Thursday, February 25, 2016

Review: Kingdom of Ashes by Rhiannon Thomas

Kingdom of Ashes
Release Date: February 23, 2016
Publisher: HarperTeen
ISBN:   0062303562
ISBN13: 9780062303561
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Review Copy Source: Edelweiss
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.

I didn't think I was going to pick up book two after I read A WICKED THING, but I saw it on EDELWEISS and thought, why not?

Aurora is on the run and thankfully an ally comes to her aid and gets her out of her kingdom before the king can get his hands on her. I enjoyed following her journey and thought that she did a really good job of standing up for herself and learning how to use her magic to best help her people. I didn't think much of Finnegan in A WICKED THING, but I happened to like him quite a bit in KINGDOM OF ASHES. Both him and Aurora get close in book 2, but not close enough. I wanted some epic romance, but we just got some light flirting and a few things more than that. Where's her happily ever romantic ending?

I ended up liking book two more than I thought I would. I got to know the characters better which was needed after A WICKED THING and I thought the introduction of the dragons added some more danger to things. Even having enjoyed KINGDOM OF ASHES, I have some huge issues. This is the last book in the series and there were so many things left open. The wicked enemy is still out there, Aurora's kingdom is still in upheaval and the romance, where is the romance I was hoping for? Sigh. I don't know. This didn't feel like the end and I am not satisfied.

I gave it 3/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.