Fae Friday – my favorite bloody books

Happy Fae Friday everyone! Weekends are finally starting to feel like weekends again, and with the lovely weather we’ve been having I’m overall having a good time relaxing outside. I’m typing this up while sitting on our deck!

bloody books

Fae Friday is hosted by Caffeinated Fae, and this week’s prompt is inspired by redcaps: A redcap is an Unseelie Fae that survives on the blood of humans. This week’s prompt is: What are some of your favorite “bloody” books? This prompt was created by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club! I haven’t read a lot of bloody books in my life, but I can certainly think of a few!

The Queen of Blood

By Sarah Beth Durst

Published 20 September 2016 by Harper Voyager
fantasy | magic | violence

An idealistic young student and a banished warrior become allies in a battle to save their realm in this first book of a mesmerizing epic fantasy series, filled with political intrigue, violent magic, malevolent spirits, and thrilling adventure.

Everything has a spirit: the willow tree with leaves that kiss the pond, the stream that feeds the river, the wind that exhales fresh snow . . .

But the spirits that reside within this land want to rid it of all humans. One woman stands between these malevolent spirits and the end of humankind: the queen. She alone has the magical power to prevent the spirits from destroying every man, woman, and child. But queens are still just human, and no matter how strong or good, the threat of danger always looms.

With the position so precarious, young women are chosen to train as heirs. Daleina, a seemingly quiet academy student, is under no illusions as to her claim to the throne, but simply wants to right the wrongs that have befallen the land. Ven, a disgraced champion, has spent his exile secretly fighting against the growing number of spirit attacks. Joining forces, these daring partners embark on a treacherous quest to find the source of the spirits’ restlessness—a journey that will test their courage and trust, and force them to stand against both enemies and friends to save their land . . . before it’s bathed in blood.

So this book is honestly surprisingly bloody. I know it kind of says so at the end of the synopsis, ya know, before it’s bathed in blood, but I was still surprised at how literal that was. Sometimes books just surprise you like that. I think this is especially true of you’re mostly a YA reader, and there’s not that much gore and blood and violence going around. But then you suddenly pick up an adult fantasy, and it’s absolutely brutal.

The Lies of Locke Lamora

By Scott Lynch

Published 27 June 2006 by Spectra
fantasy | adventure | heists

An orphan’s life is harsh—and often short—in the mysterious island city of Camorr. But young Locke Lamora dodges death and slavery, becoming a thief under the tutelage of a gifted con artist. As leader of the band of light-fingered brothers known as the Gentleman Bastards, Locke is soon infamous, fooling even the underworld’s most feared ruler. But in the shadows lurks someone still more ambitious and deadly. Faced with a bloody coup that threatens to destroy everyone and everything that holds meaning in his mercenary life, Locke vows to beat the enemy at his own brutal game—or die trying.

This book also surprised me; not so much in how bloody it was but how easily the author made choices that kind of spooked me. This book is all about criminal gang wars, and one group trying to outsmart the other while walking away with the most money. But you know when everything in a book is going well? A little too well? Basically, the end of this book had me in shock, and I still haven’t picked up the next one because I’m still in shock. It’s been three years.

Red Rising

By Pierce Brown

Published 28 January 2014 by Del Rey
science fiction | dystopia | space wars

Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of Mars livable for future generations.

Yet he spends his life willingly, knowing that his blood and sweat will one day result in a better world for his children.

But Darrow and his kind have been betrayed. Soon he discovers that humanity already reached the surface generations ago. Vast cities and sprawling parks spread across the planet. Darrow—and Reds like him—are nothing more than slaves to a decadent ruling class.

Inspired by a longing for justice, and driven by the memory of lost love, Darrow sacrifices everything to infiltrate the legendary Institute, a proving ground for the dominant Gold caste, where the next generation of humanity’s overlords struggle for power. He will be forced to compete for his life and the very future of civilization against the best and most brutal of Society’s ruling class. There, he will stop at nothing to bring down his enemies… even if it means he has to become one of them to do so.

Obviously I can’t forget my most favorite bloody trilogy ever! I put up the Red Rising cover and synopsis to avoid potential spoilers, but Red Rising is not near as bloody and violent as Golden Son and Morning Star were. I don’t want to give too much away, but trust me when I say that these books are bloody, but you’ll enjoy it. And you’ll also have your heart broken. Multiple times.

These three are my favorite bloody books! If you haven’t read any of these yet, I can highly recommend them! What are your favorite bloody books?

Find more of my previous Fae Friday posts here!