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Red House Books is going through a bit of a update!

I've always had a pretty clear vision of what I wanted this space to be but I've been detoured from my path by...lots and lost of other people's opinions and ways of doing things...

I'm committed to this little chunk of the interweb but I've also branched out into other places so! Now it's time to think of Red House Books as more of a hub of all things me! And Me is a hell of a lot of book love!

Stay tuned!

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Showing posts with label 2 Stars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2 Stars. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Book Review: Kill The Boy Band by Goldy Moldavsky

Genre: YA Contemporary
Publication: February 2016 by Point
Acquisition: received from another blogger

Synopsis:
Just know from the start that it wasn’t supposed to go like this. All we wanted was to get near them. That’s why we got a room in the hotel where they were staying.

We were not planning to kidnap one of them. Especially not the most useless one. But we had him—his room key, his cell phone, and his secrets.

We were not planning on what happened next.

We swear.

From thrilling new talent Goldy Moldavsky comes a pitch-black, hilarious take on fandom and the badass girls who have the power to make—or break—the people we call “celebrities.”
(from Goodreads)
2 / 5 Stars

This review's going to be a be short and a bit not so sweet.

I don't like this book because of:

The way fandoms and fangirls are represented.
The hypersexual behavior.
The fat shaming.
Being ugly is used as a justification for violence.

I get it, it's a comedy and it's somewhat slapstick and it's not suppose to be realistic (that last one is an assumption).

It's also bad.

Lots of folks love it but not me.

Read only if you're a sucker for punishment or you want to know "What up with all that hate you're throwing around Emily?!" but don't say I didn't warn you.

Friday, May 20, 2016

Book Review: Harmony House by Nic Sheff

Genre: YA (not) Horror Paranormal
Publication: March 2016 by HarperTeen
Acquisition: ARC trade with a fellow blogger

Synopsis:
Jen Noonan’s father thinks a move to Harmony House is the key to salvation, but to everyone who has lived there before, it is a portal to pure horror.

After Jen’s alcoholic mother’s death, her father cracked. He dragged Jen to this dilapidated old manor on the shore of New Jersey to “start their new lives”—but Harmony House is more than just a creepy old estate. It’s got a chilling past—and the more Jen discovers its secrets, the more the house awakens. Strange visions follow Jen wherever she goes, and her father’s already-fragile sanity disintegrates before her eyes. As the forces in the house join together to terrorize Jen, she must find a way to escape the past she didn’t know was haunting her—and the mysterious and terrible power she didn’t realize she had.
(from Goodreads)
2 / 5 Stars

A fast, couldn't put down, need all the answers read without a solid story line to go with it.

Not fantastic. Kinda out of control and underdeveloped at the same time which was disappointing because I was looking forward to a good horror story.

Harmony House isn't really a horror story. Jen does live in a creepy house and there are connections to past horrors and whatnot but overall it's more a story of abuse and unexplained abilities - neither of which is satisfactorily wrapped up in my opinion.

I really wanted to love Harmony House but right from the start I knew I was going to have a hard time with Jen. Her language is filthy, which doesn't bother me at all but it didn't fit with the story. Her father is ridiculous and horrible in so many ways and she's shrugs is off as religious zeal. She's almost raped and / or assaulted on her first night in the new town and does pretty much nothing about it. Oh, and she has...powers? That do...something? Because of...reasons? I have no freaken clue.

Honestly, I don't know how I finished it.

It gets weird, and strange and none of it is enjoyable and so much of it is predictable and man, the ending was horrible.

Can't say I recommend this one and going by other reviews, I don't think I'm alone.

Monday, November 23, 2015

Book Review: Nirvana by J.R. Stewart

Book #1 of the Nirvana Series
Genre: YA Dystopian Sci-fi
Publication: November 2015 by Blue Moon Publishers
Acquisition: read a free eARC via NetGalley

Synopsis:
When the real world is emptied of all that you love, how can you keep yourself from dependence on the virtual?

Animal activist and punk rock star Larissa Kenders lives in a dystopian world where the real and the virtual intermingle. After the disappearance of her soulmate, Andrew, Kenders finds solace by escaping to Nirvana, a virtual world controlled by Hexagon. In Nirvana, anyone’s deepest desires may be realized - even visits with Andrew.

Although Kenders knows that this version of Andrew is virtual, when he asks for her assistance revealing Hexagon’s dark secret, she cannot help but comply. Soon after, Kenders and her closest allies find themselves in a battle with Hexagon, the very institution they have been taught to trust. After uncovering much more than she expected, Kenders’ biggest challenge is determining what is real – and what is virtual.

Nirvana is a fast-paced, page-turning young adult novel combining elements of science fiction, mystery, and romance. Part of a trilogy, this book introduces readers to a young woman who refuses to give up on the man she loves, even if it means taking on an entire government to do so.
(from Goodreads)
2 / 5 Stars


I need to start by saying that I read the updated e-galley of this one. From the email sent out by the publisher and from reviews on Goodreads, I guess the original copy that was uploaded to NetGalley and sent out went through some major revisions and a new copy was made available. I read the new, updated and what I assume, final copy.

I'm not one to give out 2 star reviews without great consideration before hand. I thought a lot about how I felt about Nirvana before sitting down to write this review and after consideration I can't say that I enjoyed this book.

The premise was very cool - I loved the idea of a world were virtual reality is actually a tangible THING that can affect society. Unfortunately with Nirvana, I never really got a firm fix on the rules of this world. It's a dystopian but it's only been a handful of years since the bees died and everything...changed? And there is one big corporation ruling the..world? City? I don't know and I honestly just didn't understand any of it.

And then there is Kenders. As a character I actually really liked her, but her timeline is beyond logic. It's around 2087 for most of the book. At the beginning, it seems as if Kenders just turned 17. But she's living with her fiance, she's been in a punk rock band, she was an activist, she has a car, an apartment, a job and SO MANY things in her life happened "years ago". No exaggeration - almost every past event she describes happened "years ago". When? When she was 14? Where are her parents? What was she actually doing as a teenager?

And her fiance, is at least 5 years older then her - and they have been together for at least 3 years...and she graduated...something...high school? College? And she was, enough of a pop rock star that her band mate can now make a living off of what sounds like a sort of Vegas show style living. And all of these really important live events happened years ago.

I couldn't get past this.

From what I can gather, I think in the first copy of the book that went out to reviews, Kenders was married. So maybe she was older? Maybe the story was reworked to be more YA and so she's now a teenager but other details of her life weren't changed enough? I really don't know.

Again - very confusing and very lacking in logical facts and the story unfortunately wasn't strong enough to make up the difference.

Even with all that said, I would read another book by this author. At the present, Nirvana appears to be their only published book (although it's going to be a trilogy?) but I have to say, I did enjoy the writing and the style. All the little details of Nirvana just didn't work together for me but overall, the story was a pretty good one.

Monday, September 21, 2015

Book Review: The Body Electric by Beth Revis

Genre: Young Adult Sci-Fi, Futuristic
Publication: October 2014 by Scripturient Books (self published)
Acquisition: Bought a Kindle ebook

Synopsis:
The future world is at peace.

Ella Shepherd has dedicated her life to using her unique gift—the ability to enter people’s dreams and memories using technology developed by her mother—to help others relive their happy memories.

But not all is at it seems.

Ella starts seeing impossible things—images of her dead father, warnings of who she cannot trust. Her government recruits her to spy on a rebel group, using her ability to experience—and influence—the memories of traitors. But the leader of the rebels claims they used to be in love—even though Ella’s never met him before in her life. Which can only mean one thing…

Someone’s altered her memory.

Ella’s gift is enough to overthrow a corrupt government or crush a growing rebel group. She is the key to stopping a war she didn’t even know was happening. But if someone else has been inside Ella’s head, she cannot trust her own memories, thoughts, or feelings.

So who can she trust?
(from Goodreads)

2 / 5 Stars

Straight up honest.

I didn't like this book.

Main reason? There wasn't a whole lot of sense making going on. The science, the details, the plot - throughout the book and then explosively at the end, none of it made sense.

I don't usually read self published novels because I don't tend to enjoy them. It's Beth Revis though so I still wanted to give it a chance. Unfortunatly, The Body Electric wasn't an exception to my - 'you're not going to like this one' rule.

However, I'm somewhat in the minority here so I'm even more skeptical as to why.

Skepticism aside - even without my potentially self-published bias - I don't believe I would have enjoyed this book.

I did like the imagery, and the futuristic aspect. However, the fact that it takes place in the same world as Across the Universe coolness was lost on me as I almost missed the throwaway line connecting the two and on my own, I wouldn't have found the connection at all.

Ga!
But what really really didn't work for me were the inconsistencies. BIG ones.

Not, blue eyes on one page and brown on another (although this would be extremely irritating it would not, overall be detrimental to the story or plot).

The inconsistencies here though? Not overlookable (new word).

No spoilers but here is an example:

A major element to the story, and to the world and lives of the characters in it is explained early on. Matter of fact explanation. Good to go - moving on.

Later in the book - this element? It's different. It's actually the exact opposite of what it was explained to be. And not in a plot twist way. Not in a oh my god someone is messing with things and we're figuring it all out now! No - more like a, on page 1 the sky is blue and on page 50 the sky is magenta polka dots and of course it is because it needs to be for everything else to make sense -- duh!

Ok - maybe not a very good example but hopefully you get what I'm trying to say.

There are other things too -- the synopsis (it's not accurate), the plot (it has a lot of holes), the 'bad guy' (very much the villain holding the heroes over a pit of fiery lava who instead of actually dropping them in the fiery lava and ensuring victory, decide to wax poetically about all the reasons behind all the things and all the plans and all the badness and oh look the heroes escaped).

There were parts of this book I really did enjoy - just not enough of them.

While things didn't fit for me - maybe they would for you? (Seriously, take a look at other reviews on Goodreads and the like). It's hard for me to actually recommend this one but, we are all unique snowflakes and maybe my extreme dissatisfaction would be your most favorite thing ever.

I'm VERY interested in hearing what you thought of this one! If you've read it, leave a comment, tweet me, etc.

Monday, November 12, 2012

Book Review: The Believing Game by Eireann Corrigan

"By the end...I had a pretty nasty taste in my mouth. I felt like I should have been wowed...but unfortunately I wasn't."
Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: December 2012
Publisher: Scholastic
Pages: 320
Series: no
Acquisition: I received a free e-galley for review from NetGalley

Summary:
A private academy. A cult leader. A girl caught in the middle.
After Greer Cannon discovers that shoplifting can be a sport and sex can be a superpower, her parents pack her up and send her off to McCracken Hill-a cloistered academy for troubled teens. At McCracken, Greer chafes under the elaborate systems and self-help lingo of therapeutic education. Then Greer meets Addison Bradley. A handsome, charismatic local, Addison seems almost as devoted to Greer as he is to the 12 steps. When he introduces Greer to his mentor Joshua, she finds herself captivated by the older man's calm wisdom. Finally, Greer feels understood.
But Greer starts to question: Where has Joshua come from? What does he want in return for his guidance? The more she digs, the more his lies are exposed. When Joshua's influence over Addison edges them all closer to danger, Greer decides to confront them both. Suddenly, she finds herself on the outside of Joshua's circle. And swiftly, she discovers it's not safe there. (from Goodreads)

My thoughts:
I have to come right out and say it - I did not like this book. There isn't any one thing fundamentally wrong with it but overall, I can't say that I very much enjoyed reading it.

Everything about this story and it's characters are, for lack of a better term, messed up. The kids have issues, the adults have issues, the setting is just strange and the things that happen are beyond dysfunctional. Nothing makes much sense, the storyline moved at a snail's pace until the end where everything happens at once. It all doesn't amount to much of anything and the epilogue was a little ridiculous.

Maybe it's important to note that at no time did I consider not finishing this one. I think I kept waiting for something. Not sure what it was but for me at least, it never came. You might have a different experience though.

Final verdict:
By the end of The Believing Game I had a pretty nasty taste in my mouth. I felt like I should have been wowed by the psychological what-the-f-ery of the story but unfortunately I wasn't. I felt nothing for these characters and the absolute ridiculousness of the situation was just too over the top.

Not a book I could in good conscience recommend to fans of contemporary thriller stories, which is what this book is intended to be, I think? Still not totally sure what I was suppose to take away from this one but I don't think my feelings will chance over time. A disappointing read overall.

