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Twice Bitten
With a new species of vampire stalking the streets, the stakes are high. But that’s not the only reason hearts are on the line.
Danny Reynolds thought Kieran McCade was the one—true love and hot lust forever—until Danny found out Kier’s bloody secret and ran away screaming. Months later, Danny is facing his own paranormal crisis, and he needs Kieran’s help, but are there enough ways to apologize for breaking a vampire’s heart?
Nothing about Danny’s transformation is normal—not the attack that led to it, and not the symptoms Danny’s plagued with—but being in close proximity to Kieran is even worse than becoming a thing that goes bump in the night. Danny and Kieran aren’t the only things threatening to bump each other off, though. Secret organizations and clashing vigilante agendas want to get their hands on Danny. His only hope is to find a fix for his problem before he’s either captured or his abnormal transition starves him to death.
Danny and Kieran might have a real chance to repair their broken romance… but only if they keep Danny alive!
Danny Reynolds thought Kieran McCade was the one—true love and hot lust forever—until Danny found out Kier’s bloody secret and ran away screaming. Months later, Danny is facing his own paranormal crisis, and he needs Kieran’s help, but are there enough ways to apologize for breaking a vampire’s heart?
Nothing about Danny’s transformation is normal—not the attack that led to it, and not the symptoms Danny’s plagued with—but being in close proximity to Kieran is even worse than becoming a thing that goes bump in the night. Danny and Kieran aren’t the only things threatening to bump each other off, though. Secret organizations and clashing vigilante agendas want to get their hands on Danny. His only hope is to find a fix for his problem before he’s either captured or his abnormal transition starves him to death.
Danny and Kieran might have a real chance to repair their broken romance… but only if they keep Danny alive!
200 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 17, 2018
About the author
Rayna Vause
6 books41 followersRayna Vause writes stories that mix a little action, a little adventure, and a little paranormal. Her books feature gay and straight couples because, to her way of thinking, everyone deserves a happily ever after.
A perpetual student, Rayna has collected more degrees and certifications then she cares to admit. She is also a cat lover, a martial artist, a video game enthusiast, a Disney fanatic, and a Pop Tart aficionado.
Rayna can be found on Facebook (www.facebook.com/raynavauseauthor), Twitter(@Rayna_Vause) and at her website, www.RaynaVause.com.
A perpetual student, Rayna has collected more degrees and certifications then she cares to admit. She is also a cat lover, a martial artist, a video game enthusiast, a Disney fanatic, and a Pop Tart aficionado.
Rayna can be found on Facebook (www.facebook.com/raynavauseauthor), Twitter(@Rayna_Vause) and at her website, www.RaynaVause.com.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 16, 2018
Book – Twice Bitten
Author – Rayna Vause
Star rating - ★★☆☆☆
No. of Pages – 193
Cover – Simple, but effective
POV – 3rd person, multi-POV
Would I read it again – Probably not.
Genre – LGBT, Paranormal, Second Chance, Vampire
Content Warning – deals with the aftermath of a secondary character's rape, torture, kidnap by vampires, and the self harm and attempted suicide, during recovery.
** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
While there were things to enjoy about the book, I had a few issues with the execution that bother me.
Let's start with the positive:
I liked Danny and Kier as individual characters. Danny was well explored, and I immediately felt concerned for him, when he was attacked by a vampire just one page into the story.
I appreciated that the author tried to do something original with the vampire genre – in this world, vampires are known to the world and moderated/policed by the Purity patrols, who clean up, take care of victims etc.
I also liked the twist that the Purity team weren't always on the same page. The some wanted to cure vampires, even if they didn't want to be cured, while others wanted to eradicate them completely. I actually made a note, just a page into the story, that these aren't your romance novel vampires. They're not there to be swooned over and romanticised. Some of them can be brutal and violent, true bad guys, just like some humans can be good or bad.
The relationship is Second Chance, so it was nice to see a couple who had been together a while try to work through their issues. I wouldn't call them an established couple, because they had a lot of secrets from each other, but it was nice to see them work through their differences and come together in a time of crisis, despite their feelings.
However, sadly the not so great things tipped the scales. I'll readily admit that I finished the book with an overall feeling that it had been “good”, but I also acknowledge that it was just on the wrong side of Meh! I could take of leave it, but when I sat down to write up my notes and think about how it all came together, it just didn't fit as a cohesive novel.
There was little to no romance. And what there was of it, I didn't believe. I didn't believe in Danny and Kier as a couple. Not if they could keep secrets, miscommunicate so massively, and always lay the blame firmly on Danny's shoulders, for running, when he was the only one who went into the relationship blindly, as Kier knew about his hate for vampires all along. The little romance that followed their reconciliation was completely 100% physical. There was very little emotional connection to base their relationship on.
I also found it confusing to finish the book and find that there were unanswered questions. There is no mention of this being a series, though the book ends with the uncertain fate of a bad guy, and no resolution for a relationship between secondary characters that was hinted at but not explored or explained.
I feel like the multiple POV ruined the suspense, quite a bit. There could have been a whole lot more interesting moments of tension, of uncertainty, if the likes of Melissa didn't have their own POV. I understood the point of Kier, Danny, and Rogan's POV, but adding in Melissa's meant that we got far too much information that it would have been better to wait for, or have revealed at the last minute by another character.
The writing tended to drag, in places. I found my eyes straining against the near-page long paragraphs, skimming over the heavily detailed sex scenes and “let's talk this out” reconciliations, that had a tendency to repeat themselves.
There was no clear description of what odd words meant, such as “Lyft” when talking about how someone didn't call for a taxi or call for a “Lyft” ← not sure if that's because it's a typo, or if it's a world-building phrase not explained.
There's a clear inconsistency within Danny and Kier's POV's where they slip into omni-present. It doesn't happen in anyone else's POV, just when they're together.
There are multiple names that people respond to within the story, and it became a bit clunky, unorganised, and frustrating after a while. Kier, as he's first introduced is also called Kieran and McCade; Danny is also called Daniel and Reynolds; Rogan is also called Micheal.
The plot doesn't flow between POV's. Within one chapter, you can have 3 different POV's and they're all happening outside of the timeline of each other, with no flow from one act to another.
There's an unequal division of POV. The two main POV's are actually Danny and Rogan, not the two MC's of Danny and Kier. It makes it hard to figure out the importance of characters. More often than not, I wondered what part Kier had to play, except as the lost-love interest, the person offering a place for Danny to sleep, and observing his “episodes.” He provided very little to the plot, thus his character wasn't explored as equally as Danny's.
I also found it really confusing to follow the dialogue. There are very few clear indicators of dialogue, and it's often hard to match the words spoken to the person you expect to be saying them. In some conversations, there are only 2 people involved and it *should* be an exchange of 1, 2, 1, 2, each character responding to the other, but sometimes the words they say don't match what they know or what we know of them. Or, the dialogue of the person fits, but the indicators that follow have someone else reacting, or the speaker reacting as if they're the listener.
The most troubling problem I found was that – for a story that mentions a brutal kidnap, rape, and suicidal attempts – there is not a single trigger warning. Though nothing is in detail, Danny does recount how his brother was attacked by vampires, kidnapped, held for days and raped. He also recounts how his brother struggled with his mental health, attempted suicide multiple times, and self harmed. A simple trigger warning would have prepared me for this, but there was nothing, and I'm just lucky that I don't need that trigger warning or this review would have been far more scathing. Because of the severity of Danny's brother's pain and suffering, a trigger warnings was definitely called for, but not provided. I would hate to think of the serious harm this could have caused, if I was someone who required a trigger warning and didn't have one to warn me about the content.
Overall, when it all comes together, I find myself disappointed. The idea of a rogue vampire, a vampire who was experimented on to find a cure, and the Purity patrols was all interesting. Danny and Kier were good characters, separately, but I found myself more interested in Rogan than their love story. The lack of trigger warnings, the lack of a cohesive ending and no sign that it's the start of a series, all came together to add up to an incomplete story with a plot that doesn't flow. It's a little too messy, a bit too inconsistent, and too full of multiple POV's that aren't always necessary.
~
Favourite Quotes
“Kier studied Danny. When he'd learned Kier was a vampire, not only did he refuse to hear him out and try to understand, he ran so fast in the other direction he all but left skid marks.”
Author – Rayna Vause
Star rating - ★★☆☆☆
No. of Pages – 193
Cover – Simple, but effective
POV – 3rd person, multi-POV
Would I read it again – Probably not.
Genre – LGBT, Paranormal, Second Chance, Vampire
Content Warning – deals with the aftermath of a secondary character's rape, torture, kidnap by vampires, and the self harm and attempted suicide, during recovery.
** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
While there were things to enjoy about the book, I had a few issues with the execution that bother me.
Let's start with the positive:
I liked Danny and Kier as individual characters. Danny was well explored, and I immediately felt concerned for him, when he was attacked by a vampire just one page into the story.
I appreciated that the author tried to do something original with the vampire genre – in this world, vampires are known to the world and moderated/policed by the Purity patrols, who clean up, take care of victims etc.
I also liked the twist that the Purity team weren't always on the same page. The some wanted to cure vampires, even if they didn't want to be cured, while others wanted to eradicate them completely. I actually made a note, just a page into the story, that these aren't your romance novel vampires. They're not there to be swooned over and romanticised. Some of them can be brutal and violent, true bad guys, just like some humans can be good or bad.
The relationship is Second Chance, so it was nice to see a couple who had been together a while try to work through their issues. I wouldn't call them an established couple, because they had a lot of secrets from each other, but it was nice to see them work through their differences and come together in a time of crisis, despite their feelings.
However, sadly the not so great things tipped the scales. I'll readily admit that I finished the book with an overall feeling that it had been “good”, but I also acknowledge that it was just on the wrong side of Meh! I could take of leave it, but when I sat down to write up my notes and think about how it all came together, it just didn't fit as a cohesive novel.
There was little to no romance. And what there was of it, I didn't believe. I didn't believe in Danny and Kier as a couple. Not if they could keep secrets, miscommunicate so massively, and always lay the blame firmly on Danny's shoulders, for running, when he was the only one who went into the relationship blindly, as Kier knew about his hate for vampires all along. The little romance that followed their reconciliation was completely 100% physical. There was very little emotional connection to base their relationship on.
I also found it confusing to finish the book and find that there were unanswered questions. There is no mention of this being a series, though the book ends with the uncertain fate of a bad guy, and no resolution for a relationship between secondary characters that was hinted at but not explored or explained.
I feel like the multiple POV ruined the suspense, quite a bit. There could have been a whole lot more interesting moments of tension, of uncertainty, if the likes of Melissa didn't have their own POV. I understood the point of Kier, Danny, and Rogan's POV, but adding in Melissa's meant that we got far too much information that it would have been better to wait for, or have revealed at the last minute by another character.
The writing tended to drag, in places. I found my eyes straining against the near-page long paragraphs, skimming over the heavily detailed sex scenes and “let's talk this out” reconciliations, that had a tendency to repeat themselves.
There was no clear description of what odd words meant, such as “Lyft” when talking about how someone didn't call for a taxi or call for a “Lyft” ← not sure if that's because it's a typo, or if it's a world-building phrase not explained.
There's a clear inconsistency within Danny and Kier's POV's where they slip into omni-present. It doesn't happen in anyone else's POV, just when they're together.
There are multiple names that people respond to within the story, and it became a bit clunky, unorganised, and frustrating after a while. Kier, as he's first introduced is also called Kieran and McCade; Danny is also called Daniel and Reynolds; Rogan is also called Micheal.
The plot doesn't flow between POV's. Within one chapter, you can have 3 different POV's and they're all happening outside of the timeline of each other, with no flow from one act to another.
There's an unequal division of POV. The two main POV's are actually Danny and Rogan, not the two MC's of Danny and Kier. It makes it hard to figure out the importance of characters. More often than not, I wondered what part Kier had to play, except as the lost-love interest, the person offering a place for Danny to sleep, and observing his “episodes.” He provided very little to the plot, thus his character wasn't explored as equally as Danny's.
