The first time I read this book I blew through it and afterwards felt as though I missed a few things, so I decided to go back and read it again and take my time. And boy did I miss a lot.

Adeyemi creates two strong female characters Zelie and Amari and I love them both. Granted at times they both got on my nerves. I loved how Adeyemi had a "character" reversal. In the beginning Zelie is strong and outspoken while Amari is meek and soft spoken; then after Zelie's torture Amari's strength really starts to shine through and Zelie becomes meek and soft spoken. The reader still sees Zelie's strength, but she is definitely not as forceful as she was.

Now let me talk about <b>Inan</b> for a moment. I sooo wanted to punch him in the throat. He got on my nerves. Prince Inan (say that sarcastically).

He discovers that he is maji, but is afraid of it because of what his father, King Saran, has said about the maji. He carries this pawn around that came from a game he and his father used to play. And I kept thinking, "when is he going to let this dang thing go?" To me it was a symbol that his father is using him to further his agenda, which is true. Although he was on a quest to find his sister, Amari, and bring her home he was also on a quest to find Zelie and . . .

<blockquote>Kill her. Kill magic.</blockquote>

I love Adeyemi's descriptions. They are vivid and really pull you in - makes you feel like you're there. One of my favorite descriptions is of the Gombe River Valley.

<blockquote>After the six days traveling through the hell of the desert, the lush forests of the Gombe River Valley are a welcome sight. The hilly land breathes with life, filled with trees so wide one trunk could fit an entire ahere. We weave in and out of the towering giants, moonlight spilling through their leaves as we travel toward a winding river. It's quiet roar hits my ears like a song, soft like the crash of ocean waves.</blockquote>

At the outset of the novel I was intrigued. Bisi one of Mama Agba's students asks: "Why do they hate us?" And Mama Agba's reply was. . .

<blockquote>They hate what you were meant to become.</blockquote>

I thought about that and thought that no truer statement could have been made. People don't like you or they hate you for all sorts of reasons. Some of them valid, but most often they aren't. Most of the time the reason someone is not liked is based on ignorance, fear and/or misunderstanding. And the reality is just because someone doesn't like you doesn't mean you should stop being the best you you can be. And I'm done. Off my high horse I get.

Overall, I’m honestly so surprised Children of Blood and Bone was a debut: the characters, the pacing, the writing, and plot were all practically perfect. I would highly recommend it.

I received this book in return for my honest opinion ~ Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read a great story.

This book was exactly the YA fantasy I needed as a child, and still need today.I have never felt so strong a connection to a book's history and culture as I did this one. I am so grateful to the author for this book, and will look out for the sequel

expected an intense hate/love relationship or... any intense feelings between the two main characters. I expected strong characters. Here is neither. I know, it’s only 23 % of the book but.... I just keep finding reasons why I don’t like the girl.

DNF at 23 %

I suspect, though, that I'm not the only one who nurtured these fantasies of being suddenly wrested from my ordinary experience to have magical adventures. Hence the popularity of "chosen one" narratives, particularly in the young adult genre. Tomi Adeyemi builds on the legacy of the Percy Jacksons and Pevensie siblings that came before, but for her debut novel, Children of Blood and Bone, she grounds it thoroughly outside of the "white people in Western countries" place it has lived for so long. She creates as her world Orisha, loosely based on Nigeria and the magic in her tales comes from the mythology of the region. There used to be magicians in this world, the maji, divided into ten clans with a special connection to gods and goddesses and their representative elements. But then a cruel, autocratic king cracked down and slaughtered the maji. The adults, anyways. The children were left behind.

The loss of her mother in the raid that ended magic haunts teenage Zelie even years later. She takes after her mother in that she's a Diviner, born with the distinctive white hair that marks her as a potential maji and therefore subjected to discrimination. Her brother Tzain, though, is "normal" like their father, who's never recovered from the loss of his wife. Their lives are forever changed when one day Zelie heads to the capital city to go to the market, and runs into Amari, the country's princess, fleeing her father and the palace with a powerfully important scroll. That scroll, along with other artifacts, has the power to bring magic back to Orisha. Zelie, Amari, and Tzain find themselves on the run from the King and his son, Amari's brother Inan, who discovers much to his dismay that he's not as dissimilar from the Diviners he hates as he'd like. An unexpected connection between Zelie and Inan could be what saves them all...or what dooms them.

This is not my usual type of book: I don't read YA particularly often, and it focuses heavily on plot over characterization and prose. Nevertheless, that plot moved forward so relentlessly that it was impossible to resist getting swept up in it, even when it veered toward the ridiculous. From nearly the second we meet them, our characters are under threat, and no sooner does one danger pass than another arises. Even as the story zooms, Adeyemi does some quality world-building, introducing the reader to a deeply earth-rooted system of magic in a way that gave enough detail to be intriguing without gratuitous information-dumping. It's refreshing to read a story that doesn't rely on the same familiar Christian and/or Eurocentric myths for inspiration.

That being said, while the details of the story are fresh, many of the beats are eye-rollingly familiar: enemies to friends, hate to love, capture and rescue. There are serious, serious deficiencies in character development...no one feels like more than a set of keywords and relationships that the readers are clearly supposed to get deeply invested in are so thinly sketched that the "payoff" barely registers. Prose quality that might elevate the more rote elements is absent...the writing isn't at all bad, but neither is it ever more than serviceable. The book doesn't feel like it's meant to be taken in and of itself, but rather as a springboard: for a movie, for sequels. While it's compelling and compulsively readable while it's in your hands, it loses a lot when it's over and you have time to think about it. I maintain only a vague sort of "if it's on the Kindle for less than $5" interest in continuing the series. If you're into this genre and these kinds of stories, you'll probably very much enjoy this book. If you're looking for something to keep you entertained on the airplane, this is a solid choice. If this isn't the kind of story you're predisposed to like, though, this is skippable.

I didn't connect with this book in the way that I had hoped. But I'm glad it was written and has been getting so much attention. I probably won't read the sequel but I'm excited for the inevitable movie.

Loved this book! My favorite read of 2018 (so far)! As soon as I finished it, I wanted to reread it, and I'm not much of a rereader. Also, can't wait for the next book in this trilogy.

Zelie reminded me of Katniss in a way. She becomes a kind of reluctant leader and goes farther than she ever imagined she would to right wrongs and support her cause.

I really loved it ! It has everything I search for in a YA fantasy, good plot, good world-building (no info dump), great main characters that grow throughout the book, a bit of romance, lots of action, lots of magic, lots of feels... LOVED IT.
Just... that ending... how can I wait for almost a year !?

***An e-arc was provided to me free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***

This book was AH-MAZING in every possible way!!!!

First - just take a good few minutes and stare at that cover - go ahead, I'll wait....
RIGHT???!!! That cover is one of the most gorgeous book covers I've ever seen.

Next - this story....I never wanted to stop reading. I was constantly dying to know what was going to happen next. Suspenseful, full of emotion, and beautiful writing made this book un-put-down-able.

Finally - that last sentence, though....I kind of wanted to throw my phone across the room...

I have to wait an entire YEAR to find out more???? Ugh. <commence ugly cry>

<dries tears --->>>heads over to Tomi Adeyemi's social media profiles to wait patiently for sneak peeks>

This was a pleasantly surprising book. I ended up ordering it to have a copy on hand, and I can’t wait for book two!

Absolutely LOVED this book. Zelie, Amari, and Inan kept me on an emotional roller coaster and made me laugh, cry, and swoon. Many of the supporting characters also have a special place in my heart. Just when you think you have things figured out, things take a different turn. He hype surrounding this book is very well deserved. Can’t wait until the next book!

A wonderfully refreshing and unique novel. The world that Adeyemi creates was both unlike anything I have read and also familiar. I could easily picture the beautiful landscapes and wild creatures in my mind. The character development was beautifully done with just the right amount of focus on each of the three main characters. I was left wanting more and cannot wait for the sequel!

I read a lot of YA, and definitely feel like the themes run pretty similar. But, there is definitely a lack a diversity, and representation. I was thrilled to be able to receive an e-book ARC of "Children of Blood and Bone." I'm a multiethnic person myself, and I definitely appreciate this. Also, my cultures and mixed ethnicity background have roots in West African culture, and the practices of the Yoruba religion. So, I definitely relate and understood many of the concepts. The book is exciting, filled with action and adventure. And, of course magic, fantasy, culture, and yes, of course, romance. Zelie is the main protagonist, of the maji people, and a force to be reckoned with. I appreciate so much a strong female character, and she does not fall short. It is quite long, but definitely well-worth the read, with non-stop action and packed with adventure.

When Zélie was a young girl, she watched royal guards drag her mother away in chains and hang her from a tree in their village. She watched people beaten down, watched people mourn for their loved ones, and she watched magic ripped from the hands of those that held it. After the king destroyed the maji's connection to the gods, magic left the world. All that remains is the white hair of the young maji, who were left alive because they never knew the feeling of magic and will never wield that power. But when a rogue princess steals a magic scroll, she finds Zélie and convinces her to help. Together, and with whatever help they can muster along the way, they must travel to the sacred island and perform a solstice ritual that could bring magic back into the world for good. But the royal guards, led by the princess' brother, are hot on their tracks, and they are dead set on eradicating magic for good.
I have been waiting for this book for what feels like ages, and I was so excited to finally have the chance to read it. Children of Blood and Bone was incredible, introducing us to a rich, interesting culture within the land of Orïsha. All the characters underwent some incredible growth over the course of the story, most notably our two royals whose wavering alliances and belief in themselves changed the direction of the story more than once. At the end of this book, the only thing that disappoints me is that there aren't any more stories in the land of Orïsha ready for me to read. I'll be waiting eagerly for the next thing from Tomi Adeyemi, because I'm certain it will be amazing just like Children of Blood and Bone.

"Children of Blood and Bone" by Tomi Adeyemi was a refreshing addition to the YA publishing landscape. I found the plot and characters had a unique and fresh twist and the author certainly has a talent for world building. I enjoyed the magic element and how the users had immense power but also limitations (this made it more believable in my opinion). That ending though! Can't wait to read the next book!

Children of Blood and Bone, from the new Legacy of Orisha series, introduces Zelie, a diviner with latent magic abilities, who is hoping to bring magic back to her kingdom. King Saran has killed most of the maji, including her mother, but his daughter Amari escapes his palace with a scroll containing the power to reignite magic. Amari's is devastated when her maid, who is a diviner, is killed by her father. During her escape she is aided by Zelie, who realizes that the scroll Amari has stolen is one of the three relics need to perform a ceremony to restore magic powers to diviners. Aided by Zelie's brother Tzain, they are traveling to a mythic island, which they must reach to perform the ceremony before the solstice. Prince Inan, Amari's brother is hot on their trail, but en-route he discovers, he is a diviner as well. Along the way, allegiances shift and a cliff hanger ending will leave readers anxious for the sequel to this new action-packed page turner.

Hyped books are dangerous because you build them up so much in your mind that it’s super easy for them to fall flat. Well let me tell you something…Children of Blood and Bone doesn’t fall but grabs onto that hype and climbs all the way up it like Zélie and crew.

Pacing was the biggest win right off the bat with this one (at least for me). I remember when I received the book it was super intimidating (the ARC is 600 pages, my friends) and wondered if I’d ever be able to finish it. I started reading on my way home one night and all of a sudden was 120 pages in and it felt like no time had passed. There’s a great mix of exciting action scenes and more ‘basic’ activities that allowed Children of Blood and Bone to feel balanced; you weren’t racing through the story but it didn’t feel like you were crawling either.

Another strong point of the novel was the writing and world building that came of her mastery of the craft. The descriptions are beautiful and make the world come to life in your head; I felt like I was reading in colour (if that makes sense to the rest of the world..it’s all my brain can come up with to describe it). It was flush and descriptive without being excessively frilly which had be a hard line to toe sometimes. The world comes to life beautifully and coupled with the map in the hardcover finished copy you start to feel as if Orïsha is a place you can actually go and visit.

Adeyemi excelled at her character building as well. I love that two of the trio setting out to save magic are girls. The growth of certain characters when things happen (no spoilers) is also great to see. I don’t need a person to be perfect to be one of my favourites in the story; I actually prefer the flawed ones. What I love to see is how they learn, adapt, and become better people in reaction to what they go through during the novel. I even became overly attached to secondary characters like Lekan and Mama Agba which is a sign that I’ve been fully ensnared by a story. Children of Blood and Bone offers up a good mix of characters you love, ones you love to hate, and the ones you just want to shield from what the cruel, cruel world has done to them/turned them into.

Final Verdict:

Believe the hype. Children of Blood and Bone is gorgeous, exciting, and will have you shirking all your responsibilities in favour of reading. (Seriously, my mountain of laundry is proof) If you didn’t preorder this one I suggest you head to your nearest book store and get a copy ASAP.

Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Children's Publishing Group for the opportunity to read and review Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi! Females, young and old, train together to learn to be strong, independent and to gain self-defense skills. This training is hidden from the rest of the kingdom because they would be in trouble and danger if anyone else found out they are more than timid servants. These women lost loved ones in a horrific act of violence against their community and have been training ever since. Zelie is a part of this group and when she was five she watched her mother being dragged away and then hung. Amari is an unhappy princess who escapes and inadvertently ends up with Zelie and her family. They run from Prince Inan, Amari’s brother, as he struggles with his internal conflict of whether or not magic is good or evil. During this time, Zelie’s magic grows and she works at controlling her powers. As Zelie, her brother Tzain and Amari learn to trust each other and work together, they encounter horrific dangers as they continue their quest for the artifacts-the scroll, sunstone and the bone dagger. With these artifacts, magic can be restored. Some romance and humor lighten the dark world that Zelie lives in and both of these help her conquer the evil and pain that drags her under. The impressive storyline, immaculate world building and strong, dynamic characters make Children of Blood and Bone an intense fantasy read worth 5 stars!

I don’t know why I did it but I did and I don’t think I will ever do it again. This was my first and instead of calling it a sample, I will call it a teaser because that is exactly how I feel, teased. When I first laid eyes on this novel, I wanted to read it and when I saw the opportunity to read a portion of it, I jumped on it. Big mistake!

From the beginning pages where Mama Agba picks Zelia to fight Yemi with the staffs, to where the King’s men enter the arena, which has now been transformed into a seamstress shop, I was hooked. As Mama Agba tells the girls about the rise and fall of the Maji, who the Diviners are, and why these girls are training with her, I knew the confrontations reached way beyond the walls of their room. The novel started on a journey and then since this was a sample (teaser), it stopped. There was a cliffhanger on the final page but I didn’t need it, I was already hooked.

So now, I am left hanging until I can get a copy of this novel and finish reading it. For now though, I need to read some other novels that have been calling my name before I bring another novel into this house. I will be picking up Children of Blood and Bone and giving a full review in the near future.

I received this sample (teaser) from NetGalley Macmillian Children’s Publishing Group and in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of the most beautiful books I have read in a very long time. I honestly am struggling to actually write a review about how much I loved it.