gang …. im so pissed off

- immediately got icked out by Alexei’s POV bc why are you, a white vampire, so down bad for this girl who JUST got outta slavery⁉️ everyone needs to go to hell this is the worst historical setting to have a swirl romance in is this thing on.)&())&(?
- marketed as a romantasy, what about this screams romance wtf I wanted a historical fantasy about a former slave killing racist white vamps wtf is this shit. don’t piss me off rn 
- im not sitting through a 300+ page book with that kinda romance at the forefront idgaf‼️

This more a me problem however, I have little patience with childish characters. The main character really irritated me throughout the entire book. I also not a fan of the modern slang within a book written in the past. Overall I like the story line.

Page 14: I held my breath anyway as she passed so the scent of her blood wouldn’t drive me absolutely feral. I swallowed quickly to keep myself from drooling.

Page 15: I snatched her up and threw her legs over my shoulder, my arm around her waist. A laugh burst out of her as the back of her head hit my stomach, and I reveled in her joy.

🤦🏾‍♀️ That's a wild inconsistency. It's not been even a page to separate these actions to excuse it as plausible forgetfulness on Alexei's part.

The vernacular used in this time period by Jerusalem isn't matching. It's as if she was transported from the early nineties to 1863. Why have these phrases been used?

Page 34: “Listen, Tiny Saint. Listen.” Alexei shook his head, approaching me casually, like he had the right. “I know I’m the first friend you’ve ever had—” 

“Touch me, and you die,” I growled, my killing instinct rising within me as his hand reached toward my chin.


Wut.

More inconsistencies. Their relationship is very weird. 

This is reading very much like a fanfic, or something one (usually in their early to mid teens) roleplays between friends or in a rp game. I'm 9% of the way in, and I may call it quits.

Page 49 (14%): I came back to reading after a day, to figure out what it is about this book that I'm not liking, and I think I've figured it out. There's a lot of telling, but not showing. We're told, directly, how Alexei or Jerusalem feel about the other, and especially for Alexei, his "situation". But, personally, I'm used to allusions and metaphors at the most. At the least, I like being shown why these characters like or dislike a person or situation through their actions. We don't get much of a glean into their past interactions to help justify the point readers are at now. 

So this book isn't for me, and I won't be continuing at 14%. The premise is giving BuffyxCivil War vibes, but these contradictions put me off. Perhaps others will find the premise very promising and want to read until the end.

I can't even begin to explain how good this book was. Not only is it important to read right now. But it was an engaging story that tackled generational trauma and race issues that the world is STILL dealing with in 2025. Who would've thought what was being written during the civil war would be the same things we were screaming about now. Add in some vampires for measure and you have an exciting story that makes you face head on the band aid we slapped on a gapping wound in this country.

And don't think I didn't miss the white women rating this book two stars not understanding what this story was supposed to be telling. But instead being stuck on "they used modern language and I just can't." I'm sure that's why you gave it two stars, Jan. 

This was good but not a book I’d want to reread. Very emotionally draining