Bloodmarked is the second book in the Legendborn series by Tracy Deonn, which means this review might contain some spoilers for both book one and book two. We pick up right where book one left off with Bree still reeling from her new access to powers from both sides of her ancestral lines. We learn that because of her new status in the magical world she has been sequestered in the house on campus for her own safety, and she’s starting to feel the effects of being essentially caged in.

I was initially worried that because Nick had been taken at the end of the first novel we wouldn’t see him much in this second installment, but thankfully Deonn devised a very creative way for Nick to be featured alongside both Bree and Sel. As a novel with only one point of view I thought the ways Nick popped back up in the story were really smart and exciting, and it helped us as the reader remain emotionally connected and invested in Nick as a character.

Despite worrying about missing Nick I was equally excited about the prospect of getting to know Sel better as he and Bree were confined together for most of this novel. Their budding friendship, and their chemistry, left me squealing and kicking my feet. I thought the pacing of their connection from book one to book two was slow and steady which worked naturally with their tumultuous past from book one.

While the first book included talking points about historical events and present day racism this book took this discussion even deeper. We got to experience multiple scenes where Bree was stereotyped, harmed, and discounted solely because of her race. This was a major catalyst for a lot of the climactic events in the story, and worked to highlight just how corrupt, and behind the times, the Order truly is.

Where book one focused on Bree’s grieving process after the death of her mother, book two seemingly centered around emotional manipulation. There are multiple characters and instances in this book when Bree is mesmered or emotionally manipulated by characters she is growing to trust, and I’m extremely curious to see how the aftermath of this topic will be explored in the next book in the series.

As a whole this series doesn’t shy away from harsh realities, ugly topics, and at times graphic violence. This story is not for the weak at heart when it comes to injuries sustained from and incurred by fighting demons. Just like with book one it was hard for me to remember that this is a young adult novel when reading about Bree, her friends, and her enemies’ injuries.

For some reason I felt like this novel wasn’t as cohesive, and didn’t flow as intricately as the first book. It felt a little disjointed, and like we hopped from setting to setting, which is admittedly how I’m sure the characters felt as well. I’m not sure if that pacing was intentional, or a hint of the dreaded book two syndrome, but it wasn’t distracting enough to take away from the story (which I devoured). Overall I’m really pleased with where this series is going, and I’m so excited and hopeful for book three. I can’t believe I have to wait until next year to see what will happen next after an incredibly traumatic ending.