HURRICANES

    "The area a hurricane covers can be quite expansive from 100 to 300 miles wide. Most of the hurricane activity that we see begins "over the Atlantic Ocean north of the equator." It is then they start their willy nilly journeys which usually last for about a week. The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale is a predictor that indicates just how strong a storm can be. They range from Category 1 to the extremely destructive Category 5 that New Orleans experienced with Hurricane Katrina. In this book you learn about the particulars of each category, you'll get a glimpse at some devastating historical hurricanes, you'll see how hurricanes are forecasted and tracked, you'll learn about storm watches, hurricane warnings, how to prepare for a storm, and you'll learn some interesting facts. 

This swirling, fascinating book is an interesting way to learn about hurricanes. I loved the setup of this book and if you have also read "Tornadoes" by Gail Gibbons you will have a good idea of how nicely she relays important information about nature's wondrous wrath. The first few pages discuss and illustrate how storms are formed. When the storm categories are discussed, you can read about and visual compare the differences. For example, in the aftermath of a Category one you can see the storm in action and when it is done you can see people out picking up the mess and surveying the damage like shingle loss, broken windows and scattered tree limbs. This is not only a fun book to read, but a very informative one!" - Hurricanes by Gail Gibbons on AMAZON.COM

EVE BY ANNA CAREY REVIEW

The year is 2032, sixteen years after a deadly virus—and the vaccine intended to protect against it—wiped out most of the earth’s population. The night before eighteen-year-old Eve’s graduation from her all-girls school she discovers what really happens to new graduates, and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust...and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life...

EVE ANNA CAREY GOODREADS

Book in e-book form courtesy of NetGalley

NETGALLEY-for more info

I posted this book as my “WOW” last Wednesday (Waiting on Wednesday) & a fellow blogger friend told me I could find it on NET GALLEY (I am a member of NET GALLEY) as an e book ARC.

As FAST as my fingers could type I got to NG & there it was! In my “APPROVED” list. I downloaded the galley and began reading ASAP.

To say I devoured EVE would be an understatement. I absolutely adored this book from sentence one. There were a few things that irritated me & I HOPE they are cleared up in a sequel.

Eve was an orphan. Her mother died of the same virus that wiped out a majority of the world 16 years earlier. All school aged girls are segregated from men in “The School”, a school that prepares them for their “graduation”.  This generation is a part of “The New America”. The girls dream of graduating and living fabulous lives in the King’s capital, The City of Sand. Eve is the schools shining star. “You embody The New America, Eve-intelligence, hard work, and beauty” (excerpt from Chapter one) .

The girls are taught to obey and to fear men. Any and everything their teachers can do to make them fear men and to obey is said, shown, and done. They had never seen men nor do they want to.

Graduation day is upon Eve and she dreams of the days to come where she can spread her wings and fly and be a famous muralist. She envisions life the city with her best friends until a chance encounter with a schoolmate in the woods makes her re think all she has learned.

The night before Graduation she takes it upon herself to investigate all she was told. Part of her wanted to believe it was a lie and stay in bed but that nagging feeling deep down could not take it to chance that it wasn’t a lie.

Upon discovering the truth an unlikely ally helps Eve leave her destined future for one unknown. Leaving her friends behind and vowing to save them she takes off into the woods & over the infamous wall.  

Her escape leads her to people not unlike herself. Students used and abused by the King to create his new America in the dessert. Not knowing that Eve herself was a LARGE part of the Kings plan when she left; she quickly learns what the twisted King had in store for her. With the entire King’s army of soldiers looking for her she must keep one step ahead to survive.

Caleb is one of the people she met in the woods. Once a part of a school like Eve’s he too escaped into the woods. He quickly became a huge part of Eve’s life and they fell in love.

Eve’s adventures to get to a camp known as “Califia” brought her down a trail filled with people such as herself and people who were out to use and abuse and kill to get what they wanted. It was hard to know who to trust in this crazy “free for all” of a world over the wall.

She quickly learns that not all of her teachers had her best interest at heart; they truly were not honest and did all they could to shield her from the truth and real life as it was now. Inside of the King’s capital city life was hunky dory, at a large cost.

Like I said I LOVED EVE & I also had a few small issues.

