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Cruxim (Fallen Angel/Vampire #1)
Karin Cox | 2012
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Disclaimer: I received an e-copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

I love to read pretty much anything mythological and/or supernatural, and this book had both. Amedeo, the Cruxim from the title, looks like an angel, but looks can be deceiving. His mission is to kill as many vampires as possible, as that's what Cruxims are made to do. Along the way, he meets a little human girl named Joslyn, who ultimately falls in love with him, but he knows it can't be. Then she's attacked and turned by a vampire, and now Amedeo must decide whether he can perform his duty and kill her or not. Another woman in his life, Sabine, is a Sphinx, part-woman and part-lion, and she helps him move on with his life after Joslyn's transformation.

Just the idea of Cruxims, Sphinxes, and Vampires was interesting enough, but then a traveling circus/freak show gets introduced, and it gets really interesting (not that it wasn't great before). This book has so many wonderful aspects to it, and it definitely held my attention throughout the entire story. I look forward to more works along this line, and more from the author, in general.

5 stars
  
Fright Night 2 (1989)
Fright Night 2 (1989)
1989 | Comedy, Horror
My 2nd purchase using my new all region DVD/Blu Ray player is another film I have not seen in probably 30 years since it has never had a DVD or Blu Ray release in the United States. In fact, the European DVD I purchased was in Spanish which I had to change back to English dialogue.

Charlie Brewster has been in psychotherapy for 3 years trying to convince himself the deeds he and fellow vampire killer, Peter Vincent, were all in his imagination. That is until a new sultry vixen creature of the night and her entourage happen to meander into his life. She also happens to be the sister of Jerry Dandrige, whom Charlie and Peter executed in their initial vampire romp.

Charlie and Peter share combined and separate encounters with their new enemy and her minions eventually trying to convince each other this is really happening again meanwhile Charlie's new girlfriend is growing impatient with her boyfriend's peculiar behavior.

It is only through their inevitable final confrontation will tensions be resolved for good.

Upon the rewatch, I soon discovered lightning did not strike twice for this sequel. This should have been one of those I rested my fondness on its memory rather than trying to update or sustain my initial opinion. It certainly was entertaining to see the vampire dispatching duo back together again; however, the formula seemed both too much the same yet the tone was remarkably different this time around.

I'm sure all would have been solved with a tight, biting script which the first film was blessed with. It was able to find the balance between humor, camp and gore. This one seemed forced and the situations more unbelievable. The villainess lacked the charm and charisma of Dandrige and her lackeys were not as fun as "Evil Ed' from the first film.

Still glad I watched it and looking forward to finding more forgotten gems in the future.

  
40x40

ArecRain (8 KP) rated Night Sins in Books

Jan 18, 2018  
NS
Night Sins
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.


I read this novel after reading another title by the same author called Amber Fire. Even though both stories are shorter (<100 pages), that the writing in Night Sins felt more skilled and refined. The author said a lot with a little and set the tone for the rest of the novel within the first few pages.

There is a little blurb in the beginning describing Watchers, and it threw me off. The blurb makes the Watchers out to be more than the author made the heroine out to be. I got the feeling the Watchers were suppose to be powerful female defenders, yet right off the bat, I felt the heroine needed protecting. I am not sure if this was intentional for the purpose of adding that element to the hero and heroine’s dynamic.

Unlike the other novel I read, I felt that this heroine was stubborn. While I enjoyed the story overall, I felt it was the stereotypical story of a powerful male vampire protecting his intended mate. The alpha vampire and “one true mate” tropes really don’t do it for me, but I found the novel an enjoyable quick read filled with steamy scenes. While the story was nothing new, it’s been awhile since I have read a vampire romance, and I liked it.
  
Hunger (Blood Rose Tales #2)
Hunger (Blood Rose Tales #2)
Caris Roane | 2014 | Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This story is about Brianna, a mortal in love with a vampire, and Yolen, a detective vampire on the heels of a drugs kingpin and determined to keep Brianna safe, no matter the cost. Yolen has the potential to become a mastyr vampire but doesn't want it after he saw a friend and his mate get killed immediately after he 'levelled up'. Things are going downhill for Brianna and Yolen as they both want something different but Brianna can't understand why she keeps on pushing. Throw Mastyr Keynes into the mix and we get a hot, fast-paced story.

The characters are well-rounded and old favourites are either mentioned or make cameo appearances. This world becomes more real every time I read about it. The plot is fast-paced and with no holes, although the 'bad guy' is known almost from the start, it's not for the mystery that you read this book. It is romantic and funny, hot and sad.

Definitely recommended for all fans of Caris Roane and if you haven't read anything of hers, then I can highly recommend the Blood Rose series as a starting point.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jul 31, 2015