Vampires Are Hotter When They Have Brothers

What the heck do you mean there's no more Drake brothe--I mean Chronicles? That's like saying bread makes you fat. Punch any fetuses lately too? (More)

Spoiler-Free ARC Review: Blood Moon by Alyxandra Harvey

The following review contains
NO SPOILERS!

my thoughts in a few sentences: It’s no secret that I’m in love with the Drake Chronicles by Alyxandra Harvey, and if you didn’t know before, now you do. This series makes vampires WAY cooler than they ever were before, and I enjoy Harvey’s original twists on a common paranormal and all the hoopla that comes with her imaginings. After the first book, the series really picks up with the Drake bros turning around and nabbing girlfriends, but in Blood Moon by Alyxandra Harvey all the younger Drakes are paired up and we’re back to having Solange’s perspective, which inevitably beat down my enjoyment level considerably. What saves this installment? Harvey’s AMAZING writing—simultaneously simple to understand and poetic—and Lucy Hamilton and Nicholas Drake’s perspectives. Tons of crazy happens in Blood Moon by Alyxandra Harvey so that the wait for the sixth book grates the mind.

hooking (and a fave) first line: "'You tried to eat your boyfriend's face?'"

Bloomsbury • Publicist • Paranormal Romance • 6/19/12 • $12.12

Review: Bleeding Hearts *no spoilers*

Bleeding Hearts

by Alyxandra Harvey

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Purchase at Amazon?
Release Date: TODAY
Publisher: Bloomsbury/Walker
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: Requested from Publicist
Rating: Special Shelf
Previous in the Series: Hearts at Stake (#1) 
Blood Feud (#2) Out for Blood (#3)
About the Book:

Violet Hill is under attack by the ruthless Hel-Blar vampires, who are determined to take their rightful place alongside the other vampire clans at the Blood Moon gathering. The royal Drakes might be powerful, but their love for a mere human - Lucy - leaves them vulnerable. The Hel-Blar's plan to exploit the weakness goes horribly wrong when they try to kidnap Lucy but take her cousin Christabel by mistake. Connor Drake immediately heads off in pursuit, willing to put his own life on the line for the girl he has grown to care so much about. Can he save Christabel, the Blood Moon, and his mother's newly forged vampire alliance?

Bleeding Hearts starts up right where Out for Blood left off, and I was instantly immersed in the next Drake brother's story. It could be Harvey's stellar writing - the descriptions are so lyrical yet not overly expressive -  or her ability to craft such lovable, charming characters full of believable thoughts and feelings, but I LOVE THE DRAKE CHRONICLES. Harvey's Drake series is what I like to call crack books; they're so addictive and compelling that although they may not be flawless they still somehow manage to be your favorite. Book one for me was simply okay, but my interest quickly perked up in book two followed by book three. Up until this point, Blood Feud had been my favorite. Not so anymore after reading this dark, staggering installment in the series!

I wanted to bask in the narrative, to drag this read out so that I could stay in the world Harvey masterfully pulled me back into far longer than I could afford. My main reasoning for even liking Hearts at Stake was because of Lucy Hamilton, a best friend and treasured friend of the family. Heck, she is family as they are to her. So when I realized as I began reading that the book was split into three perspectives, following Lucy, Connor, and Lucy's cousin, Christabel, I wanted to break out in song and dance (mind you, I have a terrible voice and two left feet)! Lucy is an adorkable character - you know, cute, funny, quirky - with spunk and snark written into her personality as well. She brings the mindless laughter, the human side of things, and as a bonus, her boyfriend, Nicholas Drake, tags along wherever she goes. A little known fact: every single one of the Drake brothers will turn up the temperature and incite hungry staring wherever they happen to crop up.

Connor and Christabel, I seriously love you! Throughout the series, I've gotten a cross between sexy and steamy and sweet and soft as far as romance. But Connor and Christabel's romance is a slow, steady fire that gradually grows bigger and bigger until heated kiss after heated kiss is shared, very nearly giving me an asthma attack (another little fact: I've never had asthma in my life!). And what makes Bleeding Hearts that much more amazing is that all of the couples are tied in to this one. So, Lucy, Nicholas, Logan, Isabeau, Hunter, and Quinn all have their sugar-sweet and spicy moments that put stars in my eyes and made my heart all gooey. My love for this series has been steadily building since Blood Feud, but it exploded in giant, bloated red hearts in Bleeding Hearts.

Though these books have a contemporary setting, the detail and world-building are rich and fun to read. I think what makes these books work so well is Harvey's insight into the teenage majority. I know, because I am a teenager! Our species speak and act and interact in a certain way, always evolving as the the decades shift. Harvey really captivates the essence of this generation's batch of teens, making the dialogue and physical comedy that much more appealing. Harvey brews a combination of amazing narrative voices, adrenaline-spiking action and tension, heart-thumping, sweet and sexy romance, sprinkled with all the little things I love about this series but can't quite name in this latest bewitching, thrilling sequel! The (cruel) cliffhanger made the final moments of this book all the more exciting!

The Drake Chronicles is a delicious concoction of characters, romance, and VAMPIRES, which leaves me breathless time and again, and all I want is more. In fact, more now would be excellent.

Note for fans: There's also a riveting super special exclusive bonus Drake story inside at the back of Bleeding Hearts, so don't miss out!

Lucy: Shrink-wrapped condoms fell onto the rag rug. "Unbelievable." I marched down the hall. "Mom!" I heard them in the kitchen, boiling water for chamomile tea...
"Stop hiding condoms in my stuff. It's like some twisted Easter egg hunt in there."(37)

---

Christabel: Lucy shot me a conspiratorial grin. "If you tell her [my mom] I eat white sugar, I'll tell her you're antisocial and depressed at school. She'll make you hug.
"She wouldn't," I said, even though I know she would.
Nathan snorted. "When I came out, she made me hug her," he confirmed. "And she baked me a cake."
"She baked you a cake?" I echoed. "For being gay?"
"A stevia-sweetened, organic, whole-wheat cake for being brave enough to come out," Lucy said proudly. (89)

Review: Out for Blood by Alyxandra Harvey *no spoilers*

Out for Blood
by Alyxandra Harvey

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Release Date: December 21, 2010
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: Library Check-Out
Rating: Sud-Kissed
Related Review(s): Hearts at Stake,
Blood Feud
About the Book:

(highlight to read)

Hunter Wild is the youngest in a long line of elite vampire hunters, a legacy that is both a blessing and a curse at the secret Helios-Ra Academy, where she excels at just about everything. Thanks to her friendship with Kieran Black, Hunter receives a special invitation to attend the coronation of Helena Drake, and for the first time, she sees the difference between vampires that must be hunted and vampires that can become friends-or even more.

When students at the academy fall victim to a mysterious illness, Hunter suspects they are under attack from within. She will need someone she can trust to help her save the future of Helios-Ra... help that shockingly comes in the form of Quinn Drake, a drop-dead gorgeous vampire. Who said senior year would be easy?

Shakespeare said, "What's in a name?" Well, my name's Hunter Wild, so I say: a lot...

So, yesterday I reviewed Blood Feud, and I think so far it's my favorite in this ongoing series. Though, I really liked Quinn's story in Out for Blood. There's always an irresistible appeal to a character who is a well-known player and ends up taking the Big Fall. Exploring Quinn Drake's reactions to his sudden growing feelings for vampire hunter Hunter Wild was the most adorable experience and probably the aspect I loved the most about the book. I'm telling you, there's just something about the Drake brothers that's way more fun to read about than when it was all girls in Hearts at Stake. And because this is a companion novel, of course you see the previous few couples from the first two books making a very wanted appearance in this third installment.

Issues are cropping up more and more as the series progresses, things are starting to get more dangerous, and that makes these books all the more delectable to read and ultimately addictive. Besides the fact that the characters are lovable and dynamic and the writing is vivid yet simple. Harvey always manages to impress me with her writing style. If you'll notice, in each progressing book, Harvey focuses on a sub-world of the vampire culture in her book. Book one we mostly deal with the vampire courts, regular vamps, and the overlying problem that stretches to all of the books. Book two deals with the Cwn Mamau or the Hounds. And now, with Out for Blood Harvey provides her readers with a deep look into the world of the Helios-Ra, or the vampire hunters, which keeps me engaged in the series. I know I'm going to learn something totally new about Harvey's vampire world in every book.

In the first two books, Quinn Drake is one of the brothers in the background. And now that he's a main character, I got greater insight into who he is and let me just say, Yummm. Seriously. What makes his romance with Hunter so fantastic is that she's not one of those girls willing to fall in line with Quinn's groupies. She's tough, she can take care of herself, but she's also aware that she's not invincible. She knows when to ask for help, she knows she can be vulnerable. And accepts those things. Although she falls for Quinn pretty quickly, she'll be damned before she lays out all her cards on the table for a guy like him. So their relationship development is funny and heartwarming and cute. And at times, deliciously steamy. Man, Harvey got really good with her smoochy scenes. I devoured those smoochy scenes and felt myself blushing several times. I love this couple!

What I also love is as the Drake Chronicles go on, each brother is different. And that's apparent in their differing POVs. I keep expecting Harvey to slip-up and have them sounding like the same person. But it never happens. It's evident that Harvey spent a lot of time with these characters and knows them well. In turn, that helps me get to know them and create connections that are so lacking in other PR books. And as I kept on with the series, there's that awesome, fundamental familiarity toward these characters. They almost start to feel a little like you're own family. I think that's one of the pieces of the whole that makes this series so enjoyable.

I know it seems like vampire books are lacking in originality but Harvey elegantly spins a great twist on her own vampires, so that the lore is both familiar and fresh. If you're looking for an entertaining, hooking vampire series, the Drake Chronicles are your go-to books. Bleeding Hearts, you better get here quickly, because I'm dying to continue!

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)

...I'D NEVER MET ANYONE WHO ENJOYED A SKIRMISH QUITE SO MUCH. EVEN GRANDPA SAW IT AS DUTY BEFORE PLEASURE. WITH QUINN, IT WAS ALMOST LIKE HE WAS FLIRTING WITH ME.

I COULDN'T BE SURE IF HE WAS GOING TO LEAN IN TO TEAR OUT MY JUGULAR OR KISS ME SENSELESS.

INSTEAD, HE KICKED OUT AND TRIPPED ME, BUT WHEN I FELL BACKWARD HIS HAND WAS AT MY BACK TO CATCH ME. MY LEFT ARM CROSSED BETWEEN US, FIST PRESSED OVER HIS HEART TO PROVE MY POINT. I MIGHT HAVE STAKED HIM IN THAT MOMENT, IF THE SITUATION WERE DIFFERENT.

BUT I MIGHT NOT BE ALIVE TO DO IT.

HIS FANGS RESTED TENDERLY ON THE INSIDE OF MY THROAT. THE LENGTH OF OUR BODIES PRESSED CLOSE TOGETHER. I FELT THE COOLNESS OF HIS SKIN AND WONDERED IF THE HEAT OF MINE FELT LIKE A BURN TO HIM. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I COULD ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND THE SEDUCTION AND THE ALLURE OF BARING YOUR THROAT TO A PREDATOR. IT HAD ALWAYS SEEMED LIKE MADNESS TO ME, OR THE RESULT OF READING TOO MANY NOVELS. IT STILL DID. BUT THERE WAS THE BAREST SWAY OF MY BODY TOWARD HIM...

CHLOE WAS THE FIRST TO BREAK THE SILENCE. SHE LET OUT A SHAY BREATH.

"IS IT SUDDENLY HOT OUT HERE, OR WHAT?"  (101)

"YOU TASTE LIKE... RASPBERRIES."

I SWALLOWED. "NO, I DON'T."

"YOU DO." HE WAS STARING AT MY MOUTH NOW. I CLAMPED MY LIPS TOGETHER. THE TINY CUT ON MY TONGUE THROBBED. IT FELT LIKE A BEACON, ONLY IT WAS CALLING THE SHIP TOWARD THE ROCKY SHORELINE INSTEAD OF SAFELY AWAY. I RAN MY TONGUE OVER MY TEETH, TRYING TO GET RID OF THE BLOOD.

"I CAN GET THAT FOR YOU," HE PURRED.

I JERKED BACK BUT I WAS STILL TRAPPED IN THE CAGE OF HIS ARMS. I NARROWED MY EYES. "QUINN DRAKE, STOP IT RIGHT NOW." 

"BUT I DON'T WANT TO," HE DRAWLED. "I WANT MORE."

"I DON'T WANT TO DUST YOU."

"I JUST WANT A LITTLE TASTE."

"YOU'VE HAD ONE," I POINTED OUT.

"NOT NEARLY ENOUGH. I'M GREEDY FOR YOU." (209) OH MY GOD. NO MATTER HOW CRAZY THIS SCENES WAS... WOW. *FANS SELF*

Review: Blood Feud by Alyxandra Harvey *no spoilers*

Blood Feud

by Alyxandra Harvey

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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)

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.

If Isabeau St. Croix had known it was going to be her last Christmas Eve, she would have had third helping of plum pudding...

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!

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)

Review: Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey

Hearts At Stake (Drake Chronicles, Book 1) 

Author: Alyxandra Harvey (@ LJ/Website) 
Release Date:  12/22/09
Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers
Age Group: Young Adult (14+)
Source: Local Public Library
Go Buy It! Amazon/Barnes&Noble/BookDepository
Overall Feelings:  Pleasing!

"Solange Drake always knew she was destined to become a vampire queen. And as the only female vampire ever born, not made, she is surrounded by danger on all sides--from vampire suitors who want to join with her lineage to bounty hunters who are set on destroying her and her family. When she is kidnapped, it's up to her older brother Nicholas and her human best friend, Lucy, to save her. But can Lucy save herself from Nicholas, who tempts her with his every look? And what will be Solange's own fate if she surrenders her heart to the vampire hunter helping her survive the deadly intrigue at the royal court?

Let the Drake family be your guide into a secret vampire society full of epic battles, gothic seduction, undead drama, and wicked humor."

Plot & Ending: Translation to the above: Solange is a walking human/vampire target, pulling toward her vampires and humans alike from all sides. She hardly gets a moment of peace. Being that she's the first born female vampire, she is special...and wanted dead by anybody who deems her a threat. Talk about danger, huh?

I liked it. This book, I mean. Not enough to make me want to eagerly pursue the series, but there was a pretty good plot behind the whole story. Throughout the entire book, it's assumed that Solange is after the throne, where vampire society's unofficial queen sits. Then, there's the vampire hunters working to kidnap her, as well as kill her family. One particular suitor is after Solange's hand, and it would seem that he refuses to take 'no' for an answer. Not to mention he's a pretty powerful dude, like way up in the vampire hierarchy. 

I really liked learning about the Drake family, all their quirks, and how they are as vampires. The clan is made up of ten immediate family members, and it's funny to watch how overprotective they are of Solange. Each of Solange's brothers are absolutely gorgeous, fairly funny, and somewhat tempramental.

I'm gonna be honest. I really went out of my way to read this book because of Nicholas and Lucy. Lucy is Solange's long-time best friend and Nicholas is one of Solange's brothers. I loved watching them go at each other's throats, while fighting the attraction humming between them. There are some pretty steamy scenes between the two of them, let me tell you. They're my favorite aspect of the book.

I was actually a little (okay, maybe a lot) confused by the ending. I don't get why the person chosen to become the next vampire queen wasn't who I expected. I mean, where could you possibly take the novel with that twist? And I don't get why Kieran, Solange's love interest and vampire hunter, kept away from her for so long, then, out of the blue, he shows up again. On top of that, I got the feeling of being rushed. I very much dislike that. While I don't like a slow ending either, I like it to be thorough so that I can really enjoy the moment. I didn't get that this time. So, that disappointed me.

Other than that, I thought it was a nice, decent read. Not blow-your-brains out awesome, but still good. I recommend reading this one, and who knows you may just turn out to like it better than I did. 

Characters: Like I said, I loved Lucy and Nicholas's characters. Lucy is extremely sassy and witty throughout the novel. Nicholas has a sort of wicked humor and immense sarcasm. The two of them together...you'll be hooked. Solange, the girl the story revolves around, didn't really stand out to me. She didn't intrigue me at all. There was nothing unique about her personality, though I did love reading about her and Kieran and their growing relationship (but, I think that's just the romantic in me). All the of the characters are really well-developed, but nothing about them is exactly memorable or deep.

"'Were you scared during your bloodchange?' [Nicholas] stilled.'Yes...' 'What got you through?' I whispered. 'Do you remember?' He nodded but wouldn't look at me. When he didn't elaborate, I turned to face him. 'What? Is it a secret? Don't I know all the deep dark Drake secrets by now?' He shifted uncomfortably. 'I guess.' 'What then?' 'You.' I swallowed, stunned. 'Me?' 'Yeah.' He stood up and went to the door, where he paused for the barest second. 'You got me through.'" --Lucy and Nicholas (104-105)

"Nicholas rolled toward me, landing at my elbow. His eyes were fierce. He grabbed my chin and kissed me hard. It was over before I had time to react. 'Stay down,' he ordered. 'Duh,' I shot back, and returned the kiss, just as quick and just as hard before he dove away to gather stakes from a sleeping guard. He rose from a crouch and threw them like deadly confetti." --Lucy and Nicholas (236-237)

"I was trying to drag myself over the bier, but Kieran was already slicing a shallow cut across his forearm. He held it to Solange's mouth, urging her to drink, whispering. 'Drink,' he begged her. 'I can't lose you now, not after all this. Drink, damn it.' For some reason, the way he spoke to her, gently and desperately, had tears burning on my cheeks." --Lucy (244-245)

Cover: The cover features Solange, I believe. It's okay. Not my cup of tea. It doesn't scream "Read me!" when I look at it. Though I do like the font of the title, the way it sort of looks like dripping blood. That's pretty neat. And does anybody like the way Harvey spells her first name: Alyxandra? I do.