Victoria is a daughter of the jungle, and her mother is unforgiving. When tasked with helping a group of explorers find the jungles hidden gold deposits safely, Victoria tries to make it clear: the jungle will only offer you three warnings to leave. Will she be able to convince the party that the gold cannot be reached unless the jungle wills it so? Or will no one make it out alive?

Let me begin by saying this as simply as I can: this book just wasn't for me. However my review shouldn't dissuade anytime from giving it a shot as it's overall a well put together story. I prefer more magic and fancy interwoven into the characters themselves, but there is plenty of magic in this novel. The magic system was very intriguing to me when it was used, and I wish we had more time with the blood thirsty butterflies from the beginning. Certain developments in plot came so fast you almost felt swept away in a mudslide while other non-critical parts had me slowly sinking and even losing interest. The author has a great concept to what makes a novel great, and once they have the pacing part figured out they will truly be a force in young adult fiction.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3. Recommended for those who prefer magics/gifts to be secondary to story rather than rely on them. Age recommended for readers 14+ due to mature content off page. Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Book Summary:

Victoria is a tour guide for the Exotic Lands Touring Company. This is not a job she signed on for – she was literally kidnapped for the role. Her magic is considered necessary to protect travelers through the jungle. After all, how else will they keep the ghostly monsters away?

Despite her powerful magic, this organization still does not take Victoria very seriously. That sounds about right, doesn't it? So Victoria must deal with an imposing organization and a vengeful ex while keeping her clients safe in the jungle.

My Review:

I'll be honest; I went into Wildblood with zero expectations. Why? I may have skipped reading even the description – sometimes I like going in without any idea what is to come, you know? So I was pleasantly surprised by most of what I found and blindsided by a couple of different elements (see description above and TW below).

Wildblood is an incredibly immersive read. Lauren Blackwood has a way with words, as her story came to life on the pages. I love it when an author can make you feel like you are there (for better or worse, depending on the scene!). It was masterfully done here.

Overall, I really enjoyed Wildblood. The core concept is fascinating, and I would give just about anything to explore it further. I didn't enjoy all of the writing choices, but I can't regret the time I spent reading Wildblood.

Highlights:
YA Fantasy
Magic
Magical Tour Guide

Trigger Warnings:
Rape/Sexual Assault
Blood/Gore
Animal Attack

This book was unlike anything I've read before. It was a genuinely unique experience. That said, when I was nearing the end I realized that the payoff wasn't going to be what I'd been hoping for. I was disappointed to find the plot took a back seat to the romance. I say this as someone who loves romance and found the love interest in this book to be pretty swoonworthy, but it felt like the plot was completely dropped in favor of the lovey-dovey stuff and that left me completely unsatisfied. Thorn was adamant throughout the entire expedition that even if people were dying for his greed, he was going to get his gold. And then he wordlessly gave up? The few survivors of the jungle terrors just headed home without even a discussion about it? I felt like a scene had to be missing.

The "big showdown" at the end was over so quickly and the villain was really nothing to be concerned about. It's hard to believe the main character and her friends didn't leave long ago, when they clearly had the power to do so at any time. I have to be honest, the lackluster climax did make me wonder, what was the point of this story? Also, I did love the characters but I thought their relationships and hardships were well-defined as-is, and throwing a sexual assault into the storyline was completely unnecessary. The villain was already kidnapping children and forcing them into slavery. He was already clearly defined as evil. Victoria had been through enough without torturing her like that, too.

The worldbuilding was fantastic, the best element of the book, but the magic system never played as huge a role as I anticipated. The wildbloods' limitations and abilities were never clearly defined, and I kept expecting that a book called Wildblood would go into a lot more detail about who and what these people are, but it's just left to the imagination in the end.

I did anticipate the way this book would end. It was inevitable, but thereby perhaps predictable. I just wish everything had played out a bit differently, more explosively. And I am just absolutely crushed that the whole cast was killed all for the sake of finding a gold mine, and in the end we never even see it!

I could have easily given this book five stars for the worldbuilding alone, and the fantastic characters and the trials they go through and the ends they meet. But the way it just kind of petered out and felt like crucial scenes were missing left me feeling disappointed.

Wildblood is a perfect young adult book. It explores love, relationships, and trauma in all the ways it can shift and change. It's atmospheric by being set in the jungle of Jamaica. The main character is enduring and I couldn't help but root for her success. All around a strong book that I will recommend to teens again and again.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC of this book.

“The jungle always whispers, when the rain isn’t there to block it out.”

An intriguing world and lore lost a bit in a brash romance.

The premise of this one intrigued me but any curious it’s was slowly drowned by the writing style. It felt completely repetitive and weak, which bummed me out because the concept and the plot was interesting!

Welcome to the jungle. For 18yo, Victoria, there’s no fun and games. Kidnapped as a child & forced to work as a tour guide for the Exotic Lands Touring Company, she uses her wildblood to protect travelers in the depths of the Jamaican jungle from the ghastly monsters lurking about. When denied a promotion to team leader, given to her ex instead, she’s determined to show just how powerful her magic is. Victoria jumps at the chance to join the crew to lead Thorn, a renowned goldminer, and his team on a search for an untouched gold supply at the heart of the jungle. Handsome & kind Thorn sparks some romantic feelings in Victoria, making her decisions about what comes next all the more difficult.

This is a YA fantasy romance that left me wanting more fantastical elements, and less mediocre romance. I want exclusively Wildbloods exploring the sentient jungle and all the creatures within. The small bits we got were my favorite parts. And I really thought the topic of exploitation in regards to eco-tourism was thoughtfully explored, but the romantic relationship between Victoria, local to the area, and Thorn, a wealthy goldminer slash interloper, just didn’t make any sense. Had I known it was going to be romance heavy, I might have enjoyed it more. Or I might have just skipped it, cause I’m definitely not in my YA romance era. If you’re in yours, then I recommend you add this literary jungle tour to your summer reading bucket list.

Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read & review this book.

Wildblood is going to be a hit or miss for lovers of fantasy. On the one hand you have beautiful, immersive writing and on the other a romance that overtakes the story.

Not having read this author before, I was pleasantly surprised by the writing, setting and story. I absolutely LOVE the jungle setting with spirits, trees, insects and all manner of beings that we get glimpses of. I also love Victoria although I wish I got a deeper insight into her character.

The story itself was interesting until it turned into more of a love story rather than saying on track with the expedition and the treacherous journey through the jungle. I wish it stayed more on topic instead of veering so far away from it. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a love story but it felt out of place to me here.

That being said, I enjoyed this one overall and would recommend for fans of fantasy and romance. There are some very dark and tough topics with this one, so readers should look into this one before venturing into it.

I sincerely appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

More a 3.5 Rounded to 4

This book was definitely more graphic than I anticipated but I overall enjoyed it. I find the world building rich and interesting and the main character investing. I would love to read more in a setting like this magical dangerous forest.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my digital ARC

Wildblood is an innovative and fresh YA/NA fantasy novel by Lauren Blackwood. Released 7th Feb 2023 by Macmillan on their Wednesday Books imprint, it's 336 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats.

This story engaged from the very beginning with creative and immersive world building (sentient biosphere!) and varied characters. The main protagonist is a young woman of color, a "wildblood" who has magical powers. The wildbloods are controlled by corporations in a perpetual serfdom. It's an interesting and surprisingly sensitively nuanced look at race and "othering" with a detailed and fascinating world.

The narrative isn't always polished and some of the dialogue is less than stellar. The characterizations (especially the villains of the story) are two dimensional and not especially absorbing to read about. There was little depth in the actual characters, but the star of the book is the setting, which elevates it to a worthwhile read.

Three and a half stars. The author is young and there are certainly glimmers of promise in this, her second release.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I spoke about this book on a bookhaul instagram live video and I liked this book. It was so good to read a book that takes place in the Caribbean and incorporates some Caribbean folklore/mythology.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

A harrowing tale of trauma and adversity in a setting that makes overcoming trauma difficult. This was a fantastically mapped out fantasy with complex characters that had unique powers. All of the characters had a powerful connection to each other that helped drive the story and their character growth. While this wasn't my cup of tea, I really appreciated the tough topics broached in the novel. Although this is pitched for teens, I would classify this is more appropriate for older teens rather than younger teens based on some of the sensitive topics presented.

Beautifully written, engaging characters, intriguing plot, and a central theme that makes your heart and your head expand. Absolutely brilliant!

***Thank you to NetGalley and to the publishers for providing me with a digital copy of this book for review.***

I enjoyed this book. Being from the Caribbean I appreciated the representation. I’d read more books from this author.

I really enjoyed Wildwood! For me, it started off a little slowly, picked up, slowed down a little again, and then the last third I was plowing through it really quickly. I think that the pace issues might just be one thing that, for Blackwood, will get tighter over time. I thought the characters were dimensional and captivating and that the story provided rich allegories for our society. I will definitely keep reading Blackwood’s work!

I really enjoyed this book and purchased it for my collection. It was originally requested for a program.

stronger in my opinion than within these wicked walls, but not by much. i'm a bit bummed, i see a lot of potential in blackwood but haven't felt she improved much between books. but some writers grow slower than others. rooting for you ms blackwood

Loved reading this story! The journey through the magical forest was such an adventure. The lead character is amazing! The story set in Jamaica during the Victorian era was atmospheric and moody. Enjoyed reading this overall.

Can we talk about how stunning this cover is? This book is magical in its own right, and I wish people would pick this up and add it to their TBRs! Though it had some parts that lost me, it was still amazing it I feel like it was more of me than the book. Regardless, please give this a chance!

Title: Wildblood
Author: Lauren Blackwood
Release Date: February 7th, 2023
Page Count: 327
Format: Netgalley/Audiobook
Start Date: February 19th, 2023
Finish Date: February 24th, 2023

Rating: 4 Stars

Review:

I wasn't sure I was going to love this book at first. It was kind of all over the place. Also, the way the main character was treated just really made me angry. I can appreciate the realism. The character is intended to be an underdog. It wasn't glamorized the way some underdog representations can be. I'm not sure if this is intended to be a series or not. If it is, I totally intend to follow the series. If not, I still plan to read other books by this author. That being said, I can now talk about how much this book hit me in the feels. I don't want to get too specific, but there were many parts that made me want to shout WHY out loud. I even considered throwing the book. Luckily, it was on an electronic device and I didn't want to break it! I do totally recommend the book. Just be prepared for the dark undertones.