The Dangerous Ones - by Lauren Blackwood (Hardcover)

About the Book

Eighteen-year-old Jerusalem, a fearless Saint with demigod powers, joins the Union Army seeking revenge against the vampire who enslaved her family, but in order to find success, she finds herself reluctantly teaming up with Alexei, a handsome Union vampire she can't help but fall for.

Book Synopsis

"A perfect mix of MAGIC, VAMPIRES, STAR-CROSSED LOVE, and writing as SHARP AND DEADLY a spear." - Nisha J. Tuli, author of Trial of the Sun Queen

THE THRILLING ROMANTASY FROM NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR LAUREN BLACKWOOD!

One vampire to kill. Another to love.

War doesn't scare Jerusalem. She's a Saint. Thanks to powerful demigod-style reflexes, endurance, and strength, she's fearless. And she has one goal - revenge.

But she never expects to team up with the handsome, arrogant Alexei to accomplish it. He's one of those Ancient Vampires. And ever since her family was enslaved and murdered by one, Jerusalem hates vampires.

But in the year they've been fighting alongside one another against the Confederate Army and the vampires who benefitted off slavery, Alexei's never done anything but prove he's on the Union's side and hers. She may know the enemy better, hate the enemy more than anyone in her battalion, but so does he. And she'll use that to her advantage. Because if she can get her revenge by helping Black people gain freedom and equality without having to steal it for themselves like she had to, then all the better.

Together, she and Alexei set out to change the course of the war, risking their hearts and themselves as they attempt to take down the vampire who destroyed everyone Jerusalem held dear. But for Jerusalem, it's about more than love and justice.

It's about killing a god.

"A CHEEKY, ROMANTIC, and THRILLING revenge story." - Kirkus

Review Quotes

PRAISE FOR THE DANGEROUS ONES:

BOOK RIOT, "The Ultimate Guide to Spring 2024 YA Book Releases"

ESSENCE, "Let's Get Lit: ESSENCE's Must-Read Books For Spring 2024"

GOODREADS, "The 58 Biggest Books of Spring" and "52 New YA Books to Keep Teens Reading All Summer Long"

REACTOR, "All the New Young Adult SFF Books Arriving in May 2024"

"Beneath the story's bloody and brutal trappings lies a tender romance about survival, agency, and liberation. The genre-bending elements add a fresh twist to the enemies-to-lovers historical drama. A cheeky, romantic, and thrilling revenge story." - Kirkus

"Set in a world full of vampires and demi-gods, Blackwood's world-building remains top-notch, as readers of Wildwood and Within These Wicked Walls already know." - Paste Magazine, "The Best New YA Books of May 2024"

"A YA vampire fantasy romance to sink your teeth into." - Book Riot, "10 New SFF Books Out May 2024"

"Lauren Blackwood breathes new life to the vampire myth in this captivating tale full of historical rage with a satisfying bite of revenge." - Nisha J. Tuli, author of Trial of the Sun Queen

She Reads, "Most Anticipated YA Romances of 2024"

The Nerd Daily, "The Most Anticipated 2024 Book Releases"

Goodreads, " The Most Anticipated Young Adult Books of 2024"

"A bit like Twilight meeting Dread Nation... Slipping between both Jerusalem and Alexei's pasts and presents, the novel vividly depicts how the violence of the past catches up with the characters' present day." - The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

PRAISE FOR WILDBLOOD:

"I devoured this gorgeous novel like I was one of the hungry jungle ghosts. I absolutely adore Victoria's relationship with Mumma River and how nature speaks to her. Every moment they were in the jungle was absolutely magical. With a super unique magic system, high stakes, untrustworthy men, a lush, protective jungle, and a fierce, loyal main character, Blackwood's Wildblood is not to be missed for YA fantasy lovers!" - The Southern Bookseller Review

"Deliberately paced and built with setting-specific terms and legends, this is a lush fantasy for fans of The Gilded Ones or Children of Blood and Bone." - Booklist

"A page-turning adventure set in a vividly imagined world." - Kirkus Reviews

"Blackwood's creativity shines through via the Jamaica-based jungle setting, which overflows with spirits and creatures of legend. It's an intense, socially conscious narrative featuring a compassionate and resilient protagonist." - Publishers Weekly

"The utterly unique and richly realized setting makes Wildblood stand out." - Paste Magazine, "The Best New Fantasy Books of February 2023"

"[A] thrilling, Jamaican inspired fantasy." - Cosmopolitan (UK)

"Wildblood is a poignant, thrilling, emotionally complex story of love and sacrifice. Victoria's tense journey through the haunted jungle is filled with terror and beauty, both supernatural and human, and will grip you until the very last page." - L. Penelope, award-winning author of the Earthsinger Chronicles

"A lyrically told story of healing after trauma and finding home, Wildblood is as fierce as it is beautiful, and as hopeful as it is heartbreaking." - Hannah Whitten, New York Times bestselling author of For the Wolf

PRAISE FOR WITHIN THESE WICKED WALLS:

* A Reese's Book Club Fall 2021 YA Pick *
* Instant New York Times Bestseller *

"Lauren Blackwood's can't-miss debut is a magical, Ethiopian-inspired retelling of Jane Eyre." - Harper's Bazaar

"[A] creepy, immersive, romantic and thrilling retelling." - Ms. Magazine

"A fast-paced and heart-wrenching tale...Perfect for lovers of light horror, romance, and suspense, Within These Wicked Walls will be a surefire pick for the coming autumn nights." - Booklist (starred review)

"Stunning... An inventive, original, and legitimately scary debut, this is a must for fans of witchcraft, horror, and romance." - Nerdist, "Contemporary Witchy Reads for a Magical Spooky Season"

"Blackwood's eerie, evocative debut fully embraces its gothic lineage and brings a welcome contemporary feel. The book is sure to lure readers in with the promise of hair-raising chills and passionate romance." - The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Mesmerizing." - Buzzfeed, "18 Horror Novels About Ghosts You Won't Put Down"

"This action-packed novel draws inspiration from Jane Eyre as our fearless heroine must conquer the supernatural...and survive." - Girls' Life Magazine

"...a deliciously dark and creepy Ethiopian-inspired romantic retelling of Jane Eyre with a pop of grim humor." - Buzzfeed, "Celebrate Black Love During Black History Month With These 20 YA Books"

"A dazzling retelling of 'Jane Eyre, '... promises readers a fantastical, edge-of-the seat, swooning-over-Magnus kind of experience." - The Seattle Times

"Within These Wicked Walls is the best sort of historical fantasy... leaves Jane Eyre in the dust." - Locus Magazine

"Blackwood's storytelling skills and the worldbuilding and fantasy components of the novel will intrigue readers... A promising debut." - Kirkus Reviews

"Within These Wicked Walls is an indulgently Gothic fairy tale, comparable in mastery with Mexican Gothic and Jane Eyre. An intricate magic system, a grimly humorous Black heroine, AND a heart-thumping romance? This book leaves nothing wanting." - Jordan Ifueko, New York Times bestselling author of Raybearer

"Within These Wicked Walls adds a haunting new landscape and a chilling curse to Jane Eyre's magnetic romance and searing chemistry. A Gothic retelling, and a true original." - Anna Bright, author of The Beholder

"Fierce, eerie and heartfelt by turns, Within These Wicked Walls is a romantic and spine-chilling reimagining of a classic. I loved every creepy, swoon-worthy moment of it." - Laura E. Weymouth, author of The Light Between Worlds

"Lauren Blackwood's Within These Wicked Walls is the Jane Eyre retelling I didn't know I needed, and everything I needed it to be. Atmospheric and moody, with sharp subtle humor and romance, Andromeda's story is engrossing and unputdownable. This Jane Eyre isn't your average classroom read; it is so much more than that." - Rachel Simon, Newton Free Library

About the Author

LAUREN BLACKWOOD is a Jamaican American living in Virginia who writes Romance-heavy Fantasy for most ages. When not writing, she's a musician and a tiramisu connoisseur. She's the New York Times Bestselling author of Within These Wicked Walls and Wildblood.