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Blood Magic #1
New Blood
In 1636, the last blood sorceress was burned at the stake. More than two hundred years later, her blood servant Jax has found her successor. Amanusa at first turns down the opportunity to learn what she perceives as an evil art. But she craves justice, and innocent blood cries out for justice.
When Amanusa looses magic on those who’ve harmed her, she must flee for her life across a devastated Europe with Jax, who is inescapably bound to her by blood and magic. Their journey takes them through zones where everything—including magic—has died, zones populated with strange creatures cobbled together of things left behind by the dead.
Needing each other for their very survival, Amanusa and Jax grow ever closer on their journey to discover answers – about magic, blood sorcery, the dead zones, and even love.
When Amanusa looses magic on those who’ve harmed her, she must flee for her life across a devastated Europe with Jax, who is inescapably bound to her by blood and magic. Their journey takes them through zones where everything—including magic—has died, zones populated with strange creatures cobbled together of things left behind by the dead.
Needing each other for their very survival, Amanusa and Jax grow ever closer on their journey to discover answers – about magic, blood sorcery, the dead zones, and even love.
512 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 3, 2009
9 people are currently reading
1521 people want to read
About the author
Gail Dayton
25 books216 followersI've been a fan of fantasy, science fiction, fairy tales and other "books of wonder" since I was young enough, I still thought kissing was icky. Then I grew up and decided I liked a strong dose of romance in the mix.
I live on the Texas coast with my fella of 30-plus years, our youngest son (who should be graduating college this semester) and the granddog Dolly, a princess wussy pitbull mix who lets the cockapoo down the street beat her up.
I live on the Texas coast with my fella of 30-plus years, our youngest son (who should be graduating college this semester) and the granddog Dolly, a princess wussy pitbull mix who lets the cockapoo down the street beat her up.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
December 7, 2008
New Blood is my first steampunk. For those who don't know, steampunk is fiction involving an alternate vision of the Industrial Age (1800s), usually with more technology or, as in this case, the paranormal. Envision the 1800s if magic had been a fact of life. That's New Blood, perhaps the first steampunk romance I've seen. With all that said, New Blood is a solid read, particularly if character development, unraveling mysteries, and action are a priority for you.
A good part of the novel involves Jax and Amanusa on a cross-country journey to escape the villains, and while I don't usually enjoy that particular device in literature too much, these moments with only Jax and Amanusa were some of the best in the book for me. The relationship built between these two is natural and unique to them. We don't find here a generic romance formula but a case of circumstance revealing two people's strengths and innermost weaknesses. Naturally, the atmosphere of mortal danger helps to deepen their relationship as they rely on each other to survive.
Even as Jax and Amanusa travel together, these characters undergo a personal journey, learning about themselves and their demons and growing as they go on. I thought this was well-written too. Their progress didn't feel contrived; the development was steadily paced, as well it should be at nearly 500 pages, LOL. It was also interesting to read about the other magicians that Jax and Amanusa meet, like Harry, Elinor, and Grey. I thought the care that the author took to develop even these secondary characters and their dilemmas was very well done, and by the end I was ready to read about their adventures. I'll look for them in a sequel. ;)
As far as the overarching plot, I felt that the first phase (the bandit camp) did not quite set the scene for the audience. I wasn't sure of the setting or the history between the characters and this phase seemed a little aimless when I saw no indication from the characters that they would eventually move on (dialogue, thoughts, etc.) I was afraid for a little while that Amanusa and Jax would stay there indefinitely. For me, this portion lagged a bit, but the book picked up quickly after this point.
I did like the world-building. It was easy to imagine the sinister anti-magic creatures and their danger. I appreciated all the detail taken with the infrastructure of the magicians' society, conclaves and councils, trials and presiding officers and so on. This gave the world more substance, and I definitely liked that the author did not forget the times in which the story is set, including hints of scandal when a magician took a female apprentice, the mode of dress, and of course, the very Victorian title of the magicians' conclave: The International Magicians' Conclave of All Magic, I believe it was.
Considering the setting, I could understand Amanusa's struggle for female magicians, but I did feel it became a bit tedious at the end, when the heroine debated with the villains about women's rights. I thought that was a little over the top. I generally prefer any messages or themes I'm taking away from the story to be a little more subtle. I also felt that as a romance novel, the book could perhaps use a little more heat or sexual tension, perhaps a few more of those delightful moments with the finger-licking goodness and Jax's hot eyes, LOL. ;)
Overall, however, I enjoyed New Blood. It read a little like an action steampunk flick put to writing, (maybe League of Extraordinary Gentlemen?) except with much better character development and I'm looking forward to more work from this author.
A good part of the novel involves Jax and Amanusa on a cross-country journey to escape the villains, and while I don't usually enjoy that particular device in literature too much, these moments with only Jax and Amanusa were some of the best in the book for me. The relationship built between these two is natural and unique to them. We don't find here a generic romance formula but a case of circumstance revealing two people's strengths and innermost weaknesses. Naturally, the atmosphere of mortal danger helps to deepen their relationship as they rely on each other to survive.
Even as Jax and Amanusa travel together, these characters undergo a personal journey, learning about themselves and their demons and growing as they go on. I thought this was well-written too. Their progress didn't feel contrived; the development was steadily paced, as well it should be at nearly 500 pages, LOL. It was also interesting to read about the other magicians that Jax and Amanusa meet, like Harry, Elinor, and Grey. I thought the care that the author took to develop even these secondary characters and their dilemmas was very well done, and by the end I was ready to read about their adventures. I'll look for them in a sequel. ;)
As far as the overarching plot, I felt that the first phase (the bandit camp) did not quite set the scene for the audience. I wasn't sure of the setting or the history between the characters and this phase seemed a little aimless when I saw no indication from the characters that they would eventually move on (dialogue, thoughts, etc.) I was afraid for a little while that Amanusa and Jax would stay there indefinitely. For me, this portion lagged a bit, but the book picked up quickly after this point.
I did like the world-building. It was easy to imagine the sinister anti-magic creatures and their danger. I appreciated all the detail taken with the infrastructure of the magicians' society, conclaves and councils, trials and presiding officers and so on. This gave the world more substance, and I definitely liked that the author did not forget the times in which the story is set, including hints of scandal when a magician took a female apprentice, the mode of dress, and of course, the very Victorian title of the magicians' conclave: The International Magicians' Conclave of All Magic, I believe it was.
Considering the setting, I could understand Amanusa's struggle for female magicians, but I did feel it became a bit tedious at the end, when the heroine debated with the villains about women's rights. I thought that was a little over the top. I generally prefer any messages or themes I'm taking away from the story to be a little more subtle. I also felt that as a romance novel, the book could perhaps use a little more heat or sexual tension, perhaps a few more of those delightful moments with the finger-licking goodness and Jax's hot eyes, LOL. ;)
Overall, however, I enjoyed New Blood. It read a little like an action steampunk flick put to writing, (maybe League of Extraordinary Gentlemen?) except with much better character development and I'm looking forward to more work from this author.
September 24, 2009
Blood servant to the blood sorceress Yvaine, who was burnt to death by an angry ignorant mob in 1636, Jax has spent over two hundred years looking for Yvaine's apprentice. He finally finds her in Transylvania, Hungary, a tall beautiful woman called Amanusa Whitcomb who practices small women's magic to keep under the Inquisition's radar. She immediately inherits not only Yvaine's tower in Scotland, her books and lore and wealth, but also Jax himself who is magically bound to her.
Like everyone else, Amanusa fears blood sorcery and resists this inheritance. There have been no sorcerers since Yvaine, and myth and superstition have clouded minds against the misunderstood magic. But Amanusa has the power and Jax teaches her that blood magic is alive, a living magic, tied to innocent blood. It is justice magic, and the one thing Amanusa wants above all else is justice: justice against the rebel fighters who killed her mother and brother and kept her to rape and abuse for years.
Fleeing the aftermath of her first working of powerful blood magic, Amanusa and Jax travel to Paris where the Conclave is meeting - master magicians of the three other disciplines: alchemy, conjury and wizardry. Her arrival causes quite the stir, but the information she brings about the spreading Dead Zones - magicless spots where deadly little machines have come into being - is vital to their fight against them. And as some of the magicians think, the absence of women trained in magic - and of blood sorcerers especially, may be the cause of the problem in the first place.
As Amanusa learns to trust Jax and Jax falls in love with Amanusa, the bond between them strengthens and becomes something new and vital, something Jax never had with Yvaine. But there are too many magicians who think women too weak and corruptible to wield magic, and who fear blood magic in particular, who threaten their lives and everything they've achieved.
This is a novel that is not easily defined by genre. Marketed as a paranormal romance, I find this misleading - having read far too many paranormal romances, I can safely say that this isn't what you'd expect from one. This is a sweet loving romance with a very little bit of sex towards the end, but it's more about the magic than anything else. It's more fantasy than paranormal romance, but it's also an alternate history - Napoleon III rules France, magicians have long held an important place in the world - with a bit of steampunk thrown in. It works wonderfully. It's original and inventive, with plenty of familiar tropes to keep you on firm ground.
I loved Amanusa and Jax, who are both tortured souls but never in a self-indulgent way. I really cared for them and was deeply engrossed in their story; their growth and development came naturally and realistically. The story does focus on the romance slowly growing between them, so if that's not your cup of tea you probably won't like this, but I would argue that the intriguing premise is enough and regular fantasy fans would also enjoy this.
Even though it's set in a historical period - mid-1800s - there's certainly a modern tone to the novel, especially in the dialogue and some of the characters' attitudes and behaviour. Yet it also had a firm grasp of period and setting and the contemporary touch just seemed to add to the fantasy aspects rather than detract from its realism or historical accuracy. It worked and added to the enjoyment of reading it.
In terms of plot, it is suspenseful, exciting, curious. With its twists on well-known history such as witch burnings and the Inquisition, it manages to create something new while feeling firmly a part of our own world and history - sort of like Jonathan Stroud's Bartimaeus trilogy. The various forms of magic are given subtle new meanings, and the blood magic is fascinating.
The story throws up many old superstitions and the kind of attitudes towards women that make me grimace - many of the men in the book are a bit transparent in their outbursts against women being allowed to practice magic, but that in itself isn't unrealistic. In this sense, Amanusa's achievement is deeply satisfying.
This is the first book in what looks set to be a series, but it's also a standalone book as the others will focus on different characters - minor ones from this introductory story. And so the bigger plotline of Dead Zones, magical wastelands, will be dealt with in the following books. New Blood sets the stage, as it were, but that plot is far from finished with here. The next book, Heart's Blood is due out around December 2009/January 2010.
Like everyone else, Amanusa fears blood sorcery and resists this inheritance. There have been no sorcerers since Yvaine, and myth and superstition have clouded minds against the misunderstood magic. But Amanusa has the power and Jax teaches her that blood magic is alive, a living magic, tied to innocent blood. It is justice magic, and the one thing Amanusa wants above all else is justice: justice against the rebel fighters who killed her mother and brother and kept her to rape and abuse for years.
Fleeing the aftermath of her first working of powerful blood magic, Amanusa and Jax travel to Paris where the Conclave is meeting - master magicians of the three other disciplines: alchemy, conjury and wizardry. Her arrival causes quite the stir, but the information she brings about the spreading Dead Zones - magicless spots where deadly little machines have come into being - is vital to their fight against them. And as some of the magicians think, the absence of women trained in magic - and of blood sorcerers especially, may be the cause of the problem in the first place.
As Amanusa learns to trust Jax and Jax falls in love with Amanusa, the bond between them strengthens and becomes something new and vital, something Jax never had with Yvaine. But there are too many magicians who think women too weak and corruptible to wield magic, and who fear blood magic in particular, who threaten their lives and everything they've achieved.
This is a novel that is not easily defined by genre. Marketed as a paranormal romance, I find this misleading - having read far too many paranormal romances, I can safely say that this isn't what you'd expect from one. This is a sweet loving romance with a very little bit of sex towards the end, but it's more about the magic than anything else. It's more fantasy than paranormal romance, but it's also an alternate history - Napoleon III rules France, magicians have long held an important place in the world - with a bit of steampunk thrown in. It works wonderfully. It's original and inventive, with plenty of familiar tropes to keep you on firm ground.
I loved Amanusa and Jax, who are both tortured souls but never in a self-indulgent way. I really cared for them and was deeply engrossed in their story; their growth and development came naturally and realistically. The story does focus on the romance slowly growing between them, so if that's not your cup of tea you probably won't like this, but I would argue that the intriguing premise is enough and regular fantasy fans would also enjoy this.
Even though it's set in a historical period - mid-1800s - there's certainly a modern tone to the novel, especially in the dialogue and some of the characters' attitudes and behaviour. Yet it also had a firm grasp of period and setting and the contemporary touch just seemed to add to the fantasy aspects rather than detract from its realism or historical accuracy. It worked and added to the enjoyment of reading it.
In terms of plot, it is suspenseful, exciting, curious. With its twists on well-known history such as witch burnings and the Inquisition, it manages to create something new while feeling firmly a part of our own world and history - sort of like Jonathan Stroud's Bartimaeus trilogy. The various forms of magic are given subtle new meanings, and the blood magic is fascinating.
The story throws up many old superstitions and the kind of attitudes towards women that make me grimace - many of the men in the book are a bit transparent in their outbursts against women being allowed to practice magic, but that in itself isn't unrealistic. In this sense, Amanusa's achievement is deeply satisfying.
This is the first book in what looks set to be a series, but it's also a standalone book as the others will focus on different characters - minor ones from this introductory story. And so the bigger plotline of Dead Zones, magical wastelands, will be dealt with in the following books. New Blood sets the stage, as it were, but that plot is far from finished with here. The next book, Heart's Blood is due out around December 2009/January 2010.
November 8, 2010
I have two main things to say about this book. First, this book was awesome and has landed Gail Dayton a solid spot on my AutoBuy list from now on. Second, it's not steampunk. Or, at least, it's not steampunk as in what I envision when I think of steampunk. To me, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and The Iron Duke are steampunk, with things like airships and nanites and whatnot. The only thing that this book (and its sequel) had that, to me, screamed "steampunk" were the critters (which were metal, and that's all I'm going to say so's not to ruin anything).
If I had to classify this book, I'd say it's an Historical Fantasy (I'd say Victorian Fantasy, but I'm not 100% sure of the timeframe lol)
So, even though I first picked up this book because it was labeled as "steampunk", and even though in reading it I kept waiting for something that was more... well.. steampunkish, I still loved it.
What worked for me:
*Tortured hero just coming out of many many years of servitude to a cruel sorceress, and convinced that his ownership has been transferred to our heroine, who most decidedly doesn't want it. Freaking Awesome :D
*Average looking woman who only dabbles in magic (since the big stuff is illegal for womenfolk to use), who finds out Holy Crap -- She's a Blood Sorceress who will be totally badass once she figures out what the hell she's doing ;)
*The worldbuilding and the descriptions of how the magic worked, as it worked. Made you feel as though you were the one weaving the spell :)
What didn't work for me:
*The cover. It's ugly. lol Okay that's mean -- I like the idea behind it (with the old font and such), but just really, REALLY not my thing. Thank goodness for Kindle, amirite? lol
*The beginning bits in the camp were boring. I realize they were giving a lot of background information not just on Amanusa but on Jax and the magic as well, but still, it got tedious there for a hot minute.
*The critters (which do have a better name, but I can't say since it's a spoilerrrrrr) -- at this point (having read both this book and the sequel, Heart's Blood), I still feel as though they're a bit pointless. I'm HOPING that book three will flesh out that bit of the plot a bit, completely making me eat my words :D
*Crenshaw annoys the pie out of me. I want to smack him. With something heavy. Repeatedly.
*Guild Secrets were annoying as well, even though I understand and agree with the reasoning behind keeping them. It's just frustrating when keeping those secrets only makes the prejudices and misogyny in the populace worse, but hey, that's part of the story development, right?
What was kinda iffy for me:
*the sex scenes. I don't want to say why as it is a possible spoiler, but even though they were beautifully done I didn't care for them. lol I may have to come back and check the spoiler box and just flat out say what I mean, but we'll see.
*Not really a "cliff-hanger" ending, but definitely left open-ended. I have mixed feelings about these types of endings. While I definitely like to keep stories open for sequels, I don't like going to turn the page and saying "wait, what? that's it?? what about ____??".. It's not so bad in this one because, hey, I had Heart's Blood already on my Kindle waiting to be read. But still.
Overall, I really loved it :) Solid 5 Stars
If I had to classify this book, I'd say it's an Historical Fantasy (I'd say Victorian Fantasy, but I'm not 100% sure of the timeframe lol)
So, even though I first picked up this book because it was labeled as "steampunk", and even though in reading it I kept waiting for something that was more... well.. steampunkish, I still loved it.
What worked for me:
*Tortured hero just coming out of many many years of servitude to a cruel sorceress, and convinced that his ownership has been transferred to our heroine, who most decidedly doesn't want it. Freaking Awesome :D
*Average looking woman who only dabbles in magic (since the big stuff is illegal for womenfolk to use), who finds out Holy Crap -- She's a Blood Sorceress who will be totally badass once she figures out what the hell she's doing ;)
*The worldbuilding and the descriptions of how the magic worked, as it worked. Made you feel as though you were the one weaving the spell :)
What didn't work for me:
*The cover. It's ugly. lol Okay that's mean -- I like the idea behind it (with the old font and such), but just really, REALLY not my thing. Thank goodness for Kindle, amirite? lol
*The beginning bits in the camp were boring. I realize they were giving a lot of background information not just on Amanusa but on Jax and the magic as well, but still, it got tedious there for a hot minute.
*The critters (which do have a better name, but I can't say since it's a spoilerrrrrr) -- at this point (having read both this book and the sequel, Heart's Blood), I still feel as though they're a bit pointless. I'm HOPING that book three will flesh out that bit of the plot a bit, completely making me eat my words :D
*Crenshaw annoys the pie out of me. I want to smack him. With something heavy. Repeatedly.
*Guild Secrets were annoying as well, even though I understand and agree with the reasoning behind keeping them. It's just frustrating when keeping those secrets only makes the prejudices and misogyny in the populace worse, but hey, that's part of the story development, right?
What was kinda iffy for me:
*the sex scenes. I don't want to say why as it is a possible spoiler, but even though they were beautifully done I didn't care for them. lol I may have to come back and check the spoiler box and just flat out say what I mean, but we'll see.
*Not really a "cliff-hanger" ending, but definitely left open-ended. I have mixed feelings about these types of endings. While I definitely like to keep stories open for sequels, I don't like going to turn the page and saying "wait, what? that's it?? what about ____??".. It's not so bad in this one because, hey, I had Heart's Blood already on my Kindle waiting to be read. But still.
Overall, I really loved it :) Solid 5 Stars
December 31, 2011
Full review can be found here.
*Note that I read the second book in this series before I read this one.*
At first it was a little weird coming into this first book with prior knowledge of the world building. This soon passed, however, and I found myself fully immersed in the story. The setting, the wilds of the Transylvanian mountains (or the Carpathians to call them by their real name), is one that I am particularly fond of (just personal taste) and the author did the remote mountain area justice in her narration. I got a sense of remoteness from the story.
I also liked how she made the Hungarian Inquisition (a society that hunts down illegal practitioners of magic – especially women) so set in their ways that they are willing to chase this female magician – a sorceress no less! – across the whole of Europe. The presentation made it feel authentic, something that is always important to me. This contrasted with Western Europe where the reader sees that women - in particular Elinor, an aspiring wizard – are starting to demand their rightful place in the magicians’ ranks. Of course, there are two camps of men: the ‘traditionalists’ (who want to keep the practise of magic a male-only domain) and the ‘progressives’ (who are the ones who actually want to go back to traditional traditions from some 200 years ago before the witch hunts killed off all female practitioners, and to readmit women among their ranks.) Some of the characters went too far for me, Nigel Cranshaw in particular (I remember not liking him in the second book either), though I suspect that he’s probably more of an archetype, representative of a mainstream opinion, rather than a character in his own rights.
Sorcery and the machinations behind blood magic were interesting. In fact, the whole magic system was very well thought out: it’s one of my favourites from the paranormal genre and it seems to me that a lot of time and effort must have gone into setting up the system and all its various rules. This is expended on more in the second book, if I remember correctly, but it’s a good introduction. There were some things that Amanusa seemed to just know instinctively about the intricacies of her magic; I’m not entirely sure how I feel about this, especially when she often has to have the basics explained to her. Despite this, I still liked the rides that these vents took me on as a reader.
The main threat in this novel is the fact that women have been excluded from the magical community for so long that some men are willing to go to any lengths necessary to prevent a woman from practising any of the magical fields. On top of this, there are hundreds of years’ worth of bad rumours about just how sorcery works – the most popular of these being that the blood used to channel the spells is stolen from innocent victims – making this lost form of magic the most feared. This presents Amanusa with many hurdles to overcome - with both supporters who want to welcome the return of sorcery and others who would rather see her killed, so reviled is her school of magic. The reader knows that all blood used to channel magic must be given freely and that it is only with this, blood of the innocents that has been shed by another, or with her own blood (this one’s a secret, though, so shush!) that a sorceress can work. But prejudices prevail and it was amusing to read about Amanusa’s frustrations with these people.
The relationship was of my favourite kinds: one allowed to evolve slowly from resigned acceptance, to like, to trust, to love. Jax, despite his sordid past, made for the type of hero a girl will root for and both of the characters had to face their own demons and overcome their fears before anything could come of it all.
As for the secondary characters, Elinor’s dogged determinations and Harry’s desire to set the world back to rights both appealed to me. Grey I wasn’t so sure about as the character presented here contradicted with the hero that I remember from Heart’s Blood. Crow made for a good non-human character, though I wish his role had been explained and that he’d been used more.
I now find myself wanted to dig through my boxes of read books to unearth Heart’s Blood. I’m sure that I missed things the first time around and that would lend the story another dimension now that I’ve read New Blood. In fact, I think I’ll do just that and make Heart’s Blood a December read!
*Note that I read the second book in this series before I read this one.*
At first it was a little weird coming into this first book with prior knowledge of the world building. This soon passed, however, and I found myself fully immersed in the story. The setting, the wilds of the Transylvanian mountains (or the Carpathians to call them by their real name), is one that I am particularly fond of (just personal taste) and the author did the remote mountain area justice in her narration. I got a sense of remoteness from the story.
I also liked how she made the Hungarian Inquisition (a society that hunts down illegal practitioners of magic – especially women) so set in their ways that they are willing to chase this female magician – a sorceress no less! – across the whole of Europe. The presentation made it feel authentic, something that is always important to me. This contrasted with Western Europe where the reader sees that women - in particular Elinor, an aspiring wizard – are starting to demand their rightful place in the magicians’ ranks. Of course, there are two camps of men: the ‘traditionalists’ (who want to keep the practise of magic a male-only domain) and the ‘progressives’ (who are the ones who actually want to go back to traditional traditions from some 200 years ago before the witch hunts killed off all female practitioners, and to readmit women among their ranks.) Some of the characters went too far for me, Nigel Cranshaw in particular (I remember not liking him in the second book either), though I suspect that he’s probably more of an archetype, representative of a mainstream opinion, rather than a character in his own rights.
Sorcery and the machinations behind blood magic were interesting. In fact, the whole magic system was very well thought out: it’s one of my favourites from the paranormal genre and it seems to me that a lot of time and effort must have gone into setting up the system and all its various rules. This is expended on more in the second book, if I remember correctly, but it’s a good introduction. There were some things that Amanusa seemed to just know instinctively about the intricacies of her magic; I’m not entirely sure how I feel about this, especially when she often has to have the basics explained to her. Despite this, I still liked the rides that these vents took me on as a reader.
The main threat in this novel is the fact that women have been excluded from the magical community for so long that some men are willing to go to any lengths necessary to prevent a woman from practising any of the magical fields. On top of this, there are hundreds of years’ worth of bad rumours about just how sorcery works – the most popular of these being that the blood used to channel the spells is stolen from innocent victims – making this lost form of magic the most feared. This presents Amanusa with many hurdles to overcome - with both supporters who want to welcome the return of sorcery and others who would rather see her killed, so reviled is her school of magic. The reader knows that all blood used to channel magic must be given freely and that it is only with this, blood of the innocents that has been shed by another, or with her own blood (this one’s a secret, though, so shush!) that a sorceress can work. But prejudices prevail and it was amusing to read about Amanusa’s frustrations with these people.
The relationship was of my favourite kinds: one allowed to evolve slowly from resigned acceptance, to like, to trust, to love. Jax, despite his sordid past, made for the type of hero a girl will root for and both of the characters had to face their own demons and overcome their fears before anything could come of it all.
As for the secondary characters, Elinor’s dogged determinations and Harry’s desire to set the world back to rights both appealed to me. Grey I wasn’t so sure about as the character presented here contradicted with the hero that I remember from Heart’s Blood. Crow made for a good non-human character, though I wish his role had been explained and that he’d been used more.
I now find myself wanted to dig through my boxes of read books to unearth Heart’s Blood. I’m sure that I missed things the first time around and that would lend the story another dimension now that I’ve read New Blood. In fact, I think I’ll do just that and make Heart’s Blood a December read!
November 16, 2010
I can’t remember where I heard about this book, but it stuck in my head until I saw it at a traveling book shop, so I snagged it – especially after attending a steampunk panel and finding it on a list of steampunk books! The writing is both modern and period in that it is easy to read but also relates to the alternate time period in a way that is not altogether anachronistic – but organic.
The Setting – is in an alternate 19th Century Europe where magic in its four forms has had a leg hacked off two hundred years ago. It is a rich world of magic and history. The story begins in the Austrian Empire where women are denied the power of magic, and travels to Paris where a woman may practice magic, though she may not be readily accepted as the characters show us. The steampunk elements come into play mostly where the magic dead zones come into play. I won’t spoil the surprise, but it has me curious about what continues to happen in Heart’s Blood.
The Characters – will make you fall in love with them. The book opens from the viewpoint of Jax, finally at the end of his search when he meets Amanusa for the first time. He is a man who has lived beyond his years, bound into service that will continue until he is no longer of use. Amanusa is a woman ridden with a terrible history. It’s very hard for me to read books that feature rape and abuse as plot devices, but the way it is handled in New Blood is touching. I really, really, really liked how the characters spent months together in Austria, then traveling and in Paris before they actually fell in love with each other. It was a slow process; none of that instant clicking or primal urges kicking off a whirlwind romance that culminates in a coupling a few hours later and a wedding the next day. Jax and Amanusa grow as people together in the story, and that’s what will have me rereading it in months to come.
The Plot – is wrapped up in Amanusa’s future and the dead zones. As the last blood sorceress, Amanusa must learn things and not always in an easy way. She has to struggle with her own conscience and doing things in such a way that sit right with her morally – which totally throw Jax for a loop. It’s rather cute. The magical dead zones I assume branch over into the next book since they are not erased in this book, though thanks to Amanusa there is an immediate solution at hand. I liked how New Blood didn’t have just one plot; there were several. It was as much about the characters journeys and the difficulties they faced as the threat to magic in their world.
Read it. Really, you’ll love it. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve read it to-date…
The Setting – is in an alternate 19th Century Europe where magic in its four forms has had a leg hacked off two hundred years ago. It is a rich world of magic and history. The story begins in the Austrian Empire where women are denied the power of magic, and travels to Paris where a woman may practice magic, though she may not be readily accepted as the characters show us. The steampunk elements come into play mostly where the magic dead zones come into play. I won’t spoil the surprise, but it has me curious about what continues to happen in Heart’s Blood.
The Characters – will make you fall in love with them. The book opens from the viewpoint of Jax, finally at the end of his search when he meets Amanusa for the first time. He is a man who has lived beyond his years, bound into service that will continue until he is no longer of use. Amanusa is a woman ridden with a terrible history. It’s very hard for me to read books that feature rape and abuse as plot devices, but the way it is handled in New Blood is touching. I really, really, really liked how the characters spent months together in Austria, then traveling and in Paris before they actually fell in love with each other. It was a slow process; none of that instant clicking or primal urges kicking off a whirlwind romance that culminates in a coupling a few hours later and a wedding the next day. Jax and Amanusa grow as people together in the story, and that’s what will have me rereading it in months to come.
The Plot – is wrapped up in Amanusa’s future and the dead zones. As the last blood sorceress, Amanusa must learn things and not always in an easy way. She has to struggle with her own conscience and doing things in such a way that sit right with her morally – which totally throw Jax for a loop. It’s rather cute. The magical dead zones I assume branch over into the next book since they are not erased in this book, though thanks to Amanusa there is an immediate solution at hand. I liked how New Blood didn’t have just one plot; there were several. It was as much about the characters journeys and the difficulties they faced as the threat to magic in their world.
Read it. Really, you’ll love it. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve read it to-date…
July 10, 2011
It was a little slow at first but got better as it went along. I wasn't crazy about the ending and I felt the big confession between the hero and heroine wasn't as big as I wanted to to be. However the world building and characters were fantastic and it was still really good despite my complaints.
January 30, 2010
I am a fan of good paranormal romances. New Blood by Gail Dayton goes on my favorites shelf. Set in the 1800's where magic is common place New Blood follows Jax and Amanusa as they travel on a journey filled with danger and discovery. New Blood is a great start to a new paranormal series.
February 25, 2009
This was my first novel by Gail Dayton and I thought it was fantastic.
It's not my normal genre but still I found it very compelling.
It's not my normal genre but still I found it very compelling.
October 7, 2020
I've read this once before, a long time ago. It's better on the reread. A lot of things I didn't follow, or fully absorb, on the first read fit into place this time around. (I had read books 1 & 2, but not 3 since it wasn't published until much later. So I'm reading 1 & 2 again before moving on to 3.)
The 5 stars are all for the amazing magical lore and world-building. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The one-dimensionality of some of the males was off-putting. Most men aren't misogynist butt-wipe$. Neither are men perfect monogamous angels giving off soul-warming rays of unconditional love and support at all times. There's a lot of man-hate going on in this novel. The Me who read this book back in 2010 would have loved it and nodded along. Thankfully, I've grown since. Evil isn't gendered. Some of the worst pieces of 💩 I've come across personally are women, and I've suffered badly at their hands (vile gossip, backstabbing, user behaviour...etc.). And men tend to crowd prisons and feature a lot more often on violent-offender lists. Conclusion: Humans suck 🍑 in general, so no need to hate exclusively on any one gender. Be like me, an equal-opportunity hater!! 😉😉
So, yes, I didn't like the stereotypes. It was toxic.
Finally, I LOVE THE COVER. I always have. It's what made me pick up the novel in the first place at the bookstore. It's campy, but in a super cool way. I ❤️ it, so reviewers throwing shade at it upsets me. 😒
The 5 stars are all for the amazing magical lore and world-building. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The one-dimensionality of some of the males was off-putting. Most men aren't misogynist butt-wipe$. Neither are men perfect monogamous angels giving off soul-warming rays of unconditional love and support at all times. There's a lot of man-hate going on in this novel. The Me who read this book back in 2010 would have loved it and nodded along. Thankfully, I've grown since. Evil isn't gendered. Some of the worst pieces of 💩 I've come across personally are women, and I've suffered badly at their hands (vile gossip, backstabbing, user behaviour...etc.). And men tend to crowd prisons and feature a lot more often on violent-offender lists. Conclusion: Humans suck 🍑 in general, so no need to hate exclusively on any one gender. Be like me, an equal-opportunity hater!! 😉😉
So, yes, I didn't like the stereotypes. It was toxic.
Finally, I LOVE THE COVER. I always have. It's what made me pick up the novel in the first place at the bookstore. It's campy, but in a super cool way. I ❤️ it, so reviewers throwing shade at it upsets me. 😒
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 14, 2023
**I recommend checking the trigger warnings before starting, but the upsetting topics are discussed in a very respectful way.**
Very cool premise! Even if romance isn’t typically a genre you read, definitely give this book a read! The world-building is thorough without running on, and the universe Dayton created is fascinating.
Very cool premise! Even if romance isn’t typically a genre you read, definitely give this book a read! The world-building is thorough without running on, and the universe Dayton created is fascinating.
May 12, 2019
Jack 😍😍
Read
April 11, 2021Didn't even make it past the second page.
April 23, 2022
I'll give this a 3.5. I liked the concept a lot and then the sexy came and then the book kept going for 100 pages too long.
September 11, 2019
Not for me
December 22, 2008
A good start to, I’m hoping, a new series.
Jax has been looking endlessly for the previous blood sorceress’s successor, one who would unleash the knowledge Yvaine had stored in his mind, the magic in his body.
Amanusa lost her family at a very young age, was raped and beated repeatedly since, and has lost a huge chunk of herself. When Jax approaches, she doesn’t believe him and sends him on his way, for a woman in Romania is forbidden to perform any sort of magic. Jax has to find a way to convince Amanusa that she is a blood sorceress, and when she unknowingly uses the biggest of spells against the men who hurt her, killing them, she has no choice now but to flee to France with Jax.
Between “dead zones” and having to dodge those would wish them dead, arriving in France should be a means of safety. But none of it ends there. From performing magic to contain a “dead zone” from becoming bigger, to being face to face with the one man, above all others, who want her dead, Amanuza and Jax face their biggest threat and challenge yet.
I’d have to agree with new_user’s review (to read her review, see all reviews in GoodReads under this title.) The relationship between Jax and Amanusa builds slowly, with Amanusa needing to learn how to trust a man. Period. Jax learns that Amanusa is in no way like Yvaine, who treated him as most treated servants. Amanusa treats him with more kindness than he even believes he deserves.
Watching their relationship grow was, I think, the highest point in the book. They learn about themselves as well as each other, and it grows from trust, grudgingly to love, until both realize they can’t live without the other, regardless of a blood bond. What they feel is incredibly much deeper, and both deserve to feel that way. And Amanusa teeters on that fine line between justice and revenge.
I did find that the scene at the rebellion camp to be a bit much - it lasted way too long, and I feared that the entire book was going to play out there. While I could understand that their journey through “dead zones” were played out to keep themselves alive, I wished there was more sexual tension between Amanusa and Jax, especially on her part. Knowing what had happened to her until Jax came along, I wanted to see a bigger fight of her feeling towards Jax in that aspect, not just her heart and mind.
And while I could understand that, in the past, women had a much bigger fight to being equal to men, in all aspects and not just magic, I thing her speach at the end was a little overdone. I think the story would have been just as good with a shorter speech.
And the “dead zones”. I really liked that twist. How not just magic, but life, seems to be sucked away until there is nothing left except mechanical machines that want to destroy everything that crosses their path, and that seem to be created by something other than man; no bolts, nuts, soldering are keeping them together. They are seemless . While all sorts of magicks and spells are worked to contain the zones, it took Amanusa’s blood magic to combine them, to make the containment spell work.
All in all, I enjoyed the story and I sure do hope that this is the beginning of a series. I’d snag the second book, just to see what else Amanusa learns of her magic and more about the “dead zones”, like who, how and what created them. Ms. Dayton, I look forward to reading more from you!
Jax has been looking endlessly for the previous blood sorceress’s successor, one who would unleash the knowledge Yvaine had stored in his mind, the magic in his body.
Amanusa lost her family at a very young age, was raped and beated repeatedly since, and has lost a huge chunk of herself. When Jax approaches, she doesn’t believe him and sends him on his way, for a woman in Romania is forbidden to perform any sort of magic. Jax has to find a way to convince Amanusa that she is a blood sorceress, and when she unknowingly uses the biggest of spells against the men who hurt her, killing them, she has no choice now but to flee to France with Jax.
Between “dead zones” and having to dodge those would wish them dead, arriving in France should be a means of safety. But none of it ends there. From performing magic to contain a “dead zone” from becoming bigger, to being face to face with the one man, above all others, who want her dead, Amanuza and Jax face their biggest threat and challenge yet.
I’d have to agree with new_user’s review (to read her review, see all reviews in GoodReads under this title.) The relationship between Jax and Amanusa builds slowly, with Amanusa needing to learn how to trust a man. Period. Jax learns that Amanusa is in no way like Yvaine, who treated him as most treated servants. Amanusa treats him with more kindness than he even believes he deserves.
Watching their relationship grow was, I think, the highest point in the book. They learn about themselves as well as each other, and it grows from trust, grudgingly to love, until both realize they can’t live without the other, regardless of a blood bond. What they feel is incredibly much deeper, and both deserve to feel that way. And Amanusa teeters on that fine line between justice and revenge.
I did find that the scene at the rebellion camp to be a bit much - it lasted way too long, and I feared that the entire book was going to play out there. While I could understand that their journey through “dead zones” were played out to keep themselves alive, I wished there was more sexual tension between Amanusa and Jax, especially on her part. Knowing what had happened to her until Jax came along, I wanted to see a bigger fight of her feeling towards Jax in that aspect, not just her heart and mind.
And while I could understand that, in the past, women had a much bigger fight to being equal to men, in all aspects and not just magic, I thing her speach at the end was a little overdone. I think the story would have been just as good with a shorter speech.
And the “dead zones”. I really liked that twist. How not just magic, but life, seems to be sucked away until there is nothing left except mechanical machines that want to destroy everything that crosses their path, and that seem to be created by something other than man; no bolts, nuts, soldering are keeping them together. They are seemless . While all sorts of magicks and spells are worked to contain the zones, it took Amanusa’s blood magic to combine them, to make the containment spell work.
All in all, I enjoyed the story and I sure do hope that this is the beginning of a series. I’d snag the second book, just to see what else Amanusa learns of her magic and more about the “dead zones”, like who, how and what created them. Ms. Dayton, I look forward to reading more from you!
August 13, 2013
It took me a lot of time to start reading this book thanks to the hideous cover. I know I shouldn't judge the book by its cover, but every time I thought of reading it, the colourful monstrosity made me change my mind. I mean, look at it!
First of all, I've decided to read this because it was labelled steampunk. I have no idea why. The only steampunkish things were some mechanical critters (not steam powered). The rest of the book is a fantasy historical romance set in alternative time - Europe in nineteen century, but with magic councils. There are no steam-powered airships, no machinery of that kind at all. The means of transportation can be found in any historical romance/adventure - plain old trains, river boats and carriages. So honestly I have no idea why I would put this on steampunk shelf.
There are four great magics in this world (alchemy, conjury, wizardry and blood sorcery) and the first three have their representatives and their councils. The fourth being female magic is forbidden. The last blood sorceress was burnt by ignorant mob two hundred years before. They did not manage to kill her blood servant Jax. He was sent to find her successor and the story starts with the words "I know you're in there" after the one he has been searching for sensed him in the woods.
Amanusa lives alone in an isolated cottage and is occasionally forced to help the rebels. The same people who hurt her and her family a few years before. I would prefer if we actually got to see some of the memories of her family, so when she gets her justice, we could be satisfied. The way it is, I was only satisfied because I like the character.
Amanusa and Jax are forced to run across Europe from the Hungarian Inquisition after she used the blood magic for the first time. They have to pass through anti-magic and anti-life zones (origin unknown) while at the same time fighting century old prejudices.
I liked how the romance was done here. It is slow, really slow, but understandable after you read what happened to them in the past. Jax is a wonderful, loyal, fierce protector and I can't find a single logical reason why the author couldn't give him a better name. This one is childish. Maybe we weren't supposed to take him seriously. Even with that silly name, he comes out as an awesome character. I love the characters Amanusa and Jax met later in the book too.
The ending doesn't have a cliffhanger, but it leaves an opening since more serious things than their running across Europe were introduced and weren't resolved. I guess it could be in the following books.
First of all, I've decided to read this because it was labelled steampunk. I have no idea why. The only steampunkish things were some mechanical critters (not steam powered). The rest of the book is a fantasy historical romance set in alternative time - Europe in nineteen century, but with magic councils. There are no steam-powered airships, no machinery of that kind at all. The means of transportation can be found in any historical romance/adventure - plain old trains, river boats and carriages. So honestly I have no idea why I would put this on steampunk shelf.
There are four great magics in this world (alchemy, conjury, wizardry and blood sorcery) and the first three have their representatives and their councils. The fourth being female magic is forbidden. The last blood sorceress was burnt by ignorant mob two hundred years before. They did not manage to kill her blood servant Jax. He was sent to find her successor and the story starts with the words "I know you're in there" after the one he has been searching for sensed him in the woods.
Amanusa lives alone in an isolated cottage and is occasionally forced to help the rebels. The same people who hurt her and her family a few years before. I would prefer if we actually got to see some of the memories of her family, so when she gets her justice, we could be satisfied. The way it is, I was only satisfied because I like the character.
Amanusa and Jax are forced to run across Europe from the Hungarian Inquisition after she used the blood magic for the first time. They have to pass through anti-magic and anti-life zones (origin unknown) while at the same time fighting century old prejudices.
I liked how the romance was done here. It is slow, really slow, but understandable after you read what happened to them in the past. Jax is a wonderful, loyal, fierce protector and I can't find a single logical reason why the author couldn't give him a better name. This one is childish. Maybe we weren't supposed to take him seriously. Even with that silly name, he comes out as an awesome character. I love the characters Amanusa and Jax met later in the book too.
The ending doesn't have a cliffhanger, but it leaves an opening since more serious things than their running across Europe were introduced and weren't resolved. I guess it could be in the following books.
August 4, 2016
Random thoughts:
The first chapters were lovely. Made me expect much more than was ultimately delivered.
I loved that the first description of the heroine is that she is strong.
Most sensual and arousing finger licking in the history of finger licking.
Also loved the fact that we see the characters bonding through the course of many weeks. The plot devices used for this needed to be more transparent.
I liked the tentative way in which sexual assault survivors were written.
I did not like that the sex scene of the book was written in a sensual way to titillate the reader while comparing and contrasting every move the male character did with that of Amanusa's rapists.
I also didn't like that from the start I knew that there was going to be a public display of how she was raped and abused, in front of important people so she can be exonerated for her alleged crimes. It is a trope we often see in such books and is one that really annoys me.
It skipped and skimmed though important parts of the plot but made sure to reference every wardrobe change, every touch of hands, in detail.
The evil characters were caricatures obsessed with hurting the heroine just because.
Character consistency was nonexistent. The heroine is from a village in Romania but all she needs to be able to blend in high society is just a new dress. She truly is a Mary Sue.
The sexism is over the top absurd. It's ridiculous to think that high society men, even in an alternate reality of the late 19th century, would shout at a woman they just met that she is a whore, while in the presence of other respectable gents.
Again the trope of writing everyone as shitty a person as possible so the heroine can shine.
What about the freaking dead zones then?
Wow I just read 500 pages in a day. I suppose this speaks in favor of the book.
Don't know if I'll read the rest. I'm glad to see they focus on other couples but i heard that the dead zone thing lies still unsolved by the end of the second book.
The first chapters were lovely. Made me expect much more than was ultimately delivered.
I loved that the first description of the heroine is that she is strong.
Most sensual and arousing finger licking in the history of finger licking.
Also loved the fact that we see the characters bonding through the course of many weeks. The plot devices used for this needed to be more transparent.
I liked the tentative way in which sexual assault survivors were written.
I did not like that the sex scene of the book was written in a sensual way to titillate the reader while comparing and contrasting every move the male character did with that of Amanusa's rapists.
I also didn't like that from the start I knew that there was going to be a public display of how she was raped and abused, in front of important people so she can be exonerated for her alleged crimes. It is a trope we often see in such books and is one that really annoys me.
It skipped and skimmed though important parts of the plot but made sure to reference every wardrobe change, every touch of hands, in detail.
The evil characters were caricatures obsessed with hurting the heroine just because.
Character consistency was nonexistent. The heroine is from a village in Romania but all she needs to be able to blend in high society is just a new dress. She truly is a Mary Sue.
The sexism is over the top absurd. It's ridiculous to think that high society men, even in an alternate reality of the late 19th century, would shout at a woman they just met that she is a whore, while in the presence of other respectable gents.
Again the trope of writing everyone as shitty a person as possible so the heroine can shine.
What about the freaking dead zones then?
Wow I just read 500 pages in a day. I suppose this speaks in favor of the book.
Don't know if I'll read the rest. I'm glad to see they focus on other couples but i heard that the dead zone thing lies still unsolved by the end of the second book.
April 7, 2025
Amanusa has lived a quiet life, using her magic as quietly as possible to avoid defection from the law. Although it’s illegal for a woman to practice magic, she has an arrangement with a resistance military force to help wounded soldiers. The same soldiers who raped her and killed her family, but she is stuck in a fragile position so she can’t say no.
One day, a tall/burly man comes to her small home with a very important message. She is destined to be a Blood Sorceresses apprentice, the same sorceress who owns Jax, the man who has come to teach her how to use said magic. Obviously, the man is tortured by memory loss and his enslavement to the dead sorceress but Amanusa doesn’t want anything to do with him or the magic teachings he brings. It’s not that simple to turn him away though, Jax is bound to her in the same way he was bound to one before and now Amanusa has herself a servant.
At first, she was hesitant to accept his teachings, but with blood magic – she can get revenge on those who wronged her. She can also change her life, get out of this horrible land and become a strong woman whom will not let anyone treat her ill again. And Jax has become much more then a servant, he’s become a lover and a husband. But the misunderstanding of woman magic and blood magic in particular remains a threat by those who seek to put an end to Amanusa and Jax.
I liked this book but it was so long and honestly, I felt like it took forever to end. Yes, the characters are pleasure and entertaining but the overall story is boring and there was a lot of time when nothing actually happening. I can’t say I’m not happy to have this book come to an end.
One day, a tall/burly man comes to her small home with a very important message. She is destined to be a Blood Sorceresses apprentice, the same sorceress who owns Jax, the man who has come to teach her how to use said magic. Obviously, the man is tortured by memory loss and his enslavement to the dead sorceress but Amanusa doesn’t want anything to do with him or the magic teachings he brings. It’s not that simple to turn him away though, Jax is bound to her in the same way he was bound to one before and now Amanusa has herself a servant.
At first, she was hesitant to accept his teachings, but with blood magic – she can get revenge on those who wronged her. She can also change her life, get out of this horrible land and become a strong woman whom will not let anyone treat her ill again. And Jax has become much more then a servant, he’s become a lover and a husband. But the misunderstanding of woman magic and blood magic in particular remains a threat by those who seek to put an end to Amanusa and Jax.
I liked this book but it was so long and honestly, I felt like it took forever to end. Yes, the characters are pleasure and entertaining but the overall story is boring and there was a lot of time when nothing actually happening. I can’t say I’m not happy to have this book come to an end.
February 9, 2013
Everyone knows how much I love alternate history, so I'm surprised and slightly disappointed in myself that it took this long for me to read this book. It was sitting right there on my shelf, and I've had it for almost two years. I found out about it through a Smart Bitches, Trashy Books review:
http://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/bl...
...and SBTB hasn't led me wrong yet. Well, almost never. Captured was a terrible betrayal, but it was a guest review. I still trust Sarah and Candy with all my reading minutes.
The writing in this felt a tiny bit simplistic and antiquated, which isn't necessarily a bad thing -- it lent itself to the setting very well.
My one big complaint is that Amanusa goes from "I will never be a blood sorceress!" to "Listen to me I am the best blood sorceress in the world!" with lightning speed. This is the only reason the book got 4 stars instead of five, but clearly it bothered me enough for me to drop an entire star. The further you get into the book, the more she harps on the fact that she's Teh Coolest Blood Sorceress EVAR. And how she attained these powers in two months is completely beyond me.
Still, that's a gripe that doesn't really relate to how awesome the world is, or how relatable the characters are. It's hard to write a relatable character, and even harder to write a relatable character who is carrying enough baggage to drop three pack mules.
And I will be jumping on the next in the series as soon as it's out.
http://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/bl...
...and SBTB hasn't led me wrong yet. Well, almost never. Captured was a terrible betrayal, but it was a guest review. I still trust Sarah and Candy with all my reading minutes.
The writing in this felt a tiny bit simplistic and antiquated, which isn't necessarily a bad thing -- it lent itself to the setting very well.
My one big complaint is that Amanusa goes from "I will never be a blood sorceress!" to "Listen to me I am the best blood sorceress in the world!" with lightning speed. This is the only reason the book got 4 stars instead of five, but clearly it bothered me enough for me to drop an entire star. The further you get into the book, the more she harps on the fact that she's Teh Coolest Blood Sorceress EVAR. And how she attained these powers in two months is completely beyond me.
Still, that's a gripe that doesn't really relate to how awesome the world is, or how relatable the characters are. It's hard to write a relatable character, and even harder to write a relatable character who is carrying enough baggage to drop three pack mules.
And I will be jumping on the next in the series as soon as it's out.
June 9, 2009
I really, really liked this book, but it felt unfinished. I was absolutely entranced by the first half of the book; I loved both of the main characters and thought their interactions were fascinating. And then they got to Paris and I started to lose interest. Their interaction outside of society was so much more interesting than when they were trying to fit in, and while I really enjoyed this book, I feel like it kind of fell flat toward the end. The end itself just felt… unfinished, as if there should have been about fifty more pages to resolve the dead zone plotline. I’m guessing that there will be a sequel at some point in the future, and I will definitely read it, but I wish this one had either finished things up a bit more or left off with a better cliffhanger.
As I said, the characters are fascinating and very likable, but once they move out of a kill-or-be-killed situation back into civilization, they lost some of the spark that interested me so much at the beginning. I think my favorite thing about this book, though, is the worldbuilding. Dayton has created an alternate Victorian age infused with magic; I loved the interplay between the various magical guilds, and her explanation of how magic works is extremely cool.
As I said, the characters are fascinating and very likable, but once they move out of a kill-or-be-killed situation back into civilization, they lost some of the spark that interested me so much at the beginning. I think my favorite thing about this book, though, is the worldbuilding. Dayton has created an alternate Victorian age infused with magic; I loved the interplay between the various magical guilds, and her explanation of how magic works is extremely cool.
January 2, 2014
The blood magic was very interesting, as was the world Dayton created in New Blood. In fact I found both those two things more interesting than the characters. Not that Amanusa and Jax were uninteresting. They both had good character arcs, realistic flaws and issues. I just somehow felt they were less interesting than the very alternative history/world. This might be because the author is actually starting a series and thus needs to build up the world.
Anyway, over all a fairly enjoyable read. It wasn’t quite a true romance, even though that clearly is part of it, neither was it really fully an Alternate History/ Historical Fantasy book. It was just kind of a pleasant blend of them, which so worked for me.
Quite eager to read book nr. 2, Heart’s Blood to see how Dayton further explores this very cool world. Hopefully it will be as enjoyable as the first one, I'm also excited because it's set in London (I’m a big sucker for London) and has Gray for a main character!
Anyway, over all a fairly enjoyable read. It wasn’t quite a true romance, even though that clearly is part of it, neither was it really fully an Alternate History/ Historical Fantasy book. It was just kind of a pleasant blend of them, which so worked for me.
Quite eager to read book nr. 2, Heart’s Blood to see how Dayton further explores this very cool world. Hopefully it will be as enjoyable as the first one, I'm also excited because it's set in London (I’m a big sucker for London) and has Gray for a main character!
January 14, 2014
This book didn't quite work for me. There were two major issues. First, it moved a bit too slow. We were almost 25% through the book before anything really started happening.
My second problem is that while the real "bad guy" of the story (the dead zones) seemed very interesting, they weren't given nearly as much attention as the human bad guys, who were really, really annoying to me. I hate villains that are so focused on being stereotypes, they fail to show any use of logic or thought. I also dislike having social commentary shoved down my throat, which is what this book felt like to me. The men fell into three categories; evil woman-hater, subservient or outcast buffoon who *gasp* felt like women might actually be worth something after all. After yet another speech on how women were fragile, innocent, evil people who can't handle/be trusted with magic, I was done. However, someone that isn't as oversensitive as I am may still find this an enjoyable book.
My second problem is that while the real "bad guy" of the story (the dead zones) seemed very interesting, they weren't given nearly as much attention as the human bad guys, who were really, really annoying to me. I hate villains that are so focused on being stereotypes, they fail to show any use of logic or thought. I also dislike having social commentary shoved down my throat, which is what this book felt like to me. The men fell into three categories; evil woman-hater, subservient or outcast buffoon who *gasp* felt like women might actually be worth something after all. After yet another speech on how women were fragile, innocent, evil people who can't handle/be trusted with magic, I was done. However, someone that isn't as oversensitive as I am may still find this an enjoyable book.
November 30, 2010
Disturbing cover but excellent tale. Gradual unfolding of the tale of the last blood sorceress who has been tracked down by a man who has been bound to deliver the knowledge of her apprenticeship when his previous mistress was killed. Interesting conceit that previous sorceress lived so long in the past that most of current beliefs about her art are not necessarily accurate and she is able to use the man to communicate with her apprentice even though she is actually long dead. Another alternate European geography tale with mysterious dead zones, mechanical enemies with a bit of anomalous behavior (why do they rot rather than fall apart?) and other questionable areas but intriguing premises.
January 24, 2011
So a stranger shows up and insists that you're a blood witch with a huge inheritance waiting for you back in England, what would you do? Probably what this character does but eventually the stranger makes his point and the plot rolls on into the reawakening of lost magic, the learning of a new craft, a solution to a threat to magic in Europe and lots of other magicians yelling criticism and surprise. It starts out a simple story of two people finding each other and learning to trust one another and turns into a giant organization with evil villains, kidnappings and conspiracies that must be thwarted while desperately running through the streets of Paris. There's some hot and heavy scenes too.
February 23, 2017
****Received as a prize from a contest from Tor.com****
Solid writing and believable characters bring life to this novel. The main protagonists, Jax and Amanusa, are easy to understand and admire, despite the trying circumstances they keep finding themselves in.
My only complaints are three unanswered plot points:
1) What is Crow, besides a convenient plot device at times?
2) What are the dead zones and the mechanical creatures that call them home?
3) Why are previous blood sorceresses described as having been consumed by their magic when other magic user types do not seem to have this problem?
I can only assume (and hope) these loose plot threads are tied up later in the series.
Solid writing and believable characters bring life to this novel. The main protagonists, Jax and Amanusa, are easy to understand and admire, despite the trying circumstances they keep finding themselves in.
My only complaints are three unanswered plot points:
1) What is Crow, besides a convenient plot device at times?
2) What are the dead zones and the mechanical creatures that call them home?
3) Why are previous blood sorceresses described as having been consumed by their magic when other magic user types do not seem to have this problem?
I can only assume (and hope) these loose plot threads are tied up later in the series.
January 31, 2010
This book was incredible. I loved it. So original. If you like fantasy or magic and especially if you are looking for something different, you have to read this. It's classified as Steampunk. It fits the time period and the social commentary; it's focused on the way women are treated. It has machines in it but they are featured in the in book in a very unusual way. But if you like Steampunk or fantasy I think you should read this. It is a romance but the heat level is very low as fits the characters and the story. I highly reccomend this book.
May 6, 2009
I find that I am not big on romance books as much as I used to be. That said, I loved this book! It is listed as a paranomal romance by the publisher, but I found to be much more than that. It mixes magic, with our reality, setting it in the 1860's. I understand that this is called steampunk, and it covers any book set in the industrial age. I loved the mix, the mystery, and I am waiting impatiently for Gail to write the next book in the series.
May 16, 2012
Ok so the beginning was quite sudden, but I don't think her decision was as random as a lot of the other reviews say. It's just the unfortunate affect of not enough background information from the beginning. However, once the book gets rolling I really enjoyed it. I think it's a very origional story line, though the romance does become a little stiffling towards the end. "New Blood" made an entertaining read for the beginning of my summer :)
April 7, 2009
My feelings for this book drastically waivered chapter to chapter. I enjoyed the first half much more than the second half. I felt that most of the character development was slightly over the top and at times, the characters' actions were confusing or information was abruptly provided. Yet I am happy I read this book and will read others if the series continues.
May 29, 2009
Often paranormal romances slight the fantasy for the romance. This book didn't I wanted to know more about the world, blood sorcery, and the dead zones as much as I wanted to see how the relationship between the hero and heroine would turn out. I hope this grows into a series; I'm looking forward to reading more.
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