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16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Creative world and wonderful characters; welcome to the House of Comarre, September 27, 2011
This review is from: Blood Rights (House of Comarré) (Mass Market Paperback)
This is the first book in the House of Comarre trilogy by Kristen Painter. The second book, Flesh and Blood, is supposed to release in Nov of 2011. The third book, Bad Blood, is scheduled to release a month later in December 2011. This was a great book. There are some very creative ideas in here and some great characters; it made for a wonderful and engaging story. Chrysabelle has spent a hundred years serving as a Comarre to a high ranking vampire. On the eve of her test to escape service by combat; her master is killed. This leaves Chrysabelle free but she is also forced to flee since she is suspected of murdering her master. Now Chrysabelle is forced to try and blend in with the human world until she can clear her name. When Chrysabelle tries to get help she runs into Mal. Mal is a royal vampire who has been declared anathema. Mal and Chrysabelle don't get along well, but working together may be the only way they can both get what they want and clear Chrysabelle's name. This was a very well done book. The world created is interesting. The book is set in the near future, 2060 I believe, most of the common things are recognizable but some of the technology has changed quite a bit. With the futuristic setting the book ends up being a pleasant blend of sci-fi, urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and mystery. The most intriguing part of the society Chrysabelle comes from is the House of Comarre. The House of Comarre has a lot of secrets, some you find out in this book but there is still a lot of mystery involving this group of individuals. The whole idea behind the Comarre is fascinating even at face value, but when you find out about all the mystery behind this House it becomes an even more fascinating and engaging idea. The book is very well written, easy to read, and moves at a quick pace. The action scenes and romantic tension between characters is very well done. It was hard to put down and when I finished it I immediately wanted to read more. The characters are wonderful; lots of mystery and dimension to all of them, even the side characters. Chrysabelle and Mel make great leads; they have great tough personalities, yet are complex. The banter between these two is wonderful and had me laughing out loud a few times. The romance between them is sweet, steamy at times, but never graphic. There are also a lot of relationships/romance going on between various side characters in this book; love seems to be a big driving force in the plot in general. The mystery that Chrysabelle is trying to solve is set up nicely and very well done as well. The result of the mystery totally surprised me; I love it when I can't predict where the story is going to end up. The book ended at a good place; the main mystery is solved but Chrysabelle and friends will also have a bigger mystery to deal with in future books. I also have to mention the cover, this has got to be one of the most stunning covers I have seen all year. When I saw this cover I had to read the book. I'd like a print of this cover to hang up in my house, it is just so darn beautiful. Overall I really really enjoyed this book. The world is very interesting and creative; the mystery behind the House of Comarre absolutely sucked me it. The characters (even the side characters) are very engaging, likable, and fun to read about. The book is well-written, well paced and easy to read. I was really impressed with how Painter blends sci-fi, urban fantasy, romance, and mystery elements together to make an intriguing and engaging story. Pretty much everything in this book was well-balanced. There are some sensual scenes in the book but they never get too detailed or graphic, so older young adults could probably read this book (although the book is about adults, not sure about future books though). I really look forward to reading Flesh and Blood, I can't wait to see what happens next...and I don't have to wait very long either! I would recommend this book to those of you who like urban fantasy with some romance or paranormal romance books.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A new way of looking at vampires, September 28, 2011
This review is from: Blood Rights (House of Comarré) (Mass Market Paperback)
I will admit it, when I picked this book, it was all about the cover! I know we all say "don't judge a book by it's cover" but be honest . . . we do! And this cover is spectacular. It just jumped off the computer screen for me! It immediately filled me with a feeling of mystery and beauty - and I found it all in the pages of this book. Blood Rights are set somewhere in the future but you will not find this reflected in any of the scenes in the book. The world feels very real and very now . . . It is also labelled as an Urban Fantasy (not a genre that I usually prefer) but I felt that everything was mostly about the characters. There is lots of action off course but you will not be disappointed with all the romantic tension between Chrysabelle and Malkolm. This is the first book of The House of Comarre series and we are introduced to the world of the comarre. We are only allowed to see fleeting glimpses but what a world it is. It is such a new view of vampires and all their companions that I hope much more of this world will be revealed to us in the books to come. You will see vampires in a whole new light. Chrysabelle has been comarre (or blood slave) to her patron for a hundred years. On the night that she hopes to be set free, he is found murdered and she becomes the number one suspect. She flees into the open world and into the arms of Malkolm, a vampire that has fallen from grace. But has she now run into the arms of even greater danger? Malkolm is one of the most tortured souls that I have read in a long time - both physically and mentally. He has been cursed to kill all that he drinks from. His body and soul are covered by all his victims and sometimes they force their way out. Their voices are always present in his mind and he permanently has to cling to his own sanity. For a large part of the book, Chrysabelle and Mal try to convince themselves that they do not need or want each other but it is a lost course. They are meant to be together, if only to stop the evil and power-hungry Tatiana from starting a war between mortals and the supernatural. We also meet a lot of secondary characters - fae, shifters, vampires, fake comarre, ghosts and demons. I just loved the relationship between Doc (a cursed shifter) and Fi (a ghostly victim of Mal) that live with him in his disintegrating house. Even though some parts of the book were a bit slow and the villain, Tatiana, a bit one-dimensional, it is a great opening book for the series. I would like to see what author, Kirsten Painter throws at us in the next books.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Pulse pounding adventure, mystery, and fantastic world building, October 3, 2011
This review is from: Blood Rights (House of Comarré) (Mass Market Paperback)
I was initially drawn to Blood Rights because of the breathtaking cover art - I preordered it immediately, unsure what to expect, but hoping to get a bit of enjoyment out of the story at least. This book far exceeded my expectations. What I found within its pages was a pulse pounding adventure story, with a good helping of mystery, with great world building, likeable characters, and a smoking hot romance. ~ Premise ~ Chrysabelle is one of the Comarre - a woman trained from childhood to be a companion, and blood source for vampires. Much like the geisha's the Comarre are taught to be graceful, gracious, learned, and well spoken, and are then auctioned off to the highest bidder - a patron from one of the great vampire noble houses. When Chrysabelle finds her long time vampire patron dead, she is accused of his murder and the theft of a valuable artifact, and forced to flee into the human world. She is hunted for murder and theft, and for being what she is - a Comarre - a status symbol and source of pure, empowering blood. Beset upon at every turn, Chrysabelle enlists the aid of the oh so very sexy Malkolm - a outcast vampire noble, with a dark past. Together they work to untangle the complex weave of lies and politics surround her patron's death, and the importance of the artifact that the other nobles seem to covet so desperately.
~ World ~ While the world building in this book isn't breaking any new ground, it was very tight, creative, and well thought out. This story focuses primarily on the vampire world, and that of their blood slave servants, The Cromarre. The author put a lot of work into creating the politics, magic, and structure of both her vampire houses, and the Comarre. Her fae are also very unique - I've never seen their like in fiction before. ~ Characters ~ Chrysabelle: Our protagonist - who sadly suffers from a bit of first-book awkwardness. Like so many urban fantasy heroines, Chrysabelle hasn't really settled in as a character. She's over 100 years old, trained to be a graceful, well spoken companion to the upper echelon of vampire society. I would expect her age and training to make her someone self-contained, wise, and socially savvy. What we get is a more standard sort of bad ass urban fantasy vixen with a bit of a temper, a tendency to flare up at people, and a "slice first ask questions later" mentality. Sound familiar? Yup she's like many other urban fantasy chic out there - which works and it's certainly an enjoyable archetype, it just doesn't make sense to me based on her age. I also didn't get a strong sense of her phycology - why she is the way she is. Her internal monolog didn't reveal enough. Because of this, I didn't feel as attached to her as a character. Things I did appreciate about her - she's open minded, loyal, protective of those she cares about. She doesn't turn her back on friends. I did actually come to like her, I just didn't feel close to her as a character. I expect this will change in later books - And the male lead, makes up for any lack I find in Crysabelle.
Malkolm: Now here is a truly swoon worthy vampire. He's an exiled noble, twice cursed, bearing the names of every victim he's ever killed tattooed on his body. He's haunted (literally) by the victims he's drained the life from. They follow him incorporeally haunting his days. He hears their voices in his head, an incessant madness urging him to kill. And yet, despite all this darkness, he is one of the most honorable and kind characters in this story. His internal monolog helps us know him, and love him. His past is very well fleshed out, and incredibly moving. I really loved his character. There are a host of side characters that lighten or add depth to the story - Fi and Doc are loveable side kicks, but I never felt very close to them. Chrysabelle's aunt Maris was beautifully written and I ended up caring for her a great deal. ~ Plot ~ This story doesn't waste any time - there are few if any dead spots in the pace of the action. It is chalk full of adventure, and mystery, and even surprises. While reading this book I felt it was mostly an adventure story - I didn't look deep into the mysteries of the story or expect any surprises. But the end of the book packed not one but several big reveals that left me reeling. Well done, Ms Painter! ~ Romance ~ Ah the romance - thanks to Malkolm's hotness the romance in this story practically sizzles. He years for Chrysabelle but can't let himself have her - ensue angst, yearning, and violent passion. Yum! ~ Summary ~ This is a first book, and as such it's not flawless or 100% polished, but it's an amazing start to a series that promises to be fantastic. This book will draw you in, surprise you, and keep you reading late into the night. Highly recommended!
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