“These violent delights have violent ends
And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,
Which as they kiss consume.”
—Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Juliet Capulet didn’t take her own life. She was murdered by the person she trusted most, her new husband, Romeo Montague, a sacrifice made to ensure his own immortality. But what Romeo didn’t anticipate was that Juliet would be granted eternity, as well, and would become an agent for the Ambassadors of Light. For 700 years, she’s fought Romeo for the souls of true lovers, struggling to preserve romantic love and the lives of the innocent. Until the day she meets someone she’s forbidden to love, and Romeo, oh Romeo, will do everything in his power to destroy that love.

The world’s greatest love story ever told is a lie. Romeo and Juliet didn’t commit suicide and die for their love, Romeo murdered her. Her one true love, the one she trusted and wanted to be with more than anyone else in the whole world, betrayed her and took her life in an act of brutality Juliet isn’t able to escape. Not even now, in present day, and she jumps from body to body.

Seven hundred years on, Romeo is still working for the bad guys, and Juliet is still ambling through her existence, trying to save true love from the grips of hell. She hates her life, but after seven hundred years, she’s pretty used to it: invade a body, conquer and make love happen, escape and move on. But when Juliet invades Ariel’s body, she never ever expected that she might be the one to fall in love with her subject. It’s unheard of and absolutely forbidden. It feels like Juliet has met his soul before, encountered him in another life … but its impossible, right?

Meanwhile, Romeo will stop at nothing to get to his Juliet. His love is of the sadistic kind, and although he seems hell bent on destroying her life, in his sick way, he does love Juliet. And she’s slipping from his grasp. He’ll stop at nothing to prevent that from happening.

As a huge fan of Romeo and Juliet, I was deathly afraid that this story would butcher the classic for me. I was, however, pleasantly surprised. Yes, I struggled seeing Romeo in such an evil capacity, but it … worked. Juliet seems to hold some of that hopeless romance she carried in the original tale, but what I was happiest about was her strength. In the original classic, Juliet takes charge of her life, decides what she wants and finds a way to make it happen. Although Juliet in this story is a slave to her circumstances, she does find a way around her pitiful situation and goes after what she wants. I was happy to see that element of her character remained true.

Thus, Juliet Immortal  did not ruin the classic tale for me. It was a really enjoyable representation, actually. I think those that even hate the original tale will get a kick out of this one.

I take my hat off to the jacket designer. The cover is perfect, and was actually what made me pick it up in the first place. The red dress against the murky, restless ocean really struck a cord with me.

Pages: 306

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Publication date: 2011

Teaser Quote: Life is precious – his life especially – but there are worse things to lose. I turn back to Ben, brush his hair away from his ruined face, a part of me wishing he was conscious so I could say goodbye, the other part glad that he’s beyond feeling pain.

The Summer King is missing; the Dark Court is bleeding; and a stranger walks the streets of Huntsdale, his presence signifying the deaths of powerful fey.

Aislinn tends to the Summer Court, searching for her absent king and yearning for Seth. Torn between his new queen and his old love, Keenan works from afar to strengthen his court against the coming war. Donia longs for fiery passion even as she coolly readies the Winter Court for battle. And Seth, sworn brother of the Dark King and heir to the High Queen, is about to make a mistake that could cost his life.

Love, despair, and betrayal ignite the Faery Courts, and in the final conflict, some will win . . . and some will lose everything.

Keenan is still missing and Aislinn is not happy. Someone has to run the Summer Court, and although she knows it must be her, she really wishes Keenan would return and help her. At least he has some experience with these things. Ash isn’t stupid, though, and knows that when he does return, she’ll have to make a choice – Seth, or the Summer King…

Her court needs her, that much is clear, and things definitely would definitely run better if the King and Queen had a united front, but her heart just isn’t in it. Although he’s very tempted by Keenan, she loves Seth. There’s just no way around it.

But Seth is gone a lot too. He vanishes into Faery for days and days at a time, reminding Ash that he too belongs to someone else now. How did things get so complicated? Why can’t she have her court and have Seth too?

Bananach is up to her crazy shenenigans again, causing chaos and havoc wherever she goes, only this time it seems that she’s playing for keeps. Kill or be killed – that’s how she’s playing now. Things are getting pretty crazy and Aislinn just doesn’t know what to do.

The Dark Court is also a bit of a mess. In the wake of Irial’s death Niall has gone all badass on us. He’s not coping with the loss of his friend, and he’s lashing out at anyone he can sink his claws into. You’ll never believe the cruelty he dishes out in the name of grief.

Darkest Mercy is the highly anticipated last book in the Wicked Lovely series. I think it’s safe to say that in this chapter, readers are given what they want. This is one of those series that has a storybook ending, and everyone and everything ends just as it should. Although it carries an element of predictability to it, Darkest Mercy is the perfect finale to an outstanding series.

Although saddened by the fact that its over, this is a world I love to get lost in, and will continue to do so many times over. Melissa Marr has a real talent for placing her readers right in the middle of all the action and I can’t wait to go back and start again. As we farewell our beloved characters, we wish Seth, Ash, Keenan, Donia and all of our Wicked Lovely friends the best!

Pages: 327

Publication date: 2011

Publisher: HarperTeen

Rating: :

Teaser Quote: Summer or not, there’s no one else in my bed. No one else ever has been there,” she reminded him.

With her boss preoccupied researching the Founder Houses in Morganville, student Claire Danvers is left to her own devices when she learns that three vampires have vanished without a trace. She soon discovers that the last person seen with one of the missing vampires is someone new to town-a mysterious individual named Magnus. After an uneasy encounter with Morganville’s latest resident, Claire is certain Magnus isn’t merely human. But is he a vampire-or something else entirely?

As Michael and Eve make preparations for their wedding, certain undead members of the Morganville community begin making all kinds of noise objecting to the idea. Everyone seems to have an opinion on why Michael and Eve shouldn’t get married – except the couple themselves. Even Shane and Claire express concern. Michael is a vampire; Eve is human. A lifelong predatory union such as that is bound to end in tragedy, right? At least, that’s what the history books show. Eve wonders … could her relationship with Michael go down in history as the first human/vampire relationship to really make it?

In Bite Club we saw Shane and Claire face all kinds of adversity. Shane let Claire down – repeatedly – and both of them still have wounds to heal from that experience, but Last Breath opens showing Shane and Claire more in love, stronger than they’ve ever been before. It’s obvious they’re meant to be together, through thick and thin, the good and the bad, the ugly and the beautiful – but what about in death? Last Breath sees Shane and Claire face the ultimate challenge – the biggest one they’re likely to encounter ever.

Meanwhile, outside the Glass House, Morganville is in a state of disarray. Vampires are going missing and something has spooked Amelie out of her mind. She’s packing up the vampires and planning a mass exodus out of Morganville. It looks like the humans will finally have their town back.

Or will they?

If I know Amelia – and I think by now I do – leaving the humans to their own devices is not something she’s particularly known for. She says they’re leaving and allowing the humans to reclaim the town, but is that really what’s going on? Would she really leave a bunch of humans behind untouched, uncontrolled? Not very likely.

And Claire and Shane know it. Complacency, happiness, contentment – these are things that Shane and Claire will never get to experience. Not while they’re living in Morganville, anyway. In an epic battle – more epic than anything Morganville has ever seen – the Glass House gang will join the vampires, again, in the fight for their very lives.

Last Breath threw many curve balls that I never saw coming. Predictable is not a word I would choose to describe this series. Just when you think Caine can’t possibly develop this world any further, she does. Just when you think these characters have grown as much as they possibly can, Caine manages to mould them into even more dynamic, even greater characters. I never get tired of reading these books. With Last Breath Caine delivers one of the most thrilling cliffhangers to date, and as always, I’m now anxiously awaiting the arrival of the next chapter in this awesome series.

Pages: 335

Publication date: November 2011

Publisher: New American Library

Challenge: N/A

Rating: :

Teaser Quote:

Oliver stalked forward toward … Toward Myrnin, in his thick black coat, who was holding Shane against the alley’s other wall with his right hand, and drawing back with his left, claws catching the light in sharp angles. He hesitated as he spotted Oliver, and froze as he saw Claire’s shuddering form.

“No,” he whispered, the signaled a stare at Oliver. “Damn you! She shouldn’t have to see this!”