Hearts at Stake
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2.5 • 2 Ratings
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- $7.99
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
The first novel in a YA fantasy romance series featuring “vampires with bite and girls who bite back. A witty, exhilarating and fresh take on an old tale” (Kelley Armstrong).
On her sixteenth birthday, Solange Drake is going to die . . .
But that’s okay.
As the only daughter ever born to an ancient vampire dynasty, Solange’s sweet sixteen just means she will fully come into her own as an immortal. Unfortunately, it also means a lot of people both dead and undead are now watching her. Especially Kieran Black—a vengeful agent with an anti-vampire league who blames Solange’s family for his father’s death.
Luckily, Solange has her human best friend, Lucy, who tries to help her have as normal a life as possible, despite her overprotective brothers and the politics of the undead realm.
But when Solange is abducted by a power-hungry vampire queen, it will take all her friends—as well as the daring and dangerous Kieran—to rescue her before she loses her eternal life . . .
In this “action-packed” (School Library Journal) story of love, loyalty, and blood ties, Alyxandra Harvey kicks off a saga of thrills with a nail-biter—and a neck-biter—that will have readers eager to devour the rest of the series.
Hearts at Stake is the 1st book in the Drake Chronicles, which also includes Blood Feud and Out for Blood.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Harvey's debut, launching the Drake Chronicles, is a refreshing take on the familiar teenage vampire drama. Solange Drake, the first girl to be born of vampire parents in 900-odd years, has led a mostly normal life. But as Solange's 16th birthday nears, so does the fulfillment of her genetic destiny: biological transformation into a vampire. And not just any vampire, but a long-prophesized queen. Though Solange is more interested in being a normal teenager with her best friend, Lucy (the girls alternately provide the story's narration), the ruling vampire queen and a human council of vampire hunters feel otherwise. A series of attacks on the Drake family breaks long-established peace treaties and exposes a hidden web of love, hate, and politics. Harvey builds an engaging world of vampire cultures balanced with a smart mix of darkness and humor ("Everyone basically thought of me as a vampire broodmare, meant to give birth to lots of little royal vampire babies," Solange observes). Though the Romeo-esque enemy love interest for Solange is predictable, an emphasis on family and friendship sets this story apart. Ages 12 up.
