If there’s one thing fantasy readers love, it’s a map in the front of the book. And while Isle of Blood and Stone absolutely has that, it takes things one step further by not only making the main character, Elias, a skilled mapmaker, but by making maps themselves an integral part of the story. The strong emphasis on cartography sets Isle of Blood and Stone apart from other fantasy/adventure books, and the subject matter was skillfully incorporated to permeate every part of the story. Small details like what plants make certain colors of pigment, or the significance of a cartouche are not just sprinkled in as trivia; they actively contribute to Elias’s quest to unravel the mystery of the missing princes.

But aside from the fascinating academic aspects, the relationships and characters in Isle of Blood and Stone are what really make it a success. Elias has a penchant for getting into trouble, though it’s often a result of trying to help someone else.

I also really enjoyed the character Reyna, a young, would-be explorer except dang it she’s a girl. Her sweet innocence and dogged tenacity were a wonderful combination, as she strives to gain access to the opportunities her (occasionally less-qualified) male peers are given. She shares Elias’s thirst for adventure and uncharted horizons, and her youth provides a counterpoint to the older characters who have been weighed down by the still-lingering effects of the princes’ disappearance, including a devastating war.

I enjoyed the second half of the book more than the first; I thought it took a bit to get going, but once certain pieces starting falling together I was 100% invested. I think I was expecting the book to move us away from the initial setting of the capital city; after all, Elias is an adventurer. However, much of the mystery-solving takes place in and around the same city, which is fine, but since I erroneously thought we’d be moving elsewhere, I felt like things stagnated for a bit. Things are established for grand adventures abroad in a yet-untitled book 2, though, so fingers crossed for that!

Isle of Blood and Stone is a solid opener for this fantasy duology, with a satisfactory ending (no cliffhanger, THANK GOODNESS) yet plenty of intriguing things left to explore in the next installment. While many secrets were brought to light in this book, some new secrets were also created, and I’m extremely interested to see if they are uncovered in the future, because they have the potential to tear even the closest of friends apart.

These layered secrets introduce thought-provoking questions of moral ambiguity – to what degree can a person be classified as good or evil? Does one bad act have the power to override dozens or even hundreds of good acts? Elias and King Ulises in particular must wrestle with this question, and in some cases come to startlingly different conclusions, though I can’t say if one is more right than the other.

This is an entirely unique story that brings aspects fantasy lovers have grown to love and expect, along with twists that make it something new. With a beautiful setting, enjoyable characters, plot twists...this book should make its way to your TBR list. It is perfect for those who enjoy a book lacking blood, gore, and intense romance or action. It does begin slow, taking about half of the book to really pull me in...but I enjoyed it. Lucier does an amazing job making this novel stand out from the sea of fantasy books.

Isle of Blood and Stone by Makiia Lucier is the first book in the Isle of Blood and Stone duology. This series is a young adult historical fantasy with a touch of romance involved.

The story starts with the royal navigator Lord Antoni out on and excursion with a group including two of the young princes. As everyone in the group is setting down to eat and rest Antoni is gathering supplies to show the boys how to make a compass. After the wine is passed around however everyone in the group begins getting sick and the sounds of someone approaching can be heard.

Fast forward the story eighteen years where a young girl, Reyna, who is studying to be a map maker herself has come across maps that look like the work of Lord Antoni. The problem with this discovery is that it looks as if the maps were made after the horrific massacre eighteen years ago.

Little Reyna takes her discovery to King Ulises who approaches his friend Elias who has just become a master mapmaker himself with the discovery. When a hidden clue is found Elias and Ulises’s cousin, Mercedes take on the quest to uncover the mystery of just what happened that day eighteen years before.

Isle of Blood and Stone is a slow building story that felt very heavy on the historical and lighter on the fantasy side. It takes a reader back to the time of Kings, courts, politics, spies and intrigue. It becomes known that after the poisoning where everyone out that day was thought to have died that someone confessed to the crime which started a war with a neighboring kingdom but now the question comes up as to whether or not they were even involved.

As it jumped the eighteen years it was a tad confusing to join in on new characters as it slowly established who everyone was and slowly came back to what had happened at the beginning of the story. It was a tad slow for my own taste as I’m always looking for more action but despite that I still enjoyed what the author created and will certainly be curious as to how it all turns out in the next book.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Wow! Isle of Blood and Stone is an original, magical, outstanding fantasy novel filled with amazing characters and lush world-building. You'll find yourself immersed in the story unable to pull yourself from these pages. Readers of YA fantasy should not hesitate to check this one out!

Super interesting back story and premise--I really liked the history of the world that Lucier created. I admittedly was skimming and losing interest towards the end, but I will definitely be checking out the conclusion to this duology.

Eighteen years ago the two princes and the royal navigator of St. John del Mar were kidnapped and presumed dead. Elias, the royal navigator's son comes into possession of two maps which suggest they may still be alive. Thus opens the compelling mystery that is at the heart of this book. It takes awhile before the plot of this book picks up as the first few chapters establish the characters and the aftermath of the kidnapping. Once Elias and his friends Mercedes and Ulises, the king starts on their quest for the truth of the fate of the princes and Elias's father the story picks up. The characters are likable if a little flat but Lucier succeeds in making the mystery compelling and the history she creates for St. John del Mar believable and alive. There is a little romance between Elias and Mercedes it does not derail the narrative. While there are fantasy elements like sea monsters and ghosts this book is primarily a mystery and may appeal more to mystery fans than to fans of high fantasy.

Amazing book with wonderful intriguing characters. The plot and world building was beautiful and lush. The characters were deep and interesting. This was an amazing read and one of my favorites of the year, amazing read, would highly recommend for sure!

A fantastic adventure story, peopled with amazing characters. The world building was just right, information given at the right times without being too much or feeling like a lecture. I'd love to read plenty more in this universe, but if this is the only one it ended at just the right place.

I loved Reyna, poor kid, and Elias was a great lead character. Generally speaking the characters were well defined; I was a little confused about a couple of the very minor ones, but that's all. A good trick in a novel with so many characters in.

I'll be looking forward to more from Makiia.


Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.

I was sent an arc by netgalley for an honest review.

I could not bring myself to finish this book. The beginning felt heavy with description and characters. I was really looking forward to it but I just couldn't feel the motivation of the characters

“Adventurer, two princes lost but not gone. Follow the path of the ancient mariners, Tramontana to Ostro. Look not to what is there, but to what is not.”

Yeah, I didn’t love this as much as I wanted which really seems to be the story of my life lately. I just know this is going to be a completely forgettable read for me. For so much of this story I just didn’t care, and I feel like a lot of it was because I wasn’t invested in the world. I feel like I didn’t know enough about the setting or the characters. While I did enjoy the family and friendship moments with Elias, Mercedes, Ulises and some of the others, they weren’t enough to pull me in. It felt like someone was telling me a story without giving me all the background. I just didn’t get the motivations for the villain, or know enough about the worldbuilding or politics. I just didn’t care and was underwhelmed.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I saw this on netgalley and instantly fell in love with the cover. Seriously it’s gorgeous. People say ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ but we all do don’t we? The book community thrives on gorgeous covers like this one. So when I saw it, I knew I had to request it.
The story follows Elias, who is nineteen years old (I’m only nineteen but my mind is older) and a royal explorer and a highly skilled map maker. When two maps surface, he must take on the mission to find the lost princes. This book contains plot twists and turns that will have you shook. So glad I got to read this book. Overall, great read.

3 out of 5 stars.

Nineteen-year-old Elias is a royal explorer, a skilled mapmaker, and the new king of del Mar's oldest friend. Soon he will embark on the adventure of a lifetime, an expedition past the Strait of Cain and into uncharted waters. Nothing stands in his way...until a long-ago tragedy creeps back into the light, threatening all he holds dear in Isle of Blood and Stone.

The people of St. John del Mar have never recovered from the loss of their boy princes, kidnapped eighteen years ago, both presumed dead. But when two maps surface, each bearing the same hidden riddle, troubling questions arise. What really happened to the young heirs? And why do the maps appear to be drawn by Lord Antoni, Elias's father, who vanished on that same fateful day? With the king's beautiful cousin by his side-whether he wants her there or not-Elias will race to solve the riddle of the princes. He will have to use his wits and guard his back. Because some truths are better left buried...and an unknown enemy stalks his every turn. (via Goodreads)

I received an eARC of Isle of Blood and Stone through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Despite all of the plot that goes on in Isle of Blood and Stone, the best word to describe it is quiet. It has quite the intriguing plot behind it, but it really fell flat for me.

I enjoyed the worldbuilding, and the friendships between our three main characters. The world made an effort to be LGB-friendly, by mentioning partners of other genders However, the world of Isle of Blood and Stone is not trans-inclusive in the least.

There are quite a few trans-antagonistic comments throughout the book, including one wondering if a woman with a mustache was "actually a woman." The way the world works is also incredibly gender-binary based - women can't train as soldiers, or swim with the boys. They can train as geographers, but they can't be apprentices because "they'll go and get married." It's pretty bullshit.

I loved Mercedes and Reyna, and I hope that we'll get more of them. I liked the friends to romance angle that it took, with Ulises always there to annoy them. I wanted more of a reason for the villains to do the things they did. (I know that's vague, but it's a huge spoiler.)

I think Isle of Blood and Stone very well could have been my thing, but it needed more punching up to really make it work for me. You can pick up a copy and see for yourself on Amazon.



Disclaimer: All links to Indiebound and Amazon are affiliate links, which means that if you buy through those links, I will make a small amount of money off of it.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Eighteen years prior, two princes were out on a picnic with some guards/servants, their maid, and Lord Antoni. Tragedy struck when all of the servants and guards were poisoned while the princes, Lord Antoni, and the maid mysteriously disappeared. Isle of Blood and Stone follows the journey of Elias, the son of Lord Antoni, royal mapmaker and explorer, and best friend of the king, Ulises. Elias, Mercedes, the King’s cousin and emissary, Ulises discover two maps that have supposedly been drawn by Lord Antoni that contain clues about the mysterious disappearance that occurred eighteen years ago. Elias, Ulises, and Mercedes try to solve the clues and uncover the mystery.

I went into Isle of Blood and Stone not knowing the premise of the story, and was pleasantly surprised. The pacing started off slow, it took a bit of work to get going, but once the preliminary information was laid out I was hooked. I managed to read the entire book in one sitting despite it’s length.

Elias, Mercedes, and Ulises were likeable and well-developed. The slow-burn romance between Elias and Mercedes was realistic and relatable. The story is told from different third-person viewpoints, and while that sometimes caused confusion, I appreciated the different perspectives while trying to solve the mystery.

The only issue that I had, despite the slow beginning that might deter people from sticking with the story, was the explanation for the prince’s disappearances and the antagonist’s motivation. It just seemed a little extreme to me.

Overall, I highly recommend this book. I just found out that there will be a sequel, and I am excited to see where Elias, Mercedes, and Ulises go in the next book.

I was sent this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

How can I look at these maps, see this riddle, and do nothing? They are my brothers.

This book is WOW amazing. It looks like a fantasy, but it's actually a mystery/romance/court intrigue novel in disguise. If that doesn't grab your attention, think An Ember in the Ashes crossed with Eragon. I started reading this, unsure what to expect, and I was hooked. From beginning to end, you'll be guessing - what happened to the missing princes? Who drew the maps? Who was behind the tragedy that caused one kingdom to destroy another in retaliation? The story unfolds in agonizing suspense. My only complaint is that at times, the main character can be a little scatter-brained and careless...but. He is nineteen. Teenage brain is a thing.

This was a much slower and not as action packed YA Fantasy than I am used to reading and at times made it hard to continue. Especially since its garnered as an adventure mystery fantasy you would think the high stakes would g=create an action packed plot but no. I find when you are recreating whole new worlds you can't be slow in your pacing as it is very hard to stay interested. Now with that said this was still an enjoyable read and I liked that it had a male protagonist. You don't see a lot of YA fantasy books with male leads and I hope this will snag some reluctant male readers. I really did enjoy reading from Elias's POV and how refreshing is it to have a cartographer as a lead. Usually its warriors or healers etc. etc.. that was a nice spin. Oh can we say how awesome Mercedes was she handled some tough situations gracefully and if need be was a total badass.
Overall this was an interesting fantasy adventure read that could use some faced paced plotting to help further sluggish scenes.

Isle of Blood and Stone is fantastic. Sorry, I had more to say about leprosy before, but yes, the book is very very good. Leprosy plays a vital role in the novel, which made me love it more as it enabled me to go on the above tirade.

Eighteen years ago, Bartolome and Teodor, two young princes of the Kingdom of St. John del Mar were kidnapped, along with famous navigator, Lord Antoni. It was assumed that the princes and Lord Antoni were to be held for ransom, but instead they were killed when their ship sank. The neighboring Island of Mondrago got the blame, and after a Mondrogan soldier was tortured into a confession, del Mar invaded Mondrago and razed it to the ground. Ever since, the people of del Mar have hated Mondrago, to the extent that they will even spit at people who are half Mondragan.

Anyway, Isle of Blood and Stone starts off eighteen years after the event. Ulises, the youngest prince who was just a baby when his brothers disappeared, has become king. Lord Antoni’s son, Elias, has become a Navigator/Explorer/Mapmaker/Sailor in his own right. Elias is definitely in love with the king’s cousin, the expert spy Mercedes, who has the misfortune to be half Mondrogan on del Mar. Mercedes, with the help of Reyna, granddaughter of master navigator Lord Silva, has discovered a strange map. It is a map that could only have been painted by Lord Antoni - but it features landmarks that didn’t exist until ten years prior. Meaning Lord Antoni was around ten years ago. Meaning he might be alive. And if he’s alive, there’s a chance Bartolome and Teodor are alive, too.

Well, shit.

Ulises asks Elias for his help in solving the riddles embedded in the map. This all must be handled delicately - Ulises is in a precarious position if it turns out his two older brother are still alive, and Elias’s mother has since happily remarried, having three other children with her second husband. And in the world of del Mar, bigamy is a serious crime, and if it turns out Antoni is still alive, Elias’s younger sisters and brother will be forever shamed as bastards. So rather than going with a traditional fantasy scenario of “holy shit, [insert person here] is still alive, that’s awesome!” the reaction is more realistic: it’s been nearly two decades, everyone has already moved on, if two princes and a lord were to suddenly reappear, it would be great at first, but would mean bad news for a lot of people.

Oh, yeah, and remember that whole “they razed Mondrago to the ground because they supposedly murdered the princes and Lord Antoni” thing? Yeah, that, too.

So Elias, with the help of Mercedes, set off to do their best to solve this puzzle without starting a war, ruining their lives, or creating political chaos. Good luck!

This book is awesome. It’s exciting, the characters are great,and the world is lush and beautiful. It reminds me of a more tropical, technically advanced version of Earthsea. There’s some subtle magic in there, too, that I really really want to see more of. I believe this is the first in a series - why do I keep getting attached to serieses? - but I will definitely be looking out for the next books. I have one criticism of this book, but to mention it would be to spoil the end, so I will keep that to myself for now. Still, it’s a great story.

Also, shout out to Makiia Lucier who wrote A Death-Struck Year - one of the few YA historical fiction books set in early 20th Century Portland. There’s not a lot of Portland-set historical fiction out there…or maybe there is and I just can’t find it. If you know some, let me know, please.

I discovered this book online last month and I read the blurb and just knew I wanted to read this book! I started reading it one evening and I just didn't want to stop, it instantly captured my attention. It was fantastic from the first page. Though I am a little sad that I have finished the book already. However, the ending of the book left some wonderful possibilities open and I have a feeling that the next book is going to be amazing as well.

The Isle of Blood and Stone doesn't have any magic in it, which makes it an unusual read for me, however, what it lacks in magic it really makes up for with well written characters, incredible world-building and a good old fashioned mystery. I was left guessing right up until the big reveal - though you will get no spoilers from me. I found the suspense really helped pull the pace of the book along without making me want to read so fast that I skipped over descriptions.

Talking of descriptions; the world-building in The Isle of Blood and Stone is incredible, Lucier creates a vivid world with a strong focus on sailing and exploration, which I found really interesting. Everything in the kingdom of St John del Mar is focused around the sea from their laws to their food, even their currency, with silver shells and gold squids! 

The world created in the book is so vivid, and I loved that there were so many unique experiences we could enjoy with the protagonist Elias, from cockfighting to a trip to the Barber-Surgeon. I loved the main three characters, Elias the explorer, Ulises the king of St John del Mar and Mercedes the king's cousin, who is a strong and very independent female character, it's always nice to read about one of those! They were all so different and all so well written. I enjoyed reading the banter between the three of them. The friendship between these three character was lovely to read. At the start of the book you could feel that the dynamic had recently changed. Ulises had recently become king at the start of the book, and as a result everything was off kilter, and yet their friendship and loyalty to each other held them together, and only grew stronger throughout the book.

Besides the main trio I have to say that Reyna, a girl of nine, was a character that really stood out in The Isle of Blood Stone - I love the way she was written. It was nice to have two strong female characters in a book, characters that were changing the rules instead of living by them! 

The main thread of the plot is a mystery to be solved which starts off with a riddle on a map, and I have to admit from the very beginning I was hooked. I needed to know the answer, and for me when the answer came it was not one I expected at all! I also really enjoyed the fact that the mystery was not the only thing drawing the book along, we still had time for rich and fabulous descriptions, we still got to meet a wide range of vivid and unique characters. 

I really enjoyed The Isle of Blood and Stone, and I would definitely recommend it to any fantasy fans. I have already convinced my husband that he needs to read it once he has finished with his current re-read of Robin Hobb's books.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

DNF at 50%

I'm not going to rate this one. I think it might be a strong case of it's not you, it's me. I hate DNFing books especially ARCs but this is just doing nothing for me. I don't dislike it nor do I like it. I am not engaged with the plot or the characters or the world building. I don't think this is the author's fault exactly, it's just a complete miss where I'm concerned. Others have rated this book highly and I feel like I must be reading a different book to them. There is just nothing for me to get hold of. At halfway through I still feel like I'm waiting for the story to start. I don't mind quiet fantasy but this is too slow even for me.

This is fantasy in the sense that it's set in an alternate world but don't expect magic or fantastical creatures. Or a lot of action tbh. This one just wasn't for me.

I liked the Isle of Blood and Stone but I didn't love it. It had good pacing and was intriguing enough that I want to check out the next book. Isle of Blood and Stone was a nice YA fantasy with adventure and a little romance. If you are a fan of adventures with lots of mysteries then Isle of Blood and Stone is a good one to read.