Review: Blood Prophecy - Alyxandra Harvey

Blood Prophecy by Alyxandra Harvey, published by Bloomsbury on 14th February 2013

Goodreads synopsis:
Solange Drake will not claim her birthright; she will not be queen as vampire tradition dictates. But change always comes at a cost . . .

Possessed by a vengeful twelfth-century witch, Solange commits heinous crimes against the vampire tribes that she pledged to empower. Motives are questioned. Trust is broken. The treaty between the Drakes and the Helios-Ra is under threat. Solange must escape the folds of memory and time and fight for the fate of the royal crown - and win. Her destiny, and her heart, depends on it.

 
Review:
'Blood Prophecy' is the final thrilling instalment of one of my favourite vampire series by one of my favourite young-adult authors.  This is one of the first series that I started reviewing on my blog so it is sad to say goodbye to so many well-loved characters.

The story centres mainly around Solange and finally begins to explain the reasons for her strange behaviour in the previous book.  Everything gradually slotted into place but there were still plenty of twists and turns to keep readers guessing until the very end.  I like the way that Harvey always has something extra up her sleeve and continually leaves the reader wanting more.

Solange shared the bulk of the narration with Lucy, although Christabel and Hunter chipped in too along the way.  In my eyes, Lucy has been one of the best characters in the series.  She is funny and witty, incredibly brave and feisty and always looks out for her friends.  She is also loyal and stubbornly determined but the latter in a good way.  Her scenes with Nicholas were awesome and made my toes tingle.  I would love to see a spin-off just about them and what happens to their relationship in the future!

The story culminates in a tremendous battle involving vampires and humans and I enjoyed seeing everyone coming together to fight for what they believe in.  Each character has to step up to the mark when it really counts but they know they can always rely on each other.  There is lots of action and excitement throughout, especially in the second half of the book but there are also some lovely scenes between some of the couples in the series and some touching family moments.

Fans of the series will not be disappointed in the send-off given to the Drakes.  There is something to please everyone and glimpses of all the characters who have been in it along the way.       

UK readers are in for an extra treat too in this book, as there is an exclusive bonus story included about Sky and Duncan Drake which I enjoyed.  

Alyxandra Harvey may have bid farewell to the Drake family but I'm excited to read more by her in the future and I have no doubt that she will continue to entertain and amaze readers with her terrific writing.    

Hotly Anticipated Reads 2013: Bloomsbury

Bloomsbury are one of my favourite publishers because of the fantastic range of books that they offer to readers.  There's everything from historical fiction to the paranormal.  I'm always excited to see what new authors they sign and what titles they are set to publish.

Here are a selection of some of the amazing titles they have lined up for 2013 (January-June).

All links go to Goodreads where you can add them to your wishlist!

Hysteria by Megan Miranda, published 14 February

Mallory's life is falling apart. Her boyfriend was stabbed. He bled to death in her kitchen. Mallory was the one who stabbed him. But she can't remember what happened that night. She only remembers the fear ...When Mallory's parents send her away to a boarding school, she thinks she can escape the gossip and the threats. But someone, or something, has followed her. There's the hand that touches her shoulder when she's drifting off to sleep. A voice whispering her name. And everyone knows what happened. So when a pupil is found dead, Mallory's name is on their lips. Her past can be forgotten but it's never gone. Can Mallory live with that?

Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black, published 14th February

Dancing with someone is an act of trust. Elegant and intimate; you’re close enough to kiss, close enough to feel your partner’s heartbeat. But for Vanessa, dance is deadly - and she must be very careful who she trusts . . .

Vanessa Adler attends an elite ballet school - the same one her older sister, Margaret, attended before she disappeared. Vanessa feels she can never live up to her sister’s shining reputation. But Vanessa, with her glorious red hair and fair skin, has a kind of power when she dances - she loses herself in the music, breathes different air, and the world around her turns to flames . . .

Soon she attracts the attention of three men: gorgeous Zep, mysterious Justin, and the great, enigmatic choreographer Josef Zhalkovsky. When Josef asks Vanessa to dance the lead in the Firebird, she has little idea of the danger that lies ahead - and the burning forces about to be unleashed .

Blood Prophecy by Alyxandra Harvey, published 14th February

In the thrilling conclusion of the Drake Chronicles, love and loyalties will be tested … and proven once and for all.

Can Solange find her way back home again? And can she do it in time to save everyone she loves from the vampire civil war, hunter attack, and each other?

Because not everyone can survive the prophecy… maybe not even her.

Hidden by Marianne Curley, published 14th March

Ebony has always known that she is different. Her violet eyes mark her out, and her protective parents have kept her in a gorgeous valley, home-schooled, safe from everything - almost as if she's being hidden. But she's changing: glowing, getting more and more beautiful, and stronger than anyone knows. Ebony can't stay hidden for ever, and when she meets complicated, intense Jordan, something explodes inside her - something that can be seen from the heavens; something that changes everything. Ebony is a stolen angel, concealed on Earth. Now the heavens have found her, they want her back.

Witch Fire by Laura Powell, published 11th April

Lucas and Glory are hard at work in WICA (Witchkind Intelligence and Covert Affairs). As part of their training, they learn more about the witch-terrorist organization Endor. It is believed that Endor has infiltrated a boarding school for young witches in Switzerland, so WICA sends their two youngest agents--Lucas and Glory--to the school undercover. There, they learn more about an experimental brain implant that blocks the power of the fae. It's a dangerous procedure...more so than they could ever have imagined.

The Disgrace of Kitty Grey by Mary Hooper, published 9th May

Kitty is living a happy, carefree life as a dairymaid in the countryside. The grand family she is employed by looks after her well, and she loves her trade, caring for the gentle cows and working in the cool, calm dairy. And then, of course, there is Will, the river man who she thinks is very fond of her, and indeed she is of him. Surely he will ask her to marry him soon?



Regency Witches by Alyxandra Harvey, published 6th June

In 1804, three cousins with an unknown family lineage of witchcraft awake to their magical powers; beyond the manicured gardens and ballrooms of Regency London, they must navigate the new underworld now open to them, learn to control their new talents, and unravel the secret of one cousin’s mother’s illness, all the while evading fortune seekers, marriage proposals, and a dangerous killer murdering young debutantes.

Transcendence by CJ Omololu, published 6th June

When a visit to the Tower of London triggers an overwhelmingly real vision of a beheading that occurred centuries before, Cole Ryan fears she is losing her mind. A mysterious boy, Griffon Hall, comes to her aid, but the intensity of their immediate connection seems to open the floodgate of memories even wider.

As their feelings grow, Griffon reveals their common bond as members of the Akhet—an elite group of people who can remember past lives and use their collected wisdom for the good of the world. But not all Akhet are altruistic, and a rogue is after Cole to avenge their shared past. Now in extreme danger, Cole must piece together clues from many lifetimes. What she finds could ruin her chance at a future with Griffon, but risking his love may be the only way to save them both.

Comment and let me know which books you're most looking forward to in 2013!

Review: Blood Moon - Alyxandra Harvey

Blood Moon by Alyxandra Harvey, published by Bloomsbury on 5th July 2012

Goodreads synopsis:
When the vampire tribes convene for the rare Blood Moon ceremonies, Solange Drake is plunged into a battle with her feral nature. The Drake brothers have been raised knowing they had to protect their younger sister at all cost. But forbidden magic and a mysterious stranger have put all of them in terrible danger.

Nicholas is going to have to make a difficult choice: between his girlfriend, Lucy, and his little sister, Solange - blood or love.

Review:
This is the fifth book in the extremely popular Drake Chronicles series by Alyxandra Harvey.  The story picks up after the events of 'Bleeding Hearts' with Solange struggling to battle her own vampire nature.  At the same time, the Blood Moon ceremonies are taking place and vampire tribes have convened from all over the world to take part which means several new faces.     

The focus of the story shifts between Solange, Nicholas and Lucy.  Solange has never been one of my favourite characters but she undergoes quite a change in this book.  There are reasons for her strange and unpredictable behaviour and they are pretty shocking!  It will be interesting to see these explored further in the next book. 

I loved the fact that much of the plot resolves around Lucy and Nicholas who are adorable together.  They featured prominently in the first book of the series so it was nice to hear from them again and see events unfolding from their perspective.  Lucy is trying to fit in as a new student at the Helios-Ra school and is also coping with her best friend not speaking to her.  Although Solange has treated her quite badly, Lucy still wants to try and put things right and isn't willing to give up on her.  Nicholas has his own problems too and faces a choice between his girlfriend and his sister.  However, when they are with each other all these things seem to just fade into the background.  There's one particularly romantic scene between them which left me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside!

The rest of the Drake family also feature too, as well as Hunter and Isabeau who it was good to see again along with their respective other halves. 

The ending of 'Blood Moon' nearly killed me because it leaves you on such a big cliffhanger.  Please tell me that I don't have too long to wait until the next book in the series because I don't think I'd be able to stand it otherwise.  I love the way that Alyxandra Harvey always throws something new and unexpected into the plot and continually surprises me with the directions that some of the characters take.

This edition also features an exclusive bonus story about Liam and Helena Drake which was a nice added extra.

Review: Stolen Away - Alyxandra Harvey

Stolen Away by Alyxandra Harvey, published by Bloomsbury on 5th January 2012

Goodreads synopsis:
For seventeen years, Eloise Hart had no idea the world of Faery even existed. Now she has been abducted and trapped in the Rath of Lord Strahan, King of Faery. Strahan was only meant to rule for seven years, as Faery tradition dictates, and then give up his crown to another. But he won't comply, and now chaos threatens both worlds.

The only one who can break his stranglehold on the Faery court is his wife. . . Eloise's aunt Antonia. Using Eloise to lure Antonia, Strahan captures his wife, desperate to end the only threat to his reign. Now Eloise must become the rescuer. Together with her best friends Jo and Devin, she must forge alliances with other Fae, including a gorgeous protector named Lucas, and Strahan's mysterious son, Eldric—who may or may not betray them.

Review:

It’s official! Alyxandra Harvey can do it all!  After having successfully written about the world of vampires and ghosts, she’s now moved onto a new subject, faeries, weaving a captivating story of love and danger amidst the faerie realm.  I found myself totally immersed in ‘Stolen Away’ from the moment that Lucas appears on the scene with his sword by his side and kneels at the feet of the main protagonist Eloise.  He has vowed to protect her against the danger posed by Lord Strahan, the faerie king, who wants to use Eloise as a pawn in his battle to hold onto his crown.

There’s romance aplenty between Eloise and Lucas, but also some hot and sizzling moments between Eloise’s best-friend Jo and Eldric, the dark and handsome stranger that arrives on the scene to sweep Jo off her feet. I absolutely adored the relationship between the latter pairing as Eldric set my heart aflutter too.  Everyone loves a bad boy!  He’s quite an enigmatic figure and so at the beginning of the book it’s impossible to know whether or not he can be trusted but as his character is gradually developed we learn more about him and his own family history.  I loved the way that he seemed as drawn to Jo as she was to him, like a magnetic force which is out of their control and he always appeared just when she needed him. There are plenty of hot kisses between them and an undeniable spark in the air whenever they're together.  My only complaint was that I wanted to read more about them and I have my fingers firmly crossed that we may just see a sequel about them in the future. 

Eloise and Jo are joined by their other best friend Devin who is right there by their side throughout the events of the story.  Their friendship is rock solid and I liked the fact that even when they didn't necessarily agree with each others opinions or choices, they were always there to back each other up.   

I love the writing style of Alyxandra Harvey and the way she paints such vivid pictures of people and places that I always feel completely transported into the story.  'Stolen Away' is no exception with wonderful descriptions particularly of the fae, including Isadora, the no-nonsense and feisty flower fairy, as well as the wasp and hornet riding fae who manage to be both endearing and fierce at the same time.  There are also some fabulous passages conjuring up images of the realm of the fae which appears to be deeply magical as well as incredibly dangerous.

Harvey had me hook, line and sinker, captivating me completely with her tale of blossoming love amidst the world of the fae.  This is another brilliant book by my favourite YA Queen and I look forward to seeing what subject she'll turn her hand to next!

Review: Haunting Violet - Alyxandra Harvey

Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey, published by Bloomsbury on 4th July 2011

Goodreads synopsis:
Violet Willoughby doesn't believe in ghosts. But they believe in her. After spending years participating in her mother's elaborate ruse as a fraudulent medium, Violet is about as skeptical as they come in all matters supernatural. Now that she is being visited by a very persistent ghost, one who suffered a violent death, Violet can no longer ignore her unique ability. She must figure out what this ghost is trying to communicate, and quickly because the killer is still on the loose.

Afraid of ruining her chance to escape her mother's scheming through an advantageous marriage, Violet must keep her ability secret. The only person who can help her is Colin, a friend she's known since childhood, and whom she has grown to love. He understands the true Violet, but helping her on this path means they might never be together. Can Violet find a way to help this ghost without ruining her own chance at a future free of lies?

Review:

Alyxandra Harvey is one of my favourite authors.  I’m a huge fan of her Drake Chronicles series so I was enormously excited a few months back when I first heard about this book.  I loved the sound of the concept which was a ghostly murder mystery set in the Victorian era.  I’m very pleased to say that all the anticipation paid off and ‘Haunting Violet’ did not disappoint in the slightest.  In fact I enjoyed it so much that I started it early one evening and ended up staying up half the night to finish it.  Now that’s the sign of a brilliant book!

The story is based around teenage heroine Violet, who is an incredibly headstrong and immensely likeable character.  One of the things I always like to see in books is a strong and feisty female protagonist and this is one of the many characteristics by which Alyxandra Harvey’s books are known.  Even though the book is set in the Victorian era, Violet does not allow herself to be bound by the rules of society.  She still believes in making her own choices and of being herself, even when her domineering mother may be trying to turn her into something she’s not.  This helps to create a wonderful juxtaposition between the period in which the story is set and the characters.

As the story unfolds, Violet arrives with her mother at the estate of Lord Jasper.  Violet’s mother is a fake spiritualist, who has made ends meet by convincing wealthy patrons that she can commune with their dearly departed friends and relatives. Things are turned on their head however, when Violet starts having strange visions and realises that she although her mother can’t really see the dead...she can!  This realisation, leads to the unravelling of a murder mystery which it’s up to Violet to solve. 

The book is ghostly and spooky and no matter how many guesses I made, I had no clue about who the murderer was until right near the very end.  When the exposition came, it was well thought out and executed and also terrifically exciting. A real page turner!     

‘Haunting Violet’ is much more than just a murder mystery though.  There’s also a blossoming romance between Violet and her mother’s employee Colin, who she grew up with.  I wish there had been more time to spend on the relationship between the two of them as it was one of my favourite bits about the book.  I loved the way he was always there when Violet needed him, even without her having to ask.  I have to say that I swooned a fair bit over Colin who started off as quite an unlikely hero but turned out to be the rock that Violet needed.

If you’ve never read anything by Alyxandra Harvey before then now is the time to start.  This was a fantastic stand-alone novel that really allowed you to connect with the characters and engage with the story.  Brilliantly written and tremendously thrilling, ‘Haunting Violet’ is definitely going in my keeper pile.  I loved it!

Find out more about Alyxandra Harvey at her website: http://alyxandraharvey.com/

Follow Alyxandra on Twitter: http://twitter.com/alyxandrah

Competition alert!  To celebrate the release of the book, if you visit the Haunting Violet Facebook page, you could win a violet iPad 2, a goodie bag containing Haunting Violet lip balm, badges and bookmarks, and a signed copy of the book. 10 runner-ups get the goodie bag. 

Alyxandra Harvey in the UK

Exciting news!  Alyxandra Harvey will be in the UK in May promoting her new book 'Haunting Violet'.

I love Alyxandra's Drake Chronicles books and I'm eagerly awaiting the release of this one.  If you fancy meeting Alyxandra then you should definitely try to get to one of the following events. 

7pm Tuesday 24th May
Alyxandra will be talking about Haunting Violet in the Simpson Room at Waterstones, 203 / 206 Piccadilly, London, W1J 9HD
Tickets priced £2 redeemable against a copy of Haunting Violet on the night
http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/displayDetailEvent.do?searchType=1&author=AlyxandraHarvey

4.30pm Wednesday 25th May
Alyxandra will be signing copies of the Drake Chronicles and Haunting Violet at Waterstones 4/5 Milsom Street, Bath, BA1 1DA
http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/displayDetailEvent.do?searchType=1&author=AlyxandraHarvey

11.30am Saturday 28th May
Alyxandra will be appearing at the world famous Hay Festival with Marcus Sedgwick, author of Revolver and White Crow
Tickets priced £4
http://www.hayfestival.com/p-3122-alyxandra-harvey-marcus-sedgwick.aspx

Trailer: Haunting Violet - Alyxandra Harvey

Take a look at Alyxandra Harvey talking about her new book 'Haunting Violet' which is due to be published in the UK by Bloomsbury on 4th July 2011.



You can also find Alyxandra on the web at:

http//alyxandraharvey.com/

www.alyxh.livejournal.com

Waiting on Wednesday #17

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted at Breaking the Spine that spotlights eagerly awaited upcoming releases.  Head on over there to take part or to check out all the other fabulous books that people are looking forward to reading! 

Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey

Published by Bloomsbury on 4th July 2011

 

 

Violet Willoughby doesn’t believe in ghosts. But they believe in her. After spending years participating in her mother’s elaborate ruse as a fraudulent medium, Violet is about as skeptical as they come in all matters supernatural. Now that she is being visited by a very persistent ghost, one who suffered a violent death, Violet can no longer ignore her unique ability. She must figure out what this ghost is trying to communicate, and quickly because the killer is still on the loose. Afraid of ruining her chance to escape her mother’s scheming through an advantageous marriage, Violet must keep her ability secret. The only person who can help her is Colin, a friend she’s known since childhood, and whom she has grown to love. He understands the true Violet, but helping her on this path means they might never be together. Can Violet find a way to help this ghost without ruining her own chance at a future free of lies?

 

Wow!  This book sounds amazing!  I really love Alyxandra Harvey's Drake Chronicles series and I was so excited when I heard she was writing a stand-alone novel.  The plot sounds intriguing and it looks like it's also going to have a great romantic pairing between Violet and Colin.  Plus, that cover is to die for!  I love the dress on the front and the colouring is gorgeous. 

Review: Out For Blood - Alyxandra Harvey

Out For Blood (The Drake Chronicles #3) by Alyxandra Harvey, published by Bloomsbury in 2010

Goodreads synopsis:
Hunter Wild is the youngest in a long line of elite vampire hunters, a legacy that is both a blessing and a curse at the secret Helios-Ra Academy, where she excels at just about everything. Thanks to her friendship with Kieran Black, Hunter receives a special invitation to attend the coronation of Helena Drake, and for the first time, she sees the difference between vampires that must be hunted and vampires that can become friends—or even more. When students at the academy fall victim to a mysterious illness, Hunter suspects they are under attack from within. She will need someone she can trust to help her save the future of Helios-Ra . . . help that shockingly comes in the form of Quinn Drake, a drop-dead gorgeous vampire. Who said senior year would be easy?

Review:
Move over Buffy, there's a new vampire hunter in town!

Hunter Wild is a student at the Helios-Ra academy, where she's being trained in the art of hunting vampires.  She is fast, strong, beautiful and intelligent but needs all her wits and cunning to figure out what's afflicting her fellow students when they all mysteriously start becoming ill.  Her grandfather, who raised her after the death of her parents, has taught her that vampires are the enemy and must be stopped at all costs, but when she meets Quinn Drake, up close and in person, she starts developing a whole new set of feelings about vampires - of which her grandfather would most definitely not approve!

This was definitely my favourite installment in the series so far.  I loved the character of Hunter who's definitely someone you'd want fighting on your side and I liked the fact that a lot of the plot took place in the school.  The story alternates between Hunter's narrative and Quinn's and I liked seeing how they both coped with their new-found feelings for each other.  Quinn has always had a reputation for having an eye for the ladies, but when he meets Hunter and their relationship starts to develop romantically, he has to adjust to being a one-woman vampire.  I thought their romance was brilliantly written and the scenes between the two of them were very natural and realistic. 

I also liked the fact that we got to see the vampires being afraid for the humans around them and struggling with their emotions and natural instinct for blood.  They have to weigh up their own feelings, against what will keep the people they love safe - even if that means keeping them as far away from them as possible.

Many featured characters from throughout the series were also part of the book, including Logan and Isabeau, Nicholas and Lucy and Kieran and Solange.  It was nice seeing some familiar faces again and revisiting old friends.  I love Nicholas and Lucy so much - I want to see more of them.

I read somewhere that the next book's going to be based around Quinn's twin brother Connor, who I think would be perfect for Chloe as they're both computer geniuses.  It's due to be published in 2011.  This is such a fantastic series and I can't sing its praises enough.  I don't know how many books Alyxandra Harvey has planned but I hope she goes on and on and on! 

Thanks to Bloomsbury for sending me this book for review

Review: Blood Feud - Alyxandra Harvey

Goodreads synopsis:
The action and romance continue as the Drakes face a new vampire with a 200-year-old grudge. It’s been centuries since Isabeau St. Croix barely survived the French Revolution. Now she’s made her way back to the living and she must face the ultimate test by confronting the evil British lord who left her for dead the day she turned into a vampire. That’s if she can control her affection for Logan Drake, a vampire whose bite is as sweet as the revenge she seeks.

The clans are gathering for Helena’s royal coronation as the next vampire queen, and new alliances are beginning to form now that the old rifts of Lady Natasha’s reign have started to heal. But with a new common enemy, Leander Montmarte—a vicious leader who hopes to force Solange to marry him and usurp the power of the throne for himself—the clans must stand together to preserve the peace he threatens to destroy.

Review:
This is book 2 in the Drake Chronicles series by Alyxandra Harvey.  I haven't read the first book, 'My Love Lies Bleeding', but it didn't take me long to pick up the thread of the story or get acquainted with the characters.  I think this could easily be read as a stand-alone story, although it probably would have helped to have known some of the additional background information.  I found that there were quite a bewildering array of names, groups and families mentioned at the start, which I had to concentrate on so I didn't get them all mixed-up.

Isabeau St. Croix is a vampire but not just any vampire.  She was changed back in the days of the French Revolution and buried underground for several centuries before she was revived and became a Hound 'Princess'.  She becomes entangled in the affairs of the Drake family and in particular that of Logan Drake, but she also has to face being confronted with the vampire who made her and then left her for dead.  I loved Isabeau - she was a really fiesty and strong female character and I particularly enjoyed the chapters that were told from her perspective.  She shares the narrative with Logan, although I felt that he could have been a little more developed.  A fair number of chapters are also dedicated to flashbacks of Isabeau's former life before she became a vampire and I thought these's were great, because they gave the reader a lot of insight into her strength of character and strong will.  I also loved her faithful Hound Charlemagne.

There's an enormous amount of action going on in the book which means that the pace of the story fairly whips along.  However, although I enjoyed the good versus evil battle that was ongoing throughout, I would have liked just a little more romance between Logan and Isabeau!  Their attraction is so palpable that I would have liked to have seen more of it, although the fact that they don't instantly act on their attraction does mean that the tension between them fairly smoulders!

Book 3 in the series, 'Out For Blood' has just been published and focuses on Quinn Drake.  Although I'm looking forward to reading this and I would like to find out more about the Drake family, I also feel that Logan and Isabeau's story has only just got started and I want to be there to find out what happens to them next.  I hope Alyxandra Harvey revisits these two characters at some point in future installments.