Wow. I know I’m already reading this book early, but I need that third book desperately and quickly. Everything — the characters, the plot, the romance, the political intrigue — all of it was so masterfully crafted that I couldn’t look away.

The multiple points of view, like in the first book, truly pulled me in, but I especially loved how the author divided them—allowing us to live with one group, experience their struggles, and then hang on the edge of my seat through that cliffhanger before rushing back to the danger facing the last group. It kept me hooked, flying through every page just to find out what would happen next.

I was utterly captivated learning more about how the Imperium came to be, how the world transformed, and how so much history was erased—like a gravity I couldn’t escape.

I initially loved this book for the romance between Selah and Tair, but Arran and Theo quickly stole my heart. And because of the way the political threads weaved through the story—so compelling and real—I didn’t even mind that the romance was a bit less prominent in this book.

Still, I’m desperately hoping for more in the next book.

There’s something so genuine and powerful in the way this Author writes her characters—like they breathe and live beyond the pages. I honestly can’t wait to see what their stories hold next!

Literally no notes.
This was the perfect sequel, it punches you in the face and doesnt stop (in a good way), sophie knocked it out of the park with this one.

Superb novel. I haven’t read the first volume and was able to dive straight into this one. Historical Roman type setting and it’s in the future. Dystopian exciting with strong female characters. complex and involved plots. Loved it. Thank you to the author. Thank you to #netgalley and thr publisher for an ARC.

After Sargassa’s explosive ending, Bloodtide was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and I was not disappointed. Bloodtide avoids the somewhat sloppy exposition that hampered the beginning of Sargassa while retaining the complex world-building, twisty plotting, and excellent characterizations.

The Roman Empire rules North America (Sargassa). However, it’s built on a lie and rebellion is brewing. Bloodtide takes this momentum, deftly navigates the difficult middle of a trilogy, and meets my big three criteria with ease. It (1) expands on the world, (2) continues to develop its characters, and (3) sets up an exciting conclusion while fully standing on its own.

Bloodtide expands the world beyond the city of Luxana, exploring the hinterlands, the legions, and how the Empire’s oppression operates throughout Sargassa. Most fascinatingly, it delves deeper into the lie at the heart of Rome, exploring the cyclical nature of history and how empire creates itself by insisting upon its inevitability and denying this reality.

The characters remain the trilogy’s greatest strength, not simply because they are nuanced and varied, but because they are intimately connected to the world. Every mindset is shaped by Rome’s oppression, every act succumbs or resists oppression. The relationships at the novel’s center, especially the queer ones, forbidden by class, family, and gender, enable the space and strength for resistance. Sometimes, political speculative fiction can lose its characters in its sweeping scope, but, here, the characters drive the story forward. (The novel’s physical descriptions don’t always match this high bar. Some action sequences and the storm that hits Luxana are difficult to picture.)

Occasionally (especially in the hinterlands), while never paced slowly, Bloodtide’s forward plot movement stalls. I was briefly (and foolishly) worried that it wouldn’t be able to stand on its own. However, in the end, it fully brings together its ideas on it what means to rebel and has a reveal nearly as good as Sargassa’s (which is an all-time favorite twist). This is a must-read trilogy for our times. The finale can’t come soon enough.

Sometimes, after I read the latest book in an incomplete series, I am absolutely desperate for the next one and I know the wait is going to be torture. Rarely, I finish the latest book in an incomplete series and am horribly depressed I don’t know how to do science because all I want is to build a time machine so I can go to the future and read the rest. That’s what happened with Bloodtide.

This book is an excellent followup to Sargassa. It takes place mostly during the course of a raging hurricane that lasts several days and causes Selah, Tair, and Griff to made some tough decisions while their city descends into lawlessness. Meanwhile, Theo and Arran make some incredible discoveries while out on a mission far from home. The way that Sophie Burnham has written this story will never cease to amaze me. Oh, also! Darius, who we got to know in the first book, is more of a central character in Bloodtide. I loved getting to know him even better and learning about how complex he truly is.

Theo remains my favorite character. They reflect a bit more on being thremed (nonbinary) in ways that are super relatable. There’s one bit that really called out to me (I’d love to quote it but as of posting this review I have not received permission to do so) in which Theo points out that patricians refuse to accept thremed because they believe gender roles are necessary to keep their families going. Anything that challenges what they’ve deemed necessary is a threat. Man. Yeah. It’s such a simple thing but it was a huge revelation for me because I’ve never thought of nonbinary people as being unable to participate in and contribute to society the same way everyone else does. I guess I needed it to be pointed out that other people do see it that way.

Anyway, I want to say more but fear I will spoil parts of the first book, so I will just say: I KNEW IT and also OMFG!

I cannot believe I don’t have access to time travel and I have to wait for the final book. I just know this is going to end up my favorite trilogy ever.

We started off strong, because, similarly to in Sargassa, Bloodtide features excerpts of found and historical texts right at the start. Not just the legalities of Sargassan society and chronology, like we had to ground us in the world in Sargassa, but this time we also have correspondence! And a journal! And those aren’t spoilers because they’re right there wishing the first few pages, so you know I was immediately HOOKED! And I loved how these texts helped fill in some of the backstory of how the big reveal at the end of Sargassa then brought us to . . . this stratified society that at first glance appears so unchanged over millennia.

For the most part, this story follows storylines in two branches: what’s happening in Luxana, where Selah and Tair pursue their own agendas for what to do about the Iveroa Stone and all it reveals, and what’s happening further West, with Arran and Theo on their mission from Griff, AND WHO JUST SO HAPPENS TO BE DUMPED OUT WEST AS WELL?? (You know you love to hate him . . . but is redemption in the cards?)

Bloodtide simmered at a steady pace, and I loved seeing how the characters navigated working with leadership or being leaders among their communities, and how the decisions we make within our communities or for our communities have broader impacts on our society as a whole. A great exploration of how nothing happens in isolation and havoc wreaked by one sector can serve as a catalyst for action amongst another group (looking at you, Miro and Van . . .)

I won’t say too much more because I don’t want to give away spoilers, but know this: Arran is forever my dearest child, Balitang made me giggle *out loud*, and the end of this book had me chanting in victory “I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!” It was delightful. It was SUCH a satisfying read, and left me hungry for the next installment. And the very final page brought me to tears. In days of such chaos, uncertainty, and harm, reading Bloodtide was a balm, and a reminder that our greatest strength is our ability to work with each other, to problem solve and build together.

And just know that if anything happens to MY CHILD (aka Arran Alexander) I will burn the whole empire down :D

What a powerhouse of a book. This has all the worldbuilding I'd wanted in the first book. Those things left unexplained are because the characters don't know. That just adds to the need to keep reading to find out exactly what is going on.

I need a book with solid characters, and this certainly has that. Tair goes from being in hiding at the end of the last book to someone people look up to at the start of this book. But that isn't a role she wants. We get to watch her grow into herself, and the journey feels very authentic (and a bit raw, much like Tair).

The shifts in POV gave depth to different individuals, plus kept the momentum in the story going.

I can hardly wait for the third book in the series. (There has to be a third book, right?)

5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I loved Bloodtide, Sophie Burnham is a fantastic writer.

I hadn’t read Sargassa so had to go back and do that first. It is also an excellent read and in my opinion is necessary to understand the complex politics and world building in Bloodtide.

I loved Selah and Tair as lovers from different worlds/experiences in Sargassa and I love how they are independently developing in this instalment.

This series is incredible and I’m definitely going to continue to read it.

Thank you to NetGalley and DAW for the opportunity to read this ARC.

If you haven’t started this series yet you are missing some of the most incredible SFF speculative fiction about our world that I have ever read. And you know I read a lot.

The worldbuilding is so top notch, with a history that is hidden from the people of the world yet is being discovered and shown in such a satisfying way. And they have been soooo lied to. But the impact is so good.

I love each and every one of these characters that is getting a POV, except Darius (for now). I feel like book 3 will be the one where Darius finally gets his head on right and comes to the right side of history. Things are in motion now. Every POV is interesting and unique.

There was a point towards the end in a Tair POV that I almost threw my book (but I didn’t because I love this book). I cried instead. Goddamnit Griff.

READ THIS BOOK (OK START WITH SARGASSA) PLEASE.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to @dawbooks for the eARC and the finished copy! All thoughts are my own.