Bloodlaced

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Asagi is neither man nor woman. Sold into slavery, they are subjected to emotional and physical abuse. And when one master is done, they are sold to another to repeat the cycle. When one such household leaves Asagi in charge of a young boy, they do all they can to protect him. But the inevitable happens and Asagi is torn away from the boy to be sold to another house. Guilt and heartache plague them. Pain becomes the only solace in their life, the only thing able to ground them. When the new household shows even the smallest kindness, Asagi is hesitant to believe it is possible. Surely it is some new way to torment them? Asagi will soon learn, while the master may indeed be kind, there is an underlying darkness that compels him to do so.

Asagi’s character is tragic and complex. The amount of abuse they have endured is heartbreaking. Watching the evolution of Asagi’s trauma and battle to overcome it will keep readers entranced. They are so frightened by human interaction. When Asagi begins to form connections with people they are such fragile relationships that take time to develop and grow. And even at their strongest points, the past haunts Asagi making them doubt every good thing in their life. Not to mention the confusion of trying to form relationships with people when for so long Asagi was seen as only a slave.

Bloodlaced is a dark and emotional read. An extra depth was added to the writing as readers will often feel as confused as Asagi when they try to understand their feelings of love. Asagi believed love was beyond them and when they begin to feel different kinds of love the messages seem to become mixed. There are times when the expected social interactions become skewed with other kinds of love. Then add in the element of vampirism and it mixes up the emotional drives.

Vampirism in this novel takes the form of a youkai. And while the lore around this particular youkai is limited, it makes a large impact on the story. Many of the characters' choices will be determined by the effects of the youkai and haunted pasts. And while vampirism is the perfect catalyst for many of the plot points, a stronger foundation in the lore would have added to the worldbuilding.

Bloodlaced is by no means a light read and will not be suitable for all readers. There is no shying away from the brutality characters endure. The depth of emotional and physical torment bestowed on Asagi will not be easy for readers to experience.