SNAP: The World Unfolds by Michele Drier ~Review~

Blurb:

SNAP, a multinational celeb TV show and magazine, is the holy grail for Maxie Gwenoch. When she snags the job as managing editor, she's looking for fame, fortune and Jimmy Choos. What she finds is a media empire owned by Baron Kandesky and his family. A family of vampires. They're European, urbane, wealthy and mesmerizing. And when she meets Jean-Louis, vampire and co-worker, she's a goner.

The Kandesky vampire family rose in Hungary centuries ago. They gave up violence and killing to make a killing on the world's commodities markets and with that beginning they built SNAP, an international celebrity multimedia empire. Now cultured...and having found food substitutes for killing...they’ve cornered the world market for celebrity and gossip journalism.

They haven't fully left the past behind. Their Hungarian neighbors and rival vampire clan, the Huszars are starting to ramp up attacks, maybe looking to start a war to take over all the Kandeskys have built.

Maxie believes she's found her ultimate career. She doesn't realize that she's found a family feud like none other, a centuries-old rivalry between vampire families, with her as the linchpin. Bells ring with Jean-Louis, but she doesn’t realize they’re alarm sirens until she learns that Jean-Louis is second in command of the Kandeskys...but by then it's too late.

REVIEW:

1^st line in the book--> “It was blood.”

In SNAP: The World Unfolds , Michelle Drier combines the world of High fashion and Hollywood with the paranormal world. Think Vampires Wears Prada ;). It was interesting to see how the author combined these two worlds.

Maxmillia Gwenoch, aka Maxie, is the new managing editor of SNAP. She has been in the magazine business for years and has finally landed her dream job. SNAP is the name of a conglomeration of print magazine (with editions in five languages), blog, and television publications dedicated to celebrities. Maxie knows she has finally reached the top, and loves the perks that come with it. Beautiful people surround her but she always keeps in mind the advice that her Mother gave her... to never get involved with someone prettier the she.

Enter Jean-Louis, the art director. He's frightfully handsome, and interested in Maxie. From the moment the moment they first meet they click. Both professionally and personally. As she considers to follow her feelings and get closer to Jean-Louis, there are strange thing that keep occurring at SNAP since Maxie first arrived. Later learning of a vampire family feud that she not only a part of but a target.

The storyline was great. I really enjoyed Maxie's character and Jean-Louis is a great partner for her. The novel doesn't pick until almost half-way through the book. Fashonista lovers will love the beginning as there is lots of detail of regarding the inter-workings of Maxies's job and the places she visits. I do think the only flaw with Maxie's character is that she didn't question or become doubtful when she realized vampires existed. I guess having a sexy vampire tell you is hard to deny ;)

Overall I did like this book. I'm interested to see what book 2 will bring. I love Jean-Louis, but who doesn't like sexy vampire men?? Well this one has an artistic eye and can be extremely deadly, of course he is 2^nd in command of the family. There are werewolves, demons, & feral pigs that all contribute to an up coming war. I will keep my eyes open for SNAP: New Talent in 2012.

Fave Quotes:

Once inside, Jean-Louis slid the dividing window up and turned to me. “Now you're beginning to see why the Baron wanted me with you and why I told you about us. You've probably noticed that all the SNAP drivers and security staff look a lot alike.” “Look alike? They're clones! Don't tell me that the Baron has perfected some kind of medical procedure?”  

He came over and wrapped him arms around me, stroking my head as I lay against his shoulder. “This means war, I’m afraid.” He put a finger under my chin, tipped my head back and looked at me with those deep, ageless, beautiful, hypnotizing eyes. “Are you with us?” I could not leave now. “I am.”

Snap: The World Unfolds

 AMAZON | BN | SMASHWORDS

Michele Drier

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER

Countdown to New Year's Bash with Michele Drier!! ~Interview & Giveaway~

Hopefully everyone has had a great Christmas!! Here at PNRP... we are continuing our week long celebration to 2012!!  This is Day 3 of our week long celebration, Make sure you visit the previous day for some great Author Interviews & Giveaways!! Today I have the pleasure of interviewing author Michele Drier!!

Tell us a little about yourself Michele!

Wow, I’m probably one of the original dweebs! In high school I was the only girl in my physics class and I started college as a chemistry major. But pretty much, I was always living some story in my head, so my science career got dumped by Organic Chemistry. I think my biggest problem was that I’m interested in too many things and can’t just settle on one to the exclusion of all others!

For those who have not had the pleasure of reading your book SNAP: The World Unfolds, can you tell us a little about it?

Hmmm, I think Maxie Gwenoch, the protagonist in the SNAP books, would be a good alter-ego. She is a focused, career-driven, high-achiever who gets thrown a curve when she discovers that the jet-set celeb international media company she goes to work for is owned by a vampire family. And then, because she’s SO good at what she does, a rival family of vampires tries to kidnap her. All of this is set against a growing attraction to one of the vampire clan’s leaders. There’s suspense, there’s attraction, there’s Maxie getting used to the incredible luxe life she’s fallen into, with travel and a Hungarian castle thrown in. Oh, and demons!

Did you always know you wanted to be an Author?

I don’t know about “always”, but I’ve toyed with novels since I was a writer at the San Jose Mercury-News, many, many moons ago. I had a couple of fits and starts, but didn’t really sit down to write in earnest until about 6 or 7 years ago.

In your book SNAP is a major company that deals with fashion, tv, celeb gossip etc. but is run by vampires. How did you come up with this concept?

I’m really not sure. I spent some time on the way-far-away fringes of fashion and celebs during my time at daily newspapers, but the only time I came close was giving my daughter a subscription to Elle when she was in college. When someone suggested that I write a vampire novel I was stumped. I don’t like violence and gore, so I read some Sookie Stackhouse and discovered a universe of different vampires. And I guess I kind of put together a couple of ideas that seemed polar opposites to see if they’d work.. It’s kind of like the way I cook...a little of this and a little of that.