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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
Sarcophagus, crypts, grave robbing and romance, it is all to be found in this book. The book centres round Cadence and Slate Adroin who is sent on a quest to find the Quatrefoil and awaken all the old magic. Read this is you like stories of magic and witchcraft.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!!
**2.5 rounded up**
I felt like I was reading a different book from everyone else leaving raving reviews. While Of Wicked Blood was a fascinating story, I did not fall in love with the main characters at all.
First, what I loved:
Brume. Brume was a fascinating little town that had so many secrets. The authors did a wonderful job creating this dark and dismal yet close-knit town with weird traditions. I would have loved to go deeper into the lore of Brume. The quatrefoil has such an interesting history.
I also loved the side characters. Alma and Bastien were probably my favorite characters in the book. Both of them were sweet and kind with just the right amount of mischievousness.
The adventures: the majority of the adventures were fun and action-packed especially at the end. All of the challenges were so cool.
What I didn't like
Cadence and Slate. Slate seemed more sleazy than anything and I couldn't get to like him. On top of that was his obsession with Cadence. I feel like I was the only person who noticed that Slate is almost 20, Adrien just turned 24, and Cadence is only 17. The author talked about a relationship with Adrien at the beginning of the book and then moved to Slate. Slate constantly talked about getting with Cadence to the point where he's about to be killed and only thinks about the fact that he's lying on top of her(get your priorities straight please). These age gaps are incredibly unhealthy with the age and emotional maturity of Cadence. Moving to Cadence, she was better than Slate but not by much. I felt it unrealistic for her to have gotten over seeing her mother's literal remains a day later and then wanting to hook up with Slate. I get the magic that could kill him is important but it's a bit much. She felt more childish and reliant on her father than the average 17-year-old. They also gave her tons of alcohol? I'm not sure what the drinking age in France is but it's odd. She did begin to grow by the end but it didn't seem realistic to be in those relationships.
The plot was a bit slow but it picked up by the end. It felt like some scenes weren't needed to really further the plot but some were useful. The ending was a bit confusing with this big reveal given to Slate but we don't even know what the reveal is. Then comes the quatrefoil end where it magically became fixed and I was confused how? I may go back and reread it again.
I liked the storyline, but the characters really made me unsure about the book.
**2.5 rounded up**
I felt like I was reading a different book from everyone else leaving raving reviews. While Of Wicked Blood was a fascinating story, I did not fall in love with the main characters at all.
First, what I loved:
Brume. Brume was a fascinating little town that had so many secrets. The authors did a wonderful job creating this dark and dismal yet close-knit town with weird traditions. I would have loved to go deeper into the lore of Brume. The quatrefoil has such an interesting history.
I also loved the side characters. Alma and Bastien were probably my favorite characters in the book. Both of them were sweet and kind with just the right amount of mischievousness.
The adventures: the majority of the adventures were fun and action-packed especially at the end. All of the challenges were so cool.
What I didn't like
Cadence and Slate. Slate seemed more sleazy than anything and I couldn't get to like him. On top of that was his obsession with Cadence. I feel like I was the only person who noticed that Slate is almost 20, Adrien just turned 24, and Cadence is only 17. The author talked about a relationship with Adrien at the beginning of the book and then moved to Slate. Slate constantly talked about getting with Cadence to the point where he's about to be killed and only thinks about the fact that he's lying on top of her(get your priorities straight please). These age gaps are incredibly unhealthy with the age and emotional maturity of Cadence. Moving to Cadence, she was better than Slate but not by much. I felt it unrealistic for her to have gotten over seeing her mother's literal remains a day later and then wanting to hook up with Slate. I get the magic that could kill him is important but it's a bit much. She felt more childish and reliant on her father than the average 17-year-old. They also gave her tons of alcohol? I'm not sure what the drinking age in France is but it's odd. She did begin to grow by the end but it didn't seem realistic to be in those relationships.
The plot was a bit slow but it picked up by the end. It felt like some scenes weren't needed to really further the plot but some were useful. The ending was a bit confusing with this big reveal given to Slate but we don't even know what the reveal is. Then comes the quatrefoil end where it magically became fixed and I was confused how? I may go back and reread it again.
I liked the storyline, but the characters really made me unsure about the book.
So, first, the good. The narration was done really well by Holly Fielding and Thomas Locklear. The storyline really had potential - the synopsis sounded SO good. Now for the not so good. The writing was fine, but not great. But the cursing .... honestly, I just could not get past the cursing. Yes, people curse ... I curse. But it went beyond the norm and just started taking away from the story as a whole.
(NETGALLEY BOOK – I RECEIVED A COMPLIMENTARY ADVANCED READER COPY OF THIS BOOK THROUGH NETGALLEY. OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS REVIEW ARE COMPLETELY MY OWN.)
(NETGALLEY BOOK – I RECEIVED A COMPLIMENTARY ADVANCED READER COPY OF THIS BOOK THROUGH NETGALLEY. OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS REVIEW ARE COMPLETELY MY OWN.)
This book was enjoyable and I'm interested in the next book in the series. The story has a interesting magic system and I'm excited to see how it plays out with the town and characters that it will directly affect. A Flaw I had was the 2 main characters were not likeable for me it wasn't until closer to the end I was starting to come around to them. The story also had a pacing issue for me. It seems like nothing happens then a few chapters later it all happens at once. Then everything goes back to slow nothing happening.
I also listened to this book during the month of February where my reading hasn't been very productid. I've read some other reviews where its compared to Shadow hunters and that type of book. I agree with that it reminds me of that style of book. But those books cast of characters seemed more well rounded and likeable. I think the character I disliked the most was Cadence papa. But thats the point. and I cant wait to see how that plays out. Thats the main story line I'm dying to know what happens
Over all a 3.5 star Almost a 4 I think if either I liked the main characters a little more or the pacing was different it would of been a 4 Star for me. But I'm super excited to see where the story goes and how the events at the end of the story gets played out!
Thank you NetGalley and Twig Publishing for letting me Listen to the Audio of this Story and receiving a Arc to review this book.
Cant wait for book 2
I also listened to this book during the month of February where my reading hasn't been very productid. I've read some other reviews where its compared to Shadow hunters and that type of book. I agree with that it reminds me of that style of book. But those books cast of characters seemed more well rounded and likeable. I think the character I disliked the most was Cadence papa. But thats the point. and I cant wait to see how that plays out. Thats the main story line I'm dying to know what happens
Over all a 3.5 star Almost a 4 I think if either I liked the main characters a little more or the pacing was different it would of been a 4 Star for me. But I'm super excited to see where the story goes and how the events at the end of the story gets played out!
Thank you NetGalley and Twig Publishing for letting me Listen to the Audio of this Story and receiving a Arc to review this book.
Cant wait for book 2
Of Wicked Blood // by Olivia Wildenstein and Katie Hayoz // narrated by Holly Fielding and Thomas Locklear
I honestly don't remember requesting the original ebook for this and seeing that I've been avoiding YA fantasy the past few months, I didn't have very high expectations of this book. Oh how wrong I was! I don't know if it was the format I ended up using or what, but I could not stop listening to this book! I even put aside my very favorite book several times to clean the house (whaaaat?!?) because I knew that meant I could continue listening to Of Wicked Blood!
I have not read many urban fantasy books so I wasn't sure what to expect in that sense. I love the world-building and extensive character development that comes with epic fantasy so I thought the shorter length of the book and having it set in our "normal" world wouldn't be able to measure up. Cadence and Slate though pulled me straight into the story and didn't let go until the very end. I was impressed with how well the whole story worked out. Having two authors made me assume that each one chose a narrator and stuck with that but I wouldn't be able to say for sure because they flowed very well together and the conversations between those two were believable and gave me the same feel no matter whose side we were hearing them from. Having this story happen in France and including some of the language and accents made it just different enough for me to still get that feel of novelty throughout.
"He's not made of stone. Only of sin."
Even aside from the way the authors worked so well together, I loved the characters all throughout this book. They each have their distinct personalities. The two main characters especially were well defined from the start and it was great to get to know them more over time. They both surprised with their complexness and adaptability. And phew! Did those sparks fly between the two of them! I loved how natural their attraction and interactions felt! In some books this feels so stilted but there was zero issue with that here at all.
There are two things that I struggled with a little. The first was the ending. I did wonder throughout how they would finish this story yet still leave it open enough to not have it as a standalone. They definitely achieved this well but it felt like there was a big buildup to the climax and then it stopped abruptly. It's not a cliffhanger per se but it still felt like a rather quick wrap up (maybe I'm just mad that I have to wait for the next book now hehehe). The other issue was with the narrators. While I did grow to like them and felt that they fit their characters well eventually, some of the reading some overly dramatic and the emphasis on certain words just did not work well here and there. This wasn't an issue all throughout the book though, so it's not a huge deal. I also wasn't the biggest fan of some of the voices they gave other characters. The ones for their own characters sounded great but the others felt a little too... fake perhaps.
But please don't let that stop you from enjoying this story! I still had a really great time with the characters, the pacing was fantastic all throughout, and I'm excited for book 2 despite my usual aversion for YA fantasy! This book really took me off guard and I'm excited to see what else these two authors have to offer!
Warning: There is a LOT of cursing in this book so beware if this is an issue for you. It works for the character but I wanted to give a heads up anyways.
Thank you to the authors, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
I honestly don't remember requesting the original ebook for this and seeing that I've been avoiding YA fantasy the past few months, I didn't have very high expectations of this book. Oh how wrong I was! I don't know if it was the format I ended up using or what, but I could not stop listening to this book! I even put aside my very favorite book several times to clean the house (whaaaat?!?) because I knew that meant I could continue listening to Of Wicked Blood!
I have not read many urban fantasy books so I wasn't sure what to expect in that sense. I love the world-building and extensive character development that comes with epic fantasy so I thought the shorter length of the book and having it set in our "normal" world wouldn't be able to measure up. Cadence and Slate though pulled me straight into the story and didn't let go until the very end. I was impressed with how well the whole story worked out. Having two authors made me assume that each one chose a narrator and stuck with that but I wouldn't be able to say for sure because they flowed very well together and the conversations between those two were believable and gave me the same feel no matter whose side we were hearing them from. Having this story happen in France and including some of the language and accents made it just different enough for me to still get that feel of novelty throughout.
"He's not made of stone. Only of sin."
Even aside from the way the authors worked so well together, I loved the characters all throughout this book. They each have their distinct personalities. The two main characters especially were well defined from the start and it was great to get to know them more over time. They both surprised with their complexness and adaptability. And phew! Did those sparks fly between the two of them! I loved how natural their attraction and interactions felt! In some books this feels so stilted but there was zero issue with that here at all.
There are two things that I struggled with a little. The first was the ending. I did wonder throughout how they would finish this story yet still leave it open enough to not have it as a standalone. They definitely achieved this well but it felt like there was a big buildup to the climax and then it stopped abruptly. It's not a cliffhanger per se but it still felt like a rather quick wrap up (maybe I'm just mad that I have to wait for the next book now hehehe). The other issue was with the narrators. While I did grow to like them and felt that they fit their characters well eventually, some of the reading some overly dramatic and the emphasis on certain words just did not work well here and there. This wasn't an issue all throughout the book though, so it's not a huge deal. I also wasn't the biggest fan of some of the voices they gave other characters. The ones for their own characters sounded great but the others felt a little too... fake perhaps.
But please don't let that stop you from enjoying this story! I still had a really great time with the characters, the pacing was fantastic all throughout, and I'm excited for book 2 despite my usual aversion for YA fantasy! This book really took me off guard and I'm excited to see what else these two authors have to offer!
Warning: There is a LOT of cursing in this book so beware if this is an issue for you. It works for the character but I wanted to give a heads up anyways.
Thank you to the authors, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Of Wicked Blood // by Olivia Wildenstein and Katie Hayoz // narrated by Holly Fielding and Thomas Locklear
I honestly don't remember requesting the original ebook for this and seeing that I've been avoiding YA fantasy the past few months, I didn't have very high expectations of this book. Oh how wrong I was! I don't know if it was the format I ended up using or what, but I could not stop listening to this book! I even put aside my very favorite book several times to clean the house (whaaaat?!?) because I knew that meant I could continue listening to Of Wicked Blood!
I have not read many urban fantasy books so I wasn't sure what to expect in that sense. I love the world-building and extensive character development that comes with epic fantasy so I thought the shorter length of the book and having it set in our "normal" world wouldn't be able to measure up. Cadence and Slate though pulled me straight into the story and didn't let go until the very end. I was impressed with how well the whole story worked out. Having two authors made me assume that each one chose a narrator and stuck with that but I wouldn't be able to say for sure because they flowed very well together and the conversations between those two were believable and gave me the same feel no matter whose side we were hearing them from. Having this story happen in France and including some of the language and accents made it just different enough for me to still get that feel of novelty throughout.
"He's not made of stone. Only of sin."
Even aside from the way the authors worked so well together, I loved the characters all throughout this book. They each have their distinct personalities. The two main characters especially were well defined from the start and it was great to get to know them more over time. They both surprised with their complexness and adaptability. And phew! Did those sparks fly between the two of them! I loved how natural their attraction and interactions felt! In some books this feels so stilted but there was zero issue with that here at all.
There are two things that I struggled with a little. The first was the ending. I did wonder throughout how they would finish this story yet still leave it open enough to not have it as a standalone. They definitely achieved this well but it felt like there was a big buildup to the climax and then it stopped abruptly. It's not a cliffhanger per se but it still felt like a rather quick wrap up (maybe I'm just mad that I have to wait for the next book now hehehe). The other issue was with the narrators. While I did grow to like them and felt that they fit their characters well eventually, some of the reading some overly dramatic and the emphasis on certain words just did not work well here and there. This wasn't an issue all throughout the book though, so it's not a huge deal. I also wasn't the biggest fan of some of the voices they gave other characters. The ones for their own characters sounded great but the others felt a little too... fake perhaps.
But please don't let that stop you from enjoying this story! I still had a really great time with the characters, the pacing was fantastic all throughout, and I'm excited for book 2 despite my usual aversion for YA fantasy! This book really took me off guard and I'm excited to see what else these two authors have to offer!
Warning: There is a LOT of cursing in this book so beware if this is an issue for you. It works for the character but I wanted to give a heads up anyways.
Thank you to the authors, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
I honestly don't remember requesting the original ebook for this and seeing that I've been avoiding YA fantasy the past few months, I didn't have very high expectations of this book. Oh how wrong I was! I don't know if it was the format I ended up using or what, but I could not stop listening to this book! I even put aside my very favorite book several times to clean the house (whaaaat?!?) because I knew that meant I could continue listening to Of Wicked Blood!
I have not read many urban fantasy books so I wasn't sure what to expect in that sense. I love the world-building and extensive character development that comes with epic fantasy so I thought the shorter length of the book and having it set in our "normal" world wouldn't be able to measure up. Cadence and Slate though pulled me straight into the story and didn't let go until the very end. I was impressed with how well the whole story worked out. Having two authors made me assume that each one chose a narrator and stuck with that but I wouldn't be able to say for sure because they flowed very well together and the conversations between those two were believable and gave me the same feel no matter whose side we were hearing them from. Having this story happen in France and including some of the language and accents made it just different enough for me to still get that feel of novelty throughout.
"He's not made of stone. Only of sin."
Even aside from the way the authors worked so well together, I loved the characters all throughout this book. They each have their distinct personalities. The two main characters especially were well defined from the start and it was great to get to know them more over time. They both surprised with their complexness and adaptability. And phew! Did those sparks fly between the two of them! I loved how natural their attraction and interactions felt! In some books this feels so stilted but there was zero issue with that here at all.
There are two things that I struggled with a little. The first was the ending. I did wonder throughout how they would finish this story yet still leave it open enough to not have it as a standalone. They definitely achieved this well but it felt like there was a big buildup to the climax and then it stopped abruptly. It's not a cliffhanger per se but it still felt like a rather quick wrap up (maybe I'm just mad that I have to wait for the next book now hehehe). The other issue was with the narrators. While I did grow to like them and felt that they fit their characters well eventually, some of the reading some overly dramatic and the emphasis on certain words just did not work well here and there. This wasn't an issue all throughout the book though, so it's not a huge deal. I also wasn't the biggest fan of some of the voices they gave other characters. The ones for their own characters sounded great but the others felt a little too... fake perhaps.
But please don't let that stop you from enjoying this story! I still had a really great time with the characters, the pacing was fantastic all throughout, and I'm excited for book 2 despite my usual aversion for YA fantasy! This book really took me off guard and I'm excited to see what else these two authors have to offer!
Warning: There is a LOT of cursing in this book so beware if this is an issue for you. It works for the character but I wanted to give a heads up anyways.
Thank you to the authors, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
I almost gave up on this book, I felt like it started off slow and in a weird kind of spot where you’re trying to envision a specific world and it isn’t even the way you think. I’m so glad that I kept with it though! I don’t know if I just needed to get a little further to truly “see” what this world was or if it was because I had another book my mind? Either way, I loved this book! I’m usually a paranormal kind of girl and I enjoy witchy tales but this one is solely about magic, no other creatures.
So we have Slate who receives a message telling him to come to Brume. He is an orphan who does what he needs to, to survive. He hates the idea of going there and is severely angry at his caller. Drunk and angry, he breaks into the grave of said callers’ wife, but karma has another thing coming for him.
Cadence is a 17 year old girl who seems to just be focused on one thing. A boy. I know, I know, cliche but her story only just begins once Slate arrives.
Truths come out and Cadence’s world becomes even bigger than she initially knew. Now her, Slate and two others have to band together to “defeat” challenges specific to each of them and get magic back in the world.
Each challenge brings more truths out and shows you more qualities and characteristics of each character and I just felt super drawn in and immersed in a grand tale.
I so very much wanted to give this 5 stars but the ending felt slightly rushed to me. The last challenge went by fast and then all of a sudden it was ending. There is obviously going to be another book, says so at the end, so I can’t wait to see what it brings! There are answers I need! And that slow burn romance needs to be lit up!
*I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review *
So we have Slate who receives a message telling him to come to Brume. He is an orphan who does what he needs to, to survive. He hates the idea of going there and is severely angry at his caller. Drunk and angry, he breaks into the grave of said callers’ wife, but karma has another thing coming for him.
Cadence is a 17 year old girl who seems to just be focused on one thing. A boy. I know, I know, cliche but her story only just begins once Slate arrives.
Truths come out and Cadence’s world becomes even bigger than she initially knew. Now her, Slate and two others have to band together to “defeat” challenges specific to each of them and get magic back in the world.
Each challenge brings more truths out and shows you more qualities and characteristics of each character and I just felt super drawn in and immersed in a grand tale.
I so very much wanted to give this 5 stars but the ending felt slightly rushed to me. The last challenge went by fast and then all of a sudden it was ending. There is obviously going to be another book, says so at the end, so I can’t wait to see what it brings! There are answers I need! And that slow burn romance needs to be lit up!
*I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review *
Why did I wait so long to read this!?!
Thanks Netgalley for letting me get ahold of this early, but these gonna be my words
I honestly picked the book for the cover. LOOK AT IT! It's simple but definitely draws me in. And goodness I was not ready for what it had to offer.
Right off the bat. This is NOT a YAbook why are y'all lying to us? Yeah, one of the main character is 17 BUT Slate talks way too much about his penis and the effect that Cadence has on it.
So as I said, we have multiple main character. Cadence and Slate.
Slate is a criminal. He grew up in the system getting one shitty family after another the only good thing to come out of it was Bastian. Whom Slate has a soft spot for. When we find out he is actually the last of his blood line. A bloodline that could bring magic back to the world, but at what cost?
Cadence is raised and born in Brume, Salem of the East. Being that Brume holds the record for most witch trials and convictions in all of France. She is so invested in the history of the town and it's magic with finding out she is also a key to bringing it back, but with this she starts to see murders pile up around the curse they must break to bring magic back. She starts to wonder. Is the magic really worth it with this much death?
---
And if you like slow burns. This is not the one. It's definitely a love at first time and BUT they comment how dumb they think they're being for the attraction....but can you blame her? He's a DARK HAIR BAD BOY. We all love those!!!
I simply loved this book and could not put it down. I need more asap.... actually I kind of want to reread it again
Thanks Netgalley for letting me get ahold of this early, but these gonna be my words
I honestly picked the book for the cover. LOOK AT IT! It's simple but definitely draws me in. And goodness I was not ready for what it had to offer.
Right off the bat. This is NOT a YAbook why are y'all lying to us? Yeah, one of the main character is 17 BUT Slate talks way too much about his penis and the effect that Cadence has on it.
So as I said, we have multiple main character. Cadence and Slate.
Slate is a criminal. He grew up in the system getting one shitty family after another the only good thing to come out of it was Bastian. Whom Slate has a soft spot for. When we find out he is actually the last of his blood line. A bloodline that could bring magic back to the world, but at what cost?
Cadence is raised and born in Brume, Salem of the East. Being that Brume holds the record for most witch trials and convictions in all of France. She is so invested in the history of the town and it's magic with finding out she is also a key to bringing it back, but with this she starts to see murders pile up around the curse they must break to bring magic back. She starts to wonder. Is the magic really worth it with this much death?
---
And if you like slow burns. This is not the one. It's definitely a love at first time and BUT they comment how dumb they think they're being for the attraction....but can you blame her? He's a DARK HAIR BAD BOY. We all love those!!!
I simply loved this book and could not put it down. I need more asap.... actually I kind of want to reread it again
Rating 4.5
I really enjoyed this story. I loved that we got to read Slate's point of view as well as Cadence's view. Slate was a great character. He stayed true to his word and by the end of the book he showed good character growth. He was funny, witty, and a little reserved due to his upbringing. Cadence was a good strong female character who let her walls down when she had to. She worships her father which does blind her from seeing what he could really be up to. However, her character does change towards the end and the reader will notice her start to question more about her life. I found all of the side characters to fit the story and luckily none of them were annoying. I was a little nervous about a love triangle so hopefully one does not pop up in the sequel. The plot was interesting. The challenges will make one nervous not knowing what will happen to the characters. This book is a quick read because the reader is dying to know what will happen to Slate or if they will actually obtain magic. While I really did love this story the ending was a bit disappointing for me. It felt a little rushed and forced and to be honest I just had higher hopes since the rest of the story was so good. However, I will definitely be reading the sequel and I will definitely be recommending this book because the rest of the story saves the rushed ending for me.
I really enjoyed this story. I loved that we got to read Slate's point of view as well as Cadence's view. Slate was a great character. He stayed true to his word and by the end of the book he showed good character growth. He was funny, witty, and a little reserved due to his upbringing. Cadence was a good strong female character who let her walls down when she had to. She worships her father which does blind her from seeing what he could really be up to. However, her character does change towards the end and the reader will notice her start to question more about her life. I found all of the side characters to fit the story and luckily none of them were annoying. I was a little nervous about a love triangle so hopefully one does not pop up in the sequel. The plot was interesting. The challenges will make one nervous not knowing what will happen to the characters. This book is a quick read because the reader is dying to know what will happen to Slate or if they will actually obtain magic. While I really did love this story the ending was a bit disappointing for me. It felt a little rushed and forced and to be honest I just had higher hopes since the rest of the story was so good. However, I will definitely be reading the sequel and I will definitely be recommending this book because the rest of the story saves the rushed ending for me.