✓ DIRTY BLOOD (Dirty Blood #1) by Heather Hildenbrand: A Convo Review

Blurb:

I killed a girl last night. I did it with my bare hands and an old piece of pipe I found lying next to the dumpster. But that’s not the part that got me. The part that scared me, the part I can’t seem to wrap my head around and still has me reeling, was that when she charged me, her body shifted – and then she was a wolf. All snapping teeth and extended claws. But by the time I stood over her lifeless body, she was a girl again. That’s about the time I went into shock… And that was the moment he showed up.

Now, all I can do is accept the truths that are staring me in the face. One, Werewolves do exist. And Two, I was born to kill them.

✓ Links:

Amazon

Smashwords

Goodreads

✓ Convo Review

What made you read the book?

DarkF: Well, I have to say that the blurb looks very interesting and when I expressed my desire to read it, MidnightF also said she wants to, as well. That is why this convo review was born. Haha. 

MidnightF: When we were offered to review the book via Mark My Words Book Publicity, I immediately volunteered because the blurb caught my interest. Just after reading the sentence "I killed a girl last night," I knew that I have to read it, and I'm glad I did. 

What can you say about the story line?

DarkF: The story line is very intriguing. There were a lot of questions in my mind regarding the story. It keeps you guessing what happens next and why it happens, what is the motive  behind this character's actions etc etc. And it's a very page-turning book. 

MidnightF: It's very interesting, fast-paced and gripping. I like reading fantasy novels but I rarely read books solely about werewolves. Dirty Blood reminds me of the TV show I love - Grimm, the story is thrilling and engaging which I think is a great way to start a series. Also, I liked  the fact that the author did not info-dump while setting up the plot for the rest of the series. There were a lot of characters introduced but it wasn't confusing at all.

Thoughts about the heroine (Tara)...

DarkF: Tara is very curious and very stubborn. She wants to know everything about the world she was put into ASAP. And without anybody telling her everything she wants to know, she results to hounding Wes and everyone she could "bully" into telling her what she wants. She tends to be single-minded when it comes to these things. 

MidnightF: Tara is your typical teenager, if you remove the fact that she's a half hunter and half _____ ( I don't want to spoil it for you all). Anyway, she's strong and very stubborn. I was really impressed with her skills even though she didn't receive a formal hunter training. There are moments that I find her annoying though, specially when it comes to Wes. I know Wes has a tendency to run hot and cold (grrr!) but you don't have to be whiny about it. Still, I like her determination to find out the truth about the world she's now exposed to and the reason why Wes is holding her at arm's length.

Thoughts about the hero (Wes)...

DarkF: Hmmm.. Wes... He's very mysterious, doesn't say much about himself. (Don't know if that means he is humble? What do you think MidnightF?) Very secretive with his abilities. And also very hot!

MidnightF: Wes is a hottie and a very mysterious guy. His gifts are beyond cool= he can erase your memory and bring it back if necessary, he can read minds during full moon, and well, he's a werewolf - a very alpha one. He's protective of the people he cares about to the point of keeping secrets/lying by omission just to keep them from harm. Wes' protectiveness is probably his best and worst trait, that's the reason why he looks like he had mood swings whenever he's with Tara.

Who is your favorite secondary character?

DarkF: I like Tara's Grandma coz she's very bad-ass even though she already is waaaay past her prime years. I also like Cord for the same reasons.

MidnightF: I really like Fee's character. She's the Alpha's mate but she's very cool and motherly towards the young members of The Cause. What I love about her the most is her healing gift. =D

Who is you least favorite character?

MidnightF: Miles! The dude is creepy from the moment he was introduced to Tara. Turns out that her instincts about him is correct. What a tool!

DarkF: Hmmm. I have to say I agree with MidnightF, Miles is creepy. I just think at first that he's just a pervert or something... but yeah, he freaks me out. Also, I don't like Tara's mom. She let herself be ruled by her cowardice, to the point that she endangers herself and her daughter. What an idiot! 

What is your favorite scene?

DarkF: Favorite scene huh? Maybe I like the one scene where they spent the night together. Probably because that's the only time that they got to spend it  without thinking about the possible dangers that await them. They just let themselves enjoy each other's company.(My sentimental side shining through)

MidnightF: There are  a lot of cool fight scenes in this book  but I have to choose the scene in which Tara was first introduced to the Werewolf vs. Hunter world (Tara and Liliana fight scene). I like that scene because despite Tara's disadvantage of not knowing her enemy and lack of skills, she was able to kill Liliana. It only proves that the hunter gene is in her blood and that she's born to hunt and kill.

Share your favorite quote from the book.

DarkF: "Can't we just have one night with no one else dictating our destiny?" - Tara

MidnightF: "I still deserve to know. Even if it hurts" - Tara

What is your rating and why?

DarkF: 4 Fairy Wings! This series awakened my interest in books again. Lately I've been finding it hard to look for new books that I would like and this book did that! So I commend the author for bringing forth this wonderful series. I'm looking forward to reading more from this series.

MidnightF: 4 Fairy Wings! This is a very promising series, and I'm excited to read the next book. I highly recommend Dirty Blood to YA paranormal novel fans!

✓ About the Author

Author Across the Galaxy, Whisper, and the Dirty Blood series. I write, read, and fuss at my kids. Oh, and I do laundry, lots of laundry. I'm pretty good at it, too. Sometimes I even read WHILE doing laundry - and fussing at my kids. I'm a multi-tasker. 

For more information on my books, release dates, or just general stalker material, um, I mean FAN material, visit my website. www.heatherhildenbrand.blogspot.com. I love hearing from readers! 

Likes and dislikes? I love vintage tees, hate socks with sandals, and if my house was on fire the one thing I'd grab is my Amazon Fire TV! (oh yeah, I'm a fan of puns.

Follow Heather on twitter! HeatherHildenbr