The LUV'NV: Blog Tour {Reviews & Giveaway}—Blood Hunter series by Marie Treanor

Thursday, June 6, 2013

Blog Tour {Reviews & Giveaway}—Blood Hunter series by Marie Treanor

Welcome to one of the last stops in the Blood Hunters series blog tour, organized by Bewitching Tours.
I got the pleasure of reading and reviewing this Paranormal Romance series. Click on the individual bookcovers to get the respective book's info and mini-review, or read the series review to avoid spoilers.
Be sure to enter the giveaway for a $25 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card!

Blood Hunters series

by Marie Treanor

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Original, adventurous, and both romance- and plot-driven, Blood Hunters dives into old-age vampires versus hunters with its own unique spin on their history and with settings like Scotland, Budapest, England, and Matla. It's a standalone sequel series to the Awakened by Blood series, which I actually haven't read. Although there were a few instances I wish I had because the storyline sounded fascinating and I would've liked to read everything that built up to this series, reading the previous series isn't necessary to enjoy Blood Hunters. Marie Treanor does a fabulous job intertwining the past events with the present, focusing on the what were the secondary characters along the same plot line.

Saloman, last pure, Ancient vampire and the once-again leader of the vampire race, continues on his careful plan to make the existence of vampires known to the human world. Most of his race stands behind him, though quite a few don't know where to stand now that he's back, the dissenting want to overthrow him, and the power-hungry want to kill him, humans, and vampires alike to rule.

The leaders of the Hunter organization have come to side with him, willing to set aside old laws and form a new alliance. But many of the hunters are unsure. Killing vampires are too ingrained in their system, especially since the were recruited because they were victims of vampire attacks, and gifted humans have formed their own plans and groups.

With the help of his human consort, his closest vampire friends, and newly forged hunter relationships, he's slowly easing together the races of the world to work together. In the Blood Guilt, his once-closest friend and biggest traitor, Maxmillian, and the hunter Miheala join forces to save one of the most gifted human boys under their protection. In Blood of Angels, his once-lover Angyalka finds the strength to use her power with the help of Istvan, the most inventive hunter. And Maggie, a compassionate, mind-reading vampire, is willing to risk all to protect Saloman's mate and unborn child, but in the process could also bring the hunter Kondrad back from the darkness of his hate for vampires.

Marie Treanor spins great tales of the immortal and the mortal bonding over an uncommon cause (and through many dissimilarities), with unique history and abilities, an action-filled plot, and some good, explicit romance between well-rounded characters. I'll definitely be reading the previous series and look forward to reading more.

Blood Guilt

Book #1 of the Blood Hunters series

Publication: June 5th 2012 by Marie Treanor

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Natural enemies, deadly attraction ...

Mihaela, a fearless vampire hunter secretly haunted by loneliness and childhood tragedy, finds it difficult to adjust to the new world order where vampires are not always the bad guys. She's taking a much needed vacation in Scotland when she sees a little boy being chased through the streets of Edinburgh. Rescuing him brings bigger problems - two vampires from her past: Gavril, who killed her family; and the reclusive and troubled Maximilian, gifted Renaissance artist and one-time overlord of the most powerful undead community in the world. Maximilian once saved her life and now needs that favor returned.

The earth moves for Mihaela in more ways than one. From Scotland to Budapest and Malta, she races against time to prevent a disastrous, vampire-induced earthquake and save an innocent yet powerful child – all while fighting a dreadful attraction to Maximilian, her only ally, whom she can’t afford to trust. For Maximilian, the hunter becomes a symbol of renewed existence, as he struggles to accept his past and rediscovers his appetite for blood and sex - and maybe even happiness.

Vampire hunter Mihaela is having a hard time coming to grips with the new world order of vampires being "innocent until proven (or seen) guilty." When she meets Maximilian, a recluse and the vampire known for betraying his sire and closest friend Saloman, the strongest of vampires, she must decide if she can trust him with her life and that of the child's she aims to protect—as well as her heart.

While the characters are a bit cardboard cutout and their relationship development cliché, I enjoyed reading Blood Guilt. Having never read the previous series, Awakened by Blood, I was interested in mystery of the history of the characters and how they grow to move past it, especially Maximilian. He's the typical brooding, guilt-ridden vampire, but he had some passionate moments and kept me on toes. I wasn't always sure what his intentions were, whether he would act toward his own gain or for the good of his sire's cause and to gain his forgiveness. I also really like reading his human interactions with Saloman, and him with the little boy was always sweet.

I would've liked more world-building and description on all the locations they travel to, but the plot and all the traveling added great adventure and action to plot. Overall, an enjoyable read and beginning to a series, with good, explicit romance, some hot blood-drinking, and an interesting dynamic of the vampire world.

Blood of Angels

Book #2 of the Blood Hunters series

Publication: January 24th 2013 by Marie Treanor

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Obsession ... a wounded hunter, a damaged vampire

Six months ago, vampire hunter and inventive genius Istvan nearly died in the seminal battle that would change the relationship between humans and vampires forever.

A year before that, he first encountered sexy vampiress, Angyalka, owner of the Angel Club, favored haunt of the undead. Istvan won that round, but when he recklessly seeks her out again in search of the secret of angels, he's alone and so exhausted he can barely stand, let alone fight vampires. Plus Angyalka's out for revenge, and very happy to use his powerful sexual attraction to her ...

But Angyalka has her own secret weaknesses as well as terrifying strengths even she doesn't understand. Their battle becomes one of wits and sex, but when someone bombs the club, they fight together to contain all the threats closing in on the Angel, from humans and vampires, including the sadistic killer who could just be dangerous enough to finally topple undead overlord Saloman.

As Istvan struggles to harness the mysterious power of angels, Angyalka needs a deeper strength to send away the fascinating hunter who delivers on all her deepest sensual desires and yet can't come to terms with her vampire nature.

** WARNING: Spoilers of the previous series **

Despite some of the writing needed some work and "with alacrity" used much too often, Blood of Angels is my favorite book of the Blood Hunter series. Although I was a bit hesitant of sexual aspect of a female vamp/male human relationship because of the "cold" factor, I was intrigued too, wanting to know how the author would pull it off.

Istvan broke his back in the Awakened by Blood series, but with the help of Elizabeth, the woman he used to love who is the vampire Saloman's consort, he's beginning to heal. I adore how he's a "nerd," an inventive genius like Inspector Gadget, while still being strongly masculine. It was refreshing for a male lead and love interest.

Angyalka was a treat, too. I liked her attitude in the first book, Blood Guilt, but she has much more depth than I expected, and I really felt for her and her fear of venturing out in the world. Her ability was a little hard to grasp, never really explained well enough to truly understand, but it was no less interesting to read as she and Istvan discover the depth of it.

Their interaction was witty, heart-warming, and smoking hot, and the plot of Saloman's new rule moves forward in this installment with some great action and twists.

Blood Descent

Book #3 of the Blood Hunters series

Publication: May 21st 2013 by Marie Treanor

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A child is born ... into the final showdown of Vampire and Hunter

The face of a killer, the heart of a lost child… Konrad once led the legendary first team of Hungarian vampire hunters. Now, refusing to ally with the undead, he goes his own way, slaughtering vampires across the length and breadth of Europe.

The dying thoughts of one such vampire send Konrad to Britain in search of a dangerous instrument that might be just what he needs in his obsessive war with undead overlord Saloman – a war he’s determined to win at any cost. The only being who can lead him to the instrument and its current, evil possessor, is sexy, mysterious, young Glaswegian vampire Maggie, who holds herself aloof from her own kind.

Maggie sees much more than Konrad’s anger and cruelty. She makes it her mission to reach beyond the horrors of his past and find the man he should have been. Difficult, when he threatens her heart as well as everything she believes in; and when her whole being clamors for his body and his blood.

While journalists circle, about to break the news of vampire existence on mainstream television, Elizabeth Silk labors to give birth to Saloman’s daughter, and Maggie plays a dangerous game that risks everyone for her belief in one troubled man.

** WARNING: Spoilers of the previous books in the series and Awakened by Blood **

I wasn't sure how I would feel about Blood Descent when I first started it. Konrad brings both sympathy because of his past and frustration because of his immoveable hate for vampires. He is so headstrong and willing to lose all of his relationships over this hate, and he becomes a rogue hunter, dangerous to the cause of Saloman and the gang I've come to like. But he surprised me in this book, and I could really feel the war in him.

I think Maggie is one of the strongest characters in this book and series. Her sense of humanity and way with words was wonderful, and she oozed sexiness and allure. I could easily picture her as a classic movie star with blood-red lipstick and a cigarette, and I almost thought she was too good for Konrad. The UST (unresolved sexual tension) between them was off the charts, but it wasn't until the last few scenes that I really understood their emotional connection (aside from their childhood conversations).

We get some great depth of his relationship with his old partners, Istvan and Mihaela, because of the absence of it. The action was good in this installment, not as good as the last book but better than the first. The plot of Saloman and Elizabeth's baby and how loyal the vampires are to their cause reaches a climax, yet there's definitely room more resolution on the human world learning the existence of vampires. Overall, enjoyable book and series and worth the read.

eARC provided by the author via Bewitching Book Tours.
Thank you!

Marie Treanor

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Award-winning author Marie Treanor lives in Scotland with her eccentric husband and three much-too-smart children. Having grown bored with city life, she resides these days in a picturesque village by the sea where she is lucky enough to enjoy herself avoiding housework and writing sensual stories of paranormal romance and fantasy.

Marie has published nearly forty ebooks with small presses, (Samhain Publishing, Ellora’s Cave, Changeling Press and The Wild Rose Press), including a former Kindle bestseller, Killing Joe. Blood on Silk, an Awakened by Blood novel, was her New York debut with NAL. She is now self-publishing three new paranormal series.