Drink.Slay.Love

Title: Drink.Slay.Love
Author: Sarah Beth Durst
Rating: 3/5
Summary: Pearl is a sixteen-year-old vampire... fond of blood, allergic to sunlight, and mostly evil... until the night a sparkly unicorn stabs her through the heart with his horn. Oops. 

Her family thinks she was attacked by a vampire hunter (because, obviously, unicorns don't exist), and they're shocked she survived. They're even more shocked when Pearl discovers she can now withstand the sun. But they quickly find a way to make use of her new talent. The Vampire King of New England has chosen Pearl's family to host his feast. If Pearl enrolls in high school, she can make lots of human friends and lure them to the King's feast -- as the entrees.

The only problem? Pearl's starting to feel the twinges of a conscience. How can she serve up her new friends—especially the cute guy who makes her fangs ache—to be slaughtered? Then again, she's definitely dead if she lets down her family. What's a sunlight-loving vamp to do?

My Thoughts: Not my favorite Sarah Beth Durst book, but still a Durst book nonetheless, which automatically means it was good. Drink, Slay, Love was an interesting take on the vampire story. I liked how the vampires had all the classic features, but she still put her spin on them.  I did not enjoy how the book was written, the ending was predictable (one of my pet peeves), and is available in the summary above The cover however is brilliant! I actually downloaded the book off of Galley Grab because of the cover :). I expected this book to offer a new, original take on vampires, however I was not pleased. Overall, I would most likely not recommend it to anyone. (Harsh, I know, but I was not impressed!)

The Beginning of After

Title: The Beginning of After 
Author: Jennifer Castle
Rating: 4/5
Summary: Sixteen-year-old Laurel's world changes instantly when her parents and brother are killed in a terrible car accident. Behind the wheel is the father of her bad-boy neighbor, David Kaufman, whose mother is also killed. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Laurel navigates a new reality in which she and her best friend grow apart, boys may or may not be approaching her out of pity, overpowering memories lurk everywhere, and Mr. Kaufman is comatose but still very much alive. Through it all, there is David, who swoops in and out of Laurel's life and to whom she finds herself attracted against her better judgment. She will forever be connected to him by their mutual loss, a connection that will change them both in unexpected ways. 
My Thoughts:  I was drawn to this book because of its cover, and because I enjoyed reading the book If I Stay. This book was one of the few books that deal with the reality of tradegy, and how one does not suddenly fall in love and forget everything, but gradually heals. Castle wrote the emotions of her characters brilliantly. The Beginning of After dealt with the pychological effect of the death of all of one's family members. This book was a strong, and amazing novel, and I am very glad to have read it.

Spellbound

Title: Spellbound
Author: Cara Shultz
Rating: 3.8/5
Summary:Life hasn't been easy on sixteen-year-old Emma Connor, so a new start in New York may be just the change she needs. But the posh Upper East Side prep school she has to attend? Not so much. Friendly faces are few and far between, except for one that she's irresistibly drawn to—Brendan Salinger, the guy with the rock-star good looks and the richest kid in school, who might just be her very own white knight.
But even when Brendan inexplicably turns cold, Emma can't stop staring. Ever since she laid eyes on him, strange things have been happening. Streetlamps go out wherever she walks, and Emma's been having the oddest dreams: visions of herself in past lives—visions that warn her to stay away from Brendan. Or else.
My Thoughts:  Spellbound was a surprisingly enjoyable read.  The plot was a bit predictable, the average starcrossed lovers story. The author gave a detailed description of the reincarnation aspect of the book, making it understandable to all readers. The school status quo made the book a bit cliches, but overall it was an enjoyable read.

Possesion

Title: Possession (Possession #1)
Author: Elana Johnson
Rating: 4.5/5
Summary: Vi knows the Rule: Girls don't walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn...and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi's future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself. 

But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they're set on convincing Vi to become one of them...starting by brainwashing Zenn. Vi can't leave Zenn in the Thinkers' hands, but she's wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag. Jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous--everything Zenn's not. Vi can't quite trust Jag and can't quite resist him, but she also can't give up on Zenn. 

This is a game of control or be controlled. And Vi has no choice but to play.

My Thoughts: Possession was an AMAZING dystopian novel. I loved everything about this book. Here's my list:

- Vi- the main character was strong, sassy, and stood up for herself.  She makes all the choices in the book and tries her best to carry on even when she feels lost.

-Jag- the SUPER cute guy who is also strong willed, and helps Vi throughout the book.

-There was a definite love triangle in this book, however, I was not torn between any of the characters. My love lies strictly with Jag, Zenn has no chance!

There were definitely times were I went,"Wait, what just happened?", however, I enjoyed the plot and idea of the book so much, I overlooked those moments.

Overall, it was an amazing read, and I will definitely be reading the sequel.

P.s. <33333 Vi and Jag

Damned (Crusade #2)

Title: Damned (Crusade #2)
Author: Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie
Rating:4.5/5
Summary: There is a fine line between love and sacrifice….

Antonio would do anything for his beloved fighting partner Jenn. He protects her, even suppresses his vampire cravings to be with her. Together, they defend humanity against the Cursed Ones. But tensions threaten to fracture their hunting team and his loyalty—his love—is called into question.

Jenn, the newly appointed Hunter, aches for revenge against the Cursed One who converted her sister. And with an even more sinister power on the rise, she must overcome her personal vendettas to lead her team into battle.

Antonio and Jenn need each other to survive, but evil lurks at every turn. With humanity’s fate hanging in the balance, they must face down the darkness…or die trying.

My Thoughts:  First, I'd like to talk about the cover. Is that a hunkadunk or WHAT? I am officially in love with Antonio (no matter what he did this book, his looks make it forgivable :P).  The book is filled with action, and heartbreaking sighs. I felt really bad for Jenn in this book. EXTREMELY bad. She has to go through so much emotional baggage, that's weighing her down, and the team is trying to do everything they can to help her, but personally, I think she just needs a break. When the team goes on trips to defend humanity and kill vampires, all of which are supposed to be surprise attacks, and realize someone is leaking information to the Cursed Ones, they began to point fingers at each other. It boils down to the point where most of them do not trust one another. After a an endless path of twist and turns, the book ends on a cliffhanger! This book was definitely not a short read, it was action packed and I cannot wait for the next one!

Crusade (Crusade #1)

Title: Crusade (Crusade #1)
Author: Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie
Rating: 4.5/5
Summary: For the past two years, Jenn has lived and trained at Spain’s Sacred Heart Academy Against the Cursed Ones. She is among the few who have pledged to defend humanity or die trying. But the vampires are gaining power, and the battle has only just begun.

Forced to return home after death takes a member of her family, Jenn discovers that San Francisco is now a vampire strong-hold. As a lone hunter apart from her team, Jenn is isolated — and at risk. She craves the company of her fighting partner, Antonio: his protection, his reassurance, his touch. But a relationship with Antonio comes with its own dangers, and the more they share of themselves, the more Jenn stands to lose.

Then Jenn is betrayed by one who was once bound to protect her, causing her to doubt all she had held as true. To survive, Jenn must find the courage to trust herself — and her heart.

My Thoughts: I LOVED THIS BOOK! It was simply amazing! This book has an edgier, engaging story-line and starts in the middle of the war, with small flashbacks of life before the war. After leaving her house on shaky terms, Jenn jets off to Spain, for training against the Cursed Ones aka, vampires. At the end of her training, a team is formed by the "headmaster" Father Juan, a catholic priest.

The Team:

Holgar:  Danish werewolf, and definitely one of my favorite characters. His beastly nature is countered by his big heart, which to me makes him incredibly sweet!

Skye: A White Witch who can perform special magicks to help defend and heal the team. 

Eriko: A Japanese hunter who joined the team in order to prove her family that women could fight. She is THE hunter, the title that is given to the leader of the team and possessor of special characteristics such as speed and swift healing.

Antonio: In all the fighting crave against the vampires, Antonio is the team's personal vampire. He has dulled his bloodlust over the years and able to control it in all situations. He is the hottie of the group :), making him and Jenn a pair inevitable.

Jamie: An Irish guy terrorized by all the killings in Ireland by werewolves, he witnessed his parents and younger sisters murder, something he will never forget. He has a rash personality and is quick to jump.

Jenn: is  what she likes to refer as "just Jenn", when she in fact is not. She has great fighting skills and helps the team in many ways.

The book included many different languages, making it a fun and realistic read. Overall, I would recommend this to everyone!