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Sentinel Wars #5
Blood Hunt
Hope appeared out of nowhere, naked and alone, a woman without a past. The only thing she knows is that she is imbued with a strange power. It's in her blood. And two men want to posses it. One is Logan, a Sanguiner demon-fighter who needs Hope's essence to survive. The other is Krag, a Synestryn lord whose desire is to enslave Hope, and drain her of the lifeforce. When Hope and Logan both fall prey to Krag, a powerful desire grows between them. But is it enough to thwart their captor's diabolical plan and his demon warriors, and survive a vampire's destiny written in blood?
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 2, 2011
47 people are currently reading
1356 people want to read
About the author
Shannon K. Butcher
36 books1,213 followersBestselling author Shannon K. Butcher, who now writes as Anna Argent, has written more than thirty titles since launching her career in 2007. She has three award-winning series, including the paranormal romance series The Sentinel Wars, the action-romance series The Edge, and the romantic suspense Delta Force Trilogy. Her alter ego Anna Argent also writes several series with a fresh and interesting spin on paranormal romance (The Lost Shards, The Taken and The Stone Men series) as well as a contemporary romance series set in a small town in the Ozarks. As a former engineer and current nerd, she frequently uses charts, graphs and tables to aid her in the mechanics of story design, world building and to keep track of all those colorful characters, magical powers and alternate worlds. An avid bead and glass artist, she spends her free time turning small sparkly bits into larger sparkly bits. She’s rarely on social media, so the best place to find out news about upcoming releases under either name is via her newsletter. You can sign up at AnnaArgent.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
January 2, 2017
This series really has me hooked. I took a long break after Madoc and Nika's book, and I thought that I would be lost. I fell back into this story like nothing happened. Honestly, Logan wasn't my favorite character. He ended up endearing himself to me. I also liked his relationship with Hope and the different twist about Hope's origins.
The romance was good and I enjoyed it, but I have to say that the intrigue and the ongoing storyline is what hooked me with this book. I like how all the secondary characters add to the story. No one is just filler in this book. The action is very good and there are some very scary elements with the Senestryn. They are just gross and disturbing.
I know that I am way behind on this series, but I really appreciate how SKB continues to grow this series. I look forward to future volumes, and I am still eager for Tynan to get his own story.
PS. I blame my sister for getting me into this book series. Sorry not sorry.
Overall Rating: 4.5/5.0 stars.
The romance was good and I enjoyed it, but I have to say that the intrigue and the ongoing storyline is what hooked me with this book. I like how all the secondary characters add to the story. No one is just filler in this book. The action is very good and there are some very scary elements with the Senestryn. They are just gross and disturbing.
I know that I am way behind on this series, but I really appreciate how SKB continues to grow this series. I look forward to future volumes, and I am still eager for Tynan to get his own story.
PS. I blame my sister for getting me into this book series. Sorry not sorry.
Overall Rating: 4.5/5.0 stars.
January 19, 2015
Quick rundown...
What I enjoyed:
Hope & Logan: Surprisingly sweet couple. Very refreshing change of pace. Just wish more of the Sanguinar characters other than Tynan played a part in this. We don't get much back story or history lesson about the mysterious Sanguinars till the very last page which was a missed opportunity IMO. Your hero is a Sanguinar why withhold all that information till the very last minute? Missed the boat there.
Andreas: New leader of the Slayers. Very intrigued by this guy. He has a ton of presence and sounds sexy. Love the pointy ears but why the hell are they called the Slayers? I'm intrigued by his bargain with Joseph and the trade they made. I like the possibility of him with the Gerai human Carmen. His reaction to her was very telling. As long as she gets her act together and stops acting like a selfish indignant brat. *mini-rant* I really don't get this girl's deal. Her flippant ungrateful attitude towards her adoptive father Joesph is super annoying and over-the-top. The poor man. She thinks he accepted to be her adoptive father out of obligation and she's offended by that. Common sense & reason seems to be missing here. You finally got what you wanted and now you're unhappy with it? Pssht. The only reason she offers herself as part of the trade with the Slayers is to get away from Joseph and Dabyr, never mind the fact that the man has given her everything she could ask for and took her in when she had no place else to go. She jumped at this opportunity to get away from Joseph. What a peach. If it wasn't for Andreas I would have wished for someone to chuck their shoe at this twit and be done with it.
Nicholas: the scarred Theronai with the beautiful kind eyes. He's too sweet to be left alone. Please author fix it.
What I wasn't impressed with:
How many different kind of Synestrians are there? Every time someone has an encounter with these monsters they are described differently. Some look like wolves with shark teeth, others are human-like with no face or missing fingers with odd joints and scaly patchy skin, some are like snakes, some are giant centipedes, dolphin-like fishes with tentacles, giant walking roaches (think Men in Black), dogs with green glowing eyes, etc. etc. These things come in all shapes and sizes and are continuously changing in looks and breed in every single book. Is there a reason for this? At first I assumed there were sub species, different kinds, but now I'm beginning to think Butcher makes them up as she goes along for the hell of it. If they are interbreeding or using hosts for bodies then it needs to be explained, cleared up. This is 5 books in, the world building really needs to be better than this.
Nika- WTH is wrong with you? I like this girl but her sister Andra's overprotective obsessive-controlling idiocy is rubbing off on her. The way she cornered Tynan and tried to strong arm him into staying instead of helping Logan and Hope was such a WTF? moment for me. It made me want to smack her. Her whiny ungrateful obnoxious attitude towards him got under my skin the most, acting like Tynan did nothing to help Tori. Are you kidding me? She pretty much was treating him like a leper and a servant just like some of Theronai guys do all the time. Left a bad taste in my mouth. Not everything is about your sister Nika so settle down.
Still not a big fan of how Butcher writes her heroines. The scene I just mentioned with Nika and that whole drama with Carmen is perfect example of that. Everyone has their stupid moments I get it. But one-track minded denseness and selfish tendencies are one too many for my tastes. There's only so much TSTL moments I can take. So far out of the entire ensemble cast Nika, Grace and Hope are the only tolerable root-worthy ladies.
What I enjoyed:
Hope & Logan: Surprisingly sweet couple. Very refreshing change of pace. Just wish more of the Sanguinar characters other than Tynan played a part in this. We don't get much back story or history lesson about the mysterious Sanguinars till the very last page which was a missed opportunity IMO. Your hero is a Sanguinar why withhold all that information till the very last minute? Missed the boat there.
Andreas: New leader of the Slayers. Very intrigued by this guy. He has a ton of presence and sounds sexy. Love the pointy ears but why the hell are they called the Slayers? I'm intrigued by his bargain with Joseph and the trade they made. I like the possibility of him with the Gerai human Carmen. His reaction to her was very telling. As long as she gets her act together and stops acting like a selfish indignant brat. *mini-rant* I really don't get this girl's deal. Her flippant ungrateful attitude towards her adoptive father Joesph is super annoying and over-the-top. The poor man. She thinks he accepted to be her adoptive father out of obligation and she's offended by that. Common sense & reason seems to be missing here. You finally got what you wanted and now you're unhappy with it? Pssht. The only reason she offers herself as part of the trade with the Slayers is to get away from Joseph and Dabyr, never mind the fact that the man has given her everything she could ask for and took her in when she had no place else to go. She jumped at this opportunity to get away from Joseph. What a peach. If it wasn't for Andreas I would have wished for someone to chuck their shoe at this twit and be done with it.
Nicholas: the scarred Theronai with the beautiful kind eyes. He's too sweet to be left alone. Please author fix it.
What I wasn't impressed with:
How many different kind of Synestrians are there? Every time someone has an encounter with these monsters they are described differently. Some look like wolves with shark teeth, others are human-like with no face or missing fingers with odd joints and scaly patchy skin, some are like snakes, some are giant centipedes, dolphin-like fishes with tentacles, giant walking roaches (think Men in Black), dogs with green glowing eyes, etc. etc. These things come in all shapes and sizes and are continuously changing in looks and breed in every single book. Is there a reason for this? At first I assumed there were sub species, different kinds, but now I'm beginning to think Butcher makes them up as she goes along for the hell of it. If they are interbreeding or using hosts for bodies then it needs to be explained, cleared up. This is 5 books in, the world building really needs to be better than this.
Nika- WTH is wrong with you? I like this girl but her sister Andra's overprotective obsessive-controlling idiocy is rubbing off on her. The way she cornered Tynan and tried to strong arm him into staying instead of helping Logan and Hope was such a WTF? moment for me. It made me want to smack her. Her whiny ungrateful obnoxious attitude towards him got under my skin the most, acting like Tynan did nothing to help Tori. Are you kidding me? She pretty much was treating him like a leper and a servant just like some of Theronai guys do all the time. Left a bad taste in my mouth. Not everything is about your sister Nika so settle down.
Still not a big fan of how Butcher writes her heroines. The scene I just mentioned with Nika and that whole drama with Carmen is perfect example of that. Everyone has their stupid moments I get it. But one-track minded denseness and selfish tendencies are one too many for my tastes. There's only so much TSTL moments I can take. So far out of the entire ensemble cast Nika, Grace and Hope are the only tolerable root-worthy ladies.
February 20, 2015
The lead shifts from the Theroni warriors to the Sanguinar, as the self-sacrificing - and a bit manipulative - Logan, takes the lead in this newest entry to Butcher's Sentinel Wars.
Despite the fact - please don't shoot me for this - that I've had a hard time keeping the Sanguinar straight as individuals, I was really looking forward to this story shedding some light shed on the blood drinking Sanguinar Race and their secret project. I've always wondered why the Theroni warriors were so distrustful of and so unwilling to give their blood to their Sanguinar allies, especially in light of the fact that those allies' healing powers have come in handy so many times through out the series.
After getting a little ways into the story and armed with a little more knowledge of the Sanguinar's struggle, I just couldn't see how Logan was ever going to get a happily ever after with Hope - a woman with uber yummy blood, some not quite human powers, and a big mental block in her head where her past should be - and when I got to the the last few chapters I was afraid his story line was going 'to be continued' and not wrapped up until the next book. There did end up being closure for them here - insert big sigh of relief her - though it's sort of rushed. On a side note about how the story was put together, Logan's story does get most of the screen time but with a lot more going on in Blood Hunt than just Logan and Hope, often a scene between them would ramp up to an exciting point and then shift to another part of the story - because, as was the case in the last book, Blood Hunt is an ensemble piece.
In addition to the main thread with Logan and Hope : we briefly touch up with Caine and Sybil - who is coping with the changes brought on by her mother's death - and with Nika and Maddox - but only in conjunction with Nika's completely damaged sister Tori. We get a small bit with Jackie - who is apparently every warrior's match but who wants no man - and get just enough of the soulless Iain to make me hope that somehow there is a loophole for him in the future. There is also a new wrinkle added to the series as naked Slayers come a calling, and the story has a few other small bits with other characters woven in here and there. However, even with all those threads weaving through the story, I was slightly disappointed that the formerly paralyzed Torr and Grace, the woman who sacrificed so that he could be whole, never come out of the background - guess Butcher might be saving them for a book where their thread is the main one.
So, bottom line is that I liked Blood Hunt, though it didn't knock the previous book out of my favorite-of-the-series spot, and since Butcher has a lot of balls in the air story-wise, it will be interesting to see what happens next. As far as starting here if you are new to the series, I wouldn't recommend it, and old fans who haven't done a series reread before starting Blood Hunt might want to stop about half way into the book and do a second read through of the character list at the front of the book - it's easier to digest somehow after having seen the characters interacting together a bit.
Despite the fact - please don't shoot me for this - that I've had a hard time keeping the Sanguinar straight as individuals, I was really looking forward to this story shedding some light shed on the blood drinking Sanguinar Race and their secret project. I've always wondered why the Theroni warriors were so distrustful of and so unwilling to give their blood to their Sanguinar allies, especially in light of the fact that those allies' healing powers have come in handy so many times through out the series.
After getting a little ways into the story and armed with a little more knowledge of the Sanguinar's struggle, I just couldn't see how Logan was ever going to get a happily ever after with Hope - a woman with uber yummy blood, some not quite human powers, and a big mental block in her head where her past should be - and when I got to the the last few chapters I was afraid his story line was going 'to be continued' and not wrapped up until the next book. There did end up being closure for them here - insert big sigh of relief her - though it's sort of rushed. On a side note about how the story was put together, Logan's story does get most of the screen time but with a lot more going on in Blood Hunt than just Logan and Hope, often a scene between them would ramp up to an exciting point and then shift to another part of the story - because, as was the case in the last book, Blood Hunt is an ensemble piece.
In addition to the main thread with Logan and Hope : we briefly touch up with Caine and Sybil - who is coping with the changes brought on by her mother's death - and with Nika and Maddox - but only in conjunction with Nika's completely damaged sister Tori. We get a small bit with Jackie - who is apparently every warrior's match but who wants no man - and get just enough of the soulless Iain to make me hope that somehow there is a loophole for him in the future. There is also a new wrinkle added to the series as naked Slayers come a calling, and the story has a few other small bits with other characters woven in here and there. However, even with all those threads weaving through the story, I was slightly disappointed that the formerly paralyzed Torr and Grace, the woman who sacrificed so that he could be whole, never come out of the background - guess Butcher might be saving them for a book where their thread is the main one.
So, bottom line is that I liked Blood Hunt, though it didn't knock the previous book out of my favorite-of-the-series spot, and since Butcher has a lot of balls in the air story-wise, it will be interesting to see what happens next. As far as starting here if you are new to the series, I wouldn't recommend it, and old fans who haven't done a series reread before starting Blood Hunt might want to stop about half way into the book and do a second read through of the character list at the front of the book - it's easier to digest somehow after having seen the characters interacting together a bit.
February 19, 2020
3.5 stars
June 26, 2023
Blood Hunt
4 Stars
Suffering from amnesia, Hope Serrien is searching for her true identity and uses her ability to see auras to help homeless people on the street. Her charges have recently begun disappearing and while searching, Hope encounters Logan, an enigmatic stranger who promises to aid Hope in her quest. The two soon discover that the other is hiding secrets and that a terrifying foe is determined to use them for his own nefarious ends.
One of the most appealing aspects of the Sentinel Wars is the multiplicity of story lines. While some readers may find this distracting because there is a lot going on, for me, this not only enhances the world building and the overall story arc (we are finally given details of the third group of Sentinel warriors - the Slayers), it also makes it easier to identify with the different characters because they are so well developed across the various books. However, for this reason it is crucial to read the series in order.
The focus in this book is on the Sanguinars, who have been a morally ambiguous group until now and it is particularly interesting to see things from their perspective. The suffering they must endure and the threat to their race is as compelling as that of the Theronai and explains much about their secretive behavior.
Logan and Hope are an intriguing couple with wonderful chemistry. It is a sign of Butcher's writing skill that she can create a character such as Logan who comes across both as honorable and self-sacrificing but also as manipulative and conniving. It was difficult to warm up to him in previous books but he charmed me completely in this one. Like the other heroines in the series, Hope is strong willed and plays a significant role in the action (another highlight). The conflict between Logan's growing attraction to Hope and his duty to his people is at the heart of the story. The way in which everything comes to a head and the resolution of their romance makes for a satisfying read even though the push and pull between them is frustrating at times.
As mentioned above, the secondary characters are well written and several will obviously be featured in their own books. Jackie and Iain's book is next but I'm also interested in seeing what happens with Joseph and his Slayer counterpart - Andreas.
Overall, Blood Hunt is a great addition to an excellent series.
4 Stars
Suffering from amnesia, Hope Serrien is searching for her true identity and uses her ability to see auras to help homeless people on the street. Her charges have recently begun disappearing and while searching, Hope encounters Logan, an enigmatic stranger who promises to aid Hope in her quest. The two soon discover that the other is hiding secrets and that a terrifying foe is determined to use them for his own nefarious ends.
One of the most appealing aspects of the Sentinel Wars is the multiplicity of story lines. While some readers may find this distracting because there is a lot going on, for me, this not only enhances the world building and the overall story arc (we are finally given details of the third group of Sentinel warriors - the Slayers), it also makes it easier to identify with the different characters because they are so well developed across the various books. However, for this reason it is crucial to read the series in order.
The focus in this book is on the Sanguinars, who have been a morally ambiguous group until now and it is particularly interesting to see things from their perspective. The suffering they must endure and the threat to their race is as compelling as that of the Theronai and explains much about their secretive behavior.
Logan and Hope are an intriguing couple with wonderful chemistry. It is a sign of Butcher's writing skill that she can create a character such as Logan who comes across both as honorable and self-sacrificing but also as manipulative and conniving. It was difficult to warm up to him in previous books but he charmed me completely in this one. Like the other heroines in the series, Hope is strong willed and plays a significant role in the action (another highlight). The conflict between Logan's growing attraction to Hope and his duty to his people is at the heart of the story. The way in which everything comes to a head and the resolution of their romance makes for a satisfying read even though the push and pull between them is frustrating at times.
As mentioned above, the secondary characters are well written and several will obviously be featured in their own books. Jackie and Iain's book is next but I'm also interested in seeing what happens with Joseph and his Slayer counterpart - Andreas.
Overall, Blood Hunt is a great addition to an excellent series.
December 26, 2017
Now I can truthfully say that I read all the previous books just to see more of Logan and Tynan, though they are manipulative bastards. And I am really glad that at least Logan found his better part ;)
February 6, 2013
5 Stars!
I read this September 5, 2011 and re-read February 5, 2013.
This book is so interesting. I loved it! What a great series!
Notice the cover? My friend Mello got me looking at it. Interesting that all the books up to this point have been centered on Theronai Immortal Warriors and we see their back and chest up to their nose...but not their eyes. But this book cover we see his whole face on the first book to center on a Sanguineir. (One of the five races of Sentinels.)
Where to start? So much happened in this book. It is centered on Logan, a leader among the Sanguiner who has spent most of his life running Project Lullaby with Tynan. (another Sanguiner)
His race is starving because there is not enough "strong" blood out there. Since his race are in alliance with Theronai (the warriors) and heal them and they share blood in exchange....it is pretty important to find new sources of strong blood. Theronai do not trust the Sanguiner and basically have kept them starving by not sharing blood unless they need healing.
Project Lullaby (secret plan)is their answer to this problem:
Logan is in the process of helping one of these couples escape and encounters a savoir himself? Hope (how ironic is her name) She is a woman who has amnesia, works as a photographer, helps at a local shelter where she was taken in previously and is looking for people who have disappeared lately when she comes across Logan who is in the middle of a battle with a Synestryn (demon.)
Logan can't have her no matter how much he is attracted to her and knows she is destined for a man of strong blood. He can never have a mate because he feels a strong sense of responsibility to his people....he can't take this woman as his if she could save many down the road by pairing up with another man. But before that happens he has to help her fins her friend Rory, a girl at the shelter who has disappeared. And in doing so needs to spend time with her before he can get her back to Dabyr (stronghold) and safety.
Hope is a great character...strong, sassy and kind. I really like her and love the attraction between these two characters as it slowly grows over time. There is so much to this story that I can't even begin to describe here. This series must be read in order because little details pop out that build on all these back stories going on through the series. The author is constantly building the foundation for future stories too.
We find that Hope was sent by another people....
What is stuck in my mind....is Hope....she needs the sunlight...she feels better, rejuvenated when she does get in the sun....in her vision she is on a beach in the sun....I know she is Is there some tie?
As for Hope and Logan...this author loves her angst! that is for sure...one of my favorite scenes between these two is I was mentally jumping up and down. The love scene in the barn was beautifully written, not just mechanical.
This was a great installment....the author took a story which was developing and gave it a great push. I wish this review could contain all the interesting things that went on. Ms Butcher answered many questions and created so many more! Love it!
I read this September 5, 2011 and re-read February 5, 2013.
This book is so interesting. I loved it! What a great series!
Notice the cover? My friend Mello got me looking at it. Interesting that all the books up to this point have been centered on Theronai Immortal Warriors and we see their back and chest up to their nose...but not their eyes. But this book cover we see his whole face on the first book to center on a Sanguineir. (One of the five races of Sentinels.)
Where to start? So much happened in this book. It is centered on Logan, a leader among the Sanguiner who has spent most of his life running Project Lullaby with Tynan. (another Sanguiner)
His race is starving because there is not enough "strong" blood out there. Since his race are in alliance with Theronai (the warriors) and heal them and they share blood in exchange....it is pretty important to find new sources of strong blood. Theronai do not trust the Sanguiner and basically have kept them starving by not sharing blood unless they need healing.
Project Lullaby (secret plan)is their answer to this problem:
Logan is in the process of helping one of these couples escape and encounters a savoir himself? Hope (how ironic is her name) She is a woman who has amnesia, works as a photographer, helps at a local shelter where she was taken in previously and is looking for people who have disappeared lately when she comes across Logan who is in the middle of a battle with a Synestryn (demon.)
