I picked this up at a library book sale thinking it looked like the type of book I would enjoy and I wasn't disappointed. There was lots of death, but it wasn't overly gory (Well, I guess it depends on how squeamish you are). There were fairly graphic sex scenes, so if you have issues with that you may want to avoid this book.

All of the characters seem to have psychological issues. Carrie had a poor relationship with her parents and now wavers between detached and unemotional to jealous any time she feels ignored. I wish she had been a bit more passionate about things given that she's our heroine... she's supposed to make us feel with her. Carrie isn't the only one who's a bit too unemotional, Nathan also exhibits that trait though in his case it's more obvious that it is a defense mechanism to keep from getting hurt. He feels a lot for people even if he does his best to keep those emotions bottled up. Cyrus, our villain, is the most emotional, he has issues similar to Carrie, which is one of the few reasons you can understand her interest in him, yes there is the blood tie, but the whole relationship between them makes it appear Carrie is one of those girls who seems to try and find the most self destructive relationship she can.

All in all, I'd recommend this book. It was interesting enough to hold my attention and make me want to read the next in the series. ( )

Summary: I'm no coward. I want to make that perfectly clear. But after my life turned into a horror movie, I take fear a lot more seriously now. I finally became Dr. Carrie Ames just eight months ago. Then I was attacked in the hospital morgue by a vampire. Just my luck. So now I'm a vampire, and it turns out I have a blood tie to the monster who sired me. The tie works like an invisible leash and I'm bound to him no matter what I do. And of course he's one of the most evil vampires on earth. With my sire hell-bent on turning me into a soulless killer and his sworn enemy set to exterminate me, things couldn't get much worse -- except I'm attracted to them both.
Drinking blood, living as an immortal demon and being a pawn between two warring vampire factions isn't exactly how I'd imagined my future. But as my father used to say, the only way to conquer fear is to face it. So that's what I'll do. Fangs bared.

I started this book a bit reluctant to read it. I was just trying to figure out what, out of the 800 books I have lying around, I felt like reading. It was on the table so I said "You're up". This book is a bit darker on the vampire front than I have read in awhile...I am not complaining, it was just a different, and noticeably so to me. I had to push through the beginning a bit, was slow, and agonizingly...pitiful, everyone was about the pity parties. It got better as the book progressed and I had to say I did not see the ending coming at all. I think Cyrus was a complete idiot to have given Carrie his heart, but hey, I guess love is love, right? I liked the good sexual tension between Nathan and Carrie, and was very sad that ziggie died. I will read the next book in this series, just in hopes it gets even better, I know this author can step this series up a whole other level.

For information or for purchasing visit Jennifer Armintrout's webpage.

Also posted: http://www.bibliophilicbookblog.com/2... ( )

The first in Blood Ties series.

I was skeptical at first, assuming it was going to be like all other vampire romance, and it surprised me. Carrie was accidentally turned into a vampire on her deathbed by an attacker. The mysterious man that saves her and teaches her how to be a vampire is stirring things up in her life, and she has never felt so alive inside as well as out.

It is not a typical vampire romance, but it does keep you on the edge of your seat asking for more, or in my case, staying up all night to finish it. Cannot wait to read the next one! ( )

For some reason I just didn't expect to enjoy this. I don't know why, just one of those things i suppose. So I was pleasantly surprised to find myself pulled in almost from the first page. Carrie is a well-developed character, not too strong/not too weak. I really enjoyed the way the author dealt with Carrie's ingrained doctor-training giving her an aversion to blood and all things vampiric from a health point of view. Overall, well written and attention-keeping. Am going to start book 2 today! ( )

Slightly cheesy at times but a great read nonetheless. The story is told well and there's a fair bit of depth to the main characters. Certainly a page turner, and one of the better books I've read in the 'paranormal romance' genre. Looking forward to reading the next one! ( )