Savannah Colbert knows she broke up with Tristan Coleman for the right reasons. Most of all, to keep from killing him with her new vampire abilities. But try telling her heart. Now, lost in a sea of hostile Clann faces, Sav tries to come to terms with what she's becoming and what that means for her future. And that someone is doing their best to bully her into making a terrible mistake.
Tristan can't believe Sav won't even talk to him. If being apart is her decision, fine. Just don't expect him to honor it. But even as he prepares to fight for the girl he loves, forces beyond their control take them both in directions neither could have foreseen or prepared for.
A reckoning is coming…and not everyone will survive.
Melissa Darnell is the author of a growing list of adult, New Adult and Young Ault fiction and nonfiction books. Born in California, she grew up in Texas and has also called the following states home since then: Utah, West Virginia, Louisiana, Alabama, Kentucky, Iowa and South Dakota. She currently lives in Nebraska with her husband Tim and two sons, Hunter and Alexander, where she enjoys watching Game of Thrones, Defiance, Newsroom, Real Time with Bill Maher, VICE, Being Human, and True Blood, and of course writing her latest book.
Uuummm....loved Cover #1, but Cover #2 seems....uhhh....there's no way to say this nicely--drop dead UGLY. Hopefully the book is WAY better than the cover!
Ok, not to be mean or anything... but i LOVED the first book. The cover was amazing too. But when I look at this cover, I'm like 'What?' Cuz you know what this reminds me of? the red queen in Alice in Wonderland. Seriously. I mean, I'm still going to read it... but... the cover is just really wierd.
Review update 9/10/12
Ok, so I finished reading covet and i gotta say... it was a-ma-zing!!! The only thing i don't get is how Emily has a child now.... And like seriously? Tristan is a vampire?? Ohh, you couldn't just leave it at a nice star-crossed fling? And Tristan's mom banishing him? So not cool. I must do this. for my son, and the clann Those were the words she said before banishing Tristan. Ugh... Remember how Savannah's family was banished? And looked how that turned out.. Now banishing Tristan? Soo not a good idea!! (I know I'm ranting on a book character that doesn't actually exist in reality, but... oh, well.
Other than that, I think the book was really good~ I can't wait till the next book comes out!!!
Savannah makes a promise to the vampire council that she'll stopping dating Tristan. And back in Jacksonville, she makes the same promise to the clann, against the wishes and pleas of Tristan. She knows it's the right thing to do. She could kill him with a kiss, or the bloodlust could take over. It's harder for vampires to resist the descendants magic blood than it is a regular human, even for older vampires.
Savannah's vampire side is taking over and becoming stronger than the witch in her. Her strength and speed increases, her bloodlust gets harder to control and she develops the gift of mind reading. But all the while, she's missing Tristan and trying to come to terms with the fact that he's dating again. But Tristan is broken hearted and will try any means possible to get Savannah back, he even looks into becoming a vampire himself, something that he discovers a descendant can't do.
Like Crave, this book is written from the perspective of Savannah and Tristan. We experience Savannah's changes with her on a personal level also learning more about the vampire council. From Tristan's aspect, we see how much he still misses Savannah, how he's still trying to protect her and also providing more insight into the clann.
We see a lot more of Savannah's dad as she has to move in with him once it becomes apparent that she is becoming a vampire. He was really likeable and interesting and I enjoyed watching him come to terms with living with and looking after his teenage daughter.
There was a lot going on in Covet with some surprising twists and turns. Clann members are being murdered by what appears to be a vampire, or is it just someone making it look like a vampire in order to start another war between the vampires and the witches. I wasn't sure.
A shocking and exciting ending leaves me longing for the next book in the series, Consume. I couldn't stop thinking about Tristan and Savannah long after finishing Covet so I can't wait to see how things turn out for them in book 3.
The 1st book had to be one of the best books I have ever read! Can't wait to read this. I think the cover is beautiful btw. Everyone should just get over it.
For a long while, this book just went through and described the jealousy and hurt feelings of Tristan and Savannah because they can't be together. But, of course the book in the end turned up a lot of action and reveals mischeivious traitors.
Both Tristan and Savannah lose people they love. Heart ache shared on both sides, the vamps and the witches.
I can't wait to read the next book in this series and see what happens
**3 1/2 stars...rounding up because of the laughs the book solicited from me**
This cover had me worried. The cover for the first book wasn't great, but at least it didn't scare me away from reading the book. I know I shouldn't judge a book by its cover. I know that. But other than the forest in the background, I couldn't see what this cover had to do with the story. Plus, Savannah has red hair. I know the girl is in black and white and so her hair color is ambiguous, but it would have been more striking if the rest of the cover had been faded out and only the girl's hair was shown in red. Just my two cents.
The story itself picks up right where we left off in Crave. It's been about a year since I read that book, but there's a brief refresher in the first chapter before the story dives into old territory. Yep, we're back to that "I love you, but I can't be with you" spiel. At least we know there's a legitimate reason for it. But does it have to last the entire book?
Covet takes an interesting turn half-way through, but unfortunately, it's one I saw coming from a mile away. All of the twists were predictable and the story could have used better, more believable foreshadowing, especially if it has any hope of sneaking anything by the well-read reader. If it weren't for the brief moments of levity and some of the giggle-inducing situations Sav found herself in, this book might not have been as enjoyable.
As it was, I still found Savannah a little annoying in her naiveté, but Tristan's determination to find a way for them to be together made up for it. Savannah was steadfast in her decision to remain apart from Tristan for his own good, which kind of made me respect her a little more, even if she did grate on my nerves with her inability to draw basic conclusions. I also found Anne irritating as the tough, in-over-her-head sidekick to Sav. She proves a loyal friend to the gang, but she's a little inconsistent with her acceptance of certain weird goings-on in Jacksonville.
I didn't set out to write a negative review...I really didn't. I actually had fun reading this book for the most part. But I'd be remiss if I didn't point out the things that bothered me while I was reading. I should also point out the things that I liked, though...like the setting. I've lived in East Texas practically my entire life and have been to Jacksonville many times. The author does a great job of presenting the hot, wooded surroundings of this East Texas town focused on high school football.
All in all, I liked Covet. It was entertaining and makes a great addition to this series. It briefly gave a history of both the Clann and the vampire council, and it did so without a ton of info-dumping as many sequels are wont to do. I'll definitely be picking up Consume when it's released next year...especially after that ending in Covet. Sure, I expected it, but that doesn't make it any less fun!
Thanks to HarlequinTeen and Netgalley for providing a copy for review.
To avoid a war between the Vampires and the Clann, Savannah broke things off with Tristan. Being separated from is the worst kind of torture, especially as she cannot seem to escape his constant presence and reminder of what she cannot have. Things are any easier outside of her romantic life either as she struggles with the complications of her vampiric side taking over, and the Clann's determination to ruin her life. Meanwhile, Tristan is bound and determined to change Savannah's mind even if it means giving up everything and everyone else. But even as he struggles to find a solution, outside forces push them further apart leading to an inevitable confrontation that will forever change their lives.
I have to admit I was worried that this book would center around a whole lot of teen angst due to the forced separation between Savannah and Tristan. Granted there is a whole lot of pining for one another, but it never tips over into that annoying state that can happen with teenagers. Well, at least on Savannah's part that is, since she was able to stand strong and steady throughout for the most part. Tristan on the other hand was another story as I wanted to smack him upside the head at times for his behavior as he lashed out in anger, but it didn't take very long to forgive him as his pain was so heart wrenching. This truly is a case of starcrossed lovers that are written incredibly well, especially as the emotions between them were so real that I couldn't help being sucked right into their pain.
At first I felt like this book was a little slow, but then I realized that there actually was a good bit happening as it built a steady pace. It's just that I was so focused on the emotional aspects of the story, (and yes I was rather impatient to see if there would be any hope for the two of them together), that I almost overlooked all of the other developments. Regardless of that, I have to say that any possible lack of intensity in the first part of the book was more than compensated for in the last third. It was almost as if a switch was pulled and the action events completely took over, spiraling closer to the ending which knocked my legs right out from under me. There was a short teaser for the next book included in my ARC copy that I read to try and alleviate some of my misery from the ending, but it only made it worse. I can assure you that the wait for the final book will be agonizing.
In all honesty, I was completely blown away by Covet. Yes, I enjoyed the first installment, but I don't remember it having quite the same effect on me. The sheer depth of the raw emotion in Covet was absolutely staggering as I felt like I was being torn apart right along with the characters. This was an absolutely brilliant follow up to Crave, and I highly recommend it.
