Book Review
Title: Blood Crescent
Author: S. M. McCoy
Genre: YA/Paranormal/Romance
Rating: ***
Review: The opening to Blood Crescent was, we are introduced to Crystal Dylan and her father who are running from dangerous creatures who are after Crystal because she is the next in line after her mother who disappeared. We learn that Crystal is turning into a creature which sounds like a vampire and she has to make a choice about what is going to happen next. However, we then jump three months into the past, where we see Crystal trying to believe that her mother was kidnapped and not dead, her friend Victor is someone who believes her, but she doesn’t confide in him that she can still feel the shadows following her.
It is interesting to see that the shadows don’t bother her when Victor is around making me think that there is something different about Victor as well. We learn that Crystal is staying with a woman named Aislin and that she takes care of her, but in a memory, we learn that Crystal’s mother was most likely a Dreamwalker like Crystal although she doesn’t know it, but she was also a hunter. Being a Dreamwalker means that Crystal can see between the different realms and enter the minds of others. Victor seems like a protector for Crystal and during her investigation into her mother’s disappearance she makes a fatal error that seems to lead the things looking for her straight to them.
As we approach the ¼ mark in the novel, the story felt a little disjointed, but I am hoping this will change as the novel progresses. Despite knowing what she is Crystal has tried to deny it and push it aside for many years and now it is getting harder and at times her mind and body doesn’t feel like she is in control of them, just observing. It is beginning to seem like Victor and Aislin know more than they are letting on and Crystal is beginning to lose her grip on time and reality as seen when she loses 4 hours in what feels like moments to her. It seems that Aislin believes in witchcraft and finds that Crystal’s aura is being attacked by something or someone and when she tries to investigate she finds the symbol of a waning crescent on Crystal; a symbol of death and Crystal knows that she is dying. She also seems to have been bitten by a creature called a serpent and this means that she could die or end up turning into one of them. Aislin is helping her protect herself but they need to get out of town first.
As we cross the ¼ mark in the novel, Aislin is taking Crystal to New York but Victor doesn’t think it is a good idea and he seem to have some knowledge on the people after Crystal as he mentions that he can keep her safe from the Council and guardians. However, everything is feeling quite confusing and disjointed and I felt that not a lot was happening. Also, the other issues Crystal has with people and her constantly changing attitude doesn’t make for a pleasant reading experience.
As we approach the halfway mark in the novel, things definitely start picking up when Crystal is kidnapped in New York but when she wakes she seems to know her captor as he feels familiar. It turns out she has been in a sort of coma for weeks and they are far away from New York but the mysterious stranger who is a vampire makes no move to hurt Crystal and he even answers the questions she has. It turns out that she is beginning followed by a Shifter and he is attempting to protect her from it. We also can’t deny the connection between the pair despite his disfigured face, Crystal is drawn to him and she doesn’t know why. As she spends more time with this vampire, Crystal finds herself drawn and maybe even attracted to him, but he isn’t able to answer the questions she wants answers to the most. However, I must point out it seems that at some point before the beginning of the novel Crystal lost certain memories that are vital to the story.
As we cross into the second half of the novel, her “angel” as she dubs him returns her home and Aislin knows they need to find something that Crystal’s mother left behind but when they get to the storage locker where her father left it they find it has been sold and now they have to track down this item. With their search for the Blood Moon Ring underway Crystal also gets her first real helping hand towards finding her mother but it has come at a cost. We eventually learn that the vampire’s name is Damien and he is Drawn to Crystal whose real name seems to be Grace which was very interesting. I wasn’t really enjoying the love triangle between Damien, Crystal and Victor and the fights between them when essentially, they all have the same goal, they just seemed to be shoved in their for dramatic purposes.
As we approach the ¾ mark in the novel, Aislin and Crystal are attending a party at a location where both Damien and Victor said she would find the answers she seeks. It is clear that Crystal’s powers are becoming stronger as well as changing but there is nothing happening, no intrigue, suspense or action that feels unique and natural to the story. As Crystal’s turning progresses, issues are becoming clear and choices have to be made but they are being made by people other than Crystal herself. On top of all this she is still unsure of whether Damien or Victor is lying and who has the deceitful motives.
As we cross into the final section of the novel, things finally start making sense but a little too late as the novel ends soon after. The ending of this novel has to be one of the best parts and not all for the right reasons. One the main issues I had with Blood Crescent was the jumpy pacing, lacklustre storytelling and slightly off-putting writing style. However, the characters, plot and creatures in this novel are really interesting it is just the way the novel is presented that I had an issue with.
Buy it here:
Paperback: amazon.co.uk amazon.com
Kindle Edition: amazon.co.uk amazon.com
I received this review copy from YA Bound Blog Tours
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