From Goodreads: Man no longer worships the old gods; forgotten and forsaken, they have become nothing more than myth and legend. But all that is about to change.

After the ruins of a vast, ancient civilization are discovered on the ocean floor, Coast Guard officers find a series of derelict ships drifting in the current—high-priced yachts and leaking fishing boats, all ransacked, splattered in blood, their crews missing and presumed dead.

And that’s just the beginning.

Vacationing artist Larry Neuhaus has just witnessed a gruesome shark attack, a young couple torn apart right before his eyes….at least, he thinks it was a shark. And when one of these victims turns out to be the only son of Roger Hays, the most powerful man in the country, things go from bad to worse.

Now, to stop the carnage, Larry and his new-found friends must work together to unravel a mystery as old as time, and face an enemy as dark as the ocean depths.

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Michael West delivers a compelling tale of sea monsters and horror as this tale of Poseidon’s Children unfolds.  With its vast cast of characters and multiple viewpoints, West has created a story that flows nicely, splicing together horror, romance, intrigue, and betrayal.  The story is easy to follow and keeps readers interest, especially as the pieces of the puzzle begin to fit together.  Characters that previously did not seem to connect with others suddenly become key players and their plights are expanded upon as Poseidon’s Children, forced to hide their true nature among humans, decide to fight back. 

I really enjoyed the fantasy aspect of this story.  Though I wasn’t a fan of all the sexual escapades within the novel, the idea of Atlantis has always intrigued me, and I loved that this story was built around that ancient city, as well as evoking mythology and the gods as well.  It’s very well written, a bit gruesome, but definitely worth the read.  Three and a half stars.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

From Goodreads: When Kiera and her friends return from the dead, they soon realize that the world is not the same – it has been pushed. Returning to Hallowed Manor, Kiera soon learns that it’s not only the world that has changed, she is changing, too.

Asked to help solve the murder of missing school teacher, Emily Clarke, Kiera and her friends soon discover that they are now living in a world where humans and wolves live together, sharing a fragile peace.

But during her investigations, Kiera soon discovers that the world is now a much darker and dangerous place than the one she left behind.

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This first book in O’Rourke’s new series hits the ground running hard, and doesn’t let up until the twisted finale that will leave readers yearning for more.  Kiera, Potter, Isidor, and Kayla are back, this time as the undead, and as they begin to piece together this new world they’ve been thrust into, they must work together to uncover the truths behind the pushed world.  Seeking to understand their new surroundings, Kiera once again becomes an amazing sleuth, deducing the truth with the help of her friends as they search for Emily Clarke and the mystery surrounding her disappearance at the Ravenswood School. Once again, O’Rourke easily takes the reader into the depths of this dark tale, mystifying him/her until the very last page.

The wolves, having always been evil, are even worse in this novel, and I loved the eeriness surrounding them and the Ravenswood School where Kayla spends much of her time infiltrating the system in search of the truth.  New in this series, O’Rourke introduces multiple perspectives, giving the reader inside glimpses into the characters as the novel unfolds in two different places.  This back and forth manner is a wonderful addition to the series, and I loved having the opportunity to follow all the characters through this new narrative style that O’Rourke invokes. 

Full of many twists and turns, this novel is a must read!  While those who haven’t read the books in the first series will be able to keep up with Dead Flesh, I highly suggest reading all five and a half of the novels in the first Kiera Hudson series before embarking on this next segment, as there are many allusions to the first series and it will make the twists in Dead Flesh all the more jaw dropping.  O’Rourke has made me a fan for life—his novels really are that good, and I highly suggest reading all his books.  Trust me, you won’t be disappointed!  Five stars.

I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

O’Rourke’s Amazing Novels YOU NEED TO READ  (On Amazon):

Kiera Hudson Series 1

• Vampire Shift (#1)
• Vampire Wake (#2)
• Vampire Hunt (#3)
• Vampire Breed (#4)
• Wolf House (#4.5)
• Vampire Hollows (#5)

Black Hill Farm Series:

• Black Hill Farm (#1)
• Black Hill Farm Andy’s Diary (#2)

Doorways Series:

• Doorways (#1)

From Goodreads: An exciting mix of the fantastic, the wonderful, and the frightening by the talented members of the Derby Scribes writing group. Overall it’s a versatile and multi-faceted anthology, blending the corners of reality with aspects of the fantastical in a refreshing way.

Contains eleven short stories from guest authors Simon Clark, Conrad Williams and Neal James, plus Derby Scribes members Alison J. Hill, Christopher Barker, David Ball, Jennifer Brown, Peter Borg, Richard Farren Barber, Stuart Hughes, and Victoria Charvill. Including an introduction by Alex Davis and artwork by Samantha Enyon.

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Anthologies aren’t something I usually read, but my interest was piqued after I perused “In the Spirit of Darwin” by Simon Clark.  It’s a highly interesting tale about an 84 year old man, Lloyd Jefferson, who meets Sir Charles Darwin in 2010.  It’s written in such a way that the reader, like Lloyd, is a bit confused concerning the presence of Darwin and questions his being—is it a dream, or reality?  As the story progresses and the two men discuss reality, evolution of the human mind, of human behavior, race, and even football.  While I’m not one to be completely engaged by scientific speak, this was a very interesting story, and the discussion present in the piece was highly engaging.  I really enjoyed it, and I think that Clark does a wonderful job bringing the story to a point and it ends perfectly.   

“Brylcreem and Pipe Tobacco,” by Stuart Hughes, is a different type of story, dealing with the supernatural as a middle aged woman, Claire, takes her fiancé, Rodney, to a medium in order to obtain her deceased husband’s blessing prior to her marriage.  Claire, unable to release the past without Charlie’s blessing, coerces Rodney into accompanying her, but once there, things don’t go as planned as Rodney, a skeptic, soon loses his temper and leaves.  Hughes then packs the ending of his story with a twist that will bring a smile to readers’ faces as they realize what has actually happened throughout the story.  This is another gem of a story that I really likes.

The third story in the anthology is called “Stump” and is by Victoria Charvill.  I really enjoyed this very short story as well.  Charvill has a wry sense of humor, and her sarcastic wit makes it such an enjoyable read.  Sophie has a dire track record when it comes to pets; her latest one, a guinea pig, is aptly names Stump, as readers will find out when they read this very short story depicting the life of Sophie’s animals.

“Leaving Jessica,” by Jennifer Brown, is another great story in this anthology.  Haunted by her past, Hannah, a woman on the run, opens the piece describing her death as Jessica, then changes course and explains how and why it happened.  Currently a nanny, Jessica finds she has once again been tracked down by her ex-husband’s henchmen, and must go on the run once more.  Having many previous identities, Jessica is sad to, once again, put aside her latest life.  This is an intense read and I highly enjoyed it.  I would love for this story to be fleshed out even further and, possibly, become a full fledge novel.  The potential is definitely there, and I’d love a more detailed story, though the short story is great just as it is.

Richard Farren Barber’s piece, “Last Respects” is a completely different tale, focusing on a group of soldiers fighting in France during what I believe is WWI.  This story is a very real, heartbreaking look at the life of soldiers, who give their all in order to serve their country.  These young men, some under age, are in the midst of a bloody war, and many of the characters die a terrible death. Unlike the prior stories in this anthology, “Last Respects” is not a light hearted tale, but rather leaves the reader feeling jarred and empty.  Bryan, the hero of this short story, charges on through the midst of the gun fire and bombings, carrying a note a fellow soldier gave to him, only to have the story end with a twist that I didn’t see coming, a twist that literally knocked the air out of me.  This fictitious story holds much truth concerning the atrocities of war, and I really liked it.   

“The Wake-up Call,” by Alison J. Hill, follows Roy Harpur as he sets his car on fire after hitting a woman in the street.  Highly drunk and paranoid, Roy begins to lose his sanity as the story unfolds, only to have a rude awakening as the reader realizes what really happened.  This was an interesting story and I enjoyed it, especially as realization set in and I grasped the truth of the story.

Conrad Williams write “The Gallery,” a science fiction piece that, in my opinion, was a bit too long.  I had a hard time following this story in the beginning (science fiction is hit or miss with me), but in the end I found that this story was actually really good.  Though a bit verbose, Williams gives life to this strange dystopian novel in which the outside is dangerous, people must wear hoods, and there are public burnings.  Of course, this is a bit violent, but overall it was good; I’m glad I stuck with it and kept reading, as the end is worth it all.

Peter Borg writes “Dave’s Dinosaur,” which is a very short story involving a dinosaur that wreaks havoc on a couple camping.  I was under the impression that this story was some sort of hallucination of some sort, but it turns out there really is a dinosaur outside the tent.  This was an interesting story, but too short, in my opinion.

In David Ball’s “An Interstellar Taxi Ride,” an ambassador ends up taking a lowly taxi (a flying taxi, no less) to get to his destination and ends up learning more about the taxi and its previous occupants than he ever wanted to know.  Originally I wasn’t too interested in this science fiction short, but as the story progressed and the “too good for anyone” ambassador learns more about his ride, I found myself laughing aloud at his circumstances, and cringing at the same time. 

“Obsolete,” by Chris Barker, is by far my favorite tale within the anthology.  This could easily become a highly intriguing, full fledge novel, and I’m hoping that perhaps Barker will, in fact, toy with the idea of fleshing it out.  The story opens with an elderly gentleman gardening and one quickly assesses that this man doesn’t ever leave the house.  Originally thought to be a choice, it becomes apparent that his home is rather a jail cell in its own rights.  However, he does get out, carrying two flowers, and his reactions to the world around him tell the reader that this man hasn’t been out in a very long time.  As the story progresses, Barker adds in some very interesting twists that explain the sentence this elderly man is serving, and it piqued my interest to the very core.  Like I said, I’d love to see this one become a full novel.  There is so much Barker could do with it; I highly recommend this one!   

“The Smell of Fear,” the final story in this anthology, is another favorite of mine.  Neal James, the author, has the reader believing they are reading about one thing, while in reality, it is about something completely different, which readers will find as the story concludes.  It is very well written, and I enjoyed this aspect of the story immensely, especially as I never saw it coming.   

Overall, I really liked this anthology and, as I said in some of the personal reviews of the shorts, some of these would make great novels, while others are perfect just as they are.  The Derby Scribes are a very talented group of writers, and I’d be happy to read more by these authors.  I’ll have to look into them and see if there are any novels by these authors as well.  Four stars.

I received a copy of this anthology from the publisher in exchange for an honest to review.

From Goodreads: Caleb faces possible jail time for using Clyde as a undeadly weapon. When he’s exonerated with probation lasting a year, Caleb has to watch his every action. Tensions run high when after the death of Jade’s only relatives, she must live with an undesirable foster family who are anything but what they seem….

Life gets complicated for everyone when the scientists responsible for the paranormal manifestation threaten a parallel world to Caleb’s own. In a bid to stop the destruction of their world, while saving his own, Caleb must defend two peoples against the long arm of the Graysheets.

Time begins to run against him when he discovers, through an unlikely source, that his friends have been given a drug that causes progressive insanity. Can he find the anecdote in time to save them? To save Jade?

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This was an intense read.  With Caleb on probation, the parallel world of the sphere in jeopardy (I just love the intermingling of these two series!), and an insanity drug tearing Caleb’s friends apart, this novel keeps the reader immersed in its pages until the very last page.  Be prepared to visit the entire spectrum of emotions as you read this harrowing novel, especially as Caleb must battle not only the physical threats around him, but also his inner turmoil and rage, a constant threat to those around him, and what landed him on probation in the first place.

If you’ve read The Savage Vengeance, then part of this novel involving the sphere will already be known to you, but Blodgett does a great job altering the scene so it focuses more of the teens in this version, than on the Band as in The Savage Vengeance version.  And… unbeknownst to us readers when we first read TSV, but Caleb and his friends don’t just visit once, but twice—the second of which is the most savage and heart pounding or the two encounters (and if you’ve read TSV, then you know just how heart stopping the first encounter was!!!) . 

I was on pins and needles throughout this entire novel, worried for the safety of everyone, but especially the females as worlds collide and the Graysheets willingly subject their own “creations” to highly evil circumstances.  While I hate to ever add a spoiler in my reviews, I think it is important to note that there is no rape in this novel, or in any of Blodgett’s other novels, for that matter.  While the fragment do exploit women, Blodgett has never written in a rape scene, or had anything so vile happen to any of her female characters.  I think it is important to note this because, as a female, I know that I shy away from all novels that deal with such a vile, touchy topic, and sometimes so much as the fear of an allusion to rape will cause me to refrain from picking up a novel.  So, readers, rest assured, no females are raped in this novel, though there are close encounters.

One of the things that I really love about Blodgett is how real her characters and situations are, even though elements of the paranormal are throughout the entire story.  Blodgett captures the truth that is growing up and coming of age.  The friendships, humor, heartache, and anger, are all present and very real.  I especially loved how, in this novel, Blodgett tests Caleb and Jade’s connection, presenting truths to both that they were previously blind to, and I am highly interested to see where their relationship goes in future novels. Five stars.

I recieved a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.  Death Weeps goes on sale on May 18th, 2012.

