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4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
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THE BLOOD SPELL was utterly enjoyable! It’s a well-done YA spin on Cinderella, and I enjoyed every second I spent reading it. Blue and Kellan were truly wonderful characters to follow, and I’m so happy with how their story plays out!
THE BLOOD SPELL was utterly enjoyable! It’s a well-done YA spin on Cinderella, and I enjoyed every second I spent reading it. Blue and Kellan were truly wonderful characters to follow, and I’m so happy with how their story plays out!
4.5/5
My favorite of the series!! The Blood Spell is a Cinderella retelling and I'm definitely adding it to my collection of favorite retellings! Blue de la Cour is an alchemist with a dangerous secret, she has magic in her blood. She mainly uses her magic to aid her in making her alchemical potions which are healing in nature. When her father dies, Blue and her home suddenly become property of an ambitious councilwoman with suspicious motives. The only person who may be able to help her is Crown Prince Kellan, once her childhood friend, now Blue keeps him at an arms length.
I loved getting to know Blue and Kellan in this installment. Blue was an amazing character full of tenacity and kindness. Blue's life goal is to help the homeless kids have safety and security. Her misguided attempt to turn lead to gold leads her into the risky business of being called a witch. The town Balavata lives in fear of witches, no matter how benevolent, after the town was haunted by a blood wraith sixteen years before.
As kids continue to disappear and attacks on the city become more frequent, Blue & Kellan believe they're fighting another blood wraith. They must rely on each other in order to save the Kingdom and prevent any further tragedies. I loved seeing Blue & Kellan form a new friendship and eventually fall for each other. I liked how they wouldn't put up with false pretenses from the other. Kellan has been putting on a mask for his Kingdom since his father's death and only Blue and his sister, Nessa, can see through it. I loved how Kellan comforted Blue through her grief for her father. The shared emotional connection between the two only strengthened their teamwork.
I loved the multiple POVs. Seeing Blue, Kellan and Dinah's thoughts throughout the story made for such a compelling read. I constantly wanted to know what they'd do next, especially for Dinah. Her descent into villainy was amazing and I liked watching her sink further into her darkness. Nessa had a decent role in the story despite being a side character. I loved her strength and her relationship with Blue. Nessa had a quiet strength that not many could see because of her being mute. I loved that she didn't give up and would communicate with sign language.
There was also a small cameo in this book! I loved it! I wish there would be a book about Hansel & Gretel going witch hunting. We never learn much about them, but they are such an intriguing pair that are always popping up!
My favorite of the series!! The Blood Spell is a Cinderella retelling and I'm definitely adding it to my collection of favorite retellings! Blue de la Cour is an alchemist with a dangerous secret, she has magic in her blood. She mainly uses her magic to aid her in making her alchemical potions which are healing in nature. When her father dies, Blue and her home suddenly become property of an ambitious councilwoman with suspicious motives. The only person who may be able to help her is Crown Prince Kellan, once her childhood friend, now Blue keeps him at an arms length.
I loved getting to know Blue and Kellan in this installment. Blue was an amazing character full of tenacity and kindness. Blue's life goal is to help the homeless kids have safety and security. Her misguided attempt to turn lead to gold leads her into the risky business of being called a witch. The town Balavata lives in fear of witches, no matter how benevolent, after the town was haunted by a blood wraith sixteen years before.
As kids continue to disappear and attacks on the city become more frequent, Blue & Kellan believe they're fighting another blood wraith. They must rely on each other in order to save the Kingdom and prevent any further tragedies. I loved seeing Blue & Kellan form a new friendship and eventually fall for each other. I liked how they wouldn't put up with false pretenses from the other. Kellan has been putting on a mask for his Kingdom since his father's death and only Blue and his sister, Nessa, can see through it. I loved how Kellan comforted Blue through her grief for her father. The shared emotional connection between the two only strengthened their teamwork.
I loved the multiple POVs. Seeing Blue, Kellan and Dinah's thoughts throughout the story made for such a compelling read. I constantly wanted to know what they'd do next, especially for Dinah. Her descent into villainy was amazing and I liked watching her sink further into her darkness. Nessa had a decent role in the story despite being a side character. I loved her strength and her relationship with Blue. Nessa had a quiet strength that not many could see because of her being mute. I loved that she didn't give up and would communicate with sign language.
There was also a small cameo in this book! I loved it! I wish there would be a book about Hansel & Gretel going witch hunting. We never learn much about them, but they are such an intriguing pair that are always popping up!
I absolutely loved this book-- hate to love trope, amazing diverse characters, and a beautiful world setting. For a full review, please visit: https://madamepincers.com/home/2019/3/14/book-review-the-blood-spell
An inventive and thoroughly entertaining respin on the Cinderella myth.
4.5/5
I really enjoyed this book. I felt like the characters were realistic and that the plot had a good drive to it. I wasn't slow for long periods of time. As retellings go, I think it's pretty great!
I wasn't overly engrossed in it or anything which is why it isn't getting a 5 stars from me, but it was really well written. A very good story overall!
I really enjoyed this book. I felt like the characters were realistic and that the plot had a good drive to it. I wasn't slow for long periods of time. As retellings go, I think it's pretty great!
I wasn't overly engrossed in it or anything which is why it isn't getting a 5 stars from me, but it was really well written. A very good story overall!
Yet another wonderful retelling!!! I enjoyed this book soo much. Such a unique retelling of Cinderella, so many twist and turns I didn’t see coming. I loved the darker element to it.
This series is so wonderful and I love it so much.
This series is so wonderful and I love it so much.
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Disclaimer: The amazing humans at HarperCollins Canada were kind enough to send me an arc of The Blood Spell in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions below are my own.
“It was useless wasting your time wishing for what you didn’t have instead of using what you did.”
Technically, this book is the fourth in a series, but you can read each book as a standalone – though, it appears there are Easter eggs in each tying them all together.
The Blood Spell is a loose retelling of Cinderella. Now, story-wise, I was so here for this. Our “Cinderella” is Blue, a dark-skinned girl with curly hair, a bit of magic, and a drive to do what is right. Blue fights for those who can’t always fight for themselves, and I love this about her. We follow Blue through a tragic event, an almost enemies-to-lovers love story, an abusive “guardian”, and a predictable but interesting reveal about her and her past.
“Hiding from our ghosts only gives them the power to keep haunting us.”
For the most part, the story kept me engaged. I liked that it was a loose retelling, and that Redwine added in many interesting details to make it unique. The overall story is somewhat predictable in that you know what is going to happen, but the details that get you there and what happens after were different enough that I still really enjoyed it.
There were also several nods to the original Cinderella story which my childhood heart loved so much!
My favourite character, by far, is Nessa. Nessa can’t speak and instead signs to communicate. Her family and Blue, as her best friend, have all learned how to sign as well to be able to interact with her. I love that this representation is in there, and that it isn’t just thrown in to make the book seem “diverse”. Nessa is not the main character, but she is very important to the story.
“Maybe Blue was right. Maybe the ordinary citizens of Balavata needed a hero. But Kellan wasn’t a hero, and he knew it. He was a pawn in a political game that was centuries older than he was. He was a piece of meat to be fought over by the head families who hungered for the power of the throne.”
The love story was okay for me. It wasn’t quite enemies-to-lovers… more like bickering children-to-teenagers in love. That being said, I did enjoy the growth of Kellan and Blue’s relationship, and the way they connected was believable. I think the problem for me was more that I just didn’t really connect with any of the characters beyond thinking, “yeah, they’re alright.”
For some reason, I just didn’t care about what happened to the characters in this book, other than Nessa. I did like Blue and what she fought for, but I didn’t find myself caring when she was in trouble. That’s just me, of course, and many others have adored her.
In the end, I still enjoyed the story and appreciated the many unique details that the author included. I don’t know that I loved it enough to pick up the rest of the series right away, but I do love a good fairy tale so I might eventually!
Thanks again to HarperCollins Canada for sending me this to read and review!
The Blood Spell was released in February 2019, so you can grab your copy now!
Rating this one somewhere between a 3-4. It felt like the action and the connection to the Cinderella story didn’t actually pay off until 3/4 through the book. All the main characters were fleshed out and decent humans to root for but it lacked a certain edge and tension that I enjoy.
4.5
This is one of the best Cinderella retellings I’ve ever read! The MC is a strong female character, the adversity she faces makes sense and the way the author integrates a slight Cinderella twist is done really well, and the romance is a very enjoyable slow burn. I really liked it!
This is one of the best Cinderella retellings I’ve ever read! The MC is a strong female character, the adversity she faces makes sense and the way the author integrates a slight Cinderella twist is done really well, and the romance is a very enjoyable slow burn. I really liked it!
*I was given a free copy from the publishers via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review
See full review here: https://booksintheskye.wordpress.com/2019/02/11/the-blood-spell-by-c-j-redwine-edelweiss-review/
Overall, The Blood Spell by C.J. Redwine was absolutely everything. I know it’s still early in the year but this maybe one of my favorites for the year. With a great addition to the Ravenspire world, she truly created a fantastic story. There were no pacing issues and the whole world was developed fantastically. The storytelling was flawless and did not forget it’s Cinderella roots. Kellan and Blue were the perfect characters for this story. Their blooming friendship really flourished in this story and makes you want them to have nothing but happiness. I highly recommend this story if you are already a fan of the Ravenspire world or are looking for a fantastic Cinderella retelling.
See full review here: https://booksintheskye.wordpress.com/2019/02/11/the-blood-spell-by-c-j-redwine-edelweiss-review/
Overall, The Blood Spell by C.J. Redwine was absolutely everything. I know it’s still early in the year but this maybe one of my favorites for the year. With a great addition to the Ravenspire world, she truly created a fantastic story. There were no pacing issues and the whole world was developed fantastically. The storytelling was flawless and did not forget it’s Cinderella roots. Kellan and Blue were the perfect characters for this story. Their blooming friendship really flourished in this story and makes you want them to have nothing but happiness. I highly recommend this story if you are already a fan of the Ravenspire world or are looking for a fantastic Cinderella retelling.