Review: Blood Heir by Amélie Wen Zhao

Title: Blood Heir

Author: Amélie Wen Zhao 

Series: Blood Heir Trilogy #1

Genre: Retelling/Fantasy

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Publication Date: November 19th, 2019 

Edition: Kindle Edition, 464 pages

Source: Library

Purchase: Amazon US | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | BAM

Synopsis:

   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.

  This is what happens when I read more than one book at a time and finish them all the same week. Maybe now I can focus more on reading the physical owned book I have rather than ones I get from the library or NetGalley. (Though I 100% know I am going to search for an ebook to read as soon as I am finished writing this review.)

I am so, so happy this book was published. I am always kind of out of the loop on new releases and hadn't heard of this one until that controversy surrounding it, I was among the people who were annoyed by it. I won't really get into what it was, as that was over a year ago at this point and I think by now most people who want to know about it already do and have their opinions on the subject. I'm just happy that it was published, though I don't know how many or if any changes were made before that.

I really enjoyed this book. I really loved all the characters. Ana is my type of heroine, and Ransom is equally fantastic. They are both similar in many ways, and I so ship them. They are, just perfect a good balance to each other.

I liked how things were revealed, though I at times with the flashbacks it was hard to tell when they started or ended, the font should have changed a little during flashbacks or something to give it a more clear end/start. It was boarding on exposition, yet it was important backstory information for the characters that wasn't info-dumping. 

There were some twists that I wasn't expecting, and I like to be surprised. Though some of the things that I think were supposed to be plot twists but weren't for me is just because it was just natural story progression. A twist for the sake of it isn't good storytelling.

There was a lot of action in this book, and near the end there I honestly a little on edge reading. The third of this book was almost non-stop action, but it didn't feel like senseless action. They were on a race against the clock type of deal and they had to move fast. 

Another thing I really liked about this, was the setting. It was so vivid and I was immersed in it while reading. It was very easy to picture the world they were in. 

Again, I am just so happy that this book is in the world, and I am so very excited for the rest of the series. I just have to wait for months.