Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Lots of spoilers coming. But, in the interests of doing an honest public service, that can't be avoided. A Regency vampire slayer? Count me in, I thought, when I read the synopsis. Getting into the story was a bit rocky. The first few pages seemed like a young author's attempt to write Regency after reading a few romance novels. The fluidity and quality of writing improved over time . . . as the plot, situations, characterization and world-building took a nose dive. While I love a good story, and am willing to suspend disbelief and accept extraordinary departures from reality and normality if an author is telling a good story, I loathe avoidable stupidity in characters. I loathe stupid, avoidable bad choices that are used to manufacture angst, suspense and tragedy. I'm not saying characters shouldn't make stupid or bad choices. The outcome of less than perfect moments gives characters the impetus to change, hopefully to grow. Even refusing to change in the aftermath of bad choices can add dimension to a character. In Rest Falls Away, every choice by every character is deepest shades of stupid. And I'm not reading another Gardella novel to find out if, ultimately, anyone changes. You've got your Family Line of Vampire Slayers here, (Victoria!) with a newly awakened slayer who also happens to be "coming out," (in Regency times this meant going to interminable balls and social events) at the same time she's searching for a husband, as they did in Ye Olde Regency Times. Victoria's Aunt is in charge of training her niece to the Ways of The Slayer, arranging for Victoria to learn kickboxing in skirts, and sending her to the ball to stake her first vampire. Armed with a stake up her garter, and precious little information about vampires except that she'll Just Be Able To Sense One, Victoria barely passes her first social slaying encounter, and qualifies for magic navel jewelry that will somehow protect her, make her stronger, and help her heal faster. (WTF? Must be a chakra thing.) Victoria's Aunt, who has been the subject of a long-time search by the Big Bad Lilith the Dark Queen of Vampires, doesn't feel it necessary to give Victoria practical information or warnings about vampire society and habits (there are three kinds of vampires, escalating in powers and scary-ness), or why it would be a Really Bad Idea to get married without telling her potential husband what those unchaperoned nightly prowls through the Bad Streets of Regencyville are for, or how to prevent pregnancy when you don't plan to give up vampire slaying to raise a family. "Philip wants an heir, and I cannot (drug) him every night!" Her aunt nodded, her black hair gleaming like the night. "It's a very difficult situation you're in, Victoria. As for the baby . . . well, that's easily preventable. I'm surprised you didn't ask about that sooner." No, Auntie Eustacia, I'm surprised and appalled you didn't think that training a young woman to fight monsters included every scrap of knowledge you have acquired over your years of experience. And that includes telling your niece that 1) full disclosure before marriage must be done to prevent stupid loss of life, and 2) birth control, because YOU'VE had sex and your niece is a romantic and rather air-headed virgin who hasn't made the leap of logic that kissing ultimately leads to babies, so if you neglect this part of her education -- fail! After much additional fail, including husband Philip's refusal to believe in vampires (although even the lady's maid and apparently much of the rest of society knows about vampires), leading to stupid husband behavior resulting in hostage status/new vampire status, Victoria has to make her widowed status official by staking poor dumb Philip. Thus ends novel one, with Victoria vowing to now take her slaying responsibility seriously. Even with no stupid husband, knowledge of birth control, and practical experience with the evil undead, I'm still not interested in the further adventures of Victoria, Regency Vampire Slayer. Unless, upon reading reviews I stumble across the fact Victoria has to stake Auntie Eustacia at some future point in time. I'd SO read about that.