The heart wants what the heart wants, and our hearts want books.

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If you follow either of us on Goodreads, you know we, and our reading lives, contain multitudes.  With that comes a decent amount of side-eye, usually IRL, for reading YA novels (and romance too, and only leads me to wish a more fun reading life for those who give the side-eye).  Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn is nothing to give side-eye to, y’all.  Honestly, it reminded me a lot of some of the themes in The Red Tent by Anita Diamant – specifically the pieces around how the story starts with the stories of her foremothers, because their most influential experiences had a profound impact on who the narrator is as a person, and that’s a “serious” work of fiction [insert eyeroll here].  All that to say, just because an author or a hero doesn’t look like us, doesn’t mean we won’t see bits and pieces of ourselves or learn about ourselves while in the story.  Is Bloodmarked, a novel about a magical Black teen really a mirror for me?  No, it’s definitely a window, but we’re all human, and magic or not, our ancestors and the systems in which we were raised and live definitely influence our lives. We only have control of our reaction to it.  

If you haven’t read Legendborn or our review of it, please stop and go see about that ASAP.  Sadly, I did not get to reread the first book in this series before digging into the second, but I did seek out a synopsis, which was very helpful and necessary to me (because I remember nothing), and I am definitely interested in queuing up books one and two before I dive into the third book, which I’m very interested in consuming reading.   

Now, let’s finally dig into today’s title, Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn.  As I said, this is book two in The Legendborn Cycle trilogy, which is a modern Arthurian legend, and includes Root, or ancestor magic.  This series is such a fantastic example of amazing YA fantasy.  It’s got an engaging plot, with a broad cast of characters seeking to save the world utilizing not one, but two complex magical systems, and they’re facing all the strife and drama of the older high school / younger college set, in addition to some tragic family of origin drama for several of our leads.  Deonn is open in her notes that she’s seeking to tackle grief and trauma, showing what it’s like to be the “first, only, different” which so, so many Black women are still facing, while layering in different cultural takes on magic.  The way the magical systems compare and contrast, and how the structures and hierarchies of both interact with our young people brings me so much joy and helps me clear up some of the frost on the window I look through to see into the lives of others.  In Bloodmarked, we get a deeper dive into the women who’ve come before Bree, and can see how their experiences influenced each daughter and granddaughter throughout the generations.  This is where The Red Tent came in for me, but also remembering how generationally, the US isn’t that far removed from chattel slavery and that my mother is only a few years older than Ruby Bridges.  The tragedies of how our ancestors treated each other isn’t that far in the past, and its remnants are still very much with us. Those remnants need to continue to be brought into the light so we can call them by their awful names and continue to do better.  

One more thing I want to mention here.  I’m on record as being scared of book two in a trilogy, and I have to say, there was a time when I was pissed at the direction of this book (mostly because it reminded me of another I didn’t enjoy), but it was brief, and redeemed.  While book two commonly ends with our characters being left in the worst possible scenario so they can dig themselves out in book three, I don’t think that’s where Bree is at the end of this novel.  There is definitely some digging out to be done and so very much left to resolve, but it’s do-able, and I’m hopeful based on where I last saw Bree and the rest of our ensemble.  Bloodmarked is a fantastic addition to this hero’s journey meets coming of age tale and Bree had some amazing growth in this novel.  I’m giving the title four solid stars, and very much looking forward to book three and whatever else Deonn wishes to write for us.  Depending on how the trilogy ends, I could see Deonn getting a season pass.

Who are your season pass authors?

~Nikki 

Bloodmarked is not only the second in the Legendborn Cycle… trilogy (series?), but is also Tracy Deonn’s sophomore novel. She has multiple short form works published in anthologies and before she became a professional writer she earned degrees in communication and performance studies and has worked in live theater, video game production, and K-12 education. As a second-generation fangirl she loves to speak on panels at science fiction and fantasy conventions, and still reads fanfic. If you couldn’t tell by the diverse cast of characters in the Legendborn Cycle, she is a champion for diversity and representation in science fiction and fantasy literature and media – and in its fanbase.

In the review we wrote for Legendborn, I didn’t say much about the book itself. I talked about how I have been low-key obsessed with Arthurian tradition for over 20 years. I still am and that’s why Deonn’s work has been living rent-free in my head for a year. I am only a little upset that we waited several months to read Bloodmarked, because I think that it is a perfect title for Black history month. You, our darling reader, know that we read diverse authors and genres constantly and on purpose, and what doesn’t surprise us is that those YA titles are usually the ones we LOVE THE MOST. They are the ones that bring up the deepest emotions, the ones we don’t talk about but probably should. It’s amazing how a YA fantasy novel can focus on the human conditions of grief and trauma, AND generational grief and trauma, while not losing its jam-packed pacing. Deonn is an absolute Queen at all of the above (or should we say King? #IYKYK). I cannot state enough that I think the way she discusses the insidiousness of racism in our society and institutions is just perfect for the YA reader. The way the reader sees the world through Bree’s eyes, the eyes of a young Black woman who has immense personal (magical) power, and how she STILL feels insignificant and powerless is ::chef’s kiss::. I don’t think there is a better way to teach YA readers how to do better than by showing them how the world looks through the eyes of someone who could be their peer. I’m thankful that Deonn has taken it upon herself to write this story and I have the highest of hopes that the entire Legendborn Cycle will continue to win awards and inspire young readers to see power in every person. 

I am giving Bloodmarked a solid five stars. I don’t know why I didn’t give Legendborn five stars last year… maybe it was because I was struggling with other YA titles and needed something different to read. But this year, I’m amending that to give both of them an unwavering FIVE STAR STATUS. If I still bought dead tree books these would be displayed proudly on my bookshelf to be re-read and enjoyed repeatedly. 

Has the second in a series ever increased your love of the first title and what series was that?

~Ashley

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