Heart’s Blood by Gail Dayton

Paranormal Romance

I loved New Blood (see my post on February 2, 2010) so I visited Borders and purchased Heart’s Blood the second book in the series. Sometimes the second book is a disappointment but Heart’s Blood lived up to my expectations. I was pulled into the story faster than I was in New Blood. The world was already created and the backstory already in place. As a result the story developed faster.

We met Grey Carteret, the Magister of the Wizards Guild, in New Blood. As Heart’s Blood begins Grey wakes up in an alley guarded by a street urchin. There is a murdered man not far from where he wakes up. The street urchin turns out to be Pearl Parkin, a female. When Grey is arrested for murder and put in jail Pearl blackmails him into accepting her as his apprentice.

Grey’s arrival in the alley and the murdered man are part of a new magical threat and soon Grey and Pearl are busy trying to solve the mystery. Heart’s Blood is a fast paced adventure that includes many of the characters from New Blood. The series remains on my favorites list. I will be on the outlook for the next book.

Just additional comment. I thought the cover of Heart's Blood was much better than New Blood. You can compare the two here on the blog. Leave a comment and let me know what you think.

TOR published Heart’s Blood by Gail Dayton in 2009.

New Blood by Gail Dayton

Paranormal Romance

I have gradually been won over to some paranormal romance books and now have some favorite paranormal romance authors. I never miss a book by Robin Owens, Jayne Castle, or Nalini Singh. After reading New Blood Gail Dayton will join that list.

New Blood is set in the mid-1800’s in a world where there are four kinds of magic’s; alchemy, conjury, wizardry, and blood sorcery. One kind, blood magic was lost when the last blood sorceress waited to long to find an apprentice. One of her last acts was to give her knowledge to her blood servant Jax and send him out to find a new blood sorceress. Amanusa thinks she is just a minor witch until Jax finds and greets her as a blood sorceress. Together they start on a journey that will take them across Europe where together they find friends, face enemies, bring overdue justice and work to stop the spread of machines that eat magic.

Gail Dayton has taken our world and given it a twist by adding magic. The result is a believable story filled with great characters. Each plot elements adds to the story while the building relationship between Jax and Amanusa. New Blood is a well-written book that has action, adventure, excitement and romance. In other words, everything you want in a paranormal romance.

TOR published New Blood by Gail Dayton in 2009. The second book in the series, Heart's Blood, is available now.