Blood

You know how something can be almost perfect on paper? In theory it should be great — meet all the marks and tick all the boxes.

That's how I feel about Blood, the first installment of the Mercian Trilogy by K. J. Wignall. There is nothing I didn't like about it. I loved the aspects of vampire mythology Wignall chose for her main character. I enjoyed his back story, the supporting characters, the plot...

But I needed more. While I liked the basic design of the plot, I think it could have gone deeper. And while I was intrigued by the characters, I didn't get enough from them to feel emotionally attached. It was like the difference between sympathy and empathy. I was interested, just not invested.

I do have hope for the next books in the series. I can't wait to see if Wignall can make me feel more for the characters as the story unfolds further.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys vampire stories, European city settings, or historical back stories.

(this e-copy was provided by the publisher via netgalley.)