Wildblood

WILDBLOOD is an enthralling YA fantasy. Victoria is a Wildblood who has been in forced servitude for an abusive company that uses children Wildbloods to protect travelers as they go through the Jamaican jungle. Their lifespans are shortened by the use of their magic and the dangers of the jungle. Victoria has been with them since she was six years old, and her life has been filled with abuse and betrayal.

Victoria has just turned eighteen, at which time the boss had said he would promote her to a tour lead. However, it seems the boss is unwilling to follow through on his promise. Victoria instead manages to convince him to allow her to travel on the upcoming tour with a big client and his favored Wildblood, Dean, who had betrayed Victoria cruelly a year ago.

On the tour with the client, they will venture deep into the jungle with the monsters and magic that deeply want them to leave. Victoria sees the warnings, and she helps to save the clients, losing her friends and those she cares about, while also falling for the client, Thorn. This journey will change everyone who embarks on it.

What I loved: This was such a lush and immerse fantasy with the landscape and magic really coming to life. The world-building was fantastic and full of mythology and unexpected creatures. The ways that they are introduced and present throughout are really fascinating and take the reader through the unexpected and dangerous journey.

Victoria is beginning to process her past and particularly a sexual assault and betrayal that has lived with her every moment. She cares deeply for some of the other Wildbloods, enough to sacrifice her freedom and safety for them. While humanity has not shown her its best side, Victoria still manages to believe in good people, and her relationship with Thorn grows from this belief. While Thorn is also an interesting character, primarily in terms of his feelings for Victoria, he takes a backseat to Victoria in the story - it really becomes about her, her journey to self-discovery, and finding her path.

The story also contains some thought-provoking themes around found family, danger, belonging, abuse, grief/loss, finding yourself, falling in love, and sacrifice. Victoria's life has been tough, she has been abused by the people who have held her hostage since she was a child, forced to work for tourists who often look down on her. She stays out of loyalty to those who have become her found family, and she hopes to find a way to secure their freedom more than her own. This journey changes everything.

As a note, this would work best for older YA readers due to some gruesome deaths, sexual assault/abuse depictions, and some other horror-like descriptions.

Final verdict: Lush and atmospheric, WILDBLOOD is a enthralling YA fantasy about love, peril, and magic that will captivate readers from beginning to end.