Showing posts with label paranormal romance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label paranormal romance. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 5, 2025

Blackthorn by J.T. Geissinger ARC Review


This is a spoiler-free review! Please read trigger warnings - reader discretion is advised. Blackthorn was published by Bramble on November 4, 2025 and is now available at select retailers.

I would first like to thank NetGalley and Bramble for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review. Maven returns to her hometown with the impression she and her daughter, Bea, will only be there to lay part of the past to rest - literally. Life has an unexpected turn when her grandmother's body disappears into thin air and a past love is determined to reenter her life without taking no for an answer. With immediate guilt being placed on the Croft family - the Blackthorn's rival for generations - we see Maven dive deeper to find out the truth as Ronan, her past mistake, continues to insert himself into her life. I really enjoyed the gothic feel to this dark romance, as it was eerie and haunted the plot as we follow Maven and Ronan deeper into their lives. You could sense the uneasiness coming off the page, and considering the contents of this book, it certainly was not the only thing to cause readers to be put out of place.

I have not read a book for a very long time in which the main character had a child - it is honestly kind of jarring to see, as I am used to them having children in the epilogue or towards the very end of the book. That being said, the age of this child is clearly integral to the plot of the book, and Bea's presence was necessary for a number of plot devices. While she did not take on much of a "leading" role, she was still supplying a decent amount of drive when it came to Maven's story. Even though her presence was more so in compliment of Maven's plot, Bea was still important to moving the plot along in order to showcase Maven's determination, along with her ability to keep things hidden.

When I first looked at the trigger warnings, my first thought was how in the world are these going to come up in this story - I quickly discovered that the author was willing to go down taboo roads in this gothic dark romance. At first, readers would think that the "freak factor" would need to be upped tenfold after only reading the first third of the book, but let me tell you - it gets sent into the stratosphere towards the halfway mark and just continues to have the reader's jaw drop. As someone who feels as though they have read everything that falls under taboo, this book certainly had some firsts for me. It definitely takes a minute to dive into the freakiness, but Geissinger does not hold back once that portion is uncovered.

This was honestly a pretty decent combination of genres - you have the dark romance, enemies-to-lovers aspect at the forefront, accompanied by this supernatural and gothic aura that enhances the romance while creating this haunting nature over the story. Maven and Ronan's relationship is much more complicated than anyone could have imagined and as readers see their story unfold, they are presented with conflicting realizations and are left on the edge of their seat.


You can add Blackthorn on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date on releases and publications.


You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter (X), and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

Saturday, January 18, 2025

Linger (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #2) by Maggie Stiefvater Review


This is a spoiler-free review!

Almost 11 years later and I have returned to this series!! It appears freshman year high school me was very ambitious (and new to BookTube) and was reading everything in sight. I will admit, it took a few chapters to re-orient myself back into this series, but everything began to click back into place and came together. 

To be completely honest, every single time they mentioned werewolves, I could only think of Twilight - these wolves seem so opposite compared to others in literature. They are more "people turning into wolves" instead of "people shifting into wolves as they wish" - and considering the emotional toll it takes on these characters, I am glad they only have to deal with themselves and not any other supernatural creatures. The premise that the werewolves do not remember their time as wolves is honestly terrifying - I would never be able to cope with not knowing what happened for a number of months every single year.

Grace and Sam are attached at the hip and seem to be unable to spend a moment without each other - understandable considering what they have been through, and since they are teenagers, completely expected. Isabel's presence in this book was a point of annoyance for me - I just could not get into her character, and her perspective portions in this book were nowhere near as intriguing as Grace, Sam, or Cole's portions. I wish I could have enjoyed her involvement more, and Cole's inner battle throughout the book was a serious reality check for the rest of the characters.

There were a lot of moments in this book where I felt as though the pacing was suffering - too often I wanted to put the book down and I had to push myself through the slowing plot. That being said, the actual main plot of this installment was intriguing, and really picked up towards the end of the book. It is unfortunate that this reads more like a filler book rather than an load-bearing sequel. I wanted to see more come from this, and it simply fell flat in my opinion. I was hesitant on my opinion on Cole, but he warmed up to me by the end of the book and I found an appreciation in his character.

The last ten or so chapters were honestly the most intriguing part of this book, and this was essentially the only time that I was locked in and was ready to see what happened. Stiefavter's writing suffered mildly, more in the actual flow than in her characterizations. I hope to see the writing improve in the remainder of the series, but I can imagine that if it continues to follow this structure, the storytelling may be impacted negatively.

I do not have any particular attachment to these characters compared to characters of other series, but I am aiming to see this series through, whether it takes another eleven years or not. The idea of Cole and Isabel as a couple does not draw me further into the series, but does not exactly cause me to walk away either. Sam's characterization shows that he is able to be vulnerable in his life and honestly he seems like he would love to just bake bread all day and hang out with Grace. One day I will return to these books, but for now, I think I will take another break.


You can add Linger on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date on releases and publications.


You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter (X), and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

Friday, January 26, 2024

Silent Deception by Cathie Dunn Review


This is a spoiler-free review! Silent Deception is currently available for free on iBooks and Kindle.

I was looking for something short and maybe not-so-sweet when I came across this novella, and it was the perfect choice to help me get out of a reading slump. Minnie Goodridge has inherited a haunted manor, and comes across the charming presence of Gideon Drake upon her arrival to fix up the home that no person seems keen to enter. I usually tend to stay away from historical romance, but on occasion when combined with a touch of ghosts, I will be sucked in.

This novella brushes upon a budding romance between Minnie and Gideon as she makes the manor her home while digging into the dreadful past that seems to haunt the estate. Unknowingly tied to Gideon, she attempts to unmask the truth of a relative while he does the same, but he is immediately intrigued by Minnie's presence in his life.

Silent Deception offers the beginning of a romance that brushes the surface of what the future has in store for Minnie and Gideon. I loved the atmosphere that the author created, it truly felt hauntingly eerie as the story progressed, and reminded me so much of Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn in that regard.

Both main characters had a decent amount of character development, considering this novella clocks in at just under eighty pages. I found myself wishing this was a full-length novel, and I really wanted to get more into the story and the romance. The plot moved along at a great pace that allows readers to essentially finish in one sitting, making you want to never stop reading until the end. The relationship between Minnie and Gideon feels very natural, especially for the time period, and I loved the way they slowly began to get to know one another.

If you are looking for a gateway into historical romance with just a dash of mystery, this novella is certainly an excellent step in that direction. On a separate note, I think this is the third book I have read with this girl on the cover -- they never seem to disappoint!


You can add Silent Deception on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date on releases and publications.


You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter, and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

Monday, January 15, 2024

Awakened Princess (Beyond the Curse, #1) by Laura Greenwood Review


This is a spoiler-free review! Awakened Princess is currently available for free on iBooks and Kindle.

Kicking off my first read of 2024 with an intriguing retelling plot that seemed to wrap three fairy tales into one fantasy series. More so in the sense that there are hints from different stories written throughout this book, but most notably is Sleeping Beauty, which is at the forefront of the story. 

Keira, freshly eighteen and officially declared the heir, has discovered that a sleeping curse has been placed upon her, and she must find a way to break it before her nineteenth birthday. Going along with the Sleeping Beauty retelling, we have Prince Philip, from another kingdom, who has earned the interested of Keira when he attends her birthday gala.

This was a fun read! It was on the shorter side, but nothing felt too rushed and the characters are still given the chance to develop some more distinguishable traits. It was not overflowing with unnecessary side characters, and the author kept the story to the point and did not drift from the main plot line. Getting to see the early stages of Keira and Philip's relationship as friends to something more felt natural -- it was not instant love for them, and I really appreciated the way they got to know each other before anything else transpired. 

I do wish that we were able to see more development for the individual characters, but given that it is the first book in a series, I have hope that the next installment will draw more on their backgrounds and personalities. Regarding world building, this was a simple introduction to the internal conflict between two kingdoms, and we as readers are given a glimpse at the vast environmental differences between Philip and Keira's homes.

Philip's parents have a more secretive aura surrounding them compared to Keira's parents -- they seem much more untrustworthy, especially given the information we learn about his father during this book. Keira's parents are only a step or two above them, given that they keep a decent amount of information from her until the opportunity strikes once they determine she should know.

I enjoyed the darker undertones to the classic fairy tales that we are familiar with, as it definitely adds a new dimension to the retelling that allows the story to feel fresh. As a longtime lover of Sleeping Beauty, there was a perfect amount of the original story at play while still maintaining originality by the author. This was a great, quick read to get me back into my reading grind and hopefully on a fantasy kick to finally tackle some more books on my shelf.


You can add Awakened Princess on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date on releases and publications.


You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter, and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

Sunday, December 17, 2023

Faelorehn (Otherworld, #1) by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson Review


This is a spoiler-free review! Faelorehn is currently available for free on iBooks and Kindle.

The cover definitely drew me to this story, but the plot of a Celtic lore fantasy really pulled me in -- it is few and far between that we see Celtic lore take the forefront of young adult novels, so I was interested to see how this story played out.

Almost right away, I could tell that the writings style was not one of my favorites -- told in first person, I often find myself wishing for a third person perspective, or at least a dual perspective if the story absolutely must be told in first person. It is just a little irk of mine that does not take away from the story, but does make it harder for me to get into the book. Meghan's thought processes throughout this first installment are certainly something... she deals with the stereotypical highs and lows of high school while also being plagued by nightmares and strange creatures in the woods.

Meghan's group of friends are certainly an interesting bunch, and provide just a touch of benefit to the plot of the story -- I felt as though their presence, for the most part, was only to sprinkle in details of Celtic lore that normally would not have flowed well into the plot otherwise. When Meghan is researching Celtic lore, it gave me a flashback of Bella googling vampires in Twilight in the best way possible. A majority of the time, her friends are used to move the plot forward in the sense that Meghan is noticed to be distant or hiding things from them. Thomas, Tulip, Robyn, and Will are just present enough that you learn a little about their personalities without them overtaking the story.

Every single time a new little creature spawned itself in front of Meghan, I could not help but laugh -- her survival skills are not the best, but she has the spirit and that is what counts. I wish the author spent more time going into detail about these creatures or have their scenes more action-packed instead of one-offing their presence once Cade would appear. Cade's introduction into the story was well-fit for his character, maintaining that mysterious aura while still having a presence in Meghan's development. He was honestly more interesting to read about than Meghan was, as her character felt two-dimensional at times and was always conflicted on what to do.

As someone who is not a fan of insta-love, especially after having only a handful of interactions with the male lead, Meghan falling in love with Cade after only knowing of him for a little over a month was not my cup of tea. Yes, he is a handsome, mysterious guy that shows up out of nowhere and starts to protect you, but girl stand up and process everything else that is going on with you before you decide you love someone after speaking to them three times.

I was excited to get into a new fantasy series, any this is a great selection for someone looking for a quick read that sets up the world for future conflict. Regarding the pacing of the book, it moves a touch too slow for my liking and does not have a ton of action compared to other young adult fantasy novels. Given that it is the first installment, I will give it a pass, but even towards the end of the story, I felt as though nothing truly groundbreaking was happening. I may revisit the series on a rainy day, but for now, I am content with this introduction.


You can add Faelorehn on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date on releases and publications.


You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter, and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

Thursday, August 31, 2023

Midnight with the Devil (Unlikely Heroes, #1) by Emma Castle Review


This is a spoiler-free review!

Diana makes a deal with the Devil -- literally. In order to give her father a second chance at life, she agrees to a three month contract with Lucien Star, the Devil himself, in order to save his fate. And the price? Spend every Friday night with Lucien doing whatever he asks from her -- in my opinion, a pretty sweet deal.

This is a relatively quick read, and I managed to read the entire book in just under an hour and a half. The pacing is maintained throughout the story and the author does not linger on trivial plot points but rather cuts right to the chase in order to develop the story. That being said, I do think there was room for some more character development for Diana and Lucien -- we flew through the story so quickly, it felt as though that we as readers were just getting to know them when the story ends.

The book was giving major Lucifer television show vibes, and I am still up in the air if I actually enjoyed the similarities -- he owns a nightclub and is ridiculously handsome and suave. I am not a super fan of insta-love stories (I am an enemies to lovers girl at heart), so the extremely quick progression of their relationship was not really my cup of tea. Diana's characterization was a little two-dimensional in the sense that she just really did not experience any type of development besides wanting to be with Lucien, which is not exactly a personality trait.

I wish the author spent more time actually exploring angels and the paranormal aspect of the story. It had the basic backbone of Lucifer being a fallen angel and a few well-known angels making their appearance throughout the book, but other than the occasional mention from a side character, the paranormal focus was left in the dust in order to make room for Diana and Lucien's romance. I expected the book to be a lot darker based off of its summary, and it just was not giving what it should have been -- I would go far enough to say that this was tamer than some new adult novels that I have read.

Diana and Lucien have this instant attraction towards one another, and I was having a pretty fun time reading about their growing relationship and both of their internal struggles of coming to terms with what they were feeling. The further the story went on, the more it read as their relationship really only developing in order to further a particular plot point that I will not spoil, which made the relationship cheapen in my eyes. 

For someone who is literally supposed to be the devil, Lucien was a pretty chill guy and did not give off scary or powerful vibes -- he felt more like a PG-13 version of the devil that for some reason had a solid moral compass. I expected a lot more debauchery than what we were given in the story and the lack of it made me start to lose interest about halfway through.

Honestly, I did not love the ending of this book. I was really hoping that it would go in a certain direction, and in the last pages it really took a turn that I personally felt undid a lot of what the story was working towards. Maybe I expected too much from this book, but I genuinely thought it was working towards a decent ending (at least my version of a decent ending) and ended up pretty disappointed.

If you are looking for a slightly spicy quick read with a touch of fantasy, Midnight with the Devil may be the perfect read for you, especially if you are looking for an arrangement romance.


You can add Midnight with the Devil on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date on releases and publications.


You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter, and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

Saturday, June 3, 2023

A Dark Kiss of Rapture (Renegade Angels, #0.5) by Sylvia Day Review


This is a spoiler-free review!

Vampires, lycan, angels... the list just keeps on going. Set in a modern world where a vampire will casually be using an iPad, this novella reminded me a lot of The Mortal Instruments in the sense that in that series they are just out of reach in using technology by choice, but Day chooses to have her characters welcome the advances.

Raze is a vampire on a mission and he does not hold back when it comes to carnage, whereas Kim has just witnessed a gruesome crime scene of someone close to her -- and yet, they somehow find each other when they needed someone the most. I think if we knew more about Raze and his past, it would have made their instant connection more interesting, but I went through the entire novella wondering what exactly was so great about him that Kim could not stay away.

For a novella tagged as erotica, it was plagued with fade to black scenes that made me feel like I was back reading young adult novels just alluding to what happened between the main characters. Especially since Raze and Kim are adults, it was kind of disappointing to have mild build up just to have the chapter come to an end or page break into the next scene. I fell victim to the free book section on iBooks and paid the price... I kept waiting for something more exciting to happen and at the end of every chapter I was only left hanging. I understand that this is an introduction to a series, but if the rest of the series is anything like this, I will not be continuing on.

Raze would have been a much more interesting character if the author kept the momentum going with him on how he was introduced in the beginning. If Raze had been more brooding or even cold -- ironic, since he is a vampire -- it would have at least added something to his character besides being interested in Kim. At least Kim had some more dimension to her with what she has been through, but her own characterization was lacking and she was running into the arms of the first man she laid eyes on and somehow turned it into a relationship overnight.

The scenes where Raze was just running around tracking random vampires and talking to his friends on his iPad had me rolling my eyes into the back of my head. For someone who thinks that himself and Kim might be in danger, he sure does take his time in actually doing anything about it. Every chapter had him either thinking how great Kim was or thinking about how to get intel on other vampires, and not much else.

If you are looking for a very quick read to up your reading goal for the year, this novella fits the bill. If you are looking for something with a bit substance to dive into a new series, I would say that you can pass on this one. It is unfortunate, because angel and vampire books usually are just what I am looking for, but Day's novella misses the mark when it comes to world building and characterization.


You can add A Dark Kiss of Rapture on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date on releases and publications.


You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter, and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

Friday, March 31, 2023

The Rousing by Paula Black and Jess Raven Review


This review contains spoilers! The Rousing is currently available for free on iBooks and Kindle.

A big shout out once again to the free romance section on iBooks -- you may let me down sometimes, but man do you deliver on occasion. Darcy lives in a coastal village in Ireland with her twin brother, Liam, and when stranger Jack comes to town on inheritance business, Darcy is not prepared for what is to come. Thrust together after a number of unfortunate circumstances, they must both begin to face reality and the supernatural together.

We only get Darcy's point of view in this story, and I wish we got a glimpse of what it was like in Jack's mind as they continued to get to know each other as the story unfolded. Based on the summary for the novella, I was expecting the story to go in a different direction, and once I realized we were not headed where I thought we were, I was a little disappointed. I was expecting some form of modern day Sanditon meets Dark Shadows, but was left a tad unsatisfied. 

If you are expecting Jack to saunter in as a dark and brooding vampire, you will be disappointed -- but not for longer. Darcy does have common sense (yay!) and her character is enjoyable to follow as she learns more about Jack and the supernatural lore surrounding their village. The pacing of the book definitely allows you to read it quickly -- it does not drag on and the plot moves fast, and so do the smut scenes. We get a pretty decent scene between Darcy and Jack after only a few chapters, and I loved the way that they incorporated the lore of the town and what Jack does for business. The foreplay was fun and overall it was a great scene that definitely leaves the reader wanting more.

Darcy basically feels this insta-love for Jack, and honestly, who can blame her. He's tall and handsome, and a long-lost childhood friend who has finally returned after his mother's death. Just my type. They both have this banter going on between them before the tension really picks up, and you find yourself rooting for their relationship even though they have only just "met" a few hours prior.

For some reason, this is yet another book where the relationship between twin siblings is very much on the edge of incestuous infatuation, and I cannot go on any longer if this keeps happening. Liam and Darcy are way too involved in each other's lives, and yes, their mother passed away and their father is slowing disappearing before their eyes, but surely they have got to have some friends to get support from.

I found myself really enjoying Jack's character, and once again wish that we were able to have at least one chapter in his perspective. If you are looking for a quick and mildly steamy read, this is definitely the book for you, and will make you want to read even more of Black and Raven's works.


You can add The Rousing on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date on releases and publications.


You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter, and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

Wednesday, September 14, 2022

Fallen (Fallen, #1) by Lauren Kate Review


This review contains spoilers for Fallen by Lauren Kate - reader discretion is advised if you have yet to finish the book.

I have to admit, I had never heard of this series until the movie adaption came out, and even then I was a few years behind the ball. I had always meant to read the book after I watched the movie, but during the surge of the 2014 tumblr book fandom, there was so much to read and this series slipped through the cracks for me. Luckily, I finally have the time to work through what appears to be an endless list of books to get through, and Fallen is next up on the list.

Our female lead, Luce, has been enrolled at Sword & Cross after a tragic accident where the blame landed on her. There she encounters Cam and Daniel, two mysterious yet intriguing boys who continue to pop into her life at the most interesting times despite Daniel wanting basically nothing to do with Luce. Cam, on the other hand, is immediately intrigued by Luce's arrival and is very much an active part of her daily life and appears genuinely interested in her. He actively seeks her out while Daniel takes every opportunity he can to get as far away from her as possible.

Now when it comes to love interests -- especially love triangles -- in romance books, I almost am always rooting for the female lead to end up with the brooding character, so Cam was officially no longer my concern in the book as I was fully on team Daniel. While Cam is charming in the beginning of the book, he was very much reminding of me of a lost puppy in the sense that he always seemed to be finding Luce when she was alone or following her wherever she went.

Luce's friendship with Penn and her constant battle with Molly adds both comfort and conflict to her time at Sword & Cross. Penn and Luce are basically using each other to grow as individuals in a sense, and Molly continues to whisper mild threats into Luce's ear at any chance she gets.

As I approached the halfway point of the book, I found myself questioning why Luce constantly seemed to be unsure of herself or very confident in what she was doing. She would hid in the hallways and listen to people's conversations, and then on the next page she would be confronting a random student about Daniel and his relationship status with a number of girls. She seemed to be very on the fence on who she was as a person, and how she wanted to approach everyone at Sword & Cross.

It was entertaining to see Gabbe always interrupting Luce whenever she was with Cam or Daniel, or even if she was just longingly staring at them from across the hall. Mostly because Luce's inner monologue was always giving "pick me" energy when Gabbe came around, as if it was Gabbe's fault that Luce was jealous of her always being around them.

When Luce's parents showed up at the hospital after the library fire, I was so surprised that they were not more comforting to their daughter, especially after everything that she has been through. The way that they basically checked to see that she was alive and then said "See you on Saturday" for Parents Day felt cold.

Once Luce finally knows about her and Daniel's past, the book really starts to pick up towards the end -- we see Luce racing to find Daniel as she connects the dots between them and slowly but surely believes what he has told her about their past love. Plus Cam decides to cosplay being a supervillain at the end of the book and has his little emo boy moment walking around the cemetery acting like mankind's greatest gift. They did my girl Penn so dirty -- I knew her death was coming since I had already seen the movie, but it still hurt to see her murdered in cold blood and then brushed off so quickly by Miss Sophia.

Overall, this was a fun read and felt like a good September read to put me in that autumn mood. It has slow burn, fated love with just enough tension to have the reader on the edge of who they want Luce to end up with. For fans of Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick and The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare, this is the book for you.


You can add Fallen and the rest of the series on Goodreads now, as well as follow the author to stay to up to date on publications and releases.


You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter, and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

Monday, February 28, 2022

In Blood & Ice by Susan Person Review + BLOG TOUR + GIVEAWAY

 


I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the IN BLOOD & ICE by Susan Person Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: IN BLOOD & ICE (A Vampire Ice Age Novel - Book 1)
Author: Susan Person
Publication Date: December 27, 2021
Publisher: Person Publishing
Formats: Paperback, eBook
Pages: 408


Alliances. Betrayals. Poison. For a hundred years, vampires and humans alike have been struggling to survive a brutal ice age.

When blood stores dwindle, Josie is sent on a mission to secure human donors to supplement the failing supply.

But her ex-lover Vin is part of the crew, and after the mission is sabotaged, she finds herself fighting for more than just survival.

When asked to join the expedition to the old compound, Vin didn’t hesitate. Maybe if he can succeed, he’ll win back the love he once lost.

But betrayal at the highest levels will threaten his efforts and shake the very foundations of the vampire race. If they can find a way to reverse the ice age, then they might all survive. But will the long buried secrets they uncover pull Josie and Vin apart?

In Blood & Ice is the first book in the A Vampire Ice Age paranormal romance series by Susan Person. If you like vampire romance, secrets, and a bad-ass heroine leading the way, this book is for you.

Pick up In Blood & Ice to start this dark and powerful series by Susan Person today.


REVIEW

This review contains spoilers for In Blood & Ice, please read with caution if you have not completed the book. A huge thank you again to Rockstar Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book and the opportunity to be a part of the In Blood & Ice book tour.

We start off strong with immediate world-building and identifying our main characters and their key personality traits within the first chapter. Josephine, biological daughter and successor of Ezra, the Emperor, is our lead. I love the concept of the world being basically completely covered in ice - it adds a unique setting for vampires that I have yet to see in books or television so far. We also get an immediate dive right into a prospective love triangle with Josephine, Vincent, and Killian, which already brings a great deal of sarcasm and tension right at the beginning of the book. Having both Josephine's and Vincent's POVs really allows you to understand both characters on a deeper level, as well as get a better grasp on their feelings towards each other.

The way that Person introduces the possibility of Vincent's mother and witchcraft into the ongoing tensions between vampires is really well done - we go from fighting scenes to intimacy to new discovery that may help Josephine, Vincent, and Killian, along with the readers as we try to understand why these Rogue vampires are popping up all over the place. The devotion and admiration that Vincent has for Josephine truly comes to life on the pages, and is a constant through the beginning of the book.

Calidora being the vampire that killed Josephine's mother and being Vincent's mother was a great twist placed in the first fourth of the book - it gives a solid push towards the overall plot, as well as makes the reader have to put together a number of pieces of information that we were just exposed to in the last few chapters of the first fourth of the book. The way that Calidora is intwined into the plot also both character development and realization for Vincent, and struggle for Josephine.

Vincent being betrothed to someone within five minutes of meeting Calidora and finding out she is his mother had me cackling - this poor man can't catch a break. And Natasha definitely gives me the same vibes as the Denali tribe vampires from Twilight. Killian and Vincent's little friendship immediately after this whole situation is so humorous and a great addition to the plot - if we can't have a love triangle, I love the idea of having a couple and the friend who cares just as deeply for the girl but in a platonic way.

I was not in the least bit surprised that Ezra had his wife killed - he was not passing the vibe check in the first chapter and the second Josephine mentioned that her mother had opposing views to Ezra, it was inevitable to discover this information. Natasha coming along with the gang is the comedic relief we needed after all of the information we learned from Josephine's experience in the communication room. I absolutely love the dynamic between Killian and Natasha - their instant love and honeymoon stage is so perfectly put together and shows a fun, spontaneous side to a serious plot and mission.

Josephine beginning a revolution against her father is exactly the type of play we needed to see. Plus, these new vampires in the basement remind me of when the Strigoi in Vampire Academy were all hiding out in that cave off the side of the school campus. Livia is over here saying that she is pregnant yet has been running around as Ezra's little puppet and awakening like a million vampires in her path. And now Natasha is pregnant too? Josephine better be including child care in her revolution contracts with her followers.

Vincent proposing - so romantic, I really am rooting for them. And now Josephine is pregnant too? Everyone needs to take a breather and perhaps try not to repopulate the vampires all in one night. They better be able to find Livia's baby so everyone can have little playdates and relax for two seconds without a battle or kidnapping happening - so happy that everyone is mostly alright.

Overall, In Blood & Ice was a fantastic first installment to Person's series, and is perfectly paced to keep the reader on the edge of their seat. I would definitely recommend this series to fans of Blackmoon Beginnings by Kaitlyn Hoyt and Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead.

You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

ABOUT SUSAN PERSON

Susan Person is a multi-contest finalist in the paranormal and dark paranormal romance categories. A former member of Romance Writers of America, she served on the PRO Steering Committee for several years. Recently, she returned to college to pursue a degree in anthropology and graduated in May 2021. Susan enjoys meeting writers and readers alike at conferences. Her grandmother's love of Harlequin novels was passed on to her, and she was fascinated by paranormal worlds and mythology. The combination of the two led her to the paranormal romance genre. She knew at an early age she wanted to write powerful heroines and fulfills that dream today by writing empowered heroines who take charge in their paranormal worlds.
Susan grew up on a thoroughbred horse farm before moving to the big city of Dallas. She considers herself a Texan but is loyal to her home state of Arkansas. A lover of travel, she has visited several countries with many more to go on her list. She particularly loved dowsing at Stonehenge and seeing the Eiffel Tower light up at night. The outdoors are a place Susan finds inspiration and can often be found in a park, at the lake, or on a road trip. She especially loves the mountains. Furry animals hold a special place in her heart. Dogs tend to seek her out as a friend, and she gladly returns their friendship.



GIVEAWAY DETAILS

5 winners will win a finished copy of IN BLOOD & ICE, US only.


TOUR DETAILS

Week One:

2/21/2022

The Reading Devil

Guest Post/IG Post

2/22/2022

Sadie's Spotlight

Guest Post/IG Post

2/23/2022

BookHounds

Guest Post/IG Post

2/24/2022

100 Pages A Day

Review

2/25/2022

boozybook blog

Review/IG Post

 

Week Two:

2/28/2022

thepaperworlds

Review

3/1/2022

@reading.late.into.the.night

Review/IG Post

3/2/2022

The Momma Spot

Review

3/3/2022

Take A Look At My Bookshelf

Review

3/4/2022

Vamplit

Review