Title: Out For Blood Author: Alyxandra Harvey Series: Drake Chronicles #3 Cover Art: N/A Genre: Paranormal YA Reading level: Young Adult Paperback: 304 pages Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers Date Published: December 21, 2011 ISBN-10: 0802721680 ISBN-13: 978-0802721686     Review Copy Source: Publisher Reviewed by: Abigail

Book Description

Hunter Wild is the youngest in a long line of elite vampire hunters, a legacy that is both a blessing and a curse at the secret Helios-Ra Academy, where she excels at just about everything. Thanks to her friendship with Kieran Black, Hunter receives a special invitation to attend the coronation of Helena Drake, and for the first time, she sees the difference between vampires that must be hunted and vampires that can become friends—or even more. When students at the academy fall victim to a mysterious illness, Hunter suspects they are under attack from within. She will need someone she can trust to help her save the future of Helios-Ra . . . help that shockingly comes in the form of Quinn Drake, a drop-dead gorgeous vampire. Who said senior year would be easy?

 Review

Buffy fans are going to love the romance between vampire slayer Hunter Wild and vampire Quinn Drake in OUT FOR BLOOD (he even teasingly calls her Buffy while she calls him Lestat, although he came off more like a lothario version of Spike IMO). 

Hunter is an immensely likeable character.   She’s capable, compassionate, and just the right amount of snarky.  She’s been trained by her grandpa since she was little to be as fierce and lethal as the vampires she’s sworn to kill, but she is still very much all girl, with a weakness for feminine clothes and a secret collection of romance novels. 

Quinn Drake was not as likable, at least not initially, but he grew on me big time.  Player doesn’t begin to describe him.  The first third of OUT FOR BLOOD has him literally tripping over different girls, slipping off with one in the woods while winking at Hunter one night, and sandwiched between two more the next (again while winking at Hunter).  Hunter doesn’t play games with herself or Quinn and calls him out on his manwhore behavior—which I loved her for—and Quinn is quick to completely abandon his player ways in favor of something infinitely more rewarding with Hunter. 

OUT FOR BLOOD is the best in the series so far with an exciting suspense plot at the Helios-Ra Academy and a sizzling forbidden romance.  It’s also the most mature as the couple are both eighteen, although the sexual content doesn’t go beyond some seriously steamy kissing (their kiss in Hunter’s dorm room is dangerously hot).  All the previously leads are accounted for as well, and all but Lucy come off well (Lucy thankfully gets little page time as she is unrecognizably annoying this time).  All this means I’m psyched for the next Drake Chronicles installment, BLEEDING HEART, which is due out November 2011.

Sexual Content: Kissing.

My Rating:

4/5
Excellent - Loved it! Buy it now & pre-order the sequel.

Click HERE to read an excerpt from OUT FOR BLOOD

Previous books in the series:

1. Hearts At Stake

2. Blood Feud

Also reviewed by:

• Book Whisperer
• My Overstuffed Bookshelf
• The Bibliophilic Book Blog

Giveaway

Giveaway courtesy of Bloomsbury Publishing

One copy of OUT FOR BLOOD by Alyxandra Harvey + bookmark

 

• Visit BloomsburyTeens for exclusives, news, and giveaways
• Visit Alexandra Harvey’s Fanpage
• Visit the official series website at the Drake Chronicles
• ** Check out an exclusive excerpt from Alyxandra’s next book, HAUNTING VIOLET**

Giveaway Guidelines

1. Open to US only (no PO Boxes)
2. Leave a comment or your favorite YA vampire & a way to contact you if you win
3. Entries must be received by Midnight MST on January 1st.

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