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Blade II (2002)
Blade II (2002)
2002 | Action, Horror
7
7.5 (20 Ratings)
Movie Rating
We're still a good 6 years or so before the beginning of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) here.

Before Comic book movies became the big thing they are nowadays.

Wesley Snipes returns, here, as the titular half-human/half-vampire ("all of their strengths. None of their weaknesses. Except the thirst") waging his ongoing war on the vampire nation, but now finding himself having to 'team up' with some from that nation - who had been training to hunt him - in order to fight a new breed of vampire, the Reapers (whose mouth looks like something out of Predator), who feed on both Vampires and Humans alike and who are led by that-bloke-from-Bros.

This is both more comic-booky (to coin a phrase) than the original, whilst also a bit more of a horror film - those Reapers are nasty!
  
FW
Forever Werewolf
2
2.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Full disclosure: I was given a copy of this book to review. I'm glad I didn't buy it. I imagine I might have been harsher.

In <i>Forever Werewolf</i>, Tryst is just delivering a package to Wulfsiege on behalf of his father's security company when he gets trapped there by an avalanche. He doesn't mind, though, because the recipient of that package has a luscious daughter, Lexi.

Female werewolves are rare, and those few are protected like the precious treasures they are. Even though Tryst wasn't brought up in a pack, he knows that much. He also knows there's something very strange about the fact that Lexi isn't claimed by any of the males in the pack - in fact, they seem to give her a wide berth. She's obviously highly intelligent and competent, and she's beautiful. She's far more alluring to him than her spoiled, pampered princess sister could ever be.

Lexi is fascinated by Tryst, despite being warned away from the half-blooded wolf by her ailing father. He seems interested in her, as well, but she fears that's only because he doesn't know her crippling secret: she hasn't ever shifted. A werewolf who can't shift can't mate, so she's useless in the eyes of the pack.

Tryst is warned away from Lexi by her father, head of the pack, as well, but he can't seem to stay away from her. She's like no other woman, werewolf or mortal, he's ever encountered. What is it that draws them to each other? Is it worth risking their lives for?

It was obvious to me from the first pages of the book that Tryst and Lexi would get together, and that it would cost Tryst many bruises and much grief. The bad guy was all too obvious, as well - if the average reader can't identify him in the first mention, I'll be shocked. (Perhaps I should be more specific and say "experienced romance reader" instead.)

As for <i>Moon Kissed</i>, it was so forgettable that I'd have to look up the main male's name. The female was Bella, something I only recall due to bad memories of <i>Twilight</i>. Oh, wait, the male was Severo! Right then. Severo saves Bella from vampires who chase her, while frightening the hell out of her himself, groping her, and offering absolutely no explanations of the strange new realities her world is suddenly encompassing.

After that event, Bella learns that her best friend Seth's new girlfriend is a vampire, something Seth just hadn't quite gotten around to mentioning. Seth explains that Severo (whose name she doesn't yet know) is probably a werewolf, from her description of him and his actions. Severo has, in the meantime, started stalking Bella to protect her from the vampires he's sure will continue to hunt her (for reasons unknown to him when he starts on this plan of action). After seeing Seth with vampire Evie, with whom Severo has history, Severo realizes that Evie probably sicced the vampires on Bella due to jealousy.

One of the many, many things that bothered me about this book is that Bella is supposedly a web designer, but she never seems to work. She certainly doesn't have a laptop, which would be de rigeur, and she lives in a ridiculously upscale place (an apartment with its very own heated pool?) for someone in that profession. She can afford a lot of dance lessons, too - but her real source of income or capital is never explained. Apparently Hauf was just looking for a profession that could be "done anywhere" and someone suggested "web designer" so she grabbed that and ran with it.

Of course, Severo is also supposed to "do something with real estate" - how believable is that as a character detail? I guess we're supposed to just accept that he's rich, can spend his time as he pleases, and let everything else go without question. How is it that he has a Brownie for a housekeeper? What's the relationship between Faery and werewolves and vampires? Who knows?

The story does not get more believable as it goes on. Of course Bella falls in love with her stalker and trusts him completely. There are evil vampires. There's one good vampire, just to show that they aren't uniformly bad. But you can tell where Severo and Bella's relationship is going in the earliest scenes, and that's the most important part of the book, because it's a romance. There are complications but they'll be overcome, or it wouldn't be a romance.
  
Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse, #1)
Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse, #1)
Charlaine Harris | 2001 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.1 (36 Ratings)
Book Rating
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#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3262782990">Dead Until Dark</a> - ★★★★

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<b><i>Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris is the first book in the Sookie Stackhouse series. We follow the life of Sookie, a waitress in Louisiana, who also has the ability to read people’s minds. </i></b>

When a vampire enters the bar and Sookie can’t read his mind – she is intrigued and wants to know this mysterious man better. But vampires usually mean trouble, and maybe Sookie is not really for all the troubles to start coming her way.

After watching the TV show “True Blood” and finding out that there is a book series, I had to read the books. I am usually a person that reads the books before watching the adaptations. The first book was great and I also loved the TV Show.

<b><i>I liked everyone, apart from Sookie. </i></b>

Possibly because she acts very immature at all times and behaves like a spoilt child, when others tell her no. Maybe it is the lack of fear, empathy and emotion she feels. Or maybe, it is just the fact that she feels entitled because of her special ability, and likes to talk about how people always treat her badly because she is different. I just didn’t like her at all. And given the fact that she is the main character in this series, I am wondering how I like this book. Sookie – if you don’t behave in the next books, we’re going to have some problems!

I loved this book because of the side characters. In Dead Until Dark, we meen many amazing characters that I loved who have their own stories to tell. This was something I really enjoyed, and considering I watched the TV Shows and knew some of these stories, I was actually excited to read the book version of them. It felt like I was meeting them again for the very first time. I was really hoping to meet Tara though, but she is not in the first book… Oh well. Maybe she’ll appear after? Don’t tell me if you know.

Charlaine Harris has an interesting writing style that kept me engaged. I was invested and curious throughout the whole book. I loved the adventures and the plot twists that kept coming up. The ending was meh, but considering the fact that it is a build-up for the second book, I wasn’t too surprised. It definitely gives you something to think about until you read the next book though.

<b><i>Vampire Bill was the character that intrigued me the most.</i></b>

I was so glad that he was not the usual vampire type we are used to, of the likes of Edward Cullen or the Salvatore brothers. Bill seemed more mature, more mysterious and I loved it.

I actually enjoyed the whole vampire world in this book. The rules and the hierarchy model was pleasantly surprising. It is interesting to dive in more in how the vampires respect each other depending on their ranks and age. Even though I do wish that the mythology was more followed through, it was nice to read a book where vampires are living in the society, and are more or less accepted. We could see how people still have their prejudice though, as is the example that the women who tend to hang out with vampires are called “fangbangers”, and they tend to be frowned upon by society.

<b><i>Overall, I believe Dead Until Dark is a great first book, and a promising beginning of the Sookie Stackhouse series. I will definitely be continuing the series!

Highly recommended if you are a fan of vampires, fantasy, romance and a bit of mystery, followed by many different side characters that you will instantly adore.</i></b>

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Izombie: Volume 1: Dead to the World
Izombie: Volume 1: Dead to the World
Chris Roberson, Mike Allred | 2011 | Comics & Graphic Novels
8
8.0 (6 Ratings)
Book Rating
I first heard about this book from Elena reads books and was instantly intrigued!This book sounded fun, I haven’t read much about zombies and also just wanted to read more comics/graphic novels. It was totally fascinating from the start and definitely different.

Gwen appears to be you average everyday person at the start, other than working as a gravedigger she is normal, except she’s not! She is a zombie! but not your stereotypical zombie – she doesn’t walk around groaning, her face and body are not decaying. As long as she eats one brain per month she will not turn full zombie. However eating brains comes at a cost, first of all the brain has to be pretty fresh (hence being a gravedigger), she obviously can’t get caught, they taste bad….oh and she gets stuck with the deceased’s memories for a period of time. The last brain she ate was from a young family man who was killed by a serial killer. Gwen takes it upon herself to investigate why the man was murdered. Also there are a group of female vampires who don’t kill their victims they just feed little and often from men that attend paint balling in the woods. However there is always one that can’t play by the rules and is starting to attract attention from these ancient monster hunters.

There were so many different types of character/monsters in this book, we had zombies (obvs)Ghosts, Vampires and even a WereTerrier which I thought was kind of cute. This is a more of a fluffy zombie book and totally different from the walking dead. I liked all the individual characters but there wasn’t a lot of development and I think this was because there was too much trying to happen in one volume. We had the story of Gwen, it would then jump to the Vampires and then to the hunters, which made the plot line a bit disjointed. Some of the characters….Mainly Dixie was portrayed as being self-centred, all she thinks about is herself and Gwen is unable to rely on her even though she is her best friend. All the females in the book all seemed to have perfect bodies… I wish they just made some females different shapes and sizes. I really liked the art style and colours that were used to set the tone of the book. This was a great introduction to the story and I will be continuing on with the second volume.

Also there is a series on Netflix adaptation that is loosely based on the comic, I might start watching it as my partner has watched it and said it’s alright. Have you watched izombie? whats your thoughts on it?

Overall I rated this 3.75 out of 5 stars
  
Deviant Warrior (Dark Warrior Alliance #5)
Deviant Warrior (Dark Warrior Alliance #5)
Brenda Trim, Tami Julka | 2017 | Paranormal, Romance
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
133 of 250
Kindle
Deviant Warrior ( Dark warrior Alliance book 5)
By Brenda Trim and Tami Julka

Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments

Of all the Dark Warriors, Kyran Tarakesh is the most aberrant. Having witnessed the brutal murder and rape of his mother seven centuries ago, his sexual preferences are twisted and perverse. He walks the razors edge of control and he likes it that way, until he loses that balance and accidentally kills one of his lovers. As second in line to the Vampire throne, he is precariously close to losing his position, not to mention the respect of his brother and fellow warriors. Just when he thinks it can't get any worse, the Goddess proves him wrong. With her wicked sense of humor, the Goddess catapults him to the dragon realm of Khoth with Mackendra Callaghan, the very human he has been lusting about for months since meeting her. Mackendra not only plunges a knife deep into his heart, she flees and fights him at every turn, inflaming his desires. The surprises keep coming when he discovers she is his Fated Mate. Every belief he has ever had about intimacy is called into question when his mate gives him a taste of true pleasure for the first time. The passion that burns between them is hot enough to burn them to cinders, but he still must dispel her prejudices about vampires and break through her barriers or lose the other half of his soul forever. Mackendra is the leader of a vigilante group that hunts and kills vampires. Sarcasm, snark and weapons of titanium are the tools of her trade, and have shielded her hardened heart. When she is rescued from her burning house by a sexy stranger, she is propelled into an unfamiliar world. Her savior turns out to be a vampire of all things, and she doesn't take kindly to being stranded with the blood-sucker, much less teaming up with him in order to return to earth. She can handle her intense sexual attraction to him, but is terrified when it turns into emotional bonding. Her greatest problem is that she doesn't know how to let go of her past to accept her future. Will she rescue the blood-sucker that is slowly winning her heart or hold fast to her mission to eliminate all vampires?


Pretty much what I have come to expect from this series now although this one had more creature and Dragons I love Dragons!! It was a nice read and would recommend it. I t always amuses me how they get flung into an unknown dimension and still find to get hot and heavy while trying to get home and escape Ogres 😂😂😂
Was a 3.5 out 5!
  
The Strain  - Season 4
The Strain - Season 4
2017 | Sci-Fi
Entertaining (2 more)
Creepy
Suspenseful
Final Season has Kicked Off With a Bang
The first 2 episodes of season 4 have been amazing. All of the characters have been split up and it has been fun seeing where everyone has ended up. I feel like trying to fix the vampire problem would take more then this final season but we will have to see how the last 8 episode play out.

The story line that is the most interesting to me so far is with Fet. He seems to be the only one trying to end the vampires reign on the US. I just don't know how a nuclear warhead is going to solve the problem. We will have to wait and see.


I know this is not my best work write now, just getting started. Follow me and let me know what you think of season 4 so far.
  
SL
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Definitely my favorite of the series thus far. Nell was a practical, yet stubborn and light-hearted match for the tortured (and nummy ;P) Adrian. <i>Sex, Lies, and Vampires</i> is a slightly more serious entry into <b>The Dark Ones</b> series. Seems to me that Katie MacAlister's writing has gotten better through the years (as one would hope) and I hope to see more Dark Ones in the future! She's the only one that could have thought up Mummy followers. :P I love the zaniness and cheesiness, along with more serious moments within the romance. The only gripe I have is that I have no clue what Nell looks like. Besides her left side being either weak or slackened, the only other clue is that she's tall(ish). I do like to have a picture in my head as I read. Oh well, I'll live. :)
4.5 stars
  
Vampire Kisses (Vampire Kisses, #1)
Vampire Kisses (Vampire Kisses, #1)
10
6.8 (8 Ratings)
Book Rating
I enjoyed this book. I read it as a late teen and I liked the innocence. The storylines are not as complex or involved as other vamp books but I'd advise you, if you're looking for something more adult, you look at maybe the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris or Halfway to the Grave (also a series) by Jeaniene Frost. The characters were not overly mushy or sexual at all really. I think this book is more for the early teen years. I liked it because I could relate, I was a goth teen and that fashion still sticks with me. I also love vampires!
 The rest of the series grows up with the characters and you see them become more complex and find out new things about them. It's kind of kiddish in its simplicity, but as the series has gone on I've enjoyed it more and more.