greatbutuseless's review
2.0
There wasn't enough character development for me to really like, care, or root for a specific outcome. I won't be reading the rest of the series.
chllybrd's review
4.0
reviewed by http://urbanfantasyinvestigations.blogspot.com/
I wasn't sure how I would feel about BLOOD ON SILK and it took me a really long time to even pick it up and read it. The book ended up being one of those OMG why did it take me so long to read you books. I enjoyed Elizabeth's character. She has a strong knowledge of the things she enjoys and has no troubles staying on course. When Soloman drops into her life she is torn between duty and desire. I wasn't sure about Soloman at the beginning but he slowly grew on me and became a favorite character of mine. The plot was well spaced out and played out in a way that kept me interested. I felt BLOOD ON SILK was a great start to the series.
I wasn't sure how I would feel about BLOOD ON SILK and it took me a really long time to even pick it up and read it. The book ended up being one of those OMG why did it take me so long to read you books. I enjoyed Elizabeth's character. She has a strong knowledge of the things she enjoys and has no troubles staying on course. When Soloman drops into her life she is torn between duty and desire. I wasn't sure about Soloman at the beginning but he slowly grew on me and became a favorite character of mine. The plot was well spaced out and played out in a way that kept me interested. I felt BLOOD ON SILK was a great start to the series.
ravensherwood's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
rclz's review
4.0
This is the first book in Marie Treanor's Awakened by Blood series. Pretty good book. I can't wait to see how Elizabeth and Soloman's relationship continues and now as it continues with Solomon trying to get his sword back. I know I'll read the next ones.
nelsonseye's review
3.0
This was pretty interesting. I'd like to see what happens next with our leads.
jonetta's review
5.0
Elizabeth Silk is a Scottish academic working on her thesis about the lore of vampirism and what conditions fostered the "myths." While in Romania, she is manipulated into awakening an ancient vampire, Saloman, who has been stilled in a crypt for over 300 years. The story takes off at this juncture as Saloman seeks to avenge those who caused him to be in repose and to reassume the power he once had. Elizabeth becomes a pawn for so many who have a stake in the matter.
I fell in love with the story, Elizabeth and Saloman and had a hard time putting it aside. Elizabeth and Saloman have an unusual relationship to say the least and Treanor has crafted some of the most seductive writing I've come across in quite awhile. The interplay between them is written brilliantly and on point with the characters. The writing is really good, the pace is perfect, the characters are well defined and the leads are erotically sexy in a GOOD way:) The story is extremely interesting and unpredictable without being absurd. The vampire world is reminiscent of those of old so there are no gimmicks here, simply greed, jealousy, revenge and power struggles at play in a fascinating way.
It's great that this is a series because I want more. Ironically, Elizabeth is called the Awakener but you can assert that Saloman served the same role for her just in a different way. Only someone as guileless as Elizabeth could have intrigued Saloman so completely.
Be forewarned...for fans of the Night Huntress series, this book has a scene in the Angel Club to rival Chapter 32. Enough said. I'm ready for the next book in the series.
I fell in love with the story, Elizabeth and Saloman and had a hard time putting it aside. Elizabeth and Saloman have an unusual relationship to say the least and Treanor has crafted some of the most seductive writing I've come across in quite awhile. The interplay between them is written brilliantly and on point with the characters. The writing is really good, the pace is perfect, the characters are well defined and the leads are erotically sexy in a GOOD way:) The story is extremely interesting and unpredictable without being absurd. The vampire world is reminiscent of those of old so there are no gimmicks here, simply greed, jealousy, revenge and power struggles at play in a fascinating way.
It's great that this is a series because I want more. Ironically, Elizabeth is called the Awakener but you can assert that Saloman served the same role for her just in a different way. Only someone as guileless as Elizabeth could have intrigued Saloman so completely.
