-
REVIEW: Don’t Feed The Vampire by Grae Bryan
Coastal Creatures: Don’t Feed The Vampure – Grae Bryan
Riley’s been alone in the woods for a long time. Turned as a child, he’s hungrier and more fractured than the average vampire, and staying clear of humans is his safest bet. His moms think a mate could help him stabilize, but it’s unclear whether Riley has one, anomaly that he is. Until a new baker arrives in town, smelling so sweet and so perfect that Riley can barely stop himself from eating him up on the spot. Now it’s no longer a question of whether Riley has a mate, but whether Riley can pretend to be less of a monster long enough to woo him.
Romance has never been Seth’s priority. He’s always been more focused on family and friendships and his passion for feeding delicious baked goods to whoever will take them. So it’s odd that this too young, too quiet, too beautiful man keeps showing up at Seth’s door, looking at Seth like he’s something special instead of painfully ordinary. And it’s even more odd that Seth can’t keep his own boundaries straight or his hands to himself. And it’s maybe oddest of all that Seth is coming to feel like Riley’s unnerving, unwavering attention is something he might not be able to live without.
Don’t Feed the Vampire is a heated MM paranormal romance with a HEA and no cliffhanger. It contains a broken, sweetheart vampire with zero social skills; a ray of sunshine human baker; fated mates and the vampire mothers determined to protect them; and a mysterious research institute raising everyone’s suspicions. Each book in this series will focus on a different couple.
Don’t Feed The Vampire is Book 1 of Coastal Creatures, another series set in the interconnected fated mates paranormal world by Grae Bryan. In Vampire’s Mate, Riley was the child turned by an evil vampire and adopted by two female vampires who took him to live far away from humans until he learned to control himself.
Now 19, Riley is more in control of his vampire that he can now venture into town. He comes upon the new baker, Seth, who smells like orange cake, so irresistable that Riley couldn’t stay away. Slowly but surely, he resolves to get closer to Seth no matter what.
Seth, everyone’s favorite baker in Demon Bound, opens his own bakery near the coast. At 26, he’s aware of Riley’s rather intense interest in him but hesitates, wary of the age gap and the weight of commitment.
When Riley’s moms takes matters into their own hands, Seth is plunged neckdeep into the hidden paranormal world that his friends have been living in right under his nose. Not only is Riley a vampire, Seth is also completely gobsmacked to find out they are fated mates.
Shoutout to Daphne and Sybil for raising a total sweetheart. Riley is earnest, achingly so, lonely yet hopeful and naive but smart enough to woo his mate by starting as friends knowing Seth needs time to get to know him. Riley is an adorable cinnamon roll with fangs and overflowing love he’s ready to shower on Seth.
Seth is a ball of sunshine with his colorful headbands and nail polish. He’s attracted to the beautiful mysterious boy who hangs on his every move. He takes the paranormal in stride but the fated mates thing is something he needs to process. I wished the vampire moms let Riley and Seth’s bond develop naturally instead of forcing it.
Majority of the plot focuses on the romance with light angst. It’s mostly cozy boyfriends surrounded by delicious baked desserts, good friends and loving moms. There’s something unspeakably cute about two precious cinnamon rolls falling in love. Must protect at all cost.
The last arc involves a suspicious research agency and abduction giving us action and a literal handwaving rescue scene via some fae ex machina. Anticlimactic but I’m thrilled by cameos of my favorite vampire psycho Wolfgang and his mate Eric. The secondary characters promises intriguing future stories.
Don’t Feed The Vampire is a story of fate, courtship, and meddling moms. A thoroughly entertaining opener blending the wholesome vibe of YA with the intense passion of fated mates, overall, a treat if you like it sweet and spicy.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Blood Orange
Artist: Freya Ridings
Album: Blood OrangeP.S.
Even with cameos from other series, Coastal Creatures can be read as standalone.
If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to buy your copy of Don’t Feed The Vampire. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.
DON’T FEED THE VAMPIRE: Amazon UK | Audiobook
If you like my content, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi or PayPal. Your donations will help keep this website going. Thank you so much!
