Beautiful Creatures Top Reviewer

Monica @ The Bibliophilic Book Blog

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Book Review: Beautiful Creatures by: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Summary: There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.
At least, that's what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.
There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything. 

There were quite a few things that were different about this book, that were enjoyable. The POV in this book is from the main character Ethan, so it was different reading a YA novel from a male teen's POV. I liked it, it might not be completely believable, because Ethan is a 16 yr old male, but it was still different in an excellent way.

The length of this novel was also very nice, there was some over desciption sometimes, but most of the time the descriptions in the story were rich and vibrant, almost like textiles that you can reach out and run your fingers over each one. The gothic undertones of Lena's family were also very vibrant and excited to learn and read about, it was almost as if there needs to be a dictionary just to list each of her family members and explain more about them.

The fact that there are no vampires or werewolves in this story was refreshing, the retreat into witch lore is always intriguing, seeing as its always different and its a classic in literary terms; there is always more to learn about in regards to beliefs and how others perceive witch's. Might not be a great thing to be a witch in a severely southern "bible-belt" town. Definitely not.

This book was interesting, engaging, and after a slow start picks up tremendously, it drags the reader into a world of magic and love that is a bit Romeo and Juliet-esque. The frequent mention of different authors and their works was also refreshing and interesting because I myself have never read some of the authors mentioned and will now look into them. If I myself am intrigued by some of these classics maybe some teens that wouldn't give them the time of day before will look into them with a fresher perspective than mandatory reading. I would definitely recommend this book to others and will keep it on my shelf for future reads, after I mail it to my teen sister to borrow.

Received from: Purchased
For more information or for purchasing visit Kami Garcia or Margaret Stohl's webpage.

I give this book 4/5 stars. ★ ★ ★ ★

Discussion Questions:
1. All the lies and deceit that was occurring in the book to the teenagers seemed a bit much, right? Do we lie to our children to protect them, or brutal honesty? It seems like a reoccurring theme in Hollywood and literature, but is it a reoccurring them in real life?

I think once a child or young adult is old enough to grasp a concept of something then they should be informed completely about said concept and be able to act in a manor that befits knowledge instead of ignorance. If you teach a teen about sex, how to protect themselves, and why they shouldn't have it before marriage (or whenever) then they will understand it better than when you say "Just don't do it", and then when the time comes to make a decision, they will know the correct path.

2. Do you feel Lena and Ethan were too chaste, with only random kissing? With rampant teenage pregnancies and condoms being distributed in schools, do you feel these YA novels that stick to just kissing and no cursing aren't reality, or do you agree with their good show of morals?

Sadly, I think that no...teenagers face sex every single day. With hormones, peer pressure and pressure from the opposite sex sometimes even, its hard to remain an outsider as a teen in that sort of environment. Maybe though this situation is more normal for severely religious and small towns, but I doubt it. I am not saying there should be sex in YA romance...but, it shouldn't be hidden either, this goes with my answer to the first question.

3. Obviously the authors lean towards a very strong liberal political viewpoint...the story does a great job labeling conservatives as bible thumping, closed minded racists who burn books........in that sense how do you feel about censorship and do you feel its fair to label all conservatives this way?

Definitely not. I am conservative in my political views and such, but I am the opposite of a bible thumper, I am a card carrying Pagan, and I am definitely not racist or closed minded...so nope, don't agree with that view point at all.

4. Southern, small town close-mindedness is a big feature of Beautiful Creatures, did you find the towns reaction to Lena something that could really happen, or a gross Southern, small-town stereo-type?


Nope, unfortunately I think small-town close mindedness is a very prevalent thing in the South and even in the North...its still very much a real issue.

Beautiful Creatures - HBIC Editor Review - Parajunkee

H B I C R E V I E W  - by Parajunkee

Beautiful Creatures
Hardcover version, purchased from Border's (used my 30% off coupon!)
Beautiful Creatures Fansite | Book's Website


PJV's Quickie POV: Beautiful Creatures paints a captivating picture of young love and heart-break that had me engrossed from the beginning.  The tone is rich and wet and full of southern elegance.  While not the best YA novel I've read all year, it did live up to the hype.  Very much enjoyed this book and you definitely should mark this as a must read if you haven't already.

Review: Ethan Wate is stuck in a world that he desperately wants to be rid of. The world is Gaitlan, small-town, small-minded Gaitlan. Where he has been put in a box, a box where you have to date this sort of girl, you have to play this sort of sport and you have to think these sort of thoughts - or else.

Ethan can't wait to leave, he can't wait to break out of his little Gaitlan box and head to college, yet in the 2 years he has before college he knows he has to play the game - or else. That is of course, until a new girl comes to his small town and breaks down Ethan's little box with a bang.

Lena Duchannes does not fit in at all.  Everything about her screams different, but Ethan can't help himself, he is drawn to Lena and he believes the feeling is mutual. His classmates and what he thought were his friends do not feel the same way as Ethan.  Lena is different, Lena is weird, Lena is not right for Gaitlin. Ethan, doesn't care, he knows one thing - he belongs with Lena and he will give up everything and anything to belong to her. Just how much will he be asked to give up though???

The tone of the book is very rich and descriptive.  I have to say that was the best part of the book.  Descriptions were heavy and real.  The entire novel breathed southern depth, reading this book I could almost taste the humidity the tone was so well brought to life.  The love development was well-done, not one of the best I've read, but I could empathize with the emotional struggle.  Characters were wonderful, even the secondary characters had rich development that had me enjoying their plights.  The plot was compelling and original.  Some side plots were dropped but nothing that was so obvious.

My only dislikes about this novel was that it might have been a bit much at times.  When I read heavily descriptive novels sometimes I have to skim through the scenes, which I found myself doing in the middle of the novel, so some of that could have been left out and still maintained the integrity of the book. Some of the plot was also predictable, I had the "bad-guy" pegged early on.  I also found all the secrecy very frustrating, I mean why would they lie to Lena sooo much?

The stereo-typing in this novel was also very frustrating. The novel  oozed a message of closed-minded intolerance, but I think it was a testament to a reverse message of intolerance to small town southern conservatives.  I believe yes, small towns can be a little behind in forward thinking, but I don't believe that in general they are as intolerant as they were portrayed in this book.  The good guys were the liberal minded youth - the bad guys the religious conservatives, in life it is never that black and white.

Recommendations: I would pass this on to teens and adults.  The story has an innocence to it that is suitable for young teens, yet it has a depth that adults will enjoy.

I give it a 3/4 BWB rating.

1. All the lies and deceit that was occurring in the book to the teenagers seemed a bit much, right? Do we lie to our children to protect them, or brutal honesty? It seems like a reoccurring theme in Hollywood and literature, but is it a reoccurring them in real life? 

You hear about this all the time in books and movies.  The truth kept from them for their own good. This was one of the things that I was unsure about in this book.  **** Spoiler ***** If Lena had the ability to claim herself, why wouldn't they have told her, and prepared, set options up, etc. The truth is always better than lies, no matter how crazy the truth may be. I think some things might wait until a  certain age, but once the child's mind can process the information maturely, why keep the truth away?

2. Do you feel Lena and Ethan were too chaste, with only random kissing? With rampant teenage pregnancies and condoms being distributed in schools, do you feel these YA novels that stick to just kissing and no cursing aren't reality, or do you agree with their good show of morals?

I understand the reasoning of the authors of keeping the physical side of Lena and Ethan's relationship to a minimum - it would have introduced complications that weren't revealed until later in the book. Yet, does this make it a real portrayal of a teenagers relationship? To reveal my age, it has been 13 years since I have been in high school, but I seem to remember the dating scene.  And if the guy wasn't pressuring, I was thinking something was wrong with him, or he really didn't like me.  Not that I was allowing, but it was just the game. It was just that in high school if you weren't talking about sex, you were hinting about it, engaging in it, declaring that you were not engaging in it, or being preached to about it by adults. So, do I think the chaste kisses are real life, they could be, maybe I just ran in a racy crowd in high school.  Maybe going to an all girls high school lent us chicks to a little more promiscuity? Hey the later questions deal with stereo-types. I just remember a lot of girls that were in serious relationships were also exploring the sexual sides of those relationships, if not acting out on them, but at least discussing them with their partners of why or why not to engage. Which also brings us back to TRUTH.  So approaching sex and cursing in a YA book, my first reaction is NO! don't let the children read it.  But then, teenagers aren't children anymore, they are faced with these decisions every day - if we portray things as they are and walk the characters through the thought process of how they are making this decision, isn't that better than just not showing it at all and pretending it is not there??

3. Obviously the authors lean towards a very strong liberal political viewpoint...the story does a great job labeling conservatives as bible thumping, closed minded racists who burn books........in that sense how do you feel about censorship and do you feel its fair to label all conservatives this way?

I might have to come out of the closet politically to answer this question. Oh my. Personally I'm used to conservatives being portrayed in this light. It doesn't mean that I like it though. Like all stereo-types there usually is some fact behind it, but does that make it right to perpetuate? While we have labeled racial stereo-typing as a faux pas, why isn't political stereo-typing also something to frown on, considering a lot of time, political lines tend to be blurred with the racial lines. Personally I think stereo-types perpetuate ignorance, especially in a world where people are on information overload and just skim, instead of dive. While the authors took the moral high ground on the sex issue, I think while they were preaching intolerance of liberal views, they actually were rather intolerant of the conservative view-point. And while there are idiots and racist on both party lines I really don't believe they are the majority. The next time you stereo-type think about mine, I am a artist by trade, graphic designer, one of the cars in my household is a Prius. My religious affiliation tends to be more spiritual instead of organized...can you guess my political frame of mind??

4. Southern, small town close-mindedness is a big feature of Beautiful Creatures, did you find the towns reaction to Lena something that could really happen, or a gross Southern, small-town stereo-type? 

For ten years I was a small-town infiltrator. From the big city (the one only 30 miles away) it didn't make a difference in grammar school, but my lack of accent did rear its head as I got older.  It was more like I was labeled snobby though, instead of out right demonized.  I think the stereo-types were a little too rampant in this book.  I enjoyed the book, and fiction is what it is - fiction. What didn't sit right with me is that it hit close to home.  I'm a very southern girl - and it gets kinda old being labeled a racist just because I was born on this side of the Mason-Dixon line.  I have been called a racist before by someone who thought they were better than me because they were from Connecticut. Books like this perpetuate stereo-types and like I said earlier, the funny thing is it preached intolerance, yet if you turned it around from a southern conservatives view point it was very intolerant itself.

HBIC Review Beautiful Creatures

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

A Blog with Bite YA Review posted by Tina at Tinasbookreviews

Beautiful Creatures follows the story of 16 year old Ethan, a normal teenage boy living in a small southern town called Gatlin. Only our poor Ethan isn’t like most normal teenage boys. His mom died in a gruesome car accident and his father is going slowly insane locked away in his office where he only comes out for dinner. The only one who is there to take care of Ethan is his live in nanny Amma, who has been with the family since Ethan was born. She cooks, cleans and practices a little voodoo on the side. Nothing like a little southern voodoo and chicken bone grave reading to get the hairs on the back of your neck standing.

My thoughts:
Perhaps when a book is so hyped up and the reviews so dazzling, when you finally sit down to read it your expectations are set way to high. When I started Beautiful Creatures I was expecting a dark gothic southern fairy tale…as stated by the description of the book. What I was not expecting was a story chop full of political agenda. Maybe that’s why I as a reader couldn’t emotionally invest myself to any of the characters. Everything seemed to have some hidden meanings and the characters felt forced to say things that didn't fit them.The writing was well done; I didn’t find this in anyway poetic but the rhythm of the story flowed smoothly, some of the special effect scenes had great visual detail.Yet there was this nagging feeling I had while reading this, when I read a fantasy or paranormal novel I’m looking for entertainment not stress. I was seriously wondering through half of this how a person living in the south would feel about the representation in this book. Take for example Mrs. Lincoln, the wretched character of our story who most of the stereo typing gets dumped upon. I think the authors were able to portray this character with all the typing they wanted because **spoiler** in the end Mrs. Lincoln (funny they used the last name of the president who freed the slaves on a woman who celebrated the confederacy) wasn’t really doing these things herself, it’s like the authors said “Gotcha, just kidding all that stereo-typing was justified because she really was bad and being controlled by an evil woman!!! I liked Ethan and Lena’s relationship and that it faintly mixed with the older dead couple featured in the book. Although the characters weren’t having sex I thought the physical and intense emotions were a bit overboard for a 15 and 16 year old. Honestly towards the big end….I found myself wanting the story to just BE OVER….…but like a trooper I finished, and after all the build up the ending left me with a cliff hanger of unanswered questions.

I will admit, I won’t be continuing on with Lena and Ethan’s journey. This was a story full of all your favorite paranormal yummies- but don’t forget to look within the pages- the authors are trying to share a political message with you.........BWB Rating 2/4

1.All the lies and deceit that was occurring in the book to the teenagers seemed a bit much, right? Do we lie to our children to protect them, or brutal honesty? It seems like a reoccurring theme in Hollywood and literature, but is it a reoccurring them in real life? Agree, the lies in the book made the adults look like 'idjits......I think its better to be honest with your kids.


2. Do you feel Lena and Ethan were too chaste, with only random kissing? With rampant teenage pregnancies and condoms being distributed in schools, do you feel these YA novels that stick to just kissing and no cursing aren't reality, or do you agree with their good show of morals? GOOD SHOW OF MORALS....come on are we really going to say hey kids go have sex? I wrote in my review I thought Lena and Ethans feelings were to intense, and thats honest. Most kids having sex arent all oh I loooovvveee you please marry me lets live forever together, if I lose you Ill die.......at least I can give the authors props on not sex'n their characters out

3. Obviously the authors lean towards a very strong liberal political viewpoint...the story does a great job labeling conservatives as bible thumping, closed minded racists who burn books........in that sense how do you feel about censorship and do you feel its fair to label all conservatives this way? I dont believe in censorship- book burning isnt going to solve problems. How typical that the authors would label the only Christian in the story as the crazy mother who wanted to burn Harry Potter books....but I do think a rating system is smart, just like movies. I’m not one for radical sides of either party. I don’t care for left wing propaganda or extreme right wing politics either. The little digs against conservative politics creep in almost every page of the story. Although the digs are very subtle- some are like a slap in the face, take for example the comments made about us shameful Americans after Hiroshima. Nothing annoys me more than listening or reading an American talk about being ashamed of being an American.

4. Southern, small town close-mindedness is a big feature of Beautiful Creatures, did you find the towns reaction to Lena something that could really happen, or a gross Southern, small-town stereo-type?
Stereo-typing was bad in this one.....but yes I think there are some people (all races and religions of people) who can target a certain person or idea.... BUT do only small minded conservatives say stupid things? It doesn’t matter if you’re a republican or a democrat, stupid is stupid… wasn’t it not so long ago our own president referred to the citizens of Pennsylvania as a desperate people holding onto their guns and religion? I wonder how a Pennsylvanian felt about that.

Beautiful Creatures Discussion Questions

1. All the lies and deceit that was occurring in the book to the teenagers seemed a bit much, right? Do we lie to our children to protect them, or brutal honesty? It seems like a reoccurring theme in Hollywood and literature, but is it a reoccurring them in real life?

2. Do you feel Lena and Ethan were too chaste, with only random kissing? With rampant teenage pregnancies and condoms being distributed in schools, do you feel these YA novels that stick to just kissing and no cursing aren't reality, or do you agree with their good show of morals?

3. Obviously the authors lean towards a very strong liberal political viewpoint...the story does a great job labeling conservatives as bible thumping, closed minded racists who burn books........in that sense how do you feel about censorship and do you feel its fair to label all conservatives this way?

4. Southern, small town close-mindedness is a big feature of Beautiful Creatures, did you find the towns reaction to Lena something that could really happen, or a gross Southern, small-town stereo-type?

Have you read Beautiful Creatures?

Hey guys its that time again! Time to submit your Beautiful Creatures review. Sunday is the deadline to submit. Discussion questions will be posted tomorrow. It also doesn't have to be a "new" review. Just make sure it has a BWB button on it and we will count you in for the Top Reviewer award.

If you have any questions just ask in the comments, or if you would like to suggest a question for the discussion question.

Also, per our polls Soulless by Gail Carriger is Book #1 for January.

HURRY DONT MISS........

Hurry and don't miss your chance to grab Soulless by Gail Carriger- our next book selection at the Book Depository for $3.98
Grab it HERE

Also the BD is giving away over 11,000 classic ebooks for free downloads......

Happy New Year and Happy Reading

Love your friendly Seeker...............

Vote for Book 1 for January!

It's that time! Time to pick the review books for January, that is. As usual we'll be reviewing one adult and one young adult book, so here are the choices for the adult book. Vote in the polls in the side bar and may the best book win!

All book descriptions are from Goodreads.

The Girl With Glass Feet by Ali Shaw- Strange things are happening on the remote and snowbound archipelago of St Hauda's Land. Unusual winged creatures flit around icy bogland; albino animals hide themselves in the snow-glazed woods; jellyfish glow in the ocean's depths… and Ida MacLaird is slowly turning into glass.

A mysterious and frightening metamorphosis has befallen Ida – she is slowly turning into glass, from the feet up. She returns to St Hauda's Land, where she believes the glass first took hold, in search of a cure.

Midas Crook is a young loner, who has lived on the islands his entire life. When he meets Ida, something about her sad, defiant spirit pierces his emotional defences. As Midas helps Ida come to terms with her affliction, she gradually unpicks the knots of his heart, and they begin to fall in love…

What they need most is time – and time is slipping away fast. Will they find a way to stave off the spread of the glass? The Girl with Glass Feet is a dazzlingly imaginative and gripping first novel, a love story to treasure."

Red-Headed Stepchild by Jaye Wells- "In a world where being of mixed-blood is a major liability, Sabina Kane has the only profession fit for an outcast: assassin. But, her latest mission threatens the fragile peace between the vampire and mage races and Sabina must scramble to figure out which side she's on. She's never brought her work home with her---until now.

This time, it's personal."

Angel Time by Anne Rice- "Anne Rice returns to the mesmerizing storytelling that has captivated readers for more than three decades in a tale of unceasing suspense set in time past—a metaphysical thriller about angels and assassins.

The novel opens in the present. At its center: Toby O’Dare—a contract killer of underground fame on assignment to kill once again. A soulless soul, a dead man walking, he lives under a series of aliases—just now: Lucky the Fox—and takes his orders from “The Right Man.”

Into O’Dare’s nightmarish world of lone and lethal missions comes a mysterious stranger, a seraph, who offers him a chance to save rather than destroy lives. O’Dare, who long ago dreamt of being a priest but instead came to embody danger and violence, seizes his chance. Now he is carried back through the ages to thirteenth-century England, to dark realms where accusations of ritual murder have been made against Jews, where children suddenly die or disappear . . . In this primitive setting, O’Dare begins his perilous quest for salvation, a journey of danger and flight, loyalty and betrayal, selflessness and love."

Soulless by Gail Carriger- "Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.

Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire -- and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.

With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?

SOULLESS is a comedy of manners set in Victorian London: full of werewolves, vampires, dirigibles, and tea-drinking."

Tainted by Julie Kenner- "Lily Carlyle has lied, cheated, and stolen her way through life.

But in death, she'll really get to be bad...

When her little sister is brutalized, a vengeful Lily determines to exact her own justice. She succeeds at the cost of her own life, but as she lies dying, she is given a second chance. Lily can earn her way into Paradise by becoming an assassin for the forces of good.

It's the job Lily believes she can really get into-but she doesn't realize that she may not be able to get out."

Vote for Book 2 for January!

It's that time again- January will be here before we know it so it's time to pick the books for the month. As usual, we'll be reading one adult book and one young adult book, so here are the choices for the young adult book. All descriptions are from Goodreads.
Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith- "CLASSIFIED ADS: RESTAURANTS
SANGUINI''S: A VERY RARE RESTAURANT IS HIRING A CHEF DE CUISINE. DINNERS ONLY.
APPLY IN PERSON BETWEEN 2:00 AND 4:00 PM.

Quincie Morris has never felt more alone. Her parents are dead, and her hybrid-werewolf first love is threatening to embark on a rite of passage that will separate them forever. Then, as she and her uncle are about to unveil their hot vampire-themed restaurant, a brutal murder leaves them scrambling for a chef. Can Quincie transform their new hire into a culinary Dark Lord before opening night? Can he wow the crowd in his fake fangs, cheap cape, and red contact lenses — or is there more to this earnest face than meets the eye? As human and preternatural forces clash, a deadly love triangle forms, and the line between predator and prey begins to blur. Who’s playing whom? And how long can Quincie play along before she loses everything? TANTALIZE marks Cynthia Leitich Smith’s delicious debut as a preeminent author of dark fantasy."

Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink- "Sixteen-year-old Lia Milthorpe and her twin sister Alice have just become orphans, and, as Lia discovers, they have also become enemies. The twins are part of an ancient prophecy that has turned generations of sisters against each other. To escape from a dark fate and to remain in the arms of her beloved boyfriend James, Lia must end the prophecy before her sister does. Only then will she understand the mysterious circumstances of her parents' deaths, the true meaning of the strange mark branded on her wrist, and the lengths to which her sister will go to defeat her. Debut novelist Michelle Zink takes readers on an unforgettable journey where one sister's fateful decision could have an impact of Biblical proportions. Prophecy of the Sisters is the first of three books. Learn more at www.prophecyofthesisters.com."

Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston- "17 year-old Kelly Winslow doesn’t believe in Faeries. Not unless they’re the kind that you find in a theatre, spouting Shakespeare—the kind that Kelley so desperately wishes she could be: onstage, under lights, with a pair of sparkly wings strapped to her shoulders. But as the understudy in a two-bit, hopelessly off-off-Broadway production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, wishing is probably the closest she’s going to get to becoming a Faerie Queen. At least, that’s what shethinks... In this fun, urban fantasy, Kelly's off-stage life suddenly becomes as complicated as one of Shakespeare’s plot twists when a nighttime trip to Central Park holds more than meets the mortal eye."

Devil's Kiss by Sarwat Chadda- "As the youngest and only female member of the Knights Templar, Bilquis SanGreal grew up knowing she wasn't normal. Instead of hanging out at the mall or going on dates, she spends her time training as a soldier in her order's ancient battle against the Unholy.

Billi's cloistered life is blasted apart when her childhood friend, Kay, returns from Jerusalem, gorgeous and with a dangerous chip on his shoulder. He's ready to reclaim his place in Billi's life, but she's met someone new: amber-eyed Michael, who seems to understand her like no one else, effortlessly claiming a stake in her heart.

But the Templars are called to duty before Billi can enjoy the pleasant new twist to her life. One of the order's ancient enemies has resurfaced, searching for a treasure that the Templars have protected for hundreds of years -- a cursed mirror powerful enough to kill all of London's firstborn. To save her city from catastrophe, Billi will have to put her heart aside and make sacrifices greater than any of the Templars could have imagined."

Rampant by Diana Peterfreund- " Forget everything you ever knew about unicorns . . .

Real unicorns are venomous, man-eating monsters with huge fangs and razor-sharp horns. Fortunately, they've been extinct for a hundred and fifty years.

Or not.

Astrid had always scoffed at her eccentric mother's stories about killer unicorns. But when one of the monsters attacks her boyfriend—thereby ruining any chance of him taking her to the prom—Astrid finds herself headed to Rome to train as a unicorn hunter at the ancient cloisters the hunters have used for centuries.

However, at the cloisters all is not what it seems. Outside, the unicorns wait to attack. And within, Astrid faces other, unexpected threats: from the crumbling, bone-covered walls that vibrate with a terrible power to the hidden agendas of her fellow hunters to—perhaps most dangerously of all—her growing attraction to a handsome art student . . . an attraction that could jeopardize everything."

HBIC Review of Some Girls Bite- Emily

Title: Some Girls Bite
Author: Chloe Neill
Page Count: 352 pages
Publisher: NAL Trade
Genre: urban fantasy
Copy for review compliments of the public library

50 words or less: Getting changed into a vampire wasn't Merit's idea, but it's become her life, in a world where vampires are out in the world. Is Merit up to the task?

More honesty, straight out of the gate: this book was rad. It was the perfect blend of sassy, smart and fun, and my first thought at the end was, I have to get the next one!

Merit has certainly had a rough go of it by anyone's standards. She's the victim of a brutal attack, changed into a vampire against her will, is plunged into a new world with rules and responsibilities of varying levels of discomfort for her, and to top it all off, everyone else around her seems to think that her being a vampire is the start of a grand new adventure, while she's feeling more like she's on a trip she didn't sign up for.

Vampire society is intricate and shot through with tradition, ritual and hierarchy; the story begins shortly after vampires have come out to the world to admit their existence. They're marketing themselves as an eccentric but harmless fringe group of society that just wants everyone to get along; Merit's getting brutalized and then changed against her will definitely does not help with that image.

To top that all off, Merit finds herself plunged into awkwardness with two powerful (and very different) gentleman vampires- Ethan, the Master of her House, and Morgan, the Second of another House. Sparks fly with Ethan; things are at more of a simmer with Morgan, and through it all, Merit has to wonder about what each guy's true motivations are and where she fits into the grand scheme of things.

Through it all, though, Merit has a strong sense of self and a really interesting level of self-reflection, both of which added to the narrative and made her a very believable character. Merit is not afraid to speak her mind and stand up for what's right, and that in and of itself makes her a very unusual vampire. She has a high level of physical strength, which is explored throughout the novel, but I think her real asset as a vampire is that she's not all that into being a vampire. The scene where all the other new vampires are talking about why they wanted to be turned and she has to gussy up her story so it's less...ugly...than it really was stood out to me as an example of how Merit stands apart from the rest of the House.

The supporting cast of characters was well drawn and really supplemented the story; Merit's friends are supportive and I'm as intrigued to watch the relationships develop between them as I am to know what happens at Cadogen House. The politics of the vampire world are detailed enough to be interesting but not so detailed that they bog the story down or detract from the character development. This is a very character-driven book, which is nice.

It's really difficult to explain a lot of facets of this novel without giving stuff away, and I'll warn you right now, my answers for the BWB discussion questions are a minefield of spoilers, so consider yourselves duly warned. With that said, if you like good worldbuilding, intrigue, mysteries, and just a little bit of spice, you're in for a treat here. I'm definitely a fan of this series and I really hope the gods of interlibrary loan can pull through for me and get me a copy of Friday Night Bites before the holidays.

Overall Grade: A
Blog with Bite Score: 4
*****
Discussion Questions

1. Obviously the issues of social status and class are used in this story, do you feel Merit is above the simplistic ideology in this book, or is she the typical character: shuns away from the idea of being better than others but loves her status, in both the vampire and human worlds?I think that Merit is very reflective; she doesn't have any illusions about the privileges she enjoyed as being a member of the Merit family but she does understand that having those privileges came with a steep price. If anything, her experiences of people just wanting to get close to her to get a piece of her family's action was a good dress rehearsal for becoming a vampire. Although her human family is kind of bitchy to her, they're nothing compared to the other members of the House- there are a lot of people who want to see her fall flat on her face. Knowing how to deal with negative people is a skill I think Merit's going to find quite useful, and hey, if she can benefit personally from her situation, why shouldn't she? It's kind of crazy to expect her to be a hermit because her family (human or otherwise) has resources.
   
2. What motivations do you believe pushed Amber to behave the way she did? Her cattiness seemed rather shallow, but could it only be cattiness that had her acting the way she did in the end? I think, above all else, Amber looks out for Amber. She does what she will find most amusing at the time and takes her cues from whoever she thinks is most powerful at the moment. She was Ethan's Consort when it seemed like that was the way to go; Celina has what Amber perceives to be a good plan with plenty of goodies and power to go around, so Ethan's not the best deal anymore. Amber is drawn to power and will do anything to get it without considering who she might hurt in the process.
   
3. Do you see a House of her own in Merit's future? I do, but I see her coming into power as a result of someone else's power play. I think a lot of people still think Merit can be controlled, and they would be in for a rude awakening if they put her in charge of a House and then thought to manipulate her.
   
4. Which vamp are you hoping Merit ends up with? Someone who's not a douchebag would be my vote. Right now it looks like Morgan's the way to go, but I can see Merit already having a hard time letting go of Ethan, although I admit, if I walk in on the apple of my eye having sex with someone else that would probably kaibash my feelings right then and there. I think whoever she does end up with has to be ready to commit, though; reading Merit's reactions to her BFF Mallory finding true love convinced me that Merit won't stand for anything less.
   

HBIC Review on Girls that Bite by Chloe Neill

Some Girls Bite, by Chloe Neill
posted by Tina at Tinasbookreviews


Merit at first seemed to be the stereotypical girl next door and I have to admit during the first few chapters I really wasn’t looking for the “written about a thousand times” butt kicking heroine. I must say once I got sucked into the storyline I was surprisingly impressed. This was my first Chloe Neill book, and I loved it! Think Underworld with lots of humor and spicier romance. The writing was suburb and the plot was fast paced and full of everything that makes a story great!

The story opens with Merit awaking to her new life as a vampire; she was changed against her will and has a hard time through the duration of the book coming to terms with the loss of her human life. Slowly and well done, Neill begins to peel back layer after layer of Merit, who by far is one of my favorite characters in a vampire series. Merit comes from a prestigious family, known for its money and stature. She isn’t close with any of them expect for her grandfather who winds up being a fun sidekick to the story. Mallory, Merits best friend- is perfect; she’s funny and supportive and brings so much humor to the story. I loved the banter that flowed between the characters and the various laugh out loud moments. The humor gives the book a break from the serious undertone of Vampire wars and steamy romance. The lightly sprinkled makings of a hot tensioned filled romance begin with Ethan Sullivan, the vampire who turned her. He also happens to be the head of the Cadogan House in Chicago. Ethan is arrogant and wears his confidence and power like a chest of armor. At first with Ethan I was leaning towards the sleaze ball but I kind of like him…………Im unsure of Morgan, the second piece of a potential love twist but it will be interesting to see how Neill plays this love triangle out.

By the end of the book we know Merit is stronger and smarter than the average vampire, one of my favorite parts in the book was reading through her training sessions with Catcher, who discovers Merit’s weapon of choice: A Katana Sword. There’s a lot of background information I think this author has coming, I’m still wondering what happened in Catcher’s past, why was Merit targeted for death in the first place? Why is she so powerful, why is her father such a butt, and why is it that Merit gets to eat like a pig and not gain a pound!!!

Favorite book lines: Merit: I'm just warning you, Im probably going to be a total hard-a** vamp. Mallory snorted and walked out of the kitchen, calling out, "Yeah, well, you've got a purple marshmallow on your chin, hard-a** vamp!!

I can't wait to get started on Friday Night Bites and see how everything evolves. Vampire and paranormal lovers will love this book and if that doesn't grab you...all the characters have really cool names!!
BWB Rating 4/4

BWB Discussion Questions
1.Obviously the issues of social status and class are used in this story, do you feel Merit is above the simplistic ideology in this book, or is she the typical character: shuns away from the idea of being better than others but loves her status, in both the vampire and human worlds?  I think Merit does truly shun away from the whole Im better than you thing....she doesn't like the way her father flaunts his status and she wants to be known for her smarts not her money! Merit has confidence in herself yet she doesnt look down on others. I think she was really happy with her life and thats why she stuggles with the vamp girl who at some point is going to come out more and more. Thats why I loved Merit, she seems real and like a best friend Id want, so I guess that tells me I think Id really love hangin out with Chloe Neill....(lol)

2.What motivations do you believe pushed Amber to behave the way she did? Her cattiness seemed rather shallow, but could it only be cattiness that had her acting the way she did in the end? I think she was just playing a game.....she was so background that I really didnt think about her behavior, I can tell you I hated the scene with Ethan, Amber and um Merit watching in his apartment.....(ewww)

3.Do you see a House of her own in Merit's future? YES.....I think Merit is going to be a kick-butt master.....maybe with some shifters and other sups thrown in!!!

4.Which vamp are you hoping Merit ends up with? Im probably going against the popular vote....but as of now I want Ethan to break out of his Master shell and be a giddy man in love!! I might change my mind later after I get to know Morgan better.