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A review by eleanorreadstoo
To Bind a Dark Heart by Kathryn Ann Kingsley
4.0
To Bind a Dark Heart is an Arthurian romantasy set in the world of Avalon, full of plot, world-building, and a love burning between a morally grey prince and a naive young woman struggling to choose between what she believes is right and the man she loves. This is book two in the Iron Crystal series and picks up right after the cliffhanger in book one. Following the destruction of the iron crystal, a war between the elementals and Mordred is brewing. With Gwendolyn unsure of who to trust, she goes on the run from Mordred in order to decide what she wants to do now that the world is as it should be. However, along her journey, she discovers her situation may not be as black and white as she previously thought. As the truth comes out and secrets are revealed, she is quick to realize just how stuck in the middle of a bad situation she is.
I have to say I enjoyed To Bind a Dark Heart more than the first book for a few different reasons. First off, the multi POV was very refreshing. I loved switching between multiple characters and getting a feel of what they were thinking in the midst of all that was happening in the world of Avalon. The added POVs of characters outside of Gwen and Mordred were a very nice touch and kept in well with the pacing of the plot. I also loved that Gwen and Mordred were apart for most of the book, I think it was necessary to see them when they were separate and their own entities. It was a nice change from the previous book where they were together the whole time. Now, I will say I was expecting more character development on Gwen's part, I was hoping she would have grown from her betrayal of Mordred at the end of the previous book and being forced out on her own into a world full of dangerous magic. However, I struggled to see her strengths throughout the book, I found her very wishy washy and would have loved for her to take back some control in her life. This ends on a cliffhanger even bigger than book one, I absolutely can't wait to get back to the world of Avalon and see where Gwen and Mordred will stand now that all the secrets are out in the open!
~Many thanks to NetGalley and Kathryn Ann Kingsley for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
I have to say I enjoyed To Bind a Dark Heart more than the first book for a few different reasons. First off, the multi POV was very refreshing. I loved switching between multiple characters and getting a feel of what they were thinking in the midst of all that was happening in the world of Avalon. The added POVs of characters outside of Gwen and Mordred were a very nice touch and kept in well with the pacing of the plot. I also loved that Gwen and Mordred were apart for most of the book, I think it was necessary to see them when they were separate and their own entities. It was a nice change from the previous book where they were together the whole time. Now, I will say I was expecting more character development on Gwen's part, I was hoping she would have grown from her betrayal of Mordred at the end of the previous book and being forced out on her own into a world full of dangerous magic. However, I struggled to see her strengths throughout the book, I found her very wishy washy and would have loved for her to take back some control in her life. This ends on a cliffhanger even bigger than book one, I absolutely can't wait to get back to the world of Avalon and see where Gwen and Mordred will stand now that all the secrets are out in the open!
~Many thanks to NetGalley and Kathryn Ann Kingsley for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.