Dawn and Winnie Book Reviews: Vampires in America by J.B. Reynolds

Wednesday, April 18

Vampires in America by J.B. Reynolds

10:34 AM | Posted by Dawn & Winnie Book Reviews

Title: Raphael

Author: D.B. Reynolds

Series: Vampires in America # 1

Publisher: Imajinn Books

Release Date: April 1^st 2009

Pages: 248

Malibu, California-home to rock-and-roll gods and movie stars, the beautiful, the rich . . . and vampires.Powerful and charismatic, Raphael is a Vampire Lord, one of the few who hold the power of life and death over every vampire in existence. Thousands call him Master and have pledged absolute loyalty on their very lives. But when, in a brazen and deadly daylight attack, a gang of human killers kidnaps the one female vampire he'd give his life for, Raphael turns to a human investigator to find his enemies before it's too late.Cynthia Leighton is smart, tough and sexy, a private investigator and former cop who's tired of spying on cheating spouses and digging out old bank accounts. When Raphael asks for her help in tracking down the kidnappers, Cyn's happy to accept. But she soon realizes her greatest danger comes not from the humans, but from Raphael himself.Battling Russian mobsters and treacherous vampires, and betrayed by those they trusted, Cyn and Raphael find themselves fighting for their lives while caught up in a passion of blood and violence that is destined to destroy them both.

Raphael is the 1st book in the vampires in America series and I LOVED it! Cynthia, a.k.a. “Cyn” is a private investigator whose business is to spy on wayward spouses and cheating husbands. Anyway Cyn’s life was becoming tedious until she met Raphael, a vampire Lord! Raphael’s sister, Alexandra had been kidnapped and he needed someone to help find the humans who aided the vampires in abducting his sister.

When Cyn got the preposition from Lord Raphael, she accepted the job even though she’d never had a case like this before. Yet, something tugs at her and she decided to help the vampire Lord. Cyn, is a strong witty heroine with a touch of humility she's loving and she knows what she wants, she doesn't play games and what she wants is to help Raphael find who had his sister kidnappers and most importantly Cyn wants the vamp Lord.

Raphael is the most powerful Vampire lord in America… and someone is pitting for a power play… hence the kidnapping of his Alexandra. Then there is Cyn, One night or ten thousand nights will not be able to sate his need of her… but could he? And why her?

All I can say is that this book is fast-paced, funny, sexy, spellbinding; thrilling, romantic and I loved every minute of it. The author J.B. Reynolds is an amazing writer and I am hooked and I can't wait to read anything she writes in the future. Reynolds knows how to put a smile on your face that makes you howl in laughter…. her heroines ARE smart and passionate and her heroes are Mind blowing political Alphas and … I like the world she has created. This is a love story I will read much more than twice!

Title: Jabril
Author: D.B. Reynolds
Series: Vampires in America # 2
Publisher: Imajinn Books
Release Date: August 1^st 2009
Pages: 252

Houston, Texas—Cowboy boots, baseball and journeys to the stars . . . right?Wrong. Because Houston is also home to Jabril Karim, one of the eight powerful Vampire Lords who control all of North America. And as Private Investigator Cynthia Leighton will soon discover, not all Vampire Lords are created equal. For Jabril is the face of evil in the new world, a vampire who values no life but his own, who enslaves those he desires, steals whatever he covets and destroys anyone who stands in his way.Running from L.A. and its seductive Vampire Lord, Raphael, Cyn sees the Houston job as a welcome refuge, a place to get away and heal her broken heart. But Texas will be no vacation. For in Jabril Karim, Cyn will confront a true enemy, one who will go to any lengths to satisfy his lusts, enrich his coffers and expand his power.Fighting for the lives of two young sisters, Cyn’s journey will take her through the streets of Houston and back to L.A., where the human police are determined to bring Raphael down for the murder of one of their own. But the danger doesn’t end there. For Jabril has set his sights on Cyn, and he will stop at nothing to have her.

Jabril, starts right after the end of Raphael. Cyn, is still a little… okay a lot heartbroken because Raphael chose not to pursue their blossoming romance. Not wanting to think about Lord Raphael, Cyn decided to take a job in Texas for another vampire Lord, Jabril. But on reaching Texas, Lord Jabril’s home Cyn finds out that jabril is an evil sadistic bastard, who believes women are lower than dirt submissive second-class...er… people! Worst Jabril didn’t really need Cyn for a job; he just wants to piss of Raphael (death wish). Knowing Cyn she decided to work against Jabril, instead of working FOR him… well that irked Jabril … after all Cyn is only a woman and how dare her defy him! Lord jabril! And so it begins.

Also in California there is serial killer going around killing young girls and the authorities of blaming it on vamps… er… er Lord Raphael (as if). Mean while Raphael is stewing in his own shit, because he misses Cyn and Cyn isn’t talking to him… then to make matters worst, Raphael finds out that Cyn took a job for Jabril…. Tension much? O..kay…!

DB Reynolds as usual delivers a book that is action hot, funny, romantic, edge of my seat thrilling, heart pounding sex and betrayal. Secondary characters like Alexandra Raphael sister Duncan, Raphael’s second and other lords from the previous books made a slight appearance. Astonishing read and Reynolds does know how to engage her readers and I must say I am enthralled and I’m looking forward to the next book in this amazing series.

Title: Rajmund

Author: D.B. Reynolds
Series: Vampires in America # 1
Publisher: Imajinn Books
Release Date: July 30^th 2010
Pages: 260

RAJMUND GREGOR is a vampire . . . and the undisputed Master of New York City. He bows to no one but his Sire, Krystof, who is the Vampire Lord for the entire Northeastern U.S. Based in Buffalo, NY, Krystof is an old vampire—-too old, it would seem, because he’s slowly losing his mind. Summoned back to Buffalo by his Sire, Rajmund finds his master out of touch and rapidly weakening. He knows the territory will crumble if something isn’t done, and he’s the only one of Krystof’s children strong enough to seize power. But there’s also the matter of some missing women and a rogue vampire who seems to be moving in for the kill.SARAH STRATTON has a secret, one she’s never shared with anyone–—at least not anyone who knows her now, not even her good friend Cyn. It’s a secret that could destroy her carefully constructed life, but it’s one she may have to share with a vampire, if she’s going to save the lives of the missing women.

Rajmund is the third installment in the series and I liked it. This story centers on Sarah, Cyn’s best friend and Raj, Vampire Lord Krystof’s Second. Cyn decides to visit New York for the weekend to cheer up her friend Sarah; knowing Sarah needs some cheering up. Cyn believes Sarah is going through something, but she doesn’t really know the details. Except, before they visit NY, Lord Raphael has to obtain consent to enter another Vampire lord’s territory. When in NY, Raphael, Cyn and Sarah visited Chopin, an upscale vamp club in Manhattan own by Rajmund.

When Raj saw Sarah, sparks fly and he wanted her, yet the timing isn’t really the best because his planning on over throwing his weak sire and he doesn’t need the distraction. Sarah’ and Raj’s romance was am emotional drain and a roller coaster, but DB Reynolds knows how to keep us, her readers spellbound. The dialogues and the storyline is really captivating and I especially love the slight appearance of Raphael and Cyn the power couple I NEVER could get enough of, plus, if you’ve met Cyn, every heroine pales in comparison! Sarah is nothing like Cyn, she is not a fighter… and in my opinion shy and frustrating sometimes and cowardly, but then there is Raj the New Vampire Lord and he will do anything to keep his Lady safe. Another winner for Reynolds and I approve! It was a fast, funny, action packed and romantic read. I liked it. The ending was a jaw dropper, which makes me believe there will be more of Cyn and Lord Raphael in the next book, and I can’t wait!

Title: Sophia

Author: D.B. Reynolds

Series: Vampires in America # 1

Publisher: Imajinn Books

Release Date: April 28^th 2010

Pages: 248

The Pacific Northwest . . . home to lush forests and constant rain, to lumberjacks and computer geeks, especially those of the vampire kind.Sophia, beautiful and deadly, has spent the last hundred years dancing her way through the balmy nights and hot-blooded men of South America. But when her Sire sends an urgent summons, Sophia rushes home to Vancouver only to find he has disappeared, leaving nothing behind but three dead vampires and a letter with Sophia’s name on it.Colin Murphy, a former Navy SEAL, came to the Northwest seeking a quiet place to heal the scars earned in more than a decade at war. But when someone starts killing local vampires and torturing their mates, Colin takes on the mantle of a warrior once again as he sets out to find the killers and do whatever it takes to stop them, even if that means hunting with vampiresFollowing her Sire’s trail of death to a small town in northern Washington, Sophia unexpectedly discovers the heat of a South American night in Colin’s arms. But all too soon Sophia and Colin find themselves in a race to uncover the killers before the next dead vampire is Sophia herself.

