First of all, a big thank you for letting me read this story!

Are you ready to meet our new badass stabby chosen one girl who doesn’t know that she is but always kinda felt that something was wrong with her? Bundled with not just one but two hot dude vampires losing their heads over her while the big bad enemy witches are waiting to take over the world? Then you’re at the right place.


Something that becomes clear early on is that there is a lot of telling instead of showing going on, and thus way too much exposition through text and thought. The action scenes (action, as in, the plot moves forward) are interesting and keep you going, but most of the time, the characters just stand and talk.
I think it’s done to set up the lore, given how much there is know about all those monsters and it’s frankly the easiest way, but at some point I just started to skim through the text because it’s just lots of info dumping. I was checking the pace when I was 50% through the book, and it still felt like the story has yet to start. Everything happening until then could have been contained within half of the number of pages. There are also multiple POVs (and I still don’t know why we got the Luther one?) which is kind of confusing, because you don’t have the time to actually get to know any of those characters properly. I honestly mixed up Luther‘s and Kane‘s chapters once and I got very confused about what’s happening, until I realized my mistake. The idea is really neat though and the story itself meets the important points of an urban fantasy book.

Azrael and Kane, our two bad boys. I can see why many root for Azrael, but for me it’s Kane. I think? Though I’m not so sure, neither of them really captured my heart, but he was a bit more sympathetic. The backstory between those two and Arabelle (I think that was her name?) is dropped in breadcrumb form throughout the chapters to keep you guessing what’s going on. When you then meet those two, finally, you’ll still be focused on puzzling out their relation to Avery, Arabelle, their own sons and the world. Not a bad thing at all, but especially around the middle of the book, there were so many open questions that it was hard to keep track of them all.

It was like having too much salt in my soup - a tad bit too many questions, some of them that stayed unresolved, while hugged by a drawn out amount of talking heads.

The good is embodied in Shadow though. You saved this. I was very intrigued by him and I think him nuanced written, enough to keep going. He takes up with Avery‘s childish tantrums and he does that with such patience. You need a raise. 🫡

The writing, in general, was actually ok and you could actually get lost in the writing. (The purple prose only stays contained within the first chapter so don’t lose hope there). The dialogue itself is actually very good too, though if it was just a bit less of that, it would have been even better.

All in all, I probably won’t throw in my stars rating (on goodreads) yet because the series has potential to get better., especially now that the lore is set up and we can continue with the fun part - the action.

A heartfelt thank you to Netgalley, Three Brothers Press and Olivia Boothe for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review, all thoughts and murmurs above are my own.

Oh my good gracious. I absolutely loved everything about this book. The slow burn, the story concept, the lore, the connections; everything made my heart pound excited for the next piece. The characters are quirky and surprisingly infectious. The storyline and plot happens quickly but at the rate things would happen, at a rate you would expect. Love Kane and Azreal. The way everything comes full circle is executed exquisitely. I’m so excited for the next book.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC! I love me a gothic fantasy romance. This had so many elements that I enjoy - multiple POV's, enemies to lovers, finding magic within, familiars, high stakes, slow burn. I'm already dreaming of getting my hands on the next book!

This book was everything!
Witches, vampires, ELEMENTAL MAGIC (my fave 😏)
And the story...woah.

We follow a young unknowing witch who's powers are manifesting whilst vampires fight to find her to use as a weapon. She is a bad ass. And the vampires and hot. I don't think I need to say anything else!

4/5 🌟 as I just know the next book is going to be even better
2/5 🌶

From the blurb, A Dream of Blood and Magic was an excellent match for me. However, when it came to reading it, I really struggled. Avery seemed too immature for her purported age and I found her inner monologues tedious. The chapters from Kane and Azrael's perspectives were better (though for someone imprisoned for 500 years, Azrael new a lot of slang), and I enjoyed the darkness in their characters. But there was a lot of info dumping near the start of the story, despite which I was still confused for the first half of the book, and a lot of repetition of information after that, which made me want to skim sections. The eventual love interest I assume will be Kane, but it wasn't clear, and I got irritated with Avery's constant dwelling on how hot all the men in the story were, even during moments when she was supposed to be in danger. I am giving it three stars. For major fans of the genre it will be worth a look, as the story premise was good, but I felt there could have been improvement in the prose/presentation.

I really wanted to love this book, but it was really hard to get into. There was a lot of info dumping for the world building, which made it a bit confusing at times. I also wasn't a point of all of the point of views, it made it really hard to establish connections with the characters.

I may be in the minority not falling over themselves for this title but I do think it shows promise.

Balancing a hearty premise and loaded lore, “A Dream of Blood and Magic” throws a lot at the wall and somehow manages to make a chunk stick. With setting up the mythology of our creatures of the night and wicked witches we shift between the last and present to unravel a tale that also sprinkles in some elemental magic right on top.

The characters were interesting and I sympathize with Avery as she struggled to come to terms with it all since I too had trouble but her friends along the way were some of my favorite additions to the story. Our vampires are curious and lean more towards that of Interview with a Vampire than Buffy with their bloodlust at the forefront and almost all snark is missing. Not sure what it is setting up romance wise but I’m indifferent enough at this point to make a call on who or what I wish to see win out in the end.

It was a quick read with lots to find enjoyment in but plenty of questions and a real worry that by time the sequel comes around I will forget a majority of what I’ve read today but only time will tell!

*special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review*

This was a fun read with some cool layers to peel back! There is a lot going on and it can be a little confusing at times but it does get explained (for the most part, it is book one after all).

Who is the love interest? I am torn between wanting it to be Kane or Azrael.

I really like the combinations of witches, vampires, spirits, and who knows what else!

There were a lot of POVs which helped with the worldbuilding but it made it harder for me to connect with Avery. I wanted more of Kane and Azrael instead.

A few super relatable things:
*Avery's dedication to CJ - there's nothing I wouldn't do for my bestie.
*Avery's distrust with new characters showing up in her life- I feel like immediate trust happens in a lot of other books so this was

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review!

There is potential here in the story, but with too many plot threads and almost nothing resolved this book felt like a really long prelude to a potentially interesting story. I know that this book is only the first of many, but this story just felt like it ended where it did for no particular reason. There were too many POV characters making it hard to get a sense of who they truly are or what their motivations are going to be in the future. I do not believe I will continue with this series.

A slow start, but there is a whole new world to build and it's built amazingly well. The connection between the two main characters is also a little characters is also a little challenging at first but there is a great promise of heat yet to come. I loved the connection of vampires and witches and the history between them. All in all a great book to start what I hope will be a brilliant series.

I enjoyed this book even though I had a few struggles. I like the characters and that we get a dual pov. The slow burn between them is amazing and I enjoyed the gothic vibes a lot. The one I didn’t like so much was our fmc Avery, who is quite immature, stubborn and bratty, maybe this will change but it’s not my favourite. The world building was amazing though! It did take me some time to get into it since the author spent a lot of text on that in the first half of the book but it’s worth it and necessary for a first book in a series.

This is a gothic contemporary fantasy novel with witches and vampires, which I thoroughly enjoyed! The world building is masterfully done and Avery is a relatable protagonist. I enjoyed watching her grow into her magical power. I loved the slow-burn romance. I definitely recommend this book!

3.5 stars rounded up to 4
Avery's life is suddenly turned upside down when a mysterious crow crashes into her apartment window, leading Avery to discover that her past has been shrouded in deception and that she holds a rare and ancient power. As a result, she finds herself entangled in a centuries-old feud between witches and vampires and comes face to face with the man she's been seeing in her dreams.


This book was really good! The story was interesting and the world-building was amazing. The beginning of the book spends a lot of time on the world-building, but it's still easy to follow.
The dual POV with Avery, Azriel, and Kane was an aspect that I truly enjoyed. However, I did encounter some difficulty with Avery's monologue, as she came across as rather immature and bratty. This led me to question her age and maturity level.

With all the groundwork the author has laid in the world-building and plot development I believe book 2 will be worth continuing with this series.

If you're into slow-burn romances with vampires, witches, and magic all wrapped up in a Gothic atmosphere, then this book might be right up your alley.

DNF at 55% 1.5⭐️

Don't get me wrong, the premise sounds intriguing, and I had high hopes for it. But it was just so boring for me. I couldn't take another page from it, and it feels like I will be in a slump if I forced it.

Thank you, Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the e-arc opportunity.

This was everything I hoped it would be!!! The magic, the backstory, the detailed character backstories that add to the plot and the newer characters who join the story while Avery is coming to terms with everything going on.

I’m really excited for book 2, we are promised more smut after the author teases us most of the book! Also excited to find out more about avery’s magic.

Olivia Booth's "A Dream of Blood and Magic" is an enchanting masterpiece that captivates from start to finish. The novel effortlessly weaves together elements of fantasy and suspense, leaving readers spellbound. Booth's vivid descriptions and intricate world-building transport readers to a realm where dreams and magic intertwine, creating an immersive reading experience. With its compelling characters and gripping plot, this book is a must-read for anyone seeking an escape into a world of wonder and enchantment.

Thanks Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to ARC read this Book.

This book is Good. There's excitement early on eventhough it's dampened a bit, I feel like for most of the book nothing happened, like it was just a foundation for the next one to resolve everything. I do have to say this take on familiars was nice.

I was a bit confused at first since I couldn't see the relation of the past and the FMC but that was also exciting.

It bothered me that no one explained anything fully, you just get bits and pieces of explanations that leave you in the dark.

You won’t want to put the book down.

"I didn't want to lie to her about the fact I was inexplicably drawn to her in ways that made me tremble, and worse, in ways that could only spell disaster for both our kinds."

Having always been very little interested in fantasy books I started very biased but oh my God I couldn’t put the book down.

If you are looking for a book with a well-written plot, well-developed and characterized characters and twists put in the right place that will leave you speechless then "A dream of blood and magic" is for you.(I want to specify that in this book you will NOT find spicy scenes between main charachters.)

The characters are all written so well that I couldn’t even identify my favorite. Avery ,despite the problems and his past, has never fallen into the banal nor has it never been a complaint but rather, his determination and bad ass attitude have pushed me more and more to empathize with her and feel her adrenaline.
Shadow is the person we would all like to have in our lives, and his apprehension and authority is balanced to perfection.
Azrael is the kind of man I’d chase around in books, but in real life, he’d make me shit myself with even a glance.
Luther actually I still have to frame him but I can understand his wanting to deviate from the complete stoicity of his father. The thing I’m sure of is that I would never set foot in his business.

And then there’s Kane.
Oh Kane.

He’s the perfect example of "the less you want me the more I want you". Despite his composure, the last chapter had me dropping my jaw and kicking my feet. He's just chef kiss.

I can't wait to read the next book of this serie.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Olivia Boothe’s A Dream of Blood and Magic is first and foremost a romp that thoroughly kept me on my toes.

Avery thinks she’s a normal, if a bit troubled, twenty-something. She doesn’t know what to make of the vivid dreams and waking visions she’s had ever since her parents died, but she knows she’s not crazy and that she’s just got to survive. This theory is rapidly crumbling, though, when contact with a crow awakens elemental magic in her, and shapeshifters are revealed. And if all that weren’t enough, the warring sects of vampires, witches, and the characters from her dreams firmly cement the fact that she might not be normal.

I think we all can agree that some of the charm of Romantasy books is the comfort of tropes. They reach tropes because they’re great stuff. So sometimes reading something new from an author you’re not familiar with can fall into a comfortable routine in the archetypes we all love. That can’t be said for A Dream of Blood and Magic. Yes, there are still tropes in the overarching elements. But maybe I was off my game because I really had no idea where a lot of this was going. That ‘just another chapter’ feeling made this story exciting and unexpected. But upon reflection, it also helped smooth out some of its weak points. This book is maximalism in both the best and worst ways.

We’ve got several POVs, though for the most part, the book alternates between Avery, Azrael, and Kane. I’m delighted to report that I found the action to be distributed properly and the narrations distinct enough to make the transitions clear. My only complaint with this would be portions of Azrael’s dialogue. Though he’s a vampire who's been entombed for the last five hundred years, he uses some interesting British slang. While I can say that I’m not the type to categorize my need for my vampires to be historically accurate as a must, I will say there were a few phrases repeated that did really pull me out of it.

This book has so many really interesting plot points. So many to the point where you start to wonder if it’s too many. There were portions that, though exciting, weren’t brought back up. I think this series is going to be dramatic in its execution. It’s possible that some plot points should’ve been cut or delved into deeper. But I’m really rooting for this to be some elaborate, long con groundwork being laid, because if it is I feel confident saying this series will be amazing. That being said, even if that’s not the case I believe that despite the need to trim some potential fat this is still a fun read and I’ve every intention of continuing the series!

This was a great first book in the series. I will say the start was a bit slow with lots of world building then it really picked up and a lot happened. I can’t wait for the next book!