This book was amazing !

First, thank you to @wednesdaybooks for letting me read an ARC through Netgalley for an honest review.

The Dangerous Ones was an epic historical YA Romantasy full of battles, vengeance, strong and brave characters and fights for freedom and justice.

The banter between Jerusalem and Alexei, the two main characters, was so good ! They made me laugh many times. The inner conflict of Jerusalem because she's falling for Alexei, her trainer was so well written. Even if she's falling for him, she hates him because of what he is and what he represents in her life.

When I finished the book, I wished there was more. I needed more and I hope there is gonna be more in another book even if it felt like it was the end.

Read this book if you like :

✨ Forbidden Romance ;
✨ Enemies to Lovers ;
✨ YA Historical Romantasy ;
✨ Vampires, Saints, Werewolf ;
✨ Epic Fights ;
✨ Standalone.

One vampire to kill. Another to love.

War doesn’t scare Jerusalem. She’s a Saint. Thanks to powerful demigod-style reflexes, endurance, and strength, she’s fearless. And she has one goal - revenge.

But she never expects to team up with the handsome, arrogant Alexei to accomplish it. He’s one of those Ancient Vampires. And ever since her family was enslaved and murdered by one, Jerusalem hates vampires.

But in the year they've been fighting alongside one another against the Confederate Army and the vampires who benefitted off slavery, Alexei’s never done anything but prove he’s on the Union’s side and hers. She may know the enemy better, hate the enemy more than anyone in her battalion, but so does he. And she’ll use that to her advantage. Because if she can get her revenge by helping Black people gain freedom and equality without having to steal it for themselves like she had to, then all the better.

Together, she and Alexei set out to change the course of the war, risking their hearts and themselves as they attempt to take down the vampire who destroyed everyone Jerusalem held dear. But for Jerusalem, it’s about more than love and justice.

It's about killing a god.

My Take:
It took me a while to get into the rhythm of this book; at times, I was uncertain about its intended audience and the takeaway. Although it's marketed as a romantasy, I'm not persuaded that the romantic leads truly loved each other. Additionally, a significant shift in a main character's thinking felt inauthentic. However, the premise was intriguing and the action scenes were well-executed. Maybe if the narrative had centered more on a revenge quest with a touch of romance, it would have resonated with me better. I'm giving rounding up and awarding it three stars.

"The Dangerous Ones" by Lauren Blackwood offers a brilliant blend of fantasy, romance, and historical intrigue. Set against the backdrop of the Civil War, the novel introduces us to Jerusalem, a Saint endowed with remarkable abilities, and Alexei, an Ancient Vampire with a dark past. Their unlikely alliance in the fight against the Confederates and vampire allies sets the stage for a thrilling tale of revenge, redemption, and forbidden love.

Blackwood skillfully navigates through the complex and sensitive themes of racism, slavery, and trauma, weaving them into the fabric of the narrative with remarkable sensitivity and depth. Rather than shying away from these difficult topics, the novel confronts them head-on, providing a nuanced exploration of their impact on the characters and their world.

Through the experiences of characters like Jerusalem, who has endured the horrors of slavery and the loss of her family at the hands of vampires, and Alexei, who grapples with the weight of his own dark past, the novel sheds light on the profound and lasting effects of systemic oppression and violence. These themes are not merely background elements but are integral to the characters' identities and motivations, driving their actions and shaping their relationships with one another.

In doing so, "The Dangerous Ones" not only entertains with its thrilling plot and captivating romance but also provokes thought and discussion about important social issues, making it a truly impactful and resonant read.

While I did enjoy the romance between Jerusalem and Alexei, I wished for more insight into their journey from distrust to love, feeling that witnessing their gradual transformation would have deepened their connection. Additionally, I found the concept of the Saints intriguing, but I desired more details about their origins and powers to enrich the narrative further. Nonetheless, the unique spin on the fantasy genre drew me in, and I was captivated by the story's progression.

Overall, "The Dangerous Ones" is a captivating read that offers a fresh take on the paranormal romance genre. While it has its minor flaws, including gaps in character development and a desire for more world-building, the novel's fast-paced plot, engaging characters, and exploration of relevant themes make it a compelling addition to any bookshelf

VAMPIRES VAMPIRES VAMPIRES VAMPIRES!!!

I am a sucker for any book involving vampires and The Dangerous Ones had me hooked. I devoured this book is one sitting. If I could go back and read it all over the first time again, I 100% would.

This started out so strong. That first chapter had me hooked. An enslaved girl escaping vampires... then joins the Civil War to fight against Vampires but she's in love with one??? Yes! But the story went down hill so fast. I absolutely could not stand the modern language being used in the civil war era. I tried to ignore it but it was driving me crazy. Also Jerusalem was just absolutely terrible to everyone. I wanted to love this and to finish it but I could not get over it and I found myself so bored with the story so I had to DNF.

The concept of this one was excellent — vampires during the Civil War! I don’t often read historical fantasy, but when I do I love it.
The idea of saints — humans with super powers — was a cool one! The introduction to Jerusalem and her abilities started off strong and then we advanced by a year — and a lot happened in that one year. That was the first shift in the story that threw me off course but, I could roll with it. I figured eventually I’d find out how she got from point A to point B. However, I also got hung up on the language early on with this one. It didn’t feel authentic to the time period and I found myself pulled more out then in. There was also a heap of insta-love on one side of this equation and considering how the other acted I’m not even sure how we got to that point. All-in-all the idea was great, this just wasn’t the best book for me. Thank you so much to Wednesday for the chance to read and review early.

The Dangerous Ones by Lauren Blackwood is a fun mix of Revenge and Romantasy set against the backdrop of the Civil War. Reminds me a bit of Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter except not all Vampires are bad (but they are all dangerous).

Jerusalem is a Saint, dangerous in her own right with skills lethal enough to kill a vampire. She has a huge chip on her shoulder against all vampires and who could blame her. Her southern vampire slave owners killed her family and tried to kill her. Yet, arrogant, handsome, Vampire Alexei works for the North so they are forced to live, work and fight together.

He’s smitten by her right off the bat (pun intended lol) but her attraction to him is more of a slow burn. He is after all everything she hates but they have more in common than she knows. Love their chemistry. Love the history the author brings into the story. Definitely among my favorite reads this year.

Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press / Wednesday Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

A genre bending, historical fiction paired with fantasy and romance - give me a vampire and a little magic, and I'm pretty much sure to be in regardless of the time period.

While fictional, with a side of paranormal romance (think historical Buffy the Vampire Slayer with all the angst and tension we love in an enemies to lovers story), this was also a raw and brutal reminder of the tragic and hard fought past of our country and the historical fight for freedom and equality. Some of the descriptions were heartbreaking and graphic, in regards to the true life horrors that slaves went through during the Civil War and beyond. While these stories are hard to take in, it is imperative that we do.

Dual POV, fast paced and action packed, this one kept me reading late into the night to find out what happened next.

The Dangerous Ones dropped today!

I am always curious about a vampire book and what it can bring new to the genre or keep as tradition. I like that this one is set in a historical period: the Civil War. But I liked the audiobook more. The narrator did a great job making the main character braver, sassy, and rebellious not only against the monsters who hurt her family but also against white powerful men telling her what to do. Her revenge is everything. Has a lot of YA interest.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed the concept of Civil War but make it with vampires and supernatural people which really made it interesting. I think for me when reading fantasy I like detail especially when dealing with the origin of powers. Like we get the whole backstory on Alexei and how/when he was turned. But what is the story of the Saints? Especially since it seemed the Saint powers were only given to BIPOC people? Which hell yeah? Give the Demi god powers to the people that’s being enslaved. Also I wanted to know why Alexei was unaware of the identity of the woman who turned him? Like why was kept from him especially since he had multiple encounters with the woman in the past?

Despite those couple things I did enjoy the story. I was a little over the how Jerusalem was toward Alexei. But her actions and reactions were understandable considering her story. I just figured after the time the two spent together I would think that she would no longer treat him the way she did.

3.75 ⭐️

Thanks to publishers and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was okay. it I didn't care for the characters after a while; Jerusalem's attitude and immature choices annoyed me.

Also, can we talk about how they talk modern slang? It took me out of the historical fantasy story more than a handful of times.

Thanks Netgalley and Wednesday books for the eARC.

The themes contained within the book are quite heavy - I recommend looking over the trigger warnings listed by the author at the beginning of the book.
I enjoyed my time with this book even though it is quite dark. The author does not gloss over the violence suffered by the characters over the course of their lives. I felt that, while not ever having been a victim of racism, I was able to get a sense of the suffering experienced by the victims of the slave trade. The author painted a rather grim picture for the reader. As the story progresses, we get to see some hope as the main character, Jerusalem, becomes more empowered.
The cast of characters was fantastic. I liked Odessa and Gael, but loved Alexei. Alexei is the character that brings some light to all of the darkness. Despite his past, he seems to be able to maintain his optimism. The growth of Jerusalem and Alexei throughout the story is significant, especially the friendship and relationship that develops between them. This is very much an enemies-to-lovers as Jerusalem is determined to hate Alexei right up until the end.
The story takes place during the American Civil War, but adds a fantasy touch with vampires and other mythical beings. What I found interesting was the addition the author made to the vampires capabilities. I have read a number of stories with vampires, but haven’t come across any in which the vampires are able to shift into multiple forms - but maybe that’s just me and I have to read more vampire books.
This story kept me engaged and on the edge of my seat for most of it. I simply devoured it in only two days. What brings my rating down a star is some of the language choice as some of the words chosen didn’t feel quite right to the time period.
I recommend this to anyone that enjoys fantasy that takes place in our world, more specifically in a historical setting. If you enjoy books with vampires, a dual POV, and characters with undeniable chemistry.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an e-arc of the book. The opinions expressed are honest and my own.

*Title: The Dangerous Ones

*Release date: 5/14/24 read: 5/12/24

*Author: Lauren Blackwood-new to me author

*Format: E-book (359 pgs.) and audiobook (11:06 run time)

🙏🏾 Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books, and Macmillan Audio for this ARC & ALC💙 ! I voluntarily give an honest review and all opinions expressed are my own.

*Narrator: Angel Pean and Jay Ben Markson-Loved Jerusalem's Southern twang and Alexei's Russian accent. The reading style brought the story to life and the pacing was great and flowed easily with the story. The narration and the author were in sync, and they fit together perfectly.

*Setting: Virginia June, 1862

*Genre: AA interests, Historical/Paranormal Romance, Fantasy

*Tropes: magic, vampires, Saints-humans with preternatural abilities (strength, endurance, demigod reflexes) that fight for the Union, New Bloods-vampires 50 years old or less

*Look out for: racial discrimination, slavery, physical abuse, SA attempt, murder

*Synopsis: Jerusalem has escaped the plantation that killed her family. She finds other Saints fighting in the Civil War on the Union side. They hunt vampires except those on their side, like Alexei. Alexei is an Ancient vampire over a three hundred old, and he along with humans Odessa, Gael, and the Colonel fight the Confederates.

🎭*Characters
* Jerusalem-18, slave name "Dido," lived w/mother, father, sister Lila( 14), and brother Matthew(16) . Their mistress Adelaide Troy is an Ancient vampire as evil as they come. Jerusalem wants nothing but revenge for her family.

* Alexei-was turned in Russia 1500s when he was 18. The "Red Mask" was his maker who he scared the life out of him because of the torture she inflicted.

*Odessa- a human, ex- slave and mother figure to Jerusalem. She leads missions against the Confederates and helps Jerusalem find` vampires to get revenge on.

*Gael-a Saint, in love w/ Odessa, speaks Spanish

*Adelaide Troy- also known as the "Red Mask." Zamir the Mangler is a serial killer and an Ancient who helped Alexei escape but didn't help when he has tortured..

*Review : This had everything. Star crossed lovers, war, and plenty of action. Jerusalem was such a head strong heroine even when she was wrong. I loved the witty banter between her and Alexei. Their romance was slow burn considering everything Jerusalem's been through. I didn't care for Odessa and Gael's ending, but I get it after so much trauma. I loved the Twilight, Interview with the Vampire, and John Carter references. How they used the Underground Railroad brought out the history of slaves escaping and going North to freedom. I was satisfied with the ending, but I would love more from Jerusalem and Alexei's adventures!

*Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
*Spice level- 4/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

DNF @ 35%.

The story was staged very well. The characters were likable, and the time period of this book was *chef's kiss*. It reminded me heavily of True Blood, and rather enjoyed that aspect.

However, I got bored, fast. The story moved slowly, and I kept wishing for more excitement. The excitement is probably there further along, but if I have to get 35% in and STILL be bored, that's just not for me.

The Dangerous Ones is a standalone alternate fantasy - one in which the Civil War is fought with the help of vampires and demi-gods (called "Saints"). Jerusalem is a saint who escaped slavery about a year ago and is now seeking vengeance on her former master's wife, who just happens to be a vampire. Jerusalem hates all vampires since they killed her entire family. However one vampire has been working with the saints the whole year Jerusalem has been free and although she says she doesn't trust him, she also knows he's different from the other vampires that once held her in captivity. Alexei is a vampire fighting on the union side and is drawn to Jerusalem unlike anything he's ever experienced. They soon realize that they have a mutual enemy and work together to try to bring her down.

There were parts of this I liked - I thought the beginning was really engaging and had me invested in the characters and where the story was going. I liked Jerusalem's strength and that Alexei never considered her weak or incapable due to her being a female.

Unfortunately, after a while I realized that I really didn't care about what was going on in the plot. The relationship came out of nowhere for me (or at least in terms of Jerusalem, we had spent enough time in Alexei's head to know he loved her even though I'm not sure it was shown much to us). I think what wrenched me out of the story in particular was that, though the book is set in the Civil War era, the language is incredibly modern - so it never really felt grounded into the time period for me. And for a book set in the Civil War there was...honestly not that much to do with the Civil War itself? The ending was also a little all over the place for me.

I liked the narration by Angel Pean. I didn't love Jay Ben Markson's choices for narration, particularly his voice for Jerusalem when we were in Alexei's POV. I am glad it was dual narration though, as I do feel like it added to the story.

Read this for:
- Alternate fantasy (Civil War)
- BIPOC Character
- Vampires and other creatures
- Strong FMC

Thank you to Wednesday Books for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily,

This really missed the mark for me. Honestly, my biggest issue with this story was the language. I found that a lot of the AAVE was often not antebellum accurate, which really drew me out of the story a good amount. It also made it really hard to ascertain what the setting actually was, and for a bit I forgot that it was literally taking place during the Civil War. I wasn't a huge fan of the characters, and I found that the world-building fell pretty flat because of the writing and characters--this whole story just wasn't for me.
Also, and please excuse me if I don't articulate this well, but I am a black woman in an interracial relationship right now and I found the relationship in this story to just be a little...weird. For lack of a better descriptor, at times I found this to be a bit fetishizing.

Overall, I can see why people would like this--if you're looking for a pretty accessible historical romance you'd probably enjoy this a decent amount.

I enjoyed a fantasy twist to this civil war historical fiction. It also has a great enemy's to lovers story about to characters are literally made to be enemies. A white male vampire and the tiny African American female Saint (which are human with special abilities, meant to be vampire predators). We witness Jeruselum's escape from salvery, dealing with the loss of most of her family, strugglers with falling in love with the very thing she is meant to destroy and much more.

The Dangerous Ones delves into the an alternative world set during the Civil War but is supernatural, with superhumans and vampires. I loved the premise and the relationship between Jerusalem and Alexei is quick-witted and captivating. This story tackles some hard issues like racism, sexism and slavery and the alternative take was at once new and familiar. While I enjoyed the story overall, there were some parts that fell flat or did not come together completely.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

Going to listen to the audiobook on this to finish it, but what I've read so far I've really enjoyed

This book had so much potential. The synopsis sounds amazing and it has a lot of tropes that I love. Also, this would've been the second vampire book I've ever read so I was excited for that because it's always interesting to see how each author portrays paranormal beings.

Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I could tell within the first chapter but I continued a bit to see if I would like it anymore. And I didn't. I really didn't like Jerusalem at all. And I didn't like the way she spoke. I understand that she is Black and from the south in 1863 so they have different verbiage but it wasn't consistent. Her dialogue had her southern accent and then her inner monologue had completely normal speaking. The inconsistency made it hard to read and honestly, just super annoying.

Alexei was better but the writing was so cringey with him that I didn't even want to read in his POV either. He would say super weird sentences and say something out loud in English and then be like "I said to him in Spanish" but it was English. I know the author was probably just trying to help us understand what he said but I think Blackwood could've actually written some things in the other languages to make the book a little bit more interesting.

Also, this is set in 1863 and there was so much modern dialogue in it. If you're going to write a historical book, then you should do research into how they spoke back then.

Overall, I wouldn't recommend this book. Sure, the plot sounds interesting and the book could get better the longer you read it, but I don't think it's worth it.