(Adult) Book Review: Blood Reunited



Blood Reunited by Amber Belldene
(Blood Vine #3)
January 28, 2014
Omnific Publishing
Genre: Adult Paranormal 18+
(contains: strong language, sex including m/m)
Source: eARC from author for Honest review

Book Blurb:

Brooding vampire halfling and biologist Bel Maras is determined to create a cure for the wasting disease that plagues his vampire family. His work becomes essential as the Hunters intensify their global and bloody campaign. When Bel's cure fails, only his ancient and estranged godmother Uta Ilirije can help. But seeing the ice-cold Uta reveals something shocking--she is his bonded mate.

She may be a dangerous warrior, but Uta feels her failures acutely. She has been unable to protect her kind from Hunters, and vampires are dying out. Worse, she tied Bel to her long ago in an accident of blood, then abandoned him for his own good--a choice he has never forgiven. Many days, she is convinced Bel and the vampires would be better off if she just walked into the sun.

Biology has fated them to be mates. Now these old enemies must overcome their past to save the vampires and come to peace with the bond they never chose.

My Review:

I love this series. Each book in this trilogy has been amazing, and Blood Reunited is no exception. There is something so special about these complex and appealing characters with their gripping and richly-layered storyline. If you've been drawn in by the first two books, then you are in for an amazing conclusion to this trilogy. And if you haven't started this series yet, I highly recommend it for the Adult reader.

Blood Reunited picks up where Blood Entangled left off, and kept me glued to the pages until the very end. I will not give away plot details, but be ready for some highly creative, imaginative reading, taking us in all sorts of directions, being completely entertaining at the same time. I loved that Belldene did not make things easy for her characters. There are wins and losses, redemption and failure, love and hope. Problems had to be challenged and faced head-on. Ultimately I loved and respected where she eventually brought her characters and their community. Belldene brought it all together splendidly.

Uta may be my favorite character from this series. She has so many layers, so much depth, so many years of her life, so much history, so much heart. There's just so much to her and I loved getting to know her. She is a powerful warrior queen with this amazing strength, who can also be so hilarious, zinging us with some great lines. But behind it all is a vulnerable woman aching to be loved and understood. Her heartache is deep. Oh how my heart broke for her! To live as long as she has, to do all that she has done for her people, and to struggle with all that she feels. I loved her and admired where her journey eventually took her.

Then there's Bel, who finally found answers to his questions in book two, and here he must face it all. I could completely understand and empathize with his plethora of conflicting feelings and emotions. His confusion, his bitterness, his longing, and also feelings of betrayal. And besides all the personal stuff, the scientist in him was desperately trying to save his people. What he faced was so hard to watch.  I knew what I wanted for him, but also knew an easy solution would have felt false. But just like Uta, I loved that we witnessed the depths of his journey and loved where it eventually led him.

We also get to see all our favorites from this series. Pedro and Lucas are well represented in not just the progression of their relationship (yes, there's some m/m action), but also with their role in the scope of the trilogy plot. We get our Maras family, and I loved Andre's continued fatherly role and the strength and love he continued to show. And unfortunately, we also get the bad guys, the misunderstood guys, and one particular broken female character that just made me completely sad. All this combined for an amazing, layered read.

Bottomline: I loved this entire trilogy, and Blood Reunited is a fabulous conclusion. Amber Belldene has woven a tale full of sensual characters who have such beautiful depths to them, engaged in a world full of rich detail and amazing layers that I found so well thought out, engrossing me in their compelling story. My only criticism is that this is the last book, because I will miss the Maras's and their extended family greatly. Well done!

5 STARS

 

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Series Order and Book Links:
  
#1 BLOOD VINE - My Review / Amazon / Goodreads
#2 BLOOD ENTANGLED - My Review / Amazon / Goodreads
#3 BLOOD REUNITED - My Review / Amazon / Goodreads