Bared to You (Crossfire #1) by Sylvia Day

Bared to You (Crossfire #1)

by Sylvia Day

Paperback, 360 pages

Published April 3rd 2012

Rating: 6/5 Stars

Description:

Our journey began in fire…

Gideon Cross came into my life-like lightning in the darkness—beautiful and brilliant, jagged and white-hot. I was drawn to him as I’d never been to anything or anyone in my life. I craved his touch like a drug, even knowing it would weaken me. I was flawed and damaged, and he opened those cracks in me so easily…Gideon knew. He had demons of his own. And we would become the mirrors that reflected each other’s most private wounds… and desires.

The bonds of his love transformed me, even as I prayed that the torment of our pasts didn’t tear us apart…..

Review:

HOLY. FREAKING. GOD. THIS. BOOK. IS. BEYOND. AMAZING. This book was absolute perfection for me!! It had me swooning, drooling and panting over Gideon Cross and had me reading for the better part of it with the world’s biggest grin on my face. It was the perfect blend of heart warming, HOTNESS, and seriously tortured Alpha hero (and heroine).

The story is told from the perspective of Eva Hammel, a 24-year-old girl who comes from money but wants to make it on her own in the world. She chooses to start at the bottom and work her way to the top and gets a job in an advertising agency where she meets the guy who owns the company she works for (and pretty much everything in NYC) Gideon Cross and it’s just an instant connection between then. Sparks fly from the first glance. And things go from there.

Gideon Cross is just pure perfection in my eyes! He is tortured, passionate, controlling, but isn’t afraid to admit he f*cked up, tender, possessive, gorgeous , absolutely and utterly in LOVE with his girl… <3 <3 Gah! my heart is bursting here! <3
He’s so messed up but he’s trying his absolute best to be everything his girl needs him to be. I love how on the outside he’s this unobtainable larger-than-life god but on the inside, he’s just a man who wants to be loved by his girl.

“Oh, Eva.” He rubbed his cheek against my damp face. “I must’ve wished for you so hard and so often you had no choice but to come true.”

“What do you want, Gideon?” I asked softly.
He caught me to him and cupped my cheek in one hand. “I want to keep feeling the way I feel when I’m with you. Just tell me what I have to do. And give me some room to screw up. I’ve never done this before. There’s a learning curve.”

There are a lot of wonderful book couples out there but the thing that made me just LOVE this book was how functional Gideon and Eva were. Despite both having very messed up pasts, and both having their fair share of f*ck ups, they worked througheverything functional and passionately in a way that deeply warmed me heart. I loved how open and honest they learned to be with each other. They both made mistakes but they were understandable mistakes, nothing that make me want to throw my Kindle at the wall, nothing where I couldn’t understand the reaction they had, and they always talked everything through after. I loved how their love for each other made them stronger than any problems that came their way. It was so refreshing and heart warming.

[This relationship] is going to be a lot of work, Gideon.” I warned him.
“I’m not afraid of work.” He was touching me restlessly, his hands sliding over my thighs and buttocks as if caressing my bare skin was as necessary to him as breathing. “I’m only afraid of losing you.”
I pressed my cheek to his. We completed each other. Even now, as his hands roamed possessively over me, I felt a thawing in my soul, the desperate relief of being held – finally – by the man who understood and satisfied my deepest, most intimate desires.”

I loved how neither of them were man-whores or virgins before meeting each other. Not that I have a problem with either one. But it was refreshing and realistic that they had both been in a normal amount of relationships for a couple of mid-twenty year olds.

I also LOVED the side characters. Eva’s boss Mark and his partner Steven were delightful and fun. Her bi-sexual room-mate and best friend Cary was just so lovable. He was the ultimate big brother character with his own set of problems – I really really hope he gets a HEA. He so deserves one! We don’t get to see much of his past, but you can tell its really heart-breaking. I loved how he knew Eva so well, he just knew when something was wrong just by looking at her.

“I want there to be happily-ever-afters for the f*cked up crowd. Show me the way, Eva honey. Make me believe.” ~Cary

And did I mention how utterly HOT this book was?? I swear I was fanning myself from the moment they met (which was pretty much right at the beginning) till the very last page.

For those of you wondering about the connection between this book and Fifty Shades, I’d say they have about as much in common as Fifty Shades does with Twilight. Sure the basics are similar, mega-billionaire hero who is possessive of his girl… wait, no, that’s it actually. The BDSM element is utterly UNlike Fifty. There is no contract or anything like that, and it only comes up about 70% of the way through the book, and only briefly at that. Its more about the sexual control, but even then, it’s not about the kinky f*ckery the same way that Fifty was. But don’t let that deter you, this book is HOT, SEXY, deeply emotional, and a serious page turner…. I found this book more deeply emotional than Fifty and I loved Gideon even more than Christian which is saying a lot cuz all the Fifty books are on my 6 star list.

“You forget who submits, Eva,” he said gruffly. “I’ve given up control for you. I’ve bent and adjusted for you. I’ll do anything to keep you and make you happy. But I can’t be tamed or topped. Don’t mistake indulgence for weakness.”

… and gah, the library scene!!! *dies* seriously HOTTTTT

I just loved seeing these two people from such tortured and broken pasts coming together, finding peace in each other, making things work… its a beautiful story!!

“I love you, Gideon.”
“God.” He looked at me with something that resembled disgust. Whether it was directed at me or himself, I didn’t know. “How can you say that?”
“Because it’s the truth.”
“You just see this”—he gestured at himself with a wave of his hand. “You’re not seeing the fucked-up, broken mess inside.”
I inhaled sharply. “You can say that to me? When you know I’m fucked up and broken, too?”

The ending was in a perfect place. Happy, resolved but leaving me biting my nails waiting for October to pleeeeease get here faster!!

We’ll never be over, Eva. ~Gideon

This is a MUST read!! I’m buying it in hard copy to put on my favorites shelf and know for sure that I’ll be rereading it many times!! *swoon*

 

The Gathering (Darkness Rising #1) by Kelley Armstrong

The Gathering (Darkness Rising #1)

by Kelley Armstrong

Hardcover, 359 pages

Published April 12th 2011 by Harper (HarperCollins), New York (first published April 5th 2011)

ISBN 0061797022 (ISBN13: 9780061797026)

My Rating: 5/5

Description:

Sixteen-year-old Maya is just an ordinary teen in an ordinary town. Sure, she doesn’t know much about her background – the only thing she really has to cling to is an odd paw-print birthmark on her hip – but she never really put much thought into who her parents were or how she ended up with her adopted parents in this tiny medical-research community on Vancouver Island.

Until now.

Strange things have happened in this claustrophobic town – from the mountain lions that have approached Maya to her best friend’s hidden talent for “feeling” out people and situations, to the sexy new bad boy who makes Maya feel . . . . different. Combine that with a few unexplained deaths and a mystery involving Maya’s biological parents and it’s easy to suspect that this town might have more than its share of skeletons in its closet.

Review:

Maya lives on Vancouver Island in an isolated town called Salmon Creek. The St. Clouds own a medical research facility there and there’s a very small group of people who live there working at the facility. Maya’s father is the park warden, and Maya helps him with wounded animals. She has a way with most of the animals, even the old cougar Marv.

Her life is mostly normal, but strange, unanswered questions surround Maya and her town. Her best friend Serena died a mysterious death a year before the story. An old woman calls her a witch when she sees Maya’s birthmark tattoo. A reporter starts sneaking around town and no one believes she’s really there to write an article about being a teen in a small town.

