Paranormal Romance Review: Blood and Sand by Elizabeth Hunter

Blood and Sand by Elizabeth Hunter (Elemental World #2)


Review copy from the author

Synopsis from Goodreads
Dead women are showing up in the desert east of San Diego, and no one understands why. When the story comes to the attention of reporter Natalie Ellis, she can’t help but make comparisons to tragic deaths she’d investigated years ago. Are these women the victims of a serial killer, or something even more insidious?

Bodies may be piling up in his sire’s territory, but water vampire and feared enforcer Baojia is stuck entertaining the rich and clueless at a club in San Diego. He’s taken his exile with all the grace he could muster, but his patience is starting to thin.

Sparks fly when mortal and immortal are thrown together, and Natalie comes face to face with a reality that was lurking in the corners of her life. Pursuing the truth could cost Baojia everything, including the mortal woman who has earned his grudging respect.

Blood and Sand is the second novel in the expanded Elemental World series.


 Amazon kindle US($4.99)/UK(£3.60) | Smashwords

8.5/10

* * *
Every time I read Elizabeth's book, I know I'm in for a treat. She skillfully combines elements of paranormal romance with an action-driven, intricate urban fantasy plot. Her male characters despite their supernatural strengths don't behave like uber macho cavemen, making asses of themselves in the eyes of the women they love and want to protect, and her women are never TSTL (too stupid to live)... So I can actually relax and enjoy the book without getting riled up every 5 minutes. *grinning*



Baojia for me became one of the most intriguing male heroes of Elemental World, and I waited for his story with baited breath. He was enigmatic, sleek, ruthless and at the same time vulnerable.

Natalie is a quintessential Luis Lane, - she has guts and perseverance in pursuing the story which she believes will bring justice to murdered women. She is strong-willed, but at the same time she has a healthy dose of fear of vampires and their powers.

Those two clicked really well as a couple and their investigation served the continuation of the plot that goes through all Hunter's books - the hunt for Elixir.

I was overjoyed to see Beatrice and Gio again, and also Corwyn with his young partner Brigid, Tenzin and Ben - they made an absolutely cracking team and as usual added an elegant solution to Baojia and Natalie's problems. 

I was also relieved to see that Elizabeth avoided the problem of repetition which I complained about after reading Building From Ashes. There was none of it here.

Overall, a really enjoyable, entertaining and fast-paced read. I think that far into Elizabeth Hunter's writing I shouldn't even bother to recommend this, because if you a fan of the author it will be on your automatic buy, but if you haven't read any of her books yet, you should definitely start with Hidden Fire.


* * *
Вам наверное жуть как надоело слушать мои дифирамбы писательскому таланту Элизабет Хантер?

Я уже подробно объясняла почему она так мне импонирует своей смесью городского фэнтези, мистики и элементов паранормального романа. Её герои уравновешенны, и не скатываются то к совершенно глупейшему поведению то к манерам пещерного человека, от чего я так редко беру в руки паранормальные романы которые читаются как череда противнейших клише (за редкими исключениями).

Боуджия для меня с самого начала был одним из наиболее интригующих характеров Мира Элементов, и в своих ожиданиях его истории я не разочаровалась. Он элегантен, невозмутим и беспощаден в своей жажде справедливости.

Натали - журналистка наподобие Луи Лэйн - она упряма и храбра и верит в то, что её расследование в дело серийного убийцы на границе Мексики отомстит за смерти бесчисленных молодых женщин. В то же время она не совершает глупых поступков и чувствует здоровую долю страха по отношению к вампирам и их сверхъестественной силе.

Помимо этой пары, мы также вновь встречаем замечательную команду Беатрис и Джио, Корвина и Брижид, Тензин и Бена, которые продолжают охоту за Эликсиром - это сюжет, проходящий через все книги Мира Элементов.

В общем, книга очень хорошая, и читать её одно удовольствие. Если вы уже знаете про Элизабет, то мне не стоит тратить своё время и вам её советовать - вы и без меня всё прочтёте. А если она для вас неизвестный автор, - начинайте с первой книги серии.

Comments

  1. I do love a book witout women who are TSTL

    ReplyDelete
  2. You know a friend suggested the Elemental Mysteries to me... and I thought: OK, I can give it a try. Now, 7 (?) books later I still want more!

    Great review, and good point on TSTL!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I didn't know she had another one, I have the first one but I need to read it too.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment