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A Wicked Thing #2
Ewig - Wenn Liebe entflammt
Ein ganz neues Happy End für Aurora
Nach hundert Jahren Schlaf geweckt durch den Kuss eines Prinzen - Auroras Leben sollte eigentlich wie ein Märchen sein. Doch die Realität sieht anders aus: ein tyrannischer Herrscher hat sich des Thrones ihrer Familie bemächtigt und unterdrückt ihr Volk. Das darf nicht sein, beschließt Aurora. Um ihre Untertanen zu befreien, macht sie sich auf den Weg in das weit entfernte Königreich von Prinz Finnegan - der sie liebt und den sie hasst. Und der weit mehr über die Magie, die in Aurora schlummert, zu wissen scheint als sie selbst. Und vor allem über ihre rätselhafte Verbindung zu den Drachen, die das Königkreich von Prinz Finnegan seit Jahren bedrohen.
Während Aurora, vom König zur Verräterin erklärt und von seinen Soldaten verfolgt, um ihr Leben fürchten muss, wird ihre magische Gabe immer stärker - genauso wie ihre Gewissheit: Sie wird nicht nur ihr Volk retten, sondern eines Tages auch den Fluch brechen, mit dem sie vor hundert Jahren bei ihrer Geburt belegt wurde. Ein Fluch, der ihr für immer jedes Glück und die große Liebe versagt. Aurora kämpft um ihr Leben, ihre Liebe und ihr Königreich.
Nach hundert Jahren Schlaf geweckt durch den Kuss eines Prinzen - Auroras Leben sollte eigentlich wie ein Märchen sein. Doch die Realität sieht anders aus: ein tyrannischer Herrscher hat sich des Thrones ihrer Familie bemächtigt und unterdrückt ihr Volk. Das darf nicht sein, beschließt Aurora. Um ihre Untertanen zu befreien, macht sie sich auf den Weg in das weit entfernte Königreich von Prinz Finnegan - der sie liebt und den sie hasst. Und der weit mehr über die Magie, die in Aurora schlummert, zu wissen scheint als sie selbst. Und vor allem über ihre rätselhafte Verbindung zu den Drachen, die das Königkreich von Prinz Finnegan seit Jahren bedrohen.
Während Aurora, vom König zur Verräterin erklärt und von seinen Soldaten verfolgt, um ihr Leben fürchten muss, wird ihre magische Gabe immer stärker - genauso wie ihre Gewissheit: Sie wird nicht nur ihr Volk retten, sondern eines Tages auch den Fluch brechen, mit dem sie vor hundert Jahren bei ihrer Geburt belegt wurde. Ein Fluch, der ihr für immer jedes Glück und die große Liebe versagt. Aurora kämpft um ihr Leben, ihre Liebe und ihr Königreich.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published February 23, 2016
40 people are currently reading
3758 people want to read
About the author
Rhiannon Thomas
18 books589 followersRhiannon Thomas is an English Lit grad from Princeton University. She currently lives in York, England, in the shadow of a 13th century Gothic cathedral. When she isn’t lost in YA fantasy, she writes about feminism and the media on her blog, FeministFiction.com.
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January 18, 2016
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Kingdom of Ashes by Rhiannon Thomas
Book Two of the A Wicked Thing series
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: February 23, 2016
Rating: 3 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss
Summary (from Goodreads):
Asleep for a hundred years, awoken by a kiss, Aurora’s life was supposed to be a fairytale. But since discovering that loyalty to the crown and loyalty to her country are two very different things, Aurora knows she can only dream of happily ever after. Once the enchanted princess, savior of her people, she is now branded a traitor.
Aurora is determined to free her home from the king’s tyrannical rule, even if it means traveling across the sea to the kingdom of the handsome and devious Prince Finnegan—someone who seems to know far more about her magic than he should. However, Finnegan’s kingdom has perils of its own, and any help he gives Aurora will come at a price.
As Aurora and Finnegan work together to harness her power—something so fiery and dangerous that is as likely to destroy those close to Aurora as it is to save them—she begins to unravel the mysteries surrounding the curse that was placed on her over a century before…and uncover the truth about the destiny she was always meant to fulfill.
Brimming with captivating fantasy and life-threatening danger, the sequel to A Wicked Thing takes Sleeping Beauty on an adventure unlike any she’s ever had before.
What I Liked:
I actually liked this book, but I didn't like SOME things about it. I can't help but compare this book to its predecessor, A Wicked Thing. There were some things that were better addressed in this novel, but other things that were even poorer than in book one. Kingdom of Ashes is the second and final book in this duology - as is noted by the Publishers Weekly Rights Report.
Aurora is on the run, hunted by King John, hunted by her own people in Alyssinia. With the help of Nettle, a singer and spy for Vanhelm, Aurora flees to Vanhelm. There, the prince of Vanhelm helps Aurora learn about and practice her magic, which is wildly out of control. Aurora makes a deal with him - help her with her magic, and she'll rid Vanhelm of the dragons that threaten the kingdom. Aurora will learn more than just magic - she'll discover a century of truths and lies about her destiny.
Something that really worked for me in this book - Aurora is now less spineless and more, let's say, innovative, than she ever was. She goes to Vanhelm not because she has nowhere else to turn, but because she knows the Prince Finnegan can help her understand her magic. She's much more assertive and commanding in this book, much more decisive. There is a feminist quality to this book, and I was a fan of the growth of Aurora.
I also really liked seeing Finnegan grow. One of my complaints from A Wicked Thing was that Finnegan seemed very one-dimensional. That is not the case in this book. We get a lot of personal information about Finnegan, a lot of background knowledge that makes him seem a lot less one-dimensional. I liked seeing him unsure and sad, because usually all we saw from him was charm and flirtation and assurances. I love Finnegan's charm and whatnot! I think he is a wonderful male protagonist.
I liked that what I thought was a love triangle in the first book completely disappeared in this book. I had had a feeling that Tristan would be less of a factor in the romance, and that is very true. He appears in this book but Aurora doesn't even think of him anymore, as anything. The romance is very minimal, but completely between Aurora and Finnegan.
There is a strong presence of dragons! I can't remember if there was a single dragon in book one, but there were a looot of them in this book. The dragons are seen as a bad thing, a danger, a constant threat to Vanhelm (and the world in general). And they are! They destroyed Vanhelm. But at the same time, the dragons are animals, and magical. I love the choice that Aurora makes, in terms of the dragons.
The story was well-written, well-crafted, and I sped through this book! As far as retellings go, this isn't the worst one, but it's not amazing. I love the whole "after the kiss" aspect. But I had some issues with this book, and I couldn't give it higher than three stars.
What I Did Not Like:
***POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD***
I was so so so disappointed by the romance. I LOVED that the potential triangle aspect disappeared - Tristan never existed as a love interest after A Wicked Thing ended. I LOVED that Finnegan and Aurora had this slow-burn type of relationship in this book - sort of. But I didn't like how many times Aurora hesitated to open herself to Finnegan, even though it's so obvious to everyone and to herself, that she likes, cares about, even loves him. She's assertive and decisive in every way, except in acting on her feelings.
The thing with "feminist" books is that there are some people that say that a woman shouldn't need a man, a girl doesn't need a boy, a book doesn't need a romance. I despise that this is something that framed the romance in this book. Aurora doesn't let herself act on her feelings - saving Alyssinia is too important, despite the fact that she nearly killed Finnegan and half of Vanhelm in the process. I don't like that she doesn't find his feelings important. I don't like that in the end, she decides that opening herself to him isn't important. It's so stupid, you know? Feminism is all about empowering a woman's choice. You love a prince? Own it. Why the f**k should that be something "weak" or not feminist? I'm so sick of people saying that a woman doesn't need a man. WHILE THAT IS TRUE, it doesn't mean that a woman shouldn't WANT one (if that's who she's interested in). And in this case, Aurora is very much interested much interested in Finnegan and Finnegan alone.
Le sigh. This romance could have been so much better minus the feminist bulls**t blocking in. Not that I'm against feminism - no, the opposite. I'm against feminism being used as an excuse not to have a relationship with the person you love.
And even if this isn't the case - the romance was still pretty crappy. Aurora needs to grow up in that aspect, and stopping jerking Finnegan around. And what pisses me off even more is that this book ends with her ambivalently dragging him along. She won't marry him BUT she wants him to stay. Who the h*Ll do you think you are? He's not some f**king courtside lover. He's a PRINCE, heir to the throne of Vanhelm. Ahhh, this makes me mad!
Other things I didn't like - the ending in general was very very open-ended. This book is it, since the series is a duology. The issue with Celestine is hastily swept aside. You think I'm going to be happy with a "she's not going to bother anyone anymore?" conclusion? She's still alive! Of course she's going to bother everyone! You just spent two books fighting Celestine and her curse and THAT is the ending you come up with?! Weak. Such a cop-out.
I think there were more things (like, this book seemed way too short and it read like one big scene - not a ton happened), but the issues I mentioned were enough to piss me off and drop the rating.
Would I Recommend It:
If you read A Wicked Thing and enjoyed it (at least somewhat - remember, I gave it three stars), then you should give this book a shot. I've seen most people like this one more than book one, so that's a plus. It could just be me! And remember, three stars isn't bad. I didn't hate this book. Overall, it was decent. Just not... great.
If you read A Wicked Thing and didn't like it/have no zeal to continue the series, then do not waste your time. It's not worth it. This book isn't SO much better that you should give it a shot.
Rating:
3 stars. I wanted to lean more to the 2.5-star side, but I think 3 stars solid is the true rating. I'm glad I finished the series, even if I didn't enjoy it as much as I'd hoped.
Okay so I didn't LOVE A Wicked Thing ... but I'm curious about this sequel.
Kingdom of Ashes by Rhiannon Thomas
Book Two of the A Wicked Thing series
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: February 23, 2016
Rating: 3 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss
Summary (from Goodreads):
Asleep for a hundred years, awoken by a kiss, Aurora’s life was supposed to be a fairytale. But since discovering that loyalty to the crown and loyalty to her country are two very different things, Aurora knows she can only dream of happily ever after. Once the enchanted princess, savior of her people, she is now branded a traitor.
Aurora is determined to free her home from the king’s tyrannical rule, even if it means traveling across the sea to the kingdom of the handsome and devious Prince Finnegan—someone who seems to know far more about her magic than he should. However, Finnegan’s kingdom has perils of its own, and any help he gives Aurora will come at a price.
As Aurora and Finnegan work together to harness her power—something so fiery and dangerous that is as likely to destroy those close to Aurora as it is to save them—she begins to unravel the mysteries surrounding the curse that was placed on her over a century before…and uncover the truth about the destiny she was always meant to fulfill.
Brimming with captivating fantasy and life-threatening danger, the sequel to A Wicked Thing takes Sleeping Beauty on an adventure unlike any she’s ever had before.
What I Liked:
I actually liked this book, but I didn't like SOME things about it. I can't help but compare this book to its predecessor, A Wicked Thing. There were some things that were better addressed in this novel, but other things that were even poorer than in book one. Kingdom of Ashes is the second and final book in this duology - as is noted by the Publishers Weekly Rights Report.
Aurora is on the run, hunted by King John, hunted by her own people in Alyssinia. With the help of Nettle, a singer and spy for Vanhelm, Aurora flees to Vanhelm. There, the prince of Vanhelm helps Aurora learn about and practice her magic, which is wildly out of control. Aurora makes a deal with him - help her with her magic, and she'll rid Vanhelm of the dragons that threaten the kingdom. Aurora will learn more than just magic - she'll discover a century of truths and lies about her destiny.
Something that really worked for me in this book - Aurora is now less spineless and more, let's say, innovative, than she ever was. She goes to Vanhelm not because she has nowhere else to turn, but because she knows the Prince Finnegan can help her understand her magic. She's much more assertive and commanding in this book, much more decisive. There is a feminist quality to this book, and I was a fan of the growth of Aurora.
I also really liked seeing Finnegan grow. One of my complaints from A Wicked Thing was that Finnegan seemed very one-dimensional. That is not the case in this book. We get a lot of personal information about Finnegan, a lot of background knowledge that makes him seem a lot less one-dimensional. I liked seeing him unsure and sad, because usually all we saw from him was charm and flirtation and assurances. I love Finnegan's charm and whatnot! I think he is a wonderful male protagonist.
I liked that what I thought was a love triangle in the first book completely disappeared in this book. I had had a feeling that Tristan would be less of a factor in the romance, and that is very true. He appears in this book but Aurora doesn't even think of him anymore, as anything. The romance is very minimal, but completely between Aurora and Finnegan.
There is a strong presence of dragons! I can't remember if there was a single dragon in book one, but there were a looot of them in this book. The dragons are seen as a bad thing, a danger, a constant threat to Vanhelm (and the world in general). And they are! They destroyed Vanhelm. But at the same time, the dragons are animals, and magical. I love the choice that Aurora makes, in terms of the dragons.
The story was well-written, well-crafted, and I sped through this book! As far as retellings go, this isn't the worst one, but it's not amazing. I love the whole "after the kiss" aspect. But I had some issues with this book, and I couldn't give it higher than three stars.
What I Did Not Like:
***POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD***
I was so so so disappointed by the romance. I LOVED that the potential triangle aspect disappeared - Tristan never existed as a love interest after A Wicked Thing ended. I LOVED that Finnegan and Aurora had this slow-burn type of relationship in this book - sort of. But I didn't like how many times Aurora hesitated to open herself to Finnegan, even though it's so obvious to everyone and to herself, that she likes, cares about, even loves him. She's assertive and decisive in every way, except in acting on her feelings.
The thing with "feminist" books is that there are some people that say that a woman shouldn't need a man, a girl doesn't need a boy, a book doesn't need a romance. I despise that this is something that framed the romance in this book. Aurora doesn't let herself act on her feelings - saving Alyssinia is too important, despite the fact that she nearly killed Finnegan and half of Vanhelm in the process. I don't like that she doesn't find his feelings important. I don't like that in the end, she decides that opening herself to him isn't important. It's so stupid, you know? Feminism is all about empowering a woman's choice. You love a prince? Own it. Why the f**k should that be something "weak" or not feminist? I'm so sick of people saying that a woman doesn't need a man. WHILE THAT IS TRUE, it doesn't mean that a woman shouldn't WANT one (if that's who she's interested in). And in this case, Aurora is very much interested much interested in Finnegan and Finnegan alone.
Le sigh. This romance could have been so much better minus the feminist bulls**t blocking in. Not that I'm against feminism - no, the opposite. I'm against feminism being used as an excuse not to have a relationship with the person you love.
And even if this isn't the case - the romance was still pretty crappy. Aurora needs to grow up in that aspect, and stopping jerking Finnegan around. And what pisses me off even more is that this book ends with her ambivalently dragging him along. She won't marry him BUT she wants him to stay. Who the h*Ll do you think you are? He's not some f**king courtside lover. He's a PRINCE, heir to the throne of Vanhelm. Ahhh, this makes me mad!
Other things I didn't like - the ending in general was very very open-ended. This book is it, since the series is a duology. The issue with Celestine is hastily swept aside. You think I'm going to be happy with a "she's not going to bother anyone anymore?" conclusion? She's still alive! Of course she's going to bother everyone! You just spent two books fighting Celestine and her curse and THAT is the ending you come up with?! Weak. Such a cop-out.
I think there were more things (like, this book seemed way too short and it read like one big scene - not a ton happened), but the issues I mentioned were enough to piss me off and drop the rating.
Would I Recommend It:
If you read A Wicked Thing and enjoyed it (at least somewhat - remember, I gave it three stars), then you should give this book a shot. I've seen most people like this one more than book one, so that's a plus. It could just be me! And remember, three stars isn't bad. I didn't hate this book. Overall, it was decent. Just not... great.
If you read A Wicked Thing and didn't like it/have no zeal to continue the series, then do not waste your time. It's not worth it. This book isn't SO much better that you should give it a shot.
Rating:
3 stars. I wanted to lean more to the 2.5-star side, but I think 3 stars solid is the true rating. I'm glad I finished the series, even if I didn't enjoy it as much as I'd hoped.
Okay so I didn't LOVE A Wicked Thing ... but I'm curious about this sequel.
February 4, 2016
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
This was an interesting story, and I liked the dragons!
I liked Aurora more in this book, she seemed much stronger, and more determined, and actually took charge instead of allowing other people to make decisions for her.
The storyline in this started out with Aurora fleeing, burning down the odd village (accidentally), and eventually escaping to another kingdom. We then got dragons!! And Aurora learning a bit about her magic and its connection to the dragons also. We had the evil witch show up, and a little bit of romance thrown in there too, and I did prefer this book to the first book in the series.
The ending to this was pretty good, and this looks like the end of the road for this series.
6.25 out of 10
“I want you as an ally,”
This was an interesting story, and I liked the dragons!
I liked Aurora more in this book, she seemed much stronger, and more determined, and actually took charge instead of allowing other people to make decisions for her.
The storyline in this started out with Aurora fleeing, burning down the odd village (accidentally), and eventually escaping to another kingdom. We then got dragons!! And Aurora learning a bit about her magic and its connection to the dragons also. We had the evil witch show up, and a little bit of romance thrown in there too, and I did prefer this book to the first book in the series.
The ending to this was pretty good, and this looks like the end of the road for this series.
6.25 out of 10
January 10, 2016
This was much stronger than the first one. It did drag for the first part of it, but then there were dragons and everything was better.
Aurora is intriguing in this book. She's got magic and I was kept interested in reading her learn how to control it. Finnegan is as much fun as before, possibly even more, and I loved their scenes together.
Did I mention there were dragons? Yeah, there are and they're awesome. Aurora's connection with them may have been the best part of the entire book.
The ending was satisfying, but I'm curious if there will be one more story. If there isn't, I'm good. If there is, I will absolutely read it.
**Huge thanks to Harper Teen and Edelweiss for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
Aurora is intriguing in this book. She's got magic and I was kept interested in reading her learn how to control it. Finnegan is as much fun as before, possibly even more, and I loved their scenes together.
Did I mention there were dragons? Yeah, there are and they're awesome. Aurora's connection with them may have been the best part of the entire book.
The ending was satisfying, but I'm curious if there will be one more story. If there isn't, I'm good. If there is, I will absolutely read it.
**Huge thanks to Harper Teen and Edelweiss for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
Read
February 22, 2016Copy provided by publisher
A fantasy that I would have loved at thirteen, but found difficult to engage with at my old age, after sixty years of indefatigable reading.
The pluses: Aurora and Finnegan, a delightful pair, determined to cure the dragon problem besetting Finnegan's kingdom. A feisty heroine, a quirky hero, and dragons are a big plus. Add in Aurora's dragon magic, which gave her power that would have been a sure-fire hit for me at thirteen.
But I am a visual reader, and the world building was so cartoonish that I found it difficult to engage deeply with the story, making it easy to put down and to skim through the more predictable bits. The occasional grammatical oopses didn't help.
I will pass this copy to my grand-niece, who is exactly the right age to enjoy it.
A fantasy that I would have loved at thirteen, but found difficult to engage with at my old age, after sixty years of indefatigable reading.
The pluses: Aurora and Finnegan, a delightful pair, determined to cure the dragon problem besetting Finnegan's kingdom. A feisty heroine, a quirky hero, and dragons are a big plus. Add in Aurora's dragon magic, which gave her power that would have been a sure-fire hit for me at thirteen.
But I am a visual reader, and the world building was so cartoonish that I found it difficult to engage deeply with the story, making it easy to put down and to skim through the more predictable bits. The occasional grammatical oopses didn't help.
I will pass this copy to my grand-niece, who is exactly the right age to enjoy it.
January 22, 2023
5⭐️
This book is so much better than I ever expected. The book unfortunately has much lower reviews.
It's a Ya book with a strong female protagonist, love triangles, magic and dragons!
The duology has an amazing twist in the sleeping beauty story and makes it really fantastic! This has become one of my new favorite series despite I like YA books less than before
This book is so much better than I ever expected. The book unfortunately has much lower reviews.
It's a Ya book with a strong female protagonist, love triangles, magic and dragons!
The duology has an amazing twist in the sleeping beauty story and makes it really fantastic! This has become one of my new favorite series despite I like YA books less than before
June 21, 2018
Und sicher erkennst du jetzt, wie heikel die Magie sein kann. Wieso eine Hexe nicht zwangsläufig böse ist, wenn ihr Zauber schlimme Folgen hat.
2,25 Sterne
Zunächst war ich fasziniert von der Idee, zu erfahren was Dornröschen wohl erlebt, als sie nach 100 Jahren aufwacht. Diese Version jedoch... Uff. Ich habe gefühlt ewig für dieses Buch gebraucht und es konnte mich einfach nicht fesseln, ich war immer leicht abzulenken, konnte es jederzeit sehr gut aus der Hand legen. Und dabei liebe ich Drachen (Wer ist wohl meine Favoritin bei Game Of Thrones? Richtig, die Mother of Dragons.), aber der Aspekt konnte mich leider letztendlich nicht überzeugen. Ich wollte dieses Buch mögen. Wirklich. Es war auch nicht so schlimm, wie es hätte sein können. Es hatte durchaus seine Momente, vor allem am Anfang. Aber je mehr es auf das Ende zuging, desto mehr verlor ich den Bezug zu dem Buch. Schade.
Aber wer für Märchenneuerzählungen etwas übrig hat, könnte durchaus seinen Spaß an diesen Büchern haben.
November 18, 2019
So wirklich überzeugen konnte mich Band 2 leider nicht. Ich bin ja ein grosser Fan von Märchengeschichten und fand die Idee toll, zu erfahren, was Dornröschen eigentlich dazu sagt, heiraten zu müssen nachdem sie aufwacht. Doch in Band 2 wurde plötzlich eine Drachengeschichte daraus, die mich sowohl thematisch als auch inhaltlich nicht wirklich überzeugen konnte.
June 12, 2016
Kingdom Ashes is the final book in this duology and I hate to say it, but although it was very unsatisfying, I’m glad. This book was one of my most anticipated releases of 2016 and I’m so so soooooo disappointed!:( I’m going to try to keep this very short as I don’t like to ramble about things I didn’t like… Here I go…
Generally, I just had a lot of problems with the main character. And this is what mostly ruined the book for me. She had zero character development. She kept doing dangerous things and placing herself in (unneeded) danger without thinking about the consequences. Her general train of thoughts was mostly like: “Could it destroy the whole city or kill me? Yes… maybe… Hmmm, but I’m important and I think that’s a fantastic idea, so I’m definitely going to risk it, yay!” Geez, the amount of times I rolled my eyes is very high.
After ending A Wicked Thing, I was also super excited for the romance between Aurora and Finnegan. I was expecting a teasing and exciting romance between them and we got wasn’t even slightly satisfying. Aurora acted very young on the romance territory. She played with Finnegan’s feelings a lot while deciding if she even wanted him or not. I disliked this a lot! He’s a Prince for goodness sake! But he wasn’t the best either.. he just let her drag him around… *sighs*
The only thing I liked in this book was the history and the dragons! Because YES, this book has lots of dragons! I think that if the premise wasn’t ruined by Aurora, it would have been an epic book! I was always wanting to know more about them, their power, how they survived etc. They were so interesting!
As said earlier, this is the final book in this Sleeping Beauty retelling duology…. buuuut what the hell? I thought there would be a third book because the ending is so vague and open! The villain of this book is still ALIVE! Now, it’s like everyone is assuming that she won’t try to plan something bad again? Hellooo?? Ugh well. I’ll just shut up.
If you highly enjoyed the first book, I’d still recommend you try this one out! Maybe you’ll like it? I just think my own expectations were too high. The writing was still good and easy to go through, so there’s that. If the author worked more on her character development and plot (especially endings), she could be a highly appreciated YA author!
Summary of my rating:
Cover: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Writing: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Characters: ⭐⭐
Plot: ⭐⭐
Ending: ⭐⭐
Overall book: ⭐⭐+0.5
July 24, 2017
Inkvotary
An action-filled story with a touch of romance and many very bloody and cruel scenes. I am not sure what to think of this book. It was a bit better than the first one. But still not really mine. An open end, a princess who doesn't know what she wants, and a lot of guessing. If you are expecting a nice fairy tale here, you are wrong. Not sure if I can recommend it.
An action-filled story with a touch of romance and many very bloody and cruel scenes. I am not sure what to think of this book. It was a bit better than the first one. But still not really mine. An open end, a princess who doesn't know what she wants, and a lot of guessing. If you are expecting a nice fairy tale here, you are wrong. Not sure if I can recommend it.
February 21, 2016
I'd like to thank Harper Teen for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give an honest review. Receiving this book for free has in no way altered my opinion or review.
Going into this book, I will say I ha to read a few reviews of and the blurb from the first book to re-familiarize myself with the story. I remember liking the first book but not loving it. So I went into this book with a bit of trepidation because second books in a series do not always live up to what we want. I should have had no fear at all. This book far surpassed it's predecessor both in content and in writing.
If you haven't read the first book in this series, I cannot promise there won't be spoilers in this review. So stop here if you don't want to know anything! Otherwise, continue on and see why it is I adored this book so much.
The story picks up where it left off. Aurora has fled Alyssinia after realizing that the fairytale her life should be has shattered into tiny pieces. She is being hunted by King John. With what seems like enemies on all sides, she suddenly finds herself in Vanhelm siding with Prince Finnegan, who she has not trusted in the past and is determined not to trust in the present. I really loved Aurora in this book. In the first book I found her character a bit lacking. I wanted her to be stronger. In this book she is so much stronger. She has really come into herself and has grabbed at her chance to save her kingdom in any way she can. She's not above doing whatever it takes to do so. And she is so much more decisive in this book. She doesn't hesitate to make decisions as she did in the last book. Perhaps because she now knows her place and knows what she must do to attain it.
I remember liking Finnegan in the first book but not trusting him mostly because he was such a mystery to us. He was my favorite character by far. But what did we know about him? I felt like he was out for himself in book one that his agenda with Aurora wasn't quite right. I felt like he wanted to use her. In this book, I understood Finnegan so much more. Maybe because we get a glimpse of his kingdom and its devastation. Maybe because we meet his mother and learn how she has had to a rule a land devastated by events of the past. We learn all about him in this book and who he is. It's fascinating and intriguing. He grew from a one-dimensional character in book one to a complex one who had every intention of saving both his kingdom and Auraora's no matter what it took. He's fairly conceited but at the same time you can see he still have insecurities. And you can feel his loyalty, even though Aurora refuses to trust him completely.
The romance in this book worked so much better than book one. I remember being annoyed at a sort of love quadrangle in that book. Aurora was torn in all different directions when it came to all these boys entering her life. I could understand it, despite the fact that it annoyed me. What did she know of love or trusting. But in this book you can see she has learned what those things mean. She realizes what her relationship with both Roderick and Tristan would be if she were with them and she also sees what potential she might have with Finnegan. She certainly works this out in the book and it's nice to watch it grow and blossom. I loved the tension and slow burn that was there and how things were totally in her hands, the decision completely hers. I will say I'm disappointed that she is a bit wishy washy with how the romance progresses. She has no trust in herself to make the decision to have it blossom and this annoyed me.
The action in this book was phenomenal. It really carried the story. I was never bored and the pacing kept me wanting to turn the page to find out what happened. I will say that despite these books being a re-telling of Sleeping Beauty, I actually think they are more a re-imagining than anything else. This book does not stick with the story of the fairytale at all. And while I really thought I'd see a re-telling, I think I am actually more fond of the re-imagining angle. It kept me guessing and wanting to know more.
I really loved the writing. I honestly felt almost like this book was written by a different author. The descriptions were great, the world building of Venhelm spot on. And the element of dragons made for a great amount of tension and intrigue.
The end of the book is very open. I know this is a duology so I thought for sure things would be wrapped up. But there are elements that are kind of glossed over and never actually addressed which makes me feel like there will be more to the story than the author originally imagined. I don't like having to guess at things. Open ends are often my nemesis.
Overall, if you enjoyed A Wicked Thing at all, you will definitely like the finale of this story. I've seen that most people enjoyed this story more than the first, and I would have to agree with their assessments. If you like fairytale re-imaginings then this story will hit the mark!
Going into this book, I will say I ha to read a few reviews of and the blurb from the first book to re-familiarize myself with the story. I remember liking the first book but not loving it. So I went into this book with a bit of trepidation because second books in a series do not always live up to what we want. I should have had no fear at all. This book far surpassed it's predecessor both in content and in writing.
If you haven't read the first book in this series, I cannot promise there won't be spoilers in this review. So stop here if you don't want to know anything! Otherwise, continue on and see why it is I adored this book so much.
The story picks up where it left off. Aurora has fled Alyssinia after realizing that the fairytale her life should be has shattered into tiny pieces. She is being hunted by King John. With what seems like enemies on all sides, she suddenly finds herself in Vanhelm siding with Prince Finnegan, who she has not trusted in the past and is determined not to trust in the present. I really loved Aurora in this book. In the first book I found her character a bit lacking. I wanted her to be stronger. In this book she is so much stronger. She has really come into herself and has grabbed at her chance to save her kingdom in any way she can. She's not above doing whatever it takes to do so. And she is so much more decisive in this book. She doesn't hesitate to make decisions as she did in the last book. Perhaps because she now knows her place and knows what she must do to attain it.
I remember liking Finnegan in the first book but not trusting him mostly because he was such a mystery to us. He was my favorite character by far. But what did we know about him? I felt like he was out for himself in book one that his agenda with Aurora wasn't quite right. I felt like he wanted to use her. In this book, I understood Finnegan so much more. Maybe because we get a glimpse of his kingdom and its devastation. Maybe because we meet his mother and learn how she has had to a rule a land devastated by events of the past. We learn all about him in this book and who he is. It's fascinating and intriguing. He grew from a one-dimensional character in book one to a complex one who had every intention of saving both his kingdom and Auraora's no matter what it took. He's fairly conceited but at the same time you can see he still have insecurities. And you can feel his loyalty, even though Aurora refuses to trust him completely.
The romance in this book worked so much better than book one. I remember being annoyed at a sort of love quadrangle in that book. Aurora was torn in all different directions when it came to all these boys entering her life. I could understand it, despite the fact that it annoyed me. What did she know of love or trusting. But in this book you can see she has learned what those things mean. She realizes what her relationship with both Roderick and Tristan would be if she were with them and she also sees what potential she might have with Finnegan. She certainly works this out in the book and it's nice to watch it grow and blossom. I loved the tension and slow burn that was there and how things were totally in her hands, the decision completely hers. I will say I'm disappointed that she is a bit wishy washy with how the romance progresses. She has no trust in herself to make the decision to have it blossom and this annoyed me.
The action in this book was phenomenal. It really carried the story. I was never bored and the pacing kept me wanting to turn the page to find out what happened. I will say that despite these books being a re-telling of Sleeping Beauty, I actually think they are more a re-imagining than anything else. This book does not stick with the story of the fairytale at all. And while I really thought I'd see a re-telling, I think I am actually more fond of the re-imagining angle. It kept me guessing and wanting to know more.
I really loved the writing. I honestly felt almost like this book was written by a different author. The descriptions were great, the world building of Venhelm spot on. And the element of dragons made for a great amount of tension and intrigue.
The end of the book is very open. I know this is a duology so I thought for sure things would be wrapped up. But there are elements that are kind of glossed over and never actually addressed which makes me feel like there will be more to the story than the author originally imagined. I don't like having to guess at things. Open ends are often my nemesis.
Overall, if you enjoyed A Wicked Thing at all, you will definitely like the finale of this story. I've seen that most people enjoyed this story more than the first, and I would have to agree with their assessments. If you like fairytale re-imaginings then this story will hit the mark!
November 18, 2020
Scroll down for actual review!
I never do this but...
Love the first book. Love this cover. Love the dress.
And it comes out on my birthday!
*Edit After I Read It*
This book is wonderful! It's lovely and beautiful and deadly and I just simply adore it so much.
Aurora is AMAZING in this book and I absolutely love her!
Also, there were several times when incoherent mutters and gasps were the only noise I could make about this book, so that's got to say something.
I do plan on eventually getting out a review to my blog - one that actually does more than just fawn over the book - but for now, I want to share my love and excitement of this book with all of you.
And, in closing say:
Dear Ms Thomas,
Please write quicker!
"I am not a miss. I am Princess Aurora, heir to the throne of Alyssinia."
This book is so wonderful! More than I expected and almost exactly what I'd hoped for. The only tiny, niggling complaint I've got is I would have loved it even more if the romance had been lessened - because I cannot shake the overwhelming hope - because, after all, Aurora is so awesome - that the endgame for her will not be romance.
Her magic needed to be her strength, and she couldn't be strong while tearing herself apart.
Because, seriously, a girl this awesome and amazing doesn't need a guy. She really doesn't, but…well, I do like the romance that does seem to be slowly being built because Aurora is growing. She's coming into her own in such a wonderful way. She's developing and growing strong physically and mentally. I definitely will be looking forward to any more books with her.
"No one is just anything. Everyone will have more layers than you expect."
This time around, Aurora's actually got good women role models, too. Nettle, who I liked a lot in the first book is back and so wonderful. She's showing signs of being a great friend for Aurora and someone that will give her advice but not try to manipulate or control her. (And who really needed to be in this book even more!) And Queen Orla is awesome! She's a tough, strong woman that I would love to know more about. (And there's also a certain princess that I can truly see being a good friend of Aurora's.)
The guys…actually, there's not a lot of guys in this book. I don't want to give away spoilers, so let me just say: certain things have occurred that has made me look at several of the male characters that were in the first book in a different light.
And, this:
"I'm waiting for you to kiss me. I feel like you've been kissed enough times in your life."
Can I just say that at that point I knew there was no hope for me and I really started doubting that there'd be any for Aurora, either. (Okay, so it's breathtakingly cocky and confident, but what girl wouldn't want to be told by a guy that he's willing to wait and hand over the reins?)
This book, to me, is just all around more than the first one. There's a bit more action. There's more explanations. There's more character growth. It just pretty much everything I wanted from it.
Defiance filled every breath, a furious, desperate, proud determination to be exactly who she could be, regardless of what anyone else wanted or expected.
Final Note: I'm not sure if this is the final book in the series or not. As is, it's a pretty decent place to end - no looming cliffs - but I would love if there was more to Aurora's story that we'd get to read.
(Originally posted on my blog: pagesofstarlight.blogspot.com)
I never do this but...
Love the first book. Love this cover. Love the dress.
And it comes out on my birthday!
*Edit After I Read It*
This book is wonderful! It's lovely and beautiful and deadly and I just simply adore it so much.
Aurora is AMAZING in this book and I absolutely love her!
Also, there were several times when incoherent mutters and gasps were the only noise I could make about this book, so that's got to say something.
I do plan on eventually getting out a review to my blog - one that actually does more than just fawn over the book - but for now, I want to share my love and excitement of this book with all of you.
And, in closing say:
Dear Ms Thomas,
Please write quicker!
"I am not a miss. I am Princess Aurora, heir to the throne of Alyssinia."
This book is so wonderful! More than I expected and almost exactly what I'd hoped for. The only tiny, niggling complaint I've got is I would have loved it even more if the romance had been lessened - because I cannot shake the overwhelming hope - because, after all, Aurora is so awesome - that the endgame for her will not be romance.
Her magic needed to be her strength, and she couldn't be strong while tearing herself apart.
Because, seriously, a girl this awesome and amazing doesn't need a guy. She really doesn't, but…well, I do like the romance that does seem to be slowly being built because Aurora is growing. She's coming into her own in such a wonderful way. She's developing and growing strong physically and mentally. I definitely will be looking forward to any more books with her.
"No one is just anything. Everyone will have more layers than you expect."
This time around, Aurora's actually got good women role models, too. Nettle, who I liked a lot in the first book is back and so wonderful. She's showing signs of being a great friend for Aurora and someone that will give her advice but not try to manipulate or control her. (And who really needed to be in this book even more!) And Queen Orla is awesome! She's a tough, strong woman that I would love to know more about. (And there's also a certain princess that I can truly see being a good friend of Aurora's.)
The guys…actually, there's not a lot of guys in this book. I don't want to give away spoilers, so let me just say: certain things have occurred that has made me look at several of the male characters that were in the first book in a different light.
And, this:
"I'm waiting for you to kiss me. I feel like you've been kissed enough times in your life."
Can I just say that at that point I knew there was no hope for me and I really started doubting that there'd be any for Aurora, either. (Okay, so it's breathtakingly cocky and confident, but what girl wouldn't want to be told by a guy that he's willing to wait and hand over the reins?)
This book, to me, is just all around more than the first one. There's a bit more action. There's more explanations. There's more character growth. It just pretty much everything I wanted from it.
Defiance filled every breath, a furious, desperate, proud determination to be exactly who she could be, regardless of what anyone else wanted or expected.
Final Note: I'm not sure if this is the final book in the series or not. As is, it's a pretty decent place to end - no looming cliffs - but I would love if there was more to Aurora's story that we'd get to read.
(Originally posted on my blog: pagesofstarlight.blogspot.com)
June 10, 2016
Kingdom of Ashes was such a surprise as a follow-up to A Wicked Thing. I mean, I liked both, but they’re massively different in tone and pacing. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it is very jarring if you’re doing a back-to-back read of the two. Where A Wicked Thing was slowly-paced and thoughtful, Kingdom of Ashes races by with constant action and magic. They’re strong in different ways, and I really appreciate the series, but, yeah, definitely a surprise.
Though I think Kingdom of Ashes is a really strong novel as it is, I do think it would have benefited from a bit of a slow down. The plot goes by so fast, kind of like you’re watching the story happen out the windows of a bullet train. It works, but I think the story could have been even more effective. I like the ship and I like the evolution of Aurora’s powers, but, with a bit more time and development, I could have completely loved them.
That said, I do think there’s something very special about this series. Thomas’ focus is always very much on Aurora, with the possibility of romance pushed way back. Though I adore romance obviously, I think that’s the right choice for this story and especially this character. In updating a fairy tale about a heroine who got so little agency, Thomas’ retelling is all about helping her find who she is and make her own choices. A Wicked Thing is all about Aurora’s feeling that she doesn’t have a choice in her life and finally making one; Kingdom of Ashes is Aurora seizing control of her life. She makes some mistakes and does some bad things, but now she finally really owns her life. It’s a very cool way to retell Sleeping Beauty.
Rhiannon Thomas has done a really nice job with her debut series, and I most definitely want more books from her. I think these books are great and very different from the typical YA, but I also think they’ll be a tough read for a lot of people. If you can handle the slow pace of A Wicked Thing, though, you do get dragons. Just saying.
Though I think Kingdom of Ashes is a really strong novel as it is, I do think it would have benefited from a bit of a slow down. The plot goes by so fast, kind of like you’re watching the story happen out the windows of a bullet train. It works, but I think the story could have been even more effective. I like the ship and I like the evolution of Aurora’s powers, but, with a bit more time and development, I could have completely loved them.
That said, I do think there’s something very special about this series. Thomas’ focus is always very much on Aurora, with the possibility of romance pushed way back. Though I adore romance obviously, I think that’s the right choice for this story and especially this character. In updating a fairy tale about a heroine who got so little agency, Thomas’ retelling is all about helping her find who she is and make her own choices. A Wicked Thing is all about Aurora’s feeling that she doesn’t have a choice in her life and finally making one; Kingdom of Ashes is Aurora seizing control of her life. She makes some mistakes and does some bad things, but now she finally really owns her life. It’s a very cool way to retell Sleeping Beauty.
Rhiannon Thomas has done a really nice job with her debut series, and I most definitely want more books from her. I think these books are great and very different from the typical YA, but I also think they’ll be a tough read for a lot of people. If you can handle the slow pace of A Wicked Thing, though, you do get dragons. Just saying.
January 22, 2018
I remember A Wicked Thing finishing on quite an interesting note, but starting on Kingdom of Ashes, unfortunately that did not continue. I think one thing that perhaps didn't help was that I didn't remember a whole lot about the minor details of the story, and could only remember some of the main events towards the end of the first book. Often when I read the sequel, the first couple of chapters will jog my memory, but that wasn't the case with Kingdom of Ashes.
I think this was most likely because the writing was not engaging. It felt oddly formal and stilted- a lot of this for me personally stemmed from the inconsistent use of contractions (i.e. do not vs don't). A lot of fantasy novels have the no abbreviation style to make the speech sound more "medieval", and I don't mind seeing it in general, but when it's done inconsistently I just personally really dislike it.
I'm not sure if it's just me but I felt a bit like this dragon storyline came a bit out of nowhere, and that the focus of the novel has shifted a fair bit from the first book. I guess this isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I didn't really find the dragon story that interesting to follow (which is surprising because I really liked dragons). The story overall just really didn't grab my attention, and I ended up putting the story down at around the 25% mark.
Overall, I can't say that I recommend the novel, but I won't warn people to stay away from it since I didn't get too far in (and the book may have brought it back in the middle and end).
Ratings
Overall: 4/10
Plot: 2/5
Romance: -/5
Writing: 1.5/5
World Building: -/5
Characters: 2/5
Cover: 2/5
-
DNF 23%
Just couldn't keep my attention, the writing felt really stilted and the story was not engaging.
I think this was most likely because the writing was not engaging. It felt oddly formal and stilted- a lot of this for me personally stemmed from the inconsistent use of contractions (i.e. do not vs don't). A lot of fantasy novels have the no abbreviation style to make the speech sound more "medieval", and I don't mind seeing it in general, but when it's done inconsistently I just personally really dislike it.
I'm not sure if it's just me but I felt a bit like this dragon storyline came a bit out of nowhere, and that the focus of the novel has shifted a fair bit from the first book. I guess this isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I didn't really find the dragon story that interesting to follow (which is surprising because I really liked dragons). The story overall just really didn't grab my attention, and I ended up putting the story down at around the 25% mark.
Overall, I can't say that I recommend the novel, but I won't warn people to stay away from it since I didn't get too far in (and the book may have brought it back in the middle and end).
Ratings
Overall: 4/10
Plot: 2/5
Romance: -/5
Writing: 1.5/5
World Building: -/5
Characters: 2/5
Cover: 2/5
-
DNF 23%
Just couldn't keep my attention, the writing felt really stilted and the story was not engaging.
October 5, 2016
So this was a bit "meh". It felt a bit like the sequel that the author realized she wanted to write when she had almost finished writing the first book. Even though the first book ended on a real cliffhanger and you wanted this book, it did not live up to the expectations. In my opinion a lot of the lose threads from book one were wrapped up and finished about a third into this book and then it was just mini-stories to fill the time until we got to the final bit.
There were good bits, mind, and I still like the characters and the world, but it could have been further developed. A lot of the details were blurred and skipped (and gods, I love me some details) and more focus was put on the romance. Yes, it's a fairy tale, but what I liked about the first book was that Aurora was very much not the fairy tale's Sleeping Beauty. She's still cool, but honestly;
The ending was good; it wrapped up the story and put an end to it all, and I'm glad that it was a duology and not a trilogy.
There were good bits, mind, and I still like the characters and the world, but it could have been further developed. A lot of the details were blurred and skipped (and gods, I love me some details) and more focus was put on the romance. Yes, it's a fairy tale, but what I liked about the first book was that Aurora was very much not the fairy tale's Sleeping Beauty. She's still cool, but honestly;
The ending was good; it wrapped up the story and put an end to it all, and I'm glad that it was a duology and not a trilogy.
January 1, 2017
This book is different from A Wicked Thing. The plot is more fast-paced, which felt a little rushed at times. At the same time, I was a little bored at times. There were some parts of the story that could have used something> more.
I love the focus on Aurora and her personal growth. There is some space for romance, but the story itself is solely based on her and her journey to become the person she wants to be; to get her freedom. That being said, I loved her moments with Finnegan. They are precious together and their natural banter gave me goofy smiles.
Also, there are freaking dragons.
DRAGONS.
I love the focus on Aurora and her personal growth. There is some space for romance, but the story itself is solely based on her and her journey to become the person she wants to be; to get her freedom. That being said, I loved her moments with Finnegan. They are precious together and their natural banter gave me goofy smiles.
Also, there are freaking dragons.
DRAGONS.
February 24, 2016
Check out this and other reviews on my young adult book blog, Here's to Happy Endings!
If you’ve read A Wicked Thing, Kingdom of Ashes is a must read (especially if you liked the first book in the series). I finally got to read A Wicked Thing recently (I have no idea what took me so long), and while I did point out that it was a bit slower paced and didn’t have as much action as I had hoped, Kingdom of Ashes delivers all that action and fast-paced awesomeness that seemed to be absent in the previous book.
Kingdom of Ashes is amazing. There is so much going on in this book, and if you like your books faster paced (like I do), then this is definitely a sequel that you don’t want to miss.
This book picks up pretty much exactly where A Wicked Thing left off. There isn’t really any gap in the time from one book to the next, and that makes it easier to jump right back into this amazingly crafted world. Plus, this book revolves around dragons. Yes, dragons!
“‘We know three things about dragons for certain,’ Finnegan said. ‘That they exist, that they hate water, and that they kill us. Everything else is guesswork. No one gets close enough to fragons to learn about them and lives to write a book.'”
Oh, and Finnegan is back, too, which I thought was awesome (I’m a huge Finnegan fan, and this book only made me more so)!
So, Aurora is making her way across the kingdom after running away in the last book, with her powers completely uncontrolled, with essentially no food or anyone on her side. When she finds out the guards are looking for her and that there is a reward for bringing her back to the castle, she tries her best to hide, but when faced with danger, she accidentally burns down the village she is hiding out in. When Nettle reappears, with the job of helping her across the land to Vanhelm (Finnegan’s kingdom), Aurora is relieved and finally feels like things might pan out for her.
When she reaches Vanhelm and sees Finnegan, she is thrilled. She tells him what happened, and of course, he welcomes her into his kingdom and allows her to stay. We get to meet Finnegan’s mother and sister, as well. I was pretty partial to his mother in the beginning, because she’s a strong queen who does what she needs to do to help her people, and they respect her for it. She seems to like Aurora for the most part, and allows her to stay there until she figures out what she needs to do.
Finnegan and Aurora spend plenty of time together, and their relationship goes beyond that of constant bickering friendship. Aurora does spend a good portion of her time wishing Finnegan would kiss her, and wishing she could just work up the courage to kiss him, and this whole mindset does get a little frustrating, but seeing the two of them develop feelings for each other is sweet. Their entire romance is just one of those that you were probably even hoping for since the first book (I know I was!), and fans will finally get the chance to see some flirtation between the two. Finnegan is back to his goofy, bad-boy self, calling Aurora by the nickname “Dragon Girl,” which is kind of cute.
“‘What can I say, dragon girl? You’re hard to look away from.'”
As Aurora learns about her magic and how to control it and work with it, she also realizes a few secrets about herself that are vital to the story, so it’s important to pay attention when you’re reading this one. Finnegan helps her research and try to figure things out, while also helping her plan out how she is going to go back and save her own kingdom. When Aurora realizes that she can connect with the dragons that have left Vanhelm a literal kingdom of ashes, she starts to wonder if perhaps the dragons are a way that she can save her kingdom and fight off the king.
The ending of this book seemed to wrap up the story that began in A Wicked Thing quite nicely, so I’m not sure if there will be a third book or not. If there is, I’m looking forward to reading it, but if not, I think things were wrapped up pretty well, so it won’t be a disappointment.
There is a lot more development with Aurora’s character in this book than in the last – she has become strong and independent – definitely the type of ruler a kingdom needs. The whole dragon aspect of the book was AMAZING. It tied the whole book together, and really made things more interesting. The return of all the characters from the previous book was nice, too.
If you liked A Wicked Thing, definitely don’t miss out on this one!
Note: I received an ARC copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
If you’ve read A Wicked Thing, Kingdom of Ashes is a must read (especially if you liked the first book in the series). I finally got to read A Wicked Thing recently (I have no idea what took me so long), and while I did point out that it was a bit slower paced and didn’t have as much action as I had hoped, Kingdom of Ashes delivers all that action and fast-paced awesomeness that seemed to be absent in the previous book.
Kingdom of Ashes is amazing. There is so much going on in this book, and if you like your books faster paced (like I do), then this is definitely a sequel that you don’t want to miss.
This book picks up pretty much exactly where A Wicked Thing left off. There isn’t really any gap in the time from one book to the next, and that makes it easier to jump right back into this amazingly crafted world. Plus, this book revolves around dragons. Yes, dragons!
“‘We know three things about dragons for certain,’ Finnegan said. ‘That they exist, that they hate water, and that they kill us. Everything else is guesswork. No one gets close enough to fragons to learn about them and lives to write a book.'”
Oh, and Finnegan is back, too, which I thought was awesome (I’m a huge Finnegan fan, and this book only made me more so)!
So, Aurora is making her way across the kingdom after running away in the last book, with her powers completely uncontrolled, with essentially no food or anyone on her side. When she finds out the guards are looking for her and that there is a reward for bringing her back to the castle, she tries her best to hide, but when faced with danger, she accidentally burns down the village she is hiding out in. When Nettle reappears, with the job of helping her across the land to Vanhelm (Finnegan’s kingdom), Aurora is relieved and finally feels like things might pan out for her.
When she reaches Vanhelm and sees Finnegan, she is thrilled. She tells him what happened, and of course, he welcomes her into his kingdom and allows her to stay. We get to meet Finnegan’s mother and sister, as well. I was pretty partial to his mother in the beginning, because she’s a strong queen who does what she needs to do to help her people, and they respect her for it. She seems to like Aurora for the most part, and allows her to stay there until she figures out what she needs to do.
Finnegan and Aurora spend plenty of time together, and their relationship goes beyond that of constant bickering friendship. Aurora does spend a good portion of her time wishing Finnegan would kiss her, and wishing she could just work up the courage to kiss him, and this whole mindset does get a little frustrating, but seeing the two of them develop feelings for each other is sweet. Their entire romance is just one of those that you were probably even hoping for since the first book (I know I was!), and fans will finally get the chance to see some flirtation between the two. Finnegan is back to his goofy, bad-boy self, calling Aurora by the nickname “Dragon Girl,” which is kind of cute.
“‘What can I say, dragon girl? You’re hard to look away from.'”
As Aurora learns about her magic and how to control it and work with it, she also realizes a few secrets about herself that are vital to the story, so it’s important to pay attention when you’re reading this one. Finnegan helps her research and try to figure things out, while also helping her plan out how she is going to go back and save her own kingdom. When Aurora realizes that she can connect with the dragons that have left Vanhelm a literal kingdom of ashes, she starts to wonder if perhaps the dragons are a way that she can save her kingdom and fight off the king.
The ending of this book seemed to wrap up the story that began in A Wicked Thing quite nicely, so I’m not sure if there will be a third book or not. If there is, I’m looking forward to reading it, but if not, I think things were wrapped up pretty well, so it won’t be a disappointment.
There is a lot more development with Aurora’s character in this book than in the last – she has become strong and independent – definitely the type of ruler a kingdom needs. The whole dragon aspect of the book was AMAZING. It tied the whole book together, and really made things more interesting. The return of all the characters from the previous book was nice, too.
If you liked A Wicked Thing, definitely don’t miss out on this one!
Note: I received an ARC copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
September 19, 2017
I love seeing authors develop and improve through each new book. So much stronger than the first book! The dragon/magic element really made the book for me. So it only lists this and A Wicked Thingin the series and the next book that Rhiannon Thomas is writing for another series. So is that it? I thought it was a duology, but this book wasn't quite as wrapped up as I'd hoped, and I feel it's like that so there's a potential for a third in the future. Either way, glad I read this duology/series!
YouTube Videos
Review (with A Wicked Thing) | _blank">https://youtu.be/vG0keeLuPk4
March 2016 Wrap-Up | _blank">https://youtu.be/qIo9ofCxa0c
THIS BOOK HAS DRAGONS AAAAAAHHHHHH. I LOVE DRAGONS.
Kingdom of Ashes is the sequel to A Wicked Thing, a Sleeping Beauty retelling duology. There is no current plan for a continuing book, but I hope that changes!
I haven’t heard many other people reading this book, but I picked up A Wicked Thing on a whim in February and enjoyed it enough to be intrigued by its sequel which I HIGHLY prefer over the first. This book is much more action packed and faster paced, as well as being more well-rounded.
In A Wicked Thing, Aurora is woken up to “true love’s kiss” after a hundred year curse put on her by the witch Celestine. Her kingdom, Alyssinia, is not as she remembers. Coup after coup, usurper after usurper has ruled the land where magic has ceased to exist. The people see Aurora as the girl from the story, come to save them. But Aurora is just a girl and wants to make her own choices for the first time in her life.
Kingdom of Ashes explores her freedom, her choices, and her obligations while delving further into the magic of the world and DRAGONS.
Quotes I’d Paint On a Canvas (If I Had The Time and Money and Wall Space)
Recommendations
If you like retellings, especially Just Ella and any of Gail Carson Levine’s fairytale reimaginings where the “fairytale princess” isn’t what you expect, you’ll enjoy this series.
You should read this anytime you want to read about dragons, which should be always.
Final Thoughts
I want a third book. I want more resolution. But I guess I’ll “settle” for a new Rhiannon Thomas book next year, Long May She Reign. And I’ll pray that FreeForm doesn’t ruin the TV adaptation they’re working on entitled “After.”
YouTube Videos
Review (with A Wicked Thing) | _blank">https://youtu.be/vG0keeLuPk4
March 2016 Wrap-Up | _blank">https://youtu.be/qIo9ofCxa0c
THIS BOOK HAS DRAGONS AAAAAAHHHHHH. I LOVE DRAGONS.
Kingdom of Ashes is the sequel to A Wicked Thing, a Sleeping Beauty retelling duology. There is no current plan for a continuing book, but I hope that changes!
I haven’t heard many other people reading this book, but I picked up A Wicked Thing on a whim in February and enjoyed it enough to be intrigued by its sequel which I HIGHLY prefer over the first. This book is much more action packed and faster paced, as well as being more well-rounded.
In A Wicked Thing, Aurora is woken up to “true love’s kiss” after a hundred year curse put on her by the witch Celestine. Her kingdom, Alyssinia, is not as she remembers. Coup after coup, usurper after usurper has ruled the land where magic has ceased to exist. The people see Aurora as the girl from the story, come to save them. But Aurora is just a girl and wants to make her own choices for the first time in her life.
Kingdom of Ashes explores her freedom, her choices, and her obligations while delving further into the magic of the world and DRAGONS.
Quotes I’d Paint On a Canvas (If I Had The Time and Money and Wall Space)
“LET’S GO AND FIND SOME DRAGONS.”
“None of us is free.”
“She was not Celestine’s. She was not anybody’s. She would take on her responsibilities and she would make her own choices, and no dragon fire, no threats from ancient witches and twisted stories from long ago would stop her.”
Recommendations
If you like retellings, especially Just Ella and any of Gail Carson Levine’s fairytale reimaginings where the “fairytale princess” isn’t what you expect, you’ll enjoy this series.
You should read this anytime you want to read about dragons, which should be always.
Final Thoughts
I want a third book. I want more resolution. But I guess I’ll “settle” for a new Rhiannon Thomas book next year, Long May She Reign. And I’ll pray that FreeForm doesn’t ruin the TV adaptation they’re working on entitled “After.”
February 29, 2016
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Young Adult, Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5-4
*My Thoughts*
Setting: Fictitious Kingdoms of Alyssinia, and Vanhelm.
Key Characters: Prince Aurora (aka Sleeping Beauty), Nettle (singer/spy), Celestine (Wicked Witch), Prince Rodric of Alyssinia, and Prince Finnegan of Vanhelm.
Summary: Kingdom of Ashes, by Rhiannon Thomas, is the second and apparent final installment in A Wicked Thing series. After sleeping for 100 years thanks to Celestine's curse, Princess Aurora was awakened by Prince Rodric with a kiss. She awoke to a land where magic is non-existent, and has been gone for decades. Except that she herself has her own form of magic. She found herself at the mercy of a tyrant King who ruled with an iron fist.
*Full Review Posting 02/29/2016 @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
Published: February 23rd 2016 by HarperTeen
*Genre* Young Adult, Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5-4
*My Thoughts*
Setting: Fictitious Kingdoms of Alyssinia, and Vanhelm.
Key Characters: Prince Aurora (aka Sleeping Beauty), Nettle (singer/spy), Celestine (Wicked Witch), Prince Rodric of Alyssinia, and Prince Finnegan of Vanhelm.
Summary: Kingdom of Ashes, by Rhiannon Thomas, is the second and apparent final installment in A Wicked Thing series. After sleeping for 100 years thanks to Celestine's curse, Princess Aurora was awakened by Prince Rodric with a kiss. She awoke to a land where magic is non-existent, and has been gone for decades. Except that she herself has her own form of magic. She found herself at the mercy of a tyrant King who ruled with an iron fist.
*Full Review Posting 02/29/2016 @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
Published: February 23rd 2016 by HarperTeen
February 15, 2016
Not sure if I enjoyed this as much as the first one. But it was still good.
December 29, 2015
A good ending! And of course I loved that this one had dragons!!!
January 14, 2019
"Why do you think the dragons disappeared?"
"Because the world couldn't keep them."
This should've been the first book. While A Wicked Thing was a quick, light, not-bad-but-nothing-special-either read, Kingdom of Ashes was something compelling. The world was more complex, the characters and their relationships were more interesting, and most of all, dragons. I've said I've never read a good dragon book before. This was a good dragon book.
Finnegan could've been the sarcastic, charming, hyper masculine love interest that YA seems to love. Aurora could've been the weak, passive heroine who instantly falls in love with a guy that treats her like garbage. But their relationship was nothing like that. I'm really unhappy with the unequal power dynamics I see run rampant in YA romances, and that's exactly the path I thought Aurora and Finnegan would go down. Then Rhiannon Thomas punched me in the face and said "f*** that."
There is no insta-love here. Finnegan doesn't get possessive. He doesn't try to seduce Aurora. He backs off, let's her make her own decisions, and romance only happens if Aurora wants it to happen. I definitely don't think theirs was the most original, interesting romance I've ever read, but Thomas succeeded in writing a healthy, balanced relationship where many, many other YA novels of similar caliber fail.
The dragons were cool. I liked them a lot better in the beginning. As the novel progressed, they began to feel more like an interesting prop that a unique, fleshed out facet of the world. It's because of this that I realized that this series suffered most from lack of space. I think if the novels had been longer, this series could've been really, really good. But both novels are only what, 350 pages? Where another reader might see a nice, short, quick read, I see squandered potential for more.
Overall, I liked this duology. I liked it a lot more than I ever expected to. It's a shame that it wasn't able to be more.
You can find my A Wicked Thing review here.
February 23, 2016
Kingdom of Ashes picks up with Aurora on the run. She's escaped from court and left a huge mess in her wake. After the events that led up to Aurora fleeing, she's even more determined to find a way to save her Kingdom from the evil King. Aurora meets up with Nettle again, and the two of them journey to Vanhelm to get the help of Prince Finnegan.
I liked Aurora a bit more in this one. She's not stuck in a position where she has no power anymore, so she's more determined to do whatever she can to save her Kingdom. She comes across a lot stronger than she did in the first book. She's still naive and makes some foolish decisions, but I did like her.
Aurora's love interests get slashed from 3 to 1 in this book, which I liked - I hated Aurora's indecision in the first book. Aurora spends a lot more time with Finnegan, and I adored the two of them together. Their banter is still my favourite thing about them. Finnegan is charming and flirty, and likes to tease Aurora. They're perfect for each other, in my opinion.
I liked to see Aurora learning more about herself and her powers. Her link with the dragons that destroyed parts of Finnegan's kingdom was intriguing and I enjoyed learning more about it.
There were, however, parts of the story that I did find slightly boring and I did find myself skimming parts of the book. But most of the time, I did enjoy the story.
The last few chapters were full of action and Aurora fought for her Kingdom, but again, there's still so much left unresolved and Aurora still has a lot left to learn and uncover about herself. Overall, Kingdom of Ashes was a great follow up to A Wicked Thing and I'm looking forward to the next book - if there is one - to find out more about Aurora and hopefully see more of Aurora and Finnegan together.
I liked Aurora a bit more in this one. She's not stuck in a position where she has no power anymore, so she's more determined to do whatever she can to save her Kingdom. She comes across a lot stronger than she did in the first book. She's still naive and makes some foolish decisions, but I did like her.
Aurora's love interests get slashed from 3 to 1 in this book, which I liked - I hated Aurora's indecision in the first book. Aurora spends a lot more time with Finnegan, and I adored the two of them together. Their banter is still my favourite thing about them. Finnegan is charming and flirty, and likes to tease Aurora. They're perfect for each other, in my opinion.
I liked to see Aurora learning more about herself and her powers. Her link with the dragons that destroyed parts of Finnegan's kingdom was intriguing and I enjoyed learning more about it.
There were, however, parts of the story that I did find slightly boring and I did find myself skimming parts of the book. But most of the time, I did enjoy the story.
The last few chapters were full of action and Aurora fought for her Kingdom, but again, there's still so much left unresolved and Aurora still has a lot left to learn and uncover about herself. Overall, Kingdom of Ashes was a great follow up to A Wicked Thing and I'm looking forward to the next book - if there is one - to find out more about Aurora and hopefully see more of Aurora and Finnegan together.
February 28, 2016
3.5 stars
If we haven't spoken in a year, you may not have noticed the intense love I've been consistently proclaiming for A Wicked Thing by Rhiannon Thomas. But boy. I love that book. It's so thoughtful and unique - and though there wasn't a lot of action, I was completely swept up in the main character and her voice. Well now it's finally here: the sequel. And it was definitely enjoyable.
The end of A Wicked Thing left me with great hopes for the next phase of the story: with Aurora free from the restraints of the royal family and her magic quickly growing more potent and noticeable, Kingdom of Ashes should be the place where shit gets real. Where Aurora becomes the magic wielding badass we all know she is, deep down inside. And we kind of got there. If you were hoping for magic, rest assured this book delivers it. Aurora fights a real battle to master and understand her magic and its origins. She travels to unknown lands and bonds with DRAGONS. Yes, there be magic here.
But the development... was less so. Which kind of disappointed me. I loved A Wicked Thing so much because I felt like I thoroughly understood Aurora's character. I thought this section, where she has more agency and magical power, would take care to develop that slowly but surely and once again sweep me up in her personal journey. But it wasn't exactly like that. Though Aurora definitely has some difficulties getting a hold on her power, the sections where she trains and describes what her magic feels like were... a bit lax. Not riddled with inaccuracies or far-fetched nonsense, but just not as beautiful and sweeping as it could have been - mostly, I think, because of the writing. This kept the novel at a more average level for me - particularly because I expected so much more.
Where did I get my kicks? Aurora and Finnegan. I know, I was mostly Team Aurora in A Wicked Thing but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't SO EXCITED by the potential of Finnegan. And there were feels. And ships did sail. And life was glorious. Finnegan is just smart, fun, a little mischievous, and dynamic. And though the foundation was kind of there in book 1, it's still a slow burn here in book 2. Maybe even too slow - because I don't really feel like I got enough swoons to pay-off that long investment. (I reached "NOW KISS" levels, oh yes I did.) In that sense, the end almost kind of fizzled out a little on the shippy feels. But I do like the two together so damn much.
Kingdom of Ashes is, like its predecessor, still very much about the political machinations in this fantasy world. Though away from King John, Aurora is still discovering how the balance of power works, how respected royals behave, how nations work together and against each other. She also fights an internal battle about wanting to save her people but also wanting her freedom - because at this point, what does she really owe them? I did get some Game of Thrones tingles again, because Aurora still reminds me of Sansa. And that kind of fantasy will always interest me. It may not be my favorite in the long run - but it's so interesting to think about.
Ultimately it's kind of a mixed bag for me with Kingdom of Ashes. Aurora quite realistically grows into her magic (though the writing could have been better), she has more agency and stands up for her people (with understandable hesitance given how they've treated her), and there is some nice romance (though it could have done with a dash more spiciness). I grew to love some secondary characters (Nettle and Finnegan), but the antagonist was still a flat bad guy who you can't believe still has loyal subjects. The love square situation is resolved with skill and respect, there are some shocking twists, and the ending is largely satisfying.
But it did lack a certain spark overall which makes me think that if you didn't like the first book - this one's not for you. It almost like this book tried to do too much, by fitting just as much character development as the first book in with romantic development, a ton more world building, an almost-too-rich backstory, and an eventual climax with an invading army, a battle, and a satisfying end. Maybe, in this rare case, this series would have benefited from having one more book.
Summing Up:
I definitely enjoyed A Kingdom of Ashes and don't regret reading it one bit - but I must admit it did not fully live up to my (admittedly) high expectations. This series is best suited to character readers and fans of politically-oriented fantasy. If you're looking for sweeping magic or heart-stopping action, it might just not get up to your level. It's kind of there - but it's definitely not the focus. And that's okay. I liked reading about Aurora's extremely personal and introspective journey, I'm satisfied with this series overall, and I'm definitely looking forward to Thomas's next novel.
GIF it to me straight!
Recommended To:
Character readers and fans of politically-oriented fantasy.
*An electronic advance review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the contents of the review.
If we haven't spoken in a year, you may not have noticed the intense love I've been consistently proclaiming for A Wicked Thing by Rhiannon Thomas. But boy. I love that book. It's so thoughtful and unique - and though there wasn't a lot of action, I was completely swept up in the main character and her voice. Well now it's finally here: the sequel. And it was definitely enjoyable.
The end of A Wicked Thing left me with great hopes for the next phase of the story: with Aurora free from the restraints of the royal family and her magic quickly growing more potent and noticeable, Kingdom of Ashes should be the place where shit gets real. Where Aurora becomes the magic wielding badass we all know she is, deep down inside. And we kind of got there. If you were hoping for magic, rest assured this book delivers it. Aurora fights a real battle to master and understand her magic and its origins. She travels to unknown lands and bonds with DRAGONS. Yes, there be magic here.
But the development... was less so. Which kind of disappointed me. I loved A Wicked Thing so much because I felt like I thoroughly understood Aurora's character. I thought this section, where she has more agency and magical power, would take care to develop that slowly but surely and once again sweep me up in her personal journey. But it wasn't exactly like that. Though Aurora definitely has some difficulties getting a hold on her power, the sections where she trains and describes what her magic feels like were... a bit lax. Not riddled with inaccuracies or far-fetched nonsense, but just not as beautiful and sweeping as it could have been - mostly, I think, because of the writing. This kept the novel at a more average level for me - particularly because I expected so much more.
Where did I get my kicks? Aurora and Finnegan. I know, I was mostly Team Aurora in A Wicked Thing but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't SO EXCITED by the potential of Finnegan. And there were feels. And ships did sail. And life was glorious. Finnegan is just smart, fun, a little mischievous, and dynamic. And though the foundation was kind of there in book 1, it's still a slow burn here in book 2. Maybe even too slow - because I don't really feel like I got enough swoons to pay-off that long investment. (I reached "NOW KISS" levels, oh yes I did.) In that sense, the end almost kind of fizzled out a little on the shippy feels. But I do like the two together so damn much.
Kingdom of Ashes is, like its predecessor, still very much about the political machinations in this fantasy world. Though away from King John, Aurora is still discovering how the balance of power works, how respected royals behave, how nations work together and against each other. She also fights an internal battle about wanting to save her people but also wanting her freedom - because at this point, what does she really owe them? I did get some Game of Thrones tingles again, because Aurora still reminds me of Sansa. And that kind of fantasy will always interest me. It may not be my favorite in the long run - but it's so interesting to think about.
Ultimately it's kind of a mixed bag for me with Kingdom of Ashes. Aurora quite realistically grows into her magic (though the writing could have been better), she has more agency and stands up for her people (with understandable hesitance given how they've treated her), and there is some nice romance (though it could have done with a dash more spiciness). I grew to love some secondary characters (Nettle and Finnegan), but the antagonist was still a flat bad guy who you can't believe still has loyal subjects. The love square situation is resolved with skill and respect, there are some shocking twists, and the ending is largely satisfying.
But it did lack a certain spark overall which makes me think that if you didn't like the first book - this one's not for you. It almost like this book tried to do too much, by fitting just as much character development as the first book in with romantic development, a ton more world building, an almost-too-rich backstory, and an eventual climax with an invading army, a battle, and a satisfying end. Maybe, in this rare case, this series would have benefited from having one more book.
Summing Up:
I definitely enjoyed A Kingdom of Ashes and don't regret reading it one bit - but I must admit it did not fully live up to my (admittedly) high expectations. This series is best suited to character readers and fans of politically-oriented fantasy. If you're looking for sweeping magic or heart-stopping action, it might just not get up to your level. It's kind of there - but it's definitely not the focus. And that's okay. I liked reading about Aurora's extremely personal and introspective journey, I'm satisfied with this series overall, and I'm definitely looking forward to Thomas's next novel.
GIF it to me straight!
Recommended To:
Character readers and fans of politically-oriented fantasy.
*An electronic advance review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the contents of the review.
September 19, 2017
Honestly, this novel was very hard for me to complete, and I'm not too sure why. I enjoyed the first novel, and liked where it led the reader. I really enjoyed the dragons and there was tons of Finnegan within this novel ( He's amazing and the best). But for some reason the plot was dragging throughout the entire novel until the last few chapters. I honestly didn't care what happened to any other characters other than Finnegan and Nettle. I wanted more with Aurora and her magic...and more of a concrete ending. Unless there is going to be another installment. I would definitely read more in this world to expand upon the characters. I also guessed one of the main 'twists' in this novel, I called in in the first book, so maybe there may have been more drama and excitement if I had not guessed this.
November 30, 2022
This book was decent overall, and had some moments I enjoyed, particularly the relationship between Aurora and Finnegan. But I wasn't completely satisfied with the abrupt ending - it leaves an awful lot of questions unanswered for the final book in a duology. The worldbuilding remained a bit wishy-washy as well, with only the reader's knowledge of the tale of Sleeping Beauty to help bolster the story. I liked the action and adventure, and while Aurora could be irritating at times, I did like to see her come into her powers and accept her responsibilities. I just would've like to see more in order to totally satisfy me.
December 13, 2019
So...I feel like nothing was really accomplished in this book? It started with her on the run cause she wanted freedom and didn't want to be controlled, then ended up with her being queen and being like - well this wasn't what I wanted, but at least I have this hot prince and a pet dragon.
I dunno. It felt a bit rushed.
I dunno. It felt a bit rushed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2019
Actual review is probably closer to 3.75 stars
December 2, 2015
The first book in the series, A Wicked Thing, was not a bad book at all; It had a great concept. But there were several issues that I had with the story as a whole. That didn't stop me from wanting to read this sequel, though. Thank goodness for that, because Rhiannon's writing has grown exponentially in round two of this series!
We start off about a week after the events of A Wicked Thing, with Aurora on the run from King Henry's men. She is starving and weary from traveling so long, and goes into a bread shop to buy some bread. But the king's men show up and while escaping, her magic goes crazy and she ends up burning a village down. She is hiding in the forest on the outskirts of the town, horrified and scared, when Nettle appears out of nowhere. Aurora doesn't know if she can trust her, but she decides to follow her anyway. That is how she finds herself in Finnegan's kingdom.
Aurora and Finnegan make a pact to help each other, and while the are learning more about Aurora's magic, and seeking answers about the dragons, Aurora slowly starts to trust Finnegan. Together, they travel to the island of the dragons, and Aurora discovers more to her magic than she knew existed. Maybe she has found a way to save her kingdom after all. With the help of Finnegan, and an alliance possibly built on lies with his mother, Aurora decides to take back her kingdom. But there is so much more to Aurora and her magic than she could have possibly imagined. And she learns that sometimes, you have to break pacts to do whats best for the people who depend on you,
Like I said earlier, book one didn't work for me for a few different reasons. One was the slow pacing, but the most important was the lack of character development. In this sequel, Rhiannon Thomas has changed all of that. Aurora and Finnegan both show a great amount of growth in this story. All of the secondary characters have back stories and personalities that are distinguishable and well done. The pacing has sped up a ton, though still a bit slow in places. And one of the biggest things is the world-building. Alyssinia is so much more alive in this book, and I loved all of the ins and outs of Finnegan's kingdom. I love the appearance of old characters peppered throughout the story, and all of them have grown so much as well. The new characters are bright spots in the book.
I really enjoyed Kingdom of the Ashes. It still has it's flaws, mostly in the slow pacing of the story, but all in all this author has hit the ball out of the park with this sequel. I am genuinely looking forward to the next book in this series, and really hoping for MORE DRAGONS!!!
We start off about a week after the events of A Wicked Thing, with Aurora on the run from King Henry's men. She is starving and weary from traveling so long, and goes into a bread shop to buy some bread. But the king's men show up and while escaping, her magic goes crazy and she ends up burning a village down. She is hiding in the forest on the outskirts of the town, horrified and scared, when Nettle appears out of nowhere. Aurora doesn't know if she can trust her, but she decides to follow her anyway. That is how she finds herself in Finnegan's kingdom.
Aurora and Finnegan make a pact to help each other, and while the are learning more about Aurora's magic, and seeking answers about the dragons, Aurora slowly starts to trust Finnegan. Together, they travel to the island of the dragons, and Aurora discovers more to her magic than she knew existed. Maybe she has found a way to save her kingdom after all. With the help of Finnegan, and an alliance possibly built on lies with his mother, Aurora decides to take back her kingdom. But there is so much more to Aurora and her magic than she could have possibly imagined. And she learns that sometimes, you have to break pacts to do whats best for the people who depend on you,
Like I said earlier, book one didn't work for me for a few different reasons. One was the slow pacing, but the most important was the lack of character development. In this sequel, Rhiannon Thomas has changed all of that. Aurora and Finnegan both show a great amount of growth in this story. All of the secondary characters have back stories and personalities that are distinguishable and well done. The pacing has sped up a ton, though still a bit slow in places. And one of the biggest things is the world-building. Alyssinia is so much more alive in this book, and I loved all of the ins and outs of Finnegan's kingdom. I love the appearance of old characters peppered throughout the story, and all of them have grown so much as well. The new characters are bright spots in the book.
I really enjoyed Kingdom of the Ashes. It still has it's flaws, mostly in the slow pacing of the story, but all in all this author has hit the ball out of the park with this sequel. I am genuinely looking forward to the next book in this series, and really hoping for MORE DRAGONS!!!
April 23, 2016
To see full review click here.
After reading A Wicked Thing, I was a little more than tepid about continuing with what I’m assuming is going to be a trilogy but in the end I decided to give it a chance. I liked a lot of the ideas that Thomas threw out in the first book and I was interested in seeing this one develop. I figured this would be a either make it or break it book for me when it came to this trilogy.
In the end though, I’m still on the fence about the whole thing.
And I hate that I feel so bloody confused.
I think a lot of it has to deal with the writing itself. There is just something that seems so shut off about the narration that I felt like I was only halfway reading the book, when obviously I was not.
This was one of the reasons I don’t think I’ll ever fully get into this series. Which is sad, because I really like the themes that it has, and I think the ship that was introduced more fully in this installment has potential.
Side note, I am glad that the other two ships have been completely dropped. Not that there was really that much build up anyway for at least one of those two ships, but I am really glad that there is only one potential ship now and that it has been relegated to a background plot rather than a central plot-though at times it did seem pretty centric, now that I think about it.
But really the ship isn’t the central focus. While not as introspective as the first book, at its heart the book is still about Aurora and that is sort of cool.
Especially since there are lots of feminist over and undertones.
Note, put feminism in a book and it’s always going to get an instant plus from me.
The thing is, while I liked how there were these feminist themes through the book, I thought they weren’t fully developed. And sadly that was how a lot of the book was.
There was just this disconnect that did not only extend to the narration, but the plot, the themes, and the characters as sell. Even the ship that I sort of liked was only half baked.
Which leaves me at do I want to continue?
It’s only three books, BUT I just feel as disconnected and as lost as I did after the first. And oh so disappointed. While the book isn’t exactly bad, I’m not going to be rooting for it anytime soon.
After reading A Wicked Thing, I was a little more than tepid about continuing with what I’m assuming is going to be a trilogy but in the end I decided to give it a chance. I liked a lot of the ideas that Thomas threw out in the first book and I was interested in seeing this one develop. I figured this would be a either make it or break it book for me when it came to this trilogy.
In the end though, I’m still on the fence about the whole thing.
And I hate that I feel so bloody confused.
I think a lot of it has to deal with the writing itself. There is just something that seems so shut off about the narration that I felt like I was only halfway reading the book, when obviously I was not.
This was one of the reasons I don’t think I’ll ever fully get into this series. Which is sad, because I really like the themes that it has, and I think the ship that was introduced more fully in this installment has potential.
Side note, I am glad that the other two ships have been completely dropped. Not that there was really that much build up anyway for at least one of those two ships, but I am really glad that there is only one potential ship now and that it has been relegated to a background plot rather than a central plot-though at times it did seem pretty centric, now that I think about it.
But really the ship isn’t the central focus. While not as introspective as the first book, at its heart the book is still about Aurora and that is sort of cool.
Especially since there are lots of feminist over and undertones.
Note, put feminism in a book and it’s always going to get an instant plus from me.
The thing is, while I liked how there were these feminist themes through the book, I thought they weren’t fully developed. And sadly that was how a lot of the book was.
There was just this disconnect that did not only extend to the narration, but the plot, the themes, and the characters as sell. Even the ship that I sort of liked was only half baked.
Which leaves me at do I want to continue?
It’s only three books, BUT I just feel as disconnected and as lost as I did after the first. And oh so disappointed. While the book isn’t exactly bad, I’m not going to be rooting for it anytime soon.
March 12, 2016
More Reviews Here: Readers Live A Thousand Lives
One thing I said in my review of A Wicked Thing was that I hoped we would get dragons in the sequel and WE GOT DRAGONS. I was so excited about that and I really loved that addition. I liked A Wicked Thing but I really really really enjoyed Kingdom Of Ashes.
Aurora was so fantastic in this one. She is stepping up big time and taking control of her life. I loved watching her grow into her strengths and learn to control her magic. And I also liked that even as her power grew she still stayed the same person and continually tried to do what was right, even when that backfired. And then Finnegan. He was my favorite in A Wicked Thing and I continued to love him in this one. Love him so much!
The story in Kingdom of Ashes kept me engrossed and I really liked how this sleeping beauty twist grew. There was more action this time around. I also loved all of the magic and like I said before, the dragons. It just had such a wonderful fantastical feel to it. AND THE DRAGONS WERE SO COOL. Guy I just love dragons okay haha.
In my review of A Wicked Thing I mentioned that the romance had fallen a bit flat for me but now I kinda wanna go and take that back because it completely makes sense now. Things had to play out the way they did so Aurora could learn. That insta love wasn’t love, it was a fairy tale and a lesson for Aurora and I loved how the romance developed. I shipped it hard guys and I loved the way the romance went. But on the flip side, I love that this isn’t just romance. Sure I thoroughly enjoyed rooting for it, but this is really Aurora’s story and that took center stage.
All in all, Kingdom Of Ashes was a great sequel to A Wicked Thing. I really enjoyed this twist on sleeping beauty and I’m glad I gave this series a read.
One thing I said in my review of A Wicked Thing was that I hoped we would get dragons in the sequel and WE GOT DRAGONS. I was so excited about that and I really loved that addition. I liked A Wicked Thing but I really really really enjoyed Kingdom Of Ashes.
Aurora was so fantastic in this one. She is stepping up big time and taking control of her life. I loved watching her grow into her strengths and learn to control her magic. And I also liked that even as her power grew she still stayed the same person and continually tried to do what was right, even when that backfired. And then Finnegan. He was my favorite in A Wicked Thing and I continued to love him in this one. Love him so much!
The story in Kingdom of Ashes kept me engrossed and I really liked how this sleeping beauty twist grew. There was more action this time around. I also loved all of the magic and like I said before, the dragons. It just had such a wonderful fantastical feel to it. AND THE DRAGONS WERE SO COOL. Guy I just love dragons okay haha.
In my review of A Wicked Thing I mentioned that the romance had fallen a bit flat for me but now I kinda wanna go and take that back because it completely makes sense now. Things had to play out the way they did so Aurora could learn. That insta love wasn’t love, it was a fairy tale and a lesson for Aurora and I loved how the romance developed. I shipped it hard guys and I loved the way the romance went. But on the flip side, I love that this isn’t just romance. Sure I thoroughly enjoyed rooting for it, but this is really Aurora’s story and that took center stage.
All in all, Kingdom Of Ashes was a great sequel to A Wicked Thing. I really enjoyed this twist on sleeping beauty and I’m glad I gave this series a read.
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