What do you think?
Rate this book
Marquis de Sade #1
Sips of Blood
The Marquis de Sade. The very name conjures images of decadence, torture, and dark desires. But even the worst rumors of his evil deeds are mere shades of the truth, for the world doesn't know what the Marquis became - they don't suspect he is one of the undead. And that he lives among us still. His tastes remain the same, only more pronounced. And his desire for blood has become a hunger.
358 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
18 people are currently reading
333 people want to read
About the author
Mary Ann Mitchell
27 books51 followersAs a child, Mary Ann Mitchell wrote short stories, essays, and poetry. When she was twelve she sent her short stories to the night editor of The Journal American, who encouraged her to send more. Her mother intercepted the letters and forbade her from writing. Seems some of the family’s dark secrets were oozing onto Mary Ann’s written pages. Her writing became secret and sporadic. Once she completed graduate school, she became a civil servant. Years later her husband asked her what her dream career would be. She quickly answered that she always wanted to be a novelist.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
September 12, 2017
Normally I don't care to read fictionalized accounts of real historical figures, but when Nenia told me this was free on Amazon, I downloaded it because VAMPIRES. And not just any vampires, but 90s vampires that aren't afraid of blood, one of whom is the Marquis de Sade. Of course, we set up a buddy-read as soon as possible, and now here we are.
The thing about Louis, the Marquis de Sade, is that he's not your average desirable vampire. No, he's fifty or sixty years old. He has white chest hair. He's five-two. Or is he desirable? He has flowing white hair, glowing beauty, and a butt most twenty-year-olds would envy. His physical description confused the shit out of me, I will admit. The gross part, though, is how he lusts after his teenaged niece, who he made into a vampire centuries earlier. Liliana is the broody one, the one who feels guilt at drinking from live humans. Then there's Marie, Louis's mother-in-law, who manages to snag much younger men with her see-what-I-want-and-take-it attitude. If I were a vampire, I'd definitely lust after my elderly neighbor's black-haired, tattooed son who doesn't really have his life together. I can't really blame Marie for that one.
I'm actually surprised at how much I enjoyed this. It was dark and really smutty in a way that added nothing to the plot, but served only to highlight how depraved and amoral the vampires are, and possibly provide readers with a bit of titillation. Every other chapter these vampires (and some of the humans) were getting tied up, whipped, cut, bled, bitten, the works. One of them was even doused with lighter fluid and then lit on fire, and lived to tell the tale. The quotes from de Sade's works were a nice touch.
I didn't mind that this was kind of a bad vampire novel. One of my favorite vampire movies is actually quite bad. This book was entertaining, with constant attempts at manipulation and occasional murders sprinkled in for fun. Yes, it was gross, although not always graphic. Yes, there were typos scattered throughout ("buttucks" appeared at least once, "to" instead of "too" was used a few times too often, and there was the inevitable confusion between "sank" and "sunk"). Yes, this verged on uncomfortable erotica territory. But we're talking about centuries-old vampires emerging in the 90s here. They do what they want, and they don't care who they kill. Even the good ones eventually tear someone up, and the so-called "sips of blood" become entire mouthfuls.
So yes, I will read more of this series.
The thing about Louis, the Marquis de Sade, is that he's not your average desirable vampire. No, he's fifty or sixty years old. He has white chest hair. He's five-two. Or is he desirable? He has flowing white hair, glowing beauty, and a butt most twenty-year-olds would envy. His physical description confused the shit out of me, I will admit. The gross part, though, is how he lusts after his teenaged niece, who he made into a vampire centuries earlier. Liliana is the broody one, the one who feels guilt at drinking from live humans. Then there's Marie, Louis's mother-in-law, who manages to snag much younger men with her see-what-I-want-and-take-it attitude. If I were a vampire, I'd definitely lust after my elderly neighbor's black-haired, tattooed son who doesn't really have his life together. I can't really blame Marie for that one.
I'm actually surprised at how much I enjoyed this. It was dark and really smutty in a way that added nothing to the plot, but served only to highlight how depraved and amoral the vampires are, and possibly provide readers with a bit of titillation. Every other chapter these vampires (and some of the humans) were getting tied up, whipped, cut, bled, bitten, the works. One of them was even doused with lighter fluid and then lit on fire, and lived to tell the tale. The quotes from de Sade's works were a nice touch.
