Oh my goodness!!!

Dark, gritty, emotional, filled with action, and the relationship was PERFECTION!!! It took me far too long to finish this book. The world building was phenomenal!! I was honestly dragging my feet because I didn’t want to fly thru it but when I tell you that Kai is deliciously addictive and the love he has for his girl, Miya, **chef’s kiss! The connection between the two MCs was beautiful! They’re there for each other, supporting each other and loving each other in a way that was relatable. Trauma can cause some really ugly consequences and sometimes it’s hard to let others see us afterwards. This story touched base on some pretty heavy things but it also shows you what can happen when you have people that stand by your side.

Wildblood was a fun fast paced book I enjoyed the take on shifters and the interesting take on supernatural beings. The use of different folklore and myths was amazing and made me want to continue to learn more.
I love that this book shows us the mental health aspects behind some of these morally grey MCs that we love and how they go about healing traumas from their pasts (sometimes they just need a shove in the right direction by a strong-willed FMC).
I loved all the characters in this book and thought they were well written and gave a lot to the story. I have got to say I would love myself a Gavran!
I read this book prior to the The Chaos Cycle but now cannot wait to jump into that duology to learn more about this world.

I did really enjoy this story a lot more than I thought I was going to. The world building was well done and the characters were nicely fleshed out. I will be picking up other books from this author. Closer to 4* than 3* but I can't do halves.

I absolutely enjoyed this book and ate it up in a handful of sittings. The writing is wonderful, the characters loveable but damaged. Everything I asked for when diving into this genre.

I wasn’t intrigued enough by this story if I am being honest. I had to DNF at 10%. I could immediately feel that this story was not for me. I don’t know what it is exactly but the vibe wasn’t there for me. Maybe I’ll try to give it another shot some other time.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this e-ARC.

Wildblood is a fascinating story combining folklore and urban fantasy with a thoughtful exploration of relationships, mental health, and intergenerational trauma.

While it continues the stories of the characters in Vrana's previous duology, the book can be read as a standalone. The author takes the time to explain the relevant backstories of characters as we meet them without making the story feel repetitive or overly explanatory. While the story initially started on the slower side, once it picked up, I could not put the book down. There were plenty of twists and turns that kept me engaged and even surprised me at times. The found family the main characters have is colorful and such an engaging part of the book as well. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book and cannot recommend reading it enough! The only caution I would offer is for those who may find reading about PTSD and its effects on a person's life triggering, please know that is a central theme of this book. While I found it extremely well done, take care of yourself and your mental health.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, BooksGoSocial, and the author for providing me with an ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Dark fantasy that is well written. Definitely check trigger warnings. Really really good. Beautiful writing and imagery.

Thank you NetGalley and author for approving me to read the ARC.

I have a hard time reading this book because I feel like I always missed out on many things.

For this to be called a standalone book, I disagree. BUT it is the push for me to search for the first book. I NEED to read the origin story of Kai and Miya!

“Kai didn’t have a choice for most of his life, and now he has you.” “…it was Kai, who breathed life back into Miya’s world.”
They are so sweet together. Miya said they honed each other like blades, I really want to see how they fall in love, when they are in actions. I have a funny feeling that I can adore and hate them at them same time.

I didn’t want to spoiler BUT the chapter of Kai’s fight, I laugh HARD. Kai is such a genius to trust his instinct and Miya oof- Miya is a force of nature. A. J. Vrana, I will have to need another book of Kai and Miya!

Dnf unfortunately at 10%
I was beyond excited to read this but i guess the writing style is not for me and the idea of an already established couple made me question why do i read this if some things are already established

“Even when you’re broken, even when you’re shaped by the emptiness inside you, it’s worth it. You find other things to fill that fxxking void… I lost who I was but not who I am.”

One day I might grow out of loving morally grey MMCs, but today is not that day, because Kai Donovan has won my heart. Wildblood by A.J. Vrana is a sister novel to The Chaos Cycle Duology, but it can be read as a standalone. I haven’t read the duology and didn’t feel lost or out of place. There are some references and mentions to the events that transpire in those books, but they would probably only assist in informing you of background rather than providing any necessary information.

Wildblood puts much more of a focus on Kai, including his history, trauma, and events that have shaped his life now. The author creates this incredibly dark and immersive world filled with creatures of the night and a constant power struggle. I absolutely loved Miya’s character as the ethereal Dreamwalker. She is portrayed as someone so kind and loving and then has this incredibly badass power, and she realises just how powerful she is towards the end of the book. The book explores her and Kai’s relationship, and she is always there for him through everything, and in return he is her protector in the waking world.

I wish there was more of an explanation of why many people were what I assume were mortals, why some had magic, others had shapeshifting abilities etc, and whether these abilities were frowned upon or generally kept hidden or if everybody just lived harmoniously (well, as much as they can in a city ruled by opposing factions).

This has a bit of spice in it, but it is only an accompaniment to the main story. I was absolutely hooked and genuinely enjoyed this story so much.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the author for the eARC of this book 💕

Going into this knowing that this was a standalone from a duology was quite difficult- I always felt like I was missing some reference here and there. But still, I persevered and the author did their best to fill in the gaps with the background worldbuilding so I did appreciate that. That being said, I felt like the first half of the book dragged a bit, possibly due to my lack of understanding the series and world already built, so it took me quite some time to get through this book. At around the 60% mark did it start picking up for me, the plot revealed itself, and more importantly to me, the character development for Kai that was slowly being written across the first half. This became a story about identity, which was fascinating and unbeknownst to me, would be the highlight as I spent so much time disinterested in his turmoil which felt very dramatic. However, I did enjoy how his story of self identity and reflection would tie into the main conflict of the book and ultimately turn into a story of growth and passing it onto others. This book was mostly a 3 star read for me until the end so giving it a 4 overall.

I LOVED this book!! I will come back and write a more in depth review because I feel it deserves that but for now I will say:
1. I was hooked from the very beginning
2. The writing style is stunning
3. The worldbuilding is so engaging
4. The characters are endearing, interesting and so fleshed out. Both the main and side characters
5. Kai Donovan I am your number one fan🥇

All of the stars!!

Despite I don't fully understand the world-building that has me lot in struggling to always keep on track every time I read, I really really enjoy the chemistry between main characters here. The tension between them has made me giggle throughout the book. Kai is someone who keep all the things done by himself with his sarcastic vibes is even hard to get to close with him. But with Miya, her soft and tender character, they find each other able to work together, acknowledge their flaws and accept each other true color. I love both of them. This book is an epic read for me afterall.

Thank you to Natgalley and BooksGoSocial for providing me the ARC copy of this book, and thank you so much for the author for writing this book!

Kai Donovan is an underground fighter in South Boston. He doesn’t lose his fights until one day against an unknown (to Kai), he ends up obligated to the underworld. They wants the recovery of a prize craved by Boston’s most dangerous criminals. What is this prize? His partner Miya has the ability to cross dreams. She spends her days doing supernatural investigation. She is asked to find a missing teenager. Will she find the teenager? She suspects that there may be another with her type of special skills. Kai has a dark past that has returned to haunt him. Kai thought the bonds were ironclad. He’s faced with a choice: to unravel his blood-soaked history or lose himself and the life he’s put together. What will Kai do?

The author has created a dark urban fantasy. It is an emotional journey. It is a dark and Britt novel. I liked how it was spooky at times. Kai was a character that I enjoyed learning his background and his devotion to Miya. This was one of the est dark urban fantasy books I’ve read





——–

What really stood out to me in Wildblood was the strong influence of Slavic culture and mythology woven throughout the story. As a Slav myself, it’s rare to find a fantasy novel that so clearly draws on aspects of my heritage. The inclusion of the domovoy, the mischievous household spirit, was a highlight for me—it's not often these fascinating creatures get the spotlight in fantasy, and I loved seeing them brought to life in such a unique way.

Another refreshing element was the portrayal of an established couple working through their relationship issues. In a genre dominated by the "will they/won't they" tropes, it was nice to see characters already in a relationship, tackling the complexities of love, trust, and conflict. It was a welcome shift from the usual "meet cute" romance narrative and gave the story a more mature and grounded feel.

The aspect of gods transforming into wolves also intrigued me, and I’ll admit that it initially drew me to the book. However, as the story unfolded, I found myself more captivated by the dreamwalker and the dreamscape. I couldn’t help but picture it like the Upside-Down from Stranger Things—dark, twisted, and full of mystery. Maya’s ability to navigate between these two worlds, with all their tension and danger, was by far the most captivating part of the book.

The diversity of characters and settings also contributed to the overall depth of the story. It gave the world a more realistic and layered feel, something that made it stand out from other fantasy novels.

That being said, despite all the elements I enjoyed, I found it difficult to fully immerse myself in the story. I couldn’t help but struggle to stay engaged, and it often felt like a chore to pick the book back up after putting it down. Maybe it’s a reflection of my own mindset right now, but I do wonder if a tighter, more condensed version of the story (perhaps trimming some of the pages) might have kept the momentum going better.

Ultimately, while Wildblood is undeniably well-written, with unique metaphors and a rich narrative, I didn’t find myself as absorbed as I had hoped. It’s a book with a lot to offer, and I would still recommend it to fans of atmospheric fantasy and those interested in Slavic mythology. For me, though, it just wasn’t the page-turner I expected.

The banter in this book has me in an absolute
CHOKEHOLD. I was giggling, screaming, kicking my feet and absolutely devouring the snarky tension between the characters! If up to banter and characters alone this would be an easy 5 star read.

The plot is good, I really enjoyed the folklore aspects and how different cultures crossed and combatted the other. The sequence of events made sense and progressed quickly but I just felt it was convoluted at times. The world building was a lot and I was struggling to keep up at times, in saying that I haven't read any of this authors other work and I believe they're surrounding the same characters so this could be on me. I will be picking up the other books because of how much I loved these characters.

Kai and Miya may be skyrocketing up my list of favourite main characters. Kai's sarcastic charm and his inability to seek help coupled with Miyas open heart and tenderness worked so well together. I love how they both acknowledge their flaws and accept each other for who they are- it's refreshing from the main characters who strive for perfection that they'll never reach.

I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read a ARC of this book. This is my honest opinion.

DNF at 52%

I was looking forward to this book, considering it features an established couple. But it is definitely not a standalone, and I think this marketing is doing the book a disservice. I see that many other reviewers agree, and really I wish I had seen that prior to requesting this title on NetGalley.

Although it seemed like there were recaps of major events from a previous series, I felt like I was really missing out on things I definitely should have already known. This is clearly a sequel.

There was too much telling instead of showing about Kai and Miya's relationship, I would have liked the intimacy of an established couple to take precedence, and it didn't feel like that.

The smut was also weird and just not to my taste, there was a scene very early on that seemed incredibly rushed and confusing. And I really dislike having to read a scene multiple times to try and work out what position they are in.

Also, I found Kai's chapters a little weird, too many things were compared to turds as insults, and I had no interest in so much detail when it came to all the fighting.

Unfortunately, I'm going to leave it here.

I will not be rating this book because I did not manage to finish it.
Personally I could not get into it and failed to connect with the characters in the first 15% of the book. I normally expect by this point in the book, which is currently page 61, to find one element of the story to spark my interest. Unfortunately, this hasn’t happened and it’s probably because I have not read the other books set in this universe ( The Chaos Cycle Duology).
The book has high ratings overall, so I expect it’s quite a good story by the end.

Thank you Netgalley, the publisher, and author for the ARC copy.

dnf @ 30%

this book wasn’t bad by any means, i just couldn’t get into the story or connect with the characters. it’s probably because i didn’t read the chaos cycle duology beforehand, so i’d highly recommend starting with that before diving into this one.

dnf @ 10%

i can tell already the writing style is not for me. it's overly ornate and flowery making it difficult to read. long chapters plus wordy sentences leaving me confused and taking me out the story. main characters are already in a established relationship which i don't think is for me either (this is just personal preference)