SNAP: The World Unfolds [Kindle Edition]

Michele Drier (Author), Jenny Rosenberg (Illustrator)

Book Description

SNAP, a multinational celeb TV show and magazine, is the holy grail for Maxie Gwenoch. When she snags the job as managing editor, she's looking for fame, fortune and Jimmy Choos. What she finds is a media empire owned by Baron Kandesky and his family. A family of vampires. They're European, urbane, wealthy and mesmerizing. And when she meets Jean-Louis, vampire and co-worker, she's a goner.

The Kandesky vampire family rose in Hungary centuries ago. They gave up violence and killing to make a killing on the world's commodities markets and with that beginning they built SNAP, an international celebrity multimedia empire. Now cultured...and having found food substitutes for killing...they’ve cornered the world market for celebrity and gossip journalism.

They haven't fully left the past behind. Their Hungarian neighbors and rival vampire clan, the Huszars are starting to ramp up attacks, maybe looking to start a war to take over all the Kandeskys have built.

Maxie believes she's found her ultimate career. She doesn't realize that she's found a family feud like none other, a centuries-old rivalry between vampire families, with her as the linchpin. Bells ring with Jean-Louis, but she doesn’t realize they’re alarm sirens until she learns that Jean-Louis is second in command of the Kandeskys...but by then it's too late.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Four Stars" - The Paranormal Romance Guild

"I think any vampire story lover should go right over to Amazon and buy this book right now.  This story had me hooked from page one until the very end and I can't wait to find out what happens with Maxie next.  Will I read more by this author?  You betcha, trust me I have the next book already queued up on my list and waiting to be bought!"
Stitch - Read - Cook

"One thing I really enjoyed about the book is that the author has crafted a very rich history for the vampire families. The way she's brought these people through the centuries seems not only plausible, but likely."
ePublish A Book"

"The story line was great...enjoyed Maxie's character and Jean-Louis is a great partner for her.  I will keep my eyes open for SNAP: New Talent in 2012."
Paranormal Romance Party

4 Stars. ..." looking forward to reading the rest of the series ..."   My Book Addiction Reviews

About the Author

I was born in Santa Cruz, California to a family that migrated west to San Francisco in 1849. Unfortunately, they never found gold, nor did they buy (and hang onto) any California land. My mother named me Michael, after author and actress Blanche Oelrichs, who wrote under the name of Michael Strange. After months of saying, "Yes, she's a girl. Yes, her name is Michael," my mother finally caved and I became "Michele." I was read to as a child, and needed always to have a book with me. My maternal grandmother belonged to a writing club in San Francisco in the early part of the 20th century and wrote poems and jingles--one of which won her a travel trailer during the Depression. I've lived in San Francisco, the Bay Area, the Central Valley, the Sierra, Southern California and the North Coast. My first career was in journalism, and I spent seven years as a staff writer with the San Jose Mercury News. After returning to Humboldt State University to complete school and work on a master's, I fell into my second career, as a non-profit administrator.I spent time as a reporter and editor for daily papers in California. I was the city, metro and executive editor for daily newspapers in California's Central Valley and managed non-profit agencies, including a legal organization serving roughly 10,000 senior citizens in Alameda County. I'm a member of the Society of California Pioneers and Sisters in Crime and live in California's Central Valley with a cat, skunks, wild turkeys and an opossum (only the cat gets to come in the house).

Product Details

• File Size: 389 KB
• Print Length: 213 pages
• Publisher: Michele Drier (July 1, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0059K50D8
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #124,939 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Not well developed July 2, 2012

By Christina

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Putting aside the TERRIBLE formatting and abundance of typos, the plot itself left a lot of holes. There wasn't a lot of character development and it left me with more questions than answers. The premise that a woman would be so dumbstruck by a man that she simply accepts that vampires, demons, werewolves, etc, exist without much questioning does not sit well with me. Also, the main character is very annoying at times and (I'm not sure how old she is) hardly acts like a senior level executive in terms of her maturity. She is very childish, but so are a lot of the other characters. It is almost as if they are teenagers trying to act like adults. The other vampire characters are not given a strong introduction, which left me constantly trying to remember who is who. I still couldn't remember some of the characters by the end of the book.

The book also discusses demons quite a bit, but never tells us their origin (are they born, created like vampires, cursed, etc). This is also a problem when werewolves and feral pigs are introduced. I feel like there should have been more time spent on developing a background for this other world, rather than spending so much time telling us about SNAP enterprises and how it was developed. I can only hope that the next book in the series goes further into this, but I will definitely not be wasting my time with it.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Good Read December 21, 2011

By Bernadine Chapman

Format:Kindle Edition

When Maxie Gwenoch, a respected editor who tracks `jet set celebrities', accepts a position as managing editor of SNAP, she find herself drawn into an unfamiliar arena filled with fame, fortune, vampires and a centuries old feud. Swept off her feet by the debonair Jean-Louis, who works in dim lighting with shades drawn and travels under the cover of night, will the editor succumb to his beguiling mysterious charms?

Through the use of vivid word imagery, the reader follows the heroine step by step as she journeys between a world she knows and one she finds unfamiliar yet intriguing. You are there every step of the way, experiencing the sights, sounds and sensations throughout SNAP's pages.

The author plays fair with her audience. A generous sprinkling of clues in the form of steak tartre, Russian Red lipstick, a Hungarian castle where the luxuries of old-world society are commonplace and unconventional happenings set the scene for a decision that will affect a woman's life ever after.

Will Maxie trade her familiar life of stability to follow her heart for a chance at everlasting love that only lies in the darkness of the unknown?

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't finish it. March 15, 2013

By Theresa H Brandt

Format:Kindle Edition

I got 60% of the way into this 'novel' according to my e-reader. The story started off reasonably well with Maxi as a sought after managing editor of a 'People' type entertainment reporting empire. It rapidly devolves into a clunky, cumbersome story about rival vampire families who are fighting over her because of her business acumen. I think.

Mix in her attraction to Jean-Louis who is simultaneously her employee and her boss (Yeah, yeah, I know...it barely made sense to me too) and you have the beginnings of a 'who cares' relationship.

Shoddy editing and an inch deep plot left me cold. This is the first offering in a series? No thanks.

More About the Author

I was born in Santa Cruz, California to a family that migrated west to San Francisco in 1849. Unfortunately, they never found gold, nor did they buy (and hang onto) any California land. My mother named me Michael, after author and actress Blanche Oelrichs, who wrote under the name of Michael Strange. After months of saying, "Yes, she's a girl. Yes, her name is Michael," my mother finally caved and I became "Michele." I was read to as a child, and needed always to have a book with me. My maternal grandmother belonged to a writing club in San Francisco in the early part of the 20th century and wrote poems and jingles--one of which won her a travel trailer during the Depression. I've lived in San Francisco, the Bay Area, the Central Valley, the Sierra, Southern California and the North Coast. My first career was in journalism, and I spent seven years as a staff writer with the San Jose Mercury News. After returning to Humboldt State University to complete school and work on a master's, I fell into my second career, as a non-profit administrator.I spent time as a reporter and editor for daily papers in California. I was the city, metro and executive editor for daily newspapers in California's Central Valley and managed non-profit agencies, including a legal organization serving roughly 10,000 senior citizens in Alameda County. I'm a member of the Society of California Pioneers and Sisters in Crime and live in California's Central Valley with a cat, skunks, wild turkeys and an opossum (only the cat gets to come in the house).

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

(What's this?)

#71 in Books > Romance > Fantasy & Futuristic

#73 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Fantasy

#91 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy

#71 in Books > Romance > Fantasy & Futuristic

#73 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Fantasy

#91 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy