Book Review: A Heart so Fierce and Broken

Author: Brigid Kemmerer

Genre: YA Fantasy

Release Date: 01.07.20

Publisher: Bloomsbury YA

Source: Purchased

My Rating: 4.5/5 stars

SYNOPSIS: * contains major spoilers for the first book* “Find the heir, win the crown.

The curse is finally broken, but Prince Rhen of Emberfall faces darker troubles still. Rumors circulate that he is not the true heir and that forbidden magic has been unleashed in Emberfall. Although Rhen has Harper by his side, his guardsman Grey is missing, leaving more questions than answers.

Win the crown, save the kingdom.

Rumored to be the heir, Grey has been on the run since he destroyed Lilith. He has no desire to challenge Rhen–until Karis Luran once again threatens to take Emberfall by force. Her own daughter Lia Mara sees the flaws in her mother’s violent plan, but can she convince Grey to stand against Rhen, even for the good of Emberfall?

The heart-pounding, compulsively readable saga continues as loyalties are tested and new love blooms in a kingdom on the brink of war.”

Finally, FINALLY, I read the sequel to A Curse so Dark and Lonely and now I am screaming. With the third book in this trilogy releasing in a little over a month, I decided to pick up the second book in this series to catch up before the release. And wow. Oh my gosh wow, I am so glad I read this. While I had loved A Curse so Dark and Lonely, I think I may have loved this one even more? It took a while for me to get into (hello reading slump and school from home) but after I was hooked, I was hooked.

In particular, I really loved the characters that this book focused on. I grew attached to Grey and Lia Mara almost instantly. I’ve always had a soft spot for Grey, and getting to see him so much more in the sequel was amazing! I also really adored Lia Mara. I’m all about strong female heroines and I thought she was lovely. Her mix between warm, cozy, reading and a strong badass was lovely. I was also very fond of the side characters! I quickly became attached to all of them.

The atmosphere in this story was everything! It kept me hooked and wrapped a warm blanket of fantasy over my shoulders while reading. The politics were fascinating and watching things fall apart, and together, was perfect. The plot and pacing were very enjoyable and interesting! I’m invested for the final book and I can’t wait to see how this story turns out. I know that no matter what happens, this trilogy has cemented its place in my book loving heart.