I think the book repped a dystopian society perfectly. The way the author showed us this new, wild, world was perfect. I found myself imagining if it were to happen now how would I survive and act. Eve herself was a sweet, strong, sincere girl. She had normal reactions and behaviors to the situations around her. BUT….

I thought Eve forgot about certain ppl she left behind a little too fast. She vowed to come back for her BFF Pip but you did not hear Pip’s name again. If that were my lifelong BFF about to go into that situation I would at least talk about her to my new friends and let them know about the ppl I had to leave behind. MAYBE it was easier to deal with not talking about it. She had to change a lot to survive and any emotional weakness would make her like chum in the water.

I would of liked to of heard Eve talk about Pip and the other ppl she lost in her life, especially those ppl who sacrificed a lot to protect Eve. Eve is a hot commodity now seeing as she is considered the Kings personal property, any other student escapee is not as important as Eve. For anyone to help Eve in her continued escape does so at a great cost and risk to themselves. I wanted Eve to recognize that a bit more. It is ONLY book 1 after all so I won’t be too hard on my gurl Eve..

These few, small, things aside Eve was a truly fabulous read.

I personally was NOT happy with the end. To say it was a cliffy is a HUGE UNDERSTATEMENT! I would NOT have done what she had done. BUT maybe the unexpected is better in this stories sake. It has me amped up for book 2. She did not do what everyone expected so book 2 will most likely be pretty exciting and fast paced.

Seeing as book 1 is not officially published yet book 2 will seem lifetimes away..

Eve will not disappoint. You will fall in love with this story and get drawn deep into it. You will see yourself in her shoes and imagine life in their world. You feel a part of it and you will cheer and jeer for the ppl in this book.

SPELLBOUND:CARA LYNN SHULTZ REVIEW

SPELLBOUND: CARA LYNN SHULTZ

·         Reading level: Young Adult

·         Paperback: 352 pages

·         Publisher: Harlequin; Original edition (June 21, 2011)

·         Language: English

·         I received this from: NETGALLEY

Not since “Twilight” had I wished a book boyfriend was real (Edward..Oh my Edward..you HAVE been REPLACED!)

Brendan Salinger & Emma Connor’s relationship had been doomed from the start. Not only was Emma the new girl that did not fit in with the rest of the perfect “Gossip Girl” type characters in her new school, the elite “Vincent Academy”, she was also the reincarnation of Gloriana, a peasant wife of  the rich & powerful Lord Archer, Earl of Aglaeon.

When tragedy struck & Gloriana died violently the Earl Archer made a deal with the Devil (so to speak) Only he did not think his request through (he requested his future life force be a blood descendant, rich, handsome, strong, etc. selfish requests according to the witch casting the spell) and the deal was “tainted” by the witch, despite being made from a place of true love. He would meet up with his true love and know her by the family crest he re-designed for his wife after her death (she would be wearing it).

It would not be a life of long happiness and growing old together however. It would be a passionate, troubled, love affair to end in tragedy time and again.

Fast forward to Emma & Brendan.

Emma’s Aunt Christine took Emma in after her Mother had passed away, her step brother had died earlier from Meningitis & her Step Father, Henry, was proven to be a very abusive drunk that hurt Emma.

A fresh start ahead of her Emma was naturally nervous but optimistic about her new life.

Her first day of school she is the center of attention, especially Anthony’s. The school’s golden boy jock with an ugly side. Attention from Anthony is NOT what she wants. Anthony not used to being rejected makes it his mission to make Emma miserable.

Immediately Emma notices the beyond handsome Brendan Salinger. The enigmatic boy whom does not date many girls and is a bit of a loaner. Kristin, the school Queen Bee, notices Emma’s interest in Brendan & is not happy to see he is interested right back.

Life plods along as normal until Anthony hurts Emma’s sweet, younger cousin Ashley. Vicious rumors and getting a bit rough with her, pushes Emma to the edge. A showdown that humiliates Anthony takes place in the school. Brendan hops in to save Emma from a physical beating by Anthony.

Meanwhile Emma has discovered the meaning of the mysterious necklace/ crest she has been wearing that was a gift from her deceased twin brother. She is a bit scared of the story she has learned (the deal of Lord Archer) and wonders how it applies to her.

Signs begin manifesting that warns her of impending danger. Her friend Angelique helps her discover her true “identity” and helps her with a protection spell and a spell to enhance her natural witch powers.

Brendan, being a descendant of Lord Archer, remembers jokes about a family curse about doomed lovers. He goes to his Grandfather to learn the truth behind the jokes. Armed with a sketch of Emma’s necklace/crest he talks to his Grandfather and studies up on Lord Archer’s curse.

Both realize they are this generations doomed lovers and so begins the fight to save their love and their life’s in the process.

It will not be easy to fight a force so strong, almost stronger than their love. Both have to face unbelievable odds to survive. Couple that with the petty jealousies of Kristin and the cruel, bruised, ego of Anthony and they were in for a whirlwind of a time.

There is a way to “break” the curse for this generation but it would take a truly selfless soul to do it. A lover willing to make the ULTIMATE sacrifice for his/her soul mate.

The showdown between Anthony, Emma, and Brendan during the school dance was the curse putting them all to the ultimate test. As Emma watched the crest roll away after it was snapped off her neck during a struggle with Anthony (a sign the “end” was near) she passed out thinking of Brendan and hoping he was safe. Brendan catching up to them fights to the near death to protect Emma and their love. It was an intense, physical and emotional battle both took part in.

There were no casualties. The curse, it seems, was broken, for now..

Anthony is on the run and presumed out of the country..

Are Emma and Brendan truly free?

Emma is NOT your typical teen girl (being born a witch put aside). A breath of fresh air is what she was to me. Strong despite a hard life, not cynical either, she had a funny sarcastic side to her, sweet, loving and loyal to her friends and family. Emma was what you wish your daughter or sister or BFF to be like.

Brendan was not obsessive, clingy, or pathetic when faced with losing Emma. He manned up and jumped in with both feet. He fights the good fight and was willing to sacrifice whatever he had to. Good looks and obscene wealth aside, he is a sweet boy who had no problem admitting his flaws and mistakes from the past. He also took it one step further, he made a choice not to be a certain way (like Anthony for example) knowing he could have any girl, with a snap of his fingers, did not make him delusional or turn him into a ego crazed man whore.  The fact he showed strength and vulnerability and did NOT run when things got tough (AHEM EDWARD..AHEM) made him even more swoon worthy in my eyes.

The books has a few amazing characters in it-

The schools “Queen Bee” Kristin, jealous of all the attention the new girl is getting she allows her insecurities to bring her to a place that gets people hurt. In my eyes she is a redeemable character. I am curious to see where she ends up in the sequel (please tell me there WILL be one).

Anthony, the schools golden boy jock who swears he is the end all be all for every teen girl in Vincent Academy. Anthony has a very dark, twisted, ugly side to him that could be fatal for the wrong person.

Ashley, the sweet, supportive, younger cousin of Emma. A fun girl who is all about the romance of Emma & Brendan.

 Angelique, the school’s witch who is stereotypically made fun of for being different. She proves to be an invaluable friend and a source of much needed information.

Cisco & Jenn are not main characters but they prove to be invaluable friends for Emma and Brendan. I think Cisco could of used more “face time” seeing as he was technically her first best friend/confidant that was responsible for getting Brendan and Emma  to connect outside of the school. 

BREAKING DAWN REVIEW

The fourth and final chapter of Stephenie Meyer's TWILIGHT series is sure to please readers.

Bella has a tough decision ahead of her: eternal life or death. Should she live forever with the love of her life, her fiancé and vampire Edward Cullen? Or should she choose life -- and maybe her best friend who is completely in love with her, Jacob Black -- and face death that will eventually come?

That is the big decision that Bella faces, but of course the road down the path to the outcome isn't easy. Many events happen that alter Bella's life forever, leaving both the reader and Bella dazed.

BREAKING DAWN ends the series very nicely. Throughout its seven-hundred pages, the reader is engrossed in the drama and action-packed tale of an ordinary girl in a pseudo-ordinary world. The reader should be cautioned that fits of increased heart rate and frustration might raise the desire to hurl the book across the room while reading this last installment of the very popular series.

While some could argue that there is simply too much "drama" --the book is nevertheless entertaining and delightful. (TEENSREADTOO)

HUNGER GAMES REVIEW

Twenty-four children: twelve boys, twelve girls, tributes selected by random lottery every year and sent to the capitol city of Panem to compete in a brutal, bloodthirsty fight for survival, with the last participant standing declared champion.

Welcome to the Hunger Games, a grim reminder to those living in the twelve districts comprising what was once the United States of their place as virtual slaves to the gleaming Capitol at their center.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen is this year's female representative for District 12, having volunteered to take her younger sister Prim's place. Sent to the arena with the baker's son and classmate, Peeta Mellark -- a boy who, several years prior, saved Kat and her family from the ravages of starvation after her father's death in a coal mining accident -- neither competitor from the final district seem to be contenders.

But Peeta's good nature and Kat's small stature belie the former's cunning intelligence and the latter's experience as a hunter; while a revelation from Peeta during the introductory ceremonies sends Katniss into the first day of competition more than a little off-kilter.

The stage is set, the tributes have arrived, and the cameras are watching...let the games begin.

It is no exaggeration to call THE HUNGER GAMES a pulse-pounding page-turner. Collins grabbed me from the first page and didn't let go. While Katniss isn't always the most likable character (in fact, there were plenty of times I much preferred the affable Peeta, or even sweet, birdlike little Ruth), she is always compelling, thanks to her rational approach to every challenge and her dogged determination.

While THE HUNGER GAMES is a plot-driven novel, the characters and their relationships are the heart of the story. Ms. Collins has created a dystopian tale of Orwellian caliber for young adults, giving any reader plenty to churn their minds between now and the next installment of this trilogy.
(TEENSREADTOO)

NOW BEING R&R'D BY VGBC: BONE DRESSING MICHELLE BROOKS

Book Trailer

Michelle I. Brooks

COLD BLOOD:THE END:CAL MILLER REVIEW

**REVIEW**

COLD BLOOD:THE END: CAL MILLER

“Dr. Cheryl Barrett likes to think she got into medicine to help people… to save lives. While that may be true to a certain extent, the real reason has been chasing her since her father’s death.”

Christmas Eve, a night when kids are nestled snug in their beds, parents sneaking down to put gifts under the tree, milk and cookies out for Santa, but something more sinister is lurking and will make this holiday one for everyone to remember..

The night begins with Dr.Cheryl Barrett delivering her best friend Laura's baby. This is to be Dr.Cheryl Barrett's first delivery. A fact that has not gone unnoticed by Laura's husband Drake. He has been opposed to it since the get go. Laura being Cheryl's best friend, since their young and care free college days, trusts her best friend and Doctor with her and her unborn child's life.

Meanwhile in a different room, Dr.Barrett's mother is most likely going to die before she can see another holiday season- from Pancreatic Cancer.

The time has come for Laura to give birth to her son. Excitement has erased any trepidation Drake has about this being Dr.Barrett's first delivery. So her son can be born on Christmas day Dr.Barrett has Laura wait a few minutes before she begins pushing. All is well, Mother and child are strong and healthy. The clock strikes 12am “MERRY CHRISTMAS”. A few minutes later a baby boy makes his appearance into the world, the perfect Christmas gift.

“What happened?! You said I was doing great, what the fuck happened Cheryl?!” Laura cries out.

“He was, you both were… I don’t know….” Cheryl answers.

“You don’t know?! I do! You froze, I have it on tape!” Drake shouts. “You made her wait until midnight! I saw you! You killed our baby by waiting!”

Cheryl is distraught as she watches Valerie, her assistant nurse try to breathe life into her best friends stillborn son.

She leaves the room only to be greeted by mass chaos. Screaming, tears, confusion.

A nurse comes up to her. “Yours too?!” She shouts. Her face twisted in horror. “Was it dead?!”

Cheryl nods her head.

“The last five babies delivered on this floor have been stillborn.” The rather large young nurse says, a hand on each of Cheryl’s shoulders, shaking her... Hurting her.

