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Some bonds are stronger than blood.


When eighteen-year-old Ava and her boyfriend attend a party on campus, things turn from fun to deadly rather quickly. As Ava bleeds out on the concrete floor, the angel of death comes...only he's not an angel. And he isn't quite dead either.

Cassius Aurelia finds a young college student fighting for her life on the floor of a frat house basement, and he can't turn away. His bite will save her life, but it will also bring forth a litany of consequences for the both of them that neither may be ready for.

406 pages, Paperback

Published October 19, 2021

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About the author

Ariel Dawn

77 books296 followers
USA Today Bestselling Author Ariel Dawn is a real life mermaid and self-professed geek with a penchant for a good book and a strong cup of coffee (or tea!).

Ariel writes plot driven paranormal romance, monster romance, reverse harem, and urban fantasy featuring feisty heroines, sinfully delicious heroes, and neurodivergent besties.

As a fellow neurodivergent, when she isn't writing, she can be found cosplaying, attending conventions, or creating all sorts of artwork in her studio. She loves hanging out with family and friends as well as playing video games and board games with her retro gamer husband.

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5 stars
54 (38%)
4 stars
33 (23%)
3 stars
31 (21%)
2 stars
15 (10%)
1 star
8 (5%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
Profile Image for Caroline Doig.
5,510 reviews48 followers
October 22, 2021
This is an amazing start to this new series and I can’t wait to read book 2. Ava a college student and her boyfriend go to a frat party but things go wrong and Ava is left bleeding in the basement, Cassius finds Ava and changes her life. There is so much more going on in this amazing story but sorry guys no spoilers this story is just too amazing to spoil, I loved the characters and storyline and I highly recommend this book it’s well worth the read.
Profile Image for Lakea.
273 reviews17 followers
August 28, 2023
3.25 stars

I was a bit disappointed with this book. The plot was good but the writing held it back. Rough transitioning between scenes (and they were most definitely scenes), odd choices when it came to detailing, and canned dialogues just made for an awkward book.

Taking all of the above into consideration, this wasn’t a bad book. As I said, the plot and characters made for a solid foundation. It just felt more like a 2nd draft instead of a polished and published novel.
Profile Image for Danielle.
5 reviews
January 26, 2022
A badass heroine that would give Buffy a run for her money and a cinnamon roll of a vampire, this couple has the perfect juxtaposition. The ending was *chef's kiss*, with a big, knock down brawl and an ambiguous ending for our couple, making the reader beg for more.
468 reviews3 followers
December 7, 2022
amazing

Such an amazing read ... I loved Ava an Cassius s tango as they started getting to know each other. It was such a a fun book. Oh and then there is Dallas everyone needs aliytle Dallas
Profile Image for Deanna .
117 reviews1 follower
May 3, 2023
Great start of series! I read this story from a “Collection” of stories. I enjoyed it so much, I bought the 3 book series, can’t wait to read Book 2: Blood & Lust and Book 3: Blood & Ash when I finish reading the rest of the Collection. Ava and Cassius work well together to stop the “bad guys”!
Profile Image for Kathleen Bradbury (Bulfon).
16.4k reviews221 followers
October 24, 2021
WOW. That perfectly describes this book. It is full of hot sexy man, intrigue, perseverance, and perfection. I fully recommend this book.
Profile Image for Katheyer.
1,557 reviews25 followers
October 18, 2021
“Blood & Bones” by Ariel Dawn marks the start into the brand-new adult paranormal romance vampire Urban Fantasy “Ava Crowley Vampire Slayer” series. The book is fairly entertaining. easy to read, fast-paced with a good ratio between action and romance.

The story follows Ava (FMC) a college student, whose last night-out ended badly and become the stuff of nightmares. After being attacked by a group of vampires who abducted his boyfriend (Ross) and left for dead, and being ‘rescued’ by some stranger (who Ava in her near-death state takes for some kind of angel and figment of her imagination), Ava’s life is about to change forever 😉. Her rescuer Cassius Aurelia (a member of a rival vampire clan) could look away for the carnage, and now both are about to pay the price for it. Sounds familiar? Probably, but is still a very entertaining story, well-written and with a couple of unexpected twists, which makes it a perfect read for the season.



Profile Image for Lcr.
933 reviews9 followers
October 31, 2021
Blood & Bones is a surprising read and not quite what I expected from the blurb. When Ava is bleeding and her boyfriend lay dead Cassius decided to save her. Or rather mark her, change her and cause a whole heap of trouble but was it the right thing to do it was it just selfishness because of his instant attraction to her?

The characters are good and the storyline is mostly engaging. It is well written and packed full of danger, intrigue, good v bad and the obvious chemistry. However, for some reason I could not fully engage with this book but I cannot pinpoint why.

This book has plenty of good points so I recommend you give it read. It has depth and grit so if you want a fluffy, easy to read vampire book maybe give it a miss.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Alicia Rust.
102 reviews8 followers
February 10, 2024
This book made my Buffy heart sore. I'm a huge fan of Buffy and when I heard this book was a mix of Buffy meets Supernatural I just had to read it. We have Ava and her boyfriend who are attacked at a party and left to die. That is until Cassius shows up and saves her by marking her as his. Throughout the book Ava tries to unravel the mystery of her boyfriends death only to find out vampires are real and she is a hunter. She finds out that one vampire killed her boyfriend, one tried to kill her, and one saved her life. I love how strong and fearless Ava is. She is definitely a woman hell bent on doing things her way and won't take no for an answer. I can't wait to see what else Ava does... And what will come of her connection to Cassius.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Amy.
1,586 reviews9 followers
September 20, 2023
yes 🙌

Ava for sure is a baddie. I mean from the beginning she set her sights on finding out who had unalived ross and from there, she meets the Cassius and these two didn’t hit it off but there was a major pull between them. She finds out even more than she bargained for as more people are missing. Then her brother comes along and that when she finds out about the things in the dark and what she truly is. This book was amazing I could go on and on about it, but that would be a travesty. I definitely recommend reading this book and the ones that comes after you won’t be disappointed. I wasn’t 😊
Profile Image for Kelley.
189 reviews8 followers
January 2, 2025
This book was very confusing as it jumped around quite a bit.
It's in 3rd person POV which doesn't help with keeping track of where you are in the story. I tend to dislike 3rd person, but have seen it done very well by other authors, so it's not an immediate DNF for me. This one just isn't done that well.

The premise is interesting and the characters are likeable, which is a saving grace.

A lot of tension but no spice, though I'm not entirely sure if there is supposed to be. The next book is called "Blood and Lust" so I'm assuming there should be some spice?

I want to know what happens next, so I will keep on keeping on. But this is a struggle bus series for sure.
Profile Image for Emily Pennington.
21.5k reviews374 followers
October 20, 2021
Nice Start to a New Series . . .

Eighteen-year-old Ava attends a frat party with her boyfriend when vampires attack. Left for dead, Ava sees who she believes is the angel of death. Cassius Aurelia is from a rival vampire clan and he can’t just abandon the dying student. But will his bite save her, or send her into a worse life than if he had let her die? Ava’s life will never be the same either way.

This story is well-written and captures the reader’s attention. Grab your copy and meet the characters as we are introduced to this new series.
Profile Image for Amanda Cardenas.
176 reviews
September 28, 2023
Blood and Sludge

While I wanted to love this one...I did not. I believe it is more aptly titled than the author intended. A solid skeleton with a blood flow slowed to the ooze of sludge. A great story with fun characters resides in the pages but it needs fleshed out. Reading it as is was like watching a movie with important scenes you know ought to be there missing.
It still gets 4 stars because if it were fleshed out it has a LOT more potential and I would definitely be interested to read that version!
183 reviews1 follower
December 4, 2023
Ava was having the best time of her life, first year in college, cute boyfriend until one bad frat party leaves one of them dead and the other bonded to a vampire. Ava is trying to figure out what happen to her boyfriend through hazy memories while two vampire rival groups are hot on her heals. Her brother Mal and his best friend Dallas comes to town to add in the mix they are vampire hunters. What's a girl to do with vampire hunters and vampire serial killers on the loose.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
568 reviews4 followers
December 11, 2023
Ava and her date are attacked at a college party by vampires, he is killed and she almost dies, in fact the only reason she survives is because another vampire, Cassius, saves her life but with that bite it links them together. When Ava’s brother comes to town she is thrilled but it turns out he has a secret life that she knew nothing about. The characters are superbly crafted and the story has vampires, vampire hunters, passion and a lot of ups and downs.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
2,377 reviews27 followers
October 19, 2021
This is a great Urban Fantasy! Give us a Vampire Slayer that meets an uncertain future and Bang, what a ride. Anytime a book says Vampire Slayer I just have to read it, and I am very happy that I did! This is an amazing story that I definitely want more of. If you are a Slayer fan, give it a read. I Loved It!!!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
6,100 reviews46 followers
Read
October 20, 2021
Eva barely managed to survive a vampire assault that her then beau Ross succumbed to. With the anonymous help of Cassius, Eva was still alive

Does the bond between Eva and Cassius keep her safe, or make her a bigger target for various groups

Blood, death, lust and life tightly tangled for an enticing read

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Anita.
832 reviews29 followers
May 20, 2022
Ava goes to a college frat party and her life will never be the same. She is attacked by a vampire and saved by a vampire and what she believed gets throw out the window. She learns that her brother Mal is a hunter and he and his friends start training her as a hunter, so she can better protect herself when the vampire who tried to kill her comes back to finish the job. I read this story in the Midnight Magic anthology.
Profile Image for Cristina.
130 reviews1 follower
September 28, 2023
Definitely felt like a blend of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Supernatural, but getting past that the story was nice enough. It was a fast read. Certain characters had great descriptions, certain characters had none. There were some location changes that felt very abrupt and had me wondering when it happened. I often felt lost. There really was a good skeleton of a story, but the fleshing of it felt inconsistent.
Profile Image for Sara  Persman.
232 reviews3 followers
November 29, 2023
I feel like this could be a great start to a new series. I did enjoy the base of the story, but some parts felt either rushed or vague. It is an easy read, and the chemistry between Ava and the male characters is pretty entertaining yet confusing. I do feel that a little more clarity, one the plot and background of certain characters, would boost this book. But!!!! I would recommend this book to anyone venturing into paranormal romance.
Profile Image for Toni.
2,622 reviews28 followers
December 1, 2023
Ava is a student at a college. At a party one night her date is killed. Ava almost dies if not for Cassius saving her by marking her as he bit her. Now he follows her because he knows her life is in danger from the vampire who killed her friend. Then Ava's brother comes home with his friend. They are hunters. Now the fun begins. Who will win? Vampire? Hunter? Ava?.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Tahnia Ross.
2,184 reviews9 followers
December 2, 2023
Ava and her then-boyfriend, Ross, attend a frat party which takes a tragic turn when Ross is killed and Ava is bitten by a vampire in order to save her life. Soon after, Ava's brother, Mal, appears and helps her begin her training as a vampire hunter. This story has plenty of action and some romance, ending with a cliffhanger. Very highly recommended.

I received a copy of this book in a box set via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Diana Page.
1,385 reviews10 followers
December 2, 2023
Buffy has nothing on Ava or her brother !! Talk about a slow building love/hate relationship !! Ava doesn’t know whether to stake Cas or jump into bed with him !! Lots of heat and action with good and bad vampires coming out all over campus . Can’t wait for book 2 as the world being built keeps getting better ! 4✨’s.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Chris06.
615 reviews6 followers
December 4, 2023
A good start to a Vampire slayer series. Ava is a typical college student until she is attacked and her brother makes her aware of Vampires.

Good vs bad … but who determines what is which?

Ava has “something” for her brothers HF Dallas … he is hunky … and a connection with Cassius a Vampire.

Interesting to see what comes next.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Debbie Eyre.
6,229 reviews118 followers
December 6, 2023
Book one of Ava the vampire slayers adventures and they are gripping, exciting and full of vampires! Cassius finds a girl in a frat house, left for dead and knows that with on bite he can save her and so the adventure begins especially when Ava’s brother comes home with his hunter friends. It’s a well written, fast paced read that grabs you with its twist and turns, action and I look forward to the next book!
Profile Image for Elesha's book fun gossip.
1,163 reviews4 followers
October 16, 2021
This was a great read with amazing characters thing don't go to plan when Ava attends a college party as is about to lose her life but cassius swoops in to save the day but has he? This was a filled with Drama, intrigue and chemistry.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
13.3k reviews77 followers
October 19, 2021
The author has given us a wonderful start to a new series. We are pulled into the lives of Ava and Cassius and that is where we want to be. Things do not go quite to plan when Ava attends a party with her boyfriend. The story keeps you turning the pages with drama, intrigue and steam.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Deb.
7,842 reviews36 followers
November 13, 2021
I thought this sounded interesting when I read the premise and I chose to read this book based on it. It was interesting. It was also a fun, entertaining way to introduce the characters and the story. I enjoyed reading this book.

I requested a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Sarah Tindale.
123 reviews1 follower
November 14, 2021
so let me start off iam a big fan of paranormal romance but i just couldnt get into the book i did finish the books but i just couldnt get into it the book was well written and flowed but the plot was off to me.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Theresa Lambe.
Author 67 books132 followers
March 27, 2023
Vampire feels

I really enjoyed this book, great for a shorter read but it sure kept me entertained and personally, I can't wait to read on!! Ava is clearly a bad ass who is at a cross roads. And the love interests here....its a hell of a mix up, but its great and refreshing.
For sure say check it out!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews