Review: A Shade of Vampire by Bella Forrest

A Shade of Vampire

Author: Bella Forrest

Publication Date: December 14, 2012

Genre: Fantasy

Thank you to Bella Forrest for the review copy!!

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Synopsis:

On the evening of Sofia Claremont's seventeenth birthday, she is sucked into a nightmare from which she cannot wake.

A quiet evening walk along a beach brings her face to face with a dangerous pale creature that craves much more than her blood. 

She is kidnapped to an island where the sun is eternally forbidden to shine.

An island uncharted by any map and ruled by the most powerful vampire coven on the planet. She wakes here as a slave, a captive in chains. 

Sofia's life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn when she is the one selected out of hundreds of girls to join the harem of Derek Novak, the dark royal Prince. 

Despite his addiction to power and obsessive thirst for her blood, Sofia soon realizes that the safest place on the island is within his quarters, and she must do all within her power to win him over if she is to survive even one more night.

Will she succeed? ...or is she destined to the same fate that all other girls have met at the hands of the Novaks?

My Thoughts: This is a short novel but definitely one vampire lovers should pick up.  Sadly, I think I may never had read it had it not received a request to review it - which would have been my loss.  I really loved how this book took the vampire lore back to how it is supposed to me.  There were no glittering vampires, no magical daylight rings.  There were just vampires who couldn't stand in the sunlight and were blood thirsty and could be killed with a wooden stake through the heart.

Sofia Claremont's only wish is not to go crazy.  Which sounds weird, but after seeing her mother slowly go insane and thinking she may have the same disorder makes her fear for the worst.  One night, after getting into a fight with her bestie Ben (who she happens to have more-than-bestie feelings for) she is abducted from the beach where she was taking a walk only to wake up in the Blood Shade.  The Blood Shade where vampires are real, humans are chained and slaved and her only hope of survival is their newly-awakened prince.

This was a short novel, so things tended to go a little quick but I liked it.  The fast-paced flow made sense to the story and didn't have you stopping to think that is was unrealistic at all (well, other than the vampires but who doesn't love a little vampire now and then?).  Though, when there is no sun in the sky I guess it would get rather hard to tell days from nights so the days kind of blurred for the main characters in my eyes and I am not quite certain how long they had been together.  Regardless of that, it seemed perfectly fitting with the story.

I also loved the characters, pretty much all of them.  I thought a couple could have been more developed but when I found out that this was only the first one in a series I was a bit more forgiving on that factor.  I felt like I knew the main characters well enough which was great and I fully expect the others to be fleshed out more in the upcoming book(s) and I look forward to it.

Sofia and Derek felt like opposites of each other, but it also felt like they completed each other as well - like they were two halves to one whole.  What she lacked he had and vice versa and they seemed to feed off of each other and adapt and become more than what they were.  Derek's transformation because of Sofia is more apparent since he struggles a lot more but Sofia's changes are evident as well.

This book was a short, sweet and quick read but once I stopped I couldn't put it down.  I loved how it took me back to the vampires of old.  I can't wait to pick up the next book in this series when it is released.

Author Interview: Bella Forrest

Bella Forrest

Author of A Shade of Vampire
Follow Bella’s Blog: http://bellaforrest.blogspot.com

Like on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ashadeofvampire

Follow on Twitter: www.twitter.com/AShadeOfVampire

Author Bio:

 I've been telling stories pretty much since I could talk. Instead of having my parents read me bed-time stories, I would prefer to share with them my own made up tales.

As I grew older, I developed a passion for the fantasy genre.

I’m an avid reader and a hopeless Potterhead.

If you sign up for personal email updates from me here: www.forrestbooks.com ,
you'll be the first to hear about my new releases.

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Interview

Bella Forrest released her debut novel in just December 14, 2012 and the book became a Number 1 Christmas Bestseller in Vampire Romance, Paranormal and Fantasy on Amazon.

I was excited to have Bella answer some questions that we thought up to help us get to know her a little better and give her a nice warm welcome.

Buy A Shade of Vampire from Amazon:
USA,paperback:
UK,paperback:

Add on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17255435-a-shade-of-vampire

Questions & Answers

What is your favorite part in the book?


The ending is my favorite part of the book. It’s the culmination of a lot of built-up emotions that finally break free.

What character from your story would you like to have dinner/spend a day with?

I would love to have dinner with Derek the vampire, although Sofia might get jealous of me J

Are you working on anything new?

I’m currently working on the sequel to A Shade of Vampire.

Who's your favorite author?

I don’t have a favorite, but here are three of my favorites:
Jane Austen
JK Rowling
C.S. Lewis

Why did you decide to become a writer?

Writing is something I’ve always done for enjoyment since I was a kid. I had a hyperactive imagination and felt the need to express myself in words from a young age.

Why do you think someone should read your book, so why/when would you recommend it?

I find it hard to talk about my own book, but I think you’ll find it to be an unexpected, fresh take on the vampire genre.

What is it like to receive a review for your book? How do you feel when there is a good or bad one?

I always feel honored when someone takes time out of their life to read my book.
Even when the review is negative, I still feel grateful they bothered to read and write about it.
Fiction is so subjective. One person will go crazy about your book while another will think it’s a load of rubbish. There’s no point getting your knickers in a twist about it.

Any advice for an aspiring author?

Fix a minimum period during which you must write every single day.



I would like to thank Bella Forrest for taking the time to interview with us!  I hope you all check out her work.

Review: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Book Thief

Author: Markus Zusak

Publication Date: March 14th, 2006

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Genre: YA/Historical Fiction

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Synopsis:

It’s just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery.... Narrated by Death, Markus Zusak’s groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a young foster girl living outside of Munich in Nazi Germany. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist – books. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor's wife's library, wherever they are to be found. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, Liesel learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids, as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement.

My Thoughts: I opened up this book with absolutely no idea what I was about to read. I never even read the synopsis. I picked it up at the library because it's on the top 100 YA books list I'm working on. Well I can say for sure that it earned it's place on the list by all means. This book blew me away.

The whole story had this very poetic feeling to it. The style of narration was incredibly beautiful, unique, insightful, and moving. I felt like the doors to my mind, heart and soul were being opened throughout the course of the story. This book is definitely one of the most touching, emotional stories I have ever read in my life. I feel as though I will carry it with me for a very long time.

Every character in this story was so vibrant, and pulsating with vitality. Their personalities leaped off the pages and smacked you in the face. I became immensely attached to the main character, Liesel and I'm sure that's what Zusak was aiming for because it makes the story that much more riveting and captivating. I think also, that having such a love of books helped me to bond with her as well, as I'm su re it would with any book lovers and avid readers.  Markus Zusak has an amazing talent for writing. One that rivals most I would say. This is the first book I've ever read by him but it definitely won't be the last.

The story is so unique in every single way. His use of words is mesmerizing, they create this world that feels so real and you get so wrapped up in it. The story is narrated by "death", what we would think of as the grim reaper. If that isn't a unique way of telling a story then I don't know what is. It might sound strange, but he worked it amazingly.  It's a story within the events of the holocaust that sheds so much different light on it. While it was never over descriptive in it's more darker events, it was still so devastating at times. There were times I had to stop and give myself a minute, and a lot of times I could not stop myself from crying.


One of the most beautiful stories I have ever read. Hopefully it won't be the last time I read it. I need to buy a copy for my shelf so I can more easily share it with others. I recommend this book whole-heartedly to absolutely everyone. This book will surprise you and amaze you. Do yourself a favor and go read it.

Waiting on Wednesday (56)

Waiting on Wednesday is an event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly awaiting.

Dead Ever After
(Sookie Stackhouse #13)

Author: Charlaine Harris

Expected Publication Date: May 7, 2013

Adult Book

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Synopsis:

Sookie Stackhouse has one last adventure in store. 

Life has taken her from a waitress in Merlotte’s Bar, Bon Temps, to part owner; from social outcast to the heart of her community; from a vampire’s girlfriend to the wife of one of the most powerful vampires in the state. She has survived earthquakes, revolutions and attempts on her life. Sookie has endured betrayal, heartbreak and grief . . . and she has emerged a little stronger, and little wiser, every time. 

But with life comes new trials . . . 

The question is, in the end: who will love, who will live, and who will be dead ever after?

My Thoughts: This is bittersweet for me.  I love this series and I want to know how it will all come to an end, but at the same time I don't want it to end.  I love Sookie, Eric and all of the gang and to think of what it might be like without them is sad.  But, I always have TrueBlood to fall back on for now, I suppose.  Really excited to see this ending (GO ERIC!!).

Teaser Tuesday (50)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by  MizB at Should Be Reading

To Participate you:

-Grab your current read

-Open to a random page

-Share two 'teaser' sentences from somewhere on that page

-BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS

This week's teaser comes from:

The Casual Vacancy

Author: J.K Rowling

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Teaser:

Then pain such as he had never experienced sliced through his brain like a demolition ball. He barely noticed the smarting of his knees as they smacked onto the cold tarmac; his skull was awash with fire and blood; the agony was excruciating beyond endurance, except thar endure it he must, for oblivion was still a minute away. Mary screamed - and kept screaming.

My Thoughts: I've been waiting a long time to get this books in my hands :). I am so excited to delve into a brand new book by the legendary Rowling! I'm only at the very beginning and already quite intrigued.