In Which Our Heroine Makes a Choice

As I said earlier, this RIP season seems to be the season of the Vampire. Ever book I've read so far for this challenge seems to involve vampires!! That includes the latest installment of the Gardella Vampire Chronicles, When Twilight Burns by Colleen Gleason (368 pgs, Signet, 2008). While not my favorite book in the series, this one is still definitely worth reading!

Back in London, Victoria has her hands full. Not only is her mother pressuring her to be social and rejoin the ton, she is looking to marry her off again. She is also expected to play a part in her friend Gwendolyn's wedding, even though Gwendolyn's brother (and member of the Tutela) is back in town. And if that isn't bad enough, it seems that a new type of vampire is walking the streets of London. During the daytime. And is setting up Victoria to take the fall for the killings.

In addition to all of her other problems, Victoria has another worry. The encounter she had with Beauregard has left her changed. She reacts differently around blood, and finds herself enraged easier. Now she is worried that she is becoming the thing she despises the most: a vampire.

The "love triangle" between Victoria/Max/Sebastian is also a very major storyline in this book. Sebastian has accepted his role as Venator and is working along side Victoria in her efforts to rid London of vampires, although there are still a few trust issues. Then there is Max. He has lost his Venator powers and is trying to hide from Lilith. But he has come to London to offer his services as well. After Max's kiss, Victoria is even more confused about where her heart wants to lead her.

This book has less about vampires and more about romance than any of the preceding books. And it seems that by the end, a choice has been made. Am I happy with the choice? It's a little bittersweet for me, because I truly like both male characters. But I honestly feel like it was the right choice. As always, there are some twists and turns that make this an exciting read. And Colleen seems to be heading toward a conclusion to this series....again, it will be bittersweet for me. I love this series and hate to see it end. But end it will. And I definitely am waiting on pins and needles for the next installment!! 4/5

In Which Our Heroine Finds Even More Trouble

Ahhhhh.....T'is truly the Season of the Vampire. For my next RIP selection, I decided to pick up Colleen Gleason's Book 3 in the Gardella Vampire Series, The Bleeding Dusk (368 pgs, Signet 2008). Yes, I know. I'm WAY behind. I'm not sure what happened, but for some reason I just didn't get to this book right away. On the bright side, I already have Book 4, so now I can just keep right on reading!!

Note: There are spoilers in this review for Rises the Night.

The lair of the Queen of the Vampires was tucked away in the snowy mountain range of Muntii Fagaras. The only reason Maximilian Pesaro had been able to find the hideaway was because of the two bite marks on his neck. Permanent ones left by Lilith herself.

The Bleeding Dusk continues the adventures of Victoria Gardella Grantworth de Lacey just a few months after the conclusion of Rises the Night. Things have changed for the Venators in Rome. Because Eustacia had been sacrificed to stop Nedes from activating Akvan's Obelisk, Victoria became the Illa Gardella. Still reeling from thhe loss of her aunt, she stayed in Rome to be at the Consilium with the other Venators instead of immediately returning to London.

Max was also grieving. He had to do the unthinkable in order to destroy the Obelisk, and it was killing him inside. But Lilith's promise of releasing him from her thrall was the one thing keeping him going. Until he met with her. She indeed said she would release him, but there was a price.

Now there are other things stalking the streets of Rome besides Vampires. And everyone is in a race to find the keys to the legendary "Door of Alchemy". Behind it are secrets left by the Alchemist Palombara, and vampires and demons alike are trying gain access. It's up to Victoria and the rest of the Venators to stop them.

I enjoyed the first two books in this series....a lot. But Colleen Gleason kicked it up a notch with The Bleeding Dusk. The weary little love triangle has now gotten even bigger. It's more like a square, with Victoria dead set in the center!! And no matter whether you happen to favor Sebastian or Max, it's apparent in this book that things are about to change rather drastically for everyone.

At the heart of this book is the notion of sacrifice. Not only Victoria, but both Max and Sebastian. And they are called to sacrifice something that is very near to their hearts and personal to them. How they handle it just makes the storyline grow stronger with each page turned. Colleen throws in a couple of curves with this book (like I expected any less!) and in the end, I think this might be the best book yet. The characters are evolving rather quickly, and although my tolerance for Victoria and her short-sightedness and quick-to-jump-to-conclusion way about her is starting to grate on me, I do understand where she is coming from. But the evolution of both Max and Sebastian is where the strength in The Bleeding Dusk lays. The foundation that was laid in the first two books takes on a whole different meaning now. And I can not wait to find out what happens. It will be a bittersweet day for me when this series has ended. But the end is near. I can feel it coming and I already have When Twilight Burns ready to go! If you have read the first two books, then you MUST read The Bleeding Dusk. Honestly, the series just gets better and better. And if you haven't read any of the Gardella books, I would completely recommend them. A Fantastic story for anyone that loves Vampires, but especially Buffy The Vampire Slayer! 4.5/5

Go Vote for Colleen!

As all of you know, I'm a HUGE fan of Colleen Gleason's Gardella Vampire series. Such great books! And Colleen is such a nice person. I visit her blog all the time.

