Blood Bound Read Along | Week One
Welcome to the first week of our Read Along for Blood Bound by Ellis Hunter. I have to admit, I didn’t know what to expect going into this fantasy romance, but I’m pleasantly surprised.
First Impressions
Being in both Astrid’s and Skylar’s POVs had me wondering how these two stories would come together, and now it all makes sense. Let’s dig into everything happening in Part One.
Astrid has known for much of her life that she’ll have to die for her kingdom—one way or another. After surviving hundreds of assassination attempts, she’s destined to die at the hands of the opposing kingdom’s heir.
It’s easy to root for her to find a way to survive, and of course, I’m already hoping for a romance with the very male heir she’s meant to face.
Then we have Skylar, a street performer who lost her mother young and has been running ever since. She’s incredible with throwing knives and seems to possess a special power that she’s either unknowingly suppressing or hasn’t realized she has yet (I’m guessing it has something to do with the trinket her mother gave her before she ran).
She’s also searching for her best friend, who supposedly disappeared after being conscripted by the male heir’s kingdom. Her stubborn determination is completely endearing to me. I always love a strong female lead.
And honestly? Both of these women are strong in very different ways. I don’t want either of them to die.
So when we discover Skylar is actually the true heir, I have mixed feelings.
I want to believe they’ll find a way for neither of them to die, and there’s one line that gives me hope:
Two become one…
Well, y’all, there are a lot of ways that two can become one, so I’m expecting some kind of loophole.
Characters I’m Watching
I’m also noticing Zryan and the way he looks at—and reacts to—Astrid. Thanks to some character art, I already know they’re eventually going to be together, and I cannot wait to watch that relationship unfold.
They already have this effortless banter that somehow turns sexy without even trying.
He also doesn’t seem like an asshole.
One trend I’ve noticed in romantasy lately (and honestly, fantasy romance in general) is that the sons of cruel kings often want to overthrow their fathers to rule with more compassion.
There aren’t any huge hints of that yet, but considering the king is an absolute douche, I’m expecting that’s where this is headed. Zryan is kind to Astrid, level-headed, and now, I desperately want his POV to find out what’s really going on inside his head.
Also…
The dragons are fantastic.
And Astrid’s familiar has enough sass to instantly become one of my favorite characters.
I’m absolutely here for it.
Week One Thoughts
Overall, I’m excited to see where Blood Bound by Ellis Hunter goes from here.
Between the looming war despite the peace accord, the mysterious blight, and the kingdoms fighting over the magical heart that keeps everything alive, there are so many threads I’m eager to unravel.
I’m expecting friendships to grow, romance to bloom, and hopefully, we’ll finally learn the truth about what happened to Cam.
I’m completely invested.
If you’re reading along with us, meet me back here next week as we read through Chapter 29.
Looking for your next fantasy romance read? Don’t miss our July Bite Me Box, featuring Wicked Sea by Jordan Stephanie Gray. It’s your last chance to grab this month’s box before it’s gone.
Until then, happy reading!
Leave a Reply