Blood Rose by Danielle Rose

Title: Blood Rose
Author: Danielle Rose
Publisher: Self-published
Publication date: August 13, 2015
Pages: 240
Source/format: PDF from the Author for a honest review

Rating: ☆☆☆☆

Synopsis (from Goodreads.com):

There's no wrath like that of a witch scorned.

Avah Taylor has been given a death sentence: as one of the only spirit users in her coven, Avah has been chosen to wield The Power, the ultimate weapon against the immortal vampire species witches have been at war with for centuries. The Power, given by the gods to one witch of each generation, is considered a great honor, but every witch before has died trying to master this all-too-powerful gift, one that the shell of a mortal can’t contain for long.

On the night of her birth rite, Avah’s coven is attacked, and Avah is left for dead. Confronted with a terrible choice, Avah must decide to either die or save herself by becoming like her enemies. Forced to seek refuge among the very beings she has sworn to kill, Avah vows revenge on those who took her former life from her.

As Avah slowly transitions into a life of blood and war and battles her own feelings for a man she is supposed to hate, she realizes everything she’s been told is a lie.

My Thoughts

Witches and Vampires have been at war for centuries. Avah Taylor is born a hereditary witch and has affinity for Spirit. Because Spirit is not as strong as elements such as Air and Fire, she learns hand to hand combat and advanced weaponry training to fight off vampires. Avah is chosen to host The Power which is used to fight an unfair war against the immortal creatures. Each generation has one witch who wields Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit. The Chosen One gives their life to the cause and ultimately sacrifices themselves for the greater good since all those with The Power died before mastering it.

During a vampire attack during Avah's birth rite of The Power, Avah is injured but is saved by the creature the witches have been feuding with for centuries. Turned away from her family and coven, Avah has no choice but to hone her skills as a hybrid and to join the vampire that sired her. Still in the mind of a witch, Avah shuns the vampires but finds out everything she learned from her elders was not always true.

Danielle Rose creates a compelling and captivating story. It is seductive and full of action and adventure. The world building is phenomenal and is well thought out. Rose describes each character in detail which paints the perfect character profile. There is slight infatuation between Avah and Jasik right away but it wasn't full blown instalove. I was a little put off when Avah was spinning the seax and ended up causing a self-inflicted injury. Usually Avah knows better. I appreciate her feistiness and independence. She is willing to sacrifice her life multiple times. She is selfless and a great leader. Avah instills confidence in others even when there are times when people think the situation is hopeless.

I highly recommend this novel if you are interested in paranormal fantasy such as the Vampire Academy series, Bloodlines series and the Vampire Diaries TV show. Please be advised that this novel is a New Adult novel and contains some sexual content. Blood Rose is the first novel in the The Blood Books series.

Author Bio:

Danielle Rose is writer of fiction and travel, as well as the owner of Narrative Ink Editing LLC. Danielle currently resides in the Midwest, where she spends her days at a local coffee shop planning her next vacation or plotting her next novel.

Danielle holds a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from the University of Southern Maine's Stonecoast program. In addition to her Master of Fine Arts, she also holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and certification in professional writing from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.

When not writing, traveling, or writing about traveling, Danielle enjoys being outdoors, cheering for her favorite football team (Go Packers!), and spending time with her husband and their furbabies: two dogs and a cat. For more information about Danielle Rose, visit her website: www.Danielle-Rose.com.