Review Tour and Giveaway: Alasdair: Ella Frank

by - Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Alasdair (Masters Among Monsters #1)
Ella Frank
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Releasing October 13, 2015

A DANGEROUS ALLURE

Bestowed with eternal life by the Ancient Vasilios, Alasdair Kyriakous is one of the most feared and ruthless vampires in existence. His name carries weight across all of the seven continents. 

But he is a mystery to his kind, an anomaly among the self-indulgent. While he enjoys the pleasures of the flesh, he is exceptionally particular in his choice of partners and prides himself on his ironclad self-control.

Yet with one look his control will become a thing of the past, and Alasdair will discover that eternal life doesn’t always last forever…

A DEADLY ATTRACTION

Thrust into a world he could never have imagined, Leo Chapel awakens in his worst nightmare. Taken hostage by the dangerously mesmerizing vampire, Alasdair, Leo must rely on his intelligence to escape before he reveals a secret he isn’t even aware he’s hiding.

A FORBIDDEN DESIRE

Unaware that they’ve been brought together by an outside force and are little more than pawns to a higher power, Alasdair and Leo spend time trying to uncover the other’s secrets, the attraction between them growing stronger all the while. 

But enemies are watching and preparing to act against them. When decisions that will alter lives and destinies have to be made—can a dead, grey heart learn to beat again?





“Why won’t you just leave me alone?” he finally asked as Alasdair came to a standstill by the kitchen table. “First, you terrorize me, then you kidnap me, and now, you’re hell-bent on destroying my life. If this is your version of playing with your food, I think you’ve taken it far enough.”

Alasdair’s brow rose as he studied him. “Haven’t you awoken in a particularly spirited mood? Thanos was right. I like it,” he said, his tone dropping a few octaves. “It’s more fitting of you.”

“You know nothing about me. And I’m positive you care even less,” he grit out, his anger rising inside him now as he bravely stepped closer. “Why haven’t you killed me? I don’t get what your deal is. Are you bored? Defective? Or something else I haven’t thought of?"

The words fell off his tongue and hovered in the air between them like a provocative dare. He wasn’t sure how Alasdair would react, but before he could continue, he was crushed back against the sink. His hands were trapped behind his back, and the counter dug into his hips as Alasdair held him in place.

“I assure you I am certainly not defective. And you should stop talking. Your words, they will get you—”

“What, killed? You said you liked my newfound spirit. Now, all of a sudden, you don’t?”

“We vampires, we’re fickle creatures. We change our minds every split second,” Alasdair said. “And right now, I’d prefer you to shut your mouth. Or I’ll do it for you. Permanently.”

I am going to preface this review with the fact that I don't read Vampire books anymore. Of course, I had my Twilight phase like many of us, but it is long over. But Ella Frank is a no-brainer go-to-author for me. And I have really been enjoying MM romances. So I was intrigued and excited for Alasdair.

Alasdair is not your average sparkly Twilight vamp. He's more like the darker ones. He is a first sire of an Ancient and seen as important. He's got powers. He is very selective and thrives on the hunt. He lives for control. And he oozes an intense sexual allure. He is a seductive predator that looks like a dark angel.

But one human totally surprises him with his magnetic pull. Leonidas Chapel is a nerdy but sexy museum curator.  Alasdair finds himself unable to resist the chase and need to capture him. Leo is both fascinated and terrified of his new knowledge of vampires and how Alasdair has made a mess of his previously boring life. But he is also outspoken, sarcastic, and has a quiet strength. And Alasdair finds some of Leo's unusual traits equally intriguing.  

And there are even more complications with the symbiotic relationship between Alasdair and his sire Vasilious. Vasilious takes dark and dangerous to an even higher level with his power, authority, cruelty, and need to be superior. 

But holy hell the sexual tension between all of them was off the charts! I was not sure whose pants were going to fly off first. They circle around in a dance of dominance an submission with pleasure and pain intertwined. Leo makes the stoic Alasdair lose his grip on his usually tight control. Leo has intense reactions to Alasdair that are confusing and conflicting. And Vasilious throws off some of his own waves of sexual need. 

This is  intoxicating, erotic, dangerous, and suspenseful. There is coercion, powers, sexual tension, and debauchery. The story is full of mysteries as the characters try to figure out what is going on and how the pieces fit together. There are hidden agendas, threats, secrets. and connections. The interactions between Alasdair, Leo, and Vasilious are sexually charged, scorching hot, raw, and primal. They are inexplicably drawn to each other and powerless to resist. 

There is a twisted bond between Alasdair and his cousins, Thanos and Isadora. They play hot and cold with each other. Sometimes they fight for each other and other times they seem to be causing more issues. Their relationships with their sires are equally complicated and interwoven. The cousins each have interesting stories developing and I am looking forward to more with them as the series progresses. And Leo's museum friends Elias and Paris also seem to be significant and I can't wait to learn more about them as well. 

It seems like there is more and more trouble brewing and it is about to boil over. A hidden war seems to be engaging, but who are the players and how do they fit? Alasdair is caught between his strange need to keep Leo safe while also trying to help his own kind ward off threats. Who is the real evil and monster?

This ends at an interesting crossroads. Some plot  pieces were initiated to continue in the next book titled Isadora. I got sucked into this dark and dangerous world. Ella writes in such a way that you feel like you are part of the story both in the present and in the past flashbacks. I felt like I was discovering this whole strange, confusing world along with Leo. I felt his fear, desperation, and conflicting needs. And along with Alasdair, I was trying to find out what outside forces were conspiring in the background and to figure out how Leo fits into the picture.  The characters were all complex and intriguing. They all had a delicious mix of sin, humor, strength, and hidden vulnerability. I loved the combination of Greek mythology mixed with vampire legends with a heavy dose of steam and MM encounters thrown in. Ella Frank was able to bring me back to a place where I enjoyed reading about vamps and am looking forward to more.

ARC provided by author for an honest review. 
Ella Frank

Ella Frank is the author of the #1 Bestselling Temptation series, including Try, Take, and Trust and is the co-author of the fan-favorite erotic serial, A Desperate Man. Her Exquisite series has been praised as "scorching hot!" and "enticingly sexy!"

A life-long fan of the romance genre, Ella writes contemporary and erotic fiction and lives with her husband in Portland, OR. You can reach her on the web at www.ellafrank.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ella.frank.author

Some of her favorite authors include Tiffany Reisz, Kresley Cole, Riley Hart, J.R. Ward, Erika Wilde, Gena Showalter, and Carly Philips.

1- Kindle Fire HD 7 + $25.00 Amazon Gift Card (US ONLY)
2 - $50.00 Amazon Gift Card (US ONLY)
3 - Signed paperback of Alasdair with swag (OPEN TO ALL)

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