The second installment in the Legendborn series, Bloodmarked, doesn’t cushion any of the pain Bree is going through.

I felt my anger sore to new heights in this novel. Bree is continuously violated by the people claiming to have her best interests at heart, but with a war looming, and Bree struggling with all of the voices inside her head, how can she be expected to succeed at what she desperately needs to do?

If you are triggered by micro aggressions, please take care. I felt my self nearly in tears reading about Bree’s experiences. Those who judge her, doubt her, and ridicule her was heinous.

The lore is greatly expanded upon, if you can believe that coming from book one! Deonn is a master at her craft, and has developed her own spin on the myth of King Arthur that is sure to stick with readers yet to come.

While Bree had other Black women who she could relate to in book one, it was also nice to see her connect with a new characters who she has deep connections to in this second instalment.

While we got some fluffy romance in book one, book two is ANGST CITY. Gosh, I loved it. The relationship dynamics, and secrecy really make for an intense romance subplot.

YA novels have come so far in the last 5 years, and I must say that Deonn stands near the top for me. This series continues to be magical, complex, and 100% unafraid at approaching the way one feels when face with discrimination. Bree strong in book one. In Bloodmarked, she is a force.

Bravo, once again.

WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED????? (Excuse my language I’m very mad right now)
Tracy deon how could you do this I’m in SOSOSOS MUCH pain😭😭😭😭😭😭

As an avid reader, there are many books that have sunk their hooks into me and refused to let go. Rare, however, is the book that makes me exclaim in shock and surprise at several intervals, or which makes me throw down my e-reader (gently, of course) because I need a minute to compose myself. Such was the case with Legendborn, and Tracy Deonn has done it yet again — and even more so — with its sequel Bloodmarked.

Picking up where the first book left off, with the Order in disarray, and our heroine Brianna Matthews learning that it is she, and not born-and-raised Legendborn scion Nick Davis, who is the descendant of King Arthur, it seemed initially like Bloodmarked is going to follow the pattern of many sophmore fantasy outings. The first book establishes the world, and the second is the chase. The adventure story where the cast of the first go searching for their missing friend to try and reset the status quo.

Not so.

Yes, there is an aspect of chase as Bri, Selwyn, William and Alice go on the run to find where Nick disappeared to, but there is so much more at stake — especially for Bri and Sel — than simply the whereabouts of their friend. It’s hard to really get into it without giving away so many of the twists and turns that kept me yelling and on the edge of my seat from start to finish.

As with Legendborn, Deonn does a wonderful job of mixing the elements and story beats typical to YA fantasy with the very real things Bri experiences as a teenaged Black girl living in the South. It’s refreshing to have a main character who is compassionate, kind, and loving, but who also doesn’t shy away from her very justified anger. Woven into the adventure side of things is also Bri’s journey for self-discovery, and discovery of her family and the source of her powers. Thankfully, this journey is not prematurely stunted for the sake of drama. Rather, Deonn allows Bri to learn and to grow significantly as the book goes on, raising the stakes for where she will be and what she will be able to do when the third book comes around.

On a lighter note, if you’re like me and came out of Legendborn a big fan of Selwyn Kane — and all of his dark, grumpy, magical broodiness — then is this ever the book for you. So much Sel. So much angst. There’s truly very little I love in fiction more than a dark-haired broody boy, especially when he has a heart of gold. Thank you for this gift, Tracy Deonn.

I am doing no kind of justice to how excellent this book is. To give too much away would be to deprive readers of the experience. The stakes by the end have absolutely skyrocketed, and the world of the story feels bigger, and more terrifying than ever, in the best kind of way. Suffice to say if you enjoyed the first one at all, you are in for a treat with this. Much like a roller coaster, it is a slow, tension-filled rise that gives way to the most thrilling of drops, turns and loops. The kind that will have you ready to go again the minute it’s over.

Bloodmarked is out November 8, 2022. Special thank you to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for the advance copy for review purposes.

I don’t want to give a synopsis, as this is a sequel to Legendborn, but I will say if you haven’t read Legendborn, go read it now!

