Sel is a classics major. Make of this information what you will.

Bloodmarked is Legendborn's sequel, and I think it reminds me more and more of a mix of Cinda Williams Chima's The Warrior Heir series and J.M. Miro's Ordinary Monsters series. I regret not continuing the series sooner, although I'm kind of glad I didn't have to wait for the release of book three because this cliffhanger would have had me going insane. This addition to the series expands the depth of the world by allowing Bree to leave campus, which also allows for expansion of the cast of characters and leads to some intriguing interactions.

Bree has been declared the Scion of Arthur and discovered her legacy as a Bloodcrafter, Nick's dad has practically kidnapped him and fled, and the Legendborn Order is falling apart. It's hard to describe the direction this book takes because it feels like so many plot points occurred, but I can say I think I enjoyed the first half a bit more. This is one of those sequels where the tensions from the end of book one carry the pacing for the beginning of book two, but once that tension dissolves, the middle sections drag. Surprisingly, I think the ending of the book dragged the most for me (there are two sections I can think of that felt kind of slow). But I also basically had withdrawal from this book because every time I wasn't reading, I found myself thinking about it and longing to go back to it. I think some other reviews nailed the feeling it gives well: the book takes on a bit too much. So much happens that it feels a bit hard to keep track of at times, but also it changes direction enough that it's hard to get one's footing. Did I enjoy this book? Yes, I was on the edge of my seat for half of it. But some of that suspense came from me wanting to get past the slow parts so I could see the tension resolved. The ending was definitely interesting, though I'm kind of hesitant about the direction book three is going (I think it's going to be a bit filler-y, and I have some questions about character dynamics), but I'm still super excited for it.

This book both introduced new character dynamics and sidelined old ones. For one, I was glad to see more of Alice, and I appreciated her perspective on a lot of Legendborn issues from the standpoint of an outsider. She was super supportive of Bree, which was great, and I'm kind of hoping she gets some time to shine alone in book three. Valec reminded me a bit of Magnus from Shadowhunters, but more interesting. He and Mariah still feel a bit flat to me, but hopefully, book three can change that. William is probably my favorite character as of now (if he dies, I will not mentally recover) because I love the healer/warrior warring natures, and also, he's just so sweet and deserves the best. I was a bit disappointed by the complete sidelining of Nick. I understand that it was important to give Sel and Bree time to bond, but Nick was still an important character, and we didn't get to see his reactions to almost anything. I like Sel. A lot. As in, a lot more than he should. He did get on my nerves a few times, and I'm not sure how I feel about the romance dynamics between him and Bree (especially considering Nick still exists), but he's still super fun. I really liked Bree in the last book, and I still think she's one of the better characters, but her growth feels a bit stifled in this book. She still acts petulant at times, and her stubbornness is quickly becoming a problem. Additionally, she's yet to grow into her power, meaning she's constantly being rescued, and it gets a bit draining at times. I'm interested in her arc in book three, but if she doesn't start growing soon, I might get frustrated.

Bloodmarked is the expansive and tense sequel to Legendborn, and it sets up for a complex and emotional rollercoaster-y third book.

4.25/5