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Hallowed Ground #1
From Death to Dawn
Strange powers. Mysterious creatures. Necromancers with a deadly vendetta. Can she survive the world she’s entered?
Ivy Monroe is content working behind the scenes in theatre bookings. But strange things are happening around her, and the interest of the handsome Nate Hastings puts Ivy in the spotlight.
Able to draw power from death, Ivy is the first human familiar in a millennium. She must bind her power with a witch. But Ivy has accidentally bound herself to Nate, a vampire, and she refuses to give him up.
When vengeful necromancers claim Ivy’s power belongs to them, she is thrust into a vendetta that will lead to bloodshed before dawn.
The wrong alliance could be deadly. Ivy must not only fight to gain control of her unruly magic, but for control of her fate.
Can she escape a dangerous destiny before she’s sent to her doom?
Ivy Monroe is content working behind the scenes in theatre bookings. But strange things are happening around her, and the interest of the handsome Nate Hastings puts Ivy in the spotlight.
Able to draw power from death, Ivy is the first human familiar in a millennium. She must bind her power with a witch. But Ivy has accidentally bound herself to Nate, a vampire, and she refuses to give him up.
When vengeful necromancers claim Ivy’s power belongs to them, she is thrust into a vendetta that will lead to bloodshed before dawn.
The wrong alliance could be deadly. Ivy must not only fight to gain control of her unruly magic, but for control of her fate.
Can she escape a dangerous destiny before she’s sent to her doom?
- GenresFantasyUrban Fantasy
492 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 5, 2022
30 people are currently reading
97 people want to read
About the author
Chele Cooke
15 books77 followersChele Cooke is an Urban Fantasy and Science Fiction author living in London, UK.
Chele has been publishing since 2013, creating unique worlds and diverse characters in both Urban Fantasy and Science Fiction. Her stories are often gritty, occasionally funny, and always include complex, emotionally-driven characters.
Away from writing, Chele has a number of other hobbies and obsessions, mostly revolving around craft projects. She cross stitches, etches glass, plays with resin creations, and creates vinyl patterns for clothing.
Chele is, at heart, a geek. She has a great fondness for anything that will tell her a good story, whether it's film or tv, theatre, books, or even video games.
If you'd like updates on the Chele's books, first looks at new works, cover and blurb releases, sneak peaks at early chapters, and deeper character and world information, you can join Chele's mailing list at www.chelecooke.com
Chele has been publishing since 2013, creating unique worlds and diverse characters in both Urban Fantasy and Science Fiction. Her stories are often gritty, occasionally funny, and always include complex, emotionally-driven characters.
Away from writing, Chele has a number of other hobbies and obsessions, mostly revolving around craft projects. She cross stitches, etches glass, plays with resin creations, and creates vinyl patterns for clothing.
Chele is, at heart, a geek. She has a great fondness for anything that will tell her a good story, whether it's film or tv, theatre, books, or even video games.
If you'd like updates on the Chele's books, first looks at new works, cover and blurb releases, sneak peaks at early chapters, and deeper character and world information, you can join Chele's mailing list at www.chelecooke.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
February 27, 2023
I saw this book was available for download for free via an email newsletter thing, and the cover is SO pretty I wanted to find out more. Read the sample pages on Amazon and wanted to carry on.
Pros:
Very clean for SPAG. I don't remember seeing any typos at all, so a major tick for that.
Loved the location. Having visited the Tower of London recently I could recognise the description of a lot of the early travelling, so it was clear the author is either familiar with the area or had done enough research.
Interesting premise. First human familiar in centuries, long-standing conflict in the supernatural world. There were plenty of elements here that I found really interesting. I think the author also did a great job of having this realistically set in the modern world without technology taking over.
Cons:
The characters. I didn't particularly "like" anyone in this book. Nate (the main dude) was cool at the start, but went downhill and never really regained my interest. The two secondary male characters seemed rather interchangeable and entire personalities seemed to revolve around giving condescending nicknames and making inappropriate comments. The secondary female character was irritating and pointless in equal measures. But my main issue was with the main character...
Enter Ivy. She's a competent, independent adult with a job and life of her own. She finds out she has additional power she doesn't understand and promptly becomes a doormat. She's constantly belittled and demeaned by everyone she meets and she just sits there and takes it. I had such high hopes that she might actually walk out or stand her ground... but it never actually happened.
Lack of information. And I don't mean plot information. New characters would turn up and never be properly introduced, leaving me guessing as to their abilities or links to other characters. I still don't really understand how some of them are connected.
Cliche elements. Specifically Nate's personality.
Overall, 3.25*, rounded down. Not a wasted read, but probably won't be looking for future instalments.
Pros:
Very clean for SPAG. I don't remember seeing any typos at all, so a major tick for that.
