Tag: harperteen

eARC Review – Sisters of Sword and Song

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Title: Sisters of Sword & Song

Author: Rebecca Ross

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication date: June 23rd, 2020

432 pages

4.5/5 stars

Goodreads Synopsis

From the author of The Queen’s Rising comes a thrilling YA stand-alone fantasy about the unbreakable bond between sisters. Perfect for fans of Ember in the Ashes, Sky in the Deep, and Court of Fives.

After eight long years, Evadne will finally be reunited with her older sister, Halcyon, who has been proudly serving in the queen’s army. But when Halcyon appears earlier than expected, Eva knows something has gone terribly wrong. Halcyon is on the run, hunted by her commander and charged with murder.

Though Halcyon’s life is spared during her trial, the punishment is heavy. And when Eva volunteers to serve part of Halcyon’s sentence, she’s determined to find out exactly what happened. But as Eva begins her sentence, she quickly learns that there are fates much worse than death.

Review

**Thank you to HarperTeen, Edelweiss, and Rebecca Ross for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**

Sisters of Sword and Song is a Greek mythology inspired tale of two sisters, separated by abilities. Halcyon was sent to the capital at an early age to become a warrior, a soldier in the Bronze Legion. Evadne dreamed of greatness, of having magic run through her veins, only to grow up magicless and living as part of a disgraced God’s bloodline. These two sisters are very different, but their tale will intertwine and come together in the most beautiful way.

I adored this book SO MUCH. Told in alternating POV’s, Evadne and Halcyon’s stories were heartbreaking and restorative all at once. The first chapter draws you in and you can’t escape the weaving of the story. Ross’ writing is gorgeous and unparalleled.

One thing I would say it that I wanted MORE. This book easily could have been a duology, and I would have loved to see parts of the world explored in more depth. There could have been more on the magic system, the search for the lost relics, and Halcyon’s time in the Bronze Legion. It worked well as a standalone, but I 100% would have loved it as a duo.

For fans of YA Fantasy, magic, a Hunger Games-esque tale of sisterhood, and Greek Mythology; Sister’s of Sword and Song will captivate and entrance you in a world where the fight against evil is one you can’t win without major sacrifices.

Happy reading, folks!

Book Review – Five Dark Fates

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Title: Five Dark Fates (Three Dark Crowns #4)

Author: Kendare Blake

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication date: September 3rd, 2019

452 pages

3/5 stars

Goodreads Synopsis

After the battle with Katharine, the rebellion lies in tatters. Jules’s legion curse has been unbound, leaving her out of her mind and unfit to rule. Arsinoe must find a cure, even as the responsibility of stopping the ravaging mist rests heavy on her shoulders, and her shoulders alone. Mirabella has disappeared. 

Queen Katharine’s rule over Fennbirn remains intact—for now. But her attack on the rebellion exacted a high price: her beloved Pietyr. Without him, who can she rely upon when Mirabella arrives, seemingly under a banner of truce? As oldest and youngest circle each other, and Katharine begins to yearn for the closeness that Mirabella and Arsinoe share, the dead queens hiss caution—Mirabella is not to be trusted. 

In this conclusion to the Three Dark Crowns series, three dark sisters will rise to fight as the secrets of Fennbirn’s history are laid bare. Allegiances will shift. Bonds will be tested, and some broken forever.

The fate of the island lies in the hands of its queens.

Review

The Three Dark Crowns series was one I was very interested in, it seemed like a newer, darker, Hunger Games-esque story. I love a book that pits people against each other to the death, what can I say? As I continued on in this series I became less and less enthused with how the story progressed. I didn’t agree with a lot of what Kendare Blake decided to do and where she decided to take the story. By the end, I just wanted to finish the story to give it a chance to change my mind with the ending. I’m going to keep this review as free of spoilers as I can, since it is the fourth book in a quartet.

I was disappointed, I’m not going to lie. I wish I had enjoyed Five Dark Fates more as I was so excited for it for so long. Queen Katharine is my fave of all time and all I wanted was a good storyline for her. I do feel like her arc got cleared up pretty well, but I didn’t feel that way about all the characters.

One serious issue with these books is the amount of information and set up required to keep it moving. I was legitimately bored for the first 200 pages and had to put it down and read something else for awhile before going back to it. There is just so much build up and set up where next to nothing is happening, until brief spurts of action come by.

Do I recommend this series? Heck yes. It is dark and mysterious and twisty, will religion, magical powers, politics, etc. I think everyone should try this series because even though I would have preferred a different ending, there are people out there that will love this. Kendare Blake is an amazing writer and I would gladly read more of her work.

Happy reading, bookish friends! 🙂