booklvrkat's review against another edition
1.0
I cannot give this more than one star. I never connected with the characters, and it read staccato fashion. You do this when you are a vampire. No, do it this way. Oh wow, I can hear your thoughts. Now that you've learned how to do this you can do this. Don't drink this way...do it that way. Ugh
duchessnikki's review against another edition
1.0
I'm sure The Nightlife: New York was meant to be sexy and exciting. New York didn't come across as a real place. I found the whole thing rather plodding with occasional bursts of crazy. The characters spent an offal lot of time in their heads. I mostly skimmed those paragraphs. Maybe this was a sexy book for men. It just didn't appeal to me. The characters didn't grab my interest. Too bad really, the premise had a bit of promise. The vampire bits peaked my curiosity but their was no follow through.
slanderoid's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
berls's review against another edition
Review first appeared at Fantasy is More Fun
3 1/2 stars
My Initial Reaction…
I was on the fence with this book – there were parts of it that I really liked, loved even. But there were also parts that I didn’t like, got annoyed with and even hated. In the end, I like the characters and the main plot was interesting enough to keep me reading to the next book.
The Characters…
Aaron is the typical nice guy, who holds a stable, but uninspiring job, has a couple of friends he likes to drink a few beers with and an ex-girlfriend he hasn’t quite gotten over yet, until he sees Michelle. If a couple of dirty cops hadn’t started harassing her and treating her like a prostitute, he probably would have gone on with his ordinary life. But when he moves in to help Michelle, who needs no help from him since she’s a vampire, he takes a stray bullet and his life changes forever.
I like Aaron – every glimpse into his head reveals a truly good person. He has good intentions, genuinely cares about other people, and really just wants to do what’s best. His inner dialogue, particularly while he’s still figuring out his change, is pretty funny. Luedke has done a really great job creating a lovable character, which is why I was so disappointed when Aaron falls out of character in a scene very close to the end of the book. There are moments throughout when vampire instincts take over and he acts violently, but those moments make sense, and even then he fights to control himself. In this particular scene, involving his ex-girlfriend, there is no such extenuating circumstance. It was a horrible scene that you wanted to go any number of different ways and was too far out of character for Aaron. I hope it isn’t a sign of the new person he will be in future books, because I may not like them if it is.
I also like Michelle. She’s a vampire with a conscience, but not because she’s a genuinely nice person like Aaron. In fact, at times I feel she’s quite the opposite. But Michelle is a much more complex character than Aaron – she has a scarred past and it has left a deep mark on her. I enjoyed the way Luedke gradually unraveled her character’s mysteries and I look forward to learning more about her. I did, however, find her French particularly annoying after a while. I understand it helped define her character, and I often read books where characters have accents or use some foreign language, but there was something very jilted about the way it’s inserted into most the conversations.
I do not like Aaron and Michelle together. This is an erotic novel and all else is really secondary, which isn’t a problem for me since I expected it. But their “romance” mostly felt detached and clinical. It was not exciting most the time. Added to my frustration with these scenes was Aarons immediate (so immediate I wouldn’t consider it a spoiler) love for Michelle. I’m not a big fan of insta-love – it takes serious skill for me to believe it and here, I didn’t. What I saw was insta-lust and I wish it had been portrayed that way instead. However, the other sexual moments in the book – particularly the seduction of humans – was much more enjoyable and mostly made up for what was missing between Aaron and Michelle.
The Story…
Although the plot was meant to be secondary to the eroticism of this book, I enjoyed the storyline more than most the erotic scenes, leaving me wishing it had been more prominent. We’re introduced to the antagonists at the same time we meet Michelle – the two dirty detectives that are pestering her and that shoot Aaron by mistake. These detectives are a bit over-the-top dirty, and you’re sure to roll your eyes from time to time. But they do provide an interesting conflict. Let’s just say they aren’t happy to have been shown up by Michelle and want to get their hands on her, before their boss can get a statement from her that might finally get them off the streets. I found them to be an interesting conflict, even if they were a bit ridiculously stereotypical.
The other main storyline was Aaron’s transformation and adjustment to life as a vampire. Luedke wrote this very well, throwing in some neat twists for what it means to be a vampire in this fantasy world. I think the vampires he’s created are the perfect blend of the old and the new; you’re comfortable with them living up to your expectations about vampires and you’re also excited by their own unique talents and weaknesses. I particularly liked Luedke’s reworking of exactly what it means to sire a vampire and the implications of biting a human, both were neat twists that added some complications and twists to the plot.
Concluding Sentiments…
This is a fun book worth taking a look at, but it didn’t leave me dying to read the next one, though I do want to read it. Nor do I suspect I’ll ever do a reread. The characters are well written and, despite some shortcomings, the book is an enjoyable read.
3 1/2 stars
My Initial Reaction…
I was on the fence with this book – there were parts of it that I really liked, loved even. But there were also parts that I didn’t like, got annoyed with and even hated. In the end, I like the characters and the main plot was interesting enough to keep me reading to the next book.
The Characters…
Aaron is the typical nice guy, who holds a stable, but uninspiring job, has a couple of friends he likes to drink a few beers with and an ex-girlfriend he hasn’t quite gotten over yet, until he sees Michelle. If a couple of dirty cops hadn’t started harassing her and treating her like a prostitute, he probably would have gone on with his ordinary life. But when he moves in to help Michelle, who needs no help from him since she’s a vampire, he takes a stray bullet and his life changes forever.
I like Aaron – every glimpse into his head reveals a truly good person. He has good intentions, genuinely cares about other people, and really just wants to do what’s best. His inner dialogue, particularly while he’s still figuring out his change, is pretty funny. Luedke has done a really great job creating a lovable character, which is why I was so disappointed when Aaron falls out of character in a scene very close to the end of the book. There are moments throughout when vampire instincts take over and he acts violently, but those moments make sense, and even then he fights to control himself. In this particular scene, involving his ex-girlfriend, there is no such extenuating circumstance. It was a horrible scene that you wanted to go any number of different ways and was too far out of character for Aaron. I hope it isn’t a sign of the new person he will be in future books, because I may not like them if it is.
I also like Michelle. She’s a vampire with a conscience, but not because she’s a genuinely nice person like Aaron. In fact, at times I feel she’s quite the opposite. But Michelle is a much more complex character than Aaron – she has a scarred past and it has left a deep mark on her. I enjoyed the way Luedke gradually unraveled her character’s mysteries and I look forward to learning more about her. I did, however, find her French particularly annoying after a while. I understand it helped define her character, and I often read books where characters have accents or use some foreign language, but there was something very jilted about the way it’s inserted into most the conversations.
I do not like Aaron and Michelle together. This is an erotic novel and all else is really secondary, which isn’t a problem for me since I expected it. But their “romance” mostly felt detached and clinical. It was not exciting most the time. Added to my frustration with these scenes was Aarons immediate (so immediate I wouldn’t consider it a spoiler) love for Michelle. I’m not a big fan of insta-love – it takes serious skill for me to believe it and here, I didn’t. What I saw was insta-lust and I wish it had been portrayed that way instead. However, the other sexual moments in the book – particularly the seduction of humans – was much more enjoyable and mostly made up for what was missing between Aaron and Michelle.
The Story…
Although the plot was meant to be secondary to the eroticism of this book, I enjoyed the storyline more than most the erotic scenes, leaving me wishing it had been more prominent. We’re introduced to the antagonists at the same time we meet Michelle – the two dirty detectives that are pestering her and that shoot Aaron by mistake. These detectives are a bit over-the-top dirty, and you’re sure to roll your eyes from time to time. But they do provide an interesting conflict. Let’s just say they aren’t happy to have been shown up by Michelle and want to get their hands on her, before their boss can get a statement from her that might finally get them off the streets. I found them to be an interesting conflict, even if they were a bit ridiculously stereotypical.
The other main storyline was Aaron’s transformation and adjustment to life as a vampire. Luedke wrote this very well, throwing in some neat twists for what it means to be a vampire in this fantasy world. I think the vampires he’s created are the perfect blend of the old and the new; you’re comfortable with them living up to your expectations about vampires and you’re also excited by their own unique talents and weaknesses. I particularly liked Luedke’s reworking of exactly what it means to sire a vampire and the implications of biting a human, both were neat twists that added some complications and twists to the plot.
