The First Blood

by S. Everest

Every trail that leads somewhere has to have a beginning.

Years have passed with my ghost at my side, following me, watching every step I take. Day after day, she studied me as I searched for a way to put her at peace. It was the only thing I could do for her after everything she went through.

But in order to do that, I had to find her.

And finding her seemed to be the hardest thing of all.
That is, until I found a letter deep in the cracks of the building I once knew, the building where everything started and everything ended.

Now, I have a beginning.
And that beginning will be the start of the end.

And now that I have nothing, there is nothing that will stop me.

321 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 15, 2023

About the author

an author who firmly believes in italicized words and sentence fragments.

Reviews

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

This entire duet is now my favourite read for this year. This book picked up where the fallout left off and it was jam packed with action, spice, and special little discoveries. We follow Anna, Emma & Thomas in Thomas's search for Lillith and it had me on the edge of my seat right until the very last sentence. This is amazing and I absolutely loved every second.
Thankyou to Booksirens & the author with providing me a copy to provide my honest review.

[Diamond · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the first book and going into this I had high hopes. But I felt more annoyed than anything reading this book. Now don't get me wrong, I understand why the characters did what they did and how they came to be so different from those of the first. I think what it boils down to is Thomas. Thomas annoyed the ever loving fuck out of me. He was a complete 180 from the dude in the first book, which given what happened to him is understandable. But there was something about him that just rubbed me the wrong way. I do commend all the challenges he went through though.

I felt so bad for Anna. She suffered throughout this for so long. She really didn't deserve any of what happened to her. But since this is a book whose topic heavily includes the concept of good and evil, heaven and hell, fairness really doesn't matter.

This was still a mindfuck of a book and I loved the questioning religious aspects of it still. Its a unique twist that was enjoyable to learn more about. Especially in the hierarchy of hell.

Going in it was prefaced that it wasn't going to have an HEA by the author. But just like her other book Between I felt it was a bittersweet ending. I loved the ending for Anna. And not to be petty (not really) but I felt Thomas got the ending he deserved.

I did enjoy aspects of this book but because of how frustrating I found Thomas I couldn't fully get through this book without effort. This book was mainly about him and his demon Emma, but since the focus was almost solely Thomas and he irked me, I couldn't give it more than 3 stars.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[tee · Rating 5 out of 5]

s. everest is one of my favorite indie authors that i accidentally stumbled upon on booksirens. the duet is one of my favorite “hidden” gem reads. i will always recommend this duet when others are asking for paranormal reccs. i was invested since book #1 & was happy that book #2’s release wasn’t far behind. its one of those duet’s where you lose all sense of time because you’re so intrigued in the story. one moment you’re starting the book & the next thing you know, you’re finished & its 5AM. most of the time, duets usually feel long & unnecessary as the authors try to prolong the story but s. everest did an amazing job. its perfectly written, the plot, the angst, the characters - it all falls together. i do warn though, if you’re a visual reader - the fallout was creepy but the first blood was even creepier! i had chills reading the first blood. i also really enjoyed how descriptive the author is. easily painting the story in my head & feeling every word on the page. the spice was also perfect, not overwhelming & just enough. while it’s not really a HEA, i was very satisfied with how the duet ended. s. everest definitely got creative with the characters & overall aspect of the book. there are triggers & certain views that may trigger/offend others so heed them before diving in. if you love paranormal romance, demons, & revenge plot the duet is a must add to your october/spooky reads! I received an advance copy for free, and I’m leaving this review voluntarily.

[Afra Binte Azad · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The First Blood" opens with a haunting allure and elusiveness. The narrative sets a tone that is both captivating and perplexing, leaving us eager to uncover the story's secrets. However, as the plot unfolds, the characterization appears somewhat disjointed. The plot, unfortunately, meanders and feels scattered at times, making it a challenge to follow the story's overarching direction. The lack of cohesion in the narrative may leave some readers feeling disoriented, as the story seems to dart from one point to another without a clear path. Nevertheless, the redeeming factor of "The First Blood" lies in its conclusion. As the story reaches its climax, the pieces of the puzzle start falling into place. The ending delivers a satisfying resolution.



I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very exciting characters, twists and turns, and nothing turns out like you'd think which is exactly what I was hoping for! This series doesn't disappoint. It was a pretty dark book with demons, blood lust, and questionable sexual escapades.

I very much enjoyed Thomas's follow through and that he never strayed from his quest. It was heart breaking to know Anna was there with him through it all unable to do anything or help him.

The ending... unsure if this is good or bad, I feel like things are unsettled and it definitely leaves room for another book. I certainly wouldn't mind another trip into this crazy world!

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me hooked from the start! I love Thomas and how incredibly human and flawed he is in dealing with his trauma. Everything kicked up a notch from the first book including the spice! I would absolutely recommend this duet to anyone who enjoys a dark supernatural romance, morally grey/black characters, and equal parts plot and spice. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[❀Lysithea❀ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an interesting read! The book is mainly written out of the perspective of Thomas & Emma with some chapters of Anna inbetween that always throw you off and confuse you even more.

During my whole read I was honestly not sure who I should trust and what the right thing to do was.
Nothing is as it seems and every second chapter there seems to be a new plottwist.
Definitely a must-read!!

*I received a review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so glad I found S. Everest on Booksirens. Her writing style keeps me hooked from beginning to end and you can feel all of the emotions each character is feeling. It's fantastic! This is the edgier/spicier version of Ruby and Sam from Supernatural I didn't know I needed! Thomas' journey was heartbreaking, but that twist with Anna at the end has me wanting so much more! Can't wait to see what S. Everest comes up with next!

[Faithanna Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a roller coaster. The emotions were high. Action was packed. The spice was top tier. This book is probably my favorite of the duet. S. Everest did a phenomenal job. I felt anger, excitement, and nervousness throughout the book. It never got boring. And the ending. I was most definitely not expecting it at all. I’m so thankful I found this author on Booksirens and was able to obtain a copy.

[Quinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

At no point did I know what was going to happen next, and I love that. It’s been a while since a book made me cry but this one succeeded.

Reading this took me back to reading The Odyssey in high school. On Thomas’s journey, he met such a cast of characters and new challenges, and new things were revealed to him at every stop. What a story. Despite it not having a “happy ending”, I’m very satisfied with how things wrapped up.

Now just need to decode Anna’s chapters😩

[Phoebe · Rating 5 out of 5]

The First Blood
By: S. Everest
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

This was the perfect continuation of The Fallout. Questions are answered and then replaced with even more questions but it is all worth it in the end. This was a fantastic read that I couldn’t put down. We continue Thomas and Anna’s story while Thomas tries to find Lilith and put an end to his suffering.

[Kaylareadsallthetime · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a RIDE! OHMYGOSH the places it went that I didn't see coming. THOMAS. Gahhhhh Thomas really had his moments here. Wow years pass and he wants revenge. Literally will do anything. I felt for him so hard in moments with Anna, gut wrenching. Perfect follow up to the Fallout. And now I just want MORE!!!! Such a unique premise and I can't even tell ya, you'll experience all the things!

[Kayla Chitwood Harned · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, let me say I'm so glad I found S. Everest and thank Booksirens for this gifted arc. I love this duet. The twists and turns at the end, though....I wasn't expecting. I will definitely be recommending these books to all my nerdy bird friends and family.

[Bikergirlauthor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a very good read and it follows on from the first book and it interesting read.

[Smutty Demi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished the duet in a few days, and all I can say is wow! How carried away I am by this duet. Definitely recommended

[Kristi Schatz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this book was amazing! All the things happening in this book are off the charts. Thomas reminds me of a Sam Winchester chasing Lilith, and I'm all for that! 😍 I loved the story and all he went through. Non-stop from beginning to end, and who doesn't like a plot twist, I was like WHAT!!! Adding this book to my book shelf!