Blood Dark by Lindsay J. Pryor – Review Time!

It dawned on me while reading Blood Dark – the latest instalment of Lindsay J Pryor’s gritty, dystopian paranormal saga Blackthorn – that this series has become the ONLY series that I jump on as soon as it’s released. It’s the one I count down the days to a new release. It’s the one I devour as soon as it’s published. It’s the one I pimp out to anyone who will listen. In fact, I can’t quite remember a time when Blackthorn didn’t exist. It’s become one of those landmark book discoveries of my life – sitting alongside childhood classics from the likes of Enid Blyton and Judy Blume to my first foray into adult horror from King, Koonzt and Herbert. 

It also dawned on me while reading, that Blood Dark is definitely my favourite of the series so far – and yes, I am well aware I say that every time but this time I really mean it. Now, of course, I have a feeling I’ll be living my own Groundhog Day after the next release, but right now, it’s definitely all about Blood Dark. 

Why? Because after four books in which Lindsay has introduced us to the world of Blackthorn, its residents, its dangers, its politics, its uber hot heroes (or anti-heroes if you prefer) and kick-ass heroines, book five is where it really all starts to come together! It’s always a mystery to me how Lindsay manages to keep upping the ante each time because quite often sequels (and long-running series in particular) have a tendency to fall a bit flat, failing to recapture that magic of the first book and veering off on a long-winded and slightly disappointing tangent, but there’s never been any fear of that with Blackthorn! Each book is more intoxicating than the last and with each book comes more threads expertly woven together until we have an intricate spiders web of intrigue, mystery, excitement and (yes, yes, yes!) super hotness. 

Blood Dark takes us back to where it all started, with the irrestibly dark Kane Malloy and everyone’s favourite VCU agent Caitlin Parish and I must admit, having falling in love with each of Lindsay’s main men in turn, I was pleasantly surprised to discover my love for Malloy was completely rekindled – sorry Jask (I still love you!). As always with Blackthorn, Blood Dark had me trying to second guess every move and word of Kane and Caitlin, as they try to live with the aftermath of all the revelations of Blood Shadows (Book one). I’m not going to go into detail on the story itself because that’s just going to lead me down Spoiler Street and let’s face it. nobody wants to go there, but suffice to say, as with all the Blackthorn books, I spent the whole time never knowing quite who to trust and rejoicing in the fact that Blackthorn is always so tantalisingly unpredictable. Chuck in the ever present shadow of the sinister Global Council, the ghoulish quality of the chilling fourth species showing up in every nook and cranny and not to mention the chance to get all our Blackthorn boys together, if you haven’t shown your allegiance to Team Blackthorn yet, now is definitely the time to don your fan girl t-shirt! 

Blood Dark gave me everything I could have wished for and more….excitement, chills, cold-shower moments and YES even tears! 

A five star read all the way – in fact, if I could, I’d give it a gazillion more! 

Now all I have to do is wait for the next instalment …..*sighs*