Hearts at Stake

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars Genre: Paranormal Chick Lit Release Date: 12/1/09 About the Book: Solange Drake is the first female vampire born, not made, in hundreds of years. There's a prophecy that Solange will overthrow the current "vampire queen"-only problem is Solange wants to be a normal teen, no crown included. When Solange is kidnapped it's up to her best friend Lucy and her brother Nicholas to save her. If only Lucy and Nicholas can stop bickering long enough to come up with a plan. GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: There have been so many paranormal reads taking over YA recently that I've been feeling a little burnt out on the paranormal genre. Besides, while I enjoy some paranormal books, they're still not my favorite genre. But Hearts At Stake was the perfect book to pull me back in. It had the perfect blend of paranormal and chick lit. It's a lighter take on the vampire trend. There's romance, but the story centers around best friends Lucy and Solange. The book is told in the alternating viewpoints of Lucy and Solange. I really loved that Lucy already knew the Drake families vampire secrets-no big revelation or drawing out a surprise for the characters that we as the readers already know. Lucy is part of the Drake family, so we as readers are immediately part of the Drake clan as well. And the Drakes-love them. I always enjoy seeing great family dynamics in YA-no teens who hate their parents or siblings who don't get along. This is a family that I wouldn't mind spending a day with. I have to gush for a moment and get all fangirly and mention how much I adore Lucy and Nicholas! Their bantering and bickering and oh-so-hot attraction to each other that they don't see but we do was my favorite part of the book and I looked forward to their scenes together. That's not to say I didn't really like Solange. Both girls kick major butt which made me very happy. I saw on the author's website (at least her old one, I'm not sure if it's on the newly redesigned site) that the inspiration for the story came from Snow White. I'm not sure if I would have picked up on that without the tip, but knowing that I was able to catch some of the references, which made reading Hearts At Stake even more fun. Yes, it's predictable, yes it's fluffy, yes, some of the story gets repetitive and yes, the vampire mythology is somewhat complicated. I would have liked to see the romance between Solange and her love interest develop more. But you know what? I loved it anyway-even with it's faults. Hearts At Stake was the perfect read for my chick lit romance loving self. I can't wait for the sequel, Blood Feud. Full Disclosure: From my personal library-I bought this one at the bookstore!

This author really knows what she is doing. The characters in this book don't need to rely on their "vamp mojo", though they have plenty of it! What a thrilling and fun tale for all the supernatural-fantasy fans out there. This is no cookie-cutter copy! It is remarkably original and an example of great storytelling. You will love these characters! I am so glad that "Chronicles" is in the title, I can't wait for the next installment! Perfect for high school libraries, I would even give this book to middle school Twilight fan though the book starts out with Solange "drinking cheap wine" at a field party... questionable... but forgivable in the context. That really is the only slightly inappropriate bit for me. It is realistic though, in the scope of the story, and (at least for me) it is balanced out by strong female characters, realistic relationships, and a lot of great traditional action and fantasy. Buy this book NOW!

While many girls look forward to their sixteenth birthday Solange Drake isn't one of them - that's the day she transforms from human to vampire. The potentially deadly transition wasn't a smooth one for her several older brothers, but it will be even harder for Solange - she's the first female-born vampire in almost 800 years and destined to be Vampire Queen. This doesn't sit well with the current Vampire Queen or her followers who will do anything to stop Solange's transition. It will take all that Solange has as well as the help of her family, her human best friend Lucy, and her supposed enemy Kieran Black to survive the transformation. "Hearts at Stake" is a nicely done novel for young adults that adds some fresh twists to Vampire fiction. Author Alyxandra Harvey wrote the book from both Solange's and Lucy's viewpoint, alternating chapters for each girl - both writing in the first person. Solange is in many ways a typical teenager who is stifled a bit by her family and afraid of the changes coming to her life. It is easy to feel a bit sorry for her since she has no control over her destiny - I especially felt sorry for her as she realizes she will no longer to be able to go out and sit in the sun. Her mixed emotions about Kieran Black also make her a believable, sympathetic character. Lucy is a great creation, a bit snarky but fully accepting the fact that her best friend and family are vampires. She is brave, loyal, and unafraid to face danger to save Solange. She adds much humor to the book and her crush on Solange's brother Nicholas made me smile. Both girls are strong characters and Harvey does an excellent job of creating separate narrative voices for each girl - however, while Solange is the heroine of the book, I found myself liking Lucy's character more. As for the inevitable "Twilight" comparisons, there really aren't any. "Hearts at Stake" is better written and far more innovative than "Twilight". Harvey throws in some nice twists to vampire lore - like Solange becoming a vampire on her 16th birthday - and throws in tons of action, including a thrilling battle. Solange and her family are "good" vampires, but readers will be kept guessing as to the motives and loyalties of other characters in the book. While the book is never very scary or gory, there are plenty of thrilling moments and deaths (well death in the way vampires die). Harvey does a nice job of wrapping almost everything up in the end so the book stands alone but there are just enough loose ends that make me think there might be a sequel (or two) in the future. "Hearts at Stake" is a nicely done entry in the vampire genre for young adults.

This was one book I could not stop reading! It was funny and inventive. It is actually 2 stories. One is from the point of view of the young vampire Solange and the other her plucky best human friend, Lucy. Between the 2, I enjoyed Lucy's story more since she was the more spirited of the 2 and I was fascinated with her courage. Solange although very strong herself doesn't get as much opportunity to have adventures. But both stories add to the other and make it more interesting and complex. Solange is the first-born female vampire in centuries. This is important because there is a prophecy that tells she will be the next vampire queen. But Solange will not officially become a vampire until her birthday when she will have physical changes. The current queen is wants Solange dead and assassination attempts keep Solange, her family and Lucy on guard. Unfortunately, Solange becomes attracted to one of the assassins and he with her. It is an impossible situation especially when she find herself in the clutches of the current queen! I loved this story and read it in record time. My favorite sections were Lucy's point of view and the love/hate relationship between her and the interfering and annoying Nicholas. Nicholas is Solange's handsome older brother and he has been tormenting Lucy for as long as she can remember but suddenly she can't help thinking of him in a different way. It was fun to read how they played against each other. The best part is when she goes to his room and finds a picture of the 2 of them there and when he `pretend' kisses her! This is a great read that is sure to please fans of entertaining, fast-paced romances with a good back story. I know I will be re-reading it again if only for Lucy's story.

"Hearts at Stake" is a great addition to the YA vampire genre. The book is narrated by Solange & Lucy, vampire & human best friend, who are both dreading Solange's official change into a vampire on her 16th birthday. Before she can change, vampire queen Natasha & human hunters Helios-Ra are out to get Solange. Queen Natasha's minions want Solange because she is the prophesized vampire queen, set to take over Natasha's shaky rule. Helios-Ra is a group of human warriors who train to kill vampires & have their sights set on Solange in an attempt to stop her ascent to queen. Of course, Solange just wants to be a normal teenage girl & doesn't care much about becoming a vampire queen. I hope that "Hearts at Stake" is the start to a new series because I really enjoyed reading about these characters. There is also some romance thrown in for Lucy & Solange. Definitely recommended for fans of YA vampire novels.