Books reviewed by me

The Undeparted by Deborah Palumbo:

The book The Undeparted by Deborah Palumbo was FANTASTIC! It’s a must read! Put this on your read list as it won’t disappoint you, I promise. I bought it after I met the author and she was really down to earth and a great person. I bought the book because it has vampires in it and I love vampires. What I found was a magnificently woven storyline with fully developed characters (in just 184 pages people) and it was left open for the sequel which is always an excellent choice for an author.

The book follows a young woman named Cassandra who has a great job, a best friend that works with her and her absolutely wonderful boyfriend Mike, who just happens to be a cop. Unfortunately, their work shifts are opposite so they don’t see much of each other. When Cassandra comes home and is attacked, she fights back but eventually looses. She is taken to a castle (while she was knocked out) and meets a mysterious man named Quentin. The man that attacked her was there as well but it was very obvious that Quentin was running the show. He was amazed that Cassandra had been bitten by Christian and had been able to resist his venom and stay alive. Quentin decided he’d make it his mission to make Cassandra come to him. Sure, he could seduce her with his vampire powers but he wanted her to want him the traditional way. He released her after knocking her out again and she woke up in her own bed. At first she thought it was a dream but after another visit by Quentin she knew it was not. She tries to tell Mike and her best friend but they shrug her off. Quentin is relentless throughout the story to gain her love. He is persistent and makes choices based on Cassandra’s actions. In the end, a stunning turn of events is revealed and Cassandra finds the preconception she had made of Quentin could possibly be wrong after all.

This book makes you fall in love with the characters immediately but leaves Quentin a mysterious character. It alters a person’s premonition of vampires and society. The author has woven such a web that it leaves you questioning all the things you think you ever knew about vampires. This book surpassed my expectations and beyond by captivating me and attempting to get my full attention. I hated to put it down but sleep was calling (lol). I wanted there to be more of it at the end but it leaves you on a cliffhanger…wanting more and more. I hated that it ended and can’t wait to read the second one, The Ascent of the Undeparted.

The Ascent of the Undeparted by Deborah Palumbo:

Cassandra has fallen for Quentin, the vampire that showed her the truth of her boyfriend Mike in the first book, The Undeparted. Quentin made Mike a vampire in the end so that he could suffer for all eternity with his poor decisions and deception. After living through monotonous years, Mike takes on a new identity of Lucius and tries to pass his time before he can exact revenge on Quentin. He lives as a recluse in an abandoned house in the country, fulfilling his sexual desires and lust for blood which he has never learned to control. He picks up whores to satisfy him but right after he’s satiated, he longs for more.

Cassandra is living a wonderful life with Quentin. However, he is secretly trying to find a potion that will change him and Cassandra from immortal to mortal so they may ascend into heaven together when the time comes. He knows if he is killed while being a vampire, due to his previous actions in his life, his soul will go to Hades and he would be parted from his beloved Cassandra. Cassandra, though she is immortal, had lived a virtuous life and would be welcomed to ascend into heaven. He tirelessly works on his potion, using himself as the guinea pig though it causes him great pain and weakens him.

Lucius gets tired of living the way he’s had to live and starts to become reckless with killing others. He eventually and accidentally finds out he can vanish and appear where he wants. He lures Cassandra in and holds her captive while playing a game of cat and mouse with Quentin. He keeps Cassandra in a weakened state so she cannot vanish or escape. Quentin never stops looking for her but will he find her? Will he be strong enough after taking so much of the potion to fight for her when he confronts Lucius? Who will help him? Will they be able to ascend in the end?

The Author, Deborah Palumbo has done it again. She has woven a wonderfully suspenseful story, keeping you from being able to put it down. She draws you in and creates characters that you can really identify with and feel and root for. She entwines action, the paranormal, suspense and romance all in this exceptionally written sequel to The Undeparted. She takes the reader, sucks them into the story where they feel like they are part of the main characters, both male and female. She evokes such raw emotions from the reader and delivers a surprising twist in the end. This is a must read as it has a little bit of something for everyone. She’s a master at her craft and I can’t wait to read the third book in her series, The Banished One.



