raised a slave, and seeing her family killed by a vampire, jerusalem is eager to use her powers as a saint to fight against the confederacy and (some of) the vampires. much to her dismay, this leads to her having to team up with a vampire named alexei. together, they set out to not only win the war, but also take down the vampire who killed jerusalem’s family.

i’ve been a huge lauren blackwood fan ever since i got to read an early copy of within these wicked walls in 2021, so i’m always excited to hear when she has a new release!

even though i typically don’t read books about war, i was interested to see how this would play out with the vampires and saints being present. i enjoyed how the fantastical elements blended with the historical ones.

i recommend this to fantasy readers and i’m very excited for more from lauren blackwood!

THE DANGEROUS ONES was delightfully entertaining. After a run of reading some only decent books, this stood out for its interesting and engaging story, its characters, and the complex ideas it put forth. This ended up being a favorite of mine, and I think it is well worth the read.

The premise of this book is what makes it so interesting: what if vampires were real, were slavers, and were part of the Civil War and Saints, superhumans, worked to stop them to win the war. This concept made the story interesting and unique, something that is worth the read because it is done well and engages the reader from start to finish.

The characters, and by extension, the ideas the book put forth actually made me think. The story is told through Jerusalem, a Saint and a former slave, and Alexei, a 300 year old vampire. Each character is rich and complex, especially Jerusalem, who is grappling with the traumas that slavery entails and her freedom. Their interactions were great and their inner conflicts and struggles, and how they negotiated that, was well done.

Now, I will say, if you are looking for a methodically researched Civil War book or a complex, world building science fiction novel, this is not it. BUT this book is not trying to be either. There are questions that I had about this world that were left unanswered, and we only get a brief history of it through flashbacks and inner thoughts. And, to some, the modern words may very much drive you crazy. However, if you set your expectations knowing this book is not meant to be expansive (it’s only 368 pages), you’ve got a special story on your hands.

Overall, I definitely think this book is worth the read. It’s interesting, unique, and as a YA novel, the characters and concepts it brings up makes it one you will think about for a long time after.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

What would the Civil War have looked like if vampires, werewolves, and humans with supernatural abilities were involved? That's the premise of this novel from the author of Within These Wicked Walls and Wildblood. I was hoping this would be a YA version of Vampires of El Norte meets Twilight. What I got instead fell flat. The plot was all over the place at first- it seemed almost as if I had missed the introduction and was just launched into an ongoing story- and the use of modern language- especially the cursing!- really took me out of the time period of the book. As for the enemies to lovers/vampire-human romance- it was super one sided and I just wasn't invested in the characters enough. Several exciting last few chapters but not enough to salvage the book.

I listened to about 25% of the book and then decided to DNF it. I really wanted to love the book as the cover is stunning and the premise sounded unique- historical fiction meets a Twilight type fantasy. But I had such a hard time getting into the story. Jerusalem had a lot of righteous anger and bravery, but she hated everyone with a vengeance and it was hard to root for her. I wasn't dying to find out all about Alexi's background either. Ultimately, I just wasn't invested in finding out what happens. I definitely think this is a me problem and I think this will be a popular YA title publishing in May 2024.

When I heard Blackwood was coming out with another book, after I read the synopsis I quickly jumped and added this book to my TBR list. While I love Blackwood’s other books and her ability to craft an excellent world and story, unfortunately, this book didn’t hit the mark for me.

This is a romantic historical fantasy set in the American Civil War with vampires and people with demigod-like abilities. I was truly into the premise because I thought it would work well and it’s a creative vision.

While some elements worked in this book, many things didn’t. After reading the first chapter, which began with tons of action and was very fast-paced, I thought the book would keep that same energy, but there was a lot of chatting and not too much happening and it seemed quite slow at times.

The Dangerous Ones mixes vampires and history, presenting an alternate version of the Civil War where vampires fight to preserve slavery alongside the Confederates, and where genetically gifted vampire hunters known as Saints are all that stand in their way. Well, them and one "good" vampire with a centuries-old grudge against the woman who turned him and tortured him.

This book should have grabbed me immediately. I mean, what's not to love about alt-history, vampires, vampire hunters, and a forbidden love? But for whatever reason, I never really sank into the story. There was plenty to appreciate - particularly the world-building details like the fact that vampires filled the air with smoke to facilitate their walking around during the day. And Jerusalem is the kind of spunky, salty, messy heroine YA thrives on. But I never felt a particular connection to her or Alexei, and I never really felt a sense of danger that they might fail in their quest to take out their shared enemy. The result was a plodding reading experience that I felt like I *should* be enjoying but never quite did.

It's possible that The Dangerous Ones just wasn't the right book for me at the time I was reading it, because there was nothing really wrong with it other than the fact that I just didn't totally vibe with it. Sometimes that happens!

(I have some questions about the random Sasquatch inclusion though.)

3.75/5

This is an amazing historical fantasy set during the US Civil War. The Saint Jerusalem is on a mission to end the vampire menace and the cruel institution of slavery when she is reluctantly befriended by--and even more reluctantly starts to fall in love with--the vampire Alexei, who has his own reasons to hate vampirekind. As their stories are slowly revealed, it becomes clear they have more in common than they would have thought and their missions of vengeance can only be accomplished together or not at all.

Set during the height of the Civil War, this is a novel hell-bent on revenge. And perhaps love. Jerusalem is a Saint, a person w/ demi-god powers perfectly honed to killing vampires. She escapes captivity to help the Union Army fight off the South. But her aims are bigger than just winning a war. Jerusalem is set on killing the horrible, vampiric mistress she escaped from. And avenging her family.
Alexi is a 300 year-old vampire who has been helping the Union Army for the past 2 years. He helps to train Jerusalem and falls more in love with her each day. Even though she hates vampires, Jerusalem has a soft spot for Alexi. Her laser-focus on revenge doesn't stop her from falling for him, either. Alexi and Jerusalem don't realize that their aim is the same; to destroy the ancient vampire responsible for turning Alexi and killing Jerusalem's family.
I enjoyed this novel thoroughly, however, I would have liked a less abrupt ending. It almost makes me think there could be a sequel. ;)

*Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this e-arc.*

The Dangerous Ones intertwines historical fiction and fantasy. We meet Jerusalem, a young girl who had been enslaved by a vampire. She’s a Saint, with demi-god skills and manages to escape to the North where she joins the Union army. There she meets Alexei, a vampire who is on the Union’s side. Jerusalem doesn’t trust Alexei, or any other vampires at first, but as they work together they realize they have romantic feelings for each other.

It was really interesting to see the ways fantasy intertwined with history in this book. The language is used is pretty modern, which makes it a bit of an easier read, but doesn’t really match the historical setting. Jerusalem is a feisty and strong main character. She was justified in her anger towards and mistrust of vampires, but she was also often reckless in her quest for vengeance. Alexei was more thoughtful in his actions, as he should be after existing for several hundred years. There was mostly bickering, rather than banter, between Jerusalem and Alexei which made the romance feel a bit unrealistic.

Thank you to the NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC.

I was very excited about the premise of this one; the idea of supernatural creatures being involved in the Civil War was incredibly intriguing, but unfortunately this one felt terribly disjointed. The first few chapters sucked me in right away, and I initially loved how strong and unique our female main character, Jerusalem, is. Then the story slowed way down...almost too slow. In addition, I felt that Jerusalem used terms akin to more modern day rather than the Civil War (did people call other's 'dumba$$' in 1863?), but Jerusalem's continual abusive language towards Alexi got very old, killing any idea of romance to me as a reader.

This book is a young-adult novel with a mix of thematic elements. It tells the story of Jerusalem, a young woman from a family that was massacred, who escaped slavery and fought for the North during the Civil War. The twist is that some humans have extraordinary abilities and are called Saints. Their job is to kill the vampires, except for Alexi, who is a good vampire in a world of bad ones. Alexi is a multi-centuries-old vampire from Russia and is described as very attractive, this is something you will read about on every other page. He has a tortured past that he doesn't talk about that he's running from. Who wants to talk about their trauma?

Jerusalem is a pint-size young lady who enjoys fighting, this is another tidbit you'll read about every other page. She has to figure out what is most important to her in this war on evil and what she is willing to sacrifice. The book has a lot of potential, but the author may have rushed through the writing process or the editors cut the wrong parts. Blackwood's world is brilliant, with vampires, saints, sasquatch, werewolves, and other supernaturals. However, we barely get to see any of that because once the other supernatural beings are revealed, the book is almost over.

The main characters are both 18 years old, but they act immaturely. The romance is okay, but Alexi's behavior is a bit creepy, and Jerusalem's reactions to him are more realistic than his to hers. Jerusalem is a one-dimensional character, but she is a pretty kick-butt character determined to learn to use her spear. She becomes exceptional when everyone looks down on her because of her height, race, or gender. The overall story is okay, but the ending and how the bad guy dies are odd and rushed. The rest of the ending is also out of character unless this is some character growth that happens on a dime.

In summary, the book has plenty of action, lots of sass and back and forth, and some entertaining elements. If you can look past the repetition and the one-dimensional characters, this book is pretty okay.

Vampires, werewolves, and humans with supernatural abilities. Such a fun premise, right?? I was super excited to dive into this one. While it was an enjoyable story, I have to be honest that it wasn't my favorite. The genre is historical fiction, but some of the language and context wasn't consistent with the time period.

It was still a good story though, so I wouldn't NOT recommend it. I just probably wouldn't read it again.

Jerusalem is many things; a former slave, a fighter in the Union army, a Saint - a human imbued with superhuman physical abilities, but she has only one goal, and that is revenge. Her quest to kill the vampire who murdered her family brings her into the path of Alexei, a vampire with a dark and troubled past who is eager to prove his loyalty to her and the Union. The threat of what they face grows ever more daunting, and Jerusalem and Alexei will need each other if they want to survive.

I liked Jerusalem a lot as a main character. She was complicated as a heroine: prickly and tough, but brave and vulnerable. Her quest for vengeance and inherent mistrust of others made her point of view a unique and interesting experience. The romance was well balanced with the action, and it was a very dialogue-heavy read. The issues of race and PTSD were handled well in my opinion, and I thought the use of civil war era America as the setting was a nice change of pace from other recent paranormal romances.

The story was a little difficult to follow at times, as it jumped around the past as a way to contextualize the present, and switched between Alexei and Jerusalem’s POV a bit too frequently. There were some instances of modern slang in the dialogue breaking my immersion. There are times when this doesn’t bother me as a reader, but it was a bit jarring as modern slang wasn’t consistently used throughout the book so it seemed out of place when it did appear. In general though, the setting of this book was extremely fun, the action was gripping, and the romance was sweet. Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Wednesday Books for this ARC. This is my honest review.

3.5/5 (rounded up to 4) Sorrow, pain, joy, and vampires.

All I can say is WOW.
I started the book and didn't put it back down.
This was my first dive into Lauren's work and I can definitely say it made me pick up her other books.
I did find there was some repeating but the premise of the book kept me interested enough to keep going.

This is a fun and thrilling novel full of action, drama, romance and fantasy which is entertaining and engaging. While I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, I felt that some of the characters were a bit one dimensional and flat. The introduction of characters with different abilities than what is normally found made this story original and unique; not just another vampire book. I always wanted to know what came next and could not put it down!

Dude, this was fun. A little campy, a little over-the-top, but so entertaining. Honestly, if you liked the fantastical style and Black Girl Magic of any of Blackwood's previous books, this one will be right up your alley. It's like ... Twilight, but Jasper's story during the Civil War. But he's a Russian vampire, not racist, and in love with a Black girl a literal foot and a half shorter than him who can whoop his ass.

So the idea of the story is fantastic, however the execution of the idea- well, it just failed. The writing is choppy and difficult to want to read. The romance was mundane and seemed so forced. The characters felt flat. The settings were during the civil war but that was inconsistent feeling.

I wanted to love this book, and maybe ten years ago, it would have been just fine. Beautiful cover, promising concept, but the devil is in the details. I’m a fan of Lauren Blackwood and will continue to check out her work, but The Dangerous Ones fell flat like a stale soda when it had so much potential to quench a reader’s thirst.

It was repetitive in places, played it safe with common tropes, and the romance was slightly painful (and not in a good way). I did love the action, grit and lore, though.

Thank you to St. Martins Press, Wednesday Books and Netgalley for a complimentary copy of this ebook. I am leaving a voluntary review. All thoughts and ideas expressed are my own.

2.5 -⭐⭐.💫
The Dangerous Ones is a YA Historical fantasy set in an alternative America during the civil war. It follows Jerusalem, a young black woman who escaped enslavement by vampire to join the war effort. She discovered she is a saint, a human being with paranormal abilities to help fight the vampires. She is determined to seek justice for the murders of her family and desperate to free more black people...and then she gets word her old master is out fighting and she knows she needs to destroy them. Except to succeed she must rely on an ally vampire name Alexi...a vampire that drives her insane as much as draws her in. Jerusalem must decide how far she is willing to go to seek out justice...and at what point will the revenge cost her?

Okay I ended up dnfing this book. I really tried but I got to the 60% mark and then skimmed the rest.

What I liked was the premise. It has this gritty vibe and high intensity. The lore is interesting and sets up the world very well. I like Alexi and Jerusalem...especially when they finally find each other. I liked the twists and turns because BOY this story does keep you on the edge of your seat.

At the same time the writing didn't match the historical vibe and felt inconsistent. I also found being told Alexi loves Jerusalem was a cop out at the beginning. Especially when Jerusalem is oblivious and just berates the pore guy throughout.

Overall, this book just wasn't giving me what I wanted. I think it has promise and maybe I'll come back to it but, for now, I just had to set it down.

Thank you Wednesday Books for the arc!

DNF at 20%

The premise of The Dangerous Ones sounded super interesting. I loved the sound of a YA historical romantic fantasy set during the Civil War. However, very early on I realized that I wasn't into this story. I didn't love the writing style, and I didn't connect with either of the characters as quickly as I like to. I know it was early, but as soon as picking up a book begins to feel like a chore, I know it's time to DNF it.

Thank you for the chance to read an early copy of this one!