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Immortal Soul #1
Heart of Dracula
Boston, 1897.
Death comes to the city heralded by a crimson moon and screams in the night. The Vampire King has come to claim the city, unless he can be stopped…
Maxine Parker has lived a solitary life. Not because she wishes to, but because she has no choice. Her empathic ability has rendered it impossible for her to touch anyone without killing them.
But as she is thrust into the middle of a war between the enigmatic and alluring Vampire King and three stalwart hunters, she learns she cannot kill what is already dead.
Death comes to the city heralded by a crimson moon and screams in the night. The Vampire King has come to claim the city, unless he can be stopped…
Maxine Parker has lived a solitary life. Not because she wishes to, but because she has no choice. Her empathic ability has rendered it impossible for her to touch anyone without killing them.
But as she is thrust into the middle of a war between the enigmatic and alluring Vampire King and three stalwart hunters, she learns she cannot kill what is already dead.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 11, 2020
748 people are currently reading
4040 people want to read
About the author
Kathryn Ann Kingsley
66 books2,449 followersKathryn has always been a storyteller. Years of scriptwriting for performances on stage and for tourism in Boston led her to writing romantically dark, fantastical tales, which was an obsession of hers that began once seeing The Phantom of the Opera at a young age.
When she isn’t penning new villainous leads, she works in video game development. There, she has been everything from Creative Director to Chief of Staff, Design Manager, Executive Producer, and Principal Writer for various companies in the industry.
She shares her antique home with three very fluffy animals and one very patient and loving husband.
When she isn’t penning new villainous leads, she works in video game development. There, she has been everything from Creative Director to Chief of Staff, Design Manager, Executive Producer, and Principal Writer for various companies in the industry.
She shares her antique home with three very fluffy animals and one very patient and loving husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 323 reviews
May 19, 2022
Omg! What an amazing read, after the first few chapters I was completely drawn in and hanging on every page right till the end. This book does end on a cliff hanger but the second book is already available so your all set.
I actually enjoyed this version of Dracula even better than the original. This version of Dracula is set after Dracula's first encounter with Mina he confesses that Mina was only a distraction too pass his many years of blood and boredom not a great love as the movie would have us believe.
This is the first book I have read by this author and I was very impressed and will be looking of her books from now on.
Happy Reading 📚📚📙📒📗📘📕📓📚📖📒📚📙📚📗📘📚📙📖📔📕📗📚📒📚📙📘📗📚📒📖😇
I actually enjoyed this version of Dracula even better than the original. This version of Dracula is set after Dracula's first encounter with Mina he confesses that Mina was only a distraction too pass his many years of blood and boredom not a great love as the movie would have us believe.
This is the first book I have read by this author and I was very impressed and will be looking of her books from now on.
Happy Reading 📚📚📙📒📗📘📕📓📚📖📒📚📙📚📗📘📚📙📖📔📕📗📚📒📚📙📘📗📚📒📖😇
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January 8, 2025dnf @ 78%
i was really enjoying this at first but it started to drag towards the middle and im sooo bored. it's around 300 pages but it feels like 1,000 i have no desire to pick it back up :')
⋆⭒˚.⋆pre~read⋆.˚⭒⋆
i watched nosferatu today and i need more vampire vibes in my life rn.
🦇dracula retelling
🥀gothic romance
🍷set in boston 1897
♡ i rented from kindle unlimited ♡
i was really enjoying this at first but it started to drag towards the middle and im sooo bored. it's around 300 pages but it feels like 1,000 i have no desire to pick it back up :')
⋆⭒˚.⋆pre~read⋆.˚⭒⋆
i watched nosferatu today and i need more vampire vibes in my life rn.
🦇dracula retelling
🥀gothic romance
🍷set in boston 1897
♡ i rented from kindle unlimited ♡
June 30, 2020
I enjoyed this one a lot.
It was an old classic reimagined with a new spin and a fresh voice that shone brightly throughout.
I've always loved the gothic atmosphere that Dracula imparts and I felt that this author managed to capture the whole flavour of that era brilliantly.
The prose and language were just so lyrical and old-worldly.
I also loved how this focused on the developing feelings and relationship dynamic of Vlad and Maxine while at the same time showing the hunters intentions but not making that the focus here.
Instead allowing this to belong to Vlad and Maxine and their burgeoning affections.
It brought something so unique to this instead of just traversing old familiar paths.
There were also familiar names woven into the narrative that I again recognised but even with that inclusion of covered ground this still felt so fresh and original.
I loved Maxine her strength and inner resilience was very apparent.
She was strong-willed and also very pragmatic and Maxine hadn’t allowed the many dark experiences in her short life to taint her soul.
Her calmness of spirit and empathetic acceptance was like a balm almost and when Vlad and Maxine’s souls danced they were like true counter opposites that both attract and repel opposing magnets even.
I adored Vlad in all his unapologetic sinister wickedness and darkness.
I found him just so fascinating and refreshing in the way he owned his darkness completely.
He was ancient and his longevity definitely played a part in who he was.
I liked that he showed himself in all his entirety to Maxine.
absolutely no illusions of what he was capable of and that she fell hard for him anyway despite his sins.
Maxine accepted him and his many transgressions as a whole which in a way made her regard more impressive.
The finale here was also great and I’m looking forward to reading the final part of this story.
Thankfully I don’t have to wait long as it is out very soon.
This one gets a thumbs up from me.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of Heart Of Dracula.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
September 8, 2020
4.25 Stars
I actually, surprisingly, really loved this one! I haven't read too many Dracula retellings, and while this one was a bit more mild and mellow, I still really enjoyed it and the historical feel. The steaminess and the tension with Vlad was the best, and I like how he wasn't made into necessarily a "good" character. He was sweet towards the heroine most of the time, but I liked seeing his deceiving self the most. I didn't like how he felt a bit weak in the climax though after all that talk, but based on the ending, I'm hoping he will go all out and show off in the next book.
I'm seeing that some people thought it was boring and I think the third person POV may have contributed to that, I wasn't a fan of it, but since I just watched Vampire Knight and Castlevania on Netflix, this was just what I needed haha. Hopefully the next book is even better though!
I actually, surprisingly, really loved this one! I haven't read too many Dracula retellings, and while this one was a bit more mild and mellow, I still really enjoyed it and the historical feel. The steaminess and the tension with Vlad was the best, and I like how he wasn't made into necessarily a "good" character. He was sweet towards the heroine most of the time, but I liked seeing his deceiving self the most. I didn't like how he felt a bit weak in the climax though after all that talk, but based on the ending, I'm hoping he will go all out and show off in the next book.
I'm seeing that some people thought it was boring and I think the third person POV may have contributed to that, I wasn't a fan of it, but since I just watched Vampire Knight and Castlevania on Netflix, this was just what I needed haha. Hopefully the next book is even better though!
July 1, 2020
I love this author. I love this Dracula and the heroine is not so bad herself. As always, I can't wait to read the next one.
July 24, 2020
I like this author, I always try to read her books ever since my introduction to her by The Mask of Under series which I loved.
I thought that would hold true for this book but it didn't. The premise is great but the dialogue felt so wooden to me. I was tempted to attribute it to this being set in the 1800s but my introductions to reading was by reading HR/literature. There just wasn't enough to interest me in their lives.
I thought the heroine would be akin to Lydia from MOU or even Veil , that supposition turned out to be wrong as well. She was timorous lacking a confidence I have come to expect from this author's heroines. Dracula wasn't that interesting either, he was a poor facsimile of Aon. The "I love you's" actually annoyed me to be honest, they had several conversations and all of a sudden the "I love you's" started flying around.
I can see them falling in love, Maxine who kills who ever touches her, Dracula who has lived thousands of years in loneliness. I get the attraction but I didn't feel as though they were at that point yet but what do I know.
If you haven't read King Of Flames, you should pick it up. Lydia was how I expect a normal person to act when they realize their world isn't as it seems.
I thought that would hold true for this book but it didn't. The premise is great but the dialogue felt so wooden to me. I was tempted to attribute it to this being set in the 1800s but my introductions to reading was by reading HR/literature. There just wasn't enough to interest me in their lives.
I thought the heroine would be akin to Lydia from MOU or even Veil , that supposition turned out to be wrong as well. She was timorous lacking a confidence I have come to expect from this author's heroines. Dracula wasn't that interesting either, he was a poor facsimile of Aon. The "I love you's" actually annoyed me to be honest, they had several conversations and all of a sudden the "I love you's" started flying around.
I can see them falling in love, Maxine who kills who ever touches her, Dracula who has lived thousands of years in loneliness. I get the attraction but I didn't feel as though they were at that point yet but what do I know.
If you haven't read King Of Flames, you should pick it up. Lydia was how I expect a normal person to act when they realize their world isn't as it seems.
July 6, 2020
When one of my favorite authors writes a Dracula retelling, you bet I'm going to read it(and love it)!
Heart of Dracula has a heroine who is quite different from the ones that I've previously seen in the author's books! Maxine Parker is an empath and her gift is also a curse as it sets her apart from others and makes it difficult for her to touch others. She can literally kill people with her touch(gave me Shatter Me vibes)!
And though she hasn't let her experiences change her, she's still lonely you know? In comes a group of hunters who seek her help. Dracula has come to lay claim to Boston and the vampire hunters think that she could help them in locating and defeating him. Just by seeking her out they've put her in the sights of the vampires and there's no way out for Maxine, so she agrees to help them. Little does she know that Dracula has found her now too! And how hard he'll find it to let her go!
What I loved about this book, other than the characters, was the fact that the storyline and everything is completely original! We've got elements of the original Dracula in here, but everything else is completely new and it's more like the events in Dracula took place before this one. So that was quite refreshing and I was pulled in by this vivid, new world that Kathryn Ann Kingsley had created!
Maxine was an amazing protagonist! She is a little naive and sheltered, but that doesn't make her meek or stupid. She knows when to take her stand and when to let things go. She's also very intelligent and I loved the way she viewed the world and the people around her.
“All we are, in the end, is a product of our context.” She continued to circle her fingers along the wood grooves thoughtfully. “A series of events that surround us and define us. You are what you are because of the life you have lived. Some of it was your doing, much of it was not. But it is what created you all the same.”
I loved watching her grow and become stronger in this book! The more she interacted with the hunters and Vlad, the bolder she became! She was pulled in by the possibilities that Vlad offered her( the ones that she'd never thought were possible) and at the same time she's not blind to the danger he presents. I loved the interactions between Vlad and her!
Vlad is so ancient and mysterious, but at one point you do feel sorry for him too. It won't justify all the actions and the pain that he's caused but one can't help but root for him to get the girl.
And come on, he could charm the pants off a grandma with declarations like these!
“When this world burns to dust, and the sun swallows it whole, I will have seen all of humanity come and go before me. I can control the nature of the world around me. I am expert in what is real, my darling. If you are a dream, then it is one from which I do not ever wish to be woken.”
How can one not fall in love with Kathryn Ann Kingsley's villains? Lol.
He has almost beat Aon from the top of my list. I'll have to read the next book before I make the final judgement! :P
Plus there are so many tidbits sprinkled here and there about his past and there definitely must be a reason for him to capture a city everytime! Can't wait to find out more!
*I was provided with an ARC in exchange for an honest review*
Heart of Dracula has a heroine who is quite different from the ones that I've previously seen in the author's books! Maxine Parker is an empath and her gift is also a curse as it sets her apart from others and makes it difficult for her to touch others. She can literally kill people with her touch(gave me Shatter Me vibes)!
And though she hasn't let her experiences change her, she's still lonely you know? In comes a group of hunters who seek her help. Dracula has come to lay claim to Boston and the vampire hunters think that she could help them in locating and defeating him. Just by seeking her out they've put her in the sights of the vampires and there's no way out for Maxine, so she agrees to help them. Little does she know that Dracula has found her now too! And how hard he'll find it to let her go!
What I loved about this book, other than the characters, was the fact that the storyline and everything is completely original! We've got elements of the original Dracula in here, but everything else is completely new and it's more like the events in Dracula took place before this one. So that was quite refreshing and I was pulled in by this vivid, new world that Kathryn Ann Kingsley had created!
Maxine was an amazing protagonist! She is a little naive and sheltered, but that doesn't make her meek or stupid. She knows when to take her stand and when to let things go. She's also very intelligent and I loved the way she viewed the world and the people around her.
“All we are, in the end, is a product of our context.” She continued to circle her fingers along the wood grooves thoughtfully. “A series of events that surround us and define us. You are what you are because of the life you have lived. Some of it was your doing, much of it was not. But it is what created you all the same.”
I loved watching her grow and become stronger in this book! The more she interacted with the hunters and Vlad, the bolder she became! She was pulled in by the possibilities that Vlad offered her( the ones that she'd never thought were possible) and at the same time she's not blind to the danger he presents. I loved the interactions between Vlad and her!
Vlad is so ancient and mysterious, but at one point you do feel sorry for him too. It won't justify all the actions and the pain that he's caused but one can't help but root for him to get the girl.
And come on, he could charm the pants off a grandma with declarations like these!
“When this world burns to dust, and the sun swallows it whole, I will have seen all of humanity come and go before me. I can control the nature of the world around me. I am expert in what is real, my darling. If you are a dream, then it is one from which I do not ever wish to be woken.”
How can one not fall in love with Kathryn Ann Kingsley's villains? Lol.
He has almost beat Aon from the top of my list. I'll have to read the next book before I make the final judgement! :P
Plus there are so many tidbits sprinkled here and there about his past and there definitely must be a reason for him to capture a city everytime! Can't wait to find out more!
*I was provided with an ARC in exchange for an honest review*
September 6, 2022
I have fun reading this Dracula (sequel?)reimagining.
It had a strong Fan-Fic aura to it. In the way it was sexy and fast-paced and free to explore whatever dynamic the author fancied while creating the world.
Kingsley’s stories are amazing because they are written by someone who clearly grew loving villains and finding them more fascinating and worthy of the spotlight than any righteous hero.
I love her villains, how cruel they are, but also how playful and mischievous. I can’t get enough them.
I loved her “villain in disguise” trope here too,
The mutual attraction started too early for my taste and, apart from the couple interaction, there was very little supporting plot.
I liked Maxine, but I didn’t see her exceptionality as the Count clearly did.
The same goes for the good-girl falling for this type of monster... give them (and us, readers) a little more time and story developing to really see them together.
Too insa-Love for me.
I loved the entire supporting cast, old vampires, a demon, the two younger Hunters; but they had way too little page-time (or even story of their own to tell).
*Side note. While I’m loving how Kingsley’s stories are slowly becoming more diverse and less heteronormative, I wish someday soon Kingsley writes one of her amazing villain romances with a She-monster as the unapologetically evil love-interest.
For example, quiet and prudent Walter; He could use same female villainous spice to his existence.
And Zadok, come on. Please, he could really fall for a sweet and innocent Eddie the Hunter-type of guy.
Edit after trying reading book2
The second part was so boring. I shouldn’t have continued reading 🙁
It had a strong Fan-Fic aura to it. In the way it was sexy and fast-paced and free to explore whatever dynamic the author fancied while creating the world.
Kingsley’s stories are amazing because they are written by someone who clearly grew loving villains and finding them more fascinating and worthy of the spotlight than any righteous hero.
I love her villains, how cruel they are, but also how playful and mischievous. I can’t get enough them.
I loved her “villain in disguise” trope here too,
The mutual attraction started too early for my taste and, apart from the couple interaction, there was very little supporting plot.
I liked Maxine, but I didn’t see her exceptionality as the Count clearly did.
The same goes for the good-girl falling for this type of monster... give them (and us, readers) a little more time and story developing to really see them together.
Too insa-Love for me.
I loved the entire supporting cast, old vampires, a demon, the two younger Hunters; but they had way too little page-time (or even story of their own to tell).
*Side note. While I’m loving how Kingsley’s stories are slowly becoming more diverse and less heteronormative, I wish someday soon Kingsley writes one of her amazing villain romances with a She-monster as the unapologetically evil love-interest.
For example, quiet and prudent Walter; He could use same female villainous spice to his existence.
And Zadok, come on. Please, he could really fall for a sweet and innocent Eddie the Hunter-type of guy.
Edit after trying reading book2
The second part was so boring. I shouldn’t have continued reading 🙁
Read
July 28, 2020No rating because I DNF at around 50%
Ugh. I always try to finish books so I can leave a fair review and rating, but I didn't finish this one, so here are my short thoughts, and my no rating.
Okay. So this is a retelling of Dracula, where Dracula gets the girl. Nice. We're all tired of the good guys getting it all. But I had problems with Dracula. I found him very plain and boring and quite predictable. I had problems with Maxine, as well. She was a boring main character for me and I didn't connect in the characters and could not see an engaging plot developing.
So with that, I stopped.
Ugh. I always try to finish books so I can leave a fair review and rating, but I didn't finish this one, so here are my short thoughts, and my no rating.
Okay. So this is a retelling of Dracula, where Dracula gets the girl. Nice. We're all tired of the good guys getting it all. But I had problems with Dracula. I found him very plain and boring and quite predictable. I had problems with Maxine, as well. She was a boring main character for me and I didn't connect in the characters and could not see an engaging plot developing.
So with that, I stopped.
September 30, 2025
How did I not know this book existed. I love the original Dracula but I love a Dracula love story too. And this delivered. I am obsessed with their scenes together. I love Maxine too! Seriously has become a favorite of mine. This author is about to get a lot of business from me. Damn read this
June 14, 2020
This. Was. Amazing.
Vampires have been my very favourite since I was 13 and picked up several series of books, including The Vampire Chronicles. There is something to fascinating about them.
Unfortunately, vampires in novels have been done so much, and have increasingly lost that fascination and allure and demoted to pretty boys with six packs, who just happen to have fangs.
Vampires are...other. They do not look human and they are not driven my human morals. Any rationalbyuman should find thembdeeply disturbing, yet some sick and morbid fascination draws us to them anyway.
There is also something incredibly tragic about the figure of the Vampire. I think this is what I always found Ann Rice did so well, walked that line between inhuman monster and sympathy.
Well, this book was utterly delightful and refreshing because Vlad is exactly how a vampire should be and I loved every second of it.
If you've read any of the author's books before then you know they are classified as villain romance, in that the hero of the talents very much the villain. I am always impressed that, while the characters are horrifying, they are sympathetic as well.
I also loved Maxine. Everything about her was so interesting and her attraction gland understanding ofbVlad made so much sense based on what her life was like. I think this might be my favourite book of the author's yet... Dare I say, move mover Book 2 Aon..?
If you love proper vampires, and can deal with villains, then I think you'll love this!
.
Vampires have been my very favourite since I was 13 and picked up several series of books, including The Vampire Chronicles. There is something to fascinating about them.
Unfortunately, vampires in novels have been done so much, and have increasingly lost that fascination and allure and demoted to pretty boys with six packs, who just happen to have fangs.
Vampires are...other. They do not look human and they are not driven my human morals. Any rationalbyuman should find thembdeeply disturbing, yet some sick and morbid fascination draws us to them anyway.
There is also something incredibly tragic about the figure of the Vampire. I think this is what I always found Ann Rice did so well, walked that line between inhuman monster and sympathy.
Well, this book was utterly delightful and refreshing because Vlad is exactly how a vampire should be and I loved every second of it.
If you've read any of the author's books before then you know they are classified as villain romance, in that the hero of the talents very much the villain. I am always impressed that, while the characters are horrifying, they are sympathetic as well.
I also loved Maxine. Everything about her was so interesting and her attraction gland understanding ofbVlad made so much sense based on what her life was like. I think this might be my favourite book of the author's yet... Dare I say, move mover Book 2 Aon..?
If you love proper vampires, and can deal with villains, then I think you'll love this!
.
September 26, 2024
⤷ ꒰ 4.5 ☆ ꒱
their tension was INSANE
their tension was INSANE
dnf
November 30, 2020DNF 83%
put this down and finally have to admit I don't think ill pick it up again atm.
Maybe another time
put this down and finally have to admit I don't think ill pick it up again atm.
Maybe another time
June 13, 2020
If cities were chessboards.....who would win?
I read this book as part of an ARC in return for an honest review. And I’m nothing, if not honest.......
Set in Boston in the late 1800’s, it follows the story of Maxine Parker, solitary empath joining forces with the three Vampire Hunters to take down the King of Vampires and his denizens who are hellbent on destroying the city and the residents within.
Dracula, of all the villains that the author has created before, is the most enticing. Humans are as imperceptible to immortals as ants are to us and yet, a man (or woman) may move a mountain. And what a mountain of a man he is. He is evil incarnate, a monster, ruthless and has done and will continue to do unspeakable things. There are men and there are forces of nature. God help her, because I’m not sure anything could stop him getting what he wants and what he wants is her, body, soul and willing submission.
Their interactions and emerging relationship is an interesting one. She is human, despite her unique gifts, and he has the power to crush her in a heartbeat and yet it’s a discovery of what a sheep can mean to a lion. She is a fantastically written character. Quiet, composed, accepting, almost demur and yet with an inner steel, strong convictions and hidden passion that make her such a great heroine to match him. What role will she play in his life?.....fleeting, permanent, toy, saviour...... To the world he is a monster, to our heroine, he can be oddly romantic, tender and actually quite endearing at times. He is dark in so many ways and yet there is a flicker of lightness too. Through his memories you can almost understand how he came to be as he is and strangely, accept it even if you don’t agree with it. He is intriguing and a very fresh take on a classic character.
Lastly, I will say having read all the authors previous works that this is her best so far hands down. Not just the story and concept which is a fresh take on an old classic but this is a whole new level of creative writing, taking a very good author to a great author. The descriptive style, scene setting, immersive detail elevate this book to new heights. It’s dark, extremely clever and frankly beautifully written.
I read this book as part of an ARC in return for an honest review. And I’m nothing, if not honest.......
Set in Boston in the late 1800’s, it follows the story of Maxine Parker, solitary empath joining forces with the three Vampire Hunters to take down the King of Vampires and his denizens who are hellbent on destroying the city and the residents within.
Dracula, of all the villains that the author has created before, is the most enticing. Humans are as imperceptible to immortals as ants are to us and yet, a man (or woman) may move a mountain. And what a mountain of a man he is. He is evil incarnate, a monster, ruthless and has done and will continue to do unspeakable things. There are men and there are forces of nature. God help her, because I’m not sure anything could stop him getting what he wants and what he wants is her, body, soul and willing submission.
Their interactions and emerging relationship is an interesting one. She is human, despite her unique gifts, and he has the power to crush her in a heartbeat and yet it’s a discovery of what a sheep can mean to a lion. She is a fantastically written character. Quiet, composed, accepting, almost demur and yet with an inner steel, strong convictions and hidden passion that make her such a great heroine to match him. What role will she play in his life?.....fleeting, permanent, toy, saviour...... To the world he is a monster, to our heroine, he can be oddly romantic, tender and actually quite endearing at times. He is dark in so many ways and yet there is a flicker of lightness too. Through his memories you can almost understand how he came to be as he is and strangely, accept it even if you don’t agree with it. He is intriguing and a very fresh take on a classic character.
Lastly, I will say having read all the authors previous works that this is her best so far hands down. Not just the story and concept which is a fresh take on an old classic but this is a whole new level of creative writing, taking a very good author to a great author. The descriptive style, scene setting, immersive detail elevate this book to new heights. It’s dark, extremely clever and frankly beautifully written.
May 21, 2023
3'5 stars 🤍
Hmm I'm kinda dissappointed, but I think it was my own fault LMFAO.
I'm not gonna lie, I was expecting smth similar to a dowry of blood (one of my favs of all time), and well, the only similar thing is that is about Dracula.
I loved the vibes and the power of Maxine, I thought it was really interesting, but for the rest... I feel like nothing really happened??? I don't know. I was expecting more plot, so at the end I was like meh. I have to say that I liked the writing style tho, it matchs with the vibes
I'll read the next book? Probably, but for now I'm not really interested. Aaah I'm sad bc I thought it would be one of my favs😭😭😭.
Hmm I'm kinda dissappointed, but I think it was my own fault LMFAO.
I'm not gonna lie, I was expecting smth similar to a dowry of blood (one of my favs of all time), and well, the only similar thing is that is about Dracula.
I loved the vibes and the power of Maxine, I thought it was really interesting, but for the rest... I feel like nothing really happened??? I don't know. I was expecting more plot, so at the end I was like meh. I have to say that I liked the writing style tho, it matchs with the vibes
I'll read the next book? Probably, but for now I'm not really interested. Aaah I'm sad bc I thought it would be one of my favs😭😭😭.
January 30, 2021
4.5 stars - I absolutely loved this
This book served me a villain romance between the king of vampires and a secluded empath. I absolutely loved the secret yearning and constant denial of something she wants, but should not. Their chemistry was amazing to read. The writing was beautiful and I loved the setting of Victorian era Boston. I’m excited to read the next book!
This book served me a villain romance between the king of vampires and a secluded empath. I absolutely loved the secret yearning and constant denial of something she wants, but should not. Their chemistry was amazing to read. The writing was beautiful and I loved the setting of Victorian era Boston. I’m excited to read the next book!
June 17, 2020
Fall under Count Dracula's spell in this wickedly fabulous revision of a classic favorite
Fantasy is and always has been of my favorite genres and Count Dracula was one of my first true villain crushes.
There is something fascinating and enticing about a man who sold his soul for revenge. Who traded his humanity to seek justice on those who killed his one true love because of their misplaced zealot beliefs.
And Kingsleys Vlad?
He is the poster child for "misunderstood" villains
"Light the torches, bring your weapons, and stop me if you can. You will fail. And when you do - when you kneel - it will be at my feet. "
Where to start 😲
As in true Kingsley fashion, she has taken a classic and warped it - just a touch mind you - offering her readers a labyrinth of possibilities that push the boundaries on what is plausible.
An offering of dark carnal delights that tempt the most stoic of readers to take a taste from the darker side
Props to our heroine Maxine! She is level headed (thank the darkness) and takes the steps to see the whole picture before jumping to hysterics.
Why cry over spilled milk?
Maxine is touched (not like that 🙄 ) She is an empath, and a strong one. Her gift also comes with a darker aspect one which prevents her from engaging in skin to skin contact.
She has accepted that this is her lot in life. Truly, what's a gal to do?
Vlad ...
What can I say.... licked him he's mine 🤸♀️
Seriously though he has far exceeded my previous Vlad crushes.
I could recap the blurb for you but I'm not 🙄 I will tell you that this was an amazing read. I was easily sucked in and found myself resurfacing a few hours later. It was one of those reads that I could clearly see the events as they unfolded. I could hear the characters' voices. The cheeky playboy. The stout second in command. The older soldier who looked upon you as though you were his child. The dreamer. The female warrior filled with hope. The warlord who resonated death.
And the empath who saw behind the veils.
I heard every sound
Experienced every touch
Bent to every blow
Need to collect my thoughts and chillax - book hangover in progress
Oh, and this ends on a cliffy 👀
I read an ARC and I bought the paperback 🤗
Fantasy is and always has been of my favorite genres and Count Dracula was one of my first true villain crushes.
There is something fascinating and enticing about a man who sold his soul for revenge. Who traded his humanity to seek justice on those who killed his one true love because of their misplaced zealot beliefs.
And Kingsleys Vlad?
He is the poster child for "misunderstood" villains
"Light the torches, bring your weapons, and stop me if you can. You will fail. And when you do - when you kneel - it will be at my feet. "
Where to start 😲
As in true Kingsley fashion, she has taken a classic and warped it - just a touch mind you - offering her readers a labyrinth of possibilities that push the boundaries on what is plausible.
An offering of dark carnal delights that tempt the most stoic of readers to take a taste from the darker side
Props to our heroine Maxine! She is level headed (thank the darkness) and takes the steps to see the whole picture before jumping to hysterics.
Why cry over spilled milk?
Maxine is touched (not like that 🙄 ) She is an empath, and a strong one. Her gift also comes with a darker aspect one which prevents her from engaging in skin to skin contact.
She has accepted that this is her lot in life. Truly, what's a gal to do?
Vlad ...
What can I say.... licked him he's mine 🤸♀️
Seriously though he has far exceeded my previous Vlad crushes.
I could recap the blurb for you but I'm not 🙄 I will tell you that this was an amazing read. I was easily sucked in and found myself resurfacing a few hours later. It was one of those reads that I could clearly see the events as they unfolded. I could hear the characters' voices. The cheeky playboy. The stout second in command. The older soldier who looked upon you as though you were his child. The dreamer. The female warrior filled with hope. The warlord who resonated death.
And the empath who saw behind the veils.
I heard every sound
Experienced every touch
Bent to every blow
Need to collect my thoughts and chillax - book hangover in progress
Oh, and this ends on a cliffy 👀
I read an ARC and I bought the paperback 🤗
March 27, 2025
Hornyness + loneliness = mankind's doom?
Had potential but there was too much repetition without decent exposition. The absolute cheek of a cliffhanger as well after all that rambling.
This could have been an e-mail.
Had potential but there was too much repetition without decent exposition. The absolute cheek of a cliffhanger as well after all that rambling.
This could have been an e-mail.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 26, 2025
Literally stared at my ceiling in awe after I finished this - it did everything I wanted it to do and more 🤌🏼
July 3, 2020
* An advanced reading copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. *
3.5 stars
To my eternal regret this book was not one of my favorites. Mostly because I'm so sick of vampire stories. But I gave this book a chance. Of course I did. One of my favorite authors + main character with interesting powers + Dracula = guaranteed to catch my attention
It's always interesting for me to read Dracula stories. Since his legend comes from my country it's intriguing and amusing sometimes to see how he's portrayed. For example in this book he's addressed as Vlad Tepes Dracula which was kind of weird because "Dracula" is like a title. Roughly translated it means "The Devil". So every time someone said his whole name it seemed so ominous.
But other than that the story was pretty good. The secondary characters, twisted and kinda' evil, were amazing.
Our main character, Maxine, has some awesome abilities but they also made her so vulnerable and naive.
My issue with this book was, as usual with vampire stories, the romance. In so many books they are so difficult because the vast age difference is problematic, the mind control makes things shady and, depending on the situation, the whole biting/blood drinking is not really that sexy.
In 'Heart of Dracula" the romance developed way too fast and felt incomplete. Maxine was too innocent and Vlad was too fixated for the love story to be compelling.
Overall the book was good, just not completely to my taste. I'll most likely read the next one and maybe it'll convince me the add this series to my 'favorites' shelf.
7/10 would recommend.
3.5 stars
To my eternal regret this book was not one of my favorites. Mostly because I'm so sick of vampire stories. But I gave this book a chance. Of course I did. One of my favorite authors + main character with interesting powers + Dracula = guaranteed to catch my attention
It's always interesting for me to read Dracula stories. Since his legend comes from my country it's intriguing and amusing sometimes to see how he's portrayed. For example in this book he's addressed as Vlad Tepes Dracula which was kind of weird because "Dracula" is like a title. Roughly translated it means "The Devil". So every time someone said his whole name it seemed so ominous.
But other than that the story was pretty good. The secondary characters, twisted and kinda' evil, were amazing.
Our main character, Maxine, has some awesome abilities but they also made her so vulnerable and naive.
My issue with this book was, as usual with vampire stories, the romance. In so many books they are so difficult because the vast age difference is problematic, the mind control makes things shady and, depending on the situation, the whole biting/blood drinking is not really that sexy.
In 'Heart of Dracula" the romance developed way too fast and felt incomplete. Maxine was too innocent and Vlad was too fixated for the love story to be compelling.
Overall the book was good, just not completely to my taste. I'll most likely read the next one and maybe it'll convince me the add this series to my 'favorites' shelf.
7/10 would recommend.
July 12, 2020
Loved It
*mild spoilers*
Growing up, my favourite film was always Bram Stokers DRACULA. I was entranced by the idea of the dark and villainous (yet erotic ) Dracula having his love interest in Mina.
The film was a horror but also a poignant love story.
Kat's book captures all the elements of the tale that I so loved. The slow and dark seduction, the magic and powers, the discovery of each other. I love books where the hero IS the villain, a true villain, and there's the one special lady who is exempt from the horrors. To an recipient of a true villains affection would be heady thing- the lengths and passions they go to exceed a normal good guys.
Can't wait for the next one, well done Ms Kingsley in achieving the perfect blend of horror/romance.
"VILLAIN GETS THE GIRL" is my favourite style.
*mild spoilers*
Growing up, my favourite film was always Bram Stokers DRACULA. I was entranced by the idea of the dark and villainous (yet erotic ) Dracula having his love interest in Mina.
The film was a horror but also a poignant love story.
Kat's book captures all the elements of the tale that I so loved. The slow and dark seduction, the magic and powers, the discovery of each other. I love books where the hero IS the villain, a true villain, and there's the one special lady who is exempt from the horrors. To an recipient of a true villains affection would be heady thing- the lengths and passions they go to exceed a normal good guys.
Can't wait for the next one, well done Ms Kingsley in achieving the perfect blend of horror/romance.
"VILLAIN GETS THE GIRL" is my favourite style.
December 11, 2021
"He wondered if she yet realized the chains in her hand did not run to her own neck. They ran to his."
This is a gem of vampire romance.
The inner conflict of Maxine falling for the Evil Vampire King, being torn between love and utter revolt against his actions.
Fear, desire, need.
I absolutely fell in love with this and it might even be my favourite book ever. The characters, the smooth writing, the setting.
Especially the pacing! Every chapter was so intense until the very end. This might seem odd but I don't recall ever reading a book where I didn't think "this is just filler stuff and not contributing to anything".
I do love the 19th century setting, since I'm not a fan of contemporary vampire stuff. It just gives the book and the characters a whole different flair.
This is a gem of vampire romance.
The inner conflict of Maxine falling for the Evil Vampire King, being torn between love and utter revolt against his actions.
Fear, desire, need.
I absolutely fell in love with this and it might even be my favourite book ever. The characters, the smooth writing, the setting.
Especially the pacing! Every chapter was so intense until the very end. This might seem odd but I don't recall ever reading a book where I didn't think "this is just filler stuff and not contributing to anything".
I do love the 19th century setting, since I'm not a fan of contemporary vampire stuff. It just gives the book and the characters a whole different flair.
September 9, 2020
DNF. Boring. The heroine was boring. The hero was boring. The plot was boring. The writing wasn't bad, it was just boring. I probably could have suffered through this and finished it but it was just so boring.
July 31, 2023
I really liked the actual plot but seeing that the author is a screen writer makes a lot of sense considering there wasn’t really any imagery. Her writing style lacked a bit for me but I am picking up the second book
July 4, 2020
Started from fanfiction now she here!
Damn, this is a great version of Dracula, can't wait for the second.
Damn, this is a great version of Dracula, can't wait for the second.
Want to read
October 7, 2021🎁 FREE on Amazon today (10/22/2020)! 🎁
December 19, 2024
honestly? vlad could eat my ass. not even sorry about it.
July 2, 2020
My heart is so overwhelmed, but I shouldn't be surprised since every book I have read by Kathryn Ann Kingsley (and I can say with a degree of smugness that I have read all her published works till date) has inspired this kind of an emotional reaction from me. Heart of Dracula is beautifully written - with rich, indulgent prose you expect from a late nineteenth century novel, which is when the events of this book are set - and the characters feel incredibly complex and vibrant, as if they want to reach out from inside the book. I can tell this is a labour of love, not just from reading the heartwarming foreword, but also from the gradual and deliberate nurturing of the story. It is also testament to Kingsley's evolution as a writer, with her only getting more skilful with time.
The most important thing in a romance (regardless of what other genre it's situated in) is making a reader feel invested in the romance itself. Vlad and Maxine as a couple are just so cosmically beautiful together. As powerless as Maxine feels most times, albeit justifiably so, in the face of a creature of myth and legend as Dracula, I don't think there are any other re-tellings of Dracula that have a Dracula and his beloved who are this well-matched as rounded individual characters in their own right. Their specific circumstances further justifies their parity. One who has been neither alive nor dead for far too long a period of time, and the other who has lived and died (even though vicariously) far too much in far too short a time. And the tragedies of their individual lives, while in no way comparable, adds intensity to the pathos of their romance and deepens their belonging. I think this was explored especially well during the internal monologue Vlad has about Maxine which leads up to the simple but poignant articulation, "She was a warm hearth, and he was so cold."
The protagonist and the first person narrator for the most part was Maxine and we enter the world of nineteenth century Boston beset with mystery and magic through her eyes. She is an admirable and endearing mix of quiet courage, fierce intelligence and rational forthrightness, on the one hand, and being fatalistic, arrogant in her moral high ground and lacking in emotional self-awareness on the other. The irony of an empath who is out of touch with her own emotions is not lost and something that the character is forced to confront, just as she comes to acknowledge the ultimate dubiousness of her beliefs about her morality and even question her fatalism. Despite this, Maxine is still very much the moral centre of the story and her constant agonizing over her desires and what they imply for who she is, is ultimately important for the narrative to retain its necessary ambivalence about loving the "wrong man". Speaking of, Vlad himself turned out to be just as much of a compelling character as Maxine. I can't love him the way Maxine does, but I did find myself falling in love with him in unexpected ways. The way he intellectually challenges Maxine, and his acknowledgement of and convictions about his own moral greyness earned him my respect. (Spoiler alert: Dracula is an eco-fascist!) Furthermore, his verbal smackdown of Alfonso van Helsing about violence against women was deeply satisfying to read.
The prolific but soft world-building and Maxine's place in it was an absolute joy to experience. I much prefer soft world-building to hard world-building as the former allows so much more room for the reader's imagination and for an element of wonder, and the response of wonder is in my opinion one of the best responses a work of fantasy can evoke. And the magic and mystery surrounding Dracula, his creations, and Maxine herself, her powers and her responses to the events around her does exactly that. Kingsley's strenght as a storyteller shines particularly in the way she uses pre-existing Dracula lore and canon and weaves it together with her own imaginative creations. One of my absolute favourite scenes, what I call in my head "the Jonathan Harker encounter", is an excellent example of this. Without spoiling what it involved, I would say that it was a masterfully crafted section that worked simultaneously as a plot-twist that I did not at all see coming, a clever nod to Bram Stoker's Dracula and the place of Kingsley's book in the Dracula universe, and a smooth plot device to further the narrative even as it gives the initial impression of digressing. And the future revelation of deceit involved in this "encounter" takes nothing away from it - if anything, it somehow manages to add further to how delightful the encounter was. This was so clever that it had me clapping in manic glee! I love it when writers do genuinely brilliant things with their already great stories, and this was definitely one of them.
Overall, I found Heart of Dracula an excellent read that I shall be re-reading several times in the future, as I eagerly await the sequel and finale Curse of Dracula.
The most important thing in a romance (regardless of what other genre it's situated in) is making a reader feel invested in the romance itself. Vlad and Maxine as a couple are just so cosmically beautiful together. As powerless as Maxine feels most times, albeit justifiably so, in the face of a creature of myth and legend as Dracula, I don't think there are any other re-tellings of Dracula that have a Dracula and his beloved who are this well-matched as rounded individual characters in their own right. Their specific circumstances further justifies their parity. One who has been neither alive nor dead for far too long a period of time, and the other who has lived and died (even though vicariously) far too much in far too short a time. And the tragedies of their individual lives, while in no way comparable, adds intensity to the pathos of their romance and deepens their belonging. I think this was explored especially well during the internal monologue Vlad has about Maxine which leads up to the simple but poignant articulation, "She was a warm hearth, and he was so cold."
