Lord of the Vampires (Royal House of Shadows, #1) in SOS: Serious Overload of Series

Aug 15, 2017 Carrie rated it did not like it

Shelves: vampire, annoying-characters, did-not-like

My gods that was painful...so freaking painful and so disappointing, I really expected more from Gena Showalter.

I did not like any of the characters.

Story line wise there was some potential but it I couldn't see past it. If not for a challenge I would have gladly dnf it.

Jane finds a book one evening on her door step, the text is directed to her. Come safe me...blah blah she poof wakes up in another world they all think she's a princess, lots sex and saying of the word mine, I'm yours, mine. Bl ...more

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Jul 18, 2011 Lisarenee rated it really liked it

Notes: I read the ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of this book. The book will be released August 23rd. Contains violence in the form of attempted rape and murder.

The Royal House of Elden was attacked. In an effort to save their children, the Queen cast a spell to send each of them to a different kingdom. At the same time, the King cast a spell so that each of his children would seek vengeance upon the Blood Sorcerer. Each child possess a silver timepiece which connects each child to the other and to ...more

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Dec 18, 2011 Kalynn rated it liked it

I am not really a fan of Gena Showlalter's books. I generally loathe her heroines, but I liked Jane, the main character of this book well enough. I only picked this one up, because I really like Nalini Singh's and Jessica Andersen's books, and they wrote the last two novels in this series. As a fun, fast paranormal, this is a good way to spend an afternoon.

I was especially impressed, because the heroine, for the most part, did not whine and moan and feel guilty about killing people that needed ...more

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Jul 11, 2011 Kristen rated it it was ok

Lord of the Vampires by Gena Showalter is the first in a series called the Royal House of Shadows. With each of four planned (so far) installments being written by a different author, I struggle with how I feel about this start to this series. I am thinking skipping it and reading some of the author’s better stuff is time better spent.

This is another series in the PNR category, so by default its has to be to some extent a good distraction from real life. But, the epilogue sets out a plot that is Lord of the Vampires by Gena Showalter is the first in a series called the Royal House of Shadows. With each of four planned (so far) installments being written by a different author, I struggle with how I feel about this start to this series. I am thinking skipping it and reading some of the author’s better stuff is time better spent.

This is another series in the PNR category, so by default its has to be to some extent a good distraction from real life. But, the epilogue sets out a plot that is a little confusing – being repelled from a place but driven to return to get vengeance too…? And the role of the time pieces, and the curse of the other kingdom’s royalty and the fact that in that kingdom time doesn’t work the same. It’s all a little confusing.

As much as the characters are likable, this follows the formula of the PNR from start to finish. So, it’s nothing super unique or different. I like Showalter’s other stuff, so I was looking forward to this. But her other stuff, especially the Lords of the Underworld seemed a little easier to read. The flashes here – some of which seemed to be flashbacks and some were just flashes elsewhere, I think – interrupted the flow of the story and the narration. They were clunky and more then once I had to wonder whether the flash was into the past or not and what that meant for where/when our 2 main characters were. How Nicolai got access again to his magic was never really clear, how Jane ends up in Delfina (that magical kingdom in his dimension) wasn’t really clear, and what exactly the Blood Sorcerer stuff was relevant wasn’t really clear either – it felt over planned, over plotted. A little like too many cooks in the kitchen… and I wonder if the input of all 4 authors is why this happened.

Having read a few (and I mean a few, I shy away from series with different authors for each installment) other series like this, I have yet to find one that doesn’t fail in the same ways. There are too many ideas and the resolution is usually pretty messy since the tone often changes book to book.

Like 99% of the books in this genre, the two characters meet and instantly fall in lust. Her because he’s beautiful and him because he sees something in her others don’t. Then they have some sort of adventure which causes them to need to spend lots of time together and they have sex and then decided they can’t be without each other. If it’s the end of the series we (might) get most of the issues tied up and if not, we are strung along to the next installment. Here, same thing. Showalter’s writing wasn’t as smooth and enjoyable as usual, but it wasn’t bad. I think she may have been burdened by a set of ideas that need to be complicated to account for each of a number of authors’ style to complete the series. Not having read any of the authors who are tagged with books 2-4, I am not sure what to think about what comes next. Because it was such a quick little read, it wasn’t a bad escape. But there are better choices, written by others and written by Showalter. Not to mention, this is only about a 2 on the steaminess scale. I think catching up on the Lords is time better spent. ...more

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Aug 02, 2011 Michelle rated it liked it

Shelves: gena-showalter, arc, read-september-2011

When I first heard about this series I got very excited, 3 of my favourite authors and one new to me author each writing one book in a quadrilogy.

Royal House of Shadows series begins with Nicolai, the eldest son of the King & Queen of Elden who, as they lay dying from an attack by the Blood Sorcerer, used their magic to get their kids to safety and fill them with vengeance.

Due to a series of circumstances Nicolai has spent 20 yrs captive in Delfina as a sex slave with no memory of who he is or ...more

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May 12, 2011 Steph rated it liked it

Shelves: series-ended, arc-netgalley, author-웃, author-favorite, series-book1, year-read-2011, series-multiple-authors

Lord of the Vampires kicks off the quad Royal House of Shadows series by Gena Showalter, Jill Monroe, Jessica Andersen and Nalini Singh. Each book will follow a royal house sibling from the kingdom of Elden who's "queen scattered them to safety and the king filled them with a need for vengeance".

Nicolai is one of the royal heirs scattered to the winds. He's ends up without a memory of who he is, chained in the dungeon playroom of Odette, Princess of the witches in the kingdom of Delfina.

Jane, a ...more

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Jun 26, 2011 Lisa M rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal-romance, kindle, vampire, witch-warlock

This was a surprisingly fast, light read. Yes, Nicolai had a temper and ripped people apart but somehow it was gore-lite. There was a lot of subtle humor in the book. It seemed that Nicolai and Jane fell for each other way too quickly but (view spoiler) Jane was a strong heroine, in spite of a few well-earned tears. Nicolai was a devoted hero to die for. Hot.

I look forward to reading the rest of the series. ...more

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