The Reviewer and The VILF

Appeasing the masses isn't easy. Even the top rated authors get blasted regularly. Many people only review a book when an element in it upsets them. Others just really enjoy playing the critic to every book they read.

Hell, I recently discovered, the only way a book makes any kind of 'recommend' list by Amazon is to have the right mixture of reviews, ratings and sales. More reviews, even bad reviews, can equal higher ranking.

Now I almost feel guilty I'm not a traditional reviewer. I don't review even a fourth of the books I read and I post about even fewer. I really have to connect with a book on some level, or be extremely excited about something in it, to want to write about it.

Most books I read fall into the category of good solid reads, but nothing in them called to me. Bad books I usually just walk away from, choppy dialogue, plot holes and all. (new writers, beta readers are your friends yet they shouldn't always be a friend) Plus there are always plenty of reviewers more than happy to lambaste a book in a point by point break down of where the author went wrong.

I'll admit sometimes these reviews make me want to read the book just to see if it is as horrible as the power point presentation makes it out to be. Upon reflection, I've actually bought quite a few books out of sheer curiosity.

My decision to buy my first Tracy St. John book was based purely on curiosity peeked by harsh reviews. There were just so many readers freaking out over her book's content. Not editing, not plot holes or dialogue, just plain old too much sex, too dirty of sex and too provocatively rough sex. Color me intrigued.

How could I not read a book after that kind of controversy?

Then there are those books, other people love, that I want to pick apart from stem to stern. I also walk away from writing negative reviews for these books because it clearly was't the book's fault.

We just weren't compatible.

I'm a positive reviewer and I don't care for punishing a book because I'm not into the main pull. The pull or niche of a book is the main or underlining theme. Magic, FemDom, BDSM, Spanking, Menage, DD, etc. Sometimes a mix of these elements.

My pet peeve is when a reviewer can't find anything wrong with a book outside of it's underlining theme, then gives it a horrible review. I see this all the time and I just can't understand it. For example, why would you buy a spanking story, then give it two stars and complain it was all about spanking and felt it derogatory to women? <palm to forehead>

 Reader Martha Holman summed it up best last week when she wrote, "It's like buying a Christian romance, then complaining there are too many references to God." 

I couldn't have said it better myself.

This is why I rarely post about paranormal books, and I've never ever posted on a vampire book.  I'm one of the few people who aren't into vampires.

I know, I feel weird about it too.

Like most of us, I enjoyed Interview with the Vampire. I watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I loved Angel. I of course later loved Spike, maybe even more. I just never got into the literature, and who could have predicted the plethora of vampire lit that would follow after Buffy?

Until recently, I hadn't found a vampire book that really drew me into the characters and story. Although I have found a few vampire books I enjoyed, I find most of them meh.

I know what you're thinking. Obviously I'm not reading the right vampire books. Right or wrong, no vamp guy has ever made it into my naughty files. So imagine my surprise when not only do I find my VILF, he's a somewhat cliche VILF.

Don't worry, he doesn't sparkle.

Honestly this book contains all the hallmarks that usually induce me to the state of gratuitous eye rolling, ancient vampire billionaire and hot chick with mysterious powers included.

I'm Nial, 

I smolder and I have a hint of an European accent.

Yet I didn't roll my eyes, not even once. More importantly, I'm really into the vamp hero. That has never happened for me.

http://amzn.com/B004R1QB6U

Blood Knot by Tracy Cooper Posey

Nathanial is a master manipulator, a fact professional thief Winter is all too aware of. When he comes asking for favors Winter is reluctant to even talk to the enigmatic sexy vampire.  

Guard up, Winter agrees to go with Nathanial to find her missing ex-partner in heists, Nathanial's ex-lover Sebastian. Craving the acceptance and open honesty Nathanial offers her, Winter allows herself to be seduced, and starts questioning everything she's ever been told about him. 

When they finally find Sebastian all past hurts for between these three come to the surface. Trust and motivations are questioned. Feelings are stirred to boiling point, and the fate of their lives rest in acquiring evidence that would expose the vampire community to the world in the harshest light. 

Okay, you may giggle, I was actually cruising the internet for cock knotting stories when I found this book. The title caught my eye and I figured it was a vampire story, but had my fingers crossed it was a cock knotting menage vampire story, since the delicious cover has the two fellas.

Sadly no cock knotting, but it is a menage vampire story and even better, it's a m/m/f story.

Turns out Tracy Cooper-Posey and I share a love for hot well written m/m/f. And this book is definitely hot. These three characters have smoldering chemistry and plenty of scenes that steam up the old kindle screen. Winter and Nathanial are a decadent buffet for the senses. Once they find Sebastian tensions climb and the heat racks up another notch. Sebastian has a lot of angst and creates a raging storm of emotions for all involved in this triad.

I felt the emotion, but it didn't feel overly dramatic. I really fell in love with these characters and I think a big part of that was the dialogue. There were just a lot of lines that really spoke to me. One of my favorite lines that stayed with me is;

"It's a curious thing. When two outsiders stand together, they're not outside anymore. They're inside their own world."

Another thing that I really enjoyed is the technical break down of what is usually played off as magical abilities. Those elements still have a mystical origin, but Tracy Cooper-Posey works biological science and government into her paranormal world giving it credence and a sci-fi edge that plays to my sensibilities. An added bonus is her ability to reveal and hold back the perfect combination of information to keep the reader engaged and turning pages.

I really felt for all the characters involved and love where this story went. By the end of the book you get a sense of hope for the future of the Vampires and not-quite-human humans like Winter and Sebastian. There is a set up at the ending for the next book Blood Stone, which so far has excellent reviews.

I'm looking forward to seeing where this story goes and if lighting can strike twice with Blood Stone.

271 pages (and a great warning label)

Warning: This book contains two hot, sexy alpha heroes, frequent, explicit and frank sex scenes, anal sex and use of toys. Don't proceed beyond this point if hot love scenes offend you.

*No vampires were harmed in the making of this novel. 

Thank You Tracy Cooper-Posey!

For more on Tracy Cooper-Posey please visit her @http://tracycooperposey.com/