***The Starry-Eyed Revue***: melissa darnell

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!

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