I’ll start this review by saying that I am decidedly not a reader of vampire stories. Prior to this, I’ve read one vampire book, and only out of morbid curiosity. It’s not that I think books about vampires are universally bad – they’re just not my thing. But I know E.A. Williams, have interviewed her for a podcast, and have read a short story of hers (which I loved!) that was included in the Mixed Bag of Tricks anthology. So, I fired up the Kindle and got to reading this first installment of The Line of Tepes trilogy.
The story opens as Emma, our protagonist, is at a cemetery burying her beloved grandmother. Emma is heartened by all the people who have turned out for the funeral, but obviously bummed out because…dead grandmother. After the crowd disperses, she’s approached by a mysterious man with an intense stare and an Eastern European accent. He tells her he’s been a lifelong friend of Gran and gives Emma his card. His name is Vlad. He tells her to call if she needs anything.
Emma goes back home, where she is surrounded by friends and neighbors at the repast, but once they leave, she’s left alone in the big, empty house where her grandmother raised her. She starts to cry, and in her grief, she is unaware that a new presence has entered her refuge. When she discovers her mother, Melissa, has let herself in, Emma is rightly upset.
Melissa is a stone-cold lunatic who abandoned Emma as a baby, joined a cult, and has spent Emma’s entire life harassing her and her grandmother. Melissa tries to convince Emma to come back with her to “The Order” and “be a real family,” but Emma, a headstrong Texas girl with a mighty sense of justice, tells her mom to piss off. This sends Melissa into a fury. She smashes up the places, threatens Emma, and generally shows her true colors.
Emma’s neighbors, including her bestie, Simon the Texas Ranger, show up and chase Melissa off. Simon says he’ll stay with Emma, and she goes to have a shower and get herself together. She stops into Gran’s bedroom and finds herself looking through the desk, only to discover decades of correspondence with the Vlad chap she met at the cemetery. When Melissa’s cult makes another attempt to kidnap Emma the following day, she calls Vlad, and he takes her to his place – an enormous high-rise building in downtown Houston – to keep her safe.
From there, we meet a cast of characters, including a squad of vampires who, I was surprised to discover, are all endearing in their own ways. These vampires live fabulously, and Emma is generously provided for in every possible way, including freshly-baked cookies and luxurious showers. Emma discovers that she has familial ties to Vlad, and that the cult her mother belongs to is actually a group of vampire hunters. (Nothing about this is realistic, but we’re reading a vampire book, so sit back and have fun already.)
The ensuing plot revolves around a group of strong, scary men protecting Emma (and who are also impressed that she is no shrinking violet and can handle herself when she needs to). Emma finds herself attracted to one of the vampires (who is, admittedly, pretty sexy). The feeling, as it turns out, is mutual. Eventually, Simon and another Texas Ranger show up because they’re worried about her, and they’re inducted into the vampire fam in time to do battle with a gang of intruders sent by The Order.
Although I’m not a reader of this genre, I enjoyed this book way more than I expected to. I think it largely has to do with Williams’ writing style. It’s funny, witty, contemporary, and very, very Texan. These two things – vampires and Texas (specifically, Houston) – may seem incongruous, but they worked really well together, and I think that’s because this is who Williams is. She’s a monster-loving Texas gal with a great sense of humor, and that’s exactly what you get from this story. Which is to say, you don’t have to like vampires to enjoy it! Because I did enjoy it, down to the last bloody drop.
What I loved:
- A strong, confident woman protagonist with a great sense of humor.
- Witty dialogue and exchanges. I especially loved Emma’s relationship with the Fields character.
- Not just vampires – TEXAS vampires!
- Not a single thing about this book was boring.
- Vlad’s backstory is compelling stuff.
- Plenty of ass-kicking action!
- One word: Ava
What I found challenging:
- In general, I don’t care much for vampire fiction, so I had to get over it and allow myself to go along with the story until it really kicked in for me.
Find E.A. Williams online:
Find E.A. Williams on social media:
- Instagram: @e.a.williamsbooks
- TikTok: @eawilliamsbook
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