Tag: demons

Song of Silver, Flame Like Night by. Amélie Wen Zhao | Book Review

~ Yolanda @ Past Midnight ~ 2 Comments

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Song of Silver, Flame Like Night (Song of the Last Kingdom, #1)

Author: Amélie Wen Zhao

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 512

Publication Date: 1/17/23

Categories: Fantasy, Young Adult, Mythology, Dragons, Demons, Romance

In a fallen kingdom, one girl carries the key to discovering the secrets of her nation’s past–and unleashing the demons that sleep at its heart. An epic fantasy series inspired by the mythology and folklore of ancient China.

Once, Lan had a different name. Now, she goes by the one the Elantian colonizers gave her when they invaded her kingdom, killed her mother, and outlawed her people’s magic. She spends her nights as a songgirl in Haak’gong, a city transformed by the conquerors, and spends her days scavenging for remnants of the past. For anything that might help her understand the strange mark burned into her arm by her mother, in her last act before she died.

No one can see the mysterious mark–an untranslatable Hin character–except Lan. Until the night a boy appears at the teahouse and saves her life.

Zen is a practitioner–one of the fabled magicians of the Last Kingdom, whose abilities were rumored to be drawn from the demons they communed with. Magic believed to be long lost. Magic to be hidden from the Elantians at all costs.

When Zen comes across Lan’s unusual qi, he recognizes what she is: a practitioner with a powerful ability hidden in the mark on her arm. He’s never seen anything like it–but he knows: if there are answers, they lie deep in the pine forests and misty mountains of the Last Kingdom, with an order of practitioning masters planning to overthrow the Elantian regime.

Both Lan and Zen have secrets buried deep within. Fate has connected them, but their destiny remains unwritten. Both hold the power to liberate their land. And both hold the power to destroy the world.

Content Warning: violence, death

I got this book on my online library and really haven’t read many reviews for it or wasn’t sure what to expect but I really enjoyed it. Here is what I thought:

+ I like the other series this author wrote, so I was definitely interested to see how this book would pan out. I love the writing because it’s full of action, secrets, a fallen kingdom, a people trying to hold on to their culture and heritage and passing on their knowledge. There is magic, there are demons, and even a tiny bit of a romance.

+ I thought Lan was a intriguing character – she’s a song girl, but she has a mysterious seal on her arm and I was invested in her story to want to desperately find out what that seal on her contained! This book is about power and the consequences of power when there is no balance – and Zen’s character really exhibits the fight inside himself, trying to control a demon, trying to contain his anger against the Elantians and wanting to not be helpless against them anymore. I sympathized with both characters and the rest of the Hin who was trying to preserve their culture and family name.

+ The magic system is really cool and uses the power of qi. I love how the practioners (magic masters) have these amazing skills to fight and write magic seals. It made me wish I could see this book on the screen, just to witness these battles in action. There were really cool scenes in this book, especially the one where Zen and Lan are at the Guarded Mountain and the climax, big fight at the school was amazing as well.

+ The romance is so slight, barely there and with the way things end. It’s not looking hopeful at the moment, but I can’t wait to read book to see where the story goes.

~ The villain is so villainous, I hated him and was rooting for Lan to somehow take him down but it didn’t happen. They need more to take him and the Elantians down and it’s one of those books that makes me want to read the next and the next just to see them taken down.

~ The only thing that took me awhile to grasp at times was the magic because it had to deal with yin and yang and qi. Lan does grasp everything fairly quick even though she’s only training for about 2 weeks – but it’s due to her bloodline.

Why you should read it:

  • great world building, action scenes and characters fighting for their communities
  • Lan and Zen’s internally battle with the demons and wanting power
  • cool magic system

Why you might not want to read it:

My Thoughts:

I went into this one not really knowing what to expect and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this story. I love the action and the whole story was just pure entertainment. There were moments I just was protective of Lan and Zen and I really, really want that villain to be taken down. I’ll be eagerly waiting to see where this story takes these characters in book two!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon

Book Review | Blood Heir ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Red Tigress by. Amélie Wen Zhao | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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The Hearts We Sold by. Emily Lloyd-Jones | Book Review

~ Yolanda @ Past Midnight ~ 2 Comments

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Hearts We Sold

Author: Emily Lloyd-Jones

Format: paperback (own)

Pages: 416

Publication Date: 8/8/17

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Categories: Urban Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult

Dee Moreno is out of options. Her home life sucks (to put it mildly), and she’s about to get booted from her boarding school–the only place she’s ever felt free–for lack of funds. But this is a world where demons exist, and the demons are there to make deals: one human body part in exchange for one wish come true.

The demon who Dee approaches doesn’t trade in the usual arms and legs, however. He’s only interested in her heart. And what comes after Dee makes her deal is a nightmare far bigger, and far more monstrous than anything she ever could have imagined. Reality is turned on its head, and Dee has only her fellow “heartless,” the charming but secretive James Lancer, to keep her grounded. As something like love grows between them amid an otherworldly ordeal, Dee begins to wonder: Can she give James her heart when it’s no longer hers to give?

In The Hearts We Sold, demons can be outwitted, hearts can be reclaimed, monsters can be fought, and love isn’t impossible. This book will steal your heart and break it, and leave you begging for more.

Content Warning: alcoholism, addiction, parental neglect, emotional abuse

What drew me to this book first was the cover – which is so pretty. Then I realized it’s written by Emily Lloyd-Jones and I loved her book The Bone Houses, so that’s what made me buy it on sale from Book Outlet! Here is what did and didn’t work for me:

+ Very interesting and unique world building. Demons walk the earth and if you want something from them you can trade with them. Dee decides to trade her heart. But not all is what it seems with the demons – the tasks her demon or Daemon has her do is to enter these voids that appear and destroy them. She learns what the voids are and wonders if her trade was worth it.

+ Dee has a sad home life. She’s at boarding school to get the best education she can so she can get out from her parents . Her parents are alcoholics and their family life is toxic. I liked all the characters were meet in the story, like James who traded his heart for art. They all had an interesting story to tell. I like how they became a found family.

+ The romance is a slow burn because Dee knows she’s broken inside. But James is patient, he understands being broken and the two of them together and how it ends broke my heart unexpectedly! I didn’t know I was invested until this story took a different turn. It’s bittersweet.

~ Thought I was very interested in the world building I still felt like I needed more details about the void. It didn’t seem like a concrete image I had in my head about the monsters in the void and what they wanted.

~ Sad ending, but hopeful too.

Tropes: found family

Spice Level: 🌶 (barely any spice)

Why you should read it:

  • it’s got a sweet romance
  • the characters being a found family
  • good questions about what people would give up to get what they want
  • Dee overcoming a lot of issues with her family and herself

Why you might not want to read it:

  • sad ending
  • needs more world building

My Thoughts:

I’m glad I read this book even though it wasn’t quite what I expected. The ending was touching and sad, and overall I think it was a solid book. It makes me more of a fan of this author!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Bone Houses by. Emily Lloyd-Jones – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I like to think that I was the one who made the choices that brought me to this moment. They may have been bad or good choices – I don’t know.”

Emily Lloyd-Jones, The Hearts We Sold

I chose this.”

Emily Lloyd-Jones, The Hearts We Sold

Some secrets you keep all tangled up in yourself, so tight that to pull them out is physically painful.”

Emily Lloyd-Jones, The Hearts We Sold

The Dragon’s Promise by. Elizabeth Lim | ARC Review

~ Yolanda @ Past Midnight ~ 4 Comments

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Dragon’s Promise (Six Crimson Cranes, #2)

Author: Elizabeth Lim

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 8/30/22

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Series, Fantasy, Dragons, Demons, Romance, Fairytale

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Knopf Books for Young Readers for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Princess Shiori made a deathbed promise to return the dragon’s pearl to its rightful owner, but keeping that promise is more dangerous than she ever imagined.

She must journey to the kingdom of dragons, navigate political intrigue among humans and dragons alike, fend off thieves who covet the pearl for themselves and will go to any lengths to get it, all while cultivating the appearance of a perfect princess to dissuade those who would see her burned at the stake for the magic that runs in her blood.

The pearl itself is no ordinary cargo; it thrums with malevolent power, jumping to Shiori’s aid one minute, and betraying her the next—threatening to shatter her family and sever the thread of fate that binds her to her true love, Takkan. It will take every ounce of strength Shiori can muster to defend the life and the love she’s fought so hard to win. 

Content Warning: violence

This is the sequel to Six Crimson Cranes and although I did enjoy this conclusion, there were a few things that didn’t work for me, but still lots of other things I did love – let’s take a look:

+ We get to spend time in the dragon’s realm and learn more about Seryu! I really did enjoy Shiori’s time with the dragons. It felt like a very fantastical and unique place, but quite scary for Shiori because there was a lot of deception going on and she didn’t know who to trust! There is a lot of action in the book because Shiori is moving from one place to another. That girl never has a repreve!

+ My beloved Kiki is back, she is the best paper bird ever. I love her! Other characters like Shiori’s brothers are back as well and once again they do their best to help Shiori in her quest.

+ Shiori and Takkan’s love story is a beautiful thing to see grow and develop. They are always thinking of the other, and wanting the best for one another. Yes they do have challenges because Shiori is always getting into a mess, but Takkan is the perfect balance for her – he is steady, he is constant and he loves Shiori no matter what. They were my favorite part of the book I think.

+ I love how we learn about Raikama’s past and it always pinched at my heart how Shiori missed her and how there were regrets about their relationship. I can at least say there was peace for Raikama in this book. But many parts of this book, especially at the end, were quite emotional.

~ The pacing is off in this book and I didn’t feel like the first part of the book, when Shiori was in Ai’long, connected to the rest of the book. We meet new characters in Ai’long and some loose ends that didn’t have closure for me there. Then there is a lull when Shiori is back in Kiata with her family because she’s pretending she there and back to normal but she’s planning on following through with finding the Wraith, to give the pearl to him. There might have been too much going on at once. Because she also had to deal with the demon, Bandur!

~ Speaking of Bandur, he’s always in the back of Shiori’s mind, obviously but I think when it came time to really put him away, if felt sort of anti-climactic because of the Wraith and his anger and issues…there are a lot of angry demons and dragons in this book. I get that Bandur is the biggest villain, but once again, I felt like the story got disconnected in some places or it felt like 3 stories in one book.

Tropes: special one, opposites attract (Shiori the princess/Takkan who doesn’t fit in at court), puppy love

Why you should read it:

  • creative world building, we get to travel with Shiori to Ai’long ,the Realm of Dragons
  • lovable characters like Seryu, Kiki, Takkan and Shiori’s brothers
  • emotional story when it comes to Shiori and her brothers and memories about Raikama
  • the sweet love story between Shiori and Takkan

Why you might not want to read it:

  • feels like too much going on, as if 2-3 stories are shoved into one, feels disjointed

My Thoughts:

I think this is a solid ending to an imaginative and fun duology but it did fall flat of my expectations mostly because of how disjointed the story felt at times. But I love Shiori and Takkan’s love story and I adore all the characters that I came to care for in this story like Kiki and Seryu. I wonder if the dragons will get their own book? There is a lot of story to tell there and I feel like Elang didn’t get any closure. Overall I found the themes of family and love in the story to be heartwarming. I’m glad I got to finish this duology and I hope to read more from this author in the future.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Garden of Serpents by. C.N. Crawford | Book Review

~ Yolanda @ Past Midnight ~ Leave a comment

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Garden of Serpents (The Demon Queen Trials, #2)

Author: C.N. Crawford

Format: ebooks (KU)

Pages:

Publication Date: 7/13/22

Categories: Romance, Urban Fantasy

Once, Orion and I were lovers. Then, the gorgeous demon king broke my heart. He kicked me out of the City of Thorns, exiling me to the mortal world.

Now, I have plans to get back at him–and save the world while I’m at it. Orion wants revenge on all the mortals. If I steal his crown, I can stop the bloodshed. All I have to do is beat him in a series of trials, proving that the gods chose me as queen.

But Orion seems determined to seduce me with his apologies and sensual charm. And the fact is? He’s hard to resist. In the City of Thorns, nothing is ever as it seems, but figuring out who to trust is the most important trial of all. Because if I get it wrong, I’ll have the blood of thousands on my hands.

Content Warning: violence, torture

This is the third book in The Demon Queen Trials series and I was enjoying it for the most part but the ending was too rushed. Here’s what I liked and didn’t like:

+ Rowan has trained and grown into her Succubus powers so she can now go toe to toe with Orion.

+ Rowan and Orion are meant to be. There are some challenges they have to deal with, like trust issues and they already got together in the last book but this felt like another slow burn round between them. There are many sensual and sexy parts though.

+ The epilogue was unexpected and interesting – makes me sort of interested to see where the story goes. But…I’m still on the fence.

~ The pacing of this book was an issue for me. Everything felt rushed. Rowan has to pass these trials but it doesn’t feel high stakes at all. We know Orion will give her whatever she wants. There are new characters introduced to us, but new characters in the last book, especially a villain? There wasn’t enough time to get to know them and their motivations or schemes.

~ Rowan is powerful now, so I wanted to see more of that in her trials but the trials didn’t feel like much.

~ What was up with Shai? Not sure what was going on with her.

~ The ending was super rushed. It felt like the story raced up to the betrayal, Orion and Rowan are united and the end. And the epilogue is 13 years later! So it sets up another story.

Why you should read it:

  • to finish the series if you started it
  • Rowan and Orion’s romance

Why you might not want to read it:

  • wanted so much more and it fell short
  • the story felt rushed, new characters introduced without much time to really get to know them

My Thoughts:

I was a bit disappointed by this one. I did love Rowan and Orion together, even if they were fighting but I felt like the whole story was rushed to get to the end. This one fell short for me but I’m glad I finished the series. The first two books were great, and this one was rushed with less intensity. The epilogue suggests a new spin-off but I don’t know if I will be reading it.

📚 ~ Yolanda

Lord of Embers by. C.N. Crawford | Book Review

~ Yolanda @ Past Midnight ~ 2 Comments

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Lord of Embers (The Demon Queen Trials, #2)

Author: C.N. Crawford

Format: eBook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 298

Publication Date: 1/15/21

Categories: New Adult, Romance, Demons, Urban Fantasy

Once, I was a broke college student. Now, it seems I’m destined to rule as the Lightbringer–queen of the demon realm. Except I have competition in the form of Orion, the Lord of Chaos. Like me, he has been marked as a leader. We can’t keep our hands off each other, even if he swore an oath to kill me.

It seems we both want the same thing–the crown. And in this battle of wills, only one of us will be left standing.

Content Warning: Violence

This is the sequel to City of Thorns and I really enjoyed this installment. It wasn’t quite what I expected after how book one ended but I liked the direction it took.

So in this book Orion is convinced Rowan is Mortana reincarnated and he has a vow to kill Mortana. Rowan is pretty sure she’s not Mortana, but not totally 100%, she needs proof and finds it. Orion is still bent on ruling the demon realm but he does need Rowan’s help, at least that’s what she makes him think so she can stay alive.

I love Orion and Rowan’s interactions. They clearly can’t deny the attraction between them, but they also both have a desire to rule – so who is it going to be? There is tension and humor, which I enjoy. There’s also a spicy scene which was fun while it lasted.

I liked Rowan’s growth and transformation as she learns about who and what she is. I thought the introduction of Tammuz, Lucifer’s twin, was pretty cool. Tammuz thrives on chaos. She gets some time to train with him near the ending of the book and I think it will set up a good showdown between her and Orion in the next book. I love when they fight and now she can really try and kick his butt haha, or sleep with him some more. We also get to know more about Orion and his time in the dungeon.

Story-wise this took an unexpected turn into the Puritan era. But it makes sense since Orion and Rowan are demons, why wouldn’t their hell be in the time when Puritans were hanging women for being witches. 🤦🏻‍♀️ I thought it was interesting and it did help Rowan’s transformation into a stronger demon. There were some funny parts, especially with a miss Goody Putnam lol.

Honestly I didn’t care for the part in book one where they thought Mortana could be Rowan. I’m just glad that part got cleared up in this book because I was over Orion accusing Rowan of something she can’t even control – but I see why he wants to kill Mortana so…it was a dilemma for him for sure. But that whole mistaken identity thing was done in another series I read from this author, so I just want something new.

Why you should read it:

  • enemies to lovers
  • Rowan’s transformation and growth
  • demons hiding among Puritans was kinda funny

Why you might not want to read it:

  • less action than book one
  • he’s an incubus and she’s a succubus, honestly I wanted more action between them

My Thoughts:

I enjoyed this one a lot and am so looking forward to see what Rowan does now after that ending!

📚 ~ Yolanda

City of Thorns (The Demon Queen Trials, #1) by. C.N. Crawford | Book Review

~ Yolanda @ Past Midnight ~ Leave a comment

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Title: City of Thorns (The Demon Queen Trials, #1)

Author: C.N. Crawford

Format: eBook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 306

Publication Date: 8/13/21

Publisher: C.N. Crawford

Categories: Urban Fantasy, New Adult, Fake Dating

I never thought I’d be singing happy birthday to myself in a dungeon. And yet when a sinfully sexy demon crashes happy hour, that’s exactly what happens. He’s known as the Lord of Chaos, and he’s mistaken me for my succubus doppelgänger.

Happy birthday to me.

When he tastes my blood, he finally understands I’m mortal. And I realize we have something in common: we both crave revenge. So we make a deal: I can stay in the forbidden city to hunt for my mom’s killer. In return, I’ll help him get the vengeance he craves. I just have to pose as a sexy succubus. One problem–he’s my number one suspect.

And that’s increasingly hard to remember as he teaches me my role: seduction. With each heated touch I drift further into peril. And if I fall under his seductive spell, death awaits me.

Rowan is trying to make ends meet as a nineteen year old who is on her own. She has a best friend who is attending University in the forbidden city that is inhabited by demons. Rowan wants in but how? This is where the Lord of Chaos, Orion, comes in as he mistakenly thinks Rowan is Mortana, a succubus from the past with a bad, bad, bad reputation. Of course Rowan isn’t this Mortana he accuses her of being but she puts a proposition to him – she will act as Mortana and find out what Orion needs to know in order for him to exact his revenge. This helps Rowan get closer to achieving her ideas of avenge against her mother’s murderer also – if she can find out who it is.

I found Rowan a typical main character found in these types of new adult, urban fantasy books, especially the ones from this author. Rowan is down on her luck, trying to better her life and then she run into a major complication that can actually help her situation – as long as she plays along. But we learn a few things about Rowan that made the story much more interesting…is she Mortana? Or a descendant? Who killed her mom? I’ll definitely be reading the next book to find out.

Orion, Lord of Chaos, is all kinds of temptation and mystery. He’s devastatingly handsome, rich, and powerful. I love how snarky he is! The chemistry between them is off the charts. I mean…he is an incubus! 🔥 It’s his job to set her and everyone else raging with arousal.

These books are short and sweet and usually the next installment is released very soon, but it seems like book two will be released in January 2022! I hope it gets released sooner.

I just finished the last series from this author and there was a whole situation with the mc being possessed by another spirit and I really hope this series doesn’t follow the same formula. It would be cool just Rowan to be a descendant or something but we shall see what happens.

Why you should read it?

  • world building with demons
  • escapism
  • quick read/addictive, fake dating

Why you might not want to read it?

  • too short and next book comes out in 2022
  • not into demons

My Thoughts:

I think this is a pretty solid start to a series. I like the world building and enjoyed getting to know Rowan and some of her mysterious background. I love Orion of course and not because he’s a handsome demon but he is snarky and I love snark. I hope this turns out to be a good series and I look forward to reading the next book when it comes out.

📚~ Yolanda

Book Review: Storm and Fury (The Harbinger, #1)

~ Yolanda @ Past Midnight ~ 3 Comments

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Format: E-book

Pages: 507

Publication Date: June 11, 2019

Categories: Urban Fantasy, Supernatural, Romance, Young Adult

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Book Blurb:

Eighteen-year-old Trinity Marrow may be going blind, but she can see and communicate with ghosts and spirits. Her unique gift is part of a secret so dangerous that she’s been in hiding for years in an isolated compound fiercely guarded by Wardens—gargoyle shape-shifters who protect humankind from demons. If the demons discover the truth about Trinity, they’ll devour her, flesh and bone, to enhance their own powers.

When Wardens from another clan arrive with disturbing reports that something out there is killing both demons and Wardens, Trinity’s safe world implodes. Not the least because one of the outsiders is the most annoying and fascinating person she’s ever met. Zayne has secrets of his own that will upend her world yet again—but working together becomes imperative once demons breach the compound and Trinity’s secret comes to light. To save her family and maybe the world, she’ll have to put her trust in Zayne. But all bets are off as a supernatural war is unleashed…

MY REVIEW

Thank you Harlequin TEEN and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this free e-arc for an honest review.

I’ve read a few books by Jennifer L. Armentrout and really enjoy them but I did not read the The Dark Elements series. Maybe I should have because Storm and Fury is a spin-off from that series.

With that said, I struggled a little with this one.

Trinity Marrow is special. She is half human, half something else, and that “something” is very powerful. Trinity lives in a regional seat of the Wardens somewhere bordering West Virginia and Maryland. Wardens are human looking but when they need to fight and protect, they shift into their true forms: gargoyles. I thought that was really cool and different. They protect the world against demons and all things evil.

I really liked getting to know Trinity because she’s quirky, tough, spunky and skilled in combat. She can also see spirits and ghosts. Peanut, is a ghost that lingers around her and he is pretty funny. Trinity is also very impulsive and wants to help kick demon butt, but the Wardens need to keep her safe. Thing is she’s always getting into trouble or trouble seems to find her.

Zayne is a Warden with a past, apparently all of which can be read in The Dark Elements series! 🤦🏻‍♀️ He’s a gorgeous, strong Warden and he and Trinity have sparks right away. It’s all good until it kept getting a bit repetitive. At first I enjoyed their dialogue, but I felt like it could have moved along quicker.

Once Trinity and Zayne leave West Virginia is when the action and romance really picks up. This happens all in the second half of the book which is my favorite part. The sparks really ignite between them but also it’s all very complicated because of Zayne’s past. And then the ending was a surprising twist that left me sad. Also it reveals some things about Zayne and Trinity that didn’t leave me feeling satisfied about the outcome (trying not to mention any spoilers here).

For me, the second half was the best part of the book and a lot of the first half could’ve been trimmed. Also, I thought the 80’s pop cultural references were funny but because that’s my childhood and I got it. It’s why I adored Peanut. ☺️ I think fans of the Dark Elements series will love this one but it was just an okay read for me.

Get it here: Amazon

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Book Review: All The Wandering Light (Even The Darkest Stars Book 2)

~ Yolanda @ Past Midnight ~ Leave a comment

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Author: Heather Fawcett

Format: Hard Cover

Pages: 432

Categories: Fantasy, Adventure, Romance, Magic, Witches, Stars, Demons

Book Blurb:

After the terrifying events on Mount Raksha, the witches have returned, and River has betrayed Kamzin to regain his dark powers. The witches’ next step: march on the Three Cities and take over the Empire—led by River’s brother, Esha.

If Kamzin is to save Azmiri and prevent the destruction of the Empire, she must find a star that fell in the Ash Mountains to the north. Fallen stars have immense power, and if Kamzin and Lusha can find the star, they can use its magic to protect their homeland. To get there, Kamzin has allied with Azar-at, the dangerous and deceptive fire demon, who can grant her great power—in exchange for pieces of her soul. But River wants the star too, and as their paths collide in dangerous and unexpected ways, Kamzin must wrestle with both her guilt and her conflicted feelings for the person who betrayed her.

Facing dark magic, a perilous journey, and a standoff against the witches, can Kamzin, Lusha, and Tem find the star and save their Empire?

MY REVIEW

The adventure continues in this sequel to Even the Darkest Stars but with less mountaineering. Lusha, Kamzin’s older sister who is a seer, is with her every step of the way on this journey. She strives to remind Kamzin to make the right decisions regarding the task ahead – finding a fallen star and bringing it to the Emperor to bind the witches’ power again. I never quite took a liking to Lusha – she’s so hard on Kamzin and hardly ever lets up. Tem is also with them, using his shamanic skills to protect them as best he can.

“Some truths aren’t meant to be found, even by the most determined explorers.”

All the Wandering Light by. Heather Fawcett

This story was told through a few different perspectives: Kamzin and River obviously but at one point there was a few chapters told through Mara. Not sure if Mara’s perspective was needed though, he became a non-issue in the end. Mingma, the ghost also made a cameo and then he was gone! His time was brief in the book but so impactful, Kamzin needed to hear from an explorer who didn’t succeed in his mission, because sometimes that’s just life.

“Choosing to lock yourself up in a life that doesn’t suit you is its own sort of death, wouldn’t you say?”

All the Wandering Light by. Heather Fawcett

The beginning was slow but I understand why – we get to learn more of River’s story. We meet his brothers, and learn about River’s family history. With the binding spell gone, it seems River is the most powerful witch in the Kingdom, but he never wanted power, in essence all he wanted was freedom. His romance with Kamzin doesn’t show up really until the very end, talk about a slow burn romance! They really did put the issues of the Empire before the lovey-dovey stuff.

I really love the action scenes in the end, witches lunging out of the wall? Give me more! That was the one thing about this book that gave me a slight pause. I was trudging through the beginning, then at the end I was reading so fast through the action and all of a sudden it was over! 🤔 The author did wrap things up nicely in the end but can there be more stories to be told in this world? Oh – most definitely.

What I adored about this series is the magical entities. I fell in love with the familiars, Ragtooth and Biter. I loved the demons in this story too. And yes to the witches, ghosts and pet-like dragons! Also, what about that falling star? I adored her – I wanted to put her in my pocket and keep her forever – she gave me giddy feelings. The writing is beautiful and drew me into this world filled with lore and magic.

I enjoyed this series very much. I could totally envision myself wearing kinnika bells around my neck (I figured I’d be a shaman instead of an explorer) with my own feisty wing-demon. Fire-demons stay away from me though, I might be too tempted by them!