Hourglass by Claudia Gray

Title: Hourglass
Author: Claudia Gray
Release Date: March 9th, 2010
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 339
Format: NookBook
Acquired: Bought
Interest: Series
Others in the Series: Evernight & Stargazer
Age Group: Young Adult

After escaping from Evernight Academy, the vampire boarding 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 an 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?

Never in a million years did I imagine the way this book had turned out. At first I had imagined that Gray would keep the reader in heavy suspense: Will Lucas and Bianca finally be happy and together? What's going to happen with Bianca surrounded by all the Black Cross? Who will target them next? And on and on it went, and for the most part, it was pretty slow.

I have no idea why this book series went from a spiral of drama all over to things, in a way, settling down. If anything I would have to label this book a "bridger" if not for the way things ended up. Really, I just felt, at first, the author was trying to write this book in order to connect it to the final book, but that did not turn out to be the case.

Bianca, I really liked her before, but now I felt she depended on Lucas a little too much, and he was making it easier by letting her lean on him, which was cute, but annoying. I mean, I get that they are in love and that it's not just a typical teen romance - remember the fangs - but I just didn't like how Bianca couldn't take care of herself. In a lot of ways I knew they were running out of options and fast, but I still think it would have been wiser if both of them swallowed their pride and between the two evils in their lives - or three if you count Black Cross - I'd say, go with the lesser, and they knew what that was. I didn't like the way things ended for Bianca, it could have been one hundred percent preventable, but again, pride.

I didn't give this book I five because it came up short to it's predecessors, again my big thing was with Bianca and how she went from becoming, what I thought, would be a independent woman to someone who needs to cling to a guy to keep afloat.

I really hope the next book gives me back the hope I have for this series, because I really did enjoy it a lot!

But, it wasn't a complete let down. Gray kept the image of our familiar character's alive for her readers, and even added spark to some of them. And I hope this stays with the characters for the next book. And just like the two before it was a quick and easy read. If you can make it up to book two, don't stop there. This book series is still clinging onto some life. Also, I don't know if this is possible but all the Lucas fans out there will love him even more in this book! He is the perfect image of the best boyfriend in the world, in my opinion anyways.

Romantic, funny, and hauntingly beautiful, Hourglass takes the characters onto the next, more dangerous phase, in their life, where love will have to prove to triumph over everything.

Stargazer by Claudia Gray

Title: Stargazer
Author: Claudia Gray
Release Date: March 24th, 2009
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 329
Format: NookBook
Acquired: Bought
Interest: Series
Others in the Series: Evernight
Age Group: Young Adult

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 his 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....

Shortly after the events of the second book, Bianca is more in love with Lucas than ever before, but because of who he is and who she is, they are forced to find ways to be together again. Even if it means lying and deceiving those they care about to be together. But at Evernight, strange things are happening. There's a haunting in the air and this leads straight towards Bianca, who will be forced to face the truth about her own identity and the what this could mean for her future.

I could not wait to read this book so I had to read it just as I turned the last page in the first book. Gray has a way of holding on to reader's and keeping them completely and fully interested in the novels.

This book was by far the most hauntingly, sexy of the two books that I've read. With Bianca drawing closer and closer to becoming a true vampire, the nature of these beings starts to come to light more and more. If there ever was a book that expressed what a vampire should truly be like, this is one of those books.

I was always surprised at every turn, especially when it came to Balthazar. (Okay, I totally support Lucas, don't get me wrong. But if I had someone like Balty, I wouldn't let him go! Just an FYI). I liked the way that his character was coming out more and more, and I know I'll see more about him later on.

The more I read about him, the more I fell in love with him myself. And in some moments I just couldn't stand Lucas. This is something that is really interesting about Gray. It's like most of her characters, the reader would just want to feel bad for them. I felt like there was never a good or bad character, but someone that just couldn't be understood until the layers of them were brought to life. Except for maybe people like Charity and possibly Lucas' step-dad, I'm not a big fan of either. But, what Gray reminds the reader is that they all have a past that makes them the way they are and really brings out the full-rounded character that they are.

At the ending, I was a little on edge, but I know that great things are to come. What will happen to Bianca and Lucas now, I'm not too sure, but I know that Bianca will have several battles that she won't have to face alone.

This was an amazing sequel. I am in love with this series, I have fully turned over to them!

Evernight by Claudia Gray

Title: Evernight
Author: Claudia Gray
Release Date: February 10th, 2009
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 327
Format: NookBook
Acquired: Bought
Interest: Series
Age Group: Young Adult

She's been uprooted from her small hometown and enrolled at Evernight Academy, an eerie Gothic boarding school where the students are somehow too perfect: smart, sleek, and almost predatory. Bianca knows she doesn't fit in.

Then she meets Lucas. He's not the "Evernight type" either, and he likes it that way. Lucas ignores the rules, stands up to the snobs, and warns Bianca to be careful—even when it comes to caring about him.

"I couldn't stand it if they took it out on you," he tells Bianca, "and eventually they would."

But the connection between Bianca and Lucas 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.

I cannot believe it took me forever to read this book! I kept hearing about this book series and always brush it off as something that looks cool and I'll get to it at my own time.

Well, when I finally did I was really happy. I mean, like my jaw was dropping at every big point in the book because I couldn't believe it.

Bianca was such a likeable character and Gray does a great job in making her someone that can be connected with. And then she rips the rug of connection right from under the reader without even expecting it. And once the truth comes out, it's like the first half of the story suddenly makes sense. I almost wanted to go back and read it again now that my eyes were open to the truth.

Anyways, the entire story just took me a little by surprised. And I love how Gray was sneaking in little surprises at every corner.

I loved Lucas and I loved how Gray developed his character throughout the whole book. At first I was thinking that everything about Lucas was laid out in the open and he wouldn't be like most male characters who are a huge mystery, but then Gray throws in a mystery portion to it twisting the story line.

And some character's I just did not understand at all. And I think that the rest of the series will reveal a little more about them and I hope that the plot of the book unravels a little more.

It did feel, though, that it was a little anti-climatic. Especially with the way they set up the prologue, I was expecting a little more near the end, but I was a little disappointed. I did start book 2 already and it is turning out a little better than the first, so let's cross our fingers.