The Will of the Empress (The Circle Reforged #1) by Tamora Pierce - Starting 14 February 2019

[Natalie]

A searing reunion - the four mages are together again!

For years the Empress of Namorn has pressed her young cousin, Lady Sandrilene fa Toren, to visit her vast lands within the Empire's borders. Sandry has avoided the invitation for as long as it was possible. Now, listening to her guilty conscience, Sandry has agreed to pay that overdue visit.

Sandry's uncle promises guards to accompany her. But they're hardly a group of warriors! They're her old friends from Winding Circle: Daja, Tris, and Briar. Sandry hardly knows them now. They've grown up and grown apart. Sandry isn't sure they'll ever find their old connection again - or if she even wants them to.

When they arrive at the palace, it slowly dawns on Sandry why the Empress has really brought her to Namorn. She's set a cunning trap to keep Sandry in the brutal Empire forever, a simpering lady in her cousin's court and the miserable wife of a noble.

The Empress has wily and powerful mages on her side. But so, of course, does Sandry...if she can get them to work together.

[Natalie]

But late starting because it took a while to finish my previous books (oops) but I’ve read the first chapter! 😄

Chapter 1: (view spoiler)[Well it certainly seems as though the bonds between the four (Teis, Sandry, Daja And Briar) have become strained - to say the least - during their separation and travels apart in the previous series, at least based on the reunion between Daja and Tris.
—
Oh my gosh, how could I forget about Chime? :o I have clearly left it too long between finishing the series prior to this, and starting this book. Oops.
—
So I am confused AF in regards to Briar and his supposed PTSD in regards to some Yanjing emperor... when the HELL did that happen? Because I checked to make sure I didn’t miss any books in between the end of the previous series and the beginning of this one and nothing’s missing there, so is this some reference to something that happened after? Whatttttttttt.
—
Well they’re now all reunited... and so far it’s kinda awkward 8’D (hide spoiler)]

[Natalie]

Chapter 3: (view spoiler)[A rather intriguing first meeting of Berenene (the empress of Namorn, and Sandry’s cousin) I think... I love that it came about as a result of Chime’s mischief too ;D

I was expecting Berenene to be older than that though... huh.
—
...I do not appreciate Berenene’s plot to take Briar, Daja, Sandry and Tris away from Emelan. Whilst it doesn’t seem that she has any nefarious plots (...yet), she seems quite power hungry and quite untrustworthy too 😐 (hide spoiler)]

[Natalie]

Chapter 6:
(view spoiler)[Well I definitely see the appeal in Shan there, and as far as first impressions go he seems to be a good match for Sandry ;D I like his blatant honesty, and I think he’s one of the first men there who is just talking to Sandry as a person, rather than a rich heiress they wish to wed. I approve!
—
Well... Tris has certainly made the empress (and her many followers) curious, to say the least! Having predicted a storm when the weather mages couldn’t do so, saving a trapped fishing fleet, and ‘capturing’ a hurricane which was then wound into her hair XD Nothing like some action to inspire a bit of awe ;D (hide spoiler)]

[Natalie]

Chapter 9: (view spoiler)[Good on you Sandry, for dissolving that marriage between Gudruny and Halmar. Absolutely despicable man, and a despicable way to take a wife... a way that is giving me rather horrible flashbacks to another book in which that happened... one that gave WAY too many details to be comfortable reading ._.
—
Seems like Sandry now has a loyal follower for life in Gudruny, because of her unshakeable strength and kindness. And boy am I glad of that 😭💕
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And I think it won’t be long until Sandry is beloved by ALL her tenants, at the rate she’s going ;D Super proud of her! (hide spoiler)]

[Natalie]

Chapter 13:
(view spoiler)[Daja’s in love with Rizu? 😭💕 I hope it all ends well! I love that she’s found someone that’s a good match for her, I just worry about Berenene and what she might have to say about it ._.
—
...On a less positive note, it seems that Fin has his panties in a twist and is going to try and marry Sandry the ‘old fashioned way’. What a freaking idiot. You’re not going to get out of THIS unscathed 😐 (hide spoiler)]

[Natalie]

Chapter 15: (view spoiler)[Yes, THANK YOU, Sandry, Briar and Tris - for speaking the harsh truth that needed to be spoken to Berenene, and refusing to stay in a country which allows kidnapping and RAPE as a legitimate fucking way of finding a wife. Just because an EMPRESS can get herself free of something (because she’s ‘not a weakling’) doesn’t mean that someone who is unable to do the same is weak and not worth protecting.

Now all we need is for Daja to also leave... preferably taking her new love with her... and for Fin to be justly punished like the filthy little rat he is. (hide spoiler)]

[Natalie]

Chapter 18: (view spoiler)[IS NO ONE IN NAMORN GENUINE? So much for Shan being a nice guy, he’s just a gold digging POS who wants to get his claws into Sandry, and get back at the empress who decided he wasn’t worthy of being her husband.
—
Well, it looks like Shan succeeded in TAKING Sandry... but considering he failed to take out Briar and Daja (temporarily or not), he’s going to have some rather impressive PAIN coming his way soon, and boy am I looking forward to THAT 😂 (hide spoiler)]

[Natalie]

Finished! (view spoiler)[I am so glad they Briar, Daja and Tris were able to convince Sandry to essentially pass on her Namorn power to Ambros. It makes perfect sense to me - after all, she never visited Namorn anyway, and is unlikely to want to return whilst the empress is still in power - and Ambros is a genuinely good guy that cares for the people of the land that Sandry previously owned, and near beggared himself previously trying to do what was right by both them and her. A just reward there I think.

And Zhegorz is such a sweetie and I love that he decided to stay behind to assist Ambros with the ‘intrigues of court’ with his lovely ‘spying’ ability that he has. A great plan, and one that will likely be VERY helpful to Ambros in the coming months/years... especially with a pissy empress on the loose (so to speak). (hide spoiler)]