Lash [Kindle Edition]

Tara Fox Hall (Author)

Book Description

Scarred from a childhood spent in constant indigence, teen years infused with ill-gotten affluence as the son of an influential criminal, and finally into adulthood rife with complications—weresnake Trystan Valeras is hardened into the titular Lash: a whip-wielding killer with a talent for violence and a thirst for vengeance.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Reviewed for Readers Favorite:

"Lash is a surprisingly beautiful and emotional tale of heartbreak, loss, revenge and violence.This is a truly remarkable book and a definite must read." - Laura Carter,  5 stars 

"Lash has it all: romance, paranormal, adventure, danger, and betrayal. Hall has included enough twists and turns to make [this book] like coils of a snake."  - Anne B., 5 stars

Lash is a thrilling read from the jump as a young supernatural comes of age when he is thrust into the dark and gory side of the 1920's Louisiana Underworld. I found myself not being able to put each page down." - Lorraine Carey,  5 stars

"Fantasy fans will be enthralled by a world populated by werefoxes, werebears, werewolves and more, while evergreen themes--deception, regret, and the seeming inevitability of loneliness and despair--will pull readers in even closer. A salacious coming-of-age novel that will enrapture fantasy readers." --Kirkus Reviews

 Rarely have I come across a character that was such a mix of conflicting emotions...a riveting read.--Leanna for Two Lips Reviews

From the Back Cover

Scarred from a childhood spent in perpetual indigence after being forced from their home in the Everglades, weresnake Trystan Valeras and his family make their way to the Case Hotel. When his wealthy gangster father arrives the summer he turns sixteen, Trystan's dream of a better life, along with the lovely aristocrat Mara, is suddenly within his grasp. Instead of paradise, a series of devastating events unfold, leading Trystan to become the instrument of his dying father's revenge. His violent reprisal instigates a backlash of murder and death, forcing Trystan to flee with the remains of his family to the sultry city of New Orleans where he sells himself into the service of the Vampire Lord Abraham. Becoming the assassin Lash to hide his identity, Trystan finds a measure of peace, even as his skill with killing heightens, bringing to him not only new allies, but also new adversaries.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 491 KB
• Print Length: 238 pages
• Publisher: Bradley Publishing (April 14, 2012)
• Language: English
• ASIN: B007UJ6KGC
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Not Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #800,075 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Snake is the new Sexy April 16, 2012

By Tori L. Ridgewood

Format:Kindle Edition

Lovely, shocking, involving, and truly remarkable -- Tryst / Lash, Hall's weresnake protagonist, is a perfect anti-hero. He does despicable things, commits crimes, atrocities, and murders, yet he shows absolute devotion to his family and those of his lovers who show him affection. This book is, to me, a modern retelling of the Beauty and the Beast story, from the Beast's point of view. Lash is incredibly human, in spite of his dislike for the species. He tries to hide his despair and denies his pain, but it falls away as easily as a shed skin when a woman he considers to be precious and unmatched appears to return his affection. Tryst is incredibly damaged, distrustful and angry, and yet his nobility is plain... He is a man who is capable of great things, but has been corrupted. And he knows it, yet doesn't have the strength or motivation to change his life. Lash is the 20th century Beast, unable to believe in his own goodness, unwilling to let life beat him down, but unable to see himself in any other light. I want to slap him and hug him at the same time.

The relationships in this novel are complicated and in-depth; some of the plot turns caught me by surprise, in a good way. Tara Fox Hall has steamrolled convention and spoken in a voice both unique and true. She writes about issues which are timely, in an honest fashion -- like what a woman does to own her own sexuality, how men in a certain time period viewed women, and explores the prejudices which have risen and fallen over time. I loved the pacing, and how the book felt like a memoir, and I am looking forward to following the chronicle of Lash's life and relationships as more novels are released by this talented author.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Paranormal Scar Face May 18, 2012

By tpvissage

Format:Kindle Edition

To say this is a good book is to make a vast understatement. I can't think of many authors who could've hit upon the notion of a weresnake, or make the character of Lash both deadly and sympathetic at the same time. With a protagonist who should rightly be called a villain, one might consider it difficult to build a rapport but by having this told from Lash's POV, the author has done just that. Take away the myth and magic and this is simply a tale of a boy from poverty, rising through the use of his wits and ability to a position of power and infamy. A great deal of thought has gone into the myths and world-building and setting it in the Twenties turns this story into a paranormal Scar Face, a supernatural Godfather.

Unusual, unique, it appeals on many levels, and will fascinate while making the reader wish for a continuation of this unusual character's story.

Lash is available from Bradley Publishing[...]
This novel was supplied by the author and no remuneration was involved in the writing of this review.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A brilliant and original start to what promises to be a compelling series May 13, 2012

By Lindsay Townsend

Format:Kindle Edition

I loved 'Lash'. (Yes, the title is apt and makes sense.) I couldn't wait to get back to the novel as I was reading it. The story has everything - adventure, love, excitement, muscular prose and above all a hero I could fall in love with and happily follow through his tragic, moving story.

Lash is a were-snake and an assassin. He was born a were-snake but circumstances caused him to become an assassin, as he and his much-loved family are betrayed and hunted, over and over. The story is set in Prohibition America and the addition of weres amongst the gangsters gives the whole novel great force and originality.

There are many twists and turns in this epic story and through it all Lash, the narrator, shines as a reluctant, modest, loving hero. Tara Fox Hall writes the male POV very well indeed and through Lash's eyes we see the glitter and grime of 1920s USA.

There are so many good bits in this story. Lash's care for his family and for women is particularly appealing. I really liked the idea of him 'cuddling' his were-snake baby sisters in his coils!

I shall certainly be looking out for more in this series.

More About the Author

Tara Fox Hall is an OSHA-certified safety and health inspector at a metal fabrication shop in upstate New York. She received her bachelor's degree in mathematics with a double minor in chemistry and biology from Binghamton University.
Tara Fox Hall's writing credits include nonfiction, horror, suspense, action-adventure, erotica, and contemporary and historical paranormal romance. She is the author of the paranormal action-adventure Lash series and the vampire romantic suspense Promise Me series, as well as other novellas. She also coauthored the essay "The Allure of the Serial Killer," published in Serial Killers - Philosophy for Everyone: Being and Killing (Wiley-Blackwell, 2010). Tara divides her free time unequally between writing novels and short stories, chainsawing firewood, caring for stray animals, sewing cat and dog beds for donation to animal shelters, and target practice.