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3.39 AVERAGE
3.39 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
fast-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I felt like the writing and transitions were so clunky in this book. Everyone changed their mind on a dime, and the characters were somehow not characterized and acted out of character. The MMC was deeply unlikeable, and the FMC tried so hard to be headstrong, but never succeeded in doing anything herself. She also kept throwing herself back into the relationship with the MMC using rhetoric that was painfully stereotypical of abusive relationships. The whole book was very jarring to read, and in the end, I had to laugh.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This felt like the authors first writing. It wasn't tight and felt amateurish. Considering I just came came off Oak & Holly, that is much better written, this was a disappointment. There didn't seem to be a solid foundation in Reyna. At times naive, which is fine, but then suddenly not and acting very knowledgeable and had back bone. Only to turn back around and be a shriveling violet.
The chemistry felt forced. It didn't flow naturally.
The story itself, plot direction, is good, but the writing left me wanting so much more.
I hope the other two books are cleaner in writing. I almost thought it wasn't the same author as Oak & Holly
The chemistry felt forced. It didn't flow naturally.
The story itself, plot direction, is good, but the writing left me wanting so much more.
I hope the other two books are cleaner in writing. I almost thought it wasn't the same author as Oak & Holly
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Sexual assault
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I so wanted to fall into a ridiculous paranormal vampire romance, and I can put up with a lot. But alas this one was a bit lacking, even for me.
I have never seen 2 characters with less chemistry. It's as if the author knew she had specific beats to hit in order to write a romance story, but was very mechanical in terms of execution.
World building also fell quite flat, as in there was very, very little explanation for how this corporate vampire world domination came to be.
I'm solidly a reader, can't quite write, so when I found myself mentally rewriting this story, I knew I was going to dnf this book.
I have never seen 2 characters with less chemistry. It's as if the author knew she had specific beats to hit in order to write a romance story, but was very mechanical in terms of execution.
World building also fell quite flat, as in there was very, very little explanation for how this corporate vampire world domination came to be.
I'm solidly a reader, can't quite write, so when I found myself mentally rewriting this story, I knew I was going to dnf this book.
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really enjoyed this book and the writing style. I definitely felt like there were certain parts that were rushed or happened out of nowhere, but that does not take away from the overall joy I got from reading the book. This writing style and connection of characters reminds me a lot of the Assistant to the Villain series.
2.5 stars - I didn't like it that much
I went to a launch event for the author's recently-published book The Robin on the Oak Throne. And she mentioned that her Blood Type series is set in the same universe as the Holly and the Oak Cycle, which I enjoyed. So I thought I'd check it out. But this book was nowhere near as good as the Holly and Oak Cycle books.
The book has an interesting premise--vampires run a corporation of human blood escorts, and our FMC becomes a blood escort to the MMC. But the execution was extremely blah. My biggest gripe is that both the MMC and the book itself just actively refuses to give the FMC or the reader any information. The FMC is kind of an annoying sassy/feisty/snarky FMC, but honestly the way MMC treats her with so little respect, I kind of get why she's that annoying about it. She's given no information about this special blood escort program she signed up for. Every time she goes somewhere or does something, the MMC tells her nothing about where they're going or what's going to happen. He just says, "You'll see" and tells her "Just do what I say." And then throws her into a major event that she has no hope of getting through without preparation, like I get that he needs to be secretive about the secret things he's doing or when he wants something to be a surprise, but it happens for events that any normal person would have expected some kind of heads up to prepare for things. So what the heck.
The book also gives FMC absolutely nothing to do. She literally does nothing for the whole first week she's with MMC and there is no explanation for what she possibly spent her day doing. The only thing she does after that is take pictures for her new photography hobby. But she does nothing to try to figure out information for herself. I get that she was ignorant before because she's poor and lacked access to information. But after getting a smart phone and learning to use the internet, she still stays ignorant. And she complains that she doesn't know stuff, but she literally can look up information if she wanted to and there is no explanation for why she doesn't.
MMC is just terribly aloof and cold to FMC. Which fine, that's how he is. But then I do not understand why. I feel like they should have . The way he treats her in Book 1 even after knowing everything is pretty unjustified. So all the romance and spice and tension is just physical attraction--I did not feel any emotional connection between the two of them. Also, his nickname for her is, "Little One." Barf.
The actual plot is also very predictable. Your usual. And of course the most predictable thing is revealed at the very end, so it ends on a cliffhanger. Big eye roll from me at that point. Not sure if I will continue reading the series.
Audiobook Review
Audiobook narration: Single American female narrator. Audiobook is only available under the self-published title Blood Type. It has slight differences from the traditional published book because the trad published book was edited from the self-published version. The one major difference is that the first two chapters in the self-published version were collapsed into one chapter in the trad published version. So the chapter numbers from the self-published version to the trad published version are one chapter off.
Audiobook performance: 4 out of 5 (Captures the characters and story perfectly)
Book information
Genre: Paranormal urban fantasy romance (vampires)
Series information: Book 1 of Blood Type series. The original self-published trilogy is completed and available, but the whole series is being re-published by traditional publishing.
Book 2's self-published title is Blood Match. Trad published title is The Captive and the First Blood Game and will be re-published October 21, 2025.
Book 3's self-published title is Blood Cure. Trad published title is The Rebel and the Final Blood War and will be re-published April 21, 2026.
Steam Level: 4 out of 5 (Explicit open door)
Romance Level: 5 out of 5 (Romance story in an urban fantasy setting)
How I Read It: E-book and audiobook borrowed from Libby
I went to a launch event for the author's recently-published book The Robin on the Oak Throne. And she mentioned that her Blood Type series is set in the same universe as the Holly and the Oak Cycle, which I enjoyed. So I thought I'd check it out. But this book was nowhere near as good as the Holly and Oak Cycle books.
The book has an interesting premise--vampires run a corporation of human blood escorts, and our FMC becomes a blood escort to the MMC. But the execution was extremely blah. My biggest gripe is that both the MMC and the book itself just actively refuses to give the FMC or the reader any information. The FMC is kind of an annoying sassy/feisty/snarky FMC, but honestly the way MMC treats her with so little respect, I kind of get why she's that annoying about it. She's given no information about this special blood escort program she signed up for. Every time she goes somewhere or does something, the MMC tells her nothing about where they're going or what's going to happen. He just says, "You'll see" and tells her "Just do what I say." And then throws her into a major event that she has no hope of getting through without preparation, like
Spoiler
giving a short speech to a room full of vampires or attending/participating in a blood brothel where everyone is having sex.The book also gives FMC absolutely nothing to do. She literally does nothing for the whole first week she's with MMC and there is no explanation for what she possibly spent her day doing. The only thing she does after that is take pictures for her new photography hobby. But she does nothing to try to figure out information for herself. I get that she was ignorant before because she's poor and lacked access to information. But after getting a smart phone and learning to use the internet, she still stays ignorant. And she complains that she doesn't know stuff, but she literally can look up information if she wanted to and there is no explanation for why she doesn't.
MMC is just terribly aloof and cold to FMC. Which fine, that's how he is. But then I do not understand why
Spoiler
FMC falls for himSpoiler
saved her falling in love with him until Book 2 where more of the plot is revealedThe actual plot is also very predictable. Your usual
Spoiler
special one-of-a-kind FMC and rebel activity against the ruling regime storyAudiobook Review
Audiobook narration: Single American female narrator. Audiobook is only available under the self-published title Blood Type. It has slight differences from the traditional published book because the trad published book was edited from the self-published version. The one major difference is that the first two chapters in the self-published version were collapsed into one chapter in the trad published version. So the chapter numbers from the self-published version to the trad published version are one chapter off.
Audiobook performance: 4 out of 5 (Captures the characters and story perfectly)
Book information
Genre: Paranormal urban fantasy romance (vampires)
Series information: Book 1 of Blood Type series. The original self-published trilogy is completed and available, but the whole series is being re-published by traditional publishing.
Book 2's self-published title is Blood Match. Trad published title is The Captive and the First Blood Game and will be re-published October 21, 2025.
Book 3's self-published title is Blood Cure. Trad published title is The Rebel and the Final Blood War and will be re-published April 21, 2026.
Steam Level: 4 out of 5 (Explicit open door)
Romance Level: 5 out of 5 (Romance story in an urban fantasy setting)
How I Read It: E-book and audiobook borrowed from Libby
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is a prequel story to the Holly cycle urban fantasy books. As book 1 of 3, it doesn't have a proper ending. It has strong economic commentary as the vampire/corporation is ultra rich and the FMC is ultra poor.
The end of the book tries its best to explain the most frustrating behaviors of the MMC, but he wasn't redeemed fully imo. I am still invested in learning more of the Wrenverse and enjoy the spice levels that the author includes. The writing style is fast and simple, but I think to enjoy this series that more of the story needs to be released.
The end of the book tries its best to explain the most frustrating behaviors of the MMC, but he wasn't redeemed fully imo. I am still invested in learning more of the Wrenverse and enjoy the spice levels that the author includes. The writing style is fast and simple, but I think to enjoy this series that more of the story needs to be released.