Dark Lover (Black Dagger Brotherhood #1) by J.R. Ward review

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly turf war going on between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other-six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Yet none of them relishes killing more than Wrath, the leader of The Black Dagger Brotherhood.

The only purebred vampire left on earth, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who murdered his parents centuries ago. But, when one of his most trusted fighters is killed-leaving his half-breed daughter unaware of his existence or her fate-Wrath must usher her into the world of the undead-a world of sensuality beyond her wildest dreams.

From Goodreads

Wrath really doesn't like to mingle...among anyone. If he had his way he would withdraw from society, vampire & human alike. Unfortunately for him, as the leader of the Black Dagger Brotherhood (and reluctant king of vampires) he doesn't have much of a choice. What he does have a choice over are his actions. So when one of his brothers is killed, after asking Wrath to care for his soon-to-become-a-vampire daughter, he feels compelled to complete this final task as an homage to a brave warrior.

Beth has no idea why she is feeling so off lately, but chalks it up to the stress of a near-fatal assault & her gore-filled news reporting job. That is until he shows up & changes her world. He's larger than life, and with a name like Wrath, he's obviously got a violent streak. Yet something in her is drawn to him unlike anyone else in the world. He becomes her guide to the deadly new world she can't help but enter.

I had seen this book all over the place. Lots of people have it as a recommendation for a Gena Showalter read alike. While I get the comparison (believe me there is a lot of crossover) I just wasn't as big a fan of this one as I was hoping to be. That doesn't mean I loathed the book, but there was just something too off about it for me. Don't ask me to explain how Gena Showalter's mythology makes more sense to me than J.R. Ward's mythology, but Showalter's just flowed better for me.


Dark Lover introduces a wide cast of characters that revolve all the time. If I remember correctly the majority of the story is told from 5 points of view with a few glimpses into other character's heads along the way. I can handle up to 3 narrators quite well. Anything beyond that (when they are all trying to tell the same story) & my head starts to get a bit jumbled. The writing was quite well done, with adequate transitions between narrators & scenes.


I went into this book with my eyes wide open. I knew there would be sex scenes (a bit gratuitous & over the top for my tastes) & violence, but I was surprised to see so many elements of the story (like deep-seated plot) built in to these usually superfluous scenes. I must hand it to the woman, she knows how to keep you reading.


On the whole, this was worth the read, but for my personal tastes, I could take or leave the series. I think I'll give the next one a shot in a few weeks to see how the story progresses. Who knows, it may draw me in. :)

Hunting Ground (Alpha & Omega #2) by Patricia Briggs review

Anna Latham didn’t know how complicated life could be until she became a werewolf. And until she was mated to Charles Cornick, the son — and enforcer — of Bran, the leader of the North American werewolves, she didn’t know how dangerous it could be either...

Anna and Charles have just been enlisted to attend a summit to present Bran’s controversial proposition: that the wolves should finally reveal themselves to humans. But the most feared Alpha in Europe is dead set against the plan — and it seems like someone else might be too. When Anna is attacked by vampires using pack magic, the kind of power only werewolves should be able to draw on, Charles and Anna must combine their talents to hunt down whoever is behind it all — or risk losing everything...

From Goodreads

The Marrok (Bran) is ready to announce to the world that the Fey are not the only supernatural creatures that walk amongst the humans. It is becoming increasingly difficult to hide the truth & he thinks it will hurt their image if they are discovered because of a violent action, rather than a heroic one. As more of a courtesy than anything else, he sends Anna & Charles to Seattle to present the case for mostly-full disclosure to the rest of the packs from around the world.


Naturally this doesn't sit well with some of the other wolves. There are threats dealt & words exchanged, but what surprises the newly married werewolf couple even more is that the most violent attack on them comes from a whole separate group. Vampires are using pack magic against them & trying to cover for someone else. It takes both of their special talents to root out the source of the trouble before anyone else can be harmed.


