On the face of it, this is your classic adventure/mystery story in a fantasy setting. A clue turns up after several decades hinting that two kidnapped princes, presumed dead, are actually alive. Some really amazing worldbuilding (I loved the details about the serpents which breathed fire and roamed the kingdom's seas) with lots of small details becoming relevant later on to the overall mystery. But to leave it at that would be simplifying so much of what I loved about this story. The full repercussions of the princes' disappearance is explored, both in Mercedes' family history with people's reactions against her mixed heritage and how their return would threaten all the main characters' statuses: the current king would be deposed; marriages would be rendered invalid; children would become illegitimate. But the real thing that made me fall in love with the story was the maps. All the small details about how important maps were and about the Mapmakers' guild drew me in. I couldn't stop reading this book, finished it in a day. Would wholeheartedly recommend.

*I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

I arrived at 22% but I could not finish it!
As far as I arrived, the book was boring and practically nothing happened, what a pity.

Oh, how I ADORED this book! The writing is simple yet extremely engaging, especially since the characters are all unique and full of life and just so much fun! I loved Elias and Mercedes and Ulises and the adventure they have in ISLE OF BLOOD AND STONE. They were fully fleshed out and shared so many moments full of easy going cameraderie and jokes, and I was just smitten!
The mystery part of this novel was extremely well thought out AND well executed. I loved how everything was combined!
Overall, I highly recommend this novel! I cannot wait for book 2

It wasn't the nail-biting thriller I thought it was going to be. It was more like a political intrigue mystery but I'm here for it. It was pretty enjoyable; I'd recommend it to readers who like a little mystery and intrigue.

I really enjoyed this book. Lots of action, main characters I enjoyed getting to know, and some surprising plot twists. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. Once this book is published, I will definitely be purchasing it for my library. I already have a student I plan to give it to first.

I really liked this one, and am grateful to Netgalley for the ARC. It was a good adventure story with likable characters, a plot that was easy enough to follow, and a male protagonist! I am eager for it to be released!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a digital ARC of “Isle of Blood and Stone” by Makiia Lucier. I was pleasantly surprised by this story. The blurb did not catch my attention, the cover picture did that but I am glad I requested it. The writing is phenomenal. The style reminds me a bit of “The Winner’s Curse” by Marie Rutkoski which is my favorite book. This story immediately went to the top of my “must purchase” list after only a few pages and then I could not stop reading it. The story is action packed and yet detailed enough that is still has some density to it. I fell in love with all the characters. They are vibrant and emotionally gripping. This book is perfect for all who enjoy fantasy and action stories.

Page-turning, smartly written and consistently intriguing, Isle of Blood and Stone centres on cartographer Elias' search for his island's long lost princes and the father he never got the chance to know. The plot is pacy, well constructed and for the most part believable, with plenty of twists I didn't see coming. This is historical fantasy with only the lightest of emphases on the historical, but plenty of action and just enough worldbuilding - the spirit-soaked forest, the blue indigo fire, the network of islands - to keep you reading.

Elias, Ulises and Mercedes make for a suitable trio of leads: the stubborn but caring mapmaker, the world-heavy young king, the sharp and defensive emissary. A busy supporting cast made the book vibrant, from the forbidding Commander Aimon to the mysterious Brother Francis. The lively and watchful Reyna, who wants to be a mapmaker like Elias, is a stand-out. She was just the start of one of my favourite features of the book: families and kids in a fictional world that otherwise leans rather heavily on the storytelling trope of the orphan or dead parent. It would have been pretty standard for Elias' mother Sabine, for example, to become an outcast widow, but instead she's remarried. As well as honourary sister Reyna, Elias has younger half-siblings Nieve, Lea and Jonas, and a positive stepfather figure in jovial Lord Isidore.

The islands and cartographers of Kiran Millwood Hargrave's The Girl of Ink and Stars and The Island at the End of Everything meet the pacy YA fantasy of the likes of Lori M. Lee and Sara Raasch in Makiia Lucier's first foray into the genre. It has some pitfalls, but I read it in one sitting and it's full of twists. 

A longer version of this review will appear on my blog closer to publication.

This was straight up awesome.

A mystery, a treasure hunt, royal intrigue, a young king and his friends doing the best they can. It gets dark, but that only makes things more wrenching and interesting. The relationships are good, and the worldbuilding is compellingly detailed without being overwhelming.

I honestly don't even know what to say. This was so good.

I'm withholding the last full star just because this book didn't rearrange my entire life and change me as a person, but honestly I would give it 4.5 if I could, or even a higher fraction. I'm adding <i>Isle of Blood and Stone</i> to my list of books that inspire me to write. I can't wait until I can add it to my physical bookshelf as well.

My apologies -- I could not review the book in its current format :( If it is available as a kindle book, I would love to review.