Review: Once Burned by Jeaniene Frost

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Title: Once Burned

Series: Night Prince #1

Author: Jeaniene Frost

Published Date: June 26, 2012

Publisher: Avon

Format: Kindle

Pages: 346

ASIN: B006SJLL82
ISBN: 9780061783203

Copy provided by: Personal Purchase

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Summary:

She’s a mortal with dark powers…

After a tragic accident scarred her body and destroyed her dreams, Leila never imagined that the worst was still to come: terrifying powers that let her channel electricity and learn a person’s darkest secrets through a single touch. Leila is doomed to a life of solitude…until creatures of the night kidnap her, forcing her to reach out with a telepathic distress call to the world’s most infamous vampire…

He’s the Prince of Night…

Vlad Tepesh inspired the greatest vampire legend of all-but whatever you do, don’t call him Dracula. Vlad’s ability to control fire makes him one of the most feared vampires in existence, but his enemies have found a new weapon against him-a beautiful mortal with powers to match his own. When Vlad and Leila meet, however, passion ignites between them, threatening to consume them both. It will take everything that they are to stop an enemy intent on bringing then down in flames.

My Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars

Review:

Once Burned is a long awaited book for fans of the character Vlad from the Night Huntress Series.  Like many other fans, Vlad was one of my favorite side characters.  I was so looking forward to Once Burned.

The story is told through Leila’s point of view.  Leila was an interesting character.  After an accident when she was a teenager, she was left with a scar down one side of her body and the inability to be close enough to anyone to touch making forming relationships just a dream.  She has some interesting powers including the power to wield electricity and the power to see the past, present and future when she touches a person or an object.  With her inability to live normally, she hides herself as she takes part in a traveling circus.  Her powers are what draws her into the vampire world and ultimately leads to her to Vlad as well as the mystery behind who wants to use her as the ultimate weapon and get revenge against Vlad.

Although I enjoyed the story, I did not enjoy it as much as I hoped I would or as much as Jeaniene Frost’s other books.  The first thing that disappointed me was that the story was not told through Vlad’s point of view.  When I first heard about this new series and based on the cover, I assumed the story would be told from Vlad.  As I said before, he was always one of my favorite characters and I was looking forward to seeing inside his head.

The other thing that bothered me was that the book seemed to be more about Leila than Vlad.  Sure he was in the book as the main love interest but I did not feel that there was enough of him to satisfy me.  Also, his personality did not seem as well developed to me.  His relationship with Leila was a good start to the series but I did not feel it.  With his supposed inability to love at present, the story was more lusty than romantic but I still did not really feel their connection. I am not sure if that was just me but that is how I honestly felt.

The story was good even though I felt it was a little more serious than some of the author’s other work.  Leila’s powers bring her to the plot against Vlad and parts of Vlad’s past are exposed as they face an enemy.  I did think that their powers and personalities worked well together and that in the next book they can be an amazing couple as well as formidable team.

Overall, I liked the book but did not love it.  I feel and hope the next book, Twice Tempted, will be better and possibly the Vlad book I have been waiting for.  I will be looking forward to seeing what happens next for Leila and Vlad.

Recommend for fans of Urban Fantasy and Vlad

            

Favorite Quotes:

“That one tickled. If electrocution is your way of flirting, I commend you on your originality.” 

“I don’t see my death when I touch you, so I’m Team Vlad all the way.” 

“People can perfect whatever façade they want, but everyone holds their sins close to the skin.” 

“I was sitting cross-legged in bed, trying without success to pretend I’d misunderstood the image I’d glimpsed. Yeah, right. Because Vlad had been between my legs looking for a set of keys he’d lost.” 

“I stared at Vlad, thinking how right be looked in these surroundings. His lean, rough handsomeness, wind-whipped dark hair, and determined expression held as much barbaric splendor as the former medieval palace. In many ways, Vlad reminded me of these ruins; an untamed slice of the past amidst the veneer of modern civilization.” 

“I’m not getting anywhere with him,” I said to Vlad, ignoring Szilagyi’s taunt. “Do you have something you want me to relay before I go?” “Yes.” Vlad’s voice was pleasant. “Tell him the next time I see him, I’ll rip off his head and make a new toilet out of it.” “He hates you a lot,” I summarized to Szilagyi.