Of Blood and Light was quite the fantastical journey! We meet our MC River right at the beginning as she is racing with her sister Sage to the hospital. Sage has a chronic illness that the doctor's can't seem to determine the cause of and it seems as though she is nearing her end. River, ever determined to save her sister converses with the doctors only to end up in the fantasy land of Thule. There she is in search of solving several mysteries, with the aide of the handsome Hadrian, and did I mention there are capybaras?!

This fusion of fantasy with Arthurian legend mixed with Victorian era elements will immediately draw you in. I loved how the author so seamlessly melded the two ideas, gives us a little romance, a lot of fantasy, and overall a captivating story that will have you staying up late to read just one more page.

Overall, if you love fantasy (or capybaras) you will love this book. I truly couldn't put it down!

I might have tuned out a lot of the world building - but my god was I hooked with Of Blood And Light! I love River and her willingness to always sacrifice herself for those that she love. Hadrian is the only blonde MMC that I don’t hate! He is all gentleman but still would go to war. Reading OBAL had leaked an interest in learning more about the legend of the round table and the lore of Arthur and Lancelot.

Of Blood & Light
Thanks to NetGalley for the free ARC. This review is entirely my honest opinion of the book.
Rating: 4.5 stars
I could definitely tell that the author put a lot of time into the worldbuilding. It is pretty detailed with connections to Camelot, and a whole backstory on how Thule relates to Earth. Hadrian and River were both strong characters, and there was a good supporting cast. My only issue is that I don’t have a great attention span, and I started to get pretty bored in the middle of the book as the plot was slower. However, it managed to catch my attention as it picked up towards the end. There were a few plot twists that did surprise me, so that was a pleasant surprise. Overall, a fun read with an interesting world!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this ARC for an honest review!

I really struggled with this. I liked the premise. I wanted to like it. There was just too much going on. Monk could have cut out half, and it would have made much more sense and been an easier read. It could be me, but at certain points I had zero idea of what was going on because I couldn't focus on it.

It definitely would have benefited from a pronunciation guide and more frequent translations, or explanations for phrases.

Goodreads review posted on 5/19

Of Blood and Light is a captivating novel that explores the dark and dangerous world of magic and power. The author, C. Monk, has done an excellent job of creating a gripping story with well-developed characters and a unique setting.

The story centers around two main characters: a witch named Isadora and a vampire named Lucian. They are both struggling to find their place in a world that is hostile and unforgiving. As they navigate their way through the complexities of their respective worlds, they discover that they share a common enemy and must work together to overcome it.

One of the strengths of this novel is the way the author weaves together different elements of fantasy, magic, and horror to create a cohesive and engaging story. The characters are well-rounded and believable, and the plot is full of twists and turns that keep the reader on their toes.

Overall, Of Blood and Light is a well-crafted novel that will appeal to fans of urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and horror. C. Monk has created a compelling world that is both dark and magical, and the characters are sure to leave a lasting impression on readers. Highly recommended for those who enjoy a thrilling and immersive reading experience.

Started out very interesting: River, the FMC, is....let's say forcibly relocated...to Thule, a whole new realm, because she is a dead ringer for the MMC's (Hadrian's) missing wife. A few pages later we discover that the lifeblood of the place is running low despite MMC's efforts to avoid that. (Yes, this is simplifying it to an almost absurd degree.)

The world building in this story is fantastic. Truly up there with the best. Loved the plot, there was something to keep me interested and turning the pages. Usually I'm a fast reader but I had to take my time with this one to ensure I wasn't missing anything (and somehow I feel like I still did lol)

4 stars because I felt like River fell into line too easily with the archaic views of women on Thule, and also because I felt like the falling-for-Hadrian bit came a bit too early.

Overall, though, definitely one of my faves for the year.

(Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC I exchange for an honest review.)

I liked the description of this book, and the story itself is fine. I just really don't like first person present narrative, so I couldn't settle in.

THIS WAS SO GOOD - I can feel a reading slump approaching because of how much I enjoyed this book

Hadrian and River 🩷🥹

The world building is INTENSE but well written - the addition of Thulish gave the story a very distinct setting and vibe

The characters in this story were incredibly well written, in my opinion, and there was a lot of character growth 🤩

I also loved the fact that our MC stayed true to her goal <3 River is very inspiring 😌

Rating: 8/10 – 4 stars out of 5
Genre: Fantasy

In this story we find River, a girl who has fight against the disappearance of his mother and her twin, Floe, and the weird and impossible-to-cure-illness of her little sister, Sage. But one day it changes and she results kidnapped and entry into a new world.

I didn’t expect that... but I loved this book. It’s a fantasy novel that includes capybaras, some type of magic, a retelling of the Arthuric legend and Gods. It sound like a really complicated mix, and I read it like it. But, however, it fits perfectly. It’s a little predictable in a certain way and it looks fast.

The map and the media kit that the author offers in her web are such really good artworks. I liked them.

It sounds a little bit weird that River, the main character, could do everything that happen in the book in the time lapse of a week. It is a really short time to know how to act in such any situations. Anyways, she doesn’t do a lot of things in the book.

The stories of Floe and Sfjona are very interesting and I will love to read about them.

/////////

Calificación: 8/10 – 4 estrellas de 5
Género: Fantasía

En esta historia encontramos a River, una chica que ha tenido que lidiar con la desaparición de su madre y su gemela, Floe, y la extraña enfermedad sin cura de su hermana pequeña, Sage. Pero un día todo cambia y ella resulta secuestrada y entra en un nuevo mundo.

No me lo esperaba... pero me encantó este libro. Es una novela de fantasía que incluye capibaras, algún tipo de magia, un recuento de la leyenda artúrica y algunos dioses. Suena como una mezcla realmente complicada, y lo leí así. Pero, sin embargo, encaja perfectamente. Es un poco previsible y se siente rápido.

El mapa y el media kit que ofrece la autora en su web son unas obras de arte realmente buenas. Me gustaron.

Suena un poco raro que River, el personaje principal, pudiera hacer todo lo que sucede en el libro en el lapso de tiempo de una semana. Es muy poco tiempo para saber cómo actuar en cualquier situación. De todos modos, ella no hace muchas cosas en el libro.

Las historias de Floe y Sfjona son muy interesantes y me encantaría leer sobre ellas.

I absolutely fell in love with this book, it’s a mix of Arthurian legend, magic and romance and everything is done so well. The world building is amazing, although I takes a bit of time to fully understand everything, I loved learning about this new magical system and found everything so interesting. The characters were also incredibly well written, with a strong female lead who is also very compassionate and funny (there’s a lot of great humour in this). Overall this is a really great book and a strong start to a series I can’t wait to read more of.

“You will always be half of my heart”

I really fell in love with this one.
The beginning was a bit confusing with alot of worldbuilding. But so so good!
I loved the writing style and the way the story has a build up.

Characters were well thought out, most had a very established presence which gave the story even more heart.

The lovestory was so good ! The slowburn, touch her and you die.
This was one of the best reads of 2023 so far !

The level of detail in the world-building and backstory are just fantastic, though I did find it difficult to follow the more the story progressed. Nonetheless, it didn’t impact my enjoyment as the writing is excellent, with a quickly moving storyline. The plot is a mix of historical romance/fantasy/Arthurian legend. It was extremely engaging overall, and I couldn’t put it down.
We learn about the world of Thule alongside our heroine River, who is abducted from Earth due to mistaken identity, embarking her on an epic adventure and romance along the way.

I love Camilla Monk’s Spotless series, and this book did not disappoint!
 I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. Thank you to Netgalley and Camilla Monk for allowing me access to Of Blood and Light

4.5 stars rounded up.

This was close to a 5-star for me. It's just a bit too long and meandering. The writing is excellent. The characters are interesting and dynamic. The worldbuilding is fantastic. We get to see a few different places here that were really unique and magical. The magic system was also intriguing, though I would have liked it expanded upon. I was also a fan of the humour.

"In another drawer, she finds a sheaf of fashion plates featuring detailed instructions on how to style your hair so that you, too, can look like a sentient chandelier this season."

"It's my second awkward and silent carriage ride in less than twenty-four hours: I'm getting the hang of this. The trick is to pointedly avoid each other's eyes and keep your expression as inviting as a gas station restroom. You may choose to ramp up the tension by slowly stroking your capybara like a supervillain"

This book is described as a bodice ripper. A bodice ripper it is not. Nary a bodice gets ripped. There are 1-2 intimate scenes, but they are vague and not why you should be reading this book. It is a romance, and the romance is written well, but don't go into this expecting smut.

We start off with River in modern day Toronto, but this is a portal fantasy with a historical romance flare, and so soon River's cell is dead with no way to recharge it, and she has to wear crotchless ginch for practicality's sake.

I was quite delighted to find that this book was most excellent, having been so greatly disappointed in my last few reads. Were it a bit shorter, or perhaps arranged slightly differently, I would have given it 5 stars.

This is an awesome twist to the Arthurian legend. I couldn't put it down and has to keep reading. Nice twists and turns that keeps you engaged. Well developed world building, with it’s own language. If you like fantasy and adventure with a dash of romance, give OBAL a try. You’ll love the characters and the story.
Caring for her sick sister, River finds herself abducted and transported to another world, which is inhabited by ichorites and where there’s a blight nobody knows how to stop.
Looking forward for more from this author.

3.5 stars

Imagine you’re rushing to the hospital with your chronically ill sister when you’re snatched away by some mysterious strangers. You’re taken through a portal and essentially told you’re a criminal and you’re about to be locked up. Well that’s what happens to to River one night as she is thrust into a world that doesn’t make sense, there is magic and strange creatures and a whole bunch of misogyny.

I enjoyed the mystery around how everything was going to click into place and spent a lot of time trying to guess what was going to happen. Also the capybara thing was funny.

There was a whole lot of world building and explaining of things around the knights and, I guess, how it all fits in with our knowledge of the old tales of King Arthur, Lancelot etc. Also, at the end of the book there was a whole bunch of information on the language and the characters and how they fit into every hunt. So if that’s you’re thing then you’ll probably love this book.
It was a bit Bridgerton, with its rules, fancy clothes and proper language.

RIP Jimothy

Single POV, low spice, 18+

I was able to read this book thanks to Net Galley, and I am so happy I was able to read it. I will admit that one of my unpopular opinions is that I didn't really love the ACOTR series. This book, however, felt like it had a similar vibe, but I found it much more enjoyable.

The story is a mix of the modern world, pseudo-Victorian England and Arthurian myth. To be honest, I had a lot of skepticism that this would work, but thanks to the author skillful prose, it does! The characters feel fully developed, multi-dimensional, and fully believable. The mystery is actually interesting, and keeps the page turning. And the sex scenes are pretty spicy to boot ;-)

While no book is perfect, and I certainly had some quibbles with the way the relationship between the main character and her love interest developed, I found those easy to overlook given the overall excellent quality of the book. Can't wait to read more in this universe!

I have long been a fan of Camilla Monk’s books and so was thrilled to be offered an ARC of her latest book. Tonally this is quite different to her earlier books, such as the Spotless series. Thematically it is closer to Still, both taking a modern American/Canadian woman and placing them in a world of ‘magic’ and using an existing mythology on which to base that world. I really enjoyed the way that worked in Still and likewise in this book.

This book takes the legends of Camelot as its basis and the weaves its own mythology around that in a new and interesting way, leaving enough that you recognise the references but taking things in a very different direction.

The characters were mostly well developed and I enjoyed River’s interactions with the people (and animals) she meets throughout the course of the story.

Overall this is a darker, more serious story than most of the author’s previous work but it does still have humorous characters and moments of levity and does a good job of expressing River’s difficulties in adjusting to a world with very different rules and mores.

I will admit I occasionally forgot who some of the minor characters were when they reappeared later on in the story as there are quite a lot but there was a handy glossary at the end if needed.

This was an enjoyable read and I look forward to more stories set in this world.

After an interesting twist on the legend of King Arthur and his round table? Well, you’ve found it in Of Blood & Light.
Learn about the world of Thule alongside River, who is abducted from Earth due to mistaken identity. There is a lot at play – politics, families, and Blight, the illness that is slowly killing the land of Thule, despite all efforts – and they are all cogs that turn to make the story as wonderful as it is.
The world-building is well-developed - a mix of magic, Arthurian legends, and some Victorian stylings (unfortunately the Victorian sentiment somewhat carries over with the way in which women are treated in the book – characters can come across as misogynistic in certain aspects).
It is also worth noting that there is romance in this book (a little bit complicated, seeing as he is technically her brother-in-law…) but only black pepper amount of spice.
Would recommend if fantasy with a splash of romance is your thing.

Review posted on Goodreads on May 3rd, 2023. Link to review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5523583043

<b>Arthurian legend, bodice-ripping, and capybaras: welcome to Thule!</b>

Oh yeahhh. This might be one of the most refreshing books I've read this year yet. I mean can we get some round of applause on this one?

<img src="https://media.tenor.com/029LgfMnsisAAAAC/applause-leonardo-dicaprio.gif" width="200" height="200" alt="description"/>

You have given me a new life, Ms Monk.

I came into this one with low expectations, as I usually do with new-to-me authors. Plus, it promised us an Arthurian legend (something I'm kinda in the mood for lately idk why), and, it features my newest animal obsession:

<img src="https://static1.straitstimes.com.sg/s3fs-public/styles/large30x20/public/articles/2023/04/26/rdcapybara203_2.jpg?VersionId=_ABmGfqgpRfu82Yzl_53iGcfTJlIDqFz" width="250" height="200" alt="(the capybara, not the cat)"/> (the capybara, not the cat)

So, with that in mind, this book surprises me. The level of detail in the worldbuilding and backstory, I am impressed. I'm a whore for an excellent worldbuilding and this book delivered. I feel like I was transported right into the story the moment the book starts. It's not a generic sort of worldbuilding, you know, the one that you usually get with some other books. This one got a great magic system, interesting mechanics to them and even technology surrounded them. I mean, have I mentioned how impressed I am? The last time I was impressed by a magic system, it was the Hidden Legacy series.

And the characters? Oooohh, we got no asshole alpha hero in this one guys. WE HAVE A GENTLEMAN!

<blockquote><b><i>"Will you forgive me this one sin?"</i></b></blockquote>

<img src="https://media.tenor.com/Avxsk6MXOT0AAAAC/funny-girl.gif" width="270" height="200" alt="description"/>

I know, I'm regressing to a teen a bit here but bear with me for a while. It has been a hot minute since I read a genuinely good hero that doesn't overpower our girl with his alpha-ness. And our girl, River, what a fantastic protagonist. She's smart, something that I don't think the author portrayed that well, and drama free from what I can tell. You don't get that airhead attitude from her, the one that creates complicated situations wherever she goes. Well, she did create one huge complicated situation, not on her own will of course.

And the plot? I think I'll end it here since I want you to read it on your own. All I can say is that it's original and darker than I expected (not something I usually found in a fantasy romance but definitely in horror and those <i>dark</i> romances).

All in all, I have a 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 received an ARC copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange of my honest review. *

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read rage and review this arc which is now available.

A bodice ripping fantasy in Proto-Celtic about Authorian Legends? Yes! A million times yes! Oh my god this was so so good and unique and good lord I loved every single word. It evoked such moments of clarity in my imaginings as I read. Go read this book now!