A Taste for Blood [Paperback]

Diana Lee (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2003

Ryan was born when Vikings raided the British coast and the clans of Scotland feuded with blood lust. Raped, killed and reborn as a vampire at the tender age of sixteen, she is now over eight hundred years old. Over the centuries, Ryan has ravaged the lives of many helpless victims, and now she has risen to a position of power and influence in Victorian-era Scotland. In her years she has loved many women, but none have so touched her life as those descended from her first lover, Carissa - a girl on the edge of womanhood. Lee's prose is as gripping as it is erotically charged.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Captivating ... Rich and Intricate.... The vampires in this book seem so much more human--with faults and loves, fears and revenge, desires and wants--they are not the usual caricature fare. They are richly alive and wantonly alluring and they will have you, at the end, begging for more."

Product Details

• Paperback: 382 pages
• Publisher: Harrington Park Press; 1 edition (October 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 156023461X
• ISBN-13: 978-1560234616
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,277,650 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lesbian Vampires, Hunting, Alliances, Blood & Eroticism..., August 26, 2004

By 

. "hansendesigns" (rutgers, n. brunswick, NJ usa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Taste for Blood (Paperback)

Diana Lee has produced a Victorian Vampire novel for those interested in the Lesbian and S&M set. This book has no lack of sex, multiple commitments, and pain as pleasure (and pain as pain). Lee's writing improves as the chapters go by. The story is heavy on the butch/femme dynamic, but the roles each character evinces aren't stringent. If any of this sounds in the least bit interesting, give this book a shot- especially if rough girl -on- girl action, the hunt, blood & eroticism, and/or butch/femme roleplaying are your thing. I found it interesting enough to read in one evening, even though the power play stuff isn't really my usual fare. My only peeve is the cemented shut ending. I would have liked it more open or even left to the imagination (in which case it would have been begging for a sequel)- but buy it, read it, and let me know if you agree or not....

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Strong women, great sex, June 21, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: A Taste for Blood (Paperback)

Diana Lee's book takes off where Ann Rice leaves off presenting us with two strong, lesbian vampires. Ryan is an 800-year-old stone butch who was born when the Vikings were raiding the Saxon cost and the clan lords of her native Scotland were fight feuds whose causes were long forgotten. One night as Ryan fleas from her fate as a treaty bride she meets her doom, and a life of betrayal and pain. She strives to become less then the monster she was intended to be by then vampire he shaped her into the tool of his vengeance.

Carissa was born into the Victorian age where women didn't even have the right to own property and their identities were defined by their husbands. She too rejects the groom chosen for her by her parents. A woman of conscience, she strives to be more then the chattel society defines her as. Ryan offers her a new kind of life, but with a price she may note be able to pay.

Lee's characters are rich, and I found myself drawn into their lives and conflicts. The sex is steamy while fitting into an intricately woven plot. This perhaps isn't a book for the Ann Rice purest, but it is for those who enjoy a strong, fast moving plot coupled with good erotica.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Lesbian erotica at its best, March 22, 2004

By 

Alisa McCune (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Taste for Blood (Paperback)

A Taste for Blood is lesbian erotica at its best. This book is not for the faint at heart as the sex is very explicit. It is a refreshing look at vampirism.

Ryan is an 800-year-old vampire with an amazing history. She currently masquerades as the mysterious Lord Wolf, a Scottish noble. Ryan dresses and acts as a man to allow her to function in the male dominated 1800s. Ryan has a very long history with the descendants of her first love, Bryn. Carissa, a descendant of Bryn, becomes Ryan's companion, lover, and vampire child. As the story progresses, Ryan's history catches up with her. All her secrets are revealed and Carissa is the ultimate price in her game for revenge.

While I would not generally recommend this book due to the explicit sex, it was very well written. Ryan is a very powerful, intelligent, cunning protagonist. Her story takes us on a journey from the Celts of the twelfth century, to the royal court of thirteenth century France, and finally to Scotland of the 1800s. Each auxiliary character is involved in the plot intimately. The primary focus of the book is female orientated, but men are included. Heterosexual men are generally weak or evil with a few exceptions. The book is interlaced with mystery and erotic tales.

Diana Lee is the author of numerous novels and textbooks. She has been published by numerous magazines and is the editor by NOLOSNE News, the quarterly publication of the National Organization for Lesbians of Size.