Ok so let’s get down to it, Bloodmarked was a book I was not expecting. It was everything its predecessor Legendborn was but multiplied by 50. Tracy Deonn really brought it for this one, whether it be the characterization or the plot and theme she really hit the hammer right on the head.
The cover itself was right out of a fantasy, the artwork on its own had me wanting to get my hands on the book right away. Although sadly I had to wait a month (my patience was really tested with this one).
The book starts right where Legendborn ended and not a day more, with the whole Legendborn world in chaos after a new sire of Arthur was brought to their attention. Legendborn ended with a dramatic cliffhanger that made the two years spent waiting for the sequel absolute torture. Bloodmarked had a very fast and brutal pace, you would probably have finished half the book before realizing it, despite the book being over 570 pages it’s a possibility that one day is all it would take to finish the book.
The release of the book and its predecessor had many questioning why nothing like this had ever been written before, a wonderful and unique addition to the already broad YA- fantasy
Selection. The plot is intricate and layered with the multiple secrets and plot-twists that seem to appear for each character that make the readers mind spin trying to calculate every possible outcome and maybe even prompted an early read of the last chapter for some people (I may or may not have been one of those people).
As with its predecessor the book explores some very deep topics or racism and slavery. The topics are brought afloat in a sense that they enlighten the reader and make them quite emotional when reading about how Brianna grew up and the constant discrimination her and her friends face. It follows Bree Matthews as she struggles with the battle’s aftermath. She must contend with the weight of everything she has learned as she prepares for the upcoming battle while the Table is awake but separated.
The characterization in the book is absolutely on point, Bree is strong and powerful while not being afraid to be vulnerable and emotional. Her character truly felt authentic and grounded in a tough to attain sense. This book takes some of the characters from book one and really zooms in on them so although don’t get to spend as much time with all of our favorite characters from the first book I enjoyed the new introduction of some new characters and some new details about our old characters.
One of the things I enjoyed most about this book was the romance arc, I am sure that as soon as readers saw the cover the Selwyn and Brianna shippers were screaming alongside me. We really got to see a new depth to their friendship in this book and even though there was a slight introduction of a love triangle (something I usually hate) I found myself at constant odds with myself trying to imagine who she would end up with and actually loving the drama that the love triangle brought to the book.
However, while the first book had a more mystery base to it, Bloodmarked felt more political in a sense, the change in tone made the book a but had to follow in the beginning but one the pace has been found the political storyline is quite enjoyable and is sure to get it’s own fan base.
Overall, I think it’s is safe to say that Tracy Deonn has truly created a masterpiece here, one that is a worthy successor to Legendborn. If you guys haven’t read Legendborn yet I highly suggest buying a copy as soon as possible, this is a series you would noy want to miss. This book is a 10/10 for me and I hope it is for you too.