At Grave's End by Jeaniene Frost

Title: At Grave’s End (Night Huntress #3)

Author: Jeaniene Frost

Publisher: Avon 2008

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Pages: 342

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; Finishing the Series

Spice Meter: 5 (albeit one with a vampire)

It should be the best time of half-vampire Cat Crawfield's life. With her undead lover Bones at her side, she's successfully protected mortals from the rogue undead. But though Cat's worn disguise after disguise to keep her true identity a secret from the brazen bloodsuckers, her cover's finally been blown, placing her in terrible danger.

As if that wasn't enough, a woman from Bones's past is determined to bury him once and for all. Caught in the crosshairs of a vengeful vamp, yet determined to help Bones stop a lethal magic from being unleashed, Cat's about to learn the true meaning of bad blood. And the tricks she's learned as a special agent won't help her. She will need to fully embrace her vampire instincts in order to save herself—and Bones—from a fate worse than the grave.

Another very enjoyable Night Huntress novel. I loved the growth of the relationship between Cat and Bones. I loved the central mystery of the unknown threat. A few of the twists and turns were well executed. I did knock off one star as the first 1/3 of the book seemed to really drag.

Night Huntress:

• #0.5 Reckoning

• #1 Halfway to the Grave

• #1.2 The Other Half of the Grave

• #1.5 Happily Never After

• #2 One Foot in the Grave

• #3 At Grave’s End

• #3.5 Devil to Pay

• #4 Destined for an Early Grave

• #4.5 One for the Money

• #5 This Side of the Grave

• #6 One Grave at a Time

• #6.5 Home for the Holidays

• #7 Up from the Grave

• #7.5 Outtakes from the Grave

• #7.6 A Grave Girls’ Getaway

• #8 Both Feet in the Grave

Next up on the TBR pile:

One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Title: One Foot in the Grave (Night Huntress #2)

Author: Jeaniene Frost

Publisher: Avon 2008

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Pages: 357

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; Winter TBR; Finishing the Series

Spice Meter: 5 (albeit one with a vampire)

You can run from the grave, but you can't hide . . .

Half-vampire Cat Crawfield is now Special Agent Cat Crawfield, working for the government to rid the world of the rogue undead. She's still using everything Bones, her sexy and dangerous ex, taught her, but when Cat is targeted for assassination, the only man who can help her is the vampire she left behind.

Being around him awakens all her emotions, from the adrenaline kick of slaying vamps side by side to the reckless passion that consumed them. But a price on her head—wanted: dead or half-alive—means her survival depends on teaming up with Bones. And no matter how hard she tries to keep things professional between them, she'll find that desire lasts forever . . . and that Bones won't let her get away again.

After finishing the first book in the series, I just had to immediately start on the next one. This series is so much fun and full of action. The story dives right in and doesn’t let up until the last page. We get to see Cat four years after the events of the first book as she tries to navigate a new life away from Bones. Of course, he’s not going to stay away for the entire book. Thankfully he fairly quickly makes an appearance and we get the real action. The reader finally gets to learn more about the world and the history of the characters. Another great volume in this series. I’m definitely going to be moving on very soon.

Night Huntress:

• #0.5 Reckoning

• #1 Halfway to the Grave

• #1.2 The Other Half of the Grave

• #1.5 Happily Never After

• #2 One Foot in the Grave

• #3 At Grave’s End

• #3.5 Devil to Pay

• #4 Destined for an Early Grave

• #4.5 One for the Money

• #5 This Side of the Grave

• #6 One Grave at a Time

• #6.5 Home for the Holidays

• #7 Up from the Grave

• #7.5 Outtakes from the Grave

• #7.6 A Grave Girls’ Getaway

• #8 Both Feet in the Grave

Next up on the TBR pile:

Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Title: Halfway to the Grave (Night Huntress #1)

Author: Jeaniene Frost

Publisher: Avon 2007

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Pages: 358

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; Romanceopoly - The Vault; Finishing the Series

Spice Meter: 5 (albeit one with vampires)

Half-vampire Catherine Crawfield is going after the undead with a vengeance, hoping that one of these deadbeats is her father—the one responsible for ruining her mother's life. Then she's captured by Bones, a vampire bounty hunter, and is forced into an unholy partnership.

In exchange for finding her father, Cat agrees to train with the sexy night stalker until her battle reflexes are as sharp as his fangs. She's amazed she doesn't end up as his dinner—are there actually good vampires? Pretty soon Bones will have her convinced that being half-dead doesn't have to be all bad. But before she can enjoy her newfound status as kick-ass demon hunter, Cat and Bones are pursued by a group of killers. Now Cat will have to choose a side . . . and Bones is turning out to be as tempting as any man with a heartbeat.

This particular series has been sitting on my unread shelves for years. I finally started it just a few days ago and I sped right through the first book. The action starts right away and doesn’t let up until the end of the story. We get a strong female lead and a strong male lead. I loved following Cat’s journey as she comes to understand who exactly she is. Once Bones enters the picture, the story really gets going. I just really love their banter and the way that he cares for Cat. The mystery of the disappearing girls gives the plot a bit of depth and kept me on my toes. I just had to see how everyone concluded. At the conclusion of this volume I knew that I had to keep reading. I’ll be starting the next volume immediately.

Night Huntress:

• #0.5 Reckoning

• #1 Halfway to the Grave

• #1.2 The Other Half of the Grave

• #1.5 Happily Never After

• #2 One Foot in the Grave

• #3 At Grave’s End

• #3.5 Devil to Pay

• #4 Destined for an Early Grave

• #4.5 One for the Money

• #5 This Side of the Grave

• #6 One Grave at a Time

• #6.5 Home for the Holidays

• #7 Up from the Grave

• #7.5 Outtakes from the Grave

• #7.6 A Grave Girls’ Getaway

• #8 Both Feet in the Grave

Next up on the TBR pile:

Sunshine by Robin McKinley

Title: Sunshine

Author: Robin McKinley

Publisher: Speak 2010

Genre: Vampire

Pages: 416

Rating:  5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

There hadn't been any trouble out at the lake in years. Sunshine just needed a spot where she could be alone with her thoughts for a minute. But then the vampires found her . . . Now, chained and imprisoned in a once-beautiful decaying mansion, alone but for the vampire, Constantine, shackled next to her, Sunshine realizes that she must call on her own hidden strength if she is to survive. But Constantine is not what she expected of a vampire, and soon Sunshine discovers that it is he who needs her, more than either of them know.  Originally published as an adult novel, but now in YA for the first time, Sunshine is an alluring and captivating vampire story - one that will ensnare fans of paranormals everywhere.

Back when I first read the book in 2012, I had this to say: “

This novel....  um wow!  The one word that kept popping into my head throughout: Atmosphere.  I haven't read any book lately that evoked such atmosphere.  I loved it!  McKinley puts us right inside of Sunshine's head.  We connect with her right away.  We remember past events, but always at the right time.  We feel every emotion she's feeling.  I especially loved the times when she was confused.  We were confused right there with her.  The writing was confused, but yet still readable.  We see the world through Sunshine's eyes.  Overall the effect is quite brilliant.

It took me awhile to get through this book; not because I was struggling to stay interested, but quite the opposite.  I was so connected with the story and characters that I didn't want it to end.  I was scared at what we might find out.  Don't worry everything worked out in the end...  well in a way.  This book has made me add McKinley to my authors to explore.  I have a feeling this might end up on my Top 10 Books of 2012 list.

Upon rereading, I feel exactly the same way. I absolutely love this book!

Next up on the TBR Pile:

The Lost Vampire Prince by Melody Raven

Title: The Lost Vampire Prince (Evil Rising #1)

Author: Melody Raven

Publisher: 2019

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 283

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR

Nicolas is the embodiment of royalty. Strong. Powerful. Deadly. The only thing he's missing is his throne.

Decades ago a vampire mutiny murdered his father and forced him into hiding, but all that is about to change. A mortal woman smart enough to learn the truth about him and naive enough to trust him is the perfect pawn to sneak him back into the monarchy.

Nothing is going to stop Nicolas from getting what is rightfully his. Not lust. Not love. And not Anna. At least that's what he thinks.

A fun and sexy vampire romance for today’s reading. This was one of those Kindle daily deals and I threw on my library just in case. Sometimes what I need is something that entertains me for a night, but doesn’t require much thought to process. I wanted a spooky romance and I got one. There’s nothing spectacular about this book, but it really scratched the itch I had. I might even continue on in the series.

Evil Rising

• #1 The Lost Vampire Prince

• #2 The Vampire Villain

• #3 Her Very Own Demon

• #4 The Werewolf and the Siren

• #5 Beauty and the Shapeshifter

Next up on the TBR pile:

Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler

Title: Fledgling

Author: Octavia E. Butler

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing 2007

Genre: Horror

Pages: 310

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR

Fledgling, Octavia Butler’s last novel, is the story of an apparently young, amnesiac girl whose alarmingly un-human needs and abilities lead her to a startling conclusion: she is in fact a genetically modified, 53-year-old vampire. Forced to discover what she can about her stolen former life, she must at the same time learn who wanted—and still wants—to destroy her and those she cares for, and how she can save herself. Fledgling is a captivating novel that tests the limits of "otherness" and questions what it means to be truly human.

I picked this up as an extra buddy read with my Nerdy Bookish Friends group after we had read Parable of the Sower. I was definitely intrigued by the idea of Octavia Butler writing a vampire story. I dove in and was very disappointed by the actual story. The entire conceit is that our main character, a vampire, is suffering from amnesia. We have to learn about the world as she learns about the world. I get the concept, but it ends up resulting in a ton of exposition dumps. And the dialogue is often very clunky. None of the conversations seem natural. Finally we get the real reason that I gave it only 2 stars. Our main character is supposed to be 53 years old, but looks like she is 10 years old. Okay fine, but then she engages in very adult sexual encounters. Nope nope nope.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Bloodlust & Bonnets by Emily McGovern

Title: Bloodlust & Bonnets

Author: Emily McGovern

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing 2019

Genre: Comics

Pages: 216

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Set in early nineteenth-century Britain, Bloodlust & Bonnets follows Lucy, an unworldly debutante who desires a life of passion and intrigue—qualities which earn her the attention of Lady Violet Travesty, the leader of a local vampire cult.

But before Lucy can embark on her new life of vampiric debauchery, she finds herself unexpectedly thrown together with the flamboyant poet Lord Byron (“from books!”) and a mysterious bounty-hunter named Sham. The unlikely trio lie, flirt, fight, and manipulate each other as they make their way across Britain, disrupting society balls, slaying vampires, and making every effort not to betray their feelings to each other as their personal and romantic lives become increasingly entangled.

What a delightfully funny little graphic novel! I randomly picked this one up from a shelf at the library and let it sit on my floor for weeks. I grabbed it after starting a very disappointing novel. This was just what i needed. Right away, we meet Lucy and then Byron (you know, like in the books) and encounter a cult of vampires. From there we follow a twisty and turny path to reconnect with those vampires to slay them? Questions and declarations and puns and double entendres abound! I was snort laughing throughout most of the book. I especially loved the little interactions with Napoleon the Eagle and Castle. Oh so good! If you need a pick-me-up that actually discussions love and duty and fate, pick this one up!

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness

Title: The Book of Life (All Souls #3)

Author: Deborah Harkness

Publisher: Viking 2014

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 561

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library

After traveling through time in Shadow of Night, the second book in Deborah Harkness’s enchanting series, historian and witch Diana Bishop and vampire scientist Matthew Clairmont return to the present to face new crises and old enemies. At Matthew’s ancestral home at Sept-Tours, they reunite with the cast of characters from A Discovery of Witches—with one significant exception. But the real threat to their future has yet to be revealed, and when it is, the search for Ashmole 782 and its missing pages takes on even more urgency. In the trilogy’s final volume, Harkness deepens her themes of power and passion, family and caring, past deeds and their present consequences. In ancestral homes and university laboratories, using ancient knowledge and modern science, from the hills of the Auvergne to the palaces of Venice and beyond, the couple at last learn what the witches discovered so many centuries ago.

Finally finished this wonderful book series. I was all in Diana and Matthew’s story through time. Thankfully this volume was set in the current er and revisited all our favorite characters. I wish we could have seen more from Gallowglass and Miriam, but at least we get more Marcus and Phoebe. I loved the conclusion of the series. Benjamin was a great villain. Plus we get see the downfall of Peter Knox and Gerbert (at least partly). Overall I loved this epic story. Now I need to find another great fantasy series to read.

All Souls Trilogy:

• #1 A Discovery of Witches

• #2 Shadow of Night

• #3 The Book of Life

Next up on the TBR pile:

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness

Title: Shadow of Night (All Souls #2)

Author: Deborah Harkness

Publisher: Viking 2011

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 574

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:  Finishing the Series; Monthly Keyword - Night; Dancing with Fantasy and Scifi - Magical Law Enforcement

Picking up from A Discovery of Witches’ cliffhanger ending, Shadow of Night takes Diana and Matthew on a trip through time to Elizabethan London, where they are plunged into a world of spies, magic, and a coterie of Matthew’s old friends, the School of Night. As the search for Ashmole 782 deepens and Diana seeks out a witch to tutor her in magic, the net of Matthew’s past tightens around them, and they embark on a very different—and vastly more dangerous—journey.

The further journey of Diana and Matthew, but this time, we’re in 1590 Europe. Goodness! I was very excited to finally read this second book in the series. Once i dove in, I didn’t want to stop. I loved the larger storyline and all the great characters (both historical and fictional) that we met. I especially loved the various witches Diana meets in London. On a more negative note, I really didn’t like Matthew until about halfway through the book. He was too distant, too much the alpha male, too guarded with all his secrets. He came off as an arrogant asshole and I was not interested at all. Thankfully things turned more positive after their official mating. From there, he started to actually remind me of the Matthew that we met in the first book. All in all, it was a good addition to the series even if I think Harkness could have probably shaved off at least 75 pages.

All Souls Trilogy:

• #1 A Discovery of Witches

• #2 Shadow of Night

• #3 The Book of Life

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Title: A Discovery of Witches

Author: Deborah Harkness

Publisher: Viking 2011

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 579

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:  Women Authors; Finishing the Series; Dancing with Fantasy and Sci-Fi - Witches

Deborah Harkness’s sparkling debut, A Discovery of Witches, has brought her into the spotlight and galvanized fans around the world. In this tale of passion and obsession, Diana Bishop, a young scholar and a descendant of witches, discovers a long-lost and enchanted alchemical manuscript, Ashmole 782, deep in Oxford's Bodleian Library. Its reappearance summons a fantastical underworld, which she navigates with her leading man, vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont.

All Souls Trilogy:

• #1 A Discovery of Witches

• #2 Shadow of Night

• #3 The Book of Life

I enjoyed every page of this book! This reminds me of The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. Apparently, I really enjoy books that revolve around libraries, literature, and/or academic investigations. And of course, I fell for this book as soon as it was set at Oxford in the Bodlein Library. I was hooked! And then we get a good main heroine, although I must say she wasn’t my favorite from page one. But over the course of the book, I really come to like her and want to see the progress of her story. My favorite character is Matthew. This is a vampire done right. We get the allure and the charm and also the threat and the unworldly persona. I completely fell for Matthew within the first 10 pages of meeting him. As the novel progresses, we get to meet lots of other interesting characters (very intrigued by Satu and Marthe) and go on an epic adventure. I was predicting a horrid cliffhanger at the end of this book and it happened. But that’s okay, I waited to read this series after all the parts had been published. I can’t fit in the next book in April probably, but it’s on my list for May!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Anno Dracula by Kim Newman

Title: Anno Dracula

Author: Kim Newman

Publisher: Titan Books 2011

Genre: Horror

Pages: 495

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Popsugar - Nonhuman Perspective (Vampires count!); New to Me

It is 1888 and Queen Victoria has remarried, taking as her new consort Vlad Tepes, the Wallachian Prince infamously known as Count Dracula. Peppered with familiar characters from Victorian history and fiction, the novel follows vampire Geneviève Dieudonné and Charles Beauregard of the Diogenes Club as they strive to solve the mystery of the Ripper murders.

So this book took me over two weeks to finish. Not because it was bad, but because I didn't have time to sit down and actually read. In fact, I kept want to curl up and immerse myself in this alternate history where Dracula is real and rules England. I just didn't have time. I love love loved this book. The world is so rich and vibrant. London becomes a character with the various neighborhoods and the fog. I loved the characters, especially Genevieve. I immediately connected to her as person. Loved her outlook and involvement in the storyline. And it was nice to see so many literary characters represented. Such a great story. After picking this up on a whim while in San Francisco, maybe I need to seek out others in the series. 

Anno Dracula

• #1 Anno Dracula
• #2 The Bloody Red Baron
• #3 Judgement of Tears
• #4 Andy Warhol's Dracula
• #5 Johnny Alucard

Next up on the TBR pile:

American Vampire Vol. 4-7

Title: American Vampire Vol. 4-7

Author: Scott Snyder, Rafael Albuquerque, Jordi Bernet, Dustin Nguyen, Matias Bergara, Dave McCaig

Publisher: Vertigo 2014, 2014, 2014, 2015

Genre: Graphic Novel, Horror

Pages: 208, 280, 144, 144

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel; Library; Popsugar - Library

AMERICAN VAMPIRE flashes back to two very distinct points in American history. The first tale comes from the early 1800's with the "The Beast in the Cave" featuring art by the legendary Jordi Bernet (Torpedo, JONAH HEX). Learn about the original American Vampire, Skinner Sweet, and his involvement in the brutal Indian Wars, and an ancient evil hidden in the heart of the Old West. Plus, more about the man Skinner used to call his best friend - James Book! The second tale comes straight from 1950s America, where AMERICAN VAMPIRE is terrorizing the suburbs with hot rods, teenyboppers and fangs! "Death Race" focuses on ferocious new vampire hunter Travis Kidd - but what is his connection to Skinner Sweet? As the story comes to a violent end, a sworn enemy's identity is finally revealed, and lots of blood is spilled!

Such a great volume! I really loved the story set in the 1950s, but even more the story that ending the volume "The Nocturnes." That was one hell of a way to leave the readers on a cliffhanger. So good!

Vol. 5 In the first story, series mainstays Skinner Sweet, Pearl and company return to Hollywood in the '50s during the Red Scare. In a time where America was on the lookout for the next Communist threat, was the real danger something far more insidious? A major turning point in AMERICAN VAMPIRE lore begins here! In the second tale, familiar face and vampire hunter Felicia Book is "retired" from vampire hunting when she gets called back into action to track down and kill the most powerful vampire of all time. The hunt takes our heroes through post-war Europe, behind the Iron Curtain and into the heart of Russia to track this deadly enemy...

These two stories really moved the story and mythos forward. We get to meet an iconic vampire and learn more about what the various characters have been up to. Plus, we get some tantalizing hints at what's to come. I can't wait to see where this story leads.

Vol. 6 You are cordially invited to a party--to die for! This volume of American Vampire collects eight amazing stories set in the world of American Vampire, with "lost tales," new characters and old favorites. Also collected here is the stand alone tale of Fan-favorite character Travis Kidd--the vampire hunter who likes to "bite them back" in AMERICAN VAMPIRE: THE LONG ROAD TO HELL. 

This was a nice collection of side stories to compliment the larger tale. I really enjoyed the story featuring Travis Kidd. And we got a few more hints about the Grey Trader. I can't wait for the big reveal in the next volume!

Vol. 7 When we last saw Pearl in the 1950s, she had lost her love Henry in an attack on the vampire hunting organization, V.M.S., by a coven of Hollywood vampires that nearly wiped the organization off the face of the planet.  Devastated and alone, Pearl is determained to leave California and all its painful memories behind. When we meet Pearl again, it is in 1960s Kansas, an era fraught with fear of nuclear war, angry demonstrations, and vast social change.  What has changed in the years since the V.M.S. attack and where is Skinner Sweet?

Holy cow! That was one hell of a volume. I can't believe everything that happened in the span of a few hundred pages. I'm stoked to see more from Pearl and Cal and the reappearance of Skinner. This was the most disturbing volume so far, but I mean that in a good way. It was fascinating to learn more about the big bad and its minions. Can't wait until Volume 8.

American Vampire Vol. 3

Title: American Vampire Vol. 3

Author: Scott Snyder, Rafael Albuquerque, and Sean Murphy

Publisher: Vertigo 2012

Genre: Graphic Novel, Horror

Pages: 288

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Read Your Freebies

This volume of the critically-acclaimed AMERICAN VAMPIRE follows the star of AV Volumes 1 and 2, Pearl, and her husband Henry, as he is recruited by a mysterious group of vampire hunters, off to World War II Japan to find a new breed of blood sucker. But what does the notorious vampire Skinner Sweet have to do with it?

Ohhh... such a good volume! I loved seeing the conclusion of the Pearl vs Skinner storyline. And we get a potential new storyline. Plus a great chapter involving Felicia and Cash. I am so excited to continue reading this series.

American Vampire Vol. 2

Title: American Vampire Vol. 2

Author: Scott Snyder, Rafael Albuquerque, and Mateus Santolouco

Publisher: Vertigo 2011

Genre: Graphic Novel, Horror

Pages: 160

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Read Your Freebies

It’s Las Vegas circa 1935, and Skinner Sweet and our gal Pearl are about to learn the hard way that the bloodsuckers in Hollywood were nothing compared to what awaits them in Sin City.

In just a few short years, young police Chief Cash McCogan has watched his native city of Las Vegas go from cow-town to wild, glittering boomtown. And when the bodies of prominent businessmen start showing up drained of blood, Chief McCogan finds himself facing a threat much darker and deadlier than anything he could have imagined . . . and the only sure bet in town is that Skinner and Pearl are right in the thick of it.

I read the first volume and enjoyed it, but somehow just never picked up the next couple of volumes. I have really enjoyed the story so far. It's very graphic, but I'm very hooked into the continuing adventures of Skinner and Pearl. I can't wait to see how this evolves and the ongoing feud between the groups of vampires eventually ends.

The Strain by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan

Title: The Strain (Strain #1)

Author: Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogen

Publisher: Harper 2009

Genre: Horror

Pages: 585

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; New Author; 52 Books -- W21; Well Rounded Reader -- Horror; Chunkster

A Boeing 777 arrives at JFK and is on its way across the tarmac, when it suddenly stops dead. All window shades are pulled down. All lights are out. All communication channels have gone quiet. Crews on the ground are lost for answers, but an alert goes out to the CDC. Dr. Eph Goodweather, head of their Canary project, a rapid-response team that investigates biological threats, gets the call and boards the plane. What he finds makes his blood run cold.

In a pawnshop in Spanish Harlem, a former professor and survivor of the Holocaust named Abraham Setrakian knows something is happening. And he knows the time has come, that a war is brewing . . .

So begins a battle of mammoth proportions as the vampiric virus that has infected New York begins to spill out into the streets. Eph, who is joined by Setrakian and a motley crew of fighters, must now find a way to stop the contagion and save his city--a city that includes his wife and son--before it is too late.

Holy crap that was one crazy ride!  I've forgotten how much I enjoy horror adventure novels.  This one started out strong with a dead plane on the runaway and kept running toward the climatic battle against The Master.  It did not stop.  I loved all the atmosphere in the beginning.  I loved following Eph and Nora as they attempt to understand what "killed" an entire airplane full of people.  Even though the reader knows what is happening, I was still right there with them through the initial puzzling stages.  And then when everything hit the fan, the book really came into its own.  This is one terrifying ride.  I can't wait to read the next in the series.

Strain Trilogy

• #1 The Strain
• #2 The Fall
• #3 Night Eternal

Roaring Midnight by Colleen Gleason

Title: Roaring Midnight

Author: Colleen Gleason

Publisher: Avid Press 2013

Genre: Paranormal (Vampires)

Pages: 232

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook; Women Authors; Well-Rounded Reader -- Paranormal Romance; What's in a Name -- Reference to time

Macey Gardella is a typical young woman of the Roaring Twenties: she works a job, has her own flat, and loves to dance the Charleston. But when a mysterious man named Sebastian Vioget informs her she belongs to a family of vampire hunters, Macey is stunned and disbelieving.

Yet, strange and frightening things begin to happen, and when Macey comes face-to-face with one of the fanged creatures, she has no choice but to believe Sebastian. And when she learns his own soul depends on her willingness to carry forth the family legacy and hunt the undead, Macey capitulates and joins the fight.

As she begins to learn about her new life, Macey meets the handsome newspaper reporter known as Grady--who seems to know more about vampires than he should. When he begins to ask too many questions, she has to juggle her strong attraction to him with the need for secrecy.

I picked this up because of the strength of the first Gardella series.  I loved reading about Victoria, Max, and Sebastian's adventures.  This volume doesn't quite live up to the first ones, but I did enjoy reading it.  I loved the setting: 1920s Chicago.  The gangsters, the speakeasies, and the flappers all added a lovely atmosphere for the novel.  I loved the Sebastian and Wayren as they were great characters from the first series.  However, I an not completely sold on Macey and the other newcomers.  Macey is a bit too childish, at least in this first book.  I would like her have a bit more sense of the world.  I mean she lives in gangster era Chicago.  You would think she would know not to wander the streets alone after dark.  I am also not a huge fan of Chas and Grady.  They just seem to be very flat characters right now.  I hope that as the series progresses the character also grow and change.  Otherwise, I might just have to give this series up...

Gardella Vampire Chronicles:

• #1 The Rest Falls Away
• #1.5 Victoria Gardella
• #2 Rises the Night
• #3 The Bleeding Dusk
• #4 When Twilight Burns
• #5 As Shadows Fade
• #5.1 Max Stops the Presses
• #6 Roaring Midnight
• #7 Raging Dawn
• #8 Roaring Shadows

As Shadows Fade and Max Stops the Presses by Colleen Gleason

Title: As Shadows Fade (Gardella Vampire Chronicles #5); Max Stops the Presses (Gardella Vampire Chronicles #5.5)

Author: Colleen Gleason

Publisher: Signet Eclipse 2009; 2013

Genre: Vampires

Pages: 342; 30

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Paranormal -- Angels; Monthly Key Word - Shade; Mount TBR; Seriously Series; Eclectic -- Romantic Suspense; Ebook; Bingo -- 2 2013 releases

How I Got It: I own it

Demons, enemies of both mortals and the undead, have found their way to Earth. To defeat them, Victoria Gardella proposes an alliance between her slayers and Lilith’s vampires. But the vampire queen wants the former slayer Max Pesaro in return for her cooperation—a small price for the world, but a price Victoria is unwilling to pay...

An amazing conclusion to a great paranormal romance series.  I loved seeing where the story led.  And I'm super excited to find a happy ending, albeit one with a huge twist.  I can see the need for the twist, but holy crap it was a shocker.  My only complaint was that I wanted a bit more of an ending.  Thankfully, we Gleason made a short story to give the readers a bit more of a ending.

This is a short story (about 30 pages) that takes place after the end of As Shadows Fade, the fifth book in the Victoria Gardella Vampire Chronicles series.

And this is the story that helped me find a bit of closure for the characters.  Plus, it was a cute little short story to follow up.  Love it!

Gardella Vampire Chronicles:

• #1 The Rest Falls Away
• #1.5 Victoria Gardella
• #2 Rises the Night
• #3 The Bleeding Dusk
• #4 When Twilight Burns
• #5 As Shadows Fade
• #5.1 Max Stops the Presses
• #6 Roaring Midnight
• #7 Raging Dawn
• #8 Roaring Shadows

American Vampire by Scott Snyder, Rafael Albuquerque, and Stephen King

Title: American Vampire

Author: Scott Snyder, Rafael Albuquerque, and Stephen King

Publisher: Vertigo 2010

Genre: Graphic Novel, Horror

Pages: 200

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel

How I Got It: Library Loan

This volume follows two stories: one written by Snyder and one written by King. Snyder's story is set in 1920's LA, we follow Pearl, a young woman who is turned into a vampire and sets out on a path of righteous revenge against the European Vampires who tortured and abused her. This story is paired with King's story, a western about Skinner Sweet, the original American Vampire-- a stronger, faster creature than any vampire ever seen before with rattlesnake fangs and powered by the sun.

This was a refreshing change from the sparkly vampires.  Here we get classic horror.  Vampires with a vicious streak.  Vampires consumed with blood.  Vampires would transform into something truly grotesque.  I was riveted from the opening page.  Snyder and King's stories blend seamlessly together to create a unique tale of the first American Vampire.  I loved seeing Skinner and Pearl evolve into something new and compare them to the old style European vampires.  Vampire clan wars are too much fun!  I am really wanting to get back to the library to snap up the next volume.

The New Deadwardians by Dan Abnett and I.N.J. Culbard

Title: The New Deadwardians

Author: Dan Abnett and I.N.J. Culbard

Publisher: Vertigo 2012

Genre: Graphic Novel; Horror

Pages: 176

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Zombies; TBR Pile

How I Got It: Library Loan

In post-Victorian England, nearly everyone of the upper classes has voluntarily become a vampire in order to escape the lower classes who are all zombies. Into this simmering cauldron is thrust Chief Inspector George Suttle, a lonely detective who's got the slowest beat in London: investigating murders in a world where everyone is already dead! When the body of a young aristocrat washes up on the banks of the Thames, Suttle's quest for the truth will take him from the darkest sewers to the gleaming halls of power, and reveal the rotten heart at the center of this strange world.

Oh my!  I grabbed this on a whim and I have been rewarded with an amazing little comic.  I love the idea of vamlpirism as a "cure" to a zombie apocalypse.  But this one has the added twist of class warfare and a secret bigger than everyone.  I loved the twists and turns of the story; not sure where it was all leading until the end.  And we are treated to some very interesting characters.  Loved Suttle and Sapphire was a real treat.  Definitely an interesting read for an afternoon.

When Twilight Burns by Colleen Gleason

Title: When Twilight Burns (Gardella Vampire Chronicles #4)

Author: Colleen Gleason

Publisher: Signet Eclipse 2008

Genre: Vampires

Pages: 346

Rating:  5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Seriously Series; Dusty Bookshelf; 52 Books - W32

How I Got It: I own it

After narrowly escaping Rome with her mortality, vampire hunter Lady Victoria Gardella Grantworth de Lacey returns to London—where not even sunrise can stop a vampire’s carnage. Not only is Victoria unable to detect the vampire with her heightened senses, but she’s being framed as the prime suspect behind the killings.

Meanwhile, the legacy of a vampire’s touch has left his blood boiling in her veins and forces her to fight evil on two fronts—against the new breed of undead threatening London and the darkness within herself….

Holy crap!  Finally!  This volume moved the characters forward so much.  I've been waiting for some of the developments in this book.  I am still in love with Victoria.  She's such a great heroine.  She has her faults, but all of those make her a real person.  And Sebastian and Max are such amazing male characters, but so different.  I can't make up my mind as to which I like better. Plus, we get some great scenes with Lilith.  I can't wait to read the next volume, but I have it scheduled September.

Gardella Vampire Chronicles:

• #1 The Rest Falls Away
• #1.5 Victoria Gardella
• #2 Rises the Night
• #3 The Bleeding Dusk
• #4 When Twilight Burns
• #5 As Shadows Fade
• #5.1 Max Stops the Presses
• #6 Roaring Midnight
• #7 Raging Dawn
• #8 Roaring Shadows