Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Review: Covet by Melissa Darnell

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Title:  Covet
Author:  Melissa Darnell
Series:  The Clann #2
Publisher:  Harlequin Teen
Publication Date:  September 25, 2012
Source:  Netgalley
Purchase:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Dangerous to be together. Painful to be apart.

Savannah Colbert knows she broke up with Tristan Coleman for the right reasons. Most of all, to keep from killing him with her new vampire abilities. But try telling her heart. Now, lost in a sea of hostile Clann faces, Sav tries to come to terms with what she's becoming and what that means for her future. And that someone is doing their best to bully her into making a terrible mistake.

Tristan can't believe Sav won't even talk to him. If being apart is her decision, fine. Just don't expect him to honor it. But even as he prepares to fight for the girl he loves, forces beyond their control take them both in directions neither could have foreseen or prepared for.

A reckoning is coming -- and not everyone will survive.



This cover had me worried.  The cover for the first book wasn't great, but at least it didn't scare me away from reading the book.  I know I shouldn't judge a book by its cover.  I know that.  But other than the forest in the background, I couldn't see what this cover had to do with the story.  Plus, Savannah has red hair.  I know the girl is in black and white and so her hair color is ambiguous, but it would have been more striking if the rest of the cover had been faded out and only the girl's hair was shown in red.  Just my two cents.

The story itself picks up right where we left off in Crave.  It's been about a year since I read that book, but there's a brief refresher in the first chapter before the story dives into old territory.  Yep, we're back to that "I love you, but I can't be with you" spiel.  At least we know there's a legitimate reason for it.  But does it have to last the entire book?

Covet takes an interesting turn half-way through, but unfortunately, it's one I saw coming from a mile away.  All of the twists were predictable and the story could have used better, more believable foreshadowing, especially if it has any hope of sneaking anything by the well-read reader.  If it weren't for the brief moments of levity and some of the giggle-inducing situations Sav found herself in, this book might not have been as enjoyable.

As it was, I still found Savannah a little annoying in her naiveté, but Tristan's determination to find a way for them to be together made up for it.  Savannah was steadfast in her decision to remain apart from Tristan for his own good, which kind of made me respect her a little more, even if she did grate on my nerves with her inability to draw basic conclusions.  I also found Anne irritating as the tough, in-over-her-head sidekick to Sav.  She proves a loyal friend to the gang, but she's a little inconsistent with her acceptance of certain weird goings-on in Jacksonville.

I didn't set out to write a negative review...I really didn't.  I actually had fun reading this book for the most part.  But I'd be remiss if I didn't point out the things that bothered me while I was reading.  I should also point out the things that I liked, though...like the setting.  I've lived in East Texas practically my entire life and have been to Jacksonville many times.  The author does a great job of presenting the hot, wooded surroundings of this East Texas town focused on high school football.

All in all, I liked Covet.  It was entertaining and makes a great addition to this series.  It briefly gave a history of both the Clann and the vampire council, and it did so without a ton of info-dumping as many sequels are wont to do.  I'll definitely be picking up Consume when it's released next year...especially after that ending in Covet.  Sure, I expected it, but that doesn't make it any less fun!

Rating:  Photobucket 1/2

6 comments:

  1. I have an ARC of this that I haven't read yet because I haven't read Crave yet. Fans of the series will probably want to choke me for having this on the shelf for two months.
    That being said, I think I might have partially ruined Crave by reading your review, but I couldn't resist.And I agree, a little predictability is okay, if done correctly.

    Thanks for sharing!
    -Kait @ YA Vixens

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    1. Oh, noes! I hope I didn't spoil anything for you! Seriously, this series is fun...the wow-factor just isn't there for me, though. And don't feel bad...I have too many review books, as well, and not enough time. I'm thinking about devoting the rest of the year to catching up and not requesting anything new. We'll see how that goes...lol.

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  2. Thanks for the honest review. I agree that the covers aren't the greatest...maybe she should turn to her fans for cover insight.
    I was surprised by how much I liked Crave so I'm really looking forward to Covet. I was hoping we wouldn't fall into that whiny love rhythm in the sequel, but I'm counting on your opinion that there are other factors that make up for it!

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    1. I agree...I really enjoyed Crave, much more than I expected to. Covet was good, too, but I wasn't dying to get back to it each evening the way I had hoped. :(

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  4. Haven't started this series, but, it sounds good!!! I'm glad this wasn't a disappointment, and left you with a shocking ending! Lovely review!

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