BOOK REVIEW

WHAT KILLS ME by Wynne Channing

YA PARANORMAL

http://wynnechanning.wordpress.com/

BOOK BLURB

An ancient prophecy warns of a girl destined to cause the extinction of the vampire race.

So when 17-year-old Axelia falls into a sacred well filled with blood and emerges a vampire, the immortal empire believes she is this legendary destroyer. Hunted by soldiers and mercenaries, Axelia and her reluctant ally, the vampire bladesmith Lucas, must battle to survive.

How will she convince the empire that she is just an innocent teenager-turned bloodsucker and not a creature of destruction? And if she cannot, can a vampire who is afraid of bugs summon the courage to fight a nation of immortals?

AUTHOR BIO
Wynne Channing is a national newspaper reporter and young adult novelist.

She started writing horror/fantasy tales as a girl. She still has the first novel that she wrote when she was 10. It’s (unintentionally) hilarious.

Wynne loves telling stories and as a journalist, she has interviewed everyone from Daniel Radcliffe and Hugh Jackman to the president of the Maldives and Duchess Sarah Ferguson. The closest she has come to interviewing a vampire is sitting down with True Blood‘s Alexander Skarsgard (he didn’t bite).

She briefly considered calling her debut novel “Well” so then everyone would say: “Well written by Wynne Channing.” 

REVIEW

I own an e-book copy and another gorgeous cover

Okay, so sometimes I have these urges to crawl through Amazon, and I'm glad I do because I found this absolute gem! I keep saying I'm not someone who reads a lot of YA, but dang if there aren't some really good ones out there. This is another. I love books that upon starting them excite me and this is because prior to starting, I always think they will be predictable - totally not so with 'What Kills Me'. Loved it, and it starts with this quote:

A human girl will be re-born a vampire. She will shed the blood of all who walk in darkness and bring about the death of the entire vampire race. -Ancient vampire prohecy

Axelia is just a normal 17-year-old girl who is spending two months in Rome, studying Italian. Axelia, or Zee as she prefers to be called, is just lovely and sweet and quite innocent really. She kind of reminds me of myself (many, many moons ago) in the sense that she gets so carried with looking at this and following that, she completely loses direction and is lost. On this particular day, it's no different. Zee is so caught up with everything around her including taking photos, she's completely lost track of time. Around a fountain in a piazza where people are either relaxing, sitting or simply lazying about, she notices a young man watching her and tries not to think the worst. Her dad had warned her about pickpockets in Rome. She shakes this off and moves on trying to find her way home. She soon realises she must be walking in circles as things look familiar. She can't win and is still lost when this young man materialises behind her. He seems sweet, is cute (and really as her best friend Ryka told her - have a summer fling!), shows interest by way of asking her if she'd like to go for a gelato after a bit of a chat, and eventually helps her find her way her home. Paolo is also seventeen and according to him when asked by Zee, is a student of 'life'. This should have translated into a warning bell in Zee's head and she did find this somewhat strange, but how bad could it really be? Paolo asks Zee if she'd like to meet him the following day at 9:15 pm. Of course, she's dying to meet him as this could be he first real romance - in a foreign city - Ryka would approve. 

Sofia, her host, isn't too pleased when she walks in late which is completely understandable as she's responsible for these young girls. Once back in the room she shares with Miyuki, and after explaining how she got lost, she excitedly tells her she's met a boy. Better yet, they have a date! Miyuki is the bearer of bad news telling Zee that Sofia has imposed a curfew. They now have to be in by 9:00 pm. Zee is upset, because as far as she's concerned they're almost adults. She decides to talk to Sofia in the morning regarding this, but of course gets nowhere. She writes Paolo a note explaining why she can't meet him, but he nevertheless pitches up and convinces Zee to escape out the window, promising to have her back home within the hour. He takes her to a gated entrance, which houses a church. Zee is uncomfortable and voices her concerns. Paolo, however, states that they are just going to explore, he goes there often and that this church is special because apparently the 'well' within it is sacred to the gods. Still, his platitudes don't appease her and not only is she scared but terrified of being caught. Paolo manages to convince her and exploring they go. At one point, Paolo gets up close and personal, brushing a strand of hair from her face. It's a given that this is the moment as far as Zee is concerned - he's going to kiss her! What he whispers in her ear is not something she ever thought she'd hear - mind you, neither did I!

"Zee?"

"Yes," I said, breathlessly.

"Now that I have you here all alone, what do you think I'm going to do to you?" His voice was low, his breath cool.

I swallowed. "What?"

"I'm going to kill you."

Chills - to the bone! He then proceeds to tell her exactly how, when a voice shouts, "Stop!" I honest to goodness got goosebumps, because despite getting creepy vibes where Paolo is concerned, I never expected this. And, this is all I'm going to say regarding what transpired in this scene. From here on in, it just got better and better as if it hadn't already got my attention. When she wakes up, she meets Uther who informs her that she's okay. Zee wants to know what happened and is told that she fell. Confused and shaken, all she really wants is to go home. When she looks down, she is puzzled as to why on earth she's dressed like she's going to school when Uther explains that the clothes are his niece's, Lettie. Shortly after meeting Lettie, Zee thanks them both, but reiterates that she really must be going. Shock number two: Uther kindly and gently tells her, "When you fell into the well, you died". Oh my word! This gave me more chills. He further explains that she's now a vampire - she can't ever return home. Sound interesting enough for you? It's because it is!

The story, the backstory, the prophecy, the Empress, the Aramatta army - just everything about this book is amazing and fascinating. I loved every single character - good and bad. There's deception, good laugh out loud humour and constant action as they are on the run for their lives. What you least expect - is how the book ends. There is also, of course, interest between Zee and Lucas who becomes her protector. Although there is this something, I think, which could very well blossom into a romance between Lucas and Zee, you will not find romance in this book. This is a first for me, but let me tell you, it didn't need it. Maybe this (whatever I felt between these two) will evolve in book two, and if it does - awesome, but if it doesn't? -it won't stop me from reading this story further. 

When I read YA books that grab and keep my absolute attention, this is the one time I wish I had a daughter to share them with. Read it, I recommend it and it rocked. Should you be thinking of filling your teenagers' Christmas stocking with books, or yours, add this one to the pile. You won't regret it and they will love you for it.

I've trawled the internet and the authors website looking for any information regarding a second book, but no luck. However, I left the author a comment to which she's now replied. There will definitely be a second and third book. Now this makes me very happy indeed. The sequel is scheduled to drop Summer 2013. 

"We also have an underground contingent in Johannesburg that could offer you refuge," she said. -Samira to Lucas (Not only did I add this because I live in Johannesburg and how awesome it was to read it in a book, but Samira? -very cool character)

This bit had me laughing out loud. It did. So much so, my son walked into my room wondering if I'd gone mad. You'll understand it when you read it in its entirety. 

"But what if the arrabbiata track her down?"

"What?"

"The...sorry, arrabbiata is a pasta sauce. I mean the army guys." -Zee to Lucas

 SANDRA'S RATING: 5 STARS