-
BOOK TOUR: Espiritu by Aiden Thomas
-
BOOK BLITZ: Rogues and Bards by A.J. Sherwood & Jocelynn Drake (Excerpt)
-
NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Sunshine Boy by Nicky Silber (Excerpt)
-
NEW RELEASE BLITZ: At The Border Of Destiny by C. Quince (Excerpt)
-
AUDIO BLITZ: Sweet Something by Lane Hayes
-
RELEASE TOUR: Monstrous Serpent by E.V. Olsen (Excerpt)
-
REVIEW: Nothing Special IX: Fire and Smoke by A.E. Via
Nothing Special: Nothing Special IX: Fire and Smoke – A.E. Via
“A ruthless meth dealer is torching Atlanta’s streets, and God and Day are striking back with two of Hollywood’s legendary pyro experts.”
The war raging through Atlanta isn’t just about drugs—it’s about power, leverage, and survival. God and Day’s task force is the only barrier standing between a growing plague and the city’s safety.
Wes and Law, childhood friends turned blacklisted pyrotechnic rivals, are hiding out in Atlanta until the fire they started in Hollywood is extinguished.
It seemed like a safe choice—until they’re dragged into the task force’s frontline fight. Now they’re trading cinematic special effects for real explosions and blood in the streets.
God and Day’s team is fracturing under secrets and betrayal, as the merciless army of their fiercest kingpin yet slowly closes in.
They used to fight to conquer… now they’re just fighting to survive.
I missed our boys. Glad they’re back!
Fire and Smoke, is Book 9 of Nothing Special by A.E. Via, featuring the biggest badasses of Altanta PD. I loved God and Day and their team of troublemakers since the beginning. Older now but definitely still unstoppable, they’re waging war on drugs with even more firepower.
As if the team isn’t combustible enough, they introduce two pyrotechnic experts who literally play with fire. Law and Wes are childhood friends working the Hollywood scene until their bitter rivalry leads to a stunt gone horribly wrong and so they are persona non grata.
One day they stumble upon a shootout involving God and Day’s team. Their quick assist with a car fire impress God so much he commands, yes commands because he is God, them to join their team in exchange for a shot at redemption and a way back to Hollywood again.
I loved how Law and Wes fit right in. They’re trouble with a capital T, their expertise in pyrokinetics and their bid to outdo one another spark one fiery spectacle after another. Law is the more daring, always pushing the bounderies while Wes plays it smart.
They’re also lovers whose dynamic is similar to Ruxs and Green. Still not boyfriends, still coming around to owning their feels as dorks often do because they’re both stubborn bastards who just had to one up each other. They’re a fun, lovable duo and a worthy addition to the Nothing Special alphas.
Trouble in paradise as God buries himself in work and Day is feeling neglected. I don’t think their relationship needs this kind of drama yet again but I enjoy checking in with the rest of the team. I relish the pure chaos, still gloriously OTT as ever. We all know the team’s antics wouldn’t fly with real life IA yet they walk away with nothing more than an audit that the gang takes as a sign to go to Cancun.
One surprise is Vasquez, the corrupt cop, is given a redemption arc and his blossoming romance with Kiran almost stole the spotlight. Now I want a full story.
Fire and Smoke is a story about turning up the heat and smoking out the bad guys. It is hella entertaining and does what Nothing Special does best, take us for an explosive ride and make us swoon along the way!
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Firework
Artist: The Boxer Rebellion
Album: Ocean by OceanP.S.
Nothing Special is best read in order. God and Day’s team is do-gooding chaos and mayhem keeping the streets of Altanta clean.
Nothing Special – God and Day being so ridiculously alpha I was completely hooked but really, I still want a Johnson and Ronowski book
Embracing His Syn – Syn has the most gorgeous boyfriend of all, adult film actor Furi
Here Comes Trouble – Ruxs and Green has no concept of collateral damage
Don’t Judge – bounty hunting Judge from The Bounty Hunters fell hard for team sniper Michaels
Nothing Special V – Steele and Tech hitting the streets and making waves
His Hart’s Command – this is where the series hit its stride with Hart and Free
Ex Meridian – hands down the best, swooniest book of the series, Ex and Meridian, the unforgettable first Ravens had me raving
Swat Ed.: Fox & Bull – Fox, a cunning, smart talking cop sweetly woos Bull, a man of few words
If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to buy your copy of Nothing Special IX: Fire and Smoke by A.E. Via. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.
NOTHING SPECIAL IX: FIRE AND SMOKE: Amazon UK | Audiobook
If you like my content, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi or PayPal. Your donations will help keep this website going. Thank you so much!
-
PROMO BLITZ: Beast by Denver Shaw
-
NEW RELEASE BLITZ: To Save A Scoundrel’s Soul by Fearne Hill (Excerpt)
