It's Joey Hill, so it's well written. But it's a hard read. I didn't like it and in the end, skimmed and even then, didn't care for it. I found the heroine, Lyssa, too alien, and detached, and Jacob, too uncomfortable with the submissive role. What I loved about Nature of Desire was that it could take me into a very alien world (for me) and make me understand the relationships. Here, I just didn't get Lyssa. She's 1000 years old and enjoys torturing people. Well, good for her, do I have to spend time with her? And Jacob, so longing for a cause that he would give himself up for her? There was some reincarnation/ true love/soul mate/destiny crap going on, but I really didn't care for the central relationship and didn't like Lyssa at all. So this is a rare pass for me. There's something about Hill's supernatural motifs that just don't work for me, which saddens me because her latest books have all had it... Sigh... ( )

**Courtesy of CK2S Kwips & Kritiques**

As a born vampire who has lived more than a thousand years, Lady Lyssa is one of the most powerful vampires alive, if not the most powerful. Her power makes her a target for other vampires eager to seize her territory. Having contracted a mysterious and debilitating disease, it is the worst time for her to be without a human servant. Yet, still reeling from the loss of her beloved servant Thomas, she is reluctant to accept a new servant, much less train one.

But the dearly departed Thomas has taken matters out of her hand, by leaving her with one last gift – a new manservant in the form of Jacob, trained by Thomas himself during his final days.

Lyssa finds herself unable to reject Thomas outright, but recognizes that his alpha nature will never give her the true submission that a vampire requires in their servants. Yet Jacob is relentless in his bid as her vassal, and Lyssa comes to depend on him more and more…

Having read and loved several of author Joey W. Hill’s digital books previously, I thought I knew what to expect with her new print release, The Vampire Queen’s Servant, at least regarding the general tone and feel of the story. Hill managed to surprise me in more ways than one with this new story, and I am in no way disappointed – far from it!

With her previous releases, she proved herself as an entertaining writer of erotic romance, with a flair for the slightly wicked side of the sensual. In this book, she takes her writing to a whole new level, penning a tome that impressed me by the complexity of both the story and the characters.

I normally prefer the hero of a story to be dominant in the bedroom, but the idea of a man with strong alpha tendencies forced to submit willingly to the woman he loves, a woman who can normally protect herself better than he from her enemies intrigued me on several levels. This story taught me that there is as much strength of will in the act of submission as there is in domination – perhaps more so for those with naturally dominant predilections. For that is what Lady Lyssa requires in her servant – willing submission. And Jacob soon learns that this concept is much more difficult than it seemed.

The Vampire Queen’s Servant is laden with vampire politics. Indeed, it is these very politics that make Jacob’s submission to Lyssa so vital if he is to exist in her world and not undermine her power, inviting attack by enemy vampires in the process.

I will be frank – Jacob’s training seems harsh at times, but it is the way of the vampire world, and necessary to both his and Lyssa’s survival. The story is rife with darkness, and some readers may find it hard to fathom certain aspects of the vampire/servant relationship if they apply the rules of the real world to this story. However, Ms. Hill engenders total acceptance of these practices for those readers who allow themselves to immerse their imaginations in the harsh world of this vampire society.

This book will be continued in a forthcoming sequel, titled The Mark of the Vampire Queen. Note that I say the book will be continued, for this story is very much a ‘part one’ to an ongoing story, rather than a typical edition in a series. I would compare this to Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings books, which are one story split into three separate books. The Vampire Queen’s Servant is merely the beginning to Lyssa and Jacob’s story, and while some of the story is wrapped up in the end, readers will be very conscious that there are storylines to be continued and more fully explored in the next book.

For those who enjoy a great paranormal tale with strong BDSM content, Joey W. Hill’s newest release is one you won’t want to miss!

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I am a Vampire fan so I picked this up. Don't mind erotica or kinky sex, but am not a real fan of Romance - too sweet and fake. This books starts out very romancey, very icky. Still I kept reading, and it got much, much better.

I liked the characters, the setting, and the explanation for the vampires and their society. I enjoyed the sometimes snarky give and take between Lyssa and Jacob. I thought the introduction of the fatal vampire disease was a very good twist.

The writing was very good, and so was the storytelling. It made me read it at 100 miles per hour.

The sex was good if too brief, and Hill flirts with S&M-BDSM- Lite. Would have preferred if she had more courage.

Will keep reading this series until it gets too repetitive, because that is the other drawback with Romance. The story becomes the same with only the details changing. ( )