Release-Day Review: Cold Blooded by Amanda Carlson (Jessica McClain #3)

Cold Blooded (Jessica McClain #3)
Amanda Carlson
Published: Oct. 8, 2013 (Orbit)
Purchase: Book Depository or Amazon
Review source: copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

Reviewed by: Jo

Rating (out of 5): 4.5 stars

Note: whilst this review will be spoiler free it may contain spoilers for previous books. Check out VBC’s reviews of Full Blooded and Hot Blooded, the first two books in the series.  

One of the things I’ve come to love about the Jessica McClain series is just how much fun I have while reading them. Cold Blooded was no different, as we follow Jessica in an action-packed adventure trying to navigate the political minefield that is her supernatural world.

Picking up right where Hot Blooded left off, Cold Blooded sees Jess returning home after rescuing Rourke. She arrives to find her friend Marcy kidnapped, sorcerers hurling exploding magic at her and one seriously powerful, seriously pissed off witch wanting answers. With only a couple of weeks left until she has to fulfill her oath to the Vampire Queen, Jess must race against time to help the witches find Marcy and figure out why the Sorcerers seem desperate to get their hands on Jess. As things normally do with Jess, goal posts change constantly throughout the book and I never quite knew what was coming next.

Cold Blooded builds on the world from previous novels, not only introducing a menagerie of new creatures, but also showcasing the inner workings of some powerful Sects. I really like how each sect, whether it’s witches, vampires or demons, has such distinct characteristics, making for a world rich in mythology. The history of the vampires is particularly detailed, unveiling much more about Eudoxia’s backstory and desires.

In the previous books we saw Jess gain a new understanding of her own abilities and the confidence that followed plays a major role in Cold Blooded. The tides are definitely shifting towards a huge conflict in the supernatural world, with Jess now front and center alongside the other heavy hitters. The layers of the prophecy begin to unravel as other characters share their opinions on Jess’ role. At times she finds this overwhelming but she utilizes the support system around her and stretches herself to understand the full potential of her powers. She’s had to learn to look further than her pack and become savvy when dealing with powerful and often conniving opponents. It’s a steep learning curve with dicey moments, leading to freedom and lives being on the line.

While I love spending time with Jess, some of secondary characters threatened to steal the show. There are certain relationship developments that I really want more details on. If you’ve been waiting for more Rourke time, Cold Blooded should make you very happy with not only more page time but also much more detail on his past. I fell pretty hard for Ray in this installment as I particularly enjoyed the direction his journey has taken; there’s much more to this police detective than meets the eye!

Cold Blooded starts with a bang and the action keeps coming right up until the final pages. Jess now faces her most perilous journey yet, where the stakes have never been higher. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for her next.

Sexual content: Sex