Review: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

Title: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

Published: September 3^rd, 2013 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Source: ARC from BEA

Format: Paperback

Age group: Young adult

Genre: Paranormal

Challenge(s): none

Grade rate: A-

Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown’s gates, you can never leave.One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself.The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is a wholly original story of rage and revenge, of guilt and horror, and of love and loathing from bestselling and acclaimed author Holly Black.

My Review

What a different vampire book!  The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is an action packed take on the vampires-out-of-the-closet theme that includes a great heroine and a host of disturbingly fascinating characters.

Where to start with this review?  How about if I start with our protagonist?

Tana is a smart, compassionate, friendly and very strong female lead.  Even though she’s afraid, she does what needs to be done and she’s willing to give everyone a chance, even if some people don’t deserve it.  She does the “right” thing regardless of the consequences to herself and I admire that about her.  In her shoes, I have no idea what I would do.  I also admire her determination to remain human, even if would be a lot easier to give up.  Tana had a very tragic past and it has defined her outlook on life.

There is a host of other characters and in the interest of time (and to now bore you to death); I’ll mention a few of my favorite here.  Gavriel is a very complex character.  He’s a vampire and he is a bit (or a lot) crazy.  Tana “saves” his life and he reciprocates in kind, mind you, he’s not exactly your average to-die-for-bad-boy (er, vampire), he’s actually crazy and not so nice; he just makes an exception for Tana.  There are very justifiable reasons for the craziness and I’m really surprised that he was able to function at all. Even with all his faults and find Gavriel to be very interesting and differently unique. Love him!

Aidan is Tana’s ex and a piece of work.  This is another very flawed character that’s full of charisma and handsomeness and he knows how to take advantage of it for his gain.  Pearl is Tana’s 12 year-old sister and she is, as can be expected, very naïve.  She believes that Coldtowns are a glamorous never-ending party and that couldn’t be farthest from the truth. The twins, Midnight and Winter are a piece of work and Midnight also went crazy fairly fast.  I didn’t much like Tana’s father either (just sayin’).

Coldtowns are an invention to try to contain the vampires to distinct areas.  When the indiscriminating turning of humans to vampires occurs, the humans segregate and designate certain areas as ‘Coldtowns’.  All the ‘infected’ can then choose to come to the closest one until they turn in an effort to avoid further spreading.  Coldtowns have their own set of rules and a lot of wants – for food and other things - which of course, creates crime.

The characterization is really good.  The characters were complex, interesting and unique.  The plot is full of twists and turns, I did not expected what happened to Tana,  Gavriel , Pearl , or even Midnight. Yep, Holly Black is that good!  This is an action pack story, but be warned that it’s not for the weak of heart.  Some of the things that happen in the story are a bit disturbing and gruesome.  The writing is flawless; it’s easy to read and interesting.  The story is told in the third person with chapters told from Tana and Gavriel’s point of view.  It also contains blog posts from Midnight that gives us a little bit of insight of what people do to become a vampire.

My only grief over the book is the ending.  It was WAY TOO OPEN for me. Seriously, what am I suppose to do with an ending like that?  I can tell you that my imagination is not that good (take exhibit #1 – it’s the reason why I’m not an author and never will be!), I want to know what happens next to Gabriel and Tana for goodness sake.  How about all of Tana’s friends?  What about Coldtown?  Why is this not a series?  I mean, there is a LOT of room for a series here *hint, hint* *wink, wink*

Some quotes for you (please note these are from the ARC):

“Every hero is the villain of his own story.”

“Maybe she should leave him.  Untie Aidan and get the hell out of there, even if it meant leaving one chained-up vampire to fend off however many were one the other side of the door.  Even if it was unfair. 

She took a deep breath. “Last chance. Are you in need of recuing?”

His expression turned very strange, almost as if she’d struck him.  “Yes,” he said  finally.

Maybe it was that nearly everyone else was dead and she felt a little bit dead, too, but she figured that even a vampire deserved to be saved.”

“She bent down to where Aidan was lying and touched his chest. It rose and fell as if he was, indeed, only sleeping. “Is he going to – will he live?”

“No,” said Gavriel. “No chance of that. He wants to die, so he will. But not tonight and not because of me.”

About the cover:  The cover is gorgeous!  I love the art, and the contrast in colors.  The hand looks delicate, pale, and well, cold.  The font is dark, smudged and implies mystery.  Love it!

 Have you read this book?  Even if you think there is nothing now out there for the 'vampire' genre, give Coldest Girl a try, it's awesome!

Review: Gates of Paradise by Melissa de la Cruz (Blue Bloods #7)

Title: Gates of Paradise by Melissa de la Cruz

Published: January 15^th, 2013 by Disney Hyperion

Source: Purchased

Format: Hard cover

Group age: Young adult

Genre: Paranormal – Angels, vampires and demons

Challenge(s): Finish the series

Grade Rate: B

  

Schuyler Van Alen is running out of time. The Dark Prince of Hell is storming the Gates of Paradise, intent on winning the heavenly throne for good. This time he has his greatest angels by his side, Abbadon and Azrael—Jack and Mimi Force, as they are known in the Coven.Or so he thinks. Even as Lucifer assigns Jack and Mimi the tasks of killing their true loves, the Force twins secretly vow to defeat the Dark Prince once and for all. But how far will Mimi and Jack go to conceal their real loyalties?Meanwhile, former vampire Bliss Llewellyn has joined forces with Lawson, the greatest wolf of the underworld, to free his people from their imprisonment in Hell. As they struggle against impossible odds, an ancient message, woven into the very fabric of time, reveals just how much depends on the success of their mission.Lucifer seeks the key to the Gate of Promise, and when Schuyler is taken captive and delivered straight to Hell, she must make an unthinkable choice—the same one the archangel Michael was forced to make during the Crisis in Rome. Will Schuyler find the strength to do what he could not?The epic, heartbreaking Blue Bloods series comes to a close with this final novel about staggering courage, unbearable sacrifice, and the immortality of true love.

Review

After investing a lot of time on the Blue Blood series (this is book 7!) I’m happy for the ending that Ms. de la Cruz gifted us.  Gate of Paradise answers all your questions and then some.

The story starts a few months after the ending of Lost in Time (my review here).  Schuyler, Oliver and Kingsley are in London and they are guarding the gate and getting ready for the battle to come.  Schuyler and Jack, which have been some of my favorite characters in the series, are not together for most of the book, but I still enjoyed their story, especially Schuyler’s which is full of discoveries. 

I never warmed up to Mimi, even though she is one of the most interesting, conflicting and strongest characters.  On the other hand I love Kingsley, he is adorable, honorable, and loyal to the end.  Oliver got what he deserved and so did a lot of other characters. 

I have to say that I did like the ending, but the execution was a bit rough.  For starters, the story of the wolves and Bliss, which is told in the companion book Wolf Pact (and that I haven’t read) confused me a lot.  Not enough background information was given and in my opinion, it should have stayed in the companion book, even if they made an appearance at the end, instead of making Bliss the narrator of some chapters. Also, the story is told from numerous points of view (in the third person), and from different times and settings.  I’m sorry to say that this turned out to be very confusing to me as well. 

Don’t get me wrong, the ending was good and it made me cry. BUT it was kind of abrupt and all ends were tied very neatly… Maybe too neatly?  Overall, I’m happy with the series and also with the ending.   I’m eager to start Ms. de la Cruz’s new series, which starts with Frozen, and the new Blue Blood spin off (Vampires of Manhattan?)

A few quotes for you:

“Because love was not the answer to every question. Because real love meant sacrifice. Sometimes love means letting go.”

“I know you. I know this isn't you. And even if it is, I still love you. As much as I always have. You will always be mine. I will always love you, I promised you that when you left, and it's true now.”

“Evil was seductive and easy, and virtue was difficult and unappreciated.”

About the cover:  Gorgeous, right?  I have to say that the covers for the whole series are beautiful.

Review: Black City by Elizabeth Richards (Black City #1)

Title: Black City by Elizabeth Richards

Published: November 13^th, 2012 by Putnam’s Sons

Source: ARC provided for review

Format: Soft cover (ARC)

Challenge(s): Dystopia Challenge

Grade rate: B+

A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war.In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable—they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash’s long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they’re caught, they’ll be executed—but their feelings are too strong.When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

My Review

What an awesome book!  I started reading Black City a while ago and for some reason I stopped about 2/3s of the way.  I want to kick myself now for taking so long to read it!

Natalie is only 16, but she’s had a difficult life. She has seen death, betrayal, loss, love and what politics and lies can do first hand.  Natalie is brave, loyal, smart, and tries to do the right thing.  Ash is a half-blood Darkling, is in the Black City side of the wall that divides humans from Darklings, and is the only of his kind there.  Ash had a very hard and lonely life, full of loss and discrimination.  Neither of the characters is perfect, far from it; and the fact that I like them and was cheering for them is a testament to the Richard’s writing.

Other characters are well developed and add a lot of depth to the story. I liked Natalie’s friend Day, Ash’s friend Beetle, Mr. Fisher. I distrusted Sigur and despised Sebastian and Ms. Buchanan.  However, Puritan Rose sounds a lot like President Rose from the Hunger Games and, like him, is both vile and charismatic. I reserve my judgment about Evangeline until later.

The relationship between Ash and Natalie develops really fast, which normally is very off-putting to me, BUT I loved it in Black City.  The reason is that this fact is a critical point in the plot and part of Darkling’s believes (and even anatomy); it is a beautiful concept. I’m glad that the couple felt deeply in love with one another, enough to overcome incredible opposition.

The story is told in alternating points of view, thus we get to know both Ash and Natalie quite well.  I really like this format as it allows the reader (me!) to be in more than place at a time and to understand the characters better.  As you can tell form my incoherent gushing, Black City has incredible characterization, not only regarding the protagonists, but also secondary characters.  The writing is well paced, fluent and descriptive.  The plot is a gem.  I have read many vampire books and this one is unique. There are different types of Darklings (‘vampires’) that not only look different, but have their own language, culture and rituals.  Richards creates a unique world, which undergoes the same struggles and problems of modern society, namely racism, discrimination, segregation and the aftermath of war.  Please note that there are very mature topics in here, such as addiction, nudity, discrimination, and sex (even though is not graphic).

Black City made me cry and I’m happy with the ending (thank goodness!).  I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of Phoenix from Putnam (thanks!) that I plan to read very soon!

Some quotes for you:

“I love you, Ash,” she says.

“I love you too,” I say. “So begins my heart…”

“So begins our life,” she whispers back, remembering the words I told her the night we first kissed…

“Everlasting,” we say together.  The Blood Vow…

“What was it like not having a heartbeat?” I say softly…

“It was hell.” He eventually says. “It was like being stuck between life and death; I could walk, talk, breathe, eat, but I never felt truly alive. I never felt part of this world.”

“And now you do?”

“Yes. Because of you.”

About the cover:  The cover is breathtaking!  A flower (I presume is a rose), a thing of beauty violently exploding and in the background the city.

Review: Stolen Nights by Rebecca Maizel (Vampire Queen #2)

Title: Stolen Nights by Rebecca Maizel

Published: January 29^th, 2013 by St. Martin’s Griffin

Source: eGalley

Format: eBook

Challenge(s):

Grade rate: C

Lenah Beaudonte should be dead. But having sacrificed herself to save another, she finds herself awakening with strange powers that are neither vampire nor human—and a new enemy on her trail. In her vampire life, Lenah had thought that being human was all she ever wanted; but the human heart suffers pain, heartbreak and loss.
 With her new powers growing and the dark force of the Nex after her soul, Lenah faces a choice: between the mortal love of gorgeous Justin, whose passion fed her human soul, and taking a different path to become the mistress of her own destiny, wherever that may lead...

My Review

Finally!  I read Infinite Days in 2010 and let me tell you, two years is an awful long time to wait, especially when I loved it (and the cliffhanger, thank you very much)!

I’m a bit ambivalent about Stolen Nights, I’m not sure what I was waiting for, but I felt that this book to a whole new direction from where it was going.  Am I the only one that felt that way?  I think my biggest issue was Lenah, she went from being a kick-ass queen to a simpering, weak and selfish girl.  Evidently, having lived for so many years didn’t mean she gain any wisdom whatsoever.  She used Justin really badly and I just can’t stand that kind of behavior from anyone.

Don’t get me started on Rhodes.  From the first book and Lenah’s flashbacks about him, he was supposed to be this wise, handsome, loving vampire.  Although, it’s obvious that he loves Lenah, he is so difficult and restraint.  As I said, I just don’t understand where this is going.

One of the redeeming points of the book is Vicken.  He turned out to be a true friend; he is funny, loyal, brave, ready for action and quick to sarcasm.  Lenah’s friends are dying all over the place (since book one, so I’m not giving anything away), and this doesn’t seem fair. I feel like Maizel created these characters just for fluff, with the sole purpose to kill them off.   Also, what is up with the Aeris?  If they are so powerful, why on earth didn’t they help more?  And the explanation about why Rhode and Lenah can’t be together doesn’t even make sense! 

The plot was all over the place.  I did like the writing, it is beautiful, but not enough to love the book as much as I did the first one.

I just can’t tell you how disappointed I was about this book.  I wish that Lenah didn’t wait until the end to do right, and I can’t understand the purpose of the ending or how is the next installment going to proceed.  This was supposed to fix everything and evidently, it didn’t.   

Quotes:

"Promise me. Promise me that no matter what happens, you will always be ther for me". I pulled away and looked into Rhode's vampire eyes. So glorious, they were the color of the summer sky. My sky. "We don't know what will come, but if I know you will always be there for me, I can bear it" 
"I promise", he said. " No matter what may come"  - Lenah to Rhode

"This love is so deep, it cannot be undone" - Rhode

"Vicken exhaled heavily, then said, "I don't know about yoiu, but this house says to me: Come inside if you want to die" - Vicken

About the cover:  It’s a beautiful cover, BUT I liked the original cover (see on the left) that matches my pretty copy of Infinite Days :(

Have you ever been disappointed in a sequel?  Did you continue the series?  Did you read Infinite Days? 

Fangs, Fur, & Fey Giveaway Hop

This giveaway hop is hosted by I'm a Reader, Not a Writer and Reading Lark 

• Please note that Reading with ABC's giveaway is International, as long as The Book Depository delivers to you.
• You can choose a book from the ones below OR any within that series.  For example, if you already have The Iron King, you might want another of the books in the series. 
• Just enter using the form below and good luck!

Review: Darkness Before Dawn by L.A. London (Darkness Before Dawn #1)

Title: Darkness Before Dawn by L.A. London

Published: May 29^th by HarperTeen

Source: Purchased

Format: Paperback

Challenge(s):

Grade rate: B-

Only sunlight can save us.

We built the wall to keep them out, to keep us safe. But it also makes us prisoners, trapped in what's left of our ravaged city, fearing nightfall.

After the death of my parents, it's up to me--as the newest delegate for humanity--to bargain with our vampire overlord. I thought I was ready. I thought I knew everything there was to know about the monsters. Then again, nothing could have prepared me for Lord Valentine . . . or his son. Maybe not all vampires are killers. Maybe it's safe to let one in.

Only one thing is certain: Even the wall is not enough. A war is coming and we cannot hide forever.

My Review

I have to confess that I’m a little ambivalent about this book.  In most aspects a really liked Darkness Before Dawn, but I had a few ‘issues’ with it.

Dawn promised to be an excellent female character, and mostly she was exactly that.  She is beautiful, loyal, respectful, with a big sense of responsibility, and self-preservation.  She is being trained to be a delegate for the city of Denver, and she tries her best to perform a job that by all means is really dangerous.  She has been taught how to fight and she is willing to go down fighting. What I had an issue with is how helpless she seems to become as the book progressed, letting Michael and Victor fight for her.  Also, she kept denying Victor’s worth, in light of plenty of evidence, just because of what he was. 

I adored Victor.  He is a swoon -worthy vampire, he is good, restrained, and he really cares for Dawn.  He reminded me a little of Edward from the Twilight Saga (just a little, mind you).  I found that Victors was sure of what his actions and his feelings were, and he never lied to Dawn.  Michael, I did not like at all.  Although at the beginning he seemed to care for Dawn (and maybe he does), he is too volatile, and has a big ego problem.   I didn’t like the ‘triangle ‘either, it seemed unbalanced and unfair for all involved.  How do you become to love two men in the same week is beyond me.

Tegan is Dawn’s friend, but she likes to get her way, even when it’s dangerous.  I don’t think that she is a good friend to keep around.  Sin is not likeable, and his relationship with Tegan is way too rushed, to the point that it becomes incredible.

The plot was original and I loved the story itself.  The premise of the world after a 30-year war between vampires and humans is very unique (at least to me).  The writing was straightforward and easy to read. The plot was a bit predictable, but I enjoyed it.  The ending was a big cliffhanger, guaranteed to leave the reader wanting for more.

Although Darkness Before Dawn was not as good as I would hope so, I still enjoyed it and I will definitely read ‘Blood-Kissed Sky’, the second book in the series that will be published in December of this year.

About the cover: The cover is beautiful. Dark colors contrast with the girl’s skin and we can see a desolated landscape in the background.  I also liked the font used on the cover.  

Have you read this book?  What do you think of the premise? Do you like the cover?

Review: Lost in Time by Melissa de la Cruz (Blue Bloods #6)

Title: Lost in Time by Melissa de la Cruz

Published: September 27^th, 2012 by Hyperion

Source: Finished copy provided for review (and autographed!)

Format: Hardcover

Challenge(s): TBR

Grade rate: B+

After their beautiful yet brief bonding ceremony in Italy, Schuyler Van Alen and Jack Force are forced to separate. To fulfill the Van Alen Legacy, Schuyler travels to Alexandria to search for Catherine of Siena and the Gate of Promise. But Schuyler quickly discovers that everything she believed about the Gate to be wrong. Meanwhile, Jack makes the difficult decision to return to New York to face his twin and former bondmate, Mimi. But instead of a bitter reunion, he is faced with a choice for which there is no good option.Mimi, with a most unexpected travel companion in Oliver Hazard-Perry, jets off to Egypt, too, to search for Kingsley Martin, her long lost love. With all roads leading to Hell, Mimi learns that not all love stories have happy endings. But she'll have to put her own feelings aside if she's going to save her crumbling Coven.Packed with heartache, twists, and vampiric folklore, Lost in Time is sure to satisfy hungry fans' cravings for more Blue Bloods adventure.

My Review

Lost in Time, the sixth book (and next to last) of the Blue Blood series was a vast improvement from the previous book, but it was also infuriating how some many questions are still left unanswered.

There are three story lines taking place at the same time. One – Schuyler and Jack, two – Allegra and Michael/Ben, and third – Mimi and Oliver/Kingsley; all the stories are told from the third point of view, therefore we can get more in touch with the characters.  I found each story interesting in its own way and it was surprisingly easy to keep track of all of them.  Let me tell you a bit about each one:

Schuyler and Jack – I’ve always love their story and the absolute way in which they love each other, against the world and all odds.  This is the story line that I liked the most, and I was a little bummed by the ending, but I have my hopes up that all will be well at the end.

Allegra and Michael / Ben – This story line follows Allegra and Michael after college and it introduces Ben to the reader (there is a short story about how they first met in Bloody Valentine).  Michael is not the easiest person to get along with, but he truly loves Allegra and was destroyed when she doesn’t ‘bond’ with him.  Although we know now what happened during that time, we still don’t know what happened to Allegra to end up in a coma for so many years, and what happened to Ben.  Also, the events from Florence seem to be of great importance to the story, but we still don’t know what happened either.

Mimi and Oliver / Kingsley – I like Kingsley and Oliver a whole lot, but I cannot stand Mimi.  I know I have no foundation for my dislike other than her selfish and violent nature, but there you have it.  For this reason, this is the story that I liked the least, but I was happy for the outcome because both Oliver and Kingsley were unharmed. 

I hope The Gates of Paradise, the last book in the series, has all the answers that I’m hoping for.  What on earth happened in Florence?  Where are Michael and Allegra now?  How are Mimi and Jack going to end their bond?  Will Schuyler survive at the end and fulfill her legacy?  Where is Bliss? What happened to Ben?  I think I can go on and on…  Unfortunately I will have to wait until January of 2013 for the answers.

About the Cover:  Beautiful cover that portraits Jack (black feather) and Schuyler and the outline of Egypt at the bottom, where most of the story takes place.

Review: Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris (Sookie Stackhouse #12)

*************NOT YOUNG ADULT***********

Title: Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris

Published: May 1^st, 2012 by Ace Hardcover

Source: Purchased

Format: Hardcover book

Challenge(s):

Grade rate: B

  

With Felipe de Castro, the Vampire King of Louisiana (and Arkansas and Nevada), in town, it’s the worst possible time for a body to show up in Eric Northman’s front yard—especially the body of a woman whose blood he just drank.
Now, it’s up to Sookie and Bill, the official Area Five investigator, to solve the murder. Sookie thinks that, at least this time, the dead girl’s fate has nothing to do with her. But she is wrong. She has an enemy, one far more devious than she would ever suspect, who’s out to make Sookie’s world come crashing down.

My Review

Well *sigh in relief* that wasn’t so bad.  After being sorely disappointed with the last two books in the series, I have to say that Deadlocked was an improvement.  Not to say that I’m completely happy as to where the story is going, but overall it was a much better book.

This is book 12 in a long series (this is the next to last book) and I will try my best not to spoil it for you, but I have to mention things that happened in the previous books, so please be warned that there will be spoilers from other books in the series.

Sookie is as always a delightful character. She is charming, beautiful, with good manners, personable, loyal and brave.  She had had a really hard time in the past and is trying to cope with all the supernatural things that happen all around her.  Trouble is always following Sookie around and it is part of what makes me keep reading the series.   She had to make some really tough choices this time around and I am proud of her for what she did.

Eric… hmm.  Eric is much more himself in this installment, but he hardly makes an appearance since he is busy with the body found in his front yard, Felipe de Castro’s visit and the visit of his intended.  I wish things were different between them and I don’t know what to think anymore.  Bill makes a longer appearance in Deadlocked, which was refreshing.  I’ve always have a soft spot for Bill and his undying love and support for Sookie, I am glad they remained friends. 

There is no lack of characters in Deadlocked, we get to visit with Warren, Alicide, Niall, Claude, Dermott, Pam, Bubba, Tara, Kennedy, Sam and much more.  I know that sometimes all the re-capping that happens in sequels can be boring, but I was glad of it in this case, otherwise I would have been hopelessly confused.

The plot was better that the last two books, although I wish certain things related to Eric, the fairies and the werewolves didn’t happen (sorry for being so cryptic, but WHY, OH WHY!?).  Don’t worry; I’m saving all my spoilery comments for the review of the last book :)  The writing as great, I really like Charlaine Harris’ style and character building.  After so many years, I honestly don’t know how she keeps all the characters straight in her head!

And not it begins the excruciating wait to the last book, *sigh again* next year.

About the cover:  These are always beautiful covers.  Here we see Sookie, with the Cluviel Dorr (probably spelled it wrong, sorry!), wolves looking at her and an envelope in her hand.

Review: Isle of Night by Veronica Wolff (The Watchers #1)

Title: Isle of Night by Veronica Wolff

Published: September 6th 2011 by NAL Trade

Source: Purchased

Grade Rate: C+

When Annelise meets dark and seductive Ronan, he promises her a new life-if she has the courage to chance the unknown. Now, she's whisked away to a mysterious island and pitted against other female recruits to become a Watcher-girls who are partnered with vampires and assist them in their missions. To survive and become a Watcher, Annelise has to beat out every other girl, but she's determined to do so, because to fail doesn't mean dishonor-it means death.

My Review

Isle of Night had been patiently waiting for me in my “Billy” bookshelf for a while and I decided to read it after finishing school for Christmas vacation.  Overall I enjoyed the book.

Annelise Drew is a very strong character and Isle of Night is narrated in the first person, which makes it all the more about her and only her.  I felt that other characters, the setting, even relationships took a back seat to Drew.  For all her claims and belief that she is a genius, she made some awful mistakes.  How many times have you heard from your parents: “don’t talk to strangers, don’t get in a stranger’s care” and so on, and so forth.  I know there is a paranormal explanation for the “why”, but I’m telling you that I would NEVER get into a stranger’s car, not matter what!  Maybe be drugging the girls would be more believable to me.

Other characters that I enjoyed are Ronan (of course!), but he is still a complete mystery and I hope I get to see more of him in the next book.  I really liked Drew’s friends Emma and Yasuo and I am glad that she finally had some true friends to rely on.  The vampire Alcántara is so creepy that I hope he loses interest in Drew quickly.

The plot was original up to a point.  It seemed a weird cross between The Huger Games, Vampire Academy and the Southern Vampire series (these vampires are definitely not good).  The writing was easy to read and straightforward and the book was not too long either.  There are a lot of questions left unanswered yet. For instance, what on earth does a Watcher do? What happens to the girls that loose (I can imagine!)? Are allowed to date or do anything else that is not creepy, cruel, and hard?

If you are looking for a quick paranormal read and you love vampires, the Isle of Night is for you.  I will still read the sequel Vampire’s Kiss next March.

About the Cover:  Gorgeous people in the cover, right?  It is mysterious and very appropriate for the book.

Guest Post: When Twilight Meets Vampire Academy by Jez

As you might have noticed from the dire cry for help on the sidebar on my blog, I am taking graduate classes for a certificate and needless to say, it is a LOT of work.  Oh, I am reading all right, but not what I really want to read (I can’t wait for Christmas break!)  Jezebel from Jez’s Bookcase has been kind enough to volunteer to do guest reviews and posts for Reading with ABC. 

 

As you know, I'm a fan of Twilight. If you don't, I declare my adoration again: I Love Twilight! I'm also a fan of Vampire Academy - what can you do? A girl loves her vampires. And being a fan of both, I could just imagine what would happen if both the characters clashes with each other.

     Fights. There will be fights. The Volturis will freak when dhampirs come into the scene. And there will be a fight of mental powers of Twilight vamps with the ass kicking karate kicks and the powers of elements. I'd love to see how Lissa and Aro fighting as they both have strong mental powers. Not to mention the Strigoi will be fighting the werewolves. Next, more romance. The vampires, dhampirs and Alchemists in both the series need new lovers. Sparkling vamp plus vampire hating Alchemists; spirit wielding Moroi with the likes of Renesmee. That would be a very peculiar sight. What can I say, love conquers all. Plus, half-vampires and dhampirs are abundantly needed in both series. Maybe there will be a new batch of sparkling dhampirs with mind-reading powers.

     Would you give anything to see Edward with Dimitri; Bella with Rose? The boys could find out a way to efficiently wipe out the Strigoi, perhaps even overthrowing the Volturis (they're so mean compared to Vampire Academy's vampire court). Bella could teach Lissa how to protect her mind, and Rose could teach Bella how to throw a good punch without breaking her wrist. Adrian need a good dose of Jasper to calm down his mind. And who would not love sweet little Renesmee? The society of Twilight is less complicated compared to that of Vampire Academy. If Twilight blends with Vampire Academy, there'll be a lot of drama between the Volturis and the high court of Vampire Academy. A tug-of-war between the two forces, both sides are sure to suffer.

     Ah, we could just imagine the epic scene when the two series clashes together. Epic, my dear.  Epic.

 

Waiting on Wednesday: Darkness Before Dawn by J. A. London

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

 

 

Title: Darkness Beforne Dawn by J.A. London
Published by: HarperTeen
Relase Date: May 29th, 2012

This electrifying new trilogy blends the best of paranormal and dystopian storytelling in a world where the war is over. And the vampires won.

Humans huddle in their walled cities, supplying blood in exchange for safety. But not even that is guaranteed. Dawn has lost her entire family and now reluctantly serves as the delegate to Lord Valentine, the most powerful vampire for miles. It isn’t until she meets Victor, Valentine’s son, that she realizes not all vampires are monsters....

Darkness Before Dawn is a fresh new story with captivating characters, unexpected plot twists, a fascinating setting, and a compelling voice. Written under the name J. A. London by a talented mother-son team, the trilogy is perfect for fans of True Blood and the House of Night and Morganville Vampires series.

Why I want to read it: The cover is gorgeous (it reminds me of Fallen) and the blurb sounds good too, I do love vampire books and I follow both, the True Blood and the Morganville Vampires series.

What are you waiting for this week?

 

Remember to enter my Giveaway here, it ends today!

 

Review: Twilight, The Graphic Novel, Volume 2 by Stephenie Meyer and Adapted by Young Kim

Title: Twilight, The Graphic Novel, Volume 2 by Stephenie Meyer. Art and Adaptation by Young Kim
Published: October 11th 2011 by Yen Press
Source: Purchased
Grade rate: A



Having uncovered the dark secret of her enigmatic classmate, Edward Cullen, Bella Swan embraces her feelings for him, trusting Edward to keep her safe despite the risks. When a rival clan of vampires makes its way into Forks, though, the danger to Bella has never been more real. Will she make the ultimate sacrifice to protect the people dearest to her?
The second volume of Twilight: The Graphic Novelcompletes the visual adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's worldwide bestselling debut novel and is a must-have for any collector's library.

My Review

I love Twilight.  As such I read anything related to Twilight that I can get my hands on.  I was very excited for the graphic novel, although I don’t usually read them anymore (I used to read a lot of comics when I was youngerJ).  A good thing about the Twilight graphic novels is that they are not only beautiful, but they follow the story much more faithfully that the movie ever did.  I have to say that the characters look a lot more as I imagined they would  when I was reading the books that what they look like in the movies (don’t get me wrong, I love the movies too, didn’t I just said I love Twilight!)

Volume two starts right where volume one ended (after the meadow scene) and therefore is much more action packed.  Again, the art is just beautiful and the adaptation is really good too.  A must for Twilight fans!

 

Review: Crave by Melissa Darnell (The Clann #1)

Title: Crave by Melissa Darnell
Published: October 18th 2011 by Harlequin Teen
Source: NetGalley for review
Grade rate: B+

Savannah Colbert has never known why she's so hated by the kids of the Clann. Nor can she deny her instinct to get close to Clann golden boy Tristan Coleman. Especially when she recovers from a strange illness and the attraction becomes nearly irresistible. It's as if he's a magnet, pulling her gaze, her thoughts, even her dreams. Her family has warned her to have nothing to do with him, or any members of the Clann. But when Tristan is suddenly everywhere she goes, Savannah fears she's destined to fail.
For years, Tristan has been forbidden to even speak to Savannah Colbert. Then Savannah disappears from school for a week and comes back…different, and suddenly he can't stay away. Boys seem intoxicated just from looking at her. His own family becomes stricter than ever. And Tristan has to fight his own urge to protect her, to be near her no matter the consequences….

My Review

Crave was a really good read for me.  It was fast paced, interesting with a mix of paranormal beings that I’m sure we are going to learn more about as the series continues.

One of the things I like most about Crave is that the story is told from alternating points of view, this way we get to know what is happening to both Savannah and Tristan.  Savannah was a nice character, she tries to be strong and follow the rules but it gets hard since there is no precedence for someone like her.  She is a little insecure, but I sure don’t blame her!  I loved Tristan, he is a handsome, protective, and loving character and I really enjoyed seeing the world (and Sav) from his perspective.  The rest of the characters were well developed, but absent on the last half of the book.  I really liked Ann; she is a good friend and deals with the “strangeness” that surrounds her very well.

The writing was easy to follow and at times funny.  The plot was well developed (if a little predictable) especially since we are introduced to a new paranormal “universe”.  To me the forbidden romance takes precedence over the paranormal, and I really enjoyed that.  I will definitely read the sequel.

About the cover: The cover is really pretty and both the color read and the natural setting is a significant part of the story.  I also like the placement and font of the title and the contrast of colors.