Walking back into the world of Alpha & Omega feels like coming home. The characters are so all-encompassing that I can't imagine how I could read books without them. The Marrok is such a strong and yet compassionate man/wolf that it's hard to believe that anyone could question his decisions, but that's exactly what happens in this story. Despite still getting to know one another, Charles & Anna find themselves in the middle of a dangerous situation. I am enamored with the way these two interact. They lean on one another while still taking a stand when needed. They seem to have hits & misses because they're still learning each others rhythm.


What was truly awesome to see in this book was the inter-species & international exchanges. One can often forget the role that politics can play even in our fictional worlds. I found myself shocked, appalled, disheartened & then revived by the actions of members of each party. Also, the dialog & setting were impeccable. Ms. Briggs has a way with words that I find highly intoxicating. Even better is her use of those words to create her world. I have never been to Washington state, but through her stories I sometimes feel like I could navigate the city blindfolded. 


All in all this was a wonderful follow up to Cry Wolf & a great continuance of such a wonderful series. If you haven't given her a try, I would suggest doing so.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda

Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

I swore I was off my vampire kick once I finished Infinite Days. Well, I fibbed. This book sounds incredible in a way that I haven't thought of before. While it does remind me of the recent movie Daybreakers, this just calls me. It's almost like I have to read it to see how the main character deals with his situation & overcomes his abnormality. The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda is due May 8th & I am ecstatic!

Don’t Sweat. Don’t Laugh. Don’t draw attention to yourself. And most of all, whatever you do, do not fall in love with one of them.

Gene is different from everyone else around him. He can’t run with lightning speed, sunlight doesn’t hurt him and he doesn’t have an unquenchable lust for blood. Gene is a human, and he knows the rules. Keep the truth a secret. It’s the only way to stay alive in a world of night—a world where humans are considered a delicacy and hunted for their blood.

When he’s chosen for a once in a lifetime opportunity to hunt the last remaining humans, Gene’s carefully constructed life begins to crumble around him. He’s thrust into the path of a girl who makes him feel things he never thought possible—and into a ruthless pack of hunters whose suspicions about his true nature are growing. Now that Gene has finally found something worth fighting for, his need to survive is stronger than ever—but is it worth the cost of his humanity?

From Goodreads

Tasty right? I really hope that these are the proper vampires of my childhood nightmares & that their prey are just as meek as I imagine. I'm sure that makes me sound like a horrible person, but I do love a good horror story on the occasion.

What are you waiting on this week?

Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel review

"Evil be he who thinketh evil." This is the motto that Lenah Beaudonte has lived her 592 vampire years by while at home in Hathersage, England. With Rhode, Vicken & the rest of the coven by her side she was the most powerful & heartless monsters to walk the planet. Until Rhode took her away from it all. While he convinced the rest of the coven that Lenah was in hibernation, Rhode woke her early & took her to a small, private school in Rhode Island. Once there & with everything perfectly set up for her, Rhode sacrificed himself to remake Lenah into the human she deserved to be rather than the monster he created all those years ago.

A newly-minted human teenager (she was only about 17 when Rhode turned her into a vampire) Lenah must come to terms with the gift she has been given & the precious balance that must be kept in place in order for the coven not to hunt her down & kill her. After acclimating to the ability to be in the sun, Lenah begins to explore her new home on the Wickham school campus. She reluctantly makes friends with an artistic loner named Tony who begins to show her the ropes of the school. And just when she starts to become comfortable, she meets Justin. The emotions Lenah feels are painful after all these years, but she craves the sensation of his touch & his attention.

Unfortunately time is running out and the coven is growing suspicious that their queen has not risen from her hibernation. Lenah must now fight for what Rhode gave her, even if it means losing herself.

Infinite Days is one of the best vampire books in the YA genre. I'm going to let that sink in...

Good now? Ok. This original concept is so mesmerizing that I couldn't put it down once I got back into a vampire groove (I have reading grooves where I like to read the same kinds of things & then move on to another "book type"). The characters are lush & poetic while still maintaining their own definitions. Lenah & Rhode have got to be some of the most poignant vampires that I have seen depicted. When we first meet Lenah she is the epitome of everything we know about vampires: cold, callus, evil. It's through Rhode's huge sacrifice & Lenah's recovery from her re transformation that we discover what she is truly like.

Lenah was stolen from a simple life during a much simpler time. Rhode took that simplicity away from her & watched her create this cruel coven one by one over the centuries. When he finally had enough & wanted what he had originally found back he did the only thing he could think of that would force her hand. The magnitude of that act sticks with Lenah throughout her entire time at the Wickham school & she continues to develop as a person with a cast of characters that fill her every need.

My favorite parts of the book were the flashbacks where we are given a window to look at how far Lenah has come in her transformation & to really appreciate all that she is working through. It also gives us a greater understanding of the coven because for the most part they are just in the background.

This book is one that I think everyone should read. If you like vampires, and I mean real vampires, then this is one that you don't want to miss! I'm truly excited for the April 2012 release of Infinite Day's sequel Stolen Nights. It seems that we will pick up right where we left off with a cliffhanger that you must read to believe.

The Emerald Talisman by Brenda Pandos

Julia knows she's not normal. Being able to feel other people's emotions isn't normal, but she's dealing with it. She has learned to avoid crowds and has even become popular among new mothers for her amazing ability to so accurately interpret their babies' needs. So it comes as no surprise that she is walking home, alone, through the woods, when she senses an intense blood-lust. Terrified, she runs and falls over a cliff only to be rescued by the dashing Nicholas.

After several whirlwind interactions, Julia finally realizes that there is something off about Nicholas. He's different every time she sees him and he's always on his way somewhere else, but he can be so sweet to her. When kids in her school start disappearing and Nicholas is all too familiar with the details, Julia begins to question everything she knows about him and the missing teens.

I can't really explain it well, but this book is best described as "foggy." There was so much that was unclear in this book, not just the storyline but the writing as well. It was so blasé that I couldn't really jive with it. While we get to know Julia quite well, as she is very self-aware, I felt like the other characters were empty. There was nothing to them or their plot-lines.

What I certainly missed in all of this was the fact that this was going to be a vampire book. That really irked me. I would have preferred an every day serial killer to vampires. The scenes were so familiar and yet so irritating. There was no comfort or enjoyment in this book for me.

In summation, this book just completely underwhelmed me. While I know there are people who have enjoyed this book, I am not among them. Although if you like alternative vampire lore, try it out.

30 Days of Night by Steve Niles

Vampires are real and they sure don't sparkle. (I couldn't resist.)

Eben & Stella are the husband & wife, Sheriff & Deputy team of Barrow, Alaska. Every year, for 30 days, there is complete darkness in their town. While this gives many of the residents time to visit family elsewhere, for many can't face the penetrating darkness.

This time though, something else has rolled in with the darkness. A band of vampires have stumbled upon their sleepy little town and have decided to have themselves a feast. These vicious creatures consume as many in the town as they can find, leaving no one alive.

It's up to Eben and Stella to stop the slaughter and preserve what is left of their home.

This is a gritty, dirty, tough graphic novel. These are not the romanticized vampires that have been glorified in the last few years. These are the original, fearsome creatures who don't care at all about humans. They are above them and leave a huge bloody trail in their wake. The conversations are minimalistic only giving you the most basic of information to work with.

The drawing is jagged and rough. There aren't clean lines and clear delineations; it's scratchy and tough. I also think that this was the best medium for the story. I can't see it working as well in novel format because I think you would loose most of the bleakness and desperation if you don't have the artist's renditions of the actions. If you like classic vampire lore, then this is right up your alley.

Check out the trailer for the movie. Keep in mind, this is a horror film and as such is quite bloody. On the plus side, it stars Josh Hartnett as nice eye candy.

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

Again, just a fair warning, this is book two in a series so if you haven't read the first book, City of Bones, please be warned that MAJOR spoilers exist below. That is all.

Clary is just having a really rough time. In just a few short days she went from being a normal teen with a geek streak to being the daughter of two famous Shadowhunters; unfortunately one of them went evil, world-controlling, power-hungry and the other is in a magically induced coma.

With her newly discovered brother Jace, and fellow sibling Shadowhunting friends Alec and Isabelle, Clary is setting off to find a way to save her mother while protecting all of them from the Downworlders (werewolves, vampires, et al). Too bad that's easier said than done when your best friend Simon, who happens to be in love with you, has just sealed his fate as being a vampire and you discover that your close family friend Luke, who has been like an uncle to you, is a werewolf. Can life get any more complicated?

Of course it can and unfortunately for Clary and all those involved, it's just going to continue to get worse until her evil father, Valentine, is stopped, permanently. A great chase ensues and everyone will have to choose which side to stand on in the upcoming war. That is also easier said than done. Where will Clary's loyalties lie when parts of her family, both blood-relations and extended, are on opposing sides?

City of Ashes picks up shortly after City of Bones leaves off. We continue the story of a Manhattan girl lost in the big world of Shadowhunting. Clary is a likable enough girl, but the sexual tension between her and her brother is just down right creepy, especially when she's supposed to be dating Simon. The demons get more creative in this book than in the last and there is definitely more action. I must say, for a middle book in a series, I actually liked this one more than the first! An easy, quick read despite its size, City of Ashes is a fast-paced fun novel. I can't wait to see what happens in City of Glass!

Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey

The Blakes are rather different to your usual neighbours. They are vampires and some of the members of the family date back to the twelfth century. One of the children, Solange, is the only born female vampire known and, as such, she poses a direct threat to the vampire queen. Her best friend Lucy is human, and when Solange is kidnapped Lucy and Solange's brother, Nicholas, set out to save her. Lucy soon discovers that she would like to be more than just friends with Nicholas. But how does one go about dating a vampire? Meanwhile, Solange finds an unlikely ally in Kieran, a vampire slayer on the hunt for his father's killer.

From Goodreads

So right off the bat you realize that this review is different than the rest. Normally I write my own review of the book's events, but in this case I made an exception as I did not finish the book. I could not force myself to finish a book that could not even keep its own mythos in order. I don't know what it was about this that struck me, but I couldn't let it go. The pheromones (seriously?), the ways to kill a vampire (varied in different parts of the book), and the ability of a vampire to give birth (don't even get me started on the impossibility of that fact) were the main issues that I had with this story. I am a fan of "traditional" vampire mythos and make a few exceptions, but I am always willing to try new experiences. I attempt to go ahead with as little prejudice as can be expected when dealing with a topic that has been written about a thousand different ways.

Not all of this book was unpleasant. I did enjoy the writing style as it was fresh and entertaining. The alternating narrators, a peppy, human and her angsty, vampire best friend, make for a fascinating dynamic. They were practically inseparable during their respective childhoods which allowed them both to give diverse perspectives on the community in which they lived. The characters themselves were varied and represented a wide range of personalities that I found unique.

I don't like not finishing a book, but my friend suggested a motto to help me deal with my distress: there are so many books to be read, why waste any more time than necessary on books that I don't enjoy. I feel like I gave this a good go as I read a little over half the book. If you like vampires and teens I am sure that this book is at least for a go, but for me, it wasn't really worth it. I hope that at least some of you find otherwise.

Book Trailer: Hearts at Stake

So, I bought this book a little ways back with Christmas money. It's sitting in my TBR pile after a few books for review. After seeing this trailer, I am even more stoked to read it. Enjoy!

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week's selection is Tempted by P.C. and Kristin Cast. The 6th title in the House of Night series coming out on October 27, 2009. Be forewarned! As this is the 6th book in a series, major spoilers follow if you haven't read the rest of the series yet. Check here for my post on the series in general (without spoilers) and the first book Marked. You have been warned.


Zoey needs a break after some serious excitement. Sadly, the House of Night school for vampyres doesn't feature breaks on its curriculum - even for a High Priestess in training and her gang. Plus juggling three guys is no stress reliever, especially when one is a sexy Warrior so into protecting Zoey that he's sensing her emotions. Wider stresses lurk too, and the dark force in Tulsa's tunnels is spreading. Could Stevie Rae be responsible for more than a group of misfit fledglings? And Aphrodite's visions warn Zoey to stay away from the immortal Kalona and his dark allure - but they also show that only Zoey can stop him. She's not exactly keen to meet up, but if Zoey doesn't go to Kalona he'll exact a fiery vengeance on those closest to her. She just has to find the courage to do what's necessary, or everything that's important to her will be destroyed.
-From Goodreads

I have fallen in love with this series. While there is high school drama in large quantities, there is just something about this series that pulls me in a way that not many other teen paranormal series can mimic. The characters are very approachable and the story has many twists and turns in it. I also like that there is Native American and Wiccan parts brought in as well as vampire lore. A good series for those who enjoy drama, sexy vampires, and a whole lot of mischief!

Night Runner by Max Turner

Zach Thomson doesn't know that he's a vampire. Sure he has lived as an orphan in the Nicholls Psych Ward because he has a rare allergy to the sun and every food known to man, but that doesn't make him a bloodsucker. Does it?

So begins the tale of Zach's understanding of himself and the world outside of the Nicholls Ward. After the gruesome murder of his father, Zach slipped into a coma and when he awoke he was suddenly allergic to sunlight and all forms of food. Unable to be cared for in foster care and with no living relatives coming forward to claim him, Zach has grown up with only Nurse Ophelia and his best friend Charlie.

After a crazy incident involving a deranged man and a motorcycle Zach's life is suddenly more exciting than he could have ever hoped. It turns out that someone is after him and it's not a good thing. So Zach is on the run and running out of places to hide. As his misadventures continue he starts to piece together what exactly his father was doing, what his condition is, and how he can keep those around him from mysteriously disappearing.

While I have read worse first novels, this one was pretty bad. I got the feeling the whole way through that the author was skipping important details (like character development and a cohesive plot) that would be divulged in a later book. The storyline was choppy most of the time and just when I felt like I was getting into the characters and a rhythm, the whole thing changed again. I'm hoping that this becomes better as the series goes on. It just didn't do it for me, but I suggest that if you like generic vampire lore (Vlad the Impaler-esque type stuff), then this is definitely up your ally.

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

Handsome vampire princes shouldn’t just show up on your doorstep. Unfortunately for Jessica, that is exactly what happened. She was just planning on enjoying a nice, normal senior year at Woodrow Wilson High School, but Lucius Vladescu changed all her plans. He is a vampire prince who has come to reclaim his betrothed vampire princess. Unfortunately for Jessica, she has no idea what he is talking about.

As if being a teenager isn’t hard enough, Jessica must now face the fact that she is in fact a vampire. Not only that, but she is vampire royalty; descendant from a long line of vampires. So now she won’t be able to stay with her family and friends any more as she must return to her homeland, marry Lucius, and become the ruling princess that her people expect. Oh, and if she refuses to reclaim her birth right, she will essentially be signing the death warrants of her people as a centuries-old rivalry will be re-igniting resulting in war.

An alternate take on the teenage, vampire romance, Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side not only encompasses the romantic and dark elements of vampire lore, it also explores the politics of ruling vampire society. While it can be a little sluggish at points and the teenage angst can wear on one’s nerves, the overall storyline and the different approach to a familiar story allow the reader to overlook these minor hiccups and enjoy the ride. A nice light read that will be sure to fulfill your vampire needs!