Raise the Blood

I, too, fall victim to social media marketing. I think I’m entering a phase :’)

This book felt like a fever dream from start to finish, especially since I was still in a fugue state from a red-eye flight. I had to reread the first chapter and double-check the GoodReads page to make sure I didn’t accidentally skip the first book. The main characters immediately meet and the attraction is instantly simmering, a trope I’m not the biggest fan of even in romance novels. Caledon is certifiably insane and seems to float into the scene whenever it is most convenient for Nina. Nina had me sighing like a disappointed parent multiple times because some of her decisions are so dumb, but I guess she’s got some spunk.

Maybe I haven’t read enough Gothic novels, but when an eccentric, reclusive family living in an equally eccentric, reclusive house greets me all weird I’m turning around. And when a family member tells me repeatedly to leave, I’m running for the hills. I imagine in other Gothic novels that the main characters handle the paradox of seductive danger better, but in Raise the Blood, I was more frustrated with Nina than anything else.

I do have to hand it to Nenia Campbell for crafting an atmospheric setting though. The fading town with suspicious residents, past horrors that cannot be spoken of, and multi-generational sins all work together to build a sense of unease I had the whole time reading the book. I think smut is often a good way to break this kind of tension because it is an avenue to advance character relationships or take a break from heavy plot beats. However, the atmosphere in Raise the Blood feels spooky enough, that even the sexy scenes are tinged with a bit of horror. For what Raise the Blood lacks in character work, it kind of makes up for in atmosphere.

The mystery at the heart of the novel is somewhat interesting. It’s what kept me reading because I wanted to know what the resolution was, but it is a bit of a slog to get there. You’ll just have to endure the endless sparrow and hunting metaphors. That is perhaps the most egregious bit about Raise the Blood. I usually can take a beating over the head with metaphors, but these were both ham-fisted and concussive. Caledon and Nina’s relationship feels too thin despite how long the book feels. There was some chemistry between the two as we neared the climax, but it was cut short by the big reveal. Overall, Raise the Blood is a fine book, especially if you’re here for a Gothic, smutty mystery. It’s not the next Dracula, but it could be your next sexy Halloween book club read.