Mini Reviews: YA Catch Up

Here are some YA novels I need to play catch up on.  I thought I'd do some short mini reviews in an effort to share what I've been reading.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth--In book two of the Divergent series, we find the fall out from the simulation and Tris trying to deal with her initiation into Dauntless.  Book two picked right up where the first left off and there is a lot of back and forth in this one.  We learn more about the role of the other factions and find that there is still a lot of intrigue confusing Tris about who is good and who is bad, who could be right and who could be wrong.  I really liked this installment, but will say that at times I was exhausted by what was not shared between Tris and Four.  I found myself yelling at Tris to just trust Four and tell him what was really going on!  Since I have just started Allegiant, I happen to know that will come up again, so I will be hearing more about that later on...  Still, an amazing read.  The last 75 pages or so really locked this one in for me.

Everbound by Brodi Ashton--Yet another second book in a series, this is the next in the Everneath series.  Book one, based on the Persephone story continues here with Nikki grieving her boyfriend Jack and his sacrifice for her into the Everneath.  How can she explain his disappearance and how can she get him back?  In this installment, Nikki has to enter the Everneath and figure out how to stay connected to Jack.  While I sometimes got confused with the layout of the Everneath at times, by the end, I was shocked and flipping pages like crazy to find out what was going to happen!  This is an exciting follow up to book one and not a disappointing sophomore follow up at all.  In fact, I'm eagerly waiting for the third book.

Out of Line by Jen McLaughlin--Technically considered "New Adult" more than Young Adult, this was a book I had seen discussed a bit online, so I decided to read it and give it a try.  I'm not sure I should have done that though, as my reading experience was a bit painful.  The story was about Carrie, the daughter of a Senator being tailed by Finn, the Marine.  However, Carrie thought she was away at college and free, not realizing that she was being tailed by secret protection.  Finn and Carrie became friends and then more than friends, but then how could Finn tell Carrie that he was being paid to protect her? Honestly, I really should have stopped reading this book around page 50.  The story became pretty predictable and I found it irritating that the lies and sexual tension were the main crux of the story.  I understand that the heightened tension, adult situations, and age of the characters all put it in the category of New Adult, but I can't shake the predictability of the story or the non-stop lies that kept the story rolling. 

Review: Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill

I'm so glad that I get such great recommendations from friends, bloggers, and coworkers, because I've been in need of books that I knew would hit a home run for me.  Although I've been a bit burned out by vampires and other paranormal characters, I was pretty interested when I saw the positive feedback for Chloe Neill's Chicagoland Vampire series, starting with Some Girls Bite.  Lots of people were talking about it, so I thought I should check it out. 

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

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

Review:  This book starts with a bang.  Seriously.  There isn't much of a lead up to the main character, Merit's, being turned into a vampire.  Bam!  She has been turned and has to face her new reality.  Now she can no longer be the graduate student she once was; she now has to give it all up to choose a vampire "house" to belong to and how she'll fit into this whole new world that lives by night and sleeps by day.

Although we all have a general idea of the vampire world and genre, this series still grabs you.  Merit is a sassy character who's not interested in being a vampire and yet has to be.  Not only that, but she is somehow gifted with more talent than normal.  Yes, that feels familiar to a lot of fantasy stories, but it just fits here and I found myself pretty okay with it.  Also we find Merit quickly at odds against the head of the house that turned her, Ethan (I won't lie, the "E" name quickly put me in mind of Eric from another vampire series...).  Their chemistry is pretty immediate, but it is filled with animosity that I expect continues over many books to come.  In this first novel, their conflict is just getting started and paints Ethan as the jerk who pushes for too much, too soon.

All in all, I really enjoyed Some Girls Bite.  I did feel that although the book starts with Merit's evolution into a vampire, the actual story doesn't really build up and unfold until the last 1/4 of the book.  It was all right, but did take some time to pick up steam.  Once it did though, it was exciting and tense.  Needless to say, that also meant that the book ended with a lot left unsaid or done.  I'm now eager to see what happens to Merit and to find out if Ethan is as big of a turkey as he starts off or if it's all a "front."  I'm ready to keep reading to find out!

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a library copy of the novel.

Review: Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "Weird as it is working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, Evie’s always thought of herself as normal. Sure, her best friend is a mermaid, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she's falling for a shape-shifter, and she's the only person who can see through paranormals' glamours, but still. Normal.

Only now paranormals are dying, and Evie's dreams are filled with haunting voices and mysterious prophecies. She soon realizes that there may be a link between her abilities and the sudden rash of deaths. Not only that, but she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal."

Review:  What can I say other than this one was a charmer.  I'm a bit burned out by paranormal and dystopian novels, but I'm sure glad I gave this one a chance.  Evie is the kind of heroine that I could get behind.  She is funny, snarky, and real.  Between her quick whit and charm, Evie is just a fun character to watch try to figure out the world she lives in.  Evie knows she has special powers, which is why she goes out to work for the agency, but it isn't until she meets a shape-shifting, see-through (literally) cute guy--you know, because she has powers and can really see him.  Of course this teen hero needs a cute boy to like, and yet in the meantime she has to figure out some pretty deep stuff about who she really is and where she fits in.

Yep.  I liked this one.  Just when you think you're burning out on a type of story, a good writer sweeps in to make it their own.  Honestly, I think that's what Kiersten White has done with the paranormal category.  Somehow the story has a familiar feel to it, but with a new energy.  Obviously, I really enjoyed Paranormalcy and will be passing it along to other readers.

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a personal copy of the novel.

Review: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's."

Review:  With an interesting concept--life after death--and a setting in Park City, Utah that I was familiar with, I have to say that I was pretty easily sucked into Brodi Ashton's first novel.  There seems to be a lot of information that comes at the reader, in a somewhat vague way, but it is just that vagueness that makes you want to keep reading to find out what is going on.  What do we know from the get go?  We know that Nikki is a strong-minded girl who has had some traumatic things happen to her, which included her mother's death and some emotional pain that she couldn't shake.  We quickly find out that she was also dating Jack, who was the love of her life, at the time that she checked out of life to the Everneath. 

What don't we know?  A lot.  How did she disappear?  What really happened to make her decide to "check out" of life (so to say) to enter the Everneath?  How did she get there?  Why does she only have six months back in her old life before she has to return?  Is there a way out?  As you can see, there are a lot of questions that have to be answered over the course of the book that keep you reading and wanting more.  Some of our questions get answered, and some are sure to come!

While I admittedly struggled at times to put details with answers, I really liked the countdown that starts the book with her return to her life and moves us toward the day she has to surrender to the Everneath.  This countdown adds to our desire to know what's up and builds the mystery.  We know she has a limited amount of time, so we want her to resolve things at home as much as she does!  For this non-mystery fan, I thought the way the story was built around what happened in the past helped to make it more about what was driving the characters than all the details we were looking for about the Everneath.  Yes, it's all very mysterious and creepy, but Nikki seems so troubled, Cole so ubiquitously shady, and Jack so wounded that you have to know what caused them to all behave as they do.

Overall, I found this to be an engaging read.  The characters have a lot going on, and they seem to learn things at the same time that we do.  The air of mystery and romance to this story really make you want to see the characters find resolution to their problems, and mainly to this whole going back to the Everneath at all!  I fully intend to share Everneath with my students, who I think will really get into the mystery in the story, along with all of the angst going on between the characters.  Honestly, it was a great read, with one doozy of a cliffhanger! 

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a library copy of the novel.

Review: Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning

I've been reading Shadowfever for months now and I'm pretty embarrassed to admit that!  I recommended it to my bff and she read them all in about two months.  I recommended them to a lady I work with and she finished them in about six days.  Yea.  I feel like the slowest reader in the world right now.  Trust me when I say that my slow speed with the series wasn't because I didn't enjoy them.  Honest!

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "MacKayla Lane was just a child when she and her sister, Alina, were given up for adoption and banished from Ireland forever.  

Twenty years later, Alina is dead and Mac has returned to the country that expelled them to hunt her sister’s murderer. But after discovering that she descends from a bloodline both gifted and cursed, Mac is plunged into a secret history: an ancient conflict between humans and immortals who have lived concealed among us for thousands of years.

What follows is a shocking chain of events with devastating consequences, and now Mac struggles to cope with grief while continuing her mission to acquire and control the Sinsar Dubh—a book of dark, forbidden magic scribed by the mythical Unseelie King, containing the power to create and destroy worlds.

In an epic battle between humans and Fae, the hunter becomes the hunted when the Sinsar Dubh turns on Mac and begins mowing a deadly path through those she loves.

Who can she turn to? Who can she trust? Who is the woman haunting her dreams? More important, who is Mac herself and what is the destiny she glimpses in the black and crimson designs of an ancient tarot card?

From the luxury of the Lord Master’s penthouse to the sordid depths of an Unseelie nightclub, from the erotic bed of her lover to the terrifying bed of the Unseelie King, Mac’s journey will force her to face the truth of her exile, and to make a choice that will either save the world . . . or destroy it."

Review:  What can I say at this point about the final book in the Fever series that hasn't been said and then said again by about one hundred other bloggers and reviewers?  Yes, it's a great series that made me crazy, annoyed, anxious, eager, sad, and a million other emotions all rolled into one.  Book four ended with a cliffhanger that had me screaming inside.  At the time, I was in a hotel in London, with no access to book five, but knew it was sitting at home on my table.  Needless to say, I waited to read it.

The first half of the book zoomed by with a million twists and turns.  One minute you think that Mac is one thing and then find out she might be another.  That was the most crazy AND annoying thing about this entire storyline for me.  Although I really do have to give Moning props for a story that manages to engage her readers in a storyline that feels nearly impossible to predict, I felt at times like I had whiplash.  Mac is a great character, with a lot of pizazz and vulnerability, strength and normality to her.  From book one on you really do care about what happens to her and want to know if she can avenge her sister, find out who she really is, and save the world.  Yea, that's a pretty tall order.

Overall, I really got caught up in this series and enjoyed how different it was from every other paranormal story I've read.  Moning really seems to be this master crafter of the extended metaphor and simile.  Her comparisons sometimes outnumber the direct answers she gives in the book, which had me trying to unravel who or what she was talking about at times.  The series and book five are definitely for adults, with adult themes.  This isn't a tame version of a paranormal novel, yet is very driven by Mac's story.  In the end, all is resolved, but my one piece of advice would be to keep it moving.  If you get tuckered out by all the "reveals" that then get revealed to be something else, just hang in there and read faster.  The story is engaging and fast paced, but you have to stick with it.

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a library copy of the novel.

Check out additional news about the series, "Dreamworks Hoping to Make 'Fever' Franchise their own Harry Potter."  It looks like the series just might be headed to the big screen.

Review: Marked by P.C. Cast

Thank goodness it's the weekend.  I don't think I made it home before 7pm even one day this week.  That meant I was doing a little around the house, then collapsing into bed so I could get up and go back to school again.  Work is really good though and I have great classes.  It has been a long week though, so I'm happy to have three days off to catch up with grading, reading, and sleeping!

Having said that, I'm thankful for the little bit of reading I did snatch up.  Now it's time to catch up on a few reviews!

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "The House of Night series is set in a world very much like our own, except in 16-year-old Zoey Redbird's world, vampyres have always existed.  In this first book in the series, Zoey enters the House of Night, a school where, after having undergone the Change, she will train to become an adult vampire--that is, if she makes it through the Change.  Not all of those who are chosen do.  It's tough to begin a new life, away from her parents and friends, and on top of that, Zoey finds she is no average fledgling.  She has been Marked as special by the vampyre Goddess, Nyx.  But she is not the only fledgling at the House of Night with special powers.  When she discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school's most elite club, is misusing her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her destiny--with a little help from her new vampyre friends."

Review:  Marked was a fun boarding school, magical, vampire book that feels familiar because of all the other books you've ever read that uses one of those scenarios.  In this case, Zoey is the special character who enters the House of Night school with her own special talents.  There is the love interest that she likes right off, and a series of friends who are jealous of her and want to see her go down, but the real point is that Zoey has something unique about her that gives her advanced powers.

I have seen Marked floating around for some time and have many students who have read the series.  I finally decided to read it for myself and thought that it was better than I expected.  Although it has a very strong YA feel to it that will make it appeal mainly to teens (as it should), the story is fun and engaging without being too dark.  I liked Zoey's friends and the characters that she interacted with.  The magic and paranormal elements in the story were interesting as well, and didn't feel too far-fetched to really believe they could exist.  Overall, I can see why this series has gotten so much attention.  In the teen vampire genre, this one has its own fun twist that helps it stand out.

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a library copy of the novel.

Review: Dreamfever by Karen Marie Moning

Here's the one book that I did finish on my trip that created a lot of panic for me.  Talk about a cliffhanger!  Thankfully I'm off in the last book in the series, so as soon as my meetings are over this week I can get back to reading!

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "When the walls between Man and Fae come crashing down, freeing the insatiable, immortal Unseelie from their icy prison, MacKayla Lane is caught in a deadly trap. Captured by the Fae Lord Master, she is left with no memory of who or what she is: the only sidhe-seer alive who can track the Sinsar Dubh, a book of arcane black magic that holds the key to controlling both worlds.

Clawing her way back from oblivion is only the first step Mac must take down a perilous path, from the battle-filled streets of Dublin to the treacherous politics of an ancient, secret sect, through the tangled lies of men who claim to be her allies into the illusory world of the Fae themselves, where nothing is as it seems—and Mac is forced to face a soul-shattering truth."

Review:  While I was on vacation, I finished Dreamfever.  For anyone who has read this series, you know that book four ends with a HUGE cliffhanger!  Here I was in London, frantically trying to get wireless in my hotel so that I could see if I could download the next book from Amazon.  By the time I get on, what do I find but that it's over $20!  Yes, I was crushed.  See, I was enough of a cheapskate that I just couldn't download it when I knew the book was sitting at home on my table.  I had enough foresight to pick it up from the library before I left, but not enough to actually bring it with me!  What I didn't anticipate was the giant, gasp-worthy moment that ended Dreamfever that had me in a panic for the next book!  Ironically, the price went down after I got home.

In the fourth installment Mikayla is left picking up the pieces from a showdown with some serious bad guys who are aiming to find the powerful Sinsar Dubh to gain its power.  Just when we think that Mikayla couldn't possibly recover from the trauma and pain she has gone through, Barrons steps in to help her.  The problem is that we don't quite know who he really is, why he's helping her, or what he is to begin with.  Because of that, Mikayla remains cold and aloof from the other characters in the book, and rightfully so.  At this point, all Mikayla wants is resolution and her family kept safe from the evil that is pouring forth on the world.

Without saying anything more that could ruin this installment, I have to say that you really should have the next book handy when you finish.  Each of the books in the series has had a twist that forces you to keep reading, but this one really is painful not to know!  Mikayla has grown darker, shrewder, and tougher through her experiences.  On one hand the softer person we were introduced to feels sadly lost, but this new Mikayla seems like just the person to get the job done that she knows she has to do. 

By this point, I can't put this series down.  I thought there might have been some hype built up around these books, but have to say that I get it now!  They're neither romance nor suspense, but have both elements in them.  There's magic and seemingly paranormal creatures involved, all in a fantasy-like backdrop that takes place in Ireland.  They are both funny and tragic, scary and sweet.  It's in these dichotomies that Moning created such a consuming read.  Thankfully I have my hands on the last book so I can find out what happened after the major cliffhanger that ended this book!  All right, I'm off to keep reading.


*FTC Disclosure:  Review is based on a personal copy of the book.

Review: Faefever by Karen Marie Moning

I sure hoped to have this series finished before I left on my trip, but that didn't happen.  As the buzz about this series can attest, these books suck you in, so even I'm surprised I didn't finish them up yet!  If that last book wasn't over $10 I'd download it, but I think I can hold off and read it once I get back.  At least I didn't have to suffer for a lot longer like many readers did who anxiously waited for this last one to come out, so I have nothing to complain about!

Synopsis:  Still in search of her sister's past and her killer, MacKayla has started to adjust to the fact that she is part of a small number of sidhe-seers who can protect the world from the evil that is on its way.  As part of her powers, MacKayla can sense the magical Sinsar Dubh, an evil book that contains ancient, evil magic that could truly destroy the world.  With the fast approach of All Hallow's Eve, MacKayla learns of even more evil magic that is and could come down on the world and has to determine what, if anything, she can do to help stop its progression.

Review:  These books progressively get harder and harder to review.  The action just continues to build over the course of each book, and MacKayla gets so much more savvy with each conflict that the pace speeds up.  At this point, as a reader I feel completely invested in MacKayla and realize that she might be the real key to stopping the evil from taking over the world.  Although she is still determined to put her sister's death in perspective and to kill the man/evil being who murdered her, Mac seems much more focused on joining other sidhe-seers and good guys in defeating evil.  The thing is, this evil seems REALLY evil and beyond comprehending its power.  The mystery behind it all, and even what fuels it, keeps you flipping pages.

Jericho Barrons continues to play a major role in the story, but always as the brooding guy who seems to put her down to make her stronger.  This is definitely not a story nor relationship that has all the cards out on the table.  MacKayla might feel that Jericho is dangerous and too mysterious to get mixed up with, but she still seems to give him enough credit to trust that he isn't out to kill her.  Although I want to kick Jericho in the shins half the time, I can see that the mystery surrounding him really has helped to propel the story forward.

This installment, has what I think is a pretty sad and startling ending.  There really is no resolution, and your agony and feelings for Mac triple.  After this book, I will admit that I'm all in and have to hurry and finish the final two in the series.  This dark fantasy series is gruesome, sexy, and gut-wrenching.  Honestly, it's unlike anything I've ever read before, which makes it even more thrilling to read; I just never know what will happen next!

*FTC Disclosure:  Review is based on a personal e-book copy of the novel.

Review: Bloodfever by Karen Marie Moning

I was going back over the reviews I had written or needed to write and realized I had gotten so into the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning, that I jumped directly from book two into book three without blinking an eye!  If that isn't a plug for this series, then I don't know what is.  I'm not quite finished with the entire series, but wanted to post my Bloodfever review before I get too much farther into them!

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "MacKayla Lane's ordinary life underwent a complete makeover when she landed on Ireland's shores and was plunged into a world of deadly sorcery and ancient secrets.  In her fight to stay alive, Mac must find the Sinsar Dubh-a million-year-old book of the blackest magic imaginable, which holds the key to power over both the worlds of the Fae and of Man. Pursued by Fae assassins, surrounded by mysterious figures she knows she cannot trust, Mac finds herself torn between two deadly and irresistible men: V'lane, the insatiable Fae who can turn sensual arousal into an obsession for any woman, and the ever-inscrutable Jericho Barrons, a man as alluring as he is mysterious.

For centuries the shadowy realm of the Fae has coexisted with that of humans. Now the walls between the two are coming down, and Mac is the only thing that stands between them."

Review:  Mac has now learned a bit more about the world that took her sister from her and is now threatening the rest of humanity.  As overwhelming as it might seem, Mac is one of a small conglomeration of people (if you can call them people) who can fight the evil Fae from opening up this world to their kind and obliterating all of mankind and anything that is good in the process.  Now Mac realizes that this isn't just about the sister she lost, but is much, much bigger.

Once again, book two is not a stand alone type of a novel.  Book one was very much a set up to learning the rules and procedures of this magical world, and we have continued to learn so much more in book two.  As a Sidhe Seer, Mac can sense the evil Sinsar Dubh book, which is one of the reasons that manly man Jericho Barrons has kept a close rein on Mac.  Together they have sought out ancient relics that contain magic, and according to Barrons, will help them get closer to the magic book.  Why do we not believe him though?  Barrons is all that a complicated mystery man should be; he's handsome, rugged, and even a bit sadistic.  You know that he cares enough about Mac to keep protecting her and giving her information about some of the magical world, but not enough to really lay it all on the line.  We aren't even sure what he even is at this point!  Why can't the shades touch him?  What's the deal with that?  Is he just playing her and going to end up being the bad guy, or is he some "wounded" soul and really a good guy at heart?  We don't know.

By the end of this second installment, I now feel completely invested in what will happen to Mac.  She has pushed the boundaries of her powers and learned how to protect herself, without Barrons help.  Mac is gutsy and vulnerable, which make her a great heroine for this series.  So far, I've really gotten into the series and now feel much more eager to finish the series.  Once you get the gist of this magical world, the action and mystery really suck you in!  Honestly, it's not like any other paranormal series I've ever read.

*FTC Disclosure:  Review is based on a personal ebook copy of the novel.

Review: Mr. Darcy Vampyre by Amanda Grange

I should call this "Catch Up on Old Review Books" Month!  I've been trying really hard to get through books that I've had in my TBR pile or those I was sent back when I first started this blog--and didn't realize that you can't take everything that pops up.  I've since learned my lesson and know what I can handle, in general, and schedule as such.  One of those first review books I accepted was Mr. Darcy, Vampyre by Amanda Grange.  I had a lot of curiosity about how someone would turn my favorite male character into one of those sparkly-fanged dudes that has become so popular!  Well, now I have a better idea and finally can say I've finished it.

Synopsis:  What would happen if Mr. Darcy actually had a deep, dark secret that he had to keep from Elizabeth?  What if that secret could actually endanger her life, that women he loved most?  For Fitzwilliam Darcy, he wants to have a normal marriage and relationship with his young wife, but his secrets just might not make that possible.

Review:  Taking off from the wedding day, Elizabeth and Darcy seem congenial and happy, but something is obviously eating up Darcy.  From Elizabeth's perspective we learn of her confusion at not having a husband to share her honeymoon night with, nor someone to have a chat with first thing in the morning.  Because she had no frame of reference for what a real couple did once they married, and only supposed, she could only rely on the fact that she felt sad and distant from the man she so desperately loved.

This interesting conflict changes later on in the book as Elizabeth begins to put two and two together about her husband's strange behavior.  They travel across the continent (Europe) and into Italy, where Elizabeth later learns more about her husband's secret.  I suppose you could say that Darcy's secret is the great "test" of their love, and not that early pride and prejudice issue they had pre-marriage.

On the whole, I thought the novel was entertaining and interesting.  There were times the story ran long and I wanted to jump across the continent in their travels to the resolution, as I became more frustrated by Darcy's avoidance of his young wife than maybe even Elizabeth!  The language is reflective of that restrained speech of Austen's novels, but delivered a bit more to modern tastes.  Although they have tension around the whole "celibacy" issue, there is nothing graphic about this tale.  You do get that Elizabeth is a little flustered by her lack of "romantic" time with her husband, which is a kind of funny.  For that time period, would a woman get that flustered and wonder about seducing her new husband?  I suppose so, but it felt strange with Austen's Elizabeth.

Mr. Darcy, Vampyre is a quick read, with an interesting twist on the vampire theme.  I can't say it's my favorite variation on a classic, although I'll also admit to not being as into the paranormal takes, but I will say that I thought it was interesting and entertaining.  Amanda Grange has a subtle hand with the pen, and you can see it played out in this vampire take on a much beloved Pride and Prejudice.

*FTC Disclosure:  Review is based on an advanced copy of the novel provided by the publisher, Sourcebooks.

Review: Bloody Valentine by Melissa De La Cruz

This week has been Spring Break, which was a much needed escape from work.  I had all sorts of goals to read and get ahead on blog posts and reviews, but I should have known I would be sitting here on Thursday wishing I had just one more week!  Since I don't have one more week, I better get a move on and write the reviews I have waiting, right?  One of the reviews I've had is for Melissa De La Cruz's small short story selection from the Blue Blood series. 

Synopsis:  This installment in the Blue Blood series is a short compilation of three short stories from characters we've been reading about.  The first story is told from Oliver's perspective, Schuyler's close friend who has been put through the wringer in the series.  The second is from Allegra's point of view, showing the earlier years in Schuyler's mother's life, including the choices she had to make that got her where she is in our series.  The final story is told about Schuyler and Jack, bringing there story together in a little more detail.

Although this is a short story collection, I would not recommend this before reading at least the first four or five books in the series.  Some of the characters and situations would feel odd and unfamiliar without more of the story already in place.

Review:  Altogether, this was a nice, easy collection of stories.  Oliver's initial story in the book set a fairly depressing tone, especially since I always felt for him.  His story seems to try to make you feel that Oliver will somehow be "okay," but I felt overwhelming sadness for this character and all he's been through as Schuyler's much-used friend (talk about an understatement).

The other two stories in the collection were nice additions to the back story that we've wanted.  I've especially wanted to know more about Schuyler's mother, and this collection gave us a small glimpse into her story. 

On the whole, this is a well-written compilation.  If you have read the series (and I would definitely recommend you read the other books beforehand), these stories are a nice addition to what we know about the characters.  Besides, the cover is so pretty, how could you resist picking it up to get a little more to the back story?!?

Review: The Lost Saint by Bree DeSpain

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "Grace Divine made the ultimate sacrifice to cure Daniel Kalbi. She was infected with the werewolf curse while trying to save him, and lost her beloved brother in the process.

Desperate to find Jude, Grace befriends Talbot, a newcomer to town. But as the two grow closer, Grace's relationship with Daniel is put in danger - in more ways than one.

Unaware of the dark path she is walking, Grace begins to give into the wolf inside of her - not realizing that an enemy has returned and a deadly trap is about to be sprung."

Review:  The Dark Divine series has been a surprising read, one that I wasn't expecting to get me so engaged in the unfolding story of Grace Divine, her family, and her boyfriend Daniel.  Having felt a bit burned out by paranormal stories recently, I wasn't sure that a book about a werewolf clan and curse would be up my alley, but I was wrong.  In The Dark Divine, the story left off with a bit of a cliffhanger.  The action was intense in the first book, so I was eager to dive into the second to find out what happened to Grace.  Once again, the action in the second book was also pretty intense in certain scenes, and Grace's anger at being cursed was more than evident throughout the story.  My feeling is that Despain really knows how to write action scenes that keep you flipping pages, because I'm not one to like drawn out action, but both books have had me eager to read more.

Obviously, there is a love story involved in both books; one that is developed mostly throughout book one.  In book two, as with many YA romances, a conflict is introduced in the second that pulls the couple apart.  Let me be honest in saying that putting a couple together, only to have the guy then turn moody because he's being protective but comes off going cold on the girl makes me want to scream.  When the love interest is pulled apart because one or the other acts like they no longer care just makes me want to smack one of them for not communicating!  Yes, it created a good deal of tension, and cast Grace out on her own to figure out how to deal with her curse, but it made me want to shake them at times.  I get that sometimes teens like these "I love you. No, I hate you" twists, and it did give the story a good bit of added tension that had you hanging on to figure out why they were being so stupid to one another!

Overall, I really have liked this series and thought it was really well written.  There is a lot of action, believable dialogue, and engaging characters.  I was pretty into the story and thought it really stood out from many of the paranormal books I've read recently.  

One funny side note to my review--I had my students in my Popular Fiction class read the first book in reading circles.  First off, I overheard them trying to figure out if the girl on the cover was wearing any underwear (they decided she must be), but secondly, the boys in the reading group said it wasn't just a "chick book."  I thought that was a pretty good two thumbs up for a bunch of teen boys to say they liked it and would recommend it to any reader!

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a review copy of the novel from the publisher.

Review: Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

The Fever series by Karen Marie Moning caught my attention after all the Twitter conversations I caught about the newest release, Shadowfever.  Everyone was so excited about its release and talking about it for weeks, that I went back to check out a few reviews of previous installments.  In short, I decided I'd give them a try!

Synopsis:   McKayla Lane has lived a happy, carefree life until she learned that her sister had been murdered in Ireland, where she was attending school.  Grief stricken, and led by a frightening last phone message left by her sister, McKayla left for Ireland to solve her sister's mysterious death.  Once there, she quickly found that she and her sister had strange powers that allowed her to see beyond her human world into the world of the Fae.  From there her adventure took on a whole new direction, leading her into terrifying discoveries about the magical world and a strange camaraderie with a Fae man named Jericho Barrons, who just might be as likely to kill her as to help her find her sister's killer.

Review:  This first book in the Fever series is a bit action-intense, with a lot of basic information the reader needs to really grasp the world created by Moning.  Rather than really try to sort it out, I just kept reading, hoping that sooner or later I'd get the main idea behind the "Fae" world and who was good and bad.  That might have been too simple of an approach, seeing as most of the characters could have been good and bad for all we knew.  It's that limbo as readers that left me nervous for McKayla throughout much of the book.  Jericho Barrons, the guy who takes her in, is described as some type of massive male Adonis, built to protect and defend, brooding and sulking in a very manly fashion.  The thing is, in this first installment, there is little you feel you know about him, and therefore never feel certain whether he is there to help McKayla or not. 

McKayla is a quick character to get a grasp on, but I often felt like she was in so much danger from the start, that I didn't really have a chance to like her or not.  Okay, so she's our main character and I don't want to see her die at the hands of some shadow-like creature or crazy demon, but other than that, I don't know that I get her yet.   Jericho is just the brooding male figure in the story so far, and the other peripheral characters all blend in the background of what is a fast-moving story.

My thought is that this first book must be meant to give the reader a good understanding of the Fae world that Moning has set up.  This isn't a book I'd skip to move on to later installments, as I'm already part way into the second book and can see how lost you'd be without the first.  The action is crazy at times, scary at times, and even a little sad at times, but really all intriguing.  I'm one to usually get annoyed or bored with drawn out fight scenes or Paranormals galore, but these books have me intrigued and I'm going to keep reading them.  They definitely have their own unique premise on the Paranormal world!

Review: Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris

When we talk about escape reading, the Sookie Stackhouse series definitely has that escapist factor!  Filled with all sorts of paranormal elements, mystery, and romance, they are a crazy, good time.  In May, book 11 in the series, Dead Reckoning comes out and I'd like to be up to speed by then, so I recently read Dead and Gone (book 9).  This is a difficult book to review without giving away a little something, so I'll do my best to not include spoilers!

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "Except for Sookie Stackhouse, folks in Bon Temps, Louisiana, know little about vamps-and nothing about weres.

Until now. The weres and shifters have finally decided to reveal their existence to the ordinary world. At first all goes well. Then the mutilated body of a were-panther is found near the bar where Sookie works-and she feels compelled to discover who, human or otherwise, did it.

But there's a far greater danger threatening Bon Temps. A race of unhuman beings-older, more powerful, and more secretive than vampires or werewolves-is preparing for war. And Sookie finds herself an all-too human pawn in their battle."

