Author: Brigid Kemmerer
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Personal Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ / ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 out of 5 stars)
More action, more intense, and it is most definitely the turning point in this trilogy. Those are the words in my head after closing the second novel in Brigid Kemmerer’s The Cursebreaker series.
The book started at the aftermath of last book’s ending — Prince Rhen and Harper in the previously cursed kingdom while Commander Grey’s fate is unknown. As the story progress, you can feel the kingdom of Emberfall open more than it ever did before. With it, the addition of new characters that would cement this world as real in the reader’s mind. In my previous review I mentioned that I wished there was more romance involved. However, now I think that it was my false expectation about the book being a romance that led me to that disappointment; because I now realize that this was more about the action and the fantasy rather than the romance. And that’s not necessarily bad.
The switch to Grey and Lia Mara’s journey was a welcome one and dare I say more exciting than Prince Rhen and Harper’s arc in the first book, although it remains the most meaningful. Their journey takes us outside of Ironrose castle towards Syhl Shallow and every moment was significant in taking a closer look at our group of traveler’s characters. There’s more testaments of friendships and loyalty, and there’s an abundance of difficult choices to keep the reader engaged. The author stayed true to its previous format where expositions don’t feel forced and drawn out. There was one character inconsistency, though, that I feel like was deliberately overlooked as it was necessary to create the climax in the story. So, before I proceed, please know that the next paragraph is a HUGE SPOILER!
— SPOILER ALERT —
The character of Queen Karis Luran was portrayed initially as, although a cold and unforgiving ruler, a reasonable mother. I was not surprised that she left her daughter, Lia Mara, at the enemy’s caste, but I was shocked that she would have her own daughter executed and that was what triggered the whole action of the book’s climax. It felt like a push at the character’s villainy, but just safe enough that I couldn’t necessarily say she won’t do it either. It just seemed that I haven’t seen enough of her mind works to rationalize that she would go that far.
–SPOILER OVER–
Anyway, overall I’m satisfied at the conclusion of this book. The characters developed nicely yet stayed true to their cores. The journey was more eventful. Lastly, the addition of the new characters felt like it was a step up from the previous one. Again, there was less romance than I was hoping, but there was enough to place the pieces in position for the final book that I cannot wait to read. Another YA winner in my opinion!
Favorite Quotes(s):
“Choices are never easy. There are good and bad options, but the most dangerous is to not make any choice at all.”
― Brigid Kemmerer, A Heart so Fierce and Broken
The Stray Reader 
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