Hourglass

by Claudia Gray

Book Overview

Bianca will risk everything to be with Lucas. After escaping from Evernight, the vampire boarding school where they met, Bianca and Lucas seek refuge with Black Cross, an elite group of vampire... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061284416
• ISBN13: 9780061284410
• Release Date: March 2010
• Publisher: Harperteen
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.5" x 8.3"
• Age Range: 14 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 9 and higher

Customer Reviews

Courtesy of Teens Read Too

In this third book in the EVERNIGHT series, Bianca has fled Evernight Academy with her boyfriend, Lucas, and holed up with the team of Black Cross vampire hunters Lucas used to be an avid member of. For a time, Bianca is able to hide her emerging vampiric nature by feeding on birds in secret. But she knows every minute she spends among the Black Cross her life is in danger, and she and Lucas plan to take off on their own as soon as they have the means. But when a friend from Evernight Academy is captured by the Black Cross, and a series of events leads to Bianca's true nature being discovered, the pair must go on the run sooner than they expected. Even that, however, is not their greatest challenge. Because as Bianca's parents warned her, her first taste of human blood was the turning of an hourglass, and it's no longer clear whether Bianca will be able to choose how she'll live the rest of her life. EVERNIGHT fans will be far from disappointed in this continuation of Bianca's story. The suspense never lets up as her situation becomes increasingly desperate. But there's still plenty of both tenderness and heat in her relationship with Lucas, who has matured a great deal since the first book. The book's many twists and revelations will only leave readers all the more eager to get their hands on the final book in the series. Reviewed by: Lynn Crow

Ever Wonderful

After the fire at Evernight Academy, Bianca and Lucas take refuge with the Black Cross - a group of vampire hunters. This is not ideal as there are many problems with the arrangement including one big problem - unbeknownst to the Back Cross Bianca is the daughter of vampires and may become a vampire herself. Bianca and Lucas want to get away from the Black Cross as soon as they can but they have other worries: vampires are after them, Bianca's friend Balthazar is in trouble, and Bianca is feeling sicker each day. Little do they know it but soon Bianca and Lucas's lives will be changed - forever. Picking up where Stargazer (Evernight) left off, "Hourglass" is a fact-paced page-turner of a vampire novel for young adults. It is the kind of novel that you both want to keep on reading to see what happens next yet also want to read it slowly to savor each moment. Author Claudia Gray puts several twists in the book (none which I'll reveal here which makes the book hard to review!) that will catch the reader by surprise and which take the series in a completely different direction. The paranormal aspects are what carry the series and are nicely done but even if you took those elements away in this book Gray does a great job of showing how difficult life can be for teenage runaways. Bianca and Lucas continue to grow as characters and I was glad to see Lucas redeem himself after being so whiny in Stargazer (Evernight). There is not nearly enough Balthazar in this book but his few scenes add much to the book and are heartbreaking. There is a delicious underlying sense of danger throughout the book that make it an exciting read. There is also a sense of sadness throughout the book as Bianca and Lucas, through no fault of their own, have lost and continue to lose so much - don't surprised if you find yourself tearing up at times while reading "Hourglass". Speaking of surprises - there are plenty in this book and "Hourglass" ends on quite a cliffhanger - one that will have readers eagerly waiting for the last book in the series which is due out next year. "Hourglass" is an excellent addition to the Evernight (Evernight, Book 1) series - a series that I like much better than the Twilight series.

4 1/2 stars- Betrayal, death and heartache make for a fast paced and exciting read

Stargazer was much more than I expected, Claudia Gray's imagination carries the story even as the high tension between the 2 star crossed lovers Bianca (a rare born vampire) and Lucas (a vampire slayer) keep tension and drama high. This story was surprising and emotional and ends at a cliffhanger that will make you wonder how the author will ever be able to conclude her next book! In the 3rd book of Claudia Gray's series, Bianca and Lucas find themselves along with a human friend part of the secret Black Cross (deadly and ruthless vampire hunter). Even as Bianca 'trains' to kill the evil vampires she tries desperately to hide her vampire nature from the Black Cross members. And the stakes get higher as her vampire half takes over and her cravings for blood increase. Desperate, Lucas knows it is only a matter of time before they are caught and struggles to find a way for them both to escape. But when his hidden stash of money is discovered and taken they begin to despair. To add to their troubles the wraiths continue to haunt Bianca and they are taking on a more forceful approach. And to make matters even worse they find Balthazar, a good vampire friend of Bianca's has been captured and is being tortured by the Black Cross. How can they save him and themselves, too? While Bianca becomes progressively and mysteriously weaker and the pact her parents made with the wraiths looms over Bianca's future, tension builds to near claustrophobic levels. Can their relationship survive, will they? This was an amazing read that you will not forget. Betrayal, death and heartache make for a fast paced and exciting read. As mentioned earlier, I have no idea how the author will continue her next book. There were a couple of big shocks that I never saw coming that were not resolved. I am still not sure how I feel about what eventually happens to Bianca, except to say it was tore at my heart. This story became even more emotional as the stakes for a life together elude Lucas and Bianca seem insurmountable The wall between them keeps getting higher and higher as circumstances are determined to keep them apart. They are the contemporary paranormal equivalent to Romeo and Juliet. Their love for each other is wonderful to read and it makes their short moments together all that more poignant and heartfelt. I loved this book even as I ground my teeth in frustration when I read the surprisingly and intense ending. The only reason I didn't rate it a full 5 stars is because of the cliffhanger ending. Another year to wonder what will happen to a couple a care so much about. Argh!

hourglass

"Hourglass" continues the Evernight series with the story of star-crossed lovers Lucas & Bianca. Bianca is half human, half vampire, and Lucas belongs to Black Cross, a centuries old organization that hunts vampires. The setup is a familiar one, but the Evernight series adds something different to the YA vampire genre. At the end of the previous book, "Stargazer," Bianca escapes Evernight Academy to be with Lucas & Black Cross; the two decide to stay with Black Cross only until they can save enough money to leave. Of course, not everything goes as planned. Without giving away spoilers, we see Balthazar, Vic, & Ranulf again. All 3 play big parts in helping Bianca & Lucas, & the wraiths are still hunting Bianca. In fact, the situation with the wraiths comes to a head, & Bianca must make some brave decisions. I think "Hourglass" is the best Evernight novel yet. Even without the familiar Evernight school grounds, Gray still manages to make this novel great. I'm sad that the next book will be the last, but I am sure Gray will make it worth the wait.

Excellent third book

Claudia Grey continues her love story of starcrossed lovers Bianca and Lucas in Hourglass, the third in the Evernight series. The story begins with Bianca and Lucas working with Black Cross (a vampire hunting organization)and trying to hide Bianca's true identity. The author is able to make this novel as exciting as the other two while breaking from the Evernight School location that was center in her other two novels. The mystery and final plot twist are foreshadowed but still surprising and the cliffhanger left me excited to read the next book in the series. The Evernight series explores forbidden love like the Twilight books that are loved by teens but does it in a more exciting manner. Teens and Young adults will love this series. As for possible objectionable content. The main characters have sex, the descriptions of which are not graphic. There is no alcohol or drug use. There is violence and biting because no vampire novel would be complete with out some biting.