Book Description

"Softly he brushed my cheek, then held my face between his marble hands. 'Be very still,' he whispered, as if I wasn't already frozen. Slowly, never moving his eyes from mine, he leaned toward me. Then abruptly, but very gently, he rested his cold cheek against the hollow at the base of my throat." As Shakespeare knew, love burns high when thwarted by obstacles. In Twilight, an exquisite fantasy by Stephenie Meyer, readers discover a pair of lovers who are supremely star-crossed. Bella adores beautiful Edward, and he returns her love. But Edward is having a hard time controlling the blood lust she arouses in him, because--he's a vampire. At any moment, the intensity of their passion could drive him to kill her, and he agonizes over the danger. But, Bella would rather be dead than part from Edward, so she risks her life to stay near him, and the novel burns with the erotic tension of their dangerous and necessarily chaste relationship.Meyer has achieved quite a feat by making this scenario completely human and believable. She begins with a familiar YA premise (the new kid in school), and lulls us into thinking this will be just another realistic young adult novel. Bella has come to the small town of Forks on the gloomy Olympic Peninsula to be with her father. At school, she wonders about a group of five remarkably beautiful teens, who sit together in the cafeteria but never eat. As she grows to know, and then love, Edward, she learns their secret. They are all rescued vampires, part of a family headed by saintly Carlisle, who has inspired them to renounce human prey. For Edward's sake they welcome Bella, but when a roving group of tracker vampires fixates on her, the family is drawn into a desperate pursuit to protect the fragile human in their midst.The precision and delicacy of Meyer's writing lifts this wonderful novel beyond the limitations of the horror genre to a place among the best of YA fiction.(Ages 12 and up) --Patty Campbell 10 Second Interview: A Few Words with Stephenie Meyer Q: Were you a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Angel? What are you watching now that those shows are off the air? A: I have never seen an entire episode of Buffy or Angel. While I was writing Twilight, I let my older sister read along chapter by chapter. She's a huge Buffy fan and she kept trying to get me to watch, but I was afraid it would mess up my vision of the vampire world so I never did. I don't have a ton of time for TV, and my kids get rowdy when I have on "mommy shows," but I do have a secret fondness for reality shows (the good ones, at least in my opinion). I always TiVo Survivor, The Amazing Race, and America's Next Top Model. Q: What inspired you to write Twilight? Is this the beginning of a series? Why write for teens? A: Twilight was inspired by a very vivid dream, which is fairly faithfully transcribed as chapter thirteen of the book. There are sequels on the way--I'm hard at work editing book two (tentatively titled New Moon) right now, and book three is waiting in line for its turn. I didn't mean to write for teens--I didn't mean to write for anyone but myself, so I had an audience of one twenty-nine year old (and later one thirty-one year old when my sister started reading). I think the reason that I ended up with a book for teens is because high school is such a compelling time period--it gives you some of your worst scars and some of your most exhilarating memories. It's a fascinating place: old enough to feel truly adult, old enough to make decisions that affect the rest of your life, old enough to fall in love, yet, at the same time too young (in most cases) to be free to make a lot of those decisions without someone else's approval. There's a lot of scope for a novel in that. Q: What is your favorite vampire story? Fave vampire movie? A: I guess my favorite vampire story would be The Vampire Lestat, by Anne Rice, simply because it's one of the only ones I've ever read. I keep meaning to pick up Bram Stoker's Dracula, because I get asked this question so often and I should probably start with the classics, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. Again, I'm afraid to read other vampire books now, for fear of finding things either too similar, or too different from my own vampire world. Ack! I can't even answer the movie question. I can't remember ever seeing a single vampire movie, outside of clips from Bela Lugosi movies on TV. I don't like true horror movies--my favorite scary movies are all Hitchcock's. Q: What other young adult authors do you read? A: My favorite young adult author is L.M. Montgomery I also enjoyJ.K. Rowling (but who doesn't?), and Ann Brashares. As a teen, I skipped straight to adult books (lots of sci-fi and Jane Austen), so I'm rediscovering the world of teen literature now. Stephenie Meyer's List of Books You Should Read Anne of Green GablesRomeo and JulietDragonflightTo Kill a Mockingbird The Princess BrideSee more recommendations from Stephenie Meyer Amazon.com's Significant SevenStephenie Meyer graciously agreed to answer the questions we like to ask every author: the Amazon.com Significant Seven. Q: What book has had the most significant impact on your life?A: The book with the most significant impact on my life is The Book of Mormon. The book with the most significant impact on my life as a writer is probably Speaker for the Dead, by Orson Scott Card, with Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier coming in as a close second.Q: You are stranded on a desert island with only one book, one CD, and one DVD--what are they?A: The CD is easy: Absolution by Muse, hands down. It's harder to give myself just one movie, but the one I watch most frequently is Sense and Sensibility--the one with the screenplay by Emma Thompson. One book is impossible. I'd have to have Pride and Prejudice, but I couldn't live without something by Orson Scott Card and a nice, thick Maeve Binchy, too.Q: What is the worst lie you've ever told?A: My lies are all very, very boring: "No, you really look great in hot pink!" "My children only watch one hour of TV a day." "I didn't eat the last Swiss Cake Roll--it must have been one of the kids." That's the best I've got.Q: Describe the perfect writing environment.A: It's late at night and the house is silent, but I'm still (miraculously) full of energy. I have my headphones in and I'm listened to a mix of Muse, Coldplay, Travis, My Chemical Romance, and The All-American Rejects. Beside me is a fabulous, and yet mysteriously low in calorie, cheesecake....Q: If you could write your own epitaph, what would it say?A: I'd like it to say that I really tried at the important things.I was never perfect at any of them, but I honestly tried to be a great mom, a loving wife, a good daughter, and a true friend. Under that, I'd want a list of my favorite Simpsons quotes.Q: Who is the one person living or dead that you would like to have dinner with?A: I'd love to have a chance to talk to Orson Scott Card--I have a million questions for him. Mostly things like, "How do you come up with this stuff?!" But, if he wasn't available, I'd settle for Matthew Bellamy (lead singer of Muse).Q: If you could have one superpower, what would it be?A: I'd want something offensive, rather than defensive. Like shooting fireballs from my hands. That way, you're really open to going either way--hero or villain. I like to have choices.

Customer Reviews:

Thrilling romance that will captivate your soul.......2007-10-11

When most people read the back of the book they think vampires "ugh totally sci fi" but there is nothing sci fi about this. When I read this book my mom got mad at me and took the book away because she said that i was reading it too much. I was in tears until she gave it back. When you finish this book it will have captured your heart and soul and it won't let you go.

Read this book!.......2007-10-11

I had this book in my bookshelf for over a six month period, and since i have so many books, i did not quite pay attention to this one. But as time went by i read thebook, and smacked myself for not reading it. It is wonderful to know that Anne Rice isn't the only one with the talent of weaving to life an extraordinary world of vampires, and such. Here we have an author that is the master of her own world, and so, if you let her will engulf your very mind with her story of love, and the struggle of two separate lives. Im very proud to say that Stephanie Meyer is one of the best authors of our times, and i hope she continues with her career.As my head line says "Read this book". You will be dragged in, and content to know that all these character, are as alive as you are.

the beginning of the twilight saga.......2007-10-11

i am a 14 year old girl and i ordered all 3 of the twilght books from amazon because i'd heard they were awesome and i knew i'd like them. twilght starts off great and i really felt like i could relate to bella. there were a couple times when she'd say or think something and it sounded exactly like what i would have said or thought. (i'm not going to repeat whole story because i know other people already have.) bella meets edward, who seems like this perfect guy, but there's something strange about him. after he saves her life a couple times she discovers he's a vampire. the story continues with bella and edward falling, a little bit annoyingly, in love. besides being a vampire, there's something a little weird about edward. he's a bit too perfect. (and he wears tight turtlenecks. i'd had a feeling that even though edward was great and really gorgeous, he wasn't the guy for me. when i read the part about turtlenecks i was sure. he's too male model-y.) he cares so much about bella that their relatonship seems a little unhealthy. if you feel, as i did, that talking about bella's scent is a little creepy, then brace yourself. Nevertheless, Twilight is a very sweet love story (there's a few moments where you'll just want to scream "awww!") with plenty of interesting characters, besides edward and bella. don't forget about jacob black!!! he became my favorite person in new moon and eclipse. there's also a some action towards the end of the book, but keep in mind that this is very much a love story. Twilght is an awesome book and i recommend it to any teenage girl.

Twilight, Book 1.......2007-10-10

I loved this book!! I couldn't put it down and read the whole thing in one day. It made me go buy the next two in the series the very next day. I enjoyed all three, but this one was the best. Also, may i say that i am no young adult so it was perfectly appropriate for me. I would think that it would be suitable for older teens more than younger. Edward and Bella are in an extremely obsessively romantic and not particularly healthy codependent relationship. Maybe not what you want your 13 year old to emulate.

Awesome!.......2007-10-10

This book was and is everything they said it would be! It is a very gripping read.

Average customer rating: NOT MUCH OF A DANCE Couldn't put it down 5 stars Much better then Glass Houses 4.5 stars. Leaves a lot of threads dangling.

The Dead Girls' Dance (The Morganville Vampires, Book 2) Rachel Caine Manufacturer: Signet ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Spine-Chilling Horror | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books Being a Teen | Social Issues | Teens | Subjects | Books General | Literature | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror | Literature | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books Spine-Chilling Horror | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror | Literature | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books Being a Teen | Social Issues | Teens | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books Similar Items: Glass Houses (The Morganville Vampires, Book 1) Midnight Alley (The Morganville Vampires, Book 3) Thin Air (Weather Warden, Book 6) Claimed By Shadow (Cassandra Palmer Series, Book 2) Kitty Takes a Holiday (Kitty Norville Series, Book 3) ASIN: 0451220897

Book Description

Claire has her share of challenges. Like being a genius in a school that favors beauty over brains; homicidal girls in her dorm, and finding out that her college town is overrun with the living dead. On the up side, she has a new boyfriend with a vampire-hunting dad. But when a local fraternity throws the Dead Girls' Dance, hell is really going to break loose.

Customer Reviews:

NOT MUCH OF A DANCE.......2007-10-05

I did enjoy reading it; however it did not live up to the 1st book. The character development is interesting though. Feels like it's slightly unfinished. Not a stand alone book-read book 1 first.

Couldn't put it down.......2007-06-15

I was lucky enough to pick this up just days after I'd read Glass Houses and had cooled off from facing the unwelcome cliffhanger that topped off what was otherwise a terrific book. As the other reviewers say, this picks up moments later and the action is non-stop until the end -- where we get another cliffhanger, though not QUITE as traumatic. I mean, this one you have to think about for the full scope of the potential trauma to set in.

The characters are getting more dimensional and interesting and the worldbuilding shows how intricate it is, hiding so many mysteries that we want to investigate. I don't usually like vampire novels, but this series has lots of original ideas in it -- and its characters carry them to even higher levels. The cliffhangers are frustrating, but I'm currently writing a series that has its own set so I guess I should welcome this as setting a precedent. Be assured that the basic plot of the book is complete within it; you won't be dissatisfied.

You'll also get some really good scares. Have fun reading it! (And Rachel Caine: WRITE FASTER!!!)

5 stars.......2007-06-12

Picking up right where Glass Houses ended, the story of Claire, Shane, Michael, and Eve not only continues, but turns up the volume and intensity. A cold war, cold as only vampires could make it, has been declared now that Shane's father and his vampire hunters have arrived. When one of the "leading citizens" among the undead is killed, Shane is implicated and his life forfeit unless his three friends can do something to stop it. Even those who claim to know he is innocent refuse to help, and so, Claire and Eve are forced to take desperate risks to save him. None of them could have foreseen the terrible prices that will have to be paid for the sake of love.

***** Book one in this series left me emotionally spent, in a good way. The intensity is cubed in this latest entry. It was hard to put this down for even the slightest break and, forget what happens to the kid with the scar and glasses, I want to know what happens next in Morganville. If you love to read about characters with whom you can get deeply involved, Rachel Caine is so far a one hundred percent sure bet to satisfy that need. I love her Weather Warden stories, and her vampires are even better. *****

Amanda Killgore

Much better then Glass Houses.......2007-06-06

I just recently finished this book and I definitely enjoyed it a lot more then Glass Houses. I sped through GH and didn't take it all in and on a second reading I was kind of disappointed (I would rate it 3 stars). But Dead Girls' Dance is a LOT better.

The story isn't as crazy this time around, all the introduction of the characters and the town is over and done with so you can now concentrate on the story itself which is turning out to be interesting.

I felt Glass Houses was a bit rushed, like Rachel tried to fit in too much stuff into the book. This one is much more even. The story is non-stop as it usually is in all of Rachel's book, but it doesn't feel rushed or overdone.

This book is short, but it squeezes a lot in - deaths, vampires, a crazy party and even a bit of romance. I'm glad Claire and Shane got together even though he still thinks Claire is a little bit too young for him.

When I finished Glass Houses I wasn't so enthused to read Dead Girls' Dance as I didn't enjoy the 1st book but I'm glad I read it now as it's a LOT better.

This book ain't no Weather Warden book (Rachel's other series, one of the best book series ever written), but it's still loads of good fun and a great quick read. I'm looking forward to the 3rd book, released in October. 4 stars.

4.5 stars. Leaves a lot of threads dangling........2007-05-22

Claire Danvers is a genius. She thinks studying and learning are fun. Since she is only sixteen, her parents will not allow her to attend college far away. They want to be able to drive up anytime they believe Claire needs them. Therefore, Claire attends Texas Prairie University (TPU). Due to problems with the previous dorm's popular girl, Monica Morrell, trying to kill her, Claire lives off campus at Glass House with three other house mates.

Claire is only now getting used to knowing that vampires rule the town and the local humans are pledged to certain vampires as life-long servants and blood donors. Anyone without a bracelet showing that he has Protection is nothing more than meat if he roams the streets after dark. It is a little more tolerable, thanks to her roommates. Eve has become Claire's best friend. Shane has become Claire's boyfriend. David is still strange, even though Claire now understands why David is never seen during the day. No, David is not a vampire, but that would be a blessing compared to what he is now.

Now a fraternity is throwing its annual Dead Girls' Dance. Amazingly, Claire and Eve have been invited. They have no idea WHY they were issued the invitation though. Since Claire is so young, she would have declined, except that Shane's father, along with a gang of bikers, are on a vendetta to kill all vampires. If humans get in the way, that's just too bad.

***** This book picks up EXACTLY where the first left off. If you have not read book one (Glass Houses), then you will find yourself lost a few times. Thankfully, this time the story does not end in the middle of something horrible, like a murder. It does, however, leave many threads dangling. I am still confused on when Claire's two days dead line got extended by her parents. Did the author forget about it? Loop hole? Who knows? Hopefully, the dead line will be explained in the third novel (Midnight Alley), due for release October 2007. Teens and Young Adults will not be the only ones to be enthralled by this series. If you like vampires, this is for you! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

Average customer rating: Really, a 3.5... *spoilers ahead* Sink your teeth into it! The War Is Over Cirque Du Freak #12:Sons of Destiny Son LOVES these

Cirque Du Freak #12: Sons of Destiny: Book 12 in the Saga of Darren Shan (Cirque Du Freak: the Saga of Darren Shan) Darren Shan Manufacturer: Little, Brown Young Readers ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books General | Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Spine-Chilling Horror | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books General | Children's Books | Mythology | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books Adventure & Thrillers | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books Similar Items: Cirque Du Freak #11: Lord of the Shadows: Book 11 in the Saga of Darren Shan (Cirque Du Freak: the Saga of Darren Shan) Cirque Du Freak #10: The Lake of Souls: Book 10 in the Saga of Darren Shan (Cirque Du Freak: the Saga of Darren Shan (Mass Market)) Cirque Du Freak #9: Killers of the Dawn: Book 9 in the Saga of Darren Shan (Cirque Du Freak: the Saga of Darren Shan (Mass Market)) Demonata #3, The: Slawter: Book 3 in the Demonata series (Demonata) Demonata #2, The: Demon Thief: Book 2 in The Demonata series (Demonata) ASIN: 0316156299

Book Description

Time seemed to collapse... There was a sharp stabbing sensation in my stomach... Steve crowed, "Now I have you! Now you're gonna die!"

Dead if he loses - damned if he wins. The time has finally come for Darren to face his archenemy, Steve Leopard. One of them will die. The other will become the Lord of the Shadows - and destroy the world. Is the future written, or can Darren trick destiny?

Customer Reviews:

Really, a 3.5... *spoilers ahead* .......2007-03-08

I've been following this series for awhile now. At one point, a few years ago, I was so addicted that I had to order the 3 books that had been released in the UK because I couldn't wait for the US versions to come out. So, it was with much pleasure and anticipation that I sat down to read books 10, 11, and 12 in one sitting.

I have to say that Book 12 left me a bit disappointed. At the end of the book, Shan has the main character go back in the time & prevent himself from making the mistake of kidnapping Madam Octa. Since Darren manages to stop himself from kidnapping the spider, he never makes the deal with Mr. Crepsley & ends up leading a normal, healthy, life as a human. This, of course, means that Darius is probably never born (because Annie wouldn't be a single mom at 16). But there is a possibility that others still die the same way -- Mr. Crepsley, Shancus... their fate may be the same, but Darren won't be around to witness it.

I understand that Shan felt that this was the only way to resolve the convoluted system of "Destiny" that he created in the past 11 books. However, in the process, it left the reader high and dry because the ending basically told us that the stories we had just invested time and effort in for the past few years didn't happen. Sure, they would still happen in a way -- but these trials and tribulations wouldn't fall on a boy named Darren Shan. Some other, nameless, person would step up to take over Darren's destiny. And we're just supposed to leave to our imagination how the universe righted itself & who was affected by the change in the end. Will the ones who died still end up dead? Will this new child (whoever it is) end up sacrificing themselves & floating to Paradise (as Darren predicts he/she would) or, maybe, they cannot resist the lure that Mr. Tiny places on them.

The biggest issue I have with this ending is that it makes us wonder -- why'd we read the past 11 books if they were all irrelevant? This is the equivalent of Shan ending the series with a scene where Darren wakes up from a nightmare and finds out it was all a dream. I invested time and emotion in Darren's Saga. And now you're telling me that it wasn't Darren's saga, at all. And, perhaps, even the people mentioned in the book might not have had anything to do with it, because Darren changed the course of history.

Another thing that bothered me were the holes in the whole "fate vs. destiny" situation. Darren managed to overcome the two set futures by killing himself and Steve. However -- why didn't he just have the power to "Just Say No" to Des Tiny's edicts? Why not just say, "Thanks, but no thanks, I choose my own fate and I don't want to rule the world." Particularly when he'd already been shown the consequences his actions if he did get mixed up with Mr. Tiny's vision. The author was feeding us two messages: (1) You control on your fate in a manner of speaking and should choose the path of good, but (2) If Mr. Tiny makes you evil, there's nothing you can do about it. I was like, "huh??" Not to mention -- Mr. Tiny had waaaayyy too much power & I didn't like the fact that he wasn't facing any consequences for his actions.

Also, why did Darren go the Lake of Souls... he was a decent guy and sacrificed himself. I didn't buy the whole "guilt" thing. Other vampires had probably done much more bad things in their long lives (like Mr. Crepsley) and they went straight to Paradise. It made no sense that Darren -- a half-Vampire who constantly did the ethical thing -- would end up in the Lake of Souls for hundreds of thousands of years & there would be no force in the universe that could right that mistake. Again, giving Mr. Tiny way too much power.

Basically, I give this 3.5 stars because the series, as a whole, is excellent. And, naturally, if you read Books 1-11, you have to read this finale. However, this particular reader was left unsatisfied with the resolution of the series. I was hoping for more closure.

Sink your teeth into it!.......2007-02-27

Darren Shan is just an ordinary school boy, until his friend Alan Morris finds a flyer advertising the Cirque Du Freak, an illegal freak show. There he sees Alexander Ribs, a man with bones like rubber, the Wolf-Man, Truska, the bearded lady, Rhamus Twobellies, and many more. But he also saw Mr. Crepsley and his amazing poisonous performing spider, Madam Octa, who leads Darren to becoming a half-vampire! Through books 1-11, Darren makes the trek to Vampire Mountain, no small feat for one his age, endures the Trials of Initiation, fails, becomes a ruler of the vampire clan, and has his best friend in the entire world, Steve (Leopard) Leonard turn against him.
Now, Darren finally returns to his home city many years later - where Steve has sworn to wreak havoc - to find that his now grown-up younger sister, Annie, is married to Steve, but she doesn't love him. Darren doesn't know this yet. He wants to kill Darius, Steve's son, in revenge for Steve killing his other friend's son, Shancus. But then Steve reveals who is Darius's mother, Annie, and if Darren killed Darius, he would be killing his own nephew. And cackling like a demon, he left Darren and his friends in the blood-drenched night.
Then, Darren is off to fight. It is time for The War of the Scars, either Darren or Steve dies, whoever triumphs will become the Lord of the Shadows, and destroy the world. Darren, wounded and burning, finally stabs Steve's shriveled forgery of a heart, but when an ancient prophecy is revealed by a mysterious little man called Mr. Tiny and his witch-daughter Evanna, Darren is so upset, he kills himself. He and Steve both drop into the Lake of Souls. What happens here?
This book made me realize the horrors of real life, and if you start reading this series, you will NOT put them down! Dare to be scared? Sons of Destiny is a page-turner, awesome and grueling, it will leave any reader hungry for more. (Ages 11-16)

By Nadia
(Pakistan)

The War Is Over.......2007-02-16

This book is the last book of the Cirque Du Freak books and the very best. Darren finds out that Steve's son is his own nephew, and that Steve blooded him so Darren does something very dangerous. He tries to turn him from vampanese to vampire. Steve captures all of his friends at the Cirque Du Freak show so Darren tries to rescue them. The rescue turns into a blood bath. Darren follows Steve to settle this once and for all. They end up both dying and, going to the Lake of Souls. Many hundreds of years later Darren gets fished out and gets to go into the past as a little person and gets to change his own destiny and goes to paradise.
The author really captured my interest at the beginning of the book because it was constant fighting. My favorite part was when Darren let Steve kiss him to chant destiny. It was my favorite part because I didn't think destiny could be changed. People who like constant fighting should read this book. This book has a lot, lot of fighting.

Cirque Du Freak #12:Sons of Destiny.......2007-01-15

Was the best from all the rest by far.

Son LOVES these.......2007-01-10

My oldest son loves these books.. he reads them in one day. He can hardly wait til the next book is released.

Average customer rating: A sequel worth sinking your teeth into! Good, but read Twilight if you want to find an UNBELIEVABLE book! Looking for Alexander The Search For Alexander Like a lusciously crimson punch in the face...

Vampire Kisses 2: Kissing Coffins (Vampire Kisses) Ellen Schreiber Manufacturer: HarperTeen ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Love & Romance | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books Similar Items: Vampire Kisses 3: Vampireville (Vampire Kisses) Vampire Kisses Vampire Kisses 4: Dance with a Vampire (Vampire Kisses) Eclipse (Twilight, Book 3) New Moon (Twilight, Book 2) ASIN: 0060776226 Release Date: 2005-07-26

Book Description

The sequel to Ellen Schreiber's popular Vampire Kisses follows goth teenager Raven as she searches for her true love Alexander, whom she's discovered is a vampire.

Customer Reviews:

A sequel worth sinking your teeth into!.......2007-09-04

Sixteen-year-old Raven Madison has been the outcast of Dullsville for as long as she can remember. The goth-girl has always opted for black fishnets, combat boots, and dark lipstick and nail polish, scoffing at those who preferred the conformist collared polos, and boot cut jeans. But finally, all of Raven's wildest dreams have come true in the form of Alexander Sterling. Alexander is everything Raven has always wanted in a guy - strong, handsome, tall, dark, intelligent. And, to top it all off, he's a vampire. Not a fake fang, vampire wannabe, but an actual vampire. Raven has always been interested in the dark side, and is utterly thrilled by this revelation. Sure, the two of them can't go out for breakfast with one another, and if they're not careful of garlic, Alexander could, potentially, die. But the moment dusk falls, everything is fine; and Raven's okay with that. The one thing Raven isn't okay with is Alexander's sudden departure from Dullsville. Raven understands that Alexander must constantly keep on the move to protect his secret. But when he up and disappears with no word on where he's going, Raven can't take it, and sets out on a search for him. With Spring Break on the horizon, Raven knows that she'll have enough time to, hopefully, locate her vamp before he's gone forever. And, with a tip about a place called The Coffin Club located in a little area Raven likes to call Hipsterville - where her hippie aunt happens to live - Raven knows exactly where her travel destination is. Waving goodbye to her best friend Becky, who's too involved with her new soccer star boyfriend, Matt, to realize that she's gone, Raven hops a bus for the hip town. A place where she's not the only night dweller who loves to hoof it in combats, black mini skirts, and tights that scream style. Where Olivia Outcast and Scare Bears aren't completely taboo. Raven doesn't waste any time upon arrival. As her aunt gears up to perform in a local production of DRACULA - where Raven, herself, is expected to be the only non-geriatric patient in the audience - Raven prepares for a night on the town, prowling the streets for Alexander, and making her way to the elusive Coffin Club. However, as she closes in on Alexander and his butler, Creepy Man, Raven begins to realize that she may be in over her head. Suddenly, she's being chased by a white-haired, multi-colored eyed vampire named Jagger, who wants nothing more than to claim Raven as his own with a kiss of death. And, if she's not careful, she may just lead the determined Jagger to Alexander, and place the love of her life in even more danger.

I haven't read many vampire novels aside from the BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER TV tie-in books. However, after reading Ellen Schreiber's VAMPIRE KISSES last year, I instantly fell in love with Raven, and her supreme goth girl style. With KISSING COFFINS, Schreiber paints Raven in a slightly different light; without taking away her signature style, or snappy comebacks. Suddenly, Raven begins to feel slightly welcome in the town of Dullsville. She finally has people who know her name, and aren't using it to make fun of her, or her dark way of life. And, to add a little urbanity to the series, Schreiber plops Raven in the middle of Hipsterville, which gives the reader a chance to see just how Raven reacts to being exposed to more of her kind. While Raven's best friend, Becky, was a prevalent character within VAMPIRE KISSES, her character takes a backseat to everything going on within KISSING COFFINS, and makes her appear quite a bit like an afterthought to return readers. At the same time, Raven's younger brother, Billy Boy, returns with a vengeance, claiming a bit more spotlight than before. While Jagger is an interesting new addition to the story, he's slightly cliched, reminding you a bit of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER's resident white-haired vampire, Spike - sans the British accent. However, his character still lends an interesting side story to the plot, and makes it evident that he may, quite possibly, pop up again in the future. Alexander, as before, is still elusive and dark, and, basically, hard to resist - even for readers. The relationship between him and Raven is still at the beginning stages, but almost reminds you of a schoolyard romance - only more intoxicating. It does have the potential to grow, and develop into something more, however, so hopefully it will. A sequel worth sinking your teeth into!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

Good, but read Twilight if you want to find an UNBELIEVABLE book!.......2007-08-15

If you read The Twilight series, you know what I'm Talking about. Edward takes the cake. These are VERY GOOD books, btu not GREAT! TWILIGHT is great, so read that after these books. :) After you read those, your standards will be a little higher!

Looking for Alexander.......2007-07-12

Goth-girl Raven is in love. Raven knows that love always has its complications. And Alexander has a secret-a secret she must quietly guard. When he disappears, Raven finds herself on a dangerous chase to find him. But what she encounters is more terrifying than she could imagine--including a life-transforming decision she may not be ready to sink her teeth into.

I was disappointed in this second novel. The storyline ran flat and the dialogue was predictable. Raven has lost her goth spunk and the attraction to Alexander fell flat. But the author did introduce a new vampire that has all kinds of possibilites. And I liked the cliffhanging ending enough that I want to read the next book.

If you are looking for a clean vampire love story this is the series.

The Search For Alexander.......2007-06-19

It is two days after the end of the first book and Raven is down in the dumps. She has not told anyone what is going on with Alexander and the Sterlings so no one knows what she is going through. But then a chance comment from her friend convinces Raven that she needs to go look for Alexander. The luck of a slim lead sends Raven to a nearby town to visit her aunt.

The visit with her aunt is just an excuse for Raven to follow up on her only lead but it brings unexpected results. Soon she is confronting danger and learns why Alexander left. But her involvement with Alexander has made her a target. If she can find Alexander then maybe they can succeed against the threat. If not, then Raven may become a vampire unwillingly.

A good follow-up to the first book. I am not sure what the author's experience with goths is but the goths in these books are quite different from the real thing. Raven continues to be an interesting character and the plotting is still tight. But, as with the first, as soon as you read the last page you want to move right on to the next book to see what happens. Check it out.

Like a lusciously crimson punch in the face..........2007-02-25

Gather round, children, it is high time ye' learned about this monstrosity of a novel!

1) This book is a written commercial. Blatant Hot Topic promotion (Hot Gothic) with terrible band references (Good Charlotte, Evanescence, HIM etc.) and all sorts of gothic goodies that you need in order to be a fashion plate of a vampiric seductress.

2) A misrepresentation of goth culture. I am obviously not the only person who noticed this. I would like to thank the author for taking a movement based on intellectual rebellion and furthering its descent into the plastic, fish-netted world of consumerism.

3) Terribly written. Very "I did this, he did that," sentences, with many excerpts beginning with transition words... However, besides, fortunately, luckily. This composition is also nearly bereft of metaphors and similes; no beautiful, flowing passages of prose that make you stop and reread just to savor the aesthetic quality, just a metric [expletive]-ton of pronouns, and key mall-goth words, like "luscious."


4) The names! Oh my "goth," the names! Raven? Jagger? I cannot think of a more cliché set of labels for my pseudo-dark characters. I feel the need to mention that "Raven" was listed as one of the top 20 names that low-education parents name their female children, in the book "Freakonomics," by Steven D. Levitt (Author), Stephen J. Dubner.

5) The dialogue was stiffer than a mass-marketed romance novel's leading male.


6) Descriptions! Descriptions, descriptions! Thank you for rattling off Raven's wardrobe for every scene in a list format, because supplying some actions with those images would have been insanely difficult. Static images. So static that I heard that god-awful weekly test noise that spews itself from your television set at 3 AM, followed by that crushing, black and white swarm of "KSSSSSSHHHH!!!!"

7) She refers to her boyfriend as "My gothic guy," and "My gothic mate." Did I mention that he is totally goth? Well he is. He is as dark as a Firestone tire. A good ol' mansion dwelling, emolicious, I'll-suck-the-blood-out-of-your-neck fang-boy. Dark and mysterious, like totally. He is home schooled and creates lot of art and wears a lot of black and lives in an old mansion.

Well damn, by that definition, I am the most sanguinary-sipping bit of crumpet on the block, which brings me to...

8) No character development. Popping your eyes out of their sockets does not make you an owl. Every character's actions remain without strong, descriptive verbs to reinforce who that person is, and why they do the things that they do. Raven loves Alexander? Sure. The only thing she asks him about is being a vampire. If he weren't sporting fangs and a spankin' pair of combat boots, do you think she would really be pursuing him all over town? Or would she settle herself down at that goth club and find another beau? That is all she cared about; having a mystical, dark boyfriend, but did not care WHO he was.

And can you blame her? No flaws, no personality, no profound wisdom to brim your dark heart with luscious crimson tears. He was as bland as skim milk.

9) Plots are not goth enough for this novel. Only shreds of intention.

10) And as if cremating written characters within every superficial paragraph was not enough, the settings were dreadful! Dullsville and Hipsterville? Names plucked right out of My-creativity-was-bludgeon-to-death-with-a-big-gothic-thesaurus-ville.

11) "Suddenly, he was rolling on the floor from the garlic powder she had in her purse." This is why you never go grocery shopping with vampires, or let them have their own specials on The Food Network. This guy is a mighty, soul-sucking son of the devil! - so in case of emergency, break glass and remove piece of garlic bread.

12) A little continuity error. There are no goths in Dullsville - and yet everyone at the theatre has seen "Kissing Coffins" because it is a goth classic, and is reciting the script along with the film.

-- and to throw another dart at the theater scene! Raven has "been an outcast for so long," yet she is surrounded by a theater full of her Hot Gothic brethren?

13) I love how they were dancing out in the middle of a golf course to one of Marilyn Manson's slower songs - that is like stuffing the school nerd into a trashcan while playing Phil Collin's "You'll Be in My Heart."

14) .... And in the time that it took to write this, my friend read this book from start to finish, in between sporadic bursts of disgusted laughter, and frequent exclamations of "Oh my goth!"

"Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer is not any better, it is just about seven times longer. I would recommend reading either of these novels, but I would sooner suggest devouring your own fist.

Average customer rating: If you are a Buffy fan (especially a Fray fan) A Great Buffy Companion A Slayer's Must Have An interesting aspect of the Slayerverse. Disappointing

Tales of the Slayers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) Joss Whedon Manufacturer: Dark Horse ProductGroup: Book Binding: Comic Teens | Subjects | Books | Authors, A-Z | Biographies & Memoirs | Health, Mind & Body | History & Historical Fiction | Horror | Literature & Fiction | Manga | Mysteries | Reference | Religion & Spirituality | School & Sports | Science & Technology | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Series | Social Issues Horror | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | Anthologies | Authors, A-Z | Books on CD | Books on Cassette | British | Dark Fantasy | Erotic | General | Ghosts | Graphic Novels | Occult | Reference | United States | Vampires General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | Classics | Comic | Contemporary | Literary Popular Culture | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Comics & Graphic Novels | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books Dark Horse | Publishers | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books Similar Items: Tales of the Vampires (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) Fray Those Left Behind (Serenity) Buffy the Vampire Slayer Omnibus, Vol. 1 Buffy the Vampire Slayer Omnibus, Vol. 2 ASIN: 1569716056

Book Description

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is the latest in a long tradition of young women who've been trained to give their lives in the war against vampires. We've gotten glimpses of these other women over the years on TV, in comics, and in books. Now for the first time, the writers from the television series, including the show's creator, Joss Whedon, and one of its stars, Amber `Tara` Benson, present the tales of these girls, with the help of comics greatest artists. Gene Colan, co-creator of Marvel's Blade and Tomb of Dracula, returns to Dark Horse for the story of a young black girl in 1970s New York, battling vampires. Tim Sale, fan-favorite artist of recent epics Batman: The Long Halloween and Superman for All Seasons teams with Joss Whedon for a grim tale of a medieval slayer. American comics legend P. Craig Russell (Dr. Strange, The Ring of the Nibelung) and international rising star Mira Friedmann (Actus Tragicus) also join the stellar lineup.

Customer Reviews:

If you are a Buffy fan (especially a Fray fan).......2007-06-08

If you are a Buffy fan (especially a Fray fan) then you will love this comic book. Remember the first TV spot for Buffy when they went through the ages: "in 1810 all these people were dying which stopped by the arrival of a young girl named..." Well this comic is most of those stories. The negative is that none of these characters are developed, you just get to see snip-its of their lives. However, it does widen the Buffyverse, so it's a definite read for fans. Also you get to see a bit more of Fray, the future slayer.

A Great Buffy Companion.......2007-06-01

While this pales in comparison to the current Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season Eight series being put out by Dark Horse now, "Tales of the Slayers" is a treat for the open-minded Buffy fan.

Like any Whedon product, this trade paperback supports a much larger theme than it appears to have. These stories about slayers stretching back over time are about loneliness, solidarity, but at the same time, they're about how each slayer is connected to the slayers of the past. Reading this book can give new perspective on Buffy, Faith, and all of the other slayers shown in the television series.

As a whole, the book is good, but not each individual story is satisfactory. The best in the book are Prologue (Joss Whedon), Righteous (Joss Whedon), Sonnenblume (Rebecca Rand Kirshner), and Tales (Joss Whedon). Righteous is told completely in rhyming verse, and has the most intriguing story and unique slayer of the collection. Sonnenblume has the worst art of the collection, but also one of the most solid stories; a young German girl in 1938 struggles between what her Nazi teachers tell her and what she feels is right. Tales is a treat, as it is about Melaka Fray from Joss Whedon's miniseries "Fray" and it wraps up this collection nicely, paying off to the over-all theme (a complicated one at that) of isolation/togetherness.

Some of the not-so-good stories are The Glittering World (David Fury) and Nikki Goes Down (Doug Petrie). Fury and Petrie are both competent, if not astounding, writers who have made note-worthy contributions to the Buffyverse, particularly Petrie's "Fool for Love" which makes nearly every Buffy top-ten list. However, these two stories in "Tales of the Slayers" seem forced, paced oddly, and suffer from the incoherent narration. Perhaps, had these writers has an entire twenty-two page issue to play their story out, they would have done better. Or maybe they are just better television writers.

To sum it all up, the good outweighs the bad. This is an item that every fan of Joss Whedon's work needs, and it is a great companion to the Buffy series (the television show as well as the comic).

7/10

A Slayer's Must Have.......2007-05-25

This is another one of Whedon's greatest!! A must have for any Buffy fan.

An interesting aspect of the Slayerverse........2007-05-15

As viewers or readers of the Buffy series, we have always known about the slayer lineage, but it was always seen as a bit of a mystery since we knew nothing of the past slayers except that they all had watchers and all died, and Buffy is stronger than them because she has friends to support her otherwise lonely path. The "Tales of the Slayers" takes us through the lives of some of those past slayers with an interesting and sometimes witty story of each, most notably with the prologue of the First Slayer, "Righteous," "Presumption" (which is a reminder of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice"), and "Sonnenblume." Even if some of the tales are brief, they are interesting and offer a glimpse at the formerly unknown slayers' line.

Disappointing.......2006-05-02

The book was very short and sparse, despite the good writers listed. There are some wonderful graphic novels out lately, but this wasn't one of them. I'm a huge fan, but this was lacking the cleverness, surprises, and plot of the series.

The book contains a few short (very short - a couple of pages each) little vignettes of the lives of several slayers. None are particularly interesting, creative, or engrossing. I'd skip it and look for something else. You won't find the slayer-style you love here.

See the review by Hardman - she's nailed the problem.

Average customer rating: Campy Fun TANTALIZE a bland taste Waste of Money Promising yet unsatisfying

Tantalize Cynthia Leitich Smith Manufacturer: Candlewick ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover Spine-Chilling Horror | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books Horror | Teens | Subjects | Books General | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books Similar Items: Eclipse (Twilight, Book 3) Masquerade Wicked Lovely Blue Bloods A Certain Slant of Light ASIN: 0763627917 Release Date: 2007-02-13

Book Description

Are you predator or prey?

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APPLY IN PERSON BETWEEN 2:00 AND 4:00 PM.

Quincie Morris has never felt more alone. Her parents are dead, and her hybrid-werewolf first love is threatening to embark on a rite of passage that will separate them forever. Then, as she and her uncle are about to unveil their hot vampire-themed restaurant, a brutal murder leaves them scrambling for a chef. Can Quincie transform their new hire into a culinary Dark Lord before opening night? Can he wow the crowd in his fake fangs, cheap cape, and red contact lenses — or is there more to this earnest face than meets the eye? As human and preternatural forces clash, a deadly love triangle forms, and the line between predator and prey begins to blur. Who’s playing whom? And how long can Quincie play along before she loses everything? TANTALIZE marks Cynthia Leitich Smith’s delicious debut as a preeminent author of dark fantasy.

Customer Reviews:

Campy Fun.......2007-10-01

I read this last night. I thought it was great campy fun, with a Texana twist. This book is more comparable to "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" than to "Twilight" (Note: I thought "Twilight" was 5 stars, "New Moon" 4 and "Eclipse" 3) .

