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Customer Reviews for WaterBrook Press Tandem
WaterBrook Press Tandem
Six months after brutal murders shake Abbey Hills, Missouri, Lauryn McBride finds herself responsible for the estate sale of one of the victims. But the arrival of mysterious Amede Dastillon and reporter Kevin Smyth threaten Lauryn's work. Can they defeat the devouring darkness and familiar evil---or will their own demons destroy them? 320 pages, softcover from Waterbrook.
Average Customer Rating:
(34 Reviews) 34
Rating Snapshot (34 reviews)
5 stars
5
4 stars
13
3 stars
4
2 stars
5
1 star
7
18 out of 3453%customers would recommend this product to a friend.
Customer Reviews for Tandem
Review 1 for Tandem
Overall Rating:
NOT FOR ME
Date:July 20, 2012
Quality:
4
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
3
out of
5
In Tracey Bateman's sequel to Thirsty, Amede Dastillion has arrived in the small Ozarks town of Abbey Hills for two reasons, one known and one very secret reason. Charley Baylor still mourns the murder of his sister, Amanda, and still seeks answers. Lauryn McBride is busy caring for her father who has Alzheimers, while trying to run the auction house he built many years before. Her main focus at the moment is the Marcus Chisom house. When Mr. Chisom died in a mysterious fire months earlier, he left behind a legacy of fine antiques and not a few questions. When these stories come together, centuries-old secrets are brought to light, causing Lauryn to rethink everything she's always believed.
This novel left me with mixed emotions. Although there were perhaps too many storylines to follow coherently, and the changing point-of-view left me confused several times, it is still a well-written novel with an engaging plot. Unfortunately, the synopsis on the book cover left out an important element to the story; it's about vampires. Now, this is probably more of a personal preference than an editorial comment, but the concept of vampires in Christian fiction still has my head reeling. From a theological standpoint, the novel and its murky conclusion is totally off-base. However, I realize that there are people who would enjoy this. As I said, it does have at times a good plot and was enjoyable. Therefore, even though I might not read another novel of this type, I still give it 3 stars.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group book review bloggers program . I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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Review 2 for Tandem
Overall Rating:
Not You Usual Vampire Story
Date:July 11, 2012
Sandra
Location:Sarasota, FL
Age:45-54
Gender:female
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
I will be the first to admit that I grew up loving vampire stories. I always felt sorry for them because, raised as a Christian I always wondered, what happened if you were a Christian and were bitten and became a vampire. Evidently Tracey Bateman had these same kind of thoughts. One thing I really loved about this book is that it showed both kinds of vampires. It showed those who were evil and those who truly wanted not to be what they were.
I loved the way Amede decided to follow in her father’s footsteps believing there was the possibility of redemption. I also loved the way she helped Lauryn McBride realize the changes she needed to make in her own life so that she would not have the regrets that Amede had lived with. I enjoyed the fact that I didn’t feel preached to. The reason this is so important is that I have a student who has been reading adult books for quite a while. She will devour anything about vampires.
I know that she will be just as surprised at the ending as I was. It took a major twist that has made me think about this book all day long. Will I recommend this book? You’d better believe it. It was very good. Since this was the first book I’d read by this author I figure I’d better check out some of her others. I had read about “Thirsty” quite some time ago. I was afraid I wouldn’t like it. However, I now have it on my to be read list. If you aren’t sure whether this is a book for you then click on the link below and read the first chapter. I guarantee you will like this book.
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Review 3 for Tandem
Overall Rating:
A Suprisingly Good Read
Date:July 8, 2012
Quality:
4
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
Review: OK, first off, I didn’t realize this was a vampire book. I, personally, have had issues with the idea of a “Christian” vampire book. HOWEVER, I’ve read Tracey Bateman’s books before and thoroughly enjoyed them, so I wanted to give her the opportunity to change my mind. Which I am happy to say she did! Though, I’m still not sure how I feel about vampire books, I did enjoy this book immensely.
The author did a great job of drawing me into the story. The author allows you to solve the mystery along with the protagonist. I found myself not only trying to figure out who was involved in the killings in this small Missouri town but the whys. As Amede reflects on her long life and her family, she struggles with her urges and her desire to find her half sister, Eden. It was intriguing to watch her character develop throughout the story.
To say the least, I found this story intriguing on many levels. I’ve not read any other vampire stories or watched the Twilight movies, so whether the author stays true to the vampire mythology I don’t know. What I do know is this story was really well written and I enjoyed it more than I expected. If you have someone in your life who is into vampires, this might be a good book for them to read. There are definite Christian themes in the story, that aren’t too overbearing, to scare off those who are anti-Christian. I said I would recommend this to a friend, I wish CBD gave us a "Depends on the friend" option. I know some friends would not enjoy this book, while others would.
Disclaimer: I would like to thank the publisher, Waterbrook Press, for the opportunity to read and review this book. I was under no obligation to give anything but my honest opinion.
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Review 4 for Tandem
Overall Rating:
Not great
Date:April 27, 2012
Quality:
2
out of
5
Value:
2
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
2
out of
5
Well…this was ok. I could infer certain references to Christianity, which were certainly muted and not as masterfully included as other fiction writers, even those who have written about demonic forces. I didn’t mind the idea of vampires as real, but I have read more comprehensive and clear books about those beings.
This was, to me, a book that couldn’t figure out what it was. The multiple plot lines were not always clear. I figured out some of the main ‘intrigue’ right away, and there were a few things I would have written very differently (or at least I wanted to read them differently), such as:
- Had the missionary from Haiti be the main protagonist. There was certainly an opening for that since he was coming from a country where voodoo is prevalent, this would have improved the opportunities to describe the gospel. I would have settled for a description of his work that described encounters with demonic influences that he overcame with prayer
- Done a much more thorough job of describing the relationship between Amede’s and Juliette’s families. That part of the story felt disjointed, and I’m still not sure I understand all of the ins and outs of that whole thing
- The Alzheimer’s portion was certainly real enough, and there were some very poignant moments there. But I was really confused about what happened to the mom – and again, there was no real resolution – there wasn’t time to make it all fit.
I am really sorry I didn’t care for this, I wanted to, and I struggled with how to write a review that wasn’t disparaging of the subject matter – because I really could sense the author’s intent was to write a book that captured the essence of the battle between good and evil. That she didn’t quite reach the mark is disappointing, but not a complete waste of time. I will definitely look for some more recent works by this author, to see where the caliber of her writing may have improved.
This was, to me, a book that couldn’t figure out what it was. The multiple plot lines were not always clear. I figured out some of the main ‘intrigue’ right away, and there were a few things I would have written very differently (or at least I wanted to read them differently), such as:
- Had the missionary from Haiti be the main protagonist. There was certainly an opening for that since he was coming from a country where voodoo is prevalent, this would have improved the opportunities to describe the gospel. I would have settled for a description of his work that described encounters with demonic influences that he overcame with prayer
- Done a much more thorough job of describing the relationship between Amede’s and Juliette’s families. That part of the story felt disjointed, and I’m still not sure I understand all of the ins and outs of that whole thing
- The Alzheimer’s portion was certainly real enough, and there were some very poignant moments there. But I was really confused about what happened to the mom – and again, there was no real resolution – there wasn’t time to make it all fit.
I am really sorry I didn’t care for this, I wanted to, and I struggled with how to write a review that wasn’t disparaging of the subject matter – because I really could sense the author’s intent was to write a book that captured the essence of the battle between good and evil. That she didn’t quite reach the mark is disappointing, but not a complete waste of time. I will definitely look for some more recent works by this author, to see where the caliber of her writing may have improved.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
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Review 5 for Tandem
Overall Rating:
a disappointing read
Date:April 19, 2012
Quality:
3
out of
5
Value:
3
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
3
out of
5
As obsession and loss become dark partners, how far must the people of Abbey Hills go to survive?
Six months ago, brutal murders shook the small Ozark town—murders that stopped after a house fire reportedly claimed the killer’s life. Lauryn McBride's family auction house has taken responsibility for the estate sale of one of the victims—the enigmatic Markus Chisom. Submerging herself in Chisom’s beautiful but strange world, Lauryn welcomes the reprieve from watching Alzheimer’s steal her father from her, piece by piece. She soon realizes that centuries-old secrets tie Abbey Hills to the Chisom estate and a mysterious evil will do anything to make sure those secrets stay hidden. Even the man who grew up loving her may not be able to protect Lauryn from the danger.
When Amede Dastillon receives an unexpected package from Abbey Hills, she hopes it might be the key in tracking down her beloved sister, long estranged from her family. Visiting Abbey Hills seems the logical next step in her search, but Amede is unusually affected by the town, and when mutilated carcasses begin turning up again in the small community, the local law enforcement isn’t sure if they are confronting a familiar evil or a new terror.
Two women brought together by questions that seem to have no answers. Can they overcome the loss and darkness threatening to devour them—or will their own demons condemn them to an emotional wasteland? ~ Publisher's Description
* * * * * * * * * * *
Mystery... a good who-dun-it book
* * * * * * * * * * *
Mystery... a good who-dun-it book
Suspense... good -vs- evil
Christian.... no
I enjoy a good mystery novel and have no problem with the vampire genre. What I do have a problem with is a vampire novel which states it is a Christian book. A few references to Christianity in the book - "the marriage of voodoo and Catholicism, the fine line between good and evil" (p. 110), and "She'd never feared God. She knew about God and sin and believed deeply in angels and demons. But the idea that she should bow to anyone felt wrong. Why shouldn't she be as she was inclined to be?" (p. 227) does not make it Christian. These two quotes are vampires speaking / thinking. One of Tracey Bateman's characters Billy is a Christian missionary and pastor. Yet, he doesn't play a large role in the book to make a huge difference. The last chapter of the book includes a weak explanation of the gospel, but it isn't clear or strong enough to guide a seeker to Christ.
Now, with that said, I enjoyed the book. Tracey's writing left me trying to figure out who were the perverbial good guys and bad guys. As I read the book, I didn't always know who was talking or being talked about. She would jump between characters and/or time which wasn't always easy to figure out. Numerous times I needed to reread a section to make sure I knew what was going on.
My rating: 2 out of 5 stars
Click HERE to read the first 2 chapters!
The author, Tracey Bateman, has been featured in Christianity Today. To read her write-up, scroll down to "Leading to Dark Places."
The paperback is currently on sale at Christian Book for $2.99!
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Review 6 for Tandem
Overall Rating:
Disappointment in this listing.
Date:April 5, 2012
Cody
Location:New Jersey
Age:55-65
Gender:female
Quality:
1
out of
5
Value:
1
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
1
out of
5
When I received this book I was disappointed to find that it was about vampires. This wasn't mentioned in the preview of this book. I'm not reading it. I'm throwing it away.
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Review 7 for Tandem
Overall Rating:
Tandem
Date:March 26, 2012
Quality:
4
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
4
out of
5
Tandem is the second book in this paranormal fiction series of vampires in Abbey Hills, Missouri. A well written story of good and evil with lots of twists and turns and surprises. Who is doing the killing in this town and why? Who will survive this ordeal and who is in danger? Who lives and who dies? You will be surprised once all is revealed about those you thought could be trusted. Great book that you will not be able to put down. Get a copy today to find out the truth and solve the mystery.
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0points
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Review 8 for Tandem
Overall Rating:
Date:March 18, 2012
Quality:
4
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
4
out of
5
Tandem is a book that pushes the envelope. When I first picked it up, I was not crazy about the vampire theme. As I got into the story, it really makes you wonder who is doing what? Its a bit twisted, but a thriller that satisfies.
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Review 9 for Tandem
Overall Rating:
Weird Marriage of Topics
Date:November 1, 2011
Joyjoy
Location:St. Petersburg, FL
Age:45-54
Gender:female
Quality:
2
out of
5
Value:
1
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
1
out of
5
This book is mainly about vampires committing murders in a small town.
The book broaches two subjects: vampires and christianity. The marriage of these two topics in a story was a strange union for me because the subject of vampires is purely fantasy but the subject of God, Christianity, or religion (any religion) is real. However, in the book, vampires and religion were both portrayed as reality. This could be very confusing to a person who searching for truth. What is real and what is fantasy?
I must admit that if I had realized this was a "Christian" book about vampires, I probably would not have picked it up to read. However, that being said, the book, taken at face value, was a very engaging and enjoyable read.
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0points
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Review 10 for Tandem
Overall Rating:
Vampires?!?
Date:May 24, 2011
mzzterry
Location:Texas
Age:45-54
Gender:female
Quality:
1
out of
5
Value:
1
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
1
out of
5
Tandem, a novel, by Tracey Bateman is published by Waterbrook Press and was provided to me free of charge in exchange for a review. I honestly can't give a review because I couldn't bring myself to read this book. It is my very first DNF (did not finish) since beginning to do book reviews. I have held on to it for a long time, thinking perhaps I could "talk" myself into reading it despite my dislike for the subject matter, but I just could not get past the fact that I am reiviewing books for what touts itself as a Christian publisher and the storyline is vampire centered. A total sellout to me and one I am just not comfortable with. So, my reivew is that I can't recommend this book. I can't. How in all seriousness can a Christian publisher even consider such a thing? Award winning author or not, I feel another avenue is needed to sell this book. That is my opinion.
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Review 11 for Tandem
Overall Rating:
Tandem
Date:March 26, 2011
Quality:
3
out of
5
Value:
3
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
3
out of
5
As much as I’m sure there’s a lot of readers out in the market for the overflowing Amish Genre, it is refreshing to see a Christian Fiction book that pushes the envelope. Continuing the series that Ms. Bateman began in “Thirsty”, “Tandem” leads the reader down several different plotlines that weaves a story of past, present and future.
Lauryn, the main character, is spending time between taking care of her father and preparing for an estate sale. While preparing for the sale, Lauryn find items that belong to the Dastillon family. Mysterious murders occur when Amede Dastillon returns to search for her long-lost sister, Eden. Miranda James, reporter, thinks that Eden and the presumed killer, Markus Chisom, are vampires and sets out to prove that even more exist in this small town.
The book is a very quick read, and written really well. As a “Christian” book, I found that this book wove a very good story of redemption and forgiveness. If you enjoy a good edge of your seat thriller, this would be a great book to add to your reading list.
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Review 12 for Tandem
Overall Rating:
Unbelievable Story About Vampires
Date:March 12, 2011
Seize the Book Blog
Location:East Tennessee
Age:45-54
Gender:female
Quality:
1
out of
5
Value:
1
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
1
out of
5
As of now, I know I can officially declare myself not "with it" and out of touch with what is cool today. But that's all right with me because if being cool means I should like books like Tandem, then I say, "no problem".
I feel that I have been hoodwinked. I went to the publisher's website to choose a book to review. I clicked on the blurb for Tandem, and this is what it said:
"As obsession and loss become dark partners, how far must the people of Abbey Hills go to survive?
Six months ago, brutal murders shook the small Ozark town—murders that stopped after a house fire reportedly claimed the killer’s life. Lauryn McBride's family auction house has taken responsibility for the estate sale of one of the victims—the enigmatic Markus Chisom. Submerging herself in Chisom’s beautiful but strange world, Lauryn welcomes the reprieve from watching Alzheimer’s steal her father from her, piece by piece. She soon realizes that centuries-old secrets tie Abbey Hills to the Chisom estate and a mysterious evil will do anything to make sure those secrets stay hidden. Even the man who grew up loving her may not be able to protect Lauryn from the danger.
When Amede Dastillon receives an unexpected package from Abbey Hills, she hopes it might be the key in tracking down her beloved sister, long estranged from her family. Visiting Abbey Hills seems the logical next step in her search, but Amede is unusually affected by the town, and when mutilated carcasses begin turning up again in the small community, the local law enforcement isn’t sure if they are confronting a familiar evil or a new terror.
Two women brought together by questions that seem to have no answers. Can they overcome the loss and darkness threatening to devour them—or will their own demons condemn them to an emotional wasteland?"
So, where does it say that this is actually a VAMPIRE book? I couldn't believe that we were not told that before we received the book. I know I wouldn't have bothered reading it if I knew. I read Twilight and, yes, I am one of those who was not impressed at all. So, needless to say, I did not enjoy reading Tandem.
The plot was pretty shallow and the characters (especially the vampires) unbelievable. As I read (which was hard for me to do, considering the vampire theme of the book), I kept thinking maybe the author would, at some point in the book, debunk the whole idea of vampires and thus redeem the book. But instead, the vampires were shown to be "real" and even at one point the author declared that perhaps "reformed vampires get to go to heaven"!
I was also surprised that there was no mention of the fact that what the vampires did (kill people to drink their blood) is morally wrong. The other characters seemed to accept the notion that this was normal and acceptable (once they learned that these were not ordinary people). I kept turning the pages, incredulous that this would even be published by a "Christian book" publisher.
I am disappointed. I give Tandem 1 out of 5 stars.
(I received this book from Waterbrook/Multnomah for review purposes. I received no monetary compensation for this review. All opinions expressed are completely my own.)
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Review 13 for Tandem
Overall Rating:
move over vampire diaries
Date:March 9, 2011
Quality:
4
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
I could just gush over this book! I mean if you’re a thriller/suspense fan you’ll love this! This para-normal fiction will tickle your senses for the supernatural. I couldn’t put it down! Tracey brings a lot to the table with her take on the Vampire sega’s and what she has to offer in her books. I found it very intoxicating and could clearly see the struggle between the good and evil in all of us through this book. I like how she brought it together – that we all have struggles in our minds over what is the right thing to do.
I like the differences in character as the story comes out through Amede and her sister; their relationship to each other, how they react to their father and life circumstances. I think a lot of people can relate to the parental issues with the characters. I also really felt for Lauren and her father with Alzheimer’s and how it made her not sure about her belief in God.
I will say, this book isn’t for the faint of heart – it’s gritty, but a good gritty! It is an all round good who-dunnit fiction, with a supernatural take on it.
It has a smash of realism in between the pages of supernatural! Now that’s a hard thing to do – and do it well!
I would classify this book as a searching book – it’s not overly Christian, but has enough in it to bring questions to someone’s mind and perhaps encourage them to seek further if they don’t belong to Christ yet. I think it is comparable and even above both the Vampire Diaries and Twilight venues!
I will definitely be looking for more books by Tracy Bateman in the future!
*review copy provided for my own opinion
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Review 14 for Tandem
Overall Rating:
A Nice Surprise
Date:February 24, 2011
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
Can a woman of faith write a vampire novel? This was the question that circled through my mind when I heard Tracey Bateman was writing a vampire novel. Her first vampire novel, released in 2009, is called Thirsty and I admit that I did not read it before I read Tandem. My only excuse is that I was busy, so when I snagged a copy of the more recently released Tandem from Waterbrook, I decided to figure out what was going on.
My original question should not have been could a woman of faith write a vampire novel, but why shouldn't why shouldn't a Christian, like Tracey Bateman, write a story about misunderstood mythical creatures damned to hell and suggest they can find redemption? The very fight between good and evil suggests all kinds of opportunities for a redemptive story.
Tandem explores the idea that vampires might possibly walk in this world and that some of them have chosen to abstain from the abomination of consuming human blood. Lauryn, who runs an auction house, is tasked with selling the estate of an enigmatic figure with a mysterious side and a link to a secret vampire visiting the small Ozark town from New Orleans.
I appreciated the artistic way that Tracey used different points of view to knit the story together and as the novel progressed, I was able to see the pattern of the voices and anticipate the clues that each gave to the story.
I liked this novel for its page-turning plot and its theme dealing with the quandaries we all face about choosing the easy way, or choosing what is right. Now I must go back and read Thirsty. - Tina Ann Forkner, Author
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Review 15 for Tandem
Overall Rating:
Fair Effort for a Christian Vampire Story
Date:February 9, 2011
clariail
Location:Mobile, AL
Age:45-54
Gender:female
Quality:
4
out of
5
Value:
3
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
3
out of
5
A lot of people nowadays are into reading books that deal with paranormal subjects, psychics, ghosts, vampires, etc. which you don't find very much of in Christian fiction. From what I have seen in looking through catalogs and other sources there are Christian fiction authors who are beginning to write stories along these lines and Tracey Bateman is one. As her book Thirsty dealt with vampires, so does Tandem. I have not read Thirsty as of yet so did not realize that Tandem takes place in the same town with some of the same characters. However, it does not read as a sequel and just mentions in a few places what took place previously along with an explanation so that you aren't left scratching your head and wondering huh? To be honest, when I started reading the story I did not like the format that it was written in. The story is coming from four different aspects which I was finding very confusing. Two of the stories come from Lauryn McBride with one being in the current story and then at different times in the book you will read what has happened to her in the past. The other two are told through Amede Dastillon and her sister. By the time I had read to about page 75, I didn't think that I would even finish the book. I have always had the habit though of reading the end of a book when I am also reading the front. If I am iffy about the book anyway and don't like the way it ends, I don't bother to finish the book. However, if the ending intrigues me, I will keep on reading to see how they got to the ending. In this case, reading the ending helped me to understand the four different stories and increased my interest in the book. Lauryn McBride is one of the main characters but I did not care for her very much. To me she appeared very stand offish and almost self centered. She was focused on her little part of the world and the problems that she was dealing with. I could understand why she appeared that way but it didn't help me to like the character any better. At the very end, she seemed to be wanting to take a chance and step out but a little too late for me. My favorite character in the book was Amede Dastillon, a vampire. What that says for me, I'm not sure but she is the type of character that I enjoy reading about. She knew who she was, very self assured, and wasn't prepared to be anyone's victim. She was also honest with herself. Even though she was a vampire, she was also prepared to believe in God at the end and hope that there was redemption for her.
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Review 16 for Tandem
Overall Rating:
Godless
Date:January 30, 2011
Tweety
Age:55-65
Gender:female
Quality:
1
out of
5
Value:
1
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
1
out of
5
I am trying to figure out what happened to Godly inspired authors that had values and made you feel good about yourself and others after reading a Christian novel.
I unserstand that Vampires are in style in our secular world, but doesn't God tell us to not be like the world.
I don't know about you other people ? but for me personally,
I find this kind of story line disturbing and anything but Christian.
Would you feel comfortable reading this in front of Jesus?
I am really surprised that the Christian Book Store would have anything to do with this type of book.
Anyone can say they are a Christian author but I think the fruits of the spirit speak for themselves.
I definitely would not recomend this to anyone, much less a Christian.
I unserstand that Vampires are in style in our secular world, but doesn't God tell us to not be like the world.
I don't know about you other people ? but for me personally,
I find this kind of story line disturbing and anything but Christian.
Would you feel comfortable reading this in front of Jesus?
I am really surprised that the Christian Book Store would have anything to do with this type of book.
Anyone can say they are a Christian author but I think the fruits of the spirit speak for themselves.
I definitely would not recomend this to anyone, much less a Christian.
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Review 17 for Tandem
Overall Rating:
Disappointing and Creepy
Date:January 18, 2011
Tandem by Tracey Bateman was NOT what I expected, and I was extremely disappointed. It took me about three chapters to even figure out what was going on with the story line. Once I did, I realized that the book is actually a vampire story. Please hear me say that I don't necessarily have a problem with vampire stories. (I've never read the Twilight series, but don't have an "issue" with them.) However, I do have a problem with THIS vampire story. It was billed as a Christian book, but to be honest God was not mentioned much or a major focal point of the book. The vampires were a bizarre twist to the book and added a very creepy and spooky element. I love a good mystery / suspense book as much as (maybe more than) anyone. However, I don't like feeling like things are going to jump out and get me and I don't like reading/watching things simply to scare me. I just don't feel like those are the things I need to fill my mind with, so to be totally honest I didn't even finish the book. I read the first 76 pages and put it down.
The vampires/creepy/spooky aspect aside, I just didn't feel like the part I read was even well-written. The author switches back and forth between two seemingly unrelated story lines and it took a while for me to connect them together. I really wanted to like the plot and the main character. But the truth is that the main character was just not that likable ... I couldn't connect with her.
I would not recommend this to anyone.
1 star
I received a free copy of this book from WaterBrook Multnomah in exchange for my fair and honest review.
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Review 18 for Tandem
Overall Rating:
Wow!
Date:January 14, 2011
sbdugger
Location:Nashville, TN
Age:45-54
Gender:female
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
*Tandem* is a spine-tingling story that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end of the story. If you are a fan of stories with lots of twists and turns, this is for you. I loved the way the author worked the Christian theme into the vampire story line. This is a must read book!
