We all know how much I love Sadie Kincaid, the reigning queen of mafia romance. So when I found out she was putting out a romantasy? Sign me up. Sold. I knew I would be staying up all night to read it, at the expense of all else. I love it when authors branch out and try new things.
Forged in Blood by Sadie Kincaid is a romantasy why choose novel with MM interactions within the group. While it’s a significant departure from what Sadie Kincaid usually does, it has all her trademark spice. These vampires are freaky, and I mean that as the highest of compliments.
Ophelia Hart has never fit in. She was a foster child and brutally bullied throughout high school, but she’s hoping for a fresh start in college. Her plan is to study hard and become a social worker to help other kids like her. Thanks to a mysterious trust fund left by her parents, she gets to attend Montridge University. But things at Montridge are, of course, not quite as they seem. Not only does she immediately fall into the same trap of bullying that plagued her youth, but she soon finds out that there are vampires on campus. Vampires that will not leave her alone.
Forged in Blood is a page-turner. The chapters are short, and the plot moves incredibly quickly. I ripped through this book in a matter of hours, making it a perfect read if you need something engrossing and quick, or if you need to break a reading slump.
Ophelia is a classic romantasy heroine. She is painfully shy and has no idea what kind of power she wields, both literally and metaphorically. Her greatest solace comes from her books, which is likely very relatable to all the folks reading this story. Her relatability is what makes her a great character, and her growth even within the first book is remarkable. Readers will be able to root for her no matter what.
The leaders of a society of vampires, Axl, Xavier, Malachi, and Alexandros are dark and mysterious, and Alexandros, their leader, has tasked them to keep an eye on Ophelia, but they’re not supposed to bite her. This creates a great deal of tension for them, and when the tension breaks, these vampires are fierce and flaming hot.
Forged in Blood has a slightly unoriginal fantasy premise, but I couldn’t care less. I’m fully hooked on this series despite the fact that it feels a little like I’ve read this book before. It has several common fantasy tropes that make it feel familiar. There’s a magical university, a human girl who’s not quite actually human, vampires, a sexy professor, and enemies to lovers. There are vampires, witches, demons, and elemental magic. We’ve seen it all before, but that doesn’t make it any less enjoyable.
This book actually reminds me a great deal of the Shadowcraft Academy series but with significantly better writing.
The first in an ongoing series, Forged in Blood ends on a hell of a cliffhanger, so prepare yourself. The next book in the series, Promised in Blood, is out on December 4, and I’ll be reading it on release day.
Writing: 3.75
Spice: 4.5
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