5 – This book absolutely “wow”-ed me in all five aspects. I am likely to recommend this to many of my friends or students. I will also likely follow this author’s career and read their future books.
4 – This was a better than solid read. Excelled in most categories but did not leave me desperate to pick it back up. I am still likely to recommend this to a friend in conversation.
3 – This was a solid read. I enjoyed the time I spent reading it and I don’t regret it. I wouldn’t purchase this myself, but if asked for a recommendation in this genre, I might mention it.
2 – This book did not rank well in the five chosen aspects. I will likely not recommend this book, but it probably had one to two redeeming qualities.
1 – None of this story appealed to me personally, I will not recommend this book.

This book was super fun! It was kind of like a paranormal treasure hunt in France. The characters were great, especially our 2 main characters Cadence and Slate.
The idea of the book, where these 4 generations of families have to find each of their pieces to restore magic and save Slate from a curse he acquired when he put on a ring. Each trial they have to do to get back their leaves were so action packed and dangerous.
There were so many great relationships in this book. I loved how Cadence and Slate's relationship grew throughout the book. Cadence and Alma as well as Slate and Sebastian (spelling? I listened to the audiobook!) had such great friendships that warmed my heart.
The ending was so fast paced, but I felt like it ended in a weird spot. It ended on a real cliffhanger, but I felt like more things should have been explained. I'm very interesting to find out what happens in the next book!

This is a fantastic audiobook with two great narrators.

The book follows two main characters Slate and Cadence. Using two narrators was a great decision, I usually hate when there's a high pitched female trying to be a husky male and vice versa so this worked amazingly.

The story line is also good. Slate steals a magical family heirloom which dooms the town and the 4 heritage families are forced together to recover hidden pieces damaging the town and restore them to restore magic.

Its a great main story with good side stories filling you with the background of the characters.

A long book but I devoured it in 3 days. Thanks to lockdown 2.0!

Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the ARC.

Wow so I was seriously impressed with the narration! It’s rare but these days I’m finding it more and more. That aside, can I tell you it wouldn’t work without a perfect story line. This certainly was!! It wasn’t my usual PNR and it’s very different to what I normally pick up. This felt like a fantasy adventure thriller with all the feels. Some tough stuff happens one thing in particular that had me crying. But honestly I’m so happy I got to read this as it felt fresh and new. Different to other storylines out there.
I would never have picked this up but for connecting with Olivia one of the authors on social media, it made me check this out! HUGE well done ladies! You wrote an amazing storyline with such lovable characters and I’m so excited there is more to come. I loved the way Slate spoke to others and in his head! I was giggling like a little girl with a crush! Cadence was sweet and kind but with backbone. Oh but mostly I really can’t wait to find out what else Papa De Morel is hiding. I am really concerned he is playing them all and a proper villain.
Highly recommend! Top marks 5/5.

I really enjoyed the story line!

I did have a hard time with the narration which is a bummer. I am very particular when it comes to voices so I think I struggle finding the right mix.

I can't wait to read/listen to more from the authors!

Great story and great concept, I liked it! I do believe that the narration needs some work, it was the only thing that I didn't like about this book.

*I was given an advanced copy of the audiobook for Of Wicked Blood in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Twig Publishing, Olivia Wildenstein and Katie Hayoz.*

Told from two perspectives Of Wicked Blood follows Slate Ardoin and Cadence de Morel as they embarked on a quest to bring magic back to the world. That definitely makes it sound cheesy but I promise it’s not. Slate who has spent many years of his life in the foster system wins a scholarship to a prestigious college in Brume, this coming from Cadence’s father.

After his arrival in Brume Slate, who is angry at Cadence’s father as he could have rescued him from his cruel upbringing, decides to go grave robbing in the de Morel crypt. He puts on a ring not knowing that it is the cursed Bloodstone. After confronting Cadence’s father he finds out that unless the pieces of the quatrefoil are found he only has a matter of weeks to live.

Of Wicked Blood is an urban fantasy set in modern-day France however at times it did feel like it was set in the 18th century. I was so immersed in this world that I would get a little shock every time they mentioned their phones or clothing like puffer jackets. That does not mean that I didn’t enjoy the vibe of this book. I actually loved the strange paradox that this seemed to sit in and I thought it really suited the story.

This definitely took a while to get going, but once the pace picked up I didn’t want to stop listening. This is a great compliment as I’m not the biggest fan of audiobooks.

One part I absolutely hated about this book was the overly sexual thoughts that Slate had towards Cadence and how other male characters sexualised her. When Cadence was first introduced I kept thinking that she was 15. I’ll be honest and say that I kept thinking this for a lot of the book. It turns out that she is 17, which is stated in the first few chapters I just missed it for some reason. I still think this over-sexualisation was too much, especially for a YA book. This did at times feel more new adult.
In the next book, I would like to have more of a focus on the actual relationship between Slate and Cadence. Near the end, they develop a relationship that goes beyond physical attraction. This is definitely something that should be explored more in future books.

Putting that aside though I loved the premise of this book and I actually really liked the narrators. Holly Fielding was an excellent choice for Cadence and she put out a believable performance. I did enjoy Thomas Locklear as a narrator. However, he made Slate sound way older than he was. This definitely did not help with my previous point of the over-sexualisation. Obviously, this was not his fault and I am not putting any blame on him. Thomas Locklear also gave a great performance with believable emotion.

I liked the characters, but they would do with a little more development and I really loved the storyline. Once the task to get the quatrefoil pieces began the action was non-stop and exciting.
There isn’t really a heavy focus on romance as the majority of the time the characters are feeling mostly lustful affections towards one another. However, I can definitely see it becoming a larger part of the series as times goes on. However, I have every faith that this will not take away from the action and the intricately woven storyline.

Overall I would give Of Wicked Blood a rating of 4/5. I cannot wait for the next instalment in this series.

This was an audio book that I loved, but you will see that I have only given it three stars.

Let me start with the positives, the story is fantastic. It is original and imaginative and kept me wanting to know what happened next, throughout the story.

The negative points are firstly the narration, I found the changing of accents really odd. The story is set in France, so in my simple world the narration should either have a french accent or not There were some characters with a french accent, and others (also french) with an american accent. I found this baffling and annoying. Secondly the characterisation left a lot to be desired in my opinion. I found them formulaic and trite. There was a litle too much eye gazing and chest heaving for this type of novel.

So will I be buying the next in the series? I certainly will! I loved the plot so much I am desperate to know what happens next. If the flaws above could be ironed out, it would be a five star listen for me.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an audio arc of this book, all opinions expressed here are my own.

Of Wicked Blood by Olivia Wildenstein and Katie Hayoz is the first book in The Quatrefoil Chronicles. This is the first book I have read by either author but will definitely look up more of their work. I was intrigued by the blurb, then when I saw advanced praise from Wendy Higgins (one of my favourite authors) I knew I had to give Of Wicked Blood a try and I’m so happy I did.

Slate grew up hard in foster care. Candence grew up sheltered and privileged in a French town so small they have no roads. When they meet sparks fly. But is it hatred or love?

Slate is convinced Candence’s father could have rescued him from the system, so he does a little grave robbing. With the cursed bloodstone ring now counting down his days, Slate, Candence and their gang of misfits must work together to fight monsters, solve clues and right wrongs to reassemble the quatrefoil and restore magic to the world.

I loved the characters, both main and side were well written. The dual perspective storyline helped understand more about the main characters. The creepy fog and tiny town really added to the setting for the storyline. The narrators did an excellent job as their characters, but had a tendency to struggle a bit with different voices. Though it was still definitely an enjoyable listen. The ending let me down a bit, but I look forward to reading the next book for some answers and to see what happens next for the characters.

An enjoyable 4 star read.

At first I didn't really like the voice for Slate didn't feel right but now it's perfect for him when going into the story.

Now I FREAKING LOVED THIS BOOK! why did. I wait so long to read it? My only problem is it's suppose to be "young adult" there's no sex and one of the characters is 17 BUT this is totally a new adult. Slate talks about his dick and the bewitching power of Canence has over it.

Yeah people will complain that the romance was too fast but I loved it. Especially since they both chastise themselves for the feeling.

But this was perfect.

We follow Slate and Cadence. Slate who has a troubled childhood and life in foster care system. Cadence who knows tragedy at young age. Magic and thievery I really enjoyed the French setting. I rated it 3.5 stars. I rounded up to 4 due the fact I just couldn’t connect to the characters too much.
I would recommend this for urban fantasy and paranormal romance.

***I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.***.

Of Wicked Blood was a great listen for me. It took some time for the story to build its mythology and start picking up speed, but once it did I couldn't hit pause. The story has an interesting mix of modern day (cell phones) technology and old world lore. The characters each had their own unique style and voice, which I really enjoyed, and the secondary characters were actually my favorite parts. It's solidly YA, but the mythology really kept me engaged.

I fell in love with this book after few chapters. It was a blind pick I made from Netgalley. I thought of giving it a try and very much enjoyed the characters, light fantasy for YA. Cadence, Slate, Alma, Bastian, Adrian all fitting perfectly to the story. Fighting against the time to save Slate and put Quatrefoil together just in time before the twilight.

The whole mystery of magic of Brume is just perfect and I enjoyed how the author incorporated the historical facts here. Also the French makes this novel a little different to others. There isn't a boring passage in this novel. Remy is the only really unlikable character of the whole book and all his lies are slowly unfolding. There is cursing and quite some romantic "thoughts" of Cadence and Slate, but I don't mind it here. Fits perfectly for YA genre.

Now I am just left somehow empty and sorry there is no second volume yet. I would love to read it, if it is as good as this one.

This book was phenomenal! I listened to this in one day, in one sitting, I couldn't turn it off. The characters are interesting and the story is engaging. I love that the story is told from two perspectives. That gives it such depth that would be lacking if it was told from only one side. The choice of getting two narrators as well was perfect. They both did a wonderful job keeping the listener engaged. I am already on the edge of my seat waiting for the next book in the series. Fantastic read, highly recommended!

A Urban Fantasy with great characters.
Really enjoyed listening to. Good narrators.
Lots of surprises, mystery,curses,drama and romance.
Ending leaves you wondering.
Voluntarily reviewed.

I really enjoyed both the narrators for Of Wicked Blood. They gave a great performance and kept me engaged through out the entirety of the book. Of Wicked Blood is an urban fantasy set in the village of Brume, that is believed to be the birthplace of all magic. This book gave me major Mystic Falls vibes but add in a treasure hunt for magical items. While this book starts a little slow the plot really picks up as Slate finds himself in a life or death situation after accidentally acquiring a magical artifact. Cadence and Slate come to learn they are both descendants of founding families, which requires them to rally with the other two founding family’s descendants to hunt down magical artifacts, in order to complete an ancient ritual and save Slates life. This book is perfect you want to get lost in an exciting magic filled plot with strong dark academia vibes. Also, the romance plot between Cadence and Slate was well paced and super enjoyable.

I loved this audiobook.. The main female character is pretty accurate as how I had in mind and I can perfectly picture her through this voice. This voice fits perfectly. The tone, the inflection,... she did a great job with Cadence. And with the male voice I had a bit issues in the beginning because Slate in young and this man's voice is a quite adult one. Definitely much older than that character and I didn't get into the character and story but as long as the chapters went on I got used to it and enjoyed it. No matter that he wasn't what I had in mind, he did a great job two. Both narrators did a wonderful job with 'Of Wicked Blood'.

And reagarding this story I have one word: Addictive. This book is absolutely addictive and I loved it to no end. These authors have done an outstanding job here. Just after reading the first chapter I was interested and needed it to keep on reading. It reminded me when I first start reading the Harry Potter books. I just had to know what happened next.

The writing is wonderful and the story follows the right pace. You don’t get bored one single time. Something important is happening almost all the time that keeps you reading more and more chapters non-stop.

The main male character is extremely captivating. I’d describe it as a young adult Harry Potter mixed with Damon Salvatore personality. Besides being hot, he also has a very particular humor. Some of the best remarks I’ve read are from this character. Some scenes are hilarious. He makes the most dangerous and dark situation lighter and attainable. And Cadence is a smart, nice and polite girl that is going to find out that in her hometown magic maybe is real. She’s determined and brave and her connection with Slate more than curious and not so normal.

Slate and Cadence are the main characters but as always occurs with Olivia Wildenstein books, all the secondary characters are attractive and interesting to follow.

The plot is entertaining and makes you want to live in Brume with the characters and be there to help them with their mission.

My favorite ingredients are in this amazing book: magic, love, tension and not only sexual, twists, jealousy, darkness, humor, fights, angst, friendship, hidden secrets,… I just can’t wait for next book!

“I feel like that kid again, the one who looked for light in the darkness, who believed that if he reached high enough, he could pluck the stars from the very sky.”
•
•
Holy fuck*ing sh*t, this story was AWESOME (sorry but Slate’s cursing is contagious 😂). Jokes aside, this gave me the Gilded Wolves vibes, but far far better. Not only Slate and Cadence are terribly cute, but the way they come to know each other and respect and love is so sweet and funny. Slate is a thief, he has learned very young that in life no one gives you anything for nothing. He had foster families who treated him badly, but he had just one person he loved more than himself: his adopted brother. And by the way he acts with him we can see he is the cutest cinnamon roll ever! He is so shocked when he finds out he descends from a very rich family who died when he was just a toddler and he reaches the city to claim his heritage, but he finds himself in a quest to restore magic into the world. With his humor he tries to build a wall against the world, because if he keeps everyone out he’ll not feel lost or hurt anymore, but then he meets Cadence, who has had such a privileged life and he should despise her, but she is so smart, so badass and sweet that he ends up loving her. The story is so interesting, with a great world building enriched with lore and and legends. Magic is something that could destroy humans and so it’s not easy to obtain but this crew can definitely do it. Nonetheless I definitely expect a sequel because Cadence’s father does sound like a man with many secrets and a lot to hide! That said if you are ready for a fun quest with incredible characters this is the book for you! Thanks to NetGalley I’ve listened to the audiobook which was really awesome, easy to follow with 2 different narrators for the female and male characters. The female one, in particular, was so amazing doing male voices, definitely recommended.

I was testing the downloading process. I am the author of this book, so naturally, I love it ;) and wouldn't change a thing about it.

This would make a great Disney movie. If they take out the cussing. It's full of magic and fantasy.

Slate who grew up in foster homes, finds out he is the descendent of a well-known magical family from Broom. The last living decedent that has to help the town get its magic back.

This isn't the type of book i like but it will be good for the teens.


Thank you #OFWICKEDBLOOD #NetGalley