Bloodlands is the first in a trilogy by Christine Cody. I'm not going to lie-- at first I wasn't feeling the book. I didn't really care for the beginning and there were parts that bored me. About 50 to 60 pages in, I figured to just finish the book so that I could determine whether I wanted to purchase book 2 in the series which just came out last week. But somewhere Bloodlands turned into a very good read. What made no sense in the beginning came full circle by the end. The last several chapters of the book revealed big shockers that completely took me by surprise.

I gave Bloodlands 3 stars because while it redeemed itself by the end of the book, there were still some things I didn't care for. Every author is entitled to use certain aspects of vampire lore to weave their story. But having Gabriel unable to look at crosses or be affected by swear words with "God" or "Jesus" in them is kinda lame. While I liked that the author switched from Mariah to Gabriel's perspective every other chapter, I wasn't to fond of the switching from 1st to 3rd person. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

Anyway, I do look forward to checking out book 2 called Blood Rules. ( )

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy

Is BLOODLANDS, the first book in the Bloodlands Trilogy by Christine Cody (aka Chris Marie Green aka Crystal Green) a paranormal western? Post-apocalyptic fantasy? Dystopian romance? I don’t know what to call it except good. Very, very good.

The narrating voice of Mariah is immediately the kind that pulls you—even drags you when necessary—into her bleak but fascinating world. Set in a not too distant future, BLOODLANDS portrays a world that has been brought to it’s knees and then kicked for good measure by environmental changes, corrupt governments, and power hungry ne'er-do-wells. Water is more valuable than gold, gangs rove the scorched earth, and monsters are real. Mariah, a deeply suspicious and independent woman, lives underground with a small community of others. Her only companion is a brilliant (literally) dog and a stockpile of weapons. Gabriel is the other protagonist, a broken man without hope, who falls on Mariah’s doorstep half dead.

The story moves swiftly, especially in the beginning when these two characters, both with secrets, circle each other and gradually learn to trust (perhaps not as gradually as I would have liked in Mariah’s case). There are so many nuggets of flat out cool world building that I’m already disappointing that there are only three books in this series. I also loved the succession of surprises that crept up towards the end that I never saw coming. They impacted the story enough that I already want to read it again to experience it in a totally new light.

Overall, BLOODLANDS is a surprisingly romantic story of survival set in a ruined world full of monsters, both human and otherwise, that will leave dust on your skin and a smile on your face after finishing. In an act of supreme kindness to fans who will soon be panting after more books, Ace is publishing all three books in the Bloodlands Trilogy back to back. BLOODLANDS on July 26th, BLOOD RULES on August 30th, and IN BLOOD WE TRUST on September 27th.

Sexual Content:
A scene of masturbation. A scene of graphic sensuality. A graphic sex scene. ( )

You may also read my review here:
http://www.mybookishways.com/2011/07/review-bloodlands-by-christine-cody.html

Mariah Lyander, who’s family was slaughtered ,has come to live in the New Badlands with her Intel Dog (smarter than the average bear, er, dog), Chaplin, in an underground bunker. When a stranger, a man named Gabriel, is wounded and begs for her help, she lets him in, against her own better judgement. Gabriel is searching for Abby, the woman he loves, who left suddenly, and without explanation. Mariah has been alone for a while, and Gabriel awakens feelings in her that she thought were gone for good. Water is a precious commodity, and Mariah has done her best to make this underground dwelling safe for her and the rest of its inhabitants. When they are threatened by a man named Stamp and his vicious crew, Mariah may have to look to Gabriel for help, even though she suspects him of being a monster just like the one that’s been roaming the night aboveground, slaughtering humans.
With the New Badlands, Christine Cody creates a world that’s a cross between Mad Max, Firefly, and the Wild West. Gabriel is a vampire searching for redemption, and determined to hide his true nature. Mariah is tough and damaged, but her feelings for Gabriel are undeniable. There’s sufficient sexual tension throughout the story, and Gabriel has a White Knight streak a mile long. Stamp is a former Shredder, tasked with eliminating preternaturals and is determined to wipe them from this world, with impunity, and without mercy. I enjoyed the tense relationship between Gabriel and Mariah, but I wanted to read more about the New Badlands and the events that led up to such cataclysmic changes for humanity, so I’m hopeful we’ll get more in the next couple of books. Lots of character set up is done in this one, but be patient, it's worth the payoff! There’s also a really nice twist that I’ll admit I didn’t see coming, and the promise of an awesome (trust me on this one) final showdown will keep you turning the pages. Bloodlands is a fun start to a promising new series! ( )