Welcome to a Vampire series for adults.
Okay I am going to let you in on a little secret. I love trashy romance novels. I know, I know, it's awful but what can I say. When my favorite authors come out with a new book I rush out, buy it and run home to read it cover to cover. I do have a few conditions to what I read but for the most part if it's trashy and the women aren't wimpy then I am there.
Now years ago, a friend of mine suggested that I try reading vampire trashy romance novels and she recommended someone that I can't even remember. I do remember buying one of the books at a re-sale bookstore and I think that I only read like one chapter or so. All that I remember is that it did nothing for me. This is why when I came across Kathryn Smith's vampire series, The Brotherhood of the Blood, I was a little skeptical. I had flashbacks of years before and I wasn't sure that I wanted to give it a chance, but I am so glad that I did because these were so worth it. Five books that will have you up all night flipping through pages just as fast as you did with Twilight.
Allow me to set the stage for you. Six soldiers during the Crusades are on a mission to find the "Holy Grail" because it is said that if you drink from it then you will have life. They have been put together for their special skills; each bringing something different and needed to the table. They find the Grail but like all good stories it is never that simple. The Grail that they have found is not the "Holy Grail" but the "Blood Grail" (there is a whole story to this that I won't go into here but drives the complete series). After one of them is hurt reaching for it in an Indiana Jones like booby trap the others encourage him to drink and upon doing so he realizes the difference. Where the "Holy Grail" gives life and healing the "Blood Grail" give immortality and the thirst for blood. Before he can stop his brothers they all drink and soon understand what they each have become. And that is all in chapter one.
Each book in this five book series focuses on different brother. There is Chapel, Bishop, Saint, Reign, and Temple. Now if you are smart, which I know that all of you are, then you noticed that it is a five book set although I told you there were six soldiers. This is because one of them walked into the sunlight one dawn and destroyed himself rather than live an eternity with what they had become. This also shapes each of them as it is the catalyst for them to give themselves over to the Catholic church, but alas only one stays within the church.
Because every story must have a villian or Ms. Smith came up with not one, not two, not even really five but a whole order of villians to challenge our struggling vampires; The Order of the Silver Palm. A group set on capturing each of tortured souls for a plan that is only revealed in the last book and how do they capture these men? They use women to lure them in. Welcome to the world of vamp-trashy-romance.
Now that is all back story and only takes like I said about a chapter to explain. Which was one of the things that I really enjoyed about this series and this writer. Kathryn didn't spent a hundred pages explaining the myths and differences in her vampires but got right into the story letting the anticipation build as the the explanations found their way to the surface.
Of course there are differences in her vampires as opposed to Stephenie's. These vampires can fly, they have the normal fangs and burst into flames in sunlight. They don't seem to need as much blood as most vamps and they can drink from their victims without killing them. I'm sure there were other differences but those were the main ones except for the big one. They bite during sex and she makes it sound very enjoyable. I have a friend that although very into Twilight and vampires in general she isn't into the romance genre at all. Even she was calling me asking if I had finished the next one so that she could get it. That says alot.
And just because I said our villians use women to lure these men don't assume that any of women are weak. Matter of fact, they are each just as strong, stubborn and determined as our vamp hero's and when they love they love hard. Sure like most trashy romance females they have their moments where you want to slap them and say "Wake up" but that is only once in a while and only a few of them not all.
So if you haven't read these I would strongly recommend them to any true vampire fan. If you can get past the trashy romance of it all, and I would bet that you will, and get lost in the story you will be just as excited as we were. Now go out and look for them at your local bookstore or library, put the kiddies to bed, grab a glass of wine, and get ready for some grown woman vampire action.
Check out The Brotherhood of the Blood series HERE at Kathryn Smith's website.
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