It’s been years since I’ve written a book review, so please forgive me if this one’s a little rough and jumps around a bit. Slight spoilers for the first few chapters of the book.
First off, I have to gush about the cover of Villimey Mist’s Nocturnal Blood. It’s simply gorgeous, free from clutter and focuses on the main horror element of Vampires and I just love the bloody face and hand. The smoky red background is a beautiful touch, especially with how it interacts with the title. Honestly, the cover drew me in before I even read the blurb. I’m a fan of bloody gore, plus Vampires and other mythical creatures, so this book spoke to my interests.
The book starts with Leia Walker, who suffers from anxiety and some OCD-related ticks, bullied for these ticks. The only one who doesn’t pick on her, and ultimately saved from the bullies is Sophie Gardner. However, Sophie is forced to leave town, causing the two girls to drift apart. Fast forward a few years, Leia is now in college. One night as she’s walking home, she’s attacked by a mugger. At the last moment, Sophie jumps in and kills them, revealing she’s a Vampire. After catching up, the two are forced to flee, trying to outrun other Vampires and humans that serve them.
The “road trip” Leia and Sophie go on, reveal more about the Vampire world Mist has created. I love the return of more animalistic Vampires and enjoyed the creepy ghouls the girls meet.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. My only small criticisms deal with pacing. The book was rather slow in the beginning, but when the road trip began, I was pulled in and had a hard time putting the book down. Some scenes felt a little rushed, like the scene with Matthew at the hotel. And I really, really wanted a few more scenes between Sophie and Kenji. The interactions between them were amazing and just wanted to see more. Those are my only critiques for the book.
Kenji stole the last part of the story for me. He’s amazing and I hope we see more of him in book two, Nocturnal Farm.
I’d recommend this book to anyone who loves paranormal, good horror stories, and is a fan of Vampires.
Total Score: 4.5 shovels out of 5.
I’ll try to post a book review at least once a month. Hope everyone has a good day. Happy reading and happy writing.
Kaylen Azalea Grimm 