This was a weird one for me.

I didn’t find anything spectacular about this book, but I was still compelled to read and was very captivated by the story. It is rather dark, there is a lot of violence with physical and sexual abuse. The writing is pretty solid and I feel it’s a good start to the trilogy. Will I be reading more? Yes…I’m curious to see how our protagonist, Asagi, grows and develops from here.

Bloodlaced is a unique spin on the vampire stories already out there.

In Bloodlaced we meet Asagi, a servant of a nobleman called Mahiro. A strong and loving bond between the two develops, and when Asagi gets hurt, Mahiro sees no other option than to save Asagi’s life by turning him into the same type of demon he is. A youkai, who feeds on blood.

Bloodlaced is a dark and twister study of identity and love, of power and what it means to be immortal. Set against the backdrop of feudel Japan, this gives for interesting dynamics.

However, I did struggle a bit getting through this book, as there are very few happy moments and the book covers a lot of dark themes. This is a personal preference, however, so don’t let this stop you from reading Bloodlaced if darker themes are your thing.

Bloodlaced is a vampire novel with a unique twist.

Asagi had a hard life before being is sold to Mahiro, who is left with no choice but to turn them in to a vampire too. The afterlife isn't any better for Asagi.

I loved Asagi's character and was routing for them throughout the book, and really wanted them to have a happy ending.
I also really liked the setting, historic Japan, and the writing really sets the time and place. The twists and turns in the storyline keep your attention throughout the book.

Bloodlaced is a harrowing, dark read, any moments of joy are very few and far between. Unfortunately the bleakness throughout has meant I haven't enjoyed reading it as much as I was hoping. (But this is a really personal preference)

this was such a unique take on a vampire, the characters were great and I enjoyed going on this plot. This was a great start to a series.

Bloodlaced is a very good book, but ultimately it’s tragically sad. There are few happy moments to be found and Asagi’s suffering is profound. So make sure you’re prepared for a healthy dose of angsty before you pick this one.

Thanks to netgalley and publishers for letting me read this

** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
Copy received through Netgalley

~

Bloodlaced (Youkai Bloodlines, 01) by Courtney Maguire
★★★☆☆
314 Pages
1st person POV, one character
Content Warning: [ON PAGE] slavery, sold into service, violence, blood/gore, transphobia, physical abuse, self-harm, poisoning, blood exchange, forced turning, mental health
[OFF PAGE] rape, child abuse, sexual abuse


I had a lot of thoughts while reading this book, and it's hard to put them into order, so bear with me.
I was intrigued by the blurb, and eager to start, fascinated by the world woven within the first 20-30% of the novel. I found Asagi to be a non-binary person, with strength, resilience, and fire.

And then, unfortunately, it began to go downhill.

~

PROS

I began the story so utterly captivated and enthralled by the plot. I LOVED Asagi – a strong, independent, feisty non-binary person, who was fighting to survive in a harsh world. Sold into slavery, and broken by the age of ten (their own words), Asagi was a character who had truly suffered. Now an adult (though the age, if I remember right, is never quite clear), they're about to be sold to a new master on page one. Treated as odd and perverted for having a male body, with a feminine nature, answering every “Are you male or female?” with “Both.”, Asagi knows who they are and isn't afraid to own it. They take responsibility for a little boy, around 10, who is about to be sold off after his mother has died. The new owner demands Asagi be his mother, from now on. As if that was a slight or insult. But, Asagi is more than prepared to protect a child, and prevent them from being broken the way they were.

I found everything about this part of the story touching. It reminded me of another series I've read/loved with a similar character – Sword Dance – though with a much harsher world, and different culture. I had high hopes this instant bond I felt with Asagi and Tsukito would last.

Unfortunately, it didn't.

Instead of basking in this beautiful, budding parent-son relationship forced by circumstance, Asagi enters a new household and almost instantly becomes the infatuation of a soldier. One Asagi is almost instantly infatuated with, in return. This really stunned me, because this was a soldier who was brash, violent, and did his master's bidden without thought. Watched Asagi being beaten, had taking part, and ultimately betrayed Asagi in the worst way. I couldn't fathom why we were being asked to believe in this 'romance'.

However, I actually did. As the slice-of-life chapters rolled on, showing Asagi settling into his new household, mistreated by his master, treated like a lesser being for being non-binary, I saw a gentle, caring side to Yutaka, the soldier. I actually felt chemistry between Asagi and Yutaka, during these chapters. Yutaka's longing looks, the way he tightened his jaw, glanced away. It was all very furtive and secret, both aware they were nothing but servants and love between them was impossible.

Tsukito made a stunning addition to this family unit that seemed to be forming. Sweet, happy and loveable, he was a child but he had moments of intense maturity that surprised me. The way he was written, he was a character you instantly fell in love with and wanted to see happy.

But, it wasn't to last. The Master clearly only bought Asagi and Tsukito for their looks. Because Asagi was different and intriguing. Because, as something odd and unacceptable in general culture, his violence and rape towards Asagi are justifiable and natural. Punishing Asagi for daring to defy nature.

I cherished the way Asagi constantly put themselves in danger to protect Tsukito. To draw the master's eye to them, instead. To keep the young boy in their care a child, for a little longer, far from the horrors of life as a servant forced into sexual slavery. Alas, Asagi is still a servant, and they can't protect Tsukito forever. When the Master separates them, to violate Tsukito – a sudden, shocking twist, just when you thought he was safe – it breaks something in Asagi. They're devastated, and the hand Yutaka has in separating them is a chasm that leaves a sense of betrayal between them.

Up to this point, I was hooked by every page. Every twist and turn in the plot. I felt joy for Asagi's every victory, strength in their strength, relief when they succeeded and gutted when they failed to protect Tsukito, despite trying everything possible.

~

CONS

And then something happened. I can't pinpoint what, only that as something was stolen from Asagi with the betrayal and loss of Tsukito's innocence, the story lost something vital. Asagi lost their strength, their fire, their spirit.

I felt Asagi, despite being written as a non-binary person, was treated – both by the author and other characters – as a novelty. Sometimes treated like a drag queen, sometimes like a trans woman (MTF) and sometimes treated like an object. It was hard to pin down WHO Asagi really was, because I'm not sure even the author knew. Throughout the story, Asagi constantly makes it clear they're neither male nor female, but both. Yet, even the author persistently represents them with male pronouns, other characters use female pronouns as an insult, and some use male pronouns as an insult. However, Asagi clearly states at one point, when one person labels them 'she' that it's the wrong pronoun and should they correct it.
But the author NEVER directly addresses the issue. Even people like Tsukito, Mahiro and the author, persistently use male pronouns on a character they wrote as not wanting either male/female pronouns. It really baffles me and makes me wonder. It can't be an editing issue, as it's so prolific throughout the novel. It made it hard to understand Asagi and why the author refused to strengthen their identity when Asagi was 100% sure of who they were.

It took 30% of the story for Asagi to enter Mahiro's household – an event that STARTS the blurb of this book – and it's also, unfortunately, the part where I started losing interest. Until then, Asagi's story had been poignant, heartbreaking, moving, but they always held onto hope and I wanted to see Asagi find their strength again, to return for Tsukito, and to make a better life for them both. If the entire story had been about this journey, I probably would have given it a full 5 stars. But, it wasn't.

Mahiro, as a character, was someone I instantly liked. I thought he was sweet, charming, a little femme and weak at times (health-wise), and full of mystery until 50%. But, once he and Asagi became close, all of that mystique and loving personality faded until he became just another bullying master, snapping commands and losing his patience with Asagi. A feeling I quickly shared.

Once Asagi entered Mahiro's household, something odd happened. They began to act different, to become someone new. Someone I didn't like as much. This strong, beautiful character who was so resilient and feisty, fell apart at the first sign of friendship and affection from Mahiro, losing everything I'd loved about them. And not only did they continue to self-sabotage their own life, and their relationships, but they held so firmly to a role as victim that they forced themselves into positions to be treated like one. Turning bitter, angry, and blaming everyone for their problems, even when it was their own doing. Yet, acknowledging they were hurting Mahiro with their behaviour, purposefully goading him, and that it was “easier” to blame him than to admit their own mistakes or take responsibility. Despite Mahiro doing something Asagi had longed for, and dreamed of, by bringing Tsukito back into their life, they remained ungrateful and spiteful towards him.
This wasn't the Asagi who began the book, and it wasn't the Asagi I wanted to read about. This Asagi was ungrateful, singleminded, arrogant and rude, unaccountably using their 'feminine ways' to flirt and flounce all over town, intentionally hurting Mahiro, then feeling shocked and angry when Mahiro was jealous and put distance between them.

Worse, the blurb talks about this “deep and profound love” between Mahiro and Asagi, but...I never saw it. I never FELT it. The story rushed from Mahiro being their new master, to an instant mistrust, a misunderstanding, a tentative friendship and then straight into them having sex because there's a bond and deep feelings between them that I never got to see develop. I felt more chemistry between Asagi and Yutaka in the first 30% than I did in the entire novel of Asagi and Mahiro's “love”. Especially when that love quickly became toxic, because of Asagi clinging tightly to their role as victim.
The relationship between Mahiro and Asagi was 80% TOLD to us, and only 20% SHOWN, and only when it was convenient to Asagi's mental health issues, or to the weak Youkai storyline.

Asagi became a person who stopped thinking of others, who stopped wanting anything but to be reunited with Tsukito, despite believing the whole time that he was happy, in a happy home, and that he was content with his life. They couldn't leave it alone. They selfishly thought of nothing but being with their 'son' Tsukito, despite everyone from Mahiro and Tsukito warning them it was dangerous and he didn't need to be saved. That he was happy. It became infuriating to read all the duplicitous ways Asagi rebelled against this idea that anyone had the right to take their son away, and that even Tsukito didn't know what was good for him.
Sadly, I actually found some of Tsukito and Asagi's behaviour near the end of the book to be a bit uncomfortable. I was so eager for their reunion, all throughout the book, that when it happened, it felt totally different to how I expected. They went back to behaving as they had when Tsukito was ten years old, except the way the author chose to phrase certain things, with random kisses and intimate moments, felt like it crossed a line and made me very uncomfortable. It definitely wasn't the reunion I'd wanted or hoped for.
Then again, if Asagi had left well enough alone – or not forgotten about Tsukito for 12 years! And just run away with him, before he was hurt as a child – there would have been no story. But, I could definitely see a much better story evolving from that plot.

~

WRITING

I felt there was a disparity between the moving, eloquent way the first 30% of the book was written, and what came after. For me, the story began as a slice-of-life through Asagi's experiences in the household, their life with Tsukito, and the budding romance with Yutaka. I could have happily read that entire book without complaint.

Instead, while the 30% sets the scene of why and how everything that follows occurs, I felt it was unnecessarily long. If this was just setting-the-scene, then why take so long? Cut out the romance with Yutaka – who doesn't appear again after 30% until he's conveniently whipped out for the final 90% – and cut out some of the slice-of-life scenes. Or, start the story with Asagi entering the new household and limit the number of violent scenes that followed. It would still have been important, still explaining the why and how of what came after, but it wouldn't have taken so long or set me up for a story that never happened. Especially since most of the characters never resurfaced again, after 30%.

In a similar vein, events mentioned as having great significance in the blurb, take forever to happen. It takes 50% for the poisoning and change. 55% for Tsutaki to even be mentioned again. And at 62%, there's an inexplicable 12 year jump between paragraphs. It's not even split into a separate scene or chapter, just dropped into a paragraph that “twelve years passed”.

I feel like characters were forgotten about, until it became convenient to the plot. After their separation at 30%, Asagi didn't mention, think about, or grieve for Tsukito or Yutaka after their first day within the Mahiro household until well after the 50% line. It felt like Asagi had forgotten everyone who ever came before. Like moving to a new household was a clean slate, and their life before stopped existing or didn't matter anymore. After the intense bond between all three characters, that made me want to continue the book in the first place, it felt wrong to have forgotten about them until nearly 50% of the way into the book.

Despite this being a historical fantasy novel, set in 19th century Japan, there is a constant and jarring use of modern speech that didn't make any sense. When you've gone to so much trouble to create an intricate world of historical Japanese lore, why on earth would you use words like “mom”, and “downright bitch”. Even the first word of the blurb 'Kanjin' is never explained throughout the novel, or ever even used within the story, yet it's given such prominence in the blurb.
Despite four pages of Japanese glossary, the simple term 'bun' is used instead of 'odango', and Goshjin-sama is used when a simple 'master' would have been a suitable replacement. Honestly, I got so sick of checking the glossary words that I gave up, well before halfway. I skimmed over the Japanese terms, because it didn't make a difference. Half of them were self-explanatory in general terms – food, clothing or swearing – and it was so laborious to jump out of the story to find out what it really meant, that I stopped caring.
There is a complete disparity of language use that often knocked me out of the historical feeling of the novel. I can't help feeling that what this book needed was another editor, or an Alpha reader, who could pinpoint all of these problems and remind the author to make up their mind. You either write a historical novel with historical phrasing/words, or you write a contemporary fantasy in your own world, so that you can use modern speech whenever you want. Don't mix the two when it doesn't fit.

The novel is called Bloodlaced, and the series is called Youkai Bloodlines...yet, I don't see why. The Youkai aspect of the novel doesn't enter into existence until 50%, and even then, it's not even a secondary plotline. I expected a storyline very strongly Youkai-centric, exploring how Asagi dealt with the change, with the strength it would give them, and perhaps the freedom it would give, to make them set off after Tsukito and reclaim their 'son'.
Instead, what I got was a very weak plotline that never explored what Youkai meant. There was NO worldbuilding around the Youkai at all. It felt like the moment it was mentioned – the word in the glossary implying 'supernatural being' in folklore – as long as the author mentioned a blood exchange, there was no more explanation needed. Except, there was. I wanted, and expected, a unique take on vampires, or a creature from Japanese folklore that I was unfamiliar with. I was excited for the journey I'd take, learning all about the background, the history, the world of this creature, and...it never came. I got nothing but “we need blood”, and I was expected to fill in the blanks.
Even then, once Asagi was turned, the only “vampire” or Youkai aspect of the story that ever mattered was the bloodlust. There was apparently nothing more to the Youkai than a change of eye colour and a lust for blood, which was...beyond disappointing.
The Youkai plot was so lacklustre, I felt it came not second or third to the Asagi slice-of-life scenes, but barely on the radar of the story's plot, until around the 80% mark. The story was more interested in forcing Asagi and Mahiro together, reuniting Asagi and Tsukito, and exploring Asagi's deep-seated mental health issues, than it was addressing the MAIN PLOT of the blurb, and the very thing that gave the story it's title and series title. It was shoved so far into the background that it felt more like a character quirk than a plotline.

~

OVERALL

I was deeply disappointed that a character with so much potential as Asagi was ruined by a weak plot, and a strangely unaccountable personality change, halfway through the novel. The fact the author couldn't even keep straight in their head what pronouns to use meant that Asagi – while being certain of their non-binary status – was never treated with the respect they deserved, even by the author.

The story is full of angst surrounding Asagi and their life as a slave, but what really disappointed me was that even after they became Youkai, they still behaved like a slave and like a victim. Despite the freedom Mahiro gave them, the elevated position, his love, a shared life, Asagi held tight to being a victim and never allowed themselves to be anything more.
While the story was interesting, and I LOVED the first 30%, it quickly tailspinned out of control, into something that not even the blurb anticipated. The story dragged in between the pivotal moments, filled with too many slice-of-life scenes and not enough progressive plot. There was little to no chemistry between Mahiro and Asagi, and what did exist was quickly snuffed out by Asagi's toxic idea of love and relationships. There was a mountain of dead space, and scenes that had no importance to the plot but were given far too much space.
It's a story that took a long time to go nowhere. The only action happens in the last 90%. The only meaningful moments happen in the first 30%, and – personally, in my honest opinion – everything else that happens between 30-90% is just filler. It's justification for what ends the story.

It could have been fantastic, and Asagi had so much potential to be an incredible non-binary central character in a novel that took a whole new spin on vampires/demons, with a heartwarming parent-son dynamic at heart...but the author tried too hard to inject romance where it wasn't needed, and didn't feel natural.
By changing Asagi's personality, halfway through, they lost the magic of who Asagi was, turning a strong, resilient character with a lot to lose and fight for into someone cold, bitchy, pampered and erratic. Increasingly emotionally unstable, there was no way there was ever going to be a happy ending for Asagi and Tsukito. Asagi simply couldn't allow it into their mindset. To them, they were sold into slavery as a child, and they would always – at least in their own mind – be a slave. They left no room in their mind or heart to be anything else, no matter who came along or what happened.

For me, the real victim of this story for Tsukito. If Asagi had taken one second to truly protect him in the early 20% of the book – running away and/or keeping their distance, because they KNEW they were the target of the master's anger – Tsukito's story would have been different. If Asagi had just listened to him, after their reunion, or asked Mahiro – who professed to love him profoundly – to find a way to bring Tsukito into their home without treating Mahiro like a villain, Tsukito's story would have ended completely different.

Then, to top it off, the book ended at 93% to give a sample preview of someone else's book. Who does that? I could understand if it was a preview of Book 2, or another of the author's works, but to waste so much time on someone else's book was annoying. I didn't get a complete ending to THIS book. I got a rushed, incomplete and convenient ending that tied up the loose ends without being satisfying...all so that an unconnected preview could use that space instead. *sigh*

Truly disappointing.
I'm currently of two minds as to whether I want to read Book 2 or not. The blurb says it's about different characters, so should be a standalone in the same world, but...then again, the blurb for this book promised me a story it didn't deliver, so....who knows.

~

Favourite Quotes

“All fighting ever gets you is broken bones and bloodied noses and scars so deep they bleed into your soul until you learn to stop fighting.”

“He'd tried to weaken me, but instead he'd created something androgynous and otherworldly. Something he couldn't touch.”

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book was different to my normal reads but it had everything. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would hughly recoment it.

I am very sad about this rating, to be honest with you.
I was promised vampires in feudal Japan (which I got, kind of), monsters hiding behind every corner (which I also got, kind of) and "profound love" (which I did not get).
I'm not entirely sure how it happened, but even when I kind of got everything the blurb promised, it still felt like the blurb was talking about an entirely different book.

But let's talk about what we got.
Asagi is a servant/slave that is separated from the other servants/slaves of the house by the simple fact that he is both male and female. During the entirety of the book, male pronouns are used by himself and by everyone talking about him, but he also feels like a woman, so he's somewhere on the nonbinary spectrum, feudal Japan just doesn't have the words for it (I assume, I do not know how Japanese works). He falls in love with his master (who's not a dickhead, unlike the other ones before him) and kind of rules like the Lady of the House. And also gets turned into a vampire/blood-drinking monster so he doesn't die.
I am not a big fan of relationships with such an uneven footing between both parties, but I can't say I didn't see it coming, so that's my fault. And Asagi notices that, luckily, so it wasn't as bad as it could've been!

The timeline was kind of all over the place in this one, and if you really looked at it, it didn't make a lot of sense. The different plot points are not really connected to each other and feel unpolished.

Since I spent most of the book hoping it would soon be over, BUT the topic held so much potential, this is getting three stars!



@NetGalley and City Owl Press: Thank you guys for this ARC!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me, in exchange for an honest review.

When i read the synopsis i was certain I’ll love it, plus that cover gorgeously done! It had all elements i found unique and interesting. It explores some very current topic in both unusual setting and in unusual way. While I enjoyed it, I also struggled, took me forever to finish it. I couldn’t find it in me to care for this character as much as i wanted, the heaviness persisted. Pacing of it also wasn’t what I’m used to, or maybe even what expected is more fair.
So gender exploration, Japanese cuture, blood, lots of blood, talk of abuse are just some of the topics covered. It’s a very character driven novel with an extremely emotionally intense story and a lot of sadness.

I don't really know what to say about this book except that it had some of the purest relationships I've come across. It made me feel all the emotions and broke my heart multiple times and I loved it for being completely different to what I was expecting.

Emotional, intense and beautifully written.

This is a definition of a character driven story. We follow the life of the main character Asagi in first person perspective. Asagi is neither a boy nor a girl, but somewhere on the spectrum in between. She's sold into slavery and tries to survive and cope with all the cruelty the best she can while trying to protect those she loves.
We have very little of the actual plot and action, the story is focused solely on Asagi and her whole world changing. So if you do not like that or you find the main character unlikable, if you can't root for her, the book will probably bore you. Otherwise, prepare for a deep, intense and dark story.

I was invested in the story and characters from the first page onward. I felt all the emotions the main character felt and it was absolutely heart-wrenching. I couldn't stop thinking about the book when I took breaks from reading it, so it's no wonder I've read it in only two days. The writing is beautiful yet simple and easy to read, I liked the pacing as well. The first half of the book reads like a historical fiction and paranormal elements come into play only in the second half of it. Old Japanese culture was presented very well. I learned a bit more about non-binary people through the main character too. The story as a whole is very dark and it talks about very intense topics, so be prepared for that. I really liked the depth and complexity of all the characters, their arcs and all the foreshadowing. This is quite sad and emotionally intense read, but it's nonetheless inspiring as it talks about humanity, different types of love and, of course, hope.

Bloodlaced was an enjoyable LGBT paranormal tale. I liked the Japanese setting and the use of Asian folklore, which gave the book a fresh feel after having read so many western-based paranormal works. I also felt the LGBT presentation was nicely handled, although there were plenty of dark moments within the tale as well, meaning it might not be for everyone. Asagi was a delightful character whose struggles I got behind right from the start. The pacing could have done with a little tweaking, as the ending felt rushed compared to the rest, but that is a very minor complaint. Overall the story and characters held my interest from start to finish and I would be happy to read more from Maguire in the future. For me, this was a four-star read.

I really tried to get into this one. It sounded so good but unfortunately, it just wasn't for me.

I kept trying to read this but by about 20% I just gave up because it wasn't keeping me interested in the story.

I know some would love it.

This book was basically about Asagi's life as a slave, then not really a slave but not really free either, then a vampire, all the while dealing with past trauma and inner demons and trying to protect the boy they thought of as a son whenever possible. This is a story with a lot of emotional pain and trauma. It's about a slave trying to protect a fellow slave who was an orphaned child. It's about how hard or impossible it is to escape that life, because even when Asagi became a vampire and technically wasn't a slave anymore, he was still in different figurative chains. It's about how inaction is still a choice and often the wrong one. It's about the struggle of being a monster and taking lives and having to live with that, while also knowing the chance to keep living was as much a gift as a curse. It's about how even good things have a price to be paid.

The pacing was a little odd. The book was meandering and slow without a clear goal, making it hard to figure out how far into the story I was and surprising me when all the sudden it was over (perhaps to be continued in the next book?), and I kept waiting for the things mentioned in the description, some of them didn't happen until over 50% in. All of which is not necessarily bad, but it threw me off a bit, and it might help other readers to know what to expect.

What really drew me to this book when I read the description was the mention of gender, of a main character who didn't fit neatly into a male or female checkbox, and it was a significant aspect of the story. (Pronouns are never given in the book, but the description uses both "he" and "they," so that's what I'm using.) They never used a label for themselves (though that's maybe because there was no word for it at the time). He was assigned male at birth but had a feminine face and enjoyed being seen as a woman. I'm not sure if he ever quite thought of himself as a woman though, and he also chose to present male sometimes. If asked whether they were a man or woman, their answer was, "I am Asagi." They said at one point maybe they were both, or neither. I have similar feelings, so I loved finding a character I could relate to in that way, and it made me happy to see them actually get the chance to be themselves, to present how they wanted when they wanted, and to find people who loved and appreciated them for exactly who they were.

The other thing that drew me to the book was the mention of blood-drinking youkai. They were essentially vampires, but this wasn't really a romantic, sexy portrayal. They got immortality, healing, and some mind-related abilities (Asagi could sort of read people's minds to view their lives, and both Asagi and Mahiro could affect emotions of their victims), but no other abilities or drawbacks as far as I could tell. The price for it, having to drink blood, was a steep one for Asagi though, and dealing with his new life as a monster, and the consequences of it, was also a significant element of the story.

Asagi themselves was a character with a lot of inner strength and guile, but also a lot of emotional struggle.

There was a romantic relationship in the book, but it was kind of vague. The focus was very much the parent-child-esque relationship between Asagi and Tsukito, which was refreshing.

I believe this took place in a historical Japan setting, and I enjoyed the Japanese elements.

Overall this was a slow-paced, heavy sort of story that somehow kept me at a bit of a distance, but it had a unique combination of elements, including Japanese culture, blood drinking youkai, familial love, and gender exploration, and I enjoyed it. Well, if *enjoy* is the right word for a such a heavy, melancholic tale.

I don't even know how to write a proper review for Bloodlaced. It was filled with a lot of sadness, some happiness, love and vampires.

Reminiscent of Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles.

I highly recommend this one!

TW:
physical abuse, sexual abuse (off-page), self-harm, blood, graphic violence

This is fantasy book about a man and a women. Which is about vampire tale. This is a very dark book but I love stories about vampires . The story is about love , identity and strength. Good read. Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this book.

Very interesting book, dark and mysterious with cultural impacts and influences not familiar to Western readers sometimes, but very good.

A series about Japanese folklore with also non-binary characters? I’m in… or at least, this is what I thought once I read the synopsis. I was really intrigued by these premises but, while reading the book I got disappointed in so many different ways.

Now that you have read the synopsis, that is the same one that you can find on Goodreads or on various retailers’ sites, I have to tell you this: that is literally more than 70% of the book. Basically the only part excluded from it is what’s happening near the end of the book.
However, even without the synopsis, most of the twists are pretty obvious with the author that leaves a lot of clues before they are going to happen that end up ruining the moment as the reader already knows what is going on. The only exception we have to this is an event happening near the end of the book that is able to surprise the reader a bit.

Tons of drama where they are not needed while in some points where I felt there was the necessity to have some pathos there is almost none.
I think there is more attention to the the detail, action and emotional intensity in a single a particular sex scene that in the rest of the book.

The plot is really linear with basically only a single moment with real action in the whole book.

Also, it is packed with the thing that I hate to see when I read a book about places where the language spoken isn’t the English one: the frequent and constant use of words that can easily be translated in English. Bear with me, I completely understand the use of a word like Obi because is something particular that hasn’t a direct translation in English but, taking this book as an example, the constant use of goshujin-sama, that in this contest can be easily translated as “master”, irritates me.

I didn’t like the protagonist. Nothing against androgynous person but it seemed yo be the only character trait, she has.
Also she spent her whole life as a servant but sometimes she acted like the protagonist of a Young Adult novel; I found this to clash with the setting and her social status in it.

The part related to the Youkai in this book is completely negligible. I’m sure it will have a more important role in the future books of the series, but here you could completely remove it, easily substitute the various references to something more earthly and you will get the same exact story without losing basically anything. It’s a shame because I hope that this book will get interesting thanks to the various creatures of Japanese folklore.
Speaking about the Youkai I was also imagining that would be an exploration of the various creature, even only the more famous ones like, for example, Oni, Kitsune or Kappa… but the total focus of the story are these pseudo-vampire that still we don’t get to know much about.
This choice for me was like flushing all the incredible flavor this theme could have given to the story down the drain.

From the synopsis (before I discovered it was basically the whole book) seemed to have what it takes to be an innovative and interesting series… but I ended up being disappointed.
I will surely not read the following books of the saga and it isn’t totally a suggested reading from me.

Bloodlaced is an LGBT eastern-inspired fantasy romance that follows Asagi, a man and a woman. Asagi is unable to protect a boy they saw as a son and is sold to Mahiro, a kind and gentle master, and they fall in love. When Asagi is poisoned, Mahiro is revealed to be a youkai, a demon that feeds on blood, and saves Asagi’s life—at a high price. Asagi now craves blood, but the boy they once tried to protect reappears under a new master. Asagi must decide what it means to be human to protect what they love most.

Bloodlaced is not your typical fantasy read. Normally, you’d find the fantasy part to be the main thing—and in Bloodlaced’s case, the youkai (vampire). But that isn’t what happened.

The topics of love, identity, and having the strength to accept yourself are at the forefront rather than the fantasy side.

At the forefront of Bloodlaced, Asagi’s gender is immediately brought to the front and makes it clear for everyone to see: that Asagi is who they are, no matter what. They are unapologetically themselves in a world that does not accept them, and they fight to remain who they are.

Asagi fights to survive as a servant, but they end up isolated and the subject of disapproval.

“I’m a man who looks like a woman. Who wants to look like a woman. I don’t…make sense to people…People are afraid of what they don’t understand.”

“And weaker men want to destroy the things they fear.”

Things that happen at the beginning are sickening and tragic, but ultimately tie together this dark tale and show the reality of this world that Maguire has painted for us.

Rather than relying on action and fantasy, Maguire relies on the strength of her characters to guide Bloodlaced forward in an emotional and dark tale.

Asagi’s motherly love for Tsukito, the owner/romantic love for Mahiro, and so much more all come into play. Levels upon levels of character building, Maguire does not fail to make me feel the same emotions as Asagi feels for these other characters.

My favorite relationship, which may surprise you, was with Mahiro. Equal love, guilt, and hatred resided within this interwoven relationship and I found myself feeling the same conflicting feelings that Asagi does: guilt, rage, pain, yet… love for this man that saved yet enslaved them.

It broke me to pieces, and I often found myself in the middle of the book, tearing up because of these relationships and what they ultimately became.

While these relationships carried Bloodlaced, I did have a few issues with the story.
A few issues with the story came up for me at the end that I really could not ignore. Things I can’t mention in this review happened at the end that, to me, we had no foreshadowing for.

At the same time, throughout the story characters conveniently showed up at times, making it a bit predictable and cliché.

However, this does not pull away from the beautiful story that Maguire crafted and I cannot wait to read book 2.

A beautifully woven tale, Bloodlaced is heartbreaking and something I wasn’t expecting, but something I needed.

I received a free ARC and am leaving this review voluntarily...

Bloodlaced focuses on Asagi. Asagi is both a man and a woman in a time when this was viewed as a novelty. Asagi is also a slave. The story begins with Asagi and Tsukito, a boy she views as a son, being sold to an extremely abusive owner. After failing to protect Tsukito one horrific night, Asagi is sold to Mahiro. Mahiro is the opposite of Asagi's old master, kind and gentle. Asagi and Mahiro find themselves drawn to each other until eventually they fall in love. However, Asagi ends up poisoned due to jealousy. With only death to look forward to, Mahiro decides to turn Asagi into what he already is, a youkai, a Japanese creature which feeds on blood. Asagi struggles to adjust to this new life where she must cause pain to be able to exist. Tsukito, now a man, then reenters her life and Asagi makes up her mind that this time she will protect him.

This was a paranormal tale but it was mainly a romance. It focused a lot on the chemistry between Mahiro and Asagi which was nice to read. However, there were times within the book where Asagi was reminded that even though she was supposedly no longer a slave, Mahiro still saw himself as a master. I was able to see where the blind love she had for him was quickly turning into resentment.

This was a book that held my attention from beginning to end. I finished it in a matter of hours. However, it was not a fun read by any means. It included some very traumatic scenes. However, it was very fascinating to see how the vampire was viewed in another culture.

I would definitely like to read more of this series and see what happens with Asagi in the future.

Due to some very adult themes, this book should be read by adults only. There are also some triggers in this book such as child abuse, sexual violence, self-harm as well as extremely graphic scenes of violence.