Alright, guys, I’m here for this book. Blood and Blade drew me in and took me on quite an epic journey. Vampires, a badass female lead, action galore, romance – really this book has everything a PNR fan would want. I’m super happy I read this one. It is part of a series, and I intend to go back and read because I think there were probably elements I was missing…but overall, it didn’t negatively impact my experience, I really liked this one.

Lauren Dane has a real talent in creating a vampire story that feels fresh and new. It’s on the dark side, which really drew me in and I absolutely loved the adventure. It was enjoyable from beginning to end.

I love novels with a strong female lead, and Rowan is kickass. I love all the secondary characters as well. Just a really well-written cast of characters that make this novel shine.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to going back and reading the rest of the series.

Veena’s review of Blood and Blade (Goddess with a Blade, Book 6) by Lauren Dane
Urban Fantasy published by Carina Press 30 Dec 19

This series has been a wild and wonderful ride from the beginning. Rowan Summerwaite, host to a Goddess, daughter to the father of the vampire nation, and wife to the vampire scion of North America, is a sword-wielding fighter who delivers justice with a conscience. With the conclusion of the pulse-pounding action in this book, it appears as though this is the end of the series. I hope to see another series launched featuring these characters and the untold stories that are still lurking, waiting to be told.


The Vampire Nation is riddled with intrigues and plots with counterplots, as one of the longest living races in the universe seek to alleviate boredom, jostle for power, and strive to make the world a blood fest. Standing tall against them are Rowan, her wonderful intriguing husband Clive, and her friends and family who are determined to get to the root of the problem. Each book in the series features a hunt and a conclusion, but, as it turns out, the problem does not really get eliminated, and like a multi-headed hydra another arm is ready to fight dirty and hit back on the good guys where it hurts. The stories are nonstop action and suspense as readers race along with Rowan, trying to interpret the cryptic messages from a quirky cab driver, her dreams, and visions.

Throughout the series Rowan grows in strength and confidence in the same way as her relationship with Clive grows. She’s as willing to be his shield and buckler as he is to be hers. Their relationship is one of the cornerstones of this series and a great example of how two diverse individuals can work out a way to live together and love seamlessly.

As Rowan narrows down on the cause, it will take the combined strengths and talents of all her friends and family, even as the threat comes so very close to home and they race between America, England, Europe, and back to America. Even as they face down the ultimate challenge and accept help from unexpected quarters, it is clear that this time and this evil has been eradicated.

I know I am not ready to say goodbye to this cast of characters and there definitely appear to me many stories yet to be told, so I hope the author will keep going.


Grade: B

It’s been only days since Rowan and her friends eliminated the immediate threat to magic users and Vampires, but they’re already back on the hunt. Rowan’s out for vengeance, and she’s never been more driven—or angry. But she’s up against a being stronger than any she’s ever fought. To bring it down she’ll need more than the powers the goddess Brigid gave her…This time she’ll need her friends, too.
This was a decent story. Unfortunately when I got it, I didn’t realize it was part of a series or how far down in the series was. That put me at a disadvantage for really liking this book. However, it did peak my interest enough that I would like to go back and read them all.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

I am loving this series so much! This book starts a few days after the last one left off.. So there is alot going on and I won't give anything away but if you've read the last book you NEED to read this one. But I will say that Rowan and her friends are getting so close to figuring everything out! I love Rowan and all her friends.. and of course Clive. I love him.

I am excited to see what happens in the next book.

Even though I somehow missed book 4 (whaaaaa???), I never felt lost with what was going on. Same once again delivers a well-written and fast paced novel. Sad to see this come to an end

I have been waiting for this book for over a year I loved it. One has to read all the other book in series to enjoy this book. I hope this is not the end of the series but if it is I am happy with how story ended.

Absolutely adore this book and will most definitely be collecting the others in the series, I hope to read many more in the future from the author.

I have very much enjoyed this series and the entire cast of characters that the author's so very fertile imagination serves up. This book reads like its the concluding chapter in the series though there are many new threads that I hope will spawn a new series focusing on the magic and chaos users.

The Vampire Nation is riddled with intrigue and gaping holes where vampires plot to overthrow the current authority and make the world a blood fest. Rowan and her so intriguing vampire husband along with a strong cast of characters have slowly but surely trying to identify and eliminate the threats. Even though many of the threats are close to home they don't seem to ultimately destroy the threat until this last chapter.

As they narrow down on the cause, it will take their combined strengths and talents to face down and destroy the perpetrator to make the world a safer place. Readers will enjoy the plot and the threads that come together as the story moves from America, to England, to Europe and back to America.

This is the last day of 2019 and this is my final review of the year. It seemed fitting to close out the year with this book, the sixth book in the Goddess with a Blade series. Why? Because the first book in this series, the book for which the series was named, was the first book I ever reviewed from NetGalley back in 2011 when Reading Reality first started as Escape Reality, Read Fiction.

I still remember not just the book, but the whole scene, sitting at the table in the house we were living in at the time, racing through Goddess with a Blade accompanied by a glass of iced tea and being completely sucked into the world that the author had created.

(As an aside, the cover on the left is the original cover for Goddess with a Blade. I much preferred the original cover aesthetic for the series and wish that they’d continued in that direction. My 2 cents.)

So this is a series that I read and review pretty much as soon as the next one appears on NetGalley. And here we are, six books in and Rowan Summerwaite is very much still going strong. Goddess strong.

But this is the sixth book in an ongoing series, and the events in Blood and Blade are the direct consequences of the shit that went down in the previous book, Wrath of the Goddess. And the story in Wrath of the Goddess is a consequence of what went right and wrong in the previous books.

So this one is the end of the chain. It doesn’t feel like the end of the series, but it is definitely the end of the long arc. As someone who has read the whole thing – although not nearly recently enough, it felt like I could hear the thud of one door closing echoing throughout the entire book – along with the whisper-creak of the next door being wrestled open at the other side.

In other words, this is no place to start the series. It would be like watching Avengers: Endgame without watching any of the movies that led up to it. The endgame has no resonance without knowing where the game began.

But if you’re looking for a fascinating and compelling blend of urban fantasy and paranormal romance, this series has all the mysterious mythology, arrogant but romantic vampires, ugly political infighting and kickass heroines you’ll ever want to meet.

Start with Goddess with a Blade and watch Rowan Summerwaite kick ass, take names and bring down corruption with a load of snark, a lot of deeply hidden heart, and one really big-ass sword.

Escape Rating B+: You can’t start the series here. Period. Exclamation point. It just won’t make any sense whatsoever. That being said, there is so much that still needs cleaning up that has been festering for so damn long that it was a bit difficult to get back into exactly where Rowan was at the end of Wrath of the Goddess and what’s left to clean up.

What I loved about this series from the very beginning is the depth of the worldbuilding. One of the things that I’ve always loved about urban fantasy is the way that it twists on the world we know and adds so much depth, both in its mythology and in its politics. Immortal beings tend to hold immortal grudges and I really dig on watching that play out in the modern world.

Another thing I love about this series in particular is the way that Rowan in particular, as well as her relationship with Clive, reminds me very fondly of Eve Dallas and Roarke in the In Death series. Rowan and Eve have a LOT of traits in common, to the point that if their worlds ever collided they’d either adopt each other as sisters or fight to the death because they are too much alike. But they both have the kind of no-nonsense attitude with full snarkitude, that I adore along with the brains and strength to back it up.

I compare their relationship to Eve and Roarke because Rowan and Clive also start out on what look like the opposite sides of a barbed-wire fence and work out their relationship early in the series. Dane, like Robb, does an excellent job of portraying a romance that is still sweet, hot and occasionally barbed between two strong-willed alpha personalities and that’s always fun to watch.

This series has been a wild and marvelous ride from the very beginning. It is obvious from the way that Blood and Blade ends that there are more stories to be told in Rowan’s world – and I can’t wait to read them.

I voluntarily offered to review this book with no obligations and my opinions are honest!
This was a great book !
This book continues were the last book left off.
Rowan, Clive, and the gang continue to hunt the members of the Blood Front.
When Hunters are being killed off, Rowan will not stand for that.
With the addition of her familiar, Star, Rowan set out to deliver justice.
Like the previous books in the series, you can expect lots of actions, intrigues, etc...
Loved the characters + the storytelling !
It has all the ingredients that you need for a great book!
I can't wait for the next book in this series.

There was something about this one...Rowan seems settled, Clive the same. Sure they are running around chasing the big bad, but as a couple they are good. Even amid the chaos that they fall in they are finding their stride of working together, making sure that they and their people are safe. The later an important factor as some of the bad hit a bit too close to home for Clive. I thought they managed the situation in a good way, but better was the aftermath when they had to tell the First.

I also think Rowan in on a great idea of how new hunter groups should work, the hard part will be getting all the parties involved to agree with her. Maybe with the help of her new wonder dog she can prevail.

Rowan might be a strong hunter whose husband happens to be an ancient vampire and the scion of North America but even she needs to slow down. She has just been given a kelpie Star is her new guide and she can't wait to take her home to show Clive. He might be a big strong vampire who likes to be in charge and she knows that Star is going to get to him. Things haven't been going well lately with Clive and Rowan knows she needs to get her witch friend in to see if she can help. Clive isn't too fond of that idea but he will do as she asks. Rowan is still working on taking the blood front down and she knows that she has to be careful about the way that she does it as it could cause problems with Clive. Unfortunately Clive finds out that some of his family is involved in buying illegal magic spells and he has no choice but to clean up their mess. Being Scion isn't always easy and it can be deadly & bloody but Clive has to follow the rules like everyone else. Will they be able to stop the blood front for good or will they come for them? A good interesting read. I was lucky enough to receive a copy from netgalley and the publishing house in exchange for my honest review.

The series is pretty good, however it isn’t my favorite of her books. The story went along at a pretty even pace, but the big moment seemed rushed which is a shame. The characters get better with each book.

Blood and Blade is the sixth book in Lauren Dane’s Goddess of the Blade Series.

This book picks up a few days after Rowan and her friends eliminated the immediate threat to vampires and magic users. The hunt is still on and everyone works to undercover the people or person responsible for ordering the death of her friends and countless other innocents. But this time, the being involved is stronger then anyone has ever seen. Rowan must rely on the Goddess, Clive and her friends if they are to succeed. Will they survive the coming battle? Read it and find out.

Blood and Blade is another great instalment to the Goddess of the Blades series. It has a great balance between love, humour and suspense that keeps the reader from putting the book down until it’s finished. Rowan and Clive continue to be an amazing and quirky couple that work together to protect the ones they love. They balance each others’ strengths and smooth each others sharp edges, proving that the love they share knows no bounds. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series to see how their relationship grows.

I received an ebook copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review.

This is book six in a series. I had not read the previous books so I didn’t really understand the back story of the characters. I don’t think this works as a stand alone. The first ¾ of the book was spent ferreting out and killing conspirators of the Blood Front. Unfortunately, most of the action is only spoken about after the fact. This part was full of pleasant meals, pleasant sex and just over all pleasant conversations. The characters talk about how badass they are but I didn’t experience any of it because it took place in the background. Frankly, I struggled to get through it. The last ¼ of the book was full of action but I felt like it was too little too late. I know there are more books in this series but I like when there is more closure. If I had read the previous books I might have enjoyed this but it was just too bland for me. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Love this author. She supplies the right amount of suspense, humor, and romance in her books! This one was no disappointment! Rowan is a hunter. She’s married to a Vampire named Clive. He’s just not any vampire, but the scion of North America! When hunters are coming up it just makes Rowan mad, so with Clive, a witch, and her mysterious dog, she sets out to put an end to the killing of her friends!

I read and reviewed this advanced free copy of this book from NetGalley

This series is improving with each instalment and this was gripping and entertaining.
The cast of characters and the world building are excellent as usual and the plot is well crafted.
Can't wait to read another book by this author.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I recommend that the previous books in this series be read first - not having read them I found that the characters and their place in the scheme to things were hard to relate to .

Rowan and her friends are getting closer to finding out the cause of all their pain and suffering ………… finding out about the Blood Front confuses the issue even more .
The book seems to be almost in parts …… 3/4 is spent hunting and investigating their enemies , 1/4 feels a rushed fight and climax .
The power that some characters hold means that they are essential to the continuation of the storyline …… killing them at this time would perhaps alter the Author's potential climax to the final book in the series .
There is both humour and action within the book which I found enjoyable but not enough to keep me enthralled .
Perhaps I need to read the previous books to put the characters in their proper place within the story line , and then re-read this book .

I was given an ARC of this book by Netgalley and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I'm so damn happy to see this series gets better and better.
The characters actually change and evolve throughout the books.

Rowan and her friends are getting closer to the finish line, to finding the person responsible for all their pain and suffering. They find out more about the Blood Front and there are some things they did not see coming.
The big villain behind it all. Kind of disappointing. Such a major power and they dealt with it pretty fast. I've seen a pattern with these books where the majority of the book they investigate and hunt the enemy and the fight at the end is rushed and not that exciting because most of the characters are too important to the story to have anything happen to them.
Or maybe I'm wrong. The author could be waiting to destroy us all with an awesome ending for the series. One can hope.

Am I the only one that isn't that impressed with Genevieve? Sure, she's powerful but I just don't really like her.

Star was an unexpected and awesome addition. And I like that Rowan and Clive accepted her so easily and fast.

I really hope the next book will focus on the celebrations at the Keep and we get to see more of Theo. He's a lovable scary bastard, but I like him. Plus that it's so damn amusing to see Rowan deal with idiots at these events.

So. If you liked the previous books then definitely read this one because the story only gets better.

I struggled with Blood and Blade, and I’m not sure why, I love this series. I was in a bit of a reading funk, not knowing exactly what I wanted to read, so that could be the cause. Either way, the first half of this book was just difficult for me. I knew the story, I knew the characters, but it was just blah for me. I kept having to put it down because it just wasn’t interesting. Even though things were happening, and the story was developing, it didn’t suck me in. Again that could just be the mindset I was in when I started. I really was in a funk and wasn’t sure of even the type of book I wanted to be reading.

I didn’t have that same problem with the last half of the book. That I really enjoyed and it finally sucked me in like I needed it too. I’m looking forward to what Rowan and Clive get into next, and what happens with some side characters after the events of Blood and Blade.