Dark Thirst

by Sara Reinke

Book Overview

Dark Secrets When Brandon Noble and Angelina Jones first met, he was an awkward teenager harboring a crush on his tutor's sister. Five years later, Angelina is a streetwise cop who's sure she's seen it all, until Brandon comes back into her life--lean, handsome, possessing a strange, powerful allure. . .and a terrifying secret. Dark Desires Brandon is one of the Brethren, an ancient clan of ruthless vampires. Like other Brethren families, the Nobles...

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 142010053X
• ISBN13: 9781420100532
• Release Date: July 2007
• Publisher: Zebra
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 4.3" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

Deaf Vampire!!

This is a terrific and really unusual romance. First of all, Lina is a few years older than Brandon, she's African-American, and more athletic and boyish than most romance heroines. She's much tougher than Brandon, who was not only tortured and abused by his family, but is inexperienced in the real world. Second, the depiction of deafness is compelling and believable. It makes sense that Lina is fluent in ASL, because her brother is deaf. The vampires are all telepathic, but because most of the scenes are between Brandon and Lina, there are lots of descriptions of sign language, and the author describes real ASL signs. The supernatural element adds a nice twist--he's scared to have sex with her because he might accidentally kill her--but when they do give in, the sex scenes are HOT. This is a great antidote to the abstinent vampires of Twilight. If only this would also get made into a movie.

Great start to the series!

Brandon Noble feels trapped and knows escape is the only option. He is one of the Brethren but he doesn't fit in. Not only has he refused the bloodletting, but he is also both deaf and mute due to an attack when he was a child. Brandon flees to the only friend he has, a former tutor and the brother of cop Angelina "Lina" Jones. Lina is house sitting for her brother and suddenly finds herself in a world in which vampires are real. Will the attraction between Brandon and Lina survive the dark revelations of Brandon's life? What a great twist on the vampire romance! Sara Reinke adds a bit of a thrill to the genre as she provides a darker edge. The Brethren are nasty vampires, mean to the core. In fact, one can't help but see the similarities between Brandon's Grandfather and The Godfather. However, don't think that DARK THIRST is simply a vampire version of The Godfather as Sara Reinke puts her own dark twist on the story to make it one heck of a wild ride! Lina is a great heroine but it is Brandon's growth as a hero that truly makes DARK THIRST so fascinating. His journey from a shy, almost complete loner to a man becoming confident with himself is a beautiful one. I like the fact that Sara Reinke isn't unafraid to take chances. She not only creates a hero with disabilities, but she also tackles prejudice. The relationship between Lina and Brandon is interracial, but it's also dealt with in the context of the relationship between a human and a vampire (which is specifically forbidden by the Brethren). Sara Reinke addresses the issues thoughtfully and with a great deal of sensitivity. DARK THIRST is a great start to a series! Frankly, I can't believe I waited this long to read it and it is with great anticipation that I'll start reading DARK HUNGER. Readers should note that there are unfinished story threads in DARK THIRST that look as if they will continue on into DARK HUNGER. Highly recommended! COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

Finally, a color blind author!

The Brethren are an ancient clan of ruthless vampires. They live on about 1,750 acres split among four families in Kentucky. Nobody bothers them. It is very secluded and isolated. No one comes or go, except illegal immigrants who are paid under the table - until they are slaughtered like the meat they are considered to be. They live very long lives. Their metabolisms and healing capacities were so far accelerated beyond those of humans that nothing short of a bullet to the head or a stake through the heart could kill them. The men take care of business and finances, the women tended to homes and families. Teen Brethren females are wed to Brethren men far older than them in arrangements preordained by the Elders. Women have no say in the rules or governing of the clans, no voice among the Council. They feed and sate their bloodlust after the males have finished. No one ever leaves the clans. No one ever leaves those secluded acres. Brandon Noble is the grandson of Augustus Noble. Augustus is referred to as The Grandfather. (He is what most humans consider The Godfather, of the movies, to be.) While young, Brandon walked in during a robbery. To silence Brandon, the thieves beat his head and slit his throat. Help for Brandon arrived just a moment too late. His attackers were slaughtered, but from then on Brandon has been deaf and mute. Unlike his other kin, Brandon is horrified by his birthright. When time came for Brandon's bloodletting ritual, he shunned it, earning the Brethren's lasting wrath. The last time Brandon considered leaving home for a special college for the deaf, The Grandfather broke all the bones in one of his hands. His brother, Caine, took pleasure in breaking all the bones in Brandon's other hand. It took a year for his hands to heal. Once Brandon is ready to attempt leaving again, he made sure no one knew in advance before disappearing. Brandon went to the only person he knew outside the clans, his former tutor, Jackson Jones. Jackson had known that something was strange about the Noble family and made sure Brandon knew he could come to him if he ever needed anything. Problem is that when Brandon arrives, Jackson is not home. Angelina "Lina" Jones takes care of her brother's plants whenever he is out of town. She is stunned to find Brandon in Jackson's domicile. Being a cop, Lina first thought him to be a burglar until she had a clear view of him. Lina wants to help Brandon, however, the man refuses to tell her who he is running from or why. At the same time, Lina has her own problems. But she cannot deny her attraction to Brandon. They may be of different races, but love is color-blind, and Brandon is keeping secrets - secrets she plans to discover. ***** I was a bit confused at first, while trying to picture the characters in my mind's eye. Brandon, according to the cover, is white. Lina is black. I am SO happy to know that this author is color blind! I was beginning to believe that I would never live to see the day t

different, original, intriguing vampire tale

Sara Reinke starts with the good tenant for an author: write about what you know. Thus her setting Dark Thirst in Kentucky is a solid move. The Kentucky writer opens this highly original vampire tale, with a clan of vampires, originally made up of four families. They own a huge, isolated track of land; called "The Brethren", people give them a wide birth. Reinke demonstrate a strong world building in creating the hellish, throwback existence of The Brethren. The only people permitted near their compound are migrant illegals (a problem in Kentucky, actually). These poor unsuspecting souls are often used as servants, but more generally end up as din din, killed without a concern. Like all vamps, they have long lives. They are strong, heal fast, and are damn hard to kill. Very throwback, with the men being the chest-thumping protectors of the clan; the females are relegated to being the `little woman', caring for their homes and their men. Marriages are set up with no cares to the woman's wishes, very archaic, seeing young teenagers married to older (much older men). Women are permitted no say in the marriages, no say in just about anything. The males eat first; the women only are permitted to eat after the males have finished (intriguingly reflecting old "hills" turn-of-the-century mentality of Kentucky and the South). The members of The Brethren never leave the compound; they especially never leave the clan. But naturally, a writer lays down rules only to break them. Brandon Noble is the grandson of the head of the Brethren, Augustus, (ala Brando in The Godfather, only he makes Brando appear a choirboy by measure!). Brandon has run afoul of the strict rules set forth by the secluded clan and it may cost his life. When he was younger, he accidentally came upon a robbery in progress. The robbers attacked Brandon, and nearly killed him, which left him deaf and unable to speak. Worse even still, he shuns the blood rituals of The Brethren. A big no no in their world. When he finally manages to leave, he knows he will be own the run for his life. Brandon attempts to leave the compound, and now once more he is on the run. He goes to his only friend, but the friend isn't there. He meets Lina Jones, the friend's sister, and she wants to help him, but they have a world of problems to over come, despite their growing attraction. Reinke creates a vivid world, mixing the vampire clan with old country codes, gives you a hero that is white, a heroine black, basically saying she is not going to follow the patterns of all the writers before her. With this impressive novel, the author boldly cuts a vivid debut (mass-market debut, as Reinke has other books out with smaller presses). As a true measure of her talent, check out her Regency novel The Unexpected Engagement.An Unexpected Engagement I am eager to see what the author will do with the next book in the series.

This is a keep by my bed to read again book!

I really enjoyed reading this book, so much so I read it again and continue to flip back to my favorite parts. I loved the fact that the author took creative liscence and made the vampire lead, Brandon, vunerable and imperfect from the usual immortal beings I read about. He was a deaf/mute.And his youth added to a sense of innocence, but he had a strength as well. He was strong enough to endure so much abuse from his grandfather and his brother, strong enough to resist the urge of bloodlust that would envolve killing someone and strong enough to leave everything he knew, knowing he would suffer serious ramifications from his family and The Brethren if they cought him. I found Brandon sweet and edearing, strong where it really counted and not just physically and I suspect he is more powerfull than he anyone realizes. I found Angelina to be a strong character without being overbearing, whinny or annoying.I loved the interracial aspect and the fact that she was a little older(5 years) than Brandon. I loved the Brandon and Angelina together.I didagree with what someone else wrote about placing too much emphasis on the racial issue.I didn't find that to be the case at all. In fact, I was relieved that race wasn't emphasised. Overall, I found this to be a fantastic read. The story flowed and was easy to follow. Not many spelling or grammtical errors that I saw.It was a great beginning to what I hope will be an even better sequel, which I read will be out next July.