Of Wicked Blood is a beautiful magical story about a quest to reintroduce magic into the world, but also about friendships and family relationships.
The main characters are Cadence and Slate, and we read the book from both of their perspectives. Cadence is a sweet and naive girl, that believes everything that is said to her without any doubts. Slate is hard edged man with a bad attitude and ever worse history.
Their story starts when Slate steals something that shouldn't be touched and which starts to clock to either magic being brought back to the world, or Slate's death.
Cadence, Slate and two other members of their rag tag team have limited time to fullfill their quests and save Slate. Each of them have to stand up and conquer their own worst fears.

I really enjoyed this book. It was really fast paced, entertaining and kept me interested until a certain point. Last couple of chapters felt like the authors run out of time, or patience and just wanted to be rid of this book. If the book ended in a different way, maybe a little earlier than it actually does, it would be better and I would be so much more interested in the sequel.
The writing is gorgeous, you really get sucked in the story straight away.
I didn't really care much for some of the French words, it was rather disruptive on occasions.
All in all, I really liked it!

I really liked this book and the storyline, I liked the supernatural take on it and really would like to read the second one. I came away wanting more, but I also felt that some of the questions that I was left with, could have been answered in this book and perhaps this storyline could have ended and a new one could be done in the second book. I understand wanting to keep the suspense, but there is so much that could be done with this book to ensure that there are many books to come (I won't explain as I don't want to give any spoilers). It was fun and it kept me guessing throughout the book and it was interesting. I will definitely be reading the second one if there is one to come, especially as I need to read what happens next which clearly means that the storyline worked. The main male character was, of course, a favourite of mine, I like rough around the edges and strong characters who can give into feeling powerless over someone else. I recommend!!!

Brilliant writing by these ladies!! This book moves fast but in a wall to wall action versus being rushed. I loved the characters and thought the connections built through the story was amazing. I found myself actually caring about each of the people in this book. The backdrop of France and schools made the setting and world building magical. All I know is that I am already itching for the next book!

I am totally in love with this book. The story is seriously engaging. If not because I need to go to work and sleep, I would have finished in 2 days. It was that good. Love the way the story comes together.

Of Wicked Blood is a fantastic YA fantasy type adventure. It has it all, strong characters, an eerie setting, and magic. Heck, there is even a dragon! I loved the main characters and their bickering relationship. The setting was just awesome, it's a winter village in France, and is a perfect setting for a magical quest. I loved the way it switched back and forth between the two main characters. That seems to be a new trend with writers and I really like it. Anway, I do not want to give to much away, so I will just end by saying that it is truly a great book and you will not be disappoined.

**4.5 stars**

A mysterious, fun and a bit spooky journey from a group of people trying to break a curse in a quite peculiar French town. I loved how the design of the town merges with its legends and on the other hand, how some loyalties are questionable (everybody looked suspicious to me, I never knew who I could trust).
Somehow I missed a bit more clear motivation from the characters before jumping to this risky adventure, but I love a group of people working together in unexpected ways. It was definitely a journey that grabbed me from the beginning to end (oh, how I enjoyed reading Slate! So irreverent and at the same time so unapologetically demonstrating his love for his brother!)...

Read this book in record time and definitely going for the second book when it comes out...!


**I voluntarily read an early copy of this book through Netgalley. Thank you to the authors. All views are my own.

You can find this review and all of my others over at www.readbookrepeat.wordpress.com

Slate looks after himself. He always has. Him and his younger brother whom he met in foster care. It's always been the two of them. He is good at what he does, pocketing the pricey baubles of the wealthy and turning a nice profit. When he receives a strange letter stating that he is the lost son from a family that once lived in out of the way Brume, he is skeptical. When the letter invites him to Brume to learn more, a free ride at their university and an inheritance, he almost says no, but with little brother's insistence, he goes along. What he finds is something more than he bargained for when he pilfers the ring off a dead woman. It will change his life forever, and not necessarily for the better...
Cadence has lived in Brume her whole life, dreaming of the legends that surround the town, and what would be different in her life if the tales of magic were true. Her father is wheelchair bound, and her mother passed away, that wouldn't have happened if magic were real, right? When Slate wanders into her life wearing her dead mother's ring, Cadence thinks the worst of him, until she learns things about her world that she never thought possible. Through trials and torments, Slate and Cadence are thrown together to battle out something they never thought possible, their bond deepening along the way. Will they be able to defeat the monsters and explore these new found feelings? Or are they destined for another tragic love story?

I absolutely adored Wildenstein's other series that follows the Boulder Wolves, so when I saw this one available for request, I jumped on it as quick as I could. While I feel like I enjoyed the wolf series more, this one didn't disappoint and really put a nice new spin on the whole magic thing, which was great.

The story is told from alternating points of view between Cadence and Slate. As this is a co-written book between two authors, this makes total sense. I would assume that each author writes for one of the main characters. I find that this also worked great because it meant that both characters had such distinct voices and personalities, really helping to separate them from each other.

I found the characters to be likeable and I didn't really want to punch any of them which is always a bonus, annoying characters are the pits. The supporting characters were also well written and stayed very linear even though two different authors were writing together.

The story line was well thought out and executed. I loved that there is an overarching mystery that will obviously be solved as the series progresses, and that this mystery didn't actually come to light until over halfway through. I was thoroughly played by a certain character and surprised when I realised they might not be as kind and genuine as I first thought them to be. So much emphasis was placed on the shadiness of another character from the word go, which I think helped this plot line a lot.

The race against the clock thing is always a winner and that this one includes local lore and it all happens in one town worked well for it. It gave the authors a chance to really flesh out the surrounding scenery and create vivid imagery that made me feel like I was standing on the cobblestones of Brume in the freezing cold. I don't want to go into the main crux of the story too much because I think it was fun finding out about it along with the characters.

So while this one was a short and sweet review, I'll leave you with this. This was a lovely, fresh take on the urban fantasy/magic genre of Young/New Adult that keeps you wondering what will befall the characters next and who is really the good guy.

This book was received as an ARC from Twig Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book could not be more exciting. I saw so many references to Indiana Jones but these were young teens on the move and I could not stop smiling ear to ear. I loved the concept of this story from beginning to end. The book was action packed filled with thrilling storylines. This was like a treasure hunt on steroids filled with magic and curses of so many kinds that at first I was nervous that it would jump around a lot but it didn't and I was really happy about that. I know our teen book club will enjoy this book very much and I can't wait to share it with everyone.

We will consider adding this title to our YA collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Twig Publishing, Olivia Wildenstein, and Katie Hayoz for proving me with an ARC of ‘Of Wicked Blood’ in exchange for an honest review.

When I say I was hooked from the very beginning of this book, I mean HOOKED. This was a two day read for me. I'm a huge YA fantasy fan, and recently have been trying my hand at contemporary romances/mysteries (best when combined IMO). This book has all of the above! I loved the dual POVs between Slate and Cadence, especially because the authors never retold a previous chapter through the other narrator. The story was constantly moving forward.

Slate and Cadence narrate the book in first-person, present tense, which normally is not my favorite. Here, I forgot that I don't normally like this style. It felt so natural and I wasn't distracted by live-action dialogue. The chapters were split evenly between the two protagonists, so it was easy to keep track of who was speaking.

Both main characters have very distinctive voices, and I was rooting for both of them, while they also drove me crazy because, oh if only you knew what's going on in the other's head! I was excited for the pair's romance, but even more so, I really really just wanted them to be friends. I won't give anything away, but the setup for even greater character development is tantalizing! The supporting characters were also entertaining, but I'm hoping they get even more fleshed out in the future books.

This series, so far, announced as a trilogy and I'm so excited for the future installments. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for their next YA contemporary, magical, or romance fix!

Wow! This book was a wonderful read! Between the romance, uncovering mysteries, solving clues, and so much more this was quite the adventure.

While I liked the relationship between Slqte amd Cadence, it was definitely basic and a the outcome was expected, it was still cute and lovable. I was definitely rooting for him, haha.

The ending...this was my biggest frustration as there was a solid conclusion but it was so open to questions of who did it, what happened, and did HE do what I think he did to save so and so to make up for the crap he pulled before... only the authors know and that definktely irks me a bit. I am very excited for the next book and will definitely be watching for it!

I loved this book! Can not wait for the next one and the first has not even been published yet.
The main characters, Cadence and Slate, were amazing, and their development throughout the book was so well-written with the plot.
Cadence is what we call a daddy’s girl, but she surprises us with a mind of her. She is smart, kind, and loves her city along with the magic she doesn’t know is real. When Slate comes and puts everything in motion, she is the rock that helps keep him grounded.
Slate is the opposite of Cadence. His “profession” is moral questioning, but he cares for the people around him even if he doesn’t admit. He just wanted to get his inheritance but so much more change in his life, and he changes too. It was great to see him grow up and start to discover where he came from.
The romance in the book is slow burn, but worth every second. The flirtation and the bickering are great, and only made me want them together more.
Along with their personal problems, we have the Quatrefoil. I think the authors did a great job introducing the characters and us to the magic system, it was not info-dumpy as many books are.
I have so many questions that need answers. And I just want 2021 to come so I can read it.

A most definitely intriguing novel!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book,particularly the character depth and differences. Each character is unique and comparably realistic.

I cannot wait to read more from the authors.

I was ecstatic to receive an ARC for Of Wicked Blood by Olivia Widenstein and Katie Hayoz. When I read the blurb for Of Wicked Blood, I knew it was going to be an epic Story, and I wasn't wrong. I started reading it this morning, and finished it in one sitting, it was that addictive. The author's weave a beautiful tale of magic, myth and romance. The word building in this book is richly descriptive and utterly enchanting. And the slow burn romance between Slate and Cadence had me swooning, and cheering! I immensely enjoyed Of Wicked Blood, and can't wait to read the next in the series Of Tainted Heart!

This book knocked my socks off! Slate and Cadence's narrating was top-notch and hilarious at times, really enjoyed the alternating points of view and being inside both of their heads.

"THE DISCOVERY OF WITCHES meets THE SECRET CIRCLE" is a perfect description. This tale of lost artifacts and hidden family histories is set in a spooky town full of mist and mysteries. Cannot recommend highly enough!

I had an enjoyable time reading this and it held my attention the entire way through that I finished it within the day! I enjoyed every page and thought that the plot/story was very unique. Would recommend to anyone!

This is going down as my best Netgalley find in my 3 years here.

I read this book in one sitting, cause I could not put it down!

The book is set in a small town in France called Brume, that has a rich history in magic. The setting is so charming, and rich in descriptions of festivals, and cultures.
The plot is fast paced, and the banter between slate and cadence adds a lot of humour, and makes the characters so likable.

I would highly recommend to anyone (all ready have to everyone I can personally get near)

Absolutely astounding! I have entered a world and I'm here to stay for Slate and Cadence. It's every readers dream of romance, adventure, mystery, thriller, historical fact/ fiction and suspense. Brava to these two writers for truly taking the time to paint each character and scene vividly in your mind. I felt transported, I felt their pain, happiness and frustration. Your heart will race and you will cry. Then you will beg for more. Well done.

This book was fabulous, just my cup of tea. I won't go into the story here, others have done that, but if you enjoyed A Discovery of Witches you will probably enjoy this book.
I think the only thing I wished was different was Candace's age cause I didn't like the idea/possibility of the (young-ish) professor and her together. If she were 18 I'd have had no reservations, but I understand why story-wise she is 17.
The writing is excellent and the story is fun and just the right pace. Even the smallest details, like naming the town Brume, fit the story perfectly.
Five-stars from me and I'll be reading the next one for sure.

Of Wicked Blood captured me with Wildenstein’s great style of writing and the way every chapter was built. Getting to know the characters from different points of view, but not too many, was a good way to divide the books into chapters.

The story itself is about Slate, a boy who grew up in Marseille in Foster Care. It is also told from Cadence’ Point of view, a girl who grew up in the small town of Brume, France.
We meet Slate and his brother, Bastian, who he met in one of his foster homes, at the start of the story. Slate is a bad boy, he’s reckless and has seen his fair share of unjustice in his life in foster care. Then one day something arrives for him, that will change his life. But is it for the better? Or the Worse?

In Brume we meet Cadence, a 17 year old TA and Librarian, she’s living with her father because of her mothers passing several years before. She grew up with the tales of magic and how it started in Brume.

When Slate steals the Bloodstone from Cadence’ family crypt, and can’t get it of his finger - what will happen?

Every word, every sentence, every page and every chapter captured me and dragged me into a world where magic lay out. The different characters, how Wildenstein and Hayoz developed these characters, the world and the romance made me fall in love with this story. When I read the summery on NetGalley’s page, I swear, I have never hit request so quick before.

The way the author’s has divided the chapters, the quick paces at some points made the book one of the books I always will recommend to others.

Thank you, for letting me read this, this was absolutely a wonderful read!

Holy magical relic hunting this book was good! I tore through it with wild abandon and loved every second of it.

Of Wicked Blood captured my attention from the very first page and it didn't let go... it still hasn't. I truly enjoyed this read with its delightfully quaint, small town witchy lore to its well crafted characters that were decidedly, deliciously gray. I relished each moment I spent in Brume. I even fell for the insta-love that was one brash leg of a short lived love triangle. That's not usually something I can tolerate let alone cheer for but Cadance was a strong willed, intelligent, capable female... that alone sparked my interest BUT couple her with our other MC, Slate (Remy)... a complex, justifiably pessimistic hottie thief... a tortured soul that miraculously found his hardened Adamantium heart cracked wide open by our pillar of a woman MC. The result being a coupling even a jaded heart could get behind. Then there were the rest of the supporting cast. The secondary characters were also extremely likable especially Alma and Bastian (Cadence and Slate's respective best friends).


The writing was gritty and authentic feeling, the kind that convinces you that the characters are mid conversation and you're just covertly eavesdropping. The world building was solid and the characters were both corporeal and rich. They were overflowing with a subtle charm and I, for one, fell victim to it.


Overall:

I devoured this quick read in one sitting and enjoyed every moment in this quaint town with these dynamic characters populating this wonderfully bewitching world. Was it a masterpiece? No. Will it make you ponder great big philosophical ideas? Also no BUT you will enjoy yourself for a few hours and really, isn't that one reason we choose to get lost in books to begin with?

~ Enjoy

*** I was given a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ***