The Flash of a Firefly (Kindred Blood, #1) by Amber Riley

Title: The Flash of a Firefly

Author: Amber Riley

Series: 1st in Kindred Bloos

Pages: 160

Published: Available now from iUniverse

ISBN: 9781450232067

Source: author sent for honest review

 

Description: Trying to put his past behind him, Kaden moves to New York City where he creates a new life for himself. And that isn't easy, considering the fact that he's a six-hundred-year-old vampire who hasn't fed on a human in more than a century. Unfortunately, the past isn't something you can always escape from. When old enemies resurface, they come with a message. His master wants him back and refusing isn't an option. Confronted with losing both his freedom, as well as the human that has captivated him, Kaden struggles to hold onto his humanity while controlling his darker side. He knows the showdown is inevitable. He must find a way to stand his ground. 

I Give This ...

 

  

I admit, I wasn't exactly sure of this book from the start.  The market seems to be overcrowded with vampire books that don't really different from one another.  Add that to the fact that my kindle how trouble with the formatting, and I almost gave up on it.  

But, I didn't because I didn't think that would be a fair and honest review.  And, I'm glad I didn't because I got sucked into the story and really enjoyed it.  The vampire lore isn't really that different, except maybe the hierarchy.   There's one ruling vampire (at least how I understood it) and Kaden use to be his right-hand man.  Kaden broke away from Phoenix a century ago and has been living in New York City.  He's built a life for himself there, owns a successful nightclub, and had the loyalty of the local werewolves.  After this long, he thought Phoenix would have let it go.  He's wrong of course.

 He soon realizes that Phoenix has sent enforces to drag him back to Spain and they don't care who they kill to get him there.  And this was the area of the book that drug the story down to a rating of 3 for me.  Kaden has a run in with these 3 vampires way to many times.  I think a couple of these could be cut out of the story because it kind of loses it's momentum.  The final showdown happens so fast, it was a real let down after so many confrontations.  

Despite that, I really enjoyed the characters.  Kaden doesn't every behave like a vampire should.  He seems to have developed a soul, which may be nothing new, it's refreshing in this book.  I especially enjoyed his developing relationship with Lyn, who is human.  I also like the renegade band of vampires that come together to prove the Phoenix has no power over Kaden or the rest of them who broke away.

It's a shorter story that I think could benefit from the editing that comes with a publishing company, but it has real substance.  I think if book 2 has the same sort of thing going for it, they could be combined to make a great book that any fan of vampire would enjoy!