Silence
Hush,Hush #3
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Source: Gifted
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers (October 4, 2011)
ISBN-13: 978-1442426641

The noise between Patch and Nora is gone. They’ve overcome the secrets riddled in Patch’s dark past…bridged two irreconcilable worlds…faced heart-wrenching tests of betrayal, loyalty and trust…and all for a love that will transcend the boundary between heaven and earth. Armed with nothing but their absolute faith in one another, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they’ve worked for—and their love—forever.

I waited not so patiently for author Becca Fitzpatrick to finally release this book in the series.  She left the readers with such a cliffhanger in the second novel that it was torture having to wait for this one.  I think authors love to torture the readers by making us wait!

I will start off by saying that Hush, Hush was my absolute favorite in this series.  This one titled Silence, was just that.  It left me silent for a few days and afraid to post my review.  While I gobbled up every scene there was with Patch in it, there weren’t many to enjoy.  Patch was very much in the background for this book.  Nora has fallen from such a strong heroine in the first book to such a whiny and at times obsessive character that I want to just stop reading the series.  It has been such a downfall for this character.

The ending was left open for another book in the series, but it didn’t end as well as the others had.  It wasn’t a ‘wow’ ending but it does leave you curious for what is to come with Nora and Patch.  I just couldn’t get into this one as much as I did the first two.  This series seems to be falling apart and crumbling.  I want to see Nora get her kick butt personality back and Patch be the Patch I loved in the first book!

If you are already a huge fan of the series, then this book might appeal to you as a continuation of the story, but probably won’t satisfy your hunger of Patch and Nora of before.

If the library doesn’t have it, don’t worry about reading it!

Some Girls Bite
Chicagoland  Vampires #1
Author: Chloe Neill
Source: Personal Purchase
Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy
Publisher: NAL Trade (April 7, 2009)
ISBN-13: 978-0451226259

Sure, the life of a graduate student wasn’t exactly glamorous, but it was Merit’s. She was doing fine until a rogue vampire attacked her. But he only got a sip before he was scared away by another bloodsucker-and this one decided the best way to save her life was to make her the walking undead.


Turns out her savior was the master vampire of Cadogan House. Now she’s traded sweating over her thesis for learning to fit in at a Hyde Park mansion full of vamps loyal to Ethan “Lord o’ the Manor” Sullivan. Of course, as a tall, green-eyed, four-hundred- year-old vampire, he has centuries’ worth of charm, but unfortunately he expects her gratitude- and servitude. But an inconvenient sunlight allergy and Ethan’s attitude are the least of her concerns. Someone’s still out to get her. Her initiation into Chicago’s nightlife may be the first skirmish in a war-and there will be blood.

I had heard so many mixed reviews on this series that it took a long time to convince myself to read it.  When I finally decided to commit to the series, I dove into the Chicagoland Vampires with excitement.  I wanted to read them and come to my own conclusions about this story. Now that I have finally read the first book, I can see the appeal that other readers have had for the series.

Merit is attacked by a vampire while walking home from her job at the local University.  The vampire gets distracted during the middle of the attack and Merit is left half dead with her throat torn apart.  Ethan, who happens to be the Master vampire of Cadogan House, appears and changes her into a vampire without her consent.  While they always try to have a human consent to the transformation, Merit is unable to voice her opinion on it because she is too close to death.  After days of transforming, she is returned home that she shares with her best friend Mallory and told to read the handbook in becoming an Initiate of Cadogan House. Merit is not pleased to have become a vampire, but she also realizes she will need to come to terms with it.  Once she has, she also needs to make a choice in joining Ethan and his House, or risk striking it out on her own by becoming a Rogue.

This novel was slow going for me.  In my opinion, Merit took too long to come to terms with her new found life of vampire.  She is suppose to be strong and such, but to me she came across a little too weak.  I wanted her to just accept it and move on.  Another thing I didn’t really like about Merit was her hatred for Ethan in the first place.  She hated him from the get go and never really gave him a chance considering he saved her life.  Agreed, he might have had ulterior motives, but she didn’t give an inch in her hate for him.  Yet, later in the story we are suppose to believe she is attracted to him but never attempts to let go of the anger.

The side characters in this story were the best part of this series.  I would rather read more about them than read about Merit.  I loved Carter, Mallory, Jeff and Morgan.  I am curious to learn more about Carter’s secrets, Mallory’s growing magic, Jeff’s flirting and shifting world, and of course I would love to have more sexy times with Morgan who is in a separate House that is courting Merit now due to a debt being owed.

Overall it was an okay start to a series that has potential to be great.  I am looking forward to how everything that is revealed in this book is going to be played out in the future books of the series.

Okay book, but it left me wanting more!

Bewitching
Author: Alex Flinn
Source: ATWT
Reading level: Ages 13 and up
Publisher: HarperTeen (February 14, 2012)
ISBN-13: 978-0062024145

Kendra Hilferty, the witch who curses Kyle Kingsbury in Beastly, tells about her immortal existence-how she discovered she was a witch and the various ways she has used her powers to help people throughout the centuries. (Unfortunately her attempts have often backfired.) As it turns out, Kendra has actually had a hand in “Hansel and Gretel,” “The Princess and the Pea,” and “The Little Mermaid”-but these are not the fairy tales you think you know! Kendra’s reminiscences are wrapped around a real-time version of “Cinderella,” except the “ugly” stepsister is the good guy. With dark twists, hilarious turns, and unexpected endings, Bewitching is a contemporary read for fairy-tale lovers, fantasy fans, and anyone looking for more Alex Flinn.

If you remember Beastly that was written by this author, then you also remember the witch that was involved in that book named Kendra.  In Bewitching, we get to read about how Kendra became a witch and her life before Beastly.

What I loved about this book was the new twist on the fairy-tales that author Alex Flinn does so well.  With the new take on some well known stories, the author takes you on an adventure of survival, love, magic and so much more.  I absolutely loved Kendra in this book.  I loved how she was protective and willing to do what was needed of her. With new adventures of Cinderella and Hansel and Gretel, you will be rethinking everything you have heard about those fairy-tales of youth.

If you were a fan of Beastly then I think you will enjoy this one just as much.  Enjoy the whimsical ride of Kendra and her life story.

Very Good! I would recommend this book!