4.5/5 ⭐

Red Tigress is an empowering, crazy journey! After the events of Blood Heir, this book dives right into the action and wastes no time. As much as I enjoy the main character's story arc, I find myself invested moreso in the supporting characters and that's because so many aspects are well written and coincide that it's tough to pick my favorite elements.

The slow burn us torture though. I do find that I quite enjoy the political intrigue theme throughout this series and I'm dying for book 3!!!

I enjoyed Red Tigress, but because I forgot a lot of what happened in the first book I was a little confused throughout the book. I would have loved some sort of tiny recap throughout the first bit of the story. Still, I was intrigued enough to keep reading, but I'm not sure if I will read the third book..

*I originally received an eGalley from NetGalley & Delacorte Press (thank you both!), then switched to the finished version when it published. This does not affect my review.*

I loved the Blood Heir, but struggled with a slow start. With this being the sequel, I went in with high hoped after the first book, but still had the nagging worry of 'Sequel Slump' striking another favorite...Which was completely unfounded and this book blew any doubts lingering from Blood Heir about my love for the series out of the water!

From the start this one packs on the action, filled with angst, tension, danger, and constantly changer loyalties, it has a little of everything! We also get to see several old faces and many new faces in this second book of the Blood Heir trilogy! I can already say that the final installment is an Anticipated Read of 2022, and you probably know by now that I usually only have a handful or less of those each year!

Pros:
Characters - I loved seeing so many old faces, including Ana and Ramson, but also maybe more so seeing more of Lin, the yeager, Yuri, and the Unseer to name a few! I alos really enjoyed meeting several of the new characters introduced in this one, including Daya, the King of Bregon, and Sayin (all of whom I have a feeling will play a larger part in the next book!)

Action/Danger - I loved the scenes in Blood Heir that were more about Ramson and Ana, and less about the state of political affairs...but I also loved the drama and action that this one brings with a new kind of danger and a whole new level of pressure for our characters! First we have Kerlan and the Empress of Cyrilia still on the loose, but also new threat arising from both Ana's home country, and across the sea in Bregon where Ramson swore to never return!

Emotions - This one starts with the high emotional rush that Blood Heir ends with, and keeps the feels coming! I loved all the tension, heart stopping action, breath taking twists, and those oh so sweet swoony feels sprinkled in! This one lacked that 'slow to start' feel of the first, and from the beginning I was in love with this sequel!

Trad series I love! So, not really a point, but as you can see from my ratings/read shelf, I tend to prefer indie books, as I just feel they speak to me in a way that many Traditionally published book from the later publisher lack. I crave stories and characters I can connect with, relate to, and maybe be in the best of cases, even call friends. This is one of those series! The only other that comes to mind that I recently loved as much was Rachel Caine's The Great Library series that I finished last year. [book:Ink and Bone|20643052]

It's such a good feeling to love a series that actually has the chance to be something big, and have a solid fan base. That's the one down-side of loving indie, and I'm so excited about this series and love seeing others enjoying it as well!

Cons:
That it ended? (Need I say more? XD)

Too Perfect - I do feel that this is an issue with this series. I love so much of it, but the action scenes, I mean the BIG action scenes that happen at the end, or close to it, always seem too perfect and too neatly wrapped up to me. I love the story overall, the characters, the plot, and 90% of the action, but as with the attempt to reclaim the throne in the first book, this attach on Bregon seemed... too neatly packaged to fit with the rest of the beautiful and chaotic story. I know that's part of it, and overall doesn't take away from how amazing the story is, but it's still a pet peeve of mine i guess.

In preparation of reading this book, I read Blood Heir and quickly fell in love with this world and the characters. The magic system in this trilogy is complex enough to keep you on your toes but not too complex that it's hard to understand. The relationship in this book didn't feel forced at all and it had a really nice build-up. I can't wait for the next book!

Oh. My. God. I thought Blood Heir was good. But woooowww! Miss Zhao knocked this sequel OUT OF THE PARK! Her attention to detail, her world building, as always is just STUNNING. The darkness about this book is what makes it so unique. The uniqueness gives the characters this glimmer that just captivates the audience. I simply cannot recommend Miss Zhao enough! #redtigressforthewin

A fantastic follow-up to a strong debut, Red Tigress expands the scope of the plot established by Blood Heir and poses impossible questions for the main cast, leaving us guessing at the edge of our seats. Anastacya, Ransom, and Linn are separated at the beginning of the book, and their journeys take three separate yet equally compelling paths toward the climax of the novel.

While the first book in the series felt very similar to a lot of YA fantasy debuts in recent years, Red Tigress managed to fully flesh out the world and give the characters compelling arcs. Ana has to grapple with her family's legacy and how it will define her path forward, and I loved watching her develop beyond the shadow she was at the beginning of the series. Meanwhile, Ransom has to confront some of his own demons, and their relationship struggles beneath the weight of everything around them. That being said, the stand-out stars of this book, to me, were Linn and Kais, who developed an unlikely bond that I look forward to seeing more of in the third book.

I really enjoyed the worldbuilding in this one along with the different Affinities that come into play. My only gripe would be that the book falls into a lot of tropes and at times can be predictable, but ultimately the strong characterization helps make up for that.

Definitely looking forward to the final book! This one was really enjoyable.

I love the Blood Heir trilogy so far and highly recommend it! Red Tigress did a wonderful job of taking what was started in Blood Heir and expanding upon the threads. The sequel follows Ana and Ramson as they try to find a way to take down Morganya, and we get to see more of the Blood Heir world as their journey takes them outside The Cyrilian Empire. We also learn more about our side characters and how their paths intersect with Ana's. I loved seeing how Ana grows in this installment of the series, and I can't wait to see where she ends up in the last book. If you need to scratch your Shadow & Bone itch after seeing the show, this is the perfect series to pick up next. The Russian-inspired atmosphere and magic system will fit well with fans of the Shadow & Bone trilogy, and fans of Six of Crows will enjoy Ana and Ramson and their tendency towards being morally gray outlaws. The Blood Heir trilogy includes these similarities while also making its own unique mark on the YA fantasy sphere.

Buy, Borrow, or Bypass: I definitely recommend you buy this series! The writing style pulled me in and made the story come alive, and I can tell it's a series I will want to read multiple times. Plus, the covers are stunning. :D

When I discovered this book was a sequel, I realized I needed to get the first book from the library before I could begin. Three days ago, I finished book 1, and I was hooked. Red Tigress picks up where Blood Heir ends, and it doesn't let go. This is a book filled with confusion, angst, despair, hope, survival, and love. Although the main character, Ana, is dreadfully naive, entitled, woefully unprepared, and idealistic, she never quits to fight for what and whom she believes in. She sees the best in everyone and tries to save as many as she can. In the end, this book leaves the reader desperate for the final book in the series.

I love this series so much. Magic. Warring empresses. Good vs evil. Snarky, witty love interest. And the writing is just so good. Impossible to put down.

Which edition got the cover from pic 3? I am super jealous. Like that cover best. The US cover is NOT compelling.

After a debut like Blood Heir which was met with a lot of controversies, I was curious to see how the author would proceed within the world she created, as I was lucky enough to read both versions of book 1, and I'm happy to say, she didn't disappoint.

Red Tigress picks up where we left off in Blood Heir, with Ana fighting for her right to rule her kingdom, and very few options to help her achieve her goal. The banter between her and Ramson was top-notch and I can't wait to see more of them in the next book. All in all, Red Tigress was jam-packed with action scenes worthy of an oscar winning movie, angsty tension, and fantastical elements of magic, that pulled you in and wouldn't let go until you read the final page!

Ana is wanting to take her throne. She is the only living member of the Royal line. She has no title, no army, nothing. She partners with Ramson again to help her take back what is hers. However, they must face danger.
I feel like I liked this more than Blood Heir. I was a little bored at times though. I liked the betrayals, secrets, political intrigue, and action. Ana is a great character and I can’t wait to see what is in store with her.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It had adventure, twists and turns, and a slight hint of romance. And I do plan on reading the third book in the trilogy when it comes out.

Ana is now a princess in exile. She wants to gather an army together and fight Morganya in order to depose her. This takes her (along with Ramsen) across the sea. In their quest to find these allies, some secrets are revealed, and not everyone who is supposed to be on her side actually is.

One of the things I really liked about this book was that it focused on choices. How sometimes choices feel like a luxury, but we still have a choice. Sometimes there are no good choices, but the option still exists. We can choose to be a monster; we can choose to be sacrificial.

While I liked the book, I don't think this will be one of my favorite books of the year. This book has a huge cast of characters, and they're not all bit parts either. There were times that I wondered "who's his mother?" or "Who is this person?" I had the same issue with Game of Thrones too, but that's five books (so far) that are about 1000 pages each. It probably doesn't help that I read the first book as an early ARC two years ago. Before I read book 3, I'll want to reread the first two books first.

The writing of Red Tigress has really improved since Blood Heir and I'm very glad to see that Amélie Wen Zhao has grown. Yes, the book still has tropes and it's still not great, but I enjoyed reading it

Four stars based on what I read, but it's a DNF for me at 35%. Loved the first book, but I'm not really a cliffhanger type of person and between the ending of the first book (and I read there's another cliffhanger at the end of this one), I'll wait until the final installment is out so I can read through until the resolution.

An amazing sequel to a wonderful first novel. These characters were even more compelling, and I loved the exploration of their arcs in this story. Wen Zhao has got a talent for storytelling, and this is an incredible series I would recommend to anyone!

Red Tigress is a compelling, bloody sequel that successfully expands the world and politics of Blood Heir. Fans of the first will eat this up and appreciate how Amelie Wen Zhao has grown as an author; the explosive end of the book will have readers clamoring for the next installment.

I really enjoyed Blood Heir when it came out and was super excited to read the sequel! I'm not one for politics in fantasy novels (dragons > politics any day of the week) but I found that I didn't mind it so much in the book. Overall, I thought Red Tigress was a worthy successor and can't wait for the third book!

Warning: My review is primarily (not entirely) focused on comparing Ted Tigress to Blood Heir instead of comparing it to similar YA books.

Overall, Red Tigress is a decent book. Is this part of a series that I'd want to pick up time and time again to read like some other book series? No, it is not. This series just doesn't hold my attention. The characters were poorly developed in book one but there was a slight improvement in Red Tigress in my opinion. There are some fairly decent action scenes. Red Tigress sticks to the overall original plot even though both books sort of fumble around to maintain that endeavor. The pacing was decent enough though there were parts that I just wanted to skip and found myself sighing as I forced myself to trudge along to complete it. The story wasn't memorable enough for me to want to tell others to check it out. I'm sure others will have opinions different from my own. I know I will not be reading the third book.

DNF @ 25%

Unfortunately could not make it through this one. I just didn't feel the connection to the characters that I felt in Blood Heir. The villains felt like carbon copies of the first book. The violence felt like it was deliberately trying to evoke a response in the reader rather than develop a narrative. And the push for democracy from tyrannical rule was a trope I've encountered too many times to explore whole heartedly.

Thank you to netgalley for providing a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

I received this novel for a review from netgalley. I found i really couldn't put this book down, and i went out and bought a hard copy. determination, and a kick- butt main character will having you reading through the night. Dont miss this series!