A missing mother. A magical birthright. Can she uncover the secrets of her family legacy before the bloodline runs dry?

Sixteen-year-old Crystal Dylan thought magic only existed in storybooks. But everything changes when she finds out her long-departed mom isn’t dead: she was stolen away by the same power-hungry league now hunting her own enchanted blood. In search of answers, she must make sense of a hidden mystical realm and two mysterious protectors.

Victor is more than just the boy-next-door. As a shifter, he’s lost track of the many lives he’s led and the memories of his true self. But as he stands close to the beautiful Crystal, he can sense his past coming back into focus. So when dark forces threaten to drain Crystal’s powers, he may just have to risk an enchanted kiss that could save her life… or seal her fate.

With enemies closing in, Crystal must find her mom and uncover her magical destiny before her powers fall into the clutches of evil.

I have to be honest and say that this type of book is not my normal read, as you may already know I like my stories to be filled with horror, twists and the occasional blood curling death. Saying that this book surprised me, not just that its a cracking read, but that I found myself enjoying the tale despite the distinct lack of gore.

Blood Crescent is the first in a 3 book series and focuses on Crystal, a normal kid who has had to reinvent herself, hiding her past and growing up really quickly when her Mum disappears and her Dad abandons her. She lies about her age, gets a job and best friend and all’s good with her life. That is until she starts having occasional blackouts, memory lapses and interactions with two rather charming men.

I have to say that the initial setup, for me, took too long. I felt that we spent rather a long time developing the characters, especially Crystals struggles. Don’t get me wrong, this is nothing against the way the story was told, I’m just impatient and as the characters were so well developed, I got where we were going early on and just wanted to get to the implied madness that was coming.

As we progressed though the story I found myself getting a bit confused with the telling and the different character interactions. In all honesty I think this helped rather than hindered, as I was with Crystal every step of the way in her confusion and totally understood her frustration and fears.

Onto the men in her life. I was convinced that I knew at the beginning who was the ‘bad’ guy, Victor right? He was secretive, selfish (a bit sexy of course) and kept appearing at odd times when Crystal either just had a memory blank or had one straight after he left. Then sexy Damien swept in and saved her, so of course here was the ‘good’ guy. By the end of the book I was no longer sure. Damien was also selfish and seemed to want Crystal for what she could do for him not what he could do for her. All in all they’re both good and bad, I have no idea which one she should be with or even if it matters (LOL), all I know is that  need the next book, hear that Stevie?, I NEED the next book, please, I NEED to know what happens!!!!

I think someone used to YA Paranormal of this type will be blown away by Blood Crescent. It has well developed characters, a very interesting story which has a long way to go, which is just as well as there are another two books in the series. I’ll be on the look out for book two as, despite not being my normal reading material, I just have to find out what happens next.

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STEVIE MARIE is the author of young adult paranormal fantasy and the Divine Series. Born within the apex of another universe, where magic flows like leaky faucets, and forged from the fires of the Underrealm she dug her way to Earth and reluctantly participates in human society, secretly returning to her home world to relay the stories of her monsters, and the troubled love of her people. When she isn’t writing she’s crafting clothing in her sewing room, cuddling her significant-other creature, or pretending to adult by managing a portfolio of properties for an accounting business in the rainy city of Seattle, Washington.

 

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