Overall - 3.87
Characters - 3.5
Action - 4
Smut - 3
Plot - 5
I REALLY enjoyed this one! As ever, The Blood Trials had been sitting on my shelf for eons and I'm kicking myself for not having picked it up sooner because I really dug it! Some small issues with stylistic choices, themes and character for me but this was held up ultimately by the story and action which I absolutely loved!
Ikenna Amari lives in Mareen, a predominantly white nation ruled by powerful military war houses who despise her because she's Black - half Khanaian. If they were to find out, they would also hate - and want to kill - her because she also has the blood gift. A secret and deadly power that some Black based nations are blessed with, by long thought dead Gods in a world that is now technologically advanced. Mareen train their populace in gruelling missions in order to become super soldiers - known as Praetorians - to fight against the Blood Emperor of Accacia, where blood gifts originate. Accacia have been at war with Mareen for decades but Ikenna’s grandfather secured peace by subduing the Blood Emperor and becoming the first Black Legatus Commander of Mareen. After two decades being the most powerful man in the Republic, Ikenna discovers that Grandpa Amari was assassinated and so she decides to become a praetorian in order to gain the military clearance and expertise it takes to find and take down his killers.Â
Overall, this book was great. It has a solid plot, constant action and a great cast of characters that while could easily get overwhelming, added some great elements to the worldbuilding. Of course I had some issues with the racial themes of the novel which I felt could’ve been easily avoided if Ikenna was ridiculed simply for being blood gifted rather than for being Black. However, there were some wonderfully conscious discussions and realities within the text that I appreciated even if they did make some of her later actions make real sense, having grown up in a place with such animosity.Â
I also had issue with the excessive and repetitive dialogue. As this is first person, I liked being inside Ikenna's head for a lot of this but as such, having her repeat her thoughts to others wasn't needed. I also wasn't a fan of how angry Ikenna was despite. She was very quick to maim and kill, without any real thought or care about how this would effect others which bugged me at parts especially when doing so in the name of a Republic that despises her.
That aside though, The Blood Trials was action packed, it was gripping, it was entertaining and for lack of better word, it was adult. I went into this thinking it was YA and while the characters are upwards of 19 and do have their odd moments, its very much a grown up book. We have cursing, death, war and of course, sex. While there was no romance as such there was definitely some sexy time fun that rates very highly on my Hate-Fuck-O-Meter that I very much enjoyed!
My body quakes as he buries himself to the hilt. Tremor after tremor of sensation wracks me as I adjust to the fullness of him.
There was such a blend of characters as well that all had distinct personalities even if some of those personalities were terrible! Here's looking at you Chance! I felt so betrayed by some of the characters that I knew I was invested in a big way. Even when those emotions are aggravating, it's still a reaction which I am always thrilled with!
I loved learning about the social hierarchy of the military nation as well as the glorious Kingdom of Khanai which was giving serious Wakanda vibes which I loved. I really adored the blend of sci-fi and fantasy which wove a believable world together that felt real and fleshed out. I'm definitely ready to go onto the concluding book and hope you will pick this up too.
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