Review ~ Death in the Shadows (IDWMA Episode #2) & The Arrival of Armando DeLeon (IDWMA Episode #3) by Rhiannon Frater

Title: Death in the Shadows (In Darkness We Must Abide #2)

Author: Rhiannon Frater
Published: March 21, 2013
Pages: 61
Genre: New Adult Modern Gothic Horror 
My Rating: 5 / 5

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*Warning ~ Possible spoilers if you haven't read Episode 1 yet*
Click here to read the synopsis and my review for Episode 1.

~ Synopsis ~
Death has claimed a Socoli, but the family curse will not allow him to stay dead. Vanora and Alisha must battle the creature that stole their brother's life while fearing the possible resurrection of Roman.

In Darkness We Must Abide is the epic saga of one young woman caught in the dangerous world of the creatures of the night.

~ My Thoughts ~
The story of Vanora, Alisha, and Roman continues with Alisha and Roman vowing to keep their family intact and to keep their lives as normal as possible. I liked Roman more this time around than I did in the first episode. I understand him better and love his role as the protective older brother. He obviously loves and cares for his sisters and is more fatherly towards them than brotherly, which he is to fill that void in their lives.

Vanora is a strong character. I think the love from her siblings and the stable family life they've given her over the years contribute to her ability to not let not other kids bother her with their teasing her over her albinism. She's confident and intelligent, and I just really love her! Her name is unique - I haven't read a book with a character with her name, and I think it's beautiful and fits her very well.

I'd love for life to remain the same for the three siblings, but I have a feeling this isn't going to be as easy as Roman thinks it will be. It may not even be possible. What is he going to do when Vanora turns eighteen? He has built his entire life around her. What if she decides to go away to college? These are all questions I'm excited to explore as the story develops.


  ~I received a copy of this episode in exchange for an honest review~



Title: The Arrival of Armando DeLeon (In Darkness We Must Abide #3)
Author: Rhiannon Frater
Published: April 12, 2013
Pages: 55
Genre: New Adult Modern Gothic Horror
My Rating: 5 / 5

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~ Synopsis ~
A mysterious new vampire appears in the life of the Socolis. Is he friend or foe? 

In Darkness We Must Abide is the epic saga of one young woman caught in the dangerous world of the creatures of the night.

~ My Thoughts ~

Armando attempts to grow closer to Vanora, which set off warning bells for me. What are his intentions? Can he be trusted, or does he have some sort of sinister plans for Vanora and her family? He's suave and an old world gentleman, but there's something underneath the surface that I don't trust even though I like his character. There's a chemistry between the two of them that is undeniable and interesting because it isn't just as simple as a crust - there's much more to it.  

Vanora begins to grow apart from Alisha and Roman, which really saddened me, but it's an honest and realistic view into someone her age. She's a teenager becoming a young adult and developing her own identity. Already she's mature and intelligent beyond her years. Not only is she growing apart from them as any normal teenager might, but there's also the huge obstacle of Alisha and Roman being vampires while Vanora is not. Alisha and Roman really are more like parents to her than siblings, and the interactions between them remind me of a teenager vs. her parents situation, which led to some comical moments. 

I really love that about these episodes - there are serious moments, funny moments, tense moments, and sad moments all which make for a story that seems to jump off the pages. The writing is stellar, the characters are ones I care about, and the plot reels me in right away. I'm looking forward to the rest of this season, and luckily, I have episode four waiting for me! 

~I received a copy of this episode from the author in exchange for an honest review~

~ Purchase the Book Including All 5 Episodes of the First Season ~ 

Amazon ~ Paperback

Amazon ~ Kindle

Kobo

Nook

Autographed Copies at Author Store

~ About the Author ~

  

Rhiannon Frater is the award-winning author of over a dozen books, including the As the World Dies zombie trilogy (Tor), as well as independent works such as The Last Bastion of the Living (declared the #1 Zombie Release of 2012 by Explorations Fantasy Blog and the #1 Zombie Novel of the Decade by B&N Book Blog), and other horror novels. Her next novel for Tor, Dead Spots, will be published in 2014. She was born and raised a Texan and presently lives in Austin, Texas with her husband and furry children (a.k.a. pets). She loves scary movies, sci-fi and horror shows, playing video games, cooking, dyeing her hair weird colors, and shopping for Betsey Johnson purses and shoes.  

  

You can find her online at:

Website: rhiannonfrater.com & astheworlddies.com 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/astheworlddies 

Twitter: http://twitter.com/rhiannonfrater 

Blog: http://rhianonfrater.blogspot.com/ 

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/rhiannonfrater/ 

Email: rhiannonfrater at gmail dot com

Book Review ~ Death Comes Home (In Darkness We Must Abide Episode #1) by Rhiannon Frater

Title: Death Comes Home (In Darkness We Must Abide #1)

Author: Rhiannon Frater

Published: March 6, 2013

Pages: 38

Genre: New Adult Modern Gothic Horror

My Rating: 5 / 5 

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~ Synopsis ~

In Darkness We Must Abide is the epic saga of one young woman caught in the dangerous world of the creatures of the night. 

Already living in the shadows due to her albinism, Vanora is just a little girl when her older brother inadvertently unleashes a terrible evil from the family crypt that changes their lives forever.

As she grows up in a world where beautiful deadly beings hunt by night, one captures her eye and her heart. Yet, can she trust the mysterious Armando? For there is a powerful entity plotting to claim her when she reaches adulthood in order to fulfill an ancient prophecy, and her enemy has enveloped her in a web of deceit, casting doubt on all she believes to be true. Soon, she will have to fight not only to save those she loves, but also for her very soul.

Rhiannon Frater delivers a chilling adventure once again with this multi-part epic serial with a dynamic cast, old school vampires, bloody action, a smoldering forbidden love, and a terrifying villain set against the backdrop of a modern day vampire war.  

Each episode will be between 10,000 and 20,000 words with new installments being published every 2 to 3 weeks. 

Episode 1: Death Comes Home

Roman Socoli inadvertently releases a terrible evil when he has his Romanian ancestors entombed on his estate in Houston, Texas.

~ My Thoughts ~ 

Vampires haven't been done this right since Anne Rice. Ethereal, dark, foreboding... I couldn't get enough! With this beginning to the series, I know great things are yet to come. The characters are fantastic and vivid, and their story is spellbinding and had me shivering. Before In Darkness We Must Abide, I hadn't yet read any of Rhiannon Frater's novels but had planned on it. Needless to say, I'll be devouring every piece of her writing from now on! 

Similar to shouting out help I feel while watching a horror movie, I wanted to jump in there with the Socolis several times and advise the characters not to look out the window, not to open the door, or not to go downstairs for fear of what might be there lurking in the shadows. I must admit there were a couple of moments when I wanted to hide under the covers! This isn't to say these aren't intelligent characters, however, because they very much are. 

I really appreciate the unconventional family structure - the two older siblings raising their younger sister. And that's just a small part of what makes this family so interesting and anything but the typical family. I mean, how cool is it that they have Romanian ancestors? Unfortunately for them, that's exactly what unleashes the nightmare they must face.  

~I received a copy of this episode in exchange for an honest review~

~ Purchase the Book Including All 5 Episodes of the First Season ~ 

Amazon ~ Paperback

Amazon ~ Kindle

Kobo

Nook

Autographed Copies at Author Store

~ About the Author ~

  

Rhiannon Frater is the award-winning author of over a dozen books, including the As the World Dies zombie trilogy (Tor), as well as independent works such as The Last Bastion of the Living (declared the #1 Zombie Release of 2012 by Explorations Fantasy Blog and the #1 Zombie Novel of the Decade by B&N Book Blog), and other horror novels. Her next novel for Tor, Dead Spots, will be published in 2014. She was born and raised a Texan and presently lives in Austin, Texas with her husband and furry children (a.k.a. pets). She loves scary movies, sci-fi and horror shows, playing video games, cooking, dyeing her hair weird colors, and shopping for Betsey Johnson purses and shoes.  

  

You can find her online at:

Website: rhiannonfrater.com & astheworlddies.com 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/astheworlddies 

Twitter: http://twitter.com/rhiannonfrater 

Blog: http://rhianonfrater.blogspot.com/ 

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/rhiannonfrater/ 

Email: rhiannonfrater at gmail dot com

Release Day Blitz ~ In Darkness We Must Abide: The Complete First Season by Rhiannon Frater

Title: In Darkness We Must Abide: The Complete First Season

Author: Rhiannon Frater

Genre: NA Modern Gothic Horror 

Publication date: May 24th 2013

Book Blitz Organized by: Xpresso Book Tours 

Add to Goodreads

~ Synopsis ~ 

In Darkness We Must Abide is the epic saga of one young woman caught in the dangerous world of the creatures of the night.

Already living in the shadows due to her albinism, Vanora is just a little girl when her older brother inadvertently unleashes a terrible evil from the family crypt that changes their lives forever.

As she grows up in a world where beautiful deadly beings hunt by night, one captures her eye and her heart. Yet, can she trust the mysterious Armando? For there is a powerful entity plotting to claim her when she reaches adulthood in order to fulfill an ancient prophecy, and her enemy has enveloped her in a web of deceit, casting doubt on all she believes to be true. Soon, she will have to fight not only to save those she loves, but also for her very soul.

Rhiannon Frater delivers a chilling adventure once again with this multi-part epic serial with a dynamic cast, old school vampires, bloody action, a smoldering forbidden love, and a terrifying villain set against the backdrop of a modern day vampire war.

This paperback includes all five episodes of the first season of the serial.

~ Purchase the Book ~

Amazon ~ Paperback
Amazon ~ Kindle
Kobo 
Nook
Autographed Copies at Author Store

~ About the Author ~

Rhiannon Frater is the award-winning author of over a dozen books, including the As the World Dies zombie trilogy (Tor), as well as independent works such as The Last Bastion of the Living (declared the #1 Zombie Release of 2012 by Explorations Fantasy Blog and the #1 Zombie Novel of the Decade by B&N Book Blog), and other horror novels. Her next novel for Tor, Dead Spots, will be published in 2014. She was born and raised a Texan and presently lives in Austin, Texas with her husband and furry children (a.k.a. pets). She loves scary movies, sci-fi and horror shows, playing video games, cooking, dyeing her hair weird colors, and shopping for Betsey Johnson purses and shoes. 

You can find her online at:

Website: rhiannonfrater.com & astheworlddies.com 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/astheworlddies 

Twitter: http://twitter.com/rhiannonfrater 

Blog: http://rhianonfrater.blogspot.com/ 

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/rhiannonfrater/ 

Email: rhiannonfrater at gmail dot com

*Note: The below Q & A session was provided by Xpresso Book Tours.* 

In Darkness We Must Abide

Q & A

Q: In Darkness We Must Abide is a supernatural serial. What exactly does that mean? What is a serial? 

A: It means I’m crazy and just had to put more on my writing plate! Okay, in all honesty, In Darkness We Must Abide is sort of like a television show I’m writing for your brain. A serial used to be a very popular form of literature. It was an ongoing episodic form of storytelling much like popular television shows today. Each part builds on the one before it, creating a very rich story for the readers to enjoy. Serials followed pretty regular schedules for their installments (weekly, biweekly, monthly).

Q: So what genre is In Darkness We Must Abide? 

A: In Darkness We Must Abide is gothic horror set in modern times. It has all the classic gothic horror trappings like a big, gloomy mansion, the deep dark secrets, the tormented lovers, and terrifying monsters. It's an epic tale about a young woman who is caught up in the supernatural world of vampires, werewolves, witches, and ancient prophecies.

Q: This story is a bit different from most of your books though, right?

A: Though it's still a character-driven tale of horror, and has some truly scary moments, at its heart it is a very tragic sort of love affair between two people who are drawn to each other even though their worlds are tearing them apart. Upon reflection, I can definitely see how my love of Jane Eyre and other gothic romances influenced the central relationship. Armando and Vanora are wounded people that you want desperately to somehow be together, but you're just not sure if/when/how it might happen.

Q: We only see bits of Armando in the prologues of the first two episodes before he appears as a central figure in episode three. He instantly became very popular in the first season. Why do you think that is?

A: Well, he's delicious! LOL. Armando is not only very handsome and charming, he's very complicated. He's a man of many secrets and conflicting emotions. Though he's an older vampire (400 years old), he's eternally 22 years old and has a youthful spark to him. He's a bit sarcastic, naughty, and playful despite the fact that he's not all that he seems to be. Armando doesn't come across as cruel, so I think that adds to his appeal. Yet at the same time, he's dangerous in that he can totally break Vanora's heart and possibly betray her to his Master.

Q: Tell us a bit about Vanora, the heroine of the story.  

A: Well, we start our journey with her when she's ten years old and her life is altered forever when her brother has his ancestors from Romania transferred to the mausoleum on their estate in Houston, Texas. Immediately, a chain of events starts that sends her plunging into a very dark world. That being said, not all is bleak, because she has a much older brother and sister who take care of her and love her. They're a very strong family unit. As season one continues, we see Vanora grow up to be a charming seventeen-year-old on the verge of her adulthood. Of course, that's about the time when things between her and Armando start to significantly change.  

Q: Vanora is an albino. How does that affect her life?

A: Vanora's albinism affects her life quite a bit. She can't be out in direct sunlight, she's legally blind (though her sixth sense powers allow her to "see"), her appearance draws unwanted comments and negative attention, and isolates her a bit from others as she's growing up. That being said, the difficulties she has to overcome make her a formidable person. She doesn't feel sorry for herself, though she may not be entirely confident at times.  

Q: We finally got a good look at the villain at the end of episode 5, the first season finale. He's an albino, too, and quite imposing. Will he take on a bigger role in Season 2?

A: Armando's Master is definitely the villain of the story. In Season 2 we learn a whole lot about him and what exactly he's up to. We also learn why he's so fixated on Vanora and why he sent Armando to watch over her. That Vanora and the villain are both albinos is significant. 

Q: What can we expect in Season 2 that starts June 7, 2013? 

A: Well, the intensity of Episode 5, the season finale, is amplified. It becomes very, very intense and all the characters are in considerable danger. Of course, Armando and Vanora continue to be at the center of the storm. By the end of Season 2 the readers will definitely know where Armando stands and what exactly Vanora must battle against.

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Bout of Books 7.0 ~ My Wrap Up Post

I'm participating in my first read-a-thon, Bout of Books, organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal.

My Goal ~ Books to Read: 

• Finish The Garden by Paul T. Harry
• In Darkness We Must Abide by Rhiannon Frater
• Ink (Ink #1) by Holly Hood
• Taking on the Dead (The Famished Trilogy #1) by Annie Walls
• Of Silver and Beasts (Goddess Wars #1) by Trisha Wolfe
• Delirium (Debt Collector #1) by Susan Kaye Quinn
• Comes the Night (The Casters #1) by Norah Wilson & Heather Doherty

I forgot to post my Day 6 and 7 posts, lol. I had a really busy weekend and was gone for most of it. I thought I should at least have a wrap up post. :)

I read Delirium (Debt Collector #1) by Susan Kaye Quinn. Look for my review coming soon. I didn't count this one toward the read-a-thon, however, since I read it in its entirety before Bout of Books began. 

I finished Comes the Night (The Casters Series #1) by Norah Wilson and Heather Doherty. I started this book before Bout of Books and finished it on the second day. 

I read Ink (Ink #1) by Holly Hood and finished it on the fifth day. 

I'm 70% finished with The Garden by Paul T. Harry and am also reading In Darkness We Must Abide by Rhiannon Frater. 

Challenges: I participated in the Acrostic Poem Challenge hosted by Harley Bear Book Blog  and now want to make one for every book I love, lol.
Twitter chats: I participated in a Bout of Books Twitter chat yesterday at 11:30am, talking about our progress with our goals. I could have kept going past time! :)

I didn't quite make my reading goals and wanted to visit more blogs than what I did, but I had a lot of fun and would do this again. Until next time! :D

Please click here to find the helpful template on the Bout of Books blog I used to keep track of my progress. :D