Review: Midnight Bites by Rachel Caine

Midnight Bites by Rachel Caine
Publisher- NAL
Released- March 1st 2016
Pre-Order- Amazon / B & N

New York Times bestselling author Rachel Caine presents a collection of stories—including six new tales—featuring the little Texas town that’s overrun by the undead. WELCOME TO MORGANVILLE. YOU’LL NEVER WANT TO LEAVE.
By day, Morganville, Texas, is just a typical college town. By night, the vampires emerge and take control....In a town where it’s not safe to be out after dark, student Claire Danvers and her friends have had their fair share of thrills. But Morganville still has a few secrets left to tell.Now, in this collection, you can venture down the town’s strange streets, revisit all the tales you’ve come to love, and experience six new stories featuring your favorite Morganville residents—both human and vampire...

My Thoughts:
Wow, the memories guys! The Morganville series has a very special place in my heart. It's the kind of escape where you never want to stop reading, miss it when it's over and crave for the next book. Rachel Caine has written 15 books in this world and then I had to say goodbye, so you can imagine my crazed reaction when I found out that she's not quite done with this extraordinary universe!

Now before I begin, I'd like to say that there is a reason I don't read very many novellas or anthology's. I always, and I mean always, want more. I'm a greedy little reader and want the big books to pour myself into, but this book is different and truly a wonderful treat to any existing Morganville fans or new readers.

Midnight Bites, is a collection of 22 short stories, 16 of which were previously released and 6 brand new material to sink our teeth in. I really loved that that each story is in order of the timelines within the series and that Caine introduces each story with her thoughts. I remembered a lot of the stories from before, but there are a few I had forgotten about and it was a really blast to come back to this world. Myrnin still holds the record for most zany and eccentric character I've ever had the pleasure of reading and I can't believe how much I've missed this wacky vampire. Sam's story made me sad, but of course it had nothing to do with his chapter. It was cool to find a story about Hannah Moses but the best parts would still have to go to my favorite foursome and the heart of the Morganville series, Shane, Claire, Michael and Eve's stories. Ah, I've missed my friends. These guys still have the best connections and chemistry and when reading about them (old and new) it felt like it never ended. My favorite story was a new one called, Pitch-black Blues, it's a Shane/ Myrnin story ('nuff said) but it was so fun to see Shane and Myrnin working together, or well, trying to. Given the history here I think they've come a long way but it was also so wonderful to see that after a year, Shane and Claire are still happily married and they still do stupid things to my heart.

Bottom line, I loved this book. Midnight Bites is the perfect collection and a must have for any Morganville fans new or old. It makes me feel sad and happy to have read this but one thing is for sure, it's still the most funnest times I ever had reading a book and I still have hopes that Caine will come back to this universe one day and give us all another round of thrills, chills, friends, action and romance. It's still very much a place, I never want to leave! Beautifully done. 

Find the author:
Goodreads / Website                                  5 Snowflakes

Review: Daylighters by Rachel Caine

Daylighters by Rachel Caine
Publisher-Penguin Group (NAL)
Released- Nov 5th 203
Purchase- Amazon / B & N

While Morganville, Texas, is often a troubled town, Claire Danvers and her friends are looking forward to coming home. But the Morganville they return to isn’t the one they know; it’s become a different place—a deadly one…Something drastic has happened in Morganville while Claire and her friends were away. The town looks cleaner and happier than they’ve ever seen it before, but when their incoming group is arrested and separated—vampires from humans—they realize that the changes definitely aren’t for the better.It seems that an organization called the Daylight Foundation has offered the population of Morganville something they’ve never had: hope of a vampire-free future. And while it sounds like salvation—even for the vampires themselves—the truth is far more sinister and deadly.Now, Claire, Shane and Eve need to find a way to break their friends out of Daylighter custody, before the vampires of Morganville meet their untimely end

My Thoughts:

I was late to the party when the first Morganville book came out back in 2006. I ended up reading the first book, Glass House, four years later, in 2010, quickly fell in love with it and proceeded to read the next eight books in the series. With ever addition I became head-over-heals addicted and couldn't wait to dive back into my beloved town filled with the most witty characters, bone-chilling vampires and crazy action. So, I write this review with a heavy heart. Fifteen books later and my beloved Morganville is over. Even though I was ready to let them go, I will never forget the amazing experience I had with this escape. It was a place, I indeed, never wanted to leave.

Daylighters starts off minutes after Fall of Night ends. There is a new boss in town and he’s cleaning up all the imperfections by repairing old buildings and houses and taking out any trash he finds along the way. Which are namely, Vampires. It’s up to Claire, Shane and Eve to find a way to stop Fallon and the Daylighters foundation and get back their friends in a heart-pumping, pulse-pounding and action-packed finale that screams Morganville style!!

Since this is the last book, I don’t like to give out any spoils, so all I’m gonna say is that I love that this book delivered all kinds of awesome. Caine gave us one last explosive hurrah in this fast-paced, twisty and intriguing conclusion in the Morganville series. I love the hellhound’s idea and how it affected a couple of these characters. I though I saw it all in these books, but leave it to Caine to give us one more paranormal goodie one last time. I also love that Caine gave us a little surprise in this book. I never thought it could happen, or well, be possible and I kept thinking how brilliant of a move it was and very well played for the final book. I feel so blue. There are just so many of my favorite series ending and it feels like I have nothing to look forward to anymore. I know it’s not true and it’s just the sadness talkin’, but it’s just so odd to imagine that I won’t be picking up another Morganville book next year. Claire, Shane, Michael, Eve and Myrnin were some of my all time favorite characters ever written. I can’t even express how much I will truly miss them.

There is a something Oliver said to Claire in this book that stayed with me;

“You know, you are not the mousy little thing I met that morning in Common Grounds,” he said. “You've become something else entirely. It’s to your credit, but it’s also extremely inconvenient.”
Now, this quote is really saying something when you have someone like Oliver who actually recognizes how much Claire has grown in this book. She has become a very strong, independent and fierce friend and ally. Be gone is the girl who let Monica Morrell push her around and is replaced by a character that has faced endless maddening challenges, and comes out of each experience with her head a little higher and her skills-both in mind and body- a little more kickass. I've never been prouder.
Shane has had many bumps along the road in this series, but one thing that’s never truly wavered was his loyalty to his friends and his love for Claire. He may have acted like an asshat on occasion and may still be a punk, but he’s my punk and he will always own a piece of my heart.
Eve and Michael deserve all kinds of happiness and I’m glad that they got to do it right in the end. And last but not least, my beloved crazy-ass bipolar Vampire, Myrnin. I've always adored Myrnin’s eccentric behavior and will miss his flip-flops, vampire bunny slippers and his pet Bob-the-spider. He’s been one of the most entertaining and corky character that I've ever read and as crazy as it sounds, I think I’ll miss him the most.

I really don’t know what else to say, expect that these books will be forever loved and missed. I will always treasure the friendship between Claire, Shane, Eve and Michael. They have some of the best chemistry, banter and wit that never failed to put a smile on my face or dip my stomach in butterflies. I can’t even count how many times I've reached for these books when ever I have readers-block and I’m sure I’ll still visit these old friends the next time that happens.
I hate to say good-bye to Morgaville, but I’m happy with the way it ends. With hope and happiness and Tacos;) Congrats and thanks to Rachel Caine for bringing us thrills, chills, laughter, friends and romance in the world of Vampires. They will never be forgotten.

Find the author:
Goodreads / Website                                4.5 Snowflakes

Midnight Alley (The Morganville Vampires, #3) by Rachel Caine

Published October 2nd 2007 by NAL Jam

248 Pages

Goodreads Blurb:

A truce between the living and the dead isn't enough to keep Claire Danvers out of danger in this third entry in the Morganville Vampires series.



My Thoughts:
Wow, another awesome addition to The Morganville Vampires series. Once again, the author picks right up where the previous book left off. Here's one of my favorite quotes from this book...

"What is that, some freak-ass Goth idea of romantic suicide? You turning into a fang-banger?" (Shane to Eve)

There's a big secret that Amelie has told to Claire and she is to tell NO ONE! Throughout this installment Claire is faced with a duty Amelie has required her to work on and it is a scary challenge for even the smart protaganist Claire. She hates keeping secrets from her roommates but with the threat from Amelie, she is stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Dead people are showing up and it seems someone is trying to set up the Glass House Four to look guilty. Eve gets bad news about a family members freedom and let's just say this "someone" is out for revenge.

You won't believe who shows up at the end! I couldn't wait to open up the next book!! You will be left very satisfied and at the edge of your seat.

The characters are as awesome as ever in Midnight Alley!! New characters come into the picture with full force!!

Rating:

.5

The Dead Girls' Dance (The Morganville Vampires, #2) by Rachel Caine



Published April 3rd 2007 by NAL Jam

238 Pages







Goodreads Blurb:

Claire has her share of challenges. Like being a genius in a school that favors beauty over brains; homicidal girls in her dorm, and finding out that her college town is overrun with the living dead. On the up side, she has a new boyfriend with a vampire-hunting dad. But when a local fraternity throws the Dead Girls' Dance, hell is really going to break loose.

My Thoughts:

The Dead Girls Dance picks up where Glass Houses left off. Shane's dad is on a mission to kill off the vampires due to the hatred he has toward them for killing his wife and daughter. He has mastermined a plan to kill each and everyone. Monica is up to her old shenanegans causing problems for Claire and Eve.

Amelie has placed protection on the Glass House four (Eve, Claire, Michael and Shane) but a death occurs and Shane and one of his father's biker friends is accused. Amelie has revoked her protection for Shane due to the death. ( I like the thought of Shane caged but for me only lol). Claire has to find a way to prove Shane is innocent and will do everything she can to protect him, even if her life is at risk. There are new characters introduced in this installment, good and bad.

I love this series!! I know this is a very short review but this book was super good!! On to the next!!

Rating: