My Love Lies Bleeding (The Drake Chronicles) [Paperback]

What can I say!!! I enjoyed this book soooo much that I could not put it down!!!

The story is about a girl called Solange who has 7 brothers and she is the only girl to be born a vampire for centuries. There are of course girls that have been turned vampires but none apart from Solange, who was born one. This of course means that she is special in the eye of all male vampires who want to have her for themselves. This sets up the scene for her over protective brothers who try to look after her and keep her safe, in particular brother Nicholas who is the most over protective of them all. There is also Solanges' best friend called Lucy who is a human and has been friends with Solange since they were young and is like another member of the family.

But it is clear as Solange approaches her 16th birthday which marks her blood change (when she will start to drink blood) looming and it is scaring everyone including best friend Lucy who is the complete opposite of Solange because sometimes you don't survive the change... There is also a prophecy that states that a born girl vampire in the Drake family will be the rightful Queen but the vampires have a queen already who is not exactly pleased about this...Solange doesn't want to be queen but that may not be enough...

I really liked that the chapters were split between Solange and Lucy creating a dual narrative and I also loved Lucy and Nicholas and their love/hate relationship and I loved all the revelations and unexpected moments and by the same token that of Solange and Keirian too. It's clear we have a new contender to our Mr.Cullen!!! I also like some of the Disney references which juxtaposed against the nature of the vampire such as Solange being so pale and black haired like Snow White, and her 7 brothers which is like the 7 dwarfs, and there is even a reference to Sleeping Beauty later on in the book. I thought it was really nice, and really creative touch to it all!

The ending is lovely and concludes but at the same time leaves it open for the next book which is called Blood Feud and comes out on the 28th of June! I can't wait to see where Harvey takes the story next!

Cassandra220689

My Love Lies Bleeding is also known as "Hearts At Stake". I have no idea why they have different US and UK titles.

This book reminds me of Lynsay Sands' Argeneau Vampires Series, which is totally hilarious, by the way. First in the Drake Chronicles, this book revolves mostly around the plight and love lives of best friends Solange and Lucy. In one word, I'd say this book felt condensed.

Let me elaborate. At 256 pages, it attempted to introduce its readers to a vampire mythology, complete with its geneaology, politics and history. It also features an unlikely romance that made me giggle and thrilling chase. It was a quick, very fluffy read, but there was not much I could have gathered from it. I felt it was rather short, and hence not much detail was incorporated into the book. The details that managed to stay were passable, and I wanted so much more. This also applies to characterisations - they were quite a few secondary characters that could have been developed more, although they are not directly pivotal to the plot. I loved the Drakes and would have appreciate hearing more of each.

My Love Lies Bleeding is told in Lucy's and Solange's perspectives. At the beginning I found it difficult to differentiate between their voices - they seemed to be too similiar, almost blending in to be merely an extension of one another. This affected the characterisation and it was not until later that I was able to personify Lucy and Solange as two different characters. I also failed to grasp the necessity of having the plot told from two differing point of views. However, this proved useful as the plot progresses especially when they part ways. Afterwhich of course, I begin to enjoy Lucy's fierceness and Solange's kindheartedness.

I enjoyed the romance hugely. From the very beginning I knew it will not disappoint, and it sure did not, at least for Lucy and Nicholas. I found Nicholas to be a swoony, manly man vampire, with the perfect history and attraction to fierce little Lucy. His reactions and approaches to her is really really cute! However though I found Lucy and Nicholas' romance well supported and is one of my favourite kind (honestly, I giggled a lot), Kieran and Solange's I found slightly rushed and less enjoyable than the former. However, overall I really did enjoy the witty banter that moulds the romance of this book.

The tension is present in the plot, but I did not quite find it exciting. It was enough to keep me reading but not intensified enough to make me flip through the pages as quick as I could. The vampire mythology and history, including its very realistic politics are a good setting stone, but I felt it was slightly lacking.

I wanted so much more from this novel, but as it stands, it still is a wonderful, romantic read with a hint of adventure and thrill. A good weekend read.

I am quite excited for Blood Feud - the next in the chronicles.

Solange Drake is soon going to become a vampire on her 16th birthday; this causes problems as she has been prophesied to become the next queen. With help from her best friend Lucy her Brother Nick and her potential enemy Kieran Black, they have to help fight against those who want to either harm or use her.

I really love this book as it has a great mix of romance, humour, suspense and while it is a light and fluffy read, it is a perfect holiday book or if you want to feel like you did as a child watching fairy tales.

It is told from the points of view of both Solange and Lucy, but while this can sometimes cause confusion, Solange and Lucy are totally different characters and tell their story differently. While both girls are strong and loyal they do it in totally different ways with Solange being quieter and introvert, while Lucy is louder and would do anything to defend those she loves (especially breaking peoples noses).

The Drake brothers are amazing and you feel they all have a different personality and you can distinguish between them. I especially like Nick, who does not love a bad boy with a heart of gold, and Connor, but that's because we are both geeks. What I really like about this series so far is that there is not a love triangle, which it seems almost every other YA paranormal has to have so thank you Harvey.

SPOILER

I only noticed this after reading it a few times but I think Alyxandra Harvey has been influenced by Snow White with this book because Solange attracts not birds and wildlife creatures but blood thirsty vampires; she has 7 over protective brothers and finally the "Huntsman" Kieran gives a deer's heart to the evil queen. I am not sure if it was intentional but it is a nice twist on the traditional fairy tale.

SPOILER END

I would recommend this book to anyone who like light YA paranormal books, or just books which leave you feeling that all is right in the world.