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mellhay's review
5.0
Zara, a high class thief turned hit woman, goes to visit her friend and rogue witch Mishka for her next contract, or assignment. The warlock leader of a rivaling coven to Mishka's parents' coven. Even though the pay is less, a lot less, than she wants she is talked into the job for the spoils Sean O'Connor has in his home AND for the bounty on his son as well. In the process of the job Zara learns some interesting information and goes back to Mishka for answers. Only to find there is more trouble lurking in the shadows, and there are those after the powerful witch covens and vampires too. Death and 'napping is at an all high for both groups. Zara gets pulled into the mix while protecting herself, then to protect others as well.
I really enjoyed the writing style here in this book. The way the picture is drawn with the character and the surroundings used with each other to see. The comparisons used and metaphors to help get the feel across to us. The story kept moving forward, even when I thought the worst has happened the world opens up to a new level of bad for the characters. Always moving forward with the action and happenings, to then bring you to the end that works out... for almost everyone.
Quickly in the first chapter I got pulled into the world and meet Zara, which had me liking her off the bat. The way the story is worded has me on Zara's side with her vamping ways, and agreeing with her on her pick in victims. Zara has a snarky humor and loves her clothes. What girl doesn't, right? But, as Zara can at times come across self-centered, I still got the feel there was more to her as to why she acted this way. And boy did I learn more about her. Even in the end Zara had me worried and scared. But I enjoyed where Skyla took the story.
Zara felt as she really grew for me as I got to know her better through the book. The author, Skyla, is not afraid to pull the punches on her characters, and by doing so has created a fast paced action read with a touch of fun snark that you wont want to stop turning the pages of, just to see what trouble Zara will fall into next.
Then there are the secondary characters, which I really enjoyed. They blended well with Zara, even when they clashed in personality. There was one character I loved who ended up being not so nice, but I still enjoyed his character! Another character ~ Nathan ~ brought more out of Zara and connected with her nicely, even though they are two different people. Mm, mm, mm. Nate! He is the next hottie Warlock around. He is more than what meets the eyes, so keep an eye on him. ;)
I liked the take on Vampirism in this book. It is more a demon parasite and has a system about it. Very nice take on it! For I could follow and believe the vampire development in this world.
At the end of the book there's a short story, Thrall. Which is from Nathan's point of view while Zara and he are... separated... (once you read the book you will understand.) This is a wonderful addition to the story! It gives you a little more insight to the world of magic and vampires as the story is told from Nate's eyes and feelings. And once the story is all done and you read this one, you start to think on what might happen in the future...
I will definitely be looking for more of this series and world. The next two books will have an appearance by Zara but will be from a different characters view on their stories. But don't fret as Zara will be back in book 4 and I'm waiting for her, and her friend... I can't wait for these characters again and to see what they have in store for us.
I really enjoyed the writing style here in this book. The way the picture is drawn with the character and the surroundings used with each other to see. The comparisons used and metaphors to help get the feel across to us. The story kept moving forward, even when I thought the worst has happened the world opens up to a new level of bad for the characters. Always moving forward with the action and happenings, to then bring you to the end that works out... for almost everyone.
Quickly in the first chapter I got pulled into the world and meet Zara, which had me liking her off the bat. The way the story is worded has me on Zara's side with her vamping ways, and agreeing with her on her pick in victims. Zara has a snarky humor and loves her clothes. What girl doesn't, right? But, as Zara can at times come across self-centered, I still got the feel there was more to her as to why she acted this way. And boy did I learn more about her. Even in the end Zara had me worried and scared. But I enjoyed where Skyla took the story.
Zara felt as she really grew for me as I got to know her better through the book. The author, Skyla, is not afraid to pull the punches on her characters, and by doing so has created a fast paced action read with a touch of fun snark that you wont want to stop turning the pages of, just to see what trouble Zara will fall into next.
Then there are the secondary characters, which I really enjoyed. They blended well with Zara, even when they clashed in personality. There was one character I loved who ended up being not so nice, but I still enjoyed his character! Another character ~ Nathan ~ brought more out of Zara and connected with her nicely, even though they are two different people. Mm, mm, mm. Nate! He is the next hottie Warlock around. He is more than what meets the eyes, so keep an eye on him. ;)
I liked the take on Vampirism in this book. It is more a demon parasite and has a system about it. Very nice take on it! For I could follow and believe the vampire development in this world.
