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4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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
**3.5 STARS**
Content Warning: violence
Book two of the Wickery series picks up immediately after the major event that happened in the first book. Adraa is pegged as an enemy and imprisoned. The amazing world building and magic is back. Jatin and the crew are going around town reminding me of the Avengers. It was nice to see the old crew back.
The story is told between Adraa and Jatin’s perspectives but I think the one with more of a journey and lots of growth is Adraa because she is separated from the group and thrown in prison. She faces many challenges and fights, literally – to the death. We see Adraa out of her comfort zone fighting in prison without her magic and we see her try to relearn how to make magic with some help.
What I found fun about the first book was Adraa and Jatin’s friends helping them on their missions and becoming a group of superheroes. They are back in this sequel, doing what they do best!
I think one thing I missed about the first book was Adraa and Jatin’s enemies to lovers romance because of course, now they are together with no qualms about their love for one another. And they were kept apart for most of the story so I did miss them interacting with one another.
FINAL THOUGHTS::
Why you should read it:
*a solid duology with lots of magic and romance (mostly in book one)
*Adraa goes through a lot of challenges and growth
*magic wielding superheroes and lots of action
Why you might not want to read it:
*not a lot of romance
*couple was spent apart for most of the book
My Thoughts:
Although not my favorite between the two books in this duology because I miss all the romance, I think this was a solid conclusion to this series. I enjoyed all the world building, magic and camaraderie between Jatin and his friends. Adraa goes through a lot in this sequel shows but she rises to the challenge which is very inspiring.
Content Warning: violence
Book two of the Wickery series picks up immediately after the major event that happened in the first book. Adraa is pegged as an enemy and imprisoned. The amazing world building and magic is back. Jatin and the crew are going around town reminding me of the Avengers. It was nice to see the old crew back.
The story is told between Adraa and Jatin’s perspectives but I think the one with more of a journey and lots of growth is Adraa because she is separated from the group and thrown in prison. She faces many challenges and fights, literally – to the death. We see Adraa out of her comfort zone fighting in prison without her magic and we see her try to relearn how to make magic with some help.
What I found fun about the first book was Adraa and Jatin’s friends helping them on their missions and becoming a group of superheroes. They are back in this sequel, doing what they do best!
I think one thing I missed about the first book was Adraa and Jatin’s enemies to lovers romance because of course, now they are together with no qualms about their love for one another. And they were kept apart for most of the story so I did miss them interacting with one another.
FINAL THOUGHTS::
Why you should read it:
*a solid duology with lots of magic and romance (mostly in book one)
*Adraa goes through a lot of challenges and growth
*magic wielding superheroes and lots of action
Why you might not want to read it:
*not a lot of romance
*couple was spent apart for most of the book
My Thoughts:
Although not my favorite between the two books in this duology because I miss all the romance, I think this was a solid conclusion to this series. I enjoyed all the world building, magic and camaraderie between Jatin and his friends. Adraa goes through a lot in this sequel shows but she rises to the challenge which is very inspiring.
emotional
funny
mysterious
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
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
I am so glad I could read this right after I finished the first. I needed this. This one is a bit darker than the first one but it had to be. There is so much character growth in this one. I loved every action packed romantic moment. Getting to know the side characters more was awesome. I would love to visit this world again! I highly recommend this duology!
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Bound By Firelight
Author: Dana Swift
Book Series: Wickery Book 2
Rating: 3/5
Diversity: South Asian MCs and characters, Disabled side character, Mute characters and characters who experience mutism
Recommended For...: young adult readers, fantasy, romance, South Asian inspired
Publication Date: January 18, 2022
Genre: YA Fantasy Romance
Recommended Age: 15+ (violence, gore, mass death, parental death, war, torture, sexism mentioned, grief, romance, drugs referenced, religion)
Explanation of CWs: The book has a lot of scenes of violence and gore and also shows active war/coup and mass death, including a parental death and grief. There is also torture shown in the book. There is some romance. The book also references a drug-like substance. The book has one instance of sexism mentioned and the book has a lot of scenes where the characters practice their religion and see a God.
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 448
Synopsis: After a magical eruption devastates the kingdom of Belwar, royal heir Adraa is falsely accused of masterminding the destruction and forced to stand trial in front of her people, who see her as a monster. Adraa's punishment? Imprisonment in the Dome, an impenetrable, magic-infused fortress filled with Belwar’s nastiest criminals—many of whom Adraa put there herself. And they want her to pay.
Jatin, the royal heir to Naupure, has been Adraa’s betrothed, nemesis, and fellow masked vigilante... but now he’s just a boy waiting to ask her the biggest question of their lives. First, though, he’s going to have to do the impossible: break Adraa out of the Dome. And he won’t be able to do it without help from the unlikeliest of sources—a girl from his past with a secret that could put them all at risk.