ARC from Netgalley I was so excited to get Covet on Netgalley because book 1, Crave, was FANTASTIC!! I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen with Savannah and Tristan and when I opened up Covet, we picked up right where Crave ended...that dooming decision made by Savannah. I was so sure that this decision wasn't going to hold for long, but OMG, Melissa Darnell put me through such turmoil with these two characters. When she put in the synopsis "Dangerous to be together, painful to be apart.." She was not kidding. I ached and longed for things to go a different way. Reaching for solutions that, even as the characters knew, weren't going to help them. I was distraught over the events that took place and found myself getting ready for the ultimate heart break. As I journeyed with Savannah and Tristan through Covet, I met new characters and also learned more about old ones. When Savannah met Ron, the now ex of Annie, I was highly intrigued in to how he was going to fit in. Suspicions arose about their relationship, yet neither wanted the other. Ron becomes the friend she truly needed and all throughout this book, we see Savannah grow so much. I was so proud to see her embrace and become the young woman/vampire that she is. And she wasn't the only one that grew throughout this book. WOW!! Tristan is the perfect guy!! Withstanding everything that was thrown at home, he showed the most growth in my opinion. I am blown away at how endearing, compassionate, and strong he really is. But, from the beginning to the end of Covet, you are thrown on a roller coaster ride of explosive events, heart-breaking decisions, joyous moments of friendship, and ultimately a love story that will stand the test of time. For two young lovers to have found their soul mate when everyone around them screams that they can't be together. With an ending that will shock and relieve you all the while enticing you to read book 3, Consume, Covet is a book that you can't put down. Full of suspense, action, a wonderful love story, and overall amazing plot, this is a book you need to read. If you haven't picked up this series yet...GO NOW!!
Savannah and Tristian’s story was left on a cliff hanger in Crave. With what appears to be a dead end we begin this still with on a sliver of hope that our beloved characters can find a way out of the this mess. With the Vampire Council and The Clann both aware of the recent developments between Savannah and Tristian it seems almost impossible that a future can exist. With their love on the line they are tested to the limits in this second installment, and I was anxious to get started. Unlike book one this story covers almost a years times in a slow, but stead pace. This commonly would prove to offer a struggle, but Darnell can create such an incredible story that readers will barely notice the length. The developments over this novel changes the direction of this story, and will continue to captivate readers. I can not wait to see what book three will offer, and just where this story will lead with it’s seemingly repeated DEAD END! ~BookWhisperer Reviewer JO~
Why? Why did I think this would be better than the first?? I am regretting wasting my time reading this.
Plot - While I thought the story line was interesting, it so still sooo slow. Just like the first book, nothing really happened until the last chapters. Then it’s book book boom! Action, fighting, death everywhere! Everything befor that was sooo slow and unnecessary. I didn’t want to hear 300+ pages of Savannah whining about not being with Tristan! And it was really predictable. Like really really predictable.
Characters Savannah- I had hope for her in this book. It seemed like she was finally growing up at the end of Crave. Nope! I was wrong. She was just has whiny, if not more. “I can’t be with Tristan” Whine whine whine “Why do I have to be what I am” whine “I’m not telling my Dad anything, even though he can help me” WHINE!!!
Tristan- I’m so disappointed in him. He was so butt hurt about Savannah breaking up with him. Then he starting acting like a jerk when he found out Savannah could read his mind. What’s that really necessary? And he led Bethany on. What a douche move!! He acted like a five year old having a temper tantrum. All of this conflict could have been avoided if him and Savannah would have must talked instead of fighting and ignoring each other. Anyways, I’m really curious about how he is going to handle his new life now. He finally got what he wanted! I just wanted to shake him when he went to Savannah’s dad. He only knew her for a year, and he wants to change his entire life for her?!? No. Ugh, I hate insta love.
Savannah’s Dad- He is probably the only character I actually liked. I thought he was really funny. Especially when he made notes about Savannah’s wardrobe. I liked we got to see more of him. He helped Savannah with her change. But Savannah didn’t make it easy on him. Ugh, zinjust want to give her a good slap.
Ron/The Keepers- The keeper were unnecessary. They didn’t play a big part. It was just thrown out there and forgotten about. Maybe they have more of a role in the third book, I don’t know. But I thought it was a waste of time.
Anne, Michelle, and that other girl- For being Savannah’s best friend, they were crappy friends. They were mad about her leaving Anne’s party. Well, if you wanted to get eaten the go on ahead! Anne got on my nerves the most. While she knows Savannah’s secret, she is scared of her. And then she started being jealous about Savannah hanging out with Ron. She was the one who broke up with him! Then she started whining about Ron and how they can’t be together and then started yelled at Savannah about Tristan!! Ugh, just go away.
Emily- She is such a hypocrite!! She got mad at Tristan when he dated Savannah. But then she goes a dates a vampire council member Really?!?
Overall, I really didn’t like the book. Probably won’t read the third one. Sorry for the rant ;)
Just received this from the publisher and author, through NetGalley.com. Thank You, review to come shortly!
UPDATE
Let us talk about the sophomore slump most book series get into. Usually most people anticipate the second, third, fourth, etc. book of a series, but then are completely disappointed because nothing useful happened and it was more like filler. Well, that was not an issue for Darnell's series The Clann.
In the second book of this series, Covet, Savannah and Tristan are right were we left them in the first book. They are on a plan going back to Texas after their eventful meeting with the Vampire Council. Savannah has promised the Council that she will break her ties with Tristan once she is back home in Texas, of course Tristan does not have clue about this. The problem is that once they land Savannah finds out that the Clann has kidnapped her grandmother because the believed her father and she had kidnapped Tristan... and ladies and gentlemen is when the metaphorical poop hits the fan.
After going to the Clann circle and all the events that transpires there, Savannah stays true to her word and dumps Tristan (she also promises the Clann, as well). So the majority of the book deals with her and Tristan coping with that decision. That sounds boring right? Sounds just like a regular book 2? Think again...
While they are coping with their break up a few things transpire. Savannah begins to learn about her magic, on her own. This I liked a lot because she is no longer so one sided (Vampire). Unfortunately for Savannah, she is still vampire and that means that she needs to learn how to deal with what that entails. She ends up living with her father in the same town, in order to adjust to the change. Her father (my favorite!) ends up teaching her how to control her impulses, buys her a new wardrobe and also shares many father-daughter moments, that I think she needed in order to see him as something other than a Vampire. She also has to cope with her mother being gone, due to Savannah and her father living so close together (her mother's blood is apparently tasty to vamps). Savannah befriends her best friend's ex, Ron, and learns about another aspect of the Clann life. Her friend Annie is also a big help in all of this, though only being a mere mortal (us mortals can be really supportive to our crazy paranormal friends). Oh and while all this is going on there are vampires on the loose attacking Clann members!
Poor Tristan! I swear he tried so hard to figure out how to be with Savannah, that I just wanted to jump in the book and fix it myself (seeing as no one wanted to help him). Tristan even went as far as asking Savannah's father to turn him (doesn't happen because their blood cannot be combined, lethal). Savannah is not the only one dealt heartbreak in this installment; Tristan too has to deal with losing his girlfriend, getting into a car accident (that might have been intentional), being held hostage in his room by his parents and losing people around him. Some big things occur for Tristan in this book and they are all very dreary... to the very last sentence of the novel. Even though this series really just focuses more deeply on Sav's existence and how she will have to deal with it, I feel in the next novel we will have this same experience from Tristan.
Dylan is still around... and S-U-P-R-I-S-E he is still crazy. But the reader will finally get a glimpse at why he's the way he is... and it is not too pretty or completely a legit reason to like him.
Emily... such a little hypocrite. Oh well you will see why towards the end... but I truly feel for her.
Gowin... is a new character, he is Michael's (Sav's father) sire (he turned Michael).
Ron... I love him! He is so sweet and helps Savannah adjust to school after breaking up with Tristan. He is also Annie's ex, and there are pretty cool surprises because of him.
I really truly loved this book. It was exciting and fast paced. The ending left me wanting to know more. How will this series end? I don't know if there are only suppose to be 3 books in this series but I feel there should be more, just because not only did Savannah and et all have to clean the poop that hit the fan in this book but there is a whole new fan and poop to clean in the next.
This book was a galley provided by the publisher on NetGalley.com
Covet, the second book in The Clann series was even better than the first one. And I liked the first one a lot, so that’s saying something.
I’m going to use the Goodreads summary for this one because I think that it does a really good job of describing it:
“Dangerous to be together. Painful to be apart. Savannah Colbert knows she broke up with Tristan Coleman for the right reasons. Most of all, to keep from killing him with her new vampire abilities. But try telling her heart. Now, lost in a sea of hostile Clann faces, Sav tries to come to terms with what she's becoming and what that means for her future. And that someone is doing their best to bully her into making a terrible mistake.
Tristan can't believe Sav won't even talk to him. If being apart is her decision, fine. Just don't expect him to honor it. But even as he prepares to fight for the girl he loves, forces beyond their control take them both in directions neither could have foreseen or prepared for.
A reckoning is coming... and not everyone will survive.”
In Crave, I really loved Savannah and Tristan because they seemed so genuine and they were both really funny. I also thought that their relationship was adorable. But in this book, I developed love for other characters, as well. Like Savannah’s dad. He was totally awesome. He liked fashion and he always wanted to buy Savannah new things (even though she declined most of the time. What was wrong with her?). But also, he still loved Savannah’s mom even though they were divorced and couldn’t be together (he was a vamp, she was a witch -> it didn’t really work out too well…) and he still wanted to do nice things for her (even if he had to trick her into doing them). Another person I loved in this book was Ron Abernathy. He may have a nerdy name, but he was anything but a dork. He was hilarious, always cracking jokes and, well, being funny. He was AMAZING.
This second book was a lot different than Crave because a whole new aspect is introduced: Savannah learns how to do magic. I liked Savannah even more after she learned magic because she actually stood up for herself and she could go toe-to-toe with any of the Clann members and win. It’s also different because a whole new species is introduced (they’re awesome).
This book certainly did not have the notorious sequel syndrome; this second book was even better than the first! The plot always kept me guessing and I was super surprised at some of the events. I was also slightly disturbed at one part, which I was surprised about; I didn’t think these books were so hardcore. Also, Covet was really funny. I was laughing all the way through the book and I couldn’t stop at some parts.
There was one thing that really stood out to me: the ending. Oh. My. Gosh. The last words of the book were, “What have I done?” I mean, how intense is that? PRETTY FREAKING INTENSE, PEOPLE. I’m practically begging for more right now. The third installment, Consume, is expected to come out some time in 2013 and I can’t wait for that day!
The cover isn't really that amazing (sorry I really don't like it) but don't let it fool you, this next installment in the series is as intense if not much more than the first one. Presenting The Clann #2 Covet by Melissa Darnell.
Here is the summary of the book:
Dangerous to be together. Painful to be apart.Savannah Colbert knows she broke up with Tristan Coleman for the right reasons. Most of all, to keep from killing him with her new vampire abilities. But try telling her heart. Now, lost in a sea of hostile Clann faces, Sav tries to come to terms with what she's becoming and what that means for her future. And that someone is doing their best to bully her into making a terrible mistake. Tristan can't believe Sav won't even talk to him. If being apart is her decision, fine. Just don't expect him to honor it. But even as he prepares to fight for the girl he loves, forces beyond their control take them both in directions neither could have foreseen or prepared for. A reckoning is coming…and not everyone will survive.
Crave ended with disastrous consequences, Covet proves the aftermath of those consequences. In Crave, Savannah comes into her vampire side struggling with all the changes taking place in her body. She suffers from all sorts of feeling throughout. But she remains strong and fast and in her love for Tristan. Never once does she give up on her belief over Tristan and nor does he.
Covet follows the action and the consequences of Crave, Savannah and Tristan may have broken up but Tristan still holds on. As sweet and intense as ever Tristan, does every thing he can to rekindle what he and Sav had (not that it was lost). But it is rather fun to see the transformation that had taken place in Savannah.
In Crave, Tristan is the one protecting Savannah but in Covet it is Sav who grows stronger and does all she can to keep the people around her safe. But it is not enough anymore there is an inter-racial war game going on and the peace treaty between the Clann and the Council may well be on a dangerous ground. Much more than Savannah and Tristan is on the line here. Melissa Darnell produces this perfect! perfect! book. There is nothing in here that can in any way prove that this can in any way prove that this is just a mere second book in the Clann series (i'm willing to overlook that horrendous cover). What I really loved about Covet apart from the author's excellent penmanship is the fact that she fleshes out her characters more. The development in the relationship between Savannah and her dad is also a major point in her book. Savannah really proves her worth in Covet, staying strong and inspiring. This book had enough action and drama that it kept me anchored throughout till the end....and OMG! that cliffhanger-ish ending....I WANT 'CONSUME' NOW NOT IN 2013!
"Amazingly fantastic - Covet takes the story up another level keeping us anchored in a world where witches and vampires are treading war again"
(Source: Purchased on kindle from Amazon.co.uk.) This is the second book in the ‘The Clann’ series, and kicks off where book 1 ‘Crave’ left off. **Warning – some unavoidable spoilers for book 1 ‘Crave’.** Savanna has just promised the vampires that she will stop seeing Tristan, and is now travelling back home with him and her father, when she learns that her grandmother has been kidnapped by the Clann. Can Savanna rescue her grandmother? Can she stay away from Tristan? And does anything actually happen in this book?
This book was just so slow it drove me nuts. It felt like 473 pages of nothing.
Savanna and Tristan spent 99% of this book apart, mainly because of Savanna’s promise that she wouldn’t be with him because of the risk to him, both from bloodlust and her succubus nature. This made for a pretty boring book to be honest. There were some sweet moments where Tristan tried to convince Savanna how much he cared for her, and how much he wanted to be with her, but otherwise we got very little interaction between them.
The storyline in this book was just barely there! We had an initial surprise death, a lot of moaning about how they couldn’t be together, Savanna’s dad teaching her that she needed to drink blood now, then another surprise death, a little twist, and that was it. I mean out of 473 pages, it easily felt like 400 weren’t necessary! I just felt like nothing was happening, it dragged on and on and on, and still nothing was happening! I mean really! It wasn’t even that the story was bad, it was just non-existent! Talk about a case of second book syndrome. I seriously hope that the last book in the series actually has some action or I may fall into a boredom coma.
