Adult book Review - Prince Eternal

*This is a review of an adult novel. If you are a minor or find sexual and/or violent references offensive please do not read on*

Prince Eternal: Sacred Soul

By Monique Marie

Author URL: www.moniquemarie.com

Series: Prince Eternal #1
Publisher: Writer’s Club Press/ iUniverse Inc.
Genre: Historical Paranormal Romance
Length: 344 pages
ISBN: 9780595143504

Available: E-book, paperback (print on demand)

Purchase: Smashwords, Amazon, Barnes &Noble

Monique Marie is an Author of Historical & adult Vampire fiction. Her first two novels of a three novel series are newly published and can only be ordered either on-line or at your local bookstore. Prince Eternal: Sacred Soul (first novel) Prince Eternal: Sacred Blood (second novel) Monique's interests include: Scuba diving, cycling, fencing, horse back riding, martial arts (fighting), anything outdoors. She lives in South Carolina with her family.

Enter a world of darkness and forbidden love . . .

Vladimir Dracula, born to a gypsy woman who was seduced by Lucifer, returns home to his clan after fourteen years of exile. Upon his return, Vlad discovers Vashti, with whom he shares a mysterious bond since childhood, seeks his death.Vashti struggles against Vlad’s alluring sensuality in order to avenge her father’s death.

Once she learns of his taste for the purest of wines – blood – Vashti discovers how deeply they are bonded.

As Prince of Wallachia, Vlad leads an army against the Turks, while he fights to keep his soul from Lucifer’s grasp. To save Vashti from the ensuing darkness, he vows to sacrifice his own life… and his immortal soul. Vashti must convince him that by sacrificing himself, Vlad condemns them both…

Worth the read?

Many thanks to the author for providing me with a copy for my honest review.

I’m really struggling with what rate to give Prince Eternal.

Last night I stayed up late because I couldn’t seem to go to sleep without knowing the outcome. The story is brutal, yet passionate, certain characters are cringe-worthy but believable and author Monique Marie just pulled every emotion from me with this.


Past the prologue and into the first few chapters i thought it quite slow. But then as the lives and predicaments of lead characters Vashti and Vlad began to unfold the pace picked up and it became evident both were written equally strong. Though they were meant to be similar in many ways, they shone individually and I did like them both, despite Vlad’s harshness.

The antagonists- wow. I don’t know how many times I swore in my head about them, they were awful!
Lucifer, Vlad’s father, was constantly in Vlad’s head goading him and trying to convince him to turn to the evil ways. When he appeared -in whatever form- to both Vlad and Vashti, his menacing aura jumped off the pages.
Drucilla, sister to Vashti, was the ultimate b***h. She was trouble throughout and an unforgettable character.
Jamas, the deranged Turk and son of Prince Mika who he murdered and who Vlad had stayed within the Turks home because of, was disgusting.
Some scenes, in fact, all scenes with him in i literally cringed. Though, this is not a negative to the novel; it was effective and provoked a reaction-something I feel all authors should do through the characters they create. But he truly was foul, so much so that when he was first mentioned I questioned myself whether I wanted to keep reading. But I did. The plot was building into what I knew would be an explosive outcome.

While Vlads first scenes played out around Jamas in Nicopolis, Vashti’s did from home of the gypsies and true home to Vlad; Devil’s Mountain. She was an awesome character. Not the helpless woman that is sometimes in novels of this sort, she was strong-willed and a strong fighter. She had to be as ‘Rom Baro’ of the gypsies- protector of the clan.

When Vlad finally leaves Nicopolis with his men and returns to Devil’s mountain the love story really begins and the plot begins to thicken. From chapter 15 I clutched my forehead in shock. From there on out every chapter was full of suspense and was basically just plain shocking. It was like a ping-pong match, back and forth back and forth, with how much some characters had to suffer. But it wasn’t written in an careless way; it was tidy and believable as the characters each had their own demons to fight.

Vashti fought with her own emotions and then for Vlad to have faith in her. She found out their unification meant the world was safe from Lucifer, which added more pressure. 

Vlad constantly fought the evil that beckoned him 'home' and his distrust for anything good, including Vashti, though he loved her (but never admitted it). Though their powerful creation, Vlad hated Lucifer and his opposite-Del. He seemed on the brink of insanity and evil all the time.
Would he eventually snap? The only one able to secure some good in him was Vashti, yet he fought their love with his arrogance. 

“If Vashti died so, too, would any good in him. She was his goodness, his conscience, his soul. Without her, he would rule from the darkened, bleak plain of his being. Many would suffer at his hand if she died. Many would die only to serve him. That would be his revenge on both Heaven and Hell. He would horde souls and use them to his own end, use earth as his playground.

This he did vow.”

It may sound as though it is all love but the action was intense and around every corner. As the ending approached, i found Marie's story-telling brilliant. Though heart-breaking there was never a dull or slow moment. When character Vlad's anger soared, it became known just how powerful he was, this gave a fantastic and creative read. I wish i could elaborate, but i'll spoil it for you.


Summary

As you can see, this novel threw me through a loop. My review is all over the place!

I loved the story, but hated the nasty characters. The hate was only present because i really felt for the well-written characters as they were tormented.
 It provoked so many strong reactions, there were parts i almost cried with frustration. The vile scenes urge me to rate lower-but the characters involved served their purpose well in achieving such malice, so i wouldn’t see this as fair.
The plot was strong and purposely up and down (much like this review!) weaving you along until i was almost irritated. It may have been addictively annoying at times but what a build-up to a stunning ending.
Vlad and Vashti have yet to conquer some things and other ties have been left open so i want to read the sequel. But i can see it provoking my patience -and emotions- again.

All in all, I thought it was wonderfully written. Marie’s descriptions easily built the scenery and atmosphere. The love and chemistry between Vlad and Vashti was beautifully crafted and her writing of the sex scenes were tactfully delivered. Another bonus is she didn’t throw these sex scenes in at every possible opportunity; they were relevant when they did occur. 

However, where Jamas was concerned the scenes may have been relevant- but they were shocking. I was glad she didn’t drag them out.

For the sheer fact i struggle to rate it and that i’m not overly keen on the cover i give Prince Eternal four stars. Which is still a fab rating.
(I pictured Vlad different than the man on the cover. Perhaps more dangerous and bigger looking)

 But i'm going to read it again, it takes a good writer to bring forth such deep reactions. It didn't lack the action, love, danger, great characters and appeal that i adore in these novels.

Fans of the genre should read Prince Eternal...and please let me know your thoughts too.

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Thanks for reading!

xo

TToria♥