Title: Soulless (Parasol Protectorate #1)
Author: Gail Carriger
Published: October, 2009 by Orbit
Pages: 357
Rating:  
Purchase: The Book Depository

Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she’s a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.

Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire — and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.

With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London’s high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?

Final Thoughts:
The writing takes a little to get used to, but definitely stick with it. This one is full of humour, Victorian etiquette and a very tough, parasol wielding spinster. I got a lot of fun out of this one, including a hot werewolf romance.

Title: Blood Feud (Drake Chronicles #1)
Author: Alyxandra Harvey
Published: June, 2010 by Bloomsbury
Pages: 257
Rating:  
Purchase: The Book Depository

The action and romance continue as the Drakes face a new vampire with a 200-year-old grudge. 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 Montmartre—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.

Final Thoughts:
Better than the first book, a change of POV greatly helped my enjoyment. Logan, the Victorian clothes loving vampire, despite teasing from his six brothers, takes up the lead alongside Isabeau. The adventures are much the same as those from book one, but their strong character traits made up for what annoyed me last time around.

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Breaking the Spine and serves to showcase those pesky books that aren’t released yet, but that we’re eagerly awaiting! This week, my WoW is…

Title: The Watchtower (Black Swan Rising #2)
Author: Lee Carroll
Published: 4 August, 2011 by Bantam Press

Warning: This is Book 2 in the series, so there may be spoilers in this summary.
Jewelry designer Garet James is still coming to terms with the astounding revelation in BLACK SWAN RISING that she is the last in a long line of women sworn to protect the world from evil. Now she has received a sign from Will Hughes, the 400-year-old vampire who once helped her defeat the evil threatening to destroy New York City. Hughes, tortured by his own violent history which is vividly reenacted here, has asked her to join him on a quest to rid himself of his curse of vampirism. While looking for Will in Paris, Garet encounters a number of mysterious figures — an ancient botanist metamorphosed into the oldest tree in Paris, a gnome who lives under the Labyrinth at the Jardin des Plantes, a librarian at the Institut Oceanographique, and a dryad in the Luxembourg Gardens.

Each encounter leads Garet closer to finding Will Hughes, but she realizes that she’s not the only one who’s trying to find the way to the magical world called the Summer Country. As Garet struggles to understand her family legacy, each answer she finds only leads to more questions — and to more danger…

I’ve been in a reading frenzy this past week and a half, trying to make the most of my break between semesters at Uni. Amidst all of my library books, I stumbled upon the first book, Black Swan Rising, in this new urban fantasy trilogy. You can check out my review here if you want to find out more. It was such a suprisingly enjoyable read, I really couldn’t put it down. So I’m eagerly awaiting this next instalment. Luckily, it’s only a few weeks away. I went and pre-ordered myself a copy as soon as I’d finished the first one.

Also, my giveaway ends this Sunday, so if you haven’t already entered, check it out for a chance to win one of the books in The Demon’s Lexicon trilogy.

What are you waiting on? Feel free to link me up and I’ll check yours out!

Title: Peeps (Peeps #1)
Author: Scott Westerfeld
Published: August, 2005 by Penguin
Pages: 312
Rating:  
Purchase: The Book Depository

Okay, let’s clear up some myths about vampires. First of all, you won’t see me using the V-word much. In the Night Watch, we prefer the term parasite-positives, or peeps, for short. The main thing to remember is that there’s no magic involved. No flying. No transforming into bats or rats either . . .

After a chance encounter with a mysterious woman one night, Cal’s life is changed forever. He’s been infected with an insidious parasite. The good news: he’s only a carrier. The bad news: he’s infected all his former girlfriends – and now they’ve turned into what Cal calls ‘Peeps’. The rest of us know them as vampires. And it’s Cal’s job to hunt them down, before they create even more of their own kind . . .

Final Thoughts:
Not your ordinary vampires, actually they don’t like that word. Call them peeps. Bringing science into the myth, this novel treats vampirism as an infection rather than a curse. I didn’t love this as much as I wanted to, but I’m sure others will enjoy it. With a swarm of creepy rats and an unintentionally horny 19 yo guy, there’s lots of fun to be had in this.

Title: Black Swan Rising (Black Swan Rising #1)
Author: Lee Carroll
Published: July, 2010 by Bantam Press
Pages: 396
Rating:  
Purchase: The Book Depository

When New York City jewelry designer Garet James stumbles into a strange antiques shop in her neighborhood, her life is about to be turned upside down. John Dee, the enigmatic shopkeeper, commissions her to open a vintage silver box for a generous sum of money. Oddly, the symbol of a swan on the box exactly matches the ring given to her by her deceased mother. Garet can’t believe her luck and this eerie coincidence until she opens the box and otherworldly things start happening. . .

On her journey, she will meet the fey folk who walk unnoticed among humans and a sexy vampire who also happens to be a hedge fund manager that she can’t stop thinking about. Whom can Garet trust to guide her? Using her newfound powers and sharp wit, Garet will muster everything she’s got to shut down the evil taking over her friends, family, New York City, and the world.

Final Thoughts:
What an unexpectedly amazing book. More people should be reading this. Plenty of action as creepy fog demons terrorise New York City. I loved the dreadlocked mentor and the vampire romance had me demanding more. This is one you shouldn’t pass up.

Title: Entice (Need #3)
Author: Carrie Jones
Published: December, 2010 by Bloomsbury
Pages: 264
Rating:  
Purchase: The Book Depository

Zara and Nick are soul mates, meant to be together forever.
But that’s not quite how things have worked out.

For starters, well, Nick is dead.
Supposedly, he’s been taken to a mythic place for warriors known as Valhalla, so Zara and her friends might be able to get him back. But it’s taking time, and meanwhile a group of evil pixies is devastating Bedford, with more teens going missing every day. An all-out war seems imminent, and the good guys need all the warriors they can find. But how to get to Valhalla?

And even if Zara and her friends discover the way, there’s that other small problem: Zara’s been pixie kissed. When she finds Nick, will he even want to go with her? Especially since she hasn’t just turned…she’s Astley’s queen.

Final Thoughts:
Each book has been different so far, but this one brings the most change. If you haven’t started the series, go check out my review for Need. Without Nick, Astley steps up, taking on the male lead character to great effect. I really enjoyed this one; the plot had no lulls, and there was plenty of action.

Title: Shadow Of The Vampire
Author: Meagan Hatfield
Published: July, 2010 by Mira
Pages: 331
Rating:  
Purchase: The Book Depository

Vampire princess Alexia Feodorovna has been undead for 125 years, so it’s been awhile since any man has made her pulse race. Until Declan Black. One look at his bronzed body and a fire like no other consumes her. Then she discovers that he’s a dragon lord, come to take revenge on the vamps who killed his parents. And claim a crystal said to imbue its owner with incredible powers.

Alexia is ordered to torture and kill the dragon lord. Yet with each reckless encounter, she finds herself consumed by his fiery passion. A passion Declan battles, as well. Will he be able to resist the fire of lust she kindles within him and keep revenge in his heart? Or will he risk everything to quench the burning desire and claim the vampire as his own?

Final Thoughts:
Burning sexual desires held up the majority of the book as a captor and her prisoner are drawn together. The introduction of dragon shifters kept my interest in this erotic novel full of action and scheming. The plot is nothing to rave about, but it should keep fans of the genre happy.