Crave
Melinda Metz & Laura J. Burns
Published: Sept. 21, 2010
Purchase at: Book Depository or Amazon
Rating (out of 5): 4 stars
I can’t help but wonder if Melinda Metz or Laura J. Burns was ever the ‘Sick Girl’ in school, because they hit that one right on the head with their lead character in Crave. I’ve been trying to decide if I loved this book because it’s a fantastic novel or because I connected so solidly with the protagonist Shay. It’s both.
I didn’t spend my whole life as the Sick Girl, like Shay, but there was a full year of high school like that for me. (I’m better now. No worries.) But the shift in the way others think of you when you have a major illness is stark. In the novel Shay complains that she’s never the smart girl, the insightful girl or even the bitchy girl, she’s just always the sick girl. People hang out with her because it makes them look good. They can’t be mean to her, because it’s wrong to be mean to the sick girl. Shay, of course, hates it. She craves to be normal (everyone wants that in high school).
Her stepfather is also her doctor, and is trying to find a cure for her rare blood disease. She starts new blood transfusions and everything changes. Each time the blood courses through her veins she enters a dream state, seeing someone else’s memories. Gabriel’s memories. Only, she’s him in these visions. Each time she learns more about him, and the time skips centuries. After the new transfusions, Shay is strong. She tries things for the first time — running, kissing a boy, etc. It’s fantastic, but she needs more. She begins to wonder if Gabriel is real. From her visions she knows he’s a vampire, but vampires aren’t real. Right?
Crave flips the vampire scenario around. The human is the one taking blood. The heroine is weak, kind and literally dying to feel alive. We fall in love with Gabriel through his memories. We want to meet him, be with him. Metz and Burns let us see the vulnerable side of an alpha male before we see the strength. It works.
The only hitch is the pacing is a bit off. The plot rushes to completion at the end and makes us suffer with a colossal cliffhanger. The end worked in making us itch to read the next book and find out what will happen, but it still felt incredibly abrupt.
In the long-run, though, it doesn’t matter. I had a visceral reaction to Crave. I read it in a single day (almost a single sitting). I love Shay. And Gabriel. And the honest reactions of those surrounding them. Bonus points for a YA novel giving teens a look at what it’s like for the sick kids.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Danielle James , Vampire Book Club. Vampire Book Club said: Review: Crave by @MelindaMetz & @LJBurns http://ow.ly/2GBWr Flipping the vampire story around gets a thumbs-up. @simonteen [...]
I’m really loving the sound of this one aside from the cliffhanger which I’m not thrilled about. It sounds like the strength of the story is enough to warrant a read though. How long until book 2? Great review as always!
This one sounds good!! Great review-I’m putting it in my pile right now
I love the flip you referenced. I really want to read this book.
Thanks for sharing.
Haven’t started it yet, but I’m excited about it!
I just finished this book and I loved it. I can’t wait till the second one comes out. The end of the book left me hanging but it makes me more excited to read the next one. When does it come out?
I just finished this book and I am thouroughly frustrated. I wish the next book was already out. I fell in love with Gabriel(love his name) and the cliffhanger is driving me CRAZY!
i finished the book and omg the way it ended made me so mad. it leaves out so many things. is shay going to be saved? Wat will happen to her mom and martin? will gabriel change her to a full vampire? I just cant wait any longer.
I cannot wait till book too!
I finished this book in a day!!!
I love it how it somewhat relates to me in a way,
because I was kind of the “sick girl”
but I was actually shocked that she was the half-vampire!
But it all adds up now!!
I was really mesmerized, reading this novel,
When does the next book come out?!?!
Wow! I just finished this book and im sitting here trying to digest everything I read! this cliffhanger just leaves you there guessing and hoping that Shay escapes and survives. I didn’t even know there was gonna be a part two but I really wanna read it if there is going to be one. Can someone tell me if there is going to be part two and if there is, when does it come out!??!?!?
this book was amazing! I looked it up, just to see if there would be a second!
There will and it’s scheduled for a release this coming August!
He CANNOT let Shay die!! He can’t leave Martin alive! And where the hell is Sam??
Loved the book and can’t wait for the next.
[...] without giving away big stuff from the first book. If you’re not up-to-date, please read my review of Crave [...]
Loved this book! AND Sacrifice was just as awesome! Wish there were more
Met Melinda Metz in Concord NC, incredibly nice.