The last little twist at the end was okay, but I was so bored by that point that I was just glad that it was over. It also seemed like a really easy way for the author to make something happen, that might not have happened quite so easily had the circumstances not forced it to happen. Overall; a really disappointing and boring second book in the series. What a waste of £5! 5 out of 10.
Alright so here we go! Ms. Darnell certainly delivers an awesome story to the reader. Chapter after chapter, I dove myself deeper into the story never wanting to step out.
What I loved most about this book is the characters. Much has happen since and Savannah is learning thing the hard way. She is stronger and much wiser in this book. She knows what she needs to do despite how is affects her feelings. Plus, with her growing vampire side, Savannah is also growing her culture. She is learning more about being a vampire and becoming more aware of consequences. Tristan has unwavering faith. With all that is said to him he still won't listen. It's only makes me want to grab him and kiss HIM! He is amazing in helping Savannah in every way possible. NO matter what, he makes sure that he will always find a way. And boy does he ever...
The plot of the book is fast-paced with lots of juicy secrets. The Clann has members who are not who they seem to be plus with some added crazies to the side. I like that the action is spread evenly through out the story. It's not thrown at you all at once, but little by little the reader become self aware of what the bigger picture is. Those parts are the coolest!
Love. Faith. Courage. Their love has sustained through so much, and I can only hope that is continues to do so. I like that they truly were friends to each other till the end. When one was down, the other helped get them back up and vice versa. This is a love that continues to grow even with all the hatred being thrown at them.
Covet is an awesome sequel! With much action, Covet takes down the reader leaving the door open with many opportunity to do so much more! I'm so excited to see how this story will end. Covet is dynamic with an explosive ending, leaving me wanting more!
Argh....I can't wait for the third book in this series!!!!! I really enjoyed Crave but it was nowhere near as good as Covet. This book was awesome sauce.
The Romeo and Juliet thing that Tristan and Savannah have is so heart wrenching. I spent the whole book trying to figure out along with them how they could possibly be together. There love is so deep and the feelings are full of tension. Sparks fly whenever they are around each other. It is so romantic.
I loved the plot. There was so many plot lines weaved together to execute a seamless story. I was trying the whole time to solve the mysteries as they were thrown out there.
The action made this book a gripping and fast paced read. I flew through it at an alarming rate and was happy with the way this installment wrapped up. There were vampires and witches and shifters galore. Who wouldn't love this book?
I highly recommend this series to the YA paranormal romance crowd. It was super fascinating and I simply can't wait for the third book. I give this read five glittery stars for being amazing!
This was a great book. There was lots of adventure and changes and truth telling moments! A lot of drama and struggling as well.
I loved it! The only thing that bothered me was not seeing Savannah and Tristan as a couple. Him "dating" Brittany? Seriously, dude, it was obviously you were leading her on!
Love Ron and Anne! Such great friends! She's reckless and stubborn and he's sweet and caring. Lovables! I was shocked by Ron's secret. Didn't see that one coming.
I felt so bad about her Nana and Tristan's dad. And Emily! OMG! Couldn't believe that ending. Tristan's mom is fucking nuts. She wanted to start a war, even though she lost a lot of people that she loved in the war before. Love her dad. We get to see so much more of him in this, and he's awesome. Felt sorry for him for still being in love with her mother. Why couldn't Joan fight for him, and love him back? Poor sweet Michael.
I love how Savannah changed in this book. She's so powerful and confident! I love it!
That end! Fucking Gowin! AND TRISTAN, OMG, can't wait for Consume!
Despite a screaming painful error (black cats which Savannah claims never to have heard of before book 2 but on pg 365 of book one mentions not once but twice) I was entranced by this book. I’m not sure what that says about me. My middle school students would LOOOVE this series. And my deepest thanks to the author (who I do not know) for minimizing the profanity, keeping it sensual enough to keep my young romantics captivated without making it too sexual for them. I’m certain that older YA paranormal fans would be equally engaged. This had exactly the right amount of content for my taste. Again thanks for keeping the profanity to a minimum. There were several times I thought, “This is Twilight FanFic.” It probably isn’t. Don’t we just compare everything to that though? Didn’t much matter when I was inhaling the book. I live in NorthCentral Texas but love East Texas and truly enjoyed reading things that are specific to Texas/The South (like Sonic and coke floats).
This was a hard book to put down. The first book was really good, but this book was crazy! The twists had me on the edge of my seat, I actually yelled "WHAT!?!" a couple of times. The book wastes no time, it begins with a "Nooooooooo" moment. Good thing I had my daughter here who read the book first that I could use as my soundboard. This is a must read. The only downfall is I have to wait until 2013 for the next book.
I didn’t really like Crave, the first book in the series. I thought most of it was hilariously stupid, but I decided to give Savannah another shot in this sequel. The book isn’t much better than the first one though. The pacing was agonizingly slow, Savannah is ridiculous, whiny, and pathetic. Tristan isn’t much better. Not recommended.
Loved it! Lots of action, though it did end on a cliff hanger-- have I mentioned how much I detest those? HOWEVER the next and final installment was already out and in my hot little hands so all is good! ;]
DNF'd at 14% (start of chapter 5) I wish I read this 4 years ago when my tolerance for YA paranormal romances was higher. this just wasn't doing it for me. shame, because I love the forbidden romance aspect of it. this is just way too slow, way too monotonous and a touch too much teenage angst.
Das Buchcover ist wieder sehr düster und ansprechend aufgebaut worden.
Ein Mädchen läuft in ihrem weißen Kleid durch den Wald. Ihr blick spiegelt Angst, Sorge und Gehetze wieder. Der Wald im Hintergrund scheint zu brennen, denn kleine Flammen sind zu erkennen.
Umrandet wird dieses Bild durch eine Blätterranke, die sich darum schlängelt.
Insgesamt ist auch das Cover des zweiten Bandes von Herzblut sehr geheimnisvoll und düster gehalten und spiegelt damit den Inhalt sehr gut wieder.
Der Inhalt:
Savannah fliegt mit ihrem Vater und Tristan zurück nach Hause. Nach der aufbrausenden Geschichte beim Vampirrat benötigen alle Ruhe zum nachdenken und verarbeiten.
Doch allzu lange besteht diese Möglichkeit nicht. Schon nach kurzer Zeit passieren einige verwirrende und tragische Dinge, die sowohl Savannah als auch Tristan erst Mal aus der Bahn werfen.
Während Tristan mit allen Mitteln versucht Savannah und seine Liebe zu schützen, versucht Savannah diese zu kippen um ihn zu schützen. Durch diese Konstellation entsteht ein Kampf der Gefühle auf beiden Seiten, welche zu Missverständnissen und Durcheinander führen.
Weiterhin passiert viel in den einzelnen Familien, welche ebenfalls eine Veränderung der ganzen Geschichte mit sich bringen. Dazu tauchen auf einmal auch noch andere Wesen auf, welche bisher noch nicht in Aktion getreten sind.
Was passiert in Jacksonville und wird ein erneuter Krieg, wie vor tausend Jahren entfachen? Fragen über Fragen, doch die Antwort kennt nur das Buch.
Die Charaktere:
Weiterhin spielt natürlich „Sav“ eine bedeutende Rolle. Die nun 17-Jährige Schülerin nimmt endlich ihr Blutsgeheimnis an und versucht damit zu recht zu kommen. Sie trainiert um die Oberhand zu erhalten und so mit ihrem Leben und allem drum herum besser umgehen zu können. Man merkt durchaus, dass sie etwas erwachsener wirkt als im ersten Buch.
Auch Tristan spielt noch immer eine wichtige Rolle, sowohl in „Sav´s“ Leben, als auch in der Geschichte des Buches. Er kämpft um die erste Liebe und seine Familie, was nicht immer als wirklich einfach durchzuführen ist.
Auch Sav´s Vater, ihre Freundinnen, Tristans Familie und einige neue Charakter spielen eine bedeutende und wandelnde Bedeutung in der Geschichte.
Meine Meinung:
Da mich der erste Band von Herzblut schon sehr fasziniert und gefesselt hatte war ich sehr neugierig, ob mich auch der zweite Band mitreisen würde.
Der erste Band hatte doch recht viele Fragen offen gelassen, die ich als Leser unbedingt geklärt haben wollte. Aber auch so war die Geschichte einfach zu fesselnd, als das man nicht den nächsten Band hätte lesen können.
Auch in diesem Band wurde die Geschichte aus zwei Sichtweisen beschrieben. In diesem Fall wieder sehr passend, denn so bekam man beide „Seiten der Medaille“ zu sehen und konnte bestimmte Vorgänge besser und einfacher begreifen und ihnen folgen.
Die Schreibweise des zweiten Bandes ist ebenfalls sehr verständlich und ohne Probleme zu lesen. Ich fühlte mich auch hier teilweise getragen. Die Sätze sind nicht schwer zu verstehen und daher kann man sich in die Figuren hineinversetzen und neben dem Lesen gleich bildlich mitfiebern. Auch an Stellen, wo es sich mal zeitweise gezogen hatte kam es beim Lesen selber nicht so vor. Allerdings ist es im Nachhinein dennoch aufgefallen. Manche Szenen sind doch sehr langatmig und in die Länge gezogen, wo es nicht unbedingt hätte sein müssen. Im Gesamten muss ich aber sagen, dass es doch besser geregelt wurde als im ersten Band. ;o)
Schon ab den ersten Seiten hat man gemerkt, dass der zweite Teil nicht mehr so dahinplätschert sondern viel Spannung und Action mit hineinbringt. Es werden viele Situationen eintreffen, darunter auch der Tod geliebter Personen, die nicht so schön aber dennoch irgendwie wichtig für die Geschichte sind. Man merkt sofort, dass die Aufwärmphase vorbei ist und die Geschichte nun ihren Verlauf ändert nämlich in die Offensive.
Sehr angenehm finde ich, dass die Szenen nicht mehr alle nur in der Schule stattfinden. Natürlich ist viel noch dort anzutreffen, aber es gibt auch Berührungen außerhalb der Schule. Es kommt Abwechslung in die Handlungsorte mit hinein und das finde ich sehr wichtig und hilfreich.
Im zweiten Teil kam nun auch wesentlich öfter und offensichtlicher das Mystische und Fantasy-Genre rüber. Im ersten Teil wurde dies zwar auch angeschnitten, aber meines Erachtens kam es nicht wirklich großartig zum Einsatz. Nun kann man aber durchaus sagen, dass es zum Genre Fantasy gesteckt werden kann. Es werden nicht nur mystische Wesen angetroffen, sondern es fallen tatsächlich mal Zauber und ähnliches an. ☺
Trotz, dass auch in diesem Band wieder einige langatmige Stellen vorhanden sind zieht das Buch einen mit. Die lockere und einfache Schreibweise hilft hierbei sehr. Es wurde eine Welt geschaffen, die irgendwie fasziniert und mitreist. Auch wenn man in diesem Band sehr vieles aufgeklärt bekommen hat, erkennt man zum Schluss sehr deutlich, dass noch mehr kommen kann und wird. Es ist noch nicht vorbei und aus diesem Grund macht es schon neugierig auf den nächsten und letzten Band.
Angenehmer wie im letzten Teil fand ich, dass man dieses Mal nicht alle Hintergrundinformationen auf einmal erhalten hat. Dennoch hätte man es an manchen Stellen etwas eleganter hinbekommen können. Doch das lässt sich als Leser immer einfach sagen.
Was mir wieder ganz gut gefällt ist, dass Sav und die anderen nicht mehr ganz so langsam im Denken sind. Bei manchen Sachen war ich wirklich verwundert, dass sie so aus sich herauskommen. Allerdings kamen dann auch wieder Situationen, wo man einigen Charakteren am liebsten dem Kopf geschüttelt hätte. Doch meines Erachtens ist es besser geworden und das finde ich gut.
Auch der Buchschluss ist meines Erachtens recht gut gewählt. Der Leser wird durch diesen doch recht „offenen“ Schluss dazu angeheizt auch den dritten Teil lesen zu wollen. Es endet in einer Situation, die berührt, nachdenklich macht und gleichzeitig den Neugierfaktor in die Höhe treibt.
Ich würde diesem Band 3,5 Punkte geben, da es meinen Leseeifer geweckt hat und mich dran bleiben lies. Es war spannend, aufregend, berührend und doch schön zu lesen. Hier wurde eine Geschichte geschaffen, die zum Fantasieren und mitreisen einlädt. Allerdings gibt es auch wie im ersten Band recht ziehende Stellen und auch die Schnell-Denkprobleme der Protagonisten ist nicht besser geworden. Aus diesem Grund muss ich leider 1,5 Punkte abziehen.
Mein Fazit:
Auch der zweite Band von Herzblut ist eine leichte Kost, wie man es ausdrücken würde. Es ist insgesamt wieder sehr einfach und leicht geschrieben, sodass selbst lesefaule ihren Spaß dran haben dürften. Durch die doch interessante Geschichte zieht es einen mit und das Buch ist schneller durchgelesen, als man schauen kann.
Meine Lesestunden waren vergnüglich und mit dieser Geschichte auch schön ausgefüllt. Im Gesamten würde ich durchaus sagen, dass es mir eine Freude war (bis auf oben aufgeführte Ausnahmen) auch den zweiten Band zu lesen und bin gespannt auf den Dritten Teil. Gerade für Leser wie mich, die eher eine „einfache“ Schreibweise mögen ist dieses Buch sehr empfehlenswert. Sowohl vom Schreiben, als auch von der Geschichte her!