Ahoy there me mateys! This be the second book in me Ports for Plunder – 19 Books in 2019 list. I had been on the fence about this book for quite some time. But the book won the 2018 Goodreads Choice for best debut author and then I read matey Paul @ paul’spicks review and so decided to give this one a shot. Unfortunately I be in the minority for this one. I kinda hated it.
I listened to this one in audiobook format and thought the production values were fantastic. I also thought the world-building was great. I absolutely loved the Nigerian-based setting and the gods and the magic system. I thought there was some beautiful imagery in the writing. I enjoyed the characters of Zelie and Tzain overall. But sadly the plot absolutely failed me on almost every level.
The book started out strong and I also liked the very end of the novel in terms of how Zelie uses her magic but the points in between were just so cliche. The two sets of siblings of course fall in love with each other. Both Zelie and Inan are full of angst and make extremely stupid choices just to further the plot. Over and over again. I hate the enemy to lover trope in this. How the group found the quest items were laughable. Bad people show up time and time again for silly reasons. There is an epic sea battle in the desert that drove me bonkers. Plus the book is at least 150 pages too long. Other than the world-building, the actual book was run-of-the-mill. I was bored for most of the aimless wandering and wanted more action. There was also a lot of torture in this book from both the good and bad guys.
I am glad that the other crew members loved this one but for me it walks the plank. Arrr!
Goodreads’ website has this to say about the novel:
They killed my mother.
They took our magic.
They tried to bury us.Now we rise.
Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.
But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.
Now Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.
Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers and her growing feelings for an enemy.
To visit the author’s website go to:
To buy the book go to:
children of blood and bone – Book
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Captain's Quarters 
I feel much the same about this book! There were some aspects that I liked (the setting, the magic) but the characters drove me crazy and if I don’t like characters in a book, it’s hard for me to care enough to read the book. I too was bored with the plot and cliche. The romance/enemies-to-lovers thing happened way too fast and was predictable.
Well said! 🙂
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Oh, man… This is also on my library rental wishlist, but I’ve been wary about reading it. Like you, I know some people who LOVE this book, but I also know a few people besides you who either disliked it or thought it was OK. I think I might still borrow it just to give it a chance… but if I have too many issues with its mechanics, I won’t hesitate to DNF it.
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Ye got me support if ye choose to dump it. But I hope ye love it. I have now seen two other negative reviews for it so I have some in me gang. I am readin’ a lot of books not to me taste this year. But I did just have three in a row that were great so maybe the tide be turning! Thanks for another lovely comment. Arrr!
x The Captain
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I’d agree with this review, mostly. Especially the bit about the romance: it was just bad and cringe. The setting, as you say, was excellent and I will pick up the next one but it was a middle of the road book for me.
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Well I do hope the next one is better than the first and that ye love it. Thanks for the comment. Ye seem to be new to me blog. Will have to check ye out!
x The Captain
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I enjoyed this book a bit more than you, but I totally agree that the romance was terrible. I also hate the love to hate trope. There are very few times when it actually works and this was not one of them. I would have preferred this book have been told in single perspective. While I understand why the author chose to tell this story in multiple POVs, I really think it could have worked with only Zélie’s. I also struggled with Inan’s character & his characterization – it felt off. Despite all that I really enjoyed the west African cultural influences & the magic system. I am really interested in seeing how things pan out in the next book.
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I be glad ye enjoyed this one enough to want to read the second book! I am not a fan of the hate to love trope. I wish the book would have only been from Zelie’s perspective! That might have made a lot of it better. She certainly had the strongest voice and character. I won’t be reading the next book but I look forward to reading yer review of it. Arrr!
x The Captain
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It’s weird but your review made me want to read it even more. I guess I’ve seen so many reviews gushing about the book that yours challenges me a bit…dunno if “challenge” is the right word, but I’m eager to see if I’ll think the same (kinda think I will). I’m moving this up on my TBR to read it soon.
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Well for yer sake, I hope all the tropes and plot lines work for ye. When it comes to me negative reviews, I don’t WANT people to hate books. I hope everyone loves every book they read. But I know that crew members’ negative reviews save me time and loot. So if me reviews can do that, I think that be good. Or if they cause crazy folk like ye to want to read the book more and then disagree with me. Even better 🙂
x The Captain
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Lol! Haha! Aye, I’d like to visit this port too to see what I might find there.
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Ahh, that settles it. I’ve seen rant reviews of this book emerge after the hype died down, and they’re making a lot of sense to me. I mean, most YA books have ex machinas, rushed enemy to lovers tropes, and etc., so I shall be taking your word for it that this one is cliche as well. Thank you for being honest!
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Ye be welcome matey. I would like some YA authors to take note and skip the tropes.
x The Captain
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Yeah, I thought this book was okay, but not really seeing what the fuss is about. It was so cliched and much longer than it needed to me. Could have used better editing to cut out all the boring, slogging parts.
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I felt the same way. The plot and characters are just so derivative.
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The plot was painful to me. I will have to check out yer review (if I haven’t cause I can’t remember). Arrr!
x The Captain
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Have you ever seen the TV show the Last Airbender? It’s so so similar, and the author cites it in her acknowledgements.
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I have heard of it but not seen it. Though I was reading every Goodreads review and saw one that did break down how her story is basically the plot and characters of that tv show. And then I read about her twitter controversy about the title of her book and plagiarism. I don’t think I will be readin’ any more of her work no matter what else she writes. I really hate learning personal facts about authors that I can’t get behind. I know people can learn from their mistakes but between me dislike of her plot and the new facts I learned that is enough of that.
Sigh. Thanks for the comment!
x The Captain
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Thanks for the warning. I’m so sick of the enemy-to-lover trope. Now I won’t be tempted to pick this one up.
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It is sooo poorly done. I am not a huge fan of the trope either but I hated this one. And there is a slight idea of a love triangle forming. Maybe. I am done with this series. I don’t personally think ye be missing anything. Thanks for the comment.
x The Captain
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Remembering back, there’s a point about 150 or so pages in where I was thinking, ok great characters and premise, now let’s get on with it… and that’s where, for me, it fell into that ‘chosen one’ find and chase plot.
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I still be glad that ye liked it matey! I don’t get the hype but the curiosity has been satisfied. Thanks for reading.
x The Captain
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Yours isn’t the first review like this I’ve read, so you’re not alone. I haven’t read it yet, though, so I can’t weigh in. Hopefully your next book will be better!
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Most of the crew seems to have loved this one. So take me views with a grain of sea salt. I just finished a good book today so no worries. Arrr!
x The Captain
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