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Blood Trails #1
Deadline
As a witch with a dark past, Shade Renard knows the Otherworld isn’t always successful at policing itself. Humans don’t believe in magic anymore, and their ignorance renders them easy prey. So when an FBI contact hires her to consult on a possible haunting in a missing persons case, Shade seizes the opportunity to see justice done.
Her case takes an unexpected turn when an undead crime lord shows up on her doorstep. A bold thief stole the vampire’s little black book of secrets—and he’ll pay a lot more than an FBI consulting fee to get it back. To collect, Shade will have to confront a rogue sorceress, a vengeful wizard, and a lethally seductive fey, with only her wits, her growing magic, and a sarcastic pixie familiar.
Success means bringing a killer to justice and taking the first step to redemption. Failure means a war between humans and the Otherworld.
No pressure.
Her case takes an unexpected turn when an undead crime lord shows up on her doorstep. A bold thief stole the vampire’s little black book of secrets—and he’ll pay a lot more than an FBI consulting fee to get it back. To collect, Shade will have to confront a rogue sorceress, a vengeful wizard, and a lethally seductive fey, with only her wits, her growing magic, and a sarcastic pixie familiar.
Success means bringing a killer to justice and taking the first step to redemption. Failure means a war between humans and the Otherworld.
No pressure.
330 pages, Paperback
First published January 13, 2018
1134 people are currently reading
2235 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Blackstream
56 books512 followersJennifer Blackstream is a USA Today bestselling author of urban fantasy and paranormal romance. She is amazed and grateful to have made a writing career out of a Master’s degree in Psychology, hours of couch-detecting watching Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, and endless research into mythology and fairy tales. She firmly believes that whether it’s a village witch deciding she wants to be a private investigator, or a single mother having a go at being a full time writer, it’s never too late for a new adventure.
A fervent devotee of cooperative board games, Jennifer sets aside at least two nights a week for team-based adventures such as Mice & Mystics, Sentinels of the Multiverse, or Harry Potter: Battle at Hogwarts. She uses games with dice-based mechanics to lure in her ridiculously lucky-rolling son and daughter in the hope that they too will develop a passion for cooperative escapism.
Jennifer currently has three series going:
BLOOD PRINCE SERIES (PARANORMAL ROMANCE, COMPLETE):
Book 1 – Before Midnight
Book 2 – One Bite
Book 3 – Golden Stair
Book 4 – Divine Scales
Book 5 – Beautiful Salvation
Bonus Adventures in the Blood Prince World:
Book 2.5 – What Big Teeth You Have (free when you sign up for mailing list mentioned below)
Book 4.5 – The Pirate’s Witch
Book 5.5 – Dead to Begin With (available only between Thanksgiving and whenever Jennifer takes her Christmas tree down)
BLOOD REALM SERIES (PARANORMAL ROMANCE, IN PROGRESS SPIN-OFF OF BLOOD PRINCE SERIES):
Book 1 – All for a Rose
Book 2 – Blue Voodoo
Book 3 – The Archer
Book 4 – Bear With Me
Book 5 – Stolen Wish
BLOOD TRAILS SERIES (URBAN FANTASY, ONGOING)
Book 1 – Deadline
Book 2 – Monster
Book 3 – Taken
Book 4 – Corruption
Book 5 – Mercenary
Book 6 – Caged
Book 7 – Betrayal
A fervent devotee of cooperative board games, Jennifer sets aside at least two nights a week for team-based adventures such as Mice & Mystics, Sentinels of the Multiverse, or Harry Potter: Battle at Hogwarts. She uses games with dice-based mechanics to lure in her ridiculously lucky-rolling son and daughter in the hope that they too will develop a passion for cooperative escapism.
Jennifer currently has three series going:
BLOOD PRINCE SERIES (PARANORMAL ROMANCE, COMPLETE):
Book 1 – Before Midnight
Book 2 – One Bite
Book 3 – Golden Stair
Book 4 – Divine Scales
Book 5 – Beautiful Salvation
Bonus Adventures in the Blood Prince World:
Book 2.5 – What Big Teeth You Have (free when you sign up for mailing list mentioned below)
Book 4.5 – The Pirate’s Witch
Book 5.5 – Dead to Begin With (available only between Thanksgiving and whenever Jennifer takes her Christmas tree down)
BLOOD REALM SERIES (PARANORMAL ROMANCE, IN PROGRESS SPIN-OFF OF BLOOD PRINCE SERIES):
Book 1 – All for a Rose
Book 2 – Blue Voodoo
Book 3 – The Archer
Book 4 – Bear With Me
Book 5 – Stolen Wish
BLOOD TRAILS SERIES (URBAN FANTASY, ONGOING)
Book 1 – Deadline
Book 2 – Monster
Book 3 – Taken
Book 4 – Corruption
Book 5 – Mercenary
Book 6 – Caged
Book 7 – Betrayal
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews
December 6, 2020
This was a surprisingly read with a really fun and somewhat original storyline with engaging interesting characters. Definitely a series I would have no issues picking up the second book and diving right back into.
May 18, 2018
Shade Renard, Mother Renard to use the proper title for a witch, dreams of being a private investigator. Out of the blue, she is hired by one of the most powerful vampires in existence. Success means not being an ordinary witchling - an apprentice to Baba Yaga - any more.
She is not very lucky or good at it, to put it mildly. A couple of times I wanted to strangle her how clumsy or incompetent she seemed. Shade is a total novice. And all throughout the case, we are being teased by some possible greatness in her future. At the moment, though, she is a total novice and it shows in a number of ways. The more I think about it and despite being annoyed by it at the time, this is what makes her interesting.
Next, some people are interested why a being as powerful as her first client would hire an inexperienced investigator. Not even Shade knows that and the way they are going on about it sounds more than important.
The world building is decent enough - you get enough to get to now the world and a bit more, but you can't say there's info-dumping. This is a world where most humans don't know about the Otherworld.
I liked Shade and her familiar and, like some of the characters in this book, I'm very interested in her future.
She is not very lucky or good at it, to put it mildly. A couple of times I wanted to strangle her how clumsy or incompetent she seemed. Shade is a total novice. And all throughout the case, we are being teased by some possible greatness in her future. At the moment, though, she is a total novice and it shows in a number of ways. The more I think about it and despite being annoyed by it at the time, this is what makes her interesting.
Next, some people are interested why a being as powerful as her first client would hire an inexperienced investigator. Not even Shade knows that and the way they are going on about it sounds more than important.
The world building is decent enough - you get enough to get to now the world and a bit more, but you can't say there's info-dumping. This is a world where most humans don't know about the Otherworld.
I liked Shade and her familiar and, like some of the characters in this book, I'm very interested in her future.
October 13, 2023
Stars: 3.5 out of 5.
This was an interesting first book in a new (to me) series. It has the usual assortment of supernatural creatures living alongside ordinary people but puts enough spin on it to make this entry into the urban fantasy genre interesting.
I loved the mention that unless a person is open-minded enough to even entertain the idea of supernatural or "other", they won't see it even if it smacks them in the face. For example, the protagonist killed a lobster monster, and of the two joggers who found her with the body, one saw it for what it was - a body of a monster, but the other's mind made him believe that it was just a thrown out vacuum cleaner.
It's also interesting to see that people have different reactions when confronted with the supernatural and forced to "see" it for the first time. And in most cases it's a shock to their belief system. Some even go crazy. Or that once you saw the supernatural side of life, you can't unsee it, no matter how much you try.
I must admit that I didn't love the protagonist that much though. I found Shade rather judgmental of other people and prone to jump to conclusions about others without any proof, based solely on first impressions. Not the best trait for a village witch who is supposed to help her community. Case in point - the old woman and her kitten. Had Shade taken this seriously and listed earlier, she would have seen the unnatural spell on the animal and spared the cat a lot of suffering.
Also, for someone who wants to be a private investigator, she sure makes a lot of stupid decisions and not much in the way of actual investigating. In fact, it seems like all of the clues just kinda fall in her lap. Honestly, she seems pretty incompetent as a witch and as a private investigator. It is implied that she is pretty young and inexperienced though, so I am willing to give it a pass in this book and hope that her character will grow and evolve as the series progress.
I am also glad to say that there is no romance at all in this book. We have some hints at possible romantic interest later on, but that's a story for another book. And I'm glad about that. I loved exploring this world and Shade's difficult relationships with people without adding insta-love to the picture.
As it stands, I am invested enough in this series that I will definitely pick up the next book.
If you liked this review, check out my blog.
This was an interesting first book in a new (to me) series. It has the usual assortment of supernatural creatures living alongside ordinary people but puts enough spin on it to make this entry into the urban fantasy genre interesting.
I loved the mention that unless a person is open-minded enough to even entertain the idea of supernatural or "other", they won't see it even if it smacks them in the face. For example, the protagonist killed a lobster monster, and of the two joggers who found her with the body, one saw it for what it was - a body of a monster, but the other's mind made him believe that it was just a thrown out vacuum cleaner.
It's also interesting to see that people have different reactions when confronted with the supernatural and forced to "see" it for the first time. And in most cases it's a shock to their belief system. Some even go crazy. Or that once you saw the supernatural side of life, you can't unsee it, no matter how much you try.
I must admit that I didn't love the protagonist that much though. I found Shade rather judgmental of other people and prone to jump to conclusions about others without any proof, based solely on first impressions. Not the best trait for a village witch who is supposed to help her community. Case in point - the old woman and her kitten. Had Shade taken this seriously and listed earlier, she would have seen the unnatural spell on the animal and spared the cat a lot of suffering.
Also, for someone who wants to be a private investigator, she sure makes a lot of stupid decisions and not much in the way of actual investigating. In fact, it seems like all of the clues just kinda fall in her lap. Honestly, she seems pretty incompetent as a witch and as a private investigator. It is implied that she is pretty young and inexperienced though, so I am willing to give it a pass in this book and hope that her character will grow and evolve as the series progress.
I am also glad to say that there is no romance at all in this book. We have some hints at possible romantic interest later on, but that's a story for another book. And I'm glad about that. I loved exploring this world and Shade's difficult relationships with people without adding insta-love to the picture.
As it stands, I am invested enough in this series that I will definitely pick up the next book.
If you liked this review, check out my blog.
January 31, 2021
3.5
Shade Renard is a witch at a crossroad.
She can either continue on as a traditionally village witch- helping new mothers, curing ailments, listening to woes, and protecting her small town of Dresden from beasties...or she can go against her mentors wishes and finally start up a private investigator agency she's always been wanting too.
However, Shade's first foray into helping others outside of her town creates a domino effect that drastically changes her course. She is approached by a human FBI agent to look into a possible haunted house which eventually leads her to become enmeshed with a group of very powerful beings.
We've got vampire kings, sorceresses, wizards, and fae all surrounding her and her expanding case--her first case! Can she find the answers to her current mystery in addition to the question on why these power players are so interested in her?
Shade Renard is a witch at a crossroad.
She can either continue on as a traditionally village witch- helping new mothers, curing ailments, listening to woes, and protecting her small town of Dresden from beasties...or she can go against her mentors wishes and finally start up a private investigator agency she's always been wanting too.
However, Shade's first foray into helping others outside of her town creates a domino effect that drastically changes her course. She is approached by a human FBI agent to look into a possible haunted house which eventually leads her to become enmeshed with a group of very powerful beings.
We've got vampire kings, sorceresses, wizards, and fae all surrounding her and her expanding case--her first case! Can she find the answers to her current mystery in addition to the question on why these power players are so interested in her?
August 18, 2019
This is not a five star book — that said this book is one with a lot of promise. The main character is a little too naive and the plot under developed, but not in an unreadable way. I see potential here, so I’m on to Book 2. I’m hoping that as the series develops, so does the writing and characterisation.
April 26, 2018
I really wanted to like this book but i just got fed up with it....70% in and I just can't take in anymore. As per my understanding, Shade come off as a very powerful witch on one hand with decades behind her even though she has been independent for only 3 years, but her daily behavior and the way she deals with the various situation her first investigations throws at her are "teenagery", "Klutzy", irresponsible and down right idiotic. when you get to the point of not caring about the main protagonist and even feeling she's just TSTL and actually hoping something does happen and good riddens...it's time to move on...
May 13, 2019
When you choose to step up from being a friendly neighborhood witch to a private investigator things are going to get rough!
Especially when you are hired by a vampire.
This series starter got better and better. The Who-Done-It was layered and brought the reader smoothly into a complicated world of vampires, werewolves, valkyrie, warlocks, witches, sorceresses, rusalka, goblins, leannan sidhe... you get the idea.
June 20, 2022
Small town witch tryin to solve a mystery in the big city and getting bamboozled at every turn
She's basically a witchy Charlie Brown. The heroine doesn't get anything right, while her enemies and peers continually roast her.💀
If she learned from her mistakes this could be an interesting premise, but she got tranced, glamoured, and hypnotized repeatedly by the same people 🤦♀️🤧 Girl get it together! Maybe she will grow in later books, but falling for the same tricks more than once does not bode well!
Paranormal mystery
No romance
Hidden powers
She's basically a witchy Charlie Brown. The heroine doesn't get anything right, while her enemies and peers continually roast her.💀
If she learned from her mistakes this could be an interesting premise, but she got tranced, glamoured, and hypnotized repeatedly by the same people 🤦♀️🤧 Girl get it together! Maybe she will grow in later books, but falling for the same tricks more than once does not bode well!
Paranormal mystery
No romance
Hidden powers
March 8, 2018
I’m not sure this book knew what it wanted to be. In places it tried to be dark and a proper murder mystery but in other places it was light and fluffy and a little ridiculous. And to me, it never quite found the right balance. Add to that the ominous suggestion of Shade’s past (can’t quite care) and the importance of her future (also don’t care) this book tried a little too hard to do too much and never quite succeeded to do any of it.
November 11, 2021
Shade Renard is a young witch in charge of a small town. Helping with babies, checking on pets, and healing potions. She wants more. She hopes to become a private investigator, but her first case might be too much for her to handle. Shade tries to figure out who stole a vampire prince's secret book, but things aren't all that straight forward. Yet she's determined to solve the case and bring the thief to justice... if she doesn't end up being another missing person in the case.
This was a random urban fantasy book I picked up because of the cover and blurb, and I'm more than happy that I did. There was a lot of intrigue and action. I loved the interaction between Shade and her pixie familiar, Peasblossom. Shade is smart and trying to train herself to be quick with her magic. She wants to be more than just a small town witch, but she's told to leave that to the wizards. There is some mystery in her past motivating her, and I felt like I was missing a few things (maybe she was in a book before this one?), but it didn't ruin my enjoyment of the story. I especially loved the fact Shade was the apprentice of Baba Yaga, or Mother Hazel as she now goes by. We haven't seen too much of her, but the legend of Baba says a lot. Vampires, sorceresses, and fey. So much goodness here!
This was a random urban fantasy book I picked up because of the cover and blurb, and I'm more than happy that I did. There was a lot of intrigue and action. I loved the interaction between Shade and her pixie familiar, Peasblossom. Shade is smart and trying to train herself to be quick with her magic. She wants to be more than just a small town witch, but she's told to leave that to the wizards. There is some mystery in her past motivating her, and I felt like I was missing a few things (maybe she was in a book before this one?), but it didn't ruin my enjoyment of the story. I especially loved the fact Shade was the apprentice of Baba Yaga, or Mother Hazel as she now goes by. We haven't seen too much of her, but the legend of Baba says a lot. Vampires, sorceresses, and fey. So much goodness here!
July 27, 2022
24,5 stars - English Ebook
Quote: “But most humans stopped believing in the Otherworld a long time ago,” I argued, rubbing my chest to ease a sudden tightness around my heart.-
Quote: A pulse of blue light flickered inside the stone, confirming what my fight-or-flight reflex had already told me. That haunted house.-
Wich who wanted to be a PI. But she did not count on it that her first case could be her last. A witch is not easy to kill but it is possible.
A powerfull vampire hires "mother Renard", also Shade to her friends, he to find a stolen book. She gets in knie-diep and not her magic but her logic is that wat solves the case. And some help of friends like peasblossem, a piexie. Some honey makes her go a long way.
Loved it. A urban fantasy.
Quote: “But most humans stopped believing in the Otherworld a long time ago,” I argued, rubbing my chest to ease a sudden tightness around my heart.-
Quote: A pulse of blue light flickered inside the stone, confirming what my fight-or-flight reflex had already told me. That haunted house.-
Wich who wanted to be a PI. But she did not count on it that her first case could be her last. A witch is not easy to kill but it is possible.
A powerfull vampire hires "mother Renard", also Shade to her friends, he to find a stolen book. She gets in knie-diep and not her magic but her logic is that wat solves the case. And some help of friends like peasblossem, a piexie. Some honey makes her go a long way.
Loved it. A urban fantasy.
