Blood Sin
5 Stars

Synopsis
Months after awakening the most powerful vampire of all time, Elizabeth Silk must join forces with him once more in the search for Saloman's legendary sword before dangerous forces, both human and vampire, use it to rule over everyone.

Review
Simply amazing - Treanor's writing is smooth (especially the extraordinary fight scenes), her plot engrossing and her characters come to life on the pages.

Elizabeth is still torn between her loyalty to the vampire hunters and her all consuming love for Saloman. Nevertheless, she has grown in confidence and ability, and is more than capable of holding her own against anything that comes her way.

Saloman is one of the most captivating and morally ambiguous heroes around but it is impossible not to fall for him. His chemistry with Elizabeth is as spell-binding as ever and their scenes together leave you wanting more.

The secondary characters are a mix of old and new, friends as well as enemies. All are well written and merge seamlessly into the story, which is compelling with some interesting twists and turns surrounding the sword and those who are after it. There is also a tantalizing prophecy that opens up new avenues for further exploration.

All in all, an excellent sequel that is equally as good if not better than the first book and I cannot wait to see what happens next. ( )

The gripping whirlwind of a forbidden romance between Ancient vampire, Saloman and his human Awakener, Elizabeth continues in Marie Treanor's second installment of the Awakened by Blood series. Blood Sin is rich in landscape, full of delicious vampire sex, and brimming with desperate emotion, which makes it as good as—and in my opinion, even more enjoyable than—the first book that originally subjected us to the two lovers.

Elizabeth knows she shouldn't. Months after parting from Saloman after a very wild, very wicked last night together, she knows she shouldn't involve herself in his search by the vampire hunters to whom she has so gratefully allied herself—and yet she does. The hunters are still unaware of her fleeting, but still intense relationship with Saloman, but in the turmoil of the manhunt—or, shall we say, vampire-hunt—her hidden loyalties may soon falter and even worse, be exposed. The quest brings her to America—New York, New York—where she seeks out a distant relative who has what he thinks is a family heirloom, but actually may be Saloman's most prized possession, but her visit may hinder the hunters' plans to put Saloman to rest once and for all.

Saloman, having thrived since his awakening, doesn't necessarily want to harm anyone, but he does want his sword back. He'll do everything in his strength to attain his highly coveted weapon, and isn't afraid to kill anyone who gets in the way. But of course, the biggest barricade happens to be the sweet, compassionate Elizabeth Silk; apparently the hunters are not the only ones whose agendas will be destroyed.

The evolution of Elizabeth's relationship with Saloman is amazing. Readers are exposed to more ardent, more complicated aspects to Saloman that make Elizabeth fall in love with him even more, and these harrowing truths are what fuel her wrongdoings. At once tender and emotionally brutal, the romance that we first became enchanted with in Blood on Silk displays its darker, more mesmerizing side, and for Elizabeth, and for readers, there is no going back.

Treanor's writing style, as always, is a treat: delightfully droll, expressive, and wholly sentimental. She perfectly captures the pain of parting onto paper, and her descriptions are great for further characterization and emotional buildup. I love the new auxiliary characters we meet in this book. Even the villains, as despicable as they are, are well-developed and realistic.

As Elizabeth's power grows, she must face the hard, cold reality that her old, dully intellectual life will never be the same again. As much as she promises herself never to ally with evil, she also must face the pleasing yet disturbing fact that she and Saloman make a kickass team—a powerful, passionate team—which is exactly what Saloman wants to convince her of. As the mistress of the most powerful vampire in the world, there are certain risks that come her way... what will it take to bring her to her senses that she and Saloman ultimately will be each other's ruin?

The impossibility of Elizabeth's concerns probes the conscience, demonstrating the very human, very real affinity towards being wicked, even though there's nothing more than good at heart. Emotionally wrecking one moment, and fiercely erotic the next, the continuation of Elizabeth's search for herself, her lover, and ultimately, her position in the light, is a scintillating, fascinating escape.

The main reason I don't give this one a full 10 hearts is because there was one looming aspect that I could have done without: the heightened idealization of the vampires. Every time I was introduced to new vamps, I found myself thinking Aren't there any unattractive vampires around? Any unique, humbled powers? The telepathy is one thing, but the animalistic speed, the power over the natural elements, and the inability to ever get dirty (because, you know... vampires never sweat. They're too pristine and beautiful and etc. etc.) are a little too much—definitely annoying and Twilight-esque. I would have liked to see a little more originality and a little more grit within the otherwise stunning creatures Treanor created.

In the end, the secret of the almighty sword is revealed, but not before embarking readers on a thrilling, carnal ride full of vampire fights, mass murders, and emotional breakdowns first. The chilling realization that our terrifying and beloved Saloman is capable of feelings more profound than any human has ever known, is toxic for Elizabeth, but completely crucial for their unfeasible but ever-kindling fire.

Pros: A deeper, darker, and more thrilling branching from the first book // Lots of baring to Saloman's fascinating character // Hot, hot, HOT // Elizabeth and Saloman's relationship flourishes off of more than just lust // Dilemma of Elizabeth's loyalties are agonizing // Familiar and evocative European backdrop, but also a fresh American setting // New secondary characters, such as Josh Alexander, are sweet, human relief! // Continual witty dialogue // Monumental climax // Bittersweetly romantic

Cons: I hate how Elizabeth is so independent, but pathetically weak in Saloman's sexual presence. Get a grip, girl! // Vampires wayyy too glamorized—even more so than in Blood Sin

Verdict: Blood Sin is indeed a sinful trek through steamy sex, a high-risk chase, and the morally exhausting complications Elizabeth must confront. Marie Treanor expertly brings her characters and scenery to life, which is bound to make readers writhe in arousal and fall in love all over again. A fresh paranormal pursuit and the wicked tug-of-war game for power divulges Saloman's greatest, familiarly human weakness: the ability to feel, and the capacity to love. A satisfying, addicting sequel for fans of the first story in the series, Blood Sin will not disappoint.

9 out of 10 hearts: Loved it! This book has a spot on my favorites shelf.

Source: Complimentary copy provided by publisher, via Bewitching Book Tours, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you both!) ( )

Blood Sin
(Awakened by Blood, Book #2)
by Marie Treanor

Genre: Paranormal Romance | Fantasy | Historic

Even if you walk in the light, you can dwell in the dark. Months after her dangerous encounter with vampire overlord Salaman, Scottish academic Elizabeth Silk is still trying to cope with both the demands of her ancestral bloodline -- which marks her as a vampire hunter -- and the overpowering desire she feels for the immortal she brought back from the grave. But she is not alone is her fascination with Saloman. When Elizabeth tracks down a distant cousin from America, she learns he possesses an antique sword that has caused the interest of the Grand Master of the American hunters. It is the ancient and mystical sword of Saloman -- a treasure of vast occult powers and a price beyond meausre to both vampires and humans. Now the race is one on for possession of the sword. Even as her enemies and allies shift their allegiances and battle for supremacy, Elizabeth must decide which will rule her own perilous fate: unwanted loyalty or unholy love.

Having thought that her disastrous blunder with being "The Awakener" was over, Elizabeth continues to be consumed daily by emotional feelings and haunted nightly by erotic dreams of her last visit with Solaman, the ancient vampire currently let loose and gaining tremendous power in the modern world. Trying to distract herself from wicked wayward thoughts, Elizabeth joins the under-ground Hunter society to uncover any modern living descendants that share the same blood heritage as herself, in hopes of equally saving them from Solaman's slaying and preventing Solaman from gaining any more strength. Yet, when one of the descendants ends up being a famous American actor, who happens to be in Scotland shooting a movie and has a strange connection to Solaman's long-lost sword, Elizabeth considers herself fortunate for once ... until her path crosses with Adam Simon. Now, it appears that the tables have turned and the most dangerous figure of all is someone human with dark desires to join Solaman's mission. Can Elizabeth convince Solaman to rejoin forces without throwing her own life back into jeopardy and save the world from an even darker/more powerful immortal creation?

Things just get juicer and juicer for Elizabeth and Solaman. As much as they push each other away physically, they are oddly drawn back together emotionally due to uncontrollable forces - which makes this a fascinatingly spontaneous romantic read. Their relationship is quite electrically charged and any unexpected interactions between the two really add sparks to the overall story. The new character additions (i.e. Senator Dante Greyson and American actor/cousin Josh Alexander) really added another level of intrigue to Elizabeth's muddled world. Lots of Scenery changes compares to Book #1 as well, so, on the whole, be prepared for plenty of passionate adventures, unbelievable vampire/historical myths, and a wild treasure hunt. Bring on Book #3 - Blood Eternal !!

Likes: The "Adam Simon" party interactions were brilliant and I thoroughly enjoy them.

Dislikes: Elizabeth's close friendship with Mihaela comes off as forced to me and, in my opinion, was created for the sole purpose that Elizabeth could have a close character as the voice of reason throughout much of the Awakened by Blood series. ( )

reviewed by http://urbanfantasyinvestigations.blogspot.com/

I was pretty sad with how things ended in BLOOD ON SILK. They have so much chemistry together and it was hard to see them put that aside instead of finding a way to work together. Elizabeth has started tracking down her fellow descendants of Tsigana which leads her to find Josh a movie star that happens to be a far off relation to her. Josh became another great supporting character to the series while also bring Elizabeth into a situation where she runs into Soloman again. The pace was on the same level as book 1. The romance was just as high and the situations were just as pleasantly intense. I m excited to see what will happen in BLOOD AWAKENING to bring Soloman and Elizabeth even closer. BLOOD SIN was another great book in the Awakened by Blood series. ( )

Blood Sin takes place six months after Blood on Silk. I liked the flow of this novel from the first but it did have a little of that arch between book feel were you know you are being bridged from one place to another. Even having said that, I never felt pushed in any way and I liked Blood Sin.

As Blood Sin starts, Elizabeth is back at her old life and teaching at a university. I enjoyed seeing her at the university and teaching, I liked the interaction you got between Elizabeth and her students as well. I enjoyed her character so much more in this book. Elizabeth is still training and discovering her strength in many ways and she is not the wishy washy girl she was in Blood on Silk. I was so happy with her character growth.

There are new characters in Blood Sin. First is Elizabeth's distant cousin Josh who just so happens to be a famous actor. Ok, so I liked Josh’s character and he added to the story, but I did not buy into the whole huge actor bit. Yes, I know this is all fiction but he just moved around a little too freely to be this huge actor, in my opinion. (Not that I know any big actors personally.) The second new character is Dante who is your quintessential bad guy. Dante somehow knows way too much about everyone in Elizabeth’s life. He desperately wants to get Saloman’s sword for all kinds of spoilery reasons I am not going to tell you because you should read this series:)

I know what you’re wondering now. “What about Saloman and Elizabeth? Do they get together in this book?” All I have to say about them is when Saloman and Elizabeth are together on page I can’t keep my lips from smiling. They are so hot! And Saloman…I do believe I have found a new vamp to love.

I love the continuous world building in the Awakened by Blood series. Marie Treanor has me wanting to go to places like Budapest, which before this series has never even been on my radar.

Happy Reading,
Rebecca ( )