Review, Author Interview & Giveaway: Along Came a Spider by Kate SeRine

Title: Along Came a Spider

Author: Kate SeRine

Series: Transplanted Tales, book 3

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Kensington Books

Source: Review copy from publisher

Format: E-book

“When Trish Muffet is attacked at a grisly crime scene, the last person she expects to come to her rescue is Nicky “Little Boy” Blue. But since walking away from everything two years before, Nicky’s been doling out vigilante justice as “The Spider,” taking on the vicious predators of the night in hopes it’ll lead him to his ultimate target – Vlad Dracula. And he needs Trish’s help. 

Although Nicky’s renegade style goes against everything Trish stands for, she’ll do what she must to bring Dracula down. With danger stalking her, Trish knows the only person she can count on is the one man who has the power to leave her breathless. There’s no way she’s letting this spider frighten her away…”

Along Came A Spider is the third book in the Transplanted Tales series by Kate SeRine.

Trish Muffet not only lost her heart to Nicky “Little Boy” Blue the moment she met him, but she also lost the opportunity to be with him when she declined his offer of leaving with him. Centuries has passed and Trish hadn’t been able to forget him; she waited for a recognition that never came the few times their lives crossed paths; but after he married another woman Trish kind of lost all her hope of one day being with him.

Years later Nicky’s wife was killed during an attack in which he barely survived. In need of vengeance Nicky disappears from the map and turns into a vigilante known as The Spider. Nicky’s only objective in life has become to find Vlad Dracula and avenge his wife Juliet.

Trish works as a forensics investigator for the Fairytale Management Authority (FMA) and during one of her investigations she is attacked by some kind of vampire. Luckily for her The Spider comes to the rescue. Trish doesn’t like anything illegal or going against the law but for Nicky she is willing to look the other way. When she is attacked and rescue by Nicky for a second time they realize that for Trish to survive they need to be close together, this is convenient for Nicky too because Vlad is the one controlling the vamps that are attacking Trish. Protecting Trish will get Nicky closer to Vlad and to his vengeance.

Every time I read a book in the Transplanted Tales series I can’t help but admire the talent Mrs. SeRine has that enables her to write these fun, unique and engaging books and I’m happy to inform you that Along Came a Spider was not the exception.

I liked Trish since the moment I met her and after reading Along Came a Spider I liked her even more. Trish is fun, smart and witty. She makes a perfect heroine.

I have my doubts about Nicky; when I met him for the first time (Red, first book) he was married and was devastated after losing his wife in the attack that cost her life. I didn’t know how Mrs. SeRine was going to make me believe that he has forgotten his wife and was ready to move on with Trish, but Mrs. SeRine not only made me see that but much more, and at the end I was cheering for him and fervently wishing for the HEA he much deserved.

Trish and Nicky relationship was fun and never dull. There was an attraction from the past and it was very apparent that there was a serious chemistry between them; the problem here was that Nicky had some personal issues he needed to overcome first to be able to be with Trish.

I loved Trish and Nicky together, their banter was entertaining and their attraction was of the charts, but I had a problem with their relationship and it was that they fell in love too quickly and without any substance in their relationship. When they mentioned the L word the first thing that came to my mind was “when did they fall in love?”

In Along Came a Spider we see characters we love from previous books, like Red, Nathan, Lavender and Seth; we see what’s going on in their lives and how they are dealing with their new lives as couples.

One character that shinned in this installment and that I adore is Gideon. I loved him in The Better to See You (second book) and I loved him even more in this installment. I can’t be more excited knowing that next book, Ever After, will be his story.

In this book we are also introduced to new characters and in the best Mrs. SeRine’s way they couldn’t have been better depicted, we meet The Three Little Pigs, whom are house builders I would never recommend. We are also introduced to Rumpelstiltskin and his partner, they are hilarious and I can wait to see more of them in future books. 

Along Came a Spider is a roller coaster of emotions with so many twist and turns that you won’t know which way is up and which way is down, and when you finally reached the destination you can just sit in awe after such a tremendous ride.

I can go on and on praising Along Came a Spider and Mrs. SeRine but the best thing I can do is tell you to trust me and read it. Mrs. SeRine does a good job-recounting event from previous book but to get the full effect that is the Transplanted Tales series I recommend you to read this book in order and starting with Red (first book in the series).

My Verdict: 4 ½ Paws

Other books in the series

Red

The Better to See You

Along Came a Spider

Ever After (2014)

Other reviews Goodreads

Visit Author’s Website

Interview

Kate, welcome back to my blog. I have some questions for you; some are book related, others personal, and others… You will see.

1.   I’m pretty sure you have been asked this many times, but I haven’t asked you… Why did you decide to write about fairy tales?

