Nyxen's Review of "Hourglass"

Hourglass by Claudia Gray
339 Pages
HarperTeen 2010

BIANCA WILL RISK EVERYTHING TO BE WITH LUCAS.

After escaping from Evernight Academy, the vampire barding school where they met, Bianca and Lucas take refuge with Black Cross, a fanatical group of vampire hunters. Bianca must hide her supernatural heritage or risk certain death at its hands. But when Black Cross captures her friend-the vampire Balthazar-hiding is no longer and option.

Soon, Bianca and Lucas are on the run again, pursued not only by Black Cross, but by the powerful leaders of Evernight. Yet no matter how far they travel, Bianca can't escape her destiny.

Bianca has always believed their love could survive anything . . . but can it survive what's to come?

Hourglass takes place more or less a week after Stargazer. Bianca, Raquel, and Lucas are now staying and training with Black Cross after the battle at Evernight. For Bianca, she thinks everything has fallen into place but she's wrong. Everything is about to get worse and she can't stop it.

I think Hourglass is the best novel out of the series, so far. it give us more action, more drama, more romance, and even more twists and turns. Once you think it's over, Claudia Gray surprises you.

The characters have really evolved and matured in this one. From beginning to end, you really see Bianca and Lucas grow as one, taking the world by storm. They are faced with decisions that will either make them or break them, whether they can survive the grown up world or not.

I really enjoyed the fact that Bianca had to start makind desicions for not only herslef, but the people around her. Lucas also seemed very different, either that or he was developing. Either way I think he was well written then. Overall, I think the characters were outstanding in this novel.

The plot in Hourglass was just amazing, like nothing I've ever read before. Not only are there vampires in this one, but the wraiths, or ghosts, are back. They're back and out to get Bianca for themselves. Like I said, there was definitely more action and adventure and I practically jumped out of my seat with anticipation.

Claudia Gray really stepped it up with Hourglass, but will she keep it up in Afterlife, Bianca and Lucas's next adventure? Let's hope because so far, I haven't been dissapointed.

I rate this novel Five Stars.

Nyxen's Review of "Stargazer"

Stargazer by Claudia Gray
329 Pages
HarperTeen 2009

THE VAMPIRE IN ME WAS CLOSER TO THE SURFACE...

Evernight Academy: an exclusive boarding school for the most beautiful, dangerous, students of all-vampires. Bianca, born to two vampires, has always been told her destiny is to become one of them.

But Bianca fell in love with Lucas-a vampire hunter sworn to destroy her kind. They were torn apart when hiss true identity was revealed, forcing him to flee the school.

Although they may be separated, Bianca and Lucas will not give each other up. She will risk anything for the chance to see him again, even if it means coming face-to-face with the vampire hunters of Black Cross-or deceiving the powerful vampires of Evernight. Bianca's secrets will force her to live a life of lies.

Yet Bianca isn't the only one keeping secrets. When Evernight is attacked by an evil force that seems to target her, she discovers the truth she thought she knew is only the beginning. . . .

Again, I did not only buy this series because of the main character's name. I actually happen to like this series.

Stargazer picks up a couple months after Evernight. It's the beginning of a new school year at Evernight Academy and Bianca is not excited for two reasons. One, she has see Mrs. Bethany again for a whole year and two, Lucas is not attending the school anymore. She's sad, distraught and is constantly thinking about him.

I understand that Bianca loves Lucas but that was all she could think about throughout the entire novel, or almost entire novel. I think Bianca could have done a lot more if she stopped thinking about him the way she did. It was just excessive.

Besides that small thing, I think Claudia Gray did a wonderful job at capturing how Bianca felt in her adventure to survive Evernight Academy and all weird things happening there. There was more to Stargazer than there was in Evernight. The plot was intense with more twists and turns after every page and the characters became more well-developed. Gray's writing flowed magically and smoother in this one. If that makes sense.

My favorite part, of maybe the entire series, would probably be Balthazar. In this novel you get to see more of Bathlazar, his background, his past and what exactly makes him, him. Balthazar would probably be my favorite character out of the rest. He sexy, sweet, smart and everything you would want in a man. I sort of wished Bianca ended up with him by the end of the novel.

Speaking of which, the end of the novel was intense! I was literally holding my breath through the whole thing, scared as to what the outcome would be. Now, even though I wasn't a fan of Bianca constantly thinking about Lucas I still loved how she becomes overjoyed whenever the do see each other. And I was glad that Bianca got to see Lucas at the end.

Overall, I thought this novel was an excellent read, better than the first and I reccomend this to anyone who is in need of a paranormal, forbidden love story.

I rate this Four Stars.

Nyxen's Review of "Evernight"

Evernight by Claudia Gray
352 Pages
HarperTeen

BIANCA WANTS TO ESCAPE.

At the eerily Gothic Evernight Academy, the other students are sleek, smart, and almost predatory. Bianca knows she doesn't fit in.

When she meets handsome, brooding Lucas, he warns her to be careful - even when it comes to caring about him. But the connection between them can't be denied. Bianca will risk anything to be with Lucas, but dark secrets are fated to tear them apart... and to make Bianca question everything she's ever believed.

SPOILERS AHEAD. READ AT OWN RISK.

I will be bluntly honest. I picked this book up for one reason and one reason only, the name. Seriously, you don't read any books with the name Bianca in it and since it's my name too I thought, "I must buy this immediately!" And I think my instincts told me right.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book immensely. Bahaha, look at me trying to sound smart. That sentence made no sense whatsoever.

When you pick up this book, and look at the cover, you can automatically tell it's a vampire novel. Maybe it was just me but that's what I thought. And the strangest thing is you don't find out it's about vampires until the end of chapter seven page 141. (I just looked that up right now. :P) At first, I didn't know what was going on but I loved how Claudia Gray kept me off of my seat through it all. You go through Bianca's life which is filled with twists and turns and unexplainable things. Gray's way of interpreting her life is really amazing and written magically.

The only thing that bugged me was Bianca, in a way. I guess she's just another vampire heroine who falls in love to quickly for her own good. When she first meets Lucas Ross at the beginning of the story, I could quickly tell she was attracted to him. And that's okay but I just didn't like that she yearned for him, that he was all she could think about. I think her expectations for him are way too high in the relationship category. And as much as I enjoyed Bianca and Lucas together, I felt that she didn't need to think about him almost 24/7. But don't worry! She doesn't actually only talk about him. I still recommend this book to anyone who loves vampires and love. Oh, and did I mention it has hints of being a forbiden love?

I rate this Four Stars.