Ohh I like these vampires!

The Tale of the Vampire Bride

by: Rhiannon Frater

From Goodreads: All Lady Glynis Wright ever wanted was the freedom to live her life as she pleased. Unfortunately, her aristocratic parents want her to marry well and settle into a life of luxury.

When her family becomes guests to one of the most fearsome and powerful vampires of all time, Glynis finds her fate is far more terrible than an arranged marriage. Trapped in the power of her new master, she fights for freedom, revenge against her creator, and the chance to be with the one she truly loves.

Bloody, horrific, romantic and rich in gothic atmosphere, The Tale of the Vampire Bride is sure to thrill fans of the terrible, yet romantic vampires of literary past.

Lori's Review: 5 Stars...come on be real. 50000000000000 Stars is more like it!

This book has everything I want and more in vampire books. I don't mind new age vampire novels with their lovey feely vampires that sparkle and have sweet dogs. I don't absolutely love them either. I may like the romance of the the story but for the most part I find vampires like that kinda meh. I have never had a problem finding anything Rhiannon does as meh. Ever. If I am going to lose myself in a vampire book I WANT my vampires to be horrifying. I want them bloody. I want them slightly mad with blood lust and power. I want them to sexual predators....wait that came out wrong. I want them to be sexy, and dark, and beautiful but most of all I want them deadly and covered in blood. Vampires shouldn't be your prom date. They should be haunting you and conspiring to slaughter your school mates at prom. (Hello shout out to Buffy the Vampire Slayer the movie, and TV show). They should be stealing virgins and scarficing them, unleashing the swamp monster, and wolf man all whilst looking for the amulet to free the forces of hell. Frankenstein should be your friend. (shout out the Monster Squad). You get my point. I grew up in the day and age where vampires were MONSTERS! Thank you Rhiannon Frater for giving me those monsters.

Now to talk about this particular book...LOL that's what you thought I was doing? Well I was. But not specifically.
To me this book has two parts to it. The first part is the betrayal, the changing, and the aftermath. The second part is the discovery of self, love and power. These are my distinctions not Rhiannon's.
The first part of this book is dark. Very dark. The mood matches Vlad's castle, Glynis matches Vlad's castle. It is gothic horror at it's best. Vlad is an evil dickhead. He is gross and disgusting and I hate him as much as Glynis does. The light at the end of the tunnel? Well, Glynis's relationship with the sister brides. I love the relationship she has with them. They very much save her from being destroyed by Vlad. They also remind Glynis of what she doesn't want to become. Seeing their devotion to Vlad allows her to keep her soul. It disgusts her so much that she is able to maintain her independence.
The second part of the book is much lighter. Not in tone but in setting.  Even though Glynis clearly cannot go into the sun light I picture their time in Buda as being sunny. Glynis is much happier out the castle's gloom. She has freedom. The light at the end of the tunnel? Well, I won't tell you. But it is yummy.
The last 30% of this book. Oh wow, was everything thrown up in the air. I loved the way the pieces landed. It was wonderful. I never grew to love Vlad and neither did Glynis (thank goodness) but I did enjoy his monsterhood. It was refreshing. Glynis spent as much time covered in blood in the book as she did in gowns. Swoon. I love that!! Thank you Miss Frater for the monsters!

Check out the new cover for these books HERE!