cneywendleton's reviews
853 reviews

I love it! Vampires are taken closer to their roots, being evil, but not too bad. Some walk the line between completely evil and just slightly evil. The humans are afraid, but brave enough to stick up for each other and won't back down. They stand their ground even though they face an entire town of vampires and vampire-controlled humans.

I am loving this series! Claire is just an ordinary nerdy girl who is basically being punished for being smart. She goes to college at an early age and has to face her worst fears. Then once she thinks everything is going to settle down the madness returns. I can't wait to read the rest of the series, but have to. For I am broke and do not have money to buy the next 13 installments. :( Well 12, my uncle was kind enough to buy me one for Christmas, but didn't check the number because he got #8 instead of 3.

My first dragon-shifter book. Honestly loved it. It is fast paced, but seems a bit slow in the beginning as we are getting to know her and her home life. For instance it takes a few pages to figure out Avalon is a girl. It may seem obvious by the name, but I also think the name could be used for either a boy or a girl. Then everything picks up once she gets on a plane that can travel through time zones in minutes. Once at school, we are hit with more and more questions that drive you nuts, as there are no answers yet.

It sounds like it would be awesome, Buffy meets the Amish. Amish vampires in general would be prime specimens considering they are already extremely strong, vampire strength would be spectacular in them. I was sadly disappointed. The book is entertaining, but almost a complete knock off of Buffy. Buffy is even referenced in the book. I am not an expert on Amish, far from it, but I have lived near a community and interacted enough to know little mannerisms, this book has like no Amish presence at all except for the way the Amish vampires dress. Obviously, Jael and her parents have left the community and don't have to live the lifestyle but they don't even act as if they were previously Amish. Which is why it is a big surprise that she comes from an Amish line of slayers. In theory, Buffy vs. Amish Vamps is a great idea it is poorly executed in this book.

It was ok. Kind of hard to lock on to the characters' age though because they sometimes act like 6th graders and sometimes they seem older.

Overview: A set of triplets are born to a dead mother and (assumably, because it is never said) adopted by an older couple. The eldst, Marcus, is a bit evil. Rocco, middle sibling, is weak and easily manipulated. Juliana is quiet but stands firm on her beliefs. It is Marcus’ mission to force his siblings into the life of their kind, Vampirism, but Rocco is hesitant to believe and quick to follow orders to avoid punishment. Juliana disbelieves that vampires exist, let alone that they are ones themselves. Marcus talks Rocco into killing the couple that raised them (to the ripe old age of 11) and then goes on a small killing spree before being captured by the police. Juliana and Rocco run from the cops and their crazy brother, but soon realize they shouldn’t have done so and go back to help him. Rocco means to actually help him escape, while Juliana wants to free the hostage child and get his brother medical attention. Then the tables are turned and unexpected events take place.

Opinion: It was good but confusing. It starts off with characters behaving a certain way, supposedly from birth, but in the end everything is flipped. The bad guy is suddenly a good guy, and the good guy has always been the bad guy. This should be an epic twist, but the way the characters talk, this has all played out before and they have lived multiple past lives. Though nothing else done or said gives you that impression. I just don't think this one's for me.

Overview: Summer term has ended and Allie is home for a little while. One week into break, she goes out to meet up with friends at the park and is forced to cut her time short as she is attacked. Her new best friend's dad rescues her and takes her to his home fortress, but after a few days the adults believe she would be safer back at the school. Cimmera is still undergoing renovations from the fire and she is put to work with her friends. Once the school term starts she finds herself enrolled in Night school so she can be taught self-defense and be kept in the loop of what is going on. Fighting wit her new boyfriend, she turns to her ex for help when she is contacted by an unlikely enemy. After this second attack, everyone is on pins and needles for the upcoming dance. There are going to world leaders and politicians present and Allie just knows there enemies are going to try something. When the ball comes and goes without incident, the Night School students and staff seam to ease up a bit...just in time for the enemies to strike. Allie then has to save herself and hopefully the life of a friend's as well.

Review: This book seemed a little lighter than the last action wise, but it is still packed full of it. Plus we are getting more answers. The stakes are raised as Allie is changing more and more. The words just fly off the pages, making it hard for you to put down!

Overview: It has been eight weeks since the death of Jo and Allie saved herself from a kidnapping. Everyone is moving on, but Allie. She is determined to find those responsible for her friend's death, but she can't do it alone or tucked away at school. Allie plans to make her escape, and is successful until she stops for the night with an old friend. Caught and hauled back to school, she is reprimanded by both the Headmistress and her grandmother. In order to be protected, she has to stay in school. In order to stay in school she MUST follow the rules. Angry, she obliges as she sees the instructors and body guards are somewhat actively looking for the traitor(s). One night she thinks she sees an intruder, and heads off to catch him, but it was only a guard. Then she begins to suspect the sweet librarian, and "evil" history teacher later. Not knowing who to trust, she realizes she needs to trust someone. She gathers a group of five friends, and they hold their own investigation as the teachers mysteriously disappear. With the instructors away, chaos ensues when a student is forcibly taken from school and they find out the board members are going to begin pulling out their children. Formulating a plan to keep those who want to stay at the school there, and trying to find the informant, on top of keeping up with her studies and detention are proving a bit much for Allie and she becomes increasingly more emotional. Finally she erupts on Raj Patel, head of the guards, and finally gets the teachers back. Everything seems to settle down and go back to normal as no one else has been pulled from school. Just as Allie and her friends start to relax, a mass amount of butlers arrive to take children home. Students begin running for hiding places and some of the group is separated. Allie and Rachel go offer help and are separated themselves, and before Allie realizes that the butlers are not who they say they are, Rachel disappears. Allie then receives specific instructions to meet Nathanial if she wishes to keep Rachel alive. Formulating another plan, they head out to save their friend. There is an epic battle and Nathanial slips through their fingers, once again.

Review: I would have to say, my favorite of the series so far. Non-stop action, feeling Allie's pain and confusion as she goes through everything to save her school, friends and love life. She is brought to her breaking point a few times and we struggle through it with her and see how much she has changed...or not changed since she first came to school.