Review + Giveaway: Once Burned by Jeaniene Frost

Once Burned (Night Prince, #1)

by Jeaniene Frost
S

eries

Night Prince #1, Night Huntress - Complete World #9

Published June 26th 2012 by Avon

Mass Market Paperback, 346 pages

ISBN

006178320X (ISBN13: 9780061783203)

*Personal Purchase*

She's a mortal with dark powers...
After a tragic accident scarred her body and destroyed her dreams, Leila never imagined that the worst was still to come: terrifying powers that let her channel electricity and learn a person's darkest secrets through a single touch. Leila is doomed to a life of solitude...until creatures of the night kidnap her, forcing her to reach out with a telepathic distress call to the world's most infamous vampire...

He's the Prince of Night...

Vlad Tepesh inspired the greatest vampire legend of all—but whatever you do, don't call him Dracula. Vlad's ability to control fire makes him one of the most feared vampires in existence, but his enemies have found a new weapon against him—a beautiful mortal with powers to match his own. When Vlad and Leila meet, however, passion ignites between them, threatening to consume them both. It will take everything that they are to stop an enemy intent on bringing them down in flames.

Vlad, Vlad, Vlad....How I miss your humor and sex appeal.... :(

This was one of the hardest review for me to write up, becuse of my love for this series. BUT, this book did not meet my expectations and I was disappointed....

I am a HUGE fan of Jeaniene Frost and her fantastic Night Huntress Series. I love, and adore Jeaniene's writing style and love to be whisked away by her main character in the series, Bones, *little obsession*.

 I also adore the secondary characters(vamps) in the series. Being that Jeaniene has branched off the original series and is giving her secondary characters their own books, I find I'm missing the main characters and the group as a whole in these secondary books.

Having been introduced previously to Vlad as one of the secondary vampire's in this series, we as readers finally get an insight to Vlad and all of his charming ways, in his own book, or so we thought!

I was so excited to read this book, I mean Vlad was funny, snarky, sexy, hmmm. if I wasn't already attached to Bones, and Ian, he would definitely be my third choice! lol

But, sadly I must say I was very disappointed in this book. Now, don't get me wrong or think I'm bashing the author, I just think this book totally missed it's mark for me, and unfortunately it is my least favorite book by Jeaniene that I've read, and I've read them all! So, on that standpoint I know what she is capable of. I wanted to be swept away by Vlad. I wanted him to exude his confidence and be engulfed in his heated flame, and not just the flame he is able to produce from his body.  

In this book she doesn't show Vlad as she did in the past, instead he reminds me of being a little tight, and not as easy going as he was previously, gone is the humor, and snarkiness, gone is his "heat". 

The writing felt obscured and distant. I didn't care for the main plot as Vlad meets his future love and they can hear each others thoughts, for me it didn't really work. I really didn't care for Vlad's love, Leila, as the book is mostly told from her POV. I didn't feel the connection between these two, and at times felt like giving up reading this book. I think the  main reason was because of the way so much emphasis was placed on Leila and less on Vlad. I felt no connection to Leila, as I did with past ladies in the series.

I also missed the whole "gang" I believe the reason why the Night Huntress series is so successful, is because Jeaniene is able to incorporate so many great characters and make you fall for them, but with less of a showing of the "gang" I found I missed them terribly.

Per, Jeaniene's website I read that she will continue with Vlad and Leila's story, with less emphasis placed on Bones and Cat, which really makes me sooo sad. She will also end the Night Huntress series(Bones and Cat) at book #9. I'm not sure she should be giving up on them.

I really dislike giving books low ratings, and I'm not into bashing authors. I mean it took me forever to write this review, I actually read this back in the end of July.

I just feel when/if Jeaniene continues with this series, she brings back the characters we first fell in love with and how they made us laugh and fall in love with them. I want the old gang fighting together, with maybe each book featuring each secondary character in a relationship. I really loved how she displayed that with past Night Prince books. I also want to see more of Bones and Cat.

2.5/5 Stars 

Actual Quotes from this book,  I incorporated my thoughts in pink.

“People frequently bore me, sometimes amuse me, most often irritate me, but rarely intrigue me.”

This is my thoughts when thinking about, Leila

“How unconvincing. Try again.”

This is what comes to my mind when trying to think of these two as a couple

“Of course he wouldn't hesitate before trying something that had never been done before. He was Vlad Tepesh. How could he fail?”

But, fail he did :(

“Let me introduce my friend, Cat.’ The redhead, and for some reason, she looked familiar. ‘Her husband Bones’ – here Vlad smiled coolly at the short-haired brunet – ‘is not my friend.”

Aaah, there is the Vlad we all know and love....

“I can give you honesty, monogamy, and more passion than you can stand, but not love. That emotion died in me long ago, as I suspect you already know.”

Yes, I did know, but along with it went your humor and snark!

Now, I want you to have a chance at reading this and tell me if my review is too harsh.

**You don't have to read the whole series to be able to read this book, can be classified as stand alone. You just won't understand how Vlad is in previous books and why sooo many *swooned* for him, in the first place...**

**Questions can be found on Rafflecopter form**

1) If you read this book,what were your thoughts?
 1A) Have you read any of Jeaniene's books?
 2) Do you think my review was too harsh or just right?
3)When you have to write a less than stellar review, do you find yourself, not as confident. I know I was unsure about writing this one (Thanks for supporting me and boosting my confidence Kristin @ My Parahangover)
**In no way was Kristin an influence on my review. She just helped me feel better about me having to write a less than stellar review!** All thoughts above are 100% my own!!
4)What was the last book you read that disappointed you? 

I'll giveaway one paperback copy of Once Burned plus some surprise bookmarks/swag

• Open Int.
• Must fill out rafflecopter form
• Winner will have 48hrs. to respond to winning e-mail notification

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