Out for Blood: The Drake Chronicles by Alyxandra Harvey

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers (December 21, 2010)

Book summary: Hunter Wild is the youngest in a long line of elite vampire hunters, alegacy 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?

My review: Just when I think vampires in YA lit have become boring and predictable, Harvey releases the third installment in her Drake Chronicles series and my opinion changes. This time around the Drake who falls in love is the hot twin, Quinn. Hunter is a human girl, a senior starting off her final year at Helios-Ra Academy. She comes from a long line of hunters and can definitely take care of herself. Now that Helena Drake is Queen of the vampire families, both humans and vamps have the opportunity to join together to fight the bad vamps--the predator types attacking the innocent citizens of Violet Hill, and the deadly blue-tinted, smelly Hel-Blar. Can Hunter join forces with Quinn Drake, fight off evil, stay alive, and not make her traditional grandfather upset in the process?

Out for Blood is out to entice and entertain paranormal fans of all ages. Fast paced with touches of humor, lots of romance, action and intrigue, this third book in the series is a worthy addition to the other two as equally endearing books, Hearts at Stake and Blood Feud. Even though I am still partial to Solange and Kiernan, Lucy and Nicholas, the new coupling of
Hunter and Quinn was lots of fun to read (and my favorite couples were here too).

Harvey has created a vampire world with a unique enough history (to set it apart from the other current titles) and varying degrees of creatures to sustain my interest (and make me want the next book). Each book offers its own set of conflicts and characters to root for. What does she have in store for the fourth Drake family member in this exciting series? We'll find out when it is published.

Rating: +++1/2

Favorite excerpt: (From page 207, ARC)

"Quinn was even paler than usual, crouched in front of me, his lips lifting off his fangs which protruded as far as they could. I barely breathed. There were so many conflicting emotions chasing across his features, I hardly knew how to read them all. Most prominently I saw fear, violent restraint, desire, hunger. He swallowed and the movement rippled his throat. He looked like he was in pain.

And then he smiled.

And I knew real fear for the first time.

There was nothing more unpredictable than a young vampire. Nothing stronger or faster either. Or more hypnotizing, my vial of Hypnos was sitting on top of my pack at the other end of the room where it did me no good at all.

I looked away from Quinn's burning eyes, from the flash of fang.

"Quinn," I repeated, sternly this time, like a cross librarian.

He flinched. Agony sharpened his smile into a humorless smirk.

"Hunter, run," he begged."

Cover comment: Like the title before it, this also has the couple featured in the book. Hearts at Stake only had Solange and not Kiernan. This trademark does make the series easily identifiable on a book shelf. I like the type face but I fear this style could get boring over time.

Book source: Around the World tours