Let me start by saying I enjoyed this book even though I had issues with it. I loved the snarkiness of the heroine, the way she interacted with others, and how she handled being a vampire. I also loved the hero in this story. From the moment he was introduced, I felt the connection between him and Vicky.
The opening of the story really starts off strong, and I was really giving my Kindle a workout by flipping the pages. I wanted to know what happened next, and I loved following Vicky’s story. That said, as I mentioned, I did have some issues.
WARNING: SPOILER ALERT
While I loved the additional characters Vicky found when she moved to the new town for the sake of her family, I did have an issue with the way Drake so willingly accepted that Vicky was a vampire. When the others responded in pretty much the same way, it made me think everyone had been watching Buffy, the Vampire Slayer too much. It almost seemed as though vampires were commonplace.
I also had issues with the plot as some things just didn’t make sense to me.
I didn’t really understand how Steve made Vicky such a different type of vampire, and it wasn’t explained. How did he create a vampire that could withstand the sun? And why do it on Vicky instead of one of the other vampires in his clan?
Also, why wouldn’t Steve risk one of his other vampires to test Vicky’s blood instead of his own? The story gave the impression that Steve was the lead vampire. So I wondered why he wouldn’t demand one of his followers (so to speak) to be the test subject.
I did have a lot of issues with the climatic scene with Steve as it was actually kind of anti-climatic. He was smart enough to create this super vamp but not smart enough to realize she could take them all out? Shouldn’t he have figured that out when all his minions kept getting offed by Vicky throughout the book? It just looks like he could have done some better planning.
The ending scene really bothered me in that I was expecting more shock and horror from Vicky’s parents. They saw her in the coffin, no doubt, so to see her standing in the same room with them just days later should have caused some type of hysteria or fear. My first thought would have been zombies. Instead, Vicky’s father hugs her, and the story ends abruptly.
Overall, I would give this book 3 and 3/4 stars because Karly Kirkpatrick is a strong writer. She has a way with characterization and dialogue that really connected with me. I’ll definitely read more from her because the questions I had didn’t detract from the evidence of a good story-teller.
I don’t think I’ve ever loved a young adult novel like I loved this one. Angel Lawson created characters that really stood out on the page. She made them memorable, and that’s not always easy to do. And all of them had a purpose. There were no extraneous characters added for filler.
Every scene segued into the next, and I read this book every spare moment I had. It was just that good.
The romance wasn’t too sappy and fit with the tone of the novel. I loved how the author uniquely connected the hero and heroine.
I can only hope for s sequel, but, if not, a second book just as good as this one. And this is definitely the type of story that belongs on the big screen. Bravo, Angel Lawson!
On Wednesday, May 2nd, you can find out more about me than you ever really wanted to know at http:/epicallyromanticbyebonydreams.blogspot.com. I’ll be in the the Who’s Who Wednesday Author Spotlight. The questions were different, and I really enjoyed them. Hope you’ll stop by!
My next book is releasing on May 4th, and it’s the first book in a three book series entitled Vampire Destined. To celebrate the release of Vampire Cursed, I’m giving away a copy (or two). All you have to do is comment and tell me what you like about vampire romances, and I’ll draw names on May 4th for the winners. It’s as easy as that! So let’s get started!
So I went to see this movie tonight, and since I’m a sucker for romance, I need to preface this by saying I went even though the critics panned it. I can make up my own mind.
I can sum up that opinion in three words. I loved it.
Is it sappy? A bit, but what’s wrong with a little sap now and again?
Slow-moving? A bit at the beginning, but that doesn’t last very long, and it was only to provide a little set-up for the characters since they had to snip a lot out of the book.
Pure Nicholas Sparks? Absolutely. But in my opinion, this is one of the best movies made from one of Nicholas Sparks’ books. (Even though I loved A Walk to Remember)
And can I just say Zac Efron has grown up so much since Hairspray? He played the part of the damaged Marine perfectly. A little bit mysterious. Always on edge. And just wanting to be loved.
I wasn’t familiar with Taylor Schilling’s work before this, but she lit up the screen with Zac. Whatever critic said they didn’t have chemistry needs a dictionary. The chemistry was palpable.
And Blyte Danner as the grandmother? She was absolutely perfect in that role. Funny. Charming. And the epitome of a loving grandmother who gives advice without being overbearing. She knew what her granddaughter, Beth, needed more than Beth did.
I don’t want to leave out Riley Thomas Stewart who plays eight year old Ben. The kid can act. Had me smiling every scene he was in!
I won’t go into all the details about the storyline as you can find the synopsis on Imdb, but I will say it’s a movie I would definitely watch again. It was worth the $10.
P.S. There is some language and a couple of naughty scenes that really aren’t all that naughty. I still wouldn’t take my kids if I had any.
I’m somewhat torn with this book. I liked the characters and the overall storyline, although it was a bit convoluted at times. What I didn’t like was the ending. In my opinion, even books that are in a series need to be able to stand alone, and this one ends on a cliffhanger.
It’s not always easy writing in first person and letting the reader get a feel of the other characters as well, but Claudia did manage to do that quite well. I really felt like I got to know Etta, especially her sense of humor. There were a few laugh out loud moments.
The story definitely keeps your attention, but I do believe forewarned is forearmed. So just start the book knowing it’s not going to get wrapped up in a pretty bow.
This was an open, honest look into one woman’s life, a door to her soul, really. I liked Ann’s style of writing. It was much like reading a journal or diary.
While reading about Ann’s trials, it made me consider my own life, and that’s the mark of a good story told well. Though Ann’s book wasn’t just about a story; it was her life. That made the words leap off the page for me. Such a powerful, poignant tale of love, loss, determination, and faith.
I’m a little over two months away from leaving for Spain, and the excitement’s running high! I just shelled out the money for the plane ticket (and tried not to faint over the price), and now I’m starting to make my lists. It’s all very exciting stuff, but I’ll admit I’d feel a little better if my Spanish was coming along faster. Next week starts three lessons a week. I won’t be fluent by the time I arrive in Madrid (www.aboutmadrid.com), but I’ll at least have a working knowledge of the language. If nothing else, I’ll know how to say: Ayuda me! (Help me!) LOL
Bloody Little Secrets by Karly Kirkpatrick
New Release With Giveaway
April 26th, 2012My next book is releasing on May 4th, and it’s the first book in a three book series entitled Vampire Destined. To celebrate the release of Vampire Cursed, I’m giving away a copy (or two). All you have to do is comment and tell me what you like about vampire romances, and I’ll draw names on May 4th for the winners. It’s as easy as that! So let’s get started!
Tags: Amazon, book release, comments, contest, free books, giveaway, paranormal romance, vampires
Posted in Book Release, Paranormal (including vampire) | 11 Comments »