For an enemies to lovers story, the romance was WAY too fast paced for me they just seemed to go from meeting to fighting to kissing in seconds and one of the last chapters literally says they only knew each other for a week and there just wasn’t enough tension and guilt and temptation and yearning for me.

The second half of the book also felt very rushed in general.

That said, I did enjoy the multiple unique magic systems as well as the general plot and concept!

Thank you Netgalley for my ALC copy!

This audiobook was a mixed experience for me. The story had a lot of interesting elements—magic, mystery, and a compelling main character—but it ended up feeling a bit too crowded. There were so many plot threads introduced that by the end, it became hard to follow and a bit overwhelming. The ending, in particular, felt rushed and overly convoluted, leaving me more confused than satisfied.

That said, the real standout was Laura Horowitz’s narration. She brought the characters to life with distinct voices and emotion, and her performance kept me engaged even when the plot got tangled. Her voice added a layer of polish and energy that made the audiobook experience much more enjoyable.

Overall, while the story didn’t fully land for me, the narration was top-tier and made it worth the listen.

Born of Blood and Magic is set up with an interesting magic system and world building. I always like seeing unique urban fantasy. The book did the slow-burn correctly for an enemies to lovers trope. Vy and Petra actively dislike each other (for very legitimate reasons) the majority of the book.

Where things start to fall apart is pacing. Vy spends most of the book doubting the reason she’s interested in Petra. Petra in turn still disparages Vy 97% into the book. A lot of action and plot is pushed into the last third if the story. It very much reads as the first part of a longer series. While it doesn’t end on a cliffhanger per se, it still leaves a lot of the story unanswered.

It’s difficult to get into many of the issues without spoiling the story, so I’ll just say that I didn’t find the ending very satisfying.

Laura Horowitz did a great job and her narration added nice depth to the story.

Overall rating: 2.5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley for the ALC and the opportunity to leave an honest review.

I went into Born of Blood and Magic hoping for an immersive fantasy experience, but unfortunately, it didn’t manage to hold my interest. The premise had potential — a world steeped in magic, conflict, and legacy — yet the execution fell flat for me.

One of the main issues was the pacing. The story took too long to build momentum, and by the time things started to happen, I had already begun to disengage. There were moments of intrigue, but they were too few and far between to maintain a compelling narrative.
The characters also didn’t quite click. While I could see the outlines of interesting development, I never felt truly invested in their journeys or emotions. It was difficult to connect with them or care deeply about their outcomes, which made the stakes feel low even during climactic scenes.
The writing itself wasn’t bad, but it lacked the spark or vividness needed to bring this kind of fantasy world to life. At times, the prose felt weighed down by exposition, which further dragged the story.

Overall, Born of Blood and Magic just didn’t engage me the way I hoped. It’s clear that M.C. Hudson put a lot of thought into the world and lore, but without a more gripping story or more compelling characters, it didn’t leave a lasting impression.

I liked a lot about this book, mostly Laura Horowitz' fabulous narration. Anything narrated by her is an instant favourite for me and this was no exception.

I also really appreciated the representation, as I don't recall ever reading a F/F urban fantasy before, and urban fantasy is a genre I don't gravitate towards. The first half of the book had me hooked, if not a little confused, and I liked the complexity of the characters.

That said, I found some of the dialogue and character actions to be a bit cheesy and predictable, but this didn't take too much away from my enjoyment.

Overall, it's a well written book but probably not a genre I'm into, but I appreciate the audio ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley and M.C Hutson for the ALC

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked the narration of this story, Laura Horowitz did a beautiful job. But the story itself I'm just not sure it was for me. I'm not always the biggest fan of urban fantasy, sometimes they work for me sometimes they don't, and I don't think this one did unfortunately.

It was slow to get into the beginning of the story for me and I felt like the ending could have done with more, it was a big wtf moment & I feel like some parts of it were rushed to get there.

This was a wild ride and I really enjoyed listening to this urban fantasy. I am not really into fantasy but this one worked for me. There were lost of action and plot twists that I did not see coming. However, I would have liked more romance and I had some issues to really connect to the MC's. Then WTF about the ending, that was not what I wanted for sure, the whole time travelling and changing the past and thus the present did not work for me.

It was entertaining but now that I finished it, I couldn't tell you what happened in the book, weird feeling

thank you net galley for the copy

I devoured this audiobook. I really enjoyed the story, the magic, the world, the characters, the Sapphic romance, the quest. But omg that ending! It was a sad one and I need book 2 ASAP!!



Minor Cons. I felt the multiple POV was a bit confusing at fist, there's a few chapters I had to start over to better understand but I got the hang of it haha also it was very fast paced, it jumped around quickly. Some elements could've been longer. Especially towards the end, the last 20% approximately.

Great debute. I needed more Sapphic fantasy 👌

Thank you to NetGalley and M.C. Hutson Press for the audiobook ARC of Born of Blood and Magic by @mchutsonbooks — narrated flawlessly by Laura Horowitz. 🎧💥
If you're a fan of Arcane—especially if you shipped CaitVi but secretly craved ViMel energy—this one’s for you. In this sapphic urban fantasy, Vy gives Mel vibes, Petra is Vi coded (ear tuck), and together? Chef’s kiss.
🩸Vy is a half-vampire, hated for being “other” in a world that barely tolerates difference.
🔥Petra is a human monster hunter whose mother was killed by a vampire, and she’s out for revenge.
This is true enemies-to-lovers tension. I was yelling in my car listening to their arguments one minute and swooning the next. (There’s a one bed at the inn moment, and yes—I was kicking my feet.)
The only reason I gave this 4⭐️ instead of 5 is totally a me problem: I’m not a huge fan of urban fantasy set in real cities—it takes me out of the story when I get distracted by the geography. But everything else? Absolutely delicious.
⚠️ TW for attempted SA around the 80% mark — page 314 on Kindle.
✨Dark, romantic, action-packed, and unapologetically sapphic. I cannot wait to get a physical copy of this gem.

I listened to this on audiobook. The narrator did a great job, however I did not enjoy any of the characters except for Vy (and Alice). Everyone else, including Petra are so full of hate and toxicity (strange for being supposed members and soldiers for the Light). I guess that is supposed to be a thing but it is weird with the flip flops that Petra does, being vicious and threatening to Vy and then suddenly having sex. It just doesn't vibe and I think Vy deserves better. The search for the talisman to fix the past was interesting with the trip to Japan and summoning the last guy that had knowledge of it but most of this book was fighting, death, sex and running. I have no desire to continue this series. Especially after that ending which kinda wiped out most everything that happened in this book. Though I am happy that Vy found peace with herself. Also, I was sad to see how whitewashed Vy is on the cover.

So five stars for the narrator and three for the story itself.

This was a gorgeously narrated book.

The story was compelling and kept getting better until the very end, in my opinion. I wasn't particularly invested at the beginning, but the characters grew on me thanks to the incredibly dynamic plot. The world is rich and imaginative and I was so invested by the last 2 hours. As a start to a series, I think it's a very solid first book and I'm definitely looking forward to the continuation.

The first half of this book was amazing and I loved it. After the first half, the story got a little convoluted for me and I felt like the ending was rushed. On the whole, this is a good story but I'm not sure if I would continue the series or not at this point. The romance was just ok for me. I was expecting to love Vy and Petra together but what sounded like it would be an amazing romance was more like a spark that kept fizzling out for me. The intent was there but I just wasn't feeling it. This book was an entertaining read and I think it has it's merits, but for me it ended up being middle of the road.

Laura Horowitz is a wonderful narrator and did a great job on this novel.

Thank you NetGalley and MC Press for access to the ALC in exchange for an honest review.