Reviews

Flesh and Blood by Kristen Painter

writer_gabby's review against another edition

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4.0

3,75*

O final do livro sem dúvida que deu uma inflaçãozinha aqui na nota. Era para dar 3,5 - ia deixar com uma classificação de 3 estrelas - mas o final deixou-me muito curiosa para saber o que vai acontecer.

Se os proximos livros se focarem mais na politica e drama entre os vampiros, ao inves do triangulo amoroso desnecessario, tem tudo para dar certo

ch_jars's review against another edition

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1.0

Unfortunately you cannot tear out pages from an ebook and burn them. Everyting about Tatiana was just sooo annoying and one dimentional.

patriciasjs's review against another edition

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4.0

Opinião do blogue Chaise Longue: http://girlinchaiselongue.blogspot.pt/2013/07/opiniao-sacrificio-de-sangue.html

Tem experimentando os mais diversos géneros, desde à poesia ao steampunk, mas quando chegou a hora de escrever uma série foi na fantasia urbana que apostou, pois esta permitia-lhe a liberdade criativa desejada. Kristen vive na Flórida com o marido, antigo piloto da Força Aérea, e uma gigantesca quantidade de felinos. Era professora de Inglês quando começou a ser publicada mas anteriormente já tinha tido os mais diversos e diferentes empregos, desde maître a vendedora da Christian Dior.
Escreve artigos, é co-fundadora do website Romancedivas e, é a autora da série A Casa das Comarré, o seu trabalho mais conhecido e elogiado por autoras como Patricia Briggs ou Gena Showalter, apesar de já ter escrito outros quatro romances. Começou a escrever em 2009 romances paranormais com Vikings mas foi com os vampiros que alcançou o sucesso.
Sacrifício de Sangue é o segundo volume da série, foi publicado em 2011 e traduzido pela primeira vez para o nosso país. O último volume da série irá ser publicado no final deste mês nos EUA.
Tudo mudou para Chrysabelle. Está longe de ser quem era mas também já não sabe quem ou o que é e isso complica ainda mais a sua vida já demasiado complicada. Segredos desvendados trazem outros segredos, promessas obrigam a não esquecer quem magoa e tenta, sentimentos nunca sentidos avassalam a sua essência e, pelo meio, um perigo que destruirá tudo a sua passagem, espera nas sombras pelo ambicioso mais sedento de caos e poder, aquele que é capaz de o libertar, o que não tem escrúpulos em destruir e matar. Por entre armadilhas, maldições e alianças dúbias, a comarré e Malkolm têm de parar Tatiana e sobreviver a tentação que os une.
Depois de um primeiro volume que ultrapassou em muito as minhas expectativas, foi com bastante ansiedade que comecei a ler o segundo volume e, mais uma vez, Kristen não me desiludiu, aliás, Sacrifício de Sangue é ainda melhor que o seu antecessor. Com uma escrita crua, envolvente e marcadamente gótica, a autora leva-nos numa viagem cheia de adrenalina e sedução onde a vingança e as maldições, bem como o amor proibido, são os grandes protagonistas. Através de um enredo mais desenvolvido mas que mantém a complexidade, este livro desbrava alguns segredos e traz-nos novas revelações como lendas que afinal são bem reais e novas personagens alternaturais. A contribuir para uma acção fluída temos vários POV’s, em que a história de algumas personagens é mais desenvolvida, criando assim um ritmo em que a nossa curiosidade está sempre a ser aguçada por mais, e os vários pormenores deste mundo fantástico e sedutor que a autora nos vai revelando a pouco e pouco e que encaixa na perfeição com cenas ora perigosas ora sedutoras.
Diz-se que a vingança é um prato que se serve frio. Que corroí por dentro, que traz o pior de nós ao de cima. A vingança é um vício que unida à sede de poder nos faz ser capazes de tudo menos sentir. Ofusca-nos a visão, faz-nos perder a orientação até que sangue e dor mil vezes aumentada nos saciem a fome de retaliação. Mas quando nada é suficiente, nada a acalma nem a trava, a loucura é a sua companheira, a sua amante, a sua alma gémea. A vingança acompanha muitas das personagens deste livro nas suas várias facetas e cada uma delas vai desenvolvê-la a sua maneira, quer de forma cruel, cega ou mais racional. Este sentimento vai provocar muitos dos actos que iremos encontrar neste livro e a forma como a vingança marca as personagens vai trazer ou de cima várias situações que podem ser irreversíveis.
Novos elementos vão mudar muita coisa, ou melhor, abrir os nossos olhos para as muitas possibilidades que este mundo ainda nos pode trazer, desde as maldições de Doc e Malk aos Kubai Mata e ao triângulo amoroso que se começa a formar muito por causa das dúvidas existenciais de Chrysabelle que já não sabe bem quem é e o que terá de mudar na sua vida e o que ela realmente quer. O triângulo acaba por servir para evidenciar estas dúvidas e para mostrar o que Malk e a comarré realmente sentem um pelo outro e, apesar de eu dispensá-lo, percebo o que a autora pretende com ela mas espero que isto não demore muito mais até porque a relação do vampiro com a menina das tatuagens douradas parece-me mais fortalecida neste livro, mais perigosa e intensa, onde muitas cenas de sedução ou mais ternas demonstram bem que dúvidas a existirem, elas não vão durar muito mais.
Um grande ponto positivo deste livro acaba também por ser o maior desenvolvimento das personagens, que apesar de continuarem misteriosas começam a deixar cair as máscaras e deixam antever facetas mais ousadas, mais fortes e perigosas. Como protagonistas, Malkolm e Chrysabelle estão melhores, apesar de eu dispensar mesmo as dúvidas amorosas dela, e Doc mostra uma faceta mais desesperada mas que continua interessante. O pessoal do Sete é mais desenvolvido neste livro com muitas reviravoltas interessantes e Tatiana continua uma das vilãs mais fantásticas que eu já tive oportunidade de ler. Algumas famílias são mais desenvolvidas mas outras continuam um completo mistério e acaba por ser nas novas personagens que encontrámos os maiores pontos de interesse. As bruxas vão mudar muita coisa e Creeck ainda mais apesar de eu esperar que não demais.
Kristen Painter dá-nos um mundo que se vai desvendado e tornando-se ainda melhor a cada livro, um mundo onde perigo e intensidade nunca nos deixam parar de ler. Sacrifício de Sangue é a continuação certa, um livro que nos satisfaz e nos faz salivar por mais e, agora, por favor, que venha o terceiro.

amym84's review against another edition

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5.0

Flesh and Blood is the second book in the House of Comarre series by Kristen Painter. I loved the first book and Flesh and Blood does not disappoint. It picks up about two weeks after the events of Blood Rights. Chrysabelle and Mal have been avoiding each other. Chrysabelle because she feels the weight of her promise to Mal weighing down on her but she thinks it's too soon to return to Corvinestri to ask the Aurelian about Mal's curse. Mal because feels betrayed by Chrysabelle thinking she will not fulfill her promise.

Through all of this is the threat of Tatianna coming after Chrysabelle for the ring she stole in Blood Rights. Not to mention that the covenant has been broken so vampires are more or less out in the open.

I thought this book moved along at a quick pace just like the first one. What helps this along is the switching point of views between all the characters. While frustrating only because Painter tends to leave each section off on a mini-clifhanger compelling readers to read until the resolution only to have another mini-cliffhanger to contend with. At times I did feel like there may have been too many POV switches, but I will admit I like getting all the characters's thoughts. Who am I kidding, I like getting Mal's thougts!

There is an addition of a possible love triangle which I felt extremely unecessary because Painter clearly shows the chemistry between her two main characters. I guess this other potential love interest can serve to motivate Mal to show his feelings more for Chrysabelle. I would much rather prefer to see Mal decide on his own to show his affections for Chrysabelle and not because he's jealous of someone else getting there first. Also, I very much dislike the idea of every unavailable male having feelings for our heroine. Not every guy is into every girls, I would have like Painter to explore a friendship instead. Who knows maybe that's where this is all leading anyway because truly I didn't feel as much chemistry between these two as between Chrysabelle and Mal. Although I like Creek's character and I'm very interested in learning more about him and the group he's associated with.

In this book we get more resolution for Mal, we also get resolution with the Fi situation, even Doc ahs some interesting twists in this book. Not wanting to give too much away but we get answers, but of course along with answers we get more questions which will hopefully get answered in the next installment due out December 1st.

To anyone who isn't sure about this series, I highley recommend it and can't wait for it to continue! Until Then!

fictionallybooked's review against another edition

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4.0

it's getting good. Starting the next book right now

suzjustsuz's review

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3.0

The story is interesting enough, but this one was a bit of a downgrade from the first. It's a trilogy and there are new people, new powers, new plots still being revealed. The introduction of the love triangle was disappointing to see, it's a stereotypical trope that I could have done without.

The cliff hanger ending at this book is heinous and insulting. The only reason I didn't grade down for it is because the third is due out in one month (Dec 1). I would have been very upset if I'd had to wait a year or more with this intentionally manipulative ending.

This books used the term "every fiber of his/ her being" several times. It's a personal pet peeve of mine and it was disappointing to see in this trilogy. Over all I'd say this was not as good as the first book led me to believe this one would be.

Or maybe I'm just feeling pissy about the cliff hanger and the seemingly unnecessary love triangle.

Incidentally, there are no set POV with this book. You get to see the story from just about every perspective. POV jumps around a lot, but in fairness to the author it's not too difficult to follow.

mcummings's review

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3.0

This was a good second installment to the trilogy, but I did not like it quite as much as the first. Chrysabelle is following up on her promise to get Mal's curse lifted, Doc is trying to get Fi resurrected, Tatiana is still trying to get the ring. We also have the introdution of two new characters a witch, and Creek who is a vampire slayer and potential love interest for Chrysabelle. I really didn't care for the new love triangle, and the while the narrative was moved forward towards the conclusion, it didn't quite speak to me the same way the first one did.

readundancies's review

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3.0

I’m giving this a 2.5 star rating and rounding up because I’m going to continue the series if only to see if we can turn this train around.

Because this didn’t exactly meet expectations.

I’m not about the love triangle. It’s a little too convenient. Which is not to say I don’t like Creek, it’s just I don’t love the instant gratification that comes with instalove (aka infatuation) which is what making him a romantic interest results in. He could be a really great new character, but all I get is obsessive I-was-born-to-protect-you vibes and I’m sorry, but it’s been overdone. That chicken be dry as fuck.

I wanted to be here for the slow burn, and the angst and the yearning for both blood and soul that is Mal from the first book and instead I got a goddamn sulky dose of depression and a no sense of self worth Mal who was not desirable in the least. Also you can’t be a possessive beast in the first book and then be willing to hand off what you care about with ease in the next one. That’s not growth, that’s inconsistency.

So yeah, the romance was not doing it for me in this one, kisses be damned.

I’m also not about Chrysabelle and her naïveté. Coupled with her need for everyone to get along and the fact that her actions often tend to go against her words makes her characterization seem quite underdeveloped, which is a shame because she could be so much more admirable but she’s not.

Still not about Tatiana, but then again, I never was because she doesn’t seem to have any sort of valid motivations for her actions and that makes for poor character development. Also, her whole let me follow Chrysabelle around because if no one can get the job done I must do it myself routine is not exactly the most conniving and manipulative way to do evil, and while the ends were made met, it just seemed very low effort.

The plot was still fast paced and engaging, but not nearly as much as the first one because there’s so many subplots that weave together. And it’s not exactly neat weaving, it’s forced and rushed to its detriment. I still enjoyed it, however since it’s not really up to par I’ve been wanting more in depth characterization and that hasn’t been happening. Truly my biggest issue is the inconsistent characterization with so many of the main players in this book.

Also, the ending? Sloppy. Messy. Witches deserve better than to be made convenient antagonists. And not every action has to come back and bite you in the ass directly.

So yeah, disappointed on my end.

Because I’ve asked myself what about this book did I like, and I can’t really come up with a positive answer.

And really, that’s just disappointing.

If the next one doesn’t improve, I think I’m gonna have to drop this series.

wonderturtle's review

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4.0

Ah, the love triangle. Why is it that vampire stories tend to feature a love triangle with a woman at the center?
I felt this book, like many second-in-a-trilogy books, was setting up things to come. The story is still compelling, but not as much as the first book, for me. The addition of characters and the way the characters are changing make me excited to read the next installment, but I'm also a little impatient and anxious as I wait to find out how everything will come together in the end.
The mythology behind this series is so rich and I find myself wanting to know more about the comarre and their history. I also want to know more about the other "othernaturals" featured in this series. I hope this trilogy ends up spawning more books so we get to see more of this wonderful world!

anita86dk's review

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4.0

So many things went down in this book, and I enjoyed it for the most part.
I'm not sure how I feel about the love triangle.... Why did that have to be in it as well.
I also really am not enjoying seeing things from Tatiana's (aka the villain) perspective.
I ship Chrysabelle and Mal so much tho....

Can't wait to see what will happen in the next book. That ending was Crazy!