Black City- Dec. 14th

Grade: D

We had such high hopes for this one. An embattled city, a vampire infestation, star-crossed lovers... We should have realized that nothing in that list is a new combination of ideas and that it could possibly be put together in the most unimaginative way. Unfortunately, after only a few chapters, we were knee-deep in the muck of a sloppy story.

In a city where tensions run high between the humans and the Darklings, two teens find each other and their twin, beating hearts. Of course there are numerous reasons why they cannot be together: human/vampire, daughter of ruling class/son of possible rebel sympathizer, and looming war between the classes. Despite the odds, Natalie and Ash will be together, even if it kills... one of them.

We found ourselves liking one chapter, then hating the next. Natalie and Ash switched their opinions of each other so quickly, we had whip-lash. Characters were difficult to track, transitions between story lines were hastily slapped together, and we wondered if this was a fan-fic at one point. But it STEALS scenes from so many other stories, that it would have to be a mash-up of Harry Potter, 1984, Twilight, Romeo & Juliet, and stories from WWII. Yes, we know, that is a crazy sentence!

Other online reviews are running hot and cold on this one. If you're curious, check it out and let us know what you think. The second book (Phoenix) is due out in June... we won't be reading it, but we'll add it to the collection anyway.

Next up: Dearly, Beloved- Dec. 21st