Overall Rating:
2 / 5 Stars

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Book Review: Pale by Chris Wooding

"An unfortunately disappointing story..."
Reading Level: Middle Grade
Publication Date: September 2012
Publisher: Stoke Books
Pages: 72
Series: no
Acquisition: I received a free e-galley for review from NetGalley

Summary:
The Lazurus Serum can bring you back from the dead - but when you come back you've changed. You're a pale, an outcast. It's the last thing Jed wants, but an accident changes everything and Jed's forced to discover the true cost of living forever. This is a high interest level (11 and up) and a low reading level (4th grade). (from NetGalley)

My thoughts:
Not at all what I expected and I'm not sure that's a good thing. Very dark and morbid and not at all the kind of story I would give an 11 year old to read.

The beginning is brutal. Bullying from the point of view of the bully isn't something I enjoy reading. Overall I guess there was some lesson meant to be learned but the harsh nature of the characters overshadowed any good intentions the author may have had in my opinion.

Final verdict:
An easy read and a quick read. The writing and layout lends itself well to a young audience but the subject matter was a little too harsh for my liking.

Also, the story, or more importantly the lack of backstory was frustrating. No details, no real background on why the Lazaurs Serum was created or who's in control of it and why.

An unfortunately disappointing story and overall, not one I would recommend to young readers.

Overall Rating:
2 / 5 Stars

Monday, October 1, 2012

Book Review: Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

***2012 Debut Author***
" I couldn't get past the awkwardness of the characters to really enjoy the story line..."
Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: May 2012
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Pages: 336
Series: 1st in a series
Acquisition: I received a free ARC for review from the publisher

Summary:
Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he's heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen — literally, ouch! — both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma's gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom . . .
Told from both Emma and Galen's points of view, here is a fish-out-of-water story that sparkles with intrigue, humor, and waves of romance. (from Goodreads)

My thoughts:
Of Poseidon was a book I really really wanted to like. I love the ocean and I love mermaids but YA mermaid stories have been hit or miss for me in the past and unfortunately, Of Poseidon was a miss.

There are quite a few little things I didn't like and some very specific points that didn't work for me but overall if I had to pick one issue I had with this book it would be it's characters. I never felt a connection to any of them and really, not one of them was believable. The things they did and the things they said and the way they interacted with each other...it just didn't feel plausible in the least.

For instance, Emma agrees to go out on a date with Galen after he convinces her she already said she would before she walked into a door and got a concussion. After about a day, they both agree that it is wise to tell Emma's mother that they are dating so it wouldn't be weird if they spend time together. A relationship is born - complete with a bout of caveman behavior in which Galen practically drags Emma off by her hair while she's on a date with another boy.

To say I wasn't a fan of the 'romance' in Of Poseidon would be an understatement. There was nothing sexy about Galen for me and his way with Emma really made me want to slap him. Emma is a very weak female character. We are given the impression that she is tough and has a lot of snark but she lets people treat her pretty badly and then asks for more. That kind of personality never works well with me. And Galen really is a jerk most of the time.

Not appealing at all.

Final verdict:
I'm going to put this one in the 'not for me but maybe for you' category because unlike some YA paranormal romance books that I would hesitate to recommend to anyone, I think Of Poseidon will appeal to other readers. I couldn't get past the awkwardness of the characters to really enjoy the story line but I do feel like the underlining story is a strong one. Lots of myth and some mystery with a lot of things left open for book 2 to flesh out.

Will I be picking up book 2? Probably not but if you do enjoy Of Poseidon I think you'll be eager to see how Emma and Galen's story plays out.

Overall Rating:
2 / 5 Stars

Books in the Series:
#0.5 Legacy lost
#1 Of Poseidon
#2 Of Triton (2013)

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Book Review: Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: December 2011
Publisher: Entangled
Pages: 266
Series: 1st in the Lux Series
Acquisition: NetGalley

Summary:
Starting over sucks.
When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy Internet access, and a whole lot of boring…. until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.
And then he opened his mouth.
Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens.
The hot alien living next door marks me.
You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.
If I don’t kill him first, that is. (from Goodreads)

I was: disappointed the alien premise was overshadowed by a toxic romance.

My thoughts:
It's hard for me to rate this book so harshly because really, I loved the premise. I have always had a soft spot for alien stories (thank you X-Files ;) so I was pretty excited to read Obsidian. Honestly though the fact that there were aliens in this story is the only thing I liked. I just could not get over the destructive relationship between Katy and Daemon.

I feel really strongly about Daemon - and not in the way most of you do. I think he's dangerous, as a character. He is not the type of boy that any girl should hope for. Take away the fact that he is an alien, strip him down literally and I'm sorry, I don't care how hot he is - engaging in any type of relationship with him isn't healthy. I very much felt like if he were short with a face full of pimples and a lazy eye Katy would never have spend even 1 second of her time with him. As a reader I cannot equate hotness with redemption. I cannot justify in my mind why Katy lets him insult her and after looking into his eyes, feels the need to apologize to him. Not healthy at all people!

Destructive, dangerous, ugly. Not hot or romantic or swoon worthy. I had zero respect for Katy and it was hard for me to stomach their interactions.

Daemon is not a boy any girl should swoon or pine for. There are evil boys in YA lit, there are bad boys with a heart of gold and then there are just assholes. I doesn't matter that he's hot or that he's special or that he may really love his sister. He is a horrible person. He is dangerous and full of himself and he treats Katy like crap and she basically says please sir can I have some more. Again, I had absolutely no respect for Katy throughout the entire book.

Final verdict:
So, really, not a whole lot of love from me on this one and I won't be continuing with the series. Yes the aliens are cool - mainly because we don't see a lot of contemporary alien YA books these days. But rather then being a really cool alien book with some romance, I felt like Obsidian was a bad romance book that happens to involve aliens.

While I don't think I'll be recommending this book much in the future I would still say, if you have Obsidian in your TBR pile to give it a try. Mostly because just about everyone I know who has read this has loved it. I'm thinking this one might be a 'not for me but maybe for you book'? Although...that relationship...I'm having a hard time getting over how toxic it is.

If you've read Obsidian I would be interested in knowing your thoughts on Katy and Daemon's relationship. For me, it was a deal breaker but for you, maybe not?

Overall Rating:
2 / 5 Stars

Books in the Lux Series:
0.5 Shadows (February 2012)
1.0 Obsidian
1.1 Chapter 26 of Obsidian from Daemon's perspective (posted on author's blog)
2.0 Onyx (May 2012)
3.0 Opal (December 2012)

Linkage Love:
Author's blog
Goodreads
IndieBound

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Book Review: Bumped by Megan McCafferty

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: April 26, 2011
Pages: 323
Series: 1st in a series
Acquisition: NetGalley

Summary:
When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society. Girls sport fake baby bumps and the school cafeteria stocks folic-acid-infused food.
Sixteen-year-old identical twins Melody and Harmony were separated at birth and have never met until the day Harmony shows up on Melody’s doorstep. Up to now, the twins have followed completely opposite paths. Melody has scored an enviable conception contract with a couple called the Jaydens. While they are searching for the perfect partner for Melody to bump with, she is fighting her attraction to her best friend, Zen, who is way too short for the job.
Harmony has spent her whole life in Goodside, a religious community, preparing to be a wife and mother. She believes her calling is to convince Melody that pregging for profit is a sin. But Harmony has secrets of her own that she is running from.
When Melody is finally matched with the world-famous, genetically flawless Jondoe, both girls’ lives are changed forever. A case of mistaken identity takes them on a journey neither could have ever imagined, one that makes Melody and Harmony realize they have so much more than just DNA in common. (Goodreads)

My thoughts:
Bumped is...well...it's different. It's nothing like any young adult book I've every read and it's really nothing like current dystopian books flooding the market these days. And...well...I'm not sure this is a good thing.

In Bumped, the entire human race as lost it's power to procreate after the age of 18. No reason for this is given, aside from it being a virus so that was a little frustrating. For me, the best type of dystopian stories are ones with a believable and solid catalyst. Something that turns the world as we know it on it's head. And while the world of Bumped is surely turned very upside down...there is a lot to be desired in the dystopian department - for me at least.

Another reason I never really warmed up to this book was the overall loveless and degrading nature of the society portrayed. So humans can't conceive after the age of 18. Ok. But to go from that to girls as young as 14 'bumping' for profit? For such things as amateur (will sleep with anyone to get preggers) to professional (will only have sex under contract) 'bumpers'? For there to exist absolutely no room for the love a mother should feels for her child -- one she 'bumped' herself or bought? And I'm still unsure if any teenagers are allowed to keep their babies. It seems like every child is bought and sold - no matter what. Whoa. Feel like we missed a few crucial societal, civil and human degradations to drop us down to this level of depravity.

I've seen reviews that bash Bumped for a lot of the same reasons I've listed above. The bashing, I do believe is unwarranted. While, I did not enjoy this book, I think I get what the author was trying to say. I mean, everything (EVERYTHING) is so over the top, in your face, sex sex sex sex sex! That is has to be satire? Right? I honestly don't know but, I don't think Bumped was written to offend  - I say this because I do believe a lot of people will find Bumped very offensive. And, have to say, it's a little hard to argue for Bumped when it contains such dialog as this: (taken from finished copy)
"Hey, there's nothing wrong with humping when you're bumping. Raimundo and I went at it like crazy for the full forty-two and my first pregg didn't come out all cock-knocked in the head."
Yeah…most of the book isn't this bad but yeah…

Final verdict:
So, was Bumped for me? No. And not because I was offended by it's overly sexual and degrading content. I didn't enjoy Bumped because it wasn't a believable dystopian story. I never connected with any of the characters and the added addition of the religious elements really just didn't work for the story -- for me.

Would you enjoy Bumped? Go into it with an open mind but if you don't enjoy reading about sex then do not pick this one up.  AND - the story doesn't end. No cliff hanger really - felt more like I was missing the last page - or chapter. I read an e-galley but I don't think the finished version is any different - someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

Overall Rating:
2 / 5 Stars

Books in the Series:
Bumped
Thumped (2012)

Linkage Love:
HarperCollins
Author's Website
Goodreads

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Book Review: Almost to Die For by Tate Hallaway

Publication Date: August 2010
Pages: 256
Series: 1st in a series
Acquisition: bought new paperback

Summary:
On her sixteenth birthday, Anastasija Parker learns that her so-called deadbeat dad is actually a vampire king. And he wants Ana to assume her rightful position at his side, in spite of the fact that she has witch's blood running through her veins-from her mother's side.
Too bad witches and vampires are mortal enemies. And now Ana's parents are at each other's throats over her future. It's up to Ana to make a choice, but deciding your eternal destiny is a pretty big deal for a girl who just wants to get through high school. (from Goodreads)

My thoughts:
Loved the premise but I had a very hard time connecting to Ana. She's lived her whole life not knowing anything about her father and then on her 16th birthday he shows up. But instead of pushing her mother for answers, instead of fighting for her right to know what it is that is actually happening to her she...well...she does nothing. She goes to school and she has secret conversation with "Dad". She goes on dates and she considers becoming a vampire princess. But when all is said and done, not a whole lot actually happens.

Aside from my dislike of Ana, another thing that really got to me was the romance. There are 2 guys in Ana's life. The old family friend Nikolai and the 'knight of the dark realm' Elias. So, Ana just turned 16 and although I can't remember if we are told exactly how old Nikolai is he as got to be at least 18. He's a freshman in college - it actually wouldn't be improbable for him to be 19 or older. Reading about a teenage couple with a possible 4 year age gap dating and fooling around? Just doesn't work for me.

And then we have Elias who is CENTURIES OLD. I don't care how old he looks - that type of romance always grosses me out. Vampires might not age in body but their minds do So yeah, gross.

Final verdict:
The actions of, not only Ana, but most of the characters weren't very realistic and it made for a less then enjoyable read. To top it off, the romance totally turned me off of the story.

Unfortunately I don't think I'll be picking up the next installment of this series.

If you like fluffy vampire tales you might enjoy Almost To Die For. If you can look past the wishy washy characters and icky romance you might like it a lot better then I did!

My favorite part of this book? The cover.

Overall Rating:
2 / 5 Stars

Books in Vampire Princess Series:
Almost To Die For
Almost Final Curtain (May 2011)

Linkage Love:
NAL Trade
Author's Website
Goodreads