Be forewarned...for fans of the Night Huntress series, this book has a scene in the Angel Club to rival Chapter 32. Enough said. I'm ready for the next book in the series.
laurenjodi's review
5.0
Blood on Silk
5 Stars
Synopsis:
An academic researching Vampire superstition in Romania, Elizabeth Silk is tricked into awakening Saloman, the most seductive and dangerous of the species. Saloman needs Elizabeth’s blood to survive but finds himself inexplicably drawn to her innocence, and the two soon find themselves on opposing sides of an age old conflict between humans and vampires. Which will be victorious?
Review:
The characterization and world building are excellent, and the plot leaves you guessing right up until the end. The book contains elements of paranormal romance but leans more toward the urban fantasy genre with first-rate action scenes and an ongoing storyline revolving around the two main characters.
The chemistry between Saloman and Elizabeth is mesmerizing and their scenes together often left me breathless. Saloman is a traditional vampire and while some readers may find him evil and repulsive with questionable morals, the fact that he is “old-school” adds a captivating intensity to his character as well as an additional dimension to the heroine’s struggle with her feelings for him.
Elizabeth is an intriguing character who must come to terms not only with the knowledge that vampires are real but with the fact that she has a personal stake in Saloman’s resurrection and the danger that he poses to humanity. It is fascinating to see her transformation from a studious academic to a fully-fledged vampire hunter.
The secondary characters are well-developed with singular identities and motivations. They are integrated smoothly into the overall storyline and never feel superfluous.
The writing flows smoothly and it is easy to become immersed in the world Treanor has created. I particularly enjoyed Saloman's backstory and the unique explanation of the origins of vampires. Hopefully more details will be forthcoming in the next book, which is set up nicely in the epilogue.
Overall, Blood on Silk is a compelling and exciting read with provocative and thought-provoking characters and themes.
5 Stars
Synopsis:
An academic researching Vampire superstition in Romania, Elizabeth Silk is tricked into awakening Saloman, the most seductive and dangerous of the species. Saloman needs Elizabeth’s blood to survive but finds himself inexplicably drawn to her innocence, and the two soon find themselves on opposing sides of an age old conflict between humans and vampires. Which will be victorious?
Review:
The characterization and world building are excellent, and the plot leaves you guessing right up until the end. The book contains elements of paranormal romance but leans more toward the urban fantasy genre with first-rate action scenes and an ongoing storyline revolving around the two main characters.
The chemistry between Saloman and Elizabeth is mesmerizing and their scenes together often left me breathless. Saloman is a traditional vampire and while some readers may find him evil and repulsive with questionable morals, the fact that he is “old-school” adds a captivating intensity to his character as well as an additional dimension to the heroine’s struggle with her feelings for him.
Elizabeth is an intriguing character who must come to terms not only with the knowledge that vampires are real but with the fact that she has a personal stake in Saloman’s resurrection and the danger that he poses to humanity. It is fascinating to see her transformation from a studious academic to a fully-fledged vampire hunter.
The secondary characters are well-developed with singular identities and motivations. They are integrated smoothly into the overall storyline and never feel superfluous.
The writing flows smoothly and it is easy to become immersed in the world Treanor has created. I particularly enjoyed Saloman's backstory and the unique explanation of the origins of vampires. Hopefully more details will be forthcoming in the next book, which is set up nicely in the epilogue.
Overall, Blood on Silk is a compelling and exciting read with provocative and thought-provoking characters and themes.
cocktailsandbooks1's review
4.0
Elizabeth Silk is in Romania working on her doctoral thesis on historical superstitions. Through all of her interviews, the name Saloman kept coming up. This name was the one name and superstition that she couldn't disprove, which threw a wrench in her thesis. With a helpful hint by one of the locals, Dmitru, Elizabeth heads to the crypt of a castle ruins (which coincidentally was being demolished from vacation homes. LOL!) in search burial spot of the elusive Saloman.
When she enters the crypt, she's excited by her find...a beautiful sarcophagus of a beautiful man she can only assume is Saloman. As she runs her hands over the sarcophagus, she discovers she dripped some blood on the stone (damn rose thorn). She tries to rub it off the stone lips, but only makes it worse. Instead of continuing down that path, she instead looks for a latch on the sarcophagus. What she gets instead is a painful pinch on her neck and then the sensual drinking of her blood. She manages to escape her attacker, who claims he's Saloman, but she's left wondering if she hadn't imaged everything. The next morning, she learns that not only didn't she image what happened but she had infact awakened the ancient vampire, Saloman. As his awakener, she is now in great danger from other vampire hunters and vampires who wish to kill her for waking Saloman and also from Saloman himself who wishes to kill her as a decent of his original killer and lover, Tsigana, and his awakener.
Elizabeth soon finds herself immersed in a vampire's need for revenge and the vampire hunter's league's need to silence Saloman forever. The only probably, Saloman keeps getting underneath Elizabeth's skin and she finds herself questioning whether she should kill him or love him.
I'm starting to amass quite a Vampire Boyfriend list. Saloman is one of those bad vampires that I just love. He's out for revenge and seems to only worry about himself, but he finds himself torn when it comes to Elizabeth. He knows he must kill her, but he enjoys her too much and wants her all the time, so he finds himself in a strange place with her.
Of course, Elizabeth feels the same way. She knows Saloman means to kills her. She hates him for putting her smack dab in the middle of this vampire nonsense and ruining her thesis (he can't be a superstition if he's real), but she's also drawn to him. The minute he kisses her, all her reasons for hating him go out the window. She knows everyone wants to kill him, but she's not sure if she can really take part in ending her eternal life.
I thoroughly enjoyed this one, especially the push and pull that happened with Elizabeth and Saloman. The ending was cliffhangerish, so I'm glad I had the next book to jump into. Can't wait to see what happens next.
When she enters the crypt, she's excited by her find...a beautiful sarcophagus of a beautiful man she can only assume is Saloman. As she runs her hands over the sarcophagus, she discovers she dripped some blood on the stone (damn rose thorn). She tries to rub it off the stone lips, but only makes it worse. Instead of continuing down that path, she instead looks for a latch on the sarcophagus. What she gets instead is a painful pinch on her neck and then the sensual drinking of her blood. She manages to escape her attacker, who claims he's Saloman, but she's left wondering if she hadn't imaged everything. The next morning, she learns that not only didn't she image what happened but she had infact awakened the ancient vampire, Saloman. As his awakener, she is now in great danger from other vampire hunters and vampires who wish to kill her for waking Saloman and also from Saloman himself who wishes to kill her as a decent of his original killer and lover, Tsigana, and his awakener.
Elizabeth soon finds herself immersed in a vampire's need for revenge and the vampire hunter's league's need to silence Saloman forever. The only probably, Saloman keeps getting underneath Elizabeth's skin and she finds herself questioning whether she should kill him or love him.
I'm starting to amass quite a Vampire Boyfriend list. Saloman is one of those bad vampires that I just love. He's out for revenge and seems to only worry about himself, but he finds himself torn when it comes to Elizabeth. He knows he must kill her, but he enjoys her too much and wants her all the time, so he finds himself in a strange place with her.
Of course, Elizabeth feels the same way. She knows Saloman means to kills her. She hates him for putting her smack dab in the middle of this vampire nonsense and ruining her thesis (he can't be a superstition if he's real), but she's also drawn to him. The minute he kisses her, all her reasons for hating him go out the window. She knows everyone wants to kill him, but she's not sure if she can really take part in ending her eternal life.
I thoroughly enjoyed this one, especially the push and pull that happened with Elizabeth and Saloman. The ending was cliffhangerish, so I'm glad I had the next book to jump into. Can't wait to see what happens next.
rosetyper9's review
3.0
I just finished this book and I am still sitting here trying to decide what I think. I overall think it was just ok. Salomon is the typical arrogant 'I've lived for a millenia' vampire, and he definitely lives it to the extent in this book. I like Elizabeth, she is a strong and smart character, most of the time. I am still not entirely sure Salomon is the right kinda vamp to get involved with...he has no qualms about killing or doing any other dastardly vampire deeds.
I definitely felt that some of this book is cliche, there are so many books that use the classical vampire, but I don't think that Ms. Treanor used it to her advantage. I wanted to laugh out loud at a couple of parts because they were just silly to me. The sensual scenes are pretty good, all the way back to the involuntary lust sort of deal. I think it has a tinge of Carpathian flavor as well, but....they are pretty classic vampires to so that could be what I am picking up.
Overall, this book was ok. I will probably give the second book a try just to see where Ms. Treanor takes her loose ends. This is one you will have to decide for yourself on.
I definitely felt that some of this book is cliche, there are so many books that use the classical vampire, but I don't think that Ms. Treanor used it to her advantage. I wanted to laugh out loud at a couple of parts because they were just silly to me. The sensual scenes are pretty good, all the way back to the involuntary lust sort of deal. I think it has a tinge of Carpathian flavor as well, but....they are pretty classic vampires to so that could be what I am picking up.
Overall, this book was ok. I will probably give the second book a try just to see where Ms. Treanor takes her loose ends. This is one you will have to decide for yourself on.
prationality's review
4.0
I first read Treanor's erotic fairy tale retellings she did with Bonnie Dee, and I enjoyed those quite a bit. When I heard about her paranormal vampire novel, BLOOD ON SILK (first in the Awakened by Blood books), I was interested in seeing how it turned out. The blurb makes it sound a bit more typical of vampire romance then it really is—there's a definite bite (get it?) to this book, a darker undertone that I appreciated all the more because I knew it wasn't a stand alone.
At times things were a little frustrating between Elizabeth and Saloman. There was very little discussion between them at first, much of the 'do it this way!' approach from the both of them. However, little by little, things gave way, and I enjoyed their entanglements.
Saloman's continual threat was felt throughout the novel. It was always there, no matter what joy they felt, no matter what love or passion. He meant what he said—he would kill her. Their conversation in the last chapter is the best indicator for what was truly at stake, their personalities, and possibly my favorite exchange because it was so painfully truthful.
Treanor does give us some levity and humorous moments, such as Elizabeth constantly chiding Saloman and pretty much rolling her eyes at his 'I will kill you!' attitude. He's mystified by her fearless (almost reckless) disregard for the fact he is so much more powerful then she. Then there is also the tutoring sessions Saloman undergoes in order to better understand the modern world. He was entombed three centuries ago, so everything is a marvel to him (and not all in good ways).
In all, this was a dark, intense first entry into a new series I'm intrigued by. The first chapter excerpt for the second book, BLOOD SIN, was a tease given everything that occurs in the last two chapters. Here's hoping things look a bit brighter for Elizabeth and Saloman—though truthfully, I can't see how much worse it can get for them relationship-wise.
At times things were a little frustrating between Elizabeth and Saloman. There was very little discussion between them at first, much of the 'do it this way!' approach from the both of them. However, little by little, things gave way, and I enjoyed their entanglements.
Saloman's continual threat was felt throughout the novel. It was always there, no matter what joy they felt, no matter what love or passion. He meant what he said—he would kill her. Their conversation in the last chapter is the best indicator for what was truly at stake, their personalities, and possibly my favorite exchange because it was so painfully truthful.
Treanor does give us some levity and humorous moments, such as Elizabeth constantly chiding Saloman and pretty much rolling her eyes at his 'I will kill you!' attitude. He's mystified by her fearless (almost reckless) disregard for the fact he is so much more powerful then she. Then there is also the tutoring sessions Saloman undergoes in order to better understand the modern world. He was entombed three centuries ago, so everything is a marvel to him (and not all in good ways).
In all, this was a dark, intense first entry into a new series I'm intrigued by. The first chapter excerpt for the second book, BLOOD SIN, was a tease given everything that occurs in the last two chapters. Here's hoping things look a bit brighter for Elizabeth and Saloman—though truthfully, I can't see how much worse it can get for them relationship-wise.
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