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__sunflower__'s review
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
it was a decent story. I loved the relationship development and banter, but I'm not interested enough to read the rest of the series.
esper_moonshine's review against another edition
4.0
Rating: 8/10
This is the first installment in this five book long series.
Claiming Marcus was a very good read. It had action, mystery and a very good romance packed in it. The book starts with a flashback page which I think is brilliant thinking on the author's part. Ethan, a human, and Marcus, a vampire and the oldest varik brother, are the main characters of this book.
We get to see a glimpse of Juliana varik, mother to the varik brothers, and I must say the lady left an impact on me in the few pages she appeared in.
More than anything else, this is a story of love, of a beautiful story blossoming and I loved reading every second of it. The paranormal factor of the story is surely the selling factor. The beautiful bond we get to witness between the varik brothers is something not many books deliver. The brothers have an infinite existence stretched in front of them, but they have stuck together and are each other's biggest shields.
I love that there is not some earth shattering twist happening here. Ethan's devotion but still bold side was new and good to see. Marcus, is a very complicated headed person. He had been taking care of so many things including his mother for a very long time, always trying not to burden his brothers too much. Ethan is the perfect match for him, because he makes him smile a little more and frown a little less.
When the big truth was revealed, for which I was waiting from the time I started reading the book, I would say it was handled beautifully. I could completely understand the reasons for the brothers acting the way they did. And the ending where the final fight happens couldn't have been any better.
I wish we got to see more of Ethan and Marcus just being them and enjoying, without something happening for like a minute. It was like they were about to go for a kiss, and they were attacked. Obviously, I loved the action part as well, but they are both too cute together and I would have loved more scenes with them.
This is the first installment in this five book long series.
Claiming Marcus was a very good read. It had action, mystery and a very good romance packed in it. The book starts with a flashback page which I think is brilliant thinking on the author's part. Ethan, a human, and Marcus, a vampire and the oldest varik brother, are the main characters of this book.
We get to see a glimpse of Juliana varik, mother to the varik brothers, and I must say the lady left an impact on me in the few pages she appeared in.
More than anything else, this is a story of love, of a beautiful story blossoming and I loved reading every second of it. The paranormal factor of the story is surely the selling factor. The beautiful bond we get to witness between the varik brothers is something not many books deliver. The brothers have an infinite existence stretched in front of them, but they have stuck together and are each other's biggest shields.
I love that there is not some earth shattering twist happening here. Ethan's devotion but still bold side was new and good to see. Marcus, is a very complicated headed person. He had been taking care of so many things including his mother for a very long time, always trying not to burden his brothers too much. Ethan is the perfect match for him, because he makes him smile a little more and frown a little less.
When the big truth was revealed, for which I was waiting from the time I started reading the book, I would say it was handled beautifully. I could completely understand the reasons for the brothers acting the way they did. And the ending where the final fight happens couldn't have been any better.
I wish we got to see more of Ethan and Marcus just being them and enjoying, without something happening for like a minute. It was like they were about to go for a kiss, and they were attacked. Obviously, I loved the action part as well, but they are both too cute together and I would have loved more scenes with them.
bronwynheeley's review against another edition
4.0
you ever read a book, enjoy the hell out of it, but know the next ones going to be better, and maybe the one after that ever more so? that's what this was like. A lot of it has to do with Marcus not being the most interesting brother, he's the glue that keeps them together, in line, and that's fine, the romance between Marcus and Eric was wonderfully beautiful and yet I want more. I want the other brothers.
the story had me hook from the moment I started it, and i came out wanting more. the world building up enough to know what's happening, which was a pretty simplistic with a politics that just wants to become more involved and complex though I'm not sure that's the direction we'll be going in. but who knows, one for sure I'm going to find out.
the audio was done nicely, there was only one moment where a characters voice changed when he got more air time (i guess) and one part where the tone changed greatly but overall i was able to sink into the story without a problem.
the story had me hook from the moment I started it, and i came out wanting more. the world building up enough to know what's happening, which was a pretty simplistic with a politics that just wants to become more involved and complex though I'm not sure that's the direction we'll be going in. but who knows, one for sure I'm going to find out.
the audio was done nicely, there was only one moment where a characters voice changed when he got more air time (i guess) and one part where the tone changed greatly but overall i was able to sink into the story without a problem.
kaitlin_durante's review against another edition
3.0
3 stars - new vampire series with an interesting family at the helm.
I enjoyed this much more the second time around.
I enjoyed this much more the second time around.
haileeraye's review
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Blood, Violence, Sexual content, and Child death
shannreadsbooks's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I am typically not someone that enjoys third person point of view in books; that being said, with this being dual third person POV, it was very easy to follow and separate the characters!
Jocelynn did a fantastic job with character development; both Marcus and Ethan work through things and their relationship is stronger for it!
I adored the found family feel to this story; the way in which Marcus’s brothers took Ethan in, even after the bomb that was dropped on them, was so heartfelt and wholesome! The banter between all the characters is also top tier!
This one was a book I have never seen recommended but it truly was such a good read!! I cannot wait to dive further into the series!
Jocelynn did a fantastic job with character development; both Marcus and Ethan work through things and their relationship is stronger for it!
I adored the found family feel to this story; the way in which Marcus’s brothers took Ethan in, even after the bomb that was dropped on them, was so heartfelt and wholesome! The banter between all the characters is also top tier!
This one was a book I have never seen recommended but it truly was such a good read!! I cannot wait to dive further into the series!
teresab78's review against another edition
4.0
Good!
I liked this take on vampires. No super sniffers, no inhumane strength but faster healing. I liked the characters had some flaws and worked to overcome them. I’m looking forward to the rest of the series.
I liked this take on vampires. No super sniffers, no inhumane strength but faster healing. I liked the characters had some flaws and worked to overcome them. I’m looking forward to the rest of the series.
haletostilinski1's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars!
What a great first installment to a new series by the always wonderful Jocelynn Drake. We had gotten assassins with hearts of gold and now we've got vampires with hearts of gold and I love it.
The book starts off in 1843, where Marcus Verik, the oldest of 4 brothers, is in his families living room, and then we meet his two twin brothers, Bel and Rafe, who aren't identical but similar enough in appearance - and couldn't be more different personality wise. And then the youngest, Winter, who just turned 23 - and that they are all about to be turned into vampires, because his mother was turned into one by Adrian, a vampire who loves her, when she was dying. But their mother is a little mad and it was made worse when she was turned into a vampire, so they've all decided to be turned. Why it was when Winter turned 23, idk, it wasn't explained. Maybe just to have him be old enough to be dead for eternity, idk.
But then it cuts to 2003, where a ten year old Ethan's family is being attacked and murdered. He hears it but is able to hide in this floor board/panel thing in the bathroom and survives. Although there's this woman vampire who comes in there and he sees her - so I dunno how she didn't see, hear, or smell him.
That one reason I took .5 off, is that the vampires abilities were never fully explained. We find out that they can drink blood without killing a human, but that they need to drink directly from a human, can't drink from a blood bag - they can do it to tide them over, but after a few weeks they need to "hunt" again - and that they can erase human's memories of them feeding. That they can make it pleasurable for the human while they are feeding and they all come with some sort of power - different powers - for some reason. But we didn't find out if they can hear, see and smell better than humans. Which doesn't make much sense if they don't have at least one enhanced sense. But Ethan lived because the vampire didn't see, hear or smell him, so....
But anyway, fast forward to 2019, and Ethan is 26 and looking for revenge, and a vampire human "hunter" group sends Ethan into Marcus' home to get info on them so they can be killed, because Ethan has been told they had something to do with his families death.
But as soon as Marcus and Ethan meet, sparks fly, and as Ethan gets to know Marcus, starts to fall for him, he starts to wonder if Marcus and his family had anything to do with his families death at all and if they deserve to be killed just because they are vampires.