"Tantalize" is witty and fun, but it also includes the very serious theme of racism/prejudice, and how getting caught up believing what "they say," even a little, can be harmful.

There seems to be a whole Paranormal Romance subgenre of Mortal-Vampire-Werewolf love triangle. Perhaps there should be some sub-subgenres...

TANTALIZE.......2007-09-28

Flippant. That's all I can say. She is flippantly in love with a werewolf. She is flippantly starting her own restaurant while still in high school. And the ending is the most flippant. After all of that, after the whole book, it ends completely flippant. I mean come on. The author brings up werewolves, teenage love, kidnapping, trying to start a business in the real world, murder!, and after all of that. . . Flippancy. I gave it three stars because I still enjoyed it, and because it takes a lot to write a book, and it boggles my mind that anyone would a write a book they did not expect to be a five star book.

a bland taste.......2007-09-26

i saw this book half a dozen times on the shelf while waiting for stephanie meyer's latest book; it seemed interesting in a mild sort of way. i finally read it earlier this week. while i greatly enjoyed the beginning and liked the characters (could use more development and less drama though,) i found the ending to be a bit of a let-down. for one, it was wholly predictable; i spent several chapters pondering how anyone [namley Quincie] could be so oblivious to what was going on around them. beyond that issue, the ending felt extremely rushed. i reread the last few pages three times to see if perhaps i wasn't just missing something... like, i don't know, closure.

Waste of Money.......2007-08-18

The characters stopped in their development too early and I didn't feel as if the ending made any sense with the rest of the novel. 2D characters and a perdictable plot made this book a complete waste of money. If you must read it either rent it or read it in the book store. I would recommend the Twilight series instead or the Southern Vampire books about Sookie which are both funnier and more original.

Promising yet unsatisfying.......2007-08-03

Before I picked up TANTALIZE, I thought it had a fantastic premise. And I do love the threat of a vampire murderer, Sanguini's: A Very Rare Restaurant with its Predator/Prey menus, and the setting of Austin, Texas rather than a generic American town.

I like Quincie, but feel like I never really got to know her. Despite her narrating the story, she seems emotionally distant. Shocking things happen to her and she barely seems shocked at all. This especially disappointed me around the end. There could have been a lot more drama and opportunities for the reader to sympathize with her.

Quincie's relationship with Kieren feels almost gratuitous. It's driven by lust, not love, without enough chemistry between them. Kieren looks sexy, but doesn't act sexy. His werewolf nature could have escalated into a bigger conflict, but that subplot is cut short. I found it hard to suspend my disbelief by the time wereopposums and werevultures are casually introduced. Too many werecreatures, not enough explanation.

I don't find the killer scary at all. In fact, the killer's character seems inconsistent. The rushed ending left me frowning. What? Why? What happened? Too much is left dangling. I feel like I ordered a delicious cake, but the chef skimped on the ingredients and baking time. TANTALIZE is promising yet unsatisfying. Still, I'll give it four out of five stars for originality.

Average customer rating: Cirque Du Freak Just can not stop reading books #1 and 2, cirque de freak My daughter loves these books Freak Show

Cirque Du Freak Boxed Set #1 Darren Shan Manufacturer: Little, Brown ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books General | Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Spine-Chilling Horror | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books General | Children's Books | Mythology | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books Adventure & Thrillers | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books All Children's Boxed Sets | Children's Books | Boxed Sets | Formats | Books Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Boxed Sets | Formats | Books Literature | Children's Books | Boxed Sets | Formats | Books Literature & Fiction | Boxed Sets | Formats | Books Teens | Boxed Sets | Formats | Books Similar Items: Cirque Du Freak: Books 5-8 (Cirque Du Freak) Cirque Du Freak #9: Killers of the Dawn: Book 9 in the Saga of Darren Shan (Cirque Du Freak: the Saga of Darren Shan (Mass Market)) Cirque Du Freak #10: The Lake of Souls: Book 10 in the Saga of Darren Shan (Cirque Du Freak: the Saga of Darren Shan (Mass Market)) Cirque Du Freak #11: Lord of the Shadows: Book 11 in the Saga of Darren Shan (Cirque Du Freak: the Saga of Darren Shan) Sons of Destiny (Cirque Du Freak: The Saga of Darren Shan, Book 12 ASIN: 0316153788

Customer Reviews:

Cirque Du Freak.......2007-09-06

I am using the series in my Contemporary Literature class and the students love the series! We have moved from the first to second book and they are very into it. It isn't common for middle school students to get into reading. This one is the bomb!

Just can not stop reading.......2007-07-14

love the story! I can keep reading on my bed and without falling sleep, even I had read the translated edition defore.

books #1 and 2, cirque de freak.......2007-05-07

i recommend these books to any child who loves to read or who doesn't. my son literally has to be forced to read but once he read the first book he was hooked. he enjoyed them so much that i bought the box set for him!! the books held his interest and had enough of fantasy with the real world thrown in. besides, what kid isn't interested in monsters!

My daughter loves these books.......2007-05-07

It isn't always easy to get a high school girl to read, but my daughter found one of these books in her school library and she was hooked. She devours a book in just a few days and comes back ready for more. We will be purchasing all of them and now she is looking forward to the next collection by the same author. Amazon Rocks!

Freak Show.......2007-02-16

This book is a great one to read if you like freaks at a circus. There are a lot of weird but incredible things in this book like the Snake Boy or Madam Octa or even Gertha Teeth. The Snake Boy has scales all over his body and even slithers like a snake. Madam Octa is a red, green and purple spider and in one bite she can kill a human. But the weirdest thing was that she was trained to obey a special flute. When Mr. Crepsley blew a certain tune she would do some incredible trick. Gertha Teeth was even better; she could bite anything. One time she bit a bunch of holes in a big radiator. She picked three volunteers to show how strong her teeth were. One guy had a sledgehammer and a chisel. The second guy had a hammer and a chisel. The third guy had a saw.
Even though this book is very good it probably needs to be read from fourth and up. It may even be a little scary for fourth graders because of the vampire and the Wolf-man. To find out what happens you have got to read this book

Average customer rating: It bites, but in a good way. Fun Freak Show Cirque Du Freak Best Book Ever good book Best horror book EVER

Cirque Du Freak #1: A Living Nightmare: Book 1 in the Saga of Darren Shan (Cirque Du Freak: The Saga of Darren Shan) Darren Shan Manufacturer: Little, Brown Young Readers ProductGroup: Book Binding: Mass Market Paperback Spine-Chilling Horror | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books General | Issues | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Sex | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books | General | Psychology | Sex & Religion | Sex Instruction General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books Sexuality | Health, Mind & Body | Teens | Subjects | Books General | Issues | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books General | Literature | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books Spine-Chilling Horror | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror | Literature | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books Sexuality | Health, Mind & Body | Teens | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books Similar Items: Cirque Du Freak #2: The Vampire's Assistant: Book 2 in the Saga of Darren Shan (Cirque Du Freak: The Saga of Darren Shan) Cirque Du Freak #3: Tunnels of Blood: Book 3 in the Saga of Darren Shan (Cirque Du Freak: The Saga of Darren Shan) Cirque Du Freak #4: Vampire Mountain: Book 4 in the Saga of Darren Shan (Cirque Du Freak: The Saga of Darren Shan) Cirque Du Freak #5: Trials of Death: Book 5 in the Saga of Darren Shan (Cirque Du Freak: The Saga of Darren Shan) Cirque Du Freak #6: The Vampire Prince: Book 6 in the Saga of Darren Shan (Cirque Du Freak: The Saga of Darren Shan) ASIN: 0316905712

Amazon.com

Anyone who loves the humorous but hair-raising horror in R.L. Stine's Goosebumps series will devour British author Darren Shan's first novel with equal zeal. Some books are born with a surrounding buzz; this one even has Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling's stamp of approval: "Fast-paced and compelling, full of satisfying macabre touches," she writes. Warner Brothers will be making it into a movie, and the rest of the series is already in the works. Given all that, you'd expect a tour de force! Really, though, Cirque Du Freak is a thrill ride that will keep even the most reluctant readers turning pages, but will never take its place in the literary canon.

Darren Shan, author and narrator, sets the book up as a true story, warning readers: "Real life's nasty. It's cruel.... Evil often wins." Indeed, evil begins to win when Darren and his buddies find a flier for "Cirque Du Freak," a traveling freak show promising performances by the snake-boy, the wolf-man, and Larten Crepsley and his giant spider, Madame Octa. Darren and his friend Steve wouldn't miss it for the world.

So, Saturday night they sneak out to the old theater, tall and dark, with broken windows. "Every act you see tonight is real," croaks Mr. Tall. "Each performer is unique. And none are harmless." That's for sure. (A werewolf bites off the hand of someone in the audience, for instance.) Things grow very serious for the two boys when Steve not only recognizes Mr. Crepsley as a famous vampire, but professes his true desire to join him! To make matters worse, the spider-obsessed Darren goes back to the old theater to steal Madame Octa so he can teach her tricks in his room. (He does, with mixed results.) The plot further coagulates as Darren is faced with some terrible decisions about what to do to save his bloodthirsty friend Steve.

Readers may be too enthralled to notice some clumsy editing (the aforementioned bitten-off hand is later referred to as an arm, Darren stops dead in his tracks when he's already stopped, etc.). They may also not notice that the boys constantly use adult-sounding expressions like "his breath stank to the high heavens," though the book is clearly set in the 21st century. If this book gets under your kids' skin (and it probably will), they're in luck--we haven't heard the last of the Saga of Darren Shan. (Ages 10 and older, not for the faint of heart) --Karin Snelson

Book Description

Darren Shan is just an ordinary schoolboy who enjoys hanging out with his three best friends. Then one day they stumble across as invitation to visit the Cirque du Freak, a mysterious freak show. Only two tickets are available, so they draw straws to see who will go. As if by destiny, Darren wins one, and what follows is his horrifying descent into the dark and bloody world of vampires. This is Darren's story.

Customer Reviews:

It bites, but in a good way........2007-09-30

I loved this book. If theres any book you're going to read, make it this one. I am on the nineth one now, and will soon be getting the tenth and eleventh and twelth.
Read it, you wont be disaponted.

Fun Freak Show.......2007-07-01

Darren has always loved spiders. So when a secret freak show comes to town that advertises a performing spider, he knows he just has to go. He and his best friend Steve manage to get tickets and in the middle of the night they head to the freak show. Right away things are very creepy, from the host who knows Darren's name without asking to the wolfman who bites off a woman's hand and the robed and hooded creatures who sew the hand back on.

Despite their terror at what is happening around them, Darren and Steve stay until the end of the show. Darren is fascinated by Madame Octa, the performing spider. The man controlling her says she is a practically unknown species and she has deadly poison in her fangs. He uses a flute to calm her and make her do what he wants. Steve is more fascinated by the man controlling her than he is by the spider.

After the show, Steve stays behind and sends Darren home. Instead of going home, Darren hides to watch what happens. Steve confronts the spider tamer, stating that he is a famous vampire. He threatens to tell people unless this man will make him a vampire as well. The man refuses, stating that Steve has evil in his blood.

Darren decides that he can use this information to get what he wants. He sneaks into the freak show early one morning and steals Madame Octa, leaving a note stating he knows who and what the spider tamer is. He is excited and delighted when the spider is really his. But can he control this deadly beast? Will the vampire let him get away with stealing his pet?

I really liked the basic idea of this story. I liked the idea of a freak show full of people with real supernatural powers. I also liked that things didn't all work out well for Darren in the end. His actions ended up having consequences, which was only fair.

The writing in this story bothered me at some points, though. The author used too many exclamation points and often stated things too simply. It felt sometimes like he was talking down to the reader.

Cirque Du Freak Best Book Ever.......2007-06-18

Cirque Du Freak is one of the best books I have ever read. The author did a fantastic job describng all the detail. This book is about a boy named Darren Shan who gets a ticket from one of his friends to go to a mysterious freak show with his best friend Steve Leopard. They snuck out of the house to go see the freak show. When they got to the freak show Steve noticed that there was a man that he knew- a man from a comic book- a vampire! Steve wants to be a vampire too, so after the show he goes to talk to the man. Little did Steve know that Darren was spying on him. Later in the book Steve gets bitten by a spider Darren stole from someone. There is only one way Darren can save his best friend from dying. This book is awesome-you will not stop reading it. Darren Shan will have you glued to your seat in suspense.

good book.......2007-06-16

This actually is a pretty good book. I haven't read any of the other books by this author, but I still enjoyed this book. The beginning of the book wasn't the best, i thought, but after a certain meeting to save a friend, it got interesting. I especially liked the later books in this series. It was worth reading a few boring chapters to get 11 1/2 books worth of action.

Best horror book EVER.......2007-05-31

The name of the book I read was Cirque du Freak: A Living Nightmare written by: Darren Shan. This book is about two kids, Darren and Steve, who go to a freak show late at night that change their lives forever. Darren Shan and Steve Leonard are ordinary kids. Another friend brings a flier advertising Cirque du Freak, a freak show. Steve sneaks out to buy tickets for him and 3 friends but the ticket salesman only sells 2 tickets per flier. Only 2 can go, and 2 will be left behind. This book takes place in several cities in present-day.
This book was for entertainment. This is a great book. I would recommend you to read this book and the whole Cirque du Freak series. The reason this is a good book is it has great characters and it leaves you wondering what's going to happen in the next chapter so you keep reading. That is why I would recommend this book.

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