March comes in like a lamb or a roar wherever you are in this world. This month we have St. Patrick’s Day and Easter less than a week apart and as we give thanks to whatever is in our hearts, get ready for spring as we celebrate this Month’s Rising Star: L. A. Banks. 

Ms. Banks is a 2008 Essence Storyteller of the year award, has written over 30 novels and 10 novellas and writes under other pen names in a variety of genres that she is able to switch back and forth with no problem. She graduated from University of Pennsylvania Wharton College Undergraduate Program with a Masters in Fine Arts from Temple College, she is an enigma that entertains and weaves stories that send a positive message to her readers while thoroughly entertaining them in the process.

I got hooked on L. A. Banks Vampire Huntress Series when I saw it at my local library. I never expected to get so involved in a series where i am jonesing for the next book once I finished the last one. Ms. Banks is a delightful writer that delves in the battle of good, bad and spiritalness.

I just finished reading The Damned and I have to say….HOT DAMN! It was phenomenal and one of those can’t put down type of books. Heck the whole series so far has been reading till wee hours of morning! I am off to buy The Foresaken and the rest of the series as I wonder what happens next for Vampire Huntress Damali, her consort Carlos and her Guardian Team. Will she be able to kick hell’s ass and will her Guardian team be able to  handle it all as Armageddon draws near? Will Carlos be able to handle not being a Master Vampire anymore and stay in the light? All these questions are posed through out the books and you get caught up in the story and the lives of these fabulous characters.

I have to thank Ms. Banks for creating a world where she doesn’t preach about religion as all religions are represented one way or another in her books and she delivers a positive and uplifting message amid the war between heaven and hell. But after The Cursed, there are only three more books left (which the latest is The Darkness was just released) according to her website (http://www.vampire-huntress.com/leslie.html) and I am hoping there wil be more on her guardians former lives and about some of the major secondary characters that pop up throughout the books. It would be nice to know how they came to walk in the light and be a guardian, helper, etc.

So if you are looking for a wonderful vampire series that delivers a positive message and captivates you as the characters grow as each book takes place, then pick up Ms. Banks series and be prepared for some late nights!

The series is as follows:

1: Minion

2: Awakening

3: The Hunted

4: The Bitten

5: The Forbidden

6: The Damned

7: The Foresaken

8: The Wicked

9: The Cursed

Armageddon Finale:

10: The Darkness (New release)

11: Title TBD

12: Title TBD

Anthologies that showcase the Guardians so far:

Love at First Bite

My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding

Stroke of Midnight