Cheryl rushes to see how her mother is doing. Upon entering the room there are no signs of life from the machines monitoring her mother. She grabs her mother's cold hands and begins speaking to her dead body. Apologizing for not being there in her final moments. Suddenly the hand squeezes hers back! “What’s wrong, dear? I’m fine. In fact, I feel a bit better.” Her mother says.

So begins the nightmare. All over the Eastern seaboard babies are being born stillborn and people who are supposed to be dead are not. And it all happened after midnight. Christmas day.

The Feds and the CDC become involved, the hospital is on quarantine, the epidemic is spreading across all time zones as each one passes the midnight mark. Animals are experiencing the same exact phenomenon.

The “Technically Dead” begin experiencing pain and start eating the stillborn babies and still alive human's to “ease” these pains. The “Technically Dead” seem to have very persuasive ways and have caused many humans to committ suicide too.

This book mainly focus's on Dr.Cheryl Barrett and her story. She not only has a mother who is now a “Tech Dead” but her best friends child is one of the after midnight stillborns. Not only that when she was trying to save her assistant nurse Valerie's life after a suicide attempt she herself has become a “Tech Dead”.

One of the Doctor's in the hospital has an idea on how to “reanimate” Cheryl. She has not been dead very long and has yet to experience the strange symptoms of physical pains and behavioral changes the other “Tech Deads” have. Dr.Ruiz gets Cheryl to agree to his experiment.

Meanwhile we follow the story of David Burke an his wife Cindy. They both work for the local news station. David and Cindy are awaiting the birth of their first child too. Once the news breaks David and his team sneak into the hospital to get first crack at the story. They witness firsthand the chaos the “Tech Deads” are creating. They see the botched suicide attempts, the stillborn's, etc. They also witness the military shoot humans and “Tech Deads” attempting to leave the hospital. Cindy is in labor at the new station and David is trying to get to her.  

After a “ successful” reanimation of Dr.Cheryl Barrett, Dr.Ruiz is ecstatic, as is Cheryl. Thinking all is well she goes about business as usual. While trying to help the people of St.James Hospital she is met by a site and put into a situation she cannot resist..it seems the heartbeat, brainwaves, and signs of life are not that were returned to Cheryl...

What I simply adored about this fabulous book is that it was faced paced and not as plain and simple as your typical zombie takes over as the world ends story. The world has not ended via viral infection, war, etc. and the zombies are a bit more intelligent than your typical falling apart at the seams z-bee's of yester year. There was no warning at all. BAM! Midnight came and all hell broke loose.

Whatever caused the stillborn births and the undead to not die was never revealed (at least not yet) . As fast as it began it ended. Children were born alive, the dead died as they were supposed to & the tech deads..well.. lets just say I am hoping from the way the story ended there will be a follow up *hint*hint*. A story such as this CANNOT be left unfinished. It is cruel to the readers. 

BIRTH OF A KILLER:DARREN SHAN "SAGA OF LARTEN CREPSLEY" BOOK 1

                   
When Larten Crepsley's cousin, Vur Horston, is killed by an overzealous, brash, and downright evil foreman at the silk factory where they both work, Larten makes an instant decision to kill the awful man. Before he even knows what he has 

done, Larten is on the run. As he flees into the stormy night, he seeks shelter in a crypt, where he meets Seba, an aging vampire. Larten knows that he cannot return to his old life, for he will face certain death. Seba becomes Larten's master and vows to 

teach him the ways of the vampire. When Seba must attend the Vampire Mountain summit, he leaves Larten in the care of Mr. Tall, leader of Cirque Du Freak. In this highly anticipated prequel to the Cirque Du Freak series, Larten is introduced as a caring young man caught in a very unfortunate circumstance. Readers will enjoy learning how and why Larten became a vampire, how his hair turns orange and how he became a part of the thrilling Cirque Du Freak show. Larten's journey involves mountainside summits, vampire training lessons, amazing tricks and antics in the Cirque Du Freak circus, and so much more. Fans of Darren Shan will eat this book up and likely go on to reread the series, now that they know the backstory on how a killer was born.

DAUGHTER OF DARKNESS VC ANDREWS

Daughter of Darkness :V. C. Andrew

Simon and Schuster, 2010 - Fiction - 416 pages

When I was a little girl, Daddy told me never to fear the dark. "We exist because of the darkness," he told me. "All of you are daughters of darkness." Beloved bestselling author V. C. Andrews's passion for vampires comes to spellbinding life in a long-awaited novel of dark desires as all-consuming and forbidden as in Flowers in the Attic. One night, with the sound of a young man's scream, high school senior Lorelei discovers that her stern but loving father, who adopted Lorelei and her sisters as infants, is no ordinary man. He has raised his beautiful girls for one purpose: to lure young men into their world of shadows. Like her sisters, Lorelei has been trained in the art of

seduction and warned never to fall in love. But when she meets a handsome and charming classmate, she boldly

defies her family and follows her heart - even if love is a poison....

Lorelei comes from a unique family. Having 2 older sisters and one younger sister, Lorelei is raised by her father and Mrs. Fennel. She always knew they were different but didn't know exactly why.

As things turn out, Lorelei discovers that each sister before her had a destiny; something her father had pre-planned for them their entire lives, Lorelei included. As Lorelei reaches the mature age, her sister Ava is to leave the house to fullfill her destiny and Lorelei will take her place in the house. That place includes going out once a month to find a suitable man for her father to "digest." The only thing she didn't count in is meeting Buddy and falling in love.

Lorelei fights against her destiny and defies her Father by falling in love and not following in her sister's footsteps. She finally finds out the family secret- her father is in fact a real Vampire. After witnessing his monthly "feeding" she is disgusted. He uses his daughters to breed and bring home his food. He trains them in the art of seduction from a very early age. When they are done they are to produce a replacement and then they are "free" . They will become vampires if they so chose or continue on as they have been.

Until Lorelei each girl has been grateful and complacent in her role. She has felt honored to do fathers bidding. Lorelei also discovers she is her father TRUE genetic daughter. She is repulsed and will not produce a female heir with her biological father or become his wife or train her younger sister to follow in the older ones foot steps.

She runs away from home hoping to leave it all behind like a bad dream and start a new life. A series of events lead her back home..Or so the end of the book leads you to believe.. It leaves you wondering & that was a bad thing. It did not wrap it up neatly and the Estate/Publishers of the VC Andrews brand leaves you hanging on whether there will be a book 2/continuance or not.

The end was truly a twister. It had me and many wondering "HUH" . They tried hard to tell a colorful story and then wrap it up in a few paragraphs. It did NOT work at all.

The story had a ton of potential. It is a bit darker and more graphic than your average YA Vampire Novel so reader beware.

It is not a real VC Andrews book. She has passed away and ghost writers are writing under her name.

Title: Vampire General:Intern With The Vampire

http://1889.ca/books/vg1/

Author: Kit Iwasaki

Drama/Supernatural

Published April 2011

1889.CA- The Future of Fiction

Human medicine is easy. On her first day at Grace General Hospital, new intern Aline Harman risks vampire infection, vivisection, and having her heart torn out of her chest… and this from her colleagues.Juggling transhuman politics only becomes more difficult when a patient’s life is at stake. With a zombie to resuscitate and a mermaid in critical care, Aline has her hands full. At least the doctors are good-looking...




**VGBC R&R**


Interestingly enough I found this book quite by accident. I was in Twitter last week & saw a tweet encouraging me to "click this link & sign up to win a new KINDLE". I did (even though I usually NEVER do for fear of spam & hackers) & was greeted by a website I had never seen before, one that hosts new up and coming authors and their fabulous books. 






The book opens with our main character " Aline Harman" a 2nd year Intern at "Weston County Hospital" having some much needed "romantic time" with her "boyfriend" "Tim Fenway" another Doctor at the same hospital. The night was  typical of any other in their E.R., very busy & bloody. UNTIL "Clive Parks" flipped his SUV and was delivered to her E.R. Followed by Clive was another man, "Dr.William Rocque" of  "Grace General Hospital".


 The passenger in Clive's SUV. William's injuries paled in comparison to Clive's. While Aline was INSISTING  William (Dr.Rocque) get a CT Scan Clive died. This is where it got verry interesting. After going against her better judgement she assisted Dr.Rocque in saving his once dead now alive again patient by injecting adrenaline into his heart.
 For reasons unknown, this and a mysterious green liquid injected directly into Clive's artery saved him.
 Clive's "stats" dropped to zero again, making him "technically dead" again, she frantically tried to revive him. Not realizing this ("death") was in fact the desired outcome sought by Dr.Rocque.
Caught by her Hospital's "Powers that Be" she was fired for negligence and basically screwing up. On her way out hoping to get some TLC from her "boyfriend" Tim Fenway she was "fired" again, from their relationship.


 While at home while crying into a container of freezer burnt ice cream she receives a visitor, the enigmatic Dr.William Rocque. After venting on him about how he ruined her life, he offers her a job. At his hospital, Grace General. Tossing on a coat she follows him to her new job. Before entering the door he warns her to "keep her mouth shut".


 "She saw flashes of fur, blood and scales, teeth longer and sharper than a lions, and the sounds of so many kinds of pain she couldn't register it all" . Aline quickly realized the world was a very different place than she ever imagined it to be and wondered what did she get herself into.


 The story continues with Aline doctoring her first "Transhuman" patient. An 18 year old female Mermaid with a mangled tail, lacerations, mysterious bleeding, a sister wracked with guilt, and an old fashioned and archaic father. She saves her patient and is on a high.
 Despite being a Mermaid, the injuries and family issues were nearly identical to those of "normal" humans.


  In this different world everyone and everything was not as easy to deal with as she assumed it would be however. Dr.Rocque has a past everyone seems to know about, except Aline that is. Co-Workers offer different threats and have issues different than the human ones she had been dealing with at her old hospital. Patients have different needs too.


 Not only that, she has to pretend she is a vampire and NEVER allow anyone to know of her true human identity. Franklin Devardy an old vampire in for a blood transfusion lets Aline know he knows of her human identity.  A secret he is willing to keep. For now.


Some Doctors do not take kindly to the new "vamp" on the block as demonstrated by Dr.Arlington, a brilliant Doctor and a Black Widow. Her obvious scorn and contempt for Aline shines through in every word and look. BUT there is waaay more to Dr.Arlington than meets the eye. Her character obviously has a fascinating history. 


One the reader cannot WAIT to discover.


Dr.Scott the resident heart breaker "educates" our Aline on how vampire pheromones work as he guides her through a procedure on a patient that leaves her quite breathless and flushed in the end.


 Aline gets an in depth education on zombies and why what happened at her old job was necessary to save Clive Parkers brain from turning to "moosh". She is the driving force in saving Clive when a problem arises. She took one look at his human wife and children and saw not the zombie or monster of movies and horror tales but a man with a family fighting to survive against all odds.


 Throughout her roller coaster ride of a first day, on a new job, Aline saw,heard, and felt many things that technically were not supposed to be. It seemed all was not lost as she quickly made a new friend, a fellow Doctor at the hospital named Cassie Lam. As the day ended Aline and Cassie walked out together sharing small talk and Aline was beginning to feel all was well with her world until Cassie looked at Aline and screamed a blood curdling scream...



This CLIFF HANGER made me scream in frustrated delight. I know book 2, the continuation is soon to be BUT the waiting will be sooo agonizing! This book was fast paced. It kept me enthralled page after page. The characters were varied and fascinating. Each one drew you in. You wanted to learn more about them as individuals.


 I loved it because it was not your stereotypical, cookie cutter, vamp story (THANK GAWD) I have come to loathe and avoid. It truly has a bit of something for everyone. A perfect story for new comers to the genre too. My ONLY complaint (if it's even that) was diet. Someone else pointed this out and it made me think about it too. Aline, a supposed vampire, was eating salad in the cafeteria. I am curious to learn more about the vampires and how they come to be, their diets, their living habits, etc. I am also interested in learning more about the resident Black Widow Dr.Arlington. The vampires Dr.Scott and of course Dr.Rocque too. I can't wait to meet more patients and see how the author combines medical emergencies/diseases/illness's and the transhuman patient. 



In all I have to say one a scale of 1-5 I'd give this book a 4 1/2. It was not long enough for my taste. But that's a personal preference on my part. Do not despair friends part 2 of this fab story hits the site next month! Leave your comments/reviews below. Let the author and everyone else know why you loved or did not love this book.