tartbarbie's review against another edition
4.0
I received a Court of Vampires from Kindle Scout.
Lysandra has just spent the last four years in Russian training to be a werewolf slayer. A prophecy has predicted that she would bring the end to the werewolves but she's not sure if that's what she really wants anymore. She dreams of ruling the castle in Russian that is rightfully hers even though they can't return.
When the werewolves attack the castle the fighting breaks out between the two powerful races. While headed to her room as she's been ordered she finds an injured wolf but instead of killing as she's expected she brings him back to her room to nurse him back to health. When the witch of the castle and her best friend find out what she's hiding in her room she strikes a deal but it could change everything. With her growing connection to the wolf will she be able to let him go?
I like Lysandra she may have been raised to be a killer but she doesn't want to do it. I really wanted to dislike Tomlien but he proves that he isn't a bad guy just in a bad situation. I didn't like Lisar at first but the more we got to know him the more he grew on me. I like that he saw Lysandra as more than just a killer. These two remind me a little of Romeo and Juliette as both families are at war.
I've had this one on my kindle for a few month but haven't had a chance to read it just yet. I love the cover it what captured my attention first a girl in a dress and a wolf which fits the story perfectly. I liked the concept unique twist of the vampires giving us basically two different kinds of vampires. I wasn't sure about the wolves as they are also a little different than I am used to but it works well. The concept is interesting it's a forbidden romance which reminds me a little of Romeo & Juliet but with vampires and werewolves. This is my first book by the author but I enjoyed her writing style it flows along smoothly. I can't wait for the next one to be released I have to know how it's going to play out.
Lysandra has just spent the last four years in Russian training to be a werewolf slayer. A prophecy has predicted that she would bring the end to the werewolves but she's not sure if that's what she really wants anymore. She dreams of ruling the castle in Russian that is rightfully hers even though they can't return.
When the werewolves attack the castle the fighting breaks out between the two powerful races. While headed to her room as she's been ordered she finds an injured wolf but instead of killing as she's expected she brings him back to her room to nurse him back to health. When the witch of the castle and her best friend find out what she's hiding in her room she strikes a deal but it could change everything. With her growing connection to the wolf will she be able to let him go?
I like Lysandra she may have been raised to be a killer but she doesn't want to do it. I really wanted to dislike Tomlien but he proves that he isn't a bad guy just in a bad situation. I didn't like Lisar at first but the more we got to know him the more he grew on me. I like that he saw Lysandra as more than just a killer. These two remind me a little of Romeo and Juliette as both families are at war.
I've had this one on my kindle for a few month but haven't had a chance to read it just yet. I love the cover it what captured my attention first a girl in a dress and a wolf which fits the story perfectly. I liked the concept unique twist of the vampires giving us basically two different kinds of vampires. I wasn't sure about the wolves as they are also a little different than I am used to but it works well. The concept is interesting it's a forbidden romance which reminds me a little of Romeo & Juliet but with vampires and werewolves. This is my first book by the author but I enjoyed her writing style it flows along smoothly. I can't wait for the next one to be released I have to know how it's going to play out.
kryash89's review against another edition
Talking wolves? A little too cliche immature for my fairy tale tastes
lulustjames's review against another edition
2.0
Originally reviewed at RoadsideReader
I feel as though I keep trying for vampire books and I keep getting disappointed. Maybe I should take a break? Court of Vampires by Megan Linski seemed like it would be a fun vampire/werewolf YA story. Maybe just a cheesy angsty romance. That is legitimately what I went into it expecting. And yet, I still found myself looking forward to being done with this book rather than how the story would unfold.
Though I doubt anyone will go into Court of Vampires expecting something groundbreaking, I did expect something solidly entertaining? I found that I couldn’t really enjoy it as I thought I would for a few simple reasons. Predictability. It was all just so painfully obvious from the start how everything would happen and what role each character would play. No deviations there. Okay, we can deal with that. However, there wasn’t any of the angst truly there to propel interest. Forbidden love but it doesn’t seem that big of a deal? Main character Lysandra did not portray a single bit of internal turmoil over falling in love with her sworn enemy, even stating to Lisar she doesn’t hate wolves even though she witnessed them murder her mother. She plainly states she’s indifferent and I just, I understand the metaphor of hey you shouldn’t hate a group of people because of the actions of a select few. But this is fantasy and these are werewolves and you saw a pack of wolves kill your mother and then suddenly there’s absolutely no emotion there? No anger to work through? Linski really missed out by having her protagonist skip entirely through the internal struggle between the love for her mother/people and the love for someone whose family may have been responsible for their demise.
With a book as formulaic as Court of Vampires by Megan Linski, you can expect a predictable story. That said, it’s an easy book to breeze through, if a bit boring. If you’re looking for a good book palette cleanser to pull yourself out of a story hangover, this would be a good choice.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this title.
I feel as though I keep trying for vampire books and I keep getting disappointed. Maybe I should take a break? Court of Vampires by Megan Linski seemed like it would be a fun vampire/werewolf YA story. Maybe just a cheesy angsty romance. That is legitimately what I went into it expecting. And yet, I still found myself looking forward to being done with this book rather than how the story would unfold.
Though I doubt anyone will go into Court of Vampires expecting something groundbreaking, I did expect something solidly entertaining? I found that I couldn’t really enjoy it as I thought I would for a few simple reasons. Predictability. It was all just so painfully obvious from the start how everything would happen and what role each character would play. No deviations there. Okay, we can deal with that. However, there wasn’t any of the angst truly there to propel interest. Forbidden love but it doesn’t seem that big of a deal? Main character Lysandra did not portray a single bit of internal turmoil over falling in love with her sworn enemy, even stating to Lisar she doesn’t hate wolves even though she witnessed them murder her mother. She plainly states she’s indifferent and I just, I understand the metaphor of hey you shouldn’t hate a group of people because of the actions of a select few. But this is fantasy and these are werewolves and you saw a pack of wolves kill your mother and then suddenly there’s absolutely no emotion there? No anger to work through? Linski really missed out by having her protagonist skip entirely through the internal struggle between the love for her mother/people and the love for someone whose family may have been responsible for their demise.
With a book as formulaic as Court of Vampires by Megan Linski, you can expect a predictable story. That said, it’s an easy book to breeze through, if a bit boring. If you’re looking for a good book palette cleanser to pull yourself out of a story hangover, this would be a good choice.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this title.
naduah82's review against another edition
4.0
I've been on a paranormal romance kick lately. The whole genre in itself is magical and exciting. There's the whole sense of what if and not wanting to stop reading, and I love that feeling. Court of Vampires lived up to all of my expectations and more!
I have so many passages highlighted on my Kindle, too many to share here. Pretty much after highlighting practically every other page, I came to the conclusion that THE WHOLE BOOK IS GREAT! It was fun, magical, enlightening & filled to the brim with romance!
Of course, it isn't filled with your typical romance. No, the romance in this book is sweet, endearing and searing and swoon-worthy! The best thing about it is it wasn't forced! In fact, it's the kind that just sneaks up on you, you know the real-life kind! Yes, Court of Vampires is filled with believable romance! Of course, I can't really elaborate further or I'd risk spoiling it for you.
Another thing I loved was the sense to do what's right, not what's expected. Lysandra isn't afraid to stand up for what she believes is the right thing. She's brave, intelligent and wise beyond her years.
That being said she's still a teenager. She gets scared, second guesses herself at times...like we all do at some point and of course rebels from time to time. I really related to Lysandra. The author, Megan did a great job writing her!
A really interesting thing I found while traversing through this book was the original way in which vampires came to be. I liked the fact that they were almost human, well besides their need to drink blood every so often and their aversion to sunlight. They still eat food and no, they aren't immortal. Lysandra's family lineage also was quite different than your typical vampire book. She's descended from Dracula & the Grand Duchess Anastasia of Russia!
All in all:
Court of Vampires is fast-paced & an exciting read! If you're looking for a book to get you hooked, look no further!
If you like these elements you'll love Court of Vampires:
Royalty
Forbidden love
Prophecies
Great Character Development
A fast, fun read!
And of course...Vampires, Werewolves & Witches!
I have so many passages highlighted on my Kindle, too many to share here. Pretty much after highlighting practically every other page, I came to the conclusion that THE WHOLE BOOK IS GREAT! It was fun, magical, enlightening & filled to the brim with romance!
Of course, it isn't filled with your typical romance. No, the romance in this book is sweet, endearing and searing and swoon-worthy! The best thing about it is it wasn't forced! In fact, it's the kind that just sneaks up on you, you know the real-life kind! Yes, Court of Vampires is filled with believable romance! Of course, I can't really elaborate further or I'd risk spoiling it for you.
Another thing I loved was the sense to do what's right, not what's expected. Lysandra isn't afraid to stand up for what she believes is the right thing. She's brave, intelligent and wise beyond her years.
That being said she's still a teenager. She gets scared, second guesses herself at times...like we all do at some point and of course rebels from time to time. I really related to Lysandra. The author, Megan did a great job writing her!
A really interesting thing I found while traversing through this book was the original way in which vampires came to be. I liked the fact that they were almost human, well besides their need to drink blood every so often and their aversion to sunlight. They still eat food and no, they aren't immortal. Lysandra's family lineage also was quite different than your typical vampire book. She's descended from Dracula & the Grand Duchess Anastasia of Russia!
All in all:
Court of Vampires is fast-paced & an exciting read! If you're looking for a book to get you hooked, look no further!
If you like these elements you'll love Court of Vampires:
Royalty
Forbidden love
Prophecies
Great Character Development
A fast, fun read!
And of course...Vampires, Werewolves & Witches!
bookexpression's review against another edition
4.0
Court of Vampires was a very interesting book to read! Almost had a twisted Twilight feel to it, but I liked it. The way Megan Linski connected the Dracula Blood Line and the Romanov Blood Line was brilliant. I especially loved how Lisar interacted with Lysandra while he was healing. It was entertaining how their love was blossoming and how they clicked. Forbidden love, prophecies, and rebellion! Megan Linski did an amazing job putting Court of Vampires together.. Almost felt a tad rushed but they had limited time! Court of Vampires had my heart racing and I'm interested to see how Lisar and Lysandra turn things around in the second book!
kasfire's review against another edition
5.0
4.5/5 Stars
I signed up for Megan Linksi's newsletter months ago, and when she announced that this book was being put on Kindle Scout, I decided to check it out. And I am quite happy that I did!
Everyone knows the general story of vampires vs. werewolves. However, Megan brings a refreshing new dynamic to this plot line. Vampires are not immortal creatures unless they drink human blood. If they do, they become Cursed Ones-- those vampires closer to the most well known vampires. Werewolves aren't actually werewolves. They are shifters able to change at will unless severely injured.
This novel follows Lysandra Romanova-Dracula, descended from the Russian Romanov and from Vlad Dracula. She is the Chosen One who is supposed to end the Shifter line. However, events occur that force her to wonder if she is truly the Chosen One.
Megan Linksi has a fantastic way of world building. She takes well known stories and twists them into her own versions. Even though this is a present day telling, readers still get the otherworldly and ancient feeling through her writing. She is also able to create intriguing characters that are engaging and dimensional. For instance, there are many side characters that many authors would not flesh out. Yet Megan does. The reader meets a man who is impetuous yet honorable, a servant who is friendly yet in-genuine, and so on.
This novel was a quick but engaging read. Sometimes quick reads are boring and you just want to finish them. Honestly, with this book I really did not want it to end. Ok, some points I did, but that was due to me not wanting the characters to have to deal with certain things anymore.
I am absolutely thrilled that I got to read this novel and I cannot wait for the next installment.
I signed up for Megan Linksi's newsletter months ago, and when she announced that this book was being put on Kindle Scout, I decided to check it out. And I am quite happy that I did!
Everyone knows the general story of vampires vs. werewolves. However, Megan brings a refreshing new dynamic to this plot line. Vampires are not immortal creatures unless they drink human blood. If they do, they become Cursed Ones-- those vampires closer to the most well known vampires. Werewolves aren't actually werewolves. They are shifters able to change at will unless severely injured.
This novel follows Lysandra Romanova-Dracula, descended from the Russian Romanov and from Vlad Dracula. She is the Chosen One who is supposed to end the Shifter line. However, events occur that force her to wonder if she is truly the Chosen One.
Megan Linksi has a fantastic way of world building. She takes well known stories and twists them into her own versions. Even though this is a present day telling, readers still get the otherworldly and ancient feeling through her writing. She is also able to create intriguing characters that are engaging and dimensional. For instance, there are many side characters that many authors would not flesh out. Yet Megan does. The reader meets a man who is impetuous yet honorable, a servant who is friendly yet in-genuine, and so on.
This novel was a quick but engaging read. Sometimes quick reads are boring and you just want to finish them. Honestly, with this book I really did not want it to end. Ok, some points I did, but that was due to me not wanting the characters to have to deal with certain things anymore.
I am absolutely thrilled that I got to read this novel and I cannot wait for the next installment.
kasfire's review
5.0
4.5/5 Stars
I signed up for Megan Linksi's newsletter months ago, and when she announced that this book was being put on Kindle Scout, I decided to check it out. And I am quite happy that I did!
Everyone knows the general story of vampires vs. werewolves. However, Megan brings a refreshing new dynamic to this plot line. Vampires are not immortal creatures unless they drink human blood. If they do, they become Cursed Ones-- those vampires closer to the most well known vampires. Werewolves aren't actually werewolves. They are shifters able to change at will unless severely injured.
This novel follows Lysandra Romanova-Dracula, descended from the Russian Romanov and from Vlad Dracula. She is the Chosen One who is supposed to end the Shifter line. However, events occur that force her to wonder if she is truly the Chosen One.
Megan Linksi has a fantastic way of world building. She takes well known stories and twists them into her own versions. Even though this is a present day telling, readers still get the otherworldly and ancient feeling through her writing. She is also able to create intriguing characters that are engaging and dimensional. For instance, there are many side characters that many authors would not flesh out. Yet Megan does. The reader meets a man who is impetuous yet honorable, a servant who is friendly yet in-genuine, and so on.
This novel was a quick but engaging read. Sometimes quick reads are boring and you just want to finish them. Honestly, with this book I really did not want it to end. Ok, some points I did, but that was due to me not wanting the characters to have to deal with certain things anymore.
I am absolutely thrilled that I got to read this novel and I cannot wait for the next installment.
I signed up for Megan Linksi's newsletter months ago, and when she announced that this book was being put on Kindle Scout, I decided to check it out. And I am quite happy that I did!
Everyone knows the general story of vampires vs. werewolves. However, Megan brings a refreshing new dynamic to this plot line. Vampires are not immortal creatures unless they drink human blood. If they do, they become Cursed Ones-- those vampires closer to the most well known vampires. Werewolves aren't actually werewolves. They are shifters able to change at will unless severely injured.
This novel follows Lysandra Romanova-Dracula, descended from the Russian Romanov and from Vlad Dracula. She is the Chosen One who is supposed to end the Shifter line. However, events occur that force her to wonder if she is truly the Chosen One.
Megan Linksi has a fantastic way of world building. She takes well known stories and twists them into her own versions. Even though this is a present day telling, readers still get the otherworldly and ancient feeling through her writing. She is also able to create intriguing characters that are engaging and dimensional. For instance, there are many side characters that many authors would not flesh out. Yet Megan does. The reader meets a man who is impetuous yet honorable, a servant who is friendly yet in-genuine, and so on.
This novel was a quick but engaging read. Sometimes quick reads are boring and you just want to finish them. Honestly, with this book I really did not want it to end. Ok, some points I did, but that was due to me not wanting the characters to have to deal with certain things anymore.
I am absolutely thrilled that I got to read this novel and I cannot wait for the next installment.
rebeccacarter's review
4.0
This is the Romeo and Juliette of the paranormal world. Love between a vampire and wolf. The concept of two different kinds of vampires was interesting, and if I recall, I think the same went for the wolves. That added an extra twist to the story that will probably be further developed in the rest of the series. The conversations, at times, felt like info dumps, and a few things felt like plot holes (for example, the witch shattering the bedroom door, but then they are able to lock it afterwards). I did find Lysandra a bit whiny and weak on occasion, which surprised me considering her extensive training before returning home. Other than those issues, it is a book that kept my interest and was fun to read.
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