This is a good book. I love that Bree is a magical black lead. I appreciate the work put into her ancestors and personality. Her parents, Alice her bestfriend, and the honesty in the pain that lies in bubbling grief, prejudice, rape, & murder...among other unsavory factors.

Everyone in this book (mostly) is so queer and I love that. It is also realistically based in the south where question of your skin, Americanism, and belonging comes into question repeatedly.

I am a lot like Bree we are both born in Februay and attended early college. When people are told representation does not matter I like to think of how there is a black Santa Claus or God. Prominent figures in society that existence is debatable but necessary for functionality and human experience. Bree is my black Santa my black Jesus. Her skin, her hair, her anger, her passion, ALL of it. I connected to Root as a wiccan and ancestor worship I do. The practitioners of the craft though fake felt like home.

The book is split into four parts that felt so special to read in fantasy. I have the hard cover edition that begins with the prologue pages 1-8, Part 1 Order page 9-84, Part 2 page 85-223, Part 3 Roots page 227-372, and Part 4 page 375-490, Authors note p 495-498, Acknowledgements page 499-501. I ate this book up and I do not regret it.

Spoilers&Vent***: I do not like that NIck the love interest is white. I would have expected a black author writing a fantasy book with a lead black female character would have at least made her love interest diverse. I am disappointed at the missed opportunity for a black Indigenous or person of color couple pairing of the hetero/queer combination. Sarah herself half Latinx is paired with Barbie Tor prejudice ass and scior to her. That girl is gonna die young for her and I cannot fathom that. I hope they break up. I was wondering about this abatement foolishness because Nick was real pressed to have Bree become his second hand when Calmann was def coming and would result in her dying young like ew! Bree's main annoying trait is getting mad at these colonizers for say she don't belong or claiming their own like ma'am you are black they not wrong calm down lol. I was right to think of blood Magicka having a connection to slavery and colonization. I assume it is because Tracy want younger people to read this book why there is no mention of rape when that is how Bree's line came to be. Also why did Vera not get someone on the plantation to help her expel that child. Bree, Nick, & Sel should be a throuple and I stand by that. I was so disgusted by Davis and Issac. Alice is an amazing friend just like Bree's dad says.

Now I have to get blood marked gifted to me. I am into this world. Seeing how it will be a trilogy it is about time I finished a series worth finishing. Thanks Tracy!