There are so many things that I loved about Of Wicked Blood by authors Olivia Wildenstein and Katie Hayoz! Set in the village of Brume, misty and magical, and said to be the birthplace of all magic, Brume itself feels like a main character. It’s here that we meet Cadence de Morel, one of the narrators. Cadence and her family have a deeply rooted history in Brume; her ancestor is rumored to have trapped Merlin the Wizard in a cave just outside the town in a mystical forest. The other narrator, Slate, is a hard-scrabble hottie who has been in the foster care system for most of his life. A professional thief, he’s tough on the outside but has a heart of gold, morally gray but easy to love.

Slate receives a letter from Cadence’s father inviting him to Brume, a letter that’s impossible to ignore. He arrives in the midst of a traditional Brume New Year’s celebration of magic and meets Cadence. His anger at Cadence’s father for withholding information from him and leaving him in the system leads him to the de Morel crypt where he sets off a chain of events that could bring magic back in to the world but could also kill the descendants of Brume’s founding families. And Slate, himself, if the quests aren’t fulfilled. Past Brume history doesn’t bode well!

The world-building is fabulous; the Quatrefoil is the symbol used for the magic borne in Brume many centuries before and it is seen everywhere in the town and holds a great significance both in the story and the magical quests. There is a Quatrefoil quest that must be completed by a descendant of each founding family where each will find their ‘piece’ of the Quatrefoil. Each quest was pretty hairy and scary, full of action and suspense. I want to point out that there’s some LOL humor that I really appreciated; it bonds the characters to me when they make me laugh, even in the grimmest of situations.

“Me, scared? I’m not scared.” “Your nostrils flare when you’re panicked. And right now, experts could go spelunking in those hairy canyons.’ I put a hand to my nose. Really?”

The secondary characters are just as well-developed and emotive as the main, I loved getting to know their stories and peeking in to what life is like in Brume. It’s a fast-moving plot with just the right amount of action, romance and magic to keep me turning the pages until the end. Which, dang, seriously? Why? Just why you gotta do me this way?

Needless to say, I will be reading the next in the series as soon as it hits the presses!

Great story, but I didn’t like the ending!

The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: ❤️💜💙
Heat/Steam: N/A
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌎🌏🌍🌎
Character development: 😞😙🥸😎😍

The Setting: Brume, Great Britain

The heroine: Cadence Del Morel - from one of the founding families of Brume and an ancestor of Viviene Del Morel who is said to have trapped the wizard Merlin in a cave, under a rock in the neighboring forest. The town of Brume is said to be the birthplace of Magic and the residents celebrate new years by dressing as witches and warlocks. Though Cadence doesn’t believe in magic.

The Hero: Slate Ardoin (a.k.a. Remy Roland) - grew up in foster care and had a difficult childhood. He finds out that he is the son of a founding family of Brume when he gets a letter and a scholarship to the local college. He is quite angry to find out that he wasn’t given away as a baby, his parents are dead and he has money. Cadence’s father knew about him but left him in foster care and didn’t contact him till now.

The love story: Slate shows up on New Year’s eve and is attracted to Cadence right away. Cadence thinks she is in love with a man she grew up with named Adrian though Adrian has a girlfriend.
Slate is jaded from growing up in foster care and Cadence is a good girl who grew up as the apple of her father’s eye.

Both Slate and Cadence find out at the same time that they need to be involved in an ancient rite along with the other two descendants of founding families, Adrian and a woman named Gaelle. They must each go through a very dangerous trial in order to restore magic and save Slate from a curse.

The story is good though and I like fantasy books, especially when they take place in contemporary times. I like the fact that their parents went through similar trials when they were very young and people were hurt and killed. It adds to both the story and the suspense. Like all fantasy books, the romance is secondary to the main story, so it was a bit of a slow burn but I liked the fact that you could really see early on how they felt about each other.

The trials were good, with each one getting progressively more dangerous. I liked the backstory but didn’t really understand everyone’s motivations, especially Cadence’s father. He does some strange things and his motivations seem to be that he wants to bring magic back so he can be cured since he is in a wheelchair. However, we find out something that makes that seem less likely.

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

Of Wicked Blood is a fantastic, fast paced, magical fantasy ride!! Hold on because Slate and Cadence will grab you and not let you go. The story is set in present day France as Slate, raised in foster care with his foster brother Bastian, has become a wealthy high end thief. An unexpected letter arrives telling Slate about the family he didn't know he had, plus an inheritance and guaranteed admission to the town of Brume's college. Furious that he was never contacted about his family, when Slate arrives in Brume he decides to make them pay by stealing from a crypt and when he puts on a stolen ring, he life changes completely. His life becomes entwined with Cadence, her family, her friends and the magical history that envelops everything in Brume. All of this leads to Slate trying to break a curse and bring magic back to the world.
I truly couldn't put this book down and loved the relationship and humor between Slate and Cadence. The magic of Brume, the clock, the curses and how once you get rolling on this adventure it just doesn't let up and let you catch your breath. I thoroughly enjoyed all the magical history of Brume, the quatrefoil and its relationship to the four elements of the earth and the necessity of needing others to help Slate avoid his deadly fate. In addition to the burgeoning relationship between Slate and Cadence, there are so many secrets, twists and turns that you don't see coming that really keep you reading on. So looking forward to where the series will go from here!! Definitely recommend this for anyone wanting a exciting contemporary fantasy with humor, romance, magic and some seriously nasty curses!!

*Received as an ARC on NetGalley*

I absolutely loved this book! I haven't read a fantasy for quite a while and this book has completely revived my love for the genre. It has an extremely interesting, unique plot with lots of mystery, magic and romance. I devoured this book and it completely drew me in from the very start. The setting is immersing and creates some beautiful imagery while you read. Each character is equally lovable and I enjoyed seeing how they grew and developed throughout the book. Slate's sarcasm is brilliant and, despite being portrayed as the ultimate 'bad boy', it is impossible not to fall in love with him. I especially loved learning about his background and his relationship with his 'brother'.
Overall a brilliant read that will leave you wanting more. I will be anxiously awaiting a sequel.

Pleasantly surprised by this sassy, well plotted urban fantasy. I was invested after only a few pages and I’m looking forward to the next in the series.

I loved this book. It reminded me of how I felt when I read the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare or how beautifully the story was blended into our modern day world like Gilded Wolves. This book has a slow burn romance and alot of thrills filled with suspense and mystery. This is definitely a must read in my opinion and can't wait for Of Tainted Heart to come out.

Calling paranormal romance lovers - this book is for you!

So I do have to say, I almost put this one in my DNF pile just because the beginning was really slow for me. If you run into this situation, PLEASE don't give up! It's worth it to keep going! After the first third of the book, I was heavily invested and had to binge read it all at once.

This is a solid paranormal romance book. It's an interesting plot that really hasn't been written about before, and I think it was definitely a breath of fresh air. The characters were well fleshed out, and really looking forward to reading more in this series.

Thank you to Netgalley and Twig Publishing for providing an ARC for this book.

This book was wonderful! It helped me get out of a bad reading slump. I thought the slump was due to being super busy and not finding time but this book proved that I justed to read the right book. Thank you netgalley for the ARC

I had a huge problem with this book: "OMG, I NEED TO FINISH THIS NOW" and "NO, I 'M NOT PREPARED FOR THIS TO END". I couldn't put it down. Or stop talking about it. I can't wait for the next book in the series!

What a great book this was! It got me hooked since the very first pages. Such a page turner!
It had everything I could ask for: action, mystery, romance, intrigue, nice range of well developed characters, cool setting and descriptions that could make you feel as if you were inside the book yourself (which I love, as a reader), interesting lore, great plot... Ah!

I want to mention as well the writing of the scenes, which was great, especially those with plenty of action going on. It was really difficult to put this book down, there was always something you just NEEDED to know.

As for the characters...As soon as Slate started talking I knew I would love him until the very end. And I was right, I couldn't get enough of him. I laughed so much at the dialogues (and also the HP references, which I loved!) and at the cursing.. Such a fun character, and also my new literary crush.

It was also really nice to see them all evolve and the effects that Brume had on people. New favourite fantasy world? I think so.



Didn't know any of the authors before I came across this book, but I'll surely be reading their other books now!!

A solid 4/5 stars for this title.
It has everything. Boy meets girl, check. Magical quest, check. Plot twist you didn’t see coming at the end, double check.

When Slate gets an invitation to an exclusive school, he decides to check it out. Especially when it has clues from his past. He stumbled into a century old magical relic treasure hunt, with a deadly twist. With a team of 4, can they find all the pieces before time runs out and slate loses his life?


I want to thank the publisher and the website NetGalley for letting ,e review this title. Highly recommend.

I liked this book a lot! It helped me get out of my reading slump. The plot was really engaging, the characters also were three dimensional and flushed out! A very interesting start to a promising series !!

“Oh, no there ain’t no rest for the wicked
Until we close our eyes for good.”
Aint’ No Rest for the Wicked by Cage the Elephant is surely the theme song for Slate Ardoin: playboy, ladies man, grave robber, art thief…and unwitting heir to a magical legacy that just might kill him. Slate is the type of protagonist that is fun to root for; he is as imperfect as they come, with raw wit, a bad attitude, and raunchy inner monologues, that contrast sharply with a surprisingly chivalrous streak and wildly protective tendencies towards those who have earned his affection. In fact, Slate is the perfect near antihero, to contrast with the too-good-for-words Cadence, his counterpoint in all things magical, with whom he shares an immediate romantic spark. Cadence is so good in fact, that her theme song might be Goody Two Shoes by Adam Ant…not that she necessarily wants to remain pure once she meets Slate.See the source imageOf Wicked Blood is told from the alternate perspectives of Slate and Cadence, as they work alongside two other heirs to the world’s magic in an attempt to unravel a centuries old mystery revolving around a vanished mystical quatrefoil, that if reassembled will return the ability to wield magic to the world. The only problem? Each piece of the quatrefoil is cursed in a way that will be particularly horrific for the heir meant to retrieve it, and if they don’t reassemble is by the new moon, Slate is doomed to die slowly and painfully.

Of Wicked Blood is a real delight to read! The dialogue between, and the inner thoughts of, Cadence and Slate are laugh-out-loud hilarious, while the slow burn of their attraction is equally intriguing. The story moves along at a even, fast pace, with each test the group faces seeming just challenging enough to be realistic, without becoming over the top fantastical. The GatheringIt is so well written, that you could almost start to believe that magic really is hidden from the world by some cursed force, able to be freed by breaking a series of curses. Just when I thought I had things all figured out, the last few chapters executed a neat plot twist, leaving me relieved, but also waiting desperately for the next book in the series. By the end of the story I was left pondering whether or not restoring magic would be in the best interests of the world, and I began to reevaluate the motives and actions of some of the characters, which in my opinion are the best types of cliff hangers. This book is wickedly enjoyable, and it was easy to give it the coveted five star rating…I highly recommend all urban fantasy lovers check it out!

This review originally appears on Lit.Buzz.

I received this ARC for an honest review. This is the first book I read of Olivia Wildenstein & Katie Hayoz. Overall, I really enjoyed the story. My biggest complaint is that the authors made the characters too young. The main heroine, Candence, is suppose to be 17, but how the authors wrote her doesn’t match. Her actions, responsibilities, going to the University does not aline with a 17yr old. They need to make her about 21 then it will match with the character they wrote.
The story is mainly about Candence, Slate, Adrien, & Gaelle. They need to find pieces of the Quatrefoil before the new moon or Slate will die. Once I ignored the age of characters, I really enjoyed the twist and turns of the story.

While the characters felt a bit stereotypical, the story was entertaining and the setting was incredibly easy to picture, thanks to the great descriptions. The ending felt a bit rushed but I look forward to the next book.

Thank you to Twig Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC to read and review!

"Of Wicked Blood" was not the story for me. It was a depressing read, but I do think others will like this book and series.

I love any magic system that involves elements and "Of Wicked Blood" was no exception. I liked how each element - Quatrefoil - was a dangerous course that each character had to defeat their respective element. I didn't have any trouble understanding how magic worked or the background to this whole hunt.

The four "main" characters - Slate, Cadence, Adrien and Gaëlle - were so-so but I was still rooting for them because of how deadly the curses were. I wasn't much of a fan of Slate and Cadence's relationship because of what happened in the beginning. They do have nice chemistry. I just couldn't personally get behind it. Yet the character I despised most was Cadence's dad. He is a despicable man who can't be trusted.

The hardest part of reading "Of Wicked Blood" was that I had trouble immersing myself into the setting. The story takes place in a small, fogged-over town in France that has managed to maintain much of its original architecture over hundreds of years with only adding some contemporary technology. I couldn't quite mesh it together for the entire story, which made enjoying it almost impossible. I also didn't care for the brief mention of covid (even if it was in the past tense). Too soon.

"Of Wicked Blood" is the kind of dark fantasy I don't particularly care for. However, I really wanted to know if the characters would succeed and if Slate and Cadence would become a couple. Overall, the book was okay but I don't think I'll be continuing this series.

Got to love a good romance with magic and suspense

Didn't know what I was getting in to with this book but glad I read it as it was so good the slow burn romance was healthy and right and the characters are well thought out

Of Wicked Blood: The Quatrefoil Chronicles by Olivia Wildenstein and Katie Hayoz

418 Pages
Publisher: Twig Publishing
Release Date: February 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-1948463300


Fiction, Romance, Sci Fi & Fantasy, Teen & YA, , Paranormal and Urban Fantasy, Magic

Slate is a thief. He has had a rough life living in and out of foster homes almost his entire life. He gets a letter inviting him to Brume to attend the university. Curious by the offer, he travels to Brume and meets the dean of the school. He finds he is the remaining member of a founding village family. In order to receive his inheritance, he must remain in the village for two weeks.

Cadence is also a descendant of a founding family. She is the dean’s daughter and runs into Slate in the cemetery. She is unaware that Slate has robbed her family’s vault and set events in motion that may cost all of them their lives.

The book is written in first person shifting between Slate and Cadence. The story takes place within a two-week period and moves at a quick pace. The characters are well developed. There is a lot of action and even more of the “f” word. The ending was abrupt and gives the impression that there will be another book. I look forward to see what happens next.

Fans of urban fantasy will devour this. It's very Shadowhunters by way of The Gilded Wolves.

While I am not really an urban fantasy person myself, I can see how this story will appeal to most fans of the genre - it has a French dark academia setting, an array of interesting characters, and a unique magic system.

However, I feel a bit let down by the plot and progression of the story. I don't think it was the writing that lost my interest (even though it has a weird quality of feeling both slow and fast paced at the same time). I just don't think I was ever invested in the purpose of the characters and what they had to do. There are many other books who do the 'gang of kids on a mission' trope so much better, so I unfortunately compared a lot throughout.

Overall, not the best or worst book I've ever read, but I do think a lot of people will find this story to be their exact cup of tea.

An amazing start to a new dark thrilling series!!! I could not put the book down! Of Wicked Blood was not at all what I expected but I’m glad I got the chance to read it. I cannot wait to see what the sequel has to offer. 5 stars!!

HOLY MOLY! I went into this book with almost expectations. I have never read either author, so I wasn’t sure how it would go at all. I was drawn in by the Secret Circle vs A Discovery of Witches description, and while I can agree with those, I also felt a little Goblet of Fire and The Mortal Instruments...maybe? I can’t put my finger on it exactly, but I honestly couldn’t put this book down.

We start out with Slate, a teen who grew up in foster care his whole life and stole to make a living, finding out his birth parents were rich...and a founding family in a magical town called Brume. From there we get the - boy travels to Brume, boy robs a crypt and steals a ring, boy’s ring is cursed and he is now stuck in Brume until he and 3 others can restore magic or he will die - storyline.


I found all of the characters fantastic. Cadence goes through so many different feelings and emotions during her journey, it was great seeing inside her head to work through those. I would probably read a spin-off on Bastien and Alma. Any scene with either of them in it was automatically more fun. Things got quite interesting with Adrien towards the end and I’m anxious to see where his story line goes in the future.

I don’t want to dive into the story too much but I do want you to READ THIS BOOK. It’s one of my top reads of 2020 and it’s not one to sleep on.