A Book Obsession..: Rachel Caine

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Release Day Review: Smoke and Iron by Rachel Caine

, by KT

Smoke and Iron by Rachel Caine

The Great Library #4

To save the Great Library, the unforgettable characters from Ink and Bone, Paper and Fire, and Ash and Quill put themselves in danger in the next thrilling adventure in the New York Times bestselling series.

The opening moves of a deadly game have begun. Jess Brightwell has put himself in direct peril, with only his wits and skill to aid him in a game of cat and mouse with the Archivist Magister of the Great Library. With the world catching fire, and words printed on paper the spark that lights rebellion, it falls to smugglers, thieves, and scholars to save a library thousands of years in the making...if they can stay alive long enough to outwit their enemies.

Holy smokes was SMOKE AND IRON one heck of a thrill ride. From page one the stakes are off the charts. The book drops us right into danger, and the nail-biting aspects don't let up for a moment. It made for one intense read. This one was told in rotating perspectives which only served to ratchet the intensity up as every since character was facing incredible odds. The war has was well and truly taken off, and there's no turning back now.

It's truly impressive how the author is able to have such nail-bitingly high stakes but also keep the characters front and center as well. For such a large cast, it would be understandable if some faded to the background in light of all the incredible action. And yet, each and every character shines in SMOKE AND IRON. I really love how much the story and characters suck you in leaving the reader desperate to see how things turn out and hope everyone survives the chaos. It's like reading about your best friends and the amazing odds against them, and I really enjoyed every moment.

Fans of the series will be more than pleased with this incredibly high stakes new installment in the Great Library series. I can't wait to see what happens next!

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Read. Eat. Sleep. Repeat.

Previous Books:
1. Ink and Bone
2. Paper and Fire
3. Ash and Quill

Release Day Review: Ash and Quill by Rachel Caine

, by KT

Ash and Quill by Rachel Caine

The Great Library #3

Hoarding all the knowledge of the world, the Great Library jealously guards its secrets. But now a group of rebels poses a dangerous threat to its tyranny...

Jess Brightwell and his band of exiles have fled London, only to find themselves imprisoned in Philadelphia, a city led by those who would rather burn books than submit. But Jess and his friends have a bargaining chip: the knowledge to build a machine that will break the Library’s rule.

Their time is running out. To survive, they’ll have to choose to live or die as one, to take the fight to their enemies—and to save the very soul of the Great Library...

ASH AND QUILL starts off with a bang of action, right where things left off in the last installment. Jess and crew are prisoners of the burners and it's not an easy place to be. The concept of book burning is so horrific and the danger they are in as being part of the library even though they are trying to rebel... is intense. I was on the edge of my seat, reading the pages as fast as I could to see what happened next.

That being said, after the initial bang of the opening things did seem to slow down a bit. Don't get me wrong, their situation never lightens, and the challenges are astounding. And yet...it just felt like a middle book or sophomoric slump at times. Perhaps it's due to a lack of a feeling of forward momentum in the war against the library until the very end. As I said, there's an incredible amount of danger and intensity at all times, but the lack of the forward momentum in the overall series plot weighed things down a bit. Hopefully after the insane ending of this book, things will take back off with a fury in the next installment.

Surprisingly despite all that is going around them, and all the intense danger/action moments there's also plenty of character development, which I really enjoyed. For such a large cast of characters, each and every one is completely and fully three dimensional. You really care for each and every one of them.

All in all ASH AND QUILL was an enjoyable installment in The Great Library series, and after that ending, I'm desperate to get my hands on the next one!

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Gizmo's Reviews
My Guilty Obsession
Carries Book Reviews

Previous Books:
1. Ink and Bone
2. Paper and Fire

Kirsten Reviews: Midnight Bites by Rachel Caine

, by KT

Midnight Bites by Rachel Caine

Morganville Series

New York Times bestselling author Rachel Caine presents a collection of stories—including six new tales—featuring the little Texas town that’s overrun by the undead.

WELCOME TO MORGANVILLE.

YOU’LL NEVER WANT TO LEAVE.

By day, Morganville, Texas, is just a typical college town. By night, the vampires emerge and take control....

In a town where it’s not safe to be out after dark, student Claire Danvers and her friends have had their fair share of thrills. But Morganville still has a few secrets left to tell.

Now, in this collection, you can venture down the town’s strange streets, revisit all the tales you’ve come to love, and experience six new stories featuring your favorite Morganville residents—both human and vampire...

Midnight Bites by Rachel Caine is a collection of 22 short stories that revisit the characters of the Morganville Vampires series. This should be of interest to anyone reading the series for the first time as well as readers new to the books and its world. There are new stories and some that were previously published, and gathered together they fill in many of the blanks and “behind the scenes” moments in the lives of various characters. As a whole the series covered a lot of ground, but this collection definitely proves that there are still adventures to be with these characters, and readers will likely want even more stories after finishing it.

A few of the stories are summarized below.

Grudge

Concerns Shane’s sister Alyssa, and is the story of how she died from Shane’s point of view, expanding on what readers already know and the reasons for both his guilt and anger.

Wrong Place, Wrong Time

This short story is told from the point of view of Richard Morrell. Monica is involved in an attempted robbery, and justice falls on the perpetrators swiftly and without mercy.

Nothing Like an Angel

The history between Myrnin and Lady Grey is explore, beginning from her rescuing him from a dungeon prison and then nursing him back to health. It’s a nice look at their relationship and how it’s lasted this long.

Again, this collection is a good way to revisit the series, or for someone who wants a bit more background on the characters, but it doesn’t stand as well alone without having previously read some, if not all of the Morganville Vampires books.
(Received a copy from the publisher)

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YA Reads
Much Loved Books

Previous Books:
1. Glass Houses
2. Dead Girls Dance
3. Midnight Alley
4. Feast of Fools
5. Lord of Misrule
6. Carpe Corpus
7. Fade Out
8. Kiss of Death
9. Ghost Town
10. Bite Club
11. Last Breath
12. Black Dawn
13. Bitter Blood

14. Fall of Night

15. Daylighters
Novella Collection: Midnight Bites (Katie's Review)

Early Review: Paper and Fire by Rachel Caine

, by KT

Paper and Fire by Rachel Caine

The Great Library #2

With an iron fist, The Great Library controls the knowledge of the world, ruthlessly stamping out all rebellion, forbidding the personal ownership of books in the name of the greater good.

Jess Brightwell has survived his introduction to the sinister, seductive world of the Library, but serving in its army is nothing like he envisioned. His life and the lives of those he cares for have been altered forever. His best friend is lost, and Morgan, the girl he loves, is locked away in the Iron Tower and doomed to a life apart.

Embarking on a mission to save one of their own, Jess and his band of allies make one wrong move and suddenly find themselves hunted by the Library’s deadly automata and forced to flee Alexandria, all the way to London.

But Jess’s home isn’t safe anymore. The Welsh army is coming, London is burning, and soon, Jess must choose between his friends, his family, or the Library willing to sacrifice anything and anyone in the search for ultimate control…

I'm a huge fan of the dystopian genre, so I really appreciate when a series comes along that is as unique and interesting as this one. Rachel Caine brought a truly horrify prospect to life, between the burners who destroy books, to the Library's iron fist control, and the limited content in books. Every single moment I found myself both riveted and horrified at what was happening. It really is enjoyable for a book's world to grip you as much as this one does. There's no sophomore syndrome to be found here!

Jess has really come an incredibly long way from the impetuous boy we met in the first book. It's rather impressive to be honest. Of course he still bucks against authority and goes his own way more often than not, but he takes the time to try and think through the consequences for others. He's truly admirable in his willingness to sacrifice himself for others and he's really grown/growing into a force to be reckoned with. When you add his admirable qualities to the rest of the fully three dimensional characters, particularly Glain, Khalia, Wolfe, and well frankly his entire crew to be honest, you really have a winner.

I've yet to read a Rachel Caine series that has let me down, in fact far from it, and The Great Library series is no exception. My only wish is that there winds up being more than three books as a trilogy just isn't enough. Fans of the series will be more than pleased with this new installment. I can't wait to see what happens next!

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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The Eater of Books!
Hit or Miss Books
Book is Glee

Previous Books:
1. Ink and Bone

Release Day Review: Midnight Bites by Rachel Caine

, by KT

Midnight Bites by Rachel Caine

Morganville Series

New York Times bestselling author Rachel Caine presents a collection of stories—including six new tales—featuring the little Texas town that’s overrun by the undead.

WELCOME TO MORGANVILLE.

YOU’LL NEVER WANT TO LEAVE.

By day, Morganville, Texas, is just a typical college town. By night, the vampires emerge and take control....

In a town where it’s not safe to be out after dark, student Claire Danvers and her friends have had their fair share of thrills. But Morganville still has a few secrets left to tell.

Now, in this collection, you can venture down the town’s strange streets, revisit all the tales you’ve come to love, and experience six new stories featuring your favorite Morganville residents—both human and vampire...

I really enjoyed MIDNIGHT BITES. It's been a while since this series closed, so reading this book was almost like returning home to some of my favorite characters. There's a good mix of new content in between the previously released stories. I hadn't read any of the previously released parts, so this anthology was entirely new content for me, making me enjoy it even more.

There's a great mix of stories in this anthology, from things that last a few pages, to ones that are a bit longer that let you get more immersed. A lot of times in anthologies I do get frustrated with the brevity of the stories, but that wasn't the case here. Despite there being so many different short stories packed into this book, I didn't get frustrated with that lack of depth. I think it had a lot to do with how the entire thing was set up chronologically, making it all flow well, and tie in together. Some of the stories themselves hinted at things that were then tied back to in later stories, so it was really enjoyable. There's a good mix of perspectives, something for every character fan.

There's one downside to this enjoyable anthology and that's that it has left wanting more from Morganville again. I had said my bittersweet goodbyes at the release of the final book, and I feel like this book has only reopened things back up. I want, would almost say need, more from this world. There's so much room and potential for more and considering just how many books and stories have been released in this world, that's saying something. That being said, despite wanting more, MIDNIGHT BITES is a very satisfying absolute must read for Morganville fans. As they say, you never really leave Morganville, and that's only been proven here with this fantastic anthology. Here's to hoping Rachel Caine returns again and again to this world in the future.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Library Lindsey

Previous Books:
1. Glass Houses
2. Dead Girls Dance
3. Midnight Alley
4. Feast of Fools
5. Lord of Misrule
6. Carpe Corpus
7. Fade Out
8. Kiss of Death
9. Ghost Town
10. Bite Club
11. Last Breath
12. Black Dawn
13. Bitter Blood

14. Fall of Night

15. Daylighters

Review: Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine

, by KT

Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine

The Great Library #1

In an exhilarating new series, New York Times bestselling author Rachel Caine rewrites history, creating a dangerous world where the Great Library of Alexandria has survived the test of time.…

Ruthless and supremely powerful, the Great Library is now a presence in every major city, governing the flow of knowledge to the masses. Alchemy allows the Library to deliver the content of the greatest works of history instantly—but the personal ownership of books is expressly forbidden.

Jess Brightwell believes in the value of the Library, but the majority of his knowledge comes from illegal books obtained by his family, who are involved in the thriving black market. Jess has been sent to be his family’s spy, but his loyalties are tested in the final months of his training to enter the Library’s service.

When he inadvertently commits heresy by creating a device that could change the world, Jess discovers that those who control the Great Library believe that knowledge is more valuable than any human life—and soon both heretics and books will burn.…

What a interesting and incredibly unique world! When I read the blurb for this new series, I knew I would have to read it as I fell in love with the premise. What's even better than a really interesting premise? When the book more than lives up to it. It's a dystopian world revolving around the Library having all the power and control. It's a truly horrifying concept, the idea that books could be limited. Reading this book made me truly appreciate the freedom to read that we have. Between that and the fact that I love a good dystopian read, I was really hooked from the start.

I really enjoyed Jess's character and how much he grew even over the short course of the book. He's rather lost, and trying to balance responsibilities and loyalties. Everyone in his entire life has always used him, and while he's trying to carve his own path, he still has so many tethers tying him down and pulling him in different directions. It's really admirable how well he's held up and I couldn't help rooting for him from the very start. I can't wait to see how he grows even more over the series as I predict he will become a force to be reckoned with.

After reading INK AND BONE, I'm happy to report that Rachel Caine has kicked off her new series with a bang. You have a great cast of characters, an incredible premise, stellar world building, and a great plot. In fact, the only thing keeping me from rating this a full five stars is a bit of pacing issues, but otherwise a fantastic read. If you're looking for something fresh and unique that will suck you in from the start, look no further than INK AND BONE.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Tenacious Reader

Early Review: Daylighters by Rachel Caine

, by KT

Daylighters by Rachel Caine

Morganville #15

While Morganville, Texas, is often a troubled town, Claire Danvers and her friends are looking forward to coming home. But the Morganville they return to isn’t the one they know; it’s become a different place—a deadly one…

Something drastic has happened in Morganville while Claire and her friends were away. The town looks cleaner and happier than they’ve ever seen it before, but when their incoming group is arrested and separated—vampires from humans—they realize that the changes definitely aren’t for the better.

It seems that an organization called the Daylight Foundation has offered the population of Morganville something they’ve never had: hope of a vampire-free future. And while it sounds like salvation—even for the vampires themselves—the truth is far more sinister and deadly.

Now, Claire, Shane and Eve need to find a way to break their friends out of Daylighter custody, before the vampires of Morganville meet their untimely end…

Claire and her friends always thought the biggest threat in Morganville was the vampires, but when they return home and find the town controlled by humans, they realize just how wrong they are. In their absence, the Daylighter Foundation took over the town and rounded up the vampires into an enclave, forcing a "cure" down their throats that kills more often than not, one vamp at a time. While most of the town feels happy about their new found safety, Claire and her friends know better as things aren't as they seem. As they say, better the devil you know...

I do not even know where to start with this review as series ending books are so hard to talk about without spoiling, so I guess I'll just have to be vague. Unfortunately that tends to lead to a fair amount of incoherent gushing, so bear with me.

In true Morganville style, this book takes off with a bang and keeps the action steady throughout. But just like the other installments, there is plenty of emotion and moments of levity in between, which honestly makes the series for me. As I was reading DAYLIGHTERS I couldn't help but to think back to who the characters were when this all began, and honestly I'm amazed at how much they have grown. My first reaction would be to say that it's Claire who's grown the most, but really it's all of them from the Glass House residents even to the vampires, Amalie, Oliver, and of course Myrnin. Honestly this kind of character progression is exactly how it should be done, and I'm so glad I got to experience this.

Just when I think Rachel Caine has hit her limit with the intensity of a plot or the evilness of a villain, she completely outdoes herself yet again. Honestly several times throughout DAYLIGHTERS I just had to shake my head in awe at my reaction to what was going on. I mean, you thought the vamps were bad? Psh, they are nothing compared to the Daylight Foundation and the horror that they have turned Morganville into. Sure if Claire and Co had of been willing to hope on the genocide bandwagon things probably would have been a bit easier for them, but as they weren't things got rather hairy more than a few times. I was literally on the edge of my seat the entire time while reading this, and it made for one heck of a read.

As far as the ending, well I can honestly say that it was one of the best series enders I have ever read. Seriously, it was perfect, and I wish so much that I could gush all about it, but again to avoid spoilers, I'll refrain. Suffice it to say that it does the journey we have been building to over 15 books more than the justice it deserves, and this reader is one happy camper. While I'm sad to being saying goodbye this much loved series, Rachel Caine gave it the perfect send off and I can't recommend it any higher. Morganville fans, this is the book you have been waiting for!

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Previous Books:
Glass Houses
Dead Girls Dance
Midnight Alley
Feast of Fools
Lord of Misrule
Carpe Corpus
Fade Out
Kiss of Death
Ghost Town
Bite Club
Last Breath
Black Dawn
Bitter Blood

Fall of Night

Early Review: Terminated by Rachel Caine

, by KT

Terminated by Rachel Caine

Revivalist #3

In New York Times bestselling author Rachel Caine’s latest Revivalist novel, Bryn Davis’s problems quickly turn from dead to worse…

Already addicted to the pharmaceutical drug that keeps her body from decomposing, Bryn has to stop a secretive group of rich and powerful investors from eliminating the existing Returné addicts altogether. To ensure their plan to launch a new, military-grade strain of nanotech, the investors’ undead assassin—who just happens to be the ex-wife of Bryn’s lover Patrick—is on the hunt for anyone that stands in their way.

And while Bryn’s allies aren’t about to go down without a fight, the secret she’s been keeping threatens to put those closest to her in even more danger. Poised to become a monster that her own side—and her own lover—will have to trap and kill, Bryn needs to find the cure to have any hope of preserving the lives of her friends, and her own dwindling humanity…

Bryn Davis thought things couldn't get much worse since dying and being revived by the drug returne. A drug which she is dependent on daily to keep from decomposing, or at least she was until she was infected with a new strain of the technology. One that makes her previous condition looks like a walk in the park. She no longer needs booster meds, instead she needs protein, and lots of it. Problem is, her body isn't picky about how it acquires it in times of need, even if that means consuming live flesh. Bryn has now become the monster she's always feared, and with her darker instincts taking over a bit more each day, it's only a matter of time before she loses control. She'll have to find a way to bring the company down once and for all before they create an army just like her, even if it means sacrificing herself

Even though TERMINATED is the third book in the series, it still amazed me just how real these characters are. Bryn is so strong yet vulnerable, especially as she tries to cope with the hand she's been dealt and not lose herself in the process. Patrick is the stoic soldier who will move heaven and earth to protect Bryn, even if it means doing some questionable things. Riley is the hardass FBI agent who you both loathe and sympathize with. Joe is the awesomely hilarious friend who comes with some pretty kick butt skills himself. Then there's Manny with his crazy paranoia and his girlfriend Pansy who tries to manage it all. Don't even get me started on the one big bad, Jane. She puts the creep in creepy. I could go on and on. Everything about these characters is so realistic that while you are reading the story, you can't help but be sucked right in, making this my favorite type of book.

I finished this book almost a week ago, and honestly I'm still left reeling from that ending. Not to say it was a bad one, quite the contrary actually. It's just that I was not expecting the turn of events that happened which completely derailed my prediction of how things would turn out in the end. That being said, I really enjoyed this twist as it's more satisfying than my previous imaginations would have been. Also, I'll be the first to admit that I am incredibly hard on series ending books. I just grow very attached to characters and more often than not I feel left down by the end of their journey when things aren't as settled as I would like. Now sometimes the opposite happens, and things are left almost too settled where the happily ever after is too perfect, that it somehow lessens the believabilty. When it comes to TERMINATED however, Rachel Caine seems to have found the perfect balance between the two, leaving us with an ending that feels complete, but also isn't too cookie cutter perfect. It's an ending that will leave you with a sigh of contention, and I couldn't have hoped for any better.

I'm a huge fan of Rachel Caine's work, especially since I can pretty much guarantee a solid block of an entertaining read from anything she's written. The Revivalist series is just another example of her pure talent, and one that I highly recommend. From heart pounding action to characters you can really get behind and a fantastic finish to the Revivalist series, TERMINATED is one book you won't want to miss!

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Previous Books:
1. Working Stiff
2. Two Week's Notice

Early Review: Fall of Night by Rachel Caine

, by KT

Fall of Night by Rachel Caine

The Morganville Vampires #14

Thanks to its unique combination of human and vampire residents, Morganville, Texas, is a small college town with big-time problems. When student Claire Danvers gets the chance to experience life on the outside, she takes it. But Morganville isn’t the only town with vampire trouble...

Claire never thought she’d leave Morganville, but when she gets accepted into the graduate program at MIT, she can’t pass up the opportunity. Saying good-bye to her friends is bittersweet, especially since things are still raw and unsettled between Claire and her boyfriend, Shane.

Her new life at MIT is scary and exciting, but Morganville is never really far from Claire’s mind. Enrolled in a special advanced study program with Professor Irene Anderson, a former Morganville native, Claire is able to work on her machine, which is designed to cancel the mental abilities of vampires.

But when she begins testing her machine on live subjects, things quickly spiral out of control, and Claire starts to wonder whether leaving Morganville was the last mistake she’ll ever make...

Claire honestly never thought she would be able to leave Morganville, but through a twist of fate, she finally is as she's headed off to MIT. Still it wasn't an easy choice to leave the home she has built with her friends, some of whom surprsiginly enough happen to be vampires. However, all this time she's been living under a shadow, and knows that she needs to have the chance to experience life outside of Morganville to determine what she really wants from life. Only things aren't quite as she expects, as the safety she counted on outside of the vampire's immediate grasp was just a smokescreen. Suddenly things are spinning out of control as she seems to be under attack from multiple sides. Who would have thought vampires would ever become the least of her worries?

I was so incredibly proud of Claire in this book. As the reader, I've seen her strength grow by leaps and bounds from the shy and scared girl we first met, yet her friends have a hard times seeing her as an equal rather than someone who needs to be protected, and Shane is the worst of them all. Don't get me wrong, I love the too of them together, but I think Claire leaving was incredibly important for her to not only learn about herself and what she really wants, but to force Shane (and the others) to see her for who she has become. Shane really messed up in the last book, and while I realize that it wasn't the first time, this time around she knew that she couldn't just let his actions go. He had to learn to see her differently and that she wasn't a pushover any more, or the two of them would never work in the long run. That being said, leaving wasn't easy, and Rachel Caine truly nailed the emotional aspect as my heart really went out to both of them. Still Claire had to figure out what she really wanted in life, and FALL OF NIGHT gave her the opportunity, even if things didn't turn out quite as she had expected.

Prior to this point in the series, things were almost entirely set in Morganville, or at least under a vampire authority's close watch while Claire company were out of the borders. To see the new dynamic with Claire outside of Morganville was both interesting and terrifying at the same time. At least in Morganville, the threat is known, whereas outside of it, the threats' identities are hidden and seem to be coming from all sides. It simply amazed me (and Claire) that she could possibly be in more danger than she ever was before, and yet somehow she was. I really loved how the world view was opened up so much more, especially as it showed Claire that both her action and those of the vampires reached so much further than just Morganville's limits. I think it really upped the ante and ratcheted up the intensity up to eleven.

Sometimes I truly believe authors enjoy torturing readers, and with the way FALL OF NIGHT ended, I have to think Rachel Caine is no exception to that rule. I just cannot even begin to imagine what those events will mean in the next installment. I've said this several times throughout this series whenever she would throw us for a loop, but honestly this time around it's looks to be the game changers of all game changers. Even if the rest of FALL OF NIGHT had not been fantastic, I still would be as desperate to get my hands on the next installment. But lucky for me, FALL OF NIGHT was fantastic, which honestly is incredibly impressive considering just how long run this series is. From what I can see, the next book is potentially the last, but if FALL OF NIGHT is any indication, there's plenty of room for more as there's no sign of this series going stale yet. An absolute treat for fans of the series, FALL OF NIGHT is not to be missed!

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Early Review: Bitter Blood by Rachel Caine

, by KT

Bitter Blood by Rachel Caine

Morganville Vampires #13

For years, the human and vampire residents of Morganville, Texas, have managed to co-exist in peace. But now that the threat to the vampires has been defeated, the human residents are learning that the gravest danger they face is the enemy within…

Thanks to the eradication of the parasitic creatures known as the draug, the vampires of Morganville have been freed of their usual constraints. With the vampires indulging their every whim, the town’s human population is determined to hold on to their lives by taking up arms. But college student Claire Danvers isn’t about to take sides, considering she has ties to both the humans and the vampires.

To make matters worse, a television show comes to Morganville looking for ghosts, just as vampire and human politics collide. Now, Claire and her friends have to figure out how to keep the peace without ending up on the nightly news… or worse.

Now that the largest threat to vampires has been defeated, the vamps in Morganville no longer have anything to fear and it's showing. They no longer feel the need to be constrained by societies rule and have opened a new hunting season. No one, not even the "protected" ones are safe, causing the humans in the town to take up arms. Claire Danvers finds herself stuck in the middle as both sides seem prepared to tear the town apart one piece at a time.

As much as I love this series, I can't help feeling a little frustrated with the repeating pattern that things seems to be stuck in. Claire and company will do something amazing/brave/stupid to save the town/vampires/humans and then the vamps show some sort of gratitude and say they will change things for the better. But, by the time the next book rolls around, the vamps have all but forgotten the promises they made, and the gratitude towards Claire, etc is all gone. It wasn't much more than a mild annoyance at this point because each book more than held its own by distracting me with the new big and bad threat. However, after coming down from the insanity of the Draugs and just how much Claire and her friends did for the vamps, you would have though there would have been at least a small grace period. I realize that the series wouldn't be so enthralling if the vamps don't seem like strong threats anymore, but there has to be some other way than making them so incredibly ungrateful. I guess I'm just frustrated because I cannot count the number of times Claire has saved their royally screwed butts, and I want the poor girl to get some sort of credit.

Aside from the vamps acting like idiots, the theme of this book seemed to center more around the personal relationships. Don't get me wrong, there was still plenty of action, it's just that this time around there was more going than just trying to survive the latest threat. There's all these different interwoven character relationships and dynamics that play such a large role, yet are sometimes glossed over by the intense action, that it was really nice to see things come to the forefront. In particular, I'm talking about the dynamics between Michael and Eve, Claire and Shane, and Claire and Myrnin, although that last one won't be discussed here to avoid spoilers. As far as the others, I may be in the minority, but I'm not really a supporter of Michael and Eve. I kinda agree with the town that they shouldn't be mixing as it looks to only be leading to heartache or death. Although unlike the town, I don't want them to split up, but that Eve become a Vamp herself. I just don't quite get that one, or what the real hang up is, but I guess tension is really the key to a good book so I can't complain too much. As far as Claire and Shane, well Shane screws up yet again, but this time Claire isn't so quick to forgive him, and that make me rather proud of her. Don't get me wrong I'm still in firmly in the Claire/Shane camp, it's just that I want the boy to finally have to start taking some responsibility for his screw ups.

As much as it pains me to do it considering how much I enjoyed this book, I'm going to have to dock my rating by one star due to the series redundancy. It almost feels wrong to "penalize" this book since my problem is more with the series trend as a whole. However, since my frustration came to a head in Bitter Blood, I can't really overlook it any more. That being said, strangely I do have hope for that cycle to be lessened, if not broken in the next book based on the way things ended. Of course, I could be wrong, but I'll still be holding out hope. Don't get me wrong, things won't be all wrapped up in a pretty bow or be all like roses, it's just that the ending points to a new direction that I wasn't really expecting. I'm both anxious and nervous to see where things lead, but at the very least it should make for a change of pace, which is exactly what this series needs. So, putting my repetition woes aside, I have to say that Bitter Blood was a really solid installment in the fabulous Morganville Vampires series. There's action, romance, and drama galore, making for one heck of an entertaining read that you won't want to miss!

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Early Review: Two Weeks' Notice by Rachel Caine

, by KT

Two Weeks' Notice by Rachel Caine

Revivalist #2

After dying and being revived with the experimental drug Returne, Bryn Davis is theoretically free to live her unlife—with regular doses to keep her going. But Bryn knows that the government has every intention of keeping a tight lid on Pharmadene’s life-altering discovery, no matter the cost.

And when some of the members of a support group for Returne addicts suddenly disappear, Bryn begins to wonder if the government is methodically removing a threat to their security, or if some unknown enemy has decided to run the zombies into the ground…

Life or rather unlife hasn't been easy for Bryn Davis in the past year, but since being killed and revived by a drug called Returne, she's been making the best of it as she can. She's moved on as best she can as she runs her funeral home and the occasional job for the government in exchange for the daily shot that continues her existence. But when her latest assignment reveals that several other Returne have gone missing, Bryn can't help wondering if the Feds have decided keeping Returne quiet wasn't worth the hassle anymore and have chosen to end the program. Permanently.

The conspiracy and paranoia are stepped up an incredible notch in Two Weeks' Notice. Now that the government has a major hand in Pharmadene the threat against Bryn seems to have doubled. Sure, the government claims to be completely running the show, but Bryn knows that an organization as secret and corrupted as Pharmadene doesn't easily disappear. Especially since one of the drug's creators is still on the run and out of the government's grasp. Either way, there is still only a limited supply of the Returne drug that she and the other revived are dependent on, and it is only a matter of time before the government starts to decide that maintaining their afterlife isn't worth the security risk. In fact I almost can't believe that Bryn and the rest of her allies haven't become just as insane about security as their scientist friend, Manny. If I were them, I would have long ago begged sufferance from him (and bribed with a lot of money), and hunkered down with him in his current stronghold. Then again, I just don't quite have the strength of will Bryn does, so I have to thank goodness that this is only fiction and not a reality. Especially as there also was another player added into the game that led to a shocking turn of events that I can't talk about without spoiling things. But suffice it to say that your head will be spinning once that plot thread is revealed. Even now, I am still in shock as I cannot believe the direction things are heading, but I'm sure the next book will be one heck of a ride because of it.

I really admire Bryn's character as she is both incredibly strong, but also isn't afraid of opening herself to others. Granted, she has had to adapt to some pretty horrible changes in her life which have left her much more sarcastic and hard. She also has this lone ranger mentality when it comes to trouble, but her reasoning for this is rather noble as she wants to keep the ones she cares about out of danger since they are much more vulnerable than she is, at least physically. On the emotional front however, Joe and Pat seem to have it together a whole lot more than Bryn and have become her steady rocks of support no matter how hard she may try and push them away for their own safety. Add in the rest of the supporting cast, and you have a small army willing to do anything and everything for one another, which makes them very dangerous to the wrong people. Love and loyalty more than anything can be the fiercest motivators, something their opponents will quickly learn.

My first thought upon finishing Two Weeks' Notice was rather incoherent, but it was something along the lines of "Holy bleeping bleep, that was bleeping insane!" It's not that the ending was an extreme cliffhanger, but more that the intensity of the book crept up on me so much that I hadn't realized just how sucked in I was until I finished. I looked up and realized hours had gone by without me noticing at all. I absolutely loved the first book, and had high hopes for this one as well, but wasn't sure how it could possibly top the series opener. Not only did Two Weeks' Notice top Working Stiff, but it completely blew it out of the water earning this series a place on my all time favorites list of Urban Fantasies. From the incredible cast of characters, to the fierce action and incredibly high stakes Two Weeks' Notice is one heck of a read and a must buy!

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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