Shayne LeightonBesprekingen

Of Blood and Magic by Shayne Leighton is the second in a series. I recommend reading the first one before this one. I haven't read the first one, so this book is extremely hard to get into. I can't seem to connect with the characters at all. I don't know what their motivations are. It's just very hard to slog through. I'm not giving any stars at this point, because I really need to go back and read the first to make any sense of what is going on.

This book was slow at the start for me. I also had a hard time getting past what originally seems like a father/daughter relationship. In the end, I enjoyed this and will read the next in the series.

Vampires. Witches. Bewitched objects. A giant arachnid. Lycan. Elves. Reminds me of a Halloween town of sorts right under the noses of human beings. War rages against the dark for the sake of love. When light turns dark and the darkness returns the light you'll find yourself cheering on the dark side. Though I enjoyed the book there were a few quirks. The relationship between Charlotte and Valek is a bit on the incest side. It didn't really bother me because Valek isn't her real father but the relationship is implied. He found Charlotte when she was a baby; he has a photo she drew when she was a child hanging in his office. I mean doubt he raised her with the intent of making Charlotte his future lover but the whole thing is a bit odd. There was an epic war raging and its climatic end never came. The author built up to the scene then completely bypassed it and move straight to the epilogue that was a major let down. Where was the anticipated action? The book also needs a some reediting.

This was a well constructed plot with twists and turns. I enjoyed the pace of the story, and I found the characters mostly likable.

Reviewed by: April
Book provided by: Publisher
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book

A very unique spin on the widely done Young Adult/Paranormal/Vamp genre, Of Lights and Darkness held my attention from beginning to end and never wavered in between.

Shayne Leighton creates a lively and vivid world within the pages of this story, interwoven with dynamic characters and an intriguing story line, I was held captivated on many levels the entire way through. Set in the area of Prague, there is a little known city called the Occult City where vampires, elves, witches and all facets of the paranormal reside – segregated from humans. As an infant, Charlotte is discovered by Valek, a vampire and doctor of the Occult City, abandoned in the dirty streets of Prague. Valek takes Charlotte in – breaking one of the most stringent laws of the city by harboring a human – and nurtures her, raising her with love and fatherly adoration. As Charlotte grows older, she goes out to hunt humans to feed Valek and is a main staple in the city and is well loved. Both find their relationship changing, however, as Charlotte grows into womanhood. Innocence is replaced by deeper feelings and when lives become endangered, there is an added intensity that adds an entirely new dimension to the story.

I truly loved the writing style of Shayne Leighton in Of Light and Darkness. The way in which she brings the characters to life is fairly extraordinary. I found myself very attached to both Valek and Charlotte. Unlike many YA/Vamp/Paranormal stories on the market today, this one is not portrayed as the romantic/glorified version of otherworldly beings. There is a bit more darkness and realism, if you will, packed within this story. Valek is kind and very doting to his Lottie (Charlotte), he has tried to shelter her from seeing his monster side when he feeds and goes into his death sleep. He is a man with morals, compassion and is rather nurturing and unselfish. Charlotte is a very endearing and likable character. She is filled with spunk, bravery, and loyalty. The chemistry between the two main characters is very nearly perfect. I know some may be a bit turned off by the idea of a more intimate relationship forming between a father-type figure and the child/young woman that he raised and nurtured. However the way in which Ms. Leighton approaches and writes this aspect of the story is very well done, as well as adds a uniqueness of plot that I have not previously read in other novels.

In addition to the romance aspect in Of Light and Darkness, there is an excellent element of suspense that kept me engaged throughout. I found myself absorbed not only in the story itself and its many characters, but my emotions were also strongly engaged as I found my heart racing in intensity and worries engulf me throughout. With strong descriptions all throughout, readers will quickly and easily find themselves hooked on Of Light and Darkness, as I was. The ending was the perfect mix of satisfaction, yet openness to make me anxious for the next book in the series.

For lovers of YA and/or Paranormal stories, I highly recommend this one. I anxiously look forward to not only reading the next book in this series, but additional works by this author as well.

**This novel was given to The Book Hookup but did not influence the review**

Celeste’s review: A vampire found a human baby and then raised her as his own because there was something about her that was so pure it spoke to him….that appealed to me straight away….such a different concept! I was fascinated with the idea of a human girl living in a magical world. However, Charlotte, the human girl, is now an adult and has feelings for her vampire, Valek. eek. I tried to get past this, but I just had such a hard time with the concept of a father figure as a romantic interest.

My plan was to try and put the background of their relationship out of my mind and focus on the rest of the story. In this novel, the vampires of the world are the target of a genocide. They are the traditional vampires we are familiar with, but the rest of the society and secondary characters were written so well. The magical elves in power want to wipe every last vampire out and rule the world on their own. At the same time the next heir to power, elf Aiden, wants Charlotte for himself. So now the couple Charlotte and Valek are in even more danger, which is the story that is told here.

Ms. Leighton has a fabulous imagination, I truly loved all the characters in this world, I felt as though I could picture them perfectly. Every time a vampire’s hand was described as a claw, I could just visualize the cold, dead skin. I loved Mr. Trinozka and Edwin, although both creepy, they were both creatively fascinting at the same time.

The fight to save both Charlotte and the vampires was intense and quite a few times I wasn’t sure who was going to be killed and who would survive. It definitely kept my attention and I wanted to find out what would happen. There seemed to be several parts of the story that were unclear, slight inconsistencies, but did not take away from the story and something a great editor would catch. All in all it was an entertaining read and Shayne Leighton definiteley has a fantastic imagination.

Dynamic and enjoyable to read. This novel mixes magical creatures and humans. It takes the reader into a modern world while making you travel elsewhere ...

We meet engaging characters hidden behind the masks of monsters and cruel villains hidden behind the ones of adorable and nice fellows. The good and the evil are competing, but not always in the most likely camps. The codes are then upset. This is what makes this story interesting and entertaining... Love triangle, betrayal, jalousy, thirst of power and true love...

Perhaps there is a lack of an ending scene more tragic with a more pronounced suspense that will have spicy up this supernatural romance. But the reader enters into an enjoyable adventure without getting bored, that's the main thing.
I'm curious to see how will the second volume evolve ...

Lucie
http://newbooksonmyselves.blogspot.fr/2012/11/the-vampires-daughter-by-shayne-le...

Vampire Valek never had someone to share his eternal life with. Before he found his Lottie he was a very lonely man. But then a miracle happened, he stumbled upon a little baby girl. A human. And Valek couldn't help himself, he took her to his home and raised her, even though it was strictly against The Occult laws. No humans were allowed to know that magical beings really existed, too bad Valek was never the sort to follow the rules.
As Charlotte (Lottie) matures, she begins to grow intimate feelings for her father-figure/big-brother Valek. She tries not to, but she can't help herself either. She's falling in love with the vampire who raised her. But does Valek feel the same way? Is it destiny that brought them together? Is it even right to feel this way for him?
Unfortunately, Valek isn't the only one Charlotte has to worry about. Her childhood friend, Aiden, seems to find her equally interesting. But it's not love that's on his mind, it's power. Lottie is about to find out the real person hidden inside Aiden. Magical beings are never who they say they are.
Meanwhile, light forces are gathering. Their plan: Get rid of all the Vampires. It's a purge. A genocide.
And unfortunately, Valek is the main vampire they want dead. He started this war, now he's got to end it.
Of Light and Darkness blew me away. It's a different sort of read, and I really enjoyed it. The love was incredibly twisted, I honestly don't know if I agree with it or not. Valek isn't Charlotte's real father, but he did raise her. And yet, it just didn't seem right. There was nonstop action throughout the book and for once in my life, I read a book where vampires were the ones being attacked and not vice versa. Definitely refreshing.
The characters were only a bit of a problem for me. While Charlotte tried her hardest to be strong, she was insufferable. She was considerably brave in the beginning, but then she started getting whiny and I grew tired of her. I loved her determination and willpower, but her I'm-a-delicate-doll act got unbearable. She wasn't the strongest heroine in the book, she was more of a damsel in distress and if that's what Leighton wanted her to be, then Lottie's character and personality came out perfectly.
Valek's character developed very well throughout the book. He started off with this brotherly love for Lottie, but as the plot thickened, his love grew passionate. I didn't have any problems with him at all. I loved how he wasn't the tough, invincible vampire that did whatever he wanted. His flaws were loud and clear. He couldn't go out in the daylight, he died every sunrise, and Lottie was like a chain holding him down most of the time.
The plot was not that hard to predict. I knew how things would end, it was the in-between stuff that kept me latched. Mostly with the twisted romance, the kidnappings, the attacks, and such. The world Leighton created was brilliant. I loved how everything fit in perfectly and I wasn't confused half the time. I could get a clear picture of everything in my head without having to try hard and yet it wasn't so easy as to make me feel stupid. The pace was consistent, but there were some spots where it slowed down a notch.
Overall, Of Light and Darkness is more like a fairy tale. It's a light, enjoyable read with a small love triangle keeping us on the edge. There were still some questions unanswered and I'm curious to see what happens next. I think Of Light and Darkness would definitely make a great movie.

When vampire Valek Ruzik comes across an abandoned human baby in the streets of Prague, he decides to fight his baser instincts and raise her as his ward. Now 19 years later, that baby girl — Charlotte — has grown into a lovely young woman. A young woman who has begun to develop confusing, romantic feelings for him.


Unfortunately for Valek, on top of difficulty navigating new emotional territory with Charlotte, it’s not a good time to be a vampire. Reviled by the governing body of magical creatures the rights of vampires have been more and more restricted, until it becomes clear that government means to do away with the race for good. Soon Valek & Charlotte are on the run from those would do them harm.


This book held particular interest for me, because the harsher realities of vampirism are not hidden or glamorized, and the vampires do not apologize for who they are — much. It’s interesting to me that these characters, Valek & Charlotte, are what you’d normally consider the “good guys” but only if you ,the reader, are accepting of a little moral relativism. They definitely don’t follow a moral code that the majority of western civilization would consider acceptable, particularly regarding the sanctity of human life. And like I said, this made the book interesting, though I wished it had more expanded on the topic more. There were no long explanations of these characters’ actions or philosophies to any satisfying extent. It was simply was.


The main issue I had with this book, is the character development. I don’t feel like I got a very in depth view of any of the characters, they all felt very “surfacey” and underdeveloped — like they’re holding the reader at arms length. I never felt a strong connection to any of them. Some of their reactions to circumstances or to other characters are kind of strange. And a few of the characters felt very dangerous at times but then they would do a complete 180 and were suddenly kind and understanding. I just couldn’t understand the unexplainable, somewhat manic changes of heart some of the characters underwent, especially at the end.


In regard to the story, the book description led me to believe that the book focuses on a coming struggle between vampires and The Regime, the magical governing body. In truth, while there is some warring between the forces of light and darkness, that plot line largely takes a backseat to the more central story of Valek & Charlotte, and mostly serves as a tool to further their story and relationship development. So if you’re expecting epic battles between magical creatures, you won’t find it here.


Overall, Of Light and Darkness is an entertaining and somewhat thought-provoking read that delves into the fascinating realm of the morally gray.

I was amazed by Of Light and Darkness since it was unlike most other paranormal books. The romantic dynamic is a different one but sweet. Charlotte has only known Valek her vampire guardian and then he is threatened so she goes against all odds to protect her life with him. Someone close to her wants something different though. Little does Charlotte know that someone. With its sensual feel and paranormal twists you'll be happy, your reading it.

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