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theshaggyshepherd's review
4.0
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.
ameserole's review
4.0
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Okay, I wont lie. Of Wicked Blood did start off pretty slowly for me.. but it picked up a couple of chapters in. Of course, this is when all the sassy and sarcastic comments come into play between Slate and Cadence. At first, they sort of despised one another because of all kinds of miscommunication.
Seriously, there's so many secrets, lies, and miscommunication throughout the entire book. Besides that, there's romance, mystery, and possibly a villain or two. I definitely fell in love with Slate and Cadence. He's a thief and he stole my heart and hers pretty quickly on. Even though they tried to be like.. I just met the guy/girl.. why am I jealous already? Blah blah blah - when you know you know. At least nothing was really insta-anything.
In the end, I'm hoping there's another book coming out soon because I just want more from this group. I want to know what's going to happen in this small town now after everything that has happened. Also, where's that sleazy mayor at? Ugh, so many questions!
Okay, I wont lie. Of Wicked Blood did start off pretty slowly for me.. but it picked up a couple of chapters in. Of course, this is when all the sassy and sarcastic comments come into play between Slate and Cadence. At first, they sort of despised one another because of all kinds of miscommunication.
Seriously, there's so many secrets, lies, and miscommunication throughout the entire book. Besides that, there's romance, mystery, and possibly a villain or two. I definitely fell in love with Slate and Cadence. He's a thief and he stole my heart and hers pretty quickly on. Even though they tried to be like.. I just met the guy/girl.. why am I jealous already? Blah blah blah - when you know you know. At least nothing was really insta-anything.
In the end, I'm hoping there's another book coming out soon because I just want more from this group. I want to know what's going to happen in this small town now after everything that has happened. Also, where's that sleazy mayor at? Ugh, so many questions!
kasiacl7's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
If one of your fictional boyfriends is Dean Winchester, you will adore the MMC in this book.
stasiareading's review against another edition
4.0
At first, I wasn't sure how much I was going to like this book, early on I was thinking to myself it's not bad but probably a 3 star. I'm not going to get drawn into this one. I was wrong, I most definitely got drawn in. The story was fun and quick-paced. There was action, some romance, magical history, small-town lore, and a lot to be enjoyed. If you enjoy enemies to loves from opposite sides of the tracks, history and magical lore or books where the place is just as important as who then give this book a shot.
This book is told from the alternating perspective of our two lead characters Slate and Candence. I like Slate he definitely is book boyfriend material with his tough yet charming exterior and strong conviction that he will never love while also immediately falling in love and doing all he can to protect those he loves.
Cadence, on the other hand, I found a bit annoying and naive, with time she grew on me but I preferred Slate's perspective. I was glad in the end she got her chance to fight her own battle on her own without help from the boys.
Brume was a fun and interesting place and a good setting, I enjoyed the frozen small school town vibe the bits of delicious food mixed in, and would be intrigued to visit a place such as this.
My biggest issue with the book came down to the narration. Overall I enjoyed both narrators when they narrated characters of the same sex as them but when either of them did the voice for the character of the opposing sex I hated it, in particular the male narrator's version of Cadence. But I loved his Slate voice. With time or during longer listening sessions I would get used to it but it did irritate me throughout and I am curious to get a physical copy to read and see how it changes the experience.
All said and done I enjoyed listening to this book and will definitely check out the next one in the series.
This book is told from the alternating perspective of our two lead characters Slate and Candence. I like Slate he definitely is book boyfriend material with his tough yet charming exterior and strong conviction that he will never love while also immediately falling in love and doing all he can to protect those he loves.
Cadence, on the other hand, I found a bit annoying and naive, with time she grew on me but I preferred Slate's perspective. I was glad in the end she got her chance to fight her own battle on her own without help from the boys.
Brume was a fun and interesting place and a good setting, I enjoyed the frozen small school town vibe the bits of delicious food mixed in, and would be intrigued to visit a place such as this.
My biggest issue with the book came down to the narration. Overall I enjoyed both narrators when they narrated characters of the same sex as them but when either of them did the voice for the character of the opposing sex I hated it, in particular the male narrator's version of Cadence. But I loved his Slate voice. With time or during longer listening sessions I would get used to it but it did irritate me throughout and I am curious to get a physical copy to read and see how it changes the experience.
All said and done I enjoyed listening to this book and will definitely check out the next one in the series.
sarina_langer's review
5.0
Friends, this book was so much fun! My thanks to Netgalley for letting me have an ARC.
Of Wicked Blood follows two main characters: Slate, a rough-around-the-edges thief, and Candace, an heiress who's led a pretty sheltered life until this book begins. Their banter was everything
Of Wicked Blood follows two main characters: Slate, a rough-around-the-edges thief, and Candace, an heiress who's led a pretty sheltered life until this book begins. Their banter was everything
allyslibrary's review
3.0
I listened to the audiobook through netgalley and i think the narrators turned me off a bit. i liked the characters but the voices they used to distinguish between them made it hard for me to listen to.
overall, i think it was a solid story but some of the dialogue was a little strange especially in the beginning. slate and cadence were over the top
overall, i think it was a solid story but some of the dialogue was a little strange especially in the beginning. slate and cadence were over the top
allyslibrary's review against another edition
3.0
I listened to the audiobook through netgalley and i think the narrators turned me off a bit. i liked the characters but the voices they used to distinguish between them made it hard for me to listen to.
overall, i think it was a solid story but some of the dialogue was a little strange especially in the beginning. slate and cadence were over the top
overall, i think it was a solid story but some of the dialogue was a little strange especially in the beginning. slate and cadence were over the top
abrittlebee's review
4.0
This was a fun one. Life threatening magic, small town mystery, secret societies, and witty characters combine to form an unexpectedly addictive story. So much so that I actually finished this novel in one sitting. Truly, a book I could not put down.
I loved the plot and concept. It was unique, and dealt with a kind of magic that I had never really seen before. However, the real appeal to this novel is the characters.
I pretty much adored every character in Of Wicked Blood, even the ones you’re supposed to hate. There were a couple side characters that felt one dimensional, but that was perhaps because they did not appear often enough for me to really get a sense of them. My favourite is Slate, and I loved his back and forth with Cadence. It was a little “love at first sight” in terms of how quickly they developed feelings for one another, which is not to my taste, but otherwise it was very entertaining.
Other than that, my only major problem with the book came at the end. In the last 25% of the story there is a short scene that involves a confrontation between Slate and another character regarding an overarching mystery that did not find a conclusion in this novel. This book is the first in a series, so continuous narrative threads are to be expected. The issue is that this scene is not complete. There is a teaser dialogue line that casts suspicion on an already suspicious character, and then the rest of the conversation occurs off page. Since this scene doesn’t really add anything to the events of this novel, or the progression of said overarching mystery, all it becomes is a lame and unnecessary lead-in to the sequel book. It wasn’t enough to spoil Of Wicked Blood, but it did leave a sour aftertaste to an otherwise wonderful read.
I loved the plot and concept. It was unique, and dealt with a kind of magic that I had never really seen before. However, the real appeal to this novel is the characters.
I pretty much adored every character in Of Wicked Blood, even the ones you’re supposed to hate. There were a couple side characters that felt one dimensional, but that was perhaps because they did not appear often enough for me to really get a sense of them. My favourite is Slate, and I loved his back and forth with Cadence. It was a little “love at first sight” in terms of how quickly they developed feelings for one another, which is not to my taste, but otherwise it was very entertaining.
Other than that, my only major problem with the book came at the end. In the last 25% of the story there is a short scene that involves a confrontation between Slate and another character regarding an overarching mystery that did not find a conclusion in this novel. This book is the first in a series, so continuous narrative threads are to be expected. The issue is that this scene is not complete. There is a teaser dialogue line that casts suspicion on an already suspicious character, and then the rest of the conversation occurs off page. Since this scene doesn’t really add anything to the events of this novel, or the progression of said overarching mystery, all it becomes is a lame and unnecessary lead-in to the sequel book. It wasn’t enough to spoil Of Wicked Blood, but it did leave a sour aftertaste to an otherwise wonderful read.
bookish_kayy's review
4.0
This was a great start to a new series, and I really enjoyed most of it. I liked the characters for the most part, Slate, specifically, although Cadence has potential to grow on me more, once she discovers that she doesn’t need her Papa for everything, and that really sinks in.
The beginning of this took awhile for me to get into. Lots of information being doled out, which is necessary, of course, but it got to be that I felt inundated with it all.
However, once we got over the hump and things picked up, I was throughly invested. I’m excited to read the next in the series, because I can see many things on the horizon for this group.
As a side not, I read and listened to the audio, and the narrators were absolutely wonderful. I didn’t feel like I couldn’t listen to either of them, and felt they did justice to the characters.
The beginning of this took awhile for me to get into. Lots of information being doled out, which is necessary, of course, but it got to be that I felt inundated with it all.
However, once we got over the hump and things picked up, I was throughly invested. I’m excited to read the next in the series, because I can see many things on the horizon for this group.
As a side not, I read and listened to the audio, and the narrators were absolutely wonderful. I didn’t feel like I couldn’t listen to either of them, and felt they did justice to the characters.