#Review - Warriors of Wing and Flame by Sara B. Larson #YALit #Fantasy

Series: Sisters of Shadow and Light (#2)
Format: Hardcover, 384 pages
Release Date: October 27, 2020
Publisher: Tor Teen
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult Fiction / Fantasy

Acclaimed author Sara B. Larson continues her enchanting YA fantasy duology with a timeless fairytale feel in an original voice

The doorway between the magical Visempirum and the human world Vamala has been reopened. Paladin are once more living in the citadel where Zuhra and Inara grew up completely isolated by the magical hedge that trapped them there. Amidst the brewing conflict between the Paladin and humans looms the threat of Barloc, who has stolen Inara’s immense power and continues to elude the Paladin who are desperately searching for him.

In this sequel to Sisters of Shadow and Light, Inara and Zuhra must navigate the treacherous paths of self-discovery, their love for each other, and for the boys who have captured their hearts. Together, they search for the strength within themselves to bridge the divide between the two worlds they inhabit, even as war threatens to destroy everything—and everyone—they love.

 

Warriors of Wing and Flame is the second part of author Sara B. Larson's Sisters of Shadow and Light duology. The story alternates between 18-year old Zuhra, and her 16-year old sister Inara. Picking up immediately following the events of Sisters of Shadow and Light, things are at a tipping point. Zuhra has returned home from Visimperum, home of the Paladin’s, bringing with her long-lost father Adelric, and a team of Gryphon Riders to the Citadel for the first time in 16 years. Paladin, who once fought a war against humans, were sent away after Inara was born which closed the gates between worlds while also separating Adelric from his human wife.

Paladins are magical beings who are capable of everything from controlling minds, to healing, to enhancing someone's powers, to creating nearly unbreakable shields. Zuhra's younger sister Inara was drained by the villain Barloc and left for dead in the first book. Thanks to both Raidyn (Healer) and Zuhra (Enhancer) Inara is still alive. But, with her sister struggling to deal with the loss of her healing abilities after being stuck in what the author calls the roar for 15 years, the threat of Barloc must be addressed soon. Barloc has left a trail of bodies in his wake, including Zuhra’s grandfather who she just met after 16 years of separation.

Barloc plans to find Paladin’s called Infinitium Sect who feel like he does. They believe Paladin deserve to rule over humans since they are much stronger. If he can find the others, he could be a danger to both Visimperum and Vamala. While Inara is reeling from the loss of her powers, she’s no longer under a cloud of uncertainty. She can make up her own mind and choices including who she loses her heart to. Inara is shockingly attuned to Barloc and that provides both an opportunity and a likely trap for Zuhra who Barloc would love to have her powers.

While the Paladin are desperately trying to track down Barloc who poses a risk to both worlds and both Paladin and humans, Zuhra has fallen in love with Raidyn. Their connection has some minor issues, but there’s no doubt they are mutually in love with the other. Happily, Inara gets her own chance at discovering who she is when she travels to Visimperum after following Barloc and trying to get her powers back. Inara’s growth and the fact that she gets this amazing new ability while also falling hard for Loukas, a boy who is perhaps the most dangerous Paladin in existence, was nice to read about. Inara, like her sister, grew up within the walls of their citadel sheltered from the outside world and experiences. It’s nice to see both girls get a happy ending, even with all the losses and devastation, as well as a reunited family unit that was shattered for 16 years.

Amazon | Audible | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

#Review - Sisters of Shadow and Light by Sara B. Larson #YA #Fantasy

Series: Sisters of Shadow and Light #1)
Format: Hardcover, 368 pages
Release Date: November 5, 2019
Publisher: Tor Teen
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy

"The night my sister was born, the stars died and were reborn in her eyes…."

Zuhra and Inara have grown up in the Citadel of the Paladins, an abandoned fortress where legendary, magical warriors once lived before disappearing from the world—including their Paladin father the night Inara was born.

On that same night, a massive, magical hedge grew and imprisoned them within the citadel. Inara inherited their father’s Paladin power; her eyes glow blue and she is able to make plants grow at unbelievable rates, but she has been trapped in her own mind because of a “roar” that drowns everything else out—leaving Zuhra virtually alone with their emotionally broken human mother.

For fifteen years they have lived, trapped in the citadel, with little contact from the outside world…until the day a stranger passes through the hedge, and everything changes. 

Sisters of Shadow and Light is the first installment in author Sara B. Larson's duology. Sisters Zuhra and Inara Montieth grew up in a place called Citadel of the Paladin. The Citadel is all that remains of their father's kind, the Paladins. Beings with great magical powers from another world that came to Vamala to save it from monsters that escaped the Paladin world through a portal. When Inara was born, their father (Aldric) disappeared and hasn't been seen since. At the same time, an enormous sentient hedge grew over night not allowing either sister to leave the property. 

