A review by ambeesbookishpages
Lady Smoke by Laura Sebastian

3.0

The full review + more can be found at The Book Bratz

Thank you so much Delacorte for sending me a copy in the mail for review!

“Friends, enemies, I don’t think it matters anymore. The chains are just as heavy, no matter who holds the key.”

I loved Ash Princess and the ending had left me hungry for more, so I was super excited when Delacorte sent me a copy of Lady Smoke in the mail for review. I didn't not like Lady Smoke, I enjoyed seeing some of my favorite characters and seeing what they are up too. But I didn't love this book as much as I hoped too. I see so many five star reviews for this one, so I can tell that I am already the black sheep.

I think my biggest problem was that even though I do love these characters I couldn't connect with them on a personal level like I did in Ash Princess. In the first book I was super invested in Theo and Soren and Blaise and their quests. In Lady Smoke I was very bleh about my connection with them. To be brutally honest I really didn't care for the giant quest they had to go on. If I can't connect with characters I am going to have a hard time reading the book. I felt like I spent a majority of Lady Smoke dragging myself through the pages.

I really didn't like the fact that Theo has to find a husband in order to defeat the Kaiser. I get that it is a plot point to the story can move forward. But #girlpower! (Plus, I ship Theo and Soren still so the whole "Theo having to find a husband that isn't Soren" wasn't my favorite thing in the world.)

“Still, there is something to be said about someone seeing your darkest parts and accepting you anyway.”

Overall I just really didn't love Lady Smoke as much as I hoped. It did end on a cliff hanger so I am slightly intrigued on what is going to happen next. I hope the conclusion for the Ash Princess trilogy is going to be just as kick ass and amazing as the first book was.