This was an interesting read with two characters who get on well with each other. Eve is a clarisentient mortician helping spirits go to their final rest, she meets Jonnie who wants an end to his undead existence, but that's not how her magic works, still the attraction is real and the two of them want to find out more about how he became a vampire which leads them to south america and learning more about their own and each other's powers. It was a good read with quite interesting characters and I would be curious about more by this author.
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Blood Sugar by Kat Turner is the second book in the "Coven Daughters" series. the main character is Eve Conley-Adyemi, a clairsentient mortician being stalked by an angry spirit. Her love interest is Jonnie Tollens who helps her try and defeat the poltergeist and cure his vampirism.

The thing I loved about this book was that the plot threw so much at me and I couldn't get enough of the way fate/magic seemed to be throwing both of them together. There's a cool mix of magic, science, astrology and celeb culture.

The chemistry between Eve and Jonnie is (can I say this without sounding frivolous?) electric but I did enjoy the slow burn build.
Easily enjoyable paranormal romance with two main characters that work really well together and have great chemistry ( )

Blood Sugar (Coven Daughters #2), Kat Turner, City Owl Press (2021)
Reviewed by: Patricia M. Muhammad
Date: August 09, 2021

*CONTAINS SPOILERS*

**I received this book in exchange for an honest review**
Blood Sugar is a contemporary paranormal romance novel centered around a young mortician Evelyn (Eve). She not only dresses and makes up cadavers on the cold slab in the funeral home's basement, but she also is a clairivoyant. She is able to speak to ghosts. Eve helps those stuck between this world and the afterlife "move on" so that they may rest in peace. However, her magic does not always work as planned. A few years ago her spell did not work thoroughly as it was supposed to. Meanwhile, she carries on her daily tasks at the funeral home. One night, a ghost named Travis requests her help. The author outlines the general process in which Eve is able to connect with the ghost, conjure light and guide the lost spirit to its final home. This is when she unexpectedly encounters a handsome Brit, a performing artist (musician). Jonnie has a rare condition. He has yet to determine whether he is fully among the living or more aligned with the dead—similar to the ghosts that Eve usually helps. However, Jonnie is full flesh, blood and bone. He is a tall, handsome gentleman who stands before Eve. This is why she initially refuses to assist him. She believes her powers are limited to that of spirits only. Jonnie attempts to explain that his condition was brought on by artificial means with real consequences. It is only after Eve has some time to reconsider that she tries to find Jonnie and see how she may assist him. They are have a natural magnetism between each other. He thinks she is beautiful. She thinks he is quite handsome. Eve listens to the entirety of his story. She has a bit of her own story to share. She mentions that due to her abilities and spiritual gifts, she is stalked wherever she goes. Their relationship progresses naturally but quickly. They both have an uninhibited chemistry that Eve wishes to fully relish in from the beginning. Jonnie is careful. He believes that he is too powerful and if they connect with one another fully, that he may alter some part of her. Eve does not mind, but initially respects Jonnie's decision.

The reader becomes acquainted with Jonnie at three levels. He is the son and brother, caring and worried about his sister's stage 4 cancer. Jonnie does what he is able financially and socially to support his sister's plight. There is Jonnie the rock star/artist. He has had his fill of women in the past, but when he meets Eve, something within him sparks. Jonnie understands that Eve is special. He does not want to hurt her in any way. Eve sometimes misinterprets Jonnie's conduct as rejection until he is able to explain his reluctance with certain matters. As their relationship progresses, it is more than their bodies that become closer to one another. The last primary aspect of Jonnie's life is that of victim. He underwent what some may consider a medical-cosmetic procedure. It alters his blood. Jonnie becomes reliant on "treatments" to stay alive. The same company, which is now part of the black market scene after a law suit, is somehow related to the unrelenting haunting of Eva by the ghost girl. The author uses certain references that the average reader is likely familiar with such as "Illuminati", Hollywood and "cult" as the primary sources linking certain treatments with celebrities. However, for Jonnie, the treatment has become somewhat of a curse. Snake blood was infused into his and magic used on him which alters his current state. He can see and hear what others do. Jonnie can hypnotize people for moments at a time. He has fangs and at certain times his eyes "shapeshift" to that resembling a reptilian. Jonnie thinks he is some sort of misfit. Yet as he and Eve share more of their backgrounds, they realize they have more in common. They both have powers. Eve mentions that she was the oddity in her family who never fit in, especially due to her supernatural abilities. Yet Jonnie and Eve are the perfect complement to one another. The reader may assume that Jonnie, the rock star, the one who is accustomed to fame and fortune is hesitant to share his innermost thoughts with Eve, but the author outlines their personalities as just the opposite. Eve is more closed off to share with anyone. She has been rejected because of who she is. Eve has a difficult time trusting others. Jonnie is patient even when she tries to reject him because he knows she is scared and does not mean what she says in those moments. He displays tenderness in her moments of vulnerability as does she. Yet, Jonnie and Eve's relationship is also full of passion. They share intimacy quite often. When they finally consummate their relationship, without the use of contraceptive, they easily share more with one another. Jonnie's essence has penetrated Eve. She feels a surge in her powers. Jonnie can sense it. They are forever connected.

However, Jonnie and Eve know that they must find help to sustain him. They take a trip to Peru where they find an isolated community full of practitioners of magic and healing. Jonnie and Eve meet a pregnant blonde woman named Taylor who is the point of contact for help. She and her husband initially refuse them. The author seems to reference this cycle of rejection as in the beginning Eve refused to help Jonnie, the stranger. Also, when Eve was ready to be fully intimate with Jonnie the first time, he did not allow it in order to protect her. Eve felt rejected until he explained what his powers could possible do to her. Jonnie is able to obtain a plant based substitute for the treatments he usually purchased for his condition while in the United States. Jonnie has begun to heal, just as he and Eve heal each other. Nonetheless, Taylor is a water diviner and explains to Eve that because she belabours in earth, they can work together to locate the ghost-girl, Lacey, and remove the negative attachment that is associated with her and causing her to haunt Eve. Poignantly, their new found help states;

“Right. Earth and death are related, as you of course know. The body returns to the earth, the
soul flies away. As above, so below.” Taylor pointed up, then down.

While Jonnie is at bay, Eve and Taylor perform a ritual. Eve seems to be drowning as she confronts Lacey's ghost underwater. Lacey threatens Eve's family if the mortician does not obtain drops of Jonnie's vampire blood. Eve finally agrees as she hears Taylor's voice calling for her, ready to pull her back above. After Jonnie and Eve return from Peru, he has an accident in the kitchen which provides a perfect opportunity for Eve to obtain the blood. She never tells him that she needed it or what it was for as she only kept the bandage from which she initially wrapped his cut hand with. Eve attempts to distance herself from Jonnie in order to protect him. Jonnie will not allow it. He promises he will contact her in a week. During this time, Eve keeps her word to Lacey and finds her parents' home. Eve enters an unrefined and unkempt home. She believes she is doing a service to right the mishap of the events from Lacey's passing. Her rude mother leads Eve to the backyard. Eve is confused. She asks for a small trinket or item Lacey owned in order for her to pass fully from this life in peace. The truth is revealed by the conniving mother. She used her daughter. Lacey's death was a mishap. Lacey's ghost was angry. However, Lacey's ghost also tricked Eve in bringing Jonnie's blood. Her mother was to transform Lacey into a vampire in order to use her blood to feed the snakes that they incorporated the venom into patients/subjects blood for their "procedure". The ritual used on Lacey when she was in the Hollywood cult to kill her and bring her back to life as a vampire failed. She was to be the continuous source of vampire blood used to feed the snakes who grew exponentially and provided the special venom. A continuous cycle of bleeding and feeding had the magical experiment on Lacey worked. After Eve continues to prod Lacey's mother for answers by threatening her son, she admits that her project was that of a big corporation, the very one that rebranded itself with affiliates and subsidiaries. It was the very company where Jonnie received his initial procedure from.

Eve and Jonnie reunite with Meg, Eve's friend. Jonnie is candid about his relationship with Eve, placing Meg in shock. He also discloses his condition and the intimacy he and Eve share on both an intimate and esoteric level. Meg shows a clip of Lacey's mother on a pseudo news program. She pretends that she is the victim and that some corporation is genetically modifying humans using reptilian blood, making monsters cloaked in human flesh. After the clip ends, Eve tells Jonnie and Meg more of her trip to Susan Mudd's home. Lacey's mother is now attempting to blackmail the very corporation she works for. The same company that she was willing to sacrifice her daughter who suffered a ruinous and untimely death.

After Eve remembers a book that she shows to Jonnie and Meg, they decide that the frontman for Jonneie's band (Frye), Brian's wife would have answers. Helen had a similar book. She was also a witch. The author ties in Jonnie and Eve's visit with an earlier mention of how Brian and their former band manger parted ways over artistic differences. The manager died. Brian now reveals what the former manager's scheme was:

Brian hissed out a ragged breath. “They wanted me to consent to my own murder at the hands of this entity they had in their thrall. Then, as best I could surmise, they’d have a better shot of guiding their demon into my body, to possess me. So I’m easier to control, a more profitable singing, dancing monkey. And, ideally, immortal.”

Brian refused to be a part of the scheme. As Brian and Jonnie discuss the underground plot between the use of demons and magic, the lead guitarist reveals the overall agenda of those in control of show business:

Light flashed in Jonnie’s brain. His thoughts raced. “That’s the agenda.”
“What’s the agenda?”
“To make a race of immortals. To synthetically engineer beings who will live forever. First, they gain control of the body through procedures like mine. Then they claim the mind. That’s where the possession element comes into play. So we’re pliable drones they can pilot, control. Living, breathing ATM machines that they can bend to their will.” Jonnie’s speech sped to a rapid spray of bullets as it struggled to keep up with his sparking mind. “How did you break free?”
“Helen. She used her magic. Saved my life.”

Helen who is Brian's wife. Helen who is also a witch. The author foreshadows that Helen who may be able to show Eve how to save Jonnie's life as well. Eve figures out that major corporations use harnessed magic to increase their companies viability. She pushes Jonnie away because of she collected his blood without informing him. Jonnie has an idea to use his blood to save his niece. Eve is kidnapped but is able to save herself from Lacey's mother. Jonnie arrives in time to unbound her. They return home. All their vulnerability is open. All of who they are, broken pieces and faults they accept fit perfectly with one another. They are to remain together because of it.

Blood Sugar is a novel of magical realism and paranormal contemporary romance. The author uses a lot of descriptive narrative in between scenarios and the story keeps an exciting and steady pace once Jonnie and Eve travel to Peru. This book contains graphic scenes that is not suitable for certain ages. ( )