Author: L.J. Smith
So, if you watch the WB on television and have seen the new show "Vampire Diaries" - then you can follow along pretty easily since that show is based off these books.
Stefan, a vampire, and his "evil" brother Damon, are fighting over the same girl - Elena. Apparently in the last book Damon changed Elena to a vampire, then she died and became a spirit and is now back from the dead. Although she is alive, she is as childish as can be. Her body is the same as it was, but her mind is so pure and innocent.
Finally she awakens from her "spirit" life only to find herself in the middle of chaos. Damon has propositioned a demon to take his brother, Stefan, somewhere Elena cannot get to him or vice versa. He's hoping Elena would get over Stefan and finally accept him as her one true love....which doesn't happen. Damon has been possessed and can only have control of himself every so often. Follow along while they try to protect themselves and Elena's friends and townsfolk from the craziness that the demons are creating.
Cannot wait to read the next one.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Wake and Fade
Author: Lisa McMann
Janie has been given a gift, or curse, depending on how you look at it. She has the ability to step inside other people dreams. On the down side, it doesn't matter where she is when someone is dreaming, it could be at school, on the bus, in the shower, at the store - and she gets drawn into them. Most are silly, some are nightmares she wishes she could escape.
In Wake you meet her and follow her through dealing with her alcoholic mother and trying to deal with dreams. She has a dream of going to college, but with no money and not being able to even stay awake during regular school hours....it's a lost cause. She meets Cabel, a boy who lives down the street from her and finds something about him she just can't let go. She also meets another "Dream Catcher", and finally gets some answers on how to control her "powers".
In Fade, Janie goes undercover to help bust a sexual predator who may also be teacher at her school. She also discovers that her ability is going to take her eyesight away, so she should start looking forward to jumping into dreams just for the opportunity to see again. Cabel also learns of what is going to happen to her but loves her all to more for it.
Lisa McMann has a third book in this series which I haven't read yet called Gone. I hope to get it in the next few weeks from the library. Enjoy!
Janie has been given a gift, or curse, depending on how you look at it. She has the ability to step inside other people dreams. On the down side, it doesn't matter where she is when someone is dreaming, it could be at school, on the bus, in the shower, at the store - and she gets drawn into them. Most are silly, some are nightmares she wishes she could escape.
In Wake you meet her and follow her through dealing with her alcoholic mother and trying to deal with dreams. She has a dream of going to college, but with no money and not being able to even stay awake during regular school hours....it's a lost cause. She meets Cabel, a boy who lives down the street from her and finds something about him she just can't let go. She also meets another "Dream Catcher", and finally gets some answers on how to control her "powers".
In Fade, Janie goes undercover to help bust a sexual predator who may also be teacher at her school. She also discovers that her ability is going to take her eyesight away, so she should start looking forward to jumping into dreams just for the opportunity to see again. Cabel also learns of what is going to happen to her but loves her all to more for it.
Lisa McMann has a third book in this series which I haven't read yet called Gone. I hope to get it in the next few weeks from the library. Enjoy!
Shattered Mirror
Author: Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Sarah Vida is a witch and the daughter of the most powerful vampire-hunting family in the world. She attends a new school where vampires are students. But the two vampires she meets are to weak to even read her aura to know who or what she is. Sarah takes comfort in being able to hide who she is, but now she is confused. Her mother always told her that life is black and white. Vampires are ALL bad and should NEVER be trusted. Now, since she's more or less befriended two vampires, she realizes her mom may be wrong.
Now, torn between breaking all the rules she was born to protect or killing the only two people who have ever really been her friends, she has to decide what to do.
Sarah Vida is a witch and the daughter of the most powerful vampire-hunting family in the world. She attends a new school where vampires are students. But the two vampires she meets are to weak to even read her aura to know who or what she is. Sarah takes comfort in being able to hide who she is, but now she is confused. Her mother always told her that life is black and white. Vampires are ALL bad and should NEVER be trusted. Now, since she's more or less befriended two vampires, she realizes her mom may be wrong.
Now, torn between breaking all the rules she was born to protect or killing the only two people who have ever really been her friends, she has to decide what to do.
Blood and Chocolate
Author: Annette Curtis Klause
In this book you meet Vivian. A 16 year old girl who ocassionally shifts into a wolf. You follow her and her pack from when they loose their leader in a fire (who is also Vivian's Dad) to when they move and try to start over.
She falls in love with a human. Of course that is taboo, so it's no wonder all the other males in her pack are upset with her for picking someone "outside" the family. She wants to tell him about herself, her life, and show him. But that can lead to disaster. She finds herself torn between her loyalties to her pack and to her heart.
This book was a fun read. Quick and easy.
In this book you meet Vivian. A 16 year old girl who ocassionally shifts into a wolf. You follow her and her pack from when they loose their leader in a fire (who is also Vivian's Dad) to when they move and try to start over.
She falls in love with a human. Of course that is taboo, so it's no wonder all the other males in her pack are upset with her for picking someone "outside" the family. She wants to tell him about herself, her life, and show him. But that can lead to disaster. She finds herself torn between her loyalties to her pack and to her heart.
This book was a fun read. Quick and easy.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Sookie Stackhouse Novels
Author: Charlaine Harris
These are NOT books for Young Adults, just FYI. They have a lot of sexuality, violence and just plain craziness. Now, that being said....I LOVED THEM!!!
I will tell anyone to go buy these because I know I'll really enjoy them over and over again...so I figure you will too. There are 9 books in total so far, with number 10 coming out in May of this year. Harris creates this world that is easy to get lost in. These books are actually the HBO series Trueblood, so if you've ever seen that - you'll know a lot more. The series and the books almost exactly mirror each other...almost. You begin by meeting Sookie Stackhouse, a telepath from Bon Temps, Louisiana. You find that Vampires have "come out of the coffin" so to speak because a Japanese company formulated a synthetic blood that helps the vamps sustain life and that makes them no threat to human life anymore. Yeah, right.
Sookie cannot wait till she meets her first real vampire, and she does, at the bar she works at. Of course she ends up having to save him before the night is through from the Vampire drainers. These are the people who capture vampires and drain them of all their blood. Apparently vamp blood makes for happy, strong, fast humans and has quickly become the drug of choice with humans. Anyway, Vampire Bill is in her debt and ends up repaying her with the deaths of the two people she helped save him from. They tried to run him and Sookie over - I wouldn't think running over a supernatural being would ever be a good thing.
Also in these books you learn that there are more supes (supernatural being) out in the world than just vampires. And not everyone is happy about it. There is a "church" called "Fellowship of the Sun". They want to kill ALL vampires along with everyone who associates with them, so Sookie is on the hit list so to speak. Of course, it helps the werepeople, or two-natured humans, help get her outta there in time.
Sookie keeps getting deeper and deeper in with the vampires. More than she wanted, and all because she can read the minds of humans, most witches, werepeople, and the occasional vampire. The vamps "value" her talent because she can tell them when they are being lied to. Of course Sookie doesn't like telling them that, because that almost always means death to whoever the liar is....
These books were absolutely fabulous. Easy to get into, hard to put down. I cannot wait till May for next one to come out!
These are NOT books for Young Adults, just FYI. They have a lot of sexuality, violence and just plain craziness. Now, that being said....I LOVED THEM!!!
I will tell anyone to go buy these because I know I'll really enjoy them over and over again...so I figure you will too. There are 9 books in total so far, with number 10 coming out in May of this year. Harris creates this world that is easy to get lost in. These books are actually the HBO series Trueblood, so if you've ever seen that - you'll know a lot more. The series and the books almost exactly mirror each other...almost. You begin by meeting Sookie Stackhouse, a telepath from Bon Temps, Louisiana. You find that Vampires have "come out of the coffin" so to speak because a Japanese company formulated a synthetic blood that helps the vamps sustain life and that makes them no threat to human life anymore. Yeah, right.
Sookie cannot wait till she meets her first real vampire, and she does, at the bar she works at. Of course she ends up having to save him before the night is through from the Vampire drainers. These are the people who capture vampires and drain them of all their blood. Apparently vamp blood makes for happy, strong, fast humans and has quickly become the drug of choice with humans. Anyway, Vampire Bill is in her debt and ends up repaying her with the deaths of the two people she helped save him from. They tried to run him and Sookie over - I wouldn't think running over a supernatural being would ever be a good thing.
Also in these books you learn that there are more supes (supernatural being) out in the world than just vampires. And not everyone is happy about it. There is a "church" called "Fellowship of the Sun". They want to kill ALL vampires along with everyone who associates with them, so Sookie is on the hit list so to speak. Of course, it helps the werepeople, or two-natured humans, help get her outta there in time.
Sookie keeps getting deeper and deeper in with the vampires. More than she wanted, and all because she can read the minds of humans, most witches, werepeople, and the occasional vampire. The vamps "value" her talent because she can tell them when they are being lied to. Of course Sookie doesn't like telling them that, because that almost always means death to whoever the liar is....
These books were absolutely fabulous. Easy to get into, hard to put down. I cannot wait till May for next one to come out!
Monday, February 8, 2010
Midnight Predator
Author: Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Every now and then I come across a book that I wish the author would create a sequel to, and this is one of those books! This story, although it involves vampires, is all about Turquoise. She is a teenager who was stolen by a vampire and made into a slave after the vampire, Lord Daryl, had killed her family. In this book most vampires are portrayed as ruthless and look at humans as cattle or slaves - but not all of them. You follow her as you learn why she became a Vampire Hunter, and a mercenary.
She and another "Hunter" are offered the same "job". Of course it involves them getting sold back into the slave trade in order to reach their intended target, which neither of them is looking forward too. Being beaten is not high on either of their lists of what they want to do. While waiting for the right time to take out the target, Turquoise finds herself at odds. She has finally realized that not ALL vampires are evil. Some almost come across as being human, which is why she can't kill them. This book was very enjoyable, I highly recommend it!!
Every now and then I come across a book that I wish the author would create a sequel to, and this is one of those books! This story, although it involves vampires, is all about Turquoise. She is a teenager who was stolen by a vampire and made into a slave after the vampire, Lord Daryl, had killed her family. In this book most vampires are portrayed as ruthless and look at humans as cattle or slaves - but not all of them. You follow her as you learn why she became a Vampire Hunter, and a mercenary.
She and another "Hunter" are offered the same "job". Of course it involves them getting sold back into the slave trade in order to reach their intended target, which neither of them is looking forward too. Being beaten is not high on either of their lists of what they want to do. While waiting for the right time to take out the target, Turquoise finds herself at odds. She has finally realized that not ALL vampires are evil. Some almost come across as being human, which is why she can't kill them. This book was very enjoyable, I highly recommend it!!
In the Forests of the Night
Author: Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Yes, it's another book about vampires. Only this one is more about the vengeance of one vampire in particular. Rachel was turned, against her will in the year 1701. Since then she has fought against what and who she is, until she finally realizes that she is as strong as any vampire out there, maybe even stronger. That includes the one who lured her, and the one who made her. Renamed Risika by her maker, this is her story. Your journey begins with the past, and jumps back a fourth between present time and her past. You begin to understand why Risika is the way she is. This is a good story about finding yourself and doing things you never thought you could, or would. This was a real quick easy read. Go out and get it.
Yes, it's another book about vampires. Only this one is more about the vengeance of one vampire in particular. Rachel was turned, against her will in the year 1701. Since then she has fought against what and who she is, until she finally realizes that she is as strong as any vampire out there, maybe even stronger. That includes the one who lured her, and the one who made her. Renamed Risika by her maker, this is her story. Your journey begins with the past, and jumps back a fourth between present time and her past. You begin to understand why Risika is the way she is. This is a good story about finding yourself and doing things you never thought you could, or would. This was a real quick easy read. Go out and get it.
The Silver Kiss
Author: Annette Curtis Klause
I do believe Stephenie Meyer would have found some inspiration from this book if she had read it. Which she may have, but I don't know for sure. Originally published in 1992, it was re-released in 2009 with a new cover and two more short stories focused on Simon (the vampire) and Zoe (the pretty girl).
Zoe's mom is on her death bed because of cancer. Her dad is spending all his time at the hospital which leaves Zoe alone for a lot of the time. Simon, a 300 year old vampire has come to town to hunt down an "evil" vampire, who happened to be his brother. So the story unfolds with teenage drama at every corner. Zoe comes across older for her age than most so she is who Simon finds irresistible to be around. Soon enough he breaks down and tells Zoe exactly what he is and she finds herself willing to help him hunt down his brother. What else does she have to lose anyway?? Her mom is dying and her dad doesn't know she exists.
I was really surprised reading this book. It was a very fast and enjoyable read. I highly recommend it. I already have requested more books by this author and am waiting patiently for them to become available.
And as a side note, this book has won several Best Book Awards. :)
I do believe Stephenie Meyer would have found some inspiration from this book if she had read it. Which she may have, but I don't know for sure. Originally published in 1992, it was re-released in 2009 with a new cover and two more short stories focused on Simon (the vampire) and Zoe (the pretty girl).
Zoe's mom is on her death bed because of cancer. Her dad is spending all his time at the hospital which leaves Zoe alone for a lot of the time. Simon, a 300 year old vampire has come to town to hunt down an "evil" vampire, who happened to be his brother. So the story unfolds with teenage drama at every corner. Zoe comes across older for her age than most so she is who Simon finds irresistible to be around. Soon enough he breaks down and tells Zoe exactly what he is and she finds herself willing to help him hunt down his brother. What else does she have to lose anyway?? Her mom is dying and her dad doesn't know she exists.
I was really surprised reading this book. It was a very fast and enjoyable read. I highly recommend it. I already have requested more books by this author and am waiting patiently for them to become available.
And as a side note, this book has won several Best Book Awards. :)
Everlost and Unwind
Author: Neal Shusterman
Okay, so I haven't written on here for a while...but I have an excuse. First, I was sick, then my daughters were sick and eventually my husband was sick. I don't know about you, but I don't feel like doing anything when I'm sick nor do I have the opportunity to read when anyone else is sick. Lucky me, it looks like we are all better now! So....on to what I have read.
Neal Shusterman is not an author that I have read before. I figured I would try someone new. Both of these book are so different from what I'm used to. Everlost is basically about death and what happens if you get stuck in a limbo and don't "cross over". It is the story of two kids, Nick and Allie, who died in a car accident and their journey together since they bumped into each other "crossing over" and neither of them made to where they were going. Their souls are trapped in a world where they sink into the ground if the stop walking or there is not a "dead spot", otherwise know as a place where someone else died. Nick and Allie try to find older kids who have more knowledge of what this place is and what they can do to get to where they were going....or better yet, get back home. This book was really different, I've never even considered some of the possibilities that are presented in this book. All in all it was a good read.
In Unwind Shusterman confronts us with the possibility of what happens in a world where organ donors are not plentiful, but unmanageable kids are. Unwanted teens are unwound for body parts, and I mean ALL body parts. You meet Conner, a troublemaker whose parents are done dealing with him. An orphan named Risa who is to be unwound to cut costs at the orphanage, and last you'll meet Lev. Lev is a planned unwind, a tithe, because his parents NEVER stray from their strict religion. This is their story of trying to survive till the age of 18, because if they make it that long, they cannot be unwound. This was a great book. I highly recommend it.
Neal Shusterman has a lot of books and I plan on reading more of his along the way. Below is a link to his website. Enjoy!
http://www.storyman.com
Okay, so I haven't written on here for a while...but I have an excuse. First, I was sick, then my daughters were sick and eventually my husband was sick. I don't know about you, but I don't feel like doing anything when I'm sick nor do I have the opportunity to read when anyone else is sick. Lucky me, it looks like we are all better now! So....on to what I have read.
Neal Shusterman is not an author that I have read before. I figured I would try someone new. Both of these book are so different from what I'm used to. Everlost is basically about death and what happens if you get stuck in a limbo and don't "cross over". It is the story of two kids, Nick and Allie, who died in a car accident and their journey together since they bumped into each other "crossing over" and neither of them made to where they were going. Their souls are trapped in a world where they sink into the ground if the stop walking or there is not a "dead spot", otherwise know as a place where someone else died. Nick and Allie try to find older kids who have more knowledge of what this place is and what they can do to get to where they were going....or better yet, get back home. This book was really different, I've never even considered some of the possibilities that are presented in this book. All in all it was a good read.
In Unwind Shusterman confronts us with the possibility of what happens in a world where organ donors are not plentiful, but unmanageable kids are. Unwanted teens are unwound for body parts, and I mean ALL body parts. You meet Conner, a troublemaker whose parents are done dealing with him. An orphan named Risa who is to be unwound to cut costs at the orphanage, and last you'll meet Lev. Lev is a planned unwind, a tithe, because his parents NEVER stray from their strict religion. This is their story of trying to survive till the age of 18, because if they make it that long, they cannot be unwound. This was a great book. I highly recommend it.
Neal Shusterman has a lot of books and I plan on reading more of his along the way. Below is a link to his website. Enjoy!
http://www.storyman.com
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