by Abigail Gibbs Series: The Dark Heroine #1
Published by HarperCollins on September 18th, 2012
Genres: Paranormal Romance, YA
Goodreads
The sexiest romance you’ll read this year…
One moment can change your life forever...
For Violet Lee, a chance encounter on a darkened street draws her into a world beyond her wildest imaginings, a timeless place of vast elegance and immeasurable wealth – of beautiful mansions and lavish parties – where a decadent group of friends live for pleasure alone. A place from which there is no escape...no matter how hard Violet tries.
Yet all the riches in the world can’t mask the darkness that lies beneath the gilded surface, embodied in the charismatic but dangerous Kaspar Varn.
Violet and Kaspar surrender to a passion that transcends their separate worlds – but it’s a passion that comes at a price...
I have very mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand I seriously hated maybe the first 60% of it. Even though it starts with Violet witnessing a mass murder (vampires vs. slayers) the story really dragged for me. Chapters 2 through 30 was a complete and total bore to read, and even though it had so much back story I still felt like I didn’t know why everything was happening. There was absolutely NO world building; unless you count knowing they were in a castle by the woods and it rained a lot. The characters, while unique on a individual level, didn’t connect with me as I think a character should with a reader.
Let’s move on to the characters.I though Kaspar was the definition of a sick douche-bag. I get that he was working through loosing of his mother but I can never justify him talking about raping and killing in such a casual voice. I know that this was suppose to break us of our current “vampires are awesome, and hot, and they can love and care” thoughts we all have thanks to Twilight. But it completely contradicted with Fabian being all sweet and attentive, so I’m not sure if Ms. Gibbs really thought this threw.Then you have Violet, who was the main reason for all my mixed emotions. I loved that she was defiant and she held on to her hope. BUT on the other hand she cried so freaking much. I just wanted to smack her senseless and tell her not to show these kidnapping jerk-faces how weak she is. And what was with all her back and forth mess. She likes Kaspar, she hates Kaspar, she kisses Kaspar, but vampires are sick leeches. Look I don’t care if she love’s him or not (even if he did kidnap and threaten her repeatedly). I just wanted her to make a decision and stick to it.
I was confused about Fabian and Lyla. Yes I know it comes with the whole “vampire trait” to be mood swingy but Fabian went from “deeply in love” with Violet one second to calling her a bitch the next. And Lyla was no better, the ungrateful twit! After all Violet went through to get her and Fabian together!
I did appreciate Autumn and Fallon, mainly because I still have no idea what exactly they are and that is the main reason I will pick up book two. Book one had holes, it made me angry, and made me sigh with impatience, but most importantly it made me want to know what could happen next.
*I received a copy from the publisher for a honest review*
