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Daniel de LorneCríticas

Autor(a) de Beckoning Blood

16+ Works 46 Membros 5 Críticas

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Mostrando 5 de 5
The short blurb bit: Nick is a pilot traveling the world with an unusual and touching mission. Lyall is an electrician from a tightly knit over-protective family. The two men meet and are instantly attracted to one another. They are both struggling with loss in their past and as they grow closer, they wrestle with finding the right time to talk about the events in their lives that have made them who they are. They come face to face with the fact that the passion that rules Nick’s life is the one thing that Lyall is terrified of. How do you meet in the middle between the earth and the stars?

The descriptive bit: This was a lovely book. At its core, this novel is a gay romance. Nick and Lyall are instantly attracted to one another when they meet. The problem is that their lives have been affected by loss in ways that are going to become a huge hurdle that they have to overcome. The thing about a loss is that is can alter our perceptions of things and change our lives in ways we hadn’t ever expected. Nick lost his mother and has spent a huge part of his life completing the journeys his mother didn’t get to make. Lyall’s brother was killed in a horrifying plane crash. I’m sure you can see the problem that these two men have.

Lyall is terrified of flying; so terrified, in fact, that just finding out the Nick is a pilot is enough to make him retreat the very first time they meet. Fortunately, his attraction to Nick wins out and the two men begin a relationship.

My thoughts bit: I loved reading about the difference in the family dynamics and how it affected the way each of these men interacted with their partner. The loss of a family member changes the way we see everything and I found de Lorne’s depiction of this to be sensitive and on point. While Nick is finding that the traveling he’s been doing is solitary and lonely and he’s longing to include Lyall in the final trip. But Lyall’s fear of flying is so intense that the idea of having to get on a plane sends him spiraling out of control.

There are some misunderstandings, disagreements, and secret-keeping in the way of these two men getting together. The angst between them isn’t overdone, it’s realistic. The merging of two lives is never an easy thing, and de Lorne does a great job of writing about the uncomfortable family interactions and misinterpreted actions that come hand-in-hand with a new relationship.

The warnings bit: mentions of a horrific plane crash, mentions electrocution, the death of family members in past
 
Assinalado
KinzieThings | 2 outras críticas | Jun 16, 2020 |
The short blurb bit: Nick is a pilot traveling the world with an unusual and touching mission. Lyall is an electrician from a tightly knit over-protective family. The two men meet and are instantly attracted to one another. They are both struggling with loss in their past and as they grow closer, they wrestle with finding the right time to talk about the events in their lives that have made them who they are. They come face to face with the fact that the passion that rules Nick’s life is the one thing that Lyall is terrified of. How do you meet in the middle between the earth and the stars?

The descriptive bit: This was a lovely book. At its core, this novel is a gay romance. Nick and Lyall are instantly attracted to one another when they meet. The problem is that their lives have been affected by loss in ways that are going to become a huge hurdle that they have to overcome. The thing about a loss is that is can alter our perceptions of things and change our lives in ways we hadn’t ever expected. Nick lost his mother and has spent a huge part of his life completing the journeys his mother didn’t get to make. Lyall’s brother was killed in a horrifying plane crash. I’m sure you can see the problem that these two men have.

Lyall is terrified of flying; so terrified, in fact, that just finding out the Nick is a pilot is enough to make him retreat the very first time they meet. Fortunately, his attraction to Nick wins out and the two men begin a relationship.

My thoughts bit: I loved reading about the difference in the family dynamics and how it affected the way each of these men interacted with their partner. The loss of a family member changes the way we see everything and I found de Lorne’s depiction of this to be sensitive and on point. While Nick is finding that the traveling he’s been doing is solitary and lonely and he’s longing to include Lyall in the final trip. But Lyall’s fear of flying is so intense that the idea of having to get on a plane sends him spiraling out of control.

There are some misunderstandings, disagreements, and secret-keeping in the way of these two men getting together. The angst between them isn’t overdone, it’s realistic. The merging of two lives is never an easy thing, and de Lorne does a great job of writing about the uncomfortable family interactions and misinterpreted actions that come hand-in-hand with a new relationship.

The warnings bit: mentions of a horrific plane crash, mentions electrocution, the death of family members in past
 
Assinalado
Charlotte_Kinzie | 2 outras críticas | Jun 20, 2019 |
The short blurb bit: Nick is a pilot traveling the world with an unusual and touching mission. Lyall is an electrician from a tightly knit over-protective family. The two men meet and are instantly attracted to one another. They are both struggling with loss in their past and as they grow closer, they wrestle with finding the right time to talk about the events in their lives that have made them who they are. They come face to face with the fact that the passion that rules Nick’s life is the one thing that Lyall is terrified of. How do you meet in the middle between the earth and the stars?

The descriptive bit: This was a lovely book. At its core, this novel is a gay romance. Nick and Lyall are instantly attracted to one another when they meet. The problem is that their lives have been affected by loss in ways that are going to become a huge hurdle that they have to overcome. The thing about a loss is that is can alter our perceptions of things and change our lives in ways we hadn’t ever expected. Nick lost his mother and has spent a huge part of his life completing the journeys his mother didn’t get to make. Lyall’s brother was killed in a horrifying plane crash. I’m sure you can see the problem that these two men have.

Lyall is terrified of flying; so terrified, in fact, that just finding out the Nick is a pilot is enough to make him retreat the very first time they meet. Fortunately, his attraction to Nick wins out and the two men begin a relationship.

My thoughts bit: I loved reading about the difference in the family dynamics and how it affected the way each of these men interacted with their partner. The loss of a family member changes the way we see everything and I found de Lorne’s depiction of this to be sensitive and on point. While Nick is finding that the traveling he’s been doing is solitary and lonely and he’s longing to include Lyall in the final trip. But Lyall’s fear of flying is so intense that the idea of having to get on a plane sends him spiraling out of control.

There are some misunderstandings, disagreements, and secret-keeping in the way of these two men getting together. The angst between them isn’t overdone, it’s realistic. The merging of two lives is never an easy thing, and de Lorne does a great job of writing about the uncomfortable family interactions and misinterpreted actions that come hand-in-hand with a new relationship.

The warnings bit: mentions of a horrific plane crash, mentions electrocution, the death of family members in past
 
Assinalado
Charlotte_Kinzie | 2 outras críticas | Jun 20, 2019 |


*waves hands frantically* Guilty as charged!

4 HEARTS--The d'Arjou twins...vampire twins, gruesome, twisted and quite a tale they weave.

Any True Blood or Vampire Diaries fans out there? I'm a fan of both. And surprise, surprise, I gravitate to the twisted ones. The anti-hero/villains are way better the good guys. There's just something about the depraved ones, the less morals, the better!


Think of having Damon Salvatore times two and one is without a conscience! :D

Warning for the easily squicked: There is rape, brief mention of sexual abuse, incest overtones -no actual incest happens on page and blood play. Oh and the bloody warning in the blurb isn't an exaggeration. This book has tons of blood and gore.



Twins Thierry and Olivier were human identical twins in Carcassonne, France in 1390. Sons of a mean butcher with a secretive little sister, the brothers were used to a harsh and abusive live. But Thierry had a secret lover named Etienne that he hid from his twin...even though the twins have a psychic bond. Thierry hid his lover well...or so he thought. Olivier is changed into a vampire by accident by an obsessed vampire, mistaken for Theirry. But once Olivier learns of his brother's lover and that Olivier is not number one in Thierry's life, let's just say it gets bloody.

The story spans from 1390 France to 1792 Saxony until present day Australia. during this time the twins cause mayhem and havoc. But Thierry was always the softer of the two, looking for a love to claim for his own. He's charged to keep an eye on his brother but not a leash.The trouble they cause. Whew boy! That incest line is never crossed between the brothers so if twincest isn't your thing, have no fear. (I'm still pouting about it)

Thierry is the damaged protagonist who misses his dead love Etienne so much. And he gets to meets his reincarnated love more than once in his very long undead vampire life...but Olivier. Oh Olivier is the debauched vampire hostess with the most-est.



Dayum...depraved, vile, revolting, murderer, wicked...delicious.

Olivier is a sociopath with a sick obsession for his twin. He lets nothing come in the way of having his brother in his life. And we're talking some sick shit, to be honest. Two thumbs for Olivier. I'm sure Thierry will garner sympathy but Olivier is alright with me. Finally, vampires that enjoy being a vampire. No whiny 'I want to be a human' or 'I'm drinking animal's blood to prove I'm tame and lame'.

There are issues such as the parts where it didn't fully drag but had a lull of sorts. It was not a lot of times but I felt some filler could have been dropped. Another issue is not enough description into what happened with the brothers when their relationship strained during the years. There was a period briefly mentioned where they were separated. Why? What happened? Olivier is the sick, obsessive type to not be separated from his brother without good reason for so long. also for all the centuries between them and the annoyance Thierry felt for his brother...why was he so unmotivated to pull away? He might have been the timid brother, the lover, the dreamer and romantic but he came off so resigned. And then Olivier lacks morals and is psychotic...why didn't he take what he really wanted from Thierry? And what is the purpose of the magic and the twin bond?

You see the plot lines are laced into the appropriate holes (it's why it's getting 4 Hearts from me) but it's not fully tightened. This author has room to grow. This book I enjoyed with the love of a good story. I'll ignore technical things if the story is good.

And it's good.

If the author plans to continue with more from this world, a little more description into a vampire's full extent of powers, a little more development of the important bonds between characters and (me being greedy) maybe a a little bro-on-bro action? Yes? No? It's alright. Get back to me. ;P

The story ends with a HEA but there are unresolved questions - Aurelia? Oberon? The Duke? This magic cycle?

Recommended for vampire lovers. Not the fans of the glitter-in-the-sun-woe-is-me vampires, I talking about the ones the enjoy a vampire that revels in being a bloodsucker.

I'm a proud fangbanger and I definitely will be reading more from this author.



A copy provided for an honest review.
"
 
Assinalado
SheReadsALot | Jun 20, 2016 |
--Bloody witches!

Daniel de Lorne is back with his follow up to Beckoning Blood. This book focuses on Aurelia, the younger sister to the deadly vampire twins, her parents, and ginger haired oracle, Hame and his witch lover. This must be read after Beckoning Blood, book #1 in the Bonds of Blood series. Trigger warnings: off page child rape & cheating

We travel to different planes, go back in history in Europe and jump to present day in this book. The blurb prior to reading made it seem like it might've been MMF (which I think would have made a better story) but the story has only on page MM relationships. This has multiple characters' POV and spans many years (don't worry it jumps to the events like book #1).

We learn more about Aurelia in Burning Blood. How hard her life was after her mother left home. It was very sad and was hinted in book #1. She gets to rise to power thanks to a surprising factor and through that factor, she meets Hame, the big red haired oracle who she fancies. Hame doesn't return the favor because he likes men. And While she understands this, she continues to carry a torch and Hame doesn't discourage her affections...for centuries. This story tries to encompass a lot, action, horror, fantasy, demon mythology, war...a bit too much, in my opinion.



I nearly DNF'd numerous times throughout this story. It wasn't as strong as the previous book for me. Too many plot lines, that paralleled book #1. While on one hand, the grand scale storytelling can be awesome...it's better when the plot and characters are well balanced, developed and not bogged down by convolution. There was a great chance to explain why Hame made the choices he did especially in lovers but it fell off because there were demons to fight, vampires to track and power hungry witches to double cross.

I kept asking myself throughout the story...why? What was the purpose ofall of this? We go from book #1 where it had badass twins, to witches and demons and ether jumping and so much stuff about withholding powers, what?

It's so many ideas, good ideas, but too many.

Because why?

How did Hame's lover make the deal? Why?

For example, if immortality is so hard to attain, how did the rest of them get it? Aurelia's is explained...the others: lost in the sauce.





Aurelia went from a bad ass witch in book #1 to a petulant immortal teenager in this book who is power hungry because why? And why string her along for over seven centuries? She pines for a man she knows she can't have for 700 years...and no one else will do? So she has to suffer and be without love so Hame can have his cake and eat it too? Hame tells her that he loves her and can't live without her love, knowing he won't return her feelings.

Cruel.

Hame's love interest did nothing to prove he was worthy of Hame or anyone. Especially after his need to "feel" that one time, that plot point wasn't explained clearly enough. I'm basing this off of Hame's initial reaction which was total disbelief and absolute 'he's going to dump the ass' attitude to him begging for crumbs of affection. He's a mighty oracle...why go through all of that?


WHY?

If Aurelia and Hame and the other witch had a love triangle, that could have maybe made more sense as to why these three adults would stick around for this pain. Even the romance (?) thread suffered for the burdensome plot.

I read the entire novel and I am left with questions, trepidation for the next book and where this series is going. If it stuck to vampires and not get as convoluted as this book, which was going for the cliffhanger but did that and left loose ends, I might've have enjoyed it more.

This is what I deduced after reading:

Aurelia: basically did nothing but temper tantrum a lot
Hame: started off sort of strong, then became a doormat
Hame's love interest, the power hungry witch: continues to be untrustworthy and greedy
As is, I disliked just about every character especially the main characters.

Because their purpose just didn't do enough for me, their development as characters weren't strong enough. All the power and age in the world and their story read like a bad soap opera. With all the years that they've lived, they still acted like...teens.

Every time I felt like DNF-ing, something would happen that made me curious in between the dull parts that dragged. And then question the decision. Because after reading, nothing really happened. The first book came off as if it was going to be twincest, and it didn't happen. This book seemed like maybe there would be MMF action and nothing doing...I'm not really convinced to try the next one.

But I'd read something else from this author. The ideas were cool enough, the execution/editing for this book was questionable. I'd prefer reading something separate from this series though. Because the first book had something going for it before the witches and demons and centuries war got thrown in.

This book...not as much.

A copy provided via Netgalley for an honest review.


"
½
 
Assinalado
SheReadsALot | Jun 20, 2016 |
Mostrando 5 de 5