I thought this would be solely African/Nigerian-influenced, but it was more multicultural than I expected. Not a bad/good thing just an observation. Personally, I had a little trouble differentiating the different racial groups: there were non-magical white ppl, Asian people(?), and the black/Nigerian people. Most importantly the Oluso was the only magical people, but it seemed like any race could be Oluso though it seemed to be predominantly black characters.

Anyway, the love triangle was so very unserious. Not for ONE MINUTE did I think the other dude had a chance. Like, if y’all don’t stop playing. I generally love enemies to lovers or in this case misunderstood lovers, but I didn’t feel anything at all for Demi and Jonas. Or, any of the characters really. I had no strong feelings either way. Demi just needed comfort in the form of kisses and Jonas just had too much guilt in him; not enough to make a relationship. Colin was just there to make it a trio.

Demi as a character was okay. She had a need to overextend herself and prove her worthiness. She had no regard for her own safety because she was always trying so hard to save someone else.

There are a lot of action-packed, reverse uno moments, but it couldn’t keep my interest. Like, at one point, someone literally explodes. I was very tempted to dnf this around the 200-mark, but I kept reading because I was so close to the end.

Also, the ending... Oluso has been demoralized and disenfranchised their entire lives. Oluso are never supposed to kill others or their magic will turn on them. Ewenski apparently fines a loophole. He's one of those the odds justify the means type of people.

Demi however is immediately souled out to the thinking that the oppressed will become the oppressor. I don't know about that. Protecting and defending yourself are two different things. Who said they were going to put the ajes in enslavement? I don't doubt Ewenski's going to go too far, but it's unrealistic that Demi's going to change Oluso's mind without any internal conflict.

As a positive, the cover is so GORGEOUS. Looking at it hung stars in my eyes. The story is easy to read, but I won’t finish this duology. It lost my interest and left me with pure indifference. ( )

Forged by Blood by Ehigbor Okosun is unlike anything I have read before. Ms. Okosun creates a refreshing and entertaining story through her use of Nigerian mythology, stories that I guarantee most readers are unfamiliar with. These myths are entrancing in their unfamiliarity, and I want to learn more about them.

This vibrant Nigerian mythology sets the stage for a more familiar plot about magic, power, race, and class. While the story elements are recognizable, Forged by Blood retains its air of unfamiliarity because of a few key points. First, the forbidden magic Dèmi and her people must hide is unusual, as no two people have the same powers. They fit into generic categories regarding the origins of their magic. However, each user has a different power among people in their category.

The second aspect that keeps Forged by Blood from feeling familiar is Ms. Okosun's use of Nigeria to create her fictional world. Ms. Okosun uses real-life Nigerian city and town names for all the places Dèmi, Colin, and Jonas visit. I can only assume that she also uses their topography as well. Still, there is no doubt that the kingdom Dèmi is trying to save is fictional. The result is an unsettling, otherworldly feeling which throws the story off-kilter, making the familiar unfamiliar and bringing to mind the idea of multiverse possibilities.

I finished Forged by Blood and immediately wanted more of the story. Dèmi is so sweet and naive but also very angry and determined. I love characters with fiery tempers, and Dèmi fits that bill to a tee. Plus, her relationship with Colin is bittersweet but still fun to see. As for Jonas, I need answers there. Ms. Okosun threw a bomb during the last chapter that had me scrambling for as much information as I could glean from the pages.

Forged by Blood is an epic fantasy with everything you love about the genre plus the bonus of being told by a BIPOC author. Ms. Okosun's use of Nigerian names, places, and mythology is a refreshing change from the Greek/Irish/Viking mythology that tends to dominate the genre. Plus, her use of race and class as part of the overarching conflict creates great discussion topics. Fantasy fans would be remiss to ignore Forged by Blood by Ehigbor Okosun. I have a feeling hers is a name you will see often in the future! ( )

I received this book for free, this does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review

Èrù jé ògá àjèji. Ó si leso aláimòkan èdá di ehànà.
Fear is a strange master. It makes monsters from the simplest of men.

The first in a duology, Forged by Blood is the first person pov story told by Dèmi, a girl living in Ifè (a fictional Nigeria created from a blend of fantasy, magic, and realism). The story starts off with an eight year old Dèmi helping her mother try and save a boy who has been poisoned. Dèmi and her mother are from the western land of Oyo and are considered Oluso, they have magical abilities. Currently, Oluso are hunted and enslaved because of a war that happened nine years ago and King Alistair Sorenson, from the northern land of Eingard, took power. The Aje, nonmagical people, fear the Oluso but they also come to them for help. So while it's dangerous for Dèmi's mother to help the poisoned boy, she does so but sets off a destiny changing chain reaction.

The magic that sings through our veins and weaves its strings tightly around our hearts is the very reason violence seems to find us. My mother thought she could escape it if she put me in a cocoon, raising me with only little bits of knowledge about what I am.
But I know better now.

After a beginning that brought danger and emotion, the story then jumps ahead to Dèmi at age seventeen. I would consider this young/new adult as this felt more like that, Dèmi figuring out herself, a love triangle, and just overall fitting in that genre's general tone. Dèmi now lives with friends and family that have helped nurture her magical abilities and told her a little bit about her father but she still lives with wanting vengeance for what happened to her mother. When a Lord Ekwensi comes to her with a plan and blackmail, claiming that if he can be appointed regional lord of Oyo, he'll help the people, but he needs her to kidnap the King's nephew, Dèmi can't help but jump at the chance. Her friend Colin, who definitely has feelings for her, insists on coming with her and when Dèmi realizes who the nephew she is supposed to kidnap is, we have the start to the next step of Dèmi meeting her destiny.

I know then, what Jonas is.

I enjoyed the first half of this, with being brought into a world that weaved in Nigerian mythology and history (tree spirts, imperialism) and a girl with magical abilities and will to fight and change the system but then I thought the second half got a little haphazard with throwing in parentage reveals that I think were supposed to rock the boat but didn't seem to change much. I'm personally not a big fan of love triangles and because it was fairly weak and not too disruptive, it didn't feel needed here. The romance between Dèmi and Jonas (king's nephew) was YA toned, with fated mates and “I'm drawn to you” kisses. The latter half delivers a bit of action when Dèmi has a showdown fight and some magical reveals.

I won't allow my fear to keep me from fighting.

The setting was interesting and especially incorporating some Nigerian mythology but the magic and blood mates can be found all over in YA fantasy. This was also more sedately paced, which was good in some places to sink into some fantasy elements (when Dèmi and her friends stay with the tree spirits) but also muted some emotions of danger of urgency. Some of the reveals ended up feeling jumbled and not quite hitting their importance but there is obviously some magical ones that will probably play a bigger importance in the second book. This had Dèmi dealing with emotional upheavals, romance, learning how to control her magical abilities, and figuring out if and how she's going to fight for the world she wants to see. One enemy gets dealt with here but there's also a creation of another, with others possibly in the wings, as Dèmi and Jonas try to carve out their way. With the world building laid out here and Dèmi learning a possibly big secret about her birth and making a deal with the tree spirits, I expect the second to be full of more emotion and action. ( )