ACE
2002

Genre – Vampire Mystery

This book is a follow up to Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris. In this book Sookie Stackhouse is called upon again to help the vampires. Only this time the head vampire has lent her out to another group of vampires.

It seems someone has taken to killing vampires and it seems it’s one of their own. It is up to Sookie to use her psychic skills to discern from the humans which vampire it was. In this adventure Sookie learns there are even more beings in the world than she thought, more than just vampires, werewolves and humans. Sookie may even have to forfeit her life to help these vampires.

I found this book in some ways comparable to the world of Laurrell K. Hamilton and Tanya Huff. There is adventure, mystery and more than just vampires. All of which are also in the other books. However, Laurrell K. Hamilton’s series has evolved to be more about sex than it was originally. While Tanya Huff’s had some sex this book would be closer to her series.

Genre – Vampire Romance

God Of Grim is the third installment of Kate Hills’ vampire story. In this book we revisit many of the characters from previous books. Essentially the book is about Matthew Winter and Dulcie Evans. Matthew is one of the great twins that killed the first father. His brother Adam is the actual killer and now head of the Network. The network is a group of vampires that oversee the rest and make sure the rules are being followed.

In this place and time Matthew is working at a hospital doing research on hematology. He is offered a job at another hospital to study vampire hematology. This is a chance of a lifetime but Matthew must turn it down due to not wanting to leave his human patients behind. Then things change, Matthew is framed for something he doesn’t do, is suspended from his job and takes the job at the other hospital. From there he finds out that the First Father he helped to kill had a son that is being kept captive at this hospital.

Matthew helps free this child, is framed for murder and must go underground until he can clear his name. During this time he finds that life and people are not what he believed it or them to be. While underground Matthew meets a whole new class of people he never would have before. Not only does he meet them but he becomes one of them. In addition Matthew finds out there are other things on earth than just vampires and humans. He finds out about Werewolves. Through all his discoveries and trials the one thing Matthew may not find out is how to clear his name. If Matthew doesn’t clear his name what will happen to the First Father’s son, and more so what will happen to Dulcie his wife?

This book itself was a good read. If you wanted to dig for a deeper meaning it might be that people aren’t what they seem. And that you can’t judge someone from their exterior.

Genre - Vampire Romance

When a freelance reporter by the name of Rebecca Morgan visits the Prescott Institute she gets much more than she intends. Rebecca can sense a story hidden at the institute, however no one is very forthcoming. She knows they are hiding something but what it is she doesn’t know.

Rebecca endeavors to find out the secrets harbored at the institute, but instead all she manages to do is become trapped there. For some reason she has become a virtual prisoner. The head of the institute Desmond Lacroix says it is because he needs her help. But Rebecca thinks she may have stumbled onto something they don’t want her letting others know about.

Lacroix claims to have a sick child, and it seems that Rebecca has something in her blood that would help the child. Only Rebecca isn’t sure this is true, she only agrees to help in order to buy time until she can escape. This is also supposed to be the big secret that is being kept. Again, Rebecca doesn’t believe this at all either. She figures since she is at the institute anyway she may as well use her time to investigate.

Rebecca could never imagine the real secret, that Lacroix is a vampire. How could anyone imagine that Lacroix was made a vampire because of a curse on his family, or that his daughter is ill for the same reason.
Rebecca must face many things, her past, her fears and her growing feelings for Lacroix. In addition Lacroix must face many things as well, his feelings for Rebecca, how she will react if she finds out his true nature, and worst of all the fate of his daughter.

This is another enjoyable story published by Hard Shell Word Factory and Jennifer Dunne the author. This is a reissue originally published a few years ago.

BOSON BOOKS
2002

Genre Vampire

Although this is a vampire book, it is a mentally ill college professor that kills for blood. I did however find it quite an interesting twist as to what would happen if someone mentally ill became a vampire.

Professor Alex Resartus is a man with needs. These needs are not the same needs most men have. His need is for blood. He must have it to stay healthy. You see the professor thinks he is a vampire. Or does he know he is a vampire? Who can tell? Either way blood is the source of his needs. There’s no doubt that the Professor has a mental problem but the doubt is as to whether the mental problem is the source of his vampirism. It could also be that he is a real vampire that has a mental problem. Either way this story is about the Professor and his need for blood.

The story begins with Alex killing a girl to attain that ever so precious liquid. He must then cover up this murder. Since this girl was a student on campus some students decide to investigate the murder. While one girl goes into the investigation in earnest, one of the boys only agrees to help with the hopes of getting into the girls pants.

The professor must now deal with these college students investigating the murder as well as other problems. One of these problems happens to be that if he makes a mistake and drinks bad blood he gets what was in the blood. Another problem the professor has is that he tends to take on the same physical characteristics as those he drinks from. Between the students investigating the murder, the professor’s need for blood, his mental illness coming to light and many other issues the story is pretty busy.

Personally I found the story different. I thought it a great idea to get some insight as to what could happen if one of the mentally ill became immortal. However, I did at times have a problem keeping up some of the happenings.

HARD SHELL WORD FACTORY
FEBRUARY 2002

Genre - Vampire

Imagine what would happen if the military found out about the existence of vampires? More so imagine what would happen if a motivated man in the military wanted them for weapons. That is what happens in this book.

The story begins when the father of two dead girls goes to the military for help to kill vampires. When two of the military are killed General Stone brings in an expert to investigate. Actually the General believes that vampires may really exist and if so he wants them. He wants to use them for his own purposes.

Though those purposes are not immediately disclosed the expert is ordered to find, confirm the existence of and then capture the vampires. All of which are carried out. Once the vampires are in custody the problems begin. They are going to be forced to carry out the murders of foreign drug pins. This is something the General thinks will help the world. But will it? Is it right to really use something like a vampire to kill people? Drug dealers or not don’t they have a right to life? Evidently General Stone doesn’t think so. He feels they have no rights and since the government can’t outright just go in and kill them he will do it for the government.

The story is about what could happen if vampires became a weapon in the hands of the wrong person. What if they could be captured and used as killing machines? Does anyone have the right to decide who should live or die? Just because they are the bad guy does that excuse murder? What about the vampires? Just because they have changed, aren’t they still human? Doe anyone have the right to use a human being as a weapon, even if it is an immortal one? This is a book of what ifs. If you believe or even just like to read about vampires this book may make you think about all the what ifs.

ELLORA’S CAVE
2001

Genre – Vampire Erotica

In this erotic story we visit one of Margaret Carter’s vampires.

Gillian is a female vampire, she is also getting ready to go in Estrus. Due to Gillian having mixed blood her mentor Volnar wants her to make her first estrus. Although pure-blooded vampires can’t get pregnant the first estrus Volnar hopes that due to her different make up Gillian will be able to conceive. All this is not to Gillian’s liking. Not only does Volnar want her to mate, but he wants to pick her mate.

Volnar has picked someone who Gillian dislikes and whom dislikes her in return. The problem is this vampire is willing to do anything that Volnar wishes just to get in his good graces. No matter how unappealing.
Most vampires find Gillian unappealing due to the human blood she carries. This is regardless of the fact that her mixed blood could be the only thing that can save their dying race.

Due to all the pressures being heaped on Gillian she makes the decision to disappear for a while. Gillian enlists the help of her human friend and writing partner Paul. Paul offers Gillian his cabin in the woods for a while. The only issue is that Paul has decided to go with Gillian and she is severely attracted to the man. She has feelings she knows aren’t healthy towards the human, and secretly wishes they were returned. Which by all indications they are. Or they could just be the attraction all males have for her kind.

Gillian and Paul finally go to the cabin, but during all this Gillian must face her physical reactions to going in heat. She must fight her attraction to Paul, and she must worry about who is after her. Not to mention that Luciano could become a major problem since his male ego has been hurt.

I found this story to be erotic in some areas and full of action in others. This is a book vampire lovers will want to read.

HARD SHELL WORD FACTORY
OCTOBER 2001

Genre – Shapeshifter

During his whole life all Yozerf has known from humans is abuse and betrayal. Now he is forced to not only help but also protect those of the species he hates.

When he was young Yozerf was saved from death by a powerful wizard named AX. Thus in order to repay the debt he owes he has been ordered by Ax to help some humans on a mission to save the queen. While Yozerf does not particularly like this he does want to rid himself of the debt he owes.

Yozerf is a Wolfkin, an animal similar to a werewolf, his people have been slaves of the humans for hundreds of years. This is only one of the reasons he hates humans as he does. He was also abused in many forms as a child, which leads to such distrust for humans. Yozerf has always been an outcast even to his own people being he carries human blood in his system.

So now Yozerf must help humans who don’t trust him because of his species. A lot of his species is prejudiced against him because of his human blood. Where does that leave Yozerf now? He decides to do the best he can without trusting the humans he was sent to help. That is until he meets them one of which is named Suchen, a female human. Suchen teaches him all humans are not the same, some of them are worthy of trust.

Throughout their travels Suchen, Yozerf and the others must face quite a few adventures, and some adversity. All of which make for an interesting story. I would be very interested in seeing a sequel to this book.