Book Review: Shades of Twilight

I am pleased to be part of Martin Sharlow's virtual book tour for Shades of Twilight, his first vampire/paranormal book.  Mr Sharlow guest posted here yesterday, if you haven't had a chance to check it out, click here.  

Shades of Twilight is available for digital download

About the Book

Melissa has waited her whole life to move out and start her own. This is her first summer after graduating and now she has her own place and a job. Everything she wanted is starting to happen.

Until the accident.

When the most gorgeous guy she has ever seen saves her life, he also forever changes it. What do you do when you find out that life as you have always known it isn’t real, and the man you love is a vampire, out to save you from something worse?

Read the Excerpt

The lights came back on in the theater, and still half the people hadn’t left yet. The first portion got up and left the moment the credits came up, but the rest sat in their seats and talked about everything they’d just watched. A few of the last people leaving let their eyes linger on Michael as they walked out, but most didn’t even seem to notice him any longer. I guess they were more wrapped up in their new world of vampires and werewolves. I couldn’t blame them, really. Bella’s world looked all romantic and fun. Somehow even with a horde of vampires trying to kill her, the movie seemed to make it a cool thing. I realized that, had I been Bella and that was my life, it wouldn’t seem so cool anymore. At the moment, though, it did. Her romanticized life seemed preferable to mine, and yet a part of me knew I wouldn’t leave mine right now even if it were possible.

I looked over at Michael to see him sitting there staring at me. I wondered what he was thinking, if he thought I was his Bella, or was he just amused that I had the need to escape into fantasy. I noticed a kernel of popcorn stuck on his shoulder, then one in his hair, and couldn’t help wonder how they got there.

“Are we done yet?” He asked with a bit of hope in his eyes. “Or are we going to go get another ticket and watch it again?”
He looked so adorable right now, just sitting there with popcorn in his hair. I wasn’t sure what it was or why he so appealed to me right then, but without thinking I found myself pressing my lips against his silky soft ones. His lips warmed to the touch of mine, as we kissed.

My Review:

I have to say that I don't always get into the paranormal side of romance books, but something drew me to review this book and I'm glad I did.  The character of Michael is an interesting study, and I really like how his character emerges throughout the book.  Melissa, as a character, drove me up the wall - she was helpless and whiny and I just wanted to shake her sometimes... but it kept me interested to see what was happening next.

As a romance book, it was not what you would normally expect - more romance light, with lots of embraces but not as much action as you might see in other romance novels.  It didn't really take away from the story, but could have added that dimension and element.

If you like a paranormal storyline with some mystery and a little romance thrown in, than you will enjoy Shades of Twilight

About the Author

Martin Sharlow was always a storyteller. In his youth he used to play role playing games and usually he was the game master. That allowed him to create and modify stories and then tell them to his captive audience in the form of a game. Because of this and the many fantasy books he read, Martin went the next step and started writing fantasy novels.
Recently, however, Martin changed genres to vampire romance as he got bitten by the vampire bug. This happened after picking up one of the latest novels and finding himself hooked on it. Today Martin has written two vampire romance novels, and is in the process of writing many more.

Martin currently lives in Vancouver, WA with two of his three children, who help to keep him grounded in reality.
You can visit Martin Sharlow at http://www.wix.com/targoun/martin