Sandy M’s review of My Wicked Vampire (Castle of Dark Dreams, Book 4) by Nina Bangs
Contemporary Paranormal Romance published by Leisure Books 29 Sep 09

I haven’t yet read a lot of Nina Bangs’ books, just a few, one or two from a couple of her series. However, I should know better than to second guess her when I start reading one of her books. I usually think the story starts out a little silly, should I really keep going, and then POW! She throws that tortured but oh-so-handsome hero into the mix at just the right time, along with a mysterious plot, and I’m hooked again. Maybe after this book I will have learned my lesson.

And Ms. Bangs is very good at giving a reader something different in her books. This time we have a botanist who has taken her gift with plants a step beyond normal care and has come up with plants that are sentient. Cinn, the heroine, calls them her weed warriors. She’s been hired by Sparkle Stardust to work at the Castle of Dark Dreams, supplying their rooms with plants that give some oomph to couples’ sex lives. Little does Cinn know her life is about to be flung fast and furious into the paranormal world.

Dacian is a vampire, an old one who is quite powerful. So powerful he can keep his maker at bay, though he’s thrown into an insane frenzy each time he does. He faked his death 200 years ago to keep those he loves safe from his sire, his brother first and foremost. And that’s what has brought him out of hiding now, his need to keep his sibling out of his enemy’s hands. Chained to a dungeon wall is how he first meets Cinn.

Sparkle is introducing her to the other worldly and what better introduction than an out-of-control, ancient vampire. Though Dacian knows to stay away from women no matter what, there’s something about Cinn that calls to him and he just can’t seem to resist her. In the meantime, they work together to bring Dacian’s sire into the open to be rid of him once and for all.

There’s always a huge variety of secondary characters in these books and that’s half the fun of reading them. Sparkle and her significant other, Ganymede are always a riot, especially now that Sparkle is trying not to be so shallow and self-indulgent to please the Big Boss. Ganymede and his treats never stop, and this is one character you don’t want to underestimate one iota. Demons, wizards, goddesses, and vampires aplenty add to the story, along with Cinn’s plants. They do come to life and evolve in an amazing way.

One thing that Ms. Bangs does in this book that’s so satisfying for me is the reunion between Dacian and his brother, Taurin. It’s been 200 years for them and when they come face to face again after so long, the emotion is high and runs the gamut from disbelief to anger to love and actions are backed up by words between them. This is what I look for when I read about brothers and so few authors actually get it just right on paper. It’s done beautifully in this book.

This series is connected to Ms. Bangs’ Mackenzie Vampires series, so it wouldn’t hurt to read them together if you’re just now starting to read this author. And if you haven’t read her Gods of the Night series, put that on your wishlist. Talk about something different. I’m slowly becoming a huge fan of Nina Bangs. She hasn’t let me down yet.

Grade: A

Summary:

The Castle of Dark Dreams is just part of an adult theme park, right? The most decadent attraction in a place where people go to play out their wildest erotic fantasies. Holgarth isn’t really a wacky wizard, and Sparkle Stardust doesn’t actually create cosmic chaos by hooking up completely mismatched couples. And that naked guy chained up in the dungeon? No way he’s a vampire.

Wrong…dead wrong, as botanist Cinn Airmid is about to find out. It’s up to her to save the night feeder’s sanity, but to do that she’ll have to get close to the most dangerously sexy male she’s ever encountered. And one look in Dacian’s haunted black eyes tells her close will take on a whole new meaning with someone who’s had 600 years to practice his technique. Even a girl with a name that conjures up images of forbidden pleasure has a few tricks to learn from…

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series: