Reviews of Death by Desire: A Vampire-Lycan Love Story
Death by Desire: A Vampire-Lycan Love Story
emme_z
- Overall Rate
- Writing Quality
- Updating Stability
- Story Development
- Character Design
- world background
Some of the best writing on Webnovel. I'm even more excited about this one than the Lycan Mate of Suicide Forest. I can't wait to see this one fly. Voting every day!
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Now that WSA22 is officially over, I’m posting the Reader Review I submitted as part of the award consideration: Yes! Praise to this story! The highest compliment I can give this story is that when the author writes a scene where the main character's heart races, mine did as well. I. Was. Riveted. I was fully invested and can't wait to finish my other reviews so I can go back and read more. The quality of the writing, the characters, the dialogue, the world… I have no complaints about this story--It is a gem. Please, please recognize this book and author with a top tier award. Grammar and Language This novel is incredibly well written and virtually flawless in terms of spelling and grammar. In all the required chapters, there were only a couple very minor isolated errors; otherwise, the writing was clear, direct and interesting. Beautifully descriptive imagery brings scenes to life for an immersive experience without being verbose or repetitious. The descriptive text is well balanced with the dialogue, which always enhances the scene and characters. Life and death motifs are throughout the story, and the language really highlights that juxtaposition. An interesting quirk is how characters use "Goddess" as a mild exclamation when speaking. Touches like this add flavor to the dialogue as well as contrast the various character races. Scenes and dialogue flow naturally throughout the story. Paragraphs and chapters are satisfying lengths, and chapter cutoffs are sensible. Character Design The main female lead is Cora, a half-vampire/half-"other" (fae and lycan) young woman with the unique ability to restart hearts and bring life to the world and those around her. To some vampires, this ability is a gift, a means to escape an eternity of death; to others, it is a threat to their existence. As long as her heart beats, she is an anomaly among vampires. Her vampire father is presumed dead; her mother, Penelope, is a fae/lycan that has denounced her origin and abilities for the safety of her family. Her brother, Zane's heart has "arrested," and he's transitioned into a vampire. The royal vampire family has taken Cora and her family under their protection to manipulate and use her ability for their own purposes. Queen Ambrose and Prince Rayth are committed to doing whatever they can to remain the most powerful family among the vampire realms. Prince Grayson is curious and charismatic but veiled in a layer of deception. And amidst these events, a mysterious wolf appears and recognizes Cora as his mate; this is presumably the male lead, but nothing is known about him at this point, and yet the story is not lacking because of this mystery, rather it is enhanced. I cannot begin to do these characters justice the way the author has added such depth, complexity and uniqueness to each and every character. The main and side characters all feel distinct in their personalities and roles. World Building This story takes place in a realm contemporary but separate from the world as we know it. Gray Vale is the strongest of the nine vampire realms, ruled by Queen Ambrosia and her sons (there has not been any mention of a king, yet). As the name suggests, it is gray and devoid of life. An emotionless river of blood runs through the land and feeds the vampire inhabitants. They have access to modern technology but choose not to use it. Other realms exist that contain other supernaturals, specifically Fae and Lycans. Fae, as the embodiment of life, are vampires' greatest enemy, and they have access to The Veiled, an ethereal force of energy and unseen creatures that is the source of life and Fae power. Overall, the world feels rich and interesting, and the story hints at other aspects yet to be discovered, especially where the Fae and Lycans are concerned. Story Development and Creativity The opening is full of intrigue and mystery that will have readers gripped from the beginning. Details about the world and characters are masterfully woven in so the story proceeds naturally and smoothly. There is no filler; there are no info dumps. It is quality content from chapter to chapter. Every character elicits a complicated emotional response. Readers will be wondering whose intentions are good, who can be trusted, who is safe; and there's an underlying fear that some of the characters you begin to love may be hiding dangerous secrets and motives. There are regular episodes of tension and relief that keep readers satisfied and simultaneously hungry for more. At times, the tension is palpable. Several different common fantasy tropes and races are combined in a refreshingly unique way that is not common in the fantasy romance genre. The creative narrative is unpredictable so it never feels boring. A reader will not have to make concessions, meaning things that happen in the story happen for a reason and the reason makes sense. Hallelujah, that is so rare and appreciated!
Emme_z has created another engaging, unconventional take on the Lycan/Vampire genre. Death by Desire is just as suspenseful and engaging. I am eagerly awaiting the next chapter. Don't just take my word for it. The very first review is written by another amazing author, AimeeLynn. The master has spoken, nuff said.
Another brilliant, captivating & beautiful masterpiece by Emme. I can only think of one other Author (Aimee 🥰) who has the incredible talent of creating such unexpected but necessary twists & turns that piece back together in a stroke a genius way, completely fulfilling the story in so many ways and in added detail that you didn’t know were ever missing to begin with. The way the characters are introduced, put together, grow, develop & produce such a significant purpose for their specific role amongst many indescribe costars & their purposeful roles as well. Yes, the characters come to life. The story plays as a reel in the minds eye. The background is vivid. The conversing, conflicts, the abundance of love, the heartbreak and devastation, anxiousness, worries, & the breathe-releasing relief all accelerate your heart rate & pulse as you read the words that guide you as to what’s occurring as if it’s in real time. Emme has a master talent & skill. She’s been kind enough to shared it with us all on WN, exceeding the levels of many other aspiring authors. She’s a diamond here & every reader & author should read her masterpieces. Whether for enjoyment, entertainment, or for inspiration of their own - she changes perspective of real life, has a sense of considering the impossible in real life, & provides a deep hope for a brighter life & existence in our world. She truly warrants more than WN offers I’m sure. She absolutely deserves hard copies on the shelves of all book stores worldwide & to be recognized as a world known author of fantasy romance, right alongside Aimee. Every story she produces will absolutely be a part of my library and reading experience & portions of my paychecks will without a doubt go directly to her 😅 She fully deserves the support in any way.
As WSA 2022 has now been concluded, I would have to post my reader-review for this beautiful piece of work. Writing Quality: From the author that gave us her first commendable work entitled “My Lycan Mate of Suicide Forest”, comes another work of hers with this equally enthralling sequel that is delivered as captivating and so much engaging as you tread upon its pages. The author has always been able to intricately weave every detail that encompasses the whole structure of the storyline itself without any incoherence thus it gets your focus and curiosity gripped in every chapter. I haven’t encountered any inconsistencies while reading the story but only unnoticeable mistakes in the phrasing structure of some lines in the paragraphs. In summary, I had a smooth and immersive reading experience with this author’s work ever since just the same from her first book. Story Development: The first chapter was quite an eye opener at the beginning as our female lead was brought with a “gift” by one of the vampire princes whom she will soon to be wed to. As with the gift that he had brought to her, the vampire prince had called it as her “pet” to be trained by her. This being said, she was also being threatened by the vampire prince that if she will not be able to tame this pet within the given time for her to train it, he will not be able to provide his absolute, complete protection on her from the other vampires in Gray Vale ensuring her safety from the brewing unrest among them brought about by her threatening presence upon them. As she is a mixed vampire and fae being; the vampire people of Gray Vale are worried because of the danger that might happen to them as the existence of faes in their kingdom could bring death. In this story, vampires and faes are considered as enemies; as the latter can use magic against them. This pet being brought to her seems to be the female lead’s (lycan) mate as her mate “growled” when she was seen being touched by the vampire prince in front of him (in his cage). As to how was this lycan got captured by the vampire prince who had seen him roaming in their kingdom remains to be found out in the following chapters after the female lead together with her mother (also a fae who had her own powers before but was relinquished after she had become a vampire’s wife and to allow her to live in the vampire kingdom of Gray Vale); transfers to the palace of the vampire royal family protecting them; as her younger brother was already kept there in the palace tower undergoing his transition into a vampire. Initially, the female lead and the male lead had once met during the time when the female lead and her brother had watched the full bloodied moon and tried to go near the red river situated in the kingdom where it contains flowing blood; the siblings wanted to try out if the river’s blood could trigger a way for them to hasten their transformation into vampires. The male lead was able to go into this vampire kingdom through a tree portal he had entered from his own domain (Suicide Forest in the first book); and upon meeting and gazing at the female lead’s eyes as he went out from the portal, this is where he had sensed that she is his destined mate. As the male lead tries to figure out why he have seen his mate in her own enemy’s territory poses the baffling mystery that the male lead will have to find out the answers for himself that he will decide to do in the next steps. Character Design: From the onset of the first chapter, our female main character was straight away introduced being entangled in a predicament or with a challenge presented to her by one of the supporting male characters who is a vampire prince to whom she is bound or compelled to marry; as for doing so will render her ensured safety in their vampire kingdom from the other vampires who feel threatened by her presence and from her unique, peculiar powers. Her challenge being how she should tame this “pet” as what the vampire prince had gifted her and called it; presented to her in a cage which seemed had its bars laced with poison or any substance coated on it which prevented the “pet” from breaking off the restraints on its body. Our female lead here is the daughter of a vampire father and a fae or fairy mother (also having alyko lineage; a kind of lycan without the wolf part); and so it was expected that they (she and her younger brother) would turn readily into vampires at the proper age when it is deemed right for their transition when their hearts stop beating. But it looked like that they had to wait long before they could turn into vampires as guessed by their fairy mother and also by the royal vampire family who were protecting them from the other vampires in their kingdom; as the other vampires already knew that they are half-vampire and half-fairy offspring; as vampires and fairies are enemies. As stated in the book title; the female lead while not yet transformed into a vampire has this ability to “manifest” or bring forth life springing from her presence and shows anywhere on every place that she goes or sets her feet upon; which in turn makes the other vampires dread her manifested powers. Our female lead’s existence is regarded as a threat in this vampire kingdom as her blood has the ability to “stop” the beating heart of any vampire who wishes to “die” from his or her immortality. Going back to the caged “pet”, this being in the cage is our female lead’s counterpart who is a lycan; as encountered by the female lead at the time when she and her brother were trying to find a trigger for themselves to turn into vampires. I could say about our female lead that she is one brave, stubborn girl who’s always protective of her family. But sometimes she does become reckless whenever she gets impatient thinking of speeding up their transition to vampires. As for the male lead in this story, he is the son of the Hallowell pack’s Alpha and Luna (in the first book); who has seen the female lead as his fated mate. We still have to see their dynamics unfold in the next chapters as they are yet to begin and develop further in the story. So far, only a few of the supporting characters were engaged with the female lead in the story wherein she would have to deal with; like with the vampire royal family with regards to the reason why they are offering their “protection” on her family which serves as an exchange for using her powers on the other vampire kingdoms that are a hindrance to their own vampire kingdom and so as for them to become the most powerful vampires in all of the nine vampire kingdoms. In short, our female lead has to deal with these power greedy and deceitful vampires every day as she awaits her own self turn into a vampire. World Background: The female lead together with her fairy mother and younger brother lives in a house situated within the vampire kingdom of Gray Vale; as this was where they had to transfer from the human world in order to be protected by the vampire royal family. As it could happen anytime that she and her brother would turn into vampires; as they have a vampire father who had chosen to lead the life of a simple family man. Later on, as her younger brother had turned into a vampire and was taken to the royal palace by the elder vampire prince of Gray Vale, she and her mother were required to live in the palace of the vampire royal family so as to render their full protection on them from the other vampires. They all had to transfer to the palace so that they would all be together; as our female lead remains as the only one being awaited next to become a vampire just like her younger brother who first turned. The author’s way of describing the imagery of this vampire world can easily be visualized as something that looks so surreal and still as enticing although we actually know that in any vampire world, it is apparently dull and lacking of vivid colors in contrast to the forest that’s teeming with vibrant life and beauty where our female lead should have been living her life in addition to our male lead’s world as her lycan mate. On this part, I could tell that the author was able to make the relevant connection between the two worlds where the main characters are situated with regards to their existence as fated mates. Again, my hearty congratulations to our author!
Ok not going to lie, I was drawn in at first because the sexy guy on the cover looks like Joe Manganiello 😂 and then I read the synopsis. After that I had to know more. For those that don't know, this is the second book. The first book is Lycan Mate of the Suicide Forest. (I haven't read that one at all). I posted a comment and the author did let me know that this can be read as a stand alone! (also I love it when authors comment and interact with their fan base!!). It does seem like there are character crossovers and interactions from the first book that might lead things to be a little confusing later, but not much. I'm very intrigued and can't wait to read more. I was only 3 chapters in and already the author has set up so many plot points! I'm really hoping a lot of these questions that have been set up will get answered and if they do it's going to make for a great story. Looks like I'm in for the ride now!
So a few days ago I was hooked from the first paragraph of the synopsis. lol I am so excited to see where this adventure takes us!!! You know how you read the back of the book to see what it's about and your like, ok cool I'm down, then you start reading and you get sucked in and the next time you look up it's 6am and your still reading? Yeah, that's what this book does. lol Glowing with internal glee and what more awaits our brave heroine!
I’m on chapter 94, and just realized I hadn’t written a review of this book! 5-stars always for Emme! Her writing is so full and descriptive — the characters’ emotions are laid bare as if they were your own. I loved this book’s prequel-My Lycan Mate of Suicide Forest- and am thoroughly enjoying watching the next generation of Hallowells find where their destiny leads. 🥰
