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Bloodmark Saga #1
Bloodmark
Sixteen-year-old werewolf princess Ashling Boru is different from other wolves—she was able to shift to wolf form at birth. Rather than bringing pride to her family, it brings fear, and as a result, she is forced to live in seclusion in Ireland’s countryside. Ashling’s reputation is further blackened when she refuses her betrothed and defies the ancient laws. When her pack’s oldest rivals begin hunting her, she finds herself in the small town of York Harbor, Maine—far from everything she’s ever known.
In Maine, she crosses paths with the dark and rebellious Grey Donavan, and something ignites within her soul. There’s just one problem: Grey is human. Their instant connection turns into a passionate romance, and Ashling begins to believe she can create her own life outside of wolf laws. When she begins to uncover long-buried pack secrets—secrets that threaten to destroy all she holds dear—Ashling’s courage and tenacity are tested. Will she choose her deep and enduring love for Grey, or will she follow Old Mother’s path to her destiny?
In Maine, she crosses paths with the dark and rebellious Grey Donavan, and something ignites within her soul. There’s just one problem: Grey is human. Their instant connection turns into a passionate romance, and Ashling begins to believe she can create her own life outside of wolf laws. When she begins to uncover long-buried pack secrets—secrets that threaten to destroy all she holds dear—Ashling’s courage and tenacity are tested. Will she choose her deep and enduring love for Grey, or will she follow Old Mother’s path to her destiny?
333 pages, Hardcover
First published October 27, 2013
29 people are currently reading
1515 people want to read
About the author
Aurora Whittet
7 books111 followersAurora Whittet started out as a wild red-haired girl in Minnesota dreaming up stories for her friends to read. Today, she has completed Bloodmark, Bloodrealms, and Bloodmoon of the Bloodmark Saga trilogy and started her journey into children’s books with Mama’s Knight in honor of her own mother who lost her battle with cancer. She’s a national award-winning graphic designer in her day job. Aurora lives with her family in Minnesota.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
January 24, 2016
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
*******SOME MILD SPOILERS*******
I really enjoyed this book. There were parts that reminded me of another book I have read, but it was still great!
Ashling has been kept at a home in Ireland, hidden away with her mother because she is different from all other werewolves in the world. She is the only one that changed a birth, where all the other werewolves had to wait until their teens. I guess peeps in the werewolf world were jealous of this fact and plus there is an ancient prophecy about her so everyone wants a piece of her.
Her dad finally orders her to meet the packs so her and her mom travel to do this, but when they get there, they find out her father has married her off to another pack. Ashling doesn't take this well, had a fit, so does her mother, and her one nice brother, Mund takes her side and offers a stipulation that they wait until she is a little older so back home they go.
Two years later... they are all happy at home, Ashling, her mother, Mund and his wife.. when one day Ashling runs into a strange wolf when they go into town. It turns out this is the Alpha of an evil pack that kills other wolves and humans and he has wanted Ashling forever.
Sooooo.. off we go again into hiding in a dungeon where her father resides.. when this doesn't happen.. she is carted away to America with Baran, another pack member who will be her bodyguard. I loved his character, he is a wise older dire wolf and very bad assed. There are only a couple left from his particular pack because of the evil pack that destroyed many.
When they get to Baran's home, Ashling runs into Grey and an instant bond starts to form, but this can't be possible because werewolves only bond with other werewolves for life, so how is Ashling and a human starting to bond. Welll.... Grey isn't totally human... he is something else... strong and beautiful.
Okay, Okay, he's part werewolf, but he has no idea and he has other blood running through him. He also has a horrific past that he knows nothing about. And his father is a bastard!
Baran wants Ashling to stay away from Grey but that's not going to happen so he gives in, Mund also comes to stay with them and isn't too happy either, then his wife and another family member comes over to stay. It's a happy little werewolf party :-)
The evil Adomnan finally tracks Ashling to America and shows up on the scene to cause a lot of trouble.
When Ashling is in serious trouble, it finally brings out the wolf part of Grey with his beautiful green eyes.
It's a good ending, but not a totally happy ever after. Ashling and Grey have a lot to go through and Ashling has to find out how she's supposed to make the prophecy come to fruition.
Either way, I loved the book and look forward to the next two books!
*I would like to thank Netgalley and Wise Ink Creative Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*
*******SOME MILD SPOILERS*******
I really enjoyed this book. There were parts that reminded me of another book I have read, but it was still great!
Ashling has been kept at a home in Ireland, hidden away with her mother because she is different from all other werewolves in the world. She is the only one that changed a birth, where all the other werewolves had to wait until their teens. I guess peeps in the werewolf world were jealous of this fact and plus there is an ancient prophecy about her so everyone wants a piece of her.
Her dad finally orders her to meet the packs so her and her mom travel to do this, but when they get there, they find out her father has married her off to another pack. Ashling doesn't take this well, had a fit, so does her mother, and her one nice brother, Mund takes her side and offers a stipulation that they wait until she is a little older so back home they go.
Two years later... they are all happy at home, Ashling, her mother, Mund and his wife.. when one day Ashling runs into a strange wolf when they go into town. It turns out this is the Alpha of an evil pack that kills other wolves and humans and he has wanted Ashling forever.
Sooooo.. off we go again into hiding in a dungeon where her father resides.. when this doesn't happen.. she is carted away to America with Baran, another pack member who will be her bodyguard. I loved his character, he is a wise older dire wolf and very bad assed. There are only a couple left from his particular pack because of the evil pack that destroyed many.
When they get to Baran's home, Ashling runs into Grey and an instant bond starts to form, but this can't be possible because werewolves only bond with other werewolves for life, so how is Ashling and a human starting to bond. Welll.... Grey isn't totally human... he is something else... strong and beautiful.
Okay, Okay, he's part werewolf, but he has no idea and he has other blood running through him. He also has a horrific past that he knows nothing about. And his father is a bastard!
Baran wants Ashling to stay away from Grey but that's not going to happen so he gives in, Mund also comes to stay with them and isn't too happy either, then his wife and another family member comes over to stay. It's a happy little werewolf party :-)
The evil Adomnan finally tracks Ashling to America and shows up on the scene to cause a lot of trouble.
When Ashling is in serious trouble, it finally brings out the wolf part of Grey with his beautiful green eyes.
It's a good ending, but not a totally happy ever after. Ashling and Grey have a lot to go through and Ashling has to find out how she's supposed to make the prophecy come to fruition.
Either way, I loved the book and look forward to the next two books!
*I would like to thank Netgalley and Wise Ink Creative Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*
December 29, 2015
I’ll make this quick and get to the point. Bloodmark could have been a great book. Ashling Boru is a werewolf princess who has been sent to live away from her family, she's both feared and adored for her ability to shift in wolf form from birth, for other wolves it usually happens during puberty. So whilst running away from those who would seek to harm or claim her for themselves, she discovers shocking secrets about her heritage and how she might be the key to uniting all wolves.
This was extremely intriguing, for one I love werewolf stories, this coupled with royalty, tricky politics and according to the synopsis ‘a passionate romance’, I thought this was going to be a win, win, win read.
I give you two little words as to why this was anything but:
Insta love.
Now sometimes I don’t mind insta-love, sometimes it’s obvious as to which characters are going to be together, sometimes the subtle looks and gestures of a character are not so subtle and it’s clear what going to happen. These are the types that I can sort of get over, as in if the plots good it overrules my issues with the romance. But then you come to Bloodmark and it was such an in your face insta-love that I didn’t even know what was happening within the book outside of the characters.
Let me put it to you this way, Ashling and Grey exchanged I Love You’s before they had even kissed and it was basically after a few encounters with another…. I was only 25% done. This wasn’t even the icing on the cake, even after the somewhat premature confession’s of the heart, the story just revolved around how each other was completely, utterly obsessed with the other, you get where I'm going with this?
It saddens me to give this book a low star rating because it showed great promise but the romance overshadowed the entire book and unfortunately the romance wasn’t for me.
Literary-ly Obsessed
This was extremely intriguing, for one I love werewolf stories, this coupled with royalty, tricky politics and according to the synopsis ‘a passionate romance’, I thought this was going to be a win, win, win read.
I give you two little words as to why this was anything but:
Insta love.
Now sometimes I don’t mind insta-love, sometimes it’s obvious as to which characters are going to be together, sometimes the subtle looks and gestures of a character are not so subtle and it’s clear what going to happen. These are the types that I can sort of get over, as in if the plots good it overrules my issues with the romance. But then you come to Bloodmark and it was such an in your face insta-love that I didn’t even know what was happening within the book outside of the characters.
Let me put it to you this way, Ashling and Grey exchanged I Love You’s before they had even kissed and it was basically after a few encounters with another…. I was only 25% done. This wasn’t even the icing on the cake, even after the somewhat premature confession’s of the heart, the story just revolved around how each other was completely, utterly obsessed with the other, you get where I'm going with this?
It saddens me to give this book a low star rating because it showed great promise but the romance overshadowed the entire book and unfortunately the romance wasn’t for me.
Literary-ly Obsessed
July 31, 2016
ARC kindly provided by Wise Ink Creative Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review
Rating Plan
1 star : Strongly did not like the book, writing and plot was bad. Idea of the book was against my liking.
2 star : Didn't like it, didn't find it interesting or gripping. Seemed to drag on to me.
3 star : An average book. Wasn't bad or good. Everything else was well done. Original idea.
4 star : Like a 3 star but has potential to it as a series or the book grew on me as it progressed and certain scenes captured me. I Enjoyed it and read it in one sitting.
5 star : I LOVED IT! I stayed up late until 3 am. Author is a genius, characters, plot, idea, development, EVERYTHING was EXCELLENT. Nothing else can possibly be said except that its 5 STAR!
Review
'Bloodmark'is the first novel in the 'Bloodmark Saga' and a very solid debut from Aurora Whittet! It captured the very essence of what I love best about werewolf/fantasy/shape-shifter novels! The steamy, sexy, hot romance that permeates every single page!
Whilst it wasn't a COMPLETELY original idea, it definitely had quite a FEW original ideas thrown in there. I thought if those original ideas were more emphasises or evolved – maybe even more ideas thought up to support them - then they really made for an even BETTER story.
Like most independently published or self-published novels, this one lacked just a little something. I guess a good metaphor for it would be a diamond in the rough, not yet completely ready to see the light, but pretty good in its own self and full of potential. This draft was as polished as it could possibly be but still needs some professional critique.
'Bloodmark' was written very well and effectively. It conveyed every bit of that raw emotion pulsing through the plot. It didn't repeat itself and was executed in a very mature and practised style. However, it could have been written a bit more differently. 'Bloodmark' was told like most other novels: in chronological order. I believe if the author disrupted the plot a little with flashbacks and flashforwards it would have created a better effect and would have enhanced both quality and final effect.
It is written solely from Ashling's POV in first person. I guess this was a good choice but if it was written in a different narrative, such as second person - that would have been awesome!
The world was well built and I enjoyed the historical background which Aurora Whittet created to support the existence of her fantastical creatures. It brought that extra tang and novelty to my reading experience. It wasn't the most original, but I enjoyed it nevertheless. If you're looking for a soul-satisfying read: Then there is NOTHING better than this!
I definitely stayed up late reading and finished this book sometime in the middle of the night! There was something there that kept me reading and reading just one more chapter!
Grammar was good and the prose well done! I spotted a few typos but they were easy to ignore and one time quite hilarious!
Congratulations to Aurora Whittet on publishing a solid debut worthy of the most pickiest werewolf lovers!
Rating Plan
1 star : Strongly did not like the book, writing and plot was bad. Idea of the book was against my liking.
2 star : Didn't like it, didn't find it interesting or gripping. Seemed to drag on to me.
3 star : An average book. Wasn't bad or good. Everything else was well done. Original idea.
4 star : Like a 3 star but has potential to it as a series or the book grew on me as it progressed and certain scenes captured me. I Enjoyed it and read it in one sitting.
5 star : I LOVED IT! I stayed up late until 3 am. Author is a genius, characters, plot, idea, development, EVERYTHING was EXCELLENT. Nothing else can possibly be said except that its 5 STAR!
Want to read
November 11, 2015
***ARC kindly provided via NetGalley for the exchange of an honest review***
May 8, 2016
Bloodmark is the first book in the Bloodmark saga (of three books).
It is a rather intriguing idea, with some complex twists and plot shifts, a great way to entwine numerous folk lores into a story.
Alas, the unpredictability, sheer idiocy and childishness of the female protagonist, Ashling, undid every piece of great work Aurora did with the history and storytelling.
In one breath, Ashling is a childish little brat that makes stupid remarks to her elders when discussing serious topics of which she has no knowledge.
In the next, she's psycoanalysing those around her and making decisions that will impact a whole race like she was born to do it...oh wait, she was.
Her impulsivity and idiocy aside, the eye-rollingly juvenile expressions of true love between 'soul mates' left me with a sprain in my superior rectus (that's an eye muscle!) and a gullet that was trigger-happy to vomit at the purple prose that spouted out of Ashling's mouth at the slightest provocation.
The story arc follows a pretty stock standard direction. Yes, there's some pretty cool folk lore and beliefs thrown in, but it's a typical YA paranormal romance at heart. With characters that portray the norms for this genre.
A young heroine who is both wild and Royal, but feels trapped and rages against tradition, only to escape and get in major trouble, needs to be rescued and then... Then Daddy might accept her dark-horse of a boyfriend.
I started getting all hot and tingly (I must have spilt boiling coffee on me during one of my eye-rolls) at every mention of Grey. He's the big bad-ass boyfriend who is suitably messed up, but still totally redeemable... Especially when he happens to be the answer to all Ashling's prayers.
My issue with the Insta-love was never more horrendously obvious as it was at 25% through the book. Ashling had met her 'soul mate' a total of three times in two days (for minutes) and professed her undying love for him. He said it first!
I digress.
In summary, I loved the idea, loved the rich history and folk lore added to the story and even some of the traditional rules the werewolf race adheres to, but poor characters and an unfinished manuscript have forced me to rate this low.
The book needs a serious edit, there's continuity issues, far too much repetition, typos and just too many words.
I'm not sure why, but I am curious to see where Ashling and her pack end up, but I'll take a break before trying this author again.
If you like YA paranormal romance, give it a try. If not, avoid it like the plague.
Some things I noticed:
2% - I was certain Father was going (to) brand...
21% - "I(t) wasn't my fault...
33% and 34% - two instances of 'the week flew by' two pages apart. There was only one week mentioned before school.
42% - ...to think he liked(space)playing human...
51% - He was my(space)Grey.
75% - ...it was risky too(delete o) return and leave...
Continuity issues:
1. It was decided that they'd leave tomorrow night, but then she gets prepared and leaves tonight.
2. Ashling never picks up her leather jacket and the journal before leaving...
83% - "Than (Then) what are you doing?"
94% - ...and raged(delete d) consumed him.
...already into March as(delete as) when we arrived...
95% - continuity error: the night they danced around the fire of skulls and furs. The next paragraph nightfall came and the guys moved furniture.
It is a rather intriguing idea, with some complex twists and plot shifts, a great way to entwine numerous folk lores into a story.
Alas, the unpredictability, sheer idiocy and childishness of the female protagonist, Ashling, undid every piece of great work Aurora did with the history and storytelling.
In one breath, Ashling is a childish little brat that makes stupid remarks to her elders when discussing serious topics of which she has no knowledge.
In the next, she's psycoanalysing those around her and making decisions that will impact a whole race like she was born to do it...oh wait, she was.
Her impulsivity and idiocy aside, the eye-rollingly juvenile expressions of true love between 'soul mates' left me with a sprain in my superior rectus (that's an eye muscle!) and a gullet that was trigger-happy to vomit at the purple prose that spouted out of Ashling's mouth at the slightest provocation.
The story arc follows a pretty stock standard direction. Yes, there's some pretty cool folk lore and beliefs thrown in, but it's a typical YA paranormal romance at heart. With characters that portray the norms for this genre.
A young heroine who is both wild and Royal, but feels trapped and rages against tradition, only to escape and get in major trouble, needs to be rescued and then... Then Daddy might accept her dark-horse of a boyfriend.
I started getting all hot and tingly (I must have spilt boiling coffee on me during one of my eye-rolls) at every mention of Grey. He's the big bad-ass boyfriend who is suitably messed up, but still totally redeemable... Especially when he happens to be the answer to all Ashling's prayers.
My issue with the Insta-love was never more horrendously obvious as it was at 25% through the book. Ashling had met her 'soul mate' a total of three times in two days (for minutes) and professed her undying love for him. He said it first!
I digress.
In summary, I loved the idea, loved the rich history and folk lore added to the story and even some of the traditional rules the werewolf race adheres to, but poor characters and an unfinished manuscript have forced me to rate this low.
The book needs a serious edit, there's continuity issues, far too much repetition, typos and just too many words.
I'm not sure why, but I am curious to see where Ashling and her pack end up, but I'll take a break before trying this author again.
If you like YA paranormal romance, give it a try. If not, avoid it like the plague.
Some things I noticed:
2% - I was certain Father was going (to) brand...
21% - "I(t) wasn't my fault...
33% and 34% - two instances of 'the week flew by' two pages apart. There was only one week mentioned before school.
42% - ...to think he liked(space)playing human...
51% - He was my(space)Grey.
75% - ...it was risky too(delete o) return and leave...
Continuity issues:
1. It was decided that they'd leave tomorrow night, but then she gets prepared and leaves tonight.
2. Ashling never picks up her leather jacket and the journal before leaving...
83% - "Than (Then) what are you doing?"
94% - ...and raged(delete d) consumed him.
...already into March as(delete as) when we arrived...
95% - continuity error: the night they danced around the fire of skulls and furs. The next paragraph nightfall came and the guys moved furniture.
October 31, 2014
Book Two is Here!
Happy Release Day!
