In a riveting follow up to the stunning debut, Legendborn, Deonn continues the imaginative and original tale of Bree. I loved, loved, loved Legendborn. It is one of my favorite fantasy and young adult novels. I was in awe of Deonn's ability to present a magical coming-of-age story that addressed race, American history, Arthurian mythology, and dark academia -- to name a few -- and left with a book hangover for days afterward. I could not wait to get my hands on the sequel. And with that foundation, Bloodmarked had big shoes with to fill. Did it fill them? Perhaps.

Bloodmarked is a great read. There's no doubt about it. Does it live up to its predecessor? Admittedly, no. Does that mean I don't recommend it? Absolutely not.

While Bloodmarked is nowhere near as good as Legendborn, and perhaps suffers a bit from middle-book syndrome, I still enjoyed it and cannot wait to finish the series. It's full of action and drama. In fact, that's part of my criticism. Some of the tension felt contrived and overwhelming. I honestly have no idea how Deonn will finish the series with only three books given all the plot lines at play. (But hey, if she wants to write more than three, I won't be mad about it!) Without spoiling anything, I also questioned some of the choices Bree made in Bloodmarked. Ultimately, I loved reading more about Bree and Selwyn, but I hope Deonn returns to the roots of the story of Legendborn with the next book. In any event, I cannot wait to read it!

I cannot say I have waited for a sequel with as much anticipation as I have with Bloodmarked. As soon as a I received it and started it I was ENTRANCED. Being back in Bree's world was all consuming. Bree is the character you just want to win. She works hard, faces adversity with creativity and confidence but does all the thing she needs to while still checking in with her emotions. The continued tie backs to her ancestry and mother are beautifully woven into the story. While this book was not as fast paced as the first; I will say that the world building and details to move the story along were perfection.

The only thing I am upset about is the fact I am going to have to wait another year or two in order to continue on Bree's adventure. However, I am waiting!

Read if you want a strong badass Black female lead mixed with history, social justice, and a little King Author. This book is for you!

This book is a roller coaster ride that will keep your heart pumping from the first scene to the last!

Some random review-ish thoughts:
1. Absolutely loved the introduction of Valec, I love a good ancient man with a lot of character.
2. Struggling to continue to care about Nick.
3. I really need more from Bree- some growth and less naivete and more personality. Everyone in the world of the book loves her so much and I know she deserves it and more but I'm not sure the reasons are coming through on the page as much as they should be. We're being told instead of shown.
4. I still totally love what Deonn is doing, and I can only imagine her writing area is covered in complicated charts.
5. The first half of this book is just Bree getting almost killed a LOT and it's a bit repetitive.
6. The second half moved much faster, but I might have gotten whiplash.
7. Totally still here for the whole series, it is still a LOVE for me.

Tracy Deonn absolutely did not disappoint with this follow-up to LEGENDBORN. I could not put BLOODMARKED down. This magical book hooked me from start to finish, and I loved every moment of it. Deonn has a way of capturing feelings and making them real so that you can't help but feel everything the characters are going through. You want to be friends with them. You want to root for them. You want them to succeed. You cry for their pain. You laugh with their joy. You smile with their happiness. And, most of all, you learn with them about life, history, and how to make change. This series is phenomenal. I can't wait to see what happens next - especially after that ending!

This is the continuation story of Bree, the newly discovered Scion of King Arthur, from the first Legendborn installment. In this book, Bree's focus is on her ascension and unveiling the Legendborn magic while learning more about the Root craft magic of her female ancestors. How everything all ties together, who are her real friends and her very real foes. This adventure leaves the confines of the university, across the South, meeting a variety of new characters along the way.

While Deonn seeks to give Bree more dimension, Bree's self-deprecating determination gets rather tiresome to not only the reorder, but to the characters as well. Although she managed to survive her scrapes, I didn't feel she actually learned to master any of her crafts enough to ensure success the next time around. What Deonn does extremely well is weaving the intergeneration racial traumas common among Black people, the modern-day racism antics of isolation and micro-aggressions with original fantasy world-building, and an abundance of Black Girl Magic. The book was well-paced for the sequel in a trilogy. However, I felt there were action sequences that moved far too quickly, while the ending was a lack luster cliff hanger. I need the third book as soon as possible.

Bloodmarked is the long anticipated sequel to Legendborn by Tracy Deonn. So much happens in the book action wise but I am left with more questions than answers that hopefully a third installment will save. Bree just doesn't seem like Bree from book one and her decision at the end was just mindboggling.

While I love the intent and voice in Bloodmarked, it wasn't executed as well as Legendborn.

Bree seemed to lose herself in this book and took a back seat to many of the other characters. By doing that, the pacing of the book felt off. Bree would become involved in part of the story and it would feel like it moved along, but then another character would step in and it would all pull back.

There was a lot more explaining in this book compared to the action packed scenes in Legendborn. But then we were hit with such a cliffhanger at the end of the book, it just felt a little off.

All that being said, I love Tracy Deonn's writing. While I had some issues with plot, I am hoping that this book was just setting up for what may come along the line in book 3.

I want to start by saying that I definitely enjoyed Bloodmarked, but I do think that this book suffered a bit from "middle book syndrome." I really wanted Bree to master her powers and to get some cool training montages, dive into the Arthurian lore some more, and really see Bree become the center point of this story and see who Bree is besides her grief and trauma. I didn't really get any of that, and Bree was very passive in this book. It seemed like things were happening to Bree instead of Bree being an active participant in the narrative. I didn't expect where this story was going and I think maybe the world expanded too quickly beyond the campus of UNC.

All that said, I will definitely continue reading, and Tracy Deonn is such a talented author and storyteller.

After reading Legendborn, I was so happy to have the sequel right away. Only now I wish I had the next book right now. 😫 Bloodmarked is book 2 and it continues the story where the first left off. The storyline definitely slows down a bit with this one and there is a lot going on, however I was still in it 100%. Another crazy ending and I really wonder how Deonn is going to wrap all of this up. Whether it’s one book or two to come, I am along for the ride. Thank you to @fantasyfrenemies for getting us access to an ebook arc. You are really the best. 💜

TW: racism, death of a parent, assault, knife violence, gun violence, explosions, animal attacks, mentions of rape, slavery

I was very excited to be back in the Legendborn world with Bree and her friends. Ultimately, while I enjoyed this novel, there was just too much going on for me to rate it any higher. I feel like it really lost the momentum from the first book and the pacing was very off for the first third. There was a lot of added confusion as Bree tries to understand her power and I felt like we hemhawed around forever because of this. I did feel like it picked up later and I will definitely be reading the next book from Deonn as I'm still invested in the outcome. I am hopeful Bree's story becomes less of a love triangle and more about her becoming a bad ass.

Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn is the next book in the Legenborn series and man, what a rollercoaster it was!

This book was absolutely BRILLIANT and topped the first book for me by a long shot. The continuation of the world building in this book was fantastic and shows truly how amazing YA fantasy books are. On top of the world building Tracy gave us such complex characters that I found myself forgeting at times that these people were fictional.

Her writing style is truly so immersive and I can gladly say that I read this book cover to cover. I was gripping my kindle the entire time and found myself gasping out loud at times and even my head begin racing a few times.

Bree’s character development in this book was also one of my favorite aspects because I feel like we learn so much more about her character here and I absolutely adore seeing her grow. That plus her and Selwyn’s romance 👀

I can’t wait for book three… especially with that ending!!!

A big thanks to NetGalley for sending me this arc in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for an ARC of Blookmarked.
Tracy Deonn doesn't disappoint! The tension, action, and magic make for nonstop adventure in this book. Ms. Deonn puts the reader in the story. I felt like I was right there with Bree! Now we wait again--ugh! I need more! I will be recommending this book to our students.

I'm so glad I rounded out the year with this book. If you read any YA series ever, let it be the Legendborn Cycle.
It's complex, surprising, and exciting all at once.
The plot is so unique, shocking, and entralling, it had me sucked in and picking my jaw off the floor MULTIPLE TIMES. It's that good.
The world Tracy has created is so incredibly complex because of the way she interweaves social conflicts such as racial oppression, generational trauma, and grief while having an uplifting story of black female empowerment. Bree's story is powerful, and she's one of the best heroines I've ever read about.
Not only that, but each character (even the new ones!) Is so nuanced and well-rounded I fell in love with them (especially my boy Sel 😘) . Every character went through intense character development as they navigated this insane world that is in complete upheaval.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for this ARC, this title has been available since November I just didn't want it to end 🥲

Holy...crap. This book took the world of LEGENDBORN and turned it on its head. Every assumption that I had about the world in this series? Shattered. Blown up. Made bigger and more tempestuous. This book makes Legendborn feel tame in comparison. Holy crap.

Bree is...everything. Brillian, fierce, smart, stubborn, willing to fight for those she loves. Sel is my little half-demon beloved. Like. I love them so much, my heart is aching having finished this book. My mind has been blown. I'm speechless. Wow.

I lost track of how many times I gasped, how many times I screamed, how many times I cried... Tracy Deonn is a QUEEN when it comes to fantasy novels!! I was on the edge of my seat for all 550+ pages and I was absolutely gutted when it ended. Book 3, I need you NOW!!!

Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn
4.5/5 Stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

•••Spoiler free review below•••

Sometimes sequels can fall flat or disappoint but I am thrilled to say that Bloodmarked is not one of those! The characters’ growth and development, the weaving of the magic and plot, and our adventure are moved forward perfectly. Bloodmarked is fast paced and will leave you guessing until the last page. I am very hopeful there will be another book in this series!

Bloodmarked was released in November and if you have not yet read Legendborn, you should add it to your tbr!
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Special thanks to Simon and Schuster for sharing a free copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.

This series is beyond underrated and at this point, it is concerning. So far, this series is one of the best I've read in years, saying something since I read close to 100 books a year.

Deonn has created a fascinating story that is practically unputdownable and unparalleled in power. Brie is the definition of black girl magic, and the plot continues to thicken. In the span of two books, we have been introduced to a vast history of the characters and their world, which is a direct mirror of our own. Poignant and fearless, I can't rave enough about this series.

Will Bree learn how to control her Legendborn power, and can she unite the table in the second installment in the Legendborn series. Bree has several powers to learn to contend with, and I am excited to see her growth in the next book. This felt very much like a second book in a series with a lot of set up, and not much accomplished. Love the developing relationship with Selwyn, and I cannot wait for the next book!

LOVED the follow up to Legendborn. Bree's conflict is palpable.; at times I was a bit confused with the ancestry line and who was a demon and who was not, but as I kept reading it all came back to me. Loved the character's instructions and the fact that I did not know who the big bad was until the last few pages.