Eyes Like Blue Fire Review:
In the mid 18th century, a woman in Germany named Katja lost everyone she ever loved to the plague. In the midst of her sorrow, a handsome man named Anton came to her, offering her love and a lifetime of it...as a vampire.
Now, three hundred years later, she wanders the world alone, haunted by the memories of all her lost loves, feeding reluctantly on those who wish for death. Until she meets Raven Nightshade, the spitting image of Anton.
But Anton's spirit haunts her, as she finds she feels something for Raven. In the shadows, though, something from Anton's past lurks, plotting death and destruction only Katja can prevent.
In Amanda Lyons' first book, Eyes Like Blue Fire, we're taken back to the great vampire novels of the 1980's, like Poppy Z. Brite and Anne Rice: a tale filled with beauty, mystique, live and danger. But it also has unique properties, like the ghouls (which slightly resemble zombies with a mind of their own), the half-bloods, what vampires are vulnerable to, and a few more points.
It is very melodramatic, but I always preferred my vampire books dark and melodramatic. It's romantic, but not overly so. The paranormal elements far outweigh the romantic ones, but they melt together very smoothly.
The story keeps you guessing, never giving away more than necessary, so that you have to keep reading to find out what happens next. Stephen King said that good books don't give up all they're secrets at once, and he was right. However, he also said that the road to Hell is paved with adverbs, and he is also right. That's my one problem with the book, that it does have quite the peppering of adverbs.
Otherwise, this book was wonderful and entertaining. I'll recommend it to everyone who loves the darker side of literature!
4/5--entertaining!
Water Like Crimson Sorrow Review:
Picking up exactly where Eyes Like Blue Fire left off, Water Like Crimson Sorrow begins with Katja finally discovering many of her maker, Anton's, secrets, and that not all old enemies are dead.
Now that enemy is after Raven Nightshade, attacking him where he's weakest: mimicking an old horror and preying on his guilt. But his aunt also has a secret, one that makes all this make more sense than ever.
Can Katja save Raven and finally know happiness?
Amanda Lyons' books are art forms in and of themselves. Before I could blink, I was sixty pages into this book. The characters are either delightful or abhorrent, the story is fast-paced and laced with all the components that make a vampire novel great: danger, bloodlust, romance and mystery.
Learning more about vampire secrets is the best thing. Ms. Lyons created her own version of the undead, not straying from the path completely, but zigzagging enough that this book is unique.
There's more danger in this one than its predecessor, and it keeps you on your toes. Another addition is the mysterious man who wants to publish Raven's book. His motives might not be so pure. This book was much better than ELBF.
With ancient evil, strong emotions and a very dark plot, this is your next favorite vampire series!
5/5--excellent
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