The Endangered Blog Tour + Review & Giveaway!

If Twilight and Throne of Glass had a baby, this would definitely be it.

The Endangered | S.L Eaves 

Pages: 384

Genre: YA, Urban Fantasy

Release Date: September 4. 2014 

Publisher: Zharmae | Imprint Luthando Coeur

Format: E-Arc

Source:  Publisher

Get It Here | Goodreads

* 3.8 stars *

S&D Industries is a prominent pharmaceutical company based in New York. It has, for many years, appeared to exist only for the benefit of humanity, and this year's chief product seems no different. The company's CEO, whom we know only as Striden, announces the imminent delivery of a powerful flu vaccine. The true purposes of S&D are anything but philanthropic, however. The newly-engineered drug does not protect against flu. It turns people into werewolves.

The only group which stands a chance of resisting this change is a population of vampires. The foremost of them, who go by the name of The Endangered, are determined to turn back the mass werewolf infestation. Among them are an ambitious rebel named Catch and Lori, Catch's newly-turned protege. Catch has brought this treacherous world to Lori's doorstep and both their worlds are turned upside-down in the process. Secrets are exposed, alliances are formed. Blood is spilled as the vampires must do everything in their power to preserve both their own kind and that of their food supply.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

To my surprise, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The synopsis left me intrigued, but confused as well, so I didn't know what to expect from the story. Not saying that I didn't think this book had any potential, I'm usually a little weary when reading about "supernatural" beings anyway, but I knew if the story was anything like it's cover, then it was going to be pretty bad ass. Saying that it was is an understatement. I decided to do things a bit differently with this review. I'm going to share the minor things I disliked about the story, then move on to the things that had me jumping for joy. You know, like the "saving the best for last" type of deal. So let's begin shall we?

The Endangered follows our main protagonist Lori Black, a 22 year old NYU student. In the beginning Lori is just an ordinary girl. She smokes her cigs, studies for her exams, and even bar hops with her tight knit group of friends after a long stressful day at school. She's a normal college student. That is, until Catch comes along. (Yes everyone his name is Catch. Interesting right?) Sent on a mission to spy on Lori, Catch follows her inconspicuously of course for a couple of days, until an evening at a nightclub brings them together. She's drawn to this stranger for some reason and decides to spark conversation. 

One conversation and what felt like a 10 second kiss, is what changed her life forever.

Now here is where we run into a few problems.

If you've been reading my posts here on fANGIRLconfessions or follow me via twitter, then you know how much I despise Insta Love. Yes Insta Love, the annoying thing that seems to be in 90% of our favorite YA novels. You know the situation. Girl meets boy, or boy meets girl. Then two days later they're suddenly in love and confessing their feelings for each other. That literally makes me cringe. So when I seen this happening in The Endangered, I wanted to instantly put the book down. However, other aspects of the story kept me from doing so. We'll get to that a little later. Their relationship, I guess I can call it that, happened so fast. I mean the Roadrunner from Looney Tunes kind of fast. 

" And thus is our dance. The continuous bantering of a love, hate, can't live with-can't live without you relationship. We are inseparable, and very possibly, insufferable."

Uh yea, kill me now. 

To the story's defense, I will say that the relationship wasn't overbearing or overdone. They didn't tongue each other down during weird, stressful situations. (cough , Juliette, cough Adam.) They were so busy kicking ass, that I don't even recall them actually saying the words "I love you" or being too mushy with one another. It was the perfect balance that a #teamnoinstalove member needed.

So we left off with Lori being "turned" into a vampire, that night at the club. The next day she wakes up in a bed that doesn't belong to her, a room she doesn't recognize, and a guy she knows she remembers but can't but her finger on where she knows him from. I would be freaking out, wouldn't you? But not Lori here. One of the biggest problems I had with this story, was that Lori lacked emotion. When Catch told her what she was and why, she literally had no reaction. Nothing. Nada. I was screaming for her to be scared, nervous, frantic, angry, something! Like how can someone be so cool about this? She does cry about the situation, but it was so late, that it felt like it was inserted as an afterthought. 

Judging from the synopsis, I knew there would be alot going on in this book. Vampires vs werewolves, chemicals, vaccines, I mean there was a little bit of everything. Which wasn't the issue exactly. Like I stated before with the relationship between Catch and Lori, things just went too fast. The plot moved super quick, which left me a bit confused in some chapters. One minute this was happening, the next paragraph something else was coming up. I just wanted the book to slowwwwww it dowwwn a notch. Or two. Make that three. 

With so much information being thrown at you, (trust me there's a huge backstory) with a steady plot, I would have better been able to keep up with some important points of the story. Everything was a bit scattered, like if you were to throw pieces of paper out the window of a moving car. I felt like the person who was left to clean up those papers. Picking up pieces of information from the story here, then having to back track because I found another piece of information way back yonder. Then finally, moving forward to collect more information that was strewn about along the way. It was oh so much. Thank goodness I received all the answers I needed towards the ending.

Now what's so clever about this story, which makes me think I need to raise my rating, is the fact that for all my dislikes, there's an upside to all of them. Let me explain.

1. Catch and Lori's relationship may have happened to quickly for my liking, but it wasn't something that was a deal breaker. (I usually put down books that display any form of Insta Love.) They weren't always kissing, hugging, and humping (there aren't even any sex scenes in this book) which worked for me, and the nature of the story. No time for loving when you have werewolves to kill! lol.

2. Even though Lori's lack of emotion hindered me from connecting with her as a character, and made scenes where you needed that raw emotion, that intensity, a bit "lackluster", it still worked for her character. I mean, she was a vampire at the end of the day. I'd rather have a fierce vampire protagonist than one that's always whining or crying about nothing. No shade, no, no shade I swear. lol.

3. The plot moved faster than the speed of light, but again it worked! The story didn't really drag, which made for a fun quick read. 

My favorite, favorite, favorite thing about this book? The fighting scenes! 

Oh my goodness, this story is so freaking action packed it's insane. There's so much "bow, boom, bang, chop" going on that I literally felt like I was watching an episode of Dragon Ball Z. Or better yet, playing a game of Mortal Kombat. Yup, I'll go with that. If you don't like gore and have a weak stomach, then put this book down and walk away very, very slowly. 

" I slip the blade free and bring it up as the wolf leaps atop me. His teeth sink into my shoulder, but it is the opposite arm that holds the knife. I slice into his torso and force the silver blade up-ward. Bowels spill onto the pavement. I get a lapful of intestines. He releases his bite and howls. I slam both hands into the handle driving the blade under the chest cavity and through his vulnerable little organ."

Now this is what I wanted from Celaena in Throne of Glass! 

I could go on and on about this book and how much I enjoyed it. Even with the little flaws, nothing hindered my reading experience from being as pleasurable as it was. If your in the mood for some action, I most certainly recommend this!

About The Author

Her professional background is in marketing, primarily in media and publishing industries. She enjoys being in an environment that promotes creativity and challenges her to apply her film and writing skills to generate innovative marketing campaigns.

Outside of writing, she's an avid sports fan and concert goer who enjoys running and biking in her free time and readily confesses to being bit of a film and television junkie. When home, she's never without a book in arm’s reach. The Endangered is her debut novel and is slated to be the first in a new series from Zharmae Publishing Press, with the sequel scheduled for 2015.

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