Larten Crepsley has never had an easy life. His family is dirt poor and like the rest of his siblings, he’s been sent out to work for the cruel and vicious supervisor, Traz, since he was only eight. When his cousin Vur is murdered at Traz’s hands, Larten retaliates and suddenly finds he too is a killer and on the run from the hangman’s noose. All alone and not knowing where to turn next, Larten encounters the mysterious Seba Nile who introduces him to the ways of the vampire clan. But Larten will have to turn his back on his humanity in order to belong- and there is no going back. This is the blood-soaked tale of the vampire who changed the world from the very beginning.

If you have never entered the wonderful world of Darren Shan before, well you are in for a treat, even if at times it is a quite disturbing one. If you have enjoyed the magic and mayhem of this unique breed of vampire before, welcome back. The thrills are bigger and better and this in-depth look into Larten’s world is sure to excite. His world building is superb and the plot will sweep you away from the very start.

Shan’s amazing gift of imagery is reminiscent of Stephen King. It holds that same magic that not only snares you firmly in the world and its horrors and delights as you read, but entwines itself so deftly in your subconscious it stays with you long after you leave the page. Here we are gifted with a breed of vampire that breaks away from the preconceived notions of modern vampire tales and are reminiscent of ancient warriors. Their society feels primitive and yet at the same time timeless.

Parts of the tale are quite dark and confronting and the 19^th century setting can be unsettling. Here we are firmly planted in a time of bleak prospects for the poor, child labour, short life expectancy and the heyday of the freak show. I found myself somewhat haunted by some of the scenes yet not in an overly nightmarish way. You will find yourself very thankful for the life and time you live in though. The two instalments flow from one to the other and you’ll be swept up into the action right from start to finish with both books. I highly recommend reading them in order to truly immerse yourself in the amazing tale. Larten’s tale is darkly poignant and even if you know where his tale ends, this prequel is more than worth a read. Now the agonising wait for the next instalment.

Birth of a Killer                                             Ocean of Blood

Harper Collins                                               Harper Collins

253 Pages                                                      198 Pages

ISBN:978-0-7322-9110-5                            ISBN:978-0-7322-9111-2

Aria is a teenager in the enclosed city of Reverie. Like all Dwellers, she spends her time with friends in virtual environments, called Realms, accessed through an eyepiece called a Smarteye. Aria enjoys the Realms and the easy life in Reverie. When she is forced out of the pod for a crime she did not commit, she believes her death is imminent. The outside world is known as The Death Shop, with danger in every direction.

As an Outsider, Perry has always known hunger, vicious predators, and violent energy storms from the swirling electrified atmosphere called the Aether. A bit of an outcast even among his hunting tribe, Perry withstands these daily tests with his exceptional abilities, as he is gifted with powerful senses that enable him to scent danger, food and even human emotions.

They come together reluctantly, for Aria must depend on Perry, whom she considers a barbarian, to help her get back to Reverie, while Perry needs Aria to help unravel the mystery of his beloved nephew’s abduction by the Dwellers. Together they embark on a journey challenged as much by their prejudices as by encounters with cannibals and wolves. But to their surprise, Aria and Perry forge an unlikely love – one that will forever change the fate of all who live UNDER THE NEVER SKY

The first book in a captivating trilogy, Veronica Rossi’s enthralling debut sweeps you into an unforgettable adventure

Hardcover, 384 pages

Expected publication: February 7th 2012 by ATOM (first published January 3rd 2012)

ISBN 1907411054 (ISBN13: 9781907411052)

Under The Never Sky is told from alternating perspectives of Aria and Peregrine (Perry). Aria has lived a very sheltered life under the dome of the Pod called Reverie. Everything is controlled, monitored and protected. They have learned to fear and avoid the outside world known as “The Death Shop.” For it contains wild people, uncontrollable weather and sickness. All of these things are personally unknown to Atria who lives her life in a protected world. Those in the Pod are connected together with their Smarteye. A device that attaches itself onto the head and has visual and hearing capabilities to talk to other people in other pods as well as their own. As well as many other features, but mostly used as a communication device.
The alternative perspective is Perry’s. He was born outside the Pod in the” Death Shop “and survival is key on the outside. He must hunt, protect his people against other tribes and lives in a world that is opposite of Atria’s.

When Atria is banished from her Pod she has no choice but to move at all times. She has focused her efforts into locating her mother who was away on business at another Pod. During Atria’s travels she eventually meets up with Perry. The differences between the two are so distinct that it makes for most of the story. Their interactions with each other are very calculated and slow-building. Atria is very talkative, while Perry is more pensive and watchful. He has a very animalistic way about him and she is very naive and unaware. The interaction between the two as they discover together that they need each other to find the people that they have lost and Atria depends on Perry for survival.

The world that we are brought into is very creative and vivid. The idea of how the Aether sky works exactly, what has brought about this Never Sky of constant storms and electric build up. The author describes the Aether storms as the famous Starry Night painted by Van Gough. A very visual mental picture of swirling blues and electricity lighting up the sky and high winds that endanger all. This world is so different than our own, but it’s delivered to us in a way that we can understand and somewhat grasp what the characters are going through.

There is a constant flow of activity and pace to the story that it was hard to set down once you begin reading. There are several obstacles and danger that build to the mystery of the plot that keep the reader intrigued and interested with what is happening and how the story may end. Perry and Atria build their trust and relationship very slowly through arguing and learning and adjusting to each other in their new situation, but they always seem to get back to focusing on what the bigger picture is and where they are going. The author introduces several other side characters along the way that bring in both humor and danger to their quest. We are introduced to Atria as her being a very naive and sheltered person, but she grows into a determined fighter that the readers will grow to admire and root for as a leading heroine.

Overall I enjoyed the story, it was very fast paced and entertaining. The world that we are taken into is imaginative, unique and engrossing. I would have liked to see  more of the inside of Reverie and the daily lives that Aria and her people have come to know before she was actually forced out of the Pod into the Death Shop. I am also interested in understanding how this world came to be, what kind of apocalyptic incident happened to make the world this way. Although I have no doubt that we will learn more about that in future books and intrigued by what that background could bring to the story.
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http://cubicleblindness.com

It’s 2082, chocolate and coffee are prohibited. Paper is hard to find and water is severely rationed. The economy has all but collapsed and New York is rife with crime and poverty. 16 year old Anya Balanchine is the daughter of the city’s most notorious (and dead) crime boss and determined to protect what’s left of her family from the rest of the relatives. When her ex-boyfriend is poisoned by her family’s contraband chocolate, the police are convinced Anya is behind it and Anya finds everything she has worked so hard to hold onto, on the line. The assistant D.A offers her a choice – stay away from his son or watch as he destroys her family. Now Anya finds herself having to choose between the boy she loves and her birthright.

All These Things I’ve Done is a fresh new dystopian adventure complete with a Romeo and Juliet-esque love story, classic mobster undertones and life lessons from the past and present that will have you thinking long after you’ve turned the last page. In fact it’s hard to sum it up, more than to say this is like nothing you have never read before and most likely will surprise you as much as it did me.

Even though it is perhaps best described as YA dystopian crime, that alone does not do justice to the the magic within it – it almost needs a whole new genre of its own. The world building is superb and compellingly visual. This is New York as we have never imagined it and you will find yourself walking its strange streets right alongside Anya and co.  The narrative is told in first person from Anya’s point of view, but as a reflection, which gives you a greater clarity of the decisions made and family history but still firmly holds you in the moment and in the thick of the action.

The plot is completely unique and an amazing blend of seedy criminal dealings, mad government decisions, familial ties, first love and one girl’s struggle to find her place in the world. And it also offers the proof right on the page that more often than not we don’t learn from the mistakes of those who have come before us.  The storyline retains an overall classic feel that will keep it fresh in years to come. There is also a delightful sprinkling of “ancient” pop culture references throughout the book that will give you a good giggle and make you wonder just what will be thought of us and our tastes by generations to come. Even the chapter headings are fun, fresh and sure to bring a smile to your face.

Quite frankly, this totally blew me away and left me in awe of both the world and the cast of colourful characters who inhabit it. Zevin’s skill in capturing the reader’s attention is evident from the very first page. All These Things I’ve Done is the first in the Birthright trilogy and I can’t wait to see what Anya gets up to next.

All These Things I’ve Done- Gabrielle Zevin

Pan Macmillan

ISBN:978-0-330-53789-6

351 Pages

Released September 6^th 2011

Life in Morganville is more often than not dangerous; blood will be shed one way or another. No one knows this better than the residents of Glass House. But this time there’s an even Bigger Bad than the town’s vamps, and Claire, Shane, Eve and Michael find themselves on the front line once again.

Last Breath is the 11^th instalment in the best-selling Morganville Vampires series and yet again goes off with a bang. From hidden threats your mind can’t comprehend, an extra dose of malice and mayhem, and a Big Bad to end all Big Bad’s, Caine has yet again delivered a heart-stopping thrill ride.

Morganville is a place like no other. Caine has created a believable world where vamps and humans can co-exists (although not always with harmony) and inter-laced it with character relationships that keep us coming back again and again. The plot is action packed and never lets up leaving you on the edge of your seat. The character development is superb and whether you love them or love to hate them, they are intoxicating all the same. I particularly love the way Caine has developed her vampires. Even though they are quite often the villain of the piece, with their strong and differing personalities, weaknesses and quirks, they still retain a human element underneath the predator.

For fans who have been worried this will be our last trip to Morganville, the cliff-hanger ending ensures at least one more adventure with the Glass House crew. And for those of you who are yet to discover the delights and frights of life in Morganville; there is enough background information given that you won’t be out of the loop. So pack your bags and grab the silver nitrate – Morganville’s waiting for you.

Last Breath- Rachel Caine

Penguin- Between the Lines

ISBN:978-1-921880-10-0

444 Pages