Bloodleaf is great addition to the magical-fiction genre! A compelling plot keeps the reader engaged while creating an ever-deepening connection with main protagonists, Princess Aurelia and Zan. The overall tempo of the Bloodleaf is satisfying, filling in with self-discovery and perseverance between action -- the ending seems a bit rushed, but is ultimately satisfying. Readers will find many interesting details that support both the characters and the plot -- definitely a setup for a sequel!

Princess Aurelia is a witch ... well, a Blood Mage to be accurate. In her country, Aurelia's powers are feared and punishable by death, but an arranged marriage to the Prince of Achlev may be her saving grace. When she is forced to flee her country for Achlev, she begins to discover a plot to not only overthrow her family, but also the throne of Achlev. In hiding and almost dead, Aurelia meets mysterious Zan who, despite a rough beginning, forge a friendship and begin working to save the crown.

This book was very hard to put down because it was such a great storyline and kept me turning the page to find out what would happen to Aurelia next! There did not seem to be many dull parts of the story which is great for young readers and makes the pages seem to fly by as well as the time spent reading.

The characters are well-developed and did not feel like your typical princess meets boy, falls in love, rules kingdom side-by-side. While predictable in some areas, the predictability I felt did not take away or make the story any less enjoyable, but rather had me rooting for certain characters and questioning how certain characters couldn't see what was right in their faces, only to realize it's because they didn't WANT to see that yet.

I would definitely recommend this book to my middle school students and plan to purchase at least one copy for my classroom and probably a copy for myself at home!

First, I would like to say that Aurelia is a VERY strong female lead. Secondly, I was impressed by the complexity of the magic system. However, I was somewhat disappointed by the overall story. I loved the characters, but the plot was a tad predictable for me. I've seen the story's beats too many times. I do like the author's prose and her attention to character development. Though her debut was kinda lackluster for me, I would love to read her other future works.

I was really excited to read this book, but was somewhat disappointed. I found it to be a tad predictable. It is an easy read with memorable characters and I did enjoy it, It just didn't live up to my expectations for what I thought it was going to be. I did read this as though it was a stand alone, but later found out that it is actually part one of a trilogy, so maybe I will find what was lacking in the books to come.

All in All... it was a good read, just not fantastic.

Aurelia is a strong and independent female character with a strong sense of loyalty. However, I felt the other characters could have been developed a bit more. Since I did not realize this was going to be a trilogy, I am sure they will be developed a bit more in later books. The book descriptions I have read are selling her story as she has to choose between her crown and her new sense of freedom. There does not seem to be any time in the book that she was going to give up her crown for “freedom.” The entire book she was trying to figure out how to stop the evil plot and man behind it. The book had closure, so it could have been a standalone. Now, that I know, of course, we want to hear more, but it did conclude well. A quick read with action, a bit of love – which we knew was going to happen, magic, and deception.

Bloodleaf was a book that I was really excited about and I’m happy to say that it was a book that I enjoyed!

I loved the characters, especially Aurelia, and Zan! The plot was fast paced and I loved the whole magical aspect.

This book also had some touching and heartbreaking moment that had me in tears.

All in all, Bloodleaf is a fast read that fantasy fans will love.

Aurelia is a princess who is forced to flee into exile because of her magic, which leads her to pretend to be a commoner in the kingdom where her betrothed is the prince. The magic that protects the wall which divides the kingdoms is being threatened, with the removal of each ward requiring deaths. The final layer of protection will fall when three royals of that country's bloodline are killed. 

What I loved:

* Magic is hated and feared in Aurelia's home country, yet she continued to practice it. I think I'd add into the love category everything to do with the magic system, especially regarding the mysterious plant bloodleaf itself! 

* The connection between Aurelia and Zan. Seeing Aurelia find happiness despite everything going on around her showed her determination to live the best life possible. 

* The emotional journeys of some of the side characters, such as Zan's friend's wife.

* Despite being the first book in a YA fantasy trilogy, the story felt complete. There was no sense that Aurelia's story had been chopped into three just for the sake of it. 

I was a little more uncertain about other aspects of the story, such as the reveal relating to Toris, the novel's villain. I think for me Bloodleaf was a novel much less about the plot itself and more about the relationships between the characters. If you liked the characters, as I did, then the story was very satisfying. I also found what happened to Aurelia's best friend a little unbelievable, but understand why it had to happen.

Overall this was a really fun read. The magic system and the ghostly element brought by the spirits Aurelia is haunted by added some depth to the story. I'm excitedly awaiting the next book in this series and urge anyone who loved Queen of the Tearling or Red Queen to pick this novel up! 

Thank you to NetGalley, HMH Books for Young Readers and Crystal Smith for the opportunity to read Bloodleaf in exchange for my honest review.

Just because Aurelia is a princess does not mean she is exempt from her kingdom's strict intolerance of witch craft. So when she is forced to use her gift, she must flee her kingdom to Achleva in hopes of finding safety.
Pretending to be a peasant, she discovers that while Achleva is more tolerant of her gift, there is danger here too. She must learn to use her gifts well to save this enemy kingdom and hopefully free her own as well.
Recommend this book to those who like page turners and can identify with the struggle Aurelia has with coming to terms with her witchcraft as a gift instead of something to fear. There is plenty of mystery and romance to keep the story moving and Aurelia is a compassionate character.

Bloodleaf combines magic, action, romance, adventure, a folklore into one unique fantasy. Once again, Smith does not disappoint.

Sometimes, I admit, I judge a book by its cover, and the cover of Bloodleaf, by Crystal Smith really is lovely. With a mysterious white flower dripping with blood and its swirling lines of thorny vines, my interest was peaked. Happily for me, the possibilities hinted at by the cover came to fruition. Bloodleaf is full of strong characters, a swoon-worthy romance, an exciting world of ghosts, treachery, and betrayal, and a story that was a page-turner. I loved it!

What I Liked:
Characters:

The story centers around Princess Aurelia. She is a blood-mage (a witch who can use her blood to perform magic). She's been told all her life that this is a curse, that she should be killed for her abilities. At the beginning of the story, even she believes this. I love how Aurelia gains self-worth and comes to understand that these are gifts. Her transformation from helpless to courageous had me cheering her on.

Zan is another character who is underestimated. All his life, he has been belittled and mistreated because of his fragile health. When he meets Aurelia (disguised as a servant) he realizes that he can enact change to save his kingdom. Zan and Aurelia help each other to make an impact.

Romance:

With Aurelia and Zan being all supportive, is it any wonder that they fall in love? Their romance is really lovely, how they are drawn to each other by similar experiences. I am also really glad that this book did not follow all the regular tropes of a love triangle, or a love/hate relationship. They just can see that they are kindred spirits.

World-Building:

The universe that this novel is set in is full of magic. There are legends of powerful forces, witches, ghosts, and the strange plant, Bloodleaf, which only grows in ground that's been soaked in death.

Story:

The story is full of conspiracies, hidden identities, and betrayal. Someone is plotting to take down the magical barriers of the kingdom of Achleva. In order for this to happen, there must be a series of sacrifices done at precise times to coincide with the phases of the moon. It's up to Zan, with the help of Aurelia's magic to stop it. But who can be trusted? With many characters with hidden agendas, the plot kept me guessing to the very end.

Fun and action packed! I really enjoyed the characters, the world and the magic system. I can't wait to see what these characters get up to in the next book.

Crystal Smith’s debut novel Bloodleaf is a unique fantasy that integrates an intricate magic system, familial bonds, a root-worthy romance, and a story of survival and sacrifice. From the first chapter, the story sucks you in with forbidden magic that has been bombarded by politics and a full-out witchhunt.

Aurelia, the main character, is not only a fierce and determined heroine in the novel, but her constant ability to analyze every situation she is thrown in allows her to mature throughout the chapters. I love that she wears her heart on her sleeve and is always protecting the people she deeply cares about. She is cautious but friendly. Aurelia is a protector, a fighter for justice, and a survivor. She is so straightforward and honest with everyone she encounters. Additionally, I love her interactions with the other well-developed side characters.

As Aurelia explores her magical abilities, she is thrown into many twists and turns. Her journey throughout the novel is to survive multiple assassination attempts and save her kingdom, which all leads to some surprising secrets. However, as her well-paced story unfolds, I found some of the plot twists to be predictable (or I’m just really good at picking up on very subtle clues).

Overall, if you are in the mood for a new fantasy trilogy filled with royal politics, a slow-burn romance, and NO CLIFFHANGER (that’s right, there’s no cliffhanger . . . YASS), then definitely pick up Bloodleaf. You will gasp, laugh, cry, and cheer throughout Aurelia’s story as she learns to control her magic and help those that she loves.

For the most part I thought this book was really good! The plot was intriguing and I really liked the magic system. I thought the world building was really well done and this book was very well paced. I felt like I could really get into this world if there were more books in the series.

However, I do have a couple of complaints about this book. I felt that the characters, aside from the main, weren’t that well developed. Some were actually downright forgettable until the end. I felt that the book didn’t explain all the aspects of the world and while it was built beautifully I still had questions at the end. I felt that the ending was rushed as well.

Verdict: A strong, solid release for 2019.

*ARC received from NetGalley in return for an honest review*

For some reason, I just couldn't get into this book. Maybe because it seemed like the plot for a book I have read multiple times before or I just wasn't in the right mood to read it. Either way, I got only a short way despite trying to pick it up multiple times. This book will still sit on my kindle so maybe I shall give it another go in the future.

Hated and feared by her own people for practicing blood-magic, princess Aurelia flees her kingdom to the safety of the home of her betrothed. But things don't exactly go as planned on her journey, and she soon finds herself alone in a foreign land. After surviving two failed assassination attempts, Aurelia must hide her true identity in her new home and she bides her time until she can retake her kingdom by honing her magical talents and developing new allies.

The world building, character development, and relationships in this story will have you intrigued from the opening chapter and the surprise twists and action will keep you glued to the pages until the jaw-dropping finale. I can't wait to see how Aurelia and Valentin rally their supporters to win their kingdoms back in the second book.

Despite how much I wanted to love this, I couldn't finish it. I found myself skimming and wondering when the conflict would start. I stopped around 1/3 in.

This book was fantastic from beginning to end. Magic, assassinations, and ghostly queens made for a book I couldn't put down and Aurelia was a character I wanted to root for no matter what. It was a darker fantasy which is my favorite type and one of my favorite advanced copies I've ever received!

Magic, fantasy, witchcraft, romance, deception, heartbreak can all be found in this story. I enjoyed reading Bloodleaf by Crystal Smith, but I found that it was a little slow to draw me in. After about 20% of the book I was hooked and waiting to see how things would turn out for the main characters. The plot was good and so were the characters, I just was hoping for a little more build up to the romance. I also am waiting to see what Smith chooses to do with the next part of the story in the second book. Definitely a book I will recommend to my students who enjoy this genre of literature! Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was a slow read at first and then picked up speed quickly. I got sucked into the world of Bloodleaf and could not put it down. I feel like there is room for a sequel.. In fact at the end I was like, that's it? I need more. It's well worth the hard to get through the first few chapters. The twist was expected, but good.

The twists and turns made this book so much fun to read! Just when you think you got it, your somewhere else! Thank you netgalley for the free arc in exchange for an honest review!