Aurora Whittet is Celebrating with a GREAT Giveaway
Click on Banner to Enter
US only - Ends Nov 6th
From my Hidden Gem pile comes Bloodmark by Aurora Whittet, a paranormal fantasy/romance for young adults and tweens. Ashling Boru, a werewolf princess, has a role to play in the destiny of both the human and werewolf worlds, which makes her both prized and feared. As are the archaic traditions of her kind, her father has arranged for her to marry a prince from another pack, an agreement was struck to give her a reprieve and the chance to find her soulmate on her own. Being who and what she is means her life will be in danger and having been kept in the dark about her true self, she is ill-prepared for how her life will change. Is it possible she has found her true mate the day she meets Grey, a human? There is something different about Grey that even he doesn’t understand and even though their love appears doomed from the start, he will do anything to keep her safe, even stand up to a werewolf. Even better, he respects her as a person, no matter whom or what she is, and he has reason not to. Sounds like a keeper to me!
Aurora Whittet has built her world and filled it with ancient mysteries, traditions and conflicts, as well as contemporary high school drama and attitude. The best part? She did it seamlessly at a pace that is quick, characters that are very well-fleshed out, action that keeps you white-knuckling your way through it. The dialogue transcends time, too, from the stuffy pomp of the ancient traditions to the halls of angst-filled high school banter.
Paranormal romance novels are always larger than life, isn’t that part of the draw? The intensity of the moment, the emotion, the action and the tension is like a magnet for me. Bloodmark has it all, thanks to Aurora Whittet’s amazing pen! What makes this stand out for me is that even with all of the above, that invisible age appropriate line has not been crossed! The blood and guts are there, yes, and the romantic tension is there between Ashling and Grey, but it never crosses over to NA, adult territory, yet feels “grown up” enough for younger readers or readers that prefer less “spice” in their reading. Two of my paranormal loving granddaughters will be getting Bloodmark for their Kindles from Grandma!
I was fortunate to receive a review copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.
Series: Bloodmark, Book 1
Publication Date: October 27, 2013
Publisher: Wise Ink
ISBN-13: 978-1940014012
Number of Pages: 480
Genre: Tween/YA Paranormal Fantasy/Romance
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Happy Release Day!
Aurora Whittet is Celebrating with a GREAT Giveaway
Click on Banner to Enter
US only - Ends Nov 6th
From my Hidden Gem pile comes Bloodmark by Aurora Whittet, a paranormal fantasy/romance for young adults and tweens. Ashling Boru, a werewolf princess, has a role to play in the destiny of both the human and werewolf worlds, which makes her both prized and feared. As are the archaic traditions of her kind, her father has arranged for her to marry a prince from another pack, an agreement was struck to give her a reprieve and the chance to find her soulmate on her own. Being who and what she is means her life will be in danger and having been kept in the dark about her true self, she is ill-prepared for how her life will change. Is it possible she has found her true mate the day she meets Grey, a human? There is something different about Grey that even he doesn’t understand and even though their love appears doomed from the start, he will do anything to keep her safe, even stand up to a werewolf. Even better, he respects her as a person, no matter whom or what she is, and he has reason not to. Sounds like a keeper to me!
Aurora Whittet has built her world and filled it with ancient mysteries, traditions and conflicts, as well as contemporary high school drama and attitude. The best part? She did it seamlessly at a pace that is quick, characters that are very well-fleshed out, action that keeps you white-knuckling your way through it. The dialogue transcends time, too, from the stuffy pomp of the ancient traditions to the halls of angst-filled high school banter.
Paranormal romance novels are always larger than life, isn’t that part of the draw? The intensity of the moment, the emotion, the action and the tension is like a magnet for me. Bloodmark has it all, thanks to Aurora Whittet’s amazing pen! What makes this stand out for me is that even with all of the above, that invisible age appropriate line has not been crossed! The blood and guts are there, yes, and the romantic tension is there between Ashling and Grey, but it never crosses over to NA, adult territory, yet feels “grown up” enough for younger readers or readers that prefer less “spice” in their reading. Two of my paranormal loving granddaughters will be getting Bloodmark for their Kindles from Grandma!
I was fortunate to receive a review copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.
Series: Bloodmark, Book 1
Publication Date: October 27, 2013
Publisher: Wise Ink
ISBN-13: 978-1940014012
Number of Pages: 480
Genre: Tween/YA Paranormal Fantasy/Romance
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
February 6, 2016
I received a copy of this book from Wise Ink Creative Publishing via Netgalley in return for an honest review
"Without his bloodmark on the back of my neck, I had no lineage and no family, no past and no future. I was the only daughter of King Porr Boru and Queen Nessa, and no one even knew I was still alive."
This is one of the books I really wanted to love! And I stress the really, unfortunately i had a bit of trouble with it! Allow me to explain.
Okay, So here is what i thought the Plot would be about:
"Without his bloodmark on the back of my neck, I had no lineage and no family, no past and no future. I was the only daughter of King Porr Boru and Queen Nessa, and no one even knew I was still alive."
This is one of the books I really wanted to love! And I stress the really, unfortunately i had a bit of trouble with it! Allow me to explain.
Okay, So here is what i thought the Plot would be about:
A werewolf Princess with no hope.
A land of mysteries.
An arranged marriage.
A frightful future.
Enemies abound.
Hope can be found.
Love can be gained through the ashes of torn dreams.
Blood will be spilled as evil lurks withing shadows.
Bloodmark.
Ahh sorry, i know i went so dramatic there! It had to be done because when i read the premise there was so much excite! (yes i mean it that way), I was nearly dancing in my seat when i opened the file with gleaming eyes.
and then...
well....
How do I explain this?
This book could've been a killer story, i mean, i was half in love with the idea and then i started reading and i just...gosh...I just hated Ashling so much. She was SUCH a brat!
S.U.C.H-A- B.R.A.T
Frustration became a feeling i was thoroughly acquainted with.
I'm sorry if this is a bit too blunt, but i honestly have to tell my opinion.
When looking back on my annotations throughout reading i had a lot of "So cliche" and "typical" and "She's a brat!" as comments.
Oh! um, i should warn you guys, there is insta love, and so many guys fall for her!
Ahhhhh I'm so annoyed! This book's story line was freaking great but the overall delivery...was...lacking.
Authors, 16 years old princess do not all have to be the same, they do not have to be like "I am so strong, but i need to be protected! Everyone bow to me, but oh-shucks i'm so shy and annoying but everyone loves me!"
Oh and they don't need to be stupid!
"...It is the pheronome you give off that they don't realize they are smelling."
"So I stink!? That's why they want to be near me?!"
"Don't be a child..."
I was thinking the same thing. Don't be a child princess! you've been raised in unusual circumstances which means you'd have to mature pronto!
Anyway, have a go at it, for me it didn't quite make it, the idea is pretty cool though and it had a lot of potential to be a pretty awesome story.
Stay awesome my lovelies!!
-The Book Herald
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November 4, 2013
“What an amazing debut! BloodMark is that rare story that combines suspense, desire, love, and family within an awesome twist on werewolves and bloodsuckers (vampires). Both young and old get sucked into Ashling’s and Grey’s world and beg for more, especially after you turn the last page."
This book had me in a whole new world. Picture this: the rolling hills of Ireland, mountains of Comeragh and Galty through cattle pastures and scattered farmhouses. Breathe in the clean air and dewy mist… yes, you feel and experience the environment and the free spirit of this country through the reading. But right when you feel comfortable – BAM! - the book takes off to another journey you feel and experience in lighting speed.
Ashling is the main character in this book who is born into this werewolf family, which is more than meets the eye. Ashling is forced to flee what she knows but quickly grows up and learns that her family bond is strong and they will do anything to protect her. Lines are drawn, all characters of the book stake their side and go on an adventure you will not want to miss. I turn the pages, eager to find out what will happen next and sometimes I’m surprised by the outcome the situation. You get invested in the characters of the book; they bring depth and stir the plot that has you wanting more.
Just so that I cover my bases here, there were some typos in the story and the love connection between Ashling and Grey was a bit too quick for me, but overall it did not change the integrity of the book. I felt the need to finish the book in one setting due to the story itself was extraordinary and I’m very eager to read the sequel.
If you like this review you can check out more at http://www.itsandrea.net
This book had me in a whole new world. Picture this: the rolling hills of Ireland, mountains of Comeragh and Galty through cattle pastures and scattered farmhouses. Breathe in the clean air and dewy mist… yes, you feel and experience the environment and the free spirit of this country through the reading. But right when you feel comfortable – BAM! - the book takes off to another journey you feel and experience in lighting speed.
Ashling is the main character in this book who is born into this werewolf family, which is more than meets the eye. Ashling is forced to flee what she knows but quickly grows up and learns that her family bond is strong and they will do anything to protect her. Lines are drawn, all characters of the book stake their side and go on an adventure you will not want to miss. I turn the pages, eager to find out what will happen next and sometimes I’m surprised by the outcome the situation. You get invested in the characters of the book; they bring depth and stir the plot that has you wanting more.
Just so that I cover my bases here, there were some typos in the story and the love connection between Ashling and Grey was a bit too quick for me, but overall it did not change the integrity of the book. I felt the need to finish the book in one setting due to the story itself was extraordinary and I’m very eager to read the sequel.
