I liked the premise, but this wasn't a good fit for me as a reader — and it wasn't a good fit for our podcast episode about Jamaica.

Magnetic and wonderful story here! I love the fantasy genre and this was a really good one that I read and I'm glad I got to read it.

SPOILERS AHEAD.

This was a historical fiction book I actually really enjoyed! I really enjoyed Victoria's character and thought she was well-developed, but did wish other characters had a bit more development. I consistently did not trust Thorn and was legit just waiting for him to do something sketchy.

I thought the jungle was well-written and beautiful. The creatures were fantastical but easy to envision, and the ending felt like the only *right* way to end the story.

Overall, I had a really great time reading this book.

Wildblood is such a beautifully written YA fantasy. The world-building is outstanding. The story is well written with an enchanting storyline and well-developed characters that engage from start to finish. The world is atmospheric and feels real with vivid descriptions and rich imagery. I cannot get enough. Highly recommended. Be sure to check out Wildblood today.

This book is a dark fantasy about Victoria, a Wildblood, who uses magic to protect travelers in a Jamaican jungle teeming with ghostly monsters. It was intriguing and well thought out. I was immersed in the characters’ and the story kept me entertained.

I really liked Within These Wicked Walls and was excited to be able to read Wildblood. I am a complete fan of Lauren Blackwood’s work and will continue to read whatever she writes!

I want to thank NetGalley, Lauren Blackwood and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for the e-ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are honest, my own and left voluntarily.

While this book had a really great magic system, worldbuilding, and personal high stakes (love that the protagonist and her loved ones were actually in danger and experienced consequences!), ultimately the love story didn't click. The male love interest treats her like a child to the extent it was actually a little sickening and she devolves to a giggling, simpering mess around him that felt out of character. It was so jarring compared to the rest of the book, which was amazing. Come for the plot and especially the setting, but if romantic chemistry is important to you, this is a skip.

Wildblood is an emotional and story set in an imaginative and captivating world. There are some content warnings for sexual assault, violence, and more, so do be cautious when diving into this one if you are sensitive to any of those.

I had a lot of mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I felt it handled some incredibly difficult and intense topics in some really thoughtful ways. Our main character has to deal with a lot of personal traumas, both past and ongoing, throughout this story and it felt very realistic and difficult watching her navigate these issues. I appreciated the author's sensitivity in tackling these issues, along with other difficult traumas that other characters are struggling with as well. Some characters are incredibly well-developed and have a great amount fo complexity to them, which I loved, though others were a bit more one-dimensional and felt more like cardboard cut outs. For instance, a younger boy that Victoria cares for and is such a huge part of her life is barely around and it feels like he is mostly sleeping the entire story (?).

On the other hand, there was a huge dose of insta-love that did not work for me at all, the magic system was extremely underdeveloped and confusing, and we didn't get to explore nearly as much of this world/jungle as we could have. These are all things that left me feeling a little underwhelmed with this story and wishing for more. Blackwood has a beautiful prose style and I wish it had been utilized a bit more thoroughly for the rest of the story. Overall, this is a strong three stars from me!

Victoria is a genetic mutant enslaved as a tour guide in the Jamaican jungle. She can use her blood to protect tourists from the creatures and magic of the wild. When a foreign tour group arrives that desires to go off the paved safety of the jungle path to look for gold, Victoria is assigned to ensure her arch-rival looks good and everyone makes it through the quest alive. The spirits of the jungle, however, have other plans.

The concept and world-building are imaginative and intriguing. However, the progression of the plot and the characterizations fell flat for me. Victoria was initially a strong and independent female MC but quickly became the victim of her trauma. It seemed strange that she couldn't use her supernatural powers to overthrow her oppressor, and she swiftly became dependent on a non-magical man to save her even though she was the most powerful Wildblood in the group. This story felt more like a damsel-in-distress romance than the fantasy adventure I was expecting, and it could have been so much more.

This book might be for you if you're in the mood for a YA knight-in-shining-armor love story in a vivid and dangerous fantasy world. I wish Victoria could have come into her gift early on to make for a more compelling girl-power adventure novel.

Wildblood by Blackwood is a thrilling YA fantasy with a unique set up (a tour guide drama? Secrets and corruption? Sign me right up!) and characters you couldn't help but root for (especially Victoria of course)! I loved the Black Girl Magic aspects of it, plus the Jamaican folklore, and the whole concept of a creepy, sentient jungle!
Truly a thrilling ride that ticks all the boxes - a kickass protagonist, swoon-worthy love story, and high stakes!

I am such a fan of Lauren Blackwood and her character development. She takes such a detailed approach to her world uikdijg and character development, so you feel invested. I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it.

An impressive array of characters ranging from endearing to despicable, and a fascinating magic system.

This book took a while for me to get invested into. I will be honest. It's not my top fave book of the year, but by the ending, I was really satisfied. I was hoping for a knockout like Blackwood's debut, but I just felt indifferent about this story for the first 70% of the novel. But once the story started to come together, I really enjoyed my time and I think other readers will too. It's worth the wait (meaning, get through the first 70%!)

I enjoyed Blackwoods debut and was looking forward to her sophomore novel, but I had a really hard time getting truly invested. There were elements of this book I really enjoyed - the sentient jungle, the main character and the magic, but overall I was just seriously underwhelmed.
I didn't really care for the romance - it felt way too insta-lovey and over the top, I didn't really buy into it. I also felt confused about the time period. Despite it being explicitly clear when the story takes place, the way characters spoke and interacted felt too modern.

I'm interested in seeing what Blackwood writes next, but this book was kind of a miss for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this eARC. This YA adventure story contains powerful themes of choosing forgiveness, overcoming horrific obstacles & traumas, and claiming your own destiny. The author has thoughtfully included a list of content warnings at the beginning of the book, with additional information on her website. Victoria’s character arc is a delight to read, the jungle terrors are chillingly intriguing, and the writing style is simultaneously lush and accessible.

My only hesitation in the rating is that I wasn’t convinced by the chemistry with Thorn. My distrust/suspicions were raised the entire time, so I found him an unconvincing love interest, despite how handsomely he was described. For some readers, this might not matter.

Without a doubt one of the best books I've read this year!

The power system in the book and how Blackwood discussed colourism, white-passing privilege, misogynoir & workplace abuse/rape was nothing short of artful.

I especially love that our MC got to reclaim her identity and sexuality and that she was allowed to enjoy the expansive joys and pleasures of life before she made the decision she made as the last pages began to turn.

I wanted to like this book, but I couldn’t get into it. I tried it again on audio and just found my mind wandering. It felt like 2 books in one with the deep, ongoing trauma and then the instalove. I just couldn’t keep reading, sadly I DNFed it.

Thank you, Wednesday, Books, and Netgalley for this arc! I am so thankful to have received this book early as I am such a fan of Lauren Blackwood‘s books immediately when I found out that she was writing this book I knew I needed to request it. The description just really had me. I love the idea of the magic system and love to the setting. We do not get many books set in a Jamaican jungle. It was incredibly interesting to see how the animals/creatures of the jungle reacted towards invaders as well as protecting its own. My favorite was that of the bloody Mary butterfly. I think she talked about issues of colonialism, human trafficking, and assault in a mature manner and it definitely brings awareness to things that have happened in the past as well as things that are still happening. But I overall really enjoyed the story and the magic and definitely need to do a re-read soon. This is definitely another favorite by Lauren. I really enjoyed the story and can’t wait for what she comes up with next.

Unfortunately this one just is not for me. I wasn't really captivated by the magic system and I was left oddly confused for the first 25%. I DNF'd at 89% and will not be posting a review since I was unable to complete the title. I'm hoping to love something from Lauren Blackwood but it's not this title.

I would say this book was not for me. I enjoyed he premise of the story and that's what made me want to read it. I wanted more of the jungle and her connection and meaning behind her connection. I have never read a fantasy romance book before. I wanted more fantasy and none of the romance. I honestly will probably pick this book up again and read it. It may have not bee right time for me to enjoy this one. I think if you like YA fantasy romance as well as an opportunity to knock at the door of other economics and politics you may enjoy this one.

Victoria is eighteen-years old and possesses a type of magic that makes her a Wildblood. She was kidnapped when only six and taken in by the Exotic Lands Touring Company. Victoria and the other Wildbloods guide rich tourists through the Jamaican rainforest, protecting them from the magic that runs rampant there. Victoria is up for a well-earned promotion, but her boss gives it to Victoria''s ex who has betrayed her time and time again. When a new tour is booked, Victoria meets a handsome, confident gold-miner who might possibly be her way out of this life. He puts her in charge of the trip and she is able to help them survive contact with an astonishing array of jungle spirits - shape-shifters, giant animals. It is as she guides these people and falls in love with their leader that Victoria must decide what is right and true for her and where she belongs amongst the magic and power of the strange land. Wildblood is a delightfully unique novel. I enjoyed reading it - Blackwoods prose transports you instantly into the lush, magical rainforest where anything can happen. I hope she continues to write - I'll be ready to read! Many thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read an ARC.