From Goodreads: It all started with a murder. Two victims lay dead at the hands of Peter Dawes, but what laid in wait for him was not the sound of sirens or the banging of a gavel. It would turn a doctor into a killer and a man into a monster.

Follow Peter as he exchanges his blood-stained clothing for tailored suits, his scalpel for fine-crafted daggers, and reinvents himself as the newest vampire-child in a coven of decadent sophisticates. He even takes on the name ‘Flynn’ – a child of red – in honor of his new-found devilish side, and to remove one of the last tethers to his human past.

For four years, Flynn embodies every bit the bloody immortal he was sired to become. Under the reign of his maker, Sabrina, he establishes a reputation as the most feared assassin to ever terrorize the covens of Philadelphia. But the surefooted-steps and quick hands that make him a virtuoso when it comes to killing humans and vampires alike are a mark of the mortal destiny which haunts him even beyond death. And despite his efforts, Peter’s humanity is not as dead as some would prefer.

On the verge of completing their vie for power, Sabrina’s ‘dark-killer’ will suddenly find himself at odds over his devotion to his mistress when an impish sorceress named Monica awakens the hidden powers he was destined to possess. In this world of macabre and shrewdly practical immortal beings, will Flynn’s supernatural gifts be used to orchestrate the wicked deeds of his maker? Or can the cold-blooded nature of a vampire be warmed by the compassion of a Seer?

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This was another book with an interesting concept, but I feel like it fell short of hitting its mark.  It wasn’t a bad read, don’t get me wrong, but it felt like the story took a very long time to transpire.  Peter Dawes automatically captures the reader’s attention as he explains how he came to be a vampire—the cold blooded murders he commits are intense and Peter quickly sets the scene for a read that seems like it will be fast paced and incredibly intriguing.  But, once Peter becomes a vampire, I found that the story almost came to a standstill.  Dawes then describes the next couple of years of his life as a vampire in a way that made me feel like everything was being glossed over; that it wasn’t important information to the story as a whole, but needed to be told in order for the story to move forward.  Unfortunately for me, I found these periodic “in-between” times of the story to be a bit boring for my taste, and couldn’t wait to get to the important information, including the bit about Seers and how everything molded together to make Peter special.  A lot of the novel he seemed like another run of the mill, holier than though, sadistic, self absorbed vampire, and I found myself, quite quickly, learning to dislike him, mainly because so much time was spent showing him in this light.

One of the aspects of the novel that I really didn’t care for was the vampire sex.  And there was a lot, in my opinion.  I didn’t find that the sexual encounters furthered the story by any means, but were more of a distraction to the plotline, and I don’t need the acts spelled out for me as a reader.  I know it’s a personal preference, and a lot of readers may disagree with me here, but I, personally, found these encounters to be out of place and not something I cared to read at all.

Overall, the idea behind the novel was good, but Dawes takes a very long time getting to the meat of the story.  Some readers may really like this slower pacing, but I am in-between.  Too fast and little development leaves me yearning for more, but too slow and too much development leaves me a tad bored.  This novel lends itself to those looking for a good vampire story that slowly develops its characters over the years within the novel.  Two and a half stars.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

From Goodreads: Cat Colvin
Average Teenager?
Or Something Else Entirely?

Cat Colvin is pretty much your typical run-of-the-mill teenager. Sure, she’s taller than most girls, has a mane of fiery red hair that’s impossible to tame, is left-handed, and her eyes are two different colors, but that’s where the differences end… unless you include the minor detail of her slow transformation into a Childe.

High school can definitely be challenging, and for Cat it’s no different. This is especially true when she’s faced with the daunting task of trying to hide her budding Childe traits as they begin to reveal themselves at the most inopportune times. To make matters worse, her family is oddly dead set against Ryan, the boy she grows to like. But everyone has their secrets: is Ryan really what he seems to be, and what is Cat’s family not telling her?

The Childe is the first book in this coming-of-age fantasy series which follows Cat’s life through the twists and turns toward finding out whom and what she really is. Come and take the plunge with Cat into a world filled with mystery, biting humor, and the paranormal.

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I picked up this book mainly because all my blogger friends have written rave reviews of this novel and, since I really wanted to know what a Childe was, I decided to read it.  Unfortunately for me, this book didn’t leave me with the same sentiments as it did my friends.  I liked it, but I felt that it was a little pushed—too fast paced for my reading style, and I had a hard time connecting to the characters because of it.  Events just seems to unfold too quickly for me, jumping from events to event, leaving me feeling like there was no build up, which I intensely love in my novels.  I also am still uncertain as to what a Childe really is, what its merits or detriments are, etc.  I think, and someone please correct me if I’m wrong, that a Childe is a half vampire and half human mix… and as intriguing as that is, I think I got lost in my inability to connect to the story on the level I anticipated, and might have missed something vital in the story.  I think the concept is ingenious, but the novel just didn’t draw me in.  Am I curious to know what will happen next for Cat?  Certainly!  Will I read the sequel?  Of course!  I still want to know what’s going to happen to the characters, and the storyline is good, but, like I said, it didn’t grab me and hold me captive, which I feel is no fault of the authors’, but a reflection of my own personal story preferences.  Three stars.

I purchased a copy of this novel from Amazon.

From Goodreads: Unsure if she’s drowning or being saved, all Marlow wants to do is run away. Ensnared in a haunting love triangle, she realizes both boys have holes in their hearts; gaping spaces she can never hope to fill.

Scars from loving the same girl, a girl who managed to stay dead.

Now she is being hunted, for what she has become and what she never asked to be. Even as a Skeleton, Marlow isn’t the worst thing in the night—she isn’t even close.

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While I found the premise of this novel to be phenomenal, the story itself did not impress me as much as I’d hoped.  It felt rushed to me—moving too quickly without giving me the background information or characterization that I needed to really become enamored with the novel.

The novel starts off with Marlow running away from a party where her boyfriend, or ex boyfriend now, is hooking up with another girl.  Almost immediately, she becomes a Skeleton, and two Skeleton males are suddenly vying for her attention, and she’s drawn to them both.  Again, while the premise is good, it just moved too fast.  I never felt like I got to know any of the characters on a level that made me really feel for them, and though the writing itself was great, the story line had a few too many holes in it to really draw me in. It felt disconnected.

Of course, the fact that this novel is about Skeletons was really intriguing.  Their background was interesting, and I liked getting to learn a bit about them, where they come from, and what life is like for them, but I would have liked a lot more information, especially as the characters continued to put off explanations throughout the novel, and trying to piece everything together on my own was a bit difficult.  Two stars. 

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

How a Unitarian from Jersey writes about a Muslim Superhero

Have you ever gotten that feeling in the back of your head that there’s something not quite right about the way you think?  I’ve always daydreamed about things others have considered impossible or ridiculous.  I’m the loon who decided statistically charting various vampires’ awesomeness was a good idea.

So when the suggestion was made that someone needed to write about a Middle Eastern superhero my imagination went into overdrive.  Of course we need a Middle Eastern superhero!  Others have tackled this topic to great success, like Dr. Naif of the99.org, what’s different here is that I am not from the Middle East.

I sat down and started writing and a character named Recai Osman appeared on the pages before me.  With green eyes and red beard, Recai stood in the middle of a windblown desert, daring me to take the challenge.

And cue the theme to Beyond Thunderdome.

A problem soon presented itself.  It’s impossible to discuss the Middle East in any meaningful way without bringing religion into the conversation, and while I’ve studied Islam, I am not a Muslim.  I’m not Jewish either.  In fact, I’m about as far from the religious spectrum of the Middle East as you could get.  I’m a Unitarian Universalist.

UUism is based on the idea that we all have the right to our own path to Truth.  For some that Truth is God, for some it’s not.  What connects us within the UU church is the belief that the search is valuable and that there is benefit to having a supportive and respectful community with whom to share that search. (You can read more about our principles here: Our Unitarian Universalist Principles)

For me, the importance of an individual’s expression of faith within a community is huge.  I believe in God.  Because of this, I often find myself listening to the fundamentalist rhetoric of all religions with a frustrated sigh.  Why does someone have to be wrong in order for another to be right?

It was with this in mind that I thought about Recai.  What makes a good man?  What makes a good Muslim?  And in a society in which religion is such a prominent part of day-to-day life, what would be the shape of evil?

Recai is a faithful man; he’s erred and he’s sinned, but his belief in Allah and in humanity is solid.  Underneath his layers of confusion and self-doubt is a good man.  His day-to-day life has been isolated from the city he lives in: Elih, Turkey (Google it for a good giggle). What would happen if a flawed man was forced to confront real evil, real sin?  Could he rise to the occasion?

Islam and Judaism run throughout Shadow on the Wall. Some of the phrases and cultural idioms may be unfamiliar to Western readers, but I hope that you will see a little of yourself in the characters. The issues they face are written at high stakes, but the questions posed are ones we must all answer.  Who am I?  What do I stand for?  Although Shadow on the Wall has supernatural elements, I like to think heroes exist in life, and I like to think that religion can fuel the good in people.  Perhaps we’re all capable of great things.

Shadow on the Wall is now available at Amazon.com in Kindle and paperback. 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0983876908/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=pavarti-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0983876908

From Goodreads: The novel is the first in a series about the West family, proprietors of Westwood Thoroughbred Farm, and their friends and associates in the world of horse racing. Socially awkward George gives everyone at the racetrack a creepy feeling and is avoided by all. But he uses an online portal to create a very different alternate identity to romance a multitude of attractive women including Kate West and her brother’s ex-wife, Ava. When Mike West is forced to fire George, frustration and jealousy combine to make the voices in the jockey agent’s head unbearable. Soon people start turning up dead and the path of destruction leads right to the West family home.

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This very interesting novel touches upon the dangers of the internet.  I just had a class about how dangerous the internet can actually be, how people can easily fake their identity, steal yours, or infiltrate your entire life online, and it’s really scary.  Add to it a psycho freak that is stalking to you, and it’s game over.  While this book deals mainly with a man who knows his victims, he is able to garner so much about them, especially Kate West, based on what she tells him on an online dating site.  I knew there was a reason I never wanted to try dating online… and George and Kate’s story just solidified it.  Now, while the internet is a part of this story, there is so much more to it—about recognizing warning signs and steering clear of people who don’t act quite right, about being nice, but not too nice, and about not bullying people—anyone—because you just might be messing with a person who will eventually strike back, in the worst way.

George is an absolutely horrible person.  I hated him from the get go and, as I read, hungrily awaited his demise—he is the epitome of evil.  I don’t care if he is a little bit psycho, or if his mother made him this way—EVIL.  Every time he was mentioned in the book, my skin crawled; I hate him!  Of course, he’s a key part of the novel and he’s constantly at the forefront of the story, so I spent a lot of time really angry while I read.  It amazes me that McDonald was able to evoke such strong, passionate feelings of abhorrence from me over a fictional character, but it is a testament of McDonald’s writing ability! 

I liked the pacing of the story, especially as the action picks up almost as soon as the story begins.  George begins his attacks and I kept checking my progress on the eReader because I was thinking it was almost over—and it wasn’t even close.  McDonald sets up her story so that the novel climaxes twice, with George beginning his killing spree, only to be found out and removed as a threat.  However, there are cracks in every system, and he’s soon back, unbeknownst to his potential victims, and it begins all over again.  I liked this because it’s very fast paced and, knowing what we do, the second time around is even more harrowing than the first.  It was very well done.

I was a little annoyed with the cops and the system throughout this novel, though; it almost seemed like the cops and security people had no idea what they were doing.  There were many times that I yelled out at them as I read because their mistakes were too often and too obvious, but even so, their errors help fuel help fuel the story.  Three stars.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via Netgalley.

From Goodreads: 17-year-old Vicky Hernandez has a big problem. She’s dead. Or not quite. After discovering she’s been turned into a vampire, she tries to settle into a quiet suburb of Chicago and return to a normal life.

If only she could stop wanting to bite her boyfriend. Not to mention she is dying to find out who turned her, and why. She doesn’t have to wait long before they come to her.

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Bloody Little Secrets is a different type of vampire novel.  No sparkles, no vegetarians… real life vampires that can’t go about in the daylight, that use their glamour more often than not, and that yearn for blood.  But Vicky is a little different.  She doesn’t know who made her.  She doesn’t know why she can walk in the daylight.  She doesn’t mean to kill people.  All she knows is that the vampires hunting her are not the type of people she wants to get to know better, sending her on a journey to stay hidden and safe, while also finding her niche and fitting in with society.   But her creator will stop at nothing to get ahold of her blood and walk in the light, as she does.

I really enjoyed this novel.  Kirkpatrick is a phenomenal writer, and he characters are divine.  I absolutely adored Drake; he’s a very dreamy guy, and his treatment of Vicky, both before and after he knew what she was, makes him a keeper.  The whole novel was  very captivating and not sugar coated.  Vicky craves blood; she kills people—but not in the vicious man eating type of way that “evil” vampires like to kill people—it’s a necessity and an accident, but it’s more believable than a vampire who only eats animals, if you catch my drift.  Overall, this is a great read with a fast-paced story line and I highly recommend it to all.  Four stars.

I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.