If you like this review you can check out more at http://www.itsandrea.net
November 2, 2013
I truly enjoyed reading this book. Aurora has an artful way of delivering a fast story, complex characters and leave you wanting more. The strength of the characters shine, and she demonstrates a keen understanding of the angst and desires of someone facing who they really are. This book pulled me right through and I finished it in a weekend. I highly recommend it and can't wait for the next.
January 16, 2023
If you're a fan of Twilight you will really enjoy this one! The plot was always moving and always entertaining. Loved the main characters and the places we visited. I feel like the ending was a little anticlimactic with everything we were building up to. It was a nice ending but i wish it had ended a little differently. All in all i loved it!
November 4, 2013
This was an exciting read with characters you quickly feel invested in. This isn't normally a genre I read, but the romance between Ashling and Grey made it a fast page-turner for me. Fabulous vacation book or book to get cozied up with on a rainy day.
December 28, 2014
Remember the year your excitement for Summer built up so much, that when it finally came to pass, your first reaction was a simple.. 'meh'?
Well.. yeah.. this book.. okay.
Bloodmark is a story of a young werewolf girl, Ashling, who has been hidden from the world since birth, the only reason being because she was, simply, different. One day she's finally allowed back into her Father's kingdom, only to be told that her future husband awaits her. Then.. shit starts to go down.
First of all, I just have to say that 'Bloodmark' had its highs and its lows. The opening set the book off at a high. Well, you know, three-quarters of a high, if that makes any sense whatsoever! It explains early on, why Ashling was cast away from the Boru family kingdom, that she was abnormal in her being able to shift into a werewolf just after being born, instead of at the age of puberty. Little side-note, I had one of my little laughing fits imagining a newborn baby alternating between wolf and human form as it crowned, but that's not important, haha!
Being a naturally curious person, I was immediately questioning how King Porr came to the decision that neglecting his prophecy-mentioned, first daughter was the best way to protect her. Usually in these sort of stories, the protective Father would lock his daughter away somewhere close to him, in order to keep her safe, and you can sort of understand that. But I couldn't understand this one at all. I felt he was just thrown into the story to be hated by the readers. I mean, Ashling spoke about him being a loving, caring and kind man while at the Cliffs, where she grew up with only her Mother, but when we ware finally introduced to him, I couldn't see any hints of the Father she supposedly knew. Not even remnants. So yeah.. that kind of confused me.
It wasn't even just her Father that I didn't get. Ashling, in my opinion, was probably the most confusing. After the first few chapters I had a really good feeling about her. She was excited to see her Father, and the rest of her family again, excited to return to Cashel, where she was born, her home. But all of a sudden her Father surprises her with an arranged marriage. I was all for her reaction, and sympathised with her when she was locked up. I felt bad for her, you know.
I'm not exactly sure where my opinions changed after that, to be honest. Out of nowhere, she's leaving her family behind trying to escape her Father and the arranged marriage to Brychan. Before she goes to far, she meets her Father's oldest enemies, runs straight back and it's like nothing ever happened! It was just all too melodramatic and rushed for me.
The characterisation was all over the place, sometimes spot on and other times, just.. wrong. Personally, a book has got to have good characterisation if I'm going to want to read on. In this book, I felt like everyone apart from Ashling was 2-D, either really really nice or really really nasty. I know she's the girl of the prophecy and all, but I felt like all of the other characters were a bit too nice to her, and to even it out, random, mean people were thrown in. Robert, fair enough, he was the leader of the 'bloodsuckers' hunting Ash. Adomnan, fair enough, he was the typical antagonist from day one, but the likes of Lacey, was that really necessary?
Though I was slightly put off by the characters, I absolutely loved the bonds between them. After my initial 'fed up' reaction with Ash and Grey's 'insta-love', I actually sort of liked their relationship. Was I annoyed at how quickly they fell for each other? Yes. Did I sigh every time Ash described how painful it was to be without him? Yes. Did my head shake at how imperfectly perfect their love was made out to be? Oh hell yes. But after Whittet did some explaining on how love between werewolves was magnetic, and instant and stuff, I grew to accept it. In the end, I actually started to enjoy it. I think..
I also really liked the relationships between Mund and Tegan, Tegan and Ash, and Ash and Mund. It was the sort of undeniable love and loyalty that family members have for each other. It was realistic, and easy to relate to.
Mother of God, the ending! So much fighting and action.. I loved it! Am I mean in saying I would have liked Admonan's death to have been fleshed out a little more? I was looking forward to it the whole book, especially during the boring school-related chapters, that I just wanted it to be a bit longer and more detailed. Apart from that, though, the action in the end was really cool! It's arguable that Ashling was beat up a little too much, but it turned out alright, she got her revenge! Haha
After comprehending all my thoughts and trying to fit them into this one little review, I think I can safely say that I liked this book. The beginning was good, the middle bit could have done with some serious work, but the ending definitely brought it back, and I can't wait for the sequel, as a result!
Well.. yeah.. this book.. okay.
Bloodmark is a story of a young werewolf girl, Ashling, who has been hidden from the world since birth, the only reason being because she was, simply, different. One day she's finally allowed back into her Father's kingdom, only to be told that her future husband awaits her. Then.. shit starts to go down.
First of all, I just have to say that 'Bloodmark' had its highs and its lows. The opening set the book off at a high. Well, you know, three-quarters of a high, if that makes any sense whatsoever! It explains early on, why Ashling was cast away from the Boru family kingdom, that she was abnormal in her being able to shift into a werewolf just after being born, instead of at the age of puberty. Little side-note, I had one of my little laughing fits imagining a newborn baby alternating between wolf and human form as it crowned, but that's not important, haha!
Being a naturally curious person, I was immediately questioning how King Porr came to the decision that neglecting his prophecy-mentioned, first daughter was the best way to protect her. Usually in these sort of stories, the protective Father would lock his daughter away somewhere close to him, in order to keep her safe, and you can sort of understand that. But I couldn't understand this one at all. I felt he was just thrown into the story to be hated by the readers. I mean, Ashling spoke about him being a loving, caring and kind man while at the Cliffs, where she grew up with only her Mother, but when we ware finally introduced to him, I couldn't see any hints of the Father she supposedly knew. Not even remnants. So yeah.. that kind of confused me.
It wasn't even just her Father that I didn't get. Ashling, in my opinion, was probably the most confusing. After the first few chapters I had a really good feeling about her. She was excited to see her Father, and the rest of her family again, excited to return to Cashel, where she was born, her home. But all of a sudden her Father surprises her with an arranged marriage. I was all for her reaction, and sympathised with her when she was locked up. I felt bad for her, you know.
I'm not exactly sure where my opinions changed after that, to be honest. Out of nowhere, she's leaving her family behind trying to escape her Father and the arranged marriage to Brychan. Before she goes to far, she meets her Father's oldest enemies, runs straight back and it's like nothing ever happened! It was just all too melodramatic and rushed for me.
The characterisation was all over the place, sometimes spot on and other times, just.. wrong. Personally, a book has got to have good characterisation if I'm going to want to read on. In this book, I felt like everyone apart from Ashling was 2-D, either really really nice or really really nasty. I know she's the girl of the prophecy and all, but I felt like all of the other characters were a bit too nice to her, and to even it out, random, mean people were thrown in. Robert, fair enough, he was the leader of the 'bloodsuckers' hunting Ash. Adomnan, fair enough, he was the typical antagonist from day one, but the likes of Lacey, was that really necessary?
Though I was slightly put off by the characters, I absolutely loved the bonds between them. After my initial 'fed up' reaction with Ash and Grey's 'insta-love', I actually sort of liked their relationship. Was I annoyed at how quickly they fell for each other? Yes. Did I sigh every time Ash described how painful it was to be without him? Yes. Did my head shake at how imperfectly perfect their love was made out to be? Oh hell yes. But after Whittet did some explaining on how love between werewolves was magnetic, and instant and stuff, I grew to accept it. In the end, I actually started to enjoy it. I think..
I also really liked the relationships between Mund and Tegan, Tegan and Ash, and Ash and Mund. It was the sort of undeniable love and loyalty that family members have for each other. It was realistic, and easy to relate to.
Mother of God, the ending! So much fighting and action.. I loved it! Am I mean in saying I would have liked Admonan's death to have been fleshed out a little more? I was looking forward to it the whole book, especially during the boring school-related chapters, that I just wanted it to be a bit longer and more detailed. Apart from that, though, the action in the end was really cool! It's arguable that Ashling was beat up a little too much, but it turned out alright, she got her revenge! Haha
After comprehending all my thoughts and trying to fit them into this one little review, I think I can safely say that I liked this book. The beginning was good, the middle bit could have done with some serious work, but the ending definitely brought it back, and I can't wait for the sequel, as a result!
December 2, 2015
This is one those books that it is almost impossible to review without too many spoilers but I'll try. I really enjoyed Ashling’s character, unlike so many teenagers in novels; she wasn’t selfish and needy and would have been perfect if she didn’t start acting so stupid over Grey. I understand that in many of the worlds created by authors that bonding is something that happens between species when they find their true mate and that is fine. What I don’t like is arranging a marriage when they don’t have this connection. If you have the ability to be with someone that you know is your soul mate and you have the ability to love someone and be loved by them it is wrong to settle for anything less; especially when you will live for so long. This is one of the times that insta-love doesn't make me what to throw the Kindle down in disgust; if you have the ability to bond with a mate then it is to be expected that your soul would instantly know when you've met them.
I have to admit, I guessed about Grey immediately although I had the parents wrong. I love the connection that Mund and Quinn have with their sister and I am glad to see that her relationship with Tegan is stronger than it appeared at the start. In the beginning the reader feels that they tolerate each other because they both love Mund and don’t want to cause him any hassles. Her mother is another one that I amazed by; she turned her back on what is expected of her to protect her daughter. She's lived away from her pack and husband in obscurity for her only daughter. It's amazing that all her brothers don't hate her, but Quinn and Mund love her and would easily chose to die to protect her. They are so much older than her that this makes the relationship even more special for me.
Her father is a cruel SOB. I can understand being frightened knowing that your daughter is the one spoken of one in a prophecy that is centuries old but wouldn’t you also be proud. Her other brother Finn seems just like her father. I hope that the story will reveal that her fathers’ treatment was part of keeping her safe. Even then, he could have showed her a little affection the few times he saw her, even if he could not show it in front of others he could have done so in private. I can understand not marking her, which would give their enemies a way to locate her more easily
I really love how the werewolves are written here, as protectors of humans since the very beginning. Those that have fallen from the old traditions and kill humans to eat are an abomination. They have been waiting for centuries for the fulfillment of the prophecy so that the packs will unite and destroy those that don’t follow. I think the other wolf in the prophecy is Grey and it is because he his part werewolf and part? that he is perfect choice. I can’t believe that Adomnan would give up, even in death. I think one of the three suitors was and is somehow still working with him; I believe someone that evil would find a way to cheat death. I’m almost certain I know which suitor it is, but I’ll let you decide for yourself. As for myself, I feel that t is Grey’s unique heritage that makes him the wolf of the prophecy, she will unite the packs and together the will unite everyone. They both just have to survive until she is eighteen and he can claim her.
The bloodmark that all wolves receive when the reach puberty; it is so painful why can they not shift so the can immediately heal? It’s bad enough that they have to go through this once, but to have to do it again once you are married is beyond barbaric. I already know that when she fulfills the prophecy an unites the pack she will abolish these archaic laws and put women on even footing with the men.
As soon as I post this I am reading book 2 and I am really hoping that the third book will be released soon. I know from reading reviews that there is a cliffhanger and I’d like to read the next one while these are still fresh in my memory. I’d also like to know how many books will be in the series; I can see a trilogy or tetralogy, but I hoping that there is no more unless it is expanded with characters from other packs. Even then I could grow stale and monotonous instead of continuing to be exciting and entertaining as it is now.
4.25/5 STARS: **I want to thank the author and/or publisher for providing a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review; all opinions are mine.**
I have to admit, I guessed about Grey immediately although I had the parents wrong. I love the connection that Mund and Quinn have with their sister and I am glad to see that her relationship with Tegan is stronger than it appeared at the start. In the beginning the reader feels that they tolerate each other because they both love Mund and don’t want to cause him any hassles. Her mother is another one that I amazed by; she turned her back on what is expected of her to protect her daughter. She's lived away from her pack and husband in obscurity for her only daughter. It's amazing that all her brothers don't hate her, but Quinn and Mund love her and would easily chose to die to protect her. They are so much older than her that this makes the relationship even more special for me.
Her father is a cruel SOB. I can understand being frightened knowing that your daughter is the one spoken of one in a prophecy that is centuries old but wouldn’t you also be proud. Her other brother Finn seems just like her father. I hope that the story will reveal that her fathers’ treatment was part of keeping her safe. Even then, he could have showed her a little affection the few times he saw her, even if he could not show it in front of others he could have done so in private. I can understand not marking her, which would give their enemies a way to locate her more easily
I really love how the werewolves are written here, as protectors of humans since the very beginning. Those that have fallen from the old traditions and kill humans to eat are an abomination. They have been waiting for centuries for the fulfillment of the prophecy so that the packs will unite and destroy those that don’t follow. I think the other wolf in the prophecy is Grey and it is because he his part werewolf and part? that he is perfect choice. I can’t believe that Adomnan would give up, even in death. I think one of the three suitors was and is somehow still working with him; I believe someone that evil would find a way to cheat death. I’m almost certain I know which suitor it is, but I’ll let you decide for yourself. As for myself, I feel that t is Grey’s unique heritage that makes him the wolf of the prophecy, she will unite the packs and together the will unite everyone. They both just have to survive until she is eighteen and he can claim her.
The bloodmark that all wolves receive when the reach puberty; it is so painful why can they not shift so the can immediately heal? It’s bad enough that they have to go through this once, but to have to do it again once you are married is beyond barbaric. I already know that when she fulfills the prophecy an unites the pack she will abolish these archaic laws and put women on even footing with the men.
As soon as I post this I am reading book 2 and I am really hoping that the third book will be released soon. I know from reading reviews that there is a cliffhanger and I’d like to read the next one while these are still fresh in my memory. I’d also like to know how many books will be in the series; I can see a trilogy or tetralogy, but I hoping that there is no more unless it is expanded with characters from other packs. Even then I could grow stale and monotonous instead of continuing to be exciting and entertaining as it is now.
4.25/5 STARS: **I want to thank the author and/or publisher for providing a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review; all opinions are mine.**
October 25, 2016
First let me start by saying that I absolutely adored this book! I am a huge fan of paranormal, especially werewolves. Throw in a setting like Ireland, and you make this Irish girl very happy!
The writing in this book was fantastic. The descriptive writing was on point. Everything was described so perfectly that I felt like I could see everything right in front of me. This story was very easy to follow and I never felt confused while reading it. I loved the glossary, and reference in the back-it made it so easy to know who is who and what is what if you forget or get confused. I honestly didn't feel like I needed to use it at all though.
The characters are well fleshed out. We get to know them well, with back stories. It is easy to fall in love with them. I felt like I knew them on a personal level.
The adventures in this book are plentiful. There is never a dull moment. It was so much fun to read! I would read this all over again. This is one of those books that I will definitely revisit in the future. I am definitely going to be making room for this series on my bookcase. A series like this is a rare treasure. This was one of those books that you want to curl up with and read in one sitting. It was very hard for me to put this book down for one moment. I just wanted to drop every other responsibility that I had at the moment and just get back to reading this one.
This is one of those books that you want to savor. I wanted to read it at a slow pace and take in every beautiful, poetic, descriptive word. I just seriously couldn't get enough of this writing. The beginning chapters of this book take place in Ireland and they were honestly my favorite chapters. I felt like I could see Ireland.
What made this book even better was that it is absolutely gorgeous as well. It's beautiful without the dust jacket. The inside of this book was designed gorgeously as well. The author even threw in a character drawing in the back.
I have found a new favorite author. I can't wait to read the rest of this series and can't wait to read even more books from this author.
If you love YA, paranormal, fantasy stories then don't pass this one up. Every minute of this book is a minute you will enjoy. If you are a fan of Stephanie Meyer and the Twilight series, you will love this series.
The writing in this book was fantastic. The descriptive writing was on point. Everything was described so perfectly that I felt like I could see everything right in front of me. This story was very easy to follow and I never felt confused while reading it. I loved the glossary, and reference in the back-it made it so easy to know who is who and what is what if you forget or get confused. I honestly didn't feel like I needed to use it at all though.
The characters are well fleshed out. We get to know them well, with back stories. It is easy to fall in love with them. I felt like I knew them on a personal level.
The adventures in this book are plentiful. There is never a dull moment. It was so much fun to read! I would read this all over again. This is one of those books that I will definitely revisit in the future. I am definitely going to be making room for this series on my bookcase. A series like this is a rare treasure. This was one of those books that you want to curl up with and read in one sitting. It was very hard for me to put this book down for one moment. I just wanted to drop every other responsibility that I had at the moment and just get back to reading this one.
This is one of those books that you want to savor. I wanted to read it at a slow pace and take in every beautiful, poetic, descriptive word. I just seriously couldn't get enough of this writing. The beginning chapters of this book take place in Ireland and they were honestly my favorite chapters. I felt like I could see Ireland.
What made this book even better was that it is absolutely gorgeous as well. It's beautiful without the dust jacket. The inside of this book was designed gorgeously as well. The author even threw in a character drawing in the back.
I have found a new favorite author. I can't wait to read the rest of this series and can't wait to read even more books from this author.
If you love YA, paranormal, fantasy stories then don't pass this one up. Every minute of this book is a minute you will enjoy. If you are a fan of Stephanie Meyer and the Twilight series, you will love this series.
August 30, 2016
Thanks to Netgalley & WiseInk for my review copy of Bloodmark in exchange for an honest review
Originally posted @ Miranda's Book Blog
What can I say, I adored Bloodmark! While it wasn't wholly original, it was fun with plenty of action, great characters and romance!
Let me just put it out there, Bloodmark is a WHOLE lot like another very popular book. That being said, I don't feel like the author intended it that way, it's kinda hard for a book about werewolves and love (as well as YA) to not be a bit similar. So if you're not cool with reading a book that's very similar to another one, this one isn't for you.
Let's get to what I liked about this one...
The Setting: The beginning of the book starts out in Ireland. Oh and in a underground castle, how cool is that! The story quickly transitions to Maine, one of my favorite settings for books!
The Prophecy: Yup, this one centers around a prophecy. Without giving anything away, Ashling must overcome some pretty tough odds in this one.
The Romance: Ashling & Grey are perfect together! (Yes, there is a bit of insta-love but it was done oh-so right in this one!)
The presence of family: There's a pretty strong family dynamic in this story. Of course they have their ups and downs but in the end they are there for each other.
Now on to what I didn't like...
Super long chapters: I know it's usually not a big deal for me but this author is pretty long winded. In some scenarios it was a good thing, but overall I could have done with shorter chapters. I felt like a few points were talked about repeatedly which were a bit boring.
All-In-All: I really enjoyed reading this book and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series. I'm wanting to kick myself for waiting so long to read this one!
I'd recommend to: Anyone who loves YA fantasy with romance and a HEA as the central theme.
Originally posted @ Miranda's Book Blog
"I now know the brightest of lights would always attract the darkest of nights, but love would outshine the darkness. If love was allowed in, it would save souls."
What can I say, I adored Bloodmark! While it wasn't wholly original, it was fun with plenty of action, great characters and romance!
Let me just put it out there, Bloodmark is a WHOLE lot like another very popular book. That being said, I don't feel like the author intended it that way, it's kinda hard for a book about werewolves and love (as well as YA) to not be a bit similar. So if you're not cool with reading a book that's very similar to another one, this one isn't for you.
Let's get to what I liked about this one...
The Setting: The beginning of the book starts out in Ireland. Oh and in a underground castle, how cool is that! The story quickly transitions to Maine, one of my favorite settings for books!
The Prophecy: Yup, this one centers around a prophecy. Without giving anything away, Ashling must overcome some pretty tough odds in this one.
The Romance: Ashling & Grey are perfect together! (Yes, there is a bit of insta-love but it was done oh-so right in this one!)
The presence of family: There's a pretty strong family dynamic in this story. Of course they have their ups and downs but in the end they are there for each other.
Now on to what I didn't like...
Super long chapters: I know it's usually not a big deal for me but this author is pretty long winded. In some scenarios it was a good thing, but overall I could have done with shorter chapters. I felt like a few points were talked about repeatedly which were a bit boring.
All-In-All: I really enjoyed reading this book and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series. I'm wanting to kick myself for waiting so long to read this one!
I'd recommend to: Anyone who loves YA fantasy with romance and a HEA as the central theme.
July 8, 2016
I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.
THIS IS A QUICK REVIEW, I HAVE DONE A PROPER REVIEW ON MY CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zxK1...
At the beginning of this book the events happened fast, a bit too fast for my taste. It all slowed down when the romance started (which also started really fast). Sadly, I wasn't the biggest fan of the romance. It happened too fast and I don't like it when for a character their whole world revolves around one person. The romance took such a big place in the book that I felt like we didn't get to know the characters really well because of it.
This saddens me quite a bit because the world and side characters are really interesting. I would love to find out more about the rituals and lives of all these different werewolf clans. The parts of the book in which we got more information about them were little gems to me, I loved it!
If you think you would enjoy a heavy based romantic werewolf book I would recommend Blooldmark.
THIS IS A QUICK REVIEW, I HAVE DONE A PROPER REVIEW ON MY CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zxK1...
At the beginning of this book the events happened fast, a bit too fast for my taste. It all slowed down when the romance started (which also started really fast). Sadly, I wasn't the biggest fan of the romance. It happened too fast and I don't like it when for a character their whole world revolves around one person. The romance took such a big place in the book that I felt like we didn't get to know the characters really well because of it.
This saddens me quite a bit because the world and side characters are really interesting. I would love to find out more about the rituals and lives of all these different werewolf clans. The parts of the book in which we got more information about them were little gems to me, I loved it!
If you think you would enjoy a heavy based romantic werewolf book I would recommend Blooldmark.
October 18, 2017
Re read Oct 2017. For some reason I loved this book more the second time around. I love the story of Princess Ashling. She is a princess who is the subject of a prophecy. To keep her safe they have told their world of werewolves that she is dead. In truth she is in hiding. Until one day when she is found by nasty bloodsucking human devouring werewolves. One who wishes for Ashling to be his mate. So she is moved again, this time to America and away from her family in Ireland. In the US she makes friends and catches the eye of the local rebel and charming human Grey. Protected by Baran she hopes and dreams of making a new safe life but danger is never far behind. Wound recommended this to anyone who love paranormal romance and sexy werewolves. This is book 1 in a trilogy.
Feb 2016 Really enjoyed this book caught me from the start. The romance was amazing and loved the world building. Ashling is an amazing character and her relationships with her family and Grey are a big part. Loved following her as she became a new woman and wolf. Loving the series
Feb 2016 Really enjoyed this book caught me from the start. The romance was amazing and loved the world building. Ashling is an amazing character and her relationships with her family and Grey are a big part. Loved following her as she became a new woman and wolf. Loving the series
January 18, 2016
I received this book free from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
On the first page, we learn that Ashling is part wolf, when she asks to take a one hour run instead of taking a three hour drive.
"Just the thought of shifting to my wolf form made my pulse quicken with anticipation. It had been weeks since my bother, Mund, had visited and we could run free. I miss my red fur and four feet."
We also learn right away that Ashling desparately wants to be part of a pack and has never left her home, the cliffs, and has never been around anyone except her mother and her brother(s).
"I felt a hole inside myself where my pack should have been. I was certain Father was going to brand me with the Broro Bloodmark and accept me into the pack. I should have been branded as a baby, but he had refused. I still didn't know why. Without his Bloodmark on the back of my neck, I had no lineage and no family, no past, no future."
Until the events in the book, she has only seen her father a handful of times and her other brothers even less. She grew up with only her mother and monthly visits from Mund.
In this story, werewolfs were created to protect humans. They were meant to watch over them.
"Human blood smelled all the sweeter to us - a temptation we had to learn to overcome. Sometimes I wondered if it was all part of Old Mother's plan, the temptation was part of the lesson to love and protect something that you desperately desire to possess."
I'm not sure how I feel about Ashling and Grey professing their love for each other after 2 or 3 days of meeting. I am getting pretty tired of the whole insta-love trend in YA books!
I like how Ashling related to the humans and took her responsibility to protect them seriously.
"The nearby village was mostly Christians, but they still honored the old traditions. What they didn't realize was we lived them. We were the characters of their legends."
I was a little apprehensive about this book. Yes, I liked twilight when it first came out, but that is the extent of my werewolf/vampire reading...and (full-disclosure) I couldn't even make myself finish the last book...and I only saw the first movie...
I'm usually just not into the whole werewolf thing, but maybe it was the vampires put me off of them, because this book really surprised me! It started a little slow, and I remained doubtful, but when it started picking up, after the first couple of chapters, I was hooked!
I did have issues with a couple of things that YA authors can't seem to get away from.
When the main female character is in mortal danger, and should be focusing on how to stay alive and save themselves, they are instead, thinking about kissing Mr. Main Character.
Also, there were a lot of little things that not only the love-struck heroine, but also, the older, wiser, more mature males overlooked that at this point (60% in), I believe will end up being big parts of the story (most likely its ending). Such obvious things could have been discussed and dealt with as they were revealed and it would have made the characters seem smarter and less invested in only their emotions. While I pretty much expected Ashling to overlook things like this, as almost all YA heroines do in their love-induced stupor, even Baron and overprotective bro, Mund, overlook things that ended up being super important to the story.
I also do not like how careless she was at times, and when that carelessness inevitabely got her in trouble, she gave up way too easily.
Despite the fact that the book gives an explanation for the instalove in their case, I really wish YA books would steer away from it altogether.
However, I was impressed with this book and it definitely surpassed my expectations! I would definitely recommend it and can't wait to see how the story continues!
On the first page, we learn that Ashling is part wolf, when she asks to take a one hour run instead of taking a three hour drive.
"Just the thought of shifting to my wolf form made my pulse quicken with anticipation. It had been weeks since my bother, Mund, had visited and we could run free. I miss my red fur and four feet."
We also learn right away that Ashling desparately wants to be part of a pack and has never left her home, the cliffs, and has never been around anyone except her mother and her brother(s).
"I felt a hole inside myself where my pack should have been. I was certain Father was going to brand me with the Broro Bloodmark and accept me into the pack. I should have been branded as a baby, but he had refused. I still didn't know why. Without his Bloodmark on the back of my neck, I had no lineage and no family, no past, no future."
Until the events in the book, she has only seen her father a handful of times and her other brothers even less. She grew up with only her mother and monthly visits from Mund.
In this story, werewolfs were created to protect humans. They were meant to watch over them.
"Human blood smelled all the sweeter to us - a temptation we had to learn to overcome. Sometimes I wondered if it was all part of Old Mother's plan, the temptation was part of the lesson to love and protect something that you desperately desire to possess."
I'm not sure how I feel about Ashling and Grey professing their love for each other after 2 or 3 days of meeting. I am getting pretty tired of the whole insta-love trend in YA books!
I like how Ashling related to the humans and took her responsibility to protect them seriously.
"The nearby village was mostly Christians, but they still honored the old traditions. What they didn't realize was we lived them. We were the characters of their legends."
I was a little apprehensive about this book. Yes, I liked twilight when it first came out, but that is the extent of my werewolf/vampire reading...and (full-disclosure) I couldn't even make myself finish the last book...and I only saw the first movie...
I'm usually just not into the whole werewolf thing, but maybe it was the vampires put me off of them, because this book really surprised me! It started a little slow, and I remained doubtful, but when it started picking up, after the first couple of chapters, I was hooked!
I did have issues with a couple of things that YA authors can't seem to get away from.
When the main female character is in mortal danger, and should be focusing on how to stay alive and save themselves, they are instead, thinking about kissing Mr. Main Character.
Also, there were a lot of little things that not only the love-struck heroine, but also, the older, wiser, more mature males overlooked that at this point (60% in), I believe will end up being big parts of the story (most likely its ending). Such obvious things could have been discussed and dealt with as they were revealed and it would have made the characters seem smarter and less invested in only their emotions. While I pretty much expected Ashling to overlook things like this, as almost all YA heroines do in their love-induced stupor, even Baron and overprotective bro, Mund, overlook things that ended up being super important to the story.
I also do not like how careless she was at times, and when that carelessness inevitabely got her in trouble, she gave up way too easily.
Despite the fact that the book gives an explanation for the instalove in their case, I really wish YA books would steer away from it altogether.
However, I was impressed with this book and it definitely surpassed my expectations! I would definitely recommend it and can't wait to see how the story continues!
November 18, 2014
I received these books as part of a blog tour hosted by Fallen For Books! This is no way influences my review.
I basically have the same things to say for both of these books so I decided to do a mash-up instead of a separate post for each. So here we go!
I really liked these two books. They represented such a different take on werewolves and the life they live. In this series, the werewolves are actually connected to the earth and are the protectors of humans. They have a mission which really directs the story-line.
Overall, these were very well done books but they just aren't 5 star material for me. I won't fangirl over them (although I'll probably read the next book) or speculate or anything. They were just pretty good.
Even though I really don't like patriarchy (where a society is dominated by men) it does fit the story very well. Old werewolves from ancient times who don't want to change? Definite patriarchy. So it fit very well with the characters and the plot and kept me reading because I was scoffing every time a guy talked and I wanted to see how Ashling defied that. She didn't disappoint.
It's safe to say I loved pretty much all the characters. One stands out in my mind that I hated though - Ashling's father. I couldn't believe him! His character was very well written so that he came across evil, but he was also looking out for Ashling's best interests (well... sort of at least). Every line he spoke I was shuddering. I mean someone has to go screw his head on straight! This is one of those books where I'm glad I can't trade lives with the MC.
It also was a bit cliche when Ashling fell in love with Grey with the whole forbidden romance and everything but once his true lineage was revealed, I was sort of okay with it. It still wasn't exactly the best for me though.
The Final Verdict:
Overall, a very well-written, unique book however it just isn't 5 star material. The characters are very well done and the patriarchy was very convincing as well.
4 stars
Quotes:
“I wanted desperately to be part of our pack; I felt a hole inside myself where my pack should have been.”
“Our love transcends space and time. No culture or creed could ever keep us apart. Even death is just the beginning.”
I basically have the same things to say for both of these books so I decided to do a mash-up instead of a separate post for each. So here we go!
I really liked these two books. They represented such a different take on werewolves and the life they live. In this series, the werewolves are actually connected to the earth and are the protectors of humans. They have a mission which really directs the story-line.
Overall, these were very well done books but they just aren't 5 star material for me. I won't fangirl over them (although I'll probably read the next book) or speculate or anything. They were just pretty good.
Even though I really don't like patriarchy (where a society is dominated by men) it does fit the story very well. Old werewolves from ancient times who don't want to change? Definite patriarchy. So it fit very well with the characters and the plot and kept me reading because I was scoffing every time a guy talked and I wanted to see how Ashling defied that. She didn't disappoint.
It's safe to say I loved pretty much all the characters. One stands out in my mind that I hated though - Ashling's father. I couldn't believe him! His character was very well written so that he came across evil, but he was also looking out for Ashling's best interests (well... sort of at least). Every line he spoke I was shuddering. I mean someone has to go screw his head on straight! This is one of those books where I'm glad I can't trade lives with the MC.
It also was a bit cliche when Ashling fell in love with Grey with the whole forbidden romance and everything but once his true lineage was revealed, I was sort of okay with it. It still wasn't exactly the best for me though.
The Final Verdict:
Overall, a very well-written, unique book however it just isn't 5 star material. The characters are very well done and the patriarchy was very convincing as well.
4 stars
Quotes:
“I wanted desperately to be part of our pack; I felt a hole inside myself where my pack should have been.”
“Our love transcends space and time. No culture or creed could ever keep us apart. Even death is just the beginning.”
October 24, 2016
Ashling Boru wasn’t your average werewolf princess. she was able to shift into a wolf from birth while others of her kind were not able to until they were older. She also never received her bloodmark which is a brand that wolves get at birth when they are initiated into the pack. Her father is the king of their pack and instead of initiating Ashling into his pack he has promised her hand in marriage to a man she doesn’t know.
Ashling defies her father and the ancient laws of the pack and ends up going from Ireland to York Harbor, Maine. When she gets there she meets and falls in love with a rebellious human named Grey Donavan. Ashling is now leading a new life far away from everyone she has known but her wolf packs ancient traditions and secrets come back to haunt her and she has to make a choice between Grey or the path that she was meant to follow.
Bloodmark by Aurora Whittet is the first book in a trilogy and a pretty good YA novel. What drew me to this book was that it got into werewolf mythology and it was partially set in Ireland. I really enjoyed that this book was written from the first person perspective, in the beginning it had the feel of a diary as Ashling talked about her family. Bloodmark has a good story to it, I loved the character of Ashling and I think she is someone who teenage girls can relate to. This is a book that young readers will love.
Ashling defies her father and the ancient laws of the pack and ends up going from Ireland to York Harbor, Maine. When she gets there she meets and falls in love with a rebellious human named Grey Donavan. Ashling is now leading a new life far away from everyone she has known but her wolf packs ancient traditions and secrets come back to haunt her and she has to make a choice between Grey or the path that she was meant to follow.
Bloodmark by Aurora Whittet is the first book in a trilogy and a pretty good YA novel. What drew me to this book was that it got into werewolf mythology and it was partially set in Ireland. I really enjoyed that this book was written from the first person perspective, in the beginning it had the feel of a diary as Ashling talked about her family. Bloodmark has a good story to it, I loved the character of Ashling and I think she is someone who teenage girls can relate to. This is a book that young readers will love.
September 13, 2014
Full Review at: What's Beyond Forks?
Bloodmark is the first book in the Bloodmark Saga by Aurora Whittet. This book was so good in so many ways. It brought out a new spin on Werewolves and Bloodsuckers. We get to see a lot of the pack dynamic among the wolves which was interesting to say the least. I'm not entirely sure that the bloodsuckers are actually vampires, as they don't hunt humans. We don't know too much about them (and we don't necessarily need to just yet), but I think we'll learn more as the series progresses. This book was packed with passion, suspense, danger, and a touch of humor. It was hard to put down! I don't even remember what I was expecting when I first started reading, but I got so much more!
Bloodmark by Aurora Whittet was kindly provided to me by the author for review. The opinions are my own.
October 28, 2016
Bloodmark by Aurora Whittet is the first book in the Bloodmark Saga. Bloodmark Saga was an amazingly well written supernatural fiction book. Bloodmark by Aurora Whittet follows Sixteen-year-old werewolf princess Ashling Boru as she learns about who she is as a person and as a unique werewolf. My favorite part of the book was when Ashling Boru met Grey Donavan. I loved how she really felt like she could escape wolf laws and her old life and just live how she wanted to. I felt for her when the world she pictured for herself began to crumble. If you enjoyed Twilight, but prefered the werewolves then this is the book and series for you. I was was provided with a copy of this book from the author or publisher.
November 6, 2013
I thought this book was fantastic. It pulled me right in!
Ashling is a refreshingly fierce heroine (she can save herself!), but she still fearlessly falls in love. I loved the paranormal aspect of this book as well--the juxtaposition between the ancient Celtic werewolf culture and the modern-day high-school culture is well done and entertaining. I can't wait to see what else comes from this talented new author!
Ashling is a refreshingly fierce heroine (she can save herself!), but she still fearlessly falls in love. I loved the paranormal aspect of this book as well--the juxtaposition between the ancient Celtic werewolf culture and the modern-day high-school culture is well done and entertaining. I can't wait to see what else comes from this talented new author!
March 1, 2016
I received a copy of this on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Full review found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcp9N...
This started out fairly slow, but I ended up really enjoying it by the end.
Full review found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcp9N...
This started out fairly slow, but I ended up really enjoying it by the end.
April 26, 2021
This turned out to be YA Fantasy--- not particularly a fan. The plot pace was good, but the first half had a lot of description and less action. It was like an inferior- style Twilight, but not the worst.
I like the characters and the world, and I assume sequels with more action that has brewed, will be more pleasurable.
In short, Young Adults or New Adults will prefer it moreso, and the action is in about the last half.
Happy Reading!!
I like the characters and the world, and I assume sequels with more action that has brewed, will be more pleasurable.
In short, Young Adults or New Adults will prefer it moreso, and the action is in about the last half.
Happy Reading!!
April 21, 2020
DNF @ 23%
Gave this a chance but the dialog was awkward once Grey and Ashling began interacting and the plot began to weaken. Seems like a story with promise but the writing needs improvement. It wasn’t strong enough to keep me engaged to the end.
Gave this a chance but the dialog was awkward once Grey and Ashling began interacting and the plot began to weaken. Seems like a story with promise but the writing needs improvement. It wasn’t strong enough to keep me engaged to the end.
April 4, 2015
Original review can be found on www.alexishmasters.com
---
I was lucky enough to win a copy of Aurora Whittet's Bloodmark and Bloodrealms books in a giveaway, and now that I've finished the first book and let it simmer in my brain for a few days, I'm ready to review it.
I'll start with the cons, because let's get the negative out of the way first and save the good stuff for last.
There was so much potential to this book, but I was disappointed by what should have been a powerful main character. Ashling is described as a defiant, strong young woman, where in the beginning of the book she stands up against her father, the king of a werewolf clan, and defies the centuries-old tradition of arranged marriage- without being nasty or disrespectful. Good job for taking a stand! But almost immediately after that, she becomes wishy-washy to the point of boredom. She can't make up her mind about how she feels - or should feel - about Grey (the other main character and obvious love interest), She even changes her mind three times in the same paragraph. What? Some indecision is normal, understandable, especially when it's her first love and she's not sure how her family will react and even what exactly is going on with Grey himself. But there was nothing to merit the whiplash-inducing ride she took us on.
Probably because of that, Ashling sort of fell to the wayside in my interest. Grey was far more compelling as a character. Maybe if the book had been written from his perspective, or in third person limited from Ash's perspective, it would have been easier to like Ash, but as it stands now, I found myself wishing for Grey's point of view instead.
The ending was also a bit disappointing, mostly because the fight with the Big Bad was over much too quickly considering Ash's entire life had been building up to that moment. I thought I had skipped a few pages by accident, but no, it's just over that quickly. Some more build-up and tension and fighting would have been nice.
There was also some railroading going on at the end. I accepted that Grey could follow Ash's trail because of her werewolfy scent, but how does that explain how he managed to track her from America to Iceland? The only thing that he says is that it took him a while to find her scent. But she got on a freaking airplane and flew halfway across the world. How could Grey possibly track her scent? Him finding a plane ticket stub or a receipt or bribing an airline official would have been more believable.
And finally, there were "relationships" with other characters that seemed to be thrown in just for the sake of having the full gambit of possibilities - Ash's core friends who, though human, will stick with her forever; the inevitable "betrayal" of one friend when Ash makes her decision to stay with Grey (seriously, what was up with Kate? That made absolutely no sense whatsoever. She never gave any hint that she wanted Grey, or that she liked Lacey, or whatever reason she had for not staying friends with Ash.); the ex-girlfriend of the love interest who hates Ash just because; the bad/uncaring/"evil" father who doesn't seem to care about Ash's well-being (she's recovering from a silver attack and he comes in to say "Hey, remember that guy I promised you to? You'd better make good on that." Not a word on how he's glad she's alive. What?)
Ok. Now for the good stuff.
As with most YA novels, there was insta-love in this one, too. BUT- I actually liked how this one was explained. Werewolves look for their actual soul-mates, and when they find them, their souls actually bind together, creating a bond that connects them on a deeper level than regular, plain human love. Nice. Now, when there's an instant connection between Ash and Grey, and we know Grey is going to be the love interest, it's ok. And even though they don't know what's going on, we do, so we aren't left with the usual "I just love him even though I just met him and no one else can ever understand our love!" feeling.
Grey. His character is very cool. He has some very real struggles going on between his mother's side and his father's, and he has to make a tough decision with limited knowledge. Applause for being strong enough to make that choice! Maybe he'll be able to change the Bloodsuckers? (The Bloodsuckers are Whittet's twist on vampires, but instead of the typical undead thing, they're a group of humans who prey on werewolves and drink their blood to gain their powers. More like super-humans than vampires. Very neat.)
Mund. Ash's brother is great. For one, he's willing to go through high school again just to protect his sister (a sacrifice all by itself). :) For another, he's willing to give Grey a chance despite Grey's background and Mund's instincts. His relationship with his wife Tegan is also amazing - I really liked reading their dynamic. It gave a good illustration for how the werewolf-soul-bind worked and what it meant to have that kind of bond.
Overall, the other characters in Bloodmark made up for the frustrating parts of Ash, and as long as Whittet expands on their relationships, the Bloodmark Saga is well worth the read.
---
I was lucky enough to win a copy of Aurora Whittet's Bloodmark and Bloodrealms books in a giveaway, and now that I've finished the first book and let it simmer in my brain for a few days, I'm ready to review it.
I'll start with the cons, because let's get the negative out of the way first and save the good stuff for last.
There was so much potential to this book, but I was disappointed by what should have been a powerful main character. Ashling is described as a defiant, strong young woman, where in the beginning of the book she stands up against her father, the king of a werewolf clan, and defies the centuries-old tradition of arranged marriage- without being nasty or disrespectful. Good job for taking a stand! But almost immediately after that, she becomes wishy-washy to the point of boredom. She can't make up her mind about how she feels - or should feel - about Grey (the other main character and obvious love interest), She even changes her mind three times in the same paragraph. What? Some indecision is normal, understandable, especially when it's her first love and she's not sure how her family will react and even what exactly is going on with Grey himself. But there was nothing to merit the whiplash-inducing ride she took us on.
Probably because of that, Ashling sort of fell to the wayside in my interest. Grey was far more compelling as a character. Maybe if the book had been written from his perspective, or in third person limited from Ash's perspective, it would have been easier to like Ash, but as it stands now, I found myself wishing for Grey's point of view instead.
The ending was also a bit disappointing, mostly because the fight with the Big Bad was over much too quickly considering Ash's entire life had been building up to that moment. I thought I had skipped a few pages by accident, but no, it's just over that quickly. Some more build-up and tension and fighting would have been nice.
There was also some railroading going on at the end. I accepted that Grey could follow Ash's trail because of her werewolfy scent, but how does that explain how he managed to track her from America to Iceland? The only thing that he says is that it took him a while to find her scent. But she got on a freaking airplane and flew halfway across the world. How could Grey possibly track her scent? Him finding a plane ticket stub or a receipt or bribing an airline official would have been more believable.
And finally, there were "relationships" with other characters that seemed to be thrown in just for the sake of having the full gambit of possibilities - Ash's core friends who, though human, will stick with her forever; the inevitable "betrayal" of one friend when Ash makes her decision to stay with Grey (seriously, what was up with Kate? That made absolutely no sense whatsoever. She never gave any hint that she wanted Grey, or that she liked Lacey, or whatever reason she had for not staying friends with Ash.); the ex-girlfriend of the love interest who hates Ash just because; the bad/uncaring/"evil" father who doesn't seem to care about Ash's well-being (she's recovering from a silver attack and he comes in to say "Hey, remember that guy I promised you to? You'd better make good on that." Not a word on how he's glad she's alive. What?)
Ok. Now for the good stuff.
As with most YA novels, there was insta-love in this one, too. BUT- I actually liked how this one was explained. Werewolves look for their actual soul-mates, and when they find them, their souls actually bind together, creating a bond that connects them on a deeper level than regular, plain human love. Nice. Now, when there's an instant connection between Ash and Grey, and we know Grey is going to be the love interest, it's ok. And even though they don't know what's going on, we do, so we aren't left with the usual "I just love him even though I just met him and no one else can ever understand our love!" feeling.
Grey. His character is very cool. He has some very real struggles going on between his mother's side and his father's, and he has to make a tough decision with limited knowledge. Applause for being strong enough to make that choice! Maybe he'll be able to change the Bloodsuckers? (The Bloodsuckers are Whittet's twist on vampires, but instead of the typical undead thing, they're a group of humans who prey on werewolves and drink their blood to gain their powers. More like super-humans than vampires. Very neat.)
Mund. Ash's brother is great. For one, he's willing to go through high school again just to protect his sister (a sacrifice all by itself). :) For another, he's willing to give Grey a chance despite Grey's background and Mund's instincts. His relationship with his wife Tegan is also amazing - I really liked reading their dynamic. It gave a good illustration for how the werewolf-soul-bind worked and what it meant to have that kind of bond.
Overall, the other characters in Bloodmark made up for the frustrating parts of Ash, and as long as Whittet expands on their relationships, the Bloodmark Saga is well worth the read.
June 11, 2017
Review to come :)
January 2, 2019
This was a great quick read and a fun story! I was excited to start book 2 and 3!
March 16, 2024
3.5⭐️
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