Sandy M’s review of Blood on Silk (Awakened by Blood, Book 1) by Marie Treanor
Urban Fantasy published by NAL Trade 7 Sep 10

I’ve finally found that good vampire story I’ve been looking for lately. I’ve been putting vampire book after vampire book aside, they just didn’t pique my interest. But after receiving a couple of emails featuring Blood on Silk, I was intrigued enough to begin reading. I’m so very glad I did.

What I like the most is Ms. Treanor has given us her different take on the usual vampire story. While staking is still a way to kill a vampire, our hero, Saloman, is an Ancient, one of the last, and more than mere staking has to be done to kill him. His betrayers, the few who are left three hundred years later, are finding they should have taken that extra step now that he’s been awakened by Elizabeth Silk, who is working on a thesis concerning vampire lore in the Romanian mountains and who just happens to be a descendant of Saloman’s former lover – and one of his betrayers. But when the time comes for him to take his awakener’s life, her blood making him stronger than ever, he hesitates and allows Elizabeth to live.

However, Elizabeth plays a good game when it comes to her life or her death. Having first to deal with the fact that vampires are real, shattering her non-belief in such things, she suddenly gives in to Saloman’s sexual demands – though, if she’s honest, she’s as turned on and wants him as much as he wants her – she pulls off the unexpected and walks away intact. To fight another day. And she takes the fighting seriously, learning all the right moves from local vampire hunters. Elizabeth’s new goal is to eliminate Saloman, but the closer she moves in that direction the more confused she becomes, because she also still desires the creature and time after time buckles under that desire when with him. And those scenes are intense and sizzling hot. Saloman has a lot of time to make up for when it comes to sex.

There’s several times during the book I wondered when Elizabeth was really going to chuck everything and go where she belongs – with Saloman. Then I have to remember to tell myself this is an urban fantasy, this story will be strung out over a number of books. ACK! I normally don’t like urban fantasy because I’m one of those readers who likes my HEA tied up with a big, red bow at the end of a book. But Ms. Treanor keeps the intrigue, the mystery, the betrayal, the on-edge desire and so much more going  page after page, along with the allure of Saloman, that this time I really don’t care I’m being baited from book to book. Especially when I read the excerpt at the end of this book for the next in the series – something I usually don’t do – and the intrigue and Saloman’s enticing magnetism is still there even in those few pages. I’m hooked!

So much happens in this book. This is only a very top-of-the-iceberg review. Be sure to pick it up soon, because the next one, Blood Sin,  is due out in April. BoS is definitely worth a day on the couch with no interruptions until it’s read, and I know Blood Sin will be the same.

Grade: A-

Summary:

Scottish academic Elizabeth Silk is spending the summer in Romania researching historical superstitions for her PhD. While she is tracing local folktales, one subject in particular sparks her imagination. His name is Saloman, legend’s most powerful vampire, a seductive prince staked centuries ago. Now, in the ruins of a castle crypt, Elizabeth discovers the legends are real. Her blood has awakened him. Her innocence has aroused him. But Elizabeth unleashes more than Saloman’s hunger.

An army of vampire hunters has amassed to send Saloman back to hell. Sworn to help – yet fearing Saloman’s deadly blood lust – Elizabeth seeks to entrap him, offering her body as bait. But something stronger than dread, more powerful than revenge, is uniting Elizabeth to her prey. Caught between desire and rage, Elizabeth must decide where her loyalties lie…and what the limits are to a yearning she can no longer control.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series: