142) Twelfth Grade Kills by Heather Brewer

The Blurb :

It all comes down to this.

Vlad’s running out of time. The Elysian Council has given him weeks to live, and that’s if the Slayer Society doesn’t kill him – along with all the citizens of Bathory – first. Then there’s the issue of Vlad’s father, who may or may not still be alive after all these years, and oh yeah, that tiny little detail in the Pravus prophecy about Vlad enslaving Vampire kind and the human race. So much for college applications.

My Thoughts :

This book has been on my bookshelf for a while and was a perfect read for my Read-a-thon this last weekend.  I have to admit that I hadn't read any books in this series for a few years and I totally didn't know this was the last one.  Maybe I would have picked it up earlier if I had.  Maybe I should lock away my Kindle for a couple of weeks!

Anyway, I am glad I picked this one up and a little mad at myself for leaving it this long.  It is sad to think I could have read the finale years ago and put Vlad to rest but instead his final chapter was gathering dust.  It was a nice ending.  Everything comes out into the open, secrets are revealed, lives are lost and Vlad finally gets closure.  It was a good story and it tied up all the pieces.

This is definitely a series to get that Young reader in your life.  Christmas is coming and if you know someone who might enjoy this then I can highly recommend it.  What else can I say?  It was good while it lasted but it is over and even though I know there is a spin-off series available I am ready to leave this one rest for a while.  I may read the other books at some point but I am not in any rush to right now.

 

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12) Eleventh Grade Burns by Heather Brewer

The Blurb -

Eleventh grade at Bathory High is draining Vladimir Tod. Joss, a professional vampire slayer and Vlad’s former friend, has moved back to town. The powerful vampire Dorian has an overwhelming desire to drink Vlad’s blood. And his arch enemy, D’Ablo, has brought Vlad’s Uncle Otis to trial for crimes against vampires. So much for dating. When the tables turn on Vlad, he has just enough time to return to Bathory for his final good-byes . . .

My Thoughts -

I haven't seen Vlad for a while so getting back into the story of his life in Stokerton took a little more time than I expected. The first half of the book brought back memories of the previous 3 in the series but I still felt like I was swimming against things. However the story didn't make me want to give up. I was interested in what Vlad was up to and how things were going to progress. He is a nice kid and a good vampire.

By the end of this book I was hooked. Actually the last few chapters were most likely the best ones in the whole book. The cliffhanger ending shocked me and I am extremely glad that I was given not only this fourth book for Christmas but also the fifth book. Now I don't have to wait and see what happens next and I am sure I will be picking up the story of the Twelth Grade very soon.

All in all this is a nice YA series and I think it is great that this is told from a male perspective. Being written by a female author makes this even more interesting but I think she really manages to capture the teenage boy angle well and also writes a cool vampire story. Well worth buying for that Younger reader in your life, The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod is certainly one you can give to the boys and not just the girls!

148) Eternal by P.C. Cast & Others

The Blurb -

More Love Stories With Bite presents all-new YA stories featuring vampires, the romantic heroes and heroines that still hold the reading public enraptured. A mix of writers from the first anthology and new contributors makes for a fresh new collection with all of the dark romance of its predecessor, and a book that’s sure to thrill vampire romance fans old and new.

The Review -

Most people around here know what I think of Anthologies so it may come to you all as a shock when I say that this one was actually good. Not only were the big names on the front but they really did their best and dealt out a good mix of stories. Sure there was one I didn't really like but there is always going to be one you don't like.

Before I break the book down story by story let me just be clear - This book is edited by P.C. Cast and she has written an introduction for the book. She has however not added a story to the anthology. Don't be disappointed! You have been warned :)

"Bloodshed" by Claudia Gray

This first story is set in the Evernight Universe and I loved it. I have only read two books in the series but this story can stand on its own very well. Patrice is the main character in this tale and the plot centers around the Second World War. All in all this was not only interesting to read but very touching. The only problem I had with this story was the use of the German language. There was a little mistake that made me cringe.

"Say Yes" by Lili St. Crow

I won't go into details because I don't want to give anything away. Lets just say that this starts off good and then flowed into an even better ending. This story was well written and had a dark edge to it. I would love to hear more from this character in the future and hope this was just an introduction to something else.

"Letters to Romeo" by Nancy Holder

This was the bad apple in the bunch for me. I have never been a fan of Shakespeare and this strange story really couldn't end quick enough for me. I am sure a lot of romanticists out there will love this one but it just didn't grab me at all.

"The Other Side" by Heather Brewer

Wow! This was one short but it did have a huge twist at the end. This one led me down the wrong path and totally surprised. Loved it!

"Drama Queen's Last Dance" by Rachel Caine

A lovely little tale from the Morganville series. This story is told from Eve's perspective and wasn't too bad. I actually expected Eve to be totally different when it came to her point of view and thinking but she came across as pretty normal. Nice little peak into the town of vampires you just have to love.

"Thief" by Jeri Smith-Ready

The best is always saved till last in an anthology and while some of the other stories in this book really did shine this one shined the most. Jeri is a wonderful storyteller and she should be proud of this little gem. Again I don't want to give anything away but love conquers all and vampires rock.

A near perfect anthology and I am definitely going to look out for more love stories with a bite. YA and the Paranormal go together so well and this anthology is proof of that. Well done!

162) Tenth Grade Bleeds by Heather Brewer

Bathory High sucks but Vladimir Tod is only just about to turn fifteen so he has to go to school. You would think that being a vampire would get him off going but Vlad is growing up as normal as possible. Thanks to his aunt, he has a regular supply of blood. Thanks to his friend Henry, he has the support he needs to get through all the weird stuff that happens when you are a vampire. Oh and thanks to Meredith, he has a wonderful girlfriend.

However this year is going to suck more than the previous. The trials and tribulations of being a teenager are bad enough for a human but Vlad's vampire side is showing it's colours as well. With his uncle Otis gone and the evil vampire A'Ablo after him, Vlad is not having a great year at all. To make matters worse he may actually be the Pravus that everyone keeps talking about.

The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod are coming along nicely. Book three is just as good as the previous two books and the continuation of the story is keeping me very interested. Being a teenager isn't easy but poor Vlad has to go through human puberty problems as well as Vampire ones. The way that the author has written about this could, in a way, be quite amusing for older readers while younger readers will be able to relate with what Vlad is going through.

Well written and thought out, I am looking forward to reading more about Vlad and to see what happens next. This isn't my favourite young adult series but it is one that I can highly recommend.