At the end of the book there's a short story, Thrall. Which is from Nathan's point of view while Zara and he are... separated... (once you read the book you will understand.) This is a wonderful addition to the story! It gives you a little more insight to the world of magic and vampires as the story is told from Nate's eyes and feelings. And once the story is all done and you read this one, you start to think on what might happen in the future...
I will definitely be looking for more of this series and world. The next two books will have an appearance by Zara but will be from a different characters view on their stories. But don't fret as Zara will be back in book 4 and I'm waiting for her, and her friend... I can't wait for these characters again and to see what they have in store for us.
vikingwolf's review
5.0
Zara is a kickass vampire who is making a living as a thief and assassin. Her best friend hires her to kill a warlock and his son during a party at their house but when it goes pear shaped, Zara realises she is in the middle of something bigger where magical people are being killed and vampires kidnapped.
I really enjoyed this book. Zara is arrogant, vain, kickass, snarky, witty and you can't help loving her attitude. She expects men to lust after her and it is a big shock when one in particular doesn't. To Zara, humans are a lesser life form and she has a lot of funny thoughts about them. From the moment she has to deal with the would be rapist in the first chapter, I loved Zara. She is never without a snarky comment or amusing observation. I also liked the way the author had her as a vampire who is not invincible. Zara makes mistakes, she gets hurt, she makes bad decisions sometimes, which makes the character more real. The side characters werte interesting too. Peter the geeky Zara fan was sweet, Jamie was a slimy arrogant git(a bit like Ian from the Jeaniene Frost Night Huntress series)and Nate who struggles to deal with Zara's attentions and his own magic was the brooding one.
The book is a great mixture of humour, action and emotions which I thought the author got just right. The story flows along at a nice pace without a ton of world building and info dumps. This story is about the characters and they are nicely developed through their interactions with each other and the situations they find themselves in. The action scenes are exciting, well written and easy to follow and there are plenty of them to enjoy. We have fights with demons and vampires and warlocks to enjoy. I also liked that Zara's back story was gradually introduced in snippets as we progressed through the story instead of just one big info dump. Each revelation about her helped you to understand why she is like this and like her more.
Zara develops a lot as a character, becoming more human as she hangs out with them to solve the case. I like the fact that she starts as a bitch and then develops human emotions as the story unfolds. There is a romance in the book but it is slow building, enjoyable and does not slow the story down. I'm not a huge fan of romance in my urban fantasy but I did enjoy this one because it's not that damn instalove crap. The story was put together in a way that keeps you guessing what is going to happen next and I have to admit that I didn't see the twist coming in the attack on the witch house. That took me by surprise and I was kicking myself for not seeing it coming! And the ending was a shocker as well! I do like to be surprised by a book!
My only disappointment was to find that Zara doesn't narrate the next two books in the series which is a bummer! I imagine I will read them anyway as she does feature in them-if I can find paperback versions of the books which appears to be pretty difficult. If you like tough female characters and enjoy urban fantasy, give this book a try.
I really enjoyed this book. Zara is arrogant, vain, kickass, snarky, witty and you can't help loving her attitude. She expects men to lust after her and it is a big shock when one in particular doesn't. To Zara, humans are a lesser life form and she has a lot of funny thoughts about them. From the moment she has to deal with the would be rapist in the first chapter, I loved Zara. She is never without a snarky comment or amusing observation. I also liked the way the author had her as a vampire who is not invincible. Zara makes mistakes, she gets hurt, she makes bad decisions sometimes, which makes the character more real. The side characters werte interesting too. Peter the geeky Zara fan was sweet, Jamie was a slimy arrogant git(a bit like Ian from the Jeaniene Frost Night Huntress series)and Nate who struggles to deal with Zara's attentions and his own magic was the brooding one.
The book is a great mixture of humour, action and emotions which I thought the author got just right. The story flows along at a nice pace without a ton of world building and info dumps. This story is about the characters and they are nicely developed through their interactions with each other and the situations they find themselves in. The action scenes are exciting, well written and easy to follow and there are plenty of them to enjoy. We have fights with demons and vampires and warlocks to enjoy. I also liked that Zara's back story was gradually introduced in snippets as we progressed through the story instead of just one big info dump. Each revelation about her helped you to understand why she is like this and like her more.
Zara develops a lot as a character, becoming more human as she hangs out with them to solve the case. I like the fact that she starts as a bitch and then develops human emotions as the story unfolds. There is a romance in the book but it is slow building, enjoyable and does not slow the story down. I'm not a huge fan of romance in my urban fantasy but I did enjoy this one because it's not that damn instalove crap. The story was put together in a way that keeps you guessing what is going to happen next and I have to admit that I didn't see the twist coming in the attack on the witch house. That took me by surprise and I was kicking myself for not seeing it coming! And the ending was a shocker as well! I do like to be surprised by a book!
My only disappointment was to find that Zara doesn't narrate the next two books in the series which is a bummer! I imagine I will read them anyway as she does feature in them-if I can find paperback versions of the books which appears to be pretty difficult. If you like tough female characters and enjoy urban fantasy, give this book a try.
blodeuedd's review
I feel a bit left out, everyone else loved this book.
I was feeling all meh, at 100 I was still feeling meh. And then I went all, Sigh, let's read something else.
And was this YA? Sure she was an old vamp but she still looks like 17, euw. That's just sad.
I was feeling all meh, at 100 I was still feeling meh. And then I went all, Sigh, let's read something else.
And was this YA? Sure she was an old vamp but she still looks like 17, euw. That's just sad.
raeanne's review
3.0
I won a free paperback copy from a giveaway curtesy of JC’s Book Haven. (Over 3 years ago. Christ, I’m so behind.)
I laughed for almost 5 mins after reading the last page. Totally psyched me out. Go Zara!
Yeah, Zara is not a nice person. She’s selfish, self-centered, vain, greedy, and a ruthless killer. Yet I loved rolling with her every moment. She reminds me (a bit) of Gin from the Elemental Assassin series. But Zara is way more towards black than white on the grey scale.
Bloodlines is all about the action, snark, drama, and sex. It doesn’t let up. Or quit. Several main people beside our couple bit the dust and I was honestly surprised. I didn’t guess who was behind it all or what they were doing with vampires.
It’s a bit hard when the magic system is so different. It revolves around witches, warlocks and demons. I wonder how werewolves work in this realm. There’s one conversation involving one so we know they exist here but that’s it. Is it a variation of these vamps?
It’s the standard urban paranormal done so well with different world building. I will absolutely continue the series.
I laughed for almost 5 mins after reading the last page. Totally psyched me out. Go Zara!
Yeah, Zara is not a nice person. She’s selfish, self-centered, vain, greedy, and a ruthless killer. Yet I loved rolling with her every moment. She reminds me (a bit) of Gin from the Elemental Assassin series. But Zara is way more towards black than white on the grey scale.
Bloodlines is all about the action, snark, drama, and sex. It doesn’t let up. Or quit. Several main people beside our couple bit the dust and I was honestly surprised. I didn’t guess who was behind it all or what they were doing with vampires.
It’s a bit hard when the magic system is so different. It revolves around witches, warlocks and demons. I wonder how werewolves work in this realm. There’s one conversation involving one so we know they exist here but that’s it. Is it a variation of these vamps?
It’s the standard urban paranormal done so well with different world building. I will absolutely continue the series.
alexiachantel's review
4.0
Wow what a fresh new take on a vampire novel! Loved the heroine with her snarky remarks and quick wit. She seems shallow but deep down she is just a wounded woman, and seems she has met the perfect person to help her finally heal! The hero of the story isn’t without his own trials, but put him together with Zara and you get some serious sparks.
A quick read that will have you marking this series as a definite “To Read”.
A quick read that will have you marking this series as a definite “To Read”.
maggiel1993's review
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
heregrim's review
3.0
An interesting take on the Vampire story. I particularly liked the "gestation" period of 10 years before the human is reborn as a vampire. The story wasn't mind blowing, but I found myself enjoying the lives of Zara, Nate and James and although the twists were very normal for this type of story the unique way that Skyla twists the character types and then ties those into a well worn plot make this a new story. Good first book.
brokebybooks's review
3.0
I won a free paperback copy from a giveaway curtesy of JC’s Book Haven. (Over 3 years ago. Christ, I’m so behind.)
I laughed for almost 5 mins after reading the last page. Totally psyched me out. Go Zara!
Yeah, Zara is not a nice person. She’s selfish, self-centered, vain, greedy, and a ruthless killer. Yet I loved rolling with her every moment. She reminds me (a bit) of Gin from the Elemental Assassin series. But Zara is way more towards black than white on the grey scale.
Bloodlines is all about the action, snark, drama, and sex. It doesn’t let up. Or quit. Several main people beside our couple bit the dust and I was honestly surprised. I didn’t guess who was behind it all or what they were doing with vampires.
It’s a bit hard when the magic system is so different. It revolves around witches, warlocks and demons. I wonder how werewolves work in this realm. There’s one conversation involving one so we know they exist here but that’s it. Is it a variation of these vamps?
It’s the standard urban paranormal done so well with different world building. I will absolutely continue the series.
I laughed for almost 5 mins after reading the last page. Totally psyched me out. Go Zara!
Yeah, Zara is not a nice person. She’s selfish, self-centered, vain, greedy, and a ruthless killer. Yet I loved rolling with her every moment. She reminds me (a bit) of Gin from the Elemental Assassin series. But Zara is way more towards black than white on the grey scale.
Bloodlines is all about the action, snark, drama, and sex. It doesn’t let up. Or quit. Several main people beside our couple bit the dust and I was honestly surprised. I didn’t guess who was behind it all or what they were doing with vampires.
It’s a bit hard when the magic system is so different. It revolves around witches, warlocks and demons. I wonder how werewolves work in this realm. There’s one conversation involving one so we know they exist here but that’s it. Is it a variation of these vamps?
It’s the standard urban paranormal done so well with different world building. I will absolutely continue the series.
errantdreams's review
5.0
After reading Skyla Dawn Cameron’s urban fantasy Blood Ties, I had to go back and start on one of her other series. I started in with Bloodlines (Demons of Oblivion Book 1). Zara Lain is a 300-year-old vampire who was “turned” when she was 17. She’s a delightful wish-fulfillment badass who is capable of taking down bad guys with more than a little snark along the way. Her old friend Mishka (a witch) sometimes passes on assassination contracts to her, and she has a new one: Mishka’s parents want the head of a rival coven killed. Mishka promises an additional $10 million if Zara will kill sexy, brooding Nathan Gregory, the target’s son, at the same time. She infiltrates a big party hoping to kill both of her targets and steal anything that isn’t nailed down. Not all goes as planned, and soon there are entire covens being massacred and vampires being kidnapped. Zara has to take what help she can–from an annoying flirt of a vampire (Jamie), to a demonologist who’s a fan of hers (Peter), and even Mishka’s mother (Heaven). Oh, yeah–and sexy, brooding warlock Nate.
Zara is the poster child for an unlikable protagonist who nonetheless remains perfectly engaging. She’s almost entirely narcissistic, sarcastic as hell, and totally, utterly tactless. She got into thieving–followed by assassination–because after 300 years she got a bit bored. It takes a long time for Nate and the others to worm any trace of empathy or sympathy out of her. She’s all sass and very nearly does not give a whit about anyone other than herself.
Nate and Jamie are fun. Jamie flirts shamelessly with Zara while Nate refuses to take any interest in her (despite her shamelessly flirting with him–but then, he is a recent widow). Nate and Jamie end up bickering so much I half expected them to end up in bed together! The two vamps and a warlock make a fun triangle.
Zara is a violent narcissist who has no problem killing people for money, or because she got a little hungry, or because they got in her way. I’m sure that won’t be every reader’s cup of tea, but I had fun with her. There are rumors of Armageddon, so I’m looking forward to seeing if that goes anywhere in later books. In particular, I thought that the plot revolving around the vampires who are being kidnapped was original and fascinating.
Content note for sex and child death.
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2020/07/review-bloodlines-skyla-dawn-cameron/
Zara is the poster child for an unlikable protagonist who nonetheless remains perfectly engaging. She’s almost entirely narcissistic, sarcastic as hell, and totally, utterly tactless. She got into thieving–followed by assassination–because after 300 years she got a bit bored. It takes a long time for Nate and the others to worm any trace of empathy or sympathy out of her. She’s all sass and very nearly does not give a whit about anyone other than herself.
Nate and Jamie are fun. Jamie flirts shamelessly with Zara while Nate refuses to take any interest in her (despite her shamelessly flirting with him–but then, he is a recent widow). Nate and Jamie end up bickering so much I half expected them to end up in bed together! The two vamps and a warlock make a fun triangle.
Zara is a violent narcissist who has no problem killing people for money, or because she got a little hungry, or because they got in her way. I’m sure that won’t be every reader’s cup of tea, but I had fun with her. There are rumors of Armageddon, so I’m looking forward to seeing if that goes anywhere in later books. In particular, I thought that the plot revolving around the vampires who are being kidnapped was original and fascinating.
Content note for sex and child death.
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2020/07/review-bloodlines-skyla-dawn-cameron/
mcummings's review
4.0
Really enjoyed this. The main character is a snarky kick-ass vampire. There was a good balance of action and banter!
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