My very existence is under attack. I’ve kept a low profile, told myself the craziness sweeping the world would pass me by. Yeah, it was wishful thinking, actually an outright lie, but it’s kept me sane.
I’ve been hiding out forever in one guise or another. Currently, I run a nightclub. Ascent is an “ask me no questions, and I’ll tell you no lies” haven. For everybody. I’m a Vampire. Far be it … Vampire. Far be it from me to judge.
My closest ally is a shapeshifting dire wolf. I adopted him when he was a scrawny puppy, but I’m getting ahead of my tale.
The fragile détente between supernaturals and humans has crashed and burned. I can’t avoid the truth any longer. Lucky for me, mortals don’t know exactly what I am. When I moved to Seattle, some vampiric sixth sense urged me to play my cards close to my vest, but I’m done burying my secrets.
And my power.
It’s past time for supernaturals to get over their stupid infighting. Meh. So what if Witches hate Druids? Or Fae never deal with Sorcerers? We have to pull together, or we’ll have no chance at all.
Not that it’s likely, but if any mortals see the light and sign up for our side, we’d damn well better welcome them.
I’m Ariana Hawke. No more skulking in the shadows for me.
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Harsh Line: An Urban Fantasy (Cataclysm Book 1) by Ann Gimpel is an amazing story that I have had the privilege to read. This is book number one in this amazing series that I can not get enough of and can not wait to read the rest of this series. I highly recommend this story to everyone who loves reading about Urban Fantasy.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book
Harsh Line is the first book in Ann Gimpel’s Cataclysm series. Ariana Hawke is an ancient vampire who has managed to blend into a human world that would like nothing more than to see all supernatural creatures be eradicated. She runs Ascent, a nightclub that caters to everyone and employs the very creatures the humans who patronize the club want put to their eternal deaths. Ariana’s sidekick is Conan, a mysterious dire wolf she rescued as a pup and nurtured, contrary to a vampire’s nature. Ariana and Conan unlikely companions who have ever other’s backs – Always! But they both harbor secrets; secrets that may cause their ultimate demise.
Harsh Line is a wonderful book that has author, Ann Gimpel, creating vampires on the side of good,when her vampires are generally on the opposing side. I loved Ariana and Conan’s characters. An unlikely pair, their bond is strong and the trust they have for one another runs deep. Her ability to run a club that employs other supernatural creatures that tend avoid vampires at all cost prove her leadership ability. Ariana is not a typical vampire, a fact a newly arrived vampire, Nickolas, discovers after meeting her.
All of the characters are strong and multi-dimensional. Ariana’s character is strong but we learn a lot about her past and what makes her tick. We don’t get a lot out of Conan’s past at the beginning, however, as the book progresses, he character unwillingly opens up and we find out more about him. The world building creates a sense of belonging at Ascend. I felt like I was in the story, hearing the words, visualizing the scenes, feeling the emotions.
I look forward to the next book.
This is exactly what I needed right now. It’s fun, funny, suspenseful, exciting, has amazing characters, is fast-paced, and left me wanting more. It’s slightly different from what I’m used to when I pick up an Ann Gimpel book when it comes to vampires, but everything else was exactly what I expect. The story line is strong and kept me glued to the pages from beginning to end. I actually lost sleep over it because I both stayed up way to late reading and then couldn’t wait to get up to continue reading. It took over my thoughts and made it difficult to focus on the things I was supposed to be doing. Ariana was a vamp after my own heart, but Conan holds a special place in my heart, too. I don’t want to say anything about the storyline, other than to say that I can’t wait for the next one because this one is still haunting me and I know I won’t be satisfied until I know what happens next.
This is the first book in a three part series called Cataclysm.
This one is about Ariana who is a vampire and her friends who
are all supernatural.
There’s plenty of action drama suspense twists and turns and the beginning
of romance.
It finishes up on a bit of a cliffhanger though.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book.
Ariana owns a nightclub and just happens to be a vampire. Conor is her closest friend and happens to be a dire wolf shapeshifter. Usually in most stories the vampires are just the bad guys, however this story is different. Ariana is the good guy! This is a fast paced story with all the wonderful things that come in one of Ann’s books. She creates worlds that just pull you and keep you engrossed in the story till the last page. I can’t wait to read the next one and see what Ariana and her new friends get up to!
What can I say except WOW!!! In most of Ms. Gimpel’s stories, vampires are the bad guys. She’s turned this one around and our main character, AKA the good guy, is a female vampire named Ariana. She’s not like most other vampires as she thinks all of the supernaturals should stick together since the humans are trying to control everyone. She owns a club, Ascend, that serves humans and supes as long as everyone behaves. Her diverse staff is a mix of several different paranormals and they are protective of her and the club. Her best friend and long time companion is a paranormal dire wolf, Conan, who has more power than anyone can explain. This first book is fast paced and never a dull moment. Ariana, Conan and their newfound vampire friends are going to fight this threat with everything and everyone they can possibly get. Like all of Ms. Gimpel’s worlds, this is well thought out and written clearly for the reader. I am very much looking forward to book two, Warped Line. I requested an advanced reader copy and am under no obligation to leave this review.
At this time we really need new worlds to go to and I found one in this from this author. Also though is craziness in this world and a club that you can run too. The characters will be intriguing weaving their spell casting a net over us readers. What is coming to terms in this is exciting. Ariana will be the lead to take us along. The club is aptly named with things and others that mingle here. Because of the story it will be a fast pace but filled with attention grabbing words. Many twists that fill the ridges. Fulfills the craving for the reason we read. Thank goodness more to come.
(4.5) Ann loves all the supernatural forms and her books will have a variety. I think that is one of the great things about her urban fantasy/paranormal. A little bit of each supernatural, sometimes new ones and turning your ideas upside down. I like Ariana, our main character, you want to like her as she struggles with her past and the now. Humans are rising up against supernaturals and Ariana keeps her vampire status to herself and a limited few that work with her in Ascent, her bar. Her sidekick Conan is a wolf, a dire wolf with some surprises on the way. Ann is the only vampire, as far as she knows. There is evil there is good and this is a wild “ascent” into Ann Cataclysm world. I highly recommend this read, take your mind off the day to day and come along to this urban fantasy world. Thank you Ann for the Arc, I freely volunteer my thoughts and opinions.
Harsh Line is Ann Gimpel’s first book in her new Cataclysm Series. It starts off with a bang and never slows down! Although the main character is a vampire, the book is stuffed full of all kinds of supernaturals. Banding together, they are virtually unstoppable. The storyline is fast-paced, filled with magic and mayhem, twists and turns, intrigue, danger and deep-seated secrets. The characters are enchanting and well-developed. I can’t wait to see what book 2 brings!