I love a tough but fair reviewer who takes on a book that maybe doesn’t float their boat all the way to paradise and still gives it honest praise if it deserves it and remains kind when it’s not their cup of tea. I got a terrific and thoughtful review of Notturno by Val Kovalin, at Obsidian bookshelf. I can honestly relate to understanding what a book might be worth to a different reader, based on quality of writing and subject matter, and still not love the subject matter of that book myself. Since Obsidian doesn’t allow reproduction in whole or in part of their reviews I’ll link it here, without quoting from it. But I’ll paraphrase and say it said my writing style was very nice. 😉

I’m going to have to start reading the vampire books I’m getting compared to. Vampire stories come from a rather large pool, and I guess we’re bound to overlap sometimes. My use of a Volvo, for example, was cited by one reader as an example of how Twilight has made it’s mark on the genre, except I didn’t read Twilight until long after I’d written this book. (But everyone knows that no self respecting immortal person needs the safest car on the market… DUH.)

To be fair, I’ve read a few vampire books. I LOVE Sookie Stackhouse, and I’m afraid Charlaine Harris has probably made more than a small dent in how I perceive vampires. I just recently started watching True Blood, and can I say that if the Dead series has made a dent then Eric has just punched a hole in me? WOW! What a cutie. I don’t like vampires who take themselves too seriously. I don’t really like tragic vampires, that’s why in my story Adin, my protagonist, uses gentle ribbing to get his lover Donte, the vampire to lighten up. I like the idea of an implacable, mysterious, and maybe just a little puffed up vampire being tumbled like a rock against an unpredictable human who invariably smooths off the sharper edges and wears him down a little at the same time.

I’m working on the sequel to this, and like all good sequels, it’s going to do a little rearranging. Maybe even turn our fun couple on its head a little, because what’s the point of rewriting the same book twice?

Anyway, thanks so much, Val and Obsidian Bookshelf for giving the book a read and high marks. You can read the rest of the review, HERE.