PopHorror Let's Get Scared
I’m going to start this review off by saying I don’t read romance. Never. Give me a shredded heart over a bleeding heart any day. But I was intrigued by the cover of Justin Bourne Boring’s (yes, that’s his real name) debut dark fantasy romance novel, Beauty Is A Blade.
This didn’t look like any romance book cover I’ve ever seen. What kind of story was I walking into here?
Synopsis:
Impossibly, love blooms amidst a savage gender war that has raged for millions of years within a parallel realm. The Pentavi shapeshifters – an all female clan – and the Sinteverete sorcerers – an all male clan – were sworn enemies, divided and forced to fight by their insatiable and conspiratory Elders; they were forbidden to procreate, but made ageless by magic. The two genders were only vulnerable to death during battle, and battle was all they knew.
Layluna, a hardened Pentavi warrior, starts to suspect her Elders’ voracious appetite for war is a ruse. She and her mate, Maysiff, are determined to uncover The Elders true designs, and end the never ending war that has plagued the clans since the dawn of time. Unbelievably, they are joined by Vasser, a true immortal Sinteverete sorcerer, and head of the undying Nevuscar. He too shares their suspicions surrounding The Elders, and the three of them embark on an epic mission of bloody satisfaction.
Beauty Is A Blade is different kind of story. It doesn’t fit into one neat box. There’s so much going on. The plot revolves around Mina, a beautiful, powerful, ageless woman from one of earth’s parallel realms, the unsanctified offspring of two members of warring cabals. Just as we’re getting to know her, we travel back to the time when her parents met in the middle of a bloody battle. This kicks off a passionate tale of star-crossed lovers running from those who want to kill them… and toward the ones responsible for this endless war between the two clans.
Justin Bourne Boring takes the most bizarre ideas – shapeshifting immortals, dimension-wide wars, psychotic, bloodthirsty monsters, fate versus free choose – and wraps them around a sweet yet erotic love story. And this is only the beginning of the story.
If you’re looking for a dark fantasy romance full of battle scarred action, look no further than Beauty Is A Blade. The sequel, Violence & Roses, is also available.
