Review: Sacrifice by M. Metz and L. Burns

Sacrifice by Melinda Metz & Laura Burns

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Publisher: Simon & Schuester Children's (September 20, 2011)
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages (Paperback): 256
Series: Crave (Book 2)
Source: Simon & Schuester Galley Grab
ISBN-13: 9781442408180
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series Reviews: Book 1 (5★)

Gabriel and Shay are convinced that they can make their relationship work. Knowing that Shay is half-vampire, Gabriel thinks that his coven will embrace her as one of their own, but instead they view her as an abomination, a thing that doesn’t belong in either world. And they want her dead. Now Gabriel must make the ultimate decision - watch his love be killed by his coven or defy the people closest to him, the people he has spent centuries with to save her.
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Overview:

I love the story that Metz and Burns started in Crave and it continues to maintain its hold on me through Sacrifice. Shay and Gabriel are amazingly constructed and the level of their love is something I "crave" to read about. While repitive at times, there are moments that are nail-biting and make you wonder how it is possible to make it out of this alive. Sacrifice.

Review:

I can't figure out where I want to start with this book. I was madly in love with Crave after my experiment of no reviews and an unknown title. There was so much to love about the story; I loved the spin on vampire lore just as much as I loved the characters.

The first book ends with a monstrous cliffhanger and in one of the smoothest transitions I have ever read, Sacrifice picks up in perfection at the exact following moment. This was an exciting to start to the book; however, the thrill didn't continue to propel excitement through the first chapters. This was the only problem that I had with this book. In the first book, we had such intricate details of the characters coupled with a great and enticing story that pulled you through the entire book. In the beginning of this book, we are left with our desire to have more Gabriel and Shay but not the pull of what was coming next. It was, in the beginning, a constant ebb and flow of  "I love Shay and need her" or "Gabriel loves me, he will find a way here" and any combination thereof with the two of them confessing their eternal love in the confines of their mind.

Once we break free of that cycle, it changes and the action picks up and we get a sense of the Shay that we fell in love with in the first place. We see "realistic" situations and scenarios as Shay takes on the world. In this book, we are introduced to tragedy, betrayal, and sacrifice. I was expecting Sacrifice to be more of a central theme, but it is only there, fleeting in the background and ending in a shocking turn of events.

Overall, I loved reading this book. I pushed through the lull of repetition to find a great story and a wonderful twist. So much of the background to the characters is woven into this story and I think it is a solid end, with no confusion and no questions. There is a possibility of another book, its end is not finite but leaves you with a solid feeling of resolution.

Rating out of 5:

Favorite Quote (ARC):

'You're with me. That's all that matters'...Even though it wasn't all that mattered, it was the most important thing. To both of them.

Review: Crave by Melinda Metz

Crave by Melinda Metz & Laura Burns

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 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (September 21, 2010)

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages (Paperback): 278

Series: Crave (Book 1)

Source: Library

ISBN-13: 9781442408166

Genre: Paranormal (Romance)

Shay could never do the things her friends could--never try out for sports, never go to parties, never fall in love. Because of the mysterious and incurable blood disorder she was born with, she can barely make it through three days of school a week.

But now, her doctor-turned-stepfather has a brand-new treatment that he thinks will change everything. And it does. As soon as the new blood starts pumping into Shay's veins, she has visions of a different life...Gabriel's life. She sees an orphanage, loss, fangs, blood, and lust that she can't explain.

Is Gabriel real? And if he is, could he really be what she thinks he is?

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I went into reading this book having nothing to go on but the cover and the synopsis; I picked it blindly off the library shelf and I was nervous. But sometimes, that experience is when we find the true jewels of the stacks and this book is one of them.

This book has deep and complex characters that tell their stories in dual perspective voice. Shay, the Sick Girl, finds an addiction to life; but it isn't just her life she is addicted to because there is Gabriel...Gabriel's life. Who is Gabriel? What is Gabriel? These questions compel her actions and her addiction and you find yourself wanting to ride the roller coaster with her; you want to experience life for the first time and with Shay, you can.

Through Gabriel's eyes, Shay has a remarkable connection to Gabriel and her unique take on life makes her stand out, makes him forget she's human...she's Shay. Love blossoms and grows into a complex relationship; one inspired through hope but started from desperation.

Their stories wrap into each other as you witness more and more of the history and the visions unfold until finally you hit the end. This book quickly replaced Twilight for me because of the elaborate character creation. Gabriel has true and sincere complexities unlike the popular Edward Cullen who simply feels he is a monster and dangerous. Gabriel has genuine family ties, clear and concise memories of his human life, his emotions, his last sunset; all the things that make him who he is. All the things that make Shay fall in love with him.

The worst part of this book is the cliffhanger ending. Towards the end of the book, the plot had me flipping pages and reading as fast as my eyes could cover the lines, the plot had reeled me in, I was in character heaven, then it was over. Gone. Done. Finite. And I am stuck in miserable suspense until Sacrifice releases in September. I long to continue my love affair with the Sick Girl and the Vampire.