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3.44 AVERAGE
3.44 AVERAGE
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
**I was provided an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.**
Actual rating: 3.5
Lauren Blackwood returns with her newest YA historical fantasy novel, The Dangerous Ones. Set in Civil War era America, readers follow Jerusalem, a former slave who escaped after her family was murdered by vampires. Jerusalem has since joined the Union army and has been quite an asset as one of the Saints- people with heightened strength, speed, senses, and endurance. Jerusalem wants revenge on her family's behalf and is willing to put in the work to develop enough skills to do it. Even if that means partnering with Alexei. Alexei is a vampire ally and member of the Union army who has made it perfectly clear all people are equal in his eyes, especially after several hundred years of life. Alexei has an enemy in common with Jerusalem, but it seems his priority is in keeping her safe.
In the interest of full disclosure, I initially attempted to read this novel and couldn't quite get on board with Blackwood's writing style. Everything seemed to fall a bit flat for me, but I was determined to give this book a full chance. As such, I borrowed the audiobook on Everand. Narrators Angel Pean (Jerusalem) and Jay Ben Markson (Alexei) did a wonderful job at humanizing the characters. Their performances were engaging and more than fulfilled the assignment. I doubt I would have finished the book without their voices being lent to Blackwood's words.
Once I got into the story, I was entertained throughout. Both Jerusalem and Alexei are characters that put up a tough front, but have backstory contriburing to how they experience and perceive the world. The romance of the story was believable, if unnecessary and a bit fast-tracked.
The setting was an interesting shift as it appeared that not only were vampires standard but werewolves and sasquatches were included as well. There was a lot of room for expansion in the world if Blackwood were to decide on a companion novel. I specify a companion novel as I truly think Jerusalem and Alexei's story is wrapped up neatly here, so it would be of benefit to follow other characters in any future installments in the world.
Overall, I think this book will appeal to readers who enjoyed Justina Ireland's Dread Nation, but wished for vampires instead of zombies. I was happy to have the opportunity to read this early, was entertained during my read, but don't know that I will remember much detail about the story down the road.
Actual rating: 3.5
Lauren Blackwood returns with her newest YA historical fantasy novel, The Dangerous Ones. Set in Civil War era America, readers follow Jerusalem, a former slave who escaped after her family was murdered by vampires. Jerusalem has since joined the Union army and has been quite an asset as one of the Saints- people with heightened strength, speed, senses, and endurance. Jerusalem wants revenge on her family's behalf and is willing to put in the work to develop enough skills to do it. Even if that means partnering with Alexei. Alexei is a vampire ally and member of the Union army who has made it perfectly clear all people are equal in his eyes, especially after several hundred years of life. Alexei has an enemy in common with Jerusalem, but it seems his priority is in keeping her safe.
In the interest of full disclosure, I initially attempted to read this novel and couldn't quite get on board with Blackwood's writing style. Everything seemed to fall a bit flat for me, but I was determined to give this book a full chance. As such, I borrowed the audiobook on Everand. Narrators Angel Pean (Jerusalem) and Jay Ben Markson (Alexei) did a wonderful job at humanizing the characters. Their performances were engaging and more than fulfilled the assignment. I doubt I would have finished the book without their voices being lent to Blackwood's words.
Once I got into the story, I was entertained throughout. Both Jerusalem and Alexei are characters that put up a tough front, but have backstory contriburing to how they experience and perceive the world. The romance of the story was believable, if unnecessary and a bit fast-tracked.
The setting was an interesting shift as it appeared that not only were vampires standard but werewolves and sasquatches were included as well. There was a lot of room for expansion in the world if Blackwood were to decide on a companion novel. I specify a companion novel as I truly think Jerusalem and Alexei's story is wrapped up neatly here, so it would be of benefit to follow other characters in any future installments in the world.
Overall, I think this book will appeal to readers who enjoyed Justina Ireland's Dread Nation, but wished for vampires instead of zombies. I was happy to have the opportunity to read this early, was entertained during my read, but don't know that I will remember much detail about the story down the road.
Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is marketed as an enemies to lovers story, but all the enemies happened off page before we met them. There were flashbacks, but they really did more to mess with the flow of the story than provide any real context. It almost felt like I was reading a sequel, like I has missed something.
The pacing was choppy. We kept switching pov's but the reasoning felt arbitrary. We weren't learning anything new from these people - Alexi just kept repeating how obsessed she was with Jerusalem, and Jerusalem just kept repeating all the people she was angry at and how much she liked killing.
I had a hard time with the language use. Jerusalem was previously a slave and her verbiage that mimicked that made a lot of sense, but it wasn't consistent - especially in her narration voice. It was very jarring having her voice bounce around the way it did. On top of that there were weirdly modern phrases being used. With the amount of dialogue in this story it really became an annoyance that wasn't easy to ignore.
I really wanted to like this book - the premise sounds amazing. But our main characters were just so one dimensional I couldn't invest in them.
This is marketed as an enemies to lovers story, but all the enemies happened off page before we met them. There were flashbacks, but they really did more to mess with the flow of the story than provide any real context. It almost felt like I was reading a sequel, like I has missed something.
The pacing was choppy. We kept switching pov's but the reasoning felt arbitrary. We weren't learning anything new from these people - Alexi just kept repeating how obsessed she was with Jerusalem, and Jerusalem just kept repeating all the people she was angry at and how much she liked killing.
I had a hard time with the language use. Jerusalem was previously a slave and her verbiage that mimicked that made a lot of sense, but it wasn't consistent - especially in her narration voice. It was very jarring having her voice bounce around the way it did. On top of that there were weirdly modern phrases being used. With the amount of dialogue in this story it really became an annoyance that wasn't easy to ignore.
I really wanted to like this book - the premise sounds amazing. But our main characters were just so one dimensional I couldn't invest in them.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Set during the Civil War with a mix of paranormal and fantasy creatures, The Dangerous Ones centers around Jerusalem, a former slave and Saint with preternatural strength and agility, and Alexei, a 300-year-old vampire fighting alongside the Union Army. After being enslaved under a vampire and watching her family be murdered, Jerusalem has a deep-seated hatred for all vampires, but, after a year of training with and fighting alongside Alexei, he’s the exception for her.
And Alexei? He loves that tiny Saint.
The premise is fascinating, and Jerusalem and Alexei are such strong characters.
Between the war, the blossoming love story, and Jerusalem’s desire to take out the vampire and its family that destroyed her own, there is a lot going on in the book. But sometimes when there’s so much going on, it feels like not everything is as developed as it could be, and that was the case for me here.
I was fortunate to have advance copies of both the ebook and the audiobook. Angel Pean’s narration was spot-on for me. Her accents for Jerusalem and fellow Saints Odessa and Gael were believable, and I liked her voice for Alexei. Jay Ben Markson’s 1863 voice for Alexei worked for me, but I would have liked to have heard Alexei have more of a Russian accent in the flashbacks. Markson’s Southern accent for Jerusalem unfortunately did not fit the character for me.
I received an advance copy of the ebook from Wednesday Books and advance copy of the audiobook from Macmillan Audio, both via NetGalley. All review opinions are my own.
challenging
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
The Dangerous Ones by Lauren Blackwood was a heart pounding supernatural historical book set in the Civil War Era in America. The mix of history and fantasy was done really well and I love how the author wove enhanced humans and creatures like werewolves, sasquatches, and vampires into a unique take on U.S. slavery and war. Jerusalem is a dynamic character with a strength that surpasses her survival and training. Her character grows so much in the book and I love that she gets the satisfaction of retribution in the end. Alexei is a great counterpart to Jerusalem and I really like their training and banter. The romance seemed less important than their friendship and trust in one another and I think that's why I enjoyed this story so much!
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I am always curious about a vampire book and what it can bring new to the genre or keep as tradition. I like that this one is set in a historical period: the Civil War. But I liked the audiobook more. The narrator did a great job making the main character braver, sassy, and rebellious not only against the monsters who hurt her family but also against white powerful men telling her what to do. Her revenge is everything. Has a lot of YA interest.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I have mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed the concept of Civil War but make it with vampires and supernatural people which really made it interesting. I think for me when reading fantasy I like detail especially when dealing with the origin of powers. Like we get the whole backstory on Alexei and how/when he was turned. But what is the story of the Saints? Especially since it seemed the Saint powers were only given to BIPOC people? Which hell yeah? Give the Demi god powers to the people that’s being enslaved. Also I wanted to know why Alexei was unaware of the identity of the woman who turned him? Like why was kept from him especially since he had multiple encounters with the woman in the past?
Despite those couple things I did enjoy the story. I was a little over the how Jerusalem was toward Alexei. But her actions and reactions were understandable considering her story. I just figured after the time the two spent together I would think that she would no longer treat him the way she did.
Thanks to publishers and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Despite those couple things I did enjoy the story. I was a little over the how Jerusalem was toward Alexei. But her actions and reactions were understandable considering her story. I just figured after the time the two spent together I would think that she would no longer treat him the way she did.
Thanks to publishers and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Two chapters in, and I had no pull to continue
adventurous
challenging
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Book Stats
Stars: 2 Stars
Start Date: 05/02/24
Ending Date: 05 /12/24
Genre: YA Historical Romance Fantasy
Form: E-Arc/ ALC
Page Count: 368
Publishing Date: 05/14/24
Point of View: Dual 1st Person
Setting: Civil War America
My Blog: https://tanyasreading.wordpress.com/2024/05/13/the-dangerous-ones-by-lauren-black-wood/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6447014930
Stars: 2 Stars
Start Date: 05/02/24
Ending Date: 05 /12/24
Genre: YA Historical Romance Fantasy
Form: E-Arc/ ALC
Page Count: 368
Publishing Date: 05/14/24
Point of View: Dual 1st Person
Setting: Civil War America
My Blog: https://tanyasreading.wordpress.com/2024/05/13/the-dangerous-ones-by-lauren-black-wood/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6447014930
Thank you MacMillan Audio for the Audiobook Arc exchange for an honest review. Thank you Edelweiss for the E-Arc in exchange for an honest review.
The Dangerous Ones is set in the Antebellum/ Civil War period where vampires had slaves, were helping the confederate states keep and uphold the Constitution of Slavery in the Southern States of America. Jerusalem, a former slave who ran away after her family was killed by a set of vampires who enslaved her, met a group of people who are called Saints. Saints are people who have demi-god strength and powers who can kill vampires, and are helping the Union Army in the war effort to unify the country and kill the vampires. She meets Alexi, a 300 year old vampire who is helping the Saints and the Union Army in the cause. Jerusalem and Alexi are both looking for the same vampire who caused them harm. For Jerusalem, it’s the one who enslaved her, killed her family and may have her brother. For Alexi, it’s the one who made him a monster and tortured him.
This had so much potential to be good because the premise reminded me so much of Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Dread Nation. Taking the historical event like the Civil war and flip on its head by adding Vampires or other supernatural creatures trying to help the Confederate States and Zombies that change the course of the war.
This really needs to be edited better because the chapters are too long with the POV Switches between Alexi and Jerusalem inside one chapter felt disjointed. Then add the fact you also have it switching from present time to flashbacks from Jerusalem or Alexi in the chapter as well. This book is 350 pages and it’s only 15 chapters which could have spilt up to at least 4 or 5 chapters. One of the chapters was 41 pages long which in the audiobook it was an hour and seventeen mins long. Some people's attention span is not long in which a couple times I found myself zone out.
I really don’t like how the flashbacks were used as well. You go from her running away from her enslavers to two years since that happened and using the flashback to fill the holes between those times. Like how Jerusalem met the Saints and Alexi is all flashback that you get either in her or his pov but not in real time. Something that important should be told in real time and then you can time jump. It doesn’t work when you are trying to establish a relationship between Jerusalem and the Saints that she met after she ran away. It really doesn’t work when you are trying to convince readers that a love story is supposed to be brewing between our main two characters. When part of the development and interaction is flashback and not in the present.
It is almost like cutting corners while doing all the work. I do like fast pace books that get to the point but I like well throughout fast pace books which this one is not it. Especially if it’s at the detriment of you developing your characters, the relationship between the characters, the world building and the story you are trying to tell as a whole.
Jerusalem is just so damn impulsive for damn good which I’m trying so hard to understand since have been enslaved her whole life and her family has been killed. She is really the definition of fighting now, asking questions later which gets her so much trouble. Like if she was near Harriett Tubman she would smack the living shit out of her. She is 18 but the way she verbally talks down to Alexi who is supposed to be in love with her, she feels like a two year old learning a new word and keeps repeating it over and over again. Which that word is either dumbass, smartass, stupid-ass, cute ass, white boy, and anything else that she sticks the world ass to. It's supposed to be playful banter but just not working at all and the borderline feels toxic. Jerusalem’s narrator seems like she was always out of breath as if she was reading too fast. You can clearly hear her intake of breath which gets very annoying as you continue to listen.
This was supposed to be set in 1863 but the way Jerusalem talks modern you would say this was set in the present day. Who the hell in 1863 going to use the word “reparations"? Especially the fact it’s during the war meaning that the slaves are not officially free yet. The modern talk could have worked if this was a time traveling story. Like if she was from our time and get sent back to 1863 to help an ancestor who was an OG saint and former slave. Then it would have made sense since she wouldn’t be from that time at all.
Alexi's narrator was good but the fact he is supposed to be an eternally immorally 18 year old teenage boy who is just 300 year old, doesn't fit the narrator's voice at all. He should sound younger like a teenager and not like he is almost a 40 years old man even if he is 300 years old. I cringed every time he called Jerusalem his nickname he gave her which is Tiny or called her small. He just doesn’t sound right saying it at all. Also the fact that he is supposed to be in love with her but feels like obsession more than love.
This doesn’t feel properly researched at all as well. The only battle that was mentioned was the Battle of Gettysburg and the only historical figures mentioned were Lee and Grant. Like there wasn't more battle than that in Civil War that you could have incorporated the vampire into. Since the author did put the Underground Railroad they could have easily made a character that was almost like Harriet Tubman and made her into a Saint.
The characters are super underdeveloped to the point that if the character is not either Alexi or Jerusalem, they are very disposable and don't add anything of value to the story. Its one character I was supposed to care about but I could care less once something happens to them. Even the main villain feels so one dimensional and just there for the main two characters to have something in common. She is supposed to be 3,000 years old aka created before the time of Christ for goodness sakes and it’s nothing interesting about her. Like where did she come from? Why did she think it was a good idea to go to America, go to the south and help the south with slavery? She has zero backstory at all! Then for her to kill so easily at the hands of an 18 year old child? For a story about Vampires there is hardly any lore for the vampires that are in the story.
For a story that is supposed to be about Civil War and incorporating vampires and demi-gods into the story, the world building and magical system explanation feels so nonexistent. Ok the Vampires come from Europe but why did they decide to come to America and own slaves? The Saints are supposed to have demi-god powers but how do they get them? What makes them so special to be born with this super strength that others are not? Did we have to make a damn joke about the Underground Railroad not being “Underground”? Did we have to spend 10-15 something pages of the Underground council trying to decide if the vampire can use the passages with Jerusalem just for him to shift as a bird to go with her?
This book had so much potential to fall so flat.
- One Dimensional Main and Side Characters
- One Dimensional Villain with zero backstory
- No World Building
- All over the place Storytelling
- Flashbacks that really took you out of the story.
- Choppy Writing
- Modern Language that didn’t need to be used in 1863.
- No Character Development
- Forced Romance to the point it felt cringe worthy.
It honestly would have been better if it was set in the present day instead of the Civil War period.
I was going to read This Wicked Halls from this author but after being so disappointed in the book it’s a no go.