Vampire Kisses: Blood Relatives, Vol.II by Ellen Schreiber

Second book in the manga version of Ellen Schreiber's Vampire Kisses series.

Raven and Alexander's love story translates exceptionally well to the manga format. I like that the manga books are a parallel series, rather than merely a retelling of the existing books. My only complaint is how short these books are in relation to the price.

Alexander's half-vampire cousin, Claude, is still in town. Claude and his naughty vampire gang are looking for the vials of blood that can turn them into pure vampires. Alexander and Claude's grandmother always refused to make Claude a full vampire because she felt that he would abuse the power. Ruthless Claude will do anything to possess that powerful blood--even if it means putting Raven and her human friends in danger.

Alexander and Raven come up with a plan to trick Claude into returning to Romania, but Raven might just find herself in more danger than ever.

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

Fourth (and final) book in the Twilight series.

I absolutely loved the first three books, and as a member of "Team Jacob" I was really hoping for a happy ending for him.

I have mixed feelings about the resolution to Meyer's marvelous series. Much of what I loved about the earlier books remains--the interesting twists of vampire and werewolf legend, the well-described setting, Jacob's snarky comments, and the realistic and entertaining dialogue between the characters. Even though the ending was too neat, I was glad that everyone got their happy endings.

However, where I was able to suspend my disbelief and go along for the ride in the earlier books, this one was a bit harder to take. Probably because Meyer's Mormon philosophy was much more obvious--I felt like I was getting beaten over the head with her belief system. The early marriage, the immediate pregnancy, the willingness to completely submerge her own needs and act like a martyr in order to keep the guys happy, the self-blame...Bella was a disappointment. And the conflict with the Volturi--underwhelming, to say the least.

If you enjoyed the rest of the series, don't let the negative reviews stop you from reading the finale. Even though I didn't LOVE it, I still think it was a worthwhile read.

Readers looking for a fantasy series with strong, smart female characters who rescue themselves, check out Libba Bray's Gemma Doyle trilogy. It combines elements of magic, romance, and historical fiction. And it might even make you think...