{Review} Blood Singers by Tamara Rose Blodgett

From Goodreads:  A sub-species of human beings…

Twenty-year old Julia Wade, a young woman tragically widowed, is in the middle of a bizarre bid between two mythical species who are vying for the unique properties she offers; her blood. The vampires need her to balance the food load of the human species and give them their coveted “Lightwalkers.” The Were wish to be moonless changers; a Rare One can make that a reality.

Julia wants to belong to herself.

Can she free herself and begin a new life?

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Blodgett has broached the vampire/were genre in her latest novel, Blood Singers, giving readers a unique perspective of the two factions.  She does a superb job presenting each distinct group within her novel, fleshing them out to the point that they become almost tangible.  The characters seem to leap off the pages as the story unfolds, diving deeper into the past while focusing on the present and future to come.  

Blodgett uses a wonderful technique in her storytelling, focusing on the present, but giving the reader small glimpses into the past as well.  This allows two different stories, two different worlds, if you will, to co-exist as Julia deals with the present, the revelation that vampires and weres do exist, and her remembrance of the past, what seems like a lifetime ago when Julia was carefree and deeply in love.  The suspense builds as the reader is given small glimpses into past events, piecing them together in order to figure out how Julia came to be where she is when the story opens.  From the very beginning, the reader is cast deep into the action of the story as the vampires and weres go to war over blood, but it isn’t until Julia’s background is laid bare for the reader that all the pieces begin to fit together.

Julia is a very strong, resolute character.  Though she is scared and longs for her life that once was, she does not lose faith or breakdown.  Instead, she takes a stand against both factions, and though she is only one against many, she does not back down. I really liked this about Julia and was excited that Blodgett chose to create such a strong female lead.  After the loss of her husband, friends, and life as she knew it, it would have been understandable if Julia gave in to the forces around her, but her spunk and constant fight to maintain control of her destiny made her a very well rounded character that captures the readers’ attention.   

Blodgett’s explanation of the sub-human group, the Singers, was especially intriguing and eye opening.  I enjoyed the descriptions of their abilities and how they fit into the world around them, and I also enjoyed getting to know the vast array of characters that set the stage for this intriguing novel.  Complete with a twist at the end that leaves readers yearning for more, Blodgett has written another masterpiece, and I cannot wait to learn more about the groups and Julia’s plight in the next novel.  Four stars.

I recieved a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

{Review} Brightest Kind of Darkness by P.T. Michelle

From Goodreads: Nara Collins is an average sixteen-year-old, with one exception: every night she dreams the events of the following day. Due to an incident in her past, Nara avoids using her special gift to change fate…until she dreams a future she can’t ignore.

After Nara prevents a bombing at Blue Ridge High, her ability to see the future starts to fade, while people at school are suddenly being injured at an unusually high rate.

Grappling with her diminishing powers and the need to prevent another disaster, Nara meets Ethan Harris, a mysterious loner who seems to understand her better than anyone. Ethan and Nara forge an irresistible connection, but as their relationship heats up, so do her questions about his dark past.

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This is a great book!  Michelle has created a paranormal masterpiece, keeping the reader on edge as the plot unfolds.  It’s unlike any other novel I’ve read, and I truly enjoyed it, especially as Nara and Ethan take on Fate and attempt to keep those they love from danger. 

I was immediately drawn into the story as Nara prevents a bombing, and the chaos that ensues afterward was extremely interesting, especially as Michelle has created real, vivid characters within her novel.  Aside from her ability to dream the next day, Nara is a typical stubborn teenager, unable to let go of her anger long enough to seek help from the only people who might give it.  Deciding to rely on herself and the ever-present Ethan, she finds herself in many jams as Fate attempts to outdo her, creating a suspenseful novel with a creepy feel to it as the plot thickens.  I absolutely loved how real both Nara and Ethan are within the novel.  Though the situations they find themselves within are anything but normal, both Nara’s and Ethan’s reactions to events are believable and well explained.

Of course, Ethan is my favorite; he’s a dreamy character, the brooding type, but he’s extremely likable and good to Nara.  Like Nara, Ethan has a gift as well, though he wouldn’t call it that.  I was surprised by the twist Michelle added to the novel through Ethan’s gift and, though at times I really wished his gift was different, it added a lot to the plot, especially in terms of the romantic aspect of it all.  Thus, even though the novel points to Ethan as a deceptive character, I found myself rooting for him nonetheless.

Brightest Kind of Darkness is full of suspense, especially as Nara loses her powers.  I was surprised on many occasions as the story unfolded and Michelle fills in the gaps in the story with extremely plausible, awesome explanations.  Michelle has done a great job captivating her readers and I am eagerly awaiting the sequel.  If you enjoy suspenseful books, or if you enjoyed the premise of the Final Destination movies, then you should definitely pick up this novel!  Four stars.

I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.