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Bleeding Hearts (Drake Chronicles #4)

by Alyxandra Harvey (Goodreads Author)

4.27 of 5 stars 4.27 · rating details · 2,897 ratings · 271 reviews

Watch Alyxandra talking about her new book 'Bleeding Hearts'

The Drakes and friends will be tested when an infestation of deadly vampires threatens Violet Hill.

Lucy's cousin Christabel has come to live in Violet Hill, and adjusting to the difference between life in a small mountain town and her home in the city is difficult enough. The strict curfew that Lucy's parents enfo...more

Paperback, 289 pages

Published December 20th 2011 by Walker Books for Young Readers (first published October 3rd 2011)

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Nov 11, 2011 Maja rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-can-t-wait-to-read-in-2011, cliffhanger-ending, cover-lust, favorites, glistening-fangs, never-saw-it-coming, paranormal-romance, so-many-vampires, role-models, ya, reviewed-in-2011

I was drawn to the first book of the Drake Chronicles because of its shiny cover and the intriguing title. Whenever I choose a book based on those two things alone, I end up disappointed. However, My Love Lies Bleeding won me over with its amusing characters, fast pacing, hilarious moments and not a single love triangle in sight. It was a highly entertaining, feel-good story that surprised me and made me laugh and I instantly became a huge fan of the series.

Drake Chronicles revolve around a roy...more I was drawn to the first book of the Drake Chronicles because of its shiny cover and the intriguing title. Whenever I choose a book based on those two things alone, I end up disappointed. However, My Love Lies Bleeding won me over with its amusing characters, fast pacing, hilarious moments and not a single love triangle in sight. It was a highly entertaining, feel-good story that surprised me and made me laugh and I instantly became a huge fan of the series.

Drake Chronicles revolve around a royal vampire family and their human friends. Every book focuses on a different Drake brother and is told from multiple POVs. These books are essentially young adult paranormal romances, but unlike so many PNRs, they have great plots, lots of action, a large number of well-built secondary characters and an abundance of delightful, accessible humor.

Bleeding Hearts is the fourth book of the series and it focuses on Connor Drake and Lucy’s cousin Christabel who came to live with Lucy and her parents when her mother went into rehab. Ever since Helena Drake became the queen, the family has been under constant attack from their political enemies, and of course, the blue-skinned and vicious Hel-Blar vampires. In addition, Solange is still struggling with the fact that she’s becoming a different kind of vampire, one that has never been seen before and she’s allowing herself to be influenced by some morally impaired royals as a result.
Lucy keeps being pushed away for her own protection, but she fights back every single time with Nicholas as her ally.
I’d missed Lucy horribly in the last two books and it was great to see things through her eyes once again. Nothing is quite the same without her stubbornness and sense of humor. Connor is not my favorite Drake, but he’s not far behind either, and after a while, even Christabel became likeable, despite her infatuation with Mr. Darcy.

I had every intention of giving this book four stars, but when I reached the last page and saw that it ends with a cliffhanger, I took one star off my rating.

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Nov 24, 2012 Colette-writer-reader-dork rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: vampires, paranormal, romance, ya, 2012, awesomeness, books-i-own, cover-love, favorites, forever-re-read

Probably my least favorite in this series, though still enjoyable. I really wished we saw more of Quinn and Hunter together because they are my favorite couple in this series.

Hopefully we see them in the last two books...in the same room...being cute.

And can you say cliffhanger?

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Dec 31, 2011 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own

I absolutely adore this series!

I’ve been in a reading slump and I just knew the Drake boys would help get me out of it and they did.

If you like vampires you will like this series, if you are sooo over vampires you still might like this series. The thing about these novels that make them one of my favorites isn’t because they are about “vampires.” It’s because of the characters in this novel and the story. Sure they may be a vampire by character trait, but just try not to be charmed by the Drake...more

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Oct 19, 2011 ~Tina~ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, read-2011, bite-me, young-adult, own, have-to-have-harvey

Gawd I love these books!!

So much fun and excitement and I adore every single one of these characters. This was probably my favorite...well there all my fav but I loved this one the most. Mainly cause Lucy and Nicholas are one of my most beloved couples. Evah! They are so adorable and Harvey gave us a lot of really great moments between them.
Love where the story-line is going. I can't wait for more. I swear I never want these books to end!

NEXT!!

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Nov 02, 2011 Bianca rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: front-covers-i-love, best-characters, books-i-loved, books-i-own, goodreads-reading-challenge-2011, romance-i-envy-and-love, guys-i-wish-were-real, put-life-on-hold-to-read

I read this all in one go, I didn't even get to mark it as currently reading.

Loved it, another fantastic novel from Alyxandra Harvey. There was plenty of Nicholas and Lucy, (WOOOO jumps in happiness and grins stupidly) I really enjoyed meeting Lucy's cousin and enjoyed the relationship that formed between her and Connor.

Loved the Nicholas scene where he is outside her room :) I'm so glad they featured in this book, I missed them dearly.

Oh and I missed Solange, I really want to know what is going...more

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May 02, 2012 Me, Myself, and I added it

Shelves: paranormal-supernatural-etc-etc, amazing

...Must... Read...
Ack, why does it have to come out in November? That's such a long time from now.. :(

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Sep 05, 2011 Donna {Book Passion for Life} rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, for-review, from-publishers, ya-paranormal-romance

I’ve always been a huge fan of Alexandra Harvey’s work and The Drake Chronicle series is one of my favourites. As you can all tell, we’re now on book 4 and usually you would expect the series to lose the excitement that it had when it first started, well this is not the case with this series. This series is just as exciting, dangerous and thrilling as ever and it just keeps getting better and better!

In Bleeding Hearts the story is told from Lucy’s, Christabel’s & Conner’s point of view. Chr...more I’ve always been a huge fan of Alexandra Harvey’s work and The Drake Chronicle series is one of my favourites. As you can all tell, we’re now on book 4 and usually you would expect the series to lose the excitement that it had when it first started, well this is not the case with this series. This series is just as exciting, dangerous and thrilling as ever and it just keeps getting better and better!

In Bleeding Hearts the story is told from Lucy’s, Christabel’s & Conner’s point of view. Christabel is now living with Lucy because her mother is in rehab. While she’s there, Lucy tells her the town is run by a dangerous gang, rather than explaining that it’s actually full of Vampires. Christabel doesn’t believe Lucy’s story until she is kidnapped by mistake by the new leader of the Hel-Blar. Lucky for her, Connor Drake comes to her rescue but it only leads to more a dangerous situation. Can Connor save Christabel in time?

I loved it! Alyxandra Harvey has done it again with her awesome and dangerous storyline that leaves you sitting on the edge of your seat. With fast paced, exciting and thrilling scenes that can only leave you wanting more.

I’ll admit I was a little bit hesitant when I found out a new character was going to be introduced especially Lucy’s cousin. I expected Christabel to be an older, bratty cousin and boy was I surprised. She was actually a down to earth girl who loves reading and I think she was a great addition to the story. Then we see Lucy, who I’ve always loved. And she was just as great as ever. Feisty, determined and strong and I have to say I think she made the right choices in the end. I did feel sorry for her when she felt she was losing her family but I’m glad she had Nicholas’s support to help her get through it. Then finally we have Connor. Come on, who’s not going to like another Drake brother? Connor was just as lovable as his brothers and I loved how protective he was of Christabel. Although I feel there weren’t as many romantic scenes with them as a couple compared to the previous books, I still really enjoyed their relationship and it took a few interesting and unexpected turns.

I felt this time around this book was more centred on the story of the Hel-Blar and Drake family and it’s nice to see the story slowly develop right in front of your eyes. I honestly, have no idea what is going to happen next and Alyxandra did throw some shocking curve balls in the story. I have to say as much as I loved this book, I’m still not sure how I feel about Solange’s development as a character. She was the character that most shocked me during trough-out this story and I’m eager to find out what will happen next.

Overall, Bleeding Hearts is a fantastic addition to the Drake Chronicles. If Alyxandra Harvey keeps knocking out books as good as these, then you guys won’t be disappointed. If you haven’t read this series, I suggest you do. Because it’s not one you want to miss out on.

Thank you to Bloomsbury UK for giving me the opportunity to review this book.
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Apr 26, 2012 Tyler-rose (The Reading Pile) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: series

Now, it's no secret that I adore this series and I was ecstatic when my boyfriend got me a copy of Bleeding Hearts after waiting so long to read it. I was eager to start reading, but had other books to read first (I was just as excited to read these! So it was hard to chose which one to read first!) which meant I had to wait. Though I'm glad I did, because even though I got up at 6am to read this book this morning - it had been worth it.

I am a huge fan of Christabel and her story and I honestly...more

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Sep 11, 2012 DEN o.0 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, da-fuckin-vampshit, for-fun, read-in-english, young-adult, i-d-like-to-rewrite-that

3,98 stars.
I usually give 4 stars to each Drake Chronicles installment for several reasons, despite the fun humor, fast pace and cool worldbuilding. The main reason - the female protagonists are always much more fully-fleshed than the male ones.
With this book, there was also ANOTHER problem - Connor was even more left behind as a character BECAAAAUSEEEE we just had to have Lucy's POV in here, i.e. her moping about Solange and her parents, and cheese time with Nicholas.
I know I am the ABSOLUTE mi...more 3,98 stars.
I usually give 4 stars to each Drake Chronicles installment for several reasons, despite the fun humor, fast pace and cool worldbuilding. The main reason - the female protagonists are always much more fully-fleshed than the male ones.
With this book, there was also ANOTHER problem - Connor was even more left behind as a character BECAAAAUSEEEE we just had to have Lucy's POV in here, i.e. her moping about Solange and her parents, and cheese time with Nicholas.
I know I am the ABSOLUTE minority here. Everyone just adores Lucy and gushes about how cute she and Nicholas are. I am probably the sole person in the world who does not. And apparently Alyxandra Harvey gives them the spotlight because of the fandom. Which I totally hate.
Not that I hate them, but I don't NEED so much of them and I don't need them to steal other characters' time and space. Alyxandra Harvey has many other awesome characters with so much potential, and instead she chooses an annoying girl who is all like "ZOMG I'M SO KICKASS BUT EVERYONE TREATS ME LIKE A BABYYY, AND WHY DON'T PEOPLE LET ME STICK MY NOSE IN ALL THEIR BUSINESS - I'M SO SPESHUL, AND MY BOYFRIEND IS SO HAWTTT I CANNOT EVEN THINK" and a cliche guy who is basically nothing else than the dream boyfriend to be the center of the story. (Not to mention that their snogging scenes felt a bit repetitive.) Besides, the series' name is The Drake Chronicles, not Lucy Hamilton! Where are the Drakes, then?
Solange used to be a favourite of mine, but now with that fangy personality messup of hers things have gotten weird, and I fear that this abrupt character change would not get a plausible explanation in the next books, and the character would be ruined. Because now she is just horrible. And where the fuck did that Constantine guy come from? ((view spoiler))
'N'another thing that bugs me a little. Hunter had a gay friend named Jason. Lucy also has a gay friend named Nathan. And they barely have any personality; it looks a bit as if their sole purpose for both of them is to be the kickass girl's gay friend, as if there just HAS to be one. And it looks stupid. At least Nathan had some kind of personality, you know, spiked bleached hair and shit. Of Jason I now remember nothing except he was gay and had once had a crush on Spencer.
Also, there was a thing in Christabel's characterization that didn't make sense to me. First she says that she doesn't have a boyfriend and that boys ran away from her, because she looked at them as if they were stupid, and finally states that she hardly needs one at all. Then, towards the end, she tells Connor she did have something with a few boys, mainly physical things - so apparently some boys did NOT run away from her, which leads to a contradiction.
And still the book got 3,98 stars, because, if you cut out the Lucy and Nicholas part, the book would be even more awesome than Out for Blood. Seriously, if Connor was better developed, if there was only a little Lucy and the story was longer and more detailed, it would even get a 4,5, thus, a five. Connor might have been my favourite Drake guy, Christabel was awesome as well(I just loved the part when (view spoiler); I would probably have done it, too. Well, I did not approve of her former taste in men :D , but otherwise I could relate to her quite a lot), and what's not to love in a geek boy/bookworm girl ship? I really liked Aidan and Saga, too, and I hope they find their place at the Blood Moon :} (In comparison, Greyhaven and Ms Dailey were a bit shallow as antagonists), and the whole idea of the Na-Foir was cool.
I have been warned that the next book will probably disappoint me a lot, because the problems I listed above will deteriorate even further. Still, my curiosity might get the best of me, because I want to now what will happen to Solange - and I am way too attached to the series by now. (less)

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Jun 10, 2012 Joti rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. OMG FINALLY!!!!! I'VE BEEN DYING TO READ THIS!!! AND IT WAS GREAT!!! I LVOED THE ACTION!!! THERE WAS TONS OF IT!!! AND THE PERFECT AOUNT OF ROMANCE TOO!! :D Christabel, Lucy's cousin, comes to stay with her family in Violet Hill since her mom is in rehab for being a drunk and crap - so Christabel and Connor start to fall in love - especially after the Hel-Blar --who were actually the Na-Foir, an old unknown breed of vampires, being led my Aidan and Saga, kidnapped her and Connor came after her :...more OMG FINALLY!!!!! I'VE BEEN DYING TO READ THIS!!! AND IT WAS GREAT!!! I LVOED THE ACTION!!! THERE WAS TONS OF IT!!! AND THE PERFECT AOUNT OF ROMANCE TOO!! :D Christabel, Lucy's cousin, comes to stay with her family in Violet Hill since her mom is in rehab for being a drunk and crap - so Christabel and Connor start to fall in love - especially after the Hel-Blar --who were actually the Na-Foir, an old unknown breed of vampires, being led my Aidan and Saga, kidnapped her and Connor came after her :D which was so sweet! so Saga and Aidan want a seat on the Council and they were actually trying to kidnap Lucy but got Christa instead - so eventually her and Connor escape and get back home, but she gets staked in the process and Aian has to turn her into a vampire :O wasn't expecting that! anyway, Lucy and Nicholas r so cute! i love them! and Solange is usually so great but she's acting all weird - avoiding Lucy, her bff, and Kieran too, and she keeps going off about that Constantine guy, whoever the fuck he is - i think he might be influencing her in some way :$ dunno - and her powers r getting stronger - she's able to influence other vampires, including her family too - Plus, Lucy starts going to the Helios-Ra Academy to get better at her fighting skills - and at the end, the Helios'Ra attack the Hel-Blar abandoned town, where Saga & Aidan were holding Christa and Connor ostage - as well as Saga controlling all those Hel-Blar with that whistle and those collars around their necks and crap - so Lucy, Nicholas, Quinn, Connor, Hunter, Christa, Chloe all go in and get out alive - after recusing Saga and Aidan - else there'd be a whole vampire war :$

BUT THE VERY END WAS THE BIGGEST FRIGGIN' CLIFFHANGER EVER - EARLIER IN BOOK, SOLANGE ACTUALLY FED FROM A HUMAN LADY FOR THE FIRST TIME WHICH SHE SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE AND SHE CALLED LUCY TO THEIR OAK TREE MEETING SPOT AND WAS COVERED IN BLOOD - AND WHEN LUCY ASKED HER WHOSE BLOOD IT WAS, SHE SAID KIERAN'S :O!!!! LIKE OMFG!!!! SHE & KIERAN R TOGETHER!!!! LIKE IN LOVE!!!! <3 OMG OMG

NOW I'M DIE THINKNIG OF ALL THE POSSIBILITIES OF WHT'LL HAPPEN NEXT!!!!!!!!!!!
THE DRAKE BROTHERS R SO HOT!!!!!! :D

I think my fave couple is Lucy and Nicholas!!!!! - well logan and isabeau too!!!(less)

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Apr 12, 2012 DanetteCJ rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was so mad when I realized that the latest installment to the Drake series was not from the p.o.v. of Lucy and Nicholas. But, seeing as this book included Lucy's p.o.v. I think that was enough to get me to the next one which Harvey says will be from Lucy and Nick. Back to this one though: there was never a dull moment, not even in the beginning when most novels take a long time just to outline the plot. Raging teenage hormones, geek chic, literary allusions, things AND 'people' being blown up...more

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Mar 09, 2012 YA Reads Book Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kiona

Originally posted on http://www.yareads.com

The Drakes are back in the fourth installment of Alyxandra Harvey’s Drake Chronicles and this newest addition to the series is just as amazing as its predecessors. The story is told from the alternating points of view of Lucy, Connor, and Lucy’s cousin, Christabel. Since Solange’s bloodchange, Lucy hasn’t seen much of her best friend. While she feels abandoned by Solange, Lucy manages to fill her time by training with Hunter at Helios-Ra, snuggling up t...more Originally posted on http://www.yareads.com

The Drakes are back in the fourth installment of Alyxandra Harvey’s Drake Chronicles and this newest addition to the series is just as amazing as its predecessors. The story is told from the alternating points of view of Lucy, Connor, and Lucy’s cousin, Christabel. Since Solange’s bloodchange, Lucy hasn’t seen much of her best friend. While she feels abandoned by Solange, Lucy manages to fill her time by training with Hunter at Helios-Ra, snuggling up to swoon-worthy boyfriend Nicholas Drake, and hanging out with Christa, who’s come to live with Lucy’s family for a year. Everyone’s telling Lucy that Solange just needs time, but it seems the more time and space Lucy gives her friend, the weirder Sol becomes. Something is definitely wrong with her, but no one knows what.

Meanwhile, Christabel is trying to come to grips with moving from the bustling New York City to the farmlands of Violet Hill. She’s suspicious of the curfew her aunt and uncle impose due to a rise in “gang activity.” But she has to admit, something seems off about Violet Hill and Lucy and the Drakes are definitely hiding something. Before she can figure out what’s going on, she’s mistakenly kidnapped by vampires that look and smell kind of like the Hel-Blar, but act kind of…normal. When everyone realizes Christa is missing, Connor Drake takes it upon himself to rescue Lucy’s poetry-reciting, book-loving, bad-ass cousin. But the rescue mission doesn’t go exactly as planned, as Christa’s captors have some surprising advantages, like an army of oddly obedient Hel-Blar at their disposal.

Yes, this book has a lot going on. And it’s wonderful. The main plot revolves around the Hel-Blar — who they’re suddenly afraid of and why certain blue-skinned vampires seem to have more control than others. The twists are surprising and completely unpredictable, which is impressive given that this is the fourth book in the series. Somehow, Harvey is able to pile on twist after innovative twist, ascertaining that Bleeding Hearts is just as fresh and exciting as the first three books in the series.

And while I LOVE the world Harvey’s created — Violet Hill, the Helios-Ra, the Hel-Blar — I love her character’s even more. There are so, so many characters, yet Harvey makes sure that each one has a distinctive voice and personality. The Drake brothers are as delicious as ever. Personally, my heart will always belong to Quinn (and Nicholas holds a close second-place), but Connor is absolutely adorable. I love that Christa’s afraid Connor isn’t enough of a bad boy for her and that Connor hates everyone’s preconceived expectations of him as a socially awkward computer/sci-fi nerd. Sure, he’s not as smooth as his twin, but neither is he shy or easily intimidated. Which is good for him, because Christabel can definitely be intimidating. She might come across as a quiet bookworm at first, but she’s certainly formidable when crossed. The way she quotes poetry throughout Bleeding Hearts is a heartwarming quirk that’ll having book-lovers instantly falling in love with her character and relating to her.

While Quinn might be my favorite Drake, Lucy is easily my favorite character of the entire series. Bleeding Hearts continues to prove that Lucy can take anything that’s thrown at her with a sarcastic comment and a swift punch to the nose. I give her major props for being able to confront her best friend about how un-best-friend-like she’s acting. Plus, she’s taking major steps to make sure she’s not just the defenseless little human hanging around with the vampires. Give this girl a crossbow and she’s all set. It’s impossible not to love her stubbornness, fierce determination and loyalty, and her wicked sense of humor. Harvey made an excellent decision in using Lucy as a constant to connect each book in the series. She’s likable, admirable, and when her vulnerable side comes out around Nicholas, my cheeks turn just as pink as Lucy’s. Lucy and Nicholas are seriously one of my favorite couples of all time.

My only problem is that I now have to wait another year for the fifth book in the series. And believe me, after reading the final page of Bleeding Hearts, the wait will be absolutely agonizing. But in the mean time, there’s always Out for Blood to reread (seriously, I can’t get enough of Quinn). (less)

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Jan 27, 2012 Dorine White rated it 3 of 5 stars

The next book in the Drake Chronicles, Bleeding Hearts, hit shelves on Dec. 20, 2011. Written by Alyxandra Harvey, and published by Walker Books for Young Readers, it is a paranormal romance involving vampires.

The Story: It’s time for Connor Drake to meet his love interest. Lucy’s cousin, Christabel, is in town, and doesn’t understand why everyone is so scared to go out at night. So, what’s a teen to do? She goes out of course, and straight into the arms of a vampire.

Meanwhile, the Drake family...more

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Jan 12, 2012 Remarkable Reads rated it 4 of 5 stars

Read more reviews and extras on my blog: http://remarkablereads-sandra.blogspo...

The Drakes are back with some new friends and new enemies! The past few months since Solange became a vampire have been filled with non stop danger, death threats, and love. With the blood moon gathering on the horizon the Drakes and their allies must work even harder to keep the Hel-Blar from killing humans, and keeping Lucy out of Danger. But neither one is an easy task, the vampires continue to terrorize the town...more Read more reviews and extras on my blog: http://remarkablereads-sandra.blogspo...

The Drakes are back with some new friends and new enemies! The past few months since Solange became a vampire have been filled with non stop danger, death threats, and love. With the blood moon gathering on the horizon the Drakes and their allies must work even harder to keep the Hel-Blar from killing humans, and keeping Lucy out of Danger. But neither one is an easy task, the vampires continue to terrorize the town. Meanwhile Lucy's cousin Chrisatabel moves in and finds herself a prisoner of the Hel-Blar. It is up to Connor the shiest of the Drake boys to save her and he will do whatever it takes to keep her alive.

Oh how I have missed my Drake boys, it feels like an eternity since Out for Blood came out but the wait is over and a new wait begins. With every new book there is always new characters good and bad, and lets not forget that we loose yet another Drake to some girl who isn't me. What can I say I still have hope that one of them will still be on the market I mean there are quite a few and all good looking. The romances are the key factor to this series. Each member of the Drake family seems to find love weather its with a human, a vampire, or a vampire hunter.

This time we have Connor the shy, computer geek and Quinn's twin as the main man. I am happy we finally get to see more of Connor in all the other books he is portrayed as just the lesser twin and now we see him as more than a star wars addict (although that is adorable). Connor immediately falls for Christabel Lucy's cousin a city girl obsessed with old literature. She loves to read (which gives her a gold star in my book) Jane Eyrie, and Pride and Prejudice, you could even say she is head of the Mr.Darcy fan club; but behind her loner exterior is an average girl who has had to hide the truth about her mom and herself from the world. Bit by Bit Connor starts to crack her shell and makes her rethink her whole dating only bad boys rule, although Connor can be a bad boy himself if necessary.

The main story may have been about Connor and Christabel, but we can't forget the extremely stubborn and not so peace loving hippie Lucy. I was ecstatic to be back in Lucy's head its so entertaining, even though she has been in all the previous book she does not get nearly enough screen time so to speak. Lucy plays as much a key role in this book than anyone else. I missed her sly remarks, and witty disobedient nature, she never plays by the rules everyone tries to enforce on her and makes up her own as she goes along. Her relationship with Nickolas has also been severely neglected in previous installments sure we get a few kisses here and there or a few arguments but we still crave more. And finally get it, their chemistry is undeniable they still bicker every now and then and make out right after. My only complaint is that there is still a lot of unanswered questions involving their relationship which I am sure will be addressed in the future.

There is finally some new character development which is a relief since it seemed like everything was going in a circle with the same basic plots. Lucy has probably made one of the most drastic changes of all the other characters beside Solange, she has to rediscover herself a bit and her place with the Drakes all leading up to a major decision. Can't wait to see how her decision will affect her relationship with Nickolas and Solange. Speaking of her, that girl has some serious issues from her overpopulated fangs and creepy eyes to the drastic mood swings and reverse personality. I was not a fan of hers this book, she needs to seriously get her priorities checked and stop acting like a *****. Judging from the shocking ending it looks like Solange is about to get a rude awakening.

There were many new surprises in Bleeding Hearts the biggest being the dramatic ending, usually Alyxandra Harvey leaves things off rather nicely with a satisfying end but this time we get a big cliffhanger. Now we must all endure who knows how long to find out what will become of our favorite vampire family and all the others in their lives. I have a feeling the next book will be one of, if not the best of the series.
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Jan 09, 2012 Deborah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: latest-reads, new-author-for-me, reviewer-book, series-section, woman-writer, zombie-or-vampires

This is another fabulous sequel following the Chronicles of the Drake Dynasty of Vampires. I couldn't be happier to have found this series, and I'm such an avid fan now, I don't know what I'll do until Alyxandra Harvey continues on to the next one! I understand it's called "Blood Moon" and will be released sometime in June 2012...not soon enough for me and her other fans, I'm sure.

Alyxandra Harvey books are nothing short of addictive. I know you've heard about vampire books adnauseam, but you h...more This is another fabulous sequel following the Chronicles of the Drake Dynasty of Vampires. I couldn't be happier to have found this series, and I'm such an avid fan now, I don't know what I'll do until Alyxandra Harvey continues on to the next one! I understand it's called "Blood Moon" and will be released sometime in June 2012...not soon enough for me and her other fans, I'm sure.

Alyxandra Harvey books are nothing short of addictive. I know you've heard about vampire books adnauseam, but you haven't heard it from me, because I'm maniacally selective. The books are such fun, such good stories, and have such great characters that you'll eat them up like M&M's and you'll find yourself craving just one more like I'm doing now. I'm throwing all my chips in for the Drake Family and Friends, I have to say, new favs.

Harvey is a better writer than Meyer, in my opinion. Her characters are more complex and more exotic. She casts her spell with a gorgeous group of vampires, feisty friends, intriguing foes, and lots of unusual background information on monster-degenerate vamps to keep it lively. Gothic details are lush.

In "Bleeding Hearts" what I found most enjoyable, aside from all I mention above, was Alyxandra Harvey's extensive reference to poetry in conjunction with the action around her new character, Christabel. So dark and gothic to hear Keats, Shelley, Coleridge and others quoted by the bookish cousin who is swept up in a vampire war without her understanding to begin with, of the dark forces in Violet Hill. It was simply to die for! And I so enjoyed Ms Harvey's exotic introduction of new forms of vampire spawn; as well as viral reactions to different vampire saliva. Gruesome! Utterly inventive work and well-written.

Alyxandra Harvey is a very good writer. I highly recommend "Bleeding Hearts" to all who want to read an entertaining, well-devised vampire story about a family dynasty that will draw you in to their exotic story. I'm sure you'll be searching for more in this series. I bought the other books right away, although you don't have to have read them to enjoy this one. A great read! Captivating, creative and charming.

Please visit my blog at: http://abookishlibraria.blogspot.com for a more detailed review with other books in the series, video trailers and casting!(less)

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Dec 19, 2011 Sarah BT rated it 5 of 5 stars

4.5/5 Stars

The Drake Chronicles is my favorite guilty pleasure series. I love the snarky, witty banter, the very hot Drake brothers, and the vampire mythos that Alyxandra Harvey has created. Each entry into the series is an engaging and entertaining read. I think Bleeding Hearts though is tied with book number one for my favorite in the series.

I loved that Lucy was back as one of the narrators. She continues to be my favorite character in the series, so it was great to get a peek into her world...more

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Nov 26, 2011 Lucie rated it 3 of 5 stars

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In this new episode of the adventures of the Drakes family, the reader met Christabel and Connor. In the meantime, you resume the fun and humourous adventures of Lucy and Nicholas. I still love to follow this explosive and amusing couple...They are hilarious! Lucy discovers the soul of a warrior in herself and wants to learn to defend herself to fight with her beloved one. Also she wants to find her own place between her humanity and her passion for vampires.

The charming and romanti...more

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Nov 28, 2011 Connie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Another great chapter in the Drake Chronicles! Well-written, totally engaging, it's the sort of book you start reading and don't stop reading until you've reached the end. As always it is written from multiple POVs. Harvey does this so well. I really enjoy reading these books and experiencing events through the eyes of the various characters. I like knowing what they're thinking and feeling. It adds depth to the story.

Christabel is a welcome addition to the cast of characters. She's smart, tough...more

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Dec 30, 2011 Haley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Still the funnest and funniest vampire book series I’ve ever read, the fourth book did not disappoint. I am so glad that the author brought Lucy’s perspective back. Lucy is probably the most interesting, funny, strong female character in the series. She’s also human, but she’s no Bella. The author introduces her cousin, who’s just as feisty, but into historical literature and poetry. I was surprised that it wasn’t Hunter’s friend Chloe who Conner fell in love with. Also, that Conner wasn’t Chris...more

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Dec 27, 2011 Trini rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

God how I've missed these books! This is one of my favorite series and this book took a while for me to get to for a number of reasons but I finally got to it. YA! And Just like all the rest of the stories in this series, Conner and Christabel's story was FUN, sexy, and down right addicting.

In this book we get to see how Conner (one of the seven Drake brothers) falls for Lucy's cousin Christa and how she goes from being totally clueless about vampires to being more like the Drake family than Lu...more

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Sep 13, 2012 Kim Chappell rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I can't say it enough I love this series!! Harvey just keeps you wanting more!! She has a way of drawing you in to each character and wanting more. I would recommend this book to anyone.. Such a great read.

This book is about Connor, the geeky but sexy Drake brother, also the Quinn's twin. He his usually so into his comic books and computers that he never dates, but it all changes when he meets Lucy's cousin Christabel. Christabel has come to live with Lucy's family because her mom went to rehab....more I can't say it enough I love this series!! Harvey just keeps you wanting more!! She has a way of drawing you in to each character and wanting more. I would recommend this book to anyone.. Such a great read.

This book is about Connor, the geeky but sexy Drake brother, also the Quinn's twin. He his usually so into his comic books and computers that he never dates, but it all changes when he meets Lucy's cousin Christabel. Christabel has come to live with Lucy's family because her mom went to rehab. She thinks she is in hell, small town and her aunt and uncle insist on them not going out at night due to gang violence. She is just not buying it.

Connor first meets Christabel when he catches her sneaking out of her bedroom window. When he scares her to death by grabbing her and asking where is brother is. Of course Nicholas is inside with Lucy but Christabel decides climbing back in the window isn't the best option. Connor immediately likes her because she is fisty. Lucy tries in her own way to hook them up but tells him she is into bad boys and Connor thinks he has no chance. He finds out fast he was wrong.

The Hel-Blar are out more than every and no matter how many they kill they seem to multiply. Lucy is determined to prove the the Drakes and her family she can take care of herself and she has been training hard with Hunter. She doesn't get winded like she used to and she is learning to fight one on one instead of just using her crossbow.

Solange is going through a lot and keeping her distance from Lucy and it is really bothering her. Finally she talks to Lucy and lets her know some of what has been going on and that her bloodchange has been different from her brothers. She can even use her powers on vamps and usually they don't work on other vamps. She meets Constantine and he apparently fills her head with some ideas that her family will no way agree with. Some of the tribes that have come in to be present at the blood moon have blood slaves they feed on. The Drakes don't feed on humans it dangerous.

Someone named Saga from a vamp tribe wants on the council at the blood moon. When she can't seem to get a response she decides to kidnapp Lucy only they get Chrisabel instead. She had borrowed Lucy's car and it breaks down, they through hypnos in her face and she has no idea what the hell is going on. When Nicholas and Connor get a note saying they have taken Lucy all hell breaks loose. But when they find her car Nicholas doesn't really smell Lucy only a Hel-Blar and cinnamon. Connor lets him know that is Chrisabels scent and he takes off after her. They soon find Lucy with Sol and lets them know what has happened. Connor is determined to help get Christabel back, but only manages to get caught. Saga and Aidan tell them they don't intend to hurt them just want them to realize they are different from the Hel-Blar and they are actually Na-Foir. They are soon attacked and over run by Hel-Blar that Saga doesn't control. Connor and Christabel take to a maze that was built a long time ago to hide but it doesn't work well. They get attack and before they can get away Chrisabel gets staked in the chest and Connor tells Aidan to change her because he can't get to her he is still fighting off Hel-blar. Once he gets free Aidan tells him to get her to the farm for safety and that he is her father now that she is bloodkin.

In the meantime Sol has been caught by Kieran drinking from the blood slave. She is so drunk from it she can't even stand up. He calls for Lucy and Nicholas to come and they decide not to let her parents know. Sol wants to know where Constantie is and Lucy wants to know who the hell he is. When she tells them he is the one who told her not to fight being a princess and her call to drink from humans Lucy goes nuts. Nicholas takes Sol home and Kieran takes Lucy home and finds out he wants to leave to finish is trianing for Helios-Ra, but he hasn't been able to tel Sol. All she wants to do is make out and never talk. When Lucy tries to go see Sol and talk she tries to tell Lucy to leave but her persuasion doesn't work on Lucy so she has Nicholas do it and it pains him to but he can't fight her she is too strong.

Christabel makes it through the change and of course Connor gets his girl. Lucy has decided to go to school at Helois-Ra to prove to her parents she can take care of herself and that she is strong enough to be with Nicholas and around the Drakes. Of course she had no idea how popular she was at the school. They all seem to know the Drake sidekick.

Helios-Ra are headed to attack Saga's hide out and Hunter, Chloe, Lucy and the Drake brothers head to help them and stop a civil war with the tribes. It all goes pretty good. Once back at the school Lucy gets a call from Sol to meet at the oak tree which means its really important. When she gets there Sol is covered in someones blood....Its Kieran's...

There also is a short story at the end called Lost Girls and its part of Helena's story and her meeting Liam. How she knows Cass, Lucy's mom. It gives a great luck into how strong they are, even Cass.

This is an awesome read and would recommend to anyone!!!!(less)

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Jul 19, 2012 Widow Dyer rated it 2 of 5 stars

And yet another two-star rating for The Drake Chronicles series. It really saddens me how this series is deteriorating. I just can't understand why the author is giving the Drake brother's love interest more narrative in the book.

The story is comprised of twenty-six chapters. Of those twenty-six, only five--that's right, FIVE chapters are in Connor's POV. You know, the main character whose last is Drake and who the book is supposed to be about. The remaining chapters belong to Lucy and Christabe...more

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Nov 13, 2011 Steffy rated it 4 of 5 stars

It not surprised to say that I enjoyed Bleeding Hearts very much. I liked Connor very much and his super geeky side made me chuckle…..I can relate.
You have quite a lot of chapters from Lucy Point of view which means a lot of Lucy/Nicholas goodness and I have to admit that so far Lucy and Nicholas are my favorite and they have cute moments that made me go “AWWWWW”
This story is well written ,the plot is thick and you get the introduction of a ‘new’ kind of vampire. I did like the introduction of...more

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Mar 30, 2013 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: embracing-my-inner-teenie-bopper, vamps-witches-and-weres-oh-my

Once again this book picks up where the other one left off and is told from three different perspectives-Lucy, Connor, and Christabel (Lucy's cousin)

This book is leading up to the Blood Moon, which is a political gathering of the vampire tribes that hasn't been called for in over a hundred years.

Solange is getting weirder and weirder and actually kind of annoying. She won't talk to Lucy or Kieran anymore and is acting weird even for her brothers. She won't take off her sunglasses and her eyes ar...more Once again this book picks up where the other one left off and is told from three different perspectives-Lucy, Connor, and Christabel (Lucy's cousin)

This book is leading up to the Blood Moon, which is a political gathering of the vampire tribes that hasn't been called for in over a hundred years.

Solange is getting weirder and weirder and actually kind of annoying. She won't talk to Lucy or Kieran anymore and is acting weird even for her brothers. She won't take off her sunglasses and her eyes are rimmed with blood. She kind of goes off the deep end in this book. Her pheromones are out of control...they even affect other vampires and her brothers which is completely unheard of in the vampire world. She seems to be obsessed with a vampire from another tribe named Constantine. He travels with blood slaves and even at one point in the book Solange borrows his blood slave.

Lucy's cousin, Christabel comes to stay with them while her mother is in rehab. She starts off innocent and with no knowledge about the vampire world. She quickly gets a crash course when she is kidnapped by a new/old breed of vampires. They were trying to kidnap Lucy but snagged Christa instead. This breed of vampire has been around forever and has been confused for the Hel-blar and wanted to use the blood moon and the kidnapping as a way to be recognized as a new breed of vampire. Before getting kidnapped, Connor Drake falls for Christa in the way that only occurs in YA romance novels...hard and fast and for no real reason.

So after Christa gets kidnapped, Connor goes to rescue her, thus getting kidnapped himself. Saga is the ruler of this new breed of vampire. She tells them the stories of how they came to be and what her plans are. She also tells them that she has an army of Hel-blar under her control that she will use if need be. Basically a battle ensues and Christa gets a stake to the chest. The only way to save her is to turn her into this new type of vampire.

There is, of course, a big epic battle at the end when the Helios-Ra school goes to attack Saga and her tribe. The Drake brothers, Hunter, and Lucy come to intervene before an all out political war breaks out. To sum it up...good triumphs over evil and all is saved.

The story ends with Christa surviving the blood change and successfully becoming this new vampire. Lucy decides she doesn't fit in anywhere anymore and decides to join the Helios-Ra school so she can find a way to defend herself. Right after the epic battle, Lucy gets a text from Solange to meet her at their oak tree and when Lucy arrives she sees Solange covered in blood and she tells Lucy it's Kierans....(less)

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Nov 08, 2012 Magen rated it 2 of 5 stars

I would give this 1 1/2 stars. I really didn't like it very much. The whole book just didn't feel like it flowed like the others. First off, what the heck is Lucy doing going to Helios-Ra Academy? Even though they are working together, this still feels wrong. And Christabel was just a weak character to me. I'm hoping she's not in future books. Probably my main disappointment was Solange. What the heck? It's just my opinion, but I feel like you should keep one of the main characters inherently go...more

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Nov 08, 2011 Ellen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-series, ya-series

I Love Lucy. I think that after all this time the adults should have realised that Lucy will get into the action no matter what and that cutting her out is stupid. But they did it anyway.

Solange is an idiot and a jerk in this book. (view spoiler)...more

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Dec 23, 2011 Kate added it

BLEEDING HEARTS, by Alyxandra Harvey, is another fantastic addition to The Drake Chronicles. I can always count on these books for a great action-filled love story with the hot boys of the Drake family. This book included another outsider coming into the drama-filled life of this vampire family.

I was so happy that Lucy was featured again in this book, along with POVs from her cousin, Christabel, and Connor Drake. I am the biggest fan of Lucy and Nicholas and I am happy to see they are doing well...more

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Dec 08, 2011 Savannah (Books With Bite) rated it 4 of 5 stars

For fans of The Drake Chronicles, like me, this book will not disappoint you. If anything, it will toss you emotions around like a rollercoaster. This book dives deeper into the coven of the Drakes. More secrets are exposed, a new species comes to light and more importantly, a new love is formed.

It never fails that every time I open up a book written by Ms. Harvey, I always smile. I adore her writing and the way she can bring her characters to life. This book picks up where it left off in the la...more

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Oct 07, 2011 Book Angel Emma rated it 5 of 5 stars

I love this series so much and this book just fuelled the flames in my heart.
What a cliffhanger ending I need the next book
Love Alyxandra so much I wish I was telepathic so I could know what went on in her head :D

Please bear in mind that this is book 4 in the series and therefore may contain spoilers from the previous books.

For anyone who knows me you will be aware that I completely adore this series. I love Alyxandra Harvey's descriptive writing style, the way her dialogue is so realistic brin...more

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Aug 25, 2011 Emma (BelleBooks) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc

I was so excited when this book arrived in the post for me to review from Bloomsbury! I was a latecomer to the Drake Chronicles series, but am actually glad of that now! I don't think I could have waited in between books to find out what was going to happen. I am so lucky to have read the first four books in the space of a week!

Bleeding Hearts is told from Lucy, Connor and Christabel's points of view. Which is a little different this time around, the past 3 books have only been told from two cha...more

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About Alyxandra Harvey

www.alyxandraharvey.com

Alyxandra Harvey lives in a stone Victorian house in Ontario, Canada with a few resident ghosts who are allowed to stay as long they keep company manners. She loves medieval dresses, used to be able to recite all of The Lady of Shalott by Tennyson, and has been accused, more than once, of being born in the wrong century. She believes this to be mostly true except for the fac...more

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Quotes from Bleeding Hearts

“I read a lot. I love books. If they came in a bottle, I'd be a drunk too.” — 40 people liked it

“Her eyes went so wide they nearly bulged. It was probably wrong of me to find that amusing. Or to want to take a photo of Nicholas with his fangs out and wearing a black cape lined with red satin and then hang it over my pillow in a heart-shaped frame.” — 33 people liked it

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Bleeding Hearts (Drake Chronicles #4)

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