Book Review: Blood Heir by Ilona Andrews

Blood Heir
Author: Ilona Andrews
Series: Kate Daniels World (Book 1)
Publication: NYLA (January 12, 2021)

Description: From award-winning author, Ilona Andrews, an all-new novel set in the New York Times #1 bestselling Kate Daniels World and featuring Julie Lennart-Olsen, Kate and Curran's ward.

Atlanta was always a dangerous city. Now, as waves of magic and technology compete for supremacy, it’s a place caught in a slow apocalypse, where monsters spawn among the crumbling skyscrapers and supernatural factions struggle for power and survival.

Eight years ago, Julie Lennart left Atlanta to find out who she was. Now she’s back with a new face, a new magic, and a new name—Aurelia Ryder—drawn by the urgent need to protect the family she left behind. An ancient power is stalking her adopted mother, Kate Daniels, an enemy unlike any other, and a string of horrifying murders is its opening gambit.

If Aurelia’s true identity is discovered, those closest to her will die. So her plan is simple: get in, solve the murders, prevent the prophecy from being fulfilled, and get out without being recognized. She expected danger, but she never anticipated that the only man she'd ever loved could threaten everything.

One small misstep could lead to disaster. But for Aurelia, facing disaster is easy; it’s relationships that are hard.

My Thoughts: This spinoff from the Kate Daniels series stars Julie Lennart-Olsen. She left Atlanta eight years earlier to find out who she was and to heal from the events surrounding Kate's death. Since then she has learned a lot, grew and changed. Her adventures changed her beyond recognition. She's chosen a new name and is now Aurelia Ryder. She's also acquired an invincible enemy who wants Kate dead.

A prophecy calls her back to Atlanta where things have deteriorated in the past eight years. The various factions are near to splintering the city and carving out their own fiefdoms. She needs to maneuver her way through the factions while keeping her identity secret. She needs to find out who killed a minister named Nathan Haywood and why. But letting her family know she's in Atlanta will cause the prophecy to come true and lead to Kate's death. 

There was so much about this story that I liked. I like the way Julie has grown up. I like her determination and her compassion. The way she interacted with the street kids around Pastor Haywood's church was evidence of her deep concern for kids who, like her, were out on the streets. I liked her strength as she dealt with the various factions including the Order and the mercenaries.

I liked seeing some of the other characters from the Kate Daniels series including Ascanio and Julie's crush Derek. I liked seeing how her brother Conlan is growing up. I liked the worldbuilding which combined so many ancient myths and cultures into an intriguing and cohesive world. There was a lot of action in the story as Aurelia investigates and keeps meeting representatives of the great evil she needs to defeat. 

Fans of the Kate Daniels series will enjoy this spinoff. I know I did.

Favorite Quote:

Namtur stuck his chin in the air. "The things you don't know or realize are an ocean, and your mind is a tiny boat upon its waves."

Ancient disses were the best. 

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.