Call of the Vampire by Gayla Twist

Author: Gayla Twist
Title: Call of the Vampire (#1)
Series: Vanderlind Castle
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Release Date: March 18, 2013
ISBN: 1482669285
Authors website: gaylatwist.blogspot.com

Kindle was very adamant about selecting this read for me. I even added it to my TBR list. The book cover just didn't do it for me and the synopsis wasn't too appealing for me either. But the good reviews outweighed the negative ones, so I gave it a shot. 

Aurora is a young seventeen year old girl who is easily persuaded by her heedless best friend, Blossom.  One day, Blossom wheedles Aurora to crash a party at the exclusive and captivating Vanderlind Castle and this is where the girls meet both the cad and Aurora's confused love interest. 

From the beginning I thought the characters names were all off and it really irked me. Aurora, although a very beautiful name, just seemed like it should belong to an older woman. Say, a deceased aunt? Jessie, a boy of noble blood, is such common name; more like a nickname. And Blossom? I know the ditzy friend should have a low-key name. But blossom means something to grow in a healthy manner and Blossom (the bff) definitely is not a healthy choice for Aurora. The names are all wrong. I believe that names are a large part of a story. They carry a weighted meaning for each character and I don't think this amateur author thought this through. I think she picked names that were pretty and not in connection for a story that should be dark and mysterious. 

Other reviews stated this was a fresh new storyline and the characters were so likable. I disagree. Completely. It read like the Twilight series. A whiny teenager not being able to function because her crush doesn't show up to her bedroom. The Bishops are the oldest vampire family who keep their secret sacred - read: Voltori. And there really isn't any connection that caught between Aurora and Jessie. I never felt those sparks between them. Nothing ever happened between them to create a bond other than Aurora's likeness to her dead Aunt Colette, rather, Lettie (another terrible nick/name). And she thought it was alright when Jessie kept calling her by his past loves name after a kiss or embrace. Uhh, no. Aurora was such a pushover. 

Then there's the element of this book being so preachy (again!, Twilight-esque). When I started reading things like you should never do this, my mom told me not to do that, my mom knows what she's talking about, my mom put me in self-defence classes, my mom... *turns off Kindle*  I started thinking this was a book targeted for junior high kids, not high school to college. I believe the author could have gone around the mini sermons and maybe elaborated more on the story at hand. 

This novella was sparse in story-line information, connections between characters, character building, and nonsensical ramblings about Jessie's gray eyes, porcelain skin and statuesque body (another Twilight reference), and Aurora's very short and deficient dreams.

I really want to read the second book in the series. Yes, you read that statement correctly. Mainly just to see if Ms. Twist can redeem herself and her story. 

But the book cover isn't even cohesive to the story. The girl pictured on the cover is the complete opposite of what Twist described within the book. And the castle from book one to book two isn't even the same! The author should have put a little more effort in making this series presentable and more enjoyable. 

I'm really not anti-author! I think bringing an idea to life and taking the time to write is amazing! I wish I had the time and chance to do that with my own personal stories. My review is not an attack on the author personally. Instead, I think it's the execution of the whole package. I'm sure the author will develop her composition skills and find her true voice. 

Rated 1/5 owls

Vanderlind Castle Series:

Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead

Author: Richelle Mead

Title: Silver Shadows

Series: Bloodlines; spin-off from Vampire Academy

Publisher: Razorbill

Release Date: July 29, 2014

ISBN: 1595143211

Author's Site: www.richellemead.com 

...and we not only have a date, blurb, and title, we finally have a cover! I'm loving it so, so much! Sydney looks completely pissed. Look at her face! Her lips aren't even pursed anymore; she has a determination to fight back. And that fire in her eyes, Adrian in the background.... AHHHH! 

Ahem, sorry. Fangirl moment.

I'm so late to the party. Mead's Goodreads page was update a couple of weeks ago. No matter, I'm truly excited!

Do not read Silver Shadows if you have not read the four books preceding this one. Especially book four, The Fiery Heart. An amazing amount of events percolate through relationships, friendships, and ideas. I'm in the process of writing a few short reviews (Fiery Heart being one of them) and I can tell you that it was by far the best book in the series. It's non-stop!

I'm definitely looking forward to book five. I just know there's going to be some sort of war brewing in the Alchemist world with Sydney at the forefront frighting not only for her love or even the freedom to love, but the freedom to love all people and beings; yes, beings. This has got to be packed with action - both mentally and physically. There's no doubt about it. Whether it's a physical battle or metaphysical (without a doubt both), Silver Shadows is going to be great. Mead never let's us down. And I'm sure she's going to prove just once again.

Pelican Bay by Jesse Giles Christiansen

Author: Jesse Giles Chirstiansen

Title: Pelican Bay

Publisher: Imajin Books

Realease Date: July 20, 2013

ISBN: 1927792126

Authors Site: jessegileschristiansen.com

NOTE: This eBook was gifted by the author for an honest review.

(I have to give a huge apology to author, Jesse G. Christiansen. He was so kind as to ask me to review his story, which I'm sure he worked diligently on, and I let him down. I never posted my review which was sitting in a sub-folder in my computer. And I'm so sorry for that. I truly believed I had posted my review over two months ago! Again, my apologies. But thank you for giving me the opportunity to share in Ethan's and the Captain's lives.)

What is the first thing you do when you see what looks like a cemetery at the bottom of the sea? Normally, a person would ask questions and more than likely just let it go. I mean, I'd be spooked if I saw an undersea burial site. Not Ethan! Ethan dives head first ignoring the captains warnings. That decision takes Ethan on a journey which he may regret. 

Living close by an island I'm surprised I've never read more "nautical themed" books. Actually, I don't think I've ever read one. However, I'm glad I started with this story. At first, the book starts off laying the ground work so it is a bit slow. But once you get past the backstory, the present tale begins and you become soaked up in Ethan's adventure to find out why a young boy is buried at the bottom of the sea. 

The female characters in this book are not very assertive or even formidable. They were always worried, scared, and distressed with any little bit of information they were presented with or situation that was thrown at them. I feel that the story would have survived without their presence because they were so delicate. 

The murder/mystery parts of the book were fantastic though! Christiansen's descriptions of the bay, the scent of the sea air, the library during the resolution of the story were spot on. I could envision the characters' features, their scent, the aroma of the dark island. 

This story was anything but cheerful. Christiansen flawlessly captured the dark and austere mood of the book. It was captured from the cover of the book to his detailed narration of a story that Ethan should not have explored. 

It's no surprise PELICAN BAY is on Amazon's Best Sellers list! I look forward to reading more stories by Mr. Christiansen in the future. 

Rated 5/5 Owls

Why do they torment us?

Author: Sarah Addison Allen

Title: Lost Lake

Series: Stand alone

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Release Date: January 21, 2014

ISBN: 123001980X

Author's Site: sarahaddisonallen.com

NOTE: This is not a review. This is my spout.

UPDATE: New release date has been moved up to Tuesday, January 21, 2014 as of 10/29/13 via Amazon!!

Do you have a favorite author who's only penned a few books and when they finally have a new book to be release (three years later) you find yourself cyber stalking the internet on any information you can get? I'm sure I'm not the only one. And every time this happens, I instantly regret the actions I undertake the moment I've done them. Below are a few examples of foolishness in a step-by-step process:

First I get an automated email from my author informing me they are in the works of writing a new book. I instantly freak out. I don't even have a book title, much less a cover, and in most cases the absence of a release date. 

Then! I head on over to the author's official site, Goodreads page, Twitter, Facebook, and finally Pinterest (which usually doesn't give me anything). 

A few weeks later, when I've decided to give up and stop reading my Google Alerts (because it's all the same thing), I get another email from the publisher/editor/author that there is a new synopsis, a book trailer, a book cover (FINALLY!), and then they give it to you… an excerpt. 

Excerpts are a dirty thing to publish for readers. Especially fans of the author. Even more so when the publication date is months away. And this is where I hate myself. I READ IT. I get so immersed in those ten little pages of the story that when my page stops scrolling down so I can get my wordage fix, it's over. The characters are in book limbo, I can't read the rest of their story, their complications, that magic… 

That's when I promise myself that I will not do that again. I will not be drawn to the little blue link "read the excerpt here" ever again. 

Moral of the story? I keep lying to myself. And I'm sure you do as well. Because no matter how hard we try to stay unruffled when new information about our precious writer and their new book, we become weak little bookworms who are squished by their excerpt links, vague dates, and shortfalls of book art. We're just a bunch of literary junkies trying to get any sort of anticipated composition fix. 

I'm in this predicament at the moment. One of my absolute favorite writers, Sarah Addison Allen, has been in the process of writing a new book - LOST LAKE - after three years away kicking breast cancer in its metaphorical ass! I have to say that I'm very happy for her recover and continued remission. In the past year she has given us a little opening into her life window as to how she is doing and what is going on with her writing. Yesterday, a snippet of her latest book was posted on Goodreads. I opened the link immediately but then... I didn't read it. Not even the title of the chapter. I'm proud of myself for not falling into this trap. I don't have to read this excerpt to know  I'll love it. I know I will. I deeply enjoy all of her books. She has a mystical writing voice. Full of wonderment, enchantment, and warmth. 

I'm going to try and make it to February. Unless I happen to win an advanced copy! *wishful thinking*

The Nightlife: New York by Travis Luedke

Author: Travis Luedke

Title: The Nightlife: New York

Series: The Nightlife Series, Book 1

Publisher: Travis Luedke

Release Date: August 18, 2012

ASIN: B0090P1MIU

Author's Site: twluedke.com

NOTE: This book contains graphic language, erotica, and violent situations. Recommended for readers 18+

Several years have passed since I've read a story by a male author in my beloved vampire genre. I believe Polidori, Tieck, Goethe, and Le Fanu were the last male authors who penned vampire fiction which I appreciate. I usually sway in another direction from male authors who write romance stories because sometimes they're just too crass and simply don't get it. But then I happened to come across fellow Texan, Travis Luedke who had positive ratings by both women and men, had a pretty amazing book series cover (that's right, I judge books by their covers!!) and he mentioned that his first story in a series was online for free. I figured I 'd see what I missing out on. He didn't disappoint... until the end. But let me explain: It's me, not him... you'll see.

Luedke was able to write for both the ladies and men in his first book which isn't easy for many authors to accomplish. We're introduced to Michelle who is classically French, blonde, beyond beautiful, and a seductress who knows exactly how to get what she needs when she wants it. Score one for the guys.

Then there's Aaron who is adorkable, kind, strong, sexy but doesn't know it and someone who get's to be molded into that perfect man. Score one for the girlies.

I know vampires are supposed to be vengeful, corrupt, and evil, but I liked that Miss Vampire Michelle was torn internally as how to live with her new companion. Her past is terrible and one she tries not to impose on Aaron. She feeds to survive. She teaches Aaron lessons on survival, not corruption. Oddly enough, the humans they cross paths with are vile and unscrupulous. Touché, Mr. Luedke.

The foundation laid for Michelle and Aaron's upcoming adventure with unruly detectives is spot on. I kinda sorta already knew what to expect and which way the outcome of their confrontations was going to sway. But the story and time leading up to their brawl is well-paced and I found myself cheering for those bloody vampires.

Another aspect of the story I enjoyed was that the story kept going. Yup, you read that right. The author actually kept writing after all the hoopla and we get a little more closure in book one. However, it's the ending which caught me completely off guard and made me, um, uneasy? Some pretty graphic stuff happens. I'm a pansy when it comes to reading and "seeing" those words in my head become an imaginative reality. No me gusta. That happened a couple of times throughout the book, but the ending sealed the deal for me to not continue the series. Like I said, it's me, not him.

The writing, the story, the plot, the characters... everything was cohesive and fell into place. I read the synopses for his follow up stories and I'm pretty content that ending my relationships with Michelle and Aaron right here is the appropriate thing for me. I'm not much of a stickler for bondage, sexual enslavement... that sort of thing. But if you are, then by all means read and continue!

Rated 4/5 owls

CRUSH by Lacey Weatherford

Author: Lacey Weatherford
Title: Crush
Series: Crush Series, Book 1
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Release Date: October, 19, 2012 (Paperback, 332 pgs)
ISBN: 1479398772
Author's Site: http://www.laceyweatherfordbooks.com/

Alright, so I've had this book on my TBR list for quite some time now. The reviews and stars were so positive I assumed it was going to be another fantastic series I would instantly fangirl over. I was so, so, so wrong. I'm a bit confused as to who the author is writing for? The characters are very one dimensional and everyone is so polite and cordial. Saying 'thank you', 'please', and 'I'm sorry' after every sentence. I mean, nobody constantly thanks someone for liking them all the time right? 

And this seventeen year old teenager, Cami, is so open and loving towards her parents. No disgruntled, hormonal teenager yelling and slamming doors ever. So that makes me think it's targeted for middle school readers. But then! there  are make out scenes left and right. On the football field, classrooms, bedrooms, living rooms... Then I think, 'Alright, this is for high school readers.' There's also talk about drugs and a drug war, the love interest is a pot head (among other things) and justifies his drug use. Stahp!

Furthermore, there is this dark looming secret that Hunter, the love interest, has and can't tell anyone about it. This secret is talked about to death but isn't proclaimed until the book is almost over. Oh, oh, oh! I almost forgot about the creepy best friend whom Cami always professes her love for as a brother only. Really, she keeps telling this mentally crazed kid she loves him, she loves him, she loves him, but can only be his best friend and nothing more. So annoying!! THAT IS WHY IS STALKING YOU and kisses you every opportunity he gets, Cami. Bleh. 

The writing itself is subpar and pretty straightforward. Pretty shocking since I did a little more research on Weatherford and she's produced several series books. I appreciate the time spent to write a book, even more so, a series. But honestly, how the author is able to pen additional books in this series is beyond me. The characters are tiresome, conversations are dragged out too long, and there were even grammatical errors throughout the book. I'm just glad I've finished this book and got it out of the way. I really was disappointed. I guess it's obvious I will not continue with the series, huh? 

Rated 1/5 Owls

ENSHADOWED by Kelly Creagh

Author: Kelly Creagh

Title: Enshadowed

Series: Nevermore Series, Book 2

Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Release Date: Aug. 28, 2012 (Kindle), Aug. 27, 2013 (Hardcover, 448 pgs)

ISBN: 1442402067

Author's Site: http://www.kellycreagh.com/

Some part of me knew which way this book was going to go before I even picked it up, but I'd put that thought aside and hoped I would be proven wrong. Unfortunately, the story swayed as I originally thought it would. But that's alright, I suppose, because there has to be a final chapter to this three-part series. 

I first have to say that I was recently introduced to NEVERMORE by accident while browsing around Amazon deep into the late hours, as usual, and I'm so glad I did. (The cover swayed me too. I mean, you HAVE  seen Varen, right? Also, who are those models?) I purchased NEVERMORE (Book 1) and it arrived a day later. To my surprise, the book was hefty; five-hundred pages of a newfangled tale and genre that I don't recall having ever read. At first I was reluctant to begin such a long story but by the end of the day, well, night (2 am), I read NEVERMORE in it's entirety. I had to have more immediately. And so I immediately searched on Amazon, tweeted Ms. Creagh, and snagged my Kindle to purchase the second part of Isobel's and Varen's digital story.

I digress. Sorry. So getting back to ENSHADOWED… I must exclaim that I enjoyed every page of this book! Talk about a page-turner. It's face-paced, mesmerizing, suspenseful, and I found myself holding my breath and forgetting to breathe. ENSHADOWED is the second book in a three-part series that continues with Isobel's search to find her dear Varen. We see Isobel change drastically, but who wouldn't with Nocs and other disturbing creatures visiting you randomly, both in reality and the dream realm?

Without giving away too much Isobel finds herself battling with who she once was, who her parents want her to be, and who she needs to be to find Varen as she promised. She's confronted by her teacher, her parents, brother, new bestie, and now people from Varen's life. It's all so consuming and her struggle to figure out if she's in the dream world or not is finally making more sense to her… and to me. At times, I have to re-read parts and try to make sense of it and make mental notes of sequences, places, phrases, and even body language. 

There are questions answered from NEVERMORE but even more unanswered questions in ENSHADOWED. There are even surprises that arise and then later I think, 'Well, yeah. That had to happen because…' 

If you can't wait until August 28, 2013 for the hard/paperback, then grab your eReader and purchase this months early digital release to continue on Isobel's quest to find Varen. 

Rated 5/5 Owls

Haven't read the first part of this alluring tale? Click to purchase your copy of the first part of Isobel and Varen's eerie love story, NEVERMORE.

Calling all Morganville residents!

Thanks to the brave Rachel Caine who wrote our story about those we've lost to vampires, she's now trying to film a visual account about Morganville but she needs our help! Whether you're currently a resident of Morganville or decided to make a break for it, let's get our story heard! Let's back Rachel and help fund this project. WE ONLY HAVE THREE DAYS LEFT!! You can donate as little as one dollar - it really adds up. But if you're feeling generous, unlike the reprehensible Oliver, you can donate much more.

Simply click on Rachel's Kickstarter page to go through the levels and prizes. The latest I heard was that you can swipe Myrnin's bunny slippers. Not sure why Claire never snagged them? So let's support The Glass House gang because who doesn't want to see our favorite friends and foes come to life in weekly webisodes?

____________________

Rachel Caine is one of my favorite authors who introduced me to Morganville, Texas and her awesome  fifteen-part vampire series. She's also the screenplay writer for the TV Web Series if all is successfully granted.

Blake Calhoun, a Texas filmmaker, will be directing this project bringing the citizens of Morganville to life. He's experienced in web series productions so the townspeople are in good hands.


UPDATE: (7.11.13)
The Mornganville Web TV Series has surpassed their goal and production will begin in the coming months! I'm so excited as are the rest of the Morganville community. Hooray!