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The Noctalis Chronicles #1
Nocturnal
Seventeen-year-old Ava-Claire Sullivan's mother is dying. Perhaps it's no surprise, then, that her greatest solace comes from someone who's already dead.
Peter Hart saves her one night in a graveyard from an attacker just as strange as he is, and now Ava can't stop thinking about him. She wants to see him again – even after he warns her he's dangerous, and she begins to realize what he is. Her best friends don't know anything about death, but Peter does, intimately. He's waiting for her the next night she comes to the cemetery, and the next...
But their growing bond comes up against a promise Peter made a long time ago, a promise that could destroy them both. Now Ava has to decide just what she's willing to give up to hold onto the one thing that could last forever.
Peter Hart saves her one night in a graveyard from an attacker just as strange as he is, and now Ava can't stop thinking about him. She wants to see him again – even after he warns her he's dangerous, and she begins to realize what he is. Her best friends don't know anything about death, but Peter does, intimately. He's waiting for her the next night she comes to the cemetery, and the next...
But their growing bond comes up against a promise Peter made a long time ago, a promise that could destroy them both. Now Ava has to decide just what she's willing to give up to hold onto the one thing that could last forever.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 11, 2012
43 people are currently reading
2661 people want to read
About the author
Chelsea M. Cameron
114 books4,881 followersChelsea M. Cameron is a New York Times/USA Today/Internationally Best Selling author from Maine who now lives and works in Boston. She's a red velvet cake enthusiast, obsessive tea drinker, former cheerleader, and world's worst video gamer. When not writing, she enjoys watching infomercials, eating brunch in bed, tweeting, and playing fetch with her cat, Sassenach. She has a degree in journalism from the University of Maine, Orono that she promptly abandoned to write about the people in her own head. More often than not, these people turn out to be just as weird as she is.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
November 14, 2017
This was a YA paranormal romance story, featuring creatures called Noctalis.
Ava had a rough time in this book, first with her mother’s terminal cancer diagnosis, and then with being attacked in a graveyard. She didn’t have the best sense of self-preservation though as she continued to return to the cemetery even after everything that had happened there.
The storyline in this was about Ava going to spend some time alone in a graveyard in the middle of the night after learning her mother’s prognosis, and running into a boy called Peter and his brother, who tried to kill her. Ava then kept going back to the graveyard to meet Peter though, and eventually he confessed to her that he wasn’t human and had died in 1912. Ava seemed to take all this pretty well though, and we got a slow romance happening between the two. The pace in this book was very slow though, and it seemed to take a long time for anything to happen.
The ending to this was okay, but we were left with lots of questions still.
6.5 out of 10
Ava had a rough time in this book, first with her mother’s terminal cancer diagnosis, and then with being attacked in a graveyard. She didn’t have the best sense of self-preservation though as she continued to return to the cemetery even after everything that had happened there.
The storyline in this was about Ava going to spend some time alone in a graveyard in the middle of the night after learning her mother’s prognosis, and running into a boy called Peter and his brother, who tried to kill her. Ava then kept going back to the graveyard to meet Peter though, and eventually he confessed to her that he wasn’t human and had died in 1912. Ava seemed to take all this pretty well though, and we got a slow romance happening between the two. The pace in this book was very slow though, and it seemed to take a long time for anything to happen.
The ending to this was okay, but we were left with lots of questions still.
6.5 out of 10
June 24, 2012
To be perfectly honest, I was a little scared about 2 chapters in. Chelsea is a sweetie so I kept going, but the reason for my hesitancy was because my mom has cancer and Ava is not dealing with it very well and I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy the book if she was going to dwell on this. And she did, but Ava is such a likeable character. She's 'reckless' and I liked it that Chelsea made a character that wasn't reckless just b/c some guy said don't do something. She was reckless b/c life just sucked and to a teenager, life seems to end when things go wrong. It was all very real.
And now Peter. Oh, Peter. He also was very real and believable. He was a monster in the beginning and there was no sugar coating of this fact. Yes, she changed him, but he wasn't all fluff and goo, which I normally love, but it was a different change of pace for me and I liked it.
The story behind the vampires and all that was different as well. The best friends, Jamie and Tex, were different, too. I think Jamie is secretly in love with Ava. We'll see. A nice change and I'm very intrigued with where she'll take Peter and Ava's story.
By the end of the book, I was rooting and even swooning a little for Peter. Poor guy. When Chelsea explained his backstory scenes, I won't say how he died b/c it was a nice surprise, but I caught my crying a couple times. And I love the little tidbits she threw in from Peter's POV.
Nicely done, Chelsea!
5 awesome, real, solid, beautifully written stars from me.
And now Peter. Oh, Peter. He also was very real and believable. He was a monster in the beginning and there was no sugar coating of this fact. Yes, she changed him, but he wasn't all fluff and goo, which I normally love, but it was a different change of pace for me and I liked it.
The story behind the vampires and all that was different as well. The best friends, Jamie and Tex, were different, too. I think Jamie is secretly in love with Ava. We'll see. A nice change and I'm very intrigued with where she'll take Peter and Ava's story.
By the end of the book, I was rooting and even swooning a little for Peter. Poor guy. When Chelsea explained his backstory scenes, I won't say how he died b/c it was a nice surprise, but I caught my crying a couple times. And I love the little tidbits she threw in from Peter's POV.
Nicely done, Chelsea!
5 awesome, real, solid, beautifully written stars from me.
August 28, 2012
Okay, this is from the first chapter of the next book which pretty much explains why I don't like this book:
"I'd been the one who, after I knew he could kill me, still came and hung out with him. Multiple times. Even after he'd physically threatened me, that wasn't a deal breaker. The only way he could have gotten rid of me was to actually kill me. Which he hadn't done yet."
WTF?
I seem to keep reading books that start off pretty good then take a big nose dive once the heroine gets choked by her potential love interest and his brother on two separate occasions and she goes looking for her potential love interest because she just can't stay away from him. What are authors saying to teenage girls? This is not love nor is it the beginning of love. It's psychotic. You can't have a human fall in love with a supernatural being who threatens to kill her and bruises her neck so badly she spends time finding makeup to cover it (which she doesn't do successfully) and wearing a scarf until the bruises fade enough where no one will notice or ask her questions. Can you tell me how this isn't abusive or her removing the blame from Peter for hurting her? He never apologizes, only says after she asks him on numerous occasions, "Are you going to kill me?" that he won't hurt her. Seriously? I don't understand this and I don't get why this is supposed to be romantic.
The story has serious issues which need to be addressed and I don't really care to go into them because there are too many. Just know that the characters are two dimensional, disappear and reappear when Ava cares to think about them, and simply don't hold your interest. There's no one I liked in this book. I don't care to know what happens with Ava and Peter; even Ava's mother's cancer issue probably will get swept under the rug. I totally think that's a terrible plot device, by the way. My only consolation is this was a quick read. I wouldn't bother with this one unless you like reading stories which throw information at you with no explanation. If the heroine doesn't care, why should I? Right? *smh* And let's not forget the odd ending. I can't even...
"I'd been the one who, after I knew he could kill me, still came and hung out with him. Multiple times. Even after he'd physically threatened me, that wasn't a deal breaker. The only way he could have gotten rid of me was to actually kill me. Which he hadn't done yet."
WTF?
I seem to keep reading books that start off pretty good then take a big nose dive once the heroine gets choked by her potential love interest and his brother on two separate occasions and she goes looking for her potential love interest because she just can't stay away from him. What are authors saying to teenage girls? This is not love nor is it the beginning of love. It's psychotic. You can't have a human fall in love with a supernatural being who threatens to kill her and bruises her neck so badly she spends time finding makeup to cover it (which she doesn't do successfully) and wearing a scarf until the bruises fade enough where no one will notice or ask her questions. Can you tell me how this isn't abusive or her removing the blame from Peter for hurting her? He never apologizes, only says after she asks him on numerous occasions, "Are you going to kill me?" that he won't hurt her. Seriously? I don't understand this and I don't get why this is supposed to be romantic.
The story has serious issues which need to be addressed and I don't really care to go into them because there are too many. Just know that the characters are two dimensional, disappear and reappear when Ava cares to think about them, and simply don't hold your interest. There's no one I liked in this book. I don't care to know what happens with Ava and Peter; even Ava's mother's cancer issue probably will get swept under the rug. I totally think that's a terrible plot device, by the way. My only consolation is this was a quick read. I wouldn't bother with this one unless you like reading stories which throw information at you with no explanation. If the heroine doesn't care, why should I? Right? *smh* And let's not forget the odd ending. I can't even...
January 31, 2018
Bullet Review:
DNF at 15% in chapter 6.
Yet another “paranormal urban fantasy” novel that’s more preoccupied with teenaged dwama than an actual paranormal or urban fantasy story.
Yes, it’s tragic Ava’s mom is about to die. I even sorta understand her reasoning behind not telling her friends. But I’m sitting at 15% through this book and the biggest action has been Ava setting up her new mobile phone (it ended up free with rebate).
Also the writing is laughable. The one that killed me was this gem when Ava stumbles upon Ivan (and Peter? Whoever the emosparkly deep dwamatic hewo is in this Twilight hack):
“Frantic, I reach out with my eyes, trying to pluck a string of humanity in one of them.”
Life’s too short for mediocre young adult fiction. Byeeeeeeeee...
DNF at 15% in chapter 6.
Yet another “paranormal urban fantasy” novel that’s more preoccupied with teenaged dwama than an actual paranormal or urban fantasy story.
Yes, it’s tragic Ava’s mom is about to die. I even sorta understand her reasoning behind not telling her friends. But I’m sitting at 15% through this book and the biggest action has been Ava setting up her new mobile phone (it ended up free with rebate).
Also the writing is laughable. The one that killed me was this gem when Ava stumbles upon Ivan (and Peter? Whoever the emosparkly deep dwamatic hewo is in this Twilight hack):
“Frantic, I reach out with my eyes, trying to pluck a string of humanity in one of them.”
Life’s too short for mediocre young adult fiction. Byeeeeeeeee...
May 14, 2012
Ok then. Talk about hitting the hard stuff right out of the gate. Chapter one has us out to dinner with Ava-Claire and her parents. They are there to tell her that her mother's cancer is terminal. In a public setting. Then they have dessert. I must say, props to this girl for not making a scene right then and there. I would have.
So obviously this sets the scene for Ava doing things most kids wouldn't. Like driving to the cemetery in the middle of the night for some fresh air and peace and quiet. Of course this night it is anything but; she is almost killed, yet somehow wakes up in her car, safe minus some bruises on her neck. She must obviously go back to investigate, and meets Peter. And at that point I must say YAY NO INSTA-LOVE!!!! She is intrigued, and the more she gets to know him, the more she wants to (and the more I want her to!) Of course, things happen that make them have to be around one another, but by that point it is great. They don't really need an excuse.
She also has two great friends, Jaime and Tex, who she can't confide in about her mother's prognosis. My theory is that would make it too real. She has known them both since grade school, and have been BFF's ever since. P.S. Jamie is a guy. At first I wanted there to be a love connection with him, but now I don't think so.
And her parents ... how opposite could they be? Her mother is a SAINT. Her dad ... lets just say I wanted to kick his teeth in every time he spoke with her. Great with his wife, horrible to his daughter. I hope he gets his shit together; they are going to need each other. Very soon.
When I was first asked to read this book, I was nervous and put it off for weeks because I HATE crying. I must say, I almost didn't read it because I thought I might cry. But I jumped in one night figuring, "What the hell?" Boy am I glad I did! I did not cry, but there are some scenes where those more sob-inclined might. Like when Ava's mom makes a list of things she must teach her before she dies. Yup, that choked me up a bit and made me want to run and give my own mother a hug. I can't because she is several states away, but I wanted to.
Before I get too gushy about this book, I must admit there were just a couple of things that distracted me. First, and biggest, there are several editing errors. Not spelling errors, but words in places that didn't make sense. Which is usually a big turn off for me, but the story itself carried me through. Second, and only a personal preference, what is with everyone having 2 different eye colors? (Explained in the first part of Nightmare, book 2). That is just weird. One person, ok, that makes the unique, but all of them? And lastly, though it makes for a neat story, it is still somewhat cheesy how he died. Not gonna spoil that for you, just keep that in mind when you get to that part.
Those (what I consider minor) complaints aside, I thought this book was amazing. Cameron takes a typical girl-meets-vampire type creature, and adds a whole new element to it. And the only way for them to die ... man that is some more deep shit. This story made me feel things, and not just for the character, for myself. It takes an event we all fear and brings it to the forefront. The looming death of her mother colors everything Ava does, and in turn makes you think how you would handle the similar situation.
I could go on, but you will just have to read this for yourself. Nocturnal gets 4 1/2 out of 5 stars, and the only reason it isn't 5 out of 5 are the editing issues I mentioned. I immediately acquired book 2, and am already half-way through it.
This book took me less than 24 hours to get through. As I was finishing it, I was also tweeting the author about how mad I was because the book was coming to an end. She said it was all part of her evil plan and laughed! She is one funny lady, and if you get the chance, you should talk to her. I will leave it up to her if she wants to share her twitter handle with you. ;-)
So obviously this sets the scene for Ava doing things most kids wouldn't. Like driving to the cemetery in the middle of the night for some fresh air and peace and quiet. Of course this night it is anything but; she is almost killed, yet somehow wakes up in her car, safe minus some bruises on her neck. She must obviously go back to investigate, and meets Peter. And at that point I must say YAY NO INSTA-LOVE!!!! She is intrigued, and the more she gets to know him, the more she wants to (and the more I want her to!) Of course, things happen that make them have to be around one another, but by that point it is great. They don't really need an excuse.
She also has two great friends, Jaime and Tex, who she can't confide in about her mother's prognosis. My theory is that would make it too real. She has known them both since grade school, and have been BFF's ever since. P.S. Jamie is a guy. At first I wanted there to be a love connection with him, but now I don't think so.
And her parents ... how opposite could they be? Her mother is a SAINT. Her dad ... lets just say I wanted to kick his teeth in every time he spoke with her. Great with his wife, horrible to his daughter. I hope he gets his shit together; they are going to need each other. Very soon.
When I was first asked to read this book, I was nervous and put it off for weeks because I HATE crying. I must say, I almost didn't read it because I thought I might cry. But I jumped in one night figuring, "What the hell?" Boy am I glad I did! I did not cry, but there are some scenes where those more sob-inclined might. Like when Ava's mom makes a list of things she must teach her before she dies. Yup, that choked me up a bit and made me want to run and give my own mother a hug. I can't because she is several states away, but I wanted to.
Before I get too gushy about this book, I must admit there were just a couple of things that distracted me. First, and biggest, there are several editing errors. Not spelling errors, but words in places that didn't make sense. Which is usually a big turn off for me, but the story itself carried me through. Second, and only a personal preference, what is with everyone having 2 different eye colors? (Explained in the first part of Nightmare, book 2). That is just weird. One person, ok, that makes the unique, but all of them? And lastly, though it makes for a neat story, it is still somewhat cheesy how he died. Not gonna spoil that for you, just keep that in mind when you get to that part.
Those (what I consider minor) complaints aside, I thought this book was amazing. Cameron takes a typical girl-meets-vampire type creature, and adds a whole new element to it. And the only way for them to die ... man that is some more deep shit. This story made me feel things, and not just for the character, for myself. It takes an event we all fear and brings it to the forefront. The looming death of her mother colors everything Ava does, and in turn makes you think how you would handle the similar situation.
I could go on, but you will just have to read this for yourself. Nocturnal gets 4 1/2 out of 5 stars, and the only reason it isn't 5 out of 5 are the editing issues I mentioned. I immediately acquired book 2, and am already half-way through it.
This book took me less than 24 hours to get through. As I was finishing it, I was also tweeting the author about how mad I was because the book was coming to an end. She said it was all part of her evil plan and laughed! She is one funny lady, and if you get the chance, you should talk to her. I will leave it up to her if she wants to share her twitter handle with you. ;-)
November 14, 2017
Well, this book was...boring. Literally nothing happened.
Ava finds out her mother is dying in the first chapter. She doesn't take this information well (I don't blame her) and instead of confiding in her best friends for support, she shuts down. Seeking solace instead in the solitude of a graveyard - where she of course runs into trouble. Trouble in the form of two brothers who threaten to kill her. Ava gets away but her obvious instinct is to return the following night.
Wait, what?
Yup, that's right. She goes back because one seemed nice. I mean, fair point. He didn't try to kill, only wanted to. Seems legit, right? Nope. Not at all. And thus begins the ridiculousness of this story. What the unfolds is just boringness. Ava fights with her dad, she sneaks out to meet Peter, she fights with her friends, she sneaks out to meet Peter, she sulks, she sneaks out to meet Peter. That's literally all that happens.
While the story itself borrows heavily from other YA books of the same nature *cough*Twilight*cough*, Cameron had a good base idea. However, the execution of said idea fell really flat. We're never quite shown what her attraction to Peter is. We're just told that he understands her. How? How do we get that? From his silence? His monotone, one word answers? Peter is possibly the most flat love interest character I've ever read. The two of them had zero chemistry and we're supposed to believe that they had this special bond? Nope, didn't buy it.
Also, lying to your best friends and not telling them about your mother dying is going to come back and bite you in the ass. I'm just saying.
Ava finds out her mother is dying in the first chapter. She doesn't take this information well (I don't blame her) and instead of confiding in her best friends for support, she shuts down. Seeking solace instead in the solitude of a graveyard - where she of course runs into trouble. Trouble in the form of two brothers who threaten to kill her. Ava gets away but her obvious instinct is to return the following night.
Wait, what?
Yup, that's right. She goes back because one seemed nice. I mean, fair point. He didn't try to kill, only wanted to. Seems legit, right? Nope. Not at all. And thus begins the ridiculousness of this story. What the unfolds is just boringness. Ava fights with her dad, she sneaks out to meet Peter, she fights with her friends, she sneaks out to meet Peter, she sulks, she sneaks out to meet Peter. That's literally all that happens.
While the story itself borrows heavily from other YA books of the same nature *cough*Twilight*cough*, Cameron had a good base idea. However, the execution of said idea fell really flat. We're never quite shown what her attraction to Peter is. We're just told that he understands her. How? How do we get that? From his silence? His monotone, one word answers? Peter is possibly the most flat love interest character I've ever read. The two of them had zero chemistry and we're supposed to believe that they had this special bond? Nope, didn't buy it.
Also, lying to your best friends and not telling them about your mother dying is going to come back and bite you in the ass. I'm just saying.
November 14, 2017
Actual rating - 3.5
Nocturnal was a decent read.
I felt really sorry for Ava. Knowing someone you love was going to die soon would be absolutely awful!
Peter confused me a bit. He needed blood to survive, was immortal, didn't have fangs, but had wings... This isn't a combo i've come across before.
The pacing in this was okay, although my interest did waver at times. It wasn't too bad though, thankfully.
Overall, A decent paranormal read, but the love interest was confusing.
Nocturnal was a decent read.
I felt really sorry for Ava. Knowing someone you love was going to die soon would be absolutely awful!
Peter confused me a bit. He needed blood to survive, was immortal, didn't have fangs, but had wings... This isn't a combo i've come across before.
The pacing in this was okay, although my interest did waver at times. It wasn't too bad though, thankfully.
Overall, A decent paranormal read, but the love interest was confusing.
June 10, 2013
True Rating: 1.5 stars.
"I want to kill you."
Ava
She is an insufferable character. Cameron did not incorporate any redeeming qualities into Ava's character development. She starts off extremely bitter and self centered. As the story progresses, she gets worse and worse. She is very selfish, inconsiderate, mopey, suicidal, irrational, and ridiculous. She is in love with a creature who strangled her. I mean, how is that for an epic romance? She is a lousy friend, daughter, and a shitty person altogether. Everything is all about Ava. I didn't like her one bit, obviously, and I found that I couldn't care less about what happened to her. I didn't feel sorry for her about her mother. I didn't feel like I wanted her to succeed at anything; there was just absolutely no connection founded between us.
Peter
I liked him while he was hell bent on killing her and being creepy. But as soon as he started becoming interested in more than just Ava's blood, he completely lost his appeal. He had no personality. I'm fairly certain that a wooden board held more intrigue than Peter.
What he was was the only thing about him that was interesting. But his character development, or lack of, was terrible.
Tex
The slutty friend. I don't know what the trend is with having the best friend, who you don't see enough of, have more spunk and personality than the protagonist. I would have much rather read about the life of the slutty librarian wannabe than that of Miss Ava. The only downfall Tex had was that she so easily forgave Ava for being a horrible friend.
Jamie
I loved him. And I was really hoping he would be the love interest. He's not violent. He was sweet and responsible. He was a really great friend. A shame that Ava let him down. I am really hoping he sets her straight in the next book and walks away from her. She needs a reality check about the way she treats people who are supposed to be her friends and family.
The Romance
It was sloppy. A bit concerning too. I'm not sure what kind of message Cameron was trying to send with Ava being okay with physical abuse. I don't know how we were supposed to root for Peter as a love interest after leaving such lovely bruises on her neck. I liked that Ava said that she didn't condone males hitting females when Ivan punched Di in the face, but that's a load of shit. She had no problem with being strangled by Peter. In fact, she thought to reward him with dirty dancing and a few make-out sessions.
Ava also seemed to forget that the Claiming was done against her will. She didn't give her permission from what I read. But she didn't seem to mind too much. Very odd.
But because of these things, the romance didn't feel real to me. It felt very coerced. I don't think she loves Peter at all. But what is going on between them is not healthy. I don't think this type of relationship is one that should be encouraged and advertised to young women. It's disgusting.
The Plot
I have read a lot of vampire books, but so far, nothing like this one. In regard to what Peter called himself, and the way his world worked, it was very unique to me. The rest of it was nothing but cliche after cliche. Ava's mother is terminal. But Ava spends a good chunk of the book bitching and moaning and feeling sorry for herself rather than spending quality time with her mother. She fights continually with her father--which is somewhat understandable. I did like that it showed what illness can do, in the manner of destruction, to a family. I couldn't connect Ava to being 17. She didn't sound it, she didn't feel it, and she didn't act it. She felt much younger. Like 12.
Ava hides everything from everyone. She refuses to tell her friends that her mother is dying. I found that odd. I could see her wanting to process it a bit, give it time to sink in and accept it, but she avoided it altogether. It's actually very selfish. Most people have some kind of interaction with their friend's parents, maybe even like them. Perhaps they would like to say goodbye.
What happened to Ava being pulled out of school to spend her time with her mother? Did Cameron forget about this...?
Dialogue
Awful. Just plain awful. Cameron tried too hard with the teen slang a lot of the time. It was like listening to a shitty sitcom with really, really bad acting. The conversations between Peter and Ava were the worst. I get that he was quiet and all, but wow...it was really awkward and boring.
Misc.
The timeline was awkward. Sometimes days would pass but you didn't know it.
There were a lot of editing issues.
Overall
There's not a lot in this book that hasn't already been done. The life of the vampire was the only thing really new to me. And the book was really uneventful. It was mostly unnecessary drama that did not really pertain to the story.
I may or may not read the next one...If I do, it will be to see if the writing improves at all.
Recommendation? No.
"I want to kill you."
Ava
She is an insufferable character. Cameron did not incorporate any redeeming qualities into Ava's character development. She starts off extremely bitter and self centered. As the story progresses, she gets worse and worse. She is very selfish, inconsiderate, mopey, suicidal, irrational, and ridiculous. She is in love with a creature who strangled her. I mean, how is that for an epic romance? She is a lousy friend, daughter, and a shitty person altogether. Everything is all about Ava. I didn't like her one bit, obviously, and I found that I couldn't care less about what happened to her. I didn't feel sorry for her about her mother. I didn't feel like I wanted her to succeed at anything; there was just absolutely no connection founded between us.
Peter
I liked him while he was hell bent on killing her and being creepy. But as soon as he started becoming interested in more than just Ava's blood, he completely lost his appeal. He had no personality. I'm fairly certain that a wooden board held more intrigue than Peter.
What he was was the only thing about him that was interesting. But his character development, or lack of, was terrible.
Tex
The slutty friend. I don't know what the trend is with having the best friend, who you don't see enough of, have more spunk and personality than the protagonist. I would have much rather read about the life of the slutty librarian wannabe than that of Miss Ava. The only downfall Tex had was that she so easily forgave Ava for being a horrible friend.
Jamie
I loved him. And I was really hoping he would be the love interest. He's not violent. He was sweet and responsible. He was a really great friend. A shame that Ava let him down. I am really hoping he sets her straight in the next book and walks away from her. She needs a reality check about the way she treats people who are supposed to be her friends and family.
The Romance
It was sloppy. A bit concerning too. I'm not sure what kind of message Cameron was trying to send with Ava being okay with physical abuse. I don't know how we were supposed to root for Peter as a love interest after leaving such lovely bruises on her neck. I liked that Ava said that she didn't condone males hitting females when Ivan punched Di in the face, but that's a load of shit. She had no problem with being strangled by Peter. In fact, she thought to reward him with dirty dancing and a few make-out sessions.
Ava also seemed to forget that the Claiming was done against her will. She didn't give her permission from what I read. But she didn't seem to mind too much. Very odd.
But because of these things, the romance didn't feel real to me. It felt very coerced. I don't think she loves Peter at all. But what is going on between them is not healthy. I don't think this type of relationship is one that should be encouraged and advertised to young women. It's disgusting.
The Plot
I have read a lot of vampire books, but so far, nothing like this one. In regard to what Peter called himself, and the way his world worked, it was very unique to me. The rest of it was nothing but cliche after cliche. Ava's mother is terminal. But Ava spends a good chunk of the book bitching and moaning and feeling sorry for herself rather than spending quality time with her mother. She fights continually with her father--which is somewhat understandable. I did like that it showed what illness can do, in the manner of destruction, to a family. I couldn't connect Ava to being 17. She didn't sound it, she didn't feel it, and she didn't act it. She felt much younger. Like 12.
Ava hides everything from everyone. She refuses to tell her friends that her mother is dying. I found that odd. I could see her wanting to process it a bit, give it time to sink in and accept it, but she avoided it altogether. It's actually very selfish. Most people have some kind of interaction with their friend's parents, maybe even like them. Perhaps they would like to say goodbye.
What happened to Ava being pulled out of school to spend her time with her mother? Did Cameron forget about this...?
Dialogue
Awful. Just plain awful. Cameron tried too hard with the teen slang a lot of the time. It was like listening to a shitty sitcom with really, really bad acting. The conversations between Peter and Ava were the worst. I get that he was quiet and all, but wow...it was really awkward and boring.
Misc.
The timeline was awkward. Sometimes days would pass but you didn't know it.
There were a lot of editing issues.
Overall
There's not a lot in this book that hasn't already been done. The life of the vampire was the only thing really new to me. And the book was really uneventful. It was mostly unnecessary drama that did not really pertain to the story.
I may or may not read the next one...If I do, it will be to see if the writing improves at all.
Recommendation? No.
November 14, 2017
This wasn't as good as the first time I read it. It had a really slow pace, so a lot of it dragged for me.
August 23, 2012
I promise to be brutally honest with my opinion, but it should not be taken as fact. Any reader should read it for themselves, before they decide if this book has any merit or not. Do not judge this book baised solely on my opinion. If you do, you might miss out on a great read. You never know. It could happen.
1. Strong Main Character/ Female Heroine: Ava-Claire is a strong character with an equally strong will. She knows what she wants and she does not want to spill all her horrifying secrets to her friends. Eventually, she will lean on her friend Texas and be strong for her other friend. She is very believable, because people are strong but we can still take only so much. I like how she has her own mind and is not a conformist. 5 out of 5 stars
2. Strong Minor Characters: The minor characters create a lot of intrigue and interest in the book. I love all of the minor characters. I find none of them lacking or boring, which is refreshing. All of the characters have a role to perform in the book. None of them are just stuck in there for the hell of it. 5 out of 5 stars
3. The Settling: Okay, so the setting can get a bit repetative. It is always at the house, graveyard, or school, but there are a few parties and a camping trip stuck in there. I wish there was a little more about the setting of where she lives was used a bit more. It makes the plot and characters a bit boring when they only go a few places in he entire book. 3 out of 5 stars
4. The Plot: I love how realistic the plot is. A mother is dying from cancer takes center stage in Ava's life, but another issue also enters the book. This bigger vampyric issue starts to take over, but Ava never loses sight on her mother's crumbling health. This story takes an unrealistic concept and makes it realistic by adding realistic elements and problems to the story. It is pure genius writing. 5 out of 5 stars
This book is incredable and I really want to read the next book to hear about what happens next. I wonder if Ava will be able to save her mother from death. That would be a very great plot twist. Hopefully, the setting is more diverse that way I can give this story the five stars that it deserves.
1. Strong Main Character/ Female Heroine: Ava-Claire is a strong character with an equally strong will. She knows what she wants and she does not want to spill all her horrifying secrets to her friends. Eventually, she will lean on her friend Texas and be strong for her other friend. She is very believable, because people are strong but we can still take only so much. I like how she has her own mind and is not a conformist. 5 out of 5 stars
2. Strong Minor Characters: The minor characters create a lot of intrigue and interest in the book. I love all of the minor characters. I find none of them lacking or boring, which is refreshing. All of the characters have a role to perform in the book. None of them are just stuck in there for the hell of it. 5 out of 5 stars
3. The Settling: Okay, so the setting can get a bit repetative. It is always at the house, graveyard, or school, but there are a few parties and a camping trip stuck in there. I wish there was a little more about the setting of where she lives was used a bit more. It makes the plot and characters a bit boring when they only go a few places in he entire book. 3 out of 5 stars
4. The Plot: I love how realistic the plot is. A mother is dying from cancer takes center stage in Ava's life, but another issue also enters the book. This bigger vampyric issue starts to take over, but Ava never loses sight on her mother's crumbling health. This story takes an unrealistic concept and makes it realistic by adding realistic elements and problems to the story. It is pure genius writing. 5 out of 5 stars
This book is incredable and I really want to read the next book to hear about what happens next. I wonder if Ava will be able to save her mother from death. That would be a very great plot twist. Hopefully, the setting is more diverse that way I can give this story the five stars that it deserves.
October 8, 2020
https://celebrityreaders.com/2020/10/...
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
4.5 stars — I must say that this book broke the mold for me for paranormal romance. For one, the romance was really slow and in some ways more realistic b/c it started out with an innate curiosity about the other…something that tugged them together, for reasons they could not explain, and made them both behave out of their norms. And it wasn’t all about the romance…in fact it was kind of a small part. And the paranormal aspect was intriguing b/c it had pieces of a lot of myths, and yet was not completely explained b/c it couldn’t be completely explained…but we were given enough to want to read more and find out more.
Peter was a fascinating hero….in that in some ways he wasn’t a hero at all. There were many dark elements about him and that is just who he had become. Ms. Cameron didn’t try to sugarcoat him….he wasn’t some good misunderstood evil thing….he was who he was, and he wasn’t good so much as tugged into a different set of feelings. I really appreciated that….it gets kind of tiring to read the same sorts of “evil but good” characters. And she wrote him so well, he was so…long forgotten of humanity.
The real gem of this story is Ava. I didn’t always understand her, and I didn’t always get her choices and reactions and her relationship with her father (probably why I rounded down instead of up), but she was an intriguing character. She was skeptical and scared when she needed to be, but with a complimentary insatiable curiosity. And the crux of this story for me was that it was a contemporary story about a girl dealing with grief and the inevitability of a death, with a strange paranormal twist on the side. There was a lot about how she was going through losing her mother, and I could relate having lost my father to the big C as a teenager. It’s so hard to try to be “strong” for them, but you’re also sitting there dealing with something horrific and sometimes you don’t want to be strong. Anyways, this is what got to me and had me wanting to round up to 5 instead. I LOVED how Ms. Cameron dealt with such a difficult subject.
I guess in the end the round down won b/c there were bits of the story that I didn’t understand, and I kept thinking I missed something. It was like they would say she told him about her Mom, but I didn’t remember it happening, and it left me confused and jarred out of the story occasionally. Regardless, I can’t wait to see where this goes.
ON REREAD:
3.5 stars — Not as good on reread, but not as awful as the last reread I tried. There are parts of me that still agrees with a lot of what I said in my original review. I appreciated Ava’s experience dealing with her Mom, and I enjoyed the slower romance.
