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maniikoi's review
4.0
Shadow of the Vampire was a very thrilling story full or dark, intense, and sparking passion. The story was full of everything that makes a good romance novel. It had dark times, intimate bond between the couple. And what made everything better? The story was about mythical creatures: Vampires and Dragons.
I have always loved romance novels, and love paranormal romance even more. I practically seek paranormal romance novels out! When I found this book at my local book store market place, I was so happy. What could be more better than a romance novel of a relationship so sparking, so tangling, and so intense, that you know isn't meant to be? I thought it was going to be a love story that was doomed to end is a heart wrenching sadness, I am glad that wasn’t the case in this one.
The case of this couple are so shocking and revealing, it’ll knock your socks off. I couldn’t believe it. When you first think about it, how can Dragons be with a Vampire? It isn’t meant to be. In the story, after all, they are enemies. Who would have ever thought it? Well I’m glad Meagan Hatfield did.
I absolutely loved this story to bits. I couldn’t put the book down. The suspense was killing me at ever turn of the page. It just pulled me in and I couldn’t stop reading. The only thing I felt off about, was the ending. The story seems incomplete. With everything that came leading up to the end where Alexia kills Lotharus, and the search for Yuri’s daughter, it ended just like that for me. It went by to fate and I found that the story shouldn’t have finished where it did like that. The ending left off as thought there was to be a sequel, (and maybe there is but I haven’t looked yet). If there is a sequel to this story, I know I’ll be reading it for sure.
I have always loved romance novels, and love paranormal romance even more. I practically seek paranormal romance novels out! When I found this book at my local book store market place, I was so happy. What could be more better than a romance novel of a relationship so sparking, so tangling, and so intense, that you know isn't meant to be? I thought it was going to be a love story that was doomed to end is a heart wrenching sadness, I am glad that wasn’t the case in this one.
The case of this couple are so shocking and revealing, it’ll knock your socks off. I couldn’t believe it. When you first think about it, how can Dragons be with a Vampire? It isn’t meant to be. In the story, after all, they are enemies. Who would have ever thought it? Well I’m glad Meagan Hatfield did.
I absolutely loved this story to bits. I couldn’t put the book down. The suspense was killing me at ever turn of the page. It just pulled me in and I couldn’t stop reading. The only thing I felt off about, was the ending. The story seems incomplete. With everything that came leading up to the end where Alexia kills Lotharus, and the search for Yuri’s daughter, it ended just like that for me. It went by to fate and I found that the story shouldn’t have finished where it did like that. The ending left off as thought there was to be a sequel, (and maybe there is but I haven’t looked yet). If there is a sequel to this story, I know I’ll be reading it for sure.
lisajo85's review
4.0
Meagan Hatfield's novel is an amazing story of power, betrayal, and passion, with a cast of emotionally driven characters. Hatfield has created her own paranormal Romeo and Juliet by crafting a tale about two people destined to be together, yet everything and everyone working to tear them apart.
Shadow of the Vampire is the story of two facets of power...Declan as King of the Dragons and Alexia as Princess to the vampires. Both are fighting for a crystal with supernatural powers. The vampires and the dragons believe this crystal is a source of the ultimate control and power of their universe. When the dragons finally get the crystal in there control Declan is kidnaped by the vampires. Alexia wishes for Declan to reveal the location of the crystal, but she will only go so far to obtain it. Her mother’s consort, Lotharus, isn’t so benevolent and has no limits on the torture he will put the dragon through until the location of the crystal is revealed.
Declan is prepared to die in his prison, vowing to never reveal the location of the crystal. Alexia on the other hand, is facing an inner struggle with all the events taking place around her. She doesn’t trust Lotharus, and worries he is plotting a takeover to be ruler of the Vampires. Meanwhile, her mother is suffering bouts of amnesia and becoming very ill. Alexia’s ascension to be Queen of the Vampires is days away, and despite all of this, she still find herself drawn to the dragon lord, her sworn enemy.
In the writing world of everything paranormal, dragons are one species that is not very popular. So the setup of a vampire and a dragon was a concept that brought something new and original and was very enjoyable. In most paranormal series, you are familiar with the vampires, the shapeshifters and other creatures of lore, but rarely get to see into the world of dragons. With that being said, not only were the dragons enjoyable to read about but their King Declan, was a perfect hero. He was a passionate strong man, who you knew immediately would be impossible to break. He didn’t want the crystal for power, but rather to keep it safe and hopefully work towards a time of peace with the vampires. His heart is always in the right place as were his priorities. Declan always values the lives of his people before himself.
“So, you’re telling me you choose to be shackled in a hovel of a dungeon? And for what? To die as some martyr to a cause no one will remember?”
“No, I sit, shackled in a dungeon, surrounded by the corpses of my kin, for the slight spark of hope that my sacrifice can make a difference. That our kind still has a place in this modern world.” Her gaze softened and he made an effort to strip the harsh tone from his voice. “If I don’t believe that, then the future of dragon, vampire, man alike will be different and perhaps wiped out forever. That is something I will not allow to take place as long as I draw breath on this earth.”
Alexia is very similar to Declan in all the right ways. She is a strong, passionate female who is trying to learn the best ways she can help her people when she becomes Queen. Lotharus has hurt Alexia in the past, so she can sympathize with Declan as a prisoner and victim of Lortharus’ wrath. She sees what her mother’s lover is becoming and knows she wants nothing to do with it...knows that is not the way to rule her people. She is a smart, intelligent Princess who see beyond the lies to the truth.
Alone, Alexia and Declan are strong but together they are unstoppable. Their story is the odd version of Romeo and Juliet. These two people who are forbidden to be together, but don’t know if they can stand to be apart. They both have duties to their people, their history and yet they must decide where their hearts really lie. Their story was both passionate and heartbreaking. You go on this roller coaster ride of emotions with them, hoping for the best outcome. There are twists and turns, with a few surprises along the way, and you will enjoy every minute of it.
Overall, the book was a great read. The beginning was a bit slow, but about 50 pages in, the book really picks up and doesn’t stop. So whatever you do, don’t quit on this book. Invest into the first few chapters and you will be rewarded by the time you reach the last page. If you are a fan of paranormal romance, you cannot go wrong with Shadow of A Vampire. If you're looking for a new world, with new brilliant characters, this is the book for you. Her secondary characters made quiet an impression, so I look forward to reading their stories in the future.
Overall Rating: 4/5
Heat Level: 4/5
Lisa@ Once Upon A Chapter
Shadow of the Vampire is the story of two facets of power...Declan as King of the Dragons and Alexia as Princess to the vampires. Both are fighting for a crystal with supernatural powers. The vampires and the dragons believe this crystal is a source of the ultimate control and power of their universe. When the dragons finally get the crystal in there control Declan is kidnaped by the vampires. Alexia wishes for Declan to reveal the location of the crystal, but she will only go so far to obtain it. Her mother’s consort, Lotharus, isn’t so benevolent and has no limits on the torture he will put the dragon through until the location of the crystal is revealed.
Declan is prepared to die in his prison, vowing to never reveal the location of the crystal. Alexia on the other hand, is facing an inner struggle with all the events taking place around her. She doesn’t trust Lotharus, and worries he is plotting a takeover to be ruler of the Vampires. Meanwhile, her mother is suffering bouts of amnesia and becoming very ill. Alexia’s ascension to be Queen of the Vampires is days away, and despite all of this, she still find herself drawn to the dragon lord, her sworn enemy.
In the writing world of everything paranormal, dragons are one species that is not very popular. So the setup of a vampire and a dragon was a concept that brought something new and original and was very enjoyable. In most paranormal series, you are familiar with the vampires, the shapeshifters and other creatures of lore, but rarely get to see into the world of dragons. With that being said, not only were the dragons enjoyable to read about but their King Declan, was a perfect hero. He was a passionate strong man, who you knew immediately would be impossible to break. He didn’t want the crystal for power, but rather to keep it safe and hopefully work towards a time of peace with the vampires. His heart is always in the right place as were his priorities. Declan always values the lives of his people before himself.
“So, you’re telling me you choose to be shackled in a hovel of a dungeon? And for what? To die as some martyr to a cause no one will remember?”
“No, I sit, shackled in a dungeon, surrounded by the corpses of my kin, for the slight spark of hope that my sacrifice can make a difference. That our kind still has a place in this modern world.” Her gaze softened and he made an effort to strip the harsh tone from his voice. “If I don’t believe that, then the future of dragon, vampire, man alike will be different and perhaps wiped out forever. That is something I will not allow to take place as long as I draw breath on this earth.”
Alexia is very similar to Declan in all the right ways. She is a strong, passionate female who is trying to learn the best ways she can help her people when she becomes Queen. Lotharus has hurt Alexia in the past, so she can sympathize with Declan as a prisoner and victim of Lortharus’ wrath. She sees what her mother’s lover is becoming and knows she wants nothing to do with it...knows that is not the way to rule her people. She is a smart, intelligent Princess who see beyond the lies to the truth.
Alone, Alexia and Declan are strong but together they are unstoppable. Their story is the odd version of Romeo and Juliet. These two people who are forbidden to be together, but don’t know if they can stand to be apart. They both have duties to their people, their history and yet they must decide where their hearts really lie. Their story was both passionate and heartbreaking. You go on this roller coaster ride of emotions with them, hoping for the best outcome. There are twists and turns, with a few surprises along the way, and you will enjoy every minute of it.
Overall, the book was a great read. The beginning was a bit slow, but about 50 pages in, the book really picks up and doesn’t stop. So whatever you do, don’t quit on this book. Invest into the first few chapters and you will be rewarded by the time you reach the last page. If you are a fan of paranormal romance, you cannot go wrong with Shadow of A Vampire. If you're looking for a new world, with new brilliant characters, this is the book for you. Her secondary characters made quiet an impression, so I look forward to reading their stories in the future.
Overall Rating: 4/5
Heat Level: 4/5
Lisa@ Once Upon A Chapter
butterfliezzinstead's review
3.0
3.25 stars. Nice, pretty simple and predictable plot.
Only 5-6 steamy scenes, going into the book I feared there gonna be more but it was fine :)
Only 5-6 steamy scenes, going into the book I feared there gonna be more but it was fine :)
amshofner's review
4.0
Original review: http://onabookbender.com/2011/09/12/review-shadow-of-the-vampire-by-meagan-hatfield/
Dragons! I heart dragons. Shadow of the Vampire was definitely character driven. The connection and attraction between Declan and Alexia was pretty darn all-consuming, and overshadowed (heh) some negative things I could say like, there wasn’t a lot of world building or I never fully got a handle of the surroundings of the characters or everything happened so fast. But in the end, I focused on Declan and Alexia and that’s all you need to do.
Tara was definitely right: there was not a cliffhanger. But you can also tell that there are more books to be had, which is okay. I don’t mind when books wrap up the main story line but leave a few threads open for future books. And although it doesn’t appear that Shadow of the Vampire is part of a series (i.e., it doesn’t have a series label anywhere that I could find), it does appear that there are other books out there that feature characters that appeared in this book.
Even though Shadow of the Vampire wasn’t the “funny and light” read I originally had been searching for, it delivered on action (as well as quite of bit of “action”) and romance. It was a fast read; I finished it in a day.
Dragons! I heart dragons. Shadow of the Vampire was definitely character driven. The connection and attraction between Declan and Alexia was pretty darn all-consuming, and overshadowed (heh) some negative things I could say like, there wasn’t a lot of world building or I never fully got a handle of the surroundings of the characters or everything happened so fast. But in the end, I focused on Declan and Alexia and that’s all you need to do.
Tara was definitely right: there was not a cliffhanger. But you can also tell that there are more books to be had, which is okay. I don’t mind when books wrap up the main story line but leave a few threads open for future books. And although it doesn’t appear that Shadow of the Vampire is part of a series (i.e., it doesn’t have a series label anywhere that I could find), it does appear that there are other books out there that feature characters that appeared in this book.
Even though Shadow of the Vampire wasn’t the “funny and light” read I originally had been searching for, it delivered on action (as well as quite of bit of “action”) and romance. It was a fast read; I finished it in a day.
jennifer_funknfiction's review
4.0
Declan is a lord, forced by tragedy into leadership. Alexia is a princess about to ascend to her throne. They become "Romeo and Juliet" in a centuries old war. Only this Romeo has scaled wings, and his Juliet has fangs. With both their races clashing in a deadly battle to posess a crystal foretold to grant the owner power to rule all, Declan and Alexia have more than just their undeniable passion for each other to contend with.
This book starts off with a bang and the action just doesn't let up the whole way through! Dragons take the place of werewolves in the traditional archenemy role for vampires in this story, and let me just tell you, it works fantastically! (Who needs fur when you can have WINGS?)
I love that both of these main characters are in a transition in their respective societies. Both put in a position they are resigned to, but neither is really ready for. Throughout the story we get to see them both become the leaders they're intended to be. The descriptions of both the vampire horde and the dragon flock were so important to understanding the evolution of the characters. Not only what they lived with every day, but what they strived to create. I really liked that we learned more than just the names of many secondary characters. Too often characters that aren't the "main focus" of the story get shortchanged in the depth department. Including many points of view can sometimes be confusing, but it was done very well and brought some much needed clarity to parts of the story. I loved being able to get into the head of Catija and and Tallon especially. (Would have LOVED to get into Griffin's head a little, so I'm hoping that'll be a point of view for another book, oh... and Yuri, too... yummmeeeee.)
Declan and Alexia together were just incredible. They started out hot and just got hotter as the story went on. I loved that they didn't do the "does he really like me" "does she really like me" think that some couples do. The felt the attraction and were honest about it from the beginning. (A little early in the overall story, but I'll chat about that in a minute.) They knew they wanted each other, and fought through, literally, the heavens and the earth to be together.
Now, for my only two criticisms. I do understand that Declan and Alexia were attracted to each other from the start, that they felt a connection, or rightness with each other. That's fine, but it was a little hard for me to understand how they let down their guard for, at the time, an enemy, so soon in the story. I'm also not a big fan of extended bad-things-happening-to-good-people in a story. There were a few too many passages full of silver gunshot wounds and references to horrible acts perpetrated by Lotharus (or Lotharass, as I started calling him) for my taste. I know, things like that create drama and ways for a character to "overcome" in the story. I've been told that by authors time and time again. But I still don't like too much of it.
Overall, I really, really liked this book. I liked the action (most of it, lol) and loved the relationships, both the romantic ones, and the familial bonds. I honestly can't wait for the next book to come out. Luckily for all of us, there are a few plotlines screaming "please write about me" at the end of Shadow Of The Vampire. And I just realized that there will be a semi-prequel story available in July as well, Dragon Warrior, so we won't have long to wait!
This book starts off with a bang and the action just doesn't let up the whole way through! Dragons take the place of werewolves in the traditional archenemy role for vampires in this story, and let me just tell you, it works fantastically! (Who needs fur when you can have WINGS?)
I love that both of these main characters are in a transition in their respective societies. Both put in a position they are resigned to, but neither is really ready for. Throughout the story we get to see them both become the leaders they're intended to be. The descriptions of both the vampire horde and the dragon flock were so important to understanding the evolution of the characters. Not only what they lived with every day, but what they strived to create. I really liked that we learned more than just the names of many secondary characters. Too often characters that aren't the "main focus" of the story get shortchanged in the depth department. Including many points of view can sometimes be confusing, but it was done very well and brought some much needed clarity to parts of the story. I loved being able to get into the head of Catija and and Tallon especially. (Would have LOVED to get into Griffin's head a little, so I'm hoping that'll be a point of view for another book, oh... and Yuri, too... yummmeeeee.)
Declan and Alexia together were just incredible. They started out hot and just got hotter as the story went on. I loved that they didn't do the "does he really like me" "does she really like me" think that some couples do. The felt the attraction and were honest about it from the beginning. (A little early in the overall story, but I'll chat about that in a minute.) They knew they wanted each other, and fought through, literally, the heavens and the earth to be together.
Now, for my only two criticisms. I do understand that Declan and Alexia were attracted to each other from the start, that they felt a connection, or rightness with each other. That's fine, but it was a little hard for me to understand how they let down their guard for, at the time, an enemy, so soon in the story. I'm also not a big fan of extended bad-things-happening-to-good-people in a story. There were a few too many passages full of silver gunshot wounds and references to horrible acts perpetrated by Lotharus (or Lotharass, as I started calling him) for my taste. I know, things like that create drama and ways for a character to "overcome" in the story. I've been told that by authors time and time again. But I still don't like too much of it.
Overall, I really, really liked this book. I liked the action (most of it, lol) and loved the relationships, both the romantic ones, and the familial bonds. I honestly can't wait for the next book to come out. Luckily for all of us, there are a few plotlines screaming "please write about me" at the end of Shadow Of The Vampire. And I just realized that there will be a semi-prequel story available in July as well, Dragon Warrior, so we won't have long to wait!
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