Review- Blood Song

Goodreads synopsis: Bodyguard Celia Graves plies her trade in a world where vampires roam the alleys of Tinseltown and movie stars openly practice witchcraft., where streetcorner psychics have real powers and cops use memory enhancement spells on witnesses. Though she’s an ordinary human, Celia uses street smarts and charmed weapons to protect the rich and famous from mortal and supernatural threats. 

She’s landed a plum job, protecting the Prince of a small but politically vital nation while he tours Los Angeles’s least savory hot spots. What should be a routine assignment goes badly wrong. Attacked by a master vampire, Celia knows she is about to die.

She’s startled to awaken on a cold metal table in a university lab. Celia Graves has become an Abomination, neither fully mortal nor fully vampire. Her “master” is hunting her, to destroy her or finish what his bite began. She’s accused of murder and the cops aren’t sure whether she should be locked up or staked. And then there’s the demon she glimpsed during the vampire attack . . . .
Struggling to cope with her new powers and trying not to terrify everyone she meets with a flash of fang, Celia reaches out for help from her once (and future?) lover, who is a powerful mage; his warrior-priest brother; a handsome werewolf who keeps his lupine nature concealed from the world; an elderly clairvoyant, and one trustworthy cop.

Celia Graves has three days to save the world, her sanity, and her soul.      

Blood Song is one of the most original character-based pieces of fiction I've read since maybe Kim Harrison's Dead Witch Walking. There's a story to be fair, but it's all about Celia and the secrets she discovers about herself and the ones around her.  The writing duo of Cathy Clamp and C.T. Adams, or better known to you and me as Cat Adams, knows how to utilize 1st person POV.  Every action, conversation, inner monologue is all with the purpose of making you the reader, feel as though all the experiences on the pages are yours as well.  So, if you're one of those people that can't get into 1st person I implore you to not let that stop you from reading.

Celia Graves' character is complex. She's tough while still being vulnerable. Celia's a bit broken. But she survives the best she can and makes no excuses for her actions. There are many things about Celia's past that we don't learn, and they become rather frustrating, but it only draws the moth closer to the flame. The subtly in which you start to become attached to her is first rate.

I also become very attached to the secondary characters in this books, and it's a bit strange how it all happened. To be honest, the character relationships were a bit baffling at first.  You're introduced to all these people in Celia's life, but we're not really given that much to go on; very little history, scant descriptions etc.  But as information slowly trickles out you've already decided on your attachment based on their actions.  I didn't merely like a character because Celia has fond memories and a long history, my bond was created based on their current interactions and emotions.  Cunning...very cunning.

Bottom Line: Such a smart story.  I've been forever affected by the book and the characters within.

4.5 star