Introvert, Worrier, Owner of the blog "Caught in a FAB Romance", and resident Romance Guru on Parajunkee's View. I've been blogging about books for four years - if it's got romance in it, I'll read it! You can also find me on twitter, tweeting about books, my family, and sometimes, The Saints: @TheLoveJunkee Find me on Instagram:
PJV Quickie: Conversion is probably one of the strangest books I've read in a while: there was quite a bit of WTF happening, yet I couldn't stop reading.
Review: I was a fan of Ms. Stephens' Thoughtless series, so when I saw she had written a vampire series I was very interested. I knew going into it that it would be different, but what I got was totally unexpected:
The two main characters, Emma and Teren, have a meet-cute and the attraction is instant. They quickly get into a relationship but Teren seems to be taking it slowly... until he accidentally pricks her lip while they're kissing. She takes the news that he's "sort of" a vampire pretty well. I enjoyed the twist on traditional vampire lore. Then it gets weird. They visit his family and secrets are revealed; things are not as happy-go-lucky as Teren has led her to believe. Emma must make some pretty momentous decisions, and she doesn't have a big window of time to make them in. Then it gets weirder. I'm not going into spoilers, but it felt like I was reading a category romance with a paranormal twist. Just as I'm thinking I know what's going to happen, a villain pops up out of nowhere with a weak premise.
There were some funny bits, but even so the story itself kind of dragged in spots; it definitely could have been shortened and the plot would not have suffered. Throw in a self-centered best friend, a horribly scarred sister, and a really sweet ending, and you end up with a book that left me wondering what the heck I just read... and looking up the next book. I have issues, I know.
Recommendations: If you're looking for a vampire tale that's a little different and not too dark, you might enjoy Conversion. It's lighter than traditional vampire lore, not dark and broody, and the hero is pretty likable.