In Darkness We Must Abide (Death Comes Home, Episode 1) By Rhiannon Frater

I absolutely hate serials.   Why, you ask?  Because I’m a fast reader and very impatient. I hate waiting for the second part of something I like.  That being said, I read serials like there’s no tomorrow because I’m a glutton for punishment.  Even though I know that when I finish the last page of an installment, I’ll be chomping at the bit for the next part, stalking around Facebook and Goodreads for any and all information regarding the release of the next bit of story just so I can download it to the Kindle machine and start the whole crazy process all over again. Reading serials is a torture I’ve grown to love and hate.  Honestly, they turn me into a maniac.

This particular serial, In Darkness We Must Abide, is fantastic so far.  The first episode is the only part released, but I was quite pleased with it.  I’m also quite frustrated because I’m ready for the next part and can’t read it yet and I’ve bitten my fingernails down to nearly nothing.  Okay, not really, but I feel like it.

Rhiannon Frater’s characters are very likable and real. There are three siblings:  Roman (oldest), Alisha (middle), and Vanora (youngest).  The beginning of the story shows the reader that Roman is a strong head of the household and that he has both patience and intelligence, but also heart and compassion for others.  The middle sibling, Alisha, seems to be a very competent, yet protective, caretaker for her younger sister, Vanora and I like her quite a bit.  Vanora is only a little girl in the beginning (I’m assuming we’ll see her grow up later), but she is spirited and reminds me quite a bit of my daughter in so many ways.  I won’t give away spoilers, so I’ll give you the description found on Amazon.com.

In Darkness We Must Abide is the epic saga of one young woman caught in the dangerous world of the creatures of the night.Already living in the shadows due to her albinism, Vanora is just a little girl when her older brother inadvertently unleashes a terrible evil from the family crypt that changes their lives forever. As she grows up in a world where beautiful deadly beings hunt by night, one captures her eye and her heart. Yet, can she trust the mysterious Armando? For there is a powerful entity plotting to claim her when she reaches adulthood in order to fulfill an ancient prophecy, and her enemy has enveloped her in a web of deceit, casting doubt on all she believes to be true. Soon, she will have to fight not only to save those she loves, but also for her very soul. Rhiannon Frater delivers a chilling adventure once again with this multi-part epic serial with a dynamic cast, old school vampires, bloody action, a smoldering forbidden love, and a terrifying villain set against the backdrop of a modern day vampire war.Each episode will be between 10,000 and 20,000 words with new installments being published every 2 to 3 weeks.Episode 1: Death Comes Home Roman Socoli inadvertently releases a terrible evil when he has his Romanian ancestors entombed on his estate in Houston, Texas.

 I want to add that I love how Rhiannon introduces the vampire.  He doesn’t show up with a dashing smile, wearing a million dollar suit, with a cheesy, ridiculous romantic flair for womanizing.  Nope.  On the contrary, he’s a very classic vampire, which I absolutely loooooove (lots of o’s are completely necessary there).  This episode exhumes a very gothic atmosphere perfect for the story laid out.  Rhiannon, if you’re reading this review, I hope you know I’m watching you–in a non-stalker kinda way–for the release of the second episode. 😀

In Darkness We Must Abide is available now as Kindle download for .99.  

I’m not sure WordPress has a thingy to fill out with a star rating, so here are some bats for Rhiannon Frater.  LOL.  I think it’s the only photo I have that includes five of something!