YA Buzz

"YA Buzz" is a collection of a wide variety of news about anything related to the YA genre. This can include, but no limited to: any news about authors and/or books, new covers, contests around the blogosphere, and so much more.

Have something you want shared? Email me at apassionforbooks@hotmail.com

___________________________

I was going through my reader and there were some great interviews and contests going on. So I thought I would just post them. Random? Yes, I know but that's okay.


-Interviews-

Rachel Vincent talks about her new YA series, Soul Screamers @ Fantastic Book Review

Heather Brewer, author of the Vladimir Tod series (Eighth Grade Bites, Ninth Grade Slays, and Tenth Grade Bleeds) @ The Compulsive Reader

Stephanie Kuehnart creates her own ballad @ Just Blinded Book Reviews

Senfaye, from A Maze of Books, guest blogs @ Lee A. Verday's Book/Writing Blog and talks about her Comic Con experience.


-Contests-

Contest for an ARC of Shiver is being extended @ Sarah's Random Musings

Rachel Vincent has a picture contest going on, which ends August 5th.

• Take a picture of My Soul to Take on the shelf at your local store and email it to her. You'll then be entered for a chance to win a YA gift set including The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan, Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr, Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow, and The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong.

Book Review: My Soul to Take

My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent

Releases: August 1, 2009

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Pages: 279

Series: Soul Screamers #1

Rating: 4 stars

She doesn't see dead people, but…

She senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.

Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about her need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who'll be next…

Well, what to say about Rachel Vincent’s first YA release? This book was about Banshees, which I haven’t read about before so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I found it to be very interesting and I was engrossed from beginning to the end.

The writing was superb. Although, the beginning started off kind of slow but with the start of a new series, that tends to happen. There was a lot of details and explaining to do before jumping into the actual soul screaming part, but I felt Ms. Vincent did a good job placing details in all the right places. During certain parts of the book, I felt as thought I was right there with the characters, experiencing what they were. I love stories that keep my eyes glued to the pages and me guessing throughout the entire book, which is exactly what My Soul to Take did. The plot was very original when compared to other paranormal and fantasy books out there today. It was a nice change to read something other than vampires, werewolves, fairies, etc.

The characters were all well-developed, I thought. Some had there secrets, which I do enjoy a character with a little mystery to themselves. But of all the characters, I really enjoyed Tod (not going to explain because I don’t want to give any spoilers) but I am looking forward to reading more about him.

When it came the final pages, I was so not ready for the story to end just yet. Now, what does that tell you? The end of the book left me begging for more and I can’t wait to read the sequel. My Soul to Save is scheduled to release January 2010.

Waiting on Wednesday (3)

*Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

A prodigal son

A dangerous love

A deadly secret . . .

Grace Divine, daughter of the local pastor, always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared—the night she found her brother Jude collapsed on the porch, covered in blood. But she has no idea what a truly monstrous secret that night really held. And when Daniel returns three years later, Grace can no longer deny her attraction to him, despite promising Jude she’ll stay away.

As Grace gets closer to Daniel, her actions stir the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind Jude and Daniel's dark secret . . . and the cure that can save the ones she loves. But she may have to lay down the ultimate sacrifice to do it—her soul.

Release Date: December 22nd 2009

Sounds amazing and I can't wait!! You can read the first chapter here.

Book Review: Shadow Kiss

Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead

Released: November 13, 2008

Publisher: Razorbill

Pages: 443

Series: Vampire Academy #3

Rating: 5 stars

It's springtime at St. Vladimir's Academy, and Rose Hathaway is this close to graduation. Since Mason's death, Rose hasn't been feeling quite right. She has dark flashbacks in the middle of practice, can't concentrate in class, and has terrifying dreams about Lissa. But Rose has an even bigger secret...She's in love with Dimitri. And this time, it's way more than a crush.

