Rating: 
Summary: Outraging! A must have and a must read
Review: This book was excellent but you have to really be into the whole vampire and demon thing. I could but this book down not even for a minute.
Rating:
Summary: An excellant horror story.
Review: I really enjoyed this book, even more than the author's first, which was itself excellant. Jessica, the main character, seems a pretty average, unpopular teen at first glance. But she's actually published a vampire novel under a pen name. When a new boy enrolls at her school, he reminds her a great deal of Aubrey, the vampire villian from her novel. It turns out that he really is Aubrey, come to kill her. However, things become complicated when the two fall in love. Both of these characters appeared in In the Forests of the Night, and I was glad Miss Atwater-Rhodes chose to write more about them. Jessica was only briefly mentioned in the first book, but I thought right away that she would be a neat character. And I never liked Aubrey much in the first book (although he was definitley a cool villian!), but meeting Jessica certainly improved his personality. I highly reccomend this wonderful novel to fans of horror and vampire novels. The author is extremely talented, and I think it is wonderful that she has become a published author while she is still a teenager. I hope she continues to write more wonderful books like this one.
Rating:
Summary: Another great book from Ms. Atwater-Rhodees
Review: In her first book, Ms. Amelia Atwater-rhodes introduced us to the world of New Mayhem. IN her second, we see more of the intricate characters mentioned in In the Forests of the Night. The main player, Aubrey, is explored in a whole new dimension. I liked this book the best because it showed off even more of her creativity and charisma as a writer.
Rating: 
Summary: A good Rendell novel
Review: Yet another intriguing psychological thriller from the tireless Rendell, who once more gives us a frighteningly disturbed individual with some major skeletons in his closet. An obsessively neat and efficient recluse with a penchant for strangling a shop window mannequin in his cellar, Arthur Johnson has spent 20 years in a flat in a seedy part of town. Enter Anthony Johnson, a handsome, intelligent student of psychology who moves into the room downstairs, changing both of their lives forever. When Anthony accidentally destroys Arthur's prized mannequin, Arthur responds with a hideous act of revenge. As Arthur's murderous impulses are denied release, his psyche begins to deteriorate. Rendell finishes off the story with her signature twist ending, a jolting twist that is totally logical, ironic, and completely unpredictable, where everyone gets what they deserve, if not in the way they expect.This is a fairly quick read, and despite the dark exploration of Arthur's twisted mind it remains considerably light for Rendell. Neither as suspenseful nor as chillingly perfect as its successor, A JUDGEMENT IN STONE, but nevertheless, a prime example of the type of story that no one does better than Rendell: the investigation of two different people's lives which suddenly collide--and the volatile and often grim results.
Rating:
Summary: IT TAKES ONE INTO THE MIND OF THE DEMENTED
Review: THIS BOOK TAKES YOUR EYES AND THEN YOUR MIND INTO THE THINKING OF A TRULY TWISTED FIEND. IT LEADS YOU INTO THE DARKEST CORNERS OF HIS THOUGHTS, HIS BEHAVIOR IS SO BELIEVABLE ,THE ACTS COMMITED RING IN YOUR THOUGHTS AS TRUE. A GOOD AND VERY FRIGHTENING BOOK.
Rating: 
Summary: Sweet jeebus.
Review: Mary Sues are unforgivable. This book is such a blatant and shameless MS that I regret asking for it for Christmas all those years ago. Eh, what can I say. I was only twelve--didn't know any better. But now I'm older and I can say this book is crap. It doesn't deserve shelf space in a respectable book lovers home, especially since anyone who has the audacity to put herself so obviously into her book after only writing ONE deserves to have her hands acquainted with a sledgehammer. Sorry Amelia but this just isn't a good book. Still isn't. I'm terrified to read it again because I might rip out my hair or something. One star because I can't give a 0; and one star for making my bizarre adolescence somewhat enjoyable with your descriptions of Aubrey. (Huzzah!) Jessica Allodola is this writer who doesn't understand why her dreams and stories about vampires are suddenly becoming reality, nor does she understand why the kids at school hate her and most specifically why the boys don't ask her out. You learn early on that Jessica is beautiful, "flawless," and yet everyone avoids her like the plague. Enter the mysterious new student Aubrey to try and seduce the girl for whatever reason. Isn't it one of those tried and true laws of vampire novels that you don't get to know the person you want to kill because some way or another feelings will develop? That's what happens here. Aubrey originally went to Jessica's school to find out more about her before he snaps her neck and he finds himself drawn to her. So immediately the tough guy of the series that Amelia is timidly laying out for herself has turned into a wishy washy sap that goes weak for a girl with a pretty face. Doesn't make me afraid of him, but it does make me fear just how much more damage Amelia can do. Trying to sway Jessica away from Aubrey and the clutches of vampires is probably the only likable character Amelia's uninspired imagination ever spawned: a witch, Caryn Smoke. Caryn is genuinely nice and concerned with Jessica's well being, but Jessica wants nothing to do with her. Hey if I had this sweet little thing trying to heal me after I got my arse handed to me by vampires I wouldn't snap at her. And if said Healer witch offered to have me stay at her house after a vampire killed my foster mother I wouldn't treat her or the girl's mother like pests. Jessica is a spoiled brat that deserves to get killed off if Amelia had any sense. I feel bad that Caryn wasted her time on her. For some reason Amelia makes every character in her books drop dead gorgeous. It's not that Amelia herself is ugly, but she definitely needs to understand that her airbrushed view of the world is only accepted for so long. Don't praise this girl for her age. I'm 16 and I can write better than the garbage she's producing at 19. Now that may seem like arrogance on my part but I can assure you, it isn't. It's disgust. Amelia's age isn't something to be proud of, not if she wants to try and make a serious career out of her writing. She's going to be plagued by her slights for the rest of her career--that is if she has one. At this rate it seems slim at best; all those pre teens praising her can only bow and worship her for so long until they realise just how godawful she can sink. Demon In My View is a sure testament of how low Amelia can go, and considering how bad her recent books were, she still hasn't rose fully up. And just so you know: Mary Sues is when a writer makes a character that's so obviously themself and puts them in outrageous, fantasty-derived situations you can tell the author is just dying to have happen to her.
Rating: 
Summary: Meh.
Review: I'll admit to having read three of Atwater-Rhodes' books, the best of which I liked being Hawksong. This book, however--like most of her others--seems to lack something. It's not that she isn't creative or that she lacks the talent to weave a good story. Perhaps it's only that she lacks the practice and years of experience that other authors do. Jessica seems to be a bit flat for a main character. She feels a great deal of disdain not only for her adoptive mother but for her fellow classmates at school. Considering that they treat her like she carries some horrible, contagious disease, it's really no great surprise. But her constant sarcasm and blatant disdain for the people around her aren't really attractive qualities. It's refreshing to see a "heroine" (I use that term lightly) who has some kind of spunk and backbone, but she's overwhelmed with it. Another author also suggested below that it's a blatant Mary Sue. Although I can't quite agree with that--Mary Sues tend to embody perfection--I have to agree that it feels like a serious plug-in to me. Aubrey, the vampire "hero" of this story didn't spark a whole lot of interest in me. He seemed alot like the typical vamp to me. Cold, uncaring, ruthless... until he meets Jessica, someone who isn't what I'd call a ray of sunshine, and by page 104 (end of chapter 19) ends up kissing her. I might be wrong, but I think hundreds of years of previous behavior aren't going to change over night. The one thing I really do appreciate about Atwater-Rhodes's story telling is the amount of detail that she puts into describing her characters. In comparison, it leaves the rest of the story feeling drab. It would be nice if she could learn to maybe concentrate some more on other things. Another surprise--her chapters, on average, are no more than a few pages long at the very least. It's not that I'm asking for a tome of work here, but I can finish off her books in less than an hour if I'm not concentrating. I suppose her style is also a lot more simplistic than what I'm used to, but when you constantly write chapters that last a maximum of five-six pages (and often end between two and three) it's a little pitiful. One other thing I'd like to remark on that I found ironic and irritating is the symbol of the "black rose" for the vampires. Begging your pardon, though, but didn't L.J. Smith use a black/violet rose to symbolize the Night World in her series? Those books were written quite some time ago, but it wasn't so long ago that she couldn't have been familiar with that series. She's only three years older than I am, and I was crazy about those books when I was younger. I'm not accusing anyone of plagiarism, but I just find it a bit hard to swallow. So I guess, all in all, that although the book itself isn't horrible, it could use some work. There are probably better books to spend your money on, though, folks. I'm hoping that despite the redundant character personalities Amelia uses, Snakecharm will be better, at least. The title's catchier, anyhow.
Rating:
Summary: She Missed the Piñata With Her Eyes Open
Review: I've read three of her book so far, including this one, and it isn't anywhere near the caliber of Shattered Mirror or Midnight Predator. The characters were flat and don't even deserve to bear the title "one dimensional". There was no substance at all; just a messy story that seemed rushed. A bummer, but in the end I closed the book thinking, "Rhodes is still a great writer."
Rating: 
Summary: So-so
Review: This wasn't the worst book; it wasn't the greatest book. Granted, Amelia was fifteen when she wrote this, it isn't too bad of a book, being the grammar's right and there aren't any spelling errors or anachronisms, like you'd find in a VC Andrews book. But the characters weren't developed and it seemed as though she told too much rather than showed. Also, there were way too many adverbs. As Stephen King said, "The adverb is not your friend." But besides that, she did decent. She told the story and got it published. Would I recommend it? No. Read her later works, which are actually quite good. Hawksong surprised me. I dislike her early works, but Hawksong is a good novel and definitely worthy of publication. And to Chelsea K. Palmer - get over yourself. If you are so good of a writer, then why aren't you putting those 'talents' to use?
With that said, read the book if you want to. But I suggest not. Stick with her latest works.
Cheers!
Rating:
Summary: Dead and Cold
Review: I love vampire stories. I will obsess over a good one. I will slam a bad one, and I'm afraid to say this is a bad one.
The problem with this story is that it takes a long time to get to nowhere. Plot elements that could've been interesting just take too long to get to, and the manner in which they are presented makes it seem like nothing has happened at all. There is a climax, but it practically doesn't exist. The only point when it even started to get interesting was the end, and that's probably only because of the possibilities. What would really happen if she had continued the story would be a series of missed opportunities.
The protagonist has the personality of a dead fish, and although her origins are interesting I would not like to have another go with this character. The vampires are little better, they have personality all right, the personalities have a depth a grade schooler could have come up with. There is the blood obsessed vampire and then there is the usual misunderstood hot vampire boy. Then the witches, who are just generally pathetic. Even the "vampire hunter" witch is a yawn, not to mention abnormally annoying.
When I heard the writer was only 16 (not sure really but somewhere in that range) the quality of the writing made sense. This is the product of a developing writer who will get much better with practice. What really astounds me is that the publishing house actually saw this book fit to be published. It's a bore, overwritten and messy. There is a market for all things dark and vampiric but they can't seriously expect that audience to be so idiotic.
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