Pamela Palmer (1)

OMG. This book wins the award for the most loathsome characters I have read. The H/h rubbed me the wrong way so freaking bad that I was screaming at them like I was at some bad horror movie. Ugh. But - I did listen to the audiobook in its entirety so that automatically gets a 2 star rating from me - because my OCD kept me reading/listening.

Let's start with the hero, Arturo. No wait, he is not a hero. He is not even an anti-hero. He is a villain cast in the role of the leading male show more character. I love dark and broody vamps, but he is the biggest douche canoe that I have ever read. Seriously, he was just horrible. He betrayed the heroine at every turn, and I don't think he told her the truth EVER. I don't think I have ever yelled LIAR LIAR PANTS ON FIRE at a character before, but I did it several times in this book! He has absolutely no redeeming qualities. Not freaking one. The best thing that can be said about him is that he doesn't torture his slaves. Seriously. Gah!

Now onto our heroine. Though in all fairness, she cannot be called a heroine either. She sure didn't save anyone. Oh wait, she maybe did. But she didn't do it on her own. She was a total weakling when we needed a kickass heroine! Instead, she was always getting her ass kicked or getting caught and imprisoned and/or tortured. Seriously, she has this plan to go back and save the day and she gets caught like right away and thrown in a slave auction. And she continues to have these tender type lustful feelings toward Arturo (whom she can only call Master) no matter how many times he betrays or lies to her. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS CHICK? I just wanna shake her until her teeth rattle.

So then I thought like, well, the last 5% of this book isn't so bad. Things might be looking up... but then BAM, THAT ENDING!!!! WTF is that? I wanted to reach through my phone into the audiobook and jerk up Arturo and stomp him into dust. I messaged Deanna yelling about how much I hate him, I hate him, I hate him!

Let me apologize for the most use of the word "Seriously" ever in a review... but SERIOUSLY! These characters made me THAT mad. You know, I think the author must have written them to be hated. Because the writing wasn't bad. The story was paced well and the concept was interesting... and it certainly evoked strong feelings of hate and exasperation. So what am I doing now? Grabbing the second audiobook so I can find out how much worse the characters are going to be in the next installment.

2 stars / 2 flames. show less

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy

I get so irritated by characters who huff and puff, threaten to take whatever they want whenever they want, and whisper terrifying things about themselves only to never follow through. Too many of them are all talk. In Pamela Palmer’s A BLOOD SEDUCTION, the first book in the new Vamp City paranormal romance series, we get Arturo. Finally a love interest who walks the line between hero and villain.

Arturo is a vampire who rescues Quinn from another show more vampire when she unwittingly stumbles into Vamp City. But instead of rescuing her for noble purposes, he takes her back to his mansion, ties her to his bed and proceeds to make good on all his threats. He stokes her fear higher and higher. Biting her, touching her, and laying out exactly what he intends to do to her: Make her one of his blood and sex slaves. He never apologizes for being a vampire, nor having the appetites that he has. He’s harsh and dismissive of her situation.

Of course, in addition to being a delicious villain, he does reveal his hero side too (although only when it helps him). In his very limited way, he grows to care for Quinn, but he never completely sheds his ruthless ways, at least not in A BLOOD SEDUCTION. If Quinn wants or needs something, he demands a price for his help. He lies, he betrays, and sympathy is not an emotion he experiences. He reminded me of a mix between Eric Northam from the Sookie Stackhouse series and Jericho Barrons from the Fever series.

Without going into too much detail, the worldbuilding is super cool. A vampire city created by magic centuries ago for vampires to live openly. No sun, no rules, no mercy. Humans are caught and sold at slave auctions. Vampires feed on more than just blood. Some, like Arturo, feed on fear, other feed on pain. There are some very disturbing, but thankfully brief and without description, scenes with a pain feeder that mention horrifying torture devices that are of a sexual nature.

Overall, A BLOOD SEDUCTION was an excellent read. Unique worldbuilding, truly evil vampires as well as ones who dance with villainy and heroism. Strong characters, and a great setup for future installments. The next Vamp City book will be released in 2013. I’m already looking forward to it.

Sexual Content:
Scenes of sensuality, sex scenes, references to rape, references to sexual torture show less

My Review:

Hearts Untamed is the novella of the series, this is where we get a story about a couple who are both therials. They are connected to the rest of the characters within the Feral Warriors series. I loved seeing the connection to Hawke and Jaguar though. This was a very heartbreaking at times and I really liked the setup of this story. Its mutual pining in many ways. The hero left our heroine when they were teenagers because their friendship was turning into something more romantic show more and sexual and in their culture it was forbidden for them to be intimate until they were 25 years old. But now Zee is back and Julianne is having to keep a secret from Zee, because his life is in danger. I really enjoyed the element of danger that is in the series and with this one being a novella, the secret isn't dragged out and it comes out pretty quickly. I loved how Zee just wanted to get to the truth and reconnect with Julianne and stood up to her so well. She really needed that because she is living in such fear and needs a strong man to really get her to reveal the truth. And Zee knows her despite the time that has gone by that they haven't been together.

Overall I had a good time with this one and eager to get to more of this series. show less

Ecstasy Untamed
2 Stars

A mediocre addition to an excellent series.

The basic premise of the Feral Warriors focuses on the well-used, and perhaps even over-used, trope of a band of supernatural warriors working together to save the world - in this case shapeshifters rather than vampires. That said, the series incorporates a number of original and unique elements that make it a riveting read. Unfortunately, Ecstasy Untamed adds little to the world or the characters, and the romance is show more passionless and disappointing.

Neither Hawke nor Faith are particularly interesting characters and their chemistry is non-existent. Hawke makes little to no impression in the previous books and seems to merely fill out the ranks of the warriors (this made me less than enthusiastic about his book and explains the gap in my reading of the series). The notion of a conflict with his animal spirit is introduced with no buildup or background, and is resolved just as easily. Moreover, this particular internal struggle is done to better effect in Paenther's book and is, therefore, repetitious and lacking originality.

Faith is a sweet heroine but comes across as too weak and submissive. This is particularly problematic as it contradicts her initial characterization as a strong and independent woman who aids abused street kids. The most irritating aspect is that this woman completely disappears when Faith is subjected to the villain's machinations and never returns.

The villain is the most compelling character in the book although his background and motivation could have been better developed. The plot revolving around the return of the Seventeen, i.e., the other Feral Warriors whose animals were imprisoned in the Spirit Trap, has definite potential and kept me reading despite the bland romance. There are also some tantalizing hints at things to come with Wulfe and Natalie as well as a frightening development at the end that has me eager to read the next book.

An advance copy of the book was provided to me for review by the publisher and NetGalley.com

Merged review:

Ecstasy Untamed
2 Stars

A mediocre addition to an excellent series.

The basic premise of the Feral Warriors focuses on the well-used, and perhaps even over-used, trope of a band of supernatural warriors working together to save the world - in this case shapeshifters rather than vampires. That said, the series incorporates a number of original and unique elements that make it a riveting read. Unfortunately, Ecstasy Untamed adds little to the world or the characters, and the romance is passionless and disappointing.

Neither Hawke nor Faith are particularly interesting characters and their chemistry is non-existent. Hawke makes little to no impression in the previous books and seems to merely fill out the ranks of the warriors (this made me less than enthusiastic about his book and explains the gap in my reading of the series). The notion of a conflict with his animal spirit is introduced with no buildup or background, and is resolved just as easily. Moreover, this particular internal struggle is done to better effect in Paenther's book and is, therefore, repetitious and lacking originality.

Faith is a sweet heroine but comes across as too weak and submissive. This is particularly problematic as it contradicts her initial characterization as a strong and independent woman who aids abused street kids. The most irritating aspect is that this woman completely disappears when Faith is subjected to the villain's machinations and never returns.

The villain is the most compelling character in the book although his background and motivation could have been better developed. The plot revolving around the return of the Seventeen, i.e., the other Feral Warriors whose animals were imprisoned in the Spirit Trap, has definite potential and kept me reading despite the bland romance. There are also some tantalizing hints at things to come with Wulfe and Natalie as well as a frightening development at the end that has me eager to read the next book.

An advance copy of the book was provided to me for review by the publisher and NetGalley.com show less