Review: Bound by Night by Amanda Ashley

 

Published Date: August 30th, 2011
Finished Date: September 6th, 2011
Publishers: Zebra
Format: Paperback
Pages: 320
Series: Bound Book 1

Blurb from Goodreads: A Vampire's Kiss Is Forever. . .

Once featured in a horror movie, the crumbling Wolfram estate is said to be haunted by ghosts, witches, and worse. But Elena doesn't believe a word of it—until she spends the night and wakes up in the arms of a compelling stranger. . .

Tall, dark, and disturbingly handsome, Drake is the most beautiful man Elena has ever seen. For centuries, he has lived alone, and Elena is the first woman to enter his lair—and survive. And Drake is the first man to touch her heart and soul. By the time she discovers who he really is—and what he craves—it's too late. Blood lust has turned to love, and Elena is deeply under Drake's spell. But forever comes at a price for each of them. . .

My Review

I have no idea how to comment on this book, because really, there isn't much to go on about! I've just finished the book and I'm already writing the review! Which is a first. Usually I would be reeling from the emotional maelstrom (lol, a little exaggerating, but I have always felt a lot for books:D) after a novel, no matter my opinion of it. This one is more of a summer beach read where you'll lie on shore and breeze thru it, and once you're done, you'll place the book on your chest, sigh in contentment, then forget about it the next day.

Lol, lame, but true.

Elena Knightsbridge has been adopted into her uncle, aunt and cousin's not-very-loving fold since her parents died when she was just a kid. After her aunt died, her uncle has become increasingly bold in his perverted advances toward her and her cousin (whom I feel inclined to emphasize, is his daughter). Everything took a turn for the worse when her cousin chose to elope with a boy from the neighboring town.

I have to name an example so you can truly feel the revulsion that churned my guts as I read. Elena actually woke up one night to find her uncle standing over her bed just staring at her with those lusty eyes, and ugh.

Anyway now, being stuck with her uncle and having come of age has spurred her uncle to propose to her (not in a very, um, gentlemanly way). She then decided to up and seek refuge at the nearby castle atop the hill. Well that's totally not cliche.

So, lo and behold, therein lives handsome, tall, and dark Lord Drake of Wolfram Castle.

Let me just cut the crap and sum everything up from here on out: They fell in love (mm, surprise surprise. yay.). But their love was not meant to be because mortals and vamps are forbidden to fall in love. Furthermore, Drake's daddy dearest has already betrothed him to another vamp woman from another Coven. Political reasons, which are all the more stringent and binding.

Yep, that's all out for you in a nutshell. Not a nutshell, more like a cockroach capsule, in my opinion.

The plot was simple, not as eventful as one would normally expect, and slow-going. And their love started off with their attraction to the other's outer beauty. Lol, now you would expect me to say that I didn't like the book, huh? But no, surprisingly. Even tho the suspense and thrill factor in vamp romance novels was lacking and sorely inadequate, I actually kind of liked it. It made for a rather relaxing, pleasant, and as I've said, a summer beach read.

Elena..is...well, pretty (but as male protagonist Drake's incessant reminder, beautiful), loving, sweet (but I would actually call it gay and weak), and um.. Weepy. Yep, she is a weepy girl. That's all about her, really.

Drake..is... Tall, dark, and handsome. Did you expect anything less? I didn't. Utter perfection which will never exist in this world, warm, romantic, protective (yes, this one I appppprrroooovvveeee). He was tortured and imprisoned in a dungeon, but he still bargained for her safety and comfort at his expense. Hubba hubba.

Elena was the only character whom Ashley deemed fit to develop. I still don't know much of Drake's past, or anyone else's for that matter. Side characters were just that, on the sidelines, periphery, y'know what I mean?

But there was humor in this, albeit a little scarce and far between. The only one I can remember came in the form of Elena's innocence.

Example: [Elena wanted to swim in the lake behind the Wolfram Castle where they live, but the water was too cold when she tested it. Drake came up to her then and said to trust him and go in.]

Surprisingly, as she waded out closer toward him, the water grew warmer.
“Why is it warmer out here?” she asked suspiciously. “You didn’t pee in the pool, did you?”
Drake threw back his head and laughed. “No, my love. I merely infused a little preternatural power into the water to warm it for you.”
Elena sighed with amazement. Truly, there was nothing this man couldn’t do.

Lol, and there were a few times where I thought her descriptions became an unintended comedy.

Example: He had an arousal that would have done a stallion proud.

LOL.

Lastly, I thought that this book should be classified under the Young Adult genre. (It isn't, right?) There weren't any sexual scenes in here, zero, nada. The closest it ever came to being rated was that stallion arousal thing up there. All it ever said was them undressing then oh, they climaxed, murmurred sweet nothings, then sleep.

That's it really. Nothing overly fanciful and exciting, but pleasant and relaxing. Didn't regret picking it up, but I wouldn't really recommend it to anyone.

Random Musings:

1) Did the author choose Wolfram as the castle's name because there really is a castle in Transylvania called Wolfram, or is she just trying to be lame and use "wolf" because of the reknown fact that lycans and vamps are sworn enemies? That's like the weirdest sense of humor. Ever.

2) When Drake was summoned in front of his father, the Master Vampire of wherever he is head of, Elena went with him. And over there, there are humans kept there as "nourishment" for the vamps ensconced there, and they are called Sheeps. Elena was wondering whether the vamp captors take good care of the Sheeps, and when she saw that they were, she thought: Of course, it only made sense that the vampires would take good care of their food supply.

***So I would like to take this chance to tell everyone out there reading this review to tell all those mother f-ers who abuse the animals that are bred to be our food source: STOP ABUSING THEM FOR NO GOOD REASON OTHER THAN FOR YOUR OWN SICK, PERVERSE PLEASURES. It's common sense to treat them well, douchebags. They are already sacrificing their lives unwillingly to sustain your own, be grateful.***

My Rating