Marcus has been lonely for the past 167 years. He was very much in the closet and has stayed that way, even with the changing times of today. But with Ethan that all changes. Part of the reason I gave .5 off as well is that Marcus seemed to come to grips with being with a man and others seeing it and knowing it pretty easily after over a century and a half, almost two centuries really, of being so deep in the closet that he never even kissed another man. Seems a big leap to make with how little Marcus struggled with it. He did some, sure, but I think there should have been a little more of a struggle or seeing how Marcus came to terms with himself and loving a man openly.
But overall this was so good, so exciting and fun to read. I loved Marcus and Ethan together, they had great chemistry and their love shone through the pages.
I can't wait for the three other brother's and their love stories as well. Bring 'em on :D. Rafe is next and that should be interesting.
Definitely recommend, two thumbs up from me!
What a great first installment to a new series by the always wonderful Jocelynn Drake. We had gotten assassins with hearts of gold and now we've got vampires with hearts of gold and I love it.
The book starts off in 1843, where Marcus Verik, the oldest of 4 brothers, is in his families living room, and then we meet his two twin brothers, Bel and Rafe, who aren't identical but similar enough in appearance - and couldn't be more different personality wise. And then the youngest, Winter, who just turned 23 - and that they are all about to be turned into vampires, because his mother was turned into one by Adrian, a vampire who loves her, when she was dying. But their mother is a little mad and it was made worse when she was turned into a vampire, so they've all decided to be turned. Why it was when Winter turned 23, idk, it wasn't explained. Maybe just to have him be old enough to be dead for eternity, idk.
But then it cuts to 2003, where a ten year old Ethan's family is being attacked and murdered. He hears it but is able to hide in this floor board/panel thing in the bathroom and survives. Although there's this woman vampire who comes in there and he sees her - so I dunno how she didn't see, hear, or smell him.
That one reason I took .5 off, is that the vampires abilities were never fully explained. We find out that they can drink blood without killing a human, but that they need to drink directly from a human, can't drink from a blood bag - they can do it to tide them over, but after a few weeks they need to "hunt" again - and that they can erase human's memories of them feeding. That they can make it pleasurable for the human while they are feeding and they all come with some sort of power - different powers - for some reason. But we didn't find out if they can hear, see and smell better than humans. Which doesn't make much sense if they don't have at least one enhanced sense. But Ethan lived because the vampire didn't see, hear or smell him, so....
But anyway, fast forward to 2019, and Ethan is 26 and looking for revenge, and a vampire human "hunter" group sends Ethan into Marcus' home to get info on them so they can be killed, because Ethan has been told they had something to do with his families death.
But as soon as Marcus and Ethan meet, sparks fly, and as Ethan gets to know Marcus, starts to fall for him, he starts to wonder if Marcus and his family had anything to do with his families death at all and if they deserve to be killed just because they are vampires.
Marcus has been lonely for the past 167 years. He was very much in the closet and has stayed that way, even with the changing times of today. But with Ethan that all changes. Part of the reason I gave .5 off as well is that Marcus seemed to come to grips with being with a man and others seeing it and knowing it pretty easily after over a century and a half, almost two centuries really, of being so deep in the closet that he never even kissed another man. Seems a big leap to make with how little Marcus struggled with it. He did some, sure, but I think there should have been a little more of a struggle or seeing how Marcus came to terms with himself and loving a man openly.
But overall this was so good, so exciting and fun to read. I loved Marcus and Ethan together, they had great chemistry and their love shone through the pages.
I can't wait for the three other brother's and their love stories as well. Bring 'em on :D. Rafe is next and that should be interesting.
Definitely recommend, two thumbs up from me!
azaile's review against another edition
4.0
I read this entire book within 24 hours, I couldn't put it down.
It starts off strong and doesn't stop. I love Ethan and Marcus and the relationship between Marcus and his brothers. Ethan's character growth through the first half was perfectly written. The ending was perfect.
It starts off strong and doesn't stop. I love Ethan and Marcus and the relationship between Marcus and his brothers. Ethan's character growth through the first half was perfectly written. The ending was perfect.