Of Wicked Blood was fantastic, keeping me up late into the night to finish this intriguing tale. I’ve already pre ordered book 2 and can’t believe how long I have to wait for it to be released! The chemistry between Slate and Cadence adds to the suspense of the story, along with the actual thrilling events. I needed this engaging magical mystery as a brief respite from the stressful happenings in the world.

My Thoughts:
Our story takes place in the cozy village of Brume, where their history is rooted in magic, but of course that's not really true...or is it? Of Wicked Blood takes place in the middle of winter, which I find adds to the magical setting. I just love how everyone is always bundled up in sweaters, jackets, hats, scarves, and mitts. It adds the touches of realism needed in such a magical story.

Magic used to be a large part of Brume's history, but the majority of the residents just think the magic is a kind of fairytale, until Slate comes to Brume and puts on the cursed ring that starts the magical wheels in motion again. Now Slate, and three others, must work together to find their specific magical pieces to bring back magic as a whole to Brume.

The writing is very well done, and smooth, which is hard to achieve when working with two separate authors, but Olivia and Katie make an amazing team. I have since joined their Facebook page, The O.K. Crew, and it's great watching them interact live with each other. Everything is very descriptive. I was sucked in almost immediately. It's easy to imagine everything like a fantastic little movie playing in my head. I was completely immersed in the story almost 100% of the time. I just found the many French words and phrases inserted throughout off-putting.

The conversations were fantastic, humourous, and realistic! No stuffy and stiff dialogue in this book. The internal dialogues were often even better than the normal dialogue, especially with Slate. I found myself laughing out loud often when he was internally speaking. Needless to say, Slate was my favourite character. It was hard to like him at first, but he grew with the novel, and I grew to love him along with it.

I was very happy with the development of the romance in this book. I often get frustrated because everything seems to happen so fast, but in this novel, even though it technically only happens over a matter of days, it feels slower, and more natural. I also really liked that when they had an issue with one another, THEY TALKED IT OVER! Not always right away of course, because you have to drag out the drama a little, but they did approach each other and discuss what was bothering them. They didn't just let things fester between them for the whole book and then blow up at each other and fix it just in time for the ending...which is pretty typical.

I struggled with the audiobook version for many reasons. First off, as much as I enjoyed listening to Thomas Locklear's deep, smooth, and sexy voice, I just didn't feel like it fit the college level character of Slate. Funnily enough my first though was he should be narrating adult romance or erotica novels, and low and behold, when I looked him up on Audible, that is primarily what he does narrate. I might have to pick one of those up! Holly Fielding on the other hand had a very pleasant voice that fit her character well, however she didn't do voices of the other characters very well and I often found it painful as she voiced Slate, her father, etc. Another irritating factor was the fact that the sound levels often changed even in the middle of the same conversation and it felt kind of oddly pieced together at times. This saddened me because the story is really really good!

There was one character that really got under my skin, the creepy Mayor. Usually when there is a creepy character there is a reason he is included, some part of the story he is meant to draw out, but I just found his creepiness unnecessary at the time, like being creepy just for the sake of being creepy, which really bothers me. I hope book #2 proves me wrong and there is a reason for this character, otherwise I think his specific creepy nature could have been reworked not to be so disturbing. I often found myself asking, "What is the point of this character?"

The end left me befuddled. What just happened? Argh! I can't say too much, because SPOILERS, but I don't get what happened. There are just too many unanswered questions. I need book #2 now!

The Pros:
Dialogue, especially internal dialogue, is very well done.
Slate is awesome!
The romance aspect was well done.

The Cons:
The French gets a little annoying.
The audiobook could use some work.
Too many unanswered questions.
The creepy Mayor.

Thank you NetGalley & the Authors for the ARC audiobook for my honest review.

Of Wicked Blood had high hopes for me. Urban fantasy with supernatural elements & a romance, COUNT ME IN. However, it took me quite a while before I really cared at all for the characters or the story.

I loved the premise of there used to be magic, but then it was shut away because humans couldn't handle it THEN Slate comes along proving them right by being an ass and awakening a curse. However, the romance at times was cringy - it also took awhile considering Slate supposedly cared SO much for her that she was what the creatures tortured him with.

I liked the dad being shady as hell.

Overall, even with the fighting supernatural, a pretty good romance, and the ENDING I will be giving this book 3 stars and looking forward to the sequel.

I just wish I loved it more and was more invested, but I am hopeful for the future!

Of Wicked Blood has been something; not at all awful, but definitely not astounding. I ended up finishing it in just one night, of course, not because I forgot about the book; I would never do that! It was easy to read, and there were some things I enjoyed, but there were also things I disliked. 

First things first, I appreciated the wit of the authors and all the scattered references to known pieces of literature. For example, we have mentions of Anna Karenina, the Grimm brothers, Merlin, Harry Potter and many others. I feel like they made the read a bit more impressive, and I also more entertaining. The jokes and the funny moments were also well made, but sometimes they went a bit too far for my own taste. For example, this one joke didn't sit right with me for the very start: Cadence’s curly-headed friend from last night lets out a squeal and rubs the little pearl on her pinky finger. “Slate! Do you have any more tricks? Can you make something else disappear?”/ “Your virginity.” I'm not exaggerating when I tell you the book had over four mentions for virginity, which is a lot. Perhaps, if there wasn't so much accent on virginity, I would have liked this book a bit more.

I also enjoyed the whole dark academia with French vibes setting. The universe was grabbing and mysterious, just like a book about magic should be. At the same time, there was a fine line between telling and showing, which I feel the authors have crossed a few times. There is a lot of information dumped on how the characters look and how Brume (the town in which the action takes place) looks, which sometimes gets a bit overwhelming.

The characters weren't the best, but this is how many straight romances are represented in books; so I don't have an explicit problem with that. It may be just me, but I am sick and tired of the bad boy that is saved by the "angelic" virgin. There were a lot of references to purity culture, which again, I did not enjoy. Slate, the main male protagonist, was annoying most of the time, but also a tad intelligent, which I liked. Cadence, the main female protagonist was a lot better than Slate, but she was the exact embodiment of the perfect teenage girl, which is always the same. 

It wasn't my cup of tea, I admit, but I can also see many people enjoying this book. Alexandra, the person I used to work on this blog with, would simply love this book. Plus, Of Wicked Blood has a lot of good reviews on Goodreads, so many people enjoyed it, and if you are an avid reader of straight romances with sparkles of drama and magic, this is the read for you!
Try it and tell me what you think :)

This was such a good book! I immediately loved bad boy Slate and sweet innocent Cadence! The story of banished magic was great! It pulled me in and had me wanting to know more! The romance was awesome as was all the action! This fantasy YA was so good. I cannot wait to read the next one. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me this free audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

The narrations were awesome! The story was fast paced and had a lot of action to keep you on your toes.

Of Wicked Blood follows Cadence, a teenage girl raised in a French town shrouded in mystery and rumours of magic, and Slate, a troubled young conman who finds himself there for money and answers from a man who claims to be able to share both Slate’s inheritance and the story of his past. What could be a short and profitable trip down memory lane for Slate turns rapidly into a magical and potentially fatal quest when he, Cadence, and a few other locals find themselves responsible for removing a centuries’ old curse on the town.

Cadence and Slate were fascinating and individual characters, narrated excellently. Cadence is a relatively optimistic girl who is at once fascinated by her town’s past and disbelieving in the rumours of magic, whilst Slate is a cynical and angry victim of poor treatment and a life of crime. It took me a while to fully get invested in the two of them but, by the end of the book, I was gripped by their stories and worried for their lives as they battled through their various quests.

The story was fairly fast-paced, although there were a number of scenes that were much more focused on the romantic subplot that did slow it down a little. I appreciated the intense, action-packed quest scenes, but I did find these other scenes slightly less gripping. Generally though, I enjoyed the plot and found myself invested in their mission and shocked by the sudden and unexpected appearances of each of the individual challenges.

Overall, this was a fun, fast-paced story with a vivid setting, interesting characters and a unique magical quest. It did take me a while to get into it but it was definitely an entertaining book with great narration.

The story flows naturally, if sometimes there are parts that might be a bit too crass, even for teenagers being edgy and/or cynical. The references to Rowling's works might create a legal problem, so I'd finesse it.

The characters are well-rounded if a bit archetypical, but this goes with the genre, of course. Still, they feel real and organic inside the world created by the authors. Another thing worthy of note is the conflict bewteen the protagonists builds up nicely even when, at times Cadence's privilge hits a bit too on the nose making her not so likeable instead of an aspirational figure, and Slate can be stereotypically rude and a tads too close to being a mysogynist fool with some of his comment and reflections about several of the female characters. Still, both are young individuals from vastly different environments, and their relationship helps them broaden their respective points of view.

The romance is a nice addition to the strong and dynamic central plot for the novel; Slate's return and reclaiming of his magical birthright..

The best part of this novel si that it pay a solid himage to 19th. Century Gothic themes and certain stylings, but keeps it reined enough and in pace with the times.

The reasons the council in Brume are trying to bring back magic are not too clear beyond the obvious need of the De Morel patriarch. Still, all the trials and discoveries point at a bigger series of consequences as the rest of the novels get published.

If the rest of the story keeps this pacing and dynamic take on the interactions between all the characters, this series will be well-received and quite successful.

As for the audiobook, The production values don't disappoint and the voice actors are pretty good at their jobs, up to the point of how they interpret the opposite protagonist, clearly depicting how their given character views the other... and how it slowly changes as the book progresses.

All in all, a nice book to read or listen to.

Of Wicked Blood (The Quatrefoil Chronicles #1)
Olivia Wildenstein and Katie Hayoz
Audio Book Version
Slate Ardoin (a.k.a. Remy Roland) was raised in numerous foster homes, none of them good. He has survived by street smarts including stealing. A man sends Slate a letter explaining his need to travel to Brume. Along with the letter is a scholarship to Brume’s local college and his birth certificate. The letter explains that Slate’s real name is Remy Roland and that he is a member of one of the founding families of Brume. His parents died in a fire and left him quite wealthy.
Brume is a village in France where allegedly magic originated. The citizens of Brume celebrate New Years Eve by donning costumes of witches and warlocks.
Cadence Del Morel is also from a founding family of Brume. She is a descendant of Vivienne Del Morel, believed to have trapped Merlin in a cave. Cadence’s father knew Slate had not perished in the fire with his parents and knew about the bequest however, he made no attempt at contacting him.
Slate steals a Bloodstone when he arrives in Brume placing his life imperil and setting into motion a series of treacherous events. Slate, Cadence, Adrian and Gaelle, all descendants of founding families must go through dangerous trials to restore magic to Brume and to save Slate from a curse.
Of Wicked Blood falls into the genre of suspense paranormal romance. Authors Olivia Wildenstein and Katie Hayoz are masters of description. I could see the town, characters, and action in my mind’s eye. The story is told from the viewpoints of Slate and Cadence. The plot is fascinating. There is a slow developing romance between Slate and Cadence however it is a secondary thread in the book. The ending was a tad disappointing. The narrators did an excellent job narrating this tale; their abilities complimented the story.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for an audio ARC of Of Wicked Blood.

I enjoyed listening to this dually narrated story. It was fast-paced and full of action and mystery. I liked all the characters and the story line. I'm interested in reading more about Brume, it's mysteries, and the Quatrafoil crew.

I received an audiobook copy of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to them!

I somewhat enjoyed this one. The writing style is a bit amateurish at times, with some really hokey references made, but the characters were great! Slate was fabulous and I liked Cadence, and Bastian pretty much stole the show any time he came onto the page. And Brume, despite being a town, is a character all its own! That was pretty cool!

My only complaint is the (view spoiler)

That, and the weak ending. I know there's another book coming, and it'll hopefully explain what happened, but after all the buildup we got, the ending was a major disappointment.

I give Of Wicked Blood by Olivia Wildenstein and Katie Hayoz three stars out of five!

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Not suitable for younger readers but perfect for the ya category. Good mix of romance and magic

One of the best books I have ever read! Of Wicked Blood is so enchanting, and the narrators were absolutely perfect!!! I am speechless!

It doesnt support or open after I download the pdf version of it. It's also not showing in my shelf in netgalley and I cant open it to read Please look into the issue and if you can send me the pdf in my mail ID- taniagungunsarkar@gmail.com I cant read the book from here. Please look into the issue

I loved the character dynamics and relationships in this book. It basically follows two main characters and their POV throughout the book. Its friends to lovers story that while some may thing is typical is really well put together and is a slow and very naturally developed. Its based on a group of 4 reluctant participants who have to each face a very personal challenge with cursed objects in order to restore magic and save one of them. I particularly loved the banter and interactions between Slade and Cadence. Its set in a French town with a university, it accurate french terminology and I really enjoyed the audiobook. The story developed quickly and completely devoured me. I absolutely recommend it and can't wait for the continuation of the story!

This potentially could have been a good listen apart from the fact that the narrators were inappropriate.The text is set in France but the narrators American who were both unable to do French accents let alone pronounce key French vocabulary appropriately-unfortunately for them I am a linguist and spent half of the text wondering what they were talking about because of their appalling accents -sometime sounding Australian.
The chapters were either male or fee narratives and that was clever of the authors and the story could have been more captivating but for the narrators who left a lot to be desired hence making it more comedic than a narrative.

I just could NOT get into this story, despite being very interested in the premise and having previous positive experiences with Olivia Wildenstein. I'm new to audiobooks and I am finding that the narrator is EVERYTHING for me when it comes to my connection to the story, and I simply did not enjoy this narrative styling at all...

The storytelling is done in a flat affect that offers no emotional indicators and doesn't allow for any connection to the characters. The main character is supposed to be French - even I can tell the pronunciations here are off, and I'm no linguist. I never even made it to the second narrator, frankly. I simply couldn't pay attention long enough to get there.

The plot meandered - although I can't honestly say if that was due to the actual plotting or my response to the way it was told. I couldn't find myself caring much about what was happening or coming next.

This one did not work for me...

Dark, tall, and handsome lead? Count me in! I want/need a Slate Ardoin in my life.

Such a good read. I loved seeing the leads’ POV and loved reading all the stuff that went on in Slate’s head as the story was unfolding. Cadence, maybe because she’s younger, annoyed me at times, but I’m starting to think that I have a problem with YA female leads so it’s probably just me 🤣

While I’m not sure how long the series will be, the character intros and the development of relationships were done in such a way that there’s room to further explore in the future. Rainier is such a shady character, or at least that’s what we see in book 1 and I’m dying to know what he’s really like.

I absolutely loved Slate and Bastian’s relationship. It allows everyone to see that while Slate may be tough as nails and has no regrets, he will always be there for the ones he cares about. Even Spike!

The banter, the French swearing, the different voices the narrators do were all great. Loved that there were 2 narrators to follow Slate and Cadence.

I’m looking forward to learning more about Slate’s parents and what really happened when the previous generation hunted down the Quatrefoil.

I listened to the audiobook for this one and I can’t believe that something paranormal can sound so delightful. It was a beautiful story with punches and romance and lots of magic. The narrators’ voice just perfectly suited every situation and also their personalities that I had made up in my mind. It was so so much fun reading it.
I was unable to stop listening to it. It got me so hyped up that every moment that I had, even if it was for 5 minutes, I would just listen to the book. The plot and story line was so well thought on and presented in such a brilliant way. I was scared at first to listen to such a big audiobook but when I actually started it took me like only 3-4 days to complete the 15 hours long audiobook.
I am so grateful to have read this. I rated it a 5-star but I really wanted to rate it high while I was in the middle of the book. The reason I didn’t do it is because I had a high expectations from the ending f the book and I was not as I expected it to. I mean it was awesome and beautiful but I expected something more like the way the ending was formed with so much surprise elements I expected a little more. But I really really really loved the book and highly recommend this audiobook.

I throughly enjoyed this book. Without posting spoilers, my feelings for this story were up and down. There were a few slower parts but otherwise it was a great read and I can’t wait for publication day!