Innocent Blood

"She knew all too well the prophecy concerning that mythic figure. She pictured the words inscribed on the first page of the Blood Gospel, words written by Christ, a prediction for a coming war - and a way to avert it.

A great War of the Heavens looms. For the forces of goodness to prevail, a Weapon must be forged of this Gospel written in my own blood. The trio of prophecy must bring the book to the First Angel for his blessing. Only thus may they secure salvation for the world.

The prophecy says the trio must carry the book to the First Angel. The Knight of Christ, the Warrior of Man, and the Woman of Learning. You and Jordan are the last two. Rhun is the first.

So now the plans remains to locate who the First Angel is. But the forces of darkness lay in wait for them while they attempt to locate the answers. No one had the faintest idea who the First Angel was and time is running out.

In the latest novel from the Order of the Sanguines Series, Innocent Blood from best selling author James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell, takes readers back into the journey he began in his first book The Blood Gospel. Dr. Erin Granger, a brilliant archaeologist, Sergeant Jordan Stone and Father Rhun Korza are the three believed to be the trio spoken about in the prophecy. The Blood Gospel is a sacred artifact that the Sanguinists had won in a battle against the Belial, a joint force of humans and strigoi, a vampiric creature, to gain possession of it in the crypts below St. Peter's Basilica.

The Sanguinist is a strigoi who has taken a vow to stop drinking human blood, to serve the Catholic Church and sustain himself only on Christ's blood or more exactly on wine consecrated by the Holy Sacrament into His blood. Such an oath made this creature less dangerous, but not so much. Father Ruhn is a Sanguine that has fed on Erin and now they share a connection through visions that they can each see what is happening to one another. But Ruhn has other issues besides keeping Erin safe. He has to deal with the Countess Elizabeth Bathory de Ecsed, who shared a love that has kept them both in bondage for centuries. Now they believe that the Woman of Learning may not be Erin after all but the Countess Elizabeth who comes from the one true blood line.

Innocent Blood from authors James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell is a mix of Indiana Jones, Underworld and The DaVinci code combined. There are creatures that created from a mix of robots and then breathed into life by blood from Judas Iscariot as well as blasphemare, beasts that had been corrupted by the blood of a strigoi, poisoned into monstrous incarnations of their natural forms, with hides so tough that Sanguinists made armor out of their skins. The challenge is for the trio to avoid being killed by the strigoi who wants to stop at nothing to get their hands on the Blood Gospel and use its powers for their own dark ends. They must track down the First Angel in time to prevent the War of the Heavens from taking place and ending the world as we know it.

I received Innocent Blood by James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation and the opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own. This is so filled with incredible detail and face paced suspense and action that you literally can't put this down. I didn't have the opportunity to review Blood Gospel before picking this one up so I had to struggle a bit to understand the concepts behind the prophecy and who all the major players were. There is a brief prologue in the beginning but I look forward to going back and filling in the missing pieces by reading the first novel. I've read novels from James Rollins previously and LOVE the way he completely captivates the reader with such rich detailed descriptions, you can't help but feel like you're literally part of the story. This one is definitely no exception to that rule either. Being a religious reviewer, you have to take this story as it's meant to be portrayed, not a depiction from anything in the Bible but merely a great suspense thriller. Some readers might be offended by uses of profanity but it is mild compared to some novels I have read. With that being said, I easily give this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars and can't wait to see how this concludes in the next novel. Readers of The DaVinci Code will definitely LOVE this one!

For more information about Innocent Blood, James Rollins, Rebecca Cantrel, or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Innocent Blood by James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell

You can also find James Rollins on Facebook to stay up to date with all his latest novels.

You can also find Rebecca Cantrell on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Innocent Blood, please visit William Morrow's website.

• Series: Order of the Sanguines Series
• Paperback: 736 pages
• Publisher: HarperLuxe; Lrg edition (December 31, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062297880
• ISBN-13: 978-0062297884
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.2 inches

Kiss of Death

"Every person, no matter their circumstances, past, or the evil they have done can be redeemed by God through the blood of Christ. In the end, the blood is all that matters." ~ Author Debbie Viguie'

In the second book in the Kiss Trilogy, Kiss of Death picks up where her debut novel Kiss of Night left off. This is a wonderful and in my personal opinion a well-written alternative to those Twilight fans, who are looking for a Christian alternative. As Debbie discusses what made her write this novel and if in fact it's possible to write a Christian vampire novel, she shares that, "Yes, I can, and I believe others should write them as well."

The Kiss trilogy is a redemption story. As Christians we believe that even the most evil of people can still be reached and saved by the love of God and the sacrifice of Christ. I enjoy, as many Christians do, the fantasy genre. It helps make hard themes easier and less depressing to deal with than straight drama. It would have been simple to write a redemption story with a mass murderer as the lead character but it would not be a story I would want to read. By taking the mass murderer and instead calling him a vampire it helps you hold the fiction at arm's length and tell yourself "it's just a story."

