What do you think?
Rate this book
Vampire Mafia Monsters #1
Vampire's Kiss
Immortals rule the night in my world.
They’re dangerous, deadly and occupy the darker side of our city across the river.
I was told stories about them when I was young.
How they prowled the city streets for prey, hiding behind Armani suits and expensive cars. I knew they were real…I’d just never seen them.
Now I’m standing face to face with the most dangerous of their kind, the leader of the Crown City blood-thirty hunters, a Vampire called Elithien.
A creature my father is about to make an ally.
My father, the head of the most dangerous Mafia families in Crown City is dying.
And he thinks these savage monsters will somehow protect me when he’s gone.
Elithien hunts me in the dead of the night, and corners me in a dark alley. He captures my wrists, pressing them against the wall over my head. He kisses me, whispering he wants to tell me the truth about my bloodline.
Only it’s a truth I don’t want to believe.
A truth that will unravel everything I know.
But running from him won’t save me.
Nothing will…
Because these monsters like the chase.
They’re dangerous, deadly and occupy the darker side of our city across the river.
I was told stories about them when I was young.
How they prowled the city streets for prey, hiding behind Armani suits and expensive cars. I knew they were real…I’d just never seen them.
Now I’m standing face to face with the most dangerous of their kind, the leader of the Crown City blood-thirty hunters, a Vampire called Elithien.
A creature my father is about to make an ally.
My father, the head of the most dangerous Mafia families in Crown City is dying.
And he thinks these savage monsters will somehow protect me when he’s gone.
Elithien hunts me in the dead of the night, and corners me in a dark alley. He captures my wrists, pressing them against the wall over my head. He kisses me, whispering he wants to tell me the truth about my bloodline.
Only it’s a truth I don’t want to believe.
A truth that will unravel everything I know.
But running from him won’t save me.
Nothing will…
Because these monsters like the chase.
366 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 25, 2020
1715 people are currently reading
2240 people want to read
About the author
Atlas Rose
81 books898 followersDark Romance Author who loves forbidden romance.
➣ Blood Ties Series
➣ The Institute Series
➣ Mafia Monster Series
➣ Blood Ties Series
➣ The Institute Series
➣ Mafia Monster Series
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 253 reviews
June 20, 2020
Ruth is the only child of mafioso Denzel Costello and she's ready to inherit the empire, but her cruel family is snapping at her heels. In the meantime, Elithien and three other vampires from his coven have been lusting after her from afar. When Ruth finds herself in over her head, the vampires decide it's finally time she entrusts her safety to them.
I had to force myself to get through this book because it felt like such an inconsistent mess.
**Spoilers below to explain why.**
The first third was a slog and so far removed from what I was expecting. There was a hint of romance, then almost a dozen chapters of family drama, corporate espionage, sneaking around, and dealing with an FBI agent who we're supposed to believe is some sort of nemesis of the main character even though she had zero buildup.
And speaking of the main character, Ruth was the most unreliable and unpredictable narrator I've ever read, but due to problems with the writing rather than as a personality trait. She had a noir introspective style and could never decide if key events in the story had happened 8 months ago or years prior. Sometimes she even went back and forth within the same chapter. Has she just learned supernatural creatures exist or has she been avoiding them (vampires in particular) her whole life? How does searching the name of a vampire prince who's unfamiliar to her produce only a few results when we later learn he's a known vampire senator? Does she have some kind of empathic sense or not? Why did her dad believe she could be capable of brutally ripping people apart in an alley? Why isn't she more concerned about the fact that someone has the code to get into and out of her house when she's aware of being targeted? Are there seriously no cameras anywhere? Why isn't she more eager to get the information which will be essential for bringing down her horrible cousins? Why does she keep judging her "friend" Charlotte for wearing a low-cut top? Ugh. I could go on for ages.
As for the vampires, they were content to do nothing until the very end. No joke. One of them gave her a kiss in the beginning, avenged her for an attack, and promised to protect her, then totally peaced out after breaking in her home to leave a glove behind. She had to track them down months (or maybe it was years) later and then suddenly they were all over her. They don't even get physically intimate until the very end.
Overall, I felt like I was reading a book that had been hurriedly spliced together from a few different stories. The pace eventually picked up, but by that point, I was basically done caring.
Also, it had a cliffhanger ending and many of the major questions were never answered. So not amused.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I had to force myself to get through this book because it felt like such an inconsistent mess.
**Spoilers below to explain why.**
The first third was a slog and so far removed from what I was expecting. There was a hint of romance, then almost a dozen chapters of family drama, corporate espionage, sneaking around, and dealing with an FBI agent who we're supposed to believe is some sort of nemesis of the main character even though she had zero buildup.
And speaking of the main character, Ruth was the most unreliable and unpredictable narrator I've ever read, but due to problems with the writing rather than as a personality trait. She had a noir introspective style and could never decide if key events in the story had happened 8 months ago or years prior. Sometimes she even went back and forth within the same chapter. Has she just learned supernatural creatures exist or has she been avoiding them (vampires in particular) her whole life? How does searching the name of a vampire prince who's unfamiliar to her produce only a few results when we later learn he's a known vampire senator? Does she have some kind of empathic sense or not? Why did her dad believe she could be capable of brutally ripping people apart in an alley? Why isn't she more concerned about the fact that someone has the code to get into and out of her house when she's aware of being targeted? Are there seriously no cameras anywhere? Why isn't she more eager to get the information which will be essential for bringing down her horrible cousins? Why does she keep judging her "friend" Charlotte for wearing a low-cut top? Ugh. I could go on for ages.
As for the vampires, they were content to do nothing until the very end. No joke. One of them gave her a kiss in the beginning, avenged her for an attack, and promised to protect her, then totally peaced out after breaking in her home to leave a glove behind. She had to track them down months (or maybe it was years) later and then suddenly they were all over her. They don't even get physically intimate until the very end.
Overall, I felt like I was reading a book that had been hurriedly spliced together from a few different stories. The pace eventually picked up, but by that point, I was basically done caring.
