trafalgar_law's review against another edition
I have never DNFed a book before, but I DNFed on page 87.
Forged by Blood starts off fantastically, with Dèmi and her mother healing a young boy, and we get to see the discrimination that the two face, as Oyo, and also as magic users. The mother heads out, leaving the two children, Dèmi and Jonas, alone. Dèmi explains how magic works, and does some great worldbuilding for us. It would be a 1 star, but the worldbuilding and magic system shoots it to a 2.
After that is where all my problems start.
We have a strong, super interesting main character. She is tenacious, intelligent, and headstrong. She’s also thoughtful, caring, and willing to help others.
9 years later, Dèmi is 17 and living with her mother’s friends in another city. Dèmi is rude, abrasive, and unlikeable. Her entire personality is split between “I’m edgy, my mom’s dead, everyone should hate me because of something my dad did,” and it’s REALLY hard to read.
Instead of being a powerful heroine, every scene she’s in and is saying or doing something edgy, cool, or heroic… it feels incredibly forced, like that’s what the author wants her to be instead of what she is.
I couldn’t finish. I was going to attempt to, but I saw other reviews from people who also DNFed and I don’t want to torture myself just to get through the book.
Forged by Blood starts off fantastically, with Dèmi and her mother healing a young boy, and we get to see the discrimination that the two face, as Oyo, and also as magic users. The mother heads out, leaving the two children, Dèmi and Jonas, alone. Dèmi explains how magic works, and does some great worldbuilding for us. It would be a 1 star, but the worldbuilding and magic system shoots it to a 2.
After that is where all my problems start.
We have a strong, super interesting main character. She is tenacious, intelligent, and headstrong. She’s also thoughtful, caring, and willing to help others.
Spoiler
I hate that throughout some of the issues in the first two chapters, she needs to be saved by this blonde haired, blue eyed boy. I hate the immediate “these two will be together” vibes the story gives off. These kids are 7 years old. I hated how Jonas pulled her into an embrace and stroked her hair, it gave me such an icky feeling. Read the room, Jonas!! If you hadn’t gotten sick by going into the forest, her mother wouldn’t have died and her life wouldn’t be destroyed!9 years later, Dèmi is 17 and living with her mother’s friends in another city. Dèmi is rude, abrasive, and unlikeable. Her entire personality is split between “I’m edgy, my mom’s dead, everyone should hate me because of something my dad did,” and it’s REALLY hard to read.
Instead of being a powerful heroine, every scene she’s in and is saying or doing something edgy, cool, or heroic… it feels incredibly forced, like that’s what the author wants her to be instead of what she is.
I couldn’t finish. I was going to attempt to, but I saw other reviews from people who also DNFed and I don’t want to torture myself just to get through the book.
br33zy268's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
I’m not sure how I felt about this book. It was just…kinda boring to me? The first few chapters were especially slow…even as the story felt immensely predictable. And then I kinda pushed forward and forced myself to read it (I will say when I first picked it up I probably wasn’t in the right headspace for it). But even after feeling like the pacing improved some, I just felt that there were a lot of wide gaps in it. A lot of things weren’t really explained properly, I lost track of all the characters and what their powers were and what it meant. Connections randomly came in at the last moment that didn’t make much sense to me. And it seems as if the author was just trying to fit as many tropes as possible into one book. I think it was the “mate” thing that really sealed the deal for me when I was like…okay…I guess? I think the bones of a good story were there, I just didn’t find that it was particularly well executed.
domtheknight's review against another edition
Not in the mood for this, due back at the library. Maybe will try another time
danreadsitall's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Well that escalated quickly.
"Forged by Blood" by Ehigbor Okosun starts the Tainted Blood duology. In which it's pretty rough out there. Dèmi has a tough first chapter. After helping heal a boy with her mother she then has to flee her home because of betrayal. Then it gets worse... Later has learned to control her powers, but still must hide them thanks to the policy of the king. Unfortunately folk are going to be scummy and when the chance to assist in some scum busting arrives Dèmi gets caught up in the machinations of a local lord. Who definitely doesn't have motives he isn't saying.
Thank you Netgalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for the Arc.
Reasons to read:
-Really good magic, with consequences
-Characters, eventually, just say what they are hiding instead of letting it fester for multiple books
-Real good reasons to remove the current governing system
-Spirits who might be playing an even deeper game
Cons:
-The unfortunate knowledge that if some folks had powers in real life people wouldn't be cool with it
"Forged by Blood" by Ehigbor Okosun starts the Tainted Blood duology. In which it's pretty rough out there. Dèmi has a tough first chapter. After helping heal a boy with her mother she then has to flee her home because of betrayal. Then it gets worse... Later has learned to control her powers, but still must hide them thanks to the policy of the king. Unfortunately folk are going to be scummy and when the chance to assist in some scum busting arrives Dèmi gets caught up in the machinations of a local lord. Who definitely doesn't have motives he isn't saying.
Thank you Netgalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for the Arc.
Reasons to read:
-Really good magic, with consequences
-Characters, eventually, just say what they are hiding instead of letting it fester for multiple books
-Real good reasons to remove the current governing system
-Spirits who might be playing an even deeper game
Cons:
-The unfortunate knowledge that if some folks had powers in real life people wouldn't be cool with it
tea_and_naps's review against another edition
Predictable YA published under an adult imprint
nicole562's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
lenahe's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
3.5
This is absolutely a fast paced book, to the point that I wish there were more slow moments were we could get our bearings around all that is going on.
The characters are very much YA, and unfortunately that made me not enjoy the MC much, because she was very naive. The romance didn't work for me either, mainly the idea of the love triangle felt like a cheap add to create tension, when later on we found out that there are fated mates.
The world building is engaging, and there's a lot of it.
I do intend to read the sequel, and considering that this is a debut, I can't wait to see what the author will come up in the future.
The characters are very much YA, and unfortunately that made me not enjoy the MC much, because she was very naive. The romance didn't work for me either, mainly the idea of the love triangle felt like a cheap add to create tension, when later on we found out that there are fated mates.
The world building is engaging, and there's a lot of it.
I do intend to read the sequel, and considering that this is a debut, I can't wait to see what the author will come up in the future.
claireyeah's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I was honestly very pleasantly surprised with this book. It was the Fairyloot Adult August book pick, and I wasn’t expecting much because sometimes I find the adult book picks can be on the YA side, and I’m not a huge YA fan, however – this one, although I would class it as YA, was fantastic and I’m very glad I picked it up!
I really enjoyed the writing style and how the world was created. I thought the author did an excellent job in bringing the world and characters to life and I can’t wait for the next book in the series so I can continue living in this story. The characters were also great, and I found myself wanting more of each one – especially Colin because he just seems incredibly intriguing to me.
I did think the love triangle was a little predictable, and from the very beginning you can absolutely tell who she is going to end up with, which was a bit disappointing, but it didn’t detract from the rest of the novel. I do wish however, that there was a little bit if moral ambiguity within the story/characters. It always just felt like the bad guys were inherently bad, and the good guys were absolutely good… there was no, in between or any instances where the good guys could have taken the morally grey route and sometimes that just leads to a little bit of a more interesting story.
I have to say I will definitely be going on to read the second book whenever it is released, however I hope it does edge it’s way into the more adult category that it has been published under, rather than the YA category that book 1 so comfortably fits (even though it has been published under an adult imprint)
sarrie's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
I hate to be that person but can we stop aging up YA books into the Adult age/marking group with little to no editing or adjusting? Forged by Blood was pitched and seemingly marketed as belonging to the Adult Fantasy fans. This most definitely was not the right call.
There is very little here that I would describe as an an adult or epic fantasy attribute. Instead we have a young girl who is hell-bent on revenge, to the point that it becomes her one personality trait. We have two young men who are accompanying her on her quest. Both of them are in love with her, one is a childhood friend and the other the brooding and forbidden prince. She, of course, has unique magic and attributes, and uses those wildly and with little control (again her personality is revenge, not well behaved).
There was little to enjoy in this one and I ended up sighing my way through it. I enjoyed the setting, the spirits and mythology (the inspiration is always one I enjoying seeing) but the characters, the quest, the ‘mates’. It was all very much not great. If you enjoy a YA or Middle grade style fantasy with this description this could be for you. But otherwise it’s a hard pass from me.
1.5 out of 5 bone blades