Oxford Blood

The Cavaliers #1

by Georgiana Derwent

A Tale of the Posh, the Privileged and the Paranormal...

The Cavaliers are the most elite society at Oxford University - rich, powerful, and beautiful. No one realises that they are no ordinary students, but a group of aristocratic vampires from the English Civil War. For four hundred years they have groomed the most promising students to run the government, police, and finance in the way the vampires wish, granting them eternal life in return for absolute obedience.

When Harriet French arrives at Oxford University from her working class northern state school, she’s prepared for a culture shock, but not to become embroiled in the Cavaliers’ scheming and bloodlust. Harriet thought she'd be busy enough juggling her demanding tutor, new friends, and the murky world of student politics. But now, she must find the rebel vampire who is killing off the members, stop the Cavaliers from orchestrating a massacre of the year’s most beautiful and successful students, and defy the Society to be with the man of her dreams.

Oxford Blood is a British, adult, paranormal romance. It's a tale with vampires that aren't afraid to kill and a heroine who's not afraid of sex or her own ambition.

Genres: Vampires, Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance, Supernatural, Paranormal Romance, Historical

308 pages, Paperback

First published October 17, 2012

About the author

I’m British, and originally from Yorkshire (or those who don’t really know British geography, think Winterfell), but now live in London with my husband, Freddie. I studied history at Oxford University and still love everything historical, particularly the three Rs: Renaissance, Restoration and Regency. Afterwards, I trained as a barrister, and now work for the UK Government.

I’m the author of The Cavaliers Trilogy (Oxford Blood, Screaming Spires, and Ivory Terrors), about vampires at Oxford University. And more recently, of My Love is Vengeance, the first of a fantasy series about a girl plotting revenge on the duke who killed her twin while trying not to fall for his charms or give in to her dark side.

I've also written - but not yet published - The Dictator’s Wife, a standalone near-future adult dark romantic thriller about a military coup and dictatorship in Britain, in which a resistance fighter must choose to kill the despotic First Lord—the only man she’s ever loved—or rule at his side.

I love any type of story that takes me away from the here and now: futuristic, historical, fantasy or simply weird, dramatic things happening in a contemporary setting. I’m generally less of a fan of stories of ordinary people doing ordinary things in the present day, though I’ll make an exception for anything that includes unconventional narratives, unreliable narrators or tricksy, experimental story-telling.

I am an unashamed lover of alluring villains and villainous (or at least seriously morally ambiguous) protagonists. That’s Gone Girl-style ladies and Darkling-style gentlemen. I particularly enjoy tales that feature sinister characters as possible love interests.

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 1 out of 5]

There's a lot to this novel that I couldn't accept. The characterization is mostly what drives my rating; I was horribly disappointed. Perhaps my expectations were too high, but really what I felt like I was reading was a love letter to a college and to vampires. The whodunnit part was probably the best, and had it stuck just to that I would have enjoyed the book way more. But as it stands, with Harriet's little love triangle thing, it really detracted from the story for me. And I'll be honest, I was disgusted for a lot of it.

I'll try to stay coherent, although my thoughts tend to bounce around when I'm writing reviews and often my fingers can't keep up with my brain when I'm trying to type it out. But to begin with, the very first time Tom and Harriet interact was utterly ridiculous. Some strange guy walks up and tells your parents (or aunt/uncle, whatever) firmly that he will give you a tour randomly. Do you go with him to the most secluded part of the campus? Of course you do! Because he's gorgeous. It didn't make any sense, and I've never heard of such a random meeting. But after that one meeting, of course Harriet and Tom are both in love.

She even says this--after hanging out with him one time--to her friends: "You don't understand. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I really feel that he's the one for me. I've always had an idea of my dream man and he just fits it exactly. The first time we met, it was so perfect I just want it to be like that again."

Let me clarify what happens the first time they met a little better. She's with her family. He walks up. Uses his hypnotic powers to make her family not care she's walking off with a stranger. Takes her to a secluded corner. Proceeds to push himself on her and kisses her. Maybe I'm a prude (I doubt it) but I would never be okay with someone having the gall to pull shit like that. It isn't sexy. It doesn't make me swoon over how gorgeous and manly he is. I actually really loved Caroline when she said this little bit: "When you say he's your soulmate, I think what you actually mean is that he's utterly gorgeous and you'd really like to get him naked. Let's not get too melodramatic here." But melodramatic it is.

But what really, really turned me off to this book--and maybe I should have stopped reading there--was the way George was handled. He tried to take advantage of her. Yeah, it was all cutesy in the old Dracula movies, but physically pinning someone down and trying your little mesmerizing thing doesn't mean it isn't forcing someone into something they don't want. It's that much worse of course that he's a physically demanding male who could easily prevent her from moving.

Here is what George says:
"Now, either you continue to struggle and it will hurt worse than anything, or you can relax and let me work my magic, and it'll be better than the best sex you've ever had. After which, we can actually have the best sex you've ever had, or you can wander back to your room."

Let me just stop here. That, what George says, is completely accurate. Because rapists will justify it til they die. "She said no but once we got started she was enjoying it." That's bullshit. No means no, and him justifying it saying by going well hey, at least I'm good at sex, doesn't make this any less disgusting. I can't believe that this is something that is being put in YA novels.


But honestly, what I think is the worst part of this, is that it's justified and then waved away like it's not a big deal. Harriet's thoughts later on in the novel: "Maybe she'd imagined George's previous actions or at least blown them out of proportion. After all, she'd been drunk and over-excited. She could have misinterpreted the situation."

Are you fucking kidding me? Is that seriously what I just read? I just almost got raped, but maybe I misinterpreted the situation? Oh, but it's not rape, because I was drunk. Unbelievable. But it gets better: "...his company enthralled her just as much as at the beginning of their previous meeting before things went wrong. Her memories of the terrible end of the night faded. Instead, thoughts of how wonderful it had been to walk arm in arm with him around the darkened city spun through her mind."

And then she goes on to justify it. When Tom consistently ignores her, she mentally shouts this at him, regarding George: Well at least he consistently shows me attention. Yeah, at least there's that. Also, I'll mention here that he actively tries to force her into physical situations, like not letting her leave until she kisses him on the mouth. Is someone honestly going to tell me that is okay?

Actually, yes, that's exactly what happens. It's totally okay, because: "They weren't really doing any harm--most girls would even be delighted to bump into the handsome, charming members in a dark alley, let alone on such a special night, and they neither felt nor remembered the bloodletting, only the fun before and afterwards."

Also, it's okay because Harriet calls herself a slut. So all's well.


After all that though, I still wasn't happy with the story. The dialogue was stilted and awkward at times, especially with George and Adelaide. There was far too much emphasis on Harriet's partying and her dresses and shoes than progressing the plot. The only times I cheered for the characters is when they said something negative: "So, did you spend the night with the blond rich wanker or the dark haired posh twat?"


Word count:
whilst: 48

[Ade · Rating 1 out of 5]

-_- This book was fucking horrible. I kept wanting to believe that it was a parody meant to mock all of the shitty vampire books out there, but nope. It just sucks. Don't read this. Ever.

[Trish at Between My Lines · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one, true rating would be 4.5 stars. A vampire story set in Oxford, I always knew this was going to be my cup of tea and it didn’t disappoint.

Harriet goes to Oxford to read History (and I found out why it’s called reading and not studying, ok maybe that’s obvious but I never knew it!). We quickly learn that she was abandoned by her Mother and brought up by her dead Father’s sister and husband but has maintained a distant but affectionate relationship with her mother.

Oxford, the city of dreaming spires, is an amazing setting for this story, it’s just so atmospheric. And we get to experience a little of the Oxford student lifestyle through Harriet’s eyes, punting and picnics, parties and studying, friendships and crushes, it’s all there.

But that’s only part of the story, there is a very elite society group there, The Cavaliers and while they are not a secret society they do have a big secret that they keep hushed up from all outsiders. A huge, big, bloody secret and Harriet gets drawn in on lots of different levels through different acquaintances and then she discovers a past she never knew about.

So as you can see there are 2 stories going on, both of which work for me. The action really picks up about half way through and at that stage I was reading as fast as I could, with my heart pounding at times.

Have to admit, there are a good few typo’s and a few sentences that I had to read a few times to make sense of. But as I was so caught up in the unfolding story, they didn’t distract me or annoy me too much. Also didn’t like the cover, I think a more contemporary cover would capture the mood of the book much better, I would never have picked this one up in a bookshop.

The ending was fantastic; it wrapped everything up nicely but really set the scene for book 2 as well. Looking forward to that one being published this year, it will be on my ‘to read’ list.

Thanks to the Author for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

[Anna's Herding Cats · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ahhh, so, we've got a secret society of vampires that rules a major uni and has it's fingers in all the prominent spots in society from the police to politics and isn't shy about using a little force to get what they want... intriguing, right? Yeah, I was totally feeling the set up for Oxford Blood. It took me a good bit of time to actually get into the story and the style (very British in slang, etc) but once I was finally there I enjoyed watching things unfold for Harriet and the world she's just discovered exists.

Basically Harriet is in her first year at Oxford and while she's studying and partying she's also being dragged into the world of vampires where drama abounds. Especially after two rival vamps set their sights on her. There's a little bit of steam and a couple sweet moments in the romance but for the most part it's rather light. There are a couple decent surprises along the way dealing with her family and the Cavaliers (the vamp society) which I definitely appreciated.

The vamps were really my favorite part despite them being a bit posh (I like my men a bit more...rugged?). They did have a touch of evil in them which is always fun to see.They kill, they manipulate and they take what they want and do so fairly unapologetically. I liked both of the vamps out for Harriet and that you just never knew what to expect from them.

While I did get into the story and the characters there were a quite a few editing blips that kept pulling me out of the story and distracting me which was one of my bigger problems with the book.

In the end I did enjoy the tale of Harriet's first year at Oxford and watching as she found new friends and love, made some discoveries about her family and dealt with vamp dramaI think this one is probably better suited to the younger crowd being a New Adult novel. Harriet really was a bit young for me so was a little hard to relate to, ya know? While it wasn't without it's faults I'm actually still pretty curious to see what unravels next with the series.

[Anna McC · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first vampire book I have read which was set in Oxford, this straight away made it stand out from all the rest. From the very start I was hooked. By diving into her plot right from the beginning Georgiana Derwent allowed the reader to get wrapped up in the amazing world of elite vampires and the hidden secrets of Oxford. I found this a very unique story based on the classic vampire tales. The author not only created a gripping plot but she also gave us an insight into the world of vampires you don't always find in similar stories.

In amongst the captivating plot Georgiana Derwent also managed to add well rounded and thought out characters. The theme of romance is added to this wonderful novel through the love that blossoms between the main character Harriet and Cavalier vampire Tom. As their love grows and more problems arise including the vampire Georges fight for Harriets affection the readers heart is constantly kept racing waiting to see what will happen next. I loved how the other females in Harriet's family experiences of Oxford were quite similar at times it allowed fir an insight into why Harriet was quickly involved in the Cavalier world.

I believe Derwent did a brilliant job creating a very unique version of the vampire world. It made them seem even more superior and vicious. The hierarchy within this vampire society led to even more heart racing drama. I also found Tom to be the perfect love interest, with his caring and protective nature. I was rooting for both him and Harriet from the start.

Overall I thought this was a wonderful book that kept me on the edge of my seat from the start to the finish. Georgiana Derwent is a wonderful author and I can't wait to see what happens next in Harriets story. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves vampires.

[Kasey · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received this book in exchange for an honest review*
This book had a great storyline and great potential. What didn't work for me was the over-description, I felt like there were passages that just over described Oxford. Also the characters at times weren't very well developed. In a lot of ways I felt like I knew Adelaide better than I knew Harriet. Harriet just seemed frivolous, and that kind of bothered me. I didn't feel like I got to know Harriet on any real level. She talked about making friends quickly but they didn't seem to talk about anything important.

Some of the passages kind of dragged while others flew by. Harriet partying got really old pretty quickly, but the scenes with Adelaide and Gus actually were very intriguing. The scenes with the vampires were the best although Harriet's over-protesting of them drinking blood was annoying. They're vampires, they're going to drink blood and they won't apologize for it.

I really liked the premise with the Cavaliers, and I actually thought that George seemed fairly sympathetic while Tom was very one dimensional. Of course, I didn't like George in the beginning but I felt like he was at least honest about who he was. He knew that he was a monster but he accepted that.

I think it's pretty clear that this the author's first book, but the potential is there. The plot was good and well-thought. I'd like to give this book 2.5 stars because of the tediousness of some of the passages but I'll round up because of the potential. I'd definitely check out the next book in the series just to see the growth in the writing and storyline.

[Michelle(Chelle) aka Nightshade - Cake Whisperer · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, I would like to thank the author for letting me read her book for an honest review.

Harriet French is a freshman at the University of Oxford; she has been living with her aunt & uncle in Northern England but has always wanted to attend Oxford. Thankfully she is accepted into the History studies there. On her first day of school she meets Tom, an older student, who is also a member of the prestigious Cavaliers. At first they seem to hit it off right away but upon seeing a necklace that her mother had given to her he backs off. Harriet grew up barely seeing her mother, Adelaide, so she is completely unaware of her mother’s significance and association with the Cavaliers.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. The premise was fresh and I consider myself to be an Anglophobe so I thoroughly enjoyed the inside glimpse into school life at Oxford. The story-line itself was very interesting and I will definitely read the next installment in the series. I felt the second half of the book was better told and flowed more smoothly.

My problems with the book stem from how rushed I felt the beginning of the book was and in turn the light character development as a result of this. I think a few extra chapters in the front would have helped to establish the characters better and made me care about them more. Also, I felt it was really rushed from when Harriet got her acceptance letter to Oxford and then 2 pages later she was there. Maybe even a simple header over the next chapter to let the reader know how much time had elapsed would have been helpful, especially for an American, not familiar with the term systems at Oxford. I ended up looking it up so I could figure it out for myself but kind of wished I didn’t have to.

Harriet’s relationship with her mother could have been built up a bit more as quite honestly I couldn’t understand how she could feel an ounce of love for a woman who had abandoned her to live with her aunt and uncle and was seemingly living a wonderful life with a new husband. What teenager wouldn’t feel some resentment and yet when she pops back into her life and tells Harriet to go to the dinner with George, who had accosted her, she readily agrees with her mother and that she must have her best interest at heart….really?

The other issue I had was her total infatuation, head over heels feelings for Tom. They kissed once, he gave her the cold shoulder and started showing interest in another girl. Even after he repeatedly showed no interest in her she couldn’t seem to stay away. I just didn’t get what it was she was seeing in him and why she would go back for more. This is where a few extra chapters of them getting closer as friends or something might have helped me believe he deserved her. Regardless of the fact that her mother had told him to stay clear of her, Harriet didn’t know this so why keep going back for more humiliation.

Now George is a very interesting character and I personally actually cared for him more than Tom, I actually felt that the author did a better job progressing Harriet and George’s relationship even though it started off on a bad note. George had a bit more depth to him in my opinion and I look forward to seeing where the author is going to take them in the next book.

Based on the second half of the book and the ending I am truly looking forward to following this series.

[Patricia · Rating 2 out of 5]

*I received this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review.*

I really wanted to like this novel. The blurb made it sound extremely interesting and I couldn’t wait to start it. Although I feel like some of the events and storylines would make an exceptional novel on their own, when added together, it just seemed disjointed and confusing.

The Prologue introduces us to Stephanie and the Cavaliers. You read it, you think “OMG…WTF?!” and then you spend almost the entire novel wondering what in the crap that had to do with anything.

The beginning storyline of Harriet and Tom seemed a bit too much like that “other” vampire series. You know the one that made billions at the box office and had half of the female population on the planet wearing “Team ___” t-shirts. Parts of the story here seemed way to déjà vu.

That, along with all of the other storylines, there was just too much crammed into one novel. Like I said, I felt that if the author had stuck to one of these per book, it would have been fabulous:

The love triangle
The murder who done it
The mystery parents
The “We need to stop this”
The revenge plot

However, I did really like the end of the novel and the way it set up the sequel. That is the reason I would bump it to a 2.5 if we could use half stars, and will be at least reading the sequel to see how it goes.

[Icy-Cobwebs-Crossing-SpaceTime · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of Oxford Blood by Georgiana Derwent
5 stars

I don’t know that it’s appropriate to call a vampire story a “cosy,” but this is the way I felt reading “Oxford Blood.” As with a cosy mystery, or any enticing, enrapturing story, I just wanted to curl up around my Kindle Fire and tell the world to go away and leave me alone: I’m reading! I just fell into this story from the first page, and believe me, I had no difficulty with suspension of disbelief. I heap extra kudos on author Georgiana Derwent, because usually, I avoid vampire stories like the Black Plague; but I love this series and hope it continues on and on and on.

As an Anglophile, I was of course enraptured with the descriptions of Oxford and its environs. Ms. Derwent takes great pains to explore these wonderful historic locations, while at the same time maintaining her cast of multiple characters, and threading throughout the plot line of the Cavaliers, with additional subplots as these Oxford students do what they know best: meet, form relationships, break up, consume lots of alcohol, party, club—and oh yes, occasionally study.

I know that fans of paranormal romance will leap to bite into this series; but even those who don’t normally “do vampires” will love it do. Keep it up, Ms. Derwent!

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book for an honest review.

This was a different read; I will admit to having a hard time concentrating on it. The prologue will definitely draw you in (definitely not Twilight, that's for sure) and the plot/setting in general was intriguing. Basically, there's a vampire secret society at Oxford that Harriet (main character) stumbles onto. Plus, as with any YA/NA read, who doesn't love a good love triangle?

My main issue with the book was that it was hard to get into. As I mentioned before, the prologue was quite different but I didn't feel like the rest of the story matched up to it; I felt like it moved rather slowly. The main characters (Harriet, Tom, George) seem a little one-dimensional and it was hard for me to feel connected to them/the story. However, the angst was there between Tom and Harriet and has the potential for more to develop. Just because I am giving this review three stars doesn't mean that the rest in the series will be worthy of three stars. I definitely think the sequel has the potential to be even better and that perhaps this first book was just the beginning.

For a first time author, I think she did a great job and am looking forward to see where the series goes from here.

[Maya · Rating 5 out of 5]

The world building in this book was amazing. Not to mention the conspiracy theory of vampires taking over Oxford to recruit new and bright students for their Cavaliers group.

When I first read about Harriet I thought of her as a two dimensional character. But as I read the book, I started to understand her more and like her. But I was really intrigued by Adeleine - Harriet's mother - and Gus - the leader of the vampires and Adeleine's husband.

In this book Tom was the good guy and the one for Harriet but I liked George better, specially at the end when Harriet reads his note.

I want to know what is going to happen with their blood bond - between George and Harriet - and why Tom never shared his blood with Harriet. There has to be a better explanation than what Tom gave.

I can't wait to read the new book.

PS: I got this book from the author after entering Goodreads first read giveaway. I gave my truthful opinion.

[Niamh Kavanagh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book. Read it in one sitting. A few typos in the Kindle edition that were a bit distracting but didn't take away from an overall, very well written, exciting and intriguing story. Really looking forward to the next installment.

[Shelby · Rating 3 out of 5]

**I was given this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Ms. Derwent for offering up your story.**

I wanted to like this book so badly. But when all I’m doing while reading it is obsessing over logic fallacies and shallow characters it makes that really, really hard. There’s a fluidity to the prose and the story trips along at a fair enough pace, but I just couldn’t get over the idiocy of it all.

Harriet is off for her first year at Oxford. Who wouldn’t be excited? Having been raised by her aunt since her mother remarried she’s led a pretty quiet life up till now. She has a great family and while she’s seen little of her mother she still loves her greatly. But now there’s so much to do, people to meet, parties to attend. Of course being seen with the right people and looking fabulous at all the right parties is exactly the biggest focus of her life. Of course meeting Tom on day one certainly isn’t a hardship. He’s gorgeous and oh so dreamy.

Tom fell for Harriet the minute that he saw her. It’s love at first sight. Once he realizes who she is though he’s forced by protocol to take a step back. He’s just not strong enough for her parents to approve of him. After all he’s only been dead for 100 years. Tom is a vampire and a part of a group called the Cavaliers. They’ve run the British government and hold most of the positions of power throughout the country for generations. Every year they pick the most promising freshman male candidates coming into Oxford for initiation into their order…5 new vampires once a year. Only the most beautiful and successful need apply. Being on campus allows Tom to screen the new applicants and of course be part of the best parties around. But can Harriet’s and Tom’s new love find a foothold in all the upheavals going on?

Alright let’s start with the good first. For all that my brain kept screaming at me throughout reading this book the story moves along at a decent pace and doesn’t drag too terribly. The author clearly loved their time at Oxford and you get a good feel for the campus in their descriptions of the place. As an American there were certain terms and teaching methods that took a little figuring out to understand the way things worked, but in the end I wasn’t lost at all. The history of a college like Oxford enchants me and always makes my historian heart happy. I liked the little pieces of that place that I got to know.

I wasn’t mortally offended by any of the characters, but I never felt like any of them had much depth either. From Harriet I can accept a little of her immaturity and social consciousness because she is a young college girl. Still the obsession with parties and the social scene, with being in the right social sphere, annoyed me to no end. I’ve never been a fan of the “it” crowd mentality in the first place and this book was so focused on it, developing the entirety of the vampire culture around it. I would have loved to have seen more of a modern social conscious at play here. Not only is this still the good old boys club, no woman allowed (yet there are female vampires…not quite sure why ones ok, but not the other.) but there’s clearly no upwards social mobility allowed. If you’re not born into the amazing, you certainly don’t seem to have much shot here. On the flip side I LOVED Ms. Derwent’s treatment of LGBT issues, in that it’s not even an issue. Some of her vampire characters are gay, and while it’s a passing statement, they’re just another one of the vampires. I loved the fact that that wasn’t something that mattered. So often it’s either the reason for or the reason against a character. I enjoyed the fact that it was a non-issue here.

As for the love triangle here…well Harriet always seemed incredibly superficial to me and I honestly didn’t feel like there was all that much of a relationship between her and Tom. Frankly she had more real development time with George even though his behavior through most of the book is deplorable. Of course since most of Harriet’s reactions make little sense that doesn’t seem to matter. Here let’s have a guy mesmerize you and drink your blood, nearly rape you, and then tell your friends that he’s essentially crazy and (because you can’t believe the vampire thing of course) that he must have held a knife to your throat to get those cuts there, and then you GO OUT WITH HIM THE NEXT DAY!!! Sure it’s a fit of peak because Tom ignored you yet again, but really? Oh wait, social status is the most important thing in this book so of course you must be ok with going with him to the biggest social event of the season. It’s a Cavaliers dinner! And once everything truly is revealed to you and you realize it’s all true, is there any running away in terror? Nope. Let’s just drink each other’s blood (cause of course there is no ick factor there as a real live human being) and then run home with Tom to explain it all. Cause that makes sense. And of course a two second conversation about your mother’s interference is all it takes to turn around that relationship! Yay, I’m with Tom now, he’s over his issues. Bleh!

Frankly even though I disliked most of his actions early in the book, and knew that the author was steering me away from him, I almost prefer George. At least he was fighting for what he wanted and did refrain from mesmerizing Harriet again. He had moments of being really charming and almost a good guy. His actions at the end of the book pretty much put him over the top for me. I don’t think Tom’s done much of anything to deserve anyone.

But then there’s the heart of my real issue with this book. I would have enjoyed it ultimately despite not being a social conscious person myself if I felt for one second the vampire culture here made sense! Ok I get the fact that in order to become a vampire you must drain someone to the death. Fine I can deal with that. I mean we are talking vampires here. But this whole, let’s not tell them the real deal, let them pick someone that 9 times out of 10 is someone they love, and then have them kill them and EVERYONE IS OK WITH IT?!?!?! Not to mention of course that since we kill any failed candidate that means every year we’ve got 15 dead students to account for! 15 dead college students and no one has ever started questioning that?!?!?!? That’s not an insignificant number and the fact that it happens every year. I don’t care how much mind control you’ve got, that’s not something that can be kept under wraps indefinitely. But this has been going on for generations so *shrug* of course it works.

A toss off line of well vampires human feelings are dampened right after turning doesn’t account for this at all in my book. The fact that the prologue starts by breaking this rule doesn’t help either. You have two cases were people should really care who is getting drained. One guys twin sister is chosen by someone else and then you have our guy who resists draining his love. Yet only one clearly can’t get over it and is apparently the first person ever to have this issue. This by the way made it entirely too easy to know who the bad guy was. It was never even in question for me. Then again the murder sub plot was pretty much an after thought to the parties anyway so who needs a complicated bad guy. And in the end all Harriet cares about is her one friend that oh, no might die, not the other 4 girls whose lives are about to be stolen.

There is absolutely nothing in the mythology that wouldn’t allow for them to bring in criminals or low lives to be the human sacrifices to make their turning possible within the rules as they’ve been stated. Instead making this arbitrary choice of having each person killing someone they care about becomes more about shock value than having any intrinsic value to the story. Having it happen accidently due to overwhelming need of a newly turned vampire would have had more impact than this carefully controlled and planned murder every year. Not to mention of course that George’s solution to the Caroline problem is so neatly taken care of yet no one ever thought to do this before either? Of course, why not make it so our loved ones can join us as vampires and be turned as we kill them. And since we’re told about it in a letter who knows who she had to kill to be turned. Or because she had so much of George’s blood does that mean she didn’t have to? Well that just breaks all the rules now doesn’t it.

Ok, wow…I think I was more irritated by this all than I thought. I would probably rate this book a 2.5 if I could but for some reason feel like I need to round it up to 3 stars. I’m not even really sure why. I was irritated throughout the book, but I didn’t outright hate it. I didn’t feel like throwing things even if I did have a few *headdesk* moments. Course things might have been a bit less confusing at times if the author used more variation in her character names. Harry and Harriet, Caroline and Christine, etc. I often had to scan sections again because secondary characters names were too similar to others that I wasn’t sure who was being talked about at first.

Overall I don’t know what to say about recommending this book. I’m slightly curious to see where the author goes with things. I believe it was a first book for her so I believe things could get better and the overall writing style was good. I didn’t find the authors tone at all objectionable I just found fallacies with logic and don’t so easily buy things as being the way they are just because someone says so. There were a few other minor things (like why was Stephanie resistant to the mind control, Harriet’s resistance was explained and Stephanie wouldn’t have the same ability) that my logical side questioned, but they were much more minor and I probably wouldn’t have obsessed over them if I hadn’t already had issues with the big logic problems. In the end I’m left in a bit of a quandary…

[Rickie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A secret society that few know of and mostly only the privilege males are chosen....except for Adelaide. Since this she had a niece, Stephanie who was chosen, but not as one to be turned. Now it seems that Harriet French has stumbled on the set, only to find that her mother, Adelaide has some select plans for her specifically. What I say is if you are a female and invited to a exclusive event during the summer...heck any time for that matter....RUN in the other direction.

I enjoyed the read but really didn't feel that it was a 5 star story. However, I'd recommend it to anyone who is looking for a vampire shift.

[Monica DeWitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just reread this series for the third time. I am always surprised that more people have not read it. My personal opinion is that it is a great series. I did not love all of the ending, but it was good. What I loved about it is that it has a different slant to a vampire story. I loved the vampire societies and how they fit it in with the world. I loved that it was written in an Oxford setting. I loved that the main female character had backbone and that never waivered. I liked the reincarnation that was incorporated in the story, and I loved all the twists and turns. You read along that something is one way and then you find out it's not that way at all.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Paranormal Romance Guild say - "Georgiana Derwent has managed to merge the world of Oxford University, with its rich history and very British traditions with a totally entertaining and plausible vampire story. This is going to be a favourite series."


Excerpt Courtesy of Amazon:
The Cavaliers are the most elite society at Oxford University - rich, powerful, and beautiful. No one realises that they are no ordinary students, but a group of aristocratic vampires from the English Civil War. For four hundred years they have groomed the most promising students to run the government, police, and finance in the way the vampires wish, granting them eternal life in return for absolute obedience.

When Harriet French arrives at Oxford University from her working class northern state school, she’s prepared for a culture shock, but not to become embroiled in the Cavaliers’ scheming and bloodlust. Harriet thought she'd be busy enough juggling her demanding tutor, new friends, and the murky world of student politics. But now, she must find the rebel vampire who is killing off the members, stop the Cavaliers from orchestrating a massacre of the year’s most beautiful and successful students, and defy the Society to be with the man of her dreams.

Oxford Blood is a British, adult, paranormal romance. It's a tale with vampires that aren't afraid to kill and a heroine who's not afraid of sex or her own ambition.


My Review:
This book had amazing descriptions of Oxford itself as well as of all
the characters. It really held my attention. I am a HUGE vampire lover
and knowing that she gave them a realistic spin with a side that you've
never really seen before just made me want
to keep reading even more. When I first started reading the book
I really thought Harriet was going to be one of these goody-two-shoes
and focus on her studies more than try to have an exciting time at college.
She proved me wrong within the first few chapters. I mean her first day on
campus and she already finds herself in a lip-lock with one of the hottest
guys there, Tom Flyte! It really got interested when he notices her necklace and
immediately backed off, ignoring her completely. I was kinda shocked.
I had to keep reading to figure out what was going on. I really wanted her
and Tom to hook up. However, we soon met George and I was thankful
that I read the Prologue otherwise I wouldn't have known who he was.
I found myself wanting her to end up with George more than with Tom. He
is the bad boy, super rich and powerful, not to mention handsome man that
she also enjoys a pretty Steamy make-out session with.
As the book goes on you realize that these guys will go to unimaginable lengths
to keep their society filled with only the best of the best. So I have to ask myself
with the way it ended: Will she stay with Tom? The guy that she gave herself
to willingly. Or will she end up with George? The guy that you want to get to
know so much more and the man she shares a blood bond with?

It started out kind of slow but you soon find yourself right in the middle of an Elite
Society and in the mix of vampires rather quickly. The author really takes the time
to describe the historical beauty of Oxford to you as well as make sure you know
what each one of the characters look like. You really feel what they feel. Also,
I love that she kept it real with the students and included the partying, alcohol,
make-out sessions and yes the occasional study sessions. If you're anything like
me and love Vampires, College partying, blood, mystery and make-out sessions
then this is definitely the book for you.

I give this book a 4 Big Beautiful Stars.

Visit Georgiana's Site and check her out:
http://georgianaderwent.com/

I was given the ARC of this book in exchange for my very honest opinion of this book!

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd like to thank to Georgiana Derwent for gifting me this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! More reviews at: Maria's Bookshelf

Synopsis

"A Tale of the Posh, the Privileged and the Paranormal...

The Cavaliers are the most elite society at Oxford University - rich, powerful, and beautiful. No one realises that they are no ordinary students, but a group of aristocratic vampires from the English Civil War. For four hundred years they have groomed the most promising students to run the government, police, and finance in the way the vampires wish, granting them eternal life in return for absolute obedience.

"When Harriet French arrives at Oxford University from her working class northern state school, she’s prepared for a culture shock, but not to become embroiled in the Cavaliers’ scheming and bloodlust. Harriet thought she'd be busy enough juggling her demanding tutor, new friends, and the murky world of student politics. But now, she must find the rebel vampire who is killing off the members, stop the Cavaliers from orchestrating a massacre of the year’s most beautiful and successful students, and defy the Society to be with the man of her dreams.

Oxford Blood is a British, adult, paranormal romance. It's a tale with vampires that aren't afraid to kill and a heroine who's not afraid of sex or her own ambition."

What I liked

I was amazed by the setting in Oxford and how well the author described every little detail. Thanks to that I was able to dig into this book even more, and everything just became more realistic.
I enjoyed the story line very much. I wasn't sure at first, because it was "just another vampire book", but it surprised me, big times!
The book itself was a little predictable, however I really like the way the author was revealing the mystery. From the first page it kept me hanging, wanting more information all the time.
I was not surprised by the turn of events with Harriet and Tom. They are both greatly developed characters, and also their relationship is sweet.
Now I know this might sound surprising, but I actually liked George, because this character was developed in depth. I love the passage from his life during Civil War. I'm pretty sure that after what he did in book one, we will hear about him awful lot in sequel too.

What I didn't like

I was surprised by Harriet's relationship with her mom. I just couldn't understand how she'd still love her even though her mother abandoned her, lied to her and pretty much bought her love with various presents all the time. I suppose that it would help, if their relationship was developed a bit more.
I also wished that Harriet and Tom's relationship was mentioned more. Sometimes I felt like, there isn't enough of it. The same goes for Harriet's friends, at some points in the book it felt as she has none friends.
My last problem was the cover. I'm a sucker for pretty and modern covers. I'm not saying is ugly (it's not ugly, I would never say that. It's just not for me I guess. :) ), but It really wouldn't convince me to buy this book.

Overall Thought

The plot was great, absolutely unique twist on vampire story. The book flowed nicely, revealing the mystery slowly. It's an easy, thrilling and intriguing read, that keeps you wanting more even after you turn the last page.
I enjoyed the book very much, and I'm reading the sequel right now.

[Tahlia Newland · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first read this book, the prose was very poor, but when I approached the author with specific problems (I'm an editor as well as a reviewer) She agreed to revise the book according to my suggestions. I didn't have time to re-read the whole book, but I did look at the first couple of chapters. If, as the author assures me, the rest of the book has improved to the same degree, then she has followed my instructions and turned what was passive prose into something more active and engaging. What follows is my review of the story.

Oxford Blood is a new adult paranormal fantasy set at a version of Oxford University populated with good looking Vampires with nasty habits. I haven't read vampire books for a while, having become rather jaded with them. It seemed to me that the paranormal genre had become flooded with various versions of the same stories, but I picked this one up because someone told me it was good.

Though not brilliant, it is indeed a good story, one that I think young adult readers who're into vampires, parties and a bit of sex will enjoy a great deal. The characters are well drawn and easy to relate to, and though the vampires themselves are pretty much the same as they are in all modern vampire tales, the story itself, even with the common element of a love triangle, is quite unique.

It begins with Harriet's arrival at Oxford and focuses, almost exclusively, on her social activities. It's not long before she notices the plethora of extremely gorgeous boys and the reader realises that they are vampires long before she does. Harriet grew up with her Aunt, her mother being just a glamorous woman who came to visit every now and then, but now, she learns that her mother is a vampire as well, and the wife of the head of the clan, a 2,000 year old vampire. Of course, this is all a shock, but it's softened by the fact that Tom, the boy she happens to be hot for, is one of them.

The Cavaliers are a kind of secret society of vampires, posing as an exclusive social club, but what happens at the new recruits inductions is more like a horror story. Harriet's friends become involved and if she can't stop this ancient ritual, her best friend will die to complete her boyfriend's transformation into a vampire. Can she stop it?

The first part of the book is primarily about Harriet discovering the truth, getting together with Tom and setting the Oxford scene. It certainly is a great place to set a vampire story and adds a great deal of atmosphere to the story. I did find myself skimming some parts of the book, mostly due to weaknesses in the writing and the fact that I don't find endless parties as interesting as Harriet. However, the last third of the book had some surprising twists and the end was excellent.

The plot, pacing and structure are good, and there is potential here for the series to develop some teeth, pardon the pun.

If you're looking for an entertaining vampire story, then you'll most likely enjoy this.

I received this free of charge from the author in return for an honest review.

[Dave Higgins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although there are vampires and a love triangle, this novel is not a cookie cutter paranormal romance; none of these vampires is only waiting for the right woman to reveal a caring side beneath a pretence of gruffness, and the myriad other aspects of student life among vampires have equal weight with romance.

Since the Civil War Oxford University has been home to the Cavaliers; ostensibly another dining society; actually a vampiric conspiracy to recruit then advance the brightest and best of each generation by whatever means necessary. When Harriet French arrives to read History she finds herself courted by not one but two vampires. Horrified by their hungers but drawn to their power she struggles to balance humanity with ambition.

Derwent’s addition of vampires to Oxford life is skilfully done, leaving no seams. Her use of Harriet’s ignorance to reveal the truths of her vampires is similarly well handled, neither leaving the reader struggling to understand events nor resorting to crude expositions of knowledge already known to the characters. Having never been a clothes-horse I cannot comment on the intricacies of Harriet’s love of clothes; however, it was prominent enough to give readers who care real experience of her tastes without overwhelming others with long passages on clothes.

Harriet is a strong character: at times shallow and ambitious enough to work with the Cavaliers if it might advance her interests; yet also loyal to her mortal friends, and ready to act against the Cavaliers on some issues. This makes her increasing attraction to blood-drinking tyrants more believable than that of the usual heroines of vampire romance.

The Cavaliers are similarly strongly portrayed; despite clearly all being products of both privilege and vampirism, even minor Cavaliers have distinct personalities. The major characters are especially carefully nuanced, making the idea of a factionalised but stable predator society very plausible. This finesse continues even after the dénouement, with the last sentences of the book adding depth to one of the vampires.

However, Derwent’s creation of a blood-fueled version of high society might suffer from its own strength. Although there are supporting characters who are not part of, or do not support, the ruthless drive to be the most beautiful, the most successful, and the most powerful, self-interest and ambition are neither flaws nor defining characteristics in this novel. A reader who expects love to redeem, or inner character to win through, might find themselves disappointed.

I enjoyed this book greatly, finishing it in a single day. I recommend it to readers who enjoy new interpretations of the vampire myth, especially those seeking a counterpoint to the more usual humane vampire societies.

[Bookish Satty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book from the author, free of cost, in exchange of an honest review from my side.
Firstly I would like to thank Georgiana Derwent, author of Oxford Blood for giving me this opportunity of reading and reviewing this book.

This story is unusual and has a unique essence to it which drew me in from the very first. The whole surroundings that the author selected for this book is great. There is a vivid description of Oxford, the historical places of it and though I never visited Oxford still I believe that after reading this book I got to know some crucial parts of it. The protagonist Harriet is easy to get connected to and I explored Oxford through her eyes, experienced the student life of there through her experience. I felt that she is developed and flourished but I didn't like Tom’s character because I felt that his character was a little sketchy, well I felt that regarding many of the side characters as well. Mixing the vampires in to the college life of Oxford was a refreshing idea and I enjoyed it a lot though sometimes the vampires seemed a little cliche.

There is action but it starts around half way through the book and the first half seemed to be a little dragged too much. The mystery is awesome and the suspense that the author kept regarding Harriet’s relation with all these bloodsucking vampires, kept me hooked in and I went on reading and reading. The love triangle didn't entertain me quite well but I loved George. The secret about the murderer was well kept and the culprit turned out to be a utter shock for me because I never saw that coming. Overall a good read with twists, college life, vamps, mystery and action. I liked the concept of the Vampires being part of the most important positions in human society and not hiding like little rats. They control Oxford and are their true-self (drinking blood without apologizing for it) and being a little evil rather than being all goody-goody!

There are some spelling mistakes and mistakes in sentence constructions that dulled the enchantment of the story a little and broke the smooth flow of it. Well, it is a unique tale about Vamps and I would recommend it to ya all and hope that you guys will like it as well.

[Gaele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Building a world that is unique and yet familiar, Georgiana Derwent has set the scene for an enjoyable romp at Oxford University. The premise provides potential for an engaging story with two cleverly conceived and intertwining story-lines, and I had great hopes.

Sadly, early in the book feels quite rushed with no real building of Harriet’s character, and she continues on rather superficially and clothes-obsessed for most of the story. A bit more backstory and building her crushes and the background of her relationship with her mother, or lack thereof, would have helped to make her more relatable. Additionally, for a relatively sheltered northern girl, arriving in Oxford and discovering that vampires exist and are befriending her should have resulted in more than the near utter laissez faire attitude she does adopt. All simple fixes, with a few more pages dedicated to building her as carefully as the descriptions of her clothing and the University buildings.

The vampires are connected to several upper-echelon families: having more information about them, their impact on the English society as a whole, and their connection to Harriet’s family could have been more fully flushed out. The two stories are coexisting within one book rather than integrating into a cohesive whole: and while we have glimpses into the vampires early lives during the English Civil war, those passages are also glossed over without great detail and depth that would have provided insight into the characters.

With the rushed feeling and the few continuity errors, the tying together of loose ends did provide some answers in passing; although it does create a neat opening for the second of the series. It was a fun read that was highly frustrating at times, and not particularly demanding if one is willing to overlook the flaws. I didn’t dislike the book on the whole, more disappointed that the reality of the story didn’t live up to the terrific premise.

I received an eBook copy for purpose of honest review for Full Moon Bites tours. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

[Brandi ;) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oxford Blood
I had to force myself to keep reading. The book has so many snags, so many that can't be ignored. The insta-luv was completely unbelievable, or at least, the kind of main character I want to read would not fall like that so easy. Harriet is just not my type of person. I don't like her much at all. Her friends, the normal human ones, are fine. I would rather read about Caroline than Harriet. I'd rather read about Olamide than Harriet. Harriet got on my nerves a bit. Okay, A LOT!
The Cavaliers are annoying & arrogant. I felt like I was supposed to have some type of sympathy for the mother Adelide & understanding for the boyfriend Tom, but I didn't have either.

Tom was so weird. He was all over Harriet when he met her, to me this means he was just taking her to a secluded spot to take a sip, he wasn't consumed with love. He backed off when he found out who she was. Then he went to great lengths to obey his superiors by brushing her off & actively avoiding/annoying her. But Harriet see's his actions as encouraging somehow. So when they finally talk & Harriet knows everything, all she does basically is say 'so what, I'm don't care what these thousands of years old vampires want, I want to be with you', he just goes 'ok' and that's it. Rulers defied, superiors disobeyed, but ok. He could be killed for this but he doesn't care, he lurve's her. *HUGE eye roll here*

It just didn't work. Not for me. Sad thing is, there's more. I could go on ranting about the Cavaliers, the mind control crap, her mother, ALL the killing of that many people & mind controlling other people to not notice, every year. Not just regular people, but some of the brightest, strongest & most noticeable of the school. I could rant on this for a while, but I'm not going there. Their whole relationship was what broke the proverbial straw for me, so I really don't need to shred it any further. But I could, this review just caught me in a decent mood. Or maybe more like a bit of a lazy mood, but I'll go with me just being nice.
Anyways, read it yourself, it could be your 'cup of tea'. Enjoy! :)

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the theme is familiar the setting and tone make it something different. At first I was not sure about what time period we were dealing with, but once I realized it was more of a present day thing it made more sense.

The Cavaliers are an elite group of men within the walls of Oxford who have a secret which has been kept for hundreds of years. They are known for their lavish parties, beautiful members, and complete exclusivity. They are the rich, well connected society that anyone would be thrilled to be asked to join. The problem is that in order to join you must make a large sacrifice that might haunt you for eternity.

Harriet arrives at Oxford for her first year, she is not posh, but a girl from a humble upbringing. Her first day she meets a boy and instantly has feelings for him, as he seems to have for her. Tom is a Cavalier, though Harriet does not know this. What ensues is a kind of Romeo and Juliet story with vampires. There are a lot of secrets which have been kept from Harriet and it all comes out as she attempts to start a life in a new place with new friends. As Harriet learns more about her family and their connection to the Cavaliers she becomes more determined than ever to take her life into her own hands and not be pushed into doing something she does not think is right.

Though it starts out a bit slowly soon you are caught up with Harriet in the world of Oxford and all the things which are going on around her. Their is what I suppose is a subplot which is not really well played out, at least to my satisfaction. I saw that coming from a mile away from the start.

But if you love vampires and romance and blood and political posturing then you will like this. I have to continue reading the next book because now I want to see what Harriet is going to do about her triangle.

[Karina Lickorish · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the outset, I have to declare my bias. I know the author of this book and I also went to Oxford University. With that said, I hope readers will still consider my comments on this first novel of the Oxford Blood series.

For me what stands out is the concept – a dining society of vampires based at Oxford University that have been controlling England for centuries from key positions of influence in society. While I don’t think (though I might be wrong) that Derwent intended for Oxford Blood to be an allegory to consider the age old quintessentially English problem of class systems and impenetrable establishments only available to “the posh, the privileged”, that is the direction my thoughts ended up going in.

On a less pie-in-the-sky note, I am not a vampire novel sort of person at all. However Derwent kept me interested in what was going to happen, which is a huge achievement because my interest in paranormal romance is generally less than zero!! And this is the reason I have chosen to give this book 4 stars. If it managed to keep me, a real anti-paranormal-romance reader, all the way until the end, then I would guess that if you are generally into vampire romance books, you will probably enjoy this book!

In case you didn’t already know, Derwent studied History at Oxford. I would really like to see Derwent use more of her excellent historical knowledge in the next book when we learn more about what the vampires (who live for absolutely ages) did in the past. That would be very interesting! I would also like to see Harriet’s relationships develop more, as I enjoyed the love triangle and would like to see how she relates to different characters as the stories go on.

[Brooke Hutchins · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given a free copy of this book so as to familiarize myself with the plot line for my beta reading of Derwent's third installment, Ivory Towers. The only other vampire book I had read was, wait for it, Twilight. Yes, I'm one of those. I am a huge Twilight fan. I've read all three of the books (Even though that's not some huge feat. Come on. It's only three books.) and I've watched all the movies while wearing a matching Twilight t-shirt. The reason being, there is an OVERABUNDANCE of vampire books out there so finding one that is remotely worth my time is tiresome.
Getting the opportunity to see what else is out there was nice!
This is Derwent's first novel in the series, and although the prologue reads quick, easy and tickles my sense of intrigue, the rest of the book seems to drag on with frivolous descriptions and entirely slow dialogue. Don't get me wrong. I love the use of descriptions, but purposeful, concise descriptions. I don't need to hear all about the intricacies of Oxford's architecture. To be fair though, I don't pay much attention to architecture so those parts were very dense and painful.
Now, I'm not saying that all of Derwent's descriptions were frivolous. There were some that were simple and flowed seamlessly from page to page. I just wish I got to see more of those.
All of this being said, Derwent did a wonderful job with her first book. I can only applaud an author who has worked so very hard on the development of plot and captivating prose. So right on to you Derwent!
I do look forward to reading the following books in her series. If it's any consolation, the third book Ivory Towers corrects everything I've been bitching about here.
Exciting!

[Pat aka Tygyr · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book takes place in Britain and primarily at Oxford University. Harriet French is starting her 1st year at Oxford. She wears a necklace given to her by her mother. Her father died when she was very young and her dad's sister, husband and their children welcomed Harriet into their family as a baby.
Harriet makes lots of friends, but she is attracted to Tom Flyte. When they 1st meet she believes he is attracted to her as well, but after seeing her necklace, the one that belonged to her mom and now to her, he distances himself from her. Soon she meets George who is every bit as handsome and seemingly rich as Tom.
Harriet learns a terrible secret. There are Vampires on campus, in business, in government. On campus they are called the Cavaliers. Harriet is invited to one of their formals, and she sees the vampires feeding. She also learns that her stepfather is the head of the vampires there. And Harriet thought classwork and exams were her biggest problems. How many friends will she lose? How can the Cavaliers keep covering up the deaths? She is attracted to Tom and wants to be with him even though she knows he is a vampire, but her family wants her to pair with a stronger/older vampire - George. Despite their ages all the vampires look young. She is so out of her depth.
I found this to be a different take on vampires from other books that I have read. While Harriet is appalled that there are vampires and that they feed from humans, sometimes killing them in rituals, she still wants to be with Tom, even against her mom's wishes. If you like vampire literature where the vampires are not always shown in the best of light, try this book.

[Ora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall I enjoyed this book. This is the first book in a series of the Calaviers. There is a lot going on in this book. Harriet begins her collegiate career at Oxford. She meets Tom, a Cavalier member, who she has an instant connection with. She also makes friends relatively easy. She seems to be off on a good start with classes, friends and a potential new boyfriend. However, Tom starts avoiding and ignoring her for reasons she doesn't understand. (Her mom malipulates the situation). Eventually he can't fight his feelings for her. In the interm she does meet George, another Cavalier member. She is not too sure about him, however with the help of her mother, she gives him a shot. I don't know if I would call this a true love triangle, however Harriet does have two Cavaliers vying for her and willing to do whatever it takes to get her.
I found it difficult to like Harriet's mother, Adeleine.
She's a selfish absent mother who want to control Harriet's life now that she is an adult. When Harriet doesn't do what she wants her to, she takes away the only protection she has against vampires and almost gets her daughter killed because of it. Also she didn't tell Harriet what the Cavaliers are and let her find out on her own unprepared.
Even though George does some things that Harriet has every right to be angry about, he does do one redeemable act at the end of the book which makes me wonder if he truly have feelings for instead of wanting her for who her stepfather is.
Would I buy the next book. Yes, I am curious to what happens now.

[Barbi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was this a story that left me thinking about my life or drawing inspiration from it? No it wasn’t, and that is okay. Sometimes you want to read for the sheer pleasure of reading and not having to think of the real world in any way. This book did exactly that for me, so much that I found myself not able to go to sleep a few nights and read well past I should have. This was one of those books where I dragged myself into work with only a few hours of sleep. This ability to keep me reading when I know that I am going to be dragging is a mark of a good book.

The quick info about this book is you have Harriet is the main character and is going off to college (as we say in the states). She has led a bit of a sheltered life, once there she immediately meets a guy (Tom) and falls for him, he appears to like her as well and keeps pulling away for various reasons. As much as she likes Tom, she meets another guy (George) and she sees him more to spy or make Tom jealous. I found myself debating who the better guy for Harriet was a few times.

Is it Tom, who appears to be noble in his intentions and reasons for trying to keep his distance with Harriet? Or will the best guy be George who comes off as someone one who wants to use her to elevate his own status.

I will say that it was George who surprised me in the end of the book as his actions took more of Harriet’s feelings into account, then Tom’s inaction or inability to make any kind of change. In the end I was left feeling that Tom was either weak or just didn’t really care about Harriet’s concerns.

[Francis Franklin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oxford Blood is an uneasy marriage of two stories. The first is Harriet's first year at Oxford University and gives the reader a peek into that world of tradition and privilege, of history and politics. The second is the story of the Cavaliers, an elite society of vampires. Both stories are interesting in themselves, and their union has great potential - but there is a difficulty also.

The discovery that vampires are real should be life-altering. Reality as you know and understand it, safe and predictable, suddenly becomes a terrifying unknown. Harriet is alone in her discovery, so the only person asking the questions that the reader wants to ask is Harriet herself - and, rather frustratingly, she doesn't. After the initial shock of discovery, she settles back into her usual life, quite accepting the existence and nature of vampires, only occasionally expressing fear or horror, almost indifferent to their blood-drinking, and bizarrely incurious about what they are exactly.

Finally, the book really needs an editorial review for grammar, and there's at least one glaring continuity error.

Despite these problems, I did enjoy reading Oxford Blood. Vampire novels give an almost unique opportunity to blend past and present, to bring history to life. When this story dips into the past, the writing comes alive with passion and detail. I'm curious to see what happens in the next book.

[a_tiffyfit · Rating 4 out of 5]

I REALLY got into this book fairly quickly and completely enjoyed it. Oxford, a magical place that I visited years ago and would love to go back, is the setting to this novel and I was so jealous of Harriet as she arrives: the excitement of being there, of her studies, of making it to Oxford, etc. Gorgeous, rich vampires with nary a bit of sparkles, that combination of lust, power, and bloodthirstiness, and yet they are still so refined in their traditions. I was instantly intrigued by the hot/cold of Tom and not quite sure what to make of it. As the story unfolds, I was amazed at the similarities between Adelaide's experience and Harriet's experience. I LOVED the explanation of the old boy network/establishment and how it is really a Cavaliers vampire thing. Fantastic! And I truly enjoyed how the author explained things to us the reader by explaining it to Harriet as well as the flashbacks to expand on what we're curious about. I felt that they were integrated seamlessly. There were a few editing errors, I noted, but it's nothing detrimental and doesn't knock you out of your reader zone. I think you realize that Harriet's idea is futile. I was shocked to discover her mother's part in everything; I expected her to be SOMETHING, but not what she is. And..I was leaning towards the culprit...and was right! The ending was satisfactory and closed this chapter of the story, but I DEFINITELY cannot wait to read the next, "Screaming Spires"!!!