Customer Reviews

Discovery of Death (Blood of my World Novella One): A Paranormal Romance

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Short Stick: At least there was some kicking ass.

The Goods: The kicking ass and the location was awesome. I also have a thing about the name Cassie, but that has nothing to do with the vampire in the book. It was also a quick read, the story flowed and it was easy to get through. The end was probably the best part about the book, that and the ass kicking. Did I mention there's some awesome ass kicking? Because there is and it should be mentioned.

The Not So Goods: I'll admit I threw up a little in my mouth when Rose pulled out her decorated "Zach" box, done up in markers and had felt hearts glued to it. And I died a little when Rose mentioned that Zach had a "Rose" box, same style. Needless to say the romance is where the book needed work, Rose is a love sick puppy and even though Zach doesn't remember her, what she remembers of him makes him look whipped. Also, even though the writing was good, it sometimes veered off, mostly in the dialogue when people were saying things pertinent to the story but using more of a narrator voice rather than their own character voice.

I also would have appreciated a lot more up close moments not of the cheese variety to make this one a home run for me. It just fell short in a lot of places.

Recommendation: If you've had enough of vampires, then you don't need to go here. On the other hand, if you just want to support Indie Authors, you should definitely pick this one up because it's decent and isn't going to make you invest too much in the vampire myth to get a good afternoon read.

The trilogy follows the story of Rose and Zach, two high school sweethearts deeply in love. Then one day Zach disappears. Rose is left to try to carry on, but how do you get over someone when you don't know what happened to them? But that's not all that's on Rose's plate. She's about to lose someone she loves, find out monsters are real and discover that she comes from a long line of vampire slayers. And you thought high school was hard!

Zach's not having such an easy time himself. He wakes up dead and in a coffin with no memory. He learns that he's now a vampire, has a whole vampire family and incredible powers. Yet he's tormented by bits and pieces of memories from his human life. He's torn between images of a beautiful girl and his new found family.

What will happen when Rose and Zach meet up again? Can they forsake their families and their destinies for the sake of true love? Well, you'll have to read all three novellas to figure that one out. The novellas are Young Adult so they're a quick and easy read. The concept is interesting, very Romeo & Juliet meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

I've only read the first novella, and it was a little heavy on the romance for a true horror fan. There are however, undertones of things yet to come that may satisfy the bloodthirsty. Don't get me wrong- these are in no way sparkly vampires. They drink blood and kill and enjoy doing so. But at heart, the books are a love story. Fans of paranormal romance will find them delightful.

BLOOD OF MY WORLD TRILOGY
By A.P. Fuchs

I'm not the biggest fan of paranormal romance, especially with the release of books such as THE VAMPIRE DIARIES and the TWILIGHT series (which I do not consider horror). However I was intrigued by a YA novella trilogy by A.P. Fuchs who is perhaps best known for writing about zombies.
BLOOD OF MY WORLD consists of three novellas--DISCOVERY OF DEATH, MEMORIES OF DEATH, and LIFE OF DEATH--that tell the story of high school sweethearts Zach and Rose. Zach has unexpectedly disappeared, leaving Rose in a state of confusion and worry. Zach has become a vampire and has no memory of his former life, including Rose. One fateful night Zach is taken out to feed by his vampire mother Mira and kills Rose's mother. Experiencing his victim's memories, Zach is confused by the people he sees and what his connection to them may be. In the meantime, in the wake of her mother's death, Rose discovers that she comes from a long line of vampire slayers.
While dealing with the funeral and her training Rose sees Zach and knows what he has become. Rose's father Marcus also knows what Zach has become and instructs his daughter to stay away from the cemetery. Marcus explains that vampires have no feelings or emotions for anyone in their former lives, which is what makes them such effective killers. Zach tries to understand what is happening to him and what Rose meant to him. Zach's vampire family seems ready to accept Rose, even though she's a human. Ultimately Zach will be forced to choose between his vampire family and Rose, and truths will come out that help Zach determine where his loyalties lie.
Fuchs has written a very good story in BLOOD OF MY WORLD. The characters are well-developed and his vampires' characteristics are quite interesting. I enjoyed the Shakespeare-esque story of the young lovers from different and clashing worlds--vampire and slayer. What I also liked about this trilogy is that it doesn't have the creepiness that most other vampire romances targeting young girls have. Zach is only a vampire for a few weeks when he and Rose meet again, he's not a hundred-plus year old vampire "in love" with a teen girl. In other words, Zach isn't a dirty old man, he's still just a kid. The horror elements are really good, too. The vampires have ulterior motives that ultimately drive the story--they aren't an afterthought. The romance aspect is a bit intense at times, so if paranormal romance isn't your thing, then this is not the trilogy for you. Overall BLOOD OF MY WORLD is a really good read for its target audience.
Colleen Wanglund

This novella flowed and was fairly fast paced. If you're a romance reader who likes a little horror this book is tailor made for you. If you're a horror fan that likes romance, again you won't be disappointed. This genre is not normally my thing, but the story is good, the characters are fresh, and I believe the author has done what she set out to do. This book is definitely worth a look.

I will have to say that I enjoyed Blood of My World novella trilogy. It had enough differences to make it stand out as a paranormal romance read but also infused with some of the vampire traditions that we know already.

In Discovery of Death, Zach Mohansen wakes up as a vampire and is engulfed in love from his "family" which includes his mom Mira (Morticia description), dad Rain, brother Wil and a sister named Cassandra aka Cassie. Because he is newly transformed he doesn't remember his human life right away. We are also introduced to Rose Jordan, Zach's love, who is the daughter of vampire slayers. Rose is emotionally torn with the disappearance of her love (think Twilight) but knows life must go one. At this time she doesn't know about the secret world of vampires and slayers.

Memories of Death continues Zach's journey as he starts to remember all that he has lost. He remembers Rose and seeks her out. Rose has been introduced to the slayers life and now must take up the tradition. When the two meet again there is no denying what they had. Now they are torn between their two families. We also learn that Mira has a more sinister reason for turning Zach.

Life of Death is the conclusion to this roller coaster of emotions. Zach has been betrayed by the family he thought loved him and Rose has lost everyone that she has loved except for Zach. Will their love see them through?

Blood of My World compiles lots of aspects that I love in paranormal romance. It has the bloody fight scenes, the mushy love scenes and the shocking betrayals that we have grown to love of this genre. Fun quick read. I was able to finish all three stories in an afternoon.

I received this e-novella for review from the author, A.P. Fuchs

Last week I got an email from A.P. Fuchs asking if I wanted to review a set of e-novellas called Blood of My World and since they sounded rather interesting I accepted! They are rather quick being novellas and all. Already finished the first and halfway through the second!

The first one, Discovery of Death shows Rose and Zach were once a couple falling in love. They were 16, so it can be considered YA if you want, but like most YA books, it is really only the characters' ages that make it seem so. Zach is a vampire. Right away, chapter 1 and we do learn somewhat how he came to be in this way. While Rose is mourning his loss. She only knows that he is missing and has been for months.

Her parents are vampire hunters, so she will be one someday, yet she doesn't know this yet. So in a way it's like a Romeo and Juliet thing--or more accurately Buffy and Angel. Vampire and vampire slayer.

It was a rather fast paced read and I liked it that way. There were a few times I would've liked more development or descriptions here and there, but overall the pacing was great! It never dragged or anything. There are some surprises along the way as well that we shocking and helped move the story forward as well.

It's told in multiple third person p.o.v.'s so we get to see and learn a lot from the characters including Zach and Rose, plus Rose's dad and another of the vampires you soon meet.

A.P. Fuchs did an amazing job writing this novella. Such a short read, yet it was filled with great characters and you see a plot thickening within the series. Secrets are still being kept by some characters and we have yet to learn about them. Cannot wait for more!

Overall this was a quick paced and fun read and I am already enjoying the next one! Rating 4.5/5 stars--I would've really liked to have a bit more in some descriptions but as a novella this was amazing and fit its criteria!

Plot summary: Zach awakes one day and discovers he's an amnesiac vampire. Rose, his former sweetheart, not only has to contend with losing Zach, but she learns she's a vampire slayer. Can love conquer all? Can they beat the odds?

The good: The author is not a beginning writer. He knows not to start every sentence with "He"/"She," and he knows how to develop a plot. I really liked the sentimental sweetness.

What needs work: I couldn't get into the heads of the characters. They don't have strong individual voices, and I couldn't feel anything the author told me they felt.

All in all, a three-star book. It's a cute, Romeo and Juliet story that, if you like YA vamp stories, is worth adding to your kindle bookshelf.

Novellas 1-3 are short. I read the first in under an hour. I was hooked and quickly bought the other two. I love love love the depth of love the main characters held for each other. Though they are very short novels, the author brings out their personalities and developed their characters beautifully. I can not wait to see if there will be more coming in this series. I hope there are.

I was so relieved to see that I did not pay anything for this kindle download. What a disappointing story! This is not a love story, so if that is what you are expecting (and I was), you will be disappointed. **Spoiler** The two main characters don't even meet until the last page! **End Spoiler. ** Maybe it is heading that way, but this volume is definitely a tragedy.

**mild spoilers**
Rose was dating Zach who has mysteriously disappeared. Her parents are vampire slayers, which she has no clue about and her boyfriend has been reclaimed (by being bitten) by his vampire family. His bizarre family consists of his parents Rain and Mira and his siblings Cassie and Will. They teach him to murder for blood and he seems to have no moral problem killing. The beginning gives a long drawn out summary of him waking as a vampire which was boring and obvious.

Other things I found exhausting was Zach's really long and sappy letter to Rose. It really seemed like something a girl would write and was not very masculine at all - sorry. Rose's reaction to her mother's corpse seemed peculiar. Who would be that clear-headed and cold? The worst part of the story or the most forced part is Parker's role. He is a steadfast Rose admirer who leaves her to walk 45 minutes home in the dark by herself while he drinks beer and plays pool. Why is he even in the story?

There is no way I am continuing the story. I do not care what happens to any of the characters.

Would I/Did I buy it? Free Download
Would I read it again? NO
Would I recommend it to friends? NOOOOO

BLOOD OF MY WORLD TRILOGY

I enjoyed the pace of this trilogy of 3 novellas. One of the things I especially liked was the opening of each novella, which features cool, lyrical poetry that sets the tone for each installment!

The content focuses on the love story between the characters (which isn't necessarily the same as trashy romance and/or romantic fluff, that's often heavily influenced by the aspect of lust and "how hot/desirable" the two guys involved in the formulaic love triangle are). I GREATLY appreciated that the vampires here did not sparkle, and were not "emo caricatures." The POV (point of view) is third-person, allowing us to view the characters' thoughts and motivations in an unbiased manner.

The balanced combination of contemporary romance with a more traditional take (depiction of the vampires, the hint of old-school dramatic romantic elements) is maintained throughout all 3 novellas. The end was beautifully written (emotive without being sappy). It's vampires in the "paranormal romance" genre done right.