Item: The Swords of Blood and Gold
Rating: 5
Author: artisanb

The Swords of Blood and Gold by JCR Paulino
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The Swords of Blood and Gold by JCR Paulino

FIVE CHESTS SIT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN…
Deep-sea treasure hunter is the splashy job description on his LinkedIn page. Pretentious or not, Jon Sherman and his Deep Blue Marine Exploration crew are the best in the business. But a nasty disagreement with his boss suddenly leaves Jon without a job.

When his ex-teammates salvage five chests from the bottom of the ocean, a supernatural killer wielding a mysterious weapon murders the entire crew, and Jon becomes the prime suspect. Overnight, detectives are after him while a masked murderer goes on a rampage, trying to kill Jon and everyone he cares about.

Jon teams up with the daughter of his late boss, and they tumble down a path that uncovers centuries-old secrets and the nature of the killer’s deadly weapon.

To fight back, Jon must employ his treasure-hunting skills to locate the only blade capable of challenging the mighty adversary. But will that be enough to survive a deadly journey riddled with supernatural forces, unexpected romance, and surprising self-discovery?

Artisan’s Book Review

When Jon Sherman pushes his deep-sea treasure hunting boss too far, Jon is quickly fired—a blow that Jon didn’t see coming. This blow, however, was not nearly as painful as the one that came next; suddenly, all of Jon’s former coworkers are brutally murdered and the entire company has been set aflame. Part Mission Impossible, part Indiana Jones, and part mystical mythology, The Swords of Blood and Gold will have you gripping whatever you have nearest, cringing to turn the page, but angry with yourself that you can’t read faster. JCR Paulino has created a spine-tingling, edge-of-your-seat, thriller that is action packed from the very first page .

The police are lost; how did so many people die in the span of 7 minutes? And what kind of weapon could cause this much damage plus start a fire? Jon becomes the prime suspect and Natalie, Jon’s former boss’s daughter, offers to “hire” him to try to sus out anything incriminating to help the police. However, when a similar set of murders happens right in front of them, Jon and Natalie soon realize that this is a much larger situation. Their travels take them to China where ancient lore soon becomes a reality. Jon and Natalie must decide how far they want to take their involvement if, indeed, they even have a choice.

The Swords of Blood and Gold feels so real and alive as debut author JCR Paulino paints one beautiful, vividly detailed scene after another all the while creating a riveting plot that readers won’t be able to put down. Even at its most fantastical, this book feels real—its characters have depth and the plot keeps readers in suspense until the very last chapter. I loved the originality of this book—the way JCR wove history, fantasy, action, and adventure together kept me thinking about the book in between reads and wishing I had it in my hand as soon as I put it down. I loved the spine-tingling action scenes—they made feel me as if I was right there in each action sequence feeling what each character felt.

For readers who need some Indiana Jones or Mortal Combat in their lives, please pick up this book! You’ll soon be telling everyone else you know to read it as well!! Artisan Book Reviews highly recommends The Swords of Blood and Gold by JCR Paulino, an award worthy, must read brilliant novel. Book reviewed and enjoyed by Rachel McMahon for Artisan Book Reviews.