The Fiery Heart - Richelle Mead

The Fiery Heart (Bloodlines #4) - Richelle Mead
Grade: YA
Rating: 3/5 stars

In The Indigo Spell, Sydney was torn between the Alchemist way of life and what her heart and gut were telling her to do. And in one breathtaking moment that Richelle Mead fans will never forget, she made a decision that shocked even her. . . .

But the struggle isn't over for Sydney. As she navigates the aftermath of her life-changing decision, she still finds herself pulled in too many directions at once. Her sister Zoe has arrived, and while Sydney longs to grow closer to her, there's still so much she must keep secret. Working with Marcus has changed the way she views the Alchemists, and Sydney must tread a careful path as she harnesses her profound magical ability to undermine the way of life she was raised to defend. Consumed by passion and vengeance, Sydney struggles to keep her secret life under wraps as the threat of exposure—and re-education—looms larger than ever.

Pulses will race throughout this thrilling fourth instalment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where no secret is safe. (Description from Goodreads)

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It took me a while to write this review, or to even get the motivation to start, mostly because I didn’t know how to put into words what I felt about this book. I love the Vampire Academy world, I really do. Vampire Academy is one of my favourite YA series’ and I just adore it. Unfortunately, that hasn’t really stretched over to the Bloodlines series. It’s a bit of a hit and miss track with me, and The Fiery Heart landed in the miss column. I’ve come to expect so much from this series. I may be a little swayed by Rose’s action pack adventures in the Vampire Academy series, but Sydney just doesn’t inspire the same spark within me. I love that she’s stepping out and leaving behind her Alchemist ways – becoming more familiar with the vampire world (in more ways than just accepting them *wink**wink*) But there’s just something missing from Bloodlines that makes me not as excited for Sydney’s adventures. I feel like we’re taking one step forward and twelve steps back.

There were some big changes in The Fiery Heart - not just in the storyline, but in the way the novel was told. Sydney is no longer our sole narrator, with Adrian stepping up to take over half the narration. I’ll admit this was part of the reason it took me so long to read the latest Bloodlines book. It wasn’t so much that I disliked Adrian’s potential voice – and was only partly because I felt a little shocked that the POV was suddenly changing – it was mostly because split POV screams of danger; that something so terrible is going to happen, you need a back-up narrator to keep you in the loop for what’s been left behind. And it’s true, there’s some major stuff happening at the end, but I feel like we had so much prior warning leading up to it, that it didn’t hit me as hard as I expected.

I was disappointed with this book. It seemed like the major plot-lines – Sydney’s growth with magic, Jill’s potential danger, the search for a Spirit-Cure – all took a step backwards to Adrian and Sydney’s romance. If they weren’t blowing off the rest of their responsibilities to make-out, they were sending endless “I love you” text messages that were just waiting to be discovered by the growing group of dhampirs, moroi and alchemists hanging out in Palm Springs. I’m a person who likes romance in stories, but I feel like this time, it was a little over the top. I’m happy to see Sydney grow, I’m REALLY happy to see Adrian find someone who wants to support him and love him; but what I really wanted was the intense, action and mystery story I’ve come to love from Richelle Mead. There was so much that could have been explored, but we seemed to only get a few surface glimpses at progress to Strigoi-remedies and I think only one mention of Jill’s actual danger issues. It wasn’t what I was expecting.

I found myself grabbing onto little things and probably blowing them up into bigger issues. But one of my main issues was the rapid increase of people in Palm Springs. What started off as a secret mission to keep Jill away from her own kind and protect her from any strange and unknown people who might give her away, has turned into a massive group that now needs a minivan to take them places - and to top it off, they're all mostly inexperienced teens. There are no adults at all looking out for the group. This doesn’t scream hidden and secretive to me. I feel like Jill’s apparent danger has been all but forgotten, and in its place, romance, magic and an endless supply of new tattoos have taken centre stage.

Strangely, for myself, my favourite part of this book was the small bits to do with Spirit. I’ve actually never been much of a fan of Spirit. It seems to pop up as the saviour of all things at just the right moment, and so I resent it a bit. But I really enjoyed being in Adrian’s head and seeing Spirit from his POV. I loved seeing him step up and try helping with the Strigoi-Spirit cure and I really wanted to see more of that. I think that’s what was missing most for me – some driving plot, other than the endless scenes of Sydney and Adrian’s relationship, to really kick-start the blood pumping excitement. I feel like the Bloodlines hasn’t really found its feet. Maybe it’s a magic and witchcraft series, maybe the alchemists are the main focus, maybe Spirit is making a come-back, or maybe it was always a romance series and the rest are subplots...I just can’t work it out.

I want to love this series, so I’m going to keep trying with it – and not just because I refuse to give up on it because it’s Richelle Mead – but because I think there’s something hiding beneath the surface, ready to WOW me. I really hope there’s more action in the next book. I feel like it has potential. We’re given a pretty harsh and crazy ending in The Fiery Heart so I’m definitely getting my hopes up. I don’t need or want Sydney to be another Rose, because there’ll only be one Rose in the VA world; but I do want her to be a fighter and I think she can get there. I just don’t think we’ve seen it yet, and I need to see it. We’ve seen cool, calculating Sydney; we’ve seen intelligent Sydney; we’ve seen romantic/lusty Sydney. Let’s bring on badass Sydney, please.

3/5 stars


Kim
(Also posted on Goodreads)

Shadow Kiss: The Graphic Novel - Richelle Mead

Shadow Kiss: The Graphic Novel
Richelle Mead, Emma Vieceli & Leigh Dragoon
Grade: YA
Rating: 4/5 stars

What if following her heart means Rose could lose her best friend forever?

Rose Hathaway knows it is forbidden to love another guardian. Her best friend, Lissa – the last Dragomir princess – must always come first. Unfortunately, when it comes to gorgeous Dimitri Belikov, some rules are meant to be broken...

But since making her first Strigoi kills, Rose hasn't been feeling right. Something dark has begun to grow in her mind, and ghostly shadows warn of a terrible evil drawing nearer to the Academy's iron gates. And now that Lissa and Rose's sworn enemy, Victor Dashkov, is on trial for his freedom, tensions in the Moroi world are higher than ever.

Lying to Lissa about Dimitri is one thing, but suddenly there's way more than friendship at stake. The immortal undead are on the prowl, and they want vengeance for the lives that Rose has stolen. In a heart-stopping battle to rival her worst nightmares, Rose will have to choose between life, love, and the two people who matter most... but will her choice mean that only one can survive? (Description from Goodreads)

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I can't talk about this graphic novel without first talking about the moment I got it. A surprise package in the mail, ripping open the cardboard casing and running around the house screaming with excitement. I can't say it was for the graphic novel itself - not being a bit reader of GNs - but if any book could push me into them, it'd be Shadow Kiss. The best Vampire Academy book ever! I think that might be the real reason Penguin Teen Australia sent me a copy - they know how much I love this series, and it was the book that really started the Australian VA obsession! (Shadow Kiss book club of '09)

What I love most about this novel is that it's short and sharp, and allows the reader to experience the great story with visual aids. Sure, it's a condensed version of the story. You don't have every line written by Richelle, especially because the story is adapted by the amazing Leigh Dragoon, but you do get the over all feel of the story and having Emma Vieceli's skilful drawings brought the story to life in a whole new way for me. I've flicked through the first Vampire Academy graphic novel, but I don't own the previous two - so getting to read the entire GN from start to finish was a whole new experience for me. I'll admit I flicked to my favourite scenes first, because it's hard not to want to see how they've been represented in this edition, but I really enjoyed going back and just reading straight through.

I had a few issues wrapping my head around the set-up for the graphic novel. Not being used to the way the boxes and bubbles flow onto each other, I had a few moments where I was reading them out of order and missing speech boxes that were tucked around the corner. But I got the hang of it, and it all flowed really well. I did miss Richelle's original text. As such a big fan of the series, I sort of wanted every word and scene to be included. So much of the series is said and done internally, with Rose's thinking taking over; so I missed that part of it. But the beauty of a graphic novel is its ability to condense a story to its main parts.

I think this was a fabulous next step for the series. I know graphic novels have started to pick up in the YA scene, for the big stories, but I love that it gives reluctant readers, graphic novel fans and just fans of the series another chance to explore one of my favourite YA series.

Very impressed. And I'll definitely have to get my hands on the first two in the graphic novel series.

4/5 stars
Kim

(Also posted on Goodreads)

The Eternity Cure - Julie Kagawa

The Eternity Cure (Blood of Eden #2) - Julie Kagawa
Grade: YA
Rating: 5/5 Stars

Allison Sekemoto has vowed to rescue her creator, Kanin, who is being held hostage and tortured by the psychotic vampire Sarren. The call of blood leads her back to the beginning—New Covington and the Fringe, and a vampire prince who wants her dead yet may become her wary ally.

Even as Allie faces shocking revelations and heartbreak like she’s never known, a new strain of the Red Lung virus that decimated humanity is rising to threaten human and vampire alike.

Description taken from Goodreads
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It's very rare for me to say I enjoyed the sequel more than the original but I'm going to say it now. The Eternity Cure was such an amazing ride and (in my opinion) more enjoyable than The Immortal Rules.
Crazy Vampires, murderous humans, street rats, mole men, rabids plus a new breed of horror, this book had it all.

I liked the pacing of this book. Things were happening straight off the bat and continued throughout the novel.

It starts where The Immortal Rules ended, with Allie searching for her sire Kanin who has been kidnapped and tortured by the crazy Vampire Sarren. What follows is an awesome ride full of surprise encounters and fast paced action.

I loved Allie in this book. She has really grown into her vampirism and she has become this kickass heroine. She's not afraid anymore. She knows who she is and what she believes in and won't let anyone stand in her way. Which for me is a sign of a great female character.

Now onto the boys... While I'm a huge Kanin fan, Jackal stole the show for me in this book. His constant sarcasm, taunts, threats and smart ass comments were hilarious. I'm not sure how Julie did it but I could almost forget all the horrible things he had done in the first book. It's like he started with a clean slate, and I really liked him. Can't wait to see what he's like in the next book.

Speaking of the next book- can I have it now?! Please! The ending of The Eternity Cure will leave you with your mouth wide open in shock. To end a book like like- Julie, that was just plain mean! Brilliant but mean. It will leave you desperate for the next book.

I loved The Eternity Cure and would definitely recommend it. 5/5 stars!


Below are a couple of links you might be interested in:

The Trailer for The Eternity Cure

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgUDAtC9x7Q


The Official Page for Blood of Eden

http://bloodofeden.com.au/


Many thanks to Harlequin Teen for review copy and links

Kerrie

Originally Posted on Goodreads

The Indigo Spell - Richelle Mead

This year, we decided it was time to embrace our Two Girls and a Novel name and host a monthly joint review. As best friends, we tend to read the same books anyway. We usually avoid double reviewing, but now we have a way to both discuss out reviews and what better way to start than with the author and world that brought us together 3 years ago  (is it only 3 years? - feels longer) That author was Richelle Mead and her fabulous Vampire Academy world – only this time we're coming together to discuss Bloodlines and The Indigo Spell!

So, without further ado: the first Two Girls and a Novel review :)
(to make it easier to follow, Kerrie's thoughts are in RED, and Kim's are in BLUE)

The Indigo Spell (Bloodlines #3) - Richelle Mead
Grade: YA
Rating: 5/5 stars

I don’t know about Kerrie, but I was nervous, but excited, about going into The Indigo Spell. I love Richelle Mead, but the previous book (The Golden Lily) didn’t quite live up to expectations for me. I was worried about what to expect. I’m so happy to say TIS was more than I was hoping for. 
Overall I loved this instalment. I adored all the romance, and the plot was always interesting- never a dull moment in Sydney's world.

The magic – we all knew it was coming, and this book was definitely all about the magic. I loved that Sydney isn’t avoiding it this time around. I was done with watching her freak out after every little spell and claiming everything was evil. I loved that there was a specific magic plot to the story. It made it more real, not just something Sydney might have a hand in exploring. The “vampire” side of things was of downplayed though. There was only one mention of blood potentially being consumed in the novel, and it wasn’t from anyone in the main Bloodlines group, it was sort of strange – it’s like the vampires were forgotten. 
Yes, I was thinking the same thing! It feels like this novel has moved on from the Vampires and now focuses on the 'human' side of things. I must say I miss the Strigoi. I loved how they made the novels darker. You can be afraid of the Strigoi-they kill with no hesitation (poor Mason). When they're around you worry because things become life or death. I'm not afraid of the humans. The witches could technically kill you but they look unthreatening so your not afraid, and the Alchemist just send people to rehabilitation. After Rose and Victor proved that you can escape maximum security prison, being locked away by the alchemist doesn't worry me at all.

Got to say the romance was one of the highlights for the book, wouldn’t you agree? I think we were all holding out for Sydney and Adrian to finally get together. Adrian said some of the sweetest (and craziest) things when it came to wooing Sydney. I love that guy. 
Yes, I agree. I felt like this was more a romance novel compared to VA (and I know I really shouldn't compare the two- but its hard to do since its the same world). I loved that Sydney and Adrian spend practically all their time together, and when Adrian's not around, Sydney's still thinking about him. It was extremely cute. And I can't believe I'm saying this but.... Adrian made me swoon.

I was surprised at how little Alchemist involvement there was. I know they’re still a big part of the story, but after the Warriors of the Light encounter in the last book, and what with Sydney being on an Alchemist assignment; but they weren’t in it as much as I thought they were going to be. 
I agree. They were still there but not as much as what I was expecting. Perhaps we'll see more of them in the next book.

Can’t go past mentioning Rose and Dimitri – on the same page, at the same time! *insert happy screaming* 
I had the BIGGEST GOOFYEST smile on my face reading about them. We need another short story. Can't get enough of seeing Rose and Dimitri finally together out in public!

Disappointments? A little concerned a few things were forgotten in this one – like Strigoi/Spirit exploration. There was no mention of it this time around and I was hoping we might see a bit more about the potential cure. And the backlash from Jill getting her face in the modelling book – I know there was mention of how she’s still in danger, but not nearly as much focus as in the first two books. 
I do have one little complaint. I was slightly disappointed with the ending. I mean, its the 3rd book in a Richelle Mead series. That usually automatically means one of two things- either my jaw is going to hit the floor or I'm going to need tissues.
Eg: Succubus = cried and wanted to commit murder
Dark Swan = mouth dropped open. Hatred for Kiyo, heart broken for Dorian
VA = cried like a freaking baby!
But in The Indigo Spell neither happened. Yes I was slightly peed off but that was it. Of course after I finished this I got told that its actually the next book that has the dramatic ending, so now I need to prepare myself for that one.



Now onto the favourites!

Favourite Line? 

“I’ve said over and over, I’d do anything for you. I just keep hoping it’ll be something like, ‘Adrian, let’s go hot tubbing’ or ‘Adrian, take me out for fondue.’”“Well, sometimes we have to – did you say fondue,” Sometimes it was impossible to follow Adrian’s train of thought. “Why in the world would I ever say that?”
He shrugged. “I like fondue.”

Do I go for most swoon-worthy:
"I'm going to just go on loving you, even if its hopeless."

"I'm not a warrior or a goddess."
"As far as I'm concerned, you're both".

Or ones that made me smile and laugh:
"Abe used colour to offend the sensibilities."

"You're not as much of a lost cause as she was. I mean, with her, I had to overcome a deep, epic love with a Russian warlord."

'AYE'
"Isn't that what pirates say?"

Favourite Character with most growth?

Ok. Everyone who knows me knows I was never an Adrian fan. From the moment he stepped into the scene in Frostbite I took an immediate dislike to him. It wasn't until recently that I took a step back and asked myself why that was. (And no it wasn't because he was hitting on Rose all the time, when she clearly belonged with Dimitri.) I realised that when I was reading Frostbite, it was the time in my life where I was surrounded by "Adrian" types. The ones who would go out all the time, drinking, smoking, picking up girls, and have no real direction in their lives other than to "have fun". I had enough of those types of guys in real life, I was ready for the strong, dependable man. So I took offense to Adrian. He followed me into my escapism. But here's the thing. These boys eventually change. They grow up, and just like in real life, Adrian grew up too. I noticed it in Bloodlines but it wasn't until now, in The Indigo Spell, where he became this amazing, strong, dependable, romantic man "whatever you need to do, I'll support you." I can officially say after reading The Indigo Spell that I love Adrian! (*whispers* Dimitri's still my main man though).

Sydney...totally Sydney. It’s sad to admit, but I wasn’t a Sydney fan in The Golden Lily. I thought she was way too against everything. I was so happy to see her embrace the magic side of things, to distance herself from Alchemist thoughts, and to finally start acting for herself. She was so fierce in this book. I loved her!


Favourite New Character?

I don’t really know who was my favourite new character. There weren't that many new characters introduced in The Indigo Spell. The obvious one would be the mysterious Marcus Finch, but he didn’t really do it for me. I’m too caught up in all the old characters.

Hopper. I want a Hopper. He was so freaking CUTE!


Favourite existing Character?

I can't decide who my favourite existing character was. I honestly loved them all in this novel, but for the sake of answering this question, I'm going to say Eddie. He's always so strong and dependable. He's just the sweetest guy - the type you only want happiness for.

Without a doubt Adrian stole the show. His crazy lines, dedication to Sydney – his ability to make you swoon like mad – even for non-Adrian Fans from the VA side of things (I’m looking at you Kerrie). He’s got crazy awesome skills. I’ll admit I was a little sad he was on the pages so much – and I know that sounds crazy, but I wanted the chance to miss him so much that when he popped back into the action we’d scream from excitement. But at the same time, I’m so glad he was caught up in all the aspects of the plot; joining Sydney on her dangerous magic tasks, and supporting her through all her decision and making much needed hilarious comments. (I do have to give an honourable mention here to Wolfe for his role in the end of the novel – excellent words of wisdom.)


Favourite Romantic Moment?

For me it has to be the Dream Walking. It’s not always about the kisses, but about what the guy will do to keep the girl safe. And boy did Adrian do a lot to help Sydney in these dreams.

When we first thought up these questions I had no idea just how much romance would be in this novel. I liked it all. Sydney and Adrian spend a lot of time ALONE together and majority of the time it was pretty smoking hot- and that is all I will say on this matter.


Favourite Action Scene?

A certain dream sequence... oh wait- That was meant to be a question about a different kind of "action". My mistake.

Seriously though, The Indigo Spell did have a different style of action. It focussed largely on Sydney's magic abilities and so there were plenty of scenes where she practised defensive and offensive spells. I quite enjoyed reading those scenes, especially the one that produced a little friend. But, I also liked the more dangerous breaking and entering scenes. It was good to see Sydney taking risks. 

Like Kerrie, my favourite action moments were the magic lessons. It’s more of a pre-action scene but I loved them! Sydney throwing around fireballs made me think of Christian and his magic lessons, but Ms Terwilliger does do a really good job of pushing Sydney into Action-Mode.


Most Frustrating Character?

I want to say Ian, because they way he spent most of his scenes falling over himself to please Sydney was just pathetic, but the character that annoyed me the most was Marcus. I really didn’t like him. He bursts onto the scene and instantly signs Sydney up for dangerous tasks and a drastic life change. And then he seems upset when she doesn’t melt at his smile and charm. It just put me off that he was so sure that she’d follow him and his cause without question.

Sydney's youngest sister. She frustrates me. And you just know she's going to be trouble.


Overall rating:
I’d definitely give this one a 5/5 – fantastic book. 
5/5 for me too- loved it!

Kim and Kerrie

Fury's Kiss (Dorina Basarab #3) - Karen Chance

Fury's Kiss- Karen Chance
Grade- Adult UF
Rating- 5 / 5 Stars


Dorina Basarab is a dhampir—half-human, half-vampire. Subject to uncontrollable rages, most dhampirs live very short, very violent lives. But so far, Dory has managed to maintain her sanity by unleashing her anger on those demons and vampires who deserve killing...

Dory is used to fighting hard and nasty. So when she wakes up in a strange scientific lab with a strange man standing over her, her first instinct is to take his head off. Luckily, the man is actually the master vampire Louis-Cesare, so he’s not an easy kill.

It turns out that Dory had been working with a Vampire Senate task force on the smuggling of magical items and weaponry out of Faerie when she was captured and brought to the lab. But when Louis-Cesare rescues her, she has no memory of what happened to her.

To find out what was done to her—and who is behind it—Dory will have to face off with fallen angels, the maddest of mad scientists, and a new breed of vampires that are far worse than undead…
Description from Goodreads
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There are some things you are guaranteed when reading a Karen Chance novel. There's going to be plenty of action, awesome side characters, witty dialogue and a scorching romance (where your screaming at the characters to "get together already!") Fury's Kiss had all that and more. And it was the 'more' that surprised me. I wasn't prepared to feel so emotional whilst reading this. There was a large focus on Dory's relationship with her father Mircea (to say their relationship is rocky is an understatement.) Mircea is the love interest in the Cassie Palmer series, and so I've always been his fan, but Fury's Kiss has cemented my love for him. Anything else I say about Dory and Mircea will be too spoilery so you'll just have to read this book to find out about their relationship.
Fury's Kiss begins with Louis- Cesare "rescuing" Dory, and when I say "rescuing" I mean Dory is trying to kill him beacuse she has no memory of who she is, who he is or how she got where she is. (Taken from page 1) "I wasn't sure, as I couldn't seem to remember the fight that had left me bloody and bruised, with a bullet hole in my right thigh and another in my left shoulder. I couldn't remember much of anything else, either, including who the hell I was. But that still wasn't the problem. No, the problem was that I'd woken up next to a vampire. One who was maddengly hard to kill".
And then the story sort of jumps. It isn't until the last few chapters where everything comes together. I'm not sure how Ms Chance does it, but it was done perfectly! I was racing through the pages, desperate to see what would happen next. There was a slight cross over with a Cassie Palmer character making an appearance, which means now I can't wait to see what the consequences of that will be in the next Cassie book.

Fury's Kiss was an amazing, kick-ass, emotional UF read and I can't wait for more. If you're a fan of Kate Daniels series, then you'll love this one.


Kerrie

Originally Posted on Goodreads

The Immortal Rules - Julie Kagawa

The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1)
                                              - Julie Kagawa
Grade: YA
Rating: 4/5 stars

"In a future world, vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity."Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of "them." The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked--and given the ultimate choice. Die...or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend--a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what--and who--is worth dying for. (Description from Goodreads)

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I'd been putting off reading 'The Immortal Rules' for a quite some time. While I'd heard amazing things about the book and love YA vampires stories, something was holding me back. When I started the book I was a little disappointed. It seemed my unknown stalling was justified, but the book does pick up and I was really invested in the story by the end. A different type of vampire story than I'm used to.

The book is broken up into 4 sections, each outlining a different time in Allie's life. Allison Sekemoto is introduced to us as a human living on the outskirts of a Vampire City struggling to survive in a lifestyle where you're either the pets (or food source) for vampires or you're an unregistered human who barely makes it through their teen lives. But Allie's life changes when she's turned into a vampire. I'm not giving anything away here - all that information can be found in the blurb. My disappointment came from this same blurb. It was interesting, and exciting and really helped to dragged you in...but I felt like it was too detailed. It told you too much of what was going to happen. I thought the events in the blurb would take up a couple of chapters and then we'd dive into the main storyline, but when it covered over a third of the book I started to get pretty frustrated. There's only so much of the plot you want to know before starting a book and when you spend most of the beginning waiting for new information, it's hard to enjoy. I'll admit, the second section of Allie's life - which detailed the transition from human to vampire, and showed her efforts to fit into her new existence, was a lot more interesting than her human life before. But there didn't seem to be anything new. If you'd read the blurb, you knew what was coming next. Fortunately we hit a point in the story where we were now covering new ground - the third section of the book, when Allie joins a group of humans outside of the vampire city limits. I enjoyed this part of the story so much more because it gave the story a purpose. The action, adventure, danger and excitement is what made the story pick-up for me. That's what kept me reading.

What I really enjoyed about this book was the world it was set it. Vampires are out in the open and they've taken charge of the destroyed world that is the setting for the story. Sometime in the past, the world was struck by a deadly virus. Believing vampires were the cure for this virus experiments were made to help save the human race - the only sustainable food source for the vampire society. But the experiments went wrong and a mutated being was created instead: rabids. A bite from a rabid is deadly. I loved it. It gave the story a dark edge. The vampires were these "all powerful" rulers, evil in their decisions and actions; but at the same time there was a creature out there more dangerous than them. I love the twisted nature of it all. You were never sure when the next rabid would pop up or what damage they were going to cause - Who would fight? Who would survive? Was anyone safe? It all helped to keep you on the edge of your seat and definitely made up for the disappointing beginning.

There is a fair bit of action - the story doesn't lack in excitement once it gets past the first third of the book, what with rabids popping up all over the place, it's hard to avoid. What I love is the main character's approach to it all. After Allie becomes a vampire, she's introduced to my favourite book-action weapon: the Katana and she gets to use it a lot. She may have got extra cool points just by carrying it around on her adventures. I do like a good story that involves sword/katana fights!

And what would any story be without a little romance. I'm sure we can all guess what was going to happen. Allie, the new vampire hiding in a group of humans, becomes pretty close with the good looking human boy, Zeke. Tension builds between the two of them as she struggles with the fact that his blood speaks to her vampire side. And then there's the whole vampire-human relationships...they never work out. It was a cute little side to the story that broke up the danger and disaster nicely.

The ending left me with a few questions, which I'll be waiting patiently to find answers to. I'm hoping book #2 will jump straight into the action. Can't wait.

4/5 stars


Kim
(Originally posted on Goodreads)

Biting Cold - Chloe Neill

Biting Cold (Chicagoland Vampires #6)
                                                    - Chloe Neill
Grade: Adult - UF
Rating: 5/5 stars

Turned into a vampire against her will, twenty-eight-year-old Merit found her way into the dark circle of Chicago’s vampire underground, where she learned there was more to supernaturals than met the eye—and more supernaturals than the public ever imagined. And not all the secrets she learned were for sharing—among humans or inhumans.

Now Merit is on the hunt, charging across the stark American Midwest, tailing a rogue supernatural intent on stealing an ancient artifact that could unleash catastrophic evil on the world. But Merit is also the prey. An enemy of Chicagoland is hunting her, and he’ll stop at nothing to get the book for himself. No mercy allowed. No rules apply. No lives spared. The race is on. (Description from Goodreads)

~ * ~ * ~

The wait for ‘Biting Cold’ was so hard to deal with. After reading the first five books in a row earlier this year, I’ve been desperate for more – I can only image what long-time fans felt. ‘Drink Deep’ left us with a lot of questions and a lot of unsolved issues. My expectations were high, because there has been a high standard of drama, action and mystery in the previous books; and they were definitely met.

The book begins where we left off in the previous book. Mallory has escaped from the Order’s magical holding and is desperately seeking the Maleficium, the evil book she stole and used to wreak havoc on Chicago. It’s up to Merit and Ethan to try and stop her from unleashing more evil on the world. I was under the impression this book would be very Mallory-focused. She’d gone a little power-crazy and I thought it would take a fair bit of time to get her under control. I definitely thought we’d see more of the Order because of her. But the issues with Mallory are smaller than expected. That’s not to say it wasn’t an important part of the book, but Mallory is pushed to the side when a more powerful evil hits the scene. I did like seeing Merit and Ethan work together to try and contain her, but it caused a few more problems for them that I would have liked.

Ethan and Merit’s relationship has always been a little rocky, nothing is easy for them. I thought they’d get a chance at a bit of smooth sailing in ‘Biting Cold’, especially after all the relationship drama they’ve faced in the past; but unfortunately the world doesn’t want to let them be together. This part of the book frustrated me a little. After five books full of panicked sitting-on-the-edge-of-our-seats moments, wondering if Ethan and Merit are together or not, I wanted some sort of guarantee that they were on their way to being official. But it takes a while to get even close to that point. However, the times when they were together were just what I was looking for. They know and understand each other so well, and that’s what I love to see in a book couple. There’s nothing more comforting than seeing a favourite fictional couple find a little happiness with each other.

Part of what I love so much about the Chicagoland Vampires series is Chloe Neill’s exploration of different supernatural beings. We started with Vampires and Sorcerers, moved onto Shifters, and brought in a few Faeries, Nymphs and a Siren, before sitting back and waiting for the next species to pop up. ‘Biting Cold’ was no different, but what I loved was that the new sups were definitely not what I was expecting – I’ll admit I laughed and gave the book strange looks at one of them, but it all fell into place in the end (I’ve deliberately left out what these supernatural beings are because you don’t want to go into it already knowing what to expect – spoils the moment a bit). The big part of this storyline comes with Seth Tate, the former Mayor of Chicago. If you’re a long-time Chicagoland Vampires fan, you’ll know the mystery of Tate’s magical origins has been dragged out for a while, and we finally find out who – or what – he is. It’s definitely worth reading just for that!

There are a lot of problems from previous books that carry over into ‘Biting Cold’ and make up the major troubles for the book. One in particular is the fate of Cadogan House now that Ethan’s back on his feet. It involves a lot of discussions with the vampire governing body, the Greenwich Presidium. I’ve thought it before, but the GP makes me want to strangle someone. Their rules and regulations are in need of a serious rethink, but it does make for a very interesting story. I couldn’t wait to find out the verdict on Cadogan’s existence. It definitely kept me on the edge of my seat.

The book ended too quickly for my liking. I wanted it to go on forever. I can’t wait to see what happens next for Merit and Ethan. I hope it’s just as exciting as ‘Biting Cold’.

5/5 stars


Kim
(Originally Posted on Goodreads)

Bad to the Bone - Jeri Smith-Ready

Bad to the Bone (WVMP#2) - Jeri Smith-Ready
Grade: Adult - UF
Rating: 5/5 stars

TURN ON. TUNE IN. DROP DEAD.

Welcome to WVMP, “The Lifeblood of Rock ’n’ Roll,” where conartist-turned-station-owner Ciara Griffin manages an on-air staffof off-the-wall DJs—including new boyfriend Shane McAllister—who really sink their teeth into the music of their “Life Time” (theera in which they became vampires). Ciara keeps the undeadrocking, the ratings rolling, and the fan base alive—withoutmissing a beat.

For Halloween, WVMP is throwing a bash. With cool tunes, hotcostumes, killer cocktails—what could go wrong? To start, areligious firebrand ranting against the evils of the occultpreempts the station’s midnight broadcast. Then, when Ciaratracks down the transmission, the broadcast tower is guarded bywhat appears to be . . . a canine vampire? Behind it all is a groupof self-righteous radicals who think vampires suck (and arewilling to stake their lives on it). Ciara must protect the stationwhile struggling with her own complicated relationship, her bestfriend’s romance with a fledgling vampire, and the nature of hermysterious anti-holy powers. To make it to New Year’s in one piece,she’ll need to learn a few new tricks. . . .(Description from Goodreads)

~ * ~ * ~

After finishing 'Wicked Game' I was desperate to get my hands on the sequel. I wanted to know exactly what happened to Ciara and the vampire gang next. 'Bad to the Bone' was equally as exciting and packed full of adventure. I loved it!

It’s hard enough trying to live a normal life in the company of 6 vampire DJs, but Ciara Griffin’s life could not be more complicated. Caught up in the vampire world, Ciara has a pretty neat existence: A marketing job that seems to be an extension of herself, fabulous friends and a fantastic boyfriend who is crazy about her. But when a religious sect hijacks WVMP’s wave length to run anti-vampire segments, Ciara has to find a way to get her station back on track. It’s no surprise that when vampires pop up, religion is not far behind: the evils of blood sucking and living forever. I really enjoyed seeing this play out in ‘Bad to the Bone.’ Jeri Smith-Ready’s vampires follow some of the ‘traditional’ vampire myths and restrictions – such as sunlight and stakes to the heart – but they also face troubles with religious objects and holy water, so it was interesting to see the holy/religious take on their ‘fake’ existence. We get to see Ciara’s struggle with her own ideas on religion too, which helps us understand her a bit more – unravelling another layer of Ciara, because she has so many!

But it’s not just religious sects the vampires have to deal with in this book. There is a secret government organisation that is proving to be more trouble than help. The Control is not new to this series, but their history and involvement in the story can’t be overlooked. Like the rest of the DJs, The Control does not want the truth about vampires leaked; any chances of exposure could mean the death of a vampire or at least their detainment. I still have mixed feelings about The Control. For the most part, they seem to be trying to contain threats and protect vampires, but they’re sneaky and withhold information. I’m curious to find out more about their involvement in the supernatural world.

While not the biggest storyline for the book, I wanted to mention again that I love how unique Jeri’s stories are. Not only are there normal vampires in ‘Bad to the Bone’ but we’re introduced to animal vampires! Seriously, who would have thought anything like that could happen? Not me. It was a super cool concept, and Dexter the Dog is awesome.

Fantastic sequel to ‘Wicked Game’. Very exciting and action-packed; a really fun read!

5/5 stars


Kim
(Originally posted on Goodreads)

Wicked Game - Jeri Smith-Ready

Wicked Game (WVMP #1) - Jeri Smith-Ready
Grade: Adult - UF
Rating: 5/5 stars

LATE NIGHT RADIO YOU CAN SINK YOUR TEETH INTO

Recovering con artist Ciara Griffin is trying to live the straight life, even if it means finding a (shudder!) real job. She takes an internship at a local radio station, whose late-night time-warp format features 1940s blues, '60s psychedelia, '80s goth, and more, all with an uncannily authentic flair. Ciara soon discovers just how the DJs maintain their cred: they're vampires, stuck forever in the eras in which they were turned.

Ciara's first instinct, as always, is to cut and run. But communications giant Skywave wants to buy WVMP and turn it into just another hit-playing clone. Without the station — and the link it provides to their original Life Times — the vampires would "fade," becoming little more than mindless ghosts of the past. Suddenly a routine corporate takeover is a matter of life and undeath.

To boost ratings and save the lives of her strange new friends, Ciara rebrands the station as "WVMP, the Lifeblood of Rock 'n' Roll." In the ultimate con, she hides the DJs' vampire nature in plain sight, disguising the bloody truth as a marketing gimmick. WVMP becomes the hottest thing around — next to Ciara's complicated affair with grunge vamp Shane McAllister. But the "gimmick" enrages a posse of ancient and powerful vampires who aren't so eager to be brought into the light. Soon the stakes are higher — and the perils graver — than any con game Ciara's ever played...(Description from Goodreads)


~ * ~ * ~

I love Jeri Smith-Ready. Just thought I’d put it out there. There are some authors that can just do no wrong and, for me, Jeri is one of those authors. I know vampires and con artists aren’t exactly new these days, but I never considered putting the two in the same story. The mix of the supernatural and deception circulating throughout ‘Wicked Game’ made it a more engaging story that I could ever have hoped for.

My favourite part of ‘Wicked Game’ had to be the main character: Ciara Griffin. Like all good Urban Fantasy characters, she has a troubled past that we’re introduced to throughout the story. There are so many layers to Ciara and she hides herself so well – probably because she grew up pretending to be different people in order to con them, because that’s who she is: the daughter of two con artists; bending the truth comes naturally to her. We get to see Ciara grow and change throughout the book. Her skills are used in many tricky ways and her idea of the world gets modified drastically – who wouldn’t have their mind changed slightly when they discover vampires exist? But I really enjoyed seeing how strong Ciara is. She’s sceptical and doesn’t instantly believe in the idea of vampires; more often than not she thinks before acting (which is more than some UF characters can claim) and she doesn’t let herself get pulled into things she doesn’t believe in such as religion and, like I mentioned earlier, the existence of vampires themself. I found these all added up to make an extremely strong leading lady. I love her.

I also love vampires. Not in an I-want-to-be-one way, but if I had to pick a favourite supernatural being it would definitely be vampires. I’m always a little surprised – and insanely happy – when I came across a new vampire story that puts a unique spin on the vampire myth. That’s not to say the traditional cape wearing “I want to suck your blood” vamps aren’t interesting, but I love when there’s a bit of a creative spark that makes the author’s vampires stand out in the crowd. ‘Wicked Game’ has that spark for me. Jeri Smith-Ready’s vampires – upon undeath – become frozen in the era they were turned in. While the world changes around them, they’re unable to adapt and learn the new ways of the new age...at least not without some serious help and a lot of struggle. That’s not their only quirk, but it’s the one that hooked me onto their crazy awesomeness. I really liked the idea of these vampires from all over the last century being stuck in their different times, bringing their personal histories and experiences to the present while fighting to not “fade” – another vampire quirk where the vampire’s mental stability starts to lessen as they move further away from their own era.

Speaking of history, a lot is displayed in the book through the music mentioned. Jeri is my go-to author when it comes to music. If anyone could bring such a strong focus on musical influences and turn it into an essential part of an amazing story, it’s Jeri Smith-Ready. Music is obviously an important part of the story, with the main 6 vampires running a radio station, each hosting separate shows based on the era they grew up in. Jeri gives the vampires an outlet to fight the possibility of fading through their DJ-ing and through music. What better way to allow the vampires to connect to their past and unique eras than through the music they would have listened to while alive? It works so well and gives them something to hold onto. I loved it and it also gave me a chance to expand my own music knowledge. I don’t actively seek new music, but I’m really tempted to look up every song mentioned in ‘Wicked Game’ because I know they’d be awesome tracks to add to my ipod. Entertainment and musical education, only part of what ‘Wicked Game’ brings to its audience.

An important and major part of the story revolves around the vampire DJs and hiding their true existence from the world, while also marketing on it. This is where Ciara’s past comes into play. She’s perfect at creating a new image for the DJs and finds many ways of selling that image to the public without actually revealing who or what they really are. I love the excitement and sense of danger that comes with this risk – and it is a risk, as they could be discovered at any moment. It makes you sit on the edge of your seat hoping nothing will go wrong, but knowing something’s going to pop up to put a spanner in the works.

I loved every moment of ‘Wicked Game’ and can’t wait to see what trouble Ciara gets up to next.

5/5 stars


Kim
(Originally posted on Goodreads)

The Golden Lily - Richelle Mead

The Golden Lily (Bloodlines #2) - Richelle Mead
Grade: YA
Rating: 4/5 stars

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

Sydney would love to go to college, but instead, she's been sent into hiding at a posh boarding school in Palm Springs, California–tasked with protecting Moroi princess Jill Dragomir from assassins who want to throw the Moroi court into civil war. Formerly in disgrace, Sydney is now praised for her loyalty and obedience, and held up as the model of an exemplary Alchemist.

But the closer she grows to Jill, Eddie, and especially Adrian, the more she finds herself questioning her age–old Alchemist beliefs, her idea of family, and the sense of what it means to truly belong. Her world becomes even more complicated when magical experiments show Sydney may hold the key to prevent becoming Strigoi—the fiercest vampires, the ones who don't die. But it's her fear of being just that—special, magical, powerful—that scares her more than anything. Equally daunting is her new romance with Brayden, a cute, brainy guy who seems to be her match in every way. Yet, as perfect as he seems, Sydney finds herself being drawn to someone else—someone forbidden to her.

When a shocking secret threatens to tear the vampire world apart, Sydney's loyalties are suddenly tested more than ever before. She wonders how she's supposed to strike a balance between the principles and dogmas she's been taught, and what her instincts are now telling her.

Should she trust the Alchemists—or her heart?(Description from Goodreads)
~ * ~ * ~

I feel like I’ve been waiting forever to dive back into my favourite Richelle Mead world. ‘The Golden Lily’ takes us on another crazy ride discovering parts of the world we never got to see in the first series (Vampire Academy) and for me, that just makes the series more exciting – finding something new.

We learn a lot more about the Alchemists and not all of it is good. I always knew they had a strict and hard lifestyle, but we never really saw what it is that actually happens behind the scenes in the Alchemist life. We get a chance to see more in ‘The Golden Lily’ and I can safely say it’s not a lifestyle I’d pick for myself. I really liked this new glimpse of the Alchemists, they’re no longer just a random secret group.

It was bad enough that Sydney and the gang were looking out for rogue Moroi groups and random Strigoi attacked, but when they discover evidence of Vampire Hunters, everything jumps to a whole new level. I had a feeling the vampire hunters were going to make an appearance in the series. After so much talk about their secret existence it was only a matter of time before Sydney was faced with them and the trouble they’d bring. There’s also more to the hunters than meets the eye – but that’s all I can say without giving too much away.

I loved being around the characters I know so well again. There are some people you just can’t get out of your head and Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy characters do that for me, especially when it comes to her male characters. There is nothing better than seeing Dimitri Belikov on the page again and he brings out his super awesome Guardian skills just to prove he hasn’t lost his badass touch just yet. But he’s not the only guy to rock the page. Adrian grew so much in this book. I was so touched by his strength and loyalty and, as always, he never fails to make me smile. The Vampire Academy men stole the show.

And finally, Sydney. I love her awkwardness in the book. She’s faced with something completely new in her life, something more difficult than looking after moroi and dhampirs in the human world. Sydney gets asked on a date. Her social skills are still lacking a bit, so it’s fun to see her work through this new situation. She also explores her magic side a bit more – despite her aversion to magical performances. It’s here that I had my biggest issue with the book. Sydney seems to have a few problems with the subject of magic and vampires. She makes so much progress throughout the book to overcome the Alchemist prejudices against the unnatural vampires and shudder-worthy use of magic, but there are moments when she falls back into old ways of calling moroi and dhampirs “evil monsters” and freaks out when magic is being used – even though she using her new magical talents quite a bit. I kept hoping she’d move forward, take charge, and stand up for what was in front of her – that vampires aren’t all evil. It didn’t have to be giant leaps, it just had to happen. But she seemed to take more steps back than forward.

All-in-all, another interesting and smile-producing addition to the Bloodlines and Vampire Academy world. Looking forward to seeing what happens to Sydney, Adrian and the rest of the gang next.

4/5 stars


Kim
(Originally posted on Goodreads)

Balthazar - Claudia Gray

Balthazar - Claudia Gray
Grade: YA
Rating: 5/5 stars

Haunted by memories from his first days as a vampire, Balthazar has spent hundreds of years alone—without allies, without love. When he emerges from his isolation to help Skye Tierney, a human girl who once attended Evernight Academy, Balthazar has no idea how dangerous it will be. Skye’s psychic powers have caught the attention of Redgrave, the cruel master vampire responsible for murdering Balthazar and his family four centuries ago. Having learned of Skye’s powers and the remarkable effect her blood has on vampires, he plans to use her for his own evil purposes. As they stand together to fight the evil vampire, Balthazar realizes his lonely world could finally be changed by Skye...just as Redgrave realizes that he can destroy Balthazar once and for all by taking her for his own.

In a story filled with forbidden love and dark suspense, one of the most beloved characters in Claudia Gray’s New York Times bestselling Evernight series will captivate readers with his battle to overcome his past and follow his heart. (Description from Groodreads)

~ *~ *~

I hadn't realised how much I missed the Evernight world until I was thrown back in with 'Balthazar'. A dangerous book, that revisits the life of vampires after the destruction of Evernight Academy.

As one of my favourite characters in the series, I was really looking forward to reading about Balthazar. I was unsure what we'd be getting from his story: Something old? Something new? Turns out it was a bit of both, and can I just say: Wow! Learning about Balthazar's past gave me chills; especially with the way it was presents: a jumbled timeline showing his human, early vampire years and most recent past, all mixed in with present drama with Skye and the vampires. It's an intense, fast-paced read that I had so much trouble putting down.

If you're a long time Evernight fan, you'll notice that our leading lady, Skye, is a repeat Evernight character. Although, I'll admit, for the first few pages I couldn't remember who she was (my bad). But she does have an Evernight background and an extremely important skill that winds up putting her in serious danger: Vampire Style. Her powers weren't explored as much as I thought they'd be. Their unknown quality left you wanting more, especially close to the end of the book.

I love the action in this book. It seemed never-ending, probably because we saw plenty in the 'present' timeline, but was also witness a fair few fights in Balthazar's past. I'm definitely a fan of a good action scene, and if you're like that too, you won't be disappointed with this one.

My only issue with 'Balthazar' is the uncertainty at the end. So much is left up in the air and, at the time of writing this, I'm unaware if there is going to be more in the series. What is going to happen to Skye and Balthazar? Are there still vampires after them? Will Skye learn more about her skills? But, most importantly, what's going on with Charity? Yep, that's right, our fave crazy vampire sister is back and she's pretty kick-ass in this book. But her role leaves me with so many questions. I thought we'd have some big Brother-Sister confrontation, but we're sort of left hanging. Maybe that's being saved for a future book (Please, Claudia?)

Mysteries and questions aside; I adored this book, definitely worth reading.

5/5 stars

Kim
(Originally posted on Goodreads)

Lover Mine - J.R. Ward

Lover Mine (Black Dagger Botherhood #8)
                                                - J.R. Ward
Grade: Adult - PNR
Rating: 5/5 stars

The hot new novel in the Black Dagger Brotherhood by the #1New York Times bestselling author

John Matthew has come a long way since he was found living among humans, his vampire nature unknown. Taken in by The Brotherhood, no one could guess what his true history was-or his true identity.

Xhex has long steeled herself against the attraction to John Matthew. Until fate intervenes and she discovers that love, like destiny, is inevitable.


~ * ~ *~

If you're a long time BDB reader, you would know that John Matthew has had a tough life and that doesn't really end with his own book. I was really looking forward to seeing John get his happy ending. 'Lover Mine' is definitely one of my favourites for this series. I loved seeing not only John's mind, but Xhex's too; and the action (both fighting and private time *wink**wink*) was amazing.

After finishing 'Lover Avenged' last week, I was desperate to jump into 'Lover Mine'. The previous book leaves us with a serious unresolved issue concerning Xhex and her future. I've become super attached to Xhex (it's really hard not to get that way); I never want to see her hurt again. I adored seeing her as more than just Rehv's security guard. I love her strength and her fears; she's not a gentle soul, but she's got good things going for her. The struggle to be accepted and to overcome her past is heart-warming.

We see relationships form and break in 'Lover Mine'; you can't help getting caught up in the drama, especially after so many books. The characters we follow are all so well known to us; they feel like friends. You don't want their actions to end up hurting someone you love *cough*QhuinnandBlay*cough* The unresolved issues only make me want to read the next book already.

I loved reading the flashback scenes about Darius and Tohr. If you haven't read the book yet, I'll tell you only one thing: There's more to these scenes than just seeing Darius again. I started to guess what they were about early on, and it wasn't hard to work out. They leave you feeling pretty satisfied in the end.

Despite loving this book, and despite how important it was to see everything that was happening, I cannot make myself enjoy the lessers POVS. Maybe I'm too desperate to find out about the Brothers and their females, but I don't find these scenes captivating enough, even with Lash being the main focus for 'Lover Mine' and with his story being so connected to John and Xhex's happen ending. It just doesn't interest me.

5/5 stars

Kim
(Originally posted on Goodreads)

Lover Avenged - J.R. Ward

Lover Avenged (Black Dagger Brotherhood #7)
                                                        - J.R. Ward
Grade: Adult - PNR
Rating: 5/5 stars

J. R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood novels have introduced readers to a "different, creative, dark, violent, and flat-out amazing" (All About Romance)world. Now, as the vampire warriors defend their race against their slayers, one male's loyalty to the Brotherhood will be tested-and his dangerous mixed blood revealed...

Caldwell, New York, has long been the battleground for the vampires and their enemies, the Lessening Society. It's also where Rehvenge has staked out his turf as a drug lord and owner of a notorious night club that caters to the rich and heavily armed. His shadowy reputation is exactly why he's approached to kill Wrath, the Blind King and leader of the Brotherhood.

Rehvenge has always kept his distance from the Brotherhood-even though his sister is married to a member, for he harbors a deadly secret that could make him a huge liability in their war against the lessers. As plots within and outside of the Brotherhood threaten to reveal the truth about Rehvenge, he turns to the only source of light in his darkening world, Ehlena, a vampire untouched by the corruption that has its hold on him-and the only thing standing between him and eternal destruction. (Description from Goodreads)

~ * ~ * ~

'Lover Avenged' is my favourite Black Dagger Brotherhood book so far. I didn't think it was possible to love a book more than 'Lover Awakened' (because Z's transformation was insane), but I stand corrected. Rehvenge's book displayed so much emotion, heartache and hope. I just adored it.

Like all BDB books, we see the focus fall mainly on one male (Rehvenge) and one female (Ehelena). You know there's going to be a pattern. They meet early in the book, develop a relationship, face an unimaginable obstacle and come out on top in the end. You're probably wondering what makes this book better than the rest? Well, like I mentioned before, the emotion in 'Lover Avenged' is off the chart. I've never cried in a BDB book before, but Rehv's struggle to be the perfect male, even with his symphath side make you ache for him. I really enjoyed finding out more about his symphath history and seeing inside the colony was definitely a different experience. But I'm glad he got his happy ending; he definitely deserved it.

I've discovered that one of my favourite characters in this series is Xhex. I loved getting hints at her past, and she's had such a tough life. Her devotion to Rehv is insanely touching. There's never a doubt in my mind that they're anything more than friends, but knowing she'd do anything for him makes me sigh. We get a chance to see her vulnerability; there's more to her than the fighter-chick image she projects to the world.

I love that we see more than one story in each BDB book. I know we connect each book with one male and one female, but I really enjoy seeing the other stories just as much (unless it involves the lessers because they really don't interest me). What made 'Lover Avenged' a better book was seeing Wrath again, and not just small flashes as he's dealing with the Brothers, but an actual sub-plot that brought his role in the series to a new level. We get another look at Wrath and Beth's relationship - the connection that I've missed from them and wasn't seen much since 'Dark Lover' - and you fall in love with them all over again.

I still have a problem getting interested in the lessers. I find when they turn up in the book that I have to flip through the book to find out when the next vampire will turn up. I thought I was going to be more interested in them, because of Lash's involvement with the Lessening Society, but I was wrong. I just wanted to strangle him most of the time, or skip his parts. However, the lessers' role changed a lot in 'Lover Avenged'. There wasn't a lot of fighting and with Lash in charge there was a lot more planning for the future. I'm hoping I'll be a bit more interested in his role in the next book. I know he's going to be an important player.

'Lover Avenged' ended with a big "OMG!" moment, and I can't wait to dive straight into 'Lover Mine' and hope everything gets resolved soon.

5/5 stars


Kim
(Originally posted on Goodreads)

Drink Deep - Chloe Neill

Drink Deep (Chicagoland Vampires #5) - Chloe Neill
Grade: Adult - UF
Rating: 5/5 stars

Clouds are brewing over Cadogan House, and recently turned vampire Merit can't tell if this is the darkness before the dawn or the calm before the storm. With the city itself in turmoil over paranormals and the state threatening to pass a paranormal registration act, times haven't been this precarious for vampires since they came out of the closet. If only they could lay low for a bit, and let the mortals calm down.

That's when the waters of Lake Michigan suddenly turn pitch black-and things really start getting ugly.

Chicago's mayor insists it's nothing to worry about, but Merit knows only the darkest magic could have woven a spell powerful enough to change the very fabric of nature. She'll have to turn to friends old and new to find out who's behind this, and stop them before it's too late for vampires and humans alike. (Description from Goodreads)

~ * ~ * ~

I was reluctant to start 'Drink Deep'. After the way 'Hard Bitten' ended, I wasn't sure if I would be able to handle the book. But, with a LOT of reassurance from Twitter and Goodreads friends, I managed to get through the first half slowly, dreaded any future twists, only to have yet another shocking and exciting ending thrown into the mix. My friends were right when they told me everything would be ok, and I'm sorry I didn't trust them completely. It's hard not to get emotionally attached to Merit and her journey.

Chicago is being attacked by unknown magical forces. Merit and Cadogan House take it upon themselves to solve the issue before vampires are blamed for every supernatural event in the world. Poor Merit, she can't seem to catch a break. I really enjoyed the plot for 'Drink Deep' (when I wasn't panicking about what might happen next). I loved exploring the the realms of other supernatural beings and discovering the hidden magic side of Chicago. There's so much Merit doesn't know, and I love when she stumbles upon something new that we get to understand through her. There's so much going on in this book, every word, every scene is important and where they lead...wow. You don't expect to find what we do at the other end and the questions you're left with are endless.

I cannot explain how much I hate the GP. If you're a long time Chicagoland Vampire reader, you'll know that the GP have certain rules they want the vampire Houses to follow and for the most part they're ridiculous. My dislike for them moved right into hate in 'Drink Deep' and I'm certain they're not going to earn my respect any time soon.

'Drink Deep' was still missing the fun dialogue from the first three books, but it wasn't that sort of book. I thought 'Hard Bitten' had a dark edge too it, but 'Drink Deep' was darker.I loved the dark aspects; the haunting mysteries and sense of danger. You can't help getting caught up in the moment and it makes everything more powerful. I'm hoping we'll get a bit more of the witty-banter back in the next book, I'd love to see it back again, although I fear that it won't return for a bit.

Waiting impatiently for the next in the series. Chloe Neill has created an addictive world and I can't wait to see what happens next.

5/5 stars

Kim
(Originally posted on Goodreads)

Hard Bitten - Chloe Neill

Hard Bitten (Chicagoland Vampires #4) - Chloe Neill
Grade: Adult - UF
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Times are hard for newly minted vampire Merit. Ever since shapeshifters announced their presence to the world, humans have been rallying against supernaturals-and they're camping outside of Cadogan House with protest signs that could turn to pitchforks at any moment. Inside its doors, things between Merit and her Master, green-eyed heartbreaker Ethan Sullivan are...tense. But then the mayor of Chicago calls Merit and Ethan to a clandestine meeting and tells them about a violent vamp attack that has left three women missing. His message is simple: get your House in order. Or else.

Merit needs to get to the bottom of this crime, but it doesn't help that she can't tell who's on her side. So she secretly calls in a favor from someone who's tall, dark, and part of underground vamp group that may have some deep intel on the attack. Merit soon finds herself in the heady, dark heart of Chicago's supernatural society-a world full of vampires who seem ready to fulfill the protesting human's worst fears, and a place where she'll learn that you can't be a vampire without getting a little blood on your hands... (Description from Goodreads)

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I've been staring at a blank screen for quite a while trying to put my thoughts into words. 'Hard Bitten' definitely lives up to its name; it is a hard book to deal with, especially with the way it ended.

In terms of plot, this book has it all. Vampire drama has escalated with the announcement of the Shifters existence; and the humans have kicked up their protest against vampires in their city. Merit and Cadogan House find themselves to be the main focus in the new rise in protests. But to top it all off, this trouble is made worse by the fact that vampires are being plagued by drug and rave problems. Merit's investigating skills are tested again and, of course, she gets to show off her amazing fighting kills; so it is an action-packed novel.

I was, however, a little disappointed in 'Hard Bitten'. It lacked the same witty-banter and amazing dialogue that I've grown to love so much. I think that was partly because of the tone of the book. There was a sense of danger and darkness that wasn't in the previous books; a sense that Merit and her friends were walking on a ledge and one wrong step wound send them falling. I was also disappointed in the role Ethan had in this book. In the first three novels, I was so impressed with the way he was involved in everything, and in 'Hard Bitten'...nothing. That's not to say he wasn't there, but with all the vampire issues, they worked to keep him out of the thick of it all, which just isn't Ethan.

And the ending, oh wow, I'm still trying to process how that ending possibly happened and I'm not sure what I really think about it. I've been told everything will be alright if I have the next book, but we'll just have to wait and see.

4.5/5 stars

Kim
(Originally posted on Goodreads)

Twice Bitten - Chloe Neill

Twice Bitten (Chicagoland Vampires #3) - Chloe Neill
Grade: Adult - UF
Rating: 5/5 stars


Merit, Chicago’s newest vampire, is learning how to play well with others. Other supernaturals, that is. Shapeshifters from across the country are convening in the Windy City, and as a gesture of peace, Master Vampire Ethan Sullivan has offered their leader a very special bodyguard: Merit. Merit is supposed to protect the Alpha, Gabriel Keene—and to spy for the vamps while she’s at it. Oh, and luckily Ethan’s offering some steamy, one-on-one combat training sessions to help her prepare for the mission.

Merit must accept the assignment, even though she knows that she’ll probably regret it. And she’s not wrong. Someone is gunning for Gabriel Keene, and Merit soon finds herself in the line of fire. She’ll need all the help she can get to track down the would-be assassin, but everywhere she turns, there are rising tensions between supernaturals—not least between her and a certain green-eyed, centuries old master vampire. (Description from Goodreads)
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Like normal, when finishing a book within a series I adore, I find it hard to start a review without sounding repetitive. It's incredibly hard not to gush about how much I love Merit and Ethan and their supernatural adventures. 'Twice Bitten' picks up where 'Friday Night Bites' left off and we're thrown into an action packed story that never stops moving. What's not to love?

I love the drama and chaos that surrounds the vampires in this series. The fact that the vampires are out in the public eye means there's no chance to hide from humans. I like that this is both a help and a hindrance to the vampire cause. It makes you cautious about what might happen next in the vampire community.

We get to see more of the hidden supernatural side in 'Twice Bitten'. It's exciting to see how the shifters and sorcerers fit into the world; how different they are from what we've seen before or previously been told. I loved having Mallory explain more of her lessons to Merit and seeing her use a bit of her magical powers to demonstrate her skill (I just love Mallory) and seeing the shifters on their own terms, not just as a vampire enemy was enlightening. It's funny though, despite being a different kind of shifting community than I'm used to, the animosity between vampires and shifters still remains, I like that there's something familiar to hold onto, even within completely different series.

There is something unbelievably awesome about the dialogue in this series. Chloe Neill nails the "real" feel of her characters. You can imagine yourself discussing eating habits and best friend or boyfriend drama exactly the way Merit and her crew do. The witty banter and arguments are so normal and funny; I can't get enough of it, and I look forward to reading more of it in the next book.

And, of course, can't end this review without discussing Ethan. I love that he's such an important part of the series so far. He's not one of those potential love interests that only pops up occasionally, and so you're left desperate for more. I know he's not on every page - though I'd love it if Merit and Ethan were joined at the hip - Ethan's presence is unforgettable and he is so involved in every aspect of the story that you can't help loving him and loving his role; even if he does make a few strangle-worthy mistakes.

Eagerly awaiting Merit's next adventure.

5/5 stars

Kim
(Originally posted on Goodreads)

Friday Night Bites - Chloe Neill

 
Friday Night Bites (Chicagoland Vampires #2) - Chloe Neill
Grade: Adult - UF
Rating: 5/5 stars

The story of a young heiress's initiation into the dark society of the Chicagoland Vampires continues…

Ten months after vampires revealed their existence to the mortals of Chicago, they're enjoying a celebrity status usually reserved for the Hollywood elite. But if people learn about the Raves-mass feeding parties where vampires round up humans like cattle—the citizens will start sharpening their stakes.

So now it's up to the new vampire Merit to reconnect with her upper class family and act as liaison between humans and bloodsuckers, and keep the more unsavory aspects of the vampire lifestyle out of the media. But someone doesn't want peace between them—someone with an ancient grudge… (Description from Goodreads)
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After waiting a couple of very long weeks for the chance to read the next book in the Chicagoland Vampires series, I was finally able to sink my teeth into another Merit adventure. I cannot believe I waited so long to start this series and I'm so glad I'm playing catch-up now; such an amazing story so far. I had high expectations for 'Friday Night Bites', because I enjoyed book one so much I wanted that feeling to continue throughout the next book; and it didn't let me down.

Merit, like all good female leads, is a tough chick who doesn't let others walk over her. A woman who uses her own mind and who fights back when attacked, and with amazing skill too. I adore her. But on top of all that, she's flawed in a way that makes her more human, despite in fact being a vampire. She struggles with herself, has a delicate and complicated family history and a chocolate obsession that I'm sure we can all relate to. But she does find herself the subject of, or at least dragged into, a fair bit of supernatural drama; which I can't say bothers me, because it brings an extra edge of excitement and adventure to the story.

I love the mystery in this series. Merit and Cadogan House are faced with two problems in 'Friday Night Bites', one being the underground feeding raves that are causing bad press to fall on the Vampire community; the other being Celina's ever present influence and threat that Merit just can't seem to escape. I had my theories about who was kicking up a storm in 'Friday Night Bites' and I was pleasantly surprised to find I was wrong. I spent quite a long time plotting and scheming; trying to determine who the bad guys were and why certain people were involved in the drama. It's safe to say I'd never make a good detective. I love when an author manages to hide their clues so well that the culprit is definitely not someone you'd expect. Chloe Neill did this fabulously and at the same time managed to set up an unresolved mystery at the end of the book that has me desperate for the next book. Good thing I have it sitting on my shelf.

Like all good books I read these days, I can't pass up talking about the romance. I have my favourites and I'm not quite about it. Ethan rules my Chicagoland world and I was so happy to see how involved he was in 'Friday Night Bites'. The tension that builds and falls between Ethan and Merit is unavoidable, and I seriously can't see anyone else getting a chance to rule Merit's everything thought and emotion the way Ethan does. But Merit's a stubborn woman - a trait I really like in her - so anything is possible in future books. I guess I just have to keep my fingers crossed and hope they'll get together before I burst from the ignored emotions between the to of them.

Looking forward to seeing where the story leads to next.

5/5 stars


Kim
(Originally posted on Goodreads)

Some Girls Bite - Chloe Neill

Some Girls Bite  (Chicagoland Vampires #1) - Chloe Neill
Grade: Adult - UF
Rating: 5/5 stars

First in a brand new series about a Chicago graduate student’s introduction into a society of vampires.

Sure, the life of a graduate student wasn’t exactly glamorous, but it was Merit’s. She was doing fine until a rogue vampire attacked her. But he only got a sip before he was scared away by another bloodsucker—and this one decided the best way to save her life was to make her the walking undead.

Turns out her savior was the master vampire of Cadogan House. Now she’s traded sweating over her thesis for learning to fit in at a Hyde Park mansion full of vamps loyal to Ethan "Lord o’ the Manor" Sullivan. Of course, as a tall, green-eyed, four-hundred- year-old vampire, he has centuries’ worth of charm, but unfortunately he expects her gratitude—and servitude. But an inconvenient sunlight allergy and Ethan’s attitude are the least of her concerns. Someone’s still out to get her. Her initiation into Chicago’s nightlife may be the first skirmish in a war—and there will be blood. (Description from Goodreads)


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I love finding new vampire novels. Despite the diversity of novels these days, I'm always going to love a good vampire story. ‘Some Girls Bite’ definitely fits into that slot. A kickass heroine, sexual tension, addictive blood cravings (though always slightly gross to imagine) and an amazing mystery that I certainly didn’t see unfolding the way it did.

What I really liked about this books with its setting. Not the Chicago aspect, but that it’s set in a world where vampire existence is knowing, they’re out in the open and newly announced too. There’s little guessing and secrecy, but also uncertainty about how vampires fit into society. The vampires are sorted into twelve houses, with only the Master of each house being allowed to change twelve humans into vamps each year. But there’s still that sense of mystery in the supernatural world with a sect of vampires (Rogues) and various otherworldly beings still keeping their identities hidden.

What can I say about Merit? Apart from a burning desire to find out what her full name is; Merit is exactly the type of female lead I love readings about. She has flaws, misguided thoughts and sarcastic comebacks to lighten the mood. It’s extremely fun to see her adapt to her new life and I can’t wait to see more of her in the next book.

I was a little worried about the potential love interests in the story. I know which guy I prefer (despite the obvious attempts at staying away from Merit), but it seemed like every new, supernatural guy Merit met in this book was single and hot. While a few of these guys were knocked out of the running pretty quick, I’m hoping there won’t be a massive love triangle for long – although I adore the sexual tension that builds up in the absence of a steady relationship.

Can’t wait to get my hands on the rest of the series.

5/5 stars

Kim
(Originally posted on Goodreads)

Lover Revealed - J.R. Ward

Lover Revealed (Black Dagger Brotherhood #4) -J.R. Ward
Grade: Adult- PNR
Rating: 5/5 stars

Butch O'Neal is a fighter by nature. A hard-living ex-homicide cop, he's the only human ever to be allowed in the inner circle of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. And he wants to go even deeper into the vampire world-to engage in the turf war with the lessers. His heart belongs to a female vampire, Marissa, an aristocratic beauty who's way out of his league. And if he can't have her, then at least he can fight side by side with the Brothers.

But fate curses him with the very thing he wants. When Butch sacrifices himself to save a civilian vampire from the slayers, he falls prey to the darkest force in the war. Left for dead, he's found by a miracle, and the Brotherhood calls on Marissa to bring him back, though even her love may not be enough to save him. (Description from Goodreads)


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I put off reading ‘Lover Revealed’ for so long and I’m angry at myself for doing so. It was a really good story. I love Butch, he’s funny and sensitive and SUPER sexy, and I should have known his time in the spotlight would be just the same.

I love the relationship between Butch and Vishous. They’re two guys who really connect with each other. The Brotherhood seem to be friends, although sometimes they get very frustrated with one of more brothers; but Butch and V have formed a very strong brother-like bond (sometimes it hints at more, but I doubt it’ll actually go that way; especially when you see how much Butch loves Marissa). It’s interesting to watch them interact with each other.

I was really impressed with the way Marissa develops. She’s so innocent and sheltered, having only really had contact with Wrath for most of her life. I know her brother was around and she was active in the community, but she hadn’t really lived. You see her get past the social boundaries she’s so used to, and while I was annoyed at her a few times for trying to stop Butch from fighting, she really stepped up as a person.

I thought there were a heap of twists in the last book, but so much happens that I wasn't expecting in Butch’s book. They kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way through the book. I kept trying to guess what would happen next and was desperate to find out how the story would end.

Despite how important the lessers are in ‘Lover Revealed’ they didn't annoy me as much as they have in the past. I don’t know if that’s because I'm accepting their role in the series more, or the fact that they weren’t in the story is much as in previous books; but either way I found them a lot easier to handle.

Really looking forward to Vishous’s book.
5/5 stars

Kim
Originally posted on Goodreads