Hello, reader!
I’m excited to be bringing you another blog tour stop hosted by The Write Reads today! In today’s post, I’ll be talking about an upcoming young adult fantasy that has a healthy dose of gothic vibes: With Fire In Their Blood by Kat Delacorte! This book drew me in with it’s gorgeous cover, but the eerie, spooky atmosphere is what is keeping me reading.
But before I tell you more about my first impressions, I want to thank Dave @ The Write Reads and all of the crew for giving me a spot on this tour! I also want to thank the publisher and Netgalley for sending me a free e-ARC in exchange for my participation and eventual review! It is, as always, much appreciated.
Now, let’s get to the post!
‘Startingly original… Readers will be lured into this tumultuous world of warring families, forbidden power, and heart-searing romance’ – Lyndall Clipstone (Lakesedge, Forestfall)
From the word-of-mouth fantasy sensation Kat Delacorte – the standout debut star of 2022 YA Lit Con (YALC) – comes the first instalment in a new YA fantasy duology.
Packed to the brim with bisexual and queer representation, With Fire in Their Blood is a simmering supernatural romance set in the crumbling Italian city of Castello, where mafia clans make the rules, dark magic pulses the streets and the sins of the past threaten to consume the present. . .
When sixteen-year-old Lilly arrives in Castello, she isn’t impressed.
A secluded town in the Italian mountains is not where she saw her last years of high school playing out.
Divided for generations by a brutal clan-family war, the two halves of Castello are kept from destroying each other by the mysterious General, a leader determined to maintain order and ‘purity’. . . whatever the cost.
Lilly falls in with the rebellious Liza, brooding Nico and sensitive Christian, and sparks begin to fly. But in a city where love can lead to ruin, Lilly isn’t sure she can trust anyone — not even herself.
And then she accidentally breaks Castello’s most important rule: when the General’s men come to test your blood, you’d better not be anything more than human…
Perfect for lovers of Chloe Gong, Renée Ahdieh and V.E. Schwab, With Fire in Their Blood is quality YA storytelling at its best by an exciting new voice in YA fantasy.
Author Links
Kat Delacorte was eleven years old when her family moved from the United States to a small town in central Italy. She soon began writing stories about her new friends developing superpowers, and she hasn’t looked back since. She graduated with a BA in History from Columbia University, and lives in Venice, Italy.
You all know that I am, first and foremost, a fantasy loving reader. But I’m also a big fan of all things spooky. When you give me a book with a synopsis that promises both the fantastical and the macabre, I’m going to want to read it immediately!
With Fire In Their Blood begins with a young woman named Lilly having her entire life turned upside down. Her dad accepts a job in a rural, Italian town and Lilly is dragged along for the ride. She’s not a fan as soon as she steps foot in Castello, what with the old, bedraggled buildings and the lack of Wi-fi. She soon finds herself falling in with eclectic group of people, however, and that’s when Castello starts to become anything but boring.
I’m only about one-third into this book and already I am enamored by this author’s ability to create incredibly compelling characters. There is so much going on with Lilly; she’s complex and nuanced in a way that breathes life into her on the page. And the people she surrounds herself with, Liza, Nico, and Christian, are equally fascinating! I definitely want to learn more about them and see where this twisting story takes them all.
I also am in love with the tone and atmosphere of this book. It has that creeping, eerie feel of a noir horror film. I love the crumbling town, the strange posters plastered everywhere, the ominous feeling of dread that leaks through the words. It is setting the perfect tone for this story and I can’t get enough! It certainly makes me eager to continue reading.
Overall, this debut is absolutely captivating, so far, and I’m glad to be able to shout about it on my blog! Keep an eye out for my review later this month.
Kerri McBookNerd 
Loved this book! It didn’t feel like a debit at all though!
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That’s awesome! And I agree, it’s very well-written.
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