Arc Review: Bloody Spade by Brittany M. Willows

A girl full of heart

A thief touched by darkness

A boy with a fiery temper

An unwitting servant of evil

The era of magic was once thought to be a myth, but after the Reemergence ushered forces both dark and light into the mundane world, it has since become a harsh reality. Now those affected by this strange power—a specialized group of Empowered called Jokers, known collectively as Cardplay—must protect their world from the darkness that threatens to consume it, all the while fighting for equality in a society clinging to normalcy.

But the Reemergence was only the beginning.

When another influx occurs on the seventh anniversary of that fateful event, an unfortunate encounter at ground zero lands Iori Ryone, a teenage boy in possession of a corrupt and legendary magic, in the care of recent Joker graduate Ellen Amelia Jane. From him, she learns the Reemergence may not have been the inevitable natural disaster it first seemed.

Someone is trying to tear down the barrier that separates the magical realms from the mundane. The question is, can Cardplay stop them before it’s too late?

• Title: Bloody Spade
• Author:  Brittany M. Willows
• Publisher: Self Published
• Publication Date: September 15 2021
• Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, LGBTQ+ 
• Source: ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review 
• Targeted Age Range: Young Adult
• Content Warnings: Coarse language, Blood and violence, some gore, Moments of graphic violence/torture, On-page character death, Body horror, Harassment/bullying, Vomiting, Poisoning, Amnesia, Grief/bereavement, Anxiety, PTSD, panic attacks, Trauma related to kidnapping/physical abuse, Parent death (discussed, glimpsed in flashbacks), Car accident (discussed, glimpsed in flashbacks), One instance of a forced kiss (not intended to be romantic or sexual)
• Rating: ★★★★

Honestly, I wasn’t expecting to love this book as much as I did. It had everything I love in young adult fantasy in it: compelling characters, interesting world building and a plot that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the novel. Brittany M. Willows has successfully created an interesting and compelling urban fantasy that should be on everyone’s radar. Set in a futuristic city where magic has recently been revealed, the story focuses on a band of characters in an academy that helps them practice their magic and keep it under control. They’re training for one thing: to protect their world from the darker magical forces threatening to be revealed. 

From the very beginning I was interested in this story. The magic system is carefully created to be interesting, unique and compelling from the very first page. Inspired by card suits, there are four suits of magic that manifests in someone, giving them stronger and more powerful magic. We first witness one of these suits in one of our two protagonists, Iori. Iori is interesting, to say the least. He has very little control of his magic, and is often cast as the villain in the city due to his magic. At the start of the book, Iori isn’t really open to help. We get to see his character development grow throughout the novel, and we get to see him begin to trust people that put themselves as his allies. It’s really satisfying from a reader’s perspective, because you can appreciate just how far he has come. 

I really loved our heroine, Ellen, too. I think one of the best things about Ellen is her kindness: she’s quick to offer Iori help, even though she knows him to be a “villain.” Still grieving her parents death, we get to watch Ellen really find herself and grow throughout the course of the novel. She’s strong, friendly, and kind, which I think makes for a wonderful young adult protagonist. I know she will be a lot of readers’ favourite character, she was definitely one of mine! Like the rest of our main band of characters, Ellen’s magic is interesting and rare: she has the power to heal corrupt magic, and make it good again. Naturally, her magic is kept a secret, so watching her navigate learning about her powers and keeping them a secret while still wanting to do good was a very interesting plot dynamic. 

Honestly, this book was perfectly paced. There was never a dull moment: every chapter was filled with something interesting that kept the reader engaged and excited. I loved every minute of reading this book. I didn’t feel as if it was filled with nonsensical filler: every chapter, every sentence and every scene felt like it had a purpose, and it really helped create excellent world building. Willows has created an interesting, our-world-but-magical, setting which I loved learning about. It was the perfect urban fantasy setting: city skylines, gritty back alleys and magical, almost futuristic, elements that blended so nicely together. The setting was one of my favourite parts of this book, and I look forward to jumping back into this world in the sequel. 

All in all, if you’re a fan of fast-paced, interesting urban fantasies, then this book is for you. Filled to the brim with compelling characters, a fast-paced plot that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat, Bloody Spade is set to become a fast favourite of any fantasy lover. I absolutely loved my time spent reading Bloody Spade, and I know you will too.

If you read this book, let me know your thoughts in the comments below! In case you missed it, I interviewed the lovely author of this book, Brittany M. Willows, last week, which you can check out by clicking here. 

Links for Bloody Spade: Goodreads | TheStoryGraph | Bookshop | Indiebound