3 stars, I enjoyed this.

This book does feel like it is entirely set up. Which sounds like something that should be reasonable, as a book 1 in a series, but it doesn't feel reasonable as you're reading it. It's not like nothing happens in this book, it's just that those things are not of consequence to the story on the page. They're things that might be of consequence to another story we could potentially get someday.

I think part of the reason for that is despite getting a peak into many people's minds the story itself is quite small. It's very much Zimora and Khalil's story and both of those characters (perhaps by consequence of being children) feel passively voyeuristic all the way to the end of the book. To me, they feel like characters watching events unfold around them, but also they seem not to be the people affected by the consequence or fallout of those events. IMO this book had very little emotional impact, because almost nothing blows back on our protagonists.

I did enjoy it, I enjoyed being in the world (the magical elements of which are almost completely irrelevant to both of our protagonists). I didn't particularly like the characters but I found them engaging enough to follow. I think we could have stuck another 300 pages at the end, like we could have just let the story keep rolling in order to make it feel like there is some sort of payoff and we are getting a full character arc within this book. As is, the character arcs, while obvious, feel poorly laid out.

Yes it's a book 1, but it doesn't feel like we reach any element of what we are building towards. The story cinches when our two protagonists meet, and while that is something that was obviously going to happen it doesn't feel like something I was made to care about. It's a non-climax because we spend the entire book building their relationships with other people and other aspects of the world, none of which plays into the wrap up.

Yes, this book isn't exciting or explosive, but I didn't care about that, I just wish it felt less like a series of events and more like a complete story. Arguably, that's just another way to approach a series, many books do tell a full arc and then give you a cliffhanger to keep you interested in coming back. This book doesn't have a climax, it feels like an act I, at best half a story. Which is a little disappointing, but also does what it set out to accomplish? On account of I'd read the next.

I enjoyed the audio. I enjoyed the way we moved through the perspectives, and how it weaved in the people around Zimora and Khalil. I do think towards the end of the book we introduced an element within the story that would have just made a more interesting book (but ig that's not the story the author wanted to tell). I find myself questioning if the events that we linger on will ultimately feel like they matter, but I don't think I'll have a good sense of that until book 2.

I'm never that partial to stories following children, so that probably held back my enjoyment to some degree as well. Will keep an eye on Chinaza Bado in the future.

received an arc

*ARC Review* from NetGalley and HarperAudio.

Birth of a Dynasty was a breath of fresh air for political fantasy books! A great story focusing on more than just the court life and those who live there, but also the common people and how they can be affected by decisions of their rulers.

The way Bado intertwined the fates of these three families is so interesting and I kept on wanting to see them unraveled, but I’ll have to wait for the next two books to be released to figure that out. I very much enjoyed some of our narrators to be children as well so we can see the differing perspectives from the adults decision making to their children’s.

I listened to the audio book, so I’m not even going to try and spell and locations of character names, however if was a bit confusing to be just listening as many of their familial names are very similar in sound, which I know is probably intentional, but without the spelling can be confusing as a listener.

The book was a bit slow at times for the first in a trilogy, however I did enjoy it and highly recommend for anyone looking for a more diverse book within political fantasy! I highly anticipate the next couple books!

3.5/5⭐️

This story is for the readers who love a whole lot of world building and character building. I mean I felt like that was went on for most all of this book. The characters were lovable, and the political scheming that occurred in this story was top notch. But, it was just to much for me. When the story ended I felt relieved, and also disappointed like nothing at all was resolved. I think this might be for the readers who love an epic fantasy with all the world building and character development that entails, which I often do enjoy. With this story, I just felt like there was no resolve for any conflict. It just didnt do it for me. I will say that the narrator, Adenrele Ojo, kept me listening! She was phenomenal, and I often forgot that this was a solo narration. I would love to listen to another one of her productions.
Remember: 3 stars from me isn't a bad thing! This book is well-written and has so many well-developed characters. It is a good book! This story just wasn't MY favorite. It could be yours!

Thank you @netgalley and @harperaudio for allowing me to listen to this audiobook in advance in exchange for my honest review. Thank you @chinazabado for bringing these characters to life. I can tell that you really put your heart into these characters. @leojo3 your voice is amazing, and I'd love to hear your narration again.

I found this book to be extremely entertaining and enjoyable. The extensive world building for an introduction to this series/world was done in an extremely engaging way. I loved the dual POVs of the two main characters and seeing their story intertwine.

This gave major Game of Thrones vibes. I really enjoyed the realistic and engaging political intrigue. I love how “bad” characters were humanized in some ways and “good” characters were also morally gray in a lot of areas.

I was engaged in this story from the very beginning and found myself truly caring about the characters by the end. My only criticism of this book, specifically the audio format, is that it was very hard to follow at some moments and keep up with all of the characters. That is a normal characteristic of fantasy books, especially the first of a series, but this one seemed especially difficult.

I cant wait to reread the physical book when its published and look forward to following along with the whole series. Thank you NetGalley and HarperAudio for this ARC!!!

This book is the best YA fantasy I have read in a long time!!! I can totally see why it was compared to Children of Blood and Bone. It has excellent world building and the style of writing makes you feel not only attached to the characters but also like you are there with them in Ahkebulin. I am invested in the two main characters and love how perfectly flawed they are. M'Kuru is so layered and has to make so many difficult choices at such a young age. While Zikora is defiant in all the best ways. If I could give this book more than 5 stars I absolutely would!

This book reminded me that epic fantasy can in fact keep me fully engaged from start to finish. And that it doesn't have to be 600 pages to seriously deliver.

The world was rich and fully realized- with deep history, warring families, high-stakes politics, and so many characters with secret plots and what not. The writing pulled me in fast and never really let up. I found myself actually wanting to do more chores just to have a reason to keep listening. Oh also the audio narration was fantastic.

But I think what really makes this a full five stars for me is how our two main POVs really helped to ground the novel and made me CARE deeply about the unfolding events (especially Zikora <3<3<3).

I LOVED this. Excuse me while I go look up everything I can on the author and the current status of Book 2.
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Special thanks to HarperCollins and NetGalley for sending me a review copy. All opinions are my own.

P.S. I don't like the cover is literally my only complaint. =P

Birth of a Dynasty is the start of an African-inspired political fantasy series about rebellion and the fight for power. We follow two primary perspectives. M'Kuru is a boy in hiding after the rest of his powerful family has been assassinated. Zikora is the brash young daughter of a lord who ends up with secret powers before she is taken to the royal court as a hostage for her family's good behavior.

It's an interesting world and the magic is cool. Zikora is a great character and want to see more of her antics. Both characters are pretty young for the duration of the book and I would have liked to see more of a time skip by the end to build more momentum for book 2. This feels like a lot of setup, which I'm not opposed to but I was hoping for a little more in terms of action and twists towards the later part of the book. I am curious to see where it goes from here and we do get to know the characters pretty well. The audio narration is excellent. I received an audio copy of the book via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

This was not what I'd hoped it would be. I had high hopes for this novel. It felt very YA and the writing was very awkward at times. There were gaps and disconnects that had me losing interest. I managed to finish reading the book. The ending was quite predictable which left me disappointed.

I did, however, enjoy the narrator.

I don't think I've listened to an audiobook that was so good I was physically upset I'd have to wait for the next book in the series to come out in a long time. This was so well done I'm writing this at about 75% knowing the story will be 5 stars by the end. The narration was well done and engaging to keep you entertained start to finish. Zikora and Khalil's stories of prophecy and vengeance keep you wanting to know what's going to happen next by the end.

I love a good revenge story, this is known. But a smart revenge, a patient revenge, one you can survive is better. "Birth of a Dynasty" by Chinaza Bado (out 29 July 2025) launches a trilogy with teeth.

M'Kuru Mukundi just saw his entire world slaughtered, all over some prophecy. When a blind man informs him that his name is Khalil, someone no one would ever be hunting, M'Kuru decides to not pursue revenge as a child. Zikora Nnamani just wants to be a Seh Llinga warrior, but is unfortunately also part of a prophecy. Now this isn't a big deal, unless you happen to be the prince scheming to take over the country. Thankfully there is a safeguard they can give her, at no small cost.

Narrated by Adenrele Ojo, fantastic performance. A certain mother's rage was like I was being struck in the face myself.

Reasons to read:
-Justified and smart paths towards dealing with this
-Oh there are no good solutions for this
-Machinations from every direction
-World building is fantastic
-Really excellent reason to be multi-lingual

Cons:
-Can't have those sticking around for too long...

This book was a wonderful adventure. It starts out pretty tragic with the death of our MMC's family. M'Kuru is the only surviving memeber of the Mukundi family. It is a high noble family and is linked to a prophecy regarding another noble family. Due to this fact M'Kuru goes into hiding and pretends to be Khalil Rausi. In another part of the country our FMC Zikora Nnamani is the only daughter of the House of Nnamani which is another Noble family. She is invited to stay at the palace with the King and Queen along with her nannie and her handmaiden. Before she is taken away, she begins The Rite of Blessing, a magical inheritance that she will need to learn how to use, but that may also bring the world one step closer to the completion of the prophecy. I highly enjoyed listening to this audiobook the narrator did a fantastic job at switching up the characters voices and it kept me entertained throughout the whole story.

I'm not typically a fantasy reader, but I thought I'd give this one a try! The audiobook opens by saying it is performed (not narrated or read) by Adenrele Ojo. And that is true! Her performance carried me through the set up of this fantasy series.

This book is a good gateway for a nonfantasy reader. It is clearly not our world--with magic, the occasional giant, and kingdoms found on no map and in no history book. The kingdoms feel like a mix of familiar Western royal tropes (coat of arms, crowns, knights on horseback) and subtler, African influence (names, women warriors, and philosophy) .But for me, the main draw is its focus on royal drama (a favorite plot of mine!) and the machinations of power.

It took a while to get me hooked - the villains are largely pretty flat bad guys and our main characters start out with some stock coming of age plot-driven trauma and stranger in a strange land tropes. However, patience will reward you with my favorite part of the book, our spirited heroes, M'Kuru and Zikorah. They are formerly coddled royal children who find themselves learning how to survive in a world that would devour them if given the chance. They are strong-willed and clever, and funny in the way children, with their beginner's mind about the world, can be. They are also going through that period in life we all do (to different degrees and at different times) when we learn about the darkness around us, both in our immediate surroundings and on a societal scale. I really appreciate how the book is frank about the human cost of royal whims and desires, even within the loving families of our protagonists.

Cinematic. Adenrele Ojo is such an amazing narrator- She truly captured the pain & emotion in this. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing- A fantastic introduction to this series, full of potential.

Could the story delve deeper & give us less predictability? Of course, but the way it was told through Adenrele was amazing- I was entranced. This is a slow paced story, but I am here for the build up. I’m intrigued to see how our MCs grow & see how the fates of the heavens shapes this story.

Overall, I was SAT. Our MCs are still young, so I didn’t expect much from them, but the way this story is woven… I’m here for it. I highly recommend the audiobook- Adenrele deserves her flowers 💐 fr.

Review for NetGalley — Birth of a Dynasty by Chinaza Bado (Harper Audio)

First off, a huge thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for the chance to listen to Birth of a Dynasty. What a ride — and honestly, what a heartbreak to look down at my phone, see only 2 minutes left, and realize I wasn’t ready for it to end. There's still so much story to tell, and now I’m left counting the days for what comes next.

This book absolutely pulled me in. While there are fantasy elements layered throughout, at its core it reads like beautifully immersive historical fiction — the kind that makes you wish you could physically step into the world and witness it firsthand. The setting, the politics, the intrigue — all of it felt so rich and real.

The narration deserves its own standing ovation. Harper Audio knocked this production out of the park. The narrator brought every single character to life with distinct voices and personalities. It wasn’t just storytelling — it was a performance, and one that made me feel completely connected to the characters and their journeys.

Speaking of which — I adored the main characters, especially the two younger ones who are still finding their footing. Watching them grow and start stepping into who they are meant to become was so rewarding, and I love that we’re only seeing the beginning of their evolution. I’m already impatient for the next installment to see where their paths lead.

Highly recommend this one to anyone who loves rich world-building, layered characters, and stories that leave you desperately wanting more.

Thank you again to NetGalley and Harper Audio for the opportunity — I can’t wait to continue this series!

I loved the story telling in this book. We were taking on a journey filled with loss and sorrow, political intrigue, the hand of prophecy and the resolve and resilience of children. The narrator did an amazing job of telling M’Kuru and Zikora’s stories. I felt the other POVs were a little weaker in their presentation but still added to the telling of the story. Looking forward to the next installment in this series!