January 4, 2021
Well this was an interesting start to a series. I like the ideas used. I like tht she's been trained to be a witch for a town but all she wants is to be a detective. I like where the mystery takes her and the creatures we see on route. Peawee is a great companion and i bet she causes more harm then good through out the series. The creatures used are unique. I like the more darker side to the para normals and how it's hard to know who to trust through out the book. That vampire is still on my raider after finishing.
March 20, 2018
I received an ARC of this book, which does not influence my review.
Title: Deadline
Series: Blood Ties
Publisher: Skeleton Key Publishing
Release Date: January 16th, 2018
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Length: Novel
As a witch with a dark past, Shade Renard knows the Otherworld isn’t always successful at policing itself. Humans don’t believe in magic anymore, and their ignorance renders them easy prey. So when an FBI contact hires her to consult on a possible haunting in a missing persons case, Shade seizes the opportunity to see justice done.
Her case takes an unexpected turn when an undead crime lord shows up on her doorstep. A bold thief stole the vampire’s little black book of secrets—and he’ll pay a lot more than an FBI consulting fee to get it back. To collect, Shade will have to confront a rogue sorceress, a vengeful wizard, and a lethally seductive fey, with only her wits, her growing magic, and a sarcastic pixie familiar.
Success means bringing a killer to justice and taking the first step to redemption. Failure means a war between humans and the Otherworld.
No pressure.
"Blood and bones"
Deadline is Jennifer Blackstream's first urban fantasy novel. It is a very well written book about Shade Renard's quest for redemption. Our main character is an intriguing village witch tasked with protecting Dresden and its inhabitants. She is the apprentice of the famous Baba Yaga and the companion of an amusing honey-addicted cute pixie familiar.
The first five chapters were a bit slow but that's explainable because they introduced us to our setting, world and characters.
Furthermore, this book introduces two love interests that can't be anymore different from each other.
Before reading this novel, I was in a book slump but Jennifer Blackstream's very captivating and engaging writing style made me delve again into the UF world. In fact, she has managed to create an alluring world where many fascinating and refreshing characters are living. This novel is gripping and very entertaining.It has the potential of a very successful and addictive series.
To all urban fantasy and mystery lovers "Deadline" is a very satisfying read so don't waste time and grab a copy !! You won't regret it. Personally, I can't wait for the next installment :D
"The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend" Henri Bergson
Title: Deadline
Series: Blood Ties
Publisher: Skeleton Key Publishing
Release Date: January 16th, 2018
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Length: Novel
As a witch with a dark past, Shade Renard knows the Otherworld isn’t always successful at policing itself. Humans don’t believe in magic anymore, and their ignorance renders them easy prey. So when an FBI contact hires her to consult on a possible haunting in a missing persons case, Shade seizes the opportunity to see justice done.
Her case takes an unexpected turn when an undead crime lord shows up on her doorstep. A bold thief stole the vampire’s little black book of secrets—and he’ll pay a lot more than an FBI consulting fee to get it back. To collect, Shade will have to confront a rogue sorceress, a vengeful wizard, and a lethally seductive fey, with only her wits, her growing magic, and a sarcastic pixie familiar.
Success means bringing a killer to justice and taking the first step to redemption. Failure means a war between humans and the Otherworld.
No pressure.
"Blood and bones"
Deadline is Jennifer Blackstream's first urban fantasy novel. It is a very well written book about Shade Renard's quest for redemption. Our main character is an intriguing village witch tasked with protecting Dresden and its inhabitants. She is the apprentice of the famous Baba Yaga and the companion of an amusing honey-addicted cute pixie familiar.
The first five chapters were a bit slow but that's explainable because they introduced us to our setting, world and characters.
Furthermore, this book introduces two love interests that can't be anymore different from each other.
Before reading this novel, I was in a book slump but Jennifer Blackstream's very captivating and engaging writing style made me delve again into the UF world. In fact, she has managed to create an alluring world where many fascinating and refreshing characters are living. This novel is gripping and very entertaining.It has the potential of a very successful and addictive series.
To all urban fantasy and mystery lovers "Deadline" is a very satisfying read so don't waste time and grab a copy !! You won't regret it. Personally, I can't wait for the next installment :D
"The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend" Henri Bergson
November 19, 2018
Shade is a witch who has been practicing for a very long time, and she isn't exactly sure of her past, but she knows some strange things happened. Now, she's not only trying to use her witch powers, but she is also trying to become a PI. She wants to help others, so when she gets a job by a very powerful vampire she must do what she can before it is too late.
This book was really good, and a great start to this series. I loved Shade, even though at times she lacked confidence, she still was awesome. I really can't wait to read more in this series and to learn more about her past.
This book was really good, and a great start to this series. I loved Shade, even though at times she lacked confidence, she still was awesome. I really can't wait to read more in this series and to learn more about her past.
May 29, 2018
This is a generous four. I found myself easily distracted rather than engrossed, opening Google windows to search recipes or making snacks. I have read other books where you look up and yikes it's 10pm and you forgot dinner or 3am and you need to get up for work. This wasn't one.
So, other than not grabbing and holding my full attention, it's a pleasant enough cozy style witch story. It's in the "if I can't find anything else to read, maybe I'll continue" bin.
So, other than not grabbing and holding my full attention, it's a pleasant enough cozy style witch story. It's in the "if I can't find anything else to read, maybe I'll continue" bin.
January 16, 2018
I started reading Jennifer Blackstream last year and I love the spin she puts on THE classic fairy tales and when I saw this book I was intrigued. I won't give an in depth review BECAUSE I don't want to spoil it for new readers but I will say that it was a GREAT READ and I can't wait for the next book in this series. I will tell you that I read ALOT and that this book kept my interest all the way right til the ending and I loved guessing the "who done it" part and I am intrigued about our girl (Shade's) past and I did love having some of the characters from her other books brought into this one.
April 3, 2019
Fun to be had
There’s a lot going for this book, an interesting world that we just scratch the surface of. If your interested in a nice straightforward investigation story in a paranormal world, this would be your book.
There’s a lot going for this book, an interesting world that we just scratch the surface of. If your interested in a nice straightforward investigation story in a paranormal world, this would be your book.
October 21, 2025
Shade Renard is a young witch doing her best to look after a small town by helping with newborns, tending to pets, and brewing healing potions. But while her magic is useful, Shade longs for more excitement and dreams of becoming a private investigator. Her chance comes when a vampire prince’s secret book is stolen, and she takes on her very first case. What seems like a simple theft quickly spirals into something far more dangerous. As Shade digs deeper, she’s pulled into a world of powerful beings (vampires, sorceresses, wizards, and fae), and even a haunted house investigation with a human FBI agent. The stakes are high, and if Shade isn’t careful, she might become the next person to go missing.
This story is a fresh and entertaining take on the urban fantasy genre. While it features the usual lineup of supernatural creatures, it manages to add its own charm and originality. The dynamic between Shade and her pixie familiar, Peasblossom, was a highlight for me. I loved their banter and found it added much-needed warmth and humour throughout the book. That said, Shade’s tendency to get repeatedly tranced, glamoured, and hypnotised by the same people was frustrating. Maybe it was because she was still a newly trained witch, but I found it tiresome. This was a surprisingly enjoyable read, and I’d definitely pick up the next book in the series to see how Shade grows.
This story is a fresh and entertaining take on the urban fantasy genre. While it features the usual lineup of supernatural creatures, it manages to add its own charm and originality. The dynamic between Shade and her pixie familiar, Peasblossom, was a highlight for me. I loved their banter and found it added much-needed warmth and humour throughout the book. That said, Shade’s tendency to get repeatedly tranced, glamoured, and hypnotised by the same people was frustrating. Maybe it was because she was still a newly trained witch, but I found it tiresome. This was a surprisingly enjoyable read, and I’d definitely pick up the next book in the series to see how Shade grows.
March 11, 2021
An absolute delight and a nail-biter thriller all in one! Shade Renard wants to go beyond her village witch responsibilities into the private investigation "game." She starts out trying to help an FBI determined the fate of a disappeared woman and ends up solving Otherworld murders, theft and rivalries that threaten her life and the life of her spunky familiar, Peaseblossom. Shade's inexperience is beautifully balanced with her extensive training and "witchy sense" as she investigates. Vampires and fey add depth and color and chills that kept me reading page after page after page. A wild ride, but very worth it!
June 10, 2021
4 Stars… I found myself really enjoying this read… The characters were engaging and intriguing… The storyline had depth and enough twists and turns that my interest remained piqued throughout… And the author gave some interesting hints that lead readers to believe the quirky MC may be more than she is originally presented… All of that combined leaves me wanting to continue with the series… My only complaint is that at times the writing became overly wordy slowing the momentum of the read, but once I was accustomed to the author’s style, I connected more with the flow of the story… Looking forward to seeing how the storyline progresses and these characters grow throughout the series:)
January 13, 2018
Where do I start? Jennifer Blackstream is just, flat-out, one of the BEST writers today. If you have read the Blood Prince and Blood Realm series, then you know what I am talking about. This is the first book in her new series, Blood Trails. It is an engaging and entertaining mystery. There are so many twists and turns that you will suspect your mother before the finale. It brings back characters in her Blood Prince and Blood Realm series as well so it is nice to see familiar faces. There are many new characters to love in this book, including our new leading ladies, Shade Renard and the honey-obsessed, pink little pixie, Peasblossom. So, pick up your copy ASAP so you can join the hunt in the first book of the Blood Trails series, Deadline.
January 14, 2018
This was a really fun read! I really enjoyed the characters as well as seeing some past characters from Ms. Blackstream come into play in this urban fantasy. I was pleasantly surprised at the ending twist and I am really intrigued as to what is in store for our main heroine. I really liked how the author blended fantasy into our modern world as well as why some humans cannot see the non-humanness aspects of this world. I also loved how Baba Yaga is portrayed (even if its a small bit for now) and the pixie Peasblossom. I read a lot of UF and I am glad to see an original POV. Sigh, now to wait for book two.
Received ARC for review.
Received ARC for review.
June 21, 2018
2 Nothings wrong with it, it’s just not to my tastes stars
April 14, 2021
A solid 3.5*. Some good original ideas and a good mystery. Would recommend without hesitation
May 1, 2023
2.5/5*
Some well developed characters and good setting but the plot just dragged on and on
Some well developed characters and good setting but the plot just dragged on and on
September 30, 2021
***Solid 3.5 stars***
I'm late to the party for this series so I doubt my review will bring anything new, but here we go!
This is a great Book 1 in a series:
--fun characters with lots of room for growth
--foundations of a magical world with questions to be answered
--steady pacing with a mix of action, dialogue, and setting
--resolved initial plot of theft and murder
Here's a link to my Book Chat review which includes more details and some writing tips to be learned from this one too! https://writerrsj.com/2021/09/30/book...
I'm late to the party for this series so I doubt my review will bring anything new, but here we go!
This is a great Book 1 in a series:
--fun characters with lots of room for growth
--foundations of a magical world with questions to be answered
--steady pacing with a mix of action, dialogue, and setting
--resolved initial plot of theft and murder
Here's a link to my Book Chat review which includes more details and some writing tips to be learned from this one too! https://writerrsj.com/2021/09/30/book...
July 26, 2018
Very slow start. I almost put this down and didn’t pick t up again, several times, the first quarter of the book was that dragging.
And while the story did, eventually get interesting.... I’m disappointed with the mc. Tho she does have a familiar whom she interacts, Shade is lone wolfing everything... and she is so DULL. it’s all the other chars, around her that actually make the story interesting.
Pus. Zero romance and the little ‘sexual intrigue’ is shite.
Oh yes, and let’s not forget that the writer just loves to name specific breeds of creature WITHOUT explanation of ANY KIND as to the diff from one to another.
Seriously. Apparently ALL sidhe are seducers and we r supposed to guess that one seduces less or differently or some crapshoot like that just by the names alone. Really, if that’s the way it’s gonna go them why not just be stupider and call them all sidhe.
Seriously. Idk why u would have a book FILLED with interesting chars but the ONE MC IS THE MOST BORING, UNINTERESTING FLOTSAM EVER.
I honestly thought, with all the references to her power and hints to the destruction she’d previously wrought, that Shade might could possibly bust some serious arse but NOOOO. boring old flop
weak.
Fortunately, outside of the TERRIBLE MC, the investigation/mystery of who done it, AND the other characters brings this book up from SUCK to OKAY. NOT A TOTAL WASTE OF TIME.
yay.
Read at your own risk
And while the story did, eventually get interesting.... I’m disappointed with the mc. Tho she does have a familiar whom she interacts, Shade is lone wolfing everything... and she is so DULL. it’s all the other chars, around her that actually make the story interesting.
Pus. Zero romance and the little ‘sexual intrigue’ is shite.
Oh yes, and let’s not forget that the writer just loves to name specific breeds of creature WITHOUT explanation of ANY KIND as to the diff from one to another.
