Archon: The Books of Raziel by Sabrina Benulis

ISBN-13: 9780062069405
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date: December 2011
Pages: 400

Source: Publisher

Angels and demons. I think they are the next 'IN' theme after the vampires and werewolves but honestly, I can't choose among these as I feel each has its own mythology and they are intriguing to me all the same.

As you can see from the cover, Archon: The Books of Raziel is a book about fallen angels and in this story, our protagonist, Angela Mathers, is a blood head who, like other blood heads, are known to possess mystical powers. Angela, however, is plagued by visions of an angel who seems to haunt her even in her dreams and above all, she has heard about the power of an Archon who is believed to be the human reincarnation of the dead angel, Raziel. And if the hearsay is true, that means the Archon will rule the supernatural universe upon his or her rising and the consequence might be horrifying.

Angela doesn't want to think about angels or the Archon, as long as she finds peace and her self at Westwood Academy; after all she has been locked in a mental institution for two years (not that she is mad but because she is different) and she has escaped death for countless times, not that she has the choice in this matter as whenever she tries to hurt herself, something (or someone?) is always around to protect her from hurting herself too much.

And then, there is the mysterious novice, Kim, who attracts and fascinates her both at the same time but even he has a secret agenda as he tries to hide his being a jinn identity.

As you can tell, there is a lot going about this book and while I liked the mystical world Sabrina Benulis has created, I have to admit that the beginning of the chapters took on at a slow pace and some parts confused me but the plot tightens as I read further and soon I got caught up with the story. If you are a fan of paranormal, I am sure this book will appeal to you.

Blood on the Moon by Jennifer Knight

ISBN-13: 9780762441174
Publisher: Running Press Book Publishers
Published: August 2011
Format: Paperback, 416pp
Source: Personal Library

Vampires. Werewolves. There are absolutely too many books on these mythical creatures out in the market and while I feel it is great to have a wide range to choose from, I don't want to feel like I am reading the same story over and over again thus I think I am pretty choosy when it comes to books that featured such themes.

I first stumbled upon Blood on the Moon on a blog (I couldn't remember who) and the blogger stated that she enjoyed reading it. Intrigued by her review and the blurb as well, I picked up the book and I was glad to say it didn't disappoint me.

Faith and Derek are best friends for years and it is no surprise that they enter into the same college. Derek has feelings towards Faith but she didn't want to accept his love considering that he has cheated on her once and she felt that she would feel more comfortable being friends.

Enter Lucas, a mysterious classmate who seem to have this strange yet dangerous vibe around him. He intrigues her, and needless to say they feel attracted towards each other. It turns out that he is a werewolf and his pack has this mission of eliminating the vampires whom they believe have murdered several girls around the campus.

To complicate matters and to heighten the climax, Lucas has to face his ex-good friend and namesis, Vincent, who is a vampire and they had this feud centuries ago. There is a little history about their feud so I am not going to elaborate on that here.

Faith vows to find out more about Lucas and the mystery surrounding the dead girls, but instead of finding answers she finds herself being caught in between the old feud between Lucas and Vincent. It is also up to her to save Derek's life as Vincent uses him as a pawn to lure Faith out so that he could use that advantage against Lucas, knowing that they have a thing for each other.

As mentioned before, I was glad that Blood on the Moon didn't disappoint me. Initially I was worried that it would bear some resemblance to the Twilight Saga, but after reading a few chapters I realised that my worry is superfluous. Although there is a romance drama (as expected), the heroine knows what she wants right from the beginning so this story is very much about the chemistry (and telepathy?) between Faith and Lucas, as well as the feud between Lucas and Vincent. Oh, there are also some intense moments about Derek being a pawn so all these add up to my reading pleasure.

As for the characterisations, I have to say they are well described but I regret to say that among all of the characters, only Lucas stood out from the rest in my opinion. Vincent makes a great villain, but his role is limited considering that there is a twist to the plot in which I wouldn't want to disclose it here. And as much as I liked Faith and think she is brave when confronting her personal demons, I think part of her weakness lies with Derek as she wouldn't want to end their friendship but yet she felt she couldn't trust him enough. A dilemma, indeed.

And, I don't even want to talk about the ending, which is totally a cliffhanger! I tried to google for the sequel title and its release date but couldn't seem to find it but I am hoping that the wait wouldn't be long!

All Together Dead, Charlaine Harris

OK, I admit it-I have a Charlaine Harris addiction (to my new Literary Blog Hop friends-don't judge!)  There is just something about her writing style that I find really charming.  Maybe it's the southern thing, maybe it's the down-home characters (well, at least the ones that aren't vampires or demons).  I realize that there is very little substance, but I sure like her style. 

I just finished the seventh book in the Sookie Stackhouse series, All Together Dead.  It follows Sookie on her trip to the fictional city of Rhodes to accompany the vampire Queen of Lousiana to the vampire summit.  Apparently the queen feels like having a mind reader along might just keep her from being sent to vampire jail for allegedly killing her husband, the King of Arkansas.  Sookie soon discovers that there is a plot afoot to disrupt the summit and kill the vampires involved.  The only question is, where is the danger coming from?

Really I could probably copy and paste every other review of the Sookie Stackhouse books I've ever written here and it would apply.  Her new love interest, Quinn the were-tiger, is dreamy.  The plot takes twists and turns that are at times surprising, but it is formulaic enough that it met my requirements for mindless escapism.  Overall, if you like the Sookie books, you're going to like this one too.  If you think books about vampires and weres and demons and fairies and mystical bodyguards from another dimension are the ninth circle of hell, then this is definitely not for you!

Grave Surprise, Charlaine Harris

What with the success of the Sookie Stackhouse novels, and the TV show True Blood based on them, it might be easy to forget that Harris actually has four book series that she is responsible for.  Granted, none of them are as prolific as her southern vampires, but fans of her work are sure to be familiar with Aurora Teagarden, Lily Bard, and Harper Connelly. 

Of her non-undead stories, my favorites are the Harper Connelly books.  Harper was struck by lightning as a teenager, and ever since she has had headaches, weakness in her right leg-and the ability to sense the dead and how they died.  She and her step-brother Tolliver travel around the country as detectives of a sort, helping loved ones locate their missing dead or determining their cause of death.  In Grave Surprise, the second in the Connelly series, Harper and Tolliver are asked to come and demonstrate their unique skills as part of an anthropology class at Bingham College in Memphis.  The professor, while pretending to have an open mind on the subject of the paranormal, actually hopes to expose them as frauds, something that he has done with every special guest he has asked to speak to his class.  Unfortunately for him, Harper is able to identify every body and the cause of death in a very old cemetery-including the body of a missing girl who was not supposed to be there.  Turns out that the girl was someone that Harper had been asked to find months earlier in Nashville.  Was it coincidence that they stumbled upon her in Memphis?  Or was someone manipulating them?

While I don't profess to believe in any kind of paranormal talents or life after death, I do enjoy reading about both of these topics-at least in the fictional sense.  Like all of Harris's books, this novel is a good popcorn read, perfect for this particular fall, when I barely have the cognitive energy at the end of the day to decide what to make for dinner, much less for deep philosophical literature.  I actually read this series out of order, so I already know the outcome of the burgeoning feelings between Harper and Tolliver, and I am almost over being squeamish about it.  I hope that when the current spate of national vampire obsession is over, she will be able to leave Bon Temps for a while and give us more about Harper (and Aurora, and Lily). 

Dark Summer, by Iris Johansen

Iris Johansen and I have a love/hate relationship.  If you're not familiar with her, she writes thrillers with paranormal elements.  Normally, I like both of those things.  About half of the time, when I pick up one of her books, I get a day or two of brain candy out of it.  Sometimes, however, I pick up a Johansen book only to put it down in disgust 50 pages in.  Not disgust like "Ewww, this is gory!", but disgust like "How can she think I'm dumb enough to believe that?!?" It's the brain candy that makes me keep trying (that, and the fact that my mother reads her so I get her books for free!)

Luckily for me, Dark Summer (2008) is like a giant Hershey kiss!  Devon Brady is a devoted veterinarian, working a search and rescue mission after and earthquake on an island in the Caribbean (eerie coincidence!) with her dog, Gracie, when a mysterious stranger arrives carrying a wounded dog.  Marrok, the stranger, leaves the dog in Devon's care, and disappears.  Devon is forced to take the dog back to the states with her (a dog who is healing at a suspiciously rapid rate!).  Before Marrok can come and get his dog, Devon's quiet small-town life is shattered when gunmen kill two of her friends, and force he to go on the run with Marrok and his dog.  The secrets that Devon learns about the dogs, and Marrok, will change her life forever.

The novel is suspenseful, and the action well-paced.  Devon as a character is pretty believable, and the Marrok character is one of those brooding men "with a past" that so many women seem to find intriguing in fiction.  What makes the book, though, is the author's obvious love for dogs.  The book is full of dogs-beautiful, smart, loyal, special dogs.  Very quickly I found myself willing to do very nasty things to anyone who wanted to hurt the dogs-and yes, I knew they were fictional.  But I didn't want them to be, which is perhaps one of the greatest compliments that a reader can give an author.  Anyone who knows and loves dogs can completely believe the "superpower" that Johansen gives them could be real, which brought an authenticity to the story that you ordinarily don't get out of fantasy/science fiction, which is sort of what this book is.  There is the inevitable romance between Devon and Marrok, which I sometimes find distracts from the story, but it fit here.  This is a good summer read!

Weekly Geeks-The Wishlist

I only recently discovered Weekly Geeks, an interactive blogging community with a different blogger challenge each week (hence the name...sorry, I'm mistress of the obvious right now, huh?)

Here's this week's theme (taken directly from their site)

"Is your wishlist as big as your TBR pile? What books are topping your list? Are there any new releases that you are counting down the days for? Share a handful of titles and be sure to share why you want to get your hands on these books! And if another blogger is responsible for that book being on your wishlist, consider sharing a link to their review!"

And here's my list...

The Dark is Rising Sequence-Susan Cooper-I read this series as a child, and loved everything about it.  It's already made my list of favorite young adult books for another meme, and writing that post made me want to read the whole series again.  I'm anxiously waiting on someone, anyone, to post the first book on GoodReads bookswap, but I may have to break down and buy it soon.

The Book Thief-Markus Zusak-Apparently I am the last book lover on the planet to read this book, which sounds so much like something I would love I can only guess that the genre threw me off. I haven't read much young adult fiction in years, but I've started to pick it up again lately.

My Fair Lazy-Jen Lancaster-Jen Lancaster and I should definitely be friends...she is hilarious, fiercely smart, strong, and independent (dare I say, just like me?).  I find myself reading her books and her blog (linked up there) and saying the same damn thing in my head a second before I read that she also said it.  I can even forgive her membership in the republican party (though that was almost a dealbreaker!)  My Fair Lazy is her newest book, and I can't wait to get my hands on it!

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies-Seth Grahame Smith
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, same author-Again, I am apparently late to the party on these two books.  The premise sounds fascinating, and I can't wait to see how the stories are woven together.  I know that some bloggers have felt that these books are overrated, but really, I'm more interested in the writing challenge than the overall story, if that makes sense.

Hmmmm...shorter list that I expected.  Here's the thing-I don't usually choose what to read based on a list.  I have about 400 books in the house that I haven't read yet, so I generally just pick whatever strikes my fancy at the moment.  GoodReads bookswap is spoiling me, though.  It doesn't feel so much like "Why are you spending money on another book when you have a room full of unread ones at home?" when all you're doing is paying for postage!

Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris

ISBN-13: 9780441009237
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
Published: April 2002
291 pgs
Source: Personal Library

Living Dead in Dallas is the second book of the Southern Vampire series by Charlaine Harris and I was delighted to do a buddy-read with Alice.

