“A Shade of Vampire” by Bella Forrest is a work of fiction and the first in a series of books focused on the Shade, a vampire island community. The main characters throughout the books are Sofia Claremont, a seventeen year old human, and Derek Novak, a five hundred year old vampire who still looks like he is eighteen. The story cries romance from page one while adding family drama and conflict as well as personal realization.

The story is chronological. It begins with Sofia walking on the beach on the night of her birthday. Sofia is distraught about her feelings over Ben, her best friend and love interest, and does not hear a vampire approach. Sofia is kidnapped and taken to the Shade, an island created for vampire kind.

When Sofia wakes, she is confronted with Lucas Novak, a bloodthirsty and ruthless vampire. Lucas plans to make Sofia his own before being interrupted by his sister Vivienne. Vivienne reminds Lucas that girls found on the hunt belong to their prince, her twin brother, Derek.

Derek wakes after four hundred years of sleep brought on by a witch’s spell. Derek spots Sofia and is instantly smitten. It takes Derek a while to be able to control himself and not attack the beautiful girl. Derek immediately knows there is something different about Sofia.

Despite Derek claiming Sofia and warning Lucas to stay away, Lucas is determined to have Sofia as his own. Lucas goes so far as to kill one of the other slave girls as a “present” to Sofia and to attack her in the night. Sofia refuses to tell anyone what has happened. The situation becomes volatile enough that Derek nearly kills Lucas

Claudia, a member of the Elite, brings her new slave Ben to Derek’s quarters. Claudia is jealous of Sofia and wants to claim Derek. She hopes bringing Ben into the picture will smooth the way. Derek keeps Ben as a slave to please Sofia, but he is jealous of their relationship even though Sofia says Ben is just a friend.

Once again, Lucas attacks Sofia, saying he has waited long enough. Derek walks in and goes mad. At the end of the story, Derek tells Sofia she must leave the Shade. However, Sofia has fallen for Derek and decides she may want to stay.