*Reviewed without spoilers*

It's a good coming-of-age romance story. The author does a good amount of world-building, which is fine, but I would have also enjoyed more character development. This book blends classic romance tropes with an action-packed story set in an Afro-centric setting. I enjoyed this book and plan to review it on my IG page in-depth.

Thank you, @NetGalley, for this eARC and the opportunity to review it!

I love seeing a new author show up with the refinedness' of someone who has been writing for a while. This book is action packed, well written and so much fun. I am so excited to eventually read book 2. The world is unique and well presented and all I want is to spend more time in this world.

Unfortunately, I decided to stop reading this one at about 80%. Although I was initially very excited by the world and connections to Nigerian mythology, I lost quite a bit of interest in the plot and characters. I think this is mostly due to some pacing issues, as the relationships and reveals throughout the story felt really rushed, which either left me feeling confused or underwhelmed. I did start this book before falling into a major reading slump, so I'm sure that has also contributed to my reading experience. I would definitely consider picking up more from this author, as I know this is just her debut!

I find the premise of this book extremely interesting, but unfortunately the prose didn't really work for me. I think that this is an example of a story that might have been better served by marketing it as a YA novel. I am interested to see what else the author writes.

An action packed adventure that made me feel like I was living in between the pages! I cannot wai to see what this author gives us next!

I loved this book and fell into it like i was watching a movie (being action packed also got me, lol). I felt homesick while reading it and it felt good reading somethings i'm culturally familiar with. Any book with west-African themes and mythology instantly grabs my attention, i want more POC and African books. Loved the creatures and magic system and prose. I will say i'm not a fan of love triangles as i like to know who's heart i'm following and don't like being torn, but it was okay, not a deal breaker at all. Also, Ehigbor's writing is beautiful and a breath of fresh air, i thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to the next book.

Okosun has written an amazing fantasy novel that is still in my mind. I love the characters and that ending! I am so intrigued to see where this story goes and I highly recommend Forged by Blood. I will definitely be reading Okosun's books in the future.

Forged by Blood is about our young protagonist Demi whose only goal in life is to live a quiet simple life with her mother. The only problem is she and her mother are forbidden magic wielders. When Demi and her mother have an unfamiliar patron come to their home begging for help, Demi’s world suddenly shifts when her mother is murdered. Later in life, Demi is trained by another magic wielder, Will, along side her childhood friend Colin. During a risky attempt to save children being sold into slavery, Demi is discovered by Lord Ekwensi who offers her the deal of a lifetime; kidnap the prince, help Lord Ekwensi take a higher seat of power, and help her fellow people.

This book was a high fantasy whirlwind! To go from one scene to the next you really have to be paying attention to what’s going on. There is a large cast of characters and a ton of political intrigue. I loved the magic and the high stakes in this book. The plot twists were on another level too! My only feedback is the pacing. Some parts of the story really carried on to a point where I felt it was slightly unnecessary or just too drawn out. Overall I would give this a 3.5/3.25. It was fun but not revolutionary. Be warned if you’re not an avid fantasy reader!! This is not for the weak!!

Ehigbor Okosun's "Forged by Blood" weaves a spellbinding narrative, celebrating the richness of Nigerian mythology and folklore. Okosun's immersive writing transports readers into a world where mythology reflects cultural struggles against racism and classism.
The story goes in many different directions. Normally I recommend fast paced narratives for readers with short attention spans, but I think this went in too many directions for most readers to follow. You have to be prepared for a true epic quest. To me, the plot almost feels similar to an ancient Greek epic (with lots of side quests and events).
Its not bad for a fantasy debut, and I'm not disappointed that I read it. However, I understand why there been so much discussion over whether this book belongs in adult or YA. The tone and sometimes the voice feels a bit YA. Despite pacing, the novel excels in portraying a world rich in magic, history, and the cultural struggles.
This tale, blending myth and action, could captivate those seeking a fantasy immersed in Nigerian culture.

The book is lovely, but I don't think the authors fully knows what it's supposed to be and was overall trying to do too much. 9/10 would recommend to others.

DNF at 58%
Not gonna like I feel duped with the marketing of this book as to if it's an new adult or YA high fantasy.
I just lost interest at the time but plan on picking up where I left off again

Had a blast with the world-building, magic system, Nigerian mythology, and folklore in this novel. But gotta say, the narrative and story had a few weak spots.

There was awesome world-building, folklore and mythology vibes, cool magic system, characters with solid backstories, and tackling heavy themes like racism, colorism, colonization, dictatorship, and genocide – all top-notch.

Now, the story was a bit of a rollercoaster. Quest plot, but all over the place. Characters going on adventures without a clear goal, just a quest to complete. Felt like they were a bit too naive about dealing with power players. My main gripe was that these characters, with their intense backgrounds, fell for obvious traps and had a pretty innocent take on politics.

Also, not a fan of the "I'm too good to kill" trope, especially when the target is an autocratic, genocidal maniac who's done some seriously messed up stuff. Wanted some revenge action.

Overall, a solid debut fantasy novel. Excited for the next one in the series!

NetGalley ARC Educator 550974

CW: Racism, sexism, discrimination, and enslavement

This book is a masterpiece. It is complex, full of fantasy, and action. It is full of Nigerian cultural references. It will have you experiencing a myriad of emotions. In this Demi is a child later young adult fighting to right wrongs. This is the first of the two books. It contains the backstory and sets the stage for the second and final book.

The characters are relatable, fun and some are endearing while others will have you cheering for their demise. There is a bit of romance. This is a first person narrative and a quick engrossing read.

Whew! Let's get into this review. This was absolutely wonderful. I can't lie I was pissed about the betrayal at the beginning of the book but it made me want to root for her even more. I cried, laughed, cursed, and screamed at my tablet, as she dealt with being betrayed, the twist the turns, and the world-building was done beautifully.
I can say that this was more of a Ya fantasy but I still loved it.

some feedback I can give the author is that although I loved this book it did feel a little rushed in some parts, I sometimes felt as if something was missing other than that I can't wait to read more from you.

I thought that the premise of this book was really cool and I did enjoy a lot about this book including the Nigerian mythology. I liked most of the characters but I did struggle with the sheer amount of characters that were being introduced pretty often and at times the actions that were taken by certain characters. The book was very action-packed which I enjoyed and I liked that it definitely delved into some complex themes around colonialism and, grief. I did not really enjoy the love triangle that was present and how Demi acted at times when it came to the romance and I did feel that certain parts of the ending felt rushed. Overall I enjoyed reading this book and can see myself continuing the duology. Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and Netgalley for providing this eARC in exchange for our honest review.

I was stressed from chapter one for these characters. Stressed! Stressed she’d get betrayed, that the boy wouldn’t make it! It really sets up the tone and driving forces within the characters for the rest of the story.
I love a classic quest feel that just added another layer for this book which is already drowning in unique world building drawn off Yoruba lore and the Ife dynasty – two things I know little about and am so happy to have been better exposed to now. I’m still stressed though after that ending only because I got everything I wanted from book one and now have the question of what battle will be fought in the following books for these amazing characters?

For a debut, this was a powerful story from Chapter 1. The storyline skips ahead quite a bit to get adjusted to. A little bit more writing in between would make it easier to comprehend the level of skill our FMC has now. I'm sure the sequel will be even better. can't wait to horde another special edition of this book.

WOW. What a STUNNING debut!!! The world this author built is absolutely INCREDIBLE. I was absolutely laughing, crying, and rooting for Demi, our main character, as she deals with heists and plots and twists and turns. The magic system was so beautiful and unique, and I loved how it was incorporated into the world and how each and every character is related to it. And the world building? Beautiful. The writing? Amazing. Perfect for fans of YA or adult fantasy. And the twists? I got whiplash! This book was a wild ride from start to finish, and it'll wrench your heart and patch it back up again. I can't wait to see where this author goes next!

I was surprised this was marketed as adult fantasy, as it read much more like YA fantasy to me. Maybe it was the heavy focus on the love triangle? Overall, a decent read, but I felt very much like I had read this book before, as it was so similar to many other books I've read recently in YA. Big selling point is the worldbuilding and the magic system, but the pacing is inconsistent--sometimes too slow, sometimes too fast, sometimes erratic and jumping around from event to event.

I enjoyed it, but I probably won't pick it up again or seek out the sequel.

(Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing me with a digital copy of this book for review.)

I wanted so hard to LOVE this book. I think it has a great magic system, interesting politics, good story. I would say this is a a pretty good YA book, actually, and would give it 4 stars, only really docking because I felt the pacing was a tad off. A lot of it was very solid and overall, very enjoyable.

But it's not. It's an adult fantasy. Apparently.

I'm sorry, this is NOT an adult fantasy, or if it is, it's decent at best. I can't really put my finger on it, but the tone of this is just extremely YA, PARTICULARLY Dèmi and her two boys. Why in the year of our Lord 2023 is there STILL these love triangles? And it's not a GOOD one either. Colin is SO ANNOYING, just as a character, as the friend who's totally in love with our main character but she isn't in love with him, he has a secret but I couldn't care because. Because of that I have to dock this a star. Yes, he is that bad. And the other love interest isn't that interesting, either. Dèmi is naive and impulsive and just reads so much like a teenager brain that I can't consider this good adult fantasy.

This duology has a lot of potential - I LOVE the magic, the world, the history, the fight against oppression in all forms. I will be reading the next one. I just hope it brings a maturity that this one is lacking.

A brilliant new voice brings a brilliant new novel: debut author Ehigbor Okosun’s first book in an action-packed, poignant duology inspired by Nigerian mythology—full of magic and emotion and set in...-The world building is so rich and the magic system is lovely. I'm just starting this one but it has great pacing and storytelling. I love anything inspired by mythology and this one is inspired by Nigerian mythology. There is a witch hunt/genocide feel to it as Dèmi is on the run after they had identified her mother as a Oluso who has magic. They are trying to capture/kill all the Oluso so they are all in hiding. Even those that they help they get betrayed by.
Dèmi is basically alone but creates a found family of those like her.
So exciting and full of political power moves and oppression. Very interest to see how this story continues in the next book.