I also found it really confusing to follow the dialogue. There are very few clear indicators of dialogue, and it's often hard to match the words spoken to the person you expect to be saying them. In some conversations, there are only 2 people involved and it *should* be an exchange of 1, 2, 1, 2, each character responding to the other, but sometimes the words they say don't match what they know or what we know of them. Or, the dialogue of the person fits, but the indicators that follow have someone else reacting, or the speaker reacting as if they're the listener.
The most troubling problem I found was that – for a story that mentions a brutal kidnap, rape, and suicidal attempts – there is not a single trigger warning. Though nothing is in detail, Danny does recount how his brother was attacked by vampires, kidnapped, held for days and raped. He also recounts how his brother struggled with his mental health, attempted suicide multiple times, and self harmed. A simple trigger warning would have prepared me for this, but there was nothing, and I'm just lucky that I don't need that trigger warning or this review would have been far more scathing. Because of the severity of Danny's brother's pain and suffering, a trigger warnings was definitely called for, but not provided. I would hate to think of the serious harm this could have caused, if I was someone who required a trigger warning and didn't have one to warn me about the content.
Overall, when it all comes together, I find myself disappointed. The idea of a rogue vampire, a vampire who was experimented on to find a cure, and the Purity patrols was all interesting. Danny and Kier were good characters, separately, but I found myself more interested in Rogan than their love story. The lack of trigger warnings, the lack of a cohesive ending and no sign that it's the start of a series, all came together to add up to an incomplete story with a plot that doesn't flow. It's a little too messy, a bit too inconsistent, and too full of multiple POV's that aren't always necessary.
~
Favourite Quotes
“Kier studied Danny. When he'd learned Kier was a vampire, not only did he refuse to hear him out and try to understand, he ran so fast in the other direction he all but left skid marks.”
July 17, 2018
Full review at :
https://optimumm.blog/2018/07/17/review-twice-bitten-by-rayna-vause/
Danny Reynolds is a human who’s been attacked by a rogue Vampire one night after leaving work. This attack wasn’t normal, and after Danny barely made it out of the fight alive, he started to have weird symptoms. The only person who can help him is his ex-boyfriend, Kieran McCade, a vampire. The problem is that when Danny had found out what Kieran was, he ran away from their relationship, hurting Kieran in the process.
Between his symptoms that are life-threatening for Danny, a dangerous group of people hunt him down to hurt if not kill him and Kieran, who’s still angry and hurting, Danny doesn’t know if he will survive.
A second chance might be possible but at what cost?
Twice Bitten by Rayna Vause is the first book that I’ve read from her, and it will definitely not be the last.
I adored this book. It was a super good read.
Danny and Kier were madly in love and had been together for six months until Danny found out what Kier was. Danny hated vampires back then, and felt betrayed, so he ran away from Kier and their love. But when he was in danger, alone and scared, Danny went to see the only person who could help him. I loved Danny. I loved his honesty. He acknowledged that he hurt Kier, and he regretted it profoundly. He tried to prove to Kier that he was worth a second chance. I loved him because he was honest with himself and dealt with it.
Kier was hurt, really hurt, and as tough as he can be for a vampire, Danny had this power over him, and he broke his heart. But when Danny came to see him asking his help, Kier didn’t turn his back. I was completely enamored with Kier. He’s loyal and honest. He’s kind and protective, and he’s strong and sensitive. I was soooooo team Kier.
The plot was good and the story well written. In a world where vampires and humans live together (kind of), the relationship between the two species isn’t simple. Some humans (called Purity) want to eradicate vampires, and some Vampires (the Rogues) want to use humans as their personal meals. I loved this because it was well written, dynamic and very fluid. I didn’t have any problem following the story through the plot, and I was completely captivated. The book isn’t only focused on Danny and Kier. The subplot with the Vampire / human relationship, with all that implied, was captivating and interesting, I was hooked by it. The secondary characters are good, loveable and I wanted to know more about Aiden and Rogan.
I don’t know if this book is a standalone or the first of a series. For me it can be the first book of a series, there’s a lot of potential, and the author wrote this book very well. At least, I hope to have a book with Aiden and Rogan, even a standalone (dear new author of my heart, there’s a hint here for you).
I recommend this book, it’s a good romance/action’s book, and you’ll have a great a time as I had.
4 OptimuMM’s for The Vamp and his Librarian!
***The ARC was provided by Dreamspinner Press. My review is an honest opinion of the book ***
https://optimumm.blog/2018/07/17/review-twice-bitten-by-rayna-vause/
Danny Reynolds is a human who’s been attacked by a rogue Vampire one night after leaving work. This attack wasn’t normal, and after Danny barely made it out of the fight alive, he started to have weird symptoms. The only person who can help him is his ex-boyfriend, Kieran McCade, a vampire. The problem is that when Danny had found out what Kieran was, he ran away from their relationship, hurting Kieran in the process.
Between his symptoms that are life-threatening for Danny, a dangerous group of people hunt him down to hurt if not kill him and Kieran, who’s still angry and hurting, Danny doesn’t know if he will survive.
A second chance might be possible but at what cost?
Twice Bitten by Rayna Vause is the first book that I’ve read from her, and it will definitely not be the last.
I adored this book. It was a super good read.
Danny and Kier were madly in love and had been together for six months until Danny found out what Kier was. Danny hated vampires back then, and felt betrayed, so he ran away from Kier and their love. But when he was in danger, alone and scared, Danny went to see the only person who could help him. I loved Danny. I loved his honesty. He acknowledged that he hurt Kier, and he regretted it profoundly. He tried to prove to Kier that he was worth a second chance. I loved him because he was honest with himself and dealt with it.
Kier was hurt, really hurt, and as tough as he can be for a vampire, Danny had this power over him, and he broke his heart. But when Danny came to see him asking his help, Kier didn’t turn his back. I was completely enamored with Kier. He’s loyal and honest. He’s kind and protective, and he’s strong and sensitive. I was soooooo team Kier.
The plot was good and the story well written. In a world where vampires and humans live together (kind of), the relationship between the two species isn’t simple. Some humans (called Purity) want to eradicate vampires, and some Vampires (the Rogues) want to use humans as their personal meals. I loved this because it was well written, dynamic and very fluid. I didn’t have any problem following the story through the plot, and I was completely captivated. The book isn’t only focused on Danny and Kier. The subplot with the Vampire / human relationship, with all that implied, was captivating and interesting, I was hooked by it. The secondary characters are good, loveable and I wanted to know more about Aiden and Rogan.
