Empire by Sabaa Tahir (Heir duology book 2)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, Heir, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

Check out Book Series Recaps for a refresher of the first book.

“A crumbling empire.

An ancient evil.

A lost homeland.

A lie that could destroy the world.

In the crumbling Martial Empire, crown prince Quil Farrar and his aunt, Empress Helene, are losing a war against the vicious Kegari horde. Quil’s armies dwindle, his faith falters, and the woman he loves vanished months ago, leaving him brokenhearted. Torn between his duty to his people and his desire to discover Sirsha’s fate, Quil embarks on a dangerous quest for aid—from the most treacherous of allies.

Sirsha Westering finds herself tethered to Div, an ancient evil unleashed by a terrible tragedy. Div delights in tormenting Sirsha, hungering for her magical heart. Even as Sirsha struggles for control of her own fate, she is desperate to shield Quil from Div’s destructive power. But Div won’t release Sirsha without a fight. To earn her freedom, Sirsha must uncover Div’s past—and face horrors in her own.

Cero bet-Dafra, former right hand of the Kegari leader, Aiz, now finds himself pitted against her. As Aiz slips further into violence and delusion, Cero must discover if his people have any hope of a future or if they’re condemned to an unending cycle of violence. His journey will force him to confront hidden truths, ancient secrets, and a lie that could destroy the world.” - taken from Goodreads.

Wow! The conclusion of this duology back in the world of Ember in the Ashes blew me away. I don’t wait to give anything away but readers are treated to a brief recap of Heir in the beginning. It did take me a little bit to get my head wrapped around the story again with the multiple POV. This book did break me before the surprising ending which does leave the door open for more stories from this world.

Visit Sabaa Tahir’s website.

Every Spiral of Fate by Tahereh Mafi (This Woven Kingdom book 4)

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first three books in the This Woven Kingdom series, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

Check out Epic Reads if you need a recap of the first three books.

“At long last, the wedding day has arrived.

The Jinn queen and the enigmatic ruler of Tulan are to be married in a magical, enchanted ceremony—but Cyrus, tethered by a blood oath to his bride-to-be, can find nothing to celebrate in this union. He’s falling ever more deeply in love with the one person oathbound to kill him.

Sworn to an ancient, unbreakable magic, Alizeh can only fulfill the prophecy to free her people by ensuring Cyrus dies by her own hand. And Cyrus is forced to await his end all while Prince Kamran inches closer, ready to take his place by Alizeh’s side.

The countdown to murder coils tensions ever tighter, but the historic wedding has already drawn deadly attention. To prepare for war and protect her people, Alizeh must finally discover her magic—and outrun the enemies trying to stop her.

Alizeh and Cyrus, along with Kamran and their friends from Ardunia, must flee on dragon-back to begin the perilous journey into the legendary mountains of Arya, where a firestorm of revelations, magical discoveries, and fresh allies awaits them. Every allegiance will be tested, every darkness uncovered, and when the shattering secrets of the Tulanian king are finally revealed . . .

Nothing, and no one, will be the same.” - taken from Goodreads.

WOW! This book really picks up the pace where the story left off in the third book. Without giving too much away, the cliffhanger ending sets up the ultimate showdown between Alizeh and Iblees in the final book.

This series is slated to end with book five, due out sometime in 2026.

Visit Tahereh Mafi’s website.