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rebekahripley's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
elle_aline's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
This is peak YA and expecting anything else will disappoint you.
And by that I mean that it's a really enjoyable YA book with a few little weaknesses, without them it would've been easily 4 stars.
Many people seem to dislike 2nd installments in trilogies including this one but I feel differently.
Does this book have a lot of plot? ....no. Did it lessen my fun? Uhh, no.
Really, not much happens in this book, plot wise. It's incredible how little happened while not feeling like that at all. I was having a blast reading that.
It's a lot of worldbuilding and generally setting the scene for the big stuff. But in a good and entertaining way.
My issues with this book were mainly that I couldn't emotionally connect with the characters and the love triangle.
Also I really love the politics of this book. It is so unapologetic and direct about it without feeling performative. Nice.
For example Astrea being a matriarchy (which we obv alread knew lol), the concept of virginity, sex liberation and queer people.
I mean we got Heron (gay?), Erik (bi?) And Giosetta (bi?). I was THRILLED when giosetta appeared. Didn't see that coming and I loved it, even if she just was a minor side character.
The plottwists / reveals were nice. A bit too obvious but it was fine. I like guessing, so I felt validated a lot but sometimes it was a little too easy.
E.g. the guy dying was clear a page before it happened (good) while Coltella what's her name got too much time. At some point i was just screaming at my ebook reader.
The end SHOCKED me. I was just sitting there mouth wide agape.
I also liked how søren confessing his love in the garden (something i got upset over bc it's so stupid and dangerous but disregared as the author simply not thinking it through) actually played out to be the reason for the killings.
Also I really mistrusted the dead guy cause of his dumb ass reasoning to start a war BC OF A CHESS GAME. Like couldn't he have sent some secret agents??? So realizing he'd drop dead was a surprise.
After Theo's cool ass moment killing coletta whatver it went downhill sadly, albeit it was nothing major.
Firstly, the plan is kinda dumb. They're so little people, starved and untrained. Also they're about 3000 soldiers??? That's nothing. According to my estimation Astrea is inhibited by 20.000 people. That's not a lot....
Secondly, I hated how out of nowhere the romance suddenly took off.
As a romance girlie I was surprised by the lack of romance about 70 % in but I didn't mind AT ALL. It just didn't matter.
And then, out of nowhere, Theo knows she's in love with søren. When??? I didn't feel it at all.
That was a major disappointment. I was totally ready to just leave out the romance here.
I really tried liking their moment but i just didn't. And when søren said he fell for the real theo i was like"???? And when???". Obv he loves her, but I want to feel it. To me it just came out of the blue and it felt "unearned".
Thirdly.... obv the love triangle.
A love triangle can be crafted well, but this one wasn't.
It's clear that søren is endgame. But in the first book I enjoyed the moments so much more. Both for søren and for blaise. I just didn't feel anything reading their moments here. This is just individually for the romance.
I was so confused when she told blaise she loved him..... like uh. But I was convinced, that it was platonic love from her.
And then when søren left she kissed blaise???? I was shocked.
Laura Sebastian, are you trying to recreate the twilight moment?
And by that I mean that it's a really enjoyable YA book with a few little weaknesses, without them it would've been easily 4 stars.
Many people seem to dislike 2nd installments in trilogies including this one but I feel differently.
Does this book have a lot of plot? ....no. Did it lessen my fun? Uhh, no.
Really, not much happens in this book, plot wise. It's incredible how little happened while not feeling like that at all. I was having a blast reading that.
It's a lot of worldbuilding and generally setting the scene for the big stuff. But in a good and entertaining way.
My issues with this book were mainly that I couldn't emotionally connect with the characters and the love triangle.
Also I really love the politics of this book. It is so unapologetic and direct about it without feeling performative. Nice.
For example Astrea being a matriarchy (which we obv alread knew lol), the concept of virginity, sex liberation and queer people.
I mean we got Heron (gay?), Erik (bi?) And Giosetta (bi?). I was THRILLED when giosetta appeared. Didn't see that coming and I loved it, even if she just was a minor side character.
The plottwists / reveals were nice. A bit too obvious but it was fine. I like guessing, so I felt validated a lot but sometimes it was a little too easy.
E.g. the guy dying was clear a page before it happened (good) while Coltella what's her name got too much time. At some point i was just screaming at my ebook reader.
The end SHOCKED me. I was just sitting there mouth wide agape.
I also liked how søren confessing his love in the garden (something i got upset over bc it's so stupid and dangerous but disregared as the author simply not thinking it through) actually played out to be the reason for the killings.
Also I really mistrusted the dead guy cause of his dumb ass reasoning to start a war BC OF A CHESS GAME. Like couldn't he have sent some secret agents??? So realizing he'd drop dead was a surprise.
After Theo's cool ass moment killing coletta whatver it went downhill sadly, albeit it was nothing major.
Firstly, the plan is kinda dumb. They're so little people, starved and untrained. Also they're about 3000 soldiers??? That's nothing. According to my estimation Astrea is inhibited by 20.000 people. That's not a lot....
Secondly, I hated how out of nowhere the romance suddenly took off.
As a romance girlie I was surprised by the lack of romance about 70 % in but I didn't mind AT ALL. It just didn't matter.
And then, out of nowhere, Theo knows she's in love with søren. When??? I didn't feel it at all.
That was a major disappointment. I was totally ready to just leave out the romance here.
I really tried liking their moment but i just didn't. And when søren said he fell for the real theo i was like"???? And when???". Obv he loves her, but I want to feel it. To me it just came out of the blue and it felt "unearned".
Thirdly.... obv the love triangle.
A love triangle can be crafted well, but this one wasn't.
It's clear that søren is endgame. But in the first book I enjoyed the moments so much more. Both for søren and for blaise. I just didn't feel anything reading their moments here. This is just individually for the romance.
I was so confused when she told blaise she loved him..... like uh. But I was convinced, that it was platonic love from her.
And then when søren left she kissed blaise???? I was shocked.
Laura Sebastian, are you trying to recreate the twilight moment?
lidotchka's review against another edition
3.0
★★★☆☆ - Definitely a good book, but slightly more boring than [b:Ash Princess|32505753|Ash Princess (Ash Princess Trilogy, #1)|Laura Sebastian|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1503181967l/32505753._SY75_.jpg|53100842]
The Ash Princess trilogy is definitely a good one for me. However, I think this book is a bit more boring. Why? Maybe because it's the second book of the trilogy and they are usually less exciting than the first and last ones. I won't lie, nothing very amazing happens, most of the book is quite boring in fact and you have to be quite invested in the story to continue reading. There are a few good plot twists that will help you continue of course, but it's not nearly as exciting as [b:Ash Princess|32505753|Ash Princess (Ash Princess Trilogy, #1)|Laura Sebastian|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1503181967l/32505753._SY75_.jpg|53100842].
Am I disappointed though? Not at all. I know that the second book of a trilogy is usually meh, so I was aware of it and didn't have super high expectations. But hey, I don't mean this book is bad, my expectations were exceeded! As I mentioned before, there are some good plot twists here and there, probably to make sure you're not too bored and will continue to read.
Will I read the last book? Obviously!! As always, there is a lot of suspense at the end of the book, which really makes you want to buy the next one and read it. And I really want to know what will happen to the characters, if Thora will finally have her kingdom back, if Cress will die, what will happen to Søren, and who will Thora choose between Blaise and Søren (even if I already have an idea about that).
In conclusion, that's definitely a good trilogy. Even if this second book is slower and with fewer plot twists than the first one, it's great. Of course, I can't wait to read [b:Ember Queen|39216077|Ember Queen (Ash Princess Trilogy, #3)|Laura Sebastian|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1561484334l/39216077._SX50_.jpg|60796667]!
The Ash Princess trilogy is definitely a good one for me. However, I think this book is a bit more boring. Why? Maybe because it's the second book of the trilogy and they are usually less exciting than the first and last ones. I won't lie, nothing very amazing happens, most of the book is quite boring in fact and you have to be quite invested in the story to continue reading. There are a few good plot twists that will help you continue of course, but it's not nearly as exciting as [b:Ash Princess|32505753|Ash Princess (Ash Princess Trilogy, #1)|Laura Sebastian|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1503181967l/32505753._SY75_.jpg|53100842].
Am I disappointed though? Not at all. I know that the second book of a trilogy is usually meh, so I was aware of it and didn't have super high expectations. But hey, I don't mean this book is bad, my expectations were exceeded! As I mentioned before, there are some good plot twists here and there, probably to make sure you're not too bored and will continue to read.
Will I read the last book? Obviously!! As always, there is a lot of suspense at the end of the book, which really makes you want to buy the next one and read it. And I really want to know what will happen to the characters, if Thora will finally have her kingdom back, if Cress will die, what will happen to Søren, and who will Thora choose between Blaise and Søren (even if I already have an idea about that).
In conclusion, that's definitely a good trilogy. Even if this second book is slower and with fewer plot twists than the first one, it's great. Of course, I can't wait to read [b:Ember Queen|39216077|Ember Queen (Ash Princess Trilogy, #3)|Laura Sebastian|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1561484334l/39216077._SX50_.jpg|60796667]!
kwilson1129's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
bookishjosh's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you, Penguin Random House, for giving me a finished copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
My mother was the Queen of Peace. But I am not that sort of Queen.
This sequel to Ash Princess was worth the wait. I've always loved political fantasies since they typically have enough intrigue to keep the pages flipping. With that in mind, Lady Smoke gave me the reading experience that I expected. Even though I didn't completely recall everything that happened in the first book, I didn't have a hard time getting back into Theo's dysfunctional world.
The plot was probably one of the reasons for the latter phenomenon since it was somewhat reminiscent of The Selection, one of my favorite YA series. After Theo escaped from the clutches of the evil Kaiser and took refuge in Sta' Crivera, she desperately needed an army to back her up. Unfortunately, the only way to reach that goal was to marry a foreign royal, who would then claim a part of her beloved kingdom. Theo was unwilling to sacrifice her agency to any of her not-so-benevolent suitors, but she had no choice but to entertain their proposals. After all, the fate of Astrea was at stake. When Theo finally selects her future husband, something terrible happens, and she fears that it's the Kaiser's fault.
Although the romantic/political drama was very familiar, I was too engaged to feel bored or jaded. Theo and her friends were always on edge, especially around the king of Sta' Crivera. Their alliance was shaky, so he could sell them out to the Kaiser if he thought that helping them was becoming inconvenient. Moreover, there was a malevolent force in the palace. If Theo didn't manage to find it, she would have to give up on procuring a powerful husband. I loved the irony of her situation. She had outsmarted the Kaiser only to face a similarly cunning enemy.
Theo matured a lot in this book. By visiting one of the camps of her fellow refugees, she realized that there were people who had bigger problems than her. She also discovered the fatal flaw of her supposedly perfect mother. I liked that instead of feeling discouraged, she heeded the call of leadership; she strove to be strong and wise enough to give hope to those who had resigned themselves to poverty and suffering. In light her tenacity, it was no wonder that she had the affections of Blaise and Prince Soren.
Compared to Theo, the two male leads were not that inspiring. Blaise had a suicidal streak or Messianic complex, while Soren had overrated daddy issues (and he was often a "lad in distress"). Also, the love triangle that they had with Theo bordered on emotional cheating. Still, I appreciated how they never failed to lift Theo's spirit through sincere words of affirmation. Without them, she would've succumbed to her bouts of self-doubt and pessimism.
Dragonsbane, Theo's aunt, was the most complex character. I had some assumptions about her from the very beginning, and most of them turned out to be wrong. For a pirate, she sometimes had a striking sense of honor. Well, it was probably because her daughter (Artemisia) was Theo's close friend. Haha. Anyway, I'll try not to be judgmental toward fictional characters.
With all that said, Lady Smoke was an utterly engaging combination of fantasy and politics. The fast pace made the book seem like it had less than 492 pages. I guess it would have been perfect without the overrated love triangle.
My mother was the Queen of Peace. But I am not that sort of Queen.
This sequel to Ash Princess was worth the wait. I've always loved political fantasies since they typically have enough intrigue to keep the pages flipping. With that in mind, Lady Smoke gave me the reading experience that I expected. Even though I didn't completely recall everything that happened in the first book, I didn't have a hard time getting back into Theo's dysfunctional world.
The plot was probably one of the reasons for the latter phenomenon since it was somewhat reminiscent of The Selection, one of my favorite YA series. After Theo escaped from the clutches of the evil Kaiser and took refuge in Sta' Crivera, she desperately needed an army to back her up. Unfortunately, the only way to reach that goal was to marry a foreign royal, who would then claim a part of her beloved kingdom. Theo was unwilling to sacrifice her agency to any of her not-so-benevolent suitors, but she had no choice but to entertain their proposals. After all, the fate of Astrea was at stake. When Theo finally selects her future husband, something terrible happens, and she fears that it's the Kaiser's fault.
Although the romantic/political drama was very familiar, I was too engaged to feel bored or jaded. Theo and her friends were always on edge, especially around the king of Sta' Crivera. Their alliance was shaky, so he could sell them out to the Kaiser if he thought that helping them was becoming inconvenient. Moreover, there was a malevolent force in the palace. If Theo didn't manage to find it, she would have to give up on procuring a powerful husband. I loved the irony of her situation. She had outsmarted the Kaiser only to face a similarly cunning enemy.
Theo matured a lot in this book. By visiting one of the camps of her fellow refugees, she realized that there were people who had bigger problems than her. She also discovered the fatal flaw of her supposedly perfect mother. I liked that instead of feeling discouraged, she heeded the call of leadership; she strove to be strong and wise enough to give hope to those who had resigned themselves to poverty and suffering. In light her tenacity, it was no wonder that she had the affections of Blaise and Prince Soren.
Compared to Theo, the two male leads were not that inspiring. Blaise had a suicidal streak or Messianic complex, while Soren had overrated daddy issues (and he was often a "lad in distress"). Also, the love triangle that they had with Theo bordered on emotional cheating. Still, I appreciated how they never failed to lift Theo's spirit through sincere words of affirmation. Without them, she would've succumbed to her bouts of self-doubt and pessimism.
Dragonsbane, Theo's aunt, was the most complex character. I had some assumptions about her from the very beginning, and most of them turned out to be wrong. For a pirate, she sometimes had a striking sense of honor. Well, it was probably because her daughter (Artemisia) was Theo's close friend. Haha. Anyway, I'll try not to be judgmental toward fictional characters.
With all that said, Lady Smoke was an utterly engaging combination of fantasy and politics. The fast pace made the book seem like it had less than 492 pages. I guess it would have been perfect without the overrated love triangle.
pypingpanda's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
whimsykat's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
bestja01's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
kjthenerd3's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. This book made me feel so many different things. I’d be crying one moment and then immediately start laughing at something else. Can’t wait to start the finale, but I’m also a little scared for this journey to be over