Reviews
Bound by the Vampire Queen
Riverina Romantics
Reviewed by Kristen
December 2011
Rating: 5 Stars
http://riverinaromantics.blogspot.com
If I only had one word to describe Bound by the Vampire Queen it would be exhilarating! I read all 437 pages nonstop as soon as they landed on my NOOK, dinner and laundry be damned. Since this book just came out a couple of days ago I am going to just skim my review as I don’t want to reveal anything because the pleasure of the surprises revealed in this story should be yours to experience.
The sexual intensity in Bound by the Vampire Queen is an inferno in itself. From Jacob being bound in vines for Lyssa’s pleasure; to the ménage of Lyssa and Jacob with the Archangel, Raphael, in the lagoon; to the always creative vampire dinner gathering I found I just didn’t bother to put my thong back on after I had to peel it off the first time. But it’s not just sex between the characters that bring me back to Ms. Hill’s books, it’s more. It’s the soul deep connection between her characters that goes along with it that emotionally binds me to those like Lady Lyssa and Jacob.
Those who know me know I am completely and utterly in love with Daegan Rei but I have to say this book has me mooning over Jacob. His love and devotion for Lady Lyssa so strong and true that it is overwhelming at times. One wonders what it would be like to experience that deep emotional love and sexual connection that they share between them.
I have to say when I started my review I had put the 5 heart and heat rating as a guess upon hearing through the grapevine how good it was. Bound by the Vampire Queen has earned that rating from me hands down. I wasn’t sure how I was going to like the Fae side of things but I found myself totally enchanted by it. This has been one of Ms. Hill’s best books so far in the Vampire Queen series and with so many great new characters introduced in it I do say that we might see some of their stories as well. If you have not read Ms. Hill’s work you are missing out on a true, true treasure.
Coffee Time Romance
Reviewed by Lototy
December 2011
Rating: 5 Stars
http://www.coffeetimeromance.com
The strength of Jacob’s love for Lyssa knows no boundaries, and with the birth of their son Kane, his protective streak is just as infinite. He would willingly burn to ash in the desert sun to keep them safe, and it may just come to that.
Intimacy, intensity, and all out sex appeal will keep you hanging on every word and action between Jacob and Lyssa. There is an instantaneous connection for the reader to these two characters, and it never wavers. I think it is amazing to read one book out of an entire series, and be able to give it a five cup rating, but that is just how good this book is. Ms. Hill rocks the vampire world, and her characters are every kind of sexy and smart a reader could hope for.
Grave Tells
Reviewed by DaVinci Kittie
February 2012
Rating: 5 Stars
http://gravetells.com/
Epic and mesmerizing, Bound by the Vampire Queen boldly follows in the footsteps of its Vampire Queen series predecessors and rewrites all the rules…again.
Holy epic adventures, Batman! If this series, particularly the story arc for Lyssa and Jacob, gets any more sensational and dramatic, I think I might have a heart attack. And I swear, Jacob loses his shirt as often as his furry Twilight counterpart…not that I’m complaining.
Fans of Joey Hill’s Vampire Queen series will probably all agree that part of what makes the stories so tantalizing and addicting is the complete and total voluntary submission of the alpha male human servants to their vampire masters. If you thought vampire sexual games were rough, wait til you see what the Unseelie Queen has in store for the pair! Yowza!
Most of the vampire queen series books are epic in some way, from soul-deep loves to large-scale politics and violence to sweeping unexpected changes to the very fabric of the characters lives, and Bound By The Vampire Queen certainly lives up to that expectation. The Author Mistress knows what her readers need (whether or not *we* know it ourselves!) and she knows how to deliver it in the most heart-breakingly scintillating ways. None of these books are a quick or easy read, and they tend to stick with you long after the last goodbye, but they are some of the most enjoyable and memorable books I’ve ever read. I always look forward to each new Vampire Queen Series book and they rarely disappoint.
The descriptions of the Fae world are vibrant and imaginative, reminicent of the various fantasy tales and works of art in our own history. Lyssa and Jacob’s escapades in the Fae kingdom are like an erotic fairy tale (literally!) with castles of fire and ice, fantastical creatures, and creative nature-inspired bondage only an author as skilled as Ms. Hill could make appealing and arousing. Seeing Jacob and Lyssa as parents to little Kane was a new and precious experience in the whirlwind of politics, lust, and violence of the vampire world. Jacob’s duties in Lyssa’s life may be complicated and ever-changing to meet her needs, but his role as their son’s father is a lovingly tender constant. Tantalizing peeks into Gideon’s trinity bond with Daegan and Anwyn and private servant bonding moments between the brothers fill in some of the gaps and answer a few questions we’ve been dying to know. Seeing Jacob and Gideon together in their element, serving their masters while providing their devoted and highly specialized protection, is worth the read even if you didn’t enjoy the Fae adventures. I want more, more, more! *grin*
To date, the Vampire Queen series is my favorite series and I have not been able to find another with such a powerhouse combination of passionate, soul-deep love, edgy arousing erotica, and epic adventurous storylines. Ms. Hill is a simply a master of her craft and is in her own league.
All of the Vampire Queen series books, particularly Bound by the Vampire Queen, feel larger-than-life and take you through a terrifyingly deep range of emotions… from lust to love to fear and anger to justifiably bloodthirsty retribution. I do my share of bookmarking in these books (probably more than any other series, period), but the first read through never fails to be an adventure, sometimes harrowing and emotionally charged, but always satisfying and enjoyable in the end. This eighth offering in the series brings some needed emotional closure, old friends revisited, and a bittersweet mid-story twist that will have you gasping in disbelief. Nothing is ever predictable in Ms. Hill’s vampire world, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Risque Reviews
Reviewed by Barbara
December 2011
Rating: 5 Stars
http://risquereviews.com
Hill has certainly thrown a curve ball into her Vampire Queen series with Bound by the Vampire Queen. And bang, just like that, it’s a whole new ball game! It is such an emotionally-charged tale and so unique in the Vampire Queen series that I read it twice. To truly “get” to the heart of this story, I felt I needed to go back and revisit it. And I was right.
As Lyssa and Jacob step into uncertain situations, readers will become spellbound as they are taken deeper into this gripping tale one page at a time. This is truly a wondrous adventure in both depth and texture, and is driven by a multitude of sub-plots, consecutively bringing turbulent twists and turns while subtly leading all roads back to the main plot. And the reader will never even feel a bump or a moment of distraction.
As always the main characters are well developed, but it’s the secondary characters
that add a great deal of intrigue to this story. With their multiple points of view, these secondary characters bring interesting challenges and interactions to the plot. And don't forget the scenes…Bound by the Vampire Queen's scenes can only be described as
kaleidoscopic. They are provocative, stimulating, at times even whimsical and capricious, and so vividly captivating you’ll find yourself thinking “How is it that even the scenes seem to have their own personalities?”
Bound by the Vampire Queen touched a chord of subjects and emotions such as irony, prejudice, fear, self-doubt, and even devotion and duty. I’d be remiss if I failed to mention
trust and hope. It even touches on the sensitive subject one might see as conflict (based on one's inner conviction) when it comes to the sexual behavior of a certain higher deity.
Look no further if you're searching for arousing. Bound by the Vampire Queen has no lack of riveting sex scenes. You won’t find any hidden innuendos in reference to sexual situations. There is, of course, the classic dinner scene where the vampire servants “entertain” their Masters and Mistresses that will have you biting your nails to the quick…Oh yes, it’s that
good!
Hill explores so many avenues throughout Bound by the Vampire Queen. And combined with fire rocketed mesmerizing sex scenes that are exotically inspiring sexually, this truly is a wondrous adventure.
But more importantly Hill has set into motion an enriching air of magical augmentation to this series. I am looking forward to reading Hill’s next endeavor, as she continues to enthrall and surprise me.
Happily Ever After Reads
Reviewed by Jess
December 2011
Rating: 4 Stars
http://www.happilyeverafter-reads.blogspot.com/
We're back to the couple that started us off with the Vampire Queen series, Jacob and Lyssa and I was so happy their story was continuing on.
I loved having Jacob and Lyssa back as leads again. Fans of the series will find their story as satisfying and seeing how their relationship, and Lyssa, has changed from having Jacob's love in her life has been a fun, angsty, painful, and wonderful ride. Jacob hasn't wavered at all. His love for Lyssa has only grown and he is and will always be her servant, taking care of her until he takes his last breath.
Bookaholics Romance Club
Reviewed by Steph
December 2011
Rating: 4 Stars
http://bookaholicsromancebookclub.web.officelive.com/default.aspx
As the eighth book in her Vampire Queen series, this book is only hitting its stride. Although it could be read by itself, it's best having read the prior books to fully enjoy the relationship between the main characters. In fact, the increasing intimacy and intensity between Lyssa and Jacob made this my favorite in the series. The deep and strong relationship between them makes them easier to relate and connect to. The Fae court and the jealous Rhoswen makes for exciting reading as Jacob and Lyssa try to find their way back to their son. This book still retains its edgy, dark and highly erotic aspects and it is no way tame.
Steamy, imaginative and highly erotic, this dark paranormal fantasy will not disappoint Joey W. Hill fans!
Romantic Times
Reviewed by Jacqui McGugins
December 2011
Rating: 4 Stars
http://rtbookreviews.com
In this installment, Hill does what she does best, combining an alpha male and an equally dominant woman in a world not their own. The love and humor is constant throughout the story and neither partner is diminished by the other’s individual, strong personality. They perfectly complement each other as the changes in their reality take them in new directions.
