My Blood Approves

My Blood Approves
Amanda Hocking / YA Paranormal Romance

Seventeen-year-old Alice Bonham's life feels out of control after she meets Jack. With his fondness for pink Chuck Taylors and New Wave hits aside, Jack's unlike anyone she's ever met. Then she meets his brother, Peter. His eyes pierce through her, and she can barely breathe when he's around. Even though he can't stand the sight of her, she's drawn to him. But falling for two very different guys isn't even the worst of her problems. Jack and Peter are vampires, and Alice finds herself caught between love and her own blood...

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I read this book because of the recommendation from Lacey over at The Delusional Diaries. She positively glowed about how much she loved the book and after reading the blurb I figured "Sounds good, I'll give it a try" If you know my M.O. you've seen that the blurb shows it has everything I love in a story - vampires (not one but TWO of them), romance and a potential bad boy in Peter.With high expectations I started the book and was a little sad and disappointed with it even though it was a great book.

Don't get me wrong the storyline was REALLY good. I loved the whole concept of blood calling blood. That regardless of any physical connections or attraction, blood will always trump it. Nothing beats a good love triangle and I have to say, the one found between Alice, Jack and Peter was pretty impressive. Straight away you hope that Jack wins the girl but when you get a glimpse of broody Peter you suddenly want him to win. I found myself bouncing between the two brothers, never really knowing who I liked more because they both appealed to my romantic nature. I did have a difficult time in the beginning of the book, namely with one of the characters but the story and the rest of the characters were enough to pull me through it until I was hooked.

So,  I've heard some whispers that this book had a real "Twilighty" feel to it, to which let me SCOFF loudly. Let me just have this mini rant and we'll move on ok? Twilight doesn't own the market when it comes to YA paranormal romance - not by a long shot. Just because a book has vampires in it and a complicated love triangle doesn't mean it's a Twilight wannabe. Twilight may have mega stardom at the moment but it should never discredit the brilliance of other authors and their ability to tell a good story. Truth be told, and maybe I'm the only to think this, but go and read the first book in the Vampire Diaries series. Read it and tell me you can't see Twilight weaved throughout it and not see certain scenes of the movie throughout the book. So is Vampire Diaries Twilighty? Considering the fact Vampire Diaries was written 19 years ago, maybe we should be saying Twilight is a little VDish? Sorry guys but it gets my goat that by adding the term "Twilighty" to a review, it has the potential to turn away a lot of readers from what could very well become their favorite read. Please don't let this be the reason why you don't open this book and read it  *end rant here*

I loved most of the characters in the book and felt they added their own little something to the dynamics of the book. Everyone contributed to the flow of the story and did their part to pull me in a little deeper as I went along. All but one character, which is the reason why I feel just a little disappointed despite loving everything else about the book. Alice drove me NUTS!! I'm serious when I say that if it had have been just her I wouldn't have made it through the book. I've mentioned in some of my other reviews how much I love a strong female character and how despite their insecurities and the difficult situations they find themselves in, they're able to draw on some inner strength to rise above it and deal. Pity that I couldn't bring them into this story and introduce them to Alice. Maybe have them hang out a little, teach her to how to be the kind of character I truly believe she is but had a hard time seeing. In my opinion, Alice was incredibly whiny. I could honestly see how frustrating it must have been for her to know things were being kept from her and that Jack was constantly evading her questions but honestly, there came a point in the story where Alice had to ask herself - either she trusted Jack and waited until he could share everything with her or walk away. Simple. Alice chose the third and most annoying option of WHINING and CONSTANTLY beating Jack down with questions and accusations. I'm surprised Jack put up with it and I wonder a little if it was because he felt guilty for not sharing but seriously, enough with the theatrics. The last image I want of the lead female of a story I'm reading is one of her stamping her foot and pouting, saying "It's not fair" Thankfully, Lacey has since told me that Alice may just grow up and lose the whiny attitude so things look hopeful for the future and this will no longer be an issue

I LOVED the guys in this book - Jack and Peter. They are both polar opposites with the only thing linking them together is their pull towards Alice. Straight away you knew Jack would be incredible. How hard would it be to be in love with someone that you knew you couldn't have but you loved her just as much anyway? Or spending all your time with that someone, tempted almost to breaking point but knowing to stay away would kill you? I wished for Jack that things weren't so complicated for him. He is such an easy to love character and you feel yourself getting caught up in the passion that he has building inside him. What makes him even more irresistible is that he holds onto his honor and it takes an extreme act on Alice's part for the control he holds tight to come tumbling down and lead to a pretty intense kiss between them. You can feel the frustration pouring off him as he struggles to do what's right and as a reader all you want to do is jump into the story, beat the crap out of Peter so Jack can whisk Alice off to live happily ever after. Speaking of Peter, even though he was a complete jerk to Alice and yo-yo'd back and forth between being drawn to her and pushing away with cruel words, he has this incredibly intense presence that just called out the bad boy addict in me. I loved him in this story and wished there was more of him in it. He has his own heartache, his own reasons of holding Alice away and buried deep I'm sure there is a vulnerability that will melt the hearts of everyone who reads it. Who knows if we'll ever see it but Peter definitely adds a wonderful part of the love triangle.

You know this is where I really have to commend the author and say well done. Despite how crazy Alice drove me and the potential she had to totally turn me off the series, regardless how amazing Jack was or tempting  Peter was, the author wrote a very POWERFUL hook that has left me with no other option than to continue reading (I'm not really complaining to loudly because it really was a great read) I HAVE to know what happens with Jack and whether he'll find a way to free Alice so they can be together. I HAVE to know whether Peter is really the ass he portrays himself to be and if Alice has the power to melt his hard heart. I HAVE to know what will Alice do knowing she finds herself torn between loving two brothers. I. just. have. to. KNOW!! So after I push the publish button, my next stop is to get on my cellphone and download the next book Fate. I'd definitely suggest you download the book and read it. I'm glad I did.

Ratings : 4 stars and SIMMER