Time is running out, and the horrors Adraa faces in the Dome are second only to the plot to destabilize and destroy their kingdoms. But Adraa and Jatin have saved the world once already... Now, can they save themselves?
Review: For the most part this was an ok book. The book is still reading a little young, so it’d be good for younger YA readers. The book did good with the character development and world building. I also still love the South Asian characters and inspiration into this book and I still loved seeing some of the quirks of the MCs from the first book carry over to this one.
However, there are concerns from South Asian own voice readers about the author and how she was chosen to write a story for South Asian readers instead of a South Asian writer. Some of the concerns also revolved around the incorrect terminology. Their voices are valid and should be read in full. They can be found on Goodreads, so please review their concerns. I also have concerns about the use of mutism and sign language in this book. I liked that the characters used some sign when they became mute, but I didn’t like how it quickly became “we write words above our heads instead of just learning sign”. I feel like that aspect could have been done better. I also didn’t like how mutism was treated in the book overall. While the characters were involuntarily muted as a form of torture and it fit the book, it just doesn’t feel very fair to akin being mute to being tortured. It overall gave me a bad vibe and I’d love to see Mute/Sign User ownvoice reviewers point of view on this because I might be completely wrong about this. There was also a lot of stuff to pack into this book and it got confusing very quickly. Lastly, the plot wasn’t really sound in this book and I also didn’t like the pacing.
Verdict: It’s ok, but not for me. Maybe for you!
Book: Bound By Firelight
Author: Dana Swift
Book Series: Wickery Book 2
Rating: 3/5
Diversity: South Asian MCs and characters, Disabled side character, Mute characters and characters who experience mutism
Recommended For...: young adult readers, fantasy, romance, South Asian inspired
Publication Date: January 18, 2022
Genre: YA Fantasy Romance
Recommended Age: 15+ (violence, gore, mass death, parental death, war, torture, sexism mentioned, grief, romance, drugs referenced, religion)
Explanation of CWs: The book has a lot of scenes of violence and gore and also shows active war/coup and mass death, including a parental death and grief. There is also torture shown in the book. There is some romance. The book also references a drug-like substance. The book has one instance of sexism mentioned and the book has a lot of scenes where the characters practice their religion and see a God.
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 448
Synopsis: After a magical eruption devastates the kingdom of Belwar, royal heir Adraa is falsely accused of masterminding the destruction and forced to stand trial in front of her people, who see her as a monster. Adraa's punishment? Imprisonment in the Dome, an impenetrable, magic-infused fortress filled with Belwar’s nastiest criminals—many of whom Adraa put there herself. And they want her to pay.
Jatin, the royal heir to Naupure, has been Adraa’s betrothed, nemesis, and fellow masked vigilante... but now he’s just a boy waiting to ask her the biggest question of their lives. First, though, he’s going to have to do the impossible: break Adraa out of the Dome. And he won’t be able to do it without help from the unlikeliest of sources—a girl from his past with a secret that could put them all at risk.
Time is running out, and the horrors Adraa faces in the Dome are second only to the plot to destabilize and destroy their kingdoms. But Adraa and Jatin have saved the world once already... Now, can they save themselves?
Review: For the most part this was an ok book. The book is still reading a little young, so it’d be good for younger YA readers. The book did good with the character development and world building. I also still love the South Asian characters and inspiration into this book and I still loved seeing some of the quirks of the MCs from the first book carry over to this one.
However, there are concerns from South Asian own voice readers about the author and how she was chosen to write a story for South Asian readers instead of a South Asian writer. Some of the concerns also revolved around the incorrect terminology. Their voices are valid and should be read in full. They can be found on Goodreads, so please review their concerns. I also have concerns about the use of mutism and sign language in this book. I liked that the characters used some sign when they became mute, but I didn’t like how it quickly became “we write words above our heads instead of just learning sign”. I feel like that aspect could have been done better. I also didn’t like how mutism was treated in the book overall. While the characters were involuntarily muted as a form of torture and it fit the book, it just doesn’t feel very fair to akin being mute to being tortured. It overall gave me a bad vibe and I’d love to see Mute/Sign User ownvoice reviewers point of view on this because I might be completely wrong about this. There was also a lot of stuff to pack into this book and it got confusing very quickly. Lastly, the plot wasn’t really sound in this book and I also didn’t like the pacing.
Verdict: It’s ok, but not for me. Maybe for you!
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-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
4.5 stars! This duology was absolutely amazing! So much more unique than a lot of what we get in YA—and I say that as a huge YA lover! The magic system, world building, and pacing are all perfection, and the characters are so lovable and brought to life so perfectly. This was an absolute page-turner. I laughed, I gasped, I EVEN CRIED. Seriously, I can’t recommend this enough. Don’t miss out on this amazing duology!