Tara Moss has long been one of my favourite adult crime authors, so when I heard she was moving into Paranormal fiction I let out a little (okay–a big) fan girl squeal. And Pandora English certainly doesn’t disappoint; she is such a delight.
Pandora has always been labelled the weird kid, seeing things and knowing things she really shouldn’t; and, in a small town like Gretchenville, doing stuff that gets you noticed for all the wrong reasons. Pandora sets off to follow her dream of working as a writer at a fashion magazine in fabulous New York, thanks to a generous offer from her Great Aunt Celia to come and stay. The only thing is that there’s something weird going on: for an elderly lady, Celia sure does seem young and spritely– and what’s with the veil she constantly wears? Also, the suburb they live in doesn’t appear on maps and no one has heard of it. Unfortunately, no one has explained the family history to Pandora, let alone the fact that out of a line of gifted women, she’s extra special.
The Blood Countess has a little bit of everything to get your heart pumping: crushes on century old ghosts, vampires with an obsessive need to count, villains guarded by zombies, and the unconfirmed goblin neighbourhood grocer. This is all backdropped by Pandora trying to make it in New York, and the conspiracy surrounding the latest greatest skincare product to hit the market.
I had trouble picking a favourite character from the two mains: both are well developed and very believable. The plot line flows along at just the right speed, leaving you holding your breath from chapter to chapter as the action and mystery unfold. Quite honestly, The Blood Countess has made it into my top 5 across all genres for the year; it’s fun, fresh and gripping, dark without any over-the-top morbidity. It’s a great good-versus-evil tale, and the fact that we are finding out the truth that hides in the darkness of night at the same time as Pandora made it all the more enjoyable.
The next book following Pandora’s adventures, The Spider Countess, is out 2011. All I can say is write fast Tara!
The very mysterious trailer
Tara’s website.
The Blood Countess – Tara Moss
1 November, 2010 by Pan Macmillan
Paperback, 394 Pages
ISBN:
9781405040143
International Edition - Jarek Kubicki
November 17th, 2010 at 10:20 pm
I snatched this book up when I saw it appear at the local library. I’d heard Tara speak on Tuesday night book show where she’d talked about her love of Dracula. I went into the novel thinking that its going to be be sinister, atmospheric, there will be a bit about the fashion industry and knowing the Elisabeth Bathory story I guessed rightly what the go was with Blood of Youth.
I was pretty dissapointed. I found Pandora a little annoying, sometimes she sounded 19 and other times much older. I also found Pandora to be handed pretty much everything on a platter, I didn’t feel concerned for her at all, and the resolution – too easy for my taste. That being said it does move along quickly.
Am now reading the Hit which is much better writing in my opinion.
November 18th, 2010 at 10:18 am
Sounds like one to go on the To be read pile. Fun!
K I’m off to Garden City to see if they’ve got a copy of Sharp Turn in. (since you got the last copy at the other A&R.) *add appropriate nasty name here*
November 18th, 2010 at 12:03 pm
K Nasty name can be retracted. *grin*
November 18th, 2010 at 12:28 pm
Has Cels got a copy too?
November 18th, 2010 at 1:10 pm
Yep!!! very excitedly found the last copy on the shelf at A&R Browns Plains was hoping there was more so I could put them at the front of everything again lol texted Bel before i even got out the shop