Vampires are kidnapping girls from prisons across the world. And I’m their latest victim.
I’ve been entered into a ruthless game. And there’s only one rule: survive. On a stormy island in the north sea, I’m hunted daily by ravenous vampires with twenty four other female contestants. Some of the girls will do anything to win, even turn on each other. But that’s what the spectators want. So I have … of the girls will do anything to win, even turn on each other. But that’s what the spectators want. So I have to choose whether to become a monster like them, or brave the dangerous path of making alliances.
I refuse to accept the fate which has been forced upon me, but the Helsing family who run this game don’t like girls who fight back. The problem is? Fighting back is hardwired into my nature. That’s why I was in prison after all.
My only hope might be a forbidding vampire slave who frightens me to my core. But there’s something about him I’m drawn to. Beneath his dark, twisted exterior, is a lost man who longs to save me.
With each passing day, I vow not to move closer to him. I can’t trust anyone with sharp teeth in this place, no matter how alluring he may be.
No, it’s time to face this game and secure the freedom promised to me if I win. I’ve survived the demons of my past before, so I swear on everything that I am I will do so again.
Dead or alive, I just hope I’m still myself when this is all over.
The V GAMES is a COMPLETE TRILOGY with every three books marking a new season with spin-off characters. Books 1 – 3 follow Selena and Varick’s story which is complete by the end of book 3.
This is a medium burn romance suitable for UPPER YA readers with violence and non-graphic love scenes. Perfect for fans of Vampire Royals, The Vampire Wish, The Hunger Games and The Faerie Games.
Series Reading Order:
A Game of Vampires (20K Prequel Novella – FREE)
Season One (Selena and Varick’s Story – COMPLETE)
V Games
V Games: Fresh From the Grave
V Games: Dead Before Dawn
Season Two (Cass and Jameson’s Story – COMPLETE)
Wolf Games
Wolf Games: Island of Shade
Wolf Games: Severed Fates
Season Three (Mercy and Colt’s Story FULL SERIES OUT SOON)
Hunter Trials
Hunter Trials: Into the Dark (COMING SOON)
more
Words cannot describe how much I loved this book. The closest description I can come up with is Hunger Games tossed in with starved vampires but 20x better! I cannot say enough about how amazing this book was. I finished it in about 8 hours because I was addicted. The story flowed amazingly, I love the two different point of views every chapter, character development is above par and I honestly cannot find one thing that I didn’t like about this book besides the fact that it ended way too soon for my taste. Definitely snag a copy of this, it’s a must read!
Wow! Just Wow! This book was off the rails. It was a total twist on the whole vampire vs Van Helsing. Nothing like I have ever read before. It was gory and intense. I loved it!
In this twisted story we have a 18-year-old Selena Grey, who has been condemned by her peers in the London court for the murder of her abusive step-father. Scared, she enters the prison system. Truly she doesn’t belong. It was self-defense. But alas this is her life now. At least for the next 25 years…until it isn’t.
Taken from the prison only to wind up in another sort of prison on an island that never sees the light of day. The difference now….it is a fight of survival against the things that were only in nightmares.
V games….a rich man’s spectators sport. Several levels of the game that not everyone survives. The rules….there are none. What is your goal……to survive, then you go free.
“Selena Grey, you are offered the privilege of competing in the V games. If you agree, you will have the chance to erase your criminal record and return home with a clean slate.”
A brooding vampire, Varick is their game moderator, but a rich and cruel family is pulling the puppet strings. Selena is determined to get home to her mother. But these games test her to the limits. But she is special. More special than anyone really knows. Can Selena survive the games and go home to her mother?
I won this book on Goodreads. I am so glad I did. It was so good. I was hooked from the very first page. This book was a fast paced action packed thriller. I was on the edge of my seat, nail-biting my way through. It was so intense! So much happening and so much death. As I read I was thinking of ways for my favorite characters to escape the hell they were in. Unfortunately my mind kept coming up with bad ideas. 🙁
“I can’t read your mind.”
“No. Well I guess that’s ten points for Edward Cullen then, isn’t it?”
“Vampires are bit grimmer in real life, sweetheart.”
“You can say that again.”
The characters in this book a very interesting group. Each one hurt by someone. Each one a murderer. I loved Cass and Selena. Both different yet strong and determined. Selena and Varick have a magnet that keeps pulling them together. How far is Varick willing to go to ensure she survives? His own life?
“I’ve disobeyed the Helsings…”
“Do you hate me like the other girls do?”
“Perhaps I should”
“The fact that you don’t is enough to change the whole world, Selena.”
This book really draws the reader in with its unique twisted tale of survival and beautiful cover. Once you start reading, you will not want to put it down. It is that good.
This book isn’t like your normal vampire meets girl. It is so much more it has twist and tuns and a darkness like night darkness.
Caroline Peckham made you feel you were the character. It sucked you in. I actually felt like I was in this book it was just so wicked amazing.
She built great characters if there is another book in series I have to get it!!
I highly reccomend V Games!! This is a fast paced, totally original take on vampires!! The storeline is easy to read, and so well written, you have no problems see it all unfold in you mind as you read.
Like Hunger Games with Vampires!
Selena is an 18 year old who has suffered abuse for years at the hands of her stepfather. Selena and her mom were not strong enough to stand up to him until one night when Selena snaps. Her actions get her sent to prison. While still “fresh meat” in prison, an intriguing, handsome man shows up and she and her cellmate are selected for the V Games.
The V Games are exciting, horrifying and thrilling all at the same time. It is interesting to see how deep all of the “contestants” can dig inside themselves to survive.
Told in a dual point of view – Selena & Varick (the intriguing, handsome man) -this book is fresh and captivating. I fell asleep reading it most nights as I couldn’t put it down.
If you liked Hunger Games and enjoy reading about Vampires, this is the book for you!!! There is also an unlikely romance involved. This book ends with a HFN (Happy for Now) as the V Games are concluded, but we get a sneak peak at what is to come in the next book.
Fantastic, this is a new author to me and I’m hooked. This story is deliciously different from most vampire stories I’ve read and I could not put it down. I’ve seen it described as the hunger games with Vampires and that’s a fitting description but so much better than I imagined.
Could you do whatever it takes to survive ? Would you/could you sacrifice someone else to give yourself a better chance ? Safety in numbers or better alone ? These are some of the dilemmas faced by those that find themselves in this waking nightmare !
As for the intriguing ending, well, let’s just say I’m gonna be one of the first in line for the next book.
First you feel for Selena having gotten an unfair ride to prison.
Then Carick happens … which happens to be bad but also good.
Many trials and much death ensues causing quite a wild ride!
Read it … is was a good read!
Wow! This book is such a thrilling adventure. Think Twilight (or whatever vampire romance floats your boat) meets The Hunger Games!
I love that this book takes the popular Vampire Romance genre and throws in a very different dangerous angle. I also love that the Van Helsings are involved in this story. The idea of the V Games, if not for the fact that vampires are not real, is definitely something I could see the rich and pompous setting up.
Throughout the story, I found myself connecting with the character Selena. I could see how she blamed herself for some of her actions, I could see how she desperately wanted to trust certain people and how she warred with herself since she was betrayed so much in her life before the games. I really liked the friendship between her and Cass. I didn’t connect with Cass like I did Selena, but I did enjoy the relationship the two formed. Selena’s feelings towards the games and Vs in general was refreshing as well. She formed her own opinions without listening to the other girls or the Helsings.
Varick is an interesting character and I look forward to getting to know more about him in the next book. I like how this story alternated between Selena’s POV and Varick’s. Varick’s flashbacks were also entertaining and enlightening. He’s not an “Edward” by any means, but you can tell that he doesn’t want to be a monster.
The ending threw me for a loop. I was not anticipating the shocker we got at the very end and to be honest, I’m still reeling! Be warned, there is a bit of a cliffhanger and you will be dying to get your hands on the next book. I hope we don’t have long to wait, but I also feel like whatever amount of time will be worth it.
If you’re a fan of Vampire books, especially ones that aren’t all sappy romance and have a bit more action and adventure, you’re going to love this book. I also think that fans of The Hunger Games and books like that series will enjoy this book. Ms. Peckham has really hit it out of the park with this start to what is sure to be the next Vampire Book Craze!
*I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book.*
Most of the time new authors drive me insane. The last time I tried a new book by an author I hadn’t heard of I had to put the book down. I just couldn’t finish it. However there was no such issue with this book. This is a love story, a vampire story, a werewolf story, a pirate story all rolled into one. With nonstop action this book will keep you riveted to edge of your seat from the beginning until the end. Once you finish you will be left wanting more. To me the worst part of this book is that I have to wait for Caroline to write the next one.
There are no clear cut good and evil people in this story, only varying shades of grey. I liked that about this book because you don’t have the syrupy sweet good “guy/gal” vs the granite bad guy/gal. It was a breath of fresh air knowing that their was a possibility of not having the “Hollywood” ending. You become invested with several characters wanting them to do well and others you will root for them to die a slow and painful death. And yet for others you will think that death is too easy a way out. The characters have depth and actually grow throughout the book.
If you can get this book for less than $9.99 usd then you have gotten yourself an excellent deal. If you get it for less than $4.99 you have gotten a steal. At any price this book is well worth the money and the time you take to read it.
By 2 % I was grinning and wondering where this Vampire tale was going. Talk about old ideas with new stories and plots this book does it well. Flows easy, written well, descriptive and characters fully developed as story moves along. Every thing from human abuse to pirates, to supernatural abuse and games of survival, prison life, action and adventure till the end and a nice small twist at the end to spur us on to the next book. Intriguing, engaging, enjoyable, suspenseful saga series in the making.
What an imagination Author Caroline Peckham has, this book was amazing. Full of action, a sick game and wonderful characters. I absolutely loved Selena and Varik, both are survivors, I hope they’re in the next book and I find out what happens next
This book was a-mazing! Survival of the fittest. Hunger games with vampires (and without the stupid love triangle).
V Games in an edge-of-your-seat thrill ride. It was so hard to put down and get stuff done (like sleep and cook supper).
The story is told in duel perspective, with the majority of chapters going to the heroine, Selena. A girl sent to prison and then disappearing (without anyone to care, besides her mother) to be used as a contestant in the V games.
Varick provides the opposite perspective, a vampire that has belonged to the Helsing family for a century or more. In the beginning, he is pure vampire, full of bloodlust & uncaring. His character has probably the best arc of the story as he finds threads of his former humanity.
The romance is light, though I expect there will be more in future books!
This book is totally different than any other vampire story I’ve read before. The story itself feels fresh and gripping. While this is a YA novel, I expect adults and teens to both enjoy it. I bet it would be a great conversation starter!
I’m not even sure why I picked this one up. It’s arguably not a romance, but rather a supernatural thriller with some romantic elements. And since I’ve been down on paranormal romance lately and have never been a big fan of young adult reads (I’m just too old for all the angst, y’all…I’m tired), I’m pretty shocked that I ended up really liking this one.
This reads like someone mashed Orange is the New Black, Twilight, and The Hunger Games together and edited out most of the stuff that annoyed me about each of them. (Although I mostly loved The Hunger Games) The pacing and action were pretty awesome, and the overall premise and world-building were super interesting. Are there some points in the story where you have to suspend your disbelief and shut off your bullshit meter? Sure. But that’s fairly par for the course in paranormal romance, so it can be overlooked.
I also enjoyed the vampire hero, Varick. He’s not what you’d call a “good guy.” I mean, he was a pirate before he was turned into a vampire (which is bad, but admittedly a little sexy at the same time), and he’s been complicit in the deaths of countless women in the “games”, but I forgave him because he’s essentially just as much a slave as the women he’s helped send to their deaths. And over the course of the book, he does develop a conscience, which is interesting to see. He was a conflicted, brooding, tortured kind of hero, but without the annoying whining and angst of Edward Cullen.
Selena was a decent heroine, even if she’s a little too perfect for my liking. And of course, she’s “super special”, as is law in young adult paranormal stories. But I enjoyed the rest of the characters and overall story that I was able to overlook Selena’s “Mary Sue” inclinations.
There were some minor editing issues that I feel I have to point out for all you grammar Nazis out there, but if you’re an easy-going reader, I think you’ll find that there’s nothing so egregious that it can’t be overlooked.
Minor nitpicks notwithstanding, this was a fun read and I’ll be checking out the rest of the series for sure.
And for more rants, raves, book lists and other fun, romance-y stuff, check out the Romance Rehab blog: http://www.romancerehab.com/
This is definitely a great series. You have to read this. Definitely like the hunger games.
Except this time they take girls who are in prison and force them to play for their survival by killing vampires.
AMAZING beginning to an amazing journey into the world of immortals! You’ve never read a vampire book like this before..
I absolutely LOVED this book. Like most readers, when I see something being compared to The Hunger Games, I’m a bit skeptical. But y’all… after reading it, I’m telling you it’s a totally fair comparison. It’s like The Hunger Games on steroids… with vampires. But in it’s own totally unique way.
The whole premise was fascinating, the characters were well developed, the quality of writing is phenomenal. I can’t recommend it enough.
If you’re into reading books about vampires, you do NOT want to miss this one.
I’m so glad I decided to give this book a try. It’s so hard nowadays to pick out a book in this genre, because their are so many, and everything has been said and done before. V Games introduced a whole new view on the supernatural world. The book had me hooked from the beginning. The whole time I was reading, I kept asking myself what I would do in Selena’s place. The Vampire Games Book 2 is going to awesome, I just know it.
What a wild ride!! I have never read anything like this before Yes I have read The Hunger Games but this takes it to the next level! Yes you are fighting for your life praying you are the last one standing but Katniss never had to fight off Starving Vamps!!
This book had ne on the edge of my seat from the 1st word till the last!
I quickly bought the rest of the series ans devoured them all then went back for seconds!
In V Games, we’re introduced to Selena, who landed herself in jail because she was dealt a really rough hand in life. It’s not easy, but her roommate Cass, while distant, is going to be her lifeline to navigate her new world. But just as she starts acclimating to life in jail, she wakes up on an island, with not just Cass, but other inmates from all around.
They’re tasked with survival, and they’re up against vampires, so it’s not going to be easy. Half-starved, which may make them weaker, they are hungry and dedicated to making these girls their next meal. In Hunger Games fashion, there are spectators, and they’ve bet on Selena as the favorite.
Their guide through the games is Verick, a vampire who’s been under the Helsings thumb for near centuries. While he may be a vampire, he doesn’t want to be here any more than the girls. He’s got his eye on Selena, and with his help, he might just get her to survive this place.
As the title states, this is book one in the series so you’re going to need the rest of the books to finish the story, but, you are seriously going to want the rest of the books in the series because once the action starts, it is non-stop. I loved Selena’s drive, her desire to be a good person and help others. I loved her connection with Verick, rough as it was at the start. I loved Verick as well, they both make for excellent characters. It’s not often I say a book is hard to put down, but this near impossible to. Such a fast-paced, non-stop action filled thrill ride from the get-go. I absolutely loved it.
Did not put down til finished loved it