"Don't do anything I would do."

Of Wicked Blood begins, as with most books about magic, with a letter. We meet Slate first- a young man who's grown up an orphan in the foster care system, confident and cocky, our generic bad boy, who's currently doing pretty well for himself. He's been summoned to the small town of Broom (or Broome? I listened to the audiobook) to claim his inheritance.

We meet Candace next, our purest pure female MC, who up until now has not had a plethora of male attention, even though she is exceptionally attractive. She's grown up as the daughter of the head of the university, lived and breathed the origin story of magic and myths, but they're all just stories, right?

The two meet on New Years Eve, right after Slate spends a little time grave-robbing, and they are instantly attracted to each other. Honestly, their chemistry works, although it does feel like it side-tracks the plot constantly. This would generally not have been an issue except for the fact that I was invested in the plot, really appreciated the magic system and just wanted to know more about it.

Of Wicked Blood has a gorgeously dark academia atmospheric vibe to it, and a fun cast of characters. I genuinely enjoyed listening to the audiobook (hilariously, the male narrator sounds like he's trying to impersonate Batman in the beginning, but it levels off and I wasn't mad about it).

My biggest peeve with this was just that all the characters were constantly horny. This just means they spent so much time on-page checking each other out, and considering making out with each other, there was almost more of that than there was plot- and I was really liking the plot!

My second biggest peeve was that for most of the book, the female characters only thought about or talked about the male characters and very little else. It'd be nice to see more personality beyond who they'd like to climb.

As a fist book in a series, it was fun, it was kinda steamy, the plot was interesting, and I'm interested to see where the series goes! It definitely has promise, and I'd recommend it for a good time.

A note on the audiobook: the narration was great- I loved both voice actors for their characters and thought they did a brilliant job of bringing them all to life (Batman aside).

To the Author and Netgalley thank you for giving me the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. It is my first audiobook I have done as I am more used to reading words but since I have to drive in to work I found it easy to listen to in the car. Warning for people who do the same I found I had to sit in the car park to finish the chapter because it was so engrossing and I couldn't stop halfway through. I LOVED this book. Being of Fantasy Genre it was right up my alley and I have been looking for a new series to get into. The descriptions of the locations and characters brought the book to life and I find myself when reading skipping some of the describing sections and going straight to the action but the audiobook kept me on track and I'm so glad it did. The bodily descriptions of the characters physical responses to situations and their inner thoughts were so well described I found myself getting lost in the two main characters immediately. The book had a good sense of humour throughout and the action was split up nicely with moments of calm. The romantic storyline kept the mood from getting too dark and was very easy to listen to. There is a bit of cursing so keep in mind for younger audiences. I initially didn't like the French phrases and words interspersed with the narrative however it grew on me and became as much a part of the story as the rest of the storyline and wasn't distracting.
I can't wait for Book number 2 to come out and I have already pre ordered it on my Kindle.
Thankyou!

Of Wicked Blood is a seriously fun new young adult fantasy series.

Slate Ardoin grew up in the foster system and is no stranger to the darker sides of life. One day he receives a missive from someone claiming to know his darkest wish, his origins. They claim to have not only his history but also his inheritance AND are offering to give him a free ride at the local Brume college. Angry and hurt, Slate decides to meet with his sudden illustrious benefactor and tell him where he can shove his goodwill. Upon arriving in Brume, nothing is as he expected. The town is overrun with witches. Real, Harry Potter witches with hats and everything. So his only solution is to get drunk and cause mayhem. Only, that gets him in a sticky situation and before he knows it, the pretty girl he met is the daughter of the smarmy bastard who let him rot in the foster system. Oh, and now he's cursed and he has 2 weeks to solve the mystery.

Overall, the mystery aspect of the story was fun. The pacing was alternately fast and then slow, which is not necessarily a good or bad thing. Cadence felt alternately very young and wise beyond her years, which can be fairly typical for a 17-year-old. However, sometimes the young and the old weren't as you would typically expect. Her language and mindset were sometimes very mature but you might expect that from the daughter of a man who ran a school. Sometimes I got a little creeped out by her continued calling her father Papa, it felt very young and childish. I don't know, maybe it's an American thing, but once you reach a certain age calling your father "Daddy" is a little creepy. *shrug*

I am super intrigued about the little love triangle aspect between Cadence and Adrian and Slate. Yay. I know, things kind of end with a certain leaning but I feel there may be more to tell. Yay! This novel is a clean one so no worries on the younger set reading it or if that's just really not your bag.

The narrators, Holly Fielding and Thomas Locklear, did a wonderful job. Each character had distinct voices and intonations and I really enjoyed it. That being said, as this is a book set in Great Britain and one of the main characters grew up in Paris, I would have expected more French and UK accents of the characters instead of typical American accents. That really is my only possibly not gleaming comment. I seriously enjoyed them.

I am absolutely looking forward to the next book in The Quatrefoil Chronicles.

*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

I love the dual narration, a bit funny at times. Great story completely different with a great thief attempting to use his skills for not good but not completely the wrong reasons

Slate Ardoin is mysteriously called to Broom, the birthplace of magic in France. Unfortunately while he’s there his stealing habit brings a lot more than he bargained for. He is stuck in Broom, and will die there, if he and three others don’t successfully defeat four curses.
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the Audiobook of Of Wicked Blood. It’s an exciting storyline, with a unique plot to it. The chapters alternate between Slate and Cadence, with two different narrators for the audio version.
Hearing their different thoughts and feelings throughout the story is interesting, as most novels follow just one character around.
I loved learning about Brooms history, following the four as they complete their challenges and seeing Slate & Candences relationship change and develop.
The narrators really help the storyline along, both have voices that are easy to listen to and that keep your interest.
I will definitely be looking out for the next in this series.

I had zero expectations going into this book, as I was not familiar with either author. I was pleasantly surprised to find the book was fabulous! The main character starts with some intense language but eventually it tones down a bit. The book is overwhelming science fiction but has a romantic overtone. The book was very well-written, not overly verbose or graphic while providing just the right amount of information. I do like there was a conclusion of sorts, especially since this is planned to be a series. I do see some of the loose threads that will need to be addressed in the next book. I can't wait to read the second one!

3.75 stars

I really enjoyed this book. The magic and the mystery were amazingly done. I personally think audiobook is the best way to go with this because the narrators make you dive in the story and it traps you there. I found myself just sitting listening completely wrapped up in the mystery that was unveiling.
I really like Slate and Candace but for me Bastian stole the show. I adored him!! His witty banter with Slate were very fun to read.
Now, I'm eagerly waiting for the next book!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This really was not for me. Could not get into the storyline, the audio bored me and I couldn’t concentrate on it.

Thanks for the opportunity

Whoa this book took me by surprise in the best possible way.

It starts with a broken boy getting a letter from someone who knew his real parents were and that he had an inheritance he needed to come collect and a rich girl who was crushing on a family friend who thought of her as a sister. I won't lie.. the beginning was a little off putting. I was afraid Cadence was going to be a snobby rich kid but she wasn't at all. Also Slate was amazing from the beginning. One of his first acts was to steal from a tomb and get stuck in the town. He was brash and funny and completely comfortable with himself and I love him. Cadence turned out to be such a strong character. Her little school girl crush annoyed me at first but I feel like she completely grew into her own person in this story. She stood up to her dad and learned some pretty difficult truths about her life.

I loved this story. I loved each character so so much. I can not wait for the next book!

I got an early copy of the audiobook from net galley and the narration was fantastic! Thank you!

I enjoy a good magical story. This one didn't disappoint. We fallow Slate on a adventure like nothing you have read before. If you haven't learned the lesson about not touching what isn't yours then this book might have you think twice before taking something ever again. There is so much Mystery and lies in this book. But, there's a building romance and maybe a mystery you are going to want to fallow. Oh, and a few bad guys show up to make you think about how the story is going to play out. All this AND MAGIC how could you not want to read it This book started a little slow but once it got going it was not easy to put down. The audible is also good with good narration. I listened to some of the book with my 12 year old in the room and he seemed to enjoy it also.

I'd give this a solid 3.5 stars. The story gripped me for a good 3/4 of the book. I enjoyed Slate's character, the author's vivid descriptions of the magical town of Brume, and the French words sprinkled throughout. The plot was interesting and had been executed well for most of the book. My only issue was the final part of the story, which seemed a bit confusing. The ending felt rushed and didn't make any sense. It was almost as if the author needed to get the manuscript in ASAP and created an abrupt ending with no real explanation or closure. It's a shame because most of the book was really interesting and well written. Overall I enjoyed the story - I just wish the final portion was different.

This YA Fantasy romance is a perfect addition to the genre.

We are first introduced to our hero, Slate, a self-made man with a difficult past in foster care. He has clearly made his money through dubious means and initially I thought that that was the route that the book was going to follow. The only clues we see to a softer side are his attachment to his younger ‘brother’, Bastion and his cactus, Spike.

Unexpectedly, Slate receives a letter informing him that he has an inheritance awaiting him and information about his biological parents, in a small town which his family helped found.

The rest of the novel takes place in the town of his birth and we are introduced to our heroine, Cadence de Morel, with POV then switching between them in alternating chapters.

Before long Slate, Cadence and their friends are pulled into a centuries old quest, with both the future of magic and Slate’s life, hanging in the balance.

It made for a fun and engaging light read with a sinister baddie and a satisfying romance. The quest for the pieces of the quatrefoil did feel a little rushed but I respect that the authors didn’t want to leave readers hanging.

I was fortunate enough to be given an ARC of the audiobook version of this book and my only issue is with the male reader., Thomas Locklear. To me he sounded much too old for the part when it is first person narrative, so I would hear a female voice that I could believe was 17, paired with a male voice that sounded like it could be her father rather than an 18 year old. Also, he really struggled with anything vaguely French and it was set in France, so not ideal casting for me, sorry. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this book,

The narration was really well done, and the voices were calming.

An urban fantasy, the story offers plot twists, secrets, high stakes, and a swoon-worthy romance that I wanted more of.

In the beginning, I was a little skeptical because I worried the plot would be the familiar “boy who steals magical objects and dooms everyone”. While some elements were similar to that storyline, this book was so much more!

The story begins in a small village in France where magic has been dormant for the past century. Soon, Slate Ardion comes to Brume in seek of answers he can’t get anywhere else. He makes the drastic mistake of stealing a magical item, which sets the whole book in motion. The book involves old/dark magic that was created and used by the Diwallers. The Diwallers are the founding families of Brume, and each family is tied to certain elements of magic. There are four deadly challenges, one for each one of the Diwallers heirs. Each challenge is increasingly dangerous. There are sirens, ghosts, demons, and deadly objects.

Of Wicked Blood introduced me to an unusual fantasy world, to which I cannot wait to return. The characters are well-drawn and developed and they all work well together. Their banter had me laughing out loud. The authors did a terrific job and I am looking forward to Book Two. I hope you all give it a read.

I received an eARC from Netgalley, that doesn’t affect my opinion of the book, all my thoughts are my own and honest.

No rest for the wicked... or the cursed.

Slate is a very successful con man but when he steals the bloodstone from De Morel’s crypt, he gets more than he bargained for. Unless he can lift the curse that is placed on him, he will die. Painfully.

Cadence was raised in a small town that is said to be the birthplace of French witchcraft. When Slate walks into her life, wearing a ring he stole from her mothers grave, she burns with hate, but as she gets to know him, something else starts to burn inside her.

The book was intriguing, it was set in modern time but the town it was based in didn’t feel modern. The atmosphere made me appreciate the cold and the town sometimes felt a bit creepy walking through the night. The plot was different, refreshing and the book was easy to fly through once I got into it.

Slate is cocky, arrogant, sly and a con artist. He’s the type of person that hides his true self beneath a different persona but when he meets Cadence she starts pulling back the layers without Slate even realising. Throughout the book you discover that Slate isn’t as he first seemed, he just needed the right person to bring out himself.

Cadence worries about her Dad, works at a library and has an unrequited crush. At first glance, you would almost say she is pure and innocent. But again like Slate as you read on you peel back her layers and see that what we thought isn’t true.

The side characters were also well done and fleshed out, there were characters that made you question whether they were good or not.

One of the things I liked the most about the book was the romance between the two main characters. I felt like it was very well done. It was developed at the right pace for my liking.

Overall I really enjoyed my time reading this book, but the ending let it down for me a lot. Hence the rating. I felt like the ending was rushed and ended abruptly and I was left wondering what happened. It just didn’t feel like there was a build-up to the ending it just ended. I would recommend to fantasy romance with slow-burn.

3 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, Katie Hayoz and Olivia Wildenstein and the publishers for approving me a copy.

Wait, what? I have so many questions with that ending!

I really wasn't expecting to listen to such an interesting story - I am completely hooked and I must know what happens in the next book. This was one of the first audiobooks I have fully listened to, and I am very happy I was given the chance to listen to it.

The story is like a huge treasure hunt with mythical creatures and the promise of magic. There was always something going on, which I enjoy, and although there was an occasion where I felt information was given unnecessarily, I liked the pace of the book a lot. I quite liked Cadence's character arc, as at the beginning she seemed a naïve young girl, but you see her grow and start to become a young woman, and I hope this is continued in the next book. Slate was an addictive character in the book - even though he is a complete ass at times, you can't help but warm to him.

I loved the action scenes. Some were far more intense than others, but enjoyable nonetheless. I just hope I get more Cadence/Slate action in the next book! After growing closer and closer together in this first book, I need the complete connection in the next!

That final chapter and epilogue left me with so many questions! Where is the final piece of the quatrefoil? Why did the ring fall of Slate? Was Candace's father lying about how her mother died? Did he kill her mother? What is going to happen next - will they assemble the quatrefoil and bring back magic? I can't wait for the next book!

Thank you for allowing me to listen to this audiobook - I extremely enjoyed it and will be suggesting it to my friends.

Thank you to netgalley and Twig Publishing for providing me a copy of this audio book in exchange for an honest review.

I am only recently getting into fantasy and this is my first urban fantasy read and I was pleasantly surprised. I will admit this is probably not a book I would have picked up a physical copy of but since I found it as an audio book I thought why not. It took me a little while to get into but I ended up enjoying listening to this one too and from my way to work I don’t think I would have enjoyed it as much if I had to read it.

Firstly, I do love a book with two or more POVs. I loved how Wildenstein and Hayoz seamlessly alternated between perspectives, keeping the story flowing and allowing the audio book to be an easy listen.

I thought this book has the perfect amount of fantasy, especially for someone like me who is new to the genre. I enjoyed the French setting and the random french words thrown in. I thought this was a great touch to really set the scene.

Holly Fielding and Thomas Locklear do a good job of narrating the characters of Slate and Cadence. Although Locklear’s sounded too old and mature to suit Slate’s character as Cadence sounded so young.. I loved how the chapters alternated narrators to match the alternating POV, but I didn’t enjoy when they were narrating each other’s characters in their chapters.

The biggest downfall was the book’s ending. I felt it was very underwhelming with the outcome of their ‘quest’. That said, the authors have me hooked and left me with enough unresolved questions (like what is the father hiding!) for me to want to read the second book in the series when it is released.

This was such as surprising listen! I am not usually a huge fan of urban fantasy but this one was well done. I loved both of the narrators and they made the story very enjoyable to listen to.. I didn't lot the plot but It was still an interesting listen.

A copy of the audiobook was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This wasn't bad! I think it's actually cut out from a similar cloth as Jackaby and Stalking Jack the Ripper but without the mystery or the fact that it's set in Victorian England. I don't know why, but I kept being drawn to the sort of feeling I had while I was reading those books, despite this book's modern setting.

It also reminded me of another book I read fairly recently, All the Stars and Teeth, in that despite enjoying the general setting, plot, and characters, I still felt like there was something missing by the end and that I'm not sure if I would read the second book.

This also seemed to drag on a bit, having a few pacing issues and a pretty severe lack of urgency, despite the fact that Slate was due to die at a set time.

I also had a really hard time with some of the narration choices, particularly with the inconsistent and decidedly Not French way they pronounced some things, particularly in Slate's narrator's case, since he had a tendency to swear in French or use French swears and his narrator is the most Not French person. The two narrators also couldn't seem to agree on how to pronounce the word quatrefoil, neither of them being the actual French pronunciation of it, with Slate's narrator pronouncing it, "kwa-truh-foil" and Cadence's narrator pronouncing it, "kat-er-foil," so that was a little annoying.

That all said, this was a fun enough experience and I'm glad I got the chance to review it! Even if I'm not sure if I would enjoy reading the second book, I still may end up checking it out sometime, especially since this one was complements of the publisher, I wouldn't mind chucking a little money toward the second one!

I really enjoyed this book. The story is great and involves a lot of familiar characters from magic realms with a new concept of how magic works in the world. The characters are well written and believable I wanted to know more about them and the background stories work well to the current situations they were in. I can't wait for the next installment to see what the characters are up to.

3.5 out of 5 stars (3.5 / 5) The magic system was my favorite aspect of this book. I loved getting lost in it. The generations-long stories and curses kept me interested and enthralled as to what would happen next. The world of Quatrefoils and Brume magic led to a great mix of life-threatening situations with funny laugh out loud humor.

The intricate details of the curses and magic made me want to get lost in the research. Such great thought was put into it! High praise for the uniqueness but also being able to bring it into a contemporary world so well. I’d be marking this down on my bucket list just to be able to experience this town. The authors brought it to life brilliantly. I am very curious as to what these authors have written previously!

I had a hard time picturing the characters. In the audio, Cadence sounds so young, and naive. Slate sounded so much older. Slate is a bad boy but has a heart of gold. I found myself liking him a lot, but then I would remember the things he had done and it would turn me off. I honestly don’t understand why Cadence didn’t take some of those things into consideration. Cadence is 17 and in college. She has a very close relationship with her father and is very innocent to the ways of the world.

Content Summary: This is the type of book that makes me do content reviews. I would not want my young teen to read this book. I do not think this should be labeled YA. There is one, maybe 2 girls who are 17 but it did not fall in YA parameters. While there is not sex, it’s very sexual. Thoughts, actions and more are way above YA standards. The language is very high also. I actually feel this book will get better traction if it’s labeled as New Adult or Adult genre.