I was eager to read more about cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse after reading the first instalment, after all she has telepathy ability and on top of that she's got moxie; she is never intimidated by her own strength and I enjoy seeing the sparks continue to fly between her and her vampire lover, Bill, who I think oozes charisma enough to charm any woman on earth.

This story began when one of Sookie's coworkers is murdered. As if that is not enough to cause a ripple in her life, Eric, the head of the local Louisiana vampire nest, needs Sookie's telepathy to help locate a missing vampire from Dallas, who happened to be the "brother" of the local vampire leader, Stan. Sookie agrees since she owes him a favour, and on a condition that Bill is to follow her along and that any human involved will be entrust to the human law enforcement instead of the vampires'. But things do not turn smoothly for her, as she is first attacked by a maenad and her wounds nearly took her life.

Sookie soon learn of a cult named "The Fellowship of the Sun" which she think might be linked with the disappearance and this is where the story becomes interesting and exciting. I will not go into details but let's just say it is fun to see Sookie is back into action as she meets more vampires, werewolves and other shapeshifters in this book. Charlaine Harris has once again crafted a fun and entertaining read in this second instalment, and I enjoyed reading the adventures Sookie encountered, as well as her relationship with her vampire lover, Bill. The fact that she could not read into his mind makes the relationship sounds more intense and interesting. However, though I enjoyed reading this book, I can't say I loved it. I think it has mainly got to do with the plot; I had anticipated to read more about the murder case but instead it went into another direction - the vampire's disappearance and the cult. That said, there is nothing wrong with those but is more to do with my personal expectations.

Have you read this? What do you think of it?

(Click here to find out what other readers have said about this book.)

Related post: Dead Until Dark (Southern Vampire series #1)

Bloody Good by Georgia Evans

ISBN-13: 9780758234810
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corporation
Published: June 2009
314 pgs

Bloody Good is the first novel in Georgia Evan's WWII trilogy of life, death, love, munitions and what else - enemy vampires! Aside from these, English folklore and other mythic 'Others' also come alive in this sparkling debut and I am sure this will appeal to many historical and paranomal fans alike.

Dr. Alice Doyle is the only lady doctor in the village of Brytewood along the English countryside. She considers herself among the most logical of the locals, many of whom treat superstition as fact and folk tales as reality. She is the last person to believe in the supernatural, so when a mysterious injured stranger's improbable overnight recovery is immediately followed by his disappearance, she did not find anything amiss until a farmer is found mysteriously dead and drained of blood.

For the first time in her life, she felt threatened not only for herself and the village of Brytewood, but for her country as well as a war is going on between Great Britain and Germany. Peter Watson, a handsome conscientious objector is assigned to assist her, but she does not have a good impression on him initially, for she thinks his escapade from the war is due to his cowardice but of course he has his reasons. But Alice's opinion on him changes after an incident, and slowly they fell in love with each other.

But no matter how much in love they are, they have to be discreet for they would not want invite gossip and moreover, they have other important issues in mind, such as the invasion of vampires, who are believed to be the agents of Germany as they plan to spy and wreck havoc in Brytewood.

Now Alice needs to get any assistance as she can, even Helen Burrows, her 93-year-old maternal grandmother's advice counts as she claimed to be a Devonshire Pixie, which among other things means she is fast to the point of invisibility and can move things with her mind. And Home Guard's Sergeant Howell Pendragon who is considered an 'Others' and happens to be a shapeshifting dragon.

The battle between the good and the evil begins, and Alice has to accept and comes to terms with her own Pixie powers and fight for her loved ones and her country, together with the help from the 'Others' who comes in various shapeshifting forms.

What can I say? I really enjoyed reading Bloody Good! Being a paranormal fan, I love reading anything about vampires or any other shapeshifting characters but Bloody Good is very different from what I read because it mixes vampires, folklore and historical which I find to be very refreshing and original. There are also mention of fairies but I do not want to elaborate further because their identities and agenda are still being unclear.

All the characters in Bloody Good are engaging; I especially liked Alice, Helen, Peter and Howell Pendragon because they are all brave people. But I have to admit I was quite annoyed with Alice's prejudice against Peter initially, though I understand her doing so because most of the times first impression makes a lasting impression but I was glad her opinion on him changed after an incident. I think Helen and Howell made a fine couple, although they are not romantically linked and related. As for Peter, I just liked the way he is - simple and yes, a great hero in my opinion. His love for Alice is enough to justify my thoughts on him.

The story ends with a cliffhanger and I cannot wait to dive into the next installment. Let's just hope the next novel is as thrilling and entertaining as this one.

Finally, I want to thank Joan Schulhafer for sending this book to me for review!

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

ISBN-13: 9780441016990
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Published: September 2008
292 pgs
Series: Southern Vampire Series, #1
(TV Tie-In Edition)




Sookie Stackhouse works as a cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. She may seem like an ordinary woman from the outside, but actually she has this sort of "disability" in which she is able to read other people's minds. Some people might be thrilled to have this "disability", but not in Sookie's point of view. She thinks it gets into her way of life, and it is definitely not fun to be able to know what your date would think of you, no matter if it is inside or outside the bedrooms. So most of the time, she blocks out the thoughts from the others, and she thinks it is rude to listen in anyway.

And then, out of nowhere Bill Compton walks into her life. Bill is no ordinary man for he is a vampire, and Sookie is very much attracted to him. And what made it even better is, she cannot read his thoughts at all. Shortly after their acquaintance, Bill was mugged by a moneygrubber couple as they want to drain and sell his blood to the black markets since vampire blood is supposed to temporarily relieve symptoms of illness and increase sexual potency. Beforehand, Sookie has sensed something fishy about them in the bar so she followed them and saved Bill along the way. However this has formed a bad blood between Sookie and the couple and the latter are waiting for a chance to get even with her. But they had no chance for a few days later, they were found dead and trapped under the trailer which was believed to be caused by a tornado but Sookie knew better.

Sookie and Bill soon became romantically involved. Then, more murder cases started adding up and initially Bill became the suspect. But the police quickly focused their attention towards Sookie's brother, Jason, after knowing he had contacts with the victims before their death and it is now up to Sookie to find the murderer before she becomes the next victim.

Once again, I find myself get sucked into the vampire world and this time around, it is Charlaine Harris' first installment of her Southern Vampire series that had me entranced from the beginning till the end. In Dead Until Dark, Charlaine introduces her readers to her heroine, Sookie Stackhouse and a whole new vampire mythology that feeds off synthetic blood and staying mainstream (to live and fit into the human society). Right from the start, I know I would expect something different and fun from this series and I was glad this book did not disappoint.

Besides the brilliant idea of the vampires feeding on synthetic blood, the characters are all very engaging and what most attracts me is Bill, for he is one complex character so unlike from any other vampires. Aside from his charismatic style, I find he has morals too which I find so downright fascinating and sexy. Sookie Stackhouse is another interesting character that I am drawn to; she is vulnerable and has flaws but still she made a good heroine. I enjoyed reading her intense exchanges with Bill, and even Sam, who is her boss at the bar. As if these tensions are not enough to satisfy my reading hunger, Charlaine Harris threw in a twist that completely took me off-guard. As you can tell, I am now a fan of her Southern Vampire series. I wonder what is in store for the next sequel?

Other blogs reviews:

MariReads

Melissa's Bookshelf

Paperback Passion

Stephanie's Written Word
(Let me know if I have missed yours.)

The Society of S

ISBN-13: 9781416534587
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: April 2008
304pgs

"Love is a form of biological cooperation in which the emotions of each are necessary to the fulfillment of the other's instinctive purposes." ~ Bertrand Russell (Quoted from The Society of S - pg 104)

Ariella Montero's life is very different from the other girls her age (she is thirteen). Homeschooled by her father, she is taught in most subjects but yet when it comes to the real world, she knows not much of it and its complexities as she has been living a sheltered life since the day she was born. She has no friends except her father's assistant, Dennis and the housekeeper, Mrs McGarritts, and then there is her passion for Edgar Allan Poe's and Jack Kerouac's works which she shared with her father.

She often wonders about her mother and though she has lots of questions in her mind, her father either gives vague replies or only indulge little information whenever she asked him about her mother. She only knows her mother has gone missing after giving birth to her. Aside from this, she also has questions about her father's project in his laboratory and then, about her identity since she knew her father is a vampire.

Sensing her loneliness and feeling she is in need of friends, Mrs McG finally convinced Ariella's father to let Ariella come home with her to meet her family. This acquaintance opens a whole new world to Ariella as Kathleen introduced her to things she has not experienced. They soon became fast friends.

Alas, these happy moments do not last for long when murder took her friend away. Feeling loss and with a dozen questions in her mind, Ariella decides to leave home to search for her mother. And so this begins her journey she will not forget as she will soon learn about the secret of her family history and the answer on her real identity.

While reading The Society of S, I was most fascinated by the gothic premise and how it breaks away from the stereotypes. Susan Hubbard has a unique voice and I really enjoyed that anticipation feeling as the story slowly unfolds and the mystery about her mother finally reveals in the last part of the story.

I was most intrigued by Ariella's parents due to their secret past; and Ariella is a likeable character whom I find her intelligent and very independent for her age. She impressed me with her vast knowledge of Edgar Allan Poe's poetries and I enjoyed reading those scenes where she recited them with her father during the lessons.

I am definitely looking forward to reading the sequel, The Year of Disappearances, where this intriguing tale shall continue.

Other blog review:
Bookgirl's Nightstand
(Let me know if I have missed your review.)

The Becoming

ISBN-10: 0441014569
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Published: December 2006
293 pgs


My name is Anna Strong. I was thirty on my last birthday, and I will be thirty when you read this. In fact, physically I will never be older than thirty no matter how many mortal years I have on this earth. I am vampire. How I became, and what is the nature of my existence, is the reason for this story. I tell it the way it happened so you will learn the truth as I did. It may not be what you expect. ~ Foreword from The Becoming


Anna Strong is a bounty hunter; in other words she is known as a bail enforcement agent. Together with her work partner, David, they are to look for a man who called himself John Donaldson who had skipped out on his bail bond. Unfortunately, the race turned out badly when David is hurt during the search and Anna ends up being attacked by Donaldson unexpectedly when she went out to look for David and Donaldson as she is getting too impatient waiting for David to bring Donaldson while waiting in the car.

The next thing she knew she is lying in the hospital bed with an attractive doctor by her side. Dr Grant Avery is concerned of her overall well being, but that is because he knew she had been turned into a vampire, and in fact he is one of them actually. When Anna came to know about it, she is shocked but she overcame this and took it quite well under the guidance of Dr Avery. With her newly telepathic skills and night vision, Anna vows to find Donaldson for revenge not only for personal reason but he is a threat to others as well.

During this time, Anna is also attracted by Dr Avery despite she is into a relationship with Max, who is mortal and a DEA agent. Their relationship is rather discreet due to his deep undercover operation, and most of the times there is no telling when she will hear from him until he gets in touch with her.

And when her house is burnt to ashes and David has gone missing, naturally her first thought goes to Donaldson but it turns out there is someone behind who is out to get her. To add on to this intrigue, there is also someone whom she dubs 'Casper' who has been helping her in several dangerous situations through telepathic ways, and she will do anything to find out everything by all means.

The Becoming is Jeanne C. Stein's first installment of the Anna Strong series, featuring this heroine from a first person POV. Having read several vampire novels in the past, I find the plot to this story original but most of all it breaks away from the traditional belief of vampires (for example, they have telepathic ability and they are not really afraid of sunlight due to long-term immunity et cetera.) There are more surprises and intrigue as compared to the action scenes in this story; and I quite enjoyed reading Anna Strong being a strong and fearless heroine. I have the rest of the installments in my pile and I definitely look forward to reading them in the near future.

When Twilight Burns

ISBN-13: 9780451224750
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Published: August 2008
354pp

First sentence: Victoria opened her eyes.

Victoria Gardella Grantworth de Lacy returns to London after her taut encounter and an attack with vampire Beauregard. Though she has her two vis bullae to thank for from being turned to an undead, she still feels the uncertainty as there is vampire blood flowing in her veins after all.

To complicate things, now she is unable to detect the vampires with her heightened senses and to make things worse, some vampires appear to be stalking the streets of London during the daylight and Victoria is held as a suspect behind all these mysterious attacks.

Besides fighting against the darkness in herself, she is also torn between Sebastian Vioget, the great grandson of Beauregard but is now taking his role as a Venator, and Maximilian Pesaro, an ex-Venator who had lost his power in order to break the control of vampire queen, Lilith.

I would say this instalment is focused more on Victoria fighting with her inner self, dealing with her emotional issues and her mixed feelings towards Sebastian and Max than the action scenes as compared to the other instalments. However, readers would be thrilled to read more of Lilith in this instalment as she is back into her actions and Victoria will come face to face with her again.

Colleen Gleason has once again succeeded in captivating her readers in When Twilight Burns with fine woven plots and compelling characters that will definitely leave them hunger for more. Be sure to look out for the next instalment As Shadows Fade to be released in March 2009.

Other Blogs' reviews:

Musings of a Bookish Kitty (Guest Appearance: Colleen Gleason)

Stainless Steel Droppings

Stephanie's Confessions of a Book-a-holic

The Way I See It

(Let me know if I have missed your review.)

The Bleeding Dusk

ISBN-13: 9780451223265
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Published: February 2008
353pp
Series: Gardella Vampire Chronicles Series #3

First sentence: The lair of the Queen of the Vampires was tucked away in the snowy mountain range of Muntii Fagaras.

**Consists of some minor spoilers**

In this third instalment of Colleen Gleason's The Gardella Vampires Chronicles, the heroine, Victoria Gardella Grantworth de Lacy inherited the title and responsibility of Illa Gardella, in which she will lead the team of Venators to fight off the undead.

Aside from trying her best to wipe out the vampires breed, she also learns that the demon Akvan is plotting to break through the Door of the Alchemists to attain something valuable as he believes this will further strengthen his power. Although she knows she can rely on Maximilian, her other Venator partner for this task, she is also aware that he is still under Lilith, the Vampire Queen's control as he had been bitten by her some time ago. Though Lilith has yet to do or summon anything from him, all the Venators knew that in a way, Max still belongs to her. However, there is a way he could break free of her control but that also means he will lose all his power as a Venator.

Meanwhile, Victoria is still skeptical about Sebastian Vioget, since she is not sure if she could trust him entirely; after all he is the great grandson of Beauregard who happens to be a vampire. And now, it is up to Victoria, Maximilian and Sebastian to stop Akvan. But whether or not if they are able to do so is what everyone wonders, given the circumstances of their complicated feelings towards one another.

Having read and enjoyed the previous two instalments, I was very eager to pick up this book because I just could not wait to find out what would happen next. There are a lot of conflicts in this instalment; and though it seems there are not as many action scenes as compared to the previous book, here I find it leans more towards the emotional part. The relations between Victoria, Maximilian and Sebastian are getting more complicated. Also, it is in this book that I get to see a whole new light of Maximilian and Sebastian.

Well, what can I say? This is one irresistible historical paranormal series that got me hooked since the first instalment, and it is getting more intense as I read further. It the the plots, and most of all, the characters that make this series an exciting read. And it goes without saying that I will be reading When Twilight Burns next!

Other reviews:

Musings of a Bookish Kitty

Stainless Steel Droppings

Stephanie's Confessions of a Book-a-holic

(Let me know if I have missed your review!)

Rises the Night

ISBN-13: 9780451221469
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Published: June 2007
343pp
Series: Gardella Vampire Chronicles Series #2

This second instalment picks up right after the end of the previous instalment. Victoria Gardella is still recovering from the shock of the tragedy that happened so quickly that had left her numbed, but she knows she could not afford to waste more time in dwelling too much of the past for she must continue to fight against the evil as what every Venator should do.

Here, she meets up with Sebastian Vioget once again by chance. Though she is still not sure if she could trust him entirely, she could feel there is a slight mutual attraction lingering between them. But of course she would not allow such minor issue to take over her mind, since she has learned that a major tragedy is going to descend upon earth if she and other Venators could not stop it in time. With an indestructible object known as Akvan's Obelisk, it is a large spearlike stone made from obsidian and as legend states, once it is activated, it gives a vampire or a demon capabilities to call on and control the souls of the dead. And if that happens, the evil will not be defeated for no one would be able to fight an army of that strength and number.

Victoria travels to Italy in the hope of gaining this powerful artifact before Nedas, the son of the Vampire Queen activates it. During her stay there, she has acquired a few information on the formation of The Tutela, an ancient secret society whereby members protect and provide services to the vampires; one such service is bringing the mortals to the undead for their pleasure and nourishment in exchange for immortality.

Besides watching out for the artifact, the vampires and members of The Tutela, Victoria also shows her vulnerable side when faced with several emotional issues such as questions of trust, betrayal and the meaning and act of sacrifice.

Once again, Colleen Gleason has weaved an intrigue, intense and fast-paced story in Rises the Night. Do not expect any cliché in this story as it is filled with suspense, not to mention a few twists and turns along the way. Besides having more action scenes in this second instalment, it is also darker and very emotional intense. I have to admit I am hooked to this series because they are getting better and better; another reason is each instalment always ends with a cliff-hanger so I cannot wait to find out what would happen next.

Other reviews:

Bold.Blue.Adventure

Hello, My Name is Alice

Musings of a Bookish Kitty

Stainless Steel Droppings

Stephanie's Confessions of a Book-a-holic

The Rest Falls Away

ISBN-13: 9780451220073
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Published: January 2007
360pp
Series: The Gardella Vampire Chronicles




I love reading about vampires. There is just something mystique and attractive about them which I could not really explain. Besides being a fan of urban fantasy genre, another reason I picked up this series is due to the historical setting. I just love reading anything Regency.

Through generations, selected members of the Gardella family are chosen to continue the family legacy of vampire slaying. This time, the latest member to take up this role is Victoria Gardella. Besides having to behave like a demure young lady like every lady suppose to be, she has to keep her other self a secret from everyone else except Aunt Eustacia, a former Venator; and she acts as Victoria's guide when vampire slaying is concerned. Maximilian Pesaro is another vampire executioner but Victoria's personality seems to clashes with his as both have a streak of stubborness in them. Despite this, they made a good team and both vowed to locate the Book of Antwartha before Lilith, the Queen of vampires get ahold of it and create havoc to earth.

Although Victoria's heart is into vampire slaying, but deep inside she yearns for a marriage with Phillip de Lacy, Marquess of Rockley. Thus, when Phillip finally asks her to marry him, she is thrilled but she wonders how on earth she is supposed to keep this secret from him, now that they are to live together under the same roof.

I enjoyed reading this book so much that I am going to jump into the next instalment right after this. Victoria Gardella is one extraordinary heroine; I liked her attitude and also I find it entertaining regarding her exchanges with Max, Phillip and even Sebastian Vioget, a rather mysterious man who seems to have his own agenda. I was also amused by Victoria's mother and her two lady friends' witty behaviours as they fuss over Victoria's happiness like overly protective mother hens. There are a lot of action scenes but fans of romance genre will not be disappointed with this book as there is a fair share of romance element in it too. Needless to say, Colleen Gleason is one of my favourite authors now and I will definitely look out for her future releases.

Other reviews:
Book-a-Rama
Bookgirl's Nightstand
Bold.Blue.Adventure

Hello, My Name is Alice

Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin'?
Musings of a Bookish Kitty
Reading Adventures
Stainless Steel Droppings (Carl's interview with Colleen Gleason)
Stephanie's Confessions of a Book-a-holic