Gilded Blood Series by Rachel Rener

Narrated by Tara Novie, with a small part by Logan McAllister and the author

Full Series (4 books) Urban Fantasy RomCom

I don’t read a lot of fantasy. Maybe two series a year, plus a few scattered paranormal books. But when I saw a table of gorgeous pink leather-bound books with silver edges at the Wild & Windy West book signing, I had to stop and see what it was. The Gilded Blood Series by Rachel Rener caught my eye immediately. Then I read the blurb and saw the FMC had a typical Jewish mom, and I was sold.

You can grab the full series as a special edition hardcover, ebook (currently in KU), or a single audiobook credit, or listen to or read the books separately—Inked, Jinxed, Linked, and Synced—on Amazon or Hoopla. I started with Inked on Hoopla just to try it out, and I was instantly hooked. I didn’t stop until I finished the whole series. The Gilded Blood Series is now one of my favorite fantasy series ever.

Talia is a needle-phobic tattoo artist in Miami Beach. One day, while working alone because her gorgeous boss Zayn was MIA, she ran into a problem. The cobra-with-a-rattle she had been tattooing on a guy’s ass for hours needed just a few more lines, but she completely ran out of ink. Thinking Zayn wouldn’t notice a few drops, she used a bit of his super-expensive ‘special’ ink. When she finished the tattoo, the cobra came to life, leaping off the guy’s butt.

Talia goes looking for answers, but instead of Zayn, she finds his “pet” parrot, Biscuit, who leads her to a Zayn’s filing cabinet—the entrance to the fae realm. Zayn is actually an Incubus (but a good one), and he’s known all along that Talia’s golden blood is rare and powerful. He’s been protecting her from a dangerous world where her blood would make her a target. But now that she’s entered the fae world, her blood is activated. She glows. And that glow is basically a beacon for magical creatures.

It turned out that Zayn is an expert runemaster, tattooing magical runes or symbols on other fae. I loved this magical system. It was so unique and easy to follow, even for someone who doesn’t read much fantasy. The worldbuilding was fantastic. While the names of the creatures—Incubus, Banshee, Siren, Succubus, Mermaid, and more—might be familiar, the author’s take on them was fresh and original.

“For someone like you – someone with golden blood – you don’t need magic ink to summon the spells from runes. You only need to replicate them with decent precision and they’ll come alive with a single drop of blood.”

That quote perfectly sums up the heart of the story and the dangerous quest that follows.

There’s also a lot of humor. Talia’s overbearing Jewish mother cracked me up, and her role grows bigger as the series progresses. Biscuit the parrot is hilarious and totally adorable. I want a Biscuit of my own. There’s a large supporting cast of fae characters, but I never felt lost or overwhelmed. Everything just clicks.

The romance is a slow burn, but totally worth it. For most of the series, Zayn and Talia can’t even touch, which keeps the heat fairly low. But when it comes? It delivers. That said, I was so invested in the characters and the plot, I didn’t miss the earlier spice.

Another thing I loved? The deeper message behind the story. This series shows how intolerance and fear can snowball into violence and division. But when people (or fae) start to listen, understand, and embrace differences, that’s when real change begins.

I mentioned earlier that I bought the special edition hardcover, and let me tell you—it’s stunning. Full-color illustrations, maps of the fae realm, and decorative chapter headings made it a piece of art. I didn’t read along with the audio, but I flipped through after every few chapters to see the artwork. I’ve never spent that much on a book I’d never heard of before, but I have zero regrets. Totally worth it.

Likes:

Completely sucked me in from the start.
The humor woven throughout the story.
Talia’s mom was so funny, and I loved her secret.
Biscuit. I am in love with the bird, and the narrator made me fall harder.
Zayn… sigh.
So much character growth through the book.
How everyone fell for Talia, not because of her magic, but because of her kindness to all creatures.
How tattoos are so significant to the story. The magic was so unique.
Jewish representation.
Amazing, easy world-building and magic system.
You can just tell the author is intelligent.
Extremely well-written.
The Yiddish/English glossary.
The special edition book is the prettiest book ever, with beautiful full-color illustrations throughout.
I loved the recaps even though I listened straight through. I wish all authors did that.

Dislikes (but not really):

Talia had a few TSTL moments in the first book that might make some people give up too soon. She gets much smarter as the series goes on.
If the author wasn’t Jewish herself, I may have found the stereotype of Talia’s mother to be a little insulting, but coming from a Jewish person, it’s fine. We are allowed to make fun of ourselves.

The Narration:

Tara Novie was phenomenal. She brought so many characters to life with distinct voices and nailed the humor, especially Talia’s loud, lovable mom and Biscuit. Her pronunciation of the Yiddish was spot-on too. Author Rachel Rener narrates the glossary segments, and I was pleasantly surprised at how great her audio voice is. Logan McAllister joins briefly in the last book, and while it threw me for a second, it made sense and he did a solid job. I highly recommend the audio, especially if you’re reading along in the illustrated edition.

The Down & Dirty:

The Gilded Blood Series by Rachel Rener completely captivated me. If I didn’t have a dozen publisher audiobooks waiting, I’d already be re-listening. I haven’t had the urge to binge a series again so soon in years. And lucky me, there’s now a prequel called Silver Blood, and I’m jumping on it next. You absolutely don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy the Gilded Blood series, but if you are, bump it to the top of your list. It’s one of the most unique urban fantasy series I’ve read, with fantastic world-building, Jewish representation, smart writing, and just the right amount of steam and romance. Don’t miss it.