{Review} "Once Burned" by Jeanine Frost

Title:  Once Burned (Night Prince #1)
Author: Jeaniene Frost
Publisher:  Avon (sold by Harper Collins)
Publication Date:  June 26, 2012
Genre:  Paranormal Romance
Format:  Kindle 1209 KB  |  Paperback 346 pages

Buy this book on Amazon:  Kindle Edition  |  Paperback
Author's Website:  http://jeanienefrost.com/ 
Author's Goodreads Profile:  Jeaniene Frost

Synopsis from Goodreads: 

After a tragic accident scarred her body and destroyed her dreams, Leila never imagined that the worst was still to come: terrifying powers that let her channel electricity and learn a person's darkest secrets through a single touch. Leila is doomed to a life of solitude...until creatures of the night kidnap her, forcing her to reach out with a telepathic distress call to the world's most infamous vampire...

Vlad Tepesh inspired the greatest vampire legend of all--but whatever you do, don't call him Dracula. Vlad's ability to control fire makes him one of the most feared vampires in existence, but his enemies have found a new weapon against him - a beautiful mortal with powers to match his own. When Vlad and Leila meet, however, passion ignites between them, threatening to consume them both. It will take everything that they are to stop an enemy intent on bringing them down in flames.

Diving In...

I started reading Jeanine's Night Huntress series a couple years ago when I stumbled upon the first one in a book store.  Since the moment that Vlad was introduced in that series he immediately eclipsed every other character for me.  I loved him from the first moment and when I heard that he was getting his own spin off series I was SO excited.

I know that there are those out there who may not be happy with how this book ended, but you have to remember that this is the very first book of a new series.  It's just the beginning of Vlad and Leila's story!  I was much more pleased with this one than I was with the end of the first book in Cat and Bones story.  My only problem is that I don't think I can wait until next year for the next book!

I have already stated how much I love Vlad.  I always suspected that we were only really getting a surface glimpse of him in the NH series, which is to be expected of a minor character.  It was always made pretty clear that he is quite capable of living up to his name though, and we do see quite a bit of that in this book.  He is pretty bad ass, but way deep inside he has a heart and it's starting to feel again for the first time in a long while.  It doesn't hurt that he is super HOT also!

The story is told from Leila's point of view.  I have gotten so used to reading stories in 1st person that I actually prefer them most of the time.  I think that in order to best understand Leila, this was the only way to tell her story.  She is extraordinary in that the accident that scarred her body actually allows her to conduct electricity though touch, but she also sees glimpses of the future, past and present as well.  She sees it as a curse since she can't really have any contact with anyone without the fear of electrocuting them.  She works as part of a circus act with a vampire partner since he is the only one who can bear her touch without lasting effect.  What she sees as a curse others see as an opportunity which she learns when she is kidnapped and forced to use her power to connect with the one man who will change her entire world.

Vlad turns Leila's world upside down and from the moment they meet there is just something there between them.  I don't want to say that sparks fly, because that's a little cliche in this case!  It's clear that they were meant for each other, if only for the fact that because of his vampire gift he is able to withstand her electricity without even a hint of the damage that she causes to others.  She uncovers things about him that he has never shared with anyone, but she also learns things that she never really wanted to learn.  At the same time she realizes that there are things about herself and her "condition" that she didn't know.  These things bind them even closer to each other.

This is just a really great start to a series.  There is a lot of action in it, lots of vampire hunting and killing.  We meet Leila's family and we even get a small scene with Mencheres, his wife and Bones and Cat.  There is nothing better than putting Bones and Vlad in the same room!  Bones even gives Leila some advice to keep Vlad from reading her thoughts that makes for some funny moments throughout the book.  I am beyond excited for the next book.

I will definitely read this book again.  I have read all of Jeaniene's books at least 2 times!  I most definitely recommend this to anyone who has read the Night Huntress series, but also to anyone who enjoys a good Paranormal Romance.

Content Warning:

*not a whole lot of profanity and nothing vulgar

*some nice sexy love scenes

*killing vampires, blood, the kind of thing you expect in a vampire story