Jeannie Holmes

Rarely surprised, I was utterly stunned when a glance at the end of the book revealed that “Blood Law” was actually Jeannie Holmes first novel. Not written like a novice, Holmes pens absorbing plotlines and smoldering characters like a pro in “Blood Law”.

Working as an Enforcer for the FBPI (Federal Bureau of Preternatural Investigations) in a tiny Mississippi town, vampire Alexandra Sabien has fought to thrive beyond her family history and her race to develop a tentative show more relationship with the humans. Maintaining order—in a town where the human to vampire ratio is almost equal—is noticeably complicated and the challenges are aggravated by the obvious contempt of the local Sheriff.

Disturbed and discouraged by her inability to solve her current case—a serial killer hell bent on staging gruesome crime scenes featuring headless vamps—Alex makes the call to FBPI headquarters to request forensic backup. She might have sided with her human counterparts had she known that her past and former fiancé would arrive to haunt her.

The words virtually drip with sexual tension as Alex and Varik reunite in the search for a killer and Holmes, although new to the scene, never lets the temperature drop. The race to finish will make any fan of dark urban fantasy stand in line for the next installment.

Reviewed by Suspense Magazine
www.suspensemagazine.com show less

Review originally posted here: http://offbeatvagabond.blogspot.com/2011/08/book-review-blood-law-alexandra-sabi...

Blood Law is about a world, our world, which is aware of the existence of vampires. Now like humans, vampires need their own policing. This is where Alexandra Sabian comes in. She is an FBPI (Federal Bureau of Preternatural Investigation) agent. She works along with humans to in vampire related murders. But this investigation hits close to home with Alex when the murdered show more vampires hold a strange resemblance to the way Alex’s father was murdered. It has been about 40 years since his death and his murderer was never found, so Alex is more determined than ever.

I really enjoyed this book. The plot was pretty good. It sort of reminded me of the second season of True Blood, just from the cops’ point of view. I love how the story builds up. From the first chapter, it is dark and gruesome. Alex finding out that the man possibly responsible for her father’s death might be in Jefferson, sends her into a world spin. Not only does she have to put up with a town that is split on vampires, including the town sheriff who might know more about the crimes than he is letting on. Alex also must face the reinforcements, her ex-fiancée Varik. Things between them ended brutally and he was supposed to be retired, so seeing him is a big shock.

Like plenty of other reviews I have seen, I too couldn’t believe this was Holmes first book. This is just so intricate and layered, I couldn’t believe it. The way she writes almost reminds me of J.R. Ward’s or Adrian Phoenix’s style. We get everyone’s point of view, from the main characters to the villains and those in between. I love that. I like that we can follow what everyone is doing and trying to get an understanding as to why they are doing it.

The characters in the book were all incredible. Alex was a great heroine. She actually reminded me a lot of old Anita Blake. She is tough, takes no bullshit, and she will find her man no matter what while still trying to rescue those close to her. I love Varik, he and Alex may be in a six year patch, but he never gives up on her no matter how piss she is. I love finding books where the characters already have a history, it is rare and it adds more depth to them. Love others characters like Alex’s brother, Stephen, who hates Varik’s guts because of what he did. Then there is Tasha, she is Alex’s partner whose loyalty is really tested in this book. She definitely has some demons to face and Holmes wrote it in a way that she will have an even bigger part in things to come I believe. I truly can’t wait.

The only thing I liked and disliked about this book was the actual vampire aspect of the book. Weird, I know, but let me explain myself. I love that the world knows about the vampires and they are fitting in well with society. But in effect, the vampires are quite humanized. I mean, I love they aren’t the dark and cold beings we are used to seeing, but they have powers. Problem is if they use them, they will be punished for it. This couldn’t be truer for Alex who can sometimes see and feel the last few moments of someone’s life (and she can see ghosts). But I think because she has to try and keep her vampire self in check, she can’t do more with them. But I believe that we will see more of her powers in play.

Like I said, this is an amazing debut by Holmes. Again, can’t believe this is the lady’s first book. This was a page turner for me. The twists and surprises will leave you in a state of awe. There are two characters in particular (neither are the actual killer who is very disturbed) who do and hide things that I would not have seen coming. I recommend this even if you aren’t a fan of Urban Fantasy. It is still a great Thriller. show less

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy

BLOOD SECRETS picks up just weeks after the ending of BLOOD LAW and finds vampire and suspended FBPI Agent Alexandra Sabian trying to figure out a future with the vampire she loved and almost lost her life to when she gets pulled back in to help stop a serial killer with a fondness for redheads who look just like Alex.

The police procedural aspects in both BLOOD SECRETS and BLOOD LAW before it are top notch. The vampire mythology is solid too with show more several fun details the make their integration into human society all the more believable like a product called Vlad’s Tears which is sold in grocery stores across the country. This blood substitute can tide a vampire over until they can get to a human blood donor. But there were several issues that kept me from enjoying this book as much as the first one.

There are some redundancies in the descriptions, and the multiple POV shifts and storylines (Tasha’s & Emily’s were both on the tedious side) tended to pull me away too often from Alex. I’m also not really on board with the Hall of Records spiritual realm that Alex and a few others can slip into. It felt like it didn’t belong in this otherwise very gritty world. My biggest issue, however, was with the plot which is basically Kiss the Girls with vampires. It was very unsettling to read the chapters written from the perspective of the killer and another villain in the sex trade. To experience their thoughts and emotions as they brutalized girls in different ways was really more than I could stomach.

Overall, BLOOD SECRETS is not as good as the previous book, but if you can handle the depravity of the villains, there is some interesting worldbuilding here. Fans of Tanya Huff may want to check out these urban fantasy police procedurals that blend paranormal mythology with hard boiled detective work. Fans will be glad to know that Jeannie Holmes is currently writing next book in the Alexandra Sabian series tentatively scheduled for 2012

Sexual Content:
A few sex scenes some which include strong violence and sexual assault. References to rape and prostitution. show less

reviewed by http://urbanfantasyinvestigations.blogspot.com/

BLOOD SECRETS is book 2 in the Alexandra Sabian Series. After the events of book 1 Alex is in trouble and facing an official inquiry. Despite that she is reinstated to help solve and hunt down the Dollmaker. Jeannie continues the series with the same level of intense situations, action, character development, mystery and suspense that I fell in love with in the BLOOD LAW. I ended up enjoying Varik a lot more in book 2, he was very show more protective and felt more genuine to me. Just as Alex and Varik's relationship takes a big step up the Dollmaker comes in strong. The situations with the Dollmaker were definitely dark and intense and kept me on the edge of my seat. Alex continues to find out more about her father and we get some great info about Alexandra I would have never guessed. I cant wait until the juicy info comes further into play. I really enjoy Jeannie's smooth, descriptive writing and will continue to read whatever she writes. As for BLOOD SECRETS the emotions are strong, the events disturbing, and the ending will tear at your heart making you beg for book 3. show less