REVIEW: Karma Bites by Nyrae Dawn

Title: Karma Bites
Author: Nyrae Dawn - Website | Twitter
Publisher: Crescent Moon Press
Published: August 15, 2012
Format: ecopy* 214 pages
Rating: 5/5!

"Whoever said, 'parents are always right' really should have thought that one through. After all, my mom believes in vampires. Go figure."

All Abigail Thompson ever wanted was to be considered normal. Instead, she ended up a loner with a vampire–obsessed mom and a stamp labeling her the resident freak of Karma, California.

When bad boy Caleb Evans saves Abby from a mean girl attack straight out of a “B” movie, Abby’s own karma starts to improve. Maybe “normal” could become her way of life, after all. But Caleb isn’t the only boy to notice her. Once newcomer Gabriel Chambers becomes Abby’s new best friend, she finds herself trapped between two boys, both holding secrets. And when Abby learns sometimes things really do go bump in the night, she discovers one of those secrets could just get her killed.

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My thoughts, feelings, and reactions.

Karma Bites is another book to add on to my ever growing obsession, addiction and admiration for Nyrae Dawn. It’s also another one of Nyrae’s books that will be added to my all-time favorites list because I seriously cannot tell you how much she never ceases to WOW me with her work. Just when I thought her last book was my favorite, she goes and writes another, that I knew would be completely great, but instead I get blown away. 

Whether it be contemporary or a paranormal book, Nyrae Dawn is a master storyteller, a master at writing books that you can easily lose yourself into where you can relate to the characters and the story. She has the power to make you feel like your living in the book rather than just reading it. 

Karma Bites is Nyrae’s first paranormal novel and the first book of hers that I read with a female narrator. I can tell you that Nyrae excels at writing paranormal and she creates one killer female protagonist. (Was there even any doubt?!) I love how Nyrae eases us into this world with a steady pace that doesn’t lack excitement. She doesn’t bombard you with information, but leaves you with enough to want and need more. KB is not your typical paranormal book and not your everyday vampire story either. It’s different and unique, cool and believable. Nyrae Dawn creates her own vampires, giving them a twist within Abby’s story. These vampires don’t sparkle in the sun, but they are the menacing and dangerous creatures of the night with powers only humans wish to obtain. At the same time, they are capable of real human feelings and emotions where you can love them wholeheartedly. 

Abby was an excellent main character. I adored her from the very start. Her voice was so clear in my head, I could almost see and feel her right next to me. Abby had this spunk, this attitude that really captured my attention and made her unforgettable in my eyes. She constantly made me laugh with her snarky comebacks and her never-ending sarcasm. I loved how real Nyrae created Abby. She was just a young girl who wanted nothing more than a normal life. I found Abby to be very loving and understanding. Despite what her mom believed in and the things she goes through, Abby keeps their strong, unbreakable bond. My favorite thing about Abby was her endearing and charming personality. Even when she said something silly and ended up embarrassing herself, I just ended up loving her more. She was just so adorable and cute I wanted to keep her forever. Abby was so easily relatable and so easy to connect with I felt like I could be friends with her in a heartbeat. Because my connection with Abby was so deep, whatever she was feeling my emotions were up front and center with hers. I felt her sadness, her loneliness, her anger, her happiness, her heartbreak and all her giddiness. 

There are two boys in this book that will definitely make you swoon, but Caleb was my favorite all the way. He was mysterious, gorgeous, a green-eyed, black haired beauty I couldn’t get enough of. He was totally cool in that I-don’t-care-what-other-people-think kind of way. Although he was aloof towards Abby at times, he was kind to her when no one else would give her the time of day. He helped Abby a lot, believed in her strength when she didn’t think she had any and he boosted her confidence when she thought she had none. On the outside, Caleb had this bad boy persona, but he was vulnerable and sweet on the inside.

Nyrae surely knows how to pack in the action and give a little more than a punch to the stomach. Karma Bites had me at the edge of my seat to the point where I couldn’t seem to read fast enough for my brain to catch up with all the anticipation I was feeling. Right when things were going great for Abby, BOOM! Cue in explosive plot twist one after the another that keeps you guessing all the time. It’s intense and crazy and I was so swept up into a whirlwind full of emotions and turmoil. Just when I think it couldn’t get any better than that, it does. It really does. So many parts of this book was so unexpected, I’m at a loss for words. 

Overall, Karma Bites is one fierce and riveting book. It has wonderful characters anyone call fall in love with, an exuberant storyline, and writing that can mesmerize all. Nyrae Dawn is one of very few authors who can make me fall in love with a book after the first page alone.

*Thank you to Nyrae Dawn and CMP for sending a copy for review!