The night is not safe for mortals. Denise MacGregor knows all too well what lurks in the shadows – her best friend is half-vampire Cat Crawfield – and she has already lost more than the average human could bear. But her family’s dark past is wrapped in secrets and shrouded in darkness – and a demon shapeshifter has marked Denise as prey. Now her survival depends on an immortal who craves a taste of her.
He is Spade, a powerful, mysterious vampire who has walked the earth for centuries and is now duty-bound to protect this endangered, alluring human – even if it means destroying his own kind. Denise may arouse his deepest hungers, but Spade knows he must fight his urge to have her as they face the demon nightmare together…
Because once the first drop of crimson falls, they will both be lost.
First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost
February 9, 2010
Paranormal Romance
Paperback, 371 Pages
Avon
Joint review by Mandi and Tori.
Mandi: Hi Tori, thanks for doing a joint review of First Drop of Crimson with me! I am a big fan of Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress series which features many people’s favorites, Bones and Cat. In First Drop of Crimson, we get the first of her spin-off series, featuring Bones’ best friend, Spade and Cat’s best friend Denise. This book is more of a romance book in terms that there is a HEA, or happily ever after at the end of the book. Before we get into the storyline, what was your first impression when you finished the book? I hate to say it, but I was disappointed for many reasons we will get into in a minute.
Tori: Hi Mandi. First off let me say thank you asking me to do a joint review. So glad my stalking persistence paid off.
I adore The Night huntress series and Cat & Bones are are my list of fictional characters I wish were real and would come hang out at my house. My very first impression upon finishing the book was disappointment also. With all the major fanfair and build up for this book I expected to be blown away. I wasn’t.
Mandi: The book starts with Denise infected with a demon mark. Raum, the demon is more than a little upset that an ancestor of Denise’s, Nathaniel, has slipped from Raum’s control. Raum starts killing off all of Nathaniel’s ancestors as punishment – meaning Denise’s cousins are dying and soon, Denise’s close relatives will be killed off. Raum makes a deal with Denise – she delivers Nathaniel to Raum, and herself and all her relatives remain alive. Denise does not want to bother Bones and Cat, who just went through a big ordeal themselves, so the only other paranormal contact in her phone – Spade.
When I mentioned I didn’t love this book, some told me it was because I was expecting a Bones and Cat book and that is not what I got. Let me say – Yes, I do love Bones and Cat – but I also love Jeaniene Frost’s supporting characters. I like Tate, Mencheres, Spade, and Ian. What we got in this book are two people forced together with no chemistry or spark. I never believed in Spade and Denise’s romance. Why were they attracted to each to other? What drove Spade to help Denise? It did not work for me. Tori, what are your thoughts on Spade and Denise?
Tori: I have to agree Mandi. Even though At Grave’s End showed us that Spade felt a connection to Denise, I had a hard time feeling a true romance romance between them. Spade has always been portrayed as a loner, introverted, and avoiding human involvement. Yet he drops everything to help her? No hesitation?
Denise played a huge part in my feelings of ambiguity. She was so against the whole vampire/supernatural world to the point that she cut herself off from her best friend in order to escape but has no problems blackmailing Spade into helping her. Then she pretty much bitches and moans the whole book about how awful his world is and the people that are in it. I just couldn’t believe that someone with that much against a species could that effortlessly fall in love with someone who was part of it. He coddled and catered to her and that just threw me over the edge; especially when all I wanted to do was slap her silly and tell her to “man up.”
Mandi: I did really like Ian in this book. Ian has shown up in other Night Huntress books as a vampire that you never quite sure if you can trust or not. He comes through for Spade and Denise, but of course has to give them a really hard time throughout. He has some very funny lines and hello – nipple piercings! Who knew? For some reason I always pictured Ian old and fat, not washboard abs with piercings…and let’s not forget he has piercings….other places too. He is a great vampire you can love to hate and I hope he continues to pop up in future books. Did any particular character or situation work for you in the book, Tori?
Tori: I agree Mandi, Ian is great. I really would have loved to see Vlad in here because he is one of my favs but he seems more centered around Cat.Hopefully he will pop up in future books.
Ian brings such comic relief and you can’t help but love his quips. The porn scene was funny in the way he kept flipping back and forth between telling what happened at Web’d house and seeing the women on TV. The fact that he is bad and only out for himself and that he makes no apologizes for it works the story line well. And the piercings. Yum. :)
I also liked Nathanial. I felt really bad for him when you realize that running from the demon didn’t make his life better and that his life hasn’t been all sunshine and happiness. When he realizes that Spade is going to sacrifice him for Denise he accepts it.
One part that bugged me was when Nathanial was explaining about how he and Denise were in a sense immortal-or harder to kill. She keeps saying, “That didn’t happen, “That couldn’t have happened.” when he’s taking about ways he tried to kill himself. After all she’s seen, I found it irritating that she STILL refused to believe.
Mandi: In closing let me say – I love Jeaniene Frost. Her Night Huntress series is amazing and one of my absolute favorites. Why didn’t Spade and Denise hit it off? I don’t know. But there is just something lacking between them. I kept thinking at the beginning of the book, when Denise was in so much danger, that why wouldn’t they ask Bones and Cat for help. All four of their lives are so closely related, once Bones and Cat arrived on the scene late in the book, I think Spade and Denise started working better together. Denise needs Cat as a girlfriend, and the same with Bones and Spade. Their forced separation at the beginning definitely took away something from the main couple.
Next in her spin-off series is Mencheres’ book and I can’t wait for it. We have never seen Mencheres’ romantic side and with an unknown heroine, it should be good times. First Drop of Crimson gets a 2.5/5 from me. Tori, thank you so much for reviewing with me. Wrap it up for us.
Tori: In closing I too want to say that Jeaniene Frost rocks. Her Night Huntress series captured me in at the first book and held me in thrall through each one. I stayed up last night wondering really WHY I had such a problem with this one and I came up with this reason. When an author writes a phenomenal series you can almost bet the farm they will do either another series or a spin off. The spin offs are hard because they have to continue the same excitement and appeal as the original. When I thought about all my favorite characters in her books I realized one thing. They are all independent and stand alone. Each of them are strong, savey,sexy, intelligent and able to hold their own. They all have this wonderful chemistry alone & between each other that leaps off the pages.
Denise was so different from Frost’s usual characters the shock and disappointment was great. Denise was shown as being some what weak, bitchy, and self righteous. It was a turn off.
I do think if Bones and Cat were introduced earlier in the book then perhaps watching Denise come to terms with her situation and Spade would have been easier to believeI too will continue to read her and am really excitied to see Mencheres’ story.Thank you Mandi for letting me review with you; it was fun. :)
I give First Drop of Crimson a 2.5/5 also.
Recent Reviews:
Wicked Little Pixie – 4/5
Maryse’s Blog
Anna’s Book Blog – 5/5
Book Addict – 4.5/5
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Great review ladies. I also had a hard time with this book. I almost did not finish it. But right when I was about to give up it started to pick up for me and I have to say from that point on it was enjoyable. I'm not happy that I had to read though about 60% of the book to it though. I just hope the next one is better. I will still read Jeaniene Frost's books.
I remember looking down at my Kindle and I was at 64% when I really thought things started to pick up.
I enjoyed reading your thoughts on DoC Mandi and Tori :) And a story would seriously lack it for me too if the main H/H don't have any chemistry going on. I really have to catch up on Cat and Bones before I even attempt myself to this spin off.
We've been debating on twitter so I thought I'd bring it over here:) Spade helped Denise initially because he didn't want to involve Bones and Cat since they'd been having a rough time–this is right after their last book. Spade also talks about being drawn to Denise the first time he saw her on page 23.
She had cut contact with the vamp world because she was grieving over her husband getting torn apart by zombies in a battle that was between vampire masters. Only a year had passed. She didn't necessarily hate vamps, but it was all tied together in her guilt etc.
I loved Spades character…he's not a bad boy like Ian. Yes, he was comic relief and I'm sure his book will be good, but he actually annoys me.
Denise also mentions being drawn to Spade the first time she meets him but blows it off because she's married.
I also think she makes him laugh. I didn't think she was a bitch…yes, she was bitchy at times, but who wouldn't be? I think to have made her less bitchy would have been unrealistic to the situation.
Off my soapbox now. I love you gals- it's fun to disagree:)
I think Moonsanity just said all the things I was thinking about writing here (thanks Moonsanity!) Yes I was frustrated when Denise refused to believe what was happening, but other than that I thought Ms. Frost was true to what I thought her character would be. I really enjoyed this book and think Ian stole the show! I also think I'm in the minority b/c Mencheres is one of the few characters that doesn't spark my interest so I'm not sure what to think about the next book.
Leontine- yes catch up on Cat and Bones and then let us know your thoughts!
Moonsanity – First, I love to hear dissenting opinions!
I remember reading that Spade had admiration for Denise but I just didn't believe it when I read it. There were times Denise made me laugh, but there were other times that she acted out, or the way she endeared herself to Spade I found to be annoying instead.
I get that Denise has a rough time in the past with vamps and a dead husband…and she can't just jump into a relationship with a vampire. But in my mind, I had a hard time as she made the reconciliation.
About half the people I have spoken to have loved this one, and the other half didn't. It has been an interesting response :) Thanks for sharing!!!
Patti – Ian did steal it and I really liked him!!!!
Mencheres is going to be interesting..I've heard lots who are unsure about his book – but I am very interested!! We have yet to see his romantic side and I can't wait to see what Jeaniene Frost does with him!!!
Hi everyone!! Wow, great responses.
Moonsanity-I think my problem was that I like Spade and I liked what I had seen of Denise but I didn't like them together.
Spade avoids humans. Denise has issues with vamps.
I understood where Frost was going with it. 2 people overcome their "prejudices" for lack of a better word and come together.
My problem was I didn't feel that defining moment when nothing else mattered but them.
Leontine-Definitely read the first 3. They are incredible.
Patti-Mencheres does it for me because he is such a HUGE part of Bone's life and Frost has only given us little tidbits about him. After the 3rd book I want him to have an HEA.
Holy crap! 2.5/5! I'm so disappointed this book isn't living up to my expectations. I haven't read it yet, but I haven't found too many people loving it. >.<
I'm still going to read it though. Haha.
Nice discussion ladies. I always thought Ian would be a more brandy and smoking jacket type of guy, not a leather wearing nipple piercing club hopper.
Rex Robot Reviews- And you should. I read books regardless of the reviews.
Oh no issues with the book, hm, then again since I have not read the first series I could not compare them.
Nice joint review
I think it probably comes down to liking or disliking the personalities in the story. I just reviewed an urban fantasy that I loved and then saw on Amazon that people HATED the heroine and I loved her. I think Denise struck a cord with me because some of the stuff she did was stuff I would have done. LOL I also loved that Spade was kind of like a polite Alpha in his personality:) Like I said, Ian IS funny, but I find him annoying, and many of you don't.
I can't wait for Mencheres and for Vlad– Ian, not so much.
This is the way to do a review. I likey.
First off let me tell you my other blogger half and I were discussing First Drop for a solid 20 minutes. I liked that Frost went in the direction of a stand alone vs a series like her Night Huntress books. My problems was with Spade, I felt he was a bit flat. In the Grave series he was really interesting..kind of arrogant and aloof. We didn't really see that in FDOC. Okay am I the only one who thought PTSD was a horrible angle? It just didn't fit.
As for Denise I liked her. She was kind of cute, yes it got a bit old her "fear" of vampires. But I liked that she wanted to pay for everything, kind of reminded me of …me.
I just finished this book this morning! Great points, and what a good discussion you've got going. At the very least, the book arouses a passionate response, even if it's negative! That's what I like to hear.
I'm posting my review tomorrow, so I won't spoil anything by posting it here. Or maybe I'll do it tonight.. now I'm itching to weigh in!
I think Spade was the wrong choice to kick-off the spin-off series. He was a little too dull, and when partnered with an equally dull Denise – you're right, there was little sparkage.
I think it would have been much better to have started off with Ian (piercing = YUM!) or Tate.
I am really looking forward to Mecheres's book. I've had a little bit of a crush on him from the moment he was described as tall, dark and Egyptian. I won't give up on this new series (especially if Jeaniene Frost dangles an Ian book in front of me) but this wasn't the best debut.
smokin – I didn't like the PTSD..at first I did, but then it kind of fizzled and wasn't really addressed. I thought they were both flat. Not a lot of character.
Caitlin – Yay..I can't wait to read your thoughts! I will definitely be over to check it out.
Danielle – I am very excited for Mencheres book – I am actually excited for any character she chooses..LOL. After this one, I really want Ian's story. But I also have mad love for Tate.
Very nice review ladies. FDOC was a bit of a miss for me too. I felt like I connected with the characters better in the Night Huntress books than in this one. I'm eager for the next one though.
Interesting and fun review! I liked the book overall, but agree with your comment here:
"Why were they attracted to each to other? What drove Spade to help Denise?"
Yup! Exactly…
My favorite part in the romance aspect of a book is the build-up between the characters, the tension, perhaps some angst, the realization, and finally, the actual connection.
This book sorta had it, but it wasn't intense enough, so i never found myself really *sighing* over their relationship.
Interesting and fun review! I liked the book overall, but agree with your comment here:
"Why were they attracted to each to other? What drove Spade to help Denise?"
Yup! Exactly…
My favorite part in the romance aspect of a book is the build-up between the characters, the tension, perhaps some angst, the realization, and finally, the actual connection.
This book sorta had it, but it wasn't intense enough, so i never found myself really *sighing* over their relationship.
Sorry this book was a miss for you ladies. Crossing my fingers that you'll like the next one! :)
I hadn't actually read any of frost's books before I picked this one up. I rather liked it, and I think maybe that's because I didn't have the character foundations and expectations that Frost fans may have.
As a side note, I was tripping that the main character's name was SPADE. like a shovel. that almost made me put the book back on the shelf lol
Yes – it could be I had a higher expectation…I did really like Mencheres' book much better!