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booksthatburn's review against another edition
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Classism
Moderate: Cursing, Racial slurs, and Alcohol
Minor: Sexual content
daradara's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
3.75. I enjoyed the premise of this story because I love a good trial but some parts felt incomplete or half baked, like the “romance” if that’s what you want to call it. I also did not understand why the last 30% of the book wasn’t it’s own novel. It seemed like an entirely new story took place that I was unsure about at first. But the ending was satisfying. I wish the book ended earlier than it did and the last chunk was part of the next book.
Overall I liked the story. The gore and violence reminded me of Red Rising which I loved. The book was lacking in the romance department that it tried to have and some parts didn’t seem overly necessary.
Overall I liked the story. The gore and violence reminded me of Red Rising which I loved. The book was lacking in the romance department that it tried to have and some parts didn’t seem overly necessary.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content
bookwormsandbiblios's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
N.E. Davenport knows her stuff. The Blood Trials is a rich and diverse world filled with complex and flawed characters, and the mystery of a big bad (the Blood Emperor) will leave you dying to read the next book. Luckily for you, unlike me, you won't have to wait as The Blood Gift will be hitting shelves (digital and physical) on April 10, 2023.
Ikenna Amari is an orphan twice over. Her mother was killed when she was just a baby leaving her to be raised by her grandfather, Verne Amari. The book opens the night before Ikenna is set to graduate from the military training academy and still reeling from the recent death of the Legatus, leaving her with no family. If this wasn't bad enough, Ikenna is harboring a secret - one that could get her killed. Ikenna is blood gifted, a trait outlawed in Mareen, her home country. And with so much suspicion surrounding the nature of her grandfather's death, she's not sure who she can trust.
However, Ikenna will not let a little thing like a duplicitous nation of racists derail her from finding out the truth and seeking revenge. So, with her friends at her side, she joins the Praetorians, an elite group of soldiers charged with protecting Mareen by any means necessary. But before officially joining their ranks, she must first undergo the most harrowing trials of her life, where the price of her failure means death.
The allegorical "isms" in this book are very on the nose. Still, much deeper conversations are happening in the book, such as spirituality vs. technology, cultural identity vs. nationalism, the ethics of violence, nepotism, and generational legacy. The book delves into various forms of institutionalized biases and the consequences of such power structures. The book also looks at how bigotry can be quiet and almost unnoticeable. Overall, there is much criticism of the status quo.
Ikenna is unapologetically bold. There is a level of callousness in her, but at her core, she is exceptionally solicitous. Her headstrong pragmatism often war with her kind-heartedness. While she can be myopic and reckless, her sense of justice makes her a likable character, even if her decisions are frustrating. The reader also sees her growth as she walks the tightrope of learning how to utilize and continue to conceal her blood gift. It would be very easy for her to fall into "the Chosen One" cliche, but the rashness and singlemindedness with which she often acts humanizes her. (From lived experience, it is extraordinarily challenging to remain calm and think clearly when facing multiple forms of bigotry, particularly when occurring all at once).
This narrative is an exciting mashup of magic and science fiction. While the magical system of the blood gift is clearly at the forefront of the story, it spends much of its time juxtaposed with the technological advancements in Mareen society. I'm reserving judgment on the Patheon (the gods of The Major Continent) because there's time to address that in the second book. I genuinely wish there had been more detail on the government and military structure of Mareen. (This is my second read-through, and I'm still unsure about the internal working of the War Houses). However, it's certainly not a dealbreaker regarding the book's enjoyment.
This is an excellent read for anyone looking for an action-packed straightforward writing style. Figuring out the murder subplot makes it a good fit for those who enjoy whodunit. And while there is one spicy scene, it won't make or break the book, so feel free to enjoy or skip it.
Ikenna Amari is an orphan twice over. Her mother was killed when she was just a baby leaving her to be raised by her grandfather, Verne Amari. The book opens the night before Ikenna is set to graduate from the military training academy and still reeling from the recent death of the Legatus, leaving her with no family. If this wasn't bad enough, Ikenna is harboring a secret - one that could get her killed. Ikenna is blood gifted, a trait outlawed in Mareen, her home country. And with so much suspicion surrounding the nature of her grandfather's death, she's not sure who she can trust.
However, Ikenna will not let a little thing like a duplicitous nation of racists derail her from finding out the truth and seeking revenge. So, with her friends at her side, she joins the Praetorians, an elite group of soldiers charged with protecting Mareen by any means necessary. But before officially joining their ranks, she must first undergo the most harrowing trials of her life, where the price of her failure means death.
The allegorical "isms" in this book are very on the nose. Still, much deeper conversations are happening in the book, such as spirituality vs. technology, cultural identity vs. nationalism, the ethics of violence, nepotism, and generational legacy. The book delves into various forms of institutionalized biases and the consequences of such power structures. The book also looks at how bigotry can be quiet and almost unnoticeable. Overall, there is much criticism of the status quo.
Ikenna is unapologetically bold. There is a level of callousness in her, but at her core, she is exceptionally solicitous. Her headstrong pragmatism often war with her kind-heartedness. While she can be myopic and reckless, her sense of justice makes her a likable character, even if her decisions are frustrating. The reader also sees her growth as she walks the tightrope of learning how to utilize and continue to conceal her blood gift. It would be very easy for her to fall into "the Chosen One" cliche, but the rashness and singlemindedness with which she often acts humanizes her. (From lived experience, it is extraordinarily challenging to remain calm and think clearly when facing multiple forms of bigotry, particularly when occurring all at once).
This narrative is an exciting mashup of magic and science fiction. While the magical system of the blood gift is clearly at the forefront of the story, it spends much of its time juxtaposed with the technological advancements in Mareen society. I'm reserving judgment on the Patheon (the gods of The Major Continent) because there's time to address that in the second book. I genuinely wish there had been more detail on the government and military structure of Mareen. (This is my second read-through, and I'm still unsure about the internal working of the War Houses). However, it's certainly not a dealbreaker regarding the book's enjoyment.
This is an excellent read for anyone looking for an action-packed straightforward writing style. Figuring out the murder subplot makes it a good fit for those who enjoy whodunit. And while there is one spicy scene, it won't make or break the book, so feel free to enjoy or skip it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content and Violence
nerdy_book_mom's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, and Blood
Moderate: Bullying, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, and Murder
Minor: Classism
rbz39's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
<I>“If you want blood, you got it!” - AC/DC</i>
Wow, this was a tough book to read. Challenging but rewarding! Don’t be fooled by the cover (which felt a little YA but still kicks ass regardless), this is a brutal tale of military sci-fi, magic, and systemic racism.
The author showed her world-building skills with this story and while I enjoyed it, I think the ending slowed down because of exposition. Most of the book is made up of the Trials, so I felt that the story began to feel long in the tooth after they concluded. On the other hand, the ending sets up an exciting book two and plenty of moral quandaries for our main character to grapple with. I will check it out!
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read for me since the mix of fantasy and sci-fi was really well done, and I thought the aspect of race in the story was well-executed. The constant abuse and hardship of the characters did make for a difficult read since it was a bit of a downer, but I had plenty of time to read it. Worth a read if the blurb or anything in this review sparked your interest! N. E. Davenport is an author to watch for sure.
Wow, this was a tough book to read. Challenging but rewarding! Don’t be fooled by the cover (which felt a little YA but still kicks ass regardless), this is a brutal tale of military sci-fi, magic, and systemic racism.
The author showed her world-building skills with this story and while I enjoyed it, I think the ending slowed down because of exposition. Most of the book is made up of the Trials, so I felt that the story began to feel long in the tooth after they concluded. On the other hand, the ending sets up an exciting book two and plenty of moral quandaries for our main character to grapple with. I will check it out!
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read for me since the mix of fantasy and sci-fi was really well done, and I thought the aspect of race in the story was well-executed. The constant abuse and hardship of the characters did make for a difficult read since it was a bit of a downer, but I had plenty of time to read it. Worth a read if the blurb or anything in this review sparked your interest! N. E. Davenport is an author to watch for sure.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Xenophobia, and Cannibalism
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual harassment, and War
emfass's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Confinement, Grief, Cannibalism, Alcohol, Colonisation, and War
shannnne_reads_words's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Classism
cyannaslibrary's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5
Loved this book and currently reading the second one. Just didn’t care for Reed and Ikenna’s “enemies with benefits” type of relationship, it didn’t interest me and felt unnecessary.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, and Murder
chilliam_mc's review against another edition
fast-paced
4.0
I love a fun book! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. A lot of times, overly arrogant protagonists annoy me, but damn do I love Ikenna! N.E. Davenport def knew what she was doing. What a great character.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexual content, and Blood
nytephoenyx's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Blood Trials was a great story set up, and I enjoyed it. There was the right amount of action and just enough character and background to set everything up for a great book two—honestly, a great debut.
Why four stars instead of five? The Blood Gift Duology should be a trilogy. There were clear signposts for an ending after the Praetorian trials, but the book continued for another 150 pages. The next book comes out next year (and I will be reading it!), and I assume there's a similar point that will feel like a transition should have happened. There was a three-act feel to it, and the last third of the book felt disjointed.
That is honestly my only complaint! Otherwise, I liked the lore and the twists (so many twists!), and I eagerly anticipate the bloody, grimy story the next book is sure to tell.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, and Classism
Moderate: Hate crime, Medical content, and Alcohol
Minor: War