Velvet

Dude.So this is what Twilight should have been.Debut author Temple West’s vampire danger story is filled with likeable characters, danger, mystery likeable characters and (wait for it!) a PLOT. That’s right friends.Caitlin’s mom has just died forcing her to move in with an aunt, uncle and cousin she barely knows. And of course, she meets a mysterious gorgeous neighbor who happens to be a vampire. And… her bodyguard.I loved Caitlin. She has trouble dealing with her grief, lashing out and just trying to make it through the day. Despite her not so cheery attitude, she still manages to grab some friends. She’s talented too. And not in the “oh I’m amazing look at me.” She sews! (I do too) and knits! (same here) and embroiders! (not so much) But that’s what I love about her. She’s different. She makes things with her hands, she’s creative. She wants to be a designer. I’m not just saying it because I also really like the lost art of crafting, but I really appreciated how different she is from other heroines out there. She is not special, or particularly pretty. She’s normal, likes to sew and is going through a really hard time. (One note: I do wish there was a little more sewing/crafting mentioned in the book towards the end when she gets back into it. There doesn’t seem to be enough only a scene or two to further.)Anyway, so Caitlin is cool and I would have probably been her friend.Then we get to Adrian, hot vampire extraordinaire. What’s not to love about a super strong bodyguard vampire who likes humans even though he’s forbidden to get attached. Adrian is far from perfect and yes, he is a bit lurky. But he does have a valid reason (His demon father is after Caitlin and can disguise himself as anyone.) He is her bodyguard. He does allow her to have a life without him. And he’s a secret nerd! Really, Adrian is trying to get a handle on all of his new emotions without letting on that he might be feeling them to his crazy vampire family.Oh yeah, did I mention them? They’re like crazy. I love it.Listen, I know the YA lit world is overrun by vampire paranormal romances. But TRUST ME. Velvet is fun and very entertaining with snappy dialogue, awesome characters and some solid teen angst.I have an ARC but I’ve already pre-ordered my finished copy on Amazon. I want it sitting on my shelf with my favorites. I’ve already started recommending it to my friends.Ms. West, please write fast. That ending kinda killed me.

This was a great read that was full of laughs, action, and the sweetest romance. I know the vampire genre these days gets a bad rap but this is definitely a must-read. There is so much to love with this book, and it's just an overall good time! With a seemingly worn-out genre, I loved Ms. West's take on the vampire, and it definitely made for some very funny moments. There are still classic elements to her vampires, but there is also a lot of original elements that make for an interesting read. It is never dull or tedious to read (like something you've read repeatedly before). Ms. West's writing is simply wonderful. You would never guess that she is a debut author. The story flew by, even though it's close to 400 pages, and I simply never wanted to stop reading. I was so happy when I found out that this was going to be a series, and I am definitely interested to see where the story goes in the next book!While at first I wasn't totally in love with Caitlin, our main character. I did understand that she was going through a tough time, with her mom just dying and having to pack up her life and go somewhere she never wanted to go. However, I did think there were times she was kind of cruel and her outbursts were uncalled for/unnecessary. However, it is understandable. I think anyone would react the same. So I gave her the benefit of the doubt, and ended up loving her character. Mind you, I loved her by only a couple chapters in, but still. I think the biggest thing to remember with her character is that she is human. We feel things that sometimes we can't even explain. So we act in a way that might not be characteristic of our usual behavior. And that is what Caitlin does. This was the beauty of her character. Ms. West never lets us forget that Caitlin's humanness, and Caitlin also never loses that humanness either. She is a very fleshed out character, and very well-developed. Ultimately though, Caitlin is snarky, sassy, and hilarious. She had me cracking up so many times. At the end of the day, Caitlin has a huge heart with a feisty attitude to match. Nothing will stand in her way, and she never backs down from a fight.I adored Adrian from the minute we met him. He is very swoonworthy, and you will easily fall in love with him. While he did make me want to smack him a couple times in the middle/end, I knew why he acted the way he did. Nevertheless, he is an extremely likeable character, and will quickly find a place in your heart. Adrian is nerdy, awkward, and HOT, but also fiercely loyal and protective. He will do anything and everything to protect those he cares about, and nothing will stand in his way. Like Caitlin said...“Why would I fall in love with you? You’re just a hot, closet-nerd vampire with a bazillion dollars and a Harley. There’s absolutely nothing attractive about you.”(just one of the many hilarious lines in this novel)I did love the slow-growing nature of Adrian and Cait's relationship. She didn't immediately fall in love with him and swoon every single time he opened his mouth. They grew from friendship to something more. These two are meant to be together. They are perfect for each in every way, and balance each other out quite nicely. They're banter was perfect and no one can deny the chemistry between them. I loved every single scene of their flirting, and it made for many great, endearing moments while reading.I definitely recommend this book if you are a fan of vampire novels. While the author was inspired by Twilight, Ms. West puts her own spin on the vampire genre and weaves a fun story that will stick with you long after reading. You will be left begging for the next book as soon as possible! I know I am!Happy reading :)