Druid Blood

The Colin McCool series #.04

by M.D. Massey

This was originally released as Colin McCool and the Vampire Dwarf. The title was changed to Druid Blood at some point.
There are 3 covers that have been used for this ASIN:
Colin McCool and the Vampire Dwarf
Druid Blood
Druid Blood

When You're Hunted By Dark Fae, The Only Option Is To Hunt Them Back!
Things are going great for Colin. He's the star of his high school baseball team, he has a killer motorcycle, and his mom's career as an artist is finally taking off. Then, a chance encounter with a leprechaun reveals that nothing in his world is as it seems...

Soon, Colin and his friend Jesse are tasked with taking out the evil creature who cast a spell over their town, the ancient Irish vampire known as the Avartagh. Now, they're being hunted by the unseelie fae, "fairies" who are are deadlier, real-life versions of their fairy tale counterparts.

Thus they must attempt the impossible, to save their town from the evil that's taken it over. If Colin and Jesse don't stop the fae, the Avartagh will destroy everyone and everything they love... and he'll kill them in the process.

- - -

Druid Blood will appeal to readers who enjoy books about fae, Irish fairytales, and fairy urban fantasy novels. If you're looking for an urban fantasy series that features a male protagonist, download your copy today and discover the origins of Colin McCool, the Junkyard Druid!

(Author's Note: This novel is the prequel to Junkyard Druid. Originally released as a YA novel, it serves to provide a backstory to the Junkyard Druid urban fantasy series.)

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Young Adult, Paranormal, Vampires, Magic, Audiobook

173 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 13, 2012

About the author

M.D. Massey describes himself as the prototypical INTJ. His eclectic background provides him with a rich tapestry of experiences to draw on when crafting fiction, as evidenced by the believable worlds and relatable characters he creates.

As a former Army combat medic (91B), professional martial arts instructor (Krav Maga, JKD, FMA), and women's self-defense instructor, he possesses a unique understanding of close combat, firearms, and criminal violence that few authors can match. This knowledge provides an element of realism to the Druidverse™ novels, setting them apart from other fantasy series.

Mr. Massey lives in the Texas Hill Country with his family and a huge American bulldog that keeps him company while he writes. When he's not in his office or at the local coffee shop writing, you can find him in his garage pummeling inanimate objects or knife-fighting with his friends.

Reviews

[Thea Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This a very cute little novella introducing us to a teenage Colin McCool as he learns the truth about his ancestors and about his own newly discovered druid abilities. Apparently this is the only one of the books written for YA readers with the rest being for older readers but I don't think it'll make a difference to the series overall.

If this is how the series begins the I'm totally intrigued to see where this series will go as the links to old Irish mythology make this stand out for me and I hope going forward that the author will make full use of that as it'll definitely keep me reading!

[megHan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have grown to really like YA books over the last couple of years - beginning with things like Harry Potter and Lemony Snickets. So when I got the opportunity to read this, I really was excited.

As with all books, I begin with the cover - the cover says a lot about the imagination of the author, especially if they are a self-published or Indie author. The cover of this book really drew me in.

Then we get into the book. Anyone who's read my reviews on YA books before, you know that reading to the young people in our lives is a really important thing to me. I started reading chapter books to my nieces long before they were ready to read themselves and their interest never wavered. One chapter a night led to three, four and sometimes five a night instead. This would have been a great book to share with them and definitely one I think you should share with the kids in your life. (On a side note: This has a few bigger books in it. I really like when authors do this because it gives the kids the opportunity to learn new words, especially if you - the person reading the book - have them do the looking up.)

Fun, entertaining, exciting. Well-written. The characters were great and easily related to - even if they are going up against a vampire dwarf. You understood what they were feeling, what they were going through and what they were thinking.

When you end the book, the author has a note there thanking you for reading his book, asking you to take the time to write a review and inviting you to check out his blog. If you sign up for his newsletter, you are gifted the chance to read a chapter of his book that was not included called Jesse Callahan and the Bloodthirsty Cheerleaders. This chapter gives you more detail on a side event that happens in the book, something that is eluded to. When you are done with reading the book, sign up for his newsletter. The chapter is well worth it. It's a great set up for something more. (I love when authors do things like this - have a secret chapter or a side story to give more detail to events that are skimmed over. Definitely something more authors should do. Kudos to the author on this one.)

Note: I was given this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Lissa Smith Reads'~A Bookaholics Bookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 Star Kindle Free Read
I was disappointed to say the least, I expected a book about the relationship with Jesse and how it ended. Plus, to get information that was left out of book 5.

There is this huge gap, the author references events that has me questioning if he forgot to add the pages of relationship I was expecting

I don't know why I'm bothering but on to book 0.5 to see if what I'm miss is there.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Druid Blood is an introduction to the character of Colin McCool from Junkyard Druid. This story is toned down as it was originally for young adults were as the main series is targeted for adults.

I really enjoyed reading about Colin's introduction into the magic realm. I liked getting this sneak peak into Colin's life before Junkyard Druid and feel that it makes the events in the beginning of Junkyard Druid so much more meaningful and heartbreaking.

[Amyiw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really is 3 1/2 but it is a YA/childrens and I enjoyed it. The author warns that the next books in the series are not for kids.

This is a intro to Colin McCool and how he learns about the unseen world around him. When Colin has an accident on his bike, he hits his head and comes in contact with a fae creature and stone. Suddendly his bike is not the cool motor bike but a ten speed and the world he live in is very different than the dream world that he and his city has been in. Now he needs to fix the town and get reality back to "normal?" Or so he thinks. He meets many magical creatures, many that would rather eat him than talk. So it is action to get to the answers and he pulls his best friend and future girlfriend along to help him.

This was cute but definitely a kids version of the type of novella that 0.5 was. Easy read and entertaining but can be skipped if you don't like YA.

[Dom Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

This prequel really should have been book 1. I feel like Junkyard Druid would have made a lot more sense if it had been! Great read!

[Anna del C. Dye · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author uses a great beginning to start this outstanding story for older children. It will keep you glued to the pages and you’ll forget to breathe a few times. If you like faery people and where they come from…you are going to love this book. It is full of faery lore and information to delight lovers of this genre to no end.
The story is about Colin, who is a thirteen year old kid who lives in a small town name Farmersville.
For the past few months all has appeared to be fabulous and he can’t believe his luck. After all, the year before he had been made fun of, but now he is the star of his baseball team. His best friend, Jesse, is one of the best players there too. Colin is late for his game and crashes into an old man who doesn’t move and who is holding a stone in his hands. With the crash Colin starts seeing some very interesting things. His town is not as others perceive it. It is dirty, and the people look to be in terrible disarray. Nothing seems like it was before the accident. There are many weird and interesting thing and animals all over he never saw before. Is he in a nightmare? What will Collin have to do to save his town, family and friends?
You will find magic, leprechauns, spells and regular folks in this entertaining tale that will be enjoyed by pre-teens and young adults alike. Any future books in this series should also be great feasts for the minds of the young and the young at heart. It is a clean and all-around good story, just in time for St Patrick’s Day. 


[Acquafortis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Light reading with a lot of Irish folklore and myths imbuing the plot.
Actually the whole story bases itself on Irish legends and the sudden discovery by Colin that he is the 20th tangible proof of a long legacy.
The Fair folk will come back to life through this book, sometimes coming to aid Colin, other times to take him far from his path, other times to down right kill him for what he represents.
As an appendix to the book there is a vey helpful guide to Faerie Bestiary which I definitely enjoyed.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got free for a honest review.

Loved the characters Colin and Jesse. Nice steady pace of Colin recruiting his best friend Jesse to help go after the evil that changed his town. The were spots the two could have you laughing.

Thank you, for letting me read your story.

[Lissa Smith Reads'~A Bookaholics Bookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Star Free Kindle Read

I expected more from this prequel. I thought I was going to see his relationship with Jesse. Who knows, it may show up in book 1. At least I know what happened to his Dad. Soldier lost in battle.

[Kat Lebo · Rating 2 out of 5]

𝑫𝒓𝒖𝒊𝒅 𝑩𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅, Junkyard Druid, #3 (novella series)
by M.D. Massey

Hmm. Well, I guess my rating shows how little I thought of this novella. But it doesn't say why.

1. I usually don't care for prequels. The time to give me background on the main character of a series was in the first book, not in some ill-reasoned release of the author's original first book in the novel series re imagined as a novella.

2. The author himself says that he reviewed the entire book before releasing it in publication and that he found some errors in in tense and point of view and some minor (?) plot continuity problems, but decided not to correct them. He also admits it is not his best work. Oh! The hubris! SMH I almost junked the book, just because of that, but as I very much enjoy the Colin McCool character, I decided to brave it. It was a mistake. Massey says it was written for the YA genre, but I would have found it insulting even when I was a teenager, way back in the wild and woolly 60s.

3. Because Massey had already stated that there were errors he decided not to correct, and that it was not his best work, I didn't take too many notes. IMNSHO, he then ended the book with a type of cliffhanger. Not a big one, this one was really a sort of look ahead and what might be coming down the pike. But given that he had just recently written an online article where he defended the use of cliffhangers, calling them merely previews as one would see on a TV series. Well, this ain't television, Mr. Massey, so unless you have offers to serialize The Junkyard Druid, then don't try to compare the written word to a tv script. He states that authors should feel free to use a cliffhanger if they want. That's correct. And as a reader who paid for the honor or reading your book(s), I can feel free to write scathing reviews, like this one, and especially when you have written a whiny article defending your use of the cliffhanger that strangely coincides with your release of this should-have-been-kept-in-your-file-cabinet-forever prequel.

Yes, I was predisposed to dislike this book. And I did dislike it. I have read the first 7 books in the Colin McCool series, and have 9, 10, 11 & 12 on my Kindle. I shelved them all away on a to-read-when-you've-read-everything-else file. Perhaps when I finish the 1000 or so e-books and 100 or more hardbacks I currently have in my book cases, I'll find my way back to these books. In the meantime, I will not be picking up any new McCools, nor any of the spinoff series he recently debuted. I doubt that will break Massey's bank account, but just doing my part to demand quality novels written by authors who care about their readers' opinions.

[Frank Mikes · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very short, but enjoyable book. It is the prequel to M.D.Massey's Junkyard Druid, another short but enjoyable book. This shows his protagonist, Colin McCool, as a teenager seemingly living very well but things soon take a very sinister turn.

As in Junkyard Druid the characters are well drawn, the humor is pretty good and the whole thing is well paced. My only serious complaints is that I think the author pushed a little too far with a 'clever' reveal that the villain was a character met early on which really doesn't make that much sense.

The only other problem is that Massey's books seem to be short, very quick reads. Certainly not a bad thing as the language used is simple which helps keep the reader in the book and turning pages.

[Leon Fairley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this novella. It moves quickly and involves a high level of fantasy. The end does feel as though it resolves quickly but otherwise very enjoyable. This is a true Young Adult novel and I enjoyed the more experienced writing and subject matter in the rest of the Colin McCool Druid novels but am glad I went back and read this introduction to the character and the Druid 'world'.

[Turner Keith Reeves · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good Intro...

I was told by some fans of Massey to start here. He himself says this book isn't his best and I can definitely see that. However. It was entertaining enough and I'm definitely moving on to the rest of the series, which I'm told is much much better. This book was, in fact, just a jumping off point. And that's exactly what you get.

[Pam Bales · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting. I do enjoy young adult fiction as I was a middle school junior high teacher for forty years. I no longer teach so don't read as much of it as I once did. This was a good story. I enjoyed the first in the series Junkyard Druid a great deal more. I'm glad Mr. Massey moved from young adult to adult fantasy. I'm looking forward to getting to know the characters much better.

[Mhari · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is how it all began, with Colin crashing (literally!) into his first brush with Irish folklore. Quite different to the main series, with third-person narration and a YA audience, but the wit, fun and some epic lines are already here. I love kid!Colin as much as his grown-up self - even though it's Jesse who's the bigger badass in this.

[Vivianne TM · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute YA novella filled with action, mythological characters and a fast paced story.

I'm not sure I should have read this prequel first but I'm going in chronological order. This wasn't particularly memorable but it's maybe because I haven't gotten to know the characters yet. Still, it was intriguing enough to keep me going with the series. We'll see.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Colin is faced with some odd occurrences on the way to his ball game and rises to the occasion to defeat a deadly enemy. Jesse his best friend is Colin’s first choice for this mission. Frinnegas reappears from Colin’s youth to become his mentor / teacher / trainer. I loved the easygoing snark between Jesse and Colin. They really do complement each other’s skill set. Quick peak into their future.

[Skye Blue ☆*~ﾟლ(´ڡ`ლ)~*☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I enjoyed this more, since I've already been introduced to characters, and
knowing this was a YA written prior to the current series.

I'm glad it moved to a more adult setting.
I liked it, but I don't think I would have continued on in a YA setting.
It was nice seeing a glimpse into the past.

[Roy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A prequel to the series. This was the original story written and aimed at the YA market. I don't know if it was successful, but the book is given away for free now.
Not bad, but very simple introduction to some of the main characters.

[Donovan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful prequel to the Junkyard Druid series. This book gives a nice background on the start of Collins journey before the Mandarin series actually starts and fills in the gaps of how our ask started.

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant.

This book is a perfect insight to the beginnings of the Junkyard Druid.

How Collin and Jessie fall into monster killing, meeting Finn and killing a Vampire Dwarf.

Great addition to the McCool world.

[Diane C Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Young Colin

It is important to learn of how Colin became a Druid, & his special ties to Jesse and Finnegan. It seems Colin was born into the Druid blood line and that shaped his future.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just as the author said..

Definitely not up to snuff like his other books, but just S the author reported- it was originally for a YA audience! Good to have some back info’ and an easy read.

[Helen Fleischer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting YA faerie tale but with several rough spots. The worst for me involved a crossbow with a brace of bolts. It became obvious that the author doesn't know that a brace is a pair when after using two, with no mention of retrieval, the user simply and quickly reloaded.

[Jay Desjardins · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

I was looking for a good "Druid" series, and while there’s no Oberon here, I think I could get into this one. This novella serves as a nice introduction to the series, and it left me interested enough to continue reading. I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes next.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Junkyard Druid series and this prequel was a cute novella that provides some background. Including his first fight with the fae.The books often give hints to this story, so cool to actually learn more.

[Ian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good start to the series. Agree with authors notes

[James Learman · Rating 3 out of 5]

its meh sets up alot for the series worth reading as part of series but not as a standalone unless youre into childrens lit

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok for a YA book.
BIG gripe with the authors preface....thanks for ruining the entire series for me. Now I have zero interest in continuing the series because of the major plot reveal.