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The Tainted Blood Duology #1
Forged by Blood
A brilliant new voice brings a brilliant new novel: debut author Ehigbor Okosun's first book in an action-packed, poignant duology inspired by Nigerian mythology--full of magic and emotion and set in a highly atmospheric, complex world in which a young woman fights to survive a tyrannical society, having everything stripped away from her, and seeks vengeance for her mother's murder and the spilled blood of her people.
In the midst of a tyrannical regime and political invasion, Dèmi just wants to survive: to avoid the suspicion of the nonmagical Ajes who occupy her ancestral homeland of Ife; to escape the King’s brutal genocide of her people—the darker skinned, magic wielding Oluso; and to live peacefully with her secretive mother while learning to control the terrifying blood magic that is her birthright.
But when Dèmi’s misplaced trust costs her mother’s life, survival gives way to vengeance. She bides her time until the devious Lord Ekwensi grants her the perfect opportunity—kidnap the Aje prince, Jonas, and bargain with his life to save the remaining Oluso. With the help of her reckless childhood friend Colin, Dèmi succeeds, but discovers that she and Jonas share more than deadly secrets; every moment tangles them further into a forbidden, unmistakable attraction, much to Colin’s—and Dèmi’s—distress.
The kidnapping is now a joint mission: to return to the King, help get Lord Ekwensi on the council, and bolster the voice of the Oluso in a system designed to silence them. But the way is dangerous, Dèmi’s magic is growing yet uncertain, and it’s not clear if she can trust the two men at her side.
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.
In the midst of a tyrannical regime and political invasion, Dèmi just wants to survive: to avoid the suspicion of the nonmagical Ajes who occupy her ancestral homeland of Ife; to escape the King’s brutal genocide of her people—the darker skinned, magic wielding Oluso; and to live peacefully with her secretive mother while learning to control the terrifying blood magic that is her birthright.
But when Dèmi’s misplaced trust costs her mother’s life, survival gives way to vengeance. She bides her time until the devious Lord Ekwensi grants her the perfect opportunity—kidnap the Aje prince, Jonas, and bargain with his life to save the remaining Oluso. With the help of her reckless childhood friend Colin, Dèmi succeeds, but discovers that she and Jonas share more than deadly secrets; every moment tangles them further into a forbidden, unmistakable attraction, much to Colin’s—and Dèmi’s—distress.
The kidnapping is now a joint mission: to return to the King, help get Lord Ekwensi on the council, and bolster the voice of the Oluso in a system designed to silence them. But the way is dangerous, Dèmi’s magic is growing yet uncertain, and it’s not clear if she can trust the two men at her side.
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.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published August 8, 2023
250 people are currently reading
20565 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 726 reviews
February 26, 2024
In Forged by Blood a young woman named Demi must kidnap a prince in order to save her family.
Forged by Blood has all the pieces to really be a standout fantasy but so often for me it took the easy and straightforward approach.
Pacing was a big issue in this book because it would constantly change and we sometimes didn't have enough time to sit with a reveal or a big event before moving on to the next. While at the same time the overall journey felt dragged out because of repetitive scenes or dialogue.
There's a love triangle that made for some wacky and funny moments but everything about how it played out was so predictable it felt unnecessary. If you've read any YA fantasy than you know who she ends up choosing from the start. And she was so whishy washy for most of the book openly kissing them both in front of each other, it felt a little cruel.
I know it was originally written with a YA audience in mind and I don't think the story ever elevated outside of that YA audience despite it being published by an adult imprint. It could easily sit next to Children of Blood and Bone and Blood Scion on the bookshelf. There's no morally gray characters. The bad guys are bad and the good guys, though they keep a few secrets are very clearly shown as morally superior. And there was a lot of room here for nuance but Demi is pretty much a firm believer in taking the high road. I'm wondering if that will change in the sequel. Also not in love with some of the messaging that was presented.
It does end in a way where it gives you a solid conclusion while also leaving room to do more. Though I'm not sure I want to continue on this journey.
Full review
https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot....
Forged by Blood has all the pieces to really be a standout fantasy but so often for me it took the easy and straightforward approach.
Pacing was a big issue in this book because it would constantly change and we sometimes didn't have enough time to sit with a reveal or a big event before moving on to the next. While at the same time the overall journey felt dragged out because of repetitive scenes or dialogue.
There's a love triangle that made for some wacky and funny moments but everything about how it played out was so predictable it felt unnecessary. If you've read any YA fantasy than you know who she ends up choosing from the start. And she was so whishy washy for most of the book openly kissing them both in front of each other, it felt a little cruel.
I know it was originally written with a YA audience in mind and I don't think the story ever elevated outside of that YA audience despite it being published by an adult imprint. It could easily sit next to Children of Blood and Bone and Blood Scion on the bookshelf. There's no morally gray characters. The bad guys are bad and the good guys, though they keep a few secrets are very clearly shown as morally superior. And there was a lot of room here for nuance but Demi is pretty much a firm believer in taking the high road. I'm wondering if that will change in the sequel. Also not in love with some of the messaging that was presented.
It does end in a way where it gives you a solid conclusion while also leaving room to do more. Though I'm not sure I want to continue on this journey.
Full review
https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot....
May 28, 2024
Spellbinding, Magical and Utterly gripping!
Preamble
From the first page, we're not just introduced but smacked upside the head with the details contained within the prose, making the reading flow smother than butter.
The Characters, Plot and Structuring
4.5 out of 5
The main character is a brave and rather angry young woman that has been an outcast all of her short life, her peoples conquered and ostracized within her Kingdom for possessing magic. She's excellently depicted among a host of other amazing characters and her story starts after a harrowing and violent clash with the invading soldiers.
The World-building and Writing
5 out of 5
The tale is set in an ancient fantastical West African kingdom based on the Yoruba lore and the Ifé Dynasty; the author expertly orchestrates her knowledge of the lore of those ancient times and adds her own imagination to make for a spellbinding journey into the heart of one of the greatest kingdoms to grace the sub-saharan continent. Very detailed and immersive!
The story is told from the first person perspective and the writing leaves no details underneath a stone that's untouched and dissected; be it the main character's inner monologues or the immersive world-building or even, the fantastical magic system (which is elemental); it just gives so much fun to read and you find the pages flying by in no time at all.
The Resolution
4.0 out of 5
Not much to say here except that I've been impressed and the setup she makes in this one for the rest of the books makes me rather excited for the release of the sequel. Cliffhanger ending as usual.
Conclusion
This has been a good journey set in a unique own-world universe based on West-African mythology, magic and lore. It's also well written but not without the hiccups most debuts face, namely the pacing. I'll highly recommend this one for those wanting to dabble into but haven't yet, of this kind of Epic Fantasy.
2023 Read
Preamble
From the first page, we're not just introduced but smacked upside the head with the details contained within the prose, making the reading flow smother than butter.
“Please heal him,” the woman says, begging Mummy with tear-filled eyes. “Please.”Then comes the magic or rather at that point, some generic folk healing plus some bit of ancestral spirits blessings that offers a stunning glimpse of the fantasmagoric treat awaiting readers into the incredible magical system used based on mythology from my homeland. Coming from a superb and unique imagination of a new to me author, Ehigbor Okosun, weaving a tapestry of world-building stunning in its uniqueness and some intricately detailed structure.
My mother grunts, but she takes the boy from the woman and sets him on our cot in the corner of the room.
This woman will get us killed, I know it.
But I waddle over, dragging the calabash behind me, its heavy wooden body leaning against my legs like a cow about to give birth. When I reach the edge of the cot, I open the neck and pour palm wine into the cracked bowl lying next to it. Mummy pulls the boy’s eyelids up and peers at pale irises ringed with red cracks. Then she unbuttons his tunic and examines the network of bulging red veins spread across his pale skin.
“Dèmi?” she says.And this from just a few pages of reading!
“Okonkwo poisoning. It’s been at least six hours. He won’t last another,” I say.
She nods. “Good. How long will the recovery be?”
“If he is healed now, then at most a day. But the healer will be exhausted for three.”
She smiles, brushing a lock of my tightly coiled hair from my face, brown eyes shining with pride. Then she turns to the woman. “Even if he’s healed, your son might still pay a price in the future. Are you prepared?”
The woman’s tearful face morphs so quickly into a mask of disgust that I fear I imagined her tears. She spits on the floor—our floor—before tossing a cloth bag on the ground. Several gold coins roll out, littering the mud like the kwasho bugs that crawl around in summertime. There is at least twenty lira, enough to feed us for two years, even with the extra trade taxes.
“Pure gold,” she sneers. “More than you’ve ever seen in your miserable lives. That should be enough. Or do you need more?”
I bristle. “Gold will not stop the spirits—”
Mummy shoots me a glance and I swallow my words. She straightens her back. We only have the small kerosene lantern to light our hut, but her skin—brown like fresh kola nuts—glows golden in that light. Her braided hair is a crown adorning her heart-shaped face. For a moment, I see her again as she used to be, before she was cast out, a princess of Ifé.
The Characters, Plot and Structuring
4.5 out of 5
The main character is a brave and rather angry young woman that has been an outcast all of her short life, her peoples conquered and ostracized within her Kingdom for possessing magic. She's excellently depicted among a host of other amazing characters and her story starts after a harrowing and violent clash with the invading soldiers.
I want to scream in her face. The woman spits again, and it takes everything I have to hold myself still. Meascan. Adalu. It’s times like these, when these insults wash over me, that I drown in a well of anger. There are so many words for what we are, words sung over me like a lullaby of curses since my birth. The message is the same: We are not human. We are tainted. Tools to be used and discardedSo after a misfortune that finds her seeking vengeance for herself, her tribe and family, she embarks upon the classic heroes' quest in finding herself and her powers in a cruel and evil world.
The World-building and Writing
5 out of 5
The tale is set in an ancient fantastical West African kingdom based on the Yoruba lore and the Ifé Dynasty; the author expertly orchestrates her knowledge of the lore of those ancient times and adds her own imagination to make for a spellbinding journey into the heart of one of the greatest kingdoms to grace the sub-saharan continent. Very detailed and immersive!
The story is told from the first person perspective and the writing leaves no details underneath a stone that's untouched and dissected; be it the main character's inner monologues or the immersive world-building or even, the fantastical magic system (which is elemental); it just gives so much fun to read and you find the pages flying by in no time at all.
The Resolution
4.0 out of 5
Not much to say here except that I've been impressed and the setup she makes in this one for the rest of the books makes me rather excited for the release of the sequel. Cliffhanger ending as usual.
Conclusion
This has been a good journey set in a unique own-world universe based on West-African mythology, magic and lore. It's also well written but not without the hiccups most debuts face, namely the pacing. I'll highly recommend this one for those wanting to dabble into but haven't yet, of this kind of Epic Fantasy.
2023 Read
December 20, 2023
Blog | Instagram
Rating: 4 stars
Cover: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I am obsessed with the vibrant colours, text and illustrations that make this design stunning. This cover also does a great job of capturing the essence and genre of the story.
Writing: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
The first-person narrative and smooth, descriptive prose made immersing myself in this story really easy. I was also fascinated by the rich world filled with diverse creatures, magic and culture, even though I wished it had been better developed and incorporated into the story.
“People will always fear those with more power, and those with power will always fear that they will lose it."
Storyline: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Following inciting events at the start, a compelling, action-packed tale that dives into complex themes such as colonialism, grief, and beauty standards quickly unfolds. While the storyline also includes several twists and turns that keep it interesting, it relies heavily on Young Adult (YA) fantasy tropes and convenient moments, which makes it somewhat predictable.
Main character(s): 🌟🌟🌟
With Demi's painful past and constant struggles adding some depth to her character, it was easy for me to root for and connect with her. However, I was constantly irritated by her impulsive and reckless actions, which made her character seem childish and quickly get tiring.
“Fear is a strange master. It makes monsters from the simplest of men."
Secondary characters: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
A good mix of secondary characters helps drive the story and support Demi through her journey. These characters generally had distinct roles and personalities that made them stand out, but I would have loved it if a few had some complexity.
Romance: 🌟🌟🌟
Despite initial hints pointing to a cute yet complicated childhood-to-adulthood romance, this aspect of the story turned into a cliché love triangle. Even though both connections were interesting, they seemed forced and underdeveloped, especially with the fated mate trope thrown into the mix.
Narration & Audio: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Nneka Okoye gives a brilliant performance that is perfect for this story. I was particularly impressed by her use of different voices for the characters and vocal effects, including some beautiful singing!
Ultimately, I went into 'Forged by Blood' expecting a rich YA fantasy read steeped in Nigerian mythology, and that was what I got. Yes, the storyline was somewhat predictable and filled with many tropes, but it was also very immersive and thought-provoking. Those looking for a similar read should check out Blood Scion by Deborah Falaye.
____________________________________
For those who have read this and want to discuss it, here are a few questions:
Rating: 4 stars
Cover: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I am obsessed with the vibrant colours, text and illustrations that make this design stunning. This cover also does a great job of capturing the essence and genre of the story.
Writing: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
The first-person narrative and smooth, descriptive prose made immersing myself in this story really easy. I was also fascinated by the rich world filled with diverse creatures, magic and culture, even though I wished it had been better developed and incorporated into the story.
“People will always fear those with more power, and those with power will always fear that they will lose it."
Storyline: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Following inciting events at the start, a compelling, action-packed tale that dives into complex themes such as colonialism, grief, and beauty standards quickly unfolds. While the storyline also includes several twists and turns that keep it interesting, it relies heavily on Young Adult (YA) fantasy tropes and convenient moments, which makes it somewhat predictable.
Main character(s): 🌟🌟🌟
With Demi's painful past and constant struggles adding some depth to her character, it was easy for me to root for and connect with her. However, I was constantly irritated by her impulsive and reckless actions, which made her character seem childish and quickly get tiring.
“Fear is a strange master. It makes monsters from the simplest of men."
Secondary characters: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
A good mix of secondary characters helps drive the story and support Demi through her journey. These characters generally had distinct roles and personalities that made them stand out, but I would have loved it if a few had some complexity.
Romance: 🌟🌟🌟
Despite initial hints pointing to a cute yet complicated childhood-to-adulthood romance, this aspect of the story turned into a cliché love triangle. Even though both connections were interesting, they seemed forced and underdeveloped, especially with the fated mate trope thrown into the mix.
Narration & Audio: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Nneka Okoye gives a brilliant performance that is perfect for this story. I was particularly impressed by her use of different voices for the characters and vocal effects, including some beautiful singing!
Ultimately, I went into 'Forged by Blood' expecting a rich YA fantasy read steeped in Nigerian mythology, and that was what I got. Yes, the storyline was somewhat predictable and filled with many tropes, but it was also very immersive and thought-provoking. Those looking for a similar read should check out Blood Scion by Deborah Falaye.
____________________________________
For those who have read this and want to discuss it, here are a few questions:
January 25, 2023
Ehigbor Okosun does a MAGNIFICENT job as a storyteller.
Forged by Blood is not told by that of a novice, but of a true "WORDSMITH"
Okosun surprised me when I read this was her debut novel, many Kudos to her.
This book is so beautiful and magical if you just pay attention to what Okosun is trying to say.
I am hoping that there is a second book because I am curious to see if Colin will be right or wrong.
Also to see if the prophecy (one will lead to despair, one will lead to death) has truly been fulfilled yet or not.
I personally do not think it has happened yet.
If you are looking for an action-packed, magical, fantastical amazing book, then look no further.
Because on 08 August 2023 Ehigbor Okosuns book, Forged by Blood drops and you HAVE to get it.
This is a must-buy in hardcover for me!
EXCELLENT!!!
LISTOPIA 2023
Thank you, NetGalley/Ehigbor Okosun/Avon and Harper Voyager.Harper Voyager/ For this "MESMERIZING" eARC for my honest review. My opinions are of my own volition.
Forged by Blood is not told by that of a novice, but of a true "WORDSMITH"
Okosun surprised me when I read this was her debut novel, many Kudos to her.
This book is so beautiful and magical if you just pay attention to what Okosun is trying to say.
I am hoping that there is a second book because I am curious to see if Colin will be right or wrong.
Also to see if the prophecy (one will lead to despair, one will lead to death) has truly been fulfilled yet or not.
I personally do not think it has happened yet.
If you are looking for an action-packed, magical, fantastical amazing book, then look no further.
Because on 08 August 2023 Ehigbor Okosuns book, Forged by Blood drops and you HAVE to get it.
This is a must-buy in hardcover for me!
EXCELLENT!!!
LISTOPIA 2023
Thank you, NetGalley/Ehigbor Okosun/Avon and Harper Voyager.Harper Voyager/ For this "MESMERIZING" eARC for my honest review. My opinions are of my own volition.
March 27, 2025
I'm honestly not sure why the publisher listed this book as "epic fantasy" when it's clearly just YA fantasy. Because of that, I expected so much more. I'm glad at least Goodreads was correct (for once) when it came to labeling this book as YA fantasy.
Anyway.
Forged by Blood is your typical YA fantasy with all its tropes and plot points. The characters are older teens/young adults. The worldbuilding and magic weren't fully developed. The FMC was very impulsive and extremely short-sighted. Nothing screamed "epic fantasy."
Honestly, it read like a rough draft instead of a final draft. It felt like the author threw in a bunch of YA tropes hoping that it would make a story. There were so many deus ex machina solutions to every single problem, so nothing really felt high stakes.
The only thing that stood out to me was the Nigerian folklore and mythology. That was done really well. You could feel yourself immersed in a Nigerian-inspired fantasy world, especially during the sequence in the spirit world with the spirit beings.
But everything else was so lackluster. The worldbuilding made no sense. You could tell that the author wanted to touch on colonization, but it felt wishy-washy. The Eingardians/colonizers were the bad guys, but yet the FMC was super cool with teaming up with their prince? (I haven't even touched on her decisions at the end of the book.)
The politics were weirdly convoluted in an attempt to make it more adult/epic fantasy. I had to wait until 85% through (when the bad guy explained everything) for me to understand wtf was going on. (Turns out it was partly family drama that included a not! Luke Skywalker reveal. Wtf lol)
The magic system was also underdeveloped. I had the sense that certain people had certain magic skills, like healing, teleportation, clairvoyance, etc. But the FMC had elemental powers AND healing? I was so confused, but there was no other choice but to roll along with it.
Another HUGE issue I had were the deus ex machina solutions to every single problem. Our heroes would be in trouble but ofc, they'd be saved somehow.
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
***END SPOILERS***
I was so lost. I finished this novel a few days ago and I'm still lost.
I'm definitely not picking up the sequel.
Thank you to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for this arc.
Anyway.
Forged by Blood is your typical YA fantasy with all its tropes and plot points. The characters are older teens/young adults. The worldbuilding and magic weren't fully developed. The FMC was very impulsive and extremely short-sighted. Nothing screamed "epic fantasy."
Honestly, it read like a rough draft instead of a final draft. It felt like the author threw in a bunch of YA tropes hoping that it would make a story. There were so many deus ex machina solutions to every single problem, so nothing really felt high stakes.
The only thing that stood out to me was the Nigerian folklore and mythology. That was done really well. You could feel yourself immersed in a Nigerian-inspired fantasy world, especially during the sequence in the spirit world with the spirit beings.
But everything else was so lackluster. The worldbuilding made no sense. You could tell that the author wanted to touch on colonization, but it felt wishy-washy. The Eingardians/colonizers were the bad guys, but yet the FMC was super cool with teaming up with their prince? (I haven't even touched on her decisions at the end of the book.)
The politics were weirdly convoluted in an attempt to make it more adult/epic fantasy. I had to wait until 85% through (when the bad guy explained everything) for me to understand wtf was going on. (Turns out it was partly family drama that included a not! Luke Skywalker reveal. Wtf lol)
The magic system was also underdeveloped. I had the sense that certain people had certain magic skills, like healing, teleportation, clairvoyance, etc. But the FMC had elemental powers AND healing? I was so confused, but there was no other choice but to roll along with it.
Another HUGE issue I had were the deus ex machina solutions to every single problem. Our heroes would be in trouble but ofc, they'd be saved somehow.
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
***END SPOILERS***
I was so lost. I finished this novel a few days ago and I'm still lost.
I'm definitely not picking up the sequel.
Thank you to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for this arc.
dnf
August 6, 2023DNF @ page 150.
This story starts off with a bang and quickly drops the reader into the rich world that Okosun created. However, once skip to 9 years later when Dèmi is 18 and hell bent on revenge, it is quite obvious that this was originally a YA manuscript that was aged up to fit into an adult imprint…and I say that as someone who loves YA fantasy.
The pacing of this one is also all over the place. The story tends to meander with the dialogue, but then there are short bursts of action with very little unpacking/resolution.
Unfortunately, this one just didn’t work for me.
Thank you to Harper Voyager for my gifted copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
This story starts off with a bang and quickly drops the reader into the rich world that Okosun created. However, once skip to 9 years later when Dèmi is 18 and hell bent on revenge, it is quite obvious that this was originally a YA manuscript that was aged up to fit into an adult imprint…and I say that as someone who loves YA fantasy.
The pacing of this one is also all over the place. The story tends to meander with the dialogue, but then there are short bursts of action with very little unpacking/resolution.
Unfortunately, this one just didn’t work for me.
Thank you to Harper Voyager for my gifted copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
December 1, 2025
soooo good. gruesome/brutal @ times. loving & tender. wise as hell. gripping. entertaining. compelling & eager to consume, yet not easily forgotten. i need to read the second right away
July 10, 2023
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Voyager for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
2.5 stars!
Ehigbor Okosun’s debut novel follows Dèmi, a young woman who is desperately trying to survive in an empire that wants her dead. Years prior to the story, her people—magic wielders—have suffered a brutal genocide by the King. Dèmi and her mother live peacefully in a village until one day the King’s soldiers murder her mother in front of her, setting her on a journey for revenge.
Forged by Blood started off zippy and interesting and does not spend any time meandering around in the world Okosun has created, but ultimately I thought this was a good YA fantasy and a middling at best adult fantasy. I genuinely loved the setting and aspects of the world like the Aziza, and I think Okosun’s grasp of this world’s culture is excellent. There were parts of this that were truly excellent, and I found this to be very readable with fast pacing that demands your attention. I’m quite curious about the prophecy that was given partway through this novel about Jonas and Colin, and I am generally curious as to how this duology shakes out in the end: the end of this novel leaves some interesting questions. Still, this wasn’t quite what I’d been expecting. Billed as an adult debut, while I think Dèmi’s reactions and thought patterns make sense for someone who has continually suffered under colonial violence, she and the rest of the cast read quite young and reckless and since this is told in first person (present tense), the entire story is filtered through her lens. First person is always a tricky point of view for me and I am significantly more sensitive to the voice; Dèmi’s voice is strong but the way she processes events makes it difficult to recommend this as an adult fantasy, but quite easy to recommend as an upper young adult/new adult fantasy.
The start was strong and readjusting my expectations to that of an older young adult novel helped me get into Dèmi’s POV, but while the ultimately plot was straightforward and made sense, there were too many reveals and tropes for me to really sink into this. Unfortunately, I’m not a fan of fated mates or mating bonds and when this popped up I felt very hesitant about any potential romance, and there is a very odd love triangle that I didn’t quite understand the purpose of and felt wedged into the story. There’s also quite a bit of mysterious parentage going on and by the end it felt overworn, but I think I would’ve eaten it up as a teenager. There’s a bit too much going on in the conclusion for me: evil kings and a lot of monologuing and everyone shouting or yelling at each other, though I do think the way things are left leaves interesting questions. It just was kind of a bumpy ride to get there, especially because I thought the start was strong.
I really wanted to love this, however I went in expecting something older in tone and approach and there’s a handful of tropes I didn’t particularly vibe with. Forged by Blood is a fast, well-placed series opener that I think would primarily appeal to readers who enjoy young and new adult fantasy and readers who enjoy certain popular fantasy tropes (mysterious parentage, being a young person hellbent on revenge, fated mates, prosecuted magic, etc).
2.5 stars!
Ehigbor Okosun’s debut novel follows Dèmi, a young woman who is desperately trying to survive in an empire that wants her dead. Years prior to the story, her people—magic wielders—have suffered a brutal genocide by the King. Dèmi and her mother live peacefully in a village until one day the King’s soldiers murder her mother in front of her, setting her on a journey for revenge.
Forged by Blood started off zippy and interesting and does not spend any time meandering around in the world Okosun has created, but ultimately I thought this was a good YA fantasy and a middling at best adult fantasy. I genuinely loved the setting and aspects of the world like the Aziza, and I think Okosun’s grasp of this world’s culture is excellent. There were parts of this that were truly excellent, and I found this to be very readable with fast pacing that demands your attention. I’m quite curious about the prophecy that was given partway through this novel about Jonas and Colin, and I am generally curious as to how this duology shakes out in the end: the end of this novel leaves some interesting questions. Still, this wasn’t quite what I’d been expecting. Billed as an adult debut, while I think Dèmi’s reactions and thought patterns make sense for someone who has continually suffered under colonial violence, she and the rest of the cast read quite young and reckless and since this is told in first person (present tense), the entire story is filtered through her lens. First person is always a tricky point of view for me and I am significantly more sensitive to the voice; Dèmi’s voice is strong but the way she processes events makes it difficult to recommend this as an adult fantasy, but quite easy to recommend as an upper young adult/new adult fantasy.
The start was strong and readjusting my expectations to that of an older young adult novel helped me get into Dèmi’s POV, but while the ultimately plot was straightforward and made sense, there were too many reveals and tropes for me to really sink into this. Unfortunately, I’m not a fan of fated mates or mating bonds and when this popped up I felt very hesitant about any potential romance, and there is a very odd love triangle that I didn’t quite understand the purpose of and felt wedged into the story. There’s also quite a bit of mysterious parentage going on and by the end it felt overworn, but I think I would’ve eaten it up as a teenager. There’s a bit too much going on in the conclusion for me: evil kings and a lot of monologuing and everyone shouting or yelling at each other, though I do think the way things are left leaves interesting questions. It just was kind of a bumpy ride to get there, especially because I thought the start was strong.
I really wanted to love this, however I went in expecting something older in tone and approach and there’s a handful of tropes I didn’t particularly vibe with. Forged by Blood is a fast, well-placed series opener that I think would primarily appeal to readers who enjoy young and new adult fantasy and readers who enjoy certain popular fantasy tropes (mysterious parentage, being a young person hellbent on revenge, fated mates, prosecuted magic, etc).
September 3, 2023
What really took me out of this book was the positioning of oppressed people as unnecessarily radical murderers when they (rightfully imo) respond to deeply entrenched bigotry and decades long violence with violence to guarantee their freedom. It honestly felt way too harsh. I’m still going to give the second installment a chance before I write off the series, just to see if Ehigbor Okosun provides a more nuanced and detailed portrayal of the characters.
Edit:
Looked back at my review and realized that I didn’t talk about the stuff I appreciated in the book. The world building is chef’s kiss. The magic system is very interesting, as well as the history. Though I felt the plot dragged in the beginning and I was snoozing a bit, it did pick up and leave me thirsty enough for the sequel.
Edit:
Looked back at my review and realized that I didn’t talk about the stuff I appreciated in the book. The world building is chef’s kiss. The magic system is very interesting, as well as the history. Though I felt the plot dragged in the beginning and I was snoozing a bit, it did pick up and leave me thirsty enough for the sequel.
October 19, 2023
2.5 Stars
Plot wise there is nothing really new here for a YA fantasy, but the setting was good and the culture well developed.
I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.
Plot wise there is nothing really new here for a YA fantasy, but the setting was good and the culture well developed.
I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.
August 8, 2023
I really wanted to love this book, but it did not work out for me. This novel was incredibly juvenile for it to be marketed as an adult. All of the characters are still very young, and there is nothing really in the book to make it appeal to an older audience. At most, I would market this for New Adults, and even that is a bit of a stretch. The world-building had a lot of promise, but it is never fully fleshed out. At most, we got sections of info-dumping to explain random scenes. The magical element was incredibly confusing. By 25% I still didn't grasp about how the magic system worked and the political turmoil of the countries. On top of this, a love triangle took precedence over everything else. I'm not particularly fond of this trope, to begin with, but in this book, it was unnecessary and felt out of place for an adult fantasy. Overall, a very disappointing debut.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperVoyager for the advance copy! All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperVoyager for the advance copy! All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
July 22, 2024
This book so felt real, I felt like I was in the political invasion fighting for my life. I felt like I learned so much about this world and felt like I lived in it. I felt like I was on the run with the FMC it had me stressed and intrigued.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
August 31, 2025
Premise:
Demi lost her only family to the King's soldiers for being a magic user and also for their race. Growing up, she must hide her magic but thoughts of revenge never left her heart. When an opportunity appeared, what choice would she make?
(1) The first few chapters are good, if you can see this novel as a YA fantasy, everything will be alright.
(2) But then! Demi, the heroine who is supposed to be in hiding, decided to steal a pair of child slaves (to set them free) which, as you can imagine, alerted the slave owner, who then alerted the authorities, which the heroine is supposed to hide from.
I don't know about you, I agree that freeing slaves is great, but not when your 'heroic' act is going to put yourself and your loved ones in danger directly.
(3) I will read 100 more pages to see how things turn out.
(4) I admit I was skimming through the later part of the book just to get myself through the whole things.
(5) I mean, the author has a handful of interesting ideas, but the way the book is written............everything seems to just drag.
(6) I admit I know next to nothing about the mythologies in Africa so I probably missed a lot of contexts in the story because of it.
(7) The ending part is actually quite good but unfortunately the content before this ending comes is just...boring even for a YA book. I will add a 0.5 star, so it's 2.5 stars read.
(8) The racism issue in the book ...the message is good but how it's depicted is just....high school student's project level.
(1) The first few chapters are good, if you can see this novel as a YA fantasy, everything will be alright.
(2) But then! Demi, the heroine who is supposed to be in hiding, decided to steal a pair of child slaves (to set them free) which, as you can imagine, alerted the slave owner, who then alerted the authorities, which the heroine is supposed to hide from.
I don't know about you, I agree that freeing slaves is great, but not when your 'heroic' act is going to put yourself and your loved ones in danger directly.
(3) I will read 100 more pages to see how things turn out.
(4) I admit I was skimming through the later part of the book just to get myself through the whole things.
(5) I mean, the author has a handful of interesting ideas, but the way the book is written............everything seems to just drag.
(6) I admit I know next to nothing about the mythologies in Africa so I probably missed a lot of contexts in the story because of it.
(7) The ending part is actually quite good but unfortunately the content before this ending comes is just...boring even for a YA book. I will add a 0.5 star, so it's 2.5 stars read.
(8) The racism issue in the book ...the message is good but how it's depicted is just....high school student's project level.
Read
December 21, 2023DNF @ 13%
This was just not well-written. It is also not an adult book. I'm not going to force myself through a story that I can probably predict every beat of. Also, this book had the "I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding" line on like page 11, so.
Not for me.
Not rating.
This was just not well-written. It is also not an adult book. I'm not going to force myself through a story that I can probably predict every beat of. Also, this book had the "I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding" line on like page 11, so.
Not for me.
Not rating.
August 5, 2023
2023 reads: 245/350
i received a digital review copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
after dèmi’s mother is murdered in front of her, she swears to avenge her and the rest of their murdered people, the oluso. so, when the opportunity arises, she and her friend colin set out to kidnap the aje prince, jonas, and bargain with his life to save the remaining oluso. but dèmi and jonas quickly become attracted to each other, which could mean trouble.
though i haven’t read that many, i don’t think a nigerian mythology-inspired book has disappointed me so far, so i was really excited to pick this one up. this really did not disappoint and i enjoyed reading about the in-depth world building and magic system, as well as the discussions on colonialism. i also loved the characters so much, and enjoyed how complex they all were. i highly recommend this book and i can’t wait to see where book two takes us!
i received a digital review copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
after dèmi’s mother is murdered in front of her, she swears to avenge her and the rest of their murdered people, the oluso. so, when the opportunity arises, she and her friend colin set out to kidnap the aje prince, jonas, and bargain with his life to save the remaining oluso. but dèmi and jonas quickly become attracted to each other, which could mean trouble.
though i haven’t read that many, i don’t think a nigerian mythology-inspired book has disappointed me so far, so i was really excited to pick this one up. this really did not disappoint and i enjoyed reading about the in-depth world building and magic system, as well as the discussions on colonialism. i also loved the characters so much, and enjoyed how complex they all were. i highly recommend this book and i can’t wait to see where book two takes us!
November 17, 2023
I read this same book about two years ago, it was called Children of Blood and Bone. I wasn't a fan of it then and I'm not a fan of it now.
Also, can we stop forcing our Black heroines to fall in love with the children of their opressors? Why is this such a trend in YA? What are we teaching young women of color?
And from BIPOC authors too. Disappointing.
Also, can we stop forcing our Black heroines to fall in love with the children of their opressors? Why is this such a trend in YA? What are we teaching young women of color?
And from BIPOC authors too. Disappointing.
August 26, 2023
*Thank you to Harper Voyager for sending me a copy of this book to review!*
I was quite excited for this book but in all honesty I just didn’t like it all that much. It had a really great premise and the potential to set up a world and magic system that I could have immersed myself in, but I think it just ended up falling quite flat.
The writing, for me, wasn’t that great and I didn’t really find it very engaging storytelling. The world building was really clunky, and we kept getting random bits of political information, or random knowledge about the magic systems thrown in in a way that didn’t really flow. It felt like it interrupted the story just to give us information and context. I feel like it could’ve been a more seamless relationship between developing the world for the reader and telling the story in tandem. I think there was also a massive pacing issue, everything seemed to be moving quite slow and then all of a sudden we had an action sequence, but any problems were overcome with so much ease. The eventual storyline of this book just didn’t feel right and everything was far too rushed. It also couldn’t really decide on tone, it’s supposed to be an adult book but reads much younger.
I think Demi is a great character and a strong choice for the protagonist, but she felt very one dimensional. This was an issue for all of the characters in the book really, we’re given a physical description and repeatedly told their traits and morals and what they stand for, but we never really shown anything or given the opportunity to read some more between the lines. To me they were all just really boring, and I actually didn’t really care what was happening. I didn’t really enjoy my time reading it for the most part, which is a shame because those opening few chapters were so so incredible.
My main issues with the book all stem around the romance really, and the really strange attempt at a love triangle. I love this trope, but it was so badly done here. Jonas and Colin were very bland as love interests, and neither of them had a slither of chemistry with Demi if we’re being honest. Colin is her supposed childhood best friend but they act very strange around each other and it just didn’t feel genuine or developed. The beginning of the book has Jonas and Demi becoming best friends after five minutes, and then ten minutes later he betrays her and she’s furious about it for the next nine years? They were basically strangers and it breaks her heart…but then she starts falling for him? I don’t know, the romance in here was just messy and all over the place and not for me.
I probably won’t be picking up the sequel to this one.
I was quite excited for this book but in all honesty I just didn’t like it all that much. It had a really great premise and the potential to set up a world and magic system that I could have immersed myself in, but I think it just ended up falling quite flat.
The writing, for me, wasn’t that great and I didn’t really find it very engaging storytelling. The world building was really clunky, and we kept getting random bits of political information, or random knowledge about the magic systems thrown in in a way that didn’t really flow. It felt like it interrupted the story just to give us information and context. I feel like it could’ve been a more seamless relationship between developing the world for the reader and telling the story in tandem. I think there was also a massive pacing issue, everything seemed to be moving quite slow and then all of a sudden we had an action sequence, but any problems were overcome with so much ease. The eventual storyline of this book just didn’t feel right and everything was far too rushed. It also couldn’t really decide on tone, it’s supposed to be an adult book but reads much younger.
I think Demi is a great character and a strong choice for the protagonist, but she felt very one dimensional. This was an issue for all of the characters in the book really, we’re given a physical description and repeatedly told their traits and morals and what they stand for, but we never really shown anything or given the opportunity to read some more between the lines. To me they were all just really boring, and I actually didn’t really care what was happening. I didn’t really enjoy my time reading it for the most part, which is a shame because those opening few chapters were so so incredible.
My main issues with the book all stem around the romance really, and the really strange attempt at a love triangle. I love this trope, but it was so badly done here. Jonas and Colin were very bland as love interests, and neither of them had a slither of chemistry with Demi if we’re being honest. Colin is her supposed childhood best friend but they act very strange around each other and it just didn’t feel genuine or developed. The beginning of the book has Jonas and Demi becoming best friends after five minutes, and then ten minutes later he betrays her and she’s furious about it for the next nine years? They were basically strangers and it breaks her heart…but then she starts falling for him? I don’t know, the romance in here was just messy and all over the place and not for me.
I probably won’t be picking up the sequel to this one.
September 12, 2023
Incredibly disappointing, the only reason I pushed myself to finish this is because I kept hoping the writing of the beginning would come back. I was wrong.
The beginning sucked me in and I was absolutely in love with the story. Sadly it went downhill immediately. The plot was completely lost after the timeskip. The story changed numerous times, and at no point made any coherent sense or followed any sort of structure. I had absolutely no idea what any of the point was.
By the end Dèmi has become so ridiculously overpowered, and so many twists and reveals happen firmly establishing her a mary sue type character. So many plot events happen to the end that just make no sense and felt more and more outlandish as they occurred. Dèmi gets everything a main character could possibly want: The plot armor was plot armoring.
Seperate but a huge ick of mine, this happens towards the end by the time I had given up on liking the book.We need to discuss why BIPOC authors love writing love triangles that have the BIPOC fmc ending up with the Why does this always happen! Especially because they always have to be the The chemistry Dèmi has with Collin and Jonas was fine? I rarely see a book do love triangles well, and this is no different. It's difficult to keep a serious tone when the fmc is waffling between two guys who really aren't that different or special.
All in all it felt like the book had no idea what it was supposed to be about. I liked the setting, the magic, and the different creatures, but everything in terms of plot made little to no sense. I did also enjoy the parallels with colonialism, and all of the food depictions. I did get quite hungry reading this.
I am not going to read the next book, and I don't know if I would read anything by Ehigbor Okosun anytime soon. Maybe further down the line with her next series.
I would personally NOT recommend this book.
Love the cover, the cover is so amazing. The book will likely do pretty well because it is a gorgeous piece of art, the perfect blend between composition and design. People will definitely pick this book up because of it, and truly it is likely the books saving grace.
The beginning sucked me in and I was absolutely in love with the story. Sadly it went downhill immediately. The plot was completely lost after the timeskip. The story changed numerous times, and at no point made any coherent sense or followed any sort of structure. I had absolutely no idea what any of the point was.
By the end Dèmi has become so ridiculously overpowered, and so many twists and reveals happen firmly establishing her a mary sue type character. So many plot events happen to the end that just make no sense and felt more and more outlandish as they occurred. Dèmi gets everything a main character could possibly want: The plot armor was plot armoring.
Seperate but a huge ick of mine, this happens towards the end by the time I had given up on liking the book.We need to discuss why BIPOC authors love writing love triangles that have the BIPOC fmc ending up with the Why does this always happen! Especially because they always have to be the The chemistry Dèmi has with Collin and Jonas was fine? I rarely see a book do love triangles well, and this is no different. It's difficult to keep a serious tone when the fmc is waffling between two guys who really aren't that different or special.
All in all it felt like the book had no idea what it was supposed to be about. I liked the setting, the magic, and the different creatures, but everything in terms of plot made little to no sense. I did also enjoy the parallels with colonialism, and all of the food depictions. I did get quite hungry reading this.
I am not going to read the next book, and I don't know if I would read anything by Ehigbor Okosun anytime soon. Maybe further down the line with her next series.
I would personally NOT recommend this book.
Love the cover, the cover is so amazing. The book will likely do pretty well because it is a gorgeous piece of art, the perfect blend between composition and design. People will definitely pick this book up because of it, and truly it is likely the books saving grace.
September 25, 2024
I was ✨bored✨
August 22, 2023
Forged by Blood is a debut fantasy by Ehigbor Okosun and the first in a duology inspired by Nigerian mythology. The main character is Dèmi, an Oluso, or magic wielder, with the power to heal and call upon wind spirits. Dèmi lives in a world where the Oluso are subjugated by the Aje - those without magic - and hunted and destroyed. She spends her early childhood hidden away with her mother, healing villagers and avoiding the detection of royal guards. When she and her mother are betrayed after healing a young boy with a deadly fever and Dèmi's mother is brutally killed, Dèmi commits herself to avenging the murder of her mother. She finds other Oluso to learn from and alongside and does what she can to protect other Oluso like her from brutalization. When she is given the opportunity to kidnap the Aje prince, Jonas, with the help of her best friend, Colin, in order to ransom him and support the appointing of an Oluso into a position of power, she jumps at the opportunity. What she doesn't expect is for the prince to be the boy who betrayed her and her mother a decade before. Loyalties shift and Dèmi must determine what price is too high to pay for victory. Does becoming like your oppressor in order to end oppression mean becoming just like them? Is peace ever a viable path to change?
I had such mixed feelings about this one! The setup was fascinating and I really liked the beginning of the story. The last 40% though was rushed and confusing and had a lot of information about parentage - it felt like a new twist was happening every other page. I also couldn't tell what genre this book was. It's marked on Goodreads as both YA and Adult and I think that sums up some of what didn't work about this book - it had some adult themes and adult characters, but the writing and decision making of the characters was very YA, as was the black and white moralization of the actions taken by characters in this book.
All in all, this was a fabulous debut from an author to watch! I loved the mythology, magic, and focus on found family.
Some quick takeaways:
✅ Debut Novel
✅ Fantasy
✅ Nigerian Mythology
✅ Love Triangle
✅ Fated Mates
✅ Found Family
✅ No Spice
Thanks so much to Ehigbor Okosun and Harper Voyager for this ARC through NetGalley. Forged by Blood is available for purchase now!
I had such mixed feelings about this one! The setup was fascinating and I really liked the beginning of the story. The last 40% though was rushed and confusing and had a lot of information about parentage - it felt like a new twist was happening every other page. I also couldn't tell what genre this book was. It's marked on Goodreads as both YA and Adult and I think that sums up some of what didn't work about this book - it had some adult themes and adult characters, but the writing and decision making of the characters was very YA, as was the black and white moralization of the actions taken by characters in this book.
All in all, this was a fabulous debut from an author to watch! I loved the mythology, magic, and focus on found family.
Some quick takeaways:
✅ Debut Novel
✅ Fantasy
✅ Nigerian Mythology
✅ Love Triangle
✅ Fated Mates
✅ Found Family
✅ No Spice
Thanks so much to Ehigbor Okosun and Harper Voyager for this ARC through NetGalley. Forged by Blood is available for purchase now!
August 2, 2023
I have been curious about this one ever since seeing its cover! It’s very eye-catching. I did like a lot of the book but there were some issues I had that ultimately didn’t make me love it.
The book is told from one point-of-view and it comes from Dèmi. We are first introduced to her when a significant event happens in her life that involves the loss of her mother. It takes a toll on her and from that point she is on a mission to make things right, not only for her but for her people as well. Dèmi is very strong, but she can be impulsive. Some of her actions are just so quick and she doesn’t think about the consequences that can follow. I do think that it makes sense since her inexperience is what causes a lot of rifts at the end.
Other characters in the book are fine but I don’t feel like we truly got to know them. Obviously for the more villainous people I felt something because their actions were horrible and you couldn’t help but hate them.
The romance was meh. Their is a forced love triangle. I am usually down for a triangle but it felt like she just used both of them. She would kiss one in front of the other and then get upset when they would fight over things. From the beginning I knew who she would pick. I already have a guess as to what the other guy will end up doing. Everything about the romance was just quick because of the “mate” trope.
I did think that the plot was pretty decent. There were a couple lulls that took me a bit to get through where I didn’t feel like picking it back up again but once you get past the 60% mark it really ramped up and I wanted to finish the rest in one day. There is a lot of talk about colonization and slavery. The author did a good job with the topics and reminded me a lot of what R.F. Kuang has done in her novels. I wouldn’t say its as gruesome but some things were pretty hard to read about. It was just real sad.
Some of the plot twists felt predictable and I feel like I caught all of them before the reveal besides one.
Overall, this was a good read even though I had some issues with it. I am still curious enough to try the sequel since there are a lot of unanswered questions.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for a complimentary earc to review! All opinions are my own.
The book is told from one point-of-view and it comes from Dèmi. We are first introduced to her when a significant event happens in her life that involves the loss of her mother. It takes a toll on her and from that point she is on a mission to make things right, not only for her but for her people as well. Dèmi is very strong, but she can be impulsive. Some of her actions are just so quick and she doesn’t think about the consequences that can follow. I do think that it makes sense since her inexperience is what causes a lot of rifts at the end.
Other characters in the book are fine but I don’t feel like we truly got to know them. Obviously for the more villainous people I felt something because their actions were horrible and you couldn’t help but hate them.
The romance was meh. Their is a forced love triangle. I am usually down for a triangle but it felt like she just used both of them. She would kiss one in front of the other and then get upset when they would fight over things. From the beginning I knew who she would pick. I already have a guess as to what the other guy will end up doing. Everything about the romance was just quick because of the “mate” trope.
I did think that the plot was pretty decent. There were a couple lulls that took me a bit to get through where I didn’t feel like picking it back up again but once you get past the 60% mark it really ramped up and I wanted to finish the rest in one day. There is a lot of talk about colonization and slavery. The author did a good job with the topics and reminded me a lot of what R.F. Kuang has done in her novels. I wouldn’t say its as gruesome but some things were pretty hard to read about. It was just real sad.
Some of the plot twists felt predictable and I feel like I caught all of them before the reveal besides one.
Overall, this was a good read even though I had some issues with it. I am still curious enough to try the sequel since there are a lot of unanswered questions.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for a complimentary earc to review! All opinions are my own.
dnf
November 6, 2023Time of death: 35%
First of all, I think the audio is a must for this book. Amazing voice acting.
Second, it's standard YA fantasy with insta-love, a love triangle, a dead parent etc. It sounded great and I was willing to give it room to grow into itself. It lost me when we tell don't show a life-long curse that the MC has had that is coming due tonight and may kill her (but you know it won't and will likely result in a kissing) and I said no thank you, I am an adult and do not care what teenagers do with their curses or their relationships. Next!
First of all, I think the audio is a must for this book. Amazing voice acting.
Second, it's standard YA fantasy with insta-love, a love triangle, a dead parent etc. It sounded great and I was willing to give it room to grow into itself. It lost me when we tell don't show a life-long curse that the MC has had that is coming due tonight and may kill her (but you know it won't and will likely result in a kissing) and I said no thank you, I am an adult and do not care what teenagers do with their curses or their relationships. Next!
Read
September 14, 2023maybe when i have a tolerance for weirdo behavior i'll pick this up again, but not today
dnf at 45%
weirdo behavior in question: kissing both boys in front of eachother - like girl this aint the bachelor
dnf at 45%
weirdo behavior in question: kissing both boys in front of eachother - like girl this aint the bachelor
August 16, 2023
DNF 10%
Черновик шаблонного янгэдалта. ��едактор даже не валялся.
His eyes the blue of early dawn, sharp with flex of gold sky woven through, and i let go of the breath i didn't know i'd been holding.
О май гад! У него необычные глаза, голубые с золотом! О май гад, она испустила вздох, который неосознанно задерживала!
Никогда такого не было и вот опять.
Черновик шаблонного янгэдалта. ��едактор даже не валялся.
His eyes the blue of early dawn, sharp with flex of gold sky woven through, and i let go of the breath i didn't know i'd been holding.
О май гад! У него необычные глаза, голубые с золотом! О май гад, она испустила вздох, который неосознанно задерживала!
Никогда такого не было и вот опять.
August 19, 2023
Since Raybearer, I am all in on African folklore inspired fantasy, so this one sounded right up my alley. I'll start off by saying, I liked the concept in principle. But I was definitely on the struggle bus with this one several times. I started it with the intention of posting on pub day. Unfortunately, there were several times I put it down and had to press myself to go back to it.
It's a kingdom based story where those with magic are oppressed and often killed. When Demi's mother heals someone with connection to royalty, she is murdered leaving Demi as an orphan to survive on her own. Her paths cross again with royalty and tensions run high as she tries to protect her people from oppression and torture. I loved Demi as a character and the world building was good, but I struggled a bit with the rest.
First, there was a huge time jump that I felt was unnecessary. I get the author wanted an older character for the full story but the way it was done was so jarring. Second, the love triangle was super frustrating. I liked Jonas and Demi's unusual history but Colin was a very frustrating character full of toxic masculinity throughout. Demi was supposed to be so clever and smart, she didn't need either of these boys - think Katniss. Some of the important plot points seem to happen off the page and are just recounted to Demi, I found that super frustrating. Also the pacing was very uneven, there were times where I was reveling in action and times where I was very bored.
In the end, the story got there but I'm not going to go out of my way to read the sequel. I get it was the author's debut, so if I see some positive reviews for book 2, I may give it a go, we'll see.
Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions above are my own.
It's a kingdom based story where those with magic are oppressed and often killed. When Demi's mother heals someone with connection to royalty, she is murdered leaving Demi as an orphan to survive on her own. Her paths cross again with royalty and tensions run high as she tries to protect her people from oppression and torture. I loved Demi as a character and the world building was good, but I struggled a bit with the rest.
First, there was a huge time jump that I felt was unnecessary. I get the author wanted an older character for the full story but the way it was done was so jarring. Second, the love triangle was super frustrating. I liked Jonas and Demi's unusual history but Colin was a very frustrating character full of toxic masculinity throughout. Demi was supposed to be so clever and smart, she didn't need either of these boys - think Katniss. Some of the important plot points seem to happen off the page and are just recounted to Demi, I found that super frustrating. Also the pacing was very uneven, there were times where I was reveling in action and times where I was very bored.
In the end, the story got there but I'm not going to go out of my way to read the sequel. I get it was the author's debut, so if I see some positive reviews for book 2, I may give it a go, we'll see.
Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions above are my own.
June 18, 2023
"Forged by Blood," by Ehigbor Okosun, delivers a tale of courage, resilience, and power. Set against the backdrop of a war-torn nation, the story follows the journey of a young girl Dèmi as she navigates through the chaos and destruction surrounding her.
The themes of love, loyalty, and sacrifice intertwine nicely. The writing is beautifully vivid, the descriptions of food made me so hungry, and the cover art is so lovely. However, the storyline takes considerable time jumps too soon paired with the endless world-building making it confusing. I understand Dèmi is young, but she was annoying, and the supporting characters were flat, so I quickly lost interest. It felt very similar to Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi. I would have loved a fresh storyline. I DNF’ed at 50%. I couldn’t take anymore.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for this ARC.
The themes of love, loyalty, and sacrifice intertwine nicely. The writing is beautifully vivid, the descriptions of food made me so hungry, and the cover art is so lovely. However, the storyline takes considerable time jumps too soon paired with the endless world-building making it confusing. I understand Dèmi is young, but she was annoying, and the supporting characters were flat, so I quickly lost interest. It felt very similar to Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi. I would have loved a fresh storyline. I DNF’ed at 50%. I couldn’t take anymore.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for this ARC.
August 7, 2023
Rating: Enjoyed It, 3.5 stars
This was once again a case where I absolutely loved the world and the magic, but my rating was brought down by pacing and characterization issues.
Forged by Blood is the first in a debut duology, inspired by Nigerian folklore and mythology. The country of Ife has been invaded and colonized by nonmagical Ajes, and they have committed genocide against the native, magic-wielding, Oluso people. Dèmi lives with her mother, hiding and living a life of secrecy, until one day they are discovered and she is on her own. We pick up with 18(ish) year-old Dèmi who is looking to protect her found family and make things right for her people. She is pulled into a scheme to capture the Aje prince for another's political gain, and events unfold from there.
So the things I really enjoyed:
- The magic and the world are incredible. They are lush and beautiful. It is a world that I would like to explore more and really get to know better. Dèmi and company bounce around between different places, but my favorite was The Spirit Realm. I could have read an entire book following those spirits, honestly. I felt like a lot of the worldbuilding elements were very fresh and unique, and I was also really intrigued by the magic system. It was very much a throw you in without a ton of explanation, but I enjoyed that.
- For the most part, I really enjoyed the writing. I think that it suffered slightly from a first person POV because there were quite a few times the worldbuilding was delivered in info dumps by our MC. But the mechanical crafting of the sentences were often quite pleasing. There were lines that were very poignant and really conveyed a lot within them. I expect that this will only get better as Okosun improves in writing craft over time, and I look forward to seeing how it develops
- I felt that the pacing was quite uneven, but when it was on, it was definitely on. We start out with a bang, and then there are different parts throughout that I absolutely devoured.
Things that I found that were neither good nor bad:
- This novel is published by an Adult imprint, but it read like an upper YA novel to me. We follow a very young protagonist in first person POV, and it follows a lot of common tropes and plot beats that are very familiar in YA. I felt like Dèmi, despite experiencing so much brutality in her young life, was still very naive to the ways of the world and was searching for who she is and where she fits in the world. We also get a very poorly executed love triangle. It is a very dark world though, and I expect there will be a lot more brutality in the sequel as we approach the conclusion of the story.
Some things I didn't enjoy:
- As I mentioned, the pacing was very uneven throughout. Honestly, this read a bit like a trilogy that was being stuffed into a duology. I have noticed this in several duologies that I have read in the last few years, and I think that some of the issues could be resolved by giving the author the space to fully develop the world and characters rather than cramming all the plot points in in a mad dash to the finish.
- I feel like the characterizations suffered a bit from the first person POV. I usually love a brash, impulsive, angry heroine, but in this instance I felt like a lot of Dèmi's reactions and choices didn't fully make sense in the context of what we got in her POV. Because so much of the worldbuilding and explanation of the oppression and darkness of the world took place within her thoughts, it was very jarring when we would get a well-rounded explanation from the character of why X was the way it was, but then after taking the time to "think" through the ramifications for the reader, she reacts in a way that is completely contradictory to everything she had just explained. It was very jarring at times, and it kept pulling me from the story. I feel like this issue could have been alleviated if the worldbuilding was handled differently, or if it was part of the narration in a third person POV - because then it would just feel like an impulsive and brash main character rather than a character who just consistently made really poor choices. I also wasn't fully invested in the secondary characters. I feel like this is usually pretty common for me in first person POVs - it takes a while to fully develop the other characters since we only have one perspective, but because Dèmi never felt fully fleshed out, the secondary characters also remained somewhat flat for me.
- One of the major tropes in this is fated mates. However, I really disliked the way that this played out because it involved a love triangle, and as love triangles go, it was a pretty bad one. Our main character seemed to not want a relationship at all but was still making out with both boys in front of the other with no real regard for people's feelings, and it just read very oddly to me.
Overall, there were pieces that I really enjoyed but others that brought my overall experience down. I am interested by the world and by the ending, but what I consider to be the most interesting parts of the story were the ones that we dealt with the least. There was no true indication of whether these threads will be picked up again in the sequel. I assume they will be, but I will probably wait to commit to continuing the series until we get more info on the second book.
I received an ARC of Forged by Blood from Harper Voyager and Netgalley. All opinions are my own. Forged by Blood releases on August 8, 2023.
This was once again a case where I absolutely loved the world and the magic, but my rating was brought down by pacing and characterization issues.
Forged by Blood is the first in a debut duology, inspired by Nigerian folklore and mythology. The country of Ife has been invaded and colonized by nonmagical Ajes, and they have committed genocide against the native, magic-wielding, Oluso people. Dèmi lives with her mother, hiding and living a life of secrecy, until one day they are discovered and she is on her own. We pick up with 18(ish) year-old Dèmi who is looking to protect her found family and make things right for her people. She is pulled into a scheme to capture the Aje prince for another's political gain, and events unfold from there.
So the things I really enjoyed:
- The magic and the world are incredible. They are lush and beautiful. It is a world that I would like to explore more and really get to know better. Dèmi and company bounce around between different places, but my favorite was The Spirit Realm. I could have read an entire book following those spirits, honestly. I felt like a lot of the worldbuilding elements were very fresh and unique, and I was also really intrigued by the magic system. It was very much a throw you in without a ton of explanation, but I enjoyed that.
- For the most part, I really enjoyed the writing. I think that it suffered slightly from a first person POV because there were quite a few times the worldbuilding was delivered in info dumps by our MC. But the mechanical crafting of the sentences were often quite pleasing. There were lines that were very poignant and really conveyed a lot within them. I expect that this will only get better as Okosun improves in writing craft over time, and I look forward to seeing how it develops
- I felt that the pacing was quite uneven, but when it was on, it was definitely on. We start out with a bang, and then there are different parts throughout that I absolutely devoured.
Things that I found that were neither good nor bad:
- This novel is published by an Adult imprint, but it read like an upper YA novel to me. We follow a very young protagonist in first person POV, and it follows a lot of common tropes and plot beats that are very familiar in YA. I felt like Dèmi, despite experiencing so much brutality in her young life, was still very naive to the ways of the world and was searching for who she is and where she fits in the world. We also get a very poorly executed love triangle. It is a very dark world though, and I expect there will be a lot more brutality in the sequel as we approach the conclusion of the story.
Some things I didn't enjoy:
- As I mentioned, the pacing was very uneven throughout. Honestly, this read a bit like a trilogy that was being stuffed into a duology. I have noticed this in several duologies that I have read in the last few years, and I think that some of the issues could be resolved by giving the author the space to fully develop the world and characters rather than cramming all the plot points in in a mad dash to the finish.
- I feel like the characterizations suffered a bit from the first person POV. I usually love a brash, impulsive, angry heroine, but in this instance I felt like a lot of Dèmi's reactions and choices didn't fully make sense in the context of what we got in her POV. Because so much of the worldbuilding and explanation of the oppression and darkness of the world took place within her thoughts, it was very jarring when we would get a well-rounded explanation from the character of why X was the way it was, but then after taking the time to "think" through the ramifications for the reader, she reacts in a way that is completely contradictory to everything she had just explained. It was very jarring at times, and it kept pulling me from the story. I feel like this issue could have been alleviated if the worldbuilding was handled differently, or if it was part of the narration in a third person POV - because then it would just feel like an impulsive and brash main character rather than a character who just consistently made really poor choices. I also wasn't fully invested in the secondary characters. I feel like this is usually pretty common for me in first person POVs - it takes a while to fully develop the other characters since we only have one perspective, but because Dèmi never felt fully fleshed out, the secondary characters also remained somewhat flat for me.
- One of the major tropes in this is fated mates. However, I really disliked the way that this played out because it involved a love triangle, and as love triangles go, it was a pretty bad one. Our main character seemed to not want a relationship at all but was still making out with both boys in front of the other with no real regard for people's feelings, and it just read very oddly to me.
Overall, there were pieces that I really enjoyed but others that brought my overall experience down. I am interested by the world and by the ending, but what I consider to be the most interesting parts of the story were the ones that we dealt with the least. There was no true indication of whether these threads will be picked up again in the sequel. I assume they will be, but I will probably wait to commit to continuing the series until we get more info on the second book.
I received an ARC of Forged by Blood from Harper Voyager and Netgalley. All opinions are my own. Forged by Blood releases on August 8, 2023.
December 28, 2024
3.25⭐
Honestly I have mixed feelings on this book.
The writing itself is very beautiful and poetic. Initially I was super hooked, the world building was probably some of the most fascinating and inspired I've seen in a while.
But then at times the book makes some really weird and cringy choices. we get a lot of annoying tropes that really end up detracting from the gravity of some of the subject matter in the book. A terrible love triangle, fated mates, "let's kiss as a distraction", knife to the throat etc etc. Like going through a laundey list of whats been popular in booktok books.
Will I buy the second book? Probably. But I definitely think this had so much potential that ended up going unused and squandered.
I have a lot more thoughts and issues, though I don't think I can say anything about that without spoilers, so be warned.
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‼️Spoilers ‼️
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So, the romance. This was by FAR the books weakest point and at times actively retracted from how good the story could have been.
First of all the attempt at a love triangle felt so pointless and contrived, because it was SO obvious from the very start who'd she end up with. which was very obviously Jonas who she is gushing over from the very first chapter. This was extra frustrating because Dèmi had genuinely fantastic chemistry with Colin, while she and Jonas pretty much just have insta love/attraction, that just doesn't feel earned. It was always about how he made her feel hot and bothered essentially.
Especially when you think about how before she kidnaps him, she legit only knew him for less than a SINGLE DAY.
Instead of a love triangle between Colin, Jonas and Dèmi, it would have been so much more impactful for the story (imo) if Dèmi and Jonas had developed a strong friendship/kinship, while Colin could have stayed a love interest.
This also would have solved the issue of this being a COLONIZER romance. I don't care if Jonas is Oluso or not, he is still a COLONIZER PRINCE. Which is kind of made worse by the fact that when the nobles don't want to accept that she won the crown later in the book she just kind of relinquishes it to Jonas 🙃
Dèmi I also have mixed feelings on, because at times she was such a wishy washy person about her convictions and opinions. One moment she's like "ew I don't like the gods deciding who my mate will be, I don't want a mate" but then the moment Jonas becomes her mate, she just unquestioningly accepts and welcomes it.
She also is really just leading both of the MLs on without really even attempting to make up her mind. It feels like Colin is just waiting in the wings until she can make up her mind about whether or not she actually hates Jonas, which she obviously doesn't.
Or how she literally witnesses a man about to have innocent people and CHILDREN slaughter each other to the death, like animals for the chance of 3 of them being able to live, stripped of their magic, FOR THE SAKE OF ENTERTAINMENT of nobles, just for when she has the chance to kill him (like she said she would) she goes all "oh no killing is wrong". Don't get me wrong, this CAN and HAS worked in media that I've liked. It worked in Avatar the last airbender for example. HOWEVER. this doesn't work after the reader witnesses a woman being dipped into molten iron in a sort of witch trial and then SET ON FIRE in front of her own child and family. It doesn't work when we've gotten very detailed information about how Oluso Women and children are raped and sold because of this man. How people are tortured and massacred for fun.
And when someone offers to kill the person for her SHE STOPS HIM because she wants him imprisoned instead, saying that his greatest punishment would be to see her people thrive. Girl. No. Nope. Nopedy Nope.
I feel like the only reason this is done is to set up conflict for the next book, which would have still worked even if she HAD killed him.
It just made Dèmi feel silly, naive and childish for her to not actually accept that there is literally way this conflict could be resolved without any bloodshed. Because Lord Ekwensi is kind of right and so is Colin. Liberty DOES come at a price.
like why are we protecting the perpetrator of the suffering of her people with more grace and mercy he was ever willing to extend to them? Like again, right before the showdown between him and Demi, he literally told the 300 innocent people he rounded up to massacre each other for entertainment, that he'd advise them to kill the children first out of "mercy". Yeah. no.
Honestly I have mixed feelings on this book.
The writing itself is very beautiful and poetic. Initially I was super hooked, the world building was probably some of the most fascinating and inspired I've seen in a while.
But then at times the book makes some really weird and cringy choices. we get a lot of annoying tropes that really end up detracting from the gravity of some of the subject matter in the book. A terrible love triangle, fated mates, "let's kiss as a distraction", knife to the throat etc etc. Like going through a laundey list of whats been popular in booktok books.
Will I buy the second book? Probably. But I definitely think this had so much potential that ended up going unused and squandered.
I have a lot more thoughts and issues, though I don't think I can say anything about that without spoilers, so be warned.
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‼️Spoilers ‼️
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
So, the romance. This was by FAR the books weakest point and at times actively retracted from how good the story could have been.
First of all the attempt at a love triangle felt so pointless and contrived, because it was SO obvious from the very start who'd she end up with. which was very obviously Jonas who she is gushing over from the very first chapter. This was extra frustrating because Dèmi had genuinely fantastic chemistry with Colin, while she and Jonas pretty much just have insta love/attraction, that just doesn't feel earned. It was always about how he made her feel hot and bothered essentially.
Especially when you think about how before she kidnaps him, she legit only knew him for less than a SINGLE DAY.
Instead of a love triangle between Colin, Jonas and Dèmi, it would have been so much more impactful for the story (imo) if Dèmi and Jonas had developed a strong friendship/kinship, while Colin could have stayed a love interest.
This also would have solved the issue of this being a COLONIZER romance. I don't care if Jonas is Oluso or not, he is still a COLONIZER PRINCE. Which is kind of made worse by the fact that when the nobles don't want to accept that she won the crown later in the book she just kind of relinquishes it to Jonas 🙃
Dèmi I also have mixed feelings on, because at times she was such a wishy washy person about her convictions and opinions. One moment she's like "ew I don't like the gods deciding who my mate will be, I don't want a mate" but then the moment Jonas becomes her mate, she just unquestioningly accepts and welcomes it.
She also is really just leading both of the MLs on without really even attempting to make up her mind. It feels like Colin is just waiting in the wings until she can make up her mind about whether or not she actually hates Jonas, which she obviously doesn't.
Or how she literally witnesses a man about to have innocent people and CHILDREN slaughter each other to the death, like animals for the chance of 3 of them being able to live, stripped of their magic, FOR THE SAKE OF ENTERTAINMENT of nobles, just for when she has the chance to kill him (like she said she would) she goes all "oh no killing is wrong". Don't get me wrong, this CAN and HAS worked in media that I've liked. It worked in Avatar the last airbender for example. HOWEVER. this doesn't work after the reader witnesses a woman being dipped into molten iron in a sort of witch trial and then SET ON FIRE in front of her own child and family. It doesn't work when we've gotten very detailed information about how Oluso Women and children are raped and sold because of this man. How people are tortured and massacred for fun.
And when someone offers to kill the person for her SHE STOPS HIM because she wants him imprisoned instead, saying that his greatest punishment would be to see her people thrive. Girl. No. Nope. Nopedy Nope.
I feel like the only reason this is done is to set up conflict for the next book, which would have still worked even if she HAD killed him.
It just made Dèmi feel silly, naive and childish for her to not actually accept that there is literally way this conflict could be resolved without any bloodshed. Because Lord Ekwensi is kind of right and so is Colin. Liberty DOES come at a price.
like why are we protecting the perpetrator of the suffering of her people with more grace and mercy he was ever willing to extend to them? Like again, right before the showdown between him and Demi, he literally told the 300 innocent people he rounded up to massacre each other for entertainment, that he'd advise them to kill the children first out of "mercy". Yeah. no.
January 21, 2024
This was a lot different than I anticipated. I loved the world building and the magic. However, I did think the plot was lacking in places. Things happened that didn't quite make sense or had no build up. It didn't stop me from enjoying a good majority of the book though.
Read
August 25, 2024DNF @ page 167
not really feeling this atm
not really feeling this atm
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