This novel was interesting, but it never exactly caught fire for me. It begins with Lanore in a modern hospital being examined by a doctor who is told that she's just murdered someone.

I think that Lanore was somewhat unsympathetic. Jonathan was certainly unsympathetic. I get that she was in love with him and that he was gorgeous and that he was an unredeemable horn dog. I still don't see why he got a pass for sleeping with every chick in town, including our hero Lanore. The story about how she became immortal and the (horrible) people that she met was much more engrossing than Jonathan. That part of the story flew by. But when the novel circles back to Jonathan, the story drags again.

This book was not what I expected, but it was a unique storyline with characters I will not soon forget. The story was a bit predictable, but I enjoyed and at times could not put it down. I am looking forward to the 2nd book in the series not that most of the back stories are out of the way.

I got my copy of this book from the author herself after she contacted me regarding a review and after having heard glowing praise of this book from my friend I accepted a copy.

From the moment I started The Taker I was introduced to the main character, Lanore, and Luke, who would later be he partner in crime and got to witness what makes Lanore so special, and the reasons for why she murdered Jonathan.

Lanore takes us on a journey, through the past to see her growing up with her Puritan family in St Andrew, Maine during the early 1800's. We get to see her fall in love with Jonathan, someone who is beyond her reach, and have her heart broken, only to foolishly go back to him and end up bringing shame to her family. She is shipped off to Boston and falls in with an unruly group of people who we later get to know better as Tilde, Alejandro, Dona, and their 'maker' Adair.

The Taker takes us on a journey full of intrigue, suspicion, secrets, lies and love. We get to follow the emotional roller coaster of Lanore's feelings and thoughts as to what is happening, not only to her, but also around her and to people who come into contact with their little group. The chapters are broken into differing time periods, present time being sparsely intersected between Lanore's past. Although it took me a while to actually make a start on The Taker, and to also finish it, overall I thought it was a good read. I felt that some parts of the past seemed to drag on a bit too long for my liking, but I really enjoyed the chapters in present day and am looking forward to seeing what else an happen next in Lanore's story.

Not enough good/interesting points to balance out the rape and cruelty.

Dr. Luke Findley works at St. Andrew Hospital in Maine. Dr, Findley’s night is about to get a whole lot more interesting. The authorities are bringing in murder suspect. It is a woman. When the woman arrives, she does not look like a murderer but you can never be too sure. The woman identifies herself as Lanore “Lanny” McIIvrae. Lanny asks Dr. Findley to let her go. She did not kill anyone or at least no one that didn’t want to die.

Lanny proceeds to tell Dr. Findley a story. One that is of love, obsession and sorrow. Dr. Findley becomes fascinated by Lanny’s story and knows that if he wants to her how it all ends than he will have to escape the hospital with Lanny. Thus the story begins.

If you are expecting a lot of paranormal elements that most vampire novels have than you will be disappointed. This story is told in a simplistic, old fashion tale way. There was not a lot of romance. If any, the romance was a bit one sided, I thought. Lanny’s lover may have said he loved her but he seemed like he would string her along. While, I did enjoy this book as it was refreshing from the same old, girl falls for vampire love story, it does move a little slow at times. The story mainly stays in the past and progresses to the present, which was the interesting part of the book as the times that involved Dr. Findley and Lanny were not that intriguing. Overall, I liked this book and thought author, Alma Katsu did a good job.

Once I figured out this isn't a YA book, my attitude improved slightly. Weak female characters who are only strong when selfishly motivated do not speak to me. Also, I find the idea that a woman would be cavalier about being drugged and gang raped abhorrent. The only redeeming thread about the sex is that there was little to no description. The author did feel the need to include every possible sexual appetite including all forms of violence. I didn't feel like this was necessary to the plot development. I am mildly curious about how she will either come to terms with or get out of being immortal.

This review originally posted at Christa's Hooked on Books

Luke Findley is just settling in for another boring night, working the midnight shift at the local hospital, when the police bring in a young girl completed covered in blood. If that wasn't interesting enough she's also just confessed to murdering a man only hours before. Luke is shocked. Most of the time all he sees at the hospital are hunting accidents and cases of domestic abuse. For someone that has just murdered another, however, she seems quite calm. In fact she's barely spoken a word since they picked her up.

That all changes once alone in the exam room - she begins to open up. She begs Luke to help her escape, claiming she's not like other people. To prove her point she grabs a scapel and slashes herself right across the chest. To Luke's amazement, instead of bleeding, the wound magically begins to heal itself right in front of his eyes. Luke agrees to help her as long as she tells him who she is and so begins an adventure that has spanned centuries and will show Luke a world that he's never imagined.

The Taker is an interesting cross between a paranormal novel and a historical fiction novel. I often find this can be a dangerous line to walk; it's so easy to cross over into the land of cheesy writing. Thankfully The Taker steers clear. I found it to be engaging and exciting. Due to the nature of the myserious girl's...condition...the reader isn't limited to only one time period. The story sweeps you from place to place and you just get lost in the stories and the settings. I loved the variety of historical settings and how well each of them were represented.

I have read a number of reviews and articles about this book that mention it being a vampire story (I even read this is Shelf Awareness). I would like to set the record straight and say there are no vampires in this book. There is no biting, or blood drinking and everyone functions during both day and night. I can't go into too much detail of what actually happens without getting into spoiler territory but there is definitely some unique and interesting paranormal twists going on in this novel and though I do like my vampire stories I found this a refreshing change.

I really enjoyed the detail of The Taker, It really did feel like I was being swept away to the different places. The characters were interesting and I could feel myself hanging onto every word, unable to stop reading. This is a great book for fall. Perfect to read outside, once it gets a little cooler and the leaves begin to turn.

4.5 stars. I started this book yesterday and finished it today. I really enjoyed it. The story is about Lanny and her love for Jonathan and how that love shapes her life. The story starts in present day, meeting Lanny and then she tells her story in flashback. She is telling it to Luke, a doctor taking care of her, and he is the only character which I like. I really don't like any of the other main characters: Lanny, Adair and Jonathan. Though by the end of the book, I liked Jonathan more than Lanny. As her story unfolds, I like Lanny less and less. I think that's one of the reasons I liked this book so much. I didn't like the protagonist. I read that this is the first in a series (don't know how many books) though the book finishes well with no loose ends. It ties up neatly. I can see only one direction of interest the series could take but I can't mention it here without spoiling the book. Looking forward to see if and how the author continues the story.

This review may come across as gushing, but if you haven't read this book, you are doing yourself a disservice. I met Katsu at the BEA in 2010 long before the book came out and had the ARC sitting on my shelf for far too long. I picked it up and flew through it.

As some reviews of this book have expanded upon, there are some seriously violent scenes and activities that will disturb some readers. However, these scenes are not there to be gratuitous, but to elicit the extreme emotions that Katsu impresses upon the reader. The reader is taken from the heart wrenching tale of young love; a love that we rarely experience outside of a book and yet one we all crave, to the intense yet brutal extremes as Lanny is taken in by Count Adair and his entourage, and finally to her realization of what she's done and the woman she has become after many years finally taking responsibility for the choices she made.

Part historical fiction, part psychological horror, a bit of paranormal circumstance and all love story, The Taker will draw you in and run you through an emotional roller coaster that you don't want to get off. You cannot wait for the next page to reveal yet another reason to cheer for Lanny, even when she makes a decision that seems unforgivable.

The characters, Lanny, Jonathan, Count Adair, and Luke are so well-developed, it's hard to believe this is a first book. The love Lanny has for Jonathan, which turns to obsession, sometimes blinds her, but it doesn't feel contrived and her intense feelings are at times almost palpable to the reader. And the warmth felt from the love side, is starkly and perfectly contrasted by the violence experienced from Adair and his cold-hearted entourage. Adair's back story is delicately crafted to fit seamlessly into the tale.

I can't stress enough that you should pick up this book. A book that can make the reader feel such an array of emotions comes along rarely. It's been a long time since I felt this strongly about a story that is both beautiful and tragic. The last time I felt this way was when I read The Gargoyle and if you haven't read that one either, then I suggest you get yourself to a bookstore and pick them both up. Perhaps this will be continued in a sequel; one that I will jump at the chance to read.