My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Let's start with the good. That cover is STUNNING. Blackwood crafts a cool world and premise--colonial era Jamaica, but with magic. As an illustration and critique of colonialism, indenture, exploitation, and colorism, Wildblood is brilliant and effective.

As a story, it missed the mark for me. The dialogue made me cringe, especially in crafting the focal romance and other moments of interpersonal connection and conflict. On a more personal note, I had a very hard time connecting with Victoria only surrounding herself with male friends and companions, who she calls "my boys." As a girl's girl, I have a hard time relating to female characters who seem disdainful of female friendship. And on that note...why *is* Victoria hated by the other Wildbloods? It's not well explained and felt brushed over and trivialized (haters gonna hate). The reason for the rivalry between her and her ex only becomes apparent at the end and also was exceedingly hard for me to get my head around. And why is she is ready to excuse Thorn's misdeeds when she seems to otherwise struggle with trust in relationships? I had a very hard time understanding anyone's motivations.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

really enjoyed Blackwood's 2021-debut, Within These Wicked Walls. I loved the atmosphere, rich with gothic vibes and found the plot to be dark and engaging. Therefore, when I heard about Blackwood's sophomore effort, Wildblood, I was super excited to get to it. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to connect to this as well as I did with Blackwood's first book. I feel like this is a personal taste issue, but the plot and atmosphere of this novel left me wanting. That being said, I am certain other readers will enjoy

2.5 stars

I almost DNF'd this one as well. The only thing that saved this book? I could read it quickly. The world Blackwood creates is remarkably harsh and violent which does not necessarily turn off the reader. In fact, I found atmosphere the only decent element of this book. The explanations, or rather the lack thereof, keep the reader constantly scratching their head in confusion. This includes a horrifically traumatic event that occurs to the main character a year prior to the start of the narrative that gets blurted out as an accusation by the main character (towards another character) but not explained via flashbacks until several chapters later. Additionally, the villains meet quick, anti-climactic ends and the included love story nauseated me. Unfortunately, I really did not enjoy this book.

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!

I don't ever remember requesting Wildblood because after reading the synopsis it's definitely something I'm not really all that interested in reading.

WILDBLOOD by Lauren Blackwood is an enchanting and captivating fantasy novel that takes readers on a thrilling journey through a Jamaican jungle filled with ghostly monsters and soul-devouring river spirits. The story follows the fierce and determined Victoria, a Wildblood tour guide who must confront her past and prove herself to her corrupt company's new client, Thorn.

As always Blackwood’s prose is to die for. However, compared to WITHIN THESE WICKED WALLS, the worldbuilding was slightly underwhelming.

The characters are well-developed and complex, with Victoria's personal growth being a highlight of the novel. From her struggles with her past to her determination to prove herself, readers will root for Victoria as she faces both external and internal obstacles.

Although the plot can be a bit predictable at times, Blackwood's sophomore novel is a thoroughly enjoyable read that will leave readers wanting more. I give it 4 out of 5 stars!

I just could not get into this. Like Lauren Blackwood's first book, there just wasn't enough world building for me. It was a cool concept but the execution was just lacking.

A tour guide in a magical, ghost-filled jungle -- how could that be anything less than perfection!

Unfortunately this was a case of the premise being better than the actual work and I'm so sad I didn't love it more. It quickly became less about the jungle and more about a love triangle between her ex and the new boy. I don't know what kissing your teeth means, but *everyone* was doing it. "Kissing his teeth." "she kissed her teeth." "they kissed their teeth." It was such a strange phrase that was overused and took me out of the book every single time.

This is book is not for the faint of heart. There is a lot of violence and death. It did not feel gratuitous and was necessary to the progression of the story. The main character, Victoria, is a strong capable female protagonist. And like many strong capable females is often ignored and belittled to make the men feel better about their inadequacies. Victoria was kidnapped as a child and forced to work as a tour guide in a Jamaican jungle. Victoria has some magic and is referred to as a wildblood. Wildbloods are used and discriminated against. Victoria is extra special though because she has a tie to the jungle that others do not. I really appreciated the ending of this book and the message it sends to girls about their worth.

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.