I don’t know if this book is a standalone or the first of a series. For me it can be the first book of a series, there’s a lot of potential, and the author wrote this book very well. At least, I hope to have a book with Aiden and Rogan, even a standalone (dear new author of my heart, there’s a hint here for you).
I recommend this book, it’s a good romance/action’s book, and you’ll have a great a time as I had.
4 OptimuMM’s for The Vamp and his Librarian!
***The ARC was provided by Dreamspinner Press. My review is an honest opinion of the book ***
July 9, 2018
I received a copy of this title to read and review for Wicked Reads
3 Stars.
Rayna Vause is a new-to-me author.
From the start, I was quickly pulled into the story. One of my favorite plot devices is learning the world building alongside the narrator. While leaving the library to walk home, Danny is attacked by a rogue vampire. The next few pages entertained me, hitting all the right notes, because Danny didn't know what was going on, but then the story shifted.
This is all on me due to personal reading tastes. I'm not a fan of multiple POVs, and I don't mean where both MCs are voiced. For me, when I read firsthand from the 'baddies', I quickly lose interest because there are no mysteries for me to ferret out alongside the MC as they narrate. In this case, there are two opposing forces after Danny after he killed his attacker. There were 5 or 6 POVs in this novella. The reader knows everything the enemies/baddies are thinking, from every angle, long before Danny does, which took away from the journey for me, causing me to lose interest pretty much immediately.
After noticing he is changing, Danny runs off to his ex for help, and the reader learns Danny broke up with Kier because he was a vampire in the first place. This lent an angsty, second-chance romance angle to the story. With that being said, there was little to no romance, because there were so many POVs.
Overall, I enjoyed the premise itself, as well as both Danny and Kier. But I felt the multiple POVs was to the detriment, because the reader and Danny didn't learn the world-building in an organic fashion. It removed all mystery and suspense, because the reader knew what was coming even if Danny didn't. This affected my ability to connect emotionally to the characters.
While I wanted to enjoy this, I have to be honest and admit it didn't resonate with me. Not a fan of knowing the inner monologue of anyone but the MCs, because I prefer not to be spoon-fed, wishing some things left up to mystery, where the MCs shows/tells me what they discovered. Not my cup of tea, but I'm willing to give the author another try in the future.
3 Stars.
Rayna Vause is a new-to-me author.
From the start, I was quickly pulled into the story. One of my favorite plot devices is learning the world building alongside the narrator. While leaving the library to walk home, Danny is attacked by a rogue vampire. The next few pages entertained me, hitting all the right notes, because Danny didn't know what was going on, but then the story shifted.
This is all on me due to personal reading tastes. I'm not a fan of multiple POVs, and I don't mean where both MCs are voiced. For me, when I read firsthand from the 'baddies', I quickly lose interest because there are no mysteries for me to ferret out alongside the MC as they narrate. In this case, there are two opposing forces after Danny after he killed his attacker. There were 5 or 6 POVs in this novella. The reader knows everything the enemies/baddies are thinking, from every angle, long before Danny does, which took away from the journey for me, causing me to lose interest pretty much immediately.
After noticing he is changing, Danny runs off to his ex for help, and the reader learns Danny broke up with Kier because he was a vampire in the first place. This lent an angsty, second-chance romance angle to the story. With that being said, there was little to no romance, because there were so many POVs.
Overall, I enjoyed the premise itself, as well as both Danny and Kier. But I felt the multiple POVs was to the detriment, because the reader and Danny didn't learn the world-building in an organic fashion. It removed all mystery and suspense, because the reader knew what was coming even if Danny didn't. This affected my ability to connect emotionally to the characters.
While I wanted to enjoy this, I have to be honest and admit it didn't resonate with me. Not a fan of knowing the inner monologue of anyone but the MCs, because I prefer not to be spoon-fed, wishing some things left up to mystery, where the MCs shows/tells me what they discovered. Not my cup of tea, but I'm willing to give the author another try in the future.
July 18, 2018
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.75 stars
Twice Bitten was a fun story and a nice take on the vampire trope. I liked the way the lover reunited element was worked in, with Danny and Kier breaking up when Danny learned Kier is a vampire. The reasons for Danny’s response, as well as for Kier keeping it hidden, made sense. It added an interesting layer of conflict to the story, and I appreciated that these guys end up really talking through the issue and working things out on the personal end early enough on in the book to let them then work together well against the bad guys later. The partial change aspect of the story was also engaging, adding a little bit of a spin on things and giving us a nice way to get more of the vampire lore. I found it a little confusing that the vampire who bit Danny had blood that was both too potent and not potent enough at the same time, but overall I found this a compelling storyline.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
3.75 stars
Twice Bitten was a fun story and a nice take on the vampire trope. I liked the way the lover reunited element was worked in, with Danny and Kier breaking up when Danny learned Kier is a vampire. The reasons for Danny’s response, as well as for Kier keeping it hidden, made sense. It added an interesting layer of conflict to the story, and I appreciated that these guys end up really talking through the issue and working things out on the personal end early enough on in the book to let them then work together well against the bad guys later. The partial change aspect of the story was also engaging, adding a little bit of a spin on things and giving us a nice way to get more of the vampire lore. I found it a little confusing that the vampire who bit Danny had blood that was both too potent and not potent enough at the same time, but overall I found this a compelling storyline.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
July 4, 2018
This was actually a really good read. I enjoyed all the suspense and the danger that these vampires and humans went hrough in order to save those that they either love or felt that was treated unfairly.
Danny Reynolds works at the library. He loves his job but he loves having the access to be able to research things he may not have been able to do elsewhere. Everyone in the city knows that you need to be behind closed doors after dark since there are things that go bump in the night out there but Danny finds himself so engrossed one night in what he was researching hat he left late from the library.
Now Danny finds himself in a situation of needing the man that he all but ran from six months ago when he found out that he was a vampire. Even though Danny had been wanting to get back in touch with him before now, now he finds that fate has stepped in and he has no choice but to get in contact with Keir again. Now it has become life or death.
When Danny walks back into Keir’s bar after so long, the first instinct is to make him turn around and leave again. But when Keir sees the distress that Danny is under he cannot turn him away. And when all the symptoms that Danny is showing leans towards him turning to a vampire himself by at the same time everything is happening unusually, Keir knows that Danny need his help.
This book was such an exciting read. I enjoyed the suspense and the danger but I also enjoyed the reconnection between two men that loved one another but let their fears end what could have been. I hope that Rayna Vause decides to turn this into a series because from my point of view, it was left in a way that could be possible or things could just be left how they ended. Either way, this was an incredible read.
Was given this galley copy for free for an open and honest review
Danny Reynolds works at the library. He loves his job but he loves having the access to be able to research things he may not have been able to do elsewhere. Everyone in the city knows that you need to be behind closed doors after dark since there are things that go bump in the night out there but Danny finds himself so engrossed one night in what he was researching hat he left late from the library.
Now Danny finds himself in a situation of needing the man that he all but ran from six months ago when he found out that he was a vampire. Even though Danny had been wanting to get back in touch with him before now, now he finds that fate has stepped in and he has no choice but to get in contact with Keir again. Now it has become life or death.
When Danny walks back into Keir’s bar after so long, the first instinct is to make him turn around and leave again. But when Keir sees the distress that Danny is under he cannot turn him away. And when all the symptoms that Danny is showing leans towards him turning to a vampire himself by at the same time everything is happening unusually, Keir knows that Danny need his help.
This book was such an exciting read. I enjoyed the suspense and the danger but I also enjoyed the reconnection between two men that loved one another but let their fears end what could have been. I hope that Rayna Vause decides to turn this into a series because from my point of view, it was left in a way that could be possible or things could just be left how they ended. Either way, this was an incredible read.
Was given this galley copy for free for an open and honest review
July 5, 2018
I had such a great time reading this book. There were some very exciting moments and, even thought I would like some more romance, I really enjoyed reading it.
I loved the plot. I wasn’t expecting the conflicts that they had to deal with, which was great. I loved the fast pace that it took sometimes. It had my attention very quickly and it was very hard to put it down. What intrigued me the most about the book was Purity and everyone who was involved. It was interesting to see the discrimination subject it addressed.
One of things that I liked a lot was that we get to see the point of view of the villains and understand their action. I don’t think it create sympathy for them, but I’d always love to see what’s inside the mind of a villain. Even though I loved that part, I think it was also a little damaging for the plot because I think it would work better for the reader to guess their motives and also because it center a lot of time on them, leaving very little for the development of Danny and Kieran’s romance, which feels a little underwhelming or at least for me it was. The characters were great but there were times when I was more interested on knowing Rogan’s story than I was in the central plot.
Overall it was a very enjoyable paranormal book, with a lot of action, some romance and a great group of characters that left me wanting more of them. I truly hope the author is thinking on making more books on this world because I would love so much to know more about Rogan, Aiden and all of the others too.
I loved the plot. I wasn’t expecting the conflicts that they had to deal with, which was great. I loved the fast pace that it took sometimes. It had my attention very quickly and it was very hard to put it down. What intrigued me the most about the book was Purity and everyone who was involved. It was interesting to see the discrimination subject it addressed.
One of things that I liked a lot was that we get to see the point of view of the villains and understand their action. I don’t think it create sympathy for them, but I’d always love to see what’s inside the mind of a villain. Even though I loved that part, I think it was also a little damaging for the plot because I think it would work better for the reader to guess their motives and also because it center a lot of time on them, leaving very little for the development of Danny and Kieran’s romance, which feels a little underwhelming or at least for me it was. The characters were great but there were times when I was more interested on knowing Rogan’s story than I was in the central plot.
Overall it was a very enjoyable paranormal book, with a lot of action, some romance and a great group of characters that left me wanting more of them. I truly hope the author is thinking on making more books on this world because I would love so much to know more about Rogan, Aiden and all of the others too.
July 18, 2018
Vampires are fascinating creatures to me, so the blurb for this book had me at “a new species of vampire” – after all, what could be more fun than exploring a new take on an ancient legend? Vampires are known in this contemporary world, but the main character, Danny, turns against his will only to then discover he is not at all what he expected. As it turns out, Rayna Vause has come up with a pretty unique concept, looking at vampirism as if it were a disease. It’s an absolutely fascinating look at vampires from a "medical" perspective. Danny goes through a partial transformation only, which is unheard of. The doctor who examines him first discovers something odd about the blood of his attacker, which seems to have caused the abnormal situation. The mystery around what is going on, Danny's struggles with his new nature and health issues, as well as his complicated relationship with Kier combine into a great tale.
Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
August 22, 2018
~ 3.5 Stars ~
Twice Bitten is set in a world where vampires exist. While most of the population doesn’t know they exist, there are some that do. Including an organization known as Purity, whose sole goal it to eradicate vampires to keep the regular community safe. Unfortunately, there are some in Purity that feel what they do isn’t enough.
Danny Reynolds is a regular person, working at a library and loving his job. He knows about vampires because his brother was attacked and tortured by a group of them, and he was dating one, though he didn’t realize it at first. Danny is an interesting character. He’s how most people would act if they found out they were dating a vampire, especially after their brother had been savagely attacked by a group of them. It wasn’t easy for him to go to Kieran, but with everything that was going wrong after he was bitten, I don’t blame him at all. It took courage to go to someone who had hurt you, and you had hurt in return, to ask for help. Throughout the story, you get to see Danny come to grips with what’s happening to him, from fear that he’ll become something he hates to finally accept that not all vampires are like the people who hurt his brother. That humans can be more monstrous than the monsters.
Kieran for his part agrees to help Danny. He’s never stopped caring for him and even though Danny hurt him badly, he’s willing to at least try to help because he can’t stand seeing Danny so afraid and hurt. Not many people could do that, and it shows just how much Kieran does care for Danny that he’s able to put all that aside to help. Of course, it’s not easy as Kieran and his friends have no clue what is happening to Danny or why. But Kieran keeps trying, saving Danny from himself and from Purity that is tracking him down.
Purity is an organization that wanted to protect people from rogue vampires, the ones that kill indiscriminately, but along the way they lost their focus. The doctor in charge, Lydecker, has become obsessed with trying to turn his son back into a human, doing things that would horrify most people. The person in charge of Purity, Miranda, has her own agenda and does even more horrific things than Lydecker. They’ve become misguided and think that they are doing good. There is a saving grace in Purity, Michael Rogan. He sees what Purity is becoming and while he wants to protect people, he can’t let Lydecker or Miranda continue. He’s Purity’s conscience, wanting to turn it back into what it once was but powerless to do so. He does end up helping Danny and Kieran; without him I don’t think they would’ve survived.
Most of the story revolves around Danny and Kieran trying to find out why Danny’s reacting to his attack the way he is. There’s some good tension going on with that, though we find out the reason fairly fast. There’s also the “will they get back together or not?” plotline through the whole story, and I found myself rooting that they would. Would Danny become ok with turning into a vampire? Would Kieran forgive Danny for running away? It does get resolved in a fairly satisfactory way.
There’s a lot good with this book, but there are some things that I wish the author had included. I would’ve loved to have gotten a backstory about Purity: how they started and when they became twisted. Was it only when Miranda took over, or was it happening before that? How long had Purity been doing its work, and who started it? While it’s explained that the vampires keep a very low profile, how long have they been integrated into the regular populace? Also, I wish there hadn’t been so much POV hopping with the characters. I would’ve been ok without knowing Lydecker and Miranda’s thought processes. It would’ve been more of a surprise to find out what they were doing and why when the characters found out later in the book.
Overall this was a good book, a good premise that with a few tweaks, could’ve been a lot better. If you like good villains and a vampire that’s not necessarily a nice guy, give this one a shot.
Reviewed by Kel for The Novel Approach
Twice Bitten is set in a world where vampires exist. While most of the population doesn’t know they exist, there are some that do. Including an organization known as Purity, whose sole goal it to eradicate vampires to keep the regular community safe. Unfortunately, there are some in Purity that feel what they do isn’t enough.
Danny Reynolds is a regular person, working at a library and loving his job. He knows about vampires because his brother was attacked and tortured by a group of them, and he was dating one, though he didn’t realize it at first. Danny is an interesting character. He’s how most people would act if they found out they were dating a vampire, especially after their brother had been savagely attacked by a group of them. It wasn’t easy for him to go to Kieran, but with everything that was going wrong after he was bitten, I don’t blame him at all. It took courage to go to someone who had hurt you, and you had hurt in return, to ask for help. Throughout the story, you get to see Danny come to grips with what’s happening to him, from fear that he’ll become something he hates to finally accept that not all vampires are like the people who hurt his brother. That humans can be more monstrous than the monsters.
Kieran for his part agrees to help Danny. He’s never stopped caring for him and even though Danny hurt him badly, he’s willing to at least try to help because he can’t stand seeing Danny so afraid and hurt. Not many people could do that, and it shows just how much Kieran does care for Danny that he’s able to put all that aside to help. Of course, it’s not easy as Kieran and his friends have no clue what is happening to Danny or why. But Kieran keeps trying, saving Danny from himself and from Purity that is tracking him down.
Purity is an organization that wanted to protect people from rogue vampires, the ones that kill indiscriminately, but along the way they lost their focus. The doctor in charge, Lydecker, has become obsessed with trying to turn his son back into a human, doing things that would horrify most people. The person in charge of Purity, Miranda, has her own agenda and does even more horrific things than Lydecker. They’ve become misguided and think that they are doing good. There is a saving grace in Purity, Michael Rogan. He sees what Purity is becoming and while he wants to protect people, he can’t let Lydecker or Miranda continue. He’s Purity’s conscience, wanting to turn it back into what it once was but powerless to do so. He does end up helping Danny and Kieran; without him I don’t think they would’ve survived.
Most of the story revolves around Danny and Kieran trying to find out why Danny’s reacting to his attack the way he is. There’s some good tension going on with that, though we find out the reason fairly fast. There’s also the “will they get back together or not?” plotline through the whole story, and I found myself rooting that they would. Would Danny become ok with turning into a vampire? Would Kieran forgive Danny for running away? It does get resolved in a fairly satisfactory way.
There’s a lot good with this book, but there are some things that I wish the author had included. I would’ve loved to have gotten a backstory about Purity: how they started and when they became twisted. Was it only when Miranda took over, or was it happening before that? How long had Purity been doing its work, and who started it? While it’s explained that the vampires keep a very low profile, how long have they been integrated into the regular populace? Also, I wish there hadn’t been so much POV hopping with the characters. I would’ve been ok without knowing Lydecker and Miranda’s thought processes. It would’ve been more of a surprise to find out what they were doing and why when the characters found out later in the book.
Overall this was a good book, a good premise that with a few tweaks, could’ve been a lot better. If you like good villains and a vampire that’s not necessarily a nice guy, give this one a shot.
Reviewed by Kel for The Novel Approach
September 8, 2018
Interesting and exciting new vampire book that had me interested from the start and left me hoping for a bit more!
This is a world where vampires came out to the regular public and in the end they got a bit of a raw deal. Most people still hate and fear vampires and they even have ended up largely segregated in the town. An organization called Purity acts as 'Police' towards vamps, but more often than not they simply discriminate and kill. As such vampires tend to live in one of two ways; low key, as human as possible, or out causing trouble and living dangerously, killing and destroying as they desire. Obviously, the ones who kill and maim continue to darken the vampire name.
Danny is one of the many who hates and fears vampires. When he found out that his lover was actually a vampire he ran the other way. But when Danny is attacked by a vampire and left sick and partially turning, Danny runs to the only vampire he knows, his ex-lover Kieran. Kieran never got over Danny, thinking he had met the one. When Danny runs back into his life he is hesitant, but can't leave the man hurting. As the two are forced more and more together they both investigate what is happening with vampirism, and what their future could possible be.
The larger focus of this book at the beginning is on the action, which I found very enjoyable. Things move very quickly as Danny finds himself changing and Kieran finds the two of them needing to run from Purity. The details of their relationship come out slowly, piece by piece. It goes from being that Danny cruelly left to more little things coming out that showed the fault was on both sides. Danny did indeed run away from Kieran when he found out he was a vampire, not even giving him a chance to explain. However, Kieran knew that Danny was afraid of vampires and not only never told him this big secret, but ended up accidentally revealing it in about the worst way possible. Add tot he fact that neither reached out to each other after the incident and it was clearly both of their faults how everything went down. But that is something they both come to the realization for the more time they spend together.
The whole thing going on with Purity at the same time was really intriguing. There was this organization that had way more power than it should that was divided by two opposing leaders with ideas of what to do about the existence of vampires. Each leader had a reason for their particular plan, but the paths they were taking were increasingly insane. The fact that so many vampires weren't a threat made it curious that Purity continued to have so much power, especially since it wasn't clear what kind of role they even played in the world. At the end of the book there is a divide in what this means for the future of Purity and I would love to see more story about that.
This is a world where vampires came out to the regular public and in the end they got a bit of a raw deal. Most people still hate and fear vampires and they even have ended up largely segregated in the town. An organization called Purity acts as 'Police' towards vamps, but more often than not they simply discriminate and kill. As such vampires tend to live in one of two ways; low key, as human as possible, or out causing trouble and living dangerously, killing and destroying as they desire. Obviously, the ones who kill and maim continue to darken the vampire name.
Danny is one of the many who hates and fears vampires. When he found out that his lover was actually a vampire he ran the other way. But when Danny is attacked by a vampire and left sick and partially turning, Danny runs to the only vampire he knows, his ex-lover Kieran. Kieran never got over Danny, thinking he had met the one. When Danny runs back into his life he is hesitant, but can't leave the man hurting. As the two are forced more and more together they both investigate what is happening with vampirism, and what their future could possible be.
The larger focus of this book at the beginning is on the action, which I found very enjoyable. Things move very quickly as Danny finds himself changing and Kieran finds the two of them needing to run from Purity. The details of their relationship come out slowly, piece by piece. It goes from being that Danny cruelly left to more little things coming out that showed the fault was on both sides. Danny did indeed run away from Kieran when he found out he was a vampire, not even giving him a chance to explain. However, Kieran knew that Danny was afraid of vampires and not only never told him this big secret, but ended up accidentally revealing it in about the worst way possible. Add tot he fact that neither reached out to each other after the incident and it was clearly both of their faults how everything went down. But that is something they both come to the realization for the more time they spend together.
The whole thing going on with Purity at the same time was really intriguing. There was this organization that had way more power than it should that was divided by two opposing leaders with ideas of what to do about the existence of vampires. Each leader had a reason for their particular plan, but the paths they were taking were increasingly insane. The fact that so many vampires weren't a threat made it curious that Purity continued to have so much power, especially since it wasn't clear what kind of role they even played in the world. At the end of the book there is a divide in what this means for the future of Purity and I would love to see more story about that.
July 20, 2018
Reviewed for The Blogger Girls
What happens when you have an intensely personal reason for hating and fearing vampires that directly contradicts with the “one who got away”? You get over it, fast, because now the one you ran from is the same one you still love, and the only one who may just be able to save your life.
I love vampire stories, a lot, so I rarely pass one up…even if it’s a non-romance. In this case, we have Danny who just can’t seem to win. He falls in love with Kieran, thinks he’s the one, and then finds out he’s a vampire. He runs, and never looks back. Until he is attacked by a psycho vampire, and weirdness begins to overtake his body. My, my my…guess who is now running back to the scary vampire den? Kieran can’t believe it when Danny reappears. He has just barely gotten over the loss, and was moving on, when Danny comes begging for help…and Kieran just can’t say no. He can pretend he no longer has feelings for him though.
I really liked Kieran, but I struggled with Danny, at first. Once you realize why he was so fearful of vampires you begin to accept that maybe he was justified in his running…maybe. But until they reconcile their pasts and their differences, they have to figure out what is wrong with Danny, and will it change him, or kill him. There is a lot of freaky stuff happening in this book; crazy scientists, undisclosed labs and experiments, and a mission impossible type rescue mission. But, in the end, we get what we started reading for, that elusive happy ending.
It was an interesting story and kept my attention…now I want to see if there is another book coming with Aiden and Rogan. I know I wasn’t imaging that look.
Overall Impression: I really liked it
What happens when you have an intensely personal reason for hating and fearing vampires that directly contradicts with the “one who got away”? You get over it, fast, because now the one you ran from is the same one you still love, and the only one who may just be able to save your life.
I love vampire stories, a lot, so I rarely pass one up…even if it’s a non-romance. In this case, we have Danny who just can’t seem to win. He falls in love with Kieran, thinks he’s the one, and then finds out he’s a vampire. He runs, and never looks back. Until he is attacked by a psycho vampire, and weirdness begins to overtake his body. My, my my…guess who is now running back to the scary vampire den? Kieran can’t believe it when Danny reappears. He has just barely gotten over the loss, and was moving on, when Danny comes begging for help…and Kieran just can’t say no. He can pretend he no longer has feelings for him though.
I really liked Kieran, but I struggled with Danny, at first. Once you realize why he was so fearful of vampires you begin to accept that maybe he was justified in his running…maybe. But until they reconcile their pasts and their differences, they have to figure out what is wrong with Danny, and will it change him, or kill him. There is a lot of freaky stuff happening in this book; crazy scientists, undisclosed labs and experiments, and a mission impossible type rescue mission. But, in the end, we get what we started reading for, that elusive happy ending.
It was an interesting story and kept my attention…now I want to see if there is another book coming with Aiden and Rogan. I know I wasn’t imaging that look.