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Review 19 for Tandem
Overall Rating:
God and Vampires
Date:January 11, 2011
Kaye
Location:Missouri
Age:35-44
Gender:female
Quality:
3
out of
5
Value:
2
out of
5
Vampires. In Christian Fiction. What?
As a teacher for a creative writing class for Christian teens, I was aware that books covering this latest phenomenon existed, even in our local Christian bookstores. However, I still had a hard time reconciling that with my heart and spirit.
That being said, when I received “Tandem” by Christian fiction author Tracey Bateman for review and realized it was indeed about vampires, I knew it wouldn’t be fair to the author or the book to put it away without at least giving it a shot, so I did.
One of my fears about the latest surge in the vampire craze (Christian or otherwise) aside from the obvious and spiritual aspect of it, is the way that vampires are glorified. Their lifestyle of bloodlust and violence have become seductive and sensual in nature and deemed as appropriate paranormal romances for teens, so much so that their behavior has been embraced by many a young adult.
And that was my concern about the book “Tandem”. But I have to admit, that as far as this book goes, it was unwarranted.
“Tandem” is essentially the story of three women. Amede Dastillon, her half-sister Eden and Missouri auction house owner, Lauryn McBride.
While researching and cataloguing items from an old Victorian home that she needs to auction off, Lauryn McBride comes across some letters, centuries old, written by an Amede Dastillon. Knowing the letters are personal in nature and would be treasured by her descendants, she is able to track down the Dastillon estate in Louisiana and sends them there. She has no way of knowing that the Amede who wrote those letters over a hundred years ago, is still alive. Amede is a vampire. And once she realizes that those letters were found at a home in Missouri, she heads their straightaway to find her long lost sister Eden.
And that’s when the trouble begins.
Abbey Hills, MO is now overwhelmed with ritualistic animal slayings and murders of their beloved citizens. Interestingly enough, they didn’t start until Amede came to town. But is she really the one responsible for them? And now the story gets really interesting. However, I can’t say more without having to list this review as a spoiler.
But the book does deal with vampires. And with that you usually get a plethora of blood trails, grisly murders and cultic activity. In “Tandem” however, although there were animal slayings and murders, they were not written out in graphic detail. As far as my own personal comfort level goes, I could have done without some of it (keep in mind that I’m of the squeamish sort anyway) especially in regards to the animal slayings, but all in all it did not sink to the level that I had presumed it would.
And there were Christian messages sprinkled throughout, but again they were subtle. Though I do believe her last sentence in the book explains the message she was intending.
Due to the multiple point of views in which the story was told it was a bit hard for me to follow, especially in the beginning. Though the further I read, the easier it became. I also was disappointed with the ending. It wrapped up really fast and seemed rushed.
Due to the multiple point of views in which the story was told it was a bit hard for me to follow, especially in the beginning. Though the further I read, the easier it became. I also was disappointed with the ending. It wrapped up really fast and seemed rushed.
However, what I loved about this book is the level of suspense it had. It kept me turning the page and just when I thought I knew what was going on and who was doing what it changed. These twists and turns were done very well by Ms. Bateman.
But most importantly, there were no gory graphic scenes or glorifying of vampires. What it did try to show was that our God is big enough to extend grace, mercy and salvation to the vilest amongst us, which in this case would include vampires (that is, of course, if they really existed).
I enjoyed reading “Tandem” by Tracey Bateman. It kept me interested enough to where I was able to finish it in less than a week. I kept going back to it because the storyline was compelling and intriguing. Will I read other vampire novels? No, probably not. The genre itself asks the readers to suspend a lot reality and that’s probably why sci-fi and fantasy novels are hard for me to get into. But would I read other books by Tracey Bateman?
Yes. I would.
"I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review"
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Review 20 for Tandem
Overall Rating:
Mystery with occult overtones
Date:January 9, 2011
Quality:
2
out of
5
Value:
2
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
1
out of
5
I was disappointed in Tandem by Tracy Bateman. I was into chapter 3 before I was able to have a clear idea of who the characters were and their relationship to each other. At that point I thumbed through the book, reading sections to get a feel for the story. When I became convinced that Ms. Bateman was dealing with vampires and the occult (whether real or alluded to) I quickly lost interest.
I will not be likely to recommend this book to others.
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