Is the vampire in Ophelia’s cellar a man she can save, or a monster out for blood?
From an early age, Ophelia learned to keep her pets away from her unfeeling scientist father or they would disappear into his laboratory, never to be seen again. When her father unexpectedly returns to their isolated Yorkshire estate with a mysterious box, Ophelia’s suspicions are aroused…but nothing prepares her for the bloody business she finds.
Caged in silver and hungry, Salem is out for blood. Someone has betrayed knowledge of vampire existence to humans—but before Salem can discover who, he must escape diabolical experiments seeking the source of immortality. He cannot afford to trust the frustratingly intriguing girl who says she wants to help and smells of orange blossoms. He especially cannot wonder how she would taste.
Even though the darkly mysterious Salem insists he has no soul, that he’s dangerous, Ophelia can’t leave him to be tortured. But to help him escape, she must risk her family’s wrath—which may be a bigger threat than the monster in the cell.
The supernatural bleeds into Victorian England in this captivating YA gothic paranormal romance novel, perfect for fans of Lakesedge, Down Comes the Night, Erin A. Craig, and anyone who longs to run across a dark windswept moor in a nightgown.
From an early age, Ophelia learned to keep her pets away from her unfeeling scientist father or they would disappear into his laboratory, never to be seen again. When her father unexpectedly returns to their isolated Yorkshire estate with a mysterious box, Ophelia’s suspicions are aroused…but nothing prepares her for the bloody business she finds.
Caged in silver and hungry, Salem is out for blood. Someone has betrayed knowledge of vampire existence to humans—but before Salem can discover who, he must escape diabolical experiments seeking the source of immortality. He cannot afford to trust the frustratingly intriguing girl who says she wants to help and smells of orange blossoms. He especially cannot wonder how she would taste.
Even though the darkly mysterious Salem insists he has no soul, that he’s dangerous, Ophelia can’t leave him to be tortured. But to help him escape, she must risk her family’s wrath—which may be a bigger threat than the monster in the cell.
The supernatural bleeds into Victorian England in this captivating YA gothic paranormal romance novel, perfect for fans of Lakesedge, Down Comes the Night, Erin A. Craig, and anyone who longs to run across a dark windswept moor in a nightgown.
MY THOUGHTS
Wow! I don't think I can accurately express just how much I absolutely loved this book! My goodness, it was fantastic! Such a beautifully written Gothic romance. I was instantly pulled into the story and completely captivated. I didn't want to put it down.
I used to read a lot of vampire romances, but they started to get a bit stale after awhile and were always a bit too steamy for my tastes. I'm happy to say that this book rekindled my love for the genre, all while being a relatively clean read that featured a strong Christian perspective. There was a little bit of language and violence, but, seriously, this book had so many of my favorite things, that I can't complain.
I loved the spooky gothic atmosphere. And I loved the characters. (Well, most of them.) Salem and Ophelia were great. Salem was a bit of a grump, but I loved his loyalty, sense of honor, and the fact that he regularly quoted Shakespeare. Ophelia was compassionate and had such a tender heart for others, yet she was fierce and brave too. To say she had a difficult relationship with her family is putting it mildly. I don't think I've disliked characters as much as them in a long time. They were just flat-out horrible, and I was sorry that Ophelia had to deal with them. There were a lot of great secondary characters, too. Addie, Etienne, Faelad, etc. I'd love to read more about them someday.
This book took some surprising turns. And it posed some interesting questions that I'll be thinking about. Is anybody beyond redemption? What makes someone a monster?
I didn't want this book to end. It was so ridiculously good. It's a definite contender for book of the year.
I received an advanced copy of this book and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.
FIVE STARS
I love that combination of Victorian England and the supernatural! I haven't really read any good vampire stories lately; this romance sounds like a fun one.
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize how much I missed this genre until I started reading this book. :D
DeleteThis book sounds absolutely enchanting! It's wonderful to hear that it rekindled your love for the genre and provided a fresh perspective. The Gothic atmosphere, compelling characters, and thought-provoking questions definitely make it a standout read.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely! I think I've found a new "must-buy" author after reading this book. :)
Delete