Bitten by Books
Twenty years ago a rebellion by her family’s enslaved vampire servants all but destroyed Nicole Martin’s life. Fear and hatred for what the vampires did to her family has led Nicole on a lifelong search for a vampire vaccine and ways vampires can actually be used to help humankind. As the heir to her father’s company, The Daedalus Corporation, a world leader in vampire research and training, Nicole has returned from Paris to take her place as the CEO.
Tortured by the loss of his mate at the hands of the Martin family, Riker, a vampire soldier of the MoonBound clan, can hardly believe his luck when a tense situation with another clan leads him to a confrontation with the lone surviving member of the Martin’s-Nicole. Determined to force her to help his clan, Riker can hardly believe the feelings Nicole evokes in him.
Tensions rise as Nicole and Riker spend more time together, and it may be that in order to heal the wounds of their pasts they will have to forgive their mortal enemies-each other.
Wow. I devoured Bound by Night, the first book in Larissa Ione’s new series. It has everything I look for in paranormal romance: compelling characters, top-notch world building, a tight narrative, and breakneck pacing. I also happen to enjoy paranormal romance that skews closer to urban fantasy, which Bound by Night does well. This is a fairly dark book. Ione does not shy away from issues of slavery, institutional and experimental abuse, and violence.
Like any first novel in a series, there are a few little things that need to be ironed out. Some readers may have an issue with suspension of belief as far as vampires being subjugated and the romance that develops between Riker and Nicole considering their history. Personally, I loved the rest of the book so much that those were non-issues for me.
Where Bound by Night shone was in Ione’s take on vampirism. I thought having vampires be a persecuted group was a fantastic twist and gave the story more backbone. I loved the hints we get of the origins of vampires and how that history shaped the free clans.
Additionally, the characters were really well-developed. Right away I was taken in by Nicole’s experience-I understood her motivations and her apprehensions. This woman was no shrinking violet-she had her convictions but could see when she was wrong and was willing to fight to makes things right. Riker was more of a typical alpha male hero, tortured past and all, but was empathetic and likeable. I absolutely loved Hunter, the leader of the MoonBound clan, and Myne, one of Riker’s closest friends. The Daedalus Corp served as a fairly routine “bad-guy.” The relationships between the different clans made for a far more interesting conflict.
If you like your paranormal fantasy with a darker edge, a pretty fantastic take on the usual vampire tropes, and some incredibly scorching love scenes, Bound by Night is an excellent choice.
Book Stats:
- Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
- Publisher: Pocket Books (September 24, 2013)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1476700176
- ISBN-13: 978-1476700175
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Books in the Moonbound Clan Vampires series in the order they should be read:
Bound by Night
Chained by Night
Review Overview
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Summary : Where Bound by Night shone was in Ione's take on vampirism. I thought having vampires be a persecuted group was a fantastic twist and gave the story more backbone. I loved the hints we get of the origins of vampires and how that history shaped the free clans.
