Tagged: vegas vampires

May 25

What to read after….

So I have noticed that some of  the traffic lately is people asking the question “What to read after (insert series title)”.  I thought I would help you out by giving a few opinions on the searches I have seen.

What to read after the Sookie Stackhouse novels? 

-If you liked the supernatural side of Charlaine Harris’s books, check out the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs.  It deals more with werewolves and skinwalkers but still some vamps and other supernaturals.  I just started the first book and completely love it.  I believe there is books about different characters that show up in the Mercy books too.  Plus I love that Mercy lives in Finley, Washington.  I have totally been there!

-If you liked the hot, romance side, check out the Vegas Vampires series by Erin McCarthy.  I read this series in the last couple years and completely loved it.  It is a really fun, easy read.

What should I read after Twilight?

-If you like love triangles, check out The Vampire Diaries by L.J. Smith.  The first book actually came out in 1994 so long before Twilight.  The first two books were okay.  The second two got me hooked.  I loved the latest two.  Can’t wait to see what will happen next!

-If you are looking for another great young adult supernatural series, check out The Immortals series by Alyson Noel.   Another great series is the House of Night books by PC and Kirstin Cast if you haven’t read them already.

-For older readers (aka, maybe like 20 and older), the Jane Madison books by Mindy Klasky.  Total chick books about witchcraft.  Neko is one of my favorite book characters ever. 

What should I read after the House of Night novels?

-If you are looking for young adult, again I’m going to say The Immortals series by Alyson Noel or the Vampire Diaries.   

-For those looking for a little more action than romance, The Mortal Instruments trilogy by Cassandra Clare.  Absolutely amazing storytelling on these ones.  It has the whole angel thing going on that we see in HoN.  The entire series was hard to put down and even though it had an ending, I wanted more because I loved the characters so much.  I feel like this series could be read by guys or girls.  There is only a touch of romance which honestly, most books have that anyways.

-Again, for a little more action, the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld.  I’ve only read the first one but like it so far.

Non-series books about supernaturals.

-Anything by Neil Gaiman.  Note: I would not say young adult for any of them.  I read most in college and think that if I would have read them younger, I would not have understood them very well.  Gaiman is absolutely amazing.  Every book and story completely pulls me in.  My very favorite is Neverwhere.

-Devilish by Maureen Johnson.  Young adult novel that was a totally enjoyable read.  I’ve read more of Johnson’s work and really enjoy it.

And if you like comics…

-Check out my very favorite comic series, Fathom.  It falls in with a lot of these books I think because it is about a girl that was normal(ish) but then ends up sucked into a super natural world…an underwater one.

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Posted in This and that

Apr 27

Review: Marked and Betrayed by PC Cast and Kirstin Cast

So to continue on my streak of reading vampire books, I picked up the first four books in the House of Night series by mother/daughter duo PC Cast and Kirstn Cast.  Seeing as they are coming to Portland this week, I wanted to be familar with their work.

First off, I find it very interesting that PC and Kirstin are a mother/daughter writing team.  Is there any other writing teams like that?  It was disappointing to read that PC did the entire first draft then Kirstin was more of just an editor.  Every interview I’ve read, that is how they say their writing process goes.  When they are here, I want to try to remember to ask how much say Kirstin has in where the series goes.  I get that she puts a youthful spin on things, but has she also changed the plot or made suggestions to her mom before PC writes out the first draft?

As for the series itself, I’m not completely sold on it right now.  It is weird because I do want to read more.  I find it interesting and I want to know what happens with the characters. I think I’m not into it yet because I haven’t found a favorite character.  There is characters I like, Aphrodite for example, but I have yet to really relate to one.  With Vampire Diaries, I love Damian.  In the Sookie Stackhouse novels, I love Sookies, and Eric, and Pam, and Sam, and Alcide…okay kind of everyone except Bill.  In the Twilight saga I loved most the Cullens. Edward was the exception to that.  In the Vegas Vampire book by Erin McCarthy, I loved every character.  Gwenna was my favorite because she reminded me of myself.  But with the House of Night novels, I just can’t find a character I’m really into.  I hope as I write books, people will love my characters.  I know I really love to the two main characters in the book I have finish and am editing.

One thing I like a lot about the House of Night novels is the way they pull together their own mythology about vampires and real Native American beliefs in general.  The prayers and nature ties are interesting.  I think it is a really cool spin on fantasy novels.  I just started reading Moon Called by Patricia Briggs and realized almost immediately, it is going to be a similar meeting of made of supernatural myths and real life Native ones.  Oh and why  did no one tell me sooner that all the Mercy Thompson books took place in Finley, Washington?  I have actually driven past there many times. 

Overall, I did enjoy reading Marked and Betrayed.  I’m sure in the next month or so I will get completely caught up with the series.  I’ll try to write a blog about seeing PC and Kirstin in a few days  and then another one when I’m done with the series.

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Posted in Book Reviews

Mar 22

The Vampire Diaries by LJ Smith

+++++++Contains spoilers from the book series The Vampire Diaries+++++++++

+++++++Contains a some spoilers for the Sookies Stackhouse novels+++++++++

****Seriously, I’m not trying to ruin anything.  Read the books before reading this****

 

          I’ve always been the kind of person that once I start a series of books I like, I tend to read them straight through.  The Vampire Diaries by LJ Smith certainly has me hooked right now.  Insert cheesy vampire reference about biting in to the series here.

          In the first book, The Awakening, we are introduced to the love story between the vampire Stefan and the high spirited Elena.  The Struggle introduces the third part of the love triangle, Stefan’s brother Damon.  In The Fury an unknown threat looms over the city.

          The fourth book, Dark Reunion stands out against the other three for me.  The main storyline is that yet again, there is an unknown treat looming over the city.  The huge different between the other books and this one is that the main character completely shifts.  In the first three, Elena is the center of the story even though it is an omniscient third person point of view.  Dark Reunion shifts to being focused on Bonnie who is one of Elena’s best friends.

         The shift is natural when you read in within the series.  The Fury ends with Bonnie writing in Elena’s journal which sets up for her to take over in the fourth book.  Since we are still gettings lots of different people’s view, the story is still told similar to the others. 

          I found this shift is the center character interesting because I really can’t think of another series that did the same thing.  If anyone else knows of one, let me know.  Harry Potter books all centered around Harry.  The Twilight Saga centered around Bella although I guess the last book did have a huge shift in perspective.  Hmmm.  Maybe that idea came from The Vampire Diaries since they were written almost 20 years ago.  I’m not being serious about that last one.  I think that lots of idea in books overlap and a lot of times, it isn’t intentional.  I know that when I wrote 60 or so pages about a girl and Greek gods, I had absolutely no clue that Percy Jackson was out there with the exact same concept.

          Sorry, I’m getting off point.  Sometimes a series is all told from different people, like the Vegas Vampire books by Erin McCarthy are each centered around a different person even though the same characters are present.  Wasn’t the Babysitters Club books written that way too? 

          Like I already said, in the series, this shift worked.  LJ Smith was taking a risk getting rid of the character she had attached her readers to but it definitely worked.  This made me think though, how will that work for the tv show?  I still haven’t watched it.  I fully intend to buy the dvd when it comes out so when that happens, I’ll blog again with comparisons.  I don’t know how close the book and the show are but I have a feeling that even if they are close now, they will not follow the story line of moving Elena out of the way.  It just wouldn’t work as well on tv. At least I don’t think it would.  It is kind of like how New Moon the movie had to find a way to put more Robert Pattinson in because fans are so obsessed with him.

          Guess we will have to wait and see if Vampire Diaries makes it that far on tv.  Kind of like we have to wait and see what True Blood does with Bill.  After the first few books Bill fades out to a minor character and Eric becomes more prominent.  I hope so much that True Blood sticks with the books.  Eric’s character is so much more interesting and funny and charming.  So far on the tv show they have showed a little of that but I want more.  Plus this season I am excited to see Alcide. 

         Hmm, maybe I see why people always associate me with being vampire obsessed, lol. I hate when people say that but I guess it is kind of true.  I think I’ve always loved supernatural books.  Then of course I got hooked on Buffy and Angel.  Oh Angel.  And Spike.  Okay, I’m going to stop typing now since I’m going off on too many tangents.

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Posted in Book Reviews

Mar 09

Another bite

          Imagine that, I read another vampire book.  Maybe people making comments about me loving vampire stuff are onto something.  Sookie Stackhouse series, Twilight, Vegas Vampires….yeah I’ve read a few.

   Well finally I caved and decided to read The Vampire Diaries by LJ Smith.  I used a date a guy that made fun of me so bad saying that I would love the show.  Note, I never watched it.  I forget what it ran the same time as but I had something else I loved to watch.  Plus I didn’t want him to be right.  He did admit to watching and liking it though.  Anyways, the book caught my attention the other day and honestly, once I started, I couldn’t put it down.

          As stories go, it wasn’t anything groundbreaking.  Vampire love triangle.  Hmm, seen that in lots of books.  Personally, I was a fan of the Eric, Bill, Sookie one (team Eric).  The flashback’s in Smith’s book are an interesting way of setting up the story. 

          So far I have only read The Awakening.  It was basically a lot of set up for the other stories from what I can tell.  We get some story on all the main characters and it sets up some town drama.  It got me hooked so I can’t wait to start the next part of the series.

          The Awakening reminded me of The Immortal Series by Alyson Noel.  You’ve got the new kid that is dark, mysterious a from Italy.  Someone like him followed him.  Actually come to think about it, in the third Immortal book, Shadowland, a sort of brother like character shows up and trys to steal the girl.  The main character is a girl that is super pretty.  Popular in one case but not in another.  Noel’s series is more original though in my opinion.  I absolutely love her books and can’t wait for Dark Flame.

          As for the tv series, I am currently trying to find the episodes online.  If someone knows where to find them, let me know.  I only see the latest four.  If I’m going to watch them, I want to start from the beginning.  Once I watch, I’ll try to do some comparing stuff. 

          So, what is your favorite vampire book? 

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Posted in Book Reviews

Jul 30

The undead are rising!

          At least trends involving zombies look to be on the rise.  Is anyone else as excited as I am about Zombieland?  Looks brillant.  Looks like zombie books are going to be a hot comodity here soon.

http://www.observer.com/2009/media/pocket-books-goes-all-zombie-craze-signs-zombie-beatles-book

          Has anyone read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies?  I keep seeing it and thinking about it.  I haven’t read the orginal book (shame I know) so I feel like I should first. 

          I’m not at all surprised that zombies books are on the rise.  Books tend to go in trends. Perfect example, has anyone noticed how many vampire books are out right now?  I went in Barnes and Noble a few weeks back and they had an entire table stacks high with different titles that were young adult books only.   They probably could have made a whole other table for adult ones too.   The Sookie Stackhouse books are definately selling well everywhere.   Personally I love the Vegas Vampire books by Erin McCarthy which are usually in the paranormal romance section.  I started reading them a couple years ago.  By the way, Bled Dry (which was published in 2007) has lots of plot points similar to Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyers (published a year later).  Hmmm.  Actually I don’t think Meyers was copying by any means but I definately had the feeling of this story has been done before only sexier.

          The part of this article that bothered me was how they said they wanted to make the new book Paul is Undead a huge franchise.  I understand dreaming big but isn’t it a little early to tell the press about all these dreams when for all you know the book could completely flop.  What is that phrase about getting ahead of yourself?  I can’t remember right now but it feels like that is what they are doing with this book.

          I do however think it was very smart to make a zombie book that was original.  Doing another classic meets undead clash would just seem like trying to hard to capitalize on another book that did well.  The idea was original with P&P&Z but if it is done again it will feel like a copycat.

          What do you think about the zombie trend?  Will you read Paul is Undead?  More importantly, quick Zombies or Vampires?  Haha, just kidding.

Does anyone else remember when some kid hacked an electronic sign in Texas to say this?

http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dwarning%2Bzombies%2Bahead%26fr%3Dyfp-t-151&w=316&h=259&imgurl=www.journalstandard.com%2Farchive%2Fx1452244443%2Fg13c10475eb1f01e6d78a64b8253fe96325e3522e83b66c.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.journalstandard.com%2Fnews%2Fx1851002780%2FCaution-Zombies-ahead&size=16k&name=Caution+Zombies+…&p=warning+zombies+ahead&oid=d3faa2a0493e73d2&fr2=&no=9&tt=9&sigr=125e8og56&sigi=12v32mk8c&sigb=12h6jlfq9

 

Probably one of my very favorite news items of all time.  I really want to know if anyone believed it.  Like was anyone driving, saw the sign, and went home scared and prepared for an attack?

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Posted in News/Current Issues

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