The Royal Vampire Series by Gabriella Bradley

THE ROYAL VAMPIRE:

The Royal Vampire is a great paranormal novella between an aging vampire King Paul the Third and a male “grown” heir, Joshua to the throne. The young King had DNA taken from the King and his dead Queen who had her DNA frozen. The King ordered to have a son “grown” through Science to be a mortal and the vampire gene irradiated from him. Joshua grew up in a Science building with the best tutors, guards and the regular scientific studies. Derek, the Scientist, created a fully fledged human and at twenty-four years old, he introduced him to the King. Immediately, Joshua can hear all of the Kings evil thoughts which were full of hatred for him. He was, however, the only option for Paul to keep his Cousin and his three sons from taking over the throne. The King, since vampires don’t age, he started wearing makeup around age fifty to make him look older. He introduces Joshua to the little island they live on and steps down as King. The old King, Paul kills everyone involved with the “growth” of his heir. When the young King meets his “father”, he immediately learns he can hear other’s thoughts. He learns of the hate for him from the Paul thoughts. Paul fakes his death while on his ride to his country house, killing all his guards but escaping safely into the night. He visits a local facial surgery doctor and has his face altered so he can move around during the nightly hours without anyone recognizing him. Joshua finds Paul is not the only vampire around and there have been many deaths in the local area so locals usually stay in at night or travel in packs.

Joshua knows exactly how to rule the island based on his upbringings and Paul’s thoughts. Paul is moved to the royal quarters in the castle and learns of a secret passage that leads to outside of the castle. He starts regularly escaping to the beach and swims in the water at night alone. One day he decided to explore further than the beach and found a small town nearby. He was afraid of being recognized so he arranges with the Minister of Finance to create an offshore account for him giving him a credit card and cash. He takes a makeup class, does his own makeup and ventures into the local bar. He is immediately befriended under his new identity, Tim Lansing, and starts to uncomfortably mingle with his friends as he’s never been in this situation before. In walks the most beautiful woman Joshua has ever seen named Katarina and feels an immediate connection with her but wonders if it’s only because he’s never seen another woman let alone been close to one. He reads her thoughts and finds out she feels the connection between them as well. They dance and talk and he sees her into her car for the night promising to see her again.

When he returns to the bar, Paul and his minions coming into the bar and have attracted three very, “easy” women. Joshua is very concerned and follows them into the ladies room and pays them off to leave so they get away from Paul as he had planned to make them dinner and another minion on Paul’s side. Joshua saves several people from becoming dinner for some of the other vampires and learns some of his powers he’s been given in his DNA.

The story ends with Paul in handcuffs from a bar brawl that Joshua created by punching Paul, whom didn’t know it was Joshua either. Joshua is easily aroused by Katarina and “takes care of himself” before drifting off to sleep by watching her in his mind.

The author weaves a great beginning of a series of novellas. She really creates such a world that makes the reader want to be there themselves within the story. She has fully developed the main characters quickly in this first edition. She makes the characters personable and has the reader expressing their specific emotions for each character. Her ability to suck the reader into her world is an excellent talent. This novella was interesting from beginning to end and was very hard to put down. At the end, I was upset there was no more. I was so vested in the characters that I longed to see what more happened within the story. I can’t wait for the next edition! What will happen between Joshua/Tim with Katarina? Will Joshua/Tim be able to live the double life? What will happen between Joshua and Paul? Are Paul’s evil plans enough to conquer the throne for himself again?

TIMOTHY:

In the sequel to The Royal Vampire, Timothy starts to explore the relationship between Joshua/Tim and Katarina. Joshua and Katarina both know they are in love with each other, even though they only just met. Joshua has to continue to disguise himself from her but hates weaving the lies he’s told to her. Eventually, he meets her as the King and she immediately feels the same connection she felt for Tim. She is torn between the two men but also feels like she should do her commoner duty in obeying the King’s orders of spending time with him. She is conflicted but doesn’t know if she likes him because he’s a King and every girl dreams of being a princess or if she’s truly attracted to him.

Joshua meets with Han, Katarina’s father, also the new Scientist that replaced Derek. Joshua secretly comes clean with Hans and asks his permission to continue dating his daughter. He is hesitant but offers his support and agrees to find the old Derek’s research. Joshua asks Hans to continue Derek’s research to find a cure for vampires and werewolves that plague the woods at night and are human by day. He agrees and sets out to find a copy of Derek’s research.

Tim continues to dodge Katarina during the day and sometimes during the evening, stating he has to work late. She comes clean to him that the King has taken interest in her. He encourages her to explore her options with him, making her question his feelings for her. Though she continues to see the King, she becomes more and more conflicted.

The King finds out the castle has a stable and goes on a riding expedition with the stable keeper. He comes across a small area where all the workers of the castle live and sees the horrible conditions in which they are living. He makes plans to have things updated when he sees them using a well for water and plan new housing for them. He comes across an old church that he feels a connection to. He is informed that it used to be the Royal Chapel but since King Paul took the throne, he never came around so the church fell to shambles. He made immediate plans to renovate the old church. This is the place he decides to tell Katarina the truth.

Joshua/Tim takes her there on a horse ride picnic as the King. After having a lovely lunch, they explore the church and find a large, old book with gold embossing and agree to take it to the old sorcerer that Joshua met briefly. When Joshua tells Katarina most of the truth, leaving out he’s a vampire, she hates him for his deception, rides back to the castle in silence and jumps in the limo to return home in sobs. Joshua listens to her silent voices and finds how much she really hates him. He calls Hans to speak with her who later tried to reason with her. Will Katarina forgive him? Will Joshua lose the love of his life? Where has Paul and his evil plans been? Read the next in the series.

REVELATIONS:

Revelations is a great battle between love, good and evil and with the twists and turns, who will win?

In Revelations, Joshua becomes very protective of his beloved Katarina, his future wife. She has been moved into the castle with guards constantly to chaperon her. He learns of Paul’s followers under his employment and terminates their services. He takes all precautions to keep her safe.  Upon learning she is a Sorceress, she starts classes with the local Sorcerer as an Apprentice. She has no inclinations of the limit of her powers so she and Joshua can learn these things together. Their love continues to grow and they look forward to their wedding.

Upon an evening outing, Joshua learns of Paul’s new home which is almost completed, the allegiance of the werewolves and a coven of witches that perform human sacrifices. He continues to strive to protect human life from these predators as his alter ego so as not to draw attention to him as a vampire and him as the current king.

During this third installment of Gabriella Bradley’s series, she continues to develop different aspects of Joshua. She forms his personality as a person, a lover and a king. Ms. Bradley pursues the beautiful Katarina who is developing in her own way along in this story. Gabriella follows the love between Joshua and Katarina and makes the reader root for them and long to see them married. She draws the reader into the story by incorporating many different things that are paranormal giving something for everyone within the genre. I am really excited to see where this series progresses. I can’t wait to read her fourth installment, Vampire Nuptials where the saga continues.

THE VAMPIRE NUPTIALS:

Can’t a couple have some peace after their wedding? It doesn’t look that way, not even close.

Vampire Nuptials follows the adventure between Joshua and Katarina after they get married. Many tactics are used by the old king and his Sorcerer Pollum. These activities test both Joshua and now Katarina as well. She is often weakened from her sorcery but works well with Joshua in preventing evil on their honeymoon, on their island and during the Christmas season. Joshua hears Pauls’ thoughts and fights alongside Katarina to squash the evil-doings in their community.

Joshua looks forward to celebrating Christmas with Katarina’s family, something he’s never had before. He learns holiday protocol and how to balance family with being a wealthy king. The love shared between he and Katarina is made stronger in sharing their upcoming actions together. She educates him along the way of her family’s way of celebration and her family opens their house to him. After the battle is complete, Joshua still feels insecure with their future.

This book, Vampire Nuptials continues to thrill the reader. It is a great continuation of the series. Gabriella Bradley weaves action and compassion within the story. Her characters are fully developed and the continuation of Katarina’s character creates a whole new aspect to the story. Joshua’s innocence is shown more in this book which continues to develop the character. The protagonists keep the story fresh and moving along. Each time, just when you think you have everything figured out within the story, Ms. Bradley creates a twist and turn to keep you on the edge of your seat. I enjoyed it so much that I couldn’t help but keep turning the pages and finish the book. This has been the best book of the series bring together the other three.  I can’t wait to read the next book, Retaliation!
Tunuftol's Fortress of Light:

Tunuftol’s Fortress of Light was a wonderfully woven story full of fun, charisma and entertainment. Ms. Snizek has fully developed characters what are loveable and make you feel a gamete of emotions throughout the story. She writes in a manner that the reader feels like they are right there as part of the group in the story and the things there are actually happening around you. You are put right into the story as you read it.

A young girl and her brother are pushed around through the adoption system until they are found by a caring Grandmotherly type old lady. Krissa, the main character starts having inexplicable dreams and her little brother Micah knows more than she gives him credit for. Krissa’s new friend Pin and her twin brother Khevin start to unravel Krissa’s questions about her dreams. She has become The Chosen One and is taken on a mission to take over the faction that has upset Khevin’s family from the throne. She has to learn her powers and follow her dreams which Pin helps out with as she’s a dream weaver. The group of friends accumulated at school take on a trip to find this other place they left as children and struggle against the evil they face. Will they succeed in the end? Who is the most valuable and who keeps the most secrets? Will Krissa know what to do when the time comes?

Author Ann Snizek creates a world where any reader would like to go. The travel she puts this young group on is a treat for the reader. As you learn along with the main character, you feel for her and learn some interesting facts. She gives you a whole world where you can emerge yourself for awhile and follow along with this group of friends. I would recommend this as a must read for anyone who likes to get themselves entirely involved in a story. This is a page turner that is hard to put down. It’s an easy read with short chapters that move you along through the story at a quick pace. Ms. Snizek has done a great job creating a story that everyone should read!