Young Adult
Novel Reaction is very excited to share some bookish news, The Drake Chronicles by Alyxandra Harvey has been released as one bound novel.
MEET the Drakes:
A darkly romantic, irresistibly alluring family of royal vampire blood
READ Alyxandra Harvey’s Ruling Passion:
A haunting, humorous saga, now gathered into one juicy volume!
By Alyxandra Harvey
Publication date: September 27, 2011
978-0-80272-802-9 / $9.99 / 816 pages
Bind up contains: Hearts at Stake, Blood Feud, and Out for Blood
(Previously published separately as The Drake Chronicles)
“A refreshing take of the familiar teenage vampire drama . . . Harvey builds an engaging world of vampire cultures balanced wit a smart mix of darkness and humor.”
—Publishers Weekly
“A fabulous and fast-paced read! The action is superb . . . this is the perfect
escape read.”
—Romantic Times
There are three books in The Drake Chronicles so far with the fourth book Bleeding Hearts scheduled for release in January 2012. I thought I would share a little more info on each of these great novels along with a link to Novel Reaction’s review of each title (I know, hard to believe that we have actually reviewed all the titles in a series).
On Solange’s sixteenth birthday, she is going to wake up dead. As if that’s not bad enough, she also has to outwit her seven overprotective older brothers, avoid the politics involved with being the only daughter born to an ancient vampire dynasty, and elude Kieran Black—agent of an anti-vampire league who is searching for his father’s killer and is intent on staking Solange and her entire family. Luckily she has her own secret weapon—her human best friend Lucy. Lucy is willing to defend Solange’s right to a normal life, whether she’s being smothered by her well-intentioned brothers or abducted by a power-hungry queen. Two unlikely alliances are formed in a race to save Solange’s eternal life—Lucy and Solange’s brother Nicholas, and Solange and Kieran Black — in a dual romance that is guaranteed to jump start any romance-lover’s heart.
You can listen to my review here.
You can read an excerpt here.
It’s been centuries since Isabeau St. Croix barely survived the French Revolution. Now she’s made her way back to the living and she must face the ultimate test by confronting the evil British lord who left her for dead the day she turned into a vampire. That’s if she can control her affection for Logan Drake, a vampire whose bite is as sweet as the revenge she seeks. The clans are gathering for Helena’s royal coronation as the next vampire queen, and new alliances are beginning to form now that the old rifts of Lady Natasha’s reign have started to heal. But with a new common enemy, Leander Montmarte—a vicious leader who hopes to force Solange to marry him and usurp the power of the throne for himself — the clans must stand together to preserve the peace he threatens to destroy. This second adventure in the Drake Chronicles—told from both Logan’s and Isabeau’s perspectives — has all the same butt-kicking action, heart-pounding romances and snarky humor that readers loved in Hearts at Stake, as well as exciting new revelations about the vampire dynasties to keep readers coming back for more.
You can read my review here.
You can read an excerpt here.
Hunter Wild is the youngest in a long line of elite vampire hunters, a legacy that is both a blessing and a curse at the secret Helios-Ra Academy, where she excels at just about everything. Thanks to her friendship with Kieran Black, Hunter receives a special invitation to attend the coronation of Helena Drake, and for the first time, he sees the difference between vampires that must be hunted and vampires that can become friends — or even more. When students at the academy fall victim to a mysterious illness, Hunter suspects they are under attack from within. She will need someone she can trust to help her save the future of Helios-Ra . . . help that shockingly comes in the form of Quinn Drake, a drop-dead gorgeous vampire. Who said senior year would be easy?
You can read my review here.
You can read an excerpt here.
Novel Reaction is thrilled to be able to offer a copy of Ruling Passion to one lucky winner. Now the rules:
To be entered to win leave a comment stating your favorite paranormal creature. Personally, I love shapeshifters, there is something so magical about the freedom to become an animal and yet retain that part of your thinking that makes you you.
The contest will close October 9th at midnight. This contest is limited to US and Canadian residents only (sorry Internationals, I promise I will have a contest for you soon).
Novel Reaction is excited to be part of the After Obsession by Carrie Jones and Steven E. Wedel Blog Tour. Here is a little information about each author:
Carrie Jones likes Skinny Cow fudgsicles and potatoes. She does not know how to spell fudgsicles. This has not prevented her from writing books. She lives in Maine, but she grew up in Bedford, NH where she once had a séance with cool uber-comedian Sarah Silverman. Her house was terribly haunted. Pencils would randomly catch fire. Not good.
Carrie Jones is the author of the Need series, you can read Novel Reaction’s reviews of Need, Captivate, and Entice.
was born on April 28, 1966, in Stillwater, Oklahoma, but we moved to Enid, Oklahoma, within two years of my birth. I grew up in Enid, graduated from Enid High School in 1984, and will always consider that little city on the plains my home town.
Rather than go to college after high school, I got married and went to work, spending 10 years working in machine shops in Enid and Oklahoma City before rethinking my decision and going to college. I earned a BA in journalism, with a minor in English, from the University of Central Oklahoma in 1999, then went on to earn a Master of Liberal Studies degree from the University of Oklahoma in 2004; my emphasis was on creative writing.
I currently live in a suburb of Oklahoma City with my wife and four kids. I work as an English teacher at an independent school district in OKC.
Steven is the author of The Werewolf Saga.
I thought I would post a couple of interview questions from both authors that I thought were interesting, I didn’t provide the interview questions but the personalities of each author shines through.
Q: What reaction do you anticipate from your loyal fan base regarding this collaboration? Is it something they’re going to like? Will they pity you for what you’ve endured? Or will they simply ignore it?
STEVE: Hopefully Carrie’s fans won’t feel the need for pity. No residents of Maine were harmed in the creation of this book. Not physically, anyway. I think my fans will like it. I know my students will, and I’ll be thrilled to have a book school librarians will make available to high schoolers.
CARRIE: I hope they like it despite the fact that there are no pixies. They will all probably fall in love with Alan, the main character that Steve created, the way I did. Oh my gosh! You think they’ll ignore it? Hold on. I have to go panic now.
Q: Artistically speaking what did each of you contribute to this book? How is it different than the usual novel you write?
STEVE: Well, the most obvious answer is that the book is written in alternating points of view between Aimee, Carrie’s character, and Alan, my character. Carrie’s writing is very much character driven and very feminine. She sees a lot of detail that I tend to gloss over. I’d say this novel is much richer in detail and tone than anything I’ve done previously and I blame Carrie for that.
CARRIE: It is much quicker, much more plot-driven, and has a lot more testosterone in it. Steve puts a really man energy into his chapters and he’s so good at dialogue and flow. I was really lucky to write with him.
Q: Carrie, you are known for strong young female characters instrumental in solving their own problems, much like you allegedly gnawed through the chains and escaped Wedel. Has the revolving point of view used in After Obsession diluted the strength of Aimee, the female protagonist? And Steve, you are known for your horror and your detail. Did you find it hard to tone it down for this book?
CARRIE: No. I think by seeing her actions through Alan’s eyes it actually makes her stronger.
STEVE: In YA, even demons have to watch their language. Actually, the scary elements aren’t that toned down from my solo novels. And, I guess I’ve mellowed with age, because I’m not including as much graphic content in my other books as I used to.
Q: Carrie, are you suffering from Stockholm Syndrome? Would you collaborate with Wedel again, or are you simply glad to be free? Steve, have you moved on to bigger and better authors to torment? What are your states of mind as After Obsession moves closer to publication?
CARRIE: I would love to experiment again, if he still wants me.
STEVE: Bigger and better? That would be hard to find. I’d write with Carrie again in a heartbeat. Maybe I wouldn’t even have to use that old black magic next time.
Aimee has always had strange dreams that come true but lately she has been dreaming about some strange guy who suddenly appears after moving to town. After Obsession by Carrie Jones and Steven E. Wedel, Aimee is so afraid of being labeled a ‘freak’ like her mother was considered that she ignores the dreams she gets and pretends that everything is ‘normal’ but eventually even Aimee can’t pretend that things in her town are okay as all the worst traits of everyone come out. Then Aimee’s best friend Courtney starts acting stranger than everyone else and Aimee realizes it is up to her to save Courtney.
Alan has moved from Oklahoma with his mother after his uncle passed away. Alan is concerned that something is seriously wrong with his cousin Courtney. As Alan starts to research exactly what is wrong and how to fix it, he starts getting closer to Aimee but will they both be able to defeat the evil that is infected the town or will the evil claim their lives?
After Obsession took me a little bit to get into, not long enough that I stopped reading the book but I wasn’t hooked from the first page. That being said, I really liked After Obsession. I really liked Aimee’s character, she was upbeat during a difficult time but still dealt with insecurities and fears, not obnoxiously upbeat but an active striving to be happy at all times. Alan is a good guy trying to fit into a new town that doesn’t have a football team, a sport he excels at. The story is written in first person but switches from Alan to Aimee and back again, at first this was a little confusing but I think that had more to do with the fact that I don’t always read chapter headers than anything done by the authors. After Obsession deals a little bit with demon possession, I was a little hesitant going into this novel about this topic but Jones and Wedel did a fabulous job of being scary and concerning without being too occult or over the top scary. Sometimes when an author has a strong series that I love (like Jones’s Need series) other works by that author feel very similar to other series, that didn’t happen here. Also, too often in YA novels there is no parental figures or involvement in the teens lives, here both Aimee and Alan had parents who were involved in their lives and concerned about them just not physically there because they were working. I really liked this aspect of the novel in addition to Aimee’s super cute Grandpa. Be aware that the novel uses the F* word twice, mostly to show the difference in attitude of Courtney between normal life and when she is influenced by the demon but it is there. After Obsession was an entertaining read with a great heroine who is likable and I look forward to further collaboration between Jones and Wedel.
Rating: 
Content: 
Title: After Obsession
Author: Carrie Jones and Steven E. Wedel
Format: Hardbound, eBook
Page Nos.: 320
ISBN: 978-1599906812
Publisher: Bloomsbury Teen
Release Date: September 13, 2011
Available for purchase: Amazon, Bloomsbury
Reviewer: Jessica
**I received a copy of this book from the publisher but was not required to provide a review and it did not impact my review in any way.
Helen Hamilton has always known she is different from the others living on Nantucket Sound but when a new family moves into town even she is shocked by her reaction to them. Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini begins with the Delos family moving to Nantucket, not really interested, Helen is shocked by her strong reaction to Lucas and even more shocked when she tries to kill him. This just isn’t Helen’s year, not only does she try to kill someone she doesn’t know, she is suffering from strange dreams that leave her feet covered in dust and cuts and now she fears she is suffering from hallucinations.
Lucas and his family have moved to Nantucket Sound to get away from their family politics and now find someone that they didn’t believe existed. Lucas finds himself drawn to Helen but he fears that they are just on a path set up the Fates, destined to end in tragedy. When Helen is attacked several times, Lucas starts to wonder if he cares if he is destined to end in tragedy so long as Helen is safe.
An interesting take on the mythology of the ancient Gods and Goddesses, Starcrossed was a great read. Helen’s feeling of being different and finally finding out who and what she is are believable and touching. I loved the scenes in the kitchen centered around Lucas’s family but especially his mother. Unlike so many YA novels (so many of them have nonexistent or non paticipatory parents), Starcrossed has some great parental figures for all the youth characters and I loved the Delos’s family dynamics. I flew through Starcrossed in one morning but the build up to the second novel, Dreamless, has me really looking forward to the next novel!
You can read an excerpt here.
Awakening Reading Order:
Dreamless (May 2012)
Unknown Title (unknown date)
Rating:
Content: 
Title: Starcrossed
Author: Josephine Angelini
Format: Hardbound, eBook
Page Nos.: 496
ISBN: 78-0062011992
Publisher: Harper Teen
Release Date: May 2011
Available for purchase: Amazon
Reviewer: Jessica
**I received a copy of this book from NetGalley but was not required to provide a review and it did not impact my review in any way.
So Starcrossed has its own theme song, performed by a German Band called the Demigoddesses, how cool is that? I have posted it here for your listening pleasure. 
