I was initially drawn to Blood Rights because of the breathtaking cover art - I preordered it immediately, unsure what to expect, but hoping to get a bit of enjoyment out of the story at least. This book far exceeded my expectations. What I found within its pages was a pulse pounding adventure story, with a good helping of mystery, with great world building, likeable characters, and a smoking hot romance.
~ Premise ~
Chrysabelle is one of the Comarre - a woman trained from childhood to be a companion, and blood source for vampires. Much like the geisha's the Comarre are taught to be graceful, gracious, learned, and well spoken, and are then auctioned off to the highest bidder - a patron from one of the great vampire noble houses.
When Chrysabelle finds her long time vampire patron dead, she is accused of his murder and the theft of a valuable artifact, and forced to flee into the human world. She is hunted for murder and theft, and for being what she is - a Comarre - a status symbol and source of pure, empowering blood. Beset upon at every turn, Chrysabelle enlists the aid of the oh so very sexy Malkolm - a outcast vampire noble, with a dark past. Together they work to untangle the complex weave of lies and politics surround her patron's death, and the importance of the artifact that the other nobles seem to covet so desperately.
~ World ~
While the world building in this book isn't breaking any new ground, it was very tight, creative, and well thought out. This story focuses primarily on the vampire world, and that of their blood slave servants, The Cromarre.
The author put a lot of work into creating the politics, magic, and structure of both her vampire houses, and the Comarre. Her fae are also very unique - I've never seen their like in fiction before.
~ Characters ~
Chrysabelle: Our protagonist - who sadly suffers from a bit of first-book awkwardness. Like so many urban fantasy heroines, Chrysabelle hasn't really settled in as a character. She's over 100 years old, trained to be a graceful, well spoken companion to the upper echelon of vampire society. I would expect her age and training to make her someone self-contained, wise, and socially savvy. What we get is a more standard sort of bad ass urban fantasy vixen with a bit of a temper, a tendency to flare up at people, and a "slice first ask questions later" mentality. Sound familiar? Yup she's like many other urban fantasy chic out there - which works and it's certainly an enjoyable archetype, it just doesn't make sense to me based on her age. I also didn't get a strong sense of her phycology - why she is the way she is. Her internal monolog didn't reveal enough. Because of this, I didn't feel as attached to her as a character. Things I did appreciate about her - she's open minded, loyal, protective of those she cares about. She doesn't turn her back on friends. I did actually come to like her, I just didn't feel close to her as a character. I expect this will change in later books - And the male lead, makes up for any lack I find in Crysabelle.
Malkolm: Now here is a truly swoon worthy vampire. He's an exiled noble, twice cursed, bearing the names of every victim he's ever killed tattooed on his body. He's haunted (literally) by the victims he's drained the life from. They follow him incorporeally haunting his days. He hears their voices in his head, an incessant madness urging him to kill. And yet, despite all this darkness, he is one of the most honorable and kind characters in this story. His internal monolog helps us know him, and love him. His past is very well fleshed out, and incredibly moving. I really loved his character.
There are a host of side characters that lighten or add depth to the story - Fi and Doc are loveable side kicks, but I never felt very close to them. Chrysabelle's aunt Maris was beautifully written and I ended up caring for her a great deal.
~ Plot ~
This story doesn't waste any time - there are few if any dead spots in the pace of the action. It is chalk full of adventure, and mystery, and even surprises. While reading this book I felt it was mostly an adventure story - I didn't look deep into the mysteries of the story or expect any surprises. But the end of the book packed not one but several big reveals that left me reeling. Well done, Ms Painter!
~ Romance ~
Ah the romance - thanks to Malkolm's hotness the romance in this story practically sizzles. He years for Chrysabelle but can't let himself have her - ensue angst, yearning, and violent passion. Yum!
~ Summary ~
This is a first book, and as such it's not flawless or 100% polished, but it's an amazing start to a series that promises to be fantastic. This book will draw you in, surprise you, and keep you reading late into the night. Highly recommended!
