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Ruled by Blood #1
Blood Huntress
What does it say when vampires aren’t the thing most feared in the night?
Nina Rodriguez has become the most lethal weapon in the world. A blood mage trained by werewolves to hunt and kill with no remorse, no morality, and no hesitation. All that matters is the thrill of the kill, and the danger that comes with it.
When she’s given orders to infiltrate and observe the vampire court, she couldn’t turn it down anymore than she could cease to breathe.
The sweet taste of danger was enough to tempt her, and that only doubles when the vampire king chooses her as his own personal thrall.
He’s a temptation she wasn’t prepared for, but dangerous, and his attention could mean death if she doesn’t watch her mouth. Words are weapons in a vampire court, weapons she was not trained to use.
She can fight off any enemy, but no one prepared her to fight for her soul.
Scroll up and one click today to dive into this tantalizingly dangerous phenomenon!
Ruled by Blood - In Progress
Book 1 - Blood Huntress
Book 2 - Blood Slave
The Codex Blair Series - In Progress
Book 1 - Grave Mistake
Book 2 - Blood Hunt
Book 3 - Dark Descent
Book 4 - Wild Game
Book 5 - Grim Fate
Book 6 - High Stakes
Nina Rodriguez has become the most lethal weapon in the world. A blood mage trained by werewolves to hunt and kill with no remorse, no morality, and no hesitation. All that matters is the thrill of the kill, and the danger that comes with it.
When she’s given orders to infiltrate and observe the vampire court, she couldn’t turn it down anymore than she could cease to breathe.
The sweet taste of danger was enough to tempt her, and that only doubles when the vampire king chooses her as his own personal thrall.
He’s a temptation she wasn’t prepared for, but dangerous, and his attention could mean death if she doesn’t watch her mouth. Words are weapons in a vampire court, weapons she was not trained to use.
She can fight off any enemy, but no one prepared her to fight for her soul.
Scroll up and one click today to dive into this tantalizingly dangerous phenomenon!
Ruled by Blood - In Progress
Book 1 - Blood Huntress
Book 2 - Blood Slave
The Codex Blair Series - In Progress
Book 1 - Grave Mistake
Book 2 - Blood Hunt
Book 3 - Dark Descent
Book 4 - Wild Game
Book 5 - Grim Fate
Book 6 - High Stakes
254 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 24, 2017
575 people are currently reading
509 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
December 11, 2017
12-10-17
Blood Huntress
Ruled by Blood, Book 1
By: Izzy Shows
Narrated by: Stephen Dexter, Natalie Duke
This is an audible book I requested and the review is voluntary.
I have read this book before but I agreed to listen to the audible book, I really wanted to compare the two. Wow, it was awesome to see the difference.
Having the depth and scope of the voices giving the story life was an amazing difference. The story really came to life. This book continues the story as the Blood Mage hunts the vamps for the weres but now her mission is to go inside the vampires mansion and pose as a slave, little did she know she would be picked by the vamp she most feared and desired. Awesome book which continues the action, adventure, danger, and craziness of these exciting series! I could really feel like I was there and imagine the scenes so much more dramatically. Ms Shows is a wonderful writer and the actors pulled it all together and brought the characters to full power!
The narrators were just wonderful, perfect fit for this book! They really made a wonderful book even better!
8-10-17
Blood Huntress (Ruled by Blood Book 1) by Izzy Shows is a new and exciting series book one which follows Blood Captive. This book continues the story as the Blood Mage hunts the vamps but now her mission is to go inside the vampires mansion and pose as a slave, little did she know she would be picked to by the vamp she most feared and desired. Awesome book which continues the action, adventure, danger, and craziness of these exciting series!
December 4, 2017
Edit: I received the audio book from Izzy and I just have to say OMG!!! Natalie and Stephen portrayed Nina and Grayson's characters perfectly! Stephen captured the torment of Grayson's conflicted emotions while Natalie portrayed Nina's youthful exuberance and protective personality. Guys, seriously this is a moment where both actors gave so much to these characters. They were rendered beautifully!!!
WOW!!! WHEN DOES THE NEXT BOOK COME OUT?????? When can I read the Prequel????
I loved this! I loved the world that Izzy created! I loved the characters! I loved the character interactions! The narrative was a plus for me. I really enjoyed reading both sides. I thought it was a creative and unique story. I loved the structure. I loved the writing! I just loved the book!
This is so not your normal or cliche vampire/werewolf book. I don't know what secrets I missed by not reading the prequel but I can tell you that that only added to the intrigue of Blood Huntress.
Nina is a blood mage who escaped captivity and now roams with the wolves. Connall the pack master if you will sends her on a mission to infiltrate the Vampire castle! She's a trained assassin so no biggy. She decides to get in by submitting herself as a thrall in the hopes that a upper vampire would chose her giving her an easy in. She wasn't expecting that it would be Grayson. The King Vamp! (OMG) Now begins the dangerous dance of deceit! Her job is to observe, report and hide what she is at all costs. But that's not so easy when she is drawn to Gray...
Grayson the King has problems of his own. He's trying to hunt down the killers who keep attacking his people. With a pestering council demanding retribution and decisions and a mate for him he's come to hate his position. Until he becomes captivated by Nina...
I received this book from the author at the Goodreads Lovers of Paranormal group for free in exchange for a fair and honest review.
WOW!!! WHEN DOES THE NEXT BOOK COME OUT?????? When can I read the Prequel????
I loved this! I loved the world that Izzy created! I loved the characters! I loved the character interactions! The narrative was a plus for me. I really enjoyed reading both sides. I thought it was a creative and unique story. I loved the structure. I loved the writing! I just loved the book!
This is so not your normal or cliche vampire/werewolf book. I don't know what secrets I missed by not reading the prequel but I can tell you that that only added to the intrigue of Blood Huntress.
Nina is a blood mage who escaped captivity and now roams with the wolves. Connall the pack master if you will sends her on a mission to infiltrate the Vampire castle! She's a trained assassin so no biggy. She decides to get in by submitting herself as a thrall in the hopes that a upper vampire would chose her giving her an easy in. She wasn't expecting that it would be Grayson. The King Vamp! (OMG) Now begins the dangerous dance of deceit! Her job is to observe, report and hide what she is at all costs. But that's not so easy when she is drawn to Gray...
Grayson the King has problems of his own. He's trying to hunt down the killers who keep attacking his people. With a pestering council demanding retribution and decisions and a mate for him he's come to hate his position. Until he becomes captivated by Nina...
I received this book from the author at the Goodreads Lovers of Paranormal group for free in exchange for a fair and honest review.
August 12, 2017
Oooh I already love this series! Nina played such a dangerous game in this book, and I could not put it down. I really enjoyed the behind the scenes glimpse of the vampire court, and how Nina started to question everything she had been told and the validation of her mission. It's complicated though, as her kind are still imprisoned by the vampires. Throw in a hot vampire king, and it gets complicated real fast. I kept wanting things to go one way and for everything to just work out for these characters, but how could they with all the secrets and politics and history? The end of this book was pretty damn epic, and I am so excited to see where the story goes for everyone in the next one. Seriously, I need book two right this minute.
***I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.***
***I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.***
October 6, 2017
Ugh NO. I got to 65% and stopped. There was no world building at all and all the characters did was pine for each other. Pages and pages of it. No, nope, no.
September 27, 2017
Nothing fancy, nothing new. Not a fan of the romance... Been a bit since I read it so I can't vouch currently but I think it wasn't exactly clean.
September 15, 2017
I was in the mood for a bit of an Alpha male love story so this book fit for me at the time. Looking back there were some story holes that hopefully will be answered in a second book.
August 24, 2017
If you follow my reviews, you know the drill! First, comes the grades, then any thoughts, gushing or notes I have, and then a ruling for clean-readers.
World-building: A
Mythology: B+ (hopefully more in the next one)
Plot-Twists: A-
Suspense: A
Girl Power: A
Guy Hero: A
Villains: ? (hard to say...)
Love Interests: A-
Feels: A- (mostly Grayson feels... I had a difficult time relating to Nina)
This book and I got off to a rocky start. It wasn't until the POV switched to Grayson in Ch3 that I was able to actually get into the tale. The first two chapters just felt amateurish, though beyond that it gets better- I promise! I ended up finishing it in two sittings.
"Blood Huntress" is suspenseful and intriguing; I can't wait for the next installment!
For you clean-readers: this book DOES have mature content. Nothing explicit, though.
I would like to thank the author Izzy Shows for the ARC I received via email for free in exchange for a fair and honest review.
World-building: A
Mythology: B+ (hopefully more in the next one)
Plot-Twists: A-
Suspense: A
Girl Power: A
Guy Hero: A
Villains: ? (hard to say...)
Love Interests: A-
Feels: A- (mostly Grayson feels... I had a difficult time relating to Nina)
This book and I got off to a rocky start. It wasn't until the POV switched to Grayson in Ch3 that I was able to actually get into the tale. The first two chapters just felt amateurish, though beyond that it gets better- I promise! I ended up finishing it in two sittings.
"Blood Huntress" is suspenseful and intriguing; I can't wait for the next installment!
For you clean-readers: this book DOES have mature content. Nothing explicit, though.
I would like to thank the author Izzy Shows for the ARC I received via email for free in exchange for a fair and honest review.
August 27, 2017
Seems more like YA than adult
September 11, 2017
2.5 stars. An ok short read
It could have been edited a little better, there were missing words and some sentences didn't make sense together.
I didn't really understand Nina or Gray. Their motivations didn't make much sense to me, and their attraction at times was confusing. I know it's supposed to be some fated mate type thing but still. I would appreciate some consistency.
Also where do the hybrids fit in? A lot of loose ends with no real tie in.
I'll probably still read the second one since it's on kindle unlimited tho
It could have been edited a little better, there were missing words and some sentences didn't make sense together.
I didn't really understand Nina or Gray. Their motivations didn't make much sense to me, and their attraction at times was confusing. I know it's supposed to be some fated mate type thing but still. I would appreciate some consistency.
Also where do the hybrids fit in? A lot of loose ends with no real tie in.
I'll probably still read the second one since it's on kindle unlimited tho
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 3, 2017
Rather dull
The book started out rather interesting because it never went anywhere. Mostly just both the male and female feeling guilty about wanting each other. There was no plot line and nothing really happen in the book. It was just.....dull
The book started out rather interesting because it never went anywhere. Mostly just both the male and female feeling guilty about wanting each other. There was no plot line and nothing really happen in the book. It was just.....dull
May 4, 2018
2.5 stars!
So this book came in a bad time....
After 2 books of Suzanne Wright super strong, complex and breath taking Vampires, this book got me in the wrong way!!!
In this book the supernatural divides in three major categories: Vampires (H); Blood Mages (h) and Werewolf's!!
Blood mages are the strongest of them all, with magic that can make blood boil with a flick of wrist!
Vampires founded a way to trap all of them with iron collars and think that werewolf where extinct!!!
4 years ago a alpha werewolf helped the h - Nina to escape the dungeons she's been living for the last fifteen years, she trains to be a hunter and with her powers she is one of the best!!!
In her new mission she needs to infiltrated the vampire court!!
H is the King of the Vampires and he struggling with it!
Its the 2nd time they meet and their are drone together...
But they are on opposite sides and things get nasty!
My problem in this book was the H has the King and the vampires it self!!!
The vampires is this books are all snobby, all pretentious and concern with decorum!
The King is like a teen, all moody and drama drama!! At some point h said to his face just to MAN UP and be the King he should be! He's always whinnying that he need her, can stand to be far from her and bla bla bla, i'm use to alpha male vampires so this one was a mood killer!!
The book ends in a cliffhanger but the next book is predictable so i really don't know if i will read it!
So this book came in a bad time....
After 2 books of Suzanne Wright super strong, complex and breath taking Vampires, this book got me in the wrong way!!!
In this book the supernatural divides in three major categories: Vampires (H); Blood Mages (h) and Werewolf's!!
Blood mages are the strongest of them all, with magic that can make blood boil with a flick of wrist!
Vampires founded a way to trap all of them with iron collars and think that werewolf where extinct!!!
4 years ago a alpha werewolf helped the h - Nina to escape the dungeons she's been living for the last fifteen years, she trains to be a hunter and with her powers she is one of the best!!!
In her new mission she needs to infiltrated the vampire court!!
H is the King of the Vampires and he struggling with it!
Its the 2nd time they meet and their are drone together...
But they are on opposite sides and things get nasty!
My problem in this book was the H has the King and the vampires it self!!!
The vampires is this books are all snobby, all pretentious and concern with decorum!
The King is like a teen, all moody and drama drama!! At some point h said to his face just to MAN UP and be the King he should be! He's always whinnying that he need her, can stand to be far from her and bla bla bla, i'm use to alpha male vampires so this one was a mood killer!!
The book ends in a cliffhanger but the next book is predictable so i really don't know if i will read it!
September 19, 2017
Okay, let's be honest: I am a sucker for all things vampire. As mentioned by others on here, this is a totally different than Izzy's other series, Codex Blair.
I stupidly missed out on reading the prequel, however that is not a total deal-breaker - I do however recommend that you read that first as the interaction between Nina and the Vampire King will make more sense.
Well, well, well, look-y here: assassin blood mage having to go undercover in a vampire nest - what could possibly go wrong, right? The author has created a well rounded and likeable character in Nina - strong mentally and physically - and boy can she kick some butt! I absolutely loved reading the interaction between Nina and the Vampire King, however would've ideally liked a bit more detail (ie, content, and not just feelings).
Still, that does not deter me from giving a good star rating as I did enjoy the story and the interactions. Would also like to read more about the other characters that feature, ie King's best friend and some of the counsel members. I think if there's a little more substance/material to other characters this series will hit it out of the park.
Then again, this is a series, and I'm sure there will be more 'meat to the bones' in the next book.
Excellent start to a new series, so much looking forward to book 2!
I stupidly missed out on reading the prequel, however that is not a total deal-breaker - I do however recommend that you read that first as the interaction between Nina and the Vampire King will make more sense.
Well, well, well, look-y here: assassin blood mage having to go undercover in a vampire nest - what could possibly go wrong, right? The author has created a well rounded and likeable character in Nina - strong mentally and physically - and boy can she kick some butt! I absolutely loved reading the interaction between Nina and the Vampire King, however would've ideally liked a bit more detail (ie, content, and not just feelings).
Still, that does not deter me from giving a good star rating as I did enjoy the story and the interactions. Would also like to read more about the other characters that feature, ie King's best friend and some of the counsel members. I think if there's a little more substance/material to other characters this series will hit it out of the park.
Then again, this is a series, and I'm sure there will be more 'meat to the bones' in the next book.
Excellent start to a new series, so much looking forward to book 2!
September 29, 2017
Eh, this was entertaining enough to finish. Great idea, but needs a little more. I feel like there was so much the author could have done with this, but in the end it fell flat. Needs more development. I rate it 2.5 stars.
May 31, 2019
This reads like it's not fully formed yet. There's no world building and there are plot holes that are far too obvious.
I liked some of the ideas, like the blood mages, and the heroine assassin, but the execution is.. limited.
I liked some of the ideas, like the blood mages, and the heroine assassin, but the execution is.. limited.
July 12, 2022
Me gusta la trama y los personajes.
Hay miles de cosas q no cierran, pero BUEEEEHHHH a veces leer libros así me renuevan.
Hay miles de cosas q no cierran, pero BUEEEEHHHH a veces leer libros así me renuevan.
January 27, 2018
One of the best vampires books ave read this year....king Gray remind me of Elijah mikaelson so much
November 5, 2017
As other people have said, this reads more like a YA than an adult novel. The female protagonist is 23 years old and the vampire King implies he's seen centuries pass by. However, I don't think the author is good at writing male POV's so he sounded more like 18. It would have been better to keep it in Nina's POV.
August 22, 2017
I have quickly become a fan of Izzy Shows, and Blood Huntress just shows again why. This book is well written and has such a unique plot, that draws you in from the very first page. The author has an incredible imagination and comes up with very different stories and somehow manages to make something that is so much written about, new and different. The pace of this book is absolutely perfect, not once did I wish come on, move it along, nor did I ever felt like the author was rushing the story. There are nice twists hidden within as well and a couple of secrets still left, that I can't wait to find out more about in the books to come.
Nina is as strong as a heroine can get, even when she has her weak moments, which makes her even stronger yet, at least in my eyes. Sadly she has had a tough life that has made her who she is, but you can tell she is changing. I like that even in a story such as Blood Huntress, where you wouldn't really expect much character development, I find that you still get that, especially with Nina. Poor Grayson never stood a chance, and the bigger they are the lower they fall, and poor him, he had no idea what he was in for. I can hardly wait to see what is in store for these two.
As I said, I have read a few books by this author now, and this one will not be the last. I enjoy her lively writing style but foremost it is the breath of fresh air that she brings to the table that makes her books so different and stand out, that draw me back, every single time! So if you like to read something different, yet packed with action, strong characters and throw in some simmering romance, don't hesitate and pick this one up. I for one can't wait to read more!
I have received this book from the author for an honest review. (LoP, Lovers of Paranormal)
Nina is as strong as a heroine can get, even when she has her weak moments, which makes her even stronger yet, at least in my eyes. Sadly she has had a tough life that has made her who she is, but you can tell she is changing. I like that even in a story such as Blood Huntress, where you wouldn't really expect much character development, I find that you still get that, especially with Nina. Poor Grayson never stood a chance, and the bigger they are the lower they fall, and poor him, he had no idea what he was in for. I can hardly wait to see what is in store for these two.
As I said, I have read a few books by this author now, and this one will not be the last. I enjoy her lively writing style but foremost it is the breath of fresh air that she brings to the table that makes her books so different and stand out, that draw me back, every single time! So if you like to read something different, yet packed with action, strong characters and throw in some simmering romance, don't hesitate and pick this one up. I for one can't wait to read more!
I have received this book from the author for an honest review. (LoP, Lovers of Paranormal)
September 5, 2017
I've read so much that I don't like most books, but this one
I liked!
Strong female lead. Action. Adventure. Sexual tension (maybe too much - that's my only critique). Great story. Plausible and believable. Not trying to do too much (I.e. Save the world instead it's just people trying to find their place in it). I liked this a lot.
Izzy's a great storyteller. It was a quick read and worth every second.
I liked!
Strong female lead. Action. Adventure. Sexual tension (maybe too much - that's my only critique). Great story. Plausible and believable. Not trying to do too much (I.e. Save the world instead it's just people trying to find their place in it). I liked this a lot.
Izzy's a great storyteller. It was a quick read and worth every second.
September 2, 2017
Absolutely amazing! I literally couldn't stop reading until I reached the last page and then ... my Kindle refused to turn the page. At that moment I realised I've finished the book. I wad so distraught. But ... I loved every second of it. I can't wait to get my digital hands on part 2.
August 25, 2017
Great book
This was a very good book. Cannot wait till the next is out!! The end of September is so far away. 😟
This was a very good book. Cannot wait till the next is out!! The end of September is so far away. 😟
August 22, 2017
what an introductory for a new series. full of action, suspense with twists and turns. not knowing what is going to happen next. I so can't wait to read the next book in this series. Found it to be very well written.
August 29, 2017
Not Bad
It's more of a 3.5 star rating than 3. The first several chapters were really hard for me to get through. It was slow moving and t ok repetitive in what the character is thinking and speaking. I like to know what's going on but several lines of the same sentence written slightly different is too much. Towards the end it does speed up and things do get much more interesting and less repetitive. Gray and Nina's characters were different for me. Both were too back and forth with their feelings. Gray being who he is should have been more dominant and sure of himself. It's not a bad read. I did pre-order the second book since it was $.99. I do want to see what happens next. Hopefully the author's writing style improves with the next book.
I'm not knocking anyone as I know it takes lots of time and effort to get a book out there. I believe the author has a great storyline and shouldn't need to constantly repeat actions and thoughts to fill pages.
It's more of a 3.5 star rating than 3. The first several chapters were really hard for me to get through. It was slow moving and t ok repetitive in what the character is thinking and speaking. I like to know what's going on but several lines of the same sentence written slightly different is too much. Towards the end it does speed up and things do get much more interesting and less repetitive. Gray and Nina's characters were different for me. Both were too back and forth with their feelings. Gray being who he is should have been more dominant and sure of himself. It's not a bad read. I did pre-order the second book since it was $.99. I do want to see what happens next. Hopefully the author's writing style improves with the next book.
I'm not knocking anyone as I know it takes lots of time and effort to get a book out there. I believe the author has a great storyline and shouldn't need to constantly repeat actions and thoughts to fill pages.
August 28, 2017
The premise was really good but as I was reading the story I felt like I was missing some chapters or had mistakenly picked up book two in a series and didn't understand the setup to the story. The author takes a lot of leaps in the plot line that you have to intuitively jump to follow along.
April 21, 2018
1.5 star is a more accurate rating, I gave it 2 stars only because I was intrigued enough to last up to chapter 26/27.
I'm not a reader who nit-picks at everything unbelievable - I'm quite willing to suspend my disbelief if the characters and plot can reasonably - or even remotely - support why something is happening. I don't often see plot-holes, so if an entire story falls apart for me because one or two things, it's a pretty big plot-hole in my view.
**SPOILER ALERT**
So Nina and Gray have been dancing around each other up to chapter 26; her being a spy in his castle, and him unaware she is the killer he's looking for, while at the same time they both feel a forbidden attraction towards each other. This dance was interesting - there was tension, and it held promise, even if they were both a little wooden at times.
I think Ms. Shows wrote them into a corner though, and had to find a way to get them back out - Gray gives his word he won't touch Nina without her wanting it, and she's not allowing herself to give into her wanting. It honestly felt like this chapter was written purely to allow the characters to come together in a sexual way (not all the way, mind) that they weren't allowing themselves to do while Nina was in "thrall" mode. And because of this need to bring the characters together, it forces an encounter & aftermath that completely puts a hole in the story.
So, chapter 26. Gray encounters Nina in her hunter disguise, just after she's killed another vampire in the castle. Her face is partially covered, and since they apparently met 4 years earlier in the city and had a moment there (while she was in her hunter-disguise), that memory is what he recollects in this moment based on her appearance and scent (in thrall-mode, she disguises her scent so he doesn't recognize her). I can accept this idea, but only to a point.
For a number of the previous chapters, from the moment he takes her as a thrall, we're entreated to internal musings and monologues about how captivated he is with Nina. She distracts him, he can't concentrate on anything but her, she's constantly in his thoughts. I felt the build-up of their mutual attraction and these internal thoughts were reasonable and fit with both the story and the characters' development until this chapter.
So if Ms. Shows wants us to believe all of the above feelings Gray has for Nina are true, then chapter 26 is the wrench in the works that begins to make it fall apart. All of this obsession, longing, wanting on his part, and he doesn't recognize Nina when her face is only partially covered? She doesn't really speak, not until the end of the encounter, but he can clearly see her eyes, even the colour of them - they lock gazes a few times, and since he can grab her hair, her hair is also visible. Just an hour or two earlier in the timeline, they had had a moment where they were exceptionally close and on the very verge of kissing. He honestly doesn't remember the feel of her - the height and build of her - from that moment to recognize her in this moment? It's only when she finally speaks that he notices her voice (of all things!) sounds familiar, which is the same moment she knocks him unconscious.
Even if I were willing to give the above a "Superman" disguise excuse, chapter 27 comes along and nails the coffin shut on my willingness. Gray wakes to find Nina (in thrall mode) sitting beside him and while he remembers the intimate encounter with the "little huntress", he apparently doesn't remember thinking she was familiar somehow, and still doesn't put two and two together, despite Nina sitting right in front of him. The final straw was the fact that not a single question is asked by him about how she found him, unconscious, in the room of the murder victim. What possible explanation is there for her to have found him there if she wasn't the huntress? She just happens to find him in a room in a part of the castle that she would have no business being in? And she even says he's been unconscious for ten minutes. Of course she knows where he is and how long he's been out for because she left him there, but he doesn't know that, and while she might have been able to come up with a lie to explain all of that (which I would have liked to have seen!), it's not needed because he doesn't question her presence, doesn't even think about how suspicious it is; instead, he accepts her initial aid and then happily goes off to hunt the little huntress in the city instead.
I didn't finish the rest of the book based on these aspects alone - I think I got a few more chapters read, but the let down here distracted me from remaining vested in the story; I was disappointed because there was huge potential in the overall story, and the characters, while not exceptional, were well-rounded enough to carry the story to this point. I even tried re-reading these parts to make sure I didn't miss anything that offered explanation for the plot holes, as well as earlier parts about her disguise to make sure I didn't miss something in its description, but I think the cover illustration of the book is pretty well what's described in the story.
I'm not a reader who nit-picks at everything unbelievable - I'm quite willing to suspend my disbelief if the characters and plot can reasonably - or even remotely - support why something is happening. I don't often see plot-holes, so if an entire story falls apart for me because one or two things, it's a pretty big plot-hole in my view.
**SPOILER ALERT**
So Nina and Gray have been dancing around each other up to chapter 26; her being a spy in his castle, and him unaware she is the killer he's looking for, while at the same time they both feel a forbidden attraction towards each other. This dance was interesting - there was tension, and it held promise, even if they were both a little wooden at times.
I think Ms. Shows wrote them into a corner though, and had to find a way to get them back out - Gray gives his word he won't touch Nina without her wanting it, and she's not allowing herself to give into her wanting. It honestly felt like this chapter was written purely to allow the characters to come together in a sexual way (not all the way, mind) that they weren't allowing themselves to do while Nina was in "thrall" mode. And because of this need to bring the characters together, it forces an encounter & aftermath that completely puts a hole in the story.
So, chapter 26. Gray encounters Nina in her hunter disguise, just after she's killed another vampire in the castle. Her face is partially covered, and since they apparently met 4 years earlier in the city and had a moment there (while she was in her hunter-disguise), that memory is what he recollects in this moment based on her appearance and scent (in thrall-mode, she disguises her scent so he doesn't recognize her). I can accept this idea, but only to a point.
For a number of the previous chapters, from the moment he takes her as a thrall, we're entreated to internal musings and monologues about how captivated he is with Nina. She distracts him, he can't concentrate on anything but her, she's constantly in his thoughts. I felt the build-up of their mutual attraction and these internal thoughts were reasonable and fit with both the story and the characters' development until this chapter.
So if Ms. Shows wants us to believe all of the above feelings Gray has for Nina are true, then chapter 26 is the wrench in the works that begins to make it fall apart. All of this obsession, longing, wanting on his part, and he doesn't recognize Nina when her face is only partially covered? She doesn't really speak, not until the end of the encounter, but he can clearly see her eyes, even the colour of them - they lock gazes a few times, and since he can grab her hair, her hair is also visible. Just an hour or two earlier in the timeline, they had had a moment where they were exceptionally close and on the very verge of kissing. He honestly doesn't remember the feel of her - the height and build of her - from that moment to recognize her in this moment? It's only when she finally speaks that he notices her voice (of all things!) sounds familiar, which is the same moment she knocks him unconscious.
Even if I were willing to give the above a "Superman" disguise excuse, chapter 27 comes along and nails the coffin shut on my willingness. Gray wakes to find Nina (in thrall mode) sitting beside him and while he remembers the intimate encounter with the "little huntress", he apparently doesn't remember thinking she was familiar somehow, and still doesn't put two and two together, despite Nina sitting right in front of him. The final straw was the fact that not a single question is asked by him about how she found him, unconscious, in the room of the murder victim. What possible explanation is there for her to have found him there if she wasn't the huntress? She just happens to find him in a room in a part of the castle that she would have no business being in? And she even says he's been unconscious for ten minutes. Of course she knows where he is and how long he's been out for because she left him there, but he doesn't know that, and while she might have been able to come up with a lie to explain all of that (which I would have liked to have seen!), it's not needed because he doesn't question her presence, doesn't even think about how suspicious it is; instead, he accepts her initial aid and then happily goes off to hunt the little huntress in the city instead.
I didn't finish the rest of the book based on these aspects alone - I think I got a few more chapters read, but the let down here distracted me from remaining vested in the story; I was disappointed because there was huge potential in the overall story, and the characters, while not exceptional, were well-rounded enough to carry the story to this point. I even tried re-reading these parts to make sure I didn't miss anything that offered explanation for the plot holes, as well as earlier parts about her disguise to make sure I didn't miss something in its description, but I think the cover illustration of the book is pretty well what's described in the story.
January 1, 2018
Blood Huntress
I liked Blood Huntress. The overall idea of a Blood mage trained by werewolves sent to kill vampires is enough to peak my interest. Then you bring in the additional storyline of the lead, Nina, going under cover in the mysterious Vampire Court. Sounds like a winner to me. The story needed a bit more development and it read like a novella instead of a full novel because of its length.
I usually start my rants with the good then move into any of the things I didn't care for. But since I've already told you I like the book and the overall concept is good, I think it's okay to go ahead into the issues.
First, I'm always a bit skeptical when an Audible book has more than one marrator. It means each of the characters is going to have two voices which can be annoying and hard to follow. However in this case, these narrators did a good job at handling the exchange of characters. Though Blood Huntress narrators, Stephen Dexter and Natalie Duke, did well with this I DO NOT recommend this to other authors. Research your narrators first.
Second, I don't like the idea of living vampires. Drinking blood and being dead are the only two requirements for a vampire. Don't f$!# with that!
There wasn't alot of details put into Wold Developement. I cant even tell if this world had electricity. When reading a novel it helps to imagine the world. Are they in current time and place, are they in a current time frame but not a real place, are they in world similar to prehistoric or medieval times, etc.
Once Nina, the lead character, infiltrates the castle things seemed a bit rushed. Having Nina and Grayson spend more time together would have helped make the love seem more genuine. It also would have cut down on the overdramatic tension between the two of them.
In conclusion, I love ideas around female hunters and I much appreciated that we didn't have the typical story line of love triangles, working with the cops to solve crimes, etc.
Why are Books 2 and 3 not available on Audible yet?
Audible Books Listener
Alexis :-)
I liked Blood Huntress. The overall idea of a Blood mage trained by werewolves sent to kill vampires is enough to peak my interest. Then you bring in the additional storyline of the lead, Nina, going under cover in the mysterious Vampire Court. Sounds like a winner to me. The story needed a bit more development and it read like a novella instead of a full novel because of its length.
I usually start my rants with the good then move into any of the things I didn't care for. But since I've already told you I like the book and the overall concept is good, I think it's okay to go ahead into the issues.
First, I'm always a bit skeptical when an Audible book has more than one marrator. It means each of the characters is going to have two voices which can be annoying and hard to follow. However in this case, these narrators did a good job at handling the exchange of characters. Though Blood Huntress narrators, Stephen Dexter and Natalie Duke, did well with this I DO NOT recommend this to other authors. Research your narrators first.
Second, I don't like the idea of living vampires. Drinking blood and being dead are the only two requirements for a vampire. Don't f$!# with that!
There wasn't alot of details put into Wold Developement. I cant even tell if this world had electricity. When reading a novel it helps to imagine the world. Are they in current time and place, are they in a current time frame but not a real place, are they in world similar to prehistoric or medieval times, etc.
Once Nina, the lead character, infiltrates the castle things seemed a bit rushed. Having Nina and Grayson spend more time together would have helped make the love seem more genuine. It also would have cut down on the overdramatic tension between the two of them.
In conclusion, I love ideas around female hunters and I much appreciated that we didn't have the typical story line of love triangles, working with the cops to solve crimes, etc.
Why are Books 2 and 3 not available on Audible yet?
Audible Books Listener
Alexis :-)
May 20, 2018
Honestly I don't really know what to make of this book, finished Blood slave as well and still not that much into it, yet enough to make me want to read more if it makes any sense.
Gray has this woe-is-me kinda vibe to me, slightly gets on the nerves from time to time. Mostly since he is this King who most of vampires fear and then you're presented with his inner battles, which contain of Nina, safety of his people, Nina, Nina and finding his mate. I know there are characters who have to be fierce on the outside yet are complete opposite on the inside, but Gray? Gray seems to take it to the next level. And even with all this ranting, I somehow still managed to find him alright more or less.
Nina is problem from herself. She actually got on my nerves in most of her POVs unlike her sparkly boyfriend wannabe. You know she's this amazeballs huntress/blood mage, who is her own person above anything else. Which is all fine and dandy, I appreciate female protagonists with that kind of additude and the other way around. And I also understand she's a human being (not really but you know what I mean), not unemotional, not without her faults and moments of weakness. So what confuses me immensely is how she appears during her infiltration. Sometimes she is badass, other times she seems somewhat meek I guess. I know it's because she's infiltrating and that it's how the vampire society system works, but still... I don't know. Even her inner thoughts are like that from time to time.
Other characters seem to be there to support plot going exclusively for Nina and Gray, kudos to Alex maybe and that Council dude, maybe even his mom, but other than that nope.
And after Nina managed to escape, her boss gets three lines and all three are 'get out, I have no more use of you'.
My thoughts right now are as confusing as this review probably, but that's that.
Book is alright-ish, lacks something I can't put my finger on yet keeps me hooked to see what's gonna happen next. Or at least it did until end of Blood slave.
Gray has this woe-is-me kinda vibe to me, slightly gets on the nerves from time to time. Mostly since he is this King who most of vampires fear and then you're presented with his inner battles, which contain of Nina, safety of his people, Nina, Nina and finding his mate. I know there are characters who have to be fierce on the outside yet are complete opposite on the inside, but Gray? Gray seems to take it to the next level. And even with all this ranting, I somehow still managed to find him alright more or less.
Nina is problem from herself. She actually got on my nerves in most of her POVs unlike her sparkly boyfriend wannabe. You know she's this amazeballs huntress/blood mage, who is her own person above anything else. Which is all fine and dandy, I appreciate female protagonists with that kind of additude and the other way around. And I also understand she's a human being (not really but you know what I mean), not unemotional, not without her faults and moments of weakness. So what confuses me immensely is how she appears during her infiltration. Sometimes she is badass, other times she seems somewhat meek I guess. I know it's because she's infiltrating and that it's how the vampire society system works, but still... I don't know. Even her inner thoughts are like that from time to time.
Other characters seem to be there to support plot going exclusively for Nina and Gray, kudos to Alex maybe and that Council dude, maybe even his mom, but other than that nope.
And after Nina managed to escape, her boss gets three lines and all three are 'get out, I have no more use of you'.
My thoughts right now are as confusing as this review probably, but that's that.
Book is alright-ish, lacks something I can't put my finger on yet keeps me hooked to see what's gonna happen next. Or at least it did until end of Blood slave.
April 16, 2024
Young Adult, virgin tropes
This series would have been great if it was written with more age adult dialog. I could overlook the virgin trope (which I HATE) because other than the scenes with the 2 main couples, I liked the dialog! Other than the mean girls squad scenes. But the instalove on the MC end was just so cringe. It was instant. More instant than the normal instant. On Grayson end. But the idiot didn’t put two and two together that she was his mate??? I mean, they literally had maybe 3 scenes together and when it got to the MCs chapter, it was INSANE how far into it he was. He was putting this girl he just met above his thrown, his people, and above the murders he’s suppose to solve. And we are to believe this idiot is a KING?! And honestly what was he so infatuated with?? Nina barely spoke 2 words on each exchange, so why are they both confessing that they are the only people they can be themselves around and who to trust?! Lmao it was crazy.
Literally after their maybe 3 or 4 interaction this was their thought process:
Grayson - wow this girl with her luxurious body and lips, soft curves, she’s the most important person to me and I will put her above all else like the precious snow flake she is. Man I need to find my mate because these strong feeling would switch to my one true mate. But thinking of that breaks me because Nina is everything, who cares about my throne and those vampire murders, she just needs to give me the approval so I can kiss those Lucious lips
Nina - why hasn’t he fed off me? Do I stink? All the girls in the mean girl group think less of me because of my delicate unscarred neck! Man he’s hot though. Why do I want him to bite me? I’m an assassin of his kind! I have never been with someone *blush* in THAT way, so he obviously doesn’t like me.
Yah it was way too young adult. I just couldn’t cringe anymore so had to stop at chapter 23. I couldn’t even tell you what the plot was or why she was forced to be a thrall opposed to other assassins because the main focus was their teenage love affair.
This series would have been great if it was written with more age adult dialog. I could overlook the virgin trope (which I HATE) because other than the scenes with the 2 main couples, I liked the dialog! Other than the mean girls squad scenes. But the instalove on the MC end was just so cringe. It was instant. More instant than the normal instant. On Grayson end. But the idiot didn’t put two and two together that she was his mate??? I mean, they literally had maybe 3 scenes together and when it got to the MCs chapter, it was INSANE how far into it he was. He was putting this girl he just met above his thrown, his people, and above the murders he’s suppose to solve. And we are to believe this idiot is a KING?! And honestly what was he so infatuated with?? Nina barely spoke 2 words on each exchange, so why are they both confessing that they are the only people they can be themselves around and who to trust?! Lmao it was crazy.
Literally after their maybe 3 or 4 interaction this was their thought process:
Grayson - wow this girl with her luxurious body and lips, soft curves, she’s the most important person to me and I will put her above all else like the precious snow flake she is. Man I need to find my mate because these strong feeling would switch to my one true mate. But thinking of that breaks me because Nina is everything, who cares about my throne and those vampire murders, she just needs to give me the approval so I can kiss those Lucious lips
Nina - why hasn’t he fed off me? Do I stink? All the girls in the mean girl group think less of me because of my delicate unscarred neck! Man he’s hot though. Why do I want him to bite me? I’m an assassin of his kind! I have never been with someone *blush* in THAT way, so he obviously doesn’t like me.
Yah it was way too young adult. I just couldn’t cringe anymore so had to stop at chapter 23. I couldn’t even tell you what the plot was or why she was forced to be a thrall opposed to other assassins because the main focus was their teenage love affair.
October 18, 2017
I was stupid, I admit it, I expected too much from your standard cheesy, half-baked, vampire (which means bad romance for all you new guys) novel. ARG DANGIT, I expected so much just because the story seemed pretty good. I hated it after about... five pages. The writing style is first person, which sucks, the characters are not thought out, no background at all. She just HAPENS to be a blood mage and he just HAPENS to be a vampire king who immediately is attracted to her... you see where I'm going with this? After five pages, my thoughts went to burning the book (figuratively though because its on my kindle). The author talks about the same thing over and over again "I have to be strong to stay up with the pack... blah blah blah... but the wolves are so much stronger I have to_" No... just no. Also first person writing is a skill only some writers do right, others just flop. In this case... yeah, its not good. The first person shows at the same time too much emotion and too little, every thought of the protagonist is literally EXPOSITION... *please kill me*. And the vampire's not much better he's even MORE cheesy. Anyways, I gave this book a second chance and read to chapter four, I am not giving it a third.
August 22, 2019
The Story is Heating Up
The action and sense of self that Nina is slowly gaining is a joy to watch. Her struggles with her nature and Grayson's struggles with his are intense. The second book does not disappoint and we got to see another side of Nina that's endearing and her stand up moral code.
Alex and the other vampires and thralls taking to her was a bit of a surprise, a little unbelievable given the hierarchy that she can speak her mind so freely without consequence. She uses different powers as a blood mage and her stealth is admirable though her decision-making leaves something to be desired. I was pleasantly surprised to see the tension as to her identity come to and end early instead of being dragged out forever. There are less typos in this one than the first which made for an easier read.
The action and sense of self that Nina is slowly gaining is a joy to watch. Her struggles with her nature and Grayson's struggles with his are intense. The second book does not disappoint and we got to see another side of Nina that's endearing and her stand up moral code.
Alex and the other vampires and thralls taking to her was a bit of a surprise, a little unbelievable given the hierarchy that she can speak her mind so freely without consequence. She uses different powers as a blood mage and her stealth is admirable though her decision-making leaves something to be desired. I was pleasantly surprised to see the tension as to her identity come to and end early instead of being dragged out forever. There are less typos in this one than the first which made for an easier read.
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