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Book Review: The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa

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the eternity cureInfo:
Title: The Eternity Cure
Author: Julie Kagawa
Release Date: April 30, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Source: NetGalley/Harlequin Teen
Series? Blood of Eden #2
Series Reviews:
Blood of Eden #1: The Immortal Rules
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Dystopian
Page Count: 446
Rating: [3/5 stars]

Summary:

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. (summary from goodreads)

My Review:
After reading THE IMMORTAL RULES twice in less than a year, and loving the experience each time, I couldn’t wait to get my paws on THE ETERNITY CURE. I couldn’t wait to find out what was next in Allie’s story, and also to find out more about the vampire world Julie Kagawa created.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t blown away by THE ETERNITY CURE. Though it is a worthy sequel, for me, it had middle book syndrome. The first 150 – 200 pages took me a long time to read, because there just wasn’t a lot going on. After that, the book did pick up, with lots of action and some interesting developments. I did predict several of the plot twists, but I’m not going to name them because I don’t want to spoil anyone. All I can say is: REALLY Salazar?

The best part of the first half or so is Jackal, Allie’s blood-brother. Allie spends a lot of the book bemoaning her vampiric nature. At first I thought she had accepted that she’s a vampire and humans are now lower on the food chain, but no, she thinks about it. A lot. I can understand some soul searching, especially after she spent her first lifetime in misery because she didn’t want to become a slave to the vampires. But there comes a point when too much angst is too much.

That’s why I liked Jackal. Compared to Allie, he’s a breath of fresh air. He’s a vampire through and through, and has no apologies or hesitation about killing or hurting humans to get what he needs. I got sick of Allie judging him for being a vampire. Message to Allie: vampires EAT people. Vampires NEED blood to survive.

The main story in THE ETERNITY CURE is the search for Kanin. The sire of Allie and Jackal, Kanin was kidnapped by the extremely psychotic vampire Sarren. Mix together every crazy serial killer and you’ll get an idea of Sarren’s personality. While searching, Allie and Jackal sort of bond, and I had more than a few laughs at Jackal’s dark, sarcastic sense of humor. In THE IMMORTAL RULES, Allie was my favorite character, but Jackal stole the show for me in book two.

At almost 450 pages, THE ETERNITY CURE is quite long for a young adult book. Length doesn’t bother me, and I like sinking my teeth (fangs?) into a long book, but I think it could have been slimmed down and lost some of the slow, slow beginning. There were also quite a few instances of being reminded of the same thing over and over again, which could have been cut down. For example, I lost count of how many times Allie told the reader she would be cold, if only winter weather still bothered her.

But when Allie and Jackal return to New Covington in pursuit of Kanin and information on the Red Lung virus, the book does pick up. The last half is why I’m giving it a good rating, and why I want to find out what will happen in the third book of the series.

Zeke makes a return, too. I wasn’t convinced of their relationship in THE IMMORTAL RULES, and I wasn’t here, either. I just wanted … more. I had a hard time believing Zeke would go against a lifetime of indoctrination to hate vampires by falling in love with Allie.

The ending of THE ETERNITY CURE was great. In the last half, there’s tons of action, double-crossing, and violence. Although I was underwhelmed by the first half and by several other things, the ending of the book redeemed the series for me.

Socialize with the author:
Julie Kagawa:
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– leeanna

Book Review: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

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the immortal rulesTitle: The Immortal Rules
Author: Julie Kagawa
Release Date: April 24, 2012
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Source: Library
Series? Blood of Eden #1
Series Reviews:
Blood of Eden #2: The Eternity Cure
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Dystopian
Page Count: 485
Rating: [5/5 stars]

Summary:

To survive in a ruined world, she must embrace the darkness…

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a walled-in 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 dies and becomes one of the monsters.

Forced to flee her city, Allie must pass for human as she joins a ragged group of pilgrims seeking a legend—a place that might have a cure for the disease that killed off most of civilization and created the rabids, the bloodthirsty creatures who threaten human and vampire alike. And soon Allie will have to decide what and who is worth dying for…again. (summary from goodreads)

My Review:
THE IMMORTAL RULES has some of my favorite things: vampires, a dystopian society, and a kick-butt main character. It was one of THE books of 2012, and I’ve actually read the book twice in less than a year, first in June 2012 and now in April 2013. Both times I loved it, and didn’t want it to end.

As a human, Allison Sekemoto struggles to survive in a world where most humans are nothing more than sacks of walking blood. Vampires rule what’s left of America, doling out supplies in exchange for required blood “donations.” Allie, fiercely independent and unwilling to Register with the vampires, ekes out a miserable existence. Unregistered humans don’t officially exist, so they don’t get food tickets or housing. Searching for food and protecting her gang are her only priorities, although she does know how to do one thing most humans don’t: read.

The world Julie Kagawa has created is a harsh one, and I loved it. The world-building is well-done, with enough details to immerse me in the story without overloading me on backstory. At the beginning of THE IMMORTAL RULES, Allie is a prickly character. But she’s that way because of her life, which is a day-to-day struggle. Besides the vampire overlords, Allie faces danger from rival gangs, rabids, and starvation.

When Allie’s offered a second chance at life after being attacked by rabids, you almost wonder why she would even take it. This quote is one of my favorites from the book: “But in reality, when faced with death and the great unknown that came after, my survival instinct snatched wildly at whatever lifeline was offered. I didn’t want to die. Even if it meant becoming something I loathed, my nature was, first and always, to survive (Chapter 4).”

I think all readers can identify with the desire to survive. And once Allie becomes a vampire, the very thing she hates the most, she ironically becomes more human. When she isn’t concerned with survival, her humanity returns, which I thought was an interesting dichotomy.

After being separated from her vampire mentor, Kanin (who is a very interesting character, and I can’t wait to see more of him), Allie encounters a group of humans searching for Eden. Pretending to be a human, Allie travels with the group, inevitably falling for Zeke. Though I’m not usually a fan of romance, I didn’t mind their relationship. It wasn’t quite of the dreaded insta-love variety. Zeke is a pretty good guy, but he hates vampires, which leads to some difficult situations.

THE IMMORTAL RULES is a long book; there’s a lot I’m not mentioning in this review. But I never felt like I was slogging through the pages to finish. The author’s writing is easy to read and flows nicely. I can’t believe I haven’t read her Iron Fey series yet, but it’s definitely moved up the list after reading THE IMMORTAL RULES.

I definitely recommend it if you like vampires or dystopias, because it’s a great combination of both. I reread it in preparation for book two of the series, THE ETERNITY CURE, and I’m glad I did.

Socialize with the author:
Julie Kagawa:
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– leeanna

Blog Tour Book Review: Influential Magic by Deanna Chase

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Today I am the stop for the INFLUENTIAL MAGIC blog tour. The tour is hosted by Bewitching Book Tours and you can find the rest of the stops here. Check below my review for an interview with the author, Deanna Chase.

influential magicInfo:
Title: Influential Magic
Author: Deanna Chase
Release Date: March 6, 2013
Publisher: Bayou Moon Press
Source: Author for blog tour
Series? Crescent City Fae #1
Genre: New Adult, Urban Fantasy
Page Count: 310
Rating: [4/5 stars]

Summary:

It’s tough being a faery in New Orleans, a city fraught with vampires… especially when their very existence drains your life-force.

Willow Rhoswen, owner of The Fated Cupcake and part-time vampire hunter for the Void is having a rough week. Four years after her twin brother’s mysterious death, Willow’s life is threatened and the director saddles her with a new partner—her ex-boyfriend, David. To her horror, he’s turned vamp, which causes her physical pain whenever she touches him… and any other specimen of the undead.

In order to save Willow’s life, David agrees to turn double agent against the most powerful vampire organization in New Orleans. Or so he says. And she’s convinced they know something about her brother’s death. Unsure where David’s loyalties lie, she turns to Talisen, her childhood crush, to help her solve the mystery.

Caught between two gorgeous men and a director who’ll stop at nothing to control Willow’s gifts, she’ll have to follow her instincts and learn who to trust. Otherwise, she risks losing more than just her life. (summary from goodreads)

My Review:
INFLUENTIAL MAGIC is a new adult, urban fantasy, a combination I’ve been trying to find for a while. Most new adult books are contemporary, which isn’t my cup of tea. I’m happy to say INFLUENTIAL MAGIC was worth the search!

Right from the start, the worldbuilding begins. Willow, the protagonist, is a faery, complete with wings that let her fly and an extreme sensitivity to metal. For her, spending several hours on a plane is more than just an annoyance: metal sucks away her energy. Which is not a good thing, because minutes after getting off the plane to New Orleans, she’s in a cemetery hunting a vampire. Cemeteries and vampires are two more deadly things to faeries like Willow.

I appreciated that the author didn’t do information dumps about the world, but gave information as it was needed. And what a world! In INFLUENTIAL MAGIC, faeries, vampires, and witches live amongst humans without hiding who they are. Willow runs a mega successful bake shop, selling magically enhanced goodies. I would love to get my hands on a Molten Muse cupcake, which sparks inspiration.

Aside from her bakery, Willow is also an agent for the Void, a government branch for supernatural dealings. So is her best friend and witch, Phoebe, as well as her aunt, Maude. It’s a big tangled deal, one Willow isn’t thrilled about being a part of. But she has a unique ability that is extremely helpful: she can track vampires.

There’s a LOT going on in INFLUENTIAL MAGIC. A lot in a good way. The action is fast, with barely a dull or down moment. There are tons of twists, and I really didn’t know how everything was going to tie together at the end. As someone who can usually figure out a book early on, I always like when a story is unpredictable. But at the same time, I had a small problem with so much action: I had trouble keeping track of the passage of time. Thinking back, it’s almost as if the whole story took place over the course of a very long day.

I also had some trouble with both of the men in Willow’s life. David, her ex-boyfriend, comes back into the picture as a vampire. He ended their relationship with a real jerk move — he sent her a text message. Willow has to deal with the feelings from that while trying to keep ahead of someone who wants to use her abilities. There’s also Talisen, the best friend of Willow’s deceased twin and a fellow fae. Talisen has become a sort of replacement brother for Willow, but she won’t go into boyfriend/girlfriend territory with him because he’s a playboy (play faery?). Though romance isn’t really a big focus, I didn’t know why Willow had dated David in the first place, since their relationship took place prior to the book. So their reconciliation or lack of one wasn’t important to me. And with Talisen, yeah he’s cute and cares for Willow, but I never felt the attraction between them.

Considering the entire book, though, those are two minor complaints. The writing in INFLUENTIAL MAGIC is strong, and the author easily drew me into the world, characters, and story. The main mysteries in this book are tied up at its end, but there are some open storylines leaving plenty of room for a sequel. I’d say the book is a steal at $3.99 for the Kindle version.

Oh goddess! I almost forgot to mention Link, Willow’s shapeshifter protector. If you like good animals characters, you’ll love Link. Sometimes he’s a Shih Tzu and sometimes he’s a wolf. He transforms with Willow’s moods and the situation, although there are some hilarious images of him in Shih Tzu form hanging from a bad dude’s butt by his teeth.

Interview:
1. I read on your blog that you feel the stigma of self-publishing even though you’ve been successful. Why did you decide to self-publish? 

I’ve been writing for about six years now and when I started, self-publishing was known as the kiss of death for writers wanting any type of career. The only way to be taken seriously was to submit to agents and publishers and pray someone, anywhere would like what you write and give you a chance. I did my time on the query merry-go-round with not much success.

Then one day I read an article on Amanda Hocking. Up until that point, I had no idea Kindle Direct Publishing, Pubit (now NOOKpress), or Smashwords even existed. I spent the next forty-eight hours scouring the internet to find out as much as I could about the viability of self-publishing. After my eyes were glazed over and my head was spinning, I got that nervous anticipation feeling in my gut and I knew what I was going to do.

I’d been running the glass business I share with my husband for six years by then. Since I’m used to being my own boss, self-publishing seemed like a no-brainer. I like being in charge of my business and holding my professional fate in my own hands. And I was right. Self-publishing turned out to be the best decision I ever made. I now have a writing career that I’m proud of.

As far as the stigma of self-publishing, I wrote that blog post back in September of last year. I was (and am still) very proud of my accomplishments, but there was a bit of self-doubt about how other writers might see my choices. But attitudes and the market are changing so fast these days, I no longer feel the way I did then. I’m very proud and comfortable with my decisions. I wouldn’t change them and really, I’m no longer bothered by what anyone else may think.

Bead-DeannaChase2. I checked out your glass beads (which are awesome!). How did you get into lampworking, and do you find yourself working on beads when you’re stuck with writing? 

Thank you!

In 1999 my husband and I were at a street fair and we saw a woman selling handmade glass beads and marbles that she made using a technique called lampworking (also known as flameworking). It’s called lampworking because in the past people used to melt glass over oil lamps. My husband (who at the time was a stained glass artist) decided he was going to learn to be a lampworker. He went home, bought a book and all the equipment, and three months later he was selling his work on eBay.

He did that as a hobby for three years. Then in 2003 my husband and I sold our house and moved into an RV to travel the country fulltime while working at campgrounds. It was a grand adventure that we both loved. Along the way, I started lampworking as well and in 2005 we started selling our glass beads and marbles fulltime. In 2007, when we decided we needed more studio space than our RV could handle, we settled into a house in southeast Louisiana. I started writing that year.

As far as lampworking when I get stuck writing, yes it helps. It helps a lot actually. The studio is a great place to work out plot issues.

Duncan-DeannaChase3. Where did the idea for INFLUENTIAL MAGIC come from? 
Hmm, tough question.  To tell you the truth, I don’t even know. I started writing Influential Magic back in early 2011 after I decided Haunted on Bourbon Street, my previous novel, wasn’t going to find a home with a publisher. But then I learned about self-publishing and went full speed ahead on publishing the Bourbon Street novels. I came back to Influential Magic late last year to finish it because that story was always in the back of my mind.

I will tell you that Link, Willow’s shih tzu is inspired my dog Duncan (full name Duncan Donut). He’s positive he’s a wolf and quite pleased he has a starring role in Influential Magic.

4. I’m thrilled there’s finally a new adult novel that *isn’t* contemporary. Did you decide consciously to write new adult, or did Willow just pop into your head? 

As I said earlier, I started writing this back in early 2011. I’m not even sure New Adult existed as a genre back then. So no, I didn’t consciously decide to write New Adult, but I think it does fit squarely in the genre given Willow’s age of twenty-four, the fact that she’s dealing with her childhood crush, and that she’s just now coming into her powers and what they mean for her life path.

5. When reading yourself, do you prefer e-books or physical books? 
Both. And audio books. Audio books are great for when I’m in the studio.

6. Favorite book or series you reread? If you reread.
JK Rowling’s Harry Potter, of course.
The Hollows series by Kim Harrison.
And let’s not forget the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon.

7. Any tips for aspiring writers? 
To just write. If you have a story in you, get it out. Then worry about editing and story structure and all that good stuff. It’s wonderful to take workshops, find critique partners, and read books on how to write books. But until you have words down, you don’t have anything to work with. So if you want to write, then write.

Also, write from the heart. Don’t worry too much about what you think people want to read. Write what you want to read. If it means something to you, it’s likely the story will resonate with readers.

Giveaway:
Tour Wide Giveaway:
–One tote bag with a notebook, keychain and signed copy of Influential Magic
–One notebook, keychain and signed copy of Influential Magic
–3 keychains and signed copies of Influential Magic
–5 signed print copies of Influential Magic
–10 ebook copies of Influential Magic

Physical prizes open to US Shipping

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:
Deanna is a native Californian, transplanted to the slower paced lifestyle of southeastern Louisiana.

When she isn’t writing, she is often goofing off with her husband in New Orleans, playing with her two shih tzu dogs, making glass beads, or out hocking her wares at various bead shows across the country.

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– leeanna

Book Review: Fang Girl by Helen Keeble

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fang girlInfo:
Title: Fang Girl
Author: Helen Keeble
Release Date: September 11, 2012
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Library
Series? No
Genre: YA, Humor, Paranormal
Page Count: 342
Rating: [2/5 stars]

Summary:

Things That Are Destroying Jane Greene’s Undead Social Life Before It Can Even Begin:

1) A twelve-year-old brother who’s convinced she’s a zombie.
2) Parents who are begging her to turn them into vampires.
3) The pet goldfish she accidentally turns instead.
4) Weird superpowers that let her rip the heads off of every other vampire she meets.(Sounds cool, but it doesn’t win you many friends.)
5) A psychotic vampire creator who’s using her to carry out a plan for world domination.

And finally:
6) A seriously ripped vampire hunter who either wants to stake her or make out with her. Not sure which.

Being an undead, eternally pasty fifteen-year-old isn’t quite the sexy, brooding, angst-fest Jane always imagined…. (summary from goodreads)

My Thoughts:
I wanted to like FANG GIRL. It’s supposed to be a parody and mishmash of vampire books and trends, but an overly complicated story bogs down the humor. Although the book is a fast read, I kept having to flip back to try and figure out what was going on.

Some of the pluses:
♥ Jane’s family is actually in the book and plays an important role. A nice change from the trend of neglectful/absent parents that’s common in YA.
♥ Jane’s mom makes a vampire goldfish, which was good for a few laughs.
♥ The author gave her vampires OCD traits. Need to get a vampire off your butt in a fight? Throw a handful of paper clips at them. The vampire won’t fight until they’ve picked up every single paper clip. The OCDness gets worse the older the vampire is.

Some of the minuses:
– Lily. I never figured out what was up with her, and I wanted to. As Jane’s sire, she was one of the most interesting characters to me.
– Ebon. This boy lied so many times that I have no idea what the truth is.
– The story was just too fast, with too much packed into it. A few days after finishing FANG GIRL, I vaguely remember it.

Socialize with the author:
Helen Keeble:
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– leeanna

Book Review: Incarnation by Emma Cornwall

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incarnationInfo:
Title: Incarnation
Author: Emma Cornwall
Release Date: September 18, 2012
Publisher: Gallery Books
Source: Gallery Books via Edelweiss
Series? No
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Alternate History, Steampunk, Adult
Page Count: 352
Rating:

Summary:

In the steampunk world of Victorian London, a beautiful vampire seeks out the author of Dracula–to set the record straight . . . If one is to believe Bram Stoker’s legendary vampire tale, Lucy Weston is Dracula’s most wanton creation, a sexual creature of the night who preys on innocent boys. But the real-life Lucy is nothing like her fictional counterpart—and she demands to know why the Victorian author deliberately lied. With Stoker’s reluctant help, she’s determined to track down the very fiend who transformed her—from the sensual underworld where humans vie to become vampires, to a hidden cell beneath a temple to madness, and finally into the glittering Crystal Palace where death reigns supreme.

Haunted by fragmentary memories of her lost life and love, Lucy must battle her thirst for blood as she struggles to stop a catastrophic war that will doom vampires and humans alike. Ultimately, she must make a choice that illuminates for her—and for us—what it means to be human. (summary from goodreads)

My Review:
What if Dracula, Bram Stoker’s famous book, was a gigantic cover up? What if vampires, werewolves, and other fantastical beasts roamed the world? What if the British monarchy knew about it, and was in on it?

Incarnation is wildly inventive, and a great read. It took me a while to get to it, and now that I’ve finished it, I wish I would have read it sooner. It’s not your typical vampire book, so even if you’re sick of those, I’d still encourage you to give it a try. It’s also not young adult, though the cover gives the impression it might be. I’d recommend Incarnation for readers of any age, teen and up. It’s a mix of alternate history, steampunk, paranormal, urban fantasy, and even some romance — there should be something for everyone.

I really liked Lucy Weston, the main character. Does the name sound familiar? It should, although in Dracula, she was known as Lucy Westenra. Lucy is spunky, sensitive, and real. There’s even a hint of Lucy Westenra’s sensuality in her, yet they are two very different characters. I loved that Lucy wanted to do more with her life than marry and have children, especially in a time when that’s all women were supposed to do. Lucy grew over the course of the book, and I really hope her story isn’t finished yet. I would be excited to read a sequel to Incarnation.

Incarnation has a pretty cool twist on vampires. I don’t think I’ve read anything combining Arthurian legends and vampires before! Lady Blanche was an interesting villain, and I would have liked to know more about her. Actually — I wanted to know more about every character, even Cornwall’s Queen Victoria. Each character is richly imagined, and distinct. I have to give special mention to Mordred, who managed to steal most of the scenes he was in, as well as Marco, who was sort of Lucy’s love interest. Happily for me, the romance doesn’t overpower what is a brilliant story.

The writing in Incarnation is very atmospheric. If I had a complaint, it’s that I wish the book moved along a bit faster. The rich descriptions and scene settings slowed the pace down, but I tend to like that sort of thing, so I wasn’t too bothered. It’s just not the kind of writing you can gobble up in one night.

All in all, Incarnation is a great book, and I hope there’s a sequel in the future.

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– leeanna

Book Review: Desires Revealed by Rebeka Harrington

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desires revealedInfo:
Title: Desires Revealed
Author: Rebeka Harrington
Release Date: June 21, 2012
Publisher: Self-Published
Source: Bought
Series? #2
Series Reviews:
#1: Vampires Revealed
Genre: Paranormal, Fiction, Romance, LGBT
Page Count: 128

Summary:

Escape from the religious war leads Nicole and her family to the most unlikely rescuer, a vampire. Nicole discovers love and a new life, but finds herself inexplicably drawn in to a private war between her protector and an extremist faction of vampires.

The deeper she gets involved in the vampire world the higher the price she will have to pay to obtain her desires.

Rejoin “Vampires Revealed” narrator Bektamun, in Paris 1572, at the height of the religious war between Catholics and Hugeunots, the day of the St Bartholomew’s Massacre. Discover the story behind her rescue of the Gervais family. How Nicole became her Avetser and was made vampire. Desires Revealed will also introduce you to Oskar, leader of the Eleiveb. (summary from goodreads)

My Review:
Desires Revealed is the love story of Bektamun (from Vampires Revealed) and her Avetser, Nicole. It’s sweet yet dangerous, just as you’d expect love between a vampire and human to be.

Bektamun rescues Nicole and her family during the religious wars between Catholics and Huguenots. Although Nicole is a child at the time, she’s entranced by Bektamun, mainly because Bektamun is unlike any woman Nicole has ever met. As Nicole grows up, she envies Bektamun’s freedom — I liked that Nicole didn’t want to marry and have children, as was expected of her in that time period (~1570-1590).

The growing relationship between Bektamun and Nicole allows the author to examine differences in vampire and human thoughts. As explained in Vampires Revealed, vampires do not care about the gender of their partner, but the person’s character. In Elizabethan England, it’s not exactly proper for two women to love each other, and Bektamun is very careful to not prejudice or cajole Nicole into a relationship. Instead, because Nicole was raised in a prejudice free household, and had the opinions of a strong woman, she wasn’t affected by the societal pressures of her time.

I really liked Desires Revealed. My only real complaint? I wished that it had been longer! I would have liked to see more interactions between Bektamun and Nicole after Nicole’s transformation into a vampire. Because the book is told from their alternating viewpoints, it would have been interesting to see Nicole’s thoughts as a newbie vampire versus Bektamun’s thousands of years of experience. And I just wanted to read more about them.

I did note at least one historical inaccuracy, something that even a quick Wikipedia search would have corrected. There were a few grammar mistakes, but overall, a very readable story.

Rating: 4 owls

Socialize with the author:
Rebeka Harrington:
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– leeanna

Book Review: Vampires Revealed by Rebeka Harrington

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vampires revealedInfo:
Title: Vampires Revealed
Author: Rebeka Harrington
Release Date: September 5, 2011
Publisher: Self-Published
Source: Bought
Series? #1
Series Reviews:
#2: Desires Revealed
Genre: Paranormal, Fiction
Page Count: 106

Summary:

Leave behind your preconceived ideas, forget the horror stories and disregard everything you think you know about vampires.

For centuries the debate has raged; are vampires real? There has been plenty of myth and superstition regarding vampires but not a lot of truth or answers. In a unique piece of work, Bektamun a 3000 year old vampire, puts to rest all the myth and finally reveals the truth about the legendary creatures known across the globe as vampires.

Vampires Revealed is a journey of discovery. Never before have humans had and an opportunity such as this. To know the unadulterated truth, for every question you may have ever had about vampires to be answered. (summary from amazon)

My Review:
In Vampires Revealed, the 3,000 year old vampire Bektamun sets the story straight about vampires. In a story reminiscent of Interview with the Vampire, Bektamun shares her fascinating history, as well as reveals which vampires myths are true and which are false.

At about 100 pages, Vampires Revealed is pretty short. I would have liked more on Bektamun’s past, since from the tidbits she shares, I think she has had quite the interesting life. The book mostly focuses on dispelling vampire myths, such as vampires not being able to cross running water or being repelled by garlic.

The author is quite inventive, and has come up with an explanation for the existence of vampires that I haven’t read before. I would like to see her take this work and expand on it, using the vampire mythology she created to write a longer tale.

There were are a few grammar issues, not many, but I think this book would have benefited from another pass of proofreading. They don’t detract from the story; I’m just a picky reader and common mistakes can jolt me out of a narrative.

Rating: 3 owls

Socialize with the author:
Rebeka Harrington:
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– leeanna

Book Review: God Save the Queen by Kate Locke

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god save the queenInfo:
Title: God Save the Queen
Author: Kate Locke
Release Date: July 3, 2012
Publisher: Orbit
Source: NetGalley
Series? The Immortal Empire #1
Genre: Steampunk, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Alternate History
Page Count: 354

Summary:

Queen Victoria rules with an immortal fist.

The undead matriarch of a Britain where the Aristocracy is made up of werewolves and vampires, where goblins live underground and mothers know better than to let their children out after dark. A world where being nobility means being infected with the Plague (side-effects include undeath), Hysteria is the popular affliction of the day, and leeches are considered a delicacy. And a world where technology lives side by side with magic. The year is 2012 and Pax Britannia still reigns.

Xandra Vardan is a member of the elite Royal Guard, and it is her duty to protect the Aristocracy. But when her sister goes missing, Xandra will set out on a path that undermines everything she believed in and uncover a conspiracy that threatens to topple the empire. And she is the key-the prize in a very dangerous struggle. (summary from goodreads)

My Review:
God Save the Queen was marketed as steampunk, but it’s not. I’d call it urban fantasy. There are a few steampunkish touches, but mostly, the author gives modern technology old names and a few twists. There’s even a glossary so you can figure out what’s what, and the author explains the world she’s created before the book starts.

The author has some great ideas; I envy her creativity. Taking a popular historical period — Victorian England — and tossing in supernatural creatures, alternate history, and a ton of other stuff should have been a recipe for greatness. It almost was, with some hiccups. The book was packed full of information dumps, because there was so much stuff. I almost felt as though the book should have been split into two, because there was so much going on. The writing came across as juvenile at times, with reminding the reader of things we already knew. Example: the intense focus on food. Yeah, halvies are hungry, I get that. But I don’t want to read countless scenes of them having meals.

Xandra is a great character. She’s a kick butt, take no names kind of girl — my favorite. I liked her loyalty to her sister, and her determination to find out the truth of what really happened. Plus, I just liked her personality — let’s call it colorful.

The relationship between Xandra and Ven, leader of the werewolves, happens super fast. It’s almost insta-love of the YA variety. That’s something that usually bugs me, but for once, I was okay with it. Ven is a great guy, protective of Xandra, and he can cook. I was happy to have one person looking out for Xandra with the world-shattering events she went through.

God Save the Queen had its flaws, but overall, I enjoyed reading it. I’ll be back for more. Who could resist Queen Victoria as a vampire? Not me!

I do have to comment on the cover — it’s fantastic! It’s not often that the girl on the cover matches the main character, and kudos to the publisher for making that happen.

Rating: 3 owls

Socialize with the author:
Kate Locke:
Website
Twitter

– leeanna

Blog Tour Review: ReAwakened by Ada Adams (plus excerpt and giveaway!)

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Today I am one of the stops on the ReAwakened by Ada Adams blog tour. Check out the other stops here.

reawakenedInfo:
Title: ReAwakened
Author: Ada Adams
Release Date: November 27, 2012
Publisher: Self-Published
Source: Author for blog tour
Series? Angel Creek Chronicles #2
Series Reviews:
Angel Creek #1: ReVamped
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance
Page Count: ~337

Summary:

Becoming a vampire guardian was Dawn Fairchild’s ticket out of the Scarlet House. Fresh off a successful mission, life in Angel Creek should have been great. But when her sort-of-maybe-boyfriend, Sebastian, disappears on a quest to help a beautiful vampire from his past, Dawn finds herself amidst a web of danger, lies, and deceit.

Joining forces with Razor, an enigmatic rebel lacking both a verbal and a physical filter, and her band of Misfits—Brooke, Sophie, Hunter, and Seth—Dawn is thrust into a race against the clock to solve the mystery surrounding brutal Born kidnappings and come to terms with the sudden discovery of her own unique powers. With time ticking away and Born vampires’ lives in jeopardy, it quickly becomes evident that someone—or something—desperately wants Dawn and is willing to shed any amount of blood to get her.

Dawn has only one chance to face her demons and overcome all obstacles standing in her way as she embarks on the biggest mission of her life—one that threatens a deadly outcome for all involved. (summary from goodreads)

My Review:
First, I have to say it’s inevitable that I’ll be making comparisons between ReVamped and ReAwakened because I reread ReVamped so it would be fresh in my mind. If it’s been a while since you read ReVamped, don’t worry — Ada recounts up the events of the first book in the beginning of ReAwakened.

What drew me to ReVamped, the first book in the Angel Creek Chronicles, was the creativity and sense of fun. I was hoping ReAwakened would have more of the same fun ideas, as well as bring back all my favorite characters. ReAwakened did more than that — it’s at least twice the length of ReVamped, and packed full with lots of good things. I’ll also admit I adore the covers on both books — they’re eye-catching, and they match the characters, which I always like.

The Misfits — Dawn’s trainee group consisting of Brooke, Seth, Hunter, and Sophie — are back, and I was happy to learn more about each one of them. It’s great seeing how they’ve grown over two books, and I’ll be curious to see what other evolutions they have in store in the next book. One of my minor complaints with ReVamped was that the four were somewhat stereotypical, but in ReAwakened, they’ve definitely grown, and become individuals.

There’s a new character, too: Razor. Razor reminded me of Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He’s cheeky and sarcastic, and I found myself laughing at a lot of his dialogue.

One of my other complaints from ReVamped was the author’s overly descriptive writing. I was happy to see that Ada smoothed that out, and ReAwakened was a much smoother read. Ada’s really kicked things up a notch with this book, and kudos to her.

I’m not going to spoil the plot, other than to say I had a few ‘Wow, I can’t believe she did that!’ and ‘That really happened?’ moments. I wasn’t sure how everything would come together, which is always refreshing.

Rating: 4 owls

Socialize with the author:
Ada Adams:
Website
Facebook
Twitter @Ada_Adams

Excerpt:
My two-story fall was cushioned by a sturdy, muscular torso. The owner of the muscles—a vampire, I realized—groaned as I landed on top of him, forcing him into the muddy ground. I reached for my dagger, but he was quicker. He slipped out from underneath me, flipping me over in the process so that he was quickly astride me. His firm body pressed tightly against mine as his hands pinned my wrists to either side of my head. As a bolt of lightning struck a nearby tree, I was greeted by a mischievous smirk dancing across perfectly-shaped full lips.

“Quite feisty, aren’t you?” he chuckled, bending forward to examine me. Deep, charcoal eyes overflowed with amusement.

He was actually enjoying this.

“I don’t wanna hurt you,” he whispered in a deep, throaty voice. “I’m gonna release you now. Don’t do anything stupid.”

He lifted his arm, removing his right hand from my left wrist. The moment I felt some freedom, I leaped forward, attempting a left hook at his jaw. He blocked my hand, once again pushing it toward the ground.

“I said I wasn’t going to hurt you!” he growled, pinning me even further into the soft, wet earth.

“But I never said that I wouldn’t hurt you!” I snapped.

He brought his face toward mine. “I’d like to see you try,” he whispered.

Challenge accepted.

Now I just had to find a way out of the vampire’s tight grasp. I raised my head—the only part of me that wasn’t restrained by his body—inching my lips closer to his. He tensed for a moment, his eyes searching mine, as if surprised by my sudden change in behavior. Drops of rainwater slid down his chiseled jaw, pausing briefly on his lips before they plummeted down to mine. Then, a slow, smug smile spread across his face. I felt his body relax and he leaned even closer. His breath caressed my skin as his lips drew near.

It was exactly what I needed. Summoning all my strength, I twisted my hips to the side, shooting them up and out, then launching my legs off the ground. Thrown off-balance, my captor groaned and released one of my arms to brace for the fall, giving me the chance to free my dagger. In one smooth move I was quickly behind him, securing him in a headlock with the blade of my weapon aimed directly at his heart.

“Who are you?” I demanded when I was certain he couldn’t escape my grip.

“I’m a twenty-four-year-old Taurus who enjoys long walks on the beach.” Even though I couldn’t see his face, I could feel his arrogant grin.

“You have ten seconds to explain yourself,” I ordered. “Or I’m really going to hurt you.”

“Oh, come on! Can’t we get back to the kissing? You can’t tease a guy like that.”

“Ten, nine…” I pressed the dagger deeper into him, nicking the leather of his jacket.

“Hey! Watch it!”

“Eight…”

“Oh, alright. You’re no fun,” he sighed. “My name is Razor.”

“What kind of a name is that?”

“It’s a nickname.”

“What kind of a nickname is that?”

“Spike, Blade, Fang—all the good, deadly objects were already taken. It was the best I could do.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I‘m simply an innocent gentleman trying to survive an attack by a crazy girl,” he teased, grinning.

“I’m going to start counting down again,” I warned.

“Okay, okay. I’ll tell you everything. But first, can you call off your pet dagger, please? I’ll be good, I promise.”

I scoffed. “Why should I trust you?”

“Because…I’m irresistibly charming?” He turned his head back to look at me. “Pretty please?” he asked, giving me another one of his teasing smirks—a trademark move that no girl refused, I figured, vowing to never be one of those girls.

“Oh, alright,” I conceded. “But if you try something, I swear I’ll use my pet dagger to cut off—”

“I said I’d behave! Though, you’re making it kinda hard to be good with all that talk of wanting to have your way with me.”

I released my grip on his neck and smacked the top of his head.

“Let’s go inside,” I ordered.

Giveaway:
- 3 winners (One grand prize winner +2 small prize winners)
- One main entry per person
- Must be 13 years or older to enter
- Open Internationally
- Winners will have 48 hours to reply before a new winner is chosen

Grand Prize Winner will win the following-
PRINT COPY OF RV
PRINT COPY OF RA
RV POSTER
RA POSTER
2 RV/RA POSTCARDS
3 RV BOOKMARKS
3 RA BOOKMARKS
I <3 SEBASTIAN KEYCHAIN
I <3 HUNTER GUITAR PICK
I <3 RAZOR DOGTAG
DAWN'S NECKLACE

Here’s the Code: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway hosted by author

– leeanna

Blog Tour Review: Hollowed by Kelley York (and giveaway!)

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Today I am one of the stops for Kelley York’s new book, Hollowed. I am happy to be participating, as Hollowed is a great book, and Kelley is a great author to work with. I wish her tons of success with this release, and I can’t wait for her to finish the next book in the series.

Read on for my review and a giveaway!

hollowedInfo:
Title: Hollowed
Author: Kelley York
Release Date: August 15, 2012
Publisher: Self-Published
Source: From author for blog tour
Series? Half Light Saga #1
Genre: YA, Paranormal
Page Count: 237 (estimated)

Summary:

All 18-year-old Briar Greyson wanted was to figure out this whole living-away-from-your-parents thing. Apartment, steady job, cool roommate? Check. Noah, her adorable (albeit elusive) boyfriend? Check. Everything in the life of Briar was pretty good.

Then she and her roommate are attacked on their way home one night. Briar wasn’t supposed to survive.

Instead, according to the two guys who saved her, she’s turning into the things that attacked her: a vampire. Totally crazy and Not Okay. Now Noah’s secrets are coming to light, and he wants Briar dead. Then there are the vampires who attacked Briar to lure out her sister.

Her sister…who died years ago.

(Didn’t she?)

The city’s body count is rising, and Briar wants to help put a stop to it. But first, she has to figure out who the real enemy is: the vampires, the boy she loves, or the sister she thought she’d lost. (summary from goodreads)

My Review:
You guys!

I cannot quit flailing over how much I loved Hollowed! I really wish it was in paperback, because it’s a book I’m going to want to reread.

what I looked like while reading

what I looked like while reading

Okay, now that that’s out of my system, I’ll try to be serious.

Briar is a great character. Actually, every character in Hollowed is richly developed, even the supporting characters, and I’d like to read more about every single one of them. You’ll see what I mean when you meet Cole, Oliver, Algonquin (I almost asked Kelley how I could get my own Algonquin!), and Fred.

I felt like I’d known Briar forever. Sarcastic and courageous, she has a voice that readers of paranormal/urban fantasy will recognize, although she’s entirely her own character. And Hollowed is much more than just a paranormal book — there are elements of mystery, thriller, and romance.

If you’ve read any of my reviews before, you’ll know I love a kick ass female character. Briar is one of those, even though she may not be the most physically adept. She’s loyal and brave, always wanting to help others, even if it may land her in danger. I empathized with her struggle to remain true to herself after being changed into a vampire, even when her sort-of-boyfriend thinks she’s now a monster.

The vampires and other creatures in Hollowed aren’t the invincible, nothing-can-kill-me type. They can go out in the sunlight, but it gives them headaches. They can heal from most deadly injuries, but it hurts a whole lot and makes them reallllly hungry for blood. And the change into a vampire? It’s a miserable process.

I haven’t really touched on the plot, but rest assured, the story is fantastic. Kelley really knows how to weave a story that builds and builds, until you can’t wait to find out what happens next. I couldn’t read fast enough to find out all the twists and turns, but at the same time, I didn’t want Hollowed to end. I was immersed in Briar’s world, and I can’t wait to read more stories from the Half Light universe.

Rating: 5 owls

Socialize with the author:
Kelley York:
Website
Twitter @elixing

Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out the other stops for more reviews, guest posts, interviews, and other fun things.