Logan can't have her no matter how much he is attracted to her and knows she is destined for a man of strong blood. He can never have a mate because he feels a strong sense of responsibility to his people....he can't take this woman as his if she could save many down the road by pairing up with another man. But before that happens he has to help her fins her friend Rory, a girl at the shelter who has disappeared. And in doing so needs to spend time with her before he can get her back to Dabyr (stronghold) and safety.
Hope is a great character...strong, sassy and kind. I really like her and love the attraction between these two characters as it slowly grows over time. There is so much to this story that I can't even begin to describe here. This series must be read in order because little details pop out that build on all these back stories going on through the series. The author is constantly building the foundation for future stories too.
We find that Hope was sent by another people....
What is stuck in my mind....is Hope....she needs the sunlight...she feels better, rejuvenated when she does get in the sun....in her vision she is on a beach in the sun....I know she is Is there some tie?
As for Hope and Logan...this author loves her angst! that is for sure...one of my favorite scenes between these two is I was mentally jumping up and down. The love scene in the barn was beautifully written, not just mechanical.
This was a great installment....the author took a story which was developing and gave it a great push. I wish this review could contain all the interesting things that went on. Ms Butcher answered many questions and created so many more! Love it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 6, 2013
Synopsis:
They are the Sentinels. Three races, ancient guardians of mankind, each possessing unique abilities to protect humanity against their eternal foes: the Synestryn. Now, for one Sentinel, the only way to reclaim her forgotten past is to follow the blood.
Hope appeared out of nowhere, naked and alone, a woman without past. The only thing she knows is that she is imbued with a strange power. It's in her blood. And two men want to possess it.
One is Logan, a Sanguinar demon-fighter who needs Hope's essence to survive. As a vampire he's well-equipped to find her a like-blooded mate whose progeny could sustain his race for generations. The other is Krag, a Synestryn lord whose desire is to enslave Hope, and drain her of the lifeforce. With it he could control humanity forever.
When Hope and Logan both fall prey to Krag, a powerful desire grows between them. But is it enough to thwart their captor's diabolical plan and his demon warriors, and survive a vampire's destiny written in blood?
My Thoughts:
I loved this installment! So many new revelations. Things are coming together and also still falling apart. A number of our beloved characters are on the edge, but others are thriving and finding hope.
I really liked Logan and Hope as a couple. I love their reactions to each other. It was just so frustrating watching him constantly try to keep her at arms length! Project Lullaby is important, but man! That was driving me insane! Still is was so nice to get so much inner monologue from Logan. We've seen his POV in previous books, but since this was his book and we've had more information regarding Project Lullaby, we get to see that he doesn't actually enjoy manipulating people. He and the other Sanguinar do it to save themselves, but by saving themselves, the other races benefit as well. I never thought it through that far before, but if the Sanguinar were to die out, who would heal the Theronai when they got those serious injuries? Who would develop antidotes to counteract Synestryn poison? Who would help them be able to have children again? The Theronai aren't very kind to the Sanguinar, but they need to get over some things. Whatever caused the rift between the races happened so long ago. It seems that they are developing tentative truces, so here's hoping that all works out.
Hope was a pretty awesome heroine. She went after what she wanted when it came to Logan without making an idiot out of herself. And she was strong. And selfless. She was just a damned good person. I like her. She did so much to help even when she had no idea wtf was going on. When she got her memories back at the end and showed Logan where she'd come from, I was happy. Someone out there is looking out for the Sanguinar. They need it.
Some thoughts that I posted in a thread about this book:
As for the rest of the book:
On Tori:
On Nicholas:
Rory:
Sybil:
Another great installment from Shannon K. Butcher.
They are the Sentinels. Three races, ancient guardians of mankind, each possessing unique abilities to protect humanity against their eternal foes: the Synestryn. Now, for one Sentinel, the only way to reclaim her forgotten past is to follow the blood.
Hope appeared out of nowhere, naked and alone, a woman without past. The only thing she knows is that she is imbued with a strange power. It's in her blood. And two men want to possess it.
One is Logan, a Sanguinar demon-fighter who needs Hope's essence to survive. As a vampire he's well-equipped to find her a like-blooded mate whose progeny could sustain his race for generations. The other is Krag, a Synestryn lord whose desire is to enslave Hope, and drain her of the lifeforce. With it he could control humanity forever.
When Hope and Logan both fall prey to Krag, a powerful desire grows between them. But is it enough to thwart their captor's diabolical plan and his demon warriors, and survive a vampire's destiny written in blood?
My Thoughts:
I loved this installment! So many new revelations. Things are coming together and also still falling apart. A number of our beloved characters are on the edge, but others are thriving and finding hope.
I really liked Logan and Hope as a couple. I love their reactions to each other. It was just so frustrating watching him constantly try to keep her at arms length! Project Lullaby is important, but man! That was driving me insane! Still is was so nice to get so much inner monologue from Logan. We've seen his POV in previous books, but since this was his book and we've had more information regarding Project Lullaby, we get to see that he doesn't actually enjoy manipulating people. He and the other Sanguinar do it to save themselves, but by saving themselves, the other races benefit as well. I never thought it through that far before, but if the Sanguinar were to die out, who would heal the Theronai when they got those serious injuries? Who would develop antidotes to counteract Synestryn poison? Who would help them be able to have children again? The Theronai aren't very kind to the Sanguinar, but they need to get over some things. Whatever caused the rift between the races happened so long ago. It seems that they are developing tentative truces, so here's hoping that all works out.
Hope was a pretty awesome heroine. She went after what she wanted when it came to Logan without making an idiot out of herself. And she was strong. And selfless. She was just a damned good person. I like her. She did so much to help even when she had no idea wtf was going on. When she got her memories back at the end and showed Logan where she'd come from, I was happy. Someone out there is looking out for the Sanguinar. They need it.
Some thoughts that I posted in a thread about this book:
As for the rest of the book:
On Tori:
On Nicholas:
Rory:
Sybil:
Another great installment from Shannon K. Butcher.
November 22, 2012
Fifth in the Sentinel Wars paranormal romance series revolving around several groups of sentinels charged with preventing demons from breaking through. The couple focus is on Logan and Hope.
My Take
This story is more of a bridge in that Butcher introduces a new species and new problems in this story, opening the possibilities even wider. With all the fallout from earlier stories, there are a number of problems which need resolution and Blood Hunt furthers the potentials---both good and bad.
The focus here is on Project Lullaby, a plan by which the Sanguinar intend to create a food supply for their race.
There is a lot of reciprocal rescuing going on in this story. Whew…!
Butcher keeps the action moving and provides yet more depth to the various involved groups. Including a scary close-up of one of Solarc's Wardens!
I do feel sorry for Logan. So attracted and so forbidden. Butcher had a very clever solution in this.
I got to thinking about the demonic behavior of the Synestryn Krag and I realized he is similar (behavior-wise) to human males who think they can boss women around and beat them. All the ugliest actions of man. The sentinel men are several steps up from this; although, I do have issues with how they approach their particular romance needs.
Did the Solarc ever consider that the children of the men he was punishing were his own grandchildren??
It's been an intriguing series. Not one of the best, but I do appreciate Butcher's skill at the long tease. Since the first story, Burning Alive , Butcher has dropped the teeniest hints and slowly increased up to teeny, and not so teeny up to...you get the idea...about the true origins of the sentinels and the Sanguinar. Each time giving us just a bit more. I have to confess it's this tease that has me coming back. I want Grampa to get his!
The Story
Steve and Pam are under attack at the warehouse and Logan has been diverted to rescue them. Only, who is going to rescue Logan?
The Characters
Logan and his brother Tynan are Sanguinar. Until Project Lullaby is complete, no Sanguinar may have children nor divert resources from the project. Other Sanguinar include Briant and Alexander. Steve and his pregnant wife Pam are part of Project Lullaby.
Hope Serrien only began life ten years ago when Sister Olive found her near this same warehouse. Now she makes a living doing photography when she's not helping Sister Olive at the shelter. Rory is a missing streetperson for whom Hope feels a connection. Jodi is Hope's friend and business partner.
Sibyl and Maura are Angus and Gilda's only remaining children. With her parents' death and the spell broken (see Living Nightmare ), Sibyl is growing up. Cain is the Sentinel who has watched over her for her entire life.
Madoc is mated to Nika (see Living Nightmare ) and her sister Andra is with Paul ( Finding the Lost ); they recently rescued their sister Tori from the Synestryn, but it may be too late. Joseph Rayd leads the Theronai. Carmen is the human he's adopted as part of his promise. Iain Terra is one of the Sentinels and a member of the Band of the Barren whose lifemark is bare and he is hanging on only by sheer willpower. Other Sentinels in this story include Morgan Valens, Torr who is desolate over Grace's sacrifice, and Nicholas. Jackie Patton was one of the women rescued and compatible with several men, but she wants nothing to do with any of them. She understands that Helen and Lexi are her longlost sisters, but there is no emotional attachment here.
Andreas Phelan is the new leader of the Slayers with a proposition for Joseph. Lyka Phelan is his half-sister. Eric Phelan, their brother, is a possible mate for Hope.
Krag is a major demon anxious to prove his worth to his demon lord father. Zillah is the demon who held Tori prisoner for so long. Ava is a pregnant human held captive by Synestryn.
Sanguinar need blood to live, to heal the Theronai Sentinels but that blood is grudgingly given. Project Lullaby is intended to increase the numbers of food sources so they are no longer reliant upon a small group and all the Sanguinar efforts are channeled into it. Slayers are a Sentinel group who slay Sentinels who have gone beyond the pale; for some reason, Slayers and Theronai are enemies. The Band of the Barren are Sentinels living on borrowed time, hoping to find their soulmates. Theronai are a subgroup of Sentinels who battle the Synestryn. They battle in male-female pairs and it is only when the men are paired with their mate that they have a chance of surviving. Well, and some amazing skills at fighting. Gerai are humans who know all about the Sentinels and the Synestryn. They're backup support. Synestryn is a generic name for a wide variety of demons intent on enslaving the human race.
The Cover
The cover is a background of smoky purples and a black-clad, very young-looking Logan holding a sword before him and wearing jeans and a black leather vest open to reveal his muscled chest and arms.
The title is true enough as Logan is continually on a Blood Hunt in this story.
My Take
This story is more of a bridge in that Butcher introduces a new species and new problems in this story, opening the possibilities even wider. With all the fallout from earlier stories, there are a number of problems which need resolution and Blood Hunt furthers the potentials---both good and bad.
