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Bad Bloods #3

July Thunder

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From best-selling author Shannon A. Thompson comes an exciting new duology in the Bad Bloods universe.
Fourteen-year-old Violet has been called many things: a bad blood, a survivor, an immortal…now she has a new name—citizen. But adjusting to a lawful life is not easy, especially when she must live under the rule of the same officers who justified the killings of her flock only eight months earlier.
Segregation of bad bloods and humans is still in effect, and rebellious Violet steps into a school where she is not allowed. When the police get involved, things deteriorate quickly, sparking a new revolution at the wall separating the Highlands from the outskirts.
That's when Caleb steps in. He might appear to be an average sixteen-year-old bad blood, but he has secrets, and Violet is determined to figure them out. Caleb knows who's attacking the wall and why, but his true identity remains a mystery—and how he relates to Violet could shake the threatened city to its very core.
Together or not, a storm will form, a rally will start, and shocking truths will be revealed.

ebook

Published April 10, 2017

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About the author

Shannon A. Thompson

16 books317 followers
Shannon A. Thompson is a children's author, librarian, and habitual chatterbox. She is represented by Marietta Zacker at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency.

As a novelist, poet, and blogger, Thompson is the best-selling author of the Timely Death trilogy and the Bad Bloods series. When she is not writing, she is climbing rooftops, baking cookies, or watching KDramas in the middle of the night, often done with her cats by her side. Between writing and befriending cats, Thompson graduated from the University of Kansas with a bachelor’s degree in English with an emphasis on creative writing, and her work has appeared in numerous poetry collections and anthologies.

Visit her blog for writers and readers at www.ShannonAThompson.com.

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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
Profile Image for Shannon Thompson.
Author 16 books317 followers
Read
April 12, 2017
And it's here! Thank you for reading July Thunder! I loved meeting all the new characters and exploring different sections of Vendona. I hope you enjoy this duology as much as the first one. <3
~SAT
Profile Image for Taylor.
223 reviews23 followers
April 2, 2017
Review at my blog: Babbling Books

* I received an e-copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review *
“Every tragedy went much deeper than the surface sadness.”
I have to say it's been wonderful journeying back into the lives of the Bad Bloods with this book. I would like to thank Miss Thompson for inviting me once again to review her book, coming back to these characters and this setting has been an emotional, thrilling ride and I enjoyed every page turning second of it!

My favorite thing about Thompson's writing is her ability to really flesh out the characters without spelling everything out exactly. She leaves just enough mystery for the characters to still be interesting and her lyrical language really helps with that. Her books are completely character driven. I said that in my review of the first book in the series, I think. To understand how the story comes together you have to understand that these books are all about family and the love these characters share for each other. Truthfully the reader is also left feeling like an outsider looking in on something special, you get to know the characters more as they discover themselves, which is really an awesome thing to have in a reading adventure and as writer is a great accomplishment to create.

When I finished the last duology in this series Violet was a character I was interested in getting to know more about. I'm so glad that one of the main POVs in this duology is from her. She is such a complicated character and her powers are so undeniably interesting and frightening. This book just added to the wonderful mystery that is her character. Even after all that is revealed in this book there is still so much more I want to know.

Caleb was a wonderful POV character as well, although I do feel I've got some warming up to do when it comes to him. I did like that he and Violet are in many ways so different and yet so alike. The unfolding of their relationship was so interesting, I'm not sure if it's completely romantic in nature, although I'm sure that is probably were it's going to go. I could've done without his weird romantic tension with Kat and Kuthun. I thought his playful banter with Kat and his brotherly/confidant relationship with Kuthun were fine without the tension, it felt unnecessary. I also didn't really like the job he had in the book but I get that people have to do some horrible things to survive sometimes, although I don't know why he wouldn't be trying harder to escape it, especially after what Nuo inadvertently revealed about her life there (and she's a character I'd love to have a duology about). I did really enjoy the twist regarding Caleb at the end though, I'm excited to see how that and his other "predicament" resolve in the next book I'm sure the author has a really good solution up her sleeve. I think I've still got some warming up to do when it comes to his character.

I was also happy to see the return of old characters from the last duology this time around although I did feel very bad for Daniel as I felt he was getting the short end of the stick a lot. He's just trying to help everyone but sometimes goes about it the wrong way and it was sad to see Violet and Caleb be so against him. He was my favorite character in the last duology so I'm a little over protective with him haha. And I wished there were more of Serena and her sisters as well, I liked getting to know Serah but it was sad almost to see that she and Serena aren't as close as I thought they might be. Also I'm still scrabbling every time Robert is mentioned as I want so badly for him to come back.

This book definitely had more interesting Bad Blood abilities than the last duology in my opinion as well. Frankie's ability was my favorite, if only everyone had that ability the world would surely be a better place. I couldn't fully wrap my head around Nuo's ability, but the gist of it gave me serious chills. I admire Thompson for coming up with so many different abilities and the complexities behind them along with fitting the characters personalities to match.

Moving the plot forward towards a new political movement was a smart idea and I like that the book moves along at a steady pace. Everything that happened made sense and nothing felt rushed or out of place. I ended up finishing the book in one day because I simply couldn't put it down!

Overall another fantastic addition to the Bad Bloods series and a marvelous start to a new duology. Wonderful writing, captivating characters and a story that will reel you in until the last page, these Bad Bloods may have a tendency of breaking the rules, but their stories are way too good not to read.

Reviews of the Bad Bloods Series:

#1 – November Rain
# 2 – November Snow
Profile Image for Aubrey.
499 reviews20 followers
May 26, 2017
Because of the way the Bad Bloods series is set up, this is only half the story and the other half takes place in July Lightning, which I plan to pick up soon! I read this book surprisingly quickly. I have always enjoyed Shannon’s books and this one was good, but I have to say I liked the other set of characters a little bit better. That is probably due to the fact that I read the first two books about them, though...
Read more here!
https://pointextaken.wordpress.com/20...
Aubrey Joy
Profile Image for Rebekka.
188 reviews33 followers
June 18, 2017
First of all: I really love Shannon A. Thompson as an author! I've been following her writing carreer a few years now and she never disappoints!

I loved the first duology in the Bad Blood series and am really looking forward to how this second duology will turn out.

I quiet like the main characters from this duology but I think there is still so much we dont know about them. I'm eager to find out.

Ohh.. Before I forget..The new herd kids are all so interesting and so well written!

Definitely check this author out! You'll not be disappointed!
Profile Image for Cristina.
221 reviews35 followers
April 29, 2017
Full review at Crazy Beautiul Reads

~I received a digital copy from the author in exchange for an honest review~

New secrets, new bad bloods and new adventures!!!

Well...what can I say. I loved this one as much as the first one. From the start til the end. I admit that I was expecting it to have a little more action just like her first two "sisters",but I can't say I was disappointed either. Lots of secrets and new great things were revealed in this one.

Great job as always, Shannon!
Profile Image for Emma Looker.
17 reviews
October 15, 2018
Personal Response
*Spoiler alert*
When I first saw that this book had two new main characters, I was kind of disappointed because I liked the other books so much. Although after I started reading it I started to like it more and more. It really explains a lot more of what all these ¨bad blooded¨ people are going through.

Plot Summary
In the beginning Violet is walking in a school to pick up her friend Serena's sister. When she walks outside the cops are there and she uses her powers to turn into a shadow. Then the news did a report on her and they called her the “Ghost girl.” After that in Caleb’s point of view, he saves Daniels cousin from an explosion and gets hospitalized. In the hospital he is accused of making the explosion, so to get away he breaks his wrist and gets out of the handcuffs Daniel stops him from leaving by grabbing his arm. By accident, Daniel heals Caleb and then Daniel collapses and Caleb runs off. Violent goes after him and she tells them how she was in the northern flock massacre and then Caleb takes Violet with him to his herd. After she meets everyone she stays there and one day Violet helped one of the kids who was blind make stained glass. It made one of the girls in the herd cry and when Caleb walks in he sees her crying, he thinks Violet did something wrong to her so Violet becomes a shadow and scatters into a bunch of shadow pieces. When they explain what really happened to Caleb, she turns back into a person and they make up. After a while, Violet goes back to her home and faints at a political speech. She wakes in a hospital with Daniel and after a big conversation Caleb and Violet turn to leave the hospital but then Cal walks in and Caleb rushes off. Cal tells everyone in the end that Caleb is his son.

Recommendations
I recommend this book to anyone who liked the first two books. I don’t recommend this book to someone who likes science and non-fiction books. Anyone who likes when a book has more than one point of view would like this book.
Profile Image for Poulami.
336 reviews39 followers
May 14, 2017
Originally posted on Daydreaming Books.

* I received an eARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.*

This book was a quick read. I really loved getting back to the world of the again and I really enjoyed the diverse characters.  You can read my review of November Rain (book 1), here and November Snow (book 2), here.

The last book ended with the finally getting recognised as citizens of Vendona. But equal rights are yet to be totally implied. Violet survived the massacre of her flock a few months ago and she's not ready to forgive the humans for it just yet but when a new rebellion sparks that might be a danger to the as well, she figures Caleb is the only one who can help but will he?

The plot was refreshing and easy to read. The were considered a threat to the society because of their powers but after Serena and Daniel fought for their rights, they were finally granted some freedom but the consequences remained. We got a glimpse of Violet in the previous books but we get to know more about her in this book. I really liked the interesting fact about her age and how everything actually worked for her. I really liked her, from the very start. She was rebellious and brave, she just wanted to be treated like a normal person and not someone to be feared but I liked the fact that she didn't take shit from others and always stood up for herself.
“Some rumors said she was a demon from another world. Other rumors said she was death incarnate, someone to remind us of our misdeeds. But no one had said how beautiful she was. No one had mentioned her eyes. The ones that showed color only for a second. A hint of beauty in absolute blackness.”

We are also introduced to Caleb's herd where we get to see so many new characters and each one possessed a unique ability. I especially liked Nuo's powers, Kuthun was quite a unique character as well. This book dragged a little in the middle but it picked up towards the end. Caleb's true identity is also revealed and it ended on a pretty interesting note which made me pick up the next book in this series immediately after finishing this one.

Recommend it?

Yes.
Profile Image for A. Powers.
Author 9 books25 followers
July 7, 2019
I almost didn't read this book. It's a continuation of the previous storyline, but told from different characters' perspectives, including one new character. I didn't much care for (or really pay attention to, for that matter) Violet in the previous books, so I wasn't too interested in reading about her story. Good thing I did, though, because I'm pretty sure that Violet is way more likable than either of the main characters from the previous books.
Profile Image for Arika.
132 reviews26 followers
June 26, 2017
3/5 stars for this addition to the Bad Blood series.

Full review to come later this week.
April 10, 2017
Read my full review at http://blackwords-whitepages1977.blog...

This book was spectacular. So many new characters to meet and learn about. I absolutely loved to find out about these new characters and their backgrounds and histories. Every single page was worth a turn just to see what would happen next. I was sitting on the edge of my seat just waiting to find out what lurked around the next corner. So much went on in this story and I think the author did an excellent job of capturing the moments when it was time to be revealed. I loved how the author made each chapter the POV of the two main characters and what they were each thinking at the time. I also loved how each character had a secret and those were not released until the right time to make the story more interesting. This was a very fast paced story and it is a clean read for even teens to enjoy. This is a marvelous MUST read YA Paranormal, and I highly recommend this read to all to enjoy.
269 reviews2 followers
April 10, 2017
Fascinating story

Fast paced, colorful characters, a story as volatile and frenetic as our own. Looking forward to the next one. Chaos in a world that seeks peace much like our own.
Profile Image for Emily Beaver.
340 reviews43 followers
April 10, 2017
I received an e-copy of this book from the author in exchanged for an honest review. Thank you so much, Shannon! I absolutely love this new addition to the Bad Blood series!

Like always, I absolutely admire Thompson’s writing ability. The development of her characters never ceases to amaze me. In just a few pages, we find out so much about the characters. Thompson does a fantastic job at establishing each of the characters goals. They feel genuine. But most importantly, they are relatable. And with the addition of new characters comes new abilities. Nuo's ability is, by far, my favorite. However, The mixture of different POV’s really added to the story. New perspectives. New abilities. New situations.

From the start, Thompson grabs your attention. You’re sitting on the edge of your seat until the very last page. Fortunately, you don’t have to wait too long for answers.

Seeing familiar characters helped tie the book into perspective. With a new political movement on the horizons, the plot took off in all different and exciting directions. The world building was phenomenal! Also, can we just take a minute and look at that cover!

I hope to dive into July Lightning soon!
Profile Image for Elise Luquette.
130 reviews
April 12, 2017
Review originally posted http://thebookforums.blogspot.com/201...

I have to begin by thanking Shannon A. Thompson for giving me the chance to read and review Bad Bloods: July Thunder. She has lots of great novels (including this one) that you should check out!

I really like the anthological duology style that Shannon Thompson has decided to go for with these Bad Bloods novels. Instead of having a very long series all centered around two characters, Bad Bloods switches POV and takes a small jump in time every two books. Not only does this mean you get the chance to fall in love with more characters, but you also get a broader view of the world she has built. To demonstrate this, July Thunder brought a human POV as well as a bad blood’s. Caleb brings new opinions, secrets, and information to this world we thought we knew. Through his character we are able to see parts of the city we hadn’t previously explored and get more of a grasp on the setting.

Speaking of characters, not only does Shannon Thompson introduce great new ones, she also allows older ones play a role into the story. Daniel and Serena both play a smaller role in the novel but they show up a good bit and Caleb even has a mysterious grudge against Daniel. I have a hunch that Daniel and Serena will play a larger role in July Lightning, so I’m excited to see that.

Before going into July Thunder, one should understand that it is centered much more on the small struggles between characters, rather than fighting some crazy overlord. This really give Shannon Thompson the time to flesh out many different characters causing you to fall in love with them, hoping for the best in their future. I LOVE this! I am a sucker for great characters, and July Thunder has no short of them. It almost feels like a contemporary novel set in a post-dystopian world. I say this because, in the last novel many things were resolved and we are now left with characters attempting to clean up the societal mess in the first duology. Now we are left with mostly minor character struggles, which can sound dull, but I promise is really intriguing.

Overall, Bad Bloods: July Thunder is a unique story with a strong focus on the brilliant characters rather than a world changing plot. Characters are truly given a chance to shine and the world a chance to be explored. I highly recommend the Bad Bloods novels for everyone but especially for someone who wants a smaller and more grounded narrative.
Profile Image for Ashley.
12 reviews
June 16, 2017
A big thanks to the author for allowing me an ARC to review.
Just like her first two books in the series, this one didn't disappoint. Although, I found it a little bit slow in the beginning, after learning some of the new characters and the way they all tied together, I couldn't wait to continue. I wanted to finish this last night. I had only one more short chapter left, but I couldn't keep my eyes open! So I finished it first thing this morning. Can't wait to dig into her 4th book in the series, July Lightning.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews

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