This is the first book in the Drake Chronicles and the best read I’ve had that involves vampires, yup this is a must read even if it does have vampires, and not just the usual vampires you read about, much better! I learnt about this book through the internet, just casually surfing the web for books and this pops up as a recommended read. I read the blurb and it just sucked me right in, especially with the whole best friend with a vampire going on. I brought the book straight away including book 2 and 3. And I finished My Love Lies Bleeding that night it came. This book has different Vampire tribes where we as readers are able to separate each tribe easily, with the way Alyxandra described the tribes through Solange and made it less of a history lesson and more of a rant from Solange which was amazing.
This book is from both Solange and Lucy’s point of view, which is an interesting take on the book and was a real enjoy to read. I guess it was because as readers we were able to see from a vampire’s POV and and her best ‘human’ friends POV. Both Solange and Lucy shown a great deal of insight on the Vampire life and how the transformation in to a vampire is genetic making it more of an interesting read, if I must say. Solange is a couple of weeks shy of becoming 16, but its not all jolly with cake and gifts, more like being hunted and kidnapped just because she’s the only girl born a vampire in over a couple hundred years and its not at all fun as it sounds. For a 15 year-old girl, Solange is ready to take on whatever is coming, having seven older brother, doing just that shouldn’t be that hard right? Think again, they’re all ready to keep her locked down until her 16th birthday is over but Solange ain’t going down without a fight, but Nicholas, he’s a complete different story. Despite him always being there for her and playing with her and Lucy as kids, he’s still the over-protective brother who won’t slip away that easily with whatever Solange and Lucy are doing.
Lucy is on a whole new level of crazy, being portrayed as a kick-ass best friend who doesn’t need the excuse of being a vampire to, well, I guess kick-ass! I loved her character instantly, like who doesn’t root for the girl who can break a vampires nose, more than two times?!! Lucy aka Lucky as Nicholas calls her is always ready with a witty remark for Nick and is ready to kick his ass whenever she can get the chance to. Lucy and Nicholas are always with Solange and I guess that is when things change between them, first being seen as Solange’s brother and childhood friends, then as an annoying over-protective idiot and then something more that neither of them are willing to confess up too.
Both Solange and Lucy have love interests and not the whole love triangle thing, hell no!!! For Solange, she just had to fall for the Vampire Hunter who’s just happens to be part of Helios-Ra and is in it for the Bounty? WHAT! But things change when he helps Solange from getting kidnapped, but it all doesn’t go to plan. Whereas Lucy’s love interest happens to Nicholas Drake. In the book you can sense the tension between them and I must say between them both they have some amazing, witty comments for each other. My favorite being;
‘What got you through?’ I whispered. ‘Do you remember?’
He nodded but wouldn’t look at me. When he didn’t elaborate, I turned to face him. ‘What? Is it a secret? Don’t I know all the deep dark Drake secrets by now?’
He shifted uncomfortably. ‘I guess.’
‘What then?’
‘You.’
I swallowed, stunned. ‘Me?’
‘Yeah.’ He stood up and went to the door, where he pause for the barest second. ‘You got me through.’
This was just so heart-breaking and finally they start to express to one another how they feel, not openly but in their own way it was still cute. I guess Lucy is the only one that can keep Nicholas in line and more aware that she can break his nose, that’s what happens when you grow up with Vampires.
I can go on and on about how awesome this book is, but I guess you can only know for yourself once you’ve read it. Alyxandra has done an amazing job bring this book to us all, where the action scenes are truly action packed, and both genders are capable of doing the same thing; like kicking ass when fighting. I’m really enjoying the use of the word ‘kick-ass’, what can I say this book just happens to fit perfectly with it. This book brings you an amazing fast-paced journey, sacrifices, family bonds and most of the bond that can be thicker than blood and that’s friendship. Despite being a born a vampire and human, Solange and Lucy where able to have an unusual friendship that made this book even more thrilling and enjoyable. Hats off to you Alyxandra this book was simply unique and and too short to end, I guess it was a good thing I brought the first three books together. I recommend this book to you all, go read it.
- Goodreads rating – 3.96
- SUMMARY – Shaz