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Chasing the Red Queen
Deadly First bite is the deepest! Donja Bellanger, suffering after the death of her father, finds herself in dire straits when her mom takes a new husband. Forced not only to move to a strange city, but to share a room with her glamorous, new stepsister, Makayla Hampton, her life spirals out of control. Makayla lures her from goth to glam, straight into an exclusive club, not only for wealthy elites but Immortal Descendants. Donja crosses paths with Torin Mancini and he’s too damn handsome to be real. Torin, who has concealed his identity as a powerful ancient sprit for eight hundred years, sets his eyes on Donja; there’s something about her blood, something he can’t walk away from. He’s not alone. A deadly predator has picked up her scent. Stalked, she reaches out to Torin, but the lure of her blood has him on edge. As Torin battles his heart desires and feelings he thought buried and gone, one thing is they have as much, if not more to fear of each other than the predator who would have her life. Is love enough? Can she accept him for what he is and better yet, can he control his hungry, hungry eyes? A beautiful love story with relentless action, elite battles and steamy moments… unforgettable!
277 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 2, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
March 7, 2019
This is a pacey, paranormal, action and adventure story with a number of aspects that I liked but also a few that I didn’t. Donja Bellanger is an unhappy goth girl about to turn 18 and things are not going very well for her. Her mother is remarrying and while her soon-to-be stepfather seems to be nice enough, they’ll be moving far away from her childhood home to a new house in Sault Ste. Marie. She doesn’t want to leave her best friend and she’s not over her boyfriend cheating on her. Her new step sister, Makayla, doesn’t show any signs of liking her and then she discovers they’ll be sharing a room.
She soon discovers she’s not so bad and shortly after moving to their new home, Donja goes out with Makayla and her boyfriend to an upmarket club. Sault Ste. Marie has had some gruesome murders of young women recently and one of the investigators, Torin Mancini, knows more about them than he is able to let on. The moment he lays eyes on Donja, he is drawn to her in a way that he hasn’t been in a long, long time.
This is an interesting twist on the usual vampire mythology. Iridescents are much like vampires with the need to feed on blood but they’re able to be out in daylight and things like garlic and silver don’t kill them. The Iridescents from this area of North America also have a lust for the blood of the Chippewa people which brought in a nice ethnic diversity to the story. Donja’s age bothered me a little bit but as the story unfolds and the history of Donja’s family becomes more apparent, I found it less disconcerting. It also helped that Donja’s mother’s reaction to her behaviour was quite realistic.
Donja and Torin’s instalove didn’t work for me though. I can suspend my disbelief around a couple getting together really quickly when there is a lot of meaningful interaction between the two of them. Donja and Makayla’s interaction was more meaningful in a shorter space of time than Donja’s was with Torin. The Iridescents is a male dominated hierarchy and the women seem to be of no more importance that to provide blood, sex and offspring.
The story is filled with action, epic battles and surprises. The unravelling of the plot kept me engaged and reading. The part I liked least was the romance but fortunately there was so much more to keep me entertained.
Book received in exchange for an honest review.
She soon discovers she’s not so bad and shortly after moving to their new home, Donja goes out with Makayla and her boyfriend to an upmarket club. Sault Ste. Marie has had some gruesome murders of young women recently and one of the investigators, Torin Mancini, knows more about them than he is able to let on. The moment he lays eyes on Donja, he is drawn to her in a way that he hasn’t been in a long, long time.
This is an interesting twist on the usual vampire mythology. Iridescents are much like vampires with the need to feed on blood but they’re able to be out in daylight and things like garlic and silver don’t kill them. The Iridescents from this area of North America also have a lust for the blood of the Chippewa people which brought in a nice ethnic diversity to the story. Donja’s age bothered me a little bit but as the story unfolds and the history of Donja’s family becomes more apparent, I found it less disconcerting. It also helped that Donja’s mother’s reaction to her behaviour was quite realistic.
Donja and Torin’s instalove didn’t work for me though. I can suspend my disbelief around a couple getting together really quickly when there is a lot of meaningful interaction between the two of them. Donja and Makayla’s interaction was more meaningful in a shorter space of time than Donja’s was with Torin. The Iridescents is a male dominated hierarchy and the women seem to be of no more importance that to provide blood, sex and offspring.
The story is filled with action, epic battles and surprises. The unravelling of the plot kept me engaged and reading. The part I liked least was the romance but fortunately there was so much more to keep me entertained.
Book received in exchange for an honest review.
March 22, 2018
This story first of the bat had me wondering was it PNR or YA surprisingly everything changed when Donja’s mum remarried and they moved.
I did feel in a sense with this story the age difference and slow at first but the despite the outcome of how Donja and Torin got together the storyline is good and the characters connects in a way that is readable and enjoyable.
I did feel in a sense with this story the age difference and slow at first but the despite the outcome of how Donja and Torin got together the storyline is good and the characters connects in a way that is readable and enjoyable.
June 12, 2018
Chasing The Red Queen by Karen Glista was nothing like I expected it to be. I falsely assumed that this book was going to be just another sappy and heavily romantic love story. I falsely assumed that every aspect of this book was going to involve details of romantic trysts or even wore numerous martial affairs. I based this assumption on the fact that the title page stated it was going to be an “intense romantic novel.” I am very happy to say I was way off base and that the story line of Chasing The Red Queen does involve a love story that is not the sole focus.
As I started to read the first chapter I will admit I wasn’t too impressed with the story line. The first few chapters were a bit slow and I was thinking the rest of the book was going to be the same. I almost gave up on the book, but I am glad I decided to stick it out because it picked up rather quickly and kept building in intensity until the very end. Although I still feel like the first chapter is something that can be left out, it does give you a quick look at the main character and provides you with a bit of her back story.
Chasing The Red Queen starts off feeling a little bit like the popular Twilight series. So much so that I was thinking not another human falls in love with a vampire story. The book even makes reference to one of the actors that starred in the Twilight movies. Luckily, the book turned out to be nothing like the series; it is a powerful story all on its own.
The story starts out giving you a glimpse into Donja Bellanger’s life as a teenager. You quickly discover that she is as normal of a teenager as they come, but you learn that her life as she knows it is about to change. Her mother is getting remarried and due to the new marriage Donja, her little brother Frankie, her mom, her stepdad and her soon to be sister Makayla are moving to give everybody a fresh start. Once the move takes place the intensity of the story slowly starts to pick up.
Upon moving into their new house Donja and Makayla become pretty close and confide in each other about their past and how hard life has been dealing with the loss of a parent. In other news, there have been reports of a few murders in the new city and across the line into Canada, but neither girl is very worried until strange things start taking place. Makayla takes Donja out to a club where Donja meets Makayla’s boyfriend Gage and his work buddy Torin. After this intense meeting, Donja beings to realize that the world isn’t exactly as it seems and there are forces out their beyond her control.
Once Donja meets up with Torin the story really begins to pick up and is filled with twists and turns that you don’t really see coming. The only thing that would make this story better is a bit more closure at the end. Then again maybe Karen Glista left it open so she can return to these characters sometime in the future.
As I started to read the first chapter I will admit I wasn’t too impressed with the story line. The first few chapters were a bit slow and I was thinking the rest of the book was going to be the same. I almost gave up on the book, but I am glad I decided to stick it out because it picked up rather quickly and kept building in intensity until the very end. Although I still feel like the first chapter is something that can be left out, it does give you a quick look at the main character and provides you with a bit of her back story.
Chasing The Red Queen starts off feeling a little bit like the popular Twilight series. So much so that I was thinking not another human falls in love with a vampire story. The book even makes reference to one of the actors that starred in the Twilight movies. Luckily, the book turned out to be nothing like the series; it is a powerful story all on its own.
The story starts out giving you a glimpse into Donja Bellanger’s life as a teenager. You quickly discover that she is as normal of a teenager as they come, but you learn that her life as she knows it is about to change. Her mother is getting remarried and due to the new marriage Donja, her little brother Frankie, her mom, her stepdad and her soon to be sister Makayla are moving to give everybody a fresh start. Once the move takes place the intensity of the story slowly starts to pick up.
Upon moving into their new house Donja and Makayla become pretty close and confide in each other about their past and how hard life has been dealing with the loss of a parent. In other news, there have been reports of a few murders in the new city and across the line into Canada, but neither girl is very worried until strange things start taking place. Makayla takes Donja out to a club where Donja meets Makayla’s boyfriend Gage and his work buddy Torin. After this intense meeting, Donja beings to realize that the world isn’t exactly as it seems and there are forces out their beyond her control.
Once Donja meets up with Torin the story really begins to pick up and is filled with twists and turns that you don’t really see coming. The only thing that would make this story better is a bit more closure at the end. Then again maybe Karen Glista left it open so she can return to these characters sometime in the future.
March 6, 2018
Chasing the Red Queen by Karen Glista is truly a riveting book that centers around misfortune that happens to a young girl and her family. For Donja Bellanger, upheaval comes after her father is killed, her mother remarries, and the family moves to a new town. Not only that but she gains a stepsister, who is about to change her life. With unsolved murders involving Chippewa women, a seductive and enticing detective named Torin Mancini is brought on the case, and Donja is pulled toward him in a magnetic way. There is a lot of stuff going on in this book from murder to vampires to teenage angst; sometimes it is hard to catch your breath. But, Glista keeps it all wrapped up in a neat package, fully fleshing out her characters, giving a teenage girl a three dimensional personality, and creating a compelling plot. This book is hard to put down, and while it may be geared toward a younger reader,it will enthrall and fascinate the most hardened vampire story fan. Highly recommend.
December 20, 2018
Not what I expected. Not at all. But that is in the most positive way. Vampire stories are normally much alike each other but this one surprised me. I liked it a lot. Well written story with a nice storyline and plot. I like that the characters and how they develop.
A passionate and emotional read with new twists. Enjoyable and recommendable.
It is a mystery/paranormal/romance novel that has a lot in it. Not usually what I read but this one I can recommend to others and I will come back to this author. The story has more sites to it. It is weaved into each other in such a captivating and enjoyable way.
There are passion, drama, danger, passion, hot scenes and lots of chemistry in this amazing story.
A passionate and emotional read with new twists. Enjoyable and recommendable.
It is a mystery/paranormal/romance novel that has a lot in it. Not usually what I read but this one I can recommend to others and I will come back to this author. The story has more sites to it. It is weaved into each other in such a captivating and enjoyable way.
There are passion, drama, danger, passion, hot scenes and lots of chemistry in this amazing story.
June 1, 2018
Most of adolescence is a blur. Combining that blur with intense emotions, riveting descriptions and an attention-demanding story is what occurs within the pages of Chasing the Red Queen by Karen Glista. In the beginning, the book is seemingly disguised as a coming-of-age story as we follow Donja and her uncomfortable transition from a single-parent family with her mother and brother to a larger family made complete by a father and sister. This is difficult for Donja as she is still hurting from her father’s death some years ago. She is in a rebellious stage where she attempts to express herself through goth-inspired dress and smoking cigarettes. The novel effortlessly evolves into an intense romantic affair with indigenous-inspired lore to cross into the paranormal. Donja learns to love and begins to see how the definition of family can evolve, for better or worse.
Glista is a master at her craft. The words she uses to describe and express emotions and depict scenery are sure to draw readers in. The novel is heavy with metaphors and over-the-top comparisons. As she states on the very cover, this novel is an intense romantic adventure; the word intense is not used in vain here. Glista lives up to the expectation those simple words put upon this novel. The wordplay sucks readers into the story, makes them feel the very emotions the characters are experiencing whether they want to or not. The passion burns on the pages while not detracting from the very substantial plot.
This is the first edition of this book and that does show from time to time. Very small errors from
misplaced quotation marks and undiscovered editing mistakes do pop up from time to time, but they aren’t glaring enough to detract from the story that Glista crafts. This book could use a thorough sweep by a sharp-eyed editor to bring it to perfection. The content itself is cohesive and the objective clear. Glista does not forgo engaging and thought-provoking content for a cheap smut tale. This book is much more than that.
Glista has done her research as she imbues a stereotypical paranormal romance with indigenous
knowledge and lore. She is respectful in her use of indigenous knowledge as a base for her tale and in doing so helps to spread awareness or at least pique interest in Aboriginal teachings and tradition.
It is hard to describe too much of the majesty of this book without giving away key plot points. Instead, focusing on the technical aspect and praising the absolute command Karen Glista has over the written word in Chasing the Red Queen should help to convince even the most skeptical of readers to at least pick it up. Despite the very small technical errors, readers will not be disappointed with the level of detail, adventure, passion and excitement this book will bring them. Do not be deceived by the first part of the book that portrays itself as the journey of an angst-ridden teenager. There is so much more to be enjoyed and experienced within these pages.
Glista is a master at her craft. The words she uses to describe and express emotions and depict scenery are sure to draw readers in. The novel is heavy with metaphors and over-the-top comparisons. As she states on the very cover, this novel is an intense romantic adventure; the word intense is not used in vain here. Glista lives up to the expectation those simple words put upon this novel. The wordplay sucks readers into the story, makes them feel the very emotions the characters are experiencing whether they want to or not. The passion burns on the pages while not detracting from the very substantial plot.
This is the first edition of this book and that does show from time to time. Very small errors from
misplaced quotation marks and undiscovered editing mistakes do pop up from time to time, but they aren’t glaring enough to detract from the story that Glista crafts. This book could use a thorough sweep by a sharp-eyed editor to bring it to perfection. The content itself is cohesive and the objective clear. Glista does not forgo engaging and thought-provoking content for a cheap smut tale. This book is much more than that.
Glista has done her research as she imbues a stereotypical paranormal romance with indigenous
knowledge and lore. She is respectful in her use of indigenous knowledge as a base for her tale and in doing so helps to spread awareness or at least pique interest in Aboriginal teachings and tradition.
It is hard to describe too much of the majesty of this book without giving away key plot points. Instead, focusing on the technical aspect and praising the absolute command Karen Glista has over the written word in Chasing the Red Queen should help to convince even the most skeptical of readers to at least pick it up. Despite the very small technical errors, readers will not be disappointed with the level of detail, adventure, passion and excitement this book will bring them. Do not be deceived by the first part of the book that portrays itself as the journey of an angst-ridden teenager. There is so much more to be enjoyed and experienced within these pages.
February 13, 2019
This book is exquisitely fantastic. The story is a perfectly presented and intensely gratifying new take on the vampire mythos. I dare to say it is on par with some of the greatest household names in both urban fantasy and paranormal romance.
At first blush, it seemed a very well written thriller. Then, a shocking twist occurs, revealing a preternatural species leaping forward in an elegant craft of both spirits rooted in indigenous people’s mythology and melded with the world of Bram Stoker.
The novel starts with the nightmare of most teenagers, moving away from everything Donja’s ever known. Meanwhile, women in her new hometown go missing, only to be found brutally slain. On a bonding trip with her new sister Makayla, it is revealed all is not what it appears to be in the Big Soo nightlife. Lives are changed as old family secrets reveal there is more to Donja’s bloodline than DNA, and happily ever after is on the horizon if they can outwit and defeat a malevolent murderer.
The undercurrents of family surviving and rebuilding through extreme loss is heartwarming. The cosmic theme of good verses evil and justice against injustice are front and present throughout the novel.
To naysayers of the romance between the seventeen/eighteen year old and centuries old Iridescent (vampire) I say this: It is FICTION and who among you at eighteen wouldn’t have jumped at the chance of immortal love? The romance is presented in a tasteful yet heated way, and I especially liked the mother’s initial displeasure with the relationship which gave the narrative a very relatable realism in an other wise urban fantasy setting.
I have only a small criticism. The first half of the book is slow and builds like a good stock. Once the main character meets her love interest, the story is at a roaring boil which the story maintains until the very end. I would’ve liked to see the novel as a whole either be substantially longer to allow for a better view of events in the second half of the novel or perhaps even presented in three separate novels. It’s a small matter of pacing in an otherwise amazing read.
Ultimately, dynamic characters create a passionate guilty pleasure read where love reigns supreme. Simply put, this is the kind of book I love to read and you should definitely pick it up.
At first blush, it seemed a very well written thriller. Then, a shocking twist occurs, revealing a preternatural species leaping forward in an elegant craft of both spirits rooted in indigenous people’s mythology and melded with the world of Bram Stoker.
The novel starts with the nightmare of most teenagers, moving away from everything Donja’s ever known. Meanwhile, women in her new hometown go missing, only to be found brutally slain. On a bonding trip with her new sister Makayla, it is revealed all is not what it appears to be in the Big Soo nightlife. Lives are changed as old family secrets reveal there is more to Donja’s bloodline than DNA, and happily ever after is on the horizon if they can outwit and defeat a malevolent murderer.
The undercurrents of family surviving and rebuilding through extreme loss is heartwarming. The cosmic theme of good verses evil and justice against injustice are front and present throughout the novel.
To naysayers of the romance between the seventeen/eighteen year old and centuries old Iridescent (vampire) I say this: It is FICTION and who among you at eighteen wouldn’t have jumped at the chance of immortal love? The romance is presented in a tasteful yet heated way, and I especially liked the mother’s initial displeasure with the relationship which gave the narrative a very relatable realism in an other wise urban fantasy setting.
I have only a small criticism. The first half of the book is slow and builds like a good stock. Once the main character meets her love interest, the story is at a roaring boil which the story maintains until the very end. I would’ve liked to see the novel as a whole either be substantially longer to allow for a better view of events in the second half of the novel or perhaps even presented in three separate novels. It’s a small matter of pacing in an otherwise amazing read.
Ultimately, dynamic characters create a passionate guilty pleasure read where love reigns supreme. Simply put, this is the kind of book I love to read and you should definitely pick it up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 5, 2019
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. I couldn't determine exactly who the target audience was supposed to be for this book. The language used in the gory murder chapters seemed targeted to adults, but the dialogue of the other chapters felt like a children's book, not even YA. The conversations were childish and choppy. That being said, some of the themes (rape, suicide, murder, etc.) are definitely not for a younger audience.
The plot and storyline were somewhat interesting with a different take on the vampire genre, but the alternating chapter shifts and respective jumps in language made the reading choppy and exhausting. Everything felt so rushed and disjointed. The new stepsisters sharing their mental health issues was shallow and definitely forced. "You lose the makeup, I lose the pills, and we both win." What? Who approved that? The constant joking about Prozac? Again, what!? The romance, reactions, and how fast things moved just weren't believable, and I felt no attachment to any character. The romance aspect felt like Twilight on cocaine. There's a lot going on in this book, which had a lot of potential, but it ultimately just didn't feel cohesive. Thank you to Booktasters for the opportunity to read this book!
The plot and storyline were somewhat interesting with a different take on the vampire genre, but the alternating chapter shifts and respective jumps in language made the reading choppy and exhausting. Everything felt so rushed and disjointed. The new stepsisters sharing their mental health issues was shallow and definitely forced. "You lose the makeup, I lose the pills, and we both win." What? Who approved that? The constant joking about Prozac? Again, what!? The romance, reactions, and how fast things moved just weren't believable, and I felt no attachment to any character. The romance aspect felt like Twilight on cocaine. There's a lot going on in this book, which had a lot of potential, but it ultimately just didn't feel cohesive. Thank you to Booktasters for the opportunity to read this book!
April 24, 2018
That was an amazing story. It is so well-written and thought out. This book was so good I just could not put it down. I love paranormal romce and this one was great,
This is Donja and Torin’s story. After her father remarries she is forced to leave her hometown and share rooms with her brand new step sister, Donja must learn to do all the new things in her life without the help of her dad. Her stepsister gets her to go to a club were she meets a boy named Torin and the two of them feel instant attraction to one another. He is older than she could ever know. He is hundreds of years old and He works on the police homicide unit, keeping his true identity hidden. Donja is a teenage girl, whose troubles haven’t even started until she meets and falls for Torin. Donja has a supernatural ancient bloodline, which is a source of attraction to the baddies and good guys alike. Let’s just hope Torin can protect her.
.Now before I ruin this for you I will leave off here. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did. If you do like this book, please consider leaving a review. The Authors really like it when you do; they value your opinions too.
This is Donja and Torin’s story. After her father remarries she is forced to leave her hometown and share rooms with her brand new step sister, Donja must learn to do all the new things in her life without the help of her dad. Her stepsister gets her to go to a club were she meets a boy named Torin and the two of them feel instant attraction to one another. He is older than she could ever know. He is hundreds of years old and He works on the police homicide unit, keeping his true identity hidden. Donja is a teenage girl, whose troubles haven’t even started until she meets and falls for Torin. Donja has a supernatural ancient bloodline, which is a source of attraction to the baddies and good guys alike. Let’s just hope Torin can protect her.
.Now before I ruin this for you I will leave off here. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did. If you do like this book, please consider leaving a review. The Authors really like it when you do; they value your opinions too.
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December 19, 2022this book is absolutely amazing.
May 30, 2019
Chasing The Red Queen by Karen Glista is marketed as a story with elements of Twilight and Fifty Shades but with a special twist. Well if the twist was quality writing, then consider it quite the twist indeed! Seriously, while I appreciate the struggle of marketing and finding an audience, don't let your predispositions of the mainstream sparkly vampire fiction screw with your head...this is a quality book. From the top: Donja Bellanger is going through some heavy life changes. Her mother is remarrying, her immediate family is expanding, and the whole happy clan is relocating to Sault Ste. Marie. The seventeen year old girl of Chippewa blood is angsty, and fed up with boys, sunshine, and general happiness. The reader, much like Donja herself, is thrown into a veritable mosh-pit of characters that can be hard to follow when taking on all these changes (a very clever writer’s trick if intentional). Eventually, Donja's life settles down and she begins to bond with her new family. While adapting to her new life with her new sister, step-dad and so on, perspective is changed to other primary characters, and then shit gets dark in a hurry.
Torin Mancini is an accomplished police investigator from the Canadian side of Sault St. Marie. We meet this handsome do-gooder as he's investigating an ever-growing number of gruesome murders. Young girls are getting absolutely eviscerated, with all the graphic sexual misconduct to match. It's clear that this was no simple homicide, as the tactics and motives are nearly unfathomable, with a clear lust for harvesting blood...and the over-the-top brutality of these crimes is done just for sport. Well at least this would be hard to fathom, if Torin himself wasn't an Iridescent vampire. I'll save most of the lore for your personal read through, but there's a LOT to take in. Basically, Torin and his secretive vampire associates are tracking a rouge vampire or set of vampires that are looking to feed and reproduce from a VERY specific bloodline. This bloodline as you might expect, comes to a head in regards to the young Donja. In short: everyone who needs blood, both good and bad, wants Donja...and she doesn't even know it yet.
This novel can be quite difficult to extrapolate into a review, as there's so much information to unpack. That being said, if you can make the high climb to take in all the necessary information, there's a rewarding story that shines on the summit of the author's hard work. It's a tantalizing combination of romance, hardcore drama, and supernatural crime fighting that serves each genre appropriately. While the story often changes perspectives, the all-knowing narrator keeps the pace without bogging down the traction that picks up once Donja and Torin finally meet. Of course, there's romance to be had here, and our protagonists get what's coming to them. However the love and sex rightly take a back seat to what is really driving the book: the intense action. It can be annoying at times when each little conflict is layered in another blanket of lore, as it seems there's an "answer for everything" when a ally or a protagonist gets an idea. Despite this, the reader is never left in the dark for very long, and while the characters are regularly dicked with, the reader’s experience remains trick-free. By the story's climax there's an all out war with Chippewa and vampiristic culture melding together that's far more worthwhile than a bunch of beautiful hunks with sharp teeth pretending to be in highschool...like in those other books that should remain nameless.
Verdict: Chasing The Red Queen by Karen Glista is a deep, lore driven supernatural fantasy romance that rewards readers for putting in the effort to surround themselves inside its world. The action packed drama, skin crawling antagonists (reader discretion advised on that by the way), and intense romance in compelling scenarios make for a memorable experience. I'm not going to accept comparisons, this novel deserves to stand on its own merit. If there's an exciting enough story to produce hundreds of annoying fanfics for decades to come, it should be this one instead. Dig in.
Special thanks to Karen Glista for providing a copy of Chasing The Red Queen to TehBen.com for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Torin Mancini is an accomplished police investigator from the Canadian side of Sault St. Marie. We meet this handsome do-gooder as he's investigating an ever-growing number of gruesome murders. Young girls are getting absolutely eviscerated, with all the graphic sexual misconduct to match. It's clear that this was no simple homicide, as the tactics and motives are nearly unfathomable, with a clear lust for harvesting blood...and the over-the-top brutality of these crimes is done just for sport. Well at least this would be hard to fathom, if Torin himself wasn't an Iridescent vampire. I'll save most of the lore for your personal read through, but there's a LOT to take in. Basically, Torin and his secretive vampire associates are tracking a rouge vampire or set of vampires that are looking to feed and reproduce from a VERY specific bloodline. This bloodline as you might expect, comes to a head in regards to the young Donja. In short: everyone who needs blood, both good and bad, wants Donja...and she doesn't even know it yet.
This novel can be quite difficult to extrapolate into a review, as there's so much information to unpack. That being said, if you can make the high climb to take in all the necessary information, there's a rewarding story that shines on the summit of the author's hard work. It's a tantalizing combination of romance, hardcore drama, and supernatural crime fighting that serves each genre appropriately. While the story often changes perspectives, the all-knowing narrator keeps the pace without bogging down the traction that picks up once Donja and Torin finally meet. Of course, there's romance to be had here, and our protagonists get what's coming to them. However the love and sex rightly take a back seat to what is really driving the book: the intense action. It can be annoying at times when each little conflict is layered in another blanket of lore, as it seems there's an "answer for everything" when a ally or a protagonist gets an idea. Despite this, the reader is never left in the dark for very long, and while the characters are regularly dicked with, the reader’s experience remains trick-free. By the story's climax there's an all out war with Chippewa and vampiristic culture melding together that's far more worthwhile than a bunch of beautiful hunks with sharp teeth pretending to be in highschool...like in those other books that should remain nameless.
Verdict: Chasing The Red Queen by Karen Glista is a deep, lore driven supernatural fantasy romance that rewards readers for putting in the effort to surround themselves inside its world. The action packed drama, skin crawling antagonists (reader discretion advised on that by the way), and intense romance in compelling scenarios make for a memorable experience. I'm not going to accept comparisons, this novel deserves to stand on its own merit. If there's an exciting enough story to produce hundreds of annoying fanfics for decades to come, it should be this one instead. Dig in.
Special thanks to Karen Glista for providing a copy of Chasing The Red Queen to TehBen.com for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
January 29, 2019
Donja is a 17-year-old girl, almost a legal adult, who finds herself forced to leave behind her best friend and her home when her mom remarries. Little does she know, there is much more to her Chippewa heritage than she can possibly imagine and her new home will bring all of it to light dangerously fast. Torin is a man with many secrets. Far older than he appears, he is a member of a well-hidden supernatural race who just happens to also be a police officer. These two parts of his identity are causing serious trouble as the Council wants him to stop a killer who may expose them to the general population. And the Council is willing, distasteful as it may seem, to wipe out entire cities if need be to keep themselves hidden from the world at large.
While hanging out with her new stepsister at a club near her new home, Donja meets an unpleasant man who makes horribly inappropriate advances. The man, whom she quickly nicknames Scarface, isn't inclined to take no for an answer and it's only the swift intervention of Mikayla's boyfriend, Gage, and Torin that the two girls are able to make it home safely that night. But they haven't seen the last of Scarface. Right around the time Donja first meets Scarface, Torin sees Donja for the first time and finds himself so captivated by her and so drawn to her that he can hardly control his appetites. Getting too close to her is dangerous for them both unless he can learn to control the intense emotions she stirs in him. But he must get close to her. Not only because he comes to love her, but because she is, unbeknownst to her, a creature prophesied long ago - the Red Queen - and there are evil powers in the world that would do anything to possess her. Torin would die to protect her.
From the beginning I was drawn to this book because it takes place in Michigan and Canda; specifically in the cities of Sault Saint Marie, Michigan (“Little Soo”) and Sault Sainte Marie, Ontario, Canada (“Big Soo”). As someone born and raised in Michigan, I still consider it “home” and think fondly of a family trip to “Little Soo” and a boat ride through the American and Candian locks. The descriptions of the locations and the scenery brought back many fond memories.
To put it bluntly, I loved the characters. The author avoided the stereotypes usually found in blended families - children who hate their step-siblings and their stepparent, only bonding after some major catastrophe - and allows Donja and her stepsister Mikayla to find some common ground in the fact that they both lost a parent and didn’t handle their grief well. It was actually refreshing to see the girls carefully crafting a friendship and eventually a sisterly bond from their shared experiences. While Donja grieves the loss of her father and occasionally wonders how her mom has been able to move and marry again, the author manages to avoid the cliche, showing Donja and her mother as very devoted to one another. As for Donja’s relationship with her step-dad, she tries to dislike him but he’s so good to her younger brother Frankie that she can’t help but appreciate his presence in her life.
If there was one thing about the book that almost annoyed - only almost - it was the length of time spent building up the two “halves” of the story. For the first dozen chapters, the author spends time allowing the reader to become acquainted with the two main characters so we are almost halfway through the book before Donja and Torin meet. If this back and forth, one character at a time pattern had continued much longer, I might have given up on the book in frustration. But just when I was REALLY ready to see what would happen when they met, the author brought them together and the story took off with a rather breathless pace. And when I say breathless, I mean I finished the last two-thirds of the book in one morning. I just couldn’t put it down! For those who enjoy Supernatural fantasy stories with a well-crafted romance, this is a perfect choice!
While hanging out with her new stepsister at a club near her new home, Donja meets an unpleasant man who makes horribly inappropriate advances. The man, whom she quickly nicknames Scarface, isn't inclined to take no for an answer and it's only the swift intervention of Mikayla's boyfriend, Gage, and Torin that the two girls are able to make it home safely that night. But they haven't seen the last of Scarface. Right around the time Donja first meets Scarface, Torin sees Donja for the first time and finds himself so captivated by her and so drawn to her that he can hardly control his appetites. Getting too close to her is dangerous for them both unless he can learn to control the intense emotions she stirs in him. But he must get close to her. Not only because he comes to love her, but because she is, unbeknownst to her, a creature prophesied long ago - the Red Queen - and there are evil powers in the world that would do anything to possess her. Torin would die to protect her.
From the beginning I was drawn to this book because it takes place in Michigan and Canda; specifically in the cities of Sault Saint Marie, Michigan (“Little Soo”) and Sault Sainte Marie, Ontario, Canada (“Big Soo”). As someone born and raised in Michigan, I still consider it “home” and think fondly of a family trip to “Little Soo” and a boat ride through the American and Candian locks. The descriptions of the locations and the scenery brought back many fond memories.
To put it bluntly, I loved the characters. The author avoided the stereotypes usually found in blended families - children who hate their step-siblings and their stepparent, only bonding after some major catastrophe - and allows Donja and her stepsister Mikayla to find some common ground in the fact that they both lost a parent and didn’t handle their grief well. It was actually refreshing to see the girls carefully crafting a friendship and eventually a sisterly bond from their shared experiences. While Donja grieves the loss of her father and occasionally wonders how her mom has been able to move and marry again, the author manages to avoid the cliche, showing Donja and her mother as very devoted to one another. As for Donja’s relationship with her step-dad, she tries to dislike him but he’s so good to her younger brother Frankie that she can’t help but appreciate his presence in her life.
If there was one thing about the book that almost annoyed - only almost - it was the length of time spent building up the two “halves” of the story. For the first dozen chapters, the author spends time allowing the reader to become acquainted with the two main characters so we are almost halfway through the book before Donja and Torin meet. If this back and forth, one character at a time pattern had continued much longer, I might have given up on the book in frustration. But just when I was REALLY ready to see what would happen when they met, the author brought them together and the story took off with a rather breathless pace. And when I say breathless, I mean I finished the last two-thirds of the book in one morning. I just couldn’t put it down! For those who enjoy Supernatural fantasy stories with a well-crafted romance, this is a perfect choice!
March 19, 2019
Romance? Action? And maybe a little blood hunger? Chasing the Red Queen by Karen Glista has all of that and a sprinkle of something extra.
After losing her father, Donja Bellanger is unable to grieve as her mother takes up a new husband and uproots her even further, relocating to a new city. Forced to share a room with her newly-minted stepsister, Makayla, Donja feels even less in control than before. When Makayla’s influence starts to rub off on Donja, who sheds her goth for more acceptable and glamorous ways, they go to a club and she meets, Torin. Little does Donja realize, but Torin is a close to an immortal being who feels drawn to her. Yet, both of them become targets to a new enemy who smells something special in Donja.
While still incorporating some of the beats to Twilight, Glista has managed to put a brand new spin on this story of lovestruck lovers in the midst of impending violence and wistful feeling. What makes this story stand out is the relationship between Makayla and Donja’s relationship. This friendship takes a backseat when Torin steps onto the stage and I mourned that loss. The romance between Torin and Donja doesn’t seem to gain any authenticity until the latter half of the book, although the world building Glista does with having Iridescents (instead of vampires) is a refreshing take.
The pacing and characterization by Glista is great and shows what special attention she made to make this not only a partial romance but a thriller as well. The addition of the chain of murders is fantastic and places an overriding existential stake on the characters to save themselves before they become the next victims.
Recommended for fans of Twilight, murder-mystery thrillers, or paranormal romance, there’s really something for everyone.
After losing her father, Donja Bellanger is unable to grieve as her mother takes up a new husband and uproots her even further, relocating to a new city. Forced to share a room with her newly-minted stepsister, Makayla, Donja feels even less in control than before. When Makayla’s influence starts to rub off on Donja, who sheds her goth for more acceptable and glamorous ways, they go to a club and she meets, Torin. Little does Donja realize, but Torin is a close to an immortal being who feels drawn to her. Yet, both of them become targets to a new enemy who smells something special in Donja.
While still incorporating some of the beats to Twilight, Glista has managed to put a brand new spin on this story of lovestruck lovers in the midst of impending violence and wistful feeling. What makes this story stand out is the relationship between Makayla and Donja’s relationship. This friendship takes a backseat when Torin steps onto the stage and I mourned that loss. The romance between Torin and Donja doesn’t seem to gain any authenticity until the latter half of the book, although the world building Glista does with having Iridescents (instead of vampires) is a refreshing take.
The pacing and characterization by Glista is great and shows what special attention she made to make this not only a partial romance but a thriller as well. The addition of the chain of murders is fantastic and places an overriding existential stake on the characters to save themselves before they become the next victims.
Recommended for fans of Twilight, murder-mystery thrillers, or paranormal romance, there’s really something for everyone.
June 2, 2018
The romantic fantasy novel Chasing the Red Queen puts a new twist on the typical vampire novel. The novel’s main character, Donja Bellanger, finds herself in a sea of many changes as her mother remarries years after the death of Donja’s father, and the family is uprooted and moved to Sault Ste. Marie, a place in Michigan right by the Canadian border. It is here that Donja is expected to adjust to her new life that includes living in a creepy, older than dirt mansion, as well as sharing living space with her step-sister, Makayla Hampton. The two seem to fall in nicely together, forming a bond where they seek to protect and empower each other. However, all is not well. A string of rape and murder of young Chippewa women begin to happen within Sault Ste. Marie on both sides of the border, and it appears that Donja may fall prey to the monster that is committing these atrocities.
Within the novel is a smaller story line that I found endearing. It is the bond that Donja and her step-sister create throughout the storyline. At the beginning of the novel, Donja is the very definition of goth, with the teenage angst and black eyeliner to fill the role. On the other hand, Makayla is very glam, and appears to enjoy material possessions that are more accepted by popular culture. It would be likely for the reader to assume that these two young women will be rivals throughout the novel, but author, Karen Glista, develops a wonderful relationship between the two step-sisters. Within this relationship Donja and Makayla seek to empower and protect each other, all while being willing to participate in and share the aspects of the life, interests, and fashion sense that makes them both unique. It’s enlightening to see two young females in this type of role.
A small point of weakness within the novel might be the labeling and characteristics of the supernatural characters, or as they’re referred to, Iridescents. On the surface, they certainly seem like vampires, meaning that they have fangs, feed on the blood of humans, and try to keep their identities hidden. Within the first few pages of the novel, it seems like something out of the Twilight novels where an attractive vampire has the hots for a human, and an intense attraction begins to form between the two. Although in certain parts of the novel, this seems like the case, Glista does an excellent job of trying to distinguish these characters from your typical vampire. First off, they do not have the weaknesses of a vampire, meaning they can be in the sun, eat normal food, and are not weakened by crosses or garlic. Second, Glista weaves in Native American culture into the novel to add a more in-depth, rooted in reality, aspect to her novel.
Overall, it’s clear that Glista has spent a lot of time and effort into character and storyline development. She has added the necessary detail – detail that is missing from so many contemporary novels – to create an interesting story and make the reading of the novel worthwhile.
Within the novel is a smaller story line that I found endearing. It is the bond that Donja and her step-sister create throughout the storyline. At the beginning of the novel, Donja is the very definition of goth, with the teenage angst and black eyeliner to fill the role. On the other hand, Makayla is very glam, and appears to enjoy material possessions that are more accepted by popular culture. It would be likely for the reader to assume that these two young women will be rivals throughout the novel, but author, Karen Glista, develops a wonderful relationship between the two step-sisters. Within this relationship Donja and Makayla seek to empower and protect each other, all while being willing to participate in and share the aspects of the life, interests, and fashion sense that makes them both unique. It’s enlightening to see two young females in this type of role.
A small point of weakness within the novel might be the labeling and characteristics of the supernatural characters, or as they’re referred to, Iridescents. On the surface, they certainly seem like vampires, meaning that they have fangs, feed on the blood of humans, and try to keep their identities hidden. Within the first few pages of the novel, it seems like something out of the Twilight novels where an attractive vampire has the hots for a human, and an intense attraction begins to form between the two. Although in certain parts of the novel, this seems like the case, Glista does an excellent job of trying to distinguish these characters from your typical vampire. First off, they do not have the weaknesses of a vampire, meaning they can be in the sun, eat normal food, and are not weakened by crosses or garlic. Second, Glista weaves in Native American culture into the novel to add a more in-depth, rooted in reality, aspect to her novel.
Overall, it’s clear that Glista has spent a lot of time and effort into character and storyline development. She has added the necessary detail – detail that is missing from so many contemporary novels – to create an interesting story and make the reading of the novel worthwhile.
February 16, 2018
“Fact or Fiction: Just because you fail to believe doesn’t make it a given.”
Chasing the Red Queen is a paranormal romance novel written by Karen Glista and published on February 2nd, 2018. Donja Bellanger appears to be a fairly normal goth teenager, but it quickly becomes apparent that she is struggling immensely. Donja is still struggling with the death of her father six years before and now has to move away from her friends to live with her new stepfather and stepsister. But things take a dramatic turn for her. She quickly finds herself the target of a predator who has been attacking girls in the town. Ancient beings, murder, family history, bloodlines, and love all come together in this fantastical story.
While the set up of the story starts off with a stereotypical gothic girl meets ancient vampire and romance ensues theme the story quickly grows and changes into a unique telling of this genre. Donja is a strong character. While the opening of the story shows her to seem like a normal rebellious teenager, the reader is taken into her mind and you are shown just how many struggles she has faced and the strength she shows to her mother and brother. The way she deals with her father’s death, and having to leave behind her friends both give her a depth that made her a sympathetic narrator.
Donja’s relationship with her stepsister Makayla was a particular favorite point in the story for me. Their stark contrast in personality and aversion to each other at the beginning made me weary. I am tired of this contrast resulting in a female rivalry. Donja and Makayla fight this stereotype and become close friends and form a close bond that I really enjoyed throughout the book. The other part of this book that made the story unique was the connection it had with the Chippewa tribe and the idea of historical bloodlines.
While the relationship between Donja and Torin initially made me somewhat uncomfortable, as he is an ancient magical being and she is a high school student, throughout the course of the book I felt it hard not to cheer for the two of them. Their romance adds an excitement and sensuality to the story which flights between teen struggles and murder.
The story as a whole was exciting, fun, dangerous, and full of romance. I found Glista’s take on vampires and ancient beings, the Iridescent, to be interesting and add to the genre. It was a perfect balance of romance and thrilling murder mystery. Upon finishing the book, I would not help but hope for a sequel so that I could continue Donja’s journey. This was a great read that I would definitely recommend to lovers of romance, particularly paranormal romance.
Chasing the Red Queen is a paranormal romance novel written by Karen Glista and published on February 2nd, 2018. Donja Bellanger appears to be a fairly normal goth teenager, but it quickly becomes apparent that she is struggling immensely. Donja is still struggling with the death of her father six years before and now has to move away from her friends to live with her new stepfather and stepsister. But things take a dramatic turn for her. She quickly finds herself the target of a predator who has been attacking girls in the town. Ancient beings, murder, family history, bloodlines, and love all come together in this fantastical story.
While the set up of the story starts off with a stereotypical gothic girl meets ancient vampire and romance ensues theme the story quickly grows and changes into a unique telling of this genre. Donja is a strong character. While the opening of the story shows her to seem like a normal rebellious teenager, the reader is taken into her mind and you are shown just how many struggles she has faced and the strength she shows to her mother and brother. The way she deals with her father’s death, and having to leave behind her friends both give her a depth that made her a sympathetic narrator.
Donja’s relationship with her stepsister Makayla was a particular favorite point in the story for me. Their stark contrast in personality and aversion to each other at the beginning made me weary. I am tired of this contrast resulting in a female rivalry. Donja and Makayla fight this stereotype and become close friends and form a close bond that I really enjoyed throughout the book. The other part of this book that made the story unique was the connection it had with the Chippewa tribe and the idea of historical bloodlines.
While the relationship between Donja and Torin initially made me somewhat uncomfortable, as he is an ancient magical being and she is a high school student, throughout the course of the book I felt it hard not to cheer for the two of them. Their romance adds an excitement and sensuality to the story which flights between teen struggles and murder.
The story as a whole was exciting, fun, dangerous, and full of romance. I found Glista’s take on vampires and ancient beings, the Iridescent, to be interesting and add to the genre. It was a perfect balance of romance and thrilling murder mystery. Upon finishing the book, I would not help but hope for a sequel so that I could continue Donja’s journey. This was a great read that I would definitely recommend to lovers of romance, particularly paranormal romance.
March 29, 2018
This book pushes the edge of controversy. The story itself is a great YA novel and somewhat fulfills the teen girl fantasy of finding a mysterious vampire. Though there are some major plot points that parallel Twilight, the writing is a bit more fast-paced and (in some places) hyper-focuses on the romance in a way that isn’t seen in other books in this genre.
The controversial bits don’t really jump out at you unless you’re looking for them (even though there were a few unexpected, bold parts), and they help tell an honest, full story. For the people put off by some of the other reviews, I wouldn’t be. The writing is good, and the story is true. Some scenes definitely aren’t for the YA audience (though it’s marketed that way), it remains true to its characters and what they would do in those situations. This honesty really pushes the story forward and feels real.
The controversial bits don’t really jump out at you unless you’re looking for them (even though there were a few unexpected, bold parts), and they help tell an honest, full story. For the people put off by some of the other reviews, I wouldn’t be. The writing is good, and the story is true. Some scenes definitely aren’t for the YA audience (though it’s marketed that way), it remains true to its characters and what they would do in those situations. This honesty really pushes the story forward and feels real.
March 26, 2018
Iridescents are immortals who feed on human blood. They have exceptional abilities including their sense of smell, by which they identify others. Donja is an ordinary American teenager but is about to find herself thrown in at the deep end, experiencing the Iridescent world for herself. A rogue Iridescent is responsible for a string of murders and Iridescents are keen that the perpetrator doesn’t draw attention to their kind. Thus ensues the meeting of two worlds and the discovery that everlasting love does exist.
This is a whirlwind of a story, detailing thousands of years of Iridescent history and the pace doesn’t let up once. This is the adventure of a lifetime for a young woman who discovers she is sacred, thanks to her rare blood group and ancestry. Readers looking for something a little different, to keep them on their toes will not be disappointed by this.
This is a whirlwind of a story, detailing thousands of years of Iridescent history and the pace doesn’t let up once. This is the adventure of a lifetime for a young woman who discovers she is sacred, thanks to her rare blood group and ancestry. Readers looking for something a little different, to keep them on their toes will not be disappointed by this.
February 10, 2019
This book had quite a promising start to it and some interesting plot points but overall it was disappointing.
The romance wasn’t very believable and just some of the things that happened in the book were very questionable and unnecessary.
I feel like this book is supposed to be a YA but I wouldn’t want to recommend it to anyone young because there are so many heavy themes such as suicide, rape, graphic descriptions of murder and also a LOT of teen pregnancy, young teens dating/marrying older men and issues of consent and underage sex. The thing is that I have read great books with these themes in them but this book just chucks them in at random parts and to give illusions to character development and I feel like you could take all these things away and still be left with the same character.
I liked the alternative take on vampires and the history behind the initially...then it just started to get rather outlandish and made me want to chuck the book across the room.
It just kept getting incredibly frustrating to read, every time the plot started to get good again the author would throw in something ridiculous.
I had no attachments to any of the characters and it was a shame because I feel at points Donja could have been a great protagonist. I liked getting different points of view, if anything it made the book slightly more interesting.
There were so many times that I wanted to give up on this book. I just kept giving it more chances to get better but it didn’t.
I wish that the book had stuck to the original premise of there being a serial killer vampire and Torin and Donja’s relationship had developed from him investigating the murders and Donja being seen as the next victim because of her special (incestuous) blood. Instead of it going from 0-60 - I hate this man to oh my god I’m in love with him, let’s get married.
The romance wasn’t very believable and just some of the things that happened in the book were very questionable and unnecessary.
I feel like this book is supposed to be a YA but I wouldn’t want to recommend it to anyone young because there are so many heavy themes such as suicide, rape, graphic descriptions of murder and also a LOT of teen pregnancy, young teens dating/marrying older men and issues of consent and underage sex. The thing is that I have read great books with these themes in them but this book just chucks them in at random parts and to give illusions to character development and I feel like you could take all these things away and still be left with the same character.
I liked the alternative take on vampires and the history behind the initially...then it just started to get rather outlandish and made me want to chuck the book across the room.
It just kept getting incredibly frustrating to read, every time the plot started to get good again the author would throw in something ridiculous.
I had no attachments to any of the characters and it was a shame because I feel at points Donja could have been a great protagonist. I liked getting different points of view, if anything it made the book slightly more interesting.
There were so many times that I wanted to give up on this book. I just kept giving it more chances to get better but it didn’t.
I wish that the book had stuck to the original premise of there being a serial killer vampire and Torin and Donja’s relationship had developed from him investigating the murders and Donja being seen as the next victim because of her special (incestuous) blood. Instead of it going from 0-60 - I hate this man to oh my god I’m in love with him, let’s get married.
April 15, 2019
I really loved how Donja Bellanger and Makayla Hampton start interacting, as well as how the awesome dynamics between them comes out. This was a book that sucked me right in; and I most certainly wouldn't mind if the author wrote another book with the vampire-type theme with some of the other characters that appeared in this book. I got a copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 19, 2018
Karen Glista intertwines two parallel stories – one of new found love for unusual couple Donja and Torin – and one of a series of murders of young women. She maintains just the right tempo to keep the reader intrigued and wanting to know more.
Torin, although hundreds of years old, has the appearance of a fit, toned and handsome young man, with the Rolex, Ferrari and luxury home to match. He works on the police homicide team, keeping his true identity hidden. Donja is a teenage girl, whose troubles haven’t even started until she meets and falls for Torin.
This is a great book that really delivers if you’re after adventure, battles, highs and lows, that’s not shy of a few bloody and steamy scenes too. Perfect for young adult readers as well as fans of vampire fiction and heroic love stories where good overcomes evil. A nail-biting read with a happy ending. What more could you want?
Torin, although hundreds of years old, has the appearance of a fit, toned and handsome young man, with the Rolex, Ferrari and luxury home to match. He works on the police homicide team, keeping his true identity hidden. Donja is a teenage girl, whose troubles haven’t even started until she meets and falls for Torin.
This is a great book that really delivers if you’re after adventure, battles, highs and lows, that’s not shy of a few bloody and steamy scenes too. Perfect for young adult readers as well as fans of vampire fiction and heroic love stories where good overcomes evil. A nail-biting read with a happy ending. What more could you want?
April 30, 2018
Move over Twilight, this book has it all! Romance, ancient bloodlines, battles, hunting, friendships, new families, and, of course, vampires make for an epic tale called "Chasing the Red Queen." The main character, Donja, has her teenage world turned upside down after the death of her father. Her mother meets someone else, and relocates both she and Donja to her new family's home. Donja now has a new step-sister, Maykala, who shows her another world beyond Donja's limited exposure. I loved the scenes with Donja's new love interest Torin. Donja has a rare blood type that attracts both Torin and some unwanted attention from those who wish her harm. Together with her new family and Torin, they must battle those who want to see her dead. I as pretty impressed with this book! It has action, romance, a great story-line and I recommend for those who love anything with vampires.
November 29, 2018
‘Nothing of him that doth fade, But doth suffer a sea-change, into something rich and strange’-Shakespeare
Michigan author Karen Glista is a registered nurse whose interests include camping, canoeing the Pine River, cooking and caring for her home in the woods. She spends her alone time writing novels - her three volume Chronicles of Orian, The Taking of Peggy Martin, and now Chasing the Red Queen.
To set the stage for her paranormal novel, Karen offers in her Prologue – ‘Just because you fail to believe, doesn’t make it a given. It is written in the ancient birch parchments of the Ojibwe that seven spirits presented themselves to the people in the Land of the Dawn to teach the Mide way of life. The first six spirits were good and kind, but the seventh grew too powerful and killed those in his presence. The other six spirits took to the river and swam back to the ocean from whence they came.’
And so we enter the strange world of this book, but Karen has that keen sense of seduction by opening her novel with very real memories – ‘ You know, looking back, I remember so well that summer I turned eighteen. Black was my color, goth my life, Debbie Hall my BFF, Kevin my heartthrob, weekends at Silver Beach, the mall, an android phone and a used Honda Civic, my very own. Life was good, really, really, good and then— it all changed.’ And she proceeds to make the setting calm and congenial – ‘The day was glorious with the blinding overhead orb pushing the temperatures past eighty degrees. Cruising down Lakeshore Drive with the waves of Lake Michigan crashing, seventeen-year-old Donja Bellanger bypassed the city of St. Joseph, her destination its sister city of Benton Harbor. She glanced over to Debbie, her best friend since fourth grade, who was applying gloss over her black lipstick. “Don’t let me forget to get eyeliner, I’m out!” she shouted over the iconic tunes of The Cure. Just off Napier Avenue, which was busy for the noon hour, Donja sped through a yellow light and rolled into Benton Harbor. Adrift in the music which was all but rattling the fender wells, she darted ahead of oncoming traffic into the parking lot of the Burger Shack. She eased her Honda into the drive-through, manning the steering wheel with her knees while digging in her purse for loose change. After grabbing their sugar-free, vanilla lattes, she careened past a delivery truck onto Pipestone Road. Sipping her latte, she took a fast exit without the courtesy of a blinker, cars honking as she darted into the parking lot of Hurley’s Quick Stop. She pulled alongside the pumps and got out, the smell of gasoline nauseating.’
She has us captured and now we learn of vampires and other paranormal aspects that make this book so readable. In her synopsis she places a guide – ‘Donja Bellanger, suffering after the death of her father, finds herself in dire straits when her mom takes a new husband. Forced not only to move to a strange city, but to share a room with her glamorous, new stepsister, Makayla Hampton, her life spirals out of control. Makayla lures her from goth to glam, straight into an exclusive club, not only for wealthy elites but Immortal Descendants. Donja crosses paths with Torin Mancini and he’s too handsome to be real. Torin, who has concealed his identity as a powerful ancient sprit for eight hundred years, sets his eyes on Donja; there’s something about her blood, something he can’t walk away from. He’s not alone. A deadly predator has picked up her scent. Stalked, she reaches out to Torin, but the lure of her blood has him on edge. As Torin battles his heart desires and feelings he thought buried and gone, one thing is clear: they have as much, if not more to fear of each other than the predator who would have her life. Is love enough? Can she accept him for what he is and better yet, can he control his hungry, hungry eyes?’
Well conceived, very well written, this is the kind of romantic paranormal story that holds something for every reader.
Michigan author Karen Glista is a registered nurse whose interests include camping, canoeing the Pine River, cooking and caring for her home in the woods. She spends her alone time writing novels - her three volume Chronicles of Orian, The Taking of Peggy Martin, and now Chasing the Red Queen.
To set the stage for her paranormal novel, Karen offers in her Prologue – ‘Just because you fail to believe, doesn’t make it a given. It is written in the ancient birch parchments of the Ojibwe that seven spirits presented themselves to the people in the Land of the Dawn to teach the Mide way of life. The first six spirits were good and kind, but the seventh grew too powerful and killed those in his presence. The other six spirits took to the river and swam back to the ocean from whence they came.’
And so we enter the strange world of this book, but Karen has that keen sense of seduction by opening her novel with very real memories – ‘ You know, looking back, I remember so well that summer I turned eighteen. Black was my color, goth my life, Debbie Hall my BFF, Kevin my heartthrob, weekends at Silver Beach, the mall, an android phone and a used Honda Civic, my very own. Life was good, really, really, good and then— it all changed.’ And she proceeds to make the setting calm and congenial – ‘The day was glorious with the blinding overhead orb pushing the temperatures past eighty degrees. Cruising down Lakeshore Drive with the waves of Lake Michigan crashing, seventeen-year-old Donja Bellanger bypassed the city of St. Joseph, her destination its sister city of Benton Harbor. She glanced over to Debbie, her best friend since fourth grade, who was applying gloss over her black lipstick. “Don’t let me forget to get eyeliner, I’m out!” she shouted over the iconic tunes of The Cure. Just off Napier Avenue, which was busy for the noon hour, Donja sped through a yellow light and rolled into Benton Harbor. Adrift in the music which was all but rattling the fender wells, she darted ahead of oncoming traffic into the parking lot of the Burger Shack. She eased her Honda into the drive-through, manning the steering wheel with her knees while digging in her purse for loose change. After grabbing their sugar-free, vanilla lattes, she careened past a delivery truck onto Pipestone Road. Sipping her latte, she took a fast exit without the courtesy of a blinker, cars honking as she darted into the parking lot of Hurley’s Quick Stop. She pulled alongside the pumps and got out, the smell of gasoline nauseating.’
She has us captured and now we learn of vampires and other paranormal aspects that make this book so readable. In her synopsis she places a guide – ‘Donja Bellanger, suffering after the death of her father, finds herself in dire straits when her mom takes a new husband. Forced not only to move to a strange city, but to share a room with her glamorous, new stepsister, Makayla Hampton, her life spirals out of control. Makayla lures her from goth to glam, straight into an exclusive club, not only for wealthy elites but Immortal Descendants. Donja crosses paths with Torin Mancini and he’s too handsome to be real. Torin, who has concealed his identity as a powerful ancient sprit for eight hundred years, sets his eyes on Donja; there’s something about her blood, something he can’t walk away from. He’s not alone. A deadly predator has picked up her scent. Stalked, she reaches out to Torin, but the lure of her blood has him on edge. As Torin battles his heart desires and feelings he thought buried and gone, one thing is clear: they have as much, if not more to fear of each other than the predator who would have her life. Is love enough? Can she accept him for what he is and better yet, can he control his hungry, hungry eyes?’
Well conceived, very well written, this is the kind of romantic paranormal story that holds something for every reader.
May 14, 2018
Chasing the Red Queen by Karen Glista
Donja Bellanger is a regular teenage girl who lost her father. She misses him very much and thinks that perhaps he mother is forgetting about him after only six years. She has reached a point of cordial tolerance with the ‘new daddy’. She must also contend with a new glamorous Ivy League stepsister in addition to a new home ad town. She grows quite close to the stepsister though. She will be leaving behind her fellow goth mate Debbie.
Moving to Sault Ste Marie will change Donja’s life in more ways than one. Unbeknownst to her, she is a rare breed. She is very desirable to the iridescent community. She is in danger but lucky for her she finds a worthy and capable protector in the handsome 800-year-old Torin Mancini.
Torin is drawn to Donja for a myriad of reasons. The first being her delicious, rare and mutated blood. The other being the spark of affection they share. All the other reasons are unknown even to them. That is just how love is. You love without knowing why. These reasons drive Torin to an inch of his life trying to keep his beloved happy and alive. Will love indeed conquer all? Will the nature of Gage and Torin matter little to the young sweethearts? How will they overcome the mortality question?
‘Chasing the Red Queen’ is a young adult novel. It has a happy ending but with lots of action and twists in the middle. The way Karen Glista weaves in technology to bring the story into this century is pretty genius, as it does not leave the reader feeling at sea. The sentence structure is simple and appealing. The author has done a good job of weaving an intriguing plot with a bit of surprising homosexuality revelation towards the end. Usually, the transformations of these creatures would be quite difficult to picture but the author has done a great job of painting a picture of the process with an appearance of the fangs and glowing eyes. This lends the story with a bit more excitement for a paranormal enthusiast.
Most stories with heroes tend to make the heroes unbendable. They make them hard as steel and unable to feel pain. It is a fresh thing to see Torin get slowed down by that bullet that he needs to be saved. It makes him a bit more relatable and almost human to the reader. He is a hero, yes but he is not beyond needing help and appreciating it.
As would most people, the whole grown man and teenage girl relationship is a bit unnerving. However, experiencing the relationship between Torin and Donja takes the discomfort out of it. They love each other beyond age and nature. Their relationship has an intrinsically profound element that you cannot help but admire. There is a lot of cursive in the dialogues. To be honest, these words are necessary sometimes especially in a war like the one Torin was embroiled in.
This book is entertaining and well written. The story does not leave questions unanswered. Torin sort of stumbles into the marriage proposal. This is not in line with the romantic affectionate man we have come to know through the book but when you know you know. Five stars out of five all the way. ‘Chasing the Red Queen’ is highly recommended to anyone who enjoys fantasy and love stories. Donja could very well be the girl who launched a thousand ships.
Donja Bellanger is a regular teenage girl who lost her father. She misses him very much and thinks that perhaps he mother is forgetting about him after only six years. She has reached a point of cordial tolerance with the ‘new daddy’. She must also contend with a new glamorous Ivy League stepsister in addition to a new home ad town. She grows quite close to the stepsister though. She will be leaving behind her fellow goth mate Debbie.
Moving to Sault Ste Marie will change Donja’s life in more ways than one. Unbeknownst to her, she is a rare breed. She is very desirable to the iridescent community. She is in danger but lucky for her she finds a worthy and capable protector in the handsome 800-year-old Torin Mancini.
Torin is drawn to Donja for a myriad of reasons. The first being her delicious, rare and mutated blood. The other being the spark of affection they share. All the other reasons are unknown even to them. That is just how love is. You love without knowing why. These reasons drive Torin to an inch of his life trying to keep his beloved happy and alive. Will love indeed conquer all? Will the nature of Gage and Torin matter little to the young sweethearts? How will they overcome the mortality question?
‘Chasing the Red Queen’ is a young adult novel. It has a happy ending but with lots of action and twists in the middle. The way Karen Glista weaves in technology to bring the story into this century is pretty genius, as it does not leave the reader feeling at sea. The sentence structure is simple and appealing. The author has done a good job of weaving an intriguing plot with a bit of surprising homosexuality revelation towards the end. Usually, the transformations of these creatures would be quite difficult to picture but the author has done a great job of painting a picture of the process with an appearance of the fangs and glowing eyes. This lends the story with a bit more excitement for a paranormal enthusiast.
Most stories with heroes tend to make the heroes unbendable. They make them hard as steel and unable to feel pain. It is a fresh thing to see Torin get slowed down by that bullet that he needs to be saved. It makes him a bit more relatable and almost human to the reader. He is a hero, yes but he is not beyond needing help and appreciating it.
As would most people, the whole grown man and teenage girl relationship is a bit unnerving. However, experiencing the relationship between Torin and Donja takes the discomfort out of it. They love each other beyond age and nature. Their relationship has an intrinsically profound element that you cannot help but admire. There is a lot of cursive in the dialogues. To be honest, these words are necessary sometimes especially in a war like the one Torin was embroiled in.
This book is entertaining and well written. The story does not leave questions unanswered. Torin sort of stumbles into the marriage proposal. This is not in line with the romantic affectionate man we have come to know through the book but when you know you know. Five stars out of five all the way. ‘Chasing the Red Queen’ is highly recommended to anyone who enjoys fantasy and love stories. Donja could very well be the girl who launched a thousand ships.
April 23, 2019
Karin Glista weaves together parts of a vampire fantasy, a romance book, and a crime story to form her novel, Chasing the Red Queen. Young Donja’s story starts out like many coming-of-age stories I’ve read in the past as she is jerked away from her home and friends to move to a new place. The teenager’s mother is getting remarried, and with that marriage comes a new place, a new stepfather, and new stepsister. This story, however, is anything but ordinary and that becomes evident quickly. The plot quickly becomes peppered with mystery surrounding her Chippewa roots and the vampiric man she falls for.
Donja’s story begins like some books I read during middle school. New kid in a new town with new problems. It is not, however, your average middle school book. It isn’t a middle school book at all. It isn’t laced with constant sexual scenes throughout, but it does get pretty graphic at times. That’s a bit confusing for me. So, I’d recommend for adults only.
An adult Twilight fan or other fans of the vampire fantasy genre would probably enjoy this book. Glista does, however, deviate some from the traditional vampire story we’ve all heard. Her “Iridescents” don’t like to be called vampires, but they do have the singular defining characteristic of vampires. They drink blood. They don’t sparkle, but their eyes are quite bright and shiny when they are ready to feed. They can go out in the day time, and eat garlic. They have high body temperatures. I was glad that they weren’t carbon copies of every vampire-like character we have ever seen or read of while keeping the basic traits in tact.
Readers will likely sympathize with Donja’s situation and identify with her family and their dynamic. I like that Donja and Makayla learned to look past their differences and get along. The two couldn’t have been farther apart in their looks, style, and tastes. They both seemed to give a little and meet in the middle, becoming the best of friends and claiming each other as sisters. The other family members also joined together to become one cohesive unit.
All is not slumber parties, romance, or fairy tales, however. Donja finds herself in some life-threatening and dire situations. Her sticky situations together with vampires, fast cars, superhuman immortals, a possibly haunted house, a steamy romance, some violence, and Chippewa doctrine all amp up the excitement level, leaving hardly a dull moment.
Glista’s book is structurally sound. Her use of grammar and spelling are near impeccable. The flow is good. She squeezes a lot into a relatively short book without it feeling too rushed. There is room for exploration of some of the elements and characters and scenarios moving forward, but I didn’t feel that there were many, if any, big, gaping plot holes.
I’m giving Karen Glista’s Chasing the Red Queen 4 out of 5 stars. The book was written well, and was an easy enough read without being boring at all. The characters were interesting, and the plot pulls the reader in. The teenage novel feel in the beginning paired with the graphic content found later on seemed to muddy things just a bit for me. Beyond that, it’s a good and solid book. I’d like to read more by Glista.
Donja’s story begins like some books I read during middle school. New kid in a new town with new problems. It is not, however, your average middle school book. It isn’t a middle school book at all. It isn’t laced with constant sexual scenes throughout, but it does get pretty graphic at times. That’s a bit confusing for me. So, I’d recommend for adults only.
An adult Twilight fan or other fans of the vampire fantasy genre would probably enjoy this book. Glista does, however, deviate some from the traditional vampire story we’ve all heard. Her “Iridescents” don’t like to be called vampires, but they do have the singular defining characteristic of vampires. They drink blood. They don’t sparkle, but their eyes are quite bright and shiny when they are ready to feed. They can go out in the day time, and eat garlic. They have high body temperatures. I was glad that they weren’t carbon copies of every vampire-like character we have ever seen or read of while keeping the basic traits in tact.
Readers will likely sympathize with Donja’s situation and identify with her family and their dynamic. I like that Donja and Makayla learned to look past their differences and get along. The two couldn’t have been farther apart in their looks, style, and tastes. They both seemed to give a little and meet in the middle, becoming the best of friends and claiming each other as sisters. The other family members also joined together to become one cohesive unit.
All is not slumber parties, romance, or fairy tales, however. Donja finds herself in some life-threatening and dire situations. Her sticky situations together with vampires, fast cars, superhuman immortals, a possibly haunted house, a steamy romance, some violence, and Chippewa doctrine all amp up the excitement level, leaving hardly a dull moment.
Glista’s book is structurally sound. Her use of grammar and spelling are near impeccable. The flow is good. She squeezes a lot into a relatively short book without it feeling too rushed. There is room for exploration of some of the elements and characters and scenarios moving forward, but I didn’t feel that there were many, if any, big, gaping plot holes.
I’m giving Karen Glista’s Chasing the Red Queen 4 out of 5 stars. The book was written well, and was an easy enough read without being boring at all. The characters were interesting, and the plot pulls the reader in. The teenage novel feel in the beginning paired with the graphic content found later on seemed to muddy things just a bit for me. Beyond that, it’s a good and solid book. I’d like to read more by Glista.
March 18, 2019
The book starts like any other fantasy novel. The reader is introduced to the characters and their lives. I was not sure I was going to like Donja in the book. This is due to how she carried and expressed herself. Debbie was a little likable. I loved her personality despite the few times she snapped or failed to watch her words. I thought she was a little bit cool. Donja was a great character, what I could not understand is how she seemed unhappy and wretched during most times. Donja’s mother marrying again had a huge impact on her. Moving to a different town was not easy for her. Imagine leaving your childhood friends as your family; relocates all this while you are dealing with betrayal by your disloyal boyfriend. Things were not easy for her, and I honestly did not blame her for when she had a terrible attitude.
Through 18-year-old Donja Bellanger, the author showed how different life can turn out to be after some events. The death of Donja’s father was a huge blow to her. What made life a little unbearable to her was having to share her mother with her new husband and stepsister Makayla Hampton. The plot got to be a little bit interesting with the introduction of Torin Mancini. I loved the detective Tori because he altered the storyline to be better. Torin was tasked with investigating the terrible murders of women in Sault Ste. Marie. This part of the book shed light into the many femicide cases that are reported in towns like Sault Ste. Marie.
See, Torin was a fascinating character; he had hidden his identity as an old commanding spirit for a period of about 800 years. His interest in Donja was stimulating. The reader could see how he marveled the girl and wanted to be with her. With a deadly predator eyeing Donja, Torin had to do something because a monster could have been after her. I loved the instant connection Torin had with Donja. Theirs was a perfect love story that everyone wants to read. The good thing with fantasy novels is that not everything needs to appear as it does in real life. I feel that Makayla’s role was crucial in the meeting of the two because had she not taken Donja to the club, she could probably never have connected with Torin in that manner. That made Makayla an important character.
‘Chasing The Red Queen’ is a book that is full of action, drama, epic battles, and has themes of romance, teen problems, fantasy, friendship, and family. The plot gets better with every new chapter as the author introduces new events. This is a book for readers who enjoy publications with the theme of vampire eroticism. You will fall in love with some characters and despise others. The author is a genius who understands what is entailed in this genre. I recommend this book to all readers who have a thing for paranormal vampire romance and teen fantasy books.
Through 18-year-old Donja Bellanger, the author showed how different life can turn out to be after some events. The death of Donja’s father was a huge blow to her. What made life a little unbearable to her was having to share her mother with her new husband and stepsister Makayla Hampton. The plot got to be a little bit interesting with the introduction of Torin Mancini. I loved the detective Tori because he altered the storyline to be better. Torin was tasked with investigating the terrible murders of women in Sault Ste. Marie. This part of the book shed light into the many femicide cases that are reported in towns like Sault Ste. Marie.
See, Torin was a fascinating character; he had hidden his identity as an old commanding spirit for a period of about 800 years. His interest in Donja was stimulating. The reader could see how he marveled the girl and wanted to be with her. With a deadly predator eyeing Donja, Torin had to do something because a monster could have been after her. I loved the instant connection Torin had with Donja. Theirs was a perfect love story that everyone wants to read. The good thing with fantasy novels is that not everything needs to appear as it does in real life. I feel that Makayla’s role was crucial in the meeting of the two because had she not taken Donja to the club, she could probably never have connected with Torin in that manner. That made Makayla an important character.
‘Chasing The Red Queen’ is a book that is full of action, drama, epic battles, and has themes of romance, teen problems, fantasy, friendship, and family. The plot gets better with every new chapter as the author introduces new events. This is a book for readers who enjoy publications with the theme of vampire eroticism. You will fall in love with some characters and despise others. The author is a genius who understands what is entailed in this genre. I recommend this book to all readers who have a thing for paranormal vampire romance and teen fantasy books.
April 6, 2019
For seventeen year old Donja, nothing could be worse than moving away from her friends, her school, and literally everything she’s ever known about her life. Yet when her mom decides to remarry, that’s exactly the reality she has to face. Within days of moving to Sault Ste. Marie and trying to settle in, Donja meets Torin, a man “almost too beautiful to be real” and suddenly her entire world changes. Her Native American heritage, supernatural beings, and unbelievable danger all collide in a fury that will affect not only Donja, but every member of her family, in irreversible ways.
“Chasing the Red Queen”, by Karen Glista tells Donja’s story as she goes from being just a regular teenager to a teenager who causes a war. In between the usual stress of moving and trying her best to connect with Makayla, her new stepsister, Donja learns about the existence of Iridescents, vampire like beings with clans all around the world. When one of them starts killing Chippewa females in the area, Donja, who is more than half Chippewa, becomes unwittingly involved in the drama. Her return to the area where her ancestors lived catches the attention of the killer as well as Torin, an Iridescent who vowed two hundred years ago to protect the Chippewas. Ultimately, Iridescent forces from each of the major world councils face off over the fate of Donja, dubbed the Red Queen and coveted because she is the last surviving female of her lineage. The entire story is an outlandish but fun read, and provides a fresh twist on typical vampire/ human romances by giving the Iridescents their own origin story and abilities. While the ending is predictable, getting there has enough twists and turns to keep things interesting, and the heavy imagery is reminiscent of a dime store romance novel without being quite that tawdry. Glista’s strength lies in her storytelling more so than character development, and the Chippewa legends and Iridescent backstory keep the book from getting stale.
Love and power are the two driving forces behind most of the action in “The Red Queen.” Donja makes her decisions based on love for her family, Torin makes his based on love for Donja, and almost every other “good” character makes some kind of choice or sacrifice based on their love for another. On the other hand, the characters that can be labeled the “bad guys” are only interested in the power that certain people can provide for them, with absolutely no concern for those people otherwise. A more subtle theme is family, both by blood and marriage. Each of the characters, even the evil ones, are influenced in some way by their families during the course of the story.
I’d give “Chasing the Red Queen” four out of five stars. While not necessarily a memorable book, it was an enjoyable one and I had a hard time putting it down. It’s the perfect, easy kind of book to read during a nice, relaxing weekend.
“Chasing the Red Queen”, by Karen Glista tells Donja’s story as she goes from being just a regular teenager to a teenager who causes a war. In between the usual stress of moving and trying her best to connect with Makayla, her new stepsister, Donja learns about the existence of Iridescents, vampire like beings with clans all around the world. When one of them starts killing Chippewa females in the area, Donja, who is more than half Chippewa, becomes unwittingly involved in the drama. Her return to the area where her ancestors lived catches the attention of the killer as well as Torin, an Iridescent who vowed two hundred years ago to protect the Chippewas. Ultimately, Iridescent forces from each of the major world councils face off over the fate of Donja, dubbed the Red Queen and coveted because she is the last surviving female of her lineage. The entire story is an outlandish but fun read, and provides a fresh twist on typical vampire/ human romances by giving the Iridescents their own origin story and abilities. While the ending is predictable, getting there has enough twists and turns to keep things interesting, and the heavy imagery is reminiscent of a dime store romance novel without being quite that tawdry. Glista’s strength lies in her storytelling more so than character development, and the Chippewa legends and Iridescent backstory keep the book from getting stale.
Love and power are the two driving forces behind most of the action in “The Red Queen.” Donja makes her decisions based on love for her family, Torin makes his based on love for Donja, and almost every other “good” character makes some kind of choice or sacrifice based on their love for another. On the other hand, the characters that can be labeled the “bad guys” are only interested in the power that certain people can provide for them, with absolutely no concern for those people otherwise. A more subtle theme is family, both by blood and marriage. Each of the characters, even the evil ones, are influenced in some way by their families during the course of the story.
I’d give “Chasing the Red Queen” four out of five stars. While not necessarily a memorable book, it was an enjoyable one and I had a hard time putting it down. It’s the perfect, easy kind of book to read during a nice, relaxing weekend.
June 4, 2018
Chasing the Red Queen by Karen Glista is a paranormal, romance thriller, containing elements of a crime thriller, where murders take place while also having paranormal and romance aspects. The paranormal parts consist of vampire-like creatures called Irridescents, who feed on blood. We follow two main characters in this book, Donja, who is Native American, and Torin is a detective on the murder case. Donja’s life is turned upside-down by new additions to her family and having to move to another city where ancient beings and myths haunt her and her family. These two stories intertwine for an entertaining story.
The book took me for a ride! I really loved the book. I had a hard time putting it down. It has two storylines that connect beautifully, which flowed together wonderfully. The murder portion of the story includes grim details of the bodies, but not the act itself, which was a relief considering it includes rape and mutilation. There were a couple of scenes in which a character was sexually assaulted, but only one was detailed, though it was short. I prefer not to have scenes like these in my books, but it was something that was bearable and not too affecting as in most forms of media. There were some minor grammatical errors and some continuity errors. Though, I do not find that it took away from the story overall.
The action in the book was heavily detailed, such as the fights between the Irridescents. There are also detailed moments in the story where it can creep you out. Donja and Makayla talk about how creepy the house feels, and you can feel it a bit too within the story. There is also a great mystery within the story of old pictures. I think it is a great addition to have something eerie when they are in an old house like that. It also ties seamlessly into the storylines. I praise the storyline in the book and how well it is done.
A part of the book that I greatly appreciated was that the author did not take the stereotypical route of having the two stepsisters argue and be in competition with one another. Even though they were both from different worlds so to speak, they both find a way to connect and be friends and truly love one another.
I love the Native American part of the book as well. I cannot speak to the accuracy of the portrayal, but the myth mentioned in the story is something that I found online to be true to the Ojibwe. It is such an interesting tale in the story that plays a major part in the main plot of the book. I think it helped give the book a fresh, new perspective on immortal creatures that are vampire-like as it was something I never saw before. I would absolutely recommend the book to anyone who is not squeamish about murder details, loves action, paranormal, and some romance in their stories.
The book took me for a ride! I really loved the book. I had a hard time putting it down. It has two storylines that connect beautifully, which flowed together wonderfully. The murder portion of the story includes grim details of the bodies, but not the act itself, which was a relief considering it includes rape and mutilation. There were a couple of scenes in which a character was sexually assaulted, but only one was detailed, though it was short. I prefer not to have scenes like these in my books, but it was something that was bearable and not too affecting as in most forms of media. There were some minor grammatical errors and some continuity errors. Though, I do not find that it took away from the story overall.
The action in the book was heavily detailed, such as the fights between the Irridescents. There are also detailed moments in the story where it can creep you out. Donja and Makayla talk about how creepy the house feels, and you can feel it a bit too within the story. There is also a great mystery within the story of old pictures. I think it is a great addition to have something eerie when they are in an old house like that. It also ties seamlessly into the storylines. I praise the storyline in the book and how well it is done.
A part of the book that I greatly appreciated was that the author did not take the stereotypical route of having the two stepsisters argue and be in competition with one another. Even though they were both from different worlds so to speak, they both find a way to connect and be friends and truly love one another.
I love the Native American part of the book as well. I cannot speak to the accuracy of the portrayal, but the myth mentioned in the story is something that I found online to be true to the Ojibwe. It is such an interesting tale in the story that plays a major part in the main plot of the book. I think it helped give the book a fresh, new perspective on immortal creatures that are vampire-like as it was something I never saw before. I would absolutely recommend the book to anyone who is not squeamish about murder details, loves action, paranormal, and some romance in their stories.
May 10, 2018
In all my years of reading books, this was the first that I read thoroughly that was definitely shocking and controversial in terms of subject matter. It is a tale of paranormal romance involving a teenage girl named Donja Bellanger and her illicit love affair with the centuries-old, adult male vampire (in this book, the term is Iridescent) Torin Mancini. Now I cringed when I realized that the author herself did not keep Donja from continuing with her affair with Torin because such a relationship is illegal but she kept on going with it, it made me furrow my eyebrows and think, okay is this even
legal? And to make matters worse, there is a love scene between the two.
Anyway, back to the plot, Torin marks Donja as his territory because Donja it seems, is being eyed by another ancient male Iridescent (vampire) who seems to be going on a killing spree of Chippewa females (this is an American Indian tribe) who are descendants of the Durent family group because they all have a special type of blood that these Iridescent men need for strength and power. This is a great book but the only problem with it are the statutory rape elements that it contains. I mean, even Donja’s stepsister Makayla herself is involved with an adult Iridescent by the name of Gage who is a friend of Torin’s. I mean, what’s up with that?
Chasing the Red Queen is pacey and filled with gory details that will make the timid at heart feel queasy. It is a paranormal tale of romance that mirrors the Twilight series except that I would not recommend this book to teenagers due to the controversial subject matters. It includes a gay Iridescent as well and views him in a favorable light which to me, goes with the current issues. It basically resembles all other tales of romance between a human and a supernatural being but the illegal twists and subtle descriptions of sex and violence make it all the more “intense” and “graphic” and too much to be labeled YA fiction. It should have a rating of NC-17 if it was a movie itself and should come with an age verification feature on Amazon so that teenagers would definitely be denied from buying it in case they may be influenced by it.
Lastly, Donja’s stepsister Makayla listens to Rihanna, Lady Gaga, and Katy Perry, hehe.
legal? And to make matters worse, there is a love scene between the two.
Anyway, back to the plot, Torin marks Donja as his territory because Donja it seems, is being eyed by another ancient male Iridescent (vampire) who seems to be going on a killing spree of Chippewa females (this is an American Indian tribe) who are descendants of the Durent family group because they all have a special type of blood that these Iridescent men need for strength and power. This is a great book but the only problem with it are the statutory rape elements that it contains. I mean, even Donja’s stepsister Makayla herself is involved with an adult Iridescent by the name of Gage who is a friend of Torin’s. I mean, what’s up with that?
Chasing the Red Queen is pacey and filled with gory details that will make the timid at heart feel queasy. It is a paranormal tale of romance that mirrors the Twilight series except that I would not recommend this book to teenagers due to the controversial subject matters. It includes a gay Iridescent as well and views him in a favorable light which to me, goes with the current issues. It basically resembles all other tales of romance between a human and a supernatural being but the illegal twists and subtle descriptions of sex and violence make it all the more “intense” and “graphic” and too much to be labeled YA fiction. It should have a rating of NC-17 if it was a movie itself and should come with an age verification feature on Amazon so that teenagers would definitely be denied from buying it in case they may be influenced by it.
Lastly, Donja’s stepsister Makayla listens to Rihanna, Lady Gaga, and Katy Perry, hehe.
May 9, 2018
Chasing the Red Queen by Karen Glista is a romantic fantasy thriller that combines the romance of Twilight with the steaminess of 50 Shades of Grey. If you’re looking for a passionate supernatural thriller that keeps you turning pages – than look no further.
Donja Bellanger is your typical Goth teenager hoping to hide the pain of losing her father behind her unusual style. However, her life is about to change forever as her mother and new stepfather decide to move their combined family up to the small town of Sault Ste. Marie on the border between Michigan and Canada. Forced to share a room with her glamorous stepsister, Makayla, Donja quickly realizes that her new ‘sister’ has become her best friend. After Makayla gives Donja a makeover, she quickly takes her for a night on the town in the city’s most exclusive club. While there, Donja meets Torin Mancini, a vampire-like creature called an Iridescent and is instantly drawn to him. While Torin only uses his super human abilities for good, others of his kind are not so benevolent and someone – or something – is stalking Chippewa girls and draining them dry. Donja falls head over heels for Torin’s irresistible charms and thus begins a battle for Donja and her family’s life.
Filled with beautiful narrative prose and thoroughly well written characters, Glista’s novel is a spellbinding page-turner for romance and fantasy lovers alike. One of my favorite aspects of this novel is how we are introduced to our two main characters – Torin and Donja. Glista uses a third-person narrative, and we follow both characters living their own separate lives until their worlds dramatically combine.
Perhaps the only real flaw I found with the novel is Donja’s lack of presence at the end of the novel. Glista did such a great job of building a well rounded female character in the first two thirds of her novel, it was a shame that Donja became a pawn of the more powerful male characters and had no real powerful or surprise arc at the end of the story. It would have been nice to seen her embrace and use her own heritage as a tool instead of just relying on her lover to come and save the day.
Donja Bellanger is your typical Goth teenager hoping to hide the pain of losing her father behind her unusual style. However, her life is about to change forever as her mother and new stepfather decide to move their combined family up to the small town of Sault Ste. Marie on the border between Michigan and Canada. Forced to share a room with her glamorous stepsister, Makayla, Donja quickly realizes that her new ‘sister’ has become her best friend. After Makayla gives Donja a makeover, she quickly takes her for a night on the town in the city’s most exclusive club. While there, Donja meets Torin Mancini, a vampire-like creature called an Iridescent and is instantly drawn to him. While Torin only uses his super human abilities for good, others of his kind are not so benevolent and someone – or something – is stalking Chippewa girls and draining them dry. Donja falls head over heels for Torin’s irresistible charms and thus begins a battle for Donja and her family’s life.
Filled with beautiful narrative prose and thoroughly well written characters, Glista’s novel is a spellbinding page-turner for romance and fantasy lovers alike. One of my favorite aspects of this novel is how we are introduced to our two main characters – Torin and Donja. Glista uses a third-person narrative, and we follow both characters living their own separate lives until their worlds dramatically combine.
Perhaps the only real flaw I found with the novel is Donja’s lack of presence at the end of the novel. Glista did such a great job of building a well rounded female character in the first two thirds of her novel, it was a shame that Donja became a pawn of the more powerful male characters and had no real powerful or surprise arc at the end of the story. It would have been nice to seen her embrace and use her own heritage as a tool instead of just relying on her lover to come and save the day.
April 3, 2018
Donja's mother has just remarried, and with that came a new upheaval. She was glad her mother had found someone after her father's death, but she had not been prepared for the change. Forced to leave her home and friends she finds herself in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. But this is just the start. A serial killer is on the loose, targeting young female Chippewa, slicing their throat and draining their blood. Little does she know she is about to fins herself in the sights. Her rare blood type makes her desirable. Those who know the myth and prophecies, know she is the last chance of obtaining true power. Donja is about to be exposed to a world she is no where near ready to face, and it is one she may not survive.
Brilliant, simply brilliant. I have read a number of books by Karen Glista, from LitRPG to the paranormal, this lady is made to write. She shows a fantastic imagination, and never fails to create a cast of vibrant and realistic characters. She writes in a way that will make your pulse race, or your heart skip a beat. She has lust, attraction, action, horror, and tension building down to a fine art. I loved the characters, from the somewhat unsure Donja being pulled from her security, to Torin, the passionate heartthrob with a promise he would move the world itself to keep. Buckle down, and prepare to be drawn into an amazing adventure; a mystery, wrapped inside a myth, explored within the realms of paranormal romance and so much more. I simply loved this book, and it is deserving of some words I rarely utter, I highly recommend Chasing the Red Queen. It is easily the best paranormal book I have read this year.
Brilliant, simply brilliant. I have read a number of books by Karen Glista, from LitRPG to the paranormal, this lady is made to write. She shows a fantastic imagination, and never fails to create a cast of vibrant and realistic characters. She writes in a way that will make your pulse race, or your heart skip a beat. She has lust, attraction, action, horror, and tension building down to a fine art. I loved the characters, from the somewhat unsure Donja being pulled from her security, to Torin, the passionate heartthrob with a promise he would move the world itself to keep. Buckle down, and prepare to be drawn into an amazing adventure; a mystery, wrapped inside a myth, explored within the realms of paranormal romance and so much more. I simply loved this book, and it is deserving of some words I rarely utter, I highly recommend Chasing the Red Queen. It is easily the best paranormal book I have read this year.
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