Áine P. Massie

A unique spin on vampires, and let's face it, most vamp stories have been done to death. If you want fresh and different, this is your book. If you want a rehash of everything else, keep going.

I found compassion for Anya came easily along with the other key characters. Lovers of vampires and PNR will enjoy this one best, and I'd expand that to include mature YA audiences.


It didn't take me too long before the plot intrigued me, but my one complaint was the dialogue read a bit too stiff and at times we were shown and then told what happened via dialogue. Not a big deal for most readers and definitely something the author can improve on in the future. There's a definite knack for strong and different story telling and I'm looking forward to reading more.… (plus d'informations)

This is the second installment of Aine Massie's Blood's Voice series. This time around, I was pulled right into the story. This book starts right where the last one ended. I enjoyed reading more about Anya's back-story and got to know some more characters and their back stories. Anya is head of her own house now and she seems to be collecting more eclectic members this time around.
The story blends flashbacks with current events simultaneously. The romance abounds in this story and you can't help but root for Nicholas and Declan as they work towards bringing Anya even closer to them.
Another character comes in the story by the name of Lord Lorccán, that I have my own suspicions about. I hope his story becomes clear in the next installment.
I recommend this book for paranormal romance fans for its sensual scenes and titillating drama.
4 Fairies for this unique look into vampires.… (plus d'informations)

First of all, I had a little trouble getting into the book as some of the writing felt very formal. Once I got used to the writing style, it kept my attention and a beautiful tale of romance and redemption unfolded. Anya is a vampire who has special abilities that set her apart from the average vampire. An insatiable desire to protect humans emerges through the entire book as well as her blooming romance with Declan, her human love, and Nicholas her vampire love.
Some of the story is hard to follow and I feel some more back story of Anya is needed and hopefully will show up in the future books. One question is why she is so drawn to Declan. Is it love at first sight or something more? You never really find out in the book. But other than that, the romance building up between the two is extraordinary.
I like the issues of LGBT that are brought up in the story and felt they were just enough of a sample of that lifestyle to not offend close minded individuals. It was very realistic and I enjoyed reading more about it. There is a ménage de trois alluded to in the book so some people may be a bit uncomfortable with that part of the story. From my point of view, it was very well written and only enhanced the book.
I give this a 4 star review as it was a very romantic story with paranormal elements that drew you in with the intricate plot.… (plus d'informations)

I received this book for review from the author as part of her virtual book tour. I did not receive any compensation for my review, and the views expressed herein are my own.

This book is about a vampire named Anya, who is forever a teenager. I do not believe her exact age was mentioned, but she is about 16 or 17 years old. She was abducted and held against her will for three decades by a group of mysterious people called The Educators who tried to turn Anya into a lethal weapon. When she finally resurfaces, she has no memory of the time during which she was held captive. Anya, aka the Assassin, also has the unique ability to control and even destroy people with her voice.

Anya's pseudo-mother is Star, who is a "bloodless" one. I am not really clear on what that means.

In Massie's vampire world, the vamps do not sparkle in sunlight or burst into balls of flame. They can walk among the living. Anya wants to fit in with other teenagers her own age, so she attends the local high school. There, she meets a human boy named Declán and the two fall for each other. It reminded me of Twilight in reverse: Instead of human girl falling for vampire boy, we have human boy falling for vampire girl. Another Twilight similarity is that Anya does not drink human blood but, rather, animal blood.

Anya also shares a "blood bond" with a vampire named Nicholas, and the two drink from each other for pleasure and not for sustenance. Nicholas lives as a family with his sire, Jonathan, and Jonathan's wife, Amber.

As noted in the synopsis, we find out later in the book that Declán is not an ordinary human but someone with special powers to destroy vampires known as a Guardian. Apparently, the Guardians were thought to have died out a long time ago.

When Anya drinks from Declán, she bonds him to her and also to Nicholas by way of his existing bond with Anya. Their relationship eventually turns intimate for them (the trio).

In a nutshell, some bad vampires want to destroy Anya because of the power that she possesses. Some "good" vampires come to town (Geoffrey and Peony) and want to join Anya's "house" or "family." Anya buys a larger home and Nicholas' family moves in with her, as well as Geoffrey, Peony, and Declán. In order to get to Anya, the "bad" vampires kidnap Nicholas and Anya must then risk her life to rescue him.

I really struggled with this story. I could not make a connection with Anya. I really did not like her character, and I felt ambivalent towards her. I also did not "get" the 3-way relationship between Anya, Declán, and Nicholas. Normally, vamps are extremely territorial and unwilling to share their mates as with most members of the human race. Call me old-fashioned, but I could not embrace their relationship.

I think that Massie's best developed character is Nicholas. I actually did feel a connection with him and enjoyed the parts of the story where his role figured prominently.

The pace of the book moved very slowly for me. This tome is lengthy at 400 pages, and there was a lot of talking but not a lot of action.

The numerous typographical and grammatical errors were distracting and interfered with my ability to enjoy the book. For example, "loosing" and "loose" instead of "losing" and "lose," and "shuttered" instead of "shuddered." There are also instances of awkward word usage, where words or phrases could have been replaced with more suitable and eloquent ones. With a good editor, I feel that the book could be improved.

MY RATING: 2 stars! Meh, it was just "okay" for me.… (plus d'informations)