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Wayward: A Wildblood Compendium
Not yet published
Expected 14 Feb 26Domesticity was never part of Kai's plan. Hell, he didn't have a plan. Between bar brawls and waking up in strangers' bedrooms (or getting kicked out of them), he never thought he'd find himself settling down, paying rent, and picking up that bag of frozen peas from the grocery store.
Miya always had a plan. Graduate college, get a job, and find fulfillment somewhere between all the expectations. But after a few supernatural kidnappings, demonic possessions, and finding her soulmate, she's given up on the mundane. A wolf shifter and a feral cat later, she couldn't be happier.
Five years on, neither Kai nor Miya have looked back, though life in South Boston is hardly dull. Trouble follows Kai wherever he goes, and Miya thinks she might kind of like it. After conquering monsters, mobsters, and salvaging their relationship, Miya and Kai are finally ready to face the ghouls of modern life: Keeping up with therapy. Planning Halloween parties. Paying vet bills. Exploring fantasies.
Oh, and a casual vampire hunt in an adult club.
Nine stories, all spice, no chill. Wayward is a companion piece to the novel Wildblood. Part of the collection takes place before Wildblood while the rest takes place after.
Available only on author's website.
Miya always had a plan. Graduate college, get a job, and find fulfillment somewhere between all the expectations. But after a few supernatural kidnappings, demonic possessions, and finding her soulmate, she's given up on the mundane. A wolf shifter and a feral cat later, she couldn't be happier.
Five years on, neither Kai nor Miya have looked back, though life in South Boston is hardly dull. Trouble follows Kai wherever he goes, and Miya thinks she might kind of like it. After conquering monsters, mobsters, and salvaging their relationship, Miya and Kai are finally ready to face the ghouls of modern life: Keeping up with therapy. Planning Halloween parties. Paying vet bills. Exploring fantasies.
Oh, and a casual vampire hunt in an adult club.
Nine stories, all spice, no chill. Wayward is a companion piece to the novel Wildblood. Part of the collection takes place before Wildblood while the rest takes place after.
Available only on author's website.
250 pages, Paperback
Expected publication February 14, 2026
7 people are currently reading
20 people want to read
About the author
A.J. Vrana
8 books297 followersA. J. Vrana is a Serbian-Canadian academic and writer from Toronto, Canada. She lives with her rescue cats, Moonstone and Peanut Butter, who nest in her window-side bookshelf and cast judgmental stares at nearby pigeons. She holds a PhD from the University of Toronto, and her doctoral research examines the supernatural in Japanese and former Yugoslavian literature and its relationship to modern nation-building and historiography. A. J. Vrana's published works include the Indie Author Project-winning Chaos Cycle Duology: The Hollow Gods (2020) and The Echoed Realm (2021), the companion novel Wildblood (2024) from Parliament House Press, and the romantic short story collection, Stray Feathers: Extras from The Chaos Cycle (2022). Her short fiction includes “These Silent Walls” (2020) printed in Three Crows Magazine, and “Sapling” (2023) from Clan Destine Press’ horror anthology This Fresh Hell.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
thank you to A.J. Vrana for providing me with an ARC!
wildblood was one of my favourite books of 2024, so when i heard that A.J. Vrana was writing a companion book short stories for it, i was beyond thrilled.
there's nine stories to read, all of which have some fun smut and interesting character introspection. but my favourites of them all are definitely 'kiss and tell' and 'talk therapy'.
kiss and tell was pure enjoyment for me. i loved kai's hilarious retellings about all the overrated threesomes he had before he met miya. i know some romance readers don't enjoy when the mmc talks about his previous sexual history, but i personally loved how this added more layers to his character outside of his current relationship. also learning about miya's jealousy kink was a lot a fun.
talk therapy delved a lot more deeper into the more raw parts of kai and miya's relationship. i liked seeing kai open up about his mistakes in therapy, and even more i loved seeing the journey of his fight with miya and how they apologised and made up. it was a lot more vulnerable and it only made me love them together even more.