Then Strigoi target the academy in the deadliest attack in Moroi history, and Dimitri is taken. Rose must protect Lissa at all costs, but keeping her best friend safe could mean losing Dimitri forever...

This book has got me tounge-tied. I don't know exactly what to say, without giving away any spoilers. WOW! is basically what comes to mind. I think this is the best book in the series, so far. (they get better with each additional book, it seems) There is so much more going on: drama, suspense, action, and surprises. I love reading it because well, it was amazing. Great writing, a gripping plot, and fantastic characters. But then again I'm not sure what think about the ending. I was SO not expecting that (if you have already read it then you know what I mean) Overall, it was incredible. And now I can not wait until the next book, Blood Promise, comes out so I can find out what happens next.

In My Mailbox (3)

*In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren

Here's the books I got throughout the week. They sound really good -- well, to me they do, and I am excited about them.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

In Mary's world, there are simple truths.

The Sisterhood always knows best.

The Guardians will protect and serve.

The Unconsecrated will never relent.

And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village. The fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth.

But slowly, Mary's truths are failing her. She's learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power. And, when the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness.

Now she must choose between her village and her future, between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded by so much death?


Bad Girl's Don't Die by Kaite Alender

Alexis thought she led a typically dysfunctional high school existence. Dysfunctional like her parents' marriage; her doll-crazy twelve-year-old sister, Kasey; and even her own anti-social, anti-cheerleader attitude.

When a family fight results in some tearful sisterly bonding, Alexis realizes that her life is creeping from
dysfunction into danger. Kasey is acting stranger than ever: her blue eyes go green sometimes; she uses old-fashioned language; and she even loses track of chunks of time, claiming to know nothing about her strange behavior. Their old house is changing, too. Doors open and close by themselves; water boils on the unlit stove; and an unplugged air conditioner turns the house cold enough to see their breath in.

Alexis wants to think that it's all in her head, but soon, what she liked to think of as silly parlor tricks are becoming life-threatening-to her, her family, and to her budding relationship with the class president. Alexis knows she's the only person who can stop Kasey -- but what if that green-eyed girl isn't even Kasey anymore?


Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created "perfect" life is about to unravel before her eyes. She's forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for -- her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect.

Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.


My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent

She doesn't see dead people, but she senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.

Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about her need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee know s who'll be next...



Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr

Unbeknownst to mortals, a power struggle is unfolding in a world of shadows and danger. After centuries of stability, the balance among the Faery Courts has altered, and Irial, ruler of the Dark Court, is battling to hold his rebellious and newly vulnerable fey together. If he fails, bloodshed and brutality will follow.

Seventeen-year-old Leslie knows nothing of faeries of their intrigues. When she is attracted to an eerily beautiful tattoo of eyes and wings, all she knows is that she has to have it, convinced it is a tangible symbol of changes she desperately craves for her own life. The tattoo does bring changes - not the kind Leslie has dreamed of, bun sinister, compelling changes that are more than symbolic. Those changes will bind Leslie and Irial together, drawing Leslie deeper and deeper into the faery world, unable to resist its allures, and helpless to withstand its perils.


Rogue by Rachel Vincent

Okay, so cats don't always land on their feet...

I know that better than most. Since rejoining the Pride, I've made big decisions and even bigger mistakes: the kind paid for with innocent lives. As the first and only female enforcer, I have plenty to prove to my father, the Pride and myself. And with murdered toms turning up in our territory, I'm working harder than ever, though I always firnd the energy for a little after-hours recreation with Marc, my partner both on and off duty.

But not all my mistakes are behind me. We're beginning to suspect that the dead are connected to a rash of missing human women and that they can all be laid at my feet - two or four, take your pick. And one horrible indiscretion may yet cost me more than I can bear...


Pride by Rachel Vincent

I'm on trial for my life. Falsely accused of infecting my human ex-boyfriend --and killing him to cover up the crime. Infecting a human is one of three capital offenses recognized by the Pride -- along with murder and disclosure of our existence to a human. I'm two for three. A goner.

Now we've discovered a rogue stray terrorizing the mountainside, hunting a wild teenage tabbycat. It's up to us to find and stop him before a human discovers us. With my lover Marc's help, I think I can protect the vulnerable girl from both the ambitious rogue If I survive my own trial...



Also, I got the "get-the-goods" from Jessica Verday in the mail yesterday.

YA Buzz

"YA Buzz" is a collection of a wide variety of news about anything related to the YA genre. This can include, but no limited to: any news about authors and/or books, new covers, contests around the blogosphere, and so much more.

Have something you want shared? Email me at apassionforbooks@hotmail.com

____________________________________

Read first 2 chapters of Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick here.

Read first chapter of The Hollow by Jessica Verday here.

Read the first chapter of Blood Promise by Richelle Mead here.

YA Buzz

"YA Buzz" is a collection of a wide variey of news about anything related to the YA genre. This can include: any news about authors and/or books, new covers, contests that can be found around the blogosphere, and so much more.

"YA Buzz" was started here at A Passion for Books to help keep bloggers informed of what's happening around the blogosphere.

"YA Buzz" will be posted every Saturday. This will include all information found Saturday thru Friday of the previous week.

______________________________________

If you have news that you would like to be shared on "YA Buzz", email me your news at apassionforbooks@hotmail.com.

The Hollow by Jessica Verday Book Trailer

Here's the official trailer for Jessica Verday's book, The Hollow, coming Sept. 1st. So excited!! And some states are going to be broadcast this on TV!

Waiting on Wednesday (2)

*Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine

This weeks “Can’t Wait For” is:

Fallen by Lauren Kate

Seventeen-Year-Old Luce is a new student at Sword & Cross, an unwelcoming boarding/reform school in Savannah, Georgia. Luce’s boyfriend died under suspicious circumstances, and now she carries the guilt over his death with her as she navigates the unfriendly halls at Sword & Cross, where every student seems to have an unpleasant—even evil—history.

It’s only when she sees Daniel, a gorgeous fellow student, that Luce feels there’s a reason to be here—though she doesn’t know what it is. And Daniel’s frosty cold demeanor toward her? It’s really a protective device that he’s used again . . . and again. For Daniel is a fallen angel, doomed to fall in love with the same girl every 17 years . . . and watch her die. And Luce is a fellow immortal, cursed to be reincarnated again and again as a mortal girl who has no idea of who she really is.

Release Date: December 8, 2009

WOW! This sounds like the type of book that will have me hooked from the beginning. With a heroine who has a past she knows nothing about – and obviously relives every 17 years, and a hero who’s a fallen angel. Need I say more? Just from reading the synopsis, I already have a bunch of questions forming in my head, and I can’t wait to find out what happens.

Also found an article at Feybound.com about this book. According to the article, Fallen is going to be a new YA series with the first four titles already bought by Random House.

Book Review: Frostbite

Frostbite by Richelle Mead

Released: April 10, 2008

Publisher: Razorbill

Pages: 327

Series: Vampire Academy #2

Rating: 5 stars

It's winter break at St. Vladimir's, but Rose is feeling anything but festive. A massive Strigoi attack has put the school on high alert, and now the Academy's crawling with Guardians--including Rose's hard-hitting mother, Janine Hathaway. And if hand-to-hand combat with her mom wasn't bad enough, Rose's tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason's got a huge crush on her, and Rose keeps getting stuck in Lissa's head while she's making out with her boyfriend, Christian. The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy's not taking any risks...This year, St. Vlad's annual holiday ski trip is mandatory.

But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only create the illusion of safety. When three friends run away in an offensive move against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescure them. But heroism rearely comes without a price...

As the story continues, I keep getting more and more addicted to this series. I absoluetely love these books. One thing is for sure, Richelle Mead knows how to keep her reader's eyes glued to the pages, I know mine were. I was so entralled with the story and the characters that I didn't even notice how fast the pages with thinning. The plot is well-developed and written, with some very unexpected twists thrown in. I fully enjoyed every inch of this book and I can't wait to start reading the next book in the Vampire Academy series, Shadow Kiss.

Book Blogger Appreciation Week

The second annual Book Blogger Appreciation Week is now accepting nominations for you favorite blogs! Anyone who blogs is welcome to participate. In fact, you don't have to have a blog to vote for you favorites. BBAW will take place September 14-18.

In My Mailbox (2)

*In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren

Evermore by Alyson Noel

Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever can see auras, hear people's thoughts, and know a person's life story by touch. Going out of her way to shield herself from human contact to suppress her abilities has branded her as a freak at her new high shcool - but everthing changes when she meets Damen Auguste. Ever sees Damen and feels an instant recognition. He is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy, and he holds many secrets.

Damen is able to make things appear and disappear, he always seems to know what she's thinking - and he's the only one who can silence the noise and the random energy in her head. She doesn't know who is really is - or what is. Damen is equal parts light and darkness, and he belongs to an enchanted new world where no one ever dies.


Blue Moon by Alyson Noel

Eager to lean everything she can about her new abilities as an Immortal, Ever turns to her beloved Damen to show her the way. But just as her powers are increasing, Damen's are waning. In an attempt to save him, Ever travels to the magical dimension of Summerland, where she learns the secrets of Damen's tortured past; a past which he has always kept hidden from her.

But in her quest to cure Damen, Ever discovers an ancient text that details the workings of time. Now Ever must chose between turning back the past and saving her family from the accident that claimed their lives - or staying in the present and saving Damen, who grows sicker every day...

Book Review: Vampire Academy

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Released: August 16, 2007

Publisher: Razorbill

Pages: 332

Series: Vampire Academy #1

Rating: 5 stars

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 the forever.

I have to admit that I passed this book up several times in the store. But I kept hearing great things about it, so I decided to give it a try. I am so glad I did because I was hooked from the first page. There was so much excitement going on that I had a VERY hard time putting it down. The main plot and characters were well drawn out. And it contained the perfect amount of suspense and action and even romance. Overall, a great read!

If you haven't already read it, I definitely recommend it.

Cover Talk: Hush Hush

Lately, I have seen a lot of talk over the internet about Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick and I just can't get the cover out of my head. It's one of the best covers I have seen and I can't wait to get my hands on a copy!

Synopsis from Fitzpatrick's website:

For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her. Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friend. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.

Release Date: October 13, 2009

Unless I know about or have already read books by an author, the cover is what usually will catch my eye. And this cover is a perfect example of what grabs my attention - something unique and different from all the others. This cover along sets off a dark and mysterious vibe. And I am all for anything paranormal or fantasy. I love so many things about this book like how the feathers toward the top of the book are read, and the position of the body (it's like he's falling - hint fallen angel). Also, I like how Patch is the one on the cover and not Nora. Like I said before, I am all for different.

Another Great Contest

The Story Siren is having a super cool book contest. You most definitly should check it out. Contest ends August 1st at midnight.

Here are a list of things that will be given to 1 lucky winner.

Books up for grabs:

Ballads of Suburbia by Stephanie Kuehnert (PB)

Intertwined by Gena Showalter (ARC)

Initiation by Susan Fine (PB)

The Espressologist by Kristina Springer (ARC)

Stealing Death by Janet Lee Carey (ARC)

The Everafter by Amy Huntley (ARC)

A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts by Ying Chang Compestine (ARC)

The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen (PB)

Another Faust by Daniel and Dina Nayeri (ARC)

After the Moment by Garret Freymann-Weyr (ARC) (not pictured above)

Bookish goodies up for grabs:

The Chronicles of Vladimir Todd poster

Only a Witch Can Fly stickers

set of four Gifted series bookmarks

The Cinderella Society bookmark, signed by Kay Cassidy

books for teens by Simone Elkeles bookmark

Silver Phoenix bookmark, featuring original art by Cindy Pon

Violet Wings bookmark

Ballads of Suburbia boomark

Meg Cabot bookmark

The Dust of 100 Dogs bookmark

Never Slow Dance with a Zombie bookmark

Lisa Schroeder postcard, signed by Lisa Schroeder

Front and Center postcard

Flash Burnout postcard

Great Contest!

Fantastic Book Reviews is having a Pre-Order Contest.

There will be 1 winner. Here are the rules:

1. Comment on which 3 books you're dying to read to read and why. +1
2. Link to blog or twitter. +1
3. Follower on twitter. +1
4. Follower on blog. +1
5. Answer her question correctly. Which book from the 2009 pre-order list is she dying to read? +5

You most definitely should head on over and participate. Contest ends July 28th @ midnight.

Waiting on Wednesday (1)

*Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine

One of my most anticipated books for this year is:

The Hollow by Jessica Verday

Synopsis:

When Abbey's best friend, Kristen, vanishes at the bridge near Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, everyone else is all too quick to accept that Kristen is dead and rumors fly that her death was no accident. Abbey goes through the motions of mourning her best friend, but privately, she refuses to believe that Kristen is really gone. Then she meets Caspian, the gorgeous and mysterious boy who shows up out of nowhere at Kristen's funeral, and keeps reappearing in Abbey's life. Caspian clearly has secrets of his own, but he's the only person who makes Abbey feel normal again...but also special.

Just when Abbey starts to feel that she might survive all this, she learns a secret that makes her question everything she thought she knew about her best friend. How could Kristen have kept silent about so much? And could this secret have led to her death? As Abbey struggles to understand Kristen's betrayal, she uncovers a frightening truth that nearly unravels her -- one that will challenge her emerging love for Caspian, as well as her own sanity.

Release Date: September 1, 2009

OMG! Doesn't that just sound amazing? I love suspenseful stories with secrets that change everything. This book just seems to have it all, plus I hint a tidbit of ramance too.

The Hollow is the beginning of a trilogy. The 2nd book is due to release in the fall of 2010, and 3rd book in the fall of 2011. If you haven't already read the first chapter, just click here.

In My Mailbox (1)

*In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren

I didn't go as crazy as normal, but there's always next week.

The Demon's Lexicon
By: Sarah Rees Brennan

Nick and his brother, Alan, have spent their lives on the run from magic. Their father was murdered, and their mother was driven mad by magicians and the demons who give them power. The magicians are hunting the Ryves family for a charm that Nick's mother stole - a charm that keeps her alive - and they want it badly enought to kill again.

Danger draws even closer when a brother and sister come to the Ryves family for help. The boy wears a demon's mark, a sign of death that almost nothing can erase...and when Alan also gets marked by a demon, Nick is desperate to save him. The only way to do that is to kill one of the magicians they have been hiding from for so long.

Ensnared in a deadly game of cat and mouse, Nick starts to suspect that his brother is telling him lie after lie about their past. As the magicians' Circle closes in on the family, Nick uncovers the secret that could destroy them all.

Prism
By: Faye Kellerman and Aliza Kellerman

From Back of Book:

Kaida Hutchenson isn't exactly psyched for the class trip to Carlsbad Cavers. Fourteen hours in a van with preeppy jock Zeke Anderson and high-school loner Joy Tallon? No, thank you.

But when a tragic and explosive accident turns the journey into a nightmare, Kaida would give anything to be back on the road. Stumbling at midnight through the unforgiving deserts, Kaida, Zeke, and Joy take refuge in an abandoned cave...until the world goes from pitch-black to blinding. The next thing Kaida knows, she's back home and everything is just as it was before the trip ever took place. Or is it?

Increasingly unnerved by the distorted world around her, Kaida starts receiving unexpected help from mysterious people. Soon she must band together with Zeke and Joy to try to make it back to the reality she remembers...and to survive the one she's fallen into.

My Soul to Lose by Rachel Vincent

Prequel to Rachel Vincent's new series Soul Screamers is available now as an eBook, but don't worry its free!

Synopsis:

It was supposed to be a fun day, shopping at the mall with her best friend, Emma. Then the panic attack started and Kaylee Cavanaugh finds herself screaming, unable to stop. Her secret fears are exposed and it's the worst day of her life.

Until she wakes up in the psychiatric unit.

But the hospital isn't safe for Kaylee, and getting out won't be easy because everyone thinks she's crazy. Everyone except Lydia, who has a secret of her own...

Check it out http://rachelvincent.com/mysoultolose.pdf

Contest: Shifter series by Rachel Vincent

Here's your chance to win the entire Shifters series by Rachel Vincent. 1 winner will get all of the 4 books – Stray, Rouge, Pride, and Prey – currently out. And as a bonus, PREY will be a signed copy!! Exciting! Entering is simple, all you have to do is follow the rules:

Comment on the author interview: +1
Comment on the book review: +1
Link to blog: +1
Follow the reviewer on Twitter: +1
Be a follower: +2

It's a fantastic giveaway, so check it out at: http://fantasticbookreview.blogspot.com/

Hurry, contest ends at midnight on July 17, 2009. Also, as said on her blog, contest is open to U.S. Residents only.

Book Review: Strange Angels

Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow

Release Date: May 14, 2009

Publisher: Razorbill

Pages: 304

Series: Strange Angels #1

Rating: 4 stars

Dru Anderson has been “strange” for as long as she can remember. She travels from town to town with her father, hunting the things that go bump in the night and eat the unwary. It’s a weird life, but a good one–until it all explodes and a zombie busts into her new house.

Alone, terrified, and trapped in an icy town, Dru’s going to need every inch of her wit and training to stay alive. Can she trust the boy who is just a little too adult–and just happens to get bit by a werwulf? Or the strange blue-eyed boy who tells her she’s heir to a long-forgotten power? Can she even trust her own instincts?

Because Dru is not the first in her family to be killed by the darkness of the Real World. The monsters have decided to hunt back–and now Dru has to figure out who totrust, who to fight, and when to run. And not incidentally, she has to figure
out how she’s going to get out of this alive.

And she has to do it by sundown, or it’s all over…

Dru and her father travel from town to town, hunting ghosts, suckers, and wulfen. But when her father goes missing and suddenly reappears one night as a zombie, Dru has no choice but to use all her sixteen years of training to keep her self alive. However, losing her father is just the beginning. There are a lot of mysteries in Dru’s life. The primary being what happened to her mother all those years ago, and how she got to be chosen as a hunter who chases the dark things in the night.

Instead of being the hunter, Dru ends up as the hunted. Evil comes knocking and the last think she expects is help from Graves, a shaggy-haired goth guy. But the favor is returned when she saves his life from a werwulf attack. Dru and Graves make a pack to stick together and then… Enter Christophe, with looks that kill including those ice-cold blue eyes, and experienced fighting skills. Oh and can’t forget about those fangs. The things he knows about Dru could change her life.

Forever…

From the beginning, I was hooked. Dru is tough and smart – she would have to be to stay alive in the world she lives in – but Lili St. Crow keeps it real by showing readers glimpses of Dru’s vulnerability. From the details we get of Dru’s background, Dru and her father’s relationship seemed rock solid, but I felt as though I was missing out on something.

Lili St. Crow did a good job putting this story together. It has a great plot, with twists and turns that keep you turning the page just to find out more. I like how she spiced up some of her words, like “sucker” – for vampire – and “wulfen” – for werewolves. Plus, her characters are well developed, or left a little mysterious like Christophe. I think he has just as many secrets as Dru has – although she might not know about them yet. I can’t wait to read the next addition to the series, Betrayals, coming this November.