Concluding Sentiments…
This is a fun book worth taking a look at, but it didn’t leave me dying to read the next one, though I do want to read it. Nor do I suspect I’ll ever do a reread. The characters are well written and, despite some shortcomings, the book is an enjoyable read.
bodebeabay's review against another edition
1.0
Finished Reading September 14, 2013
Book Rejected
1.5 Stars
Boring
Prch Amz September 11, 2013
Book Rejected
1.5 Stars
Boring
Prch Amz September 11, 2013
wintericeuk's review against another edition
3.0
I almost didn't start this book as I was expecting it to be yet another generic vampire romance, I'm so glad I actually pushed through my reservations and read this book.
This is a darker tale than some but it doesn't fall into the pit of sex, ultra-violence and gore, instead we have a tale of two vampires, one callous and disillusioned with humans (and men in particular) and the other being her newly sired progeny who's trying to come to terms with how rapidly and profoundly his life has been changed.
Michelle is an enjoyable female lead, being not only flawed but very human. She's emotionally scarred by her past and this manifests in how she treats Aaron, our male lead. Aaron could easily be mistaken for being just another 'beta male' insert but if you peel back the layers you start to see that the author has written these two characters to be equal and opposite of each other. Young, naive and open with his emotions versus old, disillusioned and with her heart closed off in an attempt to protect herself. The concept isn't original but the author's execution of it needs to be lauded.
I can't quite bring myself to give this book a four star review as there are several plot points that I feel were either glossed over or not explored. Lisa the poor bloodslave is left as a question mark, really only serving as something for Aaron's conscience to latch on to regarding his learning of control. The author also doesn't explore what could and could not be done with Michelle's commands; are they only suitable for limited, immediate control or could they be used to form a compulsion that could be built into Aaron's psyche? Lastly, some of the mistakes that Michelle makes seem more like Michelle not giving a damn or thinking things through rather than genuine oversights. I think a little more fleshing out was needed here to bolster the narrative as well as grow the characters further.
In summary this is a darker vampire romance tale, but probably not one for those who are looking for a fluffy romance between sire and childe (yes, I am using the V:TM terms here as they work). This is a story of two emotionally scarred people learning to accept each-other and finding love through that acceptance.
This is a darker tale than some but it doesn't fall into the pit of sex, ultra-violence and gore, instead we have a tale of two vampires, one callous and disillusioned with humans (and men in particular) and the other being her newly sired progeny who's trying to come to terms with how rapidly and profoundly his life has been changed.
Michelle is an enjoyable female lead, being not only flawed but very human. She's emotionally scarred by her past and this manifests in how she treats Aaron, our male lead. Aaron could easily be mistaken for being just another 'beta male' insert but if you peel back the layers you start to see that the author has written these two characters to be equal and opposite of each other. Young, naive and open with his emotions versus old, disillusioned and with her heart closed off in an attempt to protect herself. The concept isn't original but the author's execution of it needs to be lauded.
I can't quite bring myself to give this book a four star review as there are several plot points that I feel were either glossed over or not explored. Lisa the poor bloodslave is left as a question mark, really only serving as something for Aaron's conscience to latch on to regarding his learning of control. The author also doesn't explore what could and could not be done with Michelle's commands; are they only suitable for limited, immediate control or could they be used to form a compulsion that could be built into Aaron's psyche? Lastly, some of the mistakes that Michelle makes seem more like Michelle not giving a damn or thinking things through rather than genuine oversights. I think a little more fleshing out was needed here to bolster the narrative as well as grow the characters further.
In summary this is a darker vampire romance tale, but probably not one for those who are looking for a fluffy romance between sire and childe (yes, I am using the V:TM terms here as they work). This is a story of two emotionally scarred people learning to accept each-other and finding love through that acceptance.
tiggers_hate_acorns's review against another edition
4.0
Loved it. A quick read and not just because I was reading it for a team challenge but because it held my interest and I was able to read it without any RL interruptions.
Aaron seemed to accept becoming a vampire very nonchantly and Michelle was a bit of the stereotypical French professional streetwalker. But it is a fantasy novel and that is exactly what we got - can't wait to see what happens in Las Vegas.
Aaron seemed to accept becoming a vampire very nonchantly and Michelle was a bit of the stereotypical French professional streetwalker. But it is a fantasy novel and that is exactly what we got - can't wait to see what happens in Las Vegas.
vavita's review against another edition
2.0
It was free
Interesting but i will not read it again or continue with the series
In gegeneral Iwas surprised about thevery goodratings of this book. It is an interesting world, interesting take on how vampires interact but I did not find the whole book so addictive as others. Not for me...
Interesting but i will not read it again or continue with the series
In gegeneral Iwas surprised about thevery goodratings of this book. It is an interesting world, interesting take on how vampires interact but I did not find the whole book so addictive as others. Not for me...
yi5h's review against another edition
4.0
It was a fun, light read. There were a few new and unique vampire abilities and the erotica part did have some background which was nice. Also an interesting balance between the humans-are-just-food and let's not kill/hurt them. With that said the final revenge scene did feel a bit over the top/out of place. Also the heavy use of foreign language quotes was a bit distracting in the beginning.
see_sadie_read's review against another edition
5.0
Nightlife: New York is a paranormal romance unlike I've ever read and it took me a little while to pinpoint why. Surprisingly, I think it is the fact that it was written by a man. It changed the feel and focus of the romance. There was a realism to the main character, Aaron's, thoughts and actions that I can only imagine was born of the male author's innate ability to relate to the emotions of a male character. This multidimensionalism is often lacking in other PNR. They regularly focus almost exclusively on the man's alpha qualities, to the exclusion of all others. And while I enjoy these novels it was nice to come across a PNR hero who had a little more depth to him.
Aaron Pilan is the nice guy who never gets much coverage in this genre. He isn't 6'5''. He isn't build like a tank. He isn't bulging with muscles or oozing raw sex appeal. He doesn't even wear leather or shitkickers. He's attractive, but innocent and a little naive. Meeting the gorgeous vampire Michelle and being brought into her way of life throws him for a serious curve. I adored him! Over the course of the book he grew to be the strong alpha lead we women currently love so much, but managed to maintain the caring qualities that attracted Michelle in the first place. He was interested in more than just pounding a hapless, lust-driven female into a mattress (though the springs did get a workout or two) and I appreciated his internal debates as he tried to reassess his new role.
There was a little bit of an info-dump in the beginning as Luedke established what type of vampire we're dealing with. Do they sparkle or brood? Do they maintain their human intellect or become mindless predators, etc? The book gets a little dry during this necessary evil, but quickly picks back up. There are a whole host of interesting underworld characters who play their role without ever cluttering up the plot, a little bit of humour, some sizzling moments, and some tender moments. There really is just about enough of everything.
This is definitely one worth picking up. I have [b:The Nightlife: Las Vegas|16157776|The Nightlife Las Vegas (The Nightlife, #2)|Travis Luedke|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1353302889s/16157776.jpg|21998101] which I have every intention of reading.
Aaron Pilan is the nice guy who never gets much coverage in this genre. He isn't 6'5''. He isn't build like a tank. He isn't bulging with muscles or oozing raw sex appeal. He doesn't even wear leather or shitkickers. He's attractive, but innocent and a little naive. Meeting the gorgeous vampire Michelle and being brought into her way of life throws him for a serious curve. I adored him! Over the course of the book he grew to be the strong alpha lead we women currently love so much, but managed to maintain the caring qualities that attracted Michelle in the first place. He was interested in more than just pounding a hapless, lust-driven female into a mattress (though the springs did get a workout or two) and I appreciated his internal debates as he tried to reassess his new role.
There was a little bit of an info-dump in the beginning as Luedke established what type of vampire we're dealing with. Do they sparkle or brood? Do they maintain their human intellect or become mindless predators, etc? The book gets a little dry during this necessary evil, but quickly picks back up. There are a whole host of interesting underworld characters who play their role without ever cluttering up the plot, a little bit of humour, some sizzling moments, and some tender moments. There really is just about enough of everything.
This is definitely one worth picking up. I have [b:The Nightlife: Las Vegas|16157776|The Nightlife Las Vegas (The Nightlife, #2)|Travis Luedke|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1353302889s/16157776.jpg|21998101] which I have every intention of reading.