Customer Reviews on Amazon.com

1. 19 of 24 people found this review helpful

   By Maria M. on Amazon.com 28 June, 2012

   Not Frost's Best Work

   First, don't buy this book unless you've read Frost's previous Night Huntress books--it does not stand alone (and I wonder if all these 4 and 5 star reviews are holdover feelings from Frost's previous novels). Second, if you have enjoyed Frost's previous books, you KNOW you're going to buy this one, but prepare to be disappointed--so, just suck it up, I guess.
   
   Why I'm disappointed:
   This book would have benefited from an extra 100 pages. The basics of the plot were there--woman with paranormal ability is in danger from a bad guy so she must turn to a somewhat less bad guy for help--but detail and dialogue were lacking. (Cat, Bones, Mencheres, and Kira make a brief, gratuitous visit, and as much as I like them, Frost could have used those pages for development of something else.)
   
   There is a noticeable lack of detail concerning the backstory of Leila, the female lead, and considering the novel's told from her point of view that's a problem. For example, Leila's best friend, Marty, with whom she lives and works, is a vampire (convenient since she doesn't have to go through that whole vampire-revelation thing), but there's no real explanation of how she met him. And it's not an obvious relationship that doesn't need explaining. This lack of detail would be fine if Leila were a character like Denise (First Drop of Crimson) that Frost had introduced in prior books, but she's not. I have a hard time caring about Leila or believing her acceptance of her new life.
   
   One of the things I loved about Frost's earlier Night Huntress series was the interaction between Cat and Bones. She talks, he talks, and there is a sense of their relationship developing over time--even in the first book. In this book, however, the timeline is only a matter of days which makes it hard for me to accept the interaction between Vlad, the male lead, and Leila. In fact, I don't think they actually spend that much time together--Vlad is away a lot. Also, Vlad has the ability to read Leila's mind. This little plot device didn't come up until at least a couple of books into the Night Huntress series, and in this novel it's downright annoying. It just feels like a cop out so that Vlad's character doesn't have to say much. In fact, there are several scenes where he just stares at Leila. This uneven ability would really hinder a developing relationship and the interaction between Leila and Vlad would be more interesting without this little twist.
   
   Ultimately, it just seems like Frost is depending on her previous stories to make this novel work. There seems to be a lot of Frost winking at the reader as if to say, "You've already got this and I don't really need to develop it, right?" I'm sure I'll buy the next Night Prince novel (Vlad and Leila don't have a resolution and the next one is due out next spring), but I'll be hoping that Frost steps it back up.
2. 7 of 8 people found this review helpful

   By ccterry07 on Amazon.com 29 June, 2012

   big let down for me ....

   I just don't understand what has happened .I absolutely loved Jeaniene Frost's books but it seemslike everything after Mencheres story has been lacking.. as if the author is really tired of the series herself. I was so looking forward to finally reading about Vlad,I was so drawn to him with how he was with Cat but now that he has found someone to take as his own he's almost cold to her at times. In the night huntress series we see him comfort Cat and take her into his home and at one point he somewhat seeks comfort from her. Its as if we are reading about a totally different character. I made it to 57% and sent it back for a refund which saddens me. I hate to see a character I obsessed over turn out so flat and uninteresting.
3. 4 of 4 people found this review helpful

   By C Singleton on Amazon.com 17 July, 2012

   Disappointed

   I have read all of her books and loved them!! I could hardly wait for this release...Vlad is a great character and I was looking forward to see him developed more. Very disappointed. The spin off's "Eternal Kiss of Darkness" and "First Drop of Crimson" were soooo much better. There was barely any mention of the other series characters either. Bones, Cat, Spade, Denise and Ian are all key in this series and they were only mentioned. I expected more.
4. 6 of 7 people found this review helpful

   By S. McCullough on Amazon.com 10 July, 2012

   Disappointing

   Format:Mass Market Paperback

   I am a huge Jeanine Frost fan and I have adored Vlad from the moment he was introduced into the Night Huntress world so I had some high hopes for this series. I loved the Cat and Bones stories and while her Night Huntress World spin off didn't live up to the original series they were still enjoyable. "Once Burned", and it pains me to say this, was disappointing.
   
   My first complaint is the biggest. The unique and original Vlad has turned into a bland any-vampire romance character. Seriously, I would never have realized this was the same character had his name not been the same. Then there was the story. While mildly entertaining, it was also slow moving and I never really felt a strong connection between Vlad and Leila. And I did really like Leila. Her unique abilities really worked in my opinion. She made the story readable. When the action was at the forefront of the book, the story was much more entertaining and enjoyable than when the romance was the focus. Again, I just never bought their romance. It was a lot of insta-love which was the exact opposite of the tension and attraction readers could feel sizzle on the page between Cat and Bones.
   
   The book took me way too long to get through. Unfortunately that usually signals that a book is slow moving and not very engrossing. While this isn't a bad book, it just doesn't live up to the standards Jeanine Frost has set for herself. This is a sub-par offering. I hope her follow up is stronger. I don't want to give up on Vlad but I just can't see how this introduction could lead to a strong spin off series.
5. 4 of 5 people found this review helpful

   By David M. Goldberg on Amazon.com 10 July, 2012

   Entertaining but not enthralling - not the best work by the author

   The author s work is tending to get repetitious. Beautiful heroine suddenly finds herself confronted with world of vampires. While she at first flees in terror she finds herself drawn to one extra strong vampire, with what can best be described as being in heat. In this case the vampire is our old friend Dracula, supposedly with multiple redeeming qualities, although he still has a fondness for impalement and torture. The heroine finds powers within her that she did not know she had. The vampire and her find true love or at least lust. They track and fight the evil vampire. Her family rejects the vampire. Will their animal passion be enough to sustain a relationship? The next book will tell. Sound familiar to reraders of her other books. I guess if it sells stick with it.
   
   I found the book entertaining, but not as good as other novels by the author. I found it hard to empathize with a vampire who believes torture to near death , then revival by vampire blood multiple times is a reliable means to tests someones character, that impalement for talking back is reasonable and a heroine who seems to be not only justifying this treatment but encouraging it by sicking him on prisoners. Perhaps I just find torture revolting.
   
   Read everything else by the author first. Then if you still want to kill an afternoon and have nothing better you can read this. If you get off on scenes of torture these are not overly graphic so you may be disappointed. But I found the casual use and attitude did not warm me to the hero or heroine.
6. 1 of 1 people found this review helpful

   By Michelle Horseley on Amazon.com 1 May, 2013

   Just ok! Wished it had been more!

   Format:Mass Market Paperback

   I'd given up on Jeaniene Frost vampire series with Bones and Cat because I couldn't take it anymore. Sometimes a series should just end because everything you could possibly say has already been said! When she started writing about other strong male vampire characters that had been featured in the Cat/Bones series I figured those would be books I could sink my teeth into.
   
   Once Burned is one of these books. This title features Vlad a.k.a Dracula.
   
   Initially I found the book interesting but as it progressed the main female character Leila aka Frankie lost all common sense, the plot sped up like a locomotive, and the book ended with not so much a bang but a puff of smoke. And the author left off with **spoiler alert!!!** Leila not certain of Vlads feelings for her. In other words.. to be continued?
   
   Well - I have to say, not for me! I don't like cliff hangers and this one was more than a little insulting.. it's not even a cliff - it's like a tiny half step!
   
   It's a fast read with some interesting areas but sadly - overall Once Burned was a disappointment. Vlad may be able to create fire but instead of an inferno this story simply burned out!
7. 1 of 1 people found this review helpful

   By JustAddSugar on Amazon.com 11 September, 2012

   An ok read

   This book was ok, some scenes were racy but now that I've finished it I'm left feeling strangley let down. It was like a friendship that never penetrates the surface - fun, but empty somehow. Sorry to bag it! I did finish it and enjoyed it but just wish the characters had developed more. No-one seems to be able to combine a vampire novel with beautiful captivating prose like Anne Rice! Very sad.
8. 1 of 1 people found this review helpful

   By gjr on Amazon.com 1 September, 2012

   Disappointed

   Not up to her usual standards. She is one of my favorite authors, so I expected more. I wanted to love it, not just feel so ho hum about it.
9. 3 of 4 people found this review helpful

   By Read On on Amazon.com 18 August, 2012

   Once Burned

   Format:Mass Market Paperback

   I can't say I was disappointed in the quality of writing or story telling, which this author is very good at. I just didn't get the warm and fuzzy feeling with the hero and heroine.
   
   We met Vlad in pervious books and this Vlad in Once Burned doesn't appear to be the same character. Of course he is the most feared vampire with the ability to control fire but his relationship with Leila was cold and at times detached. There was no fire and explosions with their romance. I really liked Leila's character and with her special abilities she is the perfect mate for Vlad.
   
   The whole time reading this book i didn't realize this would be another Cat & bones type series. I sure hope that in the next book Vlad and Leila have a better romantic connection. There is plenty of action and suspense to keep you interested in the book and some colourful secondary characters I hope we get to know better.
   
   I rate this book 3.5 stars.
10. 3 of 4 people found this review helpful

    By Krissy on Amazon.com 30 July, 2012

    Just Fine

    This book was great for something to enjoy over my weekend. It had action and romance and vampires. Also, my favorite part of this book had to be Leila's voice. She was fun and real. I instantly liked reading how she explained a situation.
    
    My only real issue was Vlad. Sometimes I liked his overconfidence, but other times I wished he would treat Leila better somehow. I can't say he ever hurt her or even said anything cruel to her. He just occasionally treated her with disrespect unless they were about to have sex. I also get this lust fog over a new hunky male character, but once the fog dissipates I like to enjoy the deeper qualities of the character. I didn't like Vlad's deeper character since there was something blocking who he was. I felt disconnected when he talked about his past, and I had no idea how he felt about anything in his future. There was just...something missing. Maybe this is a result of the use of first-person limited, but even if that's the case I did not like how two-dimensional he felt. It was as if he wasn't a main character.
    
    The book was mostly fast paced, but any slow parts that came up were not fun to sit through. Still, there were a lot of details to sort through, a lot happens in the story, and it IS a lengthy book. For the most part I was entertained by it. Leila especially was fun to read about.