Horror Books

If you like the Halloween movies, this would be an awesome book to add to your collection.

This book represents the first of (hopefully many)DDP's HalloweeN comics series. Telling new tales of the original Michael Myers, this entry weaves together the stories of several people in and around a small town near Haddonfield. It's been years since Michael first came for Laurie, and although this town wasn't affected directly, Michael's name is still a dirty word all these years later. But Mikey will not simply fade into the night, allowing himself to become an urban legend. He still stalks people, this time going after both teens and 20-somethings.

The heroine of this piece, a girl traumatized by an incident several years before, is terrified of the dark. She sleeps with all the lights on, and refuses to leave her house after dark. Soon, though, she will be drawn into a confrontation with Michael, where she will have to face her demons. Can she put the past behind her? Can Michael be stopped?

Great writing, great characterization, amazing suspense, and gory kills make this a treat for all HalloweeN fans. Check it out. And get ready for another night HE came home!!!

Death Note continues with both Kiras giving up their death notes and losing their memories. The police detectives are disappointed but then a string of mysterious heart attack deaths begin occurring in several Japanese corporations. The police suspect Kira and try to narrow the suspected deaths to one corporation. Will they be able to find Kira and what will they do with the two Kiras that don't seem to be Kiras anymore.

While perhaps not the most dramamtic or serious arch of Death Note, Vol. 5 is perhaps the most enertaining and one of the more important. As Light loses his memories of being Kira after a deal with Ryuk and Rem he becomes an entirely different person. So much in fact befuddled L asks himself "Can people really disensemble this well?"

Still suspicious of Yagami Light L goes to yet another extreme on the investigation and chains the young man to his wrist. The ensuing stituation is one of tense harmony and frustration that sometimes breaks out into knock-down, drag-out fights between the two. However it is certain the two peers have never been closer both mentally and physically.


However there is now a new Kira even with Light and Misa devoid of their Death Note related memories. As Light comes closer to catching this new killer, will he ever regain his memories of being Kira?


Also, there's a delightful subplot where Matsuda jumps off a high balcony and lives. You should really read it just for that.

The quality of this series continues.

L still suspects both Light and Misa of being Kiras, and as such is watching them. When other people starts to die he lets them out of captivity.

Light's father is rather stressed about the whole thing, and decides he can't be in the police to deal with it. L has him put his son and girlfriend to a serious test, as the corporate machinations of the current Kira continue.

Tsugumi Ohba, Death Note: Whiteout (ViZ, 2006)

I may have been a bit hasty when I accused Death note of jumping the shark in my Love review last month. While I'm still not entirely convinced that Ohba's thinking more than an episode ahead at least part of the time, Whiteout begins a new story arc that should definitely keep things interesting (and on point) for a while.

Light gives up the death note, and so Ryuk, and all memories of him, vanish. Light is now certain he's innocent. When a third Kira appears, L has to weigh the benefits of having Light and Misa on his investigative team against the benefits of keeping them both locked up. The team traces Kira to a corporate boardroom-- but which of the board members, if any, is actually Kira?

Ohba's got focus back again, and so the series picks up its pace and gets interesting again. The good stuff returns! *** ½

As the subtitle (vaguely) suggests, Death Note 5: Whiteout is about Light/Kira losing his memories of using the Death Note and joining the investigation team to find the killer who has taken his place.

What's weird is that Light is almost a completely different person once his memories of the Death Note are erased. The once cold, calculating Light is now as honorable and friendly as he merely pretended to be in the previous volumes.

At one point, he is asked to manipulate someone for useful information in uncovering the identity of the new Kira. Although he'd manipulated that same person in the previous book, Light refuses by saying it would go against his personal code. That pretty much implies that the Death Note has almost allegorical powers of corruption (kind of like the One Ring from "The Lord of the Rings"). Of course, I don't know if Ohba intentionally put this symbolism in, but it works.

By finally allowing the reader to see the contrast between Light with the Death Note and Light without it, Ohba enables us to see him as a much more tragic character. The contrast lets us see just how much finding the Death Note has ruined his character and his life, and that it will likely continue to do so as the series progresses.

Aside from that, this volume also introduces a few new elments into the series:

A new Kira emerges with a different MO and set of ideals.

The Investigation team gets better resources and a new base of operations.

L recruits two new characters into the Investigation Team...shortly after one of its alrealy few members leaves.


This book is definitely reccommended, but only if you've read the first four in the series.

This novel has a lot of philosophy to it that really makes it, not just fun to read, but memorable. I read this book over a month ago and yet I'm still thinking about certain moments and certain questions.

The book hits the ground running, right from the start there's blood, lust, and "rock and roll" as Ann (and people from past decades) call it ;)

If you were charmed by Louis and Lestat, it'll be difficult to not fall in love with a couple of new characters including a brave and clever archaeologist with powerful psychic abilities named Jesse. And Daniel, Armand's beautiful companion who recorded Louis' story in IWTV.

I wanted to give this book a 4.5, but since I can only give it a 4 or a 5 I rounded it up.

The reason I don't think it deserves the full 5 is that the climax didn't end up being as climactic as it could have been. The Queen of the Damned is simply built up too much as being too powerful for there to have been any good ending. and for all her thousands of years, she certainly comes across as very childish and simple-minded and it seems odd to me that she is so different than every other vampire in the story, ancient or fledgling. In fact all the remaining vampires end up appearing more unison and similar than you would ever expect. It's as if they're all different parts of the same person. But perhaps they are all different parts of the author, battling out these philosophical questions through these characters.

Regardless, you're going to want to read this book for yourself. If you've ever enjoyed an Anne Rice book before, you're going to enjoy this one.

The whole "all men are evil" nonsense just doesn't do it for me.
I may be a tad oversensitive but its how I took the book.
The story is decent, the characters are well thought out, the story itself is long and a little tedious, but I'm glad Akasha gets hers at the end of the book.
This book is better than "Lestat"
Most of the "rock star" nonsense is absent.
I'd say if your new to the Vampire books, then start with "Interview", I wouldn't say this is required reading.
It has some interesting parts, but on a whole, the series is starting to get bogged down with too many characters, too many story lines and the already mentioned, male bashing.

Third book in the Vampire Chronicles.

Lestat is back, narrating another book and breaking more rules. Lestat traces his vampiric roots back to ancient Egypt and we meet the first vampires, now as still as statues, seemingly unaware of the world around them. Lestat wakes Akasha, the Queen of the Damned, and sets an ancient prophecy in motion. Marvelous!

The brat prince is back with a second memoir, the third in The Vampire Chronicles series. The tale is as compelling as ever, as sensuous, but I found this book to be a little more... disjointed than the others, possibly because of its 3rd person narration throughout most the first two thirds of the novel. Brilliant tale despite the confusion of the various, oft seemingly pointless, narrators on the first read.

Strikingly different from Interview with the Vampire and The Vampire Lestat, nevertheless The Queen of the Damned is worth the read if you're a fan of the series. If not...

This book presents the back story for the whole vampire race, with the story of the demon that gave them their abilities, and the introduction of the few ancient vampires other than the royal pair, and the amazing abilities they gain as they get older and older.

A new human character is introduced, Jesse, of the bloodline of one of these ancients, and also David Talbot, a researcher with a society devoted to investigating the supernatural. Jesse is turned when she is injured severely at the concert.

Lestat's rock concert antics have drawn the Queen out, and there will be conflict. This Queen is not just a she who must be obeyed type, but a she who must be obeyed or there will piles of thousands of bloody corpses everywhere at my bare hands type.

The Queen takes Lestat on a tour of the world, showing her plans. No-one else agrees with them, and conflict ensues, with the oldest vampire other than the Queen eventually taking her out, and taking her place.

I first read "We Have Always Lived in the Castle" in moody puberty and have returned to it time and again as I approach the half-century mark. This is far and away my favorite of Shirley Jackson's books and stories and one of my favorite books ever. The writing from beginning to end is quietly brilliant and creates a vivid if strange world. Every detail tells, from the jewel-like jars of preserves in the cellar, put up by generations of Blackwood women, to the narrator's refusal to accept cream or sugar in her coffee in the village cafe, but no detail dates the book. The pace never flags. The characters are compelling. Reading this book is like taking a journey to a hidden fort in the woods with only your wildest imagination for company. A stunning example of the writer's craft and art.

Having gone through all of Shirley Jackson's writings that I could get my hand on, I have to say that "We Have Always Lived in the Castle" is my favorite. On one hand it is a tale of murder, poison, obsessions and isolationism. On another it is about the bond between sisters and the power of fear. Jackson does her signature twist with the end and, although you may see it coming, it is still jarring. Instead of leaving us with the twist, however, she continues on to make a comment on guilt and the aftermath of mob mentalities. What remains with you after you have finished, though, is an intense sense of family and, considering the actual premise of the novel, this is no small feat for Jackson to have accomplished. Jackson's writing is, as always, simple and believable with such an attention to detail that the characters seem to pop off the page. In my opinion, this novel is truly her best.

I read this book in about two or three sittings as the pages flew by. And although I guessed the main surprise, I still loved the way it all unraveled. It made me laugh at times (especially with Uncle Julian) and it made me feel sorry for the characters at times. Merricat was an excellent narrator and I was kind of sad when the book ended. Recommended to those who like a quick read with three dimensional characters.

Although it explores some creepy psychological depths, "We Have Always Lived In the Castle" never really rises to great storytelling - or great story, for that matter. It's a very inward, and at times repetitive, tale about a family that has, for better or for worse, become isolated from its own community. One problem is that after a short while, it generates little interest in the reader for people living in this doomed, backwards household - nor of the people living outside it.

Here is a book that is hard to review. I know that most of the other reviews are glowing, as Ms. Jackson has a fervent fan base and a brilliant writing style. However this story was not really to my taste. First of all, I did not find this to be a horror story, more of a darker drama, perhaps something you would see on the Lifetime network. The tale is of Constance and Merricat Blackwood two girls of 28 and 18 respectively. Merricat is the voice of the book and all is told from her perspective. Merricat is not entirely sane so her perspective and the voice of the book is not always truthful or even realistic. Mentally she is very young for her age, and after a tragedy that befell the house (the poisoning of all of her family save herself, her sister, and a dying uncle) it is clear that the two sisters have locked themselves away from society and in doing so, reality. Constance stood accused of the murders however was acquitted by the legal system, but not the minds or memories of the townspeople. Taunted and harassed by all but their Uncle they shut themselves in and live a strange, ritualistic life. Throughout the story the truth of what happened that evening makes itself apparent, however the oddness of the women makes the truth obvious from the beginning.

When their money grubbing cousin appears and tries to take the girls estate, the truth about all involved comes to light, but it is expected from the beginning. I guess after reading Jackson's other works, I was disappointed at how simple and unexciting this book turned out to be. Rather than being a story, this is a character study of three deeply disturbed individuals whose grasp on reality has been shaky for years. The book itself is beautifully written, and I can see it being a made for TV movie, or perhaps an old black and white film. Unfortunately I was happy this book was so short because I don't know that I would have wanted to read much more about the characters.

I think Sandra's book "Made From Scratch" is lovely. She told her life story without self-pity, bragging or anything negative. She worked very hard to get where she is and I don't think she stepped on toes to get there. Even people who deserved nastiness were written about with respect. It is amazing how far she was able to go with that childhood and I am impressed that she has kept her family so close. I don't care if the writing is perfect; it's a memoir not a work of literature (and I didn't think the writing was bad anyway).

I became interested in Sandra Lee's past after hearing others on the Food Network mentioning her hard life. Sandra made her own decisions growing-up to have a better life than her parents. Every time she was knocked-down, she got back up and moved forward. A riveting read.

With a childhood like Sandra had, you wonder how anyone could survive, let alone succeed. What an inspiration she is! I could not put this book down.

Reading about Sandra Lee's upbringing was very emotional and heartwrenching. Made From Scratch is a very apt title. Did not have any idea what a hardscrabble childhood she had. I was interested in learning that she lived in Sumner, just a town away from me. She worked so hard and kept a good head on her shoulders through horrors hopefully none of us have experienced. She truly deserves all the success she has enjoyed. I hope she continues to flourish. I did not know about her former Beverly Hills/jet-setting lifestyle either so it was interesting to get a peek inside that world. I recommend this book--you will have a better understanding of Sandra Lee and her semi-homemade empire.

This book was great! I read it ONE day and I'm not a fast reader, but I just couldn't put it down! Gratned, it's not the most well-written or gramatically correct piece of writing I've seen in a while, but who cares! The story is real and honest and so is the woman behind it! The way she tells her real-life story is engaging and inpsirational! k! While I agree that her tablescapes are not always "easy" or "inexpensive," and her food is often chemically ladden with all of the "starters," and artificial crap in it, it IS easy! I think Ms. Lee is a very savy, smart and intelligent business woman, who yes, happened to know the right people and be in the right places at the right times, but hey, she worked her butt off, literally, for years and years and obviously, still does! I can't help but admire a hard worker! I think Ms. Lee's heart is/was always in the right place and her charitable work is admirable! I also liked the fact that she so honest at the end with how this book came to be! She states she's not a writer and also shares some of the pain in re-visisiting these memories and writing this story. I also liked that she acknowledged her divorce and how painful that is, many people glide over that facet of their life, I appreicated her honesty! All and all, I have a WHOLE NEW RESPECT and admiration for Ms. Lee after having read this book; if you want a quick, fast, easy and highly inspirational, encouraging read, you've found it!

Welcome back to the world of the vamipre Lestat! Years have passed since his rock-star-gig and he's yet to learn his lesson, this time falling into the "Angel" trap of allowing himself to switch bodies with a mortal. A criminal, sociopathic, body-stealing mortal. The Tale of the Body Thief is more than just Lestat's quest to return himself to his "graceful, eligant" body, but a tale of Faust-like philosophy; of how an angelic, atheistic nun can come to love a vampiric devil; of mortality, for all its ups and downs; and, most importantly, of Hamlet's eternal question, what it is like to be.

If you're a fan of the series - especially of Interview with the Vampire and The Vampire Lestat, it's a must read. If you prefered Queen of the Damned for its world-reaching, apocolpyse-bringing narrative, why not skip ahead... for Memnoch the Devil awaits.

I loved the first 2 in the series, got to this one and it was pure torture. i consider myself a fast reader, i can finish a book in about 3 days. This one took me over 2 years to finish reading. I would read a few pages then decide to read somthin eelse. run out of books and go back to it. When it was all said and done it only left me with the desire to never crack open a book taht has her name printed on it.

Body thief is probably my second favorite in the Vampire Chronicles next to Memnoch.
The characters, especially the body thief is very interesting and sometimes amusing.
The whole idea of leaving your body and possessing another makes for a good read.
How Lestat gets his body back, and what ends up happening to David..............I'm not telling but it's worth a read.
The Vampires and the humans are facing the usual moral dilemmas, their actions are not always moral or ethical.
All in all, The Tale of the Body thief is another excellent addition to the Vampire books.
Strong story, strong characters, another masterpiece from Rice.
Recommended!!!

Fourth in the Vampire Chronicles.

Lestat, ever the angsty immortal, recieves an intriguing proposition from Raglan James, a con man who offers to switch bodies.

Lestat, who seldom looks before he leaps, gets in over his head once again. Despite many warning signs that there is more to Raglan's offer than meets the eye, Lestat agrees to the body switch and has mixed feelings about his recaptured humanity. He finds that being human is not exactly the way he remembers it. He keeps thinking, "Only a few more hours to go until I can get my body back." Unfortunately, Raglan has no intention of returning Lestat's body.

For mature readers.

En realidad pienso que este libro vale mucho la pena, y la verdad el precio es increible en mexico este libro cuesta al rededor de $500 pesos asi que esta super barato.

I have quickly become a Jeremy Robinson fan. I have bought and read all of his published novels so far. I will pre-order his next available title. I don't do this for just any author, only authors whose books I know I will truly enjoy.

This novel has action, suspense, thrills, good vs evil overtones, some science fiction, and religious threads as well. Jeremy Robinson manages to wave all this elements together in a very good manner.

It may not be Paradise Lost, but if you enjoy thrills and stories that move along like an Indiana Jones movie, you will love this one.

I am a big James Rollins fan and was recommended to read Robinson's books. I sure am glad I did because this was a great read which reminds me very much of Rollins' early works. I have read some of Robinson's comments and one of the things I liked about this book is that there was a bit more sci fi and monsters than some of Rollins later works. This book reminded me a lot of Deep Storm by Lincoln Child, but it went a lot farther in actually introducing you to the aliens and their intergalactic war. I liked that a lot; I felt that Child did not show us enough of the Sci Fi side of Deep Storm.

Another great think about Raising the Past is the moral questions that it brings up. It certainly is a novel that made you think. I downloaded it for free on WOWIO and was certainly happy. I am currently deployed in Afghanistan and really enjoyed the escape to the Arctic. Great job, Jeremy. I have since ordered the Didymus Contingency, and am very excited about that being a Christian. I will certainly be buying your future novels!

I did enjoy this book it just seemed liked there was something missing in the story. Other than that it's a good quick read and worth your time if you like the author.

