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Vampire Bound #1
Vampire Bound: Book One
Become a bartender at The Vixen’s Den, they said.
The owner isn’t really a vampire, they said.
It’ll be fun, they said.
And suddenly I’m neck deep in a world I’ve never really believed in, no matter what my crazy Great Aunt Mabel used to say.
Seriously, I have more than enough drama in my life already, without adding an irresistibly mesmerizing nightclub owner to the mix. My boss—a man with a penchant for trouble and the echo of tragedy lurking behind his dark gaze.
My new coworkers appear to be universally insane. My deadbeat ex is in trouble with a capital “T,” and if history is any indication, he’ll do his best to drag my son and me right along with him. In other news, I’m also being hounded by creditors who seem to think you can make money appear in someone’s bank account by threatening them over the phone.
(Though to be fair, if that approach worked, I’d be all for it. Spoiler alert—it doesn’t.)
To top it all off, while my back was turned, I’ve somehow become a chess piece in a cold war between supernatural factions. Just because magic supposedly runs in my family doesn’t mean I know the first thing about Fae or demons or vampires or any of this craziness.
But it looks like I’m gonna have to learn. Because now they’re coming after the thing I hold most dear — my son. And I’ll do anything to get him back.
Watch out, paranormal world.
Hell hath no fury like a mother’s wrath.
* * *
Vampire Bound is a new urban fantasy romance series by R. A. Steffan, set in the same world as the bestselling series The Last Vampire . Download Book One today, and enter a world shared by humans, fae, demons, and vampires. It’s a place where the supernatural threatens the mundane, nothing is as it seems, and love will either be the world’s downfall—or its salvation.
The owner isn’t really a vampire, they said.
It’ll be fun, they said.
And suddenly I’m neck deep in a world I’ve never really believed in, no matter what my crazy Great Aunt Mabel used to say.
Seriously, I have more than enough drama in my life already, without adding an irresistibly mesmerizing nightclub owner to the mix. My boss—a man with a penchant for trouble and the echo of tragedy lurking behind his dark gaze.
My new coworkers appear to be universally insane. My deadbeat ex is in trouble with a capital “T,” and if history is any indication, he’ll do his best to drag my son and me right along with him. In other news, I’m also being hounded by creditors who seem to think you can make money appear in someone’s bank account by threatening them over the phone.
(Though to be fair, if that approach worked, I’d be all for it. Spoiler alert—it doesn’t.)
To top it all off, while my back was turned, I’ve somehow become a chess piece in a cold war between supernatural factions. Just because magic supposedly runs in my family doesn’t mean I know the first thing about Fae or demons or vampires or any of this craziness.
But it looks like I’m gonna have to learn. Because now they’re coming after the thing I hold most dear — my son. And I’ll do anything to get him back.
Watch out, paranormal world.
Hell hath no fury like a mother’s wrath.
* * *
Vampire Bound is a new urban fantasy romance series by R. A. Steffan, set in the same world as the bestselling series The Last Vampire . Download Book One today, and enter a world shared by humans, fae, demons, and vampires. It’s a place where the supernatural threatens the mundane, nothing is as it seems, and love will either be the world’s downfall—or its salvation.
282 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 25, 2020
932 people are currently reading
602 people want to read
About the author
R.A. Steffan
85 books499 followersUSA Today bestselling author R. A. Steffan lives in New Mexico, where the sunsets paint the mountains purple, and roadrunners roam the desert endlessly in search of their coyote victims. When she’s not busy writing stories about people loving each other in all sorts of different and interesting ways, she can be found taking care of her small menagerie of critters.
A rebel to the core, she is currently sticking it to the man by illegally harvesting graywater from the kitchen and bathroom sinks to water trees outside. This fearless disregard for societal norms extends to her writing, as well. There, you will find polyamory along with straight, gay, bisexual, and non-gender conforming love of all flavors. You will also find families of choice, profound friendships, adventure, danger, and good triumphing over evil.
That, and sex. Lots of sex. Most of which is not the vanilla variety.
If any of that appeals, sign up at http://www.rasteffan.com/ to get a free starter library featuring the first books in several of her series. You can also follow her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RASteffanAut..., or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/RA_Steffan.
A rebel to the core, she is currently sticking it to the man by illegally harvesting graywater from the kitchen and bathroom sinks to water trees outside. This fearless disregard for societal norms extends to her writing, as well. There, you will find polyamory along with straight, gay, bisexual, and non-gender conforming love of all flavors. You will also find families of choice, profound friendships, adventure, danger, and good triumphing over evil.
That, and sex. Lots of sex. Most of which is not the vanilla variety.
If any of that appeals, sign up at http://www.rasteffan.com/ to get a free starter library featuring the first books in several of her series. You can also follow her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RASteffanAut..., or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/RA_Steffan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
March 25, 2020
3 3/4 stars. This is not your usual urban fantasy. Vonnie is not a teenager or young 20-something "chosen one" hero with mad magic skills. She is 30, with a kid, a less than ideal ex who isn't abusive but screws her over financially because his dreams are more important than his family, a crappy job and now the mob looking to collect on her ex's loan. It is refreshing and realistic.
Of course, there is more to come. Her newest job as a bartender exposes her to the supernatural: vampires, fae and demons. Oh, and she might have some magic herself. Not that it helps her when the fae and the mob team up to get their over-due payment. Vonnie tries to deal with it in human terms, even if means cashing in her 401K, but that isn't enough in this new world she's discovered where humans are mere pawns for the supernatural. Luckily, she has a few new friends that have some supernatural powers too.
I like that Vonnie tries to deal with her problems in a human manner. She doesn't immediately turn to the supernatural, either in herself or others, for a magical fix. Vonnie has pride but she is also a mother who expects to figure out a way to survive because that's what lots of strong, single-mothers do everyday. She is a very sympathetic and strong character in a normal way that makes it easy to relate to her.
There is action in this story, but it is more of a gradual build up at first. The reader gets a chance to know the characters who have substance without being thrown into a high octane ride immediately. Then there are kidnappings, guns, dead bodies, and flames. It ends with a bit of a cliff-hanger but you won't hate the author. Instead, you just wish the next book was here already!
Oh, and there is some nice sexual tension between her and her vampire boss. Plus, snark!
Of course, there is more to come. Her newest job as a bartender exposes her to the supernatural: vampires, fae and demons. Oh, and she might have some magic herself. Not that it helps her when the fae and the mob team up to get their over-due payment. Vonnie tries to deal with it in human terms, even if means cashing in her 401K, but that isn't enough in this new world she's discovered where humans are mere pawns for the supernatural. Luckily, she has a few new friends that have some supernatural powers too.
I like that Vonnie tries to deal with her problems in a human manner. She doesn't immediately turn to the supernatural, either in herself or others, for a magical fix. Vonnie has pride but she is also a mother who expects to figure out a way to survive because that's what lots of strong, single-mothers do everyday. She is a very sympathetic and strong character in a normal way that makes it easy to relate to her.
There is action in this story, but it is more of a gradual build up at first. The reader gets a chance to know the characters who have substance without being thrown into a high octane ride immediately. Then there are kidnappings, guns, dead bodies, and flames. It ends with a bit of a cliff-hanger but you won't hate the author. Instead, you just wish the next book was here already!
Oh, and there is some nice sexual tension between her and her vampire boss. Plus, snark!
June 12, 2022
I stupidly bought the audible bundle, but called it quits halfway through book 1. I will not be continuing this series. Least charismatic vampire I’ve ever read about and the money lender story got really boring really fast. Her ex husband was so annoying that I hoped he would bite the bullet. Maybe he did at some point later in the series? Fingers crossed. DNF
April 18, 2020
3.5
Thumbs up for a POC vampire romantic lead!
Thumbs up for a POC vampire romantic lead!
March 27, 2020
Good
So happy to read Guthrie’s story! Well, Vonnie’s story with Guthrie in a star role...but still! Can’t wait to find out what happens next. That cliffhanger is brutal.
So happy to read Guthrie’s story! Well, Vonnie’s story with Guthrie in a star role...but still! Can’t wait to find out what happens next. That cliffhanger is brutal.
September 16, 2020
It was okay
It wasn't bad, but just wasn't really anything special.
It didn't keep me too interested. I didn't find the story to be very compelling. I also didn't find the characters too special.
Overall, I didn't feel much of anything during the book and couldn't even say if there was a certain part of the book that I particularly liked or disliked. It just was... Flat, neutral.
The end was a cliffhanger. I didn't mind because I like them, and it did spark my interest slightly.
It wasn't bad, but just wasn't really anything special.
It didn't keep me too interested. I didn't find the story to be very compelling. I also didn't find the characters too special.
Overall, I didn't feel much of anything during the book and couldn't even say if there was a certain part of the book that I particularly liked or disliked. It just was... Flat, neutral.
The end was a cliffhanger. I didn't mind because I like them, and it did spark my interest slightly.
April 16, 2020
Cliffhanger
I loved this book but I will not continue on with series. I don't do cliffhangers and ones that involve a child is just a big no for me. Maybe when the series is over but by then I most likely won't remember this series. So upset I was sucked into a series that has a cliffhanger.
I loved this book but I will not continue on with series. I don't do cliffhangers and ones that involve a child is just a big no for me. Maybe when the series is over but by then I most likely won't remember this series. So upset I was sucked into a series that has a cliffhanger.
August 26, 2020
Boring and insipid.
When authors make the MC fall pregnant the plots fall apart in a hurry.
While I understand the protective nature of a mother but making this a main theme causes
this series a non-starter. The author should have spent more effort building the main and
supporting characters and therefore this series will be put to rest.
When authors make the MC fall pregnant the plots fall apart in a hurry.
While I understand the protective nature of a mother but making this a main theme causes
this series a non-starter. The author should have spent more effort building the main and
supporting characters and therefore this series will be put to rest.
May 25, 2021
I've enjoyed RA Steffan's books set in her Eburosi Chronicles world and finally decided to read one of her other books, or actually listen in this case. I wanted to start with her Fae series, but then found out that was a spin-off series of Vampire Bound, so I decided to start here instead. Now it turns out Vampire Bound also is a spin-off series from The Last Vampire, which I haven't read. I found this book easy to follow and there was enough information to bring you up to speed if you haven't read the earlier series.
Vampire Bound Book One is one of those books that is difficult to review for me. I really liked parts, but then others didn't quite work for me. I liked how every scene felt like it had a purpose and furthered the story or developed the characters. This made the pacing feel great. On the other hand I felt like the story lacked a bit of direction. Even at the end I am not quite sure what the main point of this series is. We still don't have a motivation for one of the bad guys and that makes it feel a bit directionless for me. At times it feels more like a daily life type of story just with paranormal creatures added in.
I like how early in the book Vonnie finds out the supernatural exists, I think it's even in the first chapter, but then something happens due to which she doesn't remember. Now as readers we know, but the main character doesn't, so I just felt like I was waiting for her to re-discover the paranormal world. It did feel very realistic what happened, but at the same time it felt a bit off.
The story kept my attention, but at times it wavered. I also had to pause the book at a certain point after a horrifying scene. I managed to finish the book, but because of that horrifying event I never got as into it as before that. The book can also be a bit bleak at times. Some paranormals rule the world basically and there's nothing much the charters can do about it. It felt a bit helpless because of that. I assume this will change in future books, but for now the situation just felt bleak and hopeless. Then there is the fact that Vonnie is poor and has to pay off creditors that her ex lent money to (not a fan of that set up). Basically Vonnie is in a whole lot of trouble, not much is because of what she does or did. And her role in everything felt kinda passive so far, she's trying to solve all these problems that aren't caused by her in the first place. There isn't much she can do and every time she does make a plan to solve a little piece of it things go wrong.
I liked the characters in this book. How the characters reacted felt very realistic. I liked that. I like how much Vonnie cared for her son and how she did the best she could given her situation. I liked her trying to make the best out of things. I really felt bad for her and I look forward to seeing her in situations where she decides the direction or has more control. The side characters are awesome too and it feels like a lot of them have their own story and past as well, which makes them feel more alive. The romance is set up in this book, but it doesn't really go anywhere yet. By the end we do get the feeling it's mutual. I am looking forward to see how that progresses.
It took me a bit of time to get used to the narrator, but after a few chapters I thought she fit the story well. I also had to speed this one up to 1.3 and then it was great to listen to. I liked the variety of voices she did and how eahc character had their own voice. She let the emotions of the characters show through in the way she talked and I thought that was well done.
To summarize: This was a solid start to this series, but a bit of a mixed read for me. Every scene has a purpose and the pacing feels solid. The story can be a bit bleak at times and there's a horrifying scene later in the book that diminished my enjoyment. I also felt the story lacked direction a bit at times. A lot of bad things happen to the main character, but most of it isn't her fault and there isn't much she can do. I liked the characters and learning more about the paranormal world. It took me some time to get used to the narrator, but I thought she narrated the book well with plenty of different voices for the different characters.
Vampire Bound Book One is one of those books that is difficult to review for me. I really liked parts, but then others didn't quite work for me. I liked how every scene felt like it had a purpose and furthered the story or developed the characters. This made the pacing feel great. On the other hand I felt like the story lacked a bit of direction. Even at the end I am not quite sure what the main point of this series is. We still don't have a motivation for one of the bad guys and that makes it feel a bit directionless for me. At times it feels more like a daily life type of story just with paranormal creatures added in.
I like how early in the book Vonnie finds out the supernatural exists, I think it's even in the first chapter, but then something happens due to which she doesn't remember. Now as readers we know, but the main character doesn't, so I just felt like I was waiting for her to re-discover the paranormal world. It did feel very realistic what happened, but at the same time it felt a bit off.
The story kept my attention, but at times it wavered. I also had to pause the book at a certain point after a horrifying scene. I managed to finish the book, but because of that horrifying event I never got as into it as before that. The book can also be a bit bleak at times. Some paranormals rule the world basically and there's nothing much the charters can do about it. It felt a bit helpless because of that. I assume this will change in future books, but for now the situation just felt bleak and hopeless. Then there is the fact that Vonnie is poor and has to pay off creditors that her ex lent money to (not a fan of that set up). Basically Vonnie is in a whole lot of trouble, not much is because of what she does or did. And her role in everything felt kinda passive so far, she's trying to solve all these problems that aren't caused by her in the first place. There isn't much she can do and every time she does make a plan to solve a little piece of it things go wrong.
I liked the characters in this book. How the characters reacted felt very realistic. I liked that. I like how much Vonnie cared for her son and how she did the best she could given her situation. I liked her trying to make the best out of things. I really felt bad for her and I look forward to seeing her in situations where she decides the direction or has more control. The side characters are awesome too and it feels like a lot of them have their own story and past as well, which makes them feel more alive. The romance is set up in this book, but it doesn't really go anywhere yet. By the end we do get the feeling it's mutual. I am looking forward to see how that progresses.
It took me a bit of time to get used to the narrator, but after a few chapters I thought she fit the story well. I also had to speed this one up to 1.3 and then it was great to listen to. I liked the variety of voices she did and how eahc character had their own voice. She let the emotions of the characters show through in the way she talked and I thought that was well done.
To summarize: This was a solid start to this series, but a bit of a mixed read for me. Every scene has a purpose and the pacing feels solid. The story can be a bit bleak at times and there's a horrifying scene later in the book that diminished my enjoyment. I also felt the story lacked direction a bit at times. A lot of bad things happen to the main character, but most of it isn't her fault and there isn't much she can do. I liked the characters and learning more about the paranormal world. It took me some time to get used to the narrator, but I thought she narrated the book well with plenty of different voices for the different characters.
October 17, 2020
Action, adventure and a mysterious vampire.
I started reading this book and found myself reading during breaks at work. I couldn’t stop until the end! I can’t wait to read the next one. I’m hooked!
I started reading this book and found myself reading during breaks at work. I couldn’t stop until the end! I can’t wait to read the next one. I’m hooked!
September 30, 2020
What could be wrong with her
I really recomend this book.
Never a dull moment. When you think everything will go smoothly another problem arises. With twists and turns made it suspense and we get to the end...
Great read
I really recomend this book.
Never a dull moment. When you think everything will go smoothly another problem arises. With twists and turns made it suspense and we get to the end...
Great read
August 7, 2021
Good lord this was incredibly boring. Nothing really happened. The blurb indicates her son gets taken but that doesn't happen until the last paragraph... and boy oh boy what a boring fkn "cliffhanger"
March 26, 2021
Boring as hell
April 26, 2022
Audio: (5) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
& Story: (4) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Very first audiobook and great paranormal fantasy! Vonnie was a great MC & I can’t wait to unravel the rest of her series!
& Story: (4) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Very first audiobook and great paranormal fantasy! Vonnie was a great MC & I can’t wait to unravel the rest of her series!
May 13, 2020
Damn cliffhangers!!! Good book though. I’ll need to get book 2 when it comes out on June 25th.
Quick synopsis to remind me where it ended when book 2 comes out. SPOILERS AHEAD.
TURN BACK NOW!
LAST CHANCE....
Okay, so, Vonnie is a regular gal who got pregnant at 15 years old the first and only time she had sex with Richard. 9 months later she had Jax. Good kid. He’s 14 now. Vonnie and Richard never married and Jax lives with her but sees his dad on weekends I think. Richard is a loser. Not a bad guy, but he’s stuck on get rich quick schemes and seems incapable of just earning a decent living. He’s all “go big or go home”. His last effort to open his own shop put him in debt to the Russian mob when he got a loan from them. Idiot.
The Russians are smart enough to know they won’t get any money out of Richard, so they’re squeezing Vonnie for it, despite them not being married or even living together. She quit her night classes and even quit her phone operator job (where she met her friend Zara; I think that was her name?). For a while she worked in phone sex to make better payments to the Russians, but when that wasn’t enough she had to give prostitution a shot (despite not liking sex; it seems Richard sucked at it).
As a call girl for hire she’s sent to a night club to be Leonides arm candy for the evening, and whatever else he wants of her. I get the impression he often uses higher class call girls as arm candy to push his night club owner facade, and for blood, and occasionally for sex too. While they were in the club, a fae paid Leonides a call and spotted Vonnie. When the guys animosity got heated and the fae tried to throw around some glamour to make the humans bend to his will, we discovered that Vonnie is immune. Which interested the fae quite a bit.
Leonides figured out that she’s only immune while wearing her grandmothers pendant. When she took it off he asked her why she was a prostitute and she confessed to it being her first night, not liking sex, and needing the money to pay off her ex’s debt. At the end of the night Leonides offered Vonnie a job as a bartender, starting as a barback and training her up. It seems he has a habit of taking in strays in need.
At some point days/weeks later, a demon friend of Leo shows up and Vonnie overhears that children are going missing and they suspect the fae.
Later, Vonnie and Richard were kidnapped by the Russians. When the same fae showed up to their kidnapping and learned that they have a child together (who escaped the kidnapping and had moms cell phone and started calling her friends - thankfully Leo’s granddaughter Zara was first). The fae decides he doesn’t need the adults now and tells the mob to kneecap her as he heads out. The Russians put a bullet through each of Vonnies knees as Richard watched. As the Russians begin to leave, the vampire cavalry arrives in the form of Leo, Zara and her vamp husband. Oh, Zara is like part vamp, fae and demon. No idea what that’s about, but I’m pretty sure it’s from an earlier series. They all meet up with Jax and a friend from the bar and decide to send Jax to NM with his grandmother for a few weeks. Around this point Richard bails because vamps are too much for him to handle. Yeah, he’s a douche.
Leo puts Vonnie up in a spare apartment in his building over the club. Just as she starts to relax, she fantasizes about sex with Leo and her burgeoning power sets the bed on fire, triggering the sprinklers and alarm. They evacuate the building and before Leo can ask what she was doing that caused the fire, grandma calls and say Jax never arrived. The airline confirms he got on the flight, but wasn’t there when it landed.
To be continued!
Quick synopsis to remind me where it ended when book 2 comes out. SPOILERS AHEAD.
TURN BACK NOW!
LAST CHANCE....
Okay, so, Vonnie is a regular gal who got pregnant at 15 years old the first and only time she had sex with Richard. 9 months later she had Jax. Good kid. He’s 14 now. Vonnie and Richard never married and Jax lives with her but sees his dad on weekends I think. Richard is a loser. Not a bad guy, but he’s stuck on get rich quick schemes and seems incapable of just earning a decent living. He’s all “go big or go home”. His last effort to open his own shop put him in debt to the Russian mob when he got a loan from them. Idiot.
The Russians are smart enough to know they won’t get any money out of Richard, so they’re squeezing Vonnie for it, despite them not being married or even living together. She quit her night classes and even quit her phone operator job (where she met her friend Zara; I think that was her name?). For a while she worked in phone sex to make better payments to the Russians, but when that wasn’t enough she had to give prostitution a shot (despite not liking sex; it seems Richard sucked at it).
As a call girl for hire she’s sent to a night club to be Leonides arm candy for the evening, and whatever else he wants of her. I get the impression he often uses higher class call girls as arm candy to push his night club owner facade, and for blood, and occasionally for sex too. While they were in the club, a fae paid Leonides a call and spotted Vonnie. When the guys animosity got heated and the fae tried to throw around some glamour to make the humans bend to his will, we discovered that Vonnie is immune. Which interested the fae quite a bit.
Leonides figured out that she’s only immune while wearing her grandmothers pendant. When she took it off he asked her why she was a prostitute and she confessed to it being her first night, not liking sex, and needing the money to pay off her ex’s debt. At the end of the night Leonides offered Vonnie a job as a bartender, starting as a barback and training her up. It seems he has a habit of taking in strays in need.
At some point days/weeks later, a demon friend of Leo shows up and Vonnie overhears that children are going missing and they suspect the fae.
Later, Vonnie and Richard were kidnapped by the Russians. When the same fae showed up to their kidnapping and learned that they have a child together (who escaped the kidnapping and had moms cell phone and started calling her friends - thankfully Leo’s granddaughter Zara was first). The fae decides he doesn’t need the adults now and tells the mob to kneecap her as he heads out. The Russians put a bullet through each of Vonnies knees as Richard watched. As the Russians begin to leave, the vampire cavalry arrives in the form of Leo, Zara and her vamp husband. Oh, Zara is like part vamp, fae and demon. No idea what that’s about, but I’m pretty sure it’s from an earlier series. They all meet up with Jax and a friend from the bar and decide to send Jax to NM with his grandmother for a few weeks. Around this point Richard bails because vamps are too much for him to handle. Yeah, he’s a douche.
Leo puts Vonnie up in a spare apartment in his building over the club. Just as she starts to relax, she fantasizes about sex with Leo and her burgeoning power sets the bed on fire, triggering the sprinklers and alarm. They evacuate the building and before Leo can ask what she was doing that caused the fire, grandma calls and say Jax never arrived. The airline confirms he got on the flight, but wasn’t there when it landed.
To be continued!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 16, 2021
Book Details
Well, heck! This was WONDERFUL! I was initially interested in the 'Forsaken Fae' series and realized that it is a spinoff of another series. I contacted RA Steffan personally and discovered it is a continuation of two concurrent series! What a privilege and honor to immerse myself in the writer's work. In ' The Last Vampire, Book 1', we encounter Zorah Elaine Bright who discovers a dead body in her shed. She calls it in to the police department only for the body to disappear and her memory wiped. When encountering the man again, she remembers what she was supposed to have forgotten: She had been fed upon by the vampire Ransley. He shares information with her about the supernatural world, a world she had intuited for years following the fatal shooting of her mother about twenty years ago when she was only six years old.
On her shift at the restaurant, a creepy patron asks her questions concerning her background that are way too personal. She meets him again when a bogus accusation is made against her at a mental health non-profit where she volunteers. Before long, the police are at her home and her job in an effort to apprehend her. Having nowhere else to turn, she calls her indifferent father who surprises her with help, wiring her money for a bus trip from her current location in St. Louis to his location in Chicago, but the police are there to capture her. Much to her surprise, she is rescued by Ransley who takes her to a safer location and she learns information about herself: she's part succubus--demonkin, which explains the terrible treatment she got from the fae that captured her at the bus station. The supernatural war with demons resulted in a win for the fae and their infiltration at every societal level amongst humankind.
In trying to contact her father, she discovers his phone is disconnected, and other indicators that his life has been disrupted. With rumors that other things are going on with the fae in Chicago, Zorah and Ransley catch an airplane there only to be waylaid and apprehended by more fae. In a bout of resistance, Zorah's powers manifest themselves only to discover that the fae isn't exactly an enemy. Albigard of the Unseelie Court though unfriendly isn't someone interested in destroying her. They go on to Zorah's father's condo only to find the place ransacked and him missing. Given the fact that he was the only person besides herself that knew she was catching the bus from St. Louis to Chicago, she remains committed to locating him.
Wow! This was one of the very few M/F romances I had obligated myself to review and I'm glad I did. Though the author is a new-to-me writer, there has been some interest among LGBTQ+ readers in R. A. Steffan's 'Forsaken Fae' series. This work is exciting and well-written. The writer gives us enough information about the main characters to give each some depth and breadth without a full saturation that would overwhelm the reader. And this is separate and apart from the fact that the book ends with a cliffhanger. A world is described with enough detail that the reader can't help but want to experience more. The story is energetic and fully fleshed out with interesting elements strategically placed within the narrative. What a wonderful way to keep most readers coming back for more!
Well, heck! This was WONDERFUL! I was initially interested in the 'Forsaken Fae' series and realized that it is a spinoff of another series. I contacted RA Steffan personally and discovered it is a continuation of two concurrent series! What a privilege and honor to immerse myself in the writer's work. In ' The Last Vampire, Book 1', we encounter Zorah Elaine Bright who discovers a dead body in her shed. She calls it in to the police department only for the body to disappear and her memory wiped. When encountering the man again, she remembers what she was supposed to have forgotten: She had been fed upon by the vampire Ransley. He shares information with her about the supernatural world, a world she had intuited for years following the fatal shooting of her mother about twenty years ago when she was only six years old.
On her shift at the restaurant, a creepy patron asks her questions concerning her background that are way too personal. She meets him again when a bogus accusation is made against her at a mental health non-profit where she volunteers. Before long, the police are at her home and her job in an effort to apprehend her. Having nowhere else to turn, she calls her indifferent father who surprises her with help, wiring her money for a bus trip from her current location in St. Louis to his location in Chicago, but the police are there to capture her. Much to her surprise, she is rescued by Ransley who takes her to a safer location and she learns information about herself: she's part succubus--demonkin, which explains the terrible treatment she got from the fae that captured her at the bus station. The supernatural war with demons resulted in a win for the fae and their infiltration at every societal level amongst humankind.
In trying to contact her father, she discovers his phone is disconnected, and other indicators that his life has been disrupted. With rumors that other things are going on with the fae in Chicago, Zorah and Ransley catch an airplane there only to be waylaid and apprehended by more fae. In a bout of resistance, Zorah's powers manifest themselves only to discover that the fae isn't exactly an enemy. Albigard of the Unseelie Court though unfriendly isn't someone interested in destroying her. They go on to Zorah's father's condo only to find the place ransacked and him missing. Given the fact that he was the only person besides herself that knew she was catching the bus from St. Louis to Chicago, she remains committed to locating him.
Wow! This was one of the very few M/F romances I had obligated myself to review and I'm glad I did. Though the author is a new-to-me writer, there has been some interest among LGBTQ+ readers in R. A. Steffan's 'Forsaken Fae' series. This work is exciting and well-written. The writer gives us enough information about the main characters to give each some depth and breadth without a full saturation that would overwhelm the reader. And this is separate and apart from the fact that the book ends with a cliffhanger. A world is described with enough detail that the reader can't help but want to experience more. The story is energetic and fully fleshed out with interesting elements strategically placed within the narrative. What a wonderful way to keep most readers coming back for more!
January 24, 2023
3.5/5 ⭐
I like this book way more than I liked any of The Last Vampire books, but it still carries over some of my grievances from that series.
I like Zorah in this way more than I ever liked her as the protagonist of The Last Vampire. She is much less annoying when we aren't subjected to her stupid inner monologue. However, since we are not subjected to hers, we are obviously subjected to Vonnie's, the main character.
I like Vonnie. She is a much less irritating and much more relatable protagonist. She has ounds more maturity than Zorah, and has issues that I feel have real consequences. There are actual stakes in this book, even though we know by the very set-up of this type of series that nothing has REALLY happened yet. Which makes me excited for the latter ones in this series.
I like Guthrie a lot. I like Len, too. I'm grateful that while we are introduced to a few more characters, we still have a lot of familiar faces to read about here. Makes the series much easier to get into, even while giving enough guidance so that the book could stand on its own if someone wished to skip The Last Vampire series.
I like Richard and the issues he's caused. It's fair to call him a deadbeat, I guess, but it's obvious that he cares and is just stupid. So I wish that although yeah, he sucks a lot, that he wasn't so picked on. He deserves it though, from Vonnie at least. The rest of the characters (namely Zorah, though she probably knows stuff about him from her friendship with Vonnie) need to back off a little.
I'm gonna be honest. Nsfw discussion: I think one of the reasons I enjoyed this book was because of the lack of sex within it. It's talked about, there are some feelings, even a little masturbation. But, thank goodness, there was no two chapter sex scene in here like there always was in The Last Vampire. I found it made me able to care. Lol. But I know this praise (and gripe about The Last Vampire) is a direct consequence of me reading books that contain those things in which I am almost totally uninterested in, so, yeah.
Anyways, solid book. Wish it could stand on its own as a book itself, but I'll have to read the rest to get any closure for anything. Which works, too, I guess. It took me a while to read it, though, spurring a slight break from reading because I couldn't get into it into it till about the 17th chapter.
I like this book way more than I liked any of The Last Vampire books, but it still carries over some of my grievances from that series.
I like Zorah in this way more than I ever liked her as the protagonist of The Last Vampire. She is much less annoying when we aren't subjected to her stupid inner monologue. However, since we are not subjected to hers, we are obviously subjected to Vonnie's, the main character.
I like Vonnie. She is a much less irritating and much more relatable protagonist. She has ounds more maturity than Zorah, and has issues that I feel have real consequences. There are actual stakes in this book, even though we know by the very set-up of this type of series that nothing has REALLY happened yet. Which makes me excited for the latter ones in this series.
I like Guthrie a lot. I like Len, too. I'm grateful that while we are introduced to a few more characters, we still have a lot of familiar faces to read about here. Makes the series much easier to get into, even while giving enough guidance so that the book could stand on its own if someone wished to skip The Last Vampire series.
I like Richard and the issues he's caused. It's fair to call him a deadbeat, I guess, but it's obvious that he cares and is just stupid. So I wish that although yeah, he sucks a lot, that he wasn't so picked on. He deserves it though, from Vonnie at least. The rest of the characters (namely Zorah, though she probably knows stuff about him from her friendship with Vonnie) need to back off a little.
I'm gonna be honest. Nsfw discussion: I think one of the reasons I enjoyed this book was because of the lack of sex within it. It's talked about, there are some feelings, even a little masturbation. But, thank goodness, there was no two chapter sex scene in here like there always was in The Last Vampire. I found it made me able to care. Lol. But I know this praise (and gripe about The Last Vampire) is a direct consequence of me reading books that contain those things in which I am almost totally uninterested in, so, yeah.
Anyways, solid book. Wish it could stand on its own as a book itself, but I'll have to read the rest to get any closure for anything. Which works, too, I guess. It took me a while to read it, though, spurring a slight break from reading because I couldn't get into it into it till about the 17th chapter.
April 28, 2020
Such a great revamp (pun intended) of a familiar world!
I read The Last Vampire series very fast and although Zorah and Rans story had a very satisfactory ending, I was left wanting more time with some of the supporting characters (Len, Nigellus and Guthrie to name a few). So reading Vampire Bound next, a new series by R. A. Steffan that takes place in the same world, was a no-brainer. The story is told from the POV of Vonnie Morgan, Zorah's friend from Book 1, who has no shortage of problems of her own. She finds herself working in Guthrie's jazz club, slowly realizing that the supernatural world is real and that she's part of it.
Honestly? I grew to enjoy Zorah's POV in The Last Vampire, but I instantly loved Vonnie's here. There's just something about this character, how real she is, the fact that she is a mom in her '30s, her problems with intimacy, the sloooowww burn as she realizes she has feelings for her boss, that made this book a joy to read. Plus, I already find Guthrie a more fascinating character than Rans, perhaps because I feel like I know him better, his background and what makes him tick.
Also, I really liked the slow burn between them. It feels genuine when you consider the main character and her issues — anything faster would seem weird. Plus there's so much happening anyway, plot wise, that just like Vonnie you don't have time to think about romance that much. But of course, it's there. And I'm looking forward to explore that part of the character dynamic more in following books.
Oh, and the cliffhanger? Equally fascinating (the first part, I mean) and disturbing.
In my opinion, you can totally enjoy this book even if you haven't read The Last Vampire.
Me, I'm looking forward to June, when the second book in the series comes out.
I read The Last Vampire series very fast and although Zorah and Rans story had a very satisfactory ending, I was left wanting more time with some of the supporting characters (Len, Nigellus and Guthrie to name a few). So reading Vampire Bound next, a new series by R. A. Steffan that takes place in the same world, was a no-brainer. The story is told from the POV of Vonnie Morgan, Zorah's friend from Book 1, who has no shortage of problems of her own. She finds herself working in Guthrie's jazz club, slowly realizing that the supernatural world is real and that she's part of it.
Honestly? I grew to enjoy Zorah's POV in The Last Vampire, but I instantly loved Vonnie's here. There's just something about this character, how real she is, the fact that she is a mom in her '30s, her problems with intimacy, the sloooowww burn as she realizes she has feelings for her boss, that made this book a joy to read. Plus, I already find Guthrie a more fascinating character than Rans, perhaps because I feel like I know him better, his background and what makes him tick.
Also, I really liked the slow burn between them. It feels genuine when you consider the main character and her issues — anything faster would seem weird. Plus there's so much happening anyway, plot wise, that just like Vonnie you don't have time to think about romance that much. But of course, it's there. And I'm looking forward to explore that part of the character dynamic more in following books.
Oh, and the cliffhanger? Equally fascinating (the first part, I mean) and disturbing.
In my opinion, you can totally enjoy this book even if you haven't read The Last Vampire.
Me, I'm looking forward to June, when the second book in the series comes out.
June 20, 2020
Surprisingly good read.
I picked this book up because I read the blurb on Facebook. The sentence structure and style of writing appeals to me. I downloaded and started reading and didn't put that book down until it was finished. The characters are interesting and slowly but well developed. Leonidas and Vonnie are the main characters and I just enjoyed both. There is a slow build up of their interest in each other around the developing plot which seems to leave the reader more invested in their lives. Enjoyed the book very much and plan to get the whole series as the novels are published. It's one of those rare books these days where I don't find the story is tedious and the sex predictable (not in variety but in repetition ). I did NOT peek at the ending while in the middle to see if the novel was worth reading. It's not 5 stars for 2 reasons, this is basically a serial story about the main characters so there is always going to be a cliffhanger presented after the story should be complete (I suspected this because of the pace at which the story progresses and because there was no burst of light attraction between the main characters that immediately sent them into a predictable storm of passion). The second reason there is no 5th star is that I do not like stories written in the 1st person. However these 2 points aside, I recommend very highly that anyone set aside a few hours and read this story from start to finish, no,peeking at the last page.
I picked this book up because I read the blurb on Facebook. The sentence structure and style of writing appeals to me. I downloaded and started reading and didn't put that book down until it was finished. The characters are interesting and slowly but well developed. Leonidas and Vonnie are the main characters and I just enjoyed both. There is a slow build up of their interest in each other around the developing plot which seems to leave the reader more invested in their lives. Enjoyed the book very much and plan to get the whole series as the novels are published. It's one of those rare books these days where I don't find the story is tedious and the sex predictable (not in variety but in repetition ). I did NOT peek at the ending while in the middle to see if the novel was worth reading. It's not 5 stars for 2 reasons, this is basically a serial story about the main characters so there is always going to be a cliffhanger presented after the story should be complete (I suspected this because of the pace at which the story progresses and because there was no burst of light attraction between the main characters that immediately sent them into a predictable storm of passion). The second reason there is no 5th star is that I do not like stories written in the 1st person. However these 2 points aside, I recommend very highly that anyone set aside a few hours and read this story from start to finish, no,peeking at the last page.
May 6, 2024
I wasn't sure about this book because while it's book 1 it is also book 7 in The Vampire World series. But I was bored and I wanted something to read that I had to hold and hadn't read in a while. So I picked up this book out of my TBR box and turned to page 1. :)
I have to say that it was good enough to get online and buy books 2 and 3. :)
The main characters in this book are Vonnie (the human) and Leonides (sp). (vampire). Vonnie has a deadbeat husband who got in with the wrong gang and now that gang wants Vonnie to pay back the money he stole. Vonnie also has a son whom the same gang is determined to kidnap to teach the ex-husband a lesson!
Leonides runs a high-class cocktail bar that hires women as an escort to schmooze the ordinary people who visit the cocktail bar and impress them. Vonnie, who is paying off the gang, signs on as an escort for Leonides. That night a fae elf appeared that day and began initiating a war between the vampires and the fae. Vonnie has a necklace/amulet given to her by her great-aunt Mabel that prevents the elf from mesmerizing her which intrigues Leonides.
The rest of the book is good as Leonides and Vonnie get to know each other. Leonides helps Vonnie and she helps him.
The writing is good and the plot is intriguing. The characters are well-written. The story doesn't just involve Vonnie and Leonides but the entire staff of the Cocktail bar.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes supernatural romance with a great plot written by a good writer.
I have to say that it was good enough to get online and buy books 2 and 3. :)
The main characters in this book are Vonnie (the human) and Leonides (sp). (vampire). Vonnie has a deadbeat husband who got in with the wrong gang and now that gang wants Vonnie to pay back the money he stole. Vonnie also has a son whom the same gang is determined to kidnap to teach the ex-husband a lesson!
Leonides runs a high-class cocktail bar that hires women as an escort to schmooze the ordinary people who visit the cocktail bar and impress them. Vonnie, who is paying off the gang, signs on as an escort for Leonides. That night a fae elf appeared that day and began initiating a war between the vampires and the fae. Vonnie has a necklace/amulet given to her by her great-aunt Mabel that prevents the elf from mesmerizing her which intrigues Leonides.
The rest of the book is good as Leonides and Vonnie get to know each other. Leonides helps Vonnie and she helps him.
The writing is good and the plot is intriguing. The characters are well-written. The story doesn't just involve Vonnie and Leonides but the entire staff of the Cocktail bar.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes supernatural romance with a great plot written by a good writer.
April 11, 2020
I liked this story a lot. It's about a single mother, Vonnie, who's struggling to make enough money to support herself and her son and help her ex pay off a dirty money loan from the mob (ex's fault, not hers). She's so desperate that she signs on to be an escort and ends up as arm candy for the owner of a bar called the Vixen's Den.There she learns that the world isn't what it seems - vampires, fae, and demons are real and they have their fingers in much o f what she thought was a human-controlled world. The story is well written, tense (very tense in places, a real page turner), the characters are good. But then - major cliff hanger. And, to make it worse, the next book isn't out yet. I agree with a couple of other reviewers, there was no wrapping up of anything in this first book. I don't mind a tease or a hook going into the next story of a series, but it's nice when something gets resolved in the story line of the first book. Didn't happen here, the book just ended. Normally I'd give this only two stars due to that but the story was so well done until it suddenly stopped that I gave it 3 stars.
July 20, 2022
I honestly give this book 1,5 ⭐️! The main characters annoyed me completely. Woman who was constantly dragging about her poor life choices, pathetic life, was ashamed to ask for help, rather stick with the guy whose life choices are similar to hers. Why she had to pay her ex debt? Really? She is supposed to be in her 30 and this is her life? Afraid to call her friend bc once she refused to help her or whatever. In that point I had truly enough and literally felt sorry for myself!
Let’s not forget A little bit from supernatural. Here I thought it is supposed to be about vampires and supernatural world, but all I got was a pathetic woman growling about her miserable life and stupid choices. Club owner who had to be persuaded by his own worker to ask for his friends help. And let’s not forget the narrator, that woman’s voice made it even worse for me.
At the end I would say that I believe if the woman wouldn’t be so much annoying and don’t ruin the whole book for me, I may continue with the series as the plot look interesting and really wanna see more about supernatural world, but no the pathetic woman and narrator destroyed everything for me.
Let’s not forget A little bit from supernatural. Here I thought it is supposed to be about vampires and supernatural world, but all I got was a pathetic woman growling about her miserable life and stupid choices. Club owner who had to be persuaded by his own worker to ask for his friends help. And let’s not forget the narrator, that woman’s voice made it even worse for me.
