A Thousand Lifetimes

I love dark vampire storjre, especially those with possessiveness, kidnapping or captive, with some dubcon/noncon. All of these themes and tropes exist in A Thousand Lifetimes. However I felt the characterizations felt short, and in some cases flat and shallow. Ezra, one of the main characters, acted like a spoiled 6 year old instead of a 208 year old, powerful vampire. I found him annoying. Declan, this other main character and Ezra’s mate, had no substance. He was such a bland character despite how much I wanted to like and sympathize with him. I didn’t understand how they could fall in love. The rest of the characters were just boring and not even worth it.

The plot development was also lacking. There were some political intrigue but not didn’t come to light until it was spelled out for us at the end. The plot should have given us clues along the way. But it really didn’t.

I gave this a 2 stars because the story has all the tropes and themes I do enjoy reading. But there are way much better dark, vampire stories out there. I wouldn’t really recommend this one.

Well, this was interesting for sure! A vampire story with a Kate Hawthorne’s take, which, for any of you who haven’t read this author before, means a lot of delicious kinkiness!
I loved broody Ezra, sort of stuck in a limbo of forever being 23, and really not wanting to grow up and become an adult! And I positively adored Declan, the fierceness he has in everything in his life (and afterlife) is something to behold!
I enjoyed both the general plot, with the vampire politics in the works, and the romance part with the mating aspect was so good!

What I Think: First, a warning – this is not your usual vampire tale. This is nothing like you’ve seen before and if you are squeamish, do not read! This account chronicles the unlikely tale of young (in vamp terms) Ezra. It starts out almost slowly and I’m getting to the point where YA tales annoy me with the brooding and wanting to escape responsibility blah blah blah. But then Ezra meets his mate in the easiest yet hottest of encounters and their fates are sealed. As they learn what they are to each other, so does responsibility and danger stalk ever closer. Ezra is loyal and honest, simple in that unambitious way that the laid-back amongst us are. Even though he has seen better days and regrets his current state, he matures appallingly fast when love comes into his life. As he fights to save his Declan (who beats everyone out with his live and let live persona), I watched him grow from a boy to a man and it made him real and known to me. As he tries to shield his mate from even more pain and commits a grievous mistake, my heart stuttered. When you have known what it’s like to live in the skin of your lover, how can anything else ever suffice? But then, Ezra is nothing, if not brave, and he sets about making such changes that even though he has stepped aside and done the right thing, he will definitely leave his own mark on vampire history. It is a compelling, realistic tale that’s so vivid, I got lost in the movies it wove in my mind. Loving Declan, for how could I not? A sweet man wrapped with such strength and tenacity. No one else could ever have got Ezra to this point and gone through the horror they went through and still retain that sweetness. A sweetness born of choice because he definitely hasn’t lived a charmed life yet he is open and eager, ready to give in to fate and trust he’ll be okay on the other side when anyone else would have balked. I wonder if this is why he got the rewards he did. A lover and partner who would eagerly give his undead life for him. No one else could have made Ezra open his eyes to the opportunities his life offered. Their tale is set against a backdrop of pain and amazing characters. It takes an amazing Author(ess) to pen down a tale in which blood is as commonplace as any other fluid and still make it painfully romantic. I felt so conflicted because at first, I couldn’t wait for the tale to end yet when it did, it was so soon that it felt like a shock to my senses as I reemerged from a world where things that should be gory are just normal. As I read this tale, I had the words of one of the Moulin Rouge soundtracks winding through my mind and it got tangled with Ezra’s new appreciation for the existence he’s hated all his undead life – Never knew I could feel like this…like I’ve never seen the sky before…I am just so relieved there is a promise for more because I’m not done with the Clarks yet.

Verdict? A tale as intimate and real as reading a diary. Prepare for book hangover as this tale will not be letting you go anytime soon.

Ezra is a vampire over two hundred years old. He is being pushed to find a mate so he can take over his fathers seat on the vampire council. He doesn’t want a mate, then he sees Declan. In the arms of another vampire, and he knows Declan should be his. Ezra loses his control and makes Declan his forever. Just as their lifetimes are starting they are torn apart.

Different type of story from this author. As with all her books I enjoyed this one. Ezra is a very nice character and his attraction to Declan was so sweet, (yes there was blood, but every relationship has its issues). Nice story.

Tis’ the season for ALL THE VAMPIRES!!!!!!

“I don’t think there is anything better than a good vampire story…other than BDSM…oh, OH WAIT! Is this a vampire story by Hawthorne…ohhh, yasss blood play” – a conversation I had with myself (true story)

So, you can see where this story is going to go. However, as an extra treat and a serious guilty pleasure of mine, we get a side of syrupy soulmates! *instant puddle of goo* Oh how I love instant connections as if fate and the laws of the universe conspired to get two hot males in the same room together forever.

But real talk, I absolutely adored Declan and Ezra – Between the perpetual angst of a 23-year-old vampire (glad to see things don’t change with guys at that age *smirk*) to the ease at which Declan slides into his role as Ezra’s mate, they perfectly balance each other. Honestly, I think my favorite part was Declan and how much he just enjoyed becoming a vampire with Ezra. It was fun to see a soulmate not absolutely go ape sh** over this fate and instead just roll with the punches.

Plus, the sex…man, THE SEX! After being resigned to his fate as a lonely vampire, and never wanting someone else to go through what he did, Ezra definitely enjoys his new mate. I guess this is where I should warn you, there’s blood and a lot of it but in the best of ways.

Still not sure how this is Hawthorne’s first foray into paranormal, but if she keeps this up, I can’t wait till what delicious and nasty things can come out her mind. However, this doesn’t stop me from wanting about FIVE more books in this universe (stares at the author). Past all the glorious blood play, schmoopy vampires, and a cast of hilarious and equally unsettled family members, I feel like Hawthorne set up this amazing universe and Ezra and Declan were just a small sip of what can crawl out of its dark depths. There are rogue vampires, vampire governments that have been upturned, and an era of change coming. I really can’t wait to see if more books spawn out of this (still staring at the author) because there are so many more stories that can be told with these amazing characters, especially the family.

So 5/5- This was a fan-f***king-tastic way to start off the Halloween season!