Loved this!!
I’m a huge fan of fantasy stories written by authors throughout the African diaspora. Being a descendant of the TAST it makes me feel like I’m learning about things that my ancestors believed in or of stories they passed down.
This was definitely action packed and beautifully written. I absolutely cannot wait for book 2!

Not for me. I'm a bit confused about the age market for this book. I was under the impression it was YA, but other reviewers say that it's meant to be an adult fantasy? It felt VERY young to me, which was part of the reason I didn't enjoy it that much. The pacing felt off, and I had a hard time grasping the world building and magic system in the early chapters. I didn't enjoy the main character, which honestly led to me skimming a lot of the book, and I'm tired of love triangles and fated mate tropes. I do think the incorporation of Nigerian mythology is interesting, but overall everything fell flat for me.

This is a solid 3 star book. It covers all the basis of a good fantasy novel for me and I appreciate that. I loved the adventure, the finding an old “love” and when those who have been oppressed begin to riot. I absolutely love it. This gave Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi vibes, but just not as good.

I think where this story lacks is the romance. It really is a love triangle but it was hard to gauge how I really felt about it. I don’t think she was fair in how she was with them. She would treat Jonas bad and run to her best friend and then treat him bad and go back to Jonas. Like it was not fair at all.

I also think she allowed a lot of things to happen to her instead of taking point. I don’t think she made smart decisions and I wasn’t totally invested in her as a main character.

I was also a little confused on the magic system???

Anyway, I would probably read the second novel!

Thanks Netgalley & Harper Voyager for the arc!

I DNF’d around 20% into the book. The book started off really interesting, but after the time jump I struggled. The magic system was really chaotic, we’re told that people who kill with their magic pay heavily for it, then our MC causes harm multiple times and never seems to have a consequence, plus she always seems to have magic to spare despite complaining about being worn out, tired, etc. The whole thing felt very YA and hastily aged up.

(4/5 stars) I love African-inspired fantasy! Love it! And Forged by Blood was a well-done YA fantasy that kept me engaged throughout and had twists that even I, a seasoned YA fantasy reader, didn't see coming. I am looking forward to the final installment in this duology. The only thing I'll say that I wasn't a huge fan of was the love triangle, but such is the nature of YA novels. This is a great debut from Okosun and I look forward to their future work, which I hope dives deeper into character development and worldbuilding for what is a fascinating magic system. You'd probably like this if you liked Children of Blood and Bone.

I was so excited to read Forged By Blood, but it fell a little short for me. I love the world and the mythology in it. I found the magic system easy to grasp. My favorite part in the book is when they go into the spirit world. And I'm interested to see how Demi's promise while there plays out in book 2.

I liked the characters but didn't get super attached to any of them. There was so much happening and so many reveals that I think there just wasn't as much character development. And speaking of the reveals, I think having so many made them overall less impactful. And I think some space was needed between them to help with pacing.

There is kind of a love triangle in this book, but it's fairly obvious who she prefers from the very beginning. Love triangles are not really my thing anyway, so no surprise I didn't really like it in this story either.

As a side note, if you are considering listening to this on audiobook, I would definitely recommend it. I started out going back and forth between my physical copy and audiobook but eventually switched to just the audiobook. The narrator did a fantastic job and I loved listening to them.

Overall, I wanted to love this but only liked it. And I think I will still read book 2 when it comes out.

Thanks to NetGalley, Harper Voyager, and Ehigbor Okosun for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Forged by Blood, a debut Nigerian mythology tale by Ehigbor Okosun, was a very creative and entrancing epic fantasy.

I was very excited about this when I first read the synopsis and saw it was Nigerian mythology inspired. I was kind of waiting for the "epic fantasy" to kick in, which it did not really do. This book felt like a YA fantasy with the character dynamics and the love triangle. Demi is a great character with a lot of potential!

I was excited to learn about the magic system, but unfortunately that did not come to fruition as I had hoped. It was a little confusing and not as flushed out as I would have liked.

I hope the author is able to tighten up the next book because I'd love to keep going with this theme, but maybe just market it as a YA fantasy so expectation are more in within that genre.

This book has an excellent concept and theme that was failed by it being marketed as adult fantasy when it feels so in the YA age range. The main character is strong and a great point of view to read from. Plus the mythology and inspiration were wonderful. But the overall plot struggled with pacing. Certain things just happened that didn’t quite make sense and you just kind of have to accept it and not think about it too hard. I also really was not a fan of the romance at all. It had two of the three tropes I dislike the most: a love triangle and fated mates. I think these made it feel the most YA on top of the main character being pretty impulsive. When I was younger I would’ve really enjoyed this book because I would’ve been the right audience. But since this is marketed as an epic adult fantasy it did not hit the mark.

Demi and other of her kind are being outcast from society, hunted and enslaved for the powers that they possess. The ones in power would rather see them all dead based on a lie. The one person Demi can put hope in better in their society is the one person she hates the most.

This story started off very strong and had me hooked in the first chapter. There was action right from the start...and it never stopped. It was reveal after reveal, event after event and there was no time to process what just happened. I found myself having to reread just to catch the switch in conversations. There were a lot of characters and concepts introduced in this first book in such a short amount of time. This easily could have been split into 2 stories to be able to allow for a more fluent story. Overall the ending was very good and does have me anticipating were the story goes next.

Storygraph review in link. Thank you for the book!

I really enjoyed this book. I really liked Demi as a main character.

Note: I received a complimentary pre-release copy of Okosun's Forged by Blood from NetGalley and Harper Voyager.

Forged in Blood, Ehigbor Okosun's debut novel is an absolute thrill-ride of a book. I was drawn to the book by the gorgeous cover art and the title description about an Afrocentric fantasy novel that combined politics and magic and passion and I was not at all disappointed. In fact, I was riveted and found myself staying up well after my bed time turning page after page to see what would happen next.

Okosun's characters, most notably her protagonist Dèmi, are all well crafted and believable. Their motivations, their dialogue, their actions all resonate well on the page. Equally believable is the political intrigue of the ruling Ajes and the subjugated but magical Oluso. While Forged by Blood is YA, it's still eminently readable and enjoyable to this 46-year-old.

The book description reads, in part, "[a] tale of rebellion and redemption, race and class, love and trust and betrayal, Forged by Blood is epic fantasy at its finest, from an enthusiastic, emerging voice." I agree. I really enjoyed Forged by Blood and can't wait for the second part of this duology and anything else that Okosun writes.

Reviewed on Goodreads at: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5631222968
Reviewd on Amazon (pending post approval)

It is an extremely original take on the colonialism theme with an elaborate and engaging magic system. It is a very fast-paced book that kept me wanting to read the next page. Demi, the protagonist, has an interesting take on magic that I loved reading more about. Throughout the book, we met a VERY large cast of characters, which made it slightly hard to remember who was what person, and keeping track of each person due to the fast nature of the book. Overall, it was very enjoyable and ticked more towards the New Adult section of the Fantasy genre, and I shall be looking out for more books of theirs in the future.

Forged by Blood was a quick, fun read. The beginning of the book really started off strong for me, but I did start to lose interest throughout.

This book does feel like more of a YA read instead of the adult read it is advertised as. Another one of my cons was the love triangle. I don't usually enjoy love triangles in general though, so that might be biased.

It was a fast paced book that I would suggest to fantasy lovers as long as they go in knowing this isn't a very adult read.

This book was beautifully written in places, and I loved the characters, but this was sooooo slow to start. It was super hard to get into and wasn’t for me, sadly

This is another case of: interesting world-building, boring characters. The main character seemed so young for her age, and she and her mother immediately fall into a trap even though they’ve supposedly been practicing magic for years without being caught. The main character is immediately trusting of the boy who is her patient and gives him WAY too much information for no reason at all. I could see the beginnings of a poorly-developed romance. Dnf.

In this novel, the character Demi must kidnap a prince in order to save her family. I thoroughly enjoyed most part of this book, but I will say that I did have a pacing issue. I also was not expecting the love triangle that came with this book. It did throw me off a little bit. However, I do look forward to the second installment in the duology!

I received this book through NetGalley for review

I would be lying if I said this book wasn't disappointing. I was excited to get this title and just had the hardest time getting into it.

The setting was AMAZING but I feel like the rest of the story fell a little flat for me. The beginning started out pretty promising, by the middle I almost had to force myself through the rest.

I'm sure a younger reader would absolutely adore this book, but I feel like for an older reader it may not work. I will still suggest this for young readers as again, I enjoyed the setting and the characters.

After Dèmi’s mother is murdered in front of her, she vows revenge for her and the rest of their murdered people, the Oluso. She and her friend Colin set out to kidnap the Aje prince, Jonas, and bargain with his life to save the remaining Oluso. bBit of course, Demi doesn't count on becoming attracted to Jonas.

Forged in blood starts off quickly and then...stalls .I feel that although it was billed as an adult fantasy, it reads more as YA. Nothing wrong with that, But I feel like that is why the pacing of this novel was all over the place

overall, it was a good story!

Thank you to Net Galley for the Arc. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My Selling Pitch:
Do you want to read a hot mess of a generic YA enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance with a love triangle and thinly veiled race war commentary? Do you love info dumping and a magic system that doesn't even try to make sense?

