The impending sense of doom is there right from the beginning, so why -WHY- were the characters not what I expected? They ought to have been perfect, surely? They aren't, the three women are flawed human beings, trying to live their lives, trying to make it, trying to navigate careers and trying to be good friends to each other. I'll admit to wanting to give up on the book because (don't know why) but then I didn't and I'm "glad" I read on.

The women all have to fight to exist and to keep their life and limbs intact.
"she was asking for it" and "she did nothing wrong" in one novel to show it wasn't her, it was him.

I felt that, at times, the book came across as both contemporary and dated. Certain aspects of the story and specific characterisation led me to question how the narrative moves these conversations forward. Conversely, other elements, such as the identification and shielding of perpetrators under the guise of racial solidarity, felt very timely. However, the treatment of interracial relationships left much to be desired. Even if Nicola had not interrogated the reasons behind her choices, her naivety feels somewhat far-fetched. She would have been aware of the wider discourse, just as she had clearly not considered the consequences of going public with Julius. Her reluctance to enter the “swirl” debate would not have shielded her from such knowledge.

In terms of structure, Mavis’ point of view initially feels quite disconnected from the other three women and, at times, seemed to stifle the flow of the surrounding chapters, particularly as Jeanette enters the physical orbit of Nicola and Alex. However, this connection does eventually come to fruition in a very pertinent way: a reflection on the influences that shape us and the generational curses which can plague future generations where the work hasn’t been done to unlearn harmful patterns of belief. To the extent that she is able to watch her daughter get assaulted and, in her twisted righteousness, believes it is what her daughter deserves.

At points, it felt as though too much was happening, with the focus spread too wide in terms of both themes and the inclusion of auxiliary characters. This meant certain areas were not as fully developed as they could have been. There were specific themes I would have liked the author to explore further, such as misogynoir and the particular dynamics that enabled these women to be victimised, often not just by men, but by “their own”.

The book is set in 1996, which in part contributed to the sense of it feeling dated. These are conversations for today, yet they are placed in a time that no longer exists, before mobile phones and social media. The reality of Nicola, Alexandra and Jeanette’s ordeal almost feels merciful in its pre-social media setting and before the rise of the manosphere.

This book captures a staunch refusal to acknowledge power dynamics, and where those dynamics are recognised, it reveals women’s feelings of powerlessness to challenge them. Alex is an irredeemable character: she not only slut-shames and victim-blames, but in her eyes, Jeanette must be held personally accountable for “her part” in her assault. All the while, Alex herself is being harassed by her superior at work, leading her into a spiral of alcoholism, yet she still manages to separate herself morally from Jeanette. It would be one thing if she were genuinely pious or prudish, but her disdain for Jeanette stems entirely from her own projected abandonment issues. She fears losing Nicola to Jeanette, and her possessiveness emboldens her to voice the most despicable rhetoric. So much so, it is a man who ultimately puts her in her place. This was an interesting choice.

Overall, this is a book that raises pertinent issues. However, I felt it didn’t explore them with the depth I would have liked. Rounding up to a 3.



.

This powerful book reminds us that society will choose to protect a black man's reputation over violence done to a black woman. Intersectionally, black women are the most invisible when it comes to justice. The book is brave in making Alexandrea really unlikeable at times, especially in her treatment of Jeanette after the rape happens. It's an excellent study of female power, and how so many people can't handle it, and need to make black women smaller. It's a story of flawed friendships most of all.

All the Blood is Red is a slow-burning, emotionally rich novel that took time for me to settle into, but once I did, it delivered a deep exploration of Black womanhood, power, and pain. At first, the shifting perspectives between four different women made it a little difficult to connect, but gradually, each voice grows more defined and urgent.

The women Ross writes are complex—brilliant, vulnerable, multi-layered and strong. Their experiences are unique, yet bound by a shared context: the intersecting weight of race, gender, history, and place.

Ross doesn't shy away from difficult topics—rape, abuse, interracial relationships, and the way society views and polices women’s bodies. Through this, she interrogates power, control, and the toxic effects of patriarchal religion. What emerges is a sobering reminder of how entrenched these dynamics still are, and how often women—sometimes unknowingly—reinforce the very systems that harm them.

This is not an easy read, nor is it meant to be. But it's a bold, necessary one. Thoughtful, unsettling, and beautifully written.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC.

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this before publication.
All the Blood is Red is a slow starter. We focus on four different women, in different stages of life, and it’s quite hard to develop much understanding of them initially as we keep shifting focus. However, as the book progresses it was definitely a book that had me keen to keep reading to see how things developed.
The book explores the womens’ feelings about identity, race and the experiences they face. There was a grim feeling as we headed towards the key moments for each of the characters. I felt a mix of anger and frustration at the way things panned out. Not an easy read, but definitely an interesting one.

with the books i read i thought i’d become somewhat desensitised to reading about certain topics, but then i read a book like this and the feeling is so visceral i feel the disgust down to my bones and in the pit of my stomach the entire time.

this was deeply moving, heartbreaking, and a little bit terrifying because even though you know exactly where it’s headed you still hope to outrun it– “please don’t let these women go through what i know they’re about to go through because it happens to us all and none of us can outrun it but we still hope none of us has to face it anyway” is basically the little prayer i said to myself going from chapter to chapter.

something i really, really appreciated about the women in this book is that you may not like all of them, you might disagree with them, completely hate them, wish they were better to themselves or to each other, and that still doesn’t change a thing. the characters themselves struggle with not being the perfect victim and they struggle with the next woman not being the perfect victim either.

“she did everything wrong, that’s why it happened to her. i did everything right, why did it happen to me?” because it was never about your choices, your choices make you human. it’s only about stripping you of your humanity and exerting power by making sure your choices don’t matter– it could always happen to you, and that has nothing to do with you.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC

you are taken right into the pages of this book as if your walking amongst the mind of the characters and walking alongside their journeys. you watch, read, learn and feel more and more involved as each page turns.
you are learning about 3 different woman but somehow they fit and weave together perfectly within this book. there is so much courage and yet vulnerable sides and moments for them.
this book is a brilliant story but it also teaches you something and makes you think over lots of things. i judged my own ignorance in parts too.
some of the more raw and honest moments to do with how woman are seen and treated also made me ever so sad. how real those moments were touched upon. its a helpless feeling and little despairing at just how truthful her words hit, and i daresay hit a whole lot harder for those of certain groups.
i couldn't put this book down. which sounds a little awful considering what the woman went through. but it was just so compelling and brilliantly written. you just want to read more, you want to be amongst these words.

Bold, poetic, and utterly unforgettable 🩸🔥. All the Blood is Red is a fierce, lyrical exploration of identity, love, and survival. Leone Ross delivers raw emotion, stunning prose, and complex characters in a story that challenges and captivates. I adored the richness of the writing and the fearless storytelling. Perfect for fans of literary fiction that pushes boundaries.

I really wanted to love this book but the writing didn't connect for me and felt flat and slow at times. I struggled with wanting to pick the book up. Although the book covered important subjects that interest me, it didn't come alive for me.
I gave up on the book at 60%

I read a copy of this through Netgalley.
I loved Mavis's POV and the authors decision to write her POV the way Mavis's would say them. I have never so clearly heard a characters voice before so thankyou for bring Mavis to life.
I also liked that the author did not shy away from very sensitive topics such as inter-racial relationships, abuse of women, rape and how the female body is viewed by society.
Unfortunately I felt that the first 50% of this book was boring except for Mavis's POV and a few sections that i felt gave the characters layers and more human. However, around the 50% mark i felt this book picked up and I began to fly through it because I wanted to see how things would turn out.