Release Date: July 6th 2023
Publisher: Orion
Pages: 384
Find it on: Goodreads. Waterstones.
Source: I bought a copy of this book from my local Waterstones
Rating: 4.25/5 stars

Synopsis

Exile. Rebel. Healer. Three underestimated women, destined to be brought together by revenge in this dark and thrilling new YA fantasy.

Marzal – an exiled daughter with a plan for her return.
Rayn – a rebel blacksmith with a blade of blood.
Elena – a gentle midwife with a fiercely protected secret.

Each young woman wants peace for their country, but in times of war, not everyone fights by the same rules. As their countries burn around them, and the stakes of victory rise, each woman will have to decide how far she is willing to go for peace.

But the desire for revenge also burns deep…

Review

Black Heat is the start of an all new YA fantasy series from Isles of Storm and Sorrow author Bex Hogan. The story follows three young women – Marzal, the daughter of the Emperor who has spent many years living in a convent and has now returned to take her place at court. Rayn, a blacksmith looking to uncover the truth surrounding the death of her family and take vengeance against those who harmed them, and Elena, a midwife tasked with protecting a secret. Each woman must do all they can to protect those they care about and help their country survive a deadly war.

I really loved Bex Hogan’s Viper so I was intrigued to see whether I would be as engrossed by Black Heat. This story is so captivating, so gripping and pretty fast paced, so I ended up racing through this book in a couple of days. Hogan has a really engaging writing style and I loved that there were lots of twists in the story. It also went places I did not expect. I find myself reading less YA fantasy these days because I often find them a bit predictable, but Black Heat is anything but. The ending of the story had me on the edge of my seat and I am counting down the days until the release of the next book in the series.

The world is really interesting and I really enjoyed the political scheming going on in this story. The world building is solid and I liked getting to see people on both sides of the conflict. Our three main characters are all so different and surprisingly I adored them all. If I had to choose I think Marzal is my favourite, I was so fascinated by the way she manipulates and schemes to get what she wants. Rayn is a fierce and determined character, she will stop at nothing to get her revenge and I loved how strong she was. Elena’s chapters were equally compelling, she is strong and determined to do what’s right, even when she’s scared or uncertain.

Black Heat is a gripping, feminist revenge fantasy and one I could not put down. If you’re looking for a book that’s dark, compelling with fascinating complex characters, then Black Heat is one you will not want to miss.