I really enjoyed the narrator for this, decent story typical fantasy tropes and an over all enjoyable time

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audio ARC.

I adored Angel Pean and Jay Ben Markson telling this story.

I went into this one completely blind. I liked the cover and the title and requested it. I had no idea there were vampires and hunters. I had a good time listening!

Jerusalem has just run away from slavery discovering she is a Saint during the American Civil War. In a world with vampires, Saints are the only ones with demigod-like abilities that allow them to hunt and kill vampires. She has always been fearless even when she was enslaved by a vampire, who killed her family. She hates all vampires and wants her revenge. It isn’t until she meets Alexei, a vampire who is cocky, and devilishly handsome, that she starts to think she might fall in love with the very thing she hates.
When they are teamed up to go back to the south they must face both their enemies and their true feelings for each other.

Overall rating 4 /5
This book was such a gritty, yet fantastical read. I felt as if this could be an extension of Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire universe. The duel POVs from Jerusalem and Alexei were well executed allowing the reader to see how each character ticked. I love me a star-crossed, enemies to lovers romance with a slow burn and this definitely hits the mark.
Angel Pean brought Jerusalem to life! She made me feel her hate, passion and love, and I will be seeking out other audio books narrated by her.
I had to wrestle with that truth…the people that I loved the most in this very world is the one thing I hated the most. -Jerusalem
*Thank you to Lauren Blackwood, Netgalley and Macmillan audio l Macmillan Young Listeners for the audio copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

Rating: 4/5
I received eARC and audio for my honest opinion.

This book takes place during the Civil War, with a young lady named Jerusalem. She gets a chance with a fresh start in the north and takes it. She is now working with an ancient vampire named Alexei and other allies that are known as Saints. They fought alongside the Union army against the Confederate army. Jerusalem isn’t just a normal human, she has fast reflexes and strength, all because she is a Saint. They’re like demigods here to fight against enemies that want to harm humankind. She also has a strong vengeance against all vampires due to being enslaved by one and they murdered her family, but what happens when a kindhearted vamp wiggles his way into her heart.

I really liked this book, it has a dual POV of Jerusalem and Alexei and it switches from the past to the present. It wasn’t confusing at all because the author made sure that the readers know it’s the past or that we are back in the present. I found the plot to be exciting and had a lot of depth to it. I thought the author did a good job with the world building and the pace of the book. However, for me it was the character development that I really enjoyed.

With Jerusalem you have a woman that is young, and she is also African American living in the Civil War times. Her whole family is enslaved to a horrible vampire woman, and she doesn’t care about anything but when it comes time to discipline. Jerusalem has a chance to run away and start a new life, but she can’t do it because she knows she will be leaving her brother behind, but with his encouragement she does and believes that she has helped kill him because of her actions. She holds that vengeance close to her heart, she will do anything and everything possible to make sure that horrible woman is killed. I enjoyed getting to watch her growth throughout the book and to see the strong woman overcome so much in her time. I loved that she was scared about her feelings towards Alexei, due to him being a vamp, but she starts to trust her instincts about him more and more throughout the book and you will see a beautiful slow burn romance come out.

Alexei is a charming, handsome young man who just happens to be an ancient vampire. Who is smitten with Jerusalem. He understands how she feels but he will do whatever he can to make sure that she is safe and helps her to get her revenge.

I thought the narrators did a great job with helping the readers connect with the book and characters. I loved that they put their heart and feelings into narrating.

I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martins & MacMillan for the opportunity to review this book.

Short Synopsis: 1863, Jerusalem escapes slavery to fight with the Union, not expecting to team up with a vampire to win the battle.

My thoughts: The premise of this was really fun, civil war mixed with vampires! It made it all the better that Jerusalem was a saint and was stronger than the average person.

I really struggled with the modern language used during a Civil War time frame. It kept throwing me off the storyline. And I overall had a hard time keeping my attention focused on the story, i felt like I picked up a book in the middle of a series not having read the previous book. Could have just been a wrong timing issue for me.

Read if you love:
- historical fiction
- Vampires
- Romance-ish sub-plot
- Freedom

I liked the overall premise of the book, I also enjoyed Odesa as a character. The idea of people being born with special strengths to fight the vampires was an interesting concept. I had a really hard time getting into the story. The modern language thrown in at random moments kept taking me out of the time period. I also had a hard time keeping up with flashbacks, they were very abrupt especially in the audiobook. The chapters also seemed really long and I didn’t understand why POV changes were done mid chapter. Overall I wanted to like this book but it just didn’t flow and felt like there could have been some different editing done to make it easier to read.

I would like to thank Macmillan Audio for the approval of this book in exchanged for an honest review.

Story: 3⭐ (DNF'd at 54%) Giving it a middle score due to not finishing the book.
Spice: 0🌶 (So far, but its YA)
Narration: 4⭐

The narrators' voices were lovely. Even with accidents the words were annunciated with ease. You can listen in higher speeds and understand them completely. They did a great job with emotions as well. I'm pretty sure the only reason I listen for as long as I did was due to the narration.

I really had high hopes for this book. I loved the synopsis and some of my favorite authors had good things to say, but it just fell flat for me. From what I read it was marketed as a YA Romantasy, but it really lacked the romance. There is tons of fighting and tragedy and It could be because I stopped at 50% but I just really wasn't vibing with the flow of the romance.

If you like Historical fantasy, specifically during the American Civil war with Vampires. Then you will like this! It kind of reminded me of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.

Just make sure you check your trigger warnings: Gore, Violence, Racial Discrimination, and Slavery, just to name a few.

Thank you Netgalley for giving me an audiobook in exchange of my honest review.

I did not enjoy this one y'all, I had to def 60% in because I just didn't have the time or the patience for the main character to keep calling everyone a dumbass. For a story that supposed to be set during the civil war, the main character uses modern slang and it was distracting and annoying if I'm being honest.

I did like the premise of the book, it sounded interesting but sadly the delivery was just nor me. I found the FMC not likable and I did not like the MMC much either.

2.5 stars

Set during the Civil War with a mix of paranormal and fantasy creatures, The Dangerous Ones centers around Jerusalem, a former slave and Saint with preternatural strength and agility, and Alexei, a 300-year-old vampire fighting alongside the Union Army. After being enslaved under a vampire and watching her family be murdered, Jerusalem has a deep-seated hatred for all vampires, but, after a year of training with and fighting alongside Alexei, he’s the exception for her.

And Alexei? He loves that tiny Saint.

The premise is fascinating, and Jerusalem and Alexei are such strong characters.

Between the war, the blossoming love story, and Jerusalem’s desire to take out the vampire and its family that destroyed her own, there is a lot going on in the book. But sometimes when there’s so much going on, it feels like not everything is as developed as it could be, and that was the case for me here.

Angel Pean’s narration was spot-on for me. Her accents for Jerusalem and fellow Saints Odessa and Gael were believable, and I liked her voice for Alexei. Jay Ben Markson’s 1863 voice for Alexei worked for me, but I would have liked to have heard Alexei have more of a Russian accent in the flashbacks. Markson’s Southern accent for Jerusalem unfortunately did not fit the character for me.

I received an advance copy of the audiobook from Macmillan Audio and NetGalley. All review opinions are my own.

This book was so much fun. It has found its own little special place in the vampire lore, and it shines. This is an alternate history urban fantasy that reimagines the time of the civil war and vampires. The book opens with Jerusalem running away from life as a slave. She has been gifted the superhuman powers of “saints” to counter the dark powers of ancient vampires that run the south. The Union army employs saints and even other vampires in their fight to reclaim the south. Jerusalem has spent a year with the union army, working closely with a vampire named Alexei. Alexei is the standard enemies to lovers handsome bad boy with a heart of gold. He is attracted to Jerusalem despite her skin color and obvious disdain for his kind. He helps her train to defeat his kind while also watching out for her to make sure she stays alive and well. Jerusalem on the other hand has a hard time letting her guard down enough to trust Alexei. His kind is the reason for all of the suffering in her life. Together they embark on a scouting mission for the union army, but only Jerusalem knows that this is a revenge mission. A chance to finally take down the ancient vampire that has plagued her life. Everything about the world building in this book is perfect. You feel transported back in time to a magical world that never existed and there are enough clever surprises that enhance the magic of this book. The characters are to die for. They have rich backgrounds that are glimpsed at in flashbacks and asides plus, they have the smart and snarky banter that makes romances so much fun to read. The romantic aspects of the book were not too overdone, without them there would still be an amazing story, but there are romantic scenes. So, if you prefer closed door romance, please take that into consideration. I think they were handled well and don’t pose any power dynamics/coercion issues but I feel You, the potential reader, should be aware of this before you decide to pick up this book.
Thank you to MacMillan audio for the chance to listen to an advanced copy of the audiobook presentation. Angel Pean and Jay Ben Markson embody their characters and were a pleasure to listen to. The emotions of the characters shine through their performances and it was so easy to get caught up in the worldbuilding/ story. There is not one thing I would change about this production, it’s perfect.

“The Dangerous Ones" is an enemies-to-lovers story featuring a vampire and his natural predators, humans known as Saints. Set during a version of the Confederation War, the novel often references the conflict as a current event, but the modernized language felt out of place and detracted from the story and characters.

The premise of adding a whimsical, magical touch to a Civil War-era conflict was intriguing. The characters felt flat, whiny, and weak, making it difficult to form any connection with them. The world-building was underwhelming, and the time jumps were jarring, pulling me out of the narrative rather than immersing me deeper. While the fight scenes were enjoyable, the overall structure lacked coherence.

In summary, "The Dangerous Ones" had a fascinating premise and a few strong points, but the plot felt disjointed, and the anachronistic language often broke the immersion. The enemies-to-lovers romance didn't quite land, and although the final chapters were exciting, they couldn't fully redeem the story. It was a decent listen with some enjoyable moments, but it wasn't what I had hoped for.

A new different take on vampires and other supernatural creatures.
Good interesting characters,story set during the Civil War.
Intense drama with saints,vampires other,supernaturals and Gods.
Jerusalem and Alexia are great together with a romance.
Enjoyed the story. good narration.
Voluntarily reviewed.

I don’t think I ever expected to think of whimsical and the Civil War in the same sentence but here we are. Jerusalem is such a relatable kind of obstinate and I love it and the touch me and you die is so on par with her personality because she is not at all a dainty FMC. I also am such a sucker for a “he falls first” story and he was honestly kind of adorable with how he pined for her. I think this book is an excellent twist on what you expect from fantasy.

This book was okay. it I didn't care for the characters after a while; Jerusalem's attitude and immature choices annoyed me.

Also, can we talk about how they talk modern slang? It took me out of the historical fantasy story more than a handful of times.

The audiobook was narrated well, the pace and emotions brought the story to life.

Thanks Netgalley and Wednesday books for the eARC.

2 Stars

Thank you MacMillan Audio for the Audiobook Arc exchange for an honest review.

The Dangerous Ones is set in the Antebellum/ Civil War period where vampires had slaves, were helping the confederate states keep and uphold the Constitution of Slavery in the Southern States of America. Jerusalem, a former slave who ran away after her family was killed by a set of vampires who enslaved her, met a group of people who are called Saints. Saints are people who have demi-god strength and powers who can kill vampires, and are helping the Union Army in the war effort to unify the country and kill the vampires. She meets Alexi, a 300 year old vampire who is helping the Saints and the Union Army in the cause. Jerusalem and Alexi are both looking for the same vampire who caused them harm. For Jerusalem, it’s the one who enslaved her, killed her family and may have her brother. For Alexi, it’s the one who made him a monster and tortured him.

This had so much potential to be good because the premise reminded me so much of Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Dread Nation. Taking the historical event like the Civil war and flip on its head by adding Vampires or other supernatural creatures trying to help the Confederate States and Zombies that change the course of the war.

This really needs to be edited better because the chapters are too long with the POV Switches between Alexi and Jerusalem inside one chapter felt disjointed. Then add the fact you also have it switching from present time to flashbacks from Jerusalem or Alexi in the chapter as well. This book is 350 pages and it’s only 15 chapters which could have spilt up to at least 4 or 5 chapters. One of the chapters was 41 pages long which in the audiobook it was an hour and seventeen mins long. Some people's attention span is not long in which a couple times I found myself zone out.

I really don’t like how the flashbacks were used as well. You go from her running away from her enslavers to two years since that happened and using the flashback to fill the holes between those times. Like how Jerusalem met the Saints and Alexi is all flashback that you get either in her or his pov but not in real time. Something that important should be told in real time and then you can time jump. It doesn’t work when you are trying to establish a relationship between Jerusalem and the Saints that she met after she ran away. It really doesn’t work when you are trying to convince readers that a love story is supposed to be brewing between our main two characters. When part of the development and interaction is flashback and not in the present.

It is almost like cutting corners while doing all the work. I do like fast pace books that get to the point but I like well throughout fast pace books which this one is not it. Especially if it’s at the detriment of you developing your characters, the relationship between the characters, the world building and the story you are trying to tell as a whole.

Jerusalem is just so damn impulsive for damn good which I’m trying so hard to understand since have been enslaved her whole life and her family has been killed. She is really the definition of fighting now, asking questions later which gets her so much trouble. Like if she was near Harriett Tubman she would smack the living shit out of her. She is 18 but the way she verbally talks down to Alexi who is supposed to be in love with her, she feels like a two year old learning a new word and keeps repeating it over and over again. Which that word is either dumbass, smartass, stupid-ass, cute ass, white boy, and anything else that she sticks the world ass to. It's supposed to be playful banter but just not working at all and the borderline feels toxic. Jerusalem’s narrator seems like she was always out of breath as if she was reading too fast. You can clearly hear her intake of breath which gets very annoying as you continue to listen.

This was supposed to be set in 1863 but the way Jerusalem talks modern you would say this was set in the present day. Who the hell in 1863 going to use the word “reparations"? Especially the fact it’s during the war meaning that the slaves are not officially free yet. The modern talk could have worked if this was a time traveling story. Like if she was from our time and get sent back to 1863 to help an ancestor who was an OG saint and former slave. Then it would have made sense since she wouldn’t be from that time at all.

Alexi's narrator was good but the fact he is supposed to be an eternally immorally 18 year old teenage boy who is just 300 year old, doesn't fit the narrator's voice at all. He should sound younger like a teenager and not like he is almost a 40 years old man even if he is 300 years old. I cringed every time he called Jerusalem his nickname he gave her which is Tiny or called her small. He just doesn’t sound right saying it at all. Also the fact that he is supposed to be in love with her but feels like obsession more than love.

This doesn’t feel properly researched at all as well. The only battle that was mentioned was the Battle of Gettysburg and the only historical figures mentioned were Lee and Grant. Like there wasn't more battle than that in Civil War that you could have incorporated the vampire into. Since the author did put the Underground Railroad they could have easily made a character that was almost like Harriet Tubman and made her into a Saint.

The characters are super underdeveloped to the point that if the character is not either Alexi or Jerusalem, they are very disposable and don't add anything of value to the story. Its one character I was supposed to care about but I could care less once something happens to them. Even the main villain feels so one dimensional and just there for the main two characters to have something in common. She is supposed to be 3,000 years old aka created before the time of Christ for goodness sakes and it’s nothing interesting about her. Like where did she come from? Why did she think it was a good idea to go to America, go to the south and help the south with slavery? She has zero backstory at all! Then for her to kill so easily at the hands of an 18 year old child? For a story about Vampires there is hardly any lore for the vampires that are in the story.

For a story that is supposed to be about Civil War and incorporating vampires and demi-gods into the story, the world building and magical system explanation feels so nonexistent. Ok the Vampires come from Europe but why did they decide to come to America and own slaves? The Saints are supposed to have demi-god powers but how do they get them? What makes them so special to be born with this super strength that others are not? Did we have to make a damn joke about the Underground Railroad not being “Underground”? Did we have to spend 10-15 something pages of the Underground council trying to decide if the vampire can use the passages with Jerusalem just for him to shift as a bird to go with her?

This book had so much potential to fall so flat.

One Dimensional Main and Side Characters
One Dimensional Villain with zero backstory
No World Building
All over the place Storytelling
Flashbacks that really took you out of the story.
Choppy Writing
Modern Language that didn’t need to be used in 1863.
No Character Development
Forced Romance to the point it felt cringe worthy.

It honestly would have been better if it was set in the present day instead of the Civil War period.
I was going to read This Wicked Halls from this author but after being so disappointed in the book it’s a no go.

Synopsis: The American civil war, but add vampires

Thoughts: The premise of this one was super different with a battle of vampires and saints amidst the human battles of the civil war. Themes of slavery and freedom were explored in a really interesting way. I thought the supernatural elements were woven into the historical storyline really well. The main characters, a Saint (super strong demigod-ish human) named Jerusalem, and a vampire named Alexei are given really full backstories that I enjoyed. The romance aspect was just ok for me - there were some moments that felt borderline abusive, and I thought that was unnecessary. I also want to address the language. I usually say with fantasy the author should use whatever language they want…but since this was taking place during the actual civil war, the modern language usage really threw me off. A note on the audio: the dual POVs were narrated by Angel Pean and Jay Ben Markson, who did a great job with the characters’ voices and accents.

Read this if you like:
🧛‍♂️ historical fantasy
🧛‍♂️ vampires and other supernatural elements
🧛‍♂️ light romance
🧛‍♂️ action
🧛‍♂️ dual pov

*Title: The Dangerous Ones

*Release date: 5/14/24 read: 5/12/24

*Author: Lauren Blackwood-new to me author

*Format: E-book (359 pgs.) and audiobook (11:06 run time)

🙏🏾 Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books, and Macmillan Audio for this ARC & ALC💙 ! I voluntarily give an honest review and all opinions expressed are my own.

*Narrator: Angel Pean and Jay Ben Markson-Loved Jerusalem's Southern twang and Alexei's Russian accent. The reading style brought the story to life and the pacing was great and flowed easily with the story. The narration and the author were in sync, and they fit together perfectly.

*Setting: Virginia June, 1862

*Genre: AA interests, Historical/Paranormal Romance, Fantasy

*Tropes: magic, vampires, Saints-humans with preternatural abilities (strength, endurance, demigod reflexes) that fight for the Union, New Bloods-vampires 50 years old or less

*Look out for: racial discrimination, slavery, physical abuse, SA attempt, murder

*Synopsis: Jerusalem has escaped the plantation that killed her family. She finds other Saints fighting in the Civil War on the Union side. They hunt vampires except those on their side, like Alexei. Alexei is an Ancient vampire over a three hundred old, and he along with humans Odessa, Gael, and the Colonel fight the Confederates.

🎭*Characters
* Jerusalem-18, slave name "Dido," lived w/mother, father, sister Lila( 14), and brother Matthew(16) . Their mistress Adelaide Troy is an Ancient vampire as evil as they come. Jerusalem wants nothing but revenge for her family.

* Alexei-was turned in Russia 1500s when he was 18. The "Red Mask" was his maker who he scared the life out of him because of the torture she inflicted.

*Odessa- a human, ex- slave and mother figure to Jerusalem. She leads missions against the Confederates and helps Jerusalem find` vampires to get revenge on.

*Gael-a Saint, in love w/ Odessa, speaks Spanish

*Adelaide Troy- also known as the "Red Mask." Zamir the Mangler is a serial killer and an Ancient who helped Alexei escape but didn't help when he has tortured..

*Review : This had everything. Star crossed lovers, war, and plenty of action. Jerusalem was such a head strong heroine even when she was wrong. I loved the witty banter between her and Alexei. Their romance was slow burn considering everything Jerusalem's been through. I didn't care for Odessa and Gael's ending, but I get it after so much trauma. I loved the Twilight, Interview with the Vampire, and John Carter references. How they used the Underground Railroad brought out the history of slaves escaping and going North to freedom. I was satisfied with the ending, but I would love more from Jerusalem and Alexei's adventures!

My recommendation is to read the audiobook because you can adjust the speed, skip parts easily (if desired), and picture the characters more vividly.

*Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
*Spice level- 4/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

DNF @ 35%.

The story was staged very well. The characters were likable, and the time period of this book was *chef's kiss*. It reminded me heavily of True Blood, and rather enjoyed that aspect.

However, I got bored, fast. The story moved slowly, and I kept wishing for more excitement. The excitement is probably there further along, but if I have to get 35% in and STILL be bored, that's just not for me.

The Dangerous Ones is a standalone alternate fantasy - one in which the Civil War is fought with the help of vampires and demi-gods (called "Saints"). Jerusalem is a saint who escaped slavery about a year ago and is now seeking vengeance on her former master's wife, who just happens to be a vampire. Jerusalem hates all vampires since they killed her entire family. However one vampire has been working with the saints the whole year Jerusalem has been free and although she says she doesn't trust him, she also knows he's different from the other vampires that once held her in captivity. Alexei is a vampire fighting on the union side and is drawn to Jerusalem unlike anything he's ever experienced. They soon realize that they have a mutual enemy and work together to try to bring her down.

There were parts of this I liked - I thought the beginning was really engaging and had me invested in the characters and where the story was going. I liked Jerusalem's strength and that Alexei never considered her weak or incapable due to her being a female.

Unfortunately, after a while I realized that I really didn't care about what was going on in the plot. The relationship came out of nowhere for me (or at least in terms of Jerusalem, we had spent enough time in Alexei's head to know he loved her even though I'm not sure it was shown much to us). I think what wrenched me out of the story in particular was that, though the book is set in the Civil War era, the language is incredibly modern - so it never really felt grounded into the time period for me. And for a book set in the Civil War there was...honestly not that much to do with the Civil War itself? The ending was also a little all over the place for me.

I liked the narration by Angel Pean. I didn't love Jay Ben Markson's choices for narration, particularly his voice for Jerusalem when we were in Alexei's POV. I am glad it was dual narration though, as I do feel like it added to the story.

Read this for:
- Alternate fantasy (Civil War)
- BIPOC Character
- Vampires and other creatures
- Strong FMC

Thank you to MacMillan Audio for the ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily,

The Dangerous Ones

Thank you to Macmillian Audio for this ALC!

The Dangerous Ones is an American Civil War YA fantasy with vampires and demi-gods, also known as Saints. Jerusalem is a Saint who escaped slavery from a Southern vampire and rode the underground railroad to join the war in the North. Alexei is a vampire fighting on the side of the Union, who has been with Jerusalem every step of the way. He can't stay away from her as they go to war to take down the vampire who murdered Jerusalem's family and kept her enslaved for so many years.

I wanted to badly to like this one, but it was not for me. The romance between Jerusalem and Alexei felt abrupt, with a missing element of chemistry other than Alexei wanted the scent of her blood. Listening to the audio was also difficult because the flashback endings were not announced so I got lost in the timeline a few times. The male narrator also did not work for me - the voice felt more predator and prey when he talked about Jerusalem and protective mate in love. The language used also did not seem to match the timeline. I often forgot it was set during the civil war, which was a bit jarring when I was reminded.

This one had a lot of potential, but it did not deliver for me. I hope other readers / listeners enjoy!

Specifically if you're looking for:
YA romantasy
Civil war time
Themes of slavery and white privilege
Vampires and demigod humans

The Dangerous Ones is on shelves May 14, 2024. My opinions are my own.