Book Review: BLOOD HEIR by Amélie Wen Zhao
Happy release day to Amélie Wen Zhao! BLOOD HEIR was one of my top reads of 2019. YA Fantasy fans, get ready. This was a gripping debut novel and fantastic start to a new series. You can read more on my thoughts below.
This hot debut is the first book in an epic new series about a princess hiding a dark secret and the con man she must trust to clear her name for her father's murder.
In the Cyrilian Empire, Affinites are reviled. Their varied gifts to control the world around them are unnatural—dangerous. And Anastacya 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.
In the Cyrilian Empire, Affinites are reviled. Their varied gifts to control the world around them are unnatural—dangerous. And Anastacya 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.
Add Blood Heir to you Goodreads TBR
I picked this book up at the very end of August on camping trip and read almost a quarter of it in one night. Despite being immediately sucked in to the story, I set it aside for books with publication dates before November. Two months later I really started reading BLOOD HEIR and I couldn't get enough. Normally when I read a book broken up in this manner it makes me not enjoy the story, but thankfully that was not the case this time!
I loved the world building, the character development, the dialogue,.... okay I LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS BOOK !!! There were parts of the book that thoroughly broke my heart and others that had me laughing out loud. I may not be the best judge but I didn't find anything in the plot problematic like the early reviews were indicating.
If you love an epic fantasy with magic, court intrigue, betrayal and loyalty, I can't recommend this one enough. The wait for the sequel, Red Tigress, is going to be killer! I'm tempted to preorder the audiobook of BLOOD HEIR so that I can relive the story again right away!
**Huge thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for providing an advanced copy for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Amélie (yes, like the movie!) has adored putting pen to paper since she was in kindergarten. Born in Paris and raised in a multicultural community in Beijing, Amélie has a bone-deep love for traveling and immersing herself in new worlds and cultures. She lives in New York City, working as a full-time financial professional by day, and writer at night.
She hopes to empower young readers with messages of acceptance, strength, and courage through her works, and to continue to push the boundaries of young adult literature by exploring new, cross-cultural themes.
Amélie is represented by Peter Knapp of Park Literary & Media.
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