Heart of the Sungem

Reapers of Veltuur #2

by Jessaca Willis

In a land where every murderer is condemned to the underrealm, one girl managed to escape.

Sinisa Strigidae made peace with the darkness that haunted her, and in so doing she freed herself from the crow that kept her bound to Veltuur.

Now, she sets out on an epic quest to help Prince Acari do the same.

Teaming up with an unlikely friend, Sinisa must traverse the kingdoms of Tayaraan in search of a way back into the underrealm. Without the powers of a Reaper to rely on, she'll have to discover the forgotten strength inside her as she is tested by beasts and puzzles alike.

But with each task she faces, an even greater threat is exposed, and Sinisa will be forced to choose between her own desires and the destiny carved out for her.
Heart of the Sungem is the second book in this dark, high fantasy, adventure series. Enter a world where Reapers are the balance between life and death, the Gods who once reigned over the mortal realm have suspiciously disappeared, and one young girl finds that she is somehow tangled in all of it.

You will devour this grim saga if you loved The Nevernight Chronicles , Scythe , Shadow and Bone , Dark Maji , Throne of Glass , Reign of the Fallen , The Shadows Between Us , or books by Jenna Moreci, Jay Kristoff, Kel Carpenter, Cassandra Clare, and Shannon Mayer.

Don't let the crows decide for you. Choose your fate and delve into this dark, gothic world. This book contains themes of death, grief, trauma, and discrimination not suitable for the faint of heart. It is a dark fantasy series, people. You have been warned.

Genres: Fantasy, Dark Fantasy

264 pages, Paperback

Published September 9, 2020

About the author

JESSACA is a fantasy writer with an inclination toward the dark, epic, and romance sub-genres. She draws inspiration from books like the Nevernight Chronicles & ACOTAR, videogames like Dark Souls III, and television shows like Game of Thrones and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.

She is a self-proclaimed nerd who loves cosplay, video games, and comics, and if you live in the PNW, you just might see her at one of the local comic conventions in one of her favorite RWBY cosplays!


Reviews

[Bekka · Rating 4 out of 5]

I oftentimes enjoy the second book in a series just as much or more than the first book. This is where character back stories and growth are further developed and I am comfortable enough with the story to sink into it and enjoy. Jessaca Willis' Heart of the Sungem lives up to all of this and more!

Please note, I received an e-ARC of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

In this book, the second book in The Reapers of Veltuur series, Sinisa Strigidae's journey to save Prince Acari continues. With help from new friends, Sinisa is left considering what she wants her new life to be with the new responsibilities she had accepted through her choices. Jessaca Willis crafts an intriguing storyline which bounces back and forth from Sinisa and Acari's perspectives. I find Willis' twist on reapers, the fates, and souls to be an exciting twist; The Reapers of Veltuur series continues to pull me in and keeps me wanting more.

This is definitely a series to read, and one that will soon be completed in Fate of the Vulture (expected publication: October 26th).

[Katheyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Heart of the Sungem” the second book in the “Reapers of Veltuur” Trilogy by Jessaca Willis takes on immediately after the events pictured in “Soul of the Crow”.

Prince Acari of Tayaraan has made his decision, breaking the law in the process, to save Gem’s life, her little sister condemn to death just for being what she is, an “imperfect” children, who has no right to survive in Tarayaan’s society, has been hidden from view since her birth and finally marked for death by her own father, the king who has already requested a Reaper (as in this world every death is sanctioned and carried out solely by Reapers). Sinisa answers the request, an experienced Reaper with only one more soul between her and her promotion to Shade. But Sinisa still has a mind of her own, and instead of collecting Gem’s soul, she becomes a more or less willing ally in Acari’s fight for the life of his sibling, a quest that could shatter the foundations of the Realms and expose the secrets of Veltuur in the process.

Jessaca Willis has created a high original dark fantasy adventure series, whose plot interweaves Sinisa’s and Acari’s destinies, into a single narrative that mixes elements of fantasy, folklore and mythology to produce a captivating gothic tale, that reaches the very heart of human nature.

A fantastic plot, full of unexpected twists, that interconnect both realms to highlight both parts of every good story. The brightness of Tayaraan (an apparently happy world, where every suffering is negated and hidden, and deaths are commissioned and carried away by Reapers, which are both feared and ignored) contrasts with the eternal eeriness of Veltuur, where death is the very fabric that keeps the realm together, a wonderful scenery of forest, crows, Reapers, Shades, all hold together by the Spirit Council.

This is an exceptional gem that shine by its own in a at times over-saturated fantasy genre and offers the reader a mirror to the meaning of his very humanity, concealed in an extraordinary well-constructed and -written narrative.

[Chandra (sincerelyabiblio) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this arc in exchange for an honest review! *Spoilers for book one*

I loved the first book, Soul of the Crow, and was super excited to read the sequel. Sequels are obviously a hit or miss. Either they make the story come alive more or almost seem to hold it back. But Heart of the Sungem did not disappoint!

This sequel had everything I love. The characters remained who they were but we also saw them grow. Sinisa especially we got to watch and she starts to remember how to be human again. It picked up right where it left off and was full of twists and turns that kept my attention and really added to the overall plot of the story.

Pros/Cons:

Pros:
1. The new twists in this book really made the world feel more complete. I think I always felt that there was something missing and then to find out everything that we did was incredible. Such good storytelling!
2. Watching Sinisa come to terms with her new humanity was really well done.
3. Acari makes a very interesting reaper as he has maintained his overall personality which I really liked. I was hoping he wouldn’t suddenly become a hardened reaper so I was happy about that!

Cons: (I couldn’t think of a third con this time because this book was just that good!)
1. We did lose a few characters in this one. But I feel like we didn’t know them well enough to truly feel their loss. Except for one of them.
2. I wish we would have gotten more of Sinisa and Gem but I have a feeling that will be brought back in the third book!

Overall I loved this sequel and am super excited for book three! I highly recommend this to all lovers of YA fantasy.

[Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

⚓⚓SUCH THRILLING SECONDS⚓⚓
Holy hotdamn! Jessaca serves up another compelling and delightfully composed debacle, heart pounding, pulse racing, adrenaline pumping, page flipping bombshell, hooks you from the start and reels you in for the duration, melding this jewel together seamlessly. A raging tempest of perplexing mishaps and suspicious events, swirl with the arduous trials and hard fought triumphs, clocking the dramatic twists and intricate turns, propelling this gem to staggering heights. Traversing a minefield of daring drama, churning turmoil, perilous intrigue, ruthless strategy, escalating danger, spiraling suspense and unnerving encounters, along with a boatload of revelations, blasting this baby to life spectacularly. The characters, banter, interactions and charged atmosphere are realistic, complex and genuine with traits and qualities, add depth and diversity, blending into charismatic personalities. The scenes are abundantly descriptive with colorful details that blend and flow, creating one vivid backdrop that's so rich and lively it feels as though you were transported to ground zero with them. Remarkable job Jessaca, thanks for sharing this thrilling treat with us.

[Jessaca Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never expected to care so much about these characters when I first started writing about them, but Acari and Sinisa have really left a lasting mark on my heart.

Heart of the Sungem, book 2 of my Reapers of Veltuur series, picks up just moments after where book 1 ended (sorry about that cliffhanger lol). Sinisa's and Acari's lives have been turned completely upside down.

Sinisa had been a Reaper and mostly loved it. It gave her purpose and drive. But now she's a Guardian, a mysterious and mostly unknown type of magic-wielder, and she doesn't know how to fit into this new world.

Acari was to be the future king, until he became a Reaper instead. And though the underrealm takes a lot from a person, he's still just awkward enough that he feels a little out of place there.

I never want to give spoilers in these, so I'll just say this: buckle in tight because it's about to be a bumpy ride! Heart of the Sungem is a rollercoaster of emotions. It is a volcanic explosion of reveals and a gut-wrenching journey of self-discovery and growth.

Enjoy! lol

[Becca Mee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heart of the Sungem is the exciting sequel to Soul of the Crow. Sinisa is no longer a Reaper, but Acari now is, and she is determined to save him. But as she travels with Hayliel on a quest to rescue Acari from his new fate, she unravels secrets about her past and her destiny that change everything. Meanwhile, Acari has no memories of his former life, and is sent by the Council to begin his reign as a Reaper King. But soon Acari realizes that he is merely a pawn in a game much bigger than he realizes. As he tries to piece together his past and accept his current predicament, Acari is plagued by the only thing he does remember: the presence of a beautiful girl with grey eyes who tried to help him.
I thought that Heart of the Sungem was a pretty solid sequel. This story is dark and absolutely fascinating, and I loved delving into this world even further. Acari and Sinisa's character arcs in this story were really well done and was a clever plot device. I loved seeing a friendship form between Sinisa and Hayliel, as well as the bond between Gem and Sinisa. Heart of the Sungem is a story of redemption, friendship and moving on from emotional trauma that had me really intrigued with impeccable world-building and character development. I am really looking forward to the final installment.

[Breann (bre_thebookqueen) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an eARC from the author for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

Jessaca Willis did a great job picking up where ‘Soul of the Crow’ ended and continuing on with this series. I really enjoyed how original this series is, sometimes in the YA genre books seem to get repetitive.

The dark fantasy world is always an intriguing one, if you enjoy dark fantasy I recommend this one! The plot was great, a good amount of unexpected twists, overall a seriously good read!

I can’t wait to see what the next book has in store for us!

[XxLaVampiresaAlexisxX · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart of the Sungem is the continuation in the Reapers of Veltuur series.

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In SOTC, we were left off with a massive cliffhanger that left you wanting more. Our young prince had to do the unthinkable in order to save his sister. While he became a reaper, Sinisa became a guardian. The struggles these characters endure proves they are both strong. Prince Acari, adjusting to his new job as a reaper and collecting souls, the internal conflict with his memories, and newly crowned king; and Sinisa, with embracing her past, adjusting to becoming a mortal again, learning how to be a guardian and new powers, and finding a way to save Prince Acari from Veltuur.

It was an emotional rollercoaster ride this has been. This world building has been absolutely phenomenal. Also, I will never look at crows the same again lol. Fantastic job!!

I received an ARC and voluntarily gave my honest opinion and review

[Morgan (youarethelibrarian) · Rating 5 out of 5]

MY HEART.

I love Sinisa. She has been through so much, but she keeps going, keeps striving, in order to save Acari. She is actually a really selfless person, and I don't even think she knows it. She has so much guilt and regret that she carries, and I hope that is something she can come to terms with, and forgive herself.
Acari's development has been interesting, and I'm wondering where he will end up in his journey to make sense of his new roles. I'm so hoping he will pick the right side!

I was surprised by some of the twists, and I am anxiously awaiting the final book!

[Nance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart of Sungem is book two in this unique new series by Jessaca Willis. I thought this was a great second book and I can’t wait for the conclusion in book three.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me go through all of the emotions. I absolutely loved how much more world building we got through this installment of the series. The side characters are also very dynamic and I fell in love with them.

The quest Sinisia has to go on is an interesting one. Willis manages to utilize the classic search quest while integrating this world's magic system into it flawlessly. I especially enjoyed the prophecy element that was built upon in this book.

Can't wait to read the third book to learn even more about Sinisia's past and the guardians.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely makes you curious for what's coming next.

[Danna González · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually liked this book even better than the first, I think it had to do with already being introduced to the characters and the world. It was highly entertaining.

Let me give you some context, in this fantasy world, if you kill someone you become a reaper, they are the only ones capable of taking people’s and animal’s lives on the order of the councilspirits from the Underrealm. Reapers are feared everywhere but Prince Acari in the first book, tried to escape from Sinisa, a reaper, tasked to kill his little sister.

In this second book, there is a lot more world-building, unexpected friendships and a very interesting quest to save Acari. I loved so many things about this book, it was calming at times looking at the sea but also had me on the edge of my seat in action scenes. The characters feel realistic and relatable. It’s so so good and I hope the third and final book is even better.

[H.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good

I love how the characters feel real. Their challenges feel real. Councilspirit Leumas definitely has a goal, and I am really curious as to what it is.

[William Dickie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting

Well the story is quite interesting. It has me interested and I'm ready to read book three now. Hopefully the story fonts to grow..

[Tabatha Shipley · Rating 4 out of 5]

But, while I have your attention, GO BUY SOUL OF THE CROW BECAUSE IT WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE BOOKS OF 2020.

What I Did Like:
-The characters. These two major characters, Acari and Sinisa, are AMAZING. You know I like characters that grow and change, characters that are real, and characters I can relate to. These two are ALL THAT and MORE. I absolutely adore them.
-Emotional punches. I felt honest-to-goodness stress when the characters did something questionable and dangerous (I think I even posted about it on IG). I had heartbreak. The writing is done so well that you don’t just understand they’re experiencing these emotions … you feel them with the characters.
-The big themes coming. Oh, I see them and I’m HERE for it. I love when a YA series hits BIG GIANT THEMES and we’re building to some of those with this trilogy. I’m anticipating that AND enjoying the journey, which is YA series GOLD.

Who Should Read This One:
-YA Fantasy fans.
-Fans of the first book (AHEM: If you haven’t read the first book yet … READ IT).
-Readers who like realistic characters to fall in love with in fantastical situations.

My Rating: 4 stars. This book is great, this series is AMAZING, and I highly recommend you check it out!

For Full Review (including what I didn’t love): https://youtu.be/1uoYpVzux5c

[Mitch Verati · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars