Michelle R. (mreneerouser) -
Helpful Score: 8
This is the tale of two novels. First 150 pages, poor writing. It felt like the editor used a simple Microsoft Word Grammar checker when editing the first half of the book. I definitely cannot write and I felt like I could have written the first half of the book.
Strangely enough, the second half was written much better. It flowed better, the grammar use was better, and it made the story much more enjoyable.
On to the story-, it was not anything original but I liked the characters (even the dog). I think the series has potential.
If you can get through the first half of the book, you will find a good story with lots of potential.
Strangely enough, the second half was written much better. It flowed better, the grammar use was better, and it made the story much more enjoyable.
On to the story-, it was not anything original but I liked the characters (even the dog). I think the series has potential.
If you can get through the first half of the book, you will find a good story with lots of potential.
Helpful Score: 4
I liked this book for the most part. I'm looking at it as "getting to know you" intro to the series book. There are some really good secondary characters and their story/history could have added a lot to the whole. Preacher and his Gullah guys, the Dupres and Nyx--heck even the mystery of Riley's rare blood could have been expounded on.
To me the most bothersome thing about Riley was her repetative assertions about how tough she was and how hard. She wasn't a trained fighter or anything and had no prior knowledge of the powerful vampires that were out there. Her "toughness" was based strictly on being a drugged out club kid/Goth who was easy. I don't get how that makes her strong/tough or experienced enough to insist she can handle and kill feral vampires in a month's time frame.
That said--I will most likely read the second in the series due out in June 2011--if it doesn't go deeper I won't be looking for the third book.
To me the most bothersome thing about Riley was her repetative assertions about how tough she was and how hard. She wasn't a trained fighter or anything and had no prior knowledge of the powerful vampires that were out there. Her "toughness" was based strictly on being a drugged out club kid/Goth who was easy. I don't get how that makes her strong/tough or experienced enough to insist she can handle and kill feral vampires in a month's time frame.
That said--I will most likely read the second in the series due out in June 2011--if it doesn't go deeper I won't be looking for the third book.
Helpful Score: 4
I really liked this book, the farther I got into it the more I liked it. Main character Riley was likable and not too ditzy. I liked the Dupre family of vampires and Gullahs. Nothing complicated for a plot just a good read. Definately want book 2.
Helpful Score: 3
Im going to give this one to you straight and to the point. I absolutely think I hated this book. Im not sure that I wanted to finish it. However since I have this strange compulsion to finish everything that I start reading I did end up finishing it. I kept thinking that it would get better I should have known it wouldn't. The writing was amateurish at best it was not what I would expect from someone who writes full time. If this is how her next book is I seriously doubt she will be a full time writer for too much longer.
Ok what I felt through most of the book was boredom it was like Id read it all before in other better books, plus hey I did read it before because she mention things several times during the book. I swear I wanted to strangle the writer after having to read the same thing about walking the dog or going to drink tea. Jesus we get it you walk your dog then go drink your tea with preacher man every day you dont have to mention that in every chapter. It got so tedious trying to read that I wanted to tear the book in half.
To me this book felt like a bad mix of Twilight, Vampire Academy, and Mercedes Thompson series. Twilight because she smelled so good she was in danger of being eaten to death. I spent half the time waiting for Eli to say that she was his brand of heroin!!!!! Sad but true and he got pretty close I remember him saying something about her being like a drug. Then the vampire academy because she kept differentiating between the two types of vampires one being a good kind the other bad she also kept calling them Stragori which was a kicker for me. Then Mercedes Thompson series most likely probably because of the characterization, not because the stories were anything alike just the character seemed familiar. They are both athletic tattooed with long black hair and have snarky personalities who work a lot.
I dont say this lightly but it just felt like she pulled her characters out of other peoples stories renamed them and tweaked a classic paranormal plot line a little. To me nothing about this story was original it just felt too familiar to even be the littlest bit interesting. Maybe Im being to hard maybe Im not but its up to you to decide for yourself.
I think this may have been my first 1 star : (
Ok what I felt through most of the book was boredom it was like Id read it all before in other better books, plus hey I did read it before because she mention things several times during the book. I swear I wanted to strangle the writer after having to read the same thing about walking the dog or going to drink tea. Jesus we get it you walk your dog then go drink your tea with preacher man every day you dont have to mention that in every chapter. It got so tedious trying to read that I wanted to tear the book in half.
To me this book felt like a bad mix of Twilight, Vampire Academy, and Mercedes Thompson series. Twilight because she smelled so good she was in danger of being eaten to death. I spent half the time waiting for Eli to say that she was his brand of heroin!!!!! Sad but true and he got pretty close I remember him saying something about her being like a drug. Then the vampire academy because she kept differentiating between the two types of vampires one being a good kind the other bad she also kept calling them Stragori which was a kicker for me. Then Mercedes Thompson series most likely probably because of the characterization, not because the stories were anything alike just the character seemed familiar. They are both athletic tattooed with long black hair and have snarky personalities who work a lot.
I dont say this lightly but it just felt like she pulled her characters out of other peoples stories renamed them and tweaked a classic paranormal plot line a little. To me nothing about this story was original it just felt too familiar to even be the littlest bit interesting. Maybe Im being to hard maybe Im not but its up to you to decide for yourself.
I think this may have been my first 1 star : (
Helpful Score: 2
Where to start? I wanted to like this book, but honestly I thought it was pretty terrible. The plot was a mix between the movie the Lost Boys (ironically mentioned in the book) and something out of the Twilight Series. The characters werent particularly likable or well developed. The heroine of Afterlight, a tattoo artist named Riley Poe, is a self-proclaimed badass who uses the word "wicked" way too frequently. Repetition and overused slang that sounds forced and ridiculous was a theme throughout the story. I kept reading hoping the book would get better and live up to some of the good reviews, but it didn't and was a struggle to finish. I wouldn't have minded the unoriginal plot as much if a) the author had used a thesaurus and didn't use the same phrasing over and over, and b) the book had a better editor that cut out all the run on sentences and overuse of semi-colons. Sincerely, this book had more semi-colons than any other I have ever read. Why even two stars you ask? Well, it wasnt the most terrible book I have ever read, I did finish it, but the saving grace was truly the fact that the some of the scenes between Riley and her love interest, a vampire named Eli, were sexy and believable. Their interactions were some of the only bright spots in an otherwise lackluster story. Ive read a lot of urban fiction and paranormal romance, and this is not one I would recommend. Needless to say, I don't think the story was strong or interesting enough to warrant a series, and will not bother reading the next installment.
