Deadliest of Bonds

The Blight #2

by Blanche Maze

Ever since the Royal Guard took her away from her small village, Thea’s life has been nothing but chaos.

Now, she’s out of the palace, but not out of danger. Haunted by grief, anger and a dangerous thirst for revenge, Thea is determined to take down the people responsible for her pain. With the help of Fyreen, her mother and unexpected allies, she sets off on a quest to find an ancient artifact that could be their salvation. But Rogan isn’t done with her just yet and the strange bond they now share could jeopardize everything.

Will they find what they need before Rogan finds her?

Genres: Fantasy

ebook

First published July 1, 2023

About the author

Blanche (she/her) is a French indie author who writes in English. Veterinarian by day, she started writing books in 2018 but had to wait until 2020 to finally decide to selfpublish her very first novel You Owe Me. Her favorite genre is fantasy, but she also writes science-fiction and contemporary, always with a healthy dose of romance, most of the time queer.
Introvert at heart, Blanche is content to live alone with her cat Twist. She is obsessed with guinea pigs, movie soundtracks and musicals. In her free time, she likes to review, beta read and format books for other authors.

If you want to know more about her, her future projects and more, you can follow her on Instagram or Tiktok: @bookish_blanche.

Reviews

[LeleLovesBooks ⸆⸉ · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started this book I was sure it couldn’t be better than the first one, but omg was I wrong. I don’t even know where to start. This book is easily one of my highlights this year. I fell in love even more with the characters (if that is possible haha) and it was really amazing to see all the character development that happened through out the book. Especially Fyreen. I am a big fan of multiple POV‘s so this books was just perfect. In this book there was more magic, more plottwists, more spice and more diversity. I am always a fan of disability representation in books so this was just perfect. It is safe to say that Blanche Maze is one of my favorite authors and I am more than excited to continue this journey.

[Rica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book like not many other books in my life and I don't understand why this is not hyped like ACOTAR or Fourth Wing considering that i wuold put it exactly next to them for comparison.
My compliments to the author who kept me even more interested then book 1 and I am a very easy bored reader.
The real question is: when book 3 will be out?

[Bookedondreams · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, I want to thank the author for providing me with an arc copy of this book, I was incredibly excited for this

This review will contain SPOILERS

Let's start with the good things about this book, and a big part of this is that the writing definitely improved. Which doesn't mean that the writing previously was bad, it was still good but you can see the improvement between the two books and the year it took to work on this definitely paid out.
For Fyreen, I'm so happy about her POVs in this book. I wasn't really interested in her story in the last book, although I liked her, but my interest was definitely piqued this time. I love that she fights her fear and does what she believes is the right thing to do to protect her loved ones
For Thea, I really like that she struggles with the events from the previous book and slowly starts to get out of this dark hole she was in when she meets Ash and his crew
For Rogan, WHERE IS HE? I MISS MY HUSBAND! 😂 No but we realize in this book that Rogan isn't a good guy, like he told us multiple times in the previous book, but he's not that extremely evil guy the world makes him out to be (for now, I'm scared) and that he has his reasons. Unknown, but they are there
Also, I thoroughly enjoyed the new characters. The siblings Zéna and Zéfan, I really liked them, especially Zéna. I kinda relate to her. I LOVED Sil! From the snippets we got on Instagram I believed her to be kind of a cold character but she was a sweetheart and I love how the relationship between her and Fyreen grew throughout the book. I also liked Ash, although he better back off from Rogan's wife (not a spoiler, just my delusions)
I also loved the quest about finding the cup and traveling from one Kingdom (Queendom) to another, it was a fun journey

Now to the bad/neutral things (because I don't think they are really bad they just bothered me a bit)

I feel like chapters, and the whole book, could have been shorter because there is a lot of repetitive stuff. Like, I know that Fyreen is afraid of heights and that Queen has to be taken down. I know Thea has trust issues and is attracted to a certain male. There is a fine line from mentioning it enough and mentioning it too much and I feel like we crossed that line
The first book was advertised as Shadow and Bones meets Throne of glass and this book then would be Shadow and Bone meets A Court of Thorns and Roses, which isn't a bad thing. Not at all, EXCEPT there was one scene that reminded me too much of a scene I read in acomaf. (Which I'm not saying was intentionally but I was like meh) Also, Ash is very Nikolai/Rhys coded. Ash is the product of if Nikolai and Rhysand had a baby.
Also, tying to point 1 about repeating stuff to much, there were also a few things that weren't mentioned enough. I know we got character descriptions in book 1 but it would have been nice if it would have been repeated. From book 1 we knew that Fyreen was like midsize/plussize and that she was a POC and that Thea had pink eyes (Can't even remember Fyreens eye color) and she was more on the thin side, which was not mentioned at all in this book. A reminder would have been nice. But that's like criticising on a high level, it's not THAT much of a bother but like I said, it would have been nice.
And one last thing that kind of bothered me was how Thea treated Ariella throughout the book. I understand she felt betrayed about the lying but she thought she was dead for 50 years and she just ignored her or was mean to her throughout the book and I wished we would have gotten a few scenes of them healing together.

And a wish I have for the next book is to see Thea and Fyreen working together more. They barely interacted this book which is sad because they would make an amazing team, especially because I feel like Thea is the force and Fyreen has the brains and empathy.

[Mirella Ivanova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 165 of 2023 - 4.5 🌟

Where should I even begin? The blight is definitely becoming one of my all-time favourite fantasy series.

After the bitter ending of book 1, I was expecting lots of angst from Thea and an action-packed plot. We definitely got that, and although Thea's self-pitying was a bit much at times, it was beautiful to watch her character development.

Although I love Thea, the highlight of the book for me was definitely Fyreen and Ash. Fyreen is smart, witty, compassionate, and Ash is tall, dark, and handsome - am I crazy that I kind of wish they end up together, lol?

I definitely enjoyed the book, but it felt a bit slow, sometimes repetitive, but the plot twists and new characters definitely made up for it.

As always, Blanche's characters are diverse, interesting, and lovable - I wish we had a little reminder of the characters in book 1 (such as them being curvy etc) as I've read the 1st book almost a year apart and the characters physical description got a bit lost for me.

I can definitely see that the author worked really hard on the second book as it was even better than the first (which rarely happens), so I'm excited to see what book 3 has in store for me! 🫶

*Please note, the author sent me an e-ARC of the book, but all the opinions are honest and unbiased.

[L.J. Kerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 / 5 ⭐'s

Thank you to the author for providing me an ARC to review!

Following on from the events of Darkest of Thrones, this jumps us into a processing stage for the characters as they come to terms with what occurred. I loved the development of these characters during this instalment, learning new things about them is always interesting. The slow burn romance and all the twists and turns to keep me wanting more.

Fyreen was my favourite character in this instalment. In the first book she was kind of whiny but in this one, the innocent person has been chiselled into a formidable force to be reckoned with. Thea was awesome, I loved her character development and she finally opened up to people! Then Ash, I loved him, he was tall, dark and mysterious. I would love to know more about Ash in future books!

I found the pacing much slower in this book for my personal liking. And I would have liked more high stakes action.

Either way, I recommend you check out this series! I'm excited for the third instalment and need to know what happens next because I'm certain things are going to hit in the fan in a cataclysmic way!

[Amandine Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exciting sequel ! The story picks up where we left it, and the plot is everything we want and more. Existing characters are developed, and new ones are exquisite. We get a deeper understanding of the world and its ramifications, and the lore is fascinating as always. Can't wait for the next book !

[G.A. A. Colson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the first book, but like this one even more. There is a whole new crew of characters joining the adventure, which I enjoyed very much (espacially Ash 😍). This book has a Shadow & bones vibes, which is absolutely perfect for me. I highly recommend that book!

[Amanda Ouriel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay first of all Sil and Fyreen? Love them so much 😍 I can’t wait to find out what happens and hopefully poor Thea can finally catch a damn break (I know I’m probably the minority here but still team Rogan 😅) I just really can’t shake the feeling something is off about ash

[aureliervlnbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This second book was as much intriguing as the first one and maybe even more!
In this book we learn more about Thea and the relation with the ghosts of her past.

After what happened in the end of Darkest of Thrones Thea isn’t the only one who feel betrayed, Fyreen is too, and is now wanted by her own mother, who behind her cold appearance is even more horrible that you could ever think.

Thankfully all isn’t all bad for the two women, as new characters made their appearance, bringing a new light in this dark times.

New characters that brings confort, hope…. And love.

An adventure full of danger, thrill and twits, I loved this book, not without letting some tears I have to admit.

I’m so excited for the final book, but I’m also a little scared for my favorite characters

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blanche Maze’s Deadliest of Bonds raises the tension and stakes established in Darkest of Thrones, as Thea embarks on a perilous mission to find an ancient artifact and seek revenge against those who tore her life apart. Accompanied by her determined mother, Fyreen, and a cast of unexpected allies, Thea must navigate a journey filled with danger, betrayal, and the enigmatic bond she shares with Rogan—a connection that threatens to unravel their mission.

Maze’s talent for character development shines, particularly in Fyreen’s transformation from innocence to strength, and the addition of new characters like the mysterious Ash brings fresh intrigue to the narrative. While the pacing is more deliberate, it allows for an immersive exploration of the richly crafted world and the complex relationships driving the story.

Themes of revenge, trust, and the fragility of human connections resonate deeply, adding emotional weight to the unfolding twists. Deadliest of Bonds is a gripping continuation that balances action with depth, leaving readers eagerly anticipating the next chapter in Thea’s journey.

[Blanche Maze · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's out! Read now on Amazon 😍 I promise it's good I put everything I had into it

Playlist (one song per chapter): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2Dt...

Book 1: Darkest of Thrones (June 2022)
Book 3: Sharpest of Blades (2024)

[Emma Prud · Rating 4 out of 5]

J’ai trouvé ce tome plus puissant et mieux rythmé que le premier. Là où Le Fléau posait surtout l’univers et les fondations, Un Lien Mortel m’a happé dès les premiers chapitres. La tension monte crescendo jusqu’à une fin explosive qui donne immédiatement envie d’enchaîner avec la suite.

Théa, l’héroïne, poursuit sa route loin de la capitale, installée dans un camp au cœur de la forêt avec sa mère et ses alliés. Elle espère y trouver un peu de paix… mais le destin en a décidé autrement.
À la fin du premier tome, Théa, accablée par le deuil, remettait en question son rôle et ses responsabilités. Mais la reine continue de semer le chaos dans le royaume et traque sans relâche le groupe.
Fyreen, la princesse, toujours aussi loyale et courageuse, révèle à plusieurs reprises ses talents de combattante pour sauver sa vie. Derrière sa fragilité apparente se cache une force intérieure impressionnante qui la fait évoluer considérablement au fil du récit.

La troupe doit à tout prix retrouver le Calice du Celesting afin d’empêcher la reine et sa magie noire de causer davantage de ravages.
Ils feront la rencontre de nouveaux personnages, Ash et ses amis…
Tous ensemble ils se lancent dans cette quête semée d’embûches entre mensonges, secrets, amour…

Les scènes d’action sont percutantes, et les descriptions donnent vie à l’univers sans jamais l’alourdir. Celui-ci s’étoffe avec l’apparition de dragons, de magie et de royaumes.

Un double Slow Burn voit le jour et devrait gagner en intensité dans le troisième tome.

Mon seul petit regret : j’aurais aimé davantage d’échanges entre Théa et Fyreen. Dans le premier tome, leurs dialogues étaient fréquents et enrichissaient leur relation, alors qu’ici, leurs interactions restent trop rares.

[EmmaR · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this second book in Blanche's series. The plot, the pacing, the characters, the representation (the representation!!!). It's a thick baby, but I didn't see the pages go by. I'm soooo excited (and afraid? I don't know what's in the cards for Thea and Fyreen) for the third book to come out. If you like fantasy, diverse identity and sexual representation, strong female protagonists, sensible and likable male protagonists and a whole bunch of mysteries and secrets, run to read this series !

[mymouut · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5 j’ai préféré l’univers de ce livre et j’ai beaucoup les personnages additionnels mais quelques points négatifs selon moi :
- la perso principale est insupportable je peux vraiment pas me la piffrer 80% du temps
- c’est long
- c’est parfois mal écrit teen vibe