RATING: ★★★★★
TITLE: A Heart So Fierce and Broken (Cursebreakers, #2)
AUTHOR: Brigid Kemmerer
RELEASE DATE: January 7, 2020
SETTING: Emberfall / Washington, DC / Sylh Shallow
PUBLISHER: Bloomsbury YA
GENRE(S): Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Adventure
{~Book Description~}
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.
{~My Review~}
I was so nervous to read this because I feared that it would change my opinion of some of my favorite characters. I am so happy to say that was not the case at all!
This is Grey’s book. I will say that first. This is all about Grey and how he is to deal with the world shattering news he got in A Curse so Dark and Lonely. He is the brother of Rhen and he flees Emberfall. When he finds himself back in Emberfall, Rhen has no choice but to chain him up, but Grey doesn’t divulge the truth about the possible heir.
Lia Mara, the daughter of Karis Luran attempts to seek a treaty with Rhen, but it doesn’t work, since Rhen is blinded by his hatred toward the young woman’s mother and all the evil she would have done to him and his people.
Later, Grey and Lia Mara flee Rhen’s grasp and form a strong bond in their way to her home. But, Lia Mara is not the princess, and she feels that as Grey is the prince, he should make a better fit for her princess sister, though her heart screams at her not to do so.
Through most of this book, I was waiting and waiting for more of Rhen and Harper… but once I came to the conclusion that this was not their story, I thoroughly enjoyed the web woven between Grey and Lia Mara. But, I was angered by the fact that all Grey had to do was tell Rhen the truth. He goes on through this book continuing to think of Rhen and being unable to separate his new princely title and his title as royal guard to Rhen. But, had he simply told Rhen the truth, things could have gone very differently.
I enjoyed this book immensely and am happy to report that this book didn’t color my feelings toward Rhen as I had believed it would while reading initial responses to AHSFAB. My love for Rhen holds still and I cannot wait for the next book in this series to get even more of this incredible story!!!
feather bound books 