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3.43 AVERAGE
3.43 AVERAGE
What a fantastic concept for a story. The Civil War, the Underground Railroad, vampires, werewolves, and vampire hunters. If I were a teen this would check all my boxes including the ones I didn't know I had.
I've been contemplating how I should review this. As a woman in my 40s who has read many many books in my lifetime, this was a story that kind of fell short of my expectations. I loved the idea of the thing. I loved the setting and the backstory. But every time it was a section where the main characters interacted, it was awful. The MMC was in love with the FMC from the beginning, and she was supposedly his friend. Frienemy? She was always putting him down, even when she was a attracted to him, while he was always trying to make her feel safe. Then when the frienemies become more, there are over-the-top pet names and cutsie fawning IN THE MIDDLE OF A WAR! On top of this, it is set in a time period, but the dialogue is constantly using modern slang and terminology.
I actually kept thinking this was Twilight for historical fantasy. SO many people loved Twilight. It is exactly the story formula for a teenager to potentially fall in love with history and learn something. That definitely redeems my experience a little bit, to be honest. I'm no longer a teenager, so it's ok that this book wasn't for me. I think there is definitely a reader base who will absolutely love this story.
Content contains violence, trauma from enslavement, and nudity.
Thank you to St. Martin Press and Netgalley for sending me a complimentary ARC. All the opinions in this review are my own.
I've been contemplating how I should review this. As a woman in my 40s who has read many many books in my lifetime, this was a story that kind of fell short of my expectations. I loved the idea of the thing. I loved the setting and the backstory. But every time it was a section where the main characters interacted, it was awful. The MMC was in love with the FMC from the beginning, and she was supposedly his friend. Frienemy? She was always putting him down, even when she was a attracted to him, while he was always trying to make her feel safe. Then when the frienemies become more, there are over-the-top pet names and cutsie fawning IN THE MIDDLE OF A WAR! On top of this, it is set in a time period, but the dialogue is constantly using modern slang and terminology.
I actually kept thinking this was Twilight for historical fantasy. SO many people loved Twilight. It is exactly the story formula for a teenager to potentially fall in love with history and learn something. That definitely redeems my experience a little bit, to be honest. I'm no longer a teenager, so it's ok that this book wasn't for me. I think there is definitely a reader base who will absolutely love this story.
Content contains violence, trauma from enslavement, and nudity.
Thank you to St. Martin Press and Netgalley for sending me a complimentary ARC. All the opinions in this review are my own.
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
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
adventurous
tense
slow-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:
No
Jerusalem has just run away from slavery discovering she is a Saint during the American Civil War. In a world with vampires, Saints are the only ones with demigod-like abilities that allow them to hunt and kill vampires. She has always been fearless even when she was enslaved by a vampire, who killed her family. She hates all vampires and wants her revenge. It isn’t until she meets Alexei, a vampire who is cocky, and devilishly handsome, that she starts to think she might fall in love with the very thing she hates.
When they are teamed up to go back to the south they must face both their enemies and their true feelings for each other.
Overall rating 4 /5
This book was such a gritty, yet fantastical read. I felt as if this could be an extension of Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire universe. The duel POVs from Jerusalem and Alexei were well executed allowing the reader to see how each character ticked. I love me a star-crossed, enemies to lovers romance with a slow burn and this definitely hits the mark.
Angel Pean brought Jerusalem to life! She made me feel her hate, passion and love, and I will be seeking out other audio books narrated by her.
I had to wrestle with that truth…the people that I loved the most in this very world is the one thing I hated the most. -Jerusalem
*Thank you to Lauren Blackwood, Netgalley and Macmillan audio l Macmillan Young Listeners for the audio copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.
When they are teamed up to go back to the south they must face both their enemies and their true feelings for each other.
Overall rating 4 /5
This book was such a gritty, yet fantastical read. I felt as if this could be an extension of Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire universe. The duel POVs from Jerusalem and Alexei were well executed allowing the reader to see how each character ticked. I love me a star-crossed, enemies to lovers romance with a slow burn and this definitely hits the mark.
Angel Pean brought Jerusalem to life! She made me feel her hate, passion and love, and I will be seeking out other audio books narrated by her.
I had to wrestle with that truth…the people that I loved the most in this very world is the one thing I hated the most. -Jerusalem
*Thank you to Lauren Blackwood, Netgalley and Macmillan audio l Macmillan Young Listeners for the audio copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the arc of this book.
3/5 stars for The Dangerous Ones
My ratings weigh heavily on whether or not I felt connected to the characters and their fates. I found myself rooting for Jerusalem in many ways. To exact her revenge as a black woman who experienced many atrocities in this civil war era story, to heal her insecurities, and to find her strength in more ways than the physical kind.
The relationship between her and Alexei was cute, and I loved how he just adored her.
I felt there was enough material for this book to be a bit longer. I felt the final standoff between them and Adelaide a little rushed.
Overall I enjoyed it.
3/5 stars for The Dangerous Ones
My ratings weigh heavily on whether or not I felt connected to the characters and their fates. I found myself rooting for Jerusalem in many ways. To exact her revenge as a black woman who experienced many atrocities in this civil war era story, to heal her insecurities, and to find her strength in more ways than the physical kind.
The relationship between her and Alexei was cute, and I loved how he just adored her.
I felt there was enough material for this book to be a bit longer. I felt the final standoff between them and Adelaide a little rushed.
Overall I enjoyed it.
It was like the author thought of everything she’d ever tried to write and put it into this book. It was just one too many things that didn’t work, for me.
2024 reads: 118/250
2024 tbr: 53/120
i received an advanced review copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
raised a slave, and seeing her family killed by a vampire, jerusalem is eager to use her powers as a saint to fight against the confederacy and (some of) the vampires. much to her dismay, this leads to her having to team up with a vampire named alexei. together, they set out to not only win the war, but also take down the vampire who killed jerusalem’s family.
i’ve been a huge lauren blackwood fan ever since i got to read an early copy of within these wicked walls in 2021, so i’m always excited to hear when she has a new release!
even though i typically don’t read books about war, i was interested to see how this would play out with the vampires and saints being present. i enjoyed how the fantastical elements blended with the historical ones.
i recommend this to fantasy readers and i’m very excited for more from lauren blackwood!
adventurous
medium-paced