book series

Review: Murder, She Wrote: Snowy with a Chance of Murder (Murder, She Wrote #60) by Jessica Fletcher and Barbara Early

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Murder, She Wrote: Snowy with a Chance of MurderMurder, She Wrote: Snowy with a Chance of Murder by Jessica Fletcher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Snowy with a Chance of Murder is the 60th-installment of the beloved Murder, She Wrote Cozy Mystery series. This series is essentially the Godmother of all other Cozies.

As some of you I’m sure are aware, this is my favorite Cozy Mystery series. I never shut up about it. I’ve read, I believe 47 of them now, but my count could be off. I’ve stopped really keep track after 40.

This book is the 1st to be penned by Barbara Early, author of the Vintage Toyshop Mystery series, amongst other things.

In this installment, Jessica, preparing to depart on a luxurious Winter cruise ends up slipping on the ice on the morning of her departure and severely injuring herself, making travel impossible.

Now housebound, forced to use a wheelchair, Jessica finds herself staring out her windows like never before.

As luck would have it, she has plenty to look at by way of a curious new neighbor, a man named Rymer. He has, for unknown reasons, ended up, in the non-tourist season, renting the house directly across the street from Jessica.

As it turns out, Rymer is an artist whose medium happens to be snow and his sculptures are of the scandalous variety. If you happened to watch Hot Frosty on Netflix this Winter, you’ll be pretty close to imagining what I mean.

With the town a titter over all this risque art on display, it’s no surprise that under the cover of darkness, someone starts destroying Rymer’s sculptures.

For his part, Rymer never seems too concerned. He just starts over, builds something new. It’s Cabot Cove, mid-Winter, there’s certainly plenty of snow to go around.

The morning after the most recent blizzard, however, it’s more than a sculpture that’s found out in the snowy landscape. It’s Rymer’s half-buried body.

Incidentally, there are two other mysteries occurring at the same time as Rymer’s death. Are these other mysteries related to Rymer, and if so how?

You better believe Jessica is going to do her best to help local law enforcement figure it out. With the help of friends, and a healthy dose of determination, she does just that.

3.5-stars, you ask, for my favorite Cozy series? It is rounded up, but still I feel we need to lay it out on the table. Here’s the thing. This is the 1st-effort from this author in this long-running series, and while I did enjoy the main overall mystery, I was left with questions.

Also, I felt like Jessica’s character wasn’t quite right. It didn’t feel like her in some ways. It was subtle things, but still things that took me out of the story as I thought to myself, Jessica would never say that, or think that.

One thing I want when I pick up this series is consistency. These are go-to comfort reads for me that I’ve been picking up for over 2-decades. If Jessica suddenly starts not feeling like Jessica, you better believe I’m gonna notice.

Nevertheless, this was still overall a pretty solid read, and of course, I will continue picking up the books in this series.

I enjoy the Cabot Cove-based mysteries, because when you become a frequent Reader, you learn all the townsfolk and it really feels like spending time with old friends. I do think this author succeeded in bringing about the basic vibes of this quaint seaside town.

There was a lot happening here though, some of it felt a little unnecessary. For example, Jessica had a live-in nurse, helping her while she was injured, and they would have little writing workshops together and it included excerpts from this girl’s random Fantasy story.

It just felt to me like the author needed to fill pages and that was one way to do it. There was ultimately a point to it, but it still felt silly and forced.

With this being said, you aren’t going to love every book you read in a series, and I still felt all my love and nostalgia of being back with Jessica in Cabot Cove.

Thank you to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. There’s another book releasing this Summer, set in Boston, and I’m so excited for that one!

If you love Cozy Mysteries, and haven’t checked this series out yet, you really should. They can be read in any order and once you start, you probably are not going to want to stop!

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Review: Dating and Dragons (Dungeons and Drama #2) by Kristy Boyce

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Dating and DragonsDating and Dragons by Kristy Boyce
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

Dating and Dragons is the 2nd-book in the Dungeons and Drama YA-Romance series.

These books are companion novels that revolve around RPG-gaming, in particular, and as you may have guessed from the titles, Dungeons and Dragons.

In this installment, we’re following Quinn and Logan. Quinn has recently moved and is starting at a new high school. She hopes that joining a D&D group will be her opportunity to make some new friends.

Logan, is a participant in said D&D group, a bit of a leader and a hunk to boot. He’s charming, handsome and genuine, but there’s a catch. There’s a rule, agreed to by all members that they will not date other members.

Therefore, no matter how much chemistry Quinn and Logan are feeling, they cannot take the bait. Quinn really needs to be a part of this group. She left her old school under bad circumstances, and she’s not willing to be friendless again.

But maybe, baby, they could spend some time together secretly. That couldn’t hurt? Could it?

I loved this just as much as Dungeons and Drama!! I hope there are going to be more books in this series.

There’s something about Boyce’s character work that is just so sweet and compelling. I’ve loved every background of every character in these books.

The gaming element in this one, the D&D group involved, was so great and felt more in-depth than the gaming in the 1st-book. I loved that aspect. I’m not sure if that is true, or just my perception, but I appreciated it nonetheless.

I also adored Quinn as a main character, and even Logan. I’ll admit he had me swooning and blushing more than once. The chemistry between them was also so well done.

The secrecy and the way everything was resolved, Boyce did a great job developing all of that. There were moments when I wanted to shake them both (miscommunication, it’s a thing), but I still felt like it was realistically portrayed.

I’m not sure what the plan is for this series, if there will be more or not, but if there is, you better believe that I’m 1000% on board for it. These books have both made me giddy with how good they are.

Thank you to the publisher, Delacorte Romance, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m looking forward to more from Kristy Boyce.

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Review: Rise and Divine (The Witches of Thistle Grove #5) by Lana Harper

~ megs14malloy

Rise and Divine (The Witches of Thistle Grove, #5)Rise and Divine by Lana Harper
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

Rise and Divine is the 5th-book in The Witches of Thistle Grove series. This is an Adult Romance series all set in the quaint town of Thistle Grove, where witch families can live and pursue their various passions and gifts.

For those unfamiliar with the series, the books are all companion novels. They take place in the same small town, following the same timeline, but each book focuses on different main characters.

In this installment, we’re following Dasha Avramov and Ivy Thorn. For those familiar with this series, you’ll definitely recognize these names, and if you’re not, it doesn’t matter, you can still read this book and enjoy the story.

Dasha is a special kind of witch. She’s what’s known as a devil eater, which means she has a very rare ability that allows her to banish demons and traverse the veil. It’s also on of the most dangerous affinities.

Since the loss of her parents, Dasha finds herself, in her grief, more and more curious about what lies beyond the veil; in a very unhealthy way.

She’s also been isolating herself from family, friends and as much as she can, the rest of the community. All that’s about to change though, when she is forced to work with her old flame, Ivy Thorn, to plan an upcoming local festival.

The tension is high between the two, but it’s obvious a spark is still smoldering. Their work forces them into contact, but that work on the festival starts to pale in comparison to the teamwork needed to defeat the otherworldly force suddenly focused on their town.

Through these treacherous circumstances, the two women start to open up to one another, and trust another once again, but will it be enough to make this second-chance romance a success?

I’m going to be brutally honest for a minute; wild, I know. I haven’t been blown away by any of the books in this series. Sometimes, I wonder why I am continuing with it at all.

They’ve all been a bit mediocre for me, but with this being said, every time I see a new one announced, I get excited to see what characters it will follow and what the basic plot will be. Also, the cover art. I always love it.

So, at the end of the day, while I wouldn’t say this is necessarily a series that will blow your hair back, there’s still something so cozy and relaxing about returning to Thistle Grove. Each book brings something new and examines romantic relationships in a different way.

I liked the second-chance romance element. To me, it seemed unlikely Dasha would be able to give Ivy what she needs in the long run, but I’ll let you read it and decide for yourself whether or not that’s true.

I did really enjoy the darker elements in this one. The threat to the town felt real. I liked how brave the women were in taking that on; particularly, Dasha.

Yeah, if there’s another book, I’m game. I like this town. I think it is fun to see where each new book is going to go. Do I think they’re the most memorable romances in the world? No, but also, I’m still here for what they are.

Thank you to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I always appreciate it!

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Review: Murder at the Loch (Ally McKinley Mystery #2) by Dee MacDonald

~ megs14malloy

Murder at the Loch (An Ally McKinley Mystery #2)Murder at the Loch by Dee MacDonald
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Murder at the Loch is the 2nd-book in the Ally McKinley Mystery series, which just so happens to be one of my new favorite Cozy Mystery series.

These books, set in the Scottish Highlands, follow recent-retiree, Ally McKinley, who fell in love with the village of Locharran while on a holiday. Shortly thereafter, she purchased the old malthouse to transform it into a B&B.

After a reno, the B&B is open and doing good business. Ally has adjusted to life quite well in Locharran; even taking in a sweet Labrador puppy, Flora. It’s quite a change of pace for her in comparison to her old life in Edinburgh.

The mystery in this installment kicks off when Ally and Flora are taking a walk and they discover a mysterious woman, dead and floating in the Loch.

In the aftermath of the tragic find, the village is buzzing. Who was this mystery woman and how did she end up in their peaceful corner of the countryside? Dead.

That’s not the only buzz though, Hamish Sinclair, the local earl, is newly engaged and his soon-to-be wife, Elena, and her sister, have just arrived from out of town.

The feathers get further flustered when it becomes common knowledge that not only is the earl’s bride-to-be decades younger than him, she’s not even Scottish!

The townsfolk don’t need to worry about Elena for long though, as she is found poisoned the morning after their controversial wedding.

With two deaths to investigate, the local police seem overwhelmed and suspect everyone, including Ally herself.

Determined to clear her name and get to the bottom of what’s going on in Locharran, Ally, along with her new beau, start their own investigation.

Murder at the Loch entertained me from the very first pages. I was so happy to be returning to this beautiful landscape and quaint village lifestyle.

This is such a fantastic Cozy series. The setting is perfection and I’m loving getting to know the cast of characters, particularly Ally, who is just such a likable protagonist.

I love how quickly MacDonald starts these mysteries. It gives you so much time to really dig deep and try to get to the bottom of what’s going on.

I enjoyed the dual cases and how the deaths of these two women really amped up the drama and danger. The town was, rightly so, concerned that a very serious killer was in their mix. It could be anyone and anyone could be next.

I had a lot of different suspects over the course of the story and I loved being along for the ride as all the puzzle pieces eventually fell into place.

As expected, I have become even more attached to this cast of characters, Ally and Flora, in particular, and I’m super excited to continue on with this series.

I would highly recommend this series to any Cozy Mystery fan, particularly if you enjoy stories with small town vibes and that follow slightly older protagonists.

I would also urge you to start with the 1st-book, as I feel like that initial development and set-up is important for Ally’s character and the continuation of the series. Both are fantastic and I know you’ll fly through them and be just like me, anticipating more!!

Thank you to the publisher, Bookouture, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I have been in such a Cozy mood lately and this was exactly what I needed and wanted when I picked it up.

I’m not sure what the plans are for this series, but I am hoping to be picking them up for years to come.

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Review: Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping on a Dead Man (Vera Wong #2) by Jesse Q. Sutanto

~ megs14malloy

Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping on a Dead Man (Vera Wong, #2)Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping on a Dead Man by Jesse Q. Sutanto
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping on a Dead Man is the 2nd-book in the Vera Wong series. I absolutely adored the 1st-book when I read it in 2023.

At that time, I was expecting it to be a standalone novel, so was giddy when I discovered we would be getting more with the indomitable-Vera Wong and friends.

This novel involves a new mystery for Vera to investigate, as well as a whole new set of side characters. We still get appearances from all her old friends, but she does make some great new ones here.

The mystery involves the death of an up-and-coming influencer. Online, Xander, was the type social influencer people love to follow. His feed generally featured things like enviable travels on private jets, stays at luxury resorts, and all the newest fashion trends, but who was he really?

Xander’s story is at the heart of this investigation, and what Vera uncovers is sure to tug at your heartstrings. I know it did mine. My emotions were an absolute roller coaster over the course of this novel.

The moment I was reunited with Vera, I had a smile on my face. She is a sharp-witted 61-year old, who loves to act like she’s ancient. It’s hilarious. She is so far from that.

Vera Wong has been one of my absolute favorite characters written within the last few years, and she’s def one of my favorite amateur sleuths ever.

While I wouldn’t say I connected with the cast of side characters in this one as much as I did in the 1st-book, I still loved all of their interactions with Vera, as well as the value brought by their personal stories.

Again it was easy to see how Vera was touching their lives in different ways and it filled my heart to read. We all need a Vera in our life. Better yet, be a Vera in someone else’s life. It could make all the difference in the world!

In addition to the character work, I also appreciated so much the topics Sutanto explored in this one, and her note at the end describing her real life inspiration was touching and brought more insight into this story.

I highly recommend reading that Author’s Note at the end.

Thank you to Berkley for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m such a fan and certainly hope we get more installments to the Vera Wong series.

I think these books hold an emotional depth that would be surprising for a lot of Readers. If you haven’t checked this series out, I definitely recommend that you do.

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Review: The Cornish Castle Murder (Nosey Parker Mystery #8) by Fiona Leitch

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The Cornish Castle Murder (The Nosey Parker Mysteries, #8)The Cornish Castle Murder by Fiona Leitch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

💜💙🧡💜💙🧡💜💙🧡💜💙🧡💜

The Cornish Castle Murder is the 8th-book in the Nosey Parker Mystery series, which just so happens to be my favorite, currently-running, Cozy Mystery series.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, this cast of characters feel like part of my friend group. Picking up one of these books just fills me with all the cozy, comfort feels.

These books follow Jodie Parker, who resigned from the Metropolitan Police Force in London after a close call and returned to her native village of Penstowan, in Cornwall, with her teen daughter, Daisy.

It’s there she opened her own catering company, has taken in her Mum, as well as a wily-Pomeranian named Germaine, and reunited with many old friends. Life is good.

In spite of her new business ventures, old habits are hard to break, so Jodie ends up assisting the local coppers with their investigations. Her handsome DCI-boyfriend, now-fiance, Nathan Withers, always keeps her in the loop.

They’re truly a match made in heaven. As they arrive at the lush Cornish castle where their wedding weekend is being held, they’re excited for their future together.

Unfortunately, the wedding weekend turns into an un-wedding weekend once a body is discovered on the grounds the night after the stag and hen-dos.

With all attending their event now under suspicion, Jodie and Nathan must put their celebrations on hold in order to investigate the death before the killer strikes again.

As expected, I enjoyed this so much. Being back with this cast, I don’t care what they’re doing, I’m down for it.

I love Jodie and her relationship with her Mum and daughter, Daisy, is the best. It’s three generations of women living together and supporting one another through everything. They have such a sense of humor with each other too. It’s a pure joy to read.

I also really enjoy Jodie and Nathan together. I can relate to Jodie in a lot of ways, and I like seeing her open herself up to romantic love, after being burned in the past, and to be cherished by a special partner like Nathan. Good for her.

Then there’s Germaine, Jodie’s wee Pomeranian. The cutest little puffball to ever grace the pages of a Cozy Mystery. She’s always inserting herself in the action.

I did enjoy this particular mystery as well. It was a puzzle. I liked the setting at the castle and had a lot of suspects. This one definitely kept me guessing.

I did think it started a little slow, but once it got rolling I was hooked. I had suspicions, but didn’t guess who it was until the very moment I believe Leitch wanted me to figure it out. The why was interesting as well; atypical and not suspected.

I feel overall that this is a great continuation to the series.

Thank you so much to the publisher, One More Chapter, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I was so excited to receive an early copy and dropped literally everything to pick it up.

I love this series and characters with my whole heart and cannot wait for more books. Keep ’em coming, please!!!!

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Review: The Hollow (Hercule Poirot #26) by Agatha Christie

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The Hollow (Hercule Poirot, #26)The Hollow by Agatha Christie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Hollow is the 26th-book in Agatha Christie’s iconic Hercule Poirot series.

I’ll be honest, I hadn’t heard of this one when I discovered it while browsing the shelves at B&N a couple weeks ago. It actually caught my eye because I had never heard of it.

I plucked it off the shelf to find out and immediately fell in love with this cover. I had to have it. A few hours later, I cracked it open on my 2.5-hour ferry ride home.

I was immediately pulled into the story, which follows a colorful cast of characters that Lucy Angkatell, the quirkiest amongst them, has invited to her country house for a holiday weekend.

As it happens, Hercule Poirot is one of the Angkatell’s neighbors, in that he has a country house nearly abutting their property.

Knowing the infamous detective is due to be at his house that weekend, Lucy invites him to dine with them all. His presence should be quite entertaining.

Unfortunately, just as Poirot is arriving for lunch at the Angkatell estate at the appointed time, one of the other guests is discovered shot dead by the pool.

At first, Poirot suspects it is some sort of cruel joke intended for him. He believes they’re acting, but those suspicions are quickly put to rest upon closer examination of the body with copious amount of blood dripping into the pool.

The corpse’s spouse is standing there, holding a revolver, but it can’t be that simple, can it?

Thus, an investigation begins, involving both Poirot and local law officer. This was a fun closed-circle mystery that kept me guessing. It also made me quite sad at the end.

What’s that all about, Agatha?!

I enjoyed that we had a full, unlikable cast of characters to choose from as suspects and each one of them had motive. That’s always the best kind, isn’t it?

And of course we have Poirot there, just slaying, as usual. He’s so beyond other’s deductive skills, but never rubs that in their faces. We love a confident, yet humble man.

I’m surprised, upon reflection, that I’ve never heard of this one. It was so good. I would definitely recommend this to all Christie fans, if you, like me, never had this on your radar. It’s well worth the read.

It had been a while since I had picked up a Christie, a few months at least, and this has reinvigorated my love for her works. I ordered two more today, in fact. I can’t wait to get to them!

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Review: Head Cases (PAR Unit #1) by John McMahon

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Head Cases (PAR Unit, #1)Head Cases by John McMahon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Head Cases is a super-strong start to an all new Police Procedural Mystery series, following an elite, yet obscure, unit in the FBI called PAR (Patterns and Recognition).

I learned about this book through good ole’ fashioned word of mouth, and I could tell from what my friends were saying that this would align with my taste. Happily, it certainly did.

Our MC is FBI Agent Gardner Camden. He’s undoubtedly an analytical genius, but unfortunately, the people-side of his analysis tend to be lacking. He’s a puzzle genius, yet a mediocre people person.

Nevertheless, along with the rest of the team, each bringing their own special set of skills to the table, they’re a true force to be reckoned with.

The case in question involves a murder victim whose DNA links to a serial killer long-presumed dead. A 2nd-victim establishes a pattern, and the killer seems to be leaving behind clues and riddles especially created for Gardner.

The team flies into action and the rest of the story is a whirlwind of cat-and-mouse suspense as Gardner gets closer-and-closer to catching the killer.

I listened to the audiobook for this one and found it to be so gripping. I highly recommend that format should you have access to it. I felt the narrator became Agent Gardner for me. It was completely believable.

I loved the quirky team as well. They each have their own strengths and weaknesses, working well together to get the outcome they all desired. I love when strong teams are shown on page, versus teams full of drama and strife.

I would HIGHLY recommend this to fans of Criminal Minds. I was totally picturing Matthew Grey Gubler and Shemar Moore the whole time, which obviously is not a bad thing…

I’m not sure what the long-term plan is for this series, but the possibilities are endless. I’d definitely be down for joining this team on a lot more cases.

Thank you to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I cannot wait for more PAR Unit!!

