Monday 26 March 2012

Review: Out for Blood - Alyxandra Harvey

"Tell me about the Drake brothers.  Are they as yummy as everyone says?"
"Totally."  I didn't even have to think about that one.  "It was like being in a room full of Johnny Depps."

Hunter Wild, vampire hunter and star pupil at a top secret slayer academy, has a crush on a guy called Quinn.  He's tall, dark and very handsome.  He's also a vampire, and one of the infamous Drake brothers at that.

As if forbidden love wasn't bad enough, something strange is also happening at the Helios-Ra academy. Vampire attacks are increasing, students are mysteriously falling ill and the teachers seem completely clueless.  It's up to Hunter and her friends to put things right . . . that is, if she can get a certain immortal out of her head long enough to think about anything else.

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:
Hunter comes from a long line of vampire hunters and is one of the star pupils at the Helios-Ra Academy.  Her friendship with Kieran has recently brought her into contact with the Drake family and for the first time she is questioning the Helios-Ra ethos that all vampires are evil and should be destroyed.  Back at the Academy students are suffering from a mysterious illness and Hel-Blar attacks are on the increase.  Hunter is convinced there is something suspicious going on but who can she trust to help her get to the truth?  If she can't trust the other hunters can she really trust a vampire to help her get to the bottom of things?  Does she have any other choice?

It's no secret that I really enjoyed the first two books in the Drake Chronicles series so I couldn't wait to pick up Out for Blood.  This series really does get better with every book as Alyxandra Harvey continually steps things up a gear.  If you're new to the series then I'd highly recommend reading the books in order starting with My Love Lies Bleeding (or Hearts at Stake as it is called in the US) so you don't miss out on the ongoing plot threads.  This is a fabulous series though and one I'd definitely recommend reading!

What can I say about Out for Blood apart from move over Logan and Nicholas I have a new favourite Drake brother in Quinn!  I have to confess I didn't think I'd fall for Quinn as hard as I did, he's a bit of a ladies man and a player which isn't something I would usually go for in a guy but you can easily see why Quinn is such a hit with the girls because there is definitely something irresistible about him.  I loved seeing the tables turned on him, he is used to having girls fall at his feet not falling himself so it was fun to see his reaction to Hunter and his new found feelings.  Hunter was one of my favourite heroines in the series, she is a kick butt warrior who can protect herself and her friends and I love how she stands up to Quinn.  It was also fantastic to learn more about the Helios-Ra from an insider's point of view and I hope we get to see more of her friends from the Academy.

The banter is one of the best things about this series - the banter between each couple but particularly between the Drake family and each of the brothers.  You can feel the love this family has for each other and I really enjoy reading about a happy, supportive family for a change.  It's great that although the focus is on Hunter and Drake we still get to see how the previous couples are getting on.  Lucy still steals the show for every scene she appears in though, I can't get enough of her and Nicholas and she never fails to make me laugh out loud!  As usual for this series there is also plenty of action and a plot that will keep you turning the pages as quickly as possible.  If you're a fan of the series and haven't read this instalment yet what are you waiting for?  Go out and grab your copy now!

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.

3 comments:

  1. Ooh I have this series on my wish list and now you've made me want to read it even more!! Great review :)

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  2. @ Lilly - I love this series so it's definitely one I'd recommend checking out :o)

    @ Memybooksandi - you're in for a treat when you pick up these books! I love them :o)

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