#Review - Silver Staked by Shannon Mayer, Denise Grover Swank #Urban #Fantasy

Series: The Blood Bourne # 1
Format: Kindle, 374 pages
Release Date: March 1st 2017
Publisher: Hijinks Ink Publishing
Source: Amazon
Genre: Urban Fantasy

My name is Leah, and I am a Cazador. Trained to hunt and kill vampires over 300 years ago, my training became essential once I became one of those monsters.

The underbelly of the supernatural world has begun to bleed into the human world and journalist Rachel Sambrook, is asking too many dangerous questions. Unwittingly, she's revealed a conspiracy I had hoped would never become a reality; using vampire blood for human experiments.

As I attempt to contain her, she's by my side as the truth of just how deep the darkness goes is exposed. Unfortunately, the consequences have also brought forth the creatures that hide around every corner; thirsty for flesh.

The only question remaining is which one of us will survive the inevitable bloodbath​ ahead?

SILVER STAKED was previously released under the title "Recombinant"

Silver Staked, formerly released as Recombinant, is the first installment in co-authors Shannon Mayer & Denise Grover Swank's The Blood Borne series. This story features two main characters: Lea is a Cazador aka Vampire Hunter. She was a vampire hunter turned into a vampire and now she hunts her own with hopes she can eliminate every single last one of them. Rachel Sambrook is a fiercely aggressive freelance journalist who covered Iraq conflict before stumbling into the story of a lifetime. Sometimes stories really do knock on your door by the most unlikely of sources.

We get a dual POV set up for Silver Staked with each chapter alternating between Lea and Rachel. Glimpses of their lives before they met each other are scattered here and there. We are introduced to a world of vampires and hunter. The story is set mostly in New York City where it appears as though something major is happening right under the noses of its citizens. Lea and her helper Calvin, who is human, have been killing vampires for 50 years. Lea feels a pull towards New York City where someone appears to be throwing down a challenge for her to come and stop them if she can. What's worse, is that the Vampire Council seems to be working with someone to lure Lea into a trap so that they can use her to create more unstoppable monsters.

Risky Rachel who is willing to rush into danger for a good story, stumbles onto the fact that it appears that 7 people have died in what's being called Vampire Murders. But, when her best friend Derrick arrives, Rachel jumps feet first into the action without understanding the consequences or danger she is facing. Derrick claims that the US is conducting medical experiments on unwilling prisoners and those who won't be missed. What's worse, is that Rachel's Ex, Lt. Sean Price, also shows up at her door warning her to stay out of whatever Derrick is involved in for her own good. After meeting with Lea, Rachel ends up deep in conspiracies that might go up to the farthest reaches of the government. But, don't count out Rachel. She's fierce, she's been trained in self-defense, and the use of firearms. She's not one who will easily give up. 

Shannon Mayer and Denise Grover Swank have combined their talent for storytelling seamlessly creating a new, be it dark, urban fantasy series with great potential. They have built a convincing world with many layers and secrets combined with a well developed cast of characters hiding secrets of their own. Government conspiracies, genetic engineering, edge of your seat action, monsters, and of course vampires, combine to create an excellent first installment in what is hopefully going to be an amazing series.

Amazon