Reviews

THIS BOOK IS AMAZING! I mean I LOVED and ADORED the first book, but the sequel just blew the whole story out of the water and made it even better and more amazing!

This book continues where we left off with Ramson and Ana trying to find a way to stop Morganya. They need to find allies, and fast. They end up traveling to Bregon(where Ramson is from) to try to gain allies, as well as where Ramson is hoping to finally stop his old master Alaric Kerlan once and for all. They have no idea what they’re in for, and that everything and everyone is tied together.

I loved the addition of some POVs. It added so much more depth to the story, but also the characters, like Linn. And I love, LOVE, that Kais joined the crew because, I mean, give me all the broody men please

literary_steph's review against another edition

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4.0

"It seemed too good to be true, and now she realized that it had been. Their paths had always led to different destinations."

I absolutely loved this sequel. It felt so good to reunite with the princess and conman again.

Red Tigress takes place weeks after the events in Blood Heir. Morganya has claimed the throne. Under her regime she hunts down non-affinites accused of Affinite trafficking, when really this is a guise for something much darker. Ana and Ramson make way to Goldwater Port where Ana hopes to gain support from Yuri and the Redcloaks... but is met with resistance and disappointment. Linn is a pretty prominent character in this installment, and things get interesting when she must work with Kais, who is very much of a mystery at first. Is he a friend or foe? Zhao really knows how to make you wary of this character.

I thought this was much more magically and politically charged than Blood Heir. From the political machinations in Bregon, a powerful artifact that can create affinites, Ana learning more about her magic and growing into herself, to exploring Ramson's estranged dynamic between his sister Sorsha and father, chilling.. So much unfolded in Bregon. There was plenty of twists, betrayals and bloody action. It was tightly paced and never a dull moment for me. I also adored all the banter between Ana and Ramson, especially when they were open and vulnerable with each other. *happy sigh*

Overall, I enjoyed this sequel a lot. It had action, high stakes adventure, magic, intrigue, friendship and angst. I love the world Zhao created and I'm definitely looking forward to seeing how she'll wrap this up. Hopefully a HEA, more Ana and Ramson moments and kill that witch.

amybraunauthor's review

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5.0

Another epic adventure in this amazing trilogy! The ending left me with so many emotions, it’s all I can do not to count the days until the grande finale.

Wen Zhao had no hold barred in this second instalment of the Blood Heir Trilogy. Our heroes were thrust back into each others paths and set on new adventures across the sea. There were old enemies and allies, and new ones that came from unexpected places.

Ana continued to grow into an inspiring character who comes to term with the hardships of her choices. She is a wonderful hero and I can’t wait to see where her story ends. Ramson also plays a major role, not just with his choices but with his past coming to reckon for him in ways I didn’t expect. Sure, he might have frustrated me at the end (just in one scene, not on the whole book), but I still find him wonderfully complicated and am eager for his journey to continue. Linn also gets a larger role and is almost mythic in her powers. She is going to become a folk hero in this series and I can’t wait to see what happens to her next.

The world is expanded, each setting unique and beautifully painted. The magic and abilities grow in complexity and consequence. It was great to watch all these different storylines merge into a heart-stopping finale that had me biting my nails.

The new villains were absolutely wild and I fear what happens when our heroes cross paths with them again. The book had tons of action and danger, yet took its time for some tender moments with the main cast.

This is such a great series and this was just what I hoped for. I can’t want for the explosive finale!

jessicaalexander95's review against another edition

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4.0

Morgana has now taken over and her rule is strict and harsh, she will go to all ends to increase her power and kill Ana. Ana and Ramson leave the shores and return to Ramson’s homeland to search for allies and end up embroiled in another nations problems and Kerlans plans which have spanned decades.

The second book really stood out more than the second. Her writing has improved and the story was good. The characters are very plot driven and struggle a lot with their emotions warring with what they should do which is nice change of pace than my usual saucy fantasy. The slow build of the relationship was very similar to Cal and Mare in Red Queen. The ending was interesting and was very much building to the next and final installment.

elmarie_bassage's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.75

Fun, action packed and well paced.

mkoehn's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

btwnprintedpgs's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging tense 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? No

3.0

I liked this a lot more than book 1. I still found some things were lacking in terms of characters learning their dang lesson (not me screaming at them to stop going into danger alone every other chapter), but I found I really enjoyed Brigon and getting into the groove of the found family we made in Blood Heir.

I found Linn gave Toph vibes, and Sorcha gave Azula energy. Both characters were great additions to the cast, I loved seeing more of Linn after her introduction at the end of Blood Heir. I did find Linn's devotion to Ana a bit strong for what transpired in Blood Heir, but past that, she's a strong character. I didn't think I'd read the final instalment halfway through, but now I'm so curious about our three MCs as we reach the finale of the series.

This instalment had a better and stronger climax than Blood Heir, and I found myself rooting for the characters more than rubbing my temples in frustration. Definitely didn't suffer from second book syndrome! I'm also glad that we tied up some story lines in this one, thus setting the stage for Crimson Reign.

All in all, a strong sequel, and a great setup for the finale of the series! I'm really loving the crew we've put together and I'm excited to see how their story ends.

TW: blood, murder, injury detail, torture, alcohol consumption, violence, child abuse, fire/fire injury, death; mentions infidelity, death of a parent, death of a child, kidnapping

eARC gifted via NetGalley by Delacorte Press via Random House Children's in exchange for an honest review.

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