A Journey of Black and Red by Álex Gilbert

There were turns and twists and so much going on and I loved every second of it. The pacing of the book was fantastic for me and kept me on my toes the whole time reading it. Everything just feels so realistic and believable to me (as much as it can in a fantasy-ish setting with vampires and mages running around). I love the portrayal of her relationship with other characters. This is one of the best first-person narratives I have read. The main character, Ariane, is one that I felt very connected to and enjoyed seeing the book from her perspective. Watching Ariane grow and go through so many things made me laugh, cry, and feel disgusted and angry with her. I think this book does vampires the best I have ever read. Some content warnings that are mentioned at the beginning of this novel: psychological and physical violence and allusions to sexual abuse.

This book was/is originally posted online as a web serial on royalroad. If you take nothing else from this review then just do yourself a favor and pick up this book. I was extremely impressed with this novel. This is probably one of my favorite books I've ever read and will probably be my favorite book of the year unless I love the second one even more. If you like vampires, or you like the old west, you should buy this. This is frankly, one the best stories I have ever read. This is a story about predators creating theor own territories in an untamed country, while trying to keep others away. This is a story about the clasical vamoires that burn in the sun, that kill when they feed when they are not cautious, and who battle the beast within at all times. Fear of what she is and of the one who sired her (the man she loves and hates and who that hussy is too close to, so Arien WILL HUNT HER DOWN AND KILL HER)Īs you may have noticed, this is not a tale about modern vampires. Confusing right? She also thinks so.Īnyway, she is soon fed and taken out of her cell, and thrown into a world with strange rules where everyone seems to know who she is and hate her. Her next visitors are a poorly dressed hussy and a man she loves and hates, who wants only what is good for her but also tortured her. Her first visitors are inhumanly pale and seem surprised that she can speak. The only thing she knows is that she is a proper lady and someone changed her clothes without her permission. She wakes up in a cell without a single memory of who she is, how she got there or why she fells so thirsty. She is smart, well read and her father thaught her to how hunt and use firearms (scandalous!) This is one of those books that you don’t expect much but completely surprise you.Īriane, the MC, is a typical southern belle woman, but with a little fire on her.

A Journey of Black and Red by Álex Gilbert