I listened to this on audiobook which I don't normally do and I really enjoyed the narration. Slate's chapters more so than Candance but that is because he was such a flirt and I was living for it. Even the secondary characters had their own separate personalities that would sometimes clash but were also able to find common ground. I love a good modern day quest story about finding an artifact in order to bring magic back to a place it once existed. They had this whole Arthur and Merlin thing going on but I'm not sure how much it actually tied in.


Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an opportunity to review this audiobook.

Very interesting, fast-paced and with a male MC that really had a distinctive voice (I wasn't that thrilled with the female MC in the beginning, but she grew on me). And although I would have liked a couple more chapters towards the end so that the resolution doesn't feel rushed, this was an engaging YA romantic fantasy adventure in a refreshing setting and with an intriguing magic system. I'd love to read more books in this world.

(5/5 stars) Of Wicked Blood, follows two characters, Slate Ardoin and Cadence De Morel as they begin the task of bringing magic back to the world. The chapters alternate between Slate and Cadence perspectives while search for the pieces of the quatrefoil.

I really enjoyed this book. It took me a few chapters to get really into it but after that I couldn't put it down. The ending seemd a little rushed but overall I loved reading this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Twig Publishing for the e-ARC.

If you're looking for something light and fun, this is it! The story line is completely unique and the characters are hilarious! I can't wait for the second book!!

Spoiler free review! This book is simply amazing. I love the world building and the way the author really brings out the characters. I would definitely recommend this book!

This fantasy reading was interesting, I like that it was on a contemporary time making it an urban fantasy, involving ancient rites. The world-building was good, the characters Slate and Cadence are fantastic, there are more that I like but the main ones are my favorite. I love magic-related stories and this one has it in a refreshing way. The love story felt short for my tasting, I expected it a bit more but there is romance, just not more if you know what I mean. The plotline kept me reading and kept my interest, sometimes it dragged, and sometimes it felt a bit rushed but definitely one you should read if you like this trope of stories.

Great read, such a nice new and fresh story. The characters were entertaining and fun as well. Also really enjoyed the romance!

This was a book that I Really enjoyed this read and I would recommend to others easily, I will be looking out for other titles by this author.

This book is perfect to me, exactly what I love in a story: amazing plot, awesome characters, magic, mystery, slow-burn romance, friendship, family and a beautiful and magical setting.

Slate, OMG, Slate is 😍🤤🔥... You can't help it, you're going to love him so damn much!!!

Cadence is the perfect mix between innocent, soft, naive and fierce, strong, determined... She's perfect for Slate, they're perfect for each other

What is also amazing about this book is the secondary characters, they complete the story so well, I can't picture it without them
The world building is, amazing... I could "watch" every detail as I was reading, like a movie in my mind.

The plot is phenomenal, made me feel so much all the time, a mix of emotions that didn't let me stop reading, that had me captive evey chapter, falling harder for this beautiful masterpiece.

I feel like words can't really describe how wonderful this book is and how much I loved it, waiting for the next installment is going to be torture!!

A MUST read book, for all fans of a fantastic, well written story ❤️

A great adventure story from young YA readers with both a male and female lead characters, although another addition to the orphan child discovered he has a chosen one lineage and gets to go to a special school might feel a tad redundant for older readers experienced with the genre.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a great fantasy! I loved that magic had been banished and they were trying to bring it back. I felt the way it was done was very original and kept me entertained! The very start was a little slow, but once the action started I didn't want to put it down!
I loved the characters. Slate gave me a lot of Kaz vibes. He was morally gray and the was he was described was hooot! I think I have a new book boyfriend.
Definitely recommend if you love magic or fantasy in your ya!

Okay, I’m totally pissed at myself for waiting so long to read this book. This is seriously a wickedly brilliant book, my first by these two authors and I gotta tell you, I think I’m hooked. The atmosphere and world created was everything that I like. The mood was very dark academia and a backdrop of a spooky French village that still believes in magic and witchcraft, made for a perfect ambience. The magical realism in this book is done in such a cool way. In total, there are 4 MC’s that must each complete a trial, each progressively more difficult than the last; that will in turn bring back magic to the world. I thought that this was clever and brought a lot of action into the book. It was definitely a page turner and kept me on the edge of my seat.

The characters were so fun to read. Slate Ardoin (aka Remy Roland) is the main MC. He receives a letter from a gentleman stating he is originally from this French village and that there is an inheritance and college admissions waiting for him there, if he chooses to come back. Slate had a very rough childhood; multiple abusive foster homes. He was hardened at a very young age, which I believe turned him to a life of thievery. He is also very jaded when it comes to things like true love, and seeing the good in other people, with the one exception being his foster brother, whom he is very protective over. Cadence De Morel is another MC, who grew up in this French village and is also from one of the founding families. She and Slate have two very different backgrounds, and I thought that made for such fun conversations, and the banter was priceless! I’m always down for good banter in a book. There are two other MC’s that play integral roles, but also left a lot of questions unanswered about them.

Overall, this book has a fast-moving plot, with loads of magic, action, suspense, and even swoon-worthy romance. I would definitely recommend this wonderful fantasy book! I cannot wait to see what unfolds with our crew in the next book...because there are so many unanswered questions at the end!

I absolutely loved this book by a fantastic author. The characters and the plot are just perfect to keep you involved in the story.

I absolutely loved this book, could not put it down at all, this was a force myself to stop book (because I needed sleep - curse having to work) I love Olivia’s writing, I’ve read most of her books so I knew I would enjoy this, but the addition of Katie as a team I just loved so much. The characters were amazing, the story fast paced (I’ve already mentioned it’s addictive) and the world building fabulous, I don’t think there was anything I didn’t enjoy about this book, well except it ended and I need the next book and don’t have it !! Thoroughly recommended reading, you won’t regret it

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Slate Ardoin is a thief. Having grown up in foster homes his entire life, he has finally made a life for himself in Marseille with his foster brother Bastian when a letter upends his life. Bitter at being denied a life and family in Brume, he steals a cursed ring that triggers a hunt and the story takes off from there.
Slate was an interesting character. His life on the streets have made him a hard, no nonsense kind of man who only cares about his brother, Bastian, and his cactus until he gets to Brume. His character arc was deeply emotional, with poignant scenes that marked a turning point in his personality. I also appreciated that it wasn’t entirely a result of the romance as other circumstances pushed him to open up and care for others too.

In contrast, Cadence started out naïve and fairly sheltered only to grow into an independent character who thinks for herself. She embodies her 17 years in the sense that she’s whiny, emotional, easily jealous for silly reasons and quick to develop deep feelings towards others. While she wasn’t my favourite, it was refreshing to see a 17 year old character that actually felt their age.

Hayoz and Wildenstein also put care in their other characters, who could easily stand on their own. Adrien, Gaëlle and Rainier are all complex with secrets still hidden by the end of the book. Bastian is an adorable nerd and, along with Alma, a welcome distraction from some of the book’s darker themes.

As far as the plot is concerned, Of Wicked Blood was engaging well paced. Paired with Brume’s world, it was a fascinating read, while the darker scenes make the audience viscerally aware of the stakes. As it’s laden with descriptions, there were times when the book dragged a little, but not enough to be off putting. The developing romance and scenes with Alma and Bastian were well placed, and pauses allow the audience to draw a breath in the face of the next challenge.

I have two main issues with the book. The first was how Cadence’s crush on Adrien was handled. Her entourage not only accepts the potential relationship, but actively encourages her to pursue it despite the seven year age gap between them. Add to that the fact that Adrien is also her teacher, and the situation takes on a dynamic that is, more often than not, detrimental. There’s only one character in the whole book that objects to the idea, and even that is seen as jealousy rather than concern.

The second was the writing. Of Wicked Blood is set in France and the authors will not let the audience forget this as random French words are peppered into the dialogue even though it’s assumed the characters are speaking to each other in French. Since it’s not a case of a bilingual character, this choice is jarring; it makes the text clunky and does nothing to add to the setting. The further into the book I got, the more grating it became.

Of Wicked Blood was a fun mystery to solve. Even though it’s part of a series, there’s no major cliff-hanger ending. This has put me on the fence in regards to the sequel as I liked the certain amount of closure I got with it, and I’m not so invested in the characters to continue.

Of Wicked Blood is a seriously fun new young adult fantasy series.

Slate Ardoin grew up in the foster system and is no stranger to the darker sides of life. One day he receives a missive from someone claiming to know his darkest wish, his origins. They claim to have not only his history but also his inheritance AND are offering to give him a free ride at the local Brume college. Angry and hurt, Slate decides to meet with his sudden illustrious benefactor and tell him where he can shove his goodwill. Upon arriving in Brume, nothing is as he expected. The town is overrun with witches. Real, Harry Potter witches with hats and everything. So his only solution is to get drunk and cause mayhem. Only, that gets him in a sticky situation and before he knows it, the pretty girl he met is the daughter of the smarmy bastard who let him rot in the foster system. Oh, and now he's cursed and he has 2 weeks to solve the mystery.

Overall, the mystery aspect of the story was fun. The pacing was alternately fast and then slow, which is not necessarily a good or bad thing. Cadence felt alternately very young and wise beyond her years, which can be fairly typical for a 17-year-old. However, sometimes the young and the old weren't as you would typically expect. Her language and mindset were sometimes very mature but you might expect that from the daughter of a man who ran a school. Sometimes I got a little creeped out by her continued calling her father Papa, it felt very young and childish. I don't know, maybe it's an American thing, but once you reach a certain age calling your father "Daddy" is a little creepy. *shrug*

I am super intrigued about the little love triangle aspect between Cadence and Adrian and Slate. Yay. I know, things kind of end with a certain leaning but I feel there may be more to tell. Yay! This novel is a clean one so no worries on the younger set reading it or if that's just really not your bag.

I am absolutely looking forward to the next book in The Quatrefoil Chronicles.

*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

I loved this book sooo much. It was action packed and quick paced. The characters are relatable each in their own way and the situations tie up together nicely! We follow the group of four as they engage in a race against time to save themselves and restore magic in the fictional town of Brume.

I laughed a lot at everything Slate said and liked a lot his banter with Cadence. I loved how he was jealous of Adrian because Cadence was pinning for him and just how jaded and unapologetic Slate is.

It was a refreshing read because the crew is not made up of a close-knit group that grew together but a group of people with different back stories that have to find a common ground. I enjoyed it all the more because even though the group is discovering the purpose of their quest and the existence of magic outside the lore, most of them have had a head-start, which Slate didn’t . Another element I really enjoyed is the fact that the fact that both Slate and Cadence are growing and maturing throughout the story. Cadence went from a daddy’s girl to a girl who still loves her father but is starting to him for the flawed man he is. Slate went from the person who is only interested him and his brother Bastian to revealing a more caring being... without losing his wit and jaded sense of humor.

I love YA/NA even though in most of them the male character already knows it all and helps the heroine get acquainted with the reality of her new dormant world. So, it was really nice to see in this story the hero actually learning along the way.

The characters are each drawn with specific traits and it was nice seeing how this motley crew, despite all their differences put the common interest first.

I am basically hooked on Olivia’s writing and had an idea of what to expect! I haven’ read anything by Katie but this will change soon and I feel like I will have all the fun doing so .

I really loved the world they built together. Even if Brume is a made-up town, it draws a lot of its features and lore from the French region of Brittany where the city is set. As someone who lived in Marseilles and who hates cold weather, let me just tell you that Slate got me at his description of Brume and its coldness. Even during the summer that Brittany remains cold #facts 😂😂
Also because I am from Marseilles, I can tell you that his foul mouth makes him more relatable. If you ever cross a Marseillais who makes sentences without a string of F.words, you are being played 😂😂😂.

A big shoutout to the narrators who did a wonderful job bringing the characters to life 💙💙💙

Can’t wait to see what is next int the Quaterfoil quest 💙💙

Stunning, engaging, and whimsical! Really enjoyed this first book of the series and am looking forward to the rest of the books to come.

From the very beginning, the characters were engaging and the plot was intriguing and interesting. I liked this one so much, I've already grabbed it on Audible and am falling in love with it even more due to the narrators.

Oh my gosh, this writing duo rock! I had already read books by Hayoz, but somehow, I hadn't read any by Wildenstein before. That is about to be corrected, and very soon.

Of Wicked Blood is a dark tale, with magic, a quaint, weird town, and some very compelling characters. Slate and Cadence are the two main characters, but many other characters are extremely important when it comes to the story and the plot.

There is both mystery and suspense, and while there is a very strong plot and story, I still feel that the whole thing is character-driven as well.

Definitely a book mystery / fantasy lovers should pick up! I loved that it was set in a fictional town in France, and the mix of French (which is always explained) and English made it even better!

Of Wicked Blood - Olivia Wildenstein & Katie Hayoz

Notes 📝
Slate the ‘lost boy’ , Adrian, Gaëlle, Cadence, the Quatrefoil crew, Alma, Bastian complete the squad, monsters, magic, bantering, history, secrets, mystery, lies, answers, intrigues, jealousy, adventure, OMG I love it 🥰.

I finished this book and I really need the next one 🤗 that ending leaves you with an smile but also with so many questions and your mind is gonna go overtime...

I can’t say to much because I don’t want to spoil anything but the quests, the drama lama, the adventure/mystery really made my brains go all in , I stayed with the characters along every step and tried to think why things are as they are or what will happen next...

I can’t wait to get my @faecrate March box 🥳🥳🥳

This is definitely a 5 star ⭐️ read 🤗