What is With All the YA Vampire Books? Review: Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz

Good Lord, there are a bunch of books/series that fall into the YA Vampire category: Twilight, Morganville, House of Night, Vampire Academy, Vampire Diaries. The list seems endless. And now Melissa de la Cruz has decided to dip her toes in the Vampiric waters. Blue Bloods (336 pgs, Hyperion, 2007) is Book One is this series that offers a new twist on an old legend.

One hundred and two people arrived on the Mayflower in November of 1620, but less than half lived to see the establishment of the Plymouth Colony the next year. While no one had died during the Mayflower's voyage, life after arrival was extremely difficult, especially for the young. Almost all of the lost were hardly sixteen years of age.

Life in New York City was rather unusual for Schuyler Van Alen. At fifteen, Schuyler is rather a loner. Enrolled at the exclusive Duchesne School, she really only had a couple of friends. Oliver, her best bud since 2nd grade. And Dylan, the new guy at school, who didn't want to conform to anyone's idea of a prep student. Schuyler is also a non-conformist. She prefers vintage to Prada; Converse to Jimmy Choo. While she doesn't know her father, her mother has been in a coma for as long as Schuyler can remember. It is for this reason that she lives with her rather cold Grandmother, Cordelia.

Now that Schuyler is fifteen, she has been noticing some changes. Mainly, the strange blue veins that seem to be showing up on her arms, but also a few others. When a Duchesne student is found murdered, the death haunts Schuyler in ways she never thought it would. Then, she receives an invitation to join the most prestigious charity organization in the city: The New York Blood Bank Committee, or just "The Committee". And while The Committee DID do charitable work, there was also another element to it. It is within this group that Schuyler and the other kids learn about their true origin. For they are not regular human teens: they are all Blue Bloods, a group of immortals. An ancient group of vampires that have lived since the beginning of time and are invincible. Or at least they are supposed to be. But it might not be true. The student who was murdered? A Blue Blood. What does that mean for the others?

First of all, I have to say I wasn't super crazy about this book. I mean, I liked it. And truthfully, the storyline is really unique. But it seemed like the entire book was just a set-up for the rest of the series. And because of that, it made it hard to get to know the characters very well. The characters that did get introduced all appeared a little flat. I mean, they were very stereotypical: Schuyler, the quiet loner. Jack, the rich guy that keys in on the loner. Mimi, the uber-rich, nasty mean girl. Oliver, the loner's best friend. Nothing rang of uniqueness. Also the book felt more like "Gossip Girl" than "Dracula". What I mean, is that it spent way more time talking about rich teens that Vampires.

I will give de la Cruz big kudos for coming up with one of the most original vampire origin stories I've ever heard. Truly a great storyline. Because I really liked the storyline, I'm hoping the rest of series will be better, especially since we've already established the "set-up". So, although I thought Book 1 was lacking a little, I see enough of a reason to continue on with the series. 3/5

I Just Can't Seem to Get Enough of the Morganville Vampires!

I admit it. Vampires, zombies, werewolves, faeries.....I love them. There is just something so fascinating to me about the paranormal. The books I have read dealing with them are fun. They take me to a new place, with completely new problems. Although the books aren't great literature, they help me escape. Again. I love them! Even though the RIP challenge ended at Halloween, I have a huge backlog of books that I wanted to read for the challenge, but didn't quite make it through. So, I'll probably be reading them through the end of the year. Today's paranormal read is Book 5 of the Morganville Vampire Series: Lord of Misrule by Rachel Caine (256 pgs, Signet, 2009).

It was all going wrong, and Morganville was burning -- part of it, anyway. Claire stood at the windows of the Glass House and watched the flames paint the glass a dull, flickering orange. She could always see the stars out her in the Middle of Nowhere, Texas -- but not tonight.

As with every other book in the series, this one picks up immediately after book 4 has ended. Amelie, Morganville's Founder and reigning bad-ass, had been staked at the Feast that was hosted in her father, Bishop's, honor. Although she was still alive (or alive as a vampire could be), she is weak. And now the vamps and humans alike of Morganville are going to have to take sides. Will they stick with Amelie and try to keep the peace and bond that exists between humans and vampires? Or will they join sides with Bishop, who wants to wipe out Morganville once and for all, using the humans basically as cattle. To top it all off, now there is a faction of humans that are joining in the mix: the humans that want to take back Morganville for themselves, killing off all the vampires in the process.

