I read an eARC of Forged by Blood by Ehigbor Okosun. Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this opportunity.

This book was both traumatizing and so much action fun!

The book starts when Demi is little, helping her mother with healing a little boy whose mother is both frantic to have him saved, and hates that she has to ask help from “people like them”, and keeps threatening them then breaking down as she asks for help. In this world people connected to the spirits and able to use magic that way, are vilified, hunted down, and executed. Demi wants to give back the woman’s gold and make her leave, but her mother is intent on healing the boy despite his mother’s attitude.

After the healing, Demi stays with the boy while both women go their separate ways while he recovers afterward. She learns that the reason he went into the dangerous forest where he was poisoned was to get his mother’s favorite flower, a violet. He explains that she’s sick, and he wanted to get something to make her happy and the woman who brought him is simply the person who looks after him. They bond as he seems open to learning about her and her people.

But then, when they go back home, soldiers show up to arrest her mother and her. Demi runs to her mother, grabbing her and telling her they both have to run. That’s when a woman captain shows up, and at first, it looks like she might disperse the tension and let Demi and her mother get away long enough to start running, but then she recognizes Demi’s mother, and in a series of devastating twists and turns, Demi’s mother is killed, Demi thinks she killed someone, something that can make people with connections to the spirits go insane, and she limps into the dangerous forest wounded and poisoned, and close to death.

Years later she has trained under a skilled fighter with the teleporter and rebel Colin. After kidnapping two slaves that like her have connections to the spirits in order to free them, she is tasked by Lord Ekwensi to kidnap the King’s nephew and then return him to the king to make him look better to the King and hopefully put Lord Ekwensi better in his eyes so he can better support their people.

Demi agrees, and the real story really begins. The story is amazing, a few slower parts, especially when they’re in the forest, but overall a great ride with amazing heart-wrenching moments. The love triangle is silly, but it’s meant to symbolize two different choices in her life, but whom she’s going to choose is obvious from the start.

I loved it. There’s this point in the story where I realized Demi’s life could have been different and I wanted to write fanfiction about the moment, and I realized then how invested I was not only in these characters but the plot and how all the characters are effecting the plot and how different actions are effecting the plot, and I know this sounds standard, but while I read a lot, there’s not a lot of books that make me care that much about every aspect of the book. A lot of time I’ll just like the characters or the plot or even the magical system, or even if I like all of these, I’ll be more interested in one part.

So, yes, I say read this book. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Wow! This book was amazing! I am avid reading but since the beginning of the year I’ve felt like I was in a book slump. I’ve read some pretty good book but haven’t gotten the usual enjoyment from them. This book changed that. I was sucked it from the beginning. Sounds cliche but there was never a dull moment. I enjoyed the storytelling. The author did a great job with helping me feel the emotions of the characters and feel emerged in the world. If you’re a fan of Children of Blood and Bone or Legendborn I would recommend giving this a go.

My Ranking: 5 stars

*** I received a digital copy on Netgalley*** I am absolutely blown away that this is a debut book. It is PURE MAGIC. I loved this book from the start and it held my interest the entire way through! I loved ALL the characters. Demi was such a well-rounded character. She had her faults but still wanted better for her people. This would make such an epic movie! I also LOVE Jonas. I can’t say enough about this book. The world-building was fantastic. I’ve never read a book like this. The Authors' imagery was just spot on. Her ability to put you right there in the story was just top-notch. I don’t give 5 stars out very often but this one is VERY VERY well deserved. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next one. Once this book is released I will most definitely keep it stocked in my bookstore!

Ehigbor Okosun does a MAGNIFICENT job as a storyteller.

Forged by Blood is not told by that of a novice, but of a true "WORDSMITH"

Okosun surprised me when I read this was her debut novel, many Kudos to her.

This book is so beautiful and magical if you just pay attention to what Okosun is trying to say.

I am hoping that there is a second book because I am curious to see if Colin will be right or wrong.

Also to see if the prophecy (one will lead to despair, one will lead to death) has truly been fulfilled yet or not.

I personally do not think it has happened yet.

If you are looking for an action-packed, magical, fantastical amazing book, then look no further.

Because on 08 August 2023 Ehigbor Okosuns book, Forged by Blood drops and you HAVE to get it.

This is a must-buy in hardcover for me!

EXCELLENT!!!

LISTOPIA 2023

Thank you, NetGalley/Ehigbor Okosun/Avon and Harper Voyager.Harper Voyager/ For this "MESMERIZING" eARC for my honest review. My opinions are of my own volition.

I wanted to enjoy this but overall found the story, characters, and plot to be something not what I was longing for or one that I would pick back up.

We open to a life-or-death scene meant to invoke feeling and care, but unfortunately I have no reason to feel invested in the characters because it’s literally the first moment. It feels like this should be a book 2, and maybe I missed something? I do appreciate opening books with action scenes, but this is reactive instead of proactive with nothing they can actually do to fix the situation.

I did continue reading but then it started to feel like an information dump. I just wasn’t here for it. I stopped at 5%.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC.

Ehigbor Okosun’s debut novel gives the reader action, adventure, magic, and more. Our main character Demi is Oluso, which means she has magical powers, but it also means that she is in danger every day of her life. Magic has been outlawed, and her mere existence is illegal. The story follows Demi as she violently loses her mother, a healer in their community, and has to find a new family to call her own. She finds a close circle of friends and found family and is living her life in a new place, haunted by her past. After a daring rescue, she is approached with an offer to help gain peace and freedom for the Oluso and all she has to do is kidnap the prince. And off we go - Demi begins this quest and encounters soldiers hunting her and her companions, other Oluso and magical beings, and enough adventure to keep you turning the pages.
I found the bones of this story intriguing, and I felt compelled to know what happened. However, it did have two of my least favorite tropes in books: a love triangle and mates. And I felt confused at times by the properties and parameters of the magic and the politics of the fictional kingdom. I did find myself rooting for Demi and her journey, and it is always great to add another voice to young adult fantasy, especially one that brings diversity to the genre and broadens the scope of worlds, myths, and folklore. I would recommend this to someone who has read and enjoyed Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi and/or Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake.

This book and author are ones to watch. Forged by Blood was so incredibly magical and diverse. I adored each page from begining to end. Okosun weaved such an incredible story and made me a fan of mythology I haven't had exposure to. I look forward to the conclusion of this duology.

Forged by Blood by Ehigbor Okosun is very well-written and poignant. It had me hooked from the beginning!

An enchanting, coming of age fantasy story about a young woman facing prejudice for being a woman of color as well as magic. Reads well for a younger person interested in fantasy or needing a starter book to ease themselves into the genre. The inclusion of mythical creatures and folklore was interesting and helped give the story a little extra "umph."

A fairly quick read, packed full of adventure, excitement, family, grief, loss, prejudice, magic, and wonder. Also, there's a cute love triangle involved- resulting in fated mates and a young woman's decision. The author did a lovely job of world building.

I would have loved to see the character growth more apparent. As well as the connection between characters. Perhaps we will see more of that in the second book :)