Out for Blood by Kristen Painter – a Review

Out for Blood by Kristen Painter is the 4^th book in her House of Commare series. This story picks up shortly after Bad Blood left off.  Let’s start with the official description.

Description:
After nearly dying, Chrysabelle finds new determination to move beyond life as a comarré and grasp hold of some normality. Until the Kubai Mata bring a new task to her doorstep: rescue the child Tatiana has kidnapped, or Mal becomes enemy number one. But before Chrysabelle begins that mission, the mayor declares a curfew in Paradise City in hopes of controlling the othernatural population. A close friend gets caught and when Mal gets in over his head, Chrysabelle runs to his rescue and unwittingly unleashes a power that’s lain dormant in him for centuries. Will that power be enough to help them rescue the child in Tatiana’s clutches or will their trip to Corvinestri be their last?

 Review:

Chrysabelle is still trying to discover the ramifications from using the Ring of Sorrows gold as her signum.  After she initially pushes Mal away again, she regrets her actions and tries to make amends.  She finds herself in a situation, that literally kills her, and Mal thinking he has lost the love of his life, watches in amazement as she comes back to life.

Finally as the story progresses, we get to see the romance between Chrysabelle and Mal come to fruitation.  Mal loves Chrysabelle with everything he has, even though the voices of the beast inside him push him to be evil. But Out for Blood has many continuing stories ongoing, with the characters we have come to enjoy in the earlier books:

Tatiana is the villain, and her usual nasty self, but now she has a child she adores, a child who becomes the first born vampire, and whom will also be a daywalker.  Tatiana, who is feared by all,  will stop at nothing, even plot to kill those against her, who stand in her way.

Chrysabelle is also determined to find her brother, and save him from Tatiana, and asks Mal and friends to help her.  They also plan to take away the kidnapped vampire child from Tatiana.  With her unusual signum, which has given her abilities that she needs to find more about, Chrysabelle is now one of the strongest Commarres’.  Tatiana of course wants her.

Doc, who is a feline shapeshifter,  and Fi, who is a ghost,  are the other romantic couple, and now that Doc becomes the leader of his pack, the laws require him to marry the former leader’s wife.  Fi must go over and beyond to find a way to free Doc, even if it means putting her own life on the line.

Creek, who must still answer to the Kubai Mata, is forced to push Chrysabelle, to help bring back that child to them, as she goes to find her brother.  Creek comes under the spell of a soul taker, and under her influence causes the Mayor to make rash and dangerous decisions.  Those of which will endanger and anger his family & friends.

The Mayor having lost her daughter to vampires, is determined to retrieve her granddaughter, even if she is a vampire.  Her decision to become a vampire to give her immortality and to help her granddaughter, causes much destruction along the way.

There is a lot of action, and excitement, as each story heads for their own climax. There were a number of twists, and a surprise ending.  It wasn’t really a cliffhanger, but nevertheless, it was a shocker.  Kristen Painter does a fantastic job with her world building of vampires, comarre, shapeshifters, ghosts, etc.  This is also a unique storyline, very different then most vampire books.  You really need to read this series from the start to understand this world, and what the comarre are.  This was an excellent book, exciting read, and with that ending, we have to hope Painter gets us the next book fast. 

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher