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Vengeance For My Valentine
“Your bullets can’t kill me. I’m already dead. Inside and out.” When his fiancée is brutally murdered on Valentine’s Day, Ash Corvus is unwittingly plunged into the nightmarish world of the Arpadeem, or as the movies call them… Vampires. What begins as a personal quest for revenge becomes a struggle for the fate of the city itself as Ash’s search takes him into Cedar Rapids’ secret criminal underworld. Ash must cast off his humanity and become a monster himself if he hopes to bring vengeance upon the monster who murdered his love… the man with the scar.A dark, violent thriller from the author of The Weller and War of the Goliath!
289 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 23, 2020
5 people are currently reading
37 people want to read
About the author
Adam J. Whitlatch
13 books56 followersAdam J. Whitlatch is the author of "The Weller," "The Weller - Fear of the Dark," "War of the Worlds: Goliath," "Birthright," and "Vengeance For My Valentine," as well as dozens of short stories and poems spanning the genres of science fiction, fantasy, and horror.
A fantasy enthusiast from a young age, his interest in science fiction was first sparked at the age of ten when his father played the infamous 1938 Orson Welles War of the Worlds radio broadcast for him on Halloween. It's a tradition Adam carries on to this day.
Adam lives on a small farm in southeastern Iowa with his wife and their three sons.
A fantasy enthusiast from a young age, his interest in science fiction was first sparked at the age of ten when his father played the infamous 1938 Orson Welles War of the Worlds radio broadcast for him on Halloween. It's a tradition Adam carries on to this day.
Adam lives on a small farm in southeastern Iowa with his wife and their three sons.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
July 3, 2018
Tense and exciting thriller
While I don't often read this genre, this book sucked me right in, pardon the expression. The characters are intriguing and complex and I wanted to find out what happens to them and if they get the vengeance they seek. The plot is complex and filled with twists and action. Well worth the read and well written.
While I don't often read this genre, this book sucked me right in, pardon the expression. The characters are intriguing and complex and I wanted to find out what happens to them and if they get the vengeance they seek. The plot is complex and filled with twists and action. Well worth the read and well written.
May 1, 2018
A fresh new take on vampires set in the best state in the union, what's not to love? It was witty and well-written. I can't wait for more!
January 5, 2020
I'm not into Sci-fi stories and don't usually enjoy reading about vampires, dragons, and such......but I really enjoyed reading this book. It had a twist in there that I didn't see coming at all. I got confused on who was on which side during the "action" part of the story......but that's only because I've NEVER read a vampire book before. It had a really good storyline and I hope that this story will continue, as I'd like to read more on these characters. I recommend reading this book, even if you're not really a Sci-fi or vampire fan!
February 4, 2020
Paranormal Thriller
Ok. I will start off by saying this isn't a normal genre for me, I read it for a book club. To me, this book had some identity issues - did it want to be a vampire book, a graphic novel story, or a crime/detective novel. The dialogue reminded me of old gumshoe detective serials. The sex scenes were gratuitous and unnecessary.
Having said that, I did enjoy the story. Having it set in the town I reside, was kind of surreal and I don't know if it took away from the story for me because then I had to try and reconcile having vampires all over town.
Ok. I will start off by saying this isn't a normal genre for me, I read it for a book club. To me, this book had some identity issues - did it want to be a vampire book, a graphic novel story, or a crime/detective novel. The dialogue reminded me of old gumshoe detective serials. The sex scenes were gratuitous and unnecessary.
Having said that, I did enjoy the story. Having it set in the town I reside, was kind of surreal and I don't know if it took away from the story for me because then I had to try and reconcile having vampires all over town.
July 15, 2019
Not your typical vampire story
I really liked the way Adam introduced several species of vampires and their different characteristics. He also incorporated our real world as it is today with gangs, drugs, street fighting and vengeance for a lost true love. And the family and friends are very realistic. I am not a fan of vampire stories but I find myself wanting to read more of Ash’s story, vampire or not.
I really liked the way Adam introduced several species of vampires and their different characteristics. He also incorporated our real world as it is today with gangs, drugs, street fighting and vengeance for a lost true love. And the family and friends are very realistic. I am not a fan of vampire stories but I find myself wanting to read more of Ash’s story, vampire or not.
November 7, 2019
It was so hard to put this book down! What a fresh take on the Vampire legend. If you are familiar with Cedar Rapids, IA you will get an extra kick out of the storyline's various callouts. I am so very much looking forward to the next book in this series!
October 26, 2020
If you love revenge, blood, and actually scary vampires that make you afraid of the dark, this is a great book! Set in Iowa in the Midwest, it has none of the huge city nonsense, just good ol ass kicking.
May 21, 2018
Great vampire book
I loved it, found it hard to put down once I started reading it. I'm hoping Adam writes a sequel soon!
I loved it, found it hard to put down once I started reading it. I'm hoping Adam writes a sequel soon!
August 28, 2018
Great book. Easy read, the story flowed well and it is ripe for a sequel. I will wait impatiently to continue the story.
July 24, 2025
Fun, fast-paced genre outing in the familiar mold of contemporary urban fantasy. Take the quintessential vengeance narrative, fold in a few of the most familiar tropes from late-20th-century vampire fiction, albeit with a subtle twist or two, and you have the basic recipe for Adam J. Whitlatch’s ‘Vengeance for My Valentine.’ The story is refreshingly character-driven, the main actors surprisingly well fleshed-out. So far from clichéd cardboard cutouts, Whitlactch’s heroes have enough heart and soul to inspire empathy—we care about what happens to them, and can’t wait to see what happens next. Their stories are related in a lean, uncluttered prose style, sometimes telegraphic, never eschewing essential detail, but always to the point.
The set-pieces are well choreographed, and compellingly paced. Clever backstory tie-ins with Korean and Brazilian martial arts lend variety and excitement to the fight scenes—and I thoroughly enjoyed the trash-talking banter in everything ranging from bar scuffles to no-holds-barred cage matches. The more personal, intimate, moments are well done as well: The bit about the pet fancy rat is sweet and adds a lovely human touch to the story. I liked the relationship between the two best friends, brought together by their mutual love of martial arts, the straight kid’s unconditional acceptance of his pal’s gender-queer identity that the rest of the world scorns and rejects.
The story is set, quite explicitly, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, branded by the local Chamber of Commerce as ‘The City of Five Seasons,’ though local residents only half-jokingly refer to it as “The City of Five Smells’ because of the ubiquitous industrial emissions from half a dozen cereal mills and grain-processing plants. (A “good day” in CR is probably when Quaker Oats is baking up a batch of Cap’n Crunch—not so much those days when ADM or Cargill belch something into the atmosphere that smells like rancid, half-fermented corn farts.) The place has its share of real-life crime and corruption worth a novel in its own right: If anything, Whitlatch’s vision of vampires involved in organized crime seems less bizarre than what one might actually encounter with a quick poke at the dark underbelly of a city that is nothing like its wholesome ‘Iowa-nice’ reputation. (I lived there for a dozen years.) While I enjoyed the nostalgic references to familiar places, I’m not sure this specificity genuinely adds much to the narrative, given how genre-universal most of it is: There’s nothing in this story that couldn’t have taken place in any good-sized industrial town in the upper Midwest. (On the other hand, we need more authentic Iowa authors to tell tales that take the bad taste of treacle like ‘Gilead’ (or shite like ‘The Bridges of Madison County’) out of readers’ mouths and imaginations.)
Four stars. Highly recommended.
The set-pieces are well choreographed, and compellingly paced. Clever backstory tie-ins with Korean and Brazilian martial arts lend variety and excitement to the fight scenes—and I thoroughly enjoyed the trash-talking banter in everything ranging from bar scuffles to no-holds-barred cage matches. The more personal, intimate, moments are well done as well: The bit about the pet fancy rat is sweet and adds a lovely human touch to the story. I liked the relationship between the two best friends, brought together by their mutual love of martial arts, the straight kid’s unconditional acceptance of his pal’s gender-queer identity that the rest of the world scorns and rejects.
The story is set, quite explicitly, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, branded by the local Chamber of Commerce as ‘The City of Five Seasons,’ though local residents only half-jokingly refer to it as “The City of Five Smells’ because of the ubiquitous industrial emissions from half a dozen cereal mills and grain-processing plants. (A “good day” in CR is probably when Quaker Oats is baking up a batch of Cap’n Crunch—not so much those days when ADM or Cargill belch something into the atmosphere that smells like rancid, half-fermented corn farts.) The place has its share of real-life crime and corruption worth a novel in its own right: If anything, Whitlatch’s vision of vampires involved in organized crime seems less bizarre than what one might actually encounter with a quick poke at the dark underbelly of a city that is nothing like its wholesome ‘Iowa-nice’ reputation. (I lived there for a dozen years.) While I enjoyed the nostalgic references to familiar places, I’m not sure this specificity genuinely adds much to the narrative, given how genre-universal most of it is: There’s nothing in this story that couldn’t have taken place in any good-sized industrial town in the upper Midwest. (On the other hand, we need more authentic Iowa authors to tell tales that take the bad taste of treacle like ‘Gilead’ (or shite like ‘The Bridges of Madison County’) out of readers’ mouths and imaginations.)
Four stars. Highly recommended.
July 1, 2023
I cannot stress this enough how good this book is and that this is a must read book! This book made me heartbroken, aroused in some scenes, laughed so hard at characters sarcasm and snide remarks, and I was on the edge of the seat when I reached the ending! I cussed in Italian language at the end because I cannot believe it! Ohhhh! I won't spoil it but oh it grinds my gear! But I look forward to what happens next! I must know!!! Its pretty much the best trans friendly, vampire romance and tragedy book that I know of yet! Kudos to author Adam for writing such a marvelous story. Seriously.....somebody in Hollywood needs to turn this into film! Give Adam a huge raise!
September 5, 2020
Put this at the top of your TBR pile this October. Adam J. Whitlatch has crafted an excellent vampire story — one that borrows just enough from the typical tropes to keep the faithful engaged. And then, he steps off that base and takes the vampire legend in a refreshing direction. It’s full of intrigue, conflict, paranoia, and ... of course ... blood suckers. Words cannot express how happy I am that this is only the first book in (hopefully) a long series. The world that Whitlatch has created here is one I want to visit many times.
October 30, 2020
Welcome to a fairly interesting yet predictable vampire tale. This first volume of the series introduces us to Ash Corvus, lead singer of a local band while working sales at an auto dealership in Cedar Rapids. When his fiancée is murdered by a demented vampire, Ash follows the age-old adage, “If you can’t beat them, join them.” Whitlatch injects some new blood into vampire elements, along with the common tropes, adding freshness to an old standard. I liked it. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
July 6, 2022
This book was a quick and easy read, with great action sequences and descriptions that make me feel like I actually know the city of Cedar Rapids. Very interesting take on vampires having different characteristics. Once you get into it, it's hard to stop reading. Yes, I'd read the next book.
July 11, 2024
Some lore similar, some different. Totally ready to learn more of the lore behind each type of vampire. I could see this becoming a series. Not sure what directions it will follow.
Finished it in a day off.
Finished it in a day off.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2025
Fun, fast-paced, snarky, good world-building, and highly entertaining. I want book 2 now please!!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews