The first book was a triumph, and the follow up does not disappoint. I definitely recommend rereading the first book if you have the time, it is VERY easy to get lost and confused.

I love this series so much. It is great for teens, ya, and adults alike. The mythology is well done for those who do and don’t know the mythological background or king author

“You are the point of our arrow.” Her voice grows louder with every word. “The tip of our spear. The bow of our ship. The flare of our long-simmering heat. You are the living embodiment of our resistance. The revelation after centuries of hiding. The pain-welded blade. Wound turned weapon.”

While unraveling the secrets surrounding her mother’s death, Bree Matthews accidentally stumbled upon the Order, a secret society descended from King Arthur’s knights, and gained powers that are unique to her maternal bloodline. Now too many people want her dead, including those she thought she could trust. The primordial animosity between demons and the Order is brewing into the beginnings of a devastating war, and while Bree wants nothing more but to fight, the Order won’t let her—to have an unknown girl lead their ancient organization is something wholly unfathomable to them. In the second book of the Legendborn Cycle, Bree must stay one step ahead of her enemies, grapple with her newfound powers, and figure out who’s on her side before it’s too late.

Ever since I read Legendborn last year, I have been dying to read Bloodmarked, and it did not disappoint! Bree continues to dazzle with her determination to fight for what’s right and her kindness in the face of the world’s cruelty. She’s in a love triangle, which is usually the bane of my existence, but this one has me invested—it’s so messy and complicated and, despite my steadfast dislike for young adult male love interests, Selwyn Kane has me swooning (I’m Team Sel, if it isn’t obvious). I would also be remiss if I didn’t praise this story’s world-building, as part of the reason why I adore this series is because it refuses to be another modern fantasy dominated by whiteness. The magic system confronts America’s, and the Order’s, history of racism and violence while also celebrating and uplifting the many ways Black people continue to resist and thrive. Bree herself exemplifies this dichotomy through her own powers, which stem from both the Order and her ancestors. My one and only complaint is that the characters’ priorities change constantly, leading to too many side adventures in one book, and thus the main plotline becomes a little muddled.

Still, Bloodmarked is a masterclass in retelling legends of yore—Deonn doesn’t shy away from the ugly parts of American history, and she balances themes of grief, racism, and identity in both a sensitive and empowering way. Anyone who loves Arthuriana viewed through a modern and anti-racist lens should absolutely pick up this series. I am most definitely going to tune in for book three!

Bloodmarked is better than Legendborn, and I didn't think that was possible. This series is shaping up to my favorite of all time. We continue from where Legendborn left off and we get to dip further into the world of the legendborn and see more about how the connection to the knights of the roundtable works between scion and knight. The next book needs to come out as soon as possible.

Tracy Deonn ate and left NO crumbs! From the beginning to the end every single chapter had me on the edge of my seat! The plot twists!?! The betrayal!?! The darkness! Bloodmarked is definitely much darker and heavier than the first book and made me feel every single emotion thought possible.

Bloodmarked was an amazing sequel to Legendborn. The world that Tracy Deonn has created is very Unique. The characters are very complex and distinct rom each other. I cannot wait for the Next book in this series!

This sequel is an absolute banger! The tension between Bree and Sea is off the charts and just as tense as all the insidious racism prevalent throughout the novel that Bree has to combat. Alice truly is an incredible best friend; I deeply appreciate how much of her character we get and how much we get to see how Bree and Alice fit as best friends. This book really expanded the world and took Bree on a journey I could not have expected. BLOODMARKED examines themes of generational trauma and how Black folk who descend from the enslaved pass on their fears, either consciously or subconsciously, to offspring. Bree's journey through her powers and a look into her family history speaks to the idea of finding strength in the actions of your ancestors, while being able to adapt and create your own life. This is a story about generational burdens and trauma and how these can break us down if not properly addressed and allowed the space to rebuild. Once again, Tracy Deonn delivers in BLOODMARKED an incredibly readable written work with excellent pacing and character growth on top with an intriguing world and magic systems.

I was desperate for more of Bre, Nick, Sel, and everyone else after Legendborn tore me apart and this book did not disappoint!! The incredible world building and gut wrenching emotion continues in this sequel and I loved it! I will buy every book this author writes!

Am I a year late to this? Yes. Am I secretly kind of glad I waited so long since there isn't even a release date for book 3? Also yes. I simply will not know peace until I have read the third book! I read Legendborn a couple of years ago and loved it--I loved Bloodmarked even more! Bree and Sel are everything, I loved the deeper exploration into Bree's magic and ancestors, and again, Sel. I would jump in front of a moving train for him.

I actually buddy read this with one of my students and they are equally obsessed, so it has high teen appeal.

5 stars and then some!

In this contemporary young adult fantasy, readers are gifted with an enthralling tale that deftly marries the everyday struggles of adolescence with the enchanting world of magic and myth. The protagonist, a Black teen, is portrayed with depth and authenticity, offering a refreshing perspective in the YA fantasy genre. The author brilliantly captures the nuances of identity, race, and self-discovery, while never letting the pacing falter. This book is a captivating read that will resonate with both teen and adult readers alike. A solid 5 stars and a commendable addition to the shelves of fantasy enthusiasts.

This is the second book in the Legendborn series. I really appreciate the way the author shows the way generational trauma affects people. It also exemplifies the unrealistic standards black women are held to by society. The book shows examples of both blatant rac1sm and microaggressions and how both continue to harm.

Bree has to figure out where she fits in the legendborn order know that she knows she's the scion of Arthur. It doesn't help that she has Arthur's spirit telling her one thing and her root ancestors telling her another. Sel is fighting his own demons and both are trying to figure out how to find Nick.

This book does a good job of advancing the story and diving deeper into the characters and the history of the rootcrafters and the legendborn.

I do not have the right words to express how important this book is for the world.
Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn is so deeply touching, while also being a thrilling journey for lovers of action-packed fantasy. Deonn managed to bring us to a world that mirrors our own but with a bonus layer of how it could be better. I wish I could explain that in detail, but I’m going spoiler-free in this review.

In Bloodmarked, we’re placed back in Bree’s new world filled with magic, war, and bloodline politics from Arthur and his roundtable of knights. Bree has been thrust into the most important role of all the Legendborn. She’s been mistreated, and under trained since the moment she joined them. For every person who wants to help Bree, there are three more people who want to exploit her. Whom she can trust is quickly dwindled down through several unpredictable betrayals.

Bloodmarked will mark you, heart and soul.
I will not spoil this book for anyone, so I will instead discuss how it made me feel.

It is no secret that this series touches on systematic racism. If you read Legendborn, then you already know how discrimination is so deeply woven into Bree’s story. Bree is depicted on the book cover as the strong young woman that she should be recognized as. Yet, of course characters in this book only see her as trouble. She is a wild card that they can’t control. She shouldn’t have been born in their pure bloodlines of the Legendborn. Whelp, talk to your awful ancestors about that!

Aside from writing various frustrating scenarios in which discrimination is holding Bree back in this world, Tracy Deonn also gave us some truly heart-warming, tear-filled moments. I’m talking beautiful scenes filled with so much hope, love, and a feeling of “I wish this could be true”. These scenes had me longing for our world to be filled with such magic. i wish for that type of healing and redemption to be real. It’s no less than anyone in our history of oppression deserves.

Several times I had to highlight a passage, take a deep breath, cry a little, and then return to the book later. If not for the depth of emotions that Deonn managed to make me feel, I would have finished this book much faster. I needed cry breaks, and time to text with Andonnia. I’m so glad this book was a buddy read with her because it definitely requires an emotional-support-reader.

Everyone needs to read this series. If you like a fantasy story with action, intrigue, and a strong female-lead, start with Legendborn by Tracy Deonn. Come talk to me when you finish the series!

Another action-packed book in this series. It didn't suffer from second-book syndrome, although, Bree's character did have me sighing every once in awhile with the impatience. However, I was doing a lot of gasping during various turns in the story.

I'm looking forward to the next one!

“But grief isn’t a competition. It’s not an identical pain that we all meet one day when death finds us. It’s a monster, personalized by our love and memories to devour us just so. Grief is suffering, tailored.”

“What truly ties us together is not blood but pain. When we love someone and lose them, that loss imprints itself on everyone else we love too.”

So I read this around the time when my grandfather passed away, and I found this book and a lot of the quotes inside to be very therapeutic and healing for me. There is just something about Tracy's writing and characterizations that made this so much more than a story for me. These characters truly came alive in a way that made it so much more than fictional for me. I love Sel...like so so much and I think it is truly special to come across characters who just take your heart. I am someone who tends to stay away from YA because I feel like a lot of times I am not the best reviewer as I find a lot of times I am not the target audience, but Tracy Deonn will always be the exception. She just makes my fantasy heart so happy and she is a brilliant writer and this is an absolutely brilliant story.

This book leaves you wanting more and has twist that keep you on your toes!
The characters in this series are well done and are created to get a reaction on way or another for the reader. A story with myth and magic that also addresses racism.

This was amazing. I know the ending will stay with me for days.

At first I struggled to get through the first 100 pages in eBook format, then I purchased the audio version and I immediately jumped back into the book. Between the narration and the text, I now struggled with putting it down. I couldn’t stop listening. Yes, the beginning is intense with deep storytelling and world developing, but all of it was needed so I could experience the rollercoaster ride towards the end. Once again, WOW. This was written so well.

Thank you for writing such an amazing duology, Tracy Deonn. I understand why this must end, but I crave more. I want to know what happens to Bri, Alice, Sel, and Nick as they deal with the changes they have experienced.

I enjoyed this as much as the first book for sure. I definitely recommend this to all fantasy lovers.

This series continues to be Legendary! I love the main character and think the kind Arthur legend retelling with the magic and fantasy of this story make it so fresh and unique. I have recommended this series to so many people.

Bree is a descendant of a legendary king. She is a medium, and a descendant in a line with rootcraft. She needs to develop her powers if she is going to save herself, find and save the kidnapped Nick, and ultimately save humankind. But trouble surrounds her, and danger is everywhere. Who can she trust? Where can she turn?

An amazing story of power, love, trust, and finding yourself. Bree is a strong and caring girl, trying to do the right thing. Wonderful cast of secondary characters. Readers should definitely read book one, Legendborn, before this – there’s just so much story packed in!

Tracy Deonn did it again! This sequel was FANTASTIC. I really love this story line and all of the characters. I also loved getting to see more of some of the side characters that we didn't get to know real well the first book. This is definitely one of my favorite series and I can't want to see what Deonn comes up with next.