Stolen Nights by Rebecca Maizel

If you haven't read Infinite Days yet and wish to remain spoiler free, you'll want to stop reading now.

Welcome back to Lovers Bay, where Lenah Beaudonte, former Queen of Vampires, now resides. And Lenah's past? It continues to haunt her. A vampire that Lenah turned has arrived in town and she's killing off Lenah's friends, demanding that Lenah give her the ritual. But it's a ritual that should never fall into vampire hands, in particular ones that have terrible intentions such as Odette. Of course, that's not Lenah's only problem. There's the small matter of Rhode--who could be alive. In the end, she'll have to make a choice, one that can change everything. 

It's been a while since the first book and it might be a good idea to re-read it before you dive into Stolen Nights for the sake of remembering where Infinite Days left off, but you can also hop right into Stolen Nights if you want to. No, really, I found it pretty easy to re-acclimate myself to Lenah's world despite having not re-read Infinite Days. Also, if you were a fan of Justin in the first book, well, let's just say that his personality isn't wasn't as sweet as it was in Infinite Days.

Expect more flashbacks, more Vicken, and a lot tension between characters. Things definitely get moving early on in Stolen Nights and they consistently keep moving until you reach the end. I think, for me personally, I would've liked the romance and the plot to tie together a bit better. Don't get me wrong, I definitely did like it, but I feel like there's a very particular scene towards the end that would've been perfect for a heart wrenching moment. When you get to the dance, you'll see what I mean. Then there was the use of the month of Nuit Rouge and spell materials that I found to be quite interesting. That intent could essentially change the outcome of a spell and that the meanings behind herbs and plants also played a role in the spells as well

In all, I definitely enjoyed Stolen Nights and if you liked Infinite Days, it's definitely worth reading! I can't tell you anything else and let this remain spoiler free--although I wish I could! Also, I feel like I'd like a companion novel though--or a third book--as I'm left with some questions.

Overall Rating: ★★★★

Stolen Nights by Rebecca Maizel

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Release Date: January 29, 2013

Edition: e-ARC 

* Received for review via NetGalley and as a part of the blog tour.

Glitch by Heather Anastasiu

When Zoe starts to glitch, she knows that she's supposed to report her behavior, but she refrains from doing so. Suddenly there's emotions and color in her world and quite frankly, it's overwhelming when compared to the Link--which keeps everyone in line. And then there's the fact that her glitching has also lead to a particular power that she has very little control over. She knows that all of this is grounds for deactivation and well, no one wants to be deactivated--nor does she want to go back to being one of the drones (so to speak). It's around that time that she meets Adrien, who also has an usual skill, he can see into the future and he's seen her--well, I won't spoil it for you (but no, not naked). That's when everything really starts and Zoe's life will never be normal again.

While I liked Glitch, I feel like if there had been more action and less focus on Zoe and the boys, it would've made for a better read. Don't get me wrong, I like romance in the books that I read a lot; but at the same time, when it feels like it's the focus of the book--that isn't strictly a romance book--it leaves me wanting more plot. I liked how Adrien was introduced well enough and I didn't mind Max that much, but I wish that the romance had had more build up than it did. Adrien seems like a nice enough guy and he does seem to want what's best for Zoe while Max just seems to want Zoe for her body. At least, that's how it felt to me. To be honest, neither of the boys really swept me away and while I still have hope for Adrien, I really have none for Max.

As for Zoe, I can understand why she's constantly warring with herself--about turning herself in--and she's pretty darn terrible at hiding her heartbeat--they wear monitors that beep--but she felt... weak? At least during the first half, that's really how she felt to me but the good news is that she definitely grows and by the time I reached the end of Glitch, well, I'm looking forward to seeing how she continues to grow in the next book.

Then you have the chips that the Community has implanted in everyone and they keep you from feeling anything... but pain--which was deemed necessary. They're definitely an interesting aspect of Glitch and I can't wait to learn more about them--and why they cause certain people to glitch. That's right, the chips are a part of the reason why people have started to glitch and no, not everyone glitches. There's actually so much more about the Community that I could say but that'd mean some pretty serious spoilers, so you'll just have to read Glitch to find those out.

In all, a pretty good read but one that I can't say I was absolutely in love with. The concept is definitely interesting and overall, I definitely liked it despite a few minor annoyances. If you've been thinking about reading Glitch then I'd definitely recommend that you read it to form your own opinions as it's definitely a book that I feel some people will enjoy more than I did.

Overall Rating: ★★★ and a half.

Glitch by Heather Anastasiu

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Release Date: August 7, 2012

Edition: e-ARC

* Received for review via publisher and NetGalley.

The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda

Gene has been surviving by pretending to be one of the vampires and in itself, that is no simple task; but when you add a heper hunt to the mix? It's disastrous. Suddenly it's his name that they're calling to participate and it should be a great honor... and it would be, if he were, in fact, a vampire. But instead it's a test to see how well he can hide amongst the wolves (so to speak) and then there's the matter of a girl--who he's developing feelings for, even though he knows that getting involved with her would be disastrous for him.

The Hunt is definitely a page turner and if you're looking vampires that pack a real bite, this is a book that you might want to consider picking up. On top of that, yes, it's a dystopian. How does that work? Well, vampires are the only ones left--with the exception of humans who have managed to hide what they are and the "hepers" that their leader keeps. And Gene? He's been managing pretty well--at least, until recently. Lately it seems like he's been slipping up pretty often and that's one pack of predators that you don't want to end up as a snack for!

I really enjoyed how complex the vampires were--although I will admit that the constant neck snapping, drooling, and so forth was a bit too much for me personally. Also, I was highly amused by the fact that, when they find something to be humorous, they scratch their wrists. But let me mention Ashley June quickly--a girl that Gene goes to school with. She didn't leave much of an impression on me at first, although as The Hunt went on, I did grow to like her--at least somewhat. There's also Sissy, who you'll get to know later on in the book and I think I liked her more than Ashley June, although at this point, I think I'm going to read the next book to really make up my mind. But yes, The Hunt is told from a male perspective. Having said that, I did not find it difficult to follow along with.

While The Hunt certainly kept me turning pages and was, overall, a read that kept me interested, I think I would've liked them to have gotten farther into the hunt than they did--although let's face it, I did enjoy the ending. Will I be checking out the next book? Most likely yes. The vampires in The Hunt are definitely darker than those that I've read about lately and as such, it was definitely a welcome change. Would I recommend The Hunt to you? If you're intrigued by the idea of a human trying to fit in amongst vampires and what happens when things become difficult, yes. However, if you don't like more savage vampires, then this is probably not for you.

Overall Rating: ★★★★

The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Release Date: May 8, 2012

Edition: e-ARC

* Received for review via publisher and NetGalley.

Awake at Dawn by C.C. Hunter

Summer is coming to an end and Kylie Galen still doesn't know what she is. If that wasn't bad enough, there's a ghost who continues to tell her (very vaguely) that someone she loves will die if Kylie doesn't act and her powers continue to grow. Then there's Derek, who Kylie definitely likes, but he has a feeling that Kylie still has feelings for Lucas too. To put it simply, things have gotten much more complicated for Kylie and she doesn't have the answers to the questions that plague her.

It needs to be said that I found Kylie to be whiny throughout most of Awake at Dawn; don't get me wrong, I can understand why she'd be emotional, but it was starting to get on my nerves. Awake at Dawn does touch on the question that plagues Kylie (ie. What is she?) but it's still not completely explained. If anything, it's left me a little confused.

If you like Derek, you're in luck, there's a lot of him in Awake at Dawn. On the other hand, there's not a ton of Lucas. Yes, he does show up before the book ends, but I wish there had been more of him! Also, I wish that the wolf would've played a larger role in Awake at Dawn--you'll understand what I mean if you read it.

I love that Kylie finally went to investigate the falls though and I really hope that the cave will play a role in Taken at Dusk. Overall, I can't say that I was in love with Awake at Dawn although I did enjoy it well enough. If anything, I'm glad that Taken at Dusk will pick up right where Awake at Dawn left off at and I can't wait to find out more about Kylie's father!

Overall Rating: ★★★ and a half.

Awake at Dawn

Author: C.C. Hunter

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Release Date: October 11, 2011

Edition: Paperback

* Purchased on my own.

Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter

Born at Midnight
Author: C.C. Hunter
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: March 29, 2011
Edition: ARC
* Received from the publisher for review.

Summary from GoodReads:
One night Kylie Galen finds herself at the wrong party, with the wrong people, and it changes her life forever.  Her mother ships her off to Shadow Falls—a camp for troubled teens, and within hours of arriving, it becomes painfully clear that her fellow campers aren’t just “troubled.”  Here at Shadow Falls, vampires, werewolves, shapshifters, witches and fairies train side by side—learning to harness their powers, control their magic and live in the normal world.
Kylie’s never felt normal, but surely she doesn’t belong here with a bunch of paranormal freaks either.  Or does she?  They insist Kylie is one of them, and that she was brought here for a reason.  As if life wasn’t complicated enough, enter Derek and Lucas.  Derek’s a half-fae who’s determined to be her boyfriend, and Lucas is a smokin’ hot werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past.  Both Derek and Lucas couldn’t be more different, but they both have a powerful hold on her heart. 
Even though Kylie feels deeply uncertain about everything, one thing is becoming painfully clear—Shadow Falls is exactly where she belongs

My Thoughts:

Kylie Galen thought that she was just another normal teenage girl--well, asides from having to visit the shrink and her personal stalker (affectionately known by Kylie as "Soldier Guy"). However, after her parents announce their divorce and Kylie gets caught in a drug bust, she finds herself at Shadow Falls Camp. More importantly, the kids at camp give a whole new meaning to weird; they're supernaturals. Suddenly she's rooming with a dyslexic witch (Miranda) and a half-asian vampire (Della), denying the fact that she might be a supernatural too--and one that can see ghosts at that--and two of the cutest boys at camp are interested in her.

If you're like me, you're wondering just why it's called Born at Midnight and the reason is pretty straight forward; most supernaturals are born at midnight (Kylie for example). Kylie spends most of Born at Midnight trying to figure out what she is and truth be told, although she gets closer to the answer, she's not quite there yet. Hopefully Awake at Dawn will give us some more answers in October of 2011.

Then there are the boys. We have Trey (Kylie's ex-boyfriend), Derek (who looks a bit like Trey and is part fae), and Lucas (a werewolf and someone Kylie has met before). Trey is somewhat of a prick, Derek is a very nice guy, and then Lucas is someone Kylie is somewhat afraid of (at least at first) due to their past--it involves a dead cat--although she's also drawn to him at the same time. Of the three, hands down, I'd tell you that I like Lucas the best although Derek is a close second. For Miranda, there's Perry whom uses his shapeshifting abilities to sneak around and well, no one really for Della at camp (although there is a boy back home). Ah, but then we have my favored pairing of Holiday (Kylie's mentor and a camp councilor) with Burnett (a FRU agent/vampire who butts heads with Holiday--often). Seriously, maybe I'm just weird like that, but I always like it when characters start out hating one another like that. Will anything actually come of that relationship? I have no idea--but a girl can hope!

If you're looking for a read that's in a unique setting and has a very interesting cast of characters, I'd suggest checking out Born at Midnight if you haven't already. I would like to gently remind you though that there are no concrete answers in Born at Midnight as it is the first book in a series. On the upside, you only have to wait until October of this year for the second book--Awake at Dawn.

So, if you've already read Born at Midnight, who was your favorite character and/or favorite character relationship?

Overall Rating: ★★★★

Miles from Ordinary by Carol Lynch Williams

Miles from Ordinary 
Author: Carol Lynch Williams
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: March 15, 2011
Edition: ARC
* Received from publisher for review.

Summary from GoodReads: Thirteen-year-old Lacey wakes to a beautiful summer morning excited to begin her her job at the library, just as her mother is supposed to start work at the grocery store. Lacey hopes that her mother's ghosts have finally been laid to rest; after all, she seems so much better these days, and they really do need the money. But as the hours tick by and memories come flooding back, a day full of hope spins terrifyingly out of control...

My Thoughts:

At the age of thirteen, would you care for your ailing mother on your own? Could you endure your classmates and the whispers around town? Lacey has been putting up with it for years and although things haven't been as bad as they've been before--for her mother--it's a far cry from the road to recovery. When summer comes, Lacey manages to convince her mother to apply for a job as a cashier at the local grocery store and she applies to work at the library over the summer. And although she loves books, it's not the reason behind why she decided to work at the library; her aunt Linda is the reason behind this decision. Why? Because she used to work at Peace City Library and Lacey is hoping to see her again. The reason behind why she hasn't seen her aunt is, well, her mother. Lacey's mother drove her out of the house and thus, their lives for the most part.

The entire story takes place over the course of a single day--with flashbacks and memories as well, but the bulk of events transpire on a single day--and what a day it is. I won't go into details because it'd give a lot away, but let's just say that it has to have been one of the most stressful days in Lacey's young life. Lacey herself is extremely strong as she's been dealing with her mother for years and having her aunt forced away hasn't exactly made things any easier. She wants to have friends and to have a normal life, but she accepts her situation and deals with it as best she can. Her mother hears and sees Lacey's grandfather and will often tell Lacey that her grandfather told her to do something or that her grandfather wouldn't like it. The thing is, Lacey's grandfather is dead which means that well, her mother's ghosts is quite literally a ghost. I really can't say much more than that without spoiling things for you, so I'll just say one more thing; there is a scene in this book that translated Lacey's fear so well that I didn't want to read about what she saw--although obviously I did and it did play a big part in the ending.

Miles from Ordinary isn't a particularly long read, but if the plot sounds like your sort of thing or you're intrigued, I'd suggest picking up a copy to read. It did take a turn several times that I had not been expecting and the ending was, in my opinion, the perfect outcome.

Overall Rating: ★★★★

Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel

Infinite Days
Author: Rebecca Maizel
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: August 3, 2010
Edition: Paperback
* Purchased on my own.

Summary from GoodReads: Lenah Beaudonte is, in many ways, your average teen: the new girl at Wickham Boarding School, she struggles to fit in enough to survive and stand out enough to catch the eye of the golden-boy lacrosse captain. But Lenah also just happens to be a recovering five-hundred-year-old vampire queen. After centuries of terrorizing Europe, Lenah is able to realize the dream all vampires have -- to be human again. After performing a dangerous ritual to restore her humanity, Lenah entered a century-long hibernation, leaving behind the wicked coven she ruled over and the eternal love who has helped grant her deep-seated wish.

Until, that is, Lenah draws her first natural breath in centuries at Wickham and rediscovers a human life that bears little resemblance to the one she had known. As if suddenly becoming a teenager weren’t stressful enough, each passing hour brings Lenah closer to the moment when her abandoned coven will open the crypt where she should be sleeping and find her gone. As her borrowed days slip by, Lenah resolves to live her newfound life as fully as she can. But, to do so, she must answer ominous questions: Can an ex-vampire survive in an alien time and place? What can Lenah do to protect her new friends from the bloodthirsty menace about to descend upon them? And how is she ever going to pass her biology midterm?

My Thoughts:

You know how there are certain books that you're not too sure that you'll like? Yeah, this was one of them. Did I like it? You bet I did! But really, I wasn't too sure what to think of a story about a vampire (who has been around for about five hundred and ninety two years) who gets to become human. Did the storyline work? Yes it did.

Lenah Beaudonte, like many other vampires, longed to become human again. To be able to feel, well, alive again. When confronted with the opportunity to regain her humanity, Lenah agrees to hibernate for one hundred years and her lover/best friend/maker (Rhode) agrees to aid her in the ritual as long as she agrees to the hundred year hibernation. Needless to say, she does it and the story begins with her waking up as a human. Now, don't get me wrong, the entire story is not simply just her adjusting to her new life, it's also filled with flashbacks to her old life with the coven and there's the fact that they're bound--literally bound--to come looking for her. The world through Lenah's eyes is a gorgeous place and for her, this really is the first time she's well and truly seeing the world. Of course, then there's also the fact that she's been hibernating for the past hundred years and technology is somewhat of a foreign concept that she has to get used to.

Favorite minor character? Tony--so you can sort of guess how I felt later on in the book (if you've read it and if you haven't, I can't tell you what I'm talking about, even though I really want to). Also, I'm so torn between the three guys still actively in Lenah's life! Sure, Justin makes her feel alive again and he's not a bad guy; however, Rhode has been with Lenah since the beginning and he was the one willing to make the sacrifice for her. Lastly, there's Vicken--whom I would totally fall for--who met Lenah outside of a tavern a long while ago and became a vampire so that he could stay with her. Also, did I mention that Vicken in Scottish? Why hello there hot guy with extremely sexy accent; if Lenah won't take you, I sure will!

Also, Rebecca's take on vampires is somewhat different than the norm. Yes, they'll burst into flames and die a painful death if they're out during the day; but at the same time they can't tell the texture of a fabric and after a while, they start to lose their humanity. Oh, and they're also kept 'alive' by black magic--which I found to be pretty interesting.

Can you tell that I really enjoyed Infinite Days? Because I definitely did and if you've been waffling about picking up a copy, I'm going to gently nudge you towards the bookstore. The pacing really is wonderful though and just as things start to calm down in Lenah's life, they tend to pick right back up again and things just continue to build and build until towards the end of the book. Ah, also, I regret reading the first chapter of Stolen Nights now because let's face it, reading that teaser just makes it that much more difficult to wait until the book's release--which is March 15, 2011 (cue the impatient "I want to know what happens next!" dance).

Favorite Quote:

"You're saying that deciding to be human again after six hundred years as a ruthless vampire is like bungee jumping?" - pg. 207

Overall Rating: ★★★★★