I think one of the things that stood out to me the most is that this is what Twilight might have been if you didn’t sugarcoat the weird obsession, potential for violence, etc. Peter is not good. But he starts to see something that he has forgotten and wants back, and Ava intrigues him. I appreciate that. I mean, it’s weird when the hero is violent to the heroine in an attempt to warn her away, but it was also more realistic I guess. Similarly, I don’t feel like we give Ava a pass for being reckless and stupid. She truly is reckless and stupid. But instead of trying to make that out to be a good thing, it just is what it is, and it is how she and Peter develop a relationship.
Things that didn’t work for me this time around:
* It was almost too slow in the buildup. The lack of answers about Noctalis, the mysterious promise, it was just…frustrating.
* That last paragraph in my original review? Oh yeah, noticed the consistency issues a LOT. There were little mistakes (like they’re getting in the car, and then they’re walking to the car); there were bigger mistakes (like what is noted above with things being mentioned as though they happened, but they didn’t).
* Ava and Tex are kinda mean girls. This is another case of me becoming more enlightened, and I just don’t want to see the heroines I’m supposed to be connecting with being bullies and jerks. Like, at one point Tex is feeling down and so Ava pulls out their yearbook so they can point out the people getting fat and laugh and feel better about themselves. Nope. There was also a moment where Ava honest to god thinks something along the lines of “what does Tex expect when she dresses like that” when they’re at a party, referencing guy attention/harrassment. Again, nope.
* I kinda hated that Jamie is going through something big, but Ava’s too busy dealing with her own shit to notice…and that she still won’t tell him about her Mom, because you know, maybe that would help.
Sooooo…I’m going to keep rereading, b/c I wanted to finish the series. We’ll see how I feel after book 2. This wasn’t enough to turn me off, it just wasn’t as enjoyable as I remember…or I’ve changed too much or something.
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
4.5 stars — I must say that this book broke the mold for me for paranormal romance. For one, the romance was really slow and in some ways more realistic b/c it started out with an innate curiosity about the other…something that tugged them together, for reasons they could not explain, and made them both behave out of their norms. And it wasn’t all about the romance…in fact it was kind of a small part. And the paranormal aspect was intriguing b/c it had pieces of a lot of myths, and yet was not completely explained b/c it couldn’t be completely explained…but we were given enough to want to read more and find out more.
Peter was a fascinating hero….in that in some ways he wasn’t a hero at all. There were many dark elements about him and that is just who he had become. Ms. Cameron didn’t try to sugarcoat him….he wasn’t some good misunderstood evil thing….he was who he was, and he wasn’t good so much as tugged into a different set of feelings. I really appreciated that….it gets kind of tiring to read the same sorts of “evil but good” characters. And she wrote him so well, he was so…long forgotten of humanity.
The real gem of this story is Ava. I didn’t always understand her, and I didn’t always get her choices and reactions and her relationship with her father (probably why I rounded down instead of up), but she was an intriguing character. She was skeptical and scared when she needed to be, but with a complimentary insatiable curiosity. And the crux of this story for me was that it was a contemporary story about a girl dealing with grief and the inevitability of a death, with a strange paranormal twist on the side. There was a lot about how she was going through losing her mother, and I could relate having lost my father to the big C as a teenager. It’s so hard to try to be “strong” for them, but you’re also sitting there dealing with something horrific and sometimes you don’t want to be strong. Anyways, this is what got to me and had me wanting to round up to 5 instead. I LOVED how Ms. Cameron dealt with such a difficult subject.
I guess in the end the round down won b/c there were bits of the story that I didn’t understand, and I kept thinking I missed something. It was like they would say she told him about her Mom, but I didn’t remember it happening, and it left me confused and jarred out of the story occasionally. Regardless, I can’t wait to see where this goes.
ON REREAD:
3.5 stars — Not as good on reread, but not as awful as the last reread I tried. There are parts of me that still agrees with a lot of what I said in my original review. I appreciated Ava’s experience dealing with her Mom, and I enjoyed the slower romance.
I think one of the things that stood out to me the most is that this is what Twilight might have been if you didn’t sugarcoat the weird obsession, potential for violence, etc. Peter is not good. But he starts to see something that he has forgotten and wants back, and Ava intrigues him. I appreciate that. I mean, it’s weird when the hero is violent to the heroine in an attempt to warn her away, but it was also more realistic I guess. Similarly, I don’t feel like we give Ava a pass for being reckless and stupid. She truly is reckless and stupid. But instead of trying to make that out to be a good thing, it just is what it is, and it is how she and Peter develop a relationship.
Things that didn’t work for me this time around:
* It was almost too slow in the buildup. The lack of answers about Noctalis, the mysterious promise, it was just…frustrating.
* That last paragraph in my original review? Oh yeah, noticed the consistency issues a LOT. There were little mistakes (like they’re getting in the car, and then they’re walking to the car); there were bigger mistakes (like what is noted above with things being mentioned as though they happened, but they didn’t).
* Ava and Tex are kinda mean girls. This is another case of me becoming more enlightened, and I just don’t want to see the heroines I’m supposed to be connecting with being bullies and jerks. Like, at one point Tex is feeling down and so Ava pulls out their yearbook so they can point out the people getting fat and laugh and feel better about themselves. Nope. There was also a moment where Ava honest to god thinks something along the lines of “what does Tex expect when she dresses like that” when they’re at a party, referencing guy attention/harrassment. Again, nope.
* I kinda hated that Jamie is going through something big, but Ava’s too busy dealing with her own shit to notice…and that she still won’t tell him about her Mom, because you know, maybe that would help.
Sooooo…I’m going to keep rereading, b/c I wanted to finish the series. We’ll see how I feel after book 2. This wasn’t enough to turn me off, it just wasn’t as enjoyable as I remember…or I’ve changed too much or something.
August 16, 2012
This book was also reviewed on The Book Hookup
**This book was given to The Book Hookup
but that did not influence the review**
Celeste’s review: 4.5 stars! First: I love the cover. LOVE! I’m a cover snob and this one is just gorgeous. Second: everyone needs to read this book! If you love being vested in characters, if you love having your heart broken and bursting with love at the same time, well this is the book for you. I really had no idea what to expect going into this novel and ended up falling in love with this story. Nocturnal is a tear jerker that flooded me with so many emotions while reading it.
The story: Ava’s mother has cancer, and instead of continuing with treatments she wants to enjoy the little time she has left. Oh my, get out the kleenex. It is so heartfelt. I loved. That is all. In order to escape her reality, Ava takes off to be alone in the cemetery, but that is where she meets Peter and his brother. Although Peter saves Ava from getting killed, she still knows that he is so dangerous. He isn’t even friendly, yet she can’t stay away from him. She finds some kind of peace in his company, which is exactly what she needed.
Ava: I loved her. She loves her mom, they are really close and have a very honest relationship. She doesn’t really care for her father but lives with him. I think she had a better relationship with him before her mother was sick. That is heartbreaking too! She is very, very real and I could totally relate to her.
Peter and Ava: They have a connection almost immediately, and even though their dialogue is limited and not that often, it is always full of emotion. There was so much “said” behind every small action. One serious bonus was that every so often there was a section in Peter’s POV, which truly completed the experience.
The friends: Her best friend Tex is the usual annoying bff, but her other best friend, Jamie I liked. He had his own issues and was deeper than the typical teen. However, there is a great loyalty among them all and I could appreciate it.
The storytelling: Wow. This is hard to do spoiler free, but I can tell you this: it built up slowly and gave us just enough that left me hooked. Well, mostly just me wanting to keep turning the pages to get more Peter and Ava time. However, it’s not just a romance; as I kept reading the plot was thickening with a danger lurking behind the lovebirds. The couple were bound in a way that made me feel as if I couldn’t breathe myself if the two of them weren’t together. At the same time there were hints of something serious: of past promises made and people being destroyed…but nothing specific that Ava was made aware of, until the closer to the end.
Emotional levels: Huge!! When a book makes me feel as much as I did here the author has done an amazing job. From the sadness to the romance…it was all intense. I was at 75% and they hadn’t even kissed (that happened at 88%) and yet it was still so romantic. Le swoon.
Peter: “I couldn’t tell where my feelings began and hers ended anymore.”
I’m pretty sure I felt the same way. The author has a way with words that make you feel like your emotions are bubbling over as well.
Thank you again to Ms. Cameron for providing Nocturnal, I’m a huge fan! I cannot wait to start the next book, Nightmare. I highly rec this book to everyone. Happy reading! :)
**This book was given to The Book Hookup
but that did not influence the review**
Celeste’s review: 4.5 stars! First: I love the cover. LOVE! I’m a cover snob and this one is just gorgeous. Second: everyone needs to read this book! If you love being vested in characters, if you love having your heart broken and bursting with love at the same time, well this is the book for you. I really had no idea what to expect going into this novel and ended up falling in love with this story. Nocturnal is a tear jerker that flooded me with so many emotions while reading it.
The story: Ava’s mother has cancer, and instead of continuing with treatments she wants to enjoy the little time she has left. Oh my, get out the kleenex. It is so heartfelt. I loved. That is all. In order to escape her reality, Ava takes off to be alone in the cemetery, but that is where she meets Peter and his brother. Although Peter saves Ava from getting killed, she still knows that he is so dangerous. He isn’t even friendly, yet she can’t stay away from him. She finds some kind of peace in his company, which is exactly what she needed.
Ava: I loved her. She loves her mom, they are really close and have a very honest relationship. She doesn’t really care for her father but lives with him. I think she had a better relationship with him before her mother was sick. That is heartbreaking too! She is very, very real and I could totally relate to her.
Peter and Ava: They have a connection almost immediately, and even though their dialogue is limited and not that often, it is always full of emotion. There was so much “said” behind every small action. One serious bonus was that every so often there was a section in Peter’s POV, which truly completed the experience.
The friends: Her best friend Tex is the usual annoying bff, but her other best friend, Jamie I liked. He had his own issues and was deeper than the typical teen. However, there is a great loyalty among them all and I could appreciate it.
The storytelling: Wow. This is hard to do spoiler free, but I can tell you this: it built up slowly and gave us just enough that left me hooked. Well, mostly just me wanting to keep turning the pages to get more Peter and Ava time. However, it’s not just a romance; as I kept reading the plot was thickening with a danger lurking behind the lovebirds. The couple were bound in a way that made me feel as if I couldn’t breathe myself if the two of them weren’t together. At the same time there were hints of something serious: of past promises made and people being destroyed…but nothing specific that Ava was made aware of, until the closer to the end.
Emotional levels: Huge!! When a book makes me feel as much as I did here the author has done an amazing job. From the sadness to the romance…it was all intense. I was at 75% and they hadn’t even kissed (that happened at 88%) and yet it was still so romantic. Le swoon.
Peter: “I couldn’t tell where my feelings began and hers ended anymore.”
I’m pretty sure I felt the same way. The author has a way with words that make you feel like your emotions are bubbling over as well.
Thank you again to Ms. Cameron for providing Nocturnal, I’m a huge fan! I cannot wait to start the next book, Nightmare. I highly rec this book to everyone. Happy reading! :)
March 28, 2012
Ava is living with a lot on her plate right now. Dealing with her mothers sickness and the inability to share it with her two closest friends Tex and Jamie. Not because they don't want to hear it but because she isn't ready to talk about everything that is going on at home. Instead she takes to the cemetery. The dead listen but don't ask her anything or anything of her. What happens when she goes one night and it isn't only the dead there does she realize how dangerous the night can be. Terrified or not she wants to see the guy that saved her from the one that was going to destroy her.
I'm not telling you the twist here but lets just say that i was totally did not expect it. I walked into this book expecting another vampire book(not that it is a bad thing). However when it got to reveal time I had to read over the sentence a couple times just to make sure I caught it right. I loved that it wasn't all a tortured secret and he just showed her. It's just the couple little things that really set this book apart and I loved it. I want to say so many of the little things that made this special to me but I don't want to ruin it for all of you.
Peter (our man in question) is kind of the typical mysterious guy. There is differences but mysterious all the way. He never talks too much, actually he doesn't really talk. The questions that Ava showers him with are answered in the most simple way possible. He doesn't over do it or try and make excuses for everything and anything. His lack of answers does cause some irritation every here and there but I chalk it up to he is a guy!
Tex (Texas Sarsaparilla Anne Hamilton <3 the name) is a very out going and loving. Like all good friends though when something is being hidden she can sense it. For the most part Tex just tries to support and be patient but that can only last so long... The question is what do you tell your best friend when you aren't even sure what's going on yourself?
My biggest problem in the book is that she really lets Jamie down when he needs her the most and then he just seems to disappear for a good chunk of the book. I really thought that he was going to be more and really felt that Ava let him down. I totally get that there is a lot of stuff going with her but I hate that he just seems to drop off the face of the book. I will admit though that I am super looking forward to the next book. I am not saying that this book is slow but it picks up some major momentum at the end and then ends. I feel the need for more and can't wait to see what Chelsea does with the next book!!
I'm not telling you the twist here but lets just say that i was totally did not expect it. I walked into this book expecting another vampire book(not that it is a bad thing). However when it got to reveal time I had to read over the sentence a couple times just to make sure I caught it right. I loved that it wasn't all a tortured secret and he just showed her. It's just the couple little things that really set this book apart and I loved it. I want to say so many of the little things that made this special to me but I don't want to ruin it for all of you.
Peter (our man in question) is kind of the typical mysterious guy. There is differences but mysterious all the way. He never talks too much, actually he doesn't really talk. The questions that Ava showers him with are answered in the most simple way possible. He doesn't over do it or try and make excuses for everything and anything. His lack of answers does cause some irritation every here and there but I chalk it up to he is a guy!
Tex (Texas Sarsaparilla Anne Hamilton <3 the name) is a very out going and loving. Like all good friends though when something is being hidden she can sense it. For the most part Tex just tries to support and be patient but that can only last so long... The question is what do you tell your best friend when you aren't even sure what's going on yourself?
My biggest problem in the book is that she really lets Jamie down when he needs her the most and then he just seems to disappear for a good chunk of the book. I really thought that he was going to be more and really felt that Ava let him down. I totally get that there is a lot of stuff going with her but I hate that he just seems to drop off the face of the book. I will admit though that I am super looking forward to the next book. I am not saying that this book is slow but it picks up some major momentum at the end and then ends. I feel the need for more and can't wait to see what Chelsea does with the next book!!
August 19, 2012
Awww I really liked reading this story. First, the cover looks amazing! I love tulips, and that purple one looks beautiful! Now, to me, there were different things going about, from family and friend issues to Noctalis-Guy Issues, and I was pretty pleased how this was all entwined together as it made a great, wonderful story, a promising start to the chronicles.
In the beginning of the story we face a real life, realistic situation: Ava’s Mother’s cancer is now life threatening and she has a limited amount of time to live. Right there, I instantly felt for Ava. The situation with her Mom, to me it made it more personal, and I do like connecting with characters, and I felt like I connected with Ava here. In some of the scenes that Ava has with her Mom, they are sweet and sensitive, and let’s just say my computer screen got a little blurry...
Besides Ava going through that, it was not planned that she would meet this ultra hot looking guy, but wait, he’s a Noctalis? What’s that? And whoa he wants to kill her? What? Well, first I thought that concept (Noctalis) was really cool and to me, it just seemed different and unfamiliar as he’s not just like a vampire, but also like an angel with wings? Interesting, very interesting. Again, this is a different paranormal character, and I really enjoyed reading about ...Peter. Now about the part killing Ava? Well that was an interesting shock, but really just wait to you read about the why and all that, because then I understood more about Peter and I got to like him a lot more than I did in the beginning. So just continue on reading, trust me, you’ll like where the story leads.
Anyways, Ava deals with a lot in these couple of months; dealing with her Mom, Peter, and her friends, Jamie and Tex; both seem like cool friends, some that seemed familiar to a dew of my friends, so I enjoyed reading about them. They too have their own issues to deal with, and a lot of it seemed realistic, especially Jamie's situation. I just wanted to hug him, and I look forward to perhaps read more of him in the second book.
All in all, I think this was a great story with realistic elements with a paranormal twist. It was refreshing and I also liked Cameron’s writing; there was a good flow, and writing in Ava’s POV (and sometime’s Peter’s) it just seemed believable, so that was pretty good. All I can write now, is that I look forward to reading the second book! :)
In the beginning of the story we face a real life, realistic situation: Ava’s Mother’s cancer is now life threatening and she has a limited amount of time to live. Right there, I instantly felt for Ava. The situation with her Mom, to me it made it more personal, and I do like connecting with characters, and I felt like I connected with Ava here. In some of the scenes that Ava has with her Mom, they are sweet and sensitive, and let’s just say my computer screen got a little blurry...
Besides Ava going through that, it was not planned that she would meet this ultra hot looking guy, but wait, he’s a Noctalis? What’s that? And whoa he wants to kill her? What? Well, first I thought that concept (Noctalis) was really cool and to me, it just seemed different and unfamiliar as he’s not just like a vampire, but also like an angel with wings? Interesting, very interesting. Again, this is a different paranormal character, and I really enjoyed reading about ...Peter. Now about the part killing Ava? Well that was an interesting shock, but really just wait to you read about the why and all that, because then I understood more about Peter and I got to like him a lot more than I did in the beginning. So just continue on reading, trust me, you’ll like where the story leads.
Anyways, Ava deals with a lot in these couple of months; dealing with her Mom, Peter, and her friends, Jamie and Tex; both seem like cool friends, some that seemed familiar to a dew of my friends, so I enjoyed reading about them. They too have their own issues to deal with, and a lot of it seemed realistic, especially Jamie's situation. I just wanted to hug him, and I look forward to perhaps read more of him in the second book.
All in all, I think this was a great story with realistic elements with a paranormal twist. It was refreshing and I also liked Cameron’s writing; there was a good flow, and writing in Ava’s POV (and sometime’s Peter’s) it just seemed believable, so that was pretty good. All I can write now, is that I look forward to reading the second book! :)
March 11, 2013
I wasn't expecting much when I started this book. It was a cheap read for Kindle and my book experience is, you pretty much get what you pay for. This, however, was a pleasant departure from that mantra.
The basic plot? A girl falls into doomed love with a paranormal creature. Yada, yada, yada. But, this book is so much more than a paranormal romance. What makes is so different is that the romance seems almost to come into second place to....characterization and plot! Gasp! There's a new concept. Ava Claire's life is enough drama to carry the whole story without a vampire thrown in here or there. Her mother is dying from cancer; she doesn't really get along with her father; and, for some reason, she's keeping all this a secret from her best friend and the only person she can trust.
The voice of Ava Claire is so beautiful and real--fraught with real-life feelings and angst. This is a strong female lead character you an really sink your teeth into (no pun intended). Ava escapes to a graveyard to meditate (hey, it is quiet!) and is saved from a savage attack by a strange young man named Peter.
She can't get Peter out of her mind and returns to the graveyard....where Peter is waiting for her.
Thus starts a strange and doomed relationship. These two work very hard at not falling for each other.
I love most everything about this book. I love what makes this a doomed love. Peter must promise never to love anyone more than his master and not love Ava at all. How in the world is this going to work out? I can't wait to see!
And, the cover is beautiful. I know you shouldn't judge a book by it but I do sometimes and this one was breathtaking.
The basic plot? A girl falls into doomed love with a paranormal creature. Yada, yada, yada. But, this book is so much more than a paranormal romance. What makes is so different is that the romance seems almost to come into second place to....characterization and plot! Gasp! There's a new concept. Ava Claire's life is enough drama to carry the whole story without a vampire thrown in here or there. Her mother is dying from cancer; she doesn't really get along with her father; and, for some reason, she's keeping all this a secret from her best friend and the only person she can trust.
The voice of Ava Claire is so beautiful and real--fraught with real-life feelings and angst. This is a strong female lead character you an really sink your teeth into (no pun intended). Ava escapes to a graveyard to meditate (hey, it is quiet!) and is saved from a savage attack by a strange young man named Peter.
She can't get Peter out of her mind and returns to the graveyard....where Peter is waiting for her.
Thus starts a strange and doomed relationship. These two work very hard at not falling for each other.
I love most everything about this book. I love what makes this a doomed love. Peter must promise never to love anyone more than his master and not love Ava at all. How in the world is this going to work out? I can't wait to see!
And, the cover is beautiful. I know you shouldn't judge a book by it but I do sometimes and this one was breathtaking.
July 4, 2012
I have been in the mood for a good vampire book lately. A little birdie or two told me how great Chelsea Cameron was. She did not disappoint:) This was a uniquely written tale of the Noctalis.
I will admit that I struggled a little through the beginning of the book. Ava's mom is dying of cancer and it was slow and hard to relate to for me. I found myself wishing she would get over it and come to terms already. I know I have never dealt with this before so I am sure it was a perfect reaction, I just didn't share the sentiment.
That being said, I was glad I stuck to it. This book was great. Ava was a girl who wasn't afraid of the sexy and mysterious Peter. Peter turns out to be one of the undead (immortal vampire) that has a soft spot for Ava.
I liked the unique dynamic with the characters in this story. Everyone had their own demons to fight in different ways. It was very philosophical somehow.
I did feel it needed a little more action towards the end. It was over so fast. None the less, Chelsea has me hooked for yet another book. Book 2 in the Noctalis Chronicles is Nightmare and it is out now.
For any of you young adult or vampire romance lovers out there, this series is for you!
I will admit that I struggled a little through the beginning of the book. Ava's mom is dying of cancer and it was slow and hard to relate to for me. I found myself wishing she would get over it and come to terms already. I know I have never dealt with this before so I am sure it was a perfect reaction, I just didn't share the sentiment.
That being said, I was glad I stuck to it. This book was great. Ava was a girl who wasn't afraid of the sexy and mysterious Peter. Peter turns out to be one of the undead (immortal vampire) that has a soft spot for Ava.
I liked the unique dynamic with the characters in this story. Everyone had their own demons to fight in different ways. It was very philosophical somehow.
I did feel it needed a little more action towards the end. It was over so fast. None the less, Chelsea has me hooked for yet another book. Book 2 in the Noctalis Chronicles is Nightmare and it is out now.
For any of you young adult or vampire romance lovers out there, this series is for you!
considering-2
September 10, 2013I was told this had a slow forming relationship, which I am a fan. So I'm marking it on my TBR list :D
Seventeen-year-old Ava-Claire Sullivan's mother is dying. Perhaps it's no surprise, then, that her greatest solace comes from someone who's already dead.
Peter Hart saves her one night in a graveyard from an attacker just as strange as he is, and now Ava can't stop thinking about him. She wants to see him again – even after he warns her he's dangerous, and she begins to realize what he is. Her best friends don't know anything about death, but Peter does, intimately. He's waiting for her the next night she comes to the cemetery, and the next...
But their growing bond comes up against a promise Peter made a long time ago, a promise that could destroy them both. Now Ava has to decide just what she's willing to give up to hold onto the one thing that could last forever.
Seventeen-year-old Ava-Claire Sullivan's mother is dying. Perhaps it's no surprise, then, that her greatest solace comes from someone who's already dead.
Peter Hart saves her one night in a graveyard from an attacker just as strange as he is, and now Ava can't stop thinking about him. She wants to see him again – even after he warns her he's dangerous, and she begins to realize what he is. Her best friends don't know anything about death, but Peter does, intimately. He's waiting for her the next night she comes to the cemetery, and the next...
But their growing bond comes up against a promise Peter made a long time ago, a promise that could destroy them both. Now Ava has to decide just what she's willing to give up to hold onto the one thing that could last forever.
February 25, 2016
Ava is told at dinner that her mother has 6 months left to live. Ava goes out in the middle of the night to a cemetery where she encounters two men.
Ava has two friends, Tex and Jaime. I did not like how Ava let Jaime down when he needed her the most. There were no redeeming qualities in Ava. Tex was the typical BFF in these romance stories who loves to party, etc.
Peter was an okay hero. Nothing about him will stick out for me to remember him now that I am done with the book. I wanted Jaime to be the hero.
I loved the premise, but I just could not get into the story. It was slow and picks up a little towards the end, but by then my head was hurting from trying to like the story. Reading should be easy and not feel like a chore. I also issues with the writing style.
Ava has two friends, Tex and Jaime. I did not like how Ava let Jaime down when he needed her the most. There were no redeeming qualities in Ava. Tex was the typical BFF in these romance stories who loves to party, etc.
Peter was an okay hero. Nothing about him will stick out for me to remember him now that I am done with the book. I wanted Jaime to be the hero.
I loved the premise, but I just could not get into the story. It was slow and picks up a little towards the end, but by then my head was hurting from trying to like the story. Reading should be easy and not feel like a chore. I also issues with the writing style.
October 4, 2013
3.5
Ok el libro es realmente bueno mas sin embargo fue un poco cansado el libro, al principio no sabia si seguirlo o dejarlo.
Lo bueno es que se pone interesante mas adelante, me gusto, y todavía lo hace mas bueno Peter ♥
Ok el libro es realmente bueno mas sin embargo fue un poco cansado el libro, al principio no sabia si seguirlo o dejarlo.
Lo bueno es que se pone interesante mas adelante, me gusto, y todavía lo hace mas bueno Peter ♥
January 15, 2014
this book is intriguing.. I couldn't put it down from the moment I started it... there was so many interesting moment in this book that I wanted to read more about .. can't wait to read more in book 2 :-)
January 13, 2015
Review coming soon!
May 6, 2013
G E N I A L
August 21, 2013
I absolutely loved this book. The characters are complex, but real. The story is touching and intense. And the stakes are high. If you love paranormal stories, this ones for you.
August 8, 2012
Vampires are one of the biggest themes within the paranormal genre and over the last few years they have gone from being portrayed as terrifying predators to sparkly controlling stalkers or so human-like they shouldn’t even be called vampires. With Nocturnal I had expected a ghost story (I don’t know why. Quite possibly because I had read the synopsis to Whisper, first book in Cameron’s Whisper Trilogy, and thought the Nocturnal would approach the same concept) but instead I was surprised to find a book of vampires. I haven’t been a big fan of the newer versions of vamps since they all seem to come off sounding the same. I was even more surprised at the fact that I liked the version of vampires Cameron created.
Ava, the female lead within Nocturnal who happens to narrate the book, has her world shatter at the news of her mother’s terminal illness. From the moment the book opens, the reader is thrown full force into Ava’s heartache, anger, resentment, and fear over facing her mother’s death sentence. Cameron does a beautiful and moving jump at showcasing Ava’s emotional rollercoaster. Emotions are often hard to capture and Cameron did a pretty lovely job. There was a good deal of repetition though and times where the scenes were dragged out so the emotions were too heavy handed but overall, not too shabby.
I haven’t fully been able to decide how I feel about Ava’s character. I can completely understand the pain and heartache she faces over the situation with her mother; I went through a similar situation with my own mother. I completely understand why she pretends to be strong, chooses to put distance between herself and her friends, prefers breaking down alone and keeping her true feelings to herself. When tragedy strikes, everyone has his or her own way of dealing with it and I can relate to how Ava dealt with her own. So in that sense I felt a connection with her and give her props for having the strength to get up everyday and keeping trying to give her mom a sense of normalcy and laughter so her mother can enjoy however much time she has left. But Ava also did some stupid crap I just couldn’t help but roll my eyes over (i.e. going to parties and getting drunk when she knew she shouldn’t, hanging out in a cemetery alone when she was already attacked in the same cemetery!, trusting a total stranger with her feelings and her life when said stranger threatened to kill her).
Ava may be strong with her mother but she is too much of a doormat with her friends, especially her best friend Tex which I didn’t understand. She gives into doing stupid things because her best friend tells her to instead of standing her ground and telling her friend to get over it. I also didn’t like the way Ava treated her father. How could she be so understanding with her mother but not with her father? Her father had to endure the same tragedy. Ava just acted too much like a brat with her father.
Peter was a very interesting character. He starts off seeming hard of emotions and deathly scary, literally. It takes a while for Peter to open up and let Ava in which was a nice way to have their relationship develop instead of them being all over each other from the moment they meet. There is a dark and ageless charm to Peter’s character. He moves and speaks with a deliberate patience and wisdom. I also liked the physical features to Peter’s character. He’s gorgeous but doesn’t have this ridiculous ego you would expect. He also doesn’t completely look like what you expect a vampire to look like. It was a nice little change. The only issue I had with the writing for his character was the fact the scenes where Peter narrated came off too telling, everything was dictated to the reader instead of experienced.
Tex and Jamie, Ava’s best friends, play the secondary characters alongside Viktor and Ivan, Peter’s brothers. I had moments where I enjoyed Tex and moments I couldn’t stand her character. She comes off too bossy and shallow. But there are scenes where she actually shows her heart and shows she cares about more stuff than just boys and clothes. Jamie was one of my favorite characters. He’s sweet as candy, adorable, and a great friend. He has such a big heart and truly cares about the people in his life despite the fact that he is facing such a hard life. I was annoyed since the author seemed to bypass Jamie’s situation. Ava brings it up a few times and makes some sad attempts at paying attention to Jamie but doesn’t really do anything to help then Jamie’s situation is thrown under the rug without any real resolve.
Viktor and Ivan aren’t in too many scenes and I would like to read more of them. Ivan is such the bad boy vamp but you like him for it. He doesn’t pretend to be anything more than what he is. Viktor carries himself with a quiet strength and deep wisdom. I look forward to reading more of his character.
The Claiming is one of the big moments in the plot and it was pretty predictable. I mean it’s been done in other vampire books before. I didn’t understand why Ava didn’t put up much of a fight. She just let’s Peter pretty much hold her down and do what he wants. Seriously?? Ava talks a big game about defending herself if someone came at her and standing her own ground and not being afraid to speak her mind but she’s only ever like that with her father who doesn’t deserve for her to be. The idea behind The Claiming is okay and presents a big conflict for Ava and Peter; I just would have preferred the scene coming off differently than it did.
Di, the real villain in the book, has only one real scene which I suppose works since the author wanted to use the first book to establish the characters and relationships so that didn’t really bother me. As a reader, you can tell Di is definitely cunning, selfish, and powerful. I look forward to reading more of her character as well.
The curse that binds Peter, Ivan and Viktor to Di I liked. It was a clever way to show how words have power and can harm as well as heal. The first book doesn’t really establish HOW the curse is binding but I’m guessing it’s more explained as the series goes on.
The pacing and fluidity of the story are done well. The suspense is tension filled and the world building is detailed just as well. The romance is built pretty well, if not somewhat shallow at the beginning. The action scenes really only consist of like three and the big meeting with Di is too anticlimactic because it ends so quickly there isn’t much of a buildup.
Overall, Nocturnal was an enjoyable and good read. I would recommend the book to fans of the paranormal romance and supernatural genres.
Ava, the female lead within Nocturnal who happens to narrate the book, has her world shatter at the news of her mother’s terminal illness. From the moment the book opens, the reader is thrown full force into Ava’s heartache, anger, resentment, and fear over facing her mother’s death sentence. Cameron does a beautiful and moving jump at showcasing Ava’s emotional rollercoaster. Emotions are often hard to capture and Cameron did a pretty lovely job. There was a good deal of repetition though and times where the scenes were dragged out so the emotions were too heavy handed but overall, not too shabby.
I haven’t fully been able to decide how I feel about Ava’s character. I can completely understand the pain and heartache she faces over the situation with her mother; I went through a similar situation with my own mother. I completely understand why she pretends to be strong, chooses to put distance between herself and her friends, prefers breaking down alone and keeping her true feelings to herself. When tragedy strikes, everyone has his or her own way of dealing with it and I can relate to how Ava dealt with her own. So in that sense I felt a connection with her and give her props for having the strength to get up everyday and keeping trying to give her mom a sense of normalcy and laughter so her mother can enjoy however much time she has left. But Ava also did some stupid crap I just couldn’t help but roll my eyes over (i.e. going to parties and getting drunk when she knew she shouldn’t, hanging out in a cemetery alone when she was already attacked in the same cemetery!, trusting a total stranger with her feelings and her life when said stranger threatened to kill her).
Ava may be strong with her mother but she is too much of a doormat with her friends, especially her best friend Tex which I didn’t understand. She gives into doing stupid things because her best friend tells her to instead of standing her ground and telling her friend to get over it. I also didn’t like the way Ava treated her father. How could she be so understanding with her mother but not with her father? Her father had to endure the same tragedy. Ava just acted too much like a brat with her father.
Peter was a very interesting character. He starts off seeming hard of emotions and deathly scary, literally. It takes a while for Peter to open up and let Ava in which was a nice way to have their relationship develop instead of them being all over each other from the moment they meet. There is a dark and ageless charm to Peter’s character. He moves and speaks with a deliberate patience and wisdom. I also liked the physical features to Peter’s character. He’s gorgeous but doesn’t have this ridiculous ego you would expect. He also doesn’t completely look like what you expect a vampire to look like. It was a nice little change. The only issue I had with the writing for his character was the fact the scenes where Peter narrated came off too telling, everything was dictated to the reader instead of experienced.
Tex and Jamie, Ava’s best friends, play the secondary characters alongside Viktor and Ivan, Peter’s brothers. I had moments where I enjoyed Tex and moments I couldn’t stand her character. She comes off too bossy and shallow. But there are scenes where she actually shows her heart and shows she cares about more stuff than just boys and clothes. Jamie was one of my favorite characters. He’s sweet as candy, adorable, and a great friend. He has such a big heart and truly cares about the people in his life despite the fact that he is facing such a hard life. I was annoyed since the author seemed to bypass Jamie’s situation. Ava brings it up a few times and makes some sad attempts at paying attention to Jamie but doesn’t really do anything to help then Jamie’s situation is thrown under the rug without any real resolve.
Viktor and Ivan aren’t in too many scenes and I would like to read more of them. Ivan is such the bad boy vamp but you like him for it. He doesn’t pretend to be anything more than what he is. Viktor carries himself with a quiet strength and deep wisdom. I look forward to reading more of his character.
The Claiming is one of the big moments in the plot and it was pretty predictable. I mean it’s been done in other vampire books before. I didn’t understand why Ava didn’t put up much of a fight. She just let’s Peter pretty much hold her down and do what he wants. Seriously?? Ava talks a big game about defending herself if someone came at her and standing her own ground and not being afraid to speak her mind but she’s only ever like that with her father who doesn’t deserve for her to be. The idea behind The Claiming is okay and presents a big conflict for Ava and Peter; I just would have preferred the scene coming off differently than it did.
Di, the real villain in the book, has only one real scene which I suppose works since the author wanted to use the first book to establish the characters and relationships so that didn’t really bother me. As a reader, you can tell Di is definitely cunning, selfish, and powerful. I look forward to reading more of her character as well.
The curse that binds Peter, Ivan and Viktor to Di I liked. It was a clever way to show how words have power and can harm as well as heal. The first book doesn’t really establish HOW the curse is binding but I’m guessing it’s more explained as the series goes on.
The pacing and fluidity of the story are done well. The suspense is tension filled and the world building is detailed just as well. The romance is built pretty well, if not somewhat shallow at the beginning. The action scenes really only consist of like three and the big meeting with Di is too anticlimactic because it ends so quickly there isn’t much of a buildup.
Overall, Nocturnal was an enjoyable and good read. I would recommend the book to fans of the paranormal romance and supernatural genres.
November 22, 2016
DNF @ 36%.
Four days of reading and not even half way through yet. That shows my lack of enthusiasm for this book. It was taking far too long to get interesting in my opinion. She kept going out and meeting him in the graveyard and having very strange, almost one sided conversations with Peter. I didn't see her fascination with him and found the rest of the storyline rather boring in that bit I did read.
Not for me at all.
Four days of reading and not even half way through yet. That shows my lack of enthusiasm for this book. It was taking far too long to get interesting in my opinion. She kept going out and meeting him in the graveyard and having very strange, almost one sided conversations with Peter. I didn't see her fascination with him and found the rest of the storyline rather boring in that bit I did read.
Not for me at all.
November 3, 2018
Wait, i actually liked Twilight parodies, so i can't even call this one that. It seems to me a weird mixture of Fallen and a Twilight Mockery and though we can see where its inspired from, I think I've found a female protagonist dumber than Bella. There were at least parts of Twilight that was good, redeemable. I had to read this till the end to be comforted by the fact that there are books much worse and sink lower than twilight could in disparity.
October 10, 2017
A good read
I cried, laughed, and swooned often with this book. It was a very interesting read. I have no idea what to expect next.
I cried, laughed, and swooned often with this book. It was a very interesting read. I have no idea what to expect next.
September 21, 2013
Actual rating: 3.5 stars!
I was interested in the story after reading the synopsis, because it sounded like another vampire book, and I have to tell you, I'm on a vampire kick right now. But Nocturnal had a slightly unique take on the blood-thirsty paranormal creatures that I've been reading about. It was different, darkly intriguing and drawn out so that the reader was still guessing and still wondering who Peter is. Oops, I meant to say what Peter is. Because he's definitely not human, and Ava will be quite shocked when the truth comes out. The paranormal aspect is strong, but it's not the only thing going on in this book.
***
Nocturnal starts out on a pretty sad note. Ava, the main character, finds out that her mom's cancer is back and that she's dying. This time, nothing's going to help her. She has, at most, months left to live. But it's not enough time; it's never going to be enough time.
I'm glad we got both Ava's and Peter's POVs, because Peter is an intriguing character. His struggle to not give into the kill, his will and determination to keep her alive, his darkness; everything about him is contradictory to being a noctalis. His humanity was still there, lying beneath the surface. But immortality is miserable. And lonely. And Peter had had enough. Until the night Ava stumbled into his family's mausoleum. Until he met Ava, he no longer cared about his life. But after meeting her, he can't seem to stay away from her. She's the only light within the darkness of his existence.
I loved the slow build-up of Ava's and Peter's relationship. It didn't happen instantly; it started with friendship. I think they both needed the comfort that they didn't have to ask for with each other. I loved the glimpses into Peter's past, although I'd really like more of the history of the noctali. I'm still a little confused as to what they are and how they came to be. This was a fast read, and it kept me intrigued.
***
Although I really liked the book, I didn't love it. The plot was sometimes boring, a little repetitive It mostly consisted of talks between Peter and Ava (which made their relationship seem more well-developed than most YA couples I've read about--a definite plus!) and Ava's constant inner dialogue of what she should and shouldn't do. She was back and forth on a lot of things, especially when it came to her mother and her friends. I wanted to yell at her character when she kept secrets from her friends and kept pushing them away. I loved the three best friends' conversations in the beginning, and I missed them throughout the book. Not only is Ava hurting, but so is Jamie. Yet she can't see it because she's too caught up in her own life and her own lies. I also wanted more of the paranormal aspect, if you can believe it. We know about Peter pretty early on, but I still have tons of questions about the noctali. Like, what the hell was that ending in the cemetery? In any case, I'm really excited to read Nightmare and continue this cool series! :)
I was interested in the story after reading the synopsis, because it sounded like another vampire book, and I have to tell you, I'm on a vampire kick right now. But Nocturnal had a slightly unique take on the blood-thirsty paranormal creatures that I've been reading about. It was different, darkly intriguing and drawn out so that the reader was still guessing and still wondering who Peter is. Oops, I meant to say what Peter is. Because he's definitely not human, and Ava will be quite shocked when the truth comes out. The paranormal aspect is strong, but it's not the only thing going on in this book.
***
Nocturnal starts out on a pretty sad note. Ava, the main character, finds out that her mom's cancer is back and that she's dying. This time, nothing's going to help her. She has, at most, months left to live. But it's not enough time; it's never going to be enough time.
I wasn't losing her, like an earring or a set of keys. She's going away and never coming back.In a no-win situation, I thought Ava handled it all like a champ. After a bout of self-pity, sadness, and anger, Ava starts to realize that she needs to spend as much time with her mom as she can. Her reactions to the situation were normal, like any real person would do after hearing something like that. She wanted to be strong, wanted to smile and pretend that nothing bad was going to happen, like it was a joke. And she tried so hard to be strong for her mom that she never let herself grieve. She pushes her friends away, starts spending time with a stranger in a cemetery, and keeps everything bottled up inside. Her inner dialogue is a mix of funny, heartbreaking, and happy. She uses humor in tense situations. She can't help but think about her mom's impending death and think about how many hugs or kisses she'll have left. The only bright spot in her life is her friends, Tex and Jamie, and Peter.
"Do you consider me a lost or hopeless cause?"Peter is not just a normal teen. He's different. Unhuman. But this doesn't deter Ava, nor the fact that he's told her he wants to kill her. There's something about the darkness that draws her in, makes her question her own sanity. Makes her reckless. She can't control her life, but this is one thing she can control. This one decision to keep going back to the cemetery and see Peter is hers, and hers alone. I think that's partly what draws her to him, and the other part is that he makes her feel alive. Although he's not human, and he's hurt her, it doesn't matter. He's the one constant in her life, and he makes her feel safe. The talks they have in the cemetery comforts her, and she finds herself looking forward to the nights she spends with him.
I'm glad we got both Ava's and Peter's POVs, because Peter is an intriguing character. His struggle to not give into the kill, his will and determination to keep her alive, his darkness; everything about him is contradictory to being a noctalis. His humanity was still there, lying beneath the surface. But immortality is miserable. And lonely. And Peter had had enough. Until the night Ava stumbled into his family's mausoleum. Until he met Ava, he no longer cared about his life. But after meeting her, he can't seem to stay away from her. She's the only light within the darkness of his existence.
I loved the slow build-up of Ava's and Peter's relationship. It didn't happen instantly; it started with friendship. I think they both needed the comfort that they didn't have to ask for with each other. I loved the glimpses into Peter's past, although I'd really like more of the history of the noctali. I'm still a little confused as to what they are and how they came to be. This was a fast read, and it kept me intrigued.
***
Although I really liked the book, I didn't love it. The plot was sometimes boring, a little repetitive It mostly consisted of talks between Peter and Ava (which made their relationship seem more well-developed than most YA couples I've read about--a definite plus!) and Ava's constant inner dialogue of what she should and shouldn't do. She was back and forth on a lot of things, especially when it came to her mother and her friends. I wanted to yell at her character when she kept secrets from her friends and kept pushing them away. I loved the three best friends' conversations in the beginning, and I missed them throughout the book. Not only is Ava hurting, but so is Jamie. Yet she can't see it because she's too caught up in her own life and her own lies. I also wanted more of the paranormal aspect, if you can believe it. We know about Peter pretty early on, but I still have tons of questions about the noctali. Like, what the hell was that ending in the cemetery? In any case, I'm really excited to read Nightmare and continue this cool series! :)
August 17, 2012
(I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis, as part of the Noctalis blog tour. Thanks to Chelsea Cameron a supagurlbooks.)
17-year-old Ava-Claire has just got the worst news of her life. Her mother is going to die, and soon. If she’s lucky she’ll have 6 months, and then she’ll be gone.
Reeling from the news, Ava takes a midnight drive to a place of peace and solitude; the graveyard. What she doesn’t expect is to find an open mausoleum, and two strange men, one of whom seems to want to kill her! When she wakes in her car she’s confused, but knows that the reason she is alive is because the other man saved her.
