I was excited to read this, I was looking forward to see where the story went!
For me the first book was okay, but it wasn't amazing, but this one blew me away, it was so much better than the first! I'm so glad I decided to carry this series on

As with many sequels I was worried if it would live up to the first, especially as I loved Frostblood. I was not disappointed. Once again Elly Blake lured me in with vivid description, brilliant characters and a plot that was easy to get lost in.

Ruby and Arcus are two of my favorite characters around at the moment and the growth of both of them was handled extremely well, especially Ruby's journey with the Firebloods.

This was a great book two and I can't wait for the final part of the trilogy. I highly recommend this series to anyone that loves a good YA fantasy book filled with magic, romance and a strong female heroine.

I received an ecopy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I got this a while ago for my kindle but I had been hesitant to start it but I managed to actually start it the other day!

This released on the 7th September, I'm a bit late to actually review this as I went away a few days before the release and had so much to do that I hadn't read it sooner.

Fireblood is the sequel to Elly Blake's first book, Frostblood, which I absolutely loved and adored and this one I thought was even better and I only had to wait 9 months for it as opposed to an entire year and luckily the third instalment, Nightblood, is out in June which will be another 9 months! 🙈

In this book we see Ruby sail across the seas to find a way to destroy the fire throne and try and be rid of the curse once a for all. To get to the Fireblood Queen she meets Kai, a fireblood boy whom she trains with and becomes close friends with during her time learning to become a Fireblood Master.

So obviously there's a slight love triangle with Ruby, Arcus and Kai, now I think I much prefer Kai compared to Arcus as Arcus seems like a real douchebag to me, controlling and it seems like he doesn't think Ruby is allowed to do anything unless he's okay with it. The hissy fit he got into when Ruby decided to leave the Frost Court and travel south to the land of the Firebloods, was so incredibly embarrassing and awful. Even though she was going to benefit the Frost Court and even help Arcus bring peace between them and the Firebloods, he acted so cold and awful to Ruby when she mentioned her plan to Arcus. Therefore I am team Kai!

I throughly enjoyed this book and I read it in just a day once I managed to have time to actually read it! I love Elly's writing, and the flow of the book was perfect, it was great to see character development and seeing Ruby learn how to use her Fireblood powers even more, I highly recommend this book, more so I recommend the first book as well! You should go pick up a copy. Like now!!!!

Holy shit guys! After devouring Frostblood I was in desperate need of Fireblood and now I'm in desperate need of the final book - Nightblood, holy crap! Elly Blake has seriously met my expectations with book 2. Following Ruby to Sudesia - land of the Firebloods, was one of hell of a fricking journey.

With the aftermath of destroying the Ice throne and some hella life threatening discoveries, Arcus is the rightful king of a divided country of Frostbloods. And Ruby and Brother Thistle search every book to find a way to destroy the Minax. But will they succeed? Personally I was worried that Arcus would be different hence the reason for a new guy, but despite things not going as planned I can confirm Arcus is very much still our beloved Arcus. Just like Frostblood, this book does contain some cliche YA tropes which I won't name because they are intricately embedding into the plot and to be honest they fit in well.

The vast different from Tempesia and Sudesia was amazing. Personally I may have a soft spot for Sudesia and Firebloods - the simply notion of wielding fire and the way they do is stunning. Ruby once again, is an amazing protagonist to see this story unfold through, but the after math of destroying the throne has left her shaken but determined nonetheless. Her inner struggle for freedom from the visions and her battle for her feeling for Kai was interesting. Despite knowing there was going to be another guy on the scene, I instantly liked Kai and his easy demeanor. I just hope things end well for all three of them because I care for them all and I truly despise love triangles.

The plot was amazing, again I guessed some of the plot twists but other were hella surprising. New characters were simply an amazing addition to the current cast. I really liked the Queen of Sudesia and Prince Eiko. Seriously likable characters. I really enjoyed the added storied of all the gods. This was a mind-blowing sequel, and Elly had outdone herself creating something far more intricate and engaging. Step into a journey to the south, where Sudesia calls for Ruby, and beware of the lava that burns hotter than Firebloods.

Received via Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.

Crying because it's over. Ah this book. I can't wait to get my grubby hands on Nightblood now and I just can see Elly Blake's writing getting much better too!

I feel like Ruby's character is much more enhanced in this book compared to in Frostblood. Perhaps this is due to her being away from Arcus, and being surrounded by the likes of Kai who brings out a different side of her personality? Much more feistyness, and fun. Kai and Ruby's scenes are full of banter (flanter) ;P which add humour and also excitement in the romance department. Plus Kai is hilarious, just so charming and witty, Arcus on the other hand I got a bit annoyed with as he was being selfish and such a little biatch. He's like a cold guy with a fiery temperament at times. Though, like Ruby, he has a stubborn streak. Ruby develops an attraction to Kai, but Arcus fans don't worry, I think it's pretty obvious she'll stick with him. If so, I've already got a new possible candidate in mind for lovely Kai (alas, it isn't me I'm saddened to say Haha).

Anyway, there is more action in this book, and we learn more about the gods, the minax, and so on. And the revelation of what Ruby learns about her birthright! It makes me want to know more about her mother and also who her father is. Also her grandmother. Questions I never really had before.

Overall I really enjoyed reading this and it didn't disappoint as it was much more better than I anticipated.

After a bit of a clunky start, FIREBLOOD delivered on a satisfying second part to the trilogy. Once I'd passed the first 10%, I was pulled into court life with Ruby and Arcus. It was no utopia and the politics and racism were rife. Just as I was was settling into the intrigue of the Frost court, the rug was pulled out from under my feet and the story transported me elsewhere, with fights, voyages, new characters and new enemies. The Minax is a particularly creepy creature.

The firebloods themselves were revealed more in this story and I enjoyed Ruby's self discovery hugely, I came to understand her nature, reactions and her heritage. There were a few real twists in this book and each took me by surprise. I loved the rights of passage required of Ruby; the imagery and description was superb through that part of the plot. I am a little unsure about where book two leaves the relationships in this series but I'm willing to be there with an open mind.

So I now find myself excited again for the next book in this trilogy. I'm a fan of what Elly Blake has created in these characters and stories and on the whole, I get lost in her writing. Sign me up for the final ride please!

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through netgalley in return for a honest review.

Reviewed for Jo&IsaLoveBooks Blog.

I enjoyed book one of this series and wondered if the pace would continue - it did. Ruby must resolve the problem of the Minax but to do so she travels to Sudesia - the country of her birth to learn more about her gift and her past. She is lured into the politics of the Fireblood queen and her Court and her loyalties are divided with the introduction of Kai.

The book is left on a cliffhanger with the reader wanting more.

Fast paced, believable characters and an exciting plot - a series I will definitely be recommending to my teenage fantasy readers.

Another case of book #2 being better than book one. I feel like now that Blake has set her scene and the world we're in is established she let herself get away from the YA mad libs hole we got into in book #1.

Not that we're completely free of cliché. There's something of a love triangle which felt incredibly predictable. While it wasn't written in an unbelievable way, it still existed. I thought as a community we agreed that love triangles were only to be used in the direst of emergencies? No? Just me? Ok.

With that aside, this book does have a lot more action in it than Frostblood which appealed to me. I think that might be symptomatic of the idea that fire is the more passionate element and therefore the Firebloods share their emotions more. You also feel less like Ruby is trying to keep a lid on her powers which means more awesome fire battling.

I can't deny that Blake is a good writer. She definitely knows how to craft a story and, while these books aren't particularly out of the box, they are certainly entertaining. Since that's one of the main things a book should be these definitely deserve their place on people's shelves.

If you're wondering whether these books are worth it I would say yes. They may have a lot of elements that we've seen before but they are certainly fun to read. I'm invested in the characters now and I'll be interested to see where things go in Nightblood.

My rating: 4 stars (at this rate Nightblood will be a five star yes?)

By the way, I received a digital advanced review copy of this book from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I remember being a little disappointed with Frostblood as it seemed too generic and full of YA tropes. There was nothing that made it really stand out from all the amazing YA fantasy books available. I decided to read Fireblood despite this and I’m so glad I did. I enjoyed it much more than Frostblood, which I plan to reread in case I just wasn’t in the right frame of mind the first time round. The writing is still a little bit clunky in places and it’s peppered with too many similes for my liking. Also, it sometimes reads like a teenager’s diary, just listing what happened to Ruby in a repetitive style. However, the characters redeemed the book for me.

The relationship between Ruby and Arcus has definitely matured and I appreciated them discussing their issues at the beginning. But then Arcus just shut Ruby out and I almost bailed. It was just so frustrating after it seemed like they had both grown up. Luckily, we are introduced to a few new characters in Sudesia. Kai was a great addition – he is arrogant and cocky on the surface, but a lot of fun. Kai is also more complex than he first appears and becomes very close to Ruby. I just hope a love triangle is avoided as I don’t want his heart broken.

There were a few plot points that niggled at me but I was definitely surprised by some of the developments. With the recent announcement that the next book will be called Nightblood, it seems likely the plot is moving towards exploring Ruby’s dark potential. Fireblood held my interest and I didn’t want to put it down, which is always a great sign. I’ll definitely be reading the final book in this trilogy as I’m completely invested in the characters.

I had had Frostblood on my Kindle for a while but as any booklover would know my TBR has continued to grow and grow until I requested a copy of Fireblood on Netgalley and the prospect of a binge read proved too much to resist.
Frostblood and Fireblood follow Ruby the Fireblood and Arcus the Frostblood as they struggle to unite two feuding races as well fighting higher powers, both good and evil.
As a recap… Frostblood begins with Ruby (a Fireblood) having to repress her powers of fire creation and manipulation from the Frostblood authorities. Due to century long wars and hiding out in the Frostblood territory Ruby’s powers and Fireblood heritage but everyone she hold dear in danger.
Without giving away any spoilers, jump to the end of Frostblood and Ruby finds herself in the Frostblood Kingdom of Tempesia living in the royal palace.
Fireblood kicks off right where Frostblood finishes. Ruby is desperately trying to find peace and somewhere to belong and Arcus is struggling to unite nations all while trying to reign in his unpredictable subjects.
I read this book at the same time as I started Shadow & Bone by Leigh Bardugo. The two series share startling similarities, both centring around teenage girls discovering and trying to master their powers while being the special ‘key’ to ensuring their worlds peace. But for me Frostblood/Fireblood is on a whole other level!!
Obviously being a fantasy but with themes on ancient gods and set in incredibly beautiful lands Fireblood as a brilliant supporting cast; the sassy Kai and wise Brother Thistle being two of my favourites. The ting I was blown away by the most was the story development. I loved the sights that we saw, from villages to monastery’s, from frozen castles to sailing across the seas.
This was no simple…
here is a problem
adventure to solve the problem
problem solved
… we really are taken on a beautiful journey and not all of the answers were easily discovered. We were with Ruby and the gang every step of the way. Nothing is clear, nothing is black and white, nothing is straight and forward and nothing is as it seems.
This series has so much to offer. The pacing was great; no points of the story were unnecessarily drawn out yet it was still so vividly described.
The main characters were flawed and real and the supporting cast added so many great points of interest.
I think that Fireblood has taken some of the usual YA Fantasy tropes and expanded on them, morphing them into something more and something deeper.
Yes there were the usual YA predictable moments; the shady guy that turned out to be evil and the mysterious kind guy that turns out to be a ‘goodie’ and there were times when I wanted to scream “SHUT YOUR MOUTH RUBY! STOP DIGGING YOURSELF INTO A HOLE!”.
But overall the story was unpredictable enough to keep my guessing the whole way through.
This would make a great read for any one loving YA fantasy reads with kickass female characters like ACOTAR and The Red Queen Trilogy.

First things first… guess what idiot requested the second book before reading the first. This one. Yep. That’s the reason for the slow turn around. But damn, this book, this series… It’s so good! I’m so happy I could binge them both in two days! I’m just SO HAPPY!

This book, unlike so many I've read of this ‘ilk’ (YA, fantasy) didn't fall into the disappointing “second book” trap. There was no ‘filler’ feeling, waiting for the climactic third novel. It was interesting with enough happening that I was constantly pleased and never bored.

The first thing I want to discuss is the other reviewers getting worried about Ruby and Arcus’ relationship, and the introduction of a third party in the form of Kai. Now I, for one, hate love triangles; have done since Twilight. They ANGER me. This however, this wasn't a love triangle, or at least not in the normal ‘WHO WILL SHE CHOOSE’ sense. It was a 17 year old finding herself, when she thought she was probably single, it’s normal, and it’s not Bella snogging Jacob to make him stay. Cringe. By the end of the book the experimentation ‘paid off’ and Ruby had everything sorted in her head; in my humble opinion, it made the relationship path she chose stronger than simply sticking with the first one she knew.

Also, small fist pump for the fact this novel wasn't driven by romance. It was driven by Ruby and her continued efforts to destroy the Minax. This plot pushed the novel forward at such a fast pace and it was so addictive. Pair this with the twists and turns of the narrative, the wonderful character development and the general greatness, meant I flew through it. I read it in a day, sometimes secretly at work but I was unable to put it down.

I fell for Ruby and Arcus in the first book and this one only drew me nearer to them. Their character development was fantastic, and they never once felt ‘flat’ or boring while I was reading. The addition of Kai, although an annoyance in the fact it added issues for my ship, was welcome as he was well rounded and generally needed for plot continuation. He wasn't a ‘perfect’ love interest; he had flaws and a reason for existing, other than Ruby, which gave him scope to ‘explore’.

