It's a rerun! Due to the sudden alert of stories being rated incorrectly and Google being a PiTA, (read more here) we preempted a lot of the blog last week. So, to be fair, Renee gets her feature day back again!

Something a little different this week for the review for Renee Steven's featured story, cause I like being different, lol. Most of the time a reader would be the one to do the review, but this time, I'm going to do it. I had the great pleasure to be a beta reader/editor for this story, so I got an inside view to Renee's creation. Of course, I had great fun while it was being posted teasing everyone I knew what happened ahead of time.

Reviewer: Cia
Length: 82,036
Status: Complete
Joined by Blood is a vampire novel... and who doesn't like vampires! Well, I certainly do, so I was super excited when Renee told me she was writing this story. There are so many different elements--a prophecy, a turning or two, evil and magic, love and loss... and so much more!

And there are so many dichotomies in the story--like how vampires are so powerful and ancient, yet hide from humans. In the woods and caves of all places! When so many authors are willing to bring vampires into the modern times, Renee seemed to set hers back. The setting helped give the story its gritty, desperate vibe--and damn, were they desperate.

Vik--the prince of his people--has a vampire who wants him dead. That same vampire who stole Damian's sister's innocence and turned her evil. But after seeing that, how is Damian supposed to trust Vik and his men, including the head of his guards and Vik's best friend, Dante? They're guys, so of course communication isn't their strong suit. There is a lot of posturing and a lot of misunderstandings, but fate's taken a big ole interest in the course of their lives, so they have to figure it out.

Renee writes a lot like I do--she gets an idea and starts writing it. Then the story changes. There were so many times we sat on the computer and bandied about ideas. If Damian's sister did this... wouldn't it mean that? Does this line in the prophecy really mean what we think it does? It was almost like going along in the story with the characters! I love that about working with Renee. I remember once telling her she might have one scene changing so Dante could do something... and it was so funny, because it was actually 'normal' for her to tell me, "Dante just wouldn't do that!" and for me to smack my forehead and go, "Well, duh, of course he wouldn't!".

Why? Cause Renee's characters certainly live in her head. She had firm ideas on who each of the guys were, what their stories and histories were like, and how badly she was going to torture them before they got their happily ever after... if they got it. Sometimes, with her, you're just not sure! I think that's why her story was so popular--with such vivid and alive characters, who couldn't be drawn into Joined by Blood?!

Others had definite feelings about the characters too! For instance:

Daithi said: And we all know how much of a walking trouble magnet Damian is lol.

CW Price said: Damian also seems to have a bit of an anger problem as well. He seems to like to fly off the handle, like a little drama queen

Rosenkrantz said: Dante is my favorite character in this. He's the only one who seems to retain any common sense when it comes to the technicalities.

cogito_ergo_sum1666 said: love damian for being so hot to have two sexy vampires wrapped around his fingers, love VIK *swoons* for being a possessive boyfriend and when he's being a jerk? he is still sexy and never annoying!!! Oh and Dante? can i keep him? lol i mean this is like a fantasy lol. So there, see? i told you i love all of them

Conner said: I don't know if you intended it, but I find Damian to be so obstinate and stubborn to the point where it makes him thick-headed.

Frostina said: BOOOO! @ becca! That Bitch! she's... she's... she's.. PURE evil!

Comicfan said: Vic needs to decide how he is going to handle Damian. Sometimes he is so sweet and tender and the next he is the caveman carrying his clubbed mate back to the room so he can ravish him. lol.

So what about you? Did you have any feelings about the story or the characters? Were there any scenes where you just wanted to butt in and let them have it? Share your thoughts below! Also, make sure you head over the Signature Background feature blog to download your copies of the background. (There are hot guys on it... who doesn't want to stare at hot guys?!!)