Dead Versus Deader

Ever wonder what would happen if zombies decided to attack vampires? If your guess is  a lot of bodies, pat yourself on the back. You are probably prepared for the most insane, terrifying apocalypse I can think of. Said apocalypse is the setting for Nicky Peacock's latest novel, Bad Blood. It was a short, fun read that wasn't what I was expecting and left me wanting more.

The cover says it all.

After nearly 500 years of hunting for revenge, Britannia finds herself in a predicament: Continue to seek revenge on her enemy Nicholas, or put differences aside to help a ragtag group of humans survive an abrupt zombie uprising? To make the situation even more complicated, Britannia must resist their urge to feed from the humans, which isn't easy when one of the survivors she yearns oto be close to is possibly a reincarnation of her long dead love. Will Britannia put her differences aside to keep the others alive? Or will her need to revenge consume her first?

One thing I liked about this particular story was that it dropped you right into the action. The idea that two vampires who hate/love each other decide to protect some humans is a welcome surprise. I was glad they were so accepting of Britannia, who's punkish style and rough attitude is the kind of personality that most helpless survivors are paranoid of.

Britannia was a lot of fun. I really liked her modern sense of style, attitude, wit, and her badassery. Her relationship with Nicholas makes him a difficult ally, and some of my favorite moments were when she was trying to kill him through convenience. Britannia could take anything thrown at her, and I found myself wondering how she became so powerful. I'm hoping for another novel where we learn more about her past as she grew into a vampiric warrior woman, and if there are further obstacles that will test her strength and skill.

Peacock has the exact sarcastic, clever writing style that I enjoy in urban fantasy/YA. A lot of her dialogue made me smirk and continue eagerly to the next page. If you're looking for a fun, quick read in the ultimate undead battle, definitely check Bad Blood out. Here is the link to her guest blog post on Literary Braun, where you can purchase a copy of the novel and stock up early for your Halloween reading lists.

Cheers!

Amy