A review by thegezzell
This Wicked Fate by Kalynn Bayron

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

 CW Death, Grief, Death of a Parent.

If This Poison Heart is a well written magical mystery ending in a major cliffhanger This Wicked Fate is a bunch of loose ends tied up in a pretty but ultimately forgettable bow.

Lets talk about what I did like. Bayron's characters and world are rich. Her use of mythology stellar. She portrays grief in a real and tangible way and allows her characters to deal with it. 

So what makes this sequel so tangibly flat? After leaving us on a massive cliff hanger TWF starts out with a quick dip into the mystery/adventure fantasy we know and love. And then it stalls out. Briseis waits for three weeks, and half of the book, for passports and flight plans to come into place. And while there is one memorable scene in the mix the rest of the waiting time is largely wasted. Why Bayron chose to stick her characters in limbo I don't personally know, but if she intended for the reader to be as frustrated as Briseis she accomplished that task.

It truly is a shame. This Poison Heart had a dab of pacing issues as well, but it was held up by mystery, intrigue, and character development. I feel like its worth the read if only for the interesting mythology application and decent third act, but even so its a hard sell. 

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