Pre-reading:
Well, I just read romance and lit fic, so believe it or not, I'm actually in the mood for a fantasy. A Fairyloot pick. They made a pretty edition for what they were working with, but it’s not one of my favorite covers. Her belly button just weirds me out.

Thick of it:
calabash

Cue the Demi not Lovato jokes

Quite the infodump just then, but like I guess we needed it?

Here’s a horrible pacing issue. You’re fleeing guards, but you’re distracting the reader with culture and scenery descriptions. No no.

Why on earth would you make your heroine piss herself?

Lesbian hyena enemies? Fun. (Sam loves hyenas. Sam loves hyenas so much that she has a shower curtain with hyenas. You put a hyena in a book, and I’ll pay attention.)

These kids can’t pick an age. They’re simultaneously 10 and 18.

You can’t hate other women just for being prettier than you.

This book is ye old ACAB.

Magic people have glow stick tattoos. Noted.

Okay, baby Moana.

Not the fated mate trope.

Not the mate telepathy trope.

I mean, obviously, she’s going to be mates with the prince. Like this isn’t even a love triangle.

So they’re Nordic rulers, but their symbol is a lion. Yeah, that makes sense.

eba

suya

Fakeout make out

Bi Jonas?

There is so much info dumping in this book.

The pacing in this book is awful. The author keeps interrupting action with info dumping.

You know nothing, John Snow.

Dude, you literally got her mom killed.

Why are we spending time on this subplot? I don’t care about it. Oh no, some basically faeries were evil. Now they saved them. Who cares. To teach us a lesson about forgiveness and mercy? Girl, please.

I’m bored. I’ve zoned out.

Oh my god, more info dumping. There are so many fantasy vocab words in this book for no reason.

More faerie soup bullshit.

Mari is the only character I’m interested in. Lesbian hyena lady- like yes, please.

Is iron golden?

It’s like we’re supposed to care about her even though we met her a page ago. Like I feel nothing.

The magic system in this universe is so overpowered and makes no sense.

Girl, this is war. You gotta kill some people. Grow up.

Colin, horny jail.

Author, pacing jail.

This book is a hot mess.

For people trying to stay hidden, they sure scream a lot.

Why is there a song in here?

I mean, she definitely survived the explosion.

That was kind of a metal line

They’re like wait is this incest? And the author’s like no, no, everyone chill. Everyone’s fucking adopted in this book.

I still don’t understand why Jonas is taking the throne. Like why would his uncle give up the power of being king? That doesn’t make any sense to me. Oh update, he’s just making him his heir. I thought that was already a given because he doesn’t have any kids, but whatever. Go off.

That is an idiotic plan. That would not work.

Oh, now she’s got a secret sister. That’ll solve their stupid love triangle. The boys can just pick their favorite sister.

Why would she go to the ball with him? That doesn’t make any sense. But also, here’s your requisite YA masquerade ball scene.

makeover montage

How do they still have all her belongings after she was thrown in jail? You know what, I’m not gonna question it. I’m just gonna go with it.

I cannot keep up with all the names in this book. I’ve given up. I don’t know who anyone is anymore.

I’m sorry that’s a very misogynistic little saying right there. She’s done more fighting than him all book. Fuck off.

I genuinely feel like this book did not get content edited at all. They just copy-edited and published the rough draft.

They really said Colin’s mommy is such a badass that she has male whores in the midst of this patriarchy.

I will not stand for this pickle slander.

It’s the way my uncultured ass thought that they were talking about purple soup this whole time.

This book really said I believe in racism and classism, but not homophobia.

He said Squid Games, baby.

He always wears beeswax, but like he has no issue hearing people’s whispers to him. OK, that makes sense.

So all this is just anti-interracial marriage propaganda. OK?

I’m reading the finished copy and there’s still a bunch of typos and that’s very upsetting to me. Like even Grammarly would catch this shit.

Mari girl, stand up.

So his grand plan is to breed some iron magic users to defend the kingdom? That doesn’t even kind of make sense. What is he gonna do for the 20-odd years while the first gen grows up? Like this doesn’t make any sense.

What if she doesn’t want kids, boo-boo? Y’all ain’t discuss that yet.

I like how they’re villain monologuing to an arena of like hundreds of people and no one’s doing anything. They’re all just like yeah, we’ll watch this show. Anyone have popcorn?

She’s going to trial by combat the king to decide who can rule. Who would agree to this? Literally just shoot her right now.

And we’re interrupting the action with info dumping again. Oh my god, this book is a mess.

I hope we get an explanation for why Mari is so dick-whipped.

Can he even be your mate if y’all haven’t mated? Like I’m just saying.

I literally only care about Mari, and that’s terrible because she’s blatantly a villain and super underdeveloped, but I am ruined for hyena lesbian women. See Manhunt. See The Immortals.

Why are we interrupting the action with a description of food? Oh my god, this book drives me nuts.

So it is her dad? They just said it wasn’t really her dad. Can they fucking pick?

Somehow, they both just have gut wounds and are surviving and thriving. Make it make sense.

I won because I broke the rules of not using magic, and I didn’t kill the king. This is stupid.

Why do they always let the villains go in books? Just kill them. Be done with it. You idiots. Get a different plot. Oh my God.

Literally multiple people have stopped them from killing the king now, and that makes no fucking sense. Just kill him.

So did he just pull a Zeus and lightning strike the king? I’m confused.

Oh, they’re not just super special rare mates. They’re like extra super special rare mates true love bullshit.

That’s such a dick move to destroy the castle that she has to live in even though he wants her to be queen.

Respectfully-

I declare economic collapse.

And again with the misogyny. He has to make her a legitimate queen. She can’t be queen on her own, and make him her king to appease the dumb royals. Ugh.

I mean a castle isn’t soundproof, babe. They can hear you sobbing in the hallway.

That is a disgusting metaphor.

They’re really just having all this out in the hallway.

Are we really still dragging out this love triangle?

I hate how they’re making him out to be like crazy and a villain origin story, but like he’s making very valid points.

This book could be good. That’s what frustrates me. As it is, it’s fucking awful, but there’s little pieces here and there where I’m like I could whip this into a book.

Girl, you just took a sword to the gut. Let’s not take another one. Horny jail.

Y’all are so fucking naïve.

Not the character guide at the back of the book because they knew you wouldn’t have a fucking clue who anyone in this book is.

Did they never explain why he goes by Colin? Is Colin a nickname for Nicolas? I don’t think it is.

Wow, in the character list, they don’t say that Collin’s in love with Demi, but they do say that Jonas is. I wonder which couple’s endgame. You picked up this book and knew she was gonna be in love with the Prince like please.

Also, where is her fucking twin? You’re really gonna name the last chapter Twinning and not talk about her twin?

Post-reading:
Nothing makes me more frustrated than a book that could be good.

This book is a hot mess. It is bad. It needs such an edit that it would be unrecognizable.

Because there are those little kernels of a good story in it, I’m like two stars. You know wanted to tear my hair out reading it, but didn’t make me actively hate myself like the one stars do.

This is a YA book. There is nothing adult about this. The love triangle is so underdeveloped. The magic system makes no sense and doesn’t even try to. The plot has been done hundreds of times before. It’s still a plot I always kind of vibe with, but if you’re going to do something so unoriginal, shit better be polished.

I’m a little fixated on lesbian hyena warrior lady. Honestly, if she wasn’t in this book, I don’t know how I would’ve gotten through it. Even then, she’s a mess of a character. She really said let’s be evil to be evil.

The info dumping and the amount of fantasy vocab in this book make it miserable to read. There are so many character names in this book for people that don’t need names because they don’t matter to the story at all. On top of that, the names are all unfamiliar and very similar to one another. It is punishing to read. The pacing is a crime. Every single bit of action is interrupted with an infodump. Characters will actively be fighting, and the author is waxing poetic about food. It’s unbelievably annoying.

The main characters are naïve, and goodie two shoes, which is forgivable for a YA, but you’re marketing this book as an adult fantasy. I can’t even review it like that because there’s nothing adult about this book. If it wanted to be adult, it had to go way more Game of Thrones with way more political intrigue and sexier, darker plot lines. You can't write a war novel without killing people. It just doesn't work. I think it’s much better suited to be a YA novel.

It needs such an edit that I would say it’s skippable. You’ve read this book before.

Who should read this:
Diverse YA Fantasy fans

Do I want to reread this:
No

Similar books:
* Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem-enemies to lovers, secret queen saves her people from a corrupt kingdom
* Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas-secret queen saves the enslaved from a corrupt king
* A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas-fated mates save their people from a corrupt king
* Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson-enemies to lovers fantasy romance
* Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros-enemies to lovers, against a corrupt kingdom
* Now Before the Elf Queen by J. M. Kearl-generic YA fantasy romance, fated mates
* Sing Me to Sleep by Gabi Burton-enemies to lovers YA fantasy romance

Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley and author Ehigbor Okosun for the chance to read an advance copy of Forged by Blood, book one in the Tainted Blood duology. This book is based on Nigerian mythology and follows a young woman as she fights to survive in a world where her magic is the very thing that could get her killed, just like her mother was. She is approached by someone in the government who can make life better for her and others like her if only she will help kidnap the prince. But is it really kidnapping when he willingly leaves with her? Needless to say not every thing is as it seems. It’s a very good book and I look forward to book two.