Vampires have lived among Mankind for countless millenia, hiding in the darkness, hunting, feeding and killing Mortals. They live lives of utter secrecy, scattered far apart, always aware that the surging tide of Humanity could crush them if they became truly aware of their presence. For Eleisha, a young vampire who has remained hidden since the 19th Century, things are about to change.
Eleisha Clevon has the face of a teen angel, but she is no angel. Unlike most vampires, she doesn't like to kill, but self-preservation comes first.
When an old friend destroys himself by walking into sunlight right in front of her, Eleisha is shocked. And what she finds afterward points to how very sick of his existence he had become — piling drained corpses in the basement and keeping records of other vampires' real names and addresses.
Because now, there are policemen on the case: two very special humans with some gifts of their own. They know who Eleisha is, and, even more dangerous, what she is.
My Thoughts -
Known for the Noble Dead series that she co-writes with her husband, Barb Hendee has also written a few vampire books on her own. As soon as I saw the blurb for this series I really wanted to try it. However the books were not easy to get here in Europe so I waited for a copy to find me some other way. Luckily a friend sent me this a few months ago and I finally got to sit down and give it the attention it deserved this week.
Blood Memories was definitely worth waiting for. With no humour, no fluff and without the sometimes annoying typical vampire plots and clichés the words that ran through my head while reading this was 'grown-up'. This wasn't trying to be something special and there was no sprinkles making it tasty. This was just extremely well written with a good concept. With a fresh look at things, this first in the series had me captivated within a few chapters.
Eleisha, at the beginning of the book, didn't really seem like someone I was going to like very much. However as the story continues to develop and as her character evolves I have to admit that she really became someone I wanted to read more about. After all, like me, she was born in Cardiff and that won her a lot of points.
I have to admit I found the lack of 'welshness' quite sad and the constant American English when the vampires mostly originated in Britain a tiny bit annoying. Despite my problem with that though I have to say I really enjoyed the story. What Eleisha has been through is fascinating and what could come next, well...let's just say I am mighty glad I have the second book here waiting for me on my to be read pile.
1 comment:
Nice review, but not something I am dying to read.
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