Vampires and aliens. What more do you need? How about some great romance, likable characters, and wonderful descriptions? You get all that in Bloodline Origins by Iuliana Foos. I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review, and I’m more than happy to give it.
From the Cover: Determined to turn her fantasy into reality, Ana starts her journey to become a vampire. Along the way, she learns the truth about their secret society, discovers her prestigious bloodline, and falls in love.
Not all vampires are accepting of humans and war looms in the shadows. An ancient tome reveals the vampires’ alien descent and sparks war.
An army bent on eradicating her coven’s existence threatens her new world. Survival or annihilation will be in Ana’s hands.
What I Loved: The book starts quickly, and we learn right away that Ana wants to be a vampire. I was a little thrown by this at first because it felt too far-fetched, but the reasoning behind it is explained later on in the story.
Foos is very thorough in how the world works and what the “rules” are, such as how vampires behave, what their society is like, etc. While some of this is reminiscent of other vampire books (and how could it not be?), it still seems to be its own unique alternate world: “The human world has changed and not necessarily for good. We have preserved our traditions, our beliefs, and yes, we do have rules–rules that kept us safe from humans.”
There’s a lot of great description that really makes the setting for this book. As I read, I never forgot where the characters were at or what they were supposed to be doing.
Ana, the main female character, is a very realistic and relatable character. The reader easily comes to know her past and her uncertainties, and she changes as the story progresses.
Andree, the main male character is strong and very appealing. He’s a bit of a bad boy simply because he’s a vampire and he’s royalty, but he’s not a jerk. He’s a very romantic character.
I love the romance between the two main characters. It’s swift, but since the story give a “fated mate” vibe, it really works.
There are some really great twists, but I won’t tell you what they are! It would spoil things too much.
What I Didn’t Love So Much: Unfortunately, the book really needs some more editing. There are a lot of misplaced commas and a few missing words. The chapter breaks feel random, and even though there are scene breaks for changes of perspective, I think it could have been done better. For instance, sometimes the story advances by two months, and it would be nice to see that as the start of a new chapter, perhaps even with the time frame noted.
Rating and Recommendation: Since I pretty much couldn’t put this book down, I have to give it five stars! What little fixes that are needed don’t detract from the story, and I can’t wait to read the next one. If you love romance and fantasy, and you don’t mind a little bit of blood, then this is the book for you.
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Ashley O’Melia is an independent author and freelancer from Southern Illinois. She holds her Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Writing and English from Southern New Hampshire University. Her books include The Wanderer’s Guide to Dragon Keeping and The Graveside Detective. Her short stories have been published in The Penmen Review, Paradox, and Subcutaneous. Ashley’s freelance work has spanned numerous genres for clients around the world. You can find her on Facebook and Amazon.
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Ashley O'Melia, Author 