Good book. A little short, but well written. Certainly looking forward to the sequel. I Emailed Mr. Robinson and he said one is planned but will hinge on sales and reviews.

A good read, enjoyed it a lot.

This book is sweet!! I totally loved it. Jeremy Robinson has an incredible imagination. Action all the way through. Anyone who doesn't like this book needs to go back to romance novels! I'm off to buy Didymus right now!

This is the fifth book in the Watcher Series by Lilith Saintcrow and I think it is one of the best. I love this series and I am so glad she is continuing to write it.

Caroline Robbins is a Mindhealer, she heals normal and witch minds that have been disturbed or destroyed by the Dark. She has had one Watcher killed in front of her and doesn't want to have it happen again. She is adamant that she will not have a Watcher. She and her brother are both in Circle Lightfall, they were orphans when they were discovered by a Watcher. She is much more powerful than her brother. But they are devoted to each other.

Merrick is a Watcher, he keeps his secrets deep and darkly hidden, like most Watchers he knows his life had no value until he became a watcher. Now he is at a point of despair, when Watchers reach that point they usually take one to many chances and wind up dead. He is on patrol when he sees a bunch of dark koroi, they are after a Lightbringer in a small car, he rushes to her aid and finds Caro. He also finds his witch. The one who takes away his pain. Only a few lucky Watchers have found their witch and bonded to her. The only problem is that Caro doesn't want him.

However, there is a new element rising in the world, the Crusade has joined with another group and they are experimenting on people and psychics. Only Caro has a chance to understand and defeat the danger, and Merrick is determined that she will not die.

I love this book and it expands the world and the dangers of the witches who make up Circle Lightfall. Can hardly wait for the next one.

Another home run for a very talented author who ranks right in there with Laurell K Hamilton, Charlaine Harris, and a number of other best selling authors. Once again characters that are believable and likable spun into a tale that is totally engrossing and leaves one flipping the pages until the wee small hours of the morning. Less graphically violent than the Dante Valentine series but every but as addictive!

An excellent addition to the Watcher series, Mindhealer deals with young witch Caro who meets her watcher, the British, Merrick, and helps solve the mystery of the normals and paranormals who are being made into an army for the Dark side.

Though the witch and watcher have similar personality traits to previous characters in the series (that is a must when dealing with how Saintcrow's watcher-world works), this book has a well-rounded cast of other paranormal characters. Saintcrow's beautiful language and movie-worthy fight scenes do not disappoint.

Mindhealer takes Saintcrow's Watcher series in a slightly different direction, but don't fear at the core of the book is still the bonding of the Lightbringer Witch and Watcher pair. Unlike the previous Watcher books, in Mindhealer we are at last are brought into the world of the Lightbringers. In the previous books the four witches and their Watchers stood outside of this society, but here we get a glimpse of the community with both Witches and a garrison of Watchers as it is under attack by the Dark. There also is more of a sense of a larger background plot than the previous books with new and more challenging elements of the Dark for the Watchers to combat.

If you've read the previous books you'll remember that the innately compassionate Witches' souls shine so brightly that they attract evil dark monstrous creatures bent on the Witches' destruction or enslavement. Standing at a Witch's side to keep her safe from the 'Dark' is a Watcher with his vow to 'duty, honor and obedience', equipped to fight the Dark because of his own stained soul and the dark symbiant he carries within himself. The powerful symbiant gives the Watcher strength and healing power, but at a price since the darkness of the symbiant means that the Watcher endures great pain in the presence of the Witch's lightness. But even as he suffers to earn his redemption there is hope for a Watcher, there is the promise that one day he will find the 'one Witch just for him', the one that brings him pleasure instead of pain, the one Witch who will bring him peace.

In Mindhealer witch Caro, who is in denial about her vulnerability to the Dark, has refused to have a Watcher of her own. Her first and only Watcher having sacrificed his life to protect her, she can't stay the thought of endangering another protector. Watcher/Tracker Merrick is walking the edge of Watcher despair, and no longer acts as personal guard to individual Witches instead he patrols the city to keep the Dark at bay. But when Caro stumbles into danger on Merrick's watch, Merrick discovers that Caro is `his Witch' and is released from his other duties to stay at her side and protect her. But keeping Caro safe is going to be no easy job. With new more powerful elements of the Dark targeting Caro's rare mindhealing powers there is more danger for Caro and Caro's own determination to keep Merrick from danger, makes it even more difficult to do his job.

Many of the elements that made the previous books enjoyable are here in Mindhealer, the strong minded heroine and the dark powerful self-sacrificing hero who struggles to accept the 'undeserved' salvation to be gained through the bond with his Witch. This is starting to feel pretty familiar, but I am still not tired of it yet. Like the previous books there is a physical connection between the pair, which doesn't necessarily result in a love scene in all of the previous books, here we did get to see the culmination Watcher/Witch bond but Saintcrow's love scenes are very understated. If you are familiar with Saintcrow's Dante Valentine series, the Witches and Watchers inhabit the same world and if you enjoy Saintcrow's writing you will likely enjoy the Watchers -- they are great dark and tortured warriors -- even though the books in Saintcrow's Watcher series are much more single threaded and shorter than her mainstream novels.

Dark Watcher (The Watcher Series, Book 1)
Storm Watcher (The Watcher Series, Book 2)
Fire Watcher (The Watcher Series, Book 3)
Cloud Watcher (The Watcher Series, Book 4)

Another entertaining dark fantasy series by Saintcrow
The Society (The Society Series, Book 1)
Hunter, Healer (The Society Series)

Saintcrow's dark fantasy mercenary Dante Valentine
Working for the Devil (Dante Valentine, Book 1)
Dead Man Rising (Dante Valentine, Book 2)
The Devil's Right Hand (Dante Valentine, Book 3)
Saint City Sinners (Dante Valentine, Book 4)
To Hell and Back (Dante Valentine, Book 5)

The Circle Lightfall is stunned by the brutal assaults as they are clueless who is behind these horrific attacks that leave the victims body and soul broken. The Watcher/Tracker patrol the perimeter and more expanding their protective role from individual witches to the city, but have failed to prevent the vicious muggings.

The Circle Lightfall chooses Mindhealer Caro Robbins to investigate though they are concerned as she refuses to have a Watcher at her side; she has suffered survivor guilt ever since a Watcher sacrificed himself to save her life. When the Dark minion attacks her, Merrick the patrol Watcher rescues Caro. He realizes she is his Witch, which means he is to personally protect his beloved, but the Mindhealer rejects his protection. Frustrated as Caro enters dangerous scenarios, Merrick proves as obstinate as she is; going where she goes even though she objects. Love is a dangerous thing when two stubborn people insist on keeping the other safe while facing deadly encounters.

The latest Dark and Light war is a fascinating tale with the added twist of a Watcher who finally finds his redemption only to have his one decline. The story line is action-packed from the onset and never slows down, a trademark of Lilith Saintcrow's Dante Valentine tales as well as this terrific saga. The lead couple is a wonderful pairing as each needs to keep the other safe for differing motives; her because of watching a Watcher die for her and him because it is part of his "DNA". Fans will enjoy MINDHEALER, a delightful "Watcher" romantic fantasy.

Harriet Klausner

In this story, Bernie finds out Joe Sweety's secret. So, Bernie plays a prank on Mr. Ooh, I'm so scared! But Chipmunk becomes tough!
It's super duper funny, so read it you readers!!!!

I have a 10 year old son who LOVES these books. They are colorful and most included some stickers. I say anything that keeps him interested in reading gets 5 stars in my book!

It's a little hard for me to write this review because there is so much going on in this book and I don't know how to write about it without spoiling anything. But I'll give it a try anyway.

The Story-Line:
Carrie Ames is an E.R. doctor. One night a trauma patient with extremely horrible injuries comes in. He dies soon after and Carrie goes down to the morgue to look at him again. What she doesn't know is that he is Cyrus, one of the most feared and brutal vampires even feared and hunted by his own race. He cruelly attacks Carrie and tries to kill her. She makes some weak attempt to defend herself and swallows some of his blood by accident. She soon dies after the vampire's attack.

In Jennifer Armintrouts vampire world the vampire has to swallow some of his victims' blood and the victim has to swallow some of the vampires' blood as well. But the victim doesn't turn immediately. The human has to die first and than the first turn takes place. The complete turn happens when the new vampire drinks blood for the first time

So Cyrus doesn't know he made a new vampire and since Carrie is being "reanimated" in the hospital she hasn't a clue either. But soon or later she can't ignore the signs anymore and that's how she meets Nathan Grant, another vampire. He is the only one that helps Carrie with her transition into the new world. But here's the catch: There is some sort of good vs. evil thing going on in the vampire world. On the one side is the Voluntary Vampire Extinction Movement (VVEM). They have three rules:
1. Don't kill any humans
2. Only drink blood from a willing donor
3. Don't turn any vampires
Any vampires that breach those rules are considered bad and a threat to all humans and have to die. Nathan is a member/assassin of the VVEM and since Carrie is a newly turned vampire she has to die. But as if this wouldn't be bad enough already there is also the Blood Tie thing working in Carries disadvantage. The Blood Tie is the connection that the sire (Cyrus) has with his fledgling (Carrie). It binds them to each others emotions and memories and the sire can use the Blood Tie to manipulate and control his fledgling. And since Cyrus is an evil vampire it makes Carrie in the eyes of the VVEM automatically evil as well. So Nathan has two huge reasons to kill Carrie but he gives her a grace period to either join the VVEM or turn to her sire and risk getting killed by Nathan and the VVEM.

While Carrie still tries to make up her mind there is a cute romance starting between her and Nathan (the romance between Carrie and Nathan takes up roughly 40% of the book). But before she can make up her mind she is forced to move in with her sire Cyrus in order to save Nathans life. Did I mention that Cyrus is really evil? Well this book isn't for the faint of heart to begin with but some of the things Cyrus does really made my stomach turn. And what's really sick about it is that he can still manipulate Carrie over the Blood Tie into desiring and somehow liking him. It pretty much reads like an abusive relationship where the abused still claims that she loves her partner despise the things he does to her.
Ok, I will cut this short now since this review turns into its own novel. Carrie is trapped in the war between her sire and the VVEM and has to fight for her life more than once before she gets some sort of Happy End.


My impression:
I LOVED Jennifer Armintrouts attention to detail. She creates a very thought-trough vampire world and that's one reason why I'm so into this book. She pays attention to details that other authors just love to leave out. I.e. one of the things that immediately comes to my head when I read vampire novels is the I.D. thing. Since there is the no aging thing going on vampires need new I.D.'s every couple of years. So how do they get them? It would be too risky to just use fake one's since they can't risk going to jail, right? And if the vampires are from different countries how do they get to the States? Getting a Green Card is not that easy. Ok, I admit I might be a little anal about these things but I was soooo thrilled when Armintrout talked about that and some other "daily life" things in her book.

Another thing that was great about this book was that there was always something happening. The book had constant tension and action going on. I didn't know how to put the book down because I didn't want to leave in the middle of all the action.
I sometimes have the problem that I can't picture in my head what is going on. The descriptions in this book were so great without being overwhelming that it was almost like watching a movie for me.

I know some people will be turned off by the violence of the book. It is hands down the most violent book I've ever read. The gory details are sometimes pretty gross but if you don't have a problem with that this book is soooooo worth reading!

One thing that really annoyed me though is the ending. After all Nathan and Carrie had to go through together there is no real Happy End for them. They are still sort of together but there is no "I love you" scene.

However, this is one Paranormal book in a long while that totally grabbed me. I really hope that the other books in this series are just as good and I will have a new favorite series!

well first off i have to say that i have never ever read a book wullingly. but this book was awsome i read it within two weeks. i actually really like reading now and im startung the other book tonight. carrie is a really strong confused character loved cyrus even though he was evil. (i always fall for the bad guys lol) everything in this book was good. so i recomend it to anyone who likes horror movies and such you will love this book. :)

I got the audiobook version of this, which compounds the badness even more because the narrator is simply horrible.

Shallow, badly written, characters you don't really care about. Protagonist shows an incredible lack of emotion or empathy and is completely one dimensional.

Could not even finish it and that is saying something coming from me.

This book makes the middle, sex drenched, Anita Blake books look good in comparison.

I was very impressed with "The Turning" it was a fresh modern day look at the vampire world. The 'blood tie' to the vampire sire made for some very interesting moments. I enjoyed Miss Jennifer's writing style and ability to make the story flow. The main character, Carrie is a believable character and although her actions and motives caused me to shake my head and even yell, I enjoyed being inside her head.
However, I have now half way through the sequel, "Possession", it is not as strong as the first.

Truth be told I doubted this book could hold my attention but I was wrong. Carrie and Nathan make a nice team. Can't wait to find out what happens in their next encounter w/ the Soul Eater.