Author: Lauren Blackwood
A romantic historical fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blackwood, set in the American Civil War with vampires and people with demigod-like abilities.
1863, Pennsylvania
War doesn’t scare Jerusalem—she’s a Saint. Thanks to powerful demigod-style reflexes, endurance, and strength, she’s fearless. And ever since the Confederates declared civil war, partnering with the vampires who benefitted off slavery, she and her battalion of Saints are essential to the Union army.
Jerusalem herself had been enslaved by a vampire, escaping North only after her family was murdered. She knows the enemy better, hates the enemy more than anyone in her battalion, and has been using it to her advantage since she joined the war a year ago. More than anything she wants revenge, but if she can help Black people gain freedom and equality without having to steal it for themselves like she had to, then all the better.
But she never expects to have to team up with a vampire to do it. Alexei is one of those handsome, arrogant Ancient Vampires. But he’s on the Union’s side, and in the year they’ve known each other, has never done anything but prove he’s on hers.
Together, they set out to change the course of the war and take down the vampire who destroyed everyone Jerusalem loved. But for her, it’s about more than justice.
It’s about killing a god.
The Dangerous Ones is my third novel by Lauren Blackwood. While I enjoyed Within These Wicked Walls, I did not quite connect with Wildblood. The story is set in an alternate universe in 1863 Pennsylvania. It follows a “Saint,” someone with demi-god like super abilities, named Jerusalem and a powerful vampire named Alexei. Both of their POVs are included and the writing switches between them. While there is romance in the story, it felt very one-sided. I “saw” the feelings Alexei had for Jerusalem, but I did not see the opposite. I think the romance between them needed a bit more just to have me believe it, especially in a romance novel.
The novel, for me, reads like the second in a series where the world and relationships are already set up and they are just expanded on in the writing. Other readers may feel entirely differently, so the writing is more subjective compared to some other novels where opinions seem more or less universal. There are a lot of action moments in the story and those were all well done. As characters Jerusalem is explored more than Alexei, but I still felt Jerusalem wasn’t explored enough. The historical setting plays a large role in the story as the elements of the time period were used as various plot points. There are young adult elements in the story with some new adult ones mixed in. For me, there are elements that had a lot of potential and were enjoyable. Overall, I think this story had pieces that I wanted some improvement, but I still continue to enjoy Blackwood’s work.
**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Wednesday Books, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**
chonkybooksreview.com 