Also, it had a cliffhanger ending and many of the major questions were never answered. So not amused.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 26, 2024
Oh come on.... it was so good!
November 28, 2020
While I did enjoy the storyline of this series I, however, was quite disappointed in the author's writing skills. There were just too many inconsistencies in this story. I mean Atlas, did you not take out the time to take notes on your characters? I would seriously vote for a re-write and better proofreaders for this mess here.
Let's talk about this weak heroine that you tried to convince us that was "Ruthless". Sad to say you did a poor job on her character too. She's weak and a bit stupid and naive in the decisions she made with her life and business choices. The smartest thing she ever did was to get involved with the damn Vampires.
But you know what the saddest part of all this? The saddest part is I will be reading the next book because as I said it was a good storyline. I just hope the writing is better this time around. (eye roll!)
Overall rating:
3.5 ~ A Good Read
Let's talk about this weak heroine that you tried to convince us that was "Ruthless". Sad to say you did a poor job on her character too. She's weak and a bit stupid and naive in the decisions she made with her life and business choices. The smartest thing she ever did was to get involved with the damn Vampires.
But you know what the saddest part of all this? The saddest part is I will be reading the next book because as I said it was a good storyline. I just hope the writing is better this time around. (eye roll!)
Overall rating:
3.5 ~ A Good Read
October 18, 2020
3.85 stars.
November 27, 2020
I truly don’t understand how this book has such a high rating. There were so many timeline issues that it was hard to stay immersed in the book. We get told an event happened 8 months ago but in the same sentence at one point she describes it as years ago. And the main character also had no consistency. We’re told she’s strong and powerful and everyone knows her name, then the next sentence she is saying how no one in the family respects her or wants her around. The book does a lot of telling and zero showing. I tried so hard to like this book, I even tried reading the second one in these series but it was a DNF for me. I really don’t understand how it has such high ratings with all the issues it has and weak characters.
July 25, 2020
Nope
This is only the second one star I've ever given. Maybe I should consider two stars because I did finish the book and it wasn't super hard to do..
But there was almost nothing I liked about this book, except for a little betrayal at the very end. I didn't originally dislike the main character, maybe even liked her a little. She had attitude and was strong. I definitely didn't feel like she was that person by the end. Didn't even feel like I was reading about the same person half way through.
She made a lot of stupid decisions, ignored a lot of signs, jumped to conclusions, went from crazy instant lust to one vampire to in love with four in .1 milliseconds. Naïve, trusting (although it always said she trusted no one but then kept mentioning people she did), inattentive... I could go on.
This was a frustrating book, and if I end up frustrated by a book and it's from disappointment in the book itself and not because the plot wanted me to feel that way, I can't help but give it one lonely, frustrated star.
There was also a lot of repetitiveness throughout the writing. Stating the same concerns, thoughts, and details numerous times.
A lot of grammatical errors as well.
This is only the second one star I've ever given. Maybe I should consider two stars because I did finish the book and it wasn't super hard to do..
But there was almost nothing I liked about this book, except for a little betrayal at the very end. I didn't originally dislike the main character, maybe even liked her a little. She had attitude and was strong. I definitely didn't feel like she was that person by the end. Didn't even feel like I was reading about the same person half way through.
She made a lot of stupid decisions, ignored a lot of signs, jumped to conclusions, went from crazy instant lust to one vampire to in love with four in .1 milliseconds. Naïve, trusting (although it always said she trusted no one but then kept mentioning people she did), inattentive... I could go on.
This was a frustrating book, and if I end up frustrated by a book and it's from disappointment in the book itself and not because the plot wanted me to feel that way, I can't help but give it one lonely, frustrated star.
There was also a lot of repetitiveness throughout the writing. Stating the same concerns, thoughts, and details numerous times.
A lot of grammatical errors as well.
June 26, 2020
Vampire's Kiss checked all my boxes and so much more.
✔Vampires
✔Wolves
✔Fae
✔Mafia
✔Why Choose Romance
✔Sexy, Engaging, Suspenseful
Vampire's Kiss is a "keep me up all night" kind of read. The constant twists and turns underlined with suspense encouraged me to turn the pages.
And, oh, the sexy as sin vampire clan interested in Ruth? Delicious! I loved how the authors gave so much personality to their descriptions, making each male pop right off the page.
I'm going to need to stake a claim on Elithien, though. He's mine. I'm not sharing. Sorry, Ruth.
I definitely recommend this series to those who enjoy dark paranormal romance with a sexy side of reverse harem. This story is intense with significant world-building and a solid plot that's going to carry on for several books. I can't wait to devour each installment as they appear on my Kindle!
✔Vampires
✔Wolves
✔Fae
✔Mafia
✔Why Choose Romance
✔Sexy, Engaging, Suspenseful
Vampire's Kiss is a "keep me up all night" kind of read. The constant twists and turns underlined with suspense encouraged me to turn the pages.
And, oh, the sexy as sin vampire clan interested in Ruth? Delicious! I loved how the authors gave so much personality to their descriptions, making each male pop right off the page.
I'm going to need to stake a claim on Elithien, though. He's mine. I'm not sharing. Sorry, Ruth.
I definitely recommend this series to those who enjoy dark paranormal romance with a sexy side of reverse harem. This story is intense with significant world-building and a solid plot that's going to carry on for several books. I can't wait to devour each installment as they appear on my Kindle!
June 28, 2020
"Vampire Kiss" was a struggle for me. It was slow-paced yet I kept reading because I was curious enough and wanted to learn what will happen at the end. Yay... it ends in a cliffhanger!
Regardless, it had potential (mafia + vampires) and missing parts in the plot as well. At the beginning I thought Ruth was a supernatural being, no just plain human at the end. Elithien and the Three Musketeers were creepy lurkers for the biggest part of the story. The only character that I really liked is Russell.
WARNING: This story contains triggers .
Regardless, it had potential (mafia + vampires) and missing parts in the plot as well. At the beginning I thought Ruth was a supernatural being, no just plain human at the end. Elithien and the Three Musketeers were creepy lurkers for the biggest part of the story. The only character that I really liked is Russell.
WARNING: This story contains triggers .
December 12, 2020
Here's what I liked/think has potential in this series:
-The mafia angle and having different groups like the humans, vamps, wolves, and fae
-The FMC being a woman who's trying to hold on/get her grip on a legacy that's meant to be hers
Unfortunately, there are just too many things that don't work for me. There will be spoilers in the rest of the review, so be mindful of that.
First of all, the FMC's father, the boss of the human mafia, has a nickname for her- RuthLESS. Now, it's cute, and I like the connection between the two of them, but it made absolutely no sense to me. He gives her this nickname, and it seems like he wants her to rise up in the business and take no sh*t from anyone, but he keeps her in the dark. She has none of the tools or knowledge of the real dealings of the family, and I just don't get why he would handicap her in that way, especially if he wants her to be important and powerful in the family.
Secondly, it felt like the flow was a bit rough at times. There's a time jump, and it felt like information wasn't proficiently shared to create a smooth switch in the timeline. Not to mention, there's a USB drive that she's given to a hacker friend, but eight months later, we're hearing nothing of this situation/the information. What happened? We keep moving forward like that never happened, and it was frustrating to me.
On top of that, there's a twist at the end of who the bad guy is, and for me, it just didn't make sense. It almost felt like the twist was made just so that there was a twist, because the guys that were being pinned as the villains were perfectly logical, sound choices to be the bad guys. It didn't NEED to be complicated, and the twist just threw me out of the story for a moment because I was just kind of gaping at my kindle like- what? why?
Honestly, I really wanted to like this book. I like mafia, I like a little darkness, I like supernatural, and I like feisty FMCs who can take care of themselves. On paper, this book had everything I wanted/would like, but it just didn't work for me.
-The mafia angle and having different groups like the humans, vamps, wolves, and fae
-The FMC being a woman who's trying to hold on/get her grip on a legacy that's meant to be hers
Unfortunately, there are just too many things that don't work for me. There will be spoilers in the rest of the review, so be mindful of that.
First of all, the FMC's father, the boss of the human mafia, has a nickname for her- RuthLESS. Now, it's cute, and I like the connection between the two of them, but it made absolutely no sense to me. He gives her this nickname, and it seems like he wants her to rise up in the business and take no sh*t from anyone, but he keeps her in the dark. She has none of the tools or knowledge of the real dealings of the family, and I just don't get why he would handicap her in that way, especially if he wants her to be important and powerful in the family.
Secondly, it felt like the flow was a bit rough at times. There's a time jump, and it felt like information wasn't proficiently shared to create a smooth switch in the timeline. Not to mention, there's a USB drive that she's given to a hacker friend, but eight months later, we're hearing nothing of this situation/the information. What happened? We keep moving forward like that never happened, and it was frustrating to me.
On top of that, there's a twist at the end of who the bad guy is, and for me, it just didn't make sense. It almost felt like the twist was made just so that there was a twist, because the guys that were being pinned as the villains were perfectly logical, sound choices to be the bad guys. It didn't NEED to be complicated, and the twist just threw me out of the story for a moment because I was just kind of gaping at my kindle like- what? why?
Honestly, I really wanted to like this book. I like mafia, I like a little darkness, I like supernatural, and I like feisty FMCs who can take care of themselves. On paper, this book had everything I wanted/would like, but it just didn't work for me.
Want to read
March 10, 2023🎁 FREE on Amazon today (3/11/2021)! 🎁
June 23, 2020
Note: I received this book from the author and I voluntarily give this review, it is my honest opinion.
I don't even know what to say, this book kinda blew my mind. Vampire's Kiss is the first book in the Mafia Monsters series by the writing team of Atlas Rose and Kim Faulks. It's a mafia story but with the paranormal and then make it a reverse harem and I have never read anything like it before.
Ruth is a mob boss's daughter, the daughter of Denzel Costello, the head of the human mafia. She is the lone woman in a world that is ruled by men and where women are treated more like objects that the fierce intelligent hard-working beings they can be. When something horrible happens and enemies closing in, Ruth is about to discover who the real monsters are.
This book... Ruth is trying to make the best out of a crappy situation. Being the only female with power in a world where she has to endure the groping, the sexist/lude comments, and the threats to her power she ha learn to put on a facade. A tough as nails chick who takes no crap and doesn't feel, when really she feels quite alone. I mean when there are sharks all around you who can you trust. When your own blood represents a danger to you, you can't show any weakness.
Ruth makes me sad, she doesn't really have anyone, no friends, no love, and the only family she trusts (rightfully so) is her dad. However she also is a smart businesswoman, she is strong, confident and has survived in a world where not many could. She is also stubborn and has a mouth (which I can relate) but I just wish she had the gusto to back it up.
First let me say I didn't realize this was a reverse harem until I was halfway through the book, haha. I know but Elithien was the main love interest for a while and I couldn't remember the book description so... The guys are not how I expected, they're a strange mix between the horror (think sheer terror) vampire and the romanticize (think teen dreams) vampire. With Ruth, we get the teen dream version of them but when the guys interact with others it's a horror show. I enjoyed that complexity in their nature, not everyone is one thing all the time.
The story was so interesting, this was my first ever mafia story, mainly because I stick with fantasy/paranormal books and I never came across it. I wanted to try a mafia story but truth be told if it isn't my favorite genre then I kinda find it hard to enjoy. I do go out of my comfort zone with a few book but it's rare. Anyway, when I read that the new series by Atlas was called Mafia Monsters I was in, a book type I wanted to try and my favorite genre, sign me up. The cold mafia world with its violence, decadence, and power was a very interesting story. I admit it started slow but the more I read the more I got hooked and by the end I was screaming at the book, having theories, jumping around, you can say I'm all in at this point.
