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Seeds of Chaos #1
Gods of Blood and Bone
My name is Eve Redding. I am the new god.
They captured me in a dirty alley and injected me with a virtual reality chip, a GPS tracker, and my first Seed. They made me a Player. At first, I loved the miraculous ability to level up anything about myself.
Then they yanked me off my world for the first time, and sent me to fight for my life on a vicious alien planet, where the other Players are just as dangerous as the monsters, and if you can’t level up, you die. But I’m the type to cling to life by the tips of my bloody fingernails. And I hate it when people try to control me.
They captured me in a dirty alley and injected me with a virtual reality chip, a GPS tracker, and my first Seed. They made me a Player. At first, I loved the miraculous ability to level up anything about myself.
Then they yanked me off my world for the first time, and sent me to fight for my life on a vicious alien planet, where the other Players are just as dangerous as the monsters, and if you can’t level up, you die. But I’m the type to cling to life by the tips of my bloody fingernails. And I hate it when people try to control me.
438 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 22, 2015
907 people are currently reading
738 people want to read
About the author
Azalea Ellis
16 books186 followersAzalea Ellis loves to bend the world to her will. Maybe that's why she likes writing books. Creating worlds and people and then sending them through every ordeal imaginable might even give her some kind of sick thrill. Who knows?
Azalea is also an artist, so perhaps she just likes taking things from her head and bringing them to life. Because of her artistic background, she's lucky enough to also be able to do all of her own book covers, and does freelance illustration when she feels like it.
She's fascinated by almost everything, and wishes she could live to be a thousand, so she would have time to learn and do everything she wants.
Azalea is also an artist, so perhaps she just likes taking things from her head and bringing them to life. Because of her artistic background, she's lucky enough to also be able to do all of her own book covers, and does freelance illustration when she feels like it.
She's fascinated by almost everything, and wishes she could live to be a thousand, so she would have time to learn and do everything she wants.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
January 31, 2019
This was a LitRPG fantasy that also mixed in the feel of both YA fantasy and dark fantasy. The story had a bit of action, plenty of magic and strange new worlds, and was actually surprisingly gritty and intense at times!
This was a single POV character story. The character we followed was Eve Redding, a high school student, and the story starts just as she gets abducted from the street while walking home by some mysterious strangers who inject her with something. After recovering from a sickness Eve is horrified to discover that she has been injected with a VR chip and a GPS tracker and is informed via a pop up VR screen that she is now a player in their crazy game! Things get worse for Eve when she discovers the nature of the third thing they injected into her, a seed. It gives people the chance to wish up their attributes. Which sounds cool but becomes more of a necessity when Eve finds the game operators can actually teleport her to strange new worlds where she has to fight monsters and complete other tasks to gain more seeds.
The story was pretty fun. It became apparent that the seeds were real early in the story and that the new worlds were not VR as the injuries and items gained there were 100% real and still there upon return to the normal world! All of that lead to the trials having a fair bit of tension to them and I feel like Azalea Ellis did a good job of making most of the trials feel intense and gritty. After a bit Eve decided to team up with a few fellow players to increase her survival chances and also to pool their skills and resources to try and find out more about the people who were behind the game.
The story started a tiny bit slow but I feel like it got better and better as it progressed. The worldbuilding was good. The "real" world setting felt like it was set sometime in the near future while the "game" worlds were cool and alien. The concept of the body/mind altering seeds to level up powers was pretty cool and I loved that players got sucked in and out of the game so we got to see a bit of their real life as well. The characters were an interesting bunch. They were mostly easy to root for as they found themselves in a tough situation and were just trying to survive but they were not perfect and definitely had a few flaws. I also liked the fact that the main characters in the story, Eve and her team, were not your average stock fantasy/LitRPG style characters. They were all unique personalities and felt like they were well drawn characters.
The world and story was surprisingly gritty despite the fact that this had the feel of some of the more mature YA fantasy series I've read over the year. I feel like one of Azalea Ellis's strengths was the fact that the story could get pretty gritty and intense at times. It added real tension to the story when it became apparent that mistakes could have bad consequences. The trials even had a horror movie feel to them at times! That said, I also feel like Ellis did a good job of not making the story too dark or depressing. The balance was pretty good!
The other fun bit of the story was the fact that there was a bit of mystery mixed in with the action. The trial worlds provided plenty of action but back in the real world there was interesting stuff going on as well as Eve and her team tried to discover who was behind the game and why they were abducting people and forcing them to "play". It made for a fun change of pace.
If this book had a flaws it was the fact that it was a little lacking in humour and Ellis was not always great and making me envision her action scenes.
All in all I feel like this was a solid LitRPG fantasy that had the world crafting and characterisation quality one would expect from a regular fantasy series or a good YA fantasy series. It was pretty enjoyable and got more engaging as the story progressed so I'll definitely read the next one in the series.
Rating: I'm torn between 3.5 and 4 stars. I'll round up for Goodreads and do think that by the end it was definitely 4 star quality!
Audio Note: I think Natalie Duke did an excellent job with the audio. Her character voices were good and she managed to inject the tension into the story with her reading during the scenes that were intense or horrifying!
This was a single POV character story. The character we followed was Eve Redding, a high school student, and the story starts just as she gets abducted from the street while walking home by some mysterious strangers who inject her with something. After recovering from a sickness Eve is horrified to discover that she has been injected with a VR chip and a GPS tracker and is informed via a pop up VR screen that she is now a player in their crazy game! Things get worse for Eve when she discovers the nature of the third thing they injected into her, a seed. It gives people the chance to wish up their attributes. Which sounds cool but becomes more of a necessity when Eve finds the game operators can actually teleport her to strange new worlds where she has to fight monsters and complete other tasks to gain more seeds.
The story was pretty fun. It became apparent that the seeds were real early in the story and that the new worlds were not VR as the injuries and items gained there were 100% real and still there upon return to the normal world! All of that lead to the trials having a fair bit of tension to them and I feel like Azalea Ellis did a good job of making most of the trials feel intense and gritty. After a bit Eve decided to team up with a few fellow players to increase her survival chances and also to pool their skills and resources to try and find out more about the people who were behind the game.
The story started a tiny bit slow but I feel like it got better and better as it progressed. The worldbuilding was good. The "real" world setting felt like it was set sometime in the near future while the "game" worlds were cool and alien. The concept of the body/mind altering seeds to level up powers was pretty cool and I loved that players got sucked in and out of the game so we got to see a bit of their real life as well. The characters were an interesting bunch. They were mostly easy to root for as they found themselves in a tough situation and were just trying to survive but they were not perfect and definitely had a few flaws. I also liked the fact that the main characters in the story, Eve and her team, were not your average stock fantasy/LitRPG style characters. They were all unique personalities and felt like they were well drawn characters.
The world and story was surprisingly gritty despite the fact that this had the feel of some of the more mature YA fantasy series I've read over the year. I feel like one of Azalea Ellis's strengths was the fact that the story could get pretty gritty and intense at times. It added real tension to the story when it became apparent that mistakes could have bad consequences. The trials even had a horror movie feel to them at times! That said, I also feel like Ellis did a good job of not making the story too dark or depressing. The balance was pretty good!
The other fun bit of the story was the fact that there was a bit of mystery mixed in with the action. The trial worlds provided plenty of action but back in the real world there was interesting stuff going on as well as Eve and her team tried to discover who was behind the game and why they were abducting people and forcing them to "play". It made for a fun change of pace.
If this book had a flaws it was the fact that it was a little lacking in humour and Ellis was not always great and making me envision her action scenes.
All in all I feel like this was a solid LitRPG fantasy that had the world crafting and characterisation quality one would expect from a regular fantasy series or a good YA fantasy series. It was pretty enjoyable and got more engaging as the story progressed so I'll definitely read the next one in the series.
Rating: I'm torn between 3.5 and 4 stars. I'll round up for Goodreads and do think that by the end it was definitely 4 star quality!
Audio Note: I think Natalie Duke did an excellent job with the audio. Her character voices were good and she managed to inject the tension into the story with her reading during the scenes that were intense or horrifying!
April 5, 2022
Dope read... I was really getting into the story and then it ended. I gotta start on the second book now.
We seriously need more authors writing strong female MAIN characters in the LitRPG world. Would love it even more if they were main female and lesbian characters even.
We seriously need more authors writing strong female MAIN characters in the LitRPG world. Would love it even more if they were main female and lesbian characters even.
November 19, 2018
Not my favourite thing I've read. I really like the idea, but it felt overly long, the majority of characters were one-dimensional, and the writing was really uneven. I found Eve to be extraordinarily unlikable, and I can't decide if she's meant to be such or if Ellis just struggled to find another way of demonstrating that Eve is supposed to be a "strong" character.
June 12, 2020
2 Hours into the book.
1) No plot in sight
2) Spastic Teen
3) Blood n Gore murder box
4) Taken right from the pages of a typical Manga
1) No plot in sight
2) Spastic Teen
3) Blood n Gore murder box
4) Taken right from the pages of a typical Manga
October 6, 2015
Here is my actual review. Again, sorry for the goof.
Gods of Blood and Bone by Azalea Ellis was given me in e-format in exchange for a review.
I knew within the first few pages that I was going to love this book. I was immediately caught up in the story. Basically, people are abducted and implanted with devices that put them into a "game" where they are forced to participate in vicious activities, if they are not successful they die, in the game and real life.
The author, Azalea Ellis, does a fantastic job of keeping the reader involved with little to no information about who the bad guys actually are. There were twists and turns I did not see coming.The characters were believable and sympathetic. I found myself emotionally attached to some of the characters, and was in turns angry, fearful, heartbroken, and happy with them.
The main characters are young adults. Sometimes that is not all that appealing to me because in other stories I've read adults are portrayed as lacking the ability and intelligence to effectively deal with the situation at hand.
There is justification for the youth of the main characters here that makes sense to the story line. There are adults actually included, and they have important, crucial parts to play.
There was a lot of action, sometimes graphic, woven together with humor, suspense, intrigue and intelligence. Although a strong action oriented story, it didn't rely on just battles with bad guys to keep the reader interested. There were times when thinking/ reasoning was how the characters resolved situations making a balanced and more believable story. The ending caught me by surprise, but made perfect sense. There is room for more in this story line, and I believe more is on the way. I hope so anyway.
From The author's Goodreads bio, it seems as Gods of Blood and Bone is her debut book. If this is not true, my bad. If it is a debut effort, it was a fantastic way to start, if not, it's still a fantastic book. I look forward to reading more from Azalea Ellis.
If you are a fan of action/ adventure/ fantasy, you will enjoy Gods of Blood and Bone. I urge you to check it out. Enjoy!
Mike
Gods of Blood and Bone by Azalea Ellis was given me in e-format in exchange for a review.
I knew within the first few pages that I was going to love this book. I was immediately caught up in the story. Basically, people are abducted and implanted with devices that put them into a "game" where they are forced to participate in vicious activities, if they are not successful they die, in the game and real life.
The author, Azalea Ellis, does a fantastic job of keeping the reader involved with little to no information about who the bad guys actually are. There were twists and turns I did not see coming.The characters were believable and sympathetic. I found myself emotionally attached to some of the characters, and was in turns angry, fearful, heartbroken, and happy with them.
The main characters are young adults. Sometimes that is not all that appealing to me because in other stories I've read adults are portrayed as lacking the ability and intelligence to effectively deal with the situation at hand.
There is justification for the youth of the main characters here that makes sense to the story line. There are adults actually included, and they have important, crucial parts to play.
There was a lot of action, sometimes graphic, woven together with humor, suspense, intrigue and intelligence. Although a strong action oriented story, it didn't rely on just battles with bad guys to keep the reader interested. There were times when thinking/ reasoning was how the characters resolved situations making a balanced and more believable story. The ending caught me by surprise, but made perfect sense. There is room for more in this story line, and I believe more is on the way. I hope so anyway.
From The author's Goodreads bio, it seems as Gods of Blood and Bone is her debut book. If this is not true, my bad. If it is a debut effort, it was a fantastic way to start, if not, it's still a fantastic book. I look forward to reading more from Azalea Ellis.
If you are a fan of action/ adventure/ fantasy, you will enjoy Gods of Blood and Bone. I urge you to check it out. Enjoy!
Mike
Read
October 10, 2018This book started off very dark and slow, like a gory horror film without any details to pull you in. Add to that unlikable characters and no worldbuilding and you lost me. I won't give it a rating, but a warning: Do you like angsty YA in a very dark world? Then you might like this. Where you interested by the words "A litRPG novel" in the titel? Then you might want to skip this unless you also said yes to the first question.
October 30, 2018
This book was so much fun! I’ve really enjoyed the blossoming LitRPG or GameLit genre but have found most stories lack a realistic female character. Not so with this novel! Yay! Eve Redding is easy to relate to and I love her character arc for the tale. She’s starts off as a somewhat awkward teen who gets forcibly tossed into this VR world of combat and deadly brain puzzles. By the end, she’s leading her own team of awesome players. Like that phrase says, toss Eve Redding to the wolves and she’ll return leading the pack.
Eve has a few flaws but that made her more personable. She spent her first few seeds (level up points) on Beauty instead of something useful like Life, Stamina, Intelligence, or Strength. She learns to regret that later on, even kicking herself over it. This made me like her all the more. Also, she has selfish thoughts of how to keep herself whole & safe even at the expense of other players, and then she regrets such thoughts and actions later on. She juggles all this while trying to keep up with school work and hide her various injuries from her mom and brother (Zed).
The world building is great too. The readers get the bigger picture in pieces, just as Eve does, making it easy to absorb the rules of this new world. And it’s not just as simple as getting sucked into a game world. There’s more going on here and the humans aren’t the only sentient things out there. Plus, there’s consequences. Eve learns this early on too when another player, Channel, gets taken out. Eve vows to do what she can to rescue her. Bunny, Eve’s moderator, provides info on how the seeds work and other game logistics. He has no part in the trials (where all the monsters, blood, and death occur). He could be a hindrance or an ally, depending on how Eve plays him.
Over time, Eve builds a small team. There’s Adam, Jacquie, China, and Sam. Each has a special skill or two and while most are reluctant at the beginning to join forces, they eventually become a great team. I really loved the banter back and forth among these characters. Sam is the most intriguing to me because he’s so secretive about the specifics of his special skill. I also enjoyed hating on the Big Baddie, Nix. Yet Eve learns there’s something more to be concerned about by the end of the book.
My one tiny little criticism is that the characters too easily avoid being tracked when they want to. I felt there would be a log of their movements, like a cell phone can easily log your movements even when not in use. So I would have liked a fancy bit of tech or something along those lines to help them out instead of them simply doing questionable things when no one happens to be looking.
All together, this was a fantastic story. At 16+ hours as an audiobook, you might think it could drag here and there. Not so! It flew by! 4.75/5 stars.
The Narration: Natalie Duke gave a really good performance. She was perfect for Eve and I loved how she covered all of Eve’s emotions throughout this story. Duke had distinct voices for all the characters as well and her male voices were believable. Duke’s pacing was perfect. My one little quibble is that there are a few moments when the volume goes up or down – not so much as to trouble you if you have earbuds on. Just needs a little polishing on the technical side. 4.5/5 stars
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Azalea Ellis. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
Eve has a few flaws but that made her more personable. She spent her first few seeds (level up points) on Beauty instead of something useful like Life, Stamina, Intelligence, or Strength. She learns to regret that later on, even kicking herself over it. This made me like her all the more. Also, she has selfish thoughts of how to keep herself whole & safe even at the expense of other players, and then she regrets such thoughts and actions later on. She juggles all this while trying to keep up with school work and hide her various injuries from her mom and brother (Zed).
The world building is great too. The readers get the bigger picture in pieces, just as Eve does, making it easy to absorb the rules of this new world. And it’s not just as simple as getting sucked into a game world. There’s more going on here and the humans aren’t the only sentient things out there. Plus, there’s consequences. Eve learns this early on too when another player, Channel, gets taken out. Eve vows to do what she can to rescue her. Bunny, Eve’s moderator, provides info on how the seeds work and other game logistics. He has no part in the trials (where all the monsters, blood, and death occur). He could be a hindrance or an ally, depending on how Eve plays him.
Over time, Eve builds a small team. There’s Adam, Jacquie, China, and Sam. Each has a special skill or two and while most are reluctant at the beginning to join forces, they eventually become a great team. I really loved the banter back and forth among these characters. Sam is the most intriguing to me because he’s so secretive about the specifics of his special skill. I also enjoyed hating on the Big Baddie, Nix. Yet Eve learns there’s something more to be concerned about by the end of the book.
My one tiny little criticism is that the characters too easily avoid being tracked when they want to. I felt there would be a log of their movements, like a cell phone can easily log your movements even when not in use. So I would have liked a fancy bit of tech or something along those lines to help them out instead of them simply doing questionable things when no one happens to be looking.
All together, this was a fantastic story. At 16+ hours as an audiobook, you might think it could drag here and there. Not so! It flew by! 4.75/5 stars.
The Narration: Natalie Duke gave a really good performance. She was perfect for Eve and I loved how she covered all of Eve’s emotions throughout this story. Duke had distinct voices for all the characters as well and her male voices were believable. Duke’s pacing was perfect. My one little quibble is that there are a few moments when the volume goes up or down – not so much as to trouble you if you have earbuds on. Just needs a little polishing on the technical side. 4.5/5 stars
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Azalea Ellis. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
August 11, 2017
A new take on the Litrpg genre.
It's not a VRMMO type f story, more like a Augmented reality story with aliens and cosmic entities. I like it but there are problem with the story: it doesn't precise which country the players are from, nor how far in the future the actions is happening. I wish we had more world lores.
But it is worth the read!
It's not a VRMMO type f story, more like a Augmented reality story with aliens and cosmic entities. I like it but there are problem with the story: it doesn't precise which country the players are from, nor how far in the future the actions is happening. I wish we had more world lores.
But it is worth the read!
June 1, 2019
Pretty dark
Didn’t expect it to be so dark. Has a real hunger game feel to it especially in the brutality. The characters are pretty interesting. The litrpg aspect is a bit limited. At times, it feels a bit jumpy. Thankfully, you get some answer towards the end, but much is left to learn.
Didn’t expect it to be so dark. Has a real hunger game feel to it especially in the brutality. The characters are pretty interesting. The litrpg aspect is a bit limited. At times, it feels a bit jumpy. Thankfully, you get some answer towards the end, but much is left to learn.
April 3, 2016
This would be a great book if you back off scenes.
Nice book a lot of unnecessary stuff.
You should have given some background on the big blond man.in this book.
Nice book a lot of unnecessary stuff.
You should have given some background on the big blond man.in this book.
July 8, 2019
( Format : Audiobook )
"We grow strong or we die."
On her way to school, teenager Eve Redding responds to an appeal for help from a youth in an alley and is instantly overpowered by a man and a woman, who inject her in the back of her neck and leave her, unconscious, to make her own way home. The school contacts her mother about her non presence that day and Eve is examined by a doctor and put to bed. Three days later, when she fully regains consciousness, Eve discovers that she has been recruited as a player in a game, but must tell no one about it, and she must fulfil certain tasks set by her handler, a male voice in her head calling himself Bunny. Success with these brings attractive prizes. But there is also a downside: periodically group texts are initiated, nasty and brutal. And to fail in them is to die.Sent
Sent in a non specified future time and location, the book has hints of the Hunger Games in the brutality of some of the tasks. And it is not really LitRPG, given that the events are occurring in real life with the appropriate consequences resulting from failure (and success). But there are all of the gaming elements with different attributes and levelling up, etc. As the book develops, the character of the main protagonist, who is also telling the story from her own point of view in first person present, also changes in response to the situations encountered. It is unfortunate that she is an unlikable character from the beginning and most others are giving very little character dspth. The world building for the sets of the trials is good, but that of the home town background is somewhat sparse, leaving big gaps in credibility such as how can numerous children become part of the game without their absence or distress becoming increasingly obvious?
A fascinating beginning which, although remaining exciting, turned into a more conventional fighting and survival gore fest as the novel proceeds, with too much self pitying justification. Shorter would have been better. However, the narration was excellent, with Natalie Duke giving distinctive and separate voice to all of the numerous protagonists as well as infusing the text with emotion, where appropriate. Her reading was clear, well paced and intoned, her voice pleasant to hear. A fine performance that certainly assisted the ongoing of the novel.
I was very fortunate in being freely gifted with a complimentary copy of Gods of Blood and Bone by the rights holder, after I requested it via Audiobook Boom. Thank you so much. I did enjoy the book, for the most part, and am curious to discover what will happen in book two, Gods of Rust and Ruin. The mix of S.F., fantasy and a small helping of horror made for an intriguing story even if it did seem overly long and characterisation under achievsd. But i would happily recommend this for the young adult audience and think it would also make an exciting film.
"We grow strong or we die."
On her way to school, teenager Eve Redding responds to an appeal for help from a youth in an alley and is instantly overpowered by a man and a woman, who inject her in the back of her neck and leave her, unconscious, to make her own way home. The school contacts her mother about her non presence that day and Eve is examined by a doctor and put to bed. Three days later, when she fully regains consciousness, Eve discovers that she has been recruited as a player in a game, but must tell no one about it, and she must fulfil certain tasks set by her handler, a male voice in her head calling himself Bunny. Success with these brings attractive prizes. But there is also a downside: periodically group texts are initiated, nasty and brutal. And to fail in them is to die.Sent
Sent in a non specified future time and location, the book has hints of the Hunger Games in the brutality of some of the tasks. And it is not really LitRPG, given that the events are occurring in real life with the appropriate consequences resulting from failure (and success). But there are all of the gaming elements with different attributes and levelling up, etc. As the book develops, the character of the main protagonist, who is also telling the story from her own point of view in first person present, also changes in response to the situations encountered. It is unfortunate that she is an unlikable character from the beginning and most others are giving very little character dspth. The world building for the sets of the trials is good, but that of the home town background is somewhat sparse, leaving big gaps in credibility such as how can numerous children become part of the game without their absence or distress becoming increasingly obvious?
A fascinating beginning which, although remaining exciting, turned into a more conventional fighting and survival gore fest as the novel proceeds, with too much self pitying justification. Shorter would have been better. However, the narration was excellent, with Natalie Duke giving distinctive and separate voice to all of the numerous protagonists as well as infusing the text with emotion, where appropriate. Her reading was clear, well paced and intoned, her voice pleasant to hear. A fine performance that certainly assisted the ongoing of the novel.
I was very fortunate in being freely gifted with a complimentary copy of Gods of Blood and Bone by the rights holder, after I requested it via Audiobook Boom. Thank you so much. I did enjoy the book, for the most part, and am curious to discover what will happen in book two, Gods of Rust and Ruin. The mix of S.F., fantasy and a small helping of horror made for an intriguing story even if it did seem overly long and characterisation under achievsd. But i would happily recommend this for the young adult audience and think it would also make an exciting film.
August 28, 2023
Eve wasn’t expecting to become part of The Game – in fact, she’d never even heard of it. But after being mugged in a dark alley and injected with a virtual reality chip, she finds herself embroiled as a Player in a secret game, one that results in her needing to level up and fight alien creatures on another planet. The Players can die in this game, but death isn’t the most terrifying option. As Eve struggles to find the truth behind what’s going on, she learns of secrets and plots that go beyond her wildest imaginings.
I liked the concept of this book and was interested to see how the author made this somewhat familiar plot unique and new. The fact that it’s a LitRPG read was part of what drew me in. The idea of The Game and using VR was fascinating, but it wasn’t executed as well as it could’ve been. The worldbuilding needed more development and incorporation. Aside from the game and trials, there was minimal inclusion of the world and setting. This made the game/trials feel disconnected from the setting, which led to the story feeling disjointed and like it was lacking an important element. Similarly, as the focus was on the game and trials, the work became repetitive without adding much more to the plot, setting, or knowledge we had of what was going on. I found myself losing interest whenever it was time for a trial; while they did often show off the monsters of the other world, they were combat heavy, repetitive, and didn’t move much forward.
Each chapter started with a quote from an author, some from classical literature and some from modern works. I liked this as it often set the tone for the coming chapter. The writing style was approachable and easy to read though somewhat simple. There was an instance where the word “retarded” was casually used and the author compared non-white characters’ skin to food (e.g., “latte”), two things that are generally frowned upon these days. The characters were generally one-dimensional as well, making it difficult to really care what happened to them or to find them engaging.
I started off quite interested in this read but found it didn’t maintain my interest or leave me interested in the sequel. If you enjoy YA combat-heavy reads that are dystopian and lightly sci-fi with angsty MCs, then you might enjoy this one. My thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I liked the concept of this book and was interested to see how the author made this somewhat familiar plot unique and new. The fact that it’s a LitRPG read was part of what drew me in. The idea of The Game and using VR was fascinating, but it wasn’t executed as well as it could’ve been. The worldbuilding needed more development and incorporation. Aside from the game and trials, there was minimal inclusion of the world and setting. This made the game/trials feel disconnected from the setting, which led to the story feeling disjointed and like it was lacking an important element. Similarly, as the focus was on the game and trials, the work became repetitive without adding much more to the plot, setting, or knowledge we had of what was going on. I found myself losing interest whenever it was time for a trial; while they did often show off the monsters of the other world, they were combat heavy, repetitive, and didn’t move much forward.
Each chapter started with a quote from an author, some from classical literature and some from modern works. I liked this as it often set the tone for the coming chapter. The writing style was approachable and easy to read though somewhat simple. There was an instance where the word “retarded” was casually used and the author compared non-white characters’ skin to food (e.g., “latte”), two things that are generally frowned upon these days. The characters were generally one-dimensional as well, making it difficult to really care what happened to them or to find them engaging.
I started off quite interested in this read but found it didn’t maintain my interest or leave me interested in the sequel. If you enjoy YA combat-heavy reads that are dystopian and lightly sci-fi with angsty MCs, then you might enjoy this one. My thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
July 30, 2023
Listen, this is a great book. When I received this ARC, I approached it with extreme trepidation. I’m typically not a fan of video game-esque storylines and the cover + description weren’t particularly compelling. HOWEVER, I find that my initial impression was so wrong.
“Gods of Blood and Bone” includes:
- death games/challenges with forced participation
- found family
- morally gray main character
- intense action sequences
- secrets and lies
- epic battle training
This was a total page turner (figuratively because I listen to it in audiobook). The protagonist, Eve, is clever, conniving, and remains utterly unbreakable against impossible odds. I surprisingly loved the video game elements that were included in this book, and felt that each of the death challenges captivated my attention and kept me on the edge of my seat. I also loved the found family aspects that brought Eve into a team with several other “players.” Each of the characters were expertly flawed and felt it like each of them genuinely brought something unique to the storyline.
I won’t spoil anything, but there were a few elements related to the “gods” which I found a bit odd. But I’m confident they will be fleshed out in later books. The final twist also felt like a bit of a letdown since the rest of the book was such a high. But, again, I’m eager to see how it unravels in the next book.
Eve is a badass. The way she refused to be ashamed of her selfishness was so refreshing to read, and it was so enthralling to read from the perspective of someone who 1. Isn’t a typical hero and 2. Isn’t interested in being a hero.
I highly recommend this book to lovers of “The Fourth Wing” and “The Serpent and the Wings of Night.”
I received this audiobook as an ARC. Thank you to the publisher.
“Gods of Blood and Bone” includes:
- death games/challenges with forced participation
- found family
- morally gray main character
- intense action sequences
- secrets and lies
- epic battle training
This was a total page turner (figuratively because I listen to it in audiobook). The protagonist, Eve, is clever, conniving, and remains utterly unbreakable against impossible odds. I surprisingly loved the video game elements that were included in this book, and felt that each of the death challenges captivated my attention and kept me on the edge of my seat. I also loved the found family aspects that brought Eve into a team with several other “players.” Each of the characters were expertly flawed and felt it like each of them genuinely brought something unique to the storyline.
I won’t spoil anything, but there were a few elements related to the “gods” which I found a bit odd. But I’m confident they will be fleshed out in later books. The final twist also felt like a bit of a letdown since the rest of the book was such a high. But, again, I’m eager to see how it unravels in the next book.
Eve is a badass. The way she refused to be ashamed of her selfishness was so refreshing to read, and it was so enthralling to read from the perspective of someone who 1. Isn’t a typical hero and 2. Isn’t interested in being a hero.
I highly recommend this book to lovers of “The Fourth Wing” and “The Serpent and the Wings of Night.”
I received this audiobook as an ARC. Thank you to the publisher.
January 18, 2021
Normally I enjoy Young Adult books and I definitely love game -lit, however this book didn't really warrant any five stars out of me.
I put three stars because there are some aspects of the story that I found unique and extremely interesting.
What I didn't care for very much was the main character especially, but actually, all of them. There wasn't any real connection to any of the characters and there was kind of an angry opposition I had, even to the main character. They were predictable, bland, and it seemed unlikely they'd have such a bond with each other in the first place.
I wanted to love the Game-lit part of the book but it was just okay. I enjoy fantasy and science fiction both and maybe I expected way too much from what I thought this book might be because overall I just didn't love it.
I applaud the author and their vision and the mix of it all together and I did finish the book.
I read it on Kindle unlimited so technically, I didn't really pay for it and so for a sort of free book , I am giving it a mid range ( to me) vote of 3 stars and saying my main issue was the characters first, and second, that it seemed difficult to figure out the world/entire book because it just lacked something that I don't even know how to explain what it is. It wasn't fully pieced together in my opinion.
For an actual teen/ young adult reader ( I'm 55), I think they would find this a good option for reading a different type of story ( having a few Game-lit elements in it) than what they're usually given to choose from. But not so different that they wouldn't have some interest in checking it out.
I put three stars because there are some aspects of the story that I found unique and extremely interesting.
What I didn't care for very much was the main character especially, but actually, all of them. There wasn't any real connection to any of the characters and there was kind of an angry opposition I had, even to the main character. They were predictable, bland, and it seemed unlikely they'd have such a bond with each other in the first place.
I wanted to love the Game-lit part of the book but it was just okay. I enjoy fantasy and science fiction both and maybe I expected way too much from what I thought this book might be because overall I just didn't love it.
I applaud the author and their vision and the mix of it all together and I did finish the book.
I read it on Kindle unlimited so technically, I didn't really pay for it and so for a sort of free book , I am giving it a mid range ( to me) vote of 3 stars and saying my main issue was the characters first, and second, that it seemed difficult to figure out the world/entire book because it just lacked something that I don't even know how to explain what it is. It wasn't fully pieced together in my opinion.
For an actual teen/ young adult reader ( I'm 55), I think they would find this a good option for reading a different type of story ( having a few Game-lit elements in it) than what they're usually given to choose from. But not so different that they wouldn't have some interest in checking it out.
December 5, 2019
If you want a description of the story skip this paragraph. I like Azalea writing style she keeps things moving at a fast enough past to keep you engaged but slow enough where you can process implications as you go. The way she introduces the game elements flow rather nicely and doesn't feel forced. Some of the reasoning given for the extraordinary abilities definitely needs a suspension of believe but that is normal for this genre. Her character building works well and the interaction between characters holds up through this book.
The book starts off with the abduction of Eve Redding she has now idea what is going on except she should not have stopped to help that poor looking boy on the way to her house. Eve wakes up grimey and sore in the same alley only to find out they, whoever they are has implanted a VR chip and GPS tracker into her neck. Things really start to get weird after these screens pop up in front of her and she starts hearing a voice calling itself "Bunny". From there it get stranger she is now playing a game and cannot tell anyone about it, but unlike other games this one can alter her body and has life and death consequences. She must compete and suffer to earn herself enough seeds, making herself strong enough to get out of the mess she has found herself in.
A loaner at heart Eve decides that needs to change after her first trial and near death experience. She forms a ragtag group of other players with different skills to do well in the trials, and help her plan for a bigger mission outside of the trials as well. This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
The book starts off with the abduction of Eve Redding she has now idea what is going on except she should not have stopped to help that poor looking boy on the way to her house. Eve wakes up grimey and sore in the same alley only to find out they, whoever they are has implanted a VR chip and GPS tracker into her neck. Things really start to get weird after these screens pop up in front of her and she starts hearing a voice calling itself "Bunny". From there it get stranger she is now playing a game and cannot tell anyone about it, but unlike other games this one can alter her body and has life and death consequences. She must compete and suffer to earn herself enough seeds, making herself strong enough to get out of the mess she has found herself in.
A loaner at heart Eve decides that needs to change after her first trial and near death experience. She forms a ragtag group of other players with different skills to do well in the trials, and help her plan for a bigger mission outside of the trials as well. This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
June 14, 2023
Have you ever packed a suitcase for a trip, and tried to put everything possible in it? It's so bad, you can't even close it without help, and after all that its too heavy to carry?
That's this book. It's stuffed full of interesting ideas, characters, world building, fight scenes and more. As much as I enjoyed the book, it got to be a bit much. Could have left out the kitchen sink.
Eve is a teenage girl who is implanted with strange devices against her will. She soon finds out that one is a tracking device, and the other makes her part of a horrific game. Completely unprepared, Eve finds herself in her first match, and somehow manages to survive.
One of the things I really liked was that Eve was aggressive in trying to find answers, and getting herself out of the game, and also protecting her family. She figures out early that her survival is not possible over the long term. The different tests are brutal, and horrifying. The book gets a bit grim.
But there is more going on, much more. Who are the people behind the Game? Why are they doing it? How far will they go to keep their secrets?
What Eve and her friends discover is only the tip of the iceberg.
That's this book. It's stuffed full of interesting ideas, characters, world building, fight scenes and more. As much as I enjoyed the book, it got to be a bit much. Could have left out the kitchen sink.
Eve is a teenage girl who is implanted with strange devices against her will. She soon finds out that one is a tracking device, and the other makes her part of a horrific game. Completely unprepared, Eve finds herself in her first match, and somehow manages to survive.
One of the things I really liked was that Eve was aggressive in trying to find answers, and getting herself out of the game, and also protecting her family. She figures out early that her survival is not possible over the long term. The different tests are brutal, and horrifying. The book gets a bit grim.
But there is more going on, much more. Who are the people behind the Game? Why are they doing it? How far will they go to keep their secrets?
What Eve and her friends discover is only the tip of the iceberg.
August 22, 2023
I wasn’t sure what this would turn out to be. A GameLit novel from the perspective of a female character. I was hoping for something that wasn’t a typical “man/boy gets dragged to another world as the system drags Earth into the game universe, and quickly takes over as the dominant hero across the multi-verse”. To be honest, those are starting to become a little tedious.
Eve Redding is a high school senior who stops to help someone on the street, is drugged and dropped off with no idea of what is going on. A few days later she hears music and is whisked away to a Trial. She manages to survive, then finds herself at home, beaten up and lost. Ten days later, she hers the music and ends up in another Trial.
In between Trials, she is trying to understand what is going on, and still dealing with life on Earth, her mother, and her brother.
Ok, I know there is more going on with Eve than what we are being told, (there are plenty of hints along the way), but the story of her fight against Nix, trying to solve the mystery of the trials, and who is at the other end of the damn Blood Covenant? Well, apparently I’ll have to keep reading. Darn.
Eve Redding is a high school senior who stops to help someone on the street, is drugged and dropped off with no idea of what is going on. A few days later she hears music and is whisked away to a Trial. She manages to survive, then finds herself at home, beaten up and lost. Ten days later, she hers the music and ends up in another Trial.
In between Trials, she is trying to understand what is going on, and still dealing with life on Earth, her mother, and her brother.
Ok, I know there is more going on with Eve than what we are being told, (there are plenty of hints along the way), but the story of her fight against Nix, trying to solve the mystery of the trials, and who is at the other end of the damn Blood Covenant? Well, apparently I’ll have to keep reading. Darn.
August 7, 2023
Well played, Ellis (and Narrator Natalie Duke) well played. I’m hooked. I literally finished and downloaded the next book. Gods of Blood and Bone is a New Adult Epic Science Fiction series (with some Fantasy). In this alternative Dystopian Earth, Eve Redding is thrust into a life-and-death “game” with violence, moral dilemmas, friendships, and choices. The story’s mystery hooked me; something unknown has been pressuring the “games.” Why are the aliens doing this? This sense of a greater picture keeps you wondering as Eve pieces together more information and learns to thrive.
Ellis created a rich setting with intense plots and characters. Some improvement could be made in the middle of the story with pacing since it lulled. It could easily bump up this series to a 5-star with some work. Listening to this as an Audiobook greatly enhanced and sped up the experience. Natalie Duke’s performance created another level of immersion, 5/5 stars for her performance.
4.3 Stars for the Book
Ellis created a rich setting with intense plots and characters. Some improvement could be made in the middle of the story with pacing since it lulled. It could easily bump up this series to a 5-star with some work. Listening to this as an Audiobook greatly enhanced and sped up the experience. Natalie Duke’s performance created another level of immersion, 5/5 stars for her performance.
4.3 Stars for the Book
June 9, 2019
In the future people are judged by a corporation called Nix. Those unfortunate enough to qualify are transported to The Game. The Game is a series of trials, be it mental puzzles or physical endurance, where you either succeed and return home until the next trial or die; literally. Our protagonist, Eve is one such contestant. We follow Eve, along with a few friends she eventually picked up, as they endure (or not) the various trials. The different trials are interesting and the characters quite likable. I especially liked Jackie for her gutsy spirit. As the story progresses the trials get harder and more dangerous. By the close of the first volume I am wondering; who or what is Eve’s Blood Covenant Champion? Along with just who or what the heck is Eve? I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
January 22, 2019
OK book but not too keen on the main protagonist.
This is a OK book, not giving it five stars because I do not like the main protagonist. She is awfully cold manipulative and whiny. She often has the throw up and awful lot after going through some of the circumstances you would feel that she would be adjusted to some of the things that her teammates and her are going through. The best character in the book is Jackie, and I believe she should be the main protagonist. Or she should have a spinoff series of her own. I know there are four books in the series and I will continue on reading the next book I give this book a 50-50, You dear reader have to decide if you wish to read this book.
This is a OK book, not giving it five stars because I do not like the main protagonist. She is awfully cold manipulative and whiny. She often has the throw up and awful lot after going through some of the circumstances you would feel that she would be adjusted to some of the things that her teammates and her are going through. The best character in the book is Jackie, and I believe she should be the main protagonist. Or she should have a spinoff series of her own. I know there are four books in the series and I will continue on reading the next book I give this book a 50-50, You dear reader have to decide if you wish to read this book.
June 20, 2024
Uniquely Different LitRPG
This series, both of a female main character, struggling against all odds to survive a secret organization. This book somewhat reminds me of across between Hunger Games series and Divergent series. This story is not clustered with the typically excessive ranking and progression recap typical of most lit RPGs. Expect a slow start and progression, with the story gradually building up. I quite enjoyed how each chapter starts with a quote from others authors, works of art, or historical figures. Like my title states this is different from your typical LitRPG. I’m happy I gave it a shot and read it.
Looking forward to reading more works by the author Azalea Ellis, as I plan on continuing this series.
This series, both of a female main character, struggling against all odds to survive a secret organization. This book somewhat reminds me of across between Hunger Games series and Divergent series. This story is not clustered with the typically excessive ranking and progression recap typical of most lit RPGs. Expect a slow start and progression, with the story gradually building up. I quite enjoyed how each chapter starts with a quote from others authors, works of art, or historical figures. Like my title states this is different from your typical LitRPG. I’m happy I gave it a shot and read it.
Looking forward to reading more works by the author Azalea Ellis, as I plan on continuing this series.
March 1, 2021
Quite different
Female MC, which is a nice change of pace, but she is also quite tall. So you don’t really get the ‘typical’ female experience.
Suitable for YA, except a bit graphically violent.
Basically a slow-rolling System-Apocalypse type LitRPG, with some interesting concepts. An extensive stat sheet that is actually a bit under-employed, for all that improving your stats is a prime motivation.
The plot is simple, but the world is complex.
I am going to purchase this book (read in KU) and get the next one. That’s my recommendation; I’m going to spend money.
Female MC, which is a nice change of pace, but she is also quite tall. So you don’t really get the ‘typical’ female experience.
Suitable for YA, except a bit graphically violent.
Basically a slow-rolling System-Apocalypse type LitRPG, with some interesting concepts. An extensive stat sheet that is actually a bit under-employed, for all that improving your stats is a prime motivation.
The plot is simple, but the world is complex.
I am going to purchase this book (read in KU) and get the next one. That’s my recommendation; I’m going to spend money.
May 2, 2021
I wanted to like this story. The pacing is erratic and there is pretty much no character development. Combine that with an overly complex plot and a lack of foundation for what is actually happening and it misses the mark. I will be honest that there were also parts with so much detail that it seemed like the author was trying to picture it on screen. I hope she let go of that in the subsequent books and focused on developing the people, places, and plot more. I don’t intend to explore that myself though.
August 10, 2022
Picked back up
I actually attempted to read this forever ago, before I really had GameLit or LitRPG exposure. Honestly, I stopped reading it because of how shallow the fmc (female main character) came across. I picked it back up because I've really become obsessed with this genre. It absolutely improved, so I should have given it more of a chance before. The shallow part is essentially trauma-d out of her. I'm not sure what to think of the male she connected to. Very enjoyable, and I look forward to more.
I actually attempted to read this forever ago, before I really had GameLit or LitRPG exposure. Honestly, I stopped reading it because of how shallow the fmc (female main character) came across. I picked it back up because I've really become obsessed with this genre. It absolutely improved, so I should have given it more of a chance before. The shallow part is essentially trauma-d out of her. I'm not sure what to think of the male she connected to. Very enjoyable, and I look forward to more.
February 25, 2019
Excellent
What an excellent take on the genre. I bought the first book not knowing what to expect, and boy was I blown away. This is a lot better than I expected, and I cannot wait to get started on the second book. This is an absolutely fresh take on the litRPG genre and the author weaves a compelling tale of suspense, action, mystery, sadness, death, and even aliens into the story. How can anyone resist such a story?
What an excellent take on the genre. I bought the first book not knowing what to expect, and boy was I blown away. This is a lot better than I expected, and I cannot wait to get started on the second book. This is an absolutely fresh take on the litRPG genre and the author weaves a compelling tale of suspense, action, mystery, sadness, death, and even aliens into the story. How can anyone resist such a story?
May 15, 2019
I liked this book. It is quite a bit different from most of the other LitRPG books I've read. It has some similarities with a few, (using what amounts to marbles to level up skills),, but overall, the method used for leveling in this one is (mostly) unique. The story is a good one, if you're an LitRPG fan, this book may not be exactly what you're looking for, but it's a darned good story, and I recommend it if you're a fan of gamelit or LitRPG stories, I don't think you will be disappointed.
July 2, 2019
My review is based on the audiobook. What a fantastic start of series. This story is original with realistic & likeable characters. The descriptive world building allows the reader to easily visualize the story taking place. The players come into their powers in a natural way - they story flows seamlessly between game and life. The narrator does a great job bringing the story and characters to life. I really enjoyed this fast paced story and look forward to see where the author takes us next.
December 24, 2021
Really excellent beginning
This is a massive, fairly easy to follow, great big jumble of a story. There's so much going on, and a lot of it doesn't make sense to start with, but generally becomes apparent as the story goes on. It's very long, but it's interesting, so it doesn't feel boring. It can be overwhelming occasionally, but it's just because a lot happens in very short spaces and you just need a moment or two to digest what's happening.
This is a massive, fairly easy to follow, great big jumble of a story. There's so much going on, and a lot of it doesn't make sense to start with, but generally becomes apparent as the story goes on. It's very long, but it's interesting, so it doesn't feel boring. It can be overwhelming occasionally, but it's just because a lot happens in very short spaces and you just need a moment or two to digest what's happening.
did-not-finish
August 27, 2023DNF at 27%
I tried...
There was literally no world building and you're expected to roll with the random hunger games LitRPG thing happening with no actual explanations.
If the author had laid out the stakes like they did in the Hunger Games then I would've definitely connected with the characters. But she didn't explain anything, so everything feels pointless other than "you die if you don't participate." Way to make us care.
I tried...
There was literally no world building and you're expected to roll with the random hunger games LitRPG thing happening with no actual explanations.
If the author had laid out the stakes like they did in the Hunger Games then I would've definitely connected with the characters. But she didn't explain anything, so everything feels pointless other than "you die if you don't participate." Way to make us care.
April 22, 2020
Liked it. Strangely captivating.
Interesting premise. Lots more death than I’d prefer. Seemingly senseless conflict. Many loose ends explained in an acceptable manner at the end. Biggest gap: why would the attacking world provide Trials? And why were the aliens not coming to invade like the players were transporting? Still enjoyed it!
Interesting premise. Lots more death than I’d prefer. Seemingly senseless conflict. Many loose ends explained in an acceptable manner at the end. Biggest gap: why would the attacking world provide Trials? And why were the aliens not coming to invade like the players were transporting? Still enjoyed it!
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