 

As the oldest, Zuhra has always wondered what was out there past the hedges that has kept them virtual prisoners. The only one who has been able to leave, has been their trusty do everything, Mahsami (Sami), who made a difficult choice to stay with the family instead of fleeing. Zuhra is the only one who seems eager to ensure that Inara is happy and not treated as a monster because of her parentage. When a stranger named Halver Roskery is allowed thru the hedge, his arrival sets off a chain of events that pushes both young women to uncover the secrets of the past and embark on a journey that hopes to heal even the deepest of wounds.

 

Inara was born with the glowing eyes of a Paladin, the entities who built their home and who were once the celebrated heroes of the realm; public opinion is not as kind now. Inara has everyone afraid of her because she goes into a sort of fugue state for entire days that prevents her from communicating with anyone. Inara's fugue state is being called roar because she has an overwhelming power that prevents her from interacting with the world. She also has an interesting ability to make plants grow which of course comes in handy when you can't leave. 

 

Inara's existence as half-Paladin appeals to Halver, who is a Library of Mercarum apprentice, on a level that doesn't seem to include Zuhra. This is the point in the book where the story splits between Zuhra and Inara who becomes lucid and is able to have her own adventures as well as being interested in Halver. While Inara is dealing with issues with Halver, and his Master Barloc as well as the villagers who hate Paladins, Zuhra is pushed thru a gateway and ends up in Visperium. 

Zuhra could never imagine the adventure that she will have after meeting her father and his people live and uncovering the reason for his 15 year disappearance. It's especially entertaining once you get the squadron of Paladins and their Gryphons and the fact that Zuhra finds a connection with a Paladin named Raidyn. I had a hard time not screaming at the mother figure. She's broken by the disappearance of her husband and protects her daughters through deprivation and cruelty. She really doesn't much care for Inara for much of the story which is just a sad state of affairs. The ending, of course, ends on a whopper of a cliffhanger. Thankfully, this is apparently only a duology! Yay!

Amazon | Audible | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

ARC #Review - Bright Burns the Night by Sara B. Larson #YALi #Fantasy

Series: Dark Breaks the Dawn # 2
Format: E-Galley, 320 pages
Release Date: May 29, 2018
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Source: NetGalley
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy

Ten years ago, King Lorcan of the Dark Kingdom Dorjhalon defeated Queen Evelayn and cut her conduit stone from her. Since then, he has kept her trapped in her swan form. With the loss of balance between Dark and Light, winter has descended and the Draíolon of Éadrolan lose more power every day. But once a year, Lorcan transforms her back to her Draíolon form and offers a truce. 

And every year Evelayn refuses -- for he requires her to Bind herself to him for life. But now, with an Ancient power bearing down upon them, everything may change. Evelayn will learn that the truths she once believed have shattered, and that she may need her enemies even more than her allies. Lorcan and Evelayn become partners in a desperate quest to return the balance of power to Lachalonia. How far will this partnership go? Can friendship -- perhaps even love -- bloom where hatred has taken root?Sara B. Larson delivers a thrillingly romantic and hauntingly satisfying end to this extraordinary duology. 

Bright Burns the Night is the second and final installment in author Sara B. Larson's Dark Breaks the Dawn duology. The Dark Breaks the Dawn duology is a reimagining of Swan Lake. Ten years ago, King Lorcan of the Dark Kingdom Dorjhalon defeated Queen Evelayn of the Light Kingdom of Éadrolan and cut her conduit stone from her. He also used his powers to transform her into a swan. Get it? Swan Lake? Since then, he has kept her trapped in her swan form where nobody can find her. Can't spoil things that have already been spoiled by the synopsis, right?

Once a year Lorcan transforms Evelayn back to her Draíolon form and offers a truce; all she has to do is bind herself to him for life. Every year Evelayn refuses only to be returned to swan form and hidden away from those who are lost without her. After all, why should she bind herself to the man who she offered peace to and got only heartbreak and betrayal? But now something has apparently changed. This time, Evelayn finds herself free for the first time in a decade. With the loss of balance between Dark and Light, winter has descended on Draíolon and the Éadrolan lose more power every day. 

To make things every more twisted, an Ancient power, who readers met in the first installment, is bearing down upon them, and everything may change. Evelayn will learn truths she once believed in to be facts have been shattered, and that she may need her enemies even more than her allies. Except for Ceren and Quinlan who have never lost hope in finding Evelayn and freeing her. Lorcan and Evelayn become partners in a desperate quest to return the balance of power to Lachalonia. How far will this partnership go? 

So, let me get to my rating argument. If you've read the first installment, and hopefully you have, or will before jumping into this book, there was a whole lot of action, and suspense, and betrayal, and twists in the final chapter of the previous story. So bad were the betrayals, that the author seems to have forgotten what she wrote and decided to toss it all out the window and make believe that nothing of what happened between Evelayn and another character was anything that meant anything because she was going to turn an enemy into a possible love connection.

See, I can be mysterious. In this book, the author makes the villain, (and yes he still is the villain for anyone who cares to debate me), supposedly a hero and the only person that Evelayn can rely on to protect her people, and bring the peace that she and her parents had tried before they died. You will also notice that this book takes place over the course of a 3-4 day period. It is not necessarily rushed, but there is a whole lot of action and adventure and revelations in that short time frame.

I am not a fan of the romance in this book and that too affected by overall rating. I just don't see tearing a former coupling a part and then fermenting mistrust and anger in order to proceed in a entirely different direction. Ok, that was probably too much to tell. The current coupling is absurd and laughable and so damn predictable that I couldn't help roll my eyes. My last comment. When last we saw Evelayn, she was 18 years old. After ten years, she would be 28, right? So, why did the author make her characters should as though they were still in their teens? 

Amazon | Audible | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Wednesday #Review - Dark Breaks the Dawn by Sara B. Larson #YALit #Fantasy

Series: Untitled # 1
Format: E-Galley, 320 pages
Release Date: May 30, 2017
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Source: Edelweiss
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy & Magic

In the first book of a remarkable duology, Sara B. Larson sets the stage for her reimagining of Swan Lake -- a lush romance packed with betrayal, intrigue, magic, and adventure.

On her eighteenth birthday, Princess Evelayn of Eadrolan, the Light Kingdom, can finally access the full range of her magical powers. The light looks brighter, the air is sharper, and the energy she can draw when fighting feels almost limitless.

But while her mother, the queen, remains busy at the war front, in the Dark Kingdom of Dorjhalon, the corrupt king is plotting. King Bain wants control of both kingdoms, and his plan will fling Evelayn into the throne much sooner than she expected.

In order to defeat Bain and his sons, Evelayn will quickly have to come into her ability to shapeshift, and rely on the alluring Lord Tanvir. But not everyone is what they seem, and the balance between the Light and Dark comes at a steep price.

Dark Breaks the Dawn is the first book in Sara B. Larson's Dark Breaks the Dawn duology. Larson is also the author of the Defy trilogy which I have started, but not yet finished. Working on it! The story begins on the morning of Crown Princess Evelayn of Éadrolan's (The Light Kingdom) 18th birthday. It is supposed to be the day when Evelayn gains access to her powers which have, until now, been bound, and her mother returns home from the war from as she promised. Evelayn is also supposed to have the ability to shift into a swan now that she has her full compliment of powers. 

Éadrolan has been at war with the neighboring Dorjhalon (The Dark Kingdom) for 10 years. There is really no real end in sight. Plenty have lost their lives to this brutal and terrible war, including Evelayn's father. King Bain of Dorjhalon has plans for Éadrolan, and those plans mean removing the only two royals left in the Light Kingdom; Queen Ilana, and her only daughter Evelayn. In this world, only a royal can kill another royal. The King and Queen are the magical conduits for their respective lands. 

Were one to fall, then the magic shifts away until the heir is able to collect it. In this world, those with magic are either Light or Dark Draíolon. Light can manipulate and summon heat, sunshine, and light, while Dark can manipulate cold, shadow, and darkness. After a shocking loss to someone who has shown no weakness whatsoever, Evelayn is forced to claim the mantle of the Queen of Éadrolan. Something that shouldn't have happened for years to come. 

Evelayn's struggles are real, her obstacles that she goes through in order to keep her people safe, and out of Bain's hands, are admirable. What's even more interesting, is her relationship with Lord Tanvir who has the ability to control and direct water. Tanvir is a key player in this story. He knows that being with Evelayn means being with someone who is head strong, strong willed, and more than capable of making choices without her advisers breathing down her neck all the time. In many ways, she is the one who has been born to pick up Ilana's mantle, and enhance on it.

Yes, there is another side to this story besides Evelayn's. For that, we are taken to the brutal Kingdom of Dorjhalon 

where political gamesmanship is being played right in front of our eyes. The key players are Lorcan, Lothar, and Queen Abarrane, as well as King Bain, of course. Larson weaves her story through several characters in this story, which is why it is important not to ignore the Dorjhalon just because they are the villains.

What happens later on in this story can not go unnoticed, not even if you are all in on the romance between Evelayn and Tanvir. Many jaw dropping moments happen in this book, and I dare say that this story ends on a whopper of a cliffhanger. Thankfully, this is only a duology, which means that all resolutions should happen in the next story. Right? 

Amazon | Audible | Barnes & Noble | Kobo