Gizmo's Reviews: #Review - Ghostsmith by Nicki Pau Preto #YA #Fantasy

Series: House of the Dead Duology # 2
Format: Hardcover, 448 pages
Release Date: August 13, 2024
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Dark Fantasy

In this action-packed finale to the House of the Dead Duology, Wren and her friends put everything they know to the test as they battle the living and the undead to save their world.

Wren is still reeling from the revelation that the mother she thought was dead is actually the Corpse Queen, a ghostsmith with the terrifying power to control the undead. It was Wren’s own mother who created the iron revenants—an army of near unbeatable undead soldiers. When the iron revenants attack, no one in the Dominions will have the strength to stand in their way.

Now Wren, Leo, and Julian find themselves once more in the Breach, this time on the run from Wren’s father, who is determined to secure more power for himself and the House of Bone. The three are desperate to stop the upcoming war, but working together is easier said than done with Julian still furious about Wren double-crossing him. And to make matters worse, Wren is plagued by powerful new abilities that force her to reassess everything she knows about being a bonesmith.

When Wren’s long-lost twin brother shows up and vows to help her destroy the well of magic that feeds the iron revenants, she must decide if trusting him is worth potentially playing right into their mother’s hands.

After all, the dead might be dangerous, but it’s the living who can betray you.

Ghostsmith, by Nicki Pau Preto, is the second installment in the authors House of the Dead duology. This book picks up right where Bonesmith left off and is action packed until the final chapters. Key Characters: Wren Graven, outcast Bonesmith, Julian Knight, heir to the House of Iron, Leopold Knight, Gold Prince, and Imara Fell, Wren's Bonesmith nemesis who sees the light. Wren is still reeling from the revelation that the mother she thought was dead is actually the Corpse Queen, a ghostsmith with the terrifying power to control the undead.

It was Wren’s own mother who created the iron revenants—an army of near unbeatable undead soldiers. When the iron revenants attack, no one in the Dominions will have the strength to stand in their way. Not even Imara who has taken Wren's place as the strongest bonesmith. Now Wren, Leo, and Julian find themselves once more in the Breach, wanted dead or alive, this time on the run from Wren’s father, who is determined to secure more power for himself and the House of Bone even after he was exposed for his betrayal.

The three are desperate to stop the upcoming war, but working together is easier said than done with Julian still furious about Wren double-crossing him. And to make matters worse, Wren is plagued by powerful new abilities that force her to reassess everything she knows about being a bonesmith. Once upon a time, Wren thought of herself as the most powerful bonesmith around, but now with her ghostsmith amplifier, she can not only control ghosts, but shatter born. Had she not been sent to the Breach, she would have never learned how powerful she really is.

When Wren’s long-lost twin brother Hawke shows up and vows to help her destroy the well of magic that feeds the iron revenants, she must decide if trusting him is worth potentially playing right into their mother’s hands. After all, the dead might be dangerous, but it’s the living who can betray you. The romance between Wren and Julian, challenged by the betrayals and reveals from the previous book, end up in a good place even with the story tackling many different familial ties and betrayals. Julian, at times, feels like a third wheel, but his loyalties never waiver.

I didn't like Imara in the first book. Her betrayal of Wren was unforgivable but her actions in this book make her a hero. Simply put. Wren, Julian, and Julian's families are truly despicable, even Hawke until he realizes what's to come for Wren. While Wren’s life was ruled by a distant father figure, and a grandmother who expected perfection, her brother dealt with the abuse found at the hands of a manipulative and selfish mother. A mother who forced him to not only help create an nearly unstoppable army, but to resurrect a hero who fell during the last war, and if that weren't enough, Wren seems to nothing a useful tool in a much more dangerous game.

In closing, if you like dark fantasy, you should be reading this series. After all, it's only two books!!