Single Sundays: The Dangerous Ones by Lauren Blackwood

Single Sundays: While this blog may be focused on reviewing book series as a whole, we can’t forget about the good ole’ standalone novel! On Sundays, I will review a novel that is considered to be a standalone novel. Here is this week’s offering:

Synopsis for The Dangerous Ones (from Goodreads):
One vampire to kill. Another to love.

War doesn’t scare Jerusalem. She’s a Saint. Thanks to powerful demigod-style reflexes, endurance, and strength, she’s fearless. And she has one goal – revenge.

But she never expects to team up with the handsome, arrogant Alexei to accomplish it. He’s one of those Ancient Vampires. And ever since her family was enslaved and murdered by one, Jerusalem hates vampires.

But in the year they’ve been fighting alongside one another against the Confederate Army and the vampires who benefitted off slavery, Alexei’s never done anything but prove he’s on the Union’s side and hers. She may know the enemy better, hate the enemy more than anyone in her battalion, but so does he. And she’ll use that to her advantage. Because if she can get her revenge by helping Black people gain freedom and equality without having to steal it for themselves like she had to, then all the better.

Together, she and Alexei set out to change the course of the war, risking their hearts and themselves as they attempt to take down the vampire who destroyed everyone Jerusalem held dear. But for Jerusalem, it’s about more than love and justice.

It’s about killing a god.

Author: Lauren Blackwood
Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Vampires
Heat Rating: warm
Point of View: First Person, Alternating
Publication Date: May 14, 2024
Source & Format: Netgalley–eARC

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

I think I found this book on X (Twitter) and saw it was available to request from Netgalley. I liked the idea of Vampires and the Civil War. I hoped it would be an action-packed read with a dash of romance along the way.

The Concept / The World:

As a Canadian, I only know the basics of the Civic War history but that’s really all you need to get by here. I truly enjoyed the weaving of vampires into actual history. It reminded me of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter in that sense.

I also liked the more classical take on vampires. I appreciated the parallels of vampire culture (use of people as familiars or blood sources) to the enslavement of black people during the Civil War. It almost made me believe that vampires are real and influenced that war.

The Plot:

I feel like so much of this story is a gradual incline once you get to know the characters more and the plot evolves. It takes some time to build but once it did, I was invested.

As for the writing, I did struggle a bit with the longer chapters and the flashbacks. I didn’t mind the flashbacks, I just found myself getting confused that they were actually events happening in the past as I was reading–but that could just be a me thing.

The Characters:

Jerusalem is an intriguing character. I loved watching her learn to trust other people as the story progressed. She’s one tough cookie and I appreciate her drive. I did find her dialogue (mostly her word choices) shifted throughout so that was a little distracting.

Alexi fits his role nicely as a charming vampire with more layers to uncover.

The Romance:

Jerusalem’s tough-cookie-persona made her romance with Alexei all the sweeter (albeit almost sudden). I liked that we know Alexei’s feelings from the start but Jerusalem’s aren’t quite there yet (or at least she won’t admit it). I really was taken by their relationship once it back more of the story’s focus and they explore it more.

My Rating: 3.5/5

This really grew on me as I read and got to know the characters a little more. This book just had a little bit of everything from romance to history to action and vampires and I think that will appeal to quite a few readers.

Read if You Like: fantasy retellings of historical events
Avoid if You: want more romance