Release Day Review of Vampire's Thirst (Awakening, #2) by Cynthia Garner

Title: Vampire's Thirst (The Awakening Series)
Classification: Adult Fiction
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Erotic?
Series: The Awakening Series
Format: Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Forever Yours (May 6, 2014)
ISBN-10: 1455552607
ISBN-13: 978-1455552603
Author's Website: http://cynthiagarnerbooks.com/
Notes: I received and eARC loan from the publisher.

The zombie apocalypse is going strong. Duncan is adjusting to his new role as Vampire King and is trying to keep moral up while attempting to keep the peace between the humans and vampires. Humans are volunteering to become blood donors for vampires in exchange for protection. They're also becoming restless and resent being cooped up and unable to get out. While their confinement is for their own protection, it does get a bit monotonous, but when even the smallest runs to get supplies more times than not ends in someone dying, it can't be helped. 

While tensions are running high, Kimber feels responsible for the apocalypse and keeps trying to figure out what caused it so she can reverse it. One thing appears clear--the darkness that escaped during a reanimation gone wrong has to be pushed back into the Unseen. In order to do that, she needs to experiment on zombies. Afraid to confide in Duncan her theory of how to reverse the situation, their relationship will be put to the test. If a reversal of what happened can't be accomplished, the whole world will be doomed. While it sounds simple--cure the zombies save the world--it's anything but and Kimber will put her life on the line.

Another entertaining read by Ms. Garner. Vampire's Thirst picks up shortly after Vampire's Hunger left off. If you haven't read Vampire's Hunger, I recommend you do. It's a quick read and will make the reading of this book more enjoyable.

Things look bleak as the number of humans decreases as the number of zombies increases. As supplies begin to grow short, alternative methods of gaining food are explored. Safety is the priority and everything done takes careful planning. Meanwhile, Duncan's human donor plan is starting to gain the attention of other vampire leaders. Willing donors are a novelty, and while vampires seem to enjoy and benefit from it, humans are only agreeing because the alternative almost surely would lead to death by zombie.

I like the stress and tension everything brings to the oh so new relationship between Duncan and Kimber. Insecurities and misunderstandings develop between the two as obligations and loyalties pull them apart and make them see how different their lives are. As with any good relationship, it takes work, commitment, and communication. I like that Ms. Garner didn't make things super easy on this couple.

Overall, I really liked the story and gave it 3 1/2 out of 5 roses. There was one discrepancy I found between the first book and this one. In the first book it was stated vampires couldn't become zombies. They just suffered horrible pain. In this book, it was said they'd become a sort of super zombie retaining all their vampire speed and strength. It didn't affect the outcome of this book, but I'm curious about any future books. Of course, as I was reading an ARC, the author may have righted this error before the book goes to print. I'll be curious to see if she does. If not, I supposed in the third book she could claim at first they thought they couldn't be turned until they found out differently. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one earned a SHOWER rating--a cold shower is necessary (need I say more?). Some books should come with a warning--make sure your significant other is handy or your shower is in working order. lol  As with the first book in the series, Vampire's Hunger, I felt the love scenes combined with the colorful language used had this one leaning toward an erotic read, but poised precariously on the fence.

Order of the series:

Vampire's Hunger (Awakening #1) by Cynthia Garner

Title: Vampire's Hunger (The Awakening Series)
Classification: Adult Fiction
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Erotic?
Series: The Awakening Series
Format: Paperback; 224 pages
Publisher: Forever Yours (April 1, 2014)
ISBN-10: 1455557706
ISBN-13: 978-1455557707

Author's Website: http://cynthiagarnerbooks.com/

Notes: I received and eARC loan from the publisher.

"Hear me Richard Whitcomb. I call you from beyond. I call you to journey from the Unsee to the Seen. By blood and magic I summon you. Arise, Richard. Arise. Come to me now."

Kimber Treat is a necromancer who works with the police to solve murders which might otherwise go unsolved. She reanimates the dead and is able to gain the answers to questions no other person could know. Sometimes gleaning the motives and name of the killer. Once information is acquired, the dead are laid to back to rest. Reanimations are not always pleasant or easy as sometimes the dead have a hard time remembering what happened or dealing with their demise. With her latest reanimation, Kimberly immediately senses something isn't right. She feels a surge of power course into her from the Unseen, the shadowy place where all life begins and ends. She senses John Whitcomb isn't the only one residing in his body. With some extra help and effort from the Medical Examiner's staff Richard permanently enters his eternal slumber, but not before one of the doctors is bitten. What no one realizes at the time, however, is the beginning of  a zombie apocalypse had just been set into motion. The world as we knew it has just come to an end.

Awakening is an interesting new series, and I'm curious to see how it will evolve. From the first pages of the book, we get a first hand account of how the zombie apocalypse begins. Something in the Unseen is wrong and has brought darkness into the human realm via the reanimation of the dead. While a vampire can't become a zombie, no one is completely immune to the zombies. Vampires are the least vulnerable but can die a horrible death from whatever infects/possesses the zombies. Additionally, they are able to use their strength, agility and speed to their advantage. In a short period of time, the condition spreads as zombies bite and infect more people.

Kimber is put in a very difficult situation as Duncan, a vampire she's known for the past two years, tries to convince her to resurrect a vampire who's been dead for over a hundred years for the vampire Queen. Already knowing something isn't right with the Unseen and compounded with the fact reanimating someone who has been dead as long as Eduardo (the vampire Queen's mate) has been would not bring back the individual back as they once were, she refuses. Now Duncan will have to decide where his loyalties lie--with his Queen or with the woman who he feels strongly for and has let down in the past. He has a clear cut decision to make because most likely one will have to die.

Overall I gave this one 3 1/2 out of 5 roses. I enjoyed the book, but didn't feel we got to know the characters as well as I'd like. The mutual attraction is very strong and I wish we'd gotten to see it develop from the very first moment these two met, or at least got the full story of what originally happened. I kept wondering if this couple were somehow connected to Cynthia's other series, Warriors of the Rift, but after racking my brain I couldn't recall them. I'd love to see a prequel novella about how these two met and what happened. Perhaps we'll learn more in one of the next books? On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one earned a SHOWER rating--a cold shower is necessary (need I say more?). Some books should come with a warning--make sure your significant other is handy or your shower is in working order. lol I felt the love scenes combined with the colorful language used had this one leaning toward an erotic read, but poised precariously on the fence.

Order of the series