The Eternal Kiss-13 Vampire Tales of Blood and Desire

This is the second book of two, dealing with short stories. Much like the last one I will only say what I liked and disliked about each short story. Want to know why? Go read the first paragraph in my review of Eternal (Six Short Stories). Warning this is going to be a longer entry too because there are 13 short stories in it. Okay here we go!

There was a one page introduction done by Trisha Telep. It wasn't overly long, or too short I think. It makes the reader think about "the eternal kiss" that one could receive from a vampire. The only thing with the introduction being a page long is that all anyone knows about the 13 short stories is that they are about vampires. I would have loved to have had a little overview of what the short stories were going to be about.

From the first book to the second there were a few authors that were the same for both books but wrote a different story. Those authors are: Lili St. Crow, Rachel Caine and Nancy Holder. Though Nancy Holder co-writes with Debbie Viguié.

In this collection of vampire short stories there are (in order that they are read in this book): Falling to Ash by Karen Mahoney, Shelter Island by Melissa de la Cruz, Sword Point by Maria V. Snyder, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black, Undead is Very Hot Right Now by Sarah Rees Brennan, Kat by Kelley Armstrong, The Thirteenth Step by Libba Bray, All Hallows by Rachel Caine, Wet Teeth by Cecil Castellucci, Other Boys by Cassandra Clare, Passing by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguié, Ambition by Lili St. Crow, and lastly, All Wounds by Dina James.

Falling to Ash was a very nice read, though once it really got going it ended. Which I did not like because I wanted to read a little more, but now thinking back on what was read, it ended at a decent spot. More could have been written, but over all it was okay for the first short story.

Shelter Island I read this before in another book, though where I am not sure. It is an anthology for Dylan in her Blue Bloods series. It is not in his POV but a girls. I liked that the reader got to see a different side of Dylan that you really can't see in the other books. The ending was bittersweet because if anyone has read the rest of the series, they know what goes on. It wasn't very long also and I wanted it to be a little longer just to be able to hold onto Dylan as a character.

Sword Point was a break from the norm when it comes to vampires and I liked that. I would have loved for this to be longer, maybe novel length. I loved the two main characters Ava and Jarett. The ending was very good in my opinion, I just wanted more from Snyder before she ended it.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown if I could only have one of these short stories be made into a full length novel it would be this one right here. When I started this short story I did not put down the book until I finished it. This is again, a different take on vampires. Instead of being changed within a few seconds to a few days after being bitten, the person has 88 days to either drink blood and become a vampire or literally sweat it out. The ending leaves you hanging and craving more. I loved this short story the most.

Undead is Very Hot Right Now, had me laughing a number of times. It was the comic relief needed after reading the last short story. Though it has a sad ending the reader can't help but hope that a happier ending would have came if this were longer, of course. The characters are all very different from each other and that is what makes some things so funny, and being able to picture it happening.

Kat, it was back to being serious in this short story. The reader gets to know a lot about the main character Kat, and why things are happening in the story. The reader is not just dropped in and left wandering and wondering what is going on. The ending is good, I can handle this one being a short story it fits almost perfectly.

The Thirteenth Step, get a little racy at one point in time but doesn't go into hardly any detail. Once again this is a different take on vampires and how they come to be, and again I could handle this being a short story. It was a little drawn out at times and that bugged me because something would happen and then calm for a while. The ending didn't really surprise me too much, the reader almost knows what is going to happen after a little bit.

All Hallows is a continuation almost of the last short story by Caine. The characters are the same, there is just a new adventure for them. This is something that would be great for a younger teen though profanity is said and a few lewd comments are made about a Halloween costume. Otherwise it is a pretty innocent read.

Wet Teeth is sad. At first the reader thinks that it is going to be another happy ending. Not really. I was saddened by the ending and almost was glad that the next short story came along. But not all stories have happy endings, and this is just proof of that.

Other Boys is another on the sad side story. But at the same time the ending made me say "you go girl this is your life and you have had secrets kept from you that shouldn't have and now you are going to make your own path." Though I kept confusing all of the characters till the end came. I had to reread a few spots just to really understand who said what, or who was thinking what. I didn't really like that but it wasn't the worst that I have read.

Passing is another short story that I could handle being a short story. It was almost perfect, and a full length novel would have been too wordy or just too much. A very imperfect alliance is made in the end and it works, kinks and all. I liked the ending it was a great way to end. The reader isn't really left hanging, they sort of know what could come next and I liked that.

Ambition almost had me wondering if it was the same characters from St. Crow's last short story. But they weren't, and it does almost take the same rout as the last one did. I wasn't too happy about that but St. Crow kept it interesting which helped out a lot in keeping me reading. And it was very sweet in parts almost too sweet but that line wasn't really crossed, just danced very close to.

All Wounds, I am not really sure what to say with this one other than it was not what I expected. It isn't a love story at all that I read, which was a good different. I looked up this particular short story on Fictiondb.com and they do not put "(ss)" next to the title meaning that it is a novel so I will have to check that out and see if my library has it.

All in all this was a good compilation of short vampire stories. Not all are from the POV of a vampire, some are from a human, a vampire hunter, an vampire that does not know they are a vampire, and more. Happy endings are not always a given which is again something different. I would buy this book to own if I ever found it being sold near me.

Rating: 4.9 out of 5.

Page Count: 416 (including Introduction, Acknowledgments, and Author Biographies)

Price: $9.95

Next Book: Bled Dry by Erin McCarthy

Thanks for reading!
~Jade

I want to share! (not a book review)

This is obviously not a book review but I wanted to share something with whoever is reading my blog. I got really excited and wanted to share my excitedness with everyone.

I went to my local library's bag sale, and I got a total of 64 more books. This brings my count of books to a grand total of 1,089 books :D

I don't know why but having books really excites me...well I like to think of it as a good thing.

So thank you for taking your time and reading this randomness from me!

Thanks for reading!
~Jade

Stake That! by Mari Mancusi

This is the second book in the Blood Coven series. I did review the first book a few posts ago. That book is called Boys That Bite. I haven't been feeling very well so I am sorry if my next few reviews suck :)

Instead of having Sunny narrate the book her twin sister Rayne is. Rayne keeps everyone updated through her blog, then through a written diary. Every generation there is a vampire slayer, and Rayne is the chosen one. She has to stake a vampire that has created and spreading a blood disease. Magnus hears about the news and sends his general Jareth in with Rayne to help.

Rayne so far is one of my favorite characters in this series. In this book the readers really get a look into Rayne's mind, and it's pretty nice. I love the ending to this book as well, it is a bittersweet ending. The reader also gets to know Rayne and Suuny's dad a little better too in this book. Jareth is another awesome character, though he annoyed me from time to time. *SPOILER-ALERT* I love that Rayne gets her wish in the end of the book. She and Jareth together forever, sans the vampire powers because of the stupid virus.*SPOILER-ENDED*

This book is a little like the first book. One twin gets in trouble and has to run around before time runs out and something happens to them. So the storyline is a little predictable, especially at the end of the book, and roughly in the middle of the book. Those are probably my only complaints.

Overall, besides being a bit predictable I enjoyed reading this book. Along with the first book, I would buy this book if I had the money on me and saw it on the shelf. I am going to try and get the third book which is Girls That Growl and try to do a review on that one sometime soon.

Rating: 4.3 out of 5.

Page Count: 280 pages (paperback)

Price: $9.99

Next Book: The Eternal Kiss 13 Tales of Blood and Desire

Thanks for reading!
~Jade

Zom-B Underground by Darren Shan

READ THIS FIRST: My library didn't have the first book in the Zom-B series so I grabbed the second book. So I may not give spoiler warnings for things that happened in the first book. Though after reading this book I really want to read the first book Zom-B. (The review for the first book is up now.)

Becky Smith is the main character but everyone calls her B. She is a zombie yes, but her brain is still functioning. She is in a compound with others like herself. But things are not right, with the people that are holding them that is. B has to figure out what is going on and what exactly is going to happen to her.

From the beginning this book was fast paced. I loved every bit of it. I love zombie themed books, but this is a new take on the zombies and once again I love it. Shan gives such vivid detail that the reader can imagine it perfectly. Shan describes a Mr. Dowling in such detail that had me cringing and praying to whom ever you believe in, that Mr. Dowling would never, ever be real. If he ever is real I would scream like a little school girl and find something to beat the ever-loving-shit out of him. And I am not a violent person either!

Since I read the second book before the first I don't know the full story behind B. *SPOILER-ALERT* All I do know is that she was brought up with a racist and abusing father, and the only way to stay a little on his good side B had to also be racists. B was turned into a zombie after she sacrificed an African American boy after her father told her to. She was horrified and ran away. That boy later then ripped her heart out and that is how she turned.*SPOILER-ENDED*

There really wasn't anything that I didn't like about the book overall. Well other then it is short and I have to wait for a while for the next book.

Hopefully my library has the first book in, so I can read that one. I have loved Shan as a writer since middle school when I first read his Cirque du Freak series. I want to get all of his series including this one if the rest of the books prove to be just as good as this one. So, yes, I would buy this book if I saw it for sale at a store and I had the money.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Page Count: 180 pages (not including the picture at the end.)

Price: $14.99 (hardcover)

Next Book: Stake That! by Mari Mancusi

Thanks for reading!
~Jade

Bloody Valentine by Melissa de la Cruz

This is a very tiny book so this is also a post that may not be very long at all, seeing as I can't really say anything other than the summary without giving everything away. This is also the seventh book in the Blue Bloods series.

In this tiny book, there are three short stories. One about Oliver, and if a mysterious girl will be able to fix his broken heart. The second about Allegra, and how she fell in love with a human. Then lastly Schuyler and Jack, and if they will get to be bonded.

When I first began this series, it was a new take on vampires. I loved it at first. Now I am just reading the series to find out what happens to all the characters in the end. These three short stories helped fill in some of the holes that I have had because, I have not been able to get my hands on this book till now. Though if you do like I did and just get the next book in the series which is Lost in Time you know pretty much everything that happens in Bloody Valentine.

This is a bittersweet read. It is nice to know what happens with Oliver, Allegra, Schuyler and Jack before Lost in Time. It is also a very quick read. I wouldn't mind owning this book, but it is because I have the first three books in the series already. Though the series is a little dry and dragged out, it isn't a bad series by far.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Page Count: 147 pages.

Price: $14.99 (hardcover)

Next Book: Zom-B Underground by Darren Shan.

Thanks for reading!
~Jade

Claimed by the Wolf by Charlene Teglia

I don't really know how to review this book. So I will try and do my best. This blog entry might be another short one.

Claimed by the Wolf is not what it seems. Sybil is an apprentice witch that opens a doorway on accident. These five men who are known as the Shadow Guardian's must help Sybil from destroying the world. But the way that they must help her is nothing expected, for Sybil or the reader.

If anyone thought 50 Shades was bad, in my opinion this book is worse. And by bad I mean too "raunchy". Claimed by the Wolf has more sex in between it's covers then 50 Shades did. When I picked up this book I expected some good action in the means of demons fighting shape shifters. There is very little of that. The whole book is purely sex-based. *SPOILER-ALERT* Sybil has to have sex with each of the five men, for one day and one night each. 9 times out of 10 you get all the details of what is happening. If I remember correctly there are only about 5 times (if that) where Teglia cuts off the sex scene. *SPOILER-ENDED* Don't get me wrong I don't mind a book that has sex in it, but like I said I was not expecting that.

There is more sex, then there is actually a plot. Though it is needed for the small plot, when the sex is done there is roughly 30 pages left and sex is still squeezed in a few times. The action that doesn't include sex, is at most 25 pages long. I would have loved less sex, and more action. *SPOILER-ALERT* If you like what 50 Shades had going on there is a domineering elf in here that is into those things, though he doesn't get a big part. *SPOILER-ENDED*

This was an alright book that had me a little confused about whether it was going to be more of a porn book, or a porn book. I loved the characters, but would have loved them more if I could have gotten to know them more then what they are like in bed for Sybil. Would I buy this book? If I had the money and there was another book that I saw that I wanted, I would go for the other book that I wanted.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

Page Count: 292 pages.

Price: $13.99 (paperback)

Next Book: Bloody Valentine by Melissa de la Cruz.

Thanks for reading!
~Jade