something i also wanted to touch on was the confirmation of kai being aromantic. it's not something i had ever really thought of previously while reading wildblood, but when it was brought up in the final story, it just made so much sense. kai mentions throughout the book how much he longed for companionship, which is part of why he loves being with miya. to me, this only makes their relationship that much deeper. miya and kai are life partners who bring out the best in each other. even if kai is not in love with miya, he still loves her and would go above and beyond for her. that in itself, shows that the love between then means no less than that of a traditional romance.
aj vrana writes romance and relationships in ways i never have seen any other author do so. miya and kai feel realistic and raw, whilst also having the kind of intimate relationship many readers long for. if you haven't yet read wildblood, please do so, and then come back to read wayward for some more lighthearted stories and character exploration.
wildblood was one of my favourite books of 2024, so when i heard that A.J. Vrana was writing a companion book short stories for it, i was beyond thrilled.
there's nine stories to read, all of which have some fun smut and interesting character introspection. but my favourites of them all are definitely 'kiss and tell' and 'talk therapy'.
kiss and tell was pure enjoyment for me. i loved kai's hilarious retellings about all the overrated threesomes he had before he met miya. i know some romance readers don't enjoy when the mmc talks about his previous sexual history, but i personally loved how this added more layers to his character outside of his current relationship. also learning about miya's jealousy kink was a lot a fun.
talk therapy delved a lot more deeper into the more raw parts of kai and miya's relationship. i liked seeing kai open up about his mistakes in therapy, and even more i loved seeing the journey of his fight with miya and how they apologised and made up. it was a lot more vulnerable and it only made me love them together even more.
something i also wanted to touch on was the confirmation of kai being aromantic. it's not something i had ever really thought of previously while reading wildblood, but when it was brought up in the final story, it just made so much sense. kai mentions throughout the book how much he longed for companionship, which is part of why he loves being with miya. to me, this only makes their relationship that much deeper. miya and kai are life partners who bring out the best in each other. even if kai is not in love with miya, he still loves her and would go above and beyond for her. that in itself, shows that the love between then means no less than that of a traditional romance.
aj vrana writes romance and relationships in ways i never have seen any other author do so. miya and kai feel realistic and raw, whilst also having the kind of intimate relationship many readers long for. if you haven't yet read wildblood, please do so, and then come back to read wayward for some more lighthearted stories and character exploration.
January 9, 2026
✨Wayward✨
AJ has given us another dark gem. In this urban PNR compendium, we get to dive back into the lives of Kai and Miya before & after Wildblood. If you are like me and have been with them since book one, your heart is going to BURST from the utter perfection that this sweet and spicy novella gives us.
Set in Boston, we get views from both Kai and Miya and these two are NOT your typical prince and princess or chosen one = success and privilege. They are struggling to make ends meet, doing dirty jobs to the best of their ability, and working hard to find peace in a harsh and supernatural world.
Every single moment has a blend of feral, adorable, funny, and spicy YET every single moment is absolutely INTENTIONAL. Wayward is not just a compilation of spicy scenes; it is a further delve into Kai and Miya’s relationship, growth, and unique love. Knowing where both of these characters come from and seeing them fight for and choose one another over and over, taking therapy, working on communication, and refining themselves… this compendium is SO MUCH DEEPER than I expected. I love these two so much and I’m so grateful to have gotten to see these moments with Kai and Miya. It made it feel like everything was truly complete and I can see success, hope, and contentment in their future. I feel secure.
I am so thankful to AJ for this gifted arc and opportunity to read her work once again (and for letting me bother her in her DMs 😅). I know for certain these are books and characters that I will return to over and over again.
Curious where to start? Check this out! ⬇️
The Hollowed Gods (book 1 of duet)
The Echoed Realms (book 2 of duet)
Stray Feathers (like Wayward, but before and after Echoed Realms)
Wildblood (can be read as a standalone)
Wayward (releasing January 31, 2026)
AJ has given us another dark gem. In this urban PNR compendium, we get to dive back into the lives of Kai and Miya before & after Wildblood. If you are like me and have been with them since book one, your heart is going to BURST from the utter perfection that this sweet and spicy novella gives us.
Set in Boston, we get views from both Kai and Miya and these two are NOT your typical prince and princess or chosen one = success and privilege. They are struggling to make ends meet, doing dirty jobs to the best of their ability, and working hard to find peace in a harsh and supernatural world.
Every single moment has a blend of feral, adorable, funny, and spicy YET every single moment is absolutely INTENTIONAL. Wayward is not just a compilation of spicy scenes; it is a further delve into Kai and Miya’s relationship, growth, and unique love. Knowing where both of these characters come from and seeing them fight for and choose one another over and over, taking therapy, working on communication, and refining themselves… this compendium is SO MUCH DEEPER than I expected. I love these two so much and I’m so grateful to have gotten to see these moments with Kai and Miya. It made it feel like everything was truly complete and I can see success, hope, and contentment in their future. I feel secure.
I am so thankful to AJ for this gifted arc and opportunity to read her work once again (and for letting me bother her in her DMs 😅). I know for certain these are books and characters that I will return to over and over again.
Curious where to start? Check this out! ⬇️
The Hollowed Gods (book 1 of duet)
The Echoed Realms (book 2 of duet)
Stray Feathers (like Wayward, but before and after Echoed Realms)
Wildblood (can be read as a standalone)
Wayward (releasing January 31, 2026)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I am so happy I got an eARC of this book because again, A.J. Vrana does not miss!
The short stories in this collection are another wonderful glimpse into Mia and Kai's dynamic and the way that they love each other.
Like in the first collection, Stray Feathers, A.J. Vrana manages to merge big emotions, some action and lots of spice into a view of Mia's deep understanding and gentle strength and Kai's wild antics and fiery passion to give us more about what living together means for them.
With appearances from Ama, Crowbar, Connor and the first meeting of Kai and Sergei included, this companion pieces to Wildblood are a great addition if you want more of Kai and Mia.
The stories are wild, fun, a little unhinged sometimes but that's how we love Kai 😂🔥He always makes sure to keep Mia entertained, on fire and her heartrate on speed. He even wears a mask for her... IYKYK 😏
AJ Vrana, please never stop writing! Your books are always a special treat and a world without Kai and Mia is no fun.
Haven't met Mia and Kai before?
Read the Chaos Cycle duology first.
Did read that?
Grab Wildblood and dig deeper into Kai's past and personality.
When you've read all of the main books?
Add the collections Stray Feathers and Wayward!
The short stories are fun and add to our beloved couple's personalities and dynamic. Beware of the spice though - it will get hot 🔥🫠
The short stories in this collection are another wonderful glimpse into Mia and Kai's dynamic and the way that they love each other.
Like in the first collection, Stray Feathers, A.J. Vrana manages to merge big emotions, some action and lots of spice into a view of Mia's deep understanding and gentle strength and Kai's wild antics and fiery passion to give us more about what living together means for them.
With appearances from Ama, Crowbar, Connor and the first meeting of Kai and Sergei included, this companion pieces to Wildblood are a great addition if you want more of Kai and Mia.
The stories are wild, fun, a little unhinged sometimes but that's how we love Kai 😂🔥He always makes sure to keep Mia entertained, on fire and her heartrate on speed. He even wears a mask for her... IYKYK 😏
AJ Vrana, please never stop writing! Your books are always a special treat and a world without Kai and Mia is no fun.
Haven't met Mia and Kai before?
Read the Chaos Cycle duology first.
Did read that?
Grab Wildblood and dig deeper into Kai's past and personality.
When you've read all of the main books?
Add the collections Stray Feathers and Wayward!
The short stories are fun and add to our beloved couple's personalities and dynamic. Beware of the spice though - it will get hot 🔥🫠
January 12, 2026
This book is a prequel and sequel to Wildblood. If you have not read it this is your sign to do it to truly appreciate these morsels of story goodness.
There are nine amazing stories from before and after the events in Wildblood. We get a glimpse of their lives as they transition towards their future. I ADORE Kai, he is unhinged in the best way. AJ does an amazing job creating a character that is damaged, unapologetic and endearing. It is a delicate balance and she does it masterfully.
Miya is the anchor that keeps Kai calm and balanced. Her unwavering support and love for Kai comes off as genuine and frustrating which is what a person you love will have you feeling time to time. We also get a glimpse of her supernatural powers that make her a badass! They are perfect for each other in an imperfect relationship.
I love that we got to peek in on their lives and while yes there is spice there are also moments of vulnerability and tenderness that will make you swoon and believe that everyone is worthy of love.
Thank you AJ for the gift of your words.
There are nine amazing stories from before and after the events in Wildblood. We get a glimpse of their lives as they transition towards their future. I ADORE Kai, he is unhinged in the best way. AJ does an amazing job creating a character that is damaged, unapologetic and endearing. It is a delicate balance and she does it masterfully.
Miya is the anchor that keeps Kai calm and balanced. Her unwavering support and love for Kai comes off as genuine and frustrating which is what a person you love will have you feeling time to time. We also get a glimpse of her supernatural powers that make her a badass! They are perfect for each other in an imperfect relationship.
I love that we got to peek in on their lives and while yes there is spice there are also moments of vulnerability and tenderness that will make you swoon and believe that everyone is worthy of love.
Thank you AJ for the gift of your words.
January 9, 2026
Nine short stories - all spice, no chill.
Wayward is a companion novella to Wildblood. It is comprised of nine short stories, some happening before the events in Wildblood others happening after. This book is like a whole collection of bonus chapters and extra epilogues. Personally, I really enjoy those extra chapters where we get a special little glimpse into the characters. They may not be pivotal to the story, but they give us a little bit of an extra insight into the characters and their lives. These chapters are also super spicy 🥵🌶️ and really focused on the romance between Kai and Miya. Definitely a fun novella for fans of The Chaos Cycle and Wildblood.
Thank you so much to the incredible AJ Vrana for the advanced copy! All opinions are my own!
Wayward is a companion novella to Wildblood. It is comprised of nine short stories, some happening before the events in Wildblood others happening after. This book is like a whole collection of bonus chapters and extra epilogues. Personally, I really enjoy those extra chapters where we get a special little glimpse into the characters. They may not be pivotal to the story, but they give us a little bit of an extra insight into the characters and their lives. These chapters are also super spicy 🥵🌶️ and really focused on the romance between Kai and Miya. Definitely a fun novella for fans of The Chaos Cycle and Wildblood.
Thank you so much to the incredible AJ Vrana for the advanced copy! All opinions are my own!
Review of advance copy received from Author
The perfect blend of sweet and spicy! Each chapter is a glimpse into the story of Kai and Miya, satisfying every craving for more of these two. I love AJ Vrana’s writing - pacing is perfect, comical and so well balanced with emotion and swoony moments. I adore these characters and it’s so refreshing to have a dark romantic fantasy with a well established couple.
When I read Wildblood I was craving more of this world and Wayward scratches that itch!
If you love dark fantasy, feral MMCs, established couples, and 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ this is for you!
(and read Wildblood first if you haven’t yet!)
When I read Wildblood I was craving more of this world and Wayward scratches that itch!
If you love dark fantasy, feral MMCs, established couples, and 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ this is for you!
(and read Wildblood first if you haven’t yet!)
Review of advance copy received from Author
I would pay good money if I could get short stories like this for all of my favorite characters from various books. While the stories are all fun and definitely spicy, it's a nice time to hang out with Kai and Miya and the rest of the crew during the more "mundane" times. The stakes are lower than Wildblood which is what you want sometimes and gives us more insight into what makes the relationship tick. Also I will NEVER be over the twist on masked men in the last story.
January 9, 2026
enjoyed this one lots, especially Good Vibes and the Wolf and the Lamb. 👀🙂↔️✨
full review coming soon!
full review coming soon!
January 11, 2026
Solid book. Entertaining and fun. I definitely loved this collection of stories
Review of advance copy received from Author
love, love, love!
..Review coming soon..
..Review coming soon..
January 17, 2026
Just a really cute book of some short spicy stories of Kai & Miya. I love them to death. I was in a pretty bad mood but this made me smile & giggle. Ugh just what I needed for a pick me up.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Slice of life and spicy stories featuring my favorite dysfunctional and paranormal couple? Yes please.
Miya and Kia are back again with more adventures and their special brand of fun. Get ready for anything because even if they aren't looking for it, trouble finds them anyway.
Miya and Kia are back again with more adventures and their special brand of fun. Get ready for anything because even if they aren't looking for it, trouble finds them anyway.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews