Monday 17 October 2011

Review: My Love Lies Bleeding - Alyxandra Harvey

"They're close," she murmured. "Watching."
"Run?" I suggested.  "Like right now?"
She shook her head.
"If we act like prey, they'll act like predators."

Solange has always known she is a vampire.  And as the only female vampire ever born, not initiated, she is surrounded by danger on all sides - from other vampire tribes who want to take her blood into their lineage, and from the bounty hunters who are set on destroying her and her family.

When she is kidnapped, it's up to her elder brother, Nicholas, and best friend, Lucy, to save her.  But can Lucy save herself from Nicholas, who tempts her with every look - and what will be her own fate if she surrenders her heart to a vampire?

The Drake Chronicles:
Corsets and Crossbows (Novella)
Lost Girls (Novella included in the UK paperback of Blood Moon)
My Love Lies Bleeding (released in the US with the title Hearts at Stake)
Blood Feud
Out for Blood
A Killer First Date (Novella)
Bleeding Hearts
A Field Guide to Vampires: Annotated by Lucy Hamilton (Novella)
Blood Moon
Sound and Fury (Novella included in the UK paperback of Blood Prophecy)
Blood Prophecy
A Tithe of Blood and Ashes (Novella)
The Longest Night (Novella)

Visit Alyxandra Harvey's website for more information

Review:
Solange is the first female vampire to be born in 900 years and because of an ancient prophecy she is surrounded by enemies.  It is believed that she is the one who can unite the various different vampire clans but the last thing she wants is to become queen and there are plenty of people out there who will do anything to stop that happening.  Her best friend Lucy is human but has known Solange and her family since they were children so is aware of the existence of vampires.  When Solange is kidnapped Lucy is determined to save her friend but she is going to need the help of Solange's brothers to have a chance at succeeding.

I've been wanting to start this series for a long time now but for some reason never quite got around to it, I don't know why it took me so long but I have to say I'm glad I didn't put it off any longer.  My Love Lies Bleeding (called Hearts at Stake in the US) was a great start to the series and I'm really looking forward to reading more about these characters.  Alyxandra Harvey has created a detailed vampire mythology with several different factions all working against each other.  I would have loved the book to have been longer so she could have given us more information about the world but there was enough to keep me interested without overloading me with the world building.  That can be a difficult balancing act at the start of a new series!

Without a doubt my favourite characters were Lucy and Nicholas.  As a human Lucy has less physical strength than her vampire friends but she has an inner strength that shines through, she is smart and witty and I loved her interactions with Solange and her brothers.  Nicholas was great and I loved the romance that develops between the two of them, they have known each other for years and you get a real sense of that in the banter between them.  Scenes with the two of them made me laugh and I couldn't get enough of them.  Although I liked Solange I didn't feel as invested in her relationship with Kieran, things developed a little too quickly between them and I could have done with more page time given to them as a couple.  Hopefully we'll get to see more of both couples as the series continues.

The family dynamics were great, Solange has seven protective older brothers and often felt smothered by them.  As much as she understood they were trying to keep her safe I could relate to her need for more freedom.  The interactions between the brothers were fun and it'll be good to get to know them all better in future books. 

My only complaint with My Love Lies Bleeding was that I wanted it to be longer, Alyxandra Harvey could have doubled the page count and I'd have been perfectly happy spending more time with Solange and Lucy.  Having said that it did mean that it was a light hearted, easy read and it was one that I really enjoyed.  The next 3 books are already available and I can't wait to continue the journey.

Source: Received from Bloomsbury in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

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