Book Review: Bloody Spade

I loved this book.

The immense worldbuilding flows naturally and freely as the reader goes with the main characters, 4 different POVs, throughout this phenomenal fantasy. It’s captivating, intriguing, and a wild ride that leaves you wanting more.

In a world where magic was once a myth, an event called the Reemergence causes magical abilities to awake in a small amount of the population. Along with these new Empowered, inkblots and blights overtake the city. Cardplay, an organization filled with magic users, fight to keep balance in the city while also feuding with Blackjack, who are filled with magical users that were shunned for the powers.

The worldbuilding is organic and is told in the perfect amount of information throughout the novel. It feels like exploring the setting in a video game where certain lines, or notions can explain a lot about why the world is and how it came to. The naming conventions from the countries to the types of magic, to the organizations is incredible and works well. The Suits (no spoilers) is amazing and works so well and I love how everything is interconnected.

Then there’s the characters. Everyone, even those who are only on the page for a few paragraphs, are fleshed out and feel like real people. No one seems defined by a single character trait, being authentic, complex beings that feed off each other and have flaws that influence how they act naturally. I love two of the MCs immensely, enjoying Iori and Ellen’s chapters the most. Kyani is a fantastic character that broke my heart and even though I disliked Alexander in the beginning, I ended up rooting for him as well.

The love and care Brittany has put into this book is evident and I absolutely can’t wait for the sequel Bleeding Heart.

5/5 gemstones

Get the book here.