elliefufu's review against another edition
3.0
Dark Awakening By Kendra Leigh Castle
Book #1 Dark Dynasties Series
Grade C+
“Sometimes you just have to accept the hand you’re dealt.” “And sometimes you get abducted by some vampire bitch’s pet cat.”
Lily Quinn loves her quiet life in Massachusetts as a college professor when she can pretend to be normal just like everyone else. She was given up by her parents as a baby and the only things they left her with are a strange green tattoo on her collarbone and a temper that unleashes enough power to destroy every object around her. One night while out ghost hunting she meets Tynan MacGillivaray who mistakes her for a Seer and tries to take her to his vampire queen. Little do they both know that Ty is not the only one searching for Lily and she way more powerful then anyone could have ever guessed.
Tynan MacGillivaray is a Cait Sith, a vampire who can turn into a cat, as well as a slave of the Ptolemy vampire clan lead by Queen Arsinoe. He is on a mission from his Queen to find a Seer who can help save their clan from someone that is destroying the clan members in large numbers. Ty never expected his mission would lead him Lily Quinn, the small human with a strange tattoo that marks her as a vampire from an unknown clan and the one woman that has sparked his interest in more then three hundred years. Ty soon finds that things with his mission are not what they seem and that his need to protect Lily starts to come before helping his clan. Ty must now choose the safe life of serving his Queen or give it all up for one very small, very powerful human who has now become his entire world.
I really liked the concept behind this book of Gods and Goddesses making vampires and those Vampires all being different and heading different vampire clans. Very original and very different from anything else that I seen out there which is always a good thing but I just couldn’t ever get into this book. I love all things paranormal especially romances and I expect these books to have a darker edge then most contemporary romances but this book was too serious and too dark for me. The only time the main characters weren’t being serious was when they were having sex and even then they weren’t smiling.
I liked both Lily and Ty but they both seemed to have huge chips on their shoulders and really negative attitudes. I expect my alpha male main character to be gruff but Ty takes it to a whole other level. Neither one of these two characters seems to know how to smile, tease or flirt and if it wasn’t for the crazy sexual attraction they had for one another, I don’t see how they would have ever ended up sleeping together. They both just took everything way too serious for my tastes and I wish I could have seen them have some fun flirting with each other or some amusing banter back and forth and there just wasn’t any at all.
I did enjoy all of the side characters and without these people in the book my grade would have been a lot lower. Jaden takes the book in a whole different direction and complicates Ty and Lily’s relationship in a great way that gets the story moving finally. After the first 250 pages things get really good and more importantly things start getting explained so you understand why Ty and Lily are they way they are. I feel that if things had been explained earlier I might have been less annoyed with them and way more into the story. The Vampire clans are the best part of the whole book and I wish that the clans or their members would have had a greater role in the story.
I gave this book a C+ for a couple different reasons. First, the concept of the clans, their rulers and their members is very interesting and make for some great reading. Second, the fight scene at the end is really well written and I love that the villain is still out there and stirring up trouble for next time. Finally, Jaden is amazing and I fell in love with him. His book is up next iand I see a lot of potential for this to be a great paranormal romance series. I’m really counting on Jaden and his book to be amazing and because of him I will read more of the Dark Dynasties books.
Book #1 Dark Dynasties Series
Grade C+
“Sometimes you just have to accept the hand you’re dealt.” “And sometimes you get abducted by some vampire bitch’s pet cat.”
Lily Quinn loves her quiet life in Massachusetts as a college professor when she can pretend to be normal just like everyone else. She was given up by her parents as a baby and the only things they left her with are a strange green tattoo on her collarbone and a temper that unleashes enough power to destroy every object around her. One night while out ghost hunting she meets Tynan MacGillivaray who mistakes her for a Seer and tries to take her to his vampire queen. Little do they both know that Ty is not the only one searching for Lily and she way more powerful then anyone could have ever guessed.
Tynan MacGillivaray is a Cait Sith, a vampire who can turn into a cat, as well as a slave of the Ptolemy vampire clan lead by Queen Arsinoe. He is on a mission from his Queen to find a Seer who can help save their clan from someone that is destroying the clan members in large numbers. Ty never expected his mission would lead him Lily Quinn, the small human with a strange tattoo that marks her as a vampire from an unknown clan and the one woman that has sparked his interest in more then three hundred years. Ty soon finds that things with his mission are not what they seem and that his need to protect Lily starts to come before helping his clan. Ty must now choose the safe life of serving his Queen or give it all up for one very small, very powerful human who has now become his entire world.
I really liked the concept behind this book of Gods and Goddesses making vampires and those Vampires all being different and heading different vampire clans. Very original and very different from anything else that I seen out there which is always a good thing but I just couldn’t ever get into this book. I love all things paranormal especially romances and I expect these books to have a darker edge then most contemporary romances but this book was too serious and too dark for me. The only time the main characters weren’t being serious was when they were having sex and even then they weren’t smiling.
I liked both Lily and Ty but they both seemed to have huge chips on their shoulders and really negative attitudes. I expect my alpha male main character to be gruff but Ty takes it to a whole other level. Neither one of these two characters seems to know how to smile, tease or flirt and if it wasn’t for the crazy sexual attraction they had for one another, I don’t see how they would have ever ended up sleeping together. They both just took everything way too serious for my tastes and I wish I could have seen them have some fun flirting with each other or some amusing banter back and forth and there just wasn’t any at all.
I did enjoy all of the side characters and without these people in the book my grade would have been a lot lower. Jaden takes the book in a whole different direction and complicates Ty and Lily’s relationship in a great way that gets the story moving finally. After the first 250 pages things get really good and more importantly things start getting explained so you understand why Ty and Lily are they way they are. I feel that if things had been explained earlier I might have been less annoyed with them and way more into the story. The Vampire clans are the best part of the whole book and I wish that the clans or their members would have had a greater role in the story.
I gave this book a C+ for a couple different reasons. First, the concept of the clans, their rulers and their members is very interesting and make for some great reading. Second, the fight scene at the end is really well written and I love that the villain is still out there and stirring up trouble for next time. Finally, Jaden is amazing and I fell in love with him. His book is up next iand I see a lot of potential for this to be a great paranormal romance series. I’m really counting on Jaden and his book to be amazing and because of him I will read more of the Dark Dynasties books.
emmarj's review against another edition
4.0
Looks like smut, acts like smut, IS NOT SMUT. Surprise!
I was intrigued by the blurb but so embarrassed when I was checking out this, my first actual paper book in years and years, at my local library. The cover, right? Clearly smut.
I was right to be intrigued by the teaser though. This is paranormal romance that isn't too heavy handed with the romance and has an actual, decent story. The world building is pretty incredible given the genre and played out trope of vampire + human love story. You know it's going to be interesting when the book begins with a guide to the houses and caste system.
We got the origin stories of both main characters but I wasn't terribly interested in them. I can't pinpoint why, but I was far more curious about the minor characters like Vlad (he sounds like a smokin' hottie) and Jaden. I was tantalized by the snippets we saw of them and bored perhaps by the main characters' sob stories. I have no compassion, I know. I just wasn't feeling it.
Dark Awakening seems like it should be fluff yet the writing is rich, descriptive, and sometimes rather unwieldy. I probably could have appreciated it more if I had been expecting the type of writing but, as I said, seems like it should be fluff.
Overall, Dark Awakening is fresh and inventive with an intriguing world I can see myself revisiting.
I was intrigued by the blurb but so embarrassed when I was checking out this, my first actual paper book in years and years, at my local library. The cover, right? Clearly smut.
I was right to be intrigued by the teaser though. This is paranormal romance that isn't too heavy handed with the romance and has an actual, decent story. The world building is pretty incredible given the genre and played out trope of vampire + human love story. You know it's going to be interesting when the book begins with a guide to the houses and caste system.
We got the origin stories of both main characters but I wasn't terribly interested in them. I can't pinpoint why, but I was far more curious about the minor characters like Vlad (he sounds like a smokin' hottie) and Jaden. I was tantalized by the snippets we saw of them and bored perhaps by the main characters' sob stories. I have no compassion, I know. I just wasn't feeling it.
Dark Awakening seems like it should be fluff yet the writing is rich, descriptive, and sometimes rather unwieldy. I probably could have appreciated it more if I had been expecting the type of writing but, as I said, seems like it should be fluff.
Overall, Dark Awakening is fresh and inventive with an intriguing world I can see myself revisiting.
rclz's review against another edition
5.0
This was a good story. Good twist on the vampires legend. The twists and turns of the story were really well done. I'd get the next one if it were available on audible.
Peter Bradbury did a great job with the narration. Loved the way he sounded.
Peter Bradbury did a great job with the narration. Loved the way he sounded.
leelurface's review against another edition
4.0
I would detail review but I feel I couldn't give the complexity of the backstory and plot justice right at this moment ( I will have to come back)
Anyways this was an excellent Paranormal Romance book, which, I am finding harder and harder to locate lately.
I am buying the sequels ASAP.
Anyways this was an excellent Paranormal Romance book, which, I am finding harder and harder to locate lately.
I am buying the sequels ASAP.
alexiachantel's review against another edition
3.0
Castle has created a vampire world that mirrors ours. Just like different races Castle’s vampires belong to different dynasties with a hierarchy. This was an interesting set up; especially since the main character Tynan is at the bottom of the chain.
Despite being categorized as a bottom feeder Tynan is no weakling. A great character with depth and past hurts who needs someone to free him. That someone is Lily. A sweet name for a sweet innocent girl who has more power hidden inside than anyone has seen for a long time.
This book has set up the series well, introducing you to many characters that will pull you into their lives and make you want to know more about them. It will be interesting to see what comes next.
Despite being categorized as a bottom feeder Tynan is no weakling. A great character with depth and past hurts who needs someone to free him. That someone is Lily. A sweet name for a sweet innocent girl who has more power hidden inside than anyone has seen for a long time.
This book has set up the series well, introducing you to many characters that will pull you into their lives and make you want to know more about them. It will be interesting to see what comes next.
nelsonseye's review
3.0
Pretty good but kind of slow. Hard for me to wrap my brain around Tynan's motivations for staying with the Ptolemy.
b0okcupidity's review against another edition
4.0
Wow.
I am really surprised by how much I liked this book. It started out okay, and just got better and better. Some of the aspects that seemed to be heading into cliche territory veered at the last moment making it exciting and fun to read. It really picked up speed after page 200 and was not to be put down after that.
I'm back on the vamp wagon.
I am really surprised by how much I liked this book. It started out okay, and just got better and better. Some of the aspects that seemed to be heading into cliche territory veered at the last moment making it exciting and fun to read. It really picked up speed after page 200 and was not to be put down after that.
I'm back on the vamp wagon.
shelovestoread81's review against another edition
4.0
I liked the premise of this book and loved how Lily and Ty came together no matter what. I think this series is something that I am going to keep track of.
j_dyzzle's review against another edition
3.0
Very nice summer read. I've spent a lot of time in the back of the car in the past two weeks, and this was a nice way to pass the time. Not the most amazing or epic book ever written, but a nice romance for anyone who loves the supernatural or just some romance!