I only had a couple of things that bothered me, One of the things that confused me about her character was that being in the precarious position she's in how does she not know any self-defense. She can't through a punch, shot a gun, use a knife, nothing and that doesn't seem wise. The other thing was that I had a little confusion with information, I would swear one thing was said earlier in the book then a little later another fact was given to contradict the first fact. It could have been me, either way, I still loved this book.
Vampire's Kiss was a violent delight, I really did enjoy the book. Between family that is out to destroy one another, supernatural love interests, and a couple of plot twists, how could I not be entertained? I figured out a few things before they happened but I have so many questions and I have a couple of new theories that are floating in my head and I wanna know if I'm right. I believe that this is a trilogy and I am so looking forward to the next book in the series, I can't wait to see what happens next.
I don't even know what to say, this book kinda blew my mind. Vampire's Kiss is the first book in the Mafia Monsters series by the writing team of Atlas Rose and Kim Faulks. It's a mafia story but with the paranormal and then make it a reverse harem and I have never read anything like it before.
Ruth is a mob boss's daughter, the daughter of Denzel Costello, the head of the human mafia. She is the lone woman in a world that is ruled by men and where women are treated more like objects that the fierce intelligent hard-working beings they can be. When something horrible happens and enemies closing in, Ruth is about to discover who the real monsters are.
This book... Ruth is trying to make the best out of a crappy situation. Being the only female with power in a world where she has to endure the groping, the sexist/lude comments, and the threats to her power she ha learn to put on a facade. A tough as nails chick who takes no crap and doesn't feel, when really she feels quite alone. I mean when there are sharks all around you who can you trust. When your own blood represents a danger to you, you can't show any weakness.
Ruth makes me sad, she doesn't really have anyone, no friends, no love, and the only family she trusts (rightfully so) is her dad. However she also is a smart businesswoman, she is strong, confident and has survived in a world where not many could. She is also stubborn and has a mouth (which I can relate) but I just wish she had the gusto to back it up.
First let me say I didn't realize this was a reverse harem until I was halfway through the book, haha. I know but Elithien was the main love interest for a while and I couldn't remember the book description so... The guys are not how I expected, they're a strange mix between the horror (think sheer terror) vampire and the romanticize (think teen dreams) vampire. With Ruth, we get the teen dream version of them but when the guys interact with others it's a horror show. I enjoyed that complexity in their nature, not everyone is one thing all the time.
The story was so interesting, this was my first ever mafia story, mainly because I stick with fantasy/paranormal books and I never came across it. I wanted to try a mafia story but truth be told if it isn't my favorite genre then I kinda find it hard to enjoy. I do go out of my comfort zone with a few book but it's rare. Anyway, when I read that the new series by Atlas was called Mafia Monsters I was in, a book type I wanted to try and my favorite genre, sign me up. The cold mafia world with its violence, decadence, and power was a very interesting story. I admit it started slow but the more I read the more I got hooked and by the end I was screaming at the book, having theories, jumping around, you can say I'm all in at this point.
I only had a couple of things that bothered me, One of the things that confused me about her character was that being in the precarious position she's in how does she not know any self-defense. She can't through a punch, shot a gun, use a knife, nothing and that doesn't seem wise. The other thing was that I had a little confusion with information, I would swear one thing was said earlier in the book then a little later another fact was given to contradict the first fact. It could have been me, either way, I still loved this book.
Vampire's Kiss was a violent delight, I really did enjoy the book. Between family that is out to destroy one another, supernatural love interests, and a couple of plot twists, how could I not be entertained? I figured out a few things before they happened but I have so many questions and I have a couple of new theories that are floating in my head and I wanna know if I'm right. I believe that this is a trilogy and I am so looking forward to the next book in the series, I can't wait to see what happens next.
July 22, 2020
I’ll start by first saying the ending to this was to die for, no pun intended. I just can’t put it into words how good it was. To some, it may be a cliffhanger but I didn’t really see it as that. It was some clarity as to what’s happening and even more, an open door to the future for Ruth and the vampires. I have a lot of reverse harem books but have only read a few. It seems different reading them lol. For those of you who don’t like them or are reluctant, I would recommend this one. While there is more than one vampire devoted to Ruth, it’s written with taste and not a lot of sex throughout the book. I love that it is an intense story of Ruth and her life as the daughter of a man who is head of the mafia. A man who is dying of cancer. The book shows what happens after his death. How relatives are wanting the company and how much they underestimate Ruth, especially since she’s a woman. Not only the relatives, but everyone underestimates her. I loved how she could hold her own. She had no one to help her except the vampires who rescued her. I hope in future books we see more of the wolves. I liked them a lot also. I also hope to learn more about the unseelie Fae. So bad but so good. I want to say so much about a certain character but feel it would ruin it. I don’t recommend reading the excerpt for book two as it does talk about this character. I loved that I didn’t know about it until I listened to the audiobook. It was a great treat. Be warned though if you decide to give this one a try. You will have major book hangover. No other will do for a while. Unless it’s the next in the series, of course!
If you go for the audiobook, the narrator is perfect. I can’t get over how well she does all the different voices, male and female.
If you go for the audiobook, the narrator is perfect. I can’t get over how well she does all the different voices, male and female.
June 21, 2020
Oh my gosh what a read! Ruth Costello the daughter of the Don who runs the East side of the river. has only wanted one thing her company to succeed with her father growing weaker by the day her uncle and cousins clawing their way to take what is hers, life just paces by. until the threats start arriving and Ruth goes in search of the ones she hold responsible across the river to the west the Vampires, Wolf's and Fae. But what she finds in the Vampire den are Elithien, Hurrow, Justice and Rule. 4 vampires whose minds already been made up, she belongs to them, but do they also belong to her? what lengths will they all go to right the wrongs. Is their a place for Ruth in their world and vice versa, when her company is all she has left. Well written with great detailed scenes, and in depth and well developed characters. this is a slow burner but well worth the read. Filled with revenge, suspense, twists and turns, lust and oh so pulse racing scnes and i cant wait for part 2!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 3, 2020
3.5 stars. What happens when the mafia crosses paths with a bunch of immortals who also share their lack of interest in abiding the law? You get mafia monsters, that's what! And since I love mafia stories and paranormal creatures of all stripes (vampires are a particular favorite), I just had to scoop this up.
It's hard to say who's more ruthless in this story -- the humans or the immortals. The heroine, Ruth "Ruthless" Costello, has certainly grown up in a snake pit, and aside from her father, she doesn't trust anyone in her family (with good reason). That makes Ruth one very tough chick. She's all business, except when it comes to the vampires, who bring out an entirely different side of her, a sexy one that's been dying to come out.
This is the first reverse harem book I've read, and I wasn't sure what to expect. It's definitely a slow burn (which I found at times a little trying), and aside from Elithien, the vampire alpha, the other vampires don't get much screen time... but it's quite clear by the end that the various books are just parts of one long story, so I'm expecting that we'll get to know the others in later books. If you're looking for scorching hot scenes, be patient. Things definitely heat up later on, and the book ends on a hell of a cliffhanger. Of course, I have to read the next one to find out what happens!
It's hard to say who's more ruthless in this story -- the humans or the immortals. The heroine, Ruth "Ruthless" Costello, has certainly grown up in a snake pit, and aside from her father, she doesn't trust anyone in her family (with good reason). That makes Ruth one very tough chick. She's all business, except when it comes to the vampires, who bring out an entirely different side of her, a sexy one that's been dying to come out.
This is the first reverse harem book I've read, and I wasn't sure what to expect. It's definitely a slow burn (which I found at times a little trying), and aside from Elithien, the vampire alpha, the other vampires don't get much screen time... but it's quite clear by the end that the various books are just parts of one long story, so I'm expecting that we'll get to know the others in later books. If you're looking for scorching hot scenes, be patient. Things definitely heat up later on, and the book ends on a hell of a cliffhanger. Of course, I have to read the next one to find out what happens!
June 20, 2020
This is an interesting story that is told from Ruth’s point of view. It is well written, entertaining and holds your attention. It is full of danger, back stabbing and manipulation. People are not always who they pretend to be. Ruth’s father is powerful, dangerous and dying. Protectors come from the least likely of people. Ruth is viciously attacked but saved before her attackers can kill her. Elithien, a vampire saves her but keeps his identity secret but she vaguely recalls his touch. Ruth is drawn to the vampire and his three friends Rule, Justice, and Hurrow, who are also vampires. They have saved her from numerous attempts to hurt or kill her. Now Ruth has five vampires at her beckon and the story continues with her fight to maintain control of her father’s company that is now hers from people who are determined to take it from her.
June 16, 2020
This book is freaking awesome! I was so surprised during this read. I kept thinking I knew what was going to happen but I was so wrong. This is so perfect if you are a fan of vampires,the RH genre, and mafia type reads. I felt like I was living through Ruth this entire story. I love to be that engrossed in a book. The build up to the ending is the best. This book has me asking for recommendations of others just like it!
June 22, 2020
Absolutely the most deliciously dark and passionately mind blowing story I’ve read in some time. A new view of mafia and monsters but who are the true monsters. Ruth is amazingly strong and compassionate. Having never had someone to truly have her back but her father she desperately needs to trust her own instincts on who the real monsters are to save her empire. Four might just be enough!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 18, 2020
What an intense read!!! There are so many things I want to tell you about in this review, and yet, I don't want to spoil it because I know you're going to want to read every delicious world. One side of the city is mortal. The other side of town is run by Wolves, Fae, and Vampires. The twists and turns this storyline takes with a plot that kept my heart going like a cardiac workout. There is a cliffhanger, so be prepared, but it is so worth it.
June 22, 2020
Ok so this a steamy book.. Mafia Bosses daughter meets someone in the dark at a meeting.. She fantasize about him.. But being who she is the bosses daughter her family treats her like crap and wants her out of the picture.. So much happens and the steamy scenes are so good.. Read this series won’t disappoint
July 19, 2023
I might be overeating it because it has vampires in it (and by that I mean most certainly)
I really enjoyed the story, even if it's super confusing and slow. It's a 1st person narrative so we only know as much as the main character, which is not much. Also, the way of writing is confusing in itself. At first, I wasn't sure if they could hear them in her head or if he magically appeared.
FMC wants to appear strong but she doesn't understand anything around her (and so do we) and she wants to get revenge all the time but doesn't scheme AT ALL.
The romance also comes out of nowhere but I'm there for it.
(see what I meant by overeating it?)
Even with all this, I read it in one setting and was really pulled into the story. I hope for character development in the next book... And for FMC to set their world ablaze!
I really enjoyed the story, even if it's super confusing and slow. It's a 1st person narrative so we only know as much as the main character, which is not much. Also, the way of writing is confusing in itself. At first, I wasn't sure if they could hear them in her head or if he magically appeared.
FMC wants to appear strong but she doesn't understand anything around her (and so do we) and she wants to get revenge all the time but doesn't scheme AT ALL.
The romance also comes out of nowhere but I'm there for it.
(see what I meant by overeating it?)
Even with all this, I read it in one setting and was really pulled into the story. I hope for character development in the next book... And for FMC to set their world ablaze!
June 19, 2020
This is an excellent book. While it is a reverse harem, the story is based around a daughter of a mob boss. Ruth is trying to get keep control of the family business away from her Uncle and cousins. The romance happens while all of this is going on. It is a great story. Ruth is a very complex character and the twist at the end was the bomb.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 23, 2024
Fine at first, nothing exceptional but fine for a mafia book with a strong female lead - did not finish as not into multiple partners…
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2020
The blurb was better than the book... 😐
I'll come back with a proper review, but I've just finished book 2, because I am so desperate to like this series, and because a review of book 3, which seems to have a lot more good reviews, promised me it would all make sense in the end, and that the ending is super perfect....
I'll come back with a proper review, but I've just finished book 2, because I am so desperate to like this series, and because a review of book 3, which seems to have a lot more good reviews, promised me it would all make sense in the end, and that the ending is super perfect....
September 13, 2021
Started slow, but what an ending!
The first half was repetitive and I found myself skimming through parts. But the second half? Woo doggie it was hot and fast paced!
The first half was repetitive and I found myself skimming through parts. But the second half? Woo doggie it was hot and fast paced!
February 9, 2024
Slow Build But Hot Fire
This book did not disappoint. The character build and storyline are captivating. The author really helps the reader get a good idea of what the characters are thinking. Great read.
This book did not disappoint. The character build and storyline are captivating. The author really helps the reader get a good idea of what the characters are thinking. Great read.
January 11, 2023
I do not normally start a review with something bad but okay can we talk about the fact in the same paragraph she would say an event happened 8 months ago and then two sentences later said it happened years ago??? I feel like this was an editing error but every time it happened it was super jarring.
The first chunk of the book was slow going. I was confused on how it related to the rest of the story and I did not think Ruth was as ruthless as we kept being told she was. She barely could fight, her family walked all over her, and she would make these brash and exciting decisions just to second guess them at the last minute.
I liked the male characters even though it felt like we did not get to know them very well. They at least added a bit of excitement and change.
I ended up reading the next book but in hindsight should have probably stopped here. Not a bad book but not a very good book.
The first chunk of the book was slow going. I was confused on how it related to the rest of the story and I did not think Ruth was as ruthless as we kept being told she was. She barely could fight, her family walked all over her, and she would make these brash and exciting decisions just to second guess them at the last minute.
I liked the male characters even though it felt like we did not get to know them very well. They at least added a bit of excitement and change.
I ended up reading the next book but in hindsight should have probably stopped here. Not a bad book but not a very good book.
September 3, 2020
I had seen this book come up as a recommendation on a few Facebook book/author pages and I was intrigued but I was halfway through another series at the time and got massively sidetracked. So when the opportunity came up to read this as an ARC I was well excited. Now, well now I am just sad.
First up, apologies to the authors of this book. I really don't like giving bad reviews and I will keep this as respectful as possible. I know that someone's heart and soul go into writing a book and to have someone trash it can be heartbreaking.
Ok, here goes - I greatly disliked this book which you probably noticed from the rating. Its a rare day that I give a book anything under 3 stars so I can honestly say with my hand on my heart that I really didn't like this book for the following reasons:
- I couldn't connect with Ruth at all. At first I didn't mind her. She was a strong woman having to fight for her place in a man's world. She didn't take shit from anyone and I respected that. Then she turned into a horny, spacey...idiot (sorry I am trying to be respectful). She was all over the place and yes, I understand that her father was sick and then he died but there was just no consistency to her character
- there was nooooooooooo chemistry between Ruth and her vampires. Maybe with Elithien because they at least made out before pledging their undying love to each other but the others hadn't even met her before she rocked up to their doorstep after the rat incident. Again there was just no consistency to their relationship. And I know that I am saying this about a book with supernatural creatures but the speed at which their relationship developed was just not realistic.
- There was zero world building. None, nada, zilch. There was so much potential here to create a detailed world but there was just nothing. We had vampires, warewolvles and fae and one of the reasons that I love the paranormal genre is the different take authors use for their various creatures. But here we just had random mentions of stuff here and there - for example, the arch nemesis from the FBI with zero context.
I think that's probably enough. Obviously I am in the minority here because this has an overall rating over 4 stars (which just boggles my mind grapes. Shit, sorry I was supposed to try and be respectful).
Anyway, I received an ARC and because its finally Spring and my bared my legs to the world for the first time in months, I have left an honest review (plus I really needed to get this off my chest)
First up, apologies to the authors of this book. I really don't like giving bad reviews and I will keep this as respectful as possible. I know that someone's heart and soul go into writing a book and to have someone trash it can be heartbreaking.
Ok, here goes - I greatly disliked this book which you probably noticed from the rating. Its a rare day that I give a book anything under 3 stars so I can honestly say with my hand on my heart that I really didn't like this book for the following reasons:
- I couldn't connect with Ruth at all. At first I didn't mind her. She was a strong woman having to fight for her place in a man's world. She didn't take shit from anyone and I respected that. Then she turned into a horny, spacey...idiot (sorry I am trying to be respectful). She was all over the place and yes, I understand that her father was sick and then he died but there was just no consistency to her character
- there was nooooooooooo chemistry between Ruth and her vampires. Maybe with Elithien because they at least made out before pledging their undying love to each other but the others hadn't even met her before she rocked up to their doorstep after the rat incident. Again there was just no consistency to their relationship. And I know that I am saying this about a book with supernatural creatures but the speed at which their relationship developed was just not realistic.
- There was zero world building. None, nada, zilch. There was so much potential here to create a detailed world but there was just nothing. We had vampires, warewolvles and fae and one of the reasons that I love the paranormal genre is the different take authors use for their various creatures. But here we just had random mentions of stuff here and there - for example, the arch nemesis from the FBI with zero context.
I think that's probably enough. Obviously I am in the minority here because this has an overall rating over 4 stars (which just boggles my mind grapes. Shit, sorry I was supposed to try and be respectful).
Anyway, I received an ARC and because its finally Spring and my bared my legs to the world for the first time in months, I have left an honest review (plus I really needed to get this off my chest)
August 11, 2022
This was severely disappointing. The first book I read by A. K. Rose/Atlas Rose was Mine. I was THOROUGHLY impressed and immediately started Hers but was devastated to realize that it is a trilogy with the final book being released September 22nd. I was left with the dilemma of not flying through the great read that is Hers and not being left in suspense until September or saying "screw it" and binge the book only to suffer the wait. I went with savoring the book and slowly finishing it. To appease myself as I waited, I decided to start another one of her series that has been completed, seeing as to how she's such a good author, until the third book release. Which is what led me to start Vampire's Kiss. Let me just say, this book is TERRIBLE compared to the Blood Ties series and hardly even a DECENT book in general.
To start, tone and writing techniques of the book are...not good...not terrible...but definitely not good. Especially after having been introduced to such a good series written by her. There are many typos and inconsistencies. Such as her going to a funeral in her car and something happening to the car that she was in...which somehow wasn't...her car??? And she gets a ride home in the same car after it's fixed but...where's her car, she drove there. And the writing style is one that would tell us if someone dropped off her car; so that was something that was overlooked. As well as when she was in the passenger side of a car with one of the vampires and staring at him but then when she asks him an important question he locks eyes with her in the rear-view mirror...if she's in the passenger side looking out the window...how is she locking eyes...in the rear-view mirror?? Then there was a kiss at some point in the book but later on it's called an "almost-kiss". Again, inconsistencies.
The main character is also an irritation of mine. We are fed this narrative and expected to believe that this girl is ruthless and stone cold and icy and all of that stuff. She isn't. AT ALL. There's nothing ruthless or intimidating about her, she doesn't even know how to fight and choice of weapon is a concealed knife in her heels. Pathetic honestly. But only pathetic because the author is trying to make us believe that she is some mafia bad ass. This character is the classic fragile female in the mafia world, underappreciated, underestimated, constantly viewed as unimportant and hardly if ever respected. And there's nothing wrong with a character like that for this world. But don't give me a character that has little to no backbone and then tell me she's this ruthless girl with a reputation in her world. I don't really like to compare but just so a better picture can be painted about what I'm saying, this book came out in 2020. Ruthless People by J. J. McAvoy was released in 2014. This book had a phenomenal female lead, she was TRULY ruthless and the author still allowed for her to be human and have flaws showing us her thought process in her POVs. She was very much still feminine with insecurities while being terrifying when it came to making decisions for the mafia family. And this was a woman who had to be fighting to remain the head of the family for the simple fact that she was a woman. Ruth not only doesn't think like a leader, she makes TERRIBLE decisions. At no point is she ahead of the game as one would have to be in this life; especially when they're in charge or about to be.
Bound By Honor by Cora Reilly was also released in 2014, another mafia book with a female lead. In that book the lead was very much soft. Not fully hardened by mafia life but was still able to stomach looking at a dead body. Was easily terrified because she was a sheltered woman of power and didn't know how to fight but still kept her wits about her because of it. She couldn't be dumb and impulsive because she knew she didn't have the ability to protect herself. She was a woman that would need saving because of how fragile she was. The Ruthless People protagonist didn't need any saving, she saved herself. Both characters were incredibly well done, both very easy to love. What Vampire's Kiss has done on the other hand, is given me a soft Bound by Honor protagonist and tried to make me believe that she is a ruthless, bad ass Ruthless People protagonist. The two don't work together, at all. Ruth is at the mercy of EVERYONE. Just make her the damsel in distress and stop trying to tell me that she is this heartless future queenpin/kingpin, because she isn't. She can't even keep her own company under her control and wretches when she sees a man killed...there's NOTHING ruthless about her. I truly did expect more from this author and character since I've read books from 2014 where the characters are so well done. I expected better from a 2020 release. I will say however that you can clearly see the improvement because the Blood Ties series is nothing like this and incredibly well written.
At this point I'm still reading the book but wanted to start my review because I have a lot to say. I'm 3/4 way through and these are my thoughts which I highly doubt are going to change but we shall see.
Update: SPOILERS AHEAD
Okay I've gotten a little further and I'm annoyed, confused and disappointed. When I wrote the above paragraph, a couple pages ago, there was no sort of relationship between her and the vampires. There was just that tension and unspoken attraction between them and the obvious lusting after each other. The only one that had even kissed her was Elithian. The only vamp that's been developed is Elithian and Hurrow but only slightly. Within those few pages from when I wrote the paragraph, coming down to the end of the book, they're all kissing her in front of her ex and she's talking about falling for them hard. WHERE IS THE CONNECTION?! This is something I was going to talk about. This book is so much filler that I actually skim over paragraphs. So much unnecessary information and now that the book is coming down to an end tje author is rushing the romance when there is literally NO connection whatsoever between these men and Ruth, I don't even know who the other two are. All I know is that one of them is missing an eye, that's it!!! There was no character development for the other two. I don't know their hobbies, likes, dislikes, interests, little quirks that they have that made her fall in love with them...nothing. But yet she's "falling hard"? FOR WHAT?????? You know nothing about them...I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THEM!!!!🤦 I'm so annoyed because what the hell is this?!
To start, tone and writing techniques of the book are...not good...not terrible...but definitely not good. Especially after having been introduced to such a good series written by her. There are many typos and inconsistencies. Such as her going to a funeral in her car and something happening to the car that she was in...which somehow wasn't...her car??? And she gets a ride home in the same car after it's fixed but...where's her car, she drove there. And the writing style is one that would tell us if someone dropped off her car; so that was something that was overlooked. As well as when she was in the passenger side of a car with one of the vampires and staring at him but then when she asks him an important question he locks eyes with her in the rear-view mirror...if she's in the passenger side looking out the window...how is she locking eyes...in the rear-view mirror?? Then there was a kiss at some point in the book but later on it's called an "almost-kiss". Again, inconsistencies.
The main character is also an irritation of mine. We are fed this narrative and expected to believe that this girl is ruthless and stone cold and icy and all of that stuff. She isn't. AT ALL. There's nothing ruthless or intimidating about her, she doesn't even know how to fight and choice of weapon is a concealed knife in her heels. Pathetic honestly. But only pathetic because the author is trying to make us believe that she is some mafia bad ass. This character is the classic fragile female in the mafia world, underappreciated, underestimated, constantly viewed as unimportant and hardly if ever respected. And there's nothing wrong with a character like that for this world. But don't give me a character that has little to no backbone and then tell me she's this ruthless girl with a reputation in her world. I don't really like to compare but just so a better picture can be painted about what I'm saying, this book came out in 2020. Ruthless People by J. J. McAvoy was released in 2014. This book had a phenomenal female lead, she was TRULY ruthless and the author still allowed for her to be human and have flaws showing us her thought process in her POVs. She was very much still feminine with insecurities while being terrifying when it came to making decisions for the mafia family. And this was a woman who had to be fighting to remain the head of the family for the simple fact that she was a woman. Ruth not only doesn't think like a leader, she makes TERRIBLE decisions. At no point is she ahead of the game as one would have to be in this life; especially when they're in charge or about to be.
Bound By Honor by Cora Reilly was also released in 2014, another mafia book with a female lead. In that book the lead was very much soft. Not fully hardened by mafia life but was still able to stomach looking at a dead body. Was easily terrified because she was a sheltered woman of power and didn't know how to fight but still kept her wits about her because of it. She couldn't be dumb and impulsive because she knew she didn't have the ability to protect herself. She was a woman that would need saving because of how fragile she was. The Ruthless People protagonist didn't need any saving, she saved herself. Both characters were incredibly well done, both very easy to love. What Vampire's Kiss has done on the other hand, is given me a soft Bound by Honor protagonist and tried to make me believe that she is a ruthless, bad ass Ruthless People protagonist. The two don't work together, at all. Ruth is at the mercy of EVERYONE. Just make her the damsel in distress and stop trying to tell me that she is this heartless future queenpin/kingpin, because she isn't. She can't even keep her own company under her control and wretches when she sees a man killed...there's NOTHING ruthless about her. I truly did expect more from this author and character since I've read books from 2014 where the characters are so well done. I expected better from a 2020 release. I will say however that you can clearly see the improvement because the Blood Ties series is nothing like this and incredibly well written.
At this point I'm still reading the book but wanted to start my review because I have a lot to say. I'm 3/4 way through and these are my thoughts which I highly doubt are going to change but we shall see.
Update: SPOILERS AHEAD
Okay I've gotten a little further and I'm annoyed, confused and disappointed. When I wrote the above paragraph, a couple pages ago, there was no sort of relationship between her and the vampires. There was just that tension and unspoken attraction between them and the obvious lusting after each other. The only one that had even kissed her was Elithian. The only vamp that's been developed is Elithian and Hurrow but only slightly. Within those few pages from when I wrote the paragraph, coming down to the end of the book, they're all kissing her in front of her ex and she's talking about falling for them hard. WHERE IS THE CONNECTION?! This is something I was going to talk about. This book is so much filler that I actually skim over paragraphs. So much unnecessary information and now that the book is coming down to an end tje author is rushing the romance when there is literally NO connection whatsoever between these men and Ruth, I don't even know who the other two are. All I know is that one of them is missing an eye, that's it!!! There was no character development for the other two. I don't know their hobbies, likes, dislikes, interests, little quirks that they have that made her fall in love with them...nothing. But yet she's "falling hard"? FOR WHAT?????? You know nothing about them...I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THEM!!!!🤦 I'm so annoyed because what the hell is this?!
June 26, 2020
★ Powerfully & mysteriously alluring immortals introduced ★
—>>> Ruth Costello is an untouchable mafia princess. She gets a first look at the powerfully and mysteriously alluring immortals who arrive to meet at her father’s invitation, and nothing makes her sit up and take notice more than the the variety of dangerous clans which appear that night. However, one dangerous encounter soon thereafter will reach deep into her soul, happening right outside her father’s building in an alley, followed by more ominous signs, and she becomes drawn to the mysterious Vampire clan for answers and trying to find her elusive savior for that fateful night. The combination of mafia ties, seductive immortals, and RH elements make for an amazing start to this series!
~ A dangerous smile crossed his lips as he leaned closer. “I’m the monster in the dark, remember? The beast in the shadows, the hunter in the night.” ~
—>>> Ruth Costello is an untouchable mafia princess. She gets a first look at the powerfully and mysteriously alluring immortals who arrive to meet at her father’s invitation, and nothing makes her sit up and take notice more than the the variety of dangerous clans which appear that night. However, one dangerous encounter soon thereafter will reach deep into her soul, happening right outside her father’s building in an alley, followed by more ominous signs, and she becomes drawn to the mysterious Vampire clan for answers and trying to find her elusive savior for that fateful night. The combination of mafia ties, seductive immortals, and RH elements make for an amazing start to this series!
~ A dangerous smile crossed his lips as he leaned closer. “I’m the monster in the dark, remember? The beast in the shadows, the hunter in the night.” ~
July 14, 2020
*Spoiler Alert*
The monsters are not who you expect them to be in this book. The people who your suppose to be able to rely on are the very same people you should watch your back with too here. Ruth Costello (FMC) is the daughter of the head of The Elite. A mafia syndicate in Crown City (A place thats divided up into different districts and factions). Ruth is a woman in a so called mans world. The wolves, The Fae and the Vampires from the different districts are all vying for their own power. Ruth is right in the middle of a power struggle herself and things get decidedly bloody and sadistic. Four Vampires - Elithien, Hurrow, Justice and Rule bring a new set of complications for her too. This is a Dark & very sexy book that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. I seriously could not put it down. It was that good! Im on tenterhooks waiting for the next book. Cant wait
The monsters are not who you expect them to be in this book. The people who your suppose to be able to rely on are the very same people you should watch your back with too here. Ruth Costello (FMC) is the daughter of the head of The Elite. A mafia syndicate in Crown City (A place thats divided up into different districts and factions). Ruth is a woman in a so called mans world. The wolves, The Fae and the Vampires from the different districts are all vying for their own power. Ruth is right in the middle of a power struggle herself and things get decidedly bloody and sadistic. Four Vampires - Elithien, Hurrow, Justice and Rule bring a new set of complications for her too. This is a Dark & very sexy book that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. I seriously could not put it down. It was that good! Im on tenterhooks waiting for the next book. Cant wait
Displaying 1 - 30 of 253 reviews