The idea for the Transplanted Tales came to me during a conversation with my eldest son, who was 8 or 9 years old at the time. We like to have what we call “What if” conversations where he’ll ask me a question that’s totally out there and then we chat about it. That day he asked the question: “What if fairytale characters were living next door to us?” As we chatted about who it would be, what that Tale would do for a living, and so on, I started to get a very clear picture in my head of a tough, hard-hitting version of Little Red Riding Hood — all grown up and ready to knock some heads. And everything just fell into place. I wrote RED in record time.

2.   Which was your favorite fairy tale while growing up and why?

One of my favorites was “Snow White and Rose Red” where two sisters help a bear who ends up being a prince that was cursed. I don’t know what it was about this one that I liked so much, but I loved for my mom to read it to me.

I also loved “Rumpelstiltskin”. My mom used to act out the story when she told it to us before bed, always putting her own silly twist on the story. I remember laughing so hard I cried.

“Beauty and the Beast” was another favorite. LOVE that one.

3.   If you could live in a fairy tale, in which would you like to live and which character you would like to be and why?

Oh, wow. That’s a tough one. Probably “Beauty and the Beast”. There’s just something so timelessly romantic about that story! And I’d be the heroine, of course! ;)

4.   There is something I’ve been wanting to ask you for a while and even more after reading Along Came a Spider. Is there any particular reason as to why the heroes of your books are ex-boyfriends of Red or it was just a coincidence?

That wasn’t my intention when I started out. Having her exes as suspects in the first book worked well for the story, but originally, Red was going to get back together with Seth. That was the plan. But when I wrote the description of Nate Grimm, I knew he had to be the hero! I still had to bring Seth in somehow, though. And when I wrote his few short scenes in RED, I knew he had to get an HEA of his own. In fact, my editor insisted that he be the hero of the next book. And then Nicky came along… And, well, I’ve made no secret of the fact that I’ve had a crush on him from the start. LOL 

5.   A couple of days ago you announced that you signed on with Kensington Books to write a novella and a full-length novel (book 4^th). Congratulations *throws confetti* Can you please tell us what can we expect from Grimm Consequences, the novella sequel to Red.

Thanks so much!!! I’m incredibly excited to bring more Tales to my readers.

Grimm Consequences picks up about two months after events in Red and before The Better To See You. I don’t have an “official” blurb for the book yet, but here’s a little bit about it:

When Nate’s fellow Reapers discover what he did to protect Tess from a blood-thirsty sorceress, their judgment is swift, their methods harsh. Torn from his side in a brutal attack, Tess is now the prisoner of the Reapers and will suffer Nate’s punishment in his stead unless Nate severs his ties to the mortal world—and Tess—forever. But the Reapers have underestimated the depth of Nate’s love. And the fury of his wrath. Determined to dole out a little punishment of his own, Nate’s coming for the woman he loves. And there’s going to be hell to pay.

6.   I loved Gideon in a The Better to See You and loved him even more in Along Came a Spider. You know how much I love him because as soon as I finished reading Along Came a Spider I contacted you and asked (begged) you to please write his book. Now that you have announced that his book will be next I want to take the next plane to your city and move next door to you. But I don’t think you or my husband would like that idea. So the only thing left for me to do is to ask you if his heroine is going to be a Tale or a human, I think a human name Marcela sounds perfect for him. But if you have something different planned for him *cries* can you (please, I beg you) tell us what to expect from his lady-love?

LOL – You’re too cute! I love Gideon! And I’m delighted with how readers have taken to him. He’s such a fun character to write! Definitely the strong, silent type. ;)  I can tell you, his heroine is a Tale named Arabella Locksley—although, you wouldn’t know her by that name because, of course, the storytellers got her story all wrong. And, like my other heroines, you can expect a woman who is strong, sexy, sassy, and snarky. And she’ll be a challenge for Gideon because of her unpredictability.

5 – QPQ (quick personal questions)

1.   What do you drink while you are writing (coffee, tea, soda, vodka, absinthe, ayahuasca…)?  Coffee — and sometimes pumpkin spiced tea.

2.   What is your favorite food? I absolutely LOVE Greek food.

3.   What book are you reading now or read last?  I just finished Cecy Robson’s A CURSED EMBRACE (Weird Girls #2), and am currently reading Kait Ballenger’s debut novel, TWILIGHT HUNTER (Execution Underground #1). Cecy and Kait are both incredibly talented authors and their series are fabulous!! I’m blessed to call them my friends.

4.   Do you buy a book by the cover?  I seldom buy a book just because of the cover, but if the cover catches my eye, I’ll definitely pick it up and read the blurb. And if the blurb is awesome, I’m in.

5.   What is the place in the world you have dreamed about visiting all your life?  The United Kingdom. And I’d like to visit all 50 states here in the U.S. I’ve made it to 28 so far.

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