Seriously. Apparently ALL sidhe are seducers and we r supposed to guess that one seduces less or differently or some crapshoot like that just by the names alone. Really, if that’s the way it’s gonna go them why not just be stupider and call them all sidhe.
Seriously. Idk why u would have a book FILLED with interesting chars but the ONE MC IS THE MOST BORING, UNINTERESTING FLOTSAM EVER.
I honestly thought, with all the references to her power and hints to the destruction she’d previously wrought, that Shade might could possibly bust some serious arse but NOOOO. boring old flop
weak.
Fortunately, outside of the TERRIBLE MC, the investigation/mystery of who done it, AND the other characters brings this book up from SUCK to OKAY. NOT A TOTAL WASTE OF TIME.
yay.
Read at your own risk
September 8, 2018
3.5 stars
Honestly, I still have no clue WHY Shade Renard insists of wanting to be private investigator. I mean, there are other occupations in this world, if all she wants is to prove to her mentor that she can be independent. Especially that in this first book, I can see how others don't exactly 'respect' Shade and think of her as witchling or young witch. Shade often finds herself unable to match their power.
However, I enjoyed Shade's determination to do her job. I can see that she is TRYING to prove herself, and well, that's always an admirable trait in my opinion. It also means room of improvement -- both her witch power and her investigative skill. Because let's face it, Shade doesn't do a lot of investigation per se, considering that Anton as her client provides Shade with the suspect list, and I think Shade's familiar, the pixie Peasblossom does more spying (and later on, stealing) for her.
I will still check out the next book because Shade has potential. I'd love to see how she improves.
Honestly, I still have no clue WHY Shade Renard insists of wanting to be private investigator. I mean, there are other occupations in this world, if all she wants is to prove to her mentor that she can be independent. Especially that in this first book, I can see how others don't exactly 'respect' Shade and think of her as witchling or young witch. Shade often finds herself unable to match their power.
However, I enjoyed Shade's determination to do her job. I can see that she is TRYING to prove herself, and well, that's always an admirable trait in my opinion. It also means room of improvement -- both her witch power and her investigative skill. Because let's face it, Shade doesn't do a lot of investigation per se, considering that Anton as her client provides Shade with the suspect list, and I think Shade's familiar, the pixie Peasblossom does more spying (and later on, stealing) for her.
I will still check out the next book because Shade has potential. I'd love to see how she improves.
December 26, 2018
I picked up this book in the Nook store on my tablet because it seemed interesting and it was on sale for $1.99. My personal review of the book is as follows:
If you're a fan of "The Hollows" series by Kim Harrison and you'very finished reading the series and looking for a new series in the same basic style I think that you should check out this book and see what you think.
I personally found the characters to be interesting with a lot of room for both character growth and development later on in the series the only thing that I personally found annoying was the way (in my personal opinion) the "bad guys" would say "ok" then talk to the main character after arguing with her as well as her (in my personal opinion) convenient way of surviving things as well as being "special" somehow. I will be downloading the next book in the series from the Nook store on my tablet as soon as I’ve finished posting this review because I want to see what happens next. Overall I personally rate this book a 5 out of 10.
If you're a fan of "The Hollows" series by Kim Harrison and you'very finished reading the series and looking for a new series in the same basic style I think that you should check out this book and see what you think.
I personally found the characters to be interesting with a lot of room for both character growth and development later on in the series the only thing that I personally found annoying was the way (in my personal opinion) the "bad guys" would say "ok" then talk to the main character after arguing with her as well as her (in my personal opinion) convenient way of surviving things as well as being "special" somehow. I will be downloading the next book in the series from the Nook store on my tablet as soon as I’ve finished posting this review because I want to see what happens next. Overall I personally rate this book a 5 out of 10.
December 15, 2019
Shade Renard aspires to be more than just a village witch, but she didn't expect her first job as a private investigator to be for a vampire. With high stakes, Otherworld diversity, and smooth storytelling, this book hits all the checkmarks for urban fantasy/mystery, but what makes it endearing is the vibrancy of the relationship between Shade and her pixie familiar. The parent/child dynamic is sweet and sassy and a beautiful contrast to the potential darkness of a vampire recovering stolen goods. The second career transition is also a good reminder to be true to one's purpose. I'm hooked and excited for the rest of the series.
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