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Born of Blood and Magic
They're destined to fall in love... if they don't kill each other first.
Violet “Vy” Finch is a vampire cursed, for the very blood she needs is poison to her. Suffering unquenchable hunger and shunned for being of mixed lineage, Vy searches desperately for her mother who disappeared over a decade ago—the one person who may be able to heal her. Unfortunately, a great sorceress prophesies that Vy will only get what she wants if Petra Malkovitch willingly works with her to find a magical relic with the power to change everything.
Petra Malkovitch is an assassin. A member of the Order of Light—a shadowy organization that hunts supernatural creatures for profit—she wants only to kill the vampire who took away the last of her family. When Petra's attempt on Vy's life is thwarted, she is shocked when her greatest enemy tells her that they can rewrite their pasts if they team up.
But is a common goal enough to bring them together, or will betrayal happen at the earliest opportunity?
Blending the adventure and magic of Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson books, the wit and enchantment of Ilona Andrews’ Magic Bites series, and the soul-stirring romance of Laurell K. Hamilton’s Guilty Pleasures novels, Born of Blood and Magic is a thrilling, fun, sexy, urban fantasy unlike anything you’ve ever read before. Tap the link, get your copy, and discover what only lives in hearts Born of Blood and Magic!
Violet “Vy” Finch is a vampire cursed, for the very blood she needs is poison to her. Suffering unquenchable hunger and shunned for being of mixed lineage, Vy searches desperately for her mother who disappeared over a decade ago—the one person who may be able to heal her. Unfortunately, a great sorceress prophesies that Vy will only get what she wants if Petra Malkovitch willingly works with her to find a magical relic with the power to change everything.
Petra Malkovitch is an assassin. A member of the Order of Light—a shadowy organization that hunts supernatural creatures for profit—she wants only to kill the vampire who took away the last of her family. When Petra's attempt on Vy's life is thwarted, she is shocked when her greatest enemy tells her that they can rewrite their pasts if they team up.
But is a common goal enough to bring them together, or will betrayal happen at the earliest opportunity?
Blending the adventure and magic of Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson books, the wit and enchantment of Ilona Andrews’ Magic Bites series, and the soul-stirring romance of Laurell K. Hamilton’s Guilty Pleasures novels, Born of Blood and Magic is a thrilling, fun, sexy, urban fantasy unlike anything you’ve ever read before. Tap the link, get your copy, and discover what only lives in hearts Born of Blood and Magic!
372 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 5, 2024
181 people are currently reading
1582 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews
July 1, 2025
i received an audio arc from net galley, so cheers to them for that!!
something felt off as i was reading it, and then the first rape 'joke' happened - zero content warnings at the start of this book, too.
rape is never a joke, and never will be.
then i came to goodreads to see if anyone else had commented on it. amidst all of the glowing 5 star recommendations, i finally see one review that comments on this. and that reviewer also said the same about the lack of content warnings. so i knew it wasn't just me.
so yeah, this was not what i was hoping. i won't be continuing the series.
something felt off as i was reading it, and then the first rape 'joke' happened - zero content warnings at the start of this book, too.
rape is never a joke, and never will be.
then i came to goodreads to see if anyone else had commented on it. amidst all of the glowing 5 star recommendations, i finally see one review that comments on this. and that reviewer also said the same about the lack of content warnings. so i knew it wasn't just me.
so yeah, this was not what i was hoping. i won't be continuing the series.
July 10, 2025
Sapphic Urban Fantasy
🩸 Bookish Thoughts
I’ll never say no to a sapphic vampire book, and Born of Blood and Magic delivered a solid dose of urban fantasy!
The worldbuilding was fun, and I liked the overall setup of sapphic cursed bloodlines and magical relics. And I loved Vy from the get go! Petra had her moments, but she was so wishy-washy it started to wear on me.
And while the audiobook was easy to follow, there were times the narrator sounded more like she was reading than fully performing, which pulled me out of the story a bit.
But if you love sapphic vamps and supernatural urban fantasy definitely read this one!
🖤 What You Can Expect:
• Urban fantasy vibes
• Sapphic vampire x assassin
• Enemies to lovers
• Reluctant allies
📖 Final Score: ⭐⭐⭐.75
🎧 Audio Score: ⭐⭐⭐
🎙️ Narration Style: Solo
Thank you to M.C. Hutson Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
🩸 Bookish Thoughts
I’ll never say no to a sapphic vampire book, and Born of Blood and Magic delivered a solid dose of urban fantasy!
The worldbuilding was fun, and I liked the overall setup of sapphic cursed bloodlines and magical relics. And I loved Vy from the get go! Petra had her moments, but she was so wishy-washy it started to wear on me.
And while the audiobook was easy to follow, there were times the narrator sounded more like she was reading than fully performing, which pulled me out of the story a bit.
But if you love sapphic vamps and supernatural urban fantasy definitely read this one!
🖤 What You Can Expect:
• Urban fantasy vibes
• Sapphic vampire x assassin
• Enemies to lovers
• Reluctant allies
📖 Final Score: ⭐⭐⭐.75
🎧 Audio Score: ⭐⭐⭐
🎙️ Narration Style: Solo
Thank you to M.C. Hutson Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
July 7, 2025
Ok so! This novel, in a general sense, was probably worth about two stars. This isn’t a case of me hating anything major in particular (mostly) as much as a case of the whole thing simply not being very good. The novel wasn’t entertaining, it dragged on and on with excessive exposition, and a lot of details didn’t make sense if you were paying attention, and the eventual payoff was not at all satisfying. There was a lot of worldbuilding but instead of feeling original it was more like they just grabbed things from several other works and mashed them together without doing very much re-imagining to make it feel fresh. There were extensive plot holes and contradictions throughout the story that were just plain frustrating and made me wonder if the author forgot what they had previously written.
This novel lost that last star in the rating when it suddenly went all-in on the rape jokes/content, and the on-page (almost) SA, without any kind of content warning for the reader. This was already something I strongly dislike, but also ill also comment that showcasing that your “bad guys” are bad by making them an entire organization of daily-rapists is as lazy as it is unpleasant, and unnecessary. You don’t need to threaten to rape your protagonist to raise the stakes, especially if they are already about to be tortured and killed.
This novel was so dull that it might have been one of the rare DNF’s for me, except that I got it as an ARC so I feel that I should finish it. I like the genres, the tropes, fantasy, sapphic romance, etc. so this should have been a win, but unfortunately not.
My last complaint might just be a “me” thing, but I hated the ending so much. It undid the entire story and everything we just read no longer happened/mattered. Including the romance. That was lame and disappointing to me. It makes for a good backstory for the protagonist (from the end of this book onwards) but it makes this novel feel anticlimactic and empty.
This novel lost that last star in the rating when it suddenly went all-in on the rape jokes/content, and the on-page (almost) SA, without any kind of content warning for the reader. This was already something I strongly dislike, but also ill also comment that showcasing that your “bad guys” are bad by making them an entire organization of daily-rapists is as lazy as it is unpleasant, and unnecessary. You don’t need to threaten to rape your protagonist to raise the stakes, especially if they are already about to be tortured and killed.
This novel was so dull that it might have been one of the rare DNF’s for me, except that I got it as an ARC so I feel that I should finish it. I like the genres, the tropes, fantasy, sapphic romance, etc. so this should have been a win, but unfortunately not.
My last complaint might just be a “me” thing, but I hated the ending so much. It undid the entire story and everything we just read no longer happened/mattered. Including the romance. That was lame and disappointing to me. It makes for a good backstory for the protagonist (from the end of this book onwards) but it makes this novel feel anticlimactic and empty.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 16, 2025
One ⭐
dnf
Say it with me now
RAPE SHOULD NOT BE USED AS THE PUNCHLINE FOR A JOKE
also for the love of god have content warnings
dnf
Say it with me now
RAPE SHOULD NOT BE USED AS THE PUNCHLINE FOR A JOKE
also for the love of god have content warnings
June 11, 2024
OK wow y'all, this book was GOOD. Step aside gay werewolves, I'm into lesbian vampires now. I loved everything about Born of Blood and Magic - the setting, the magic systems, the fast-paced plot, and the TENSION. Phew. And this is just the first of the series - I can't wait to see where the story goes, especially after THAT ENDING!
Petra Malkovitch is in training to become a supernatural hunter, but her ultimate goal is to avenge her mother's death. When she's provided with an opportunity to unalive Violet, the lightless vampire who did it, she immediately volunteers. Violet is a half vampire, half spellcaster who has been rejected by most supernaturals due to her mixed heritage. Her lust for Petra allows her to be captured relatively easily - but she manages to free herself and offers Petra a deal that benefits them both. Is there any way that they can set aside their hatred (and lust) for each other to rewrite their troubled pasts?
Oooh y'all, I just LOVE a true enemies to lovers story where they are just so attracted to each other they can't keep their hands off each other! I loved the little moments where they let their guard down and let the other in. I really felt for poor Violet, who has SUCH a sad backstory and little control over her situation. Petra especially tries so hard to focus so hard on her hate - but they really cannot deny their obvious chemistry. And, despite the fact that things are pretty contentious between them for most of the book, this is NOT a slow burn - there's some good spice mixed in pretty early on!
Born of Blood and Magic is M.C. Hutson's debut novel, and y'all, I'm so impressed. Incredible story, and I'm SO invested. It does end on bit of a cliffhanger, so I'll be looking out for the next one - so excited!
Petra Malkovitch is in training to become a supernatural hunter, but her ultimate goal is to avenge her mother's death. When she's provided with an opportunity to unalive Violet, the lightless vampire who did it, she immediately volunteers. Violet is a half vampire, half spellcaster who has been rejected by most supernaturals due to her mixed heritage. Her lust for Petra allows her to be captured relatively easily - but she manages to free herself and offers Petra a deal that benefits them both. Is there any way that they can set aside their hatred (and lust) for each other to rewrite their troubled pasts?
Oooh y'all, I just LOVE a true enemies to lovers story where they are just so attracted to each other they can't keep their hands off each other! I loved the little moments where they let their guard down and let the other in. I really felt for poor Violet, who has SUCH a sad backstory and little control over her situation. Petra especially tries so hard to focus so hard on her hate - but they really cannot deny their obvious chemistry. And, despite the fact that things are pretty contentious between them for most of the book, this is NOT a slow burn - there's some good spice mixed in pretty early on!
Born of Blood and Magic is M.C. Hutson's debut novel, and y'all, I'm so impressed. Incredible story, and I'm SO invested. It does end on bit of a cliffhanger, so I'll be looking out for the next one - so excited!
May 29, 2025
The first half of this book was amazing and I loved it. After the first half, the story got a little convoluted for me and I felt like the ending was rushed. On the whole, this is a good story but I'm not sure if I would continue the series or not at this point. The romance was just ok for me. I was expecting to love Vy and Petra together but what sounded like it would be an amazing romance was more like a spark that kept fizzling out for me. The intent was there but I just wasn't feeling it. This book was an entertaining read and I think it has it's merits, but for me it ended up being middle of the road.
Laura Horowitz is a wonderful narrator and did a great job on this novel.
Thank you NetGalley and MC Press for access to the ALC in exchange for an honest review.
Laura Horowitz is a wonderful narrator and did a great job on this novel.
Thank you NetGalley and MC Press for access to the ALC in exchange for an honest review.
December 11, 2025
Dnf at 26%. I was bored and wasnt attached to the characters at all. On top of that I think its shameful how the author is always saying very hateful things on TikTok. 🚫🚫🚫🚫🚫🚫
April 25, 2025
author is biphobic.
edit to add:
i did previously really enjoy this book and the author. i’m pretty disappointed in what they said.
edit to add:
i did previously really enjoy this book and the author. i’m pretty disappointed in what they said.
July 31, 2025
3.5 Stars
The characters were well written. Their history, motivations and dialogue just made sense to the plot.
The story in general regarding The Order and the unhumans and side characters were set-up solidly. It was intricate, interesting and layered. Compared to other fantasy stories with similar plot, I feel like Born of Blood and Magic is more substantive due to perfectly timed twists.
The characters were well written. Their history, motivations and dialogue just made sense to the plot.
The story in general regarding The Order and the unhumans and side characters were set-up solidly. It was intricate, interesting and layered. Compared to other fantasy stories with similar plot, I feel like Born of Blood and Magic is more substantive due to perfectly timed twists.
June 11, 2025
Safety info, content warnings and tropes down below.
I had high hopes for this book after starting it. Both main characters are strong, interesting and flawed, and the plot really intrigued me. I mean, vampire x vampire hunter is an elite trope. The secret order of vampire hunters had me hooked, but it didn’t take very long before I kinda fell out of the story. The romance bit between the women is complicated as heck obviously, which is okay, but I didn’t really feel any chemistry between them.
The external plot is sort of two-sided. One part completely external, and one part closely related to both MCs. Sadly, I didn’t care much about the latter. The ending is a big cliffhanger, and if I’d been more invested throughout the story, it could’ve devastated me. I felt mildly shocked, but that was really it.
It’s not a case of bad writing or anything, and I really enjoyed the narration — Laura Horowitz is super talented. I just think this is a case of ‘not for me’.
If you enjoy enemies to lovers that spans a long time and doesn’t get completely resolved in the first book, and fantasy/paranormal, then for sure give it a try.
Thank you to NetGalley and MC Hutson Press for the ALC.
Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Sapphic
Romantasy
Enemies to lovers
Fantasy
Revenge mission
Vampire-hunter training
Set in Canada
Size difference
Secret order of hunters
Black MC
Magic and spells
Only one bed
Cliffhanger
⚠️ Spice menu ⚠️
One night stand
Non-explicit
Hate sex to more
0.5/5 🌶️
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
On-page homophobia (parent)
MC’s parent killed on page
Drug use (on page, medicinal)
Systemic misogyny
MC isolated and ostracized
Grief and guilt
References to past recreational drug use
On-page erotic asphyxiation (between SCs)
Mentions of racism
Alcohol consumption
Non-explicit sexual content
Graphic violence
Attempted murder between MCs
MC tranquilized by SC and MC
MC abducted by MC and SC
Gun violence
Details of dead bird
Suicidal ideation
Vomiting
MC shooting other MC (brief injury)
MC medically experimented on
Mention of guards sexually assaulting captive women (no details)
Brief mention of SC’s parent committing suicide (past)
Sexual assault of MC (on-page, groping, partial undressing)
Death of side character (on page)
Mention of death of newborn children (past)
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: Yes, quite a lot. Both MCs kiss someone else after their first hookup. One MC breaks it off with a situationship after meeting the other MC. One of the MCs still has feelings for a childhood friend/girlfriend. And, MASSIVE SPOILER ALERT, you have been warned:
Breakup: Yes, in a way
POV: 3rd person, multi
Genre: Urban romantasy
Pairing: F/F
Strict roles or versatile: N/A
Main characters’ age: 25 and not specified
Series: Series
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 408
Happy ending: No, cliffhanger
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?...
I had high hopes for this book after starting it. Both main characters are strong, interesting and flawed, and the plot really intrigued me. I mean, vampire x vampire hunter is an elite trope. The secret order of vampire hunters had me hooked, but it didn’t take very long before I kinda fell out of the story. The romance bit between the women is complicated as heck obviously, which is okay, but I didn’t really feel any chemistry between them.
The external plot is sort of two-sided. One part completely external, and one part closely related to both MCs. Sadly, I didn’t care much about the latter. The ending is a big cliffhanger, and if I’d been more invested throughout the story, it could’ve devastated me. I felt mildly shocked, but that was really it.
It’s not a case of bad writing or anything, and I really enjoyed the narration — Laura Horowitz is super talented. I just think this is a case of ‘not for me’.
If you enjoy enemies to lovers that spans a long time and doesn’t get completely resolved in the first book, and fantasy/paranormal, then for sure give it a try.
Thank you to NetGalley and MC Hutson Press for the ALC.
Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Sapphic
Romantasy
Enemies to lovers
Fantasy
Revenge mission
Vampire-hunter training
Set in Canada
Size difference
Secret order of hunters
Black MC
Magic and spells
Only one bed
Cliffhanger
⚠️ Spice menu ⚠️
One night stand
Non-explicit
Hate sex to more
0.5/5 🌶️
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
On-page homophobia (parent)
MC’s parent killed on page
Drug use (on page, medicinal)
Systemic misogyny
MC isolated and ostracized
Grief and guilt
References to past recreational drug use
On-page erotic asphyxiation (between SCs)
Mentions of racism
Alcohol consumption
Non-explicit sexual content
Graphic violence
Attempted murder between MCs
MC tranquilized by SC and MC
MC abducted by MC and SC
Gun violence
Details of dead bird
Suicidal ideation
Vomiting
MC shooting other MC (brief injury)
MC medically experimented on
Mention of guards sexually assaulting captive women (no details)
Brief mention of SC’s parent committing suicide (past)
Sexual assault of MC (on-page, groping, partial undressing)
Death of side character (on page)
Mention of death of newborn children (past)
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: Yes, quite a lot. Both MCs kiss someone else after their first hookup. One MC breaks it off with a situationship after meeting the other MC. One of the MCs still has feelings for a childhood friend/girlfriend. And, MASSIVE SPOILER ALERT, you have been warned:
Breakup: Yes, in a way
POV: 3rd person, multi
Genre: Urban romantasy
Pairing: F/F
Strict roles or versatile: N/A
Main characters’ age: 25 and not specified
Series: Series
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 408
Happy ending: No, cliffhanger
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?...
October 7, 2025
Vy, an illblood vampire struggling with who she is, and Petra, a woman honing herself so that she can take revenge against the one who killed her mother and took her life from her. Against Vy. There is hope and potential that they could both get a better future, but only if they can work together.
Putting my thoughts together for this story isn't quite straightforward.
It's interesting and enjoyable, with plenty of depth. The lore is solid and intriguing, and we get more than just Vy and Petra's pov's. The romance is spicy and rough. There is attraction and chemistry between them, but also history and hate, from Petra, and insecurities from Vy. They both grow, a lot, becoming more and better than what they were.
It's also dark, on many levels. Not in a brutal way, but with what happens, and how it is all handled. Magic, power, time, drive and hatred. They all carry consequences. As does getting what they are after.
The ending for the story is well done, but also rather impactful. It's both what is expected, but also not, a twist that I didn't expect. After all that they've been through, there was always going to be a cost to pay. It's hard to encapsulate it properly without spoiling too much, so that is probably the best way to state it, but it is a heavy cost, given all that they've been through and built up.
All up, an enjoyable debut novel, and I look forward to seeing what else she releases.
Putting my thoughts together for this story isn't quite straightforward.
It's interesting and enjoyable, with plenty of depth. The lore is solid and intriguing, and we get more than just Vy and Petra's pov's. The romance is spicy and rough. There is attraction and chemistry between them, but also history and hate, from Petra, and insecurities from Vy. They both grow, a lot, becoming more and better than what they were.
It's also dark, on many levels. Not in a brutal way, but with what happens, and how it is all handled. Magic, power, time, drive and hatred. They all carry consequences. As does getting what they are after.
The ending for the story is well done, but also rather impactful. It's both what is expected, but also not, a twist that I didn't expect. After all that they've been through, there was always going to be a cost to pay. It's hard to encapsulate it properly without spoiling too much, so that is probably the best way to state it, but it is a heavy cost, given all that they've been through and built up.
All up, an enjoyable debut novel, and I look forward to seeing what else she releases.
May 30, 2025
Need the second book after that ending!!! I really enjoyed this story. Enemies to lovers is my ALL TIME fav trope, but toooooo many books that get promoted as enemies to lovers, really aren't. I found Born of Blood and Magic to be very refreshing. While it had a pretty slow start, I felt that the time taken to get the reader to understand the world really paid off. Everything just made sense, but also wasn't overly predictable.
I was lucky enough to get a copy of the audiobook on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was lucky enough to get a copy of the audiobook on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 26, 2024
AL FIN un buen enemies to lovers sáfico. Y encima fantasía urbana, mi género favorito de la vida 🥹
He gozado cada interacción entre Vy y Petra (la tensión, el yearning, su química??? off the charts), me ha encantado el worldbuilding, los toques sobrenaturales y los personajes tanto principales como secundarios. El final del libro me ha dejado fatal, destrozada, así que ahora solo queda esperar (im)pacientemente el segundo libro 🥲
He gozado cada interacción entre Vy y Petra (la tensión, el yearning, su química??? off the charts), me ha encantado el worldbuilding, los toques sobrenaturales y los personajes tanto principales como secundarios. El final del libro me ha dejado fatal, destrozada, así que ahora solo queda esperar (im)pacientemente el segundo libro 🥲
Read
August 18, 2025Gush, gush, gush, gush - that's all I want to do about this book!
I don't think I've enjoyed an Urban Fantasy as much since 'Threads that Bind' by Kika Hatzopoulou. And a queer romance too? Enrapture me, why don't you, MC Hutson?
There's relatively little vampire lore here (which, actually, was a bit refreshing for me, since I've done vamp-after-vamp-after-vamp book recently), but what we do get is concrete and relevant and also whets our appetites for further development in later books.
MC Hutson gives us heaps and heaps of Fourth-Wing-style soldier-school stuff for the vampire slayers/monster fighters, at the headquarter and barracks of the devious 'Order', where Petra is taking her final qualification (given this, my mind flipped a bit at the end with where Hutson has Petra end up!).
Characterisation is fantastically muscular, and the dual-protagonist narrative is artfully crafted.
The audio of 'Born of Blood and Magic' is performed with fluency and real flair by Laura Horowitz (I am really looking forward to listening to her narrate Kaylie Smith's 'Wicked Games' series now, having been so spellbound by her Petra and Vy).
This is a potent little enchantment of an audiobook; thanks to MC Press for the listening pleasure. I'm holding my breath for the rest of the Lightless series!
I don't think I've enjoyed an Urban Fantasy as much since 'Threads that Bind' by Kika Hatzopoulou. And a queer romance too? Enrapture me, why don't you, MC Hutson?
There's relatively little vampire lore here (which, actually, was a bit refreshing for me, since I've done vamp-after-vamp-after-vamp book recently), but what we do get is concrete and relevant and also whets our appetites for further development in later books.
MC Hutson gives us heaps and heaps of Fourth-Wing-style soldier-school stuff for the vampire slayers/monster fighters, at the headquarter and barracks of the devious 'Order', where Petra is taking her final qualification (given this, my mind flipped a bit at the end with where Hutson has Petra end up!).
Characterisation is fantastically muscular, and the dual-protagonist narrative is artfully crafted.
The audio of 'Born of Blood and Magic' is performed with fluency and real flair by Laura Horowitz (I am really looking forward to listening to her narrate Kaylie Smith's 'Wicked Games' series now, having been so spellbound by her Petra and Vy).
This is a potent little enchantment of an audiobook; thanks to MC Press for the listening pleasure. I'm holding my breath for the rest of the Lightless series!
January 24, 2025
3.5 stars
August 29, 2025
Wow! Surprising 5 stars for me!
Great audio 🎧
Mature teen+ level spice
Thank you NetGalley for an early audio copy of this book! All opinions are my own.
I picked up this book as an ALC and was pretty quickly drawn in. I wasn't familiar with the author and I don't read a ton of sapphic romance, so I didn't have any expectations.
Something about the style of this storytelling gave me 90s nostalgia - I loved it! We are in a world of humans, vampires, and other magical beings, following a human, named Petra. She's working for an organization against the "lightless" aka vampires who has a personal vendetta against one of them, and is sent on a mission to abduct her. Petra feels conflicted bc she wanted to revenge kill this woman, but was sworn on a mission to retrieve her alive. In an effort to trap the vampire, Petra pretends to be romantically interested.... but a chemistry develops between them that she didn't prepare for. And thru their relationship, they both begin to explore their pasts and the family dynamics they were raised in.
We've got:
Sapphic love - rep
Enemies to Lovers
I'm supposed to kill you, but....
Portal travel
Magical beings and humans
Political intrigue
Social commentary are racism and classism
Mother - daughter relationships
Learning to accept one's self
Healing from trauma
I was intrigued and invested till the very end, and can't wait for book 2!
Great audio 🎧
Mature teen+ level spice
Thank you NetGalley for an early audio copy of this book! All opinions are my own.
I picked up this book as an ALC and was pretty quickly drawn in. I wasn't familiar with the author and I don't read a ton of sapphic romance, so I didn't have any expectations.
Something about the style of this storytelling gave me 90s nostalgia - I loved it! We are in a world of humans, vampires, and other magical beings, following a human, named Petra. She's working for an organization against the "lightless" aka vampires who has a personal vendetta against one of them, and is sent on a mission to abduct her. Petra feels conflicted bc she wanted to revenge kill this woman, but was sworn on a mission to retrieve her alive. In an effort to trap the vampire, Petra pretends to be romantically interested.... but a chemistry develops between them that she didn't prepare for. And thru their relationship, they both begin to explore their pasts and the family dynamics they were raised in.
We've got:
Sapphic love - rep
Enemies to Lovers
I'm supposed to kill you, but....
Portal travel
Magical beings and humans
Political intrigue
Social commentary are racism and classism
Mother - daughter relationships
Learning to accept one's self
Healing from trauma
I was intrigued and invested till the very end, and can't wait for book 2!
March 5, 2024
Amazing debut romantasy!! Sapphic, vampires, other supernaturals/paramormals. Mainly told in Vy and Petra’s pov but with a generous helping of side character pov that brings a larger world building view. Lots of action. Lots of twists and turns. Sizzling spice. Wrapped up well as a book 1 with plenty of groundwork for interest and desire for book 2! Highly recommend!
August 13, 2025
3.5 stars, decent debut novel. Didn't have the same transphobic take that many reviewers did, as she told her cishet male coworker who identifies as a male without any trans tendencies that he wouldn't be welcome to join her in a sapphic nightclub. I would read the next in the series, hopefully with the same narrator as Laura Horowitz did a great job.
June 26, 2025
She wanted revenge. What she found was the truth — and it nearly destroyed her. This book put me through it.
Dark, magical, and emotionally brutal — Born of Blood and Magic is a story about love, vengeance, identity, and the weight of history. It explores what it means to carry pain, to be shaped by loss, and to question the systems that raised you.
The characters are complex and unforgettable. The worldbuilding is layered with curses, secret factions, spellcraft, and deep emotional lore. Every chapter pulled me deeper into a web of prophecy, betrayal, and slow-burning heartbreak.
It’s not just a supernatural tale — it’s a reflection on belief, power, and choosing your own path, even when it costs everything. I’m still recovering. Book 2 cannot come fast enough.
Dark, magical, and emotionally brutal — Born of Blood and Magic is a story about love, vengeance, identity, and the weight of history. It explores what it means to carry pain, to be shaped by loss, and to question the systems that raised you.
The characters are complex and unforgettable. The worldbuilding is layered with curses, secret factions, spellcraft, and deep emotional lore. Every chapter pulled me deeper into a web of prophecy, betrayal, and slow-burning heartbreak.
It’s not just a supernatural tale — it’s a reflection on belief, power, and choosing your own path, even when it costs everything. I’m still recovering. Book 2 cannot come fast enough.
June 17, 2025
First and foremost let me thank NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to listen to this audio ARC.
I had attempted to read this book twice in the physical format and just couldn't get through it. Sometimes the audio book helps me bust through and find a great story at the end... I would not classify this as a great story.. but it was a story.
There are a couple of jokes about things that well I don't joke about. Sexual assault and trans matters. At one point the MC makes a comment about how their friend couldn't go to a sapphic club bc they had a dick between their legs. That feels terfy as hell! and I honestly just can't get past it.
My stars here are for the world building like I would love to know more there. But leave the "jokes" behind pls.
This is a review of the audiobook.
I had attempted to read this book twice in the physical format and just couldn't get through it. Sometimes the audio book helps me bust through and find a great story at the end... I would not classify this as a great story.. but it was a story.
There are a couple of jokes about things that well I don't joke about. Sexual assault and trans matters. At one point the MC makes a comment about how their friend couldn't go to a sapphic club bc they had a dick between their legs. That feels terfy as hell! and I honestly just can't get past it.
My stars here are for the world building like I would love to know more there. But leave the "jokes" behind pls.
This is a review of the audiobook.
November 27, 2024
**Reviews are for readers not authors. If you are the author or friend of the author, please keep scrolling
Born of Blood and Magic is an urban fantasy following Vy, a vampire who hates the taste of blood, and Petra, a monster hunter in training who wants to kill the vampire who killed her mother. Petra and Vy make an unlikely team, but they must work together to find a mystical artefact that has the power to change both their lives.
We primarily follow Petra and Vy on their journey with some points of view from the people who work in the monster hunter organization, even if they felt superfluous. Vy and Petra were the most fleshed out characters, with Vy being nervous but trying to take charge of the situation and Petra being standoffish. I still wanted more out of both of them.
This is a classic MacGuffin plot that felt really thin. The middle dragged with what was supposed to be their bonding, but didn’t pan out for me. I think what failed on the romantic/emotional plot for me was Petra continually giving Vy the cold shoulder and Vy continuing to flirt like the cold shoulder wasn’t there? It made the romance feel off balance.
The writing was overall okay. There were some awkward phrasing, like work around to not mention brands, but nothing egregious.
I’m not sure how much I liked the ending? Overall, the ending made sense, but
I rated this book 2.5 stars. A decent debut urban fantasy for sure, but I probably won’t be continuing the series.
Born of Blood and Magic is an urban fantasy following Vy, a vampire who hates the taste of blood, and Petra, a monster hunter in training who wants to kill the vampire who killed her mother. Petra and Vy make an unlikely team, but they must work together to find a mystical artefact that has the power to change both their lives.
We primarily follow Petra and Vy on their journey with some points of view from the people who work in the monster hunter organization, even if they felt superfluous. Vy and Petra were the most fleshed out characters, with Vy being nervous but trying to take charge of the situation and Petra being standoffish. I still wanted more out of both of them.
This is a classic MacGuffin plot that felt really thin. The middle dragged with what was supposed to be their bonding, but didn’t pan out for me. I think what failed on the romantic/emotional plot for me was Petra continually giving Vy the cold shoulder and Vy continuing to flirt like the cold shoulder wasn’t there? It made the romance feel off balance.
The writing was overall okay. There were some awkward phrasing, like work around to not mention brands, but nothing egregious.
I’m not sure how much I liked the ending? Overall, the ending made sense, but
I rated this book 2.5 stars. A decent debut urban fantasy for sure, but I probably won’t be continuing the series.
April 25, 2024
This book has so many things that should make it tick all the right boxes for a good sapphic urban fantasy book. And it does, for a while. The final third was rushed though and the entire mood for the book changes. We go from getting to know our characters and seeing them come closer together with very mild action scenes if any. Then we are bombarded with tons of action, gratuitous violence and gore, and confrontations with antagonists hitting back-to-back. I could forgive all of that and still enjoy the book until the last few chapters.
May 22, 2024
This is a strong debut from this author!
It's also ambitious as that it tackles multiple POV - and does it well-multiple POV has beeen disastrous when attempted by seasoned writers.
The character development is top notch- and the characters have wonderful arcs in which you see the conclusion to their story lines.
The relationships are rich and layered and the world building is well done.
I can't wait for more in this series!
It's also ambitious as that it tackles multiple POV - and does it well-multiple POV has beeen disastrous when attempted by seasoned writers.
The character development is top notch- and the characters have wonderful arcs in which you see the conclusion to their story lines.
The relationships are rich and layered and the world building is well done.
I can't wait for more in this series!
September 9, 2024
Sapphic Urban Fantasy with a vampire hunter forced to work with the vampire that killed her mother, narrated by Laura Horowitz! What more could you ask for?
I enjoyed this story, but did find myself getting a bit lost in the world building at times, that may have been due to listening to this on audio. It felt very high fantasy with an intricate world & lots of characters.
Overall I enjoyed it though the the slow burn and growth of the relationship was done really well.
I enjoyed this story, but did find myself getting a bit lost in the world building at times, that may have been due to listening to this on audio. It felt very high fantasy with an intricate world & lots of characters.
Overall I enjoyed it though the the slow burn and growth of the relationship was done really well.
August 28, 2024
5 star for this one!. Can't wait for the next book
June 13, 2025
My Initial Thoughts
Straight away was ready for an adventure and this didn’t disappoint, to an extent. It did take me a while to settle into this audiobook and I found it hard to understand what was happening at first, it was made more difficult by the fact there is 4 POVs but its in 3rd person.
Plot
I really enjoyed the plot and the danger and intensity of the storyline. This would make a good film/series. Once I was fully emersed into the world of the lightless I could follow along easier and fully understand what was happening. That being said, the ending wasn’t for me and fell flat in my opinion.
Characters
There is so many different characters which all have very different personalities. I think Violet was my favourite, such a misunderstood character. Also Dustin… why.
Recommend
If you’re a fan of urban fantasy with a touch of romance then try this!
Narrating
I was able to keep up with the narrator and the full story and I feel like they did a great job, considering they had to voice 4 MCs.
Overall Wrap up
This did take me a while to warm up to and I enjoyed the middle and the adventure and danger that Petra and Vi went on together, the push and the pull of the relationship, discovering truths hidden under lies. The ending however, I was not a fan of and that really let it down for me, it just felt ok, nothing terrible but also nothing to shout about either. Also Dustin.. poor soul, there is always one. I hated some of the characters with a passion, but I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series, however I’m unsure as to where that might lead at the moment, but there is a few things left unanswered.
Stars & Spice – 3.75 stars and 2 chilli spices.
Book Information – Born Of Blood And Magic by M.C.Hutson.
Narrators – Narrated by Laura Horowitz.
Genre – Urban fantasy with a side of romance.
Length of audiobook – 10hrs 3 minutes.
Tropes –
LGBTQ+ rep.
Magical creatures.
Enemies to lovers.
Rewriting history.
Found family.
Available on Kindle Unlimited – Born Of Blood And Magic is available on kindle unlimited.
Available Formats – Available on kindle, audiobook and in paperback.
Publishing Information – Published on 13th August 2024 by MC Hutson Press INC.
Format in Which I Read – Audiobook.
Where my copy come From – Netgallery.
POVs – There is four POVs – Petra, Violet. Olivia and the general.
Single/Dual/Multiple Timelines – Written on a single timeline.
1st or 3rd Person – Written in 3rd person.
HEA, HFN or Cliff hanger – Open ended. I don’t see how the story can carry on from this ending ? Unless it’s a series of interconnected standalones with different MCs?
Series or Standalone – Book 1 of The Lightless series.
Trigger Warnings – Please check content warnings before reading if necessary and please always remember that your mental health matters.
Straight away was ready for an adventure and this didn’t disappoint, to an extent. It did take me a while to settle into this audiobook and I found it hard to understand what was happening at first, it was made more difficult by the fact there is 4 POVs but its in 3rd person.
Plot
I really enjoyed the plot and the danger and intensity of the storyline. This would make a good film/series. Once I was fully emersed into the world of the lightless I could follow along easier and fully understand what was happening. That being said, the ending wasn’t for me and fell flat in my opinion.
Characters
There is so many different characters which all have very different personalities. I think Violet was my favourite, such a misunderstood character. Also Dustin… why.
Recommend
If you’re a fan of urban fantasy with a touch of romance then try this!
Narrating
I was able to keep up with the narrator and the full story and I feel like they did a great job, considering they had to voice 4 MCs.
Overall Wrap up
This did take me a while to warm up to and I enjoyed the middle and the adventure and danger that Petra and Vi went on together, the push and the pull of the relationship, discovering truths hidden under lies. The ending however, I was not a fan of and that really let it down for me, it just felt ok, nothing terrible but also nothing to shout about either. Also Dustin.. poor soul, there is always one. I hated some of the characters with a passion, but I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series, however I’m unsure as to where that might lead at the moment, but there is a few things left unanswered.
Stars & Spice – 3.75 stars and 2 chilli spices.
Book Information – Born Of Blood And Magic by M.C.Hutson.
Narrators – Narrated by Laura Horowitz.
Genre – Urban fantasy with a side of romance.
Length of audiobook – 10hrs 3 minutes.
Tropes –
LGBTQ+ rep.
Magical creatures.
Enemies to lovers.
Rewriting history.
Found family.
Available on Kindle Unlimited – Born Of Blood And Magic is available on kindle unlimited.
Available Formats – Available on kindle, audiobook and in paperback.
Publishing Information – Published on 13th August 2024 by MC Hutson Press INC.
Format in Which I Read – Audiobook.
Where my copy come From – Netgallery.
POVs – There is four POVs – Petra, Violet. Olivia and the general.
Single/Dual/Multiple Timelines – Written on a single timeline.
1st or 3rd Person – Written in 3rd person.
HEA, HFN or Cliff hanger – Open ended. I don’t see how the story can carry on from this ending ? Unless it’s a series of interconnected standalones with different MCs?
Series or Standalone – Book 1 of The Lightless series.
Trigger Warnings – Please check content warnings before reading if necessary and please always remember that your mental health matters.
March 6, 2024
I really liked this book! It's a debut sapphic enemies to lovers romantasy between a vampire and essentially a vampire hunter. Vy and Petra have a really great enemies to lovers plotline, and I liked seeing their relationship build from hate to love over the course of their book. There were many parts I was gasping and shocked from plot twists. The world building is surface-level great, we learn aspects of the world throughout the story and as the reader needs to know them. With this being an urban fantasy, I think it meshed nicely with the real world setting. This is a multi-POV book, but we mainly follow Vy and Petra. The side characters who get their POV chapters add a lot to the story, and I actually really appreciated getting more of an overview on what was going on because of this. I thought the end was a little rushed and I wished it was more spaced out, only because I wanted more of the story lol. I'm curious to see how book 2 will play out with the ending (especially with Petra, iykyk).
I would highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a sapphic enemies to lovers romantasy!
I would highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a sapphic enemies to lovers romantasy!
June 9, 2025
This book was so much fun! We a sapphic urban fantasy romance. I loved the different types of magical creatures like vampires, hoppers, and sorcerers. The third person POV gave us a true scope of all the characters involved and I loved that. The romance was beautifully cruel and I really liked how it ended. We also get an interracial relationship which I can appreciate. The narrator did an amazing job portraying both main characters. The plot was interesting and unique. The pacing was done very well, and I felt like the book flowed perfectly. This was a good time.
August 23, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley for ‘Born Of Blood And Magic’.
4⭐️ I usually try to avoid books with titles like ‘The —— of —— and ——“ but I kinda super enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the drama, action, and lore regarding the world and its building. I liked the characters and their development. I liked that the enemies to lovers aspect actually seemed reasonable. It was paced very well and I never got bored. One thing that confused me was the character(s) Clay who I think is Kayla. There is also a Kate…I think. I didn’t really understand that relationship but it’s fine because it’s not a huge part of the story. As long as I understand that the Clay/Kayla character(s) are in command of the SOLs and slightly crazy. I will offer no information on Petra and Vy. I will only say that this book was pretty good. The sex scenes were refreshing and well-written. I didn’t cringe once. The end of this made me sad but I look forward to knowing there is a second book on the horizon.
TW: Death of a parent, sexual content, homophobia, religious bigotry, blood, murder, violence, drug use, sexual assault
4⭐️ I usually try to avoid books with titles like ‘The —— of —— and ——“ but I kinda super enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the drama, action, and lore regarding the world and its building. I liked the characters and their development. I liked that the enemies to lovers aspect actually seemed reasonable. It was paced very well and I never got bored. One thing that confused me was the character(s) Clay who I think is Kayla. There is also a Kate…I think. I didn’t really understand that relationship but it’s fine because it’s not a huge part of the story. As long as I understand that the Clay/Kayla character(s) are in command of the SOLs and slightly crazy. I will offer no information on Petra and Vy. I will only say that this book was pretty good. The sex scenes were refreshing and well-written. I didn’t cringe once. The end of this made me sad but I look forward to knowing there is a second book on the horizon.
TW: Death of a parent, sexual content, homophobia, religious bigotry, blood, murder, violence, drug use, sexual assault
August 30, 2025
1.5★
I'd like to preface this review by stating that reviews are for the potential readers, not the writer, so if you're the author or in any way affiliated with her, this is your sign to scroll or risk getting your feelings hurt. I received a copy of this book for review from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions stated are my own, and I'm grateful for having had the chance to give this book a shot.
Look, I love a good paranormal romance, and sapphic vampires are something that caught my attention immediately. The premise of this book is impeccable, a cursed vampire and a vampire hunter have to team up to each achieve their own goals. However, the execution was quite honestly lacking.
My first issue were the characters. They all felt very two-dimensional to me, they were very distinct, but there was just something that didn't let me connect with any of them. Really, the only character I ended up even slightly caring about was Dustin which I would've never guessed when he was first introduced. The character of Kayla—or Commander Clay—was one that I sympathized with from the beginning, but by the end, I couldn't stand her. The character I just outright couldn't stand was Olivia, about whom even after she received a sob backstory I couldn't care any less about. Her story was also just so random, like what??? Our main characters were the exact opposite of what you'd want a fantasy book protagonist be. Vy—or Violet—reminded me of of the typical 2014 fanfiction y/n, because she's a vampire, then she's also a witch, and her mom left her and then she ran away to protect the rest of her family from herself... She also doesn't really have any distinct personality past hating herself and being horny all the time. Petra, on the other hand, seemed like a pretty cool character at first, a scarred butch assassin with a traumatic past... but really, said one traumatic event is really her entire personality in the story. That, and being a bitch to Vy for the first, like, good 70% of the book, until she suddenly flipped and was like "wait actually I kinda wanna fuck her." In prologue, Petra had expressed clear religious trauma (from her mother being Catholic and her being gay, which her mother did not support), but this part of her quickly disappeared and was never mentioned again in the story.
That leads me to the relationship between our two main characters, because to me, this was advertised as an enemies to lovers, but can it really be enemies to lovers when they don't even end up together??? Their chemistry was also incredibly lacking, the internal monologues of the characters want the readers to believe how in denial they both are about their suppressed love for one another, but it just wasn't there. Their flirting scenes felt forced, and the book overall felt too sexual for a fantasy book. And don't get me wrong, I do love a good erotica, but this just wasn't it. Like, there's time and place for everything.
Which brings me to the SA scene that happens in Chapter 30. The audiobook has no trigger/content warnings listed, which to me seems extremely problematic. After sourcing the ebook version, I found out that that one does list a couple, but while reading, I noticed even more that weren't listed at all. Except for rape/SA, this book includes on-page portrayal of the death of a parent, on-page racism, homophobia, TERF beliefs/transphobic comments, and many instances of physical violence, as well as many more.
Now, the ending makes or breaks a book, and this one was beyond disappointing. I can't say I really rooted for Vy and Petra, but what a way to mess up over 300 pages of character development. With Petra's memories gone, she ended up with her childhood friend who only previously appeared in the Prologue (her name was Kate I think?) and Vy became, like, the Doctor Strange but part vampire? It made no sense. And one thing that just really irked me was that for some reason Petra wasn't butch in the Epilogue... as if the only reason she was butch in the story was because of the trauma caused by the death of her mother???
With how slowly this book started, and how much the plot dragged on, everything past Chapter 30 happened on a whim and just so randomly. Suddenly there was the serum, and two people were dead, and Alice was Vy's donor, and Vy's mother actually loved her and meant for her to be great, and the most random fucking person was the cause behind this all... Like what?
Anyways, this book greatly disappointed me, and if there ever is a sequel (which, according to the author's Instagram page, is currently in the works), I will not be reading it.
Side note: scrolling through the other reviews and the author's Instagram page, it seems that there has been several issues of her pushing lesbian stereotypes and being biphobic, which I personally cannot support.
I'd like to preface this review by stating that reviews are for the potential readers, not the writer, so if you're the author or in any way affiliated with her, this is your sign to scroll or risk getting your feelings hurt. I received a copy of this book for review from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions stated are my own, and I'm grateful for having had the chance to give this book a shot.
Look, I love a good paranormal romance, and sapphic vampires are something that caught my attention immediately. The premise of this book is impeccable, a cursed vampire and a vampire hunter have to team up to each achieve their own goals. However, the execution was quite honestly lacking.
My first issue were the characters. They all felt very two-dimensional to me, they were very distinct, but there was just something that didn't let me connect with any of them. Really, the only character I ended up even slightly caring about was Dustin which I would've never guessed when he was first introduced. The character of Kayla—or Commander Clay—was one that I sympathized with from the beginning, but by the end, I couldn't stand her. The character I just outright couldn't stand was Olivia, about whom even after she received a sob backstory I couldn't care any less about. Her story was also just so random, like what??? Our main characters were the exact opposite of what you'd want a fantasy book protagonist be. Vy—or Violet—reminded me of of the typical 2014 fanfiction y/n, because she's a vampire, then she's also a witch, and her mom left her and then she ran away to protect the rest of her family from herself... She also doesn't really have any distinct personality past hating herself and being horny all the time. Petra, on the other hand, seemed like a pretty cool character at first, a scarred butch assassin with a traumatic past... but really, said one traumatic event is really her entire personality in the story. That, and being a bitch to Vy for the first, like, good 70% of the book, until she suddenly flipped and was like "wait actually I kinda wanna fuck her." In prologue, Petra had expressed clear religious trauma (from her mother being Catholic and her being gay, which her mother did not support), but this part of her quickly disappeared and was never mentioned again in the story.
That leads me to the relationship between our two main characters, because to me, this was advertised as an enemies to lovers, but can it really be enemies to lovers when they don't even end up together??? Their chemistry was also incredibly lacking, the internal monologues of the characters want the readers to believe how in denial they both are about their suppressed love for one another, but it just wasn't there. Their flirting scenes felt forced, and the book overall felt too sexual for a fantasy book. And don't get me wrong, I do love a good erotica, but this just wasn't it. Like, there's time and place for everything.
Which brings me to the SA scene that happens in Chapter 30. The audiobook has no trigger/content warnings listed, which to me seems extremely problematic. After sourcing the ebook version, I found out that that one does list a couple, but while reading, I noticed even more that weren't listed at all. Except for rape/SA, this book includes on-page portrayal of the death of a parent, on-page racism, homophobia, TERF beliefs/transphobic comments, and many instances of physical violence, as well as many more.
Now, the ending makes or breaks a book, and this one was beyond disappointing. I can't say I really rooted for Vy and Petra, but what a way to mess up over 300 pages of character development. With Petra's memories gone, she ended up with her childhood friend who only previously appeared in the Prologue (her name was Kate I think?) and Vy became, like, the Doctor Strange but part vampire? It made no sense. And one thing that just really irked me was that for some reason Petra wasn't butch in the Epilogue... as if the only reason she was butch in the story was because of the trauma caused by the death of her mother???
With how slowly this book started, and how much the plot dragged on, everything past Chapter 30 happened on a whim and just so randomly. Suddenly there was the serum, and two people were dead, and Alice was Vy's donor, and Vy's mother actually loved her and meant for her to be great, and the most random fucking person was the cause behind this all... Like what?
Anyways, this book greatly disappointed me, and if there ever is a sequel (which, according to the author's Instagram page, is currently in the works), I will not be reading it.
Side note: scrolling through the other reviews and the author's Instagram page, it seems that there has been several issues of her pushing lesbian stereotypes and being biphobic, which I personally cannot support.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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