The protagonist and the first person narrator for the most part was Maxine and we enter the world of nineteenth century Boston beset with mystery and magic through her eyes. She is an admirable and endearing mix of quiet courage, fierce intelligence and rational forthrightness, on the one hand, and being fatalistic, arrogant in her moral high ground and lacking in emotional self-awareness on the other. The irony of an empath who is out of touch with her own emotions is not lost and something that the character is forced to confront, just as she comes to acknowledge the ultimate dubiousness of her beliefs about her morality and even question her fatalism. Despite this, Maxine is still very much the moral centre of the story and her constant agonizing over her desires and what they imply for who she is, is ultimately important for the narrative to retain its necessary ambivalence about loving the "wrong man". Speaking of, Vlad himself turned out to be just as much of a compelling character as Maxine. I can't love him the way Maxine does, but I did find myself falling in love with him in unexpected ways. The way he intellectually challenges Maxine, and his acknowledgement of and convictions about his own moral greyness earned him my respect. (Spoiler alert: Dracula is an eco-fascist!) Furthermore, his verbal smackdown of Alfonso van Helsing about violence against women was deeply satisfying to read.
The prolific but soft world-building and Maxine's place in it was an absolute joy to experience. I much prefer soft world-building to hard world-building as the former allows so much more room for the reader's imagination and for an element of wonder, and the response of wonder is in my opinion one of the best responses a work of fantasy can evoke. And the magic and mystery surrounding Dracula, his creations, and Maxine herself, her powers and her responses to the events around her does exactly that. Kingsley's strenght as a storyteller shines particularly in the way she uses pre-existing Dracula lore and canon and weaves it together with her own imaginative creations. One of my absolute favourite scenes, what I call in my head "the Jonathan Harker encounter", is an excellent example of this. Without spoiling what it involved, I would say that it was a masterfully crafted section that worked simultaneously as a plot-twist that I did not at all see coming, a clever nod to Bram Stoker's Dracula and the place of Kingsley's book in the Dracula universe, and a smooth plot device to further the narrative even as it gives the initial impression of digressing. And the future revelation of deceit involved in this "encounter" takes nothing away from it - if anything, it somehow manages to add further to how delightful the encounter was. This was so clever that it had me clapping in manic glee! I love it when writers do genuinely brilliant things with their already great stories, and this was definitely one of them.
Overall, I found Heart of Dracula an excellent read that I shall be re-reading several times in the future, as I eagerly await the sequel and finale Curse of Dracula.
August 10, 2021
4 stars! Great read if you're in the mood for a paranormal villain romance. And I mean
villain
romance, it gets pretty dark. This is like a reimagining of Dracula, but set in 1800s Boston with a heroine who has magical empathic powers and the power to steal the soul of anyone who touches her skin.
The couple were actually pretty well-matched, if complete opposites. Vlad is cruel and cynical, Maxine is kind and hopeful. But they’re gentle with each other and understanding. I love that while Vlad was this God-like all-powerful vampire, Maxine could see right through his untouchable façade and rattle him with one of her observations.
The couple were actually pretty well-matched, if complete opposites. Vlad is cruel and cynical, Maxine is kind and hopeful. But they’re gentle with each other and understanding. I love that while Vlad was this God-like all-powerful vampire, Maxine could see right through his untouchable façade and rattle him with one of her observations.
"Do not mistake my kindness for weakness."This is the first in a duology, and this one ends on a cliffhanger.
He was furious. She saw it now, seething in his red eyes. The night had not gone the way he had wished it to. He had lost this round of the game and was now trying to make it very clear that the board was still his.
"I never would." She let her hands curl into the fabric of his coat. "Do not mistake my surrender for submission."
A dangerous grin flashed across his chiseled features, and she watched in fascinated horror as his canines grew long, sliding from his jaw like the fangs of a snake. "We shall see about that..."
February 19, 2022
“Sometimes I feel as if I’m only a dream.”
An enchanting and whirlwind retelling of Dracula. The writing blew me away as did the love story. It’s a short book that keeps you turning the pages. If you love gothic novels with a strong love story, then this is for you. I adore writing that sounds like the time period (late 1800s in here). Nothing worse than having modern language in a fantasy/historical novel,
Vlad gave me Jareth from labyrinth and Phantom from phantom of the opera vibes which I LOVED. I can’t wait to read the second book.
“Do it as much as you see fit. I will never be angry at you for it. Indeed, I may enjoy it.” He tilted his head to the side slightly as he watched her, as if the change in angle might provide him new insight. “Loathe me, love me, fight me, obey me—I will take it all with joy. But you have made your choice, and the moment has passed. You cannot escape me now.””
There were so many haunting quotes. I absolutely am ordering a hard copy so I can annotate and highlight my favorites.
An enchanting and whirlwind retelling of Dracula. The writing blew me away as did the love story. It’s a short book that keeps you turning the pages. If you love gothic novels with a strong love story, then this is for you. I adore writing that sounds like the time period (late 1800s in here). Nothing worse than having modern language in a fantasy/historical novel,
Vlad gave me Jareth from labyrinth and Phantom from phantom of the opera vibes which I LOVED. I can’t wait to read the second book.
“Do it as much as you see fit. I will never be angry at you for it. Indeed, I may enjoy it.” He tilted his head to the side slightly as he watched her, as if the change in angle might provide him new insight. “Loathe me, love me, fight me, obey me—I will take it all with joy. But you have made your choice, and the moment has passed. You cannot escape me now.””
There were so many haunting quotes. I absolutely am ordering a hard copy so I can annotate and highlight my favorites.
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