Kelley Grealis Spotlight Tour!

Mortal death or eternal damnation? If those were your choices, which would you choose?

Allison Carmichael is frustrated with the doctors who can’t diagnose her seemingly common ailments. Her frustrations are further compounded by her inability to discover her life’s calling, a purpose she desperately desires yet which has eluded her for thirty years.

A car wreck throws Allison into a life she doesn’t recognize filled with vampires, centuries-old secrets, betrayal, and vengeful enemies she never knew existed.

When Allison discovers the source of her ailments and the truth about her biblical lineage, she wishes she hadn’t searched so hard for the answers she thought she wanted.

Faced with an impossible decision – sacrifice her mortal life or damn her soul for eternity – which will Allison choose?

And can she decide before the choice is made for her?

THE DESCENDANT – A Vampire Tale of Biblical Proportions

It’s been a long time since I read a good vampire story.  I think over the last couple of years this genre has been hopelessly overdone.  However, it seems this take on vampire manages to breathe life into this dead genre (haha...get it?  Dead??? I kill me!)

Allison is having what seems to be a bit of a mid-life crisis.  She’s unsure of her direction in life and is eager to find out what her life’s calling is.  As a woman in her 30’s she kind of feels like she should know by now.  To top it all off, she’s having some major health issues that her doctor can’t seem to figure out.  It’s all piling up on her and then she wakes up in the hospital with only fragments of memories of both her past and how she ended up in the hospital.  Her entire life has changed.  Her friend, Vincent, helps her begin to rebuild her life, but things just don’t quite add up in her head and circumstances continue to get even stranger. 

I have to say, the way that the vampires in this story are introduced and portrayed in really interesting.  This book is basically a modern retelling of the Cain and Abel story with vampires thrown into the mix.  It’s both refreshing and interesting.

I also really loved the characters.  Vincent is awesome. He is a mystery and I don’t think I had him even close to figured out by the end of this book.  I also really felt an emotional connection to Allison.  She’s older and a bit lost in her life.  The way she is written makes it very easy to feel for her and enjoy the wild ride that is this book with her.

Overall, this was a great read.  It was different, and executed really well.  I can’t wait to read the next book!  4.5 stars!

While I don't normally read Vampire books, the synopsis of this book was really interesting and I just had to read it..

Allison is married to Mark and has come to terms with the fact that she can't have children, but over the last few months she has had strange symptoms that no doctor (and she's been to many) can seem to figure out the cause or even agree that she is having them. As she gets more and more frustrated she decides that she is going through a midlife crisis and that has to be what is going on.... that is until she gets into a car accident. 

When she wakes up in a hospital, she's told that she has a boyfriend and that three years have past that she can't remember any of. She has a hard time agreeing with the story that she is given but since she can't remember, it's all the more confusing. I know I was pulling at my hair in frustration right along with her most of the time trying to figure out what was going on. 

Great read that sucked me in once we got to the car accident part and things took a wild spin from there. It's hard to say much after that point because I just don't want to give anything away so pick it up and read for yourself if you are looking for a refreshing new author and book about vampires!

I absolutely love that this book is in a genre of it's own.. Not quite horror or romance.. I suppose suspense would be where I placed it since it sure kept me on the edge of my seat.

I knew I wasn’t dying. At least that was what the other doctors had said. But what I didn’t know, and neither did any of those other doctors, was the cause of my symptoms. In fact, those supposed specialists had all declared me to be perfectly healthy and viewed my symptoms with skepticism. But I knew they were mistaken; there was something wrong with me.

The Search (Book 2 in The Descendant Vampire Series)

Allison Carmichael is thirsty for blood and hungry for answers.

Lured away from her illicit extracurricular activities by news about her kidnapped husband, Allison rejoins her adopted family that’s promised to help her find him. Allison's search is detoured, however, by sinister vampire politics, the seeming good will of her fanged family, and the return of her nemesis. Circumstances unfold that shatter the foundation of her world.

In order to successfully play the game she has been thrust into, Allison must battle loss and betrayal and accept unexpected love.

THE SEARCH is on for answers, but when answers are found, will they be what Allison was looking for?

This book started where “The Descendants” left off...and thank goodness for that!  When I finished the previous book I was ravenous for answers to the big questions it presented.  Allison has left her new family to search for her husband Matt, as she struggles to reconcile who she used to be with who she has become. This installment is full of twist and unexpected turns!

There’s really not a lot to say about this book that won’t giveaway major plot points, but suffice to say that we catch up with our favorite characters from the first book and meet some new ones.  The vampire world created in these books in interesting and rich, and I found it easy to submerse myself into it.  Just as the first book, it was well-written.  Unfortunately, the third book will have to be released before we really get all the answers we’re looking for, but this book gives you just enough so you don’t feel cheated.  You get more Vincent (yay!).  He’s a polarizing figure, but one of those characters that you hate so much you almost love him.  Plus, I feel like there’s more to be known about him, so I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt until book 3!

I guess my biggest concern so far is how long I have to wait for the third book???  4.5 stars!

WOW... I enjoyed this story SO much. The first book was great, but the second book was BETTER!!

We pick up right where book 1 ends. Allison is still confused and trying to find out what really is going on. We get to meet groups of new people and learn more history and background that adds to the story on vampires (and gypsies too). 

Allison is out trying to find out what happened to her husband when she is told that the Drake family has some info on him, but do they really? She is still deeply in love with her husband but Vincent (her boyfriend) loves her and doesn't want her to explore that path. 

I loved that yet again we are kept on the edge of our seats trying to figure out things with Allison as she tries to figure things out. Allison is quite awesome for me because she isn't a 'perfect' character, she makes mistakes and errors just as normal people would. 

“I’ve already told you once and I’m going to tell you again – no. Now please get off the property before I call the police.”

Gabriela tried closing the door again but my foot didn’t budge. I stared directly into her eyes. “You will let me into this house,” I commanded, but Gabriela’s eyes didn’t react to my persuasion. I was confused as to what was going on; this had worked on every human I had tried it on. “You will let me in this house.”

“No…I…won’t.”

I tilted my head in disbelief and Gabriela mockingly tilted her head back at me. I removed my foot from the doorway but had no intention of letting her shut me out. I was going to let her think for the slightest of moments that she had won this argument. I turned to walk away when I heard, “Ali-gator.”

I turned around and as Gabriela was shutting the door asked, “What did you just say?”

Gabriela rattled off something in Spanish before saying, “I didn’t say anything.”

“Yes you did. You whispered ‘Ali-gator.’”

“Um, no I didn’t.” “My husband used to call me that.”

“Okay lady, you’re losing your mind.” She twirled her finger next to her temple as she whistled cuckoo.

If I could have breathed fire I would have in that moment. I charged Gabriela but before I could reach her I felt like I had hit a brick wall. I placed my hands out in front of me but they couldn’t cross the threshold. Gabriela’s smirk irritated me.

“I told you I wouldn’t let you enter,” she taunted and slammed the door.

 

What do most people do when they go through a midlife crisis – buy a sports car or get a makeover? Not Kelley Grealis. Her career midlife crisis reignited her passion for creative writing.

A worker-bee by day, writer by night, Kelley is the author of The Descendant Vampire Series. When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with her husband and their two cats, riding her Harley, enjoying what few days of sunshine there are in Cleveland, and dreaming up the next story she wants to tell. Kelley is a graduate of both Baldwin Wallace College and Cleveland State University. Connect with her at http://www.KelleyGrealis.com

 

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