Rating: 4 out of 5.

It’s been awhile since I’ve read a YA Fantasy/Romance vampire book and it’s great to get back to the genre. This book is a new twist, combining the Civil War and supernatural beings. I listened to the audio of the book and the narrators did a fantastic job portraying the numerous characters and instilling the danger they went through and the anger, desperation, grief, and determination of then during the story. Jerusalem is a black woman that spent years on a plantation as a slave with her family under the rule of a cruel and vicious vampire. After gaining her freedom she joins the military fighting the Confederate Army. She discovers she’s a Saint, people with enormous strength and incredible reflexes, and is paired with an ancient vampire, Alexei, and other Saint allies. The Saints often have special weapons that help them harness their power and Jerusalem’s is an ancient spear.

Jerusalem despises vampires and does not want to work with Alexei and lets him know it. She insults him pretty much the entire book. Alexei, however, is drawn to Jerusalem and frequently expresses his feelings for her. Jerusalem fights her conflicted feelings for Alexei, but eventually begins to trust him. I liked her character development throughout the book. I also enjoyed the teasing, nicknames, and overall camaraderie of the group as they grew closer the longer they worked together. Alexei has his own trauma he secretly deals with which affects his actions during missions and puts the couple in danger. The couple and their allies are dispatched on dangerous and difficult missions, so make sure to read the trigger warnings. With so much fighting, there are losses and defeats, which help the story progress to its conclusion.

A lot of people criticize the author’s use of modern language during the story, and I agree, it’s not authentic and can take you out of the story, however, it didn’t really bother me and I just went with it. I mean, the book deals with vampires and other supernatural entities so you already have to suspend disbelief to read and enjoy the book. What’s a couple more things to accept.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and recommend you read it. I received a complimentary audiobook from Macmillan Audio and a complimentary e-book from St. Martin’s Press and Wednesday books. All opinions are my own.