I gave this book five star because I just simply loved it! It had a few YA tropes that it did unfortunately fell into, but they were handled with such grace that they didn't bother me as much as they could have done. It was well written and addictive and hopefully leading to something equally great. This said, I obviously cannot wait for the next addition.

review-fireblood-elly-blake

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review


I know that this series is more typically YA than is fashionable to like right now but I am really enjoying this series. I like the MC and more unusually because normally I don't care about the romantic sub plot, I ship her and her frostblood love interest.

This was even better than book one with the same engaging nareative style but a more dynamic plot. I know some people feared a love triangle but that's really not the case. So don't worry.

This was fun and suspenceful in all the right ways and I can't wait for Nightblood. (I think this series was what Red Queen was trying to be if Aveyard had been able to get out of her own way and hadb't nicked a whole lot of chunks from other books. )

Proper YA fantasy with a twist. Highly recommend.

Fireblood is the second book in Elly Blake's Frostblood trilogy and takes place a few months after the end of the first book. Ruby is struggling to fit in with the Frost Court and with visions from the Minax haunting her, everything seems to be going wrong. Arcus is the only light of her life but she feels like she's causing him trouble. When a stranger from Sudesia turns up and invites her to come back with him, Ruby agrees in the hope of learning to master her magic and to find a way to defeat the Frost Minax. Kai and the other Firebloods don't out to be what she expect though and she has to battle both her own emotions and the Queen to figure things out.


What I Liked

The great thing about this book was that it took what myself and others loved about the first book and then expanded on it. Everyone loves court intrigue in fantasy novels and there was more of that. Maybe aspects of it were a little predictable but that wasn't really a problem. Another thing is that one of the strengths of this series is the mythos and world building. The world and the gods are all so interesting and you get to read more of the stories, you get to see more of these gods and you get to see more of what the Minax can do. None of this information is forced upon you and none of it feels like an info dump which many fantasy authors sometimes struggle with.

The best part of the book though? Kai. I've seen a lot of people have been worried about the addition of him. They didn't want anyone to interrupt their ship but honestly? I was never a huge fan of Arcus anyway. He'd grown on me by the end of Frostblood but he was always too cold for me. Kai, on the other hand, is fun, flirty and loves his clothes. He's understanding, sweet and puts Ruby's happiness first. I fell for him hard. He's not always honest about his intentions but when he does lie, you understand why he did so. I found myself shipping Kai and Ruby so hard and I look forward to seeing where their relationship goes next, even if it's probably not endgame.

Finally, I'd like to say my feelings for Marella from book one? Looks like I might have been right after all...

What I Didn't Like

The only thing I didn't really like in this book was Arcus and I imagine that's going to be an unpopular opinion. He behaves stupidly at times and is quick to believe Ruby feels or has done something she hasn't. Okay, he drops it when she tells him it isn't true but the fact is, he should have known her better and trusted that what was happening, was happening for a reason. I'm tired of him shutting everyone out when he's upset, it's tiresome and just blah.

I really don't care about him anymore.

Final Thoughts

The series on the other-hand? I care a lot more about now. Fireblood is firmly one of the favourite books I've read this year and I'm going to be thinking about Kai for some time to come. I just need the book to come out now so I can get Kai merch and fangirl with others over him.

If you've read Frostblood, even if you didn't like it, you need to get your hands on Fireblood as soon as possible. It's one of those rare sequels that's better than the first book and is definitely a chance. Then you can join me in impatiently waiting for Nightblood!

"Should you pass," she said, "you will become a Fireblood master"

* * *
3 / 5

After my very disappointing encounter with Frostblood, I was reluctant to crack the metaphorical spine of Fireblood. But from the very first page of Fireblood I could tell that, as a writer, Blake had improved massively. The writing style was so much better! Whilst the plot was still bland and full of tropes, Ruby got a bit of spice and the writing was just so much more pleasant to read.

"Well, what do you think?" I asked with forced lightness. "Prophecy or madness?"

If you recall, we left Ruby having destroyed the Frost Throne, setting loose the Frost Minax (evil shadow creature), and swooning into the arms of Arcus, new-to-be-King of Tempesia. We meet Ruby again as she attempts to navigate her unstable role in court: something of a Lady, favoured by King Arcus but despised by the court. Arcus, who initially appeared to be a touch more likeable than in Frostblood (I'll come back to him later), seems determined to make the court, and indeed the country, accept Firebloods whilst Ruby grows more miserable. This antagonism comes to a head at a court ball: Ruby is attacked by Frostbloods but is defended by a very attractive (of course) Fireblood who asks her to meet him at a harbour, where she could join him in his boat to Sudesia.

As one might imagine, Arcus is not very happy about Ruby's intentions to voyage the high seas with a rogueish handsome lad. He returns to being the Arcus I knew and hated: angry, sulky, and basically a spoiled brat about Ruby's desires to do something he doesn't very much like. Never mind the fact that he's been keeping secrets from her... Ruby intends to go to Sudesia, destroy the Fireblood throne in order to free their Queen from the curse, and capture the Fire Minax to use to it to destroy the Frost Minax.

I did think that the plot could have been more inspired. It parallels the plot of Fireblood a lot. We have: Ruby, uncertain of herself and her powers, goes to meet member of royalty with intention of destroying throne. Check. Cute romance-able boy in tow. Check. Some sort of trial that Ruby must go through to prove herself. Check. There's also a few cliched reveals that would be spoiler-y to share, so I'll keep a lid on those. Rest assured that Ruby remains a very special young lady, albeit a more likeable and confidently mature one.

"Some of us have to fight for the things that are offered so readily to others."
"Stop wallowing. You're a blasted prince for Sud's sake."

There's a couple of new characters in Fireblood, but the main one is Kai. He's from Sudesia and thus represents a lot to Ruby: history, family, and a possible home. He's also rakish and funny and would have been so much better as a friend rather than a love interest. I wasn't actually initially opposed to the idea, due to my dislike of Arcus, but his romance with Ruby was so poorly developed, just used as a prop to provoke some tension between Ruby and Arcus. A certain event happens between Ruby and Kai (you'll know it when you read it) that is also so under-utilised and would have, I thought, been much more interesting if he really was just a friend. There's also the Queen of Sudesia who is thankfully a more developed character than the Frost King.

All in all, Fireblood is an impressive improvement on Frostblood, though it still didn't manage to wow me. Romance fans should like the addition of Kai, whilst action fans will like the fire-fighting sequences.

Fireblood is the second book in the Frostblood sage by Elly Blake, 

Fireblood resumes a couple of weeks after Frostblood, Ruby is recovering from the aftermath of destroying the ice throne and not accepting the bloodthirsty Minax control of her body. Now the Minax is jumping from body to body creating murder and mayhem in the kingdom. The answers to stopping the Minax my lie in the home of the Firebloods in Sudesia, Sudesia is the country that holds the information about Ruby's powers and her past. King Arcus doesn't want Ruby to go to Sudesia especially as she will be accompanied by a handsome Fireblood named Kai. Ruby must learn to control her fire and gain the trust of the Fireblood Queen, so you can access the Knowledge that could defeat the Minax. The fate of both Kingdoms rest in her hands but Ruby has to decide who she can and can not trust. 


In this book we get to see Sudesia and see how different it is to the Frost Kingdom but how it has some similarities with the hate for anything different to themselves. 

One of my favourite aspect of the book is the interaction between Arcus and Ruby, and Ruby and Kai. The banter between Ruby and Kai is fun, but the relationship between Arcus is more heartfelt, I love the sweet moment between them.

The story was no stop, a gripping action adventure with romance added to the mix. I now can't wait for NightBlood. 

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for giving my a Advanced copy to read and review.

I give this book 5 out 5
Fireblood is published 7th September 2017.

Thank you to Netgalley, Hodder and Stoughton and Elly Blake for my ARC of Fireblood.

Fireblood is the sequel to Frostblood and if you haven't read Frostblood you should stop here as there may be a few spoilers of the first novel. You can however read my spoiler free review of Frostblood here: https://lifehasafunnywayofsneakinguponyou.wordpress.com/2017/07/24/frostblood-by-elly-blake-review/

At the end of Frostblood the Frost King's evil reign of terror was over when Ruby and Arcus melted the frost throne and vanished the Minax who inhabited it, but now it's back. Ruby is haunted by dreams of the Minax and is terrified she will hurt those she loves. Not to mention the reception she's getting from the Frost court is shall we say... frosty....

Despite Arcus' warnings, Ruby travels to Sudesia with a roguish Fireblood called Kai, Ruby is sure that all the answers to the past and the future lie in the library of Sudesia. But maybe they're not the answers she was looking for after all...

The second book in the Frostblood Saga is a lot more fast paced than the first one, the action begins almost immediately and we are thrown into the middle of wars woven in secret and deliciously hidden secrets. Nobody is who they seem and Ruby can no longer be sure of who she is.

I cannot wait for the third book in this series now, I need to know what happens next!!