Historical fiction with vampires and romance? IMMEDIATELY YES! This book was incredible!!! I hope there’s a special edition of it!

4.5 rounded to 5!
Absolutely gripping: I'm not a huge fan of vampire stories but this kept the pages turning. Adventure, fighting, relationships, and more.

I loved Jerusalem’s voice and her determination. Her conflicting emotions about Alexei felt very real. I did also like the Alexei POV parts, though they didn’t grip me like Jerusalem did.

Good cast of supporting characters, a very nasty villain, and a satisfying conclusion round it out.
I got a review copy from the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Thank you Wednesday Books, St Martin’s Press, #SMPInfluencers and Lauren Blackwood for this free early copy.
“The Dangerous Ones” by Lauren Blackwood ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: Historical Fantasy with Romance. Location: Virginia and Pennsylvania, USA. Time: 1863-American Civil War. Triggers: War, slavery, blood/gore, abuse.

Imagine: An alternative 1860s America. Slavery and torture are rampant, and honorable citizens want Black people to be given full rights. But Southern slave owners are vampires, and the Underground Railroad is run by supernatural power.

Jerusalem is 18 years old, a 5-foot-tall Black woman born into slavery. At 17, she escaped North after her vampire owner murdered her family. Now she’s the “Demon Saint”, with demigod-style reflexes, endurance, and strength. Her weapon is a tall spear. Since the Confederates and Southern vampires declared civil war, Jerusalem and her fellow Saints fight for the Union Army. She wants revenge, and to help Black people gain freedom and equality. She teams up with Union supporter Alexei/the White Wolf (one of those handsome, arrogant Ancient Vampires from Europe). Their mission: change the course of the war, and take down the vampire who destroyed everyone Jerusalem loved.

Author Blackwood has written a book about a young Black woman seeking vengeance, finding love, and taking charge of her own life. It’s full of emotions- both pain and joy. It’s also full of fantasy tropes about hot, powerful people. She uses 2 points of view with flashbacks to Jerusalem’s life in slavery, and to Alexei’s early life in 1500s Russia. Blackwood’s book is a heady mix of magic, romance, and a reminder of the horrors of the American Civil War. Her amazing world building takes us to a South where the skies are always filled with smoke and ash, to the battlefield where soldiers too young to be there are killed, where people range in age from 18 to 300 to 6000 years old. It’s a definite 5 stars from me!🌵📚💁🏼‍♀️

Thank you to NetGalley and NetGalley and St. Martin's press for this book.

I enjoyed every page. I love historical fiction and vampires, so this was a yes for me.

The combination of the civil war and vampires was amazing! I could not put this book down. The characters Jerusalem and Alexei are fantastic.

If you love historicalfiction andd the paranormal, you will enjoy this read.

Fivev stars from me. Recomnend.

Will be posted on GoodReads, Storygraph and Instagram.

Overview: The FMC is a former slave of a vampire who has killed her family. It's the Civil War time, and she enlists in the Union army. She realizes she is "Saint," a preternaturally strong, fighter, who's purpose is to help kill the vampires that are in the Confederacy. Jerusalem, the FMC, develops feelings for an old vampire (white, male) who is fighting for the Union and also wants revenge against the same vampire. Story is told from dual POV, the FMC and MMC.

It's a bit difficult for me to put into words how much this book irked me, or in hindsight that I should have just DNF'd it (but those ratio scores, right?). Why? For several reasons:
Really disliked the FMC, who is stubborn, impulsive (admittedly so), and it doesn't really do it for this reader. The MMC is a bit more rounded, with a moment of internal struggle of what's right/wrong. The weird predatory feelings of the the MMC towards the FMC, always mentioning her smell and the temptation. I have never read Twilight, so maybe it's just as cringy and there are some readers totally into that. One could even say that it's a bit white savior-ish, but I think it's just the characters that the author wrote, developed, and it just so happens to be a former slave who is black falling in love with an old/ancient, white vampire, and they are both on the mission.

Maybe someone could argue otherwise that this deserves a higher rating. As always, thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this advanced book for a review.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Wednesday Books for this advanced copy. You can pick up The Dangerous Ones on May 14, 2024.

While I loved the premise of this book, the writing style really wasn't for me. It might be because I wasn't in the right mood/headspace to read this book, but I found it difficult to immerse myself in the story and connect with the characters. This might be more of a soft DNF, and I could pick it up again. We love to see vampires and Black girls kicking ass, but the use of modern language in a book set in the 1860s also threw me off a tad.

Unfortunately this book was not for me and I could not finish it. I struggled with a historical novel blending more modern concepts and it felt disjointed and it wasn't my cup of tea.

THE DANGEROUS ONES is about Jerusalem, a Saint with demigod like strength and endurance who escaped enslavement from a vampire after her family was murdered. Since gaining her freedom, she has joined the Union army and met Alexis, a 300 year old Russian vampire who is still trying to prove to her that he’s on her side. When a secret mission goes wrong, Jerusalem and Alexei have to work together to take down the biggest monster of them all—the vampire that destroyed everything Jerusalem loved.

This was a super interesting take on the Civil War, I liked the idea of “what if the irl monsters were LITERAL monsters?” It’s a super awesome worldbuilding question that totally intrigued me, and is what made me pick up this book in the first place. The area where I felt this book fall flat was the pacing. While the story had an interesting beginning, it felt very disconnected from the rest of the plot. I didn’t feel like the REAL story started until about 60% of the way through the book. Then, it totally picked up again at 85% and rushed to the ending.

Aside from that, I did enjoy the interactions between Jerusalem and Alexei and there were some nice action scenes throughout the book.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a honest review.

This was not my cup of tea. Something about it was off. I wasn't really a fan of the story line and some lines were just not it. I had such high hopes but it's a no from me.

There are certain things in books that need to stop:
1. Characters being able to just willy-nilly kill someone who is way stronger than they are and more experienced
2. After killing one person, usually in self-defense, they decide that killing is going to be their new personality.

I'm over it, please stop.
I will admit, I did not make it far in this book but to be fair, within the first three chapters, you get hit with every cheesy, bad stereotype in the book about vampires and YA females.

I'm sorry, but I'm not into it and I won't try and force myself into reading it.

Thanks to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the eARC!

I was entranced from the first page as Jerusalem, a super powered Saint escapes from and kills her vile master.

This book has everything. Supernatural ghoulies, enemies to lovers, and jaw-dropping action sequences.

A modern twist on historical fiction, which I adore!

The Dangerous Ones is a historical fantasy, which takes place during the Civil War. This Civil War has Vampires fighting for the Confederacy, and they have been benefitting from slavery for years. Our main character is fighting for the Union Army and she is part of a group called the Battalion of Saints. Our main character is Jerusalem who has demi god-like reflexes and strength. As she fights alongside Alexi, a 3000-year old Vampire who is on the Union side, they work to not only do their part in the war but also get revenge on those who have hurt them.

I was very excited about the premise of this book. While I liked the story overall, I found the relentless battles and abuse hard to read. It was darker than I expected and I therefore struggled to connect. I think I would have liked it more it there was more background and development of the characters.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a nice book for getting into supernatural books. Not so cheesy and interesting.

I thought that this book was such an interesting concept! I wish there was a little bit more background on where the superhumans stemmed from and how they receive their powers. I did not love the romance in this one and thought that it was a little much at times. It was a super unique story, though, and I found myself enjoying it.

This booktook me on such an amzing journey and I had an amazong time reading it. I cant wait to pick up other titles by this author!

This book had a cool concept and I love vampire stories but this one was a hard one for me. And I honestly think what made it hard was I couldn’t get past how Jerusalem talks and some of the dialog. I understand that it was meant to be in a certain time period but at some moments throughout it just seemed awkward.

There is much to love about this book, including the strong characters, the uniquely re-imagined setting, and the way that flaws of normal teenagers humanize the superhuman pair of protagonists. Set in an American Civil War where vampires are settled in the South and super powerful human Saints lead the fight against them, it is more a fantasy than a historical novel. And more a romance than anything else. The obsessive pining from one side and the violent denial from the other carried on a bit too long for my taste, becoming repetitive enough to dampen my enthusiasm for the story, but overall the brutality of the setting and the inventiveness of the characters and their abilities and the way those things interact with the approximate history carried the story through.

Really enjoyed this one from Lauren Blackwood. The premise was intriguing and well done for the most part and I appreciated that she was unsparing in depicting what Jerusalem's life was like before she escaped from slavery. I did find some of the modern slang jarring (Jerusalem calling Alexi a dumbass and also mentioning him being stuck at 18 and his brain not being fully developed yet - that's a modern concept) but overall I was invested in the story.

Vampire during the Civil War? I thought this plot was very intriguing and the cover was absolutely gorgeous!

"Blood and Liberty" is a gripping blend of romance, fantasy, and historical fiction set against the backdrop of the American Civil War. Lauren Blackwood crafts a captivating narrative, weaving together elements of vampire lore and demigod-like abilities with the tumultuous events of the 1860s.

At the heart of the story is Jerusalem, a fearless Saint endowed with extraordinary powers and a burning desire for revenge against the vampires who enslaved her family. Blackwood skillfully portrays Jerusalem's strength and complexity, making her a compelling protagonist whose journey resonates with themes of justice, freedom, and sacrifice.

The dynamic between Jerusalem and Alexei, an enigmatic Union-aligned vampire, adds depth to the narrative, offering a captivating exploration of loyalty, trust, and unlikely alliances amidst the chaos of war. Their evolving relationship is both poignant and thrilling, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as they navigate the treacherous terrain of enemy territory.

Blackwood's meticulous attention to historical detail brings the setting to life, immersing readers in the harsh realities of Civil War-era America while infusing the narrative with elements of supernatural intrigue. The juxtaposition of historical events with fantastical elements creates a rich and immersive world that feels both familiar and fantastical.

"Blood and Liberty" is a masterfully crafted tale that will appeal to fans of historical fiction, fantasy, and romance alike. Lauren Blackwood's evocative storytelling and compelling characters make this novel a must-read for anyone seeking an unforgettable journey through a world where love and war collide with explosive consequences.

Thank you to Netgalley for the free eARC in exchange for my opinion.