So, while there won’t be any spoilers for Bloodmarked (book two of the Legendborn Cycle) by Tracy Deonn, there will be some major spoilers for Legendborn.
So, like I said in my post talking about Legendborn, I did receive a PR box with an advanced reader’s copy (ARC) Bloodmarked. It releases on November 8th, and I got the opportunity to read it early! Out of every single book box I’ve received, this one had me the most emotional because Legendborn is my favorite book ever.
Pretty, right? Also, yeah, Bloodmarked is a pretty big book.
Anyway, where do I begin with this story? Probably right where it left off. So, at the end of Legendborn, it’s revealed through a tear-jerking Memory Walk and epic battle scene that Bree Matthews is the Scion of King Arthur. This shocks everyone — including the reader. It stirs up a lot of different emotions from the other Scions, who were all prepared to watch Nick Davis — who is actually Lancelot’s Scion — pull Excalibur from the stone and take his place as king. Then, Nick is kidnapped by his father and Issac, his Kingsmage. Selwyn Kane, Nick’s Kingsmage, swears to Bree that they’ll find him.
Now, Bloodmarked doesn’t waste a single freaking second. We are shoved back into Bree’s world, where she is trying to balance her new discovery, the connection to her ancestors, and everything else in her sixteen year-old life. The awful and horrific treatment that Bree received in Legendborn because of her skin color is nothing compared to what she faces in Bloodmarked. Even though Bree is King, to the Regents, she is just a girl with power that has never been seen before. The Regents intend to keep the war — and her — quiet and do things their way, and Bree goes with her friends to find Nick.
Do you remember when I said that Legendborn had me wanting to reach within the pages and wrap Bree in a comforting hug? Yeah, Bloodmarked had me wanting to pick up a sword to go fight with her. Baby girl goes through it in this book. I felt so much anger, sadness and fear for her. Tracy Deonn really knows how to rip out people’s hearts and toss them into a blender. I want to say that I cried at least four different times while reading this.
But I loved this book so much. I ended up reading it in mostly one sitting. It’s the most fantastic sequel I have EVER read. Tracy’s writing is powerful (like always.) This story doesn’t waste time, it answers any questions that readers might have had after wrapping up Legendborn, and then prompts questions for book three.
The magic is beautiful. Each time there was a scene of Bree using her abilities, or even just tiny descriptions of them, I highlighted them. In my eyes, no YA protagonist has powers as unique as Bree’s, and I stand by that. Also, the action scenes!!! Every time I sighed in relief because things were finally calming down a bit, Tracy just threw in another scene that had me on the edge of my seat again. There’s also some soft, sweet moments too. I’ve read some of them so many times that my ARC just naturally opens to those pages.
Let’s talk about some the characters! They’re all beautifully written — even the ones that I hated with everything in me. There’s a ton of new characters that Bree encounters, but I’m going to leave them out of this, only because it’ll be best to go into this story without a single clue about who Bree will meet, and what they do.
First, we have our brave Bree. My baby girl who just needs a break and a big hug. I loved her so much in Legendorn, but I love her even more after Bloodmarked. What I also love is that even though there’s high stakes in this story, Tracy still writes Bree as a sixteen year-old girl. I’ve read so many sequels where suddenly, the teenage main character acts a lot more mature and different from the first book. Nope. Bree cries, gets angry, — which she definitely should! She’s processing a lot!— has silly conversations with her friends every now and then, feels stuck, and even has some boy drama. Gotta love being sixteen, right? Anyway, I can’t wait to see her next moves in book three. She’s so clever, so I know it’s going to be amazing.
Next, we have Selwyn Kane. He’s number two on my favorite’s list. Look, I love this dark-haired, grumpy, sarcastic and very powerful sorcerer. When I was reading Legendborn for the first time, I hated him — even though I enjoyed Bree returning his energy — in the first half. Then I learned a lot more about his past, then actually ended up liking him by the end of the book! Shoutout to Tracy for getting me to love a character I hated at first, because it’s rare. In Bloodmarked, oh, I shed tears over him. I wanted to hug him too. He had some pretty good scenes in this story, and the tension between him and Bree was crazy. He may be a cold person, but he has a big heart and is just trying to do his best.
Next is William, who ended up being one of my absolute favorite characters! He’s a sweetheart, but he is as epic as the rest of these people. Each time there’s a problem, William has an answer. Want to know something about the Order’s history? Ask William. Got an injury? Go see William. Have a lot on your mind and just want to chat? Go talk to William.
Then, we have Alice. Bree’s best friend! I adored Alice at the end of Legendborn, where Bree finally explains everything to her. She’s so quick to stand up for Bree, and I love that! I was actually very happy that we got more scenes of them together in Bloodmarked. It’s always so nice to see healthy, fun friendships. She’s also very smart, and a quick thinker. I’m happy that Bree has her on her team.
Finally, Nick. My precious cinnamon roll. With the way Bloodmarked is set up, the scenes we get with Nick are short, but sweet. But he’s still a big, big player in this wild game, as he is adjusting to the sudden knowledge that he is Lancelot’s Scion after he spent his entire life being told — and believing — that he’s Arthur Scion.
So, SO happy that I got to read this early! Bloodmarked’s release day is in just a few more days! Read Legendborn if you haven’t, reread it if it’s been a while, then buckle up and grab your sword. Bloodmarked is wild from start to finish.
