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A review by kitsuneheart
The Grief of Stones by Katherine Addison
5.0
I was OVER THE MOON to get an ARC of this to review. I devoured "The Goblin Emperor" years ago, and had somehow sat on book 2 since it's release, only held back by my cripplingly large TBR. But getting an ARC got me in gear, and I listened to "Witness for the Dead" AND "The Grief of Stones" over a 3-day period. And such a wonderful 3 days it was!
This second Celehar-centric book focuses a bit more on the fantasy and politics of the world. We begin by learning about the more mortal, physical evils of Amalo. Orphaned children, blackmail, murder, and crimes more heinous. And the real-world thrusts Celehar into fantasy peril, and in these books, that means the dead. This book has the most perilous fight of the whole series, and that's saying something, when the first book is all about the emperor and people trying to assassinate him!
I was delighted to see a bit of Celehar dancing around romance with his opera-director friend. Addison has me hooked on this relationship. They're so tentative, but there's this comfort and obvious longing for fulfillment that has me already wanting the next book.
Really, the whole thing has me wanting the next book. For a mystery series, it's not so much a spoiler to say that we're set up for a new book of crime and justice, but Addison gave a really compelling ending. One that promises a lot more fantasy (and gay pining) in Amalo book 3.
I need it NOW.
This second Celehar-centric book focuses a bit more on the fantasy and politics of the world. We begin by learning about the more mortal, physical evils of Amalo. Orphaned children, blackmail, murder, and crimes more heinous. And the real-world thrusts Celehar into fantasy peril, and in these books, that means the dead. This book has the most perilous fight of the whole series, and that's saying something, when the first book is all about the emperor and people trying to assassinate him!
I was delighted to see a bit of Celehar dancing around romance with his opera-director friend. Addison has me hooked on this relationship. They're so tentative, but there's this comfort and obvious longing for fulfillment that has me already wanting the next book.
Really, the whole thing has me wanting the next book. For a mystery series, it's not so much a spoiler to say that we're set up for a new book of crime and justice, but Addison gave a really compelling ending. One that promises a lot more fantasy (and gay pining) in Amalo book 3.
I need it NOW.