Claire and her friends are caught right smack in the middle. Although Claire would love to free from the vampires of Morganville, he allegiance still stands with Amelie. Not only is she pledged to her, but she is also trying to help find a cure for the mysterious disease that is starting to show itself amongst the vamps. Because her friend Michael is now a vampire, Claire will do whatever she can to help save him. But at what price to her friends and family? And what is going to happen with Amelie's forces collide with Bishop's?

I just can't seem to get enough of this series! One thing I can definitely say about Rachel Caine: the woman can write an interesting story!! Once again, the story starts out fast, and just keeps accelerating!! There really isn't much more to say that I haven't said about previous books. It is fun, fast-paced and exciting. But be warned: Each book, this one included, leaves you with a HUGE cliffhanger. If you like closure in your stories, you will not get it! However, if you like YA books or you like vampires, you really should read this series. Or, if you just want to read something a little "fluffy" and escape, then you should read this series. Or....if you just want to pick a book that is fun, read this series. Best advice I can give. Highly recommended. 4.25/5

Enemies Unite in Morganville!

For some reason, I just can't seem to help myself when it comes to vampires. And yes, I know you already know that! Fortunately, the market is heavy on vampires and zombies right now. Especially in the YA lit department. But one of the better series in the mix is the Morganville Vampire Series by Rachel Caine. I don't know what there is about this one, but it is just SO readable! I just finished Book 4: Feast of Fools (256 pgs, Signet, 208). Since it IS that time of year, I'm using this as one of my selections for the RIP IV Challenge.

It was hard to imagine how Claire's day -- even by Morganville standards -- could get any worse...and then the vampires holding her hostage wanted breakfast.

I'm mean really. With an opening line like that, how can you not want to read this book/series?? As with every book in the series, Feast of Fools picks up immediately where Midnight Alley left off. Mr. Bishop has arrived in town and wants to meet with his daughter, Amelie. As the Founder of the Morganville, Amelie has always been the most powerful vamp in town. Until now. If things in Morganville were scary before, now they are downright terrifying. Unlike Amelie, Mr. Bishop couldn't care less about the humans. To him, they are just cattle. Nothing more than the next meal. The protections that have been placed don't mean anything to him or his vampire crew.

And if this wasn't bad enough, now Claire has to deal with the fact that Amelie has brought her parents to live in Morganville. At least, when they were not in Morganville, she could shield them from the horrors she faced on a daily basis. Now, not only are they going to learn the secret of the Vampires of Morganville, but she is going to have to worry about their safety as well as her friends' safety.

In the fourth installation of this series, enemies come together to fight side by side against an outside force that threatens their existence in Morganville. I wish I could explain why I like these books so much. Rachel Caine can write. She knows how to tell a story. And frankly, she doesn't pull her punches. The characters in her books go through a lot. Unlike a lot of the books out there that romanticize vampires, Caine does not. Her vampires are rather scary, in fact. They need the humans in town to survive, without exposing themselves to the world. But if push comes to shove, they will eat you!

Claire is still a great character. In past books, I've admired her smarts, strength and loyalty. Nothing changes in this book, except her confidence. She has grown from the shy, meek little girl to a much more confident, self-reliant woman. Her romance with Shane is heating up too. But as with all the other books, Feast of Fools ends with a major cliffhanger ending. In fact, it's almost cruel the way Rachel Caine leaves us hanging! I guess that means, I'll just have to keep on reading!! And if you start this series, you will too! 4/5

Morganville Vampires Series Book 3

You all know my affinity for vampires. I just can't help myself. And although I *should* be saving this series for the upcoming RIP challenge....well, I needed a little pick-me-up this week! So I decided to "pick up" Midnight Alley: Morganville Vampires Book 3 by Rachel Caine (256 pgs, NAL Jam, 2007). Besides, it's another book I'm using for the Young Adult Challenge 2009.

Here are my reviews for the first 2 books:

Glass Houses: Morganville Vampires Book 1
Dead Girls' Dance: Morganville Vampires Book 2

Warning: There may be spoilers for previous books in this post!!

The instant the phone rang at the Glass House, Claire knew with a psychic flash that it had to be her mother. Well, it wasn't so much a psychic flash as simple logic. She'd told Mom she would call days ago, which she hadn't, and now, of course, it could only be her mother calling at the most inopportune moment. Hence: had to be a call from Mom.

Life in Morganville isn't ever normal. With a town run by vampires, how could it be? But when Claire signed a pledge to the founder, Amelie, she thought that she was doing the right thing. It was the only way she could save Shane's life AND protect her friends. Now, she just wants to get on with her education and try to live as normally as all possible. Without, of course, letting her friends know she signed the pledge.

But things in the Glass House are getting a little weird, even for Morganville. Monica Morrell is all friendly now that Claire has the Founder's Protection. Shane can't even be in the same room with Michael since he has become the town's newest vampire. Dead girls start showing up near the Glass House. And Eve's crazy brother Jason seems to be stalking the group of friends.

And now Amelie has a little project for Claire: She wants her to study with Myrnin, an ancient Vampire. Myrnin is a genius. So incredibly smart, but he has become increasingly unstable. When Claire figures out who Myrnin really is, the last thing she wants to do is spend time with him. His moments of lucidity are becoming farther and farther apart. How can she learn from someone that wants to teach her one minute, and kill her the next?

End Spoilers.

Ok. I admit it. This series is total fluff. And you know what? I'm good with that! When I read the first book, I was a little put-off by how unrealistic I thought the storyline was. No, not the vampire parts. We ALL know that is unrealistic. But the way Claire was being treated. It just didn't ring true to me. BUT the farther along I read, that doesn't seem to matter. Rachel Caine has created a great plot, and is slowly revealing pieces to the puzzle....bit by bit. Each book adds another piece to the intricate plot and in turn, makes the reader want to read even faster!

This book and the entire series is completely addictive!! But damn Rachel Caine for the utterly heart-stopping cliffhangers at the end of each book!! Thankfully, I have the next 3 books in line, all ready to go for the RIP Challenge, if I can just wait!! My advice to you: if you want to read a fun, fluffy, and completely enthralling series, make sure you have all the books ready. Once you start, you will want to continue through till the end! 4.5/5

The Continuing Zoey Redbird Saga.....

As faithful followers of this blog, you all know my love of both YA and Vampires. So it will come as no surprise that the next book I review is Hunted: A House of Night Novel (Book 5) by PC Cast and Kristin Cast (336 pgs, St. Martin's Press, 2009). Not only is it a selection for the YA Challenge 2009, but also for the Once Upon a Time III Challenge.

WARNING: There may be spoilers if you haven't read Book 4!

The dream began with the sound of wings. In retrospect, I realize I should have known that was a bad sign, what with the Raven Mockers begin set loose and all, but in my dream it was just background noise, kinda like a fan or the TV turned on to the QVC.

Immediately taking off where Untamed left us hanging, Zoey and her circle have fled to the tunnels to escape the demon Kalona, that Neferet has released to be her consort. Putting her faith in Stevie Rae and the new red fledglings, Zoey and the gang needed to regroup and decide what they were going to do. The Raven Mockers have started on a quest to massacre the humans; Neferet has turned away from Nyx and joined the Dark Side, increasing her powers along the way; Kalona has a strange hold on all the other residents of the House of Night. Trying to come up with a plan, they realize that one of the red fledglings' poetry seems to hold clues as to how they can stop Kalona.

But when Zoey's human ex-boyfriend, Heath shows up to try to help, he brings trouble to the tunnels. And Zoey is almost killed in the process. Weak and seriously injured, the only chance for her survival is to return to the House of Night to heal, among the adult vampyres. Leaving Heath and Erik to stay with Stevie Rae and the red fledglings, the rest of the gang heads right back into the fire of the House of Night.

Hunted, in it's entirety takes place in only 2 days. The action is fast-paced and immediate. But if I'm going to be honest, I was disappointed with this book. As readable as it is, it is not nearly as good (or well-written) as the previous book, Untamed. Why was I disappointed? Zoey never seems to learn her lesson. As a High Priestess in training, she should be more focused on the tasks at hand. But she keeps falling back into the same trap with the men in her life. She can't break with ANY of them, and now she has even added a new one to her entourage!!

More unanswered questions leave us hanging at the end: Most importantly....what is really up with the red fledglings?? Can they truly be trusted?? Which, of course, is a nice way of getting us prepared for the NEXT book. I really need to quit reading series books that have no endings because now I have no closure!

But my main disappointment with this book is the editing!! I've read a lot of ARC's that are considered uncorrected proofs. And that's fine. But for me to go out and BUY a new NOVEL to find blatant errors really bothers me. There are at least three major typos (including a name switch : Damian's name in place of Darius) that really irked me. It made the whole book seem like it was rushed to the shelf. There seems to be an inconsistency between the books in the series - an up and down in quality to them. Note to anyone at St. Martin's Press: If you need a new copy editor, I AM available!

All of that said, I still enjoyed the book. I still need to finish the series because I MUST know how it all ends! If you have read the rest of the series, you should definitely read this one. Just don't expect a lot of answers and don't expect to be 'wowed' like before! 3.75/5

Book 2 in the Twilight Series......

Well....I can't stop reading the series now, can I? Not a series that has my son begging for more books?? I went out and bought New Moon by Stephenie Meyer (608 pgs, Little, Brown Young Readers, 2006) as soon as Chad was disappointed he was on a waiting list at school to get the book. I figured it was an investment in his education!! Again, I can see the appeal this series has for the younger set.

I felt like I was trapped in one of those terrifying nightmares, the one where you have to run, run till your lungs burst, but you can't make your body move fast enough. My legs seemed to move slower and slower as I fought my way through the callous crowd, but the hands on the clock tower didn't slow. With relentless, uncaring force, they turned inexorably toward the end -- the end of everything.

Things for Bella seem to be going smoothly. She and Edward are a couple. No one knows the Cullens' secret about being vampires. Life is good. There is still one tiny problem -- she wants Edward to turn her so they can spend eternity together, and he wants nothing to do with it. But dating a vampire has a few drawbacks!

Then the Cullens throw a surprise party for Bella's birthday, and in typical Bella clumsy fashion, she gets hurt. The realization that she IS human and they are not seeps in. The Cullens leave town, and Edward breaks up with Bella. In harsh fashion, he tells her that he just can't take their relationship. He doesn't love her enough to do it.

Bella goes into a tailspin of depression. So bad that her friends no longer want to be around her. Charlie is ready to have her committed. She is sleep walking through life. Until she finds if she is in trouble, she can "hear" Edward's voice inside her head. So Bella starts do really reckless things just to feel closer to him. She evens buys 2 motorcycles, although they need a lot of work. And who does she get to help her with it, but her old friend Jacob Black.

Bella starts spending a lot of time with Jacob. He comes her best friend, and the person she relies on the most since Edward left. It's pretty obvious that Jacob's feelings are a lot stronger than Bella's. But she really does care for him. But Jacob has secrets of his own, and now Victoria is back....and pissed off. She is trying to exact her revenge by killing Bella. Since Edward killed James, she is planning to kill Edward's mate. Mate for Mate. And Bella is scared.

Really, I do see how this series became so popular. Meyer's writing is smooth and certainly addictive. Once you start, you can't put it down. But I don't think I liked this one as much as I did Twilight. Edward and family took a backseat to the new monsters in town, and frankly, I am rather partial to vampires!!

Again, Bella stilled annoyed me WAY too much. I get that she's a teenager. Losing your love is traumatic at any age. But we've all been through it. She fell into such a depression, feeling so sorry for herself, that it made me want to scream!! Her recklessness was really starting to bother me too. Personally, I didn't blame her for turning to Jacob. I've read a lot of reviews that said she was being really fickle...but I just didn't see it that way. I think she valued Jacob as a friend. She was very honest with him that she didn't feel the same way about him...and he accepted that. But she did come to love who he was....and if that was gone, she was going to be sad.

And Edward....oh let's get started on him. If he can't have Bella, he's just going to kill himself?? Please. Give me a break. You'd think that a 100-year-old vampire would be smart enough to get over a whiny little thing like Bella. Maybe I'm being jaded by dismissing the whole "Soul Mate" idea. I get the concept....but I just have a hard time buying into it. And marketing books to teens that promote this kind of worshipful love seems kind of dangerous to me. Sheesh. Maybe I AM too old to be reading this series!!

Anyway, I enjoyed the book. Not as much as Twilight. But since I bought Chad both Eclipse and Breaking Dawn for Christmas, I'll definitely be finishing out the series!! 3.75/5

Since I'm the Last Person on the Planet.....

to read Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (554 pgs, Little, Brown Young Readers, 2006) I'm not even sure if I should review it!! But I guess I will give a try. Actually, the reason I picked it up at this time is because Chad told me I had to read it. His reading teacher at school had all the kids in her 7th grade class read it for AR. When the movie comes out, she's taking the class to see it. THIS was the book Chad couldn't put down!! I even went out yesterday and bought him New Moon, because he is still on the waiting list at school and he was getting frustrated. Can't have that!!

I'd never given much thought to how I would die -- though I'd had reason enough in the last few months -- but even if I had, I would not have imagined it like this. I stared without breathing across the long room, into the dark eyes of the hunter, and he looked pleasantly back at me. Surely it was a good way to die, in the place of someone else, someone I loved. Noble, even. That ought to count for something.

When Bella made the decision to move to Forks, Washington, to live with her father, she really had no idea just how drastically her life would change. Sure, Forks, with all it's rainy darkness, was world's away from the sun of Phoenix. The school was so much smaller than her old school, Bella worried she wouldn't fit in. And yet, in a matter of days, she seems to be the object of obsession for most of the guys in town. And she makes friends quickly. This should be a good thing, right??

But Bella isn't interested in the boys in her school. Except for one. She is unusually drawn to Edward Cullen, one the "beautiful" people. Edward and his "family" are rich, beautiful....and dangerous. You see, they are a family of vampires.

When I read The Host by Stephenie Meyer, I was completely blown away. I still contend it is probably the best book I've read all year. Maybe it's a timing thing. I know a lot of people preferred the Twilight series. And while I highly enjoyed this book, I still think The Host was better.

Meyer has a way of completely sucking you into the stories she writes. I had a hard time putting this book down, even though it was rather slow getting to the "action", so to speak. The majority of this book is spent on getting to know the characters. We learn....slowly....WHAT Edward is. Meyer's gives us a different take of vampire legends. Edward and his family have a conscious. They don't hunt people, even though most of their kind does.

I really liked Edward and his vampire family. I liked learning their history and why they made the choices they did and live the way they do. And when the conflict (FINALLY) presents itself, I like how they band together to resolve it.

My biggest complaint about the book turns out the to be "human" factor....Bella. At first, I liked her. She's different than most teenage girls. She's not scared of Edward...even though she should be. She's curious. But she takes too many chances, and puts people she loves at risk. And she's whiny. EXTREMELY whiny. By the end of the book, I wanted to throttle her. Her "Don't Leave Me" mantra was almost more than I could take. I love a strong female protagonist. And Bella started out that way....but by the end of the book, she was clingy, whiny and so controlled that it almost ruined my enjoyment of the book.

I can see why Twilight is so popular, especially for the younger set. It's the ultimate "forever and ever" love story. It's heartwarming to see soul mates find each other. However, I'm not sure this one will have that fairy tale ending. I don't really see how it can work. But it gives a person hope. And for all my criticisms, I DID enjoy the book. I just hope I want to smack Bella less in the next one! 4/5

Chalk Up Another Vampire Novel!

Since I am sometimes a very shallow reader, a cool cover can definitely be a reason for me to pick up a book. When I saw Touch the Dark by Karen Chance (320 pgs, ROC, 2006), I knew I had to read it!! Chalk up another vampire novel for the RIP III Challenge!

I knew I was in trouble as soon as I saw the obituary. The fact that it had my name on it was sort of a clue. What I didn't know was how they'd found me, and who the guy was with the sense of humor. Antonio has never been much for comedy. I've never figured out if that had something to do with being dead, or if he's always been a morose son of a bitch.

From the opening paragraph you can tell it's going to be a wild ride!! Cassandra "Cassie" Palmer is on the run. She has been hiding for the last 3 years from Master Vampire Antonio. Cassie is a gifted clairvoyant, and was raised by Tony after her parents were killed. Not that Tony was being charitable. No, he used Cassie's abilities to make a lot of money for his vampire "mafia". But when Cassie found out that Tony was behind her parents' death, she took off. Now Tony has found her, and is intent on settling the score.

But Cassie has bigger trouble. Not only has Tony found her, but so has the Vampire Senate. In fact, they have been watching her for some time. Under cover of a runaway, her roommate Tomas, is a master vampire and she didn't even know it!! He was placed with her by the Senate to watch over her in case something bad went down. Now that it has, Tomas takes Cassie to the Senate HQ to meet with the Counsul. It seems they are also interested in her abilities.

A storm is a brewing. The vampire Rasputin has aligned himself with the Dark Circle, the dark mage. He has already taken out some of the members of the Vampire Senate and is trying to take it over. And for some reason, he wants Cassie. The Senate has offered her protection, but is she willing to pay the price for it??

That is just a quick synopsis of the beginning of this book. There are many layers to the story, and lots of history on the Vampire Senate, the pecking order in the vampire world, and the Dark and Silver Circles. In fact, it seems this book is just a stepping stone for others in the series.

Cassie is one tough cookie. She is a loner through and through. Tough, smart, and full of sass, she is an fantastic protagonist. Named after the 'Seer' Cassandra in Greek Mythology, Cassie indeed has the gift of sight. She also has the ability to commune with spirits, in particular one named Billy Joe - a card shark from the old West that lost his life cheating in a poker game.

One of the things I liked best about the story is the role that historical characters play. It seems that a lot of people in history are truly vampires. From Jack-the-Ripper (as creepy in death as he was in life) to Mircea, Vlad the Impaler's brother.

Packed full of adventure and tension, Touch the Dark is an excellent start for this series. One of these days maybe I'll learn to stop reading Book One's, because now I feel the need to keep on reading this series!! A real page-turner, this book is a great way to get a good fix if you need some paranormal fun!! 4.5/5

Book 2 of Morganville Vampires is Better Than the First!

The leaves are changing colors, and the temperature is starting to drop. The RIP season finally feels like it has arrived!! And since I have spent the entire Challenge reading Vampire books, I didn't see any reason to stop! Since I was left hanging by a thread at the end of Glass Houses, I immediately picked up The Dead Girls' Dance: Morganville Vampires Book Two by Rachel Caine (256 pgs, NAL JAM, 2007).

WARNING: THIS REVIEW WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS TO THE BOOK GLASS HOUSES!!

It didn't happen, Claire told herself. It's a bad dream, just another bad dream. You'll wake up and it will be gone like the fog......She had her eyes squeezed tight shut. Her mouth felt dry, shriveled up and she was pressed up against Shane's hot, solid side, curled up on the couch in the Glass House. Terrified. It's just a bad dream. But when she opened her eyes, her friend Michael was still dead on the floor in front of her.

Did I happen to mention how much of a cliffhanger ended Glass Houses? I did. See what I mean??

For the roommates of the Glass House, things had gotten pretty bad. When the vampires of Morganville had attacked the house, Shane had called in the troops. But the "troops" might have proved scarier than the vampires, if that was at all possible. Shane had been raised in Morganville, so he knew you had to follow the rules of the vampires. But when he angered Monica Morrell, the mayor's daughter and one evil bully (who just happened to be under the protection of a powerful vampire), his house had been burnt down. And his younger sister had died in the process. He and his parents were allowed to leave town. Normally when this happens, a person will not remember anything about vampires. It's just one of the weird side-affects from being in the town. But Shane's mother couldn't forget what happened. And Shane had come back to town with his mind set on revenge. The troops were a biker gang, led by Shane's father, and they stormed in to save the day.

But before they arrived, Claire had already stopped the vampires from killing everyone. She had found the book they had so desperately wanted, and secured a tenuous Founder's Protection from Amelie for the house. But when Shane's dad arrived, there was no going back. And Michael, not being 100% alive anyway, was killed in the process. OK. He was actually ALREADY dead before the bikers killed him. He was a ghostly presence that could only appear at night, and was somehow linked to the Glass House. It's not easy to kill a ghost, and when night fell again, Michael reappeared, as if nothing had ever happened. But now, a plan had been set in motion. A plan that would definitely be bad for the kids at The Glass House, who would most certainly lose the Protection that had been bestowed on them.

When a vampire ends up dead, it all links back to Shane and his father. And even though Shane didn't have anything to do with the murder, he was going to have to pay the price: with his own life. Shane has been sentenced to death by fire, and it was up to Claire, Eve and the ghostly Michael to stop it. Not only do the kids have to worry about the vampires, now they have to worry about stopping Shane's dad and friends before it is too late. Just another day in Morganville!!

In the book Glass Houses, I found the plot line a little on the absurd side. But I got past all that and in the end I liked the book. I didn't have that problem with Dead Girls' Dance. And since it started out literally minutes after Book one had finished, I was completely grabbed by the book right away. So far, this series is much darker than I had originally thought it would be. But dark is good in my eyes, and trust me when I say Dead Girls Dance is no exception. What I really like about this book is Claire. For a sixteen-year-old genius, she has great head on her shoulders. And although she comes off as mousy and young, Claire is way tougher than anyone expected she would be. Not only is she incredibly smart, but she is extremely loyal to her new-found friends. And she is also incredibly brave. Not every sixteen-year-old would take on a town of vampires AND a motorcycle gang of nut-jobs. Even to save the life of her friend, and maybe boyfriend.

If I thought this book would end up better than the last (ie, without a cliffhanger), then I was only fooling myself. Once again, we are left completely hanging....and this time I don't have the next book to start!! *Sigh* I guess I'm just going to have to go out and spend a few Benjamin's to finish up the series (or at least the next two books). If you've read Glass Houses, this is a must read. And if you haven't, maybe you should pick it up. So far this series, is definitely worth reading, even in an ever-growing genre like YA paranormal. Rachel Caine certainly knows how to write a suspenseful novel!! 4/5

And Yet ANOTHER YA Vampire Series

Good Lord. The Vampire Novels just keep on coming. One of these days I may get tired of them, but for right now, I'm just going to enjoy the Spooky Season and keep on reading!! Glass Houses by Rachel Caine (256 pgs. NAL Jam Books, 2006) is the first book in the Morganville Vampire Series. I chose to read this book for both the RIP III Challenge and the YA Challenge.

On the day Claire became a member of the Glass House, someone stole her laundry.

Sixteen-year-old Claire Danvers is a genius. She's always been the "smart" one. As the youngest freshmen at Texas Prairie University in Morganville, the odds seem to be stacked against her. She's always had a hard time making friends, but once she came to college, things got exponentially worse. "Geek" and "freak" are names she has been called many times. But when Claire made the mistake of correcting a statement that Monica Morrell made, she really stepped in it. Monica is one of the beautiful people. She is tall, gorgeous, and mean as a snake. And when Claire humiliated her in front of everyone, she made it her mission to make Claire miserable.

But when the teasing turned into violence, and Claire was pushed down a flight of stairs, she knew she had to get out of the dorms before she got killed. Picking up a newspaper, she finds an ad for 3 people that needed a roommate. Taking her books and what little dignity she had left, Claire sets off for the "Glass House".

The three roommates in question were Eve, the "Goth" girl that works at the local coffee house; Shane, an angry boy that doesn't really do much of anything; and Michael (Glass), a musician that owns the house and only comes out of night. The three of them were so close-knit that Claire longed to join them. She was desperate for a place to stay and a little companionship. With Claire being so young, the 3 were reluctant to let her stay. But when they heard the story of her torture and saw the bruises that covered her, a short-term agreement was reached.

But early on Claire learns the secrets of the house, but more importantly, the secrets of Morganville. It seems the town was filled with vampires. They controlled everything and everyone. If you were a human, you need to be under the "protection" of a vampire. If you were, you wore a bracelet that linked you to your protector. If you didn't have a bracelet, you were fair-game, so to speak. And no one at the Glass House was protected. But they had each others back, and now they had Claires.

At first I thought the storyline was a little silly. How such terrible things could happen in a dorm and no one ever stepped in to stop them really bothered me. But as the story progresses, you find out that the "mean girls" in the dorm are protected by some really High ranking Vampires. Ok. I can live with that. But why humans would continue to live in a town run by vampires....including the local police force.....just doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

But all silliness aside, Rachel Caine writes a pretty engaging story. The farther you read, you find out a little bit about each of the roommates' background. And you continue to get sucked into the story. Claire is not only smart, but is courageous and loyal. She takes the "vampire" stories with a grain of salt....until she actually comes face-to-face with one. Then the reality of her situation, and the precarious position she put the roommates in hits home.

All in all, this was a fun, quick read. Rachel Caine knows how to build tension and keep you on the edge of your seat. The snarkiness of the characters definitely add a bit of humor to some really dark situations. And you really want the main characters to stay safe. Since the last sentence of the book was a total cliffhanger, I had to start Book 2 right away. I couldn't just NOT find out what happens. If I like Book 2 enough, I may have to go pick up the next couple of books in this series! 3.75/5

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

Further Adventures of Zoey Redbird

Ever since I read the book Marked (and you can read my review here), I have been a huge fan of the House of Night series! I have been anxiously awaiting the next installment, which was released on Tuesday. Needless to say, I picked up Untamed by PC Cast and Kristin Cast (352 pgs, St. Martin's Press, 2008) Tuesday night...and finished it yesterday! Book 4 is probably the best of the series so far!

The caw! caw! cawing! of one stupid crow kept me up all night. (Well, more accurately all day -- 'cause , you know, I'm a vampyre fledgling and we have that whole issue of day and night being turned around.) Anyway, I got zero sleep last night/day. But my crappy nonsleep is currently the easiest thing to deal with since life really sucks when your friends are pissed at you. I should know. I'm Zoey Redbird, currently the undisputed Queen of Making My Friends Pissed Land.

Zoey isn't having the best of weeks. All her friends are mad at her. They felt betrayed by the fact that Zoey was keeping secrets from them. They just didn't understand she was trying to keep them safe. She didn't have a boyfriend anymore. Last week, she had 3! But Loren Blake, the adult Vampyre Poet Laureate, seduced Zoey into thinking he was in love with her. Neferet, the evil High Priestess, had set up Zoey. And when she was with Loren, the imprint she had with her human boyfriend, Heath, was broken. In addition, Erik Night, the gorgeous fledgling that had just made his transformation to adult Vamp, walked in on them. Heath isn't speaking to Zoey and now, neither is Erik. This was all before Loren was killed in a bizarre ritual that was causing Neferet to wage a war against the humans. So, yes. Zoey's life sucks alot right now.

