We're celebrating the release of A Dream of Blood and Magic, a gothic fantasy romance by Olivia Boothe! Pre-order now or get you copy on June 12th!
A Dream of Blood and Magic is the first book in Olivia Boothe’s Spirit Marked series. Prepare to take a deep dive into the start of a series that will keep you coming back for more. Readers who enjoy “fiesty” female characters, dark and complex vampires, and tons of magic are not going to want to miss out on this book.
A Dream of Blood and Magic kicks things off by first luring in the reader with a gravitating cover. You get the title of the book depicted in the middle of a red background enclosed with white swirls with strange symbols depicted at intervals all around. This is set on a pitch black background with feathers and bits of glass swirling all around. It draws you in and makes you want to know what secrets lie inside.
When A Dream of Blood and Magic begins readers are thrown into the past. This setting of before technology is one that will spur readers on eagerly to discover what is going to happen next. A mother, cast out of her coven for choosing to forsake one of the rules of her sister witches. In doing so, she has birthed twin girls. Unfortunately, they are not allowed to live in peace. No, something is coming...and it will threaten to tear this small family apart.
What is coming? Well, whatever it is, it’s something to be feared as you will note when you begin reading this book. Readers who are hoping that things stay in this era lacking in technology and more mundane will find themselves a touch disappointed.
After the prologue, the story will shift forward to a more modern time period where readers will be introduced to Avery, one of the three main characters of this story.
Avery is an interesting character overall. She’s been through a lot. That seems to be the trend with most FMCs. Rough childhood, in and out of foster homes because she was viewed and declared as a “problem” child. However, as you get to know her, she will show more than a little of her stubborn nature, and at times, disregard for others. Some, there is some truth to the accusations leveled against her.
But there is something unique about her. She has visions and dreams, and the things she sees...she draws. The drawings she yields are truly interesting. They are of things that she should know nothing about. To be fair, she doesn’t until the veil is ripped away from her eyes, so she is about to be thrown onto the world’s biggest learning curve. Good luck Avery! You’re going to need it!
A Dream of Blood and Magic shifts between Avery and two other characters – Kane and Azrael. Kane and Azrael are vampires...and brothers. Yes, true brothers, not the “we were sired by the same vamp so we’re brothers.” There is some dark history between these two and it’s not pretty.
An ancient prophecy has been put back in play and now Azrael has been loosed from his prison. While he’s rediscovering the world, Kane is on the hunt. But they aren’t the only ones. Two factions of witches are about to clash, and boy is it going to be epic!
A Dream of Blood and Magic is packed with drama, tension, and a lot of magic. Avery becomes a mixed bag of a character. You’ll be drawn to her one minute, and then you’ll find her irritating the next. Well, that was the case with this reader. There is one particular moment where Avery, for us, showcases herself as a selfish and self-absorbed individual.
Why do we say this you ask? Well, she knows her friend, C.J. C.J. isn’t known for calling her more than once in a row. However, instead of Avery taking a minute to stop and think, she ignores the second call and dismisses it until her friend leaves a voicemail. To most, that isn’t a big deal, but Avery and C.J. understand each other. So, for Avery to do that...for us, is a red flag. She completely forgot what her friend had JUST spoken to her about earlier that day.
Avery is a mixed bag of a character. She’ll want people to leave her alone, to respect her privacy and all that. But the minute someone says something that pricks her...she is quick to flare up, lose her temper, and reign down chaos as her magic is unlocked little by little. The good news? She feels remorse, but it doesn’t stop her from still lashing out at people for having the audacity to not know her past.
Despite all of Avery’s shortcomings, the author refrains from making her completely unbearable. She gradually grows as a character, but she could do with a lot more. Less self pity, and more on just being better.
Azrael and Kane are two interesting characters. They are like two sides of the same coin. You just don’t really know what path either of them is going to land on. With Azrael you hope for the best, and with Kane...you just don’t know. He’s a bit of an enigma, but the deeper the story goes the more it seems he’s meant to be...good?
Prepare for some twists and surprises in this book. You’ll be hoping for the best only to find it all getting derailed and falling into absolute chaos. It’s absolutely delicious to be fair. LOL!
Reader...hoping for some romance? Maybe some steamy? Sorry, you’re going to be left wanting. There are sparks, but no smoke and fire just yet. The author promises more in book two, so for now...we’ll just have to wait and be content with a yummy shower scene with Avery as the voyeur.
For the start of a new series, A Dream of Blood and Magic starts off like a fire bursting into life. It settles in and mellows for a minute, but the deeper you...the more the fire catches and will turn into a page burner. Don’t miss out.
Pros:
- Engaging storyline
- Interesting characters
- Good amount of detail
- Keeps you coming back for more
Cons:
- Want more character growth
4.5 out of 5 stars
A Dream of Blood and Magic (Spirit Marked Book 1)
Publication Date: June 12, 2024
Genre: Gothic Fantasy Romance
Underworld meets Kingdom of the Wicked in this forbidden love, rivals to lovers, high stakes, slow-burn gothic contemporary fantasy romance.
Series Tropes:
Vampires, witches, and other supernatural creatures
Chosen One
Forbidden Love
Rivals to Lovers (Meant to be rivals who become lovers)
Forced Proximity
A bargain that leads to more
Spirit-Bonded (fated mates)
Slow Burn (couple doesn’t become an item until book 2, but the tension is built in book 1)
Found Family
High Stakes quest
Portal Magic
Elemental Magic
Time Travel
Spirit Guardians (familiars)
Good vs evil
A SINISTER DARKNESS BREWS, SOWING THE SEEDS OF WAR. AND AT THE CENTER OF IT ALL IS A YOUNG WITCH WILLING TO RISK IT ALL TO SAVE THOSE SHE LOVES.
When a mysterious crow crash-lands through Avery Jaxon’s Brooklyn apartment window, awakening the elemental magic dormant in her veins, Avery soon discovers her entire life has been a skillfully woven lie, and that even her new avian friend holds secrets of its own, including the answers to her shrouded past.
But pulling back the veil is only the beginning. An ancient prophecy has been set in motion, thrusting Avery into a centuries-old supernatural war between witches and vampires.
Seeking to harness Avery’s rare and ancient power, the most notorious dark arts witch hive in the world is on the hunt to find Avery before she’s captured by Kane, a vampire sworn to protect humankind from the next Spirit Marked—a foretold witch with such immense, raw magic, it will threaten to destroy all life on Earth.
Now, to save humanity and protect her friends, Avery must learn to control her potent magic, all while building an alliance with the warrior vampire sent to seize her. Their destinies are more entwined than either could have ever foreseen. But despite the magic that binds their paths and the enigmatic attraction growing between them, Avery struggles to trust the man born to be her enemy.
However, Kane’s not the only vampire thirsting for the honeyed taste of Avery’s blood...someone else also seeks to wage a war against her heart.
In the end, Avery must not only grapple with the painful truth behind her family’s past, but she’ll need to accept the journey laid out before her. For not only do the lives of those she loves depend on it, but so do the lives of every mortal and immortal creature alike.
Intended for audiences 18 years+
Triggers:
Blood and gore
Death and violence
Explicit language
Some sexually explicit content
Stalking
Abductions
Mention of young girls being trafficked for blood
Animal death (vampire killing a boar and drinking its blood)
Commentary on childhood trauma due to losing parents at a young age and having a bad experience being in the foster care system
Commentary on mental health due to childhood trauma, such as feelings of abandonment, betrayal, and issues with authority
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