Customer Reviews

Vampire in Denial, a YA Paranormal Romance (Family Blood Ties)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
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Originally reviewed at Reading the Paranormal - [...]

Oh, book! You were so FUN! I was getting all tense and worried about how poor Tessa was going to prove herself and it was exciting and I desperately wanted her to realize that her tangled up feelings about a certain someone were not all brotherly. But, but...why did you leave me hanging on such a cliffhanger?!?! I MUST KNOW what's going to happen to her!

In most ways, Tessa is an average teenage girl. Her parents don't really understand her, she feels like she's caught between two worlds and she's not sure if the boy she likes likes her back. The fact that she's a vampire who's literally caught between two worlds doesn't change any of that. Her parents really don't have a clue how hard it is for her, a genetic throwback, and no one in her family understands that how the full-blood vampires treat her like a stupid little girl.

All in all, this was a fun, fast read with a girl who definitely came into her own as the story progressed. I thought Cody and his slow revelations about Tessa were adorable. I like how her mother rose up to defend Tessa once things were brought to her attention. I like that Tessa wasn't willing to abandon a friend, even if he was "only human".

I can only guess as to where the next book in this story is heading but I'm DYING to read it now. DYING, Dale Mayer. DYING!

I'm not normally a fan of vampire stories, but I've read several of Dale Mayer's books and thought, why not. I'm so glad I did. This is not a typical YA nor a typical vampire book. It sits on it's own platform called unique. The characters are well written and by the end, I was rooting for them to succeed. I cared. And for me, that is unusual. Tessa is a spunky teen who fights to help her friend, believing he was one of the few she had in the world. By the end of the story, she's earned the respect and friendship of many more - vampire friends, something she'd never had before.

The story portends of a great war coming, reminding me of the fantasy saga books I read. It's a terrific start to a new series and the shocking cliff hanger at the end really sets it apart!

I have yet to read one of Dale Mayer's books and not come away hoping she'll write more. Her stories are fast, plot driven escapes that are well worth the time. Try this book and you'll be hooked - just like I am.

This is the first novel of Dale Mayer's that I have read. I read a lot of fantasy, but never YA - until now. I'm not sure what makes a book YA versus adult, but this book crosses into my favorite list!

Tessa is a reluctant vampire, until her 'human' friend is kidnapped by her own kind. Determined to do right by him, she first goes against her family's wishes, then when that doesn't get the desired result, she rallies a group of vampire friends to find her friend. She learns what she can do, and what she can't do in this start of a war of vampire against vampire, with humans being the casualty.

I really enjoyed this book. It surprised me because I was expecting a young woman's story, but was pleasantly surprised to find the story had depth, characterization and action that rivaled some of my favorite fantasy books. I highly recommend this book for all ages and any one who enjoys the many facets of fantasy. I'd never have said that this book would become a favorite...but it has!

Tessa isn't your normal vamp but she is your typical teenage girl. She's sorting through a lot as she uncovers who's responsible for her friend's kidnapping and leads a group of vampires (who she'd never thought would listen to her) to rescue this friend. In the process she realizes she's more vampire than she thought with skills and talents that surprise her. Who wouldn't want that?

I love a good vampire story and especially when the vamp in question isn't cool or confident. No matter what age, we all want to fit in, but what happens when you're not accepted at school or at home? Coming to terms with who and what you are is daunting.

Dale Mayer does a good job of keeping Tessa's conflicts and her reactions to those conflicts realistic and enjoyable at the same time. A unique vampire story, VID is also a coming-of-age story we can all relate to.

Vampire in Denial by Dale Mayer is a delightfully different addition to the teen vamp paranormal genre. Can't wait for the sequel.

Ms. Mayer had sent me an email asking if I would like to review her work. I took a look at it and thought what the heck, what do I have to lose? As soon as I received the ecopy, I started reading. I have a bad habit of reading the first chapter of books to see if I get hooked or not. Of course, this one hooked me and I had to keep reading til the end.

I love vampire stories! I can never get tired of them and yes! (call me a dork!) I LOVE Twilight! So, as soon as I start reading anything with a vampire theme, I am sucked in. This book did exactly what I expected it to do...engrossed me into the story. I loved the little twist that was given to your typical vampire story. You had the not being able to go out in sunlight, but these vampires lived among humans and had their own separate schools and night-time activities. Except, of course for our lovely leading lady, whom is half vampire, half human.

Tess is a great female lead. Very strong-willed and would not give up. Even when she was told that she wasn't fast enough or strong enough, she was not going to give in! Cody is also amazing and I love reading about the relationship between him and Tessa. It was fun to see how Tessa just blossomed right before Cody's eyes and it was like he was just seeing her for the first time.

As you all are aware of already, I like reading books with a couple different points of view. We get to see three different POV's in this book and I absolutely loved it!

Okay, that ending was a total cliffhanger and a shocker! Just when you thought it would be safe and actually, I was expecting an intimate moment between Tessa and Cody. But instead...WHAMO...the end!!! Apparently this is only book one in a series called The Blood Ties Series. I am super excited to know when book 2 will arrive and hoping that maybe I can review that one also!

Highly recommended book for the Vampire lover in all of us! Thanks to Dale Mayer for introducing me to this wacky cast of characters and a great new series!!!

The main character, Tessa, is 16 years old and a member of a powerful vampire family, but she also has a lot of human characteristics that separate her from her mom, dad, and brothers. This causes her family to severely miscalculate her abilities and also causes her to underestimate herself. She finds it easier to try and fit in with her human friends; that is until a group of vampires kidnap her crush, Jared. She really steps up to the plate at that point because she knows that most vampires look down on humans and see them as little better than animals. She certainly surprised me with her conviction, since at the beginning she didn't want much to do with her vampire traits, but she knew she needed to embrace them to save Jared. She not only showed her family just how strong she was but also discovered that she was more extraordinary than any of them thought. I loved seeing her become more confident and gain more respect, especially from her father. Their relationship at first was rocky, but it strengthens greatly over the course of the book; when she finally fully embraces who she is, they are able to bond over it, which was exactly what she needed to finally feel like she belonged in her family.

I assumed that Jared would be her love interest throughout the entire story, but I was wrong. Her feelings for him get the action rolling, but in the process of searching for him she becomes closer with her brother's best friend, Cody. With her new-found self-confidence, they see each other in a different light, but unfortunately with all of the chaos they aren't able to explore their blossoming feelings. The chemistry is definitely there, however, and I look forward to seeing what develops in the next book.

This book managed to stand out amongst the plethora of vampire novels out there. I liked how vampires had different abilities and how some of them, like Tessa, seemed more human than vampire (i.e. could be out in the daylight, didn't crave blood). It added a bunch of new dimensions to the world and I'm liking where the series is going.

This really was a great read. I was entirely able to relate with Tessa and enjoyed watching her change throughout the story. Just a warning, the author leaves us with one heck of a cliffhanger, so I can only hope that the next book comes out soon!

I wouldn't admit to reading much in the way of YA books, but this one was recommended to me by a friend who knew that I'd enjoyed Mayer's adult suspense books. At first I thought of all that teenage angst YA books seem to be full of and I couldn't go there. Then he mentioned blood banks, blood curdling suspense with horror and I was in.

Sure, Tessa is young, but she grows up quickly as her friend is kidnapped by rogue vampires. She's got spine and learns to temper defiance with respect and learns to make allies of her family and friends. This book reminds me of the many fantasy sagas I've read where the war is ongoing as we follow characters through several books. Ending on a hook like this one does, I hope means that book 2 is coming out soon! I'm ready and waiting!