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althea's review
5.0
I’ve had this book on my radar for a wee while, because the concept of an anime-esque fantasy novel combined with the author’s own amazing character art (which you can check out on their Twitter), so when the author reached out to ask if I’d like an ARC copy, I of course jumped at the opportunity! Despite my reading slump taking hold throughout the month of July, I found myself constantly thinking about the book and the characters whenever I had set it down, and even now after finishing the book, I still can’t get them out of my head!
Bloody Spade follows Ellen Jane, recent Joker graduate and magical ‘crime’-fighter, who sneaks her way into a dangerous Void-related mission only to find her fate entangled with that of Iori Ryone, the notoriously dangerous cat-eared Keeper of the legendary corrupt Spade. But as the pair grow to trust each other, danger is lurking on the horizon in the form of infamous Blackjack organisation who are trying to unearth something that will change the world as they know it.
First and foremost, something I absolutely adored about this book was the characters. I’m a character-driven book lover through and through and Brittany honestly did such an amazing job in this regard. Not only do we have a diverse cast of queer characters – Iori is pansexual and Ellen is asexual, and there are trans, sapphic, aromantic and demiromantic demisexual side characters too, with one of them even using neopronouns – but the way that the characters develop and interact just made my heart so happy! I adore books that show the characters mingling as friends and showing the banter between them, as well as showing them in a more relaxed location like their homes, and I was so excited to see this happen in Bloody Spade and it made me grow all the fonder towards the characters! The characters were also messy and morally grey but you couldn’t help but feel for all of them and all that they were going through and I really enjoy when you don’t know which ‘side’ to root for because you really do understand them both.
The world building was also super original – I loved how inspired it was by anime and it really did remind me of some of my favourite shows growing up, especially the whole magic-girl transformation scenes, they were so much fun! The fact that so much of it was based around playing cards and other ‘games’ was really interesting, and I really hope we get to see even more of that in the sequel! I liked how there were the four suits of a deck of playing cards and how there were Keepers of their specific powers and how the dynamics between them were explored. The almost at times grimy urban fantasy setting did a great job juxtaposing the shine and sparkle of the magical academy and the magic used by the characters, making for a really interesting playing field.
The plot was a lot of fun – it was at times a bit dark but overall it was really action-packed and there were definitely lighter scenes in there so that it wasn’t all doom and gloom. I was in a huge reading slump for most of the time I was reading that, and I think it was for that reason that I found it a bit slow to get into, but once we hit the halfway point I did not want to put the book down at all! I loved the action scenes and the feistiness of the characters really made the story fly by!
I’m already dying for a re-read of this book since I know it’s still quite a wait for the sequel to come out, and you can bet that I’ve already pre-ordered a physical copy for that reason, because I loved it so much! I can’t recommend picking up this YA debut enough and I can’t wait to see where Iori and Ellen’s story goes from here!
Thanks to the author for an e-ARC copy! All opinions are my own!
Want more sapphic books? You can find me here: Book Blog | Twitter | Instagram
Bloody Spade follows Ellen Jane, recent Joker graduate and magical ‘crime’-fighter, who sneaks her way into a dangerous Void-related mission only to find her fate entangled with that of Iori Ryone, the notoriously dangerous cat-eared Keeper of the legendary corrupt Spade. But as the pair grow to trust each other, danger is lurking on the horizon in the form of infamous Blackjack organisation who are trying to unearth something that will change the world as they know it.
First and foremost, something I absolutely adored about this book was the characters. I’m a character-driven book lover through and through and Brittany honestly did such an amazing job in this regard. Not only do we have a diverse cast of queer characters – Iori is pansexual and Ellen is asexual, and there are trans, sapphic, aromantic and demiromantic demisexual side characters too, with one of them even using neopronouns – but the way that the characters develop and interact just made my heart so happy! I adore books that show the characters mingling as friends and showing the banter between them, as well as showing them in a more relaxed location like their homes, and I was so excited to see this happen in Bloody Spade and it made me grow all the fonder towards the characters! The characters were also messy and morally grey but you couldn’t help but feel for all of them and all that they were going through and I really enjoy when you don’t know which ‘side’ to root for because you really do understand them both.
The world building was also super original – I loved how inspired it was by anime and it really did remind me of some of my favourite shows growing up, especially the whole magic-girl transformation scenes, they were so much fun! The fact that so much of it was based around playing cards and other ‘games’ was really interesting, and I really hope we get to see even more of that in the sequel! I liked how there were the four suits of a deck of playing cards and how there were Keepers of their specific powers and how the dynamics between them were explored. The almost at times grimy urban fantasy setting did a great job juxtaposing the shine and sparkle of the magical academy and the magic used by the characters, making for a really interesting playing field.
The plot was a lot of fun – it was at times a bit dark but overall it was really action-packed and there were definitely lighter scenes in there so that it wasn’t all doom and gloom. I was in a huge reading slump for most of the time I was reading that, and I think it was for that reason that I found it a bit slow to get into, but once we hit the halfway point I did not want to put the book down at all! I loved the action scenes and the feistiness of the characters really made the story fly by!
I’m already dying for a re-read of this book since I know it’s still quite a wait for the sequel to come out, and you can bet that I’ve already pre-ordered a physical copy for that reason, because I loved it so much! I can’t recommend picking up this YA debut enough and I can’t wait to see where Iori and Ellen’s story goes from here!
Thanks to the author for an e-ARC copy! All opinions are my own!
Want more sapphic books? You can find me here: Book Blog | Twitter | Instagram
thetomatowriter's review
5.0
I think this was my favorite book of the year?????? Oh my goodness it was so enjoyable. The author has talked about the book being anime inspired, both on Twitter and in the acknowledgements, and it truly reads like watching an anime. If you like Promare, for instance, I think you'd love this book.
The characters are incredibly endearing and the world is so exciting. It's just a FUN book to read, with a whole lot of heart to it. I don't think I've shipped anything like I shipped Ellen and Iori in a LONG LONG time. Also, the ace and aro rep in this book was so refreshing in that it felt seamless? You didn't get some social media soapbox-esque monologue, the characters just WERE ace/aro/demi and navigated their lives as such. They made jokes about it. They wore T-shirts about it. They had a brief clearing up with a new friend that things weren't going to get romantic because they were aro. It felt very true to my experiences and the experiences of people I know.
Basically I finished this book already so excited to read the next book and then got very sad that there are only two books so when that's done, it will be over.
The characters are incredibly endearing and the world is so exciting. It's just a FUN book to read, with a whole lot of heart to it. I don't think I've shipped anything like I shipped Ellen and Iori in a LONG LONG time. Also, the ace and aro rep in this book was so refreshing in that it felt seamless? You didn't get some social media soapbox-esque monologue, the characters just WERE ace/aro/demi and navigated their lives as such. They made jokes about it. They wore T-shirts about it. They had a brief clearing up with a new friend that things weren't going to get romantic because they were aro. It felt very true to my experiences and the experiences of people I know.
Basically I finished this book already so excited to read the next book and then got very sad that there are only two books so when that's done, it will be over.
soulfullyalex's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you to the offer for a review e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I don’t read a lot of YA anymore, I always seem to struggle to get into it, but this one wasn’t a struggle. I’m almost mad at myself for not reading it sooner, but I know that I was in the right mood to read it when I did. I didn’t know what to expect from it other than magic and queer main characters. I like to go into books with a relatively loose idea of what they are about. I like to be surprised. And boy was I surprised!
I really enjoyed this! It was fast paced and gripping, which was exactly what I needed. For starters I loved Iori’s character. He was funny and witty and a little bit wild, but the more we got to know him the more we saw that there were deep layers that needed to be worked through. I felt so much for Iori. He had such a rough life and it felt like he just couldn’t catch a break, the poor kid.
Ellen was also a really great character. She was really sweet and caring, and I loved that she wanted to see the best in people and could see past the surface level situation. It was a huge contrast to her brother, Alexander. I will be honest, Alexander made me angry for a lot of this book, but I think in a good way. He was just so stubborn and so sure of his own opinions of people and situations that he couldn’t see that his views were based on his personal feelings and his need to blame someone. I had that kind of anger that if he had listened to his friends and the people that loved him he could have avoided a lot of the pain he had to go through later on.
In the end, I loved how things ended and were wrapped up, but also how the little bit of a cliffhanger left things with a eerie sense about what’s to come next. I can’t wait to read the completion of this duology.
literarydelirium's review against another edition
thank you to the author for the arc !!
super fun and it gave me anime vibes? anyway i have so many thoughts so i’ll do a full review soon hopefully
super fun and it gave me anime vibes? anyway i have so many thoughts so i’ll do a full review soon hopefully
clank's review against another edition
5.0
Obviously, this had me at anime inspired, and that is a very accurate description. This was a super self indulgent read and I loved the magical girl transformations, the cat boy, and the heavily themed world based around playing cards. This also has really good casual lgbtq+ rep, and one of the best tropes, grumpy x sunshine.
themargherita_s's review
5.0
This book has been on my TBR for so long and I’m mad at myself for not getting to it sooner 😤
The story was really interesting and Iori and Ellen were so freaking precious!!! I need the sequel RIGHT NOW! 🥺💕
(I hope we get to see Iori and Alexander become friends in book 2 eheh) 👀
The story was really interesting and Iori and Ellen were so freaking precious!!! I need the sequel RIGHT NOW! 🥺💕
(I hope we get to see Iori and Alexander become friends in book 2 eheh) 👀
caranox's review
5.0
This book met all my expectations and then some for an anime-inspired story that took me straight to a quirky, urban fantasy laced with a touch of nostalgia. Willows did an amazing job at pulling together a wonderful cast of messy, loveable characters I won't forget any time soon. I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel!
gabriele_queerbookdom's review
4.0
DRC provided directly by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Representation: protagonist on the asexual spectrum, queer Asian-coded protagonist, aromantic secondary character, demisexual demiromantic secondary character, queer Asian-coded tertiary characters, amputee Asian-coded tertiary character, trans tertiary character, queer tertiary character, Asian-coded tertiary character, Slavic-coded tertiary character, Black tertiary character, non-binary tertiary character.
Content Warning: death, violence, trauma, forced kiss, panic attacks, torture, bullying.
Bloody Spade by Brittany M. Willows is an adventurous fantasy set in a semi-fictional world in which a mysterious and cataclysmic event brings magic back.
Seven years have passed since the Reemergence, a bewildering event which brought death and unimaginable powers on the streets of Hildegrand and the reign of Amberlye. On the seventh anniversary of the occurrence a new influx hits Elysian Tower where numerous dangerous creatures are trying to escape a pit to run amok and cause disasters. It is there that Ellen and Iori meet for the first time.
I quite enjoyed reading Bloody Spade and I am very interested in knowing how this story will continue and conclude. There are a couple aspects I did not completely like though.
Firstly, the mixture of imaginary elements and real ones. This characteristic of the book is not something I disliked per se, but it is something I am not sure how I feel about. It is probably a me-thing and my preconceptions about urban fantasy, which I always thought had to be set in the real world with a fantasy element hidden from the general public.
Secondly, the mention of a star-crossed romance between the Heart and Spade suits, which is an aspect I will not discuss as it could spoiler parts of the story. I am just going to say it felt as an unnecessary piece of lore.
What I liked most about the story was the originality of the premise and the magical system, and the diverse ensemble of characters, among whom Ikkei stood out. He had my heart from the moment he called Alexander a b*tch, which is exactly what I called him in my mind for most of the book and I wish he will get a bigger role in the second book.
Bloody Spade is a literary adventure you should really think about reading and pre-ordering!
Representation: protagonist on the asexual spectrum, queer Asian-coded protagonist, aromantic secondary character, demisexual demiromantic secondary character, queer Asian-coded tertiary characters, amputee Asian-coded tertiary character, trans tertiary character, queer tertiary character, Asian-coded tertiary character, Slavic-coded tertiary character, Black tertiary character, non-binary tertiary character.
Content Warning: death, violence, trauma, forced kiss, panic attacks, torture, bullying.
Bloody Spade by Brittany M. Willows is an adventurous fantasy set in a semi-fictional world in which a mysterious and cataclysmic event brings magic back.
Seven years have passed since the Reemergence, a bewildering event which brought death and unimaginable powers on the streets of Hildegrand and the reign of Amberlye. On the seventh anniversary of the occurrence a new influx hits Elysian Tower where numerous dangerous creatures are trying to escape a pit to run amok and cause disasters. It is there that Ellen and Iori meet for the first time.
I quite enjoyed reading Bloody Spade and I am very interested in knowing how this story will continue and conclude. There are a couple aspects I did not completely like though.
Firstly, the mixture of imaginary elements and real ones. This characteristic of the book is not something I disliked per se, but it is something I am not sure how I feel about. It is probably a me-thing and my preconceptions about urban fantasy, which I always thought had to be set in the real world with a fantasy element hidden from the general public.
Secondly, the mention of a star-crossed romance between the Heart and Spade suits, which is an aspect I will not discuss as it could spoiler parts of the story. I am just going to say it felt as an unnecessary piece of lore.
What I liked most about the story was the originality of the premise and the magical system, and the diverse ensemble of characters, among whom Ikkei stood out. He had my heart from the moment he called Alexander a b*tch, which is exactly what I called him in my mind for most of the book and I wish he will get a bigger role in the second book.
Bloody Spade is a literary adventure you should really think about reading and pre-ordering!