Title: Bloodlust
Series: Mackenzie Grey Trials
Author: Karina Espinosa
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal
Release Date: 11th December 2020
BLURB from Goodreads
The countdown has begun.
Mackenzie Grey is tying up loose ends before she says goodbye to the life she knows. In doing so, that means closing up all her cases that are left open at the Supernatural Investigative Unit, and nothing prepares her for the blood thirsty vampires roaming the streets of New York City. It is time to rein them in and bring order back to the city. Except Kenz is just as blood thirsty as they are.
Úlfur is a shadow Mackenzie can’t seem to shake amidst all the chaos, and when all the pieces fall into place, and his identity is revealed nothing will be the same again.
Saying goodbye is hard, but staying alive is even harder.
Mackenzie Grey is tying up loose ends before she says goodbye to the life she knows. In doing so, that means closing up all her cases that are left open at the Supernatural Investigative Unit, and nothing prepares her for the blood thirsty vampires roaming the streets of New York City. It is time to rein them in and bring order back to the city. Except Kenz is just as blood thirsty as they are.
Úlfur is a shadow Mackenzie can’t seem to shake amidst all the chaos, and when all the pieces fall into place, and his identity is revealed nothing will be the same again.
Saying goodbye is hard, but staying alive is even harder.
PURCHASE LINKS
REVIEW
I have to admit that I was dubious about the covers being changed to this style. I think its because I loved the first cover of Shift so much when I first discovered Mackenzie Grey and Karina Espinosa’s books. When I thought of the series, it was always that cover that came to mind, though I have to say I have certainly warmed up to these covers and really love them now. They tie together as a series really well. There’s always the strong image of Mackenzie front and centre on the cover. The eyes of a wolf are fairly prominent not far behind her on the cover, could it be her own wolf or perhaps its that of Bash who is always right there when she needs his help. I do honestly love these books and the covers.
Mackenzie seems to have become resigned to the fact her present level of freedom to be who she wishes to be and do as she would like to is coming to an end. Mackenzie still has some SIU cases she both needs and wants to tie up. Mackenzie is also dreading telling her best friend Amy that she is leaving for Scotland much sooner than they had expected.
However, Mackenzie isn’t the only one who has lots to do before she heads to Scotland. Initially the hand over of the Alpha position of the Brooklyn Pack seems easy. Bash will step down and Jackson will take his place. Most of the wolves like Jackson but it seems there are a growing number that are holding the fact that he has a human girlfriend and modern ideas against him. Mackenzie walks in on a meeting Bash is having with his captains. Mackenzie is quite surprised by the pack member that is challenging Jackson’s role as Alpha. Apparently, Bernard thinks having a human girlfriend means that Jackson will be distracted from his role and its wrong that humans know so much about the pack and its inner workings. Bernard also seems to fall into the crowd of pack members that do not agree with the increased freedoms and role choices the Lunas now have. He even says that there is a much lower birth rate too as Luna’s choose not to have families, preferring other roles. Something about the way Bernard is challenging Jackson irritates both Bash and Kenz, they think he has someone much higher in the wolf hierarchy pushing him to act this way. It only makes Bash more determined to help settle Jackson as Alpha even more. Then Mackenzie quickly strikes a bargain with Bernard, saying she will speak to the Fae and bring his father home to him from the Fae realm. Not an easy task, as it means bargaining with the Fae and that is never straight forward. In fact, Mackenzie has already agreed to provide something rather personal to herself to the Fae, so she adds the release of Bernard’s father to that deal. I can’t help thinking that the Fae are up to something and are purposely keeping Mackenzie in the dark about their plans, that will no doubt include her somewhere in them.
When it comes to the wedding, Mackenzie, as usual isn’t organised, and has no colour scheme organised or any ideas other than she is definitely not going to wear white. Mackenzie only makes a choice when her biological father, the King reminds her to ring her grandmother as she is organising the wedding in Scotland. I am seriously looking forward to the wedding and official status of mates between Mackenzie and Bash. Before she even takes off for Scotland Mackenzie has the large problem of Bloodlust to learn to control with the help of Finn, another member of the SIU. It’s sad when she is tying up her old cases, though there is the fact Roman has turned up to help her, causing some discomfort for Bash as he is Mackenzie’s ex and the one that helped Kenz hide away from Bash. I loved the catch up with Roman and the fact Kenz immediately invited him and Emma, the young Luna from earlier in the series to her wedding.
Though this book tied up some loose ends, it also left me with so many more ideas of what could happen next and so many questions. What will Bash have to say about the colours Kenz has chosen! Could Roman end up being Michael’s new partner? Could Lucian end up coming out of exile just as Kenz relocates to Scotland? Has Charles Cadwell accepted that Jackson is the new Alpha of the Brooklyn pack, or does he have more tricks up his sleeve? Can Kenz learn to control her bloodlust? What is going to happen between Kenz and Ulfur, and could Bobby Wu really offer her any real protection from him, even if Kenz could get Bobby back on side. I wonder if it’s the last we will hear about SIU cases now Kenz is heading to Scotland?
My favourite character in this series remains to be Mackenzie. Her humour, such as when searching for someone she pretends to be pregnant with his baby to get shown to his office when this same man has been avoiding her calls! Its so funny when she says it without hesitation and then things about what Bash may say if this rumour gets back to him. I love how Mackenzie would agree to do anything necessary for her friends. I love the relevant Netflix references, and the friendship between Kenz and Amy. I hope we don’t lose that dynamic when Mackenzie moves to Scotland. I have a feeling she will need to keep her true friends close to outwit those who wish for her downfall. The proposal is so romantic, and those that have loved this series all the way through will see the details that are repeated from a previous scene. The details and references Karina Espinosa puts into her books are amazing. The way Mackenzie thinks back to characters from the earlier books, for example when Kenz thinks about Bash and his ex-girlfriend together and how she would feel if he invited them to their wedding. Mackenzie really has grown up a lot, she can see things from others points of view and keeps Bash informed on what is going on in her life/job, where before she would just meet any problem head on and if someone got in her way, she’d deal with them too. Now she thinks things out more and plans, and arranges back up if she needs it. Mackenzie confides in Bash about Ulfur and the fact he does scare her. When Ulfur’s real identity is revealed it becomes clear she should be afraid, as much higher forces and races are involved. How will all this newly revealed information fit in with Mackenzie’s new role?
Another example of the “grown up” Kenz is the way she handles the meeting with her adoptive parents and explaining to them she is going to Scotland to learn more and spend more time with her biological father. Will her human parents ever need to be told about the other half of her life? Or can they continue to live in blissful ignorance of what their precious daughter and son are and what they face daily? I feel like I could talk forever about this bunch of characters, along with the world Mackenzie finds herself living in.
My immediate thoughts upon finishing this book were, that this is another great book, I am sort of sad it's the last in this series but looking forward to the next Mackenzie Grey series that I know is on the way! Though Mackenzie seems quieter, maybe more mature, and sensible she still seems to be storing up future problems for herself.....why did the fae want a vial of her blood? Why does she have traces of fae in her blood? Could Mackenzie Grey be set to become Queen of more than one paranormal race as opposed to just Queen Of the Lycans? Can she defeat Fenrir if it comes to a battle & who is on his side too?
Mackenzie seems to have become resigned to the fact her present level of freedom to be who she wishes to be and do as she would like to is coming to an end. Mackenzie still has some SIU cases she both needs and wants to tie up. Mackenzie is also dreading telling her best friend Amy that she is leaving for Scotland much sooner than they had expected.
However, Mackenzie isn’t the only one who has lots to do before she heads to Scotland. Initially the hand over of the Alpha position of the Brooklyn Pack seems easy. Bash will step down and Jackson will take his place. Most of the wolves like Jackson but it seems there are a growing number that are holding the fact that he has a human girlfriend and modern ideas against him. Mackenzie walks in on a meeting Bash is having with his captains. Mackenzie is quite surprised by the pack member that is challenging Jackson’s role as Alpha. Apparently, Bernard thinks having a human girlfriend means that Jackson will be distracted from his role and its wrong that humans know so much about the pack and its inner workings. Bernard also seems to fall into the crowd of pack members that do not agree with the increased freedoms and role choices the Lunas now have. He even says that there is a much lower birth rate too as Luna’s choose not to have families, preferring other roles. Something about the way Bernard is challenging Jackson irritates both Bash and Kenz, they think he has someone much higher in the wolf hierarchy pushing him to act this way. It only makes Bash more determined to help settle Jackson as Alpha even more. Then Mackenzie quickly strikes a bargain with Bernard, saying she will speak to the Fae and bring his father home to him from the Fae realm. Not an easy task, as it means bargaining with the Fae and that is never straight forward. In fact, Mackenzie has already agreed to provide something rather personal to herself to the Fae, so she adds the release of Bernard’s father to that deal. I can’t help thinking that the Fae are up to something and are purposely keeping Mackenzie in the dark about their plans, that will no doubt include her somewhere in them.
When it comes to the wedding, Mackenzie, as usual isn’t organised, and has no colour scheme organised or any ideas other than she is definitely not going to wear white. Mackenzie only makes a choice when her biological father, the King reminds her to ring her grandmother as she is organising the wedding in Scotland. I am seriously looking forward to the wedding and official status of mates between Mackenzie and Bash. Before she even takes off for Scotland Mackenzie has the large problem of Bloodlust to learn to control with the help of Finn, another member of the SIU. It’s sad when she is tying up her old cases, though there is the fact Roman has turned up to help her, causing some discomfort for Bash as he is Mackenzie’s ex and the one that helped Kenz hide away from Bash. I loved the catch up with Roman and the fact Kenz immediately invited him and Emma, the young Luna from earlier in the series to her wedding.
Though this book tied up some loose ends, it also left me with so many more ideas of what could happen next and so many questions. What will Bash have to say about the colours Kenz has chosen! Could Roman end up being Michael’s new partner? Could Lucian end up coming out of exile just as Kenz relocates to Scotland? Has Charles Cadwell accepted that Jackson is the new Alpha of the Brooklyn pack, or does he have more tricks up his sleeve? Can Kenz learn to control her bloodlust? What is going to happen between Kenz and Ulfur, and could Bobby Wu really offer her any real protection from him, even if Kenz could get Bobby back on side. I wonder if it’s the last we will hear about SIU cases now Kenz is heading to Scotland?
My favourite character in this series remains to be Mackenzie. Her humour, such as when searching for someone she pretends to be pregnant with his baby to get shown to his office when this same man has been avoiding her calls! Its so funny when she says it without hesitation and then things about what Bash may say if this rumour gets back to him. I love how Mackenzie would agree to do anything necessary for her friends. I love the relevant Netflix references, and the friendship between Kenz and Amy. I hope we don’t lose that dynamic when Mackenzie moves to Scotland. I have a feeling she will need to keep her true friends close to outwit those who wish for her downfall. The proposal is so romantic, and those that have loved this series all the way through will see the details that are repeated from a previous scene. The details and references Karina Espinosa puts into her books are amazing. The way Mackenzie thinks back to characters from the earlier books, for example when Kenz thinks about Bash and his ex-girlfriend together and how she would feel if he invited them to their wedding. Mackenzie really has grown up a lot, she can see things from others points of view and keeps Bash informed on what is going on in her life/job, where before she would just meet any problem head on and if someone got in her way, she’d deal with them too. Now she thinks things out more and plans, and arranges back up if she needs it. Mackenzie confides in Bash about Ulfur and the fact he does scare her. When Ulfur’s real identity is revealed it becomes clear she should be afraid, as much higher forces and races are involved. How will all this newly revealed information fit in with Mackenzie’s new role?
Another example of the “grown up” Kenz is the way she handles the meeting with her adoptive parents and explaining to them she is going to Scotland to learn more and spend more time with her biological father. Will her human parents ever need to be told about the other half of her life? Or can they continue to live in blissful ignorance of what their precious daughter and son are and what they face daily? I feel like I could talk forever about this bunch of characters, along with the world Mackenzie finds herself living in.
My immediate thoughts upon finishing this book were, that this is another great book, I am sort of sad it's the last in this series but looking forward to the next Mackenzie Grey series that I know is on the way! Though Mackenzie seems quieter, maybe more mature, and sensible she still seems to be storing up future problems for herself.....why did the fae want a vial of her blood? Why does she have traces of fae in her blood? Could Mackenzie Grey be set to become Queen of more than one paranormal race as opposed to just Queen Of the Lycans? Can she defeat Fenrir if it comes to a battle & who is on his side too?
So, to sum up, I totally adored this book and thoroughly enjoyed it, despite it being the last in the Trials series. I am also now eagerly awaiting the Crown series and what problems Mackenzie will face, as well as the wedding between her and Bash too.
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