Author: Courtney Maguire
Publisher: City Owl Books
Publication Date: 29 September 2020
Pages: 236
Format: eBook - EPUB
Genre: LGBT/Paranormal
Source: ARC via NetGalley
Kanjin hardly view their servants as human. Even less so when they are different.
Asagi is different. Both a man and a woman.
In the wake of his failure to protect a boy he saw as a son from their abusive master, Asagi is sold into the house of a young nobleman, Mahiro, who is the opposite of everything Asagi has ever known—gentle, kind, and generous.
Mahiro bonds with Asagi and their friendship blooms into a deep and profound love. But when Asagi is poisoned out of jealousy, Mahiro reveals himself to be youkai, a demon who feeds on blood, and he has no choice but to turn Asagi to save their life.
Asagi awakes reborn, strong, and eternally youthful. But the price for Asagi’s new life is high.
The blood of the innocent. Just as Asagi’s trust in Mahiro falters, the boy he failed to protect, now a man, reappears.
New master, same threat.
With both a literal and proverbial monster at the door, Asagi must decide what it means to be human to protect what they love most.
Bloodlaced was an enjoyable LGBT paranormal tale. I liked the Japanese setting and the use of Asian folklore, which gave the book a fresh feel after having read so many western-based paranormal works. I also felt the LGBT presentation was nicely handled, although there were plenty of dark moments within the tale as well, meaning it might not be for everyone. Asagi was a delightful character whose struggles I got behind right from the start. The pacing could have done with a little tweaking, as the ending felt rushed compared to the rest, but that is a very minor complaint. Overall the story and characters held my interest from start to finish and I would be happy to read more from Maguire in the future. For me, this was a four-star read.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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