Well....right now, she is in a "March Madness" contest over at Smart Bitches Who Love Trashy Novels. So far, she has made it to Round 3, but she is up against some stiff competition: Patricia Briggs and Moon Called.

So....if you are a fan of Colleen's work, I would love to see you vote for her!!

Click on the link above and it will take you to the vote. You have until Midnight tonight! Just Do It!!

Random Thoughts and New Releases

Is it just me, or is anyone else out there extremely excited for Stephen King's new book, Duma Key?? It just came out yesterday, and I still have some Christmas money left. So....I HAVE to get to the bookstore....SOON!! There are not a lot of books out there I will buy right away. Money is tight, and I really don't have the space anyway. But when Stephen King puts out a new novel, I will definitely be in the mood to buy it! And this one looks so good.

Besides the new Stephen King, I'm anxiously awaiting the new Colleen Gleason as well. The Bleeding Dusk is Book 3 of the Gardella Vampire Chronicles. Chris just wrote an excellent review of it here. The first 2 books were great, and even though they are in the "Romance" section (a place I generally don't hang out!), they are so much more than that. Colleen really knows how to build the suspense. Book 2, Rises the Night, was pretty dark, and I can't imagine this one will be any different. Release date is February 5th....just a few weeks away!! It seems like it is forever coming!!

On a rather sad note, I was extremely disturbed by the news of Heath Ledger's death. Not incredibly mainstream, he was still one of my favorite actors. Since the first time I saw him in 10 Things I Hate about You, I knew he was something special. (of course, that is one of my favorite movies!) He was never afraid to take chances either. Not many actors would have taken on a role like Ennis in Brokeback Mountain. He did a fabulous job of it too. He also looks deliciously creepy as the Joker in the newest Batman movie, The Dark Knight, a movie I can not wait to see. I really feel bad for his little girl. Hollywood definitely lost a shining star in Heath.

Is Book 2 Better than the First?? You Bet!!

Although my original intent was to finish reading Rises the Night by Colleen Gleason (352 pgs, Signet) for Carl's RIP Challenge, I missed the mark by about a week!! There just aren't enough hours in the day anymore! But as with the first, I am certainly glad I decided to pick up this book!

One year after the battle with Lilith, Queen of the Vampires, Victoria is finally getting her life as a Venator back to normal. Or as normal as a Ventator's life can be. But when Lilith left London, it seems that she took all the vampires with her. But Victoria still keeps up her patrols. It was the only thing that kept her feeling alive. One night, she decided to go see the remnants of the Silver Chalice. And ran smack dab into a vampire AND a demon. After the dust clears on the ensuing battle, Victoria finds a small pendant with a strange design.

After some research, it is discovered the design is the new insignia for the Tutela, a group of mortals that protect vampires. Victoria also learns that Max has been missing for almost 8 months! And now, Nedes, Lilith's son, has in his position an ancient object that can wake the dead. If he succeeds in activating it, all hell will break loose....literally! So, it is up to Victoria to infiltrate the Tutela, find Max, and save the world...again!

From London to Italy, this book is almost non-stop action. We learn more about the shady, but extremely sexy Sebastian. In fact, we learn more about most of the main characters in this book. Colleen Gleason has taken it up a notch with the darkness of this book, and gives us a wild ride! There are more twists and unexpected turns than in Book 1, and by the end, I was blown away! This book is truly original, exciting, and deeply sexy. I for one, can not wait until the release of Book 3!! 4.5/5

Colleen's New Release and a Library Book Sale

Colleen Gleason's latest Gardella Vampire Chronicles book, Rises the Night, was released on Tuesday. I went out today and bought it! Yeah! She even has a link for a $1 coupon for Borders on her blog, For All the World to See! The reviews are REALLY good, and the eye candy on the cover isn't bad either!! Can't wait to read it!!

Also picked up the new Marilyn Manson CD: Eat Me, Drink Me. It's really good. Very dark and rather goth compared to his other slightly more Rock albums. I'm liking it alot!!



It was also the first day of the Bloomington Public Library Sale, so I popped in. You know me....always looking for a bargain! I came away with a couple of STACKS of books!! You know it's bad when your basket is getting too heavy to carry! I tried to take a couple of shots. Book Porn, as Chris at Stuff As Dreams are Made On, calls it! Here is a highlight of the books I got:

1. 2 Charlaine Harris books - Grave Sight and Dead as a Doornail
2. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
3. Over Her Dead Body by Kate White
4. The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd
5. Best of Friends by Cathy Kelly
6. Deja Dead by Kathy Reichs
7. Harm None - A Rowan Gant Investigation by M. R. Sellars
8. Death at Glamis Castle - A Victorian Mystery by Robin Paige
9. What My Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones
10. 2 JD Robb Mysteries
11. The Deep End of the Ocean by Jacqueline Mitchard
12. Witch Fire by James Clemens
13. The Palace by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
14. The Witch's Grave by Phillip DePoy
15. The Warlock in Spire of Himself by Christopher Stasheff
16. Holes by Louis Sachar
17. Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson
18. 5 Debbie Macomber Cedar Cover books (not pictured)
19. 6 various Red Dress Ink Chick Lit books (not pictured)

All in all, a killer haul. Over 30 books total for under $20! I do HEART cheap book sales!!

Later