Stolen Night (Vampire Queen, #2)

Jan 05, 2013 Stacia ~ Mistress of Mediocrity rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Stacia ~ Mistress of Mediocrity by: Buddy read w/Carina and Meg

Shelves: young-adult

Is that a tear running down my face? Why yes...I think it is.

3.5 stars. Even though I had some serious issues with how everything fit together, I did appreciate an ending which made me rethink my original rating. Hey, at least we're improving upon the first book here.

*smacks forehead* It all makes sense now. I wasn't sure what the point was for having certain characters and instances in this series, up until the last few chapters happened.

Then again, I'm not exactly positive that everything ha...more

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Mar 31, 2013 fяσzєη rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: covergasm, netgalley-or-edelweiss, vamps, cheese, hot-mess, insta-love, i-am-disappoint, love-triangles, no-just-no, pile-of-crap, series-going-downhill, sorry-excuse-for-a-romance, unlikable-heroines, dickhead-heroes

This review is also available over at my blog.

______________________

Actual rating is 1.5 stars.

First thing I want to address is, when I was first starting this book, I noticed that it was extremely different from the excerpt available at the end of Infinite Days. It got me thinking that that was maybe the reason why this book's release was pushed back to 2013. They had to make drastic changes. In my opinion, I thought the prologue & first chapter from the excerpt was a lot better than the fi...more

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Apr 22, 2012 Natalie marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Fantastic book - Lenah Beaudonte is an extremely powerful and ruthless vampire queen who is more than five centuries old. Unhappy with her vampire existence, she implores her vampire maker and lover Rhode to uncover an ancient ritual that can give her back her humanity. After hibernating for 100 years,she wakes up as a human teenager enrolled at the exclusive Wickham Boarding School. Rhode has done everything to give her a new chance at life and in doing so has made the ultimate sacrifice–his ow...more

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Feb 09, 2013 Casey rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I absolutely LOVED the first in this series since it was first published. The wait for this one had been excruciating! Now that I was finally able to enjoy this marvelous read let me just state that it was worth the wait! That ending has thrown me for such a loop! I really hope there is a third and it comes out soon! I don't think I can handle another three year wait.

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Jan 04, 2013 Carina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: top-priority, highly-anticipated, heart-wrenching, hell-to-the-yeah

Definitely not the direction I was sure the book was going to head. And I mean that in a good way.
If it took so long to release this book, because it was a hard process to finally get to the end of this book...well then I understand.

There is major growth by the end of the book, specially from Lenah, and we are letf with a tightness in our chests, that demands the next book and a Happy Ending in it.
Big changes, love lost is found only to be separated again, and we finally get to experience first...more

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Aug 06, 2012 Mel rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: vampires

I really enjoyed this book, even more so than Infinite Days. Stolen Night started off where Infinite Days ended with Lenah dealing with the fact that the ritual that was supposed to kill her didn't work and that same ritual left her soulmate Rhode alive as well. Lenah and Rhode had a difficult relationship and that is shown throughout the book in that they obviously loved each other, but were cursed not to be together and this annoyingly drove Lenah into the arms of Justin, her human boyfriend....more

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Jul 23, 2012 Katy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It's been two years since I read the first book so I don't really remember much about it or how I felt about it, but I thought I liked it enough to have the sequel on my to read list. However, I can't say I liked Stolen Nights very much. I know a lot of my review is ragging on Lenah, but if you skip to the last paragraphs, I have legitimate points, at least I think, when it comes to inconsistencies in the end.

The biggest problem I had with this book was I could not stand Lenah. She was selfish a...more It's been two years since I read the first book so I don't really remember much about it or how I felt about it, but I thought I liked it enough to have the sequel on my to read list. However, I can't say I liked Stolen Nights very much. I know a lot of my review is ragging on Lenah, but if you skip to the last paragraphs, I have legitimate points, at least I think, when it comes to inconsistencies in the end.

The biggest problem I had with this book was I could not stand Lenah. She was selfish and made some very stupid, stupid mistakes. Yes, that was the meat of the story, but my goodness, she irritated the hell out of me. And I don't mind love triangles, but what I do mind, is when a heroine HAS decided what she wants and still continues to string along the wrong person. THAT just makes me mad.

I also didn't like that she was such a weak character. I know that Maizel wanted to emphasize that Lenah has been a vampire for, what 600 years now, and it takes a bit to get use to the fact that she took all that strength, ability and power she had all those years for granted, and now she's a helpless human. That wasn't the part I had a problem with.

The part I DID have a problem with was she was weak mentally. I understand now that she is the hunted, the tables have turned, and I don't fault her for being scared for her life. However, Lenah came across as a really whiny, "why is everything so unfair," helpless, damsel in distress for WAY too long in the book. Really? This used to be the vampire queen? I understand the new state is a bit of a shock from what she used to be able to do, but she doesn't do anything to adapt except feels sorry for herself and wallow in the pity that she is the cause of all these bad things that are happening.

The lack of action scenes is also disappointing. And when there WAS action - wait, when there was an action scene - it was missing the kickass part. There was a bunch of hair pulling and quick blood draining, and that was pretty much it. I was ready for a showdown between two of the most power women in this book, but sadly, that never came.

The other problem I had was the end. I don't think it was packaged very neatly. I mean, I'm glad the unselfish part of Lenah found an exception for Rhode, but I think it upsets that balance that the Aeris had been talking about at the beginning.

And it was kind of inconsistent, though I can't really explain it without spoiling the book. (view spoiler)

Also, there was a part of it that wasn't made clear. (view spoiler)(less)

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Jan 06, 2013 Emily rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was absolutely, 100 per cent spectacular. I have NEVER read a book (coupled with the previous book in the series: Infinite Days) so thoroughly heart-wrenching or amazing. Given, it is incredibly depressig but it is the most heart felt, eye-opening, truthful piece of literature in my knowledge. I love it, undeniably.

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Feb 04, 2013 Connie Garcia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-coming-out-in-2013

I loved it so sweet I love Vicken!! I hope there are more!

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Nov 14, 2012 Janus Vielle (The Blair Book Project) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: owned-paperback, 2012-src

Vampire queen, Lenah Beaudonte once yearned to be human again. With Rhode’s help, she finally got the chance. Rhode’s sacrifice enabled her to experience the life she miss out back a hundred years ago, when Rhode claimed her and turned her into a vampire. But everything comes with a price...

In the events of Infinite Days, Lenah sacrifices herself to turn one of her strongest vampires, Vicken, back into a human. Just like what Rhode did. Expecting the ritual would be the end of her, Lenah is sur...more

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May 02, 2013 K.G. C.J. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

K.G. from Book Nerd and Proud
http://booknerdandproud.blogspot.com/

4.5/5 stars
At first it was difficult to see anything discernible in the whiteness, but eventually the fuzzy forms took the shapes of human bodies. Four female bodies. The Aeris stepped forward.
Their dresses were flowing as if they were made from water, and the hue of the gowns changes color every few seconds, one moment blue, then a darker blue, then a red. I wondered if it was the trick of light. One of the women had impossibly w...more K.G. from Book Nerd and Proud
http://booknerdandproud.blogspot.com/

4.5/5 stars
At first it was difficult to see anything discernible in the whiteness, but eventually the fuzzy forms took the shapes of human bodies. Four female bodies. The Aeris stepped forward.
Their dresses were flowing as if they were made from water, and the hue of the gowns changes color every few seconds, one moment blue, then a darker blue, then a red. I wondered if it was the trick of light. One of the women had impossibly white hair and her hair swayed around her head as if she were submerged underwater. The women next to her had hair the fluttered around her like crackling flames, a bright red. When she looked at me, her gown flickered a poppy orange. Fire.
The four elements and most fundamental powers on earth, the Areis, are females. I absolutely loved reading that females were so powerful in this book. They mention the Vampire Queen may times, but there is never any sort of mention of a Vampire King.
On another surprising note, human Vicken is great, his character was amazing. He's so loyal, adorable, and he's actually really funny as a human, he added a nice edge to the story. His curiousity is also very interesting. To me, he was a needed addition to the book, without him it wouldn't have been nearly as good. Just for the record, now I like him more than Justin.
"You know," I said as he blew out of the last breath of smoke, "contrary to your vampire life, those will actually kill you."
Vicken exhaled angrily and stubbed his cigarette out of the brick of the building.
"So will your friend Justin. This actually hurts," he said, and pointed at the yellow and purple bruise beneath his right eye. "I keep touching it with my finger tips. You know, it's easy to forget physical pain when you haven't felt in for more than a hundred years. Glorious." He brought his cheek toward me. "You touch it. I wonder if it feels different if someone else presses on it."
"You're bloody mad, you know that? I can't even smoke I'm so angry," Vicken said.
Justin...I rather not. I didn't really enjoy his presence in the last book, and not so much in this one either. I found what happened at the end of the book to be completely justified.

On the other hand, Rhode got even better for me. Now, Lenah did the ritual and didn't die, leaving the same ashes Rhode did. Hmm. Yet Rhode died. Weird...
...if you haven't already connected the dots (like Lenah, we'll talk about her later) he's alive, and a human. And enrolled at Wickham. YAY! But, (I know, there is always a but..) things are a little complicated (not only because of Justin) and being together seems like it may be a bit more difficult than they would've expected. You really get to know Rhode, and how he truly feels, in the parts of his thoughts and memories.
Lenah made lots of decisions that I didn't agree with--at all. She annoyed me a little in the beginning, with her not realizing Rhode would be alive and all.

On another note, as the for the ending...WOW... I really, truly do hope that there is a third book. The decisions Lenah makes, and then the epilogue!

Était-ce tout vaut la peine? Happy Easter (if you celebrate it)! Hopefully the wait isn't so long this time.(less)

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Apr 27, 2013 Cassiopeia235 rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The last few chapters really saved the book. If not, I would have given this two or even one star. Justin had completely lost his shine in the story. He was just there, someone Lenah ran to whenever she was hurt by Rhode. Sometimes, it made me wonder what was even the point of the first book since about half of the book was focused on Lenah's love for Justin and Justin's love for Lenah blah blah blah. But when Rhode came back, Lenah immediately dropped Justin like he meant nothing more than a fr...more The last few chapters really saved the book. If not, I would have given this two or even one star. Justin had completely lost his shine in the story. He was just there, someone Lenah ran to whenever she was hurt by Rhode. Sometimes, it made me wonder what was even the point of the first book since about half of the book was focused on Lenah's love for Justin and Justin's love for Lenah blah blah blah. But when Rhode came back, Lenah immediately dropped Justin like he meant nothing more than a friend to her in the first place. She was all like "Rhode, I love you!" when Justin was just right there. What?
But as I said, the last few chapters really saved the book and they brought a bit of my excitement back to finish it because at that point of time, I was just like "okay, whatever. lets just get it done with". But there was a few unexpected twists at the end that I sort of appreciated. Like what happened to Justin. I never guessed that would happen. And the ending part really made me feel sad for Lenah despite the fact that she annoyed the heck of me throughout the story. The way she remembered how Rhode had waited for her in her father's orchard a few hundred years ago really left that lingering feeling in my mind. I wanted them to be together which was kind of surprising because I had stopped caring about their romance when she started treating Justin like rubbish when Rhode reappeared and when she started whining non-stop about how she cant touch him, hug him, kiss him blah blah.. I mean, yes, I get it. You now finally have the sense of touch as a mortal but you cant touch the one you love. It's painful. Yes, I get it. I GET IT but get over it! Don't you have an evil vampire, waiting to tear your friends' throats at any moment? So shouldn't your focus be fully on THAT and not on not being able to touch your lover? or ex lover or whatever.
Judging from the way that this book ended, I am guessing that there is a third book? I think I will be reading it if it came out since I want to finish what I had started but I will definitely not be waiting for it.(less)

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Apr 13, 2013 Kate (VerbVixen) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have waited a long, long time for this book. I loved Infinite Days and this sequel has been years in the making. I was excited to pick up Stolen Nights especially considering the unbelievable ending of Infinite Days which was a cliffhanger to say the least. I love Lenah and Rhode and this book made me love them even more. It also made me love Vicken, like move to Scotland kind of love. The plot was good, nothing revolutionary as far as I’m concerned—I saw the twist coming. I had a minor proble...more

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Jan 30, 2013 Liviania rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have to hand it to Rebecca Maizel. When I read INFINITE DAYS I knew there was a sequel on the way, but I couldn't imagine how she would continue the story. Lenah Beaudonte had a complete character arc and defeated her enemies. What was left?

How about this: Rhode Lewin, her lover who sacrificed himself for her, is still alive. So is Lenah. And both of them are supposed to be dead because of the ritual. Now vampires are hunting them for the secret of the ritual. And those powering the ritual - t...more I have to hand it to Rebecca Maizel. When I read INFINITE DAYS I knew there was a sequel on the way, but I couldn't imagine how she would continue the story. Lenah Beaudonte had a complete character arc and defeated her enemies. What was left?

How about this: Rhode Lewin, her lover who sacrificed himself for her, is still alive. So is Lenah. And both of them are supposed to be dead because of the ritual. Now vampires are hunting them for the secret of the ritual. And those powering the ritual - the Aeris - have given Lenah and Rhode an ultimatum: they must fix their mess, or their pasts will be changed so that they never met.

Lenah, Rhode, and Vicken struggle to save their classmates as humans. Their vampire powers are fading fast, so they're up against creatures stronger, faster, and generally more powerful in all ways than themselves. Their main advantage is that they understand how vampires operate. Lenah in particular understands the madness plaguing Odette, the leader of the vampires after them.

Meanwhile, they're finding it difficult to actually be human. Yes, there is still room for Lenah to grow as a character. Maizel has a real talent for creating complex characters, and I'd say that even if Lenah was the only person in INFINITE DAYS and STOLEN NIGHTS to show any depth. She's that well fleshed out. I'm not that big on the love triangle plot, mostly because it's obvious that no matter the obstacles, Rhode will always come first in Lenah's heart. (And, well, Justin most definitely pales in comparison to Rhode.)

The always human characters don't get as much to do. Lenah's boyfriend Justin is pretty petulant since Rhode showed up. I can't say his arc entirely surprised me, but some fans of the character may dislike it. Claudia and Tracy, the mean girls, grow as people after the death of their best friend. Tracy in particular becomes a character you can really love.

I definitely suggest reading INFINITE DAYS before STOLEN NIGHTS, and perhaps rereading INFINITE DAYS if it's been awhile since you've read it. Maizel's mythology is complex and her continuity is strong. I love that, but it doesn't make STOLEN NIGHTS the friendliest book to new readers.

The Vampire Queen series is perfect for paranormal fanatics looking for another romantic, bloody read. There's a nice balance between the action and the romance and the pages are filled with memorable characters. The more macabre moments are balanced by bits of humor, mostly provided by Vicken. Even if you're tired of vampires, I'd give the Vampire Queen a chance. (less)

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Jan 17, 2013 Megan (The Book Babe) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-on-my-site, received-for-review

This review also posted at The Book Babe

Due to copy and paste, formatting has been lost.

Excuse me...OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG. *glomps book* This book was so surprising! You remember how much I liked Infinite Days, right? How fabulous I thought it was? THIS BOOK WAS BETTER. I just gotta reiterate this bit, though. I LOVE the myth that surrounds Vampire Queen. It's very unique, because the author has explanations on why the vampires are beautiful. Ever think about that? Their PORES are sealed, and that'...more This review also posted at The Book Babe

Due to copy and paste, formatting has been lost.

Excuse me...OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG. *glomps book* This book was so surprising! You remember how much I liked Infinite Days, right? How fabulous I thought it was? THIS BOOK WAS BETTER. I just gotta reiterate this bit, though. I LOVE the myth that surrounds Vampire Queen. It's very unique, because the author has explanations on why the vampires are beautiful. Ever think about that? Their PORES are sealed, and that's what makes them beautiful.

Vicken SERIOUSLY surprised me-- in the first book, he really came off as a power hungry alpha-male type jerk. Just being honest. But once he became human, he's this awesome happy-go-lucky, I-can-finally-bruise-again type of dude. I absolutely loved that. Does anyone else have the biggest book crush ever on Rhode, though? He's just so...oblivious. I don't know why I find that attractive, but hey. Don't judge.

Lenah remains her totally fabulous self, but I think she gained a bigger sense of humanity after that last bout of vampirism. She just is more human now. I don't know...but it was awesome. Her character is just so kick butt, and I totally respect her-- and want her on my team for dodgeball.

Lenah and Rhode's connection, their "soul mates who can't have each other" status is...interesting. I mean, they loved each other for hundreds of years, then suddenly Rhode's back. Justin is a horrid person, and she doesn't love him anymore. I get it, they've been in love for centuries. And I'm a fan of Rhode. But I just have that one issue...it's weird. This is the only issue that I have, really. All of them revolve around this little fact.

This is a just for giggles kind of moment, but our villian's name is Odette. Here's me: "Why, hello, Swan Princess who is evil. I find it immensely entertaining that you are so...evil with a fairy princess name. Teeheehee." Really. That was me. Laugh if you want to. ;)

Last but totally not least, THE ENDING. WHY? WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT TO ME? I NEED to know what happens next. I'll feel better if I have someone to talk to. EMAILETH ME.Seriously, I'm not kidding. If you have an opinion on this book, I'd like to hear it and talk about it with you.(less)

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Jan 16, 2013 Cheryl rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Lenah Beudonte preformed a ritual for her friend, Vicken. The ritual is to turn Vicken back into a human. Lenah awakes in the hospital with her other friend, Justin by her side. Lenah survived the ritual and Vicken is human again. Unfortunately, what Lenah did not know is that performing the ritual brought the elementals forward. The elementals are not the only ones that are interested in Lenah. A vampire named Odette wants the secret to the ritual. As if this was not enough for Lenah, she learn...more

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Dec 31, 2012 Clary rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Fragility comincia poco tempo dopo Eternity. Lenah ha compiuto il rituale su Vicken, ex membro della sua confraternita e ora ex vampiro, convinta che il suo gesto la avrebbe portata alla morte. E invece non è così. Lenah è sopravvissuta ed è umana, proprio come aveva sempre desiderato. Felice della sua nuova condizione, si appresta a vivere un'esistenza serena col suo giovane amore, Justin, l'affascinante ragazzo che nel libro precedente le era stato accanto nella lotta contro i membri della sua...more Fragility comincia poco tempo dopo Eternity. Lenah ha compiuto il rituale su Vicken, ex membro della sua confraternita e ora ex vampiro, convinta che il suo gesto la avrebbe portata alla morte. E invece non è così. Lenah è sopravvissuta ed è umana, proprio come aveva sempre desiderato. Felice della sua nuova condizione, si appresta a vivere un'esistenza serena col suo giovane amore, Justin, l'affascinante ragazzo che nel libro precedente le era stato accanto nella lotta contro i membri della sua confraternita. Ma la pace non dura più di poche pagine: Lenah è appena tornata a Wickham quando assiste impotente alla morte di una sua amica, Kate, per mano di un vampiro. Non un vampiro qualunque, una ragazza trasformata da Lenah stessa al tempo in cui non era altro che una spietata assassina. Ma la giovane vampira non è l'unica sorpresa che attende Lenah al suo ritorno a scuola. Subito dopo fa la sua comparsa qualcuno che Lenah si aspettava di non vedere mai più, qualcuno a cui aveva tanto pensato, ma che non si sarebbe mai sognata di poter ammirare di nuovo: il suo amato Rodhe. Il vampiro che secoli prima l'aveva trasformata, colui che si era sacrificato per renderla umana. Tuttavia il ricongiungimento tra i due non è il classico bentornato che ci si aspetterebbe tra anime gemelle, al contrario: Rodhe non le rivolge la parola, la guarda a malapena. E mentre Lenah cerca ad ogni modo di scoprire il motivo per cui l'amore della sua vita si è nascosto da lei per più di un anno, fingendosi morto, deve fare anche i conti con Odette, la vampira ritornata dal suo passato. La ragazza vuole infatti mettere le mani sul rituale utilizzato prima da Rodhe e poi da Lenah, per scopi oscuri che porteranno alla distruzione del mondo così come lo conosciamo.

Il motivo per cui mi era piaciuto tanto il primo libro era la protagonista. Avevo apprezzato moltissimo Lenah: un tempo vampira potente e crudele, ora diventata un'umana forte, determinata e ammirevole, totalmente diversa dalle protagoniste senza carattere che spesso (non sempre per fortuna) si ritrovano nel genere YA. In Fragility, purtroppo, ho faticato a ritrovare lo stesso personaggio. Per la prima metà del libro il personaggio di Lenah è stato completamente snaturato, ha subito un cambiamento enorme che me l'ha fatta quasi detestare. Vi riporto qualche esempio: nei primi capitoli, quando Lenah incontra Rodhe, compaiono le Eridi, una sorta di entità soprannaturali che sono state attirate sulla terra dallo squilibrio che si è creato nel momento in cui Rodhe e Lenah hanno compiuto un rituale utilizzando la magia degli elementi. Hanno il compito di punire i colpevoli, coloro che manipolano gli elementi, e propongono a Lenah e Rodhe due opzioni: ritornare nel passato, nel momento in cui la loro vita umana è stata spezzata e vivere come avrebbero dovuto se non fossero mai diventati vampiri; oppure restare nel presente ma dover rimanere separati. Dietro alle Eridi, al momento della loro comparsa, erano presenti centinaia di anime, tutte le vittime di Lenah e dei vampiri da lei creati. Lenah chiede alle Eridi cosa ne sarà delle anime se dovesse scegliere di andare indietro e loro le rispondono che riprenderanno la loro vita come se non fosse ai accaduto nulla. Poi lei chiede cosa ne sarà di loro se dovesse restare e loro rispondono che l'anima di tutte le sue vittime è bianca, pura e che di conseguenza sono in pace. Io a questo punto ero sicura di cosa sarebbe successo, sarebbero tornati indietro, no? Insomma Lenah aveva l'opportunità di annullare le atrocità da lei commesse, aveva l'opportunità di far vivere migliaia di vite tra cui quelle del suo migliore amico Tony, dei membri della sua confraternita, della giovane Kate. Ebbene qual è il geniale ragionamento di Lenah? "Se torno indietro, condanno quelle povere persone all'ignoto. Potrebbero fare qualcosa durante la loro vita che renda impure le loro anime. E poi, io voglio stare con Rodhe". Scusate tanto, ma io sono rimasta scioccata qua. Che razza di ragionamento è? Mi sembra tanto un pensiero alla Lenah vampira, non alla Lenah umana. Ricordo che la Lenah vampira aveva ucciso una bambina perché era convinta di liberarla così dal peso di un'esistenza sofferente. Questo ragionamento non è esattamente identico? C'erano donne, ragazze, giovani e persone la cui vita era stata interrotta troppo presto. Quelle persone meritano di vivere la loro vita, qualunque sia.
Ma Lenah, come abbiamo capito, è esattamente la stessa persona egoista e capricciosa che era da vampira, perciò decide di restare nel presente dove centinaia di persone sono morte per lei e dove non può stare col ragazzo che ama.
Un altro esempio è il modo con cui affronta la storia con Rodhe. Hai accettato tu di restare nel presente e rinunciare a lui e ora provi a baciarlo ogni quindici secondi? Non credo che bisognerebbe scherzare con le Eridi, se hanno detto di non impegnarti con lui, ti conviene ascoltarle. E invece no, in fondo chi sono le Eridi?
Comunque evitando di infierire ancora su Lenah, vorrei specificare che il suo personaggio migliora più avanti. Dalla seconda metà del libro diventa meno egoista e irritante, anche se continua a correre da una parte all'altra cercando di convincere Rodhe ad infrangere il patto fatto con le Eridi e si rifugia tra le braccia di Justin ogni volta che la sua anima gemella la respinge.

Dopo Lenah vorrei parlare di Justin. Nel primo libro non mi aveva fatta impazzire, ma l'avevo trovato comunque un buon personaggio. In Fragility quasi non potevo vederlo. Quando è comparso Rodhe mi sono detta "Evvai, è finita per Justin!". Invece Lenah si ostina a continuare la storia con lui, anche quando è palese che ama Rodhe in un modo che non si avvicina nemmeno all'amore per Justin. Quando c'è la scena del ballo, con Lenah che, pur essendo insieme a Justin, immagina Rodhe al suo fianco, credevo che sarebbe stata la fine della loro storia. Invece, nonostante Lenah pensi espressamente "Questo non è Justin, ma Rodhe", tentando di convincersi si essere lì con la persona che ama davvero, continua ad andare da Justin ogni qualvolta Rodhe la allontana. Ma perché non dovrebbe piacermi Justin?, vi chiederete. Semplice, lo trovo un personaggio quasi inutile. E' simpatico, intelligente, sportivo, bellissimo, biondo... ma non mi dice niente. E' un ficcanaso e spesso lunatico, sembra quasi un bambino capriccioso invece che un ragazzo quasi diciottenne. Certo, alla fine si scoprirà qualcosa che forse giustifica tutto ciò... comunque io rimango dell'opinione che Justin dovrebbe giocare a lacrosse e lasciare in pace Lenah.

Ora voglio parlare di Vicken, l'ex vampiro ora umano, quasi sempre al fianco di Lenah per tutto il libro. La prima cosa che mi sono chiesta è stata "Ma tutto l'amore che Vicken provava per Lenah? Che fine ha fatto?" Quando erano vampiri Lenah provava un sentimento leggero per lui, ma lui la amava davvero. O almeno così sembrava. Ora che è umano sembra che non sia mai esistito il tempo in cui era quasi impazzito per trovarla. Non si fa cenno all'amore che legava i due, trasformando il loro rapporto in un amicizia bellissima, certo, ma che non si capisce da dove arriva. In ogni caso Vicken mi è piaciuto: è simpatico, ironico, spensierato e capace di portare un po' di leggerezza nei momenti più cupi e senza speranza.

Però la vera stella di questo libro non è Vicken. E' Rodhe, in tutto e per tutto. Se nei pochi flashback che lo riguardavano in Eternity mi aveva incuriosito molto, in Fragility mi ha conquistata completamente. Lui si che è un personaggio maschile ben fatto, non ci sono dubbi. Ama Lenah con tutto sé stesso e riesce a dimostrarlo senza bisogno di frasi melense e dichiarazioni infinite: gli basta uno sguardo per far capire quanto sia legato a lei. Onestamente, non credo che Lenah si meriti un ragazzo come lui. Una volta durante il libro dice una frase che mi è piaciuta moltissimo, rivolta a Lenah e a Vicken: "Sembra quasi che voi due non siate mai stati immortali!". Ecco, in quel momento avrei voluto entrare nel libro e baciarlo. Perché ha pienamente ragione. Lenah (e anche Vicken a volte) sembrano due semplici ragazzi di sedici anni, non ex vampiri con secoli di storia alle spalle. E questo rende ingiustificabili alcune loro idee, che sembrano essere uscite dalla testa di un adolescente.

Queste erano le mie impressioni sui personaggi principali. Per quanto riguarda la trama, non posso dire di essere delusa: mi piace la storia che coinvolge Odette e anche il suo personaggio, così come ciò che riguarda gli Svuotati e le Eridi. A volte la trama è troppo "fiabesca" per i miei gusti e la storia d'amore troppo centrale (un tempo l'avrei apprezzato, ma ora cerco altro all'interno di un libro), però riconosco che l'amore che lega Rodhe e Lenah sia ben costruito (specialmente dalla parte di lui). Rimango del parere che i flashback, purtroppo più rari in questo libro che nel precedente, siano la parte migliore: ammetto che non mi dispiacerebbe leggere un prequel sulla vita di Lenah vampira.
Il finale è adatto e mostra chiaramente l'evoluzione di Lenah: finalmente riesce a fare la cosa giusta e si riscatta per l'odio suscitato nelle pagine precedenti. La Lenah forte e determinata del primo libro fatica a venire a galla ma piano piano fa di nuovo la sua comparsa, con grande gioia del lettore. Commovente la scena finale e l'ultimo capitolo, mentre l'epilogo sembra preannunciare un terzo libro, che forse trasformerà la saga da duologia a trilogia.
Scorrevole lo stile del'autrice, che, insieme al ristretto numero delle pagine, rende il romanzo leggibile in pochi giorni.

Come impressione finale non posso dire di essere rimasta totalmente delusa. Mi aspettavo un apprezzamento minore rispetto al primo volume, soprattutto a causa dei due anni tra un libro e l'altro. Lenah credo si sia dimostrata il problema maggiore all'interno del libro, che però è riuscito a coinvolgermi facendomi venire gran voglia di proseguire nella lettura pagina dopo pagina.

http://clary-booktime.blogspot.it/201...(less)

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Nov 13, 2012 jess rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I loved this book it carry's on from the first one after lenah is turned human and has to live life like a human knowing that she has to do it without Rhode her soulmate but lenah's coven will want their queen back and once they find her she will have to make some hefty decisions.

after turning vicken back to a human lenah leed's on with her life and not long after rutial the aries come looking for lenah and give her two decisions either carry on with lifeor go back in time and save all those she...more

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Jul 17, 2012 Paula rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ahhh... how can I write this review without giving anything away?
If you thought the first book was good, even if you thought it was average, this sequel is a great improvement. The imagery Rebecca Maizel uses is amazing, you really feel like you're there with the characters, you feel their happiness and pain. The plot moves along quickly with lots of twists to keep you interested.Because I don't want to spoil it totally, I'll give some overall points about the book and characters.

The book picks...more

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May 17, 2013 Erica Brown-carter rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It's amazing how much a book can make you emotional, pulling at your heart and even your own inner most fears. Even though you know the story isn't real and the characters don't exhaust you can't help but laugh and cry and mourn for them. In my opinion a book that does not evoke some sort of emotion does not serve its purpose. I am so glad I picked up this book and continued to read it after reading the first book, Infinite Time. The writing was beautiful and I found myself wanting to reach out...more

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Nov 11, 2012 Sara rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-booklist

I am reviewing this book for Netgalley.

I loved Stolen Night more so than Infinite Days. This book picks up where Infinite Days left off. Lenah is human and her vampire coven is coming after her.

We see more of Rhode in this book, and I mean I love Rhode. His character is amazing and he fights his own personal demons throughout the book. He refuses to give something up. I'm team Rhode all the way.

Vicken is another character we get to know throughout this book. His character is humorous. He makes y...more

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Aug 21, 2012 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

After waiting for what seems like forever for this book, I broke and had a UK copy shipped to the US. I'm so happy I did.

When I first read Infinite Days, I had no idea how Rebecca Maizel could possibly top that. Somehow she did. I really liked how the vampire world was expanded in Stolen Night. There's more magic in this book than just Rhode's ritual, and there's the introduction of the Aeris.

Though, the reason I really loved this book are the characters, specifically Lenah, Rhode, and Vicken. R...more

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Nov 07, 2012 Pauline rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

4,5 to 5/5

Review in French: http://featherandink.blogspot.fr/2012...

Stolen Nights sucks you in. You get into it and you don't want to come out of it; this world, this trance. Because you don't want to put the book down. Strange feeling.
It was highly entertaining and an unexpected turn of events for a sequel. I love the direction that Maizel took and very much enjoyed it. I was captivated.
I don't know what else to say, It doesn't get better than that.

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Feb 06, 2013 Laila rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: color-me-angst, female-protagonist-that-rocks, frustrate-much, i-did-not-see-that-coming, intensely-hot-it-burns-male-protago, it-left-me-hanging, it-made-me-cry-ugly, kickass-baddass-awesome, mixed-feelings-about-it, swoon-worthy, achy-breaky-heart

FIRST OFF LET ME SCREAM OMGGGGGG!!!!

So the story quickly pick up from where it left off. Maaan there are some twist in this story that i did not see coming! So Tony is totally dead for sure. Lenah find herself in emotional roller coaster ride of a love triangle between Justin and Rhode who is alive and human!
Rhode and Lenah were handed down with a severe consequences of their actions for using that ritual. it is against the elemental higher power that be to bring back the dead to life. Lenah w...more FIRST OFF LET ME SCREAM OMGGGGGG!!!!

So the story quickly pick up from where it left off. Maaan there are some twist in this story that i did not see coming! So Tony is totally dead for sure. Lenah find herself in emotional roller coaster ride of a love triangle between Justin and Rhode who is alive and human!
Rhode and Lenah were handed down with a severe consequences of their actions for using that ritual. it is against the elemental higher power that be to bring back the dead to life. Lenah was to chose whether to stay in the present time but Rhode cannot be with her for their fate is forever interwined which cause the hundred of havoc in their vampire path. Or She can return to her time before she became a vampire and undo all the consequences of her undead existence. But since she will always love Rhode and can't bear to be w/o him she chose to stay in the present and love him from afar. And that leaves Justin on the sideline, i actually was beginning to like him when he was all pissy w/ Lenah over choosing Rhode when he came back. So Lenah, vicken, Rhode go to the same school together now and the tension and drama is just whew!!!
A new vampire coven is on the rise and the new wanna be vamp queen is out to get Lenah who is struggling to protect herself and her friends from her murderous intent. Soon all her new friends are killed off one by one. It was frustrating times my dear reader at least we know the author is not afraid to kill characters off.
There were many instances that Lenah made annoying and frustrating decisions that i just want to hit her head w/ a lacrosse stick or something. But that makes her more real to me as a human for she is flawed and she may not always choose the best situation but sooner or later she will follow what is in her heart. The heart wants what it wants.
I was quite surprise about Tracey's character who i dismiss as an air head in the first book to be the one remaining friend to Lenah w/ all the deaths that is happening to the students and teacher in school. She made some surprising revelation of her own too. And i hope her character will be given more space to develop in the next installment.
Then there is Justin, i have to say i did not see that coming! I think there was something off w/ him during certain scenes but i couldn't quite form immediately a theory about it. When i should have seen that twist about Justin's fate when i mentioned in my review on the first book that it would be understandable that vampire lenah would think Justin would be perfect as part of her coven.
Vicken is certainly a comic relief in this one, as a human he is very charming when he wants to be and has an air of devil may care in the world and no longer burden w/ his bond and love for Lenah just a love for a friend. I feel for him when in the end Lenah told him of her bargain and he finally was able to cry (T_T)
There were certainly many twists in this book that were exciting and had me up for hours just to get to the bottom of this and see the outcome of that show down.
I feel a deep sadness about the sacrifice that Lenah needed to do to save her love for Rhode and her friends and defeat the new coven.I end up teary eyed. And that finally Lenah have seen the truth of her real feelings for Rhode, who will always be her one true love. So sorry Justin i thought for awhile there you and Lenah would end up really together but true love prevails. I do accept how this story ended coz i believe that somehow a great love like lenah and rhode will transcend time and space.
I am looking forward to the next installment if Rhode and Lenah will find their way back to each other again. Until then i'm giving this a 4.5 star rate.
(less)

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Jan 27, 2013 Kelly Hager rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book (and series, for that matter) is seriously addictive! I read the first book when it came out (which has been I think about two years ago) but even though I didn't remember very much, I was able to follow this book very well. (Even so, if you haven't read the first book, Infinite Days, I would start there.)

Odette is also one of the creepiest villains ever and (in the best villain tradition) seems nearly unstoppable. Seriously---I dare you to read this and not find her absolutely chillin...more

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Aug 14, 2012 Katheryn rated it 5 of 5 stars

WHYYYY DID THIS HAVE TO BE SUCH A GOOD BOOK?! I honestly felt like crying at the end. (I won't spoil)
RHODE! VICKEN, oh how I loved Vicken's humour, Lenah.... Justin...ohmygod!
I... I can't put into words how much better than the first Vampire Queen book this is. This truly captured me; made me feel like I was there. In their world, experiencing everything they experienced.
RHODE and his blue, blue eyes.
VICKEN and his humour and his just plain sarcastic funniness (that's not even a word, is it?) I...more

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Feb 05, 2013 Miss Literati rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

STOLEN NIGHTS is the second book in the Vampire Queen series and most definitely does not disappoint! We actually liked it more than the first novel! *gasp*

In INFINITE DAYS, Lenah Beaudonte, 592-year-old Vampire Queen, yearns to once again be human. In order to achieve this dream, her vampire maker and lover Rhode sacrifices his life in an old ritual that turns Lenah into a human teenager once again.

At the end of the first book, Lenah decides to sacrifice herself so another vampire can become hu...more

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Jan 27, 2013 Shieka( Doctor's Notes) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have to say having not read the first book in this series I was glad that the author wrote it well enough that I still got a lot of the back story that I may have missed. I always think this is a a true showcase of an author's writing talents when they can sell me a story when I have missed part of the story. The author's writing style for this book was simply fantastic. I loved everything about this book was was immediately sucked into Lenah's world. We start this book finding out that Lenah...more I have to say having not read the first book in this series I was glad that the author wrote it well enough that I still got a lot of the back story that I may have missed. I always think this is a a true showcase of an author's writing talents when they can sell me a story when I have missed part of the story. The author's writing style for this book was simply fantastic. I loved everything about this book was was immediately sucked into Lenah's world. We start this book finding out that Lenah was now a human and no longer a vampire. As if this isn't enough of an adjustment for her she soon learns that their is someone out to get her and she has to think quickly and stay on her toes if she wants to survive.

I loved this this book showed us both sides of the coin when you got the flashbacks of Lenah being the powerful vampire she used to be and then the present day of her showing how much of a change it was being human. I truly felt sorry for her at some points when she realized she couldn't protect herself as well as she used to be able to.As if Lenah's is dealing with enough she has to deal with heartbreak when she realizes she can't be with Rhode. I have to say that I liked Rhode even though he seemed standoffish and rude at times. I quickly learned he had his reasons for this though. Lenah decides to move on with her life and to try to repair her relationship with Justin her human boyfriend. I will go ahead and say here that I didn't care for Justin at all. I didn't like the way he just wanted Lenah to disregard who she used to be and didn't really seem to accept her for who she was. As for the character of Vicken he was so swoon worthy and I love how he was such an amazing friend to Lenah. He was by her side at all times no matter what no questions asked. They had the real deal friendship.

Overall this story was more of a romance tale to me with some action mixed in. It was the classic star crossed lovers kind of tale but the author put a spin on it and truly made it her own. I loved the school that they all attended to and the town sounded amazing. I would have loved to be sitting on the beach that was near by and enjoying going to school there minus everything else that was going on. The book was action packed and kept me tuned in and staying up late to read it because I needed to know more. I recommend this one to readers that love a good story with lots of action, awesome characters and of course romance.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review.(less)

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Feb 07, 2013 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Vampire books are always a favorite of mine, so when this book showed up for review, I couldn't wait to get into it. I was a little skeptical over the fact that this is actually the second book in the Vampire Queen series and I hadn't read the first, but I decided to dive right in and see where the story would take me!

Lenah used to be the most powerful vampire- the Vampire Queen. But now, after the love of her life performed a dangerous ritual, she's a human. Being a human comes with things she...more Vampire books are always a favorite of mine, so when this book showed up for review, I couldn't wait to get into it. I was a little skeptical over the fact that this is actually the second book in the Vampire Queen series and I hadn't read the first, but I decided to dive right in and see where the story would take me!

Lenah used to be the most powerful vampire- the Vampire Queen. But now, after the love of her life performed a dangerous ritual, she's a human. Being a human comes with things she hasn't had to deal with in over 500 years, like the ability to actually feel. The only problem, though, is that Rhode, the one who saved her, seems intent on staying away. Not to mention one of the vampires she made is hunting her and her classmates at the boarding school she attends. Can Lenah stop this powerful vampire when she's merely a human before it's too late?

A couple of chapters into this book, I realized I had missed A LOT in the first book. While it was pretty easy to piece things together, there was still a lot of details that I really wish I had known going in, like what happened with the whole ritual thing and how Tony had died. So I just want to say this first that I would DEFINITELY recommend reading the first book in the series before this one. You'll get so much more out of this story!

Now looking back at this book, I still thought it was pretty good. Lenah sometimes got annoying with her whole being with Justin but imaging he was Rhode. Other than that, though, I liked how she was learning to be human and understanding what a monster she was as a vampire. Vicken, her friend, is such an awesome person and he was probably my favorite character in the entire book. His sassy attitude was just the right thing to keep Lenah in line (well, as in line as she would let him). There was a ton of suspense and mystery that kept you on the edge of your seat the entire book. The paranormal aspect was really good, especially when they added in spells and magic on top of the vampires. There were just so many elements that added up to making this story one you couldn't put down.

Overall, Stolen Nights was a pretty good read on it's own, but I imagine it being awesome to those who have already started the series. So once you've picked up the first book, definitely pick this one up next! You'll find yourself immersed in a paranormal world of power hungry vampires and an intense romance that seems to cause more hurt and misery than anyone, even murderous vampires, deserves. (less)

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Jan 20, 2013 Alison (AlisonCanRead) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: childrenyalit

Stolen Nights is the second book in the Vampire Queen series. Second books are often an author's downfall. I get swept away by the newness and creativity of the first book in a series only to be disappointed when the second book gets bogged down in too much world building, a needless love triangle, estrangement from the main love interest, and too little action. So I approached Stolen Nights with some trepidation. Not to worry, Stolen Nights is fabulous and in fact, significantly exceeds my love...more Stolen Nights is the second book in the Vampire Queen series. Second books are often an author's downfall. I get swept away by the newness and creativity of the first book in a series only to be disappointed when the second book gets bogged down in too much world building, a needless love triangle, estrangement from the main love interest, and too little action. So I approached Stolen Nights with some trepidation. Not to worry, Stolen Nights is fabulous and in fact, significantly exceeds my love for the first novel, Infinite Days.

It's been more than two years since I read Infinite Days. To my surprise, I wasn't lost when I began Stolen Nights. Ms. Maizel did a wonderful job in recapping the events of the prior book without boring me. It's also a credit to the first book that the plot was still memorable after two years.

Stolen Nights takes the best parts about Infinite Days and leaves out the parts I didn't like. Stolen Nights continues the darkness of Infinite Days. People are dying right and left. Magical forces (who reminded me of the mythical Furies) punish Lenah for violating the laws of nature. A vengeful vampire has taken a lesson out of Lenah's old playbook and is out to get everyone she cares about. The plot moves quickly and best of all, it never ceased to surprise me.

I love seeing how Lenah has evolved as a character. She spent centuries as a powerful, conscienceless, miserable vampire and turned into a vulnerable human. Over the course of two books, Lenah has figured out how to take the best and worst aspects of her human and former vampire sides. She remains a powerful, stubborn, take control person but now channels her strong personality into protecting the people she loves as well as protecting her right to seek happiness.

There is a love triangle in Stolen Nights, but not a conventional one. Rhode, Lenah's creator and centuries old love has reemerged as human. Lenah was sure he was dead and mourned the man she loved above all others. Just when she'd moved on with Justin, a human teenaged boy, Rhode shows up. It's soon clear to the reader and to basically everyone other than Lenah that Justin doesn't stand a chance. Rhode is Lenah's soulmate. He is passionate, kind, thoughtful, contemplative, melancholy - basically the sensitive soul that makes a reader's heart swoon. I was thrilled to have Rhode in the picture because I hated Justin in the first book and continued to dislike him in this book.

My main problem with Infinite Days was the stereotypical high school gossip, popularity issues, and queen bees. Stolen Nights does away with those problems. You still have some typical high school quirks - giggly shopping scenes, dances, etc, but it doesn't overwhelm the plot. Plus, Lenah's high school friends are much more fleshed out. Another welcome addition was Lenah's former coven member and newly turned human, Vicken. Every line that Vicken speaks is a joy to read. He's hilarious and a perfect antidote to Lenah's melodramatics.

It was hard to wait two years for the sequel to Infinite Days, but it was well worth it for such a wonderful addition to the Vampire Queen series. If you like (1) dark vampire mythology, (2) plenty of violent action scenes, and (3) an epic romance, Stolen Nights is the book for you. I highly recommend picking up Infinite Days and then Stolen Nights.

Rating: 4 / 5(less)

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Stolen Night (Vampire Queen #2)

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