kefeshe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Slavery, Blood, Violence, Death, and Child death
Moderate: Kidnapping, Rape, and Sexual assault
Minor: Sexual content
ladyseven's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Death, Rape, and Child abuse
petab's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Physical abuse, Blood, Rape, Toxic relationship, and Death
Minor: Kidnapping, Child death, and Slavery
blkbbyfem's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Pros: the writing was enjoyable + descriptive. It was dark and brutal but not unbearable. The setting was cool. I liked that it took place in most of the jungle and all the creatures that were created. I liked that the female MC chose her own happiness in the end.
Cons: I didn’t care for any of the characters. I found the female mc to be annoying. She was naive but confident, also the strongest Wildblood but also couldn’t stand up for herself. I also feel like the timeline wasn’t very clear. I think it would’ve helped if the chapter titles had denoted the days.
Neutrals: All of the connections seemed fluid. I almost felt like she could’ve had 3 different love interests. The pacing was okay.
Moderate: Sexism, Death, Violence, Rape, Murder, Gun violence, and Child death
amobrien's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you Netgalley for providing a digital ARC.
Graphic: Gun violence, Rape, and Death
Minor: Physical abuse, Child death, and Slavery
the_b00kreader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
"What, like it's hard?"
**TW**
blood, death, gore, domestic violence, r*pe, betrayal, grief, kidnapping, slavery, racism
Wildblood was amazing. That's all I feel like I need to say. It's a story that you simply have to read. Where do you truly feel at home? Where do you truly belong?
These two questions seem to pop into your mind as you read this book through the eyes of the main character, Victoria.
Victoria is a light-skinned Wildblood, a 'Rare Beauty' yet that doesn't stop harm from coming her way.
This book was bittersweet and heartfelt, magical yet real. Every emotion you may have suppressed is likely to come to the surface.
Wildblood is written in such a way that I could not be torn away from reading, I just had to keep going. The story this book held, the deeper meanings, it was all so beautiful.
I must say, I'm glad how the story ended and I don't believe I could picture a more perfect ending. This book is worthy of your time, so please give it a go. (I insist!🤭)
Lauren Blackwood, you've written a story that has touched my heart. To read about such a strong connection and such a strong female lead, I feel honoured. Thank you for writing Wildblood and sharing it. ♡ (I shall now dedicate myself to reading previously published and future releases by you!)
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gore, Domestic abuse, Slavery, Kidnapping, Torture, Toxic friendship, Violence, Physical abuse, Child death, Rape, Murder, Blood, Racism, Hate crime, Death, and Gun violence
Minor: Abandonment
e_flah's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
The setting of Wildblood has a ton of ambience but a disappointing lack of substantive world building. There is SO much cool stuff in this story -- from spirits that haunt the jungle to the river spirit River Mumma -- but we don't get a lot of descriptions or any discussion about how these things fit within the wider world of Wildblood. It felt like the magical creatures were two-dimensional props for the story rather than interesting, complex parts of the setting. More world building would have helped make this a more memorable read rather than a somewhat predictable adventure story.
Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Graphic: Rape, Child abuse, Child death, Blood, and Gore
luckylulureads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Colonisation, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Misogyny, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, and Grief
Minor: Self harm, Child death, and Fire/Fire injury
Colorism, near-enslavementcaseythereader's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
- Lauren Blackwood excels at writing fiery, headstrong young women who are determined to prove their worth and humanity. Victoria is a force, both in terms of her magic and her personality.
- The jungle and the creatures in it were gripping and terrifying. I was also a fan of the magic system in this book, in which certain people, Wildbloods, can manipulate blood into weapons.
- This book does get a bit bogged down in love triangles (literally every boy is in love with Victoria) but if you're willing to accept that, this book is definitely one to check out if you love dark YA/NA fantasy.
Graphic: Animal death, Violence, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Death, Alcohol, Child death, Colonisation, Blood, and Child abuse
oracle_of_madness's review against another edition
4.0
This was a beautiful adventure into a mystifying jungle in Jamaica.
This story takes place around the mid 1800's just to give you an idea of the time period. The tour group that Victoria and the other wildbloods "worked" for (more like slavery with a very small payment to specifically make it not slavery) had a British overlord that was quite cruel and abusive.
Victoria joins her archrival's side to lead the next tour into the jungle. The main concept that I really observed while reading, and what I really appreciated, was Victoria's relationship to this wild jungle as being one of comfort while her relationship with other humans and her job (basically her abusers) was where the real harm came from in this story. The jungle, while having so many dangerous and unknown factors, was more of a safe place for her, especially considering her origin.
There were some things I thought were too simple. Like a specific love interest for Victoria in the story. Just seemed a little too candy sweet for me to believe it to be genuine. But otherwise, I thought this was a magnificent story about understanding a victim's of abuse relationship to her abuser(s).
Out January 7, 2023!
Graphic: Rape, Death, Child death, Physical abuse, Violence, Gore, and Blood