Once again Tracy Deonn crushed it. I wanted to both race through the book and savour it slowly at the same time. The characters, the plot, the twists and turns, the vulnerability – it was all so well done. I need the third one immediately. Nothing but praise for this book! If you like diverse YA fantasy, check this out. Even if you don’t love fantasy, there is something to learn from this book.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I think this series is so smart. I love the integration of the Author's storyline and slavery. Although the story and history are based on slavery it doesn't overpower the storyline

I love Bree, although she can be impulsive she is in a situation where she needs justice for her mother. Lengenborn left us on a cliffhanger with Bree entering a new scary chapter in her life.

This one picks up right where it left off and Tracey did a great job of getting me caught up on the story in the first section of this book. so never far that it has been a while - there are recaps

I couldn't put this book down for most of it. The story and journey were action-packed and I was entranced with it all.
I don't love a love triangle but I was here for this one especially cause it seems more Iike they are all in approval of this group relationship.

The one thing that didn't love is the ending seemed a bit, not on brand. I just didn't understand why the story went the way it did.

It seemed extremely dramatic and just didn't flow for me. I sort of envisioned a different path meanwhile this one seemed a bit harsh and not constant with the previous pages of this book.

I loved the story all in all - I was glued to the pages. I assume Tracey will have a third book and I hope the flow and issues are cleared up in that book

I am… exhausted. Mentally drained. A shell of a woman. I don’t even know if I have the energy to read anything ever again. That was… amazing. Deonn is a genius of an author, a mad woman, and the love of my life.

I had really high expectations for this of course, considering how amazing Legendborn was, and Bloodmarked somehow managed to surpass those—I am in awe. There were times when I felt the story drag along a little and I worried that I would lose interest before things got intense. But that ending… I mean the last 100-150 pages or so are just such an emotional rollercoaster, I feel like I’ve aged significantly. I’m thinking back to the beginning of the book, and it feels like a lifetime ago, so much has happened. I know this doesn’t sound like a particularly good experience, but trust me, this is the ultimate compliment I can bestow upon a novel. I live for this emotional damage, I seek it out, and Deonn handed it to me on a silver platter.

The relationships in this are just so amazing. The complexities, the angst, the mixed emotions, the intensity, the love, the hate, the love-hate; I eat it all up, I cannot get enough. All of the characters are so well-written, and I love when I don’t know how to feel about certain people or certain decisions. That grey area is exactly where I want to be when I’m reading fantasy, and it’s one of the reasons I love the genre.

Bree: my love. My heart. My everything. She deserves the world; I love everything about her. She’s so cool, so brave, so loyal, so wonderful in every respect, yet so damaged, so tired, so pained, so broken… I need more of her as soon as humanly possible. I don’t think I could ever get enough of her.

If I’m getting nitpicky, I still don’t totally understand the magic system and the Order, but I think at some point I have to come to terms with the fact that this is an issue I will always have when reading fantasy, and honestly, I can’t complain too much. Everything else about this book is so perfect, it by far makes up for it.

Prepare yourself, before picking up this book, that it will drain you (in the best way possible of course). I need the third book in my hands. RIGHT. NOW!

The follow up to Legendborn finds Bree trying to rescue Nick, while simultaneously trying to figure out the extent of her powers.
We dive deeper into the world of the Legendborn and also Bree's ancestry. She is assisted in her quests by Selwyn, Alice and William.
I enjoyed the majority of this story, especially learning more about the ancestry of Root magic and how it survived for hundreds of years. The action scenes were great and the pacing of the story was on point for the most part (it might have lagged in some areas, but not too much).
However, there were a few scenes that I thought were unecessary as they didn't add anything to the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc of "Bloodmarked" by Tracy Deonn.

Bloodmarked is the second in the Legendborn trilogy by Tracy Deonn. This book follow Bree as she continues her journey as King Arthur's scion. What danger she thought there was it is much more than she could have imagined and race, history, and power all come into play.

Having read Legendborn and Bloodmarked back to back I have to say that while Legendborn started slower, as it should have with the necessary world building, it was the more straightforward of the two books. While Bloodmarked moved the story forward and I am eagerly anticipating the third book I am not quite sure if I understood what was going on in this book. A lot of new characters came to play and suddenly the concept of the first book has expanded so widely that it feels a bit overwhelming.

Things I thought were handled well in this book were Selwyn and his character development. Deonn's handling of what could have easily become a very basic YA fantasy trope of a love triangle still has not developed into that and I have high hopes for the third book that it will not. Deonn's handling of race and racism has been superb in both of these books and I love this and want these books in every school library for students to read. I also love the fact that Alice has been included in this book much more than the previous one and is such a fun character to add.

The geography in this book was just very confusing. I feel like we travelled great distances without really knowing it. From the Southern Chapter to Violition to the Northern Chapter I feel like those should be much farther apart than it felt like in this book. A way to keep the storyline straight would have been appreciated as well since we have characters that have multiple names or races, we have demons and humans and Legendborn and it all became very confusing especially with the fast pace of the ending of this book,

Overall I really enjoyed this book and will definitely need to reread at a slower pace to fully grasp all the storylines. I am eagerly awaiting the final book.

Black folks don’t need oaths to take care of each other. We never did.

NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST BRIANA MATTHEWS SHALL PROSPER!!!! 🗣️🗣️🗣️

The way I wanted to devour this ARC but forced myself to read this as slowly as humanly possible bc now I have to wait God knows how long to see what happens next!!

I feel deeper in love with the characters and the development of the relationships between them, both platonic and romantic (umm love triangle?!!?! What’s going on here?? what ship is endgame???! Poly potential????!!!?!!). I really enjoyed the exploration of more previous side characters (Alice & Will) and liked some of the new characters (Lark & Valec!) and the myths and legends surrounding this story along with the history!

There were parts of this that had my head spinning and truly confused (there was so much to take in and I found it a bit overwhelming at times), but the last 15% had me unable to put this down! …& now…we wait.

4.5⭐️

This book had a lot to live up to and I can say with certainty that it didn't disappoint!! Tracy Deonn has an agility with writing topics that are extremely complex and nuanced (like grief) that allows the reader to connect with the character's experiences without ever going through those same things.
The journey that Bree went through during this book was something so special for me to witness as a black woman. I can only imagine how revolutionary this book will be for young black girls to read and understand that it takes a strength to allow yourself to feel your emotions and be vulnerable. I am so grateful to be able to read this book early and I can't wait to see how thus journey ends!!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for this e-arc!
I won’t lie to you, I was scared going into reading this book. Quite often than not, sequels of great books fail to live up to their predecessors.

That was most certainly NOT the case with Bloodmarked.

This book went above and beyond my already high expectations in every possible way.
Bri’s character development and her relationships with other characters were explored in intriguing and creative ways. Deon’s excellent worldbuilding skills and flowy prose left me utterly enchanted with the Legendborn universe every step of the way. I am nearly teetering off the edge of my seat to see what happens in the next installment of this series. Easiest 5/5 stars for me!

Another 5 stars for this series!

Continuing right off from the events of book 1, Bloodmarked is packed with a punch to your gut and to your emotions. Everything is much more intense in this book; the stakes are higher, the threats are bigger, and the need for power is more potent.

Bree continues to endure more demon attacks, more betrayals, and more sacrifices. The Legendborn are scrambling to protect the Scion of Arthur and in the meantime, Bree is training harder than ever before to gain control over her unique abilities. There is more in-depth exploration into Bree's magic and the origin of it, I loved the lore we got and the personal connections persist in book 2. The character development for Bree is her learning to be confident in herself and to make her own choices without influence from others. I also have to note that I noticed Bree has an empathic side to her and uses the experience with her healing grief to help others.

Our other 2 main characters are going through the thick of it as well. Nick takes a darker turn this book, but still remains true to his goals. Sel is more open and vulnerable, but still hardheaded and brash. There's wonderful development between a certain pairing and the great emotional depth they grow. I definitely had a lot of fun reading the adventures of Bree and her friends and how they bond over the course of the book.

But get ready for the twists and action that comes with shock and not wanting to put down Bloodmarked. The ending of this book was full of love and sacrifice and I'm ready to see what happens next. This 2nd book can't be the last book. There will be a third book - I just know there will be one. And I can't wait to get my heart broken again.

I recieved an advanced reader copy from Simon and Schuster in return for an honest review. My thoughts are my own.

4.75⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Oh my god. This was so good! This book did not suffer from second book syndrome at all. The continuing of the world building and character development of Bree and Sel was *chefs kiss*. I loved the continued building of Bree's background and history. She goes through a lot of character development and really trying to find herself though this second installment.

Only reason it wasn't 5/5 is because it was a little confusing at the end a felt a tiny bit rushed but this book was still sooo good.

Can't say much without giving stuff away but y'all should totally read it.

It is very difficult to provide a review of this book without spoilers. For the most part, I will say that Bloodmarked was a wild ride. A very wild ride. The one thing that I enjoyed most about this story was the time that we got to spend with our favourite characters. At the end of Legendborn, I was very much only concerned about all things Selwyn and Bree. This book made me fall in love with William and some of the new characters that Tracy introduces us to. We meet new merlins and the Legendborn world is expanded, so there are lots more people who hold status and have powers outside of the few we met in the last book.

Overall, I will say that this book was nothing like I anticipated. We spent two years making endless predictions about where this story would/could go and Tracy wrote something entirely different. Most of the story was unexpected and there are things that I am still grappling with. I will withhold giving the arc a rating, as the author has expressed that further edits were made.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. Bloodmarked was a really good book. After reading Legendborn, I wasn't sure where Deonn was going with the series. Even though most of the story is based on "being on the run" it was still interesting and allowed for character development and a budding romance. Everyone who knows me knows that I love a good love triangle, and there is definitely one in this book. Not sure who I'm rooting for completely but I'm definitely leaning more towards Selwyn. Even though the friendship had a rocky start Sel has grown as a character. I also feel really bad for him. He deserved better.

The story picks up from where we left off and keeps at a fast pace until the end. There is never a dull moment and there are even a few plot twists (that you may be able to spot if you pay attention). I also liked the incorporation of black history and idea of belonging. It was done well. I definitely recommend reading this sequel if you enjoyed the first book. You won't be disappointed.

***I received an arc in exchange for an honest review
This book was super epic. The ending... it was crazy! I honestly just love the character development and all of the action in this series. The pacing is good and they're so easy to get sucked into.

Bloodmarked was definitely my most anticipated release of 2022 and it did not disappoint! Thank you so much to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with an ARC to read early!

There's nothing I can say about the book's plot that wouldn't give major spoilers, so what I'll say instead is that Tracy Deonn has written another masterpiece. If you're worried that this book might suffer from "second book in a trilogy syndrome" rest assured it does not. It's action packed, it's emotional, it's fun. I was going from kicking my feet and smiling to myself, to pacing my kitchen stressed within minutes. My only problem now is the wait for book 3.

Bloodmarked is a fabulous continuation by Deonn that welds mythology and magic seamlessly. From page one I was drawn into the story like no time has passed. Additionally the added elements of the arthurian legend are amazing. I look forward to seeing what Deonn creates next.

Bloodmarked is a raw and intense story that not only succeeds the first book but succeeds in leaving the reader wanting more.

I was on the edge of my seat with every page I read and I could not get enough. The action, the drama, and the themes of the story shine brighter than the first and will hit close to probably many readers. The thing I enjoyed the most about the story though that I came back for from the first book is the consistent yet delicately crafted worldbuilding and I was not disappointed.

To start off, thank you Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in advance! I greatly appreciate it.

This book was nothing short of amazing! Normally, I'm a bit hesitant when it comes to sequels, especially in cases in which the first book was so good, but Bloodmarked was a wonderful continuation of the world surrounding Bree Matthews. I have this added appreciation for this book—different than that of Legendborn—due to the direction Tracy Deonn went with the story. Bloodmarked added a lot more depth to the world and how it functions, making it even richer by the end of the novel. Bree Matthews shined in this book, proving once again to be a stellar protagonist. Bree's journey as she delves deeper into her identity, the lives of her ancestors, and her abilities was powerful, to say the least.

I enjoyed Sel a lot more in this book than in the last (I actually wasn't much of a fan in book one), and I appreciated the development that his relationship with Bree got in the story. And Nick! He goes through a lot in this novel, but Tracy Deonn added a lovely layer of nuance to his character that fleshed out some of the key things we learn about him in Book 1. Though he wasn't in Bloodmarked as much as in Legendborn, I liked seeing how his story progressed and am excited to see it continue in future books. Alice was another character that I enjoyed and was glad to see got more scenes in the book.

Bloodmarked is most definitely a story worth picking up, and I hope you all do come November!