Father

The Vampire Diner, Book 1

By: Vikki Lawrence

Narrated by: Al Kessel

Length: 30 mins

Publisher's summary

Driven by a need for human blood and a love for modern technology, Jovan and Ivana opened a diner. Humans enjoy made-to-order fast foods in a funky atmosphere with free wi-fi and complimentary drink refills, with techno music lightly drifting from the jukebox. And after Jovan clinically draws blood from the healthiest of the humans, the vampires drift in for their feast. Who will they choose next? The solitary man gnawing on a turkey burger, or the arguing father and son?

©2014 Vikki Lawrence (P)2014 Vikki Lawrence

A real tease

This is a really short teaser book, gives you a hint of the world and characters. If it were food I would call it an amuse-bouche, a taste of things to come.

Not a lot to review here,but it definitely has me intrigued about the reset of the series! Here's hoping a full book will release soon. I love the idea of Vampires running a diner and that is how they get blood donations.

All single POV, which makes things limited. I would love to see things switch up in a full book and get a taste of other characters as well. Give us a broader picture to view.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Al Kessel, who has a great read. I thoroughly enjoyed his tone and pace in this all to brief read. He has a great quality to his voice that lends itself to the character. Terrific job of keeping voices consistent and distinct, especially during the dialogue between two males characters.

Disclosure - I received a copy of this book in exchange for am honest review. All thoughts, ratings and opinions are my own.

Appetizer

Any additional comments?

I wish it was longer...too short. The narrator has a good and clear voice and did a great job narrating this mini audiobook.

GREAT STORY!

What did you love best about Father?

I loved the story Father. I could picture the characters and enjoyed hearing the story unfold. Al Kessel really did a great job bringing Vikki Lawrence's book to life.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Father?

I liked the interaction between the father and the son and how I believe the vampires might be key to resolving some of their conflict.

What about Al Kessel’s performance did you like?

Al's voice was very pleasant to listen, smooth like butter on toast.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Will you become dinner because you ate at the diner?

Any additional comments?

By the way, this is Amy Moyer, Rick's wife writing this review. We share the account :)

If You Enjoy Modern Vampires, You'll Enjoy This!

Would you listen to Father again? Why?

I would listen to this book again! The story is interesting, the modern vampires are realistic (as far as vampires go!), and the story holds the listener's interest. I enjoyed the "hunt" for the perfect victims to quench the thirsts of the vampire family. The duo team of husband and wife vampires showed they had a designation of family roles, and I found that entertaining in itself. Mama cooked in the diner, and Dad did the heavier work of getting food on the table (in liquid form!)

What was one of the most memorable moments of Father?

The story details the gathering of the "feast" in a memorable way. There was plenty of food to go around for everybody. I was intrigued.

Have you listened to any of Al Kessel’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This is the first performance of Al Kessel that I have listened to and I thought his voice was perfect for this work. He holds your attention and his pacing and style were very pleasant to listen to from start to finish. I would gladly listen to more of his performances and will look forward to the second book in this series!

Any additional comments?

If you're into vampires, check this book out. It's a quick listen and enjoyable!

Interesting story read by a great reader

Would you listen to Father again? Why?

Yes. There are details that I think would become new with each listen.

Have you listened to any of Al Kessel’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes. Al has an amazing voice that transitions nicely between characters. His voices helped to add to the ominous tone of the story.

An Interesting read!

What made the experience of listening to Father the most enjoyable?

I loved hearing my books. The narrator made the story more interesting!

What other book might you compare Father to and why?

I don't have a story to compare. I don't like to compare because if someone doesn't like my comparison, they tend to ignore the current book. Books shouldn't be judged by other books!

Which scene was your favorite?

When father & Son were arguing and son says he wasn't using drugs, but getting them for someone else. It was a good feeling hearing that.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I found it to be very interesting. So many things in the book I never gave a thought to in Vampire stories before, such as I never knew they had to worry about drugs or people with diseases. Lots of food for thought per say.

Any additional comments?

Very interesting plot! A nice novella & I look forward to the next segment! The narrator did a really good job reading this story. Spoke nice & clear & loved all the different voices too!

Interesting take on modern day vampires

Would you listen to Father again? Why?

I would definitely listen to the Father again. I really enjoyed listening to how the story was unfolding.

If you’ve listened to books by Vikki Lawrence before, how does this one compare?

This is the first book by Vikki Lawrence that I have listened to. After listening to this book, I would most likely listen to the rest of the series.

What does Al Kessel bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Al brings good pronunciations, emotion, and a warm tone to the story. His voice is easy to listen to and understand. Al has a smooth tone to his voice that is pleasant. Very impressed.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes it is. The story was unique and interesting enough to keep my attention. With some audio books, if I can't get into the narrators voice, I opt to read the book instead.

Enjoyable and Fun

I really like the names Jovan and Ivana. The idea of vampires opening up a hip little after hours diner to find good blood donors is clever. I would love to see more character development with this story. If this is indeed a teaser, I would enjoy listening to the full version. It seems to have a more mature and even slightly humourous aspect and less of a YA feel to it. It was good and I'd like to hear more.
Al Kessel has a nice voice. He was smooth with great flow and a nice easiness in his tone. I really like him in this role and find it to be a good match. I look forward to hearing more from him.
I received this audiobook foc in exchange for an unbiased review.

Leaves You Hungry for More...

This short book is a welcome departure from the two main vampire genres (grotesque horror and teen fodder). This refreshing theme is attention grabbing and unique. The book is quite short, but is an excellent short story and well priced. The narration is excellent--Al's voice alternates between masculine and comfortingly ever day (creating an ability to help relate to vampire characters) and emotional and alluring (during appropriate moments in the story). This narrator clearly enhances the story line, which successfully stands on its own. I enjoyed it, particularly the character development, which lets you in, but leaves you wanting to know more about them. My one meaningful criticism of the book is that is ends rather abruptly and is surprisingly short. Disclaimer: I was provided with a free audio file of this book, in return for an honest review. I feel I have faithfully met this obligation.