Juno Books

MATTERS OF THE BLOOD by Maria Lima

Matters of the Blood

"Full of more interesting surprises than a candy store." --Charlaine Harris

"Keira Kelly kicks butt and Matters of the Blood is a supernatural mystery with guts, brains, and soul. Maria Lima writes hot action and spicy romance with a biting sense of humor, all deep in the heart of Texas. You'll be sucked in." --Dana Cameron, author of More Better Than Death

"Funny, sexy, mysterious, and lots of fun to read." --Nancy Pickard, author of The Virgin of Small Plains

September 2009
Mass Market Paperback
352 pages | $7.99
ISBN: 9781439156742

On Simon&Schuster.com

And you thought your family was strange...

Try being Keira Kelly. A member of a powerful paranormal family, Keira elected to stay among humans in the Texas Hill Country when the rest of the clan moved (lock, stock, nd grimoire) to Canada. But family duty means still having to keep an eye on cousin Marty--a genetic aberration who turn out 100% human, poor guy. And recently Keira's been having violent dreams--or are they visions?--featuring Marty as the victim of a vicious murder. Something sinister seems to be going on in little Rio Seco. Can Keira get to the bottom of it all while avoiding entanglement with former lover, Sheriff Carlton Larson? And what does she plan to do about the irresistable and enigmatic Adam Walker? When this old friends shows up as the new own of a local ranch and wants to get better acquainted, Keira is more than happy to be welcoming...until she suspects that Adam could be intimately connected to the dangerous doings in Rio Seco.

First of the Blood Lines Series!

Don't miss these forthcoming Blood Lines books:
Blood Bargain (#2) and Blood Kin (#3)!

Reviews of Matters of the Blood:

"Authors take note: Matters of the Blood is everything a paranormal novel should be. It has a deep (and baffling) mystery, plenty of action, tantalizing romance, a plot thick with twists and turns, and a unique locale as the story's backdrop....Lima's fresh writing style is unlike anything I've read in this genre, and it took a little while to adjust to my new surroundings. Once I was hooked though, I couldn't help but fall in love....This is an absolutely spectacular addition to the paranormal landscape, and I'm praying on bended knee for a sequel. Novels of this caliber are few and far between....Keep this author on your watch list. She'll be going places and fast. I can't wait for the sequels, and pray that she will continue expanding on the rich history and personalities of the characters. All in all, this is one of the best titles that I have read in a long time. It's a classy, teasing tale riddled with intrigue and paranormal bliss."--BookFetish

"Lima's Matters of the Blood is a seductive gem, with a soul of darkness that's as soft and sensuous as black velvet. Readers will find themselves buying into all of it, from Keira's evolution, to her 2000-year-old brother, to the dishy neighborhood vampire who is nothing like any blood-sucker you've ever read before. Lima's voice is mature and commanding, especially remarkable for a first novel, with just the slightest trace of 'otherness,' evidence that this butt-kicking protagonist isn't like you and me." -- Accent

"Another kick-ass heroine enters the paranormal arena in Lima's bloodthirsty whodunit. Feisty Keira narrates with a biting sense of humor...."(4 stars) -- Romantic Times

"Matters of the Blood has a fast pace that never lags, suspense to keep the reader turning pages, paranormal beings including shape shifters and vampires and a personality of its own....It's a complex plot with the requisite twists and turns of a mystery, the passion of a paranormal romance and the unearthly elements of urban fantasy. All in all, Matters of the Blood is a wonderful start to Blood Lines." -- SFSite

"Maria Lima rings some refreshing changes on the urban-fantasy formula in Matters of the Blood. The two most striking departures from cliche, to my mind, are the heroine's age (37, rather than early twenties), and the story's vividly-drawn rural-Texas setting. I loved the locale. Lima does a great job of making the lonely town of Rio Seco real to the reader.... I think my favorite moment in Matters of the Blood occurred when two characters "came out" of the supernatural closet to each other, and one of them didn't believe in the type of entity that the other confessed to being. It cracked me up, and is unique in the genre; usually, the various types of supernatural beings are all aware of each other's existence. Matters of the Blood is quirky, sexy, sometimes quite funny, and worth reading if you're a fan of urban fantasies with a substantial helping of romance. I look forward to seeing what Lima, and Keira, do next. (4 stars) -- Fantasy Literature

"Nothing is black and white in Maria Lima's world, and each character has a multifaceted past with a great deal of complexity. The depth of her characters helps perpetuate the mystery, as the reader can never quite tell whose secrets are dark enough to land them as the criminal. It's hauntingly realistic for paranormal fiction. Matters of the Blood is filled with plot twists and artful surprises. Lima builds incredible suspense and allows the reader to savor each revelation. The story is paced well, with fully developed characters and a host of supernatural beings. It's escapism at its best."--BreeniBooks

"Within three pages I was hooked, the narrator's voice drawing me into her story with her brilliant turn of phrase....This is an excellent book, readable and gripping with varied characters, an interesting plot and a great setting in small-town Texas. The narrator's voice has an interesting blend of emotion and humor, and she makes some great side comments throughout the story." (5 Stars) -- Curled Up With A Good Book

"A superb paranormal whodunit with a touch of romance and with plenty of interwoven subplots that will elate fans of various sub-genres, but the center holding this superb tale together is the likable Keira who makes the abnormal seem so normal." -- Alternative Worlds

"Debut author Maria Lima has created an intriguing and diverse supernatural society in Matters of the Blood, with a spunky, entertaining lead in Keira Kelly. The story is nicely written and the first person point of view keeps the action totally focused on Keira as she tries to link the mystery surrounding Marty's death with the secluded ranch killings. There's also plenty of sexual tension, chemistry and machismo as two love interests vie for Keira's attention. Along the way Lima introduces more of Keira's eccentric relatives as well as intriguing speculation concerning Keira's own burgeoning supernatural talents" -- BookLoons

"FIVE STARS! The entire trilogy will be released by the end of October 2009. I love that because it means I will not have to wait six months or a year between titles. Instead of writing a typical human and vampire saga, this author has two inhuman characters as the main couple. Only a few of the local residents show up as characters in this first title. That is probably due to the fact that readers need to learn the main/secondary characters and their backgrounds for the trilogy. Part mystery, part paranormal romance, and all suspense, I fully expect this author to gain a large fan base. Very well done!"--Huntress Reviews

From the opening sentence (I know the dead and the dead know me), it just grabs hold of your imagination and refuses to let go. At times chilling, bordering on turning this into a thriller, Maria Lima certainly knows how to get the blood pumping. She also knows seduction: she makes eating a steak an erotic experience, without a hit of flesh being shown!...Ms Lima has created a whole set of really really cool characters. Keria, the kick-arse female lead, who's going through a couple of changes; Bea, her super cool, super supportive rock to lean on best friend (don't we all need one of those!); Tucker, Keira's slightly enigmatic brother, who's all strong and wolflike; the very sexy Adam, who has that slight hidden sensitive side that we all love in strong men; and of course a few bad guys and unknown elements dotted around the place.

"Matters of the Blood is very well written. The story flows, the characters are likeable, believable and interesting. There is a level of emotional engagement that makes you really get involved in the story and want to keep reading.

"This is certainly a page turner! Expect to be left a little breathless, either through being seduced or horrified, it's all action, all the way!"--Fangtastic Fiction

"Matters of the Blood is a new twist on the paranormal genre. Rich in paranormal activity, passionate and romantic moments, and a murder to solve is just the icing on the cake. I'm really looking forward to more of how Kiera's character evolves with book two, Blood Bargain. If you're looking for some urban fantasy with a touch of romantic suspense, then pick up Matters of the Blood. Sinfully enjoyable!"--Romance Junkies

"...all the best Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance I've read have a great mystery running through them tying the story together. Matters of the Blood is no exception to that. Plus, it's a really terrific one... Ms. Lima's a true talent is weaving subplots throughout Matters of the Blood that will get picked up in subsequent books... Ms. Lima is also a first rate on at making her her non-human characters completely human with all of our strengths and failings. Doesn't matter if you're 37-year-old Keira or her 1200+-year-old brother Tucker. Making both her female and male characters almost vibrate off the page with charm, sensuality and sexuality really makes the story spark as well. This isn't often for me, but my favourite non-lead character is Keira's brother Tucker. Either by conscious design or just from him being larger than life, Tucker has a penchant for taking over almost every scene he's in....Matters of the Blood is a slow starter in the way a good roller coaster is with all the pitches and rolls that comes with it. You may find yourself wanting more of Keira's back-story at the end of Matters of the Blood, but I believe that's done by design. You will know that all of the promises and clues that Ms. Lima drops in Matters of the Blood will be picked up again and fulfilled in subsequent novels. "All in all Maria Lima makes me break two of my longest standing rules since I've started this blog: I never give a first time author nor do I give the first in a series 4 stars. Matters of the Blood joyfully reminded me that rules are meant to be broken. "Matters of the Blood receives a Classic rating of 4 out of 4 stars."--Preternaural Reviews

"This is the first novel in a series called the Blood Lines and it has something to satisfy every type of supernatural fantasy fan. The novel delivers its share of hot vampires with a hot human or two thrown in as well.... The author, Maria Lima, gives us a new approach to the vampire storyline that is fresh, unpredictable and a good read. Since the characters have the ability to become any type of creature, you never know what to expect. And, since Keira doesn't know what she'll 'change' into, you can't forsee how she'll handle her various dilemmas. This makes for exciting plot potential in both this and future novels in the series. Matters Of The Blood is a vampire novel for the vampire novel lover to love. Happy reading!" [Also called "awesome" in related review]"-- Best Fantasy Stories

"A dark, seductive, and bitingly humorous debut novel...a must-read for fans of campy/creepy paranormal fiction....This is one paranormal super-thriller you should 'bump' to the top of your to-be-read pile." -- Heartstrings

"A great page-turner...." -- The Bookshelf Reviews

"Maria Lima moves the supernatural to small-town Texas, with nosy neighbors and family eccentrics and a whole lot of magic. Her characters may be psychics, vampires, and werewolves, but first and foremost, they're people you'll want to read more about." -- Toni L.P. Kelner, co-editor of Many Bloody Returns

About the Author

MARIA LIMA is the author of the Blood Lines series from Juno Books: Matters of the Blood, Blood Bargain, and Blood Kin. She was born in Matanzas, Cuba before the Revolution to a family of voracious readers and would-be writers. After her family emigrated to the United States, Maria discovered the magic of books. She started writing her own stories and has been at it ever since. Her writing turned corporate as she used her journalism degree to crank out marketing copy, feature stories, and book reviews. The fiction muse kept calling and, in the spring of 2005, was finally fed as Maria's first published short story, "The Butler Didn't Do It" was published in Chesapeake Crimes I and garnered an Agatha Award nomination for Best Short Story. Maria spends most of her days working at a Web agency in the D.C. area. Her evenings and weekends are spent writing.

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