The Bloodline War (The Community Series #1) by Tracy Tappan

The Bloodline War by Tracy Tappan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A car accident changes everything for Dr. Toni Parthen. Her computer hacked hospital blood test confirms she's the carrier of a gene that's the key to salvation for a unique race of human beings. Abducted from her hospital room to a secret, underground community, Toni is asked to do the unthinkable: procreate with a man from a race called Varcolac - a species that must consume the blood of other humans to survive. Then bizarre turns dangerous, because a new, mysterious enemy also wants her special DNA, and Toni finds herself in the middle of an all-out war to possess her. It's the job of Jacken Brun, leader of the Warrior Class, to keep the captured women safe from a demonic race of humans who rule a neighboring part of their underground world. His challenges multiply when Toni inflames the women into mutiny, and then there's his biggest problem...his growing desire for the infuriating woman herself. Afflicted with a dark genetic makeup, Jacken can never be with a woman. Until Toni uses her scientific ingenuity to find a way for her and Jacken to be together. But then the new enemy faction unearths Toni and drags her to their hidden lair, where they'll inflict an unspeakable cruelty on her to gain access to her valuable genes. It will take every warrior skill Jacken owns to save the woman he loves, but only if he can find her in time...

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This was a unique, quirky take on all things that go bump in the night. Yes, it's dark and gritty at times but somehow still manages to be funny and light-hearted. During the first half of the book, Tracy Tappan takes the time for world-building and letting us get to know her characters, which I appreciated. The last half has suspense and edge of your seat action... and I couldn't put my Kindle down!

The Varcolac (or Vampires) have been forced to live underground in a city 'next door' to their Om Rau demon enemies... but instead of creepy or gothic, imagine 1950's wholesome perfection. Oh, and unmated Varcolac are all virginal because of the changes that come over them once they've taken a lover. Nope, I doubt you've ever seen Vampires like this before.

Jacken was a hard-as-nails bad ass but thankfully, so was Toni. I loved his inner softie, the way they talked smack to each other, and the innocence of how they fell so deeply in love. They were a great couple and my only complaint is that I would have liked to have seen a little more of them together.

“She stopped crying. Holy sh--, he’d made her stop. Him! His lungs expanded. He was King of the World.”.

Most of the men blend into the background of the story so it's the other 'Dragon' women that drive the plot forward and give it heart and soul. The Dragons love their husbands passionately but they're fed up with their prison-like circumstances and angry about the kidnappings and forced assimilation of their kind into the community. Change is desperately needed, but how far are they prepared to go to make it happen?

"You Vârcolac males like to make us Dragons think we’re so special to you, but the truth is,” she lowered her voice to a hiss, “we’re not even worth the effort for you to fight for us.”.

Toni, Beth, and Kimberly were all intelligent, tough, and dymanic characters. I really felt for their plight and I was relieved to see them speak up and take action to get what they wanted. Toni and Kimberly both drop some shocking personal revelations and I had to keep reminding myself that they were only fictional... I had that much of an emotional connection to them.

If you're looking for a new paranormal series, then give The Bloodline War a chance. You won't come across anything else like it.


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