An amazing introduction to a new saga.
Great worldbuildng, that captivated me from the very beginning, I loved how the writing style just flowed, and made the exposition exciting.

An extremely intriguing sampler that has got me utterly hooked! I received a copy of this from Illumicrate and now plan to dive into it during this lockdown.

I was actually under the impression that it was the whole book so my bad!!

However, the little that this sample provided has me so excited! A cast out princess and a con man, partnering up for a common goal, add to it the Russian setting and this book sounds right up my alley.

I will definitely pick up the finished copy of this book as soon as possible. I am sure it's going to be so full of adventure, intrigue, politics and fun!!!

After reading the first couple of chapters, I will be purchasing this book so I can read the rest!

The magic is really interesting, and I want to know more about how Ana manages to control her blood 'Affinity'. It reads perfectly for a YA Fantasy, and reminded me a lot of Frostblood by Elly Blake. Ramson, a con artist, provided some witty humour that made these chapters really enjoyable!

Overall, I enjoyed what I read and I can't wait to continue!

I got the first chapter from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I don't feel I can give a full review as I only had a short bit to read, but it starts well, straight into the action. I can see some future sassyness and romance between Ana and ransom. I like his personality already. I would like t o know more about the affinities and what happened to Ana's family, but I assume that's all covered later in the book. I want to continue reading, I feel like it's a 4 or 5* read so far, so I'll be generous and call it 5.

"In the face of fear, one could choose to run, or to rise."

It's difficult to give an opinion on such an action-filled fantasy book from just the first two chapters, but I would probably buy this book based on what I've read so far and I would certainly recommend it. Anna's ability to control blood fascinates me and I'm intrigued by the voice she hears when she reluctantly uses her power..."little monster"...is it her own voice? She's on the run with con-man, Quicktongue, neither of whom can trust the other - but I like him! I like the chemistry between the two characters (not like that) and I hope they become friends.

Plot: In the Cyrilian Empire, Affinites are reviled. Their varied gifts to control the world around them are unnatural—dangerous. And Anastasia Mikhailov, the crown princess, has a terrifying secret. Her deadly Affinity to blood is her curse and the reason she has lived her life hidden behind palace walls.
When Ana’s father, the emperor, is murdered, her world is shattered. Framed as his killer, Ana must flee the palace to save her life. And to clear her name, she must find her father’s murderer on her own. But the Cyrilia beyond the palace walls is far different from the one she thought she knew. Corruption rules the land, and a greater conspiracy is at work—one that threatens the very balance of her world. And there is only one person corrupt enough to help Ana get to its core: Ramson Quicktongue. A cunning crime lord of the Cyrilian underworld, Ramson has sinister plans—though he might have met his match in Ana. Because in this story, the princess might be the most dangerous player of all.

Opinion: The book shared by Netgalley shows Anastacya struggle to get to see a rouge criminal who may help her in her quest. The man in question is cheeky and manipulative but very interesting to listen to. In my opinion, it is the best of the two, as it seems more complex and morally grey, so you are never sure what it is going to say or do next. Anastacya, our main character is more prototypical, the runaway princess with a secret.
However, the forte of this book is the magic system. In this world people have Affi to elements, they can pull and use said element when they please. The most dangerous is the blood affinity, and that is precisely the one we witness at the beginning of the book. And it is as scary, descriptive and gruesome as you can imagine. However, it is mesmerizing and you want to know how it is that this power can be controlled and unleashed.

My main problem with this book is that the NetGalley webpage only had access to a manuscript consisted of two action-packed, intriguing chapters so, I was left breathlessly in shock...I needed to know more to do a proper review.
That is why I am giving two stars to this book. It has great elements that could be used through the book (the dynamic between the main characters, the magic and the court intrigued, although this latter one it is not explored in the fragment shared...instead, the reader is left to imagine it from the main character memories), but I need more to be able to review it.

Just finished reading the excerpt of this book (chapters 1 and 2). It is a bit different from what I usually read, but to say the leastqnd judged by only 2 chapters, I liked it. I cannot wait to get my hands on the finished copy of the book.

I received the first chapter for review.

Have to say that I was drawn in by what I read. It is an interesting concept and slowly drew in the reader as we learned about the world. Would definitely want to read the rest....

The extract consists of first two chapters and they will throw you right in the middle of an action packed story! Great start which will make you read page after page as fast as possible.
The writing style is easy with great "showing" sections and only little bit of "telling".
I do not know how this will all end at the moment.... but I will not be surprised if this was a "enemies to lovers" story between Anna and the con man Quicktongue. Please tell me I am true.. I wanna see this!
It is your typical young adult book but with great dark magic twist.

I was sent the first two chapters but what I will do here is a review of the entire book, since, well I have to give feedback and I got a library copy.

This is a YA Anatasia retelling about a princess who must clear her name after being accused of killing her father, in her kingdom where being an ‘Affinite’ is hated and feared. To clear her name she needs the help of the corrupt and ruthless Ramson Quicktongue, the only man in the kingdom with enough cunning and resources to find the real killer.

I liked the elements of the themes of human trafficking, revolution, dealing with self-hatred and acceptance, and the corruption of power even in oppressed people’s hands. The story seemed to move right off the bat and did not drag in the beginning like a lot of fantasy books do. Ramson was my favourite character and I thought he was decently written. He reminded me of Jack Sparrow if he wasn’t drunk. I didn’t see that twist coming, omg.

Now to the things I didn’t like. It might have had a great start but there were so many lulls I’m pretty sure I need to shake off a book slump. The book never seemed to end and there were scenes I found unnecessary to be added here, like the addition of a new character. I didn’t care and I was ready for the story to end at that point, a 100 pages could have been shaved off this book. The story was also circular and I wondered what was the point? The heroes didn’t need to win but in that case I needed to know more than a shadow of the antagonists’ characters. I was also being told (not shown!) how Ramson could think 5, 7, 10, no 20 steps ahead of his enemies but was always getting caught or tortured. What were the steps Ms Zhao? I didn’t believe he was as ruthless as characters portrayed him out to be either. He didn’t do one ruthless thing. Just scumbaggery things that would downgrade him from a crimelord to con man, an apt nickname that Ana bestows on him. Also, I read the word ‘flung’ too many times and by the tenth time my eye was twitching.

In conclusion, I’m not interested in the rest of this series because I was bored and was put in a slump, no thank you. I’m glad the author went ahead and published, but not even Ramson Quicktongue’s cunning ways can make me read the next one.

SPOILERS AHEAD!!

Once I saw the child character, I knew there was gon’ be some bullshit. I hate this trope. In fact, kill all tropes where main characters are soooo affected by their best friends’ (whether child, old person or veiled love interest whom we know nothing about) death so that they can remember to be good. Find another way to make them decent people. Was Ana’s brother not enough? And on Ramson side it didn’t quite justify why he became a crimelord, he barely went near his father for revenge. On this note of deaths of formless manic-pixie-dream-boy/girl characters, I think Ramson and Jonah were in love and they’re bi and gay in my headcannon. I should add though that in my head I thought May was South-Asian brown, I don’t know where people got Carribbean from, nor did I read the book the same as black-American slavery, that was a reach people, get a grip.

5 Words: Power, survival, secrets, family, corruption.

Blood Heir starts with fast paced action and does not let up. It's a definite page turner, filled with thrilling action and edge of your seat moments. It's pretty dark at times, and I had to put it down about three times and take a break as I wasn't in the right place.

After that ending, I definitely need more!

I got this book in an Illumicrate box and the sprayed edges were stunning.

Read the chapters available on NetGalley and really enjoyed it. I've added this book to my TBR for purchase; I'm interested in how this story plays out. It moves at a good pace in the early scenes and I've enjoyed the character development thus far.(Ranson and Ana). Worldbuilding is good and a vivid picture is painted without unnecessary info-dumping and the magic system has shaped up to be fun. It's obliviously impossible to give the book an overall rating on a small sample, but my guess would be this is a solid 3.5-4*, but has the potential for 4.5*.

The first two chapters are captivating and jam-packed of action. The story seems to build up at a good pace and I'm left hungry for more. This is a page turner, and I cannot wait to read the rest. 5⭐ so far.

Even though I've only read the opening of this book, it has hooked me and I want to read more! I'm definitely going to grab myself a copy to continue the story.
Opening in a prison, we find out about Ana's blood magic and meet the loveable? (I'm not sure yet) con-man Ransom.
The writing and description was so beautiful and vivd that I was running alongside them as they fought to escape the prison.
Already there is an intriguing backstory to Ana, and I'm intrigued to find out if and how she clears her name.

5 Words: Power, survival, secrets, family, corruption.

Blood Heir starts with fast paced action and does not let up. It's a definite page turner, filled with thrilling action and edge of your seat moments. It's pretty dark at times, and I had to put it down about three times and take a break as I wasn't in the right place.

After that ending, I definitely need more!

I got this book in an Illumicrate box and the sprayed edges were stunning.

These 2 chapters were fun! They were really fast-paced and action-oriented. I liked the magic system, and I'd love to keep reading.
Thanks, NG and the publisher for this preview.

I have been interested in Blood Heir for a while now, especially considering the strange backlash it received before it was even published. I'm glad it was pushed through despite all of the noise.

Blood Heir seems to have a lot of elements that I love even in the first few pages; murder mystery, interesting (if slightly disturbing) magic, and a daring jump over a waterfall. So, I'm intrigued to see how all of this plays out in the rest of the book. The ties with real-world history, Anastasia etc., are also something I want to read more of in general. So much of fantasy is tied up in Western analogues, it's nice to have the focus shift further east for a change.

I really enjoyed these sample chapters and I will definitely be picking up and reviewing the full book soon!

First of all at first I was tired and I struggled to read this on the plane.

But then I re-read Blood Heir and I really enjoyed it. It would be interesting to see what happens after the second chapter. I am definitely intrigued what will happens next!!!

Absolutely loved the first two chapters of Blood Heir. I received the first few chapters from NetGalley in return for an honest review and the rating is based purely on what I've seen so far. I was hooked straight away. The reader is thrown straight into the action and the story kicks off right from the first page.

This is a Young Adult Fantasy novel about a Princess called Ana who has been framed for the murder of her father which has sent her on a quest to clear her name. She seeks help from a conman and prisoner called Quicktongue. There is magic, intrigue, and a dark quality to the story that makes you keep turning the pages.

So far I have loved the descriptive writing. Amélie Wen Zhao really transports you to another world in which you can visualise everything around you. The characters are rich in personality and captivating, making you want to find out what happens to them next.

This is quite potentially the best start to a YA novel I've read. The first two chapters left off on a cliffhanger and now I am desperate to continue reading. I want to see what happens to Ana and Quicktongue next.