Review by Macky
TITLE: Spirit Sanguine
AUTHOR: Lou Harper
PUBLISHER: Samhain Publishing
BLURB: Is that a wooden stake in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?
After five years in eastern Europe using his unique, inborn skills to slay bloodsuckers, Gabe is back in his hometown Chicago and feeling adrift. Until he’s kidnapped by a young, sexy vampire who seems more interested in getting into his pants than biting into his neck.
Harvey Feng is one-half Chinese, one-hundred-percent vampire. He warns Gabe to stay out of the Windy City, but somehow he isn’t surprised when the young slayer winds up on his doorstep. And why shouldn’t Gabe be curious? A vegetarian vampire isn’t something one sees every day.
Against their better judgment, slayer and vampire succumb to temptation. But their affair attracts unexpected attention.
When Chicago’s Vampire Boss makes Gabe an offer he can’t refuse, the unlikely lovers are thrust into peril and mystery in the dark heart of the Windy City. Together they hunt for kidnappers, a killer preying on young humans, and vicious vampire junkies.
However, dealing with murderous humans and vampires alike is easy compared to figuring out if there’s more to their relationship than hot, kinky sex.
REVIEW:
Not having read many books by Lou Harper I was sort of new to her writing style. I had read a couple of shorts by her which I’d found very enjoyable, but this was my first full-length novel and after finishing, it certainly won’t be my last.
Spirit Sanguine was a real treat. I went off the boil with vampire books quite a while ago, the problem being that like a lot of tropes they’d been done to death, each one jumping on the others’ bandwagon and every one sounding and reading like a carbon copy of its predecessor.
Not this one. It was a breath of fresh air and an absolute pleasure to read. Split into three separate short stories it introduces two brilliant characters – Gabe the slayer and Harvey the vamp – both completely different to the usual slayer/vamp combo that we’re used to in general PNR books, including m/m and het ones.
So what’s so different about this one? Well, for a start, it’s funny. Harvey is great at the one liners and Gabe’s somewhat deadpan character a great recipient for them, they bounce off each other superbly and I found myself sniggering and giggling all the way through. Just my type of sense of humour… I love snarkiness in a story and this is full of it!
The vampire sighed. ” Don’t be a grumpy pants. Let’s say we agree you’re a slayer.”
“I should’ve disemboweled you last time,” he muttered. ” You’re just saying that. Entrails make a big mess.” Gabe felt the body under his hand shake, and he realised it was from laughter. ” Don’t make me laugh it hurts.”
“And you just happened to have six very sharp wooden sticks on you. Or were you just happy to see me?”
Harvey’s vamp is miles away from the snarly fangy, Grrr Arrrgh vamp behaviour that we generally know of, for one thing he’s vegetarian ( yep! I said vegetarian * snort* ) but he’s certainly no wimp, proving it quite a few times and Gabe finds things out about his past that makes him ponder all he’s been taught about killing vamps and the vampire community as a whole, causing him to rethink his role as a slayer and as the stories progress so does the relationship between these two totally engaging characters. I loved them both but I must admit Harvey was an absolute star and stole the show with his witty banter but Gabe has his moments too!
“You may be past it, but I can still die. How would you like that on you’re conscience?”
Starting as just a sexual attraction – and boy do they sizzle together – they become linked in ways that neither of them ever expect and all this just adds to the freshness of the ongoing plots. The book is split into three distinct stories, each one with its own storyline but at the same time linked by certain characters and threads. This was a nice change too. Lou could have quite easily put them out as three separate short stories but she gives them to us as a sort of anthology and I really liked that! The first of the three is the one where they meet and it is very amusing, setting up the tone and introducing the different vamp lore that Lou Harper has built around her characters, as Dill one of Harvey’s ditzy friends goes missing and they join forces to find him. Then the next two take on more sinister turns as Gabe and Harvey are now more established as a couple and Gabe starts work as a sort of private detective for the local big wig ‘mob style’ boss vamp. The middle and last each dealing with rogue vamps, murders, missing persons and cross dressing Vamps. Exciting but fun at the same time!
Talking of secondary characters we get to meet some great supporting ones, who add even more wit and substance to the book as a whole. There’s one character called Denton ‘ Dead Man’ Mills, who I believe is going to get his own book and if thats true then I’m first in line to read that one! All I can say is to meet this gang of quirky characters ( Twinky human Dill and his two ‘ daddies’ are also favourites ) you need to read this fantastic book. I personally couldn’t find anything negative to say about it…of course that’s my opinion, but I just fell in love with everything to the point were I had my rose coloured glasses on and pure enjoyment was driving me. I guess everyone will have their own thoughts on it but I’ll be very surprised if the majority of readers aren’t entranced with this refreshingly different take on the paranormal.
Please Ms Harper bring us more of Gabe and Harvey. There’s loads of mileage in these two and I need to sink my ‘ fangs’ into more of their sexy juicy stories… A definite 5 STAR read for me!
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THE GIVEAWAY CONTEST HAS ENDED!
[…] Book Review & GIVEAWAY: Spirit Sanguine by Lou Harper. […]
Heh. Don’t enter me in the Giveaway… I just bought the book off the review but woooot!
Thanks Rhys! I hope you enjoy it.
Trix
vitajex(at)aol(dot)com
I really liked Sean Michael’s LOVE IS BLINDNESS…it was the first vampire story I’d read that made me think “oh, that’s why people find vampires alluring.” So psyched for SPIRIT SANGUINE–I’m a huge fan of Lou’s LAST STOP!
I remember watching a vampire film as a child and thinking how sexy he was. Well, perhaps I didn’t think of it exactly in that term, but you get the idea.
I don’t have a favorite because I like all kinds except the Twilight Series.Because they are mysterious and sexy Toni W. bibbiesparks@yahoo.com
It’s the bad boy image that makes them exciting. Sparkly vamps just don’t cut it.
Rush
taina1959 at yahoo dot com
One of the first M/M vampire books I read was Marguerite Labbe Triquetra trilogy and I was caught hook, line and sinker! That was it for me, making Vampires one of my favorite stories to read. I’ve read others but perhaps being that this series was my first, I simply adore it!
I have not read anything from Ms. Harper but I’m looking forward to sinking my incisors in this book. 😀
Thanks for the giveaway!!
The good thing about vampires, is that there are so many of them. 😛
Urbanista
brendurbanist at gmail dot com
My favorite vampire series, one of my favorite series, period, is Channeling Morpheus by Jordan Castillo Price. I absolutely love the grittiness of a completely UNruthless vampire and his sweet-faced, murderous paramour. They are somewhat ragged, essentially homeless, and touchingly vulnerable. Spirit Sanguine sounds unique, with dark humor–definitely my cup of tea!
I love JCP’s books! She’s the master of creating complex characters.
Thanks Rhys! I loved this because it was so different and the humour hit all my spots. I’m a snark lover! LOL. 😀
I really hope you guys love it too. Get entering the giveaway. I would if I hadn’t got it already…. You don’t need to enter me Sid. Haha!
Heh. Yeah it’s already sitting on my Kindle 😀
I love me a witty repartee. I was strongly inspired by Classic Hollywood screwball comedies.
Darcy (Pomma)
pomma @akwolf.com
Like Sid and many others I too grew weary of the vamp stories, but I’ve kept myself searching for unique and different concepts. Twilight was never my thing. I honestly really don’t have a favorite vampire story or series. I loved Anne Rice’s Interview with a Vampire, but never a fan of the movie with Tom Cruise. He’s not my thing, but loved Brad Pitt…lol.
Please count me in!
Thank you for the great post & giveaway as now I really want to read this one…*S* Added this to my gotta have list that’s for sure…:)
To be honest, I wrote this book because I was getting tired of the vampire cliches. A bit of a gamble, I guess. I hope it’ll tickle your fancy.
Jbst
strive4bst(At) yahoo(Dot) com
My favorite would be With this Kiss by Kim Dare, with the cold and aloof vampire Marcus changing his behavior in regards to damaged Liam.
Congrats to Lou on the five star review here and other great reviews elsewhere.
Gabrielle Jones
fallschangingheart@hotmail.com
I sort of jump around when it comes to vampire series, mainly because they’re so many wonderful ones out there. One m/m vampire series that kind of stuck with me was Jourdan Lane’s Soul Mates series, I’ve only read the first book but it really caught and held my attention.
It was a different kind of vampire story and I think that’s why I liked it so much, this really was a well written vampire story!
Spirit Sanguine sounds like it’ll be right up my alley, I’m totally into it! Thanks for the giveaway!
This book is just so amazing, I had to comment. I am still reading it but I’ve already called in the “I Love This Book” so yeh.
I’m weary of vamp and shifter romances with all the insta-mate tropes. I love humorous books so look forward to this one. Thanks for the giveaway.
I’m wary of insta-love, period. Insta-lust, sure, but I prefer it when the protags fall in love bit by bit. Or bite by bite, in some cases.
Issa
cojazzchick AT yahoo DOT com
I started out with Anne Rice’s vampire books the needed some lighter fare and moved to Lynsay Sands. Now I’m all over the map though Jourdan Lane’s series is probably my favorite.
Would love to read this book. Have read some pretty goo reviews.
I couldn’t get into Anne Rice’s books. I tried but something in her writing style just wasn’t for me.
Name*:Debby
Email ID*:debby236@gmail.com
Which vampire book/series do you like the most and why?*:I like series with a mix of paranormal. I used to like the Anita Blake vampires but not any more. There was one MM series I really liked but the name escapes me.
Message to the author: I love snarky conversations. It makes for fun reaidng.
Snark is fun. I love movies and TV shows with snappy dialogues.
Name*: Penumbra
Email ID*: penumbrareads(at)gmail(dot)com
Which vampire book/series do you like the most and why?*: I have yet to read a vampire series.
Message to the author: Thanks for donating your book to the giveaway 🙂
You’re welcome. I highly recommend Jordan Castillo Price’s vampires.