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Showing posts with label Rhiannon's Laws. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rhiannon's Laws. Show all posts
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Review: The Renfield Syndrome
The Renfield SyndromeAuthor: J.A. Saare
Release Date: August 23, 2011
Publisher: Mundania Press
Rhiannon’s Laws #2
ISBN: #978-1606592663
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format(s): Paperback (212 pgs), e-book
Book Source: KLB Virtual Events
About the book: |
Rhiannon thought facing off against a deranged child vampire was the most dangerous task she would ever have to undertake, but she’s about to discover making a deal with a demon is far, far worse. Sent forward into another reality, one in which vampires are now dominating nearly extinct humans, she realizes the sooner she returns to her vampire lover, Disco, the better.
Unfortunately, time changes a lot of things; including those most trusted around her. When she’s faced with a loss and betrayal unlike any she has ever known, her focus shifts from severing the debt between the demon that wants to kill her, to exacting a revenge that will bring forth consequences she never could have fathomed. By reaching out to the darkness lingering within her, she’ll find the strength to push forward despite the circumstances that would see her dead and buried.After all, when it’s all said and done, all that she has left to lose is her soul.
What I’m talking about: |
After I finished reading the first book in the Rhiannon’s Law series, Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between (review HERE), I couldn’t wait to get my hands on The Renfield Syndrome. Book 1 ended with a MAJOR cliff-hanger, taking our heroine, Rhiannon over 100 years into the future where a disease has wiped out much of the human population and vampires live out in the open. Renfield picks up immediately after the conclusion of Dead. Due to the drastic changes between book 1 and 2, you can read Renfield as a stand-alone story, but I suggest starting with the first book to give you more background about the main characters.
The story begins with Rhiannon trying to get her bearings after learning she has been thrust into the future as the result of making a deal with an evil demon. She is quickly captured by a group claiming to protect her from the vampires. Their leader, Carter, takes an immediate liking to Rhiannon and tries to convince her why she can’t be around the vampires.
Carter’s compound seems more like a cult hideout. Everyone wears the same military uniform and there are strict rules governing their lives. Rhiannon tries to learn as much as possible without telling anyone the real truth. Although at times it felt like I was being told rather than experiencing this history, it allows the author to clue the reader in on the changes that have transpired over the past 100 years.
Rhiannon realizes that she needs to seek out contacts from her past so that she can attempt to return home and set the future on a different path. She is able to convince Carter to take her into the city where the vampires live, and once there, she breaks from his group to stay with her former friends. It is with them that she learns the full extent of how awful the future is. With only a few days left until the demon comes to claim her, Rhiannon decides to take matters into her own hands, even if it means betraying those that she loves.
This book is full of awesomeness. First, the story is just incredibly exciting and absorbing, managing to take me to the edge and back with twists and turns. Time travel and alternate universe themed stories can be tricky, but Ms. Saare created something that drew me in without a lot of hoops to jump. She attempts to address some of the impacts of time travel via Paine’s “no changing the future” dialogues, but it never weighs down the flow of the story.
Second, there is true emotion in this book. Rhiannon learns that her one true love, vampire Gabriel (Disco), died shortly after she disappeared in the past. The reunion scenes with her friends in the future and Disco later on, pulled at my heart strings and left an ache in my belly. The true depth of this story, however, is watching Rhiannon interact with Paine, a man she cares about but does not love. At first I was very worried where Ms. Saari was taking the story, but she did an amazing job dealing with guilt, love, and loneliness.
Ms. Saare created several new and interesting characters for this second story. I hope we see more of Carter, Jennifer (both present and future) and Bells. I enjoyed the first section with Carter and was a bit sad to see him practically disappear from the second half of the book. I liked how he appeared the savior, then the bad guy, and in the end, we just don’t know.
The conclusion of the story was a bit easier to take for folks like me who cannot do cliffhangers. I was a little put off by the reintroduction of characters from the very beginning of the first book, but I trust in the author and her ability to weave an exciting tale. Things were most certainly left open-ended, and I am a bit afraid yet full of anticipation of where Ms. Saare will take Rhiannon next.
My Rating: |
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Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Review: Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between
Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between
Author: J.A. Saare
Release Date: available now
Publisher: Eternal Press
Rhiannon’s Laws Series Book #1
ISBN: #1770650229
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal
From the author’s website:
One bad corpse can ruin your whole day. No one knows that better than Rhiannon Murphy. She’s left behind the flash and sass of Miami for the no-nonsense groove of New York City, eager for a clean slate and a fresh start. A bartender by trade, a loud mouth by choice, and a necromancer by chance; she’s managed to keep her nifty talent hidden from those around her – until now.
The deliciously good-looking vampire Disco knows her secret, and when he strolls into her bar to solicit help investigating the mysterious disappearances of his kind from the city, she discovers he’s not the kind of person that appreciates the significance of the word no.
But in a world where vampires peddle their blood as the latest and greatest drug of choice, it’s only a matter of time before the next big thing hits the market. Someone or something is killing vampires to steal their hearts, and unlike Rhiannon, this isn’t their first stroll around the undead block.
What I’m talking about:
The story opens with our heroine, Rhiannon, working as a bartender in an exotic dancer bar. She knows the ropes and keeps the place running smoothly. Unfortunately, she is being pursued by not only Disco, but other vampire families because of her ability to see the twice undead (dead vampires) - a very rare gift. The only way to protect herself from the undesirables is to “join” a vampire family... but which one? And after a rough childhood, Rhiannon doesn’t want to be “owned” by anyone ever again.
Rhiannon is a heroine that I can get behind! She is smart, tough, looks out for herself, but doesn’t say no to help and helping others. I was worried that she would hem and haw in her decision making about joining a family, but she is smart and makes a great decision. She weighs pros and cons at each step of the way, knows how to compromise, but stays true to herself. She is a joy to read.
The beginning of the book was a bit tough for me to understand. The first chapter especially was chaotic and thoughts seem to jump all over the place. I wasn’t sure who was who, and I stumbled a bit. While that did emphasize the chaotic rhythms of the club scene, it made it difficult for me to follow at times. However, after the first couple of chapters, the writing smoothed out and storyline became much easier to follow.
As the story progressed, I become completely engrossed and couldn’t put the book down. I enjoyed watching the delicate friendship between Rhiannon and Disco blossom into a passionate love. I was riveted to the book trying to find out who/what was behind the vampire deaths. It is a great story and fun to read.
BUT I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you the one thing that really put a crimp on an otherwise wonderful story... The Ending. Without giving away spoilers, I will tell you that the ending basically sets up a subsequent story and leaves us in a MAJOR cliffhanger. I do not like cliffhanger endings. Plain and simple. And really, I have no problem with the direction Ms. Saare is taking her series. In fact, I actually like the concept. But, for me, this should have been the beginning of book 2 and not the ending to this story.
This is a fun, vibrant story and I recommend it to anyone that enjoys a good vampire, urban fantasy story. Just be prepared for an ending that will twist and leave you hanging.
My Rating:
Liked it a lot - recommend
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