User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
**4.5-stars rounded up**When I read Blood Like Magic in 2021, I was blown away by Sambury's writing. She drew me in from the very start and I was 100% invested in that book.
The perfect blending of SFF elements, along with phenomenal character work, easily made that novel one of my favorites of the year.
To say I have been eagerly awaiting the release of this sequel,
Blood Like Fate, would be putting it extremely mildly.
This is a chunky monkey and it is so full of deep, moving, thought-provoking content, I was left in awe upon completion. Sambury left no stone unturned in the exploration of these characters and their lives.
At the start of this story, Voya's family is still reeling from the choices she made at the end of the first book.
For Voya, those were the toughest decisions she has ever made in her life and now she is suffering the consequences. Her closest relationships have been shattered, but she must continue on.
Voya has been named the Matriarch of her witch family; their highest position. Even at such a young age, she is now the official leader of the Thomas family, but how can she be?
Voya doesn't feel capable, she questions herself and feels like all the adults in her life are questioning her as well. Voya feels they aren't taking her seriously. Is that true, or are Voya's own insecurities getting the best of her?
It is an extremely uncomfortable and uncertain position for her to be in.
Making matters worse is that fact that Voya's love interest, Luc, has completely cut her out of his life. For Voya, it feels like she is losing on all fronts.
Then she has a horrifying vision, one that if it comes to pass could mean total destruction for the witch community. It could mean the death of her entire family.
Confusing Voya is Luc's presence in the vision. Could he be involved in some way? Is he out to get her revenge on her by punishing her family?
Calling on the ancestors and the greater witch community, Voya begins to investigate the vision. If there is a way to stop it, she must figure it out. She cannot allow that vision to become reality.
It's my understanding that
Blood Like Magic is a duology. This did end with a satisfying conclusion, but I will admit, I will be sad if this is all I ever get with these characters.
You cannot read these two books and come away feeling like you are not a part of the Thomas family. I was so impressed with how intricate Sambury got with these characters. You come away feeling like you know not only these characters, but through the ancestors, their history as well.
There is a lot of action, a very serious plot involved in both of these books, but for me, the character work definitely stole the show.
Even though this is a futuristic story, I loved how inclusive it was and how many current themes and issues were interwoven into it. It touches upon things such as gender identity, mental health, generational trauma and a whole host of familial issues.
I thought that every topic Sambury tackled, she handled with grace and skill. Nothing overshadows the overall plot of the story, but enhances it in a truly lovely way.
If I were to offer forth any critiques on this novel, I would say that for me, this one felt a little long. Not in the fact that I felt there was extra content included that could have been cut, I wouldn't have cut anything. I just felt like it dragged on a bit too long.
I almost feel like this story could have been better served if it had been made a trilogy versus a duology. Of course, this is completely personal opinion, but I certainly wouldn't have minded a whole other book in this series.
Overall though, I absolutely loved these two books. I cannot even express to you how impressed I am by Liselle Sambury's work.
She blew me away with this duology full of heart, Black girl magic and a level of depth rarely obtained in the genre. I highly recommend these books!
Thank you so much to the publisher, Margaret K. McElderry, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I appreciate the opportunity to provide my thoughts.
Rating: really liked it
I'm so excited to share this sequel with you! I hope that you'll find some of the things you enjoyed in Blood Like Magic, but also discover some of the new things in this novel. And in case you were wondering, this is a duology, so this is the final book in the series.
As I have done before, if you need them, I have the content warnings here. If I end up thinking of any I may have missed later on, I'll update this.
Content Warnings: Gun violence, reference to police violence, discussion of and character with an eating disorder, blood/gore/violence, death, substance abuse/addiction, mentions of child neglect, sickness/infection
Rating: really liked it
This is the only YA book I bought so far. Out of all the new releases and books, which I was completely hooked on, and wanted to splurge, but I had a budget, I went into the bookstore with one goal in mind: get this book, pay for it, and walk out of the bookstore.
I wasn’t disappointed.Samsbury achieves what most writers can’t do in a sequel or duology: have the story feel authentic and fresh, nor changing it to something run down and overused.
The cover wasn’t terrible or cheesy, it complemented the first one, and I liked it for a change. That’s one of the reasons why I was so drawn into getting this book, but that’s a very ridiculous reason.
I liked the tech filled world mixed with magic, and that’s essentially what this book was like.
Magical and enchanting.Yeah, Samsbury makes her world rich with gadgets and gizmos, and blood rituals to magical stakes. Sure, that pulls you in.
But mostly, I was here for Voya.That girl is the main reason I got this book to. I relate to her struggles of wanting to be strong, useful, and capable. But she doesn’t fit in with her family and every choice she makes pulls her further away from them. She isn’t the best and she certainly has a lot to learn. But that’s what a teenager has to go through right?
Ultimately, Liselle pulls no punches as she wraps up Voya’s story, and the stakes are even higher here as Voya has to navigate a torn world where no one believes in her, and she has to fight for herself.
The road isn’t easy, she’s been hurt and she struggles, but she emerges, healing and loved. That’s the best part of this story to me.There doesn’t need to be flashy arcs or a sexy romance.
On all counts, Samsbury wrote an excellent sequel and finale, and for once, it actually felt fresh and well concluded. This is how magic and fantasy works, this is how a story works. And this book nailed it all. In my book, this is a story that will stay on my bookshelves with all the other unique books I have. And it’s one I will be keeping for myself.
Rating: really liked it
4.5* Honestly? This is one of the best YA duologies I've read in a long time.
Liselle Sambury has created a near futuristic world that brilliantly pulls our present day into a future that's incredibly captivating. The historical elements and the way Liselle weaves the history of her characters into their present is equally captivating and adds a wonderful depth and dimension to the world, the characters and the story as a whole, with the focus on family dynamics and generational trauma being, once again, superb and such a highlight of this series.
Blood Like Magic was one of my favourite fantasy reads of 2021 and I'm beyond excited that Blood Like Fate met all my expectations. It was gripping and heartfelt, crammed with unique magic, high stakes, fabulous character development, wonderfully explored relationships, and characters I absolutely adored. I also thought the topic of mental health was dealt with a sensitivity I really enjoyed and appreciated.
Despite this being a hefty book, I couldn't put it down and flew through it with ease and excitement. This is a truly excellently written duology and one I honestly couldn't recommend more highly. I would also happily read book after book set in this world and following these characters. (Yes, this is me saying I'd like two separate spin offs from both Keis and Keisha's POV's please...)
TW: discussions of and character with an eating disorder, addiction, gun violence and reference to police violence
Rating: really liked it
The sound you just heard in the distance was me shrieking with absolutely satisfied delight as I turned the last page.
Thank you so very much to Simon and Schuster Canada for the early copy! Full review and more at A Book Shrew
I'm going to hide the rest of my review in a spoiler tag because it is kind of inevitable that I will bring up details from the first book, but if this is where you do get off the train, please know that this book was incredible and I highly encourage you to read the whole series if it hasn't landed on your radar yet.
(view spoiler)
[Still here? Good, let's go!
Okay, first off, this book picks up about six months after the events of the first book, and things aren't looking all too great for Voya. She is the youngest Matriarch yet, and no one respects her, still seeing her as the teenager she is. Her family's business is failing without her late grandmother's magic trick with the beauty products, her cousin Keis hasn't even come close to forgiving her for what she did to her, Luc refuses to speak to Voya, same with the ancestors, and there is a murderous android in the basement.
What made the first book so impressive was the sheer height of the stakes. I mean, those were some next-level ultimatum "do or don't do" stakes, and I'm glad to say that the sequel has followed in those footsteps well. This time, if Voya doesn't figure out what's going on, her entire family will die. With her two gifts of being able to look into the past and future of an individual she affected, she has a vision that shows the house burning down with all her family inside. Worse, everyone's magic is on the fritz again, this time for being amplified and completely out of control. The entire mystery of it was so well conveyed and I was wholly invested in finding out what was causing it.
Again, Sambury kept me on my toes as we navigated through this story together. So many excellent twists and misdirects that had me so unsure of how the book would end. I even had some doubt that it would be an unhappy ending (it wasn't, just, in case you wanted to know). The plot is drawn into so many different angles, bringing new characters into the play and casting old characters in entirely altered lights. I also thought this was much better paced because the indecision that plagued Voya in the first book is gone! And I gotta say, I liked this more confident Voya way better, even if she was still struggling under the weight of all the responsibility.
This futuristic version of Toronto remains an incredible mix of fantasy and sci-fi. We get much more in-depth with tech talk this time. In the first book, it was mostly just about the relationship matching, but here we get into gene hacking and how to manipulate a person's genes to be something else. I have no idea if it could actually work in the real world, but within the context of the story it was super clever and made things so interesting!
I am absolutely a Liselle Sambury fan now and I cannot wait to read her next book!
(hide spoiler)]
Rating: really liked it
4.5*
Blood Like Fate is a wonderful sequel that I was really excited for! I adored
Blood Like Magic , and was very eager to jump back into this world. It did not disappoint! As with its predecessor, the story did start out a little slow, but once it got going, I was yet again hooked by Voya and her family. I feel like I gave a lot of the reasons for loving this series in my review of the first book, and I hate to just repeat myself, so. We'll keep this one short and sweet.
