Dhampir (The Noble Dead #1)

Magiere has earned a reputation as the most formidable vampire slayer in the land. Villagers far and wide welcome her with both awe and disdain — grateful to her for ridding their towns of the undead menace, but finding themselves made poorer for their salvation. Magiere knows she’s dealing with simple folk, who only wish to have their superstitions silenced, and sees nothing wrong with exploiting them for profit.

Now, tired of the game, Magiere and her partner, the half-elf Leesil, are ready to hang up their weapons and settle down in a place they can finally call home. But their newfound peace will not last — for Magiere has come to the attention of a trio of powerful and dangerous vampires who know her true identity — and fear the birthright that flows through her veins. And they will stop at nothing to keep Magiere from fulfilling her destiny.

*May Contain Spoilers*

I always enjoy an interesting fantasy novel with vampires so I'm not surprised my friend gave me Dhampir by Barb and JC Hendee after she had finished reading it. Though she warned me it started slow, it was almost too slow. Therefore, it became the book I read between other books so it took me quite a while to finish it. 

The main characters of this book are Magiere and Leesil. Both of them were interesting and well-developed characters with room for improvement and further discovery. Magiere is a dhampir, half-vampire, and half-human, that isn't aware of her mixed heritage at the beginning of the story. In the past, she's used a facade of being a vampire hunter to make money, but when real vampires (or Noble Deads) learn of her existence, they decide to put a stop to her 'hunting.' This is when she finds out she was actually born to hunt vampires. Magiere is the quiet sort who swindles but doesn't want to make a lifetime career of it. She wants to settle down and live a quiet life by the sea. I think readers will like her, but may not connect with her due to her serious nature. Though, I think many readers will like Leesil a bit more as he offers a balance to Magiere's formidable seriousness while also having a secret, shameful past that gives him a haunted air. 

Leesil has elven heritage and adds to the fantasy details right away. Not only is he Magiere's trustworthy sidekick, he also is quite caring and intelligent. Though it's a bit scary how intelligent he is in killing... due to his secret past. I enjoyed Leesil's character more than Magiere's, but I think for those who decide to continue reading the series, the revealing of Magiere's past will create a firmer connection with readers as they discover more about her at the same time she does. 

The plot of the novel was very enjoyable, though slow, like I previously mentioned. Magiere and Leesil decide to quit swindling townspeople with their little game after Magiere saves enough money to buy a tavern in a little seaside town. Though their ruse of being vampire hunters has already reached three Noble Dead who live in that same seaside town. Now they believe Magiere is after them and decide to kill her before she kills them. This gives the story a back and forth plot as the Hendees switch points of view to include the three Noble Dead: Rashed, Teesha, and Ratboy. Even though I did enjoy this book and would recommend it to readers who enjoy fantasy, vampires, and a plot line that has just as many secrets as the characters, I don't think I'll be continuing the series.

Rating: 2.5/5 Cups

Teaser Tuesday (292)

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday, the weekly Meme that wants you to add books to your TBR, or just share what you are currently reading. It is very easy to play along:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.

This week my teaser is from the book I read when I'm in between books! Enjoy!

Dhampir (p.157) 

    - Barb and JC Hendee

"Shhhhh," she whispered. "It's not far to dawn. Come and find easier prey. You must think of our home. You must think of me."

City of Fallen Angels

The Mortal War is over, and sixteen-year-old Clary Fray is back home in New York, excited about all the possibilities before her. She’s training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. Her mother is getting married to the love of her life. Downworlders and Shadowhunters are at peace at last. And—most importantly of all—she can finally call Jace her boyfriend.
But nothing comes without a price.

Someone is murdering Shadowhunters, provoking tensions between Downworlders and Shadowhunters that could lead to a second, bloody war. Clary’s best friend, Simon, can’t help her—his mother just found out that he’s a vampire, and now he’s homeless. When Jace begins to pull away from her without explaining why, Clary is forced to delve into the heart of a mystery whose solution reveals her worst nightmare: she herself has set in motion a terrible chain of events that could lead to her losing everything she loves. Even Jace.

*May Contain Spoilers*

"For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction." Newton taught us that and the world of Shadowhunters and Downworlders is not to be omitted. Cassandra Clare shares the consequences of upsetting the balance between light and dark in her fourth novel of the Mortal Instruments series, City of Fallen Angels.

Though Clary and Jace are the main characters of the series, this book focuses heavily on Simon Lewis, the vampire and Daylighter who bears the Mark of Cain. Simon is a troubled vampire who struggles to give up the life he knew as a human. He's protective, wonderfully sarcastic, and increasingly reliable. Coupled with the fact that no one can harm him without it returning on the attacker sevenfold, vampires and demons want him on their side, willing to use force if necessary. Simon has been a strong character, an even stronger influence on Clary, throughout the entire series. Readers will definitely enjoy the deeper look into this character that Clare offers. 

The novel begins with several story lines, all seemingly unconnected. Jace is having dreams in which he kills Clary. Clary and her mother, Jocelyn, are caught up in a mystery of dying newborn humans while she and Luke are planning their wedding. Meanwhile Alec is off traveling the world with Magnus and Simon is having trouble dating both Isabelle and Maia. To make things even more difficult, someone is, repeatedly, trying to kill Simon. Cleverly, Clare manages to connect all of the plot lines into one meticulously planned web which involves one of the oldest and Greatest Demons. If only Clary hadn't upset the balance by bringing Jace back from death in City of Glass...

All bets are off in City of Fallen Angels, as the lives of the shadowhunting crew are put on the line facing down a demon more powerful than Valentine ever was. Though even at the end, the story isn't over, setting up the next installment perfectly. 

Rating: 3.5/5 Cups

City of Glass

To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters - never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.
As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadowhunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadowhunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City - whatever the cost?

*Contains Spoilers*

Valentine has the Mortal Cup and Mortal Sword in his possession. He now only needs the mirror to summon the angel, Raziel, in order to fulfill his plan. But the Clave doesn't seem to want to listen to any sense involving what Valentine may or may not do, so Cassandra Clare leaves it up to the normal underage shadowhunting crew of Jace, Alec, and Isabelle with a dash of Clary in her novel, City of Glass. 

This installment of the Mortal Instruments is the trickiest, thus far, to further develop character connections due to the increased amount of deception. Though deception has been a major theme throughout the first two novels, it evolves into more of a force in City of Glass.Clary remains her stubborn, rambunctious, and always helpful self (Just a bit of sarcasm there). She is determined to save her mother and won't let anyone tell her to stay home, which does, almost unbelievably, end well. Readers will learn much more about Clary's maternal past, thus having a much more complete history to connect with. (Though, there still seem to be a few secret skeletons slinking around according to the Seelie Queen.)

As for the supporting cast, readers learn more about Jace, though most of it is a collection of lies. Clare eventually does unveil that he has angelic blood, not demon, and that he is really the descendant of Stephen Herondale (remember Will from Clockwork?), not Valentine. His bravery and courage shine as he faces down a newly introduced enemy. Simon is still the only "Daylighter," a vampire that can walk in the sunlight, and Raphael has a very large problem with it. Simon also has a chance to show his bravery and newly acquired vampire fighting skills as he takes his turn standing up for his friends, aligning the Vampires with the Clave. Alec finally comes out to his family, and the whole world, when he teams up with Magnus and kisses him quite publicly. It may have been a cheesy moment but I smiled none-the-less. Isabelle does what she does best and is brutally honest and downright badass when she needs to be. 

The plot of this third installation follows Jace and Clary as they separately head to Alicante, the City of Glass in Idris. While Clary is focused on saving her mother, Jace is focused on helping determine the next step of Valentine's plan. With more deception than ever before, Clare sets up a mysterious supernatural story that won't disappoint shadowhunting fans. But now that the epic of story of Valentine has come to an end, what do readers expect for the next novels of Miss Cassandra Clare?

Rating: 3/5 Cups

City of Ashes (Mortal Instruments #2)

Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go — especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil — and also her father.

To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings — and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?

*May Contain Spoilers*

Cassandra Clare delivers everything a reader could hope for in her second installment of the Mortal Instruments series, City of Ashes. She picks up directly where she left off in City of Bones and carries readers away into her invisible city of Shadowhunters, demons, werewolves, vampires, and magic. 

The focus remains on Clary, whose life was turned upside down when her evil father, Valentine, showed up ready to take down the Clave. As a main character in a series, Clary will certainly evolve as the story line continues. In City of Ashes, readers begin to see the evolution. Her naivete is slowly diminishing and her strength is definitely growing. Clary is becoming the epitome of courage and loyalty, two traits that readers will love. Nothing's better than a strong female character and Clary has her sights set on the label, though she still struggles with teenage angst and uncertainty. The bond established in the first novel solidifies in this sequel, pulling readers in with an undeniable force. 

The Mortal Instruments plot continues and deepens when Valentine steals the second mortal instrument, the Soul-Sword, from the Silent Brothers. Jace believes that Valentine is preparing for a ritual that will allow him to control an army of demons. No one wants that to happen but no one will believe Jace, foreshadowing dark times for our favorite Shadowhunters. Meanwhile, Simon is becoming a Vampire and may die in the process, downworlders are being murdered, and everyone's speaking too literally for the truth to be found. It's left to Jace, Clary, Alec, and Isabelle to stop Valentine before it's too late and demons are under his rule, destroying the Clave and leaving the world unprotected. 

Rating: 4.5/5 Cups

The Vampire Christopher

Every thousand years the Vampire Queen selects a new body, always the fairest in the land, and this time she's chosen Snow White. 

Snow White craves blood. Especially the blood of her Hunter. But will drinking from him save or enslave her?

*May Contain Spoilers*

The third novella in the Blood and Snow series, RaShelle Workman gives readers a more in-depth look at Christopher. He's the "drone" vampire who was assigned by the Vampire Queen to protect Snow until she is chosen/not chosen as the new body of the Vampire Queen. 

Readers learn that Chace Charming is in fact Christopher and that Snow couldn't stop herself from tasting his blood. Something she was told to try not to do. Now she is finding herself craving more of his blood and attention. She's unsure what his feelings are but hopes for the best. After all, it is his job to protect her. On that line of thinking, he must care a little. 

Snow is also shown how Christopher became a vampire and it touches her heart. When she brings back something special to him from the vision, he can't believe or understand it. We don't get to learn what the importance of the item is, but Workman definitely hints at it value. 

As the main character, and the heroine of this story, Snow is changing into a stronger, more agile, and more inquisitive version of herself. Which definitely makes me like her more. The falling for the "drone" vampire kind of irks me as a reader, cause I'm always rooting for the good guy (Gabriel!). Only speaking for myself here, but I didn't enjoy their lets-just-be-friends conversation. The teenage girl that still resides inside of me is excited about the next installment. The adult is shaking her head.

Rating: 2.5/5 Cups

Revenant in Training

Snow has become something not quite human. She must discover how to live with the changes, hopefully without killing anyone.

*May Contain Spoilers*

In the first novella of the Blood and Snow series by RaShelle Workman, readers learned that there's a Vampire Queen looking for her next host to live out the coming 1,000 years. Snow White has been chosen as one of the hosts and when this installment ends, she's been bitten. Now, she's officially a revenant in the second novella, Revenant in Training. 

As she begins to turn into a vampire she begins craving blood. She only has one main rule: never feed from the same person twice, which doesn't seem like it'll come easy to Snow. Readers learn more about Snow in this installment, slowly giving life to a reader/character connection. While the first novella focused on clumsiness and teenage crush, readers now gain another trait: bravery. Snow is thrown into this supernatural world where she's suddenly becoming a vampire and training to be a revenant. Yes, her fear and uncertainty is depicted but she does pretty well accepting everything that's going on. Perhaps it's just her bloodlust taking over...? 

The plot expands as readers find out that the doctor next door is a vampire and worked to help the Vampire Queen pick her future bodies. Now, he protects the innocent girls, which includes Snow. Readers also learn that the doctor is going to attempt to kill the Queen and Snow just might be the secret weapon. The story line is definitely interesting but the character connection still doesn't seem strong enough. 

Rating: 2.5/5 Cups

Blood and Snow 2: Revenant in Training

Blood and Snow

Snow White lives in Salem, Massachusetts with her dad, stepmother, and her cat, Gatsby. Her entire life she's been teased for her fairy tale name, and the fact that her seven best friends happen to be guys whose names begin with the same letters as the seven dwarves.

Everything changes two months before her sixteenth birthday. She's bitten by The Hunter, and transformed into a revenant—not quite human, not quite vampire.

*May Contain Spoilers*

RaShelle Workman adds a vampiric twist to the story of Snow White in her novella, the first in the series, Blood and Snow. However, this version of Snow White gives a more supernatural overtone rather than that of a fairy tale. With quirky details and the promise of vampires this opening novella has me excited.

Snow is the main character throughout the series. She's an absolute klutz who's falling in love with the boy next door. Well, one of them, since there are seven boys living in the neighboring mansion. Snow's mother died when she was young and her father and step-mother often leave her alone for long periods of time. (Yes, the step-mother sounds a little evil.) Readers will connect with her based on her teenage angst and her new found crush. However, since this first installment of the series is so short, it's hard to build upon that initial connection. 

The plot of the series isn't completely laid out in Blood and Snow, but readers do learn that the Queen Vampire has chosen Snow... for something and has already begun to change her into a vampire. This book is definitely a teaser for what's to come. Hopefully in the following novellas, Workman will build on the initial connection that she's created so that readers can have a firm bond with Snow.

Rating: 2.5/5 Cups

Blood and Snow (#1 Blood and Snow series)

Teaser Tuesday (70)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Blood and Snow (p.17)
   - RaShelle Workman


"Lips red as rubies, hair dark as night. Drink your true love's blood, become the Vampire, Snow White."
"I want it."

A Hidden Fire

"No secret stays hidden forever."

A phone call from an old friend sets Dr. Giovanni Vecchio back on the path of a mystery he'd abandoned years before. He never expected a young librarian could hold the key to the search, nor could he have expected the danger she would attract. Now he and Beatrice De Novo will follow a twisted maze that leads from the archives of a university library, through the fires of Renaissance Florence, and toward a confrontation they never could have predicted.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Elizabeth Hunter gives vampires the four main elements to supplement their power in her novel, A Hidden Fire, the first in her Elemental Mysteries series. 

Giovanni has lived for over 500 years as a fire vampire. During which his beloved manuscripts and books were stolen from him. With mysterious letters appearing randomly, he knows that something isn't right. As the mystery unravels, readers will come to know Gio as more than a book loving vamp. Giovanni is a very likeable character; especially when paired with his supporting cast of vampire friends. He's truthful, dependable, and always puts his loved one's needs before his own. Readers will connect with him based on the empathy his story evokes.

Beatrice, the siren, the innocent bystander who is sucked into a world she didn't know existed. Beatrice keeps this book interesting. Hunter did a wonderful job crafting this character as she is full of wit, sarcasm, extremely smart, and full of love. Between the banter of Beatrice and other characters, plus the romantic notion Giovanni holds for her, readers will love Beatrice. They may have trouble connecting with her at first, but as the novel progresses and she opens up, so will the minds of readers. 

The plot of A Hidden Fire was rough getting off of the ground. It tumbles and twirls without a hint as to where it's going for a chapter or so, but then it gets on track. The mystery plot sometimes seemed to fall to the wayside during the beginning/middle of the book, as the author focused more on Beatrice and Giovanni, but the character development was ahead of the game. Toward the end, Hunter set a good pace as the mystery began to be solved, though it will carry over into the next books in the series. 

Overall, A Hidden Fire was a wonderful mystery novel about vampires, which is rare to see. Though the vampires played main parts, the plot specifically wasn't about vampires. I would have to say that I liked that, and highly recommend this series. I know that I will be continuing on to the next book. Hopefully very soon. 

Rating: 4/5 Cups

A Hidden Fire: Elemental Mysteries Book 1 

P.S:

Merry Christmas Eve! 

Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter

If there is one thing eighteen-year-old Aurora Sky wants, it’s to get off the iceberg she calls home. Being kissed before she graduates wouldn’t hurt either.

Then a near-fatal car wreck changes everything. Government agents step in and save Aurora’s life in exchange for her services as a vampire hunter. In Alaska. Basically she’s a glorified chew toy. All thanks to her rare blood type, which sends a vampire into temporary paralysis right before she has to finish the job… by hand.

Now Aurora’s only friends are groupies of the undead and the only boy she can think about may very well be a vampire. And if he’s a vampire, she’ll have to kill him.

(For ages 18+)

*May Contain Spoilers*

Nikki Jefford has amazed me. Again. In her newest novel, Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter, Jefford turns vampirism into a real disease. The explanation that people with the blood type AB can become vampires by extracting a deadly disease (and surviving it) is pure creative genius. I admire that Jefford gave vampirism a new back story, making it a possible realistic occurrence. 

Aurora Sky, the main character of the novel which is told in her point of view, is a simple teenage girl who dies in a car accident. After learning of her rare blood type, the government steps in, replacing a few organs, infecting her with an array of deadly diseases, and then giving her an antidote so she won't turn into a vampire... but instead become their worst enemy. 

After the transfusion, Aurora is trained as a vampire hunter which is a lot like being thrown to the wolves.  And then, of course, is on the job training with her mentor Dante. All of this happening while Aurora is trying to finish high school, falling in love, and making new friends. Talk about a heavy burden! 

But Aurora can definitely handle herself. After the government made her superhuman, her personality shifts into your typical badass. She's not afraid of anything and is learning to stick up for herself (and others). Though, it does tend to get her into trouble. Readers will connect with Aurora based on her new found teenage angst to live her own life, her desire to be a normal girl even if it's impossible now, and her dreams for the future. 

However, even though this book seems like a YA novel, it definitely is not. There's cursing, sexual innuendos, and some gory descriptions. Highly recommended for readers who are 18+! Absolutely cannot wait until the second volume is released! Better get writing Jefford... =) 

Rating: 5/5 Cups

Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter