A website dedicated to books in the Young Adult genre, featuring book reviews, author interviews contests and much more!


Thursday, December 16, 2010

Book Review & Giveaway for Out for Blood (Drake Chronicles #3) by Alyxandra Harvey!

Out for Blood
OUT FOR BLOOD (DRAKE CHRONICLES) BY ALYXANDRA HARVEY 
Reading level: Young Adult 
Hardcover: 304 pages 
Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers (December 21, 2010) 
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound
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, she 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?



Book Opening:
"Shakespeare said, "What's in a name?"

Well my name's Hunter Wild, so I say: a lot.

For instance, you can tell by my name that our family takes our status as vampire hunters very seriously. Good thing I'm an only child—if I 'd had Out for Blood (The Drake Chronicles, #3)brothers or sisters, they might have been named Slayer or Killer. We'd sound like a heavy metal band."

Notable Scene:
"I wasn't scared, and not just because I had a purse full of small sharp weapons. There was something between us suddenly, and it wasn't just a secret unraveling.

It was something else, something more forbidden, more mysterious, more delicious." – Page 147 ARC version

OUT FOR BLOOD kicks off with a bang and just keeps on rockin' the whole way through!  

Out for Blood alternates between the viewpoints of Drake brother Quinn and the vampire slayer-in-training (Hunter) that steals his heart.  It was fun to get inside each of their heads and find out how they really felt about one another. Hunter sort of reminded me of Lucy at times—that is, if Lucy had trained since birth to hunt vampires instead of being friends with them. I think Lucy would've turned out a lot like Hunter.

In Blood Feud my biggest qualm was that there was too little time spent developing Logan. Well, after reading this latest book, I have to say Alyxandra Harvey redeemed herself with Quinn. I think he might actually be my favorite Drake brother. However, I do think a little more time needs to be spent on developing the brothers for future installments. Sometimes they all sort of jumble together in my mind—so much so that I have a hard time keeping their names straight. I've even had to take notes on who they are!  Also, every time I pick up a new book in this series, I find myself wishing that Harvey would revert back to alternating between Lucy and Solange like she did in the first book. I don't know if that would actually make sense with the way the series is progressing, but I really miss having those two girls front and center in the narration.

There are two things I enjoy the most about The Drake Chronicles.  First off, these books are a refreshingly unique in a market over-saturated with vampire books. Alyxandra Harvey has created a fascinating subculture with this series, one with complex political maneuvering, scary creatures (like the Hel-Bar) and cleverly crafted world building. Secondly, she has devoted great time and detail into bringing her female narrators to life. From the newly turned vampire Solange in Hearts at Stake, to Isabeau, the magical wielding vampire in Blood Feud, to Helios-Ra student Hunter in Out for Blood, all of these characters have left a strong impression on me.I love that the women in The Drake Chronicles are fighters and survivors. Fiercely independent, they can take care of themselves and hold their own just as good (or better) than any of the Drake boys. I think this is what keeps me coming back to this series. It's refreshing to read books where the women are so strong-minded. They don't sit passively in the background waiting for the supernatural boy to swoop in and tell them what to do. 


Bottom Line: Alyxandra Harvey's books are well-written with fast moving plots and great action.  Out for Blood, the third installment in the series, definitely packs a good punch. I enjoyed the forbidden aspect of Hunter's relationship with Quinn and that of the vampire training school itself. While Hearts at Stake is still my favorite, this was an exciting addition to the vampire fans are sure to enjoy.


Read my review of Hearts at Stake & Blood Feud 

Books by Alyxandra Harvey
 
Haunting Violet
Releasing June 2011
Read an excerpt now! 
THE DRAKE CHRONICLES

Hearts at Stake (Drake Chronicles, Book 1)Blood Feud (Drake Chronicles)Out for Blood (Drake Chronicles)




Alyxandra Harvey is the author of the first two books in The Drake Chronicles. She studied creative writing and literature at York University and has had her poetry published in several magazines. When not writing, she is a belly dancer and jewelry maker. She lives in an old farmhouse in Ontario, with her husband, hawk, and two dogs.



GIVEAWAY  
 One finished copy of OUT FOR BLOOD and bookmark
*Courtesy of Bloomsbury Teen


Out for Blood
 (Drake Chronicles Book 2)


BY ALYXANDRA HARVEY 
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, she 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?
 

Official Rules:
1.You must be 13 year or older to enter.
2. Open to entrants with a valid U.S. mailing address only. 
3. Entries must be received by Midnight EST on December 31st 2010. 
4. Once contacted, winners have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address.
5. To enter to win, simply fill out the form below. Good luck!  



5 comments:

Tales of Whimsy said...

Sounds good! Thanks for the review ;)
(not an entry)

Alex Bennett from Electrifying Reviews said...

I need to read the second book, and this one! Thanks for the giveaway!

latishajean said...

Can't wait to read this one! Great giveaway thank you very much for the chance!

YA Book Queen said...

Nice review! This series sounds so good, I definitely need to pick up the first book sometime

Bere said...

Fantastic review, Kim! Hearts at Stake is also one of my favorites too. And I have to admit that I, too, miss Solange and Lucy. I can't wait to read this one though =).