Kathryn McKenna of S&S UK made this lovely post, praising CRUSADE: THE CURSED ONES during her recent guest blog appearance at Smugglivus 2010.
—- Quoted Text from Smugglivus 2010 —-
Smugglivus 2010 Guest Publisher: Kathryn McKenna of S&S UK
By Ana on December 25, 2010
CRUSADE: THE CURSED ONES – Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie (February 2011)
Welcome to a world where the vampires do not sparkle… I’ve been describing this book to reviewers as ‘a vampire novel that takes its reader back to the unbeating heart of the genre…’ and that’s just exactly what it is. Written by Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie, The Cursed Ones is the first instalment of a series that reflects what used to be absolutely irresistible about vampire fiction – we’re talking about a time when the vampires used to be BAD, wars used to be brutal, and the supernatural scary rather than sparkly…
While The Cursed Ones does contain the odd irresistibly sexy remorseful vampire (think Angel, but Spanish – and even hotter), the premise of this book rings back more to classic paranormal romance, a story of war and fear with a romantic thread that creates further complication. Vampires are starting an out and out war, that can only be assuaged by vampire hunters, one of which is our leading character. The first sequence in The Cursed Ones throws the reader straight into the action that can be expected throughout – debris, smoke, blood, fire and death all paint the surroundings of a world we see through the eyes of Jenn. The only human in a band of misfit vampire hunters (a werewolf, a witch, a martial arts expert, an Irishman with anger issues – and a vampire), Jenn’s experiences at her training camp in Spain have opened her eyes to a world of supernatural things that she never could have dreamed of experiencing… including falling in love with her vampire hunting partner, Antonio. When her family and hometown are endangered, and war seems to be getting out of hand, Jenn is forced to choose between love and honour, death and destruction, and saving her family…
The Cursed Ones is a hard book to resist, especially if you grew up in the Buffy generation. This book comprises a kick ass cast, and a return to what truly made the paranormal so exciting… and did I mention the cover is stunning? All the more reason to pick it up.
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