[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of A Vampire for Christmas

 

 

A Vampire for Christmas, an Anthology

Authors:  Laurie London, Michele Hauf, Caridad Pineiro, and Alexis Morgan

Synopsis: All they want for Christmas is you…

It's the time of year for twinkling lights on trees and kisses under the mistletoe. Yet the passing of another year means nothing to the stunning immortals who lurk in the shadows of the new-fallen snow.

And they don't care if you've been naughty or nice.

Let four fanged lovers open your eyes to a passion you never dared to imagine. After all, there's no place like home for the holidays—and these dazzling vampires can't wait for an invitation

Our Review [by a LITERAL ADDICTION Associate Guest Reviewer]:

A Vampire for Christmas is a classic collection of love stories set in the world’s happiest holiday of all.  What could be better than to read about four vampires looking for love at a time when love is overflowing in the human heart?  Each story teaches us something different about the human/vampire connection.

Enchanted by Blood by Laurie London is set in a time when vampires were still struggling with identity and attempting to set up rules to help them keep the truth from humans.  Trace Westfalen was the leader of the Guardians in Seattle and spent much of his time trying to keep the peace amongst the angry vampires in the city.  Charlotte Grant was a house decorator who is hired by Trace’s grandmother to decorate their home for Christmas.  An affair develops between Trace and Charlotte and they fall in love.  But, at a holiday party, Charlotte walks in on a vampire drinking blood from a guest.  Before she has a chance to react, Trace wipes away her memory of everything and everyone and walks away.  He, as a Guardian, is not allowed to be involved with a human so now is the right time to walk away.   A year later, Trace saves Charlotte from being attacked by a group of renegade vampires and realizes how much he still loves her.  What should he do?  Should he follow his heart and try to win her love again?

Monsters Don’t Do Christmas by Michele Hauf, takes place in modern day New York City.  Daniel Harrison has been a vampire for only a year and is having a difficult time accepting his new lifestyle.  Olivia Adorata is an independent woman who meets Daniel after she scares off werewolves from beating him up.  She laughs when he tells her what he is; she thinks he’s an actor who gets his kicks by trying to scare women into believing he is a vampire.  He was gorgeous, built like a model and, being a modern woman, if he was a vampire, well, it didn’t seem to bother her at all.  Maybe being bitten by a handsome vamp wouldn’t be so terrible?  So she invites him home using the excuse that he needs medical care.  She is totally fascinated by what he is and he’s totally fascinated that she is so accepting of him.  Daniel had a great job, money, a fancy car – a life – and he lost it all when he was bitten.  He calls himself a monster and can’t accept what he’s become.  He doesn’t want to celebrate Christmas or anything else.  Olivia considers herself a monster – a talented upcoming singer who tries to hide during the day and live a quiet life - hiding from fame because she doesn’t have the courage to go all the way with her career.  Instead, she bakes cookies and at Christmas, goes around her neighborhood giving them out.  She can’t accept what she is any more than Daniel can accept what he is.  Can they help each other come to terms with life and what it has in store for them?

What better time than Christmas to write a story about total love, redemption and guardian angels.  Caridad Pineiro thought it was the perfect time and dives right in.  In When Herald Angels Sing, the Archangel Raphael decides to save the soul of Damien – a human turned vampire – who, despite a horrid childhood and a miserable life as a vampire, still tries to help his fellow man when he sees it is needed.  Raphael sends guardian angel Angelina to help him make the necessary transformation but against rules, she falls in love with Damien and interferes in a dangerous situation to protect him.  She is killed and returns to heaven humiliated and chastised by Raphael.  This happens twice but Archangel Raphael is determined to save his soul so he sends Angelina down for a third and final time.  She is to reveal who she is and explain why she is there.  She is to help him accept his fate and not interfere in whatever is fated to happen. If she does interfere, she will be banished from heaven and become a human again.  But Angelina, upon seeing Damien again, realizes how much she loves him and is not sure if she wants them to return to heaven or stay on earth and love each other eternally.

On the other end of the spectrum is All I Want for Christmas by Alexis Morgan in a tale where vampires are number one on the food chain and humans come in last.  Eagan McHale was born a vamp and takes it seriously.  He is a policeman whose job it is to keep vamps and werewolves under control; to keep them away from the human population.  In a crime spree where vamps are paying humans to feed on them, Eagan uses a local diner, owned by Della, as a post to keep an eye on what’s going on in the streets.  He is instantly attracted to Della’s warm heart, humanitarian ways and home cooking.  But, she’s human, and he does not want to get involved.  He doesn’t want to drink the blood of a human woman and to him, that’s a big part of lovemaking.  But being in the diner every night makes his desire grow stronger, especially when he realizes she feels the same way about him.  But a dangerous situation changes everything and in this fast paced, quick-wit story, having to tell Della the truth opens up a whole can of worms. 

But love conquers all, as it should be, in this book and this collection of stories gives us love in every possible form and brightens up our holiday spirit to the fullest.

LITERAL ADDICTION’s Associate Guest Reviewer gives A Vampire for Christmas 4 1/2 Skulls.

A Vampire for Christmas: