A Hunger Like No Other (The Immortals After Dark Series, Book 1)

There are so many paranormal novels out on the shelves with each author putting their own spin to the world of vampires, lycanthropes, fairies and what have you. As this is a genre I enjoy, I thought I may as well get acquainted with Kresley Cole and delve into her world.

Lachlain MacRieve has been imprisoned by his enemies for over a century. Trapped in the catacombs below Paris, he was virtually going mad until he catches a whiff of the one person he has waited centuries for - the one woman made for him alone. Using the last ounce of strength left in his battered body, he breaks free of the chains that have bound him and goes after his mate, only to discover that as cruelly as fate has let his mortal enemies capture him, so does it unkindly present him with the cruellest joke of all - a vampire for a mate! Yet mortal enemy or not, Lachlain will do anything in his power to convince his part-vampire mate that they are destined to be together.

As the only one of her kind - a hybrid - Emmaline Troy has come to Paris in search of the truth about her parentage. Part vampire, part valkyrie, little does she know that life is about to get more complicated in the city of lights. For a woman who has been wrapped in cotton wool from the time of her birth, Emma finds herself knee deep in adventure and trouble merely days after meeting this arrogant stranger who claims to be her mate. Is Emma the timid ready for a life as queen of the Lykans? And what do the vampires want from her?

A HUNGER LIKE NO OTHER was quite an enjoyable read though certainly not a book that made me go "wow!" after finishing it. The prologue gave me the impression that this was going to be a dark story, yet the pages that followed convinced me otherwise. Cole has woven pop culture and cheeky humor throughout the novel providing much amusement to the readers. Emma's Valkyrie aunts are a blast. And it is the humor, shallow as it was, that made me overlook the thin plot and inconsistencies. Unfortunately, I expected Lachlain to speak with a heavier brogue considering he has been imprisoned for a hundred and fifty years. Instead, we get a few `naes' every so often and apart from his ignorance on modern technology, he spoke like any modern man you would meet on the street. This may be a minor quibble but I couldn't help but notice. Overall, Kresley Cole has blended a cocktail of relationship issues that Lachlain and Emma must overcome such as his resentment over the fact that she is half-vampire, the lies that he had to weave to get Emma to go to his ancestral home and, finally, Emma's insecurities. The way they prevail over these obstacles provided a nice ending to the story.

Anyone who enjoys JR Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon and of course, the wonderful Christine Feehan will absolutely love Kresley Cole. Her entire IAD series is incredible but I must admit that this is my favorite of the series - Emma was a truly believable heroine. She grew from Emma the Timid to one of the best heroines I have had the pleasure of reading! Lachlain is just incredible - there is truly no other word to describe him! And, of course, Nucking Futs Nix - Omigod!!!

You have to read this book :)

this is the 1st Kresley cole book I have every picked up and I am so glad that I did. I love the story and characters and the way that the author builds the world and entwines everybody in some way or another.
I found myself getting entranced in the book. It is like watching a movie.
Favorite new author, I rank her up there with JR Ward. If you coming off the BDB, then you will like this series.

Emmaline Troy is half vampire, half valkyrie: something that should not exist. Sheltered by her valkyrie aunts her entire life, Emma decides to step out of her comfort zone and leave home, looking for answers about her life halfway around the globe in Paris. Lachlain MacRieve, king of the Lykae (werewolf) clan, has been trapped literally in a living hell for a century and a half in the catacombs under Paris by his hated enemies, the vampires. When he scents his mate - for whom he has been waiting for nearly twelve centuries - nothing will stop him from getting to her and claiming her as his. Forever.

I have several thoughts on this book. First, let me start with the cover image: it seems to be a little misleading, implying that he is the vampire about to bite her neck. Now that I have read the book, I realize that it is probably trying to be a portrayal of a pivotal scene in the book, but it was a slight shock to realize that the female was the bloodsucker in this novel. Now, on to my thoughts on the book itself.

I like the author's unique take on the paranormal world - she names it the Lore - and each species' take on the idea of mates. Vampires have Brides, Lykae have mates, and even the Valkyrie believe in the idea of a one true love. I was not pleased with how the male MC dealt with claiming the female MC, but I understood it as fitted the character and his own history and prejudices - even if it did bother me while I read it. I'll be reading the next book in the series, No Rest for the Wicked (The Immortals After Dark, Book 2), and will see if the series is worth reading through. I hope it is.

So, fans of romance involving vampires, werewolves, and creatures of myth: this book is for you.

This is the first Kresley Cole book I read. I just loved it!!!!! It's the best story I've read in a while. I loved the hot male lead. The way she wrote this character surprised me and made my toes curl. Very steamy and a page turner, I was never bored and couldn't put it down. I also loved all the female characters. I have read the most recent two books since then and loved the too. I even ordered the books I missed from Amazon and are waiting for them to arrive. This is the first series I have been excited about in a long while. Please don't let it end too soon. I'm hoping for at least a dozen stories. With so many great characters I could see this series going for a long time. I know there is supposed to be a war at the end but I hope it doesn't come too soon.