5 comments about Flora's Dare: How a Girl of Spirit Gambles All to Expand Her Vocabulary, Confront a Bouncing Boy Terror, and Try to Save Califa from a Shaky Doom (Despite Being Confined to Her Room).

1. I somehow got ahold of this book before reading the first. I cannot recommend this order of reading, however, I still truly enjoyed Wilce's invitation to her imagination. Flora is a wonderful, strong young woman character and there is magic involved too! I love how she doesn't depend on her friends for all of the solutions, but does a lot of things herself. I recommend anything by Wilce. Her world that she created it delightfully interesting.



2. I fell in love with Flora and her world in FLORA SEGUNDA. Wilce doesn't disappoint me in the sequel FLORA'S DARE, which further fleshes out the already fascinating world of Califa. I will confess to finding this a weaker book than the first in terms of plotting, but I was so absorbed by Flora's backstory and the history of Califa I didn't care. I wanted to crawl into the world and explore it myself!
   
   Once again, absolutely and utterly recommended.



3. I enjoyed Flora Segunda's world a great deal - very very inventive - but the plot arc suffered from inaction and lack of focus for most of the first half. The second half was much better, but the ending disappointed--felt stapled on. So when I heard Flora's Dare had come out, I wasn't too interested. Then a friend urged me to buy it, saying it was better than the first, so I searched it out. I have to say, before I go on, how very disappointed I am in the lack of marketing and visibility for this wonderfully inventive, enjoyable, creative book, worthy of Diana Wynne Jones' stamp of approval on the back--Indeed the author is the ONLY YA fantasy author writing now that I know of who has the potential to be a worthy successor to the amazing Diana Wynne Jones. I went to buy this book at the Strand, a huge, famous bookstore in NYC--and not only were they out (!), but the knowledgable staff knew nothing of the book! Why oh why is garbage promoted and this inventive creation invisible???? It's true that this book also suffers from lack of focus in the beginning--the first 100 pages or so could have been cut completely, and the book should have started at the party scene; any information such as the giant squid tentacles could have been introduced via short backstory. This is more the fault of the editor. But please hang in there, if you get a bit impatient at the slow pace of the beginning. It's a really good book, and I'm picky. For those who like intelligent creative fantasy, with a very well thought out world, strong characters, and (after page 100 or so), a strong plot with twists and turns, this is definitely very strongly recommended. And SPREAD THE WORD!!



4. Okay, as a rule, I don't really read all that much fantasy, so it was with mild reluctance that I started reading this one. As of page 2, I was hooked. Flora's Dare is a little gem of a fantasy/fiction book that brings to light a strong, daring, brave, intelligent and absolutely fun heroine with the name of Flora. I am a big fan of ANY book that makes its main character a strong female - even though she is obviously aimed at a younger audience - which is just fine with me. I love that the message in this book is a powerful one - Yes, a girl can be strong, brave, intelligent and fun!!!! As far as I am concerned that is a message that cannot be passed along at a young enough age.
   
   I discovered that this is actually the second book in the series (I am going to buy the first book for sure). In Flora's Dare, Flora has alot to deal with - she needs to figure out a new language and for this she needs a special instructor. She has to deal with Udo's schemes (and their fallout), as well as her somewhat missing-in-action sister Idden. If that was not enough, Flora has just discovered the source of some deadly earthquakes that have occured.
   
   I loved the writing, it was fresh and clip and the action was absolutely non-stop. I read this book in less than 3 days and enjoyed every minute of it. Yeah for Flora!!!! Girl Power!!! and all that.



5. Flora Fydraaca is one busy young lady.
   
   Between her search for a Gramatica instructor, dealing with the fallout of her best friend Udo's moneymaking schemes in the bounty-hunting biz, elder sister Idden's desertion from Califa's military, discovering and thwarting the source of a series of deadly earthquakes threatening the city, a freshly sober and keenly aware father, a burgeoning crush on Califa's greatest living magickal adept and old Fydraaca family enemy Lord Axacaya, tentacles accosting her in public bathrooms, family secrets, assassination attempts, and inadequate sartorial resources - it's a wonder the girl has time to breathe.
   
   At least this time around, Crackpot Manor's one and only accessible potty is up and running...
   
   There is so much going on in FLORA'S DARE that it's by no means an overstatement to call the book a fantasy fiction lover's treasure trove. Author Ysabeau S. Wilce has done a remarkable job creating and populating Flora's world with multiple, complex plots and subplots, and plenty of intriguing information to keep readers coming back for more.
   
   I deeply appreciated the level of sophistication Ms. Wilce has invested in the creation of Flora's world. She easily juggles plot threads without causing any confusion to the reader. By building the backstory of Flora's friends, family, adversaries, and the heroine herself into the narrative, she has created a series that will sustain itself over a number of books, striking the perfect balance between a compelling story and characters that are quirky yet deeply flawed.
   
   Reviewed by: Cat

5 comments about The Wrong Number 2 (Fear Street, No. 27) (Bk. 2).

1. It has been a year after Deena and Jade were almost killed by Stanley Farberson. Also a year when they called a house on Fear Street and heard a murder. Deena and Jade start getting phone calls. Things that only Farberson knows.. Could it be really Farberson?
   
   Well, this book deserves a three since the explanations done by the person responsible for the calls were lame. Scaring someone just because you are jealous? The car wasn't much explained. I must say that this book is like a roller coaster ride.



2. This book is called Wrong Number 2 by R.L.Stine. I'm 11 years old in the 6th grade. I think people ages 11-13 would like this book. The book is about 3 kids going into a house looking for some money. But they find themselves downstairs in the basement. A man came in and lit a candle. Will they ever get out? I guess you will have to read the book to find out. I like scary stories. I liked the part when they were in the house in the basement. And when the man tried to run them over but they got away.



3. I loved the book Wrong Number#2. I am in the 6th grade and 11 years old. I think people ages 9-15 should read it. It is about two girls, Jade and Deena and these two boys Chuck and Farberson. Farberson got out of jail and went to go look for his hidden money. When he went to find it wasn't there. I love the book, it is a good book and at the end it is sad because someone dies. If you want to know how and who you will have to reed the book. And there is something scary. I did not like that part, you might. But the book was good. I hope you have fun with it.



4. The part of the book i read from Wrong Number Two was very good. The kids I think would like this book are 10-14 years old. Also kids who like mystery And suspense stories would like this book. I am in 7th grade when I read this book.This book was about 3 kids who get trapped in a killers world. Then after a year the killer got out of jail. One of the kids went back to find money the killer had hidden. Then the other two kids go to the killers house to go and get him but the killer is on his way. So, after they get there and get him they go to leave but the killer is standing in the doorway. I don't want to give too much away so read the book to find out what happens. I liked this book because it was a mystery and suspense book. That is what wrong number 2 is about.



5. The story I read was Wrong Number 2. It was about three teenag kids, Deena, Jade and Chuck.They had an enemy, Stanley Farberson. Farberson was a murderer and he killed his wife. Now he was put in jail and Deena and Jade are in school. Chuck is in college. One night Deena and Jade came home from school the phone rang Jade asked if she could answer it. Deena picked up the phone 'Hello' she said no reply. 'Hello' she said again. Then a low voice answered 'Is jade there' a man with a scary said.Then he hung up the phone. As soon as Jade walked in the room Deena said ' A man was looking for you' .'Then he hung up' Deena said. 'Oh well'. So all night Deena and Jade were talking about the basketball game they were going to on Friday. At one thirty a.m. Deena went up to here room and went straight to bed. At three a.m the phone rang 'Hello' Deena said. The same man called and he said 'I already called your friend'. This Review Was Written By Ashley Estrada

5 comments about Burning Bones.

1. Jenna Blake, assistant to a Somerset Medical Examiner, has just celebrated her nineteenth birthday, and getting over a recent break-up, while at the same time rekindling an old flame with a certain Somerset Police Officer. On top of all of that, she has a new mystery to solve. Innocent people are being set on fire everyday, yet there is no evidence of arson, and there are no witnesses who can say anything except "They just went up in flames." The only possible conclusion is spontaneous human combustion. But that is conclusion is quickly put out, when an unusual turn of events suddenly presents itself, along with an incredible explanation to the deaths of the innocents.

   I was hesitant in purchasing this book, as I was worried that Golden's usual sense of mystery and horror would not be present, since he was writing with a partner, Rick Hautala. Boy was I wrong. This book was just as good, if not better than the previous books in the BODY OF EVIDENCE series. Golden and Hautala's writing was immensely enjoyable alongside one another, and is a treat for all fans of either author. A must-have.

   Erika Sorocco




2. Three people are mysteriously burned to death, two of whom in front of a multitude of eyewitnesses. "How could something like this happen?" is the question on everyone's mind, especially when a member of the Somerset Police Department's own becomes the fourth victim of the flames. Could spontaneous human combustion, the ability of a person to burst into flames without reason, be the cause of these deaths? Or, could a man named Victor Frost have single-handedly murdered these individuals with the touch of a finger?
   I give this book five stars, because it was an excellent mystery that kept me in suspense. The cause of the murders (pyrokenesis) was fascinating, but even more remarkable was the insight of the main character, Jenna. The authors too, clearly demonstrated a keen knowledge of the events that occurred in the novel, making the plot realistic. I would recommend "Burning Bones" to anyone looking for a good mystery with a surprising twist.



3. Three people are mysteriously burned to death, two of whom in front of a multitude of eyewitnesses. "How could something like this happen?" is the question on everyone's mind, especially when a member of the Somerset Police Department's own becomes the fourth victim of the flames. Could spontaneous human combustion, the ability of a person to burst into flames without reason, be the cause of these deaths? Or, could a man named Victor Frost have single-handedly murdered these individuals with the touch of a finger?
   I give this book five stars, because it was an excellent mystery that kept me in suspense. The cause of the murders (pyrokenesis) was fascinating, but even more remarkable was the insight of the main character, Jenna. The authors too, clearly demonstrated a keen knowledge of the events that occurred in the novel, making the plot realistic. I would recommend "Burning Bones" to anyone looking for a good mystery with a surprising twist.



4. Burning Bones was overall was suspenseful, and certainly not predictable. So far I have followed every book, and I do think this was one of the most trivial cases, but what puzzles me is that it is so far from human belief, where all the other books are more murder/ish cases- I'm not ruling out the whole idea, because I do believe anything is possible, but it seems unlikely in the series. But I suppose that's why they wrote it like this??? Overall, the book is great and almost makes me want to be an ME, or at least the assistant, and if like mysteries but not the same old monotonous mysteries, I recommend this book- or any other Body Of Evidence book!



5. Jenna Blake is back for another round, and this time around, things are gonna get hot! When a man bursts in to flames for no apparent reason, Jenna finds herself wrapped up in yet another mystery. The writers take us on a rollercoaster ride, as we watch things unravel, up until the very end, when a vicious killer attempts to take the life of someone very near and dear to Jenna.

   This book follows in the footsteps of its predecessors, and lives up to the standards set by them. If you are a Jenna Blake fan, you will enjoy this book as well.

5 comments about Blood Brothers (The Unseen, Part 3).

1. I absolutely love paranormal books, especially with a romantic twist! As an adult, I steared away from the teen books for the longest time. However, I can say that I absolutely loved the Unseen series! Matter of fact, I wish it wouldn't have ended!
   
   If you enjoy reading Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, Meg Cabot's Mediator series, or Kelley Armstrong's new teen novel, then the Unseen series is a must read!
   
   
   --- Jessica
   
   
   Jessica Coulter Smith
   Author, Paranormal Romance
   "Whispering Lake" released Nov. 2008



2. Interesting. Keeping in the tradition of what Ive seen from Richie. Keep on writing girl!



3. the whole point of this book is to give you more questions soo you wonder what is going to happen.. and it all leads up to the last book wear most of your questions are answered. i thought this book was as good as any of the other ones. and like the others it only took me a few hours to read it. Sure lucy meets a few more guys she likes.. but that just leads you in the wrong direction.. obsticles .. that is what is in this book.



4. it just happened over and over again. She 1st remembers that the guy she likes dies and she kinda the reason why it happened. But And she trying to figure out how she got her powers and the past on them. But this person or persons is stalking her and trying to kill her. And she starts liking a couple guys and notices that there behind the whole thing. And she feels whenever this "Thing" is around. But one day(shes living with her aunt) her cousin goes missing and finds out shes dead because of her stalker. The last thing you read in the book is " When i walked up i saw this light i walked to it and when i looked down i gaged from the smell. It was my cousin covered in magets"



5. this book just seemed as if it were a rerun of the other books. oh great shes getting chased again. oh no hes stocking her again nothing seemed to change. You kno how when a tape reruns or gets scrathed or something thats how this book was.

5 comments about The Struggle (The Vampire Diaries Series Vol II).

1. I'm really getting into The Vampire Diaries, despite my initial misgivings with The Awakening. I really like how this story is turning out. I like how all of the characters' motivation is so clear, at least it seems to be. I can't wait to find out what happens with Stephen, Damon and Elena. I'm also really enjoying Bonnie's ability. The evilness of Caroline and Tyler brings a normal problem to a supernatural situation and I felt that worked very well.
   
   The Struggle had a better sense of finality than The Awakening. It feels like a full story, left slightly open-ended to allow for another book to follow. Instead of being separate books in a series, these books seem like all parts of the same book. I read this book immediately after The Awakening and it seems as though these books are best read one right after the other.



2. My 11 year old daughter is hooked on vampires but some of the books out there are just too mature for her so I heard about this series and thought I would read it first to be sure it wasn't too dirty for a young girl. I really enjoyed it and so did she. We are hooked to this series.



3. This book was as good as the first one, if not better. I really liked Stefan and Elena's relationship in the book.
   The book starts off with Elena yelling for Damon, Stefan's evil brother. Shocking, I know! She is yelling for him because he has taken Stefan somewhere and Elena can't find him. She only knows that he is in trouble.
   Elena goes through quit a bit of trouble in this book. She get her diary stolen, only to find out that it was someone she thought was her friend took it to get back at her. Also, Damon, Stefan's brother keeps getting into her head and talks her into doing things that she doesn't want to do. He wants to steal Elena away from Stefan. And at the end of the book she gets into a car accident which makes the ending totally awesome! Sounds weird saying it, but you have to read the book!
   I actually found myself rooting for Damon at the end of the book. I think his "powers" came out of the book and worked on me. :) But before I finished I was rooting for Stefan again.



4. I purchased this book along with The Awakening for my daughter as part of her Christmas gifts. She had asked for both. When I received the book, I should have checked it over carefully. Having always been pleased with Amazon purchases, I quickly wrapped the books for her to open Christmas morning. Much to our dismay, this book has several torn pages and is missing pages 47 through 50 something. Of course I purchased it in Nov. so the 30 day return time is past. I realize it is my fault for not double checking my order, but I do hope everyone else will always check theirs and not do like me assuming things will always be good. My daughter was terribly disappointed and so was I. I now have a book no one will want.



5. I finished the second story in the series, "The Struggle" yesterday but didn't have a chance to record any thoughts. I'm not quite sure how to go about doing so without giving spoilers to readers who plan to read the books but haven't read them yet. That said, if you dislike spoilers this is a review to skip.
   
   I can see why these stories would appeal to young adult readers, and high school girls in particular, who are able to consider meeting the man they will spend their life with in high school. Not the most realistic, but a common fantasy. (At this point I feel like I need to mention that I actually did marry my high school boyfriend, but not until after we had broken up and had a bunch of life experiences on our own. We got back together towards the end of college.) Elena seems so dead set on being with Stefan forever even knowing that he is a vampire and his forever is different than hers. She does not seem to entertain thoughts of becoming like him, just marrying him and living happily ever after. I feel pretty confident in my prediction of who is the third power in Fell's Church, but that may be because it was made too obvious. I do have some questions about Stefan's landlady and her behavior.
   
   As I was reading a continued distraction for me is the difference in how the characters are described in the book versus the TV series. It shouldn't matter, but it is distracting. I was caught off guard by the ending without revealing how the story ended.

5 comments about The Immortal.

1. Super fast shipping! Arrived earlier than expected and exactly in the condition mentioned! : )



2. This book has everything... the young adult teen girls headed to a foregn land (namely Mykonos, Greece), the hunky guys they meet when they get there, the drama the mystery. But what it also has is Pike's crazy way of teaching you things. Things about Greece things about mythology... He is like the young adult Michael Chrichton. And in between those lines are a dark story that turns this little tale into a modern-day Greek tragedy and an adventure I have not forgotten since I read it 16 years or so ago. A classic up there with his: Witch, Remember Me, and The Last Vampire Series.



3. I was rummaging around in my elder sister's bookcase when I found her old Christopher Pike novels. I picked this one up and completely fell in love with it!
   
   Don't be deceived by the synopsis on the back because I found it had nothing to do with the story. The little statuette rarely featured I found until the end. Still, don't miss this book



4. This book had an original plot. The plot is all about a Goddess wanting a human body.



5. The ancient artifact was cursed.
   
   Josie is on vacation in Greece with her father, his new girlfriend, and her best friend. While visiting the sacred island of Delos, she accidently stumbles upon an ancient artifact-a tiny statue of a Goddess. Immediately Josie is enchanted by the statue and she takes it with her when she leaves the island.
   
   Then the trouble starts. A guy takes her for a boat ride and she is almost killed. Then the image of the Goddess begins to haunt her dreams. The Goddess wants something from Josie that she doesn't want to give.
   
   The immortal wants to be mortal.
   
   The Goddess wants Josie's life.
   ------------
   This is a great book! I read it when I was a teenager and re-read it again recently, and I still enjoyed it! This was one of my favorite of C. Pikes' books. I highly recommend any of them!

5 comments about The Face (Fear Street, No. 35).

1. Synopsis: Martha Powell has dreams where she is drawing a silver line in her drawing pad, but the line starts seeping a dark red blood color from its sides. She doesn't know why, but she starts screaming in her dreams. She wakes up and tries to go on with her life, but it is hard because her friends aren't quite the same because of the incident. An incident which happened last Winter, that was so traumatic for Martha that she completely blocked it from her mind, and cannot seem to remember any of it. Her friends and family won't hint her or help her remember due to her Doctor's instructions.
   
   One day, Martha opens her drawing pad to draw a picture of herself for her portfolio. However, as if against her will, her hand starts to draw a face of a boy. Martha doesn't recall seeing that face, but she cannot seem to stop drawing him. Whenever she tries to draw something, she ends up drawing the face. She fears there is something wrong with her, and feels that the face is somehow connected to that incident. Martha slowly starts getting flashes of the incident that took place, but realizes that the danger is far from over.
   
   Review: I really enjoyed reading this book. I liked the central idea of an amnesiac girl trying to regain her memory, but then realizing that she was better off not remembering. It was interesting to see how almost all of Martha's friends were betraying her in a different way.
   
   Another reason why I enjoyed this book was because of how the story shifted as Martha regains her memory and realizes that she is still in danger, and tries to find out who is trying to end her life. Since I have read quite a few Fear Street books, I somewhat predicted who was responsible for what happened, but even I realized this only a chapter or two before the climax. There were some gory details mentioned in the book, but R. L. Stine mainly relied on suspense, which I thought was good.
   
   Overall, this is definitely one of the better Fear Street books that I have read.



2. Her friends say something terrible happened that day but Martha can't remember anything. They say her memory will return sooner or later. Then she starts drawing the face of an unknown boy. She can't stop it. Her boy friend admits that the boy is dead. Who is he? How did he die? And why are her friends acting so weird?
   
   A great Fear Street read.



3. This book was so mind boggilng. i loved it.... martha can't remember anything ! her friends won't talk about it, and its driving her crazy! please read if you havenit already!!!!!



4. I read this for an outside reading at my school and I just loved it! I didn't think that a book like this could be so confusing and good at the same time. But, then again, it is by R.L. Stine (the best author ever) and he is the guy to go to when you need a scare! I still can't get over the sad parts in this book, when Martha doesn't know anything about the holiday trip, or why she keeps drawing THE FACE of the boy she doesn't know. Of course, I give Mr. Stine a big whopping 10 for a great book in a great series. To fans everywhere: you can't read any of the Fear Street series without reading this! It's a must-read!



5. Martha has a memory problem because she can't remember anything. She keeps on drawing a boy's face who has been murdered. She wants to know about him and she finds out. She doesn't know why she draws the boy's face and then she finally knew. "the face that saved my life" and that's what happened.
   
   I really love this book because it was so good and pretty freaky. I hope you'll like this book because it is spspenseful. I have a good memory and I can remember things that happened and my past. Read this book to yourself and you'll find out.

5 comments about Killer's Kiss (Fear Street, No. 42).

1. Synopsis: Delia Easton and Karina Frye have always been competing with one another since they were kids, on clothes, grades and friends, and now over Vincent Milano. What they don't realize is that Vincent, a boy who they both like, is secretly dating both of them and enjoying it. Needless to say, Karina finds out about Vincent and Delia, and thinks that Delia was trying to steal Vincent from her.
   
   Later, Karina sees Delia in the gym and starts strangling her and threatens to kill her. Afterward, Delia feels like Karina is up to something, especially when she sees Karina talking with Stewart Andrews - her stiffest competition for the Conklin Award, besides Karina. Delia's worst nightmare comes true when she opens her guitar case on the stage during the award show, only to find her strings in her guitar cut, and a decomposing rat jammed inside the guitar hole. Her troubles are far from over, and when she gets a second chance to show her talent, someone ruins her painting at the show. Delia realizes that Karina is dangerous and wants to see her fail in everything important to her. Can Delia stop Karina from stealing her boyfriend, her future, her life?
   
   Review: I enjoyed reading this book. It had a classic Fear Street storyline, strange characters, gruesome incidents, and lots of twists. One of the main reasons why I enjoyed it was to see Vincent get exactly what he deserved for being a disgusting character dating all those girls. Some moments in this book were gross to read, like when Delia sees a decomposing rat in her guitar case.
   
   Similar to other Fear Street books, Stine manages to give an unexpected twist in the end to shock the readers, but when he does this, I find loopholes in the storyline that don't make sense. Don't get me wrong, I loved the ending of this book, but it just made think of a few incidents that didn't add up. For example, at the Conklin Award, after the incident, Delia sees Karina speak with Sarah and they both walk out together, although no explanation is provided for this. I just feel like if Stine had given more details towards the end of the book to cover every mysterious incident that took place, I would have enjoyed this book more.
   
   Anyway, other than that, this is a good Fear Street book to read, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes the series.



2. Delia and Karina are competing against each other for everything. Their newest price is Vincent.
   
   One of very few Fear Street disappointments. No surprises here unfortunately. It was just boring...



3. Killer's Kiss is an easy to read fast flowing storyline that although a little predictable it has enough twists that keep the reader questioning what they think is going on is actually what is. R.L. Stine has written a substantial number of books marketed at children, young adults and adults and the publishing company has decided to place Killer's Kiss in the Young Adult category. Whilst some of Stine's childrens' fiction is a bit basic for adults or specifically written to only appeal to a specific age market this is not so with Killer's Kiss. Killer's Kiss is a simple and easy to read book but contains enough storyline substance that those who read most of their books from the adult fiction novel level won't still enjoy this. It also doesn't use teenage specific vocabulary (which would date the book extremely fast if it did) meaning those who are no longer teens can still follow it as well and in ten years time the next generation of young adults will still enjoy it as well.
   
   Killer's Kiss is the story of a the self centred huge egod popular highschool boy (Vincent) and the affect his desire to manipulate two former best friends into believing he is dating each of them exclusively and convincing them the other is just jealous and delusional. Delia and Karina (the two girls) have been competing against each other their whole lives with Delia usually being pipped at the post by Karina. Delia has had enough of this and won't have what she believes to be her current boyfriend stolen from her. Karina has also had enough of what she believes to be Delia wanting everything she has. Throw in a talent contest and you've got an unhealthy competition that's deadly serious!



4. My 8 year old grandson checked this book out of the elementary school library. Needless to say, the title made me suspicious as to the content. After I read it, his parents notified the school. It has now been removed. This type of book may be o.k. for adults, if they like this sort of story; however, it should not be allowed in schools. Wonder where kids are getting the ideas to shoot up classrooms and malls? Check out the books they're reading......



5. Although I thought this book would be kind of wack it turned out 2 be a great book. And the ending is so shocking. This was one of my first fear street books and know I read a book of Fear street almost everyday. This book is surprising and u wont let it down until your finish it. A thriller

5 comments about Little Things (Buffy the Vampire Slayer).

1. It's like getting an extra episode of Buffy! Not as wordy and detailed as some Buffy books, more light and fun.



2. The plot of this book was much better in theory than it was in practice. This could have easily been a 5 star PG-13 book with imagination & better writing skills. In fact, the whole concept of fairy vampires, would have made an excellent TV episode ranking up there with Season Five BTVS "Buffy vs. Dracula". The prologue itself was GREAT! It was CLASSIC Buffy. The essence of the show was captured in the perfect light in this chapter. The bad part was, none of the main characters were in it. I won't give away too much about the prologue so as not to spoil it for future readers. Sadly, the book itself, was written at a reading level & pace best suited for middle school students. I wouldn't recommend this to any adult who is easily bored.
   
   The author did a reasonable job of bringing some of the characters to life, while failing to bring out the essence in others. For example, in Chapter 2, Xander & Buffy were fighting a Tyrloch demon. Xander said "So...now we know what it would look like if the Incredible Hulk and the Statue of Liberty ever had kids". Given the description of the demon, this was absolutely hilarious and had me laughing into the next page. My laughter was cut short when Buffy made a stupid out of character comment to the same demon "are you evil or do we have a failure to commnuicate?", Gimme a break. This went on throughout the whole book.... a great one-liner followed by a stupid one-liner. Similarly, there were some good monents, and bad ones with Anya. Anya was portrayed a bit too ditzy in this story. The Scooby gang had several meetings about the fairies and Anya kept it quiet for too long that she had first hand info on them... it didn't make any sense. Even Anya is not that dumb. In a normal episode she would have immediately come forth with her knowledge. For any media-tie in book to work, the author must have the essence of all the characters down pat or it just won't fly with the fans.
   
   As the old saying goes, I try not to judge books by their covers. I did find this cover mis-leading. If you are looking for a book featuring Spike, this is NOT for you. Spike had a few good scenes, but nothing to get excited about. A cover with the whole group would have been more fitting. I would have also liked to have seen more sparks between Buffy and Spike. Featuring Spike on the front cover was done to help sell more books. Period.
   
   It kills me to give this book 2 stars. If it weren't for the concept of the fairy vampires I doubt it would earn any. I can't help but think some of the people who are rating this a 4 & 5 star book are either very young studnts who don't know any better OR they are adults who are rating it high because Spike on the cover! If you are going to read this, be warned, it is short at 200 pages. This would be an OK book to take along on a long car or plane ride.



3. Awesome book! Entertaining from front to back. A good book for anyone that loves Buffy, fairies, and/or both!



4. TIMING: During Season Five, definitely after "Forever." By the way the characters interact, it seems that this story would fit right between "Forever" and "Intervention."
   
   STORY: Not bad. It's an unique idea to say the least. Sunnydale is invaded by fairies, but not the lives-in-a-flower kind of fairy. Nope, these fairies have been cursed so that they carry the demonic essence of a vampire, which pretty much makes them angry. They have a vendetta against one of the Scoobies, though that avenue wasn't explored enough in the actual story. A few subplots deal with the characters coping with "little problems" in their lives, like Buffy's toothache (which takes up a large amount of page space and never really goes anywhere interesting), the ant infestation at Anya and Xander's house, and Giles's parking ticket. I thought it was interesting that their problems, both the supernatural and mundane, were 'little' in nature, but some of it seemed a bit contrived. The researching scenes were cool and very true to the show, but the climax was a bit of a letdown.
   
   CHARACTERS: Some characterization is good, some not so much. Giles and Willow felt very off, and made writer Rebecca Moesta look like she was trying way too hard to pull of the voices; especially with Willow, who comes off as more stupid than lightly humorous. Anya's voice is perfect, Xander's is good, Buffy's is good, Dawn's is good, and Spike's is okay. Overall, Moesta did better than most writers when it comes to capturing the characters.
   
   CONTINUITY: Some major errors. This was written before Anya began to refer to herself as "Anya Jenkins," but this book has her last name as "Emerson." Also, Xander still retains his 'military personality' in some scenes, but he lost that aspect of himself in Season Four. Also, most disturbingly, Moesta refers to Tara as Willow's 'friend.' No. Was Angel Buffy's "friend?" Was Oz Willow's "friend?" No. Call her Willow's "girlfriend" because that's what she is. Period.
   
   COVER: Misleading. Spike is featured prominently on the cover, though Anya, Xander, or even Buffy herself would have been more appropriate. In no way is this a Spike-centric book.
   
   OVERALL: Good. Not as good as the series or the canonical comics, but who was expecting that? It's worth buying, because it's still 'Buffy.' Some parts are great, others... not so much.
   
   6/10



5. Vampire fairies. Cue many bad jokes of the so bad you can appreciate them variety. How do you kill a vampire fairy? Toothpicks. Buffy has a toothache on top of all the other annoyances, so is not on top of her game.
   
   Xander, after a desperate stand outside a donut shop that destroyed many jam filled delicacies is captured and given the Lilliput treatment.
   
   The gang go to save him, with many toothpicks, his Slayomatic, and some fairicide.

5 comments about Black Blood (Last Vampire, Book 2).

1. Follow the further adventures of Sita the oldest vampire on the planet.
   
   After breaking a promise and making her partner a vampire, Sita and Ray try to live a somewhat normal life. Until they hear of some murders in LA.
   
   It seems that someone is killing people an terrible ways. Dismamberment, limbs torn off, and in some cases even drained comepletly of blood. In otherwords the killer is making it look as if another vampire is loose on the world.
   
   Did Sita succeed in destroying her maker or is he alive and finding ways of making her pay?
   
   Is this some new sort of vampire? If so, from whence did it come?
   
   Can it be stopped before the world knows about vampires?
   
   To find out you will have to read this book.
   
   I especially liked...
   
   How the book explained they new vampire. Normaly the peson is a real creep, but with superpowers he is even more of a menace. Quite scary acually.
   
   When I finished reading this Book I wanted to...
   
   Everyone says that they read it again. Not me I went out dressed in black looking for vampire victims......J/K
   
   The author of this Book...
   
   Christopher Pike
   
   He has written a whole slew of teen thriller novels and this is one of his best ones.
   
   I recommend this Book because...
   
   It is packed full of action and vampires and a real cool way in which to make them.
   
   I loved the first book in the series. This may better then the 1st book if possible
   
   I don't recommend this Book because...
   
   There is nothing about this book that I do not recomend.
   
   Further Comments...
   
   The beginning starts with Sita stating that she is not afraid of blood. What she is afraid of is what it can do.



2. I relly do not like reading but this book got my attention because it is trilling I think it is thrilling besause the vampires are relly strong,fast, smart, and they can hear and see relly good beter the any thing.



3. Ray is adjusting to being a vampire. He is depressed about having to sever contact with his family and friends, and appalled at having to drink human blood. But Ray doesn't have too much time to figure things out. There has been a series of brutal murders in LA. Sita knows a vampire is responsible.
   Sita and Ray are going to LA to investigate and look for the one who is creating vampires. The First Vampire, Yaksha, is supposed to be dead. Even if he survived the explosion at Sita's home, he swore a vow to God not to create any more vampires, and to destroy all other vampires. Sita has not made any more. So who is making the vampires?
   
   A new character comes in: FBI agent Joel Gray. In charge of the murder investigation, he zeroes in on Alisa. Will she have to kill this well-meaning man if he gets to close to the truth?
   
   This story is a better read than the first one in the series. A lot more action for one thing, a compelling enemy, and less of Sita musing on what a hottie she is. Pikes writing is a little better. Still, Pike throws in gems like "I like horny men. I feel they are true to their nature." Riiiiight.



4. Absolutely love this book, and the entire "The Last Vampire" series in general. Following Sita's journey is an exciting and wonderful adventure, and this book is no exception. Sita is 5,000 years old and thought all vampires (aside from herself and her lover Ray) were gone, until a series of unusal murders force her to realize she was mistaken. She must meet this new foe, destroy him, and try to do so without destroying herself. A great (and quick) read.



5. This book is great. It's a nice sequel to #1, though it does become boring in some points.. There's small sub-stories that get told inside by the characters that dont really seem like they need to be there, but nonetheless, they add to the overall effectiveness of the plot.

   I read this whole book last night. I just couldn't put it down! It was about a 3 1/2 hour read without too many breaks.. I found it took me 4 chapters to realize i had to go to the restroom and to actually get up to go.

   The bad guy's mother is a bit off her rocker, being as old as she is.. Really sick minded, its no wonder that the boy turned out the way he was.

   Anyway, it was a good book and i just couldnt put it down. I reccommend this read to anyone who is a fan of Christopher Pike. :)