WOW! What a book! DB Reynolds has out done herself and I am NOT complaining. Sophia is the most powerful child of the Vampire Lord Lucien. She’d been living in Brazil for years now and she hadn’t seen her sire in over a century. But when she received an urgent summons from her sire to come back to Canada, she had to obey… but why is he summoning her? Colin Murphy is a Navy seal who is a police/ detective for a rich quite neighborhood of vampires and humans alike. But when the people he is suppose to be protecting are being killed, he wants to help bring this murders to justice, however, he didn’t plan for his past to collide with his present! The last thing he’d expected to find was his supposed dead Girlfriend Sophia. Meanwhile, in Cali, Raphael is sensing and feeling his children being attacked and killed in another state and we know Raphael does NOT take the killing of any of his children likely! In this fourth installment, there are two running… er… drama. Cyn and Lord Raphael and Sophia and Colin. I’m impartial to Sophia and Colin but, to Cyn? I am team Cyn all the way. I loved Loved this book. Its full of suspense, heartbreak, action, romance, humor and so so much love. We get to see another side of Raphael and Cyn and in the end it all came together. But it was a bittersweet ending because the next book is Duncan’s Raphael’s second… which means he is leaving Raphael’s side to become a Vampire Lord and I can’t wait to read his book. DB Reynolds is one hell of a writer, and all I can say is write fast please… and never stop writing.

Title: Duncan

Author: D.B. Reynolds

Series: Vampires in America # 1

Publisher: Imajinn Books

Release Date: November 30^th 2011

Pages: 248

Washington, D.C. … capital of an empire. Powerful. Exhilarating. Corrupt. And in the shadows … vampires far older than the nation itself.A power unto himself, Duncan has served at Raphael’s side for nearly the entire two hundred years of his existence. But long laid plans have finally borne fruit, and the time has come for Duncan to leave Raphael and tackle the greatest challenge of his life. He will face treacherous vampires and murderous humans. He will rock the halls of human power if necessary. But Washington, D.C. will be his.Emma Duquet cares nothing for vampire politics. She just wants to find her missing roommate and best friend, Lacey. But Lacey’s been playing with vampires of a particularly dangerous kind, and Emma will have to deal with the new vampire in town if she’s going to find her friend.Battling powerful enemies who will stop at nothing to keep their secrets, Duncan and Emma will dig beneath the corruption and depravity that is Washington, D.C. and uncover the most heinous conspiracy of all …

Duncan has been a secondary character in most of the books, always peculiar and distant. This book centers more on his personality and whom he his and what shaped him and all I can say about Duncan is HOLY SHIT! He is sexy, sizzling and smothering (But then again he is Raphael’s protégé so why am I surprised?)

Duncan, who has been Raphael’s lieutenant and right hand man throughout the series, has been given his own small territory to rule as Vampire Lord… He did succeed in claiming the territory, but the former Vampire Lord, Victor is as corrupt as the politician he is! Now Duncan has to clean up the former… so that the latter can proceed peacefully. Washington DC and the surrounding area, is royally messed up and Duncan must oust the current warped vampire system.

Emma Duquet is used to working with Assholes…err…err… politicians on the hill in D.C. but she’d never dealt with vampires before. Regrettably, her roommate and best friend, Lacey is an expert in hanging with vamps and she has gone missing from a Vampire Party.

Emma will go to tremendous lengths to find her friend. Problem is, there is a new honcho in town Duncan. And she can’t seem to think straight when she is around him. Emma is another Heroine I like; She is almost as feisty and firey as Cyn, but not close enough. She is smart and strong, but too head strong and reckless sometimes, but I like a lady with teeth! As with all of Reynolds books, she can still surprise me with her action pace, thrilling and suspenseful romance … I howled with laughter, when Emma had a few words with Cyn, highly amusing! It got me jumping up in down with glee… too funny! I never thought I’d read they day, Cyn is accused of being Duncan’s lover and hung up on! LMAO… (Where is Lord Raphael?). Though I loathed seeing Duncan leave Lord Raphael and Cyn, I believe it was time for him to become a Lord, the face of Vampires in America and No one other than Duncan can pull this off. Duncan is another breathtaking, exhilarating addition to DB Reynolds Vampires in America series! Reynolds is amazing!

I can’t wait for the next book Lucas!

Title: Betrayed

Author: D.B. Reynolds

Series: Novella

Kindle Edition: 91

Publisher: ImaJinn Books

Publication Date: August 15^th 2012

Love, the ache in your heart when you meet the one. It can take you to soaring heights; and it can leave you bleeding in the wreckage. Loyalty, the thing which binds a Vampire Lord to his children for eternity ... unless it rots from within, birthing hatred. Betrayal, it comes in many forms and from many sources ... love ... loyalty ... betrayal. War has come to the North American vampires, and Vampire Lords are reaching across territorial lines to strengthen allies and weaken enemies. The most powerful Lord of them all, Raphael, could change the course of the war and determine who raises the final banner of victory. But at what price? And will his mate, Cyn, be the one to pay it?

Review to Come…