alone smut. It was so PG13 that I fell asleep reading half of the book. I was skimming through the middle of the book to get a glimpse of atleast SOME romance, some Heat. But No. Nada. Zilch. And it was Nora Ash! Her Feral Alpha series were my favourite because her smut is Delicious! But I was dissappointed in this one.
The starting was promising...then it became fucking PLATONIC between the MCs. I was done.
December 2, 2023
Hit the 50% mark and no longer gave a f*ck about the plot. A lot of events and plot points were utterly pointless. The book was full of those typical misunderstandings and "I need to leave because me being around is endangering you" bs that comes and goes within a split second that didn't need to happen, it was stupid. All these events did was add pointless filler and just ended up annoying me more than anything and nothing is worse than a book that annoys me with its stupid plot. Why do authors add completely pointless events have no bearing on a story!? Especially when they are just stupid misunderstandings between characters that could be solved with a 2-minute conversation or they could have been good plot points but they are just so poorly done that they are just insulting to your intelligence.
Our female main character is just a moron who does stupid reckless things for stupid reckless reasons. Also her inner monologue could go on forever and ever and ever and ever and ever. All the other characters? Blander than wallpaper paste. Utterly forgettable. I think the only real character was the male main character, he at least seems to have emotions and some character development. Sorta.
God damn I am so annoyed with this book.
Our female main character is just a moron who does stupid reckless things for stupid reckless reasons. Also her inner monologue could go on forever and ever and ever and ever and ever. All the other characters? Blander than wallpaper paste. Utterly forgettable. I think the only real character was the male main character, he at least seems to have emotions and some character development. Sorta.
God damn I am so annoyed with this book.
April 26, 2020
The heroine makes frustratingly stupid decisions.
February 11, 2018
The only vampire you'll feel bad for!
This book made me laugh, kept my attention with every page and it tore my heart out towards the end. I loved every single but of it.
Character breakdown;
Warin; Hello mister break My heart. Warin's story began with Origin the prequel to this book. He had me crying from that time, I loved the way he changed though. He was fun to read and he most definitely won my heart. Only vampire that has.
Liv; This girl went from don't be so naive, to oh hell no her family didn't. To once again you go girl lol. She surprised me but her strength was amazing to read about. She's definitely a great fit for Warin.
Aleric; still don't like him but I am dying to read how his book will go. I want to see him on his knees lol.
This book will keep you glue to the very end and you'll laugh you'll cry but it will be worth it!
This book made me laugh, kept my attention with every page and it tore my heart out towards the end. I loved every single but of it.
Character breakdown;
Warin; Hello mister break My heart. Warin's story began with Origin the prequel to this book. He had me crying from that time, I loved the way he changed though. He was fun to read and he most definitely won my heart. Only vampire that has.
Liv; This girl went from don't be so naive, to oh hell no her family didn't. To once again you go girl lol. She surprised me but her strength was amazing to read about. She's definitely a great fit for Warin.
Aleric; still don't like him but I am dying to read how his book will go. I want to see him on his knees lol.
This book will keep you glue to the very end and you'll laugh you'll cry but it will be worth it!
February 11, 2018
Great!
This was a roller coaster of a read. I absolutely loved Olivia for about 60% of the book and then she started doing typical dumb stuff that kept her in danger. The banter between her and Aleric was great, although I worried every time there was a scene involving them due to prior history from reading the prequel. And Warin .....*whew* Warin, let me just say I love Warin. I enjoyed the book so well I didn’t realize until I’d read about 55% that I hadn’t gotten to the sex, which is mainly the reason I buy this authors books. And let me take a moment to just say this isn’t a instalove book, I mean as you read this you’re learning the characters as they are learning one another. I give it a 4.5 stars, shaved a .5 because some of the trouble Liv got herself into had me seriously shouting “C’mon!!!” several times. It was just dumb.
This was a roller coaster of a read. I absolutely loved Olivia for about 60% of the book and then she started doing typical dumb stuff that kept her in danger. The banter between her and Aleric was great, although I worried every time there was a scene involving them due to prior history from reading the prequel. And Warin .....*whew* Warin, let me just say I love Warin. I enjoyed the book so well I didn’t realize until I’d read about 55% that I hadn’t gotten to the sex, which is mainly the reason I buy this authors books. And let me take a moment to just say this isn’t a instalove book, I mean as you read this you’re learning the characters as they are learning one another. I give it a 4.5 stars, shaved a .5 because some of the trouble Liv got herself into had me seriously shouting “C’mon!!!” several times. It was just dumb.
June 4, 2023
I was totally with the plot of this book until about halfway through the story where the whole thing became a complete slog to get through. The interactions between the characters got repetitive and the plot itself wasn't holding my interest (witches, skin-walkers, trips home for thanksgiving... blugh). If all of that had been skipped and Ash had just kept the story to the vampire drama of things, I would have been much more interested. I ended up skimming until the end and was grateful I didn't spend more time actually reading the story. I didn't miss much.
November 8, 2023
Woman strikes up an unlikely friendship with a vampire after he saves her life, but their relationship is complicated by secrets and supernatural threats. The story had some good moments with decent worldbuilding. I enjoyed the slow friendship that blossomed between Olivia and Warin, but the blood-bonding that's teased in the synopsis didn't happen until 60% of the way through the book, and then their jump to being lovers seemed to happen at a really random moment. I was continually frustrated with Olivia's choices and general lack of maturity. It also needed one more strict editing pass.
February 2, 2020
ohh..kaaay
this took me about less than a day to finish and it was a weird ride
why they keep saying they are friends and there is nothing friendly going on between them?
and why oh why ... the hell did they started so roughly and a bit strong for my taste if i say
i read alot ,, but this story wasn't one i think i'll come back to read again though
which is sad because i expected more of this book ..:(
this took me about less than a day to finish and it was a weird ride
why they keep saying they are friends and there is nothing friendly going on between them?
and why oh why ... the hell did they started so roughly and a bit strong for my taste if i say
i read alot ,, but this story wasn't one i think i'll come back to read again though
which is sad because i expected more of this book ..:(
September 8, 2025
Not too bad if you’re okay with a naive heroine who was just too happy to be abused and taken advantage of. She was willing to let people use her, put a curse on her which stipulated that she might literally die as a shield without asking if it’d have an expiry date or be removed. What if something happened to those witches for whatever reasons? She’d die for them. And she seemed too ready to sacrifice herself for strangers, many she hadn’t even met. A real martyr.
February 14, 2018
Received from Xpresso Book Tours
Story starts with Liv getting kidnapped for reading vampire book and thrown into cage with real vampire. Instead of killing and eating her, he saves her life. Few months after that, they meet again and from a friendship. The more Liv gets involved in supernatural world, the more danger there is for her.
One of my favourite thing about the book is Liv. She is what a strong character should be. She stand up for herself and doesn't let anyone tell her what to do. I love reading the way she talked with Warin.
As you slowly ease into this world, you see the way their friendship evolve. I love that the romance for once in based on friendship and mutual respect (breath of fresh air :)).
I love the urban setting of it and supernaturals in it.
Highly recommend to anyone who loves good urban fantasy. :)
Story starts with Liv getting kidnapped for reading vampire book and thrown into cage with real vampire. Instead of killing and eating her, he saves her life. Few months after that, they meet again and from a friendship. The more Liv gets involved in supernatural world, the more danger there is for her.
One of my favourite thing about the book is Liv. She is what a strong character should be. She stand up for herself and doesn't let anyone tell her what to do. I love reading the way she talked with Warin.
As you slowly ease into this world, you see the way their friendship evolve. I love that the romance for once in based on friendship and mutual respect (breath of fresh air :)).
I love the urban setting of it and supernaturals in it.
Highly recommend to anyone who loves good urban fantasy. :)
June 28, 2019
2nd book is even better
I couldn't put these books down.. Twist and turns and sexy.. I was on the edge of my seat at times. Love, Lust, Tragedy and revenge. I love when you feel like your right there with the characters. This author has that amazing talent, and you can't help but be dragged with her writing style!!
I couldn't put these books down.. Twist and turns and sexy.. I was on the edge of my seat at times. Love, Lust, Tragedy and revenge. I love when you feel like your right there with the characters. This author has that amazing talent, and you can't help but be dragged with her writing style!!
Read
October 20, 2023DNF at like, 5%. Some other reviews said "it's like fanfiction", and I thought they were just doing the "fanfiction is bad writing" type comparison. But they were right, it's reads exactly like ridiculous self insert fanfiction, but the type you only want to read because you're already emotionally attached to the character.
April 13, 2018
Great book
This was a wonderful vampire story full of action, drama, and passion. I could not put the book down and can't wait for book 2
This was a wonderful vampire story full of action, drama, and passion. I could not put the book down and can't wait for book 2
March 2, 2019
Great read!
I totally loved this story. It was full of twists and turns. It made me laugh, cry, and cheer. It has love, betrayal, and intrigue.
I totally loved this story. It was full of twists and turns. It made me laugh, cry, and cheer. It has love, betrayal, and intrigue.
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