I actually went back and read the first book, which contains Parts 1 and 2, before jumping into Salvation by Blood, and I'm glad I did. This is definitely a story where having the full history of Skylar and Demarkus makes a difference.

After reading the entire series, I'm landing at four stars overall.

The strongest part of this story for me is the concept. Vampires, blood bonds, morally gray characters, vengeance that has been simmering for a century, and a heroine who has gone from being powerless to becoming someone capable of making everyone who hurt her pay? There is a lot here that I enjoyed.

Skylar's transformation throughout the series was probably my favorite part. She isn't a traditionally soft or easily lovable heroine. She's angry, manipulative, ruthless, damaged, and sometimes makes choices that are difficult to defend. Considering everything that happened to her, though, that darkness makes sense. I also enjoyed the complicated relationship between Skylar and Demarkus and the question running underneath so much of their story: can you actually build a healthy kind of love when the relationship was born inside such an unhealthy world?

The writing style is very straightforward and accessible, which makes this an incredibly easy series to move through. I personally tend to gravitate toward prose with a little more depth and detail, particularly in paranormal and fantasy worlds, so there were places where I would have loved a little more development. But that's very much a personal reading preference rather than something that kept me from enjoying the story.

And this series is entertaining.

The story moves, the drama keeps coming, and I continually wanted to know what was going to happen next. There is something to be said for a book that doesn't get bogged down in unnecessary detail and simply keeps you reading, and this series did exactly that.

By the time I reached Salvation by Blood, I was invested in Skylar, Demarkus, their blood bond, and the vengeance Skylar had been carrying for a century. I needed to see how everything was going to end.

What I ultimately enjoyed most was the story itself and the world Marisette Burgess created around these characters. It's dark, dramatic, morally gray, fast-moving, and doesn't require committing to a massive series to get the complete story. I can already think of several readers I would recommend this to.

Four stars for the series overall. If you like morally gray vampires, complicated relationships, blood bonds, revenge, and a heroine who isn't afraid to get her hands dirty, this is one to check out.

The setting, vibes and characters immediately pulled me in and I was hooked since the first chapter! I finished this in one sitting because I just had to know how it was going to end! This was my first book by Marisette Burgess and I'd love to check out more!

What a dark and delicious way to bring Skylar and Demarkus’ story to a close! 🖤🧛‍♀️

I loved seeing how much Skylar had grown, stepping into her power and finally facing the demons of her past. The vengeance, bloodshed and complicated love between her and Demarkus kept me completely invested, while the vampire politics added even more tension.

Dark, dramatic and deliciously twisted, this was a fitting finale to their fractured love story. 🩸🔥