Exam Time

Hey guys! So you might have noticed that this week, I haven't been posting as regularly as I normally do. Yes, well...it is that time of year when my fellow college kids and I whip out the Red Bull and Coffee and cram in all of the work that we procrastinated for the entire semester. It's Exam Time baby, and boy am I feeling it. :(

I feel a little like that picture right now. All I can say is Holy.Stress.I have two very intense research papers due by next week. One 15 pages, the other 20. I also have 3 exams to study for. Plus two online classes with exams coming up right around the corner. So I apologize, but posting will be really sporadic for the next week and a half. I have a few reviews scheduled. But I'm really sad to say that I won't be taking the time to write my usual memes and posts for at least this week. I'm actually going to add blogger and my own site to the "parental lock" on my computer (along with facebook, twitter, and all those other fun things). I will MAKE myself work on these papers...lol...SO...I will miss you guys. But in the name of higher education, I bid thee adieu.

Monday Musings #1 (Audiobooks: Awesome? or Awful?)

Today I am introducing a new feature of sorts to the blog. It is obviously titled Monday Musings. Monday is a relatively boring day here on the blog. There aren't a lot of memes on Monday, and no one just wants to read one review after not getting a lot of content over the weekends. So I've decided that on Monday I will just do a "me" post. There's often a lot of topics that come up over the blogosphere, and I will do a post highlighting my opinion on a given subject or reasons behind why I do something a certain way. I probably won't have something to talk about every week or I might have a ton of stuff to say about something and use up two weeks talking about it. Sound good to you? Good...now this week, I think I will start of by talking about audiobooks. 

Audiobooks: Awesome? or Awful?

So recently, I've seen a lot of chatter about some followers who want to get into audiobooks, but don't really know if they would like them. In our crazy busy worlds with kids, business meetings, houses to clean, jobs, conferences, school, hobbies, and all the other thousand things some of us do outside the blogging world, sometimes we just don't have the time to whip out a book and get reading.  What's a bookie to do when her reading time is never enough? Well...besides sending your kids and hubster on a weekend at grandma's, one option is to give audiobooks a try.

Before this year, I had never really given audiobooks a chance. I listened to one a loooong time ago...so long ago that I don't even remember what it was or who read it. I swear, it was like listening to someone reading out of the dictionary. I fell asleep about 4 times before I got through disc one, and had to quit because I just couldn't take Captain Monotone anymore. After that first bad experience, I shelved audiobooks for a good 10 years, until last summer when I came across an amazing blog that features a ton of audiobooks. Mickey at I'm a Book Shark had such glowing reviews and really great praise for so many that I gave in and decided to try again. I went out to the library and got an audiobook (one that Mickey gave 5 stars...gotta trust that chick's opinions man..they're spot on). It.Was.Fabulous. The narrator really made the characters come to life, and was able to put so much personality and depth into those characters that I doubt you would get with print books.

Since that day, I  have become an avid supporter of audiobooks. I have a two and a half hour drive between home and my university...which totally bites by the way...I used to pass the time listening to the same CD over and over again or listening to crappy radio. Now, I spend that two hours in a much more productive and fascinating way. Also the time passes way quicker. What used to take lifetimes now seems to take only a half an hour or so and I get disappointed if I haven't finished a book by the time I get there. I've been known to circle the block a time or two so that I can finish my chapter lol.

So do you feel like giving your eyes a rest and turn your ears on for a change? Do you think that audiobooks could possibly be evil and deserve scorn and ridicule from all "real" book lovers who look upon listeners with disgust and shame? Well...here are some pros and cons to help you decide which side of the fence you're on. 


The Pro's:

Size: Some of us have so much crap to carry around that it's hard to find space in our purses to carry a book or even an e-reader. Depending on the format of your audiobooks, listening can be as simple as downloading to your iPod or MP3 player, or streaming to your Smart phone, laptop or tablet. I for one LOVE this. I hate to admit it, but I would rather be curled up with a book and a cup of delicious coffee for 5 hours than to show my face at the gym for 10 minutes. By downloading audiobooks to my iTunes account, I can put them on my iPod and I tell you NOTHING makes you run faster when you're on the treadmill than having a good chase scene playing out in your mind and you have to run from the terrifying werewolf behind you.They also take your mind off the excruciating pain you are inflicting on your body so you can continue to inflict pain until you're skinny...fabulous!...sort of.

Versatility : Whether it's in the car on the long commute between work and home, on an airplane with tons of chatty passengers, or just on a walk to the store or around the block, there's always going to be those times when you want to tune the world out or just pass the time. Cars are especially great places because you can't (safely) drive a car while holding a book...not that I haven't tried reading an actual book...especially in rush hour-bumper-to-bumper-traffic-jams...however, I believe that might be illegal and is definitely not the safest driving technique so I advise you listen to audiobooks on the drive...I myself like to listen to audiobooks both in the car and in the house while cleaning. There's nothing more boring and horrific to me as having to clean the house. However, I am in slightly less cleaning induced pain when I can again, distract my mind with delightful audiobook stories.

The Con's

Price: While some subscriptions to audiobook websites can be as little as 9.99 a month, for the most part, audiobooks can be freaking expensive. The CD versions especially. You are paying for typically 7-15 discs worth of audio, and when compared to buying ONE CD for 14$ at Target or something, 60$ seems relatively reasonable. Until you realize that you are paying 60$ for someone to read you a story that you could buy in paperback for 7.99$...That my friends, is why I end up usually getting the audiobooks from garage sales and at the library. There is NO way I'm spending that much on one book...sorry, but I could buy 6-8 other books with that money...not.gunna.happen. On the other hand, site's like audible.com try to reduce the price of audiobooks, and they are downloadable to almost any computer, smart phone, etc. But when I say reduce the price I still mean over 200$ for only 24 books a year.

Size: This is actually only if you buy the CD versions. They are kind of large. And that is a LOT of Cd's that I have the potential to lose. It's like carrying a chapter of a book around at a time. You could lose just one and then the whole book is ruined. SO if you're prone to losing things or don't have the space to keep 15 Cd's for each book...go the download-able route or the regular book/e-book route. Well actually, size is an issue on some iPods and things too...I can usually fit one audiobook at a time on my iPod. I literally have to delete it after I listened so that I can add another. If that doesn't bother you, then go for it...I do it all the time. But if you want to keep all of your books in one listening device...good luck...I advise that you find yourself a Tablet or something.

My Opinions:
I love audiobooks...I like to listen to them while walking between classes, driving to work, to read me to sleep, to clean to...lots of stuff that is usually boring can be made so much better with audiobooks. I do have my own complaints though...One HUGE thing that can bug me is the narrator. A good narrator is hard to find, because it is them who really makes or breaks an audiobook. If the narrator reads in a monotone, boring,dry voice, you probably are going to lose interest and hate on that book. On the other hand, I can't stand it when a narrator is too dramatic. I get that it's hard to read with emotion, but I've had narrators who had me rolling my eyes and wishing that they would just shut up already. When a narrator and a book really click, now that's pure magic. Two series that are done particularly well are the Bloody Jack series by L.A. Meyer and The Otherworld Series by Kelley Armstrong. The narrators are fantastic and they make the stories come to life completely. If you're an audiobook newbie, I would try them to see if you like it

Well, sorry to have gone on forever and a day. I could probably write a crap-ton more about audiobooks and my experiences with them, but I doubt anyone is still reading this, so I will stop now. So anyways... those are my thoughts on audiobooks. I hope that you are now informed, or entertained, or enriched in some random way that I can't think of right now. Have an excellent week and I hope your Monday isn't too awful right now :P

 

*disclaimer* I don't think there is a Monday Musings feature on any other book blog...at least that I have been able to recover in my research. I am not trying to steal other blogger's features...It's pretty hard to be completely original these days...I thought "Mercurial Mondays" sounded good but makes no sense. "Manic Monday" doesn't fit right either..You try to come up with something that goes with Monday and fits the subject...anyways...so if you have a problem let me know and I will try to figure out something that lets us both be happy and talk about our thoughts on Mondays...Awesome? Awesome. *disclaimer*

P.S. The button used today was made for a Bride's Blog in the U.K. I am borrowing it for the week and will have the actual feature button by next week...hopefully... Later lovlies!

Review: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Title: The Night Circus
Author: Erin Morgenstern
Series: N/A
Pages: 387
Publisher: Doubleday
Genre: Fantasy
Source: Library

Goodreads Description:

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night. But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands. True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead. 

My Review:
I am just so floored with Night Circus right now. The name of the circus, Le Cirque des Rêves (French for Circus of Dreams), is very very VERY well chosen. The entire time you're reading you feel like you're in this dream-like trance. Everything is this mystical swirl of fantasy and amazement. I don't even know if I can describe it. I was absolutely amazed and it takes a lot for me to get that way.The only way I can think of to describe it is for those original Harry Potter lovers out there. Think about the when you picked up Harry for the first time. You might have heard about it from a friend, and you think, "How can this be any good? It looks like a little kid's book"...but then somewhere something starts to change your mind. You realize that this book is pure magic, that there is something extraordinary about this book, this series, and you know it's going to be something great. (For me it was the mystery of Dumbledore and the put-outer in the very first chapter). Regardless of when you felt it, at some point, you realized that this book has the potential to maybe change the world and literature as we know it. Well my friends...Night Circus might very well be one of those books.

Each chapter switches between time, place, and character. Intermixed with these chapters are ethereal descriptions of the different tents and attractions at the circus. You're lost in a maze of illusion and wonder. You never know where or when or who you will be. I admit, this style was a little confusing at first. I couldn't figure out the cast of characters right away and just when I thought I got the hang of it, we would just jump to a completely different time and character that we hadn't visited before. Eventually, I finally figured most of it out and really started to fall in love with the mystery of the whole thing. I began to enjoy all of the weird eccentricities of the characters. You would have a chapter of the contortionist as she joins the circus, then flash forward to a decade later and see how the circus has affected her. It was really quite bizzarre, but I enjoyed the change of pace from normal novel format. The one time I did get a little upset with it was in the very end when we would have a chapter leading up to a dramatic and potentially life-altering event, and then would fast forward to a time right after it when everything seems lost! I was kind of dreading actually finding out what happened, but then everything falls into place and I realized that the sequence was really kind of brilliant and that it wouldn't have had the same effect if done any other way.

There is an impossible amount of characters to cover,(I believe there are actually 15 alternating POV's) and they all range in varying importance but they are all completely necessary to make the book as amazing as it was. The two magical competitors/protagonists/lovers are Celia and Marco. Celia is the illegitimate daughter of Prospero the Great, who bound her to the contest knowing that she could be killed. This harsh mindset has been applied to other aspects of her life. One of her "training sessions" was Prospero cutting open her finger tips with a knife and he would keep doing it until she could heal all the finger tips at once. Marco on the other hand, is an orphan. He was raised and trained for the sole purpose of participating in the challenge. What is the challenge do you ask? Well it's a magical fight to the finish where the better magician is the only one left standing, except Marco and Celia don't know about that part. If they did, they probably would try harder to not fall in love with each other. Collateral damage in this game of skills is the Patrons of the Circus and the other performers themselves. The patrons are all mysterious in their own way, but if they become suspicious that anything is amiss in their circus (they are unaware of the challenge occurring at it's very heart) they seem to meet with untimely deaths. In the words of my favorite pirate Captain Jack Sparrow, "Interesting....very interesting."

The final chapters are really what takes this book and elevates it to the extraordinary. It's more than plot and setting and character. These last glimpses at the circus and the characters take on a kind of timelessness and amazement that I haven't seen anywhere else. Things that are said leave you thinking for hours afterwards, wondering what they could mean, and even contemplating things like the meaning of life itself. The last chapters are what convince you that you have been reading something great, something magical, something that shouldn't be forgotten easily. 

I give Night Circus 5 Keys, though I think that it has to be something you are in the mood for. This is the kind of book that would take the average reader an hour or two each night for at least a week to finish. It took me 3 solid(ish) days of reading, and believe me, I read REALLY quickly. It also takes a while to get used to the style, but if you do tough it out, you will have found a fantastic, mysterious adventure that is completely captivating. Night Circus is the kind of book that you finish, and immediately turn back to page one so you can start it all over again. I don't know if Erin has any other books published, but I will definitely read anything else she writes. I am so sad that I got this book from the library, now I will either have to keep it and the fines be damned, or I will have to return it and go immediately out to find my own copy...where I will find that copy is beyond me...the only bookstore within 30 miles was a Borders that closed a few months ago...:(

Review: The Mark of the Golden Dragon by L.A. Meyer

Title: The Mark of the Golden Dragon
Author: L.A. Meyer
Series: Bloody Jack #9
Pages: 378
Publisher: Harcourt Publishing
Genre: Historical Fiction (YA)
Source: Bought

Goodreads Description: 
Jacky Faber, soldier, sailor, spy, and sometime pirate, condemned for life to the English prison colony in Australia for high crimes against the Crown, has once again wriggled out of the grasp of British authorities. Back on her flagship, the Lorelei Lee, she happily heads back to England in the company of dear friends and her beloved Jaimy Fletcher. However, due to a typhoon, an earthquake, tidal waves, pirates, and her own impetuous nature, Jacky is cast into a world of danger that extends from the South China Sea to the equally treacherous waters of politics in London's smoky dens of intrigue, deception, and betrayal. 

My Review:
Jackie is back! I absolutely LOATHE the wait in-between Jacky books. Usually it isn't SO bad. For the last 7 books or so they have come out steadily in the middle of August...however this year for what ever reasons, it was released 3 months late! The pain! The horrible horrible pain of having to wait to find out what happens to my dear darling Jacky after the typhoon hits! Rest assured though, this book was worth the wait. Even though I love this series quite a bit, the last two haven't been my favorites. For a while there I thought that Jacky, Jaimy, and the gang had run out of tricks. The last two books have been quite a bit of repetition as Jacky performs tricks that are tried and true..but running out of dramatic effect. This book is quite the opposite. Jacky is still a cunning and mischievous mistress of disguise, but this time she has better costumes, better plots, and definitely more drastic ways of worming herself out of tight and uncomfortable situations. 


The book starts right where the last left off, and begins with Jacky's adventures in the East Indies. After being separated by all of her crew except 8 year old slave boy Ravi, Jacky is in a bit of trouble. The first part of the book is mostly the talk of her adventures along the islands of Malaysia and the coasts of India. This chunk of the book actually reminded me of the Oddessy. Jackie showed up on a random island, saw what there was to see, then left her mark on the people there...whether that mark was good or bad, depended on if the people themselves were good or bad. Though each of these adventures is cool, clever, and fun, I miss when Jackie would actually get to know all the people she met along her travels. Of course she can't get to know everyone, but some of these stops were potential to meet really interesting characters and they fell flat in that category. I know...I'm being picky...but one of the best things about this series was how amazingly well Meyer used to blend character, plot, and setting into something so real that you could practically experience it with all of your senses. I miss that.

Eventually, Jackie and Ravi find their way to the rest of the gang on-board the Nancy B. Alsop, and proceed to England where they run into the darling and dashing Richard Allen and Joseph Jared. Normally, I love Jacky's flirtations with other dashing gentleman. Joseph Jared in particular. I didn't get nearly as much Jared as I wanted in this book, but we got plenty of Lord Richard Allen. Richard is dashing lord, a captain in the Royal Army, gorgeous, and a bit of a ladies man. Jacky and Richard have quite delightful banter that makes you giggle like a schoolgirl and want to like...I dunno...slap him with a glove or something. He was definitely needed in the story, because I have no idea how Jacky would have managed to run in the same circles as royalty without him. I even love how he calls Jacky Princess Pretty Bottom...usually just Princess.  So even though I do love him...I just want Jacky and Jaimy to get their happily ever after you know? So many of Jackie's other potential paramours find their lady-loves (usually among some crazy girl that is friends with Jacky herself) and I just want Richard to find his Lady Allen and live forever in wedded pain bliss. With Richard Allen married off, that only leaves Robin Raeburn, Joseph Jared, and Arthur McBride for her to see successfully introduced to one of her saucy friends. Wow...Jacky certainly does have quite a following of men...especially since she's already married off what...like 4 of them?


Jaimy's madness is completely understandable. He (rightfully) blames two gentleman for the supposed demise of his true love. Any love-lorn boy would probably go mad when he loses his lady love. I absolutely adore his Blackheath Highwayman persona! So dashing! So romantic! His madness is unsettling though, because we aren't sure if he's gone completely off the deep end, or just has decided to pick up a career as thief and wannabe Robin Hood. I suppose it's a bit hypocritical of me, especially after how many gentleman-friends that Jacky seems to have found, but I hate that Jaimy always seems to find a girl to tide him over. Sure he claims that Jackie is his one true love, but he always gives into temptation, and on his part it's not all innocent. Jacky has yet managed to hold on to her maidenhood...however many men she's cuddled, canoodled, and other manner of had fun with...Jaimy on the other hand seems to hop into bed with the nearest inn keeper's daughter whenever he thinks Jacky is lost. Not. Cool. I'm sure Bess helped him through a rough patch...but that beyotch better not think of separating Jacky and Jaimy...they are soul mates you skanky inn-wench...

One downside was that the ending seemed a tad short. All of the huge problems were resolved within pages of each other and then there is hints at the location of the next book, but it's not going anywhere we are familiar with. Also, I wasn't a big fan of how Jaimy was treated. He is literally shipped off to the Eastern seas to recover, instead of spending his time with Jacky. I miss the time when Jaimy was all Jacky could think about and he was the center of her future. More and more it seems like he is being shoved off so that she doesn't have to deal with him until she wants to. I know that my dear Jackie is a greedy girl and loves her freedom and her money...but there was a time when she loved Jaimy more..and I'm not sure if we'll ever get back to it. If worse comes to worse, I almost wish that Jaimy would settle down with someone and marry her so that Jacky can pursue my favorite of her wannabe lovers: Joseph Jared, the rascal. :)

I give The Mark of the Golden Dragon 5 Keys. I am really glad that it is becoming more like the series that I fell in love with in the beginning. Apparently Jacky's next adventure will take her to Portugal with Lord Richard Allen, and I have another whole year to wait for that one...I will have to keep myself content with re-reading this series when I'm in need of a fun and fantastic adventure full of cross-dressing, sword-fighting, bed rumpling, awesomesauce. I'm not sure if I want it to ever end, but if Jacky starts running out of new ideas, I'd rather her retire with a bang than get dragged out to the point of me falling out of love with her and the gang.

Pretty When She Dies Chapter 19-Epilogue &Wrap up

Fangtastic Fridays is a read-along of Pretty When She Dies by Rhiannon Frater, and hosted by The Bookish Brunette, On a Book Bender, Geeky Blogger's Book Blog, The Unread Reader.
1.Amaliya states to Cian that he has changed since she first met him only a few days prior. Do you agree with her? Why or why not? Has your impression of Cian changed? If so, how? (Chapter 19)
I totally agree with her!Well...kind of...I feel like it wasn't so much him "changing". It was more of he is coming to terms with the vampire that he's always been and has kind of forgotten about while he was with Sam. I'm not sure if he can be both human and vampire, and for now, its looking like hes going to stick to his batty side. I haven't really changed impressions. Cian is a hottie...He can suck on my neck anyday :)

2. When Grandmama doesn't hear from Amaliya for a couple of days, she decides to grab Sergio and head over to Austin because she's worried. Later, she and Serigo meet up with Jeff and Sam for the first time and they squabble about who is at fault for the mess Cian and Amaliya are in. Which side are you on? Do you think either side are right in their assumptions? (Chapter 20)
I'm definitely team Grandmama and Sergio. For one, I am really irritated at Sam for even involving a vampire hunter. I suppose it turned out for the better, but at the time, all I could think about was that he might kill Amal or Cian...As for whose fault it is? I think it's an unfortunate series of events. Maybe Cian could have been more prepared for the possible return of the Summoner. I was especially baffled at how easily the Summoner was able to get inside Cian's apartment complex...definitely should have figured that one out before-hand.

3. After the Summoner forces Amaliya into a gruesome fight for her life against two hideous creatures, he tells her that he doesn't know if he should kill her because she could be a potential threat, or if he should keep her so he could use her abilities. At this point, what do you think of this development? (Chapter 21)
First of all...Holy nastyness...That was SICK...what is it with Texans and Southwesterners and cutting people up and sewing them back together? This is the third book that I've found who have these god-awful creatures, and they all hail either from Texas or New Mexico...Maybe there's some local mythology...hmm...anyways. I think the Summoner could have been a whole lot smarter about Amal in the first place. Doesn't he know that it's easier to catch flies with honey than vinegar? If he would have been nice to Amal in the beginning and seduced her, she would be loyal to him and they would probably be on a quest for world domination as we speak. Instead, he abused her, threatened her, and stalked her...none of which are particularly endearing qualities. He really messed up because now Amal will never serve him willingly.

4. Doooood! Grandmama is a machete wielding zombie killer! If you were a Supernatural Hunter, what kind would you be and why? (Chapter 22)
Um...can I plead the 5th? I like Supernaturals...particularly vampires and werewolves and things...If I absolutely HAD to kill them, I would use my hot pink Beretta m9 filled with either holy water caplets or silver bullets...yeahhhh baby :)

5. What did you think of the final showdown between The Summoner and Amaliya? Were you surprised to find out how her ability worked? (Chapter 23)
I wasn't very surprised. I kind of felt like that was the key from the little things that happened throuought the story. It really made sense, and I was glad that it wasn't just a cheap win. I was SUPER excited for the final fight scene though! Amal totally and completely kicks ass! LOVE her. I was a little surprised that she actually killed the Summoner. I kind of thought that he would escape and continue to plague the couple another day.

6. Where you satisfied with the way things ended in Pretty When She Dies? What was your favorite part of the story? What do you think is coming up next for Amaliya and Cian? Do you have any hopes or expectations that you want to see in the sequel, Pretty When She Kills?
I was thrilled with how things ended. Things are tied up nicely and you see the beginnings of an unconventional, but awesome group. My favorite part of the story had to be Amalyia finally coming into her powers and learning to use them...it was a really great way to end things and I look forward to Pretty When She Kills...like...a lot. I'm not really sure what's next for them, what with the Summoner's death. Probably a lot of fighting as Amaliya and Sam butt heads and Amalyia and Cian struggle for power in their relationship...hopefully they are very hot fights...ending with balls to the wall gorilla sex...awesome.

7. Who's would you cast to play the main characters in Pretty When She Dies? Show us with pictures!

Amal- Ashley Rickards

 

Cian-Jared Leto

I just wanna say thanks for all the hosts who let us all chat about Pretty When She Dies. I totally loved the last four Fridays and I will most definitely be participating in the next read-a-long I find! I sometimes speed through books and don't get the full effect of awesomeness, and participating in this has really let me slow down and appreciate how awesome PWSD really is! Thanks ladies!

Review: Seduced by Moonlight by Laurell K. Hamilton

Title: Seduced by Moonlight
Author: Laurell K. Hamilton
Series: Merry Gentry #3
Pages: 404
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Source: Bought b/c it's awesome!

Goodreads Description:
My aunt, the Queen of Air and Darkness, is no longer distracted by her usual sadistic hobbies. Her obsession has turned unwaveringly to me. The mission to get me pregnant and beat my cousin Prince Cel to the crown is taking longer than expected. Even though I spend each night with the Queen’s Ravens, my immortal guards, no child has come of our decadent pleasures. But something else is happening. My magic courses through me uncontrollably. And as I lock my half-mortal body with their full-Sidhe blooded ones, the power surges like never before.The Unseelie court has suffered for so long, and there are some who would not have it weakened further by an impure queen. My enemies grow in number every day. But they do not know what I am capable of. Nor, for that matter, do I. . . 


My Review:
Another excellent addition to the Meredith Gentry saga! This book was split up: half on the west coast with Merry's PI business, and half in the courts of Faerie. I admit that as much as I love getting to know characters on an intimate level, and of course I love those super hot baby-making scenes, I was glad when we finally got back to faerie. There was just so much that happened in the ending of A Caress of Twilight, and I was anxious to see what it would mean when Merry got back home, instead we had another 20 chapters or so of character and magical developments. I get why it was needed, they couldn't go back to see Aunt Andais without certain things happening, but I was anxious to return to the world of court politics that I found so fascinating, so I was really excited when they finally got there.

There are so many complexities to this series that I can't even put it into words. We see Merry and her men negotiating these immense contracts with the other courts and they literally barter with sex and blood. It's really stressful to know that one word slip, one misspoken sentence can lead to complete disaster so I really love all of the political maneuvering. The different courts of faerie are worlds unto themselves. I would honestly be happy to have a series about each of the different courts of fey, from the goblins to the demi-fey (pixies, etc) to the Sluagh, and of course the immortal Sidhe. There is just SO much information that is implied and inferred that you just know that you could spend years reading everything you can get your hands on about this world and you still wouldn't grasp all the amazing things going on.

The one thing that did bug me, was that the entire first half of the book was almost entirely conversations and sex. Don't get me wrong, they were fascinating conversations that made you get an extremely in depth look at the characters involved. Also the sex scenes were particularly hot as Merry upped the number of men in her bed and goes for more dramatic and completely magical sex scenes. However, I did end up feeling like the first half of the book was, "let's have sex, something magic happens, let's talk about the magic, then let's have sex again". It got a little repetitive and I feel like I could have used some transitional plot or mystery to solve that could have kept me from feeling the drag of the story. Luckily, that happened with the addition of Merry dreaming of The Goddess and having the objects of power come into her life.

The Goddess adds a whole new dimension to the story. Now we get whispers of the Gods coming back from wherever they went when the sidhe failed. Merry is obviously favored by the Goddess and Consort, but the problem is that most of the sidhe don't believe that a half-human mortal would be so favored so they aren't likely to believe in her and support her. This is a problem...especially because it leads to a ton of assassination attempts. When we finally get back to court, the action picks up like crazy. There is still some sex and metaphysics that everyone talks about, but there is also guns and blood and assassinations up the wazoo. There is a scene in Aunt Andais's chambers that is so bone-chilling, so traumatic, that I seriously didn't think I would recover. Indeed, if the Goddess didn't interceed on Merry's behalf, I would have probably been so traumatized by that scene that I couldn't continue. Rest assured that it is one of the most memorable, graphic, and terrifying fight scenes I've ever read. I am so in love with that scene alone that it more than makes up for all the talking in the first half, and then there's even more dramatics and battle scenes afterward. SO GOOD.

I think I will give Seduced by Moonlight 4 out of 5 Keys. The ending more than makes up for the beginning in my book, but those who aren't quite as in love with the series as I am will probably find it a little difficult to stomach. I love that the characters are so well characterized, but I have read other reviews that claim that the descriptions run to the irrelevant. I really don't think so, but if at least a few people think that then it might be true for some readers. Just know that you will probably find one of the most memorably bloody scenes in all of fiction near the end, and the court politics make for awesome twisted plots that flow into each other with amazing ease. I love this series and if you push on through this book, there is more excellence to come. Thanks for reading!

Dirty Little Secret #13

 

Dirty Little Secret is a weekly meme hosted by Under the Covers. Every Thursday we get to know other bloggers and our readers more intimately by asking them a question hoping to reveal their dirty little secrets.  We hope that you will all join us!
To participate in the meme all you need to do is:
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2. Create a post in your blog taking the meme image (code above) and copy instructions.
3. Answer the question we propose! This can be done in any way you like, post a video, write a post etc.
4. Then add your link below.
Non-bloggers: We want to hear from you as well!!!  Let us know your answer in the comments!
We hope you join us and let us know your Dirty Little Secrets!

"You are a kick ass chick, ready to face the night 
and kill some nasty vampires. 
You have your leathers on, your sidekick is ready... 
What is your weapon of choice?"

 

Guns. Definitely guns. There is a reason that they call guns "equalizers". They take big, huge, 300lb men and put them on the same playing field as a tiny little girl like me. If we were, I don't know, sword fighting, or wrestling, or freaking boxing, the heavier, taller opponent has the advantage. I'm not going to lie, I would probably lose if it came down to something physical like that. Guns on the other hand, are quick, beautiful, and deadly. Like me. Or...the supernatural heroine type me. Plus lets try to get the hero from drooling all over me when I whip out a pistol and threaten to shoot his ass...girls with guns=hottttt. 

So what about you guys? What weapons would you choose? I must say I'm partial to Katana's or samurai swords...or anything shiny...lol 

Review: Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce

Title: Alanna
Author: Tamora Pierce
Series: The Song of the Lioness #1
Pages: 274
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Genre: High Fantasy
Source: Bought

Goodreads Description:
Alan of Trebond, the best warrior in the palace, is harboring a big secret: he is really a she - Alanna. She's taken her twin brother's place in the castle to train to be a knight and has found companionship with both the Rogue of the city and the prince himself. But when her prince is felled by an illness, Alanna has no choice but to use her healing magic - even if it means ruining her career and revealing to the entire realm of Tortall her true nature.

My Review:
This is actually a re-read for me. I picked up Alanna when I first dared to enter the Teen room in my library so many years ago. I read Tamora Pierce's Circle of Magic Series first, and because I loved it so much I immediately began devouring every single thing that Ms. Pierce ever wrote. Because I read it first, the Circle of Magic is still my favorite of her series, but for most fans Alanna and the Song of the Lioness Quartet is where it's at. The realm of Tortall is vivid and wonderful, and the two following quartets, couplet, and trilogy that also exist in this world make for a really 3-D world that feels extremely real. You could spend a lot of time with this world, and after reading Alanna, you will definitely want to.

Alanna starts off when Alanna and her twin brother Thom are 11. They are about to be sent to places that neither of them want to be. For Thom, who hates sword work, archery, wrestling and all forms of "knightly" activities, being sent to gain his shield is the worst possible punishment, especially when he is already one of the best sorcerers in his village. Alanna would rather die than go live in the convents to the north and learn to be a lady, so what do they do? Switch places of course! I love seeing a good switcheroo! Also twins. Maybe it comes from being one myself, but I seem to keep a lot of books and series that have twin protagonists on my keeper shelf. Anyways...The twins pull it off with help from their nursemaid and Thom heads off to the Order where he can learn to control his magic and Alanna leaves for the capital so she can train to become a knight. I thought this part was well executed. A lot of times the switch can be unbelievable, especially boy-girl switches, but Tamora covers all the bases so you really believe that Alanna and Thom can pull it off. Alanna-now known as Alan, has to train extra hard to defeat the older and more experienced boys, but she puts in the hours and it really works

Alanna is an amazingly strong female character. She fights for what she believes in and other than the huge matter of lying about her sex, she is incredibly honest. She's stubborn, has spunk, and (perhaps best of all) tends to doubt herself. It is totally understandable that a young girl in such a stressful situation wouldn't be completely sure of herself. I was glad that Alanna wasn't the type of strong female character that has become the norm. Don't get me wrong, I love the snarky, witty, bad-ass heroines that run rampant in adult novels, but it's nice to see that they don't start off that way. They have moments of painful self doubt and times when their self-esteem needs to be built up by friends and lovers. Alanna is very tomboyish, but also has typical girly reactions to things(like the color of her lord's nightdresses) that it leaves the other boys scratching their heads and me laughing out loud. I like that she isn't completely de-feminized. She maintains the identity of a girl of her age, which if you think about it, isn't typically girly. I was still catching bugs and shooting Nerf guns at my brother at that age...the girly stiletto wearing, hair coloring, pink lover didn't break out until high school.

Speaking of age, I really liked that things stayed age specific. A lot of the times these little kids and young teenagers have relationships that are WAY too deep and intense for their ages. I don't mean 17 year olds, because I feel like at that age you are relatively capable of falling in love, but I've seen these kids of 13 and 14 falling in luuurrveee and promising to be together forever and it's kind of like...bleeehhhh....gross. Alanna doesn't show a hint of romantic interest in the boys around her. And why should she? Thoughts like that could get her real sex found out, and even if it wasn't, what would all the other nights think when Alan the Knight went to cuddle with another Knight? The only thing that exists between the characters at this point is friendship, brotherly love, and extreme loyalty. You can see the threads of possible relationships with both Prince Johnathan and George Cooper though. I love how George was the first one in the castle that Alanna trusted with her secret. It made him rise a lot in my esteem, though he already was pretty high up in my affections, the thieving, joking, devilish rascal!

I loved the combination of magic and religion in this book. The gods are present and they are extremely active in their people's lives, particularly those they have Gifted with the Sight or other Gifts. It was really cool to see a society where religion and magic were in harmony with one another instead of sparking battles and murder. Typically the church or religion of any given time condemns those that practice magic and it makes a lot of issues. It was cool to see how the practices and rituals of the religion coincide with the magical rituals and how priestesses and priests were usually blessed with magic. The gods were kind of vague, but you do get glimpses at a whole pantheon of interesting possible characters. I already know where the story leads, but if I didn't I would wonder about the title of the next book...In the Hands of the Goddess...

I give Alanna 5 Keys. It's age level makes it kind of a 5 keys for pre-teens and teens and 4 keys for adults, but I think it does a good job transcending age for the most part, which is why I'm sticking with the 5. It is a really quick read (it was a one seater for me)...but then again I just kept eating it up so I felt like I was reading really quickly because I wanted to get deeper and deeper into the story. The plot is amazing, and though Alanna is just a small slice of the overall story, it ends with a definite conclusion and only a few threads that leave you wanting more. I had to struggle to work on my term paper after finishing this book. The only thing that kept me from just plowing through the rest of the series is that they are currently two hours away. Good thing I'm going home for Thanksgiving and can get my Songs of the Lioness hunger filled along with my normal Turkey-day cravings. Later lovlies!!

My Book Boyfriend (10) Elias

My Book Boyfriend is a weekly meme hosted by Missie of The Unread Reader. Its a chance to pay homage to the hotties that haunt the pages of the novels we love. The men who stay in our thoughts late at night, who plague us during our long hours at work, who cause us to stare off into the starry night and sigh, because we want them here with us. Yes ladies, its the Book Boyfriend.

~~~

This week's book boyfriend is: 

Elias from Carrie Ryan's Forest of Hands and Teeth Books

Physical Description:
Hair: Light Blonde
Eyes: Piercing Blue
Body-Type: Built, Tall and Wiry

Personal Stats:
Grew up in the Forest of Hands and Teeth
Has worked and trained as an unconsecrated killer
Knows about the world outside of Gabry's villiage
Has a dark secret and it involves someone from Gabry's past


This cutie hails from the second book in the world of The Forest of Hands and Teeth, The Dead Tossed Waves, The Dark and Hollow places, etc. Elias is kind of a mysterious figure for most of the second book. He ends up saving Gabry's life multiple times. He also knows much more about the world outside of the village where Gabry lives. He was a "Recruit" which means he was in charge of eliminating zombies and clearing out areas of forests for people to live in. This is a dangerous job, and most of the recruits didn't make it past their first year. Yet Elias has made it over 3 years and is now searching for someone from his past and the search leads him straight to Gabry

I love this series a lot. Carrie Ryan pretty much takes what my soul wants to say and then turns it into book form. Each book has a different narrator, which kind of bugged me at first, but I have since gotten used to. I haven't finished The Dark and Hollow Places, so I REALLY need to find out what happens to Elias and Gabry. Elias is such a sweetie. Not only does he save Gabry from the unconsecrated several times, he actually sacrifices himself (partially) to save her. That's dedication my friends! Plus he's such a sweet talker...

Totally Fantabulous Elias Quotes:

I can tell by the way he pulls me to himself, by the way he holds me as if he could push the pieces of me back together again, that it's Elias. I can tell by his smell and his strength and the way he leans his cheek against my hair that he's mine and I'm his.

"You know how you can know someone...or think you know them...but maybe you know them in one way? And then maybe something shifts. Maybe one day you hear them say something unexpected. Or hear the way they laugh and then suddenly you see them all over again. This time, maybe you see them as...beautiful." 

I'm falling in love with you Gabrielle. Not wih the person you used to be, but you. I might not know how you've gotten every cut, scrape, or scar, but I see the girl you've grown to be, not the one they all think they know. 

Isn't he just a cutie pants! The actor's name is Brett Davern and I first saw him on MTV's Awkward. He's super cute...if you're into that whole cougar thing. I kind of want to pat him on the head and give him a cookie...not something that my book boyfriends usually inspire, but still...I had to give him mad props for being such a smooth-talker. Elias is absolutely fantastic for Gabry and I hope things work out in the next book! So what about you ladies? Does Elias make you wish that he wasn't jailbait? Hey, this is a post-apocalyptic zombie world...I don't think the term jailbait applies any more :P

Review: Once Bitten, Twice Shy by Jennifer Rardin

Title: Once Bitten, Twice Shy
Author: Jennifer Rardin
Series: Jaz Parks #1
Pages: 308
Publisher: Orbit books
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Source: Library

Goodreads Description:
Jaz Parks is an assistant assassin who works for the CIA. She and her boss, Vayl, have just received an assignment to meet, assess, and neutralize a Miami plastic surgeon with some disturbing supernatural connection. But things aren't all that they appear to be. It turns out the plastic surgeon has some friends in high places. As in the government, the military, and a very powerful vampire leader as well. With enemies at every corner, Jaz and Vayl are in a race against the clock to prevent the bad guys from decimating the country with a supernatural virus or epic proportions. 

My Review:
This book really fell flat for me. To be honest, it seems a little bit part of the "flash-genre". Vampires and supernatural beings are really popular, so someone decides to produce something that fits in the genre so that they can capitalize on that popularity. The plot and characters are very typical to the "pop" genre . You know how authors like Marry Higgins Clark and John Grisham are really popular and they sell a lot of books, yet you can barely remember the plot or the characters once you finish the last page? Well for me, I'm not a big fan of them. Those kind of books are just things to distract you from daily life...they don't bring anything fantastic to the world, they are just a way to occupy your time when you're bored...a little like the Jersey Shore. Once Bitten felt kind of like those pointless kind of works I'm talking about. There wasn't enough connection to characters to keep me interested from that aspect, there wasn't anything new or original added to the supernatural genre, even the main plot seems like it's been done time and time again.

My biggest issue was that nothing was clarified. Vampires, werewolves, and witches are all out and in the cultural knowledge, and we get no insight into how that happened. Was it bloody? Was it peaceful? Have they always been living mixed with humans for the whole history of time? We just don't know. The rules of this world in general are just really shaky. The social norms of dealing with vampires and other supernatural beings aren't explained. For example, Vayl is a vampire. Jaz works with vampires and is romantically interested in one. Then when a friend of hers gets turned, she just calls her evil and kills her. Wait, what? Why does being changed make her best friend evil when it isn't the case with any of the others? Also, Jaz kept gaining powers throughout the novel. Yet each new power is given less and less screen time so we don't understand the extent of the powers or why they are even appearing. The plot was full of little inconsistencies like that and they really added up so that I ended up not enjoying myself or the world that I was "living" in.

I did like Vayl, but I was kind of thrown off because we don't get to meet him. The book starts off before Jaz and Vayl are partners, but then in the next chapter it flashes forward six months so that Jaz and Vayl are already partnered and have more of a personal relationship rather than professional. By doing this, we miss out on them getting to know each other. There's no description of their first meeting, no witty banter, no development of their relationship as Jaz breaks down Vayl's cold hardened heart. I missed having that kind of a relationship, and because we don't get to see them grow to like each other it's kind of hard to enjoy the romance that is growing between the pair of them. He also isn't exactly a dominant kind of guy. You would think that over 300 years of surviving would leave a hardened alpha male, but that isn't exactly the case...he just kind of goes with the flow and gives into both his ex and Jaz's demands without batting an eyelash.

The dialogue was...interesting. I wanted to enjoy it, and in fact there were several quotes that I really liked or made me laugh, but for the most part the banter was choppy and confusing. There were analogies that were hilarious, but irrelevant. Some of the time I felt like I was just hearing one liner after one liner that didn't even apply to the story or have any significance other than being funny. You'd expect to hear some of the dialogue while sitting around with friends or in a bar, but not in everyday life, and not in your own personal monologue in your head. But still, it was funny so I can't rag on it too much.

"I just know, of all our suspects, if Martha's the rotten link there's no doubt we'll be coming out of this bruised and bloody."

 "You mean you prefer the senators?"

"Absolutely. They can't be nearly as mean, conniving, vicious, and underhanded as Martha." 

"She is an excellent secretary, isn't she?" 

"The best." 

The way the story was set up did get pretty interesting near the end, but for the first half of the book I was utterly confused. Jaz kept blacking out or daydreaming which really distracted me from the story. I didn't understand what was happening to Jaz because she didn't explain it better. Eventually you find out what's wrong with her, but I hate it when the narrator keeps things from me on purpose. It makes me feel tricked or lied to when the person that I've been following around inside their head has been purposely keeping things from me the whole time. It wasn't so much that Jaz was deliberately not telling us what was going on, it was just that she left lots of important things out. It's fine if she hadn't known what was wrong, but when it turned out that she knew almost everything that happened, I just felt really disconnected from her. The end was really the redeeming section. There was a lot of cool stuff happening like past lives, and weird people being alive when the shouldn't, oh, and mustn't forget the demon that was between half worlds and likes to chow down  on souls...that was pretty cool.

I give Once Bitten, Twice Shy 2 Keys. It wasn't really my cup of tea, and though I would be interested to read it's sequels, it might take a lot of pep talks before I actually go read them. To be honest, I found this story to be more of a chick-lit piece than true Urban Fantasy. There was a whole lot of emphasis on feelings and determining what was going on with each of the guys and not a whole lot of plot to back it up. The addition of Vayl's ex-wife made it particularly full of emotional drama when it could have used a more dramatic or action-y approach. The plot was a tad too unoriginal for me, and had a lot of holes that bugged me. I enjoyed the ending enough to consider giving it 3 Keys, but all in all, it just wasn't a good example of it's genre.

Top Ten Tuesday

 

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND post a comment on our post with a link to your Top Ten Tuesday post to share with us and all those who are participating. If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. 

Who are the Top Ten Authors You'd Love To Have At Your Thanksgiving Feast

Tricky Tricky. There are a ton of authors I would love to have over, but could I coordinate something as extravagant as Thanksgiving dinner? Who would sit next to who? Would some authors feel neglected if I sat them too far away from the head of the table? lol...I know I'm taking this way to seriously...anyways... For pure love and fangirl-dom I will have to say J.K. Rowling and Stephanie Meyer. 

Especially Ms. Rowling. I'm not going to lie, but if she showed up for Thanksgiving I would probably spend the entire time blubbering all over her and it would make for a really awkward turkey day...speaking of awkward, I think I would make Stephanie Meyer and J.K. Rowling sit right next to each other. For one thing, it would be really interesting to see if they duke it out like so many of their fans do online.  For another thing, maybe Cedric Diggory didn't die, because he was a vampire, and they can come up a way to explain how he got from the UK to Forks, and where the rest of the Cullens were while Cedward was getting his ass kicked by Voldemort. 

Horror Authors:

Laurell K. Hamilton. This lady is fantastic...though I do read her blog sometimes and she's gotten quite sketchy lately. Her sex scenes have expanded from the realm of normal to lycanthropic and vampiric octo-orgies, so i'd say she's a little twisted in that area. She also kind of strikes me of some psycho-pagan who wants to turn the whole world to her religion. She's also something of a social recluse, which is why I would seat her next to:


Stephen King.I feel like only Stephen King's sick and twisted mind can keep up with the dark and terrifying Ms. Hamilton. He's written more effed up things than I can possibly even imagine. Who knows...they might make an epic adventure of terror and sex that would kill anyone who reads it because no one can take that level of horror and come away unscathed. 




J.L. Bryan. Though he would probably feel a little out of place with the other horror authors, Jeff is the best! He's a great twitter buddy, writes amazing books, and could (maybe) hold his own against the other two terrors above. If he can't, I'm sure he can always get Jenny to Pox them for him.

Zombie Authors:

Carrie Ryan, Rhiannon Frater, and Jesse Peterson. These chicks range from the desolate to the desperately hilarious, but they all write kick butt zombie novels. Maybe I just love zombies, but I don't think that's it. These ladies take you into worlds that terrify and amaze, but are also really hear-felt. I would want some of that heart hanging around with me at my Thanksgiving. Plus I bet they would be cracking hilarious jokes and making Stephen King and Laurell K. Hamilton really uncomfortable with their girlish giddiness. 


And that's about all my table has room for...So what about you guys? Who do you want to hang out with you? There's a lot of author's to give thanks for and these are just a few! Who are the ones you can't live without??

Review: The Tale of the Vampire Bride by Rhiannon Frater

Title: The Tale of the Vampire Bride
Author: Rhiannon Frater
Series: The Vampire Bride #1
Pages: 490
Publisher: Library of Horror Press
Genre: Horror
Source: via agent in exchange for review.

Goodreads Description:

All Lady Glynis Wright ever wanted was the freedom to live her life as she pleased. Unfortunately, her aristocratic parents want her to marry well and settle into a life of luxury. When her family becomes guests to one of the most fearsome and powerful vampires of all time, Glynis finds her fate is far more terrible than an arranged marriage. Trapped in the power of her new master, she fights for freedom, revenge against her creator, and the chance to be with the one she truly loves. 

My Review:
What an amazing story! I admit, I was a tad skeptical at first. I am a big sucker for judging books by their covers and this one's just doesn't appeal to me very much. I like the vivid red of the woman's hair, but I need a little more oomph to make me want to read. Luckily, I knew that if it was by the amazing Rhiannon Frater, it was bound to be fantastic, and I was totally right! The Tale of the Vampire Bride takes you on a terrorizing and completely entrancing adventure from the beginning to the very last page. It's not just a paranormal story. It's a Gothic horror story that takes you to the darkest possible extreme of vampire nature.  

The book begins with Lady Glynis Wright and her family traveling around Europe to try to find a husband for unruly Glynis. Then, they are unexpectedly invited to visit a mysterious Count living on an estate somewhere in the wilds of Hungary. He has taken an interest in the rowdy red-head and wants to visit with her and her family in order to see if he wants to marry her. The Wright's journey is plagued with troubles though, from storms that seem to never move, to wolves that follow their carriage. Then when they actually get to the castle, they find a decaying shell of a castle and the Count is dark and terrifying. Glynis's father decides that he doesn't want his daughter married to such a cold man and attempts to leave. That is when Count Vlad Dracula gets angry...and that never turns out well.

I'm not sure how to describe it, but it's like Rhiannon Frater took the aura and feel of a true Gothic novel and spun it into something entirely new. It is like reading Jane Eyre, or Frankenstein, or Dracula, except with a more interesting female character, and language that is much easier to understand than those classics mentioned above. She adds elements to her stories that I have never seen in any other vampire literature. One of these things was the addition of the vampire brides and Vlad's treatment of them. It was so odd to see vampires who are strong, beautiful, and powerful be treated like servants and slaves. Vlad was a true vampire in his control over his wives. I always wondered about that in other vampire books. Wouldn't a vampire that had been raised in the 1700's prefer their women submissive? Why are they attracted to the kick-ass heroines of most urban-fantasy novels when the women who existed for the last 300 years or so were subservient and obeyed their every whim? Vlad acts as you would expect both a man and a vampire to act. He's violent, dominant, and prone to fits of blood lust and anger, and of course hates it when anyone disrespects his authority.

While Vlad was a truly monstrous vampire, he was also a complete horror. You absolutely hate him from the very beginning because of the callous way he kills off Glynis's family because they get in his way. In addition, Glynis's transition to vampire is made even more horrific by Vlad being a sadistic bastard and by raping her and then making Glynis feed on her own mother. The way he treats Glynis and his other wives leaves him almost entirely unrelateable. He isn't some romantic and dashing figure of an aristocratic gentleman. He is a sadistic and infuriating creature that you can't help but despise. It is only near the very end of the novel, when things are in play that can't be undone, when you finally catch a humanizing glance into his tortured psyche and only barely lose your complete hatred for every fiber of his being. I so thouroughly enjoyed him that I can't even find the words to express it. A good villain is just as important as having a good hero. More important even. I absolutely hate it when a villain is stupid or pointless and is easy to defeat. Vlad is none of those things and he makes probably one of the best villains I've seen in years. He is so...amazingly horrible!

I am so intrigued by all of the happenings in Buda. Even though I was engaged in the novel, when I got to the part when Vlad and Glynis traveled to Buda I was completely sucked into the story and hardly put my book down for longer than the time it took to run to the bathroom, eat, or sleep. There was SO much that came into play in the amazing city! The vampire hunters were terrifying and possessing, the damphir was confusing and compelling, and the fallen was so cool. There is a whole entire underworld of supernatural that exists outside of just Vlad and his castle and it was amazing to get a small peek into that world. I am so excited to start the next book Vengeance of the Vampire Bride, because I really hope that it digs deeper into this new supernatural world. I also want to see more of Glynis's secret lover Ignatius. He was really hot...for a priest :P

I give Tale of the Vampire Bride 5 keys. This is a true horror story in a genre that has changed from a theme of blood and terror to sparkling hotties and love. These are your old school, terrifying, hypnotizing vampires of the past, but with a writing style that is modernized to a point that is really enjoyable. I know I have balked from reading traditional Gothic literature, even *gasp* Dracula simply because of the writing style and the archaic phrases that trip me up and make me spend like...2 weeks reading one 250 page book. The Tale of the Vampire Bride captures the haunting tone of Stoker's Dracula while maintaining character development and beautiful prose that by far surpasses many of the great's in today's paranormal genre.