Blood Feud by Alyxandra Harvey

July 2010, Bloomsbury
272 pages, Paperback
Review copy

Young Adult, Paranormal

Cushions: 4
Daggers: 4
Paperclips: 2
Smiles: 5
Tissues: 1
Nayuleska's recommended rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Summary from Bloomsbury

The second adventure in the Drake Chronicles

Teen vampire action and heart-pounding romance continue as the Drake family faces a new vampire with a 200-year-old grudge

It has been centuries since Isabeau St. Croix survived the French Revolution. Now she’s made her way back to the living and must face the ultimate test by confronting the evil British lord who turned her into a vampire and left her buried for two hundred years. That’s if she can control her affection for Logan Drake, a vampire whose bite is as sweet as the revenge she seeks . . .

There nearly wasn't a review for this book. I had somehow managed not to read any blurb or summary for it. I adored My Love Lies Bleeding, and I thought it would continue both Solange and Lucy's tale. I had re-read MLLB specifically so I as all ready for Blood Feud. When I received it, I was really happy. I set it aside, ready until I finished re-reading MLLB. When I picked it up and read the first page...then flicked through the book, I set it down. I hadn't realised the story would be centred on different characters! Not totally different - Logan is still family, but he isn't Lucy or Solange.

So, heart a little heavy with the disappoint, I gloomily (truly) thought I'd give it a go. And, um, wow! I was blown away the tale. By the second chapter I didn't care that it wasn't from the point of view from my favourite characters. There was so much depth behind Logan that I couldn't pick up from Lucy (who is obsessed with Nicholas) or Solange (who was royally annoyed with all of her overprotective vampires). He is stylish, and classy. His brothers tease him about this. But it is his personality which makes the chance of an alliance  with Isabeau.

Isabeau is a very different personality to Lucy and Solange. There's such passion behind her need to bring the one her turned her down. She's lead a life totally different to Logan. She keeps Logan from being killed, although he gets near it as he protects her. She has mystical skills, skills which I had no idea existed from MLLB. Not for vampires. But then Isabeau has been brought up a different type of vampire. The various talents she and the ones she lives with prove useful as Logan and his family join forces with Isabeau. It's an alliance that is precarious, but one which I look forward to watching how it develops over future stories.

Isabeau is strong headed, but unlike Lucy (who was strong headed with not so many skills) she sometimes applies intellect to situations. She begins to test her skills to the limit with Logan around. But there are some things which even a fearsome (and feared) vampire fear. More accurately a person, who has one too many friends with strange coloured skins.

The upside of the book is that Lucy and Solange do feature in it! The story may not be from their point of view, but they play important parts in it. And oh my, Solanage's mother rules! She's pretty incredible, with the way she fights, and the attitude she has with her current restraints.

As someone who really did not want to read the book (that mood was fleeting and was never going to last long), I'm very pleased that I'm as happy with Blood Feud, was I was with My Love Lies Bleeding. Alyxandra has created characters which are memorable and stand out from the crowd. I wouldn't want to mess with any of them!

Be sure to check out the trailer for Blood Feud.

More information can be found on Alyxandra's website.

Make sure you check out the first book, My Love Lies Bleeding.