Tag: Dark Fantasy

Of Shadows and Lost Souls: Love and Loneliness in The Jinja of Blood

The Jinja of Blood: Of Shadows and Lost Souls is the exciting new fantasy novel by Vivian Bell. Photo: Amazon

The Jinja of Blood: Of Shadows and Lost Souls (Book 1)

By Vivian Bell

An ancient jinja is home to the Wind and Ice clans, vampires who spend eternity fighting loneliness and boredom. In modern-day Japan, the New Bloodline must navigate everyday life, love, and increasingly ferocious yokai.

Shun Holynorth, a vampire, lives in the frost of eternity, while Haruki Akayama, a mortal, exists within the fragility of human time. Their meeting becomes the crack through which both light and darkness seep.

Story Overview

The novel opens with Shun admiring the sun’s final rays at sunset. Even after centuries, sunsets still mesmerize him, though they stir an ancient unrest within his soul. Shun belongs to the New Bloodline, children born of vampires and immortals. As the youngest, he’s seen as delicate, earning him the nickname the Cub. Adam and Ryuu are assigned to protect him as he begins university at Aizawa Academy, where vampires and humans study side by side.

Haruki Akayama and Yoshi Yamamoto are among the human students attending Aizawa Academy. Haruki is a 20-year-old billionaire with no immediate direction in life, aside from his determination to find his mother, who disappeared during his childhood. He’s dating Sam, unaware that Sam is a vampire.

As the group begins school, friendships form and secrets surface. Shared struggles and personal drama draw them closer together, revealing unexpected similarities. Beneath their everyday lives, however, a lurking danger emerges, only briefly introduced here, as this is the first book in the series.

Review

The Jinja of Blood: Of Shadows and Lost Souls blends ancient myth with modern unease. Set within an ancient shrine, it explores what happens when immortality collides with change. The New Bloodline must balance mundane university life with the growing threat of increasingly dangerous yokai, creating a compelling tension between the ordinary and the supernatural.

Shun and Haruki’s connection acts as a bridge, allowing light, darkness, longing, and fear to seep into each other’s worlds. Bell writes their relationship with emotional sensitivity, making it feel earned rather than merely symbolic.

As the opening volume of The Jinja of Blood, the novel sets the tone for a saga focused less on spectacle and more on belonging, friendship, and love in all its complexities. While the central romance between two young men places the book firmly within queer fantasy, the broader cast adds depth and diversity.

The vampires and immortals are portrayed as beings seeking normalcy rather than reveling in blood and gore. Their longing for ordinary lives makes them relatable, despite their centuries-long existence.

The narrative flows smoothly, supported by vivid, poetic language:

“The leaves, no longer resisting, surrendered to the wind’s invitation and danced over gardens and rooftops, skimming aerials and skyscrapers.”

Because the story is set in Japan, Japanese terms appear throughout. While this occasionally slows the pacing, the included glossary is helpful. The incorporation of Japanese folklore, such as the story of Hachiko, the faithful dog who waited for his long dead owner at Shibuya Station for ten years, adds cultural richness.

Final Thoughts

Overall, The Jinja of Blood: Of Shadows and Lost Souls is a strong and atmospheric beginning to a dark urban fantasy saga. It explores themes of friendship, identity, coming of age, and love. Though categorized as LGBTQ+ fiction due to its central romance, the story’s emotional core and diverse cast give it broad appeal.

Fans of fantasy, vampire lore, and Japanese culture will find this an engaging and promising start to what is sure to be an exciting series.

“Yoshi was the only anchor that allowed him to maintain a connection to reality. Without him, he would have capsized in the tidal waves of his own soul.”

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

About the Author

Vivian Bell is a shadow behind shrine doors, writing queer gothic tales of vampires, jinja, and cursed bloodlines. The Jinja of Blood is her debut dark fantasy, set between university corridors and yokai-haunted districts in modern-day Tokyo.

*Thank you to Vivian Bell for the gifted copy for review consideration. I haven’t been compensated for this review and all views and opinions expressed are my own.

A Legacy of Survival: Stephen King’s ‘The Stand’ and Its Bold New Anthology

New tales of Stephen King’s ‘The Stand.’ Photo: Simon & Schuster

Stephen King’s The Stand and Its Enduring Legacy

The Stand remains one of Stephen King’s most celebrated works, a sweeping epic that blends horror, fantasy, and post-apocalyptic drama. First published in 1978, the novel captivated readers with its unflinching vision of humanity struggling after a devastating plague and the eternal battle between good and evil.

Book lovers are drawn to its rich cast of characters, immersive world-building, and timeless themes of survival, morality, and destiny. With its ability to feel both intimate and vast, it created an enduring legacy and an unforgettable reading experience. For many, The Stand is the quintessential King novel—a masterpiece of storytelling.

Photo: Barnes & Noble

A New Anthology: The End of the World As We Know It

Now, Stephen King has authorized a bold return to this world. The End of the World As We Know It: New Tales of Stephen King’s The Stand is an original short story anthology based on his #1 New York Times bestselling classic.

Although other works explore the unraveling of society, none have been as influential as The Stand. Generations of writers have been shaped by its dark yet hopeful vision of civilization’s collapse and rebirth, and its unforgettable cast of characters.

A Return to King’s Harrowing World

For the first time, King has fully authorized new stories set in the universe of The Stand. Presented by award-winning authors and editors Christopher Golden and Brian Keene, this anthology brings together today’s most visionary writers to deliver unforgettable tales.

Some stories unfold during the events of the novel, while others look far beyond them. Together, they form a brilliant, terrifying, and deeply human collection—an essential companion for longtime fans and new readers alike.

Special Features

The anthology includes:

  • An introduction by Stephen King
  • A foreword by Christopher Golden
  • An afterword by Brian Keene

Contributing Authors

This powerhouse collection features stories from:

Wayne Brady & Maurice Broaddus, Poppy Z. Brite, Somer Canon, C. Robert Cargill, Nat Cassidy, V. Castro, Richard Chizmar, S. A. Cosby, Tananarive Due & Steven Barnes, Meg Gardiner, Gabino Iglesias, Jonathan Janz, Alma Katsu, Caroline Kepnes, Michael Koryta, Sarah Langan, Joe R. Lansdale, Tim Lebbon, Josh Malerman, Ronald Malfi, Usman T. Malik, Premee Mohamed, Cynthia Pelayo, Hailey Piper, David J. Schow, Alex Segura, Bryan Smith, Paul Tremblay, Catherynne M. Valente, Bev Vincent, Catriona Ward, Chuck Wendig, Wrath James White, and Rio Youers.

New book release: ‘Death’s Lament (Alleria’s Domain)’ by Tal Storm

‘Death’s Lament (Alleria’s Domain)’ is the new fantasy novel by Tal Storm. Photo: Tal Storm, used with permission.

Fantasy novels are so exciting to read because they often transport you to other worlds and realms filled with mythical and magical beings. Magic and a quest for power usually play a big part. If fantasy novels are your go to for escapist reads, consider today’s new book release. “Death’s Lament (Alleria’s Domain)” by Tal Storm is a dark fantasy story about a young noble girl named Darah Mata. She gets turned into a vampire by her uncle and is forced to learn the dark art of Necromancy. She is tortured for any of her failings and despite the pain, she still yearns for her freedom. Sounds exciting, doesn’t it? Pick up your copy of “Death’s Lament (Alleria’s Domain)” on Amazon and find out what happens to Darah.

Tal Storm is an author, a groundskeeper, and a small engine repairman. When not working on equipment, his mind wanders to another world filled with fun fantasy and sci-fi stories. Now, he wishes to share these tales with everyone who loves to share in the joy of fantasy. (Tal Storm, 2023)

“Death’s Lament (Alleria’s Domain)” – In Alleria, the Tel’eev Ascendency’s war of conquest sent ripples throughout the world. This is true for Darah Mata, who has been turned into a vampire by the machinations of her uncle. Now, she is forced to learn the dreaded magic of necromancy while being tortured for any failings. Will she be able to attain the freedom from this torment that she seeks?

Sponsored Post

Necrohamster wearing a dark cloak. Photo: Tal Storm, used with permission.

New book release: ‘The Amber Menhir’ by Jonathan N. Pruitt

‘The Amber Menhir’ will be released October, 4, 2023. Photo: Amazon

Jonathan N. Pruitt is a lifelong educator, a former scientific researcher, and a provocative fantasy author. Rising from humble beginnings in a rural, economically disadvantaged county in Florida, he skyrocketed to academic success, earning a PhD at the youthful age of 24. Pruitt’s journey took him from the concert halls as a child prodigy pianist to the globally recognized halls of esteemed universities including the University of Pittsburgh, Princeton University, and the University of California, Santa Barbara. His life experiences—from living in diverse corners of the world like South Africa, Namibia, Australia, and Canada, to navigating the wild landscape of his career—richly inform his narratives. Pruitt’s storytelling defies reality yet resonates with emotional truth. He makes readers question the differences between good and evil and the murky area between the two. With his debut novel “The Amber Menhir,” Pruitt delivers biting humor, deep human insights, and a unique scientist’s perspective. Readers visit a modern-day, grimdark fairy tale where reality bends and twists. Jonathan N. Pruitt’s metamorphosis from a prodigious scientific mind into a fantasy author is a testament to reinvention. Avoiding the usual expectations of fantasy by way of satire, humor, and a race of nefarious evil cats, it is the first in Jonathan Pruitt’s The Shadows of the Monolith series and arrives this October from Spinner Loom Press. It is available now for pre-order on Amazon. (Black Château, 2023)

“The Amber Menhir” – With each new dawn, the celestial body known only as ‘Calamity’ draws closer – and with it the end of the world. Humanity’s only hope from oblivion rests in the menhirs, towering bastions of scholarship and imagination which cast long shadows across the lands. The scholars within the menhirs devote themselves selflessly to the discovery of new magic that will help avert the impending apocalypse … or so the masses have been made to understand.

In a society divided between those with occult potential and lay citizens, Tara Langcraw is recruited into the Amber Menhir with great interest. The long-awaited heiress of a bloodline bearing the rarest of the six magical disciplines, time manipulation, she is expected to flourish within this noble citadel of learning, as are her friends and fellow recruits, Roland Ward and Peony Bianchi. They soon find, however, that those who fail to meet expectations, or who dare to challenge the prevailing order, put more than their marks on the line. For the menhir squirms with rivalries, and those who stand against the status quo may not stand for very long.

Having earned the title of the world’s most infamous spider biologist, Pruitt has penned a grimdark fantasy lampooning the academic and scientific communities, while also offering an immersive, diverse, and fast-paced story. What exactly is a Menhir? “Found across the globe, Menhirs are mysterious, ancient, imposing monoliths that prove evidence of a civilization’s existence. They’re often the subject of superstition, just like the magical institutions that make up this world. Whether they stand as pinnacles of grandeur and discovery, or blemishes of political pestilence will be up to the reader,” explains Pruitt.

1696418299

  days

  hours  minutes  seconds

until

‘The Amber Menhir’ release date