"3.5 out of 5 stars!! This series has a great new take on the vampire romance theme!! I loved..."

Read more of this review and THREE TEASERS here: http://frommetoyouvideophoto.blogspot.com/2011/11/made-grade-bound-series-book-2... ( )

I have really enjoyed both this book and the first book Bound by Night. This book picks up 21 years after bound by night so it would be good to read them in order.

Zack Ravenscroft loves women-all women-and they love him. The irresistibly seductive owner of the hottest casino in Vegas, Zack has tasted every wicked pleasure Sin City can offer. But never in his six hundred years as a vampire has he seen a morsel as delectable as Kaitlyn Sherrad, the mysterious young newcomer in town. Zack knows nothing about her-except that he craves her.

Kaitlyn is half vampire, half human-and all woman. As the cherished daughter of the Carpathian Coven's master, she has been given every luxury a girl could desire. Now her only need is for a prince. But though she's ready to gamble her heart on Zack, a powerful enemy stalks their every move...watches their every kiss...and waits to destroy their undying love... ( )

Amanda Ashley is one of my favorite authors. There isn't one book she's written that I haven't liked. ( )

Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: A fast paced, action packed, forbidden romance that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Opening Sentence: I remember it well, the night that Calin Sherrad, Master of our Coven, called our people together.

The Review:

Bound by Blood is the second book in Amanda Ashley’s Bound Series. It is set about twenty-one years after Bound by Night and follows Kaitlyn Sherrad, the spoiled and innocent half vampire, half human daughter of Drake and Elena Sherrad, the couple from the first book and Zackary Ravenscroft, a 600 year old vampire who enjoys life in Sin City.

Kaitlyn has just finished college and has decided to stay in the States, far away from her family and their protection. She meets Zack shortly after arriving at her cabin and feels an instant attraction and is drawn to him. Zack is a casino owner and is used to having a different woman every night but when he meets Kaitlyn he is puzzled by his extreme reaction to her and wants to explore the feelings that she brings out in him. Kaitlyn and Zack do not realize that they are more alike than they know and that their relationship will be put to the test because they are supposed to be sworn enemies and her father disapproves. Along with all that there is also an enemy who is out to get revenge on the Sherrad family, putting Kaitlyn in danger. Neither was prepared for the journey that awaited them on their way to happily ever after.

Bound by Blood pulled me in from the first page and kept me entertained until the last page. The story is fast paced and moves along effortlessly as I feel in love with Kaitlyn and Zack. It was great to see characters from the first book and see how things were working out for them and to meet new characters and see a potentially new romantic story line for future books.

I enjoyed this book much more than the first in the series because there was no confusion about the time period it was written in. The characters were more detailed and developed. This made them more believable and made you want to root for them to succeed and end up together. The romance between Kaitlyn and Zack happens so fast and they go from intrigued and curious to all out in love in a matter of a few pages. It works for this book but I usually like the love to develop a bit slower. There is plenty in this book to keep you entertained with the forbidden romance, revenge, kidnapping, and some heavy duty fighting all interwoven. There is so much packed into this book in terms of plot and story line that it could have been a disaster but Ashley pulled all these threads together seamlessly and the suspense kept me turning pages long into the night because I had to see how everything ended.

On the whole, I was happy with Bound by Blood. It was a typical love story with a high dose of action and suspense to keep the reader entertained and interested. I will keep an eye out for any additional books in this series.

Notable Scene:

She rarely drank from a living source. Being only half vampire, she lacked the inescapable need to hunt, but there was no denying that taking blood from mortals was a pleasurable sensation. No one had ever taken her blood. What would it be like, to be prey instead of predator? To feel Zack’s fangs at her throat? Driven by curiosity, she canted her head to the side, giving Zack access to her neck, only then realizing that she was putting her life in his hands. He was older, stronger. If he decided to drain her dry, she wouldn’t be able to stop him.

He must have sensed her sudden apprehension, because he said, “Its all right, Katy. You don’t have to do it if you’ve changed your mind.”

“I haven’t,” she said, and it was true. At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to nourish Zack with her life’s blood.

Murmuring her name, he bent his head to her neck.

She had expected it to hurt, at least a little, but there was only a rush of warmth when his fangs pierced her skin, and then a flood pf pleasure that was sensual beyond belief. Heat flowed through her, brining all her senses to life, pooling deep within the very heart of her being, stealing the strength from her limbs, until all she wanted was to lose herself in his touch.

The Bound Series:

1. Bound by Night

2. Bound by Blood

FTC Advisory: Kensington Books provided me with a copy of Bound by Blood. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. In addition, I don’t receive affiliate fees for anything purchased via links from my site. ( )

Kaitlyn Sherrad, heir to the Carpathian dynasty, is half human and half vampire. She has broken free of the Fortress and is living on her own in Nevada. A hopeless romantic at heart she is an easy target for Zack Ravenscroft. Zack is a ladies’ man but when he meets Katy he knows that she is unlike anyone he has every meet. There is definitely insta-love but not insta-lust. Zack wants to do everything right with Katy and that includes wanting to be married first before falling into bed with her. One HUGE obstacle in the way is that fact that Katy’s family is made up of natural born vampires and Zack is an “Other”, a made vampire.

The Sherrad family thought they had destroyed these heathens long time ago. Let’s just say Drake, Katy’s father, is not too happy with this development. But he must first try to stop one of his father’s wives, Nadiya, from killing Katy in retaliation for the death of her son. Nadiya sends some of her family after Katy and when they are killed, Nadiya goes off the deep end.

I loved the Romeo and Juliet style storyline. Katy and Zack’s love is forbidden but nothing will come between them, not even the vengeful Nadiya. Adding the element of danger just creates the right amount of tension to keep your interest. I will admit at times Katy sounds like a spoiled child but her bravery in battle outweighs that one flaw. To me Bound by Blood was a classic vampire love story and I enjoyed reading it. ( )