Blood Heir

Firstly, let me just say YES! I loved this book!!

This story is a modern sort of retelling of Anastasia but with some magic thrown in.

Princess Anastacya Mikhailov of Cyrilia has lived a blessed life being royalty. Until she is framed for her father's death and must flee her home. Ana has an affinity. There are people within the kingdom who are gifted or cursed with powers over elements/things. There are affinites from flesh, fire, earth, fear, marble etc and dear Ana has an affinity for blood. This means she can literally control the blood in anyone’s body.

She is seen as a danger and named a blood witch. Hiding her affinity which shows through dark, engorged veins and red eyes, all she seeks is revenge for her father's death and to clear her name.

She teams up with a crook called Ramson to find the alchemist who killed her father. Ramson has his own agenda and wants vengeance for his loss of position within an underground crime regime selling indentured affinities. They team up and offer a trade for each other’s services.

—

I really enjoyed this book. The world-building was magnificent and so rich it felt like you were right there in Cyrilia. The characterisation is brilliant, they have such depth and it’s refreshing to not have flat one-dimensional villains. They are cunning and constantly surprise you. The magic ‘affinity’ side of the story is so interesting, it’s nice to have such a variety of gifts that the characters have and how they are described, especially Lin. I’d love to see more of her.

It feels like Ana grows up throughout the book, she has a huge responsibility on her shoulders and the ending of the book left me feeling both proud of her and wanting more. Not only Ana though, I feel like Ramson had a beautiful arc and is on the right road to redemption. Also, I love the little hints to their romance!

I love that this wasn’t a story that was clean-cut with the good guys winning and I couldn’t put it better than Ramson himself “This isn’t one of the fairy-tale stories you read in your childhood, where the hero always wins in the end. You’ll have many battles to fight, and you won’t win them all. And at the end of every single day, you’ll always face the same choice: keep fighting, or give up.”

Overall it’s an epic fantasy that will stay with you for a long time. I can’t wait for the next instalment.

I had high expectations from Blood Heir. It's been much hyped and long-awaited in YA circles, so I went into it feeling a little skeptical. Let's been honest: the concept is nothing new - it's Young Elites meets Six of Crows. But if you enjoy this genre, you'll love Blood Heir - it is, essentially, a classic YA fantasy.

It's got all the much-loved tropes: a fiesty princess, a loveable rogue and a thrilling plot set against some gorgeously elaborate world building. The characterisation is particularly strong: I often find fantasy YA heroines a bit 'strong and soulless', but Ana is more nuanced than that. Torn between the good and evil within her, she's wonderfully complex and engaging. Similarly, Ramson is more than he first appears, I loved how his backstory was cleverly woven into the action.

Blood Heir is one of those books that does exactly what it says on the tin, but does it in style - a welcome addition to the YA fantasy hall of fame.

WOW THIS BOOK. I really wasn’t sure when I requested it, I am not a fan of if you like this then you’ll love this... as half the time it sets me up for disappointment.
Well this did not disappoint me at all.
I DEVOURED THIS BOOK
It had me hooked on page one like someone was tugging at my blood pulling me to read it until there were no pages left.
Such a compelling storyline, a little anatastia mixed with Red Queen and Throne of Glass. The characters were so well written and what I look for. Morally grey and badass. They are afraid, they make mistakes but damn can they pack a punch.
Seriously this emotional roller coaster is where it’s at people. Go read this book. It’s easily one of the best I have read in 2019. So glad it’s getting published now!

4.75 Stars -- review also available on my blog/goodreads (linked) + twitter

Disclaimer: So, I avoid twitter disputes and arguments that may occur but it appears that Blood Heir was involved in some controversy, which I was unaware of when I requested and read this book. As an overview, this book deals with some hard-hitting themes, particularly slavery, and the author was called out for this as people claimed it was racist/anti-black, or her portrayal/use of some characters where racist. However, looking into the inspiration and research Amelie Wen Zhao conducted/used for this, it seems this is based off of her own experiences of being demonised and research she conducted into slavery, particularly in Asia. As a white reader I accept my view is limited to the narrow scope of the box in which I exist, but I believe her book is positive and has a vast range of representation for POC, almost all of the characters are described as being POC’s with skin ranging from tawny to olive etc.. with only a few being described as ‘pale’, and the themes are dealt with very well. As for the anti-black claims, which arose due to the death of a character people considered to be black, the character is not actually described as such specifically and their death was crucial to the plot, this book has a lot of death and many different people die in the story so again I fail to see this as being problematic – please remember that this is my personal opinion on the book but I simply adored the diverse cast of characters and felt that Amelie Wen Zhao did a wonderful job with diversity, representation and dealing with the themes she explored – I do not wish to partake in arguments surrounding this, my stance is that of support for the book and that is all I will say on the matter. Now let’s dive into the actual review because let me tell you this book is AMAZING.

Synopsis: Anastacya (Ana) Mikhailov, the princess of Cyrilia was born with an Affinity, magic, and that is bad enough – but to make matters worse her one is the Blood Affinity, the power to utilise a persons blood. After her Affinity spirals out of control, her father organises for her to be ‘cured’, with no luck Anastacya finds herself confined to the palace. That is until her father dies. Murdered by a trusted member of the palace, Anastacya tries to save him, only to find herself accused and her Affinity blamed.

Escaping the castle, she vows to find the true killer and prove her innocence. However, this proves more difficult than she originally believed, as a result she attempts to find and use the con man Ramson Quicktongue’s skills to find the killer.

With an untrustworthy partner, a power she despises and a label of monster attacking her mind, Ana is determined to gain justice for her father and prove her Affinity, her difference, does not make her a monster.

Blood Heir, by Amelie Wen Zhao is a dark Young Adult Fantasy that seems loosely based off of Anastasia but is wholly unique, gorgeous and gritty. It uses popular tropes but infuses them with originality and is a dark, violent but glorious story of self acceptance.

First, the covers are gorgeous, beautiful and magnificent- It caught my attention and the synopsis secured it. Secondly, the title. This is one clever title that, to me, works on a few layers. Firstly, in the defined way, Ana is the Blood Heir to the throne, she is the Princess, she was born to rule. But, secondly, she is a Blood Affinite, she can control it, and she seems to be the only one, or at least one of very few, she is the heir to that line of power too. So, that was a great start!

— Immersive And Beautiful —
The Writing Style And Narrative. Amelie Wen Zhao’s writing style is immersive and beautiful and it had me hooked from the start. I read this in two sittings, because regretfully sleep is a necessity, and I couldn’t put it down. From the first line you are immersed in the story, and the first chapter is so dynamic and interesting that there was no doubt in my mind that the rest of the story would be equally as amazing. There is a map at the start too, so you know you are in for a great read. Not only is the writing immersive, but they style is beautiful and easy to read. Amelie Wen Zhao is incredibly descriptive, and the beauty of the world and the people is evident, it makes you want to experienced it yourself. But, she also uses direct, harsh and pointed language to show the horror and dangers of the world Ana is a part of. The beauty of the people, and a lot of their Affinities, is a sharp contrast to the ugly and evil underbelly of the Cyrilian Empire where these beautiful attributes are seen as monstrous and are exploited. The balance created of the light and the dark adds a great deal of depth to the story and illustrates the horrors suffered but also the beauty of individuality. I loved the writing style and found myself completely absorbed by the story.

The narrative was equally as efficient. The main crux of the story is from the perspective of Ana which allows us insight into her thoughts, feelings, plans and emotions. However, it also maintains a sense of mystery and suspense. We only see what Ana sees so we know little about Ramson, his past a mystery, and we also learn a lot about the kingdom through her eyes so there is a sense of mystery about the other parts of the world we don’t see, but also the truth of the kingdom we are in which we learn of little by little. However, we also get some chapters from the perspective of Ramson, and they are equally as amazing. We learn about his past in snippets, while also learning his plans while he is helping Ana – it makes us dislike and love him at the same time and it added a unique dynamic to the story as we also get to see how he views Ana and the kingdom.

— Dark And Interesting —
The Plot. Blood Heir’s plot is dark and interesting. It is well paced, unique and the tropes it does use, it does very well. Moreover, the story is well paced, action packed, witty and complex. While it may be loosely based on Anastasia, this story is wholly its own and has a great balance throughout. The idea of Affinities is incredibly unique and interesting, and the story of redemption is amazing. I love how it is, at its core, a story about self-acceptance and belonging, but also a story of justice, freedom and difference. People with Affinities are exploited, sold and used as slaves simply because they were born wit an Affinity, and the plot deals with this, the horror of the exploitation, and the idea that the Affinites are just another attribute that should not be all you see about the person.

Moreover, the story also deals with justice and morality- Ramson is morally grey right off the bat but so are most of the characters. Ana, at heart, is good and kind, but can be brutal if it is the only way and often lets her emotions best her. the story looks at right and wrong and how blurred the boundaries are in terms of fighting for what you believe in. But, of curse the characters are largely good at heart and their aim is to help, to create unity, to prevent exploitation.

Furthermore, the royal plot-line is a great one. Ana doesn’t want the throne, it is her brothers, but she does want justice for her father and to have her family around her again. My favourite part was the ending because it is unexpected, but it is incredibly clever and creates a cyclical structure which I adored. But, I also loved that the story had people die-it is a story of war, revolution, justice and power, and death is usually avoided by authors but Blood Heir has consequences and you are never certain who will die and who will live making the dangerous situation have more impact and suspense. The deaths are actually heart-breaking, just as a warning, and I felt the impact of them and appreciated the consequences and effects they created.

— Rich And Complex–
The Magic And World Building. The Magic is amazing and unique in this story and both the world and the magic systems are rich and complex. The Affinities in the story can range from elemental control to emotional they are diverse and differ in power, some are weaker than others or more specific. However, each Affinity we are introduced to is well crafted and portrayed magnificently. The root of the magic is unknown, some believe it is a curse, it means you are a demon, while others believe it is the result of the Deities blessing the people – but each power is unique and has its limitations. Moreover, the power can be subdued and weakened by a potion and Blackstone is resilient to it. The limitations, weaknesses, or counteractive measures are useful, it adds a sense of realism while also maintaining a decent story as magic cannot always be the answer. Not only is the magic individual but it also has physical traits when used! Ana’s eyes turn crimson and her veins grow prominent and engorged, the physical manifestations of the magic add a depth to the element, a sense of realism for this attribute.

The world building is also a masterpiece, there are different empires, towns, cities and beliefs, the people look different depending on where they are from, they have specific accents pertaining to their homeland, their names are reflective of their heritage, and their religious and mythical beliefs also differ. This world is multi-cultural, much like our own, and it is well developed. I loved the look we got at the places Ana went to, the descriptions, the seasons/weather, and the beliefs added realism and interest to the story and I cannot wait to see more.

— Well Crafted And Multi-Dimensional —
The Characters. Each of the characters we meet are Well-Crafted and Multi-dimensional, but I will only go into depth about Ana and Ramson as I fear it will be too spoilery otherwise! However, Linn, May, Sadov, Yuri, Kerlan and Tetsyev are all great characters that were well developed, very original and excelled at their roles making us love them and hate them respectively. I loved May in particular – fiesty and loyal and adorable! Kerlan and Sadov did well in their villanous roles too, they made for great opposition and I hated them – it was glorious.

Anastacya. She is a wonderful main character described as dark haired and olive or tawny skinned. She is headstrong, witty, kind, loyal, determined and an all round wonderful character. She is naive at times, which is understandable, and always seems to find herself in danger, but she is smart too and will risk her life for those she loves. Ana believes she is a monster, and the story follows her trying to come to terms with her Affinity and accept herself for who she is. Her emotions often get the better of her causing devastation, but she will try to right her wrongs. Having been the princess she had little knowledge of the horrors that occur in her kingdom, but once she has seen it she is determined to fix it, to try and help. Her Affinity is insanely strong but casing physical damage is she overuses it, she has little control over it but tries to subdue it and refrain from using it. I loved her character and her development was great to watch as she begins to accept herself- I cannot wait to see her become more confident, more controlled and self accepting.

Ana’s relationship with Ramson is amazing. I wont spoil it but the wit, the sarcasm and the general snide and snarky dialogue between the two at the start is so entertaining as they have such an incredible dynamic. The development of their relationship, the (MINOR SPOILER FOR THEIR DYNAMIC) way they become more loyal and trusting of one and other is wonderful. I am a sucker for enemies to lovers tropes, and while they are never actually romantic, there are enough scenes to suggest it is a possibility and I adored it the two have a great chemistry – but I like how the war, the fight, the story comes first and is not impeded by any potential romance. I cannot wait to see how this plays out.

Ramson. Despite being an untrustworthy criminal, I ended up loving this character. Initially he is cruel and manipulative,as you would expect, and I disliked him but there was something about the character that intrigued me regardless. As the story goes on and this silver tongued, quick thinking, skill full and loyal conman became one of my favourite characters- I love him he is funny, witty and kinder than he makes out, even if he can be cruel and calculating. He is a wonderful morally-grey character and I want to see so much more of him.

— Dark And Action Packed —
Overall. This is a dark and action-packed fantasy that has some great diversity, important and well explored themes, wonderful characters and an amazing set of magic and world-building. This story was gorgeously written, well-paced and an exciting read.

I would recommend this to anyone who loves fantasy, magic, diversity and morally grey characters with a penchant for getting into dangerous situations. There is so much more I could say about this novel, but I wouldn’t want to spoil it as it is such a wonderful read!

Content warnings: Blood, violence, slavery, abuse, death, drowning, torture, abandonment – I am sorry if I have missed any!

*I received an eARC of #BloodHeir by Amelie Wen Zhao @ameliewenzhao from #netgalley @harpercollins @harpervoyageruk @harpercollinsuk #harperfiction in exchange for an honest review*

I really, really enjoyed this. I have to admit after the first few chapters I thought, "oh I know EXACTLY where this is going" but I was so wrong! Amelie fills the plot with action, twists, turns and tragedies. It is simply un-put-downable!
The settings are beautifully described, I found myself shivering with the cold alongside Ana at times. I love the subtle POV shifts in each chapter allowing us to get a clearer image of our protagonists without losing the third person narration. I also love how neither main character is fully formed, what teenager is! Both discover/ rediscover themselves as the story goes on. Learning the importance of choice and personal responsibility. Which I think is a valuable message for a YA novel.
All in all it was beautifully written, cleverly plotted and carefully structured. A wonderful read, I can't wait for the next one!!!

A phenomenal YA fantasy, an epic page turner, Pulling you in from the first page and not letting go until the end. It's a must read.

A really exciting retelling of the Anastasia story set in a magical alternative world. It had me gripped from the beginning and I can't wait for the next one in the series. Like Romanov by Nadine Brandes this takes the Anastasia myth and turns it into something new and interesting and spellbinding.

Blood Heir is an outstanding fantasy with phenomenal world-building. It's a modern Anastasia retelling with the added twist of magic. There is a nice amount of diversity throughout. This is a young adult story, but it could easily crossover into adult fantasy territory. The plot and characters are much more complex. Highly recommended to readers looking for a fresh fantasy story or those who enjoy the Anastasia legend.

I don't know if it was just me but I found it a little difficult to get into but I'm very glad I stuck with it. Set in a fantastic fantasy world, I loved exploring it with the characters.

I admit, I’m a sucker for a slightly morally dubious love interest that’s redeemed by the goodness of the main female character (Flyn Rider is best Disney Prince, fight me) so this was allll my catnip going in. Powerful, dangerous magic, con artist love interest, royalty and betrayal. It’s like someone took my favourite things, shook them up in a bucket, and this book came out.

So, bias definitely at play here, but I also thought this was a cleverly constructed story, with lots of twists and turns. It also manages to keep the extremely powerful Ana constantly on the back foot and vulnerable, despite her abilities being totally badass, which is quite a feat.

It was a nail biting read - there were a few moments where I honestly thought things were going to end badly for certain characters. None of the characters feel safe, and because of the nature of the bad guy, you really feel that anything could happen.

Between all the fighting and surviving, there manages to be time for just enough romance to give the story a softer side. It’s not out and out a romance story, but it promises to be a satisfying slow burn over the trilogy - another thing I really love.

So, if you have similar tastes to me, definitely pick this one up! It’s a brilliantly dark fantasy adventure, with engaging characters and a rollercoaster of a plot. I will definitely be getting book 2.

Thanks to Netgalley for a free copy of this book!

WOW okay this book was amazing. I whizzed through it. The characters were three dimensional and well thought out. ADORED the Russian influence. The world building was exquisite, the perfect balance of being explained so we understand it, yet held back enough so that it didn't interrupt the story. The story itself was *chef's kiss*. Honestly, there were unexpected turns everywhere, and I almost cried on the tube at a certain moment!!! I need the next book immediately even though this one has only just come out!!! How do I even gush about this story without spoiling anything?

This is a rare 5 stars.

What an absolutely phenomenal start to a series! I, for one, am so glad that Blood Heir is finally published. For good reason! Reading this, aware of the controversy surrounding it, hasnt deterred me in the slightest. It was gripping, captivating, exciting and every bit adventurous. A Delishously catchy, plot twisting story. It really had me going after just a few chapters in. The characters are interesting to read as they battle their inner demons and that grey area of good/evil Amèlie has stitched into her writing. I really cant wait to read the next installment.

My thanks to HarperCollins/HarperVoyager for an eARC via NetGalley of Amélie Wen Zhao’s ‘Blood Heir’ in exchange for an honest review.

I loved it and subsequently have purchased a copy of its hardback edition.

This Russian inspired YA epic fantasy has an action filled opening as a young woman named Ana enters a prison with the intention of visiting Ramson Quicktongue, a cunning criminal within the Cyrilian underworld.

Ana is actually Princess Anastacya Mikhailov of Cyrilia, who was raised in luxury and privilege. However, a year ago she was framed for her father’s brutal murder and was forced to go into hiding. Now she hopes to prove her innocence and reclaim her birthright by hiring Ramson to assist her in finding the alchemist, who was her father’s actual murderer. Of course, from the first chapter the situation becomes complicated.

After reading the preview I was very excited to read the entire book and it continued to impress me throughout. Underlying the fantasy setting Amélie Wen Zhao makes a powerful connection to the real world social issue of human trafficking. In the novel this not only involves vulnerable people but gifted individuals, known as Affinites, who are lured into indentured servitude. Ana herself is an Affinite with a deadly gift linked to blood, hence the title of the novel.

Amélie Wen Zhao impressed me with her world building, as well as setting up her characters, and a fascinating plot with plenty of twists and political intrigues. Although marketed as YA, it’s a novel I would expect to have a wide appeal for lovers of fantasy. It is quite a dark story with some fairly strong scenes of violence.

Her rich descriptions quickly captured my imagination and this sense of immersion increased throughout the novel. Ramson Quicktongue’s backstory was also established and he emerged as a roguish, yet attractive, character. His motivations kept me guessing and I loved the love-hate relationship between he and Ana and the sharp banter between them.

Overall, I feel that all this bodes well for the trilogy and I am looking forward to reading the next in the series to see where Ana and Ramson are taken in the next stages of their journey.

An impressive debut that I am pleased finally has been published.

I absolutely adore this, it’s a book a was highly anticipating and I was not disappointed at all, not one bit ! The characters are so well developed, so relatable and three dimensional, no perfect heroes here just real and moral multicoloured characters. The world building is so good you could step into Cyrilia through the pages of the story. The writing itself is beautiful, well constructed, from the first page you fall into the words and don’t want to leave. One of my favourite books of 2019 and sure to be a YA fantasy classic.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Blood Heir by Amelie Wen Zhao is an epic YA fantasy which had me gripped from beginning to end. I was initially drawn to the book's gorgeous cover, the almost stark simplicity belies the rich world building and dramatic story telling contained within and the genius of the title becomes apparent as the tale unfolds. The book has a loose basis in the story of Anastasia Romanov, but this story has been liberally sprinkled with magic and deftly handled with great skill by the author. We follow the adventures of Anastacya Mikhailov , daughter of the Emperor of Cyrilia who has been framed for the murder of her father, and is on the run while hiding a deadly secret. As a blood afinite she has the magical ability to manipulate and control blood, a talent that is more likely to be seen as a curse. While attempting to find the man responsible for her father's murder she runs into an upcoming member of the criminal underworld who may have the skill to track down her quarry, but who is hiding a couple of secrets of his own, Ramson Quicktongue. While their missions align they agree to help one another, but can either of them really be trusted?
I cannot think of a single thing that I disliked about this book. The characters were both interesting and complex and showed development over the course of the book. Their complexity meant that at times their actions were unpredictable , which added to the suspense of the book. The pacing was excellent, it never dragged and never felt rushed, instead the reader is treated to a roller coaster ride with a suitably thrilling conclusion. The world building was wonderful, I felt like I had a clear understanding of the magic system and societal organisation which showed echoes of Imperial Russia. I can only admire the author's skill with words, her ability to evoke the icy cold settings had me shivering as I read, and feeling for her characters as they faced momentous decisions. I found the ending incredibly satisfying, while it tied up the story well, it left me eager for more , and I thought it was brave of the author to go for a less than happy ending which felt true to the arc the characters had been on.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.