Ash’s review of Ascension by Caris Roane
Paranormal Romance published by St. Martin’s 28 Dec 10

Where to begin? This book is certainly an experience, one that I find hard to take seriously.

I don’t usually buy new-to-me authors. I bought this book because of the author quotes, something I won’t be doing again. I feel like this was one huge J. R. Ward wannabe. I don’t want to be so mean about it, but that’s all I was thinking as I read it. A group of warriors who are all tortured in some way, a female boss who is super powered, a heroine who changes into a vampire and everyone is all in awe of her and her crazy powers. Oh, and these vampires have wings.

As soon as we are told that these Warriors of the Blood fight in leather kilts and gladiator type sandals, I kind of lost hope. They fight what are called Death Vamps, vampires addicted to dying blood, or in other words, killing humans. I don’t get why the kilt and sandals, everything else is modernized from what I could tell, aside from their swords, of course. Maybe to match their long hair, which is tradition for all the Warriors to have. It’s silly in my head, not sexy, which is what I think the author is going for. The Warriors themselves aren’t all bad, but they are a bit predictable. There is the tortured leader who seems to do nothing but drink. Then there is the ladies’ man, the gentle giant, the disgraced warrior who returns begrudgingly. Let’s not forget our hero, Kerrick, who is still mourning his two dead wives and his dead children 200 years later after the second wife has died. Of course, he can never be with a woman again, since they all die because of him.

The heroine, Alison, has always felt like she didn’t belong and, of course, she doesn’t, because she is a special mortal who will ascend and become a vampire – with wings. I never really felt anything toward Alison. She doesn’t stand out in any positive way. She is also tortured, because she is so powerful she hurts men when she climaxes, therefore she can never be with a man and have the family she longs for. I kept hoping someone would smack her to stop the pity party. She is a therapist, but I think she needs to be in therapy herself.

Alison and Kerrick are soul mates, or rather breh-hedden (oh yeah, the book also has a glossary). Of course, it’s never that simple. At around page 400, and after going through a battle that’s expected, they decide there is no way to be together because Kerrick kills his women and Alison hurts her men. At this point I am seriously mad I paid money for this book, but I did buy it so finish it I will.

There is so much I didn’t even mention. At more than 400 pages long, a lot of eye rolling is involved in the reading of this book. There is the Commander Greaves, who is the bad guy. He wants to rule the world, both dimensions (yes, there’s Mortal Earth and Second Earth and I am still not sure of the difference), but I have no idea why he does. He is just bad because we need a bad guy. Then, listening to Alison after sex while she mentally follows Kerrick’s sperm until it meets her egg and creates a baby in under a minute is just a huge are-you-kidding-me moment.

I might read the next one because the other Warriors are more interesting than Kerrick. I won’t be paying money for it, though.

Grade: D+

Summary:

On The Wings of Desire

Alison Wells is no ordinary woman. Born with super-natural powers, she can never make love to a man without putting him in grave danger. But when her special vision reveals a glorious muscled man soaring overhead on might wings, she feels an overwhelming attraction she cannot resist-even as he tells her “I have come for you. Your blood belong to me.”

In the Heat of Passion

Kerrick is a vampire and a warrior who has fought his hunger for a woman’s love for the past two hundred years. As a Guardian of Ascension, he is sworn to protect Alison from the death vamp armies who crave her blood and her power. But Kerrick has cravings of his own-a forbidden longing to open his heart and veins to Alison. To share his blood…satisfy his thirst…and seal their fates forever.

Read an excerpt here.