What Kills Me (2012) (edit title/settings)

• Rated 5 stars

“UPDATE: 12.09.12 Got an exclusive interview with Wynne Channing. It's up in my blog: Ramblings of a YA Reader.

I don't know what to say! OMG. This book doesn't have any boring moments, in my opinion! From the start, What Kills Me, surprised me with how the story progressed, the twists were really exciting and unexpected. One moment, it was like this and then, bam the story would go the other way you thought of. And it was really freakin' good! It was a fun read and brilliantly made.

I thought at the first chapters, it would suck and because I thought it was Paolo who's her partner. So I was shocked when Paolo said and did that to Zee. The author gave my mind some teasing! LOL. I really, really didn't expect that one! From then on, I was hooked. I was craving to know more. So when Axelia or Zee met new people and those people especially Noel wants to protect her, I feel like crying when they need to go now because the Aramatta (am I right about this one's spelling?) was coming for Zee. :(

And oh, that Obaia? I think I got that one right. (view spoiler) oh yeah, I thought I like the Empress. Then I don't. :p Then I think I'm gonna start liking her once again. :)

I like Lucas. Well, who doesn't like him? He's a bit of a jerk. But jerk guys when they started to like you, they are sweet. It's just an outer shell, their mask to hide their emotions. So yeah, love him.

My only problem with it was that there're lots of fade out scenes. I mean, not sex scenes, cause there's no sex scene as of yet. I want to see how they practice, like with Lucas' Obaia, or how Lucas trained Zee. I want to see how they would DO it. But it was not included and just treated like they already finished the training.

What Kills Me is a fast-paced book that I thought that it was not a series and just a stand alone. But the author confirmed to me that it will be a series and that she's currently doing the second book! Hurray!!! More Lucas! So I was wondering what would happen next? What will be Channing's new tricks for our mind now? ;)

Also, I love the fighting scenes! Zee's an awesome, kick-ass character!”

• Rated 5 stars

“This book was amazing!! It will have you hooked from the beginning to the end. I was really surprised at how the ending turned out.”

• Rated 4 stars

“Not your run of the mill vampire story, I liked it. It had a twist and I love a crazy adventure that involves travel--Italy, China. ”

• Rated 5 stars

“Fun read with some great action!

A teen goes to Italy as an exchange student, disobeys the wishes of her sponsor and pays with her life...only to become a prophesied vampire who scares the heck out of the entire vampire race, making her a target for death.

This was a fast and completely entertaining read!”

• Rated 4 stars

“This might be a bit spoiler-ish for some. Please be one with your Spoiler Sensitivity Level and tread carefully.

I have to admit that I was not digging the first couple of chapters, more specifically prior to Axelia becoming a vampire. First, it felt that those chapters were predictable. We have a foreign student out enjoying Italy when she notices someone watching her. She needs to get home and gets lost on the way when stalker person then befriends her and then gets uber scary. It was just all too familiar. Secondly, Axelia wasn’t someone I liked. She was always trying to be funny and I didn’t find her funny. Needless to say, there were a lot of eye rolls coming from me, eye rolls and disappointment when I really wanted to like this book!

BUT, Wynne Channing came through and with amazing colors, AFTER Axelia became a vampire. It was like flipping a switch.

What I liked:

*Axelia becomes more likeable, less trying to be funny but actually is funny at all the right moments. She comes into her abilities and confidence slowly growing into a very believable heroine.

*Axelia never loses her humanity which made her stand out, special and added to that heroine factor.

*Lucas, Axelia’s mentor, was written extremely well. He is well defined and is a strong character from the beginning.

*The multi-cultural cast!

* The vamps and the prophesy. I found it all to be very unique and enjoyed its complexity.

*The lack of romance! I LOVED that romance was not really a focus! This book has a lot going on and busting at the seams with action and it didn’t need the complication of a romance full of angst. Nice balance…Enough said.

* Most of all I loved the feeling that I was watching a movie. It was like Matrix finds the Underworld. It was pretty kick ass. Everything that needed to be seen in your mind's eye was clearly seen. Every scene transitioned nicely and every action scene executed just as nicely.

*Fast paced!

*THE ENDING! I thought the ending was absolutely awesome and I think it was played brilliantly. The more I thought about that ending the more I felt it wasn't as black and white as it appeared but instead walked away with a deeper message.

I’m really glad What Kills Me turned around when it did and that in the end it truly was a great reading experience. I jumped online immediately after finishing in hopes that I could find information on a follow up installment. I didn't find any but hope that there will be another book. This world is one that can easily be explored further in a few more books. In fact, I’d be thoroughly disappointed if there is not a follow up to this read because there are a few ends that need to be cauterized.

Peeps, this book is available RIGHT NOW for .99 at Amazon and Smashwords. Take a chance on this one!

A finished copy was provided by the author via the Goodreads Making Connections Group.”

• Rated 4 stars

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

I will give this book 4 STARS! I really liked this book and I will read more of Wynne Channing’s work. I read this book extremely fast. It was a quick read, but I thought it was a good read. I think it would be cool if she had a sequel (or epilogue type short story) to “What Kills Me” so that we could see what happens in the next chapter of Zee’s life. I would recommend this book to anyone whom enjoys Young Adult, Paranormal Romance.

Zee is a very untraditional vampire and that scares the rest of the vampire empire. All vampires have a creator, except Zee. When she fell in to a well of Ancient Vampire blood, she emerged a vampire. A long ago prophecy predicted Zee’s arrival, but also said that Zee would be the destroyer of the entire vampire race. Zee knows she is really strong but she doesn’t feel like a danger to anyone. The vampire empire can’t take that risk so Zee has been ordered to die. Could the prophecy possibly be true? Can Zee survive when the entire vampire race wants her dead? Find out in “What Kills Me” by Wynne Channing!

I loved the characters and everything they did. I found myself laughing out loud a few times with things that Axelia (Zee) would do. I mean come on! A super strong vampire screaming out of fear of bugs? That’s funny! Zee didn’t really consider herself a dangerous vampire though, she thought of herself the same way she always did. She was just a shy 17 year old girl that preferred playing scrabble with her parents than partying with kids her age. One trait she definitely held onto through her transition into a vampire was her motor-mouth. Whenever Zee got nervous she would talk so much and just ramble on and on.

I liked the relationship between Zee and Lucas. It was clear in the beginning Lucas couldn’t stand Zee, and Zee thought Lucas was a jerk. With everything that they experienced together though, they developed a strong bond. They began caring for each other. I found myself routing for their love, wanting them to kiss, wanting someone to confess their feelings for the other! I couldn’t help but smile whenever I saw progress in their relationship. Lucas was always so serious, so whenever he would crack a smile, I found myself smiling too.

Overall, I think that this was a fun and exciting read. The only downside was that it was pretty short. BUT! That is only because I liked it so much I didn’t want it to end, though I wanted to see what happened next. I also thought that the cover was really beautiful – this book was just the total package! I think that everyone should go out and read “What Kills Me” by Wynne Channing. I know that I am definitely going to check out more of her work and add it to my ‘to be read’ list.

Brianna Lee Book Reviews
http://www.briannaleereviews.blogspot.com”

• Rated 5 stars

“Wynne Channing’s debut novel, “What Kills Me,” is to die for. I’m not being cute here; this vampire novel kicks the you-know-what out of most other vampire novels out there.

The premise is original. The characters are well developed. The settings are beautifully described. The story is fluid and fast-paced. The action is almost non-stop, but never over the top. Most importantly, the series’ potential is unlimited.

The main characters, Zee and Lucas, make you want to cheer. They’re damaged, yet determined. They’re also a great team, whether working in tandem to remove heads and limbs from enemies or supporting each other through a never-ending series of betrayals and heartbreak. Thankfully, Channing depicts how they deal with their burgeoning feelings for each other with style and finesse, instead of overwhelming the reader with endless prose about physical attraction and pseudo-narcissism.

The ending was one of the best I can recall. While bringing the story to a satisfying, albeit surprise, conclusion, the information revealed has the potential to turn the entire series on its ear.

I eagerly—but not very patiently—await the next installment.

I highly recommend “What Kills Me” for fans of YA, paranormal romance, and urban fantasy … although I firmly believe it should be on the must-read list for anyone who loves great fiction.
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