By the description given, I thought this was going to be more of a DaVinci Code type of novel.

Spoiler Alert: If I had known that this was a vampire story, I would not have read it. By the time I figured out what this was actually about, I had read about 1/3 of the book. Since it was written fairly well, I decided to finish reading it. However, I will not continue reading the other books in the series. All that being said, many readers obviously liked this book quite a bit, so if you like vampire stories, you might like this story too.

As a reader and book lover, I always enjoy books whose characters reflect that same love and passion. Aside from that shared commonality with the characters, it also made A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter a different kind of paranormal read from what I’ve read before.

There’s a certain energy usually expected in a paranormal book that tells you danger and tension, both of the dramatic and sexual kind, is just around the corner along with those that goes bump in the night. While these elements (no pun intended) exists in this book, they vary from the usual fare due to the different energy/vibe that this book has. It was set from the first couple of pages where the main players, Beatrice and Giovanni, were introduced to the readers in a library. From then on, the story carried a steady and quiet tone. Now that may not sound exciting on face value, but it manages to keep you engaged in the story. This unique tone helped create a mysterious aura originating from Giovanni, who he is, what is his story and purpose and the inevitable consequence of Beatrice associating with him. This all enabled Hunter to write a character driven book which in turn created drama and tension that eventually helped set up the action towards the latter half of the book.

I really enjoyed how Hunter established Giovanni and Beatrice’s characters and their relationship. All too often I’ve read books (not necessarily just of the paranormal genre) in which there wasn’t enough time focusing on character development and was quick to form the relationship. However, Hunter basically spent the majority of the book focused on who Giovanni and Beatrice was and letting their relationship develop from friendship to love. I loved how these two people shared a passion and appreciation for books. It not only provided a common ground for our couple, but truly endeared themselves and the book to me. In Beatrice, it created a female lead that was smart and witty with a knack for spitting out some great one-liners and comebacks. With Giovanni, you got a cerebral, well-spoken vampire who carries a dangerous streak underneath the “hot professor” persona. Their relationship carries a tension that we’ve come to expect from stories such as theirs but I appreciated how understated it was without all the histrionics to along with the credible complications that exists between them.

Earlier I mentioned that Hunter’s book was a unique paranormal read. While there were familiar aspects, as whole this was a different reading experience. I really enjoyed the focus on books and written literature from the characters and the plot. Being the first book of her Elemental Mysteries series, Hunter did a great job of establishing the foundation of her characters, backstory, and plot which would be carried onto the next book of the series, This Same Earth (yes, this book does end in a semi-cliffhanger). While this book doesn’t have the “boom” factor of other paranormal reads, Hunter’s understated and steady story is just as engaging and dramatic and will surely get better as you continue on in the series. Plus, who wouldn’t like a sexy scholarly sort of vampire that can wield fire and literally keep you warm through a cold night?

>Book Review – Hidden Fire –

>I am an independent reviewer. This is the first book in the Elemental Mysteries series and ends with everything up in the air. Gio is a vampire searching for books stolen from him 500 years prior. While he is in a college library, he meets senior, Beatrice. Beatrice loves old books and is drawn to Gio.

>This book is a romantic mystery. Book lovers will enjoy the descriptions of the various libraries and the contents. The descriptions are so vivid, one could actually smell the old books. Beatrice ends up working for Gio part time as his research assistant. The pull they have towards each other is made even more tense due to the blood lust Gio has towards Beatrice. The mystery unfolds, revealing people who aren’t what they seem and ties to Beatrice’s deceased father.

>The story is heartbreaking in spots, Beatrice is unsure of Gio’s motivation. Her healing and Gio’s trust in her is beautiful. There aren’t any sex scenes in this book, but the tension is there and the story is very romantic. The action scenes are anything goes due to the paranormal elements, which make the scenes even more exciting. The relationship between Gio and Beatrice is not cemented by the end of the book, nor is the main threat extinguished. I cannot wait to see where the author is going with these characters. Beatice wants a normal life. Gio wants a normal life for her, but they both want the other, as well.

>This story is appropriate for a young adult to adult audience (18+). I am giving this book 5 stars.

A Hidden Fire (Elemental Mysteries) was a total shock, I bought this unassuming book for 99 cents and since it sounded like a decent mystery I grabbed it. This was NOT a hastily thrown together bit of fluff. As it turned out is was a mystery at its core wrapped around a deep story of love, desire and noble intentions. The growth of the relationships here are perfect and the actions and paranormal nuances are just enough to add to the story and not the "vampire love fest" I have seen in many recent novels. This is a slow evolving romance that can't really come to fruition because of the circumstances surrounding them (the crux of the mystery they are working on). I have read nothing like it since possibly Master of Crows which shared its slow developing romance and a hero you could not be sure if you like or hated for much of the beginning chapters. This is a top shelf reading experience and if you like good writing and multifaceted characters (who will most likely get fleshed even more in subsequent books) this is a steal of a book at any price.

UPDATE: I bought and read the other 3 books in the series and can say without any hesitation that this was possibly THE best series of 2011/12. Amazing story.