L. A. Banks (1959–2011)

Author of Minion

80+ Works 9,199 Members 127 Reviews 22 Favorited

About the Author

Leslie Esdaile Banks was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on December 11, 1959. She received an undergraduate degree from The University of Pennsylvania and a master of fine arts degree in filmmaking from Temple University. She wrote under the pseudonyms L. A. Banks, Leslie Esdaile, Leslie E. show more Banks, Leslie Banks, and Leslie Esdaile Banks. She wrote in several genres including crime, thriller, romance, science fiction, and fantasy. Writing as L. A. Banks, she was best known for the Vampire Huntress Legend series and the Crimson Moon series. She received the 2009 Romantic Times Booklover's Convention Career Achievement Award for Paranormal Fiction and the 2008 Essence Magazine Storyteller of the Year Award. She died of adrenal cancer on August 2, 2011 at the age of 51. (Bowker Author Biography) show less

Includes the names: L. A. Banks, Alexis Grant, Leslie Esdaile, Leslie E. Banks, Leslie Esdaile Banks, Leslie Esdaile Banks

Series

Vampire Huntress Legend

A Crimson Moon

L.A. Banks' Vampire Huntress

The Dark {Banks}

Men of Delta Force

Neteru Academy

Moonstone Monsters Anthology

Dark Avenger

Soul Food: The Series

Homeland Heroes and Heroines

Works by L. A. Banks

Popular Recent

Minion (2003) 1,187 copies, 33 reviews

Stroke of Midnight (Anthology) (2004) — Contributor — 977 copies, 15 reviews

Love at First Bite (Anthology 4-in-1) (2006) — Contributor — 827 copies, 12 reviews

The Awakening (2004) 691 copies, 13 reviews

The Hunted (2004) 563 copies, 6 reviews

The Bitten (2005) 525 copies, 4 reviews

The Forbidden (2005) 425 copies, 3 reviews

The Damned (2006) 419 copies, 1 review

Bad Blood (2008) 377 copies, 7 reviews

The Forsaken (2006) 364 copies

The Wicked (2007) 329 copies, 2 reviews

The Cursed (2007) 293 copies, 1 review

The Shadows (2008) 265 copies, 1 review

The Darkness (2008) 244 copies, 1 review

Bite the Bullet (2008) 232 copies, 4 reviews

The Thirteenth (2009) 210 copies, 1 review

Undead On Arrival (2009) 187 copies, 3 reviews

Cursed to Death (2009) 158 copies, 1 review

Never Cry Werewolf (2010) 142 copies

Left for Undead (2010) 121 copies

Surrender The Dark (2011) 69 copies, 4 reviews

The Ancestors (2008) 62 copies

Sizzle and Burn (2011) 40 copies, 1 review

Shadow Walker (2010) 35 copies, 2 reviews

Vegas Bites: A Werewolf Romance Anthology (4-in-1) (2006) — Contributor — 34 copies

Conquer the Dark (2011) 30 copies, 1 review

Locked and Loaded (2012) 27 copies, 2 reviews

Creepin' (Anthology ∙ 5-in-1) (2007) — Contributor — 27 copies, 1 review

L.A. Banks' Vampire Huntress, Vol. 1: Dawn and Darkness (Books 1-4) (2010) 26 copies

The Vampire Huntress Legend Series (2003) 24 copies

The Sistahood of Shopaholics (2003) 15 copies, 1 review

Betrayal Of the Trust (2004) 15 copies

Sister Got Game (2004) 14 copies, 1 review

Keepin' It Real (2005) 14 copies, 1 review

Finders Keepers (2008) 12 copies

Vampires: Dracula and the Undead Legions (2009) 12 copies

Shattered Trust (2006) 12 copies

Scarface: The Beginning (v. 1) (2006) 11 copies

Better Than (Dafina Contemporary Romance) (2008) 11 copies, 1 review

Love Potions (2002) 11 copies

Take Me There (2006) 11 copies, 1 review

Blind Trust (2005) 10 copies

Midnight Clear, an Indigo Holiday Collection (4-in-1) (2000) — Contributor — 10 copies

Love Lessons (2001) 9 copies, 1 review

Atlantis Rising (2009) 9 copies

Slow Burn (1997) 9 copies

Candlelight and You [Anthology 3-in-1] (2003) 8 copies

Through the Storm (2002) 8 copies, 1 review

Rivers Of The Soul (Indigo: Sensuous Love Stories) (2001) 8 copies

No Trust (2007) 8 copies

L.A. Banks' Vampire Huntress The Hidden Darkness, Book One: Ashes to Ashes (2010) 7 copies

After the Vows: an Indigo Anthology (3-in-1) (2001) — Contributor — 6 copies

For Better, For Worse (2002) 6 copies

Still Waters Run Deep (Indigo: Sensuous Love Stories) (2002) 6 copies

L.A. Banks' Vampire Huntress The Hidden Darkness, Book Two: Dust to Dust (2010) 5 copies

Love Notes (Arabesque) (2001) 4 copies, 1 review

Sundance (1996) 3 copies

Tomorrow's Promise (2002) 3 copies

Losers Weepers (2008) 3 copies

Ride The Night Wind 3 copies

No Mountain High Enough (2003) 2 copies

Midnight Clear (2-in-1) (2009) — Contributor — 2 copies

L.A. Banks' Vampire Huntress The Hidden Darkness, Book Four: Ride or Die (2011) 2 copies

L.A. Banks' Vampire Huntress The Hidden Darkness, Book Three: Bygones to Blood (2011) 2 copies

Spellbound 2 copies

Through Thick and Thin (2003) 2 copies

Scarface: Point of No Return (2007) 1 copy

White Slaves (2003) 1 copy

Minon / The Awakening / The Hunted / The Bitten 1 copy

Make It Last Forever 1 copy

Minion / The Forsaken / The Wicked / The Cursed 1 copy

Dog Tired of the Drama! 1 copy

Equinox (short story) 1 copy

Bayou Brawl 1 copy

Background 1 copy

Ancient Equations(short story) 1 copy

The Vampire Huntress Legend Series - 12 Volume Set - Collection 1 copy

The Vampire Hunters Legend Series: Exclusive Collectible Booklet 1 copy

Chicks Kick Butt (The Shifters) (2011) 1 copy

Tempt Me 1 copy

Work Explorer

Associated Works

My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding (2006) — Contributor — 1,502 copies, 31 reviews

Death's Excellent Vacation (2010) — Contributor — 844 copies, 40 reviews

Hotter Than Hell (2008) — Contributor — 673 copies, 21 reviews

The Mad Scientist's Guide to World Domination: Original Short Fiction for the Modern Evil Genius (2013) — Contributor — 402 copies, 21 reviews

By Blood We Live (2009) — Contributor — 307 copies, 7 reviews

Chicks Kick Butt (Anthology 13-in-1) (2011) — Contributor — 293 copies, 10 reviews

Blood Lite II: Overbite (2010) — Contributor — 223 copies, 13 reviews

Blood Lite III: Aftertaste (2012) — Contributor — 213 copies, 9 reviews

Men of Danger [Anthology 4-in-1] (2010) — Contributor — 186 copies, 4 reviews

Dark Delicacies II: Fear (2007) — Contributor — 114 copies, 4 reviews

Dark Dreams: A Collection of Horror and Suspense by Black Writers (2004) — Contributor — 62 copies, 7 reviews

The Darker Mask : Heroes from the Shadows [Anthology] (2008) — Contributor — 56 copies, 3 reviews

Voices From The Other Side: Dark Dreams II (2006) — Contributor — 47 copies, 1 review

Vampires in Love: Stories with a Bite (2010) — Contributor — 30 copies, 1 review

It's All Love: Black Writers on Soul Mates, Family, and Friends (2009) — Contributor — 11 copies

Tagged

adult (41) African American (126) anthology (658) Crimson Moon (54) dark fantasy (46) Dark Hunter (122) demons (80) ebook (198) fantasy (552) fiction (593) horror (305) Kindle (49) L. A. Banks (132) library (41) magic (60) mystery (47) own (79) owned (40) paperback (86) paranormal (514) paranormal romance (315) read (117) romance (459) s: vampire huntress legend (37) science fiction (106) series (147) shapeshifters (81) short stories (287) speculative fiction (46) supernatural (160) to-read (1,125) unread (115) urban (39) urban fantasy (460) vampire (311) Vampire Huntress (169) Vampire Huntress Legend (142) vampires (589) werewolves (146) wishlist (99)

Common Knowledge

Legal name: Banks, Leslie Ann Peterson Esdaile
Other names: Banks, Leslie E.
Esdaile, Leslie
Banks, Leslie
Grant, Alexis
Birthdate: 1959-12-11
Date of death: 2011-08-02
Gender: female
Nationality: USA (birth)
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Place of death: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Cause of death: adrenal cancer
Places of residence: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Education: Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania (BA)
Temple University (MFA | Film)
Occupations: novelist
Relationships: Esdaile, Helena (daughter)
Organizations: The Liars Club
Awards and honors: Essence Magazine Storyteller of the Year Award (2008)
Best 50 Women in Business Award for the State of Pennsylvania (2008)

Members

Reviews

Love at First Bite by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Not a particularly interesting anthology, I actually skipped the final story as I had no interest in finishing the book.

Flagged

justgeekingby | 11 other reviews | Jun 6, 2023 |

The Bitten: A Vampire Huntress Legend (Vampire… by L. A. Banks

So, because I read this for a class, I didn't read the first 3 books and was thoroughly confused for the first half of it. I did enjoy the descriptive action scenes. I think I would feel differently about this book had I read the other 3 books first.

Flagged

BarnesBookshelf | 3 other reviews | Jan 29, 2023 |

Minion (Vampire Huntress Legends) by L. A. Banks

Langdregin kynning á átökum vampíra og sérvalinna vampírubana en ágætis spennukaflar innanum.

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SkuliSael | 32 other reviews | Apr 28, 2022 |

The Hunted (Vampire Huntress Legends) by L. A. Banks

Well, I've gotten through Book #3.

I enjoy the world around Carlos, the vampire. The council, the intrigue, that sort of thing. I don't understand hardly any of it. This is the most confusing book series ever.

But - there's WAY too much angst here! I want more vampire hunting! More battles! Hold off on that drama, girl! It wears me out, it's stilly, it makes no sense. There are parts of this story that I like but parts that are so eye rolling.

It's also terribly confusing. I never understood a thing about the demons and the were-demons and the Neterus and the guardians and whatever else went on.

And an entire chapter to have sex? Really? That got old quick. And another entire chapter with these weird guardian dudes feeling oh-so-uncomfortable about Marlene maybe hooking up with an old boyfriend? No one can handle hormones? Why are hormones even running rampant in this book? What's the big deal you found out your boyfriend wanted to do a were-demon because she was hot and sexy? Grow up!… (more)

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Chica3000 | 5 other reviews | Dec 11, 2020 |

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