It’s interesting trying to write a short blurb for this because honestly, not that much happens in the first half of the book, and yet I couldn’t put it down! Kelley Armstrong’s characters are so likable and well-characterized. The main ones all have a distinct personality, and I found myself liking all of them. Her writing flows really well. I could see this small town perfectly–the forests, the kids, everything.

Okay, I say nothing happened, but that’s not really true. It’s just that the author brings up a lot of questions and doesn’t answer them until the second half. . .or not at all. Maya starts to get to know this new guy named Rafe. At first she brushes him off, but they really start to hit it off after a few talks. She and her friend Daniel investigate the reporter. She has strange encounters with animals–seeing what they feel, telling them what to do. The second half is more fast-paced as things start to be revealed. You can predict some of it, and other parts come out of left field, which is cool.

I really liked this story! Like I said, the characters were great. I really liked Maya. I liked the romance between her and Rafe, although I’m still wondering if there’s anything at all between her and Daniel. Maybe next book she’ll explore that a bit more.

One of the things I really appreciated was the morals of the story. And I don’t mean it had a message, I just mean people were decent and there wasn’t anything that made me question Kelley Armstrong’s belief in gender roles. Maya was a strong female, and although Daniel was completely chivalrous, he wasn’t condescending to any of the women in the book. He’s a perfect gentlemen, actually, as is Rafe, without treating the women in the book like they’re inferior. When Maya suspects she was drugged at her birthday party, she was ready to drop the suspecting male in a second.

Armstrong was conscious about issues that teens face and her characters were totally sensible, even honorable, about it. This is probably a book conservative parents wouldn’t mind their kids reading–she’ll use “Rafe cursed” instead of real words and the book is light on violence and sex while still being realistic and still being a really strong story.

Long story short: READ IT. I cannot WAIT to read the sequel. I keep starting these series’ even though I know I’ll have to wait forever for the next one.

 

Fifty Shades Freed (Fifty Shades #3) by E.L. James

Fifty Shades Freed (Fifty Shades #3)

by E.L. James

Paperback, 555 pages

Published January 19th 2012 by The Writer’s Coffee Shop Publishing House

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Discription::

When unworldly student Ana Steele first encountered the driven, damaged young entrepreneur Christian Grey it sparked a sensual affair that changed both their lives irrevocably. Shocked, intrigued, and ultimately repelled by Christian’s singular sexual tastes, Ana demanded a deeper commitment; determined to keep her, Christian agreed.Now, together, they have more – love, passion, intimacy, and a world of infinite possibilities. But Ana always knew that loving her Fifty Shades would not be easy, and being together poses challenges neither of them ever anticipated. Ana must somehow learn to share Christian’s opulent lifestyle without sacrificing her own integrity, identity or independence; Christian must somehow overcome his compulsion to control, and lay to rest the horrors that blighted his past and haunt his present.Just when it seems that together their love can conquer any obstacle, misfortune, malice and fate combine to make Ana’s worst nightmares come true. Alone and desperate, she must face down the poisoned legacy of Christian’s past.Seductive, shocking, sad and funny, Fifty Shades Freed is the compelling final volume in the Fifty Shades trilogy.

Review:

~This review is for all 3 books in the Fifty Shades Trilogy~

WOW…I just absolutely love all 3 books in this trilogy. I love them so much that not only do I have all 3 books on my Kindle but as soon as I finished reading Fifty Shades Freed earlier today I went online and ordered all 3 in paperback.

Now I’m sitting here trying to put into words how much I love the Fifty Shades of Grey Trilogy without sounding like a babbling idiot but I don’t think that’s going to happen. So let the babbling commence…

I ABSOLUTLY LOVE TO READ. In fact I read so much that my husband has threaten to send me to reading rehab where I’ll be forced to watch TV in hopes of breaking my reading habit. But now that I’ve educated him about “hard limits” he has stopped threatening me about rehab and has now offered to buy me a Kindle Fire or an Apple iPad …I got the iPad.

The reason I love to read is because of books like the Fifty Shades of Grey Trilogy. The kind of books that put you on an emotional rollercoaster ride while transporting you to a different world. Out of all the books I’ve read, and there have been hundreds of them, the Fifty Shades Trilogy books are among my favorites. I was hooked from the very beginning and totally fell in love with Christian Grey and his fifty shades of fucked-up. I also love the chemistry between Christian and Ana and the journey they went on together as a couple and by themselves. I loved how their relationship evolved from being based on kinky fuckery mind blowing sex to unconditional, take your breath away, gut wrenching, passionate, soul stirring, true love. I laughed out loud while reading these books and I also cried. A couple of things that I loved about the books and had me laughing out loud were the emails between Christian and Ana. When the emails first appeared in Shades of Grey I made the mistake of only reading the main body of the email and not the signature line. Once I caught on to what was going on, I had to go back to the first one and re-read them and ended up laughing some more. Another thing that had me laughing out loud was Ana’s inner Goddess. OMG, she was freaking hysterical. Talk about your comic relief. I can totally see her having her own line of greeting cards based on her.

****SPOILER ALERT ****

I was totally unprepared for how much these three books would pull at my heartstrings and have me in tears… and at one time cause me to sob. That one time was when submissive Christian showed up. When I read that I literally gasped out loud. I couldn’t believe it…It was soo wrong. I found myself holding my breath as tears started streaming down my face silently begging Christian to get up, to move, to say something, do something …ANYTHING as if I was kneeling right there with Ana fighting for Christian’s life.

I don’t think I’ve ever thought about a character from a book after I’m done reading it as much as I’ve thought about Christian Grey. If it were possible to will a character out of book into our reality as a real breathing human being, than Christian Grey would be standing in my bedroom wearing nothing but his soft ripped “playroom” jeans with the top button casually undone, holding his grey silk tie in one hand and a riding crop in the other, asking me what my safe word is…It’s vanilla I tell him (but I have no plans on using it). 

Now for some shameless begging …

Ms. James I’m begging you to please, please, please, don’t let this be the last we hear of Christian Grey. I need more of him. Three books are nowhere near enough to write about him. Please you have to write some more. I don’t care if they’re Fifty Shades of Baby Pooh, or Fifty Shades of Paint Chips. As long as they have Christian and his fifty shades of fucked – upness and kinky fuckery …Then all will be right in the universe. 

 

Quotes

Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment.

Rumi

 

Fifty States of Grey [INFOGRAPHIC]

Fifty Shades of Grey continues to top best-seller lists after almost three months of dominance: The trilogy sold 10 million copies in six weeks, there are long wait-lists at libraries and bookstores, and even Saturday Night Live spoofed the book’s popularity in a skit! So, Goodreads took a look at the US stats behind the phenomenon. Where are the “Grey States”?

The country is pretty clearly divided. More readers in the eastern half of the US are devouring the sexual adventures of Christian and Anastasia. The states with the highest readers per capita are located primarily in the Tri-State and New England area: New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Rhode Island, and New York.

If you define “Grey States” by their average rating of the book, the landscape changes. The regions with readers who give Fifty Shades of Grey the highest average ratings are the Southern and Plains states—Mississippi, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Nebraska.

Fifty Shades of Grey has given some readers a new taste for erotica, and we’ve found a jump in interest in similar books on Goodreads. Just recently, Penguin’s Berkley Books imprint snatched up Sylvia Day‘s self-published novel, Bared to You, which has generated 2,500 reviews in the past two months. Goodreads member Aestas loved it, saying “This book was absolute perfection for me!! It had me swooning, drooling, and panting over Gideon Cross and had me reading for the better part of it with the world’s biggest grin on my face.”

Other books potentially joining the sultry summer reading list are Gabriel’s Inferno by Sylvain Reynard, Rock Me by Cherrie Lynn, Captive in the Dark by C.J. Roberts, and The Reluctant Domby Lesli Richardson. These books are a mix of older titles and new releases, but one thing they have in common is that they are all finding new readers thanks to the Fifty Shades craze.

Looking back, one of the first big milestones for Fifty Shades of Grey was being a finalist for theGoodreads Choice Awards way back in November last year. It will be interesting to see if a new title like Bared to You will be a contender for this year’s awards.

What about you? Are you a proud citizen of a “Grey State”? Will you be savoring any other erotica titles this summer? Is it getting hot in here or is it just these books?

 

 

 

FOR MORE INFO:

http://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/365-fifty-states-of-grey-infographic?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=editorial&utm_campaign=infographichttp://bit.ly/JGcamq

 

Cryptic Cravings (Vampire Kisses #8) by Ellen Schreiber

Cryptic Cravings (Vampire Kisses #8)

by Ellen Schreiber

Hardcover, 211 pages

Published May 17th 2011 by Katherine Tegan Books

My Rating: 5/5

Description:

The morbidly monotonous Dullsville has finally become the most exciting place on earth now that Raven is madly in love with her hot vampire boyfriend Alexander, and a crew of vampires has taken residence in Dullsville’s old mill. Raven discovers Jagger‘s plan to open a new club, The Crypt, right here in Dullsville. But is it her dream come true, or her worst nightmare? Raven and Alexander have to figure out what the nefarious vampire has in store for Dullsville’s teen and vampire population. Can Raven convince Jagger to listen to her plans to make the Crypt the morbidly magnificent dance club it could be? Will it be safe for mortals and vampires alike?And as Sebastian and Luna’s relationship heats up, Raven wonders about her own amorous fate: Will Alexander ever turn her? Does he crave her and does he want to spend eternity together? And what does she really want?

With cryptic secrets and cravings, this eighth installment in the Vampire Kisses series is a romantic and mysterious thrill ride.

Review:

 

There’s a new club in Dullsvile! It’s called the Crypt. Jagger thought it was a good idea to set up here. Raven also thought it was great! But there was a problem. Jagger wanted to make a club for mortals. And underground, for Vampires. Alexander, Raven, Sebastian didn’t seem happy about that! Because  it would bring problems. In the end, after a few convincing from His fellow vamp. He agreed to make a club for mortals only! Raven & Becky helped with the Decorations. Jagger agreed. Becky found out they were Vampires.Raven and Alexander’s Birthdays were coming up! Raven was thinking what gift to give. She gave Alexander a vial with her blood in it. As a present. Alexander was happy! Alexander gave some kind of “eternity ring” to Raven. It was beautiful. Raven was happy as well. Onyx kinda fell for Jagger. Scarlet fell in love with Trevor. Sebastian fell in love with Luna. Jagger has been really nice these days. When Raven went home one day, her birthday.. Trevor got her a gift. Raven thought the present must have something awful inside. But it doesn’t. It was a beautiful silver bracelet with her name. She was happy & surprised that Trevor would give her such a thing! The next day at school. She met Trevor! They didn’t fight or bicker today! Raven said thanks to Trevor for the gift! And Raven had the urge to hug him because  she was sooo happy! Trevor got really surprised. It was really obvious that Trevor liked Raven though! hehe!

Club opening came! Phoenix went in and talked to Jagger! they were talking about the club. Phoenix said he couldn’t wait it’ll also be where vamps can have some fun. But Jagger said no. He doesn’t open it for vampires. only mortals. I was shocked! O_O” Jagger was keeping to his word! OMG! XD haha! anyway, Phoenix went out to leave.. Raven followed.. They Kissed. Sebastian saw them! caught in the act. Phoenix left. Raven went in flustered and guilty. She couldn’t tell Sebastian that Phoenix was actually Alexander =)) lol.. when Alexander came back! He kissed Raven and asked how did things go.. and Sebastian was saying things that would make Raven guilty. Alexander knew though! he was just teasing Raven. haha!

Raven & Alexander’s shared Birthday party came on the 3rd day at the Crypt! XD Jagger set it up! Even had those mock binding things or whatever! Sebastian and Luna were first! Then Raven found out they were on Sacred Ground. Sebastian was shocked and walked away angry. Leaving Luna alone sobbing… Poor Luna Alexander was then again disappointed with Jagger & Luna. A few umm days? Raven & Alexander thought Sebastian was leaving but said he wasn’t in fact he bought a small condo. They were happy about that! Alexander left for awhile.. His cell buzzed. Raven curious looked at it. It said something like too bad he didn’t came back to Romania and misses him. Raven then thought that Alexander has another girl.. When he came back! She asked who Stormy was.. Alexander said it was his Sister!! XD hahaha! I cant wait to meet her!

 

Love Bites (Vampire Kisses #7) by Ellen Schreiber

Love Bites (Vampire Kisses #7)

by Ellen Schreiber

Hardcover, 179 pages

Published May 18th 2010 by HarperCollins Canada / Other (first published April 29th 2010)

My Rating: 5/5

Description:

As a mortal girl dating a vampire, Raven knows that love isn’t always easy. Now that Alexander‘s parents have returned to Romania, Raven and her dreamy vampire boyfriend are happy to resume their cryptic romance.But soon another visitor comes knocking: Sebastian, Alexander’s best friend, arrives for a stay at the mansion. At first Raven is wary, then thrilled–this is the perfect chance to learn more about her darkly handsome boyfriend and his past. Raven has been wondering whether Alexander will ever bite her and make their love immortal, and Sebastian could be her guide to the love habits of Alexander and his kind. But when Sebastian falls for a particular Dullsvillian, will another mortal beat Raven to the bite?

With suspense, danger, and a fabulous vampire party, this seventh book in the bestselling Vampire Kisses series continues the exciting nocturnal romance of Raven and Alexander.

Review:

If I was fifteen and could travel to the world in a book, I’d want to hit up Dullsville in Vampire Kisses and be best friends with Raven, Alexander, and Becky. I’d want to make fun of Trevor with Raven (the hottest, most popular guy in school and Raven’s nemesis), hang out at the mansion after sunset under the watchful eye of Creepy Man, and join the gang at Hatsy’s for hamburgers and shakes.I’ve never been the morbid Goth type. Cemeteries, ripped dresses and black lipstick, or anything remotely scary is not my thing. But in Vampire Kisses, all that is stereotypically associated with paranormal romance and gothic culture is turned on its head. VK, though, is not a parody. Unlike some funny paranormal romance books that poke fun at the genre, Vampire Kisses has fun with the genre.

Who says vampires have to be brooding hundred+ year olds who prey on the blood and hearts of young, impressionable, weak girls? Alexander is as chivalrous as they come (he always takes Raven on the most swoon-worthy dates!), and Raven, although a hopeless romantic, is also smart and tough. Raven is the only Goth in Dullsville and therefore an outsider, but she is quite okay with being different. She doesn’t wallow in self-pity, nor does she deal with her less-than-stellar social standing by lashing out and being super angsty or aggressive. She will stand up for herself (she has the funniest comebacks when Trevor or others try to make fun of her), but she is also as sweet as can be and incredibly loyal to those she loves.

With Raven and Alexander, it was pretty much love at first sight. There wasn’t too much “should we be together, should we not” in their relationship. The problems they face emerge from new characters that are introduced in each book, the inherent differences between their separate lifestyles (mortal and vampiric), and the issue of Raven’s turning (it’s connections to virginity and sex, btw, are not lost on me).

Each book in the Vampire Kisses series sees the introduction a new vampire character. The plot of each book is based on what happens when that character comes to Dullsville. Each new character has a distinct personality and causes their own kind of trouble. The trouble they cause may be intentional, or just a consequence of being a vampire. In Love Bites, the new character is Alexander’s best friend from Romania, Sebastian Camden. Sebastian has traveled the world looking for true love, but can’t seem to find it — until he visits Alexander in Dullsville, and is immediately captivated by a human girl. This is majorly problematic for a couple of reasons. First, the girl already has a boyfriend and doesn’t know vampires exist. Also, Sebastian is impulsive and doesn’t have nearly as strong of willpower around human blood as Alexander does. Uh oh.

At the beginning of each VK book is a quote from the new character. It is always funny and a play on vampirism. In Love Bites, the love-sick Sebastian confesses: “I hope I find her soon, too, Raven. I’m starved to death.” Lol!

There are a few other plot points in addition to Sebastian’s love problems that arise in Love Bites. Alexander worries about not fitting in with the rest of Dullsville, which he is afraid might lead someone to discovering his secret. Raven has to contend with keeping Sebastian’s true identity a secret from the human girl he likes. She also has to juggle being a good friend to Becky with keeping her best friend safe from the vampires that visit Dullsville. There’s also maintaining the safety of the humans at a vampire party that Trevor and the whole school unwittingly crash. (Btw, Trevor doesn’t get as much time in Love Bites as other VK books, but his interactions with Raven are as hilarious as always.) Then, of course, there’s the constant issue of turning Raven into a vampire — which she wants more than ever.

Love Bites delivers what I expect from a Vampire Kisses novel: hilarity, campy plotting and characterization, sweet romance, mystery, and adventure. I heart this series like you can’t even believe. Thank you, Ellen!!

 

Can”t Wait til this comes out!!!!

CANT WAIT TIL THIS COMES OUT IN OCTOBER!!

 

 Deeper in You (Crossfire #2)

by Sylvia Day

Paperback

Expected publication: October 2nd 2012 by Penguin Group

Description:

THE SENSUAL SAGA OF EVA AND GIDEON CONTINUES in the hotly anticipated follow-up to BARED TO YOU …the New York Times bestselling novel of “EROTIC ROMANCE THAT SHOULD NOT BE MISSED.”–Romance Novel News

Gideon Cross. As beautiful and flawless on the outside as he was damaged and tormented on the inside. He was a bright, scorching flame that singed me with the darkest of pleasures. I couldn’t stay away. I didn’t want to. He was my addiction… my every desire… mine.

My past was as violent as his, and I was just as broken. We’d never work. It was too hard, too painful… except when it was perfect. Those moments when the driving hunger and desperate love were the most exquisite insanity.

We were bound by our need. And our passion would take us beyond our limits to the sweetest, sharpest edge of obsession…

 

An extremely RARE interview with the Billionaire CEO, Christian Grey

ICYMI… a rare interview with Christian Grey…

http://blog.eljamesauthor.com/?p=90

 

Quotes

“Nobody can be exactly like me. Sometimes even I have trouble doing it.” -Tallulah Bankhead

 

Solid (Solid #1) by Shelley Workinger

Solid (Solid #1)

by Shelley Workinger 

Paperback, 221 pages

Published July 9th 2010 by Createspace

Rating: 5/5 Stars

 

Description:

Clio Kaid may be 17 and just beginning the last summer before her senior year, but her life is anything but typical.She’s just discovered she was genetically altered before birth and is now headed to a top-secret Army campus to explore the surprising results of the experiment.Follow Clio and the other teens as they develop fantastic super-abilities, forge new friendships, find love, and uncover a conspiracy along the way.

 

Review:

Clio (Calliope Kaid) is a teen with a small difference that she’s never known about, but she’s always been a bit out-of-place. It could have been the traveling, when your mother is a best-selling author, you’re on the road a bit, seldom at home long enough to cultivate lasting friendships. She’s never really known her father, an accident took his life during her infancy. Or it could be what happened more than eighteen years before… while her mother was pregnant and under the care of a rogue doctor with his own agenda.

Now, Clio is an eighteen year old girl, ready to start the next year of her life when her mother is contact by the Army. It seems Dr. Heigl, her obstetrician all those years ago, was prescribing more than prenatal vitamins. When Clio is asked to take part in an Army conducted camp to see the effects on Dr. Heigl’s “children”, she decides it may not be a bad way to spend part of her summer, as far as she knows, there’s nothing different about her than any other teen.Clio’s and her co-conspirators start in their own investigation of the circumstances of their creation when the Army answers don’t add up, when they seems to have trouble contacting the outside world. Jack, affable lovable wanna be boyfriend, Garrett, super jock, Bliss, whimsically wise almost sister, Melinda, tigress in the making, and late comer to the group, Alexis, orphaned goth-like teen techie ready for any challenge, take on the Army only way they can, sneaking out to gather evidence.It would seem that Clio and all her new-found friends all have special abilities, dealing with the solidity of their existence. All are different, but because of Dr. Heigl’s mad experiments, all are the same. Janet, Clio’s wanna be mentor and friend, isn’t all she appears to be, is Colonel Clark, who seems to know all about Clio, all he says too? This tight group of friends need to find the answers to their questions and they need to do it quickly.

Solid by Shelley Workinger is a YA fantasy that grabs the reader’s attention on the very first page, and holds it until the end. It’s a quick little page turner that I had trouble putting down. Clio is a likable character who seems pretty confident, who seems pleased with her life for the most part, she’s just a little out of step. In the book, Solid, the teens are divided into basically three categories: the jocks, the teens that repel others (the goth-like group, always a little angry), and the group who can influence their solidity with their very thoughts. Clio belongs to the last group, but her friends are a mixed bag of her group as well as the other groups, there’s so distinct lines of belonging to only one group or the other, which I very much liked about the book. Jack, her wanna be boyfriend, doesn’t belong to any group or maybe he belongs to them all, but he’s likable and fun, and maybe in the next book, he’ll play a bigger role or maybe not (I’ve read the Prologue for the Book Two, Settling…. see the bottom of the post). The teens in the story all find out the Dr. Heigl, obstetrician, was doing rogue experiments, developed drugs to try out on his patients who he went to great lengths to pick out for his experiments, traveling to different Army bases around the US. But, he’s killed before the experiment can reach it’s completion, and the Army claims to have just found out about what he’d been doing to his pregnant patients. But, would the Army really tell all if they did know? People have been disappeared, killed, maybe something more is going on there too.

Solid is an attention grabbing story, that YA and adult audience will enjoy, it’s a fun little tale of what can happen with a rogue slightly mad scientist does his own thing with or without permission. And the experiment so far doesn’t have any really bad effects yet, all the teens are nice looking, some seem to have adjust issues just like life, but we’re just entering Shelley Workinger’s world, so who knows what the future holds. The ending is good as well, I knew something was up with the bad dude, but never saw the ending coming, and one of the students close to Clio’s group is involved too, that kind of surprised me. I’ve read many YA books, it’s one of my favorite genres, and I’m adding Shelley’s books to my list. I don’t read many self-pub books or indie books (I know, I need to expand my horizons), and I’m surprised this wasn’t pick up by one of the small publishing houses, it’s definitely a good read with well-developed characters, and the world building was pretty good too, there are lots going on for quick read. If you enjoy a quick fun/mad scientist/Army secrets/fantasy YA read, pick this one up. I very much enjoyed this quick read, and I’ll be looking forward to the rest of the series!

 

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Royal Blood (Vampire Kisses #6) by Ellen Schreiber

Royal Blood (Vampire Kisses #6)

by Ellen Schreiber

Hardcover, 192 pages

Published May 19th 2009 by HarperTeen

My Rating:5/5

 

Description:

Summer break is over, and it’s time for Raven to return to Dullsville High, ending her romantic nights with vampire boyfriend Alexander. When Raven is invited to meet Alexander’s parents, the next turn of events could change everything, for all eternity.

 

Review:

Alexander’s parents came! Mrs. Sterling and Mr. Constantine. They stayed for a while. Raven finally met them. She was so nervous, she was having a hard time deciding what to wear! I wouldn’t blame her though! =)) Meeting the parents.. whew! pressure. haha! Alexander’s parents liked Raven. They had dinner at the mansion. Raven’s parents invited Alexander’s parents for dinner at their home. I could tell Raven was freaking! Didn’t have much time to prepare. It went well in the end. A few days passed. Alexander’s mood was swinging… because  his parents wanted to sell the mansion and Alexander was not happy about that! Even Raven. So, they thought about plans.

 

First they came up with the plan.. to spread rumors around town about how gross and smelly it is in the Mansion. So, no one would buy it! It was working fine at first. But Trevor told Raven that his that was buying it! He’s gonna bulldoze the whole thing! So, Raven and Alexander thought of another plan. Alexander would buy the mansion. Since there was an art bidding thing coming. Raven thought that Alexander should enter his paintings. He did. When the event came around. Everyone in Dullsville came. The Auction was selling stuffs from Vases, Glass, Antiques, Paintings, etc. When one of Alexander’s paintings came out. People were in high spirits! Auction was crazy! The prizes were sky rocketing! Each Painting of his was sold for a very high price. Raven and Alexander was sooo happy! Alexander even painted Raven. no one wanted to buy it though at first. but in the end someone did bought it! And it was Trevor! XD haha! Raven even saw it when she went in his room. Btw, They both got an A. on their essay! Raven & Trevor were partners. They had to interview/ask questions about each other! like “What did you wanted to be when you grow up?” , “What career will you have?” those sort of questions. When it was Raven turn to ask Trevor these questions. She didnt. Instead she said she already knew the answers and she really did. Trevor was really surprised! When the day came they had to share these to their classmates… Trevor told the class that when he was a kid.. he wanted to become superman when he grew up! but now he’s grown up! He wanted to be a pro in soccer. which was obvious. When it was Raven turn.. she said really meaningful things to the class like “Not caring what other people want you to be! Just be yourself!” thing. Everyone was quiet and understood her! Trevor and The teacher was really surprised at what Raven said. She got an A for that!

 

The Coffin Club (Vampire Kisses #5) by Ellen Schreiber

The Coffin Club (Vampire Kisses #5)

by Ellen Schreiber

Hardcover, First Edition, 192 pages

Published June 24th 2008 by Katherine Tegen Books

My Rating: 5/5 Stars

Description:

When Raven returns to Hipsterville’s cryptic goth haunt, the Coffin Club, she discovers a secret door to another disco-”The Dungeon“-that is inhabited by vampires only. Raven learns that the nefarious Jagger Maxwell has welcomed the vampire clan into the club and has gained the popularity he missed in Romania. He is poised to take over Hipsterville, until a new vampire named Phoenix challenges him for control of the Coffin Club.

Unbeknownst to Alexander, Raven becomes caught up in the clash, entranced by the hypnotic vampire culture of the Underworld.

Review:

what a book, insaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaneeeee. Ok so like ive been saying with the other books of this series, its amazing and everyone should read it and its better than twilight!

It is now summer vacation and Raven is missing Alexander. At the end of the last book, Alexander and his caretaker, Jameson, left Dullsville for Hipsterville to return the young Valentine to his family, leaving Raven all alone. Now that school is out, Raven has decided to visit her cool Aunt Libby in Hipsterville. From her aunt, she learns that the creepy mansion in town is being rented. Immediately, Raven investigates and finds her beloved and Jameson camped out in the place.

After a sweet reconciliation, Alexander rushes her out of the place to go on another mission. Raven is left wandering the town waiting for her aunt to finish up one of her classes. She ventures back to The Coffin Club (the infamous place where she first met the evil Jagger, Valentine’s older brother) and stumbles upon the Dungeon. The Dungeon is the coolest place below the main club. It is also members only. It takes Raven a while to figure out that the “members only” part means vampires. REAL vampires. And there she meets the hypnotic Phoenix. Phoenix may just have some secrets of his own. And Raven stumbles upon Jagger yet again.

As the story develops, Raven gets caught up in the world of vampires and realizes that she does truly fit in with the vampire crowd. She meets two cool gals, Onyx and Sapphire, who befriend her. They accept her for who she is. And she finds out that most vampires just want to be who they are and lead as normal a life as possible.

There is trouble brewing at the Dungeon between Jagger and Phoenix, and the vampire world in Hipsterville may forever be changed. Caught between the mortal and immortal world, Raven again struggles with who she should be. Does she give everything up to be with Alexander for eternity, or should she remain mortal and see how things progress?

 

City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments #5) by Cassandra Clare

City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments #5)

by Cassandra Clare 

Hardcover, 534 pages

Published May 8th 2012 by Margaret K. McElderry

Rating: 5/5

 

Description:

The demonLilith 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?Darkness threatens to claim the Shadowhunters in the harrowing fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series.

 

Review:

The official blurb:“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?

Darkness threatens to claim the Shadowhunters in the harrowing fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series.”

Oh, by the angel!

I wasn’t, may I simply just say, even for one freaking second, expecting this book to be a let-down. Going from that, I am not saying something like this in any part of this review: “Oh, I’m so blown away” or “Oh, this book was better than I’d thought it would be”, because I was expecting Cassandra to stupefy and astonish me, anyway.

Alright, now that that’s out of the way, I can get on to explaining how amazing this book actually is. In the beginning, you have no idea how excited I was to get my hands on this piece of heaven, actually, maybe some people, but anyway… I was beyond ecstatic; in fact, I’m surprised I didn’t burst into flames by simply touching it. It was that unbelievable. I waited a year for this book, a full, painful, agonizing, depressing, 12-monthed year, and the question is, in the end, was it worth it?

ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY, MUCH-AGREEINGLY, NODDING-HEADLY, A DEFINITE YESH (ok, now I’ve gone on to making up my own words. See? There are no words in this world to describe my love for this book; it’s too great for even a shadowhunter to comprehend, well, maybe Jace and Clary, god knows the drastic of actions they took to save their love).

———–SPOILER ALERT (for those of you who haven’t read the series at all)———–

So in CoFA, we left of with Jace mysteriously disappearing with Sebastian, the bastard. I’m pretty sure many of us assumed Sebastian kidnapped Jace, or fought him to the death, but we were all wrong. Things are much, much, worse. Sebastian binds Jace to him, as in, literally and mentally binds. What Sebastian feels and thinks, Jace is the same. But, whereas Sebastian can control Jace’s actions and emotions, this reason is not vice versa, unfortunately. But, whatever physical damage happens to Jace, also affects Sebastian, the only good thing to come out of this horrible connection. Problem is, who wants to hurt Jace?

Don’t fret yet guys! Here comes “The Good Team” to the rescue!!! (Inside joke for all of us that have read it, LOL). Team members include: the lovely yet dangerous shadowhunter Isabelle, the silent yet internally-very-emotional shadowhunter Alec, the seemingly disturbed yet adorkable vampire Simon, the charming and always party-hard-fun high warlock Magnus, the hell-of-a-bad-ass mother shadowhunter Jocelyn, always kind and caring werewolf Luke, the depressed and hot ex-boyfriend werewolf Jordan, the secondary-love-interest tough-knuckles chick werewolf Maia, and finally, I guess the “silent and strong yet creepy” (another inside joke ;D) silent brothers!! LET’S HEAR IT UP FOR TEAM GOOD!!

You might be wondering why Clary wasn’t included in team good. Well, that’s a good question, if you read the summary then you’ll understand the reason Clary chooses to “go into the heart of the darkness, to play a dangerous game utterly alone”, meaning…..that you’ll understand when you read the book, haha. I seriously love her for sticking up and stupidly, stubbornly, and idiotically dealing with this problem head-first just to save Jace, when no one would let her help. YOU GO GIRL!

Now for a very, very, very quick inside-look at Team Good:

Simon is still very nerdy and very sarcastic. He deals with his problems in his own way, and man oh man, does he have a handful of them for a young boy. I get it, he’s a cursed vampire, a very unfortunate and rejected status, but seriously, give him a break God. There’s a reason to why he can’t say your name, it’s not because he hates you, so stop pouting ‘great one’. Looking on the good side, his love life sure takes a turn though. Isabelle gets tougher, and her love life takes a turn for the good as well. She also deals with many problems, losing two of her brothers, parental issues, gosh; this girl has lots of drama in her life, and us mundie girl think we have it tough. Alec is way more irritating in this one; I never liked him, but, yah, now it’s confirmed, and once again, you’ll understand when you read the book. Magnus was very helpful and charming as always. Take of yourself though, hun, don’t want you stressing out and becoming a drone like Alec, let’s leave that to him. Jordan and Maia and Luke, contributed a lot to the action part of this whole shenanigan with their super wolfy powers. Jocelyn still doesn’t understand her daughter and her needs and wants. Clary’s freakin like 17 now Jocelyn, you gotta let her go. I’m surprised, with her age, how she managed to still kick-butt in this book. I wonder if it’s the shadowhunter gene? Hmmm…Well moving on, the silent brothers are here to help feel up people’s minds again, such pervs. Oh, we’re also introduced to their sister group, called the Iron Sisters, who also play a major role in this book. That pretty much covers everyone.

The Important Characters that are always the “act-before-you-think” type, and are always causing trouble in either a good way or a bad way:

Clary. Oh Clary. Let’s just say, I take back whatever mean things I ever thought or said about her out loud. She definitely proved herself to be a brave shadowhunter in this book. Clary went from being a short midget-like wimp with a ‘rack’, to literally saving the world. It’s true; she had her down moments, but cut her some slack, this girl is going through more than just puberty, and that’s hard enough to handle. The point is, Clary was amazing in this book. She went through a lot of pain, more than usual, to get Jace back, and that kind of determination deserves a standing ovation. Hell, the fact that she willingly put up with Sebastian just doesn’t deserve a standing O, she should be running alongside Obama in the presidential campaign. I know I would totally vote for her ;D.

I cried my eyes out for Jace. I missed his usual sarcastic, witty, and annoying self like crazy. In this book though, whether he’s aware of it or not, he is much happier. But this happy Jace isn’t our normal Jace, and I hate Sebastian for doing this to him. I can count the number of funny things he said in this book on two hands and maybe one toe, it sucks, it really does. NOT THE BOOK, hell no! But the fact that, the remnants of his soul and mind were missing from the book. Though there is one part where he decides to grace us with his presence (the part where I jumped up and down like crazy) that’s all I’m saying. I’m not even gonna say how much pain he goes through in this book, because I’m pretty sure we all know that there isn’t a Cassie Clare book in which the main hero doesn’t suffer.

All I have to say about Sebastian is that he’s a bastard who deserves to die a long, painful, excruciating, awful death. And that he needs to get his claws and eyes of Clary before Jace slaps him into the next universe outside our universe.

Overall, this book was crazy good in that it contained the romance that was lacking in the other books of the series, and that it contained a great deal more character development. Clare managed to, once again, amaze the knickers off of me. I have this feeling that all these books contained certain points that will lead to major decision in City of Heavenly Fire. This book is the like the BING before the BANG! That being so, I CAN NOT WAIT FOR CITY OF HEAVENLY FIRE, THESE NEXT 2 YEARS WILL ONCE AGAIN BE PAINFUL AND AGONIZING. (sigh) The cycle was bound to repeat again once this book was over.

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  Endlessly
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Dance with a Vampire (Vampire Kisses #4) by Ellen Schreiber

Dance with a Vampire (Vampire Kisses #4)

by Ellen Schreiber

Hardcover, 179 pages

Published July 1st 2007 by HarperTeen

My Rating: 5/5 stars

Description:

Theres a new vampire in town. His name is Valentine Maxwell. Goth-girl Raven knows this latest intruder can only mean trouble–hes the younger sibling of two vampires she fought to drive out of Dullsville. But when her brother, Billy, befriends this dangerous tween night prowler, the stakes are suddenly higher.

Review:

This book is the 4th book of the series. I find this book kind of romantic because it is about two lovers that live in 2 dimensional places, Raven live in the mortal world, and where her boyfriend, Alexander, live in an immortal world, which he is vampire. This book starts on what the third book left on, which when Raven brother, Billy, noticed this boy who was living in his friend, Henry tree house.

Raven and Alexander knew right away it was Jasper and Luna youngest brother, Valentine, looking for revenge. But, now the revenge was not on Raven, but to her brother, Billy. Raven is desperately getting her brother away from Valentine, but Billy won’t leave his friend. Raven couldn’t break the news that Valentine is a vampire, because Billy wouldn’t believe it. Valentine has a special power; he can feel others’ blood pumping. He read Raven and Alexander blood trying to find his brother and sister (Jasper and Luna ), but had no luck because Alexander and Raven was thinking about each other. One day when Raven came home, he noticed that Billy was missing, and that her parents told her that Billy was with valentine. Raven and Alexander went to the bat cave, they discovered on their date. when they went inside, the cave was split into 2 roads and Raven and Alexander had to split up finding Billy.

Raven found Billy, and Valentine was about to suck Billy, when Raven was fast enough to block him….

 

Vampireville (Vampire Kisses #3) by Ellen Schreiber

Vampireville (Vampire Kisses #3)

by Ellen Schreiber

Hardcover, 192 pages

Published July 25th 2006 by Katherine Tegen Books (first published July 3rd 2006)

My Rating 5/5 Stars.

Description:

Goth romance ignites again as Schreiber continues her popular love story of two dark-romancing outsiders.

 

Review: 

“The official welcome sign to my town should now read, ‘Welcome to Vampireville—come for a bite, but stay for an eternity!’” (Schreiber 394). Here it’s telling at Raven Madison’s town Amityville (Dullsville) is being taken over by a group of vampires named the Maxwells, plus her vampire boyfriend Alexander Sterling. Each character has a dark side and light side. But, which will they pick? The path of good or evil? Would the plot change? Or would it be the same? Would the story change to evil or stay on the side of good? Would the point of view change? What would happen?
Each character has a side to his/her story. On how they act, on how they think. For each character the author gives fantastic detail. Their hair, eyes, clothes, down to the little detail. But, overall none of them are the same. Raven is loving and caring, but is still Goth on the outside on in. Alexander is a lovely artist and great taste in music. Jagger is the guy you wouldn’t want to get on his bad side, but still loves his sister and brother. Luna is the girly goth and can’t stay away for a guy she likes…a lot! Each character is either round or flat…by that it means that Raven is round; she changes throughout the story. Unlike Jagger, Luna, and Alexander they stay the same. All the way through the series.

 

The plot of this story is on that Raven finds out that Jagger and Luna want to get back at Alexander. That he left Luna and never to turn her into a vampire. Mad and up-set Luna gets back at him and Raven of taking Trevor, to turn him into a vampire. Afraid of what may happen if Trevor did become a vampire; Raven and Alexander are out looking for the twin sibling’s coffins. With little luck Raven and Alexander try to seek out on the twin siblings and Trevor. Finally, Alexander and Raven find the coffins, in Billy-boy’s nerd mate’s tree house. Scarring the two vampires into hiding again, Raven is worry about what if Trevor is a vampire?! A party was being held at the graveyard and Alexander and Raven can see that this isn’t going to be good. Trevor is still with Luna and something will happen. What is Raven going to do? 

The style of the story is a one character point of view. This means that one character throughout the WHOLE series. Raven Madison is the girl who is giving her thoughts and feeling without the books. Alexander and the other characters say what they feel. Raven can’t read minds! XD But she is different from the other girls that Alexander has met. She gives us what her room looks like to what she is wearing. She gives each character a way they act and talk, but also how they do in school or after school hours.

Seeing that the characters, plot, and style are each part of the story, but can change the little things that may be changed or added to the story. Choose a side and stay forever. Raven Madison Goth, caring, different, and most wanted to vampires…but one is hers forever…and only one…

 

Kissing Coffins (Vampire Kisses #2) by Ellen Schreiber

Kissing Coffins (Vampire Kisses #2)

by Ellen Schreiber

Paperback, 240 pages

Published May 1st 2007 by Harper Teen (first published July 26th 2005)

My Rating: 5/5 Stars

Description:

Not far from Dullsville, someone’s lurking in the dark. . . .

After meeting the handsome and shadowy Alexander Sterling, goth-girl Raven‘s dark world has a bright, new glow. But as in her favorite movie, “Kissing Coffins,” Raven knows that love always has its complications, especially when Alexander has a big secret to guard.

When Alexander suddenly disappears, Raven leaves Dullsville to begin a dangerous search to find him. Can she stay safe, no matter who–or what–she encounters on the way?

Review:

This book is the second book of the series of Vampire Kisses, and its starts, were the first book ended. Raven, a goth, everyone avoided her, especially in school. but when this new guy came to town, she know she would like him, because she likes to be spooked. in the mansion at Benson hill, a new guy moved in, and no one have seen him in the morning, but rather when the sun goes down and the moon comes out. Hence, Alexander being a vampire.

Raven finally met Alexander (new guy) and she immediately fell in love with him. but when Alexander went missing from Dullsville, Raven must find her love or else she would never forgive herself. When she went to Alexander home, no one was there, not eeven his butler, Jameson. then she realized Jameson dated one of the boss of Raven, so she went to ask her. the boss also doesnt know where Jameson is, but later flowers came, and Raven read a card, and she knew where to find Alexander. but going to this town, ends up creating a bigger problem, Alexander nemesis is in this town, and Raven is in deep trouble.

This book was sooooooooooo good, that I have read the third book really soon, or I might die!!

 

Vampire Kisses (Vampire Kisses #1) by Ellen Schreiber

Vampire Kisses (Vampire Kisses #1)

by Ellen Schreiber

Paperback, 208 pages

Published August 5th 2005 by HarperTeen (first published August 1st 2003)

My Rating: 5/5 Stars

 

Description:

The mansion on top of Benson Hill has been empty and boarded up for years. But a new family has moved in. A family that never ventures out during the day. Who are these creepy people — especially the handsome, dark, and elusive Alexander Sterling? Or rather, what are they? Could the town gossip actually be true? Are they vampires?

Raven, who secretly covets a vampire kiss, both at the risk of her own mortality and Alexander’s loving trust, is dying to uncover the truth.

 

Review:

Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber, a vampire love story that revolves around Raven, a Goth who’s obsessed with vampires and dreams of one day becoming one. She tries to get through high school like any normal teen girl would. Her life changes when she meets a charming vampire named Alexander. It’s a book that all vampire lovers will want to read. Vampire Kisses is an amazing novel because of the way it illustrates a classical vampire story, the author creates weird and mysterious characters, as well as the way she creates a believable romance. 

Vampires. Everyone knows what a classical vampire is. Dracula. Alexander. They’re both vampires, classically. Fangs, of course – one basic attribute about vampires is that they have fangs. They sleep in a coffin during the day; Dracula goes down to his dungeon right before sunrise, gets into his coffin and goes to sleep. Alexander’s coffin is in his attic. Living in a haunted house: Dracula actually lives in a castle, people refer it to a haunted house. Alexander lives in a big, old run down mansion. When people come close to this home they hear voices, get scared by it, and then call it a haunted house. Deathly allergic to garlic; ever heard of the myth/legend that if you put garlic around your neck, it fend off vampires? Classic.

Another reason this is an amazing novel is the way Ellen Schreiber creates weird and mysterious characters. Alexander is a vampire. People expect vampires to suck blood from humans and suck them dry. But instead of that, Alexander’s hobby is to paint. He loves to paint during night to catch-all the sparking stars all over the sky. Vampires aren’t supposed to paint. At least that’s not what people think when they think of vampires, they think of fangs, garlic, coffins, etc. but not painting. Raven, a mortal Goth. Expects to wear black all the time? Right, she does wear black all the time. But she also creeps into a cemetery on most nights to see if there’s any vampires who’s willing to change her. Weird, right?

Lastly, the author creates a realistic romance. Alexander and raven are dating during night. Usually people take picnics during the afternoon, but they picnic at night. What more, is that they picnic on cemetery’s grounds. Alexander kisses raven on her cheeks when they see each other for a date and they watch scary films together, until sunrise that is. 

Vampire Kisses is an amazing novel because of the way it illustrates a classical vampire story, the author creates weird and mysterious characters, and creates a believable romance. Classical vampire traits are fangs, unable to go into the sun, deathly allergic to garlic, sleeps in a coffin, and lives in a haunted house. The weird characters of this book are Alexander the vampire, and Raven the Goth. Their believable romance is out of this world, it makes readers want to beg for more after they’re done!! Vampire lovers will go out of this world to just read this book! This book will replace all the other vampire romance in anything they’ve ever read.  so grab a book, sit back, relax, and just read

 

The Compelled (The Vampire Diaries: Stefan’s Diaries #6) by L.J. Smith, Kevin Williamson, Julie Plec

The Compelled (The Vampire Diaries: Stefan’s Diaries #6)

by L.J. Smith, Kevin Williamson, Julie Plec

Paperback, 222 pages

Published March 13th 2012 by HarperTeen

My Rating: 2.5/5 Stars

Description:

The story arc of Stefan’s Diaries continues in this sixth installment.

Control or be controlled . . .

Stefan and Damon thought they knew evil. But nothing compares to Samuel, the ruthless vampire hell-bent on avenging Katherine‘s death by destroying the Salvatore brothers.

Reeling from Samuel’s latest attack, Stefan and Damon find help in the most unlikely of places—a secret coven of witches. Together they discover Samuel’s plan is more sinister than they ever could have imagined. Their only hope is to stop him before he secures the power to control humans and vampires alike. If they fail, not only Stefan and Damon but all of London will fall victim to Samuel’s spell.

Review:

What I liked:
-The use of British words was a nice touch Smile. I loved it.
-The beginning was pretty good. It was the 2nd best part in the book.
-I got intrigued when Elijah was mentioned near the end of the book. Which is the best part in the story.
-The characters in this sequel were all very good. I’ll miss them all .
-The fightings were nice.
-As usual, the end was great! It made me anticipate what to come despite my disappointment.

What I disliked:
-It was so predictable. Things were starting to repeat themselves which is crazy!
-In conclusion to the previous sentence, I was bored to death. In addition to the predictability, the writer, (who is not L. J. Smith by the way!! 0_o), kept over describing each move, each breath, every time the weather changed, the house, the characters… It left no room for imagination! The point of reading fiction books is to get your mind somewhere else where you could imagine things.
-Unfortunately, the only part of this book where I had no idea what to come next was the ending.
-Oh My God Stefan! I used to hate him, then after reading the previous books I felt sad for him. In this book, I hated him again! He was so reckless…
-Agh! The events! I understand that this series is supposed to explain how Stefan became the vampire we now see in The Vampire Diaries TV show, but the things that kept happening were planned instead of just happening. Instead of creating other events and memories we don’t know how they resolved, yet, the events were based on current episodes of the show, therefore, I didn’t want to know how strong they fought Samuel after compelling Stefan or how they thought they killed him because I already know he survived and he met Stefan again!

Conclusion:

Oh! I’ve been disappointed :s. I had great expectations for this one because it’s the last book in this trilogy and I don’t know if there will be other sequels .

Anyhow, I do appreciate this book. It had many favorite moments in it and the characters were lovely. It’s true it bored me, but at the end it had a different touch in it than the others in the series. It could have been much better.

I don’t really regret reading it. And this was an honest review from me and it’s my point of view.

Keep in mind that many readers, including many of my friends have enjoyed it more than I have and even gave it 5 stars . In other words, read it and you be the judge…

 

The Asylum (The Vampire Diaries: Stefan’s Diaries #5) by L.J. Smith, Kevin Williamson, Julie Plec

The Asylum (The Vampire Diaries: Stefan’s Diaries #5)

by L.J. Smith, Kevin Williamson, Julie Plec

Paperback, 221 pages

Published January 17th 2012 by Hodder

My Rating: 4/5 stars

Description:

The hunters become the hunted. . . .

Driven from their hometown of Mystic Falls, both Stefan Salvatore and his brother, Damon, arrived in Europe looking for a fresh start. But Samuel, a wealthy and cunning vampire, has other plans for them. First he ruined Stefan’s peaceful existence and now he’s framing Damon for the most gruesome murders London has ever seen.

United against their common enemy, Stefan and Damon are stunned when they realize that the source of Samuel’s rage lies in their past—tied up with the woman who forever changed their lives. Haunted by the memory of Katherine, the brothers find that their uneasy alliance is tested. Can they overcome their rivalry to defeat Samuel before he exacts his final revenge?

Based on the popular CW TV show inspired by the bestselling novels, Stefan’s Diaries reveals the truth about what really happened between Stefan, Damon, and Katherine—and how the Vampire Diaries love triangle began.

Review:

Unlike the other original books in The Vampire Diaries series, these ones are not written by L.J. Smith herself. Yet again this matter is a real disappointment for me but I don’t mind it one bit. And, another thing to take on board while reading these books . . . they are supposed to be based on the television series however they do not match the show’s past time events. So for some readers, you may find these books disappointing or rather confusing at times, especially if you’re a hardcore fan of the popular TV show as I am. But it was still a great book!

STEFAN DIARIES: THE ASYLUM picks up where volume #4 left off (please note I haven’t read the earlier book before this but you can still read this volume without reading the others), and now the handsome Salvatore brothers, Stefan and Damon, find themselves travelling across Europe and while the events of this series may be found hard to believe at times or that it doesn’t quite match alongside the TV show’s events, but either way I found this installment very entertaining and quick. Just the way I like it. But my only complaint would be Stefan (since Damon is always going to be Damon and fun as hell), as he’s always brooding over Katherine and much like what you see in the TV show, I just really hope Stefan forgets all about Katherine – like she never existed – because there’s only so much I can take of his brooding. Too many man woes. Other than that, this was a really cool addition to the series!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book but it’s hard to talk about it without giving away a few spoilers – especially for a short read – so I’ll just leave it at that. If you’re looking for something light and entertaining, dark, edgy, and engrossing, or if you’re like me and love watching the Vampire Diaries and reading the books in general (ones written by L.J. Smith or not), then this new installment of the STEFAN DIARIES: THE ASYLUM will definitely be your kind of read!

 

The Ripper (The Vampire Diaries: Stefan’s Diaries #4) by L.J. Smith, Kevin Williamson, Julie Plec

The Ripper (The Vampire Diaries: Stefan’s Diaries #4)

by L.J. Smith, Kevin Williamson, Julie Plec

Paperback, 256 pages

Published November 8th 2011 by HarperTeen

Mt Rating 4/5 Stars

Description:

Haunted by the past . . .

 

The year is 1888, and the scent of blood lingers heavy in the London air. Stefan Salvatore thought he could escape his violent origins by settling in the peaceful countryside of England, but when a heinous murderer named Jack the Ripper surfaces, Stefan fears darkness will always follow him. Drawn into the investigation, Stefan assumes the worst: This is the work of a vampire. And the more he learns, the more he becomes convinced that the killer is someone close to him–and that he can never outrun his past.

 

Based on the popular CW TV show inspired by the bestselling novels, Stefan’s Diaries reveals the truth about what really happened between Stefan, Damon, and Katherine–and how the Vampire Diaries love triangle began

 

Review:

So, finally read the next book in the vampire diaries spin-off series and here are my views. Presenting The Vampire Diaries: Stefan’s Diaries #3 The Ripper. Again this series is not written by L.J. Smith and while the book cover mentions her name and the TVD head honchos Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson but it is not written by them also, maybe its a collaboration between the three or someone commitioned by them wrote these books…

Here is the summary of the book:

Haunted by the past . . .The year is 1888, and the scent of blood lingers heavy in the London air. Stefan Salvatore thought he could escape his violent origins by settling in the peaceful countryside of England, but when a heinous murderer named Jack the Ripper surfaces, Stefan fears darkness will always follow him. Drawn into the investigation, Stefan assumes the worst: This is the work of a vampire. And the more he learns, the more he becomes convinced that the killer is someone close to him—and that he can never outrun his past. Based on the popular CW TV show inspired by the bestselling novels, Stefan’s Diaries reveals the truth about what really happened between Stefan, Damon, and Katherine—and how the Vampire Diaries love triangle began.

With the title of the book an instance comes to mind remember Stefan’s alter-ego, the one with no emotions what so ever was called “the ripper” in season 2. But this ripper is definitely not that what you all are thinking. For its 1888 and Stefan is in London this time and sure enough Jack The Ripper is reeking havoc and somehow or the other the estranged Salvatore brothers find themselves into it. 

The story goes something like this – Stefan has made a little life out of London. He knows this peace won’t last and sure enough a certain trip to London does just that. When he finds Damon’s alias in the society pages and a horrific murder on the front page. He knows he needs to stick around and find who this murderer is and save London and this girl he has become fond of. Stefan suspects its his brother Damon who is killing people and by people I mean specifically girls. 

But an ominous message in blood prompts him to change his perspective about things. Is it really Damon? But if not then who? Is someone after him and Damon? (Well you need to read the book to find out the answer, cause i’m not giving away anything)

The Ripper is short and an easy read. The plot is good enough. It was a very fast and entertaining read. If you like the show you will enjoy this series. The point of Jack the Ripper was cleverly put in the plot. And for the first time we see Stefan’s thoughts about the always being in the shadow of his older brother. A heartfelt thought that comes in the minds of every younger brothers and sisters around the world. 

“Fast and entertaining – Stefan is traipsing around Jack the ripper’s London”