Customer Reviews

Demon Blood (The Guardian Series)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm always worried that I'll ruin the story for someone so...if you're reading reviews to decide whether to buy this book, my answer is yes. But even though the author has done her best to make it so new readers can jump in at any book, don't start with this one. My official position is...order all of them, lock yourself in an a/c'd bedroom for a week or two and read them in order. Why deprive yourself? You'll thank me later.

Ok, if you've read the book and you're here to see what fellow readers thought, read on.

I really enjoy the Guardian series and I was counting the days til I received my pre-ordered copy of Demon Blood. I devoured it within a day or so, and then went back to read it again to make sure my initial impressions still held. I found the book to be satisfying, although a little uneven. It's definitely not my fave book of the series, but I'd have trouble telling you which one is.

Lately my favorite parts of these books are actually the subplots. Taylor's struggle with Michael for control of her consciousness is both frightening and fascinating. And how can anyone help but love little Khavi with her yellow slicker (Demon Forged) and potatoes? She brings much needed comic relief to this particular book, but not enough. I was looking hard for Lilith (and Sir Pup!) in this one, and I was surprised to see they were left out. I would have appreciated some follow up describing how she was adjusting to demon-hating Irena leading the Guardians. I think there's potential for some real humor, conflict and growth there. I assumed Meljean gave Lilith the position she did so she can be worked into the majority of her books. Hopefully Demon Blood was just a fluke in that respect.

I'm not a huge Deacon fan. I can understand and sympathize as to why he is as angry and vengeful and miserable as he is, but realistically I dislike people who lack the self control to exhibit some poise or common decency towards others even while in pain. His treatment of Rosalia was crude and cruel at times, even as he hated himself for it. The story of him rescuing her way back in the day didnt do enough to balance his character; I could have used some additional evidence
to prove he was more than an emo jackass.

Maybe Rosalia's personality was too close to my own for me to adore her as much as I did Irena, Savi and Lilith. Although towards the end she came to the realization she deserved someone who would trust and respect her, I had a hard time watching her accept such callous treatment from Deacon and even the people in her life. That being said, her calculations and manipulations of others went beyond
what I was comfortable with. I really expected Deacon to have flipped out a little more upon discovering she was the driving force behind his vampire transformation - regardless of whether he ultimately made the decision or not.

I felt their romance was a bit frustrating and sometimes tedious. I really prefer when couples have to overcome "obstacles" rather than their own stupid selves to achieve their happily ever after. Because there wasn't really any looming, immediate threat on anyone (besides Michael gunning for Deacon through poor Taylor) the book revolved more around Deacon and Rosalia's tense interactions, making the subplots a welcome relief from the constant animosity and sexual tension.

The sex, as always, was great. And finally - the p-word! lol I will admit that when her inexperienced characters try to have sex, the awkwardness
is very real. Sometimes too real - but really, that's just good storytelling. It would have been interesting to play up Rosalia's virginity more. (I'm assuming she
was, although it was never said explicitly.) That could have been a much needed point of tenderness and revelation between the characters.

The editing needs improvement. I think Meljean is brilliant and creative and funny, but someone needs to let her know when she's written a 57 word sentence that's so convuluted the meaning is lost. (p106) Furthermore, it's easy to lose track of who's saying what during extensive dialogue. (Guys, I'm not a rocket scientist, but I swear I'm not a complete idiot...) I love these books and I read them meticulously. I highly doubt her proofreader is paying closer attention than I am.

I have a feeling so many people have complained about her "showing" rather than "telling" that the author made an extra effort to address this tendency and ended up with some obvious and unecessary statements that really ruin the mood and flow of the scene. Other times the complexity of what's occuring could really
use a few clarifying lines. As talented a storyteller as she is, her editor/publisher needs to step up their game to make sure her final product does her abilities justice. It's frustrating to have to re-read paragraphs to figure out what's going on.

All in all, I really did like the book though I know my review is a tad critical. The plot itself was fascinating and I'm so excited for the next installment.

* Also, if the author reads these: I'm sorry if referring to you as "Meljean" offends you. "Ms. Brook" just seems really stiff and formal. Also, I adore you. Never stop writing! Kthnxbai.

Rosalia and Deacon play the lead in this book. If you've read the last book in the series, Demon Forged, you'll know the connection that Rosalia and Deacon have. If you haven't read Demon Forged I would not recommend you read this book. Too many things happened in the last book for you to skip it. The Guardians were fundamentally changed, and the back story for Deacon is played out in it.

I liked Rosalia and Deacon, but I think they had a hard time living up to my love of the characters in the last book. They're both great characters, but they're more subdued then the tempestuous relationship between Irena and Alejandro. This book is great, but it also has the feel of a set up book.

One of the best things about the characters this author creates is that they have real vulnerabilities and insecurities. They don't come off as flat characters, they feel real. Deacon is consumed by self loathing over his apparent failure to save his people. He made a deal with a demon and got burned for it. He wanted to die, but he pulled himself up and tried to find a purpose for himself. He cannot see the good in himself anymore. Because of the way he views himself he cannot believe that anyone would think he was worth anything. That's a major stumbling block in the path to relationship bliss for him and Rosalia.

Rosalia has a past consumed by what she considers her many failures. When she loves, she puts the wants and needs of that person ahead of her own. She'll take pain and heartache and never show it, she'll just move past it. Even with her horrible past she is still an optimist. She is optimistic that one day she'll be able to break that character flaw. :) Rosalia is not like many of the Guardians we have seen in the past. She does not have the history or connection with the other Guardians that most of them have. She has spent most of her time as a Guardian keeping her brother in line and watching over her vampires. She's always got a plan, and a back up plan.

In this book her plan is something so bold and daring that it will either be a huge victory for the Guardians or will be responsible for a lot of deaths. I liked the risks that Rosalia took with her role as a Guardian. She had to confront some hard truths about where the line really is between demons and Guardians. Is it just good intentions? Rosalia goes beyond the line most Guardians are willing to cross, all for the sake of the greater good.

I'm so glad that we got to see a lot of Taylor in this book. After what happened to her in the last book, I was dying to see what was happening with her. This book shows a rough time for Taylor. She's struggling with her new role of Guardian, and trying to keep control of her mind and body. What Michael did had a harsh consequence for Taylor. She's in a dominance struggle for her own body. I think that when Taylor and Michael get their book, they're going to have a lot of issues to work out before they get their HEA. Hell has stripped a lot of layers of Michael's humanity from him. He is down to instinctual emotion and reactions. Before the end, we find out why he's been struggling with Taylor, and we finally learn why Michael never wears shoes.

I can't wait for the next book. This world gets more and more interesting with every book. I can't wait until 2012, when we get Michael's book, but I dread saying goodbye to this series.

Wow, this story has so very much going on to talk about. Brooks does a fabulous job in the first two chapters, from the "Once upon a time" fairy tale opening to the recapitulation of the First and Second Battles, and what each faction's motivation is in her amazing world that she has created. In other words, like Rosalia, she has very neatly set up the chess board and told you the motivations and possible moves of each piece on the board. The reader is firmly "on the same page" as the characters. Her voice was very clear and helpful for the reader! Each story has been building and building and after the bombshells that were dropped in Demon Forged I didn't think that Brook could ratchet the tension or raise the stakes too much higher. I stand corrected. The proportions are getting more epic without being melodramatic. And I felt the global nature of the story from Rome to Paris to San Francisco to Athens to Lisbon...It was a round the world trip!
Few heroes have had more to overcome than Deacon-and he has a long, hard road to travel to get himself back. Sometimes with the "tortured hero" you just want to scream, "get over yourself!" but if you've read the previous book you know what a huge task it is. Brook doesn't make light of this and for the first third of the book Deacon is very raw and angry, and you GET IT. I'm glad she didn't just gloss over the issues, but made Deacon and Rosie both work very hard for it, and it came off as very real. I love both of them. They are perfect.
Rosalia is a mad genius. I mean she is the "Bobby Fisher" of the Guardians. She has the endgame figured out before the first piece is moved on the board. And she IS love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,and self-control. But I'm glad that Gemma and even Deacon caution her about becoming a "doormat" and she gets mad often enough to save herself from that moniker.
Ms. Brook is starting a new steampunk series and I hope it does well, but NOT at the expense of this series. I literally dreamt about this world that she has created, its just so vivid. And Michael and Taylor....I sincerely hopes she doesn't leave him where he is much longer. I can't take it and I want him OUT of there!

Three hundred years ago in Florence, demons persuaded Rosalia's father and brother to join their side. Her once beloved family turned tainted and tried to kill her. She survived and chose to defend humanity against demons and their horde by becoming a Guardian

Deacon the Vampire lost everything dear to him to a demon and wants revenge. He thirsts for vengeance so much that he has betrayed the Guardians. Rosalia asks for his help, but he refuses. She ignores his denial as Rosalia loves Deacon. However, besides feeling undeserving of her love, his contempt for himself leads him to believe Rosalia wants to use him to complete her mission and then dump him.

This is an excellent Guardian thriller that stars two delightful heroes. Deacon is excellent as a vampire seeking vengeance while Rosalia the Guardian understands him and wants to save him. Each believes their love is a privilege they must earn. His blood thirst has lined up strange bedfellows ready to destroy him and any allies assisting him. Readers will wonder whether he will learn in time that vengeance is tundra cold while love heats the heart as she is there for him as he struggles to be there for her, which he cannot if he continues his quest. Set aside time to read this wonderful tale in one sitting because, Meljean Brook has her fans hooked from the Bedtime Story summary of the past to the powerful finish.

Harriet Klausner

Guardian Rosalia and Vampire Deacon take center stage in Demon Blood, MelJean Brook's sixth entry in her excellent Guardians series, as the battle between good and evil is threatening the destruction of the vampire communities of the world and the Guardians, their numbers dwindling, seek to protect the humans from a powerful insane immortal player who may very well wipe out Humanity in her efforts to save humans from themselves.

Deacon and Rosalia both had significant roles in the last book, Demon Forged, (which can't be summarized without revealing spoilers) but the pair actually have even more of a history than Deacon realizes. An encounter which occurred during Deacon's human lifetime, significant to Rosalia but one which Deacon can't even recall, has caused Rosalia to watch over Deacon ever since and - unknown to Deacon - Rosalia has occasionally stepped in to protect Deacon or to set him on a happier path. Rosalia's admired how Deacon has come through setbacks in the past, even ones which wounded his spirit, and has still remained a good man. Now it remains to be seen if Deacon can survive the betrayal and loss which are now at the core of his being when his plan for dealing with his pain is a suicidal mission of revenge fueled by his self-destructive anger.

Both of the leads have suffered a great deal of loss and both losses are tinged by guilt. Rosalia has lost just as much as Deacon and though she's protective of everyone she's cared for she's had no one to take care of her. But where Deacon is a fighter striking out with his anger much as he did with his fists when a loss of faith turned him from ship's Deacon to boxer during his human days, Rosalia holds on to her faith. But now instead of praying and hoping for the best, Rosalia is acting on that faith. The result of Rosalia's move to protect humans from both Belial's demons and Anaria and the nephilim is really incredible and this background plot, which is doled out slowly over the course of the book, makes Demon's Blood so much more than a paranormal romance. Rosalia's intelligence and understanding of the natures of her friends and enemies and the way that she manages to put all of the pieces into play for the big conflict is really wonderful.

From a romance standpoint Demon Blood is one of the more difficult relationships of Brook's Guardian parings. There is a great deal of emotional intensity to Rosalia and Deacon's interactions but rarely in Demon's Blood do we have the opportunity to bask in the afterglow since moments of intimacy or passion between Rosalia and Deacon are often followed by anger, hurt and rejection - Deacon has just too much baggage for sweet and romantic. The language is also coarser than in previous books, this is a reflection of Deacon's personality, he's dangerous and although Deacon is intelligent, he's rough, quick to act and lives in the moment.

On my first read through I wasn't sure if Deacon was really worth it, Rosalia puts up with way too many rejections and harsh words from Deacon in order to steal a few moments of happiness for herself but on thinking on it a bit more I realized that Rosalia and Deacon really both share that sense of unworthiness, neither really believe that they deserve to be loved, fortunately Rosalia clues in on this midway through the story and doesn't put up with less than she deserves - and on the second read, I decided that Deacon was what she deserved.

So the bottom line is that more fascinating and well developed characters, a really smart and satisfying plot, and only one small nit for series old timers - two straight info dumps to layout the Guardian world and its mythos - make Demon Blood another winner from Brook. And Good news for us fans, Brook has the go ahead to finish up the series with "DEMON MARKED in August 2011, a novella in the FALLING ANGELS anthology in October 2011, and Michael's book in 2012".

Demon Blood by Meljean Brook
Paranormal Romance -July 6th, 2010
4 1/2 stars

Demon Blood is a romance filled with exhilarating imagination and sweeping fantasy. The complex story and deep characterization make this book very in depth. I would not generally recommend this book for first time readers of this author. Although not impossible, I would highly recommend reading at least one of her prior books since it will give readers a fuller and richer appreciation for this multi faceted series.

In Demon Blood we are treated to the story of Rosalia, a Guardian who fights demons and protects humans and the innocent. Her life has been filled with pain and loneliness. She fights even when she knows her cause may be hopeless. But now she needs help. For the last Guardian battle has decimated their ranks and if their enemy the demons knew that there were so few of them...there would be a catastrophe. Rosalia knows that demons are planning to take over the vampires and built their power base for an ultimate take over. She refuses to let this happen but as a Guardian she is bound by Rules to do no harm. And if she doesn't follow them she will no longer be a Guardian to protect those she cares for. So she deviously asks for aid from a vampire who does not have such limitations or boundaries...

The powerful vampire known as Deacon seeks his own brand of vengeance against the demons who murdered the vampire under his rule. Clouded by pain and anger Deacon doesn't care who gets in his way. Although he finds Rosalia attractive her pleas to persuade him to try to help her at first fall upon deaf ears. He wants nothing to do with Rosalia even if he secretly dreams of her. But what Deacon doesn't know is that Rosalina knows far more about Deacon than he imagines and she realizes only Deacon is strong enough for her plans to succeed. But how can she persuade a man who only wants revenge?

The most powerful thing about this book is the deep pain and suffering the main characters carried, particularly Rosalia who never feels she is good enough. (Even though she has saved hundreds if not thousands of lives.) This lack of self worth and feeling of being undeserving make Rosalia a lonely and sympathetic character that is easy to identify with. Her empathy and understanding as she sacrifices her own happiness so others can have a better life is tragic as it made this reader want her happiness all the more. Rosalia was truly a noble and heroic character. I love learning more about her and how she became a Guardian. I also enjoyed how the book showed how much Rosalia loved Deacon all these centuries and tried to help him but feels unable to tell him her true feelings. Especially since she fears he might feel betrayed and manipulated by her hidden guidance. This secret love and later Deacon's love for her which he thinks is unreturned make for a book filled with fierce angst and absorbing emotional tension. This book is definitely not for the faint of heart and not a quick read.

Gripping, heart wrenching and richly textured Demon Blood is an emotional story bursting with epic fantasy.

Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club

After being raised by a demon, Rosalia flees to a convent in hopes she'll be safe. But soon she's fatally wounded by her beloved brother after he'd become like his father. As she lay dying, she's given a choice to return to life as a Guardian with the job to slay demons. Now she's a fierce warrior but still has great love for her son Vin, her soon-to-be daughter-in-law Gemma...and the dark, brooding vampire Deacon.

Deacon's watched his community be slaughtered and now is almost overcome by guilt and grief. Determined to seek revenge on the demons that are responsible he's reconnected with Rosalia, a Guardian he shouldn't have feelings for and knows he's nothing compared to her beauty and goodness. But Rosalia is not the frail princess he believes and refuses to allow him leave her life, even if the heartbreak in the end will be her own.

Demon Blood is a Guardian novel.

This story is labeled paranormal romance and even though the two main characters wind up becoming romantically involved, Demon Blood is more dark urban fantasy than romance. The author sets a rip-roaring pace from page one and takes the reader on a rather exciting thrill ride. It is quite apparent pretty quickly, however, that this is a series novel and while most intelligent readers can figure out the plot and intricate world of this novel, it would be more easily digested were it to be read in series order as it does seem the reader is dropped into a world in the middle of the action.

Rosalia is a woman to root for. She's not only kind and beautiful, but she's an amazing, kick-ass heroine, never willing to take evil sitting down. She's fiercely loyal to her family and faith and doesn't settle when her sights are set on something...or someone. She wanted so much to share her love with Deacon but held back. It seemed to be a combination of strategy for her mission as well as her inexperience in the relationship realm. Regardless, she's a character easy to root for. As for Deacon, his tortured hero persona is deliciously attractive and the sexual tension between him and Rosie is electric. While this is the first novel I've read by author Meljean Brook, this story has certainly whetted my appetite for Guardians, vampires and the world she's created for them as they engage in the battle between good and evil.

Courtesy of Fallen Angel Reviews (fallenangelreviews.com)

This book is so good that this is my 3rd re-read. Meljean Brook's Guardian series is excellent, well-written, by far one of the best paranormal romance series that I've read. This series is best read in order, since there is an overarching theme that runs through the series. This story is Book 6 of the series and focuses on Rosalia and Deacon, two tormented, broken heroes who not only must overcome incredible odds against demons and nephiles to save the vampire community, but also their own insecurities and vulnerabilities. Clever and kindhearted Rosalia, has a plan that could save the vampire communities from demons. But to succeed, she needs the help from Deacon, a vampire outcast whose adversion for Rosalia's strategic "manipulations" causes tension and distrust between the pair. Sub-plots keeps this story from being downright heart-wrenching and keeps the pages turning well into the night! The character, world, and story development is complex, fascinating, and exciting. A definite keeper and highly recommended!

This was yet another example of the awesomeness of Meljean Brook. A great addition to the Demon series. I look forward to the rest.

I absolutely love Meljean and the Guardian series, this book just made it better for me. I just love Deacon. One of the best books of the series I would say!