Blog tour: Crave - Review and quickie interview

Crave by Melissa Darnell
The Clann book one.
Available now.
http://www.miraink.co.uk/

What's it about?
Bloodlust. Magic. Forbidden secrets.

When Savannah Colbert returns to school after a mystery illness, the fact that she has changed is clear to everyone. None more so than every school girls golden boy Tristan Coleman. Ever since their first kiss in fourth grade, Savannah and Tristan have been cruelly and inexplicably banned from associating with each other. Now, as the pair navigate the tricky social life of high school, the truth is about to be revealed.
As Savannah learns of their paranormal ancestry and Tristan deals with the repercussions of her new powers, the relationship they have been denied for so long becomes utterly irresistible and all consuming. Like Romeo and Juliet centuries before them, Savannah and Tristan’s love is destined to fail; and Tristan’s powerful magical family, the Clann, are watching.

My review

If you like long drawn out love stories, then this is the book for you. I, however, am not a fan of epic love tales and have to say, I found myself getting bored several times during this book, it just seemed overly dragged out, a big chunk of the middle could've been cut out and I'd have enjoyed it a lot more. There were plenty of times I wanted to just put down the book altogether and not read it but I managed to pull through to the end which I think says a lot about the writing, had it been written badly I'd never have made it past the first 100 pages, but the authors writing was a lovely style and easy to read, there were a lot of descriptions on what was happening making it a breeze to imagine the scenarios.
I wasn't a big fan of Savannah, when she becomes good at dancing it suddenly becomes her lifes dream when she wasn't interested before, she just took the class for a PE credit, and I felt she didn't really fight for anything she wanted, she gave the big talk but there was no action, she just rolled over and said ok, Tristan was much the same when his own dreams are taken away.
I think this was good for a debut book and hopefully further stories in the series will be tighter but I'm undecided on whether I'll be reading them so I mightn't find out.

My thoughts on the cover
This is a gorgeous cover, the red leaves around the edges really stand out and the girls pose is interesting and she has a gorgeous dress! I also love the way the dress is spread around her, and the tag line is intriguing.

Favourite quotes

'His name echoed through my head, fuzzing up my mind with old memories and emotions. An answering tingle rippled up the back of my neck and over my scalp.'

'And then, with our gazes locked together... something just clicked inside me. And I knew.'

Find the author

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Quickie interview

Crave is written from both Savannah and Tristan's pov, was there one of them you enjoyed writing a little more than the other?

-I equally enjoy writing both their points of view, because I get to explore two different stories essentially. Savannah and Tristan each have their own journey and evolution to go through, as well as their own individual personalities that are at times completely opposite from each other.

Savannah has this quiet inner strength, which affects how she reacts to adversity, and she's not a risk taker by nature. She's been raised to be a good girl, to be respectful and very loving of her family despite their faults. She wants to follow the rules and make them proud of her, and this becomes a huge inner conflict for her when it comes into direct opposition with her love for Tristan. Savannah's story is one that so many of us can relate to in our own real lives...that constant dilemma between wanting that exhilaration of giving in to temptation vs. following the rules and earning the approval of others. Do we fit in and go with the flow, which is easier but maybe not as exciting or worthwhile? Or do we choose to fight against the river, defy all the expectations and choose our own path no matter how much harder it might be? Do we eat the chocolate cake, knowing it might pack on the pounds, or do we eat the veggies and drink the wheatgrass shake because they're good for us?

Tristan, on the other hand, is the baby of the family and the prodigal son, expected to follow in his footsteps and become the next leader of the Clann. He's grown up with money and good looks and family clout both publicly and privately, and that's allowed him to become just a little spoiled. He's used to getting what he wants in life. But falling for Savannah wrecks all of that. He knows the good life he's living is dependant on his following the one rule to stay away from her, which he tries to do for years. But then circumstances force him to come to the realization that maybe keeping that life as he knew it isn't worth the price if he can't be with Savannah. She makes him reevaluate his life, his choices past present and future, and everything he once knew.

I noticed a playlist for the book in the back, are they songs that you thought about and choose or did they just come to you when writing/reading those particular scenes?

-As a former dancer, I still turn to music to help set my mood. I choose a specific song for every scene I write before I ever write the scene. Then I listen to that playlist set to loop while I write the rough draft and revisions. Once the book is published, I make the playlist available on the book's website. All the playlists for every Clann Series book can now be listened to online at www.TheClannSeries.com in the Music section, and links to playlists for my other stories are made available on my main site at www.melissadarnell.com when each book is released.

Would you rather be a vampire or a descendant?

-Both equally! Which is probably why Savannah is also caught between both worlds, lol. Her misery is a reflection of my love for both paranormal worlds!

Dancing is a passion for Savannah in the book, are you a good dancer?

-I LOVE to dance! I also love everything about dancing, from watching others dance and choreographing routines to teaching my boys how to dance club style around the house (so they can impress the girls someday, of course!). There is such an indescribable wonder in the combined beauty and athleticism that good dancers employ to tell a story with their bodies. But there are also the stories behind the dance that appeal to me just as much. The reality show Dance Moms is a good illustration of this. It shows the drama behind the scenes of even the youngest of dancers and just how crazy and emotional people can get over the seemingly simple subject of dancing. And of course it's one of my many TV show addictions now!

And lastly, are you a Bookaholic?

-Oh definitely, to the point where it's a borderline obsession! I've always been entranced with the act of reading what was once only a thought in someone else's mind, so much so that when I was four I grew too impatient to wait for kindergarden and ended up teaching myself how to read. Ever since, you almost never see me without either a print book or a tablet filled with ebooks in hand, even when I'm at the mall shopping! (I'm a multitasker, and you never know when you'll get stuck somewhere and want something to read to pass the time!). I read everything from YA to adult, romances to conspiracy thrillers (for example, I'm currently reading The Lace Reader, a magical realism by Brunonia Barry, and The Camel Club, a political conspiracy thriller by David Baldacci). I'm also a publisher of other people's stories and nonfiction (Netherfield House Press at www.netherfieldhousepress.com), and since 2000 I've combined my love for both books, cheerleading and dance by publishing books about cheer and dance at http://www.cheeranddancebooks.com/.

Thank you so much for the interview, it was a pleasure to answer your questions! You can also learn more about the Clann, Savannah's race of vampires, listen to the playlist for each Clann Series book, and more by visiting my sites at www.TheClannSeries.com and www.melissadarnell.com.