Blog Tour: Out For Blood Review+Giveaway

Author: Alyxandra Harvey
Release Date: Dec. 21, 2010
Pages: 292 (ARC)
Publisher: Walker Books
Most Appropriate For Ages: 12+
Where I Got It: For review from publicist
Other titles in series: Hearts At Stake, Blood Feud

Hunter Wild is the youngest in a long line of elite vampire hunters, a legacy that is both a blessing and a curse at the secret Helios-Ra Academy, where she excels at just about everything. Thanks to her friendship with Kieran Black, Hunter receives a special invitation to attend the coronation of Helena Drake, and for the first time, she sees the difference between vampires that must be hunted and vampires that can become friends—or even more. When students at the academy fall victim to a mysterious illness, Hunter suspects they are under attack from within. She will need someone she can trust to help her save the future of Helios-Ra . . . help that shockingly comes in the form of Quinn Drake, a drop-dead gorgeous vampire. Who said senior year would be easy?

Out For Blood is told in two points of view, Quinn Drake's and Hunter Wild's. Both of their narrations were equally grabbing, entertaining, and full of clever humor, and the plot refused to slow down.

So. Quinn. I started out not liking him. He fit the hot player type perfectly, which is not a personality that I find appealing at all. Luckily, he grew on me so much that I couldn't see not loving Quinn Drake. (Though, in all honestly, the guy on the cover freaks me out and doesn't look anything like how I imagined Quinn.) Hunter was a level headed, logical, with incredible fighting skills that I think it'd be impossible to not relate to.

And when you put Quinn and Hunter together?

Sparks fly.

I was fascinated with the world of the vampire hunters, the Helios-Ra. Thought obviously it lacks the mythology the vampires have, it's still a really cool world to read about, and I hope we get more looks into it through the series.

I do have a few very minor complaints. Mostly with Hunter's friends. Though they each had some original traits, I never really got much personality from any of them. They were just kinda...blah, I guess. Also, the big mystery of the novel never really got going until the last 80 pages or so.

Luckily, those two things I noticed didn't take away from my reading experience with Out For Blood, and this is still a book--and series--that I'd highly recommend.

Book Report:

Plot: Exciting and original.

Characters: Awesome.

Writing: Witty and just plain good.

Ending: Very nice. No cliffhanger.

Kid friendly? Yeah. There was some swearing and gore, but nothing too bad.

Should I read it? Yes. I don't think you'd even need to read the first two in the series to enjoy this one.

Overall:

 

Thanks to the awesome people at Walker Books For Young Readers, I have one copy of Out For Blood and a bookmark to give away to one lucky winner! This contest will end on Jan. 10, 2011 and is open to only residents of the US. FILL OUT THIS FORM to enter. (While comments are greatly appreciated, they don't count as entries.) Good luck!