A review by aquariusqueen
Wildblood by Lauren Blackwood

dark emotional mysterious 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? No

3.75

Thank you Netgalley for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

3.75/5⭐️

Wildblood really thrived on its setting just like Within these Wicked Walls. The sentient jungle and Victoria’s connection to it was so cool. The animals were creepy and there was soul sucking spirit bison that was basically Victoria’s pet. I was so sucked into the jungle and I wish we had more of it, it was that cool. This story also delves into some of the horror’s of English and American colonialism so it had quite a few emotional moments. Victoria and her friends go through a lot of trauma both before and through the book so I definitely recommend this for older YA readers.

The romance for me really fell flat for me. Thorn was charming yes but because of Victoria’s history with abuse from men it sometimes felt like his charm was a bit manipulative. I also just didn’t sense any chemistry. Like okay I get he’s charming and likes to crack jokes but what else? We got a little bit more of his character in small moments but it wasn’t enough for me to convinced they belonged together. It was also very insta-lovey which a personal pet peeve of mine. So, at the end I was very happy with Victoria’s decision.

Tw: physical abuse, (off page, past) rape, SA, colonialism, colorism, racism (mentions of lynching), graphic death, emotional abuse
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