Loved the location. Having visited the Tower of London recently I could recognise the description of a lot of the early travelling, so it was clear the author is either familiar with the area or had done enough research.
Interesting premise. First human familiar in centuries, long-standing conflict in the supernatural world. There were plenty of elements here that I found really interesting. I think the author also did a great job of having this realistically set in the modern world without technology taking over.
Cons:
The characters. I didn't particularly "like" anyone in this book. Nate (the main dude) was cool at the start, but went downhill and never really regained my interest. The two secondary male characters seemed rather interchangeable and entire personalities seemed to revolve around giving condescending nicknames and making inappropriate comments. The secondary female character was irritating and pointless in equal measures. But my main issue was with the main character...
Enter Ivy. She's a competent, independent adult with a job and life of her own. She finds out she has additional power she doesn't understand and promptly becomes a doormat. She's constantly belittled and demeaned by everyone she meets and she just sits there and takes it. I had such high hopes that she might actually walk out or stand her ground... but it never actually happened.
Lack of information. And I don't mean plot information. New characters would turn up and never be properly introduced, leaving me guessing as to their abilities or links to other characters. I still don't really understand how some of them are connected.
Cliche elements. Specifically Nate's personality.
Overall, 3.25*, rounded down. Not a wasted read, but probably won't be looking for future instalments.
February 28, 2024
I received this book through voracious readers and I like to be as thorough as possible so it's going to be a bit of a long review.
I was intrigued by the blurb. Necromancers aren't a supernatural species that I read about very often and I have shied away from vampire stories after glutting myself on Black Dagger Brotherhood and so many more for years, so I picked this book up because why not? I wanted to like this book more than I did. I wanted it to be saturated in magic, in conflict and rich in lore and world building. I just didn't get that vibe.
Ivy is the main character who discovers that she has magic. A few weird things happened to her in the first few pages that are very obviously strange but it takes quite a while for them to be explained. Ivy goes to work and meets Nate. Minor magical experience that is weird but brushed off as a figment of Ivy's imagination, then there's the meeting of the found family which I thought was extremely odd. Ivy's character in the very beginning of the book does not match with the Ivy that loses her temper during that meal, the way she acts, thinks and studies the others isn't who I thought she was... Maybe a fleeting glimpse of who she is going to be... The beginning of the book (first 2/3's) just didn't flow well for me.
The idea of the book is sound. Necromancers wanting power that they can only get from Ivy. The word building was slow but came together in the end. I loved the secondary characters more than the main.
Eli - soft and gooey center but steps up when needed. Now his romantic relationship was seriously interesting.
Luca - comes across as a bit immature but the relationship with Nate that is described through past recollections was good, although I wish it had played out a bit more in the story.
Cecelia - I want her to be my friend.
Sam - I adored how this character didn't change. He didn't dislike Ivy to suddenly like her. His family is the most important thing in his world and it was perfectly depicted. LOVED him!
Ivy - I did not like her at the beginning. Too wishy-washy and whiny. But who she became when she began to believe in herself? That's an Ivy I can read about.
When it got into the magic of the book I was hooked. The magic system, while there are still some holes for me, I was hooked and needed to know more. How powerful is Ivy? What can she do? What are her limits? Runes, herbs, spells are all included and I was fascinated.
I had 2 issues with this book.
1) I got about 2/3's into the story before I began to get a grasp of what was going on and what the world was about. There was no explanations or probing questions, like very little happens at the beginning other than introducing characters and exploring their intertwining relationships.
2) Nate/Ivy and Nate. I just didn't get it. I didn't feel it, the chemistry, the need or any kind of romance. People talk about authors showing and telling... There was no showing. All of a sudden he was obsessed with her. There was no leading up to it because up to that point it was all about trying to figure out what was going on plot/conflict/point-wise. Nate was portrayed as this cool, calm and suave vampire (seemingly disinterested in anything) until he suddenly lost his S*** and then he became interesting. I'm still not sure who the real Nate is.
I wouldn't read the next book for the romance/spice, but because the story got quite interesting in the last third part and I liked the secondary characters. I enjoyed it once I figured out what was actually going on.
I was intrigued by the blurb. Necromancers aren't a supernatural species that I read about very often and I have shied away from vampire stories after glutting myself on Black Dagger Brotherhood and so many more for years, so I picked this book up because why not? I wanted to like this book more than I did. I wanted it to be saturated in magic, in conflict and rich in lore and world building. I just didn't get that vibe.
Ivy is the main character who discovers that she has magic. A few weird things happened to her in the first few pages that are very obviously strange but it takes quite a while for them to be explained. Ivy goes to work and meets Nate. Minor magical experience that is weird but brushed off as a figment of Ivy's imagination, then there's the meeting of the found family which I thought was extremely odd. Ivy's character in the very beginning of the book does not match with the Ivy that loses her temper during that meal, the way she acts, thinks and studies the others isn't who I thought she was... Maybe a fleeting glimpse of who she is going to be... The beginning of the book (first 2/3's) just didn't flow well for me.
The idea of the book is sound. Necromancers wanting power that they can only get from Ivy. The word building was slow but came together in the end. I loved the secondary characters more than the main.
Eli - soft and gooey center but steps up when needed. Now his romantic relationship was seriously interesting.
Luca - comes across as a bit immature but the relationship with Nate that is described through past recollections was good, although I wish it had played out a bit more in the story.
Cecelia - I want her to be my friend.
Sam - I adored how this character didn't change. He didn't dislike Ivy to suddenly like her. His family is the most important thing in his world and it was perfectly depicted. LOVED him!
Ivy - I did not like her at the beginning. Too wishy-washy and whiny. But who she became when she began to believe in herself? That's an Ivy I can read about.
When it got into the magic of the book I was hooked. The magic system, while there are still some holes for me, I was hooked and needed to know more. How powerful is Ivy? What can she do? What are her limits? Runes, herbs, spells are all included and I was fascinated.
I had 2 issues with this book.
1) I got about 2/3's into the story before I began to get a grasp of what was going on and what the world was about. There was no explanations or probing questions, like very little happens at the beginning other than introducing characters and exploring their intertwining relationships.
2) Nate/Ivy and Nate. I just didn't get it. I didn't feel it, the chemistry, the need or any kind of romance. People talk about authors showing and telling... There was no showing. All of a sudden he was obsessed with her. There was no leading up to it because up to that point it was all about trying to figure out what was going on plot/conflict/point-wise. Nate was portrayed as this cool, calm and suave vampire (seemingly disinterested in anything) until he suddenly lost his S*** and then he became interesting. I'm still not sure who the real Nate is.
I wouldn't read the next book for the romance/spice, but because the story got quite interesting in the last third part and I liked the secondary characters. I enjoyed it once I figured out what was actually going on.
March 29, 2024
This was my first encounter with the writer's work. I didn't know what to expect but I'm always open to read a good urban fantasy novel.
The first 66 page is unremarkably average just like the life of the heroine. I was afraid it would turn into a romantic vampire brooding Twilight style book. Man, was I wrong?!
I don't know how Chele did it but as soon as she stopped writing characters and started to write action the whole story turned into a whirlwind of amazing events. Between page 67 and 330 there wasn't an unnecessary person or action. I didn't skip a page and that is rare because most writers fill their word counts with unnecessary clutter. Not in this book not between page 67 and 330.
The story line between the vampires and necromancers are amazing. I love the reasoning, the dark pasts, Ivy's innocence growing into more understanding about life in the dark. I appreciated her independence and not wanting to succumb to a strong man's side chick next to Nate. It's not a damsel in distress story. The sisterly love between Cecilia and Ivy and the brotherly banter between Luca, Elijah and Ivy are precious. This is one of those books where I wish I had friends like the main characters (Luca, Elijah, Cecilia, Sam).
When the main events end the book turns back to the slow paced everyday life for the last few chapters. I would have loved to read about the aftermath party and conversations between the main characters. But Chele decided it was time to write some bedroom action in (which honestly I didn't miss from this book because the action and characters were waaaay more interesting than Nate and Ivy in bed).
I loved the relationship between all the characters. Friendships, family and love interest got the same amount of attention. It is not the usual romantic string with action mishmash. It's more diverse and thankfully gives the main character brain and wit without the usual UF tomcat heroine vibe.
Ivy's character is diverse. She is an average closer to thirty chick with a boring job in London who stumbles upon the supernatural. And she falls in love. She falls in love with the world, family, vampires, witch, powers and salt and tequila. She grows into the shoes she was given.
The other main characters are well balanced, some are funny, some are dangerous and all of them grow close to the heart. For me Luca and Elijah were the favourites.
I wish (or hope) in future books I can read Lord Hastings and Elijah's early story within a modern days adventure with flashbacks to the past. That would be an amazing read with the shenanigans of Sam's children trying to break them up. Also Cecilia's story could be interesting. I'm glad I've found this book and I'm planning to read more from Chele Cooke. Thank you for the great read and the amazing characters I wish to call friends.
The first 66 page is unremarkably average just like the life of the heroine. I was afraid it would turn into a romantic vampire brooding Twilight style book. Man, was I wrong?!
I don't know how Chele did it but as soon as she stopped writing characters and started to write action the whole story turned into a whirlwind of amazing events. Between page 67 and 330 there wasn't an unnecessary person or action. I didn't skip a page and that is rare because most writers fill their word counts with unnecessary clutter. Not in this book not between page 67 and 330.
The story line between the vampires and necromancers are amazing. I love the reasoning, the dark pasts, Ivy's innocence growing into more understanding about life in the dark. I appreciated her independence and not wanting to succumb to a strong man's side chick next to Nate. It's not a damsel in distress story. The sisterly love between Cecilia and Ivy and the brotherly banter between Luca, Elijah and Ivy are precious. This is one of those books where I wish I had friends like the main characters (Luca, Elijah, Cecilia, Sam).
When the main events end the book turns back to the slow paced everyday life for the last few chapters. I would have loved to read about the aftermath party and conversations between the main characters. But Chele decided it was time to write some bedroom action in (which honestly I didn't miss from this book because the action and characters were waaaay more interesting than Nate and Ivy in bed).
I loved the relationship between all the characters. Friendships, family and love interest got the same amount of attention. It is not the usual romantic string with action mishmash. It's more diverse and thankfully gives the main character brain and wit without the usual UF tomcat heroine vibe.
Ivy's character is diverse. She is an average closer to thirty chick with a boring job in London who stumbles upon the supernatural. And she falls in love. She falls in love with the world, family, vampires, witch, powers and salt and tequila. She grows into the shoes she was given.
The other main characters are well balanced, some are funny, some are dangerous and all of them grow close to the heart. For me Luca and Elijah were the favourites.
I wish (or hope) in future books I can read Lord Hastings and Elijah's early story within a modern days adventure with flashbacks to the past. That would be an amazing read with the shenanigans of Sam's children trying to break them up. Also Cecilia's story could be interesting. I'm glad I've found this book and I'm planning to read more from Chele Cooke. Thank you for the great read and the amazing characters I wish to call friends.
January 7, 2024
A good first book in a series.
We first meet Ivy on her way to work in London, we’re giving some hints about odd things that’s been happening to her as of late. Her life is turned upside down when she meets a beautiful stranger that’s rumored to be buying the theater company she works at. Ivy is then literally thrown into a supernatural life that she had no clue existed. We then meet a family of vampires Nate, Luca and Elijah(an immortal witch of sorts)?! Nate and Luca’s relationship is complex and full of rivalry, Elijah is more of a buffer between everyone.
This story breaks the traditional plot of vampire meets witch and declares undying love for her, it’s definitely a fresh take that’s worth giving a chance to. My biggest issue is that it misses the point on the plot line for me . I couldn’t define a single plot line, the FMCs actions and reactions are all over the place. Where is the main conflict?The climax was somewhat disappointing and the resolution was Lukewarm, I wasn’t sure if this is a reverse haram or does she have feelings for just Nate? The way she treated the others gave me a whiplash and definitely confused the hell out of Nate who is supposed to be an obsessive vampire with control issue but was very cool about her asking to be alone then going out dancing with his brother? I needed to read more of Nate losing control and showing her how much he wanted her but I get why he was holding back. The stories of their past was probably the best and I still don’t understand who is Elijah to their Dad? Or maybe I missed something. The story picks up around the 50%, we see her come to her own. She gains confidence and stands up for herself, she is her own hero. I definitely want to read what happens next.
October 12, 2022
This was the first book I have read by this author and really enjoyed it. It was a fast-paced, full of action, urban fantasy with some romance thrown in for good measure as well.
Ivy is a normal human, working a normal job until the day she meets Nate as a potential buyer for the theatre she works in. Suddenly strange things begin to happen to her and Nate reveals that she is not just a normal human, but instead a human familiar, something not heard of for years and years. Usually familiars are animals bound to a witch for them to use as an additional power source. Ivy now has a target on her back and has some serious decision making to do, especially as she is now thrust into the world of vampires, witches and necromancers, none of whom she knew anything about before.
Ivy was a fun character to read. Although she was completely unaware, she was not one to back down when others tried to force her to do something against her will. I really liked that she stood up to even the biggest, baddest vampire of them all!
Nate was very volatile and I do wonder how his "obsession" will play out in the future and whether it will have similar consequences to the one from his past. I don't think Ivy would let it get that far though to be honest!
I loved Elijah - he was hilarious with his constant eating habits and Cecelia will make a fabulous friend for Ivy. Luca was a fun character too and I would love to see more of him in the next book.
i received this book as an ARC through Book Sirens, but this review is my own, honest one.
Ivy is a normal human, working a normal job until the day she meets Nate as a potential buyer for the theatre she works in. Suddenly strange things begin to happen to her and Nate reveals that she is not just a normal human, but instead a human familiar, something not heard of for years and years. Usually familiars are animals bound to a witch for them to use as an additional power source. Ivy now has a target on her back and has some serious decision making to do, especially as she is now thrust into the world of vampires, witches and necromancers, none of whom she knew anything about before.
Ivy was a fun character to read. Although she was completely unaware, she was not one to back down when others tried to force her to do something against her will. I really liked that she stood up to even the biggest, baddest vampire of them all!
Nate was very volatile and I do wonder how his "obsession" will play out in the future and whether it will have similar consequences to the one from his past. I don't think Ivy would let it get that far though to be honest!
I loved Elijah - he was hilarious with his constant eating habits and Cecelia will make a fabulous friend for Ivy. Luca was a fun character too and I would love to see more of him in the next book.
i received this book as an ARC through Book Sirens, but this review is my own, honest one.
May 3, 2025
I received From Death to Dawn by Chele Cooke for free in exchange for an honest review—and I genuinely had such a great time reading it!
The story is well-written and well-edited, with a compelling world that pulled me in from the start. I was especially fascinated by the concept of the Familiar—unique, well-executed, and a fresh take on vampire lore. Speaking of vampires: these are not your sparkly, tortured romantics. They're dangerous, they've killed, and they will kill again. I loved that gritty, old-school vampire energy.
I also have to give a shoutout to the raven theme. Ravens are my favorite birds, and the symbolism added an extra layer of dark beauty to the story that I really appreciated.
Now for the one thing that had me stumped: Ivy and Nate. Nate is good-looking, sure, but in the beginning he's also incredibly toxic. For most of the book, I kept wondering why Ivy was falling for him—and half-expected Buffy to come slaying in and end the whole thing. That said, by the end of the story, I could see the progression of their relationship and how they'd grown into a surprisingly solid couple. Still, it took a while to get there.
Overall, this was an engaging, dark, and thrilling vampire read. Highly recommend if you like your fangs sharp and your romances a bit morally complicated.
The story is well-written and well-edited, with a compelling world that pulled me in from the start. I was especially fascinated by the concept of the Familiar—unique, well-executed, and a fresh take on vampire lore. Speaking of vampires: these are not your sparkly, tortured romantics. They're dangerous, they've killed, and they will kill again. I loved that gritty, old-school vampire energy.
I also have to give a shoutout to the raven theme. Ravens are my favorite birds, and the symbolism added an extra layer of dark beauty to the story that I really appreciated.
Now for the one thing that had me stumped: Ivy and Nate. Nate is good-looking, sure, but in the beginning he's also incredibly toxic. For most of the book, I kept wondering why Ivy was falling for him—and half-expected Buffy to come slaying in and end the whole thing. That said, by the end of the story, I could see the progression of their relationship and how they'd grown into a surprisingly solid couple. Still, it took a while to get there.
Overall, this was an engaging, dark, and thrilling vampire read. Highly recommend if you like your fangs sharp and your romances a bit morally complicated.
October 12, 2022
Actual rating 3.5, rounds up to 4.
It took me a while to get into the story and that's why the rating starts with a 3. The beginning had some pacing issues and I had some trouble understanding everything that was happening and the story jumped around a bit for me. Though, towards the middle of the story, I started getting into it and enjoyed it! Ivy spent most of her time being bossed around by vampires and a witch and never being given enough information. I liked when she stood up for herself (even if it made a vampire or two angry). There were times when she was naive, but she still was empathetic, which gave her more depth. Her exploration of her abilities was a different take of most of the urban fantasy books I've read. Nate also had depth, but his depth was vastly different than Ivy's because Nate is a vampire whose been around for a couple of hundred years. I liked how murky his characterization was. Not quite evil exactly, but not a cookie cutter male lead in most stories.
There's violence (talk of bloody murder), swearing, and some non-explicit intimate times.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
It took me a while to get into the story and that's why the rating starts with a 3. The beginning had some pacing issues and I had some trouble understanding everything that was happening and the story jumped around a bit for me. Though, towards the middle of the story, I started getting into it and enjoyed it! Ivy spent most of her time being bossed around by vampires and a witch and never being given enough information. I liked when she stood up for herself (even if it made a vampire or two angry). There were times when she was naive, but she still was empathetic, which gave her more depth. Her exploration of her abilities was a different take of most of the urban fantasy books I've read. Nate also had depth, but his depth was vastly different than Ivy's because Nate is a vampire whose been around for a couple of hundred years. I liked how murky his characterization was. Not quite evil exactly, but not a cookie cutter male lead in most stories.
There's violence (talk of bloody murder), swearing, and some non-explicit intimate times.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 24, 2023
This was a well-written, different take on the supernatural story. Ivy is a normal person with a normal job who somehow gets linked to a rather handsome vampire.
