Book Review #626 - Afterlife (Evernight #4) by Claudia Gray

My Rating: 2.5/5


Source: Bought


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Destiny awaits Bianca and Lucas . . .

Bianca and Lucas have always believed they could endure anything to be together. When a twist of fate not only transforms Bianca into a wraith but also turns Lucas into a vampire—the very creature he spent his life hunting—they are left reeling.

Haunted by his powerful need to kill, Lucas can turn to only one place for help . . . Evernight Academy. Bianca is determined to remain with him. But with the vampire leader of Evernight waging a war against wraiths, her former home has become the most dangerous place she could be, despite the new powers her ghostly transformation has given her.

A battle between wraiths and vampires looms, and Bianca and Lucas face a terrifying new reality. They've overcome every obstacle life has thrown at them, but is their love strong enough to survive the challenges after life?

This is the fourth book in the Evernight series and is the sequel to Evernight, Stargazer and Hourglass. 

I am not sure if it is because I read these books so close together or not but so many things in this book annoyed me. 

The relationship between Bianca and Lucas took too much of the focus in this book and I really don't like romance driven books in general so I didn't like that aspect at all. 

The major plots from the previous books like the conflicts with Charity and the Black Cross were all finished in Hourglass and so this book had no direction which is why it is probably so romance focused. 

I found Bianca and Lucas's transitions into their new lives interesting especially Bianca's but would have liked this to have been introduced earlier so there could have been more development. 

The ending was rather dissatisfying. It just ended with one of the most obvious plot twists I have ever read. 

Book Review #624 - Hourglass (Evernight #3) by Claudia Gray

My Rating: 4/5


Source: Bought


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Bianca will risk everything to be with Lucas. 

After escaping from Evernight Academy, the vampire boarding school where they met, Bianca and Lucas take refuge with Black Cross, a fanatical group of vampire hunters. Bianca must hide her supernatural heritage or risk certain death at its hands. But when Black Cross captures her friend—the vampire Balthazar—hiding is no longer an option. Soon Bianca and Lucas are on the run again, pursued not only by Black Cross, but by the powerful leaders of Evernight. Yet no matter how far they travel, Bianca can't escape her destiny. Bianca has always believed their love could survive anything... but can it survive what's to come?

This is the third book in the Evernight series and is the sequel to Evernight and Stargazer. 

Given the way Stargazer ended, I am really glad I had this book ready to read. 

This book starts right where the last one left off - right in the middle of a war between the vampires and the vampires most feared vampire hunters - The Black Cross. 

This book contained A LOT of major plot twists which is why this has to be my favourite book of the series so far. The fates of both Bianca and Lucas take complete changes. 

There was a bit of suspense in this book from whether Bianca could keep her vampire nature a secret from the vampire hunters she was seeking refuge from to whether Bianca could prevent her unwanted change into a full vampire. 

I missed the setting of Evernight as I loved that there was always some new surprises there to be uncovered. 

I loved Charity as the antagonist. I would like to know more of her back story though.

Book Review #622 - Stargazer (Evernight #2) by Claudia Gray

My Rating:4/5


Source: Bought


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The vampire in me was closer to the surface... 

Evernight Academy: an exclusive boarding school for the most beautiful, dangerous students of all—vampires. Bianca, born to two vampires, has always been told her destiny is to become one of them.

But Bianca fell in love with Lucas—a vampire hunter sworn to destroy her kind. They were torn apart when his true identity was revealed, forcing him to flee the school.

Although they may be separated, Bianca and Lucas will not give each other up. She will risk anything for the chance to see him again, even if it means coming face-to-face with the vampire hunters of Black Cross—or deceiving the powerful vampires of Evernight. Bianca's secrets will force her to live a life of lies.

Yet Bianca isn't the only one keeping secrets. When Evernight is attacked by an evil force that seems to target her, she discovers the truth she thought she knew is only the beginning....

I read Evernight some time ago now (in fact I think it was one of the first ever reviews I posted here on my blog back in 2011) and so I re-read it before diving into this one. 

Evernight is such an intriguing setting.It gives off the feeling that it holds so many secrets and mysteries that are just waiting to be discovered. 

My favourite aspect of this book is that we got introduced to the Black Cross - the vampire hunters that have taunted the vampires of Evernight for centuries. 

More of Lucas's back story was also revealed and that ties in with the introduction of the Black Cross.

Bianca annoyed me a little in this book especially the way she treated her parents. I know that she was upset that they were not honest with her but I really loved their relationship in the first book and so I felt more sorry for her parents than for her when she decide to run off with Lucas.  I found her actions rather immature. 

Book Review #132 - The Swordhand Omnibus (My Swordhand is Singing #1-2) by Marcus Sedgwick

In the bitter cold of an unrelenting winter Tomas and his son, Peter, arrive in the inhospitable village of Chust and settle there as woodcutters. When a band of gypsies comes to the village Peter's drab existence is turned upside down. He is infatuated by the beautiful gypsy princess, Sofia, intoxicated by their love of life and drawn into their deadly quest. For these travellers are Vampire Slayers and Chust is a dying community - where the dead come back to wreak revenge on the living.

Years on from My Swordhand is Singing and Peter is still on the trail of the Shadow Queen. His search leads him to Venice, a city whose beauty disguises many ugly secrets. The Shadow Queen is there, gathering strength, recruiting a new army of the Undead for a final confrontation. Hers is the Kiss of Death.

My Rating: 5/5

This book contains two books both of which make up the My Swordhand is Singing series.

The first book is called My Swordhand is Singing. What I liked most about this book was the setting, it was dark and creepy and definitely set the tone for the novel.

I really liked Peter, he was a great protagonist. I didn't really care for the other characters.

The second book is called The Kiss of Death. What I loved most about this book was the plot, which was really interesting.

At first I wasn't sure I was going to like this book when I discovered that Peter was not the protagonist in this book like he was in the first. However, I found that I liked both Marko and Sorrel from the very first page.

I really liked how the story was set in Venice because it was unique and definitely added something to the story.

I probably liked the second book a little more than the first book and am looking forward to reading more of the author's works.

Book Review #37 - The Cursed Ones (Crusade #1) by Nancy Holder and Debbie Vigue

For the past two years, Jenn has been secretly training to be a Hunter, learning to defend humanity against the vampire uprising. Her home city is now a vampire stronghold and when she visits as a lone hunter, separated from her team, she puts herself at risk. Craving the support of her fighting partner, Antonio - and his touch - she finds herself betrayed by someone close. Her relationship with Antonio holds its own dangers, but right now Jenn needs someone she can trust.....

My Rating: 4.5/5

This book got off to a slow start, but after the first three or four chapters I couldn't put the book down. 

Although I never really liked any of the characters, the plot was amazing and was timed perfectly. 

I can't wait to read the second book in the series Damned which is released next month.

Book Review #35 - Sisters Red (Fairytale Retellings #1) by Jackson Pearce

Love and fear collide

in a twilight world

Countless teenage girls have been brutally murdered and Scarlett and Rosie March know how they died - torn apart by werewolves. For Scarlett, the memories of a similar attack have left not just emotional scars, but physical ones. The sisters fight side by side to save others from the same fate. 

When the mysterious and brooding Silas arrives he inadvertently causes a series of events that could endanger them all. As passion grows between Rosie and Silas, Scarlett uncovers some shocking secrets about Silas's family history that could tear the sisters apart - one way or another......

My Rating: 5/5

I liked Rosie and Silas, didn't care much for Scarlett. I thought Scarlett was selfish, bossy and manipulative towards Rosie. 

I thought that the writing made the story seem more real, like the world really existed somewhere very far away. 

Book Review #22 - Slayed by Amanda Marrone

The family that slays together, stays together.

Daphne Van Helsing hates being a vampire slayer. All she wants is a normal life - friends, school, her own room - but her parents have devoted their lives to the cause, and Daphne's along for the ride.

Their latest job is in Maine, where not only are they hunting a fierce strain of vamps, but they're forced to work with the Harkers, a rival slayer family. Just her luck: Tyler Harker is totally crush-worthy, and he's her sworn enemy.

But just when things start looking up, something truly evil comes to the town. Something more powerful - and more frightening - than anything Daphne's encountered before.

She thought she'd seen hell on earth. She ain't seen nothin' yet.

My Rating: 3/5

I decided to read this book because I wanted a quick, light read hence I wasn't really expecting alot from it.

I found Daphne very hard to connect to. She never seemed to stop whinging about wanting a normal stable life.

Tyler, considering he was a main character wasn't very developed and we never really find out that much about him.

The plot I thought was well thought out and well written, although a bit boring at times.

I would have liked to have seen more closure between Daphne and her mother.

I liked the idea about rival slayers and I thought the angels and demons aspect was fairly unique.