91. Read and Review 100 Books (25/100) The Fall: Book Two of The Strain - Guillermo Del Toro

'The vampiric virus unleashed in The Strain has taken over New York City. It is spreading across the country and soon, the world. Amid the chaos, Eph Goodweather—head of the Center for Disease Control’s team—leads a small band out to stop these bloodthirsty monsters. But it may be too late.


Ignited by the Master’s horrific plan, a war erupts between Old and New World vampires, each vying for total control. Caught between these warring forces, humans—powerless and vulnerable—are no longer the consumers, but the consumed.


Though Eph understands the vampiric plague better than anyone, even he cannot protect those he loves from the invading evil. His ex-wife, Kelly, has been turned by the Master, and now she stalks the city, in the darkness, looking for her chance to reclaim Zack, Eph’s young son.


With the future of the world in the balance, Eph and his courageous team, guided by the brilliant former professor and Holocaust survivor Abraham Setrakian and exterminator Vasiliy Fet, must combat a terror whose ultimate plan is more terrible than anyone first imagined—a fate worse than annihilation.'


Ok, so I agree, I've been on a bit of a serial vampire, apocalyptic / post-apocalyptic, end of the world, evil disease, everyone and everything ends up dead, cant sleep at night cos my reading material is giving me nightmares kick, recently. And tho I must admit that this book, is not up to par with 'The Passage', the second novel in the Strain Trilogy still kept me entertained enough to realise that I will be purchasing the third and final instalment (although I will once again be doing it via Amazon, via my Kindle, and I will be waiting a couple of months until the price reduces down to something reasonable) 

91. Read and Review 100 Books (24/100) The Passage - Justin Cronin

' “It happened fast. Thirty-two minutes for one world to die, another to be born.” 

First, the unthinkable: a security breach at a secret U.S. government facility unleashes the monstrous product of a chilling military experiment. Then, the unspeakable: a night of chaos and carnage gives way to sunrise on a nation, and ultimately a world, forever altered. All that remains for the stunned survivors is the long fight ahead and a future ruled by fear—of darkness, of death, of a fate far worse.

As civilization swiftly crumbles into a primal landscape of predators and prey, two people flee in search of sanctuary. FBI agent Brad Wolgast is a good man haunted by what he’s done in the line of duty. Six-year-old orphan Amy Harper Bellafonte is a refugee from the doomed scientific project that has triggered apocalypse. He is determined to protect her from the horror set loose by her captors. But for Amy, escaping the bloody fallout is only the beginning of a much longer odyssey—spanning miles and decades—towards the time and place where she must finish what should never have begun. '

There are these special kind of books, you know the ones... they're the ones that you absolutely devour.. that you cannot wait to find out what happens next, and so you turn the pages with reckless abandon.. you become so engaged in the world of the story and the characters and then suddenly you realise.. at some point this book has to end.. the plot pulling you forward yet your yearning for more holding you back... its a delicious feeling!! This book is without a doubt one of those books!!

The first book in what is planned to be a trilogy... another novel all about vampires (although these vampires are the result of a military experiment gone wrong and not because of some bat bite or seductive and pleasurable sharing of blood) however you'll hardly be 'Team such and such' at the end of this thrilling ride.. far from soft and cuddly.. these vampires are scary, evil, and set on consuming everything in the world that has a pulse... This is a story spanning over 800 pages and 100 years... and in the end.. it left me desperately wanting more... and just a tiny bit scared of the dark...

Get your hands on this book... devour it.... make sure your imagination has the chance to conjure up its own version of this terrifying future... before Hollywood undoubtedly gets their hands on it...

91. Read and Review 100 Books (16/100) Dead in the Family - Charlaine Harris

'Even with the blood of two vampires in her system, Sookie is having trouble healing from the terrible torture she endured at the hands of her great-grandfather's enemies during the brief but deadly Fae War. Worse are the emotional wounds - especially over the loss of her own personal fairy godmother and the near death of her first love.

Sookie is hurt and she's mad. Just about the only bright spot in her life - besides the fact that she is, after all, still alive - is the love she thinks she feels for vampire Eric Northman, who is under scrutiny by the new vampire king because of their relationship.

As the political implications of the shifters' coming out are beginning to be felt, Sookie's connection to one particular Were draws her into the dangerous debate. And, unknown to her, though the doors to Faery have been closed, there are still some fae on the human side - and one of them is angry at Sookie. Very, very angry.'

Do you know what I hate?? I mean really really hate... I hate waiting months and months on pins and needles for the next installment in a series that I absolutely adore only to find that when its released, its nothing more than, well, blah... Seriously Ms Harris... in my own humble opinion, there is better fanfiction out there!! Stories written but amateur authors, who better capture the passion, angst and lust between your creations, Sookie and Eric and that relationship... is the whole reason I got hooked in the first place!! 

To sum it all up without giving anything away for those of you that will read this book.. my main issues: 100 pages of 'recap' or back story in a 350 page book (yes I understand it must be accessible to new readers, but really?!?!?), too many new characters who just simply aren't developed beyond anything more than 'filler', a complete 180 in personality for our protagonist and her Viking vampire/man candy AND a thin plot that jumps from here to there and in the end leaves you thinking that this book was nothing more than set up for the next. GRR - This book just left me feeling cold and used... Yes, I'm still invested and yes, I will still purchase the next book in the series BUT I'm not as in love with Sookie and Eric as I was before this book, like I was which for me, is kinda shocking... hope you get it right next time Ms Harris, otherwise it might be time to let this series come to an end... :( 

91. Read and Review 100 Books (15/100) Dark Lover - J.R. Ward

'In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly turf war going on between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other-six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Yet none of them relishes killing more than Wrath, the leader of The Black Dagger Brotherhood.

The only purebred vampire left on earth, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who murdered his parents centuries ago. But, when one of his most trusted fighters is killed-leaving his half-breed daughter unaware of his existence or her fate-Wrath must usher her into the world of the undead-a world of sensuality beyond her wildest dreams.'

A friend suggested the Black Dagger Brotherhood Saga to help alleviate the vampire withdrawls I'm having waiting for my next Sookie/Eric fix... and I must admit from a trashy yet entertaining view point it worked a treat! The action comes thick and fast, and impressively for this type of genre, the sex scenes are not used to prop up a thin plot but rather tend to add to the development of the characters... although I didn't fall endlessly in love with the Wrath and Beth I still greatly enjoyed the story and am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.