The vampires were very well written with lots of explanation and back-story. The story itself is fast-paced with a number of twists and turns, my only gripe is that we don't learn nearly enough about the main character, Ivy. There's no backstory, it's like she just popped up at the start of the story! I feel we learnt so much more about the characters around her and she was simply a cipher for the story. It's not made clear if she had any close friends but you would think someone from her previous life (her parents for example who apparently in one sentence would be really pleased to have her visit) would be calling her at some point to find out where or how she is. Who was she before the supernatural crashed into her life? Why doesn't she have any friends (even though she's out with people at the start of the book)? Give me a more well-rounded lead character and I will happily continue reading this author's books
The vampires were very well written with lots of explanation and back-story. The story itself is fast-paced with a number of twists and turns, my only gripe is that we don't learn nearly enough about the main character, Ivy. There's no backstory, it's like she just popped up at the start of the story! I feel we learnt so much more about the characters around her and she was simply a cipher for the story. It's not made clear if she had any close friends but you would think someone from her previous life (her parents for example who apparently in one sentence would be really pleased to have her visit) would be calling her at some point to find out where or how she is. Who was she before the supernatural crashed into her life? Why doesn't she have any friends (even though she's out with people at the start of the book)? Give me a more well-rounded lead character and I will happily continue reading this author's books
May 10, 2025
Title: FROM DEATH TO DAWN
Author: Chele Cooke
Release Date: Published in 2022.
Re-readability: No
Binge-Read Score: DNF
Overall Thoughts:
This book’s vibe is twilight meets London, with a cool concept of a familiar being bound to a vampire rather than a witch. There is even a scene where FMC drops something that is caught by the MMC who is a vampire, reminiscent of another book I know.
A note on the prologue: conflicting language left me slightly confused as to whether it was day/night or whether her friends were there/not there (e.g., perhaps a memory due to using italics). The attempt was for suspense, but instead it just kind of made me confused. The plot moved along fairly quick, but at some point, I found the writing style to be slightly over-descriptive and some of the conversations hard to read through.
Cool concept, but lost interest at 25% through which is why I did not finish. Some will like the book for the concept and I bet it improves further along, but I can be a picky reader.
Author: Chele Cooke
Release Date: Published in 2022.
Re-readability: No
Binge-Read Score: DNF
Overall Thoughts:
This book’s vibe is twilight meets London, with a cool concept of a familiar being bound to a vampire rather than a witch. There is even a scene where FMC drops something that is caught by the MMC who is a vampire, reminiscent of another book I know.
A note on the prologue: conflicting language left me slightly confused as to whether it was day/night or whether her friends were there/not there (e.g., perhaps a memory due to using italics). The attempt was for suspense, but instead it just kind of made me confused. The plot moved along fairly quick, but at some point, I found the writing style to be slightly over-descriptive and some of the conversations hard to read through.
Cool concept, but lost interest at 25% through which is why I did not finish. Some will like the book for the concept and I bet it improves further along, but I can be a picky reader.
July 17, 2023
Our heroine is actually rather happy with her life, so when she finds herself in a world of witches and vampires and wielding strange magics, it takes her by surprise. But she is a tough one and not going to surrender to these unexpected occurrences without a fight.
This is book one of the series, so all good there.
This is an urban fantasy story with witches and vampires. The story is well written and easy to read with an intriguing setting. It is quite detailed and fun to discover as our heroine gets pulled from one thing to the next. The characters are well done and I particularly like our heroine who is tough and smart, just the way I like them. Overall, this was a great introduction to the series and I look forward to seeing what comes next.
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout for review purposes.
This is book one of the series, so all good there.
This is an urban fantasy story with witches and vampires. The story is well written and easy to read with an intriguing setting. It is quite detailed and fun to discover as our heroine gets pulled from one thing to the next. The characters are well done and I particularly like our heroine who is tough and smart, just the way I like them. Overall, this was a great introduction to the series and I look forward to seeing what comes next.
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout for review purposes.
September 25, 2023
I found From Death To Dawn to be a darkly compelling mystical tale. Each time I picked it up I was immediately drawn into the world and invested in each character's story. The author's writing is coherent, easily readable and vivid. The story is one of the most original UF's I have read, with a unique FMC who is new to her magic and the magical world. I did not like the initial controlling 'care' enacted over Ivy by the circle of MMC's who gathered around her but luckily for me, this eased as the story progressed. There were some very satisfying scenes where she pushed back against that 'care', leaving the men physically trapped and taken aback. It leaves many possible story lines open for future books, so it will be interesting to see where the author takes these characters and how she lets them grow.
December 17, 2023
Witches, vampires, suspense and love; this first book in the series has it all. I loved Ivy and getting to be a part of her finding her powers and inner strength. I liked that Nate isn't perfect, but what Vampire is? And I really enjoyed the banter with Luca and Elijah.
There are a tonne of twists and turns, that keep you glued to the pages. And having a partial HEA rather than a cliffhanger was extremely refreshing. It has made me keener to read the next book knowing it will be a continuation, but also it's own self contained tale.
It was great having something set in London for a change. It felt more real knowing the areas!
I received a free copy of this book for an honest review.
There are a tonne of twists and turns, that keep you glued to the pages. And having a partial HEA rather than a cliffhanger was extremely refreshing. It has made me keener to read the next book knowing it will be a continuation, but also it's own self contained tale.
It was great having something set in London for a change. It felt more real knowing the areas!
I received a free copy of this book for an honest review.
June 7, 2024
“From Death to Dawn,” by Chele Cooke
I really liked this book. It is a good indie publishing with vampires, familiars, necromancers, and witches. Ivy is a normal woman until one day she isn’t. Meeting Nate sends her life in a tailspin when she finds out she isn’t as normal as she thought. It was really good, and I love the romance factor and the tension between the characters. I can’t wait to read more about the characters in this series. There is a ton of action, and it is very realistic in the way the characters act. 4 out of 5 stars, so good.
Thank you for the free copy, Voracious Readers Only.
I really liked this book. It is a good indie publishing with vampires, familiars, necromancers, and witches. Ivy is a normal woman until one day she isn’t. Meeting Nate sends her life in a tailspin when she finds out she isn’t as normal as she thought. It was really good, and I love the romance factor and the tension between the characters. I can’t wait to read more about the characters in this series. There is a ton of action, and it is very realistic in the way the characters act. 4 out of 5 stars, so good.
Thank you for the free copy, Voracious Readers Only.
September 30, 2024
I loved all the characters in this book.
Ivy is just living a normal life until she encounters a group of three crows who start following her a long the wall on her way to work. She doesn't think anything of it but finds it strange. From then her life changes and she is going to learn a lot of things she never thought were true.
Nate shows up at Ivy's work potentially buying the company she works for and is introduced to Ivy and is instantly drawn to her.
Vampire, witches and werewolves all make an appearance in this book one way or another and I loved how it all was written.
If you are a fantasy reader or just love reading vampire stories I would recommend this book.
Ivy is just living a normal life until she encounters a group of three crows who start following her a long the wall on her way to work. She doesn't think anything of it but finds it strange. From then her life changes and she is going to learn a lot of things she never thought were true.
Nate shows up at Ivy's work potentially buying the company she works for and is introduced to Ivy and is instantly drawn to her.
Vampire, witches and werewolves all make an appearance in this book one way or another and I loved how it all was written.
If you are a fantasy reader or just love reading vampire stories I would recommend this book.
March 29, 2024
This is the first book that I have read by Chele Cooke and I was thoroughly satisfied. It was well-written with twists and turns. I was captivated and it became an easy quick read. My only critique would be that I wish I had more backstory on Ivy. I felt like she was just the vessel for the story to be told through, but not that it was really about her at all. If I was given a more well-rounded main character I would thoroughly read and enjoy more of the author's novels. But overall I would recommend this book to others.
April 17, 2024
Thank God there’s a second book available already cuz it wouldve been from this book to death for me! I loved every second of it. It’s beyond a typical vampire book. Wayyyy beyond. It’s a new, lil more mature, not all high school vampires book. I love me some vampire books, but I don’t always wanna be reading about a 17yr old girl. I’m 39! Now, they’re not 39 in the book but they’re not in high school! Thank you for that! And it’s ventures in different directions, not the same ol same. I loved it and I hope you’ll give it a chance!
January 28, 2025
I could not put this book down. I got a copy to review and ended up reading it in a weekend because I couldn't wait to see where it was going next. I really enjoyed the lore of how the different types of supernaturals in this world interact and the history behind it. The MMC was pretty morally grey which I enjoy and I enjoyed watching the FMC grapple with that. There was a lot of good thrill action to the story and I loved the pace at which the romance progressed. Definitely a must read for anyone who likes supernatural romance with more to the story than just the romance.
June 6, 2025
From Death to Dawn was a pretty fun read! Ivy’s story about suddenly getting thrown into this whole magical world with vampires and necromancers kept me interested. I liked the mix of mystery and magic, and the idea of her being the first human familiar in forever was cool.
That said, some parts dragged a little, and a few twists didn’t hit as hard as I wanted. The romance with the vampire was definitely a highlight, but I wish they had gone a bit deeper with it. Overall, it’s a solid urban fantasy with a strong main character, and I’m curious to see what happens next.
That said, some parts dragged a little, and a few twists didn’t hit as hard as I wanted. The romance with the vampire was definitely a highlight, but I wish they had gone a bit deeper with it. Overall, it’s a solid urban fantasy with a strong main character, and I’m curious to see what happens next.
October 5, 2022
Good Start
The writing was good and the story was interesting. I liked the FMC, Ivy. She was smart and I enjoyed how she had a backbone when some of the other characters tried to push her into doing something she was against. I also really liked Cecilia. I hope Ivy and Cecilia become even closer friends in the future. What I wasn’t so keen on was the character Nate. For me, I didn’t really understand why Ivy was so interested in him. He doesn’t really do anything special for her and I just feel that his character was inconsistent. I really enjoyed the character Luca, however. He was more relatable and just seems to be so much more than he shows some of the others. I’m really looking forward to how everyone develops and what kinds of relationships are formed.
The writing was good and the story was interesting. I liked the FMC, Ivy. She was smart and I enjoyed how she had a backbone when some of the other characters tried to push her into doing something she was against. I also really liked Cecilia. I hope Ivy and Cecilia become even closer friends in the future. What I wasn’t so keen on was the character Nate. For me, I didn’t really understand why Ivy was so interested in him. He doesn’t really do anything special for her and I just feel that his character was inconsistent. I really enjoyed the character Luca, however. He was more relatable and just seems to be so much more than he shows some of the others. I’m really looking forward to how everyone develops and what kinds of relationships are formed.
March 1, 2023
The Urban Fantasies are usually not what I read. The blurb sounded interesting and I'm really glad that I read the story. I enjoyed the storyline and the Characters are magnificent. I am looking forward to the next book to find out what happens next. First book I've read by this author and I'll be checking out more of her stories.
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.
May 27, 2024
Thank you Voracious Readers Only for the copy of From Death to Dawn, this novel was absolutely amazing. The writing and storyline were both phenomenal. I could not put it down. There are no negative comments to go with this review. Loved the story of Ivy and her new family and I look forward to reading more about Ivy and Nate. Fantastic writing Chele Cooke. The concept for this novel was so believable, brings supernatural beings to life.
October 8, 2022
Exciting and Satisfying
In a lot of Urban Fantasy stories, you end up yelling at the characters for being idiots, or rolling your eyes because there’s nothing between them but “magic obsession”.
This story is a satisfying blend of humor and heat and a surprising dash of realism.
And the dynamic between the characters is extremely entertaining!
In a lot of Urban Fantasy stories, you end up yelling at the characters for being idiots, or rolling your eyes because there’s nothing between them but “magic obsession”.
This story is a satisfying blend of humor and heat and a surprising dash of realism.
And the dynamic between the characters is extremely entertaining!
May 30, 2023
Informative
This book was an interesting concept, confusing at times,finding your true self ,power is absolutely invigorating and freeing,Ivy Monroe has found her voice,her purpose ,But with an upcoming fued between supernatural with their :he said, she said mentality with her in the middle and the only one that can put an end to the situation
This book was an interesting concept, confusing at times,finding your true self ,power is absolutely invigorating and freeing,Ivy Monroe has found her voice,her purpose ,But with an upcoming fued between supernatural with their :he said, she said mentality with her in the middle and the only one that can put an end to the situation
September 16, 2023
Ok book
World building felt a little spotty. Enjoyed a different kind of MC. Character building was solid. I guess my main dislike was that it was an uneven story. Moments that were great, along with equal moments that were confusing or boring or just not as full as they could have been.
World building felt a little spotty. Enjoyed a different kind of MC. Character building was solid. I guess my main dislike was that it was an uneven story. Moments that were great, along with equal moments that were confusing or boring or just not as full as they could have been.
March 24, 2024
This book has a bit of everything you could want. A woman who gets powers, a surprise vampire boyfriend, and a family she didn’t know she needed. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I didn’t want to put it down (but a girl’s got to sleep). Well defined characters and an easy to follow story line leaves you rooting for Ivy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 27, 2024
Great read. Loved Ivy's realization of her own empowerment. Other characters were intriguing enough to rate their own detailed stories. Since this is the beginning of a series, it may be possible for that to happen. Storyline pulled me in and kept me reading all afternoon until I finished the book.
July 10, 2024
This was a page turner. The main character goes against what is expected of her and takes a vampire instead of a witch. She is hunted and placed into a different world. I look forward to read more from this series to just see what happens next.
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 4, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
I feel that this book had a lot more potential. The beginning was a little rushed, and I was very confused throughout the beginning. IT starts to speed up once you hit 50%, and there is more story and fewer descriptions. The ending was semi-climactic, but then died down again as the book ended.
I feel that this book had a lot more potential. The beginning was a little rushed, and I was very confused throughout the beginning. IT starts to speed up once you hit 50%, and there is more story and fewer descriptions. The ending was semi-climactic, but then died down again as the book ended.
February 27, 2023
This was the first book I have read by this author. The story was exciting and fast paced, keeping me up all night to see what would happen next. I am excited to see what happens next.
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 31, 2023
I liked the concept but this was just a slog to read. I had to DNF it which I was sad to do but mentally I couldn't do it. It just felt like there wasn't enough happening to keep me going, but I might try it again another time when I'm in a different reading mood.
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