Review: Blood Kin by M.J. Scott
Title: Blood Kin (The Half-Light City #2)
Author: M.J. Scott
Publication Date: June 5, 2012
Publisher: Roc
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance
Find It: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, Book Depository
Source: Library
Rating: 4 stars – stay up late
Imagine a city divided. A city where human and Fae magic rests uneasily next to the vampire Blood and the shapeshifting Beasts. A city where a fragile peace is brokered by a treaty that set the laws for all four races…a treaty that is faltering day by day. I didn’t plan on becoming a thief and a spy. But options are limited for the half-breed daughter of a Fae lord.
My father abandoned me but at least I inherited some of his magic, and my skills with charms and glamours mean that few are as good at uncovering secrets others wish to hide. Right now the city has many secrets. And those who seek them pay so well… I never expected to stumble across a Templar Knight in my part of the city. Guy DuCaine is sworn to duty and honor and loyalty—all the things I’m not. I may have aroused more than his suspicion but he belongs to the Order and the human world. So when treachery and violence spill threaten both our worlds, learning to trust each other might be the only thing that saves us. But even if a spy and a holy knight can work together, finding the key to peace is never going to be easy.
Blood Kin is the second book in The Half-Light City series, a fun urban fantasy/paranormal romance series I picked up on a whim earlier this year. Book two focuses on Guy DuCaine, brother of the sunmage Simon from book 1 and legendary Templar. I really enjoyed this one and found myself finishing it in only a couple of days. Holly and Guy are like oil and vinegar but they work so well together. I love adversarial relationships and sparks fly when Guy and Holly are together.
Holly is a great character and I really liked how smart and resourceful she was. She’s learned how to survive and thrive on her own, making use of her natural skills. I really like that the women in this series do more than just look pretty. So far this series has had the female leads as an assassin and a spy.
Guy was a bit rigid at times but underneath it all was a fierce loyalty to his family and those he cares about. He’s dedicated his life to protecting those who are weaker and truly believes in what he is doing. Holly shows him another side to the Night World and proves to him that things aren’t always black and white. The two have great chemistry together and it was fun to watch their relationship evolve.
I liked the fact that the romance didn’t overwhelm the rest of the plot. In some paranormal romance novels, the story can take second place to the romance but I felt that this had a nice balance of both. There is some really nice world building with this series has a unique take on a world with Fae, humans, vampires, Beasts and a few wild cards. We are learning more of the intricacies of the world as the series goes on and I find myself being drawn further and further into it. We are also introduced to a few new characters in this one and I am already excited about the prospect of learning more about them.
I am really glad I picked up this series after seeing it at the library. It’s turning out to be one of the most enjoyable new series I’ve read this year. If you like rich, urban fantasy with a dash of romance, give this series a try.
