Review : Dahlia ( Blood Crave #1 )

Dahlia ( Blood Crave series #1 )
Author: Christina Channelle

Publication date: Dec 21st, 2012
Genre: YA
Formats: Kindle

Purchase from: Amazon

What would you do if your dreams were more than just dreams? 

When you knew in the depths of your soul that you were unlike the rest? 

For seventeen-year-old Dahlia Winters, this is her truth. Her coping mechanism is to simply forget and deny the strangeness that is her life. Orphaned, her past remains a mystery. Now residing with a foster family, she finally feels normal--or attempts to. Yet, dreams continue to torment her. Not only consumed by visions of miraculously healing wounds, but of a lust for something she should never naturally crave. 

Then a green-eyed stranger enters her life echoing her inner thoughts and voicing warnings about others wanting to harm her. He knows things about her that no one should possibly know, and he awakens her in ways she never expected. 

This leads Dahlia to discover who she really is, for she is more than just human. With this newfound knowledge, and the elements suddenly fighting against her, she finds it hard to trust anyone. And as she finally awakens and comes to grips with the power she possesses, she fights to stay alive. 

Before the world, as she knows it, ceases to exist.

Received as part of a blog tour! 

Truth be told I wasn't expecting much from this one. But for a debut, this one's actually good!  The premise doesn't let on much. 

Dahlia Winter's has always known there was something different about her. One of her earliest memories is the feeling of being watched , she's known this even at the young age of five. She never fit into the foster system until one family decides to take her in and starts breaking her shell. Soon she finds herself amid strange occurrences. People vanishing, healed injuries, cravings for blood. Enter green-eyed hunk who helps her find her way and meet her destiny.

I'll tell you this. This book starts out creepy. Reaallyy creepy. What with her earliest memories and wierd blood swapping incident with the wolf (I'll let you find out about that yourself) . It was an eerie ride. 

This is a really interesting take on angels and vampires. That's right. This one has angels, vampires and magic. I was actually able to guess a little with the hints that miss Channelle kept dropping. The scars on her back? I started figuring out the significance pretty soon. And the introduction to the lamia aka vampires? Well yeah kinda got where  that was leading to. But I enjoyed reading it nonetheless. 

I was initially worried when all these elements started meshing together. Hoping this wouldn't be like a dish gone bad because of too many exotic ingredients but didn't so kudos to you Christina!


Now things I enjoyed :

• Sam
  Sam is Dahlia foster brother. And I loved the rapport between them! His constant teasing and trying to get Dahlia to loosen up, his worrying, all of it was really endearing. I was actually did not like the ending with him. Not needed!
• Merging of the Lapsus ( the fallen aka angels) and Lamia (vampires)
  Yeah I was nice to see how she got them together it was a bit traditional vampire abilities mixed with a little Vampire Academy-ish powers plus angels from Hush hush ( I haven't read this series yet but I know the basic storyline and stuff within )
• Ava
  I liked her. The mysterious girl who Dahlia connects with at school. She could have been further fleshed maybe but she was good!

I couldn't totally connect with Greyson ( the green-eyed hunk ) at all times. I liked him, he was a good character. He just didn't seems all that memorable to me. Maybe it's something wrong with me, but hey it's just my individual opinion.

On the whole a really good and intriguing read. I will be looking forward to reading the next book and finding out about Rowan a character who is introduced to us at the end but don't know anything about in Fallen Tears the novella.

A great job from a debut author with a high scope of getting it to greatness with her interesting take on vamps and angels. Christina Channelle I'll be on the look out for you.




Rating: 4 Quills

quill design: QioDen