Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #12472 in Books
• Published on: 2008-07-18
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 384 pages

Customer Reviews

really not good
I am baffled by the other reviewers; in the mini-genre of modern day vampire/etc fiction, this is probably the worst written, most unconvincing excuse for "romance" in the style of your basic Mills&Boon/soft porn I've seen. The decisions taken by Carrie in the course of the book are the decisions of a brain damaged person, and the other characters are just as bad.
I gave it 2 stars not 1 because I've read worse and I want to reserve 1s for things I really, really, really hate, whereas with this book I'll have forgotten it entirely in a week.

Blood ties book one

"I'M NO COWARD: I want to make that perfectly clear. But after my life turned into a horror movie, I take fear a lot more seriously now. I finally became Dr. Carrie Ames just eight months ago. Than I was attacked in the hospital morgue by a vampire. Just my luck.

So now I'm a vampire, and it turns out I have a blood tie to the monster who sired me. The tie works like an invisible leash and I'm bound to him no matter what I do. And of course, he is one of the most evil vampires on earth. With my sire hell-bent on turning me into a soulless killer and his sworn enemy set to exterminate me, things couldn't get much worse ----- except I'm attracted to them both.

Drinking blood, living as an immortal demon and being a pawn between two warring vampire factions isn't exactly how I'd imagined my future. But as my father used to say, the only way to conquer fear is to face it. So that's what I'll do. Fangs bared."


This is book 1 in Blood Ties series. I enjoyed reading this book immensely.
The characters are very engaging, the story very gripping and constantly changing. Of course there are moments that can be a bit predictable, however that does not in any way ruin the experience. The writer has a very rich imagination keeping you entertained. The story is quite realistic, capturing real feelings, uncertainties, dilemmas and sacrifices.
There is romance, however it is not dominating the whole story. There is a lot of action, confusion and challenge. So it is not at all like certain books I have had the misfortune of read: Very weak, or no story at all. Everything that happens in a very shallow and unimaginative manner is a start up leading to the heroine having sex with everything around her.
In The Turning there is love, hate, sex, friendship, betrayal, cruelty ..... you name it, and all is very well thought of, the author drawing a very vivid picture of the happenings, yet never exaggerating or crossing any lines.
Paranormal mystery/romance fans... read and enjoy this book !!!

Realistic Vampire Tale
The Turning tells the story of Dr. Carrie Ames who is turned into a vampire following a vicious attack in the hospital morgue. As a vampire she now has the choice of following her evil vampiric sire Cyrus, or joining the Voluntary Vampire Extinction Movement. Nathan A VVEM sanctioned executioner attempts to help her make a decision regarding her new life. But she only has a short time before the VVEM will add her to their hitlist.

This is perhaps one of the more realistic takes on vampirism I have read. And whilst it's probably not for those readers who prefer a more romantic story I found it a refreshing change to some of the defanged heroes around at the moment. From the horrific scene where Carrie is attacked, to the brutality she witnesses at Cyrus's mansion. It's a good job there are some lighter moments to balance the darkness. Indeed for a while we have an endearing dysfunctional vampire family.

The problem I think Jennifer Armintrout has is convincing the reader that Carrie is equally drawn to both Cyrus and Nathan. It's easy to accept she is attracted to Nathan - who wouldn't be. Cyrus is more problematic - given all that he is and does - and I don't think JA quite pulls it off. That magnetism almost has to be experienced rather than read about, and I didn't get far enough into Carrie's head to share it with her. In the end I just had to accept that the instinctive,animalistic pull towards Cyrus enhanced by the blood tie is as compelling as the pull towards Nathan.

As someone who is plunged into a world they don't understand Carrie inevitably makes mistakes - some with higher consequences than others. She is an independent heroine, determined to see shades of grey in a world where she is told there is only black and white. I'm looking forward to finding out what she does next.

Possession (Book 2) is available now.
Ashes to Ashes (Book 3) is released August 2007