Review:  In this latest installment in the Sookie Stackhouse series, Sookie has returned home once again to try to get back to her "normal" life.  We know there are weres, shifters, and vampires, but to this we add the faeries.  Sookie meets some of her long-lost family and learns more about her past and who her parents were.  As with everything else Sookie has been involved with, it sometimes is just too much and all she really wants is a real life where she can go to work, come home, and have a normal existence that doesn't involve fearing for her life.  That's just not possible for Sookie though.  What do you do with a talent like reading people's thoughts?  No, Sookie is too valuable to all sides of the paranormal and human community.

This particular book, thankfully, doesn't show Sookie whining about the dangers she finds herself.  I liked that Sookie faced everything in a no-nonsense, this-is-my-life now sort of way.  In fact, I wasn't annoyed that she had protectors hanging around, because I finally felt that even Sookie just got that this is how things were for her.   

We have a lot of characters in this novel, both from past installments in the series, and new characters that are adding to this paranormal world Sookie lives in.  She's not alone in finding out about all of the paranormals though, as the weres come out to the world and among the vampires, their loyalty and power lines have shifted.  Eric and Bill are still very present, and it doesn't seem as though romance will ever be a completely easy thing for Sookie.  I felt as Sookie did though, wondering if her connection to Eric is only based on a swapping of blood (Yea, the exchange of bodily fluids element confuses things here), unlike the relationship and feelings she had for Bill at one time.  Honestly, I still like Bill and think that he was good for her, but totally get the tie to hottie Eric and all his influence and power in the vamp community. 

This is just a fun series to read.  This may not be a series that I recommend to my high school students, although I know some of them have/are reading them, but I have enjoyed them.  These really are pretty different, so you never know what to expect, which is a nice change.


*FTC Disclosure:  This review is based on a library copy of the novel.

Review: The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

I'm ashamed to say that I've had The Dark Divine by Bree Despain for almost a year!  It wasn't until I realized that book two was coming out, and the fact that some of my students chose to read this for literature circles in my Popular Fiction class (and loved it), that I decided I had to get to it.  Originally, the boys in my Pop. Fiction class were leery of the "girlie" cover, but soon were sucked into the story and told all of the guys in the class that it was a good read for anyone.  I really wanted to see what they were talking about and just jumped in!

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "Grace Divine—daughter of the local pastor—always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared and her brother Jude came home covered in his own blood.  Now that Daniel's returned, Grace must choose between her growing attraction to him and her loyalty to her brother.  As Grace gets closer to Daniel, she learns the truth about that mysterious night and how to save the ones she loves, but it might cost her the one thing she cherishes most: her soul."

Review:  The Dark Divine originally felt familiar, like something I had read before.  In a lot of ways, this did seem like a common paranormal teen read, but the complication in the story between Grace, Daniel, and Grace's brother Jude builds and builds and builds in such a way that you have to keep reading.  Why did Daniel disappear in the first place?  Why does Jude hate him so much?  How does he happen to appear to help Grace when she needs help?   Readers somehow get that Daniel is the bad boy that Grace should avoid, but we also see that there is a lot we don't know.  Daniel is definitely mysterious, but has this vulnerability to him that pushes the reader to find out why.  

There is a definite paranormal twist to the novel, and a big, bad monster on the loose that has you looking at many of the characters in the novel with a skeptical eye.  Thankfully, each plot point moves closer and closer to the conclusion, which is quite a page turner.  In fact, the climax of the story felt like an action movie that I could see inside my head with drama, romance, and a fight sequence that had me nervous.  Honestly, the story was well thought out, engaging, and actually felt new, regardless of the number of paranormal teen reads out right now.

One of the best recommendations I think I can give for the novel would actually have to be from my own students.  Some of the boys were reluctant to read what they perceived might be a "girlie" book, based on the cover; however, they quickly came back saying how much they liked it.  The action in the story wasn't erased by any over-sentimentality and romance on the part of the female protagonist, and so they liked it.  I can see why.  The Dark Divine is mysterious, emotional, and has me wanting to read the next book in the series so I can hurry and catch up with these characters!  For me, this was one of the better young adult novels I've read this past year. 

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a personal copy of the novel.

Review: From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris

I'm pretty hard pressed to remember where I'm at in this series half the time.  If I didn't keep a book log as well as this blog, I'd be lost!  Since I'm up to my eyebrows in grading right now, and just have a lot on my mind, the Sookie Stackhouse series has been a strange little escape from it all.  I recently finished reading From Dead to Worse and am still struggling to figure out what Harris was doing with this book.  This was a good book, but maybe a bit more of a transitional book than forwarding the story much?  I'm still not sure.

Synopsis:  Since I struggle a bit to identify this book, forgive me as I rely on Goodreads for a tidy summary:

"The supernatural community in Bon Temps, Louisiana, is reeling from two hard blows - the natural disaster of Hurricane Katrina and the man-made horror of the explosion at the vampire summit the month before in the up-north city of Rhodes. Sookie Stackhouse is safe but dazed, yearning for things to get back to normal. But that's just not happening. Too many vampires - some friends, some not - were killed or injured, and her weretiger boyfriend, Quinn, is among the missing.
 
It's clear that things are changing, whether the Weres and vamps of her corner of Louisiana like it or not. And Sookie - friend of the pack and blood-bonded to Eric Northman, the leader of the local vampire community - is caught up in the changes.

In the ensuing battles, Sookie faces danger, death... and, once more, betrayal by someone she loves. And when the fur has finished flying and the cold blood flowing, her world will be forever altered."

Review:  I really liked this eighth installment in the Sookie Stackhouse series, as it seemed to get back to Sookie living her life in Bon Temps.  I sometimes find myself frustrated when Sookie becomes the target of a bunch of bad guys that she then needs protecting from.  That's not to say there wasn't some of that in this book, and maybe I'm just growing immune to the lighter variety threats, but these felt less dangerous than some of the previous snares Sookie has been involved in.  Thankfully, Quinn is out of the picture.  Yes, I think he was a nice, protective diversion for Sookie, but I wasn't a huge fan and felt that he might be pretty short-lived as a romantic interest.  Obviously, with a stronger connection to Eric that has been established over the course of the previous seven books, we know that he will probably be popping up a bit more.  I can't say that will be a disappointment!

Although there is a shifting of power going on in book eight, and there is a new king that Eric has to pander to, this book felt more about regrouping.  With the big catastrophe in Rhodes, from the previous book, that left the paranormal community rocking (and many dead), and also the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, this book seemed more about seeing where all our characters were at and how they were doing.  To me, this seemed like a slower-paced storyline that helped the reader retrace everything.  I enjoyed this regrouping and appreciate the continued strength that Sookie goes on to show.  Also, Sookie draws closer to family in this book, which adds an interesting twist to the story that had me reaching for book nine pretty quickly!  

If you haven't read this series, or started it and felt frustrated, I say continue on.  Looking back, I struggled through books two through four.  Once I got past that initial slump, I've been eager to find out what would happen in each book since!

As I mentioned in my review, I felt this book was a bit of a bridge.  Do you ever feel that there are books in a series that are there to bridge to a new twist in the story rather than to really add or continue what was started?  Are these books necessary, or at least necessary to that degree?

Review: Emma and the Vampires by Wayne Josephson

I'm not quite sure where this week has gone, but here it is nearing the end.  I've had little to no time nor interest in reading since Monday, which is crazy, but I think will prepare me well for the 24 Hour Read-a-Thon coming up on Saturday.  If you haven't yet signed up to join in, you can follow the link above to find out additional information. 

This summer I was approached about reading a Jane Austen mashup for her famous novel Emma.  Although I haven't yet read a paranormal version of her novels, I will admit to being somewhat curious, so I agreed to read and review Emma and the Vampires by Wayne Josephson.  Honestly, it has me chuckling from time to time and can say that it wasn't as painful as I'd expected!  It was a funny diversion.

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "In this hilarious retelling of Jane Austen's Emma, screenwriter Wayne Josephson casts Mr. Knightley as one of the most handsome and noble of the gentlemen village vampires. Blithely unaware of their presence, Emma, who imagines she has a special gift for matchmaking, attempts to arrange the affairs of her social circle with delightfully disastrous results. But when her dear friend Harriet Smith declares her love for Mr. Knightley, Emma realizes she's the one who wants to stay up all night with him. Fortunately, Mr. Knightley has been hiding a secret deep within his unbeating heart-his (literal) undying love for her."

Review:  Although some readers have found any retelling of Austen's novels blasphemous, I have to say that I found Emma and the Vampires to be pretty funny.  Much of the story is almost an exact copy of Austen's original, with the addition of vampires that stumble from the bushes to attack unaware humans at the end of a social occasion.  It quickly becomes obvious though that Emma can handle herself and easily uses the wooden stake tied to her leg at all times to eliminate her undead attackers.  

Many of our well-known characters from the novel are also undead, but have somehow learned to rely on animals and other food sources than humans (unless it is their own spouse).  Mr. Knightley, for one, is part of the undead, yet remains civilized and ready to stand up for the highest comportment of his society.  In some ways, these vampire battles and undead characters take little away from the original tale, but rather, add a bit of humor.  I found myself giggling at scenes where the undead were inserted in a casual conversation.  It just seemed a little funny.  In the end though, I didn't think that anything was taken away from the story, even though the majority of the plot was created and driven by Jane Austen's own imagination, only fueled by a little of the undead.

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a copy of the novel provided by the publisher.  No monies were exchanged or received in relation to this post.

What mashups have you read and did you enjoy the humor that the paranormal element added to the story?

Review: All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris

Yes, it's been much too long since I posted anything, and I have had a bit of anxiety about the whole thing.  I'm a creature of routine, and when my routine is switched up, everything goes out of whack!  I'm back to work at my high school, and the kiddos come back on Wednesday.  Am I ready?  Yes and no, but ready or not, they're a comin'!

One side note to all of this was that I took my mother back to the airport on Saturday so she could fly back to Hawaii.  I was dreading it, and have missed her terribly.  My mother means the world to me, so sending her back hit me pretty hard.  Although I'm used to being a tough cookie and taking care of myself, it was nice having her here.  Now, I have to count down the days until Christmas!  In the meantime, I actually calmed myself by finishing Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse book 7, All Together Dead, as well as J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (which sent me into a crying jag when Harry fought Voldermort), but I'll save that review for a little later.  Needless to say, these books helped ease the sadness a little, which makes me love books even more!

Synopsis:  In this seventh installment, Sookie has been recruited (or you could say requested) to attend the vampire "summit" being held on Lake Michigan.  As a telepath, the queen vamp of Lousiana feels that Sookie can help protect her as she heads to court over the murder of her late husband.  Also, the queen feels that she is in jeopardy and that Sookie makes a great tool for her to weed out her possible opponents.  At this conference, we find three men who each have an interest in Sookie's heart:  Quinn, Bill, and Eric.  As always, may the best man wiggle his way into her heart and try to win!

Review:  I have to say, that as a balm for a troubled soul this weekend, this was the perfect get away trip, all packaged in one book.  Even if I had not been in a position where I desperately needed an escape read, this seventh in the series still would have been appealing and a great read.  Where previous installments left me looking towards the future, knowing that I was being set up to like or not like certain characters, I didn't care as much in this installment.  Sookie felt stronger to me, and her ability to keep her head on straight (so to say), made me relax and trust that she could get through the vamp summit safely.  In that case then, I enjoyed seeing where Charlaine Harris took these familiar characters.

In a strange way, this installment felt like a side story, and yes, like it is a stepping stone to more stories to come.  I didn't mind that stepping stone though, and found the vampire trials, vampire entertainment, and new skills Sookie learned with her fellow telepath from a previous novel fun to watch.  I can't help that I like Bill, but I also like Eric and Quinn (okay, so maybe not Quinn quite as much).  The difference though is in where Sookie is honest with us as readers.  Lest I give away too much, it's starting to become evident that she's not being 100% honest about her feelings for one of these characters, maybe because (blood sharing aside...wow, that sounds icky when I write it) she feels more vulnerable to one of these characters whom she is feeling a deeper connection?  Yes, I'm hoping that's the case.

Out of the other novels in the series, this was one of my favorites thus far.  I liked Sookie's strength, and that it wasn't all about a million different men falling at her feet and coming to save her after every painful battle.  In this case, Sookie really seemed to pull herself together, and even managed to do a bit of saving herself!  Whether it was her strength that drew me in this time, or the direction that it is headed, I liked this novel and can say that I can see it's going to continue to be a fun ride!

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based off of a personal electronic copy of the novel.

Review: Manifest by Artist Arthur

It's that time of the summer, once again, for me to really start drafting up "To Do" lists for myself, and to start thinking about what needs to be accomplished before I head back to school in about three weeks.  No longer am I drawing up lists based on what I need to read (because those are the funnest lists of all), but instead I'm figuring out what needs to be done around my house and what I still need to lesson plan out before the madness really ensues!  About now, I wish I had a personal assistant, so I could keep reading!

As I've mentioned before, I'm going to be teaching a new YA Popular Fiction class this fall.  On the one hand, I'm super excited, and on the other hand, as I put together brand new materials, I'm wondering what I was thinking!  There is a lot of work that goes into creating new curriculum.  The fun part of the course is that I get to do a lot of reading in preparation.  I've been rereading some of the book I'll be teaching, such as the Harry Potter series, as well as The Hunger Games.  Along with this, I've been drafting up lists of books, as "suggestions" for other books that my students might like to read.  As part of that, I accepted an advanced copy of a new series of young adult books being put out by Harlequin's imprint Kimani Tru.  Like many readers, I thought they were only geared toward romance, so I was interested in learning more about their foray into YA literature.  As part of this new endeavor, I had a chance to read, Manifest, by Artist Arthur, which just came out yesterday.

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "When fifteen-year-old Krystal Bentley moves to Lincoln, Connecticut, her mom's hometown, she assumes her biggest drama will be adjusting to the burbs after living in New York City.
But Lincoln is nothing like Krystal imagined. The weirdness begins when Ricky Watson starts confiding in her. He's cute, funny, a good listener—and everything she'd ever want—except that he was killed nearly a year ago. Krystal's ghost-whispering talents soon lead other "freaks" to her door—Sasha, a rich girl who can literally disappear, and Jake, who moves objects with his mind. All three share a distinctive birthmark in the shape of an M and, fittingly, call themselves the Mystyx. They set out to learn what really happened to Ricky, only to realize that they aren't the only ones with mysterious powers. But if Krystal succeeds in finding out the truth about Ricky's death, will she lose him for good?"

Review:  Manifest is an interesting blend of the new and popular mystery and paranormal story that so many readers have come to crave.  In this particular story, the paranormal element comes in the form of a group of teens who find they have matching "tattoos" or marks in the shape of the letter "M."  Krystal's power seems to be the ability to speak to the dead, and although this might be cool in most cases, when you're a teen dealing with moving to a new school and the break up of your parent's marriage, it's all a bit much for her.  Although I'm not a teen, I have to admit that I would never want this particular power, as speaking to the dead is a bit creepy in my book, and hard to not get a little shiver when thinking about it!

The book starts off pretty slow, feeling more like journal entries chronicling Krystal's days at school, at home, and at the time she meets her first "dead" person.  By about the mid point in the book, the action picked up, and the mystery behind the death of the dead kid "Ricky" starts to unfold.  I appreciated that the clues dropped throughout the book actually matched with the way it turned out.  In some cases, readers might find this annoying, as they guess the ending; however, I am just the opposite.  I'm not a huge mystery fan for the fact that most writers "break the rules" (so to say) of the plot, and trip you up to shock you.  In the case of Manifest, we learn what happens right along with Krystal, and we realize who has committed the crimes as she does.  Honestly, I like figuring things out, so thanks to the author for creating a solid plot that followed through!

For young adults looking for a quick mystery, with a little bit of magic and romance mixed in, this is a great fit.  As it seems we don't have enough characters of color who take the lead role, who aren't merely talking about cultural angst, I also thought this was a great mainstream novel for all readers to enjoy.  The storytelling can feel a bit like journal entries at times, but has a cohesive story, and interesting teenage characters.

Thank you to Lisa at the Harlequin imprint Kimani Tru for the opportunity to review this novel!

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a review copy provided by Harlequin Books.  No monies were exchanged in reference to this review.

Just as a quick question, does anyone else feel that mysteries should follow their own clues to lead to the end result, or is it just me? 

Review: Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris

As with many of you, I have had a busy (in a good way) couple of weeks.  We've had a couple of visitors here over the last couple of weeks, so I have found myself only reading at bedtime.  I'm not complaining though, since we've been having lots of summer fun that included a beach day that covered me in a blistering sunburn.  I didn't want to sunburn, but I will admit to a great swim in the ocean, followed by a nice bit of sunshine to dry me off.  That's one of those memories to help carry me through a long winter later, right?

One book I managed to finish up was Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris, which I got through pretty quickly on my Kindle.  I'm in the middle of several books right now, but the electronic format of this book made it easy to hold and forward pages when I was sleepy!

Synopsis:  In this sixth installment, Sookie learns that her cousin Hadley has been murdered and left everything to her.  Hadley was a vampire, and had a "relationship" with the vampire Queen of Louisiana that left her new husband, the vampire King of Mississippi a little jealous.  In the midst of Sookie taking on the responsibility of packing up her cousin's apartment and figuring out who murdered her, she has also begun a new friendship and flirtation with a shifter named Quinn, but has recently found out devastating news about her relationship with Bill that has left Sookie feeling vulnerable and unsure of herself.

Review:  While some reviewers found book six slow, I thought the story in book six introduced new characters and situations that are obviously going to set up books down the line.  Because I'm not always into long, drawn-out mysteries, I actually enjoyed this novel for its straight-forward action and plot development.  Yes, there were still mysterious actions going on in the story, but they are answered rather quickly, and only aid in propelling the story on a bit more. 

On the whole, I liked the new characters and the direction the series has taken.  The story has become even more paranormal than it was before (if possible), and it should be interesting to see where it goes.  I can't say that the writing is sparkling (no vampire pun intended), but the story telling is interesting and holds a twist of comedy and drama that feels strange for this type of novel.  It's hard not to care about Sookie and her life.  Really, I think that while Sookie's strange draw to every man she associates with can be a bit annoying, that you do grow to want to see her safe and happy! 

If you've been reading this series and already read this installment, did you like the new characters and direction of the series, or did you find it jarring?

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a personal electronic copy of the novel.

This book counts as my 5th in the E-Book Reader Challenge.  One more, and I'll have another challenge in the bag!