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booksandladders's review
3.0
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book and chose to review it. This in no way impacts my opinion.
Full review to come on Books and Ladders!
Full review to come on Books and Ladders!
bookforthought's review
5.0
I received an e-arc of of this book via Edelweiss in exchange for my honest review as part of the blog tour organised by RockStar Book Tours. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.
I read and reviewed the first book in this trilogy, [b:Grudging: Birth of Saints Book One|27777346|Grudging Birth of Saints Book One|Michelle Hauck|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1447617147s/27777346.jpg|45672818], as my first book of the year, so it is only fitting that as the year draws to a close, I should be so lucky as to take part in the blog tour for the second book. I loved Grudging, back in January, and am incredibly happy to say that my love for this series only grows stronger after reading Faithful!
Now, I am notoriously bad at finishing series. Usually, I read the first book and then put off reading any sequel because I am just so scared of being disappointed by "fillers" up to the final installment. Gladly, I didn't fall into this trap with Faithful.
This book picks up just a little after Grudging had closed, with the people of Colina Hermosa, Ramiro and Claire still trying to deal with the aftermath of their encounter with the Northerners. From the very beginning, we start to catch glimpses of the main themes that will accompany us throughout the rest of the book. Building on from what was started in Grudging, the role of women in society is further explored, as several strong female figures jump to the lead of their respective societies, opposing world-views clash. I really enjoyed seeing the evolution of Claire's character in particular: still struggling to accept the consequences of the magic she performed in order to save the people of Colina Hermosa, she also has to come to terms with the fact that they seem to fear and distrust her.
And dealing with the consequences of difficult choices is one of the recurring themes of the book: Claire and Ramiro, but also Julian and Beatriz, Teresa and Father Telo... in this time of uncertainty and war, everyone has to make incredibly tough choices, and is left wondering whether the path chosen was indeed the right one. And dealing with the consequences of it all. As in the previous book, the characters were stunning. Each one is perfectly crafted in an incredibly realistic way that makes them stand out as individuals, struggling to cope with the loss of everything they hold dear: family, friends, home and possibly everything they had ever known. The cast is varied, and all the stories intersect and are masterfully weaved together to great a complex world.
In short, Faithful is a great addition to a fantastic series. A middle book that never feels like just a filler, Faithful combines fantasy, action and romance, giving us a great story set in a complex world with constantly-evolving characters. I honestly cannot wait to see how the story will end. Definitely one of my favourite reads this year, this is one series you do not want to miss!
For this and more reviews, visit Book for Thought.
I read and reviewed the first book in this trilogy, [b:Grudging: Birth of Saints Book One|27777346|Grudging Birth of Saints Book One|Michelle Hauck|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1447617147s/27777346.jpg|45672818], as my first book of the year, so it is only fitting that as the year draws to a close, I should be so lucky as to take part in the blog tour for the second book. I loved Grudging, back in January, and am incredibly happy to say that my love for this series only grows stronger after reading Faithful!
Now, I am notoriously bad at finishing series. Usually, I read the first book and then put off reading any sequel because I am just so scared of being disappointed by "fillers" up to the final installment. Gladly, I didn't fall into this trap with Faithful.
This book picks up just a little after Grudging had closed, with the people of Colina Hermosa, Ramiro and Claire still trying to deal with the aftermath of their encounter with the Northerners. From the very beginning, we start to catch glimpses of the main themes that will accompany us throughout the rest of the book. Building on from what was started in Grudging, the role of women in society is further explored, as several strong female figures jump to the lead of their respective societies, opposing world-views clash. I really enjoyed seeing the evolution of Claire's character in particular: still struggling to accept the consequences of the magic she performed in order to save the people of Colina Hermosa, she also has to come to terms with the fact that they seem to fear and distrust her.
And dealing with the consequences of difficult choices is one of the recurring themes of the book: Claire and Ramiro, but also Julian and Beatriz, Teresa and Father Telo... in this time of uncertainty and war, everyone has to make incredibly tough choices, and is left wondering whether the path chosen was indeed the right one. And dealing with the consequences of it all. As in the previous book, the characters were stunning. Each one is perfectly crafted in an incredibly realistic way that makes them stand out as individuals, struggling to cope with the loss of everything they hold dear: family, friends, home and possibly everything they had ever known. The cast is varied, and all the stories intersect and are masterfully weaved together to great a complex world.
In short, Faithful is a great addition to a fantastic series. A middle book that never feels like just a filler, Faithful combines fantasy, action and romance, giving us a great story set in a complex world with constantly-evolving characters. I honestly cannot wait to see how the story will end. Definitely one of my favourite reads this year, this is one series you do not want to miss!
For this and more reviews, visit Book for Thought.
jamiebooksandladders's review
3.0
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book and chose to review it. This in no way impacts my opinion.
Full review to come on Books and Ladders!
Full review to come on Books and Ladders!
sunsoar25's review
4.0
I received a free ecopy of this ARC from Harper via Edelweiss+ for this blog tour.
When I saw the opportunity to sign up for this tour, I was immediately intrigued. I hadn't read the first novel in the Birth of Saints series, but the summary was so intriguing that I wanted to try it regardless. Of course before I began reading this sequel, I went back and read several reviews of book one in an attempt to quickly catch myself up on the goings on, the characters, and the setting. Luckily, I was really able to enjoy this novel, Faithful, even though at times I felt a little out the loop.
There were several things about the novel that I particularly enjoyed about Hauck's novel - the setting and world-building, the magic, and the characters. The world-building is well-developed and the setting is very complex. The epic fantasy has a Spanish flavor that I don't often see in YA, so that was actually pretty refreshing. As refreshing was the presentation of the magic system. I'll admit that I didn't fully understand exactly how it functioned (and I'll probably need to actually read book one to get a better handle on it), but the fact that it operates through music and song still fascinated me. Ramiro and Claire were excellent characters to get to know and learn more about their relationship, plus their duty and home. Both undergo a fair amount of growth and development over the course of this novel.
Overall, if you're interested in YA epic fantasy you will certainly want to try this Faithful by Michelle Hauck, but perhaps first begin the trilogy with book one, Grudging. I know I'll definitely be going back to see how it all begins and I am looking forward to the seeing how the series will conclude. I also hope to someday have the chance to read one of Hauck's other novels, particularly Kindar.
When I saw the opportunity to sign up for this tour, I was immediately intrigued. I hadn't read the first novel in the Birth of Saints series, but the summary was so intriguing that I wanted to try it regardless. Of course before I began reading this sequel, I went back and read several reviews of book one in an attempt to quickly catch myself up on the goings on, the characters, and the setting. Luckily, I was really able to enjoy this novel, Faithful, even though at times I felt a little out the loop.
There were several things about the novel that I particularly enjoyed about Hauck's novel - the setting and world-building, the magic, and the characters. The world-building is well-developed and the setting is very complex. The epic fantasy has a Spanish flavor that I don't often see in YA, so that was actually pretty refreshing. As refreshing was the presentation of the magic system. I'll admit that I didn't fully understand exactly how it functioned (and I'll probably need to actually read book one to get a better handle on it), but the fact that it operates through music and song still fascinated me. Ramiro and Claire were excellent characters to get to know and learn more about their relationship, plus their duty and home. Both undergo a fair amount of growth and development over the course of this novel.
Overall, if you're interested in YA epic fantasy you will certainly want to try this Faithful by Michelle Hauck, but perhaps first begin the trilogy with book one, Grudging. I know I'll definitely be going back to see how it all begins and I am looking forward to the seeing how the series will conclude. I also hope to someday have the chance to read one of Hauck's other novels, particularly Kindar.
steerpike's review
4.0
Faithful picks up directly after the events of the first book in the series, and continues at a relentless pace for the remainder of the novel. Although I imagine it is possible for a new reader to start with this second book, I would recommend starting with Grudging, as certain plot twists and developments will pack more punch for those who've been with the characters since the beginning. Returning readers should find much to love in the sequel, and for my part I found that Faithful was an even more enjoyable read than its predecessor.
In particular, the addition of Teresa as a POV character did much to flesh-out and diversify the cast, and I found both her and Telo's chapters to be the strongest and most affecting.One of my favourite characters from the first book, Alvito, also briefly returned, and I was excited to find him not dead. Unfortunately, this did not last long, but I still enjoyed his interactions with Teresa and found they had good chemistry (not in a romantic sense, but nonetheless their interactions were fun). I do wish Alvito had been around longer, as his death (this time) felt a little sudden, and I was excited to see how Teresa, Telo, and Alvito would get on together. Maybe he'll come back a second time (I would not complain, and the northerners do seem to have life-giving wands . . .). I'm also somewhat invested in my random theory that Fronilde will end up with Teresa, but that may be me just being crazy and looking for foreshadowing where there is none.
A few new characters are introduced, and I thoroughly enjoyed them as well, especially Jorga. Likewise, characters who played a secondary role in Grudging are fleshed out, as are the cultures of the Northerners and the Women of the Song. I still hope for some more detail about both, but I'm sure based on the trajectory of the narrative that the third book will provide. In particular, I find the development thatDal is a god to be placated by the Northerners fascinating. The plot point adds new depth to the conflict, and makes me all the more eager to learn about what was happening in the North prior to their current war. There's a hint of classical mythology and its treatment of gods, heroes, and monsters to the emerging themes and conflicts in Faithful.
I don't talk much about Ramiro and Claire in my review, but I think fans of those two characters will also enjoy their arcs in this second book. I found myself relating to them more this time, as their story matured, but I think younger readers interested in a coming-of-age-narrative will also be pleased.
As this is a review for the second book in a series it naturally contains a lot of spoilers, so I will summarize by saying that if you liked the first book you will really like this second one, and that if you haven't read either, be encouraged by the fact that unlike many series, this one remains strong throughout its second installment.
I would recommend the series overall to upper YA readers in the epic fantasy genre, as well as anyone who is a fan of tightly paced fantasy or historical fiction.
In particular, the addition of Teresa as a POV character did much to flesh-out and diversify the cast, and I found both her and Telo's chapters to be the strongest and most affecting.
A few new characters are introduced, and I thoroughly enjoyed them as well, especially Jorga. Likewise, characters who played a secondary role in Grudging are fleshed out, as are the cultures of the Northerners and the Women of the Song. I still hope for some more detail about both, but I'm sure based on the trajectory of the narrative that the third book will provide. In particular, I find the development that
I don't talk much about Ramiro and Claire in my review, but I think fans of those two characters will also enjoy their arcs in this second book. I found myself relating to them more this time, as their story matured, but I think younger readers interested in a coming-of-age-narrative will also be pleased.
As this is a review for the second book in a series it naturally contains a lot of spoilers, so I will summarize by saying that if you liked the first book you will really like this second one, and that if you haven't read either, be encouraged by the fact that unlike many series, this one remains strong throughout its second installment.
I would recommend the series overall to upper YA readers in the epic fantasy genre, as well as anyone who is a fan of tightly paced fantasy or historical fiction.
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