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Lore & Lust #2
The Vanishing
Queer Vampire Romance Series Book Two.
Nearly two centuries ago, hundreds of purebred vampires disappeared without any explanation—vanished like mist swept away in the breeze.
Nino Bianchi and Haruka Hirano are mated purebred vampires: madly in love and exploring the depths of their young bond. But an unexpected event brings their cozy lives to a screeching halt. A new vanishing, much too close to home.
The world of Lore and Lust stretches deeper with more romance, mystery, love and trust. A queer vampire love story full of heart and delicious heat.
Nearly two centuries ago, hundreds of purebred vampires disappeared without any explanation—vanished like mist swept away in the breeze.
Nino Bianchi and Haruka Hirano are mated purebred vampires: madly in love and exploring the depths of their young bond. But an unexpected event brings their cozy lives to a screeching halt. A new vanishing, much too close to home.
The world of Lore and Lust stretches deeper with more romance, mystery, love and trust. A queer vampire love story full of heart and delicious heat.
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2021
174 people are currently reading
2365 people want to read
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June 20, 2024
Is it possible I could feel this cool / I could really love you the way I do (Flow – Sade).
When looking back, I think it’s safe to say that I’ve always been a pretty big fan of the vampire genre (is it a genre?). I know that seems obvious, like, "Hey the guy who always gives vampire books five stars likes vampires. You don't say!" but I swear that this is the first I've actually taken a minute and noticed how much I like them! Growing up, my dad and I used to always watch the Blade and Underworld movies together, so I’ve never really thought about it too much. It’s something that’s always been around. I'm only saying this because if someone were to ask, I probably wouldn't say I'm a huge fan, but I’ve come to realize that I’m always reading or watching some kind of vampire thing. I think that's one of the main reasons why I love this series and this author so much; it's pure nostalgia! Because based on those examples, you could probably tell that my intro to vampires 101 is more of the sexy and sleek variety than the dark corridor, Dracula-types. And in that regard, I’m happy to report that we’ve got another winner over here! What are the odds? This book was lovely, and I’m seriously considering crowning Karla Nikole as the expert on all things “vampires” now. If she writes it, I’ll be there to read it! Her stories just have that special sauce (the special sauce is blood). Lore & Lust in particular is so wonderfully adorned with more than enough romantic language to feel both like a glittering, intimate love letter and a grand sweeping adventure without things ever getting too sickeningly sweet, like some kind of Eat, Pray, Love thing. There’s more sparkling in the sun here than haunting the shadows, and I’m more than okay with that. Otherwise, I normally don’t love it when there are too many beautiful people in these kinds of books, as I believe that charm through dialogue and action lends itself to literature better than long-form descriptions of beauty and attractiveness, but I really do make an exception for these characters. If nothing else, I’m here to be as consistently inconsistent as possible. Nino and Haruka are out here living the life of glamorama, pretty, too pretty to ever give a fuck, and I think that's pretty cool! It helps that they both ooze sensuality and charm, carrying themselves with confidence and poise. They're learned men, and that's sexy. Not to go on and on... but man, it’s almost like these books are just solely dedicated to making them as fine as (in)humanly possible. It's probably super obvious that I especially had a bit of a crush on Haruka because not only is he Asian (#asanasian), but also because he was the dude on first book's cover, so I just know that he's too fine to hit it from behind, and his reflection in the mirror don't decline. Anyway, even though I admit that a lot of the lore and story developments about the vampire society were lost on me, I still immensely enjoyed my experience with the book, because at the end of the day, I’m not here to "Anthony Fantano" analyze every little tiny nuance, I’m here to sit and let the story wash over me. Sometimes I can be a little nitpicky (okay, a lot of the times), but this time around, I figured I’d let myself go with the flow. Wait, I should do this more often, it’s kind of nice!
So, all in all, I give this book a “light four” out of five. Just kidding, it’s a “heavy four.” Yay! You know, sometimes I feel like I’m losing my edge by being too easy on every book I read (not like it matters, but my average rating is pretty high), and I used to get a sadistic satisfaction out of rating books wa~ay too low. Had to keep that "disinterested" image at all cost, right? But the thing is, it really is a double-edged sword because whenever I did that, I just ended up losing any interest in reading as a whole because I was only reading things to look smart and not the actual stuff I enjoy! What I was even doing here!? Like, I’d have to change my name to “Noah (Permanent-Hiatus)!” This is starting to sound like an essay ("This I believe"), but I really have learned that while it’s fun to be negative about things every now and then, ranting and raving, the truth is that I’d much rather read books that bring me joy, Marie Kondo-style. Of course, I didn't think this book was perfect, as I will say that I didn’t love how a lot of the story was split between our main couple and a couple of flops like Nino’s older brother and some lady. I mean, I appreciated the “sibling-rivalry” angle because it adds a dash of conflict that isn’t a third-act break up (finally!), but as a fellow youngest brother, my bias was pretty heavily skewed towards Nino. You couldn't get me to change sides, no matter how much of a sob story the older brother got, sorry. Does Nino deserve all this resentment from his older brother? …Nope, he’s perfect and hasn’t done anything wrong in his life. I’m so mature! Otherwise, I really do think that Giovanni (I remembered his name) and the other lady weren’t really interesting enough to have their own dedicated pov chapters. Every time they were on the page I felt like going back to my old ways and booing, “Oh brother, this guy STINKS!” But as the picture of maturity, I refrained from doing so. Another thing is that the terms used in the vampire society would sometimes make me a little uncomfortable. I liked him a lot, but as an professional Asian person (#asanasian), it sometimes felt like Haruka was written through the lens of someone who’s consumed too much anime. Tourist prose. I don’t really know how to explain it in another way, sorry. Also, I say this as a Native American (the fun thing about being mixed race is that I can say “I say this as a…” constantly without being contradictory), I’m always hearing the tribe talking about blood quantum and the “right” amount that makes a person Native, so all the talk about blood purity in this book seriously made my... blood curdle. Though, I really don't think that this isn’t an issue with the storytelling, as it's made clear in the book that the vampires that adhere too strongly to traditions are the ones in the wrong, and it could be argued that this contrast between the stylistic sheen of the writing and the blasé discussions about “mating” and “bloodlines” helps to underline a darker underbelly to the vampiric society. Personal discomfort aside, I think it’s good writing, as it gives the whole narrative a little texture, a little sweetness to it. No matter how pretty the vampires are in this story, they are still vampires, whose origins come from darkness, and this book is smart to never let us forget it. The reason why this series is so captivating is because it takes its strong sense of identity and runs with it to the finish line, never faltering. The fact that it takes its focus on an over-indulgence in rosy style over plot and makes it its strongest asset rather than its weakest is something that should be studied. I’m looking at the big picture here, and it can't be denied that it’s one pretty picture. One that I’m more than happy to look at it for hours on end.
“Anyway, I wish I was calling to tell you that, but the reason I’m actually calling is because we found your nerd sex book. Lore and Lust.”
When looking back, I think it’s safe to say that I’ve always been a pretty big fan of the vampire genre (is it a genre?). I know that seems obvious, like, "Hey the guy who always gives vampire books five stars likes vampires. You don't say!" but I swear that this is the first I've actually taken a minute and noticed how much I like them! Growing up, my dad and I used to always watch the Blade and Underworld movies together, so I’ve never really thought about it too much. It’s something that’s always been around. I'm only saying this because if someone were to ask, I probably wouldn't say I'm a huge fan, but I’ve come to realize that I’m always reading or watching some kind of vampire thing. I think that's one of the main reasons why I love this series and this author so much; it's pure nostalgia! Because based on those examples, you could probably tell that my intro to vampires 101 is more of the sexy and sleek variety than the dark corridor, Dracula-types. And in that regard, I’m happy to report that we’ve got another winner over here! What are the odds? This book was lovely, and I’m seriously considering crowning Karla Nikole as the expert on all things “vampires” now. If she writes it, I’ll be there to read it! Her stories just have that special sauce (the special sauce is blood). Lore & Lust in particular is so wonderfully adorned with more than enough romantic language to feel both like a glittering, intimate love letter and a grand sweeping adventure without things ever getting too sickeningly sweet, like some kind of Eat, Pray, Love thing. There’s more sparkling in the sun here than haunting the shadows, and I’m more than okay with that. Otherwise, I normally don’t love it when there are too many beautiful people in these kinds of books, as I believe that charm through dialogue and action lends itself to literature better than long-form descriptions of beauty and attractiveness, but I really do make an exception for these characters. If nothing else, I’m here to be as consistently inconsistent as possible. Nino and Haruka are out here living the life of glamorama, pretty, too pretty to ever give a fuck, and I think that's pretty cool! It helps that they both ooze sensuality and charm, carrying themselves with confidence and poise. They're learned men, and that's sexy. Not to go on and on... but man, it’s almost like these books are just solely dedicated to making them as fine as (in)humanly possible. It's probably super obvious that I especially had a bit of a crush on Haruka because not only is he Asian (#asanasian), but also because he was the dude on first book's cover, so I just know that he's too fine to hit it from behind, and his reflection in the mirror don't decline. Anyway, even though I admit that a lot of the lore and story developments about the vampire society were lost on me, I still immensely enjoyed my experience with the book, because at the end of the day, I’m not here to "Anthony Fantano" analyze every little tiny nuance, I’m here to sit and let the story wash over me. Sometimes I can be a little nitpicky (okay, a lot of the times), but this time around, I figured I’d let myself go with the flow. Wait, I should do this more often, it’s kind of nice!
So, all in all, I give this book a “light four” out of five. Just kidding, it’s a “heavy four.” Yay! You know, sometimes I feel like I’m losing my edge by being too easy on every book I read (not like it matters, but my average rating is pretty high), and I used to get a sadistic satisfaction out of rating books wa~ay too low. Had to keep that "disinterested" image at all cost, right? But the thing is, it really is a double-edged sword because whenever I did that, I just ended up losing any interest in reading as a whole because I was only reading things to look smart and not the actual stuff I enjoy! What I was even doing here!? Like, I’d have to change my name to “Noah (Permanent-Hiatus)!” This is starting to sound like an essay ("This I believe"), but I really have learned that while it’s fun to be negative about things every now and then, ranting and raving, the truth is that I’d much rather read books that bring me joy, Marie Kondo-style. Of course, I didn't think this book was perfect, as I will say that I didn’t love how a lot of the story was split between our main couple and a couple of flops like Nino’s older brother and some lady. I mean, I appreciated the “sibling-rivalry” angle because it adds a dash of conflict that isn’t a third-act break up (finally!), but as a fellow youngest brother, my bias was pretty heavily skewed towards Nino. You couldn't get me to change sides, no matter how much of a sob story the older brother got, sorry. Does Nino deserve all this resentment from his older brother? …Nope, he’s perfect and hasn’t done anything wrong in his life. I’m so mature! Otherwise, I really do think that Giovanni (I remembered his name) and the other lady weren’t really interesting enough to have their own dedicated pov chapters. Every time they were on the page I felt like going back to my old ways and booing, “Oh brother, this guy STINKS!” But as the picture of maturity, I refrained from doing so. Another thing is that the terms used in the vampire society would sometimes make me a little uncomfortable. I liked him a lot, but as an professional Asian person (#asanasian), it sometimes felt like Haruka was written through the lens of someone who’s consumed too much anime. Tourist prose. I don’t really know how to explain it in another way, sorry. Also, I say this as a Native American (the fun thing about being mixed race is that I can say “I say this as a…” constantly without being contradictory), I’m always hearing the tribe talking about blood quantum and the “right” amount that makes a person Native, so all the talk about blood purity in this book seriously made my... blood curdle. Though, I really don't think that this isn’t an issue with the storytelling, as it's made clear in the book that the vampires that adhere too strongly to traditions are the ones in the wrong, and it could be argued that this contrast between the stylistic sheen of the writing and the blasé discussions about “mating” and “bloodlines” helps to underline a darker underbelly to the vampiric society. Personal discomfort aside, I think it’s good writing, as it gives the whole narrative a little texture, a little sweetness to it. No matter how pretty the vampires are in this story, they are still vampires, whose origins come from darkness, and this book is smart to never let us forget it. The reason why this series is so captivating is because it takes its strong sense of identity and runs with it to the finish line, never faltering. The fact that it takes its focus on an over-indulgence in rosy style over plot and makes it its strongest asset rather than its weakest is something that should be studied. I’m looking at the big picture here, and it can't be denied that it’s one pretty picture. One that I’m more than happy to look at it for hours on end.
“Anyway, I wish I was calling to tell you that, but the reason I’m actually calling is because we found your nerd sex book. Lore and Lust.”
December 4, 2021
This book wasn't as good as the first in my opinion. Everything seemed resolved too easily and while I enjoy Cellina and Giovanni as characters I'm way more invested in Nino and Haruka so some of the chapters more focused on the former pair were kind of boring.
Otherwise it was a decent book, just kinda slow.
Otherwise it was a decent book, just kinda slow.
August 22, 2021
On the one hand, a lot more happened in this instalment compared to book one, which had been one of my big complaints, but overall.. I'm sorry, I'm still not really getting this series.
I still don't fully comprehend this vampire society, aristocracy, hierarchy, whatever, but we did get some insight behind — go figure — the big Vanishing; which was basically the complete loss of the English pureblood (purebred?) population. Why only England I have no idea but I'm just chocking that one upto one more thing I don't understand and just kinda rolling with it. That said, the reason for it, and the villain behind it, feels pretty flimsy. Maybe we'll get more about that in book three.
In this book we had two romances playing out, the one from book one and another between characters connected to the main protagonists. It offered up something different and, dare I say it, more interesting.
That said, where Nino had been my favourite character in book one, there was a certain interaction with his brother that changed my opinion of him. And a few other revelations and observations from his best friend added to that. Somehow Nino's brother Giovanni, grumpy alpha asshole who nonetheless shoulders so much responsibility and does so much for Nino, now holds the top spot.
Aside from that positive, I'm still struggling with the writing, the weird dialogue, plus all the aforementioned plot and worldbuilding weirdness, and sometimes the chapters ends abruptly or we transition into something in a strange manner. But it's also just that.. I just don't understand the point. This time there was less focus on the Lore & Lust book, at least in talking about it, but instead Haruka is translating stuff with a family and I just.. I don't understand why?
This whole series is just befuddling to me.
I'm going to see through this series to the end, the third (and final?) book is out in the fall, but unless things really take off I'm not sure I would pick up this author again.
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
I still don't fully comprehend this vampire society, aristocracy, hierarchy, whatever, but we did get some insight behind — go figure — the big Vanishing; which was basically the complete loss of the English pureblood (purebred?) population. Why only England I have no idea but I'm just chocking that one upto one more thing I don't understand and just kinda rolling with it. That said, the reason for it, and the villain behind it, feels pretty flimsy. Maybe we'll get more about that in book three.
In this book we had two romances playing out, the one from book one and another between characters connected to the main protagonists. It offered up something different and, dare I say it, more interesting.
That said, where Nino had been my favourite character in book one, there was a certain interaction with his brother that changed my opinion of him. And a few other revelations and observations from his best friend added to that. Somehow Nino's brother Giovanni, grumpy alpha asshole who nonetheless shoulders so much responsibility and does so much for Nino, now holds the top spot.
Aside from that positive, I'm still struggling with the writing, the weird dialogue, plus all the aforementioned plot and worldbuilding weirdness, and sometimes the chapters ends abruptly or we transition into something in a strange manner. But it's also just that.. I just don't understand the point. This time there was less focus on the Lore & Lust book, at least in talking about it, but instead Haruka is translating stuff with a family and I just.. I don't understand why?
This whole series is just befuddling to me.
I'm going to see through this series to the end, the third (and final?) book is out in the fall, but unless things really take off I'm not sure I would pick up this author again.
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
April 28, 2021
The Lore and Lust series is a romance first and foremost. Consent, communication, growth and trust are always at the center of each story. The Vanishing is lightly sprinkled with some action and adventure, and we dive a little deeper into this modern vampiric world where love is love, no questions asked.
November 11, 2024
I really like the first book better, I missed reading about Haru and Nino and I really didn’t care at all about Giovanni and Celina’s drama.
July 5, 2022
two hundred years ago, hundreds of purebred vampires vanished. an explanation for this still has not been found in the present day, and everyone has more or less given up on trying. but then, nino vanishes, and haruka is determined to get him back.
though most of the worldbuilding was done in book one, this book further developed this world. i had a great time jumping back into the world!
nino and haruka’s relationship also developed more. they got a lot better at communication and i loved their scenes together! i also enjoyed gio and lina’s relationship, and i’m so glad they had more scenes together.
the plot was also great. i liked how they were finally able to solve this centuries-old mystery and help the vanished vampires.
super excited for book three!!
though most of the worldbuilding was done in book one, this book further developed this world. i had a great time jumping back into the world!
nino and haruka’s relationship also developed more. they got a lot better at communication and i loved their scenes together! i also enjoyed gio and lina’s relationship, and i’m so glad they had more scenes together.
the plot was also great. i liked how they were finally able to solve this centuries-old mystery and help the vanished vampires.
super excited for book three!!
April 1, 2021
I'm disappointed. Really.
I couldn't wait to put my hands on this book because I loved the first so, so much.
So imagine my face when I read the book and was disappointed in it. I wanted to DNF it at least three times! Three times! But I stayed, becuase I really wanted to know how Haru and Nino's story will end. But the other stuff in the books... they were boring as hell.
Haru and Nino's relationship is sweet, I love them together and it's really adorable when they in romance mode. All sweet stuffs. So their love toward each other is the best in this book, and the only thing I didn't put it aside. But aside that...
My main concern is, why putting MF scenes in an MM romance? And I'm not talking about off page romance, the MF scenes were there. There were several chapters filled with MF, and the worst - there were 2 (!!!!) MF sex scene too. If I want to read about MF couples, I'll go and pick something from the MF world (which I don't). If you go and put straigh characters with hetero sex in your book, put a damn tigger warning in you book.
Why was it important, I still don't get it? Give those straight vampires their HEA in a short story, but not in the main book where MM is the centre.
Anyway.
'The Vanishing' itself first was exciting too, but after a while it got boring too. It wasn't strong enough plot for the book, and it ended really easily too.
Haru was adorable when he couldn't say sexy words but Nino pushed him to say those.
The ending was sweet, but I couldn't appreciate it as much as I wanted to. This book is a disappointment for me and I'm so sad about it. Haru and Nino were two unique vampire in my heart, but after reading this book... I don't know. I just want to forget about this book.
I couldn't wait to put my hands on this book because I loved the first so, so much.
So imagine my face when I read the book and was disappointed in it. I wanted to DNF it at least three times! Three times! But I stayed, becuase I really wanted to know how Haru and Nino's story will end. But the other stuff in the books... they were boring as hell.
Haru and Nino's relationship is sweet, I love them together and it's really adorable when they in romance mode. All sweet stuffs. So their love toward each other is the best in this book, and the only thing I didn't put it aside. But aside that...
My main concern is, why putting MF scenes in an MM romance? And I'm not talking about off page romance, the MF scenes were there. There were several chapters filled with MF, and the worst - there were 2 (!!!!) MF sex scene too. If I want to read about MF couples, I'll go and pick something from the MF world (which I don't). If you go and put straigh characters with hetero sex in your book, put a damn tigger warning in you book.
Why was it important, I still don't get it? Give those straight vampires their HEA in a short story, but not in the main book where MM is the centre.
Anyway.
'The Vanishing' itself first was exciting too, but after a while it got boring too. It wasn't strong enough plot for the book, and it ended really easily too.
Haru was adorable when he couldn't say sexy words but Nino pushed him to say those.
The ending was sweet, but I couldn't appreciate it as much as I wanted to. This book is a disappointment for me and I'm so sad about it. Haru and Nino were two unique vampire in my heart, but after reading this book... I don't know. I just want to forget about this book.
September 21, 2021
I understand that often authors and readers enjoy characters so much that we try to extend their story to please ourselves and others, but in doing so we run the risk of becoming monotonous, redundant and losing sight of the spark that made us fall in love with the characters and story in the first place.
This is exactly what happens to Haruka and Nino in this sequel.
I enjoyed Lore & Lust so much precisely because it explored Haruka and Nino's feelings as they began to fall in love.
In The Vanishing that relationship is already perfectly established and there's nothing more to see, so a villain and a side story with "mystery" and "suspense" (???) are introduced, and the relationship between Giovanni and Cellina is explored.
In short, many more elements share the limelight with our loving couple in this sequel, and unfortunately, none of those elements captured my attention.
I didn't like the first book for its suspense, I liked it for how it explored the relationship between two people (vampires), so if anything, this should have been a 100% Giovanni and Cellina-centric book, and Haruka and Nino should have appeared as supporting characters if anything.
It's a fast-paced short book, so I should have been able to read it rather quickly, however it took me a whole month and I almost fell into a reading slump, but I still have hopes for Junichi and his doctor. I hope they don't let me down.
This is exactly what happens to Haruka and Nino in this sequel.
I enjoyed Lore & Lust so much precisely because it explored Haruka and Nino's feelings as they began to fall in love.
In The Vanishing that relationship is already perfectly established and there's nothing more to see, so a villain and a side story with "mystery" and "suspense" (???) are introduced, and the relationship between Giovanni and Cellina is explored.
In short, many more elements share the limelight with our loving couple in this sequel, and unfortunately, none of those elements captured my attention.
I didn't like the first book for its suspense, I liked it for how it explored the relationship between two people (vampires), so if anything, this should have been a 100% Giovanni and Cellina-centric book, and Haruka and Nino should have appeared as supporting characters if anything.
It's a fast-paced short book, so I should have been able to read it rather quickly, however it took me a whole month and I almost fell into a reading slump, but I still have hopes for Junichi and his doctor. I hope they don't let me down.
December 3, 2022
It's like a reward.