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Review: The Witch Collector (Witch Walker #1) by Charissa Weaks

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The Witch Collector (Witch Walker, #1)The Witch Collector by Charissa Weaks
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

8-years ago, Raina Bloodgood, lost her sister when the Witch Collector came to their village and took her to deliver to the Frost King, with whom she has lived ever since.

Raina has been left plotting revenge against the individuals who tore apart her family. Now with the Harvest Moon approaching, Raina is ready to exact that revenge.

Unfortunately, events do not go as planned and Raina ends up more alone than ever after a new threat burns her village to the ground.

Now she’s left to team up with the one person she was dead-set on ending, Alexus Thibault, the Witch Collector. As it turns out, Alexus may be her best chance of, well, surviving, but also, of being reunited with her sister.

Thrust into new battles she never expected, Raina also finds her heart veering in directions she never expected, like straight towards Alexus. Has her villain become her hero?

Okay. I see you, Charissa Weaks. You have my attention and I’m willing to continue with the Witch Walker series to see what else you have in store for us.

For me personally, this wasn’t the most solid start to a series. I felt like the pacing was a little off, causing my attention to wax and wane. Also, I have lingering questions. However, I’m still intrigued enough to continue.

I feel like it’s possibly one of those cases where the further you get, the more deeply invested you become. I did enjoy the initial world-building, as well as the characters, and I’m interested in learning more about those aspects.

If I want to do it though, I need to move stat, otherwise, I can easily see myself forgetting a lot of these details. Each day that passes, more info is slipping out of my brain. I need to get this 2nd-book ASAP.

I think though, if the 2nd-book is rated the same for me, I may quit while I’m ahead. There are so many great series out there, I don’t want to waste too much time with one that would end up being just mediocre for me.

With this being said, I am going to go in with a positive mindset though, because I do feel like the more time I spend with these characters, the more I am going to grow to care about them. Onward and upward!!

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Review: Carving Shadows into Gold (Forging Silver into Stars #2) by Brigid Kemmerer

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Carving Shadows into Gold (Forging Silver into Stars #2)Carving Shadows into Gold by Brigid Kemmerer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Carving Shadows into Gold is the 2nd-book in Brigid Kemmerer’s Forging Silver into Stars series. If you’re unaware, this is a companion to Kemmerer’s popular Cursebreakers series, which began with A Curse So Dark and Lonely.

This immersive YA-Fantasy world started off as a loose reimagining of Beauty and the Beast, but oh baby, has it come a long way since then!

I really enjoyed my time with the entire Cursebreakers trilogy, but I gotta say, I feel like these books in the Forging Silver into Stars series feel much more substantial and mature.

Personally, I feel like it’s Kemmerer’s writing. It just keeps getting stronger and stronger. Every time I pick up a book by her, I’m instantly reminded what an insane talent she is.

For example, picking this up, I was concerned I wouldn’t remember enough from the 1st-book, because it had been months and months since I had read it. I shouldn’t have worried. I was immediately invested and it felt as if I had never left. I remembered everything.

As with the 1st-book, we are following Jax, Tycho and Callyn. In this one however, the three are sort of thrust into different parts of the kingdom, all set on different paths. Though apart, their connections to one another feel as strong as ever.

As dangerous events begin to strike the kingdom with increasing frequency, our cast is forced to make difficult choices fighting for their lives and the ones they love.

The debate over the use of magic gets put to the ultimate test as war looms forever closer.

I have been anxiously awaiting this continuation and it was everything I wanted it to be. I’m so pleased with everything that unfolded over the course of this 2nd-book.

I love this world and these three main characters. I’m truly attached to them and was surprised how easily I found myself completely re-immersed in this story. I feel like I’m a part of this world when I’m reading it.

I already cannot wait for whatever Kemmerer has in store for us next. It feels like everything is coming to a head. I’m scared and excited and all the other emotions.

While you can certainly read this series on its own, I would recommend reading Cursebreakers prior to picking this up. This is written in such a way that you wouldn’t feel lost without that background, but it definitely adds to the experience if you have read that trilogy.

Thank you to the publisher, Bloomsbury YA, for providing me with a copy to read and review. You know where to find me when the third book drops!!!

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