Scan barcode
xolove24xo's review
4.0
Well catching up on reviews so here we go!
Tropes: Enemies to lovers maybe, He fully falls first, Chosen one, Hidden truth, and a "price for winning" trope
This is the second book in The Blood Tournaments series and it did not disappoint. It picks up immediately after the end of the first book and we are able to see actions and thoughts from both of our main characters Antonio and Carmen/Renata. The overall story was beautiful and flowed nicely with the events from book 1. Now into a deeper dive.
Character Thoughts
Carmen/Renata
Carmen is still very true to herself and is a strong willed FMC. I love that even in times of extreme hardship, she still persurviers and conquers what she sets her mind out to. While I am happy about the fact that she has now left Isaac in the dust, I kind of feel like the inner anger/hatred for him was a little misplaced. With this being said though, Isaac becomes a character that, in my most humble opinion, deserves all the terrible things to happen to him and just slightly more.
My love and need for the Carmen-Antonio love train to set out into the beautiful sunset in a Happily Ever After feels so close but yet so far away! While again I can appreciate that Carmen is her own woman and she makes her own choices, which I do not always agree with, I really just wish that she would slightly open up and given Antonio a chance. She knows that everything is being manipulated by the Chanciller and it would make me just that much happier if she could let down that wall and really trust that he has her best interest at heart. He is not a monster like what she makes him out to be and insufferably she finds okay things about Isaac that she can appreciate and love but fails to really see the bigger picture of Antonio which hurts my heart!
Antonio
Okay, my man here needs to learn how to speak when they are not in a compromising situation. Antonio is sweet, thoughtful, and caring but he fails to open those pieces up to her even when they are completely only. Again I can appreciate that he is his own person and this is very like Antonio especially from what we saw in the first book. I truly just love this man with all of my heart even the mysterious questioning parts and really truly believe that he is just perfect. My heart really goes out to him for all the torture really that Carmen is putting him through. He does care and honestly loves her so much, even in times where she is less than understanding with him, and I just might go insane if they don't have a HEA ending.
Plot
This story definitely does take a turn once everyone is in the Blood Tournament. I was absolutely not ready for the fact that basically everyone dies, Santiago and Carmen make it out alive and to the end with Isabela and Carmen loses her leg from the knee down?! Like if I could insert a mind blown emoji here, I completely would.
This book definitely is more fast past than the first book and had no problem devouring it in less than 24 hours at 356-ish pages. Every step of the way, there is new development that is revealed that is very different than what I have expected or that I have previous read in other books which I love! My final love is that the cliffhanger at the end is beautiful. It is mysterious how a new ominous figure has revealed themselves and with Antonio gone again, I am just at a loss of words for what may happen yet!
Conclusion
Again, all in all I love this series and our characters. I am forever grateful that this book was set to a faster pace than the previous book. I wish that Carmen would be a little more understanding and trusting, or open, to Antonio but seeing what she has lived through in her life I can understand also why this is not the case. I would love for Antonio to just put himself out there and really rooting for a HEA at the end of all of this. I am so excited to start book 3 and... let the good times roll!
Tropes: Enemies to lovers maybe, He fully falls first, Chosen one, Hidden truth, and a "price for winning" trope
This is the second book in The Blood Tournaments series and it did not disappoint. It picks up immediately after the end of the first book and we are able to see actions and thoughts from both of our main characters Antonio and Carmen/Renata. The overall story was beautiful and flowed nicely with the events from book 1. Now into a deeper dive.
Character Thoughts
Carmen/Renata
Carmen is still very true to herself and is a strong willed FMC. I love that even in times of extreme hardship, she still persurviers and conquers what she sets her mind out to. While I am happy about the fact that she has now left Isaac in the dust, I kind of feel like the inner anger/hatred for him was a little misplaced. With this being said though, Isaac becomes a character that, in my most humble opinion, deserves all the terrible things to happen to him and just slightly more.
My love and need for the Carmen-Antonio love train to set out into the beautiful sunset in a Happily Ever After feels so close but yet so far away! While again I can appreciate that Carmen is her own woman and she makes her own choices, which I do not always agree with, I really just wish that she would slightly open up and given Antonio a chance. She knows that everything is being manipulated by the Chanciller and it would make me just that much happier if she could let down that wall and really trust that he has her best interest at heart. He is not a monster like what she makes him out to be and insufferably she finds okay things about Isaac that she can appreciate and love but fails to really see the bigger picture of Antonio which hurts my heart!
Antonio
Okay, my man here needs to learn how to speak when they are not in a compromising situation. Antonio is sweet, thoughtful, and caring but he fails to open those pieces up to her even when they are completely only. Again I can appreciate that he is his own person and this is very like Antonio especially from what we saw in the first book. I truly just love this man with all of my heart even the mysterious questioning parts and really truly believe that he is just perfect. My heart really goes out to him for all the torture really that Carmen is putting him through. He does care and honestly loves her so much, even in times where she is less than understanding with him, and I just might go insane if they don't have a HEA ending.
Plot
This story definitely does take a turn once everyone is in the Blood Tournament. I was absolutely not ready for the fact that basically everyone dies, Santiago and Carmen make it out alive and to the end with Isabela and Carmen loses her leg from the knee down?! Like if I could insert a mind blown emoji here, I completely would.
This book definitely is more fast past than the first book and had no problem devouring it in less than 24 hours at 356-ish pages. Every step of the way, there is new development that is revealed that is very different than what I have expected or that I have previous read in other books which I love! My final love is that the cliffhanger at the end is beautiful. It is mysterious how a new ominous figure has revealed themselves and with Antonio gone again, I am just at a loss of words for what may happen yet!
Conclusion
Again, all in all I love this series and our characters. I am forever grateful that this book was set to a faster pace than the previous book. I wish that Carmen would be a little more understanding and trusting, or open, to Antonio but seeing what she has lived through in her life I can understand also why this is not the case. I would love for Antonio to just put himself out there and really rooting for a HEA at the end of all of this. I am so excited to start book 3 and... let the good times roll!
More...