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4.22 AVERAGE
4.22 AVERAGE
4.5 stars.
Even better that the first book and the ending leaves me wanting more. Can't wait to read the next book in this series.
Even better that the first book and the ending leaves me wanting more. Can't wait to read the next book in this series.
Spoiler
♡♥♡♥♡ I love this series SO MUCH!!!!!!! ♡♥♡♥♡This series mixes wizards, court intrigue and a bearable amount of romance. I usually hate romance, but it's written so well in this series that I actually want to cry when two of the characters can't be together (
Spoiler
Raisa and Amon
I love this series. I am taking my time with it because I love how the story develops. The way Cinda writes is amazing. The characters and how everything intertwined is so complex and well thought out. The twists in this book are great. I never once guessed what would happen. The romance is also a slow burn. It’s not filled with ridiculous unnecessary romance but when it happens it’s fantastic and feels great. Highly recommend to anyone who likes a great fantasy story with great character development!
adventurous
adventurous
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
Once again, a Chima book that takes a long time to get into. Not sure why she does that. Again, once it got going it was pretty good. Pretty good characters, pretty good plot, but I'm not sure I'll bother to read any others. I'm just not big on her style. I think she panders too much to her teenage audience. I understand why, but J.K. didn't do that and everybody liked her books. Just too much trying to make it unnecessarily hip. This one also is not a stand-alone novel. It ends extremely abruptly and obviously in the middle of the story. Not that that's a problem. I'm just warning ya.
This sequel really hit its stride for me. One of the things I appreciated most is that it picks up directly from the ending of The Demon King - no long gap, just straight back into the story. From there, we get one of my favorite tropes: the journey. I loved following the characters on their different roads leading to Oden's Ford.
The second half of the book takes place at a magical boarding school, which was another element I really enjoyed. Seeing the characters learn more about their magic, hone their skills, and navigate a new environment added depth that book one was just setting up. And it seemed more realistic...they weren't experts on their first try.
That said, I did find myself wishing there was more focus on Han and Raisa. Their relationship (and the story overall) felt a bit drawn out at times, and I kept wanting those two threads to come together more quickly.
Overall, this book felt more focused, more engaging, and gave me the payoff I’d been waiting for after the slow start of the first book. It set up plenty of intrigue for what’s to come, and I was excited to dive into book three.
The second half of the book takes place at a magical boarding school, which was another element I really enjoyed. Seeing the characters learn more about their magic, hone their skills, and navigate a new environment added depth that book one was just setting up. And it seemed more realistic...they weren't experts on their first try.
That said, I did find myself wishing there was more focus on Han and Raisa. Their relationship (and the story overall) felt a bit drawn out at times, and I kept wanting those two threads to come together more quickly.
Overall, this book felt more focused, more engaging, and gave me the payoff I’d been waiting for after the slow start of the first book. It set up plenty of intrigue for what’s to come, and I was excited to dive into book three.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Much more happening in the one. More training, battles, magic. Coming to like the characters much more. Excited to see where this story goes. (A)
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was a pretty good follow up! Definitely a LOT slower paced than book one and I struggled with that! Han is still my favorite character. Raisa annoyed me once again… I know she was very sheltered growing up, but some of her thoughts and actions made me so annoyed. This one definitely picked up towards the end. Also, glad we got more on the politics and world building.