Hey,

How are you? Are you going insane in your own home because I am. This feels so weird to me, I do not know what is going to happen when we all go out of lockdown. I don’t know if I remember my login and password for work. I cannot believe that we are in the third week of this lockdown.

Anyway let’s talk about a book that I got before the lockdown and why I think EVERYONE should read it.

We Are Blood and Thunder by Kesia Lupo

In a sealed-off city, it begins with a hunt. A young woman, Lena, running for her life, convicted of being a mage and sentenced to death. Her only way to survive is to trust those she has been brought up to fear – those with magic.

On the other side of the locked gates is a masked lady, Constance, determined to find a way back in. She knows only too well how the people of Duke’s Forest loathe magic. Years ago she escaped before her powers were discovered. But now she won’t hide who she is any longer.

A powerful and terrifying storm cloud unites them. It descends over the dukedom and devastates much in its wake. But this is more than a thunderstorm. This is a spell, and the truth behind why it has been cast is more sinister than anyone can imagine … Only Lena and Constance hold the key to destroying the spell. Though neither of them realise it, they need each other. They are the blood and they have the thunder within.

Published: April 2019

Pubilshers: Bloomsbury YA

Pages 448

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Goodreads Star Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Review

This book just pulled me in so easily, I felt so charmed by the world that Lupo has created that I am looking forward to reading the next book. The world that Lupo has created is so cool, it makes Duke Forest feels like Omashu from Avatar The Last Airbender and City of Kings feels like Italy with the temples and cobblestones. I think that is probalbly the best way to describe both places that we explore in this book.

Both female characters are great, Lena is shy and insecure while Constance is determined and secretive. Both women are in similar paths. Lena goes to City of Kings to learn about being a mage while Constance returns home to a place that is unfamilier. Lena is a cryptling which means she is not well liked, she has grown up without a mother or father and bears a mark on her face making her a crypting, Crypting are people who are kind of slaves and used for work purposes, they are considered as freaks. Constance returns to Duke Forest with the determination of reuniting with her father and brother but Constance is keeping a lot of secrets and even to the reader, you don’t know what she is doing.

Duke Forest is surrounded with a storm that is the only weather to be seen in Duke Forest and the Duke (Constance’s father) and a man named Justice believe it was a mage that created the spell. Justice is kind of like a dictator, he has more control of the people and no one likes him. Constance knows that he is dangerous and might be difficult to stop by herself. Constance knows a way to get rid of the storm but she is not letting on as to what her plan is.

City of Kings is like a place where magic can thrive, Lena is introduced to magic and the magic system in this is so cool, it’s even colour-coded. Lena meets Emris who is a Huntsman, he follows the god Faul and their magic colour is grey. Emris introduces Lena to the temples and helps her learn about her magic but she is a little conflicted with following the Gods when she worshiped the Ancestors back in Duke Forest. Not only does she learn about magic from the Gods, she also learns about Chaos magic which is the darkest part of the magic system, it can get out of control and kill you. She meets a man named Lord Chatham who uses Chaos magic and even creates mechanical magic like butterflies and bees. It’s soo cool.

While this book is a YA, I honestly didn’t feel that it was. I think the reason for that is the book focused more on the magic system and the characters than focus on a love triangle. I mean sure there was one but it was a little stupid, it was more he liked her but she left and then he moved on. So I wouldn’t put that as a love triangle. I really liked the description of the world and the gods, I liked the inclusion of religion because there can’t be just one. I do like Lena and Emris and I hope that there would be a tease of the two in the next book. I am looking forward to book two which comes out in two months, so I don’t have to wait for a long time.

Right, I hope you are all well. Stay inside although the weather outside has been so nice. And if you’ve finished a book pick up another one because there is absolutely nothing to watch on TV.

XX