The focus here is on Project Lullaby, a plan by which the Sanguinar intend to create a food supply for their race.
There is a lot of reciprocal rescuing going on in this story. Whew…!
Butcher keeps the action moving and provides yet more depth to the various involved groups. Including a scary close-up of one of Solarc's Wardens!
I do feel sorry for Logan. So attracted and so forbidden. Butcher had a very clever solution in this.
I got to thinking about the demonic behavior of the Synestryn Krag and I realized he is similar (behavior-wise) to human males who think they can boss women around and beat them. All the ugliest actions of man. The sentinel men are several steps up from this; although, I do have issues with how they approach their particular romance needs.
Did the Solarc ever consider that the children of the men he was punishing were his own grandchildren??
It's been an intriguing series. Not one of the best, but I do appreciate Butcher's skill at the long tease. Since the first story, Burning Alive , Butcher has dropped the teeniest hints and slowly increased up to teeny, and not so teeny up to...you get the idea...about the true origins of the sentinels and the Sanguinar. Each time giving us just a bit more. I have to confess it's this tease that has me coming back. I want Grampa to get his!
The Story
Steve and Pam are under attack at the warehouse and Logan has been diverted to rescue them. Only, who is going to rescue Logan?
The Characters
Logan and his brother Tynan are Sanguinar. Until Project Lullaby is complete, no Sanguinar may have children nor divert resources from the project. Other Sanguinar include Briant and Alexander. Steve and his pregnant wife Pam are part of Project Lullaby.
Hope Serrien only began life ten years ago when Sister Olive found her near this same warehouse. Now she makes a living doing photography when she's not helping Sister Olive at the shelter. Rory is a missing streetperson for whom Hope feels a connection. Jodi is Hope's friend and business partner.
Sibyl and Maura are Angus and Gilda's only remaining children. With her parents' death and the spell broken (see Living Nightmare ), Sibyl is growing up. Cain is the Sentinel who has watched over her for her entire life.
Madoc is mated to Nika (see Living Nightmare ) and her sister Andra is with Paul ( Finding the Lost ); they recently rescued their sister Tori from the Synestryn, but it may be too late. Joseph Rayd leads the Theronai. Carmen is the human he's adopted as part of his promise. Iain Terra is one of the Sentinels and a member of the Band of the Barren whose lifemark is bare and he is hanging on only by sheer willpower. Other Sentinels in this story include Morgan Valens, Torr who is desolate over Grace's sacrifice, and Nicholas. Jackie Patton was one of the women rescued and compatible with several men, but she wants nothing to do with any of them. She understands that Helen and Lexi are her longlost sisters, but there is no emotional attachment here.
Andreas Phelan is the new leader of the Slayers with a proposition for Joseph. Lyka Phelan is his half-sister. Eric Phelan, their brother, is a possible mate for Hope.
Krag is a major demon anxious to prove his worth to his demon lord father. Zillah is the demon who held Tori prisoner for so long. Ava is a pregnant human held captive by Synestryn.
Sanguinar need blood to live, to heal the Theronai Sentinels but that blood is grudgingly given. Project Lullaby is intended to increase the numbers of food sources so they are no longer reliant upon a small group and all the Sanguinar efforts are channeled into it. Slayers are a Sentinel group who slay Sentinels who have gone beyond the pale; for some reason, Slayers and Theronai are enemies. The Band of the Barren are Sentinels living on borrowed time, hoping to find their soulmates. Theronai are a subgroup of Sentinels who battle the Synestryn. They battle in male-female pairs and it is only when the men are paired with their mate that they have a chance of surviving. Well, and some amazing skills at fighting. Gerai are humans who know all about the Sentinels and the Synestryn. They're backup support. Synestryn is a generic name for a wide variety of demons intent on enslaving the human race.
The Cover
The cover is a background of smoky purples and a black-clad, very young-looking Logan holding a sword before him and wearing jeans and a black leather vest open to reveal his muscled chest and arms.
The title is true enough as Logan is continually on a Blood Hunt in this story.
August 1, 2011
Originally posted at http://www.smexybooks.com/2011/08/rev...
Favorite Quote: “Okay. Take a peek, but I swear if you try anything funny, I’ll beat your head in with my flashlight.”
Ms. Butcher once again delivers a dark, gritty, action packed story that held me spellbound. A smooth storyline and continuously evolving arc engages the reader and sets a fast pace. The premise revolves around Logan and Hope; two fantastic characters whose innate loyalties often overrides their wants and needs. This book is a mind blowing whirlwind to read as Ms. Butcher goes in-depth into multiple character storylines and POV’s which I loved. We don’t see a lot of our previous heroes and heroines, but we do get some staggering scenes with Sybil, Joseph, and meet some new characters that clues us into future storylines that promise this series will continue to blow us away.
Hope is strong, intelligent, and street savvy. Abandoned as a child, she grew up on the streets. She doesn’t trust many and Logan’s charm doesn’t make him an instant good guy with her. She has made a life for herself as an artist but never forgot where she came from and spends time helping in the shelter where she was raised. When she meets Logan, she sees something in him that calls to her on a visceral level but she doesn’t trust him.
Logan and his brother Tynan have spent hundreds of years, the bearers of an cruel curse, to bring together compatible mates that will ensure them a race of humans whose blood will keep them alive. When Logan chances upon Hope, he takes her blood and realizes that it is the ultimate essence and he will do anything to possess her for Project Lullaby. As he spends more time with her, he begins to want her for himself even though he knows he cannot. She must mate with a chosen. But Logan doesn’t take into account Hope’s wants and needs.
Hope is trying to find her friends that are missing from the homeless shelter. Logan makes a deal with her. He will help her find them if she agrees to testing and meeting potential mates. While Logan pushes Hope towards accepting his offer, Hope pushes back, letting Logan know that manipulation and coercion isn’t appreciated.
“Is that how you live your life? Counting the cost of your service to others so the debt can be repaid? “
“It only seems fair that if I help you, you would offer me something in return.”
“Fair. I see. Thanks for your offer but no thanks…I’m not the kind of person who is willing to strike a deal with an asshole.”
As Hope and Logan spend more time together, Hope does everything she can to understand his life and the war he is involved in. She also makes it perfectly clear that while she can not be his peoples’ savior, she can be his.
This story is rich in action and suspense. The romance blends with well with the main conflict. Sensual emotional love scenes are more plentiful-which I greatly appreciated. We see more realism in Hope and Logan’s relationship. The Sanguiner seem more modern and less ‘desperate’ acting than the Sentinels. While it is in the Sanguiner’s best interest to find compatible mates, they use more Machiavellian methods in obtaining what they want. They don’t employ the same hunter/prey tactics as the Sentinels and the Slayers do. I enjoyed the easy going and humorous banter between Logan and Hope. He doesn’t scare or intimidate her.
“Are you saying he was trying to fix me up with another guy? After that chauvinistic asshole…I’m never trusting a Sanguiner’s opinion of men again.”
Ms Butcher continues to change up and expand on the arc to ensure no repetition or boredom. What I truly love about Ms. Butcher’s books, and hopes she never changes, is her concept of good and evil. She blurs the lines. The Sentinels and the Sanguiner use nefarious means to achieve their goals as much as the Synestryns. We see lines being crossed, misconceptions capitalized on, and actions being questioned. You never know till the end how it will all play out.
Her characters are rich in depth, development, and personality. Ms. Butcher imparts diversity and individualism into her character dialogue. You are able to connect to them rather them just reading about them. Each one is viable enough for their own book. Ms. Butcher’s style of writing intertwines new and old story lines in a way that doesn’t leave you over whelmed by the sheer amount of knowledge she imparts.
The ending is a mixture of explosive action, finger clenching tension, and a mind blowing conclusion. I honestly couldn’t see how it would end in the way I wanted but Ms. Butcher once again manages to achieve the impossible. The Sentinel Wars continues to be one of my favorite series and I look forward to the next, title and release date to be announced.
Rating: A
Favorite Quote: “Okay. Take a peek, but I swear if you try anything funny, I’ll beat your head in with my flashlight.”
Ms. Butcher once again delivers a dark, gritty, action packed story that held me spellbound. A smooth storyline and continuously evolving arc engages the reader and sets a fast pace. The premise revolves around Logan and Hope; two fantastic characters whose innate loyalties often overrides their wants and needs. This book is a mind blowing whirlwind to read as Ms. Butcher goes in-depth into multiple character storylines and POV’s which I loved. We don’t see a lot of our previous heroes and heroines, but we do get some staggering scenes with Sybil, Joseph, and meet some new characters that clues us into future storylines that promise this series will continue to blow us away.
Hope is strong, intelligent, and street savvy. Abandoned as a child, she grew up on the streets. She doesn’t trust many and Logan’s charm doesn’t make him an instant good guy with her. She has made a life for herself as an artist but never forgot where she came from and spends time helping in the shelter where she was raised. When she meets Logan, she sees something in him that calls to her on a visceral level but she doesn’t trust him.
Logan and his brother Tynan have spent hundreds of years, the bearers of an cruel curse, to bring together compatible mates that will ensure them a race of humans whose blood will keep them alive. When Logan chances upon Hope, he takes her blood and realizes that it is the ultimate essence and he will do anything to possess her for Project Lullaby. As he spends more time with her, he begins to want her for himself even though he knows he cannot. She must mate with a chosen. But Logan doesn’t take into account Hope’s wants and needs.
Hope is trying to find her friends that are missing from the homeless shelter. Logan makes a deal with her. He will help her find them if she agrees to testing and meeting potential mates. While Logan pushes Hope towards accepting his offer, Hope pushes back, letting Logan know that manipulation and coercion isn’t appreciated.
“Is that how you live your life? Counting the cost of your service to others so the debt can be repaid? “
“It only seems fair that if I help you, you would offer me something in return.”
“Fair. I see. Thanks for your offer but no thanks…I’m not the kind of person who is willing to strike a deal with an asshole.”
As Hope and Logan spend more time together, Hope does everything she can to understand his life and the war he is involved in. She also makes it perfectly clear that while she can not be his peoples’ savior, she can be his.
This story is rich in action and suspense. The romance blends with well with the main conflict. Sensual emotional love scenes are more plentiful-which I greatly appreciated. We see more realism in Hope and Logan’s relationship. The Sanguiner seem more modern and less ‘desperate’ acting than the Sentinels. While it is in the Sanguiner’s best interest to find compatible mates, they use more Machiavellian methods in obtaining what they want. They don’t employ the same hunter/prey tactics as the Sentinels and the Slayers do. I enjoyed the easy going and humorous banter between Logan and Hope. He doesn’t scare or intimidate her.
“Are you saying he was trying to fix me up with another guy? After that chauvinistic asshole…I’m never trusting a Sanguiner’s opinion of men again.”
Ms Butcher continues to change up and expand on the arc to ensure no repetition or boredom. What I truly love about Ms. Butcher’s books, and hopes she never changes, is her concept of good and evil. She blurs the lines. The Sentinels and the Sanguiner use nefarious means to achieve their goals as much as the Synestryns. We see lines being crossed, misconceptions capitalized on, and actions being questioned. You never know till the end how it will all play out.
Her characters are rich in depth, development, and personality. Ms. Butcher imparts diversity and individualism into her character dialogue. You are able to connect to them rather them just reading about them. Each one is viable enough for their own book. Ms. Butcher’s style of writing intertwines new and old story lines in a way that doesn’t leave you over whelmed by the sheer amount of knowledge she imparts.
The ending is a mixture of explosive action, finger clenching tension, and a mind blowing conclusion. I honestly couldn’t see how it would end in the way I wanted but Ms. Butcher once again manages to achieve the impossible. The Sentinel Wars continues to be one of my favorite series and I look forward to the next, title and release date to be announced.
Rating: A
October 15, 2012
Basic Plot: Hope has a relatively normal life until she runs into a monster attacking some people in an alley and she gets swept into a world of demons and monsters.
I think I have decided to like these books despite themselves. The romance tropes irritate me (this one again had the "undiscovered only female of the species" thing happening again, this time with amnesia!), but the stories are appealing despite that. The writing is fast-paced, but not obnoxiously so, and I find myself liking the characters. There are also layers to the stories, with lots of subplots going that actually have nothing to do with the central "romance," but everything to do with the overplot of the series. As a note, I skipped about 3 books by reading this volume 2nd. My local library only has a few of the books, so I took a chance on reading this and understanding what was going on. I was glad to discover I could understand events. Clearly, there were events I missed, but there was enough info in this book to make me understand the gist of things without feeling confused.
This volume features Logan (Sanguinar aka vampire, and I STILL think Sanguinar is a way cheesy name) as the male lead. He's not nearly the alpha-male-testosterone-laden he-man that the Theronai seem to be. This is not a bad thing. He's interesting; again there are layers. I find SK's tendency towards possessiveness in her characters a mite bit disturbing (male and female), and the continuation of the "meant for each other" trope makes me sigh in exasperation.
Overall, I say it's better than book 1 of the series, still not perfect, but an enjoyable read. Literary popcorn.
I think I have decided to like these books despite themselves. The romance tropes irritate me (this one again had the "undiscovered only female of the species" thing happening again, this time with amnesia!), but the stories are appealing despite that. The writing is fast-paced, but not obnoxiously so, and I find myself liking the characters. There are also layers to the stories, with lots of subplots going that actually have nothing to do with the central "romance," but everything to do with the overplot of the series. As a note, I skipped about 3 books by reading this volume 2nd. My local library only has a few of the books, so I took a chance on reading this and understanding what was going on. I was glad to discover I could understand events. Clearly, there were events I missed, but there was enough info in this book to make me understand the gist of things without feeling confused.
This volume features Logan (Sanguinar aka vampire, and I STILL think Sanguinar is a way cheesy name) as the male lead. He's not nearly the alpha-male-testosterone-laden he-man that the Theronai seem to be. This is not a bad thing. He's interesting; again there are layers. I find SK's tendency towards possessiveness in her characters a mite bit disturbing (male and female), and the continuation of the "meant for each other" trope makes me sigh in exasperation.
Overall, I say it's better than book 1 of the series, still not perfect, but an enjoyable read. Literary popcorn.
February 19, 2013
This is really disappointing for me, especially since the last book in the series was a 4 star read. I think it's just the writing style I don't like. For me a book is all about the characters and I just couldn't get drawn into the characters in this one. To be fair I only made it about half way through so maybe it gets better by the end. What bugged me though is how many point of views we see. I was only 30% into the book and the story was already told from 7 different POV's. I have a really hard time feeling invested into characters when the book is flopping around so much. It's unfortunate because I like the concept.
February 9, 2013
I really enjoyed reading about Logan and his kind. The always seemed so mysterious to me and this book really shed some light on them and their struggle with a dwindling food source. I thought Hope was a perfect match for him and I am so glad she did not five up trying to be with him. The other side stories were also interesting, the slayer truce and the side story with Ian were highlights of the book and I can't wait to see what happens. overall, it was very enjoyable if not a bit angst ridden due to Logan's struggle between duty and love.
September 16, 2018
Este es el libro que menos me gusta de toda la saga hasta ahora. Es lento y la historia entre Hope y Logan no me resultó interesante.
Lo mejor son los adelantos de las historias de los otros personajes: Carmen, Jackie, Luka, Ian...
Potencialmente esta podría ser una serie sin fin, con personajes que siguen apareciendo de la nada ahora incluso desde un nuevo planeta!
Lo mejor son los adelantos de las historias de los otros personajes: Carmen, Jackie, Luka, Ian...
Potencialmente esta podría ser una serie sin fin, con personajes que siguen apareciendo de la nada ahora incluso desde un nuevo planeta!
September 13, 2025
Re-read 2025. 3⭐️ Logan’s story isn’t as interesting to me as the Theronai.
August 15, 2011
In the world Shannon Butcher has created there are three kinds of supernaturals that form the pro-human “Sentinels”: The sword-wielding Theronai, the vampire-like healers known as the Sanguinar, and the lycanthropes called Slayers. Although all three of these groups originated from the alternate world Athanasia and are tasked with protecting humanity from the evil Synestryn, their interactions with each other are anything but friendly. In the first four books of the series the Sanguinar have featured as barely-tolerated healers by the Theronai, and Logan, a “blood hunter,” has taken his share of verbal and physical abuse despite his diligent and self-sacrificing work on behalf of the Theronai, and I was excited to see he was going to get his own story in the series. I was also excited that I was finally getting a chance to learn a little more about this highly secretive group after their mostly peripheral roles in previous stories. All indications have been that the Sanguinar, who are essential to the physical well-being of the Theronai, are on the verge of extinction, and I was curious to see how author Shannon Butcher was going to provide Logan with a mate without depriving the Theronai of a candidate to form a bonded warrior pair.
The story begins with Logan locked in a desperate battle to save a couple who have come under attack from Synestryn. The wife is very pregnant, and as the story progresses the reader discovers that Logan is responsible for the pair’s marriage because the man and woman are of distant Athanasian descent, and can provide sustenance to the Sanguinar through their (stronger, and better than human) blood. But what makes them attractive to the Sanguinar also makes them appealing to the Synestryn, and things are looking bleak until Hope Serrien stumbles across the battle and decides to interfere despite having no idea what she has gotten herself into. Logan is badly injured and he needs blood to heal and fight off the enemy, and in desperation he takes what he needs from Hope, discovering in the process that her blood is powerful—so much so that she needs to be matched to another powerful Athanasian as a likely savior for his race.
But something is different about Hope, and she can’t tell anyone what it is because she can’t remember. Her earliest memories involve waking up alone and naked in an alley ten years prior, and she has no idea where she came from. What she does for Logan with her blood doesn’t seem to happen with the Theronai, and fails spectacularly when there is a very hush-hush attempt to match her with a Slayer. Amidst all this, a powerful Synestryn lord, Krag, detects her presence and becomes obsessed with finding her so that he can breed human-looking Synestryn children from her. As the book becomes a race against time to get Hope to safety the question remains: Will Logan and Hope be able to survive both Krag and Sentinel laws to get their happy ending?
Although the majority of the story is about Logan and Hope, this has to be a qualified statement. Butcher’s Sentinel Wars series is now five books in, and extensive world building means that each new novel has an increasing amount of subplots included. In this book the leader of the Slayers, Andreas Phalan, turns up at the Theronai stronghold Dabyr with his sister Lyka, who he offers to the Theronai as a hostage in trade. The Slayers are facing dwindling numbers too, and a peace treaty is essential to survival. The reluctant and long-suffering leader of the Theronai, Joseph Rayd, is powerfully attracted to Lyka, but accepting Andreas’ deal means trading Carmen Taite, his adopted daughter, to the Slayers for assured good behavior. In another important plot development, Jackie Patton, secret daughter of Athanasian prince Lucien and half-sister to Helen Day and Lexi Johns, is having major difficulties with adjusting to life after years of captivity and mind-boggling abuse at the hands of the Synestryn. The Theronai males have discovered she is compatible with any of them, and the pressure to settle into a bonded pair is too much for the physically and mentally abused young woman, who begs to be released. She is sent out with a bonded pair to hunt Synestryn and comes across Iain Terra, a Theronai warrior who has lost all of the leaves on his lifemark, and is painfully living his final days hunting Synestryn-human hybrids before surrendering himself to the Slayers for execution. Iain has found an infant hybrid that looks almost fully human, and Jackie can’t allow him to kill the baby, especially after she discovers things might not be as doomed as the appear. There is powerful chemistry between Iain and Jackie, but will the woman who wants nothing to do with the being in a relationship be able to save the Theronai who may be too far gone? These are only two of the important subplots in the novel, and I am upset that I didn’t got back and read at least the third and fourth books to remind myself of what had gone before. This is definitely not the place to start reading the books, and I highly recommend a review before starting this one! (And it all begs the question of how long it will be before the Sentinel Companion is released to help us all keep track of who’s who.)
This isn’t to say that I didn’t like the book, because I did, I just don’t suggest that the last two novels be read without the context of the series. As with the other books, there’s a lot of action, intrigue, and romance, and I especially enjoyed how the Theronai weren’t the focus of this book, which allowed for the reader to actually learn something about the highly secretive Sanguinar. But I still don’t know hardly anything about Athanasia, or princes Eron and Lucien, who have defied their king and secretly traveled to Earth in order to father daughters who could save the Sentinels. The Slayers also remain largely a mystery. Hope’s plot twist in this book only makes this situation even more complicated, and I do wish that Butcher would devote more time in her stories to exploring the Athanasia/Earth ties and the complex political situation that has led to this particularly troubled moment in Sentinel history. This being said, I find these books highly pleasurable to read, and I have faith that my questions will be answered in due time. I’m already sitting on pins and needles waiting to see who is going to get the next story in the series!
My bottom line: I liked this book a great deal, just as I have enjoyed all of the previous installments, but it is a series novel that needs the context of the previous stories. Read this novel only if you have already read the earlier books—there are too many subplots to wade through if you don’t already know some of what has already taken place. As with other series novels, only the main plot is given any resolution; all of the subplots are left fairly unresolved and will (hopefully) carry over to the next story.
In the interest of full disclosure: I was given this book as an ARC by the author, but this has not altered my review in any way. I plan to purchase a copy of the actual novel for my collection, and feel like this installment is a worthy addition to the series.
The story begins with Logan locked in a desperate battle to save a couple who have come under attack from Synestryn. The wife is very pregnant, and as the story progresses the reader discovers that Logan is responsible for the pair’s marriage because the man and woman are of distant Athanasian descent, and can provide sustenance to the Sanguinar through their (stronger, and better than human) blood. But what makes them attractive to the Sanguinar also makes them appealing to the Synestryn, and things are looking bleak until Hope Serrien stumbles across the battle and decides to interfere despite having no idea what she has gotten herself into. Logan is badly injured and he needs blood to heal and fight off the enemy, and in desperation he takes what he needs from Hope, discovering in the process that her blood is powerful—so much so that she needs to be matched to another powerful Athanasian as a likely savior for his race.
But something is different about Hope, and she can’t tell anyone what it is because she can’t remember. Her earliest memories involve waking up alone and naked in an alley ten years prior, and she has no idea where she came from. What she does for Logan with her blood doesn’t seem to happen with the Theronai, and fails spectacularly when there is a very hush-hush attempt to match her with a Slayer. Amidst all this, a powerful Synestryn lord, Krag, detects her presence and becomes obsessed with finding her so that he can breed human-looking Synestryn children from her. As the book becomes a race against time to get Hope to safety the question remains: Will Logan and Hope be able to survive both Krag and Sentinel laws to get their happy ending?
Although the majority of the story is about Logan and Hope, this has to be a qualified statement. Butcher’s Sentinel Wars series is now five books in, and extensive world building means that each new novel has an increasing amount of subplots included. In this book the leader of the Slayers, Andreas Phalan, turns up at the Theronai stronghold Dabyr with his sister Lyka, who he offers to the Theronai as a hostage in trade. The Slayers are facing dwindling numbers too, and a peace treaty is essential to survival. The reluctant and long-suffering leader of the Theronai, Joseph Rayd, is powerfully attracted to Lyka, but accepting Andreas’ deal means trading Carmen Taite, his adopted daughter, to the Slayers for assured good behavior. In another important plot development, Jackie Patton, secret daughter of Athanasian prince Lucien and half-sister to Helen Day and Lexi Johns, is having major difficulties with adjusting to life after years of captivity and mind-boggling abuse at the hands of the Synestryn. The Theronai males have discovered she is compatible with any of them, and the pressure to settle into a bonded pair is too much for the physically and mentally abused young woman, who begs to be released. She is sent out with a bonded pair to hunt Synestryn and comes across Iain Terra, a Theronai warrior who has lost all of the leaves on his lifemark, and is painfully living his final days hunting Synestryn-human hybrids before surrendering himself to the Slayers for execution. Iain has found an infant hybrid that looks almost fully human, and Jackie can’t allow him to kill the baby, especially after she discovers things might not be as doomed as the appear. There is powerful chemistry between Iain and Jackie, but will the woman who wants nothing to do with the being in a relationship be able to save the Theronai who may be too far gone? These are only two of the important subplots in the novel, and I am upset that I didn’t got back and read at least the third and fourth books to remind myself of what had gone before. This is definitely not the place to start reading the books, and I highly recommend a review before starting this one! (And it all begs the question of how long it will be before the Sentinel Companion is released to help us all keep track of who’s who.)
This isn’t to say that I didn’t like the book, because I did, I just don’t suggest that the last two novels be read without the context of the series. As with the other books, there’s a lot of action, intrigue, and romance, and I especially enjoyed how the Theronai weren’t the focus of this book, which allowed for the reader to actually learn something about the highly secretive Sanguinar. But I still don’t know hardly anything about Athanasia, or princes Eron and Lucien, who have defied their king and secretly traveled to Earth in order to father daughters who could save the Sentinels. The Slayers also remain largely a mystery. Hope’s plot twist in this book only makes this situation even more complicated, and I do wish that Butcher would devote more time in her stories to exploring the Athanasia/Earth ties and the complex political situation that has led to this particularly troubled moment in Sentinel history. This being said, I find these books highly pleasurable to read, and I have faith that my questions will be answered in due time. I’m already sitting on pins and needles waiting to see who is going to get the next story in the series!
My bottom line: I liked this book a great deal, just as I have enjoyed all of the previous installments, but it is a series novel that needs the context of the previous stories. Read this novel only if you have already read the earlier books—there are too many subplots to wade through if you don’t already know some of what has already taken place. As with other series novels, only the main plot is given any resolution; all of the subplots are left fairly unresolved and will (hopefully) carry over to the next story.
In the interest of full disclosure: I was given this book as an ARC by the author, but this has not altered my review in any way. I plan to purchase a copy of the actual novel for my collection, and feel like this installment is a worthy addition to the series.
June 13, 2019
I wasn't really anticipating this story, so I can't say I'm too surprised that I didn't really like this.
I found Hope's story to be too convoluted, and I didn't like the explanation. I also wanted to know more about the Solarc and the Sanguinar. I don't really understand what Sanguinar powers are- if they hadn't been cursed, would they still be able to get into the minds of others using their blood? Or would they just be exactly like Hope? And what is it with Hope and her weird bursts of strength?
I liked the glimpses of Torr and Grace, Nika and Madoc, so I decided to give this an extra star. Overall though, the main story and couple didn't interest me at all. I felt absolutely no connection between Hope and Logan- it seemed like their relationship started mainly from lust. I also don't get why Logan is the only who can access Hope's powers- it seemed a little too soulmate-like for my tastes.
I also didn't care for Hope or Logan as individual characters. Hope didn't impress me at all. I felt like her traits had all been present in the previous heroines, and nothing about her stood out to me. Logan also didn't stand out to me at all, though I admired his dedication to his race.
I am confused, though, about the Sanguinar. How are they organized? Were they not supposed to have healing powers, since they can only seem to heal when they take another's blood? Why aren't there any female Sanguinar- were they killed off too?
To me, the plot was very bland. I thought Hope and Logan would be captured and they'd fight their way out, killing Krag along the way. I really had to push to get through the main story.
So, overall, there wasn't much to like about this book. I read it because it was part of the series and I couldn't just leave it out, but this has definitely been my least favorite so far.
I found Hope's story to be too convoluted, and I didn't like the explanation. I also wanted to know more about the Solarc and the Sanguinar. I don't really understand what Sanguinar powers are- if they hadn't been cursed, would they still be able to get into the minds of others using their blood? Or would they just be exactly like Hope? And what is it with Hope and her weird bursts of strength?
I liked the glimpses of Torr and Grace, Nika and Madoc, so I decided to give this an extra star. Overall though, the main story and couple didn't interest me at all. I felt absolutely no connection between Hope and Logan- it seemed like their relationship started mainly from lust. I also don't get why Logan is the only who can access Hope's powers- it seemed a little too soulmate-like for my tastes.
I also didn't care for Hope or Logan as individual characters. Hope didn't impress me at all. I felt like her traits had all been present in the previous heroines, and nothing about her stood out to me. Logan also didn't stand out to me at all, though I admired his dedication to his race.
I am confused, though, about the Sanguinar. How are they organized? Were they not supposed to have healing powers, since they can only seem to heal when they take another's blood? Why aren't there any female Sanguinar- were they killed off too?
To me, the plot was very bland. I thought Hope and Logan would be captured and they'd fight their way out, killing Krag along the way. I really had to push to get through the main story.
So, overall, there wasn't much to like about this book. I read it because it was part of the series and I couldn't just leave it out, but this has definitely been my least favorite so far.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2011
The fifth installment of the Sentinel Wars series shifts focus from the Theronai to Sanguinar when we follow Logan's story.
The Theronai are the warriors who work in woman and man pairs while the Sanguinar are healers and need blood to survive. The kicker is that every race of the Sentinels is dying and they are each here on Earth to protect humans from the Synestryn.
The Sanguinar have been pretty mysterious up until now. We don't know whether to like them or be weary of them. On one hand you have the Theronai that have a very negative opinion of the Sanguinar and on the other hand the author has given us glimpses into their lives and how much they do care.
Logan and his Sanguinar brothers have created a plan to save their kind by putting Project Lullaby into motion. They are pairing heavily blooded(blood that can nourish the Sanguinar)individuals/humans. The Sanguinars are mentally manipulating them to fall in love and have children. Although this can come off as pretty bad it kind of works for the individuals who have been manipulated. They have found their other half and are truly in love and happy. Things have been working just fine for a few years now until Logan runs into Hope who is heavily blooded, could possibly be a Theronai woman and they surely fall in love! This definitely complicates matters because no matter which way Logan approaches it, he can't have Hope.
As I mentioned before Logan is a Sanguinar and he is many things but definitely not a fighter. In this book he is forced to do just that, fight. It is awkward to say the least. He fights because he finds himself having to defend/save Hope from Synestryn who want her bad. This angle ends up working because Logan keeps getting his butt kicked, Hope helps save him a few times and well we know that he is still someone not equipped to fight.
I think this love has been the most intense love story in all the books. I felt all of Logan's anguish. I felt the pull to want to be with someone who has made you experience such intensity, happiness, rightness like never before and the pull to not get involved because there is no way either can be together because of one's own loyalties to the Sanguinar brotherhood and objectives. It was a very sweet and sad story. Honestly, I didn't expect a happy ending for Logan. It just seemed that hopeless.
In the end it worked out and I'm glad that it did because Hope brought Logan hope as well as the other Sanguinars.
Caution: In the beginning of the book there were characters written into the book as if we should have known who they were and I was left a bit confused when I couldn't remember who they were.
As with all the other books we are thrust into other threads that are weaved into the main one so that we can see glimpses of other character's lives. There is the Sybll thread, where she is no longer a child and is not adapting very well to her grown up body. There is Joseph who seems to be really attracted to a Slayer woman. There is Nika, Madoc, Tynan and Tori; Nika is trying to force Tynan into curing Tori when Tori doesn't want to be cured and of course we have Madoc backing up his woman even if she is wrong. BTW: I'm not in total agreement with this method of thinking. We also have the Jackie thread...THIS CHICK IS REALLY JACKED UP! Jackie, is compatible with every Theronai man and doesn't want any of them. She has just been saved from the Synestryn nest after being kept captive for two years and wants to go out and battle them. She is just not mentally ready for it. She is dangerous. Her thread intermingles with Iain whose leaves have completely left his life mark bare and soulless. Iain has been killing those Synestryn that look like humans and here comes Jackie saying he won't allow him to kill anymore...
Nicholas (I love Nicholas), is paired with Logan for a while when Logan calls in to get Theronai back up. Nicholas is dying faster than the others and if he doesn't find a Theronai woman fast he will be sent to the Slayers to be killed, sooner than later. Nicholas has been one of the more agreeable Theronai when it comes to helping feed the Sanguinar. Yet when he comes to help Logan out with Hope he starts to call Logan a blood sucker and just speaks very negatively of him to Hope. Which brings me to the following... Nicholas gets hurt pretty badly in this book and all Logan can think about is getting somewhere safe to heal Nicholas. I just don't understand why the Theronai hate the Sanguinar so much. It is not their fault that they were born to feed off of blood to survive anymore than the Theronai were born to absorb energy and are fated to pair up with a woman who will funnel that energy for the men to survive. Any time we have been given glimpses into the Sanguinar mind, more specifically Logan and Tynan, they just want to help their people survive and help the Theronai survive. Yes there is one Sanguinar traitor among them who is already feeling like crap for turning but all in all they have all been good beings. I love the Theronai but I am loving the Sanguinar too and I'm not digging the animosity, the hatred... I mean Madoc broke Tynan's neck in the last book and Tynan made excuses for Madoc... He forgave him for pete's sake!!! GRRRR!!! Oh and another thing... I think I might be getting a bit tired of the fact that all these women have had a jacked up life or something extremely bad has happened to jack them up mentally and/or emotionally. Can't there be a normal woman in the bunch? I mean there was one but she didn't even get a full novel, she got a novella.
ANYWAY...
All in all, I liked this book. I appreciate the little break from the Theronai and the opportunity to understand the Sanguinar more. I can't wait to read Jackie and Iain's story... yeah, the one who doesn't want to save and the one that doesn't want to be saved. Should be interesting. Pet peeves and all; I'm hooked.
The Theronai are the warriors who work in woman and man pairs while the Sanguinar are healers and need blood to survive. The kicker is that every race of the Sentinels is dying and they are each here on Earth to protect humans from the Synestryn.
The Sanguinar have been pretty mysterious up until now. We don't know whether to like them or be weary of them. On one hand you have the Theronai that have a very negative opinion of the Sanguinar and on the other hand the author has given us glimpses into their lives and how much they do care.
Logan and his Sanguinar brothers have created a plan to save their kind by putting Project Lullaby into motion. They are pairing heavily blooded(blood that can nourish the Sanguinar)individuals/humans. The Sanguinars are mentally manipulating them to fall in love and have children. Although this can come off as pretty bad it kind of works for the individuals who have been manipulated. They have found their other half and are truly in love and happy. Things have been working just fine for a few years now until Logan runs into Hope who is heavily blooded, could possibly be a Theronai woman and they surely fall in love! This definitely complicates matters because no matter which way Logan approaches it, he can't have Hope.
As I mentioned before Logan is a Sanguinar and he is many things but definitely not a fighter. In this book he is forced to do just that, fight. It is awkward to say the least. He fights because he finds himself having to defend/save Hope from Synestryn who want her bad. This angle ends up working because Logan keeps getting his butt kicked, Hope helps save him a few times and well we know that he is still someone not equipped to fight.
I think this love has been the most intense love story in all the books. I felt all of Logan's anguish. I felt the pull to want to be with someone who has made you experience such intensity, happiness, rightness like never before and the pull to not get involved because there is no way either can be together because of one's own loyalties to the Sanguinar brotherhood and objectives. It was a very sweet and sad story. Honestly, I didn't expect a happy ending for Logan. It just seemed that hopeless.
In the end it worked out and I'm glad that it did because Hope brought Logan hope as well as the other Sanguinars.
Caution: In the beginning of the book there were characters written into the book as if we should have known who they were and I was left a bit confused when I couldn't remember who they were.
As with all the other books we are thrust into other threads that are weaved into the main one so that we can see glimpses of other character's lives. There is the Sybll thread, where she is no longer a child and is not adapting very well to her grown up body. There is Joseph who seems to be really attracted to a Slayer woman. There is Nika, Madoc, Tynan and Tori; Nika is trying to force Tynan into curing Tori when Tori doesn't want to be cured and of course we have Madoc backing up his woman even if she is wrong. BTW: I'm not in total agreement with this method of thinking. We also have the Jackie thread...THIS CHICK IS REALLY JACKED UP! Jackie, is compatible with every Theronai man and doesn't want any of them. She has just been saved from the Synestryn nest after being kept captive for two years and wants to go out and battle them. She is just not mentally ready for it. She is dangerous. Her thread intermingles with Iain whose leaves have completely left his life mark bare and soulless. Iain has been killing those Synestryn that look like humans and here comes Jackie saying he won't allow him to kill anymore...
Nicholas (I love Nicholas), is paired with Logan for a while when Logan calls in to get Theronai back up. Nicholas is dying faster than the others and if he doesn't find a Theronai woman fast he will be sent to the Slayers to be killed, sooner than later. Nicholas has been one of the more agreeable Theronai when it comes to helping feed the Sanguinar. Yet when he comes to help Logan out with Hope he starts to call Logan a blood sucker and just speaks very negatively of him to Hope. Which brings me to the following... Nicholas gets hurt pretty badly in this book and all Logan can think about is getting somewhere safe to heal Nicholas. I just don't understand why the Theronai hate the Sanguinar so much. It is not their fault that they were born to feed off of blood to survive anymore than the Theronai were born to absorb energy and are fated to pair up with a woman who will funnel that energy for the men to survive. Any time we have been given glimpses into the Sanguinar mind, more specifically Logan and Tynan, they just want to help their people survive and help the Theronai survive. Yes there is one Sanguinar traitor among them who is already feeling like crap for turning but all in all they have all been good beings. I love the Theronai but I am loving the Sanguinar too and I'm not digging the animosity, the hatred... I mean Madoc broke Tynan's neck in the last book and Tynan made excuses for Madoc... He forgave him for pete's sake!!! GRRRR!!! Oh and another thing... I think I might be getting a bit tired of the fact that all these women have had a jacked up life or something extremely bad has happened to jack them up mentally and/or emotionally. Can't there be a normal woman in the bunch? I mean there was one but she didn't even get a full novel, she got a novella.
ANYWAY...
All in all, I liked this book. I appreciate the little break from the Theronai and the opportunity to understand the Sanguinar more. I can't wait to read Jackie and Iain's story... yeah, the one who doesn't want to save and the one that doesn't want to be saved. Should be interesting. Pet peeves and all; I'm hooked.
June 15, 2020
Several convoluted storylines.
Hope is a blooded human who has amnesia and searches for lost children for the homeless shelter she works for. Logan has discovered her and plans to induct her into Project Lullaby, but has to fight his attraction for her.
Sibyl is having problems and has gone into seclusion. While Andreas, the leader of the Slayers, wants to form a pact with the Theronai against the demons.
Footnote: 1) Note of interest. I had reserved the paperback version of this book from the library. It became ‘available’ to me 1 week in just before the Covid shutdown started. So I had to wait 3 months for the library to open curbside so I could get it to read. By that time I had mostly forgotten how the storyline went. LOL
Fave scenes: Tori’s cupcake, Iain & the baby, the crystal Warden and Hope breaking the window.
Hope is a blooded human who has amnesia and searches for lost children for the homeless shelter she works for. Logan has discovered her and plans to induct her into Project Lullaby, but has to fight his attraction for her.
Sibyl is having problems and has gone into seclusion. While Andreas, the leader of the Slayers, wants to form a pact with the Theronai against the demons.
Footnote: 1) Note of interest. I had reserved the paperback version of this book from the library. It became ‘available’ to me 1 week in just before the Covid shutdown started. So I had to wait 3 months for the library to open curbside so I could get it to read. By that time I had mostly forgotten how the storyline went. LOL
Fave scenes: Tori’s cupcake, Iain & the baby, the crystal Warden and Hope breaking the window.
February 2, 2022
Este libro me ha encantado. Es el quinto libro de la saga de los Centinelas. La verdad es que voy leyendo la saga sin spoilers de lo que va a venir. Es por eso que me sorprendió mucho la pareja que se forma aquí, porque no me lo esperaba.
La historia particular me ha parecido muy buena y la general de la saga está muy bien entramada. Tiene esa particularidad de ir cambiando la perspectiva, la autora narra desde el punto de vista de él, de ella y de otros personajes la historia, con lo que empatizas mucho con los personajes y no te aburres de la narración, se hace muy dinámica.
La historia particular me ha parecido muy buena y la general de la saga está muy bien entramada. Tiene esa particularidad de ir cambiando la perspectiva, la autora narra desde el punto de vista de él, de ella y de otros personajes la historia, con lo que empatizas mucho con los personajes y no te aburres de la narración, se hace muy dinámica.
June 22, 2023
3.75/5
I think this is my lowest rating so far for a book in the series. It was obvious from early on the female main was different. This caused the revelations near the end of the novel have a lot less impact. And then a creature that had been near impossible to harm earlier in the book was very easily killed in the climax sequence. Also, I failed to connect as well with the two main characters as I have in previous books in the series. This isn't bad, it just isn't on the same level I felt. But it is good for near mindless escapism which is what most decent fiction books are.
I think this is my lowest rating so far for a book in the series. It was obvious from early on the female main was different. This caused the revelations near the end of the novel have a lot less impact. And then a creature that had been near impossible to harm earlier in the book was very easily killed in the climax sequence. Also, I failed to connect as well with the two main characters as I have in previous books in the series. This isn't bad, it just isn't on the same level I felt. But it is good for near mindless escapism which is what most decent fiction books are.
December 3, 2021
The best part about this book is that it was about Logan. I have always thought most of the others treat Logan and his people poorly. I have hated it. To see Logan finally get something for himself was amazing.
January 21, 2022
This is a fantastic series - fantasy at its best with strong characters and the obstacles they overcome to be on the right side of the fight. I am not able to read these in the order but I don't believe its necessary.
May 20, 2017
3.5 stars
February 21, 2019
Great series. I have read all of this series so far and it is brilliant! It is set in a universe that just pulls you in and keeps you looking for the next one. It's just keeps getting better
October 7, 2019
Excellent!! You couldn't want a better guy!
April 16, 2021
Spoiler but a happy one
It's nice to see that Logan gets someone to love and be loved by. Their plight was too stark and hopeless.
It's nice to see that Logan gets someone to love and be loved by. Their plight was too stark and hopeless.
April 21, 2024
That was a bit rough. There were a lot of different stories going on at the same time. The book jumped back and forth between them. I struggled a bit remembering which characters were which.
April 1, 2025
It's the heroine’s amnesia and her thirst for her memories that drives her out into the night every night in search of answers. Well that and her desire to save as many lost and wounded souls as she can with her homeless shelter. It's one particularity cold night while searching for a missing friend that the heroine stumbles upon a scene out of a horror movie. A couple has been brutally attacked, saved by a very large but very wounded man as he battles what looks like a monster out of a nightmare. The heroine doesn't think, she just reacts and instantly, she's picking up whatever weapon she can find and joining forces with the hero because it's obvious he's losing the fight. She manages to distract the monster long enough for the hero to make the killing blow and in the aftermath of the battle, the heroine even offers the hero her blood so as to save his life. The idea of monsters and vampires may seem like a very farfetched sort of idea but the heroine is strangely calm about the whole deal. Perhaps this is a link to her past? The hero knows that the strong and beautiful female that just saved his life is a Therione.
As such, she is very important to her race and very rare. He has been charged with hunting for woman such as herself and bringing into his world to be matched with a male who is destined for her. The hero is good at his job, takes pride in doing his part for the betterment of the race’s survival. Never before, though, has he been tempted to sample a female for himself. It's not his place to desire the heroine. She is not meant for him and never can be.... But that doesn't stop him from wanting desperately to keep her safe and comfortable. He may try to tell himself that the reason behind this fierce protectiveness is his duty but that would be a lie. He hates the fact that what he is- a vampire- makes her forbidden to him. He hates that he'll never get to have her for his own, that another male will soon become her world. He tries to remain distant for her but it's hard when she is becoming so important to him. He respects her too much, admires her too much. In their battles against the enemies that come seeking the heroine, she ends up saving his life far more times and though her in danger terrifies him, he is still half way in love with her because of this. The heroine doesn't understand this new world the hero wants her to be a part of. She's not destined for any male and if anything, she wants the hero to be the man in her life but he is so resistant to the idea. It's clear he cares for her but whenever she tries to get close, he pushes her away. As they travel together, as the walls between them start to crumble, the hero risks everything because he's starting to show his feelings for the heroine. Suddenly the idea of her with another male makes him crazy. Suddenly if doing his duty means living without the heroine than it's not as important as he imagined it to be.
This book had a lot of high points. I simply adored the fact that while the hero could handle himself in a fight, he was not the fierce immortal sort of warrior. In fact, he was more a hunter than a fighter which showed in all his confrontations. Still, this did not stop him from jumping into the path of any monster than threatened the innocent. And while he was a good man for risking himself against a stronger enemy, the heroine was an amazing woman for doing the same and for actually saving the day 9 times out of 10. I can't say how pleased I was by that. Not because she was some bad ass warrior but rather because she was smart and fiercely protective of the hero. I liked their relationship that started off instantly as something special. It was clear from the jump that the heroine was very dear for the hero and that was a dangerous thing to him because it meant he was becoming attached. He's not supposed to do anything with the women he finds beside deliver them into the arms of their fated mate. But the hero wanted the heroine something fierce and though he resisted, it was a losing battle. I liked their connection that was so much more than just sexual. It's was built on respect. The plotline was very action packed and the fighting scenes were frequent and well done. It was exciting and passionate and I really liked both these characters. My issue was the fact that a whole lot of the book was focused on other supporting characters. It meant it became a case of the skims. Neither the less, very nice book. Very exciting and never boring. P.S this model on the cover is NOT what I picture of the hero. This guy is looking a bit 2 of 10 on the hot scale.
As such, she is very important to her race and very rare. He has been charged with hunting for woman such as herself and bringing into his world to be matched with a male who is destined for her. The hero is good at his job, takes pride in doing his part for the betterment of the race’s survival. Never before, though, has he been tempted to sample a female for himself. It's not his place to desire the heroine. She is not meant for him and never can be.... But that doesn't stop him from wanting desperately to keep her safe and comfortable. He may try to tell himself that the reason behind this fierce protectiveness is his duty but that would be a lie. He hates the fact that what he is- a vampire- makes her forbidden to him. He hates that he'll never get to have her for his own, that another male will soon become her world. He tries to remain distant for her but it's hard when she is becoming so important to him. He respects her too much, admires her too much. In their battles against the enemies that come seeking the heroine, she ends up saving his life far more times and though her in danger terrifies him, he is still half way in love with her because of this. The heroine doesn't understand this new world the hero wants her to be a part of. She's not destined for any male and if anything, she wants the hero to be the man in her life but he is so resistant to the idea. It's clear he cares for her but whenever she tries to get close, he pushes her away. As they travel together, as the walls between them start to crumble, the hero risks everything because he's starting to show his feelings for the heroine. Suddenly the idea of her with another male makes him crazy. Suddenly if doing his duty means living without the heroine than it's not as important as he imagined it to be.
This book had a lot of high points. I simply adored the fact that while the hero could handle himself in a fight, he was not the fierce immortal sort of warrior. In fact, he was more a hunter than a fighter which showed in all his confrontations. Still, this did not stop him from jumping into the path of any monster than threatened the innocent. And while he was a good man for risking himself against a stronger enemy, the heroine was an amazing woman for doing the same and for actually saving the day 9 times out of 10. I can't say how pleased I was by that. Not because she was some bad ass warrior but rather because she was smart and fiercely protective of the hero. I liked their relationship that started off instantly as something special. It was clear from the jump that the heroine was very dear for the hero and that was a dangerous thing to him because it meant he was becoming attached. He's not supposed to do anything with the women he finds beside deliver them into the arms of their fated mate. But the hero wanted the heroine something fierce and though he resisted, it was a losing battle. I liked their connection that was so much more than just sexual. It's was built on respect. The plotline was very action packed and the fighting scenes were frequent and well done. It was exciting and passionate and I really liked both these characters. My issue was the fact that a whole lot of the book was focused on other supporting characters. It meant it became a case of the skims. Neither the less, very nice book. Very exciting and never boring. P.S this model on the cover is NOT what I picture of the hero. This guy is looking a bit 2 of 10 on the hot scale.
August 20, 2011
I'm really glad that I stuck with this series, because this book and the last were really, really engaging.
Blood Hunt focuses on the Sanguinar, rather than the Theronai, and picks up right where the last book left off. I will admit that I wasn't sure I cared enough about the Sanguinar to last through the book, but I was wrong. Logan was sweet, sweeter than he came off in past books (and very bonded warrior-like in some parts), and Hope managed to be optimistic without being so sugary sweet I couldn't relate. Together, they worked. And it was really nice to get to see life from the eyes of the Sanguinar, and understand what their motivation is. It made the world a little richer for me as a reader.
Logan and Hope's story line wasn't as long as some of the other books because there was a lot going on with a whoooole bunch of characters. Even though their story had to share time with the other plots (and there was a lot of jumping around, especially in the first half), I have to say that as a reader, I didn't feel like their story lacked depth, was rushed, or that anything was left out. It actually felt good and natural the way it all happened, given that everything takes place over a matter of a few days.
That being said, the ending was a little too magically helped, even in a magical world. But by that time, I was pulling for Logan and Hope, so I didn't mind (much). And some of the other plots were only mentioned once or twice - like Sybil, the whole bit with the Slayers, Tori, Grace. It was such a tease, but in a good way; I'm hoping they will have beefier parts in the next book.
Overall, I'm pretty satisfied with Blood Hunt. My only gripe is that Shannon K. Butcher writes in more questions than she does answers with the world and the characters she created, and I never feel totally satisfied once I finish these books. But as the series moves forward and some answers are given, I'm feeling more satisfied now than after finishing the first book in the series. I can also appreciate that I've always got questions and am interested in each new layer she shows about this world, rather than having her recite the same paragraphs from previous books (which can come off lazy if not done right). She's got me hooked, for sure.
I'm also curious how long the series will go - there are so many characters now that I'm concerned about resolution to some of these plots. I feel like some answers better be revealed soon, or the final book will either be massive or leave readers hanging because certain things will never be tied off (I'm hoping that won't happen!). And I'm hoping Joseph and Nicholas will each get their own book; those guys deserve it (and are also two of my favorite warriors)!
All told, Blood Hunt was a good addition to the series, and a fun read.
Blood Hunt focuses on the Sanguinar, rather than the Theronai, and picks up right where the last book left off. I will admit that I wasn't sure I cared enough about the Sanguinar to last through the book, but I was wrong. Logan was sweet, sweeter than he came off in past books (and very bonded warrior-like in some parts), and Hope managed to be optimistic without being so sugary sweet I couldn't relate. Together, they worked. And it was really nice to get to see life from the eyes of the Sanguinar, and understand what their motivation is. It made the world a little richer for me as a reader.
Logan and Hope's story line wasn't as long as some of the other books because there was a lot going on with a whoooole bunch of characters. Even though their story had to share time with the other plots (and there was a lot of jumping around, especially in the first half), I have to say that as a reader, I didn't feel like their story lacked depth, was rushed, or that anything was left out. It actually felt good and natural the way it all happened, given that everything takes place over a matter of a few days.
That being said, the ending was a little too magically helped, even in a magical world. But by that time, I was pulling for Logan and Hope, so I didn't mind (much). And some of the other plots were only mentioned once or twice - like Sybil, the whole bit with the Slayers, Tori, Grace. It was such a tease, but in a good way; I'm hoping they will have beefier parts in the next book.
Overall, I'm pretty satisfied with Blood Hunt. My only gripe is that Shannon K. Butcher writes in more questions than she does answers with the world and the characters she created, and I never feel totally satisfied once I finish these books. But as the series moves forward and some answers are given, I'm feeling more satisfied now than after finishing the first book in the series. I can also appreciate that I've always got questions and am interested in each new layer she shows about this world, rather than having her recite the same paragraphs from previous books (which can come off lazy if not done right). She's got me hooked, for sure.
I'm also curious how long the series will go - there are so many characters now that I'm concerned about resolution to some of these plots. I feel like some answers better be revealed soon, or the final book will either be massive or leave readers hanging because certain things will never be tied off (I'm hoping that won't happen!). And I'm hoping Joseph and Nicholas will each get their own book; those guys deserve it (and are also two of my favorite warriors)!
All told, Blood Hunt was a good addition to the series, and a fun read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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