In addition to all that stress, Zoey is also dealing with the Stevie Rae/Aphrodite issue. By casting her circle for Stevie Rae, she is no longer undead, but has transformed into some kind of other vampyre. Her mark is now colored in just like the adult vamps, but it is red. But with Stevie Rae gaining her humanity back, it caused Aphrodite to lose her mark. Now she is no longer a vampyre, although only Zoey and Stevie Rae know. But she is still having visions. And now her visions include Zoey's death and an all out war between the vampyres and the humans. And it looks like it is up to Zoey to stop it.

Book 4 starts a few days after Book 3 ended. And it is way darker and more sinister than any of the preceding books. Zoey is way less whiny in this book. And it looks like she is stepping up her game. It's going to come down to a battle between good vs. evil, and Zoey is finally becoming the Priestess she was chosen to be. She has firmly taken control of who she is, and gathering around her those that want to fight the evil that has come to the House of Night.

PC and Kristin have certainly brought their A-game with Untamed. They wrote an excellent novel, which was an extremely fast read for me, because I just couldn't put it down! The series just keeps getting better and better. And I can't wait to see how things shake out in the next installment!! 4.5/5

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

Campy Fun Mixes with the Glitz of Hollywood

Even today, if you asked my father who his favorite actress is, he would answer Adrienne Barbeau. Since the days of Maude, he's had a wild crush on her. Me, I never watched it. But The Fog, Escape from New York, and the excellent HBO series Carnivale would rank me pretty high on the Fan-Girl list myself. So when Anna, from The Book Report Network, contacted me with an opportunity to review Ms. Barbeau's first fiction novel, Vampyres of Hollywood (336 pgs, Thomas Dunne Books, 2008) I was over-the-top excited. Not only is it Adrienne Barbeau, but she's writing about Vampires. And we all know how much I love Vampire Fiction.

It took an X-ray and an autopsy to confirm that Jason Eddings had been killed with the Oscar he'd won for Best Actor just six hours earlier. He deserved it. The Oscar, that is. As for being murdered, well, he probably deserved that too.

As so begins the story of the Vampyres of Hollywood. Ovsanna Moore is a Hollywood powerhouse. She is the "Scream Queen" that has starred in and written seventeen blockbuster horror films ("and a few that went straight to video"). She is also the head of her own Hollywood Studio called Anticipation Studios. Beautiful, tough and powerful, she is a true Hollywood A-lister. She just also happens to be a 500-year-old vampire. As the Chatelaine of Hollywood, Osvanna was the first vampire to lay stake to the area. No other vampire is higher in rank than she. And rank is a pretty big deal among the various vampire clans. She also has connections to 3 very violent and very public Hollywood murders. Each actor that was killed by the "Cinema Slayer" has starred in at least one film from Anticipation studios. Not to mention that all 3 were vampires and part of Osvanna's clan.

Detective Peter Moore has been assigned to find the "Cinema Slayer". As handsome as an actor, Moore is a star in his own right. He has hero status among the cops for saving a child's life in a very high-profile way. He also has a lot of knowledge of the movie industry. His mother was a bit player back in the day, but ended up owning a very successful catering business that worked big name films. And now she's an even more successful dealer in Hollywood memorabilia. Peter knows the ins and outs of the business, and to him all roads in the gruesome serial killings lead right to Osvanna Moore and Anticipation Studios.

My first thought when I picked up this book was, "What if I don't like it?" I would be so disappointed, as an Adrienne Barbeau fan-girl, if I didn't. But nothing could be further from the truth. I absolutely loved this book!! Campy, without being cliche; witty, without being slapstick; and gruesome, without being repellent; Vampyres of Hollywood is a breath of fresh air in a genre that is fast becoming overdone in the literary world. With a new take on all the old vampire legends, Barbeau and Scott have created a funny, fast-paced "horror" novel that is also a very crafty mystery. The icing on the cake is a lot of cool Hollywood trivia, and the inclusion of many of the old Hollywood screen legends.

Told in alternating chapters from both Osvanna's and Peter's perspectives, the novel moves quickly. And once the story starts taking shape, it's near impossible to put the book down! If you are a fan of the paranormal, of the vampire legend, or even of the old Silver Screen Actors, this book is definitely for you. Combine that with a lot of behind-the-scenes looks at Hollywood from a true insider, and you have a novel that certainly puts a "Bite" on the reader. Pun, most definitely intended!! Many, many thanks to Anna for passing this great read on to me. Highly Recommended!! 4.5/5