The Age of Blood and Magic: A Novel

by Hannah Mathewson

A trillion-dollar company selling magic. A family at war for its throne. A murderer at their gala. And then a vampire joins the party…

This is an eat the rich story. Literally.

"Devilishly clever and deliciously cutthroat... The dark fantasy corporate-intrigue Knives Out of my dreams (or nightmares). Lush, seductive, and truly captivating." —Francesca May, author of Wild and Wicked Things

A hundred years ago, magic ran wild—belonging only to the fae, the witches, the vampires. Then the mortal Martin Maddock stole its secret. With it, he forged Mythos, a company that bottles spells for humankind. Now his descendants rule a trillion-dollar empire of magical technology—and the uber rich are hungry for more.

The world’s most powerful elites descend on the Maddock estate for a lavish weekend to unveil Mythos’s latest an elixir promising immortality itself. But when the CEO suddenly collapses before the product’s unveiling, the celebration turns deadly. His daughter, Valentina Maddock, is thrust into a vicious succession battle against her playboy brother, her brilliant scientist mother, and a ruthless CFO. And with Mythos’s future on the line, everyone at this party has a motive, because anyone might kill for a taste of forever.

Then an unexpected guest a vampire. Luc Sayle claims he has no ties to Mythos, yet he carries a mysterious invitation from the CEO himself. Drawn to the enigmatic and dangerously handsome stranger, Valentina senses Luc may be her only ally. But as suspicion mounts and bodies begin to fall, Valentina will have to decide who to trust in a mansion built on illusion—and who the true monster at this party really is.

Set in a world of dark enchantments, glittering wealth, and ruthless appetites, The Age of Blood and Magic is a sharp, seductive debut with fangs—where the high-stakes decadence of Succession and The Menu meets the gothic magic of Leigh Bardugo and V.E. Schwab.


PREPARE TO SINK YOUR TEETH

Magic and mythical creatures in a sleek urban fantasy worldA ruthless succession warA morally gray heroine and toxic family dramaA locked-room murder mystery set at a lavish galaA seductive vampire hiding secretsRich people behaving badly—and getting what they deserve

Genres: Fantasy, Vampires, Romance, Fiction, Paranormal, Ebooks, Adult

Audible Audio

Published September 15, 2026

About the author

Hannah Mathewson is the author of two YA fantasy novels, Witherward and Wayward. She was born in Cambridge and graduated from the University of East Anglia with a BA in Film and Television. She lives in Oxfordshire. The Age of Blood and Magic is her adult debut.

Reviews

[Kai Spellmeier]

a modern-day Death Becomes Her wrapped into a (admittedly less campy) vampire murder mystery

[Andi]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.25 | 3.25 stars rounded down

I love the concept of this book: morally-gray characters, a locked door mystery, two heirs to a billionaire coperation battling it out for dominance, and vampires and faeries. Unfortunately, it fell quite flat overall.

What worked well for me was the dynamic between Valentina and Jude. Their relationship is fraught, complex, and gripping. I also loved the setting and the fact that the reader truly has no idea who to trust or believe.

What didn't work was the magic system and worlbuilding, which felt clunky. The magic system is unnecessarily convoluted and there are very few supernatural elements present. There is the briefest inclusion of faeries and I thought the vampires would play a more prominent role, which was disappointing.

I also struggled with most of the characterization throughout the book. Valentina felt more like a charicature than a fully-developed person, which made it challenging for me to connect to her. Overall, I struggled to buy into the stakes for any character. Finally pacing was inconsistent throughout, with the first 80% moving very slowly and then the last 20% feeling incredibly rushed.

Thank you to William Morrow for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

[Di]

🩸 Vampires • 🔮 Dark Magic • 💰 Wealthy Family Secrets • 🔪 Murder Mystery • 👑 Fight for Power • 🖤 Morally Gray FMC • 🥀 Betrayal • 🔥 Romantic Tension • 🏰 Family Rivalries

🖤 “You would have been my hero if it weren't for your fundamentally despicable character.”

🎧 Narrator: Ashleigh Haddad
⏱️ Audiobook: 16 hrs 52 mins listened at x1.25 speed.
👀 Single POV
🌶️ Adult Fantasy | Light Spice

Imagine The Inheritance Games grew up, threw in vampires, dark magic, morally questionable billionaires, and a little spice. 😂🩸 That's honestly the vibe I got from this one!

I really enjoyed the combination of family secrets, murder, betrayal, and the constant question of who can actually be trusted. Everyone has an agenda, everyone wants power, and nobody is exactly innocent.
Valentina isn't your typical lovable FMC, but I actually enjoyed having a morally gray character navigating a family that's just as ruthless as she is. Add a mysterious vampire to the equation, and things get even more interesting. 👀

I wouldn't go into this expecting a romance-heavy fantasy. The mystery, toxic family dynamics, and fight for control definitely take center stage. Overall, an entertaining adult fantasy mystery with The Inheritance Games vibes, just darker, more mature, and with a little extra heat! If you enjoy ruthless family rivalries, supernatural twists, and characters with questionable morals, this one's worth picking up! 🖤

🎧 ALC Review: Thank you to NetGalley, HarperAudio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

[C. Sinclair]

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES LEAVE THE PARTY.

4.2/5★

The Age of Blood and Magic is a book I had to recalibrate my expectations for before I could properly appreciate it. The promotional material initially positioned the novel in a considerably darker, more Gothic and literary register than the story ultimately occupies, and I spent the first portion of the book waiting for a sharper, grittier version of the novel I thought I had been promised. Once I separated that expectation from the book itself, however, what remained was an impressively ambitious piece of fantasy storytelling that deserves to be considered on its own terms. Hannah Mathewson makes the difficult transition from YA into more mature themes and sensibilities without allowing the narrative voice to lose its youthful energy; the story feels young without ever feeling immature. The result is an imaginative modern fantasy thriller with an astonishing amount happening in the comparatively limited space between its covers.

The worldbuilding is particularly ambitious, embedding deeply fantastical concepts within a contemporary setting while engaging with technology, capitalism, classism, trauma, family dysfunction, and the increasingly complicated question of what constitutes humanity. The mystery is equally well constructed: red herrings are deployed with enough precision to make the everyone-is-a-suspect premise genuinely effective without exhausting the reader, particularly given the compressed timeline. And then there is Valentia, who is profoundly difficult to like or respect and somehow (at times) impossible not to empathize with. I adore an unreliable narrator, and being relentlessly sherpaed through the story by someone whose perspective I questioned at nearly every turn was undeniably engaging. I wouldn't call this a spicy novel, exactly, but there is a gentle simmer. Honestly it feels more emotionally slutty than traditionally romantic - using and being used is an unrelenting thematic undercurrent and the brief moments of heat are inextricable from the main character's emotional chaos.

The Age of Blood and Magic wasn't the Gothic allegory I initially expected, but it is an undeniably inventive and confident first venture into New Adult fiction. Mathewson demonstrates an impressive willingness to tackle enormous contemporary questions through the deliberately heightened lens of fantasy, and there is something genuinely exciting about watching an established YA author begin challenging themselves to write for a more mature readership. The book occasionally feels like it is carrying more concept than it has room to fully unpack, but the sheer ambition of the attempt is difficult not to admire. Once I stopped waiting for the book I thought I was going to read, I found a story with considerable personality, clever plotting, and a compellingly chaotic "protagonist" [dubious] at its center. An easy recommendation for readers looking for modern fantasy with conspiracy, unreliable narration, social commentary, and considerably more magic than the contemporary setting might initially suggest. I would happily read more from Mathewson as she continues developing this increasingly mature side of her voice.


A huge thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book pre-publication. I sincerely look forward to seeing future adult fiction work from Mathewson.

[Joseandbooks]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

Okay, this was a really fun one! The whole idea of magic being commercialized and treated like technology immediately caught my attention. Add in vampires, ridiculously wealthy families, murder, secrets, and a whole lot of questionable decisions, and you have a pretty wild combination.

The story follows Valentina, who gets pulled into a dangerous situation involving a wealthy family, a mysterious death, and a whole lot more going on behind the scenes. I really enjoyed trying to figure out what was actually happening, and just when I thought I had things figured out, there were still a few surprises waiting.

Valentina was definitely an interesting FMC. She’s complicated, flawed, and makes some questionable choices, but I actually liked that she wasn’t written to be perfect. Watching her deal with her past and slowly question what she thought she wanted was one of my favorite parts.

The murder-mystery aspect was probably what kept me hooked the most. There were enough clues sprinkled throughout that I could make some guesses, but I still didn’t have the entire picture until the reveals started coming together.

The world itself was also really unique. It’s dark, bloody, and a little weird in the best way. The combination of fantasy, vampires, magic, and wealthy people behaving terribly made for a story that definitely stands out.

I listened to this one as a NetGalley audiobook ARC, and it was an enjoyable listen overall. There were a few moments where the pacing slowed down for me, but I still found myself wanting to see how everything would unravel.

Definitely recommend this if you like dark fantasy, murder mysteries, vampires, morally questionable characters, and rich people making terrible decisions. 😂

[Danielle Pulliam]

DNFed at 18%. I do not read books where I cannot relate to the main characters in any aspect. The two main characters are essentially putting on a front to their family and to the family company in order to get a vast majority of the family inheritance and to run the family company as CEO. I wasn't interested in reading this story future.

[Kelly]

The Age of Blood and Magic by Hannah Mathewson was an immersive fantasy filled with magic, danger, secrets, and plenty of tension. The world and magic system were some of my favorite parts of the book, and I enjoyed slowly learning more about the characters and the conflicts surrounding them.

The story does take a little time to build, but once everything started coming together, I became much more invested. I especially enjoyed the darker atmosphere and the mix of action, political intrigue, and complicated relationships. There were enough twists and revelations to keep me curious about where the story was heading.

Overall, this was a really enjoyable fantasy read. While there were a few slower moments, the world-building, magic, and characters kept me interested. That ending definitely left me wanting to see what happens next!

[Read.and.Blossom]

The concept of this book was so interesting. Rich people problems lol. Did not feel bad for anyone really

This book had really long chapters that lost me. I did not trust anyone. Everyone I felt could stab you in the back.

[Dadreadsanreviews (james)]

Thanks net galley for the review copy! This is a story of succession falling into twilight! The story follows a murder mystery where the victim is trying to find her killer before she dies as well as wrest control of her father’s company from her half brother and ambitious mother. All the while, she contends with the ultra wealthy, intrigue, and vampires. It’s a wild story with deeply resonant social commentary on the power of wealth, greed, and lack of moral focus in modern society. I could not put it down. The pacing pulled me through like a thriller but with overlays of magic and fantasy elements, and the character stories continued to unfold with greater depth in each beat. I wanted to feel for these databases but they were all so deeply flawed that I found it hard to want good things for them. That made this such an interesting and intriguing story.

[☕️Kimberly (Caffeinated Reviewer)]

Enjoyed the premise but not the execution.

[Christina Bruce]

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC. Unfortunately, this ended up being a DNF for me. I made it to 41% before deciding it just wasn’t the right book for me.

I was so excited to pick this up because the premise sounded like everything I love a supernatural whodunnit with plenty of mystery and intrigue. Sadly, I found myself dragging my heels the entire way through.

The pacing felt very slow, and the plot jumped around so much that the world-building and magic system never felt fully developed. It seemed like new ideas were constantly being introduced before previous ones had been properly explained, leaving the supernatural elements feeling underdeveloped and confusing.

I also struggled to connect with the characters, who all felt quite one-dimensional. The biggest issue for me was the main character, Valentina. She was described as a strong, intelligent woman who was the ideal successor to her father’s business, but that wasn’t how she came across at all. Instead, she felt entitled, whiny, and immature, more like a sulky teenager than the capable businesswoman I was expecting.

In fact, I found myself rooting for Jude, her brother/cousin, for much of the book. There were several moments where Valentina’s actions simply didn’t make sense. Early on, she makes such a point of being terrified and disgusted by vampires and not wanting them anywhere near her home, yet within a page or two she’s happily taking one back to her room. The shift felt completely unearned and made it difficult to take her character seriously.

One of the things I was most looking forward to was exploring a rich supernatural world filled with vampires, fae, and other magical creatures. Unfortunately, by the point I reached, that never really happened. The moment that finally convinced me to stop reading was when the “faeries” turned out to be humans being paid to dress up as them for a hunting trip. That was the point where I completely checked out.

Overall, I think this had a fantastic premise and a lot of potential, but it ultimately fell well short of my expectations. The world-building lacked depth, the magic system felt underdeveloped, and the characters never came alive for me. Sadly, this one just wasn’t for me.

[Nicole]

3.5 ⭐

[Shelley]

⭐⭐⭐.5

ARC received from NetGalley and HarperCollins in exchange for honest review.

⚡REVIEW⚡
On perusal of NetGalley, the premise of The Age of Blood and Magic had me hooked. Supernatural power crossed with Technology, a successional war, and a closed event mystery situation? It sounded incredible. And whilst there were parts where I felt hooked and desperate to know what came next for Valentina Maddock, for a lot of the book, I felt like chances at brilliance had been missed, and instead, I was quite underwhelmed.

Mythos, the company Valentina's father is CEO of, and her mother (though they are not together) is Head Magician for, is a trillion dollar company known for taking the "crude" magic of Faeries, and transforming it into technologically advanced spells for the uber-wealthy. They are due to launch their newest product, Immortality, to a bunch of the world's wealthiest people, over a weekend locked in CEO Oscar Maddock's home. But Oscar is unconscious and attached to machines keeping him alive, having suffered a stroke. Determined for nothing to go wrong with the launch, Valentina's mother is pushing ahead with the 3 day event, whilst also pushing for Valentina to become the next CEO ahead of her half brother Jude. The events that follow see Valentina given a Fae curse, and her attempts to obtain an antidote, whilst still trying to discover who did it to her - and continue to push forward and become the Mythos CEO.

Let's start with the things I loved. I absolutely loved the fusion of magic with tech. It was a clever way of refreshing magical content, allowing for a modern spin on what is really an ancient concept. I loved the different delivery methods of the personal spells - inhalaton, injection, swiping over the face. I loved the idea of the Moth, and the Swift spell on the cars. It felt fresh and exciting, but still magical. It felt well developed.

I loved the constant twists and turns as Valentina went from trying to outsmart Jude to become CEO of Mythos to becoming obsessed with finding the person who cursed her, chasing her tail trying to unravel motives and leads and getting more and more frenzied in her search. Her fear and distress leapt off the page. Hannah Mathewson writes stunning prose, and this definitely elevated the story.

I liked that this book almost read as a parable about how wealth and greed are corrupting, that they are a vicious cycle in which new levels are plumbed the more the circle turns.

I also loved the dynamic between Valentina and Jude. Their resentment of the other stems from events in their childhood, with each feeling like they are owed something as a result. Their treatment of each other is contemptuous, with each determined to see the other denied what is most important to them, but as the story progresses, it is clear that both have some regrets over their mutual hatred, wishing things had been different and that they had had a relationship they both wanted.

All of that said, I had real issues with Valentina. As someone determined to inherit the CEO position, she cares very little about the magic involved. She comes across as spoilt and entitled - think bratty teenager. She is in a constant state of heightened stress from the start, with her father on his deathbed and the instant fight over who will take over his position. Her Empathy addiction and withdrawal make her even more frenzied, and it is at times impossible to keep up with the story because you just don't know where her thoughts are. My biggest issue though, was that Valentina was deathly afraid of vampires, yet quickly forms an alliance with Luc making a move on him. It felt like a cheapening of her fear, which was a shame.

My biggest issue though, was the lack of lore when it came to the supernatural representation in this book. We know that a rogue faerie sold the secrets to their magic to Martin Maddock, who began Mythos as a result, but we have very little information on why, or how it works, other than it being combined with technology. I would have absolutely loved to have had more worldbuilding around this. There is only the meeting with a faerie that Luc sets up in order to try and cure Valentina, and it was disappointingly brief. Similarly with the vampires, the details are scant. What has made them hand over their secrets and to cooperate with the humans?

The Age of Blood and Magic was not a bad book, but I would be lying if I didn't say that it didn't quite live up to it's promise for me. I would have loved to have had a more likeable main character who you could have gone on the ride with, instead of feeling grossed out by, and I would have loved more input from the Faeries in particular. The vampires came into their own at the end, which was satisfying in some ways, but I still feel like opportunities were missed. I loved how beautiful the prose was, and I very much enjoyed the exposé of the uber-wealthy. The mystery element was excellent, and the final reveal was both exciting and horrifying at once. The epilogue leaves things very open - and my curiosity is desperate to find out what choice Valentina makes - and who exactly it is standing outside her window!

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to review this book!

[Kristina Nichole]

Going to be on our September fantasy book poll

[hannah ⊹ ࣪ ˖]

There was so much about The Age of Blood and Magic that sounded like exactly my kind of book. There's a trillion-dollar magical corporation, a dysfunctional family fighting over an empire, a locked-room murder, a morally gray heroine, and a mysterious vampire showing up at the worst possible time. On paper, this is basically perfect to me, and while I definitely had fun with parts of it, I ultimately found the execution a little uneven.

The concept itself is probably the strongest part of the book. I really liked the idea of magic being stolen, commercialized, bottled, branded, and sold by a massive corporation. There’s something fitting about an ultra-wealthy family treating magic like a product while supernatural creatures are left to deal with the consequences. The whole “eat the rich, but make it literal” angle had so much potential, and I wish the book had pushed even further into the darker aspects of it.

The Maddock family drama was also entertaining. Everyone has an agenda, everyone is hiding something, and absolutely no one seems capable of having a normal conversation. The succession battle gave the story plenty of tension, and I enjoyed slowly piecing together the complicated relationships between Valentina, Jude, their mother, and the rest of the family. Jude in particular ended up being one of the characters I was most interested in.

Valentina was a much more difficult character for me. I don't mind an unlikeable or morally gray protagonist (in fact, I usually love them) but I struggled to connect with her. Her ambition and selfishness made sense within the story, but some of her decisions were so frustrating that I occasionally found myself more interested in the people around her than in her journey. I could appreciate what the author was trying to do with her character, even when I wasn't always enjoying being in her head. Then there’s Luc... a mysterious vampire arriving at a wealthy family’s murder-filled weekend should have been impossible for me to resist, and I did enjoy the intrigue surrounding him. His presence added some of the gothic atmosphere I was hoping for, and I liked that his connection to the mystery kept me guessing. At the same time, I wanted more from him. It felt like his character was kept at a distance that never allowed me to fully get to know him.

My biggest issue was probably the worldbuilding. The premise introduces witches, fae, vampires, magic, magical technology, curses, and a corporation that has essentially built an empire around all of it. That is A LOT of material, and I often felt like I was getting glimpses of a much bigger world without quite enough information to understand how everything fit together. The concept of Mythos was fascinating, but I wanted to know much more about the history of magic and the mechanics behind the spells. The mystery itself kept me reading, though. I guessed some of the twists, but I still wanted to see how everything would come together. There was a nice sense of paranoia throughout the story because nearly everyone had a motive, and the combination of family politics and murder mystery worked better for me than some of the fantasy elements.

I also think the book occasionally tried to do too much at once. There are some genuinely interesting ideas here (wealth, exploitation, immortality, inherited power, magical colonization, family loyalty) but sometimes they felt more like individual pieces competing for attention rather than parts of one fully developed story. The ending also didn't quite give me the payoff I was hoping for.

Overall, I think The Age of Blood and Magic is one of those books where I loved the idea of it more than I loved the actual reading experience. There are some fantastic ingredients here, and I can absolutely see why this premise will work for readers who love messy family dynasties, vampires, morally questionable characters, and rich people making increasingly terrible decisions. For me, though, it landed somewhere in the middle. It was entertaining enough to keep me reading, but not quite as immersive or satisfying as I wanted it to be.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for this ARC!

[Nicole Austin]

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“The Age of Blood and Magic” by Hannah Mathewson feels like someone took Succession, added vampires, curses, fae magic, corporate warfare, and a locked-room murder mystery, then threw it all into a glittering mansion full of rich people who absolutely cannot be trusted. And honestly? I had a great time with it.

The setup is immediately addictive. A century ago, magic belonged only to supernatural creatures until the Maddock family figured out how to commercialize it through their trillion-dollar company, Mythos. Now magic is basically a luxury product for the elite, and the Maddocks are sitting at the center of all that wealth and power. During a lavish weekend event unveiling a new magical breakthrough tied to immortality, Valentina’s father suddenly collapses, Valentina is poisoned with a deadly blood curse, and suddenly everyone in the family is fighting for control of the empire. It’s messy, dramatic, and full of backstabbing in the best way.

Valentina absolutely carries this book. She’s ambitious, stubborn, morally gray, and honestly not always likable, which made me like her even more. The book never tries to soften her sharp edges or turn her into some perfect fantasy heroine. She wants power, believes she deserves it, and makes questionable decisions constantly. But underneath all of that arrogance there’s still vulnerability, especially as the blood curse slowly starts killing her while her entire family circles around the CEO position like vultures.

The family dynamics were honestly one of my favorite parts. The tension between Valentina and her brother Jude is so well done. At first it feels like pure resentment and rivalry, but the deeper the story goes, the more complicated and emotional their relationship becomes. You slowly start realizing there’s a lot more underneath all their fighting, and I really loved where that storyline ended up.

And then there’s Luc, the mysterious vampire guest who may or may not be helping Valentina for reasons of his own. I really liked that he wasn’t just there to be a hot vampire love interest. He actually adds to the mystery and constantly keeps you questioning everyone’s motives. The vampire lore in general was fantastic; it was seductive, dangerous, powerful, and refreshingly original without feeling like recycled paranormal romance tropes.

The writing itself is really lush and atmospheric too. Mathewson leans hard into the decadence of wealth, magic, and immortality, and the entire book feels glamorous but rotten underneath. There’s this constant sense that everyone is hiding secrets and waiting for someone else to slip first.

That said, the book does occasionally get a little tangled in its own complexity. Some of the magical politics and flashbacks could get confusing, and there were moments where Valentina’s long reflections slowed the pacing down enough that I forgot what was actively happening in the present timeline. Luc also felt a little underdeveloped for parts of the story until much later on.

Still, those were pretty minor issues compared to how much fun I had overall. “The Age of Blood and Magic” is dramatic, sharp, stylish, and full of messy rich people behaving terribly while supernatural chaos explodes around them. If you like morally gray characters, family power struggles, corporate fantasy worlds, vampires with actual personality, and fantasy mysteries with a darker edge, this one is absolutely worth picking up.

[Beth]

Thank you to Edelweiss+ for the ARC.

The Age of Blood and Magic: A Dark Fantasy Debut of a Vampire-Ruled Empire and the Fight for Its Throne seeks to answer the age-old question of “what happens when you trap two feuding heirs, a dying patriarch, a distant mother, and a handful of the world’s most elite families in a grand and enchanted estate?” Oh, and why not throw in a few vampires just to keep things interesting?

Magic is a commodity and death a great inconvenience to the ultra-wealthy.

Paranoid heir to the Mythos empire and descendant of the great Martin Maddock, Valentina Maddock, has been murdered.

Good news! She’s not dead yet, and there’s a charming and mysterious Vampire who wants to help her solve the case. Even better - they’re on magical lockdown so no suspect can leave the estate.

Bad news: She really doesn’t have long left to live. She’s deathly afraid of vampires. Her half-brother/cousin wants to ruin everything she has built. Also her untimely demise would be a really bad look for the company when they’re hoping to launch their new product - Immortality.

That is quite the premise, and The Age of Blood and Magic certainly delivers on all the paranoia, capitalism, betrayal and scandal it promises.

Unfortunately, though, it didn’t really click for me.

I have no problems with an unlikeable, unreliable or flawed narrator, but something about Valentina’s particular brand rubbed me the wrong way. My feelings changed more towards the end of the story as she developed, but it was a frustrating road to get there.

Why does an aspiring CEO of a magical empire have no interest in how their products are made? Why does someone we are repeatedly told is so well educated and well suited for the role have zero functional understanding of the other magical races she shares a world with? Reading deeper into it, we can see that she really isn’t interested in anything beyond the title and “winning” the succession, but the way it is executed feels less intentional and more like a slightly clumsy medium for exposition for the reader.

I very much enjoyed our cast of shady characters, and there was just enough intrigue to keep me hooked. Valentina and Jude’s relationship, in particular, made for a very compelling emotional core to the book. But the more I thought about the setting and the world-building and the magic system, the more it fell apart for me.

The pacing also felt a little off for me, with 90% of the story being the slow unravelling of characters with lots of time for introspection and flashbacks, and the final 10% feeling like it came from an entirely different story.

Still, even if I found it was more glitter than substance, I got through The Age of Blood and Magic very quickly and am sure it will find its readers. There is certainly a lot to recommend, and it does feel very different from other urban fantasy novels I have read of late. I think that is worth celebrating.

Three day lock-in at a luxury estate, anyone?

[Linda Ayala]

⭐⭐ 2 Stars (ARC via NetGalley)

I really, really tried to get into The Age of Blood and Magic.

On paper, this sounded like something I would absolutely eat up. A ridiculously wealthy family fighting over a trillion-dollar magical empire? Witches, fae, vampires, corporate backstabbing, family drama, murder, and a mysterious vampire thrown into the mix?

Yes, please.

Except… I was bored.

The story follows Valentina Maddock, whose family owns Mythos, a massive corporation that essentially figured out how to bottle magic and sell it to humans. When her CEO father suddenly collapses, everyone starts circling the throne. Valentina wants control of the company, but so does basically everyone around her, and it quickly becomes obvious that someone may want her out of the picture completely.

Then there’s Luc Sayle, the mysterious vampire who arrives with a personal invitation from Valentina’s father and may or may not be someone she can trust.

The problem?

I completely forgot there was supposed to be a vampire until he showed up. 😂

And considering “Succession with fangs” is basically the selling point of this book, that’s not great.

I think my biggest issue was that the story felt surprisingly dry for everything it was promising. There are so many cool ingredients here, but I never felt immersed in any of them.

The combination of magic and modern technology especially didn’t work for me. There was so much emphasis on the corporate side of Mythos, the science, technology, business dealings, and modernization of magic that eventually the magic stopped feeling… well, magical.

Instead of feeling like I had entered this dark world filled with ancient supernatural creatures, stolen magic, dangerous secrets, and powerful families, I sometimes felt like I was sitting through a very complicated corporate meeting where the product just happened to be spells.

And that’s such a shame because the actual concept is really interesting.

A human stealing magic from supernatural beings and his descendants turning it into a trillion-dollar business? That’s a story. Add in an inheritance battle, murder attempts, family betrayal, and vampires, and there was so much potential for this to be messy, dramatic, and addictive.

It just never got there for me.

I kept waiting for that moment when everything would click and I’d suddenly be hooked.

It never happened.

By the end, I realized I liked the idea of The Age of Blood and Magic much more than I liked actually reading it.

There will absolutely be readers who enjoy the corporate fantasy angle and the blend of technology, business, and magic more than I did. But personally, I wanted more fantasy, more atmosphere, more vampire, and just more fun from a premise that sounded like it should have been deliciously chaotic.

Unfortunately, the magic never really came alive for me.

Tropes & Themes:

• Contemporary / urban fantasy
• Vampires, witches & fae
• Magical corporation
• Magic meets technology
• Stolen magic
• Dysfunctional wealthy family
• Succession / inheritance battle
• Corporate warfare
• Family betrayal
• Murder & mystery
• Mysterious vampire
• Romantic suspense
• Secrets & hidden agendas
• Old money & extreme wealth
• Power & ambition
• Everyone wants the throne

[Jasmine]

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I picked this up because I thought there was potential with the premise - magic, vampires, a succession war, a murder mystery - all seem like ingredients to create a fast-paced, intriguing story. Unfortunately, the characters are one-dimensional and they don’t act consistently. The magic system and world-building is not fully thought out. There was too much telling and exposition, and not enough showing.

One of my biggest gripes with the story is the main protagonist. Valentina is arrogant, entitled, and incompetent. She has a host of daddy and mommy issues that she constantly whines about and has the charisma of a cardboard box. Because the story is written as a first person POV from her point of view, it became absolutely unbearable to read. It felt like watching a headless chicken running in circles, pretending to be a top apex predator. For a murder mystery to work properly, the person solving it should be somewhat competent or at least be charismatic or entertaining. Unfortunately, Valentina has none of these characteristics. She also annoyingly sounds like a teenager even though she is supposed to be 23. This is largely exacerbated by the fact that she refers to her father as “Daddy.” Furthermore, she is so ignorant of everything that I struggled to believe that she was ready to be the CEO of a monopoly that controls the world. She doesn’t have the technical knowledge of the magical products of the company (she herself states that she isn’t interested in the research or technical side of the magic), nor does she have the charisma to be leading the business arm of the company. She also has no knowledge of the other magical creatures that are supposedly in conflict with humanity. So what makes her worthy or ready to be the heir? I have no clue. And finally, she has no backbone to take a real stance on things.

My second biggest complaint with the story is that the magic, worldbuilding, and logic of the story is not properly thought out, nor is it particularly imaginative. Here is a line explaining how the magic works: “The spell programs uploaded to the production lab hardware for manufacturing to begin, and it was imbued into tonics and vapors and what have you.” Excuse me, what do you mean by “what have you?” Furthermore, why is this powerful magic system controlled by an app? I think if we have this powerful magic that has transformed the world, we can be a little more imaginative than having a mobile app control it. Finally, why did we not get anything about the other magical creatures other than the barest, surface level information on them? There are many more details of the story that did not make sense to me, but to get into them would require spoiling the story, so I shall refrain from doing so.

All in all, this story was really messy and just felt like a combination of tropes mashed together.

[Bri]

There is SO much about this book that I wanted to love. The concept of a human run corporation selling magic had me immediately intrigued, especially with the dysfunctional rich family, inheritance game, locked door mystery, and vampires! Like…you had me at magical capitalism!

The world itself felt really unique and was giving sci fi vibes. I loved the modern technological approach to magic, especially the Moth and the way spells could be coded and uploaded. The descriptions of the house were also fantastic but it did start to feel a little underwhelming. I wanted more!

I also really appreciated the themes around the commercialization and commodification of magic. The idea that magic originally belonged to magical beings but was essentially gentrified and turned into a product for the wealthy gave me VERY much colonizer energy! There are also some interesting parallels between magic and drug use through the euphoric, addictive rush of using it. And the exploration of body autonomy, parental ambition, and the ways parents can use their children to get ahead added some genuinely compelling layers to the family dynamics!

Unfortunately, the execution didn’t quite live up to the premise for me…

I was hooked at first, but eventually it felt like I was being led on this increasingly weird chase. There were definitely moments where I was like 👀 OOOOOO, but for the most part I was waiting for everything to finally click into place, and when it did, I was underwhelmed.

The pacing was my biggest issue. The story takes place over only a few days, yet the first 85% is SLOWWWWW and then the final 15% flies by. And that ending? Yeah… not for me. It’s actually one of the reasons I’m only giving this 3 stars.

I also struggled with the characters. Teeny is incredibly conceited and out of touch, and while I’m completely fine with an unlikable FMC, I kept wondering how intentional her unlikeability was because she could also be surprisingly self-aware. There are also A LOT of characters, but most felt underdeveloped and fell into that same rich, pretentious, out-of-touch mold. I wanted more depth and, especially, more character growth.

The writing itself was smooth, immersive, and easy to follow, although it leans more toward telling than showing.

Ultimately, this was a book with a really cool premise and some genuinely interesting ideas that I just don’t think were executed as well as they could have been. I loved the magical technology, the themes surrounding wealth and exploitation, and the messy family dynamics, but the pacing, character development, and ending left me wanting a lot more.

[Yolanda]

**3.5 stars** 🌶️

Content Warning: death, drug use, toxic family

+~ This urban fantasy is about the Maddock family who is fighting for the family company and wealth, while their patriarch is on his death bed. The Maddock family have a very interesting history – they stole the secret of magic from the vampire, witches and fae and they have made an empire out of it by making it accessible and selling it. But now with Martin on his death bed and the family fighting for power, the family is vulnerable to attack. I was very invested in this story and thought the world building about the magic and tech was really interesting. Now only is there family drama between siblings, but also outside players who want to try and get a piece of the company too. There is a murder mystery in this story plus a high stakes quest to find the antidote to a poison. Would have

+ Valentina does have a trauma from her childhood, which she holds against her brother/cousin Jude. It’s a very messed up relationship but because of their past trauma, they are also always planning against one another. It’s so toxic though they don’t know who they are without one another. Valentina isn’t a likable character – but I don’t think any of the characters were – they were flawed and all had an agenda. But I was still interested to see how she was going to try to get this company from her brother and how she was going to save her life. Also there is one steamy scene but there isn’t a romance in this story.

+ There is a list of suspects and I thought a lot of the secondary characters were interesting. I was suspicious right away of the vampires. Valentina barely has any friends or allies, so it was a case of trying to find out who had something against her and I just felt like she was not doing well with trying to figure out who was trying to kill her.

~ I was very into the story but the ending is left open ended and it was unsatisfying which was a bummer. I want to know what Valentina chose to do!



Final Thoughts:

I wasn’t sure about this one with the first few chapters but then I locked in and was invested in this succession story of the Maddock family, the drama, scheming and backstabbing. There is interesting magic tech for the modern age, a murder mystery, vampires and fae so overall I was entertained but then the ending was left open ended. I was bummed about that because I really wanted to know what choice Valentina made! Still, I did enjoy this one despite how it ended.

Read if you like:

succession – family drama
vampire
murder mystery
open ending

[kit]

To sum this novel up, it is an exploration into the corruption and greediness that spreads through people with money and power and how far they will go to move to the next best thing. All told through a fairly unlikable main character. While I didn’t love this, it kept me intrigued in the plot and at times, I couldn’t put it down.

The writing style generally may have just not been for me but the tension was there and the mystery held me throughout the story. Valentina is very hard to like sometimes, but this is done blatantly on purpose. Some of her transgressions felt a little too obvious in the writing, like hey, here is Valentina showing her privilege! This could probably be said for a lot of the novel’s themes. It is all very on the nose, which isn’t a negative entirely, but it is noticeable. I was honestly way more interested in Jude and Luc instead of Valentina. It was frustrating to read Valentina’s choices regarding Jude and more-so in a way where she continuously made dumb choices I wasn’t sure made sense. I liked the progression of Luc and Valentina in the plot but after a certain plot point and big reveal, I was sorta lost in the grandeur of it and I’m not sure what to think. I don’t think the ending, for Valentina, felt entirely satisfying. I was often confused how many people were actually at the party and struggled to find others interesting besides the ones I listed. Jude was SO interesting and with where he ended, I am just not sure what to think. I'm sure it was on purpose, but I would've liked more resolution with him and Valentina.

There are some deeply detailed descriptions throughout the novel, but at times they didn’t really work for me. The mystery itself is a very strong point in the story. I was able to guess most of it but that didn’t change me from wanting to keep reading to find out what was going to happen. The mechanics of the magic were not very clear to me, but I did like the overall concept of how humans stole magic from actual magic people and how that iced them out from the world. There are a lot of really great ideas here, but I was confused at times.

Definitely an interesting read. If you want to read about a mystery that involves vampires and dismantling of those in power, then this might interest you!

Thank you to NetGalley & William Morrow for the ARC!!! Book publishes Sept. 15, 2026!

[Lexa Starling]

'"Could you have done it? Would you have turned the other cheek? You don't get it. You would have been my hero if it weren't for your fundamentally despicable character."'
- The Age of Blood and Magic, by @hannahoclock
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
What would the world look like if humans could commercialise magic and make it look like tech? Well, according to The Age of Blood and Magic, you'd basically have Succession - the super rich grappling for wealth and power in the wake of the death of a CEO and willing to do anything to get it - only with the boundaries of impossibility removed. There are still mansions, more money than is possible to fathom, and questionable morals, only the vampires here are literal rather than metaphorical.
And that makes for a good time (not for them- quite frankly, it seems extremely stressful to have that much money and power at your fingertips, but for us, the reader, it's great!).
The premise of this book is super interesting and super original and there's an element of magical murder mystery that keeps you guessing and manages to surprise you - even if you correctly guess the culprit from the breadcrumbs left around- you won't get the whole story until the big, bloody reveal.
However, everyone in it is both a product and an instigator of their own miserable circumstance. In short, they're all supremely unlikeable. I mean, sure, Valentina, our FMC has experienced some trauma and injustice in her sad, gilded life - and I enjoyed the complexity and depth of her character- so we can feel sorry for her on that front... but she's still not someone I'd want to be trapped in a mansion with for the weekend. Like, ever. She's forced throughout the book to confront what is truly worth living - and dying- for and I enjoyed the journey through her moral failings (of which there are many) but did I want her to survive? I...think so...
Dark, bloody, clever and genuinely different, this is part fantasy, part murder mystery and part obscenely-rich-people-making-terrible-decisions drama. If morally questionable characters, family secrets, commercialised magic and literal vampires sound like your idea of a good time, I'd definitely recommend giving this one a go.

Thank you to @thelockedlibrary and @harpervoyagerUK for the #gifted ARC.

[Tori Boudreau]

🙏 Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC!

I was immediately interested in this because it reminded me of the vampire books I loved in the early 2000s, except with a corporate twist. A century ago, Martin Maddox stole the secrets of magic and created Mythos, a company that bottles spells for humans. Now his descendants run an empire, and Valentina Maddox is determined to become its next CEO.

Over one weekend, the wealthy elite gather at the Maddox estate to witness Mythos' latest magical breakthrough. But when Valentina's father suddenly collapses, the race to become his heir begins. Then there's Luc, a mysterious vampire with no apparent connection to Mythos who somehow has a personal invitation from Valentina's father. Corporate drama, magic, vampires, rich people behaving badly, and a mystery? This sounded PERFECT for me.

Unfortunately, I almost DNFed this 😬. My biggest issue was the worldbuilding. Humans, vampires, witches, faeries, and magic all coexist, and Mythos has somehow turned magic into a product people can literally purchase and use. That's SUCH a cool concept! But I never felt like I understood enough about how this world or its magic actually worked.

Then there's Valentina. I understand that she has trauma, but WOW, she was difficult to like. Everything is told through her perspective, and this woman literally needs to take bottled empathy to empathize with other people 😅. Meanwhile, Luc remains so mysterious that I never felt like I really knew him either.

There is also A LOT of family drama, but instead of clearly explaining what happened, we get little comments and arguments that don't fully make sense until much later. By the time everything finally clicked, I was more frustrated than intrigued. The big reveal also didn't help because I basically went, "Yep, figured" 😂.

The magic itself was probably my favorite part, especially seeing how Mythos packages different spells for everyday use. I just wanted SO much more of it.

Gorgeous cover and an amazing premise, but unfortunately the execution didn't work for me. I wanted to love this world. Instead, I was mostly relieved when I finally finished it 😬.

[Annie Deo]

3.5 stars.

THE AGE OF BLOOD AND MAGIC by Hannah Mathewson is a lushly written decadent dark fantasy featuring a compelling fusion of magic and technology that feels very fresh for the genre. I loved the creativity of the world-building and how we're gradually introduced to new concepts, spells and species of magical creatures as the story develops; there's no clunky info-dumping, instead morsels of information are fed to the reader along the way and we're encouraged to mull over a few of the mysteries baked into the plot.I found it very unpredictable and my mind was blown by the revelations towards the end!

The scheming and intrigue were well-executed which will suit fans of shows like Succession or Gossip Girl with its themes of privilege and power struggles, class conflict and the corrupting influence of wealth on people's personalities and relationships. But if you're not engaged by these motifs, then the book may ring hollow with its ongoing exploration of 'rich people problems'.

I struggled with Valentina's sense of entitlement and oblivious arrogance even towards those she supposedly cares about; I don't need a heroine to be likeable, but I wasn't invested in her goal to take over the company as I didn't see why she particularly deserved it. The struggle to identify who poisoned her and obtain a cure was easier to sympathize with and provided the main hook that kept me reading to the end; I found it to be the best aspect of the story, adding urgency and drama as well as posing a difficult moral dilemma late in the game.

The relationships were all complicated, twisted and infused with contradictory emotions - the characters could simultaneously love and loathe someone, fear them and admire them, desire their approval but also work against them. Valentina's evolving relationship with rival heir Jude was the most interesting dynamic as it constantly challenged our understanding of their characters and was consistently inconsistent. As a study in human nature, this is satisfyingly rich and layered.

Thanks to @harpervoyageraus @harpercollinsaustralia for the ARC.

[Debora]

Thank you so much for Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this before its publishing.
-

Unfortunately this book was very much not for me. I found myself really disappointed by a few of the elements of this book.

Right off the bat the writing left a lot to be desired. It wasn't horrible or unreadable but it didn't really add to the storytelling. It felt a little dry even when the author attempted to invoke an emotional reaction from me. This normally wouldn't disappoint me all that much, but because there were other aspects that were frustrating to me, it all added up to a worse reading experience. I think if the author leaned into the absurdity of the uber wealthy or the soapy dramatics of this family saga, it would have been a bit better, writing wise.

Our main character Valentina was a giant question mark for me. I realize she's young and having some magic dependency throughout the book, but I find it hard to believe she's the hard working, dedicated, heir to this empire. To continue reading, I had to just assume she carries herself waaaay differently to how she's actually presents herself. (Also if she's the more reliable heir, then no way anyone would actually throw their support behind her much more incompetent younger brother. But I guess that's just rich people scheming that we have to roll with.)

I didn't actually mind the lack of worldbuilding outside of what was need to know. It does effect the reading experience knowing that there is fae, witches, vampires, etc. but we're sitting with a sanitized version of the magic of this world. I (incorrectly) assumed that Valentina would explore this "crude" magic from outside her empire and would play into some of the themes of this story, but that didn't feel fully explored either.

The ending was a bit anticlimactic for my tastes too. Obviously that's incredibly subjective, but knowing general audience expectations, it might disappoint others too.

I could go on but I'll leave it at that.

[Tee]

I had such a great time reading this book!

I love a locked-room murder mystery, and this definitely delivered. Combine that with vampires, fae magic, familial drama, and curses, and this book was right up my alley.

I love rich people drama, and this book had a lot of that! Set in a glittering mansion, filled with secrets, blood, and luxury—I was so here for it. And the corporate world elements that were tied in were also interesting.


The characters were great. So many of these rich people couldn’t be trusted, so it was entertaining to try and figure out what the truth was. To see everyone in the family fighting for control of the empire was so fun—it was so messy, dramatic, and full of betrayals that were so compelling to read.

Valentina was a great protagonist to follow! She was determined, stubborn, morally gray, and somewhat unlikable, which I personally enjoyed. Her fight for power was so intriguing to read about, and I like how she was unapologetic about it. I also appreciated that she had a vulnerability about her. The relationship between Valentina and her brother Jude was also really well done, as there were so many layers to it.

Luc, the mysterious vampire was fantastic too! His intensions were a compelling element of the story. And I loved the vampire lore in this book, as it felt really refreshing and original. There were some points where I wish Luc was a bit more fleshed out; but I still really enjoyed him as a character.

I will say that there were some moments of the story that were a bit confusing, and the story is rather complex as far as the magical politics and flashbacks go. The pacing also felt a bit slow at times, specifically when Valentina was reflecting on certain parts.


All in all, I had so much fun reading this book! This is a great read for anyone looking for a dark fantasy mystery with lush writing, compelling rich family drama, and supernatural chaos.


Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult | William Morrow for allowing me to listen to the audiobook!

[Caitlin Furniss]

The Age of Blood and Magic had an intriguing premise, and on paper it sounded like exactly the kind of book I would love.. a glamorous supernatural world filled with vampires, fae, magic, family drama, betrayal and scandal.

I struggled with the world-building. There were so many interesting ideas and magical elements introduced, but I never felt like they were fully developed. The more I thought about the setting and magic system, the more questions I had, and some of the explanations felt more like exposition rather than naturally woven into the story.

I also struggled with Valentina at times. I have no problem with an unlikeable or flawed FMC, but her characterisation felt inconsistent. We’re repeatedly told that she is intelligent, capable and the ideal successor to her father’s empire, yet her actions didn’t reflect that. There were moments where I found myself much more invested in Jude and their relationship, than in Valentina herself. That said, I did find her character became more compelling as the story progressed.

The pacing was another mixed bag for me. Much of the book is a slow unraveling of the characters, with lots of introspection and flashbacks, while the final portion suddenly becomes much more dramatic and fast-paced. It made the ending feel slightly disconnected from the rest of the story.

That being said, there was plenty that I enjoyed. I loved the cast of morally questionable characters, and there was just enough intrigue and scandal to keep me turning the pages. Valentina and Jude’s relationship was probably my favourite aspect, and I thought the book had a really distinctive atmosphere. It also feels quite different from a lot of the urban fantasy I’ve read recently, which I think is worth mentioning.

Ultimately, this was a case of a fantastic premise that didn’t quite deliver for me. There’s definitely a lot of potential here, and I can absolutely see why it will work for other readers.

[Janine]

Blending corporate succession war, a locked room mystery and a seductive vampire is no easy task but it comes out in an interestingly pleasant read.

Founded by a mortal, Martin Maddock, who stole the secret of magic from the fairies, witches and vampires, Mythos, has emerged into a trillion dollar industry for its bottled spells. As a group gathers at the Maddox estate to launch a new product, the CEO, Oscar, collapses before the big reveal and his daughter Valentina, must fight her mother, Claudia, and brother, Jude, for the company. A mysterious vampire, Luc Sayle arrives to add spice and enter into a dangerous alliance to save Valentina. Suspects abound as to what happened to Oscar.

The book has fine world building and great character development - you don’t necessarily like them but you do get to know them and whom you’ll love to hate for their elitist swagger and self-serving motivations. The corporate speak is spot on. The descriptions of Fable were lush and perfect for the Maddock world. Pacing could have been better but that doesn’t destroy the read.

I wanted to read this book (my thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for granting me access to this ARC) for the vampires - I love a good vampire story. There are plenty in these in this one because the new Maddock product comes from them. The House Gothenburg is in attendance at the launch party with Luc Sayle as its representative. He’s a romance interest but because the characters are all so unlikable I may have missed this in the reading.

I saw that sine have been calling this as Succession with fangs. Having never watched this TV show, I can’t comment on that except to say there is a corporate theme. But there are lots of fangs to look forward too.

Overall this was an okay read. If you like dark fantasy and reading about unlikable characters as well as rooting for the villain, this one’s for you.

[Rebecca]

2.5 ⭐️ round up

This pains me to be giving this rating because I so desperately wanted to love this. This realistically had all the ingredients for an easy 4 star read for me but I just couldn’t get into it.

Now, I will say that the concept and prose of this is incredibly unique. It was giving a tech giant x fantasy feel to it that I overall quite enjoyed. I think Hannah has done a wonderful job at covering all aspects of the concept and tying it all together to create something that’s new and unique. Hannah’s writing is also great, descriptive and immersive, it was hard not to be impressed by it.

In saying that I couldn’t connect with the characters, I felt as if they were all slightly insufferable. Yes they have all been thought out well and given their own uniqueness but I still couldn’t cross the line of connecting with each of them and I’m so sad about that. Characters play such an important role of any story and is something I place a lot of value on so when I can’t connect with characters, I just disconnect from the story itself.

The pacing for me was also off, I felt as if the first 20% was good, it had a good build up to certain events. However, after that I just got a little bit confused, it felt slow and dragged out with not much happening so I became a little lost. I also struggled with the length of some of the chapters (I know this is a personal preference thing,) but I just felt as if they were too long for no reason, I found myself getting bored during some of them. I will say that the final 15% of the book revived it for me, lots happened, lots revealed and a few jaw dropping moments took place.

The romance (very very very minimal by the way,) was also lacking for me. It was very predictable but again didn’t add anything to the story for me personally. I also wish we got more vampires? I was excited for this aspect as a vampire girly but there was not much to work with.

Overall the concept of this was interesting, it was written well, it was atmospheric and most of all it was incredibly unique and refreshing. But unfortunately it just was not for me, it fell flat in a lot of areas I had high hopes for. I will preface by saying again that I can 100% see that this is going to be a favourite for some people so would absolutely recommend that this is one that if you’re interested in it, read it because my thoughts on this are different to how you may feel about it.