Minion (Vampire Huntress #1) by L.A. Banks: Review

Minion is most definitely a foundation book. Plenty of explanations and detail in this one, but not a lot of forward momentum for the story. However, I don't really mind that so much if I am pretty confident that the following books will be more focused on moving the story along. I went into this one with a pretty open mind and no idea what to really expect and I was surprised at how dark this is. These aren't sexy romanticized vampires and supernatural beings. The creatures in this world are violently aggressive and disturbing. Banks definitely plays towards the more horrifically evil and nightmarish side of vampire/supernatural lore. Minion is a good start to the series, but doesn't feel like a story that would stand alone. I wouldn't have been satisfied at the end if I didn't know that there are plenty more installments to go. There is also an issue with the dialogue having a LOT of slang that dates the story to the early 2000's which is a little distracting, but it didn't take away from me enjoying what I got. Hopefully the slang and 'coolness' from the characters will dial down. 
 I'm immediately moving on to The Awakening so that I can continue this adventure!

Amazon 

There is one woman who is all that stands between us and the eternal night. Here is an account of her legend…

All Damali Richards ever wanted to do was create music and bring it to the people. Now she is a spoken word artist and the top act for Warriors of Light Records. But come nightfall, she hunts vampires and demons—predators that people tend to dismiss as myth or fantasy. Damali and her Guardian team cannot afford such delusions, especially now, when a group of rogue vampires has been killing the artists of Warriors of Light and their rival, Blood Music.

When strange attacks erupt within the club drug-trafficking network and draw the attention of the police, Damali realizes these killings are a bit out of the ordinary, even for vampires. Instead of neat puncture marks in the neck showing where the blood has been drained from the body, these corpses are mutilated beyond recognition, indicating a blood lust and thirst for destruction that surpasses any Damali has encountered before. Soon she discovers that behind these brutal murders is the most powerful vampire Damali has ever met—a seductive beast who is coming for her next…