Enrai

Blood Sealed #2

by Jet Lupin

Phil has a problem.

It’s not his job or the fact that his maybe boyfriend, Shige, is a vampire. He’s a sensitive-- an ability he’s had since he was small that lets him peek into people’s minds— and it’s gotten out of control. He can’t turn it on and off like he used to. He needs help, and he has to fly to the other side of the world to get it. The catch? Shige’s the only one who can take him there, but things with him haven’t been great. Their relationship is in tatters, and he doesn’t know how to fix it or if it’s even up to him. This is so not what he needs right now.

But Phil’s not the only one with issues. Shige’s got a territory to maintain and a mystery to solve all while worrying about Phil. He takes all this in stride, but when things take a turn for the worst, can he get them both home in one piece?

Genres: LGBT

Unknown Binding

First published February 8, 2019

About the author

Stories longing to have words put to them were in Jet’s heart from an early age. Jet enjoys exploring the connections and similarities between people whether they be shifters, vampires, or aliens, rendering the unknowable very knowable indeed.

Jet’s days are spent toiling away at a keyboard, slumped over a pen and paper hunting for those words, or playing around on twitter with a partner, and two rambunctious cats for company in the temperamental North East of the US.

Reviews

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Blood Sealed series and cannot be read as a standalone. It builds on the events from the first book, as Shige and Phil are flying to Japan so Phil can get help with the mind-reading thing that he still hasn't under control. This also gives Shige an opportunity to check up on his territory there and ensure that people still see him as the leader. The relationship between Shige and Phil is still strained, and Shige is acutely aware of how he messed up. Neither man is willing to actually talk about the events of the first book, or come clean about the secrets that are keeping them apart.

What kept me from fully engaging with the story is that the author tells more so than shows - we are merely told about things, but we don't really get to see them. The world-building is somewhat lacking, and while descriptions of Shige's beautiful compound are plentiful, they're merely a backdrop. It's like looking at a movie without the sound on. We don't really find out anything substantial about Shige's past. We're confronted with a man who thinks he has rights to Shige and sees Phil as a rival, going so far as mistreating and ultimately attacking him. The reason for this didn't make a whole lot of sense to me and sounded like something Shige could have cut off at the beginning instead of letting it fester for so long.

However, I was quite happy to see Phil and Shige finally, FINALLY have an honest conversation about their relationship, about their needs and wants, and that honesty is what allows Phil to give Shige exactly that.

Much like the first one, this doesn't have an actual ending, but leaves the reader in a good place. Shige and Phil have worked out their "thing" for the most part, and Phil is getting better at controlling his ability.

It's likely that I'll read the next book in this series when it becomes available. I am still intrigued by these characters.


** I received a free copy of this book from its author in exchange for an honest review. **

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

3 stars

After I finished Nasu, I was looking forward to seeing what happened next in the Blood Sealed series. Phil is a great character, and though Shige is too secretive for my liking, I very much liked them together and wanted to see the next step in their journey. These books definitely need to be read in order, and both end with a cliffhanger. That’s not a problem for me, and I was definitely interested. However, to say that I was disappointed in Enrai may be a bit of an understatement.

The lack of world building continues here. In fact, there’s a line where Phil thinks about all the paranormal creatures and how they have their own hierarchy and culture. Except, we hardly see it at all. I would love to know about these things, but the information is distinctly lacking, which inhibits my enjoyment greatly.

I really liked seeing Phil and Shige finally have the conversation that they so needed to have, and their reconnection and commitment feels real and believable. That said, it’s a small part of the story and not enough to really elevate the total of the book. If there had been more of them together, it would have upped my rating. But there’s not.


Read Kris’ review in its entirety here.

[Stephanie GooglyEyes · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5*

This story was much better than the first.
Only a few editing errors, but nothing like book one. The flow seems a bit more polished as well, which is great to see. I can see the stories only getting better from here. My biggest peeve is I wish there was a glossary for some of the words. There's quite a bit of Japanese thrown around, and I'm not fully sure what they mean. You get the gist of it through the conversation and context of what's going on, but more clarification would be nice.

Phil and Shige have a rocky start to their relationship and things are still shaky in the beginning of this story. As it progresses and Phil learns more control and a bit more interesting information about how he came to be a "sensitive", their relationship gets a little more solidified. In book one I actually didn't like Shige, but the tables have been turning in this one. By the end of the story they're more on the same page, but it ends on a cliffhanger. Shige's past is coming back and Phil still needs to learn about his ancestors. I'm super intrigued by this and will definitely be reading on.

[Karolina Cebula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review in English and Polish || Recenzja po angielsku i polsku

Phil's life changed beyond recognition when the fate put Shige on his path. It was because of him that, among many other things, the young man discovered the existence of vampires and other supernatural creatures. However, the most important is his own change. Phil was unique since he was a child, but the skills that made him so special now evolved in a way he hasn't anticipated. The nurse has an insight into the minds of people around him, he can read their thoughts, even if he doesn't want to. His uncontrolled abilities are so troublesome that they require some help of a person who knows what they are dealing with exactly. In order to tame Phil's skills, Shige takes him to Japan, where he hasn't been for so long that even coming back to his own territory may not be easy and pleasant.

At the beginning of this review, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that when we start reading "Enrai" we are a bit confused, as the action of this novel begins some time after the events described in "Nasu". During this time, some important changes have occurred in Phil's life and returning to the world of "Blood Sealed", we are not fully aware of them. What I'm writing about is the fact that the skills of our main character have evolved so much that he is able to hear the thoughts of people around him and it largely have a negative impact on his daily life. It's also a thing that propel the plot of this volume of the series. Therefore, I regret that we don't "re-join" our young nurse a bit earlier in order to better understand the nature of his problem and to know what's happening in his life. However, I admit that we quickly fill the gaps in our knowledge concerning the current events in the context of his skills, as they are not a secret, so after some time we are able to fully enjoy reading the novel.

Let's stay on the subject of Phil's talents a little longer, because this time I would like to present them from a different, positive angle. There is no doubt that the evolution of this young man's skills is something really interesting, especially since it is quite rapid and unexpected, not only for him, but also for the readers themselves. Until recently, or more precisely, for the greater part of the first volume, Phil was someone rather ordinary, someone who didn't stand out from the crowd, which I considered a great advantage of "Nasu". However, Phil is no longer a human being like any other, which is a plus of this installment, given the way his talents are used in the story. I must admit that being part of the world of supernatural beings, an ordinary person doesn't stand a chance of keeping up with them. The fact that Phil has discovered something uncommon in himself is therefore a completely natural thing. What's more, his skills entail further interesting secrets that the reader slowly discovers, which makes "Enrai" a novel even more interesting and absorbing.

In my review of the previous volume I briefly mentioned fantastic creatures appearing in the world of "Blood Sealed". Now I would like to go back to this topic and develop it a little more, as in "Enrai" the existence of supernatural beings is no longer hidden in any way, and it plays quite a significant role here. Naturally, I liked the fact that this novel strongly refers to Japanese folklore and allows us, at least to some extent, to get closer to this amazing world, so different from European or American. My only regret is the fact that not enough space has been devoted to a more accurate description of the Japanese bestiary, as there are readers who don't know all these amazing beings, and it's really difficult to imagine the individual creatures when you know almost nothing about them. And yet the house where Shige and Phil live while staying in Japan is full of different beings not all of which resembled humans.

Finally, I would like to praise the fact that "Enrai" focuses not only on Phil, his evolving skills and how he masters them, but also on building his relationship with Shige. Because these two get to know each other better, their interactions are progressively more interesting, and the reader notices more and more details which show the growing intimacy between them and their mutual love. However, the most important to me is the fact I mentioned earlier, namely, the use of Phil's skills. In this volume I really liked that Phil is getting more involved in the paranormal life of his lover, and that Shige finally allows him to do it. What's more, working on mastering the abilities results in a wide range of possibilities for them to be useful to Shige, which is also part of their relationship at the moment. So we can say that the purpose of everything that happens in "Enrai" is to bring the two main characters even closer together.

To sum up, "Enrai" is a really interesting and quite good continuation of "Nasu", which undoubtedly can boast about the exotic atmosphere of the presented story and its ability to attract readers. There is no doubt that after reading this book you want to be back in the world of "Blood Sealed" series again. The more so because the ending of the volume promises a really interesting continuation of our adventure alongside Phil and Shige.
____________________________________

Życie Phila zmieniło się nie do poznania, kiedy los postawił na jego drodze Shige. To za jego sprawą, młody mężczyzna dowiedział się między innymi o istnieniu wampirów oraz innych nadnaturalnych stworzeń. Najważniejsza wydaje się jednak zmiana jaka zaszła w nim samym. Phil od dziecka był wyjątkowy, ale umiejętności, które wtedy go wyróżniały, teraz rozwinęły się w sposób, którego nie przewidział. Pielęgniarz ma bowiem wgląd w umysły otaczających go ludzi, potrafi czytać w ich myślach, nawet jeśli tego nie chce. Jego niekontrolowany dar jest na tyle uciążliwy, że wymaga pomocy osoby, która wie z czym ma do czynienia. Aby ujarzmić umiejętności Phila, Shige zabiera go do Japonii, w której nie był od tak dawna, że nawet powrót na jego własne terytorium może nie należeć do łatwych i przyjemnych.

Na wstępnie tej recenzji, chciałabym zwrócić uwagę na fakt, że lekturę „Enrai” rozpoczynamy trochę zdezorientowani, jako że akcja tej powieści rozpoczyna się jakiś czas po wydarzeniach opisanych w „Nasu”. W tym czasie w życiu Phila nastąpiły pewne istotne zmiany, z których nie do końca zdajemy sobie sprawę, kiedy powracamy do świata „Blood Sealed”. Chodzi naturalnie o fakt, że umiejętności naszego głównego bohatera rozwinęły się na tyle poważnie, że teraz jest w stanie słyszeć myśli otaczających go ludzi, co w dużej mierze wpływa negatywnie na jego życie codzienne, jak również napędza fabułę tego tomu serii. Żałuję więc bardzo, że nie dołączamy do naszego młodego pielęgniarza wcześniej, aby dokładniej zrozumieć naturę jego problemów i być bardziej na czasie. Przyznaję jednak, że całkiem szybko zapełniamy luki w naszej wiedzy na temat aktualnego stanu rzeczy w kontekście jego umiejętności, jako że nie są one żadną tajemnicą, toteż w miarę szybko możemy cieszyć się lekturą w pełni.

Pozostańmy przy temacie talentów Phila na dłużej, ponieważ tym razem chciałabym przedstawić je z innej, pozytywnej strony. Nie ulega wątpliwości, że ewolucja umiejętności tego młodego mężczyzny jest czymś naprawdę interesującym, tym bardziej że jest dosyć gwałtowna i niespodziewana, nie tylko dla niego, ale także dla samego czytelnika. Jeszcze do niedawna, a dokładniej mówiąc przez większą część pierwszego tomu, Phil był kimś w dużej mierze zwyczajnym, kimś, kto nie wyróżniał się z tłumu, co uważałam w „Nasu” za ogromną zaletę. Teraz jednak Phil przestaje być człowiekiem, jak każdy inny, co stanowi plus tej odsłony serii, biorąc pod uwagę sposób, w jaki jego talenty są w tym tomie wykorzystywane. Muszę przyznać, że obracając się w świecie istot nadnaturalnych, zwykły człowiek nie miałby szans dotrzymać im kroku. Fakt, że Phil odnalazł w sobie coś niezwykłego jest więc rzeczą w pełni naturalną. Co więcej, jego umiejętności pociągają za sobą kolejne ciekawe tajemnice, które czytelnik powoli odkrywa, co czyni „Enrai” powieścią jeszcze bardziej interesującą i absorbującą.

W recenzji poprzedniego tomu wspominałam krótko o fantastycznych stworzeniach pojawiających się w świecie „Blood Sealed”. Tym razem chciałabym powrócić do tego tematu i rozwinąć go trochę bardziej, jako że w „Enrai” obecność ponadnaturalnych istot nie tylko nie jest już w żaden sposób ukrywana, ale wręcz odgrywa tu dosyć istotną rolę. Naturalnie, bardzo spodobał mi się w tej powieści fakt, iż nawiązuje ona silnie do japońskiego folkloru i pozwala nam przynajmniej w pewnym stopniu zbliżyć się do tego niesamowitego świata, tak bardzo różnego od europejskiego, czy też amerykańskiego. Żałuję tylko, że nie poświęcono trochę więcej miejsca na dokładniejsze przybliżenie japońskiego bestiariusza, jako że niektórzy czytelnicy zupełnie nie znają wszystkich tych niesamowitych istot, a naprawdę trudno jest wyobrazić sobie poszczególne stworzenia, kiedy nie wie się o nich niemalże nic. A przecież dom, w którym w Japonii mieszkali Shige i Phil był wręcz wypełniony istotami, z których nie wszystkie przypominały ludzi.

Na koniec chciałabym pochwalić także to, iż „Enrai” skupia się nie tylko na Philu, jego ewoluujących umiejętnościach i ich opanowaniu, ale również na budowie jego związku z Shige. Dzięki temu, że tych dwoje poznaje się coraz lepiej, ich interakcje są coraz ciekawsze, zaś czytelnik dostrzega coraz więcej szczegółów świadczących o zażyłości tych dwojga i ich wzajemnej miłości. Najistotniejszy wydaje mi się jednak fakt, o którym wspomniałam już wcześniej, a mianowicie wykorzystanie umiejętności Phila. W tym tomie bardzo spodobało mi się to, że mężczyzna angażuje się coraz bardziej w paranormalne życie swojego kochanka, a ten w końcu mu na to pozwala. Mało tego, praca nad zapanowaniem nad zdolnościami, skutkuje coraz szerszym wachlarzem możliwości ich przydania się Shige, co również staje się teraz elementem ich związku. Możemy więc powiedzieć, że wszystko, co dzieje się w „Enrai” ma na celu zbliżenie do siebie tych dwojga w jeszcze większym stopniu.

Podsumowując, „Enrai” to naprawdę ciekawa i całkiem dobra kontynuacja „Nasu”, która niewątpliwie może pochwalić się nie tylko egzotycznym klimatem przedstawionej historii, ale również mocą przyciągania czytelników. Nie ulega bowiem wątpliwości, że po przeczytaniu tej książki ma się ochotę wrócić do świata „Blood Sealed” kolejny raz. Tym bardziej, że zakończenie tomu zapowiada naprawdę ciekawą kontynuację naszej przygody u boku Phila i Shige.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enrai picks up a few months after the events of Nasu and finds Phil and Shige in relationship limbo. Ashamed of his role in the trauma Phil endured at the hands of not so cuddly vampire Pampa, Shige has kept Phil at arm's length whilst still maintaining the bare bones of their relationship. Phil is struggling with his new-found physic abilities, day to day life has become difficult as the thoughts of others overwhelm him. In an effort to help Phil learn to handle these powers, Shige arranges a trip to his homeland. Somewhere he hasn't set foot for many decades, a place that presents new challenges for both of them, new allies, and old enemies.

I really enjoyed Enrai and whizzed through it in just a couple of sittings, it is well-paced and engaging. Whilst Phil and Shige do start the story somewhat at odds, Lupin does not drag this situation out needlessly. I was relieved to see their estrangement dealt with early on and with a maturity that you would expect from these characters. Obviously, the path of true love never runs that smoothly and Lupin throws a good few spanners in the works along the way. We have a murder mystery, larger than life Japanese folkloric creatures and the perils of possessing powers around creatures who do not have the possessors best interests at heart.

Lupin dedicates a good portion of this book to exploring the provenance and history of Phil's 'sensitivity' and sets up an intriguing premise for future books. Whilst a couple of my favourite characters had to take something of a back seat this time around (Abbie, HUGO!) we are treated to interesting new characters. Moving the setting to Japan makes Phil even more of a fish out of water but it also gives him the opportunity to really begin to get to grips with the new world he finds himself a part of and his place in it. It is satisfying to see his confidence grow along with his abilities and the changes this brings to his relationship with Shige.

Enrai takes the world of Nasu and fills it out whilst giving us a look at a mature and loving relationship between two male POC characters. It's a real treat.

[Josh Dale · Rating 4 out of 5]

The start of the book is a few months after Nasu, And while we soon catch up with the time between the two books. I kind of wish the book continued immediately from book one. But this does not spoil the story or make it difficult to understand, As long as you have read book one, your going to love book two.

Phil and Shige relationship hangs in balance, neither one sure how to move forward. Shige is feeling deep guilt and Phil must decide if his trust in Shige can be rebuilt. On top of this Phil is struggling with his new super natural powers as a Sensitive and his in ability to turn off or tune out of other people’s thoughts. He agrees to see an old friend of Shige’s in japan who can help him channel his powers.

So, whilst Shige travels to Tokyo on business he takes Phil to see his friend. The separation does not seem to help them mend bridges. But the training Phil receives does allow him to control and channel his new powers. I enjoyed the way the author describes and shows us the struggles Phil is living through. I think his training also helps him see things differently especially the stories he hears about Shige. Phil also learns more about Shige’s operations, not so much in details but in the depth and size of the who organization.

But all is not good, we have a bratty and jealous Kowen who has been in love with Shige for years and is determined to force Phil out of the line of Shige’s sight.

And there is some one out to get Shige and his team. I get the feeling something big is going to happen in book three.

The story as with Nasu has a great story world and distinctive characters. You are drawn in pretty much from the first page, into another country of Japan, which brings a fresh feeling to the story, As most Paranormal story’s seem to stem from east to west.

Once the author hooks us, she leads us through a colorful and exciting paranormal thriller. My one little issue with the series is that I want more words, pages and books. The author has truly built on the sturdy foundations of Nasu and I get the feeling we are in for many more surprises and expansion of the Blood Sealed world and the characters that live within it.

[Shari Sakurai · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review*

In the second novel in the Blood Sealed series, Phil’s abilities as a sensitive are getting out of control. Unfortunately since the events of Nasu, his relationship with Shige hasn’t been good, but the help he needs is in Japan so reluctantly Phil goes with Shige back to his homeland. As Phil is learning to control his abilities, Shige re-visits his territory that he has been neglecting over the years and is also trying to solve a murder.

I couldn’t wait to read Enrai and I was not disappointed at all. At the beginning Shige and Phil’s relationship isn’t in a good place, but as I hoped their trip to Japan helped heal some wounds and going into book three hopefully they will be in a more established relationship. They did spent quite a lot of the novel apart but the moments together were very tender and I could really feel how much they love each other. I loved the Japanese setting and the use of Japanese words and phrases scattered throughout the novel.

There was somewhat a cliff-hanger ending and I cannot wait to see what happens in book three!

[JH · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the series, and I really recommend that you pick up the first one to read before starting this one. This book picks up where the last one left off, which is great, because it was a bit of a cliffhanger! Phil and Shige are whisked away to another beautiful locale, and I have to say that I really enjoyed the way Jet continues to build this world. It is a slow build, but each little reveal adds a lot to this universe and keeps you wanting more.

Jet adds a lot of new characters in this book as well, some of them adding some drama and discord in their relationship, but even so, Phil and Shige are able to keep building on what they started in the first book. Phil also has a chance to hone his powers -- honestly, those scenes in the gardens were some of my favorite parts!

The end is kind of like the last one -- wrapping things up, but also obviously setting you up for more. New players are on the scene, and I'm anxious to see how Shige and Phil will navigate these new dangers. If you enjoy a bit of the supernatural and a well thought out relationship between two good looking dudes, then this is definitely a series for you.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book in this series of a dark vampire story. One must read the first book in this series to be able to understand and thoroughly enjoy this one. Phil is back to work, but moved in with Shige for safety. With Shige's mansion being repaired after the destructive explosion, he has an apartment near the hospital. It should be a nice setup, but Phil is left with Shige ignoring and avoiding him. Even more bothersome, his sensitivity is all over the place and is turning on and off whenever it wants too and he is worried about loosing control and hurting his patients or someone else. Shige wants to take him back to Japan where another Sensitive can work with him to gain control of his gift. This is a dark story with torture, murder, violence, secrets, treachery, threatening war and a lover who feels he hasn't done a good enough job to deserve Phil's love. The story ends with a cliff hanger and leaves the reader yearning for revenge as the enemy takes their next step against Shige. I voluntarily read and reviewed this story.

[P Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I voluntarily read this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else's*

This is the second book in the series and is not a standalone. I strongly advise reading them in order.

The author pulled me into the depths of the story a lot quicker than I anticipated. Damn, things are getting much more intense, dangerous and scorching hot.

Phil learns some interesting things about himself and gets help to control his sensitive abilities. His life is changing and he’s adapting with it.

Shige and Phil had a rocky start but they’re communicating a lot better than they were. Their relationship has progressed well and I’ve enjoyed the insights into Shige’s past and those he’s helped along the way.

Shige’s past has finally caught up to him but will he be able to protect Phil?

I was absolutely gutted when the book ended on a cliffhanger but I eagerly look forward to the next book.

[caroline wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good

I received this book by the author and this is my honest opinion.
This is the 2nd book in the continuing story of Phil and shige so you need to read book 1 to grasp all the plotlines that are running through both booths. If your not a fan of cliff hangers maybe this book ain't for you but you'd be missing a good story. As with the last one you can inadvertently feel the darkness that permits the vampires as there ruthlessness to get control of territories and power struggles though we still have to know the exact cause of the baddies aggressiveness towards shige. A well thought out plotline with interesting points and I can't wait for the next. A good read

[Dixiecowgirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great characters, lots of action and more of Phil and Shige! In this book we really get to see Phil and Shige start to share and love each other.

I loved their banter and how they are protective of each other. I found the story-line engaging and i read it in one setting.

This book moved so much faster and had so much action that i was fascinated and such a great time reading it.

I will be looking for book three in this interesting Blood Sealed Series.

[Kaila · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was an interesting story.. different and very fun.. i feel like you really need to read the 1st to fully understand this one. the characters are intriguing.. this story is fast paced and has a different type of feeling to it. these two appear to be figuring out how to communicate in a better way then before.. i enjoyed this so far.