Not for me. I found it the characters just too immature for my liking. It's very much a teen romance and I think I prefer things a bit grittier.

I was a little worried about reading book 2 without reading book 1 first. Although there were a few things that I didn't get the reference to, the story was still pretty easy to follow. If you want a good fantasy book to get lost in, this is the boon for you!

A modern fantasy world divided by blood and prejudices. In this volume our healer Kyra goes on a spying mission. It seemed to go a bit too smoothly for her, but the end twist explains why that is. I had predicted who the secret big bad was pretty easily, and her not doing it was a little unexpected. But Kyra does not make the dumb self sacrificing decisions that is stereotypical in ya that I hate a lot. Instead she reaches out to her friends for help and makes a very detailed plan. That made me very happy and made up for some of the obvious plot in this book. Book one had a much less predictable plot while book two has a lot of growing character relationships that warmed my heart.
In book two Kyra and Sebastian have decided to date. This is the first fantasy book I have read that has a slow steady, official dating relationship. They talk through their problems and have a very healthy dynamic. Which I'll admit is an interesting and nice change for fantasy. I enjoyed this as a palate cleanser from the typical dialogue and placing of ya. A contemporary romance set in a fantasy world with a world to save.

Thank you to NetGalley and SparkPress for the opportunity to read an advanced reader's copy of this book for an honest review.

“Blood Divided” Book Two of the Felserpent Chronicles by Katie Keridan was just as addicting as the first book! I had been waiting for what felt like an eternity since reading book one in this series for the second book to be released, and I ended up reading the whole thing over the course of three days. I could not put it down! Aside from the fantastic writing and unforgettable world building, I was so happy that the story picked right up from where it left off in the previous book.

After finally turning from enemies to lovers in the last book, the new and complicated relationship between Kyra and Sebastian is delicious to watch blossom during this book. While I love that the author switches between their points of view throughout the story, I found myself getting irritated when they were apart for long stretches. I was constantly craving more scenes with them together!

My only small complaint about the second book was the ending. Without giving too much away, I’ll say that it felt rushed, mostly predictable, and the resolution went too smoothly. What could have been a huge climax for this book turned into a bit of a letdown for me. However, I still give this book 4.5 stars (I always round up when ½ ratings aren’t available), because everything else about this book was at a 5-star rating.

Overall, I would absolutely recommend this book to any teen, young adult, or adult who likes realistic Sci Fi / Fantasy stories with a good dose of slow-burn Romeo & Juliet-style romance.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4/5 STARS

Genre: YA fantasy

This is book 2 in a YA fantasy series. It was one of my most anticipated reads of 2023 and it was good! I wasn’t sure where the author was going to go with the plot after such a dynamite book 1. Kyra and Sebastian can now remember their past lives and that was the whole magic of the first book… the unknown. This book was more about reconciling the two bloodlines and trying to find peace. While it didn’t blow me away like the first book, it was a solid sequel and I can’t wait to see where the series goes. I love the animal familiars and hope they play a bigger part in the third installment!

Thank you to Book Sparks for the gifted copy! 🖤

Thank you to NetGalley and SparkPress for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed Blood Divided by Katie Keridan. I was initially concerned that I wouldn't understand what was going on as I hadn't read Book One, but Keridan did a fantastic job of providing enough context and information for the reader so that they could understand and enjoy this book without info-dumping.

I loved the world that this book is set in. I'm always a sucker for magical worlds, and enjoyed magic blended with a more modern and advanced civilisation. It was refreshing to read this kind of setting as most fantasy books have a more medieval or 'back in time' setting. The world felt like one that I could see myself living in, and the characters interacted with it in a way that drove the plot forward.

Keridan's characters were well-rounded and felt realistic and lived-in. They were unique without playing into stereotypes and she did a great job of creating tension between characters both internally and externally. Kyra and Sebastian's POVs were distinct in their body language and behaviours, but as Sebastian and Kyra are both very different characters in their perspectives, backgrounds, and personalities, I would've liked to have seen a bit more distinction between the two. There were a few times when I was in Sebastian's POV and it could have easily been Kyra's and vice-versa.

I found the pacing to be comfortable and felt engaged throughout the story. The ending was the only part that felt a bit rushed to me, and Sebastian and Kyra's escape felt a little too easy and the stakes could have been higher.

My last feedback is that there were quite a few formatting errors throughout, such as the author's name and the book title randomly inserted into paragraphs in the middle of the book, and paragraph breaks in the middle of writing. I understand that this was an early copy so hopefully these are fixed before full publication.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read with an intriguing plot, a unique world, and great characters. I am looking forward to seeing more from Keridan and will be picking up Book One in the series.

"We know what we had, and as long as you want it, I'll do everything in my power to give you that again in this lifetime."

"Wherever you are is where I belong, and that will never change."

In this second instalment in the Falserpent Chronicles series, after reading Reign Returned, I was so looking forward to see how Kyra and Sebastian were planning to deal with their past memories of each other and their kingdom. How can they unite their two countries while also trying to manage their increasing powers and feelings for each other. This book was really really good and so so worth the wait. I find myself glad I went back to this universe and I missed Bart a lot, to be completely honest. I missed this friend, who was there for every struggle between the main couple and for their bumps in the journey!!!
Kyra was amazing, once again a strong and resilient young woman wanting to do the best she could for her people and her loved ones. And Sebastian … as the author might very well remember, I loved him so much after book one. This time around I fell even harder for him. His trauma, his love for Kyra, his respect for her, his dedication and even jealousy towards her… so good!!!! I enjoyed every second of it!! And after what happens at the end … I am really intrigued in the next book!!!

"Life and Death are not opposites," translated Laycus. "They are like the sun and moon, one always following the other."

"I could never hate you. I love you. My shade is bound to yours."

While book 1 really intrigued me with the flashbacks and the concept of lovers separated by death and then reincarnated, this one just fell flat for me. The first half was okay, but then I got bored as I continued. I just didn't feel like much was happening, or at least not enough to get me excited or wanting to keep reading in anticipation. The romance is sweet and innocent, which is appropriate for YA. I felt like some of their interactions were awkward, though, and Sebastian came across as too protective and possessive even around Kyra's friends. I just felt disappointed overall.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. (via Netgalley)

Another good installment of the series! I really enjoyed seeing their relationship progress and look forward to the next one.

Blood Divided was a very interesting and unique story! I was hooked on the story throughout - a perfect mix of fantasy aspects and a little intrigue and mystery thrown together.