Customer Reviews

Night's Master - Book Club Edition

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

 

 

If you are looking for a very tame vampire romance, and the reality that comes with reading the first person narrative of a heroine who shares all of the minutia of her daily life - (paraphrasing here) "I woke up late, and didn't feel like cooking so I went to the diner and ordered pancakes because they make the best ones, then I opened the bookstore on time and had three customers come in and they each purchased ....." - this is the book for you.

I have had Night's Master (and have been reading it) since the day it hit the shelves and the only reason I actually managed to finish it is that it was in the car so I read bits whenever I had to wait when picking up the kids, but it was so put-downable that I (and I am an addictive reader) was never compelled to bring it into the house to finish.

The vampire hero Raphael Cordova was a decent enough hero, rich and handsome with the whole supernatural mojo that helped him to quickly overcome heroine Kathy's aversion to the supernatural. I just couldn't see why he would ever fall for the deadly dull Kathy. And the background plot itself stays pretty much in the background until the very end - supernaturals are going missing, humans are being killed, hunters are in town - it all does come together in a few chapters worth of action but by then it's just too little and just a little too late.

This is only my second Ashley book, so I might just not be getting it - maybe a fan would be happy for Raphael to finally get his story because there is a feeling like the reader should be familiar with his parents, grandparents and the daywalking vampire leader Mara. But personally I am not going to bother with three strikes, two is more than enough, I am definitely crossing Ashley off my list.

I fell in love with the story and characters upon opening the book and reading the firt few pages immediately, which is exactly what happened to my friend who took a peek and immediately asked to borrow it. It was humorous, steamy, romantic, and incredibly captivating and the vampire was sensual and sexy beyong belief and relief! The plot is extremely exciting and this book witll have you just overwhelmed with the sensuality and completely lost in the story immediately. Its a fantastic read and all i can say is I love "Raphael Cordova". You will not be able to put this book down and will be needing to get your hands on the next book which was my immediate reaction. The books are highly addictive and each one just as good as the last. The night series is a thrilling read and left me with no disappointments exceeding my expectations and kept me rereading pages constantly, most of which involving the steamy romance between the two main characters. This story will have you wishing for your own steamy vampire hunk Raphael. I definitely recommend buying this along with the whole night series which is most likely what you will do after reading this book.

The latest blood donation from Amanda Ashley is Night's Master. This addition to the DeLongpre/Cordova vampire story emerges from the crypt just in time for Halloween reading, in October 2008.

The latest tale introduces us to Kathy McKenna, a bookstore owner who moved away from the big city, in hopes of avoiding the hostilities between Vampires and Werewolves. Much to her dismay, she finds herself at ground zero for tense negotiations that will bring the war between the Supernatural groups to a halt or escalate hostilities to an all time high. Kathy is possibly the best realized, most intriguing of Ms. Ashley's female leads in this series. Like her predecessors, she likes to follow her vampire, but she also stands up for herself, and does not always play the damsel in distress, waiting for her black knight in gleaming midnight armor. Similar themes are addressed with Kathy, as in prior novels in the series, such as the choice between mortality, humanity and never ending love. At points, this question is drawn out somewhat, but overall; Kathy stands out amongst the females in this series. The only exception may be Mara, the Queen of the Vampires. Mara maintains her aura of sensuality and mystery, even as we learn a bit more about her and her place in the vampire world in this book.

Entering Kathy's bookstore after the fall of night, Rafe Cordova also stands out amongst Ms. Ashley's vampires. Our first glimpse of him sets the stage; "he was, in a word, magnificent, from the top of his black-thatched head to the polished tip of his expensive black leather boots." As previously experienced, our author's love of her dark knights comes through yet again and makes Rafe all the more attractive. Rafe holds the reigns of the North American Vampires. This responsibility is granted to him by Mara, as she also appoints the other members of the Cordova and DeLongpre vampire families to other parts of the globe. The additional responsibility given to the character gives him a depth that was lacking in prior leading men; he is concerned not only with protecting and winning the fair maiden, but providing leadership and protection to the Vampires in his area during a time of high tension.

Night's Master sets the scene 73 years or so after Night's Touch. The exposition is very straight forward in the beginning of the novel, setting the stage for a world where most disease has been cured, technology has advanced and the world knows about vampires, werewolves and shapechangers. Kathy decides to relocate to a small Midwestern town, Oak Hollow, to escape the growing problems and dangers associated with the Vampire/Werewolf wars. Unknown to her, Oak Hollow is considered "neutral territory", so it's the first place the Vamps and `Wolves head to, for negotiations between the factions of the war. Rafe walks into Kathy's store, changing her life, and raising her exposure to danger, significantly. They tangle with a reputedly skilled vampire slayer and confront the potential for the elimination of the vampires and the Shapechangers. They find themselves teaming with unlikely allies, and risking much more than just their personal chance at a happily ever after.

The solutions to the problems between the races and the questions about a vampire/human romance come to the reader, all in good time. While at points a little slow, the story is enjoyable. The best part of this novel, as compared to the first two, would have to be the more unique approach to plotting and villain creation. The villains of this piece, a supernatural hunter and his relations, are much more interesting than prior villains in this series. Their goals to annihilate the Supernatural races, combined with the entanglements associated with a human/vampire romance, make for a better paced, enjoyable read. The story has a satisfying ending, and leaves the reader looking forward to the next book, where we'll get a few answers about Rafe's estranged twin brother, Rane. This book is the best in the series, so far, and leaves the reader looking forward to more.

Reviewed at Bitten by Books Paranormal Fiction Review Site by Justine
The Bitten by Books review score for this book was 3.5 Tombstones

This is not her best book. Nothing lined up right for me. The character didn't act believable. The character's had no depth to them. Everything in this book happened quickly and the reactions from the character in the book didn't mesh up. I couldn't stand Kathy. (I love Raphael but I don't want to be with a vampire)

Get this book from your library.

Mankind had finally achieved universal peace until Vampires and Weres each believed they should run the earth so they finally went to war to decide who would rule. Kathy McKenna did not want to get in the crossfire so she left the city for the Midwest town of Oak Hill; unaware that the place is in the neutral demilitarized zone where the two species discuss peace.

Kathy opened a bookstore but it was slow going until Raphael Cordova entered her shop. He leads the North American Vampires and is attracted to Kathy even though she is a mortal. He sends his friends to buy books from her. They go out on a date and she learns Raphael is a vampire who turned as a teen just like his twin brother who no one has heard from in decades. They have a good time together and agree to another date. The next day the Were-tiger Cogin visits her store and invites her on a picnic. She agrees, but his aggressiveness bothers her and the date is a bust. War comes to Oak Hill when the Were kill a Vampire.

Hunter of the supernatural Travis Jackson arrives in town to eradicate the vamp and were infestations. Kathy tells Rafe she would like to marry him, but does not want to become a vamp. He agrees to the status quo. Travis plans to use Kathy as bait to lure Rafe into a trap so they can experiment on turning him back into a human.

The paranormal species seem genuine as does this alternate earth. The romance is well written as forbidden love flows between the lead couple. Although some readers will scoff at Kathy the meek escaping the enemy while Rafe the powerful cannot; fans will enjoy this fine urban romantic fantasy.

Harriet Klausner

I've read all of Amanda Ashley's vampire books and just love them. The characters are always well developed, the romances are very sweet, and the endings are usually unpredictable.

If you're up for a paranormal/vamp romance, but not heavily into actual, highly descriptive sex scenes every few pages, you'll enjoy this book. Lots of high action, with small town, ordinary girl type, Kathy - a bookstore owner - as damsel in distress. The vampire guy - Raphael, "Rafe", whose supposed to be in some type of vamp leadership position, is hot, very tame for a vampire, and has the interesting twist of having been born a vamp rather than turned. This book is part of the "Dark" series, which is sort of like a paranormal family saga. We meet his grandparents, who evidently starred in their own book, and hear a lot about his parents, and his brother, Rane, is featured in Rafe's thoughts and dialog. If you're worried about, Rane's still missing and hasn't communicated with his brother for several decades.
Part of the book, when in Kathy's viewpoint, is written in first person, while Rafe's introspection is written in traditional third person. Wow! Editors don't frown on that anymore? However, the author handled this technique well. I had no problem moving back and forth between the two. The book is overall well written and well plotted.
Its just... Well, the one problem I had, as afore mentioned by other reviewers, Kathy is about as interesting as watching paint dry. She's a little too ordinary, and I don't mean in the Sookie Stackhouse kind of way. I mean, like, her most interesting thoughts can sometimes consist of what she's going to have for breakfast. She has misgivings about dating a vampire (who wouldn't?), and she does ponder these, but not in any way that convinces the reader she's capable of any deeper thought processes. Its more like, this is a book about vampires, and I am a character in this book (even if I don't know how this happened) so this is what I should think. But mostly, she comes back, always, redundantly, to the same conclusion. Basically: I've not had a date since high school, and Hey! He's hot!!!
When Rafe, whose lived three hundred years and seen a lot of hot blondes in his time (nope he didn't say that exactly, but I'm presuming), declares his undying "forever" love for her almost immediately (or at least by the third date), I just had to ask, why? What's the attraction? Nothing's happened so far because she's afraid of vampires and mostly spends the time with him thinking this type of thing in her mind, which he can read, so he takes her home and gives her a chaste kiss before hurrying off for some real action. We're not even told - until later chapters, that he thinks she's pretty, has a hot body, he loves her for her mind - whatever attracts vamp hot guys to milk toast bookstore owners. But then, we're told, at one point, they talked all night. In fact - I think that's the problem with this plot. Almost from the beginning, we're told these two "beings" fall in love, have something special between them that will link them forever, but we're never made to feel any of this. And if you're waiting for hot sex, don't blink, because when they finally do, it fades into some kind of birds chirping and floating on clouds and then suddenly there they are holding each other, and it was good!!! Very good!!!! Its so good they decide to speak marriage vows to each other, even though its been made illegal for humans and vamps to marry. (No problem, bring in the vamp priest, whose obviously been doing this for a while, even though this is worried and mulled over by the characters).
Okay.
As a "leader" of vamps, Rafe more comes off as a sort of teenaged newly-made captain of the football team, looking to the coach (his grandfather) for how-tos. After being captured himself and nearly killed (we aren't told how, so again, I must presume he was way, way out of his vamp league),and his beloved Kathy being captured, the reader is left with the feeling that his protector grandparents, and lovely, oldest vamp godmother, also have a lapse in good sense by vacating their guard posts (during a supposed "war")to trip go visiting in South America. Another disappointing plot twist - at a crucial point, cool, calm Rafe decides to get pissed off and pouty because Kathy (for the millionth time) thinks thoughts that she has misgivings about him being a vampire again. Guess I was getting a little tired of it too, but still. He goes off and leaves her while the bad "guys" (I'll be careful of the terminology here to avoid spoilers)are actively trying to hunt her down, and he knows they are, all those this doesn't come up in his third-person thoughts. You just have to ad-lib: So Kathy, you don't want to marry a vampire (or be one), so take that, right? Too bad I can't protect you anymore, and I think I'll just act out what you already think of me, which is a murdering bloodsucker, etc. Even though I've seemed about as "dark" to this point as an undead choirboy...
Anyhow, please please don't think I think this book is not worth reading for some. Its just not for everyone. Like those who don't like sugar in their coffee. Or cream. If you love sweet romance, and shudder at too much explicit description of sex (we don't even have any heaving breasts here, or burgeoning, hard... Well, you know), this is a good read. Again - Rafe is hot (check out the hottie on the cover - yum!). He's even hot enough for Kathy to be glad she ditched the knee-high hose,came home from church early, etc.
***P.S., I did not get how church, and marriage in a church, was okay, but Holy Water burns him like "hell fire", but, okay...
This book is a solid "3" for those who wanted Rafe to throw Kathy against the bookshelf in the shop and have some wicked, preternatural vampire sex by chapter two, and a "4" for those who shudder delicately at the thought. (I'll say, I won't avoid Amanda Ashley at the used bookstore, but I will read the back blurb to be sure I'll like the plot without anything else to smoke me).
...Can I just say too, in the book's favor, she let him bite her way, way, way before she let him remove the granny panties? So there you go. That part was pretty hot. If you can get the big "O" from necking, why be in a hurry to go for the more messy, icky methods, right? Necking... That's what Kathy called it...

Why did I bother reading "Night's Master" by Amanda Ashley? Well, the only reason I did is I got it for free. I've read several of her paranormal vampire romances & haven't found a "winner" yet. When I read an Amanda Ashley vampire book, I now know what I'm in for...a reluctant heroine who struggles with falling in love with a vampire because he's a vampire...mixed with too much religion (every heroine from an AA book that I can recall has been an uber religious Christian. I guess Buddhists, Jews, Atheists, etc...aren't as attractive to her vamps! lol). I don't mind religion in fiction (being an Anglican myself), but I do mind when I feel I'm on the receiving end of a sermon. Why write about vampires as the main love interests then have moments where it's preached about how "evil" they are? Sooo irritating! Anyway, back to the book. I found Kathy just so grating on the nerves...why a gorgeous, charming, and worldly man like Raphael would fall for Ms. Bug Up Her A$$ is beyond my comprehension. Kathy falls in love (eventually) with Raphael but doesn't like the fact that he's a vampire. To me, it's like falling in love with someone then disliking them over something they cannot help nor change. Irritated yet? I sure was.

No offense this book was crap. I hated the heroine of this book with all the stupid question she asked. And even after she married him she was still scared. Then the chemistry lacked between them all they did was (I believe she call it necking on the couch the whole time, what are they fifteen). Then when they got to the sex scene I had to read it again because I didn't realized they had one until the end when she claimed she was drained of energy. I hate first person and rarely read them, it's some authors who can pull it off but a lot of authors can not, and i am one of those people who once I start reading a book I have to finish it no matter how bad definitely if I paid for it
:-(

I could tell this book was going to be a snore by the second chapter. I had to literally force myself though the book and the only reason I read it all was because I wanted to give it a fair review. The plt was boring and mundane. The heroine, Kathy, was so plain and boring that I found it impossible for anyone, including a possesive, brooding vampire, to have any interest in her. It's rare that I can say a book was so bad that I could have written it better myself.