The GUY'S Perspective: Dark Heirloom by J.D. Brown

Mel's Book Blog is proud to introduce our newest addition to the team! 

 The Guy's Perspective with David. 

Nominated "Best Paranormal Fiction" in the 2012 Global Ebook Awards and 2013 EPIC Ebook Awards.
"You're a vampire" is so not what Ema Marx wants to hear when she wakes from a two-day coma in a cryptic yet exquisite castle in northern Finland. Unfortunately, it explains a lot. Like why she's able to see in the dark and walk through solid objects. What she doesn't understand is why the other vampires expect her to have all the answers. It's their fault she turned into one of them...right?
Jalmari's hatred for his old-man intensifies when he's ordered to bring that troublesome girl to their castle. He has a clan to run; there's no time for babysitting newborn vampires no matter how they were converted to their culture. But when a two-thousand-year-old premonition threatens to take the crown and his life, Jalmari sees no other choice than to take out the catalyst, Ema Marx. Fortunately for Ema, she could also be the clan's only savior.
The race to figure out her vampiric origins is on. And maybe she'll get the hang of the blood-drinking gig along the way...

*Warning!! This book has some sexuality so probably not appropriate for minors.

And it adds a new meaning to the term blood lust!*

Ema Marx is a 23 year old redhead living in Chicago.  Viciously attacked she becomes comatose for two days; After she regains consciousness she discovers she is not in Chicago anymore and that she is a“guest” of the man that held a knife to her chest.  Having been taken to a remote castle on an island in Finland, escape seems impossible. It doesn’t take long for her to discover that her captors are not human and that she is, in fact, no longer human either.  As if trying to get over the shock of the attack and kidnapping was not enough her captor, Prince Jalmari, demands to know who created her.  Jalmari would have killed her because she is of Romani descent but the demon inside of him has told him to spare her; and when the demon commands him he must obey. 

Ema is told she is only a guest but she knows different. Jalmari’s brother Jesu befriends her and helps her to discover her powers.  Jesu gives Ema a tour of the massive castle and then convinces her to move into her own room rather than stay in the “guest” room; he says it is more private and the room is soundproof.  Meaning the other vampires will not be able to hear what she says or does. Jesu teaches her restraint and control of her thirst for blood, only allowing her a sip at time.  She befriends a black cat that she finds in the big castle.  Something is strange about the cat since everyone at the castle says there are no pets there.  After her tour she explores the castle and discovers a library; the cat seems to be picking books for her to read, is that real or did she imagine it?  Since the books seem to answer some of the questions that have been nagging at her, it's probably not her imagination. 

Once, when she is alone in her room, she takes her frustration out on the wall hitting it as hard as she can.  But when she tried to pull her hand back she couldn’t; it was stuck!  Now what was she to do?  The room was soundproof so yelling was out of the question.  Perhaps trying to relax her muscles might free her hand; she free's herself alright, but not exactly how she thought!     

The book starts off a touch slow but after the first few chapters you will be hooked.  Looking back now, the slowness and not quite understanding what is going on just reflects Ema’s state of mind.  The author feeds you just enough information to keep you wanting more.  Learning the clans and the powers they have, Ema pieces together the clan's she must be part of.  There are a lot of twist and turns in the book.  Some things were predictable and others not so much!  The idea of Vampire/Vampyre clans each having some different powers is interesting and definitely adds to the story for this book.

Pleasure to read and I look forward to the next in the series.  Just like the last episode of the season on a TV show the book ends at the beginning of the next book with a big question waiting to be answered!  I would recommend anyone that likes vampire books to read this series or at least “Dark Heirloom”