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dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
“A love so deep that it transcends time. A love so strong it lasts beyond death.”
This is not the story of Dracula that you know…Bram Stoker took quite the creative liberty. This is a story of undying love, heart wrenching loss, and two souls who vow to find their way back to each other no matter the time or distance.
Valtu Aminoff, or Dracula as many know him, introduces himself as he recalls a memory from the past. We are transported to 17th century Finland, then ruled by the Kingdom of Sweden, as Valtu tells the story of his true love, Mina. He acknowledges their love as a forbidden love, one that is impossible considering he was a farmer and she a general’s daughter. You become so emotionally attached to Valtu as you learn about his past and his future. You feel his love, pain, anger, loss and humanity as you turn each page of his story.
Soon we find ourselves back in modern day Venice, where we meet Dahlia. A witch and a vampire slayer who is sworn to The Guild. Her mission now…to find Dracula, drive her blade into his heart, and recover a witch’s book that was stolen by the vampires. As Dahlia arrives at music school and enrolls in classes with the renowned Professor Aminoff. She relies on witch glamour to get close enough to complete her mission and end his life, but she discovers that there may be more to the Prince of Darkness…Count Dracula, than she could have ever imagined.
Why is she dreaming of the past? Why does he seem so familiar? Why doesn’t she see the monster that she should see?
Why is she dreaming of the past? Why does he seem so familiar? Why doesn’t she see the monster that she should see?
Blood Orange is a dark, sexy and emotional retelling of the story of Dracula. Karina transports you to gothic Venice…dark, broody and dangerous, where things go bump in the night. I could almost smell the old books in the school library, and experienced the most amazing Phantom of the Opera vibe. Valtu and Dahlia’s chemistry is incredible, with the perfect buildup of slow burn romance to the scorching hot intensity of their connection. This retelling is a love story so epic, so soulful, so deep that your heart will ache when it ends.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Murder
Moderate: Miscarriage, Violence, Grief, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail
DNF 65%.
Nothing was happening. No romance between Dahlia and Valtu, just sex.
I’m still unsure what Dahlia’s “darkness” is that connects her to Valtu, this was never explained clearly. Her confessing her secrets was anti-climatic - basically there must be something “wrong” with her because no one likes her enough to form close relationships with (basically no one wants to be her friend).
After a few meetings, she’s suddenly in love with Valtu. I guessed the reincarnation/soul mates trope pretty early on, but still there was no courtship or romance between them other than their student/professor relationship and the one time they went out for drinks. Seems to only be physical attraction, and insta-love.
Overall I liked the concept of the book, but I did not like the execution. Also there were annoyingly long sentences, paragraphs, and chapters. I felt there was an over-explanation of details that weren’t important to the overall plot (ex: food, walking routes, Dahlia’s classes, etc).
I also noticed some detail inconsistencies (ex: Dahlia stating she was wearing boots/Doc Martens, then a few paragraphs later mentions taking off her sandals; Dahlia describing her green dress, then Valtu mentions her wearing a burgundy dress)
From what I did read:
Rating: 3 ⭐️
Spice: 3🌶️
Nothing was happening. No romance between Dahlia and Valtu, just sex.
I’m still unsure what Dahlia’s “darkness” is that connects her to Valtu, this was never explained clearly. Her confessing her secrets was anti-climatic - basically there must be something “wrong” with her because no one likes her enough to form close relationships with (basically no one wants to be her friend).
After a few meetings, she’s suddenly in love with Valtu. I guessed the reincarnation/soul mates trope pretty early on, but still there was no courtship or romance between them other than their student/professor relationship and the one time they went out for drinks. Seems to only be physical attraction, and insta-love.
Overall I liked the concept of the book, but I did not like the execution. Also there were annoyingly long sentences, paragraphs, and chapters. I felt there was an over-explanation of details that weren’t important to the overall plot (ex: food, walking routes, Dahlia’s classes, etc).
I also noticed some detail inconsistencies (ex: Dahlia stating she was wearing boots/Doc Martens, then a few paragraphs later mentions taking off her sandals; Dahlia describing her green dress, then Valtu mentions her wearing a burgundy dress)
From what I did read:
Rating: 3 ⭐️
Spice: 3🌶️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Gore, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-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:
Yes
Parts were kinda cheesy but overall I was surprised by how much I loved it! I picked it up because of the cover art. And once I saw it was basically
vampire smut I was IN.
vampire smut I was IN.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Pregnancy
Moderate: Miscarriage
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Blood, Murder