Ava finds it hard to talk about certain things, she can’t even tell her best friend Tex that her mother is dying, but for some reason she feels like she can maybe talk to the boy who saved her (Peter), and she begins visiting the cemetery, just to see if he is there. He is there, he’s always there, and they begin to talk, until one day he tells her his secret – he is a ‘Noctalis’.
What’s a Noctalis? What does that mean? Well, he’s immortal, he’s dead, he lives on human blood, he has wings(!), and he doesn’t really have a home. Ava absorbs this, but again it’s something that she feels she can’t tell her best friend – make that two things that she’s hiding now.
Peter’s entrance into Ava’s life isn’t stress-free either. The other man at the graveyard who tried to kill her is his brother, and Peter must try and find a way to keep Ava safe from him. What will this mean for Ava though? And just how long does she think she can keep this a secret?
I have to say that I enjoyed this book, as soon as I started reading it was just one of those books that made me not want to turn the light off and go to sleep!
I really felt for Ava right from the beginning. Having to come to terms with losing your mom when you’re only 17? Awful! I also felt really bad for her that she wasn’t able to confide in her friends, as a friend was really what she needed.
I hated the way her dad behaved towards her too; ‘don’t upset your mother’, ‘somebody will have to do more work around the house’, ‘no, you can’t see her’. He was so horrible to her! He behaved as if she was going out of her way to make her mother’s life worse, which was so not the case! I don’t know how Ava will cope with her dad once her mother is gone, but I don’t see things going smoothly.
Peter was a bit confusing to me; he’s has wings – but he’s not an angel, he drinks blood – but he’s not a vampire, he’s an immortal – but there is a way for Ava to kill him. (You can see where I’m getting confused.) I’m also not sure why he isn’t a vampire; it seems that he’s not a vampire in name only?
Anyway, ignoring the whole ‘Noctalis’ thing, Peter does seem to have genuine feelings for Ava, and more than anything wants to keep her safe – especially from his brother Ivan. It isn’t instant attraction when they meet, he just doesn’t want his brother to kill her, although their feelings grow as they spend time together. (This has its own problems, but I won’t tell you cause I don’t want to spoil the story!).
I like Ava’s friends, but I really think she needed to spend more time with Jamie (whose sister is a problem), and maybe sit down and have a heart-to-heart with Tex, and explain that she doesn’t want her to tell everyone about the things she tells her. I think all three of them could have been better friends to each other.
I liked the storyline in this book, although as I mentioned I did have some questions regarding the whole ‘Noctalis’ business. It will be interesting to see how the story develops in the next book, and how Ava will cope with her mother’s death.
7 out of 10.
(Book Length: 3581 kindle locations)
17-year-old Ava-Claire has just got the worst news of her life. Her mother is going to die, and soon. If she’s lucky she’ll have 6 months, and then she’ll be gone.
Reeling from the news, Ava takes a midnight drive to a place of peace and solitude; the graveyard. What she doesn’t expect is to find an open mausoleum, and two strange men, one of whom seems to want to kill her! When she wakes in her car she’s confused, but knows that the reason she is alive is because the other man saved her.
Ava finds it hard to talk about certain things, she can’t even tell her best friend Tex that her mother is dying, but for some reason she feels like she can maybe talk to the boy who saved her (Peter), and she begins visiting the cemetery, just to see if he is there. He is there, he’s always there, and they begin to talk, until one day he tells her his secret – he is a ‘Noctalis’.
What’s a Noctalis? What does that mean? Well, he’s immortal, he’s dead, he lives on human blood, he has wings(!), and he doesn’t really have a home. Ava absorbs this, but again it’s something that she feels she can’t tell her best friend – make that two things that she’s hiding now.
Peter’s entrance into Ava’s life isn’t stress-free either. The other man at the graveyard who tried to kill her is his brother, and Peter must try and find a way to keep Ava safe from him. What will this mean for Ava though? And just how long does she think she can keep this a secret?
I have to say that I enjoyed this book, as soon as I started reading it was just one of those books that made me not want to turn the light off and go to sleep!
I really felt for Ava right from the beginning. Having to come to terms with losing your mom when you’re only 17? Awful! I also felt really bad for her that she wasn’t able to confide in her friends, as a friend was really what she needed.
I hated the way her dad behaved towards her too; ‘don’t upset your mother’, ‘somebody will have to do more work around the house’, ‘no, you can’t see her’. He was so horrible to her! He behaved as if she was going out of her way to make her mother’s life worse, which was so not the case! I don’t know how Ava will cope with her dad once her mother is gone, but I don’t see things going smoothly.
Peter was a bit confusing to me; he’s has wings – but he’s not an angel, he drinks blood – but he’s not a vampire, he’s an immortal – but there is a way for Ava to kill him. (You can see where I’m getting confused.) I’m also not sure why he isn’t a vampire; it seems that he’s not a vampire in name only?
Anyway, ignoring the whole ‘Noctalis’ thing, Peter does seem to have genuine feelings for Ava, and more than anything wants to keep her safe – especially from his brother Ivan. It isn’t instant attraction when they meet, he just doesn’t want his brother to kill her, although their feelings grow as they spend time together. (This has its own problems, but I won’t tell you cause I don’t want to spoil the story!).
I like Ava’s friends, but I really think she needed to spend more time with Jamie (whose sister is a problem), and maybe sit down and have a heart-to-heart with Tex, and explain that she doesn’t want her to tell everyone about the things she tells her. I think all three of them could have been better friends to each other.
I liked the storyline in this book, although as I mentioned I did have some questions regarding the whole ‘Noctalis’ business. It will be interesting to see how the story develops in the next book, and how Ava will cope with her mother’s death.
7 out of 10.
(Book Length: 3581 kindle locations)
August 16, 2012
This book was also reviewed on The Book Hookup
**This book was given to The Book Hookup but that did not influence the review**
4.5 stars! First: I love the cover. LOVE! I’m a cover snob and this one is just gorgeous. Second: everyone needs to read this book! If you love being vested in characters, if you love having your heart broken and bursting with love at the same time, well this is the book for you. I really had no idea what to expect going into this novel and ended up falling in love with this story. Nocturnal is a tear jerker that flooded me with so many emotions while reading it.
The story: Ava’s mother has cancer, and instead of continuing with treatments she wants to enjoy the little time she has left. Oh my, get out the kleenex. It is so heartfelt. I loved. That is all. In order to escape her reality, Ava takes off to be alone in the cemetery, but that is where she meets Peter and his brother. Although Peter saves Ava from getting killed, she still knows that he is so dangerous. He isn’t even friendly, yet she can’t stay away from him. She finds some kind of peace in his company, which is exactly what she needed.
Ava: I loved her. She loves her mom, they are really close and have a very honest relationship. She doesn’t really care for her father but lives with him. I think she had a better relationship with him before her mother was sick. That is heartbreaking too! She is very, very real and I could totally relate to her.
Peter and Ava: They have a connection almost immediately, and even though their dialogue is limited and not that often, it is always full of emotion. There was so much “said” behind every small action. One serious bonus was that every so often there was a section in Peter’s POV, which truly completed the experience.
The friends: Her best friend Tex is the usual annoying bff, but her other best friend, Jamie I liked. He had his own issues and was deeper than the typical teen. However, there is a great loyalty among them all and I could appreciate it.
The storytelling: Wow. This is hard to do spoiler free, but I can tell you this: it built up slowly and gave us just enough that left me hooked. Well, mostly just me wanting to keep turning the pages to get more Peter and Ava time. However, it’s not just a romance; as I kept reading the plot was thickening with a danger lurking behind the lovebirds. The couple were bound in a way that made me feel as if I couldn’t breathe myself if the two of them weren’t together. At the same time there were hints of something serious: of past promises made and people being destroyed…but nothing specific that Ava was made aware of, until the closer to the end.
Emotional levels: Huge!! When a book makes me feel as much as I did here the author has done an amazing job. From the sadness to the romance…it was all intense. I was at 75% and they hadn’t even kissed (that happened at 88%) and yet it was still so romantic. Le swoon.
Peter: “I couldn’t tell where my feelings began and hers ended anymore.”
I’m pretty sure I felt the same way. The author has a way with words that make you feel like your emotions are bubbling over as well.
Thank you again to Ms. Cameron for providing Nocturnal, I’m a huge fan! I cannot wait to start the next book, Nightmare. I highly rec this book to everyone. Happy reading! :)
**This book was given to The Book Hookup but that did not influence the review**
4.5 stars! First: I love the cover. LOVE! I’m a cover snob and this one is just gorgeous. Second: everyone needs to read this book! If you love being vested in characters, if you love having your heart broken and bursting with love at the same time, well this is the book for you. I really had no idea what to expect going into this novel and ended up falling in love with this story. Nocturnal is a tear jerker that flooded me with so many emotions while reading it.
The story: Ava’s mother has cancer, and instead of continuing with treatments she wants to enjoy the little time she has left. Oh my, get out the kleenex. It is so heartfelt. I loved. That is all. In order to escape her reality, Ava takes off to be alone in the cemetery, but that is where she meets Peter and his brother. Although Peter saves Ava from getting killed, she still knows that he is so dangerous. He isn’t even friendly, yet she can’t stay away from him. She finds some kind of peace in his company, which is exactly what she needed.
Ava: I loved her. She loves her mom, they are really close and have a very honest relationship. She doesn’t really care for her father but lives with him. I think she had a better relationship with him before her mother was sick. That is heartbreaking too! She is very, very real and I could totally relate to her.
Peter and Ava: They have a connection almost immediately, and even though their dialogue is limited and not that often, it is always full of emotion. There was so much “said” behind every small action. One serious bonus was that every so often there was a section in Peter’s POV, which truly completed the experience.
The friends: Her best friend Tex is the usual annoying bff, but her other best friend, Jamie I liked. He had his own issues and was deeper than the typical teen. However, there is a great loyalty among them all and I could appreciate it.
The storytelling: Wow. This is hard to do spoiler free, but I can tell you this: it built up slowly and gave us just enough that left me hooked. Well, mostly just me wanting to keep turning the pages to get more Peter and Ava time. However, it’s not just a romance; as I kept reading the plot was thickening with a danger lurking behind the lovebirds. The couple were bound in a way that made me feel as if I couldn’t breathe myself if the two of them weren’t together. At the same time there were hints of something serious: of past promises made and people being destroyed…but nothing specific that Ava was made aware of, until the closer to the end.
Emotional levels: Huge!! When a book makes me feel as much as I did here the author has done an amazing job. From the sadness to the romance…it was all intense. I was at 75% and they hadn’t even kissed (that happened at 88%) and yet it was still so romantic. Le swoon.
Peter: “I couldn’t tell where my feelings began and hers ended anymore.”
I’m pretty sure I felt the same way. The author has a way with words that make you feel like your emotions are bubbling over as well.
Thank you again to Ms. Cameron for providing Nocturnal, I’m a huge fan! I cannot wait to start the next book, Nightmare. I highly rec this book to everyone. Happy reading! :)
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