Blood Will Tell by Colleen S. Myers is the first book of the Blood series. The series a bit of a young adult/new adult paranormal fantasy mixed with science fiction and romance. This is a very fast paced read that jumps right into the action and does the world and character building along the way as events go flying by. Definitely left me curious to read the next in the series.

A virus has created vampires and now the vampires are in power. They control cities and people by building walls around the cities and controlling food, power and access within those cities. Isabelle wants out so she plans to run away. She is saved by Roke, a vampire. Alex deices to help Roke and Isabelle by boating them where they need to go.

This novel had potential but it fell apart quickly. There wasn't enough world building to satisfy anyone. A brief history of the world was explained before the awkward love triangle was thrust into the readers face. The love triangle between Alex , Roke and Isabelle was poorly done. Isabelle kept flirting with them both leading them on even though both the reader and Isabelle knew who she truly wanted. Isabelle was nothing special as a main character, she felt flat and one-dimensional.

In summary, I didn't enjoy this novel and put it down at 65% as I had no desire to continue it. I probably would have liked this novel when I was thirteen as I went through a YA vampire romance phase.

I got this ARC through Netgalley.

As soon as I read the first couple pages of this book, I knew it was going to be one of my guilty pleasures. Many thanks to the publisher who provided me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley.
This book has a bit of everything for everyone. It starts at the beginning of the apocalypse with the spread of a contagion that kills some and makes others into vampires depending on whether or not you carry the genetic marker. Fast forward a bit into the future and you have a society ruled by vampires. For some reason Isabelle has become a target. She is being hunted and has no idea why. She accepts help from a very delicious sounding vampire, and also an equally deletectable sounding human man. And the love triangle begins. Once the trio get closer to their destination, certain secrets come to the forefront and help to explain why Isa is so special. It also explains her family history, and the part her parents played in the apocalypse.
I read it in one sitting and I can’t wait for the next in the series.

Blood Will Tell by Colleen S. Myers was a great start to this paranormal series.
Blood, lies, and deceit... Isabelle lives in a world with a vampire hierarchy. Losing both of her parents, and being in an arranged marriage.... But things go from bad to worse in seconds. Isabelle is struggling to survive the horrors she must endure. Until she meets her savior... and her downfall... Roke.

But as well a human male who will lay down his life for her.

If you are looking for an action packed, steamy romance, and vampires...
Give Blood Will Tell a try.

Blood will tell is a rollercoaster of events happening in the vampire world. Isa thinks she is just an average human tired of living under their rule and plans an escape. When things go rouge she learns a lot, not only about vampires, but about herself. Mainly that many vampires are after her and her gifts (coming from an elite family). This surprises Isa since her family has been gone for years, or so she thinks.
There is a crazy love triangle between Isa, Roke, the vampire sworn to protect her and Alex the human who also has his own plans to protect her. When things go a bit south and Isa herself gets turned, she learns that Roke is her true mate (or hopefully should be, she can get side tracked). She also discovers all these secrets that her parents kept from her are now coming into light and she has to deal with them in order to keep her family safe.
The book ends quite open ended leaving for a second book to be written, but overall it was a quick enjoyable read without all the cringey typical vampire book cliches. Don't know if I will continue on with the series yet or not, but if you enjoy angst and vampires this would be a good one to pick up.

I so wanted to love this. I even like love triangles when done well. That said I felt like Isa was too indecisive and was just stringing one of my guys along, which I can't stand.

Isabella/isa brought up her dinner from the night before. She didn’t want to be sick as she had a coding assignment to turn in at school that she had been working on for weeks. Her first major science project in H S and she wanted to shine just like her parents. Her parents was famous as her father had changed her DNA. Isabella had designed a new game app and named the main character after her dad Big Dig. isabelle got sick two more times Her mother -Rosa asked if she was okay she worked in the E R at the hospital . Isabelle slept for awhile then woke up and went downstairs to get something light to eat. She then saw an emergency broadcast on tv there was a national emergency declared - a categion was killing mass people and was being reported worldwide. People were told to stay in their homes until they got further instructions. Rosa tod isabelle to pack a few things and hurry up as they were leaving. But before they could go anywhere three black SUVS pulled up and a suited man sai” Dr Mendes, there has been some sort of disaster, we need your help at the labs”. Rosa said she had her daughter and the man told her to bring her daughter with her. They were going to a Clan home and her husband was there, it was an official summons. Six years later- Isabelle ran as three strange men came to her work and asked her boss for her. That had been 4:30 pm and now it was midnight and Isabelle was still running, she was slowly making her way to the rendezvous point that she and Jack had arranged earlier. So far she had avoided the vampires but they were so fast and she didn’t know how she was still ahead of them. She went to Point State Park. She remembered going there with her parents as a kid but that was before the walled cities, and the Madness. The docks were empty, any other night they would be very busy , as river trade was huge now that flying was rare and trains as well. After assuming all control the vampire council eliminated all holidays but Memorial Day and all citizens were required to attend holiday festivities. The holiday was the perfect time to escape.he could get away and be free. Human paid monthly in blood to the city’s keeper in exchange for food, continuing power, and life. Every citizen took vitamins high in iron, the food was barely edible but it was nutritious. The citizens put in ten hour work days, ate as directed, exercise was mandatory two hours a day mandatory rain or shine. Monthly physicals maintained their health. Isabelle was tired of the mindless harvesting of the survivors. All city citizens worked jobs meant to enhance their home city. Isabelle worked in computers helping to keep the aging software running and Jack- her husband- worked in the power plan. As a rule Isabelle stayed to herself and did her job, attracting little attention as her mother had told her to do. Most of their friends ahd menial jobs to keep the city up and producing. Isabelle and Jack had arranged for them to get away on one of the ships but she didn’t know which one. She didn’t know the price Jack paid ans she didn’t care- he owed her. Jack and Isabelle had grown up together when their world had ended. Isabella and rosa were forced to move into one of the tenements and Jack lived next store. Isabelle and jack were chosen to marry by the vamps for breeding purposes. Jack was addicted to the pleasure from a vampire bite. All the guards in the city were vampires. Isabelle seen someone approach and hid. She looked out and seen him. He had been outside when she went to her physical. Then the vampire said “Isa I know you’re here, the guards are coming you’re in danger- please this is important. He said his name was Roke and it wasn’t safe for her there and she needed to come with him. Then he added he wasn’t just a guard and he promised to keep her safe. For some reason Isabelle believed Roke. Roke took her to his apartment and told her the vampires knew the ship was to take people who wanted out of the walled city and it was a trap and the vampires weren’t easy on runners. But roke had known her mother. Isabelle said her mother was dead and she had seen her die. The last time Isabelle had seen her mother was when she had got her first period and the vampires had smelt her blood. Then Roke used Isabelle’s nickname from her mother and Roke said Rosa was alive and outside the city walls where they needed to go . Although Isabell didn’t know Roke had been watching over her for a long time to make sure she was safe and had fallen in love with her. Isabelle told Roke he had just stopped her from going outside the city and he said he had kept her from going to jail. Roke said he had information form her mother so Isabelle would know she could trust him, Roke also said he was the only one that could keep her safe and get her out of the city. They stopped at Isabelle’s home and Jack was dead and naked on the floor but in the kitchen was Mara who had been the reigning Master of the Romeran clan who ran Isabelle’s city. Mara head had been cut off and that was very bad and they needed to leave NOW Then Isabelle asked why the house had been a set up for her as she was a nobody. Roke told her she was Rosa Mendes's daughter, also they knew who she was. They got to a barge and the captain- Alec asked who he had with him and Roke said he had Isabelle with him and the captain said he had heard of her. Then Alex said they needed to shove off and they were coming and then Isabelle and Roke were put in the bottom of a coffin with a boy over them. They had used isabelle to keep rosa in line and when she had married jack had installed hidden cameras in their home as the vampires had given him a deal if he helped control Isabelle he would have power and pleasure. Alex keeps hitting on Isabelle and soon both men want erh and their is a love triangle.
I liked this book a lot it was fast paced and had a pretty good plot. I didn’t want to put this down as i wanted to see what was going to happen next. It also made me chuckle at times. I liked the way Roke and Isabelle interacted with each other. I thought this was fairly realistic considering it was a paranormal book especially with the medical parts of the book. I did think this focused a little too much on Isabelle's love life. This was definitely a different type of vampire read for me. There was: deceit, lies, secrets, changing of Dna, a falling of the human world. Vampires, addiction, Master Vampires, murder, walled cities, suspense and much more. There were still a few unanswered questions after the ending of this book. I liked the characters and the ins and outs and I recommend.

3.5*


This is a different world, a world ruled and owned by vampires.
Prior to the Madness in 2019 the vampire clans lived in enclaves. But the Madness allowed them to take control, to take over. Now they live in the cities surrounded by walls made of pure steel, a hundred feet high sealing everyone in.
The humans are controlled. They give blood every month to the city keeper. They work ten hours a day, exercise two hours a day regardless of weather, eat food that’s barely edible and take vitamins daily and physicals monthly.
All women of reproductive age are forced to marry, regardless of age.

The book opens in 2019 on the day that Madness strikes. Isabelle is twelve years old.

The next chapter takes place in 2025, six years later. We catch up with Isabelle and discover she lost her mother at fourteen the same age she was forced to marry. She was just sixteen when she discovered she was pregnant. Which was the reason for the forced matings the vampires wanted children after all that was the reason for the forced matings.

Isabelle is living a lie and everyone seems to know but her.

This is an interesting book with some fascinating world building and characters.

I enjoyed this and fully intend to continue on with this series.
Getting the balance of a book right is an art, I know I complain if a book is too slow, too fast or jumpy, if the balance of sex to story ratio is out etc and very occasionally I’ll complain a book just has too much going on and that’s a little how I felt here.

I know what you’re thinking I’m picky and never satisfied.
I obviously don’t know what’s to come the author could have a whole host of surprises waiting in the next book for us. I just felt I’d rather have slowed this down a bit, settled into the characters a little more and kept the last surprise for later. We all knew it was coming but I’d have preferred to hold off. After all we’d had so many already.

But seriously don’t let that put you off this is an interesting read which keeps up a good pace and I’m looking forward to seeing where it’s going.

I voluntarily read a review copy kindly provided by NetGalley

I’m always looking for something new in paranormal fiction and spotted this new adult book that mixes science with romance. Now I’m going to say straight away if triangles bug you then be prepared to gnash your teeth as Isa is an annoying can’t stop leading on type of heroine. Still she does live in a truly terrifying society with humans seen as cattle so I can understand wanting to grab at happiness. Forced to marry at fifteen and then losing the boy she had always trusted sees Isa on the run with the quintessential brooding Vampire Roke and his friend Alex who is a boat captain but honestly I thought he made a rather sweet river pirate! I don’t wish to spoil the plot but Isa has a lot to learn about herself and exactly why it seems everyone is chasing her.
I hate saying this but I didn’t like Isa which makes this a difficult review. Plus Roke felt one dimensional and Alex somehow felt so very juvenile. Now add in that everyone is madly in love with Isa ( why?) and have creepily been spying on her for years and honestly I’m thinking does this girl have a magic hoo ha ? I did finish this but I’m not sure if I will read anymore and there has to be a follow up because the end was absolutely bonkers but to find out more you need to read this book.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

Blood will Tell is a paranormal fantasy and romance all wrapped up into one book. I didn’t really know what to expect when I first started reading it, but I was pleasantly surprised. I was entertained through the whole book. I can’t wait to read the next book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

A big thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. First time reading this author. I don't usually read this type of book, so this was all new to me. Wasn't sure what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised, but I was also sad. I really dislike love triangles ( Isabelle, Roke, Alex) for me a complete turnoff, it's confusing and distracting. Pretty convoluted plot. I felt like the author was intentionally withholding information to keep me confused. So that was a bit frustrating. If you are expecting a clear cut conclusion-you don't get it. This is the first book i n a series. I give it a 3.

** I received an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion**



Starting out, I had no idea this was a vampire book. I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised. I was also surprised that this didn’t turn out to be YA or anything like Twilight as the Amazon blurb suggested. In my opinion, this book was nothing like Twilight. Vampires have been around since at least the fifteenth century. Long before Edward was a thought in S. Meyers mind.

The story begins when Isabelle Mendes is about 16 years old. She wakes up sick one day and misses school. Upon waking up, the whole world has gone to shit. The National Emergency broadcast claims there have been mass casualties. Isa’s mother is an ER doctor but when an unnamed government agency shows up at their door, I started to think she was a lot more than just a trauma doctor. The book then goes forward six years. Isa is now an adult and married to a man she really doesn’t seem to like. Not only is she married but the vampires now run the world. The world going to shit bit, yea that was short for, the vampires have taken over. Anyone with the gene could be turned with a bite. Those without the gene, die. But hey, at least these vampires don’t have any powers. It’s bad enough that they are stronger and faster. They clearly need no more weapons with which to kill us with.

The book is pretty short (in my opinion, I like long books) so I don’t want to go any further into the story for fear of ruining it for someone out there. But I will say again, that I was surprised by this book. I absolutely loved it! The world building was on point. I am of a more logical mind. Imaginative things do not come easy to me, so it helps when an author is so proficient at describing things that I have no problem visualizing it. I enjoyed the interactions between Isa and Roke tremendously. I did not, however, enjoy the hint of a love triangle. I’m not a fan of them, and I hope it doesn’t continue into the next book. I enjoyed the gratiutious use of violence. What can I say? I was born in the 80’s and watched movies like Alien and Robocop. I love action! I know it’s not for everyone. But it’s real life. The author is a practicing physician so her knowledge of medicine I’m sure served her well in writing the book. It makes it so much more realistic. There was only one thing I didn’t enjoy and that is that I felt like some parts of it were rushed. Especially the ending. I know it’s just book one, but I have a few questions about book one. Hopefully we get some answers in book two. And soon, because that cliffhanger at the end almost did me in. Over all, I enjoyed the book very much, it intrigued me and I am eagerly awaiting the next novel.

Ughh whyyyyy whyyy?? Forewarning I’m a big hater of the ole love triangle, like for reals(channeling my inner young adult there), they are a huge book bringer downer for this gal. So imagine my disappointment as I’m chugging along, inquisitive on where our story is going, who is Isa....who is Roke, what are they doing....erkkk pump the brakes now we’ve got Alex involved and I’m out.
Now I did stick it out, and I’d like to say it’s all good, but nope it hangs, and I hate the triangle so much it took away from my enjoyment of where the plot was going. This is definitely not a one and doner, like I thought but the start to Isa’s story that will have to continue on.
For young adult(‘sh), it happens to have moments that make it feel younger and others it’s not as noticeable, fans of vampires and love triangles and some mystery and plot twists go ahead and give this a go, this was my first by this author and while the triangle aspect turned me off it wasn’t a bad premise, so I may pick up book 2.
This was a complimentary advanced reader copy provided by the author/ publisher in exchange for a honest review via Netgalley.