Book Review: Brothers of Blood
A Twisty, Turny Vampire Tale for the Those of Us with a High Horror Bar
Mr. JT Patten has done it again. This is the second of his stories I've had the pleasure of reading, and I was just as delighted by this tale.
As a big vampire literature connoisseur, my bar is high for vampire stories. The tropes are many and often overdone to the point of boredom with vampires acting like shades of the famous ones we've read and seen in movies. So, while I had positive expectations for this novel, I will admit that I curbed my enthusiasm for a genre I love so much.
That restraint was soon unnecessary, and I found myself falling deep into this bloody darkness.
A twisted vampire tale, this story will pull you in with realistic characters who are worthy of your mental investment. While this story focuses on the twins, John and Wayne, I found myself rooting for John to find a way out of his unfortunate situation to be with the wonderful Kesha.
However, the twins' journey is a complicated one. Started from the bottom with an absent trombonist father and loving but trapped in her circumstances mother, John and Wayne soon find themselves orphans. Their uncle kicks them to the streets, disowning them from the only family, albeit a terrible one, they'd known. They are forced to wander through the underbelly of New Orleans, pushed solely by their base need to survive.
Then they meet the elegant Jacques, who offers the boys a whole new (and decidedly dark) world. With the promises of experiences and access that had been far from their reach, John and Wayne are equally entranced and horrified by the possibilities.
I love how you're never quite sure where the story is going next, and the introduction of possible allies doesn't always turn out the way you'd expect. The last third of the book will keep you up at night, turning page after page, because you have to know what happens next.
If you want a face-paced, engaging read, then you need to pick up this book. You won't be disappointed.
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