Review: Original, compelling and a lot of potential for future novels in series
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 08 19, 2012
The Newfoundland Vampire is a very compelling first novel in a new series.  The author has created a unique story world of the origins of vampires and a secretive council that watches from behind the scenes.  A well-structured mix of action and character development resulted in an exciting read full of anticipation with believable characters.In a paranormal romance, I tend to focus more on character development. While reading this novel, I found myself really caring about what happened to the hero and heroine and fretting when things were tense and not going their way.  I particularly like how the author portrayed the villain.  He didn't worry about showing a little good like some suggest you might want to (you know the good and bad side in everyone. Blah blah blah...) the villain is insane and evil with no desire to be any other way. He's bad, always was bad, and continues to be bad. Bottom line. In my opinion, this was much more effective in this novel.There are some great teasers throughout the novel that even bigger baddies and threats exist, providing great lead-ins to future novels in the series.This novel is nicely written and all elements are packaged in an engaging and enjoyable read.________________________________________About the Story________________________________________The first novel in this series takes us into the dark world of vampires and Joseph's transformation.  He's fantasized about being a vampire all his life and now finds himself living out that fantasy. However, despite his secret desire, he finds it much more difficult than he expected. He struggles with the change and the realization that he will have to let go of his human emotions and ideals.Discovering that this world is much more violent than he had anticipated and that some have hidden agendas, he doesn't have much time to adjust to his new life.  He's thrown into situations where he must defend himself and Cassandra from an evil villain out to destroy them both.________________________________________About the Characters________________________________________Joseph is the sweet guy next door with a heart of gold that you would trust to come feed your pet while you're away. Totally reliable, dependable and kind.  After his turning, he becomes the tormented hero that we all love to read about. He's full of inner conflict, struggling to reconcile his new craving for blood with his caring of humans and is hesitant to become what is now in his nature to be.Cassandra is our heroine and she's a very interesting and intriguing character. Mysterious and alluring, she's a nice mix of good and bad.  She's dealt with a lot of suffering in her 200+ years as a vampire and the author made me really care about her. At the same time, she is manipulative so there were instances where it was hard to sympathize with her.  I really enjoy it when an author can elicit these conflicting emotions towards a character. It's a true testament to the skill of a writer.I already mentioned above how I enjoyed the villain John who is Cassandra's ex. He's a fabulous portrayal of what a villain should be.The story is a little light on supporting characters; however, this story is about Joseph and his transformation, so it's understandable. I suspect we'll see more characters in future novels as the adventures of Joseph and Cassandra continue.________________________________________About the Writing________________________________________This novel is a fast paced with lots of action but not so much that we miss the point of the story - Joseph's struggle and gradual acceptance of his new life. The author balances this well making the story more believable.I don't think I'm giving away any spoilers with this but I just want to mention a different technique the author uses brilliantly. When Cassandra is revealing past events to Joseph, the author sets it up so that it's done through blood exchanges.  I found it to be more effective and compelling instead of the author simply narrating what happened. Plus it's really hot when they do so.________________________________________Bottom Line________________________________________Overall, this novel is a great start to a new series. The author delivers a different spin on the origins of vampires, a compelling story of a new vampire with lots of potential for future adventures.  Recounted in a unique voice, this novel is well structured and pace-perfect.  I was entertained from beginning to end. If you enjoy paranormal romance that is a little on the darker side, you will enjoy reading this novel.  I'm certainly looking forward to Book #2 in the series.Happy Reading!!4 Stars - Really Enjoyed It!