Review: Thorns and Fangs by Gillian St. Kevern

Title: Thorns and Fangs

Author: Gillian St. Kevern

Length: 353 Pages

Category: Paranormal, Menage

At a Glance: This is a long book, so if I had any warnings at all, it would be to carve out a good chunk of time and commitment to read this one. But if you do, you won’t be disappointed.

Reviewed By: Taz

Blurb: Nate is caught between two dangerously hot vampires who can compel people to do whatever they want and a ruthless necromancer who wants Nate for all the wrong reasons—and that’s only the start of his problems.

Escort Nate prides himself on two things: his ability to please his clients and his normality – living in the monster capital of the world, ordinary is rare. Hunter, a darkly charming vampire with more charisma than is good for him, decides Nate is just what he needs. Nate’s sympathetic nature and skill in the bedroom are put to the ultimate test. But Hunter wants Nate for someone else – his brother, Ben. Nate is immediately attracted by the control with which Ben holds his sensitive nature in force. Too afraid of becoming a monster to allow himself to feel, Ben struggles to resist Nate’s generosity of emotion. As a vindictive necromancer makes Ben his target of revenge, Nate discovers that making people feel good doesn’t compare to making Ben feel. As Nate’s normal world crumbles around him, and he desperately searches for a way to save Ben, Nate is unable to escape becoming the necromancer’s latest victim.

But Nate’s death is only the beginning. Coming back to life in the bathroom of Gunn, a Department Seven officer who hates the vampire family that Ben and Hunter belong to, Nate doesn’t know who to trust or even what he is. As the necromancer’s trap pulls tighter around himself and Ben, Nate is forced to let go of normal and embrace powers he doesn’t fully understand. In defiance of Ben’s vampire sire and hunted by Department Seven, Nate and Ben finally learn to trust and rely on each other. But when the necromancer succeeds in capturing Ben, Nate alone can come to his rescue.

Review: Thorn and Fangs is the first book I’ve read by Gillian St. Kevern, and it was a pleasure to read. Filled with action and creative world-building, it hit many of the buttons that make for a great read for me. While I love a great vampire story, and this book definitely satisfied that, this book contained so much more. Necromancers and something different that I’ve never experienced before. Perhaps we could call it an elemental supernatural. In any event, this was a fresh and new take on paranormal world-building that had me captivated.

Let’s start with the plot. The action was fast-paced and intentional. Each segment of the book (and this was a long book) lent itself to propelling the storyline forward. As we got to know the two main protagonists, their relationship grew and expanded in a believable and heart-felt way. Each character was fully developed, equipped with charisma as well as a large set of personal baggage. This made for a satisfying journey. Nate has a dry wit which had me laughing, and Ben has a sweet, tormented way about him that made my heart bleed for him. You can’t help but root for these two guys to work things out in the end.

Now, to the sex. While not piping hot in terms of the actual acts (although I will admit the earlier scenes had me fanning myself), the love between the two protagonists is more powerful than the satisfying of physical needs. It transcends release and enters a realm of mental connection, which is really what we’re all looking for in a romance, right?

In terms of the writing style, the author keeps us firmly rooted in the center of the action. There is no moment when we are ripped from the story by a lengthy description or internal scene (I call these telling versus showing since instances when those two things happen are when the author is telling you how to feel instead of letting you figure things out for yourself). Instead, we are left to our own, intelligent devices as we process the story and figure out what’s going on with the wide range of characters.

This was a very long book. It took me several sittings to complete it. So, if I had any warnings at all, it would be to carve out a good chunk of time and commitment to read this one. But if you do, you won’t be disappointed.

You can buy Thorns and Fangs here:
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