Tuesday 5 October 2021

Book Review: The Darkest Vampire (Rite World: Vampire Wars #1) by Juliana Haygert (PNR / Urban Fantasy)

Title: The Darkest Vampire (Rite World: Vampire Wars #1)
Author: Juliana Haygert
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: 28 October 2022
Pages: 188
Format: eBook - EPUB
Genre: PNR / Urban Fantasy
Source: ARC via NetGalley

Supernaturals around Portland are turning up dead. I’m next … if the vampire I just made a powerful bond with doesn’t kill me first.

Magic is in a short supply for a half-witch like me, which makes things very difficult when I’m bound by a blood promise to avenge my parents.

With no leads left to follow, I make a bargain with a demon for help. Bad decision. The quest the demon sends me on binds me to a vampire named Killian, a half-mad, half-naked monster who hates my guts almost as much as he longs to drink my blood.

Killian swore to kill all witches on sight, but we agree to work together to solve the murders ravaging the city. He despises me, and I can’t stand him… but there’s an unexpected connection between us, something I can’t help but be curious about.

No, I can’t let anything distract me. Not even a hot and enraging vampire who presses all of my freaking buttons. I’m determined to find my parents’ killers, and stop the chaos taking over the supernatural world.

If only love didn’t get in the way.

 

Overall, The Darkest Vampire was an enjoyable read that I finished over two nights. The plot was interesting and held my attention throughout, and Lavinia was an engaging character it was easy to get behind. The prose was easy reading, and the ending left me intrigued to see what would happen next. The only thing that didn't quite work for me was the romance, which felt a little forced; however, I think some of that was because we saw everything from Lavinia's POV, so we didn't connect deeply with or really get to know Killian in the same way we did her. Perhaps that will change as we move into the next book in the series. I am giving this 3.5 stars. I didn't fall head over heels in love with this tale, but I enjoyed it and, on the strength of this book, I would read on in this series and consider picking up some of the author's other works. Therefore I will round up to 4 stars rather than down to 3 in this instance.

I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

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