Blood Heir by Amelie Wen Zhao

Title: Blood Heir by Amelie Wen Zhao

Reader: Jaya, Grade 10

Rating: 4 Stars

In Amelie Wen Zhao’s Blood Heir, Crown Princess Anastacya Mikhailov, a secret Affinate with a feared and reviled ability to control others through their blood, fled the royal palace months ago after being framed for her father’s murder and named a traitor to the Cyrilian Empire. Desperate to find her father’s true killer, Ana enlists the help of crime lord Ramson Quicktongue, but soon discovers through Ramson’s underground world that life for Affinates in Cyrilia is not what she had believed. Corruption is engulfing the empire and Ana becomes involved in a mission greater than simply clearing her name. Blood Heir is a fast-paced story filled with interesting characters, impressive fight scenes, cons and double crosses that kept me engaged and surprised. I liked how the author used this fictional adventure to explore serious, real-world problems like oppression and exploitation, and to ask the reader to think about choices and injustice. Since this is the first book in the series though, do not expect satisfying closure because Blood Heir ends without wrapping up any of the storylines. I give the book 4/5 stars and recommend it to middle to high-school fans of fantasy adventure who can tolerate loose-ends and appreciate some social commentary.