[CR0]∎ PDF My Love Lies Bleeding ALYXANDRA HARVEY 9781408803400 Books

My Love Lies Bleeding ALYXANDRA HARVEY 9781408803400 Books

Download As PDF : My Love Lies Bleeding ALYXANDRA HARVEY 9781408803400 Books

My Love Lies Bleeding ALYXANDRA HARVEY 9781408803400 Books

The first few pages of Alyxandra Harvey's new book, Hearts at Stake: The Drake Chronicles, worried me. There was a beautiful girl destined to become a queen, a pack of gorgeous, overprotective big brothers and a spunky best friend. It had all the makings of typical teen drivel, with Solange Drake playing the role of the dreaded Mary Sue. But I continued to read in the hopes that I was wrong, and was pleased -- and surprised -- to find out I was.

Harvey managed to take a trite combination of ingredients and whip up a tasty new treat. Solange, the youngest child and only daughter born to two vampires, Liam and Helena Drake, is going to turn into a vampire on her sixteenth birthday -- or so the prophecy says. Her parents and seven older brothers are fiercely protective, and with reason: several factions of feuding vampires (and humans) are after Solange to suit their various agendas, none of them good. And Solange's best friend, Lucy, is determined to help her beloved Drake clan keep their little girl safe.

HEARTS AT STAKE is told in the alternating first-person perspectives of Solange and Lucy, a literary decision that gave Lucy as much depth as -- and as strong a voice as -- Solange. Lucy was no mere sidekick; she was feisty and brave, profoundly loyal, and well fleshed-out. Her love of the entire Drake family was clear, and the revelation of romantic feelings toward youngest Drake brother, Nicholas, the boy she's spent her life tormenting and being tormented by, was done very well -- even if it was a bit obvious.

Nicholas, the brother we get to know best, is adorable. He's snarky and stubborn, but his love for his sister and his emerging feelings for Lucy soften his initial sharpness. The Drake parents, Liam and Helena, are two more interesting characters. Liam is quiet and practical, while Helena -- whom I imagined to look a lot like Xena: Warrior Princess -- preferred to kick ass alongside her sons. Nice touch.

The only weak point I found -- and it was only a small one -- was Kieran Black, the Helios-Ra agent who becomes Solange's love interest. He was less developed than some of the other characters, and I felt like there was so much more to know. However, as this is just the first in a new series, I suspect his character will be more developed as things move along.

All in all, I genuinely enjoyed this book, and was sad to see it end. There's no doubt that I'll be keeping my eye out for future installments of THE DRAKE CHRONICLES, and I suggest you do, as well.


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My Love Lies Bleeding ALYXANDRA HARVEY 9781408803400 Books Reviews

I actually got HEARTS AT STAKE at a special screening of Eclipse in NYC and I'll be honest, I totally forgot I had gotten it. It wasn't until I saw a friend talking about it that I looked into it again. I even went out and bought a copy of HEARTS AT STAKE until I realized it looked familiar and went searching and what do you know, there it was! I can kick myself in the bum for not reading this when I got it. What was I thinking? Oh, right - I know. Vampires just were meh for me and I really wasn't interested in reading about them. But Alyxandra Harvey, you changed my mind on vampires.

You have vampires that are humans changed into vampires and then you people like the Drake family who are born vampires. Sort of. The father is a vampire and the mother is a human; in this world vampires can reproduce. You have human children. Sort of. At the age of 16 the human child than goes through the transition period which can be deadly. If they survive, they become a vampire. I love this idea, I really really do. I never once questioned "Wait? How can a vampire reproduce if it's dead?" because somehow it made sense. (Unlike some other vampire's series whom I will not mention)

This is my dream family, seriously. I would love to just write myself in there (as one of the love interests for one of the many Drake brothers, of course) and become part of this family. This book focuses on the youngest and only female child, Solange as she turns 16 and comes into her transition. But it also follows her human best friend, Lucy and one of her older brothers, Nicholas. We also meet the Kieran who hunts vampires for living but is taken back by Solange and the rest of the Drake family.

It was the perfect mix of action, drama and romance. This book is what started it for me with Alyxandra Harvey and her writing. Now I'll read anything she publishes. She's made a fan out of me and it started with this book, this series. If you like vampires and are looking for something besides Twilight, you want to start here. It's a perfect vampire series and a perfect book for any YA fantasy reader!
Let me start with how amazing this book was written. I don't think I've ever read a novel to where there was suspense and action and things happening in every chapter that constantly kept me on edge. There were cliff-hangers in every POV and it kept me wanting to keep turning the page.

Next, of course, we have the forbidden romance of a vampire and a mortal but it was portrayed in a way that their love somehow grew over time because they've grown up together so it wasn't like something you usually read about in those typical books.

Example

"Keep away. I'm dangerous."

"No. I love you."

It wasn't like that at all.

The love was more intense and passionate.

Then, of course, we have vampire slayers. But they're a new kind of breed and kind of portrayed as a cult. Like people join up in this kind of thing. It wasn't a Buffy kind of slayer. It was something totally new--a new idea that I've never read about. It was great!

In the chaos of all that, we have a teenage human/vampire going through the blood change running for her life because the vampire queen set a reward on her life. I mean, can you see how awesome this book was? And, I have five more in the series to read.

I also loved the two strong female heroines. They weren't helpless and relied on no one. They took charge of the situation and what was going on. It was awesome!

Overall, I loved this book. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good vampire read and is tired of those typical high school helpless girl meets boy vampire/angel/werewolf etc. This is nothing like that.

Note This book is written in two POVs.
The first few pages of Alyxandra Harvey's new book, Hearts at Stake The Drake Chronicles, worried me. There was a beautiful girl destined to become a queen, a pack of gorgeous, overprotective big brothers and a spunky best friend. It had all the makings of typical teen drivel, with Solange Drake playing the role of the dreaded Mary Sue. But I continued to read in the hopes that I was wrong, and was pleased -- and surprised -- to find out I was.

Harvey managed to take a trite combination of ingredients and whip up a tasty new treat. Solange, the youngest child and only daughter born to two vampires, Liam and Helena Drake, is going to turn into a vampire on her sixteenth birthday -- or so the prophecy says. Her parents and seven older brothers are fiercely protective, and with reason several factions of feuding vampires (and humans) are after Solange to suit their various agendas, none of them good. And Solange's best friend, Lucy, is determined to help her beloved Drake clan keep their little girl safe.

HEARTS AT STAKE is told in the alternating first-person perspectives of Solange and Lucy, a literary decision that gave Lucy as much depth as -- and as strong a voice as -- Solange. Lucy was no mere sidekick; she was feisty and brave, profoundly loyal, and well fleshed-out. Her love of the entire Drake family was clear, and the revelation of romantic feelings toward youngest Drake brother, Nicholas, the boy she's spent her life tormenting and being tormented by, was done very well -- even if it was a bit obvious.

Nicholas, the brother we get to know best, is adorable. He's snarky and stubborn, but his love for his sister and his emerging feelings for Lucy soften his initial sharpness. The Drake parents, Liam and Helena, are two more interesting characters. Liam is quiet and practical, while Helena -- whom I imagined to look a lot like Xena Warrior Princess -- preferred to kick ass alongside her sons. Nice touch.

The only weak point I found -- and it was only a small one -- was Kieran Black, the Helios-Ra agent who becomes Solange's love interest. He was less developed than some of the other characters, and I felt like there was so much more to know. However, as this is just the first in a new series, I suspect his character will be more developed as things move along.

All in all, I genuinely enjoyed this book, and was sad to see it end. There's no doubt that I'll be keeping my eye out for future installments of THE DRAKE CHRONICLES, and I suggest you do, as well.