Author : Elizabeth Hunter
Languange : English
Publisher: self-published
Length : 320 pages
Published date: October 18, 2011
Format : E-book
Genre : Paranormal Romance
Series: Elemental Mysteries
Book no: #1
Author web: Click Here
Buy Links:
Paperback: Bookdepository, Periplus, OpenTrolley
"No secret stays hidden forever."
A phone call from an old friend sets Dr. Giovanni Vecchio back on the path of a mystery he'd abandoned years before. He never expected a young librarian could hold the key to the search, nor could he have expected the danger she would attract. Now he and Beatrice De Novo will follow a twisted maze that leads from the archives of a university library, through the fires of Renaissance Florence, and toward a confrontation they never could have predicted.
A Hidden Fire is a paranormal mystery/romance for adult readers. It is the first book in the Elemental Mysteries Series.
A phone call from an old friend sets Dr. Giovanni Vecchio back on the path of a mystery he'd abandoned years before. He never expected a young librarian could hold the key to the search, nor could he have expected the danger she would attract. Now he and Beatrice De Novo will follow a twisted maze that leads from the archives of a university library, through the fires of Renaissance Florence, and toward a confrontation they never could have predicted.
A Hidden Fire is a paranormal mystery/romance for adult readers. It is the first book in the Elemental Mysteries Series.
Review
"Knowlegde is power"
Note: This review is copied from my Goodreads review with some editing. If you find any mistake in grammar and structure, please kindly email me at : sawamura_foxman AT yahoo DOT com , so I can correct it. Thanks! :) .
Back at the end of July, when I go to my home (as per tradition when Eid Mubarak comes), like usual I always read books
as many as I can manage because it's hard to find time for reading with
my tight schedule now (and also I have so many title to be reviewed for
publisher. Nah, I'm not exaggerating :P). I already knew about Elemental Mysteries, a series by
Elizabeth Hunter that have vampires whose can control element. Now,
imagine this one like Dracula (or Twilight, whatever you prefer) meet
Aang, The Last Airbender. There are some touch of A Discovery of Witches (by Deborah Harkness) too,
for the hero is a vampire and the heroine is a librarian. But I DNF'd (for now) A
Discovery of Witches, because, the book kinda boring and I finish this
one. So, that's mean something. Right? ;)
And of course, this is better than Twilight :P.
A Hidden Fire, book one frome Elemental Mysteries, featured Giovanni Vecchio, an Italian vampire who can control fire. He's a rare vampire and a strong one, for one of a vampire weakness beside sun and decapitation is burned to death. He met with Beatrice De Novo, our heroine in the librarian where he copied some document from an old friend request. Do not take a long time for them to become acquinted and for Beatrice to know Gio's real identity. Yeah, maybe if you read Twilight, you will get some dejavu, but Beatrice is far better than Bella, of course :P.
Okay, enough with Twilight comparison. Gio found that Beatrice's father, Stephen De Novo was somehow connected to his long lost book collection. And Gio's sworn enemy who happen to be a vampire that he sired (also Stephen's master), Lorenzo, targeted Beatrice because her connection to her father and Gio. When Lorenzo finally captured Beatrice, Gio move to heaven and hell to get Beatrice back. But, the story did not end after Beatrice save, because they must deal with Beatrice condition after the abduction and Gio's complicated feeling to Beatrice.
For a debut novel and self publish too, Ms Hunter did a good job. I can see that she had so many research, especially about Dante Alleghieri and Italia history in Renaissance era. I really love history, and nerd too, so I'm so delighted to read the history aspect. The mystery also well written, make me can't stop reading even the pace of the story is slow for some parts. The characters are believable and also lovable. Gio is...ah, he's hot and somehow can be too alpha macho and stubborn, but not off the chart. Beatrice, well, she still in her college phase, and not matured yet even she show her strength. Another characters I love are Carwyn ap Bryn, Gio's close friend who is earth vampire, a priest and have a wicked sense of humor also considered himself as Beatrice's close friend. There was Caspar, who like butler to Gio and smitten with Isadora, Beatrice's grandmother. And then, there was Tenzin, the enigmatic wind vampire who help Gio to save Beatrice.
I also love that the setting in A Hidden Fire just not in one place. Ms Hunter bring us travel around the world. From USA to Greece, where Lorenzo take Beatrice captive. Then to Chile, when Gio bring Beatrive to heal her wound from her captivity. I always love the variety of the setting, make the story rich. Also there are diversity from the characters, for we have Italian (Gio), Welsh (Carwyn), Latino (Beatrice and her grandmother) and Chinese (Tenzin). I admit that somehow I'm very tired to read so many Caucasian (and American) characters, even I know that books I read was written by American authors, lol!
The ability for controlling the element is cool! I rarely read a vampire who have another ability beside glamour and persuasion (and fangs). Gio and co's ability come from a current call amnis. Some might called it magic, but Ms Hunter (via Gio) explain that Gio's pyro ability come from manipulated the current under his skin. There are some unique concept too, like if the elemental vampire sire someone, his/her child will have a same ability like their master. So, earth vampire will sire earth vampire too. Except for Gio, because he's an unique case.
I warn you that there's no HEA for Gio and Beatrice. For the first time, I don't get why. But after read This Same Earth, the second book, I know the reason. No sexy times either, make me a sad puppy (lol), but the story was engaging and interesting. So, I'm not complaining. A Hidden Fire ending also kinda remind me of Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost. Even Beatrice not ass kickin' like Cat, she still a heroine that not fall into TSTL and strong in her own way
I end up binge read Elemental Mysteries and I will said that this series become my favorite! I love Ms Hunter's writing and unique concept of vampire, and looking forward to read her other books. A Hidden Fire is a good start for a new series. I will recommend this book if you want to read a story about vampire that not "same old same old" (or even sparkle, ha!), with exotic place, diversity characters and enganging world building!
And of course, this is better than Twilight :P.
A Hidden Fire, book one frome Elemental Mysteries, featured Giovanni Vecchio, an Italian vampire who can control fire. He's a rare vampire and a strong one, for one of a vampire weakness beside sun and decapitation is burned to death. He met with Beatrice De Novo, our heroine in the librarian where he copied some document from an old friend request. Do not take a long time for them to become acquinted and for Beatrice to know Gio's real identity. Yeah, maybe if you read Twilight, you will get some dejavu, but Beatrice is far better than Bella, of course :P.
Okay, enough with Twilight comparison. Gio found that Beatrice's father, Stephen De Novo was somehow connected to his long lost book collection. And Gio's sworn enemy who happen to be a vampire that he sired (also Stephen's master), Lorenzo, targeted Beatrice because her connection to her father and Gio. When Lorenzo finally captured Beatrice, Gio move to heaven and hell to get Beatrice back. But, the story did not end after Beatrice save, because they must deal with Beatrice condition after the abduction and Gio's complicated feeling to Beatrice.
For a debut novel and self publish too, Ms Hunter did a good job. I can see that she had so many research, especially about Dante Alleghieri and Italia history in Renaissance era. I really love history, and nerd too, so I'm so delighted to read the history aspect. The mystery also well written, make me can't stop reading even the pace of the story is slow for some parts. The characters are believable and also lovable. Gio is...ah, he's hot and somehow can be too alpha macho and stubborn, but not off the chart. Beatrice, well, she still in her college phase, and not matured yet even she show her strength. Another characters I love are Carwyn ap Bryn, Gio's close friend who is earth vampire, a priest and have a wicked sense of humor also considered himself as Beatrice's close friend. There was Caspar, who like butler to Gio and smitten with Isadora, Beatrice's grandmother. And then, there was Tenzin, the enigmatic wind vampire who help Gio to save Beatrice.
I also love that the setting in A Hidden Fire just not in one place. Ms Hunter bring us travel around the world. From USA to Greece, where Lorenzo take Beatrice captive. Then to Chile, when Gio bring Beatrive to heal her wound from her captivity. I always love the variety of the setting, make the story rich. Also there are diversity from the characters, for we have Italian (Gio), Welsh (Carwyn), Latino (Beatrice and her grandmother) and Chinese (Tenzin). I admit that somehow I'm very tired to read so many Caucasian (and American) characters, even I know that books I read was written by American authors, lol!
The ability for controlling the element is cool! I rarely read a vampire who have another ability beside glamour and persuasion (and fangs). Gio and co's ability come from a current call amnis. Some might called it magic, but Ms Hunter (via Gio) explain that Gio's pyro ability come from manipulated the current under his skin. There are some unique concept too, like if the elemental vampire sire someone, his/her child will have a same ability like their master. So, earth vampire will sire earth vampire too. Except for Gio, because he's an unique case.
I warn you that there's no HEA for Gio and Beatrice. For the first time, I don't get why. But after read This Same Earth, the second book, I know the reason. No sexy times either, make me a sad puppy (lol), but the story was engaging and interesting. So, I'm not complaining. A Hidden Fire ending also kinda remind me of Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost. Even Beatrice not ass kickin' like Cat, she still a heroine that not fall into TSTL and strong in her own way
I end up binge read Elemental Mysteries and I will said that this series become my favorite! I love Ms Hunter's writing and unique concept of vampire, and looking forward to read her other books. A Hidden Fire is a good start for a new series. I will recommend this book if you want to read a story about vampire that not "same old same old" (or even sparkle, ha!), with exotic place, diversity characters and enganging world building!
Do you like Gio? Check yes or no. He had sketched two small boxes underneath the question with a large arrow pointing to the “yes” box.
She rolled her eyes and wrote back. How can you be this childish after a thousand years?
He raised his eyebrows and jotted down. That’s not a yes or no.
Screwing her mouth up in annoyance, she wrote back. Once upon a time, B made some very bad choices about boys. Then she went to college and continued making bad choices about men. Then B got smart and decided to take a break. The End.
Carwyn smiled and winked at her before writing on the notebook. Well, obviously, you need to be dating a vampire.
She rolled her eyes and wrote back. How can you be this childish after a thousand years?
He raised his eyebrows and jotted down. That’s not a yes or no.
Screwing her mouth up in annoyance, she wrote back. Once upon a time, B made some very bad choices about boys. Then she went to college and continued making bad choices about men. Then B got smart and decided to take a break. The End.
Carwyn smiled and winked at her before writing on the notebook. Well, obviously, you need to be dating a vampire.
Some notes...
A Hidden Fire is currently FREE in some e-book retailer such as Kobo, and Smashword. Not available in Google PB, sadly. So, this is a BIG DEAL, and you must download this ASAP, so I can have friends who I want to discuss this book with, lol! Seriously, you need to read A Hidden Fire :D. Also, Ms Hunter release an Elemental Mysteries bundle, include 4 books from Elemental Mysteries (A Hidden Fire, This Same Earth, The Force of Wind and a Fall of Water), some interesting tidbits and novella The Bronze Blade. The price is $9, 99 . For 4 (and a half) books!
Anyhoo, if you prefer the paperback, because it's self published, the price is higher and just availabe in trade paperback. Even it's still affordable. Worth it to buy for collection :)
“‘Love,’” he whispered in Italian, “‘is a single soul inhabiting two bodies.’”
Giovani Vecchio - A Hidden Fire
Giovani Vecchio - A Hidden Fire
Another recommended read for paranormal romance like A Hidden Fire:
- Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost
Story & Sensuality Rate
My rating for A Hidden Fire is
And the sensuality rate
Very clean and no sex scene. Just kissing, so this is suitable if you easily blush when reading a steamy love scene :P
And the sensuality rate
Very clean and no sex scene. Just kissing, so this is suitable if you easily blush when reading a steamy love scene :P
Kalau bhs inggris tuh nggak ngerti, jadi bingung mau komen apa...
BalasHapusEh, ada gratisannya di Smashword? Yey ^^. ID smashwordku apaan ya tapi :))
BalasHapusCeritanya kayaknya menarik ya. Ide elemental + vampirnya termasuk baru kudengar. Dan ternyata gak ada sexy timenya yah? Malah bikin pengin baca :))
btw, HEA apaan ya?
Iya, menarik banget idenya :D. Plus dia juga bikin karakter yang non America, jadi seluruh penjuru dunia ada disini, hihihi.
HapusHEA tuh Happily Ever After, bahagia selamanya Bion