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Drake Chronicles #1-3

Ruling Passion

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Hearts at Stake, Blood Feud, and Out for Blood .Readers will meet Solange Drake, her best friend Lucy, and the irresistible Drake brothers--the royal family of vampires whose matriarch is next in line for the throne. The Drakes must keep peace in their town of Violet Hill as warring vampire factions vie for power, and as Solange falls in love with Kieran Black a handsome vampire hunter and Lucy falls for Nicolas Drake. The hot romance and kick-butt action will keep readers coming back for more.

816 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 27, 2011

33 people are currently reading
1110 people want to read

About the author

Alyxandra Harvey

59 books3,157 followers
www.alyxandraharvey.com

Alyxandra Harvey is the author of The Cinderella Society, The Dainty Devils, The Drake Chronicles, The Witches of London, Haunting Violet and more!
She likes chai lattes, tattoos, and books.
Sometimes fueled by literary rage.

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5 stars
442 (54%)
4 stars
242 (29%)
3 stars
94 (11%)
2 stars
22 (2%)
1 star
10 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 29 of 43 reviews
5 reviews
January 17, 2012
OMG i couldn't put it down this is like way better then twilight and im a twilight fan.. so this is saying a lot... i loved the story i was laughing the whole time i read this book. It's like the perfect balance between action and action. I LOVED IT!!!! READ THIS BOOK IF YOU haven't already!!!!
Profile Image for Jennifer Rayment.
1,439 reviews73 followers
May 10, 2012
The Good Stuff

The dialogue between the characters had me laughing my ass off on so many occasions - almost every chapter of each book in fact
Kick ass heroines who don't expect or need a boy to save them
Many Whedon references - which as you know is very close to my geeky heart
Extremely fast paced and NEVER boring
Vampires don't sparkle or go all emo
Parents are not stupid or jerks -- and we know that is a big deal in YA fiction -- see authors it can be done
Author is Canadian
Delightful secondary characters that you are slowly introduced to and given just enough about them that you want to know more -- and maybe have a whole book about - cough cough Mom and Dad Drake -- cough cough lets have a story about kick ass parents
Unique take on vampire mythology
Lucy is a truly awesome character and I want more of her -- her quips constantly make me giggle
Good messages about true friendship and acceptance without being all mushy or condescending
Enough all ready just go buy the book most of you will thank me

The Not So Good Stuff

This 3 stories in one book idea sounds great -- but so thick it was hard to read - man I have weak wrists
People stared on the bus when I snorted out loud with laughter
Got extremely confused with the 3 organizations having such similar names and same with all the characters with names starting with H -- OK -- that is probably just because I am brain dead right now and come on I had to find something relevant to put in this section

Favorite Quotes/Passages

"Where are the stun --ooon. Shiny." Hearts at Stake

"And the patchwork skirt I thought I'd lost last year, twisted under a storage box covered in stickers. Yes, even little girls with vampire lineage have a sticker phase." Hearts at Stake

“Very possibly this was the night my white-knight complex, as Solange put it, would get me killed. Someone had better write a poem about it. It was only fair.” Blood Feud

“How did you know it wasn't really me?"
"Are you kidding? Your eyeballs could be on fire and you wouldn't bat your lashes at me like that.” Blood Feud

"I winced. Vampire mothers had unfair advantages." Out for Blood

"Oh, I'm sorry," Chloe snapped from the backseat. "Did I hurt your knuckles with my face?" Out for Blood

Who Should/Shouldn't Read

Fans of Jennifer Estep, Kelley Armstrong, Meg Cabot and Kiersten White will enjoy
Fans of anything Whedon will get tons of chuckles and will love this author

4.75 Dewey's

I borrowed this from Tasha and didn't have to review it here -- but I like to share what can I say
Profile Image for Kristine.
83 reviews13 followers
April 15, 2012
Stakes at Heart, Book One:

This book took a little bit to get into. At first I was annoyed being bounced back and forth between Solange and Lucy's point of view but it quickly grew on me. It was a real page turner and it was really hard to put down. I read the first book in just a day. There is a lot of action, a lot of suspense, and just enough romance to make it all tie together interestingly. Not to mention the comic relief provided by Lucy. She had me laughing at times you wouldn't think possible but it just made the book that much better. I can't wait to jump into the second book in this series...

Blood Feud, Book Two:

I flew through book one, and in the beginning of Book Two, I felt like I had stalled. The point of views changed from Lucy and Solange to Isabeau and Logan. It took me a few chapters to feel connected to the two new characters minds, but when the connection was finally in place this book was also a must read. It might of taken me a small bit to get into, but it was one of those books that surprise you and you find yourself reading and looking at the clock to find that it is actually four in the morning and you still show no signs of slowing. Again, I can't wait to finish the series. :)

Out for Blood, Book Three:

Having read books one and two in a matter of days, book three was no disappointment either. I'll admit that the whole point of view thing changing every other chapter did bother me at first, but by book three I was looking forward to being in two different characters heads. In book three you get close and personal with Hunter Wild, a member of the Helios Ra, and Quinn Drake, one of the irresistible Drake brothers. When I started reading the third book I was slightly confused as to where they would take the story, simply because in book two... However, the author still did an amazing job grabbing my attention right away by dropping me right in the middle of the Helios Ra high school and showing me a complete different point of view. It was a great story, keeping me captive until I finished the book, but even then I couldn't wait to pick up the next book in this great series. This book really ended with a bang after all.

All in all, I would recommend this series to anyone who is already a fan of all things vampire. Definitely a good read.
Profile Image for Cheryl Landmark.
Author 6 books111 followers
December 23, 2012
What a totally fantastic read, chock full of gorgeous, sexy, deadly vampire boys and strong, feisty, kick-ass females!

The Drake boys were not your typical blood-sucking, creepy evil monsters out to kill every human they encountered. All seven of them were potentially dangerous, that was true, but they all had the strength and willpower to battle against their primal urges and retain a lot of human qualities. Mom Helena and Dad Liam Drake were definitely good role models for them and sought to maintain their royal reputation as civilized vampires.

I loved how nearly all of the female characters, at least the main ones, were strong and independent and didn't have to rely on the males to help them out of dangerous situations. No damsels in distress here! Lucy was absolutely one of my favourite characters--a human girl who was extremely comfortable and accepting of her adopted family's vampire status and wasn't afraid of them in the slightest. She was also funny and snarky and lent a great deal of humour to the storyline. The banter between the Drakes was very enjoyable, too.

Although this looked at first to be a daunting read since it was three books in one and over 800 pages long, I actually read through it in a surprising short time. The pace was fast and furious and the writing was superb. And, even though I usually prefer one or two points of view, I found the multiple POV's in this book to be well done.

This is a definite read for those fans of the vampire genre. I would recommend it in a heartbeat (or, no heartbeat, as the case may be). :)
Profile Image for Whitney .
984 reviews31 followers
February 2, 2019
Ruling Passion (The Drake Chronicles) box set has the following titles Hearts at Stake, Blood Feud, and Out for Blood.

Hearts at Stake

Hearts at Stake is the first book in the Drake Chronicles series and it was a great way to start off a series. I just loved getting to enter this wonderful world and meet these great characters. I just fell in love with all of them. I just loved getting to go along with these characters journey and getting to see them handle all the situations that they are thrown in. I can’t wait to see what’s next for this series.

Blood Feud

Blood Feud is the second book in the Drake Chronicles series and I just loved getting to reenter this amazing world. I just loved getting to check back in with these amazing characters. I like how the author has different characters point of view in each of her story. It just lets you get a deeper look at some of the main characters whether they are new characters or previous characters. It just lets you fall deeper in love with them and you get to catch up with some of the previous one’s that you like to see again. I just loved getting to learn more about Logan Drake and Isabeau St. Croix and getting to see their journey and struggles. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Out for Blood

Out for Blood is the third book in the Drake Chronicles series and ahhhhh I just absolutely loved this book. This books main characters are Quinn Drake and a new character Hunter Wild. I just absolutely loved this book. It was so easy to get lost in and I just didn’t want to put it down. These characters and this story just captivated me and I was just on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
Profile Image for Danae.
557 reviews4 followers
September 11, 2023
Hearts at Stake:
⭐️4.5
💧6

I loved this book it gave me Vampire in Denial vibes (which if you haven’t read the Family Blood Ties series by Dale Mayer you should because it’s got the same vibe and writing style) and Twilight.
My only complaint is we didn’t get Nick’s POV. As much as I love Solange and Lucy the blurb literally says Drake brothers that steal hearts and the other two books do have the brother’s pov for whoever their love interest is. This is the only one that doesn’t.
I devoured this one in a day the characters, world, plot sucked me in and wouldn’t let me go.

Blood Feud:
No ratings

It doesn’t feel right rating this book because while I loved Logan I couldn’t care about Isabeau. I feel like this book tried a little too hard to the point I skipped a vast majority of the book and missed them taking down the villain but I didn’t really care that much about the villain(s). It all boiled down to I didn’t care so I could invest in the story.

Out for Blood:
⭐️4.5
💧6

I loved that Quinn always called Hunter Buffy like I lived for it. Devoured the book in one day and couldn’t get enough of the banter and sheer stubbornness. Again this book has the same vibes as the first book and I am here for it.

I highly recommend this series, it’s not the greatest writing ever, but it’s the perfect escape read if you want a unique take on vampires that’s not afraid to poke fun at vampire stereotypes. And if you like your men tall, dark, arrogant, stubborn, overprotective with a white knight complex and the women who refuse to be their damsel in distress. Or if you are looking for a book that’s got Twilight vibes.
27 reviews1 follower
July 28, 2016
The Drake brothers. YUM. We have vampires - of several different varieties, humans and vampire hunters all in and out of these three stories starting the Drake Chronicles. I instantly fell in love with Lucy and Solange in Hearts at Steak. Their friendship is strong and fun but before long two deliciously sexy boys, namely one of Solange's brothers, Nicholas, the youngest and an off limits vampire hunter, Kierran enter the picture. Solange is the first girl born to the Drake family in centuries and when she nears her blood change at 16, vampire suiters are drawn to her hoping to make history and take the vampire throne. There's lots of exciting fighting, mystery and passionate stolen kisses, plenty to get you laughing, sighing and moments to get the blood pumping.
The second installment, Blood Feud, follows in much the same way but we get to see how the second youngest Drake brother, Logan fairs at finding his love. This story follows Logan and a two hundred year old French Vampire named Isabeau, who belongs to a proud and secretive vampire tribe called the Hounds. Isabeau fights her growing feelings for Logan but discovers love is worth fighting for.
The third and final story in this collection, Out for Blood picks up right where the first two leave off only bringing in yet another Drake brother. The third and or fourth Drake brother Quinn, who has a twin brother Connor, is the player of the seven brothers. Quinn is always up for a fight and relishes not only the chase of the nasty Hel-Blar, feral vampires with insatiable blood lust, but chasing girls, weather they be human or vampire. Of course what will Quinn do when he meets the tough and sexy Hunter?
I loved every bit of these stories, the intricacies of wrapping each story together, twining events and characters forcing you along on a fast and fun ride while having your heart pound makes me thrilled to find out what happens next!
Profile Image for Jen.
127 reviews1 follower
May 23, 2012
I rather enjoyed this omnibus! It was an easy, fun and totally enjoyable collection. In general I like vampire fiction; I enjoy the different types of vampires that are created by each author. Harvey was no exception, I really like that her vampires aren't inherently evil. Rather they are animalistic, passionate, and deadly but also respectful, moral and civilized.
My favorite part of all three books is that the women are all more than capable of taking care of themselves. The get sucked into the chaos and deal with it rather than shutting down and becoming the damsel in distress! With that said, Lucy is by far my favorite character and the most interesting in my opinion. As a human with human frailties she actually accepts the vampire lifestyle she's in better than the vampires. She's strong, resourceful and doesn't take crap from anyone! She’s also messy, funny, loyal and unrepentant in a way that makes her standout on the pages.
Profile Image for Jennifer Reynolds.
Author 20 books296 followers
January 11, 2013
I really enjoyed these three books and will continue to read the series, despite only giving them three stars. The stories are great. The characters are relatable. For the most part the writing is good. I just felt that the author should have slowed things down a bit. Certain small sections move so quickly that I get a little confused.

For example in one section Hunter pulls out her cell and sends Kieran a text asking for Quinn's number. Then in the next line she sends a “him” a text. One would assume because there was no mention of Kieran replying to the text and giving her Quinn’s information that the “him” must be Kieran, but it isn’t. I figure out quickly that she is sending the text to Quinn, but this little bit of confusion distracted me from the story for a second, which is something a writer doesn't want their reader to do.
Profile Image for Esopion.
85 reviews3 followers
June 23, 2014
I was hesitant about reading due to the rise of vampire YA novels these days, but this totally changed my opinion! I loved the multiple heroines and how the Drake brothers each have their unique personalities.

I haven't enjoyed a novel like this on my own time for a while -especially vampired themed. After Twilight, I thought I had enough of that, but this series is a great alternative with romance, action all packed in one. What I liked the most was how there was multiple storylines and lovelines developing at once. It's not the typical, overused love triangle with one straight storyline; it follows multiple heroines and how they fall in love with one of the Drake brothers (with the exception of Kieran).

Profile Image for Natasha  A..
490 reviews
March 24, 2012
This is a collection of the first 3 books in the Drake Chronicles series. I really think that this series would appeal to the Twilight series fans. Each book alternates POV between the two main characters. Each book has their own mains. It is a unique take on vampires - there are different types along with different appearances. I also feel that this is an age appropriate YA. There is definitely some romance within, but the boyfriend/girlfriend thing isn't all about sex, despite the awesome chemistry between them. This is definitely a new favourite series, and I can't wait to get started on #4!
Profile Image for v.v.
136 reviews35 followers
February 29, 2016
Ruling Passion Summary:
This book is a combination of the first three Drake Chronicles stories: Hearts at Stake, Blood Feud, and Out of Blood.

Ruling Passion Review:
If you read my previous reviews you would know I LOVED this series!! And I loved that you could get it in this convenient bundle. I highly recommend this series to anyone!

Overall 5 stars!

Full Review at Wintereading
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Profile Image for Judy.
32 reviews
Read
July 30, 2012
when I read the first book..I right away fell in love with NICHOLAS even though he was a jerk a few time.. but I knew he would eventually fall for Lucy:).. Ahh finding out that this book would include all three books I was happy and changing every time from the brother's point of view and there relationships makes you want to have a Drake brother yourself.. Its a great series and I love it.. I surely do recommended.. you will end up falling for one of the drake brothers once you read it:)
Profile Image for Cassie Leach.
183 reviews2 followers
June 3, 2012
I would have given this book 4 stars but I couldn't STAND the second story in the book. I felt zero connection between Isabeau and Logan and found myself just skimming and then skipping the rest of that story all together. The stories I did enjoy though, felt like they were too short. I need to know what happens and I need to know right now.
27 reviews1 follower
November 25, 2012
I loved this book but that might be just because I already loved all the books in it. I was glad to have them all in one because it made it easier when I was at school or with my grandma and I finished one of the books I didn't have to give up reading the next one until I got home.
Profile Image for Jessica Badette.
4 reviews2 followers
April 17, 2013
It was so good that I had to re-read it 3 times. I spent four hours reading it and i didn't let go of it for a minute. i also love how she made each character in the different point of views of lucy, solange, quinn, hunter, logan, and isabella. i love it!!!!!!!
Profile Image for Elissa B.
206 reviews13 followers
July 1, 2014
This book was in a way confisuin -- the first book. I thought the first book it was too much techincal stuff but I did like the point of views. The second book was better and I thought the third one was the best.
Profile Image for L.M. Justus.
Author 7 books57 followers
June 18, 2015
An interesting mix of vampire stories, my favorite of the three was the second one. See my separate reviews of each book for more on my thoughts about the books. Overall, I would definitely recommend this series to all fans of YA vampire fiction.
Profile Image for Tania.
77 reviews15 followers
February 8, 2012
Loved these three first book from the Drake Chronicles, the fourth was amazing and hoping the fifth will come out soon :D
Profile Image for Amanda Devoogd.
1 review1 follower
December 27, 2011
This book is amazing. I love all concepts and how vampires and humans come together :) I would recommend this book to anyone who asks. :)
Profile Image for Grecekia.
121 reviews
January 14, 2012
Where can I get a Drake brother for myself *just kidding hon* (maybe) This series is sweet and great for all YA romance lovers. Can't wait to read the next book in the series.
Profile Image for Courtz.
10 reviews
April 10, 2012
this book is sexy and hot keeping you on the edge of your set full set action in fighting parts it was fantastic.
Profile Image for Cassie.
148 reviews5 followers
June 29, 2013
It's a teenage vampire book. There are teenagers and there are vampires. It kind of follows a romance novel formula, but isn't as steamy. It was fine for what it is.
Profile Image for T.M. Carper.
Author 15 books20 followers
December 30, 2014
I flew through this books. Love the mix of romance and fantasy as well as a different take on vampires with the various types. 3-in-1 edition.
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