Ramblings of a Bibliophile

Genre: Fiction, Young Adult, Paranormal-Romance, Vampire
Edition: Softcover
Page Count: 249
Pub. Date: December 22, 2009
Series: Drake Chronicles, #1

Reading Challenge: 2010 YA Challenge

My Rating: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
Amazon.com: 4 stars
Goodreads: 4.22 (Average)

Recommended For: YA readers, fans of paranormal romance and/or teen vampire books.

Book Summary: (back of the book)

Solange Drake always knew she was destined to become a vampire queen. And as the only female vampire ever born, not made, she is surrounded by danger on all sides - from vampire suitors, who want to join with her lineage to bounty hunters who are set on destroying her and her family. When she is kidnapped, it's up to her older brother Nicholas and her human best friend, Lucy, to save her. But can Lucy save herself from Nicholas, who tempts her with his every look? And what will be Solange's own fate if she surrenders her heart to the vampire hunter helping her survive the deadly intrigue at the royal court?

My Thoughts:

Hearts at Stake is another novel to be added to the ever-growing trend of teenage vampire books, but in all honesty, it's a nice addition to that humongous pile. Wit, adventure, and enjoyable writing are all terms that come to mind when I think about it. I surely had a good time while reading it. And I must say that Hearts At Stake was a nice reprieve from the violence induced novel that was Thirst by Christopher Pike. I needed the side of romance after reading that one, phew.

I loved the characters, I enjoyed the storyline, but there just wasn't enough for me to get totally invested in the novel. The book was continuously moving but I guess a part of me would have liked it to be a bit darker and lengthier, but that's just my opinion. The continuous chapter switch from both Lucy and Solange's POV kinda threw me at first, but it didn't take long for me to get in the groove. The action kept me interested in seeing where the twists led, even if the ending was slightly predictable. But, all-in-all I had a great time getting involved in the story.

The characters themselves were very enjoyable, especially Lucy. I loved her feisty attitude and the loyalty she showed towards her best friend (and vampire princess) Solange. Their interactions were always entertaining and provided many laughs throughout the story. The secondary characters, mainly being The Drake family, also provided some great dialogue and kept the pace flowing. Although, I would love to see more interaction from the other Drake family members in the upcoming installments. Fingers crossed.

Overall consensus: Honestly, there really isn't anything bad that I have to say for Hearts at Stake, only that it was more of a "filler" read for me more than anything. Too light for my kind of vampire book, but I know that there are many readers out there who'll get a kick out of it. It comes with my recommendation for any YA paranormal/para-romance readers.

Genre: Fiction, Young Adult, Paranormal Romance, Fantasy
Edition: Softcover ARC
Page Count: 375
Pub. Date: December 22, 2009
Series: Book 1

Reading Challenge: 2010 YA Challenge

My Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)
Amazon.com: 4.5 stars
Goodreads: 4.28 (Average)

Recommended For: Teens & Adults, YA Readers, Fans of good Paranormal-Mystery Romance novels

Book Summary:

Grace Divine, daughter of the local pastor, always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared--the night she found her brother Jude collapsed on the porch, covered in his own blood--but she has no idea what a truly monstrous secret that night held.

The memories her family has tried to bury resurface when Daniel returns, three years later, and enrolls in Grace and Jude's high school. Despite promising Jude she'll stay away, Grace cannot deny her attraction to Daniel's shocking artistic abilities, his way of getting her to look at the world from new angles, and the strange, hungry glint in his eyes.

The closer Grace gets to Daniel, the more she jeopardizes her life, as her actions stir resentment in Jude and drive him to embrace the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind the boy's dark secret...and the cure that can save the ones she loves. But she may have to lay down the ultimate sacrifice to do it--her soul.

My Thoughts:

The Dark Divine has been out for a few weeks now, and in those few weeks the buzz surrounding this novel has been incredible - It's even on its second print run (Congrats Bree!) - And I am happy to conclude that it lived up to most of the hype, in my opinion! A compelling read full of mystery and suspense that is truly like the title says: divine. Such a welcome addition to the world of paranormal books. Plus, look at that cover - so pretty and haunting, I love it.

Bree Despain takes religion and the supernatural, and fuses together a mythological story that is dark, sinister, and ultimately intriguing. And even though it feels like the storyline has been played out before, (ie: good girl falls for the bad boy - turns out to be kind of a jerk but ultimately isn't as bad as he seems, etc)...I felt that there were certain aspects that set The Dark Divine apart.

First and foremost being the secret held within. Having no idea what I was getting myself into when I first began, I was met with a most unexpected journey through a tale that was non-too-predictable. A refreshing surprise in an otherwise full and popular genre.

The characters themselves really brought the book to life. It was easy to get enveloped in their lives and hope for their well-being. Grace Divine, the book's narrator, is a strong female protagonist, yet young and vulnerable in her own right. Not one of those "Oh woe is me" type of gals. Grace's strong personality and loyalty made her a real, viable, and overall likable character.

Now Daniel was such a mystery to me, which was both endearing and frustrating at the same time. His true nature is veiled throughout most of the book, that is, until his past is revealed and we come to understand what really happened some three years ago. In the end, I thought the mystery played very well to his character and made him all the more interesting. (Of course I ended up liking him immensely, what can I say.)

As the story moves forward, we get teased with bits from the past, showing us what life was like before Daniel's mysterious disappearance and the incident that caused so much turmoil. Those brief glimpses really helped the pieces fall into place as the story progressed. They also did a nice job of formulating a better understanding of the bond between Daniel and the Divine family.

The romance isn't much more than a delicious tease, but I really enjoyed the interactions between Grace and Daniel. There were definitely sparks and I felt the connection between them almost instantly. I couldn't wait to find out what happened between them.

The first half of the book starts off at a fairly even pace, providing the reader with information about the characters and giving us an idea of who they are. I was quite taken with the Divine family and enjoyed the dynamics between them as the story took flight.

The second half of the book pretty much solidified my feelings. I just had to know what happened next! With the amount of twists and turns this book provided, it was hard to put it down. The uncertainty of what would happen next just fueled my desire to read with each turn of the page.

Overall consensus: An excellent debut from author Bree Despain! I really enjoyed the mythology she wove within her story and its characters. It didn't take very long for me to be caught in the web. Definitely a book that should be on most, if not all, YA reader's radar. Needless to say, I can't wait for the next installment!

(This is long overdue!)

Genre: Fiction, Young Adult, Paranormal Romance
Edition: Softcover
Page Count: 284
Pub. Date: July 7th, 2009
Series: The Immortals, Book 2

My Rating: 3 stars (out of 5)
Amazon.com: 3.5 stars
Goodreads: 3.85 (Average)

Recommended For: Teens, Fans of Paranormal Romance novels, Those tired of vampires and/or werewolves who like a fresh outlook on a different type of supernatural mythology.

Book Summary (back of the book):

Just as Ever is learning everything she can about her new abilities as an immortal, initiated into the dark, seductive world by her beloved Damen, something terrible is happening to him. As Ever's powers increase, Damen's begin to fade after he is stricken by a mysterious illness that threatens his memory, his identity, his life.

Desperate to save him, Ever travels to the mystical dimension of Summerland, where she uncovers not only the secrets of Damen's past - the brutal, tortured history he hoped to keep hidden - but also an ancient text revealing the workings of time. With the approaching blue moon heralding her only window for travel, Ever is forced to decide between turning back the clock and saving her family from the accident that claimed them - or staying in the present and saving Damen, who grows weaker by the day.

My Thoughts:

(Forewarning: this review may come off more negative than I intended. But believe me, I did actually enjoy it, haha)

I've spent the past few days trying to write a review for Blue Moon. And every time my hands hit the keyboard I find myself critiquing the things I didn't like, versus praising the things that I did. Basically, the issues I have with Blue Moon are fairly similar to the ones I had with Evermore.

The aspects that I most enjoy about this series is the whole mythology of it - immortal powers, living forever, Summerland, etc. It's really quite fresh and intriguing. But I am having a difficult time becoming emotionally invested in the characters.

Book 2 basically leaves Ever to her own devices, which was a nice change of pace. We got to see her move and act on impulse and that gave her a whole new sense of independence. But what it didn't give her was maturity. Ever still manages to make hasty and boneheaded decisions that ultimately hurt her and the people she loves. I'm trying to rationalize that behavior with her age and naivety, but my brain won't allow it. And in result, it gives the story the feel of going in circles. It felt like too many steps toward progress, only to be forced to go back to square one. Again.

In a more superficial regard, the lack of Damen was rather depressing. I believe he gives the story that sense of maturity that is missing with Ever. He keeps her grounded, I guess you could say. And the lack of his suave 600 year old self was a bit of a downer.

The ending wasn't quite what I expected (was I the only one reminded of the show Dark Angel?) and it left me shaking my head in disbelief. It was one heck of a cliffhanger I will admit, but it didn't quite provoke a response in me for such a crazy situation. (Maybe it was the writing, maybe it was the late hour...who knows.)

HOWEVER, nitpicking aside, as a whole I was much more engrossed with the sequel than its predecessor. I figured out the ruse early on but it did little to take away from the suspense and uncertainty I felt while reading. I was much more interested in the outcome.

I enjoyed the glimpse into Damen's past as well as the little pieces of Ever's previous lives. I was also excited to get a better in-depth look into Summerland. That is one of my curiosities that wasn't quite satisfied from the first book. (And I'm loving the idea of it more and more)

The addition of Rayne and Romy was another interesting aspect. At the beginning I had no idea what their purpose was, apart from being a bit creepy, but I enjoyed their presence in the book. I wouldn't mind delving more into their characters and storyline.

Overall consensus: To me, Blue Moon was just "Ok". I felt it lacked a finale to really seal the deal.

Don't forget to check out my review for Evermore - Book 1 in The Immortals series!

(Have YOU read Blue Moon? Feel free to leave a comment, I'm always open to discuss a book!)

Genre: Fiction, Paranormal Romance, Young Adult
Edition: Softcover
Page Count: 301
Pub. Date: February 3, 2009
Series: The Immortals, Book 1

My Rating: 3 stars (out of 5)
Amazon.com: 3.5 stars
Goodreads: 3.78 (Average)

Recommended For: Teens, Fans of Paranormal Romance novels, Those tired of vampires and/or werewolves who like a fresh outlook on a different type of supernatural being

Book Summary:

Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever can see auras, hear people’s thoughts, and know a person’s life story by touch. Going out of her way to shield herself from human contact to suppress her abilities has branded her as a freak at her new high school—but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste…

Ever sees Damen and feels an instant recognition. He is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy, and he holds many secrets. Damen is able to make things appear and disappear, he always seems to know what she’s thinking—and he’s the only one who can silence the noise and the random energy in her head. She doesn’t know who he really is—or what he is. Damen equal parts light and darkness, and he belongs to an enchanted new world where no one ever dies.

My thoughts:

This one is a bit of a hit or miss. The main reason being is that, while I enjoyed it enough, it just didn't stick with me.

To start off, I liked Alyson Noel's writing style; presenting the reader with fun and engaging dialogue. It was easy to follow and painted a picture of the scenery and the characters from the get-go. But the more I read along, the more events seemed to go in a kind of merry-go-round. For instance, it seems that all throughout the story we were caught in a web consisting of an endless cycle of highs and lows - and what I mean that is, whenever something good happens, something bad inevitably follows right after...over...and over again.

And the characters - well, the characters were rather meek. I didn't dislike them, mind you, but I was just expecting a bit more.

Damen - I'll admit, the image Alyson portrayed is smoking hot. But where is...everything else? At first he didn't really have a presence that screamed at my attention. He's more mysterious than anything, what with the weird surprises and the constant disappearing act. The turn-a-round was when we finally got to delve a little more into his life. It made him more interesting (although that could have something to do with the immortal thing), yet it still wasn't enough to sway my opinion. I still believe he lacked a strong personality. I'm curious to see how he develops in the following books.

Ever - She is a fairly solid character. I felt her pain, her guilt, and got a good sense of who she was and why she shielded herself from the outside world. She is a girl who has lost everything and blames herself for a situation she couldn't control. As the story progresses, so does her character, taking her from a lost, sullen girl to someone beginning to accept help from others and finding her place in a vast world. New doors open and she begins to understand the depth of her unique ability. I'm also curious to see how her talents develop.

Riley - She was an unexpected character for me. Annoying as any little sister would be, especially so since she is a ghost (you can't kick her butt if need be), but I really enjoyed the scenes between Riley and Ever. I totally felt the connection, the sadness, and the sisterly affections.

Miles & Haven - The stereo-typical gay guy friend (humor included) and the eccentric, attention seeking goth girl-slash-vampire wanna be. Needless to say, I felt no connection to them. They provided some interesting dialogue between the characters, but no more than that.

I didn't relate to the characters as much as I'd like. The only one who redeemed the story for me was Ever. She was very dynamic with her feelings and her guilt, you could feel her emotion from the pages. I also would have liked to have seen Damen and Ever's relationship develop into something more than it was. But hey, that's what book 2 and 3 are there for.

Another thing I wasn't too keen about was the ending. I felt it was rather anticlimactic. I don't know, maybe I was expecting more since there was so much involved leading up to the finale, but whatever the reason, I felt it did not do the book justice. Though, being that this is a series, I am hoping that the following books expand upon my unanswered questions and unresolved feelings.

My little nitpicking aside, Evermore did have some redeeming qualities, the first one being the concept of The Immortals. I found the idea quite fascinating and original; a fresh take on a different type of supernatural being. And it was nice to be surprised by a story for once, considering I had no idea what was going to happen or what I was getting myself into. Secondly, I enjoyed the well versed descriptions. I felt they gave me a good idea of the story from a visual perspective.

Overall consensus, I felt this book started off with a bang, but ended with a bit of a dud. So hence the 3 star rating. I found myself reading not out of need or fondness, but more for the sake of my own curiosity. But being that curiosity did get the better of me, I do want to know what happens next. I'll definitely be continuing on with the Immortals series in the near future.

Genre: Fiction, Romance/Paranormal Romance, Young Adult
Edition: Hardcover; Library
Page Count: 392
Pub. Date: August 1, 2009
Series: Book 1 in the "Wolves of Mercy Falls" series

My Rating: 5 Stars
Amazon.com: 4 stars
Goodreads: 4.16 (Average)

Recommended For: Older teens, Paranormal-Romance fans, Romantics

My Summary:

We begin the story with Grace. A seventeen year old who is fascinated with the wolves in the backyard of her home in Mercy Falls, Minnesota. Every winter she is struck by the familiarity of only one - the wolf with the yellow eyes - her wolf.

Then in comes Sam. A boy who spends his life in two forms - a wolf during the frigid months of winter, and human when spring and summer descends upon the town. But his ability to change to his human form lessens with age, until one day, he will forever remain a beast of the winter.

My Review:

(First Impression: "Love, LOVE the cover")
(Initial reaction after I finished: "Oh, my heart be still!")

What can I say about this novel that hasn't already been said? Terrific? Stupendous? Captivating? All of those aptly apply. I was basically glued from the beginning. Whether it's because I'm a romantic at heart, or just a sucker for a good love story, I couldn't put this down.

Maggie Stiefvater's writing is in one word: amazing. It's lyrical, poetic, descriptive, and just flat out enjoyable. I loved being able to read the story from both Sam and Grace's perspectives. The transitions between them are easily distinguishable, I never had to look at the chapter titles to see who was speaking. The separation gives the reader a better understanding of each character, their feelings, and their flaws. And the two compliment each other so well. I found myself immersed in their lives and growing emotionally attached with every turn of the page.

I'll be honest, I didn't really begin this novel with very many expectations. I stayed away from reviews and only peeked at a couple ratings just to see what I was getting myself into. My reason being is that I seem to be at odds with quite a few books in this particular genre (paranormal romance) and I didn't want to set myself up for disappointment. But this book surpassed my expectations and it was a pleasant surprise. I was impressed with Maggie's ability to weave the werewolves so seamlessly into the story to make them seem believable. A tad cheesy at times, but still a wonderful read.

Just a few excerpts that I love (without giving anything away) :

"That night I lay in bed and stared at the window, my blinds pulled up so I could see the night sky. One thousand brilliant stars punched holes in my consciousness, pricking me with longing."

"I was a ghost in the woods, silent, still, cold. I was winter embodied, the frigid wind given physical form."

This is the first book in the "Wolves of Mercy Falls" series and the first I read by Maggie Stiefvater. And I can guarantee that it won't be the last. Linger, book 2, is slated to be released in summer 2010. I can't wait!

What did you think about Shiver? Did it live up to your expectations?