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Genre: YA UF
Pages: 247, ebook
Published: 2011
Review by Lis
They don't call him Jackpot for nothing.
Jack has always beat the odds... at least until now. When he was attacked by a werewolf, vampires saved him. When he got tired of living the vampire life, another werewolf attack freed him, making him human again. Now Jack just wants to live a normal life, but what's normal about a hunter girlfriend, a brother who wants to stake him to be on the safe side, and a head werewolf building an army to rule the world?
Judging from the many vampire books out there, we all know Vampires rule in some way or another. I recently had a discussion with a friend and it came to my attention that I know waaaaaaay too much about modern vampires than is probably good for me. So, I agree, Vampires Rule.
However, that is not what this book is about. It’s about Jack Creed, a boy who was human, but turned into a vampire when his parents were killed about a werewolf and turned into something more than human when he’s attacked by a werewolf while trying to save a beautiful girl. Confusing yet? Nah, it’s not really, but it did have my head shaking back and forth. On top of that there is Jack’s not so little brother Billy who’s now a hunter out for revenge, who isn’t quite convinced that his brother’s not an animal blood sucking vampire anymore.
While reading this book I was turn between liking it and condemning it, and I’m afraid I’m still somewhere stuck in between. It’s not a bad book to read – in fact it’s quite entertaining – but it also doesn’t have me sitting on the edge of my seat.
Both Jack and Silver – the girl he rescues and with whom he has a great big destiny awaiting him – are likable characters. As are the brother and big evil baddy teacher sprouting poetry: Jersey Clifford. Jack is all about being the tortured vampire, much alike to Stephen from the Vampire Diaries. All he wants to be is normal and human. His character is fleshed out. Silver, I found, while likable was a little over the top. Sweet, tough and guiding, she and Jack do fit together.
Lucky for us, the story is mostly angst free. Very unlike Twilight, for which I was happy. Though at points I found it a little too emotionally detached. However, that could just be me.
So why didn’t I like it as much? Well, one of my major hang-ups with this book was the problem with most self-published books: lack of editor and spell and grammar checking. There were a lot and the book would have benefitted from a good check.
My second problem was with the plot itself. It’s riddled with prophecy and destiny, which makes this much like the great fantasy novels: the great big evil which needs to be defeated. I found it was a bit too big for this book and the story would have benefitted from an easier start, because now there were all this holes which make the story unnecessarily complicated.
Overall, this book wasn’t too bad and while it was not my werewolf on a full moon night, it might just be your bloodsucker in a crypt. So, while I didn’t like it as much, you just might.
- Self-published. Bit problematic
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I am guest reviewing today over at Book Lovers Inc, come say hi :D
The Girl on the Cliff by Lucinda Riley
Could a secret from 1914 end a century of heartache?
A tiny figure stands at the cliff edge - hair flying in the breeze. Grania Ryan is hypnotised by the enchanting vision, unaware this young girl, Aurora Lisle, will change her life in countless ways. For Grania is suffering and has returned to Ireland and the arms of her loving family, in the hope her wounds might heal.
As their paths begin to entwine, Grania's mother becomes deeply troubled … because almost a century of entanglement has brought nothing but terrible tragedy to their two families.
The past is set to repeat its sorrows. A suitcase hidden in the attic of a magnificent house in London during the First World War is where it all began, but could it now hold the key to ending the heartbreak that has beset the Lisles and the Ryans for so long?
