This series is truly every kind of amazing. I'm thrilled that I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this book so I could read it early. Of course I had to re-read book one first, which was very much worth it. These two books are incredible. And the third one shall be so epic. Five stars for this sequel, as I loved it beyond words.
Writing was incredible, of course. I am the biggest fan of Claire. All her books have been amazing to me. This newest one was too. I'm honestly just so happy with this new adult series by her. The world building is fantastic. All the characters are wonderful. I'm so in love with the magic in these books. And the romances.
There is truly so much for me to say about A Song of Ash and Moonlight. I'm doing my best not to share spoilers, and only talk about the things that I loved. Which was everything, haha. This second book starts right after A Crown of Ivy and Glass ended. But that one was the story of Gemma. And this one is the story of Farrin, her eldest sister. She is very different from Gemma. It took me a little longer to love her. But I ended up loving her so dearly. I loved getting to know all about her. Loved how we got to see more of her magic of song. It was precious. A little dangerous, but also so lovely. I'm not going to share every detail about the plot. So only a little. Their feud with the Basks is over. Talan is freed from his curse. But they are all still in big danger.
And so this book is still about what happened in the first one. The Middlemist is still hurting. And now the queen is going a little mad, possibly dying. And people are getting taken by a shadow. Including people that they know and love, which was so sad to read about. So they are searching for a way to save them all. So much happens in this book. Yet the biggest battle is yet to come, in book three. I'm so excited, ha. There is so much to get to know about this magical world. I truly enjoyed getting to know it all. So good.
This book was most about Farrin, though. About her learning more about herself. Learning to start loving herself. Which was very, very slow going. As she has so many doubts about everything. I wish she was more open. She wants to be. It is not easy. I still love the sibling relationship between Farrin and Gemma and Mara. Though it is strained in this one. And I just hope they get to spend more time together, getting to be happy together. They deserve some happiness. So yes. I just hope for a happy ending for them all.
There is so much I wish to share. I will probably forget most of it, but think I will manage to write down at least many of my thoughts, haha. There is so much I loved about this story. I simply adore this world. I so adored getting to see more of Gemma and Talan, though only through Farrin's eyes. Which was not the same, of course, but they were there. It was the cutest thing. We see some of Mara. Now I'm even more curious about her. Nervous too. We learn so much more about the fire in the past. I very much loved that.
I have to mention the romance a little, of course. Ryder and Farrin are enemies. Their family have hated each other for centuries, it seems like. But now that war is over. They are slowly becoming friends. Ryder obviously adores her, as we got to see in book one. And Farrin is slow to start caring about him. But she does care after a while. And it was sweet to read about. How she slowly began to open her heart a little. Though she kept doubting herself all the time, which was so sad. But yes. I shipped them a whole bunch.
But I will also say that the smut in this second book had nothing on the smut between Gemma and Talan in book one, haha. Possibly because there was much less of it in this one. And also because Farrin was so insecure, so scared and worried. She was not like Gemma at all. But I still loved her and I loved how she was slow with things. I loved how she started wanting Ryder. I loved how careful he was with Farrin, letting her decide everything. They had issues. But they worked through them. and I loved those scenes.
We also get to know a whole lot more about Ryder in this book. Which I so adored. He was a beast of a man. But such a gentle one. I loved his magic, how he could talk to and control animals. It was awesome. I liked his sister, Alastrina, though she was less in this one. But we met his parents. And I could not stand them. Shudders. Made me love Ryder more, though. I loved how he adored Farrin. I loved how strong he was. And I honestly just adored the two of them together. But do wish they had been together even more.
There is so much we get to know about Farrin. And I am a little conflicted about all of it. I adored this girl to pieces. But I did love Gemma more. Farrin was very different from her. More cold, more shut off from everything. Keeping her feelings locked away, never acting on them. Farrin was always doubting herself and not wanting to look at herself even once. It hurt my heart. I felt so much for this poor woman. Yet felt a tiny bit distant from her at times, but then I loved her with all my heart again after. But, yes. Conflicted.
But I truly loved Farrin. I loved her heart, once she was able to open it up more. She is so broken inside. And I did not blame her at all, truly. She had gone through so much. And I loved learning about it all. Her past with Gareth, her best friend. Whom I still adore, but now feel a little cold towards too, as I feel like he could have helped her love herself more, maybe. I adored her cat, Osmund. The cutest. Her relationship with her father, though. Oh. I still hate him. But she loves him. And hates him too. I get those feelings too.
But yeah. I did not like their father at all, to be honest. At first in this book he is every kind of awful. But he does change a little towards the end of the book. And I could see myself forgiving him. Possibly. One day. Still. Did not actually like him, ha. Anyway. I did like learning about all the daily things Farrin did, how she ran the house and everyone in it. Though it hurt her too, having to be responsible for it all. I just wanted her to have some peace. Sigh. She deserved to not have all of these burdens on her. Hmph. It was rude.
There are so many secrets coming to life in this second book. I'm not going to spoil anything, of course. Though I would not mind talking about it for ages, haha. We learn much more about the queen, whom I still love to pieces. Though she was different in this book. More mad, more dangerous. Yet still so sweet and times. I loved her. We learn more about their mother. What happened to her. I am still not liking her, though, considering she left them. The secret about the shining boy was obvious, though. And I loved it.
The villain in this series was even more creepy in this second book. We do not see much of him at first. But we learn a whole bunch about him in this one. More about his past. More about what he is actually doing. And it is the worst. We get to see a place he has created, for the Olden creatures. It was horrible. Loved it so, haha. This book was a little dark. And I loved that, honestly. Many are hurt. Though I would not have minded even more hurt, as I love when everyone are healed. Sigh. Everything was so exciting.
Then the ending happened. And I'm not sure how this series is going to end. I can't wait to find out. I am also beyond excited to read Mara's story. Though I will miss being in the head of Farrin. I do not feel like I got enough of her. And also miss Gemma, whom is so far my favorite of the three of them. But I adored Farrin as well. And cannot wait to get to know Mara. I'm so curious about her, as we have only seen such small parts of her. She is a bit of a mystery. I'm certain I will grow to love her the most, though. Can't wait.
The very biggest thank you to Sophie at Sourcebooks International for sending to me this most precious ARC copy. I love it to pieces. And will treasure it always. I'm so thrilled and thankful and excited that I got to read A Song of Ash and Moonlight early. I loved that I re-read A Crown of Ivy and Glass first, as it was needed to have all the details ready for this sequel. Though the wait for the final book will be even worse now, haha. And I think I will have to re-read both books before the third one. I cannot wait to do so. Sigh.
A Song of Ash and Moonlight was everything I had hoped it would be. It was the most stunning and sad story. Full of magic and secrets to uncover. It had a great enemies to lovers romance. And it has the best sibling relationships, though they have their issues as well. I honestly just loved every part of this second book. It was exciting and evil and heartbreaking and I adored every part of it. It had such a creepy villain and the best and worst world created. I so adore this series. You will all love these books and sisters too.
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