Blood Bathory: Be Not Proud by Ari McKay

Title: Blood Bathory: Be Not Proud

Series: The Guardians of Gaia 03

Author: Ari McKay

Genre:  Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Horror

Length: Novel (360pgs)

Publisher: Ari McKay (August 6, 2018)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts

Blurb: Death, be not proud…

The conclusion of the war between Elizabeth Bathory and the Guardians of Gaia draws closer, but the theriomorphs and their allies are caught between vampires loyal to Elizabeth Bathory’s daughter, Anna, and humans controlled by Elizabeth and her sire, Thrace. With the forces of evil now pressing on them from two sides, the theriomorphs need help, and they need it fast!

And soonest our best men with thee do go…

It has been five hundred years since Antonio de Barajas, one of the oldest surviving theriomorphs, lost his mate at the hands of his worst enemy. But Gaia never revealed the whole truth about Raphael’s fate, and Antonio is shocked when Raphael arrives to train Evan St. John and Adam Carson as true Dark Guardians. Yet the man who returns after so long is not the same man Antonio once loved. The hard and lonely life as Gaia’s hunter has changed Raphael almost as much as his lost memories of Antonio and the love they once shared.

Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men…

Antonio must work with the stranger who wears his lover’s face, and while Raphael is welcomed by most of the team, one member sees his return as a threat to his own place in Antonio’s life. But Thrace has allied himself with terrorists who possess a weapon of mass destruction. Now the theriomorphs and Dark Guardians must work together in a race against time to discover Thrace’s plan. Even as Antonio and Raphael are irresistibly drawn to one another, Antonio risks losing far more than his heart this time. If he and his team fail in their mission, millions will die, for Thrace will stop at nothing to destroy Gaia once and for all

ISBN: B07FYXCVBW

Product Link: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Reviewer: Shorty

Review: What a story. I am going to be careful with my review and try not to give away any spoilers.

The Guardians have their hands trying to thwart another plan. Elizabeth and her Sire Thrace set plans in motion that they think will help their cause.

Antonio gets the biggest shock in this story when someone he thought was lost comes back but with no memory. My heart broke for Antonio for all that he has been through thinking all was lost. Yes, I understood the reasoning but felt there could have been a better way at the same time.

There is a lot going on in this wonderfully written story. It has plenty of suspense and tender moments in between. I was truly enthralled from start to finish in this showdown. I loved everything about the story and it’s characters brought the story to life with a great cast.

Fantastic read. Highly recommended.