New Fiendish Review: Bloodshot by Cherie Priest
BOOK: Bloodshot
AUTHOR: Cherie Priest
PUBLISHER: Spectra
ISBN/ASIN: 9780345520609
RATING: 4.5 Stars
RELEASE DATE: Out Now!!!
Raylene Pendle is full of snark and a damn fine princess of pilfering….after all she’s had practice. Like close to a century of donning sleek and stylish cat burgling attire, as she stealthily acquires pretty baubles in which to store in her warehouse of goodies.
But this time, her latest job comes knocking at her door, not the other way around, and despite being spooked that she’s been tracked down, she ends up being pulled into a vampire conspiracy that reaches to the highest levels of government. It will drag her through a virtual storm of grenades, abandoned military installations, gunfire, parkour, a drag queen review, multiple unmarked cars, and a whole lotta blood.
Raylene is an irreverent self-serving gruff- but with a gooey center-though she doesn’t know it yet. She’s also a ruthless vampire who has lived as a rogue for much of her life which puts her at a disadvantage when it comes to caring for people. She hasn’t had much to live for besides acquisition and looking continually over her shoulder. But Priest gives her something to live for…her acquired pet people….Pepper and Domino, the enigmatic Ian Stott who she is drawn to…for his fragile vulnerability and his exquisite killing force….and Adrian the hot-to-trot former Seal turned entertainer…their verbal ripostes are a constant source of amusement zinging merrily back and forth.
I have a thing for flawed, broken, characters and Priest has wrapped Raylene up so nicely for her readers….presenting us with the ripe opportunity to see this character grow and that she does…from the very first explosive pages. Her determination to find those responsible for Ian’s predicament, and to hone in on the fear that it could easily happen to her….to any other vampire… is a compelling push for the truth…no matter what the cost. She and Adrian will burn it all down with the added reward of some bloodthirsty revenge along the way.
I would have liked to see a more intimate glimpse of the inner workings and politics of the Houses…and their leaders-but maybe in Hellbent (Cheshire Red #2) Priest has something planned? I am rubbing my hands in maniacal glee just conjuring all the angles this amazing series can go.
What more can I say? I just got off the Bloodshot ride at the Cherie Priest amusement park and I gotta tell you it was a hell of a ride. Even my lipstick is smeared from the G-force Priest turbulence. And I got a runner in my pantyhose.
Part of the 2011 Book Chick City Horror and Urban Fantasy Challenge
A Fiendishly Bookish Review (and one grumpy cat)
Saturday, January 29, 2011 at 6:58AM fiendishly bookish 
Reader Comments (3)
Fantastic review. I've been eying this book top to bottom. I really like the description you used for Raylene. I have a better idea of what to expect and even more so want to dive into this novel.
=D!!
Chas, thanks sweetie for stopping by!
Bloodshot was was like a Tarantino flick...just instead of Kill Bill it was Cheshire Red. It was an urban fantasy movie. Alot of action. Really. I just want more attraction, maybe some sex woven in to the next plot, some thunking down of Raylene. I'm kinda hooked actually :)
`Nickee
It's been a while since I've seen a book elicit such a wide range of responses. Reading the reviews, reader reactions seem to be all over the map.
I just posted my review this morning. While I enjoyed it, I didn't find Raylene strong enough to carry the story on her own . . . personally, it was the supporting characters who kept me reading.