Review: House Rules (Chicagoland Vampires #7)

In a city full of vampires, trouble never sleeps.

House Rules, by Chloe Neill, is the seventh novel in the Chicagoland Vampire series. Merit has been through several life-changing experiences. At the age of 27, the former University of Chicago graduate student becomes a sword-swinging vampire. She becomes Sentinel (literally the master guardian) of Cadogan House as she adjusts to her nocturnal lifestyle. She watched Chicago nearly burned to the ground, survived several assassination attempts, watched her Master rise and fall, and witnessed her best friend almost unleash a biblical evil into this world. Despite all of these encounters, a new danger appears in the Windy City that will test Merit's wit and resolve.

Cadogan House has voted to leave the Greenwich Pavilion (GP), the vampire central organization that oversees the vampire houses in North America. Before Cadogan vampires can prepare for this monumental event, two Rogue vampires vanish without a trace. Then, two more vampires at Navarre House are found dead with their throats slashed. Someone is targeting Chicago's vampires, and anyone could be next. The GP also does not plan to let Cadogan leave without one final test. Merit and her master, Ethan Sullivan, are running out of time to solve these multiple mysteries. Before they know it, their foe is more powerful, familiar, and dangerous than anyone can imagine.

Merit is a heroine again! With the help of her friends, they were able to take down the foe who wanted to eliminate vampires once and for all. No longer part of the GP, she and Ethan will tread into unfamiliar territory in the Midwestern city that never sleeps. I am glad that Cadogan House decided to leave the GP because they were taking the blame for too many incidents that were beyond their control and not directly their fault. This opens up a new chapter for Merit, who is not only Sentinel for Cadogan House but will become a guardian for all Rogue vampires as well. I can't wait to see what's in store for Merit this summer!

Stay tuned for the next novel in the Chicagoland Vampire series, Biting Bad

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Review: Blood Rites (The Dresden Files #6)

Harry Dresden -- Wizard: Lost items Found. Paranormal Investigations. Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates. No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or Other Entertainment.

Blood Rites, by Jim Butcher, is the sixth novel in the Dresden Files series. A close friend and ally asks Harry Dresden, Chicago's only professionally-trained wizard, for his assistance on a new case. Dresden must work undercover as a production assistant on an adult film set. The director insists he's the target of a sinister entropy curse, but it's the women around him who are dying in bizarre ways.

Dresden is very frustrated with this case because he got involved only as a favor to Thomas. Dresden does not know what personal stake Thomas has in this case, until it leads him directly to Thomas' White Court vampire family. When Dresden discovers Thomas' shocking family secret, he has another problem on his hands: an ancient Black Court vampire with a heavy grudge has reappeared in the Windy City with a determination to eliminate Dresden once and for all. Dresden must recruit his friends and allies if he wants to survive in one piece.

Jim Butcher delivers another action-packed, riveting novel in the world of the Dresden Files. Harry discovers he has a blood-related sibling and new furry companion; that is, he is no longer alone in the world. This revelation will have a major impact on his view of life. Before he can rejoice, however, he has a lot of powerful enemies that want him dead. He will need all the help he can find to defeat the evil.

I like Butcher's writing style because he keeps readers engaged and suspenseful. Furthermore, Harry continues to uncovers secrets about himself and his potential as a good wizard. You never know what kind of dangers Dresden may stumble upon in Chicago, but he has become a more determined and righteous fighter for justice. I look forward to the next novel.

Stay tuned for the next novel in the Dresden Files series, Dead Beat

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Vampire Academy Movie Will Debut February 2014

I have great news! The popular teen romance book series, Vampire Academy, will become a film! It will premiere in movie theaters on February 14, 2014 (Valentine's Day)!

An international search led the producers to Zoey Deutch (Beautiful Creatures) and Australian newcomer Lucy Fry. They will play lead characters Rose and Lissa alongside Russian star Danila Kozlovski (We Are From The Future,) who will play the role of Dimitri.

The film will be produced by Michael Preger and his Preger Entertainment banner, Angry Films’ Don Murphy and Susan Montford, and Kintop Pictures’ Deepak Nayer. IM Global’s Stuart Ford is executive producer.

All six books have been bestsellers on The New York Times young adult list since the series debuted in 2007. Two of the books have been turned into graphic novels. The books tell the tale of Rose Hathaway, a 17-year-old girl who has a mental and spiritual bond with her vampire best friend Lissa. The two girls attend a special school for Vampires who struggle to retain some humanity while other Vampires become more feral.

“Tonally this so different from all these movies that are so solemn and serious,” IM Global’s Ford said. “This is as much Mean Girls as The Hunger Games. “It is snappy, irreverent, sexy and just a lot of fun. And we got the right director for that kind of movie.”

Stay tuned for additional news over the course of the year. Once a trailer has been released, I will copy and paste it on the blog.

[UPDATE #1: 02/15/13] Check out this Entertainment Weekly interview with the author about The Indigo Spell, the upcoming VA movie, and her new science fiction novel series.

Film Trailer: Beautiful Creatures (2013)

Check out the upcoming teen supernatural film, Beautiful Creatures. It is based on the book series, the Caster Chronicles, with the same name by authors, Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. This is the synopsis from imdb.com:

Ethan longs to escape his small Southern town. He meets a mysterious new girl, Lena. Together, they uncover dark secrets about their respective families, their history and their town.

Review: Siren's Call (A Dark Tides Novel #1)

>No man can resist it. There are some things that can't stay buried -- even in the deep of the ocean.

Siren's Call, by Devyn Quinn, is the first novel in the Dark Tides trilogy. Lighthouse keeper, Tessa Lonike, favors her solitude on Little Mer Island, off the coast of Maine. She has a deep secret: she is a mermaid! As she approaches thirty, she wonders if she will ever find her soulmate. Her last boyfriend, whom she thought would be her life partner, ditched her for another woman. As a result, she has shifted her priority to raising her younger sisters and embracing her Mer heritage.

One fateful night, Tessa spots a man drowning under the ice-cold waters from the lighthouse. She could call emergency, but the paramedics will never reach the beach in time. Cursing under her breath, she rushes to the shore, dives into the stormy waters, and transforms into a mermaid with long strawberry blonde hair and a velvety tail. Using her magical abilities as a mermaid, she easily pulls the man to shore.

When Kenneth Randall awakens on the beach, he cannot believe he is still alive. He is alone, but still remembers a beautiful savior rescuing him in the bay. A year later, Kenneth returns to Maine to find and thank the person who saved him. He reunites with Tessa, determined not to let her slip away. When he encounters her in mermaid form, he is both speechless and amazed by her beauty and determination. For once, Tessa can relax around a human who does not see her as a freak of nature.

Just as the sexual attraction between the two escalates, Tessa's former boyfriend reappears in town with a clue that could unlock the secrets to her Mer heritage. The trio travel to the Mediterranean Sea in search of answers, and what they find in the deep depths of the sea will change Tessa's life forever. She will have to choose between the world of her ancestors and a life with her true love.

I have always wanted to read a novel about mermaids. This genre is so underrated that is is very difficult to find a high-quality novel about these beautiful mythical creatures. Sometimes, I wish I could transform into a mermaid (ha-ha). Fortunately, I stumbled upon the Dark Tides series on Goodreads.com. Satisfied with the good reviews, I decided to check it out from my local library. I was amused and surprised by the science fiction elements in the latter half of the novel. It has been a while since I have read a science fiction novel, so this was a very refreshing plot device. Mermaids also have amazing magical abilities and can live a long time. It ends on a cliffhanger, which encourages readers to read the second novel and see what happens next with the Lonike sisters. IF you are a serious mermaid fan, I highly recommend this book in your collection.

Stay tuned for the next novel in the Dark Tides trilogy, Siren's Surrender

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