The Kiss of Death is about a vampire by the name of Raphael who is desperately trying to find a way to bring a sense of purpose and redemption to his own life. While he can't change who he is as a vampire, he believes he can still do the right thing and help battle against his own kind who are seeking to destroy the world and begin a war of evil with Richelieu as the head of the vampire army. Now it seems his goal is to locate the ancient religious artifacts, like the crown of thorns, the nails... that contain the blood of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. The Bible said that you're not supposed to eat or drink the blood of any creature, because the life of the creature resides in the blood. By taking the blood of the creature into yourself, you make its life, its spirit, a part of you. That's why there are so many prohibitions against drinking blood in the Old Testament. Blood is life, it's strength and the power and spirit, and the blood of Jesus, the son of God, was enough to atone for the sins of all mankind. It's the most powerful blood that ever has been.

Now Susan Lambert, whose destiny is has been to help in the wage against the evil coming works with her cousin Wendy, a friend David alongside three vampires, Raphael, his sire, Gabriel and their friend Paul to stop Richelieu from obtaining the artifacts and prevent them from obtaining the blood of Jesus Christ. They will use all the weapons necessary to stay alive and stay ahead of the game. There is a diary that Gabriel entrusts to Susan to read that will show them how it had all come to this point and hopefully within its contents, the secret to winning against Richelieu will be revealed.

I received Kiss of Death by Debbie Viguie' compliments of Faith Words, a division of Hachette Book Groups for my honest opinion. I inhaled her first book and was more than thrilled when I got the opportunity to review this one as well. I have to say these novels have captivated me from the very first page and the historical detail that Debbie creates for Gabriel and Raphael breathes life into them and makes them seem real. I love the inner struggle that both Gabriel and Raphael feel when they work against their inner temptations to go back into their vampire habits, and instead do whatever it takes to find redemption in doing good. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and think it's a MUST READ for fans of the Twilight series as a Christian alternative.

For more information on Kiss of Death, Debbie Viguie' or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Kiss of Death by Debbie Viguie'

You can find Debbie Viguie' on Facebook by clicking here. 

You can also visit Debbie's website directly by clicking here.

• Publisher: FaithWords
• List Price: $14.99
• Pages: 320
• Physical Dimensions: 5-1/4" x 8"
• ISBN-13: 9780446570848

Hide Me Among The Graves - Giveaway and Review

If you love a story set in the mid 1800's in the dark and cold world of old London, where the monsters that lie await when the sun goes down is your type of thriller/suspense, then Hide Me Among The Graves by Tim Powers will be the perfect novel for you.

When I set out to review this one, I didn't realize that there was a prequel of sorts that would help the reader get a bit of historical background on the creatures that roam the dark London streets in this novel so The Stress of Her Regard might be the answer if you find yourself questioning what you're reading as you begin. I implore you to continue your effort because once you understand that there are two different stories that combine as you read on, then the ride will become more enjoyable.

The premise behind this one involves the first set of characters The Rossetti family. Through a brief discussion with her father before his dies, Christina is informed that her father possesses a stone figure that has invited supernatural creatures into their lives. The creatures are vampire/ghosts that benefit their hosts by offering them enhanced-talents such as the ability to paint or write well, but there is also a price to pay. Unfortunately for Christina instead of taking her father's advice and destroying the figure, she duplicates her father's ritual and brings forth her dead uncle, Polidori. Only now, she wishes to find a way to get rid of it before the curse destroys more that just her family.

The second set of characters that the reader is introduced to are an ex-prostitute known as Adelaide McKee and a veterinary-surgeon, John Crawford who are brought together by their uncanny ability to protect themselves from the creatures of the night. Now years later, Adelaide confesses to John that she lied to him when they first met and subsequently had his child. The child has died and now Adelaide is convinced they have to try and find a way to keep her from becoming a vampire/ghost.

I received this book compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers, for my honest review and love the rich detail the author uses to construct the setting and characters for his story. I almost gave up at the beginning because the storyline is a bit confusing but after reading what others had written that read this one, I knew I had to go back with a bit of gusto and complete it. I was so glad I did! This is not your sparkly vampire love story, but one that most writers created long ago, when monsters and shadows did not stay where they should. For those of you looking for those old suspense thrillers, this is the perfect book for you. Be prepared however, the beginning can be difficult but once you know that two sets of characters exist you can proceed along at a great pace. I rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars.

For more information about this book, the author and where to pick up a copy of this book, please click on the link below:

Hide Me Among The Graves by Tim Powers

Thanks to the generous folks at William Morrow/Harper Collins, they are offering a giveaway copy to one lucky follower of my blog. Here's all you need to do to enter:

1. Be a follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart.

2. "Like" and leave a comment on my Facebook Page, Reviews From The Heart.

3. Be a resident of the US or have a US shipping address. Please No P.O. Boxes.

4. Leave me a comment telling me why you'd love to win a copy of this book. Don't forget to include your email address too! You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols.

I will notify the winner via email when the giveaway end on April 2nd.

Overbite

The legend of Dracula has been stated the Vlad The Impaler was so grief stricken by the death of his wife's suicide that he lashed out at the people he felt were responsible and randomly killing people as a way of seeking revenge. Now his son has been struggling with the internal conflict within himself between good and evil and has become the most wanted man by the Palatine, a secret police of the Vatican responsible for ridding the world of evil wherever it is found.

Meena Harper on the other hand has her own conflict, one being in love with Lucien Antonescu, the son of Dracula and working for the Palatine, hunting him down. She has a unique gift that allows her to predict how everyone she meets will die. Using it, she has helped people save their lives instead and has altered their future in a positive way. Her rival at the Palatine is Alaric Wulf who has vowed to personally kill Lucien if he can find him, however Meena believes that he still possesses a goodness within himself that should be protected and used to fight evil in the world. But Alaric isn't the slightest bit convinced and will stop at nothing to drive his sword into Lucien's heart.

When a new breed of vampires begins attacking New York's tourists, the hunt for the head vampire begins with a vengeance. Meena is still struggling to deal with the love she feels for Lucien and that a dream she is being plagued with is the answer that she needs to share with him. It is a dream of him as a small boy with his mother just before she commits suicide and one which holds the key to unlock a deep secret that will change all their lives.

I received Overbite by Meg Cabot compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review. Being a fan of Buffy The Vampire Slayer series on television, this book definitely took me back to the relationship shared between Buffy and Angel in regards to Meena and Lucien. The story is well written, filled with action and suspense and one whose ending was great and unexpected. I rate this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars and highly recommend it to fans of vampire novels with a love story twist! This was an unexpected change for me, since this is the same author of The Princess Diaries, but I loved her ability to tell a great story and keep the reader entertained.

For more information about this book, the author and where to pick up a copy of this book, please click on the link below:

Overbite by Meg Cabot

Kiss of Night

Lying within the darkness and the mists of the centuries old, lies a deep and hidden secret. It has been this way for many centuries and as long as there has been good in the world, so has there also been evil.

Now the clock is ticking on a war that is soon to rage, yet there still remains time to train those who will begun warriors and for those who will weld weapons of unknown secrets.

Susan Lambert thought that by taking a trip to Prague, she would be attending her grandmother's funeral. However when she attempts to visit an ancient cathedral her grandmother told her about, she meets a mysterious, tall stranger, with dark hair and the deepest blue eyes, who vanishes before her eyes.

Not knowing if this is just a part of jet lag or simply being too tired and overwhelmed by the history of the town, Susan will be drawn to a man she both fears and trusts at the same time. When her cousin Wendy, meets an unexpected man, she invites Susan to go to a night club with them. Immediately Susan knows that this man is evil and means to harm Wendy if she leaves with him. Excusing herself to change, Susan returns to find her cousin and the stranger have vanished.

Not knowing where to begin searching for her, she finds her tall, dark stranger who identifies himself as Raphael, waiting to help her find Wendy. What he is about to tell her will not only protect her on her quest, but will change her life forever. Vampires still live and not all of them are good. She just isn't sure if his intentions are to harm her or protect her.

David Trent, is visiting Prague for three months for his job research, and who also coincidentally finds himself in the same hotel as Susan. When he hears screaming coming from her room, he rushes in to find a vampire holding down a woman on her bed, and in the next moment finds himself thrown across the room, before blacking out.

In the novel Kiss of Night by Debbie Viguie', Susan and David will join forces with vampires to eliminate an evil threat of war about to be unleashed on the world, by a vampire older than Raphael, whose goal is to rule the world as the one true leader. What Susan and David are about to learn is just what ancient weapons, Susan's grandmother has left them and just what part Raphael's sire, Gabriel, will play in all of this.

I received this novel compliments of Faith Words for my honest review and loved a different take on your traditional vampire stories. This one is written for a Christian audience but anyone who loves Twilight, would be captivated by this one as well. There is an ongoing struggle within Raphael to find the salvation of God even though he served in the crusades as a warrior. He later found greed as his motivation to move up within the ranks and thus when turned into a vampire, maintained that lust for greed. Now he fights internally for the good he sees in Susan and how she is willing to do anything to protect him and keep him from harm.

This novel ends perfectly for a sequel and can't wait to hear about what happens to them in future. This one had me hooked from the first page, must like the Twilight series, and leaves me definitely for a taste of wanting even more. 5 out of 5 stars for this book that will leave you with a completely different take on all the vampire stories out there. This book won't be out until early October, but you can pre-order it now!

For more information on this book, the author and even a first chapter sneak peek, click on the links below:

Kiss of Night by Debbie Viguie'

You can also find Debbie on her website by clicking here.