Guest review and giveaway: Blood of the Wicked by Karina Cooper

Blood of the Wicked
Author: Karina Cooper
Series: Dark Mission, book 1
Release Date: May 31, 2010
Publisher: Avon
ISBN-10: 0062046853
ISBN-13: 978-0062046857
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For more information visit Karina Cooper's website



Jessie Leigh is a witch in New Seattle. She has lived place to place, hiding from the Holy Order. Silas Smith, an agent of the Holy Order, is charged with finding Jessie’s witch brother and killing him. Silas finds Jessie, and together they set out to try and find her brother. He doesn’t know that she is a witch, and she doesn’t know he means to kill her brother.

You know how this story goes almost at once. Big burly man sees leggy woman. Leggy woman is hot and burly man is hot, but they are enemies. Sounds like hundreds of other romance novels. What set it apart was the awesome setting. New Seattle was built on the ruins of old Seattle after a major earth quake that split the city in two. There is a huge trench in the middle of the city. It feels very urban, yet this is futuristic. I was more interested in the city than Jessie at first.

I considered Jessie’s attraction to Silas strange at first. He hunts witches, and kills them for a living. Jessie’s family was torn apart because of hunters such as Silas. Her whole very sad history was formed by people like Silas. So when she starts to think about what is under his clothes, it makes me grind my teeth a little. This feeling changes over the course of the novel. Later on I found myself glued to the pages hopeful for things to work out.

The best part of the novel for me was the anticipation. Silas doesn’t know Jessie’s a witch. It is his job to kill witches. That one fact kept me turning the pages. The scenes between them get hot and heavy, which only made the anticipation that much worse. Of course Jessie doesn’t know that Silas is sent to kill her brother. That didn’t excite me as much as Jessie’s secret.

The only problem was that I didn’t really get into Silas, not as much as Jessie did anyway. I am picky with my lead men and Silas grunts to often for my taste. He tends to keep his head in the game or try to, but he came across as a little dense. It wasn’t until a lot later in the book that his connection with Jessie made me root for them. My dissatisfaction also stems from the end. Everything is wrapped up well, but his character seemed very different.

Blood of the Wicked is a typical Paranormal Romance with an awesome back drop. Although the story is typical, it still reeks with anticipation to keep the reader involved. I was not a fan of Silas or his grunting, but did like the two of them together, and the steamy scenes between them. It is a fast paced read. The action is intense, and it does a great job of keeping the reader in the book. I look forward to more from this witch hunting city!
My Rating:

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Giveaway

We are giving away an ARC of Blood of the Wicked. This giveaway is open to U.S. followers. Here is how to enter:


1. Leave a comment on Beth's review
2. Leave your email in your comment or have it available on your profile


Giveaway ends on May 31st and the winner will have 3 days to respond to our email [or message us at paranormalhaven(at)gmail(dot)com] with their shipping information or another winner will be chosen. Good luck!