American Vampire - By Jennifer Armintrout

Release Date: 2/22/2011

Publisher: Mira

Website: Jennifer Armintrout

Purchase Info: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders

Buried in the Heartland is a town that no one enters or leaves. Graf McDonald somehow becomes its first visitor in more than five years…and he was only looking for a good party. Unfortunately, Penance, Ohio, is not that place. And after having been isolated for so long, they do not like strangers at all.

Jessa's the only one to even remotely trust him, and she's desperate for the kind of protection that only a vampire like Graf can provide. Supplies are low, the locals are ornery for a sacrifice and there's a monster more powerful than Graf lurking in the woods. New men are hard to come by in this lonesome town, and this handsome stranger might be Jessa's only hope for salvation.
Even if she has to die first…

If Green Acres, The Twilight Zone and True Blood got together and had a baby it would be, American Vampire.

When vampire Graf somehow stumbles into Penance, he is wondering if it's the fact that he's a vampire that allowed him into this hell hole in the first place. In the last 5 years this small southern town has been trapped in time, not allowing anyone out, and sure as hell not allowing anyone in.


In first starting, American Vampire, I honestly thought that the scenario might not work, or that it would just seem kind of hokey. Needless to say I was wrong! The depth of the story, and side stories truly make the plot fall into place perfectly. When first meeting, Graf & Jessa don't exactly "hit it off". You know, he wants to eat her because she's annoying, she just wants him to shot him and be done with it, the makings of a great relationship. They are definitely two very strong willed characters, who love to torment each other. Though Jessa doesn't know Graf's a vampire, she does not want him staying at her house, and adding more unwanted town gossip to her name. They already think she's a home-wrecker, whore, and slightly crazy.....oh man, what are they going to do if they figure out what Graf is?! After being with Jessa for only a matter of days, Graf realizes that there's more going on here then being trapped by a random monster. As the mystery unfolds, their chemistry heats up! Now it seems the two least likely to come together will have to in order to survive.....

American Vampire been on my, "To Read", list since I knew it was coming out. Jennifer is such a great author, I love how she blends humor, horror and sex. With great one-liners, and main characters who seem to forget their brain to mouth filter at times, Graf & Jessa made an unlikely, but amazing pair! This story offered so many twists, that it was hard to settle back down before the next one hit you. By the end of the book I sat back and thought, "I NEVER would have imagined it ending this way", but now I couldn't see the book ending any other way!


5/5

Wrap It Up - January

So I thought to make it easier for those who aren't able to read each review, or miss one, I'd start doing a monthly wrap up letting you know what books I've read this month :) So here goes.....

Blood Vice - By Keith Melton

(click here for review)

Dreamfever (Fever Series Book #4) - By Karen Marie Moning

(didn't do a review for)

Fall into Winter - By Eden Baylee

(click here for review)

Death's Sweet Embrace (Dark Brethren Novel #2) - By Tracey O'Hara

(click here for review)

Bonded by Blood (Sweetblood Novel #1) - By Laurie London

(click here for review)

American Vampire - By Jennifer Armintrout

(review here)

Stealing Time - By Elisa Paige

(review here)

Shadowfever (Fever Series Book #5) - By Karen Marie Moning

(no review)



I'm happy with the number of books that I read last month, I hope to double it this month! Let me know what you read last month, and what's on your wish list for this month!

Possession (Blood Ties Book #2) - By Jennifer Armintrout

My father always said fear was a weakness. Well, that's easy to say when you don't have to worry about vampire slayers or holy water. I hate fear, but undead life goes on. In the two months since I was attacked in the hospital morgue and turned into a vampire, I've killed my evil sire, Cyrus, fallen in love with my new sire, Nathan, and have even gotten used to drinking blood. Just when things are finally returning to normal -- as normal as they can be when sunlight can kill you -- Nathan becomes possessed. And then he slaughters an innocent human. Now it's my job to find Nathan before the Voluntary Vampire Extinction Movement does, because they're just waiting for an excuse to terminate him -- and anyone foolish enough to help him. But it gets worse. It turns out that Nathan's been possessed by one of the most powerful and wicked vampires alive -- the Soul Eater. And who knows what vile plan he's concocted?
With the Soul Eater and my possessed sire on the loose, I have a lot to fear. Including being killed. Again.
(borrowed from jenniferarmintrout.com)

Following the first book in the series, The Turning, Possessed was slightly all over the place for me. In the first book every thought, scene & emotion came from Carrie, in this book they came from Carrie, Max, Bella, almost every other character in the book as well. I can understand to make a story come together and make the bigger picture work you need to P.O.V. of all some of the characters, but not all of them. Jennifer still did a good capturing my attention with Carrie & Nathan's relationship. The emotion that those two share made me cry at the end of the book. There are times when I just want to slap Nathan, make him realize what he's got in front of him. Men, I swear.

Honestly, I wish that I was as excited with this review as I was with the last one, but for some reason I'm not. Might have to do with how the book ended....not sure. Maybe it was that I needed a smidgen more steaminess? Hmmm. Regardless I will still recommend this book, and yes, I will read the next book in the series. For the moment though, I think I need a break from Blood Ties. That way my mind can recharge, and I'll be beyond excited the next time I pick the series up.

The Turning (Blood Ties Book#1) - By Jennifer Armintrout

Losing her parents was the hardest thing that Dr. Carries Ames ever had to go through in her life....that was until her life ended altogether.

Facing her fear was all she was trying to do when she decided to follow John Doe down to the morgue. Running into, and being attack, be a hideous monster was not what she expected to find.

Spending nearly a month in the hospital can really takes it's toll on someone, and boy does Carrie think that it's taken a toll on her, because now she's starting to believe she's a vampire. Real life, can't go out in the sun, have to drink blood, vampire. Looking for some help & answers, Carrie hits the Internet in search for them. After many 'You're crazy and need help' replies, she finally gets a lead. Leading her to a local book store she gets more then she wanted, and by more I mean being almost decapitated upon entry. Luckily, she does meet Nathan Grant. A vampire himself, he tries to take Carrie under his wing and help her understand the "rules" of their kind. Giving her the decision to either join the Movement, which is an organization that gets rid of new & evil vampires, or being put in the category of "new & evil vampires" that would quickly put her on their hit list. Though Carrie doesn't know what she's going to do she does feel a longing within her, Nathan quickly explains that it's the blood tie she feels to her sire, the one who made her.

Unable to deny these feelings and emotions inside her, she must now choose between the man who made her, though evil and manipulative, and the caring man who is teaching her about their world.

--Literally just finished this book minutes ago and hands down LOVED it! One of the best books that I've read in a long time. Anyone who can take a fantasy world that we all know ( i.e. vampires, weres, Fae) and put their own twist on it, creating new terms, new ways to look at them, will hold my attention. Whether it's through 1 book or 20, I admire that quality in an author so much. Anyways back to the book, Carrie is a great main character. Her ability to be so selfless, made me almost cry, and her determination was amazing. The connection that Nathan & Carrie had from the beginning was apparent, and making Nathan into the character that he is was brilliant. You can tell he cares for Carrie, but doesn't want to admit it, like most men. Then there's Cyrus. Talk about someone who could sell ice cubes to an Eskimo. His passion for gaining what he wants, not out of life, but for his possession & pets, is compelling. Though he tries to hide it, there's some vulnerability in him that almost makes you feel sorry for him. That is until he shows his true colors and makes you puke. Carrie struggles to put in check her emotions for Cyrus, but feels the blood tie is pulling her down and she can't control it. **SPOIL ALERT** By the end of the book I didn't know what would happen with Carrie & Nathan & Cyrus. Though good does conquer evil (sort of). I kind of expected Carrie & Nathan to be in this full on relationship all sweet and "I love you, no....I love you" type of deal, but that's not how it is. Though their relationship has changed, a lot, there's still that barrier between them, one that he doesn't want to come down. Made me slightly sad :( Good thing I have the next book right in front of me!

 Pick up this book, and read it, you'll blow right through it and be begging for more. Promise!