Overall Impression: I really liked it
August 10, 2018
2 Stars
Review:
*I received an ecopy of this book from the publisher. This has not influenced my review.*
This book had a solid idea for a premise and plot filled with things I generally love, but it was full of cliches and failed to meet its potential for me. The characters and their dialogue and interactions didn't feel natural. They lacked development and some came across as stereotypes, like the cartoon villains. There were things in the plot that didn't seem believable or were too coincidentally convenient. The "exes with feelings" aspect fell flat and I didn't feel the longing between them because it was all about sex and each others' bodies instead of the actual relationship/friendship/closeness they'd had; there were just lots of mentions of swaying hips and bulges in pants and pooling heat. I liked the general idea for the plot---vampires, a special group claiming they're protecting humans but doing shady stuff, a guy and his vampire ex getting mixed up with them, a man who works for the company realizing he can't look past their wrongdoings anymore. But, like I said, I didn't get the emotion and complexity I wanted from it. Maybe other readers will enjoy it more though. Also, just a note, this book wrapped almost everything up but left one thing open that makes me think it could turn into a series, albeit maybe with different main characters in the next book.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
Review:
*I received an ecopy of this book from the publisher. This has not influenced my review.*
This book had a solid idea for a premise and plot filled with things I generally love, but it was full of cliches and failed to meet its potential for me. The characters and their dialogue and interactions didn't feel natural. They lacked development and some came across as stereotypes, like the cartoon villains. There were things in the plot that didn't seem believable or were too coincidentally convenient. The "exes with feelings" aspect fell flat and I didn't feel the longing between them because it was all about sex and each others' bodies instead of the actual relationship/friendship/closeness they'd had; there were just lots of mentions of swaying hips and bulges in pants and pooling heat. I liked the general idea for the plot---vampires, a special group claiming they're protecting humans but doing shady stuff, a guy and his vampire ex getting mixed up with them, a man who works for the company realizing he can't look past their wrongdoings anymore. But, like I said, I didn't get the emotion and complexity I wanted from it. Maybe other readers will enjoy it more though. Also, just a note, this book wrapped almost everything up but left one thing open that makes me think it could turn into a series, albeit maybe with different main characters in the next book.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
July 19, 2018
3.5 Good writing, good story, well-drawn characters but something was missing for me.
October 17, 2018
I really enjoyed this story. I liked all the characters, the good ones anyway. I loved the connection between Danny and Kier. I'd love to read more of these two. I don't know if this will turn out to be a series, but there seemed to be a connection brewing between the security guy and Alex's brother (forgotten their names).
August 11, 2018
Check out our
Twice Bitten
post on Wicked Reads.
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Erica – ☆☆☆
Rayna Vause is a new-to-me author.
From the start, I was quickly pulled into the story. One of my favorite plot devices is learning the world building alongside the narrator. While leaving the library to walk home, Danny is attacked by a rogue vampire. The next few pages entertained me, hitting all the right notes, because Danny didn't know what was going on, but then the story shifted.
This is all on me due to personal reading tastes. I'm not a fan of multiple points of view, and I don't mean where both main characters are voiced. For me, when I read firsthand from the 'baddies,' I quickly lose interest because there are no mysteries for me to ferret out alongside the main characters as they narrate. In this case, there are two opposing forces after Danny after he killed his attacker. There were five or six points of view in this novella. The reader knows everything the enemies/baddies are thinking, from every angle, long before Danny does, which took away from the journey for me, causing me to lose interest pretty much immediately.
After noticing he is changing, Danny runs off to his ex for help, and the reader learns Danny broke up with Kier because he was a vampire in the first place. This lent an angsty, second-chance romance angle to the story. With that being said, there was little to no romance, because there were so many points of view.
Overall, I enjoyed the premise itself, as well as both Danny and Kier. But I felt the multiple points of view was to the detriment because the reader and Danny didn't learn the world-building in an organic fashion. It removed all mystery and suspense, because the reader knew what was coming even if Danny didn't. This affected my ability to connect emotionally to the characters.
While I wanted to enjoy this, I have to be honest and admit it didn't resonate with me. Not a fan of knowing the inner monologue of anyone but the main characters, because I prefer not to be spoon-fed, wishing some things left up to mystery, where the main characters show/tell me what they discovered. Not my cup of tea, but I'm willing to give the author another try in the future.
Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Twice Bitten by Rayna Vause to read and review.
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Erica – ☆☆☆
Rayna Vause is a new-to-me author.
From the start, I was quickly pulled into the story. One of my favorite plot devices is learning the world building alongside the narrator. While leaving the library to walk home, Danny is attacked by a rogue vampire. The next few pages entertained me, hitting all the right notes, because Danny didn't know what was going on, but then the story shifted.
This is all on me due to personal reading tastes. I'm not a fan of multiple points of view, and I don't mean where both main characters are voiced. For me, when I read firsthand from the 'baddies,' I quickly lose interest because there are no mysteries for me to ferret out alongside the main characters as they narrate. In this case, there are two opposing forces after Danny after he killed his attacker. There were five or six points of view in this novella. The reader knows everything the enemies/baddies are thinking, from every angle, long before Danny does, which took away from the journey for me, causing me to lose interest pretty much immediately.
After noticing he is changing, Danny runs off to his ex for help, and the reader learns Danny broke up with Kier because he was a vampire in the first place. This lent an angsty, second-chance romance angle to the story. With that being said, there was little to no romance, because there were so many points of view.
Overall, I enjoyed the premise itself, as well as both Danny and Kier. But I felt the multiple points of view was to the detriment because the reader and Danny didn't learn the world-building in an organic fashion. It removed all mystery and suspense, because the reader knew what was coming even if Danny didn't. This affected my ability to connect emotionally to the characters.
While I wanted to enjoy this, I have to be honest and admit it didn't resonate with me. Not a fan of knowing the inner monologue of anyone but the main characters, because I prefer not to be spoon-fed, wishing some things left up to mystery, where the main characters show/tell me what they discovered. Not my cup of tea, but I'm willing to give the author another try in the future.
Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Twice Bitten by Rayna Vause to read and review.
February 15, 2020
Suspense, heat, second chances...it’s got it all!
Vause creates a scary world where science attempts to manipulate the lives of both humans and vampires. Kier and Danny have a lot to overcome, and there’s danger lurking. This book is a great start to what I hope is a series!
Vause creates a scary world where science attempts to manipulate the lives of both humans and vampires. Kier and Danny have a lot to overcome, and there’s danger lurking. This book is a great start to what I hope is a series!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews