Waiting on Wednesday #17

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Incarnation by Emma Cornwall

Release Date: September 18th, 2012

Lucy Weston tracks down the novelist Bram Stoker in her search to reveal the dark force who made her a vampire--and regain her humanity in the process.In the steampunk world of Victorian London, Lucy Weston, a character in "Dracula," seeks out Bram Stoker to discover why he deliberately lied about her in his popular novel. With Stoker's reluctant help, she tracks the creature who transformed her from the sensual underworld where humans vie to become vampires to a hidden cell beneath a temple to madness and finally into the glittering Crystal Palace where death reigns supreme. Haunted by fragmentary memories of her lost life and love, Lucy battles her thirst for blood as she struggles to stop a catastrophic war that will doom vampires and humans alike. Ultimately, she makes a choice that illuminates for her--and for us--the true nature of what it means to be human.

EEEEEEKK!! Excuse me for a second I am majorly fangirling right now. I read the first sentence of this synopsis, "Lucy Weston tracks down the novelist Bram Stoker in her search to reveal the dark force who made her a vampire--and regain her humanity in the process.” and I was all like OMG! OMG! I KNOW HER! I KNOW HER! Dracula is definitely my favorite classic tale and this steampunk story about Lucy Weston has totally got me jonesing for fall! Why must September be 2 months away! 


What are you waiting on?

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

Title: Dead Until Dark

Author: Charlaine Harris

Pages: 292

Release: May 1^st, 2001

Synopsis:

(from Goodreads)Sookie Stackhouse is just a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. Until the vampire of her dreams walks into her life-and one of her coworkers checks out.... Maybe having a vampire for a boyfriend isn't such a bright idea.

My Thoughts:

I don’t know how familiar any of you guys are with the HBO show, True Blood, but it is a television show based off of these books, The Sookie Stackhouse series. Well, I absolutely adore the television show so with it’s popularity rising, the mass market paperbacks were in walmart and pretty cheap, so I figured, why not? The first book was just as great as the show and I look forward to reading more in the series.

The most challenging part about writing a review for a book that’s story I am already familiar with is that it’s very difficult to judge the quality without a comparison happening. So, I will get this out of the way by saying that the book was very similar to the first season of the show. Not indentical, but similar in numerous ways which I am sure impressed many of the long-time book fans. The differences I noticed were there was no Tara (whose a main character in the show) and Lafayette wasn’t nearly fabulous enough.

Now speaking strictly about the book, I really loved Sookie and getting to hear things in her head. I also was surprised to find that I didn’t really like Sam’s character. The plot was still so intense that even knowing what to expect, I was flipping pages like crazy and holding my breath without paying attention. Fans of the tv show like myself, should definitely check out these awesome paranormal mystery books.

In Short:

Rating: 4/5

Purchase or Check Out?: Purchase

Would I read it again?: Yes

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Immortal Rules

Author: Julie Kagawa

Pages: 485

Release: April 24^th, 2012

Synopsis:

(from Goodreads)In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity. Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.
Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.But it isn’t easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.

My Thoughts:

The Immortal Rules was kind of a given for me. I really liked The Iron King and Julie Kagawa’s world building talent plus dystopian vampires, well that equals brilliance. I am so happy to say that I am even more impressed with this book than I could have imagined.

What was so cool about this book was how everything came together so perfectly. You’ve got your vampires, some zombie-like creatures(called Rabids in this series), dystopian society, a little romance, and a great backstory. The characters all had very distinct personalities and I was drawn to a couple that I wouldn’t have expected to like so much.

I was less than impressed with Harlequin’s creative decision to use a Caucasian model for the cover art, rather than an Asian. The main character Allison is definitely Asian and I am disappointed they didn’t reflect that on the cover. I was also not particularly attached to the male love interest, Ezekiel, but am hoping he will grow on me in later books.

It really was a fantastic book with lots of action and adventure. This one ends us on a cliffhanger, but at the same time was concluded very nicely. I will be anxiously awaiting the next books in this series.

In Short:

Rating: 5/5

Purchase or Check Out?: Purchase

Would I read it again?: Yes!

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

Title: City of Lost Souls

Author: Cassandra Clare

Pages: 534

Release: May 8^th, 2012

Synopsis:

(from Goodreads)The demon Lilith has been destroyed and Jace has been freed from her captivity. But when the Shadowhunters arrive to rescue him, they find only blood and broken glass. Not only is the boy Clary loves missing–but so is the boy she hates, Sebastian, the son of her father Valentine: a son determined to succeed where their father failed, and bring the Shadowhunters to their knees. No magic the Clave can summon can locate either boy, but Jace cannot stay away—not from Clary. When they meet again Clary discovers the horror Lilith’s dying magic has wrought—Jace is no longer the boy she loved. He and Sebastian are now bound to each other, and Jace has become what he most feared: a true servant of Valentine’s evil. The Clave is determined to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. Will the Shadowhunters hesitate to kill one of their own? Only a small band of Clary and Jace’s friends and family believe that Jace can still be saved — and that the fate of the Shadowhunters’ future may hinge on that salvation. They must defy the Clave and strike out on their own. Alec, Magnus, Simon and Isabelle must work together to save Jace: bargaining with the sinister Faerie Queen, contemplating deals with demons, and turning at last to the Iron Sisters, the reclusive and merciless weapons makers for the Shadowhunters, who tell them that no weapon on this earth can sever the bond between Sebastian and Jace. Their only chance of cutting Jace free is to challenge Heaven and Hell — a risk that could claim any, or all, of their lives.And they must do it without Clary. For Clary has gone into the heart of darkness, to play a dangerous game utterly alone. The price of losing the game is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. She’s willing to do anything for Jace, but can she even still trust him? Or is he truly lost? What price is too high to pay, even for love?

My Thoughts:

I have been a fan of Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instrument series for a few years now and I think it’s a safe bet to say that it is my favorite book series. However, the last book, City of Fallen Angels, kind of fell flat for me and I was starting to worry that maybe this series had lost focus. I am happy to say that City of Lost Souls brought me back to why I love the Shadowhunter world and left me itching for more!

I think that one of my initial fears going into this book was that with Jace missing, a lot of the witty banter that makes these books so fun would be gone, but Jace is in most of the book and his personality does not suffer. Also, I found myself falling more in love with the relationships in this book. Simon and Isabelle, Jordan and Maia, Alec and Magnus, even Clary and Jace, all showed so much development throughout this book and I was appreciative to see how it unfolded.

As always, Cassandra Clare does an excellent job at having multiple storylines going on at once. Her ability to never make her books become boring or have a lull in action is something that I love. City of Lost Souls is a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat for it’s entirety. Trust me, my fingernails are all bitten off and I held my breath so much, I feel like I just ran a marathon! This is one you do not want to miss.

In Short:

Rating: 5/5

Purchase or Check Out?: Purchase

Would I read it again?: Yes!

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Title: Hex Hall

Author: Rachel Hawkins

Pages: 323

Release: March 2^nd, 2010

Synopsis:(from Goodreads) Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters.By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire student on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

My Thoughts:

I love boarding school stories! I don’t know why but I got really excited when I realized that this book was a boarding school series about WITCHES! So, after putting off reading it (for reasons unknown), I finally read it and I absolutely loved it.

Hex Hall is a very nice read for many reasons but, I found it most refreshing because of how quickly it read, without lacking quality, and how likeable I found all of the characters, even the antagonistic ones. It was a nice break from what I have been reading lately. It was just so easy to love!

I will say that you should be cautious getting attached to characters in this book, because I was surprised more than once by a character’s true nature! With that being said, READ IT if you haven’t. It’s such a fabulous book and I am looking forward to buying the next in the series.

In Short:

Rating: 5/5

Purchase or Check Out? Purchase! (although I borrowed)

Would I read it again?: Yes

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Title: Vampire Academy

Author: Richelle Mead

Pages: 332

Release: August 16^th, 2007

Synopsis:(from Goodreads) Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger. . . .
Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever...

My Thoughts:

I had several people anticipating this review, so I hope it’s not too disappointing!

I read Vampire Academy because of the hype I had heard about the series. Nearly every blog I go to on a regular basis raves about this series and I was fascinated by all of the praise it was receiving. Unfortunately, I feel that because my standards were set so high, Vampire Academy fell flat for me.

Generally, I can tell how much I love a book by how long it takes for me to read it; so when I was a week into this book and only halfway through I sensed that my attention was waning. My major qualm: it was incredibly slow and then in the last 50 pages or so, all of this plot is magically squished in. I also just couldn’t buy into the different types of Vampires that Mead had created; it simply wasn’t my sort of vampire novel.

When I was able to get focused on the book, the writing was very well done and I enjoyed several of the characters and the twists that were thrown in. I didn’t dislike it, but I didn’t really enjoy it either, and I don’t think I will be reading the rest of the novels in this series.

In Short:

Rating: 3/5

Purchase or Check Out?: Check Out

Would I read it again?: No

Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

Title: Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side

Author: Beth Fantaskey

Pages: 351

Release: February, 1^st 2009

Synopsis:(from Goodreads) The undead can really screw up your senior year . . .
Marrying a vampire definitely doesn’t fit into Jessica Packwood’s senior year “get-a-life” plan. But then a bizarre (and incredibly hot) new exchange student named Lucius Vladescu shows up, claiming that Jessica is a Romanian vampire princess by birth—and he’s her long-lost fiancé. Armed with newfound confidence and a copy of Growing Up Undead: A Teen Vampire’s Guide to Dating, Health, and Emotions, Jessica makes a dramatic transition from average American teenager to glam European vampire princess. But when a devious cheerleader sets her sights on Lucius, Jess finds herself fighting to win back her wayward prince, stop a global vampire war — and save Lucius’s soul from eternal destruction.

My Thoughts:

When looking at the date this book was published, I was shocked. I didn’t realize that this book had been out for so long, but perhaps I just missed the reviews on the first book and just recently got caught up with renewed hype over the sequel to this, “Jessica Rules the Dark Side.” Anywho, it matters not. Better late than never as they say. The title of this book made me expect something funny, perhaps mocking in a way of the vampire hype, or maybe written like an instructional guide. Eh, I don’t know, but I can say it wasn’t at all what I expected and I mean that in the best way.

Lucius, oh the amazing character of Lucius. I have to say my favorite part about the beginning of this novel was the letters he sent to his uncle, Vasile. Very cute and actually made me laugh out loud several times. Also, I really liked when he would stand up for Jessica and when he would tell her she was beautiful the way she was, including her curls and curves.

It was definitely a different take on vampires with a very interesting backstory to boot. I also have to mention the fact that I enjoyed that it was very well wrapped up at the end. I understand it is not a standalone book and that’s okay! However, one of my biggest pet peeves in reading is when the author leaves all these loose ends untied when you finish a book. I want the story to have a sense of completeness, so that I can walk away feeling satisfied and not feel pushed into reading another piece in a series (although, for this I will be getting the second book).

In Short:

Rating: 5/5

Purchase or Check Out? Worth a purchase (even though I regrettably borrowed mine)

Would I read it again?:  Maybe.

Teaser Tuesday #1

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along!

1. “Dmitri shook his head and walked off, muttering something in Russian that didn’t sound complimentary. But as for me...well, just like that, I was one of the novices again.”


2. “Hey Mason, wipe the drool off your face. If you’re going to think about me naked, do it on your own time.”


Page 28 of Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead











I especially like that second teaser! Rose doesn’t take crap from anybody and I love it! I’d love to read your teasers, feel free to leave your link in the comments.