Victoria is a Wildwood, she was kidnapped at the age of six and manipulated by the Exotic Lands Touring Company... she is now 18 and a tour guide. She is forced to use her magic to protect travelers in a Jamaican jungle teeming with ghostly monsters and spirits. Victoria thinks this is finally her time to get the promotion of team leader but her backstabbing ex receives it instead, and despite her having the strongest magic on the team... she is not the image the boss wants to send to their new client, Thorn, a handsome renowned goldminer who wants the gold in the jungle. Victoria is barely just trying to get by ever since the incident in which she was sexually assaulted by the boss, she lives ib fear, for not only herself but those she cares about... so she stays quiet, never voicing her opinion, and just doing whatever the boss asks... but she wants this promotion to help her family... and to maybe escape. She is instead made to work with the new client and work under Dean, her ex who betrayed her in ways she can barely process. Thorn is charming, kind, confident, and handsome... and he just happens to fall for her. Yet in the expedition into a dangerous jungle along with scheming people and traitors in the group does not make a safe trip. While they fight to survive the jungle they must also survive each other. Victoria will have to ask herself if she is ready to unleash all her power and finally speak up against everything that has happened to her. The story deals with sexual assault, trauma, abuse, slavery, and colonization, definitely read the trigger warnings before you go into it. Unfortunately this one didn’t work for me, it started off rocky and ended eh. I guess it kind of just fell flat for me despite what the story was trying to do. I was initially interested in the book summary and definitely felt like it could be for me, but it just didnt. Despite that, do give it a go if you loved the author’s previous book!

*Spoiler: in the end she does not take up a life with Thorn despite them being in love, she spends one day in society and knows its not for her. Instead she goes into the jungle and when Thorn offers to go with her and live with her she declines and tells him to go back to his life and thats it. yup. *

*Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

A fan of Lauren Blackwood's debut Within These Wicked Walls, I went into this not knowing what to expect and was happily surprised at the unique story and characters that had me on the edge of my sofa! The nature, the magic, as well as the storyline made for one mysterious yet thrilling story. I loved Victoria and Thorns characters. And Sam was such a sweet soul. Blackwood gives you a strong dose of reality while presenting it with magic and nature in a way that is truly captivating. A great read that did not disappoint!

Venture into the jungle and you will surely die, unless you are protected by a Wildblood. But even a Wildblood can find death in a jungle full of ghostly monsters, unless you are Victoria. Like all the Wildbloods, she was kidnapped as a child and forced into near-slavery. Unlike the others, the jungle calls to her like one of its own. When she is assigned to protect the handsome, charming Laertes Thorn on an unprecedented journey she is forced to face her own truths, however painful, and discover how powerful she can be. I loved "Within These Wicked Walls," and Blackwood's second novel does not disapoint!

WILDBLOOD was a breath of fresh air! I've been drowning in YA fantasies centered around assassins, kings, queens, chosen ones, fae, etc, so it was so nice to have a unique book to curl up with at night.

The things I loved:

Victoria and Dean's relationship reminded me so much of Georiga and Nico in MY LIFE IN RUINS (movie) but without the humor. They have a history and are both vying to be on top. Their dynamic is so complicated and so interesting.

The sentient jungle. If you asked me what I want most in life it's: dogs, lots of them, a cottage, and a sentient jungle. Some of the creatures (especially the ghosts) gave me Miyazaki vibes, never-mind the bull ( that part tugged at my heartstrings)

Victoria. She is a girl who knows what she wants but is restricted by prejudices and her low position. Despite all that, she is brave and cunning.

The author has a way of writing romance. In WITHIN THESE WICKED WALLS, the romance between the two protagonists was just as complicated as in WILDBLOOD. I admit part of me was waiting for the rug to be pulled from beneath me.

Note: to touch on the romance, that is probably my least favorite part. I couldn't feel Thorn and I had major mistrust for him from the get-go. I won't tell you if my gut feelings were right but :D

The ending: both heartbreaking and necessary.

Overall, this was a 360 from WITHIN THESE WICKED WALLS, but I loved just about every second of it.

Thank you to Books Forward and Macmillian for the e-arc. I cannot wait to own a physical copy!

Wildblood is a gripping horror story with romantic elements that will blow you away with its fierce heroine, Victoria, who has a blood-born magic that allows her to guide greedy treasure-seekers through the magical wilds of Jamaica. Only Victoria and other wildbloods can lead the ill-fated party through the haunted jungle with killer trees, rivers, monsters, and ghosts. The story quickly ratchets up as Victoria falls in love with one of the adventurers, fights to protect her fellow wildbloods, feuds with her nemesis, an ex- and current leader of the expedition, while fighting for her freedom and truth. Lauren Blackwood is an author who creates masterful and immersive horror stories, and this is no exception. A must read!

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

The sophomore slump definitely doesn't hit Lauren Blackwood. Wildblood is unique, engrossing and a true testament to staying true to yourself, even when you feel like you shouldn't. Victoria's story is so compelling and I love the idea behind the story. At points, it did feel a little rushed with the romance and the dynamic of the love triangle. I wanted to know the story between Dean and Victoria a bit quicker, to feel a little more attached to Dean and their long standing relationship. But, overall, it was very well done.

The idea of the tour company, the blood science and the forest being alive in ways only those with the science can understand was compelling. I didn't want to put it down. I loved the way it unfolded and learning more and more about the blood science and the powers that come with the blood science. It was incredible. I think Blackwood does such a great job with incorporating her faith and the influence it could have on people. I'm not religious, but I don't think that deterred my enjoyment of the story. I understood why it was included and it made sense to the story. Whether you're religious or not, I think anyone would enjoy this story! While I would definitely be wary of the gore that comes within in, it's a fantastic book and I enjoyed it!

Wildblood’s premise and setting are what interested me in this book, and they ultimately were the highlights. The vivid descriptions of the jungle and river created a lush, beautiful backdrop for this story and emphasized Victoria’s relationship with the jungle. The plot was quickly paced and consistently interesting.

Unfortunately, the characterization and romance were not for me. Aside from Victoria, most of the characters were barely explored (Samson) or inconsistently written (Thorn). Dean’s character was interesting, but genuine exploration of his character was hampered by the romance subplot of the story.

The romance aspect was not for me. I generally hate instant love tropes, which this story definitely fits into. I thought that Victoria’s view of Thorn was consistent with how she approached romance given past trauma, but I also thought this seriously limited deeper exploration of her and Dean’s dynamic. I am by no means saying I wanted her and Dean to get back together (I absolutely do not), but my point is rather that Thorn acting as a crutch for Victoria prevented the story from delving into more interesting questions about how Victoria and Dean have respectively dealt with the trauma of their shared childhood. I also did not read much chemistry between Thorn and Victoria in general, again, especially because of the insta-love romance.

Overall, I enjoyed this book but think that it had the potential to do much more with the characters and themes.

The concept was interesting, but unfortunately this book didn't work for me. The romance wasthe main focus of the story, and I feel like that was a big mistake. It was insta-love and not really developed well at all. I honestly wasn't vibing with the romance at all. Took away from a potentially great story.

What a unique book! Wildblood is an engrossing adventure story that grabs you and takes you to unexpected places.
I loved the protagonist Victoria and found her to be incredibly interesting and balanced. She was hardened in some ways by her brutal circumstances, but soft and almost naive in others. Her antagonistic relationship with her former love Dean was deep and complicated, and I like that it wasn't easy to navigate or fall into tropes.
The jungle setting was fascinating, and the elements of fantasy were nicely woven in without heavy exposition. I was really interested in the spiritual aspect and the protagonist's deep connection to the jungle. I was surprised by how horrific some of the inhabitants were, including invisible monsters, soul eaters, and ghost children.
I do wish that it committed to an unknown fantasy setting. It was referenced that this island was Jamaica, which brought up a lot of unnecessary, unanswered questions for me. Is this in the future? What happened to make Jamaica's jungle magical?
It was refreshing to read a fantasy story with predominantly black characters. I hesitated to fully trust the love story, which kept me from enjoying it.
Trigger warning for rape - this past event is brought up many many times and rape trauma is a cornerstone of the protagonist's journey.

Premise was too intriguing to pass up; but the world building and overall essence of the story didn't quite live up to the enthusiasm I had for the concept. The story needed be smoothed around the edges, edited for some repetitiveness and given breathing room for the world it's in to take shape. I'll still look for more from this author but this wasn't a book that gripped me the way I had hoped. 2.5 stars

The premise of this novel sounding like it was going to be amazing. Unfortunately, it just did not live up to expectations. I feel like the writing kept me from enjoying this book more than I did. There were several conflicts throughout that I just wasn't invested in, because of the lack of characterization. I felt like I was being told how to feel rather than actually feeling it. I did love all of the times in the jungle. That was the most captivating part. There was a 'science' that could have been developed further. Had the story been fleshed out more, I think it would have helped. I wish I had enjoyed this more, and I do think it may appeal to others.

Absolutely loved this one! I loved the world building, the characters, and the beautiful story! Highly recommend.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an electronic ARC of this novel.

Victoria is a powerful Wildblood, a human who can manipulate blood to do what she wants. Unfortunately, it hasn't stopped her from being under control of a horrible kidnapper, who uses Wildblood kids to help run his tour company, which takes tourists into the spooky and magical jungle in a mystical Jamaica .

She wants to earn enough money to get her and her chosen family out of servitude, but her boss decides to promote her backstabbing ex Dean instead. Forced to work together to run a tour, she encounters Thorn, who is a self-assured as Victoria is frightened and who is a treasure hunter after the gold that can be found in the jungle.

The jungle is full of spooky creatures and the undead, and it's a living organism who isn't fond of humans trespassing in her territory. If they aren't careful, no one will make it out alive.

Wildblood, by Lauren Blackwood, is a haunting novel of a young woman forced to survive in dire circumstances and who is cowed by people who have control over her. I enjoyed reading it - it was fun, heartbreaking and extremely spooky. Throw in romance, found family, some action and creepy spirits, and you have a unique and fun novel.

I really wanted to love Wildbloods because I found the novel's premise interesting, but unfortunately for me it fell flat The story was predicable and I found the world building rushed and as a result very confusing. I would have preferred some more explanation about the powers and the overall world they live in to understand the motivations of the characters. It's an ok read but the story was just lacking something to draw me in.

I didn’t know a whole lot about this book other than it being set in a dangerous jungle and I am very happy I requested it. I love a good adventure story and this one is set in a magical realism 1800’s, when rich people paid a lot of money to often terribly exploitive companies, as the book portrays, to lead them on adventures to find treasure. But this adventure takes place in a sentient jungle that our heroine grew up in and loves despite its inherent danger.

Check the TW before reading bc it covers a lot of ground but is a beautiful story. I love adventure and the jungle is amazing. Wildblood gives off some serious Jungle Cruise/Pirates of the Caribbean type vibes and I’m here for it. But amidst the fun is a story about a young woman working through her trauma and finding her voice.

Thanks NetGalley and St Martins Press for the arc!

3.5 rounded down
Story idea was okay but the writing was blah, very repetitive. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

I really enjoyed this! After reading this and her previous book, Within These Wicked Walls, I can honestly say that Lauren Blackwood has a distinct writing style that I truly enjoy.

I loved the magic and feralness of this jungle, the way it truly was home for our protagonist Victoria. The concept of the Wildbloods was really interesting as well. I loved how we got tidbits of information about them throughout the story.

Victoria had her own voice, and it was really inspiring to see her go from this timid people pleaser, to someone strong and resilient and going after what SHE wanted for a change. She really grew through this story.

~ thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own

If you loved Blackwood's debut, you'll love this one. Wildblood is a wonderful sophomore book that did not disappoint. A sentient jungle creates an atmospheric setting, and a strong and nuanced MC with beautiful prose make for a satisfying read!

I had the absolute pleasure of reading Lauren Blackwood’s Within These Wicked Walls and was overjoyed when I was approved for her upcoming fantasy novel, Wildblood. Put this one in your TBR!

Some overarching themes may be TW: references to sexual assault, overt tones of racism, and violence.

Victoria is a Wildblood. They are a special group of people who can turn blood into weapons or manipulate it and she is particularly good at what she does. Like her, the people who “work” for her company are mostly people of color, feared for their abilities. Also like her, most of the Wildbloods in The Company were kidnapped or taken from their parents. Their specific type of magic holds purpose in what they do, and that’s to help tourists or others through the jungles in Jamaica, which are populated by deadly insects, bloodthirsty beasts, and dangerous spirits that lure you to your death or even steal your face if you don’t know how to properly treat them and avoid them. It gives value to their abilities, but it’s also the only existence for Wildbloods. They are paid, but not enough to ever escape, and the only option would be going through the jungle if the guards don’t kill you first. Even then, the world outside can be so dangerous when your body was born with magic that not everyone understands.

Victoria’s main driving force is to get promoted so she can be paid enough to get her charge, Bunny, out of the company. He struggles with his magic and Victoria is afraid that he will stretch himself too far with it, which can be deadly for Wildbloods. However, the promised promotion is no where in site and instead she is given a deal. If she helps Dean, her former friend turned mortal enemy, on the next expedition and makes him look good, she will have her promotion. However, the next mission isn’t like all the others. The newest tourist group is headed by a man named Thorn, a very wealthy person of color whose fortune came from mining. Instead of the usual transport through the jungle on roads that are travelled often by clients of The Company, Thorn needs to get to the center of the jungle. However, the jungle doesn’t take politely to intruders and will not tolerate the intrusion this group brings.

This mission is unlike any other she has been on before, and three warnings are given over the course of the trip that make Victoria beg both Thorn and Dean to stop the journey, despite the punishment that she might get from it. However strong Victoria’s connection to the jungle and its creatures, it won’t be enough to stop the death, deception, and danger that they are all in. As things fall apart, Victoria must acknowledge who she truly is if she is going to get herself and the people she cares about back to safety.

This book was filled with so many twists and turns and mysteries that opened up like beautiful tropical flowers. It’s so hard to write a review without revealing too much, and there are so many things that happen throughout the pages that are surprising and heartbreaking and also beautiful. Discovering where Victoria came from and how she came to be in the company was my favorite part, but you don’t discover it until far into the book, but it explains so much.

I highly recommend this book!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for this fair and honest review. This review will post to my blog two weeks before release

Thank you so much to Wednesday Books for an eARC of this! This was delightfully spooky and so fascinating. I loved seeing a bit of Jamaica and the local lore. There are so many important discussions around white men power, being light skinned, walking away from abusive relationships, standing up for yourself, and finding love that you deserve. Lauren Blackwood 's writing has only gotten more and more beautiful, and I'm so excited to see what else she has in store for us.

CW: mentions of rape, physical abuse, death, violences