59. Brass Carriages and Glass Hearts

Brass Carriages and Glass Hearts. (Steampunk Proper Romance #4) Nancy Campbell Allen. 2020. [April] Shadow Mountain. 368 pages. [Source: Review copy] [alternate history; vampires; shape shifters; romance]

First sentence: Emmeline Castle O’Shea stood at a podium in the balcony of the Municipal Hall for Citizen Affairs and looked out with satisfaction at the murmuring crowd, feeling the energy build in the large room as she finished speaking.

Premise/plot: Emme, our feminist heroine, is forced to spend company with a detective, Oliver Reed, when her life is threatened by a Bad Letter. Her new body guard becomes quite caught up in her life and causes. Emme is quite involved in the cause for Shifter Rights.

The book is labeled as a steampunk retelling of Cinderella. It is the fourth in a series of retelling. Supposedly each can stand alone.

My thoughts: Would I have enjoyed this one more if I was familiar with other titles in the series?!?! Probably. I do think this steampunk world has a good deal of world building to it, character building. Other reviews indicate that characters from other books appear in this one.

How much Cinderella is there to this retelling? Not much in my opinion. The connection is faint if present at all. I will say her new friend Gus (a good vampire) is one of the more memorable characters.

I do like the relationship of Oliver and Emme. If this wasn’t labeled a retelling of Cinderella would I have enjoyed it more?! 

© 2020 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Dracula

Dracula. Bram Stoker. 1897/2005. 448 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: 3 May. Bistritz. -- Left Munich at 8.35 PM on 1st May, arriving at Vienna early next morning; should have arrived at 6.46, but train was an hour late.

Premise/plot: This classic Victorian horror novel opens with Jonathan Harker's journal. He is soon to meet Count Dracula. He's yet unaware of how quickly his life is about to be turned topsy-turvy. The good news is that he won't have to face this epic battle between good and evil alone. He'll be surrounded by friends: Abraham Van Helsing, Dr. John Seward, Quincey Morris, Arthur Holmwood (aka Lord Godalming), and his wife, Mina Harker.

They were awakened to the danger through the tragic loss of their dear, dear friend and companion Miss Lucy Westenra.

The novel consists of diaries, journals, letters, records, etc.

My thoughts: I first read Dracula in 2007. That almost seems a lifetime ago. I reread Dracula because I needed a qualifying read for the 2018 #Victober reading challenge. Dracula could fulfill Katie's challenge or Kate's challenge.

Quotes:

• "You may go anywhere you wish in the castle, except where the doors are locked, where of course you will not wish to go. There is reason that all things are as they are, and did you see with my eyes and know with my knowledge, you would perhaps better understand." (31)
• What does it all mean? I am beginning to wonder if my long habit of life amongst the insane is beginning to tell upon my own brain. (157)
• "If I could, I would take on myself the burden that you do bear. But there are things that you know not, but that you shall know, and bless me for knowing, though they are not pleasant things. (190)
• I suppose a cry does us all good at times--clears the air as other rain does. (206)
• "My friends, this is much; it is a terrible task, that we undertake, and there may be consequence to make the brave shudder. For if we fail in this our fight he must surely win; and then where end we? Life is nothings; I heed him not. But to fail here, is not mere life or death. It is that we become as him; that we henceforward become foul things of the night like him--without heart or conscience, preying on the bodies of those we love best." (269)

© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Twilight of Lake Woebegotten

The Twilight of Lake Woebegotten. Harrison Geillor. 2011. Night Shade Books. 320 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Is it a horror novel or comedy? Readers will be the final judge in the end.

I do not like horror novels. There are a few slight exceptions now and then that I've discovered by accident. But. For the most part, I don't seek out horror novels. So, if I don't seek out horror novels, why would I read The Twilight of Lake Woebegotten? For one reason, primarily. The book pokes fun at Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series. It asks a big 'what if?' What if the heroine is not good, clumsy, and naive? What if the heroine is evil and manipulative? What if she wears a mask in every relationship? Being who she needs to be--in that moment--to get what she ultimately wants?

Bonnie Grayduck is the heroine who appears to fall madly and deeply in love with Edwin Scullen, a vampire. And she is one of the monsters in this horror novel. The events loosely fit into the Twilight books, so, one could definitely see the book as being a parody. But this parody isn't a ha-ha parody.

Bonnie is a dark person. She doesn't think nice, happy thoughts. She wants what she wants when she wants it. It is all about power and control and desire. And she has adult desires. Don't expect the "innocent" tension or chemistry from Twilight. This book is for more mature readers, I'd say.

So Edwin had taken a sudden trip to Canada. Interesting. It was insane to think he'd left town because of me...but in my experience, most things in the world do seem to resolve around me. And if they don't start out that way, they get there eventually. (50, ARC)

"Ike's great," I said, because if I told her I thought he was podgy and dull she'd get offended, "but I like Edwin."
She looked at me, now. "Really? Scullen? You don't like Ike?"
"I like him, what's not to like, but, not that way."
"I don't understand you," J said, voice heavy with mistrust. "Ike is so sweet and good and kind, and Edwin...he's so cold and condescending and superior."
I gave a great sigh. "I know. I've always been attracted to boys like that." (80, ARC)

I'm not much of a reader, but if I was, apparently I'd have a hard time reading any novel written in the last fifty years that didn't have a brooding sexy conflicted vampire in it--the shelves were just full of the stuff. (91, ARC)

"You are a brave, wonderful, suicidally stupid, diplomatic-incident-causing, amazing woman," Edwin said, kissing my face all over. We were in my bed, two nights after Gretchen's very timely demise. He'd only been back for about ten minutes, and he'd already called me names, clutched me to his bosom, sobbed a bit, brooded a fair amount, and proclaimed his love in a fairly operatic fashion. He'd finally settled down to snuggling me in bed which was rather less exhausting. (196, ARC)

© 2014 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Jane Vows Vengeance

Jane Vows Vengeance. Michael Thomas Ford. 2012. Random House. 288 pages.

"What about this one?" Jane glanced at the magazine Lucy was holding up, opened to a picture of a bride standing in a field of daisies. 

This is the third novel in Michael Thomas Ford's paranormal series. The first is Jane Bites Back, and the second is Jane Goes Batty. If you've enjoyed the first few books in the series, you'll probably want to pick this one up too.

Jane Fairfax owns a bookshop and has recently had a novel published, even had that novel adapted into a movie, of sorts. But she's a woman keeping a secret from her husband-to-be. She's a vampire AND she's Jane Austen. While this knowledge certainly isn't common information, there are a LOT of people in her life who do know, including Walter's mother--Jane's future mother-in-law. By the way, his mother is keeping a BIG, BIG, BIG secret from him too. Poor Walter! No one ever tells him anything!

This novel sees the couple heading to Europe along with their friends and family. (Lucy, Ben, and Miriam, the mother-in-law). It isn't quite a wedding trip or a honeymoon trip--emphasis on the word quite. For Walter, it's a work-related trip, a select group will be touring historic homes. Sound boring? Well, some paranormal activity will liven things up a bit.

This novel had its moments. There were a few sparkly conversations, mainly between Jane and Byron, that made me happy I decided to continue on in this series. There were times this one almost almost worked for me. Some good scenes, some interesting developments. But at other times this novel was a mess. I'm not sure if it's because this book focused on the personal relationship between Jane and Walter, if it's because the book follows the couple's vacation, if it's because the focus was more on Jane trying to meet everyone else's expectations. But something felt off about it. This one had less social commentary, less satire, perhaps.

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I think this one tried to pay tribute to Agatha Christie and mystery novels, but, that aspect didn't quite work for me. As a mystery this one didn't quite work for me. So what I was left with was a somewhat boring story about Walter and Jane trying to get married peacefully and without a lot of fuss. The scene that probably bothered me the very most was their first attempt to marry. And the wedding is interrupted by Jane's husband. And the guests talk openly about Jane being a vampire, the marriage occurring almost two hundred years in the past, etc. And Walter has not left the room. The author didn't give any indication that Walter left the room, OR, that the guests were huddled together whispering, OR, that the guests left the room to talk together...AND we're supposed to believe that Walter didn't listen closely enough to catch on to the fact that Jane is a vampire....and he's completely SURPRISED by the revelation later on in the novel. I think another issue I have with the novel, with the series, is that Walter isn't a fully developed character. We don't know him well enough to love him, though we can respect that Walter is a good match for Jane, I suppose. Mainly he's just there, and sometimes he's there and reacts.

Read Jane Vows Vengeance

• If you enjoy paranormal novels
• If you like satire/humor

© 2012 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Revelations (YA)

Revelations. Melissa de la Cruz. 2008. Hyperion. 272 pages.

On an early and bitterly cold morning in late March, Schuyler Van Alen let herself inside the glass doors of the Duchesne School, feeling relieved as she walked into the soaring barrel-ceiling entryway dominated by an imposing John Singer Sargent portrait of the school's founders.

The third in Melissa de la Cruz's Blue Bloods series. The first two are Blue Bloods and Masquerade. It continues the story of Schuyler Van Alen, Mimi Force, and Bliss Llewellyn. These three are very different from one another--in some ways--but they do have some things in common. They're from wealthy families. They live in New York and attend a top school. They're vampires. And they have troubled--very tangled--love lives. (Mimi and Schuyler both are in love with the same vampire guy--Jack Force.) The Blue Bloods are still struggling to accept the current dangers and threats posed by the Silver Bloods, the Dark Angels. There has been a recent change in leadership. And they are preparing to take action. But is it too late? Have they waited too long?

Revelations is a blend of action, mystery, and romance. (Much is revealed in this one!) If you enjoy YA paranormal romances, then I would definitely recommend the series.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

I Kissed A Zombie and I Liked It (YA)

I Kissed a Zombie, and I Liked It. Adam Selzer. 2010. Random House. 192 pages.

Watching a vampire make out with an idiot is kind of like going to the farmers' market and noticing just how many farmers have lost fingers in on-the-job accidents.

Our heroine Alley (aka Gonk) thinks she knows what she wants in a guy. One of the things she's looking for is a guy who's willing (and able) to leave town after high school. A pulse and heartbeat are also important factors. Dead guys just don't appeal to her like they do to her friend Marie.

"Dead people have no reason to live," I say. "Shouldn't we have stopped thinking vampires were awesome when we found out they spend most of their time acting all emo?"
"You're just jealous, Alley," says Marie. "Can you honestly tell me that if some guy rose from the grave and spent a hundred years looking for just the right person, then fell for you, you wouldn't think that was totally romantic?"
"I'd think he was a stalker," I say.
"It's true love!" says Marie. (3)

It continues,

"You guys are just prejudiced," says Marie. "I would kill to date a vampire. I mean, he's crazy strong, but not strong enough to stay away from her. How romantic can you get?"
"Right," says Peter. "I think that's on page one of How to Get Teenage Girls to Fall in Love with You."
"And her parents probably think he's a monster, but she truly understands him," I chime in.
"See?" asks Peter. "Textbook." (4)

Which is why it's funny when Alley is the first of her friends to date a dead guy. Of course, she doesn't realize--at first--that Doug is a zombie. Doug is the first guy that Alley has liked enough to date. Usually she's all about making out with random guys--guys she doesn't like like, but never guys she dislikes. Alley hasn't wanted to feel anything with a guy. The fact that she feels for Doug? Well, it surprises her--even more when she finds out the truth--but soon Alley's convinced that Doug is the best boyfriend ever. That he is her everything. But no relationship is ever that easy. And this one has its challenges...

As a paranormal romance, I Kissed A Zombie, And I Liked It didn't quite work for me. As commentary on the paranormal craze, it worked well. It was funny. It was insightful.

I swear that looking around in disgust is one of vampires' actual powers--every vampire I've ever known is an expert at it. (13)

Sometimes I think vampires have spent centuries just honing their pickup lines. But I'm immune to pickup lines. (51)

When a vampire glares at you, man, you stay glared at. (51)

I spend the next hour just making snarky comments to girls who think it's great that their boyfriend pressures them into dying instead of pressuring them to have sex. (130)

There is even a pamphlet entitled "Vampires, Zombies, and You: Questions and Answers About Post-Humans for Teens." One of the questions is even:

My boyfriend/girlfriend and I totally want kids. If we were both posthumans, the babies would be, like, superbabies, right? (125)

So I enjoyed reading I Kissed A Zombie and I Liked It. It was funny. It was smart.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Soulless

Soulless by Gail Carriger. 2009. Orbit. 384 pages.

Miss Alexia Tarabotti was not enjoying her evening. Private balls were never more than middling amusements for spinsters, and Miss Tarabotti was not the kind of spinster who could garner even that much pleasure from the event. To put the pudding in the puff: she had retreated to the library, her favorite sanctuary in any house, only to happen upon an unexpected vampire.

I wanted to love this one. I did. I wanted to feel something close to love. But I didn't. That's not to say I thought it was awful--it wasn't. I think the very things that I didn't enjoy will be the very things that other readers will love most.

Soullless and I got off to a good start. I loved the early scenes in the novel: Alexia in the library confronting the vampire, Alexia dealing with the aftermath of the vampire's death, Alexia battling it out verbally with Lord Maccon. I enjoyed the world-building of the first hundred pages--seeing how Alexia fit in (and didn't quite) with London society, and not just Alexia, but how vampires and werewolves fit into London society. I loved the writing too. There were places in the text where I felt certain that this would be a book I loved.

Alexia doesn't quite fit in with the mortals or the supernaturals. She's soulless; her soullessness neutralizes the "superpowers" of vampires and werewolves. (Her touch can take away a vampires fangs, or change the werewolf back into human form. Temporarily of course.)

There is a mystery to be solved. There is danger too. But for me this danger, this threat, almost takes a backseat to the romance. Because a little over hundred pages Soulless turns into a romance book. You know, a romance book.

For readers who love romance novels, for readers who really love romance novels--especially paranormal romances--there is much to love in Soulless. And this new direction will probably be a very welcome one. You may even think, finally, this story is getting somewhere. It's about time.

Mini-spoiler.

It becomes more about how long can Alexia keep her hands off a certain someone--or a certain someone keep his hands off her--than anything else.

Bigger spoiler.

After Alexia is caught in a compromising situation, it becomes the oh-so-familiar story of:

Well, I don't want to force you to marry me against your will.
You're not forcing me to marry you.
No, you're just saying that, you don't really want to marry me.
Yes, I do.
No, you don't.
Yes, I do.
No, you don't. I'm not beautiful enough.
Yes, you are.
No, I'm not...

And, for me, once it goes there...it doesn't really matter that Alexia has fallen for a supernatural. Soulless could be one of a hundred romances. Not that Lord Maccon is like every other hero in a romance novel, he's not. He's Scottish. (A plus in my books). And he's a werewolf. (I'm indifferent to werewolves, so no plus for me. But hey, for some readers, maybe this appeals?) And Alexia isn't quite your typical heroine. She is brave and fierce in some ways. But why does she have to be so down on herself? Why can't she realize her own value? her own worth?

I don't know about you, but I find it hard to be worried while reading a romance book. Mystery or no mystery. Danger or no danger. I'm not really worried about any "threats" to the happily ever after ending. I suppose, there may be romance novels out there that have surprises, but I haven't found many.

Expectations. I think I expected Soulless to be more of a fantasy than a romance novel. The clever cover may have contributed to my expectations. (There wasn't a half-dressed couple on the cover. And it wasn't filed in the romance section of the library.) Reading is subjective, and this may be more than enough fantasy for some readers. And other readers may see it as more balanced than I did.

In conclusion, I liked it enough to finish it. I wanted to know what happened. But I'm not sure I'll continue on with this series.

Other reviews: Booklust, Birdbrain(ed) Book Blog, Steph Su Reads, Sam's Book Blog. Biblio File.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Thirsty

Thirsty. Tracey Bateman. 2009. Waterbrook Press. 376 pages.

Thick bass blared through amped-up speakers and drew Markus from his slumber.

Meet Nina Parker. She'd be the first to admit her mistakes. Her life has been full of mistakes. And it's cost her. Her husband has divorced her. He has full custody of both of her children. Her daughter, Meg, doesn't want anything to do with her. She's been arrested several times. She doesn't have a job or a place to live. At the start, anyway. But Nina Parker is being given a second chance. She's moving in with her sister (who is a sheriff) and returning to her hometown of Abbey Hills, a small town in the Ozarks. She'll be waitressing at Barney's, the local diner. And for this first week back, she'll have her daughter, Meg, with her. Can this week start the two on a new path. Can this relationship begin to heal? Can they learn from each other and begin to understand one another?

Unfortunately, this week isn't going to be easy on either of them. In fact, they may not survive the week. You see, there's a murderer on the loose in Abbey Hills. And victims (both human and animal) are being discovered: their bodies drained of blood, their hearts cut out. Who is the murderer, the monster, in their midst?

Thirsty--in case you couldn't tell by the cover alone--is a vampire novel. A so-called Christian vampire novel. You can read an interview with Tracey Bateman here.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Vampire Kisses: The Beginning (MG, YA)

Schreiber, Ellen. 2003. Vampire Kisses. 2005. Vampire Kisses: Kissing Coffins. 2006. Vampire Kisses: Vampireville. HarperCollins. 562 pages.

It first happened when I was five. (Vampire Kisses)
It was like a final nail in the coffin. (Kissing Coffins)
I was ready to become a vampire. (Vampireville)

I'll start with the good news. This is a fun series for tweens and teens who can't get enough vampires. Our heroine, Raven, loves vampires. Or the idea of loving a vampire at least. She's been obsessed with all things vampire since she was a toddler. In fact, in kindergarten that she told her teacher and classmates that she wanted to be a vampire when she grew up. We get a very brief snippet of this vampire-loving child, and then we get to the center of the story--Raven as a teen girl with one obsession.

But what happens when Raven actually meets a vampire or two (or three)? Does Alexander meet all her expectations? Is he her dream come true? Is he her destiny? Will loving him, knowing him be the best thing that ever happened to her? Is she ready to face danger in the name of love? Will Alexander's enemies prove too much for her?

So, if you like this sort of book about girls who idolize vampire lovers (or boyfriends)--even if Alexander doesn't sparkle--then you should probably pick this series up. This edition contains the first three novels in the series. (I believe there are six or so in all.) The books read really quickly.

Is the book as great as the cover? That may depends on your age. (It's not exactly fair to say it is all an age thing. After all, I know of women who can't get enough vampires. They are always looking for more, more, more.) I think there's a time and place for everything. And I think for those in a vampire phase, this series has much to satisfy. If you're growing tired of the vampire trend, if you wish that romance authors would look elsewhere for inspiration, then maybe you shouldn't pick these up.


© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Night Runner (YA)

Turner, Max. 2009. Night Runner. St. Martin's Press. 288 pages.

My name is Daniel Zachariah Thomson. Everyone calls me Zack. I live in the Nicholls Ward of the Peterborough Civic Hospital, and this is the story of how I died, twice.

Zach is an orphan living in a mental institution. And he's got issues. As in allergic to the sun, and being intolerant to almost all food. He lives on "strawberry flavored" shakes. (I had issues with his naivety there.) One of the night nurses, Ophelia, takes care of him--treats him almost like a son. The only other person Zach would consider a friend--a good friend--is Charlie. (Remember that Zach sleeps all day. He doesn't even get out of bed until the sun goes down. So he doesn't get around to making many friends.)

The premise to this one is simple, Zach is a vampire and doesn't know it. Until one night when an old man riding a motorcycle crashes into the lobby and gives Zach a strange message or warning. Suddenly Zach finds himself hunted and not knowing who to trust. He's not even able to trust his memories because apparently his dear old dad was keeping some big secrets from him.

I had some problems with this one. And I'm not sure if it's me or if it's the book. I know a few things are just me.

I had a hard time connecting with Zach. I felt a little disconnected from him, from the action. I felt there was some distance--perhaps intentional distance???--or maybe I felt it was more tell and not enough show? Another problem I had with the book, and I think this is unavoidable in some ways, is that I found it very predictable. There were things that I was able to pick up very early on that poor old Zach remained clueless about for almost the entire book--minus the last chapter or two. I think it is this that despite the "action" that happened along the way kept the pacing off for me. The action didn't feel like action. So even though he was being chased and he was off running and fighting and killing, I felt bored. UNTIL the last fifty or sixty pages.

One reason I didn't like the book--and this is all me--is that it was a bit too bloody for me. Yes, he's a vampire. Yes, vampires drink blood. But the descriptions of him killing and feeding were too graphic for me. (I can't go into the specifics, but there are TWO scenes that really pushed me over. That made me know once and for all that Zach was a character I could never like.)

I'm not the ideal reader for Night Runner. It's not my type of book. But it could be your type of book. If you want to read about non-sparkling vampires, if you want vampires that do more than write lullabies and stare at young girls while they sleep, then this might be the one for you.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Tear Collector (YA)

Jones, Patrick. 2009. The Tear Collector. Walker (Bloomsbury) Books. 272 pages. September 2009.

"Are you crying?" I ask as I tap on the driver's side window of the white Chevy Impala.

The Tear Collector has an interesting premise. From the back cover, "readers beware of a new kind of vampire--one that feeds off tears instead of blood." Our narrator, Cassandra Gray, depends on human sorrow--tears--to survive. Which wouldn't be so horribly bad if she wasn't the one responsible for collecting tears for her great-grandmother, Veronica. She's collecting for two, you see. Fortunately, tears are relatively easy to come by. Cass works as a volunteer at the hospital--and it's easy for her to find folks grieving there. And then, of course, there's high school. On any given day, any given week, Cass is always finding heartbreak and sorrow there. So Cass plays sympathetic friend. Cry on my shoulder--my bare shoulder--says she. Sometimes Cass has to help things along--tell a lie, start a rumor, spread some gossip, etc. But Cass thinks she knows the boundaries. There are things she'd never, ever do. Unlike her cousin. She suspects he'd do anything to collect tears. But she's different...or is she?

Cass doesn't make for a sympathetic heroine. She's cold, calculated, manipulative. She excuses this with the I'm-not-human-don't-blame-me routine. The Tear Collector is about her quest to change all that, her quest to become more human. Can she make a real friend? Can she really fall in love? Or is her life destined to be all make believe.

I had a hard time connecting with Cass. Then again, Cass had a hard time making genuine connections. So I think it was just part of who she was as a character. Is she trustworthy and reliable as a narrator? Was she meant to be? I don't know. I personally didn't trust her. But that could be just my take on it. Could the reason I loathe Cass be because Cass loathes Cass? Here is a character that despises who she is. That despises the life she lives. Despises the choices she's forced to make.

I found some of the scenarios a bit far fetched as well. The overflowing sloppiness of the tears.

"It's okay to cry, Robyn," I say softly, encouraging another emotional outburst. she listens, letting loose a torrent of tears. I slip off my jacket--actually my soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend Cody's varsity jacket--then pull her close, letting her tears fall on my bare left shoulder. I'm wearing a simple gray tank top set off by the tie-dyed bandanna holding back my long multi-colored hair. My hair is like my life: mostly dark, but with a few streaks of light and color added in.
I don't say anything; instead, I let her cathartic tears soak into my skin. (3)

"Sometimes I think it would be better if I were dead."
I don't respond; instead, I let more drops soak into my shoulder and I feel a rush from the energy in the tears, probably like an addict feels getting his fix from his drug of choice.
When I'm so full that I'm almost disoriented, I take a white linen monogrammed handkerchief from my back pocket. I gently transfer the tears from her face to this old-fashioned invaluable family heirloom. I pull her close, so she can't see the smile forming on my face as a waterfall of tears continues to cascade from her eyes. Robyn needs to cry, but what she doesn't know--and nobody outside of my family could imagine--is that I need her to cry even more. Just as a vampire needs to suck blood to live, I need these human tears in order to survive. (9)

I think it is an interesting premise. It was nice to see some role reversal going on. A "vampire" girl in pursuit of the ordinary boy-next-door.

I think for those that seek this genre, sub-genre of books--darker romances with supernatural and/or horror elements...that this one might make for a nice read.


© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Thirsty

Anderson, M.T. 1997. Thirsty. Candlewick. 237 pages.

In the spring, there are vampires in the wind.

Is that not a great first line? It continues,

People see them scuffling along by the side of country roads. At night, they move through the empty forests. They do not wear black, of course, but things they have taken off bodies or bought on sale. The news says that they are mostly in the western part of the state, where it is lonely and rural. My father claims we have them this year because it was a mild winter, but he may be thinking of tent caterpillars.

Vampires are real, and they don't sparkle. So when our hero, Chris, begins his journey towards becoming a vampire, he's not happy about it. All he wants is for his life to go back to normal. Okay, he wishes it would be a little bit better than normal. He wishes he could get the girl, Rebecca, to notice him. To like him. He wishes he didn't stammer and act stupid around her. He wishes his friends were less weird and/or jerky. But he wants to be human.

The novel covers a few months. Months of torment for Chris as his body begins to change ever-so-gradually. Months of worry as he begins to fear what is to come. He has trouble sleeping. He's always thirsty. And water just isn't thick enough to satisfy. His reflection comes and goes. His fangs come and go. And he starts getting some really weird invites in the mail.

Is there any hope for Chris? Is there anyone who can save him from the horror his life is becoming? What choice will Chris make? Can he determine his own fate? And what led him to this place anyway? How did he become cursed?

This one is intense and exciting. It's masterfully written by an award-winning author. The style is sparse: each word counts. Except for the red-white-black cover, there is no comparison whatsoever to Twilight.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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City of Glass

Clare, Cassandra. 2009. City of Glass. Simon & Schuster. 541.

City of Glass is the third in the Mortal Instruments series. (The first being, City of Bones, the second being, City of Ashes.) I honestly don't know how to review this one. Not without spoiling things. I can gush, however. I can tell you how I loved it. Tell you how it was intensely satisfying. How right it felt (for me). But you need to start at the beginning. You need to read the series as a whole. You need to come to know these characters from the very beginning. So I definitely recommend the series. The characters are well developed. Complex. Diverse. Interesting. Evolving. The pacing is suspenseful. Though the books are thick, time flies when you're reading the books. They're just that good. The series as a whole was good. There were some things that were predictable, but not in an oh-no-not-that-again way. It just felt good reading these books. It made reading fun again. I'd love to see this series catch on like the Twilight series has.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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Jessica's Guide To Dating on the Darkside

Fantaskey, Beth. 2009. Jessica's Guide to Dating on The Dark Side. Harcourt. 354 pages.

The first time I saw him, a heavy, gray fog clung to the cornfields, tails of mist slithering between the dying stalks.

Jessica, our heroine, never set out to fall in love with a vampire. It wasn't on her to do list. It wasn't a fantasy of hers--not by a long shot--but such is the case when a strange--but strangely handsome--guy appears in her life claiming to be an 'exchange' student. The truth? The two were betrothed back when they were infants back in Romania. Before Jessica (then named Antanasia) became an orphan. Before she was adopted by an American couple and taken to the states to live. Our hero, Lucius Vladescu, is here to remind her that not only are they supposed to be engaged...she is really, truly a vampire princess. But she's not a vampire yet*. Does she want to be a vampire princess? Not at first. No, her crush is the ever-adorable-but-oh-so-ordinary Jake Zinn. And she's more than thrilled that Jake seems to be crushing on her too. But Lucius is ever-lurking about. Watching. Protecting. Generally being creepy and in the way. But ever-so-slowly, Jessica starts liking her lurker-would-be-lover. Starts being tempted by his charms--craves his touch, his kiss, his bite. But as she starts falling for him, he begins having second thoughts. Does he really want to turn Jessica into a vampire? Isn't her American upbringing a major weakness in being a vampire? Isn't she unsuited to the task of ruling as a vampire? Why would he want to do this to her? The more he resists, the more she desires. It also helps things along that he begins dating another girl, Faith, that her desire (Jessica's desire) is magnified by jealousy. If he is going to be biting anyone's neck, it should be her neck. This is another will-he/won't-he vampire romance.

I liked this one. It was fun in a way. If I was annoyed with anything in this one, it was Lucius' voice. I'm not sure what century "old-fashionedness" he was trying to channel for being a proper vampire. But I didn't buy him as a modern hero, a modern vampire, a modern Romanian who just happens to be a vampire. True, it's not like there are any direct correlations between this and real life so you can say he should sound like this, not that. But still, he didn't come across as authentic anything. He sounded stereotypically speaking-English-in-a-weird-movie-supposed-to-be-European-accent vampire. That's not a big problem. I was able to get used to in during the course of the novel. But it did jolt me a few times in the narrative. But I was able to get right back into it. So no big deal.

*(A concept that takes some getting used to. Her parents were vampires, yes. But she's not a vampire until she's bitten by her vampire lover/husband? But as she grows up, matures, her body starts craving that vampire bite, that change? But does that mean Lucius was born a vampire and was raised that way? Raised on blood? Did he have to be bitten? Or was his being a vampire something that happened at puberty? And how are all these vampires having babies to begin with? How do the undead reproduce? Are these vampires even among the undead? Lucius acts like he's alive--growing, changing, maturing into an adult, BUT he does drink blood.)

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The Historian

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova.

I picked this one up at the suggestion of Chris from Stuff As Dreams Are Made On. He reviewed it last week, and really how could I not look for it at the next trip to the library? Anyway, this rather long novel is quite good. I won't say it's the best thing I've read for the R.I.P. II Challenge, it would be hard to match The Thirteenth Tale or Dracula. But it was good. Like most novels over six-hundred pages, it has a complicated and twisted plot. The story is told through many narrators, and the "action" occurs across several decades. Primarily, the story is of a Professor Rossi in the thirties, of Helen and Paul in the fifties, and of the primary narrator (I can't recall if she's ever named), the daughter of Paul and Helen, in the seventies. Of course these characters' lives intersect at many, many points. And other characters play significant roles in the unfolding drama. The premise of the novel is simple: vampires are real; Dracula is an active threat to humanity. A series of men (and women) "discover" a book with a dragon in the centerpiece. A mysteriously "old" and unusual book. The bravest of these follow sets of clues to discover the vampire threat. Who is leaving this book where it can be found? Who is leaving the clues? Who is manipulating the drama? Well, I'll leave that for you to figure out. It is a mystery, a puzzle, a race. Can "good" finally overcome "evil" for good? Can this dangerous threat finally be wiped off the face of the earth? The "heroes" in this book are ordinary men and women. Librarians. Scholars. Graduate students. Professors. Not your typical sort to go on quests around the globe. The action happens in libraries, rare book vaults, and monasteries. Overall, I enjoyed it a great deal. I liked some parts better than others. Some times the pacing was great, other times I wished it would go faster or slower. Some details I thought were a bit much, others I thought weren't detailed enough. But generally, I liked it. I read it in two days.

City of Bones

Clare, Cassandra. 2007. City of Bones.

You might not think that witnessing a murder would lead a young teen, Clary Fray, onto an unforgettable journey of self-discovery, but, you'd be wrong. When she witnesses three teens--oddly dressed and strangely beautiful teens--murder a fellow clubber, she is shocked, terrified, and confused. Understandably so. But not for the same reasons you might be thinking. The body? The blood? They disappeared instantly. The murderers? Invisible to the rest of the world. And as one of the 'murderers' pointed out, the police can't arrest people they can't see and charge them with a murder when there is no body and no blood and no 'evidence' or sign of a struggle. These murderers--whom we later learn to be Jace, Alec, and Isabelle--are just as surprised that Clary can see them. Why? They're ShadowHunters. Descendants of the Nephilim, offspring of angels and humans. Their mission? To track down demon infiltrations around the world and eliminate these fiends. All this happens within the first chapter. It was quite an exciting start to what turned out to be a very fast-paced adventure.

Clary, seemingly normal teen, can witness things no 'mundie' (mundane human) should have been able to see. The weirdness continues through the next few days and escalates when her mother disappears with only one frantic phone call to warn her daughter of the danger that lurks in her home. Jace, one of the ShadowHunters, just happens to be chatting with her when that phone call comes in. So the two rush home together to face the threat of Darkness that turns Clary's world upside down.

One thing is known, Clary's life will never be "normal" again after seeing the unexplainable, fighting her own demon, and discovering the "truth" about her parents.

City of Bones is perfect for readers looking for a fast, action-packed read. There are all sorts of supernatural creatures--vampires, werewolves, demons, warlocks, wizards, etc--to fill the pages and add suspense.

The book reminds me of many things: Scott Westerfelds' Midnighter series, Holly Black's Faerie series, Melissa de la Cruz Blue Bloods series, Charmed, and Star Wars.

The book, by the way, is the first in the Mortal Instruments series. The next book will be City of Ashes.

http://www.mortalinstruments.com/

Dracula

No man knows till he has suffered from the night how sweet and how dear to his heart and eye the morning can be. (46)

I chose to read Dracula for many reasons. But here are the top two: 1) My friend, Julie, is directing Dracula at the local community theater this October. She's been talking about it for weeks. (This is her first time to direct in this community.) And she's been telling me how wonderful it is...and how much I'd love it. How the writing, the language, the imagery, is just incredible. And I do want to be a supportive friend and all. And she's never disappointed me before when she's recommended a book. 2) It is one of the 'perils' in the R.I.P. II Challenge.

All men are mad in some way or the other; and inasmuch as you deal discreetly with your madmen, so deal with God's madmen too--the rest of the world. (115)

Let me say this now, it was SO good and SO different from how I expected. I'll admit that the first chapter didn't hook me. The format--letters and diaries--took a little bit of getting used to. (I'm not used to suspense being dispensed in that way.) But soon enough, I was hooked. I had not realized this story was told through so many narrators--and each one is unique and well-developed. I read most of it on Saturday afternoon/evening in fact. I didn't want to put it down. But I couldn't finish the last hundred pages or so until the next day. But I did finish it last night, Sunday, and it was just incredible. It was so intense, so suspenseful, so teasing, so memorable, so haunting, so tragic, so good. It was just a WOW book for me.

We have been blind somewhat; blind after the manner of men, since when we can look back we see what we might have seen looking forward if we had been able to see what we might have seen! Alas, but that sentence is a puddle; is it not? (300)

Vampirates: Tide of Terror

Somper, Justin. 2007. Vampirates: Tide of Terror.

Last Halloween, I reviewed Justin Somper's Vampirates: Demons of the Oceans, now for Carl's R.I.P. II Challenge, I bring you the sequel: Vampirates: Tide of Terror. (Although truth be known, I would have read the book challenge or no challenge. But still it's nice to find a book that so easily fits a challenge.) When we left our brother-sister duo of Connor and Grace they were 'safely' aboard the pirate ship Diablo. But much as they enjoy being reunited, Grace cannot forget the Vampirates. She expecially can't forget one Vampirate, Lorcan. Thoughts of him and the captain the crew fill her dreams day in and day out. And while her brother has a wonderful, wonderful time learning how to be a pirate and practicing about with his sword, Grace can't help but wonder what it would be like to be far, far away. In all honesty, she'd rather be with Lorcan than watching her brother become a pirate prodigy. And after the death of one of her brother's friends, Jez, her feeling that this ship isn't a "safe" haven becomes any stronger. If only there was a way to get her brother to give up this pirate nonsense. Enter pirate school. Or should I say pirate academy? When an opportunity to visit and attend classes at the pirate academy is made, Grace convinces her brother that they both should go and see for themselves what it is like. It appears Connor will have a choice to make: to continue learning how to be a pirate aboard a ship, or perhaps have a scholarship to the pirate academy and learn it all in the classroom by the textbook. The Academy awes him. He is quite taken with it all: the students, the books, the teachers, the environment. It is unlike any place he's ever known. But Grace, Grace will have her own choice to make in the days and weeks ahead. This novel is all about choices.

Vampires. Pirates. Vampirates. This book is full of thrills, scares, and chases. Lots of blood drinking as well. It is an exciting ride. Although, if I'm being completely honest I enjoyed the first one just a bit more than this installment. The third novel in the series, Vampirates: Blood Captain, is set to be released in June 2008. (September '07 in the UK. November '07 in Australia.)

http://www.vampirates.co.uk/

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

Spoiler free review of Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

Meyer, Stephenie. 2007. Eclipse.

If you're like me, you've been waiting for the release of Eclipse since five seconds after you read the last page of New Moon. It's been eleven months of waiting. Eleven whole months of wondering just what would happen next between Bella Swan, Edward Cullen, and Jacob Black. Eleven months of wondering if this next book would be the one...the one where Bella's biggest dreams come true.

What does Eclipse offer readers? It has more Edward and Bella than New Moon. (But don't count out or young werewolf, Jacob. Jacob has not gone away. Bella doesn't want him to go away. Not on most days.) It has plenty of action as well. As with Twilight and New Moon there are bad guys--vampires actually--who are out to get Bella and friends. Which as you know always leads to an exciting climax complete with chase scenes and close calls. (But if you're a fan you've come to expect this. So my telling you this is not a spoiler!) After all, if it's talked about in the prologue on the first page...it's not really a shocker. It has action. It has romance. But it also has more family interaction. Whose family? Well, Bella's to a certain extent. But mainly Edward's...after all if she accepts his arrangement she'll be part of his family for life. This is something that I really enjoyed. We get more back stories on how this vampire family came to be. For example, we see how Rosalie came to be a vampire (152-168) and they have their first and only heart-to-heart talk. And we also hear Jasper's story for the first time (287-309). I have always loved Edward. And Alice, well, she's been fleshed out in the other books--both Twilight and New Moon--but for me this is the first time I really appreciated the ensemble cast of Cullens.

Another highlight, for me, was the presentation of werewolf folklore. Bella attends a bonfire with Jacob--as a friend not a date. (239-260)

Eclipse is exciting, fast-paced, full of action and romance. It is emotional. It is intense. It is wonderful. Did I love it as much as Twilight? No. I wouldn't expect to be as head over heels in love with any sequel. Twilight will always be my favorite and my best. But I thought the novel was good. The release of New Moon saw some skeptics who were thoroughly disappointed and hated the way the direction was going. That appears to be happening with Eclipse as well. Some are completely disenchanted with the series. And that is okay. Really. If I were in charge would I have done things differently...yes. There were slight things--things that could add up to a good bit of frustration if you kept count and read with initial mindset that the novel was going to be a bitter disappointment--that annoyed me in the book. So don't expect the book to be perfect. No book is perfect in every way. But try to keep an open mind.

I can't believe you're reading Wuthering Heights again. Don't you know it by heart yet?

Not all of us have photographic memories, I said curtly.

Photographic memory or not, I don't understand why you like it. The characters are ghastly people who ruin each others' lives. I don't know how Heathcliff and Cathy ended up being ranked with couples like Romeo and Juliet or Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. it isn't a love story, it's a hate story.

You have some serious issues with the classics, I snapped.

Perhaps it's because I'm not impressed by antiquity. He smiled, evidently satisfied that he'd distracted me. Honestly though why do you read it over and over? His eyes were vivid with real interest now, trying --again-- to unravel the convoluted workings of my mind. He reached across the table to cradle my face in his hand. What is it that appeals to you?

His sincere curiosity disarmed me. I'm not sure, I said, scrambling for coherency while his gaze unintentionally scattered my thoughts I think it's something about the inevitability. How nothing can keep them apart -- not her selfishness, or his evil, or even death, in the end...

His face was thoughtful as he considered my words. After a moment he smiled a teasing smile I still think it would be a better story if either of them had one redeeming quality.

I think that may be the point, I disagreed. Their love is their only redeeming quality.

p. 28

http://stepheniemeyer.com/
http://stepheniemeyer.com/eclipse.html
http://stepheniemeyer.com/ecl_playlist.html
For a less enthusiastic review which contains a few spoilers
BookBinge's review of Eclipse; again not so enthusiastic; again has spoilers

Masquerade

de la Cruz, Melissa. 2007. Masquerade.

Masquerade is the sequel to Blue Bloods, a fast-paced vampire adventure released in 2006. The book begins roughly a few weeks or months after the conclusion of Blue Bloods. In the first book, our main character Schuyler promised to go to Venice to look for her grandfather. It was her grandmother's last request. This book, Masquerade, opens with her on her last days of her trip in Venice. Her quest to find her grandfather, Lawrence Van Alen, is just the first step she must take if she's to restore peace and order in this coven of classy vampires. The book also is narrated from Mimi's point of view and Bliss's point of view. Both characters from the previous book. The story is exciting, fast-paced. And one unfolding mystery. As such, I'm not going to describe the plot in ANY detail whatsoever because I don't want to spoil it.

I recommend this book to those that love vampire lit...and for fans of YA drama/adventure in general.