laurenjodi's review against another edition
4.0
Blood Ties
3.5 Stars
On the trail of a killer wreaking havoc across several states, the SCU is called in when human remains are found outside Serenade, Tennessee bearing the hallmarks of the same killer. However, it soon becomes clear that the brutal slaying are a trap for the agents who are now in the crosshairs of a dangerous foe. Who will make it out alive?
Series note: This installment continues the arc from Blood Dreams and Blood Sins. It cannot be read as a standalone.
The suspense plot has potential although it is slow going at times with several parallel perspectives. It does eventually pick up and the twists and turns ultimately make for gripping reading. That said, there are a couple of unanswered questions, such as.
In terms of the romance, I was looking forward to Hollis's book, especially as she and her love interest,, have excellent chemistry. Unfortunately, their relationship is completely overshadowed by the Diana Brisco show, which is disappointing as Diana and Quentin have already had their book, which was only OK. Hooper missed an opportunity here.
All in all, a good conclusion to this trilogy and it will be interesting to see what happens next.
3.5 Stars
On the trail of a killer wreaking havoc across several states, the SCU is called in when human remains are found outside Serenade, Tennessee bearing the hallmarks of the same killer. However, it soon becomes clear that the brutal slaying are a trap for the agents who are now in the crosshairs of a dangerous foe. Who will make it out alive?
Series note: This installment continues the arc from Blood Dreams and Blood Sins. It cannot be read as a standalone.
The suspense plot has potential although it is slow going at times with several parallel perspectives. It does eventually pick up and the twists and turns ultimately make for gripping reading. That said, there are a couple of unanswered questions, such as
Spoiler
the connection between the woman buried in the woods and the killers, which is never explained and neither is the identity of the fake Quentin in the Grey Time? It isn't Samuel as he was possessing Brooke's spiritIn terms of the romance, I was looking forward to Hollis's book, especially as she and her love interest,
Spoiler
Reese DeMarcoAll in all, a good conclusion to this trilogy and it will be interesting to see what happens next.
goaskalix's review
4.0
4.5 Stars.
Ugh. This one was sad. And awesome. And did I mention sad? I love, love, love this series (though having been following it for more than a decade now, I'd be crazy if I didn't love it)...
Ugh. This one was sad. And awesome. And did I mention sad? I love, love, love this series (though having been following it for more than a decade now, I'd be crazy if I didn't love it)...
salene27's review
2.0
This book started out with great potential, the setup was great, but then it went downhill from there. There were too many characters and soon the story was more about them than the actual crime, about halfway through I really didn't care anymore, I just wanted to get it over with.
margarks's review
3.0
MAJOR SPOILERS -
Basically just wanted to say that I'm slighlty disappointed in the ending of this one. I don't mind when characters die, but I feel like there has to be a good payoff if that is the case. I feel like a bad guy who spans 3 books is pretty much enough. To leave it open at the end like that with his return is disappointing. I would like to have had Ruby's sacrifice mean more than that, especially because the whole theme for her character was that they couldn't defeat him without her, when in fact they didn't end up defeating him at all. And poor Galen, can't imagine his guilt. I would have liked to have seen him in the epilogue with at least some sort of reaction to the events.
I still enjoyed it overall, just unhappy with the ending. I do like the series as a whole and the idea of a psychic unit or even the idea that psychic abilities can slowly be 'proven' enough for the general public to begin to accept. Interesting premise. So I will keep reading, but man, I wish this one had, had better closure.
Basically just wanted to say that I'm slighlty disappointed in the ending of this one. I don't mind when characters die, but I feel like there has to be a good payoff if that is the case. I feel like a bad guy who spans 3 books is pretty much enough. To leave it open at the end like that with his return is disappointing. I would like to have had Ruby's sacrifice mean more than that, especially because the whole theme for her character was that they couldn't defeat him without her, when in fact they didn't end up defeating him at all. And poor Galen, can't imagine his guilt. I would have liked to have seen him in the epilogue with at least some sort of reaction to the events.
I still enjoyed it overall, just unhappy with the ending. I do like the series as a whole and the idea of a psychic unit or even the idea that psychic abilities can slowly be 'proven' enough for the general public to begin to accept. Interesting premise. So I will keep reading, but man, I wish this one had, had better closure.
mackenzierm's review
4.0
Very good book, although a little confusing because I haven't read any of Hooper's other novels so where she made reference to situations that happened in other books, I felt a little left out.. as i had no idea what she was talking about.
Even so, still a very good book. I loved how they all had some kind of "special" power. Made it all more interesting and exciting.
I recommend it, if you've read the two that come before this one, [b:Blood Dreams|458322|Blood Dreams (Blood trilogy #1 - BCU #10)|Kay Hooper|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266559877s/458322.jpg|2692493] (the first) and [b:Blood Sins|3630983|Blood Sins (Blood trilogy #2 - BCU #11)|Kay Hooper|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266774907s/3630983.jpg|3673811] (the second). :)
Even so, still a very good book. I loved how they all had some kind of "special" power. Made it all more interesting and exciting.
I recommend it, if you've read the two that come before this one, [b:Blood Dreams|458322|Blood Dreams (Blood trilogy #1 - BCU #10)|Kay Hooper|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266559877s/458322.jpg|2692493] (the first) and [b:Blood Sins|3630983|Blood Sins (Blood trilogy #2 - BCU #11)|Kay Hooper|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266774907s/3630983.jpg|3673811] (the second). :)
alice2000's review
4.0
I enjoyed this conclusion to the Blood Trilogy a lot more than I did the first two installments. A lot of familiar faces appear and some major plot points from most of the 11 previous books are tied up. Yay for Hooper for another winner....while leaving it open for more tales.
sewcialist_librarian's review
3.0
3 of 3. Better than Blood Dreams. About the same level as Blood Sins. However, I'm putting paid to this series. The ending puts the whole kibosh on this series. I like to read suspense/thriller fiction; but I'd like a little less reality with it please. I don't want to walk away from a book feeling like I just watched a couple days worth of local and national news -- depressing, violent stories with tragedy and little hope.
So, yeah. Blood Ties was a good story. Just a really sad chapter in the Bishop/Special Crimes Unit series. Oh, and if you don't like self-aggrandizing footnotes, you may not want to read this book. I don't care what the author's note says, this reader is annoyed to stumble upon footnotes referencing previous books.
So, yeah. Blood Ties was a good story. Just a really sad chapter in the Bishop/Special Crimes Unit series. Oh, and if you don't like self-aggrandizing footnotes, you may not want to read this book. I don't care what the author's note says, this reader is annoyed to stumble upon footnotes referencing previous books.
gawronma's review
4.0
What a wonderful and enjoyable conclusion to the Blood Trilogy. Ms. Hooper really constructs interesting with great characters. It was great to see many of the characters from Special Crime Unit.
Hope to see more from Ms. Hooper.
Hope to see more from Ms. Hooper.
caitlinxmartin's review
3.0
Kay Hooper's Special Crimes Unit books have always been reliable escapist fiction in the romantic thriller category with paranormal elements thrown in for good measure. They pretty much all work on the same premise - our vulnerable heroine is just trying to grow into her psychic abilities, our hero is closed off and dangerous, and there's a serial killer they're both trying to put away. This isn't Literature, but that's okay - sometimes you want a hamburger and sometimes you want prime rib.
I haven't read one of these awhile and I could tell - there is enough stuff referring to events in previous novels that I haven't read that actual footnotes are included - I guess so readers can go back and get the ones they haven't read.
Overall these have always been great junk fiction reads, but with this one I suspect that Ms. Hooper is preparing to jump the shark (if she hasn't done so already). She's just got far too many balls in the air right now and she isn't juggling them all that well. It's clear that she's trying to bring all her characters together, but the stage is pretty crowded right now. I hope she thins the herd and narrows her focus back down to the basics - romance novel formulaic though the basics may be, that is what she excels at.
I haven't read one of these awhile and I could tell - there is enough stuff referring to events in previous novels that I haven't read that actual footnotes are included - I guess so readers can go back and get the ones they haven't read.
Overall these have always been great junk fiction reads, but with this one I suspect that Ms. Hooper is preparing to jump the shark (if she hasn't done so already). She's just got far too many balls in the air right now and she isn't juggling them all that well. It's clear that she's trying to bring all her characters together, but the stage is pretty crowded right now. I hope she thins the herd and narrows her focus back down to the basics - romance novel formulaic though the basics may be, that is what she excels at.