A review by morganthebee
Consecrated Ground by Virginia Black

5.0

In a dystopic world teeming with vampires battling the witches struggling to protect humanity, Joan returns to her small town after 8 years away following her estranged father’s death—the town where she left her former love, Leigh, to go out into the world and pursue her dream of becoming a war witch. The poverty-ridden town has been protected from the vampires by a magical barrier that her father erected, as well as a small coven of secretive witches, but the veil is failing and no one knows why. 

 

Joan is lethal and damn good at her job. Don’t let that fool you, though: she’s got a soft side, and she’s definitely not over Leigh. She teams up with a motley crew of citizens protecting the town, led by Dayton (with his dog Willy by his side), a man who clearly respects her and her father, but it was Leigh whose story captured my heart. After Joan left, she made some decisions that changed the course of her life in ways that neither could ever have imagined. Together Joan and Leigh, along with Dayton, slowly untangle the secrets and mysteries surrounding what’s happening to save the town, and themselves. 

 

The writing is flawless, and the tone is perfect. Black blends a dark and mysterious story with fabulous transitions between slow, sensual moments and heart pounding action. Mysteries abound and the tension was delicious. While Black ends the story with a satisfying ending that could be the end of the story, it’s definitely left open for a potential sequel, and I’m here for it.