At the end I would say that I believe if the woman wouldn’t be so much annoying and don’t ruin the whole book for me, I may continue with the series as the plot look interesting and really wanna see more about supernatural world, but no the pathetic woman and narrator destroyed everything for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 16, 2021
3.5
Story 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Writing style🌟🌟🌟
Characters🌟🌟🌟
Worldbuilding/ambience🌟🌟🌟
Romance🌟
Barely any meaningful interaction between the leads. Seemed almost like and afterthought. The relationship is frigid. They have little to none emotional engagement and the author felt the need to pull the ol "I'm lusting after him so it must mean love", to establish the foundation for the love line. No people, lust isn't love. I found it so distasteful when authors use that specially here when , again, there's barely any emotional strings. A thing that really made me uncomfortable was when Vonnie masturbated herself after some really stressful moment, with her boss in mind. And it was supposed to be this "romance moment"? Come again? She's relieving stress, this is particularly adressed when she mentioned the lack of a sexual partner to do just that. IDK man it ain't it.
Sexual content: Talks of sex and a couple of scenes of masturbation.
Story 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Writing style🌟🌟🌟
Characters🌟🌟🌟
Worldbuilding/ambience🌟🌟🌟
Romance🌟
Barely any meaningful interaction between the leads. Seemed almost like and afterthought. The relationship is frigid. They have little to none emotional engagement and the author felt the need to pull the ol "I'm lusting after him so it must mean love", to establish the foundation for the love line. No people, lust isn't love. I found it so distasteful when authors use that specially here when , again, there's barely any emotional strings. A thing that really made me uncomfortable was when Vonnie masturbated herself after some really stressful moment, with her boss in mind. And it was supposed to be this "romance moment"? Come again? She's relieving stress, this is particularly adressed when she mentioned the lack of a sexual partner to do just that. IDK man it ain't it.
Sexual content: Talks of sex and a couple of scenes of masturbation.
September 3, 2022
Ok it wasn't bad but it wasn't gripping either. I found myself questioning why the ex hadn't had his legs broken yet. Why the hell is he still causing her trouble? and why hasn't the vampires stopped him walking out the door with knowledge of their existence? No doubt he'll be frustratingly causing everyone hassle in the next book. There's a cliffhanger ending - which I hate only when we get absolutely no answers to any of the questions raised. There's clearly an attraction between Vonnie & Leonides but it doesn't reach even a kiss. I've no interest in reading more. I forced myself to finish it. Sorry if this seems harsh but these are just my pet peeves when read and the reason for three stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2025
🎧 I wasn't sure how to write this review, didn't love or hate this book, it was just ok. I know it's just the first book in the series, but not a lot happened until the end so it ended on a cliffhanger. The book has a mixture of vampires, fae, demons and humans. The FMC doesn't realize that magic is real and finds out in a weird way, then finds out that a necklace she owns is more than it seems. Not a lot happens for the next few chapters, then the cliffhanger ending happens which makes you wonder if maybe you should keep going in the series just to see what happens. I'm going to listen to at least the second book just to see if it's worth it. Fingers crossed.|
May 4, 2020
This turned out to be a well-written story and though I had read the first set, I admit to having forgotten most of that storyline. This one does well even if you haven't read the first. I found it to be an entertaining read and will definitely read the next one. I liked the slow burn romance as opposed to insta-love that takes place in many vampire stories. I don't quite understand how the various powers work but hope to learn more as the series progresses. Highly Recommended for paranormal readers.
June 30, 2020
Vonnie and Leonides
I loved the Last Vampire series nut I am static to see Guthrie Leonides get his own spin off and Lens being on it. Hope Lens get some much needed HEA too. So far this book stats the series set up and the settings is good and fast as the characters are already know if you read The Last Vampire series, you might be a little off if you did not and will not appreciate the characters as much without reading that series first. Loving this set up and where is going.
I loved the Last Vampire series nut I am static to see Guthrie Leonides get his own spin off and Lens being on it. Hope Lens get some much needed HEA too. So far this book stats the series set up and the settings is good and fast as the characters are already know if you read The Last Vampire series, you might be a little off if you did not and will not appreciate the characters as much without reading that series first. Loving this set up and where is going.
June 24, 2024
A 30-year-old single mother, navigates real-world problems and a supernatural underworld after taking a bartending job. Unlike typical young heroes, she handles her challenges with relatable human resilience before tapping into her latent magic.
The story builds gradually, allowing deep character connections before escalating into thrilling action with kidnappings and supernatural threats. A cliffhanger ending keeps readers eager for more. With strong character development, realistic struggles, and a dash of sexual tension with her vampire BOSS.
The story builds gradually, allowing deep character connections before escalating into thrilling action with kidnappings and supernatural threats. A cliffhanger ending keeps readers eager for more. With strong character development, realistic struggles, and a dash of sexual tension with her vampire BOSS.
April 16, 2020
Great spin off for The Last Vampire that brings us back to Guthrie and a character from Zorah's past, Vonnie. Really good characters world building and character development, this story will capture you from the outset. I also like the fact that although there is clearly some chemistry between Vonnie and Leonides we aren't assaulted with insta love, we will have to wait and see. Be warned the ending is a cliff hanger so no risk of a stand alone here but I reckon it will be worth it.
June 12, 2020
Vampire Bound: Book One
Well this was quite the book! One of those where you can’t quite figure out where things are going so it keeps you in suspense till you get to the dreaded “cliffhanger “.
I did go ahead and order the follow up book but usually do not like cliffhangers. At least it wasn’t as bad as some and it is a very good story. I just hope the 25th comes pretty fast!
It is a good story though and I am sure lots of readers will really enjoy it.
Well this was quite the book! One of those where you can’t quite figure out where things are going so it keeps you in suspense till you get to the dreaded “cliffhanger “.
I did go ahead and order the follow up book but usually do not like cliffhangers. At least it wasn’t as bad as some and it is a very good story. I just hope the 25th comes pretty fast!
It is a good story though and I am sure lots of readers will really enjoy it.
April 25, 2025
This is a slow burn for sure. The plot is good and did find the book interesting to where I will continue to series. Overall, it is curiosity on where to story goes. The characters are well developed and the writing style is easy flowing. Whole doesn’t love brute vampires 🤷♀️ just saying.
But the cliffhanger…. Yes it is there and it’s a big one. Make sure you prepare yourself. Can’t wait to start the second book!
But the cliffhanger…. Yes it is there and it’s a big one. Make sure you prepare yourself. Can’t wait to start the second book!
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