Forged By Blood is the first book in a fantasy duology about a young woman named Dèmi. After losing her mother in a tragic way for which she feels responsible. Dèmi is forced to cope with being born with magic that has been forbidden and losing the only family she had left. Dèmi and other people like her, Oluso are persecuted and subjected to mass genocide by the magic-less Ajes. Demi makes a deal that has the opportunity to restore balance but she has to decide what she’s willing to risk and if the potential reward is worth it.

I enjoyed the story as a whole. Dèmi was a well crafted character. Her plight and struggles felt personal. The magic system and inclusion of Gods and deities was so intriguing. Calling her world beautiful feels wrong because of all of the cruelty they were subject to however, Ife sounds like such a beautiful place.

This book discusses some difficult points such as race, class, trust and the power of choice. The oppression of the Oluso people for being born magic wielders felt all to familiar. Dèmi’s refusal to settle for constant victimization kept me invested. She knew there was a better way for her and people like her to live and she fought to find it without compromising herself in the process.

Dèmi was a walking contradiction at times and it was frustrating. In a certain scene she would be so hyper vigilante that it bordered on unreasonable and in the following scene she would make a rash and very dangerous decision. There are times that Dèmi is angry and reacts before she has a chance to be given the full scope of the situation. I recognize that there are situations that require immediate action but it seemed that she jumped first and thought later so frequently that she was getting reckless.

While reading my overall experience was enjoyable and engaging. Participating in Dèmi’s grief process and battle with trust issues gave me things to consider. Dèmi’s selective impatience and anger got her into things that could have been avoided. In spite of the rough hand Demi was dealt, she never gave up and for those reasons I give Forged by Blood 4/5 stars.

This book would be great for people that enjoy mythological based fantasy books with diverse characters that have tear down the unjust political system mindset. If you’re sensitive to violence, death of parents, discrimination and mass genocide this book might not be for you.

3.75 stars

Very immersive worldbuilding based on Nigerian mythology and folklore, and an interesting, unique magic system (though I wish we got more details about this than the sparse snippets - the lack of info about this did get in the way of full narrative immersion, and much of the withholding seemed to be for the sake of withholding and not really demanded by the story). Great to see fantasy narratives centering Black characters and stories.

As far as the plot and characters go, this read like YA with a lot of tropes than adult fantasy (can we please forever retire love triangles). I hope the second book is when both elements can really come into their own and out of the fantasy stereotypes (both the plot and the character showed tantalising glimpses of nuance here that I'm hoping for more of in Book 2). The early pacing was great, it got somewhat bogged down in the middle, and the final third was all go go go; perhaps a little too crammed with action and multiple reveals.

Still a very enjoyable and promising debut! I'd particularly recommend this for fantasy novices - this would make a great book for someone looking to get into fantasy.

I'd be interested in reading book 2 to see how it all wraps up.

What a delightful and enchanting read that absorbs you into the storytelling.

It reads fast, a bit young, but I forget if this is YA or not. I love any books based on any kind of mythology so this was right up my alley. Nigerian mythology is brilliantly woven throughout.

The world building is immersive. The parallels of this society and our own are a bit terrifying and eye opening. It's good when books don't shy away from those types of connections. I think it helps open conversations up.

An excellent debut and start to a duology!

3.75 stars

Plot: 3.5/5
Characters: 3.5/5
Writing: 4/5

Thank you Willam Morrow Books and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for a review!

Forged by Blood is a refreshing addition to the fantasy genre with its magic system based on Nigerian mythology and strong themes of race, this book is sure to delight.

Plot:
While the plot was very stereotypical for YA, a young hero sets out on a quest of revenge and learns some lessons along the way, it was done in a interesting way. The magic system was fascinating and the world building was done well. The book did suffer from how slow the plot was and I felt that the stakes, which were written as very high, didn't come across as emotional as I think the author intended. I felt myself become very bored throughout the middle of the book and struggled to finish it. What kept me going was the intrigue of the ideas but the execution just fell flat. There were some plot twists that made the book interesting but couldn't help the pacing issues that this book struggled with. While there was a lot of negatives there, the book itself is a fun read. The FMC is quite spunky and the adventures that the band of MCs go on are quite interesting at times. As I mentioned previously, the world building was done wonderfully. The Nigerian mythology infused magic system made for an interesting set up. Overall, there was parts I liked and parts I didn't but this book is still worth a read for any fantasy fan.

Characters:
If there is one trope that has been done to death, it's a love triangle. Personally, I really don't like love triangles and it definitely affected how I saw the characters of this book. Some of the side characters were only characterized by the love triangle and their feelings of jealousy towards the other character in the triangle who was vying for the FMC. I felt that the love triangle took up too much air time in the book and clouded over the descriptions of plot or characters. Moving on from love triangle and my immense dislike of them, the FMC was well written. She was headstrong and powerful, yet loved passionately and relied on her friends when she needed help.

Writing:
As previously mentioned, the world building was fantastic. And fairly easy to understand, making this a great book for fantasy beginners. Combined with its short length, Forged by Blood is a wonderfully unique world in which readers can dive into. The writing was done well, the reader cannot tell its there. And that was true enough for this book. The writing was excellent and my suspension of disbelief was held the entire time I read this book. I can't wait to read the next installment!

This was a good read overall! I enjoyed the world building and the plot kept things moving and interesting. There were a few times I felt lost - whether it was from a lot of new words that I didn’t know the meaning of (a glossary would be great!), awkward transitions or a lot of new characters at once, it would get confusing at times. The adventure of the plot kept me going though and I was invested in the characters. I would definitely want to read the next book to see where the story goes!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Book Thoughts- 3.5 Stars

I read Forged by Blood, book 1 in The Tainted Blood Duology a few months ago as a buddy read. It was one of my most anticipated releases for 2023. I loved the cover, I loved that it was based on Nigerian mythology (because let's be real euro fantasy is a bit tired) and the premise hooked me.

But I didn't love it, I liked it fine but the love was not there. The main reason is the writing. I went in thinking this was an adult book since its published by HarperVoyager but the writing felt very YA and the pacing was up and down for most of the book.

Would I rec this book? Yes! Why?
1. I preordered it!
2. I'm interested in how the author will complete the duology.
3. The world and the magic are interesting.
4. We need more fantasy stories that center Black people .

So please read it and support the author by buying it when it releases August 8th!!!

Thank you #Netgalley for the ARC

Thank you to the publishers at HarperCollins for the chance to read “Forged By Blood” in exchange for an honest review!

Dèmi is an Oluso rebel caught up in the fight for freedom with the crown prince and her childhood best friend, after she’s approached with a scheme to kidnap said prince to barter for her people’s political agency. She discovers how deeply she’s entangled with the powers that be, and fights against injustice with magic, community, and a profound sense of compassion for others around her.

I had so much fun reading from Dèmi’s perspective and the world building in the book was so fascinating. Any time we spent with the Aziza and where Dèmi’s power comes is really where the book shines and has a chance to set itself apart from other action YA high fantasy novels.

My biggest issue with the book is the love triangle that honestly feels at best superfluous and at worst downright damaging to pacing and Dèmi’s development as a character. The two love interests are both hilariously ill-suited and undeserving of Dèmi’s friendship, let alone a romantic relationship: one is a white kid deeply involved in the death of Dèmi’s mother, and the other is a childhood friend who keeps pushing for a romantic relationship that even Dèmi points out isn’t right for her. To top it all off, the book leans into a very “not all white men!” narrative in particular with Jonas’ story arc that undermines the book’s central themes on revolution and the plight of oppressed peoples.

The book ultimately finishes with a right way towards revolution (e.g through the law and institutions already built) and that as long as the right people are at the top making these decisions, then institutions do have a chance of doing right by people… which feels disappointing especially with all of the promise that this book has especially with such a radically compassionate young woman of color as a protagonist.

My hope is that the next book can complicate some of those ideas with nuance, especially since there’s parts of “Forged by Blood” that acknowledge how hard it is to grapple with morally gray people, even if it is for the liberation of an oppressed class. Solid debut, can’t wait to see what more Ehigbor Okosun has up her sleeve.

Actual rating: somewhere between a 2.5 and 3 stars. Kind of right in the middle.

Really loved the general idea behind this book. The writing style was nice, and the plot held a good pace and plenty of intrigue. Unfortunately, I struggled while reading because of overly detailed information during high-action scenes. It completely broke the reading moment and took away from the excitment and emotion of those scenes. I also have a very large dislike for love-triangles in general. But particularly for ones where there is zero chemistry between one of the pairs and the MC states clearly that they dont even have feelings for them, yet continuously strings them alone. To me, love triangles feel like a search for unnecessary relationship drama to try and illicit emotions from a reader. When instead, drama can be put in through so many other means that can actually further a plot and do more than just frustrate.

Really interesting book based on Nigerian mythology. I loved the characters in this book. Sometimes things were a bit confusing and not fully hashed out but I do plan to keep reading in this series.

Magic, love triangles, chosen family. This fantasy pulls you in deep to an intricately woven story spanning generations of powerful folks. A seriously well told story of class, race, and generational issues, with a little romeo and juliet kinda twist.

Absolutely loved this book! The world building has to be my favorite thing about this book. The use of actual African mythology and culture mixed to create a magic system was perfection. This African fantasy had every type of character you could want. The characters in this book had me in a choke hold. I was anxious and terrified for my favorites if they were going to make it or not. This book was colorful and the writing style made it easy for me to get sucked in the story. I will be keeping up with the series and have added the author to my favorites.

Forged by blood is a coming of age novel with beautiful prose with a story that follows a young woman of color with magic as she struggles with her magical abilities. I love having the chance to read a novel that focuses on non european folklore; over all I loved this book and am excited to have the rest of the world see this novel.

This book was beautifully written, a wonderful story filled with magic and Nigerian Mythology and I loved it! I really couldn’t get enough of the magic system (which correlates to the color of your skin which really just mirrors issues here and now of course) and I love Dèmi so much!
I typically am not a big fan of love triangles, but was it really a triangle or were men assuming possession of a person because of friendship? Idk.
I can’t say enough though how beautiful the world building is. I felt like I could easily imagine the world, and I am so anxious to get to book 2 ahhhhh 🥰 the BETRAYAL in this story guys 👀 absolutely wild stuff.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager, Harper Voyager for an eARC of Forged by Blood!

Incredible word building, Nigerian mythology, and unique magic system! Ehigbor Okuson stuns in her new debut novel! The writing is well-paced and easy to follow, but I would label this more as Upper YA borderline New Adult. There is an amount of violence in the book where I would not totally label it as YA. The characters really grow into themselves as the book progresses and I was really invested in them! High stakes with a dash of romance- this book is one to watch out for come release day!

I loved this so much! Okosun had me at "Inspired by Nigerian mythology".

Okay so first and foremost, I absolutely love reading books by authors that are a part of or write about cultures that are different than my own. I love learning new terms and being immersed in a world that I don't get to read about often. Also, the names of everything in this story are so pretty.

This book focuses on a society where Oluso (people who are able to use magic) are persecuted, hunted and often killed for the crime of existing. The way people are treated is quite horrible but there's nothing overly graphic written out in plain language. Our MCs of course are on the good side of evil, fighting an uphill battle of trying to convince people not to royally suck without just murdering everyone. So Demi and Colin kidnap a prince. And so it begins.

The story itself was fast paced and engaging. There's several twists and revelations and.. a lot happens, and it happens quickly. Dare I say maybe too quickly at times? As if the author had so many ideas and just wanted to get them on a page. I think that will naturally improve as she continues to write. There is a minor (not annoying or overly steamy sadly) love triangle. There is a "fated mates" scenario. There's duals, and lies, and magic and betrayals. Overall, it's a really nice break in setting from a lot of the popular fantasy books trending right now and I would definitely recommend giving it a try if it sounds like something up your alley.

*Thanks Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review*

Wonderful opening to a series! Very solid debut! I found it to be a fascinating, fast read - sometimes a bit detailed in the world building, but I see that need to explain so much. African cultural references are so needed in literature and I am excited this author is bringing this brilliance into our library! Four out of five strong stars for me!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really wanted to love this book; however, I found myself struggling to get through it. The info dumping was confusing to me. I feel like this book could benefit from a glossary/index; a lot of the terms aren't explained, and just when I can infer to what words mean, MORE new vocabulary is added. Same with the influx of characters. We are introduced to a lot of characters back to back and I could not keep up. The writing didn't flow well. There was missing information in regards to how they got where they were etc. The whole romance/love thing felt VERY forced. I could not fathom why she would string Colin along as they had 0 chemistry, and it is stated from the get go that she doesn't feel the same way about him. Also the constant doing of the "wrong" thing just so things blow up and push the plot forward seems like a juvenile way to go about things.

With that being said, I really loved the concept of this book. The ideas and plot were original, and I loved the magic system. I loved the themes in the story and the message it conveys. This was worth the read for me, but just barely.

I loved this book. I devoured it in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down. It had amazing worldbuilding, an interesting magic system, address colonialism, and has amazing characters.

In this world, not only is racism prevalent but so is prejudice against magic. People will use you as long as your magic is useful to them, but will abandon you when you need help. Demi is trying to help her people so they don’t have to hide her magic anymore, but has to rely on those she is with to complete her journey.

I will say that I kind of hate love triangles, which made that part frustrating because Demi couldn’t develop a relationship with either without it causing contention.

I loved this coming of age story and I’m excited to see what happens in the sequel.

Forged by Blood is one of the best YA fantasy I've read so far this year! I confess I haven't been such an enthusiastic when it comes to YA fantasic since two years ago, when my mood for theses books were really bad, but I'm so happy that Forged by Blood has changed my mindset about this. Y'all should give a try to this one.

Forged By Blood gets all the love from me! I absolutely loved it! From beginning to end, you’re immersed in a world of magic and adventure with a bit of romance. The writing is excellent and the story engaging. There are so many things going on in the book, literally never a dull moment…I had a hard time putting it down.

Demi is a young woman filled with magic and a lot of questions. She and her best friend Colin go on a quest to kidnap the King’s nephew Jonas for the sake of helping their people. From there more questions arise and the truth slowly begins to unfold.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for approving my request to read such a good book. I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled for the second book.