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Blood Fist: Steel and Scale Chronicles

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A prince sold for a bargain. A soldier born in the gutter. And a young warrior destined to unite them all.

Centuries after the great dragon Artrax sacrificed himself to imprison the evil sorcerer Sinestrus and his Void Soul magic, humanity is divided. Behind the city walls of Kaledonea, magic is currency. Outside the walls are the Clansmen who hold true to the legend of Artrax. They live in prosperity in the shadow of his mountain tomb, far from the magic they distrust so much.

But the magic is fading. Without it, Kaledonea will fall.

Brune Son of Somebody, was born and raised in the gutter. With nothing more than the prospect of food and a roof over his head, he joins the Kaledonean army. As a lowly foot soldier, he has no ambitions other than his next meal. When he is ordered to march beyond the massive walls of the city, he doesn’t expect to find the one thing he’s never had–purpose. And when that purpose turns to love, he will do anything to keep it. Even if it means betraying the only life he’s ever known.

Omega Ridan Oldsun has always known he will one day be chief of the Stone Blade clan. Raised wild, and free, he has never considered the responsibilities of his impending leadership.

Until Kaledonea brings war. And with it, an alpha soldier Ridan shouldn’t trust. But at the edge of a blade Ridan will find that love, war, and loyalty come at a cost.


Blood Fist is a slow burn omegaverse romantasy featuring a strong willed omega, a fierce alpha, and the magical world they're carving a life in. It is the first in an interconnected series with a self-contained story. There is no MM+.

576 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 10, 2024

23 people are currently reading
84 people want to read

About the author

Jacqueline McCall

8 books28 followers
Jacqueline McCall is a displaced Texan, living on a farm in Central Florida. Raised as an only child by a single mother, she was often left alone. To fill her time, she picked up reading. When hyper fixating on characters wasn’t enough, she started creating her own. Like her characters, she never pulls punches. Preferring to write characters that aren’t being rescued by the knight on the white horse, but rather a beaten, bloody, morally grey savior.

Basically nocturnal, she prefers long naps behind blackout curtains and energy drinks. She can never remember keyboard short cuts and hates when her phone updates. When not writing, she enjoys riding her horses, being judged by cats, and cursing.

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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
Profile Image for Gale MR.
335 reviews22 followers
June 12, 2025
Five stars aren't enough, not in this case!
A mountain, enveloped in mystery and legends.
Unimaginable evil, trapped inside the rocky formations.
A sacrifice so big to give the humans a chance to live.
One author's imagination - so vast and fascinating - weaving all the fairytale like threads in a story about love, hatred, ambition, valor, loyalty and determination that challenge the usual limits of our understanding how deep, how far, how long a person can go to prove a point and take what one's think for theirs.
The only thing that comes to mind is that I am in absolute, pure awe of the world building. But even that sounds flat and not enough. The incredibly well written descriptions to the tiniest, most delicate detail; the masterfully spread out thinking process of the characters that turns every feeling, every emotion, every decision in breathing, living canvas and all of them are entwined in a complex, multi-layered, rapidly expanding plotline that is a pure pleasure for all senses of the reader.
The story is a very original and intriguing combination between Omegaverse and fantasy! Yes, I kid you not! Something like that can not only exist but be an excellent example that there are no limits for any possibility if the execution is impeccable.
The next thing I really appreciate is the wide cast of characters. Ridan, Brune, Corrick, Jonen and so many more. Nobody was left behind as secondary or undeveloped and every single one of them made the story richer, fuller, brighter and more colorful.
What truly impressed me was the author's belief in the values they described on page - a fist is always stronger than a finger, an armful of twigs harder to break than a single one of them, a clan of people is as strong as the weakest of their members. There were so many thought provoking moments hidden between the pages, so many examples of actions that felt truly lived in before embedded into the story so the reader can also feel their significance and value as corners stones of the world building.
I really hope this isn't the end and we will see more of this interesting world.
Profile Image for Kat.
405 reviews212 followers
January 8, 2026
4.75 stars  

Basics
Author: she/her, USA
Genre: romantasy
Setting: Stone Blade clan
Themes: acceptance, loyalty, bravery, love
Vibes: sweeping, heart-wrenching

Main  Characters
🐎 🗡 Ridan - omega Stone Blade clan heir who is an excellent fighter, leader, and friend (aggressive spiky black cat energy)
🛡 🔨 Brune - alpha ex-city soldier who saved Ridan's life and defects to the Stone Blade clan (placid gentle Labrador-who-just-wants-to-sleep-at-the-foot-of-your-bed energy)
👑 ⚔️ Corric - young omega prince of the city who is rescued from raiders by Ridan and Jonen and taken into the Stone Blade clan (pretty faced & fierce about what he wants)
🐎 🧸 Jonen - sweet soft gentle alpha who grew up as Ridan's brother in the Stone Blade clan (sweet low-esteem teddy bear)

Pros
+ General idea: At 12yo, Ridan and Jonen stumble upon prince Corric's overturned carriage, kill the raiders, and rescue Corric and bring him back to the clan. Now as they are 21yo, the city has sent an army to take Corric back. The clan clashes against the army and in a final showdown, Ridan faces off against the general. The general cheats and is going to have Ridan killed from behind but Brune, a city soldier, jumps in and protects Ridan's back and life. The clan ends up winning that battle and Brune defects to the clan. The story goes from there. Dark magic. Undermountain sleeping dragon powers. Omegaverse bonds interwoven. Sacrifice, loyalty, family, bravery, love.
+ Fantasy elements: magic, dragons (in the past), gollums, harpy, elemental human magicians, wild crystal horses, giant red predator birds, Snap Jaw swamp monsters
+ Romance tropes: omegaverse, slowburns (all pairings), "enemy" to lovers, childhood friends-to-lovers, size difference, calm x fiery, touch-him-and-die, hurt/comfort, placid Labrador x angry black cat, m-preg, public courting, grand courting gestures & gifts 
+ LGBTQIA & omegaverse rep: 3x AlphaM/omegaM, 2x AlphaF/omegaM, 1x AlphaF/omegaF
+ One of the best omegaverses I've ever read. This is a fully fleshed out fantasy clan world with omegaverse elements woven in.
+ I LOVE how Ridan so badly wants to rail against Brune, but Brune never rises in anger so Ridan just simply doesn't know what to do with him or how to respond. For someone who is so sure-footed in his clan and himself, seeing Ridan off-balance due to Brune's gentleness really makes my heart ache in a good way.
+ Did I mention the clan leader is Ridan's badass petite battle-scarred Alpha Mom?! 🔥
+ Amazing character building
+ crying like a baby TWICE over the word "Loudly" 💔
+ the Corric fight scene  🫦 God damnnnnnnn
+ 3:30AM - not me sobbing to "Destroy yourself"
+ 3:50AM - straight weeping "The path you're on has many turns. It is longer than you can walk, and while you will never see the end, you are the beginning."
+ I love Ridan & Brune so much 😭😭😭
+ I cried 4-5x throughout this entire book. The characters became so dear to me that it hurt to see them go through everything.
+ May we have book 2 with fireman & harpy please, I'm on my knees 🙏
+ I read this in one sitting, from 10PM-4AM. It's on me for starting it so late. But damn I couldn't put it down.

Neutral
- I feel like during Ridan's "gold scene," a POV from Brune first would have been even more emotionally devastating. A real missed opportunity to rip my heart out again.
- I did not need the final part of the chapter, where we see their children and then mentions of their children's children (I'm hoping praying for second book between fireman/harpy so I didn't want to know all that yet).

Cons
- Everyone, ignore the obvious info-dumping of the prologue. The entire book is NOT like that.
- Of the four main characters, I feel like Jonen should have been fleshed out just a bit more
- The villains are a bit too pitch black. I would have preferred some greyness from them, something that could be understood in some way. Rather than us just hate them entirely, more shallowly, without nuance.

Comp Recs
+ Monstrous series by Lily Mayne (plain raiders/clans, monsters & magic, lots of MM)

Content Warnings
physically and mentally abusive parent, childhood poverty (mentioned), war, blood, gore, parent death, grief, fighting, burning, torture, scarring, miscarriage, pregnancy complications
Profile Image for Haven Lockeby.
169 reviews3 followers
January 22, 2026
“I found you in this life and in death I chose you.”

This book may have just ruined all future omegaverse books for me. This was so freaking good!

This was the book that kept on giving. This wasn’t just a romance. This was a full adventure. This book gave us strong, badass omegas. This book gave us steady alphas not afraid to stand behind and beside their omegas and let them shine. This book gave us a clan, so much bigger than found family.

There was intrigue.
There was violence.
There was heartbreak.
There was victory.
There was pack.

Honestly, I cannot say enough good about this book.
Profile Image for Jerrica Becker.
9 reviews
March 22, 2025
Been a while since a book sucked me in so fully, and I loved every moment of it!! Was sad to be done reading it, but gratefully to have found it in the first place. What a great story and characters ❤️
Profile Image for Merissa (Archaeolibrarian).
4,232 reviews119 followers
January 8, 2025
BLOOD FIST is the first book in the Steel and Scale Chronicles and is an amazing mix of Omegaverse in Fantasy. I absolutely adored every word and can't wait to return to this world.

We start with Ridan and Jonen playing hooky. Corric then enters their family. Time moves on and Brune arrives. Together, these four can conquer just about anything. Okay, so a lot of other things happen too, some will make you smile, some will make your eyes leak, but ALL of it is worth it.

This is a true saga that is slow burn but consistent, building on itself until it is non-stop action and you have no idea what's going to happen next but you just know you can't wait for it. Some of the scene transitions are jarring but that is how they should be. They actually pulled me even deeper into the story and the characters. This story had me within its grips and wouldn't let go.

The epilogue was everything I wanted it to be and yet I still want more. It gave me so much regarding Ridan and Brune, Corrick and Jonen, and others that now feel like family. I have loved this story and the world-building was outstanding. I can't wait to return to the Stone Blade clan and see what they're up to now.

Absolutely amazing and I can't recommend this highly enough.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 8, 2025
Author 6 books4 followers
April 20, 2025
What an amazing book!

As expected from such a gifted storyteller, Blood Fist is a full, epic novel that tells of courage, empathy, grit, strength, forgiveness, and fortitude. From Ridan, who rises unflinchingly to the role he was born for, to Corric, who’s keen mind and stalwart nature defy dismissive stereotypes, to Buzzard and Schok, who survived and overcame unimaginable torment, every character is fully realized and fleshed out, as distinctive as their unique omegaverse scents. My favorite, though, is Brune, the sweetest ‘lil himbo the world has ever known.

True to her impressive lineup, Jacqueline McCall weaves yet another exciting, gripping story that doesn’t pull punches and doesn’t shy away from the grime and grunge of reality, at all times pulling the reader into the story alongside the characters where we feel everything with them. The last chapter had tears slipping down my cheeks, and any book that can make me cry gets automatic bonus kudos.
Profile Image for Sara Irons.
437 reviews7 followers
November 24, 2024
I was very pleasantly surprised with this book. One of the best stories I have read this year.

Riden has had to grow up much faster than most, he has a destiny to fulfill. He has no time for sentiment or thoughts of anything other than protecting the clan.

Brune was born extremely poor and often wondered if he could survive his childhood. He joins the army so he can have a place to sleep and food in his belly. But going to his first battle led to something bigger than Brune ever dreamed of.

The characters in this story are amazing and the world building is the best I've read in a very long time. I highly recommend this book.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
4,542 reviews21 followers
December 11, 2024
I really liked this book and its mix of genre with twits. It read like a fantasy and a touch of shifter and mates that do not actually shift. But it made for a great story about a land with 2 cultures and magic that is all but gone And a bad evil from long ago that is hinted at but hidden for most of the book. But at heart it is a love story with clans, horses and great characters that had me laughing and rooting for them all. At heart it is finding love with each pair coming from each culture. Although it is a MM pairing story, it was mostly clean and the romance part was well written and had me invested to seeing each couple get together. But how it went down was a riot at times. The twists, secrets and surprises at the ending were cool and make me want to see what happens next.
407 reviews6 followers
January 9, 2025
This novel pleasantly surprised me. One of the year's finest narratives, in my opinion. As he must fulfill his destiny, Riden has had to mature at a somewhat faster rate than most. As long as the clan is safe, he doesn't care about feelings or anything else. Brune frequently questioned his own survival as a child due to his extremely low birth weight. He enlists in the military to ensure he has a roof over his head and food on the table. But something greater than Brune had anticipated came out of his first encounter. This narrative has the most fantastic characters and the most well-developed setting I've come across in a long time. This is a book that you should read.I received an advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
1,043 reviews6 followers
December 28, 2024
An epic story. Rihan and Jonen meet Corric when they save him from an attack when he was being sent away from the city. The three of them will become best friends as they explore the world they live in. Brune will save Rihan from being attacked while fighting to save his clan. He will become Rihan's shadow and vows to protect him. This book with follow the development of Rihan as he becomes the leader of the clan with his friends as support. He will face danger, conflict with who he is and the clan with be threatened by King Krait. I enjoyed reading this book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Rhonda Boone.
535 reviews8 followers
January 20, 2025
This fantasy book was really good. I was captivated by the author's writing..this story has a sorta viking vibe clan with alphas, betas and omegas but not written in the usual ABO sense but with fierceness, fighting and skill of warriors that really drew my attention to their battles, and love of family, found family. The building of relationships between Brune, Ridan, Corric and Joren, such brotherhood shedding blood, sweat and have you guessing what will happen next. If I wasn't laughing at their mischief, I had a few tears at the sadness of love ones passing at battles… such great characters and world building.

I received this as a free copy and leaving my honest review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Claudia.
3,037 reviews109 followers
December 29, 2025
OMG this was so good.
I loved the world-building.
it was an interesting take on alpha and omega.
I did not even mind that it included m-preg. it was really well done

the story is well paced and does not plunge directly into the action, but also gives us the opportunity to get to know the characters
and they are so worth it.

I loved the story, the developments, the relationships and the characters.

definitely one of the best books this year!
Jacqueline McCall catapulted onto the top of my must-buy author list
9 reviews
December 19, 2024
OOOOOh a fantastic Viking and action filled omega verse book. Completely different to other OV books that i have read. Great points of view and good angst. Love the connection between them and read it sooo soooo quick. Completely devoured it.

I received an arc for free, and i am leaving this review voluntarily.
17 reviews
June 6, 2025
I helped Alpha read this book and although it’s been a year since I finished my edits, I still think about it. It’s one of those books that just sticks with you. I love omegaverse books, and to have such a unique take on it is so refreshing. It’s like…Vikings and Game of Thrones meets Omegaverse. Loved it!
Profile Image for Beerah reads.
16 reviews1 follower
December 15, 2024
For someone who has a problem reading paranormal books as they confuse me I can really say I enjoyed this one. I don’t want to give spoilers, but it was well written and I’m looking forward to more books from this author as this is my first book from her
Profile Image for Nicole Deanne Veracruz.
2,515 reviews15 followers
December 22, 2024
This is my first book by this author and I found that I thoroughly enjoyed it. This author has a way of pulling you into the story and making you feel all the emotions as you read it.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Wet and Reading.
86 reviews2 followers
July 3, 2025
This was a slow burn. Not much sexy times (I would have preferred more), but I really enjoyed the story, so I'm willing to overlook that. This was the first book I've read by this author. I will definitely check out her other works.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews

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