Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Review of Hart Attack, The Hart Family Saga by Elle Chardou aka Danielle Blanchard Benson




















Description:

Saints and Sinners
Beautiful, independent Angelika "Angie" Hart never needs a hand up. A skilled computer hacker, Angelika believes in making her own way. But when Angelika's sister Lena invites her to vacation in New Orleans' romantic, deadly French Quarter, Angelika descends into a dangerous new reality. In this decadent supernatural world, all that glitters is not gold. Among the gardens and graves, supernaturals reign supreme and even the worst sinner may wear a saint's face.

Vampires and Werewolves
Inside her sumptuous antebellum mansion, Lena introduces Angelika to Andreas, the most powerful vampire in Louisiana, and Sebastiaan, the Lycan King of the North America. Handsome, rich and deadly, each man tempts Angelika in his own way. But when Lena is drawn into mortal peril, not even a vampire or a lycan can save the day. It's up to Angelika to rescue her sister. And to do so, she must face up to family secrets, seizing the long-denied power that is her birthright.

If you are a fan of the HBO series, True Blood, and need a fix now that the series is coming to its Season Finale,  Hart Attack should definitely help with the withdrawal symptoms.

WARNING: This is paranormal romance novel with sexy good times, a couple of naughty half-Faerie half-shifter sisters, an Alpha Lycan King, a smokin' hot vampire, blood, and explicit language. Gore and closed door sex scenes? Not in this book.

Review:

Holy hot sauce, this was a totally spicy read peeps.  I mean smoking hot, steamy and completely yummy.  The guys were mmmm.....swoon worthy.  Andreas and Sebastiaan definitely cornered the market on dreamy guys.

A huge warning!!!!!!! This book borders on paranormal romance/erotica with graphic violence and is absolutely not suitable for young adults!!!

The story takes place in 2019, when supernaturals mingled in the human world without hiding.  In this book you will encounter fairies or sidhe, vampires, lycans, shapeshifters and I am not sure if I am forgetting any other kind of supes.

As I read this I was reminded of the True Blood series, and Laurell Hamilton's works as well.  It strongly reminded me of Laurell's vampire series and fairy series all wrapped together.

I want to say so much more about this book, but it would give away all the fun of the read.  I read it in one night and was pretty impressed.  I don't usually continue on like that unless the book is a great read.

This would be a book that I highly recommend to adults that are lovers of urban fantasy and paranormal reads.  I give this book four glittery stars for being super fabulous!!

Buy it here on Amazon

Buy it here on Barnes and Noble






About The Author
Danielle Blanchard Benson is a world traveler and author of several different series.
Ms. Blanchard Benson is the author of Beginnings: Book I (The Plague), Death Wish: Book I, Better off Dead: Book II and Death Lair: A Novella (all from The Vamp Saga), The Catalyst: Book One (The Pop Stars) and The Beautiful People series.
She is currently working on Love Voodoo: Book I (DeGeneration), Apocalypse 2012: Book II (The Plague), Hart Attack: Book I (The Hart Family Saga), The Making of a Star: Book Two (The Pop Stars) and Queen of the Undead: Book III (The Vamp Saga).
Ms. Blanchard Benson has lived abroad in Stockholm (Sweden), Manchester (England), Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area and Portland. She currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Follow Danielle Blanchard Benson on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/dblanchbenz007

Ten Things About Danielle


1. Your genre(s)?

My genre will always be romance or some form thereof though I have been known to do contemporary, erotic (not erotica as there is a difference), paranormal, dystopian and even -- grasp! -- horror. I am an artist so I don't limit myself and as a reader you don't have to buy everything I write. I assume most of y'all will cherry-pick anyway.

2. How many books have you completed?

I love serials and series so I have completed one long damn serial, The Beautiful People (which consisted of eight novellas), Death Wish and Better Off Dead in The Vamp Saga (and a novella, Death Lair), Beginnings inThe Plague series, Love Voodoo in the DeGeneration series, The Catalyst in my other serial, The Pop Stars, and Forever 27, a novelette in The 27 Club series. 

3. How many books are you working on now?

*Breathe* Okay, I am almost finished writing Queen of the Undead in The Vamp Saga (72k and counting),Hart Attack, the first novel in The Hart Family Saga (another paranormal series), Apocalypse 2012 in The Plague series, The Making of a Star in The Pop Stars serial and Love Game in the DeGeneration series. Plus, I am co-writing a novel with a writer friend of mine, a horror-thriller, Ties That Unbind. I'm tired just thinking about my year...

4. Are you a linear or chunk writer?

I try to work on one project at a time so it makes it easier for me to maintain consistency. That list above, that is the order of the books with the exception of the one I am co-writing. I write that one when I get it back from my co-author, write my part and then send it to him via email and Drop Box.

5. The POV (= Point of View) you’re most partial to?
I'm not. I love first person though it can definitely have its limitations. I usually stick with third person though. The HUGE exception to this rule is The Vamp Saga. The first novel is written in first person but the rest are a mix of first and third person. There are some people out there this irks but what can I say? I love Manon and I *can't* write her in third but I also love some of the other characters and thought they should get a word in too. Hence the bastard project it has become involving both POVs.

6. The themes that keep cropping up in your books?

Female empowerment, strength, change and staying true to one's self. None of these are ever easy but nothing in life worth fighting for ever is so there you have it.

7. How many days a week do you write?

Everyday. There is no such thing as writer's block for me. I began Apocalypse 2012 but my Vamp Saga muse didn't want to let go so I began the third novel. Due to my schedule, I write at least 2k each day and can finish a first draft in anywhere between four and six weeks. 

8. What time of day do you get your best writing done?
The evening. I have two children under the age of ten so when they are sleeping or are about to go down, I find myself most creative. Plus, I can have a glass of wine while I write... yes, I sometimes write toasted but I do all my revisions dead sober and I have an editor just to make sure she catches all the mistakes I don't. Plus, I have some great writers who act as beta readers and guinea pigs for those other pesky mistakes neither of us catch. I will upload and re-do a book that isn't perfect countless times. I do it all the time as it is a bit easier with the e-books than print but there is no such thing as "done" for me if mistakes are found.

9. What kind of music do you listen to when you write?

I'm a child of Generation X and I listen to everything but when I write paranormal/horror, I need some hard rocking music. My favorites: Deftones (Diamond Eyes and Best Of albums are classics), Marilyn Manson (Mechanical Animals, and Eat Me, Drink Me are two of my faves but I have every album ever made), Nine Inch Nails, Rammstein...I also listen to a lot of French hip-hop (Sinik, Diam's, MC Solaar) and French music in general (too many artists to count!). And I love some good pop music so Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Britney Spears, and Madonna are never far away...neither is Mylene Farmer for the matter, my favorite French pop star.

10. What the hell is up with your love affair with France?

Yeah, la Belle France gets mentioned a lot in a myriad of my novels. Better Off Dead and Queen of the Undead take place there as does most of Beginnings and Apocalypse 2012 will be a revisit (yet again). TheDeGeneration series takes place almost entirely in France. My other love affair is French influenced even if it is in the States. Hart Attack takes place in New Orleans. 

I just love France, French culture, the language and desperately can't wait until I can live there for a couple of years and write. I have lots of French friends and am partial to the Ile-de-France area of the country (though it is often cold, rainy and overcast). Plus, who wouldn't want their children to be bi-lingual? And did I mention the wine and the cheese and the food? Everything is better with a French accent! ;-) 


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