Blood Secrets: An Alexandra Sabian Novel [Mass Market Paperback]

In this, the second installment of her Alexandra Sabian Urban Fantasy series, Jeannie Holmes continues the wild adventures of Alexandra Sabian, an FBPI Enforcer who's one kick azz heroine complete with a heart of gold! Whatever the task, Alex has the bravery, determination, and an insurmountable strength of character to go up against anyone and to do whatever it takes in order to get the job done! And, make no mistake; the adventures Alex experiences in Blood Secrets are most definitely not for the faint of heart.

With an impressive education in English, Holmes is not your average debuting author. I believe readers will be truly impressed with her astounding talent for story telling. From solid, well defined foundation and seemingly effortless world-building to a great cast of relatable, likable characters, readers will have no trouble immersing themselves in the trials and tribulations of Alex's life down in Jefferson, Mississippi.

Ok. So I've been pretty clear on the kudos for Jeannie, so let's touch on a few points of which I found noteworthy. First and foremost, I tend to shy away from the "dark" side of any story. From bloody battles to brutal and murderous attacks, I just can't stomach them. Love, love, love Urban Fantasy and kick azz protagonists, but there are some battles so bloody, so viciously brutal and intense that they make me cringe and turn the page. With Blood Secrets , Holmes has upped the ante in comparison to Blood Law and, (without wanting to share too much information on this new release), it suffices to say that the blood, gore, violence and intellectual brutality reaches a whole new level which may leave some of Jeannie's more sensitive readers questioning his or her ability to continue.

While I did struggle a bit through some of the more brutal, (and oh so effectively described), physical violence, there is one scene which literally made my skin crawl with the desire to creep between the pages and take a scalpel to the villain's...eh hem...well, you get the picture! Though not bloody nor a particularly physically violent event, there is one battle that Alex fights in which she is subjected to a brutality that could easily be compared to rape. Though, in many past reading excursions I've been exposed to some pretty brutal and/or sexually violent assaults against women, I've never been quite as affected as I was with this particular emotional event. Well done Jeannie!

While there may be plenty blood, gore, and murderous violence, Holmes hasn't forgotten to keep her readers intrigued on an intellectual and emotional level. With a revealing sub-plot wherein readers learn more about the Sabian family history, Blood Secrets includes a journey of discovery when Alex stumbles upon family secrets which may have been better left in the past.

From scenes rife with intense, dark and disturbing events to a jovial, light hearted comedic banter ever present between Alex and Varik (her love interest), Jeannie has a seemingly effortless ability to tell an "edge of your seat" adventure that is sure to keep readers coming back for more!

(FBPI - Federal Bureau of Preternatural Investigations, Jefferson, Mississippi)
Blood Law: A Novel

Amazing! This is book two in this series. This is great paranormal/urban fantasy with a little mystery and a serial killer thrown in. We find out quite a few more things about Alexandra Sabin in this book. We also find out that there many people are keeping secrets from her too. A serial killer has set his sights on Alexandra and will not let go until he has her in his clutches. The relationship between Alex and Varik is sizzling. The ending of this book is just.... Wow! I so cannot wait to find out what happens next. If you like good urban fantasy then I would suggest you check out Jeannine Holmes' "Alexandra Sabin" series.

Alexandra Sabian is an enforcer for the Federal Bureau of Preternatural Investigation. Only she let things get a little personal and has found herself on the sidelines, suspended from her job until further notice. A killer is running around butchering women and leaving creepy dolls behind. It appears The Dollmaker a famous serial killer is back in action and doesn't appear to be ending his killing anytime soon. Alex is allowed on the case with one condition: she must work with her ex-fiancé Varik Baudelaire. As Alex and Varik maneuver around each other and the investigation they don't realize just how close the killer is or what his true goal may be. The price for solving this mystery may be higher than they are willing to pay. Will Alex and Varik find the killer before it's too late?

Blood Secrets is a fast and thrilling novel with a killer mystery! While I did enjoy Blood Secrets for its awesome plot and interesting characters it lacked the romance that would have made it perfect. However, I believe that if I had the opportunity to read the first book in the series I would have probably been more in love with this couple. They have plenty of chemistry and I think the next book will be so good in the romance department. There were only a couple of instances that brought up the previous book so I don't think it's necessary to have read the first one but I do think it would make understanding of the main characters better. I really loved the serial killer plot. It was interesting and provided plenty of tense moments. The ending was so emotional it really got to me but for the most part Blood Secrets reminds me of a really cool procedural drama.

Miranda
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed