Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Series Spotlight: The Vampire Hunter’s Daughters Series

by: Jennifer Malone Wright

Fourteen-year-old Chloe witnesses her mother’s murder at the hands of a vampire. Before the vampire can kidnap her, there is an unexpected rescue by a group of vampire hunters. Overwhelmed by the feeling of safety, Chloe passes out and they whisk her away to their small community.

When Chloe wakes, she comes face to face with the only other living relative, besides her mother, whom she has ever met: her grandfather. Chloe’s mother kept her hidden from the family; now, Chloe tries to unveil the family secrets.

Through her grandfather, she learns her mother was a vampire hunter. In fact, her entire family is descended from the powerful bloodlines of vampire hunters. Chloe agrees to join the family she has never known for one reason only: Chloe vows to kill the vampire responsible for her mother’s murder.

With vengeance in her soul, Chloe is even more determined to follow through on her vow when she discovers the true identity of her enemy and how he is connected to her

In the second installment of The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter, Chloe Kallistrate’s life has been turned upside down. After witnessing the vampire attack that left her mother dead, she's adopted by her grandfather into a community of vampire hunters. Although she is directly descended from ancient, powerful vampire hunters, the rigorous training schedule begins to break her down. All she wants, all she has ever wanted, is to be a normal teen.

Chloe finds renewed motivation from an unexpected encounter with a fledgling vampire, the first she has seen since her mother's death. Staring into the glowing red eyes of the vampire, Chloe freezes, forgetting all her training. After the vampire is vanquished by her friend and mentor, Drew, Chloe resolves to train harder, to be the best, and to kill the vampire who had her mother killed. Finally mourning her mother, Chloe allows her revenge to drive her, accepting that her life will never be normal.

In the third installment of The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter, Chloe Kallistrate's first Christmas without her mother is difficult. As part of the grieving process she visits her mother’s grave for the first time and there, she is visited by Sostrate, the immortal demi-god from whom she is descended.

As she comes of age, Chloe is changing and developing the gifts unique to her heritage. She discovers a new power she must learn to use and control, as if being a teenager wasn't difficult enough. During this emotionally chaotic time in her life, the community is attacked, her grandfather injured and hunters are killed. After almost losing her only remaining family, Chloe questions whether her continued presence in the community will sacrifice everyone she has come to care about.

In the fourth installment of The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter, Chloe and the other vampire hunters are suffering the aftermath of the vampire attack on their community. Many hunters were injured, and loved ones were murdered. More than that, there is a loss of security and peace since the hunters' safe haven was breached and invaded. Chloe and Drew struggle just to get along and understand each other without Luke there to guide them.

During this period of uncertainty, Chloe and Drew both try to live a normal life as teenagers by going to the New Year's bash, she with Gavin and Drew with Christina, Chloe's recent rival. Chloe is, once again, reminded that nothing is 'normal' in her life any more, when she begin to show signs she's developing supernatural gifts from her father's bloodline, too.

The bash does little to lift her feelings of guilt and responsibility for the attack on the community, because she knows it's her presence there that caused the vampires to attack the hunters. This attack nearly took the life of her only remaining family member from her mother's side. She doesn't want to put anyone else she loves at risk.

Jennifer Malone Wright resides in the beautiful mountains of northern Idaho with her husband and five children. Between the craziness of taking care of her children, whose ages range from fifteen all the way down to one year, and being a homemaker, Jennifer has little time left for herself. The time she does have left, usually leading far into the night, is spent working on freelance work or her beloved fiction.

When she grew up, Jennifer always had her nose in a book. She has been writing stories and poems since grade school. This love of the written word and her strong interest in the paranormal is what has led to her first novel “The Birth of Jaiden.”

In addition to being a mother and homemaker, Jennifer is also a very proud military wife. Moving around the country for the last eleven years has made her a bit of a nomad and she finds it difficult to be in one place for too long.

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Monday, June 18, 2012

Book Review: A Suitable Husband

by: S.B. Lerner

Available at Amazon

Synopsis:
In 1930s Poland, the economy is crumbling, the government is in chaos, and Jewish groups argue over how best to deal with the worsening situation. Among them are the Guardsmen, daring and organized young Zionists who are determined to start a new life in Palestine.

A Suitable Husband brings this vibrant period alive with the story of Bianca Lieber, caught between the pressure to marry Alex, the intelligent but staid doctor presented by the matchmaker, and Wolf, the intrepid Zionist leader who can help her get to Palestine.


This story is told from 3 perspectives, Danka the mother and her 17 year old twins Natan and Bianca. They are a poor Jewish family in Poland prior to WWII. It was eye opening to say the least. I think we forget that it wasn't just Germany against the Jews, it really was the entire world.

Danka has an alcoholic husband who also has a gambling problem. She managed to save a small dowry for her daughter and there is a new doctor interested in marrying her, but Bianca wants to marry for love. I not only feel sorry for Danka because of her husband, but also because she works so very hard to scrape together money for food and shelter. Even that is not enough when Poland sets up a Jewish boycott and she can no longer sell her shawls.

Natan has his own problems as a young Jewish male, he can't even defend himself without getting thrown in jail. The abusers are allowed to walk every time. While he doesn't want to leave Poland and go to the new settlement in Palestine, he is not sure what his options might be when he finds himself involved in the Bund, a Jewish-Polish group that feels the same way, which is that running will solve nothing.

A of course Bianca, who has to choose between what is the best thing to do for her family and where her heart wants her to go. There were times when Bianca bugged me, but then again she IS a teenage girl - lol. Once reality sets in, I think she makes the best choices she can given the situation.

This story isn't necessarily short, but it moves so fast. I couldn't put it down. My heart broke for this family and their struggles. I would classify this as historical chic lit, there is some romance but it doesn't run the story.

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