#bloodmarked by tracy deonn

[skatesfullofsunshine]

20% into Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn, and I was NOT prepared. 

I knew it was going to have me clutching my heart, and shocked at the twists and turns, but WOW. 

Needless to say, I love this book so much, already. 

[astridofraftel]

reading challenge review #7

Just finished: Legendborn + Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn + Le symbole perdu by Dan Brown

Next on schedule: Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse + Il était une fois dans le Nord by Philip Pullman + And I Darken by Kiersten White

The Legendborn cycle wasn't on my schedule but I thoroughly enjoyed it! I just can't wait to read the third book, I'm almost regretting not waiting another year to devour the whole trilogy in one go.

It's a very good YA series that I highly recommend if you like urban fantasy and Arthurian retellings. I did not really understand the hype at first—I mean, I was enjoying the experience, but it's everywhere on Booktok and I did not see how it really stood out from other YA fantasy books. I was fully and happily convinced by the end of the first tome, though!

The second tome lacked some of the vibes I really liked in the first, and seemed to stretch out in a sort of in-between state for too long, but that is often the case in the second of a trilogy. I remember having the same feeling while reading The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang and you know how that trilogy was? Heart-wrenchingly throwing-up all around AMAZING IT WAS so I guess a weaker middle is just a part of life.

Also spoiler warning but it is at the same time strongly hinting at a polyrelationship all the while denying it happening what the fuck why? Like if the boys could not get romantically involved and just stayed in, like, a queerplatonic relationship together while sharing a girlfriend, I wouldn't mind, but one of them HAD romantic feelings for the other at some point and not anymore so it may NOT HAPPEN AT ALL?? Why include this I'm so confused (and don't tell me Nick is straight nobody is straight in this book)

Anyway, great read, I'll very probably read them again in a few years!

I also read a book that I had scheduled, The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown (French translation). I read Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons and Inferno in middle/high-school when I was going through a fixation on theology and philosophy and I really enjoyed these books back then, but I don't remember why I did not immediately follow through by reading TLS which completed the quadrilogy. I procrastinated it for more than 6 years and it shows, because that fixation is now long gone and all the religious talk in this book bored me so much I couldn't even remember what I had liked about this series in the first place.

The symbology was still cool, some bits of theology were interesting and informative if not inspiring, but it was a little too much Christianity for me. Too insistent. Like it was trying to evangelize me.

I have no memory of being disturbed by something like that with the other books (which I've only read once each) so it probably has more to do with my current state of mind than with anything else. I think 16-year-old me would have LOVED it. Maybe I was more interested in intellectual reflection back then, while I now favor emotional affect in reading?

It may be the translation but I'm not so sure at this point: the writing wasn't actually very good, I thought. There was no particular beauty (even when talking about deep stuff) and the wording was sometimes awkward, with some patterns of sentences that were just annoying in their repetition and lost all intended impressive effect. It's maybe just because of the genre of the book and I'm a bad judge.

BUT the plot twists were good, and I did not see half of them coming.

Next up: Siddhartha, to continue on the spiritual theme, or She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan, if I decide to ignore my schedule :)

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[fandom-witch]

I read the oathbound teaser and wth I'm so stressed!! But have some Bree and Erebus art that I got when Bloodmarked came out. I need to prepare myself for 2025 🫠

The amazing Artist: @sweetgazelle

[mageofspace924]

legendborn art dump !! I love these characters sm 😭 im halfway thru bloodmarked and im officially stressed out (its so good)

anyways MY BELOVEDS ❤️

[elisegeese]

“I thought Merlins were only good at making weapons."

Sel's head is tilted back, a slow smile on his face as the aether falls around him. “So did I.”

-

-

Absolutely obsessed with this scene so I had to draw it 🖤🖤

[medium-bloodcrafter-scion]

New (Official) Bloodmarked Character Art!!!

by mageofspace on Instagram

Tracy Deonn dropped this a few hours ago, illustrated by Mageofspace 😍

Featuring Valec, Alice, Mariah, and Will surrounding our Trio.

Little details that bring me joy:

* Will swirling his aether dagger in a teacup

* Mariah with the herbs and bowl and golden root and this faraway look on her face as though she's seeing dead people.

*Nick's shoes lol

*Alice's Gawain green wristband/ribbon!

[taylrartz]

A quick King Bree sketch to celebrate the announcement of Oathbound AND book 4!! So excited!!❤️💙

[pruvii]

DEEPLY CONCERNED

[hannaslibrary]

Best reads of 2023 - Legendborn and Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn

Rating: ★★★★★ for both

“The air itself is desperate to hold me back, because I can break it, because I am the tip of the spear. The pain-sharpened blade.”

[brianakane]

Daily reminder that Selwyn kane sacrificed his humanity for a girl that wasn't even his

[thoughtfulbearpanda]

THEM

that's it. that's the post.

(art is not mine. Kanej by @polartss; Selbree by @artsychanel)

[indiphyr]

Whenever I reread the Legendborn series I'm always shocked as to how bad Sel's humor is. He is literally the person who answers "something" whenever anyone would say "say something" to him. He is the definition of dad humor

[starfallkaz]

More Selwyn Kane Thoughts

Back on my Legendborn bullshit — I already made a post talking about how Selwyn’s love language is canonically physical touch (I don’t make the rules). And how it all stems from the fact that for as long as he’s known, his touch has been something intrinsically tied to power and violence. It was never seen as something that could be given out of affection and care for one another, only as a display of power and as a threat. Likewise his use of aether was always in violent necessity. I’m rereading Bloodmarked and there’s a scene in Volition where Lu allows Sel to use the aether on the grounds that got me thinking and hurting (a lot).

Sel looks between us, a bright light in his eyes that I don’t expect. I’ve never seen him cast something just because. From the look on his face, I don't know if he ever has. "Thank you, Lu," Sel says.

…

When he rotates his wrists, light rises around us overhead, stretching wide like a cloud — and then bursts, raining down like blue embers. Tiny freworks sparking and exploding into nothing before they hit the ground.

Lu claps. "Impressive light show. And I thought Merlins were only good at making weapons."

Sel’s head is tilted back, a slow smile on his face as the aether falls round him, "So did I."

Did I cry rereading this? Absolutely. This is the first time we see Sel realising and experiencing his power not in the context of fear and violence. It’s the beginning of him understanding that he could use his power for joy - for something as simple and loving as entertaining the girl he likes. It felt like a big, yet understated, moment for him.

And I think in a way, that permission from Lu and Bree meant more to Sel than allowing him to use aether in that specific moment. It was also the acknowledgement and encouragement that he could use aether for self-fulfilment and pleasure - that he could allow himself that. Sel was always constrained by his role as Kingsmage or his own self-imposed standards brought about by a crippling fear of not being enough, but this felt like a liberating experience for him.

[ofstarsandmoonlightt]

alice to selwyn:

[kittycathat]

reblog if you're also waiting impatiently for legendborn 3

[fandom-witch]

This Bree in the photo is done by the lovely @ayeoops !!! Look at her nails!! Her sweet smile!! I love it so much!! So excited to read bloodmarked and so nervous!!