Title: Unafraid (Archangel Academy #3)
Author: Michael Griffo
Published: February, 2012 by KTeen
Thanks: Kensington
Pages: 403
Rating:  
Purchase: The Book Depository

The boarding school known as Archangel Academy possesses a legacy of secrets known only to a privileged few. For in this peaceful, charming part of England lives a population of vampires at war with one another–and Michael Howard is caught in the middle of it all. . .

When Michael left his small Nebraska hometown to enroll at Archangel Academy, he couldn’t have imagined how much the experience would change him. Once mortal, Michael is now a vampire with a destiny that was foretold long ago, and a group of friends with their own mysterious abilities.

But there are enemies too, some of them hiding in plain sight. Being strong enough to defend himself isn’t enough. Michael must find a way to protect his entire race of vampires. Dark forces within the school will drive everyone to take sides in the escalating violence. And for all his new powers, Michael will discover that love, jealousy, and vengeance have a danger all their own. . .

Final Thoughts:
It took me over two months to make it through this one. I just found it a struggle to maintain an interest in the story. While I found myself originally drawn into the series and its British academy teeming with sixteen year old vampires, as it progressed, the overall story arc surrounding one seriously pissed off principal failed to enrapture me. In terms of Michael and Ronan’s relationship, I found that book three really didn’t take them any further. The mountain of angst they were put through in the previous instalment is practically non-existent now. Some may like that—they have past their tests and it’s them against the bad guys rather than mistrusting each other. I like a bit of both though. If things don’t get shaken up just a little, they can feel stagnated.

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by The Story Siren, which allows bloggers to share what books they’ve received in the past week. They can be from stores, contests, tours or publishers!

• The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa (thanks to Publisher)
• Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins (thanks to Publisher)
• Allegiance by Cayla Kluver (thanks to Publisher)
• Fated by Alyson Noel (thanks to Publisher)
• Unafraid by Michael Griffo (thanks to Publisher)
• Revived by Cat Patrick (purchased)
• Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer (purchased)
• Winter’s Light by M.J. Hearle (thanks to Publisher)

I’ve been in Sydney the past week on a business trip, took a stack of books, but I never got around to reading them. I did get some reading done on the plane, but not enough to write any reviews. I will fix that soon. When I got back a couple days ago, I was met with six of these books–so thanks to those who sent them to me! I don’t know where to start. I’m tempted to pick up The Immortal Rules, but Fated sounds pretty good too.

Here are my latest reviews if you want to check them out:
Smith, Alexander Gordon Escape From Furnace #5, Execution

Link up to your mailbox and I’ll be sure to check it out!

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by The Story Siren, which allows bloggers to share what books they’ve received in the past week. They can be from stores, contests, tours or publishers!

• Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater (purchased) – My Review
• Linger by Maggie Stiefvater (purchased) – My Review
• Forever by Maggie Stiefvater (purchased) – My Review
• Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake (won – thanks Jena @ Shortie Says)
• Mammon by J.B. Thomas (purchased)
• My Name Is Memory by Ann Brashares (purchased)
• Unwelcome by Michael Griffo (thanks to publishers) – My Review
• Forbidden by Jana Oliver (thanks to publishers)
• Twisted by Gena Showalter (purchased)
• Guardian Of The Dead by Karen Healey (won – thanks Ange @ Moonlight Reader)
• Beastly by Aliex Flinn (won – thanks Holly @ In Interest)
• Bloodlines by Richelle Mead (purchased)
• Blood Song by Rhiannon Hart (purchased)
• Blood Bound by Rachel Vincent (purchased)

I met Maggie yesterday and got eight books signed, the five paperbacks I had, and this hardcover set. She even signed the front of the box that they go in. I got a few of my giveaway wins this week. I especially can’t wait to start on Anna Dressed In Blood. I received a couple review books too. Thanks to Kensington for Unwelcome, which I just reviewed a few days ago. I’ll be reviewing Forsaken and Forbidden next week after I finish Burn Bright which I’m half way through at the moment. I’ve been waiting on Twisted for a while. I love the Intertwined series so I’ll be pushing that up in my TBR so I can get it to it soon. I bought My Name Is Memory on a whim, it looks like a clone of Fallen with matching character names and similar blurb. And lastly Blood Bound, it’s another I have to make time for. I love Rachel’s books, so I’m hoping I’ll get just as addicted to her new series.

Here are my reviews from the past week:
Griffo, Michael Archangel Academy #2, Unwelcome
Stiefvater, Maggie Books Of Faerie #2, Ballad

Link up to your mailbox and I’ll be sure to check it out!

Title: Unwelcome (Archangel Academy #2)
Author: Michael Griffo
Published: September, 2011 by K Teen (Kensington)
Thanks: Kensington
Pages: 392
Rating:  
Purchase: The Book Depository

Archangel Academy is more than a school to Michael Howard. Within its majestic buildings and serene English grounds, he’s found friends, new love, and a place that feels more like home than Nebraska ever did. But the most important gift of Archangel Academy is immortality. . .

Life as a just-made vampire is challenging for Michael, even with Ronan, an experienced vamp, to guide him. Michael’s abilities are still raw and unpredictable. To add to the turmoil, the ancient feud between rival vampire species is sending ripples of discord through the school. And beneath the new headmaster’s charismatic front lies a powerful and very personal agenda.

Yet the mysteries lurking around the Academy pale in comparison to the secrets emerging from Michael’s past. And choosing the wrong person to trust—or to love—could lead to an eternity of regret. . .

Final Thoughts:
Unwelcome is a wild ride of romance, lust, family politics and a hell of a lot of sexy vampires. With so many plots winding their way around our boys, Archangel Academy has never been more hectically intriguing. It’s hard to know if there’s a betrayal lurking around the corner that you just can’t stop reading.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: Grab your current read and share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.

I just started this one last night. I’m enjoying it so far. There’s a lot happening but it’s all very mysterious and the romance has been really good, but the constant POV switching is annoying me like it did during the first book. And in case you’re interested, Michael is the angry looking blond and Ronan is the stubbled guy behind him.

Ronan didn’t hear Michael enter the bathroom. The shower water was running and he was singing, slightly off-key. He only knew someone was there when the shower curtain was pulled back. “Crikey, Michael!” Ronan cried. “Do you want to give me a heart attack?”
“Vampires can’t have heart attacks,” Michael said. “Can they?”
“No, love, they can’t,” Ronan answered. He then became very self-conscious that he was standing in the shower completely naked except for a few blotches of soapsuds that clung to his body, and Michael was fully clothed. “Is there, um, something I can help you with?”

– Unwelcome by Michael Griffo, page 90.
Published in September, 2011 by Kensington.

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by The Story Siren, which allows bloggers to share what books they’ve received in the past week. They can be from stores, contests, tours or publishers!

• The Twilight Saga: Official Illustrated Guide by Stephenie Meyer (purchased)
• Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick (purchased)
• Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick (purchased)
• Oliver Nocturne: Blood Ties by Kevin Emerson (library)
• Conspiracy 365: February by Gabrielle Lord (library)
• Unnatural by Michael Griffo (purchased)
• The Morganville Vampires Vol III: Lord of Misrule & Carpe Corpus by Rachel Caine (purchased)

So these are the books I’ve bought & borrowed out this week. I read Hush, Hush a few weeks ago from my local library and loved it but they didn’t have Crescendo so I decided to get them both online. I found the shiny hardbacks cheap on AmazonUK so I quickly snapped them up. My copy of Unnatural arrived looking like the front corner had gotten wet in the post (it was dry when it arrived, but warped), but I couldn’t be bothered sending it back to the UK and waiting for a replacement to get to me so I guess I’ll just live with it (plus I’ve read it now. see my review). Another Morganville bind-up arrived this week as well, I really have to get back to reading them soon. If only I didn’t have university textbooks to read as well.

Link up to your mailbox and I’ll be sure to check it out!

Title: Unnatural (Archangel Academy #1)
Author: Michael Griffo
Published: February, 2011 by K Teen (Kensington)
Pages: 480
Rating:  
Purchase: The Book Depository

In the town of Eden in northwestern England stands the exclusive boarding school known as Archangel Academy. Ancient and imposing, it’s a place filled with secrets. Just like its students…

For Michael Howard, being plucked from his Nebraska hometown and sent thousands of miles away is as close as he’s ever come to a miracle. In Weeping Water, he felt trapped, alone. At Archangel Academy, Michael belongs. And in Ciaran, Penry, and especially Ciaran’s enigmatic half-brother Ronan, Michael finds friendship deeper than he’s ever known.

But Michael’s only beginning to understand what makes the Academy so special. Ronan is a vampire—part of a hybrid clan who are outcasts even among other vampires. Within the Academy’s confines exists a ruthless world of deadly rivalries and shifting alliances, of clandestine love and forbidden temptations. And soon Michael will confront the destiny that brought him here—and a danger more powerful than he can imagine…

Final Thoughts:
Slow to start, but stick with it and you’ll be greatly rewarded. Michael and Ronan will keep you glued to the pages. Full of snarky vampires, apathetic mothers and controlling fathers, Unnatural comes as a fresh breath in the vampire/boarding school genre.