Of Light and Darkness: The Vampire's Daughter by Shayne M. Leighton

Title: Of Light and Darkness

Author: Shayne Leighton

Sub-Genre(s): Erotic, Urban Fantasy, Sci-Fi

Publisher: Decadent Publishing

Publication Date: June 26, 2011

ISBN #: B0058DBUBM

Format: eBook from Author

Reviewer: tsteinerid

Rating: 3 Cups

Blurb:*

When one human stands before an army of impossible obstacles, the likelihood of overcoming them in this coming-of-age modern fairytale may result in war between light and darkness.

Abandoned as an infant in Prague, naive and strong-willed Charlotte Ruzikova was raised by one of the last Vampires left alive. As a human, she knows no other home than the one nestled deep in the woods of Eastern Europe, where Witches drew spells of enchantment, Phasers threw tea parties, and Elves are the closest in kin. Charlotte has lived her life in the dark with her Guardian, content to having him to herself and reveling in his attention, until she's realizes she wants more...

Resident medical doctor and Vampire, Valek Ruzik fears the day his ward would come of age and blossom into a fine woman, and he is forced to confront his own motives as time is of the essence once his past catches up to him, and their lives become endangered...

As genocide and war threatens their secret society, the dictator in power is ready to wipe out Valek's race, but Charlotte will not allow that to happen. Fighting for the only one she's ever loved and truly believed in, she will do whatever it takes to save their love...before the sun comes up and light takes over.

Review:
Can fate win over scheming and treachery?  When it comes to Valek and Charlotte’s fate, all we can do is hope!
 
Charlotte was abandoned as a baby.  For her whole life, all she has ever known is the magical world of paranormals.  Things are changing though and so is Charlotte.  Her feelings for her adoptive father are becoming deep and strong and further away from the acceptable father/daughter relationship.  She is falling in love with Valek.
 
Valek has fought his animalist hunger for Charlotte for almost two decades.  He has done so from the very moment he found her.  His protectiveness has always won out.  Now new and foreign feelings are rising in him and one look into Charlotte’s mind, and he knows that their futures are about to change forever.
 
Hatred runs strong in the veins of the Central European Magic Regime.  The Regime and their leader, Vladislov, believe only the “light” should shine and all “darkness” should be extinguished…permanently.  First on their agenda is the mass genocide of the vampires.  Now they will burn for all their crimes, and Vlad will take great pleasure in watching it happen.
 
I so wanted to love this book.  The reviews are raving and amazing, but I just couldn’t.  I just liked it.  The writing was well done, but the storyline didn’t capture me.  It is a great idea, so don’t get me wrong.  I just can’t put my finger on it.  I have no problem with the father/daughter relationship turned lovers’ aspect, because hello…they are not blood related and sexy vampire. 
 
I think part of my problem was Valek’s relationship with the other vampires.  Valek is amazingly strong.  I mean heck, he raised a human child from infancy to adulthood without one little nibble.  He was reserved and weak around other vampires, but then he would show moments of strength.  The author did write some great interplay between the characters though, and shouldn’t be missed.
 
I think what also bothered me, was according to the synopsis, Charlotte played a HUGE role in the battle.  While she had moments of amazing strength, she was also a cowering young lady, just stepping back and letting fate hand her really bad cards.  I can’t recall one moment where she actually stood up to impossible obstacles.  She was a passenger on this trip, but I can’t really blame her for that either.  She is just a young woman, thrust into the big scary world of the supernaturals.  On that note though, she does live and understand this world.  She has lived her whole life in it.  I think her greatest gift to the story was the strength that gave Valek.  She did hold her head up high and follow through during some pretty horrific ordeals, when I would have told Valek and the rest of them to piss off.
 
The Vampire’s Daughteris a YA story about the dark side of vampirism, where the monsters are real and truly scary.  I have to give kudos to the amazing author, Ms. Leighton.  She has really started to make a name for herself and if she is writing such detailed and captivating stories now, just watch out world.
 
So if you are tired of sweet affectionate vampires and want to experience the dark underbelly of the paranormal, then pick up The Vampire’s Daughter.  I still found this universe intriguing and captivating, with oodles of plot and amazing characters.  A good story when you want something a bit dark and sinister.  


Available at:
Amazon (Kindle Edition)



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*Blurb Courtesy of Amazon

**Disclaimer: This book has been provided to Coffee Beans & Love Scenes Reviews free of charge by the author. No money has been exchanged for the review of this eBook. This review reflects the opinion of the individual reviewer and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the other C&R reviewers or this blog’s administrator/editor.