Review: Descended by Blood by Angeline Kace

Brooke Keller is a high school junior who has never spent much time living in one place. She is finally in a town long enough to almost snag the boy of her dreams, until her life is threatened after killing a fanged man in his attempt to kidnap her. Brooke begins a dangerous journey in an effort to find out who is after her and how to stop them. In a world with powerful and prejudiced vampires, Brooke must tap into the side of her that she never knew existed at the risk of losing her life in order to save it.

 After discovering the fallen angel and dystopian genres late last year, I finally thought I was past vampires books--and then I read Descended by Blood. I couldn't have been more more wrong. Vampires have been popular in YA for a while now, but I've never seen them written like this.

Brooke Keller may seem like the average high school junior, but she truly isn't. Despite her simple desires to fit in at school and start a relationship, there is much more to her personality--Brooke is half-vampire. Her mother is human, but her father is something else entirely. The vampires of Descended by Blood are an evolved race originating from Croatia. As a power struggle breaks out between the various groups, Brooke is thrown right into the middle of a world that she never even knew existed. As she discovers her true nature, she also faces a decision that is a bit more common--choosing between two people she loves. One on hand, there's Jaren, the high school athlete who Brooke has always dreamed about dating. On the other is Mirko, a vampire who is put in charge of Brooke's safety. The choice was obvious for me, but I could understand why it posed a difficulty for Brooke.

I adored quite a few of the characters in this novel, from Brooke and Mirko to Brooke's best friend Kaitlynn. Each had something significant to contribute to the story. Also, I enjoyed the unpredictability and constant suspenseful moments. The mix of drama, action, and romance was nearly perfect. As for that ending, I was literally left with my mouth hanging open. I really wasn't expecting such a shock, but now I am even more anxious and excited for the sequel! Paranormal romance fans, Descended by Blood is definitely worth checking out.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars