Reviews

This is not a book review site, but I do occasionally post reviews. However, I’m likely to use them to discuss ideas related to my own interests. As a reader who is also a writer, I am very sensitive to technical points, such as grammar, and get quite worked up about a number of issues that probably wouldn’t bother most people.

I have no wish to tear other authors down. To some extent I am choosing books for which there are no (or few) reviews on Amazon or goodreads, and would argue that any review is better than no reviews. Opinions and experiences differ, and anyone who feels I have misjudged a book is welcome to respond.

Since I have decided to start reviewing stories, I need to be clearer about what (in my opinion) makes an excellent five star novel. After all, it doesn’t mean anything if I go round giving five stars to everything that’s good in some way. For me, therefore:

☆☆☆☆☆

Horrendous! Absolutely no recogniseable merit!

★☆☆☆☆

Bad: Practically unreadable – fundamentally bad plot and/or grammar

★★☆☆☆

Okay: Good in some ways, bad in others; worth reading, but ultimately frustrating

★★★☆☆

Good: Good in some ways, bad in others; definitely worth reading

★★★★☆

Nice! A joy to read.

★★★★★

Outstanding! Unforgettable – this will stick in your mind forever…

Vampire Novels

If you’re looking for reviews of Suzie and the Monsters, see: Lots of Stars – but who’s counting?

Also check out this list: My Top Ten … Modern Vampire Novels.

★★☆☆☆ Darkness Persists: A Vampire Novel, Joseph E. Arechavala
★★★★★ Once Bitten, Lisette Ashton
★★☆☆☆ The Double Edged Sword, Lorraine Jean Bush
★★★☆☆ The Dark Proposal, Megan Cashman
★★★☆☆ Oxford Blood, Georgiana Derwent (★★★★☆ Screaming Spires; ★★★★★ Ivory Terrors)
★★★☆☆ That Scoundrel Émile Dubois, Lucinda Elliot
★★★☆☆ Twice Bitten, R.G. Emanuelle
★★☆☆☆ Samson’s Lovely Mortal (Scanguards Vampires), Tina Folsom
★★★★☆ Pretty When She Dies, Rhiannon Frater
★★★☆☆ Iron & Velvet, Alexis Hall
★★★☆☆ Morningside, Ashley Madau
★★★☆☆ Jade, Rose Montague
★★★☆☆ everafter, Nell Stark and Trinity Tam
★★☆☆☆ Vendetta, Elise Valente

Vampire Novellas

★★★★☆ Black Heart, Morgan Dreiss
★★☆☆☆ Pretty When They Collide, Rhiannon Frater
★★★☆☆ A Female Vampire, Katharina Katt
★★★☆☆ A Vow of Tears, Jill H. O’Bones
★★★★★ Dinner Party, Anya W. Vossand
★★★★☆ Fanged Princess, Elizabeth Wheatley

Vampire Short Stories

★★☆☆☆ For the Love of Blood, Annie Alvarez
★★★☆☆ Girls of the Night Seek a Third, Amaritta Beane
★★☆☆☆ Devouring Heart, Andrea Dale
★★★★☆ Love at First Bite, Natalie Deschain
★★★★☆ The Last Best Tip (Grift Girls #1), Cassandra Duffy
★★☆☆☆ Bite With Height, Lucy Felthouse
★★★★☆ One Undead Honeymoon in Judecca, Jacquotte Fox
★★★☆☆ Wasting Away in Deadsville, KT Grant
★★★★☆ The Skeleton Count, or The Vampire Mistress, Elizabeth Caroline Grey
★★★☆☆ Blood of Dreams, Sarah A. Hoyt
☆☆☆☆☆ Vampire Changeling, Shiralyn J. Lee
★★☆☆☆, The Blood Orchid, Luke Martin
★★★★☆ The Secret Mistress, Dorian Mayfair
★★☆☆☆ Blood and Lipstick, Encarnita Round et al.
★★★★☆ A Cup of Blood, Kelly Sanders
★★★★☆ The Lesbian Vampire, Kelly Sanders
★★★★★ Vampire Suck Me!, Kelly Sanders
★★☆☆☆ Christmas Blood, Maxi Shelton
★★☆☆☆ A Vampire Christmas, Tracey Sinclair
★★★☆☆ Vampire Masquerade, Olivia Starke

Poetry

★★★★★ From Pink Bows To Red Stilettos, Xia Devore
★★★★☆ Love, Evolved, RH Hope
★★★★★ Lesbian Juices, Leni King
★★★★★ Gentle Cruelty, Neona Lee

Non-Fiction

★★★★★ Glitter: Real Stories From Real Women About Sexual Desire, Mona Darling et al.
★★★★★ Women Behaving Badly, Alana Munro

Other Stuff – Non-Vampiric – Science Fiction & Fantasy

★★★★☆ The Girls From Alcyone, Cary Caffrey (★★★★☆ The Machines of Bellatrix)
★★★★★ I Was Kidnapped By Lesbian Pirates From Outer Space, Megan Rose Gedris (★★★★★ Part 2)
★★★★★ Our Cosmonauts Are Dying, Anneque G. Malchien
★★★★★ Captive Girl, Jennifer Pelland
★★★☆☆ Steel Beneath the Skin, Niall Teasdale
★★★☆☆ The Warrior’s Path (When Women Were Warriors), Catherine M. Wilson
★★★★☆ The Pyramid Waltz, Barbara Ann Wright
★★★★★ The Woman Who Sparked The Greatest Sex Scandal Of All Time, Eli Yaakunah

Other Stuff – Non-Vampiric – Paranormal, Steampunk & Superhero

★★☆☆☆ Summoning the Succubus, Gabriel Argonne
★★★☆☆ Summoning the Succubus, Helen Atreya
★★★☆☆ Zapocalypse: The Midnight Special, D. Dye
★★★☆☆ The Left Hand of Justice, Jess Faraday
★★★★★ Scorched, Erica Hayes
★★☆☆☆ Dead Storm, Erica Raine
★★★★★ The Girl Who Would Be King, Kelly Thompson

Other Stuff – Non-Vampiric

★★★★☆ Blood Glamour, Sonia Cardini
★★★★☆ Miyuki: The Silence of Deep Snow, Carla Croft
★★★★★ A Very Civil Wedding, V.T. Davy
★★★★★ Babyji, Abha Dawesar
★★★☆☆ Reality Lesbian, Q. Kelly
★★★★★ Holiday Escort, Julia P. Lynde
★★★★★ The Bucket List, Annie Oakfield (★★★★☆ Caught, ★★★★★ Flames of Passion)
★★★☆☆ The Reporter and The Girl MINUS The Super Man!, S.C. Rhyne
★★★☆☆ Exception To The Rule, Cindy Rizzo
★★★★★ I Can’t Think Straight, Shamim Sarif
★★★★★ Larkspur, Anya Vossand