Genre: Paranormal, Erotica, Historical, Romance
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay
Reviewer: Maryann
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About The Book
“What man will perpetrate on man. I’ve seen so much that I’m sick at heart. I could cry.”
So says the mysterious man who appears one night in the British trench on the Western Front. Private Stephen Sutherland is deep into the soul-destroying horror of the Somme when the vampire Istvan finds him.
The attraction is instant but Stephen, and his friend Sam, are about to go over the top and Istvan knows they will not survive. He’s not allowed to make new vampires, on orders of the vampire king, Emil, but Emil hasn’t been heard of in long years, since he fought Istvan in Prague and disappeared without trace. His memory lingers long, tainting Istvan’s life.
Istvan has a choice. Allow the soldiers to become casualties of war or save their lives and make them immortal.
A dark, steamy m/m tale of blood lust and vampire power games.
Previously published. Revised and extended with brand new covers.
The Review
June 1916. France is at war with Germany in the Somme.
For six months, British soldier Private Stephan Sutherland has fought in the war. He’s now on guard duty, watching the “no man’s land” between his camp and the German soldiers. He sees a man walking toward him and tries to warn him. The man is shot by a German soldier. Stephan sees him collapse, but when he tries to locate him with his binoculars, he’s not there.
Suddenly the man appears before Stephan. He’s attractive, and introduces himself as Istvan Blasko. They talk about the war that Istvan doesn’t understand. How can man kill man? So much destruction. He tells Stephan he’s trying to find a place to escape it all. As they become closer, the attraction builds, and Stephan feels the shame of his secret. Then everything goes dark.
Stephan is awakened by his friend, Private Samuel Bevan. On shaky legs, he struggles awake and is embarrassed that he had fallen asleep in the trench. He remembers an awful dream. He’s also been bitten by something.
Sam has hidden his feelings from Stephan, and Stephan has done the same. But there is no time left for them, as all those who fight are going over the top of the trenches.
Istvan Blasko had saved his friend Severin and his lover Nikolas from the evil Emil. Emil was his maker, a two hundred and fifteen year old vampire. He always had hope for the relationship between him, but it was not to be. He’ ha’s left Prague behind and finds himself in France, where a devastating war is taking place. He finds two British soldiers fighting in the senseless war: Stephan and Samuel. He knows they may not survive the war, and finds himself making choices that have been against vampire law, at least according to Emil.
Blood Tears is the second book in Blackwell’s “Dark Blood” series, and splits its time between World War I n France and Budapest, Hungary in 1701, when Emil Meissner and Istvan met.
Book two is more of an historical story than the first one, Blood Kisses. It delves deep into the fear, pain, and depression of the soldiers who had to fight and lost their lives. It’s very emotional, especially for Istvan, who still has some human feelings and doesn’t like to see man is pit against man.
This dark paranormal novella is heavy on the erotica MMM an more, but then again, it’s vampires, and that’s the way they comfort each other.
I was still thoroughly entertained with Blood Tears. You should read Blood Kisses first. With each story, Blackwell goes deeper into the characters. The next one, Blood Wine, will focus on the confused and lonely Samuel Bevan.
The Reviewer
Hi, I’m Maryann, I started life in New York, moved to New Hampshire and in 1965 uprooted again to Sacramento, California. Once I retired I moved to West Palm Beach, Florida in 2011 and just moved back to Sacramento in March of 2018. My son, his wife and step-daughter flew out to Florida and we road tripped back so they got to see sights they have never seen. New Orleans and the Grand Canyon were the highlights. Now I am back on the west coast again to stay! From a young age Ialways liked to read.
I remember going to the library and reading the “Doctor Dolittle” books by Hugh Lofting. Much later on became a big fan of the classics, Edgar Alan Poe, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and as time went by Agatha Christie, Ray Bradbury and Stephen Kingand many other authors.
My first M/M shifter book I read was written by Jan Irving the “Uncommon Cowboys” series from 2012. She was the first author I ever contacted and sent an email to letting her know how much I liked this series. Sometime along the way I read “Zero to the Bone”by Jane Seville, I think just about everyone has read this book!
As it stands right now I’m really into mysteries, grit, gore and “triggers” don’t bother me. But if a blurb piques my interest I will read the book.
My kindle collection eclectic and over three thousand books and my Audible collection is slowly growing. I have both the kindle and audible apps on my ipod, ipads, and MAC. So there is never an excuse not to be listening or reading.
I joined Goodreads around 2012 and started posting reviews. One day a wonderful lady, Lisa Horan of The Novel Approach, sent me an email to see if I wanted to join her review group. Joining her site was such an eye opener. I got introduce to so many new authors that write for the LGBTQ genre. Needless to say, it was heart breaking when it ended.
But I found a really great site, QRI and it’s right here in Sacramento. Last year at QSAC I actually got to meet Scott Coatsworth, Amy Lane and Jeff Adams.