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Review: Blood Bound

Blood Bound Blood Bound by Ellis Hunter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
"And no matter what happens...remember that I already deemed your life worthy."
🌅Blood Bound is going to be a hit with the Fourth Wing, SJM crowd when it comes out in 2026. It was hard to put down; it had lots of surprises, plenty of action, great characters, a bit of mystery, some adorable companions, and a little bit of spice thrown in (but you really had to wait for it). It was satisfying and definitely worth reading. It’ll be hard to review without spoiling anything, and I enjoyed going in without knowing anything beforehand. So, stop reading now, even though I’ll try not to spoil anything…


Every generation, control of the world’s magic, the Heart, is decided in a ritual duel between two heirs: a witch from Arturea and a dragon-rider from Vatra. This time, we track the converging lives of Astrid and Skylar. The novel switches between each woman's POV and labels the start of each chapter so you know who you are with each time.


As celebrations, betting, and pageantry flood Vatra’s capital ahead of the duel, two young women are pulled into a web of political bargains, guild secrets, and dragon lore. There is scheming, posturing, and a prince with too much duty and too little freedom, complicating everything. The second half shifts gears into revelations about the Heart, the crown, and the cost of power, setting up a finale that blows the doors off what you thought the conflict was.

I really loved the two-heroine structure, and after I learned it was written by two female authors who merged their names into a single pen name, it made more sense and made me appreciate the novel even more. Following Astrid and Skylar on parallel tracks, each boxed in by different systems, adds tension and empathy. Their refusal to dehumanize each other, despite cultural prejudices and centuries-old enmity, is a testament to their shared humanity.

I also loved the way the dragons were represented. They have personalities🐲(including a scene-stealing baby). Then the witches' familiars, who sometimes have more to say than the main characters. Their bonds end up shaping the plot and the decisions, ultimately pushing the story forward rather than just providing comic relief or decorating the pages.

The world-building wasn’t just a knock-off of Fourth Wing or SJM. It had some Norse mythology mixed in, and some parallels to today’s climate crisis and class struggles, but never came across as preachy. It made their world easier to understand. “Witches vs. blooded dragon-riders + the Heart” is clear from page one, so you can enjoy the court scheming and arena spectacle without a lore headache.

Astrid/Zryan run on forbidden loyalty, mutual competence, and restraint. If you want slow burn over constant sizzle, it lands. And it makes you wait, but it comes, and it is satisfying. A testament to the fact that one of the authors is a romance fan!

There is so much to love about this book, I don’t know how to fit it all into my review without spoilers. Themes like fate vs. agency, public spectacle vs. private cost, and how women wield power under rules designed to break them. I especially loved the female friendship and solidarity that is cemented near the end of the book; these are all standouts in my opinion and come across loud and clear. The authors were clear about their goal to communicate these things, and they succeeded.

The only two comments I have are about the pacing at the end and the long wait for book two. The last 10–15% detonates a stack of new twists and big-bad reveal(s) so quickly that earlier beats feel under-cashed. A few of these turns needed foreshadowing or breathing room to truly hit. And the ending left us on a cliff-hanger that had me turning the page with the pointless hope of finding another chapter somewhere in the acknowledgments. I may need to go back and re-read it – something I usually don’t do when my TBR is so long.

This is an immersive and emotionally involved romantasy debut novel with dragons that matter, girls who won’t be enemies, and a world that’s easy to enter but big enough to grow. The characters' work (even the four-legged minor ones) and creature bonds kept me hooked. I can’t thank Atria Books and NetGalley enough for providing me access to this ARC in exchange for my unbiased opinion. This was such an enjoyable read. I can’t wait for more from Ellis and Hunter! Keep up the great work 💖

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 stars)
@ellishunterauthor @atriabooks #NetGalley #BloodBound #bookstagram #bookrecomendation
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