Review: Shadow Heir by Richelle Mead

Shadow Heir
~Richelle Mead 

Paperback: 352 pages 
Publisher: Zebra; Original edition (December 27, 2011) 
Language: English 
ISBN-10: 1420111809 
ISBN-13: 978-1420111804 
ASIN: B005JSZOOK

From the author's website:
Shaman-for-hire Eugenie Markham strives to keep the mortal realm safe from trespassing entities. But as the Thorn Land's prophecy-haunted queen, there's no refuge for her and her soon-to-be-born-children when a mysterious blight begins to devastate the Otherworld...

The spell-driven source of the blight isn't the only challenge to Eugenie's instincts. Fairy king Dorian is sacrificing everything to help, but Eugenie can't trust the synergy drawing them back together. The uneasy truce between her and her shape shifter ex-lover Kiyo is endangered by secrets he can't--or won't--reveal. And as a formidable force rises to also threaten the human world, Eugenie must use her own cursed fate as a weapon--and risk the ultimate sacrifice...

*SPOILERS FOR BOOKS 1-3*

Shadow Heir picks up where Iron Crowned left off:  Half-human, half-fae, and Queen of two fairy lands, Eugenie Markham is pregnant with twins, the boy twin has been prophecied to lead the Otherworld to overthrow the human world.  Because of this, many of the Fae want her dead, others want her protected.  After an attack, Eugenie decides to continue her pregnancy in the human world in order to have access to medical care and keep her babies safe from her enemies.  She gets an urgent message that all is not well in the Otherworld, and knows she must go back and help find a solution before or her friends may not survive.

Dorian is still trying to make her his queen, and Kiyo is still trying to kill her, but the problems in the Otherworld are so bad that an uneasy truce has been drawn between them.

My thoughts:
A WTH? ending to a fabulous series.  I've loved this series from the first book and am sad to see it end.  Shadow Heir was, for the most part, an enjoyable read.  I didn't know how Ms. Mead was going to work the pregnancy into the storyline, but I shouldn't have worried... I thought the story flowed nicely through her pregnancy and after, and the storyline worked for me.  We met some new characters and got to say goodbye to some old friends, but the trio of Eugenie, Dorian and Kiyo were a strong focal point to the story.  I love reading about the Otherworld and it's inhabitants, so I definitely got my fairie fix.

Now, there were a few things that I didn't like:  I kind of felt like the babies were born and then disappeared from the storyline completely - it was such a huge plot point in previous books that I felt like they were just pushed aside without much fanfare.  The main issue for me, however, was the open ending.  Ms. Mead drops a HUGE plot twist on the readers and then just ....ends.  Without resolution.

So, I finished this series a little frustrated.  BUT, it was such a good series I would absolutely recommend it - the Dark Swan series is full of magic, action, and a red-hot love triangle; just... be prepared for the pseudo-cliffhanger ending.

My Rating:

This book was received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Waiting on Wednesday: Shadow Heir by Richelle Mead

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, 

that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating:

One of the books I'm most excited about reading is Richelle Mead's Shadow Heir.  Even though I love her other two series, I put off reading her Dark Swan series forever...I just didn't think I'd like a fairy story.  Then, Parajunkee convinced me to give it a try - OMG it's awesome!!!  I read the first two books back-to-back and pestered her until she gave me the third book :)  Since then, I've been waiting with baited breath for the fourth and final book in this series - I cannot wait to find out what's in store for Eugenie!!!

Shadow Heir
~Richelle Mead 


Paperback: 352 pages 
Publisher: Zebra; Original edition (December 27, 2011) 
Language: English 
ISBN-10: 1420111809 
ISBN-13: 978-1420111804 
ASIN: B005JSZOOK

From the author's website:
Shaman-for-hire Eugenie Markham strives to keep the mortal realm safe from trespassing entities. But as the Thorn Land's prophecy-haunted queen, there's no refuge for her and her soon-to-be-born-children when a mysterious blight begins to devastate the Otherworld...


The spell-driven source of the blight isn't the only challenge to Eugenie's instincts. Fairy king Dorian is sacrificing everything to help, but Eugenie can't trust the synergy drawing them back together. The uneasy truce between her and her shape shifter ex-lover Kiyo is endangered by secrets he can't--or won't--reveal. And as a formidable force rises to also threaten the human world, Eugenie must use her own cursed fate as a weapon--and risk the ultimate sacrifice...

What are you waiting on?

Review: Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Bloodlines
~Richelle Mead


Reading level: Young Adult 
Hardcover: 432 pages 
Publisher: Razorbill 
Publish Date: August 23, 2011 
ISBN-10: 1595143173 
ISBN-13: 978-1595143174 
ASIN: B004XFZ9CC

From the author's website:
Blood doesn't lie... 
 Sydney is an alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of human and vampires. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives. When Sydney is torn from her bed in the middle of the night, at first she thinks she's still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. But what unfolds is far worse. Jill Dragomir - the sister of Moroi Queen Lissa Dragomir - is in mortal danger, and the Moroi must send her into hiding. To avoid a civil war, Sydney is called upon to act as Jill's guardian and protector, posing as her roommate in the last place anyone would think to look for vampire royalty - a human boarding school in Palm Springs, California. But instead of finding safety at Amberwood Prep, Sydney discovers the drama is only just beginning...

Sydney Sage is an alchemist:  a member of a "secret society" of sorts, one sworn to protect humans from vampires or any knowledge that they even exist.  Right now, the vampire world is in an uproar - there's a new, young queen, Lissa Dragomir, who is tenuously hanging on to her crown, and she's bringing in changes to a system that has been in place for centuries.  The queen's young half-sister, Jill, is in danger, as she is the only living relative to the queen and if she is killed Lissa will have to step down - one of the rules Lissa is trying to change is that the current ruler must have living family; they cannot be the last of their line.

Sydney is chosen to go into hiding with Jill, to "manage things" in case anything comes up; she will be posing as Jill's sister while they attend a private school in Palm Springs. Sydney is still on probation for the events that took place in Ms. Mead's other series, Vampire Academy, so she wants to do this job well to prove to the Alchemists that she's not a "vampire lover".

Things are off to a bad start though:  her supervisor, Keith, hates her, Jill is acting weird and getting in trouble, and the local vampires are giving her more stress than help.

My thoughts:
I am a huge Vampire Academy fan, it is one of my favorite YA series.  I've been looking forward to Bloodlines with a little trepidation, as my reaction to the last VA book was just "meh" (I still absolutely recommend the series to anyone who hasn't read it).  I should not have been worried - Richelle Mead absolutely delivers!

While Bloodlines is set in the VA world, it is a different story - where Rose is a kick-ass, take charge heroine, Sydney is  more reserved.  She's been raised with the belief that knowledge is power, and has been groomed since childhood to become an Alchemist.  Sydney likes to think things through and be sure about it before she acts. She's also aware of the political aspects of her assignment with regards to the Alchemists, and she holds back where other UF heroines might not.  This works for her though - she needs to analyze and plan and see the whole picture before acting.  It does, however, make for a slow start to the book as Sydney and Jill get in and settled and Ms. Mead sets up the story.  Once her investigations get going though, I spend the rest of the book guessing who the villian was - was it the obvious choice or maybe someone less obvious but with definite motivation?  I was very surprised by the end of the book.

I was thrilled that the secondary characters I loved in the VA series are here; especially Adrian Ivashkov, the chain-smoking, hard-drinking royal who is in turns charming and broody.  He is such a fabulous character and I loved him in Bloodlines:

     I shook my head, still smiling.  "You'll have a hard time getting any Alchemist to admit that. But I can say you're okay for an irreverent party boy with occasional moments of brilliance."
     "Brilliant? You think I'm brilliant?" He threw his hands skyward. "You hear that, world? Sage says I'm brilliant." 
     "That's not what I said!" 
     He dropped the cigarette and stamped it out, giving me a devil-may-care grin. "Thanks for the ego boost. I'm going to go tell Clarence and Lee all about your high opinion." 
     "Hey, I didn't-" 
     But he was already gone.  As I drove away, I decided the Alchemists needed an entire department devoted to handling Adrian Ivashkov. 
~Bloodlines page 145

While I like Jill's character, she comes across as a wishy-washy character who doesn't figure much in the story except to provide a purpose for Sydney's assignment.  She was pretty forgettable, but did come to life near the end of the story.  I'm hoping her character will grow with the series.

I must also address Sydney's potential love interest.  Without giving away any spoilers, I think this is going to be a long journey but ultimately a good one.  I see a lot of frustration in my future waiting for Sydney to come to terms with her feelings for this particular character.

I was intrigued by Sydney in the VA series, she was a secondary character who seemed to have an interesting story, and I wanted to know more about her.  In Bloodlines, we get some of her story, but you can tell there is much, much more to tell. All in all, Bloodlines is another mark in the "awesome" column for Richelle Mead!  I'm looking forward to the next book, The Golden Lily, scheduled for release in June 2012.


My Rating: 
Book received from the publisher.

Review: Succubus Revealed by Richelle Mead

Succubus Revealed
~Richelle Mead
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Kensington
Publish Date: August 30, 2011
ISBN-10: 0758232012
ISBN-13: 978-0758232014
ASIN: B005CRY8CW

From the author's website:
Georgina Kincaid has had an eternity to figure out the opposite sex, but sometimes they still surprise her. Take Seth Mortensen. The man has risked his soul to become Georgina's boyfriend. Still, with Lucifer for a boss, Georgina can't just hang up her killer heels and settle down to domestic bliss. In fact, she's being forced to transfer operations...to Las Vegas.
The City of Sin is a dream gig for a succubus, but Georgina's allies are suspicious. Why are the powers-that-be so eager to get her away from Seattle—-and from Seth? Georgina is one of Hell's most valuable assets, but if there's any way out of the succubus business she plans to take it--no matter how much roadkill she leaves behind. She just hopes the casualties won’t include the one man she’s risking everything for...

Georgina Kincaid has had a rough few months, but things are finally settling down.  She's working as an elf at the Mall since she quit her dream job at the bookstore.  Maybe it's not ideal, but it pays the bills.  She's back together with her boyfriend Seth, and although there are a few things in their relationship that aren't perfect - namely every time they have sex a piece of his soul turns dark - she's happy they're together.  They've had their ups and downs and everything seems to have worked itself out.

Then, out of nowhere, she gets a message from hell - she's being transferred in a month from Seattle to Las Vegas.  She's devastated, until she realizes she can bring Seth.  But his sister-in-law is sick with cancer, and it's suddenly gotten worse; Seth must stay to help his brother and sister-in-law with their five young daughters.  Georgina takes a weekend trip to Las Vegas to check in and make preparations for her arrival, and it's too good to be true:  her boss is and old favorite, her new roommate is a very good friend, and he introduces her to another succubus who is a lot of fun and helps her land her dream job as a showgirl.

Later, as she's telling her roommate, Roman, about all these things, he's deeply suspicious.  Roman wants to know why hell wants her out of Seattle so quickly.  As more and more secrets are uncovered, Georgina's future looks uncertain - for good or bad, no one knows.

My thoughts:
A fabulous ending to a fantastic series. I couldn't have asked for more.  I had so many questions at the end of Succubus Shadows, and they were all answered in Succubus Revealed.

Georgina's crew is like hell's version of Friends:

"No trouble at all.  I get a discount at the mall."
Jerome sighed and set down his fork.  "Are you still doing that Georgie?  Don't I suffer enough without having to endure the humiliation ofa succubus who moonlights as a Christmas elf?"
"You always said I should quit the bookstore and find something else to do," I reminded him.
"Yes, but that was because I thought you'd go on to do something respectable.  Like become a stripper or the mayor's mistress."
~page 9, Succubus Revealed

Ms. Mead writes the quirkiest demons I've ever read.  I mean, really, where else are you going to read about a bowling competition to prove demonic superiority?

Seth was on my shit list for part of the series, but I'm firmly back in the Team Seth category.  He's good for Georgina; he loves her more than anyone knew.  Well, almost anyone...

Roman was another character I had doubts about earlier in the series, but I must say that Roman was amazing.  Everyone needs a friend like Roman; someone who's there for you despite the situation or the risks, someone who will fight for you and do everything in his power to ensure your happiness.

And Carter, oh Carter.  I think this is the only series where I like a secondary character more than the actual hero.  Carter is an amazingly wonderful and complex character - his non-answers frustrated me throughout the series but really, why should that change in the last book, lol.  (The last thing Carer says to Georgina on the very last page of the book brought tears to my eyes.)

Throughout the entire series I've wanted a HEA for Georgina but I could not figure out for the life of me how she was going to get it.  In her Succubus series, Ms. Mead has done a wonderful job weaving clues through multiple books, ending with a scene that left me holding my breath and closing one eye because I was afraid to look but had to keep reading.  The epilogue left me extremely satisfied, although I may have needed a tissue or two.

I can't really say whether or not you would enjoy this book if you haven't read the rest of the series - but I wouldn't advise it.  This is book 6, and as such there is so much history between Georgina, Seth, and her demonic counterparts that you really should read the whole series.

Oh, just one more thing: Hey Ms. Mead - how about a spinoff series or short story featuring Seth's little niece, Kayla, when she gets a bit older?


My Rating:
 

Book received by publisher at ALA.

News: Richelle Mead has released the description for the 4th Dark Swan book!

I just got back from vacation tonight and this amazing news was waiting for me:

Richelle Mead has just announced she's almost finished with Shadow's Heir, the fourth book in her Dark Swan series. Here's what she has to say (taken directly from her website):

*SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST THREE BOOKS*

Shadow's Heir (Dark Swan book 4)
~Richelle Mead
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Zebra
Publish Date: January 3, 2010
ISBN-10: 1420111809
ISBN-13: 978-1420111804

Shaman-for-hire Eugenie Markham strives to keep the mortal realm safe from trespassing entities. But as the Thorn Land's prophecy-haunted queen, there's no refuge for her and her soon-to-be-born-children when a mysterious blight begins to devastate the Otherworld...

The spell-driven source of the blight isn't the only challenge to Eugenie's instincts. Fairy king Dorian is sacrificing everything to help, but Eugenie can't trust the synergy drawing them back together. The uneasy truce between her and her shape shifter ex-lover Kiyo is endangered by secrets he can't--or won't--reveal. And as a formidable force rises to also threaten the human world, Eugenie must use her own cursed fate as a weapon--and risk the ultimate sacrifice...

I am soooo exited!  I just glommed the first three books back-to-back in this series last month, and I am already jonesing for Shadow's Heir.  Kiyo makes me crazy; I am totally Team Dorian and I can't wait to find out what happens next. January 2012 cannot get here soon enough!

Graphic Novel Review: Storm Born Issues 1 and 2 by Richelle Mead

Dark Swan - Storm Born Volumes 1&2
~Richelle Mead

From Goodreads:
Richelle Mead's Dark Swan (Storm Born) Graphic Novel will be out on the bookshelves in September of this year. For those interested in getting the comic issues, the first issue will be out on May 18th.

Description:
Eugenie Markham never asked for any of this. Until now, she’s been content with her job as a freelance shaman, battling and banishing Otherworldly creatures.  When a prophecy suddenly makes her the Otherworld’s most popular bachelorette, Eugenie finds herself fighting off unwanted supernatural suitors, as well as the evils that begin emerging from her past…

When I accepted the invitation to review the Storm Born graphic novel, I hadn't read the book yet.  It's been sitting on my TBR shelf for ages, and other things kept coming up.  I decided I didn't want to review the graphic novel without reading the book first.  I ended up loving the book (4 stars) and as soon as I finished I went to my computer and pulled up the first comic issue.

A very brief book synopsis:  Eugenie is a shaman - she battles fairies (gentry) and spirits and either sends them back to the Otherworld or into the land of death.  She gets a call from a man whose sister has been taken into the Otherworld, and Eugenie agrees to try and go get her.  In her journey she meets many fairies, a fairy king, and other spirits/beings.  She learns things about herself and her family she never would have dreamed of, and in addition to trying to save the girl she ends up on a journey of self-discovery and growth.

Now, on to the comics:
It's obvious the writers and illustrators read the book and paid attention; Eugenie's tattoos and jewelry (which are important in the book) are there, the characters fit the descriptions, and the story follows the book closely.  I like the artwork, and they do a good job of showing the reader what's going on. 

As a fan, I was taken by the first page and enjoyed the whole thing:  the first issue has most of the set-up to the eventual storyline and Eugenie has just met a potential love-interest.  That being said, I don't know if there was enough going on that I would have been interested in continuing the series if I hadn't read the book already.  By the second issue, however, things started to get more interesting and I think even people who haven't read the book will want the story to keep going; I know I did!

I would say to Dark Swan fans - if you like graphic novels, you'll love this, and to comic fans who haven't read the Eugenie books, keep with it - you'll be happy you did.
 
I cannot wait to for the next two issues: Issue 3 will be released in July, and Issue 4 in August:

I will definitely be buying the hardcover when it comes out on September 20.

______________________________

Here's a great link to an MTV interview with Richelle Mead - see how she feels about people saying the main character looks like her, lol.

My Rating:

These comics were provided to me by the pubisher in exchange for an honest review.

Promo: Dark Swan Graphic Novel (Richelle Mead)

I love Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy and Succubus series. I haven't read her Dark Swan series yet but I bought the first book and am planning to read it soon. I've also found that I'm gaining an appreciation for graphic novels - I bought The Exile: An Outlander Graphic Novel and Black Wade in the last few months and loved them both. So I'm super excited about this:


Sea Lion Books has released the first five pages of the Dark Swan graphic novel, and it looks good:





According to the publicist, there will be four comic book issues, the first issue releases May 18 and the other comics will come out every month thereafter. The graphic novel, which is the hardcover will be out in September. Richelle Mead posts about it here.

Dark Swan (Graphic Novel)

Hardcover: 120 pages
Publisher: Sea Lion Books
Publish Date: September 20, 2011
ISBN-10: 0982818645
ISBN-13: 978-0982818640

Product description from Amazon:
Eugenie Markham never asked for any of this. Until now, she''s been content with her job as a freelance shaman, battling and banishing Otherworldly creatures. When a prophecy suddenly makes her the Otherworld''s most popular bachelorette, Eugenie finds herself fighting off unwanted supernatural suitors, as well as the evils that begin emerging from her past...

I think I'm going to need a separate shelf for my growing Graphic Novel collection!!

Cover Alert: Succubus Revealed by Richelle Mead

One of my favorite authors, Richelle Mead, has just revealed the cover for her last Succubus book, Succubus Revealed!!




The blurb:
Georgina Kincaid has had an eternity to figure out the opposite sex, but sometimes they still surprise her. Take Seth Mortensen. The man has risked his soul to become Georgina's boyfriend. Still, with Lucifer for a boss, Georgina can't just hang up her killer heels and settle down to domestic bliss. In fact, she's being forced to transfer operations...to Las Vegas.

The City of Sin is a dream gig for a succubus, but Georgina's allies are suspicious. Why are the powers-that-be so eager to get her away from Seattle—-and from Seth? Georgina is one of Hell's most valuable assets, but if there's any way out of the succubus business she plans to take it--no matter how much roadkill she leaves behind. She just hopes the casualties won’t include the one man she’s risking everything for...

Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Kensington
Publish Date: August 30, 2011
ISBN-10: 0758232012
ISBN-13: 978-0758232014

Woot! There are so many unanswered questions in this series; I'm sad to see it end but excited to have my questions answered. I'm leaning towards Team Seth (I'm still undecided, but as I said in my review of Succubus Shadows, I'm leaning more his direction) and want to see Georgie get her HEA :)

Review: Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

From Goodreads:
Rose Hathaway has always played by her own rules.

She broke the law when she ran away from St. Vladimir’s Academy with her best friend and last surviving Dragomir Princess, Lissa. She broke the law when she fell in love with her gorgeous, off-limits instructor, Dimitri. And she dared to defy Queen Tatiana, leader of the Moroi world, risking her life and reputation to protect generations of dhampir guardian to come.

Now the law has finally caught up with Rose- for a crime she didn’t even commit. She’s in prison for the highest offense imaginable: the assassination of a monarch. She’ll need help from both Dimitri and Adrian to find the one living person who can stall her execution and force the Moroi elite to acknowledge a shocking new candidate for the royal throne: Vasilisa Dragomir.

But the clock on Rose’s life is running out. Rose knows in her heart the world of the dead wants her back… and this time she is truly out of second chances. The big question is, when your life is about saving others, who will save you?

_____________________

This is the sixth and final installment in Ms. Mead's Vampire Academy Series. I have been anticipating this book for months. I have to say that, while I enjoyed it, I was a little disappointed.

The plot was interesting: Rose is in jail, falsely accused of murdering the Queen. The Moroi are anxious for a quick trial, which means they think Rose is guilty. Her friends bust her out of prison and she's on the run with Dimitri - they're supposed to stay at a safe location, but nothing works out like it should when Rose is involved. They end up chasing clues about a possible sibling for Lissa while running from the Guardians, finding an unusual colony of vampires and humans together, and searching for the real killer. Meanwhile, Rose's friends are trying to find the killer and distracting the Court from searching for Rose and Dimitri.

The storyline was full of action and stuff was happening left and right. My complaint is that kick-ass Rose seemed almost passive in this book. I felt like she spent most of the story out of it - watching Lissa through their spirit bond. I don't particularly care for Lissa, never have, and for that reason I had a hard time with Last Sacrifice. I also wanted more of Rose/Adrian or Rose/Dimitri. The interaction wasn't there - she only saw Adrian through her Spirit Dreams, and she and Dimitri spent most of their time trying not to notice each other. I was pleased that Rose did make a choice, it wasn't done for her, and her reasons were solid.

The ending was good, but quick. It felt like the book was go!go!go! and then wrapped up in the last 10 pages or so.

Ms. Mead says on her site that there will be a spin-off series that takes place in the VA world; I'm looking forward to it.

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 496 pages
Publisher: Penguin/Razorbill
Release Date: December 7, 2010
ISBN-10: 1595143068
ISBN-13: 978-1595143068

My Rating:

Waiting on Wednesday: Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

__________________

Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead is one of those releases I am anticipating and dreading. Anticipating because the series is so awesome and dreading because it's the last book in this fabulous series. This is my favorite YA series.

The release date is December 7 but I haven't been able to find a blurb, and she said she probably won't be able to release the first chapter (which she normally releases a month ahead of the book) until Thanksgiving week.


She did put two videos with teasers up on her blog last week:

Loyal. Outsider. Murderer? Who killed the Queen?
(about Christian apparently)

and a quote from the book:
"...and there isn't much I wouldn't do for you. The stupider the better."

She has planned a spinoff series with different characters as the main focus, here's what she has to say:

Last Sacrifice will be the last book about Rose, but it'll be followed by a spin-off series still set in the Vampire Academy world. Side characters we know from the current series will now be our main characters, and there'll be a whole new storyline (not the last one told from a different perspective). So far, there is no exact release date, but you can expect it near late summer/early fall of 2011.

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 496 pages
Publisher: Penguin/Razorbill
Release Date: December 7, 2010
ISBN-10: 1595143068
ISBN-13: 978-1595143068

Review: Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

Oh, Richelle Mead, how you delight and torture me! This is my favorite YA series: I read the first four Vampire Academy books in a few days, then waited for what seemed like forever for Spirit Bound; you made it worth the wait.

(This spoiler-free review is based on the assumption that you've read the previous 4 books)

As the book opens, Rose is getting ready to take her Guardian Trials, which also means graduation. As Rose and Lissa head to Court to begin their adult lives, they end up taking a "field trip" - a very dangerous (and illegal) one. This field trip leads to pieces of information that will change lives well into the next book.

Ms. Mead infuses the wonderful humor I've come to expect and enjoy in her writing - she really "gets" teens and their sometimes ridiculous thought processes:

Mia looked determined when we reached her, though, and I felt encouraged by her attitude - and that she was wearing all black. True, it wouldn't do much in sunlight, but it made this all feel more legitimate.

And yet, the visual images she creates are so real I can imagine myself as a bystander, witnessing events as they happen, my hands clenched and my heart in my throat:

Her face, even marred with the fire's terrible damage, was radiant and filled with compassion. SPOILER had called me an avenging angel, but she was an angel of mercy as she gazed down at him and crooned soothing, nonsense words.


I can't go into much of the plot without spoilers, but here's my thoughts on some of the players:

Tatiana, the queen Moroi was as nasty as I thought she was...or was she?

Rose's dad, Abe, is really growing on me. I think he's growing on Rose, too. We got to see Rose's mother in the beginning of the book, but I felt like she was conspicuously absent in the last half of the book. I don't know why she wasn't there.

We get to meet Adrian's parents! (Rose and Mrs. Ivashkov had a very interesting conversation at that first meeting...)

Christian is a pretty decent guy. I liked him in the previous books and he did not disappoint as a character I can count on to do the right thing.

Lissa: I actually liked Lissa in this book. In previous books she comes off as dainty and selfish. In Spirit Bound, she was pretty kick-ass. Don't get me wrong, there were some scenes were I was like, "Damn, Lissa - what about Rose?", but definitely a big improvement from previous books. I guess Rose isn't the only character who's done some growing up!

I really, really like Dimitri - even though he broke my heart in this book. I have much love for Dimitri and high hopes for him in the next book.

And Adrian, oh Adrian! When Adrian was first introduced into the series I liked him as a character but not as a love interest for Rose. With this book, I fall more in love with Adrian: at one point, I did a mental *fist pump* and thought "yay!" - and then Rose surprised me. Here's the thing - unlike other Moroi/dhampir relationships, I don't see Adrian leaving Rose eventually; he could be The One, if she'd let him. I'm torn - Dimitri or Adrian? I'd be happy and at the same time heartbroken either way.

We also briefly visit a few characters from the last few books: Jill, Mia, Ambrose, and Ambrose's Aunt Rhonda to name a few. And yes, Rose does get another tarot reading :)

And, if the cliffhanger ending wasn't enough, right before we close the pages Rose gets information that could potentially change Lissa's life, AND the lives of current and future dhampirs. Oh, Ms. Mead, how you tease me! The last book in this series, Last Sacrifice, is due out December 7. I've never wanted December to get here so badly!

Spirit Bound gets 5/5 stars - definitely a keeper!!!

Review: Succubus Shadows by Richelle Mead

I feel like I've come full circle...my very first review was the previous 4 books in this series *reminisces about the old days (way back 10 months ago, LOL)*

I'm just going to toss all my thoughts into the air and let them land where they may:

Poor, poor Georgina. She just can't seem to catch a break. She's been the focus of all sorts of supernatural shenanigans over the past year, and to add insult to injury she's allowed herself to get roped into helping plan her dream guy's wedding....to her good friend. So, yeah, I'd say she's entitled to feel a bit down.

She runs into some serious trouble and can't get out of it without her friends, both human and supernatural. I don't think Georgina realized what a great group of friends she had until this book. I loved the scenes showing her friends efforts to save her. The scenes from her past were an interesting view, like peeking through a window into her head.

I kind of see Georgina as the supernatural version of "the hooker with a heart of gold" (although she has sex for souls, not cash), and this book furthered that image. We saw how in her past she had a conscience and cared about the humans she interacted with. And in her present she continues to care, even though it hurts.

As far as characters go, I continue to adore Carter, although I can't really put my finger on why. And I thought it was sweet that he wore the hat Georgina had given him; I know that's silly but whatev, it's my review. And of course, his cryptic answers continue to infuriate me as much as they do Georgina. Jerome confuses me. He seemed to really care forher if you go by his efforts to assist her. But, I'm pretty sure he's behind Simone showing up in Seattle; I just can't figure out exactly why she was there - just to seduce Seth? I'm not buying it. It's got to be more than that. I also think he was behind Erik's "incident", though again, not sure why. He knew about Erik's talents before, I don't think he was suddenly scared of Erik's abilities. Speaking of Erik, I'm confused about the information he gave Georgina, in more ways than one.

And, finally, Seth. I'm really on the fence about Seth. I'm glad he seems to be getting his act together, but is it too little too late? I think he's doing the right thing though. (Does anyone else think Jerome was responsible for the photo? One of those "loopholes" demons are so fond of?)

Oh - and I really like Roman but I think he's a red-herring.

Loved this book - I give Succubus Shadows 5/5 stars!

Richelle Mead Winners!!!

Many thanks to all who entered. I'm slowly working my way through checking out all the new-to-me blogs and making new friends.


As you all know how tech-unsavvy I am, you've probably already figured out that I put all the entries in a big bucket and let my eight-year-old pick the winners. This is the first contest I've held that allowed extra entries and wow, there were a lot of them! When I enter a contest I usually try to grab the extra entries but I've always wondered if they really make a difference....if my giveaway is any indication, they do.


The winners of the SIGNED books are:


For Vampire Academy:


Eva SB
(one of her extra entries for adding my button won)



For Succubus Blues:



Smokinhotbooks
(her twitter entry won)



Congratulations ladies! Please contact me (pspinney at cox dot net) by Friday, February 26 or I will pick a new winner.

Meeting Richelle Mead and a Giveaway!!

First, I'd like to say thanks to everyone who voted for Ms. Mead to come to New Orleans as one of her stops on her book tour. Even though the signing was in the middle of the Saints playoff game (Who Dat!), my husband agreed to keep our girls so I could take the teenager (Book Mule) and go to the signing. It was very nice - at a small, independent bookstore, probably around 100 people came (I'm not sure about the number...dramatic pause....I was in the 3rd row!!!).

I didn't expect her to look like her photos (why not, I don't know), but she does - she's cute as a button and her red hair is gorgeous!! (I've wanted red hair since I read Anne of Green Gables) She read an excerpt from Blood Promise (about Rose getting another Tarot reading) and then did a bit of Q&A. I don't think she revealed anything new in the Q&A (6 VA books, 6 Succubus books, I don't remember if she mentioned how many Dark Swan books) although she did say when she finishes up VA and Georgina she may do a VA spinoff or something but she wants to go down to one YA and one adult series each. I asked who her favorite characterwas and while she didn't really answer directly she did say Georgina is her favorite to write because that character is most like herself, and Rose is least like herself. She said the men were becoming fun to write, at which point I asked if Seth would redeem himself before the series was over and she gave me a wry look and said yes.

Reading an excerpt from Blood Promise:

Answering questions:

She was actually very talkative while she signed which surprised me; I figured seeing so many people and signing your name over and over would be a bit monotous. She did comment on that when she signed two of my books and realized she'd signed the same thing, she went ahead and added some more stuff to make it a bit different - she was really sweet.

She did a post about her visit with pics and Book Mule and I are in one of the photos, LOL!

**************GIVEAWAY******************

As a big thank-you for voting, while I was there I got Ms. Mead to sign a copy of Vampire Academy and a copy of Succubus Blues (SB was my first book review - this series does not get the love it deserves IMO) to give away. I'll pick one winner for each book. Due to the fact that this city is getting ready to turn into Party Central and I plan at being at Mardi Gras Parades for almost two weeks straight, the contest will end February 19.

Here are the rules:

1. You MUST be a follower.

2. +2 for putting my button on your blog (leave link)

3. +1 each for posting, sidebar mention, or tweet of this contest (leave link).

Everyone is entered for both books unless you mention you're only interested in one or the other. Open to everyone.

Hooray and Thanks!

I had a crazy busy day at work today (in a good way, I like to be busy) and didn't have time to check blogs (not that I check them at work, heh heh). Then on the way home I got in a minor fender-bender (not my fault) and accosted by a crazy person (seriously - he told us he wished our cars would have burst into flames so we'd be dead. Total nutjob!). So it's 6:30 pm by the time I get home (I leave my house at 6:50 am) and after I tell my husband about my day I sit down to check blogs. Guess what I found:

Richelle Mead is coming to New Orleans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Many, many thanks to those of you who voted after I begged (I really did type that post on my knees...okay, maybe not really!) She doesn't know when yet, but you know I'll find a way to be there!

Banned Books

I know, I know, Banned Book Week was September 26 - October 3 and I'm a bit late to the game, but at least I got here. I was checking blogs this morning, and I saw that one of my favorite authors, Richelle Mead (I know, I should change the name of this blog to the I (heart) Richelle Mead Blog), has been banned at a school in Texas. Which got me to thinking about banned books all over again.

I don't just read banned books during Banned Book Week, I read them all year. Feel free to take one (or more) for yourself!

Cover Alert - Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

AAAAHHHHHH! You know what a Vampire Academy Fangirl I am! What a wonderful thing to wake up to on Monday Morning! This cover is great - But is which guy is that? I'm not going to put my guess here (no spoilers!) but there are two people I think it could be. Awesome cover!!!

Spirit Bound is out May 18, 2010 and is the 5th book in the series.

The One In Which I Get On My Knees And Beg...

Here's the deal - I (heart) Richelle Mead. I've loved her Succubus series, and now I'm totally on the Vampire Academy wagon. I'm so jealous of other bloggers who've been to her signings (so, so jealous!). Well, she put up a poll on her blog of where she should go for a signing - she'll go to the top 3 cities - AND NEW ORLEANS IS ONE OF THE CHOICES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm begging you - if the city you live in is not on the list - please go to her site (link conviently located below) and vote for New Orleans. If you don't give two shits who Richelle Mead is - please click the link and vote for New Orleans. If you value all that is wholesome like springtime and puppies and walks in the park - please click the link and vote for New Orleans!!! We never get any authors here - they all go to Houston or Atlanta. Think of it as doing your part to help in the recovery of our economy after Hurricane Katrina (Oh, yes, I just went there!!!).

All I'm saying (begging) is: CLICK IT!!! (and vote for New Orleans) And, I read on her blog she just got engaged - what city is more romantic than New Orleans, really?

Poll: Where would you like Richelle Mead to visit?

(Of course, I would never advocate voting from your home and work computers. Nope, not me.)

Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead

First let me say, I love Ms. Mead's Succubus series. Total keepers, waiting on Book 5 coming out next year (cliffhanger much?). As a general rule, if I find a series I like, and that author has written other series, I don't read them. I don't know why, I guess I'm afraid I'm not going to like them as much? BUT, in this case, I've heard so many good things about Vampire Academy I decided to break my unwritten rule and read the first book. As soon as I was done I rushed out to the store to get the next three books (and added Dimitri to my list of fictional boyfriends)! I will say, as a parent, I should probably be disapproving of the romantic storyline in these books, but I can't help myself - they're sooo good!!!

In Ms. Mead's world, vampires are either Moroi - the good guys, born from two Moroi parents, or Strogoi - the bad guys, turned either by draining and killing a human or by other Strogoi. The Moroi do drink blood, but just a bit at a time. They are also considered Royalty in the vampire world, and the dhampirs are their bodyguards.




In Vampire Academy, we meet Rose, a dhampir (half vampire, half human), and Lissa (Moroi vampire) her best friend. Rose is going to be Lissa's bodyguard when they graduate; they share a special bond: Rose can feel Lissa's emotions and occasionally "jump" into her head and see and experience what's going on with Lissa. Rose broke Lissa out of school when Lissa was worried someone was after her. They've been on the run for 2 years, but have been found and brought back to school. Rose thinks things are going to be better, and they both jump back into the school routine and try to catch up what they missed while they were gone. Rose must take extra guardian classes with Dimitri, the guardian who found and returned them to school (and my newest fictional boyfriend!). Problem is, she thinks he's hot. There's a bunch of angsty teenage drama, which I actually enjoyed, and someone is targeting Lissa by leaving dead animals in her room or her bag. Rose tries to figure out what's going on, and eventually she figures it out but it's too late, Lissa is gone and she must use their connection to find her and save her.





In Frostbite, Rose and Lissa are still at school. There's been some upheaval out in the "real" world, and Strogoi have figured out how to break wards and attack Moroi. For safety reasons, they've decided that the students and their families will spend Christmas break together in a swanky ski lodge. Rose is trying to sort through her feelings about her mother, Dimitri- who has a love interest, and her friend Mason - who wants to be more than friends. When Rose gets confidential information about a group of Strogoi holed up in a nearby city, she tells her friends and her friends decide to go kick butt. Rose knows she shouldn't have said anything and decides to bring them back. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine what happened next; things will never be the same.





Shadow Kiss, the third book in the series, continues on the aftermath of Frostbite. Lissa's kidnapper from the first book is going to trial, which is stressful enough, but Rose is seeing also seeing the ghost of a student. Rose is maturing in this book, and her relationships with her friends are changing. Her relationship with Dimitri is changing too. She's learning how to be a better Guardian and finding out what some of the sacrifices are that she's going to have to make. The end ripped my heart out, and left me desperate to start Blood Promise.





Ms. Mead's latest, Blood Promise, picks up a little bit after where Shadow Kiss left off. Rose is in Russia, looking for Dimitri. She finds his family, and those scenes were some of the sweetest parts of the book. She meets up with a some interesting people there and realizes she must leave to continue her search for Dimitri. What happens when she eventually finds him was gut wrenching. In one sense, I was hoping she'd found happiness, and in another I knew it couldn't be. While she was away she was still "peeking" in on Lissa, and communicating with Adrian in her dreams, so the readers know what's going on back in the USA - and let me tell you, it's a lot. She has to confront her worst fear, and the journey to get there is full of twists and turns. This last installment leaves me with a bit of hope for Rose's future happiness. I can't help it but I still like Dimitri, and I'm starting to like Adrian as a love-interest. I can't wait to see how Ms. Mead plays this out!

The Friday 56 - Doublemint Edition

HAPPY FRIDAY! The Friday 56 is brought to you by Tanya and Friends:

Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

I actually have two books sitting next to me today, one I'm in the middle of reading and one I haven't started yet:

Blood Promise by Richelle Mead:

Avery was beautiful. Stunning. Lissa was beautiful too, between that gorgeous hair and the jade green eyes that ran in her family. I thought she was a hundred times prettier than Avery, but beside theolder girl, Lissa felt kind of plain.

Okay, the 5th sentence is: Stunning. But really, that's kind of a rip-off! A one-word Friday 56? I don't think so! I've gotta tell you, I'm near the end and this book is great!

And your bonus 56 comes from Julia London's Highland Scandal:

She was flushed, but it had less to do with the gown than the image of him that would not leave her now, no matter how hard she tried to erase it.

Hmmm...sounds interesting!