Blood Like Magic is an inventive fantasy with a diverse cast of characters and tons of heart! I adored the themes of family and community within the story, and how platonic love was framed as being on par with romantic love.

The worldbuilding was super unique and interesting, and I loved how Sambury blended cool sci-fi technology with an awesome magic system! There were a lot of little details included in the story that made it really immersive. I do think that sometimes the worldbuilding got a bit infodump-y, and there were parts that I felt threw a LOT of information at the reader at once, which made it a tad more difficult to get through. But overall, I really liked the world of this story.

I'm a sucker for books with morally gray aspects and tough choices for the characters to make, and this one did not disappoint! I really related to Voya in terms of being indecisive, and it was awesome to see her learn and grow throughout the story. I didn't end up being totally sold on her conclusion to the pure vs impure magic debate (which was a really cool concept in and of itself!), but I'm hoping that will be fleshed out more in the second book.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who's looking for a fresh take on YA fantasy and loves detailed fictional worlds!

I absolutely loved this book! Voya was an amazing main character. One aspect I really liked was the importance and complexity of families and familial relationships. I also loved the casual queerness and how diversely queer it was as well. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars is because I felt it dragged on at parts but I honestly really loved this book and can’t wait for more people to read it so we can all scream about it!

This books is so stunning, it is hard to believe it is a debut.

Voya Thomas is 16-years-old and from a long line of witches. In order to receive her powers, she must pass a horrible test: kill her true love (this is not a spoiler!) Except … she’s never been in love. Enter science (fiction): NuGene, a futuristic company that can provide a love match.

There are so many things to love about this book. A futuristic setting that combines elements of sci-fi and gritty urban fantasy (but fantasy rooted in reality, which is my favorite). A young girl, finding herself and testing her strength, while weighing the responsibilities of family love/tradition/heritage with her own morality. A celebration of the matriarchy. A unique way to examine slavery and capitalism. Queer, trans, and BlPOC representation. And the writing - the characters are just so authentic and relatable (yes, even to a 30-something 😝). I’ve said it before and I will say it again – one of my favorite things about really good YA is it can take a nuanced, nebulous concept and make it tangible, thus giving (young?) people the vocabulary to discuss difficult topics.

This book is right up there with my 2021 favorites, and so dang perfect for Pride. I highly recommend you pick it up.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for early access to this (awesome) book in exchange for my honest review.

So, I loved this book! A small issue: it did start off a bit slow for me. And I was worried. BUT. I promise it doesn't stay slow for long, and I am so, so glad I stuck with it! I am going to try to break down all the things I loved about this wonderful debut!

►Voya! Just... everything about Voya. She's so completely real, full of flaws but also full of heart. She is so worried about her Calling, so worried that she will let her family down. And then when the Calling turns out to be worse than she could ever imagine... well, the girl is going through a lot here. My heart broke for her, because she didn't deserve these burdens, but she bore them anyway, and all out of love.

►The family dynamics were incredible. Voya comes from a large extended family who also cohabitates in the ancestral home. Every family member is so incredibly well developed, which made them all likable characters in their own right. Even when maybe I was mad at them for the way they were treating Voya, I still loved them deep down. I also loved how central family in general was to the story. Not just for Voya, but for all the characters, both those who were a part of her family, and those who weren't. Even those without family realized its significance, and the loss of not having a close familial unit.

►The way relationships in general were handled. You know how most of us seem to have a "place" in our family or friend groups? Whether you're the smart one, the flaky one, the funny one... you get "assigned" roles in groups, and they're kind of hard to shake, right? Well, that is exactly what is happening here. Voya has been dubbed "the woefully indecisive one", and I will say that I was initially super annoyed by how the family kept harping on it. But the truth is... families do this. And, as with Voya (at least initially), these blanket statements become prophetic. If you're told your whole life that you're trash at making decisions, when you're faced with a huge one, what is your first thought? "I can't do that, I'm indecisive", no? So I really loved how the author not only weaved this into the story, but how Voya was ultimately going to have to overcome it to fulfill her Calling. But it wouldn't be an easy ask.

►The setting was so fun! I mean, I like Toronto as much as the next guy, but I also loved that it was set in the future! That was a fun extra that I wasn't expecting, but really loved. The added tiny future elements were wonderful and definitely added to the story.

►Voya is an awesome cook and I was hungry. Voya especially excelled at making traditional Trinidadian dishes, and yeah, these sounded amazing and I need them in my life.

►I absolutely loved her complicated relationship with Luc. Especially since she didn't have many contacts outside of the magic community, it was so fun to see her interact with him. I loved their banter, and I loved that she was going to have to figure out how to handle her blossoming feelings with her assigned task to, you know, kill the dude.

Bottom Line: I fell completely and totally in love with Voya and her family, and this magical world, and am beyond excited for the sequel!

This is a hard book to review.

On one hand, there's some stuff that normally would turn me off so much I wouldn't bother finishing the story.--The biggest issue being that I really felt like the author was trying to write two completely different books at the same time instead of fluidly merging the cooking sub plot with the main "destroy your first love" plot. I almost feel like the overall story would've been better served if the cooking stuff had come first, *then* the Calling, and then Voya destroying her first love. It would've afforded more opportunities for natural character development, and possibly fixed some of the scenes that struck me as a little stilted.

But on the other hand, the rest of the book was so well done I almost didn't care about any of that stuff? The magic and futuristic world-building are wonderfully done, maintaining the soft-magic, High Fantasy feel while still feeling very grounded in reality and believable. I really enjoyed the later scenes between Voya and her grandmother, and any scene involving cooking was an absolute joy to read. Sambury writes beautiful descriptions and they really shine through in those moments. The interactions between different families of witches were great, too, because when Sambury nails dialogue, she *really* nails it.

Basically, the strengths of Sambury's writing blow her weaknesses out of the water, and I can't wait to see what she does next!

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This magic system is A++ it is so well explained that even the intricate details are made clear and easy to understand. I loved the way the magic system worked and how it was so deeply rooted in family heritage. Reading about Voya's family history was amazing and had so many strong lessons within it. I think it is important to have these stories within books especially YA where there is an opportunity to give the harsh realities of our past but make sure that people are still aware of what happened and continue to amplify that it is wrong but should not be forgotten.

Voya, the main character, is somebody who struggles with making decisions. She always looks towards her family to help her decide what she should do for anything. Her family is always there to help her but throughout the book we see a lot of tension with the family not believing that Voya can make any decisions for herself.

When Voya's calling occurs she is unable to make a decision and the ancestor fails her. Voya's world starts falling apart knowing she will not have magic but the ancestor decides to give her a second chance. The second chance shakes up her family when she is told she needs to kill her first love or her entire family looses their magic.

Luc, the stories love interest, instantly comes off a smug and rude. Our first introduction of Luc he is instantly showing his enemy colors. He has no time for Voya and her antics and when they get matched he openly dreads it. Slowly we get to see the softer side of Luc where he gushes about his hobbies and more intimate details about himself.

This book was so epically fantastic. I cried so much. I haven't felt personally attacked by a book this much in a long ass time. Like. It hurt me.

Here are the things you need to know. Liselle did a fantastic job of merging real-world issues of today into what they might be in the future as well as adding in a magical society and new issues for that time period.

There's a lot of hits on culture and identity within the Black communities (because not all Black is the same, in case you missed the memo) as well as the magical communities and how the community you belong to and the company you keep doesn't necessarily make you good or evil. Every choice we make has a consequence and it's those choices that decide who we truly are. And it's a gray ass area.

There were SO MANY plot twists. Just left and right things were jumping out at me like, you should have seen this coming, but I didn't. and it was fantastic.

It was hella queer, just a whole dang lot of queer love (as there should be). And the magic system and the family aspect and gods y'all, I can't even form coherent thoughts anymore.

I cannot recommend this book enough. It was bloody fucking brilliant.

A stunning urban fantasy debut.

Going into this, I didn't really know much beyond what the book synopsis gave me. I was expecting a paranormal fantasy book and that is why I got. However, what I wasn't expecting was the in-depth look into scientific technology used in the time the book is set. The science fiction aspect (while completely unexpected) was a lovely surprise and a really excellent bonus! I believe it added another layer of depth to the plot.

The author's writing was beautiful, very detailed, and flowed together well. It was written from the first-person perspective of our main character Voya, and I really liked how it brought out both her strengths and weaknesses, making her a flawed yet lovable character. I liked the way all of her family members were written; they had their own personalities and individuality, and I appreciated how none of the characters fell flat or were remiss of any sort of development throughout the story.

I absolutely LOVED the characters. The diversity was wonderful to see. Voya, our protagonist, was a caring and passionate young woman, who was also fierce and willing to make sacrifices for her family and give up everything to keep them safe. I connected with her because of her determination and her struggles with such a large family. I love how the author made all of her characters flawed because they are authentic, realistic and honest depictions of real life. I also loved Luc because of his love and dedication for science and technology, but also because of how he overcame so many challenges in his life, with his identity and with his family (biological and sponsor). Despite their flaws, I really liked Voya's family, because they reminded me so much of mine; everything isn't as perfect as it may seem, and not everyone gets along but together, they were able to do what needed to be done and that makes for an impactful family relationship.

The plot was well executed, but it was a little slow at some points during the story. I thought that the beginning was really dragged out, but I also understand that this was due to the world building for the book. The first 20% is a little hard to get through, but the story really picks up after that. The world-building was really interesting because even though it is set in a futuristic version of our current world, there are so many unusual aspects to it, including the community of witches that live amongst the world unnoticed. I really loved the magic system and how unique some of the gifts within the families were, I also really liked that the whole premise for the magic is based in blood because it shows the ties the family has not only with magic, but with each other. I really enjoyed the plot, but I think the beginning could have been a little more exciting/have more movement.

I do wish that we had gotten more background on Voya's Granny, and especially her parents' stories. Seeing more interaction between Eden and Voya on the page also would have solidified that special relationship for me, but I still loved seeing these sisters love each other. And lastly, while satisfying, I felt the ending was a bit messy and rushed; I do feel that maybe that was the intention of the author (considering how messy the plot itself becomes for Voya) especially since it is a series, but it did not leave much up in the air for the future.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The writing was beautiful and honest; the plot dragged a bit but was great nonetheless; the world-building was fantastic, and the characters were diverse and flawed but still very lovable. I am really excited for the next book in the series and I cannot wait to see where Liselle Sambury takes this family and storyline next!

Blood Like Magic
NML rating: Super Star
Stars: 5
NetGalley eARC review

"Meals, magic and murder. I guess that's your thing, eh?"

Voya comes from a long line of witches and she is the last one in her family to receive her special gift. That is, as long as she passes her Calling -- the specific task given to her from one of her ancestors. These tasks are meant to be completed over the course of a few hours or days, but Mama Jova gives Voya a particularly hard task and a month in which to complete it. Voya is meant to destroy her first love. If she fails, she loses her chance to become a witch forever and her family's life will be in danger.

This book is quite literally Black Girl Magic. It's set in Toronto, roughly 30 years in the future. ( I don't remember an exact date being given). Science, and specifically genetic modifications, have advance significantly. At the time that Voya is given her task, she's also chosen to be a beta tester for a genetically matched dating program. Having never yet fallen in love, this is her chance to find her first love in order to destroy them.

Holy smokes. I really loved this story. The representation is EVERYTHING. Our main character and her family are Black. One of her cousins is a lesbian and two important characters are transgender. Sambury manages to scatter social commentary on being Black, queer, of low socioeconomic background, and police brutality. All while crafting a compelling story about a young girl learning how to make very tough choices to save her family. I'm so excited that there will be a second book in this series.

The author's note states: "To Black girls everywhere, You can be more than a slave or a lesson for someone else. You deserve to be a witch or a dragon tamer. To fall in love with a vampire or lead your friends against a villain. You are more than the best friend or sassy comedic relief. You are the hero."
I can't speak from experience myself, but I believe Sambury delivered exactly that to her readers.

Voya never expected to fail her Calling, a trial every young witch must accomplish when coming of age. And when given a second chance to prove herself, she's given the task of killing her first love, or risking her entire line losing their magic for good. Trouble is, Voya's never been in love, so she has to find the one--and quick. The writing of this story was eerily beautiful but slow, it took me a while to get into this book and a while for it to pick up, but the writing was very detailed. The world building was very unique and brilliantly set up. I really enjoyed the magic system and the symbolism around blood. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!

there was a lot going on in this book. for the most part, after the 50% mark and things picked up and i understood the worldbuilding a little better, it was definitely entertaining. but the first 50% was boring, confusing, and just too drawn out. i wasn’t a huge fan of the futuristic sci-fi storyline, but i loved the magic and voya’s family dynamics along with the mystery plot and the FOOD oh my god i was practically drooling.

(arc provided by netgallery and Margaret K. McElderry. all thoughts and opinions are my own)

I HAVE BEEN DYING TO READ THIS BOOK!!!

When I saw that I got approved for this I literally screamed and jumped with joy. I am so so so happy I was approved for an ARC of this and am SO THANKFUL!!

The cover is STUNNING! I am completely obsessed with it and the more POC I see on book covers, the happier I am. Also, anything witch related is my jam. This book was the perfect combination of dark fantasy. Find someone to fall in love with, only to kill him. UGH I love it. And of course our main character has to do this because her entire family lineage depends on it.

Caught between her morals and her obligation to her family, the book covers her journey during this point. I think anything witch related is so much fun because it usually talks about fun magic and how it helps our witches. However, this book was almost the opposite. The book covered the long line of witches and what our witch must do, but in a horrific way.

I loved this book. I see that it is listed was #1 on good reads meaning there will be a second book and I CAN NOT WAIT!!!!

I really enjoyed reading this book. It's about a witch named Voya who must complete a task by killing her first love in order to save her family's magic and to fail her Calling. I loved this mix of sci-fi and paranormal book. I haven't read anything like this with both genres mixed and I enjoyed the setting being 2040s in Canada. I enjoyed the world-building of this book as there was so much different technology in the world and also different witch families with their powers. The pacing was well-paced which was slow but not super slow. It was at a calming pace which I enjoyed and gave that Sarah J. Maas feel to the writing. The plot was well structured and the story was original. The author captured this story beautifully with her writing.

Voya is the main character of the story and I enjoyed her journey in this story. I do have to say that I didn't really enjoy her character being 16 because I felt that was too young for the things she was going through and that sometimes her character was confusing as she acted with a mix of matureness and childishness. I did enjoy her character development though and thought that was well done. I LOVED the side characters in this book as so many were involved and the author did an amazing job with also involving their journeys, stories, and character development. I also enjoyed the enemies to lovers/ fated love tropes in this book. I'm a huge fan of both of these tropes so the romance was spot on for me.

The ending was well done with no cliffhangers but you can tell there is going to be more to the story. I enjoyed how this book was not only about Voya's journey with saving her family but also there was a lot of mystery involved which involved some twists and turns in the story. I really think the author did a good job with this book but it was just the main character for me that dropped the star down. I will for sure be reading the next book in the story which I can't wait for and I recommend this book to fans of Witches and the show The One.

4 Stars

Blood like Magic was one of my highly anticipated releases of 2021, and let me say that it does not disappoint. I was afraid that this book would not be going to live up to my expectations, but I can gladly say that it does and even exceeds them!

Advertised as paranormal fantasy, I was not expecting all the science fiction aspects present, but it was a wonderful surprise. A combination of futuristic Toronto with highly advanced technologies and a splash of magic, and a wide variety of witches. By combining the old, and the new into one comprehensive society creates an interesting dynamic of how the two worlds live as one. It’s a fascinating concept that I haven’t seen done before, and I can’t wait to get more of it in the sequel. Having it set in Toronto was a great choice on the author’s part because many YA books tend to take place in the UK or US, so it was nice to have a change of scenery. The worldbuilding was phenomenal and such a delight to read.

Magic, in this world, is a source of happiness but could also be seen as a curse. Many times in media, Magic is portrayed as a powerful source and that the user is lucky to have it. But here, we see magic gifts seen as weak and not that useful with the blend of powerful gifts possessed by other witches. We see the power imbalances between the Impure and Pure families that divide the community into two halves. Impure families use torture, and sacrifices to fuel their magic creating more powerful gifts, whereas the pure families do not partake in, leading to most of the time, weaker gifts. But what ultimately decides a witch’s gift are their ancestors, who will give them challenging tasks helping them to learn and grow, and if they pass, they receive their gift. The magic system in this world was enjoyable to read, full of mystery and delight that is sure to get you intrigued into the story.

The characters were so lovable, and I enjoyed them from the start. They each have personalities that make them different from one another. This book had great diversity and representation that many YA books sometimes lack. This book features black witches who all have their own culture and traditions. For example, Voya had a Trinidadian background which we would especially see when she would cook. The cast all included POC, which featured a wide array of representation. Many characters were LGBTQ+, and the main love interest was trans. The representation was great to see, and I appreciated it!

Voya was the perfect main character to follow in this story. Many times YA protagonists are painted to be these perfect humans that never make mistakes. But we know in life that nobody can do that, however hard they try to. Along the way, we see Voya make mistakes and struggling with try to make a decision. Many times she was indecisive wanting to do what was right for herself and her family. I could relate to that because sometimes it’s hard to decide because you want to make the right choice or things could end up badly. She makes many mistakes, but she doesn’t let that deter her from doing the right thing. Voya is imperfect, and this is the kind of protagonist we need in YA.

The romance was enjoyable and didn’t overtake the story. I was worried that since romance was a key aspect of the story that it would be the only thing that story was about. Rather, it enhanced the story and kept it entertaining. It was a clear enemy to lovers, which is one of my favorite tropes, and it was executed very well. I loved Voya and Luc as a couple, and their bantering was one of my favorite aspects of this book. Not only do we get a wonderful romance, but we also get to see Voya’s marvelous relationship with her family. The Thomases were one big team and were always there to do anything for one another. It was heartwarming to see, and I loved the emphasis on family.

I found the plot to be very funny and a wild ride. It was interesting, and I was never left bored. The pacing did lag sometimes due to the worldbuilding and building the complex world behind the story. I do feel like the plot could have been paced just a bit better, but other than that I don’t have anything else to say negatively about this book!

Overall, I had a great ride reading this book, and I would recommend reading this book once it comes out! A great cast of characters, fantastic worldbuilding, a powerful sense of family, and a fun romance; will sure have you enjoying this book.

TW: blood, gore, whipping scene within the context of slavery, gun/police violence, discussion of and character with an eating disorder, violence, mentions of substance abuse and addiction, mentions of child neglect

Thank you, NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"Nothing like comfort food to help ease the ache of needing to murder someone."

Voya comes from a family of witches. At the beginning of the book, we find her as she comes of age and must complete a task assigned by one of her ancestors. She's a warm-hearted chef, the caregiver of her bustling family, quick with support and advice for others but slow to trust herself or make decisions about her own life. That's why it's especially brutal when Voya is told to destroy her first love by the end of the month. If she fails in her task, her family will lose their magic and her little sister will die. Step one: fall in love. Step two: murder.

Before I get into all the things I positively loved about this book (I was full on ugly crying by the end), I should alert potential readers that this is a slow-moving story. Especially the first 25% is laden with world-building, background on Voya's sprawling family, and our protagonist's decision paralysis about her seemingly impossible task. I want to assure you that if you're not fully invested at first, give it time, because it's worth it. Once Voya started digging into her family's secrets past and present, I was hooked.

OK, so here's the good stuff. It's a near future world that seamlessly blends science fiction and fantasy. The author made a realistic world that sparkles in some ways our world doesn't but that is also rife with new or expanded problems. It's not dystopian or utopian but a blend of familiar gray areas that feels like reality.

Another thing I loved was the high visibility for all kinds of LGBT+ characters. Both Voya's love interest and one of her cousins are trans, a different cousin comes to terms with being demiromantic, both gay and lesbian characters are present, and some of the family's revered family ancestors are non-binary. The author has created a world where these identities are more welcomed and appreciated, but where not everything is perfect. I appreciated the respect given to their continued struggles while also showing us a future where things are improving.

This story is ultimately about family and community, what brings us together and drives us apart. It's the mess of it all and finding a path forward. This is such a moving story, and I anxiously await the sequel (no cliffhanger, but some things are definitely still unresolved).

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for providing me with an eARC of “Blood Like Magic” by Liselle Sambury for me to read and review!

Real rating: 3.5 stars.

“Blood Like Magic” is a rich, dark urban fantasy with amazing futuristic world-building laid alongside familial magic with deep roots. Main character Voya Thomas has just come of age and all that she has to do to become a full witch is complete a task given by an ancestor. However, this task is to sacrifice her first love, or else her family loses their magic forever. This causes her to struggle with her own morality as she is pressured by her family to complete the unprecedented, high-stakes task. Throughout Voya’s journey, the novel deals with the concept of love and family in such a great way as she not only struggles to find her first love but also struggles to find her place within the witch community and within the world. I absolutely loved the way the world was approached with all the new instances of futuristic technology juxtaposed with the history of Voya’s family and where their magic stems from. There is also an incredible amount of representation of all kinds within the book along with respectable explanations when necessary. Overall I found this to be simultaneously a fun and deep book even if I found parts predictable. I was expecting the love story to be more impactful but it fell flat while other relationships Voya had, primarily the ones with her cousins, were much more developed.

I've been following Liselle Sambury's YouTube channel for a while now, and my excitement for her debut novel has only grown overtime. When I tell you that you NEED to read this book, I'm not saying it lightly. YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.

Voya, our main character, would do unthinkable things to protect her family, and as part of her ascension into her magical gifts, one of her ancestors asks her to commit FREAKING MURDER. As if that's not enough of a big deal, she has to murder her FIRST LOVE???? But... she's never been in love so she needs to find a swoonworthy guy ASAP???? Hello, angst???? Give me a main character who's struggling to be true to herself despite not fully knowing who she is yet while also trying to honor her ancestor's vicious demand and boom, I'm sold. You will root for Voya and desperately wish you could hug her and treat her to a warm meal (or better yet, let her treat YOU to her exquisite cooking!).

Come for the brutal blood magic, stay for the beautifully rendered relationships between Voya and her family members, the snarky yet endearing banter with the boy she's matched with, Luc, and a series of twists that left me wondering when I can finally pre-order the sequel. Liselle Sambury's debut is a powerful enchantment that will mesmerize readers everywhere.

I don’t think I’ve read a book with such a large group of diverse characters as this one. There is representation for all kinds of humans and they’re presented in a way that make them relatable to anyone. On top of all that, the importance of family shines through in the book. I went into it thinking it’d be another romantic fantasy, but was pleasantly surprised with a unique magic system, an intriguing plot that made it hard to put the book down so I could figure out what would happen next, and a fresh perspective on what it means to love somebody. Liselle has written a fantastic novel that should be enjoyed by anyone who can get their hands on it.

This has got to be one of the most original premises for a plot that I have ever read. I cannot even explain how much I admire the amount of planning and detail that Liselle Sambury put into Blood Like Magic. I was very excited to read this book because the synopsis was amazing and I was not disappointed.
The FMC is Voya, who’s entire family are witches with different gifts. Voya is facing her Calling ( when she will be given a task to perform to get her magic). This book follows the character development of Voya as she tries to interpret and solve her task.
I really loved the unique magic system in this book as well as the inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters. Ms Sambury did a great job melding the technology of the future with the natural ebb and flow of magic. I was very worried, in the beginning of the book, that it would become more science fiction than fantasy. However, I was really pleasantly surprised by the balance she created between the two genres in Blood Like Magic.

Wow! This was amazing! Set in a future Toronto, Canada it follows Voya who comes from a community of black witches who use blood magic. Voya must complete a task before being given her powers but she’s given the impossible task of killing her first love or risk never becoming a witch at all. The world building in this book was amazing and I liked how it was gradual throughout so you weren’t bogged down with details. I also of course love the family and community aspect of this story. Voya will do literally anything to save the ones she loves. I also appreciate a YA story that isn’t centered on love. Yes there’s romance there but this story is so much more than that. I also like the many allegories that appear throughout the story that represent the lives of Black girls in modern times as well. This book will be on my mind for awhile and I’m excited for everyone to read it.