Nightspell Week: Nightspell Review & Giveaway!

Leah Cypess's website here // $9.99 from {amazon}
Publisher: Greenwillow Books (May 31, 2011)
Hardcover: 336 pages
Source: Author
Summary:

When Darri rides into Ghostland, a country where the living walk with the dead, she has only one goal: to rescue her younger sister Callie, who was sent to Ghostland as a hostage four years ago. But Callie has changed in those four years, and now has secrets of her own.

In her quest to save her sister from herself, Darri will be forced to outmaneuver a handsome ghost prince, an ancient sorcerer, and a manipulative tribal warrior (who happens to be her brother). When Darri discovers the source of the spell that has kept the dead in Ghostland chained to this earth, she faces a decision that will force her to reexamine beliefs she has never before questioned - and lead her into the heart of a conspiracy that threatens the very balance of power between the living and the dead.

My Thoughts:

It took me over ten tries to get this right: NIGHTSPELL is indescribable. It’s indescribably amazing. It’s indescribably fantastical. In a word, it’s brilliant. (And, yes, paradoxical.) Leah Cypess is quickly becoming one of my favorite YA fantasy writers, and in NIGHTSPELL, it’s clearly evident why.

My top reason to love: Leah Cypess is a master at world-building and plot-weaving. NIGHTSPELL doesn’t just throw out some Ghostland facts and leave you attempting to connect-the-dots. Rather, it gradually and seamlessly laces them together to form a rich history and haunting setting. Nothing in NIGHTSPELL is simply “a crack,” it’s “a hairline crack [that] spread along the length of a black-speckled gray coil” (315, ARC).

Likewise, the plot is fully fleshed out and filled with just as many twists-and-turns as its companion novel, MISTWOOD. For those that have read MISTWOOD, Rokan’s sister Clarisse steals the spotlight in NIGHTSPELL. She’s the same Oscars-worthy actress and cunning enigma that I knew and loved (though her previous history isn’t vital to the plot). She’s so incredibly self-serving, but man, do I like it that way. Clarisse is the one who makes so much of the plot unpredictable and exciting, and when everything does finally click together, it’s definitely a historical “WOW” moment.

However, what failed to impress me were the characters: solid, but not great. NIGHTSPELL switches between Darri, Varis, and Callie’s point of views, which was... fine. I didn’t really gain any spectacular insight about Varis or Callie, whose perspectives really just worked to further the plot. They lacked that extra ounce of unique personality, which, actually, could be said of all the characters, from primary to secondary ones. They each seemed driven by one self-defining purpose, and past that, it was a fuzzy fog. I had some quick glimpses and possible ideas, but never felt like I saw the raw essence of personality. That being said, the characters all had genuine struggles and authentic voices, and it was enjoyable learning more about them. 

In the end, does it matter that I wouldn't cry buckets if a character died? Not at all. NIGHTSPELL is a book that revolves around its stunning, mystical world and constant intrigue, and after adding some more action, what could be a better recipe for a fantasy-lover? :)

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Romance: No real physical contact. There's the promise of something at the end, but sometimes reality cuts in and I'm glad NIGHTSPELL reflects that.

Cover:  I LOVE IT. The castle is perhaps a bit too pretty and Disney-esque, but the girl on top really matches my mental image of Darri.

Bottom Line: I highly recommend both NIGHTSPELL and MISTWOOD to fantasy and, to a lesser extent, mystery lovers, because the plot and setting are just that amazing. If you're not that into either genre, it's still a great book, just go in knowing what to expect.

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Since I love Leah Cypess's books, I thought I'd give someone else a chance to read my finished copy of Mistwood. If you'd like the chance to win Nightspell, enter here. Remember you can comment on this review for an extra entry into the Nightspell giveaway! :)

Rules:
• To enter, fill out the form below.
** You must be at least 13 years old to enter.
• Open Internationally
• Contest ends Thursday, June 2nd at 11:59 EST
• For more information, please view my contest policy.

Review: Corsets and Clockwork by Trisha Telep

anthology // $9.95 from {amazon}
Publisher: Running Press Kids (April 26, 2011)
Paperback: 448 pages
Source: Publisher
Summary:

Dark, urban fantasies come to life in the newest collection of Steampunk stories, Corsets & Clockwork. Young heroes and heroines battle evils with the help of supernatural or super-technological powers, each individual story perfectly balancing historical and fantastical elements. Throw in epic romances that transcend time, and this trendy, engrossing anthology is sure to become another hit for the fast-growing Steampunk genre!

This collection features some of the hottest writers in the teen genre, including: Ann Aguirre, Jaclyn Dolamore, Tessa Gratton, Frewin Jones, Caitlin Kittredge, Adrienne Kress, Lesley Livingston, Dru Pagliassotti, Dia Reeves, Michael Scott, Maria V. Snyder, Tiffany Trent, and Kiersten White.

Rating: View my rating system.




My Thoughts: in the order I read the stories... no individual ratings, but ♥ means I would read this story again.
 

• Under Amber Skies by Maria V. Snyder – I absolutely love Maria V. Snyder’s Study series, and this short story has intriguing action, plot, and courageous boy in true MVS style. It’s a new spin on Poland during World War II and one of the more directly steampunk stories in this collection, with an army of mechanical crabs (an Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa moment) and enhanced Nazi’s. I definitely didn’t foresee the twist at the end, though it made the story memorable. ♥

• King of the Greenlight City by Tessa Gratton – One of my favorites in the collection for the fairytale feel. It’s in third person, in keeping with true fairytale format, and has a uniquely steampunk-magical spin. The plot-line is cliché but Tessa Gratton’s writing is beautiful and spot-on with the details. Another very bittersweet ending. ♥

• Wild Magic by Ann Aguirre – While not my favorite story, it has my favorite male character: Pick. Partially because of his Fey beauty, partially because he has the whole “cold warrior exterior and inner romantic softie” thing going for him. Wild Magic has an intriguing world that I wish I wish I could’ve learned more about, rather than just an introduction in the beginning and glimpses from time-to-time, but the story was still enjoyable, if, again, a bit cliché. ♥

• The Clockwork Corset by Adrienne Kress – A very cute read about a brave, determined girl who’s willing to do anything to protect her childhood friend and true love, including going to the war’s frontlines. The cute trend continued through the ending, and it was tied up nicely with a sweet, paragraph-long epilogue reminiscent of a fairytale happily ever after. ♥

• The Airship Gemini by Jaclyn Dolamore – Original, for sure. This story follows Faith, one member of a pair of conjoined twins, who performs as a freak. I didn’t really connect with the characters, but that may be due to the concentration on the plot and setting, both of which took a while to set up. Did I mention this is the only story with vampires and magic?

• Chickie Hill’s Badass Ride by Dia Reeves – Different, but that’s what I expect from Dia Reeves: always unique, a bit scary, a bit strange, and a whole lot of awesome. This story is set solidly in America in 1961, complete with ‘60’s dialogue, retro cars, little boy-draining aliens, a kick-alien-ass teen female activist, and her genius boyfriend, Chickie. And when I say genius, I literally mean “ability to control the world” genius. So Dia Reeves, and so seriously righteous. ♥

• Code of Blood by Dru Pagliassoti – Award for cool action and most fleshed out plot. Code of Blood was like an extremely, extremely compact yet epic adventure as they rushed to keep the French out of Venezia. The characters were courageous and lovable, especially because I have a sweet spot for shameless flirts, and the setting and historical background were very well-detailed for such a short read. Fast-paced, and it’s Venezia. I say again, cool. ♥

• Deadwood by Michael Scott – Definitely less in the romance department but much, much more in the steampunk. Deadwood is another fast-paced story focusing on automata and gun-toting humans, so it’s no surprise that it’s all action, action, action. But that’s good; it was a refreshing break from the romances I read before this one, and I loved the intriguing details, like the Shaman-cursed darts.

• Rude Mechanicals by Lesley Livingston – Also not all romance – yay! I would have liked a bit more character description and it felt like it just flew past me. But overall, Rude Mechanicals was an interesting tale of technology gone wrong. When your automaton Juliet is a bit too Juliet...

• The Vast Machinery by Caitlin Kittredge– This was the shortest story, coming in at 17 pages as opposed to the usual 30 or so. I’m still not entirely sure what to make of this one... Half-interesting and half-confusing, The Vast Machinery is definitely distinctive among the bunch. Think creepy, steampunk muse.

• Tick, Tick Boom by Kiersten White – Another very cute read with more steampunk inventions and a budding relationship. It’s all about what lies under appearances in industrial England as they scurry to free Wilcox. Not particularly stand-out, but enjoyable nonetheless. ♥

• The Cannibal Fiend or Rotherhithe by Frewin Jones – Two words: cannibalistic mermaids. Mix fairytale with horror story and this is what you would get. Very open ending and a concentration on friendship rather than romance. I didn’t feel that strongly about it, but I admit I was never bored.

• The Emperor’s Man by Tiffany Trent – Different in that it was told from a male perspective, though he came off as pretty girly with his heart constantly going patter-patter and practically melting at the feet of the princess (though maybe that’s how guys think?). This story had a fairly well-developed parallel world with interesting inventions and magic, but I just wasn’t drawn into it. Maybe because I couldn’t relate well to the characters when it seemed like the voices were switched between boy and girl...  

 

Cover: Pretty but nothing to make it stand-out from hundreds of other YA novels. And perhaps it's just my copy, but it was strangely bumpy and rough... Poor thing.

Bottom Line: The stories seem to generally fall under two sections: 1) a bit cliché/not that unique but enjoyable, and 2) very unique but confusing and/or evoke no feeling other than one of interest; most of the stories fall in the former. Still, the majority is short yet pleasurable, like whiffs of a delicious, passing aroma*, and it is steampunk, a sub-genre that I would really love to see more populated.

*Sorry for the cheesy comparison, but I can't think of a better way to describe it. xD

Review: Enclave by Ann Aguirre

Ann Aguirre website here // $9.99 from {amazon}
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (April 12, 2011)
Hardcover: 272 pages
Source: Publisher
Summary:

WELCOME TO THE APOCALYPSE. In Deuce's world, people earn the right to a name only if they survive their first fifteen years. By that point, each unnamed 'brat' has trained into one of three groups-Breeders, Builders, or Hunters, identifiable by the number of scars they bear on their arms. Deuce has wanted to be a Huntress for as long as she can remember.

As a Huntress, her purpose is clear--to brave the dangerous tunnels outside the enclave and bring back meat to feed the group while evading ferocious monsters known as Freaks. She's worked toward this goal her whole life, and nothing's going to stop her, not even a beautiful, brooding Hunter named Fade. When the mysterious boy becomes her partner, Deuce's troubles are just beginning.

Down below, deviation from the rules is punished swiftly and harshly, and Fade doesn't like following orders. At first she thinks he's crazy, but as death stalks their sanctuary, and it becomes clear the elders don't always know best, Deuce wonders if Fade might be telling the truth. Her partner confuses her; she's never known a boy like him before, as prone to touching her gently as using his knives with feral grace.

As Deuce's perception shifts, so does the balance in the constant battle for survival. The mindless Freaks, once considered a threat only due to their sheer numbers, show signs of cunning and strategy... but the elders refuse to heed any warnings. Despite imminent disaster, the enclave puts their faith in strictures and sacrifice instead. No matter how she tries, Deuce cannot stem the dark tide that carries her far from the only world she's ever known.

Rating: View my rating system.
 


 
My Thoughts:

Dear Enclave, I thank you. Your grittier, bloodier reality is a breath of fresh air in a genre quickly focusing more on the romance and less on the harsher, dystopian aspects. Not to say both sides of the spectrum don’t each have their merit, but I needed a balance, a change – and Enclave was it. On face-level, Enclave is essentially a post-apocalyptic zombie read, with the zombies replaced by eerie, flesh-eating Freaks and the killer, a literally kick-Freak-ass protagonist Deuce. But factor in scarred bad boy Fade, impending cannibalistic doom, and generous bloodshed, and Enclave proves to be a one-way ticket to an intriguing, suspenseful ride packed with action and hardships galore.

The first thing I noticed when starting Enclave was, of course, the enclaves. Granted, Ann Aguirre isn’t the first, and most certainly won’t be the last, to make use of an underground dystopia, but she adds her own twists: the interconnected societies, the name-picking process, the assigned jobs based on natural capabilities, and much, much more. Everything’s lined with a subtle undercurrent of militant order, and Enclave certainly doesn’t shy away from the cutting edge of pragmatism. The strongest survive, the weak... are eaten.

One of my favorite aspects is, without a doubt, the action. The fighting is spot-on, with enough detail for me to envision the characters’ astounding, Matrix-reminiscent moves, yet not so much as to be completely revolted by the amount of blood spilt – and for someone who becomes nauseous at a finger cut, that’s saying something. Don’t be mistaken, there’s definitely blood and very much of it, but the violence is done in a tasteful way that while thrilling, shouldn’t be a trial on anyone’s stomach. Though I can honestly say those Freaks are freaky.

But if asked what I liked the most about Enclave, it would definitely be Ann Aguirre’s development of Deuce. I can see where readers may feel apathetic towards her character, given her early, unquestioning submission and seeming lack of feeling, and even I’ll admit that I couldn’t exactly empathize with her most of the time. But Deuce was Deuce, and she was real. She was brought up in a society with an overarching survival-of-the-fittest mentality, and this background is perfectly reflected in her short, punctuated thoughts and realistic, yet kind, attitude. If that makes Deuce hard to relate to, so be it. For me, it wasn’t as much of a relatable issue as my admiration of, again, Deuce's development. Ann Aguirre masterfully shaped a character that has history yet is dynamic and able, albeit reluctant, to change.   

And of course, I can’t end this review without mentioning the love triangle. The focus isn’t really on romance, but the formula is there: one wavering girl, two different, devoted guys. Deuce’s ignorance made me want to scream at her a couple times, but I’m sure it’s mostly because I am TEAM FADE, all the way. I'm definitely intrigued to see where this will go!

Romance: Two or three kissing scenes, if I remember correctly. Not much in this department.
Cover: 4.0 -- It's definitely not a beautiful cover, but it actually fits Enclave. Originally, I was going to give the cover a lower score, but then I asked myself what would I want the cover to be? I couldn't come up with any answer except what wouldn't suit the story at all: the overused blown-up face, pretty fonts, bright or soothing colors. So I suppose I'm pretty content with it. I also had to give some extra points because I saw the real book in person today (courtesy of my book buying friend) and it's shiny. Mad props there.

Liked: Characters, Plot, Writing, Originality, Setting
Disliked: A bit more detail on the setting would have been useful, Deuce's occasional passivity and ignorance

Bottom Line: Enclave presents a gritty and bloody peek into the darker side of dystopian fiction. (Think The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan on a lighter scale.) It's solid on all fronts, but don't go in expecting a deep, emotional character connections or a danger-filled romance -- because I highly doubt that's what you'll take from it. Terror, perhaps. Thrill, most likely. Intrigue, definitely. All-in-all, Ann Aguirre is a welcome addition to the dystopian and YA community with her fabulous debut, and I'm eagerly anticipating who-knows-what in the second book of this series, Outpost.

Review: Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

Courtney Allison Moulton's website here // $10.31 from {amazon}

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (February 15, 2011)

Hardcover: 464 pages

Source: Publisher

Summary: 

First there are nightmares.

Every night Ellie is haunted by terrifying dreams of monstrous creatures that are hunting her, killing her.

Then come the memories.

When Ellie meets Will, she feels on the verge of remembering something just beyond her grasp. His attention is intense and romantic, and Ellie feels like her soul has known him for centuries. On her seventeenth birthday, on a dark street at midnight, Will awakens Ellie's power, and she knows that she can fight the creatures that stalk her in the grim darkness. Only Will holds the key to Ellie's memories, whole lifetimes of them, and when she looks at him, she can no longer pretend anything was just a dream.

Now she must hunt.

Ellie has power that no one can match, and her role is to hunt and kill the reapers that prey on human souls. But in order to survive the dangerous and ancient battle of the angels and the Fallen, she must also hunt for the secrets of her past lives and truths that may be too frightening to remember.

Rating: View my rating system.

There have been tons of reviews for this one already, so here's just my (repetitive) two cents in a mini-acrostic poem. 'Cause those are all the vogue these days, no? *dons beret*

Accurate teen-speak. This is legit right here; Courtney Moulton writes like a native. (The key to teen-speak is not cussing, it’s cussing at the right places. Stay 133T, darlings.)

Never-ending action. For a squeamish person like me, I can honestly say Courtney Moulton has got the art of “intense, bone-breaking action without excessive gore” down pat. Everyone is kick ass to the trillionth degree.

Gripping characters. Quite a few of the secondary characters I would have liked to see fleshed out a more (namely her friends), though I know I few are being saved for future books in the series – and I CAN’T WAIT. As for Ellie herself, she’s brave but vulnerable. She doesn’t often breakdown, but when she does, it’s completely understandable. I love how she didn’t feel the need to spend eons experiencing “NOWAY.YESWAY... MAYBE? NOWAY.YESWAY...” that often accompanies the – surprise – astounding revelation of the paranormal. And can I say Ellie has excellent taste in clothes and cars (I can only guess at how rich she is...)?

Enigma-after-enigma. Courtney Moulton has created a rich history to the Preliator that we only get a tempting taste of in Angelfire. It does get a bit didactic at times, though only a few rare times in the 453 pages, and I’m not really bothered by it considering how much needed to be explained – which is A LOT. One of the two major reasons I’m continuing the series is the extremely intriguing plot, which almost never happens to me when reading a paranormal series – so that’s saying something.

LOVE WILLLL. Will of the green eyes and the tousled dark hair. Will of the sensitive heart and protective arms. Will of the awesomeness. <333

Overall, a very fast-paced, enjoyable read that’s one of the top paranormal romances I’ve read in a while. And did I mention it has a gorgeous cover? That never hurts. ;)

Great debut, Courtney, and for you, my little Preliator-to-be, pick Will Angelfire up now!

Taken from Courtney's website. They're commissioned some gorgeous CG art that I absolute LOVE. *o*

Review: Burned by P.C. and Kristin Cast

P. C. Cast's website here // $8.45 from {amazon}

Series: House of Night, #7

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (April 27, 2010)

Hardcover: 384 pages

Summary: from {goodreads}

Things have turned black at the House of Night. Zoey Redbird’s soul has shattered. With everything she’s ever stood for falling apart, and a broken heart making her want to stay in the Otherworld forever, Zoey’s fading fast. It’s seeming more and more doubtful that she will be able pull herself back together in time to rejoin her friends and set the world to rights. As the only living person who can reach her, Stark must find a way to get to her. But how? He will have to die to do so, the Vampire High Council stipulates. And then Zoey will give up for sure. There are only 7 days left…

Enter BFF Stevie Rae. She wants to help Z but she has massive problems of her own. The rogue Red Fledglings are acting up, and this time not even Stevie Rae can protect them from the consequences. Her kinda boyfriend, Dallas, is sweet but too nosy for his own good. The truth is, Stevie Rae’s hiding a secret that might be the key to getting Zoey home but also threatens to explode her whole world.

In the middle of the whole mess is Aphrodite: ex-Fledgling, trust-fund baby, total hag from Hell (and proud of it). She’s always been blessed (if you could call it that) with visions that can reveal the future, but now it seems Nyx has decided to speak through her with the goddess’s own voice, whether she wants it or not. Aphrodite’s loyalty can swing a lot of different ways, but right now Zoey’s fate hangs in the balance.

Three girls… playing with fire… if they don’t watch out, everyone will get Burned.

Rating: View my rating system.

WARNING: Contains spoilers from PREVIOUS books in the series.
My Thoughts: To be honest, I started Burned with very low expectations. Back when Zoey first became a Redbird and her biggest problem was the mystifying mark on her forehead, The House of Night series was a quickly devoured manifestation of unique ideas and unlimited potential. But potential is unrestrained, so my interest quickly disintegrated when it chose to take the path of Zoey’s doomed love triangles; books three through six involved different guys, same teenage angst. I expected Burned to be a continuation of this trend, but surprisingly – and fortunately – found it to be more of a return to the series’ plot-centric beginnings.

Burned opens with few males remaining: Eric is long out of the picture, Heath is freshly murdered, and Stark is left broken over Zoey’s impending death. The conclusion: Zoey may now practice monogamy – minus the jealous fits and tears. But since we all know how boring monogamy is, the focus shifts to Stevie Rae’s struggle between her new, conflicting feelings over Rephaim and her old sort of-boyfriend Dallas. In the previous books, Zoey’s relationship drama often overshadowed the plot and was characterized by meaningless make-out sessions between various males; in contrast, Stevie Rae’s relationship, though similarly sexual, reached semi-closure in the course of one book and took more of a backstage to the action. It's unusual for me to say this, but I felt the toned down romance was a major improvement.

In terms of writing and narration, I found Burned lacking. The multiple POV’s were an interesting aspect, though slightly disorienting, but did not contribute my enjoyment of Burned – at all. The narration was from different perspectives but the characters’ styles of narration were unexcitingly similar and in third person. I can understand the plot necessity, though it doesn’t change my opinion that the writing and the characters could desperately use more personality and less cliché. In fact, the only character that I felt had any degree of substantiality was Aphrodite. She’s the type of character made so readers can love to hate her and hate to love her, and love her I do. Aphrodite was refreshingly harsh in a world where everything seems a bit too perfect: the self-sacrificing Heath, the unerringly devoted Stark, etc. In Burned, Aphrodite was my fist of reason that I strongly wanted to knock against a few characters’ heads and since I couldn't, I'm glad she sometimes did.

At this point, what I see as The House of Night’s largest flaw is its relentless ability to drag things out. First it was Zoey’s love entanglements, now it threatens to be the Light versus Darkness struggle. Burned hardly mentions Neferet and Kalona and instead chooses to reveal more mysteries regarding the world’s possible demise. While the one aspect I really enjoyed was learning the mythology – especially the extremely vital role of the Scottish – it distracted me from the main evil/good conflict at hand; there are numerous sub-plots and simply not enough time. The lack of concentration in one area lead me to finish Burned feeling like I had just read about the solving of one minor conflict, though admittedly with much more knowledge. Ideally, in their future books the Casts will find a balance between fleshing out the plot with their original, intriguing ideas and pacing the main Light versus Darkness struggle appropriately.

Ultimately, despite my complaints, Burned was new -- period. Its focus on background markedly stood out from its recent predecessors, whether in a good or bad way is objective. For someone like me, who only tolerated Zoey’s indecisiveness and flightiness, Burned was a welcome change. However, it lost some of the series' dramatic tension and suspense, by-products of the strong romance, and breezed through some important past conflicts. Burned's role in the overall series seems to an informational one but as an independent book, the action was entertaining enough to keep my interest.

Romance: A little bit of sexual action, but it concentrates on Stevie Rae's emotional conflict. Given what I've read of The House of Night series already, it's fairly standard.
Cover: 3.0 -- It's pretty (and the inside of the cover is a mini-poster!), but it doesn't say much about the story itself.
Writing: 3.0
Characters: 2.0 
Plot: 3.5

Bottom Line: Burned suffers heavily from a lack of focus and authentic, three-dimensional YA characters; yes, we're partially back to the childish cussing again. However, if you're willing to overlook those flaws in favor of steady paranormal romance and an intricate, unique plotline, Burned may be your form of an enjoyable light read.

Thank you to Tara and St. Martin's Press for the review copy!

**Side-note: I would not recommend reading Burned if you haven't at least read up to the fifth book, Hunted. At the very least, I suggest reading plot summaries of the previous few books.

Mini-Review: Insatiable by Meg Cabot

Meg Cabot's website here // $13.44 from {amazon}

Publisher: William Morrow (June 8, 2010)

Hardcover: 464 pages

Summary: from {goodreads}

Sick of vampires?

So is Meena Harper.

But her boss is making her write about them anyway, even though Meena doesn’t believe in them.

Not that Meena isn’t familiar with the supernatural. See, Meena Harper knows how you’re going to die (not that you’re going to believe her; no one ever does).

But not even Meena’s precognition can prepare her for what happens when she meets—then makes the mistake of falling in love with—Lucien Antonescu, a modern-day prince with a bit of a dark side . . . a dark side a lot of people, like an ancient society of vampire-hunters, ould prefer to see him dead for.

The problem is, he already is dead. Maybe that’s why he’s the first guy Meena’s ever met that she could see herself having a future with. See, while Meena’s always been able to see everyone else’s future, she’s never been able look into her own.

And while Lucien seems like everything Meena has ever dreamed of in a boyfriend, he might turn out to be more like a nightmare.

Now might be a good time for Meena to start learning to predict her own future . . .

If she even has one.

Rating: View my rating system.

My Thoughts: I'm only doing a mini-review of this one because, technically, it's an adult book. I was surprised by this one a couple weeks ago, and it was a good, if unexpected, surprise. I'll easily admit I've read (and own a couple!) a number of Meg Cabot's young adult novels, and enjoyed them, and having accidentally read one of her more adult books last year (link to my review of Ransom My Heart, which I just realized is a very HARSH review -- ouch), I was intrigued by Insatiable.

To keep this review short, I'm going to try and analyze the fundamental parts of the book as quickly as possible: I first thought Insatiable as promising and a step up on the maturity level from Meg Cabot's usually frivolous chick-lit (hey, that can be a good thing), but the ending quickly had me backtracking. The characters were okay, if stereotypical, and I could see myself sympathizing with Meena to some extent. Sympathy is different from esteem though, and I didn't really hold the three main characters (Meena, Lucien, and Alaric) in very high regard. The reason was that they all fell in and out of love extremely fast to the point where it seemed appearance-based and shallow, though they all claimed they had some "deep feeling." Right -- lust, maybe...? I can see promise in their backgrounds though, and I would definitely categorize each of the characters as "interesting." The redeeming point that made me see potential was the spatterings of truly enjoyable, intense action, which would ocasionally become confusing and anti-climactic, but overall revealed that perhaps Meg Cabot has a path in action-romance after all...

The two main points that I felt most strongly about are: 1) the whole concept of "this is not your average vampire read. vampires are sooo 19th century," and 2) Meena. At the beginning, I thought Meena was a strong, firmly grounded woman that truly was immune to the stereotypes of vampires, so kudos to Meg Cabot on that. But when she adds Lucien to the equation, my opinion of Meena quickly disintegrated. Because, yep, turns out Meena isn't as oblivious to the cold, brooding, mysterious combination (aka VAMPIRE) as she thought. She quickly consents to what could potentially be a one-night stand with Lucien, despite her repeated denials that she isn't "that" kind of woman and the fact that she really doesn't know Lucien -- well, besides that he smells good, looks good, is a gentleman, etc. Shallow stuff right there. However, when Lucien and Meena actually admitted they had feelings for each other and got together, I cheered for them. They just worked together: their personalities, their thoughts, their feelings. I can't say much without spoiling it, so I'll just say that I HATED THE ENDING. The end made me hate Meena, and I hate what happened. The ending seemed like Meg Cabot realizing that, opps, we actually have a vampire-human romance going on here and we need to make it different, but without considering the characters and plot line. UGH.

If you don't mind SPOILERS, here's my ranting (it's in white, highlight to read): Meena leaves Lucien. ASDASDJHAKSJDSD!!! Just because he turns into a dragon and she's scared of him now. For being a vampire, what she knows he is from early on. After he risked his life for hers and, thus, turned into a dragon....!! I'm tired of vampire relationships, but I still rooted for Meena and Lucien. *sigh* Meena falls out of "love" so fast that it's questionable whether it was ever really a feeling of love. Perhaps admiration or obsession would be closer to it.

Bottom Line: Despite my ranting, Insatiable was actually a decently enjoyable book. The romances felt insubstantial, but the interesting plot made up for it. The only part that really ruined it for me was the ending, which I absolutely hated, so I deducted .5 stars for that. Other than that, Insatiable shows Meg Cabot's potential in more serious subjects and definitely her development in writing over the years, from a very YA chick-lit writer to a reasonable adult writer. I'm intrigued to see futher development in Meg Cabot's future adult books, though, personally, I preferred her sticking to YA.

Read It? If you're a fan of Meg Cabot's more adult titles, you might like this one, or just like it more. If you're looking for a borderline chick-lit/action vampire book, this one will make for a quick, entertaining read, especially with summer just starting. But if you're just looking for a "different" vampire book, I don't think you've found it in Insatiable, sorry.

Thank you to Pamela from HarperCollins for the book!

**Side note: Please keep in mind I am a teenager, so I may have an idealist perspective. *shrug* Sorry.

Review: Ivy's Ever After by Dawn Lairamore

Dawn Lairamore's website [n/a] // $11.53 from {amazon}

Publisher: Holiday House (May 15, 2010)

Hardcover: 320 pages

Summary: from {goodreads}

Once upon a time in the kingdom of Ardendale there lived a spirited princess named Ivy, who had no interest in being rescued by Prince Charming, and an undersized dragon named Elridge, who was better at solving word puzzles than breathing fire. Sailing into this world on a ship made of whale bones came Romil, a handsome prince with dastardly designs on Princess Ivy and her kingdom. Ivy and Elridge, both disappointments to their families, join forces to try and thwart Romil's evil plot. In the process these traditional enemies become fast freinds, discover hidden strengths, and earn the respect of all who know them. Full of humor and high adventure--and plenty of slightly skewed fairy-tale motifs--this frothy fractured fairy tale is sure to delight young readers.

Rating: View my rating system.

My Thoughts: Ivy’s Ever After was surprisingly better than I expected, especially considering it’s intended for elementary to middle school students. Hey, the premise doesn’t lie when it promises a brave heroine with her cute sidekick, the mini-dragon.

The beginning of the book was incredibly SLOW. Dawn Lairamore’s writing sticks true to the standard fairytale style with third-person, straight-forward writing, and clean images. However, her writing frequently grew elaborate to the point where my interest was rapidly dwindling in the middle of a paragraph, making me doubt how well it will keep a fourth grader’s interest. There’s very close attention to detail, but it often distracted me from the main plot and tempted me to skip a few paragraphs ahead... but no, I prevailed! Take for instance:

“[Princess Ivy] dug her way through the trove of clothing. The light-weighted frocks and flimsy underthings would tear too easily, but she pulled out the thicker cloaks and the heavier of the winter dresses and tossed them into a pile on the floor. She added the bed linens as well. That done, she set about tying the lot into one long chain, using a sturdy knot called the Lover’s Embrace, which Boggs had taught her long ago. She knotted sheets to sleeves and skirts to necklines, not caring how roughly she handled the fine material. (Tildy would have a fit!) She worked feverishly, and by the time she was done, she had a length of fabric so long it coiled around the room like a colorful sea serpent.”

-pg.89

I enjoyed the small touches like the “trove of clothing” and the “colorful sea serpent,” but the specifics on exactly what type of clothes and what not were toilsome to trudge through, considering the previous 88 pages were essentially like that as well. And Boggs, in addition to other unnecessary details, is just sort of thrown in there, though he plays no significant part in the story. General consensus: Dim down the vocabulary and extraneous details to make younger children want to read it more.

However, if you’re willing to brave through the beginning, Ivy’s Ever After presents an unique, interesting adventure. Ivy travels to the land of the trolls, a haunted swamp, the land where faeries live, and more. I definitely saw Lairamore’s originality shining through instances like the troll chief’s giant spider hat – very creepy cool. There were also scattered tidbits of humor that made me smile as I read. :)

With the progression of the story and the increasing action, the writing became less stylistic and more concise and I found myself slowly being drawn into the story and actually caring about Ivy and Elridge, her dragon’s outcome. For me, sympathizing with the characters defines at least moderate success in the character department and Ivy and Elridge were certainly enjoyable, admirable, and reasonably developed, though they lacked any particular, special quality that would differentiate them from the characters of other books.

Ultimately, Ivy’s Ever After teaches some solid lessons about courage and self-confidence, regardless of one’s outer appearance. They’re definitely lessons that I would like my little cousins to grow up knowing, and I will be suggesting this book to them (that is, after hinting that Ivy’s Ever After starts off a bit slow). The only thing I’m sad about is that the handsome, cold-hearted ice prince couldn’t turn out to be some swoon-worthy good guy inside (aka reference to Ash from The Iron King)! But all’s well that ends well, and Ivy’s Ever After ends the grand adventure with an efficiently wrapped-up, and not rushed, ending that gives the satisfying promise of a happy future.

Romance: n/a. Practically non-existent.
Cover: 3.0. The art is very appealing and the cover is formated nicely but it doesn't really stand out. Perhaps with less muted colors?
Writing: 3.5
Characters: 3.0 - I could have used more development on all of the characters (even Ivy and Elridge, who I still felt were a bit flat), but, then again, this is a younger book and a fairytale remix.
Plot: 4.0 (Graded a bit favorably with consideration of younger children.)

Bottom Line: Ivy's Ever After is an empowering, intriguing debut on the helpless princess that offers strong lessons to young children, and I'm just sad that this ride on the dragon's back had to end so soon. Bring it on, swamp sprites! ;)

**Sidenote: Though it was still enjoyable for me to read, I think younger audiences will enjoy Ivy's Ever After much more that I did.

Thank you to Barbara from BlueSlip Media for the copy!

Review: Hourglass by Claudia Gray

Claudia Gray's website here // $11.55 from {amazon}

Series: Evernight, #3
Publisher: HarperTeen (March 9, 2010)
Hardcover: 352 pages
Summary: from {goodreads}

Bianca will risk everything to be with Lucas.

After escaping from Evernight Academy, the vampire boarding school where they met, Bianca and Lucas take refuge with Black Cross, a fanatical group of vampire hunters. Bianca must hide her supernatural heritage or risk certain death at their hands. But when Black Cross captures her friend—the vampire Balthazar—hiding is no longer an option.

Soon, Bianca and Lucas are on the run again, pursued not only by Black Cross, but by the powerful leaders of Evernight. Yet no matter how far they travel, Bianca can't escape her destiny.

Bianca has always believed their love could survive anything . . . but can it survive what's to come?

Rating: View my rating system.

My Thoughts: Okay, I’m going to start off with some things I feel need to be said: 1) It’s extremely hard for me to rate series books because I only buy series I really, really, REALLY love (for the record, the only series I have bought are: some children series, Harry Potter, Twilight, Perfect Chemistry, and L.J. Smith’s Night World), 2) I usually don’t have as much to say when talking about series books for some unknown reason, perhaps because I feel like my few thoughts have already been expended on the previous books, and 3) I am a COMPLETE Balthazar fan, if that means any difference to you at all. Sorry, Lucas.

On to the real review, Hourglass is definitely a paranormal read. There are the centuries-old yet undeniably attractive vampires, the fierce vampire hunters, and then an entirely new, chilling something introduced in this book three of the series. With this intense mix, there just has to be action – and there is. The aspect of the book I can find myself complimenting the most is the action, which was definitely non-stop with mystery and intrigue. Hourglass picks up right where Stargazer left off, with Bianca struggling to remain inconspicuous with Lucas and the gang. However, that turns out to be easier said than done when you’re on the verge of changing into a vampire, have a crazy vampire headmistress hunting your vampire hunter buddies down, and have a best friend that would kill you in a heartbeat if she knew what you really were. If that sounds crazy, it’s only the tip of the iceberg. Hourglass certainly proves that Claudia Gray knows how to weave an intricate story, continually working in new twists and turns to make sure there’s never a dull moment.

Character-wise, Hourglass was “okay.” I liked seeing more of Vic and his new vampire friend, Ranulf, both of with are eccentric in their own, endearing ways; Ranulf is the centuries-behind vampire, where Vic is just Vic, for lack of better words. They’re close seconds to Balthazar in vying for the spot of favorite character, and make the perfect, strange match. Then, of course, I have to mention Balthazar, who is as Prince Charming as ever, swooping in and trying to save the day. I don’t see what charm Lucas has over him but, apparently, Bianca sees something there I don’t, and their relationship is actually what I struggled the most/am still struggling with. I’ve never been a huge Lucas fan, but his and Bianca’s love felt at times stereotypical and, frankly, a bit annoying. Bianca has no choice to feed on Lucas, he gets turned on, etc. and their extreme willingness to sacrifice for each other aggravated me, even if it was meant to be sweet. The way I look at it, there’s a line you have to draw for self-preservation regardless of how much you may love another, yet Lucas and Bianca lack this distinction and feel the need to constantly proclaim their undying love for each other. I’m not trying to degrade their romance, but, frankly, I did not see it standing out among the many other forbidden love relationships. Overall, I felt a degree of disconnect from Bianca and wish that there could have been a bit more emotional exploration along with the packed action.

Ultimately, after finishing Hourglass, the one thing I want the most is some form of closure. Hourglass flowed like the intense middle of a book, fortunate in that it came without the slow introduction though unfortunate in that it lacked the wrap-up conclusion. I arrived at the end expecting a mini-conclusion, but instead found myself confronted by a situation I never would have dreamed of. If you're looking for a suspenseful cliffhanger, you'll definitely find a great one in Hourglass.

Romance: 3.0. I'm sorry I'm biased here, but one word: Balthazar.
Cover: 3.5 - It matches the Evernight theme very well, though the full frontal shot is a bit bland.
Writing: 3.5
Characters: 3.0  
Plot: 4.0

Bottom Line: Hourglass is a fast-paced, action-packed blend of romance, mystery, and danger that will never fail to surprise with its sharp turns and twists.

Will I continue reading this series? It's not my favorite series, but yes, the ending has served it's purpose in sparking my interest to find out what happens next. I cannot rest in peace until this mystery is solved.

Source: Thank you to Jackie Jou and HarperCollins Children's Books for the copy!

Review: Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder

Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder

Maria V. Snyder's website here // $9.99 from {amazon}

Publisher: Harlequin; Original edition (April 1, 2010)
Paperback: 320 pages 
Summary: from {goodreads}

I'm Trella. I'm a scrub. A nobody. One of thousands who work the lower levels, keeping Inside clean for the Uppers. I've got one friend, do my job and try to avoid the Pop Cops. So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels? Not like it's all that dangerous - the only neck I risk is my own. Until I accidently start a rebellion and become the go-to girl to lead a revolution. I should have just said no...

Rating: View my rating system.

My Thoughts: I absolutely loved The Study series by Maria V. Snyder - and I mean loved, loved, loved. I can't exactly say why I enjoyed the series so much, but the fact remains that it was captivating and got me addicted from book one. (So considering my adoration for Valek the series, I'm sorry I can't refrain from just a couple references.) -end propaganda- However, that love does not impact my opinion of Inside Out whatsoever, though if you want to take it with a grain of salt, feel free to do so.

Anyways, onto the real review... the above summary, which is also the back-cover summary, comes straight-out stating the interesting premise. And I quote "I'm Trella. I'm a scrub. I'm nobody." etc. In a way, it's accurate in that it concisely captures the gist of Trella's sentiments regarding her situation; she's a scrub, she's insignificant. Or rather, that's Trella's view of herself. Her negative attitude, which I feel is simply her being pessimistic as opposed to being cynical or a pragmatic, annoyed me a little at first because it made her isolation seem self-imposed. Trella's the only one degrading herself and other "despicable" scrubs when she bemoans her lowly station, yet her closest and only friend Cogon is somehow still able to remain cheerful and popular with everyone - how? I'd chalk it up to making the best of the situation, but no, alas, to Trella this jovial attitude is a miraculous, mystifying mystery. I can fully understand discontent but cannot fully justify Trella's prejudices regarding others.

Ironically, the book is more enjoyable because the summary is not entirely accurate. Trella definitely does not say anything along the lines of a "go-to girl," and the "so what if...?" gives the impression of an immature, rebellious teenager. There's no doubt in my mind that Trella has a defiant, rebellious streak, but she displays an admirable level of maturity and restraint, especially considering the extremely hard choices she has to make throughout the book. I'm not even sure if I'd be as willing to sacrifice myself as Trella is for the good of cause, even if that "cause" contains the promise of ice cream, pizza, or perhaps freedom. She's also determined to the level of being obstinate, but I enjoyed being able to see an actually no-nonsense heroine that's willing to do anything to achieve her goal and doesn't just retreat in the face of the swoon-and-catch-me guy. As a matter-of-fact, Trella wears the pants completely pulled-up, and may I add firmly buttoned, in the relationship between her and Riley. As for Riley, if you've read The Study series, think Valek (and I'm not exactly complaining here). Black hair, blue eyes, sweet, and seriously kick ass. Maria V. Snyder has quite a knack for creating sensitive, caring guys that somehow manage to maintain their manliness while constantly supporting their more independent, domineering female half, and all I can do is sigh and "aw" at opportune moments.

I know I focused two long, rambling paragraphs on the summary, but it basically sums up all my thoughts on Trella. She has some admirable traits, but she's also a bit too rebellious and too courageous, if that makes sense. Trella is almost an ideal rather than a real person and, in that way, falls a bit flat, as do all of the other characters to me. The characters are pleasant enough and enjoyable enough, but they just lack that intangible extra push that's hard to describe through words but you know it's there. The push that makes you cry with the characters and cheer for them in joy, especially during the Inside Out's many plot ups-and-downs. Plot-wise, the action and unraveling of the Inside were non-stop and unrelenting. It's action, action, action 24/7, and it helped me overlook many low points. Concept-wise, I can definitely see Maria V. Snyder going somewhere with her fairly original idea of "Inside" versus "Outside."

Ultimately, what made me give Inside Out a 3.5-star rating were not the flaws, but my simple opinion that the book just wasn't memorable for any reason, other than the general premise. I don't know what else to say; Inside Out was a solid, enjoyable read, but it just didn't make me deeply empathize with or relate to the characters or completely suck me into the story.  

Romance: Very sweet and promotes independence. I mentioned earlier that Riley is sweet, and he is. What else can you say about a boy who's willing to get arrested just to see you? And I liked how Trella isn't absolutely commitment-phobic, but she doesn't immediately consent to Riley's proposal nor gush on for pages about his looks.
Cover: 3.5. Simple, but well-suited and effective.
Writing: 3.0
Characters: 3.0
Plot: 4.0 

Bottom Line: Inside Out is an original, slightly dystopian tale that, with the light seasoning of romance, can be devoured quickly and leave you musing about what will happen next. It's a fairly solid recommendation for those that are just starting to go into dystopian novels or are just looking for a fast, enjoyable action-packed read with a sweet guy and from the POV of a brave heroine.

Review: Explorer X-Alpha by L.M. Preston

Explorer X-Alpha by L.M. Preston
L.M. Preston's website here // $14.99 from {amazon}

Publisher: Phenomenal One Press (February 7, 2010)
Paperback: 368 pages
Summary: from {goodreads}

For most kids, a trip to space camp is the trip of a lifetime for Aadi it was life altering. After receiving a camp immunization needed for travel to Mars, Aadi finds that the immunization is the catalyst of an insidious experiment. He realizes what is happening too late for a change of fate. The full experiment is set in motion when he and his co-pilot, Eirena, crash in a distant galaxy called Shrenas, where they change and realize the full extent of their power. This turn of events forces him to grow up quickly, accept his change, and to decide to save a world, or to do what he was trained to do dominate it. His power is coveted by the warring leaders of Shrenas, and he is forced to choose sides a decision that may prove just how much humanity he has left.

Rating:




My Thoughts: Explorer X-Alpha is another middle grade book, though I find myself questioning that grouping with all the violence that took place. A lot of blood, punching, torturing, and simply fighting overall though, thankfully, no guts. Because of that, I'd recommend this book to either preteens or mostly boys that fall into the claimed range of ages 9-12.

Anyways, I always start off with negatives, and what irritated me the most while reading was the writing, mainly the dialogue. I have to give props for LM Preston for trying to write like a teenager, but due to the lack of apostrophes and strange wording, the dialogue came off awkward and forced; it's the kind of dialogue where it feels like the character is saying a certain line because he should as a (blank) stuck in (blank) situation. It felt weird to say the least. However, the dialogue didn't completely turn me off the book, but it did make me feel a disconnect when reading, especially a disconnect with the characters. The characters were an area of not exactly annoyance but definitely disappointment. The girls were always characterized as ready to kick some male butt, but beyond that? Nothing. Technically, most of the characters had different defining characteristics, like headstrong vs. egotistic, but I really didn't see a "personality," as in any difference internally. I felt like the characters were a blend of "teenager essence" (whatever that is) with a sprinkling of different spices for each one. Mix it all up, and what do you get? A spunky teenager! That being said, the characters were, without a doubt, independent and strong, just the way I like them.

Last negative point, though not a strong one, was that sometimes everything seemed to work out too perfectly. Just when something bad was going to happen - wa-lah! Extremely lucky coincidence combined with a bit of skill, and Aadi makes it out smoothly; in fact, I don't recall any situation where I seriously doubted Aadi was going to come out alive and usually the better from his experience.

Now, moving on to the positives and what really redeemed this book for me: the plot and setting. It's been a very long time since I've read some science fiction, and I forgot how vivid and unique the settings can be. The first 2/3 seemed like a lot of set-up and development and, frankly, left me a little bored. However, the last third really kicked some major, major alien butt. It was a lot of new information to take in, but it definitely kept me on the edge of my seat. The characters change drastically, there's a completely new setting, and the pieces finally snapped together to help me understand the bigger picture. I only wish that the realization could have come sooner, and I could read more about their adventure rather than wait for the sequel. 

Romance: Sort of there. Err, there's a little bit of romance, some envious looks and sly glares.
Cover: 2.0 -- Personally I don't like it very much; it's a little too colorful for my taste. It has cool drawings though. 
Writing: 2.5
Characters: 2.0
Plot: 3.5  

Bottom Line: I like Explorer X-Alpha's idea and where LM Preston is going with it, though I'm not a huge fan of the characters or writing. I'm very picky about writing and characters though, practically my two most important aspects when reading a book, and I'm not the huge fan of science fiction, so if you like sci-fi and aren't quite as picky as me, I would still give this book a go. Overall, Explorer X-Alpha was a solid debut book, and congratulations to LM Preston on her first published work! :)

Source: L.M. Preston, author

** Comment on this review for an extra entry to the Explorer X-Alpha Contest here.

Review: Bad Blood by Mari Mancusi

Bad Blood by Mari Mancusi (Blood Coven #4)

Mari Mancusi's website here.

Publisher: Berkley Trade; Original edition (January 5, 2010)

Paperback: 230 pages

Buy: {amazon}, {b&n}, {borders}, {book depository}
Summary: from {goodreads}

Sunny McDonald is in the ultimate forbidden relationship. Her boyfriend Magnus is a vampire, and the leader of the Blood Coven. Their differences have never been an issue, until now…

When the Blood Coven decides that Magnus needs a mate to be his co-ruler, Sunny’s humanity puts her out of the running. The Coven’s chosen candidate is Jane Johnson, a magna cum laude graduate of Oxford University who just happens to look like a vampiric celebutante.

Sunny is suspicious of a Rhodes Scholar who can’t answer the most basic poly-sci questions, but Magnus brushes it off as petty jealousy. Still, when the Blood Coven goes to Las Vegas for a vampire convention—where Magnus and Jane’s bonding ceremony will be the main event—Sunny and her sister Rayne secretly tag along. And Sunny’s not going home before she learns the truth about Jane. Because not everything stays in Vegas—especially bad blood…

Rating:

My Thoughts: What's a girl to do when her boyfriend suddenly needs to run off to Vegas with another girl? Sunny knows that better than anyone when her vampire boyfriend and Blood Coven leader, Magnus, gets hot-and-steamy (Sunny suspects) with a girl specially picked by the Blood Coven to be his blood mate, one who's going to be turned into a vampire in a few days so she can forever rule by Magnus's side. And it certainly doesn't help that this girl, Jane, is supermodel gorgeous and supposedly has a brain the size of Oxford. But something doesn't quite add up, other than her jeaously, so Sunny secretly follows Magnus to Vegas to see what's up... and maybe save her boyfriend's life.

Before moving on to my thoughts, I want to say that I have NOT read the previous Blood Coven novels, and due to that, I probably missed some character development that happened in the previous novels. On the other hand, I can say first-hand that Mari Mancusi skillfully introduced me to the world of the Blood Coven and I was able to quickly grasp the concepts. This review will also be solely focused on Bad Blood without any influence from previous books.

Bad Blood was my first time reading any book in the Blood Coven series, and I was plesantly... surprised? content? I didn't exactly know what to expect, though I thought I would have connected more with Rayne, who emphathizes more with the "dark side." And, no, it's not because of their cookies. However, I actually connected more with Sunny, Rayne's twin sister. Sunny seems like the typical, optimistic fictional blonde, but in reality she's strong and fairly independent. She was a lot more relatable to me than Rayne because Sunny showed human fear but still managed to pull herself through it, while Rayne just seemed confident and more than a little pissed at the world. I thought Rayne was okay, still understandable as a person, but I just didn't feel that connection with her. Either way, I enjoyed the sarcastic banter between the two; there was a solid love-hate relationship going on here, which I could totally relate to given my own sister.

Mari Mancusi's pretty up-to-date, and I liked all the little pieces of pop culture she managed to throw in there. Those tidbits ranged from Katy Perry's "envy-inducing curves" to Hannah Montana and DDR (Dance Dance Revolution). Plus, Final Fantasy equals total love. (Or maybe I'm just a geek.) Either way, the setting was definitely 21st century and made the story and characeters come alive just that little bit more... and a tiny, okay, major portion of why I liked the references were that they were simply amusing, understandable, and made me smile.

Other than the light, fun jokes and good-humored jabs, there was some intense action, romance, and family problems. Basically: nobody's perfect and someone's going to have to pick up the pieces. There were some crazy vampire politics going on here and Sunny and Magnus's relationship greatly suffered because of it. Like my feelings with Rayne, or lack thereof, I don't really have an opinion of Magnus because he just simply isn't there a lot, which is also one of his and Sunny's major problems. I was a little dissapointed with his lack of trust in Sunny though. From a superficial viewpoint, Magnus sounds pretty hot, and I loudly appluad Sunny for not immediately succumbing to his charms all the time, a common fault among pretty boys. Can't say I blame anyone for melting, but hold some semblance of sense together, please!

Finally, the ending. I don't want to ruin it, so all I'm going to say is: WOAH. Total cliffhanger! It was totally out-of-the-blue, but I can't wait to see where Mari Mancusi takes it.

Romance: Sweet, light smatterings. Hm, two boys vying for Sunny's attention. Is it starting to sounds like heartbreak? Nooo, because I love Jayden.
Cover: 4.0 -- So pretty! I love the revamp, with the gorgeous pictures and swirls.
Writing: 4.0
Characters: 3.5
Plot: 3.5

Bottom Line: Bad Blood was a fast-paced, light but enjoyable read with a bit of mystery, romance, action, and danger. If you're looking for a short read with all of the above, you won't be dissapointed with Bad Blood, or dare I say the entire Blood Coven series? Not at the absolute top of my list, but I'll definitely be looking out for future books in the Blood Coven series! :)

Thank you to Caitlin from Berkley Publishing for the copy.

Review: Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey

Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey

Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers (December 22, 2009)

Hardcover: 256 pages -- Paperback is coming out at the same time!

Price: $11.46 from {amazon}, {barnes and noble: pb, h}

Summary: from {goodreads}

On Solange’s sixteenth birthday, she is going to wake up dead. As if that’s not bad enough, she also has to outwit her seven overprotective older brothers, avoid the politics involved with being the only daughter born to an ancient vampire dynasty, and elude Kieran Black—agent of an anti-vampire league who is searching for his father’s killer and is intent on staking Solange and her entire family. Luckily she has her own secret weapon—her human best friend Lucy—who is willing to defend Solange’s right to a normal life, whether she’s being smothered by her well-intentioned brothers or abducted by a power-hungry queen. Two unlikely alliances are formed in a race to save Solange’s eternal life—Lucy and Solange’s brother Nicholas, and Solange and Kieran Black—in a dual romance that is guaranteed to jump start any romance-lover’s heart. Even fans of the genre who’ve seen it all will find a fresh read with kick-butt characters and family dynamics that ring true for all brothers and sisters—vampire or otherwise.

Rating:

 Review: Solange is the first girl born to a powerful vampire line in over 900 years. She's human right now, but she might not survive past her 16th birthday to transform into a vampire. With her trusty best friend and nose-breaking wonder, Lucy (real name: Lucky), at her side, Solange takes down some serious vampire hunters, crazed blood fanatics, and repulsive admirers. And did I mention she find love along the way?

If all of that sounds like a lot, IT IS. Hearts at Stake was packed with action, romance, and vampire politics - in a good way. It moves in fast and doesn't let up. There was never a dull moment, and I was always learning something new: another vampire betrayal here, another killing over there, etc. It was easy to read and understand and kept me on the edge wondering what would happen next. That being said, Hearts At Stake is not an extremely deep book, but enjoyable. The best way I can think of to organize my thoughts for this one is to split them into pros and cons since there are quite a few things I think need to be mentioned, both positive and negative.

The White:
1) I love Lucy!! (Just noticed the parallel to the TV show when I finished typing this. Must be fate.) She's like that awesome best friend that we all wish we had - the one that sticks by your side and defends you no matter what and who's willing to throw a few punches to enforce that. Lucy has serious spunk and bravery, and coupled with a biting, sarcastic sense of humor, she's my type of girl.
2) Fast-paced with lots of action. Stakes flying, insane jumps, Matrix-esque backward bends, what's not to love?
3) Interesting vampire-related groups and politics. Alyxandra Harvey creates an intricate world of vampire hierarchies and histories and various beings like the Helios-Ra, vampire hunters, and the blood-crazed, blue-skinned vampires called Hel-Blar.
4) Did I mention super hot vampire guys with ice blue eyes? Let me say that again: seven hot vampires that all look almost the same. One for you, one for me, and let's continue to pass the rest around the circle.

The Black:
1) Jumped in very fast. I had to double-check to make sure I didn't miss something, specifically a book before Hearts At Stake. The action started immediately and though there was some introduction, I felt that there were previous events I had missed that would really have fleshed out the book. I definitely could have used a lot more background information on the Solange-Lucy and Lucy-Nicoholas relationships.
2) Hectic ending. Quite a few groups that had been mentioned in the book but never actually showed up popped up at the end to throw some kicks and complicate all the crazy action that was already happening. To say I was confused by all the different groups coming in and yelling is an understatement.

The Gray:
1) Alternating POV between Solange and Lucy. I enjoyed seeing things from both of their views and it allowed me to see what was going on at two different places simultaneously. My concern is that I felt it was a bit choppy jumping around so often, and I didn't see a clear distinction between Solange and Lucy. While I liked Lucy's rebellious character, I didn't really have a feeling about Solange. She was just... there.
2) Fairly simple writing. I don't know what to make of this. On one hand, it was easy to understand and didn't detract from the story. On the other hand, it didn't add to the story and the questions Lucy uses at the beginning to clarify some terms are obvious for what they are - info for the reader.

Romance: Cute, hot, fast. Technically there are two romance in Hearts at Stake. And they move fast, as in the first kiss is on page 23. While I enjoyed the rapid pace, I wish there could have been more time for development.
Cover: 3.0 - The model is gorgeous... but who is she? Solange has short hair, though other than that, it matches her description.
Writing: 3.0
Characters: 4.0 - Lucy points!
Plot: 3.5

Bottom Line: I know my review of Hearts at Stake is a bit long and winding, sorry! There were just so many points I wanted to get in here, because I'm still not really not sure of my standing on Hearts At Stake. It had unique ideas and loveable, interesting characters, though the beginning and ending weren't very solid and I had a few concerns that I can't flag yet as full-fledged objections. Again, the one thing that I loved was Lucy! I'd recommend this book to anyone who's a fan of the paranormal and looking for an action-packed, romance-filled, fast-paced, and light read. Overall, I gave Hearts at Stake four stars for it's entertainment value and I'd say this series has potential; I'll be looking forward to reading Blood Fued, book 2 in the series. Congrats Alyxandra Harvey on her debut! :)

Thank you to Katie, who I won this ARC from.