A review by micaelamariem
Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced
  • 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

4.5

 
If I hadn't screamed it from the rooftops yet, Legendborn by Tracy Deonn is such an amazing YA fantasy and was one of my favorite reads of 2021. Naturally, I had preordered the sequel and waited (im)patiently for a year and a half to get my hands on it. And it's finally here! 
Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn, published by Simon & Schuster BFYR, is the sequel to Legenborn, following Bree's journey to understanding her ancestral links and inherited powers, while being on the run from those who don't believe she belongs and believes she is a threat. 
As expected, this was an amazing read. I loved that we got to see more of my favorite characters and their interactions: Bree, Sel, Alice, and William. And actually, I loved getting more William in this book; I didn't know until now that I actually loved his character. I'm also pleased to see more Alice as we didn't get a lot of view of her character in Legendborn. Sel, of course, has my heart so I can never get enough of him. We are also introduced to a few new characters but it's Lark, particualrly, that I want to see more of in book three and I want to see some type of relationship between him and William. 
I did love the developments in this book--the tension between Bree and Sel, the found family kind of feeling, the exploration of identity--especailly when it comes to bloodlines, power, and race. In some way or the other, we did see all characters wrestle with their identity, though Bree was the main focus. 
I still think I liked Legendborn better because I liked the fresh feeling of being new to a campus and joining a secret society--it gave a very high school/college vibe, whereas this was more on the road which the plot necessitated but it led us to not see as many character interactions. 
I will say this series makes me want to learn Welsh and I'm considering adding that on DuoLingo. And I also feel kind of bad, because it's a YA novel, but I don't want a love triangle, I want a throuple....anyway... 
The ending was very intense and I really hope we get to see Sel's interaction with his mom. I want more Lark, more William, more Alice. And I want to figure out if this will truly be a love triangle. 
Basically, I need book three ASAP. Bloodmarked gets four stars from me--mostly because some of the on the road bits didn't hold my attention as much. 
Still highly reccomend for fantasy and retelling lovers. If you liked the show Merlin, you'll like this. 
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