Girls that Growl

Girls That Growl

Mari Mancusi

Young Adult

Berkley / 2007
Paper back / 256 Pages
Series Blood Coven 3

Rayne McDonald thought getting into the Blood Coven was the hard part. But now there's a new breed of trouble in town...and the former slayer and her vampire boyfriend may be the only ones who can stop it.

Now that she's an official vampire and full-fledged member of The Blood Coven, Rayne assumes her vampire slaying days are over. Sure, she doesn't have any vampire powers, thanks to a mutated blood virus, but she and Jareth can go out in the sun, which is a pretty good trade-off.

But just when Rayne's starting to enjoy her afterlife, she's contacted by Slayer Inc once again. It seems that a member of her high school's football team has disappeared—and the powers-that-be think the cheerleaders had something to do with it. Now Rayne has to infiltrate the squad before the cheerleaders have a chance to sink their teeth into someone else...

I picked this book up because:  Series

What I liked the Most? Cait's intro – I hope they keep her around

What I liked the Least?  Argh – Rain drove me nutso

This book picks up where the second book leaves off.

Jareth – tall dark and gloomy from the last book – has become a beach bum and that bums Rayne out – since he isn't all dark anymore. When she gets her new assignment from Slayers, Inc she flips – they want Goth Girl (tattooed & pierced) to infiltrate the cheerlead squad since the girls have started growling. This book has a few twists & turns in it.

Recommended to: Fans of the Series

We've .. . got it made

We're gonna win this race

I have video of you with braces and a bad perm from

seventh grade—

That I'm gonna post on MySpace!

"You've got a lot of baby fat

You've got zits on your face

Let me be a cheerleader .. .and, um, Cait, too. 'Cause she's all that!

And the video I will erase!"

Bad Blood

<font color="#FF3399">Book:</font> Bad Blood

 

Mari Mancusi

Young Adult

Berkley / 2010
Paper back / 256 Pages
Series Blood Coven 4

 

<blockquote>Sunny McDonald is in the ultimate forbidden relationship. Her boyfriend Magnus is a vampire, and the leader of the Blood Coven. Their differences have never been an issue, until now…

When the Blood Coven decides that Magnus needs a mate to be his co-ruler, Sunny's humanity puts her out of the running. The Coven's chosen candidate is Jane Johnson, a magna cum laude graduate of Oxford University who just happens to look like a vampiric celebutante.

Sunny is suspicious of a Rhodes Scholar who can't answer the most basic poly-sci questions, but Magnus brushes it off as petty jealousy. Still, when the Blood Coven goes to Las Vegas for a vampire convention—where Magnus and Jane's bonding ceremony will be the main event—Sunny and her sister Rayne secretly tag along. And Sunny's not going home before she learns the truth about Jane. Because not everything stays in Vegas—especially bad blood…
</blockquote>
 
<font color="#FF3399">I picked this book up because</font> Series

 

<font color="#FF3399">What I liked the Most?</font> Stormy – must have this girl in morning books

 

<font color="#FF3399">What I liked the Least?</font> The total cliffhanger ending

 

<font color="#FF3399">Review:</font> There was a great mix of fun and excitement in this book, and it was such a great change from the more typical angst-ridden vampire books out there. Sunny does a good job digging for clues on her own, with help from her sister at times, and there's a nice blend of drama with the vampire issues and more normal family issues. I especially loved the changing relationship between the sisters, since all their bickering but still wanting to help each other rang true to life.

 

<font color="#FF3399">Recommended to:</font> Fans of the Series

 

<font color="#FF3399">Best Quote:</font> "She grilled Dad about it for, like, a thousand hours, What you eat, what you wear, what you like to do. Not to mention she did, like, professional recon on your Facebook and MySpace pages, too."

 

 

 

Book: Stake That

Mari Mancusi

Young Adult
Berkley / 2006
Paper back / 288 Pages
Series Blood Coven 2

Two sisters—as different as the sun and the rain. For one, getting into the Blood Cover is to die for, but it seems destiny has something else in mind...

Rayne McDonald had it all figured out. Get turned into a vampire, become the mate of the Blood Coven leader, and live the high-life for all eternity. Too bad the head vamp took a bite out of her twin sister by mistake. Now, not only is Rayne still not a vampire, but she learns she's a slayer instead—destined to destroy vamps gone bad.

After being recruited by a secret organization, Rayne is given her first mission: infiltrate a seedy bar downtown and expose its vampire owner, Maverick, for purposely spreading a nasty blood virus. Luckily the Blood Coven sends some help—in the form of sexy vampire Jareth. Will vampire and slayer be able to settle their differences and work together to bring down the evil Maverick? Or will they find their own hearts on the line?

I picked this book up because Series

What I liked the Most? The blog style entries – it was different

What I liked the Least? I thought the teen speak would killed me – but I survived

Review: OMG – total LOL throughout this whole book. I mean yes it is a teen book and yes there is a lot of teen speak in it which can get really annoying, but it is seriously too funny for words. Where else can everything be “Buffy”ied and not sound like a cliché.

As far as the story line – it’s a little predictable and a lot yeah whatever – but it’s still a good read. Rayne finds out she is the back up Vampire Slayer for Slayer Inc & then she’s paired up with tall, dark, and brooding to solve the mystery of the sick vamps. As the book blurb says “Will vampire and slayer be able to settle their differences and work together to bring down the evil Maverick? Or will they find their own hearts on the line?”

Recommended to: Anyone – can stand up on it’s on

Best Quote: "What are you going to do? Give the evil vampires splinters?"

Book: Boys That Bite

Mari Mancusi

Young Adult
Berkley Trade / 2006
Paperback / 272 Pages
Series Blood Coven 1

Technically Sunshine can't get killed-because she's immortal. Well, not quite yet. Due to the worst case of mistaken identity with her dark-side-loving twin sister at a Goth club called Club Fang, Magnus, a vampire hottie, went for Sunshine's innocent neck. Now if she doesn't reverse it in time, Magnus will be her blood mate forever and she's doomed to be a blood-gulping, pasty, daylight-hating vampire. That would seriously bite.

And now, after the unfortunate slaying of the vampire leader, Sunshine, her sister Rayne, and Magnus must find the one thing that can solve her problem: the Holy Grail. They wish it were a joke but it's not. It's absolutely necessary that Sunshine gets out of this in time, because somehow she scored the hottest prom date in her school, the mouth-watering Jake Wilder. So she just can't be a vampire for the prom-let alone the rest of eternity.

I picked this book up because it was on sale

What I liked the Most? Sunshine & Rayne – I love this!!

What I liked the Least? Really – not anyone can tell them apart – not even their mom – really?

Review: Sunshine, sweet & innocent, identical twin to Rayne, dark & gothic, goes to the teen hangout “Club Fang”, where Sunny is mistaken for Rayne. Unfortunately for the vampire Magnus (assigned to Rayne as her blood mate) he bites the wrong twin and turns Sunny into a vampire. What follows is a funny romp as Sunshine tries to become human again.

This was an easy, fast read, with some very interesting characters and wonderful world building – a three month training, testing and a waiting list to get a vampire mate.

Recommended to: Anyone who wants a quick funny read

Best Quote: "I need to stop being a bitch? For Magnus's sake?" I stare at her, unbelieving. "Uh, hello? He's the guy who walked up and bit me for absolutely no reason whatsoever."