I waited far too long to read this after the first book, but part of me is glad that I did because it makes me sad when I blow through a series and it's over within days. This way, I get to draw out my time with Haruka and Nino and it really does feel like I'm rewarding myself when I come back. And what a lovely time it is!
Just like with the first book - The Vanishing is just as beautifully written and atmospheric but with a little added excitement in it that I enthusiastically gobbled right up.
I waited far too long to read this after the first book, but part of me is glad that I did because it makes me sad when I blow through a series and it's over within days. This way, I get to draw out my time with Haruka and Nino and it really does feel like I'm rewarding myself when I come back. And what a lovely time it is!
Just like with the first book - The Vanishing is just as beautifully written and atmospheric but with a little added excitement in it that I enthusiastically gobbled right up.
April 24, 2022
Loved so much the relationship between the two vampires and nino is so funny!
January 23, 2023
This story had sooo much potential and it was wasted!!!! Between the few main topics of this story nothing important happened. So much blabla about Celina and Ninos brother, about some kids and a doctor. I mean helloooo there was an ancient purebred vampire who vanished vampires all over the world and placed them in his realm, kidnapped Nino, reveal the secret how to avoid death if a bonded vampires partner is dead, about broken bonds, … I don’t get it. How can a story start so promising and end so dull???
April 6, 2021
Loved this just as much maybe even more that the first ! Such a fantastic series ♥️
March 8, 2021
I have to say... This book did not slap as much as the first one. Although I still found it highly entertaining, I was able to see its flaws far more clearly than in the first book.
First and foremost, the pacing of this novel was all over the place. It felt like things happened both too slowly and too quickly. This was especially obvious to me with the main conflict in this book.
In addition to the pacing, the writing style felt more stiff in this novel. Maybe this is because the novel is longer than the first installment, and so it’s just a larger volume of phrases that feel too formal. It reads... I don’t know how to explain it beyond saying that the phrasing doesn’t match the overall tone of the book. This is especially the case in the descriptions. The dialogue in here, as in the first book, is perfection. It makes me laugh so much. But the rest of the writing? I’m not so sure about it.
Still. Rating this any lower than 3 stars is insincere about my general enjoyment of the story.
Mainly, my love for the characters in this series was only deepened with this book and was one of the primary reasons I still had a good time. I literally would lay down my life for Nino and Haru. Both of them have so much baggage they still need to work through, and I loved how we got to see even more character development here. For Nino, it’s all about taking responsibility and growing more confident in himself and his abilities. For Haru, it’s a continued journey of opening up about his desires and needs. It’s also about him learning to embrace that he doesn’t have to be so overprotective of Nino because Nino is powerful in his own right.
In addition, the scenes Haru had with little kids were in and of themselves enough to make this an enjoyable read for me. I love seeing adults who treat children with so much clear love and adoration. It just makes my heart very soft. I seriously need book three to feature MULTIPLE scenes of Haru and Nino with their (hopefully) future child. Otherwise, I’m gonna have to fight the author because I have NEEDS.
Apart from Haru and Nino, I also absolutely loved Cellina and Giovanni. Although their romance was poorly paced, I still adored it. I loved the dynamic between the two of them—these very self-sufficient vampires learning to lean on each other. They both needed each other, and I think that’s beautiful. Though I must admit that Giovanni’s alpha male bs would make me hate him if he was real. Lol.
Finally, the side characters here were absolutely wonderful. Asao continues to be my KING. He is an ICON. I genuinely would love to read all about him. That’s how much I respect and love that vampire. On the other hand, Jun and Ladislao were delightful for their slutty energy. Both these men had me cackling as I read. Ladislao especially had absolutely no chill. I support him getting the sex he so desperately needs. Lol. Jun is more chill, but he still made some comments that just had me laughing so hard.
So, yeah. Did I enjoy this book as much as book one? No. But it still was incredibly entertaining and delivered characters I found incredibly lovable.
First and foremost, the pacing of this novel was all over the place. It felt like things happened both too slowly and too quickly. This was especially obvious to me with the main conflict in this book.
In addition to the pacing, the writing style felt more stiff in this novel. Maybe this is because the novel is longer than the first installment, and so it’s just a larger volume of phrases that feel too formal. It reads... I don’t know how to explain it beyond saying that the phrasing doesn’t match the overall tone of the book. This is especially the case in the descriptions. The dialogue in here, as in the first book, is perfection. It makes me laugh so much. But the rest of the writing? I’m not so sure about it.
Still. Rating this any lower than 3 stars is insincere about my general enjoyment of the story.
Mainly, my love for the characters in this series was only deepened with this book and was one of the primary reasons I still had a good time. I literally would lay down my life for Nino and Haru. Both of them have so much baggage they still need to work through, and I loved how we got to see even more character development here. For Nino, it’s all about taking responsibility and growing more confident in himself and his abilities. For Haru, it’s a continued journey of opening up about his desires and needs. It’s also about him learning to embrace that he doesn’t have to be so overprotective of Nino because Nino is powerful in his own right.
In addition, the scenes Haru had with little kids were in and of themselves enough to make this an enjoyable read for me. I love seeing adults who treat children with so much clear love and adoration. It just makes my heart very soft. I seriously need book three to feature MULTIPLE scenes of Haru and Nino with their (hopefully) future child. Otherwise, I’m gonna have to fight the author because I have NEEDS.
Apart from Haru and Nino, I also absolutely loved Cellina and Giovanni. Although their romance was poorly paced, I still adored it. I loved the dynamic between the two of them—these very self-sufficient vampires learning to lean on each other. They both needed each other, and I think that’s beautiful. Though I must admit that Giovanni’s alpha male bs would make me hate him if he was real. Lol.
Finally, the side characters here were absolutely wonderful. Asao continues to be my KING. He is an ICON. I genuinely would love to read all about him. That’s how much I respect and love that vampire. On the other hand, Jun and Ladislao were delightful for their slutty energy. Both these men had me cackling as I read. Ladislao especially had absolutely no chill. I support him getting the sex he so desperately needs. Lol. Jun is more chill, but he still made some comments that just had me laughing so hard.
So, yeah. Did I enjoy this book as much as book one? No. But it still was incredibly entertaining and delivered characters I found incredibly lovable.
February 19, 2022
First things first, this could be a shorter book.
Not allot happened comparing to... well, not allot happened in the first book, either.
I felt like the whole "Vanishing" thing had a lot of potential, but we were so focused on pretty intense sexual encounters that the real plot got wasted. Even when we DID focus on the "Vanishing", it turned out expectedly over-hyped and not-making-so-much-sense-but-ok.
For me, it almost felt like everyone was having sex and casually solving problems in between. Which leads us to the fact that I actually enjoyed the infinite smut and I ended up liking Giovanni to my own surprise, but for the plot, it was a total disappointment.
(Oh and once again, I cringed allot.)(Just kill me already.)
Anyway, on my way to read the third book cause I believe this could be the ending and I'm curious why tf it's not.
Not allot happened comparing to... well, not allot happened in the first book, either.
I felt like the whole "Vanishing" thing had a lot of potential, but we were so focused on pretty intense sexual encounters that the real plot got wasted. Even when we DID focus on the "Vanishing", it turned out expectedly over-hyped and not-making-so-much-sense-but-ok.
For me, it almost felt like everyone was having sex and casually solving problems in between. Which leads us to the fact that I actually enjoyed the infinite smut and I ended up liking Giovanni to my own surprise, but for the plot, it was a total disappointment.
(Oh and once again, I cringed allot.)(Just kill me already.)
Anyway, on my way to read the third book cause I believe this could be the ending and I'm curious why tf it's not.
January 27, 2022
I didn't enjoyed this one as much as I did the first one. I still really like our main couple - Haruka and Nino but we have new POVs - Cellina and Giovanni. Even thought I like these characters I think interaction between them and dialog was kind of cheesy (especially in the second part of this book).
The Vanishing part of this book was exciting but I feel like it fizzled out kind of quickly and some parts feel like they are filling space. This book definitely could be shorter.
The Vanishing part of this book was exciting but I feel like it fizzled out kind of quickly and some parts feel like they are filling space. This book definitely could be shorter.
July 16, 2021
4 Stars.
Thanks to SJM I run the fuck away when I see the mated trope. For some reason though I didn't mind it in this series. It's probably because our vampire couples had cute nicknames for each other instead of defaulting to my mate this, and my mate that 🥴 bonus: the nicknames were in Italian because they're cute like that :')
Thanks to SJM I run the fuck away when I see the mated trope. For some reason though I didn't mind it in this series. It's probably because our vampire couples had cute nicknames for each other instead of defaulting to my mate this, and my mate that 🥴 bonus: the nicknames were in Italian because they're cute like that :')
November 1, 2021
I felt like I was taking a class on Duolingo 🤔
January 8, 2022
2.5/5
Oof I was so excited for this series, but ugh it's disappointing
Oof I was so excited for this series, but ugh it's disappointing
April 11, 2021
“I do not fuss.” Haruka lifts his chin. “I encourage you… passionately.”
I love Haru and Nico so much. These two are still my favorite couple and I’d read 30 more books of them! They are the best. Truly. And Man were the scenes in this book hot. These two definitely picked up the heat and it was so cute how Nico encouraged Haru to let go. They are so good for each other.
There was also so much talk about the Vanishing and finding out all that happens. Wow. Just wow. I can’t say anything due to spoilers but it’s worth a read. So much!! It was beyond interesting to me. I can’t wait for the next book!
I love Haru and Nico so much. These two are still my favorite couple and I’d read 30 more books of them! They are the best. Truly. And Man were the scenes in this book hot. These two definitely picked up the heat and it was so cute how Nico encouraged Haru to let go. They are so good for each other.
There was also so much talk about the Vanishing and finding out all that happens. Wow. Just wow. I can’t say anything due to spoilers but it’s worth a read. So much!! It was beyond interesting to me. I can’t wait for the next book!
Read
June 3, 2023DNF @ 50pages
So, I'm DNFing this, but not because I wasn't enjoying it - but, I could tell that I was going to have problems with it and didn't want it to affect my love of the first one. I was thinking this sequel felt redundant - the first book wraps up so well, I didn't really see a point for another book. And, after reading many reviews, it seems that many others felt the way that I was worried I would feel - that the author wasn't ready to give up these characters and so extended their story too long.
Don't get me wrong, I love extra smut scenes and I like reading about these characters, but authors need to know when a characters story is over. We love Haruka and Nino, but they don't need another book. I felt like the spark from the first book just wasn't here, so I want to save myself the frustration of this sequel and keep the first book as a standalone in my head.
So, I'm DNFing this, but not because I wasn't enjoying it - but, I could tell that I was going to have problems with it and didn't want it to affect my love of the first one. I was thinking this sequel felt redundant - the first book wraps up so well, I didn't really see a point for another book. And, after reading many reviews, it seems that many others felt the way that I was worried I would feel - that the author wasn't ready to give up these characters and so extended their story too long.
Don't get me wrong, I love extra smut scenes and I like reading about these characters, but authors need to know when a characters story is over. We love Haruka and Nino, but they don't need another book. I felt like the spark from the first book just wasn't here, so I want to save myself the frustration of this sequel and keep the first book as a standalone in my head.
March 5, 2022
4 Stars
In my opinion this book, this series in general, is very low angst. But I’m okay with that.
I liked this book. I liked seeing Haru and Nino together as a couple, I liked Cellina and Giovanni and I really liked Junichi.
The conflict of the book was very easily solved but I didn’t care. I just loved reading about Haru and Nino.
The book did end pretty abruptly, so I hope I’m the next book, even though it’s about Junichi, to see more of the other characters and let it all be wrapped up.
I had a good time reading this. I would recommend. Toodles!
In my opinion this book, this series in general, is very low angst. But I’m okay with that.
I liked this book. I liked seeing Haru and Nino together as a couple, I liked Cellina and Giovanni and I really liked Junichi.
The conflict of the book was very easily solved but I didn’t care. I just loved reading about Haru and Nino.
The book did end pretty abruptly, so I hope I’m the next book, even though it’s about Junichi, to see more of the other characters and let it all be wrapped up.
I had a good time reading this. I would recommend. Toodles!
April 29, 2023
This is quickly becoming a comfort series for me... Sometimes I just wanna read about queer-normative vampires that are madly in love, so what!!
This book wasn't as good as the previous one, but I still had a great time with it. Cellina and Giovanni's relationship was okay, but I'm mainly here for Haru and Nino - I just wanna see my boys happy, in love, and building a life together!
I'm looking forward to the last book - we saw a hint of the main couple in this book, and I'm excited to see their dynamic.
This book wasn't as good as the previous one, but I still had a great time with it. Cellina and Giovanni's relationship was okay, but I'm mainly here for Haru and Nino - I just wanna see my boys happy, in love, and building a life together!
I'm looking forward to the last book - we saw a hint of the main couple in this book, and I'm excited to see their dynamic.
May 3, 2021
I liked this less that book 1 and eventually threw in the towel about half way.
I think I’m just too old for this - the premise had some great potential that just wasn’t delivered on. And I really grew to dislike Nino.
I think I’m just too old for this - the premise had some great potential that just wasn’t delivered on. And I really grew to dislike Nino.
January 11, 2022
DNF @ P121 (37% - Ch.17)
Somewhere along the planning stage something went wrong. I loved the first book and while I was insanely curious about Nino's brother and best friend, this wasn't how I wanted it to go.
It seems to me that the author wanted to keep their shared past a mystery, so she introduced them but told us nothing. Now she isn't just telling us but diving into their history from their POV and it is jarring to say the list. This would have worked if we got a little bit of them – and a few answers inevitably – in the first book instead of focusing on Haru & Nino so much to the point that a flashback/memory told to us about someone else threw me out of the story.
I am curious but at the same time o don't really want to know anymore. Plus I am pretty sure I got the gist of things for both plotlines, one more than the other but still.
So I'm bowing outand I won't go to Book #3 as from what I got from a quick skim on reviews the same thing happens there too. I might return one day, who knows, just.. not now.
April 28, 2022
Second in the "Lore and Lust" series, "The Vanishing" picks up where book one left us. Happily mated, purebred vampires Haruka Hirano and Nino Bianchi spend their days leading the Japanese vampire realm, and exploring the depths of their young bond. One night, though, an unexpected visitor shatters their world by making Nino disappear without a trace. Could he be the one behind the Great Vanishing that devastated the purebred world decades ago? Can Haruka, with some help from Giovanni and Cellina - Nino's brother and best friend, respectively -, find his mate?
It's no secret that I was a big fan of Lore and Lust, when it first came out a year and a half ago! Nino and Haruka's romance stood out to me as a good example of healthy love stories, where consent and communication are consistent, and it still does in The Vanishing. My favourite part of the book was, in fact, watching Nino and Haru face the different hardships that kept coming at them. One of the things we find discussed in this installment is communication during sex, which really isn't talked about enough. I was really delighted to see a character struggling to do it because of internalised purity culture and trauma, and not being shamed for his difficulties. The way this topic was handled warmed my heart, and in my opinion, Karla really excels at writing healthy, swoonworthy relationships! I can't wait for the NinoHaru novella she'll be releasing soon, "The Arrival".
What I didn't enjoy as much this time around was the plot. It wasn't very engaging, to me, and halfway through the book (that is, when Nino gets back home) it felt like it had become just one very long epilogue. I kept reading because I really wanted to see how things would go for Nino and Haruka, but the story per se wasn't very enticing. Maybe if the Vanishing mystery had gone on for a bit longer, or if it had been an actual challenge to defeat the main antagonist, I would've enjoyed the book more? Either way, I personally didn't find it all too intriguing, and at times I struggled to keep reading.
Another new thing in "The Vanishing" was the addition of new PoVs: those of Cellina and Giovanni, who have unresolved issues to address. I personally didn't mind having their points of view as well, because they did deliver some really pretty quotes; but I didn't feel like they were adding much to the story. It was a little as if I were reading two different books, in that sense?, that occasionally overlapped for this or that. So, while I wasn't bothered by them, I also wasn't thrilled.
The writing stays as lush as always, even though at times I felt like it didn't quite fit the events that were going on, and thus took away some of the drama of the situation.
All in all, I don't regret reading "The Vanishing", and I'm intrigued to read "The Awakening" after seeing a lot of hype about it everywhere. I'm curious to meet Jun!
It's no secret that I was a big fan of Lore and Lust, when it first came out a year and a half ago! Nino and Haruka's romance stood out to me as a good example of healthy love stories, where consent and communication are consistent, and it still does in The Vanishing. My favourite part of the book was, in fact, watching Nino and Haru face the different hardships that kept coming at them. One of the things we find discussed in this installment is communication during sex, which really isn't talked about enough. I was really delighted to see a character struggling to do it because of internalised purity culture and trauma, and not being shamed for his difficulties. The way this topic was handled warmed my heart, and in my opinion, Karla really excels at writing healthy, swoonworthy relationships! I can't wait for the NinoHaru novella she'll be releasing soon, "The Arrival".
What I didn't enjoy as much this time around was the plot. It wasn't very engaging, to me, and halfway through the book (that is, when Nino gets back home) it felt like it had become just one very long epilogue. I kept reading because I really wanted to see how things would go for Nino and Haruka, but the story per se wasn't very enticing. Maybe if the Vanishing mystery had gone on for a bit longer, or if it had been an actual challenge to defeat the main antagonist, I would've enjoyed the book more? Either way, I personally didn't find it all too intriguing, and at times I struggled to keep reading.
Another new thing in "The Vanishing" was the addition of new PoVs: those of Cellina and Giovanni, who have unresolved issues to address. I personally didn't mind having their points of view as well, because they did deliver some really pretty quotes; but I didn't feel like they were adding much to the story. It was a little as if I were reading two different books, in that sense?, that occasionally overlapped for this or that. So, while I wasn't bothered by them, I also wasn't thrilled.
The writing stays as lush as always, even though at times I felt like it didn't quite fit the events that were going on, and thus took away some of the drama of the situation.
All in all, I don't regret reading "The Vanishing", and I'm intrigued to read "The Awakening" after seeing a lot of hype about it everywhere. I'm curious to meet Jun!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2025
J’avais adoré le premier tome de cette trilogie, la douceur de la romance, le slow burn, l’ambiance… Et ce deuxième tome reprend tout ce que j’avais aimé. Mais justement, j’attendais un peu plus ou peut-être quelque chose de différent.
La romance reste douce et adorable, mais elle manque cruellement de tension puisqu’elle est maintenant bien installée. L’intrigue reste assez plate et en retrait, ce qui fait que ce tome n’a pas totalement comblé ce que je recherchais.
À côté de ça, j’ai adoré suivre l’histoire de Giovanni et Celinna, ils m’ont bien plus captivée que le couple principal, à tel point que j’avais hâte de les retrouver à chaque nouveau chapitre.
Bref, une petite déception, même si la lecture reste agréable. J’espère que le tome 3 réussira à me happer à nouveau !
La romance reste douce et adorable, mais elle manque cruellement de tension puisqu’elle est maintenant bien installée. L’intrigue reste assez plate et en retrait, ce qui fait que ce tome n’a pas totalement comblé ce que je recherchais.
À côté de ça, j’ai adoré suivre l’histoire de Giovanni et Celinna, ils m’ont bien plus captivée que le couple principal, à tel point que j’avais hâte de les retrouver à chaque nouveau chapitre.
Bref, une petite déception, même si la lecture reste agréable. J’espère que le tome 3 réussira à me happer à nouveau !
October 29, 2023
no mpreg and not as entertaining as the first one, but still good lmao
March 14, 2025
meh 😕
I highly disliked the second storyline 🤷🏻♀️
I should have stopped after book 1
I highly disliked the second storyline 🤷🏻♀️
I should have stopped after book 1
June 27, 2021
This book felt so wholesome, the author is gradually including all kinds of people and issues and disabilities in the story.
I was so happy when I saw that there was a character who cannot speak, and so uses sign language. Or the representations of different cultures and backgrounds, the author even uses family names that are convincing of said backgrounds and cultures, which really made me happy somehow.
Not that authors NEED to do this, it’s their books and their stories, they can do whatever they want, but it’s still cool when they do it.
This book is amazing, from the story to the characters to the setting, everything. Cellina deserves the whole world and then some!!
I was so happy when I saw that there was a character who cannot speak, and so uses sign language. Or the representations of different cultures and backgrounds, the author even uses family names that are convincing of said backgrounds and cultures, which really made me happy somehow.
Not that authors NEED to do this, it’s their books and their stories, they can do whatever they want, but it’s still cool when they do it.
This book is amazing, from the story to the characters to the setting, everything. Cellina deserves the whole world and then some!!
March 1, 2021
When Karla Nikole Publishing sent me an email offering me the ARC, I could not believe! I was so quick in responding that I probably made them all laugh LOL. Anyway, I usually don't write reviews because English is not my first language. But this book, and the first one, thrilled me so much, that I wrote review for the first one, and now this one as well.
I found myself reading slowly so that I prolong the time with these beautiful characters. I loved, loved, LOVED IT! The plot is so elegant, writing is fluid and emotional, and I can't wait to read more of Karla's stories. The story is painted in vivid colors, places and people. I love that characters are multicultural, multilingual and across race, gender and all other things that make us unique in our nature. Love is the essence here and I can get behind that idea. Ultimately, that's all that matters. And those gorgeous covers!
I recommend this book with all my heart!
I found myself reading slowly so that I prolong the time with these beautiful characters. I loved, loved, LOVED IT! The plot is so elegant, writing is fluid and emotional, and I can't wait to read more of Karla's stories. The story is painted in vivid colors, places and people. I love that characters are multicultural, multilingual and across race, gender and all other things that make us unique in our nature. Love is the essence here and I can get behind that idea. Ultimately, that's all that matters. And those gorgeous covers!
I recommend this book with all my heart!
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