Book Review – The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

28 Nov 2025 Leave a comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , ,

I received The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab as a gift, although I had already been aware of the book (paid link). This is the first novel by this author that I’ve read. Read on below to see what I thought.

I read the hardcover edition of this.

Here is the blurb:

A Life No One Will Remember. A Story You Will Never Forget.

France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets.

Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.

But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name.

This story was hard for me to get into initially. I really liked the author’s writing style, and that was what drew me in the most and kept me reading. I also enjoyed the character of Addie LaRue and wanted to learn more about the events of her life over three centuries. By the halfway point of the book (when the other main character has viewpoint chapters), I was more invested in the outcomes for both of them and loved the story from there on.

This novel is structured with chapters that jump between Addie’s past in early 18th century France and modern day New York (2013-2014), with other times and cities in between. It was important to pay attention to the dates, to help follow Addie’s story.

No one remember Addie, and thus she has no lasting impact on anyone else’s lives. This is her curse throughout the book, but I loved how she found ways around that as an artistic muse, even if it wasn’t the human connection that she truly craved.

This is much more of a character-driven story than a plot-driven one, which is why I think it didn’t grab my interest as strongly at the beginning, given that I generally like more action in my plots. In some ways, I think that the entire story could have been told in a much shorter format because of the scarcity of specific plot events that needed a number of pages to show. However, writing this story as a novel served the tale well because ultimately I think that spending more time with the characters increased the emotional impact of it.

Overall, I did truly enjoy this book and my comments above are intended to show my reactions rather than to criticize. I don’t know how I feel about the ending and would love to discuss it with someone since I think it is the type of conclusion that may give readers polarized reactions.

Have you read any other books by V.E. Schwab? Which one should I read next? Or — if you’ve read this book, let’s chat about the ending in the comments.

You can find more of my book reviews here.

Book Review – The Teller of Small Fortunes

19 May 2025 1 Comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

The Teller of Small Fortunes is a stand-alone novel by Julie Leong (paid link). I received this book as part of a book subscription box where I am surprised by a beautiful special edition of a new release every month. You can find out more about Fairy Loot at this link.

I read the Fairy Loot hardcover edition.

Here is the blurb:

Tao is an immigrant fortune teller, traveling between villages with just her trusty mule for company. She only tells “small” fortunes: whether it will hail next week; which boy the barmaid will kiss; when the cow will calve. She knows from bitter experience that big fortunes come with big consequences…

Even if it’s a lonely life, it’s better than the one she left behind. But a small fortune unexpectedly becomes something more when a (semi) reformed thief and an ex-mercenary recruit her into their desperate search for a lost child. Soon, they’re joined by a baker with a knead for adventure, and—of course—a slightly magical cat.

Tao sets down a new path with companions as big-hearted as her fortunes are small. But as she lowers her walls, the shadows of her past are closing in—and she’ll have to decide whether to risk everything to preserve the family she never thought she could have.

I didn’t think that I’d like this book, but it was such a cute story and I loved it! I guess that this novel could be considered part of the newer genre of cozy fantasy, which I honestly thought sounded boring. How can a story be engaging without life-threatening stakes and constant dire risk to the characters? Well, this novel has none of those aspects, but it was a wonderful story.

The characters are the central focus of this book. Tao is the titular fortune teller who has fled her home and fears using her power for anything beyond minor readings. She meets the others mentioned in the blurb and they reluctantly decide to travel together out of convenience, but accidentally become inseparable friends by the end. They each become invested in each others’ small quests, and the biggest threat they face is the magefinder who trails behind Tao, insistent that she must be trained to use her power for the Crown.

Despite the low stakes in this book, the themes that it touches upon are serious ones, including confronting prejudice, following your own dreams and not those put upon you by others, believing in yourself, and finding what makes you happy, even if that isn’t money, power, or material things. I also loved the mule and the cat in this story, but I can’t say more without spoilers.

As stated in my intro, this is a stand-alone novel and was a fairly short read, at 346 pages in this hardcover edition. The cover on the Fairy Loot edition is drastically different from the standard one, and you can see it in the photos I’ve interspersed here. This is such a pretty book that while part of me wants to pass it along to someone else to read, my inner dragon wants me to add it to my book hoard. I tend to keep books if I really liked them or if they are part of an unfinished series where I might re-read them as later volumes are published.

Have you read anything in the cozy fantasy genre? I’m planning to read The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst in the next few weeks (paid link). What other books in this genre would you recommend? Let me know in the comments.

You can find more of my reviews here.

Book Review – Onyx Storm

15 May 2025 2 Comments

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros is the third book in The Empyrean series (paid links). I had originally thought it was the final book, but it now looks like she is planning for five volumes in this series.

You can find my reviews of the earlier books below:

I read the hardcover edition.

Here is the blurb:

After nearly eighteen months at Basgiath War College, Violet Sorrengail knows there’s no more time for lessons. No more time for uncertainty. Because the battle has truly begun, and with enemies closing in from outside their walls and within their ranks, it’s impossible to know who to trust.

Now Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre. The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves—her dragons, her family, her home, and him.

Even if it means keeping a secret so big, it could destroy everything. They need an army. They need power. They need magic. And they need the one thing only Violet can find—the truth. But a storm is coming…and not everyone can survive its wrath.

I think it going to be impossible to write this review without some spoilers from the previous two books, so be warned going into this. I will try to avoid spoilers for this book though.

I enjoyed Onyx Storm more than Iron Flame, but not as much as Fourth Wing. I think that was partly because the first book was more focused and everything in Basgiath was new to me as a reader, so the experience of reading the story mirrored that of Violet experiencing the school. Onyx Storm has a massive sprawling plot, with a growing host of characters, more expansive politics, and takes place over an enlarging geographic region. While I often love that kind of thing, it made me feel like I didn’t know which direction things were heading.

Onyx Storm is filled with shocking events. I found myself wondering what else could possibly happen at several points in the book, only to be surprised by another twist a few pages later. For the most part, these surprises worked and didn’t feel forced, although the way the story has developed makes me want to re-read the series before the next book is released so that I’m not missing some of the smaller details.

Violet and Xaden’s relationship is challenged after he turns venin at the end of Iron Flame. He struggles against this destructive power and tries to keep his change secret from everyone but Vi and their dragons. It has to be tough as an author to keep the romance fresh through multiple books. Something has to keep the couple apart, whether it’s a fight, a breakup, political pressure, or becoming a power-sucking red-eyed demon, in order for them to have a reason to make up and keep things hot. I think that the author does a decent job of this through this book, but nothing that is much different than what happens in the first two books.

I pre-ordered this novel and the Deluxe Limited Edition is a gorgeous book. I love the design and the color choices with the black fading into silver. This edition also features sprayed edges with what else – dragons!

Have you read any of the books in The Empyrean series? Which one did you like the best? Let me know in the comments.

You can find more of my reviews here.

Book Review – Knife Children

06 May 2025 Leave a comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , ,

Lois McMaster Bujold is one of my all-time favorite authors, and despite winning numerous Hugo Awards, numerous Nebula Awards, the Mythopoeic Award, and being named a SFWA Grand Master, her books don’t feel as well-known as I think they should be.

I have read all but one of Bujold’s series, and was happy to see this novella, Knife Children, up for review on NetGalley. This short novel is set in her Sharing Knife world, which is comprised of four main novels: Beguilement (#1), Legacy (#2), Passage (#3), and Horizon (#4) (paid links). I never reviewed any of these books on this blog because they were published before I started writing here, but I did enjoy them, particularly the creative worldbuilding and dangerous magic.

I read the ebook edition.

Here is the blurb:

Lakewalker Barr Foxbrush returns from two years of patrolling the bitter wilds of Luthlia against the enigmatic, destructive entities called malices, only to find that the secret daughter he’d left behind in the hinterland of Oleana has disappeared from her home after a terrible accusation. The search for her will call on more of Barr’s mind and heart than just his mage powers, as he tries to balance his mistakes of the past and his most personal duties to the future.

This short novel is something that would only be of interest to readers who are already familiar with Lois McMaster Bujold’s novels set in the Sharing Knife world. It is a small story about Barr Foxbrush and his daughter’s discovery of her Lakewalker powers (and thereby her parentage). Family is one of the main themes throughout the narrative – both for Barr and his daughter.

I enjoyed the story and thought that it was a nice addition to this world. It doesn’t touch on the greater plot and seems to be set after the main novels, although it has been a long time since I read those books and my memory is a bit fuzzy. I did remember enough about malices, mudmen, and how lakewalkers imbue the bones of their deceased with magic to help them fight these evil powers to let me understand the danger that the characters faced.

The only criticism I have is that this cover was terrible. This made this story feel like an afterthought where no publisher wanted to spend money for a cover artist. Even my friends who self-publish their work have nicer artwork and a more appealing design. That aside, if you have never read anything by Lois McMaster Bujold, she is definitely worth a try. Just start with one of her main series, since this novella isn’t the best introduction. I’d recommend either the Vorkosigan Saga which is space opera or The Curse of Chalion which is the first in a fantasy series, where each book is loosely related and could be read as a stand-alone novel (paid links).

Have you read anything by Lois McMaster Bujold? Which books were your favorite? Let me know in the comments.

You can find more of my reviews here.

Book Review – Sorcery and Small Magics

20 Mar 2025 Leave a comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy was one of the books that I purchased in a recent Fairy Loot box (paid link). My copy is one of the prettiest books I’ve received from them so far, with sprayed edges, interior cover art, and a foiled design on the front and back covers. Read on below to see what I thought of the book.

I read the Fairy Loot special hardcover edition.

Here is the blurb:

Leovander Loveage is a master of small magics.

He can summon butterflies with a song, or turn someone’s hair pink by snapping his fingers. Such minor charms don’t earn him much admiration from other sorcerers (or his father), but anything more elaborate always blows up in his face. Which is why Leo vowed years ago to never again write powerful magic.

That is, until a mix-up involving a forbidden spell binds Leo to obey the commands of his longtime nemesis, Sebastian Grimm. Grimm is Leo’s complete opposite—respected, exceptionally talented, and an absolutely insufferable curmudgeon. The only thing they agree on is that getting caught using forbidden magic would mean the end of their careers. They need a counterspell, and fast. But Grimm casts spells, he doesn’t undo them, and Leo doesn’t mess with powerful magic.

Chasing rumors of a powerful sorcerer with a knack for undoing curses, Leo and Grimm enter the Unquiet Wood, a forest infested with murderous monsters and dangerous outlaws alike. To dissolve the curse, they’ll have to uncover the true depths of Leo’s magic, set aside their long-standing rivalry, and—much to their horror—work together.

Even as an odd spark of attraction flares between them.

This was an easy-to-read story that is about two people who find themselves thrown together by an inadvertent curse and then have to find common ground to get themselves out of the situation. In the course of their misadventure, you can quickly tell that this is also a romance (M/M).

I like the way that the magic in this book required both a scriver and a caster in order to perform a spell. That was a unique piece of worldbuilding that added unexpected depth to the plot and the problem-solving required of the characters.

This book was good but also somewhat forgettable. I didn’t realize that it was going to be the first part of a series. I think that it would have worked better as a stand-alone if the author could have moved events along more quickly. However, the story implies that there are greater evils happening in this world that I expect our characters will be drawn into in later books. In the end, I was rather disappointed by the conclusion of this first book, and I don’t know if I’ll pick up the next volume.

One odd thing that I noticed while reading this book is that I have come across a lot of characters named Grimm lately – in this book, Perfectly Wicked by Lindsay Lovise (reviewed here), and Grimm Curiosities by Sharon Lynn Fisher (review coming soon; paid links).

What books have you read lately that have a unique approach to magic? Let me know in the comments.

Find more of my reviews here.

Book Review – House of Blight

21 Feb 2025 1 Comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

House of Blight is the first book in The Threadmender Chronicles by author Maxym M. Martineau and will be published on April 8, 2025. I received an advance copy courtesy of NetGalley. I previously read part of this author’s earlier series – Kingdom of Exiles – and you can find my review of that book here (paid links).

I read the e-book edition.

Here is the blurb:

Edira Brillwyn is a threadmender. She holds a rare, lifesaving power that can cure disease and heal injuries in the blink of an eye. But magic always comes with a cost, and saving anyone sacrifices a sliver of her own life. She’s always kept her abilities hidden…until the powerful Fernglove family discovers her secret.

The Ferngloves are charming and beautiful, possess powerful magic, and don’t take no for an answer—especially Orin, the head of these ruling elites. When Edira’s brothers unexpectedly contract blight—an incurable virus killing people throughout the town, and an illness too strong for her to heal them both—Orin offers to help. Together at his estate they’ll research a cure while Orin slows their sickness and Edira hones her magic. His kindness and honesty surprises Edira, as does her undeniable attraction to him.

But the other Ferngloves are suspicious of her power and may be more dangerous than the ever-present disease. The longer Edira stays within the confines of the Manor, the more the family’s pristine exterior begins to crack—until Edira discovers a terrifying secret and must choose who she can save and at what cost…

I found many aspects of this book to be promising, but overall it didn’t come together for me. I loved how the author portrayed Edira’s threadmending magic, and how she had to hide herself from everyone except for her family at the opening of the story. I found the Blight to be a terrifying affliction at the outset, but as I learned more about this world, the Blight made less sense to me. It was presumably a very contagious magical infection, but it didn’t seem to behave consistently. I did love the cover design and felt like it fit the story and atmosphere of the book well.

The Evers struck me as an elf-fae hybrid, common to much of the current romantasy genre. The author gives them a unique creation mythology and I liked how each family had their own form of magic. However, as Edira adjusted to her new role among them and acknowledged that Orin seemed attracted to her, I found this reaction from the Ever to be unconvincing. Other than giving the Evers some attitude, I wasn’t sure why she was “different” to him. I don’t want to say more on this aspect to avoid spoilers.

I didn’t feel like the other characters were very well developed either. The two younger Evers act out like spoiled teenagers and bully Edira when she first arrives. But after their punishment is over, Edira seems to earn their friendship too easily. The Evers have human servants, but the one who helps Edira tries to communicate danger by giving her mysterious looks and gestures, leaving Edira in a frustrating situation which could have been easily solved with a few words.

The pacing of this novel was also uneven. I felt like Edira pondered her situation and didn’t do much for most of the book. In the last 20%, things finally started to move along.

I though this was a stand-alone, but it looks like the first book in a series. It does wrap up enough of the story in this first book that you could be satisfied with the ending without reading more. However, I don’t think I’ll be continuing with this series. I do still plan to finish reading the author’s other series.

You can find more of by book reviews here.

Book Review – Daughter of Redwinter

11 Feb 2025 Leave a comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , ,

Daughter of Redwinter by Ed McDonald is the first book in The Redwinter Chronicles, and was kindly given to me for review courtesy of NetGalley (paid links). This is the first book that I have read by this author.

I want to add that I love the cover of this book by artist Galen Dara. I have some of her artwork on my walls at home, and you can find more of her work at this link.

I read the e-book edition.

Here is the blurb:

Raine can see—and speak—to the dead, a gift that comes with a death sentence. All her life she has hidden, lied, and run to save her skin, and she’s made some spectacularly bad choices along the way.

But it is a rare act of kindness—rescuing an injured woman in the snow—that becomes the most dangerous decision Raine has ever made.

Because the woman is fleeing from Redwinter, the fortress-monastery of the Draoihn, warrior magicians who answer to no king, and who will stop at nothing to reclaim what she’s stolen. A battle, a betrayal, and a horrific revelation force Raine to enter the citadel and live among the Draoihn. She soon finds that her secret ability could be the key to saving an entire nation.

Though she might have to die to make it happen . . .

I found this book to be a gripping dark fantasy read where the blurb description above only hinted at the scope of this story. The protagonist, Raine, was a fascinatingly believable character to me, finding bravery in certain situations while at the same time being too naive and fearful to leave her abusive partner. She doesn’t always make good decisions, and she is conflicted about who to trust and what to do, but she remained consistent in being herself. She does undergo an odd change in the aftermath of a trauma, but it does have a concrete explanation that adds to her struggles.

There isn’t a clear distinction between good and evil and the other characters feel human and flawed. I’m not sure who to cheer for because they all seem to be doing what they believe is the right thing. As a side effect of this set up, I found myself expecting a betrayal later in the book, but had no idea which direction it would come from.

This was another series where I am enjoying the worldbuilding a lot. The author has created a unique magic system, where a set of relic-like nearly mythical Crowns hold power which the Draoihn revere over friends, family, and country (although these are somewhat linked, I think). At the same time, Raine’s ability to see the dead is a taboo power, and if anyone knew she could do this, she’d be put to death. She isn’t the only one with this ability and her secret isn’t solely hers, adding to the tension in the story.

Much is left unexplained in this first book in the series, but I’m willing to read on and wait for more specifics to emerge later. For example, a magical storm sweeps through the city and suddenly drains the color from the world. While this effect fades, it hints at a more sinister deep plot that I expect to emerge, but for now remains as an isolated oddity.

I’m planning to read the next book, Traitor of Redwinter, in March. The final book, Witch Queen of Redwinter was recently released (November 2024), so this is a completed series (paid links).

I know that Ed McDonald has written a couple of other series of books. Have you read any of those? Which would you recommend? Let me know in the comments!

You can find more of my book reviews here.

Book Review – The Black Bird Oracle

07 Feb 2025 Leave a comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , ,

I have been a fan of Deborah Harkness’ All Souls series, and recently finished watching the TV show based on her work. So of course I had to pick up her newest installment in the series, The Black Bird Oracle (paid links).

You can find links to each book as well as my reviews here:

  • A Discovery of Witches (book here; I didn’t write a review for this one)
  • Shadow of Night (book here; review here)
  • The Book of Life (book here; review here)
  • Time’s Convert (book here; review here)
I listened to the audiobook edition.

Here is the blurb:

Deborah Harkness first introduced the world to Diana Bishop, an Oxford scholar and witch, and vampire geneticist Matthew de Clermont in A Discovery of Witches. Drawn to each other despite long-standing taboos, these two otherworldly beings found themselves at the center of a battle for a lost, enchanted manuscript known as Ashmole 782. Since then, they have fallen in love, traveled to Elizabethan England, dissolved the Covenant between the three species, and awoken the dark powers within Diana’s family line.

Now, Diana and Matthew receive a formal demand from the Congregation: They must test the magic of their seven-year-old twins, Pip and Rebecca. Concerned with their safety and desperate to avoid the same fate that led her parents to spellbind her, Diana decides to forge a different path for her family’s future and answers a message from a great-aunt she never knew existed, Gwyneth Proctor, whose invitation simply reads: It’s time you came home, Diana.

On the hallowed ground of Ravenswood, the Proctor family home, and under the tutelage of Gwyneth, a talented witch grounded in higher magic, a new era begins for Diana: a confrontation with her family’s dark past and a reckoning for her own desire for even greater power—if she can let go, finally, of her fear of wielding it.

In this stunning new novel, grand in scope, Deborah Harkness deepens the beloved world of All Souls with powerful new magic and long-hidden secrets, and the path Diana finds at Ravenswood leads to the most consequential moments yet in this cherished series.

This book picks up in the aftermath of the previous books, so it would not make sense for someone unfamiliar with the series to start with this one. The opening scenes were promising when Diana receives a mysterious message from a previously unknown great-aunt. However, this book unfortunately failed to deliver on this strange message and other threats against Diana and Matthew’s family.

This novel suffered from a constant lack of conflict and danger. Diana’s relatives turn out to welcome her and her family as they invite her to learn the new power of higher magic. When Diana is challenged by a witch in the local coven, I hoped that something interesting would result. Yet the challenge ends when the other witch just gives up and walks away – WTH?

The Congregation has announced that they intend to test Diana and Matthew’s children for an affinity for higher magic. This threat looms over the entire story, but in the end I found myself wondering why they were even that worried. This is apparently a standard test that the Congregation does for all children suspected to be so gifted. When it actually happens, it turns out to be a non-event.

I felt like the purpose of this entire book was to set up another larger story arc. However, this made The Black Bird Oracle drag to the point where I found myself not caring about what happened in this novel. I’m sad that this book was such a disappointment and I don’t think I’ll be as eager to read more in this series.

This was the first book in this series where I listened to the audiobook edition. Jennifer Ikeda was the narrator and did a good job echoing Diana from the TV series. It took me a little time to adjust to how she voiced Matthew.

Have you read The Black Bird Oracle? Do you agree with my review or disagree? Let’s chat in the comments!

You can find more of my reviews here.

Book Review – The Book That Wouldn’t Burn

04 Feb 2025 1 Comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

The Book That Wouldn’t Burn by Mark Lawrence was an impulse buy for me earlier in 2024. I had read one of this author’s earlier novels (Prince of Thorns) and hated it so much that I declined to review it (this was for another site). But Mark Lawrence has since built himself a reputation as a leading author in the grimdark genre so I thought I’d give him another try with this novel, the first in The Library Trilogy (paid links).

I read the hardcover edition.

Here is the blurb:

The boy has lived his whole life trapped within a book-choked chamber older than empires and larger than cities.

The girl has been plucked from the outskirts of civilization to be trained as a librarian, studying the mysteries of the great library at the heart of her kingdom.

They were never supposed to meet. But in the library, they did.

Their stories spiral around each other, across worlds and time. This is a tale of truth and lies and hearts, and the blurring of one into another. A journey on which knowledge erodes certainty and on which, though the pen may be mightier than the sword, blood will be spilled and cities burned.

I loved this book so much, so Mark Lawrence has hereby redeemed himself as an author for me. This novel follows two point-of-view characters – Livira and Evar. Each suffers tragedy and earns instant sympathy from the reader. Livira’s plight is more immediate when she is kidnapped from her settlement by sabbers, then rescued by a patrol and taken to the nearby city where she bluffs her way into a position as a trainee librarian.

Evar is trapped in an eternal library with his small family of others who share a similar fate. The circumstances that brought him to this situation are mysterious, but he is determined to escape.

The library in this book is nearly a character itself and is ancient, inscrutable, and possibly infinite. No one knows who created it or how it has continued to exist through cycles of war and devastation. Only a fraction of the rooms have been catalogued, some are completely inaccessible, and guides are rare and only appear to those specially chosen. This story is partly a love letter to reading, books, and libraries, and here is one quote that I particularly liked from this book:

“That’s all anyone ever is–the story they tell, and the stories told about them. Fiction captures more than facts do. That’s why the library keeps it. It’s the most important part of our memories.”

I loved the worldbuilding in this story. The mythology of the library and the religion behind it echoed our own world and then diverged into its own fascinating struggle between good and evil. Outside the library, we have a sense that there is a cycle of war between the humans and the sabbers, but also hints of other dangers driving this central conflict.

This story also hints at a multiverse of sorts. Both Evar and Livira find their way to The Exchange, a place that reminded me of The Wood Between the Worlds from C.S. Lewis’ Narnia book, The Magician’s Nephew (paid link). This wood is filled with pools that function as gates to other timelines and parallel worlds. This place becomes central to the story as it is the only way that Evar and Livira can meet.

About three quarters of the way through the book, a massive twist is revealed. It made me question everything I had already read! From there, chaos and action drove the last quarter of the book to an ending that was both heartbreaking and satisfying. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series, The Book That Broke the World. I have already pre-ordered the final book in the series, The Book That Held Her Heart, that will be released April 8, 2025 (paid links).

Have you read any books by Mark Lawrence? Which ones did you enjoy? Let me know in the comments!

You can find more of my book reviews here.

Book Review – The Hemlock Queen

14 Nov 2024 1 Comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

The Hemlock Queen is the sequel to The Foxglove King, and the second book in The Nightshade Crown series by Hannah Whitten (paid links). I really enjoyed the first book, and you can find my review of it here.

I read the hardcover edition of this.

Here is the blurb:

The corrupt king August is dead. Prince Bastian has seized the throne and raised Lore—a necromancer and former smuggler—to his right hand side. Together they plan to cut out the rot from the heart of the sainted court and help the people of Dellaire. But not everyone is happy with the changes. The nobles are sowing dissent, the Kyrithean Empire is beating down their door, and Lore’s old allies are pulling away. Even Prince Bastian’s changed. No longer the hopeful, rakish, charismatic man Lore knows and loves, instead he’s reckless, domineering and cold. 

And something’s been whispering in her ear. A voice, dark and haunting, that’s telling her there’s more to the story than she knows and more to her power than she can even imagine. A truth buried deep that could change everything. 

With Bastian’s coronation fast approaching and enemies whispering on all sides, Lore must figure out how to protect herself, her prince, and her country before they all come crumbling down and whatever dark power has been creeping through the catacombs is unleashed.

Second books in a trilogy are tough. I often regret not being able to start the second book immediately after finishing the first one because I tend to forget small details of the characters’ relationships and the worldbuilding. I ran into this problem with The Hemlock Queen, but was still immediately swept up in the story.

This second volume picks up in the immediate aftermath of the previous book. Bastian is now King, but Lore quickly realizes that something is wrong with him, almost like he is two different people. She begins to hear a voice in her own head, and while it won’t answer her questions, she can’t continue to ignore it. I felt like this book was a little more unfocused than the first one, with Lore herself seeming lost between navigating Bastian’s odd moods and her own role in his regime.

The history of the gods in this world was explained better and I felt like I had a greater understanding of the magic. The larger political picture also played a role, and I’m curious to see if more political intrigue will feature in the final book.

Lore continues to navigate her fraught relationships with men, with Bastian and Gabe both continuing to show that they care, but refusing to let her get any closer. This second installment in the series does finally deliver on some of the spiciness set up in the first book, but I don’t want to ruin it by saying more.

The ending also comes to a tragically perfect conclusion that clearly sets up the final book, The Nightshade God, due out in July 2025 (paid link). I liked this series enough that I had to pre-order this. Also – don’t read the blurb on this final book until you’ve read the earlier ones – spoilers!

For anyone who enjoys pretty pictures of books, I have also started an Instagram (or Bookstagram) where you can see me put together pretty displays like these below. I’ll have posts there (ideally) 6 days a week. You can find me at @ihazabookproblem.

Do any of you have your own Bookstagram? Let me know in the comments and I’ll take a look!

You can find more of my book reviews here.

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