lolasreviews's review
3.0
I received a free copy from the authors and voluntarily reviewed it.
I have really enjoyed all of Kelly St Clare’s books that I read so far, so I was excited to start this one. I hadn’t read any of Raye Wagner’s books yet before this one, so I wasn’t really sure what to expect from her writing. I have to admit that when I first saw the cover I thought it would be an adult paranormal romance book with dual point of view, quickly I figured out it would be more YA dark fantasy. But even so I felt like I went into this book with just a tad the wrong expectations.
Blood Oath is told from first person point of view of main character Ryn. It tells the tale of a kingdom ruled by an oppressive king, the peasants are starving and rebellion is brewing. It wasn’t what I had expected at all. There is very little romance, just a hint of it and I didn’t fully feel it. And it’s mostly a dark fantasy story. With lots of bad things happening. There are dragons. And healers.
My main issue with Blood Oath was that it was just too dark and bleak for my tastes. I always find dark such a hard term to define and in some books I am fine with a bit dark, depending on what kind of dark it is. In this book it was just a bit too much for my taste. There are lot of bad things, people being killed, people being tortured, a king who is very evil and a bleak situation for the main character with no hope in sight.
I skimmed over a torture scene, but luckily most torture scenes weren’t written full out. I felt like so many bad things happened to the main character I just stopped caring at some point. Her whole life and outlook was so bleak I found it hard to care and I had wished for a bit more light and uplifting scenes now and then, but there was little of that. I also thought the king was a bit too evil, but I think that’s the point. If he ever had good intentions, they all disappeared now and only a ruthless, mean and oppressive ruler remained.
What I did like was that it was well written, I really enjoyed the first 20% or so of the book, the world building was unique and I liked how they gave the dragon shifters some unique touches and powers. And I do feel like this is a good book, it was mainly just too dark and bleak for me and I had trouble caring about the characters. I also had hoped to see more of different locations. Most of the story takes place in one place and I just wanted to visualize something else than that bleak dark place. But if you like a story about a girl who gets beaten and has so much bad things happening, but keeps on fighting then you might enjoy this book.
Ryn seemed like nice main character, although I never fully cared about her. When we first meet her she seemed like your everyday girl who works hard. She isn’t interested in getting into trouble or joining the rebellion, but she would like a bit of adventure in her life. She gets more than she bargained for when she gets captured. I did wish we had read more of her thoughts. there are some strange or off things happening and I felt like she never really thought these through. Like a very important scene at the start that was so obvious important and she never really seemed to give it much thought about what her other’s words meant.
I predicted most of the plot twists, but Ryn was totally surprised by then each and every time. It just felt a bit off as there were some big hints and if she had thought about things a bit she could’ve at least have some more doubts. Ryn seemed very tough and resilient, which she needed in her situation and served her well. She wouldn’t let them break her, but she did come very close and did broke down at times. I had just wanted she had a bit more smarts, as she had more than enough time to think things through. She also turned into a bit of a special snowflake, but I am kinda curious about that too. And I still feel annoyed at when she went back early on in the book, it just felt unrealistic and annoying as it was so clearly dangerous and she was no fighter.
What I thought was very well done was how the authors made me change my opinion about Lord Irrik over the course of the book. I think he’s the love interest, but at first I totally didn’t like him at all and just couldn’t see how this could turn into a romance. But as the book progresses we learn more about his character and understand why he does the things he does and I actually changed my opinion. I still feel like he isn’t a very likeable character, but at the end I did understand why he did what he did and it did make sense. I just felt that even with the situation being what it was there was no reason he couldn’t be a bit more nicer sometimes or tell Ryn some things. Yes he was afraid of something, but at the same time she proved that wasn’t really anything he should be afraid of. But he did care in his own way and did help her.
We get a bit of world building in this book, but it’s pretty limited. In the first 20% we get a bit of a feel for the world. How the peasants live, how the king rules and the Drae his role in this. We know there are some other countries, but we don’t hear much about those until at the very end. Then over the course of the book we get to know a bit more about the dragon powers and pheatyn powers, but it stays pretty limited.
We really only know what Ryn knows and she knows very little about this and others don’t tell her much, so the reader’s understand stays limited as well. Sometimes I just wanted to know a bit more, but it did make sense we don’t know more. I did roll my eyes how some of the dragon and pheatyn powers involved kissing, that just seemed weird/ a bit too convenient. The pheatyn powers and how they worked seemed pretty cool and silly at the same time. But it sure was unique.
To summarize: Blood Oath is a dark fantasy novel featuring dragons, healers and a fantasy world with an oppressive king. I really enjoyed the start of the book and it sucked me in, but once the book progressed I started enjoying it less and less. Mostly it was just too dark and bleak for me, it just felt like too much. So many bad things happen and almost no happy or uplifting things and it made it hard for me to care about the characters. Ryn did seem like a decent main character, she was tough and resilient, which served her well. but I also felt like she could’ve thought things through a bit more. There were some plot twists I predicted with ease and for the main character it all came as a big shock.
I thought it was very well done how the authors wrote the book in such a way I changed my opinion of Lord Irrik as the book progressed. At first I didn’t like him at all, but as the book progressed I grew to understand him better and got why he acted that way, although I had wished he was a bit nicer at times and had told Ryn some things. There is a hint of romance, but I didn’t fully feel it yet and with how things end I am not sure how it will get there.
We get to know a bit about the world and the dragon and healer powers, but it’s pretty limited as Ryn the main character doesn’t know much. I did wish we got to know a bit more about the world. I liked how there was some unique touches to some of the dragon powers. Overall I do think this is a good book, but for me it was too bleak and dark and I had trouble fully enjoying it because of that.
I have really enjoyed all of Kelly St Clare’s books that I read so far, so I was excited to start this one. I hadn’t read any of Raye Wagner’s books yet before this one, so I wasn’t really sure what to expect from her writing. I have to admit that when I first saw the cover I thought it would be an adult paranormal romance book with dual point of view, quickly I figured out it would be more YA dark fantasy. But even so I felt like I went into this book with just a tad the wrong expectations.
Blood Oath is told from first person point of view of main character Ryn. It tells the tale of a kingdom ruled by an oppressive king, the peasants are starving and rebellion is brewing. It wasn’t what I had expected at all. There is very little romance, just a hint of it and I didn’t fully feel it. And it’s mostly a dark fantasy story. With lots of bad things happening. There are dragons. And healers.
My main issue with Blood Oath was that it was just too dark and bleak for my tastes. I always find dark such a hard term to define and in some books I am fine with a bit dark, depending on what kind of dark it is. In this book it was just a bit too much for my taste. There are lot of bad things, people being killed, people being tortured, a king who is very evil and a bleak situation for the main character with no hope in sight.
I skimmed over a torture scene, but luckily most torture scenes weren’t written full out. I felt like so many bad things happened to the main character I just stopped caring at some point. Her whole life and outlook was so bleak I found it hard to care and I had wished for a bit more light and uplifting scenes now and then, but there was little of that. I also thought the king was a bit too evil, but I think that’s the point. If he ever had good intentions, they all disappeared now and only a ruthless, mean and oppressive ruler remained.
What I did like was that it was well written, I really enjoyed the first 20% or so of the book, the world building was unique and I liked how they gave the dragon shifters some unique touches and powers. And I do feel like this is a good book, it was mainly just too dark and bleak for me and I had trouble caring about the characters. I also had hoped to see more of different locations. Most of the story takes place in one place and I just wanted to visualize something else than that bleak dark place. But if you like a story about a girl who gets beaten and has so much bad things happening, but keeps on fighting then you might enjoy this book.
Ryn seemed like nice main character, although I never fully cared about her. When we first meet her she seemed like your everyday girl who works hard. She isn’t interested in getting into trouble or joining the rebellion, but she would like a bit of adventure in her life. She gets more than she bargained for when she gets captured. I did wish we had read more of her thoughts. there are some strange or off things happening and I felt like she never really thought these through. Like a very important scene at the start that was so obvious important and she never really seemed to give it much thought about what her other’s words meant.
I predicted most of the plot twists, but Ryn was totally surprised by then each and every time. It just felt a bit off as there were some big hints and if she had thought about things a bit she could’ve at least have some more doubts. Ryn seemed very tough and resilient, which she needed in her situation and served her well. She wouldn’t let them break her, but she did come very close and did broke down at times. I had just wanted she had a bit more smarts, as she had more than enough time to think things through. She also turned into a bit of a special snowflake, but I am kinda curious about that too. And I still feel annoyed at when she went back early on in the book, it just felt unrealistic and annoying as it was so clearly dangerous and she was no fighter.
What I thought was very well done was how the authors made me change my opinion about Lord Irrik over the course of the book. I think he’s the love interest, but at first I totally didn’t like him at all and just couldn’t see how this could turn into a romance. But as the book progresses we learn more about his character and understand why he does the things he does and I actually changed my opinion. I still feel like he isn’t a very likeable character, but at the end I did understand why he did what he did and it did make sense. I just felt that even with the situation being what it was there was no reason he couldn’t be a bit more nicer sometimes or tell Ryn some things. Yes he was afraid of something, but at the same time she proved that wasn’t really anything he should be afraid of. But he did care in his own way and did help her.
We get a bit of world building in this book, but it’s pretty limited. In the first 20% we get a bit of a feel for the world. How the peasants live, how the king rules and the Drae his role in this. We know there are some other countries, but we don’t hear much about those until at the very end. Then over the course of the book we get to know a bit more about the dragon powers and pheatyn powers, but it stays pretty limited.
We really only know what Ryn knows and she knows very little about this and others don’t tell her much, so the reader’s understand stays limited as well. Sometimes I just wanted to know a bit more, but it did make sense we don’t know more. I did roll my eyes how some of the dragon and pheatyn powers involved kissing, that just seemed weird/ a bit too convenient. The pheatyn powers and how they worked seemed pretty cool and silly at the same time. But it sure was unique.
To summarize: Blood Oath is a dark fantasy novel featuring dragons, healers and a fantasy world with an oppressive king. I really enjoyed the start of the book and it sucked me in, but once the book progressed I started enjoying it less and less. Mostly it was just too dark and bleak for me, it just felt like too much. So many bad things happen and almost no happy or uplifting things and it made it hard for me to care about the characters. Ryn did seem like a decent main character, she was tough and resilient, which served her well. but I also felt like she could’ve thought things through a bit more. There were some plot twists I predicted with ease and for the main character it all came as a big shock.
I thought it was very well done how the authors wrote the book in such a way I changed my opinion of Lord Irrik as the book progressed. At first I didn’t like him at all, but as the book progressed I grew to understand him better and got why he acted that way, although I had wished he was a bit nicer at times and had told Ryn some things. There is a hint of romance, but I didn’t fully feel it yet and with how things end I am not sure how it will get there.
We get to know a bit about the world and the dragon and healer powers, but it’s pretty limited as Ryn the main character doesn’t know much. I did wish we got to know a bit more about the world. I liked how there was some unique touches to some of the dragon powers. Overall I do think this is a good book, but for me it was too bleak and dark and I had trouble fully enjoying it because of that.
toastedbagel's review
3.0
I will be continuing to read the rest of the series, but let's just say it takes a while to get used to the heroine's POV. I couldn't understand her actions nor her ire and hatred toward Irrik. The development felt a bit rushed, with no sufficient build up to the consequent events. The fantasy world is interesting enough and characters not terribly outrageous that will deter me from the next book, but I do hope the heroine will mature and make smarter choices.
feelingferal's review
4.0
Pretty solid. Some clunky, stumbling moments but nothing too unforgivable. I look forward to reading the next book
e_mckay's review against another edition
3.0
the concept was cool - dragon shifters and healers and hunger-games-like harvesting factions and rebellion.
I would say the plot twist/reveal at the end is what made me rate 3 stars instead of 2. I really did not see Ty, Tyr, and Irrick being the same person at all. Takes a lot to shock me these days.
overall, this book was…. interesting
basically this girl can grow and heal things with her bodily fluids LOLLLLL (unique, i guess?) basically spit and tears and blood and stuff
I would say the plot twist/reveal at the end is what made me rate 3 stars instead of 2. I really did not see Ty, Tyr, and Irrick being the same person at all. Takes a lot to shock me these days.
overall, this book was…. interesting
basically this girl can grow and heal things with her bodily fluids LOLLLLL (unique, i guess?) basically spit and tears and blood and stuff
miloulou's review against another edition
4.0
I've read this EXACT plotline before, the writing wasn't the best, but somehow Ryn and Irrick kept me turning the pages needing to find out what happens next.
Ryn is definitely a frustrating character because of her ignorance and blind faith in others. Anyone could a mile away that there was definitely something off about having two strangers named Ty and Tyr both appear out of nowhere to support her. But even knowing the twist was coming, I still enjoyed it. She definitely grows throughout the book and suffers losses that are actually dwelled on.
My only other complaint is that the villain is pretty 2D. The king doesn't really have a reason to kill the land healers. Especially when it turns out they are still around anyways? The Drumen have a surprising lack of... Sympathy. Considering they're described as literally born and raised to be brute enforcers, with their throats burned with acid, I'm surprised there's not more kindness or at least understanding given towards these side characters. They're just cannon fodder for Irrick to burn up.
But anyways, even though the whole story kind of falls apart when you think too hard about it, it was still a fun and quick read!
Ryn is definitely a frustrating character because of her ignorance and blind faith in others. Anyone could a mile away that there was definitely something off about having two strangers named Ty and Tyr both appear out of nowhere to support her. But even knowing the twist was coming, I still enjoyed it. She definitely grows throughout the book and suffers losses that are actually dwelled on.
My only other complaint is that the villain is pretty 2D. The king doesn't really have a reason to kill the land healers. Especially when it turns out they are still around anyways? The Drumen have a surprising lack of... Sympathy. Considering they're described as literally born and raised to be brute enforcers, with their throats burned with acid, I'm surprised there's not more kindness or at least understanding given towards these side characters. They're just cannon fodder for Irrick to burn up.
But anyways, even though the whole story kind of falls apart when you think too hard about it, it was still a fun and quick read!
amyheartsfiction's review against another edition
4.0
Book 1 of 3 (Single POV)
Adventure: 4/5
Spice: 0/5
Angst: 2/5
Synopsis: Ryn is captured by the tyrant king and his blood sworn Drae after the death of her mother who the king accused of being a rebel. As she makes friends with her cell mate and a seemingly trustworthy guard, Ryn holds on to hope that she’ll be saved. But the king has other plans, and he uses his Drae, Lord Irrick, to carry out those plans. As Ryn navigates her new friendships and learns who she can trust and who she can’t, Lord Irrick seems to leave her confounded at every turn. Can she trust him, or will he betray her in the end?
Review: Blood oath was not perfectly written. It had plot holes. It used modern vernacular in places that thew off my reading, but did I enjoy it? …. Yes, I did. The story was very plot driven by political drama and plot twists, torture, dragons, and magic … the world building was very shallow, but it did not detract from the story by any means. Lord Irrick who is very morally gray was written so well I felt – though I truly did not know what was going on in his mind, and sometimes I really thought “Why would you do that?” I was frustrated with him often, and it will be a challenge for me to forgive him for some things. Ryn was for the most part a strong character, even though she did come off as rather guileless sometimes...I mean trusting your cell mate in the king's torture chamber out of the gate seemed wholly unwise, but who am I to judge what you do while tortured and starving in a cell. This book has excellent pacing, and the story is engaging – I started reading and next thing I knew, I was 50% done. It’s a roller coaster ride, but it’s a ride I did enjoy. Again, it’s not a groundbreaking piece of literature, but it’s a good time with a unique plot that has common devices and tropes that weave a great story. It is a completed series, so no worry about having to wait for the next book to come out. Happy reading.
Adventure: 4/5
Spice: 0/5
Angst: 2/5
Synopsis: Ryn is captured by the tyrant king and his blood sworn Drae after the death of her mother who the king accused of being a rebel. As she makes friends with her cell mate and a seemingly trustworthy guard, Ryn holds on to hope that she’ll be saved. But the king has other plans, and he uses his Drae, Lord Irrick, to carry out those plans. As Ryn navigates her new friendships and learns who she can trust and who she can’t, Lord Irrick seems to leave her confounded at every turn. Can she trust him, or will he betray her in the end?
Review: Blood oath was not perfectly written. It had plot holes. It used modern vernacular in places that thew off my reading, but did I enjoy it? …. Yes, I did. The story was very plot driven by political drama and plot twists, torture, dragons, and magic … the world building was very shallow, but it did not detract from the story by any means. Lord Irrick who is very morally gray was written so well I felt – though I truly did not know what was going on in his mind, and sometimes I really thought “Why would you do that?” I was frustrated with him often, and it will be a challenge for me to forgive him for some things. Ryn was for the most part a strong character, even though she did come off as rather guileless sometimes...I mean trusting your cell mate in the king's torture chamber out of the gate seemed wholly unwise, but who am I to judge what you do while tortured and starving in a cell. This book has excellent pacing, and the story is engaging – I started reading and next thing I knew, I was 50% done. It’s a roller coaster ride, but it’s a ride I did enjoy. Again, it’s not a groundbreaking piece of literature, but it’s a good time with a unique plot that has common devices and tropes that weave a great story. It is a completed series, so no worry about having to wait for the next book to come out. Happy reading.