Review: Blood Law by Karin Tabke

Blood Law

Author: Karin Tabke

Publisher: Berkley Heat

Series: Blood Moon Trilogy, Book 1
ISBN: 0425240924
Purchase Information:
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*Novel provided by the publisher for a honest review

For more information please visit Karin Tabke's website.

For all eternity, only one thing shall separate them—until the Blood Law is avenged…


The coming of the Blood Moon will lead two Lycan packs into war, spur two rival brothers into conflict, and spark an act of vengeance so evil that its effects will be felt for generations.
One woman stands at the center of it all…

As undisputed Alpha, Rafael must choose a life mate to preserve the dominance of his Lycan pack. He never suspected, his mate would be a human, the same wounded, girl-woman he seduces from the brink of death. Falon is a dangerous combination of Lycan and Slayer—beings bred to destroy his kind. Even more, she’s a mesmerizing beauty whose sensuality tempts the seasoned warrior to take unnecessary risks. The primal heat between them is irresistible, yet surrendering to it could destroy them both…for a vengeful foe stands ready in the shadows to fulfill what is rightfully his by Blood Law.

Blood Law by Karin Tabke is the first installment in the Blood Moon Trilogy, a thrilling erotic paranormal romance that is gritty and action packed from beginning to end. Wonderfully written and steeped in amazingly intricate lore that twists Lycan mythology, this is a fresh novel with marvelously complex characters and heavy emotions. A must read for werewolf lovers!

The world itself is what initially drew me in. From the beginning Tabke creates a new mythology for werewolves that is unique and very fantastical. The tone of the story is instantly set as being almost medieval creating a bleak world in which the lives of the characters revolve around battle and the war to come at the Rising. She does a masterful job of setting the scene for not only the origin of the werewolf, but for the animosity between Slayer and Wolf as well as between the two brothers around which the story revolves. The atmosphere is wonderfully weighted with a sense of mounting tension which only seems to grow as the story progresses. Truly, every step taken with the story seems to echo with the weight of the emotions carried by each of the characters creating a very surreal and visceral world that I really found myself engrossed in.

The characters, like the world building, were just as engrossing. Each is endowed with a wonderfully complex history and emotions that only seemed to be rivaled by the action throughout the story. Falon is definitely a wonderful heroine who is smart and resourceful with everything within her being screaming at her to survive no matter what the cost. While we know littler about her origins, we know what has led her to be in the predicament she comes to find herself in, a course of events that definitely makes you sympathize with her. However, she is in no way weak. In fact she has a backbone of steel which allows her the luxury of pitting her dominant nature against that of the Alpha Rafael, her abductor and new mate. Rafael himself is something of a sympathetic character, well, actually it seems like most of the characters are in some way or another, but it is Rafael who seems to suffer the most when he only did what was demanded of him as a Lycan and an Alpha. Eaten away with guilt that one day he will have to sacrifice an innocent for the well being of his pack, he comes to the decision to mate with Falon, a mortal to whom he has no ties and no allegiances. But, quickly she captures his heart, the one thing that he cannot allow. But, as the tension mounts so too does the chemistry between these two as they struggle in a dangerous battle of the wills and of the heart. However, his brother Lucien is far more cunning then one would initially suspect as his judgment is often clouded by a suffocating need for vengeance and a blood lust to see his brother suffer that is unimaginable. Though I can honestly say that I can understand the emotions that rage within him and there are little flickers of good that still linger, no matter how fleeting those glimpses may be. Overall, it's easy to see that all of these characters are very three dimensional exuding a wide range of emotions that can be annoying, passionate, and extremely sad at times creating a wonderfully endearing cast that make the plot all the more intense.

The plot line is also highly developed with lots of action, suspense and some really maddening moments when it comes to the archaic Blood Law. But, most notable is the wonderful twist ending that will leave your jaw on the floor. Truly, out of all the outcomes that I had imagined, I never once saw the one Tabke chose coming. However, this certainly is promising for future novels and she's definitely hooked me in to wanting the second novel, immediately. Without a doubt this is something of an epic story filled with some truly scorching passionate romance, action and battles galore, and prophetic war looming on the horizon between the Slayers and the Wolves. It's extremely easy to see that this novel is merely a taste of things to come, and boy! What a taste!

In the end, this is a gripping novel the delivers on every front. Tabke is definitely a new voice unlike anything that I have read before and I can guarantee that I will be checking out more of her amazing writing. Fans of Erotic Paranormal Romance and Werewolf lore will absolutely love this phenomenal new series! But beware, this series will become addictive, especially considering the jaw-dropping conclusion.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Scars

Advisory: Explicit sexual content