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Blood Trilogy #2
Blood Like Ours
In this chilling follow-up to Blood Like Mine by “Stephen King’s true heir” (Will Dean), one mother faces the ultimate supernatural the monster she must become to protect her child.
El Paso, Rebecca Carter awoke on a morgue table with only two to find her daughter, Moonflower; and to sate her gnawing hunger. Rebecca sets out on a desperate quest, fighting her murderous craving for blood, and pursued by a vengeful FBI agent.
Alone in the wild, Monica Carter survives on whatever small prey she can hunt down. But she needs more. One night, a young man lures her through the mountain scrub with the scent of human blood, promising he and his little brother will feed her and keep her safe. Somehow these brothers know her nickname—Moonflower—and the truth of what she is. She needs them—but can she trust them?
When FBI Special Agent Sarah McGrath learns that Rebecca Carter’s body has disappeared from the morgue, she’s on the next plane to El Paso. Rebecca is responsible for the death of her partner, and McGrath wants answers, but she never expected them to come from a shadowy figure within the Bureau . . .
In this breathtaking follow-up to Blood Like Mine, Stuart Neville, “Stephen King’s rightful heir” (Will Dean), brings to life the ultimate a mother who has been separated from her daughter, and who can stop at nothing to be reunited.
El Paso, Rebecca Carter awoke on a morgue table with only two to find her daughter, Moonflower; and to sate her gnawing hunger. Rebecca sets out on a desperate quest, fighting her murderous craving for blood, and pursued by a vengeful FBI agent.
Alone in the wild, Monica Carter survives on whatever small prey she can hunt down. But she needs more. One night, a young man lures her through the mountain scrub with the scent of human blood, promising he and his little brother will feed her and keep her safe. Somehow these brothers know her nickname—Moonflower—and the truth of what she is. She needs them—but can she trust them?
When FBI Special Agent Sarah McGrath learns that Rebecca Carter’s body has disappeared from the morgue, she’s on the next plane to El Paso. Rebecca is responsible for the death of her partner, and McGrath wants answers, but she never expected them to come from a shadowy figure within the Bureau . . .
In this breathtaking follow-up to Blood Like Mine, Stuart Neville, “Stephen King’s rightful heir” (Will Dean), brings to life the ultimate a mother who has been separated from her daughter, and who can stop at nothing to be reunited.
356 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 28, 2025
41 people are currently reading
523 people want to read
About the author
Stuart Neville
39 books1,036 followersI have been a musician, a composer, a teacher, a salesman, a film extra, a baker and a hand double for a well known Irish comedian, but I'm currently a partner in a successful multimedia design business in the wilds of Northern Ireland.
I have published short stories in Thuglit, Electric Spec and Every Day Fiction. THE TWELVE is my first novel, and will be published in the UK and Commonwealth by Harvill Secker, an imprint of Random House, on July 2nd 2009. It will be published in the USA as THE GHOSTS OF BELFAST by Soho Press, New York, and by Random House Kodansha in Japan.
I have published short stories in Thuglit, Electric Spec and Every Day Fiction. THE TWELVE is my first novel, and will be published in the UK and Commonwealth by Harvill Secker, an imprint of Random House, on July 2nd 2009. It will be published in the USA as THE GHOSTS OF BELFAST by Soho Press, New York, and by Random House Kodansha in Japan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
November 10, 2025
4 ⭐️
This is book two of The Blood Trilogy and they really need to be read in order. I also recommend skipping the synopsis of this one unless you have read book one because it contains spoilers.
This series is so good! I should have paced myself knowing I will have to wait for the final book to be written, but I have zero self control and devoured it in a day.
Blood Like Ours picks up right where book one left off, but this time we have dual timelines. We are introduced to a new character in the 1993 timeline, and it is fascinating to see how that thread ties into the events of 2023. There is so much I want to say but cannot without giving too much away. After finishing book one, I knew I had to read this one and was glad I didn’t have to wait long. One thing I love about Neville’s writing is how well developed his characters are. Once again, I found myself rooting for both Moonflower and Rebecca as well as FBI Special Agent Sarah McGrath. I especially love Rebecca’s fierce protectiveness of her daughter. With the way this one ended, I am going to need Mr. Neville to hurry up and finish the last book.
I listened to the audiobook, which was narrated by Elisabeth Rodgers and Caroline Lennon, and both did a great job giving the characters their own distinct voices.
Available now. Many thanks to RBmedia and NetGalley for my ALC 🎧.
This is book two of The Blood Trilogy and they really need to be read in order. I also recommend skipping the synopsis of this one unless you have read book one because it contains spoilers.
This series is so good! I should have paced myself knowing I will have to wait for the final book to be written, but I have zero self control and devoured it in a day.
Blood Like Ours picks up right where book one left off, but this time we have dual timelines. We are introduced to a new character in the 1993 timeline, and it is fascinating to see how that thread ties into the events of 2023. There is so much I want to say but cannot without giving too much away. After finishing book one, I knew I had to read this one and was glad I didn’t have to wait long. One thing I love about Neville’s writing is how well developed his characters are. Once again, I found myself rooting for both Moonflower and Rebecca as well as FBI Special Agent Sarah McGrath. I especially love Rebecca’s fierce protectiveness of her daughter. With the way this one ended, I am going to need Mr. Neville to hurry up and finish the last book.
I listened to the audiobook, which was narrated by Elisabeth Rodgers and Caroline Lennon, and both did a great job giving the characters their own distinct voices.
Available now. Many thanks to RBmedia and NetGalley for my ALC 🎧.
October 30, 2025
Dark, addictive, gripping, horrific, chilling, and bloody good! Stuart Neville has delivered yet again! Blood Like Ours is the second book in the Blood Trilogy. I highly recommend reading the first book in the series, Blood Like Mine. It is fantastic and a MUST read prior to reading this fantastic and riveting book.
In Blood Like Ours, Rebecca Carter is desperately searching for her daughter, Moonflower, after waking up on a morgue table. Both Rebecca and Moonflower have hungers that need to be sated. Both are being pursued by a vengeful FBI Agent. The vengeful FBI agent is not the only threat to them in this book.
The less you know the better going into this book. But again, please read the first book in this trilogy prior to reading this book. Blood Like Ours blew me away and I continued to root for both Rebecca and Moonflower. This book is dark, deadly, horrific, and as I mentioned so bloody good! I listened to the audiobook and thought the narration was fantastic!
If you have not read a book by Stuart Neville before or the first book in this series and you love a good horror book, give Neville a read! Blood Like Ours has my wanting more and I can't wait to read what comes next!
Thank you to RBmedia | Recorded Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
In Blood Like Ours, Rebecca Carter is desperately searching for her daughter, Moonflower, after waking up on a morgue table. Both Rebecca and Moonflower have hungers that need to be sated. Both are being pursued by a vengeful FBI Agent. The vengeful FBI agent is not the only threat to them in this book.
The less you know the better going into this book. But again, please read the first book in this trilogy prior to reading this book. Blood Like Ours blew me away and I continued to root for both Rebecca and Moonflower. This book is dark, deadly, horrific, and as I mentioned so bloody good! I listened to the audiobook and thought the narration was fantastic!
If you have not read a book by Stuart Neville before or the first book in this series and you love a good horror book, give Neville a read! Blood Like Ours has my wanting more and I can't wait to read what comes next!
Thank you to RBmedia | Recorded Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
June 11, 2025
‼️ Banger Alert ‼️
My dear friends, this is the one I’ve been waiting for! The book that I thought about constantly this year. Be warned, this is the second book in a trilogy, the first book is Blood Like Mine. YOU MUST READ THE FIRST ONE FIRST, PERIOD! No ifs ands or buts. PERIOD.
The first book was about a mother and her daughter on the run. The mother will stop at nothing to keep her daughter alive. They are harboring a secret that could ruin them. When the first ended, something earth shattering happened. I, unfortunately, cannot tell you what that is.
My review has to be vague guys. No apologies necessary. This is a force to be reckoned with and you MUST READ IT! Blood Like Ours is even better than the first one! Someone from the networks, FOR THE LOVE OF GAWD, PLEASE ADAPT THIS FOR TV!!! PLEASE 😫😫
All the thanks in the world to Soho Press, Hell’s Hundred and Stuart Neville for my beautiful copy!!!
Expected publication date - 10/28/25
ALL THE ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ IN THE SKY
My dear friends, this is the one I’ve been waiting for! The book that I thought about constantly this year. Be warned, this is the second book in a trilogy, the first book is Blood Like Mine. YOU MUST READ THE FIRST ONE FIRST, PERIOD! No ifs ands or buts. PERIOD.
The first book was about a mother and her daughter on the run. The mother will stop at nothing to keep her daughter alive. They are harboring a secret that could ruin them. When the first ended, something earth shattering happened. I, unfortunately, cannot tell you what that is.
My review has to be vague guys. No apologies necessary. This is a force to be reckoned with and you MUST READ IT! Blood Like Ours is even better than the first one! Someone from the networks, FOR THE LOVE OF GAWD, PLEASE ADAPT THIS FOR TV!!! PLEASE 😫😫
All the thanks in the world to Soho Press, Hell’s Hundred and Stuart Neville for my beautiful copy!!!
Expected publication date - 10/28/25
ALL THE ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ IN THE SKY
December 10, 2025
A pretty good sequel! I don't often read series, but I made an exception for this one...
I won't say much for fear of spoilers, but the plot of this book was definitely unexpected lol. The writing was gripping (just like the first one) and is weirdly good at portraying desperation, making the reader feel similarly to the main characters
Definitely pick this up if you're interested, just make sure to read book one first 😛
I won't say much for fear of spoilers, but the plot of this book was definitely unexpected lol. The writing was gripping (just like the first one) and is weirdly good at portraying desperation, making the reader feel similarly to the main characters
Definitely pick this up if you're interested, just make sure to read book one first 😛
November 10, 2025
Not as good as the first one but still good..
July 31, 2025
You need to have read Blood Like Mine for the full experience of this, but Blood Like Ours takes us on a horrifying journey. Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review it before publication, and my mind is already whirring as to who/what will be the focus for book three.
Rebecca Carter has been shot by Agent Donner who died in the unofficial investigation. His partner, McGrath, knows she is on thin ice with some of the choices she made. So when another agent requests her help with locating people who have no reason to be alive she gets sucked into the obsession that killed off Donner.
The focus shifts between Rebecca, newly turned, and her daughter who has escaped and is picked up by two boys, like her in so many ways, who could prove very dangerous. The pacing builds nicely as we come to understand the nuances of these characters and the choices they have made. I was fascinated by the background we are given into Jacob and Willard, the two boys who chose this lifestyle, and am definitely curious to see how Neville chooses to continue the series.
Rebecca Carter has been shot by Agent Donner who died in the unofficial investigation. His partner, McGrath, knows she is on thin ice with some of the choices she made. So when another agent requests her help with locating people who have no reason to be alive she gets sucked into the obsession that killed off Donner.
The focus shifts between Rebecca, newly turned, and her daughter who has escaped and is picked up by two boys, like her in so many ways, who could prove very dangerous. The pacing builds nicely as we come to understand the nuances of these characters and the choices they have made. I was fascinated by the background we are given into Jacob and Willard, the two boys who chose this lifestyle, and am definitely curious to see how Neville chooses to continue the series.
November 2, 2025
Blood Like Ours is the second of three books in this trilogy, and 5 stars- just like the first. Honestly, I don’t recall where the first book left off, but I feel like this could’ve been read as a standalone. The fact that this book was so good, it makes me want to go back and re-read Blood Like Mine again, so I can read this one again!!
This multi-POV story gives further insight into the origin of Moonflower’s “condition”. Moonflower, her mom (Rachel), FBI special agent Sarah McGrath, and through the journal writings of an Irish woman working in Massachusetts, all bleed together to create this well rounded, well supported storyline that is like no other. Neville blurs the lines of morality in such an enjoyable way that it leaves the reader struggling to pick which side they’re on. The audio production for this book was spot on with no room for criticism.
Thank you NetGalley and RBmedia for this ALC!
This multi-POV story gives further insight into the origin of Moonflower’s “condition”. Moonflower, her mom (Rachel), FBI special agent Sarah McGrath, and through the journal writings of an Irish woman working in Massachusetts, all bleed together to create this well rounded, well supported storyline that is like no other. Neville blurs the lines of morality in such an enjoyable way that it leaves the reader struggling to pick which side they’re on. The audio production for this book was spot on with no room for criticism.
Thank you NetGalley and RBmedia for this ALC!
October 18, 2025
4.0 / 5.0
This book is chaotic, dark, deep and gory. I realised now that actually this book is horror so if you’re not great with blood, blood talk and gore this book maybe will not be your cup of tea. Another thing to mention is that this book follows on from the events of the first book, I don’t think it makes any sense unless you read it first as this book contains a spoiler. Overall my general thoughts are that this book is in a slight crossroads with how to move forward, I am intrigued in the direction it will take as this book seemed abit too outlandish, and shows that maybe there’s some history to explore. Will be keeping my eye out for the next book but it’s decent but could be better.
This book sees the return of Rebecca Carter after the events of the before book, she’s missing her daughter and her hunger has only grown more. Alone in the wild Monica Carter is on her own surviving on small prey she can hunt, one day she comes across the scent of human blood where she encounters two others, Jacob and William Hendry who convinces her to travel with them to keep her safe. However there’s more to Jacob and Will then what meets the eye. Rebecca is on her own mission to reunite with Monica, and realised that the brothers aren’t like her daughter after all. But she’s also being chased by FBI agent Sarah McGrath who is haunted by the death of her partner Marc Donner.
It’s a crazy book filled with action from start to finish, I also like the second plot presented in the book in the form of a diary from 1998. It answers a lot of the original questions I had at the start when I read the first book. Overall it’s a great read would recommend not reading this whilst you eat. I am intrigued to see the direction the book will go!
This book is chaotic, dark, deep and gory. I realised now that actually this book is horror so if you’re not great with blood, blood talk and gore this book maybe will not be your cup of tea. Another thing to mention is that this book follows on from the events of the first book, I don’t think it makes any sense unless you read it first as this book contains a spoiler. Overall my general thoughts are that this book is in a slight crossroads with how to move forward, I am intrigued in the direction it will take as this book seemed abit too outlandish, and shows that maybe there’s some history to explore. Will be keeping my eye out for the next book but it’s decent but could be better.
This book sees the return of Rebecca Carter after the events of the before book, she’s missing her daughter and her hunger has only grown more. Alone in the wild Monica Carter is on her own surviving on small prey she can hunt, one day she comes across the scent of human blood where she encounters two others, Jacob and William Hendry who convinces her to travel with them to keep her safe. However there’s more to Jacob and Will then what meets the eye. Rebecca is on her own mission to reunite with Monica, and realised that the brothers aren’t like her daughter after all. But she’s also being chased by FBI agent Sarah McGrath who is haunted by the death of her partner Marc Donner.
It’s a crazy book filled with action from start to finish, I also like the second plot presented in the book in the form of a diary from 1998. It answers a lot of the original questions I had at the start when I read the first book. Overall it’s a great read would recommend not reading this whilst you eat. I am intrigued to see the direction the book will go!
October 26, 2025
4.5
Loved this book, more so than the first in the series which I also enjoyed. The story picks up shortly after the end of the first and follows both Rebecca and her daughter as they try to find each other. There are some new characters and back stories, one in particular that breaks up the main story and adds a lot of content.
No idea when the third book in the series will be released so I'll read some of the author's other stuff.
Loved this book, more so than the first in the series which I also enjoyed. The story picks up shortly after the end of the first and follows both Rebecca and her daughter as they try to find each other. There are some new characters and back stories, one in particular that breaks up the main story and adds a lot of content.
No idea when the third book in the series will be released so I'll read some of the author's other stuff.
November 8, 2025
If you have not read the first novel in this series, BLOOD LIKE MINE, you need to do that post haste. Not only does the sequel, BLOOD LIKE OURS, contain serious references to the events in that story but so does my review, as well.
BLOOD LIKE MINE was not only one of the best horror novels of 2024, but it was also one of the best novels of the year period. Irish author Stuart Neville did a superb job keeping the secret that the mother-daughter team of Rebecca and Monica ‘Moonflower’ Carter kept hidden as long as possible until the open-mouthed revelation. That revelation, which is what the entire second novel is about, is how two female vampires are able to survive and stay one step ahead of those pursuing them in diabolically good sequel.
Though BLOOD LIKE OURS has far more overt vampire subtext from start to finish, it still remains part of a vampire series far different from any other I have read. The dialogue from Neville between the various characters is simply chilling and cuts right through you. This is a story of a mother and daughter who are still very much human --- if you measure being human by the ability to still love and empathize with others --- and that keeps the pages turning like work of fine literary fiction.
Things kick off with a news article from the El Paso Times about the disappearance of the body of a woman who was shot and killed in a skirmish with local law enforcement that also took the life of an agent. This individual, Rebecca Carter, drank of the ‘true blood’ of her 12-year-old daughter Monica at the end of the first novel and now has the same resurrection powers, among others, that she possesses. Monica, meanwhile, believes her mother refused her offer and died, leaving her to wander the deadly landscape of the American southwest on her own without any guidance.
Moonflower first befriends a pack of coyotes and other wild animals but then comes across two teen boys who claim to be of the same ilk as her. These boys, Jacob and Will, lead her to a mortal woman that they apprehended and offer her for a much-needed feeding. They also claim to know all about her and promise a home in the San Francisco area where she can live with them and others like them for as long as she wants. Moonflower has a secret notion that these two boys may not be all they claim to be, and her instincts are very correct in this case as she will soon be in deep peril.
At the same time, Rebecca is being pursued by Agent McGrath, who was the partner of Agent Donner who ‘killed’ Rebecca before losing his life in their shootout. She is committed to avenging her partner but must first deal with the dark and mysterious new threat in the form of Agent Frank Visconti, who claims to be from a top-secret division that knows all about Rebecca, Moonflower, and their kind and blackmails McGrath into assisting him.
Neville throws another curveball at readers by including a running narrative that comes from the diary of an Irish immigrant now working as a housecleaner in America named Emma Wilson set in the year 1998. Emma’s tale is a dark and compelling one which I will keep secret in this review, only indicating that her diary entries will definitely tie into the action of the modern-day narrative in the most brilliant way possible.
As mother goes searching for her daughter she finds an unlikely ally in Agent McGrath, which puts a nice spin on the story. Once Moonflower learns the truth about Jacob and Will, as well as the fact that her mother is alive and looking for her, things really get explosive. BLOOD LIKE OURS is impossible to put down and Neville has all sorts of surprises in store before this novel is through.
This utterly original work continues to function as literary fiction meets horror and crime procedural all due to the stunning plotting and characterization from the fertile mind of Stuart Neville. With BLOOD LIKE OURS and its’ predecessor, he has put together the designs for a series unlike anything else out there that crosses multiple genres and leaves the doors open for much more to come!
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
BLOOD LIKE MINE was not only one of the best horror novels of 2024, but it was also one of the best novels of the year period. Irish author Stuart Neville did a superb job keeping the secret that the mother-daughter team of Rebecca and Monica ‘Moonflower’ Carter kept hidden as long as possible until the open-mouthed revelation. That revelation, which is what the entire second novel is about, is how two female vampires are able to survive and stay one step ahead of those pursuing them in diabolically good sequel.
Though BLOOD LIKE OURS has far more overt vampire subtext from start to finish, it still remains part of a vampire series far different from any other I have read. The dialogue from Neville between the various characters is simply chilling and cuts right through you. This is a story of a mother and daughter who are still very much human --- if you measure being human by the ability to still love and empathize with others --- and that keeps the pages turning like work of fine literary fiction.
Things kick off with a news article from the El Paso Times about the disappearance of the body of a woman who was shot and killed in a skirmish with local law enforcement that also took the life of an agent. This individual, Rebecca Carter, drank of the ‘true blood’ of her 12-year-old daughter Monica at the end of the first novel and now has the same resurrection powers, among others, that she possesses. Monica, meanwhile, believes her mother refused her offer and died, leaving her to wander the deadly landscape of the American southwest on her own without any guidance.
Moonflower first befriends a pack of coyotes and other wild animals but then comes across two teen boys who claim to be of the same ilk as her. These boys, Jacob and Will, lead her to a mortal woman that they apprehended and offer her for a much-needed feeding. They also claim to know all about her and promise a home in the San Francisco area where she can live with them and others like them for as long as she wants. Moonflower has a secret notion that these two boys may not be all they claim to be, and her instincts are very correct in this case as she will soon be in deep peril.
At the same time, Rebecca is being pursued by Agent McGrath, who was the partner of Agent Donner who ‘killed’ Rebecca before losing his life in their shootout. She is committed to avenging her partner but must first deal with the dark and mysterious new threat in the form of Agent Frank Visconti, who claims to be from a top-secret division that knows all about Rebecca, Moonflower, and their kind and blackmails McGrath into assisting him.
Neville throws another curveball at readers by including a running narrative that comes from the diary of an Irish immigrant now working as a housecleaner in America named Emma Wilson set in the year 1998. Emma’s tale is a dark and compelling one which I will keep secret in this review, only indicating that her diary entries will definitely tie into the action of the modern-day narrative in the most brilliant way possible.
As mother goes searching for her daughter she finds an unlikely ally in Agent McGrath, which puts a nice spin on the story. Once Moonflower learns the truth about Jacob and Will, as well as the fact that her mother is alive and looking for her, things really get explosive. BLOOD LIKE OURS is impossible to put down and Neville has all sorts of surprises in store before this novel is through.
This utterly original work continues to function as literary fiction meets horror and crime procedural all due to the stunning plotting and characterization from the fertile mind of Stuart Neville. With BLOOD LIKE OURS and its’ predecessor, he has put together the designs for a series unlike anything else out there that crosses multiple genres and leaves the doors open for much more to come!
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
November 1, 2025
The second novel of a trilogy did not disappoint. As a mother follows in pursuit of her daughter an FBI agent hunts down both of them. Intrigue, horror, belonging and friendship are just a few of the themes. Can’t wait for third book.
November 10, 2025
4.25* - one of the strongest 'middle book in a trilogy' books I've read. This follows pretty much directly in from Blood Like Mine so definitely read that first.
The story moves on well and builds up to what should be an amazing closing book. Looking forward to seeing what comes next.
The story moves on well and builds up to what should be an amazing closing book. Looking forward to seeing what comes next.
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December 8, 2025i just can’t rn 😭 finding it so hard to focus and care abt this book
perhaps just a bad time for me to read it bc i do like it it’s just i can barely get through a chapter before im over it :/
perhaps just a bad time for me to read it bc i do like it it’s just i can barely get through a chapter before im over it :/
November 12, 2025
I was kinda bored by this by the end of the book. It was still a little creepy and unsettling, but just didn’t find myself super interested.
Thank you NetGalley and RBmedia for this ARC.
Thank you NetGalley and RBmedia for this ARC.
November 7, 2025
I didn’t love this one as much as the first book. I feel like the first one had more action and more horror elements to it. This one didn’t keep my attention as much either. I wouldn’t say I hated it, but I just had higher expectations given how much I liked the first book.
November 17, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and RBMedia for the ARC of this audiobook.
This was a fantastic continuation to the series! It continues the question on, "as a mother, what would you do to protect your child if they were not only in danger, but if they were also the danger?"
I really liked how you got some questions answered as to who turned Moonflower and how they were turned as well.
I am really interested on if there will be a 3rd book.. the author set it up so that it's possible.
The narrators were fantastic and really put you into the book.
This was a fantastic continuation to the series! It continues the question on, "as a mother, what would you do to protect your child if they were not only in danger, but if they were also the danger?"
I really liked how you got some questions answered as to who turned Moonflower and how they were turned as well.
I am really interested on if there will be a 3rd book.. the author set it up so that it's possible.
The narrators were fantastic and really put you into the book.
October 12, 2025
Another one of those reads that I was up and down about. Overall, I’d say pretty good, but not enough where I’d continue the serious.
July 26, 2025
Well I did it again, I requested a book, because I love the authors work, without realising it was a vampire novel. Should have realised as the title is very similar to his first foray into this genre. Luckily the writing is excellent so it became an enjoyable read but I really wish the author would return to the crime stories I love so much.
This is book #2 following on from Blood like Mine. Rebecca is on the hunt for her daughter, Moonflower, who has been taken by two boys to their home in San Francisco. As Rebecca tracks her daughter the FBI are tracking her. Rebecca was declared dead but then her body had disappeared from the morgue. When FBI Special Agent Sarah McGrath learns this she has an inkling as to what Rebecca and her daughter are, vampires. Crazy as it sounds, both Rebecca and her daughter had been killed and now both were here and on the run,
Like I said not my usual genre to read but Stuart’s writing is really engaging and if there is a book 3 I will probably read that too.
#BloodLikeOurs. #NetGalley
This is book #2 following on from Blood like Mine. Rebecca is on the hunt for her daughter, Moonflower, who has been taken by two boys to their home in San Francisco. As Rebecca tracks her daughter the FBI are tracking her. Rebecca was declared dead but then her body had disappeared from the morgue. When FBI Special Agent Sarah McGrath learns this she has an inkling as to what Rebecca and her daughter are, vampires. Crazy as it sounds, both Rebecca and her daughter had been killed and now both were here and on the run,
Like I said not my usual genre to read but Stuart’s writing is really engaging and if there is a book 3 I will probably read that too.
#BloodLikeOurs. #NetGalley
August 21, 2025
A lot of parental dread in this one. I liked the different take on the bodily transformation trope. There’s a lot of moral ambiguity. No one emerges on the side of angels. Everybody has something to hide. A mother has to decide how far she will go to ensure her child’s survival. A child who is no longer innocent herself. A nurse that helps "monsters". An FBI agent seeking redemption? She works with another FBI agent with questionable motives. Throw into that mix a pair of psychotic shape shifters with a chilling backstory and you get “Blood like Ours” a great story.
October 31, 2025
Finished reading: October 30th 2025
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and RB Media in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
REVIEW
August 3, 2025
Blood Like Mine was one of my top three books of 2024. I can't help thinking that Blood Like Ours is going to be right up there again this year. I loved it. Devoured it within just two sittings. It would have been one if it hadn't been for that pesky thing called work. This is the continuing story of Rebecca Carter and her young daughter, Monica, aka Moonflower. Now, for various reasons I have to say that if you haven't read Blood Like Mine, then I really do recommend you read that books first, and that you perhaps don't read any further into this review. I'm going to try not to drop any major spoilers, but the two books are so closely and importantly linked, that it's tough.
At the end of the last book things looked pretty bleak for Rebecca and moonflower. Having been on the run, Moonflower is forced to leave her mother for dead, and make her own way in the wilderness. A big ask for any youngster, but especially for Moonflower given her unique circumstances, which you can ascertain from the blurb, should you so wish. But, Rebecca is not quite as far gone as people had thought and we catch up with her at quite a crucial point in her new version of life. Having supported Moonflower for years, it's her turn to manage her new found appetite, and that is no easy task. add in the fact that she is still classed as a fugitive with the FBI on her tail, as well as the fact she needs to hunt down her daughter whilst not entirely remembering who she is herself, and the scene is set for a high tension, high stakes pursuit across the country that really does keep you on edge and had me turning the pages long past what was a suitable o'clock on a school night!
I'm not going to lie, I wasn't quite sure how I was going to feel reading a follow up book that didn't feature Agent Marc Donner. He wasn't perfect, but there was something about him. But between Moonflower, Rebecca and Sarah McGrath, I was truly invested in the story. And what a story it is. Moonflower falls in with a bad crowd - no mean feat given that she was a one woman/child bad crowd of a sort anyway. Brothers Jacob and Will are the kind that had my hackles up from the off, but the way in which Stuart Neville explores their back story, how he drip feeds it into the narrative and the legacy of this series, really works perfectly. It keeps the tension and the sense of jeopardy high. That sense that Moonflower is in danger, but stopping short of clearly defining what and how until a very crucial point in the story after which all bets are off.
There is another new character in this book, someone who works for the FBI, sort of alongside McGrath, even though in truth she has no reason to pursue her hunt for the missing Rebecca and Moonflower. Special Agent Francis Visconti is one of those ultra shady, impossible to define kinds of characters, who plays a crucial part in the execution of the story, enabling McGrath when she should more appropriately sent home to her family, and creating ambiguity over the actions of the FBI and their real interest in Rebecca and Moonflower's case. Think Fox Mulder, if Fox Mulder had the morals of a serial killer and instincts of a shark. The truth might be out there, but I'm not quite sure whether Visconti wants it making public or not. Mostly not I'd say. I really rather liked him in a strange kind of way.
This is one of those books when you don;t quite know whose side you are on. On one hand I want Rebecca and Moonflower to succeed.On the other, I can see why mcGrath should be both the legal, and moral, victor. I know who I didn't want to come out on top, and there was more than a small amount of satisfaction at how it plays out. I love the way in which Stuart Neville has once again blurred the lines between right and wrong, making you question if doing a bad thing is okay, if done for the right reasons. It's a sensation echoed in the story, and to brilliant effect. The pacing and tension are top notch. There are moments when my heart was in my mouth, moments I thought my own blood was boiling, and also scenes where you kind of feel a small sense of heartbreak, the emotion of what we witness hitting home, made all the more tragic by the fact that none of the key players in this sorry tale chose to be where, or who, they are.
And that ending. Oh so perfect. But so many questions. it has to be ripe for book three, surely. Please let it be so. I love stories like this one, blending my love of crime fiction with my original love of horror. It's intense, ingenious and one of my favourite books of the year so far. Possibly even better than the first book. Yes, I know more this time. Expect more of what comes to pass. It doesn't mean the book is lacking in shocks and surprises. Far from it. Most definitely recommended
At the end of the last book things looked pretty bleak for Rebecca and moonflower. Having been on the run, Moonflower is forced to leave her mother for dead, and make her own way in the wilderness. A big ask for any youngster, but especially for Moonflower given her unique circumstances, which you can ascertain from the blurb, should you so wish. But, Rebecca is not quite as far gone as people had thought and we catch up with her at quite a crucial point in her new version of life. Having supported Moonflower for years, it's her turn to manage her new found appetite, and that is no easy task. add in the fact that she is still classed as a fugitive with the FBI on her tail, as well as the fact she needs to hunt down her daughter whilst not entirely remembering who she is herself, and the scene is set for a high tension, high stakes pursuit across the country that really does keep you on edge and had me turning the pages long past what was a suitable o'clock on a school night!
I'm not going to lie, I wasn't quite sure how I was going to feel reading a follow up book that didn't feature Agent Marc Donner. He wasn't perfect, but there was something about him. But between Moonflower, Rebecca and Sarah McGrath, I was truly invested in the story. And what a story it is. Moonflower falls in with a bad crowd - no mean feat given that she was a one woman/child bad crowd of a sort anyway. Brothers Jacob and Will are the kind that had my hackles up from the off, but the way in which Stuart Neville explores their back story, how he drip feeds it into the narrative and the legacy of this series, really works perfectly. It keeps the tension and the sense of jeopardy high. That sense that Moonflower is in danger, but stopping short of clearly defining what and how until a very crucial point in the story after which all bets are off.
There is another new character in this book, someone who works for the FBI, sort of alongside McGrath, even though in truth she has no reason to pursue her hunt for the missing Rebecca and Moonflower. Special Agent Francis Visconti is one of those ultra shady, impossible to define kinds of characters, who plays a crucial part in the execution of the story, enabling McGrath when she should more appropriately sent home to her family, and creating ambiguity over the actions of the FBI and their real interest in Rebecca and Moonflower's case. Think Fox Mulder, if Fox Mulder had the morals of a serial killer and instincts of a shark. The truth might be out there, but I'm not quite sure whether Visconti wants it making public or not. Mostly not I'd say. I really rather liked him in a strange kind of way.
This is one of those books when you don;t quite know whose side you are on. On one hand I want Rebecca and Moonflower to succeed.On the other, I can see why mcGrath should be both the legal, and moral, victor. I know who I didn't want to come out on top, and there was more than a small amount of satisfaction at how it plays out. I love the way in which Stuart Neville has once again blurred the lines between right and wrong, making you question if doing a bad thing is okay, if done for the right reasons. It's a sensation echoed in the story, and to brilliant effect. The pacing and tension are top notch. There are moments when my heart was in my mouth, moments I thought my own blood was boiling, and also scenes where you kind of feel a small sense of heartbreak, the emotion of what we witness hitting home, made all the more tragic by the fact that none of the key players in this sorry tale chose to be where, or who, they are.
And that ending. Oh so perfect. But so many questions. it has to be ripe for book three, surely. Please let it be so. I love stories like this one, blending my love of crime fiction with my original love of horror. It's intense, ingenious and one of my favourite books of the year so far. Possibly even better than the first book. Yes, I know more this time. Expect more of what comes to pass. It doesn't mean the book is lacking in shocks and surprises. Far from it. Most definitely recommended
November 9, 2025
BLOOD LIKE MINE was not only one of the best horror novels of 2024, it was one of the best books of the year. Stuart Neville did a superb job of keeping the secret that the mother-daughter team of Rebecca and Monica “Moonflower” Carter had concealed for as long as possible until the open-mouthed revelation. That revelation, which is what this diabolically good sequel is all about, is how two female vampires are able to survive and stay one step ahead of those pursuing them.
Though BLOOD LIKE OURS has far more overt vampire subtext from start to finish, it remains part of a vampire series that is vastly different from any other that I have read. The dialogue among the various characters is simply chilling and cuts right through you. Rebecca and Moonflower are still very much human --- if you measure being human by the ability to love and empathize with others --- and that keeps the pages turning like a work of fine literary fiction.
The book kicks off with a news article from the El Paso Times about the disappearance of the body of a woman who was shot and killed in a skirmish with local law enforcement that also took the life of an agent. Rebecca drank the “true blood” of her 12-year-old daughter at the end of BLOOD LIKE MINE and now has the same resurrection powers, among others, that she possesses. Moonflower, meanwhile, believes that her mother died, leaving her to wander the deadly landscape of the American southwest on her own without any guidance.
Moonflower first befriends a pack of coyotes and other wild animals but then comes across two teens who claim to be of the same ilk as her. Jacob and Will lead Moonflower to a mortal woman they apprehended and offer her for a much-needed feeding. They also claim to know all about her and promise a home in the San Francisco area where she can live with them, and others like them, for as long as she wants. Moonflower has a secret notion that these boys may not be who they say they are. Her instincts are very correct in this case as she soon will be in deep peril.
At the same time, Rebecca is being pursued by FBI Special Agent Sarah McGrath, the partner of Special Agent Donner, who “killed” Rebecca before losing his life in their shootout. McGrath is committed to avenging Donner but first must deal with the dark and mysterious new threat in the form of Special Agent Francis Visconti, who claims to be from a top-secret division that knows all about Rebecca, Moonflower and their kind. Visconti blackmails McGrath into assisting him.
Neville throws another curveball at readers by including a running narrative that comes from the diary of an Irish immigrant who is now working as a housecleaner in America. Emma Wilson’s tale, which takes place in 1998, is a dark and compelling one that I will keep secret in this review. All I will say is that her journal entries will tie into the action of the modern-day narrative in the most brilliant way possible.
As Rebecca goes searching for Moonflower, she finds an unlikely ally in McGrath, which puts a nice spin on the story. Once Moonflower learns the truth about Jacob and Will, as well as the fact that her mother is alive and looking for her, things really get explosive. BLOOD LIKE OURS is impossible to put down, and Neville has plenty of surprises in store before we reach the last page.
This utterly original work continues to function as literary fiction meets horror and police procedural, thanks to the stunning plotting and characterization from Stuart Neville’s fertile mind. With BLOOD LIKE OURS and its predecessor, he has put together the designs for a series unlike anything else out there that crosses multiple genres and leaves the door open for much more to come.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
Though BLOOD LIKE OURS has far more overt vampire subtext from start to finish, it remains part of a vampire series that is vastly different from any other that I have read. The dialogue among the various characters is simply chilling and cuts right through you. Rebecca and Moonflower are still very much human --- if you measure being human by the ability to love and empathize with others --- and that keeps the pages turning like a work of fine literary fiction.
The book kicks off with a news article from the El Paso Times about the disappearance of the body of a woman who was shot and killed in a skirmish with local law enforcement that also took the life of an agent. Rebecca drank the “true blood” of her 12-year-old daughter at the end of BLOOD LIKE MINE and now has the same resurrection powers, among others, that she possesses. Moonflower, meanwhile, believes that her mother died, leaving her to wander the deadly landscape of the American southwest on her own without any guidance.
Moonflower first befriends a pack of coyotes and other wild animals but then comes across two teens who claim to be of the same ilk as her. Jacob and Will lead Moonflower to a mortal woman they apprehended and offer her for a much-needed feeding. They also claim to know all about her and promise a home in the San Francisco area where she can live with them, and others like them, for as long as she wants. Moonflower has a secret notion that these boys may not be who they say they are. Her instincts are very correct in this case as she soon will be in deep peril.
At the same time, Rebecca is being pursued by FBI Special Agent Sarah McGrath, the partner of Special Agent Donner, who “killed” Rebecca before losing his life in their shootout. McGrath is committed to avenging Donner but first must deal with the dark and mysterious new threat in the form of Special Agent Francis Visconti, who claims to be from a top-secret division that knows all about Rebecca, Moonflower and their kind. Visconti blackmails McGrath into assisting him.
Neville throws another curveball at readers by including a running narrative that comes from the diary of an Irish immigrant who is now working as a housecleaner in America. Emma Wilson’s tale, which takes place in 1998, is a dark and compelling one that I will keep secret in this review. All I will say is that her journal entries will tie into the action of the modern-day narrative in the most brilliant way possible.
As Rebecca goes searching for Moonflower, she finds an unlikely ally in McGrath, which puts a nice spin on the story. Once Moonflower learns the truth about Jacob and Will, as well as the fact that her mother is alive and looking for her, things really get explosive. BLOOD LIKE OURS is impossible to put down, and Neville has plenty of surprises in store before we reach the last page.
This utterly original work continues to function as literary fiction meets horror and police procedural, thanks to the stunning plotting and characterization from Stuart Neville’s fertile mind. With BLOOD LIKE OURS and its predecessor, he has put together the designs for a series unlike anything else out there that crosses multiple genres and leaves the door open for much more to come.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
August 29, 2025
I absolutely loved Blood Like Mine, and Stuart Neville has done it again with Blood Like Yours. After the first #Blood book, I needed to know what had happened to Moonflower and wondered how Neville would follow up on that ending. The answer? This sequel is darker, more ambitious, and in many ways even more unsettling. By doubling down on the darkness, and sharpening the claws, Stuart Neville drags us even deeper into the abyss of family, obsession, and monstrous choices.
At the heart of the novel is the relationship between Rebecca Carter and her daughter Moonflower. Their story isn’t a typical mother-daughter reunion arc. Rebecca’s hunger, both literal and emotional, drives her into dangerous territory. She longs for her daughter, but she also fears what she has become. Meanwhile, Moonflower, alone in the wilderness, is vulnerable to predators of another kind: the Hendry brothers, Jacob and Willard, whose history of death and disappearance marks them as far more monstrous than Rebecca ever was. Neville frames this dynamic beautifully—Moonflower is caught between a dreadful inheritance and the allure of would-be protectors who are far worse. Stuart Neville poses a real conundrum for his readers. Should we root for Rebecca to reclaim her daughter, or recoil from what their reunion might unleash? That moral ambiguity is where Neville’s writing sings.
In parallel is the FBI subplot, led by agent Sarah McGrath. Her partner’s violent death—at the hands of Rebecca—has carved out a raw, festering wound, and McGrath’s obsession with finding answers is palpable on every page, mirroring her ex-partner’s obsession. What makes her compelling isn’t just her grief and anger; it’s the way Neville threads her path with a mysterious figure within the Bureau. Their relationship crackles with danger and mistrust, layered with the suggestion that McGrath might be trading her integrity for forbidden knowledge. Watching her teeter on the edge of obsession reminded me of the best psychological thrillers, where the hunter risks becoming the hunted both in mind and body.
The pacing is relentless. Neville writes sharply, with each chapter brimming with dread and inevitability. The Hendry brothers’ violence intensifies into a bloody trail that feels both cinematic and disturbing, forcing us to confront the central question of the book: what truly makes someone a monster—biology, circumstance, or choice? Neville leaves us pondering whether that distinction even matters as the bodies pile up. Blood Like Ours truly earns its place in both the horror and thriller genres: the moral lines are never clear. Rebecca didn’t choose her monstrous rebirth; she bears her hunger like a curse. The Hendry brothers, meanwhile, revel in their cruelty, leaving destruction in their wake. Does intention matter when the blood keeps flowing?
Verdict: Blood Like Ours is brutal, bleak, and utterly addictive. Neville takes the theme of family ties and spins it into a blood-soaked road trip. Dark, tense, and unforgettable; this is crime/horror at its best. It’s a novel that explores the horror of family connections and sharpens it into something dark and unbearably intense. It is a frank and gripping meditation on how far we’re willing to go for those we love, even if it means embracing the monster inside. If you enjoy crime and horror and can handle the darkness, you will find this a standout novel of the year. And you’ll be as impatient as I am for the last in this magnificent trilogy.
At the heart of the novel is the relationship between Rebecca Carter and her daughter Moonflower. Their story isn’t a typical mother-daughter reunion arc. Rebecca’s hunger, both literal and emotional, drives her into dangerous territory. She longs for her daughter, but she also fears what she has become. Meanwhile, Moonflower, alone in the wilderness, is vulnerable to predators of another kind: the Hendry brothers, Jacob and Willard, whose history of death and disappearance marks them as far more monstrous than Rebecca ever was. Neville frames this dynamic beautifully—Moonflower is caught between a dreadful inheritance and the allure of would-be protectors who are far worse. Stuart Neville poses a real conundrum for his readers. Should we root for Rebecca to reclaim her daughter, or recoil from what their reunion might unleash? That moral ambiguity is where Neville’s writing sings.
In parallel is the FBI subplot, led by agent Sarah McGrath. Her partner’s violent death—at the hands of Rebecca—has carved out a raw, festering wound, and McGrath’s obsession with finding answers is palpable on every page, mirroring her ex-partner’s obsession. What makes her compelling isn’t just her grief and anger; it’s the way Neville threads her path with a mysterious figure within the Bureau. Their relationship crackles with danger and mistrust, layered with the suggestion that McGrath might be trading her integrity for forbidden knowledge. Watching her teeter on the edge of obsession reminded me of the best psychological thrillers, where the hunter risks becoming the hunted both in mind and body.
The pacing is relentless. Neville writes sharply, with each chapter brimming with dread and inevitability. The Hendry brothers’ violence intensifies into a bloody trail that feels both cinematic and disturbing, forcing us to confront the central question of the book: what truly makes someone a monster—biology, circumstance, or choice? Neville leaves us pondering whether that distinction even matters as the bodies pile up. Blood Like Ours truly earns its place in both the horror and thriller genres: the moral lines are never clear. Rebecca didn’t choose her monstrous rebirth; she bears her hunger like a curse. The Hendry brothers, meanwhile, revel in their cruelty, leaving destruction in their wake. Does intention matter when the blood keeps flowing?
Verdict: Blood Like Ours is brutal, bleak, and utterly addictive. Neville takes the theme of family ties and spins it into a blood-soaked road trip. Dark, tense, and unforgettable; this is crime/horror at its best. It’s a novel that explores the horror of family connections and sharpens it into something dark and unbearably intense. It is a frank and gripping meditation on how far we’re willing to go for those we love, even if it means embracing the monster inside. If you enjoy crime and horror and can handle the darkness, you will find this a standout novel of the year. And you’ll be as impatient as I am for the last in this magnificent trilogy.
November 7, 2025
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC in audiobook format.
Stuart Neville’s "Blood Like Ours" is a return to the world of the beasts populating the former entry in this series, "Blood Like Mine".
This addictively haunting, genre-defying audiobook that blends horror, psychological suspense, and maternal mythos into a visceral listening experience. It’s not just a sequel—it’s a thrilling 5 star ride-along.
I have read more than 500 books since reading "Blood Like Mine" but I immediately remembered the story in "Blood Like Ours" and I love this story about the rulers of the dark; my hunger for more is simply... unquenchable 😉. I listened to this entire audiobook in one sitting.
Neville’s follow-up to "Blood Like Mine" plunges deeper into the monstrous and the mournful, with Rebecca Carter—resurrected and ravenous—searching for her daughter Moonflower across a landscape that feels mythic yet in the process of decaying.
The audiobook, narrated by Caroline Lennon and Elisabeth Rodgers, amplifies the emotional and existential dread that permeates every scene. Their dual performance is not merely functional—it’s transformative.
🎧 The choice of two narrators is inspired. Lennon’s portrayal of Rebecca is raw and spectral, her voice carrying the weight of hunger, grief, and maternal obsession. Rodgers, voicing Moonflower and other characters, brings a chilling innocence that sharpens the novel’s emotional stakes.
- Lennon’s cadence evokes a woman unraveling and reforming simultaneously.
- Rodgers’ tone captures the eerie blend of childlike vulnerability and supernatural menace.
Together, they create a sonic duality that mirrors the novel’s thematic tension: love versus survival, memory versus myth.
🩸 Neville doesn’t just write horror—he writes about horror. Rebecca’s hunger is not just physical; it’s symbolic of maternal sacrifice, the loss of self, and the violence embedded in love. The novel interrogates what it means to be a mother when the very act of nurturing becomes predatory.
- Blood as metaphor: It’s not just gore—it’s lineage, trauma, and transformation.
- The monstrous feminine: Rebecca and Moonflower are not villains, but embodiments of a mythic archetype reimagined through grief and survival.
The plot unfolds like a fever dream—nonlinear, disorienting, and emotionally charged. Neville trusts the listener to navigate ambiguity, and the audiobook format intensifies this effect. Scenes bleed into one another, echoing Rebecca’s fractured psyche.
- Strength: The disjointed structure mirrors the characters’ psychological fragmentation.
⚖️ Blood Like Ours is not for the faint of heart or the casual listener. It demands emotional investment and rewards it with a narrative as poetic as it is unimaginable (and potentially nightmare-producing *queue the evil laughter track*). 😘
Neville’s prose, paired with Lennon and Rodgers’ performances, creates an immersive, lingering experience.
If you’re drawn to audiobooks that challenge genre boundaries and explore the darker corners of motherhood and myth (think Mexican Gothic meets Let the Right One In) this is a MUST-listen.
Stuart Neville’s "Blood Like Ours" is a return to the world of the beasts populating the former entry in this series, "Blood Like Mine".
This addictively haunting, genre-defying audiobook that blends horror, psychological suspense, and maternal mythos into a visceral listening experience. It’s not just a sequel—it’s a thrilling 5 star ride-along.
I have read more than 500 books since reading "Blood Like Mine" but I immediately remembered the story in "Blood Like Ours" and I love this story about the rulers of the dark; my hunger for more is simply... unquenchable 😉. I listened to this entire audiobook in one sitting.
Neville’s follow-up to "Blood Like Mine" plunges deeper into the monstrous and the mournful, with Rebecca Carter—resurrected and ravenous—searching for her daughter Moonflower across a landscape that feels mythic yet in the process of decaying.
The audiobook, narrated by Caroline Lennon and Elisabeth Rodgers, amplifies the emotional and existential dread that permeates every scene. Their dual performance is not merely functional—it’s transformative.
🎧 The choice of two narrators is inspired. Lennon’s portrayal of Rebecca is raw and spectral, her voice carrying the weight of hunger, grief, and maternal obsession. Rodgers, voicing Moonflower and other characters, brings a chilling innocence that sharpens the novel’s emotional stakes.
- Lennon’s cadence evokes a woman unraveling and reforming simultaneously.
- Rodgers’ tone captures the eerie blend of childlike vulnerability and supernatural menace.
Together, they create a sonic duality that mirrors the novel’s thematic tension: love versus survival, memory versus myth.
🩸 Neville doesn’t just write horror—he writes about horror. Rebecca’s hunger is not just physical; it’s symbolic of maternal sacrifice, the loss of self, and the violence embedded in love. The novel interrogates what it means to be a mother when the very act of nurturing becomes predatory.
- Blood as metaphor: It’s not just gore—it’s lineage, trauma, and transformation.
- The monstrous feminine: Rebecca and Moonflower are not villains, but embodiments of a mythic archetype reimagined through grief and survival.
The plot unfolds like a fever dream—nonlinear, disorienting, and emotionally charged. Neville trusts the listener to navigate ambiguity, and the audiobook format intensifies this effect. Scenes bleed into one another, echoing Rebecca’s fractured psyche.
- Strength: The disjointed structure mirrors the characters’ psychological fragmentation.
⚖️ Blood Like Ours is not for the faint of heart or the casual listener. It demands emotional investment and rewards it with a narrative as poetic as it is unimaginable (and potentially nightmare-producing *queue the evil laughter track*). 😘
Neville’s prose, paired with Lennon and Rodgers’ performances, creates an immersive, lingering experience.
If you’re drawn to audiobooks that challenge genre boundaries and explore the darker corners of motherhood and myth (think Mexican Gothic meets Let the Right One In) this is a MUST-listen.
November 2, 2025
︎ Book Summary ♡︎
Blood Like Ours is the second book in the Blood Trilogy. It follows on from Blood Like Mine and continues the story of Rebecca Carter and her daughter, Moonflower, as they struggle to survive, hiding in plain sight, hunted by forces they barely understand. Rebecca awakens in a morgue in El Paso with ravenous cravings, desperate to reconnect with her daughter and evade pursuit by the FBI. Meanwhile, Moonflower has been on her own and crosses paths with two dangerous brothers who claim to know her and her mother’s secret. At the same time, FBI agent Sarah McGrath, haunted by her partner’s death, is following the trail. The stakes are high, the horror is visceral, and the moral ambiguity runs deep.
✍︎︎ Review ✍︎︎
Strong momentum & genre-blend
Neville expertly blends horror with thriller elements. The pace is propulsive, making it hard to put down.
Character conflict & moral complexity
What elevates the novel beyond mere monster chase is the exploration of what one will do to protect family, and whether that can turn one into the monster one fears. Rebecca’s duality as mother and creature creates a tragic core. Moonflower, though young, is no innocent, and the brothers she meets are far more monstrous by choice. This interplay raises the question: is monstrosity defined by what one becomes, or what one chooses to be?
🎧 Audiobook Review
Narrated by Elisabeth Rodgers and Caroline Lennon
The dual-narration added variety and clarity to a story with multiple point of view characters & helpful in a narrative like this that shifts between characters/modes. Given the horror + thriller nature of the book, the audio & performance added dimension of tone, voice, pacing; which can heighten the atmosphere & scare factor. 10/10 performance !
Overall, Blood Like Ours is a sequel, it’s darker, more ambitious, and unafraid of the monstrous nature of its characters. If you enjoy horror that pushes into thriller territory, with morally ambivalent protagonists, visceral stakes, and a relentless pace, this novel delivers. It’s NOT a light read but for those willing, it offers something more than standard genre fare.
✔︎ TL;DR
❥ Amazing dual- narration
❥ Fight for survival
❥ A mothers love has NO bounds
❥ High stakes
Book Information ⇩
Genre: Dark horror, thriller
POV: multi, 3rd person
Spice: 🫑- there are on page mentions but this is not a romance
TW/CW: Violence, gore, child endangerment, trauma, death, grief, and more. Check authors page for entire list.
Thank you, Recorded Books & NetGalley for my gifted advanced book copy. All my reviews are my own opinion. 💕
IG
Storygraph
Amazon
Blood Like Ours is the second book in the Blood Trilogy. It follows on from Blood Like Mine and continues the story of Rebecca Carter and her daughter, Moonflower, as they struggle to survive, hiding in plain sight, hunted by forces they barely understand. Rebecca awakens in a morgue in El Paso with ravenous cravings, desperate to reconnect with her daughter and evade pursuit by the FBI. Meanwhile, Moonflower has been on her own and crosses paths with two dangerous brothers who claim to know her and her mother’s secret. At the same time, FBI agent Sarah McGrath, haunted by her partner’s death, is following the trail. The stakes are high, the horror is visceral, and the moral ambiguity runs deep.
✍︎︎ Review ✍︎︎
Strong momentum & genre-blend
Neville expertly blends horror with thriller elements. The pace is propulsive, making it hard to put down.
Character conflict & moral complexity
What elevates the novel beyond mere monster chase is the exploration of what one will do to protect family, and whether that can turn one into the monster one fears. Rebecca’s duality as mother and creature creates a tragic core. Moonflower, though young, is no innocent, and the brothers she meets are far more monstrous by choice. This interplay raises the question: is monstrosity defined by what one becomes, or what one chooses to be?
🎧 Audiobook Review
Narrated by Elisabeth Rodgers and Caroline Lennon
The dual-narration added variety and clarity to a story with multiple point of view characters & helpful in a narrative like this that shifts between characters/modes. Given the horror + thriller nature of the book, the audio & performance added dimension of tone, voice, pacing; which can heighten the atmosphere & scare factor. 10/10 performance !
Overall, Blood Like Ours is a sequel, it’s darker, more ambitious, and unafraid of the monstrous nature of its characters. If you enjoy horror that pushes into thriller territory, with morally ambivalent protagonists, visceral stakes, and a relentless pace, this novel delivers. It’s NOT a light read but for those willing, it offers something more than standard genre fare.
✔︎ TL;DR
❥ Amazing dual- narration
❥ Fight for survival
❥ A mothers love has NO bounds
❥ High stakes
Book Information ⇩
Genre: Dark horror, thriller
POV: multi, 3rd person
Spice: 🫑- there are on page mentions but this is not a romance
TW/CW: Violence, gore, child endangerment, trauma, death, grief, and more. Check authors page for entire list.
Thank you, Recorded Books & NetGalley for my gifted advanced book copy. All my reviews are my own opinion. 💕
IG
Storygraph
Amazon
November 24, 2025
🩸From a feral, blood-craving mother in the desert to a demon-haunted colonial villa: Which kind of terror would you choose?
I don’t usually read two horror novels back to back unless I’m actively trying to lose sleep, but Blood Like Ours and The Villa, Once Beloved turned my brain into a haunted buffet terror on one side, creeping dread on the other, and me in the middle, hungrily flipping pages like someone who absolutely should know better.
Stepping into Blood Like Ours felt like being dropped into the desert night with my heartbeat thrumming loud enough to attract predators. Waking up on a morgue table? Already too much. Realizing you now crave blood with the same desperation you feel for your missing daughter? That’s a whole new category of nightmare. Rebecca’s feral love for Moonflower twisted, brutal, and utterly unstoppable had me cheering and recoiling in the same breath. And Moonflower herself? Alone in the wilderness, starving, half-monster, half-child, wandering into danger with the innocence of someone who still hopes to be saved. Every chapter felt like holding a lit match next to gasoline.
Then there’s the FBI chase, the shadowy whispers inside the Bureau, and the two brothers who seem to know far too much. I couldn’t tell if I wanted to hug someone or hide behind the nearest piece of furniture. Maybe both.
And just when I thought I couldn’t handle more tension, I stepped into The Villa, Once Beloved and immediately regretted it in the best possible way. The moment Sophie walked into the decaying grandeur of Villa Sepulveda, I felt that deep, cold “something bad happened here and might still be happening” shiver. The family dynamics alone could power a telenovela, but throw in a possible demon, a matriarch with secrets thick enough to choke on, and a landslide trapping everyone together? Oh, I was thriving.
Sophie’s outsider perspective made the villa feel even more claustrophobic; she's trying to understand her place in this tangled legacy while the house itself seems to breathe around her. Every heirloom felt like it could whisper. Every argument might birth a ghost. And every family revelation made me say, out loud, “Oh no. No no no.”
Reading these two books together was like taking a guided tour through the many ways family can destroy you emotionally, psychologically, occasionally with fangs and folklore. And honestly? I loved every second of it.
⚡️Thank you Erewhon Books, Hell's Hundred, Stuart Neville and Victor Manibo for sharing these books with me!
I don’t usually read two horror novels back to back unless I’m actively trying to lose sleep, but Blood Like Ours and The Villa, Once Beloved turned my brain into a haunted buffet terror on one side, creeping dread on the other, and me in the middle, hungrily flipping pages like someone who absolutely should know better.
Stepping into Blood Like Ours felt like being dropped into the desert night with my heartbeat thrumming loud enough to attract predators. Waking up on a morgue table? Already too much. Realizing you now crave blood with the same desperation you feel for your missing daughter? That’s a whole new category of nightmare. Rebecca’s feral love for Moonflower twisted, brutal, and utterly unstoppable had me cheering and recoiling in the same breath. And Moonflower herself? Alone in the wilderness, starving, half-monster, half-child, wandering into danger with the innocence of someone who still hopes to be saved. Every chapter felt like holding a lit match next to gasoline.
Then there’s the FBI chase, the shadowy whispers inside the Bureau, and the two brothers who seem to know far too much. I couldn’t tell if I wanted to hug someone or hide behind the nearest piece of furniture. Maybe both.
And just when I thought I couldn’t handle more tension, I stepped into The Villa, Once Beloved and immediately regretted it in the best possible way. The moment Sophie walked into the decaying grandeur of Villa Sepulveda, I felt that deep, cold “something bad happened here and might still be happening” shiver. The family dynamics alone could power a telenovela, but throw in a possible demon, a matriarch with secrets thick enough to choke on, and a landslide trapping everyone together? Oh, I was thriving.
Sophie’s outsider perspective made the villa feel even more claustrophobic; she's trying to understand her place in this tangled legacy while the house itself seems to breathe around her. Every heirloom felt like it could whisper. Every argument might birth a ghost. And every family revelation made me say, out loud, “Oh no. No no no.”
Reading these two books together was like taking a guided tour through the many ways family can destroy you emotionally, psychologically, occasionally with fangs and folklore. And honestly? I loved every second of it.
⚡️Thank you Erewhon Books, Hell's Hundred, Stuart Neville and Victor Manibo for sharing these books with me!
August 27, 2025
This book is the second in the Blood Trilogy, following directly on from where we left off in Blood Like Mine. This means that you NEED to read that book first. There are memory joggers contained in this book but they are NO substitute. Also, if you haven't read it and are going to, stop looking at this book and its reviews as they may contain spoilers!
So, Rebecca is dead, as is Agent Marc Donner who was on the tail of her and her daughter Moonflower, who has been dead for a long time. Although two of these people actually aren't dead at all.
Rebecca wakes up on the slab in the morgue. Obviously her refusing blood from Moonflower didn't go as well as she wanted. And she is now un-dead. And with only one thing on her mind - apart from feeding - she needs to find her daughter.
Moonflower (Monica as was) is still also un-dead but now separated from her mother-protector. And vulnerable.
And to complete the trifecta of main characters - we also meet FBI Special Agent Sarah McGrath who was Agent Donner's partner. She wants to avenge his death and also get to the bottom of what he was investigating. Especially when she learns that Rebecca's body has vanished from the morgue. Luckily she finds help in a rather strange and interesting place... enter Francis Viscotti...
And then there's Jacob and Willard, but I can't really say anything more about them.
This book is brilliant. If you thought book one was, then this one eclipses that! And like any good trilogy should, it ends at a good place, satisfying for this episode but also leaving enough to get on with in the final episode. Although, as yet, the direction in which he is going to take it is a complete mystery to me, being as how I never thought we'd be going THERE in this book!
But we did, and it was brilliant.
I could bang on and on about this book forever. But I can't and I won't due to spoilers. But as well as being visceral - the nature of the beast - it is also insanely cleverly plotted and has a brilliant storyline. It also makes you question right and wrong and who to root for.
See... not just another vampire book at all...
In fact, the only bad thing I can see is that I now have to wait to see how the author will conclude the trilogy... That can't come soon enough for me...
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
So, Rebecca is dead, as is Agent Marc Donner who was on the tail of her and her daughter Moonflower, who has been dead for a long time. Although two of these people actually aren't dead at all.
Rebecca wakes up on the slab in the morgue. Obviously her refusing blood from Moonflower didn't go as well as she wanted. And she is now un-dead. And with only one thing on her mind - apart from feeding - she needs to find her daughter.
Moonflower (Monica as was) is still also un-dead but now separated from her mother-protector. And vulnerable.
And to complete the trifecta of main characters - we also meet FBI Special Agent Sarah McGrath who was Agent Donner's partner. She wants to avenge his death and also get to the bottom of what he was investigating. Especially when she learns that Rebecca's body has vanished from the morgue. Luckily she finds help in a rather strange and interesting place... enter Francis Viscotti...
And then there's Jacob and Willard, but I can't really say anything more about them.
This book is brilliant. If you thought book one was, then this one eclipses that! And like any good trilogy should, it ends at a good place, satisfying for this episode but also leaving enough to get on with in the final episode. Although, as yet, the direction in which he is going to take it is a complete mystery to me, being as how I never thought we'd be going THERE in this book!
But we did, and it was brilliant.
I could bang on and on about this book forever. But I can't and I won't due to spoilers. But as well as being visceral - the nature of the beast - it is also insanely cleverly plotted and has a brilliant storyline. It also makes you question right and wrong and who to root for.
See... not just another vampire book at all...
In fact, the only bad thing I can see is that I now have to wait to see how the author will conclude the trilogy... That can't come soon enough for me...
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
August 10, 2025
Rebecca Carter wakes in a strange place to discover her daughter, Moonflower, is missing. Her only concern is to find her daughter before someone else does.
I believe Blood Like Ours by Stuart Neville is to be part of a trilogy. If you haven't read the first book in the series, Blood Like Mine, I'd stop reading right now and rectify that. This really is a book where you need to know what happened previously, particularly as the action picks up almost immediately after the ending of the first book.
The aftermath of the first book has left an FBI agent dead, and Rebecca is not only separated from her daughter, but her worst fear has come true. Survival and finding Moonflower are the only concerns driving her. Miles away, Moonflower has found two brothers who sympathise with her plight and are willing to help her. All the while, the partner of the FBI agent who was killed is determined to track the mother and daughter down.
This is a book that is filled with moral ambiguity. What is essentially a battle between good and evil, we discover that there are spectrums within both camps. Rebecca is consumed by guilt for letting her daughter down and for the actions she is forced to take simply to survive. Likewise, FBI agent Sarah McGrath is struggling to come to terms with the death of her partner and is determined to punish the people responsible. It is impossible not to feel sympathy for both women.
For Moonflower, lost and alone, there is a ray of hope when she encounters brothers Jacob and Will. The pair understands her plight and offer her a place of sanctuary. You can understand Moonflower's hesitation. Her mother has spent years telling her never to trust anyone, and suddenly she finds two people, and possibly more, who understand her.
The action is non-stop as all three threads converge, leading to a cataclysmic showdown. The only questions are who to trust and who will survive?
If you enjoyed my review please check out my book blog, Reading For Leisure
https://readingforleisure.blogspot.com/
or follow me on Twitter; @Debbie_Hart_UK
or on Bluesky; @debbiehartuk.bsky.social
I believe Blood Like Ours by Stuart Neville is to be part of a trilogy. If you haven't read the first book in the series, Blood Like Mine, I'd stop reading right now and rectify that. This really is a book where you need to know what happened previously, particularly as the action picks up almost immediately after the ending of the first book.
The aftermath of the first book has left an FBI agent dead, and Rebecca is not only separated from her daughter, but her worst fear has come true. Survival and finding Moonflower are the only concerns driving her. Miles away, Moonflower has found two brothers who sympathise with her plight and are willing to help her. All the while, the partner of the FBI agent who was killed is determined to track the mother and daughter down.
This is a book that is filled with moral ambiguity. What is essentially a battle between good and evil, we discover that there are spectrums within both camps. Rebecca is consumed by guilt for letting her daughter down and for the actions she is forced to take simply to survive. Likewise, FBI agent Sarah McGrath is struggling to come to terms with the death of her partner and is determined to punish the people responsible. It is impossible not to feel sympathy for both women.
For Moonflower, lost and alone, there is a ray of hope when she encounters brothers Jacob and Will. The pair understands her plight and offer her a place of sanctuary. You can understand Moonflower's hesitation. Her mother has spent years telling her never to trust anyone, and suddenly she finds two people, and possibly more, who understand her.
The action is non-stop as all three threads converge, leading to a cataclysmic showdown. The only questions are who to trust and who will survive?
If you enjoyed my review please check out my book blog, Reading For Leisure
https://readingforleisure.blogspot.com/
or follow me on Twitter; @Debbie_Hart_UK
or on Bluesky; @debbiehartuk.bsky.social
November 16, 2025
I mostly wanted to read this because I saw that it was a vampire book based in El Paso, and I'm always curious to see how we're portrayed in a piece of media. I got through the first book in preparation for this and thought it was a pretty decent on the run from a grizzled detective type story, but with vampires. I liked this one quite a bit better. I honestly still don't really care about Moonflower and Rebecca all that much, but the story was just significantly more interesting this time around. One of the things that I thought was really cool sounding in the last book was mention of other people turning into vampires on purpose because they enjoy killing people, and that's more what this is about. I have a big soft spot for Near Dark type grimy vampires, so a lot of this was right up my alley. The parallel story with the Irish girl in the 90s was fun, too. And the depiction of El Paso was only mildly cringy, so that was another huge plus for me. We're almost always portrayed as though we have that yellow Hollywood Mexico filter on all the time. We're not a cowboy outlaw town and literally no one here has anything even close to a Texan accent unless they come from Lubbock or something, but at least it kind of seemed like we were an actual city, so that was nice. The Franklin mountain are also like literally inside of the city and people are always walking, driving or hiking around them, so it's not really a good place to hide from the law, but I digress. I kind of wish the vampires in this were a little more vampire-y and less like vagabonds running from the law (no fangs, etc.), but I still really liked this and am definitely looking forward to the last book to see how this all turns out. I hope the last book goes all out and expands on the cool little lore tidbits that pop up throughout the book. Fun book! Oh, the narrators for both books were amazing. Thanks for the ARC!
November 15, 2025
This story follows a mother and daughter, Rebecca and Monica. Monica is known as Moonflower, and they’re both vampires. My assumption is that book one covers how Monica was attacked, turned, and how she and her mom were trying to survive while being chased by the police.
Book two picks up right after everything falls apart. Rebecca wakes up newly turned and completely alone, and the two of them have been violently separated. Monica believes her mom has passed away, and while she’s trying to survive on her own, she meets two vampire boys and she’s trying to decide whether she should stay with them or run. Meanwhile, Rebecca is doing everything she can to find her daughter while the FBI is actively hunting her. Their separate paths create so much tension as you wait for their stories to finally cross again.
This book was honestly fantastic. It’s been a while since I read a horror/thriller instead of romance, and this reminded me how much I love this vibe. The vampire angle felt modern, gritty, and surprisingly realistic for a 21st-century story — it hit every single mark for me.
I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator absolutely delivered. One narrator doing multiple characters, and she handled every voice and every emotional beat flawlessly. I was locked in from start to finish.
I highly recommend this book. Even though I didn’t read book one first, I had no issues following the story — but I definitely think reading book one will give the whole thing even more depth, especially when it comes to Monica’s past.
Amazing story, amazing atmosphere, amazing audio. I’m fully obsessed with this series now.
Book two picks up right after everything falls apart. Rebecca wakes up newly turned and completely alone, and the two of them have been violently separated. Monica believes her mom has passed away, and while she’s trying to survive on her own, she meets two vampire boys and she’s trying to decide whether she should stay with them or run. Meanwhile, Rebecca is doing everything she can to find her daughter while the FBI is actively hunting her. Their separate paths create so much tension as you wait for their stories to finally cross again.
This book was honestly fantastic. It’s been a while since I read a horror/thriller instead of romance, and this reminded me how much I love this vibe. The vampire angle felt modern, gritty, and surprisingly realistic for a 21st-century story — it hit every single mark for me.
I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator absolutely delivered. One narrator doing multiple characters, and she handled every voice and every emotional beat flawlessly. I was locked in from start to finish.
I highly recommend this book. Even though I didn’t read book one first, I had no issues following the story — but I definitely think reading book one will give the whole thing even more depth, especially when it comes to Monica’s past.
Amazing story, amazing atmosphere, amazing audio. I’m fully obsessed with this series now.
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