Overall this was a decent story. It has great detail and delves heavily into world building to fully establish the power struggle of several families vying for the throne and control of a kingdom. It starts out very strong with a fast paced, storyline full of intrigue and mystery, and then slows down a bit to a nice even pace to allow all pieces of the story to develop. All in all, this was an enjoyable story that sets things up for the future books in the series. While I did appreciate the story and the world development, I found it to be a bit slow and the story didn’t always hold my interest as a result. This book was a bit more drama focused and didn’t have any elements which justified the classification of a fantasy novel. Perhaps those events will come into play more in the remainder of the series, but as of this book, this appears to be more of a historical fiction than fantasy. That being said, if you enjoy Asian culture and reading about the various struggles within empires and their noble families, you will love this book! The narration was impeccable and the writing was well done!

Birth of a Dynasty by Chinaza Bado
Narrated by Adenrele Ojo
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I'll begin with the disclaimer that I think this was a case of "I'm the problem".
Birth of a Dynasty had so much consistent action and world building to draw the reader in, but unfortunately I didn't find myself as enraptured as I maybe should have been.

I enjoyed being able to see both M’kuru's/Khalil's story and Zikora's story alongside one another and how they were treated after the Mukundi massacre. I think part of what I disliked was the multiple perspectives the story was told from in addition to being third person. I don't mind third person novels but when there are too many points of view included I feel like it muddies the story a little. I like to be left in the dark sometimes and learn things with my main character(s), so I think it may ave been stronger focusing only on Khalil and Zikora.

Adenrele Ojo's narration was smooth and delivered wonderfully, which added to the immersive experience, even with having multiple characters to juggle.

Thank you NetGalley, HarperAudio, and Chinaza Bado for the ALC.
All opinions expressed in this review are mine and have not been influenced by anyone or anything.

Beginning started off kinda slow for me. After about a fourth of the book I finally started getting into it. There’s lots of things to keep up with, people, places, the politics so there a lot of moving parts in this. I really enjoyed Zikora whole personality. I think what I loved most about this book was the multiple points of view so you get a full aspect to what’s happening. Multiple narrators was also nice. I feel like all the characters were well developed, the writing style was on point, and this is absolutely a book you take notes on to refer back to which is something I love doing with books. If you enjoy political fantasy this is right up your alley. I look forward to the rest of the series!

This book is epic both in fantasy and is amazing storylines. The story is unique and provides so much back story, world building, and character development. You wouldn’t think think a fantasy book with child main characters would be this detailed and interesting but it is phenomenal.
The narrator did such an amazing job. Her voice acting was superb and felt like she was bringing you into the story and into another world.

Thank you Netgalley and HarperAudio for the ARC.

This book was very interesting to me right from the beginning!
Tragedy and betrayal are our introduction to young M’Kuru as his family is attacked and massacred. As the sole survivor, he swears he will get revenge one day for the High Noble House Mukundi of Madada. M’Kuru meets a strange old man who tells him from that day on, he will be known as Khalil and live as his grandson working his farm and watching over his “mother” as he gets older and learns more about this world they live in. Until one day, he meets an imposter claiming to be M’Kuru Mukundi of Madada.

Somewhere in another part of the country where giants roam, we are introducedto a young Zikora Nnamani, only daughter of the High Noble Lord Nnamani. Zikora is a free spirit that dreams of being a fierce woman warrior rather than a polished lady like her mother expects. She is a smart and curious little girl, but that curiosity leads her to eavesdropping upon a meeting where she learns her older brother was cast out of the family and then murdered. A prophecy states that a union between the Mukundi and Nnamani would be too powerful and the King orders the massacre of the Mukundi. With that in mind, a messenger arrives with an “invite” for Zikora to stay at the palace that her family can’t refuse. Lord Nnamani gives Zikora, unbeknownst to her, a magical inheritance that should help her weather future storms headed her way.

So now we have M’Kuru aka Khalil, whose childhood and innocence was robbed and then, Zikora whose innocence and honesty is what makes people not see her as a threat. As we get to know our characters and watch them grow, I was drawn in by the politics of this kingdom. This book is quite literally the foundation being laid for what will happen as our characters grow. The first book of the trilogy is filled with world building and understanding the political atmosphere that plays a huge part. I don’t think I’ve read a book that started out like this before so I’m invested! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can’t wait to see where the vengeance will take us!

I will be posting this review on Instagram and Goodreads immediately, but I will make a secondary post on the release date. Thank you!