I didn't mind that this was kind of a bad vampire novel. One of my favorite vampire movies is actually quite bad. This book was entertaining, with constant attempts at manipulation and occasional murders sprinkled in for fun. Yes, it was gross, although not always graphic. Yes, there were typos scattered throughout ("buttucks" appeared at least once, "to" instead of "too" was used a few times too often, and there was the inevitable confusion between "sank" and "sunk"). Yes, this verged on uncomfortable erotica territory. But we're talking about centuries-old vampires emerging in the 90s here. They do what they want, and they don't care who they kill. Even the good ones eventually tear someone up, and the so-called "sips of blood" become entire mouthfuls.
So yes, I will read more of this series.
January 25, 2020
2 stars--meh.
This book tries really hard to be edgy, with graphic sex and torture on nearly every page. But the dialogue was so bizarre and the characters so unrealistic that I only felt puzzled, not repulsed! Mediocre writing all around.
This book tries really hard to be edgy, with graphic sex and torture on nearly every page. But the dialogue was so bizarre and the characters so unrealistic that I only felt puzzled, not repulsed! Mediocre writing all around.
January 3, 2012
Hardcore vampire book. No baby shit twilight.
November 20, 2014
Smut...not even good smut. Good smut makes you feel a little giddy and is a guilty pleasure. This, well, was not that. This was the kind of smut that makes everything a little awkward. Like seeing something you really wish you hadn't. The characters were one note, and the only one I liked, ended up dead at the end. The others are whiney, sniveling, idiots who deserve to be meat puppets for the vampires. The vampires are so stupid tho, that they turn the meat puppets into vampires, so now we have generational, stupid, boring, vampires. It's a quick read, so it's not a huge waste of time. I think I got the book and the 2nd in the series for free, so it's ok mind candy, but if you want good vamporn, find something by J.R. Ward...THAT'S good smut!
December 7, 2012
this book was great, atleast in my opinion. If you liked 50 shades of grey you will love this book. Its a story that really brings you up close and personal with he Marquis de Sade and all the horrific things he was known for. The story is graphic and brings you inside Sade's head, as well as the head of everyone e holds dear. The story switches between the sadistic head of the Marquis, the obsessed mind of h's mother in law, and the gentle mind of his niece, who is not only te object of his sexual persuits, but also the only person he loves. This story is twisted, and delightful. I absolutely loved it.
October 21, 2010
To say this book was disturbing is not all this book is. I'm not into extreme BDSM so this was clearly not the book for me. I could say that it was well written and paints clear pictures in your head of an incestious romance but it doesn't in a way. It was odd, and as much as I love the paranormal this was more than a touch weird for me. If your into extreme and I do mean extreme BDSM and gore this would then be a book for you.
January 5, 2013
If you go into this thinking it will be a thought provoking, deeply character driven read - you're highly mistaken. This is nothing but good old fashioned horror/romance/fluff. There's a Grandma Dominatrix for petes sake! But, if you have a few hours to kill it's a good light book.
August 19, 2025
I found this novel at the local Salvation Army and ripped into it immediately upon reading the synopsis. Marquis de Sade as a vampire? Count me in one-thousand percent!
As someone who loves vampires, horror, erotica, and Marquis de Sade, I admit I’m biased toward enjoying this piece of writing. The idea is really fresh and interesting, and Mitchell clearly draws some inspiration from Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles, as hinted at by certain concepts in this novel. Marquis de Sade’s character definitely steals the show here -he was the only character with a consistently entertaining personality.
That being said, the book comes off a little amateurish due to the excessive amount of filler scenes. If it weren’t for the subject matter and the characters, the story itself would have bored me quite a lot. One of my biggest disappointments was that it was not historical fiction. I feel Mitchell wasted a lot of potential by limiting Sade to the drab environment of the modern day (the late 1990s at the time of writing). The dialogue also feels weird and unrealistic in many places. For example, an old man speaks to a young woman in an incredibly crude manner, yet he isn’t painted as a pervert or an inappropriate individual.
The pacing suffers as well. Relationships and events progress at an unnaturally rapid pace, which I blame on Mitchell not clearly identifying the passage of time. While Mitchell seems to be striving for deeper meaning in subject matter often considered crude and low-brow, I personally didn’t find that meaning.
Still, I did have a lot of fun with this book. It’s edgy, boundary-pushing, and unafraid to present the reader with challenging scenarios. But be warned, if you’re an upstanding citizen disgusted by degeneracy or perversion, you’ll probably want to steer clear. And probably don’t read it in public or where someone can look over your shoulder, as there’s a possibility you might get put on a watch list.
I'm giving it three stars because I enjoyed it enough to keep turning the pages and draw genuine entertainment from it.