The thing I loved the most about this sequel is Voya's growth. She grew a lot during the first book too, but this one took it to the next level. Voya had to find her strength time and time again to save both herself and her family. She had doubts along the way, so many self doubts. But her learning to overcome them was such a joy to read!
As with the first book, family is by far the biggest focus in this one. Obviously there are other relationships that are tested and cultivated, but the familial one takes center stage. I thought it was so great that we not only got to see Voya's character growth, but that of her family as well. They all felt very well developed, and I loved that each member had their own story and personality.
The events in this sequel are
very high stakes, even more than the first book. Without giving away too much, Voya must quite literally save her family and herself from death. And it isn't simple, or cut-and-dry. First she needs to figure out what is happening within the witch community, then how to stop it. Makes for a very exciting reading experience!
Bottom Line: A wonderful follow up to the first book, I was wholly satisfied with this excellent conclusion!
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
Rating: really liked it
Another absolute gem of a book from Liselle Sambury. It’s rare that a sequel will live up to its predecessor, but Blood Like Fate certainly did. I loved seeing different sides of the characters and the big focus around mental health was also well developed. I’m sad though that this is the final book in the series because this series was unlike any other.
Rating: really liked it
Overall, a fantastic YA duology. I did feel like the plot of the second book wasn't quite as compelling as book 1, and the pacing of the final act was a bit off (it felt like it was dragging at times but also certain big moments ended so abruptly). I also do think that in general, this duology could've been tighter - there's a lot of filler moments that I wasn't sure we needed, but I liked these characters enough that I didn't mind them. Liselle Sambury has officially made it onto my list of authors that I will most definitely be checking out in the future, and I am excited to see what her next few projects brings!
Rating: really liked it
I received an ARC from Edelweiss TW: fatal house fire, disordered eating, reference to domestic abuse, biological warfare
4
This was a good ending to a great book! I'm glad to be able to revisit these characters and this world. After the cliff hanger of Blood Like Magic, I definitely I needed some resolution.
This book's mystery aspect made it easy to get invested in. There was a good amount of tension, and the twistiness of the plot kept things interesting. The stakes were definitely high, they didn't come down at all from the high stakes of the first book. The escalation in some ways felt a bit dramatic, but within the context they made sense, and continued driving the main obstacle of the plot forward.
I also really appreciated this chance to see Voya-post trial, and explore her powers. Voya as matriarch is a totally different person than the Voya of the first book, and that's clear within pages. The struggles she faces and how she overcomes then felt like great progress in the continuation of her arc.
However, in regards to Voya's powers, I was a bit let down. There's such a focus on Voya's powers being incredible and new and yet they're so underpowered it feels a bit ridiculous. I was hoping for the powers to feel more exciting and stronger, but they're incredibly narrowed.
This did also have a little "second book syndrome". The plot is dragged out and goes in circles too often, and much of the reveals happen at least 50 pages longer than they've been made basically definitive and clear to the readers. I think this book should have been shorter and it would have cut away a lot of the repetitive nature.
Rating: really liked it
I want more of this world, pretty please 😍
Rating: really liked it
I loved this follow up to Blood like magic so much!! Set in contemporary Toronto (which is so rare and refreshing!) and following a family of Black Canadian witches. Voya has unexpectedly become the head of her family and is tasked with bringing together the community of witches in the city (of which there are great divides). Full of family pain and trauma, some romance and lots of magic and suspense. This YA fantasy has something for everyone and is perfect for fans of the Legendborn series by Tracy Deonn. Amazing on audio too narrated by Joniece Abbott-Pratt! I am excited to read whatever comes next from talented Canadian author Liselle Sambury!
Rating: really liked it
When I tell you I finished Blood Like Magic and SPRINTED to make sure there was a second one coming. I'm SCREAMING
Rating: really liked it
I adore a good duology - and in this case, I thought the sequel was stronger than the first.
This is not your typical chosen one story. Voya is human and makes mistakes; she’s constantly making tough choices and dealing with the messy consequences. Things never just “work out” for her. She’s human and struggling and always working to be a better person and leader for her family.
It was so wonderful to watch Voya’s character development continue here. She’s got new responsibilities and is learning how to handle her new status as the family’s Matriarch. She’s dealing with sacrifice and handling input from a huge family with a huge amount of differing opinions. Voya has a big sense of duty and honors the weight of that.
The writing started off slow (and I think a good 50 pages could have been shaved off here), but by the time things got going it was riveting.
Sambury puts a unique spin on her worldbuilding. I love love love the sci fi and speculative fiction elements woven into fantasy. The integration of tech and magic and how that impacts and divides the characters is fascinating to witness. The magic system is unique & creative as well.
One of the highlights of Blood Like Magic was the focus on family, and this thread continues throughout Blood Like Fate. There were so many thoughtfully developed relationships - between parents and cousins and family you choose and so on - that were realistically difficult yet still optimistic.
The side characters were very fleshed out; I had no trouble remembering names. As in the first book, there’s some great representation here: Ownvoices Black characters (including the main character and her family), a Mexican character, Chinese characters, two major trans characters, a demisexual lesbian supporting character, and probably more that I’m forgetting to add. The book also takes place in Canada!
I enjoyed the mystery element, but the foreshadowing was quite heavy-handed at times. I was surprised that Voya was so oblivious to some pretty bold red flags.
In my review of the first book, I voiced some frustrations around character arcs and consequences of Voya’s decision. I had some similar grievances here; I appreciated that we didn’t have an ending that was wrapped up in a bow, but the antagonist was let off WAY too easily (like, shockingly so) and the side character that bore the brunt of Voya’s decision at the end of Blood Like Magic deserved much better here. It bummed me out.
CW: murder, death, child death, grief, violence, gun violence, transphobia, eating disorder, addiction, domestic abuse, fire, sickness/infection, terminal illness
(I received an advance reader copy of this book; this is my honest review.)
Rating: really liked it
“So much of our blood has been laced through with suffering. So much that it’s become our motto: We suffer and we survive.
Now this is my
family.
And I want the blood that I pass on to know the joy more than the pain.
To think of blood and intent, and see their own hands reaching out, making something new. Something better than whatever came before.”2.5 stars? 3? Ugh I hate that I didn’t enjoy this one.
Now the Matriarch of her family of witches, Voya Thomas knows she has to step up and be the leader they need. But she is still caught up on Luc and everything that happened with him, and grieving the death of her beloved grandmother. Now, there is a sickness taking hold amongst the witches, and Voya has a terrifying vision of the future as it stands. She will do anything to make sure that future doesn't come true - even if her worlds collide again, and Luc is behind it all.
I think that I am outgrowing YA. Which is the saddest thing, because it used to be my absolute favourite thing in this world. This is the kind of YA that just does NOT do it for me anymore, and I think a large part of it is the angst.
Voya in this book is SO negative. She can't do this, she can't do that, she's a terrible Matriarch, she has let everyone down, etc.
And this internal dialogue. Never. Fucking. Ends.
I empathized with her for a while but I seriously could not handle it by the midpoint of this book. She is so caught up in all this doubt and angst that she can't see past it, and that isn't a fun way to spend a book.
And the plot here is circular as hell. Voya needs to call a meeting. She does, she goes, she goes off with Eli to look into things. Rinse and repeat. Like okay, we get it, this is how the witch world works I guess. But again, did not make for interesting reading material.
I loved the world that book one created. I just feel like this book did not go in the direction it could have to really harness the potential there. The combination of technology and magic is so, so cool. I just wish that the execution matched the creativity of that world.
Rating: really liked it
I received a copy from the publisher. This did not affect my rating in any way.I was curious about how this book would go because I will admit that I was a little overwhelmed by the first book. I just remember thinking that there was a lot going on and that the story could use a little trimming.
BUT.
Although it took me a little bit to get into this one because it had been a while since I'd read the first book, I grew to really appreciate where Sambury took this book. There were some instances where I wanted to punch some characters in the face because that good old empathy for the MC was coming in hot, but I, like her, grew to understand the MC's personal growth and how she was viewed by the other characters affected by her actions and decisions.
I think that this is a really good portrayal of what it might look like when someone so young is given so much unwanted responsibility. Also, how it looks when that wariness for said responsibility is constantly being reinforced by the adults around the young person. Instead of offering support, judgment was the MC's keeper. Although, in retrospect, she DID make some very bad choices in book one and this book was essentially a "you reap what you sow" type of situation.
There were also some really sad twists in this that took me by surprise and genuinely had me with my jaw dropping.
This was a great conclusion to this duology because we DID get some conclusions to the multiple storylines introduced to the first book. I did think the climax of the story was a little too soft and there were definitely things that could have been trimmed down, but to be honest, for a debut? This was pretty impressive and a big story to write.
I'd recommend this duology to anyone who loves a fantasy set in Toronto, and for anyone who likes seeing some serious character growth!
Happy reading!
