Blood Feud
by Alyxandra HarveyAdd it to Goodreads?
Release Date: June 22, 2010
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: Library Check-Out
Rating: Sud-Kissed
Related Review(s): Hearts at Stake
Good for 2nds Challenge
About the Book:
(highlight to read)If Isabeau St. Croix had known it was going to be her last Christmas Eve, she would have had third helping of plum pudding...
It's been centuries since Isabeau St. Croix barely survived the French Revolution. Now she's made her way back to the living and she must face the ultimate test by confronting the evil British lord who left her for dead the day she turned into a vampire. That's if she can control her affection for Logan Drake, a vampire whose bite is as sweet as the revenge she seeks.
The clans are gathering for Helena's royal coronation as the next vampire queen, and new alliances are beginning to form now that the old rifts of Lady Natasha's reign have started to heal. But with a new common enemy, Leander Montmarte--a vicious leader who hopes to force Solange to marry him and usurp the power of the throne for himself--the clans must stand together to preserve the peace he threatens to destroy.
This second adventure in the Drake Chronicles--told from both Logan's and Isabeau's perspectives--has all the same butt-kicking action, heart-pounding romances and snarky humor that readers loved in Hearts at Stake, as well as exciting new revelations about the vampire dynasties to keep readers coming back for more.
Hearts at Stake, the first book in the Drake Chronicles, didn't do as much for me as this book. Even so, somehow the writing and characters of this series is addictive. This time, however, Harvey writes way better in this second book. I think I ended up liking this book way more because it's focused on one of the Drake brothers as opposed to Solange. When I first read about the brothers, Logan was probably my favorite, so it was awesome reading about his romance in this book!
But Logan isn't the only who stole the show for me. Isabeau St. Croix is a kick-ass female protagonist. In Hearts at Stake, readers were given only a glimpse of the Cwn Mamau or the Hounds tribe of vampires, and while I was intrigued by the concept of them, I had no idea what they were like. In Blood Feud there's no need to wonder anymore because Isabeau is one of them and Harvey fed me wonderful insight into these remarkable vampires.
Isabeau's history also kept me firmly entrenched in the happenings of the story. While at times her flashbacks into the past seemed tedious, there were moments where I found myself sickened and horrified. Isabeau lived during the French Revolution and survived, but without escaping some seriously haunting and terrible memories that instantly forged a connection to her character. The injustice against her parents was enough of a motive to cry. I don't think I would've come out anywhere near as strong or whole after the heart-wrenching events of her past. And Harvey does a magnificent job in captivating the time period and unfolds said events beautifully for her readers.
It's been almost a year since I started this series and yet it was incredibly easy to immerse myself into the story. Like I'd just read the first book days ago instead of months ago. With a solid, immersive plot, dual first person POVs (which I LOVED, because I really got inside both Logan and Isabeau's heads), an enamoring heroine, a charming hero, and a slew of other characters new and old that forced me to stay absorbed in the story, Blood Feud is a much better written sequel, and ten times more of a fascinating read!
If Out for Blood is anything like Blood Feud, expect to see another exuberant review tomorrow!
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| Those delightful moments during your bubble bath, with a book companion in one hand and a glass of chocolate milk in the other, are the best way to describe the luxurious feelings that Sud-Kissed books create. These books can sometimes be even more rereadable than Special Shelf books... (My Rating System In-Depth) |
"THE DOGS HAVE NEVER MET A HOUND BEFORE," HE SAID AWKWARDLY. EVEN WITH MY LIMITED KNOWLEDGE OF HIM, I KNEW FOR A FACT THAT HE WASN'T OFTEN AWKWARD. IT WAS ENDEARING, MORE SO THAN HIS CHARMING SMILES.
I CLIMBED THE STAIRS CONFIDENTLY. DOGS DIDN'T HIDE THEIR MOODS, DIDN'T PLAY GAMES OF MANNERS OR INTRIGUE. LOGAN'S HAND WAS ON THE DOORKNOB. "THERE'S NO NEED TO WORRY," I ASSURED HIM.
I FELT BETTER WITH THREE HUGE SHAGGY BOUVIERS CHARGING AT ME. IF BENOIT WERE ALIVE, HE'D HAVE CLICKED HIS TONGUE AT THAT. I DIDN'T SPEAK TO THE DOGS, BARELY FLICKED THEM A GLANCE. I JUST STOOD MY GROUND AND LET THEM SNIFF ME ONCE BEFORE I SNAPPED MY FINGERS AND POINTED TO THE GROUND. THREE FURRY BACKSIDES HIT THE MARBLE FLOOR.
LOGAN GAPED AT ME. "DUDE." (31)
"YOU'RE DIFFERENT THAN YOUR BROTHERS," ISABEAU INSISTED. "THEY DON'T LIVE IT THE WAY YOU DO. I COULD TELL RIGHT AWAY."
"YOU NOTICED ALL THAT IN THE FEW HOURS YOU SAW THEM?" AND I ABSOLUTELY WASN'T GOING TO WONDER WHO SHE'D THOUGHT WAS THE CUTEST. QUINN HAD A WAY AROUND GIRLS, AND IT MADE THEM STUPID. I SUDDENLY WANTED TO PUNCH HIM FOR IT.
"NO, IT'S KIND OF NICE," SHE MURMURED, AND SUDDENLY QUINN'S FACE WAS SAFE FROM MY FIST. "IT'S LIKE THE BOYS i KNEW IN FRANCE."
I WASN'T ENTIRELY THRILLED WITH THE WORD "BOY."
"I DIDN'T KNOW I MISSED IT," SHE CONTINUED, AS IF SURPRISING HERSELF.
I'D NEVER WANTED ANYTHING MORE THAN I WANTED TO KISS HER. I WANTED IT MORE THAN I LUSTED AFTER CHRISTINA RICCI IN SLEEPY HOLLOW. AND I'M ALL ABOUT THE GIRLS IN CORSETS. ISABEAU'S LONG, THICK BLACK HAIR, STRAIGHT AS THE WATERFALL IN THE CAVES UNDERNEATH US, HER GREEN EYES AND SCARRED ARMS AND VICIOUS PARRY WITH A SWORD. HOT. EVERY LAST BIT OF HER.
I DECIDED TO TAKE MY OWN LIFE IN MY HANDS AND I LEANED IN SLOWLY... (150)
I CLIMBED THE STAIRS CONFIDENTLY. DOGS DIDN'T HIDE THEIR MOODS, DIDN'T PLAY GAMES OF MANNERS OR INTRIGUE. LOGAN'S HAND WAS ON THE DOORKNOB. "THERE'S NO NEED TO WORRY," I ASSURED HIM.
I FELT BETTER WITH THREE HUGE SHAGGY BOUVIERS CHARGING AT ME. IF BENOIT WERE ALIVE, HE'D HAVE CLICKED HIS TONGUE AT THAT. I DIDN'T SPEAK TO THE DOGS, BARELY FLICKED THEM A GLANCE. I JUST STOOD MY GROUND AND LET THEM SNIFF ME ONCE BEFORE I SNAPPED MY FINGERS AND POINTED TO THE GROUND. THREE FURRY BACKSIDES HIT THE MARBLE FLOOR.
LOGAN GAPED AT ME. "DUDE." (31)
"YOU'RE DIFFERENT THAN YOUR BROTHERS," ISABEAU INSISTED. "THEY DON'T LIVE IT THE WAY YOU DO. I COULD TELL RIGHT AWAY."
"YOU NOTICED ALL THAT IN THE FEW HOURS YOU SAW THEM?" AND I ABSOLUTELY WASN'T GOING TO WONDER WHO SHE'D THOUGHT WAS THE CUTEST. QUINN HAD A WAY AROUND GIRLS, AND IT MADE THEM STUPID. I SUDDENLY WANTED TO PUNCH HIM FOR IT.
"NO, IT'S KIND OF NICE," SHE MURMURED, AND SUDDENLY QUINN'S FACE WAS SAFE FROM MY FIST. "IT'S LIKE THE BOYS i KNEW IN FRANCE."
I WASN'T ENTIRELY THRILLED WITH THE WORD "BOY."
"I DIDN'T KNOW I MISSED IT," SHE CONTINUED, AS IF SURPRISING HERSELF.
I'D NEVER WANTED ANYTHING MORE THAN I WANTED TO KISS HER. I WANTED IT MORE THAN I LUSTED AFTER CHRISTINA RICCI IN SLEEPY HOLLOW. AND I'M ALL ABOUT THE GIRLS IN CORSETS. ISABEAU'S LONG, THICK BLACK HAIR, STRAIGHT AS THE WATERFALL IN THE CAVES UNDERNEATH US, HER GREEN EYES AND SCARRED ARMS AND VICIOUS PARRY WITH A SWORD. HOT. EVERY LAST BIT OF HER.
I DECIDED TO TAKE MY OWN LIFE IN MY HANDS AND I LEANED IN SLOWLY... (150)
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