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betweentheshelves's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I am so torn about this book. On the one hand, this world that Sambury created is unique and interesting and I loved learning about it. The characters added a lot to the story, and for the most part, they were nicely fleshed out and added to the world that was being built. However, there was a ton of world-building right at the beginning, and the main plot didn't really seem to start until about 100 pages into the book. Which could be your cup of tea! But I wanted the action to start a little sooner.
Overall, I think my main issue is this book felt too long. For me, this meant that a lot of the plot felt repetitive, especially with Voya's task. I was actually much more interested in the mystery with her aunt and how that was going to pan out. As the first book in a series, I think this might have just taken on a bit too much. Pairing it down would have allowed some of the plot elements to breath a bit, and some of the other parts of the story could have been explored in future books.
I don't want to giveaway spoilers, but I also felt "meh" about the ending. Voya's choice ended up feeling a bit harsh, and even though I kind of figured where the plot was going, I didn't know it was going to go to that extent.
Definitely mixed about this book, but still 100% in love with this fantastic cover.
Overall, I think my main issue is this book felt too long. For me, this meant that a lot of the plot felt repetitive, especially with Voya's task. I was actually much more interested in the mystery with her aunt and how that was going to pan out. As the first book in a series, I think this might have just taken on a bit too much. Pairing it down would have allowed some of the plot elements to breath a bit, and some of the other parts of the story could have been explored in future books.
I don't want to giveaway spoilers, but I also felt "meh" about the ending. Voya's choice ended up feeling a bit harsh, and even though I kind of figured where the plot was going, I didn't know it was going to go to that extent.
Definitely mixed about this book, but still 100% in love with this fantastic cover.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Slavery, and Blood
Moderate: Addiction, Eating disorder, and Violence
Minor: Gun violence, Transphobia, and Police brutality
16rcampbell's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Another reader would probably rate this a lot higher, I just did not love the sci-fic elements. It was unexpected and not my preference. I really liked the family dynamics. Keis is my favorite. Voya was a frustrating character to follow because she just needed to make a choice and she’s so good at choices for other people that when she can’t make one for herself it’s almost infuriating. It had some pretty heavy imagery for a YA book in terms of blood and violence. At times it felt a little repetitive but I feel like that’s mostly due to the nature of YA books. I liked the twists, everything wrapped up nicely and there wasn’t a bunch of extra stuff to address that got in the way of the main plot. I liked seeing Voya grow and I thought the choices she made in the end were creative solutions and really showed how far she came. I’d recommend this book, I liked it, but I would not read it again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Eating disorder, Racism, and Abandonment
Minor: Hate crime, Transphobia, and Police brutality
Trigger warning - hanging, described in detailcuppa_curiositea's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
What a wonderful debut! I heard Liselle talk about her book on a NaNoWriMo write-in last year, and I immediately went to pre-order it! I'm so glad I did because it was an absolute joy to read! Chonky? Yes! But I was interested in all of the threads that were there, so I didn't mind :) Sometimes they did feel a little diluted under the main plot, though. I did feel like the "Voya can't make decisions!" theme is beat into the dialogue and reflections a bit too hard, and I was a little frustrated but how late Voya actually considers her alternative options (even though Johan VERY EXPLICITLY tells her the other option halfway through the book), but the emotional journey underlining all of that progressed in a very natural way.
I loved how elements of the sci-fi tech and magic were incorporated without over-explaining anything. The world unfolded very naturally, and it was fun to discover little gadgets or spells along the way without disrupting the story to introduce them. Cultural and personal identity is also a prevailing theme that fits in nicely and is explored organically. There are a lot of characters and families to keep track of, but it didn't feel like too much.
I really like the Voya and Luc don't end up together. As I was reaching the end, I was worried that they would make improbably amends, and I really admire the writer and editor for not forcing a happy romance ending! (and for not forcing a happy ending for Keis, though I still feel bad for her) The Lauren arc felt very slow, and there was a point where I just assumed that there wouldn't be a conclusion to it... I kind of wish we had gotten to see Voya and Lauren's friendship and then have her go missing later in the book. I had kind of stopped caring about it by the end.
I loved how elements of the sci-fi tech and magic were incorporated without over-explaining anything. The world unfolded very naturally, and it was fun to discover little gadgets or spells along the way without disrupting the story to introduce them. Cultural and personal identity is also a prevailing theme that fits in nicely and is explored organically. There are a lot of characters and families to keep track of, but it didn't feel like too much.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Blood, and Kidnapping
Minor: Deadnaming, Gun violence, Racism, Self harm, Torture, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Murder, and Outing
matttruss's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
4.5 stars. This was a very fun listen, the narrator (Joniece Abbott-Pratt) did a great job with all the characters. Set in Toronto, but with ties to Louisiana, we get a book that touches on so many topics. Set in the future, with a diverse cast of characters there are so many places for Sambury to shine and how she shines! The magic system is phenomenal, we get future tech, paranormal activity, cooking references, black witches, trans and queer characters, a missing person, a mystery to unravel, the list goes on and on. I loved the dark witchiness of it all and a book that touches on so much more than you would expect at first glance. A very unique book that is easy to get caught up in, I am looking forward to the sequel!
2024 relisten before listening to the sequel: still great, the morally gray area explored is so good.
2024 relisten before listening to the sequel: still great, the morally gray area explored is so good.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Blood
Moderate: Addiction and Slavery
book_voyager's review
The magic system, the world setting and the characters are great but the book super slow-paced and the plot is something you can guess beforehand. I’m not that into teenage struggles in a book either, and this is just not the book for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery and Blood
melaniereadsbooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Wow, I loved this book so so much. I was immediately sucked into the story and the world building. This was definitely a slow-paced book, but it was so worth it. The character building is excellent and I absolutely loved the way this book described the magic systems and built up Voya and her family. I love Luc with all my heart! Seriously so much. I can't wait to see what's in store for the next book in the series!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Blood
Moderate: Slavery
Minor: Eating disorder
foreverinastory's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Futuristic fantasy society and witches? This was amazing!
Blood Like Magic is a YA science fantasy about a young Black witch of Trinidadian and Canadian heritage. Voya Thomas is about to have her Calling: a trial witches undergo in order to receive their powers. But when Voya fails the first time, she's given an unprecedented second chance and she takes it. Voya's task is to destroy her first love, and if she fails not only will she lose magic but her whole family will as well. Voya also has two problems with her task: she's never been in romantic love and if she commits murder for magic, her family will become impure witches again (ones that cause pain for power).
This book was just...wow. Amazing. Going into this novel I didn't expect the futuristic and high tech society we got, but damn did I love it. This book is a giant genre mash and I want more like it. I loved all of the information we got on gene modification and the scientific innovations that were common in this society. The story is very heavy on world building, so expect a lot of that. I loved the world building and wanted to get more after I got over my initial confusion that it was set in the future.
I loved the exploration of witch culture, especially all of the business about pure vs impure witches. It was such an interesting distinction to see these two types of magic that are constantly compared. I also loved seeing how much of witch culture was steeped in honoring their ancestors and having their ancestors bless them. It made the family aspect that much more tangible.
I absolutely loved Voya. She was someone who might not always have a lot to say, but she's constantly listening and trying to find ways to get the person what they need. Voya spends so much of her time trying to figure out how to get the family members in her house what they need. I loved the caring side of her. I also loved that she wanted answers, she never wanted the easy explanation. She wanted to know why, what, when, where and who. Plus her love of cooking! Omg her love of cooking lit her up. I loved seeing her constantly exploring new recipes and integrating old family recipes as well as her own creations. She was such a well rounded character, who still had room to grow.
The side characters are also freaking amazing. I loved Voya's family so damn much. And then there's Luc. Our precious love interest. He is very rude in the beginning and I didn't think I'd like him, but he's secretly a cinnamon roll so I fell hard. Luc is also trans, and while there is some small things he does face because of it, he's allowed to exist and thrive as he is. Also hello enemies to lovers trope!
The plot does a lot of balancing: between a mysterious Auntie no one can remember, trying to fall in love, trying to help her cousin get an internship and entering a cooking competion, Voya is very busy. I loved how something was always happening, there were so many individual sub plots, but they add up to make an intricate and expansive main plot.
And then there was the ending. Like what the fuck. I don't even know how to react?? So much happened and a lot of it I never expected. Completely 100% blown away. I would like a sequel right now please.
Rep: Fat Black female MC, trans male love interest, Black demiromantic lesbian female side character, Black trans female side character, possible nonbinary side character (she/her pronouns). Various Black and queer side characters.
CWs--from the author: whipping scene within the context of slavery, gun/police violence, discussion of and character with an eating disorder, blood/gore/violence, death, substance abuse/addiction, mentions of child neglect.
My additions: cursing, racism.
Blood Like Magic is a YA science fantasy about a young Black witch of Trinidadian and Canadian heritage. Voya Thomas is about to have her Calling: a trial witches undergo in order to receive their powers. But when Voya fails the first time, she's given an unprecedented second chance and she takes it. Voya's task is to destroy her first love, and if she fails not only will she lose magic but her whole family will as well. Voya also has two problems with her task: she's never been in romantic love and if she commits murder for magic, her family will become impure witches again (ones that cause pain for power).
This book was just...wow. Amazing. Going into this novel I didn't expect the futuristic and high tech society we got, but damn did I love it. This book is a giant genre mash and I want more like it. I loved all of the information we got on gene modification and the scientific innovations that were common in this society. The story is very heavy on world building, so expect a lot of that. I loved the world building and wanted to get more after I got over my initial confusion that it was set in the future.
I loved the exploration of witch culture, especially all of the business about pure vs impure witches. It was such an interesting distinction to see these two types of magic that are constantly compared. I also loved seeing how much of witch culture was steeped in honoring their ancestors and having their ancestors bless them. It made the family aspect that much more tangible.
I absolutely loved Voya. She was someone who might not always have a lot to say, but she's constantly listening and trying to find ways to get the person what they need. Voya spends so much of her time trying to figure out how to get the family members in her house what they need. I loved the caring side of her. I also loved that she wanted answers, she never wanted the easy explanation. She wanted to know why, what, when, where and who. Plus her love of cooking! Omg her love of cooking lit her up. I loved seeing her constantly exploring new recipes and integrating old family recipes as well as her own creations. She was such a well rounded character, who still had room to grow.
The side characters are also freaking amazing. I loved Voya's family so damn much. And then there's Luc. Our precious love interest. He is very rude in the beginning and I didn't think I'd like him, but he's secretly a cinnamon roll so I fell hard. Luc is also trans, and while there is some small things he does face because of it, he's allowed to exist and thrive as he is. Also hello enemies to lovers trope!
The plot does a lot of balancing: between a mysterious Auntie no one can remember, trying to fall in love, trying to help her cousin get an internship and entering a cooking competion, Voya is very busy. I loved how something was always happening, there were so many individual sub plots, but they add up to make an intricate and expansive main plot.
And then there was the ending. Like what the fuck. I don't even know how to react?? So much happened and a lot of it I never expected. Completely 100% blown away. I would like a sequel right now please.
Rep: Fat Black female MC, trans male love interest, Black demiromantic lesbian female side character, Black trans female side character, possible nonbinary side character (she/her pronouns). Various Black and queer side characters.
CWs--from the author: whipping scene within the context of slavery, gun/police violence, discussion of and character with an eating disorder, blood/gore/violence, death, substance abuse/addiction, mentions of child neglect.
My additions: cursing, racism.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Eating disorder, Gore, Gun violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, and Police brutality
Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Drug abuse, and Racism
nytephoenyx's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Blood Like Magic takes place in a world only a few decades ahead of ours. Sciences has expanded to deep genetic analysis and modification and these things are amazing for those who can afford them, which does not include Voya Thomas’s family. The Thomas family has their own set of problems – specifically Voya’s Task to destroy her first love. It’s an unthinkable requirement for Voya to become a witch, and when she’s genetically matched to one of the head of NuGene’s sponsor kids, things get even more complicated.
In Blood Like Magic, we watch Voya Thomas face a serious of impossible choices. We see her surrounded by family that is well-meaning but flawed, and by neighbors that are superficial but they generally all stick together. The community, the magic, and the tech were all interesting to me, but the complex multi-level family relationships made Blood Like Magic particularly good. I loved it.
Voya has a huge family, and sometimes, it was challenging to keep track of everyone. I both applaud and bemoan Sumbury’s choice to name two different characters Keisha. For the most part, I was able to keep track of who was who and who did what… although admittedly I sometimes had to slow myself down in the scenes that contained both Keishas. The large cast of characters is something to prepare yourself for, but there is only one POV and that belongs to Voya.
The world is close enough to our own that the technological advances don’t feel leaps and bound ahead, a common flaw of futuristic sci-fi. I thought NuGene was interesting for the little times we spent learning about the company and its technology. I thought the Thomas family’s magic was even more interesting. Blood Like Magic focuses heavily on Voya’s story, since this is her Coming-Of-Age ritual. But there are so many interesting people in her family, all with their own gifts, and there are scores of ancestors with stories as well. Not only is the magic system interesting, there are so many individuals who have potential for bigger stories. I hope Sambury pursues them – there is already confirmation for the next book in the series next year, so we’ll see where she takes it.
Absolutely 100% pick up this book is you like Black girl magic, tech-related sci-fi, witchy vibes, family relationships, or messy YA stories. Blood Like Magic is entirely a fantastic book. I enjoyed reading it and look forward to the next one!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Blood
Moderate: Kidnapping and Death of parent
Minor: Drug use, Eating disorder, Slavery, and Abandonment
lyszflo's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Caribbean heritage, Trinidad, Canada, Caribanaasha_h22's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book is amazing!! I didn’t want to put it down and I’m upset that it ended. This book is a must read for anyone who is into a fantasy book that touches in real life topics and the difficulty of choice.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Death, and Blood
Minor: Gun violence and Slavery