My book bestie pre-ordered a book and I got all hyped up because this book was all over TikTok to; you best believe I pre-ordered it right after she told me. The release day came and with it a very beautiful sprayed edge version of Blood Bound by Ellis Hunter.

My honest opinion? Why was this book hyped the way it was, because I thought it was kind of boring? It was one of those detailed world building fantasy where 75% of the book not much happens, then at the end there is some action but it’s still, meh.

Astrid is princess of Arturea which is the northern, forest-rich realm of the witches where she’s trained all her live for what is known as ‘the Duel’ where she will fight the heir of Vatra which is the southern, volcanic realm of the dragon riders. One of the heirs needs to die in that duel, the one left standing is named king or queen of their realm and will inherit ‘The heart’. The heart is the source for all things magic and to possess it means the realm it resides in will thrive.

The heart has been in Vatra for decades leaving Arturea with the minimal amount of magic and the lands dwindling with plagues called ‘the blight’ that has taken the lives of many citizens of this realm. Weeks before the duel begins, Princess Astrid and best friend / guard Jessa and her familiar, a fox and Queen Gwen with her familiar, a bear and a whole bunch of guards’ sail to Vatra to get this charade started. The dual has been a centuries old curse that has a covenant that has to the rules written on them and the heirs’ names written on them.

Always thinking she had to duel with the prince of Vatra, Zryan and always having known she might not live past this duel, Astrid has made some kind of peace with it which angers her mother and guard for the lack of trying and convincing. Queen Gwen does have a trick up her sleeve though, having found the true heir and firstborn of the King of Vatra, a bastard girl that has been living on the streets, giving Astrid some kind of hope again.

A lot of training takes place, diplomatic events and of course; the blood bound. Binding the lives of Astrid and new appointed heir Skylar together. If one dies so does the other, making them targets but the royals and / or royal house can’t have anything to do with the assassination attempts.

Binding, bonding, mates, dragons, familiars, you name it this story has it. The thing that annoyed me was the switch of POV after every chapter – the length of the book could’ve been way shorter and I don’t really see the romance angle because that was so small it isn’t really worth mentioning. Like I said, it was a whole lot of fantasy but more in the describing and story building kind of way.

I can’t give it more than ⭐⭐⭐ stars.