Author: Brigid Kemmerer
Publication Date: January 7, 2020
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
Pages: 464
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Review for book 1
Find the heir, win the crown.
The curse is finally broken, but Prince Rhen of Emberfall faces darker troubles still. Rumors circulate that he is not the true heir and that forbidden magic has been unleashed in Emberfall. Although Rhen has Harper by his side, his guardsman Grey is missing, leaving more questions than answers.
Win the crown, save the kingdom.
Rumored to be the heir, Grey has been on the run since he destroyed Lilith. He has no desire to challenge Rhen--until Karis Luran once again threatens to take Emberfall by force. Her own daughter Lia Mara sees the flaws in her mother’s violent plan, but can she convince Grey to stand against Rhen, even for the good of Emberfall?
The heart-pounding, compulsively readable saga continues as loyalties are tested and new love blooms in a kingdom on the brink of war.
A Curse So Dark and Lonely was easily one of my favorite reads of 2019. When I had the opportunity to snag an early copy of A Heart So Fierce and Broken, I definitely started reading immediately and barely took a break till it was over! This book continues the story of Rhen, Harper, and Grey and it's everything I hoped for and more!
Grey was an incredible character in the first book in the series and I totally was not expecting to get an entire book about him going forward but I love the direction the author took! Grey's story was so much more in depth than I ever would have guessed and I very quickly fell even more in love with his character. There is also a new character, Lia Mara, who I was very skeptical of, but I quickly grew to appreciate. I loved the relationship between Grey and Lia Mara. The character growth in both of them, but especially Grey, was amazing! They are both such strong characters - I can't wait to see what happens next with their story!
Something I couldn't have prepared for was all the feelings I'd have about Rhen. I did have some small issues with him in A Curse So Dark and Lonely, but I loved him! It almost felt like Brigid Kemmerer pulled a Sarah J. Maas in making Rhen seem so polar opposite from his previous self. I did really appreciate that she explained it though. His change in character did at least make some sense. Harper was still the strong and brilliant woman I already loved!
Although I had suspicions about where Grey's story would go, A Heart So Fierce and Broken pulled off a few twists and turns. The world became larger and the stakes were higher and I could not get enough of the story! There was so much going on here but I never wanted it to end. Karis Luran and her daughter were fascinatingly evil and I can't wait to see what becomes of Emberfall!
If you enjoyed book one of this series and are open to new characters in your series, you will probably love this book! I wish I could get my hands on book three now, but either way I'm excited to see what happens in the next part of the Cursebreakers saga!
