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mels_reading_log's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Physical abuse, Rape, and Murder
Minor: Sexual content
mitzee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Dislikes: some aspects of the story felt very half-hearted. While the story was fine, some of the plot lines didn’t feel fully fleshed out. Wish the author has spent more time taking about Wildblood powers to give an understanding of what’s possible, who has them and who doesn’t, etc. Personally I was more interested in the magic aspect than the interaction with the antagonist.
Summary for my own reference:
There are songs sung in the audiobook and I had to skip past all of that. It just had some irksome effects on me at 1.75x speed.
The story is about Victoria who is a wildblood and she works for a jungle tour company from what I gather - it’s not explicitly said. But when a group of tourists hire them to go on a tour of the deep jungle, this is a problem, for some reason. It isn’t very clearly explained why tour guides and wildbloods need to be paired but I assume it’s for safety - but then they still don’t go into dangerous areas like the deep jungle, so what’s the safety for? Maybe against other people? It’s not clear in the story.
She seems to be an ensalved person working for this tour company. At the end of the book it’s clear that the point of the story is she is fighting for her freedom but the payoff isn’t there because it was never made clear what she has to suffer to get there. It’s slowly revealed over the course of the book that she was raped by her boss/enslaver - the person who runs the tour company - while her ex boyfriend turned enemy, Dean, (also an abused and enslaved wildblood) stood by and watched. That in itself is a good enough reason to celebrate at the end when The Boss gets his face smashed (like, to death) in by Dean, and Dean is hanging onto life by a thread. I guess put in those words it seems like the freedom should be enough but it would have been helpful to hear more about what life was like prior to going on the jungle tour - since most of the book they are out in the jungle and there are other threats more pressing than lack of freedom.
Graphic: Animal death and Death
Moderate: Child abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, and Rape
tonyanicole's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Rape, and Murder
apieceofjaaay'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: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Rape, Sexism, Violence, and Murder
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: Death, Gun violence, and Rape
Minor: Child death, Physical abuse, 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: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Abandonment
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: Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, Grief, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death, Self harm, 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, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
bookishbrenbren'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? No
3.5
What I loved: The setting! The magical jungle is gorgeous and full of creatures that are spooky and powerful but endearing and all connected to each other. I wanted more of the jungle and the magic therein. The character arc for Dean and his relationship with Victoria was written very well - I enjoyed the narrator's reflections on what makes someone a monster/unredeemable/unforgivable, and what makes a relationship repairable or not. I won't spoil too much but I thought the author wrote a believable interpersonal relationship and gave the writing of interpersonal violence and emotional abuse the delicacy it needed. I enjoyed the historical setting as well, although we didn't get too too much of it, it was a fun addition to the setting. The blood magic of the wildbloods was also very fun to read, although I do wish it had been explained more fully. Finally, I appreciated the commentary on colonialism and resource extraction, especially because it was woven very well into the fantastical setting, it didn't seem forced or out of place at all.
What I didn't love: Victoria's character felt a little flat to me, most of what I know about her is that she is THE BEST WILDBLOOD (okay I get it), that she struggles to speak up for herself against her abusers, and that she protects her friends (she protec but she do not attac). I just didn't feel much of a personality from her; I love that she is a daughter of the jungle, I think that fleshes out her character much more but it felt too little and was explained too late. I disliked the ratio of men to women in this book - Victoria has no women in her life but she has like 5 men and they are all in love with her and all want to marry her.
Graphic: Physical abuse, Rape, Violence, Kidnapping, and Murder
Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Blood, Trafficking, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail