gabriella_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Tracy Deonn one-ups herself in this sequel book. This book further expands on characterizing her central cast while also giving other (more background) characters a chance in the limelight. She developed a core ensemble cast that feels compelling and stand-alone. This book made me cry, especially when
Spoiler
Bree talks with her motherMore random things I love about this book that didn’t seem to have a place for me to write them in this review:
- The rest of the cast - especially Selwyn - tugs at my heartstrings.
- Tracy Deonn’s dream sequences are an amazing exploration of themes that are relevant later in the book and offer a refreshing way to engage with old magic.
- The descriptive settings!!
- The use of LANGUAGE. Ugh. CARIAD!
- The men in this book have a “written by a woman” charm. Well, the men that matter do, at least.
I love the way this author lays the groundwork for future plot twists - she has a gift for finding a way to keep the reader on their toes without insulting their intelligence AND while still making the twists believable. Some you can see coming - but that’s a credit to her foreshadowing.
I just want to keep gushing about this book because honestly it left me soooo hungry for the next book in this series!
Graphic: Confinement, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Gore, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Slavery, Blood, Body horror, Death, Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Grief, Physical abuse, Stalking, War, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Racism, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Child death, Classism, Cultural appropriation, and Torture
midnacine's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I started my book club in February this year, and Legendborn had been the first book we read together. It feels poetic that I'm closing out the year with its sequel.
I'd been waiting with baited breath for this book to be published, and lemme tell you: it did not disappoint. It was everything I wanted it to be, and then some more. I loved seeing Bree fight for who she is and who she wants to be, loved seeing the true colors of some characters because of it. I especially loved the hardcore flirting - absolutely no smut in this book whatsoever, but I was still blushing.
Overall, I am incredibly in love with this story and these characters. I can already tell this will be a series passed on for generations. And though I know masterpieces need time, I really need Tracy Deonn to come out with the third book like... now.
Graphic: Grief, War, Confinement, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, and Racism
Moderate: Medical content, Stalking, Slavery, Murder, Death, Car accident, Blood, and Infidelity
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, and Child death
ladygetslit's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
What I loved:
- the complexity of the relationships between Bree, Sel, and Nick that are continually developed in this second book
- Alice is the most epic best friend ever
- a challenging conversation about politics, power, racism, & what it's actually like to try to break down barriers
- an identity crisis that isn't so much a crisis as it is an exploration
- have I mentioned that Sel is my entire heart?
Literally the only complaint I have is that I have no idea when I will get another installment in this series, and I didn't want it to end.
Graphic: Grief, Racism, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Confinement
Moderate: Stalking, Rape, Slavery, Death, Sexual assault, and Gore
Minor: Colonisation
soniajoy98's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: War, Blood, Racism, Self harm, Slavery, Death, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual violence, Stalking, Gore, Colonisation, Medical trauma, Cursing, Rape, Alcohol, Misogyny, Death of parent, Kidnapping, and Medical content
Minor: Gun violence and Abandonment
kianareads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This. Freaking. Book.
It took off RUNNING and dragged me right along with it 😭 Everything we loved about Legendborn is back in BLOODMARKED but amplified by 1000:
• The literal Black girl magic
• THE TWISTS
• The romance (pls don’t talk to me about the “cariad” moment I’m still recovering 🥺)
• Nuanced exploration of grief, generational trauma, racism, tradition, and resilience
• Artful world building
All of it. x1000.
BLOODMARKED is a love letter to being your ancestors’ wildest dreams, and also just being yourself. It’s a reminder to choose yourself. It’s a breath held for generations, released with understanding and with fire. It’s gratitude for unconditional friendships. It is a truly gorgeous fantasy that so (seemingly) effortlessly weaves all of this and more into its pages.
I started and finished (all 551 pages of it) within one day.
I laughed, I cried (often), I screamed (out loud), I jabbed my book with my finger (so often my finger was red), I gasped (way too many times).
Tracy Deonn is a master of her craft and I’m just so damn grateful to be able to experience Bree’s story. ❤️🔥
Moderate: Murder, Racism, Sexism, Stalking, Death, Rape, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Racial slurs, Slavery, Torture, Grief, Sexual assault, and Violence
penofpossibilities's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Colonisation, Confinement, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Slavery, Stalking, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Rape, Car accident, Abandonment, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Vomit, and War
Minor: Gun violence
bedtimesandbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Slavery, Rape, Racism, Kidnapping, Violence, Stalking, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Death of parent, and Blood
Minor: Pregnancy
ashlikes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Medical trauma, Alcohol, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Child abuse, Gore, Blood, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Torture, Kidnapping, Violence, War, and Racism
Moderate: Self harm, Toxic friendship, Stalking, Rape, Death of parent, Drug use, Infidelity, Sexual content, Slavery, and Child death
Minor: Pregnancy, Vomit, Abandonment, Car accident, Colonisation, and Misogyny
abarnakwn_ourcolourfulpages's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Gore, War, Cursing, Grief, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Self harm, Slavery, Terminal illness, Classism, Confinement, Death of parent, Racism, Violence, Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Stalking
Moderate: Alcohol, Sexism, and Abandonment
Minor: Animal cruelty