Book Review: Blood Moon (Drake Chronicles #5)

Blood Moon (Drake Chronicles #5) by Alyxandra Harvey

(May contain spoilers)

Format: Paperback (arc)
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Published: 5th July 2012
Pages: 357
Main Character: Lucy, Solange, Nicholas
Date Started: 28th June
Date Finished: 4th July
Rating Given: ****

Blurb from Goodreads:

"I can still smell his blood, Lucy. I can smell it everywhere. It's in the grass, in the air, on me. I'm not safe."
When the vampire tribes convene for the rare Blood Moon ceremonies, Solange Drake is plunged into a battle with her feral nature. The Drake brothers have been raised knowing they had to protect their younger sister at all cost. But forbidden magic and a mysterious stranger have put all of them in terrible danger.
Nicholas is going to have to make a difficult choice: between his girlfriend, Lucy, and his little sister, Solange - blood or love?

I was asked by Bloomsbury if I wanted to review this book and with it being one of my favourite series I jumped at the chance. I just needed to finish the other books first! Thank you to Bloomsbury for giving me the chance to review this latest book in the Drake Chronicles series as I wasn't disappointed.

This one seems to be a bit different to the others although it still has a black background this one has a lot more colour in it and I actually prefer it this way as it looks more creepy. This one is very much in keeping with the actual book as like I said it's creepy and sinister which I would say most of the book is that way inclined.

This book picks up right from where it was left in the previous book which I liked as with some books they begin a couple of months down the line and then they have to keep going back to what had happened in those missing months. With this book it seemed more sinister than any of the other Drake books with hardly any funny parts that we have come to expect in this series that being said there couldn't really be any funny things said with everything that was happening, and trust me when I say there was a lot happening. There is also a huge cliffhanger that has made me more anxious about the next book.

This time around we went back to the point of views of Lucy, Solange and Nicholas which I loved as I always missed Nicholas when it was the other Drake brother's turn. I loved the chemistry between Lucy and Nicholas I could read about there relationship all day long and not get bored as they are so sweet together and funny although not so much in this book. Lucy was getting on my nerves a little bit in Bleeding Hearts but in this book she was back to her brilliant ways. We did see a more vulnerable side to her in this book which I loved to see as it made her more human. Nicholas was just as good as he was in all the other books, he is one of my favourite brothers. Like Lucy we also got to see a more vulnerable side to him which made me feel for him. As for Solange I didn't really like her for most part of the book and when it was her chapter I found myself rushing through it to get back to Lucy or Nicholas, but by the end I think I understand more about why she was acting the way she was.

After I finished this book there was a little short story about how Helena and Liam got together which I absolutely loved I would love to her more about these two before they became the parents. There relationship actually reminded me of Lucy and Nicholas as they had a bit of banter but you could tell they had feelings for one another.

Overall I really enjoyed this book but I did miss the humour that we had in the previous book.

Book Cover: Vampire Shift

Vampire Shift by Tim O'Rourke

The first time I came across this book I loved this cover and was the main reason why I had to add this book to my tbr pile. I have not long since finished this book and I have to say that the story lives up to the cover which doesn't always happen but I'm so glad this does as I need this cover on my bookshelf!

I can't actually pinpoint what the main focus of this cover is as I seem to focus on it all and I love that this cover can do that.

I have seen quite a few covers with people in full on them which I do like but in this cover the whole of the cover is filled with the girl's face. I do like it when covers fill the whole of the cover as I think it looks more intriguing and you seem to notice things more. I love the way that part of her face is covered as the colour of the hair breaks up what would have been a more neutral coloured cover which in some cases work but in this case the added colour makes it stand out.

The main part of the cover that I love is the way it looks like she is crying blood as it's not normal so there for the reader knows something interesting will be happening in this book.

Her eye is very captivating as it looks like she is staring right at us and makes me want to know what she sees which is in keeping with the story.

I love that the title's font has been kept simple as it just wouldn't have looked right, it would've taken the focus of the rest of the cover.

Not everything that is going on in the cover is in keeping with the story but I don't think that it matters in this case as it gives us enough clues to guess what is going to happen.

Teaser Tuesday #29

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along!




My teasers:

Blood Moon by Alyxandra Harvey

"That little girl is trouble," Madame Veronique said coldly, her voice like an icicle dropping off the roof of a house and impaling you in the head. She grabbed the bat out of the air while we gaped. It squeaked, leather wings frantically beating. Then she released it and stalked away, trailing her silent handmaidens and a disoriented bat smashing its head into the ceiling.
Mom looked bleak but determined.
"Plan B then." - Page 135

I couldn't get into this at first but loads of things have happened to capture my attention.

              Otherkin by Nina Berry

The man aimed right at him, just ten feet away, and pulled the trigger. Or he tried. - Page 26

Not so sure about this book as it seems there is a bit too much going on.

(ARC copies so both quotes may differ to final versions)

It's Monday What Are You Reading? #36

It's Monday What Are You Reading is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey in which we plan our reading week!
(Click on images to send you to Goodreads)

Finished Reading

(Click on title for review)

Vampire Shift by Tim O'Rourke

Dreamless by Josephine Angelini

Currently Reading

Blood Moon by Alyxandra Harvey

I do love this series but for some reason it has took me a little while to get into it. Now that I am into it I love it just as much as the previous books in this series.

Otherkin by Nina Berry

I am not liking this book in fact there is too much going on that I just don't get what is going on. I am hoping it will settle down soon.

Reading Next

Shattered Dreams by Ellie James

Burn by Heath Gibson

Not heard too much about these books so I don't know what to expect from them.

So that's what I am planning on reading this week, what's on your reading plan?

BOTM #9

I have read quite a few books this month so for this months Book of the month I have decided to do a vlog version which is where you will find out what I read and the winner or you can take a peek at the BOTM tab at the top of the blog.
Let me know what you thought of the books that I read? and did I pick the right one? which would you guys have picked?

Book Review: Dreamless (Starcrossed #2)

Dreamless (Starcrossed #2) by Josephine Angelini

(May contain spoilers)

Format: Paperback (arc)
Publisher: Macmillan
Published: 5th July 2012
Pages: 503
Main Characters: Helen, Lucas, Orion
Date Started: 24th June 2012
Date Finished: 28th June 2012
Rating Given: ***

Blurb from Goodreads:

Can true love be forgotten?

As the only Scion who can descend into the Underworld, Helen Hamilton has been given a nearly impossible task. By night she wanders through Hades, trying to stop the endless cycle of revenge that has cursed her family. By day she struggles to overcome the fatigue that is rapidly eroding her sanity. Without Lucas by her side, Helen is not sure she has the strength to go on.

Just as Helen is pushed to her breaking point, a mysterious new Scion comes to her rescue. Funny and brave, Orion shields her from the dangers of the Underworld. But time is running out—a ruthless foe plots against them, and the Furies’ cry for blood is growing louder.

As the ancient Greek world collides with the mortal one, Helen’s sheltered life on Nantucket descends into chaos. But the hardest task of all will be forgetting Lucas Delos.

Josephine Angelini’s compelling saga becomes ever more intricate and spellbinding as an unforgettable love triangle emerges and the eternal cycle of revenge intensifies. Eagerly awaited, this sequel to the internationally bestselling STARCROSSED delivers a gritty, action-packed love story that exceeds expectation.

I kind of liked Starcrossed so when I had the chance to review the second one I thought I would give it a try as everyone says that you should give a series a chance and I'm glad that Macmillan (big thank you to Macmillan for sending me a copy) gave me a copy to review as I did like it.

This cover is very similar to the first cover which I loved but I do this cover isn't as good. The reason why is the people on the cover they just don't look right but that is the only fault I see in this cover. I love the colours on this cover as they look very dramatic and very much in keeping with what is going on within the story.

This is only my second book that I have read that was written by Josephine Angelini and I think it's the second book that she has had published too. What I think Angelini does well in her books is the build up of tension as she did that with the first one and this second one. Although I do like the build up I do feel that it was a bit too slow this time around as it took me a long time to actually get into the book. She is also very good at writing a very addicting series as once I got into this book I really couldn't put it down as I wanted to find out what was going to get thrown at the character's next. I do love her take on the Greek Gods, it's not something I have actually read many of but I do think she does a great job.

Like I said the start of this book was very slow and very confusing as I just didn't know what was going on. I think a part of that reason was because I couldn't remember what went on in the first book although there is a bit of a recap which was very much needed. There was a lot of things happening a few things I thought was predictable but then other things that happened just threw me which I like not being able to guess what is going to happen before it actually happens. The ending was so much better this time around as in Starcrossed I felt it was more of an abrupt ending rather than a cliff-hanger but this time there was a bit of a cliff-hanger which I didn't mind as it has left me wanting more from this series but at least it didn't end abruptly. This book did seem a little depressing with the things that was happening with virtually no light relief but I actually didn't mind this as it made it more entertaining in a way that I never expected.

I liked the characters in the first book and I liked them in this one just as much maybe even more. Helen was just the same as before but this time I did feel like she was thinking about everyone else not caring about the effects it was having on herself. Lucas seemed to be a lot more angrier in this one but I do understand where his anger was coming from. I felt so sorry for Helen and Lucas who obviously love one another but can't do anything about it. We was also introduced to a new character called Orion and I really did like him as he seemed sweet but with an edge. I think we will be seeing more from him and the love triangle that has happened between these three characters in the next book.

Overall this book was a bit confusing to start with and it was also very slow but once you get over those tiny bumps in the road it was a very addicting and entertaining book.

Showcase Sunday #9

Showcase Sunday is a new weekly Meme that I am taking part of. This weekly meme is hosted by Vicky over at Book, Biscuits and Tea and for more info click on the SS image which will take you straight to the blog. Click on the titles of the books to take you to Goodreads.

Enough books for me to do a vlog this week hope the sound is better than my other attempt.

Swap Books
Dark Heart Forever by Lee Monroe
Dark Heart Rising by Lee Monroe
Eve by Anna Carey

Books Bought
Fateful by Claudia Gray
The Selection by Kiera Cass
Dark Kiss by Michelle Rowen
Rapture by Lauren Kate


So that's what I received this week, what did everyone else get?