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Monsters of London #1
Bad Blood
The vampire clan has a problem. They want me to help solve it. But what can one human do?
When the vampire clan drag me in for murdering one of their own, I figure I’m done for. Vampires are dangerous and cruel. It doesn’t matter that their fledglings have been popping up and killing in my part of London. All that matters is that they protect each other.
Only, it doesn’t seem like they know why fledglings are running around either, and killing me may start a war. I’ll have to work with the clan—with the pretty, wounded vampire Lucien—to get to the bottom of things because no matter what I think of vampires, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep the people I care about safe.
Working with Lucien brings a whole new set of dangers, and not necessarily the biting kind. I’m drawn to him in a way I’ve never experienced before, and I’m sure he feels the same. But he has secrets too, and I can’t trust a vampire, especially if I can’t be certain where his loyalties lie.
As the threat looms closer, and my past comes back with a vengeance, I have to make a Let Lucien in, and let him help me the way he swears he will, or keep him at a distance and take care of this myself, even if it means sacrificing my own life.
When the vampire clan drag me in for murdering one of their own, I figure I’m done for. Vampires are dangerous and cruel. It doesn’t matter that their fledglings have been popping up and killing in my part of London. All that matters is that they protect each other.
Only, it doesn’t seem like they know why fledglings are running around either, and killing me may start a war. I’ll have to work with the clan—with the pretty, wounded vampire Lucien—to get to the bottom of things because no matter what I think of vampires, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep the people I care about safe.
Working with Lucien brings a whole new set of dangers, and not necessarily the biting kind. I’m drawn to him in a way I’ve never experienced before, and I’m sure he feels the same. But he has secrets too, and I can’t trust a vampire, especially if I can’t be certain where his loyalties lie.
As the threat looms closer, and my past comes back with a vengeance, I have to make a Let Lucien in, and let him help me the way he swears he will, or keep him at a distance and take care of this myself, even if it means sacrificing my own life.
367 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 22, 2024
69 people are currently reading
281 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
June 23, 2024
✨ARC REVIEW✨
4.50 rounded down.
I can't believe this is a debut novel. I love paranormal stories, and this one had a perfect blend of plot -which was complex- and romance. Both Lucien and Kieran are a bit broken and carry secrets they don't want to share with anyone. They come from different worlds, one being a vampire and another a human. They are attracted to each other from the get-go, but they truly fought against it. I live for men who blush, so Lucien was my fav. He's probably one of the few blonde MC I will accept (with Des Flynn and... no one else?). Kieran is super protective of his people and I appreciated his bond with Sam. There was an underlying theme of found family, which is also a favourite of mine.
The plot had a couple of twist I kinda saw coming, but others were totally unexpected. The magic system was easy to follow and not overly complex and the different types of magical creatures are the usual in a urban fantasy setting but I appreciated the few tweaks made to them. I need more of Pris, please.
I can't wait to read more about this world and the overarching plot, especially if it has Sam, Adam and Drew as MCs. I love how Lucien and Kieran found their HEA 🥹
4.50 rounded down.
I can't believe this is a debut novel. I love paranormal stories, and this one had a perfect blend of plot -which was complex- and romance. Both Lucien and Kieran are a bit broken and carry secrets they don't want to share with anyone. They come from different worlds, one being a vampire and another a human. They are attracted to each other from the get-go, but they truly fought against it. I live for men who blush, so Lucien was my fav. He's probably one of the few blonde MC I will accept (with Des Flynn and... no one else?). Kieran is super protective of his people and I appreciated his bond with Sam. There was an underlying theme of found family, which is also a favourite of mine.
The plot had a couple of twist I kinda saw coming, but others were totally unexpected. The magic system was easy to follow and not overly complex and the different types of magical creatures are the usual in a urban fantasy setting but I appreciated the few tweaks made to them. I need more of Pris, please.
I can't wait to read more about this world and the overarching plot, especially if it has Sam, Adam and Drew as MCs. I love how Lucien and Kieran found their HEA 🥹
December 3, 2024
Bad Blood by Alexandra Keillor
📚 First Book In The “Monsters Of London” Trilogy
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Stars
📖My first book by Alexandra Keillor
⬆️ ARC Read
😏 Adult MM
📚 Paranormal Comteporary-Romance
🌇Urban Fantasy with Vampires, Shapeshifters, Hunters, Mages
➡️ MC's:
Kieran ➡️ a stubborn, strong and protective human, personal trainer, shop clerk, a forced vampire killer and a bird conusseur😉
Lucian Camusat ➡️ a vampire with an abuse ex-partner in his past, with trust issues, district chieftain and makes origami to pass the time 🦢
💞Fated Mates
🔀 Dual-Pov
🥵 Slow-burn (but... some hot steamy scenes )
😏 A Lot Of Biting
✅️ Low Angst
⚠️ Physical Violence & Blood Scenes
⚠️ Past Domestic Violence
🤔 Mystery
👏🏼 Solid Character Development
💯 Best side characters
🤟 Found Family
💯 Love The Ending
😍HEA
Magic is in the air... literally 😁.
💯From the beginning to the end of the book, I was fully immersed in the story.
I loved the writing—it was an easy read with perfect world-building.
The book first focuses on resolving the mystery of why there were new vampires without authorization from their clans, and then on finding the dangerous vampire outlaws.
Kieran had a "quiet" life until one day, along with his best friend Sam, they discovered that vampires were killing humans. Kieran ended up killing one and didn’t stop after that.
He had no choice but to help the vampires because he was caught in the middle of that mess. From the first moment Kieran and Lucien saw each other, they connected instantly. The pull between them was strong.
As they had to work together, the two began to lower their guards a little, but with secrets getting in the way, they had to fully trust each other to solve everything, with the help of the best side characters.
Yes, I love Sam. He’s my favorite side character.
😍Looooove the action, the fights are well written.
▪︎FAV QUOTES▪︎
❤️🔥 It's beautiful to see and feel the love growing between them. They're perfect for each other
🤓I'm definitely going to read this again.
💯 I'm looking forward to reading the following book in this Trilogy (An MMM❤❤❤)
✅️ I highly recommend this book. It's a beautifully well written paranormal story 🥰
😉 Thanks for reading hope this helps you out!
Monsters Of London Trilogy:
1. Bad Blood - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Stars
2. Blood Ties - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Stars
3. Out For Blood - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Stars (Coming 15/12/2024)
I received this book for free from GRR and am voluntarily leaving this review..
StoryGraph Review
BookBub Review
Reviews On Goodreads
My Socials
📚 First Book In The “Monsters Of London” Trilogy
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Stars
📖My first book by Alexandra Keillor
⬆️ ARC Read
😏 Adult MM
📚 Paranormal Comteporary-Romance
🌇Urban Fantasy with Vampires, Shapeshifters, Hunters, Mages
➡️ MC's:
Kieran ➡️ a stubborn, strong and protective human, personal trainer, shop clerk, a forced vampire killer and a bird conusseur😉
Lucian Camusat ➡️ a vampire with an abuse ex-partner in his past, with trust issues, district chieftain and makes origami to pass the time 🦢
💞Fated Mates
🔀 Dual-Pov
🥵 Slow-burn (but... some hot steamy scenes )
😏 A Lot Of Biting
✅️ Low Angst
⚠️ Physical Violence & Blood Scenes
⚠️ Past Domestic Violence
🤔 Mystery
👏🏼 Solid Character Development
💯 Best side characters
🤟 Found Family
💯 Love The Ending
😍HEA
Magic is in the air... literally 😁.
💯From the beginning to the end of the book, I was fully immersed in the story.
I loved the writing—it was an easy read with perfect world-building.
The book first focuses on resolving the mystery of why there were new vampires without authorization from their clans, and then on finding the dangerous vampire outlaws.
Kieran had a "quiet" life until one day, along with his best friend Sam, they discovered that vampires were killing humans. Kieran ended up killing one and didn’t stop after that.
He had no choice but to help the vampires because he was caught in the middle of that mess. From the first moment Kieran and Lucien saw each other, they connected instantly. The pull between them was strong.
As they had to work together, the two began to lower their guards a little, but with secrets getting in the way, they had to fully trust each other to solve everything, with the help of the best side characters.
Yes, I love Sam. He’s my favorite side character.
😍Looooove the action, the fights are well written.
▪︎FAV QUOTES▪︎
■ Kieran: "I sweep my gaze across the other vampires surrounding the crai and pause, stomach lurching when I see him. The vampire my gaze has snagged on stares right back at me, and for a second, I wonder if our expressions are mirrors of each other. He’s the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen. I study his shoulder-length blond hair, wondering if it might flow like water through my fingers. His eyes are big and green, stark in his pale face. He parts rose-coloured lips, and a tremor goes through his slight frame, but though the air he gives off is fragile, something tells me a core of steel hides beneath."
■ Lucian: "Our kiss is devastating. I have never been kissed like this, like this touch is necessary for our very survival. Kieran tangles a hand in my hair to keep me in place. I want to tell him I do not plan to go anywhere. Anything he wants, he can have."
❤️🔥 It's beautiful to see and feel the love growing between them. They're perfect for each other
🤓I'm definitely going to read this again.
💯 I'm looking forward to reading the following book in this Trilogy (An MMM❤❤❤)
✅️ I highly recommend this book. It's a beautifully well written paranormal story 🥰
😉 Thanks for reading hope this helps you out!
Monsters Of London Trilogy:
1. Bad Blood - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Stars
2. Blood Ties - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Stars
3. Out For Blood - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Stars (Coming 15/12/2024)
I received this book for free from GRR and am voluntarily leaving this review..
StoryGraph Review
BookBub Review
Reviews On Goodreads
My Socials
August 1, 2024
1st person, present tense, dual POV
Kieran, human (late 20s, early 30s); shop clerk, personal trainer, reluctant vampire hunter
Lucien Camusat, vampire (240); district chieftain
I'm super conflicted about this one. I signed up for the ARC after reading and being hooked by the first chapter. It was a dynamic, engaging scene that really drew the reader in, unfortunately the style of storytelling is one that I struggle with, where the reader is kind of dropped into the story/world and left to figure things out on their own with very little being explicitly stated or explained.
Look, I hate info dumping as much as the next person however there is a way to deliver information to the reader without resorting to it and honestly I would have preferred to have been hit over the head with obvious exposition than being left with more questions than answers as the story progressed. Characters are introduced with barely any context about who they are and how they relate to each other or their position in the world, leaving them feeling flat and indistinct. Significant events are alluded to but never described, not even in an internal monologue. The paranormal world is clearly established with its own history, but never explained. By the halfway point I had been left floundering long enough and was well and truly over the secrecy and intrigue. After starting with a bang this story basically flatlined and I began to get bored and disengaged. Thankfully, the story picked up steam after Lucien and Kieran acknowledge and give in to their attraction to one another.
I loved the slow burn nature of their relationship, the way Kieran and Lucian needed to work together and trust each other to track down the escaped vampires before they could try to kill Kieran again, and the mystery of why they were making new vampires in the first place. I didn't enjoy the problematic pacing and lack or detailed world and character building in a book this length. The fact that this ends mostly in a cliffhanger for the plot even if the couple got their HEA was super frustrating to me. The bonus epilogue (which was gifted after a newsletter sign-up *sigh*) felt like it revealed more about the MCs in its pages than is revealed in this entire book.
Still, this was a solid debut novel and I am looking forward to reading the next book of the series.
I was given an ARC and voluntarily wrote an honest review.
Kieran, human (late 20s, early 30s); shop clerk, personal trainer, reluctant vampire hunter
Lucien Camusat, vampire (240); district chieftain
I'm super conflicted about this one. I signed up for the ARC after reading and being hooked by the first chapter. It was a dynamic, engaging scene that really drew the reader in, unfortunately the style of storytelling is one that I struggle with, where the reader is kind of dropped into the story/world and left to figure things out on their own with very little being explicitly stated or explained.
Look, I hate info dumping as much as the next person however there is a way to deliver information to the reader without resorting to it and honestly I would have preferred to have been hit over the head with obvious exposition than being left with more questions than answers as the story progressed. Characters are introduced with barely any context about who they are and how they relate to each other or their position in the world, leaving them feeling flat and indistinct. Significant events are alluded to but never described, not even in an internal monologue. The paranormal world is clearly established with its own history, but never explained. By the halfway point I had been left floundering long enough and was well and truly over the secrecy and intrigue. After starting with a bang this story basically flatlined and I began to get bored and disengaged. Thankfully, the story picked up steam after Lucien and Kieran acknowledge and give in to their attraction to one another.
I loved the slow burn nature of their relationship, the way Kieran and Lucian needed to work together and trust each other to track down the escaped vampires before they could try to kill Kieran again, and the mystery of why they were making new vampires in the first place. I didn't enjoy the problematic pacing and lack or detailed world and character building in a book this length. The fact that this ends mostly in a cliffhanger for the plot even if the couple got their HEA was super frustrating to me. The bonus epilogue (which was gifted after a newsletter sign-up *sigh*) felt like it revealed more about the MCs in its pages than is revealed in this entire book.
Still, this was a solid debut novel and I am looking forward to reading the next book of the series.
I was given an ARC and voluntarily wrote an honest review.
June 25, 2024
HEAVY SPOILERS,LOOK AWAY IF YOU CARE.
I LOVED MOST OF THIS.
LOVED the couple. The instant connection and the slow burn of them actually getting together.
Loved the side characters!
I loved Sam and Adam tho it seems like the next book will be Drew, Sam and Adam so it’s going to be M/M/M ? Sucks for me, definitely won’t read it 😭
I loved the action, the fighting, the political stuff, the vampires, mages, magic,wolf shifters, oh my!
But unfortunately(for me who only really cares about the romance ) there was so much going on that the amazing romance got pushed to the back burner a lot.
And once Lucien and Kieran finally got together I thought that the secrets would’ve been shared and burdens would’ve been shared but that didn’t happen until the very end. I didn’t get an epilogue, the last chapter was in Drew’s POV and I didn’t read that since I have no plans to read a M/M/M book.
I also felt like there needed to be a lot more opening up between the MCs. I wanted to know the whole thing that happened with Lucien’s ex and everything about how Kieran is a wolf but can’t shift.
There are two sex scenes, the first one has a lot of both MCs wanting to bite the other but not doing it. Kieran just leaves a bunch of love bites and is proud of his marks. Why don’t they bite each other ? Lucien is a vampire but can he even drink from Kieran? He thinks about how Kieran is human and won’t live as long as him but then thinks about the alpha wolf shifter and their life span is longer than a human’s 🤔lucien also accidentally nicks Kieran’s lip with his fang and it stops bleeding immediately after they wipe it off and they don’t talk about it ??
If you look closely there’s a lot of plot holes but it was still enjoyable even tho I prefer more romance focused reads. This looks like this author’s first book? Brilliant 👏🏻
I LOVED MOST OF THIS.
LOVED the couple. The instant connection and the slow burn of them actually getting together.
Loved the side characters!
I loved Sam and Adam tho it seems like the next book will be Drew, Sam and Adam so it’s going to be M/M/M ? Sucks for me, definitely won’t read it 😭
I loved the action, the fighting, the political stuff, the vampires, mages, magic,wolf shifters, oh my!
But unfortunately(for me who only really cares about the romance ) there was so much going on that the amazing romance got pushed to the back burner a lot.
And once Lucien and Kieran finally got together I thought that the secrets would’ve been shared and burdens would’ve been shared but that didn’t happen until the very end. I didn’t get an epilogue, the last chapter was in Drew’s POV and I didn’t read that since I have no plans to read a M/M/M book.
I also felt like there needed to be a lot more opening up between the MCs. I wanted to know the whole thing that happened with Lucien’s ex and everything about how Kieran is a wolf but can’t shift.
There are two sex scenes, the first one has a lot of both MCs wanting to bite the other but not doing it. Kieran just leaves a bunch of love bites and is proud of his marks. Why don’t they bite each other ? Lucien is a vampire but can he even drink from Kieran? He thinks about how Kieran is human and won’t live as long as him but then thinks about the alpha wolf shifter and their life span is longer than a human’s 🤔lucien also accidentally nicks Kieran’s lip with his fang and it stops bleeding immediately after they wipe it off and they don’t talk about it ??
If you look closely there’s a lot of plot holes but it was still enjoyable even tho I prefer more romance focused reads. This looks like this author’s first book? Brilliant 👏🏻
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2025
MM Urban Fantasy
Low Angst
Mystery
Vampires/Mages
Shifters
Slow Burn
🔥🔥🔥
So this was a fun read and a great start to a new supernatural series. It kinda has it all, Vampires, Shifters, Mages... and a nice slow burn romance to round it out. I was fully invested in the story, and I found that it moved very fast, and I didn't get bored at all.
Kieran is a reluctant and unofficial vampire hunter. He's only doing it to save people in his community... unfortunately he has pissed of some not nice vampires and they want him taken care of. Lucien is a vampire that's being reinstated as a leader after a traumatic experience and he wants nothing to do with the human, even though there is a pull to him he doesn't understand.
Keiran and Lucian have such a nice chemistry! They are both actually pretty nice, and Lucian is so sweet :) Its just a nice, low angst - slow burn romance. The main plot will continue with the next book, but this couple does have an HEA. So good!
Low Angst
Mystery
Vampires/Mages
Shifters
Slow Burn
🔥🔥🔥
So this was a fun read and a great start to a new supernatural series. It kinda has it all, Vampires, Shifters, Mages... and a nice slow burn romance to round it out. I was fully invested in the story, and I found that it moved very fast, and I didn't get bored at all.
Kieran is a reluctant and unofficial vampire hunter. He's only doing it to save people in his community... unfortunately he has pissed of some not nice vampires and they want him taken care of. Lucien is a vampire that's being reinstated as a leader after a traumatic experience and he wants nothing to do with the human, even though there is a pull to him he doesn't understand.
Keiran and Lucian have such a nice chemistry! They are both actually pretty nice, and Lucian is so sweet :) Its just a nice, low angst - slow burn romance. The main plot will continue with the next book, but this couple does have an HEA. So good!
June 30, 2024
OK, firstly I am not usually a fan of paranormal books but, every now and then I give one a read and I'm so happy this was the one I took a chance on.
The fact that this is a debut novel is almost unbelievable. It's written unbelievably well and the world building, characters, plot etc was phenomenal.
Lucien & Kieran come from very different worlds with one a vampire and the other a human who just happens to kill rogue vampires. But you know, whatever works for them 😂. There's an instant attraction between them in an almost-but-not-quite insta-attraction (not sure how else to explain it sorry!) but both refuse to embrace it so it isn't an instant romance/coupling. I personally love that and it was written so well that you were excitedly waiting for it to just happen already 😂
In terms of plot, this has everything! There are twists and turns, a maze full of secrets in the main plot that they're tangled up in, magic (which was not overly complicated and easy enough for a newbie like me to follow), characters that have an actual back story that you just swallow up and oh the creatures ♥️ what I wouldn't give for some of these to be real!
This really was a surprisingly good read for me (surprising only because vampires are not my usual go-to read) but I simply could not put this down. Perfect book length (nothing is rushed to cut word count or dragged out simply to fill up the page) and I will definitely be re-reading this before the next of the series comes out.
Already I can't wait for book 2 of this series (and book 3, and 4.... 😂)
I received an ARC of this book from the author and this is my honest review
The fact that this is a debut novel is almost unbelievable. It's written unbelievably well and the world building, characters, plot etc was phenomenal.
Lucien & Kieran come from very different worlds with one a vampire and the other a human who just happens to kill rogue vampires. But you know, whatever works for them 😂. There's an instant attraction between them in an almost-but-not-quite insta-attraction (not sure how else to explain it sorry!) but both refuse to embrace it so it isn't an instant romance/coupling. I personally love that and it was written so well that you were excitedly waiting for it to just happen already 😂
In terms of plot, this has everything! There are twists and turns, a maze full of secrets in the main plot that they're tangled up in, magic (which was not overly complicated and easy enough for a newbie like me to follow), characters that have an actual back story that you just swallow up and oh the creatures ♥️ what I wouldn't give for some of these to be real!
This really was a surprisingly good read for me (surprising only because vampires are not my usual go-to read) but I simply could not put this down. Perfect book length (nothing is rushed to cut word count or dragged out simply to fill up the page) and I will definitely be re-reading this before the next of the series comes out.
Already I can't wait for book 2 of this series (and book 3, and 4.... 😂)
I received an ARC of this book from the author and this is my honest review
November 30, 2024
From the author - Bad Blood is a fated mates, slow(ish) burn MM urban fantasy, featuring a stubborn, protective human and the wounded vampire he might just let himself fall for. It contains steamy scenes between two men and the violence—and blood—you might expect from a vampire romance. This is the first in a three-book series, and each book will feature a different relationship within one overarching plot.
Kieran - ooh is he kind of a male Buffy the Vampire slayer?
There’s a council of Vampires, vampire clans , hunter councils and clans and humans. Very organised , very 2024. This is a supernatural world that includes werewolves and magic users as well.
Lucien is a vampire. There’s definitely a pull between him and Kieran because unbeknownst to them, they are fated mates. Is there anything more romantic than being meant for someone, to be someone’s other half? Swoon.
Lucien and Kieran are brought together because there are two nefarious vampires with hidden agendas, on the run and being hunted so they can face punishment from the vampire clan.
Lucien is fighting the attraction because of a previous relationship that ended badly.
But they soon given into the sparks.
“Oh, you don’t need to worry about that,” he says, his eyes doing a slow perusal of me again. “Come here, gorgeous. I’ll be ready for you in no time.”
The plot is interesting. Kieran is a mystery- is he really human? Lucien and Kieran are feeling the mating bond, although Lucien has no idea that’s what’s happening until much later. Because this is a 3 book series, there are still unanswered questions by the end of the book but it is still a happily ever after for Lucien and Kieran.
The adventure will continue in Blood Ties, Sam, Drew, and Adam’s story, which I was surprised about to be honest. I’m not much of a fan of reading about MMM + but I’ll give it a go.
Kieran - ooh is he kind of a male Buffy the Vampire slayer?
There’s a council of Vampires, vampire clans , hunter councils and clans and humans. Very organised , very 2024. This is a supernatural world that includes werewolves and magic users as well.
Lucien is a vampire. There’s definitely a pull between him and Kieran because unbeknownst to them, they are fated mates. Is there anything more romantic than being meant for someone, to be someone’s other half? Swoon.
Lucien and Kieran are brought together because there are two nefarious vampires with hidden agendas, on the run and being hunted so they can face punishment from the vampire clan.
Lucien is fighting the attraction because of a previous relationship that ended badly.
But they soon given into the sparks.
“Oh, you don’t need to worry about that,” he says, his eyes doing a slow perusal of me again. “Come here, gorgeous. I’ll be ready for you in no time.”
The plot is interesting. Kieran is a mystery- is he really human? Lucien and Kieran are feeling the mating bond, although Lucien has no idea that’s what’s happening until much later. Because this is a 3 book series, there are still unanswered questions by the end of the book but it is still a happily ever after for Lucien and Kieran.
The adventure will continue in Blood Ties, Sam, Drew, and Adam’s story, which I was surprised about to be honest. I’m not much of a fan of reading about MMM + but I’ll give it a go.
June 17, 2024
Bad Blood the first in the Monsters of London series, where vampires, werewolves, mages, hunters, fae and humans coexist together in relative harmony. Kieran is kind of like a reluctant neighbourhood watchman who starts killing vamps once they wander too close to his home and play too roughly with their food. He thinks it's all over for him when he's kidnapped and hauled in front of the vampire council. but receives unexpected aid from vampire Lucien. Kieran and Lucien team up to hunt down the killer, but it isn't long before they realize his latest target is Kieran. Can Lucien keep Kieran safe? And can the two trust each other when they are from such different worlds and have so many secrets? There are several big mysteries in this book that I don't want to spoil, so I'll leave it at that.
I thought Alexandra Keillor did a great job of building an interesting paranormal alternate reality and intriguing political structure for the vamps. I thought Lucien was quite a good character (I don't think we ever do find out how old he is?) and wish we had a little more from his point of view, and more details about events in his past that are alluded to. I would say the book focused on the plot over the romance (it's definitely a slow burn) and there was quite a few plot twists and mysterious elements to the book that aren't resolved fully by the end of the book. Book 2 (featuring different characters as the MCs) sounds really interesting and will hopefully clear up some of the things that were left open-ended.
Rating: 3.5
Angst: 4/5
Steam: 2/5
I received an advance copy of this book and this is my honest review.
I thought Alexandra Keillor did a great job of building an interesting paranormal alternate reality and intriguing political structure for the vamps. I thought Lucien was quite a good character (I don't think we ever do find out how old he is?) and wish we had a little more from his point of view, and more details about events in his past that are alluded to. I would say the book focused on the plot over the romance (it's definitely a slow burn) and there was quite a few plot twists and mysterious elements to the book that aren't resolved fully by the end of the book. Book 2 (featuring different characters as the MCs) sounds really interesting and will hopefully clear up some of the things that were left open-ended.
Rating: 3.5
Angst: 4/5
Steam: 2/5
I received an advance copy of this book and this is my honest review.
Read
June 26, 2024Dnf. Sorry.
Read
September 11, 2024DNF 49%
I picked this up because several people recommended it - but it was a miss for me. I’m not a paranormal fan - but I can make exceptions, it just didn’t grip me.
Also, for a series called Monsters of London, aside from a mention of Hyde Park and Highgate, and a reference to the tube, this could’ve been set anywhere.
I picked this up because several people recommended it - but it was a miss for me. I’m not a paranormal fan - but I can make exceptions, it just didn’t grip me.
Also, for a series called Monsters of London, aside from a mention of Hyde Park and Highgate, and a reference to the tube, this could’ve been set anywhere.
September 13, 2024
Bad Blood is the first book in the new Monsters of London series by new author Alexandra Keillor. This is the story of Kieran a human who has had to kill vampires to protect his neighborhood and Lucien a vampire who has been hurt before by a human. I loved this book so much, it is hard to believe that it is Alexandra Keillor's debut novel. I wasn't able to put the book down once I started it. I love all the characters and world building that went into this book. I love plot driven stories like this one. This book has it all, action, romance, a riveting plot, and plenty of secrets. I can't wait for the next book in the series. I would definitely recommend this book as a 5 star read.
September 6, 2024
Frustrating. Mainly because this could have been fabulous and…wasn’t. A clearly talented author but a book that didn't get the development it needed to resonate. I loved the voice and elements, but by the end I wanted to rip my hair out.
PNR, fated mates/bonding, suspense/mystery, vampires, wolf shifters, hunters, possible fae, witches.
MCs Kieran (something more than human) and Lucien (a vampire) meet under pressured and dangerous circumstances, feel a connection at first glance, and wind up working together as very wary allies (it is not insta-love, promise!) to try to bring down a vampire and his cohorts, one of whom might be using magic, who’s been creating and releasing young vampires/letting them kill humans.
Kieran and his roommate, Sam, clearly have a lot of personal baggage. They’re trying to stay off the radar of…anyone?...Kieran seems to have escaped from something—his family? A cult?-- and we know nothing about Sam, but, he’s got magic abilities and has their entire flat warded against…supernaturals, maybe? We don’t know how they met, how long ago, how they became roommates, why they trust each other to have each other’s backs, but apparently don’t trust each other enough to confide anything about themselves to each other. But there's a "two of us against the world" roomies feel.
Lucien is a vampire and a leader, a chieftain of a local clan, who had to step away from his duties for a few months because…exactly why we never learn. Something bad happened with his former lover, Nathan, who…betrayed him? Bespelled him? Made him do something bad? Did something bad that Lucien feels responsible for? When we do learn a little, at the very end, it’s never fully clear. But Lucien is Conflicted. And after many months away (or...somewhere? Where was he?) he’s just now stepping back up to take over his leadership duties when Kieran is thrust onto the vampire council’s radar, and he and Lucien wind up working together to try to capture the bad vampire and mage wreaking havoc in…
London. It’s set in London, but, the setting is so nebulous and unspecific, it really could be set anywhere.
There’s so much potential here, including my favorite “fated mates/possible bonding” element that enhances the romantic tension and chemistry, but, the narrative is bogged down by plot holes, backstory holes (not even holes, there’s no backstory revealed at all for Kieran until quite late, and then there’s mostly frustrating hints about it, and nothing at all for Lucien beyond his recent trauma), character motivation holes/nonsensical reasoning, and a constant lack of revelations/information that keeps stakes nebulous and the rules of the world unspecific (like, how do the vampire clans work? How many are there? Worldwide? Why don’t they talk to the wolf shifters? Why do they have hunter liaisons? How often do these vampires eat? There are donors around, but, how do they choose one, what happens when they feed? Where do the donors live? Who does Lucien usually feed from, and how does/would Kieran feel about that? Why is he currently allowed to feed only from bags? What exactly happened? Enquiring minds never get to know).
More examples, but some spoilers though I won't be too specific
Why is there a treaty between vampires, wolf shifters, and hunters—what happened to instigate that? What ARE hunters? What do they hunt? Vampires? For the character Hunter Moreau—is Hunter his first name and he’s also a hunter? Or is Hunter his title as leader of the hunters? That isn’t clarified.
What’s up with the mage war that’s mentioned three times and then forgotten?
And then there are all the TSTL moments. Oh, bad vampire is after me. I think I’ll go outside away from my allies and hang out by myself for a few minutes. Oh look, bad vampire appeared! But instead of signaling to my allies, who are RIGHT THERE inside, I’ll make sure they can’t see us and have an important conversation with him by myself, and give him a chance to attack me/injure me badly before my allies realize he’s here, and…yep he gets away again. Shocker.
And also, Oh, I think I’ve figured out something important about my friend/the person who’s right here in front of me. I should ask him about it, because it will help figure out what’s going on! *opens mouth to ask* Actually nah, I’ll just wait. It’s probably not connected anyway.
Constant deliberate decisions not to ask about and communicate important information to trustworthy people moved the book beyond frustrating into yeet the e-reader out the window territory. And when we do find out a little more at the VERY end, it’s even worse because clearly, these seeming oversights have been contrived to save the reveals for the next book and the continuing characters, rather than being used here to support Kieran and Lucien. Even though many of those details are directly about them. Outrageous and infuriating. Revealing the crucial and arguably pertinent details from these characters’ points of view would not lessen the impact of learning of them from the other characters’ points of view in the next book, because the perspective and emotional resonance will be different.
It was baffling.
Too much of this kind of stuff is going on. There’s a near complete lack of specific revelations about either MC’s past and insight about their internal conflicts, and how those impact the MCs as they navigate the present stakes and danger. By the time we learn anything at all about Kieran—around 80%, and Lucien still has no clue, and we STILL don’t learn a whole lot—the plot and story have become a morass of nebulous motivations, secrets that have no reason to be kept, noble sacrifice that ventures into TSTL territory, and trying to understand the culture and world rules and magic rules without enough context, and just…being confused quite a lot. When it all starts to come together at the end, the reveals aren’t supported, because we never knew enough about Kieran’s past for its sudden direct connection to the present conflict to resonate. There were no stakes until suddenly there are, which doesn’t work. And…apart from a few sketchy and measly details of his recent past trauma, we never learn ANYTHING personal about Lucien. NOTHING AT ALL. Maker? Age? (which he promised to tell Kieran "the next time we meet" and never did, despite many many meetings after that—apparently you have to read an extra story to learn that info) Interests? Why he has a French accent? What he does as a chieftain? (Bueller?!)
The final confrontation devolves into an unfortunate gloating villain-Tell All while the villains overlook what makes it all too easy for the heroes to overcome them.
I was entertained enough reading it to give it 2 stars, mainly because I did enjoy the heroes getting together. This author has a lot of talent, but got let down on the development of this manuscript.
HEA, vampire/not actually a human pairing. Safe for me—no cheating or any OM drama (though the location of their first time together was…ew. Talk about not romantic, based on the last time Lucien was there. And I hope someone had changed the sheets on Lucien’s bed, bc Lucien sure hadn’t). Not recommended, but not…not recommended.
My thanks to Gay Romance Reviews for the ARC; this is my free, impartial, and frustrated opinion. And I do look forward to seeing how the author grows; despite my frustrations, there is a lot of promise here.
PNR, fated mates/bonding, suspense/mystery, vampires, wolf shifters, hunters, possible fae, witches.
MCs Kieran (something more than human) and Lucien (a vampire) meet under pressured and dangerous circumstances, feel a connection at first glance, and wind up working together as very wary allies (it is not insta-love, promise!) to try to bring down a vampire and his cohorts, one of whom might be using magic, who’s been creating and releasing young vampires/letting them kill humans.
Kieran and his roommate, Sam, clearly have a lot of personal baggage. They’re trying to stay off the radar of…anyone?...Kieran seems to have escaped from something—his family? A cult?-- and we know nothing about Sam, but, he’s got magic abilities and has their entire flat warded against…supernaturals, maybe? We don’t know how they met, how long ago, how they became roommates, why they trust each other to have each other’s backs, but apparently don’t trust each other enough to confide anything about themselves to each other. But there's a "two of us against the world" roomies feel.
Lucien is a vampire and a leader, a chieftain of a local clan, who had to step away from his duties for a few months because…exactly why we never learn. Something bad happened with his former lover, Nathan, who…betrayed him? Bespelled him? Made him do something bad? Did something bad that Lucien feels responsible for? When we do learn a little, at the very end, it’s never fully clear. But Lucien is Conflicted. And after many months away (or...somewhere? Where was he?) he’s just now stepping back up to take over his leadership duties when Kieran is thrust onto the vampire council’s radar, and he and Lucien wind up working together to try to capture the bad vampire and mage wreaking havoc in…
London. It’s set in London, but, the setting is so nebulous and unspecific, it really could be set anywhere.
There’s so much potential here, including my favorite “fated mates/possible bonding” element that enhances the romantic tension and chemistry, but, the narrative is bogged down by plot holes, backstory holes (not even holes, there’s no backstory revealed at all for Kieran until quite late, and then there’s mostly frustrating hints about it, and nothing at all for Lucien beyond his recent trauma), character motivation holes/nonsensical reasoning, and a constant lack of revelations/information that keeps stakes nebulous and the rules of the world unspecific (like, how do the vampire clans work? How many are there? Worldwide? Why don’t they talk to the wolf shifters? Why do they have hunter liaisons? How often do these vampires eat? There are donors around, but, how do they choose one, what happens when they feed? Where do the donors live? Who does Lucien usually feed from, and how does/would Kieran feel about that? Why is he currently allowed to feed only from bags? What exactly happened? Enquiring minds never get to know).
More examples, but some spoilers though I won't be too specific
Why is there a treaty between vampires, wolf shifters, and hunters—what happened to instigate that? What ARE hunters? What do they hunt? Vampires? For the character Hunter Moreau—is Hunter his first name and he’s also a hunter? Or is Hunter his title as leader of the hunters? That isn’t clarified.
What’s up with the mage war that’s mentioned three times and then forgotten?
And then there are all the TSTL moments. Oh, bad vampire is after me. I think I’ll go outside away from my allies and hang out by myself for a few minutes. Oh look, bad vampire appeared! But instead of signaling to my allies, who are RIGHT THERE inside, I’ll make sure they can’t see us and have an important conversation with him by myself, and give him a chance to attack me/injure me badly before my allies realize he’s here, and…yep he gets away again. Shocker.
And also, Oh, I think I’ve figured out something important about my friend/the person who’s right here in front of me. I should ask him about it, because it will help figure out what’s going on! *opens mouth to ask* Actually nah, I’ll just wait. It’s probably not connected anyway.
Constant deliberate decisions not to ask about and communicate important information to trustworthy people moved the book beyond frustrating into yeet the e-reader out the window territory. And when we do find out a little more at the VERY end, it’s even worse because clearly, these seeming oversights have been contrived to save the reveals for the next book and the continuing characters, rather than being used here to support Kieran and Lucien. Even though many of those details are directly about them. Outrageous and infuriating. Revealing the crucial and arguably pertinent details from these characters’ points of view would not lessen the impact of learning of them from the other characters’ points of view in the next book, because the perspective and emotional resonance will be different.
It was baffling.
Too much of this kind of stuff is going on. There’s a near complete lack of specific revelations about either MC’s past and insight about their internal conflicts, and how those impact the MCs as they navigate the present stakes and danger. By the time we learn anything at all about Kieran—around 80%, and Lucien still has no clue, and we STILL don’t learn a whole lot—the plot and story have become a morass of nebulous motivations, secrets that have no reason to be kept, noble sacrifice that ventures into TSTL territory, and trying to understand the culture and world rules and magic rules without enough context, and just…being confused quite a lot. When it all starts to come together at the end, the reveals aren’t supported, because we never knew enough about Kieran’s past for its sudden direct connection to the present conflict to resonate. There were no stakes until suddenly there are, which doesn’t work. And…apart from a few sketchy and measly details of his recent past trauma, we never learn ANYTHING personal about Lucien. NOTHING AT ALL. Maker? Age? (which he promised to tell Kieran "the next time we meet" and never did, despite many many meetings after that—apparently you have to read an extra story to learn that info) Interests? Why he has a French accent? What he does as a chieftain? (Bueller?!)
The final confrontation devolves into an unfortunate gloating villain-Tell All while the villains overlook what makes it all too easy for the heroes to overcome them.
I was entertained enough reading it to give it 2 stars, mainly because I did enjoy the heroes getting together. This author has a lot of talent, but got let down on the development of this manuscript.
HEA, vampire/not actually a human pairing. Safe for me—no cheating or any OM drama (though the location of their first time together was…ew. Talk about not romantic, based on the last time Lucien was there. And I hope someone had changed the sheets on Lucien’s bed, bc Lucien sure hadn’t). Not recommended, but not…not recommended.
My thanks to Gay Romance Reviews for the ARC; this is my free, impartial, and frustrated opinion. And I do look forward to seeing how the author grows; despite my frustrations, there is a lot of promise here.
December 6, 2024
thank you for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
i will be perfectly honest... this book was a drag lol. ig one good thing to come out of this was that i learned urban fantasy is not for me haha.
i definitely understand the high ratings, but i think i would've enjoyed this more if it was an audiobook instead. especially since:
the action is so strangely inconsiderable it's almost nonexistent. i mean, it IS there, but to what extent? without spoiling anything, things happen, but not to the extent of major importance. or they happen bc of stupid half-assed plans. there are fights where characters get hurt, but do they really? if they get up a day later and do it again? and do NOT get me started on the mc and his amazing ability of going on his own without regarding the possible consequences of his actions.
the romance felt a bit lacklustre? i guess maybe bc kieran and lucien mainly interacted while going to and from kieran's place of work lmao. which brings me to my next point.
there was another review that pointed this out, but the series is called "monsters of LONDON" but london does not feel like london. if you put the goddamn big ben in the background of your book cover, london should be a prevalent element in the story. it wasn't. it didn't even feel remotely british tbh. what about the awful weather. or the tourists. where does kieran even LIVE? london is a huge city, and the vibe changes with every area. if he really is poor, and he lives in the south of london, i'm pretty sure stabbings and gang activities happen every other day.
where does he WORK? at least tell us the name of the supermarket he works at lmao. just saying tesco once would've added a note of realism. also, we're told he works at a gym, but the gym is shown once and then forgotten about like 20% in the story.
last of all, i'm sorry but vasile is one of the ugliest romanian names and i can't take him seriously. ALSO, referring to him directly in conversation just as "crai" is gramatically incorrect. it's the equivalent of saying "highness" instead of "your highness". if he was directly adressed, and you want to keep the romanian title (instead of the translation of emperor or sth else), it should've been "craiule".
however, i do appreciate the distinction in povs between kieran and lucien, where lucien's feels more professional (for the lack of a better word) and elegant.
probably won't continue the series, but just bc i don't really like mmm lol.
i will be perfectly honest... this book was a drag lol. ig one good thing to come out of this was that i learned urban fantasy is not for me haha.
i definitely understand the high ratings, but i think i would've enjoyed this more if it was an audiobook instead. especially since:
the action is so strangely inconsiderable it's almost nonexistent. i mean, it IS there, but to what extent? without spoiling anything, things happen, but not to the extent of major importance. or they happen bc of stupid half-assed plans. there are fights where characters get hurt, but do they really? if they get up a day later and do it again? and do NOT get me started on the mc and his amazing ability of going on his own without regarding the possible consequences of his actions.
the romance felt a bit lacklustre? i guess maybe bc kieran and lucien mainly interacted while going to and from kieran's place of work lmao. which brings me to my next point.
there was another review that pointed this out, but the series is called "monsters of LONDON" but london does not feel like london. if you put the goddamn big ben in the background of your book cover, london should be a prevalent element in the story. it wasn't. it didn't even feel remotely british tbh. what about the awful weather. or the tourists. where does kieran even LIVE? london is a huge city, and the vibe changes with every area. if he really is poor, and he lives in the south of london, i'm pretty sure stabbings and gang activities happen every other day.
where does he WORK? at least tell us the name of the supermarket he works at lmao. just saying tesco once would've added a note of realism. also, we're told he works at a gym, but the gym is shown once and then forgotten about like 20% in the story.
last of all, i'm sorry but vasile is one of the ugliest romanian names and i can't take him seriously. ALSO, referring to him directly in conversation just as "crai" is gramatically incorrect. it's the equivalent of saying "highness" instead of "your highness". if he was directly adressed, and you want to keep the romanian title (instead of the translation of emperor or sth else), it should've been "craiule".
however, i do appreciate the distinction in povs between kieran and lucien, where lucien's feels more professional (for the lack of a better word) and elegant.
probably won't continue the series, but just bc i don't really like mmm lol.
September 30, 2024
DNF 50 %
dnf
December 6, 2024Dnf 22%
We jump into the story but there is so much context missing (and not in an intriguing way). I think this could have been good with better development
We jump into the story but there is so much context missing (and not in an intriguing way). I think this could have been good with better development
did-not-finish
December 27, 2024DNF @ 25%
I was intrigued at first but then I started reading something else and I lost all interest to pick this back up.
I was intrigued at first but then I started reading something else and I lost all interest to pick this back up.
September 8, 2024
This is book one in a trilogy. Book two is about to come out. Not sure on the date for book three. Each book will be about a different couple (or thruple for book two) but the overarching plot continues through the three books.
Book one stars Keiran, a human (but is he???), and Lucien, a vampire.
First of all, the world building is phenomenal for me. We learn about vampires and their clans and hierarchies, witches, a hint that the world contains fae, hunters, and werewolves. Really engaging and I was fully invested in finding out more.
Keiran is mysterious in that he’s human but not. We aren’t told until way into the book what exactly is going on there, but it’s hinted at enough to where you can kind of see where it’s going. He’s stronger than average, faster, can fight and kill vampires, and has some seriously buried secrets that not even the readers get to see. Keiran has a fascinating roommate, Sam, who you can’t help but want a book about (thanks book two!).
Lucien is obviously powerful but has been emotionally damaged by something in his recent (6 months ago) past. He’s got a close friend, Elle, and his “turn,” Adam. We also get to meet the big boss of the vampires Vasile, another character we want to know more about (see book three…).
It starts off with a bang (or blaze) with Keiran killing a vampire who is hunting humans, which is a no-no in this world. The kill is unsanctioned per the other vampires on the scene and he’s dragged before the clan to include Lucien, Elle, and Vasile for them to decide what’s to be done. That’s where Lucien and Keiran meet and sparks fly.
From there, they have to contend with the mystery of who is after the clan or Keiran or Vasile or someone and why. It’s a great mystery and only part one is solved in book one.
Total HEA for the couple, but the plot is only partially completed for the trilogy. I wouldn’t call it a cliffhanger exactly, more like it’s set up for book two.
Tropes: Human-ish x Vampire, found family, fated mates, angst, protective on both sides, slow burn, awkward flirters.
Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️🌶️ .5 (we get some spice, but it’s not the point)
Swoon ❤️❤️❤️
Angst 😫😫😫
World Building 🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎 (A+)
Book one stars Keiran, a human (but is he???), and Lucien, a vampire.
First of all, the world building is phenomenal for me. We learn about vampires and their clans and hierarchies, witches, a hint that the world contains fae, hunters, and werewolves. Really engaging and I was fully invested in finding out more.
Keiran is mysterious in that he’s human but not. We aren’t told until way into the book what exactly is going on there, but it’s hinted at enough to where you can kind of see where it’s going. He’s stronger than average, faster, can fight and kill vampires, and has some seriously buried secrets that not even the readers get to see. Keiran has a fascinating roommate, Sam, who you can’t help but want a book about (thanks book two!).
Lucien is obviously powerful but has been emotionally damaged by something in his recent (6 months ago) past. He’s got a close friend, Elle, and his “turn,” Adam. We also get to meet the big boss of the vampires Vasile, another character we want to know more about (see book three…).
It starts off with a bang (or blaze) with Keiran killing a vampire who is hunting humans, which is a no-no in this world. The kill is unsanctioned per the other vampires on the scene and he’s dragged before the clan to include Lucien, Elle, and Vasile for them to decide what’s to be done. That’s where Lucien and Keiran meet and sparks fly.
From there, they have to contend with the mystery of who is after the clan or Keiran or Vasile or someone and why. It’s a great mystery and only part one is solved in book one.
Total HEA for the couple, but the plot is only partially completed for the trilogy. I wouldn’t call it a cliffhanger exactly, more like it’s set up for book two.
Tropes: Human-ish x Vampire, found family, fated mates, angst, protective on both sides, slow burn, awkward flirters.
Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️🌶️ .5 (we get some spice, but it’s not the point)
Swoon ❤️❤️❤️
Angst 😫😫😫
World Building 🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎 (A+)
June 26, 2024
Kieran has spent the better part of six months taking precautions to keep himself and his community safe. Vampires that have gotten out of hand have started attacking people, and the council has done little to stop them. Strangely, vampires tend to appear whenever he is in his vicinity. Other vampires catch Kieran on his way home from work and bring him to the clan to face retribution after he kills the most recent vampire to assault a woman. Among the clan's highest ranking members is the vampire Lucien. He finds the person accused of killing vampires utterly fascinating. Even though he is waiting for judgment in a room full of vampires, Kieran appears unfazed by his extraordinary strength. As the rogue vampires' involvement in a bigger scheme becomes clear, Kieran is thrust into the thick of things. Kieran and Lucien become closer as they work together to identify the culprits, and they can't help but feel an overwhelming desire to each other. As they fight to save Kieran and the people they care about from whatever is after him, their newly formed bond will be tested. I can't believe this was the author's debut novel; I loved the way the story began. You won my heart with the story, the characters, and the romance. In their own right and together, Kieran and Lucien were two of my favorite characters. The work that went into creating the world was superb. Done in a way that kept the tale moving forward without dragging it out with massive expository dumps. With a satisfying conclusion to their journey, Kieran and Lucien made room for the series to carry on with other characters at the center.As an avid reader, I am counting down the days till the publication of the author's next book.I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
June 25, 2024
First up it is a nice change for a book to be set in the UK, and actually know the places mentioned.
This book starts with action and we are introduced to Kieran who finds himself saving a woman by killing a fledging vampire. Being brought up to the vampire clan to face charges, his eyes meet Lucien.
At the start of this book, I did feel that I was missing a big chunk of the story, I felt the way I do, if I have started a series in the middle and the understanding hinges on that you have read previous books. But after checking Amazon and finding out that there was no prequel I threw myself into the story knowing that I will find these things out as I read.
All the characters have things that they are hiding, secrets they will share over time and only to the people that matter. If you are a friend of Kieran's you are protected, he has a big heart and a strong left hook and an insta-attraction to Lucien, a vampire who prior, was the leader of his district. He was a bit stoic, whilst he was attracted to Kieran, he vowed to fight it. Their romance was a slow burn but it was lovely to read, watching them getting closer and more of their secrets being revealed.
The world building was detailed and hearing about the MCs former lives, drew me in further as I want to know more, adding to that are the secondary characters, Drew, Kieran's younger brother, Kieran's best friend Sam who has magic, but who is he really, we do get hints and Adam, Lucien's only turn.
All this has got me looking forward to more in this series and I cannot wait for book 2. My search on Amazon had me shocked as this is a debut author and I for one am looking forward to see what else they bring to my kindle. A really great read.
This book starts with action and we are introduced to Kieran who finds himself saving a woman by killing a fledging vampire. Being brought up to the vampire clan to face charges, his eyes meet Lucien.
At the start of this book, I did feel that I was missing a big chunk of the story, I felt the way I do, if I have started a series in the middle and the understanding hinges on that you have read previous books. But after checking Amazon and finding out that there was no prequel I threw myself into the story knowing that I will find these things out as I read.
All the characters have things that they are hiding, secrets they will share over time and only to the people that matter. If you are a friend of Kieran's you are protected, he has a big heart and a strong left hook and an insta-attraction to Lucien, a vampire who prior, was the leader of his district. He was a bit stoic, whilst he was attracted to Kieran, he vowed to fight it. Their romance was a slow burn but it was lovely to read, watching them getting closer and more of their secrets being revealed.
The world building was detailed and hearing about the MCs former lives, drew me in further as I want to know more, adding to that are the secondary characters, Drew, Kieran's younger brother, Kieran's best friend Sam who has magic, but who is he really, we do get hints and Adam, Lucien's only turn.
All this has got me looking forward to more in this series and I cannot wait for book 2. My search on Amazon had me shocked as this is a debut author and I for one am looking forward to see what else they bring to my kindle. A really great read.
September 26, 2024
I would say that this is a must read if you like vampire stories. I could just be me that thinks this is a must read but I really enjoyed the story. I love when authors are able to write a really good romance that includes vampires.
Kieran and Lucien's story is so different than any other vampire read. They both come from different world's. One being a vampire and one being human. Kieran is a fighter when it comes to saving people however he also has some secrets that he hasn't told his closest friend about. When he is brought to the Vampire council for a crime against a fledgling, he meets Lucien and instantly has an attraction for him. He thought this was the end for him but it's just beginning.
Lucien made an error and was being punished for his mistake. When he has been released from his punishment, he decides he will make sure nothing bad happens again. When he meets Kieran, he doesn't understand how he is attracted he is and how he wants to protect him. He will do anything to keep him safe and make sure that no one gets to him.
Kieran & Lucien have a lot to work through but also they know they must work together in order to get the job done. They both can't help how the attraction just keeps bringing them together. They have battles to face and what better way then together.
I loved how this book kept me on my toes and me needed to know what was going to happen next. There were some things I didn't expect in the book and that was great while others I was able to figure out but it didn't take anything away from the story.
Great job to the author on such an amazing book! I look forward to reading more from this series.
I received an ARC through Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.
Kieran and Lucien's story is so different than any other vampire read. They both come from different world's. One being a vampire and one being human. Kieran is a fighter when it comes to saving people however he also has some secrets that he hasn't told his closest friend about. When he is brought to the Vampire council for a crime against a fledgling, he meets Lucien and instantly has an attraction for him. He thought this was the end for him but it's just beginning.
Lucien made an error and was being punished for his mistake. When he has been released from his punishment, he decides he will make sure nothing bad happens again. When he meets Kieran, he doesn't understand how he is attracted he is and how he wants to protect him. He will do anything to keep him safe and make sure that no one gets to him.
Kieran & Lucien have a lot to work through but also they know they must work together in order to get the job done. They both can't help how the attraction just keeps bringing them together. They have battles to face and what better way then together.
I loved how this book kept me on my toes and me needed to know what was going to happen next. There were some things I didn't expect in the book and that was great while others I was able to figure out but it didn't take anything away from the story.
Great job to the author on such an amazing book! I look forward to reading more from this series.
I received an ARC through Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.
June 23, 2024
Over the last six months Kieran has been doing his best to protect himself and his neighborhood. Out of control vampires have been attacking humans and the council is doing nothing about it. The weird thing is the vampires always seem to pop up around him. After killing the latest vampire who was attacking a woman while Kieran was walking home from work, Kieran is captured by other vampires and brought to the clan to face justice. Lucien is a vampire and a chieftain in the clan. He is fascinated by the human who is accused of killing vampires. Kieran is stronger than a human should be and seems to have no fear even while awaiting judgment in a room full of vampires. When a larger plot involving the rogue vampires is uncovered, Kieran finds himself in the center of it all. Working together to find those responsible, Kieran and Lucien grow closer and can no longer deny the attraction they feel. Their new relationship will be put to the test as they work to protect the ones they love as well as each other while trying to stop whoever is targeting Kieran.
I really liked this series starter and cannot believe that this was a debut novel. The plot, the characters and the romance were superb. I loved both Kieran and Lucien as characters separately and as a couple. The world-building involved was really well done. Information was doled out as needed without huge exposition dumps that would slow the story to a drag. Kieran and Lucien’s story was wrapped up in a satisfactory way while leaving plenty of room for the series to continue with other characters as the focus.I can’t wait for the next book to release and am eagerly waiting for more from this author.
I really liked this series starter and cannot believe that this was a debut novel. The plot, the characters and the romance were superb. I loved both Kieran and Lucien as characters separately and as a couple. The world-building involved was really well done. Information was doled out as needed without huge exposition dumps that would slow the story to a drag. Kieran and Lucien’s story was wrapped up in a satisfactory way while leaving plenty of room for the series to continue with other characters as the focus.I can’t wait for the next book to release and am eagerly waiting for more from this author.
June 26, 2024
Kieran has spent the last few months keeping the streets safe from fledgling vampires who have no control and play too rough with their food. Kieran is sure he will not see the morning when he is hauled before the vampire council for his actions. He does live but finds himself reluctantly teamed up with the vampire, Lucien. It seems something is going on and his help is needed to figure out and resolve the situation. There is so much going on as the investigation reveals more questions than answer. There is even one vampire stalking Kieran for his killing of one of those vampires. In the midst of hunting down the maker of the fledglings and following many different paths, Kieran and Lucien find themselves attracted to each other. But trust must come first if they are to survive.
This is a new world to me and I found it fascinating. The vampires and werewolves have somewhat of a working relationship and they decide to work together to find the culprits. Both Lucien and Kieran have troubled pasts which interfere somewhat with acknowledging their attraction. The plot was intriguing but there are many answers yet to be found. This is the first book in Monsters of London series and it promises to be very intriguing. The next book should answer some of our questions and may raise some more. One thing we know for sure, we need to hop for the ride.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and this is my unbiased opinion.
This is a new world to me and I found it fascinating. The vampires and werewolves have somewhat of a working relationship and they decide to work together to find the culprits. Both Lucien and Kieran have troubled pasts which interfere somewhat with acknowledging their attraction. The plot was intriguing but there are many answers yet to be found. This is the first book in Monsters of London series and it promises to be very intriguing. The next book should answer some of our questions and may raise some more. One thing we know for sure, we need to hop for the ride.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and this is my unbiased opinion.
September 18, 2024
I would like to thank GRR for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
This was AMAZING for a debut! I loved absolutely everything about this, and I srsly would not have minded if this was 500 pages longer because I could not get enough of this! The narrative style was energetic and flowed really well. The characterizations were all unique and memorable. The world is a dynamic and familiar one, but Alexandra Keillor gave it a nice spin with some flair and I was FULLY immersed from Page 1!
I loved Kieran and Lucien! They were so googly-eyed sweet for each other, and I thought that it was one of the more sincere and patient mate-bond love stories in a sub-genre that usually goes straight to the naked heat. And because I prefer sexy romances with some emotional resonance, I thought their relationship unfolded in the most lovely way!
I liked that it takes a while for this story to build, for this romance to bloom, for the high stakes to take shape. And there's still a lot of intrigue left that has me hooked on this duet, and I think that's absolutely brilliant!
Bad Blood was fun, engaging, sexy and interesting, and I loved every second I'd spent discovering Alexandra Keillor's Monsters of London! Excited to dive right into Book 2, because I think Blood Ties will be mega energy and I can't wait to find out how all of this will turn out!
This was AMAZING for a debut! I loved absolutely everything about this, and I srsly would not have minded if this was 500 pages longer because I could not get enough of this! The narrative style was energetic and flowed really well. The characterizations were all unique and memorable. The world is a dynamic and familiar one, but Alexandra Keillor gave it a nice spin with some flair and I was FULLY immersed from Page 1!
I loved Kieran and Lucien! They were so googly-eyed sweet for each other, and I thought that it was one of the more sincere and patient mate-bond love stories in a sub-genre that usually goes straight to the naked heat. And because I prefer sexy romances with some emotional resonance, I thought their relationship unfolded in the most lovely way!
I liked that it takes a while for this story to build, for this romance to bloom, for the high stakes to take shape. And there's still a lot of intrigue left that has me hooked on this duet, and I think that's absolutely brilliant!
Bad Blood was fun, engaging, sexy and interesting, and I loved every second I'd spent discovering Alexandra Keillor's Monsters of London! Excited to dive right into Book 2, because I think Blood Ties will be mega energy and I can't wait to find out how all of this will turn out!
June 21, 2024
This story was incredible! Gripping from beginning to end, the drama and tension make for a medium angst plot, but more for what happens to the MCs rather than between them. I'm excited to see how Alexandra Keillor continues the series as this story ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. There's a lot of great potential for the character development and additional subplots as the series continues.
Lucien & Kieran are fantastic MCs to bring us into their paranormal universe. Their relationship looks to unite the factions of paranormals, or at least improve their former treaty.
Though occasionally predictable, I like that small details pulled in here or there tell the story if you're truly paying attention. I loved this book, and I'm really looking forward to Drew's -- Kieran's younger brother -- story coming up next.
There is a lot of murder and mayhem in this story, so be aware if you have any issues with that, but if you don't have any issues, Bad Blood is the beginning of a fantastic new series from an exciting new/debut author to jump into and enjoy!
I received an advance copy of this book and am volunteering my honest review.
Lucien & Kieran are fantastic MCs to bring us into their paranormal universe. Their relationship looks to unite the factions of paranormals, or at least improve their former treaty.
Though occasionally predictable, I like that small details pulled in here or there tell the story if you're truly paying attention. I loved this book, and I'm really looking forward to Drew's -- Kieran's younger brother -- story coming up next.
There is a lot of murder and mayhem in this story, so be aware if you have any issues with that, but if you don't have any issues, Bad Blood is the beginning of a fantastic new series from an exciting new/debut author to jump into and enjoy!
I received an advance copy of this book and am volunteering my honest review.
June 23, 2024
Alexandra Keillor’s Bad Blood is the first book in the Monsters of London series, and it is one that immediately grabbed my attention. I am always looking for new paranormal series to follow, and there was much about this that promised to tick my boxes.
As I’d hoped, Bad Blood had me hooked. It was a story that I had to finish in a single sitting, desperate to see how everything would come together. While not perfect, there was plenty packed into the story to keep me engaged, along with lots of things left over that have me eager for the future books in the series. In fact, there are lots of side characters I was theorising about, and I am eager to see how much I have guessed correctly. While I am positive that I will adore the future books if they pack the same punch as this, I do hope that future books provide more details about dramatic past elements. With this one, there was a lot of mystery surrounding the pasts of the character – which was great – but I do feel like all the specifics were never provided. There was enough to put all the pieces together, yet there were a couple of things where I wanted more than the broad strokes to truly understand. This was a small thing, though, as the overall story had me hooked.
Without a doubt, I’ll be diving into the future Monsters of London books to see how things continue.
As I’d hoped, Bad Blood had me hooked. It was a story that I had to finish in a single sitting, desperate to see how everything would come together. While not perfect, there was plenty packed into the story to keep me engaged, along with lots of things left over that have me eager for the future books in the series. In fact, there are lots of side characters I was theorising about, and I am eager to see how much I have guessed correctly. While I am positive that I will adore the future books if they pack the same punch as this, I do hope that future books provide more details about dramatic past elements. With this one, there was a lot of mystery surrounding the pasts of the character – which was great – but I do feel like all the specifics were never provided. There was enough to put all the pieces together, yet there were a couple of things where I wanted more than the broad strokes to truly understand. This was a small thing, though, as the overall story had me hooked.
Without a doubt, I’ll be diving into the future Monsters of London books to see how things continue.
June 19, 2024
Lucien and Kieran have instant chemistry that is complicated by the fact that Lucien is a vampire, Kieran has been killing rogue vampires, and, in addition to a whole heap of murder and peril, even their chemistry isn’t what it seems to be at face value. For the most part, I liked their dynamic— it’s instalovey, but it suits them. There’s an overarching plot they’re caught up in that’s complex, filled with intrigue, and labyrinthine in its layers of secrecy— one that’s only getting more complicated by the time this first book ends. It’s fascinating, and a little exhausting, how much every single person in this story seems to be hiding— so far, not one character, supporting or main, is without at least some nebulous history/backstory/ability/potential issue and it’s…a lot. Don’t expect anyone to spell anything out either— beyond a few hints and half-explanations that only open more questions. I’m torn between finding this all incredibly compelling and finding it slightly frustrating: mystery is great, but at some point, it’d be nice to have half a clue what’s going on. That said, I definitely found this book easy to pick up and hard to put down, and I’ll be waiting for the second installment of the series.
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
September 24, 2025
Bad Blood by Alexandra Keillor
4/5 ✨🌟
“𝘠𝘰𝘶…” 𝘙𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘓𝘶𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯’𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘵. “𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩, 𝘒𝘪𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘯. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨.”
This is the very first book I’ve read by this author and it was everything. Paranormal romances are my jam and I was here for it. I especially loved it that it was in the UK too.
What really got me was they both had secrets. You wouldn’t think a strong vampire such as Lucien would have been in an abusive relationship and it broke my heart for how his ex had hurt him. I loved the moment that Kieran had his attention from the moment he was on his knees in front of the entire clan.
Tristan was absolutely insane and I was so glad he got the death that he deserved.
Loved the ending of Drew coming to finally leave the village to get the life he deserves.
I literally wanted more. The side characters were perfect from Sam, to the other wolves and vampires, and the other characters that would pop up.
I loved the bond that Kieran and Lucien had together and how they both wanted each other. I cannot wait for the second book of this series.
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
4/5 ✨🌟
“𝘠𝘰𝘶…” 𝘙𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘓𝘶𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯’𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘵. “𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩, 𝘒𝘪𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘯. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨.”
This is the very first book I’ve read by this author and it was everything. Paranormal romances are my jam and I was here for it. I especially loved it that it was in the UK too.
What really got me was they both had secrets. You wouldn’t think a strong vampire such as Lucien would have been in an abusive relationship and it broke my heart for how his ex had hurt him. I loved the moment that Kieran had his attention from the moment he was on his knees in front of the entire clan.
Tristan was absolutely insane and I was so glad he got the death that he deserved.
Loved the ending of Drew coming to finally leave the village to get the life he deserves.
I literally wanted more. The side characters were perfect from Sam, to the other wolves and vampires, and the other characters that would pop up.
I loved the bond that Kieran and Lucien had together and how they both wanted each other. I cannot wait for the second book of this series.
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
November 28, 2024
BAD BLOOD is the first book in the Monsters of London series and was just what I needed! I haven't read a good vampire book in a while and this one? Yeah, well, it was better than good.
Kieran is living in London with his friend, Sam. Lucien is one of the vampire chieftains. Kieran, Sam, and Lucien all have secrets that they're holding close and not sharing. Throw in wolves, mages, hunters, and 'normal' humans And then there's the new vampires killing on Kieran's doorstep. It all mixes together into a fantastic read that I was hard-pressed to put down.
If you're looking for an insta-lust wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am book then this isn't for you. If you're looking for a book with depth, secrets upon secrets, with an overarching mystery that doesn't get tied up all neatly with a bow, then you should definitely give this one a go.
I can't wait to see what happens next. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Nov 28, 2024
Kieran is living in London with his friend, Sam. Lucien is one of the vampire chieftains. Kieran, Sam, and Lucien all have secrets that they're holding close and not sharing. Throw in wolves, mages, hunters, and 'normal' humans And then there's the new vampires killing on Kieran's doorstep. It all mixes together into a fantastic read that I was hard-pressed to put down.
If you're looking for an insta-lust wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am book then this isn't for you. If you're looking for a book with depth, secrets upon secrets, with an overarching mystery that doesn't get tied up all neatly with a bow, then you should definitely give this one a go.
I can't wait to see what happens next. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Nov 28, 2024
December 8, 2024
4.5☆
I really enjoyed this and it's a great debut novel! The story was really good and interesting and kept you on the edge of your seat. It is a slow burn, but I honestly didn't even notice because I was so engrossed in what was happening.
I loved Lucien and Kieran and I think paranormal books are the only ones where I'm okay with getting less couple time and more plot. I really enjoy the fated mates trope in paranormal books, it just does it for me, so I loved it in this book. I feel like there are still things we need to learn about some characters and also about the world the author built, but I really enjoyed what we got so far.
I really enjoyed all the side characters and I can't wait to see everyone in book 2. There is an overarching plot, so the series needs to be read in order. The book is angsty, but just because some things are happening in the book and there's a fight between 2 sides and things are uncertain. Even with the angst, the book felt fast paced and I kept reading on because I was so curious to see what will happen next.
Definitely recommend this book if you want to read about vampires, mages, wolves and humans(or not so human humans).
I really enjoyed this and it's a great debut novel! The story was really good and interesting and kept you on the edge of your seat. It is a slow burn, but I honestly didn't even notice because I was so engrossed in what was happening.
I loved Lucien and Kieran and I think paranormal books are the only ones where I'm okay with getting less couple time and more plot. I really enjoy the fated mates trope in paranormal books, it just does it for me, so I loved it in this book. I feel like there are still things we need to learn about some characters and also about the world the author built, but I really enjoyed what we got so far.
I really enjoyed all the side characters and I can't wait to see everyone in book 2. There is an overarching plot, so the series needs to be read in order. The book is angsty, but just because some things are happening in the book and there's a fight between 2 sides and things are uncertain. Even with the angst, the book felt fast paced and I kept reading on because I was so curious to see what will happen next.
Definitely recommend this book if you want to read about vampires, mages, wolves and humans(or not so human humans).
June 23, 2024
Bad Blood is romantic, action-packed, very exciting and their attraction can be seen through the book. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series. Alexandra Keillor is a new author for me and I wasn't disappointed. Lucien and Kieran, despite coming from vastly different worlds—one a vampire, the other a human specialized in hunting rogue vampires—find themselves drawn to each other almost instantly, though they resist acting on their attraction. This creates a tension that builds throughout the story, teasing readers with the potential for romance without delivering it too quickly.
The plot is rich with twists and turns, centered around a complex maze of secrets that entangles both Lucien and Kieran. Magic is intricately woven into the narrative but remains accessible and understandable, even for readers new to the genre. Each character is fleshed out with a compelling backstory that adds depth to the story, and the variety of supernatural creatures introduced adds an extra layer of intrigue.
The plot is rich with twists and turns, centered around a complex maze of secrets that entangles both Lucien and Kieran. Magic is intricately woven into the narrative but remains accessible and understandable, even for readers new to the genre. Each character is fleshed out with a compelling backstory that adds depth to the story, and the variety of supernatural creatures introduced adds an extra layer of intrigue.
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