Review: Hollowland / The Hollows bk 1 / Amanda Hocking

Synopsis (Goodreads)

"This is the way the world ends - not with a bang or a whimper, but with zombies breaking down the back door."

Nineteen-year-old Remy King is on a mission to get across the wasteland left of America, and nothing will stand in her way - not violent marauders, a spoiled rock star, or an army of flesh-eating zombies.

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My Take
5 STARS
 
Hollowland is the first book in The Hollows series. The world is over-run with the lyssavirus that turns people into zombies. Remy and her brother were in quarantine compound when it is infiltrated by zombies (who seem to be getting smarter). Her brother, 8 year old Max, is immune to the virus. He is evacuated to a different compound while Remy and many others are left to fend for themselves.

Remy makes her escape and is determined to get across country to the compound her brother was taken to.

Hollowland is a great read! So many things happen on her way to the compound to find her brother. I really enjoyed this book and will be reading the next book shortly.

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Review: Turned / The Vampire Journals bk 1 / Morgan Rice

Synopsis (Goodreads)

Eighteen year old Caitlin Paine finds herself uprooted from her nice suburb and forced to attend a dangerous New York City high school when her Mom moves again. The one ray of light in her new surroundings is Jonah, a new classmate who takes an instant liking to her.

But before their romance can blossom, Caitlin suddenly finds herself changing. She is overcome by a superhuman strength, a sensitivity to light, a desire to feed--by feelings she does not understand. She seeks answers to what’s happening to her, and her cravings lead her to the wrong place at the wrong time. Her eyes are opened to a hidden world, right beneath her feet, thriving underground in New York City. She finds herself caught between two dangerous covens, right in the middle of a vampire war.

It is at this moment that Caitlin meets Caleb, a mysterious and powerful vampire who rescues her from the dark forces. He needs her to help lead him to the legendary lost artifact. And she needs him for answers, and for protection. Together, they will need to answer one crucial question: who was her real father?

But Caitlin finds herself caught between two men as something else arises between them: a forbidden love. A love between the races that will risk both of their lives, and will force them to decide whether to risk it all for each other

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My Take
1 STAR


This book was a let-down. It started out slow, then about half way through I finally started getting into it. I thought, well okay, slow starter but it's picking up now, then the main character did something really stupid and it ruined the whole book for me.

Caitlin and her brother don't have a stable home, their mom keeps moving them around from place to place. They end up in New York and Caitlin makes a friend, Jonah. On her way home after school one day, she happens upon some guys beating up another guy. Once she gets a really good look she realizes that it's Jonah they are beating up. She rushes to help him. She feels something change within her. She ends up beating up the three guys that attacked Jonah.

To condense this review, Caitlin ends up attacking an opera singer and her mother (which isn't really her mother) and then runs away. She's found and captured by a clan of vampires who want her to answer to the death of the opera singer. They douse her with Holy water as a punishment, only to find out it does nothing to her. When she makes a run for it, she surprised to find out one of the vampires is willing to help her escape.

Caleb helps Caitlin get out only to take her to his people (the "good" vampires). He thinks that she is the half-breed messiah they have been waiting for. This is where I get totally turned off with this story. Caitlin has no other interaction with Caleb at this point other than he helps her escape, but she tells him she loves him. This was the most awkward moment in the whole book. This ruins the whole story in my opinion.

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Review: Nevermore / Nevermore Bk 1 / Kelly Creagh

Synopsis (Goodreads)

Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project, which is due—so unfair—on the day of the rival game. Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he’d rather not have anything to do with her either. But when Isobel discovers strange writing in his journal, she can’t help but give this enigmatic boy with the piercing eyes another look.

Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life.

As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined, and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind. Now she must find a way to reach Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares. 

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My Take
4 STARS


Nevermore was a surprisingly good book. Although this book is 543 pages, it seems much shorter because you want to keep turning the pages!

Cheerleader Isobel is paired up with goth/emo Varen for a school paper for an English project. She's completely horrified to have to work with Varen. Varen suggests they do their English paper on Edgar Allan Poe- which he knows a lot about. While working with Varen, Isobel realizes there is far more to him than he portrays.

I really like how Edgar Allan Poe's work is intertwined within this story. Toward the end of the book, it can get a bit confusing.

There is no happily ever after at the end of this book. Because of this, I can't wait until the next book!

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REVIEW: Undead and Unwed / Queen Betsy Bk1 / MaryJanice Davidson

Synopsis (Goodreads)

MaryJanice Davidson's cult hit Undead and Unwed is a delightful mixture of Sex and the City and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Waking up in a tacky coffin, and wearing off-brand shoes, Betsy Taylor can't believe the horrible turn her life has taken–then she discovers she's a vampire. Soon, Betsy becomes a participant in a power struggle between the forces of darkness. With only her friend Jessica and the hunky vampire Sinclair to help her, this new "Queen of Vampires" will have a tough time getting her afterlife straight.

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My Take
4 STARS


Undead and Unwed is the first book in Davidson's Queen Betsy series.

Betsy's life has taken a really awkward turn. She's fired from her job as a secretary, attacked by some really bad smelling guys, gets ran over by an Aztek while trying to save her cat, wakes up in a morgue, then find out she's destined to be the Queen of Vampires. Interesting week I would say.

This book is really funny without being absurdly ridiculous. It's a light, funny, delightful read! A great addition to my vampire bookshelf. Highly recommended!

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Review: Feast of Fools / Morganville Vampires Bk 4 / Rachel Caine

Synopsis (Goodreads)

In the town of Morganville, vampires and humans live in relative peace. Student Claire Danvers has never been convinced, though especially with the arrival of Mr. Bishop, an ancient, old-school vampire who cares nothing about harmony. What he wants from the town's living and its dead is unthinkably sinister. It's only at a formal ball, attended by vampires and their human dates, that Claire realizes the elaborately evil trap he's set for Morganville.

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My Take


Feast of Fools is the fourth book in Rachel Caine's Morganville Vampire series.

Amelie's father has come to town, and that isn't a good thing for Amelie (or anyone else in Morganville). She has something of his and he wants it back, but Amelie has plans of her own. A war has started in Morganville, and the humans and vampires must choose a side--Amelie or Bishop (Amelie's father).

This book is a quick, engrossing read! I absolutely couldn't put it down. This series seems to get better with every installment.

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Review: Midnight Alley / Morganville Vampires Bk 3 / Rachel Caine

Synopsis (Back of Book)

Claire Danvers has pledged herself to Amelie, the most powerful vampire in town. But being under Amelie's protection doesn't offer much comfort when people start turning up dead, a stalker resurfaces from Claire's past, and an ancient bloodsucker extends a chilling invitation for private lessons at his secluded home in Midnight Alley. To what end, Claire will soon discover--and it will give a terrifying new meaning to night school.

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My Take

Midnight Alley is the third book in the Morganville Vampire series by Rachel Caine. This book is more of a 3 1/2 star book, than the 3 I had to give it.

As with the previous Morganville books, Claire, Eve, Michael, and Shane seem to always find trouble. Claire believes she can protect her friends by accepting Amelie as her patron. In this book, Claire finds out that being under the protection of a vampire isn't all it's cracked up to be. Although Amelie is the most powerful vampire in Morganville, her protection still doesn't keep Claire and her friends safe.

One thing that I really liked about this book was the introduction of Myrnin. I won't discuss his role in this book because it would just spoil it for future readers; however, I will say that Myrnin is a very interesting character. He's a very old and dangerous vampire that Claire finds herself working with, and it could possibly get her killed.

With each book I read in this series, I find myself becoming more interested. I have to hand it to Rachel Caine, she can write YA as well as she does adult PNR.

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