Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey

Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers
Release date: December 22nd, 2009
Pages: 248
Cover: 4/5 stars
Plot: 5/5 stars

   Solange is the first born female vampire in over two hundred years. This gets her a lot of attention... but not necessarily the good kind. Not only are there vampires uber passionate about having her children, but now there's a bounty on her head. She has a huge and great family who loves her to back her up, but what will she do once their lives are at stake? Now her sixteenth birthday is coming up and she has to survive the blood change to become a full vampire.... but will she make it in time?

   Lucy is best friends with Solange. She has lived by the Drake family for so long that despite her being human, not even their pheromones can entice her. But if they cant, why is she so attracted to one of Solange's brothers, Nicholas? Now not only does she have to worry about people hurting her best friend, why not add a huge crush to the list!

   Let me start off by saying I loved this book! I rapidly found myself falling for the theme and quirky characters! I know vampires get a really cliched rep courtesy of Twilight. (Not that I'm not a fan... but you know.) But this book went past the sparkling! It was a story of friendship, loyalty, kick-butt characters, and a dash of bubbly romance.

   Hearts at Stake is written as a dual narrative. I loved reading Lucy and Solanges' perspectives! Although I must admit, I enjoyed reading Lucy's POV way more. Lucy is really headstrong and isn't afraid to say what's on her mind! (And the aforementioned bubbly romance spices things up a bit, of course.) Solange on the other hand is a great person, (I don't know, are vampires classified as people? Let's go with yes!) but she didn't have an exciting take on things. *Sigh*, I was hoping she would have more of an entrancing personality.

   Alyxandra Harvey writes a fantastic cutting edge story about vampires, and I seriously urge you to pick this up! Hearts at Stake is the first book in the Drake Chronicles, and I am excited to see where it will go!

Palak