The Greyfriar

The Greyfriar is the first book of Clay and Susan Griffith's Vampire Empire.

In the year 1870, a horrible plague of vampires swept over the northern regions of the world.  It is now 2020 and a bloody reckoning is coming. Princess Adele is heir to the Empire of Equatoria, a remnant of the old tropical British Empire.  When she becomes the target of a merciless vampire clan, her only protector is the Greyfriar, a mysterious who fights the vampires from deep within their territory. Their dangerous relationship plays out against an approaching war to the death between humankind and the vampire clans.

The Breakdown:
1. The Griffith's have created an interesting world in this book. Humans are no longer the sole dominant species. The vampires are a terrifying creatures in this world. They make no effort to understand humans or be human-like in appearance. The humans struggle after the vampires rose out of the shadows, and now they are amassing power to reassert their dominance in the world. It makes for some interesting political moves both in the human and vampire worlds.

2. I liked the way the book changes between all the major players in the story's perspective. This gives me glimpse into other characters thought processes and motivations for their actions. It really brings the story together well, and helped me to understand the world even better.

3. Princess Adele was wonderful. She is a wonderful combination of strong and soft. She is not afraid to protect was she loves including her family and her empire. She shows a vulnerability that makes her enduring when she is with Greyfriar. Her character makes it easy to see that she will be a great Empress.

4. One of my favorite characters is Prince Gareth, the heir to the British Vampire throne. He has a fascination with humans, and wants to be so much more than a savage vampire.  He shows restraint and logical thinking, and is not ruled by his instincts like many of his brethren. Plus his love of his cats is cute.

5. The Greyfriar is mysterious hero, with some really amazing secrets, but I don't want to give away too much.

To Read or Not to Read:
Read

Currently Reading:
Crown of Ice
by Vicki L. Weavil

The Jewel

Debut author Amy Ewing's The Jewel is the first of her The Lone City series.

The Jewel means wealth. The Jewel means beauty.  The Jewel means royalty. But for girls like Violet, the Jewel means servitude. Not just any kind of servitude. Violet, born and raised in the Marsh, has been trained as a surrogate for the royalty- because in the Jewel the only thing more important than opulence is offspring.

Purchased at the surrogacy auction by the Duchess of the Lake and greeted with a slap to the face, Violet (now known only as #197) quickly learns of the brutal truths that lie beneath the Jewel's glittering facade: the cruelty, backstabbing, and hidden violence that have become the royal way of life.

Violet must accept the ugly realities of her existence... and try to stay alive.  But then a forbidden romance erupts between Violet and a handsome gentlemen hired as a companion to the Duchess's petulant niece.  Though his presence makes life in the Jewel a bit brighter, the consequences of their illicit relationship will cost them both more than they bargained for.

The Breakdown:
1. I picked this book to read because of my love of dystopian societies.  I was a little worried after I saw some of the reviews of Goodreads, but I ended up really liking it. Ewing creates a fascinating world where there is a sharp contrast between the haves and and have nots.  While the wealthy look down upon those of lower class, they are reliant on them to produce offspring since they can no longer do it.

2.  I found Violet to be such a compelling character. She wants nothing more than to live with her family despite their poverty. She loves them so fiercely, and is horrified by the backstabbing and cruelty of high society.  I love that she works so hard to hold her identity despite society doing everything possible to take it away.

3. I really liked Lucein from the beginning.  He reminded me so much of Cinna from The Hunger Games. So I was glad to see him play a bigger part in the story than I first expected.

4. Ash is such an interesting character. While not quite the object that surrogates like Violet are, he is too is a prisoner of high society. I loved every interaction between him and Violet.

5. Other characters such as Annabelle, the Duchess, and the Duchess's niece added so much to the story.  Annabelle, who I could see not only cared for Violet, but worked so hard to make sure Violet did what was expected of her.  The Duchess with her murcurial mood swings that I never knew what her reaction would be to an situation. The Duchess's niece who was bitter and jealous of Violet.

6. The ending really gave me quite a surprise.  Let's just say not all the characters are what I expected them to be, and I cannot wait to see where Ewing takes this story.

To Read or Not to Read:
Must Read

Currently Reading:
The Greyfriar
by Clay Griffith and Susan Griffith

Until I Die

The second novel in Amy Plum's Revenants series is Until I Die.

Kate and Vincent have overcome the odds and at last they are together in Paris, the city of lights and love.

As their romance deepens there's one question they can't ignore: How are they supposed to be together if Vincent can't resist sacrificing himself to save others? Although Vincent promises that he'll do whatever it takes to lead a normal life with Kate, will that mean letting innocent people die? When a new and surprising enemy reveals itself, Kate realizes that even more may be at stake- and that Vincent's immortality is in jeopardy.

The Breakdown:
1. I think that Plum was very wise in setting these stories in Paris.  It just seems to fit so well with the idea of the revenants and the love between Kate and Vincent.  These books make me really want to visit Paris.

2. I like that this book focused mostly on Kate and Vincent dealing with their odd relationship, and how to make it work.  Each is trying to figure out a way to keep Vincent from the pain and drive to sacrifice himself to save humans, until Kate dies.  Although, the subplot of the Champion and the numa's new leader is great, too, with some nice twist in it.

3. I love that Kate refuses to sit back and let Vincent figure out everything.  She takes an active role in finding a way to keep him safe and healthy. Kate is no shrinking violet.

4.  The introduction on Violette and Arthur certainly make for some entertaining situations.  I especially loved any interaction between them and Georgia, who is definitely not afraid to speak her mind.

5. The ending of this book is has me wanting to read the next book right now.

To Read or Not to Read:
Read

Currently Reading:
The Jewel
by Amy Ewing

Winterkill

Winterkill is by debut author Kate A. Boorman.

Emmeline knows she's not supposed to explore the woods outside her settlement. The enemy that wiped out half her people lurks there, attacking at night and keeping them isolated in an unfamiliar land with merciless winters.  Living with the shame of her grandmother's insubordination, Emmeline has learned to keep her head down and her quick tongue silent.

When the settlement leader asks for her hand in marriage, it's an opportunity for Emmeline to wash the family slate clean- even if she has eyes for another.  But before she's forced into an impossible decision, her dreams urge her into the woods, where she uncovers a path she can't help but follow.  The trail leads to a secret that someone in the village will kill to protect. Her grandmother followed the same path and paid the price. If Emmeline isn't careful, she will be next.

The Breakdown:
1. Boorman is a master of imagery. She does so well in vividly describing the world around Emmeline that is easy to picture both its beauty and the stark nature of the outpost.

2. The story itself had elements that reminded me both of the movie, The Village, and legends of the lost colony of Roanoke. The unseen threat of the malmaci, and the council that governs the post. Then there is the Lost People.  Boorman does an excellent job of keeping me guessing on what all the characters motives are.

3. I did really like Emmeline as a character. She is a girl weighed down by the sins of her family's past.  She tries so hard to hide her natural curiosity, and conforms to the way of society, but there are those who see her for who she really is.  Her biggest struggle is learning to follow her own heart and not worry about what others think of her.

4.  I loved Kane.  He was cute and funny, and sometimes a little awkward at times when he is talking to Emmeline. I probably fell in love with when he takes up for Emmeline with others their age, defending her against the accusations about her family.

5. Brother Stockham totally gave me the creeps. I love that Boorman was able to convey Emmelines aversion to him so well through her writing. I knew there was something off him from the moment he was introduced.  Plus the council itself, especially Brother Jameson, was very dis-likable. What kind of people really hold to the policy of the Sins of the Father.

To Read or Not to Read:
Read

Currently Reading:
Until I Die
by Amy Plum

The Maze Runner

The Maze Runner is the first book in James Dashner's series of the same name.

If you ain't scared, you ain't human.

When Thomas wakes up in the left, the only thing he can remember is his name.  He's surrounded by strangers- boys whose memories are also gone.

Nice to meet ya, shank. Welcome to the Glade.

Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze.  It's the only way out- and no one's ever made it through alive.

Everything is going to change.

Then a girl arrives. the first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying. 

Remember. Survive. Run.

The Breakdown:
1. Wow! Dashner has written an intense and amazing story in The Maze Runner. He did a great job of keeping me guessing of what was going on in the story, and what the end game was. Plus the way Dashner created the glade and the maze was so vivid.

2. One of my favorite things about this book was how well the characters were written.  Thomas, despite remembering nothing, is a strong character, and his personality comes through the pages so clearly. He is brave, loyal, and compassionate.  He is also very smart.

3. I loved the Grievers. They were frightening, and just the perfect mysterious villain to the Gladers.  I mean what is scarier than unpredictable robots.

4. The ending has me dying to read the rest of the series because I have so many more questions.

To Read or Not to Read:
Must Read

Currently Reading:
Winterkill
by Kate A. Boorman

Deadly Heat

Deadly Heat is a Nikki Heat book by Richard Castle.

Picking up where Frozen Heat left off, top NYPD Homicide Detective Nikki Heat pursues the elusive former CIA station chief who ordered the execution of her mother over a decade ago.  For the hunt, Nikki teams once again with her romantic partner, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Jameson Rook, and their quest for the old spy and the motive behind the past murder unearths an alarming terror plot-which is anything but ancient history.  It is lethal. It is now. And it has already entered its countdown phase.

Complicating Heat's mission to bring the rogue spy to justice and thwart the looming terror event, a serial killer begins menacing the Twentieth Precinct and her homicide squad us under pressure to stop him, and soon.  The frightening murderer, known for his chilling stealth, not has singled out Nikki as the exclusive recipient to his taunting messages, he then boldly names his next victim: Detective Heat.

The Breakdown:
1. I know that there is not a really a Richard Castle, but the books are a nice tie into the show. For the most part, they an action packed mystery novel.  However, this one fell a little short for me, compared to the previous books.

2. I felt that, like the show, the whole who was behind my mother's murder was getting stale.  I am honestly kind of tired of dealing with it, and lets hope that this book, and the show, have wrapped that part up for good now.

3.  I was honestly enjoying the serial killer aspect of this book more than the spy/terror plot more.  Unfortunately, the author tipped their hand too early, and I figured out the killer about a third of the way through.

4. I have to say, I do love the Firefly references!

To Read or Not to Read:
Skip it, unless you are just a huge Castle fan

Currently Reading:
The Maze Runner
by James Dashner

Die for Me

Die for Me is the first book of Amy Plum's Revenants series.

In the City of Lights, two-star-crossed lovers battle a fate that is destined to tear them apart again and again for eternity.

When Kate Mercier's parents die in a tragic accident, she leaves her life-- and memories-- behind to live with her grandparents in Paris.  For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisain art.  Until she meets Vincent.

Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate's guarded heart with just his smile.  As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he's a revenant-- an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others.  Vincent and those like him are bound in centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray.  Kate soon realize that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again.

The Breakdown:
1. As a fan of both paranormal and YA fiction, of course I wanted to read this book. Plus it takes place in Paris.  Plum does an excellent job of weaving both the world of the revenants together with the charm and beauty of Paris.

2. I loved how Plum teased with Vincent and his friend's otherworldliness without spilling all their secrets at once. I thought she did an excellent job not only with the reveal of what a revenant is but with how Kate handled the whole situation.

3.  From the start I naturally identified with Kate because she is an introvert and love of reading. She loves her sister, but accepts she will never be the vibrant, center of attention that Georgia is.  I did have a moment of worry after she met Vincent that she would turn out to be a Bella Swan, but she held her own, and I think, is a much stronger character for it.

4.  I have to say that I found Vincent refreshingly different from many YA male main characters. He is not suave all the time with Kate. In fact his first couple of meetings with her, he manages to say all the wrong things.  He does have moments that are totally swoon worthy, but he is far from perfect.

5. Plum did a wonderful job with her supporting characters. Georgia, Kate's sister, is lively and cares for her sister, even though they have their fights. Charlotte is adorable and caring, and her loyalty to her brother is great. Ambrose the southern boy, and Jules the passionate artist. I really liked Kate's grandmother, Mamie, elegant and warm, who wouldn't want a grandmother like her.

To Read or Not to Read:
Read

Currently Reading:
Deadly Heat
by Richard Castle