I really enjoyed this book. I hope the author continues to write more books in the future. I can't wait to see what this author releases in the future.

Well that escalated quickly.

"Forged by Blood" by Ehigbor Okosun starts the Tainted Blood duology. In which it's pretty rough out there. Dèmi has a tough first chapter. After helping heal a boy with her mother she then has to flee her home because of betrayal. Then it gets worse... Later has learned to control her powers, but still must hide them thanks to the policy of the king. Unfortunately folk are going to be scummy and when the chance to assist in some scum busting arrives Dèmi gets caught up in the machinations of a local lord. Who definitely doesn't have motives he isn't saying.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for the Arc.

Reasons to read:
-Really good magic, with consequences
-Characters, eventually, just say what they are hiding instead of letting it fester for multiple books
-Real good reasons to remove the current governing system
-Spirits who might be playing an even deeper game

Cons:
-The unfortunate knowledge that if some folks had powers in real life people wouldn't be cool with it

Between the cover and synopsis I was itching to read this book. The author did not disappoint. It has all the elements of a great book

This had one of the best opening chapters I've read in a while and definitely makes you excited to jump into this world. I would recommend FORGED BY BLOOD for fans of Tomi Adeyemi.

The world building, the fantasy, the representation! This was a great book that I could recommend to everyone. I was so enchanted by the magic and how the world was built I could barely put the book down. You're telling me this is a debut? Okosun is an absolute amazing writer and I cannot wait to read more of their books.

Would I read it again? Probably not. While the story as a whole was ok, I felt at some points it was both rushed and drawn out. I found myself confused at some points trying to figure out if I missed something. The romance aspect was very weird as well. I could never really quite grasp what was going on until the end.

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I hate to be that person but can we stop aging up YA books into the Adult age/marking group with little to no editing or adjusting? Forged by Blood was pitched and seemingly marketed as belonging to the Adult Fantasy fans. This most definitely was not the right call.

There is very little here that I would describe as an an adult or epic fantasy attribute. Instead we have a young girl who is hell-bent on revenge, to the point that it becomes her one personality trait. We have two young men who are accompanying her on her quest. Both of them are in love with her, one is a childhood friend and the other the brooding and forbidden prince. She, of course, has unique magic and attributes, and uses those wildly and with little control (again her personality is revenge, not well behaved).

There was little to enjoy in this one and I ended up sighing my way through it. I enjoyed the setting, the spirits and mythology (the inspiration is always one I enjoying seeing) but the characters, the quest, the ‘mates’. It was all very much not great. If you enjoy a YA or Middle grade style fantasy with this description this could be for you. But otherwise it’s a hard pass from me.

1.5 out of 5 bone blades

I was really looking forward to this book. I loved the culture and the world building, but this book felt very YA.

I’m not a huge fan of love triangles and that may be why I didn’t like this as much as I hoped it would.

3.5⭐

I really did enjoy this book. The story was was new and fresh, weaving world building and magic into a beautiful story filled with strength and resilience. It does feel a little more YA than adult but to me, it's not a big deal.

3.5
Forged by Blood brings a fresh new perspective into the fantasy genre with its tale. The book starts off exciting and immediately immerses the reader into Dèmi's world, which is filled with magic and inspired by mythology. I thought the lore and magic systems were unique, and the setting was excellently crafted. Additionally characters were interesting and their interpersonal dynamics and motivations were compelling and written well. The book's true weakness comes out in some of the plot points. One of the major internal conflicts Dèmi has is whether to choose Jonas or Colin as her mate. However, in the early chapters, she explicitly states that she has no romantic interest in Colin. This love triangle conflict is utterly unnecessary because the reader is aware from the beginning that she isn't going to choose Colin. Thus, this entire conflict seems contrived and I couldn't help but feel like the author felt compelled to include a love triangle in a book that clearly did not need one. Additionally, there were some other minor critiques I had about the storytelling. Namely, I felt that a lot of relevant information or backstory was given at the moment needed in a deus-ex-machina sort of way, rather than using other tools such as foreshadowing. I do believe this minor hiccup will be rectified with experience. Despite the critiques, I enjoyed the magic and most of the storytelling and will eagerly await a sequel and more books from this author.

I really enjoyed this book. This will contain spoilers so please don’t read this review until you read the book. I loved the world building and the languages. It was so magical. The beginning of the book instantly had me hooked. I loved the characters especially the family. The story gave a lot about family and building your own family. I loved her sense of Justice even though it was at a fault sometimes. The saltire was truly my favorite part of this book. I do wish somethings were explained more. Like the magic and the fight with the king at the end. Now I truly didn’t like the love triangle at all. It felt like the whole time she was kind of leading Colin on. I understand she was probably into him and never thought she would find her mate but I wish when she realized who her mate was she gave Colin a heads up. The ending kinda felt rushed to me. I was confused about her father a little bit. I wanted to like Jonas a lot more but I felt like sometimes he was just there. I wanted them together though but I kinda wish he was black. Just a little only because of the story and it being more Nigerian. I will be reading book 2 and I’m excited and hoping it will explain more. Thank you so much Ehigbor Okosun and Avon and Harper Voyager, Harper Voyager for letting me read this ARC.

I was really looking forward to this new fantasy romance, but unfortunately it fell a little bit flat for me. This was marketed as an adult novel, but definitely reads more ya with the love triangle romance and dialogue. Sometimes I enjoy the naive love triangle romance, but I expected it to be more flushed out and advanced since it's "adult". The pacing was also strange, with it being super exciting in the beginning, but it lulls through the middle. That being said, I still think this is a fun novel with a very cool setting, but I think teenagers would enjoy it way better. Fun story, I just don't think many adults will LOVE it.

Okosun debuts with Forged by Blood, a YA fantasy story including a romance subplot, mythology, and some intricate world building.

I cannot emphasize enough just how beautiful the writing in this story was; the world-building was intricate and the storytelling extremely lyrical. The characters were relatable and the comedic relief added an element to the friendships that built the realistic nature of the relationships. My only critique would be that the pacing of the story and placement of the stakes felt a bit too slow, but this may just be the nature of duologies! Solid read

I will always be a fan of experiencing fantasy in a non-dragons/castles world. The culture and lore in this book is beautiful- but that’s also the hard part. I wanted to learn more about what was being presented, but things would move along so quickly as new lore details would get sprinkled in quick succession. I got a little whiplash from the frequency of new betrayals, reveals, and declarations. There’s a love triangle but it’s a bit weak because one of the participants is pretty unlikeable (in my opinion). I appreciated the main characters strength and drive, and you can really feel the reverence she has for her culture and beliefs. I think the world is really cool, the magic engaging- I just wanted things savored a little longer.

***3.5 Stars***

FORGED BY BLOOD is a complex and carefully crafted fantasy filled with action, rich lore, and emotion. Okosun shines with the eloquence of her prose as the reader begins to understand the world they are entering.

What I loved about this particular book is the multiple layers to the story. At the core, it is about a young girl’s struggles and quest to fight for what is right. However, there are also political power plays, discrimination, enslavement, complicated relationships, and a whole system of blood magic. All of these on their own would be compelling, but together, they form a vivid and well-crafted tale.

Because this is the first book in a duology, I understand that there is a lot of background needed to set up the players and build the world. And yet, as the reader, there were I wanted more lore and more about the magic. You see it in action, but questions were lingering about all the facets which made things murky at times.

FORGED BY BLOOD is a solid beginning to what could possibly be an epic second book. Okosun’s voice is strong with a wonderful balance of heart and action. I am looking forward to seeing what comes in the next book.

Forged by Blood (The Tainted Blood Duology) is a YA fantasy story with touches of mythology, romance, magic, and phenomenal world-building.

Okosun has a beautiful writing style that draws you in and but the pacing was a bit off. At times I almost DNF but I wanted to see where the story and characters were going to go. I love that we got to see some comedy moments within the love triangle, making the characters feel relatable. The story is described as high fantasy but reads more YA fantasy, maybe the second book will slide into the high fantasy category - after all the reviews that it gets for feedback.

Forged by Blood reads in many ways like a YA fantasy. The tropes and relationship dynamics are really common for that age range and the writing wasn't as descriptive as I'm used to from adult fantasy.
How to decide if it's for you:
The worldbuilding was of the "building the car as you're driving it" variety common in YA fantasy.
The magic system is pretty cool if not super developed.
Love triangle.
Uneven pacing.
Very clear good vs evil.
Launches a duology, so there's more to come if you end up liking it.

I won't be continuing this series, but would give the author's work another shot as there are a lot of fun pieces. They just didn't come together well for me.

2.5 Stars

Plot wise there is nothing really new here for a YA fantasy, but the setting was good and the culture well developed.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Voyager for a digital ARC of this book

This book was a breath of fresh air for me as a reader who has almost exclusively read European-based fantasy novels since I started reading.

This fantasy world is based on Nigerian culture and has made me want to read more books with Nigerian roots. The story deals with many serious issues such as colonialism, imperialism, child slavery, etc. and I think these things were handled well.

I enjoyed Demi's character arc throughout the story. The very first pages establish her strong sense of justice and kind nature.

The love triangle in this book was not my cup of tea, but that may be due to the fact that I felt I knew who she would end up with and ultimately saw it as a waste of time to deliberate on. The pacing in this book was also an issue for me as I felt like it was a bit all over the place.

The beginning of this book really did hook me, but I felt as though some of the steam was lost during some points in the middle of the book until I got into the second half.

Overall, I enjoyed it and I would like to see how the second book wraps things up.

This book was captivating from the very beginning. The main character is a beautiful example of how female characters should always be. She is so full of life and personality and the plot of the story tests her through the entirety of the journey. This book delves into politics and racism, and has a touch of romance. This book is suitable for teens, and up, looking for a fantasy read full of twists and jaw-dropping plot twists.