Jealousy by Lili St. Crow

"The Real World is a frightening place.

Just ask sixteen-year-old orphan Dru Anderson, a tough girl who has taken on her fair share of bad guys. She's armed, dangerous, and not going down without a fight. So it's gonna take her a while to figure out who she can trust...

Just when Dru thought she was safe, everything exploded in her face. Her mom and dad are long gone, her protectors Graves and Christophe kinda want to rip each other's throats out, and a four-hundred-year-old nosferat named Sergej won't stop hunting her until his bloodthirsty army of suckers has torn her to shreds.

Dru's finally made it to the Schola Prima - the Real Deal djamphir training facility and home of the Order - and life is about to get even more Real World. There's a brand new svetocha in town - a redheaded vixen named Anna who's got the Order wrapped around her pretty little finger, and who'd rather kill Dru than share the spotlight. Turns out Dru's got something Anna wants. And his name happens to be Christophe Reynard...

How can Dru trust the Order to protect her, when its leader wants her gone?"

This is the third book in the Strange Angels series. I adored the first too books loving Dru's tough, down to earth, but vulnerable character and the world Lili's created. Book three picks up a few days after Dru, Graves and a couple of other wulfen arrive at the Schola Prima. In theory she should be safer there, surrounded by the council of the Order. But Dru's sure someone is out for her death, and that the Order's leader, Anna the only other svetocha, is involved. But how can she prove she's not safe when the Order follows Anna's every whim? With Christophe gone and Graves refusing to come clean about how he really feels about her Dru finds herself feeling lost and alone and desperately wanting out of the Schola, before someone manages to succeed with their plans for her.

I was hooked from page one and really struggled to put this book down. Like the two books before it, it's tightly plotted and I was never too sure what would happen next. It's a little less action, more subtle intrigue than the previous two books, until about the last quarter. But that's not a bad thing. It gives the chance for some things to be explained, back story to be dropped in (without it dragging the story down) and for Dru to discover more about the Schola, what being a Svetocha means and more about the djamphir world in general.

The romantic aspects of the series which have previously been subtle and only very lightly touched on pick up in this book. Dru's feelings for both Graves and Christophe intensifying and leaving her confused and torn. I am still not really a fan of Christophe. I can't really figure out why. He's a good character, well rounded, mysterious and interesting. But I don't really like him. May have something to do with the way he, like all djamphirs, looks down on the wulfen, and may have something to do with my adoring Graves as well. But there's more to it than that, just can't really put my finger on it. He did grow on me a little towards the end of the book, but only a tiny bit. Think he's going to play an interesting role in the next book, Defiance, and probably one I won't be too happy with.

Graves. Ah I love Graves. He continues to surprise me with how well he's adjusting to life as a loup-garou and his constant loyalty to Dru is great to see. Doesn't mean he always agrees with her, or that he won't yell at her if he doesn't feel it's needed, but it does mean that he sticks by her, taking care of her when she needs it. He clearly has feelings for Dru, but he seems to be battling them and I'm almost as confused as Dru as to how much he really feels for her. Frustrating on many fronts!

The pain and frustration of Dru's emotions make the book hard reading at times. She's battling to find out the truth of her past, her mom's death, still grieving for her dad and just trying to stay alive. But the ending was more painful still. It's harsh, shocking, heart wrenching and a hell of a cliff hanger. There are just 2 more books to come in this series, Defiance and an as yet untitled 5th book, and I can't help feeling that they're going to be just as painful but awesome to read. Lili's created characters to care about and a world to get lost in. I'm still holding on to the hope that Graves will be the guy Dru picks at the end of the series, even though the romance is a subplot not front and center, but it's so up in the air still and I feel it could go either way. But there is one thing for sure, after the ending of Jealousy, nothing is ever going to be quite the same for Dru and the guys. Can not wait to find out what happens next! This is without a doubt one of my favourite YA series full stop. It's dark, twisted and has characters that are strong and flawed. A must read for anyone who likes urban fantasy books. 10/10

Betrayals by Lili St. Crow

"Dru Anderson's not afraid of the dark. But she should be.

Poor Dru. Her parents are long gone. Her best friend Graves has been bitten by a werwulf. And she just learned that the blood flowing through her veins isn't all human. Now Dru's strange and handsome saviour, Christophe, has her hidden away at a secret Schola for djamphir and wulfen teens. Trouble is, she's the only girl in the place. The really bad news? Dru's killer instinct says that one of them wants her dead.

With all eyes on her, discovering a traitor within the Order could mean a lot more than social suicide..."

Betrayals is the second book in the Strange Angels series and picks up right where the series titled first book left off. Dru and Graves have just arrived at the Schola Christophe sent them to, and it doesn't take long for Dru to get herself in to trouble. Wulfen and djamphirs don't get along, add in super strength and fast healing with testosterone fueled teenage boys, and fights are a common occurrence. Dru isn't one to back away from a fight, but she doesn't yet have the strength or healing powers all the boys do, making it dangerous territory for her. Something she's used to.

But Dru's real problem is figuring out who to trust. Someone in the Schola clearly wants her dead, or in the hands of the most powerful vampire, Sergej. No one is willing to teach Dru, or explain things like what she is, her mothers ties to Sergej and the Order, to her. The only person Dru knows she can trust, is Graves. But he seems to busy getting in with the other wulfen teens to give her the support and help she needs. As attacks on the Schola get bigger and more dangerous for Dru, she realises she can't just stay there, waiting for the inevitable. But who can she trust to get her out alive?

I loved Strange Angels, and this book wasn't a let down in anyway! The plot is tight with plenty of twists and turns you don't see coming. Like Dru, just when you think you've got something figured out, or someone she can trust, the whole thing is twisted upside down and Dru's chances get slimmer and slimmer. I really felt for Dru as she attempted to find out about her past, what she is, the connections between the Order and her mom, as well as trying to figure out who to trust. She isn't a very open person in the first place and she's not used to relying on anyone but her dad, and he's gone now, so it's all the harder for her. I really liked her character in SA, but I really love her now. I find her very realistic with her flaws and actions.

The guys in the book, Graves and Christophe in particular, are well rounded as well. Christophe is very secretive and he's hiding a lot. He, like all djamphir's, looks down on Graves and the other wulfen as a lower class, but he's putting up with Graves for Dru's sake. I don't actually like Christophe all that much, but his character is well done and I do find him interesting. Graves on the other hand, I completely adore. His loyalty to Dru is intense and fantastic, and I love how he's adjusting to his new life. He could be furious, he could be in denial, but instead, he accepts and adjusts to make the best of the situation. He's not stupid either. He realises how bad things are and the dangers Dru's facing, adding more depth to his character. There's added tension between the two guys as they're both after Dru's heart. I know who I want it to be, but the way it's written, it could go either way!

The tension and despair builds really well through the book and left me hungry for more come the end. This series is one I think will be a favourite for a long time to come! And book three, Jealousy, can't come quick enough for me! 9/10

Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow

"Dru Anderson: Night Hunter. Knife Wielder. Heart Breaker.

Dru can sense evil, which helps when she and her Dad are tracking down ghosts, suckers, wulfen, and the occasional reanimated corpse. It's a dangerous life, but it's the only one she knows. Then Dru's dad turns up dead and she suddenly finds herself in the middle of a deadly game where every move she makes could be her last. Dru is more special than she realizes - and whatever killed her dad could be coming for her next. Can Dru stay alive long enough to fall for one - or both - of the guys hungry for her affections?"

Dru knows about the 'Real World' the one where the things that go bump in the night exist, she's been hunting those things along side her father for years. But now she's on her own in a new town with no one she can turn to and grieving the loss of her father, and trying to deal with the trauma of what happened with him. To her surprise, it's a human boy from her class, Graves, who comes to her aid giving her somewhere to stay and some much needed company. But Graves doesn't know about Dru's world and that's risky. For him and Dru.

While Graves is getting a crash course about the reality of the Real World, Dru is learning that it's far bigger than she imagined and that everything is not exactly what she's been told. The one enlightening her is Christophe, a (very cute) guy who isn't all human. And while he seems to want to help, there's a lot he's not saying. And whilst Dru is busy dealing with her grief, trying to keep Graves alive and deciding if Christophe can really be trusted, she learns that she's been targeted by a very nasty sucker (vampire) and she's going to need more than all the knowledge and skills her father taught her to stay alive.

This is the first YA book from Ms. St. Crow and I love it. It's dark and dangerous with great characters you can relate to. Dru is tough, but she's also very vulnerable, particularly after losing her father, and unlike so many heroines she does scream and run when she's attacked out of the blue. The way her relationship develops Graves is great reading. It's kind of slow, awkward and cute, and realistic. Both Graves and Christophe make excellent secondary characters, with their own history and issues to deal with.

The plot is pretty tight. There is a fair bit of world building in this first book which is necessary although a little slow at times, but despite that the plot moves along quickly with some great twists and turns. I was left wanting a lot more and seriously regretting being unable to buy more books until after Christmas! A fantastic book and I think the series is quickly going to be a favourite of mine. Dru is far from perfect, but she's easy to relate to and despite wanting to slap her a couple of times, I really, really like her. I'm looking forward to much more of her story! 9/10