Immortalis: Carpe Noctem by Katie Salidas
- Urban Fantasy, Paranormal -
reviewed by Tara SG
purchased eBook from Amazon.com
Book Order (Immortalis)
- Immortalis: Carpe Noctem * * 1/2
Links
Author’s Website : http://myimmortalstories.blogspot.com
Add To Your GoodReads TBR list
This book in 6 words:
choose : live forever or die now
Why did I read this? And am I glad I did?
Immortalis: Carpe Noctem came up in Amazon’s suggestions for me (Sometimes I think it knows me better than my husband…) and I thought it looked like a good read. It was worth reading only because I did it in one day and it only cost $4.99. I felt like the author incorporated some unique changes in vampire lore and the plot was pretty good, however, I was annoyed by the main character and that’s just hard to overlook.
Brief Summary
Bleeding to death after brutal mugging on the campus of UNLV, Twenty-five year old Alyssa, is rescued by the cold and aloof, vampire, Lysander. Taking pity on her, he shares the gift-and curse-of immortality. She awakens as a vampire and is soon devastated by harsh realities of her new way of life: the loss of her friends, her independence, and her humanity.
As if having her humanity stripped away wasn’t enough to make life interesting, Alyssa finds out her Turning, did not go unnoticed by the rest of undead society. Old enemies; an ancient sect of vampire hunters, known as the Acta Sanctorum, as well as a powerful Vampire mistress, each set plans in motion to destroy both Alyssa and Lysander.
Only by accepting her new-found immortality and seizing the night, will Alyssa hope to survive. She and Lysander will have to fight together against two sets of enemies bent on destroying them.
(via Amazon.com)
Plot/Pacing/Writing Style
The plot wasn’t bad at all. We open with Alyssa in a coffee shop only to be brutally beaten and raped (?) within a few pages. If you have problems with scenes like this I highly recommend you avoid this book (or skip these parts). Luckily (?) a vampire is nearby and comes to her rescue (?).
I liked the idea of her having to deal with becoming immortal. The threats from both the Saints and Kallisto could have been handled a little better. It felt like everything happened at once. It was so much build up and then BAM!… I also thought that the ending was little too nicely wrapped up. I LOVE happy endings… but this was just too much.
Characters
Alyssa annoyed me. 25?! She acted like she was 15. I understand that almost dying and then being turned into a vampire would shake you up a bit, but I agreed with Lysander every time he told her she was being selfish and childish. I really wanted to connect with her more.
Lysander was OK. I grew to love him as the story went on. He was the typical cold, emotionless vamp with the hidden soft-side (which I’m a complete sucker for).
Recommendations
If you like Urban Fantasy / Paranormal and are looking for something quick, I’d say this could be worth your $5. However, if you don’t like Alyssa, don’t say I didn’t warn you 
I will probably pass because I even get annoyed with 15 years olds in YA books that act like 15 year olds. In adult novels I just want to throttle them
i think i’m going to pass on this book too. thanks for the heads up and the warning though.
I’ve seen this book a few times already now on various blogs (I agree, amazon knows me better than I know myself), thanks for this review. I’ll definitely give it a pass, the way you describe Alyssa I hate her already,
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@ Felicia : Yeah me too. I think the funniest part is that she was constantly arguing that she wasn’t being childish… lol
@ dw : Sure thing!
@ Rikki : Hahaha yeah had she been written a little better and the ending not been so easily wrapped up, I think I could have liked the series…. Unfortunately Alyssa annoyed the crap out of me :/