Vampire Academy (Book 1) by Richelle Meade

Synopsis

St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place

where vampires are  educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger. .

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.

Review

We meet Rose the fiery guardian of Lissa a vampire princess as they’re caught after 2 years on the run from St Vladimir’s Academy. Rose and Lissa ran away to protect Lissa after the a rough period in school, and had no intention of going back. We also meet Dimitri the tough badass guardian who comes to feature through out the book, he is tall, dark and devastatingly handsome and Rose couldn’t help but notice ! Once back at the academy they receive a dressing down from the head teacher and staff who want to expel Rose from the school who as lissa’s guardian should have known better than running away.

The story is light and well written and has a thread running through it which attempts to make Lissa feel like she’s mentally unstable. What I liked about this was the incredible way the author manages to hide the final twist until the end of the book and I would never have guessed who the culprits were. It is a well written book, with some great characters which I look forward to finding about as I read the other books in the series.

Overall this is teen fiction, but I would suggest it is more for the younger teens or someone who’s not sure about the genre and wants an easy book to read. I liked the book and enjoyed it even though I’m not a teen anymore, and would recommend it. If you saw the film or the bad reviews it had, ignore those and read the book instead!!

I rate this book

New Review soon

Just starting my current review on Vampire Academy, come back soon

Jason (Anita Blake Series ) by Laurell K Hamilton

Synopsis

"Enjoying pain with your pleasure is something you either get, or you don't. If you get it, then you don't really need it explained, because you know how good it feels, and if you don't get it then no amount of talking is going to convince you it makes sense."

But sometimes you have to explain the unexplainable, especially if the love of your life needs to understand, or she'll leave you. Jason Schuyler is one of Anita Blake's best friends and favorite werewolves, with benefits. J.J. is his lady love, an old flame from childhood who dances at one of the top ballet companies in New York. She's accomplished, beautiful, and she's crazy about him, too. Neither of them wants to be monogamous, so what could go wrong?

J.J. is enthusiastically bisexual, with an emphasis on the female side of things. She plans to keep sleeping with women, because Jason can't meet that need, just like she can't meet Jason's need for rough sex and bondage. J.J. doesn't understand why Jason isn’t content to go elsewhere for a need she can’t fulfil, so Jason asks Anita to help him explain.

Anita is having her own relationship growing pains with her only female lover ever, Jade. Jason suggests that J.J. might be able to help Anita with her girl problem, while she helps him with his kinky explanations. With some encouragement from a few other lovers in Anita's life she reluctantly agrees, and J. J. makes plans to fly into town for an experience that none of them will ever forget.

Review

This is the long awaited next short novella in the Anita Blake vampire hunter series. I love this series of books, and I was really looking forward to the next instalment. As is usual for Laurell her novella’s are based on one character in the series, that she want’s to develop further. This book focuses on Anita, Jason, JJ and Nathaniel particularly Jason and JJ’s relationship or more specifically their sexual relationship. Also the book left a few tantalising threads that can be developed further down the line, for example will Jason relocate to New York and will JJ kick her girlfriend “to the Curb”.

Some Anita Blake fans will not be happy with this book as it focus’s on sex and same sex relationships and is way too much for some readers (just look at the reviews on Amazon & Goodreads for example) but the blurb for the book makes it clear what the focus is to help readers be aware of what their going to be reading. Personally this isn’t an issue for me, as I find the way the author writes about it, ensures it isn’t just sex for gratuitous purposes. Within the sexual storylines the characters grow and develop and relationships alter. The best thing about a novella though, is that you can miss out reading it if you don’t like the sex, & it wont ruin the next book for you, all you’ll miss out on is the further development of Jason and JJ’s characters.

I would recommend any Anita Blake fan to read the book (as long as their no prude), if you don’t like the sex then don’t read it. For new readers looking for a new series of books to read, then don’t read this, I would suggest you start with the first book Guilty Pleasures. New readers really need to know where Anita comes from and how she comes to the current novella, to fully enjoy the Anita Blake experience.

I rate this book

Graduation Day (Book 3 of The Testing Trilogy)

Synopsis

In a scarred and brutal future, The United Commonwealth teeters on the brink of all-out civil war. The rebel resistance plots against a government that rules with cruelty and cunning. Gifted student and Testing survivor Cia Vale vows to fight. But she can't do it alone. This is the chance to lead that Cia has trained for - but who will follow? Plunging through layers of danger and deception, Cia must risk the lives of those she loves - and gamble on the loyalty of her lethal classmates.

Review

I only read this book just to find out what happens in the end, it took a lot of getting into hence the long time period between the reviews. I just find it hard to get to grips with the President handing over the future of their entire United Commonwealth to a 16 yr old girl and her 4 friends. I was also getting pretty annoyed with Cia being super girl who new everything and could work out every problem they faced without asking anyone or researching anything. I also found it strange that in a new world where they could restructure DNA and fly hovercraft i.e. the skimmers they didn’t have an advanced form of communications or even telephones/2 way radios. Nor that a 16yr old girl could manipulate technology so effectively to meet her needs and have access to guns etc.

It is only in the last few chapters that you find out she wasn’t as smart as she thought when she realises she has been manipulated and it was only another test. The twist at the end of the tail was also a bit tame when she finds the good guy is the bad guy and visa versa. The triple no quadruple crossings of ‘this group is working for this person no this person nooooo that person’ was getting quite annoying in the end

The author in my opinion tried to put too many twists in the book, which would have been ok if it was done with more finesse and not so desperate to try and make the story more interesting. Also she did what many authors do at the end of a trilogy, fit the outcome into so few short pages and leave too many unanswered questions.

I would only recommend this book if you’ve read the other two and want to find out what happens in the end.

I rate this book

Indipendent Study by Joelle Charbonneau

Synopsis

For the attention of candidate Malencia Vale. Congratulations. You have passed The Testing. You have won a place at our prestigious university. After six months of preliminary classes, you will sit an examination. The results will be used to assign you to an area of study appropriate to your talents. The United Commonwealth urges you to consider your answers carefully during this examination. Wrong answers will be penalized.

Review

Thomas and Cai have survived The Testing, but the book starts with them facing another test to find what areas of expertise the candidates will study. They are again faced with the ominous words of Dr Barnes that a wrong answer will have serious consequences! Cai to her surprise ends up in government studies whilst Thomas goes to biological testing. If Cai thought the worst was over, she was soon to find it's not, as the initiation was soon to start.

I was unsure about the start to this book, as we're suddenly introduced to Tosu City candidates who gain entry by whom there related to or who greased the palms of some official. Why the author had to introduce the idea of rich kids versus poor kids I don't know, it really didn't add much to the story. These characters were meant to trip up Cai or worse but they fell a little flat. I was starting to get a little annoyed with Cai as the book progressed as she is portrayed as someone of exceptional high intellect who new exactly how to solve every problem that arises - she's too perfect.

On a positive note Cai does remain a feisty character and the love interest through the book doesn't interfere with this. The plot doesn't need much concentration to follow, and its a pleasant easy book to read on the beach, but if you want a great dystopian trilogy to read i'd give this one a miss. I really wanted to like this series, but the final nail in the coffin was when at the end of the book, Cai decided to tell the president about the rebel faction that is set to fail, and the president gives Cai the task of killing Dr Barnes and his fellow conspirators written on a list. Really is the top person in charge going to give such a momentous task to a 16yr old girl!

I rate this book

The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau

Synopsis

DO YOU POSSESS A WINNING COMBINATION OF THEORETICAL KNOWLEDGE, PRACTICAL SKLLS AND RAW INTELLIGENCE? DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO LEAD OTHERS? ARE YOU WILLING TO CRUSH THOSE WHO STAND IN YOUR WAY? Every year, the United Commonwealth invites top graduates from each colony to participate in The Testing. Successful candidates will go on to the University and help the government work to rebuild our war-stricken world. This process is not optional. Disclaimer: The United Commonwealth is not responsible for candidates' psychological or physical heath during The Testing.

Review

The Testing is the first book of 'The Testing' trilogy by Joelle Charbonneau, and is firmly based in the post apocalyptic teen book genre, along side trilogy's like The Hunger games. In the first book we meet the female heroine of the story Malencia Vale who Is about to attend her schools graduation day hoping that she will be chosen for 'The Testing". She has an idealistic dream of attending the university and help to regenerate her country following the seven stages of war. The author opens the book with a small twist to the tail which it really doesn't need, pretending Cai Vale isn't going to The Testing then she is. Does she really think readers will believe this when there's 3 books to read.

After this shaky start the story soon begins to build as the 4 students from The Five Lakes colony head the Tosu City for the testing. Cai's father starts the intrigue by warning to trust no one and things won't be as it it seems. Cai soon realises the truth in what her father told her, when in the 2nd stage of testing she sees her fellow student Malachi die in front of her because he answered a question wrong. The testing isn't just about being the brightest its more about managing to stay alive, and stopping her fellow testing students from killing her.

The author builds the story upto the grand finale of Cai and her love interest Thomas surviving the 4th test and being chosen to move forward to the university. I like the fact that Joelle has a love interest threaded through the story which is not too intence and doesn't make Cai week and dependent on her man to survive. I personally like a story that has a strong female lead, and Cai is as resourceful as they come.

Overall this first book is an easy read, that doesn't take too much brain power to work out the plot but keeps the interest going until the end. Ideal to loose yourself for a few hours or a great holiday read.

I rate this book





Posted by The Vamp Cat

I'm Back !!

I'm back ! After a long long long period of hibernation I decided it was about time I started to write again about the books that I read. I don't know where 2014 went it seemed to pass me bye, so with the arrival of 2015, the vamp cat rises from her pit to once more give my opinion on the books that I read!

To start off the new year I have been busy reading The Testing Trilogy by Joelle Charbonneau, i've read the first 2 books, The Testing & Independent Study and i'm currently about 10% into the final book Graduation Day. So call back soon to see what I think about them.




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