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Blood Lines #1
Matters Of The Blood
Forget Transylvania, New Orleans, and St. Louis—Keira Kelly has to deal with supernatural Texas…
If you thought your family was strange…
Try being Keira Kelly. A member of a powerful paranormal family, Keira elected to stay among humans in the Texas Hill Country when the rest of the clan moved (lock, stock, and grimoire) to Canada. But family duty means still having to keep an eye on cousin Marty—a genetic aberration who turned out 100% human, poor guy. And recently Keira’s been having violent dreams—or are they visions?—featuring Marty as the victim of a vicious murder. Something sinister seems to be brewing in little Rio Seco. Can Keira get to the bottom of it all while avoiding entanglement with her former lover, Sheriff Carlton Larson? And what does she plan to do about the irresistible and enigmatic Adam Walker? When this old friend shows up as the new owner of a local ranc and wants to get better acquainted, Keira is more than happy to be welcoming…until she suspects that Adam could be intimately connected to the dangerous doings in Rio Seco.
If you thought your family was strange…
Try being Keira Kelly. A member of a powerful paranormal family, Keira elected to stay among humans in the Texas Hill Country when the rest of the clan moved (lock, stock, and grimoire) to Canada. But family duty means still having to keep an eye on cousin Marty—a genetic aberration who turned out 100% human, poor guy. And recently Keira’s been having violent dreams—or are they visions?—featuring Marty as the victim of a vicious murder. Something sinister seems to be brewing in little Rio Seco. Can Keira get to the bottom of it all while avoiding entanglement with her former lover, Sheriff Carlton Larson? And what does she plan to do about the irresistible and enigmatic Adam Walker? When this old friend shows up as the new owner of a local ranc and wants to get better acquainted, Keira is more than happy to be welcoming…until she suspects that Adam could be intimately connected to the dangerous doings in Rio Seco.
324 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 31, 2005
17 people are currently reading
1186 people want to read
About the author
Maria Lima
43 books122 followersI write dead people...no really.
I'm a writing geek with one foot in the real world and the other in the make-believe.
Sometime before the Revolution, I was born in Matanzas, Cuba, to a family of voracious readers and would-be writers.
In 1961, when it was clear that the situation wasn't going to change, my family emigrated to the United States, where I then discovered the magic of books...loads of books. Starting with the public library, followed by the Scholastic book sales in elementary school, then on from there.
As a child, storytelling was part of our family dinner hour, when my father, who dreamt of becoming a writer, spoke of heroes, heroines and battles royale. In this was mixed a love of both fictional and non-fictional worlds, of history and splendor, dragons and them that slayed 'em. It's no wonder that I grew up composing stories.
The writing bug didn't get much of a workout in real life, however, as the corporate life only drew on my journalism degree as I cranked out marketing copy, feature stories and book reviews.
The fiction muse kept calling and in the spring of 2005, was finally fed as my first published short story, "The Butler Didn't Do It" was published in Chesapeake Crimes I and garnered an Agatha Award nomination for Best Short Story.
In 2007, my first novel, Matters of the Blood, debuted from Juno Books, then, an imprint of Wildside Press. Blood Bargain, 2nd in the Blood Lines series came out November, 2008.
In January 2009, Juno Books became an imprint of Pocket Books, a division of Simon & Schuster. The Blood Lines series is reborn again as Pocket re-releases the first two books in September & October 2009, followed by Blood Kin in November.
In my day job, I work for an interactive Web agency in the DC area. In the rest of my life, I'm a writer, a fangrrl and as always, a voracious reader.
I'm a writing geek with one foot in the real world and the other in the make-believe.
Sometime before the Revolution, I was born in Matanzas, Cuba, to a family of voracious readers and would-be writers.
In 1961, when it was clear that the situation wasn't going to change, my family emigrated to the United States, where I then discovered the magic of books...loads of books. Starting with the public library, followed by the Scholastic book sales in elementary school, then on from there.
As a child, storytelling was part of our family dinner hour, when my father, who dreamt of becoming a writer, spoke of heroes, heroines and battles royale. In this was mixed a love of both fictional and non-fictional worlds, of history and splendor, dragons and them that slayed 'em. It's no wonder that I grew up composing stories.
The writing bug didn't get much of a workout in real life, however, as the corporate life only drew on my journalism degree as I cranked out marketing copy, feature stories and book reviews.
The fiction muse kept calling and in the spring of 2005, was finally fed as my first published short story, "The Butler Didn't Do It" was published in Chesapeake Crimes I and garnered an Agatha Award nomination for Best Short Story.
In 2007, my first novel, Matters of the Blood, debuted from Juno Books, then, an imprint of Wildside Press. Blood Bargain, 2nd in the Blood Lines series came out November, 2008.
In January 2009, Juno Books became an imprint of Pocket Books, a division of Simon & Schuster. The Blood Lines series is reborn again as Pocket re-releases the first two books in September & October 2009, followed by Blood Kin in November.
In my day job, I work for an interactive Web agency in the DC area. In the rest of my life, I'm a writer, a fangrrl and as always, a voracious reader.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
November 18, 2009
Disclosure: I know the author a bit.
Hypothesis: paranormal romance is one big madlib.
Our heroine is a [description of paranormal attributes:] immortal faerie princess shapechanger weatherwitch healer psychic clairvoyant trust fund baby no for serious who gets involved with a [type of paranormal man:] vampire. Duh who has angst about [specific variety of manpain about his paranormal nature:] biting her and drinking her sweet sweet blood. They live in [location:] Texas and [verb and modifiers:] occasionally solve crime Also, there's a [love triangle:] love triangle.
About one in twenty of these suckers hits on the magical hotbutton combination for me. Otherwise, check, please.
Hypothesis: paranormal romance is one big madlib.
Our heroine is a [description of paranormal attributes:] immortal faerie princess shapechanger weatherwitch healer psychic clairvoyant trust fund baby no for serious who gets involved with a [type of paranormal man:] vampire. Duh who has angst about [specific variety of manpain about his paranormal nature:] biting her and drinking her sweet sweet blood. They live in [location:] Texas and [verb and modifiers:] occasionally solve crime Also, there's a [love triangle:] love triangle.
About one in twenty of these suckers hits on the magical hotbutton combination for me. Otherwise, check, please.
May 29, 2010
1.5 stars. Yes, it's bad. No other way to say it. I barely finished it, it's so bad. Keira is a very unlikable Mary Sue. Why? Let's see: she is beautiful, so rich she doesn't even have to think of working so she doesn't, she's well-traveled, immortal, she has special powers - but so vague that the author can slap anything on her and it can stick - and every man falls for her hard. She had one duty, just one: take care of her cousin Marty, the only mortal in her family. And still, Marty got killed because she couldn't be bothered to check on him regularly or even warn him or contact the rest of her family when she started having dreams about him getting killed. Because, you know, he annoyed her. Right.
And that's not all. The men in this book. Except for Tucker, Keira's brother, and Adam, the Marty Sue of this book - seriously, he's gorgeous, rich, young and immortal vampire who moved his whole clan to this little tiny backwater town just to be with Keira because he fell so hard for her within just a few weeks in London - they are all weak to pathetic, nasty or downright bad guys. That allows Keira to shine and prove how independent she is and...
The only saving grace? The possibility of some kind of a relationship between Tucker and Adam's friend Niko - those two together are much more interesting than Keira and Adam could ever be.
And that's not all. The men in this book. Except for Tucker, Keira's brother, and Adam, the Marty Sue of this book - seriously, he's gorgeous, rich, young and immortal vampire who moved his whole clan to this little tiny backwater town just to be with Keira because he fell so hard for her within just a few weeks in London - they are all weak to pathetic, nasty or downright bad guys. That allows Keira to shine and prove how independent she is and...
The only saving grace? The possibility of some kind of a relationship between Tucker and Adam's friend Niko - those two together are much more interesting than Keira and Adam could ever be.
February 19, 2019
2.5
Keira Kelly is a paranormal being. She is changing, becoming something more. She is waiting to see which particular power she'll settle into, just as all her family members have done before her. For now, she has unexpected visions of a hunt, blood and her soon-to-be-dead cousin Marty. For some unexpected reason, the visions stop at one point and she never gets another one.
I liked parts of this story. Since Keira is thinking about a possibility of all the powers in one person and this is an urban fantasy, you can guess what she'll become. I wouldn't be surprised at all.
After her cousin is murdered, Keira starts investigating. The sheriff is her ex and after a comment about a 'bunch of spoiled European snobs' (no reason for this other than they're rich and, yes, European, and staying at an expensive and isolated place), I was hoping he isn't the love interest. He's also married. Fortunately, he isn't a love interest.
I felt her relationship with Adam went from 'oh, hey, long time no see' to 'love you' in the blink of an eye. They have known each other for eight years and there was something there before, but it was still too quick.
I loved Keira's brother. I'd love a story about him.
Keira Kelly is a paranormal being. She is changing, becoming something more. She is waiting to see which particular power she'll settle into, just as all her family members have done before her. For now, she has unexpected visions of a hunt, blood and her soon-to-be-dead cousin Marty. For some unexpected reason, the visions stop at one point and she never gets another one.
I liked parts of this story. Since Keira is thinking about a possibility of all the powers in one person and this is an urban fantasy, you can guess what she'll become. I wouldn't be surprised at all.
After her cousin is murdered, Keira starts investigating. The sheriff is her ex and after a comment about a 'bunch of spoiled European snobs' (no reason for this other than they're rich and, yes, European, and staying at an expensive and isolated place), I was hoping he isn't the love interest. He's also married. Fortunately, he isn't a love interest.
I felt her relationship with Adam went from 'oh, hey, long time no see' to 'love you' in the blink of an eye. They have known each other for eight years and there was something there before, but it was still too quick.
I loved Keira's brother. I'd love a story about him.
August 29, 2010
You can't pick up an urban fantasy these days without getting some variation on the "heroine in tough pose and generally without a head" cover. Nor are your chances good of finding an urban fantasy that does not involve vampires. Maria Lima's Matters of the Blood has both of these things. But don't let that stop you from picking this up, since it is in fact a fun read!
First up, this is actually less of an "urban" fantasy per se and more of a "rural" one. I've said in reviews of other things (c.f. Doranna Durgin's A Feral Darkness) that I like seeing contemporary fantasy novels that aren't set in major urban centers. Lima's series is set out in a more rural stretch of Texas, and the setting alone adds a lot of color to the book.
Second, while Lima's heroine Keira follows the standard mold of Heroine Who Has Great Magical Powers and Much Attitude But Who Really Just Wants to Be Left Alone, she's nonetheless likable. Keira doesn't go too overboard with the sass, and what attitude she's got towards her family is justified! To balance that out, she's got a lively friendship going on with her best friend Bea, and an intriguing almost-a-relationship with Adam Walker, the mysterious owner of a local dude ranch.
Which of course brings me around to the vampire part of the story. It's not a spoiler to say that Keira discovers that OH HEY this guy's a vampire; it'd almost be more surprising if she discovered he wasn't, really. As a character Adam brings nothing new to the vampire milieu, but even given that, I liked him. He wasn't overly angsty as a vampire love interest goes, which helped.
The mystery's fun, too, as Keira, her brother Tucker, Bea, and Adam must investigate recent murders around their town--including that of Keira's undertaker cousin Marty, the one member of their family who has no powers whatsoever. There are interesting power plays going on with Adam and his subordinates, and good backstory to bolster it all up. I'll be coming back for more. Four stars.
First up, this is actually less of an "urban" fantasy per se and more of a "rural" one. I've said in reviews of other things (c.f. Doranna Durgin's A Feral Darkness) that I like seeing contemporary fantasy novels that aren't set in major urban centers. Lima's series is set out in a more rural stretch of Texas, and the setting alone adds a lot of color to the book.
Second, while Lima's heroine Keira follows the standard mold of Heroine Who Has Great Magical Powers and Much Attitude But Who Really Just Wants to Be Left Alone, she's nonetheless likable. Keira doesn't go too overboard with the sass, and what attitude she's got towards her family is justified! To balance that out, she's got a lively friendship going on with her best friend Bea, and an intriguing almost-a-relationship with Adam Walker, the mysterious owner of a local dude ranch.
Which of course brings me around to the vampire part of the story. It's not a spoiler to say that Keira discovers that OH HEY this guy's a vampire; it'd almost be more surprising if she discovered he wasn't, really. As a character Adam brings nothing new to the vampire milieu, but even given that, I liked him. He wasn't overly angsty as a vampire love interest goes, which helped.
The mystery's fun, too, as Keira, her brother Tucker, Bea, and Adam must investigate recent murders around their town--including that of Keira's undertaker cousin Marty, the one member of their family who has no powers whatsoever. There are interesting power plays going on with Adam and his subordinates, and good backstory to bolster it all up. I'll be coming back for more. Four stars.
April 24, 2010
After reading books by Charlaine Harris, kim Harrison, Richelle Meade, Karen Moning, and even Laurel K Hamilton (the earlier Anita Blake).... this book was just too slow!!! I stopped at page 200!
The main character spends most of the book telling you what she can do... why not just show us! You spend 200 pags in her head with some dialogue! Then you realize she's some faerie, shapeshifter, necromancer (because she tells you) but show me!!! Not much action I had to end it and move on to someonelse! The author's writing is as complex as the cheap cover on the book! Extremly disappointed!
The main character spends most of the book telling you what she can do... why not just show us! You spend 200 pags in her head with some dialogue! Then you realize she's some faerie, shapeshifter, necromancer (because she tells you) but show me!!! Not much action I had to end it and move on to someonelse! The author's writing is as complex as the cheap cover on the book! Extremly disappointed!
January 21, 2010
The main character is Keira Kelly, and she lives in a pretty small town in Texas. Her whole family is "special", each person having different abilities. Keira is starting early and she's beginning to "change", which means she will exhibit all the abilities that her family possesses before finally settling on one. Keira's whole family moved to Canada, and left her to babysit their abnormal family member who happens to be human. (Sort of the like the chick Jane? from the Adam's Family). His name is Morty and he works as a mortician.
Keira is beginning to have visions, and they are all of blood, and most importantly her cousin Morty's death. Then animals are starting to die on one of the ranch's outside town, old lovers are starting to show up, namely Sheriff Carlton Larson, and old friend Adam Walker, and people are all beginning to act a little strange.
The first 80 pgs or so moved really slowly and it seemed as if there was no point to the book. I guess the author was trying to set everything up for later events, either way, it wasn't until around the 100's or so that the book started to get interesting. But once that point hit, it was smooth sailing from there. I enjoyed the storyline, and by the end the author had made me paranoid of every character in the book. At one point I had mentally accused every character of wrong doing lol.
I liked the concept of Keira's family, having each family member become something different, and having the "change" come about. It's different from other books I've read. I also liked Adam Walker's character and I liked Niko. I think his name is just really cool. lol.
Everyone likes a book that grabs them from the start, and while this book doesn't do that, it does grab you eventually. I look forward to the next book in the series.
Keira is beginning to have visions, and they are all of blood, and most importantly her cousin Morty's death. Then animals are starting to die on one of the ranch's outside town, old lovers are starting to show up, namely Sheriff Carlton Larson, and old friend Adam Walker, and people are all beginning to act a little strange.
The first 80 pgs or so moved really slowly and it seemed as if there was no point to the book. I guess the author was trying to set everything up for later events, either way, it wasn't until around the 100's or so that the book started to get interesting. But once that point hit, it was smooth sailing from there. I enjoyed the storyline, and by the end the author had made me paranoid of every character in the book. At one point I had mentally accused every character of wrong doing lol.
I liked the concept of Keira's family, having each family member become something different, and having the "change" come about. It's different from other books I've read. I also liked Adam Walker's character and I liked Niko. I think his name is just really cool. lol.
Everyone likes a book that grabs them from the start, and while this book doesn't do that, it does grab you eventually. I look forward to the next book in the series.
July 23, 2011
This is a book that I've had on my TBR pile for several years now. I'm not kidding. I've had it so long that it's actually the original Juno Books version, not the re-released Pocket version, lol. I've just got so much to read, that sometimes I lose track of some of my books. But I'm now determined to read the first book in several series, to see if I'm interested in getting stuck into them.
Keira Kelly has a lot going on. She's going through some changes, which for her has been manifesting in some very strange and violent dreams. She also just found out that the new Sheriff in town is her former flame, an old friend she knew in London has decided to make Rio Seco his new home, and her annoying human cousin has just been murdered.
She might not have liked her cousin Marty much, but she's determined to find out who did it and why... which gets her involved in trying to figure out a very confusing mystery. She also discovers a bunch of vampires nearby, and their involvement in some very old secrets that are now resurfacing...
I really enjoyed this book! It was a lot of fun, but also has a pretty cool mystery, and some very dangerous situations. There's a lot going on, but everything ties up perfectly in the end. Keira is also a very interesting person and I can't wait to see what else she gets herself into. There's also a really cool cast of characters, and I particularly liked her strong friendship with Bea, who's just human.
Yeah, this is a series I want to get stuck into. Which is really cool, since I just found the second book already on my shelf! Awesome, huh?
Keira Kelly has a lot going on. She's going through some changes, which for her has been manifesting in some very strange and violent dreams. She also just found out that the new Sheriff in town is her former flame, an old friend she knew in London has decided to make Rio Seco his new home, and her annoying human cousin has just been murdered.
She might not have liked her cousin Marty much, but she's determined to find out who did it and why... which gets her involved in trying to figure out a very confusing mystery. She also discovers a bunch of vampires nearby, and their involvement in some very old secrets that are now resurfacing...
I really enjoyed this book! It was a lot of fun, but also has a pretty cool mystery, and some very dangerous situations. There's a lot going on, but everything ties up perfectly in the end. Keira is also a very interesting person and I can't wait to see what else she gets herself into. There's also a really cool cast of characters, and I particularly liked her strong friendship with Bea, who's just human.
Yeah, this is a series I want to get stuck into. Which is really cool, since I just found the second book already on my shelf! Awesome, huh?
December 8, 2010
Storyline: Keira Kelly is a half-breed descendant of a powerful paranormal family who has chosen to live apart from her clan (who now lives in Canada) and stay among the humans in Rio Seco, Texas.
She has been forced by her great, great, grandmother GIGI, to watch over her cousin Marty Nelson, who not only failed to inherit the family gift making him a pathetic purebred human outcast, but works as a mortician who is always broke and asking for money. Until things change because he's an idiot!
This is Keira's pentance for not leaving Texas with her family who now lives in Canada. Of course, she ends up having her brother, Tucker, come and watch over her.
When she experiences a prophetic vision that foretells the vicious murder of her human cousin, Marty Nelson, she vows to determine the truth. Keira begins to uncover long-concealed secrets and risks alienating everyone she knows including her former lover, Sheriff Carlton Larson, who she hasn't seen in 12 years and still carries a flame for Keira.
Then she meets the enigmatic Adam Walker, owner of The Wild Moon resort, who she once had a friendly encounter with in England. Hmm, what can I say about Adam that hasn't already been said? Ok, well the scene where he and Keira are eating blood red meat was very, very interesting. Adam has a bit of blood running down his lips and he sexually licks it off, and Keira returns the lick...oh, what was I saying now? OH yeah, Adam...
This is a new author to me, and I had to borrow this book through the interlibrary loan system in order to find it. Can I say that sometimes our library system really lacks in it's reading material?
Review: First of all, I am not a happy camper that we didn't to find out what kind of CHANGE Keira is experiencing. Second, the townsfolk remind of the people from Deliverance. Extremely spooky! All, that is, except for Bea who is Keira's friend. Third, if Keira can tell some isn't human, why then did it take so long for her to figure out Adam was a vampire? Fourth, Adam was totally clueless about what was happening under his own nose because he was too fixated on finding Keira.
Other than all that, a good read for the first book in the series. Putting Blood Bargain on request today.
She has been forced by her great, great, grandmother GIGI, to watch over her cousin Marty Nelson, who not only failed to inherit the family gift making him a pathetic purebred human outcast, but works as a mortician who is always broke and asking for money. Until things change because he's an idiot!
This is Keira's pentance for not leaving Texas with her family who now lives in Canada. Of course, she ends up having her brother, Tucker, come and watch over her.
When she experiences a prophetic vision that foretells the vicious murder of her human cousin, Marty Nelson, she vows to determine the truth. Keira begins to uncover long-concealed secrets and risks alienating everyone she knows including her former lover, Sheriff Carlton Larson, who she hasn't seen in 12 years and still carries a flame for Keira.
Then she meets the enigmatic Adam Walker, owner of The Wild Moon resort, who she once had a friendly encounter with in England. Hmm, what can I say about Adam that hasn't already been said? Ok, well the scene where he and Keira are eating blood red meat was very, very interesting. Adam has a bit of blood running down his lips and he sexually licks it off, and Keira returns the lick...oh, what was I saying now? OH yeah, Adam...
This is a new author to me, and I had to borrow this book through the interlibrary loan system in order to find it. Can I say that sometimes our library system really lacks in it's reading material?
Review: First of all, I am not a happy camper that we didn't to find out what kind of CHANGE Keira is experiencing. Second, the townsfolk remind of the people from Deliverance. Extremely spooky! All, that is, except for Bea who is Keira's friend. Third, if Keira can tell some isn't human, why then did it take so long for her to figure out Adam was a vampire? Fourth, Adam was totally clueless about what was happening under his own nose because he was too fixated on finding Keira.
Other than all that, a good read for the first book in the series. Putting Blood Bargain on request today.
June 11, 2012
Picked up this book because it's set in my neck of the woods. Let's see what this author's got in store...
Update: Finished the book and found it was just overall ok. The heroine, Keira, is in her late thirties, which is different from most UF heroines these days, though she's practically an adolescent considering that her species can live for centuries. Exactly what her species is is still up for grabs. It seems that Keira's people, after going through "the change" (no, not *that* change, lol) settle in on one specific gift/power/ability, i.e. healers, clairvoyance, shapeshifters, etc. However, once in a great while someone is born who will possess all the gifts/powers.
The book starts off with Keira realizing that this change is upon her, though apparently it's happening a few decades early. Since the book ends before we find out what Keira's special ability will be, I'm betting that she's going to be one of those special I-have-it-all people. Not that I'd mind because Keira is likeable enough. She's at least smart enough to know when to hold her tongue which is a refreshing change from many modern day UF heroines who think that mouthing off at every opportunity is a sign of how badass they are.
Keira has a supportive BFF who knows her secrets, a loving older brother (like, centuries older), an ex-lover, and a former crush to round out the cast. Despite there being two males sniffing around Keira there is, thankfully, no triangle drama. Keira is pretty clear about how she feels about each man so yay! for that. But no sex in this book, lol.
The murder mystery element went on a bit longer than it needed to IMO but this was a first book/debut novel and I think the author has put down some elements that are worth building on. If I could give out half-stars I'd actually rate this book two and a half stars but...you know what, I'm going to go ahead and change my rating and give it three stars. Just for the fact that this author played straight with the romance element and didn't go the usual triangle route. There is nothing really new in this book but there wasn't anything unlikeable about it either so I'm willing to give subsequent books in this series a read to see what improvements can be made.
Update: Finished the book and found it was just overall ok. The heroine, Keira, is in her late thirties, which is different from most UF heroines these days, though she's practically an adolescent considering that her species can live for centuries. Exactly what her species is is still up for grabs. It seems that Keira's people, after going through "the change" (no, not *that* change, lol) settle in on one specific gift/power/ability, i.e. healers, clairvoyance, shapeshifters, etc. However, once in a great while someone is born who will possess all the gifts/powers.
The book starts off with Keira realizing that this change is upon her, though apparently it's happening a few decades early. Since the book ends before we find out what Keira's special ability will be, I'm betting that she's going to be one of those special I-have-it-all people. Not that I'd mind because Keira is likeable enough. She's at least smart enough to know when to hold her tongue which is a refreshing change from many modern day UF heroines who think that mouthing off at every opportunity is a sign of how badass they are.
Keira has a supportive BFF who knows her secrets, a loving older brother (like, centuries older), an ex-lover, and a former crush to round out the cast. Despite there being two males sniffing around Keira there is, thankfully, no triangle drama. Keira is pretty clear about how she feels about each man so yay! for that. But no sex in this book, lol.
The murder mystery element went on a bit longer than it needed to IMO but this was a first book/debut novel and I think the author has put down some elements that are worth building on. If I could give out half-stars I'd actually rate this book two and a half stars but...you know what, I'm going to go ahead and change my rating and give it three stars. Just for the fact that this author played straight with the romance element and didn't go the usual triangle route. There is nothing really new in this book but there wasn't anything unlikeable about it either so I'm willing to give subsequent books in this series a read to see what improvements can be made.
October 19, 2011
Keira Kelly is a ...well you don't really know but she is not human. Moving on after a bad break up she moves back to her home town Rio Seco, only to find her family has left and moved to Canada. Initially they invite her back but they come to an agreement her family will leave her alone if she keeps an eye on her cousin Marty and come home when the mysterious change begins.
The story starts out super slow and at first I was going to ditch it but I did not because I was curious about the convoluted mystery. The Rio Seco is a small town in Texas, whose only claim to fame is hunting for rich people. The town has problems with all the new ranches popping up and then there are super natural creatures which are not out in the open.
This book gives some interesting background that did not really go anywhere in this book so I am hoping the next book is better. For example in the first half Keira is having all these visions yet in the second half nada, nunca, none. I did like her brother but the end part with his relationship, I had some trouble following. Actually I had trouble following the relationship between Keira and Alex...at one point it says they are lovers but I do not recall them actually having sex. Then I also had a minor issue and that was the word "shit" placed in the oddest places, personally it was really distracting.
Over all I think the book has interesting potential, despite the flaws. I may read the next one if it comes my way but I am not going to seek it out.
The story starts out super slow and at first I was going to ditch it but I did not because I was curious about the convoluted mystery. The Rio Seco is a small town in Texas, whose only claim to fame is hunting for rich people. The town has problems with all the new ranches popping up and then there are super natural creatures which are not out in the open.
This book gives some interesting background that did not really go anywhere in this book so I am hoping the next book is better. For example in the first half Keira is having all these visions yet in the second half nada, nunca, none. I did like her brother but the end part with his relationship, I had some trouble following. Actually I had trouble following the relationship between Keira and Alex...at one point it says they are lovers but I do not recall them actually having sex. Then I also had a minor issue and that was the word "shit" placed in the oddest places, personally it was really distracting.
Over all I think the book has interesting potential, despite the flaws. I may read the next one if it comes my way but I am not going to seek it out.
August 4, 2015
I recently picked this one up used at the library and decided the summary sounded interesting enough to give it a try. I went in with an open mind and I wanted to like it, but ultimately there were too many gimme elements and not enough strong individual character elements for me to like this book. Keira doesn’t have to work, has plenty of money, barely has to acknowledge her family or do much at all, has a hodge-podge of all paranormal powers (likely to become stronger and permanent), and happens to have really attractive former romantic interests everywhere. Unfortunately, that makes it fairly hard to relate to her character and made my interest wane fairly quickly. There were some elements of the novel that would have been interesting to explore: the setting – not too many fantasy novels are set in small Texas towns, Keira’s family sounds way more interesting than she is and just the small bits with her brother were pretty fun, and the fact that there was a mystery plot actually happening. However, then there’s Adam, the local vampire lord who happens to be one of Keira’s attractive exs, who is also filthy rich and prey to many of the vampire stereotypes. As characters and as a couple, I don’t care at all what happens next which I’m sorry, but I don’t want to waste my time with the series.
November 12, 2009
Felt like it had a lot of plot holes. And there was no payoff on the "changing"--the main character never actually uses her powers to do anything. Even when she has visions she always dismisses them. She's a heroine who does nothing heroic, except, I suppose, let a hot vampire bite her (which turned out not to matter because five seconds later help came). Also I find it hard to get behind a book that has elderly Holocaust victims as the "bad guys."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2010
I'm frankly surprised this was published. It was written very poorly. None of the characters had any depth, and 'purple prose' abounded. I don't like to be mean, but this book honestly had no redeeming qualities. There was no sense of having created a world, certain things just happened to be, for no good reason. I think I only finished it to see how much worse it could get.
January 27, 2015
Not exceptionally impressed by our heroine (vapid, rich, shallow, selfish, but most likely to be the next uber magical queen of her clan) I'll give book #2 and maybe #3 a shot before staking the series. It is interesting to read about the hill country and San Antonio.
January 16, 2025
Sometimes I read stuff for a light read. It's silly - I worried it would get inappropriate - it threatened, but never quite got there.
BUT - too silly.
p 145 "I'd always liked this part of the night. It seemed as if you were poised on the edge of something, a promise, kept secret by the near dark."
"The sensation that the night was endless and so were the possibilities."
BUT - too silly.
p 145 "I'd always liked this part of the night. It seemed as if you were poised on the edge of something, a promise, kept secret by the near dark."
"The sensation that the night was endless and so were the possibilities."
December 22, 2017
...DNF at 95%
Hmm... I thought I could end this, apparently not. I was intrigued at first but then my motivation went out through the window.
Hmm... I thought I could end this, apparently not. I was intrigued at first but then my motivation went out through the window.
November 24, 2018
Enjoyed it, well written. Highly entertaining.
May 10, 2022
En líneas generales me gustó pero hay bastante para mejorar
Read
November 10, 2022DNF had to skim too much
January 7, 2026
Great book with twist after twist!
August 20, 2025
Coming home for the heroine was a chance to lick her wounds and recover from a nasty breakup. Only the small town she grew up in is vacate of her large family clan who have moved to Canada and have left the heroine alone with her outcast human cousin. Not liking the man, she spends as much time away from him as possible but she never wanted him to end up dead. The Changing in her body which has triggered all types of never powers and abilities has granted her visions. She saw the brutal murder of her cousin but could nothing about it. Now, she must find closure and come to terms with her failure to keep him safe. Not only is this investigation leading her deeper and deeper into the darkest parts of her small town, she also has to contend with 2 men from her past returning to plague her in the present.
One, a former lover whom she dumped when it was becoming too serious. Now, married with 2 kids, he is the sheriff of the town and stuck with the task of trying to piece together a murder to which he doesn't know the overall picture. He is human and therefore he's got no idea of the supernatural world the heroine is dealing with. The other, a friend/potential sexual partner whom she had a brief relationship with some time ago in London but which she never fully realized into sex. Still, the hero’s presence is enough to set her stomach a flutter and everything the man says or does either puts her off guard or makes her blush like a school girl. The man holds secrets though, one of which is the fact that he's not human at all but vampire. Too bad the trail of murder leads right to his doorstep but the heroine is too smart to immediately cast doubt on his intentions. She can feel his honesty and though perhaps her personal feelings are clouding her judgement but she can't believe him to be a murderer. Life in this small town is anything but boring or predictable and as the heroine will soon discover, darkness and evil lie hidden in every community.
Good book but very urban fantasy driven. Yes, there was a healthy amount of romance but the characters never slept together during the span of the novel and in fact, they barely even kissed. The whole story is focused on the mystery of the cousin’s death and the connections that bind the hero’s vampire community to the heroine’s clan. It's not even so much about the heroine because though little tit bits were left here and there spectating on previous occurrences in her past, a whole lot was left hidden by the end of the book. The heroine’s character is a strange one too. She thinks of herself as a warrior and is anticipating a fight to show off everything she's trained for yet when given the chance, she sort of flakes. She is not into commitment and as is clear in her previous relationships, the moment she feels bound, she escapes.
Only with the hero, she can't quite escape him that easily. It's revealed that she is the reason he bought property in her small town. He's waited for her for over 2 years, seeing if she'll come to her senses. The chemistry between them was hot and I wish something more than just words were exchanged during the story but regardless, the love between them felt real. This book is the first in the series and while it's a standalone murder mystery, there is a whole lot more about these characters that are yet to be revealed. Like the heroes past experiences as a Nazi POW and the heroine’s horrible relationship with the shifter named Gabriel. I will be interested to read what hidden depths to these characters are to be resurfaced.
One, a former lover whom she dumped when it was becoming too serious. Now, married with 2 kids, he is the sheriff of the town and stuck with the task of trying to piece together a murder to which he doesn't know the overall picture. He is human and therefore he's got no idea of the supernatural world the heroine is dealing with. The other, a friend/potential sexual partner whom she had a brief relationship with some time ago in London but which she never fully realized into sex. Still, the hero’s presence is enough to set her stomach a flutter and everything the man says or does either puts her off guard or makes her blush like a school girl. The man holds secrets though, one of which is the fact that he's not human at all but vampire. Too bad the trail of murder leads right to his doorstep but the heroine is too smart to immediately cast doubt on his intentions. She can feel his honesty and though perhaps her personal feelings are clouding her judgement but she can't believe him to be a murderer. Life in this small town is anything but boring or predictable and as the heroine will soon discover, darkness and evil lie hidden in every community.
Good book but very urban fantasy driven. Yes, there was a healthy amount of romance but the characters never slept together during the span of the novel and in fact, they barely even kissed. The whole story is focused on the mystery of the cousin’s death and the connections that bind the hero’s vampire community to the heroine’s clan. It's not even so much about the heroine because though little tit bits were left here and there spectating on previous occurrences in her past, a whole lot was left hidden by the end of the book. The heroine’s character is a strange one too. She thinks of herself as a warrior and is anticipating a fight to show off everything she's trained for yet when given the chance, she sort of flakes. She is not into commitment and as is clear in her previous relationships, the moment she feels bound, she escapes.
Only with the hero, she can't quite escape him that easily. It's revealed that she is the reason he bought property in her small town. He's waited for her for over 2 years, seeing if she'll come to her senses. The chemistry between them was hot and I wish something more than just words were exchanged during the story but regardless, the love between them felt real. This book is the first in the series and while it's a standalone murder mystery, there is a whole lot more about these characters that are yet to be revealed. Like the heroes past experiences as a Nazi POW and the heroine’s horrible relationship with the shifter named Gabriel. I will be interested to read what hidden depths to these characters are to be resurfaced.
November 8, 2009
When you have a family like Keira Kelly's not much surprises or shocks you but even she is shocked when she starts dreaming about animals being killed, mutilated and drained of blood. Then it really happens. Then she dreams that her pain in the ass cousin Marty is killed in the same manner as the animals. Before she has a chance to stop it Marty winds up dead and drained of all his blood. Something very unworldly is happening in this small Texas town and only Keira can stop it. But like most small towns things aren't always what they seem. Her ex-boyfriend now sheriff, Carlton Larson, is acting strange and her old friend, Adam Walker, shows up just as the killing start to occur.
One day when I was walking through the book section of an evil corporation mega-store I saw this book. I had never heard of Maria Lima or the book but it sounded interesting so I bought it on impulse stuck it on a shelf and then never read it. Some time later I saw the 2nd book in the series, confined that I would like these books when I got a round to reading them I bought that book also. Just last week I saw the 3rd book in the series and bought that one also. Well I decided at that point if I was going to keep buying them I should read them.
I was right I did enjoy this 1st book and I am reading the 2nd. This book was a great introduction to the series. Keira is a great character that takes care of herself but accepts help when needed. Lima slowly reveals everyone’s secret in such a way that the reader is not lost but can is unable to put the book down until you have learned everything you can from the book. I am glad this is a series; I can not wait to read more.
One day when I was walking through the book section of an evil corporation mega-store I saw this book. I had never heard of Maria Lima or the book but it sounded interesting so I bought it on impulse stuck it on a shelf and then never read it. Some time later I saw the 2nd book in the series, confined that I would like these books when I got a round to reading them I bought that book also. Just last week I saw the 3rd book in the series and bought that one also. Well I decided at that point if I was going to keep buying them I should read them.
I was right I did enjoy this 1st book and I am reading the 2nd. This book was a great introduction to the series. Keira is a great character that takes care of herself but accepts help when needed. Lima slowly reveals everyone’s secret in such a way that the reader is not lost but can is unable to put the book down until you have learned everything you can from the book. I am glad this is a series; I can not wait to read more.
February 17, 2010
2009 goes down as the year of the great debuting author! I’ve been on a roll, and Maria Lima’s first novel “Matters of the Blood” proves my point.
From the opening sentence (I know the dead and the dead know me), it just grabs hold of your imaging and refuses to let go. At times chilling, bordering on turning this into a thriller, Maria Lima certainly knows how to get the blood pumping.
She also knows seduction, she makes eating a steak an erotic experience, without a hit of flesh being shown!
I am still a little confused as to exactly what type of ‘other’ Keira Kelly is, but as she herself doesn’t really know, I guess we’ll all find out together.
Speaking of Keira (our heroine), Ms Lima has created a whole set of really really cool characters. Keria, the kick-arse female lead, who’s going through a couple of changes; Bea, her super ool, super supportive, rock to lean on best friend (don’t we all need one of those!); Tucker, Keira’s slightly enigmatic brother, who’s all strong and wolflike; the very sexy Adam, who has that slight hidden sensitive side that we all love in strong men; and of course a few bad guys and unknown elements dotted around the place.
Matters of the Blood is very well written. The story flows, the characters are likeable, believable and interesting. There is a level of emotional engagement that makes you really get involved in the story and want to keep reading.
I am so looking forward to seeing what happens in the rest of the series, I just hope the momentum continues.
This is certainly a page turner! Expect to be left a little breathless, either through being seduced or horrified, it’s all action, all the way!
From the opening sentence (I know the dead and the dead know me), it just grabs hold of your imaging and refuses to let go. At times chilling, bordering on turning this into a thriller, Maria Lima certainly knows how to get the blood pumping.
She also knows seduction, she makes eating a steak an erotic experience, without a hit of flesh being shown!
I am still a little confused as to exactly what type of ‘other’ Keira Kelly is, but as she herself doesn’t really know, I guess we’ll all find out together.
Speaking of Keira (our heroine), Ms Lima has created a whole set of really really cool characters. Keria, the kick-arse female lead, who’s going through a couple of changes; Bea, her super ool, super supportive, rock to lean on best friend (don’t we all need one of those!); Tucker, Keira’s slightly enigmatic brother, who’s all strong and wolflike; the very sexy Adam, who has that slight hidden sensitive side that we all love in strong men; and of course a few bad guys and unknown elements dotted around the place.
Matters of the Blood is very well written. The story flows, the characters are likeable, believable and interesting. There is a level of emotional engagement that makes you really get involved in the story and want to keep reading.
I am so looking forward to seeing what happens in the rest of the series, I just hope the momentum continues.
This is certainly a page turner! Expect to be left a little breathless, either through being seduced or horrified, it’s all action, all the way!
April 20, 2011
I loved the book it was great from the very first page. It's about Keira Kelly apart of a paranormal family how they moved to Canada but she stayed behind. In staying behind she was given the task of taking care of her total human cousin Marty. Marty was a total screw up but ran the funeral parlor where he worked pretty well but it was always in need of money and most times that's why he called Keira to get money or fix other messed he got into.
Keira I guess you could say this was her job watching/baby sitting her cousin cause if she did have any other job in the book it did not mention it. Anyways, Marty calls her and tells her he needs to speak with her in person and it family business/related. Meanwhile Keira is going thur changes herself with coming into her own powers/family traits. It is not determined if she'll be like her family as shifters but she is having various situations happen to her. Then Marty is murdered and she does not know how to react since for her family this is apart of life but since she lives among humans she knows she has to exhibit grief. But who's leading the case an old fame from her past Carlton Larson who is now married and has kids of his own but reading the story....
Also, there is another gentleman who has moved into the outskirt of town Adam Walker fine and sexy as hell and the attraction between them is hot! But he or is range is mixed up in this murder of Marty and Adam is more than what he seems and Keira does not know it at first.
I would recommend this book to all UF and Paranormal fans this book it funny, action pack and just a great read.
Keira I guess you could say this was her job watching/baby sitting her cousin cause if she did have any other job in the book it did not mention it. Anyways, Marty calls her and tells her he needs to speak with her in person and it family business/related. Meanwhile Keira is going thur changes herself with coming into her own powers/family traits. It is not determined if she'll be like her family as shifters but she is having various situations happen to her. Then Marty is murdered and she does not know how to react since for her family this is apart of life but since she lives among humans she knows she has to exhibit grief. But who's leading the case an old fame from her past Carlton Larson who is now married and has kids of his own but reading the story....
Also, there is another gentleman who has moved into the outskirt of town Adam Walker fine and sexy as hell and the attraction between them is hot! But he or is range is mixed up in this murder of Marty and Adam is more than what he seems and Keira does not know it at first.
I would recommend this book to all UF and Paranormal fans this book it funny, action pack and just a great read.
June 21, 2013
When you’re not quite sure who you’re going to be, it’s hard to commit to anything.
Kiera isn’t human. She’s not quite sure what she is yet as she is changing. When her change is over, she’ll know if she is shapeshifter or some other supernatural being. She’ll have multiple powers at different times during her change until one is settled on. Currently, she has an affinity for the dead. She helps the supernatural die, but she’s also having nightmares that are coming true.
Adam Walker is a vampire. He met Kiera years ago in London and they had an instant attraction; one they didn’t pursue. So when Kiera moves back to Texas, Adam makes plans to purchase and open up a ranch for tourists. When they run into one another one evening, all the old attraction flares up and this time, they both feel ready to travel down the path of passion.
Someone is killing the animals out by Adam’s ranch and draining them of blood. The local sheriff feels it may be something satanic, but Kiera doesn’t put much thought into it, as she knows the supernatural will do their hunting. But when Kiera’s cousin, mortician Morty, ends up dead, she won’t stop until the murderer is apprehended.
MATTERS OF THE BLOOD is a new twist on the paranormal genre. Rich in paranormal activity, passionate and romantic moments, and a murder to solve is just the icing on the cake. I’m really looking forward to more of how Kiera’s character evolves with book two, BLOOD BARGAIN. If you’re looking for something urban fantasy with a touch of romantic suspense, then pick up MATTERS OF THE BLOOD. Sinfully enjoyable!
August 18, 2015
Interesting series start. I like the mystery of it, though it had a slow start. I like how the main story line continues book to book, yet each book finishes its own problem. I was afraid it was going to be dark, but it really has some light-hearted moments. Yet it has an interesting plot and several cool characters.
Wasn't sure at first what type of sup Kiera’s group was. I like the mystery of even them not knowing what each member will be. They have a very interesting clan arrangement. Tucker is the perfect brother. I also like how nether Kiera and Adam knew about the other.
I didn't feel that the bond between Kiera and Adam was enough that she’d connect with him that soon. I know that they met in London, but something felt off. And I wonder how far it’s is between the Ranch and Kiera’s house? She sure drives back and forth a lot especially since she only has a few hours. Definitely not going the speed limit.
Carlton is just a total jerk. She’s definitely better off without him and so is his wife. Bea is a good friend but a little too easy going. I hope she gets a HEA. And Andrea is a mystery. I like her, but I’m not sure how she fits in with Adam.
Quick Thoughts: 1)I've noticed that most of the vamp/shifters series all take place in New Orleans area, Texas or the northwest. There’s a few elsewhere and some are in the Romania area of Europe, but those three places seem to be most popular.
2)I would have put them in the van even if it was lined with silver, better than the sun.
Fave Scenes: the man in the Rover, the porch swing, ordering dinner and Kiera helping Adam control himself.
Wasn't sure at first what type of sup Kiera’s group was. I like the mystery of even them not knowing what each member will be. They have a very interesting clan arrangement. Tucker is the perfect brother. I also like how nether Kiera and Adam knew about the other.
I didn't feel that the bond between Kiera and Adam was enough that she’d connect with him that soon. I know that they met in London, but something felt off. And I wonder how far it’s is between the Ranch and Kiera’s house? She sure drives back and forth a lot especially since she only has a few hours. Definitely not going the speed limit.
Carlton is just a total jerk. She’s definitely better off without him and so is his wife. Bea is a good friend but a little too easy going. I hope she gets a HEA. And Andrea is a mystery. I like her, but I’m not sure how she fits in with Adam.
Quick Thoughts: 1)I've noticed that most of the vamp/shifters series all take place in New Orleans area, Texas or the northwest. There’s a few elsewhere and some are in the Romania area of Europe, but those three places seem to be most popular.
2)I would have put them in the van even if it was lined with silver, better than the sun.
Fave Scenes: the man in the Rover, the porch swing, ordering dinner and Kiera helping Adam control himself.
March 20, 2015
Matters of the Blood is the first installment of Lima's Blood Lines series and it provides a decent start to this new series. Keira Kelly, is something other than human. What exactly she is though is unclear. A descendant of a paranormal family, Keira doesn't know what sort of powers she will possess until she undergoes the Change - She could be a mind reader, healer or shape shifter or something else entirely. While the change runs its course, she may have bits and pieces of each talent. When Kiera starts to experience some very vivid nightmares, one of which about the murder of her not-so-intelligent and disappointingly human cousin, Marty, she passes them off as symptoms of the change. But when the first dream, about some slaughtered deer comes true, she begins to worry that she is experiencing more than just bad dreams.
This well paced story is a good start to a series that holds some promise. I liked independent-minded Keira and her best friend, Bea, has lots of one-liners to spare. Keira's shapeshifter, half-brother Tucker is also an interesting character and I hope we see more of him in the next book. Added to the mix are a couple of sexy men: Carlton (the ex-lover) and Adam (the secret crush). These guys are full of personality and charm (well maybe not so much Carlton, but he will definitely prove to be a thorn in Keira's side if nothing else).
This well paced story is a good start to a series that holds some promise. I liked independent-minded Keira and her best friend, Bea, has lots of one-liners to spare. Keira's shapeshifter, half-brother Tucker is also an interesting character and I hope we see more of him in the next book. Added to the mix are a couple of sexy men: Carlton (the ex-lover) and Adam (the secret crush). These guys are full of personality and charm (well maybe not so much Carlton, but he will definitely prove to be a thorn in Keira's side if nothing else).
December 21, 2010
ce livre était vraiment pas mal. Kiera est une jeune femme têtue et dynamique, elle vient d'une famille assez spéciale ou chaque personne posséde un don : necromantien, sorcier, loup garous... Elle même commence a changer mais ne sait pas encore ce qu'elle va devenir exactement.
Tandis qu'elle s'éloigne de sa famille et que son frere vient la surveiller , son cousin le seul humain de la famille est assassiné par ce qu'elle pense être un vampire. Elle va tout faire pour découvrir la vérité meme si elle est loin de ce qu'elle imagine.
Elle s'associera à un vampire Adam venu habiter la région spécialement pour elle.
On a un petit triangle amoureux entre un ancien amant dont elle ne veut plus et un vampire sexy. triangle qui de toute façon se finira comme Kiera l'avait décidé au départ.
Le livre est plein d'action et de mystères on ne s'ennuit pas une seconde. Je vais de ce pas commencé le second tome !
Tandis qu'elle s'éloigne de sa famille et que son frere vient la surveiller , son cousin le seul humain de la famille est assassiné par ce qu'elle pense être un vampire. Elle va tout faire pour découvrir la vérité meme si elle est loin de ce qu'elle imagine.
Elle s'associera à un vampire Adam venu habiter la région spécialement pour elle.
On a un petit triangle amoureux entre un ancien amant dont elle ne veut plus et un vampire sexy. triangle qui de toute façon se finira comme Kiera l'avait décidé au départ.
Le livre est plein d'action et de mystères on ne s'ennuit pas une seconde. Je vais de ce pas commencé le second tome !
February 13, 2013
It is interesting that this series is written by a Latino woman, although the protagonist is by no means "Hispanic". Her best friend is. Of course, considering the protagonist is half sidhe, half Clan (a special group of supernaturals vaguely defined and with no clear origins in any tradition that I am aware of), she is definitely "other" in more ways than one. Her love interest is a vampire quite typical: avoids biting humans, is the indisputable leader of his group, beautiful and brooding and in love with the protagonist. Sounds familiar?
One of the most interesting thing about these books is the scathing criticism of rural Texas (and probably rural America in general). There is no doubt about the political ideology of Keira--and I think it is fair to say Maria Lima too. I agree, so it is easy to deal with it, but it is probably the most openly political of all the series I've worked with.
One of the most interesting thing about these books is the scathing criticism of rural Texas (and probably rural America in general). There is no doubt about the political ideology of Keira--and I think it is fair to say Maria Lima too. I agree, so it is easy to deal with it, but it is probably the most openly political of all the series I've worked with.
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