As someone who loves vampires, horror, erotica, and Marquis de Sade, I admit I’m biased toward enjoying this piece of writing. The idea is really fresh and interesting, and Mitchell clearly draws some inspiration from Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles, as hinted at by certain concepts in this novel. Marquis de Sade’s character definitely steals the show here -he was the only character with a consistently entertaining personality.
That being said, the book comes off a little amateurish due to the excessive amount of filler scenes. If it weren’t for the subject matter and the characters, the story itself would have bored me quite a lot. One of my biggest disappointments was that it was not historical fiction. I feel Mitchell wasted a lot of potential by limiting Sade to the drab environment of the modern day (the late 1990s at the time of writing). The dialogue also feels weird and unrealistic in many places. For example, an old man speaks to a young woman in an incredibly crude manner, yet he isn’t painted as a pervert or an inappropriate individual.
The pacing suffers as well. Relationships and events progress at an unnaturally rapid pace, which I blame on Mitchell not clearly identifying the passage of time. While Mitchell seems to be striving for deeper meaning in subject matter often considered crude and low-brow, I personally didn’t find that meaning.
Still, I did have a lot of fun with this book. It’s edgy, boundary-pushing, and unafraid to present the reader with challenging scenarios. But be warned, if you’re an upstanding citizen disgusted by degeneracy or perversion, you’ll probably want to steer clear. And probably don’t read it in public or where someone can look over your shoulder, as there’s a possibility you might get put on a watch list.
I'm giving it three stars because I enjoyed it enough to keep turning the pages and draw genuine entertainment from it.
April 24, 2018
This is my 1st vampire theme book i had read since a decade ago by Christopher Pike. I picked it up because it was inspired by the notorious M de Sade and it won horror guild. I had to stop at 6th chapter as i found it hard to absorb. That was February. Only this month i restarted again from the beginning and just went through.
I sympathized with Liliana who wearied of never ending life. I despised Marie the dominatrix who stop at nothing to get what she wants. Neighbor Keith aversion toward Marie was not without basis and had to pay with his life for stand in between what Marie wanted. I quite like Wilbur conscience of responsibility and standing up dictating terms to Marie the cougar in comparison submissive Garrett.
For me, the end was a rush job. I wish before Marie being beheaded Louis will out pour his last venom of anger towards his MIL about things dated back from French Revolution. That will give better picture of his suffering since his wife death. It had not been properly explored. I also think that 1st chapter was hanging. Maybe it served as introduction to Louise Sade as vampire. I think the initiation ritual better be omitted as it didn't related to latter story line though it might made appearance in later installment. What Mitchell need was to smooth out in between premises to make it much better reading.
I sympathized with Liliana who wearied of never ending life. I despised Marie the dominatrix who stop at nothing to get what she wants. Neighbor Keith aversion toward Marie was not without basis and had to pay with his life for stand in between what Marie wanted. I quite like Wilbur conscience of responsibility and standing up dictating terms to Marie the cougar in comparison submissive Garrett.
For me, the end was a rush job. I wish before Marie being beheaded Louis will out pour his last venom of anger towards his MIL about things dated back from French Revolution. That will give better picture of his suffering since his wife death. It had not been properly explored. I also think that 1st chapter was hanging. Maybe it served as introduction to Louise Sade as vampire. I think the initiation ritual better be omitted as it didn't related to latter story line though it might made appearance in later installment. What Mitchell need was to smooth out in between premises to make it much better reading.
December 11, 2019
This book might be called "A Tale of Two Families". There is nothing much more traumic than a dysfunctional family, unless it might be a dysfunctional vampire family. The story has both a human and vampire family, both dysfuncitonal...and in the same town, no less.
The writer is good at writting horror and making it interesting to even this non-gore liking fan.
The writer is good at writting horror and making it interesting to even this non-gore liking fan.
December 10, 2023
VERY GORY AT TIMES WHICH WAS GOOD BUT THEN IT STEEERED MORE TO SEXUAL PERVERSION, LOVE MAKING RATHER THAN BLOOD LETTING AND USING YOUNG GOOD LOOKING MEN AS THIER SEX SLAVES! QUITE RISKY IN CONTENT AS REGARDS THE LUSTFUL NATURE OF THE BOOK, BUT I WOULD HAVE MUCH PREFERED MORE BLOOD LETTING AND VIOLENCE BUT THE AUTHOR WAS FAR MORE PRE OCUPIED WITH SEX!!!
August 21, 2023
Makes you want to believe that it's the real Marquis de Sade. Historic accuracies makes it seem probable.
Graphic, sexual, frightening, suspenseful.
One of my favorite authors. Love the Marquis de Sade series. I wish there were more!
Graphic, sexual, frightening, suspenseful.
One of my favorite authors. Love the Marquis de Sade series. I wish there were more!
December 6, 2023
I really did enjoy some of the comical parts of this book from how the characters spoke and carried themselves, but I got about halfway through this and gave up on it. To each their own, but definitely not for me.
October 26, 2010
The beginning of the book is broken & disjointed in such a way as to make it impossible to know exactly what it is about, besides vampires and highly unconventional sex. Within the first 15 pages we are introduced to 3 main characters, by way of point of view changes. These changes are so jarring that I didn't realize at first that one of those characters was the Marquis de Sade, the vampire the blurb leads us to believe the book is going to be about.
This disjointedness, lasts throughout the book as more and more characters POV are thrown in to tell the story. This causes the reader to be constantly thrown out of the narrative while they adjust to the change in voice and pacing and make it impossible to form any lasting connection with the words on the pages.
Ms. Mitchell's prose alternates between bland and holding back, and overly and gratuitously descriptive of the grotesque and nauseating fine details of the violence of the vampires feeding/attacks as well as that of the S&M scenes. The sex itself, mostly unable to overcome the accompanying overblown narrative regarding the aforementioned S&M coupled with the overuse of the words loin[s:] and cock, fall limply from the page.
There isn't a single character in the story with any sympathetic or redeeming qualities which leaves the reader struggling to find something to care about or connect with other than the hope that by the end they will all meet with some horrible fate or the other. This hope was, in the end, the only thing that kept me reading instead of moving on to another book somewhere in the middle. This fact also made the end of the book utterly unsatisfying.
Pieces of the book are a fairly enjoyable read, but it is broken up into too many small chunks, told from far too many POVs (at least 6 that I was able to count), tries to shove too many character's tales into the one novel and ultimately fails to leave any lasting impression other than "good idea, failed execution".
This disjointedness, lasts throughout the book as more and more characters POV are thrown in to tell the story. This causes the reader to be constantly thrown out of the narrative while they adjust to the change in voice and pacing and make it impossible to form any lasting connection with the words on the pages.
Ms. Mitchell's prose alternates between bland and holding back, and overly and gratuitously descriptive of the grotesque and nauseating fine details of the violence of the vampires feeding/attacks as well as that of the S&M scenes. The sex itself, mostly unable to overcome the accompanying overblown narrative regarding the aforementioned S&M coupled with the overuse of the words loin[s:] and cock, fall limply from the page.
There isn't a single character in the story with any sympathetic or redeeming qualities which leaves the reader struggling to find something to care about or connect with other than the hope that by the end they will all meet with some horrible fate or the other. This hope was, in the end, the only thing that kept me reading instead of moving on to another book somewhere in the middle. This fact also made the end of the book utterly unsatisfying.
Pieces of the book are a fairly enjoyable read, but it is broken up into too many small chunks, told from far too many POVs (at least 6 that I was able to count), tries to shove too many character's tales into the one novel and ultimately fails to leave any lasting impression other than "good idea, failed execution".
July 24, 2012
This was certainly an original take on the Marquis De Sade, but unfortunately not original as a vampire novel. Most of the characters were rather unlikable, and yet they kept my interest throughout. Certainly not a book for the prudish, the BDSM aspects of Sade's life are first and foremost in this, whilst I personally would have liked more of De Sade's relationship with his niece to have been explored.
Overall, I enjoyed Sips of Blood, hence the 3 stars instead of 2, but it could have been better.
Overall, I enjoyed Sips of Blood, hence the 3 stars instead of 2, but it could have been better.
December 5, 2010
An interesting premise that sadly went nowhere. I'm not adverse to sex in horror books, and even graphic sex doesn't make me squeamish. But something doesn't play right in any of the scenes here. I couldn't wait for it to be over and yet I'm surprised I took the time to finish it.
August 14, 2007
she tried and in my opion failed at what could have been a wonderful book...
May 2, 2011
If you know of the Marquis de Sade and like his books, persona, etc . . . Then maybe you will like him as a Vampire. I really enjoyed reading this!
January 17, 2013
This was a decent book, the vampires was a little different, it also had a little blood worship, bondage and sadism. It not for the weak at heart.
Ok read....
Ok read....
February 5, 2013
This was waaay kinkier than I had expected. Character development was sound.
February 1, 2013
pretty good book. A little rough on the start. had to put it down and start over a couple of times...
February 25, 2013
boring
February 26, 2013
Kind of a cool twisted take on the Marquis de Sade myth. If anyone would come back as a vampire, it would be de Sade.
August 3, 2015
note to self: life is too short to finish lousy books
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews