Keri Arthur

If you like gratuitous sex, sex while she's drugged and unconscious, nonconsensual impregnating, physical abuse, physical desire that makes you melt for an evil rapist bastard while you are trapped in your mind screaming no, and an FMC who gets kidnapped, almost dies multiple times, and then stabs the rapey guy in the shoulder instead of his balls then you might love this book. I didn't, but just like Riley, I kept going physically until the end even when I felt ill and wanted to leave so badly.

'Blood Kissed' was an entertaining Australian Urban Fantasy novel that kicks off a series that I think will become a comfort read of mine. comfort read Urban Fantasy.

The story is a satisfying mix of magical thriller accented with sassy humour and a dash of romance. It has everything you'd expect in an Urban Fantasy: witches, werewolves, vampires and even a zombie but with enough trope twisting to keep everything fresh. The plot was good thriller material with lots of action: abduction, show more murders, attacks on the good guys and a few surprises along the way. It was also crafted to introduce the main characters who are likely to form the ensemble cast in a series and to speed up the world-building.

The thing I liked most about the book was the relationship between Lizzie Grace and her human witch Familiar, Belle Kent. The idea of a witch having a lesser witch as a Familiar was fresh and fun, especially as the chemistry between the two of them worked so well. I loved that they could speak into each other's minds, that they had complementary strengths and that they respected one another. They're both heterosexual so the partnership is not sexual but it is a lifelong commitment.

I liked the magic system used by the witches and I loved the addition of possibly sentient Wild Magic. The concept of werewolves in modern Australia living on semi-autonomous reservations in the bush and then encouraging tourism to generate revenue amused me. They share a secret past which I'm sure will fuel their future adventures and their banter lifted the book.

I'd been worried that 'Blood Kiss' might be an early example of Romantasy, a genre that doesn't appeal to me but it turned out to be a fantasy with eye-candy romance on the side. I liked that romance parts weren't too eye-rollingly gushy and that they helped move the plot forward. Even so, the romance was still the most trope-heavy part of the plot. Thankfully, the relationship between Lizzie and Belle stayed centre stage, making the romance a relish rather than a main course.

I recommend the audiobook version of 'Blood Kissed'. Katherine Littrell kept the text moving and provided distinct and appropriate voices for the characters.

'Blood Kissed' works as a standalone novel but the set-up offers enough promise that I'll know I'll be back for more. show less

I like how Arthur blends the human world with that of the supernatural set in a futuristic time so well, and that the details unfold naturally rather than being offloaded in a heap. There is plenty of action and suspense and its fairly reasonable to assume that this series springboarded the later Riley Jensen series, with it's focus on genetic enhancement and clones.Sam is interesting and smart and there is nice tension as Gabriel and she are forced together. The subtle attraction is alot show more different from the overt sexual interaction in the Jensen series.A strong book that is a good read - left me eager to get my hands on the 2nd and 3rd show less

Katherine, raven shapeshifter and psychic, and her grandmother are hunting a new enemy of the Damask circle: some unknown and unseen force is kidnapping children. Their bodies turn up weeks after their disappearance – but they’re not just dead, their very souls have been consumed

Obviously, this has to stop. And with Damask circle resources stretched, any help they can get is very welcomed

Ethan is a police officer, his niece has been captured and he’s definitely ready to step up and show more join the hunt. As a werewolf he has a lot to offer – but he hates what he is and whatever fling he and Katherine has, he is determined for it not to develop into more. Here’s there to save his niece, not fall in love.

Interestingly, after I complained about the formulas of the last book, this book rather subverts them. Oh, he is still the physically superior, she is still the magical, less physical person (there are limits after all), but she is the one who is informed. Katherine is the one who understands about the supernatural and their nature and she is the one who both guides Ethan into the world of the supernatural and works to get him to accept his nature as a werewolf. She is the expert, she is the guide, she is the one who knows what is going on and, with her powers, she is the one who is probably the most dangerous of the two of them

Of course, in the past books those women were scared and traumatised by their true nature, while Ethan is enraged and angsty so while we break the pattern we still have the trope of the love of a good woman saving the broody man-who-has-been-hurt-by-the-ladies before.

That hurt-by-the-ladies can sometimes manifest itself as outright misogyny – one woman hurt him in the past so now all women cannot be trusted. Women are evil and conniving, women get pregnant to entrap decent menfolk with their wicked wicked wombs… I have no idea what Katherine sees in him beyond the hawtness

He also has a moment of, to say the least, careless language towards Katherine’s casual attitude to sex which comes across as slut-shamy, but she is very good at calling that out.

Unfortunately, while Katherine is, possibly, the stronger of the two she also needs rescuing at least twice and there is no real equivalent going the other way. It’s like the book couldn’t just let her be the stronger one, there had to be something to weaken her or put him in the role as white knight.

So there are some nicely subverted tropes – or, at least, patterns subverted – but some problems. The romance itself starts well in that both Katherine and Ethan are happy to have a casual fling and Katherine is certainly not a blushing virgin and has even had good sex before – all of which are nearly unheard of in the genre. But we have the woo-woo raising its head, with Ethan’s werewolf nature forcing him to have sex and creating a special lusty sex aura that affects all women around him in a frankly consent breaking and rape-esque manner. Ok, not with Katherine – she’s eager and willing, but even then, the fact the werewolf aura induces almost irresistible lust in all women around him means it’s virtually impossible for him to know whether any woman he sleeps with during the full moon actually consents to sex.

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