Blood Sworn, by author Scott Reintgen, is the second and final installment in the authors Ashlords duology. The Scorpio Races are over. A winner has been chosen. A war is here. A fight against the gods themselves to determine who will control the world—and the underworld, is at hand. This story is a page turner featuring three main characters: Imelda Beru, Pippa, and Adrian Ford. Each represents a different faction of people who live in this world. Dividians, Ashlords, and Longhands. Each chapter features one of the three main characters.

Imelda's story is in the first person. Imelda, aka the Alchemist, has done the impossible. She's the first person to ever escape the Races and lived to talk about it. She's a Dividian whose people once sailed to Furia intending to conquer only to fail thanks to the Ashlords Gods. Imelda has teamed up with the Dividian rebels and is fully committed to changing the game and making those who think they are better than her people pay a heavy price. When she finds a Bloodsworn rebirth formula, a horse that shouldn’t exist, and makes it her own, she knows that the world is about to change. I loved how far she and Bastian have come since the first time they’ve met.

Pippa's story is told in the second person. Pippa is one of the generals of the Ashlords army fighting a war against the Longhands led by Adrian. Pippa comes across as a cold most of the time, but underneath, she has plans. Plans that could disrupt and change the entire country with a little help. When Quinn reappears and asks for help, everything changes for Pippa’s as well as Adrian. The information she discovers may help lead her to change things for the better and stand on her own merits, not her parents. There’s a real connection between Adrian and Pippa that slowly comes together as they both understand that they are not really adversaries.

Adrian's story is told in the third person. Adrian's shocking second place in the races was exactly what the Longhands were hoping for. It has been 48 years since the Ashlords rounded up every single first son and daughter and executed them for their rebellion. Adrian intends to make them regret that decision by using whatever means he has at his disposal to defeat his enemies. Adrian gets a few surprises along the way, including having Imelda’s friend Farien who is offered a job of documenting everything he sees. Adrian's story overlaps with Pippa's quite a few times as they realize that combining their strengths has many advantages.

Through these conflicts, the three characters come to realize they might have more in common than they previously thought which will lead to some really interesting twists and surprises. This story is about alchemy, deception, and revolution against Gods who twisted the truth and subjugated two of the three into believing a false history. There is literally a God for everything. The Ashlords Pantheon include: The Hoarder, God of possessions; The Curiosity, God of whispers; The Striving, God of technology; The Butcher, God of Flesh; The Fury, God of War; The Madness, God of Passage; The Dread, God of caution.

This is the first time that you will find all three characters together in one place. They each find a way to get to where they need to be thanks to some brilliant strategies, and some secrets that are revealed one by one until it is the Gods themselves who are being targeted one by one. Bloodsworn takes the worldbuilding from the first book and makes it much larger. The author digs deeper into the mythology and the implications of who the Gods are, and how they’ve basically gotten away with anything they’ve wanted for a very long time. Reintgen has created a cruel and incredible world, and he’s written a brutally fantastic story to match it. Reintgen is quickly becoming one of my top ten authors that I eagerly wait to see what they come up with next.

This book is the sequel to Ashlords. The first book covers a race between phoenix horses. The riders have to mix their ashes every night so that they can have a strong horse the next day for the races. The squeal of the book covers the aftermath of the races and how their society needs to overcome their differences. Phoenix horses are topics that I haven't read about before in books, but fans of dystopian novels will be sucked in with the aftermath of the races. There are many twists and turns in this book that will want you to keep reading on.

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Blood Sworn

Author: Scott Rentigen

Book Series: Ashlords Book 2

Rating: 4/5

Recommended For...: Ya readers, fantasy lovers, horse lovers

Publication Date: February 16, 2021

Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers

Pages: 400

Recommended Age: 16+ (Gore, Violence, Slight Language, Slight Romance)

Synopsis: Three cultures clash in all out war--against each other and against the gods--in the second book of this fantasy duology that's sure to capture fans of The Hunger Games and An Ember in the Ashes.

The Races are over. War has begun.

Ashlord and Longhand armies battle for control of the Empire as Dividian rebels do their best to survive the crossfire. This is no longer a game. It's life or death.

Adrian, Pippa, and Imelda each came out of the Races with questions about their role in the ongoing feud. The deeper they dig, the clearer it is that the hatred between their peoples has an origin point: the gods.

Their secrets are long-buried, but one disgruntled deity is ready to unveil the truth. Every whisper leads back to the underworld. What are the gods hiding there? As the sands of the Empire shift, these heroes will do everything they can to aim their people at the true enemy. But is it already too late?

Review: For the most part I thought that this book was a really good sequel to the first one. the story did well and continuing the book and I thought it did really good to summarize what happened in the first book. the character development was very sound, the characters are very well developed and even with the time skip they were very well developed still. I also really like the world building and the plot kept me hooked onto the book from start to finish.

The only real issue that I had with the book was that the pacing was very slow. Like in the first book, I felt like there were a lot of parts in this book that dragged on and on unnecessarily. I would have liked to see this book at a bit of a faster pace.

Verdict: It was good, just some issues for me.

Bloodsworn is a fantastic conclusion to the Ashlords duology. When I read Ashlords, I didn't have many expectations for the story, so I was blown away by how the story grabbed my interest and wouldn't let me go. Having experienced this previously, Bloodsworn delivered on what Ashlords promised and I loved being sucked into the story once more. If you have not read Ashlords yet, continue reading this review at your own risk. There are no spoilers for Bloodsworn, but since this is book 2, there might be spoilers for book 1.

Bloodsworn is again told from our three protagonists' points of view: Imelda, Adrian, and Pippa. The storyline picks up after the races are over and the conflict between the three peoples is heating up. Pippa is now the general of the Ashlords army, Adrian is the face of the Longhands troops, and Imelda has teamed up with the Dividian rebels. Through these conflicts, though, our three characters come to realize they might have more in common than they previously thought. Their individual paths are twined together for an explosive adventure with new discoveries, long-lost secrets, and tentative alliances.

I absolutely loved seeing how the author brought all the story threads he set up in Ashlords through to Bloodsworn. He developed and explored them more before bringing them together for the series climax. I could easily read more books set in this world, so I hope it's not the last we see of the Ashlords, though Bloodsworn does conclude this specific storyline very well. The worldbuilding for this duology is so rich and interesting - the alchemy and rebirths of the phoenixes is so amazing - but I can tell this is a case of the author only showing the reader the 10% of the worldbuilding they need to grasp the story. It feels like there could be so much more to explore. In the meantime, I will be recommending this duology left and right because it was just so much fun to read.

Buy, Borrow, or Bypass: This one was a buy for me! I originally borrowed Ashlords from the library, but I liked it so much I needed my own copy. If you liked The Hunger Games, and if you read books for epic adventures, then you have to read the Ashlords series. The fast pacing and action-packed plot will keep you turning the pages until the very end, and the covers are so stunning too! I highly recommend adding this duology to your shelf collection.

3.5

Blood Sworn begins a few months after the end of Ashlords. The war that the Longhands wanted is happening. Imelda along with the other Dividians are forming their own troops to fight for their own revolution. Adrian is leading his own troops against Pippa's. As the war carries on, a secret the Ashlords have been hiding comes to light and instead of giving them answers, it serves only to bring more questions.

I think the concept of the gods and the phoenixes are really interesting and I wish that that was the main focus of this book. However, it really focused on the three main characters Adrian, Pippa, and Imelda. While I don't think they're necessarily dull or boring characters, I couldn't help but feel like I ddidn't want to keep reading Adrian and Pippa's perspectives. I really liked Imelda's perspective because it did delve a little more into the behind the scenes and showed more of the gears on how the gods worked. I think it was really cliche to have Adrian and Pippa fall for each other. I would have preferred to see a different relationship form between two different people.

Back yes, back to the concept of the gods. It was so interesting to see how the gods had convinced the humans that they had no power over them, but as the story progressed, we see that that was a complete lie. The folklore and the past relationships between the gods and the humans was what really kept me going in this book. I thought the most interesting god was the Butcher and his collection of dead humans and animals from the different centuries that he lived through.

I am a huge Scott Reintgen book fan and Bloodsworn did not disappoint me at all! I believe it might be Mr. Reintgen's best book yet! There were twists and turns I didn't see coming. I am usually good at timing in my mind where the denouement will be in a story while reading, however, low and behold Scott got me and turned my judgment of his writing skills to a higher plain.

Bloodsworn will draw you in with its gorgeous cover and the fact that you need to know what happened after we left Dividian Imelda, Ashlord Pippa, and Longhand Adrian at the end of book #1 Ashlords. There were so many scenes in the story that made me think wow, this would make a great movie! The action, the world-building of the Gods and their kingdoms in the dark and dreary underworld, the one place that you were curious about the most when it came to Ashlords and little Quinn, Pippa's Gods appointed helpmate in the Races - the land she lived in. I felt as if it might be akin to Hoth - hotter than Hell, dryer than the Sahara, drearier than the Wombat creatures cave that the Millenium Falcon hid in while in the asteroid field, and full of creatures that you just can't imagine but Mr. Reintgen did.

The intriguing part of this book was the Bloodsworn alchemy mix Imelda found and reproduced into her own formula to go beyond just an amazing Phoenix Horse. Without it, this book would be very short and very two-sided instead of a triangular point of view which makes this book very exciting and of course the name of the book. Well done, Mr. Reintgen, well done!

This book is a lesson in writing entertainment, castes, races, and social injustice for any new writer or reader. The need to build new worlds when corruption is at its highest and the need to find light-heartedness even in the dark times make Bloodsworn, not only entertaining but also very worthy for the times we live.

This book is a most excellent read for young adults, (and us adults) that love to use their imagination, a gulp of danger, and want to escape to another world altogether! I know that it will be recommended to those kids I know that love Fantasy, Sci-Fi and unlike Marvel characters who bounce back from danger and the occasional bad wounds, not everyone gets out alive with your favorite characters.

My only negative comment would be that I would've liked more of a detailed taste of Quinn's world when it came to the people who served the gods in the underworld. I would've loved a few pages on that. Nothing else comes to mind in critiquing Bloodsworn.

I was sad that this book is a Duology and I let the author know I needed more! Whenever Mr. Reintgen wants to revisit his three Viceroy friends he needs to share it! I know I will be standing in line with the rest of his devoted and hopefully so many more new readers.

Thank you, Netgalley, Random House Children's Books, and Scott Reintgen for allowing me the privilege of reading the next chapter and sequel to Ashlords. Bloodsworn is my favorite read of the year thus far! The author's Imagination Cable is thick with this one. 😉

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Crown Books for Young Readers/Random House Children’s for letting me read an e-ARC of Bloodsworn! I read an e-ARC of Ashlords last year (it was my first 2020 read) and I loved it so much, so I was super excited about Bloodsworn and it definitely didn’t disappoint!

Bloodsworn 4/5 Stars

Summary from Goodreads:
Three cultures clash in all out war--against each other and against the gods--in the second book of this fantasy duology that's sure to capture fans of The Hunger Games and An Ember in the Ashes.
The Races are over. War has begun.
Ashlord and Longhand armies battle for control of the Empire as Dividian rebels do their best to survive the crossfire. This is no longer a game. It's life or death.
Adrian, Pippa, and Imelda each came out of the Races with questions about their role in the ongoing feud. The deeper they dig, the clearer it is that the hatred between their peoples has an origin point: the gods.
Their secrets are long-buried, but one disgruntled deity is ready to unveil the truth. Every whisper leads back to the underworld. What are the gods hiding there? As the sands of the Empire shift, these heroes will do everything they can to aim their people at the true enemy. But is it already too late?

I loved everything about this book from the fact that it continued seamlessly from where book one left off to getting to see Imelda, Adrian, and Pippa’s view points again. I really like how each of them represents one group of people and I liked how prevalent Quinn was in book 2. I really liked how she (as a character) made Pippa more human in book 1, so seeing her more in book 2 was great. I loved all of the twists and turns that this book took and it made me want to keep reading- I never really felt like there was a lull in the book, which was really nice. And that ending! Omg! I didn’t see any of like Part Three happening and it was all so good!!! Adrian was also amazing, as usual and so many times in the book, it seemed like he was questioning his father's decisions because he didn't want the Longhands to become like the Ashlords reborn, so that was really nice to see. Imelda has always been my favorite, so watching her grow in both books 1 and 2 and seeing her become the Alchemist and this person who others really look up to was great. Her whole story was incredible and honestly, if this duology was just told from Imelda's point of view, I would have been happy (but it was nice to have Pippa and Adrian too, don't get me wrong). Bloodsworn comes out today, February 16th, so make sure you grab it (and Ashlords if you haven't read that one yet) ASAP!

Have you seen how stunning those two are together? I love the design on the covers, and if I already hadn't read the Nixia series by Scott Reintgen they would be reason enough to lure me in. But as it is, I happen to enjoy Scott Reintgen's books a lot, and I also like that he talks about those people who aren't so lucky, and also presents us with an array of different characters from different backgrounds (racial, social, economic, etc) and having them line up for the win; and he also upholds that in real life, gifting books to schools, to children who may need them and so on, which for me speaks volumes.

So, yeah, back to the book at hand...

As I've hinted before Scott Reintgen always puts people of different backgrounds on his books, and in this case we are going to have three main characters who come from different places and with different perspectives, and the fact that we jump from one to another as we keep reading gives us differents views and stand points, and also creates more profundity to both story and characters. Also, we are going to learn more about the incredible phoenix horses and the gods that shape the world our characters live on, and how the presence of the gods helped on creating the world where we are right now (give me more alchemical horses, please!!! The idea is killer, I love their different abilities!) and about their upcoming plans for humanity...

There's so many things to say about this book, but I don't want to spoil any of it, so let's just say that we are going to keep following Imelda (sided with the rebels after escaping the races) who is going to be planning a revolution to free the Dividians from the Ashlords rule; and also her relationship to Bastian is going to evolve.
We are also going to see more about Pippa (now an Ashlords general) and Adrian (leader of the Longhands), both fighters and leading armies against each other... but let's hope they see reason and find out a way to do what's best for their own people and stop the internal war! Because it seems that the real enemies might not be each other after all...

Unlike my previous review for Cast in Firelight, this one is not a clickbait. The saddest part about Bloodsworn is the lack of phoenix horses. But, with a plot that completely twists your understanding of Ashlords and a rich, new world, you’ll forgive Reintgen for not including more of the horses.

Bloodsworn: No Horses Here

Plot, Prose and Pacing: An Unexpected Development

Picking up from the developments just after the end of Ashlords, Bloodsworn continues the stories of Pippa, Adrian and Imelda in a completely unexpected way! It’s a little bit difficult for me to reconcile both books because their plots are so different. Where in Ashlords, the plot mostly revolved around the Races and how the three protagonists navigated the Races based on their political backgrounds, Bloodsworn answers one of the biggest questions I had about the gaps in the plot: the gods. The Ashlords and Longhands are at war with the Dividians caught in between but at the heart of this war, lies a second, more deadly battle: one filled with deception and falsehoods.

Right off the bat, as Adrian and Pippa are preparing to conquer the Empire, they are dragged into the bleak, dusty and grey world of the gods they worship. It is there that they discover the truth about their relationship to the gods and the key to bringing them down. At the same time, Imelda and her merry band of outlaws whilst freeing Dividian slaves, discover a secret alchemic mixture that allows them to travel to the world of the gods and they begin hatching a plan to destroy the gods.

I particularly loved how Pippa, Adrian and Imelda’s plots converge into a singular purpose while at the same time allowing the characters to grow and I absolutely loved the mind-blowing 180 degrees twist the plot took from trying to win the Races to defeating the gods. However, compared to Ashlords, Bloodsworn is more heavily plot-driven and the characters do take a little bit of a backseat. While Pippa and Adrian show some character development, growing into their boots as war leaders and fair rulers, Imelda remains rather stagnant. While Imelda’s character did not suffer due to a lack of growth, I would have loved to see more of her as she was my favourite character from the first book.

Unlike most of it’s kind, Bloodsworn is anything but dry and boring; it is a masterclass in writing a plot-driven story. However, I really missed what made the world Reingten created so wondrous: the phoenix horses and Imelda’s creations. We only get a small handful of the horses and they did not play much of a role in the story.

Characters: Relationships Are Made of These

Much like it’s predecessor, Bloodsworn is told from three perspectives: Pippa, Adrian and Imelda’s.

After winning the races, Pippa has stepped into the shoes of commander, leading her own army across the Empire while Adrian has stepped up to the plate and leads the Longhands. No longer just the Races champion, Pippa is a military force to be reckoned with; she is highly respected. I liked that Bloodsworn built on Pippa’s already established characteristics, demonstrated in her leadership skills and sense of justice and fairness. Although she commands an army under her mother, she also holds strong to her own values and we see that come into play throughout the story. On the other hand, you have Adrian, who is fulfilling the rebel leader role given to him by Daddy and waging war with the Ashlords. Although it’s not explicitly mentioned, I like that Adrian’s arc shows him growing into his own person and defining his role in the world according to his own values rather than ones taught to him. In most ways, Pippa and Adrian are quite are the same people, just different genders. Their partnership/relationship is a rather refreshing one; they’re working hand in hand and they complement each other as they do so as opposed to a lot of YA relationships out there where the dynamic is always very exuberant, for lack of better work. Adrian and Pippa, on the other hand, are incredibly calm and stable characters which makes it so fun to watch their relationship blossom.

Imelda, however, fails to impress. In Bloodsworn, her arc consisted of defying by the Ashlords rules and living on her own terms. Now that she is thriving with her own band of rebels, there’s nowhere really for her to grow as a character. Reintgen almost seems hesitant in the development of Imelda, keeping her as a sort of reserved strength, the calm to Adrian and Pippa’s chaos. I liked that Imelda exhibited more of a reserved resistance and she is just as much as leader as Adrian and Pippa. She led her merry band into battle and was the level-headed one. However, given that her main plot in Ashlords was so explosive physically and emotionally, I’d expected a lot more.

The cherry on top of the cake, however, I was indeed correct when I predicted a romantic tension between Pippa and Adrian! In fact, there is a strong emphasis on romantic relationships which although indescribably adorable in the fact of danger they’re facing, is a little bit out of place. Even Imelda has her own little romance, which again, although very adorable, is a little awkward because the whole story did not make way for much emotion except the romances so it felt very jarring that these characters were falling in love while war hangs over their heads.

Worldbuilding: A Whole New World

Perhaps, my favourite part about Bloodsworn is the expansion of the Ashlords universe. It’s probably quite common but I’ve yet to remember reading any books where the sequel takes you into a completely new world. As the new world plays a huge role in the story, I can’t talk much about it without giving everything away! But, I promise you, it will give you a whole new meaning to why the humans are called Ashlords.

However, as with most of Reintgen’s books, I always find there are details that are not quite described properly and I often find myself having to read the same sentence more than once to try and figure out what’s going on. But I always end up just moving on because I can never wrap my head around it.

To sum it all up, writing reviews for sequels without giving anything away is particularly difficult, especially for a book like Bloodsworn because every page is rife with plot developments and potential spoilers! Bloodsworn was a rather complex read, taking me almost a week instead of only a handful but it was worth it in the end. However, this was one instance where I wished a duology was a trilogy instead. I felt that a lot of the worldbuilding and plot development suffered because everything was crammed into a single book and would have benefitted from a sequel in order to make it richer. But either way, it ended wonderfully and I’m so sad that I no longer get magical phoenix horses.

I really liked the first book in the series. This book was harder to get into and follow. The author (maybe intentionally?) leaves the language in the book very vague. He uses lots of "they" and "there" and "it" so its hard to follow what's happening or which person/group is doing what. The first book had a good plot along with all the action. This book felt more like constant action, with little plot. It was fast paced, but not enough story to connect me with the characters this time.

Bloodsworn is the second book in the Ashlords duology and friends, it did NOT disappoint. We are thrown into the aftermath of the races in book one: a world at war. And like its predecessor, we alternate between the perspectives of our three main characters: Imelda, Pippa and Adrian. Each one had a different motivation and role in the war but their are all fighting for their people. It was so fascinating to see the ways in which their stories became increasingly intertwined. Like their horses, each character rose out of the book one ashes to grow into the heroes of their own story. It was captivating.

In Bloodsworn, we also get the backstory on the Gods which was so original and honestly, refreshing. Despite the dark, gritty and sometimes horrifying aspects of the pantheon. I am trying REALLY hard not to give anything away but it was sooo good.

This book (and really the duology as a whole) has it all. You have tons of action, revolution, and all of the political scheming you can imagine with magic, great reveals, twists and a touch of romance. Let us also not forget the conniving Gods. What more could you want? The story was fast-paced with each chapter begging you to read the next. Plus there was a twist so masterful, I wanted to give Reintgen a standing ovation. It still makes me chuckle thinking about it.

Overall, Bloodsworn was a completely binge worthy yet satisfying conclusion to an incredible YA fantasy duology with so much heart and nuanced with commentary on our world today. The only negative is that it is over. Here is to hoping that Scott Reintgen returns to this world sometime in the future. You know I will be buying it without even reading a synopsis. Check out this duology as well as The Nyxia Triad. You will not be sorry.

Recommended for fans of: Phoenix horses, alchemy, rebellion, devious Gods, political scheming, YA fantasy, great reveals and plot twists, action & adventure

Full review will be live on www.readandwander.com on 2/16/21

This is the second book in the series. Where the first book was mostly about the Races with war just under the surface, this one is all about the war. We continue to follow Adrian, Pippa, and Imelda as they fight. But the three of them soon realize their enemy isn’t one another, it’s the gods. And the answers to their questions can only be found in the Underworld, the god’s home. I did miss all the cool horses from the first book. Yes, there were still Phoenix horses, but they were more in the background. It also wrapped up a little too nicely for me as well. I’m still glad I read the book, it just didn’t quite live up to my expectations after the first book.

Blood Sworn is the second book in the Ashlords duology. In Ashlords, we watch Pippa (an Ashlord), Adrian (a Longhand) and Imelda (a Dividian) as they navigate their way through the phoenix races. The Ashlords have always been on top which by the end of the first novel leads to a war. Blood Sworn is the story of the war that follows.

This book was interesting as it not only showcased the war between people but also how the gods came to rule the world as they know it. This knowledge changes everything.

I enjoyed this book, but for me, following three different POV’s felt like a little much at times - I was constantly turning back to the first page of a chapter trying to remember who I was on.

3 STARS

The Races are over, but the war is only just unfolding.

At the end of Ashlords, Imelda Beru upended the Races by escaping the course and allying herself with the rebels, while Adrian Ford and the Ashlord Races darling Pippa went their separate ways following Pippa's victory. Now, with Blood Sworn, the war is in full swing, Ashlords versus Longhands versus Dividians, all vying for the chance to reshape and rule the world they burn through.

But there are other forces in play, forces with their own stake in controlling the outcome of the war, and it will require everyone's strengths to change the tides of war, to even survive.


"No one ever really wins these wars we fight. Except the gods."

This is the thing that kept me attached to Ashlords: the gods were a threat during the Races, an ominous, almost omniscient sort of power, and you could sense they were up to no good. But now, in Blood Sworn, they're an active enemy, sometimes a reluctant ally, and they're one of the most towering obstacles the main characters face. And who am I, really, to turn my nose up at a book about knocking the gods down a few pegs? I'll admit it: mortals triumphing over supposed immortals is a particular favorite trope of mine because it just drips with satisfaction when done right!

Plus, in this case, it allows our protagonists to showcase their individual skills. Pippa's ability to plan three steps ahead shines (especially thanks to her unusual second person POV, which sets up a brilliant plot device), while Adrian excels in his budding leadership skills. And Imelda, my favorite, finds her stride with ancient alchemy and a hint of magic, proving herself perhaps the smartest of them all. It's a great way to bring former enemies together onto the same side, and it came with some deeply satisfying character victories.


Pacing, though, suffers during the war.

Not patience, mind you. Pacing. It's the major fault of Blood Sworn, and the reason I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as Ashlords. The Races were fast. They were angry and twisty, and the outcome was uncertain until the very last second. And even more than that, they defied all expectations, never letting the reader grow too comfortable in their assumptions. The breakneck pace suited the story, and made for a roaring ride.

Without the Races, though, speed suffers. The plot takes far too long to set up, or even to wind down. Sure, I think most of the scenes feel pretty critical to the plot, and cutting them would make a mess, but I can't help but wonder if there might have been ways to tighten it all up. Ages spent watching Pippa fake her way through the treacherous Ashlord leadership weren't especially interesting, not when I wanted to know what she was actually planning. Or it's another battle for Adrian Ford, one that doesn't really bring us closer to a resolution just yet, even though it teaches him a valuable lesson.

The ending was a particular sort of strain because of this. As fascinated as I was to see a book actually tackle the topic of reparations for long-standing systems of violence, it dragged. I wanted it to be over. I wanted to see what happened to these characters who finally stood together when it mattered at last. What I didn't want was a slow motion walkthrough of the changes unfurling.

And perhaps of less weighty significance, though irritating to me, was the amount of time it took Imelda and Bastian to fall in love. I get that the book happens over quite some time, but Imelda seems to me like the kind of girl whose affection absolutely must be earned, and Bastian...just wasn't around a lot to earn it? Cool, he's a rebel leader and he's at least a little suave. But to say on page she's in love with him already? Wow, okay, maybe cool your jets a little. Or a lot.


Some people will love how this story ends, and some people are going to walk away disappointed.

That's true of every book, but it always feels the most true about books I give a middling rating to. Blood Sworn isn't bad. In fact, it's an awesome concept with cool characters, neat tropes, and even some plot approaches that pleasantly surprised me. But it also suffering from atrocious, frustrating pacing that I couldn't overlook, especially in the wake of Ashlords.

If it's on your TBR and there to stay, though, good news! It's out tomorrow, February 16th, so you don't have to wait long to find out how Imelda, Adrian, and Pippa square off with the powers that be! And yes, there are still some pretty cool phoenix horses, including some new variants any fan of Ashlords will be thrilled to see. 🐎🔥


CW: violence, suicide, loss of a loved one, nudity, body horror, slavery, gore

[This review will go live on Hail & Well Read at 10am EST on 2/15/21.]

Blood Sworn follows the unexpected events at the end of Ashlords. First, I want to say that this book is wildly different from the first, but in a good way. Ashlords focused on the phoenix races and building a big cast of characters and political players. Blood Sworn is all war movements, political maneuvering, and interference of the gods. If it’s been a while since you read Ashlords, I would highly recommend looking up a refresher because the action starts right away for ALL the characters. I loved the way the story of the gods unfolded, and the development of the characters was just right. Just like Ashlords, this book was an intense ride just in a different way.

This book is unique and interesting! I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as I liked the first book, but that is because I find it difficult to get into books about war, which is primarily what this book is about. That being said, I think the author took this story in the direction it needed to go, and I appreciated how unique and different it felt! It’s nice to read a book that stands out in my memory. I love the phoenixes and the main characters! The characters are interesting and developed, and I liked their story arcs. The last two chapters were great! It was a good way to end the duology, and it made me eager to read more books by this author!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Blood Sworn is the series finale in the Ashlords world, a world divided by race, wealth, and the gods. We have three main characters - Pippa, Adrian, and Imelda. An Ashlord, a Longhand, and a Dividian, each trying to fight for a better world. Set almost directly after the end of Ashlords, Blood Sworn continues the action and brings about new twists and even better, new magic.

The world building and imagery is phenomenal in this series. I appreciate that the Races are similar the Games without being too exact, and taking it a step further in the revolution plot line. The gods and magic system are unique and compelling. The plot went in ways I didn't expect and didn't see coming, and I kept getting thrown for more and more loops up until the very end. The characters are all so different but well defined, and you completely understand each of their motivations.

There was something missing from this book for me, and I can't quite explain what that is. I almost feel like the pacing was too quick, and needed more quiet moments to set up the action. There is a hint of a romance too, very subtly, and it was AMAZING, but I always love more romance.

I highly suggest this series, specifically this sequel, to YA Fantasy fans out there.

**Thank you to Crown Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review**

Bloodsworn was an incredible, heart-pumping conclusion to a magnificent duology. In the aftermath of the Races in Ashlords, the Empire has gone to war with the Reach, as our heroes now lead armies and fight battles. But even as Imelda, Pippa, and Adrian try and do what's best for their respective peoples in their mortal war they each begin to take stock of the full scope of the meddling and treachery of the gods as their fight takes them to the Underworld. Bloodsworn takes all of the beautiful worldbuilding from the first book and digs deeper into the mythology and implications of things set up in the first in such wonderful ways.
I am utterly obsessed with this book and still so absolutely honored and happy I was able to read and ARC of it. I loved Ashlords so much but somehow Reintgen managed to deliver an even more powerful and addictive read this time around. This book was incredible. it took everything I loved from Ashlords and multiplied it, making everything deeper and richer. My one complaint from the first book was that I wanted our three main characters to interact more and he delivered in this one and in such great ways! I remember reading Ashlords, even though their interactions were few, I felt this real palpable and interesting tension between Adrian and Pippa that I really wanted to see more of and I am pleased to say that it seems my hopes were listened to because I loved how their storyline intertwined in this book, it built so nicely off of the foundation from Ashlords and I was just eating it up with a spoon.
Another thing that made this book so riveting was that it was just so dang cinematic. like I could see these sweeping fight scenes play out and these beautiful settings and the description were so crisp. I can sometimes have trouble picturing things clearly but it was all so vivid for me in this book that I could practically hear an epic soundtrack going in the background.
No spoilers, but I also thought the writing was just so clever in some ways. Reintgen did such a good job of subtly laying the groundwork for things throughout the books. it can be frustrating when I'm reading other books when this big dramatic plot twist happens and it feels like the author just pulled the solution out of thin air like a Deux ex Machina but that wasn't the case here! Instead, I'd often go "OH! You're using that thing you mentioned way back then" and I love that. it's so much fun to read.
Overall, in case it wasn't obvious, I loved this book so dang much and I have a feeling this duology is going to be one of those series I go back to over and over again to get out of reading slumps because it's so well written and addictive full of such wonderful and expansive world-building and mechanics and so many lovely characters. I am so sad to have finished this series but I am so satisfied and pleased with how we ended up. now I'm just going to go shout about this book from the rooftops now thank you!

I LOVED this book. It was so unexpected! Told once again from alternating POVs of Pippa, Adrian, and Imelda - an Ashlord, a Longhand, and a Dividian - the story is no longer about winning the races, but rather of winning the war. I wasn't sure about it at first, but there was a major twist around 25% in that left me on the edge of my seat for the entire remainder of the book. The ending also brings everything back around to echo the beginning of Ashlords as it wraps up which is very satisfying.

The start of the story has Pippa leading the Ashlord army, Adrian leading the Longhands, and Imelda accompanying Bastian and his crew on missions around the edges of the war. At first, everything they learned (especially Pippa) during the Races seems to have been shoved to the backs of their minds, but with the reappearance of Quinn, everything changes and you really get to see all three of them shine as it becomes very clear that they've grown since entering the Races.

I also loved each of their POVs and thought the moments chosen to switch were perfect. And there were some great moments of sleight-of-hand and distraction in this book, where they mislead both the characters around them and sometimes even the reader. It was very well done.

I've read 21 books so far this year and this one is absolutely my favorite so far.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's for providing an e-arc for review.

Ahoy there me mateys!  I received this young adult fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  So here be me honest musings . . .

To those new to the crew, ye should know that horses were me first love before the sea stole me heart.  So obviously I wanted to read this series about magical horses, known as phoenixes.  Basically these horses were gifts from the gods, are powered by the sun, and last a day before bursting into flames and turning into ashes.  The riders save the ashes and when they are set back out in the rising sun, the phoenix horse is reborn.  Of course there be a catch.  If ye mix certain chemicals into the ashes, the phoenix's properties can change.  They can become faster, grow armor, etc.  Cool.

This is the second book of a duology.  War is at hand and the three classes - ruling Ashlords, middle class Longhorns, and Dividians at the bottom wait to see who is going to get the upper hand.  But it seems like the Gods are also at war and the consequences are interesting and unexpected.

This story continues with the three points of view - one from each of the three classes.  One thing to note about the points of view are that they change tenses: third person, first person, second person present tense.  Ashlord Pippa and Longhorn Adrian are at opposite sides of the conflict.  Imelda continues to be the surprising wildcard.  Like in the first book, I liked the two girls but found Adrian to be rather bland.

Unlike the first book, the phoenix horses do not play much of a real part in the plot.  I missed them.  The tone and focus of this book was completely different to book one.  It sometimes felt like another world altogether.  I did think the pacing was a bit off and the book could have had some restructuring or trimming to strength it.  I did, however, enjoy the better understanding of how the gods worked and did not expect the plot to go in the direction it did.  I would have liked more focus on the specifics of each god.  I was glad that the romance aspects were very lightly done.

Though I wasn't thrilled with the rebellion aspect of this book, I am glad I finished the duology.  I just wish the phoenix horses had played as much of a part in this book as they did in the first.  Arrrr!

So lastly . . .

Thank you Crown Books for Young Readers!