Why you should consider picking this up:
*Based in Arthurian Legend, but they are steampunk Victorian aliens
*Feisty pet capybaras
*Interesting magic system & world building
*original plotting

Why you should stay:
This book is not just sassy capybaras & steampunk aliens. It's raw and original, full of exploration about duty and birthright. The pacing for this book is consistent, slowing when there needs to be depth and exposition and racing during high-stakes battles and moments. It does not feel like a 500 page book with how quickly I flew through it.

I am not a huge fan of insta-love types stories, but I feel as though the author handled the romance well with the main characters. I found the side characters to be interesting and I certainly didn't see the twist coming. Additionally, there were tons of words that I learned/rediscovered with this reading as I often do not come across them in every day life or in books I read. The language of the book does not feel overly clunky or pretentious, which can happen when utilizing the Thesaurus Soup to add to the setting.

I received a free ebook ARC from Netgalley and am never paid for my opinions.

The world building in this book is intense. It's like Arthurian Legend meets steampunk meets space opera. The main character, River, is her own person, but she also worries about the remaining members of her family. The setting and plot are unique enough to maintain interest through the entirety of the book.

Unfortunately, I like my fantasy light so this was a bit heavy for me in terms of world building. However, I think that people who love in depth world building in their fantasy and sci-fi will find this a welcome treat on their bookshelves.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book in exchange for my review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

I couldn't finish this book. I made it about 200 pages in and I couldn't do it anymore. It was a really cool concept and interesting worldbuilding, but it took wayyyyyy too long to actually get into the meat of the story. Also, the romance felt really out of nowhere? I mean I knew that Hadrian was going to be the LI but it still felt kind of forced. Like there was no real tension, River just started being awkward about him and we were meant to read it as sexy? I dunno.
I'm bummed. Maybe I'll give it another try down the line. but it just was not hitting for me.

I loved the use of language and culture in Of Blood and Light, and see it as a promising start to a new series of work and worlds. As a fan of science fiction/fantasy, I'm always looking for books that are unique and satisfying in these genres -- and this text does that.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review of this book**

Of Blood & Light by C. Monk is a wonderful story that will definitely captivate readers. Monk writes with an
enchanting blend of polished and ornate talent. The book presents readers with a portal style fantasy, where the hero River, gets kidnapped and taken to another planet incredibly similar to our world. Except, the world is imbued with magic, the same magical ichor that flows through her veins. She needs to find a way back home to take care of her little sister who is on her deathbed, but when she discovers her long lost twin might have been taken to the same place when she was five she teams up with her twins estranged husband. An enthralling adventure ensues. Queue enemies to lovers, strong sibling love, rich history, and an exciting new magic system. The premise of the story is immediately enthralling, filled with elements of magical blood, a haunting blight, family secrets, and my favorite forced proximity/enemies-to-lovers trope. C. Monk's storytelling abilities are nothing short of remarkable and gifted, allowing the reader to immerse themselves in a world crafted with immense depth and attention to detail.

The richness of the world-building is a testament to Monks writing skill. The world building is akin to that of Tolkien's work. The intricacies of the magical world and its history draw readers in, while the incorporation of various languages adds a certain authenticity and lived in feeling to the setting. One of the most outstanding aspects of the book is how Monk expertly blends modern linguistics with the eloquence of older forms of speaking. This blend adds a layer of sophistication and allure to the prose, while at the same time being relatable and funny while using modern slang within our heroines inner monologue. However, it's worth noting that if you find books like Lord of The Rings, or Pride and Prejudice a bit overwhelming or verbose, this book might present similar challenges as it, too, provides a substantial and language rich experience.

In conclusion, "Of Blood & Light" is a gem for fantasy enthusiasts who relish complex world-building, consuming storytelling, and an artful combination of language styles. If you're prepared for a substantial and rewarding reading journey, this book will easily leave you eager for more. I honestly can’t wait to hear Floe’s journey next.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
A pet capybara, unicorns, inspired by Arthurian Legends and a little romance/spice. I don’t know about you but I’m sold on those alone.
I really enjoyed this book, from the moment she woke up in a different world. I was in it needing to know why, how and when will she get home.
Some of the reveals were obvious to me, that didn’t stop me from saying “oh my gosh” to myself when they happened. But no spoilers from me to anyone who wants to read ;)
Save to say, I want more from the world of Thule.

This was a really interesting fantasy, romance from C Monk. Very easy to read, with fantastic Arthurian inspired world building. Standalone novel with potential spin offs.

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

This book surprised me. I’m genuinely impressed by the level of detail in the worldbuilding and backstory. The world-building and mythology of the world are compelling original despite the nods to other works, so Thule feels both fresh and comfortingly familiar. I’m a lover of excellent worldbuilding and this book delivered exactly that. I felt as though I was transported right into the story the moment the book starts. A nice little surprise was the setting being in Toronto (where I live) so it helped bring more life into the story. It's not a generic sort of worldbuilding either, you know, the one that you usually get with some other books, this one was so refreshing.

Of Blood and Light has a great magic system, interesting mechanics to them and even technology surrounded them. The world is old, yet also new and I personally loved that. I mean, have I mentioned how impressed I am?
 
All in all, I had massive fun with this book. A slower pace fantasy romance with great worldbuilding, interesting characters, an excellent magic system, and an original plot. Definitely an easily recommended book to those who love plot-driven fantasy romance with vibrant worldbuilding.

I'm not a terrible fan of Arthurian lore, I feel it's a legend that's been overdone. HOWEVER, this was riveting and really enjoyable! I'd say the story was more of an intricate dance of the author's unique world with wisps of established reference and an extension to the already created fable.

Monk does an incredible job of world building. Descriptions were on point and nothing felt overly repetitive. Her writing style is refreshing. I thoroughly enjoyed River's introduction to Thule's culture and how the reader discovered the meanings of each Thulish world along with her. Of Blood and Light contains one of the most naturally written exposures to a new language I've read in a long time.

Plot? 10/10. There were several times I audibly gasped due to a cliffhanger or unexpected outcome. I'm not a physically reactive reader so this even threw me for a surprise! I didn't know where the story was going next. There was a time or two when some bigger moments felt rushed and slightly anticlimactic but the aftermath was well composed so I didn't really mind it.

Speaking of rushed.

The connection between the main characters did seem that way considering they knew each other all of one day before throwing themselves at each other. It felt wrong considering Hadrian was her twin sister's husband--whether or not they consummated the marriage. So, I had a hard time rooting for their relationship. Once it was acknowledged that things were running too fast and that it wasn't proper, I felt a little better but still wished there was more tension and moments of non-sexual intimacy/bonding before they became so infatuated with each other. I suppose I discovered I'm not a fan of the quick or insta-love trope. That really is my only complaint and it faults on my own preference, otherwise, I loved this book.

I'd recommend this to NA readers who like in-depth world building, an awesome plot, a gentlemanly romance interest, and intimate scenes.

I received this title as an eARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Camilla Monk for the opportunity to read this treasure!

Definitely a great read, I appreciated its ability to capture my attention from the beginning and continue to hold it through out. I love how the world of Thule is in a way futuristic but Victorian. Definitely will read more from this author!

This book was such a delightful read, the level of detail with the language and worldbuilding was amazing but not overwhelming, the romance was great (although I'm a slow burn girlie myself) all wrapped up in a fast paced plot and Arthurian legend influences.

The plot of this story follows River Greer as she is plunged headfirst into the world of Thule, a parallel world where the descendants of Arthur and his knights of the round table still hold court, oh... and they have magic powers and Capybara's as pets.

What was really impressive to me was that although the worldbuilding is extensive and detailed at no point did I feel like I was being lore-dumped on, which is quite a feat given this is also a fish out of water story so would have been very easy to do. But neither did I feel overly confused by how this world worked, again, impressive. The only thing that did sometimes confuse me was trying to keep the many characters straight as some have similar names and there's a lot of them but this only happened occasionally and really only with more minor characters.

As for the romance, again this impressed me, I'm normally a slow burn girlie who can't stand when characters fall in love or lust too fast, but as much as I would have preferred it to take longer for these two to fall for each other it made sense that it happened sooner rather than later and I at least understood what they saw in each other and I was still very invested in them.

Now I will say although I did like certain other side characters I wasn't super invested in them except maybe 1 or 2 that I did want to know more about. I will say that for me River as protagonist was decent but wasn't amazing, she was smart and I really liked that, for example her figuring out bits of the Thule language from context clues of bits she'd heard before e.g. learning "come here" from someone calling the Capybara. But outside of this I didn't really have many strong feelings either way.

Overall I definitely enjoyed my time with the book and would for sure recommend it, especially if you love Arthurian legends with a twist.

<b> Thank you C. Monk, Yaypub, and Netgalley for a copy of this book to review. </b>


River carries the weight of the world on her shoulders. Daughter to a single biker turned (mostly) upstanding citizen, and sister to the medically complex, best friend Sage - she is keenly aware of her role in keeping her family protected, supported, and together. One night after rushing Sage to the hospital after collapsing River is kidnapped and taken from the world (literally) that she knows and thrown into Arthurian-meets-Victorian Thule. A world across the galaxy attached through a magical pathway/wormhole. In Thule she discovers that the reason for her abduction is a matter of <spoiler> not quite</spoiler> mistaken identity as she's assumed to be the missing wife of an ailing Duke. <spoiler> River discovers that the Dukes actual wife is actually her missing twin sister, who (along with their mother) had been kidnapped back to Thule almost two decades earlier) </spoiler>. Finding unlikely allies, unraveling the mysteries of the true history of Arthurs legend and finding a way home to save her sister become her new life mission -- oh and let us throw in a growing affection for the Duke <spoiler> and the complications of lusting over your twin sisters husband </spoiler>.

I really enjoyed reading this retelling of Arthur and his Knights. I loved Rivers a plomb and Hadrian's stoic moral compass. I'll be looking for book 2 in the series...

Title: Of Blood & Light
Author: C Monk
Publisher: Yaypub
Publishing Date: April 30, 2023
Pages: 496
Genre: Romance, Fantasy, New Adult
Rating: ☆☆☆

An across the universe, Arthurian adventure with complex fantasy aspects. This story takes us on a wild journey as the FMC, River, is transported/kidnapped from her world and thrusted off to Thule. In Thule, she is mistaken for the runaway wife of His Grace Hadrian Landevale of Caid.
The story has great pacing and an epic journey of two characters that are brought together in mysterious ways.
I really love a complex fantasy world, and the addition of Thule's own language, Thulish, really helps with the immersion of the story and makes it feel believable and interesting! The plot elements tie everything together nicely and I always felt like I knew what was going on.
The story is marketed for fans of SJM and V.E Schwab , which I completely agree with. The fantastical elements of SJM and the eerie darkness of V.E Schwab are the perfect match and create a very great story and characters.
It was a tad lackluster for me at times and I didn't get fully invested like I like to, which dampened my rating. The overall book was great and I would definitely recommend, but it was just missing that "it" factor that I crave from a book of this genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and Yaypub for sending this book for review consideration! All opinions are my own.

Of Blood & Light – C. Monk

I was given a copy of this book by the publisher in order to provide an honest review.

C. Monk is a Franco-American author who resides in Canada and has a love for squirrels.





River Greer has had a hard life, since her mother and twin sister vanished when she was a young girl – things have been hard for her and her father. Now add to the mix her younger sister Sage. Sage who has been sick for as long as River can remember, and she just seems to get worse with each passing day. Now Sage has gotten so sick she’s being rushed to hospital in an ambulance. River settles in for a long night waiting for answers and hoping it's not the worst, so when the doctor asks her to come with him, she doesn’t hesitate.

Then she is drugged and kidnapped only to awake in a world that is completely foreign to her for more than one reason. She finds everyone dressing as if they are from medieval times and speaking a language she has never heard before. Somehow River was transported across time and space to the land of Thule – the land of King Arthur and everything of that fated legend.

Her savior is Hadrian Landevale of Caid, who funnily enough, has been trying to locate his runaway wife. A wife who has an eerily resemblance to that of River. Hadrian soon learns she is not his wife, but something much more than she even realises – she may be the very key to destroying the blight that has been spreading across the lands of Thule.

If they can find a way to work together, they will uncover lost secrets from the past and free more than themselves and the people of Thule.



“Of Blood & Light” is a singular and remarkable tale that combines the modern world and the legendary world of King Arthur. At first, I found this book was hard for me to get into but once the plot started moving and things slowly started to unravel and reveal themselves, I really couldn’t put it down. The beautiful intricacies of the Arthurian legend that the author was able to weave into the story were great and, in my opinion, made it a more enjoyable and engaging read. The premise of the story I found to be distinctive and individual, which really just made it appeal all the more to me.

Of Blood and Light starts of by introducing us to River, our main protagonist as she tries to get to the hospital to see her little sister who is suffering from a mysterious illness that no-one seems to be able to diagnose. As the story progresses, we follow River as she gets kidnapped from the hospital and taken to another world which seems to be set in the 1800s which is so far removed from what she is use to.

At this point, we slowly come to know of mistaken identities (or perhaps not?), we meet a duke looking for his missing wife and a place where magic exists but is dying. As River navigates this world trying to find her way back to her little sister and father, she gets first into survival mode. We come to know of her twin sister and mother, details emerge and she embarks on a journey to rescue her sister all the while navigating a thin line between being friends with the duke and falling in love.

I quite enjoyed this book and loved the world building. The author has written the book in a simple manner making it easy to read and enjoy. The book falls under fantasy fiction and has all the wonderful elements of a gripping read: adventure, magic, romance, the importance of family. I enjoyed reading about the setting of the story and River's journey as she navigates a new world and people who want to get rid of her.

A truly enjoyable read, I recommend this book to all and am definitely looking forward to reading more books by the author!

I can't stop thinking about this book. It was such great world building and I loved so many characters! Full review on goodreads.

Of Blood and Light is absolutely Brilliant. A fast paced action packed tale of magical adventure.

Absolutely steller world building in this book with a fantastic backstory that is well laid out for the reader. Super characters you will absolutely fall in love with.

I loved this book… it was totally immersive you will be consumed into this wonderful world through this fantastical journey throughout this book.

I think that the overall premise of the book is intriguing but it’s a little too complicated for me at the moment. I wasn’t able to get lost in the world too much. The time differences from Thule and Earth were just too much and took me out of it. And I have a hard time remembering all the information that you get while reading fantasy books. But other than that, this book was great!

I was able to get an ARC copy of this book from Netgalley and this is my honest review. A captivating story, set in the fantasy world of King Arthur and Camelot. The story we know is basically a lie and the characters in the book have magical powers that they use to fight, heal, feed the land etc
It reminds me of beauty and the beast where the princess for the stern but loveable and charming master of the “castle”. This book gave me lots of laughs and tears from heartwarming scenes. Its a story of forgiveness, redemption, self revelation and fighting for what is truly right.
Thank you Netgalley for approving me to be an ARC reader for this book.