I spent a long time being excited about this book and I remained excited for the first 25% of it. Then I spent a lot of time deep sighing and hating 95% of the characters because everyone irritated the hell out of me. Except Roën. He was pretty great and definitely not in it for long enough. Bring him baaaaack (in book 2 that is). If Adeyemi could also stop every character from saying "skies" every other page then that would be amazing!

Overall, this was a pretty decent read. There was plenty of action, the worldbuilding was on point, the power dynamics between the characters were something else and each characters' complexities were well executioned. Sadly, this book kind of fell into the pit of age-old cliched YA tropes. The primary cliche being the instalove theme (between Zélie/Inan and Amaris/Tzain), and despite seeing why it had to be included (one of them anyway) for plot purposes this book would have been a lot more interesting if it had taken a different direction.

All things considered this was a fiery fantasy novel that deftly handles politics and race, finally putting POC in the very heart of the action.

Gripping fantasy that sees a young girl fighting hard to restore magic to a kingdom that has forbidden it.

Zelie Adebola remembers when they killed her mother, and she's been trying to avoid the same fate ever since. But a chance encounter with a princess leaves her homeless and on the run, desperate to escape the crown prince who wants her and her kind dead.

Tomi Adeyemi has created a lush, vibrant world, full of legend and lore, more than enough to sate even the most ravenous fantasy fan. She deserves special commendation for steering away from the creatures so often shoe-horned into fantasy novels, and instead creating her own magical beasts, who fit seamlessly into the narrative. There are swoony moments, shocking moments, terrifying moments, and heartbreaking moments. It's a masterful debut, and one many readers will adore.

This chapter sampler from Children of Blood and Bone paints an impressive opening to what I'm sure will be a wildly popular book next year! Zélie is a fantastic character already and I'm looking forward to where she goes in the complete book! The writing is also a complete breeze to read and absolutely delightful.

Well, this book definitely grab my attention.
This few chapters basically said me that I MUST READ THIS BOOK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!
Worlbuilding sound interesting, characters sound interesting and the hate against magic remind me a little a story I'm writing!
Definitely 5 stars for these 6 chapters, I hope the rating will be the same for the rest of the book!

This was amazing. I've been looking forward to this book since the deal was announced in late March or early April. I am a black woman and was interested to see a YA fantasy about a black girl. This sample defied my already high expectations. I loved that it discussed racism, and I was so, so happy to find that it discussed colorism (discrimination based on skin shades), because I don't see that very often in the media. The way this book's society is set up is so detailed and interesting, I love the West African and North African influences, and the combination of questions class differences and race relations is everything I didn't know I wanted in a YA fantasy novel. Thank you, so, so much for the opportunity to read this, and I plan to go straight to the bookstore to buy the full novel the day it comes out.
(I will post this review online if that's encouraged; I'm just not sure of the protocol with a sample.)

*disclaimer: i only read a sample of this book, provided by netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

This took me a while to get into, i didnt think i'd like it in the beginning but looking back im like - why the hell did i feel like that?? It starts with Zélie learning how to fight in a school for girls, which is clearly illegal as they pretend to be running a tailors shop when the army comes storming in. After having some problems at home, Zélie goes to the big city to sell some fish in the big market, and finds herself helping a run-away princess escape the city...

Meanwhile, a princess - clearly different from your "average" princess, as she cares about the servants and doesn't care about the poison of the maji race, escapes from her home and attempts to leave the city without being captured by her brother, the captain of the guard.

I feel like i can't really review this properly because i only read a preview of the book, but it did make me want to read on, the Aladdin vibes towards the end especially.

// Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this in exchange for an honest review //

4 stars (release date March 6, 2018)

I received a sneak peek of the first six chapters of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. This book starts off with a bang and doesn't let up. I was only able to read the first 6 chapters. I can't wait until the book is released so I can read the rest. Zélie Adebola's mother was a maji and was killed by the King when the magic of the land disappeared. She is a social outcast and lives in fear of being sold into slavery. She inadvertently helps a rogue princess escape the palace guards and discovers that magic may be coming back to the land. Zelie vows to bring back magic and take revenge against the monarchy. I can't wait to see how this all turns out!

I cannot wait for this book. It grabs you from the first line and refuses to let go. Tomi Adeyemi writes with immense heart and intelligence and I'm sure this is going to be a standout YA title for years to come.

I was lucky enough to pick up a 6-chapter sampler of this book from Netgalley, and now I’m decidedly unlucky in the sense that I need to wait for the rest - knowing how damn good it is.

Children of Blood and Bone seems to be everything that a lot of people have been crying out for. We have a black female protagonist that reads like an actual bonafide real-life person, with flaws and feelings and everything. We have metaphors for major social issues, that don’t feel out of place in the story. And it looks like we’re going to see this story from both sides. It’s black, it’s white, and it’s everything in-between.

This is obviously a Young Adult novel, but it’s a great example of how YA doesn’t mean “poor quality”. There’s a few of the usual fantasy tropes here, but who really cares about tropes when a book is exciting enough?

There’s magic, there’s action, huge domesticated-but-dangerous big cats, and a couple of likeable and sympathetic main characters. I can’t wait to read the rest.

This is a brilliant introduction to what looks like a brilliant book. The sample I was given definitely enticed me in and I will be purchasing the book once it is published

This sampler offers up the first six chapters and oh God are they riveting! I love the characters, I love the world, the plot. It's just a fascinating concept and written so well. I'm itching to read more and just felt so saddened when I didn't have the rest of the novel.

This is a review of a sample only. The style, initially, takes some focus but this looks like one to read. We're shown enough to want to know more.

Oh My, this has been intense!

I've been provided with this Preview Expert of the first 6 chapters of the book in exchange for an honest review, via Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Books to which I'm very grateful about it.

I'm more than sure that I want to read it when the full book comes out, I'll have to wait alot, SO UNFAIR!
What I've read I LOVED IT, it's a strong plot, a brillant idea in a fantasy world full of diversity, unique characters and magic. I'M IN!.

I feel that I've never read anything similar for which I'm super excited

The book started off really well. I cannot wait to read the whole book when it comes it. The writing is vivid, the characters are well rounded and the plot is enticing

Received a six chapter sampler of Children of Blood from NetGalley for a honest review.
The story is centred around a world where magic has disappeared and the land is ruled by a ruthless King. Can Zelie, our young heroine bring the return of magic and rebellion against the King?
The novel (first six chapters) is told in the first person narrative from three different characters. This works well and and moves the story along nicely. We have strong, interesting heroines on a background which is rich and exotic and beautifully described. Only six chapters in but the themes of racism, oppression and power are evident. Really interested to see how this will develop.
In a way I wish a waited for the whole novel as I enjoyed these chapters so much and was eager to see what happens.

Children of blood and bone is a Young Adult Fantasy novel and I was lucky enough to be be able to read the first 6 chapters though Netgalley and OMG I am in love with this! Seriously, if you can get your hands on this book, do not hesitate! I repeat, Do Not Hesitate!

The book is set in a world, Orïsha, where magic was manipulated by gifted beings called the Maji. However, one night the magic disappeared and a vengeful king took the throne, killing the Maji, and punishing their children. But all of a sudden there is a shift and it seems that magic wasn't all gone... 
Children of Blood and Bone is beautifully written, the world is seems well crafted so far, and I thoroughly enjoyed to see the situations from different perspectives, so you see the world from a Maggot's perspective (a descendant of the Maji), as well as from the perspective of the Princess and her brother. These POV's definitely work very well and add substance to the story, as well as tackling prejudice in different ways. I also must say that Zelie is a total bass a**! I enjoyed her fighting sequences so much, I am in love!

The writing is also good. I generally prefer more contemporary fantasy; books that are set in a different world I find them quite confusing and hard to relate with, however I had no problem with this one so far as the writing flows really well. The characters are also spot on and you know in who's head you are thinking.

I was lucky enough to receive the first 6 chapters of this glorious book from Netgalley - and let me tell you, I was hooked from the very first page.

This story is told in multiple POV (we see 3 in the first 6 chapters), and we already can see we have two strong female leads, and possibly a loveable bad guy (or even a good guy - its really too soon to tell!).

All I know is I was cursing when the sample chapters ran out, and I honestly don't know how I will survive until NEXT YEAR to read the rest.

I think I found one of my top 3 most anticipated reads of 2018!

i've just read the sampler for Children of blood and bone. this novel is different and exciting. from the few chapters i've read the novel includes magic, war and i think a love story too! looking forward to reading the rest of the novel.

This sampler was very good and has me anticipating the book. It is definitely on my to buy list.

My thoughts:

As this was a sample of the full novel, I can't do a full review of it but from the six chapters I did get to read, I am absolutely hooked. I kept flicking the page on my kindle thinking there was more and being sorely disappointed when I realised the sampler had ended! I am already so attached to the characters and invested in what happens next, that I will definitely be pre-ordering or buying a copy when it's released. I encourage you to take a read if you can, you will not be disappointed!

Here are a few reasons why I desperately want to read the full book:

Magical Elements - I feel like Adeyemi has done a fantastic job in introducing and explaining the Magi and their powers, without it being too repetitive or tedious. Granted I only had access to six chapters, but within this limited amount, I was enthralled and it got me very much interested in learning more about these characters.

Intriguing characters - The main character Zélie, was both strong willed and deeply sensitive, I appreciated that while she could stand her ground, she was also vulnerable. I liked this balance and for me it made her a character I am interested in reading more about. She didn't feel flat or two dimensional, I only hope this complexity is carried through the rest of the novel. As well as Zélie, Amari, the princess and daughter of the notorious and cruel King Saran also drew me in. I am interested in reading about Amari's brother, Inan too and the role he has to play.

Issues of Colourism - This was a theme which I didn't expect to encounter within a sci fi or fantasy novel but it was so unique. Within the novel, the darker skinned characters or Kosidán, are shunned and made subservient whilst their fairer skinned counterparts are seen as desirable. They even go to the point to bleach their skin and lighten their complexion in order to be deemed more socially acceptable. This is an issue which is ever present in our own societies and cultures, especially in the Black and Asian communities. I'm so impressed seeing a work of fiction include and highlight such an important and problematic issue.

Thanks to Pan Macmillan for sending me the sampler, through Net Galley. This is a release I am eagerly awaiting now, so thanks for the opportunity to review even a short amount of it. Consider me a fan!