Kammani has escaped. She escaped the grave and the Boatman along with all the girls who were meant to be sacrificed. Now, they’re in hiding in a neighboring kingdom, all the while fearful that Uruku will attack them. They have the rightful ruler with them, after all. But Arwia doesn’t want the throne. She just wants a quiet life, where she can live peacefully. All of that changes when an assassination attempt almost succeeds. Suddenly, Kammani and her friends find themselves in the middle of a brewing war. With so many lives hanging in the balance, can Kammani come up with a plan that will keep everybody safe?

I received an advanced reading copy of Warmaidens in exchange for an honest review.

Warmaidens is a young adult fantasy novel by Kelly Coon. If the author’s name sounds familiar to you, it might be because I actually read the first novel in this duology, Gravemaidens, last year and reviewed it here. At the time I read it, I thought it was an OK fantasy novel, and while I enjoyed seeing Kammani interact with her siblings, I struggled with her as a character. I’m happy to say that I did not have those same issues with her in this book!

My main issue in Gravemaidens was that the trope of “not like the other girls” was pushed way too much. Kammani was literally the only person in the entire city who thought that sacrificing young girls was a bad idea, which felt like a bit of an exaggeration. In this book, however, Kammani finds herself surrounded with people who feel similarly to her, and who want to fight for justice and equality. In fact, there’s warrior women in this book, and they form such an important part of the society they live in. It was wonderful to see the contrast of two such different societies, and how they each had distinct problems.

Something else I appreciated about this book was how Coon was so good at introducing more and more problems for her protagonists. We don’t only have the assassination attempts, but we have Kammani who’s trying to prevent a war when everything seems to be going that way. She’s a healer, after all, and all she wants to do is save and preserve life. But all of a sudden she has to find herself weighing different lives, trying to find a balance, asking herself the difficult question of: is saving countless lives worth one death?

This inner conflict, in addition to Kammani still trying to balance visions from the Boatman (this world’s version of the Grim Reaper) and the logic that has led her life for so long, they led the book to its end, even more than the actual plot. It was well done, and well reasoned out. While I missed more moments with Kammani and her siblings, I found her to be a much more compelling character here than in Gravemaidens.

And while we have a constant seesawing in Kammani throughout the book, we also get one in terms of the plot. I have to admit, it was repetitive. I’m going to get into very minor spoiler territory here, so I’d advise you look away if you want to stay completely uninformed of what happens. The plot was attempt after attempt after attempt. Mistake after mistake after mistake. Sure, I love it when authors make things complicated for their characters, or when characters mess up somehow and make it even more difficult for themselves. But usually, at some point, characters should give up and try something else, right? Or, at least I would. Isn’t that what the definition of insanity is? To try exactly the same thing and expect different results? Kammani really could have benefited from talking to someone about this, or maybe just thought outside the box.

Warmaidens gave us a new side of Kammani, one I enjoyed reading about, and I thought it was a good ending to the duology that began in Gravemaidens.

Warmaidens will be released on December 15. You can pre-order your copy here.

Warmaidens is the second book in the young adult Gravemaidens duology by author Kelly Coon. I loved the first book, Gravemaidens, so I was super excited to dive into the final book in the duology. I have really been digging duologies this year, and the Gravemaidens Duology is one to add to my list of favorites. I loved the story told in Warmaidens and I loved how everything wrapped up. If you are a fan of fantasies that draw on afterlife and spiritual mythologies and do not shy away from action and battle scenes, then Gravemaidens and Warmaidens are must reads for you! Kelly Coon has created a rich fantasy world filled with vibrant characters, and an action packed plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat for the entire journey. I loved this book!

Warmaidens starts off action packed, as I figured it would based on that crazy ending in Gravemaidens.  In case you need a quick refresher, in Gravemaidens we met our main character Kammani, who is training to be a healer. In her kingdom of Alu, when the king nears the end of his life, the kingdom has a tradition of selecting three beautiful sacred maidens to accompany the king into the afterlife as his brides. It is supposed to be a great honor, but when Kammani's sister gets selected she will do anything to save her from death, which landed Kammani smack dab in the middle of a big conspiracy that left her unsure of who to trust. The book ended with Kammani and the whole gang faking their death, and now they are on the run from the corrupt lugal who took over Alu.

Warmaidens starts off the Kammani and the whole gang settling in to a quiet, and secret new life in Manzazu, but things do not stay quiet for long because soon after our story starts there is an attack on Manzazu, which leads everything to think that they have been discovered. What happens next is yet another fast paced adventure full of secrets. I love that Kelly Coon weaves a real sense of fear, distrust and urgency in her writing. I felt a little uneasy the whole time I was reading because I was genuinely scared for the characters. I felt their fear and terror deep down in my bones. They find themselves in so many fights and close calls that I never knew who was going to make it or not, especially true since not all of the characters might make it out of this story alive. So be warned about that. My emotions were all over the place while I was reading- but in a good way! I loved that Warmaidens was able to get my heart racing. This book was a fantastic ride from start to finish!

I also loved the addition of the boatsman. We saw him just a little in the first book, but his presence is felt a lot more in Warmaidens. I liked learning more about him and his story. I loved all of the characters, but I think my favorite is Dagan. I just adore him! Kammani is a fantastic heroine and she is fierce in more ways than one. Honestly, my only gripe with her is that I sometimes wish she expressed herself better with Dagan, but that might have been me pushing my love for him onto her shoulders, and I wanted to her to treat him better sometimes. (again. because I love him so!) Overall, the Gravemaidens duology was a wonderful read. If you are a fan of young adult fantasies featuring friendship, sisterhood, romance and plenty of secrets and adventure, Gravemaidens is a duology that will be a wonderful addition to any fantasy lovers collection. It feels fresh and different, and the story is so well done. I loved this book so much! What a great ending to an epic duology!

I was so excited to get an eGalley of this one since I enjoyed Gravemaidens so much.

The maidens have found refuge and believe themselves to be safe. But when an assassin kills who they believe to be Kammani, the idea of safety is shattered. They have been discovered... Now Kammani has to take down the dastardly ruler of Alu to ensure the future for herself and everyone she cares about.

I adored Dagan so much in this book! He was just the ray of sunshine I needed. I loved Kammani’s strength and the lengths she goes to protect the people she loves. She is one kick butt healer!

3.5 STARS

Kammani is a healer, not a warrior, but when danger comes to her door, she may have to learn to become both.

Last year, Gravemaidens put Kammani in the perilous position of healer to the lugal, ruler of Alu. When she failed to heal him from poisoning, it condemned her and her sister to death, entombed with the lugal as an "honor." Except she escaped her death sentence, freeing the sacred maidens and disappearing to Manzazu with her loved ones.

It was supposed to be a new life, but the danger has returned.

With the new lugal hunting her down, aiming to tie up loose ends in his coup, and the threat of war looming, Kammani must decide what lengths she will go to in order to protect her family, her friends, and her home. In doing so, she must also confront a very real future, one she isn't sure she truly wants.

She has only ever wanted to be a healer her late father could be proud of, and now the only way to protect that goal is to become a killer instead.


"You are not in this life alone."

Easily my favorite part of the Gravemaidens duology, but especially Warmaidens, is the importance of Kammani's support group. Kammani herself is full of heart, full of compassion, and I adore her for it. At all times, she carries other people's best interests close to her heart. But when she neglects herself, Dagan and Iltani, her love interest and best friend respectively, are ready to step in at a moment's notice.

Despite all the danger they are in, despite all the hardship so far, despite the uncertainty still ahead, they never hesitate to offer Kammani their love and support. And I adore the different forms that support takes! Iltani is something of a wild child, and she excels at pushing Kammani to her limits when Kammani is afraid to take the plunge. Dagan, on the other hand, is 100% cinnamon roll. Where Iltani tends to push, Dagan simply holds steady, waiting to catch Kammani if she stumbles. 

This dynamic occasionally has some friction, but it is immensely refreshing for the conflict to come by and large from outside the core group of protagonists. My heart is just SO FULL seeing these characters love and support each other through all kinds of terror and tragedy. More unshakable friendships in YA, please!


In terms of depth, though, Warmaidens sometimes falls shy of the standard set in Gravemaidens.

It's not lost on me that we see very little of Nanaea in Warmaidens. Sure, her skills are instrumental to Kammani's plans to protect Alu, but she usually seems to occupy a background seat, rather than share the center stage. After Gravemaidens so heavily focused on Kammani and Nanaea's fraught relationship, I was hoping we could see them healing and growing closer in Warmaidens. More than that, I was hoping the themes of sisterhood would span across both books of the duology, creating a strong line between the two. 

But it didn't carry over. In some ways, it makes sense; Kammani has always thought of others first, especially in Gravemaidens. Now, she is beginning to think of herself and her future beyond just serving others. To have the central focus turn inward is sensible in some ways.

In other ways, though, I feel let down. Some of the bonds Kammani worked so hard to built in the last book feel nearly inconsequential this time, and it leaves Warmaidens feeling a little hollowed out, like something vital is missing despite all that it accomplishes.


Somehow, there is room for love even when there is war, and I hope there's room for Warmaidens on your shelf!

In the end, I still enjoyed Warmaidens, and not just because I'm a member of Kell's street team, the Skeleton Crew! Focusing on a healer rather than a fighter is a wonderful change of pace, and Kammani is an outstanding lead, shouldering so much responsibility for someone so young, and grappling with the consequences with unusual grace and tenacity. If you're looking forward to the Gravemaidens duology conclusion, be sure to mark your calendars for December 15th, when it hits shelves at last!

CW: violence, gore, graphic injury, loss of a loved one, alcoholism, child death mention, medical scenes, sexual assault mention, torture, animal death

[This review will go live on Hail & Well Read on 12/7/20 at 10am EST.]

This book was amazing to read. It was filled with action pack moments from each character that kept me on the edging of my seat while reading. I love Kelly work and I cant wait to read more from her. She wrote book filled with some fun moments that left me really wanting more. The characters felt really while being fantasy and it was just such an enjoyable read. Recommend to everyone

A wonderful ending to such a great duology. Where book one was more about the actions of those around Kammani, this time it's all about her actions, and still focuses on her choices and her story. My favorite characters were all back together and they went through so much in this book to get to their endings. 4.5/5 cups of coffee from me, I'll have a full review up on my blog later.

Thanks so much to the publishers and Netgalley for an eARC of this in exchange for my honest opinion.

I've definitely already preordered this and can't wait to hold my final copy.

After their escape from Lugal Marus’s tomb at the end of Gravemaidens, Kammani has been hiding in Manzazu along with her sister Nanaea, her brother Kasha (with whom she & Nanaea reunited in the first book), her best friend Iltani, her beau Dagan, and the heir to the Alu throne, Arwia. Kammani is following her dreams of being a healer, and she and her friends have built a happy life together. But when an assaniation attempt is made on Kammani and Arwia, their illusion of safety is shattered. As war begins to brew between Manzazu and Alu, Kammani realizes there is only one way to prevent more bloodshed: to return to Alu and restore Arwia to the throne—by taking down Alu’s wrongful ruler, Uruku.

Warmaidens is an action-packed, satisfying conclusion that explores what it really means to have power: the power to heal, the power to rule. Throughout the novel, as bloodshed continues around her, Kammani wonders if she really has what it takes to be a great healer like her father. Meanwhile, Arwia is also deeply worried that she will never be seen as capable of ruling Alu. I absolutely loved this juxtaposition of two very different types of power that these two very different girls must wield.

When we saw Kammani and her friends flee Alu at the end of Gravemaidens, I think all readers breathed a sigh of relief. But Warmaidens really brings their story full circle as they’re forced to reconcile with what they left behind; they have to come to terms with their responsibility to the people of Alu, who’ve been left defenseless under Uruku’s rule. While Gravemaidens asked what you’re willing to sacrifice for your sister, Warmaidens asks what you’re willing to sacrifice for your community and your people.

As we all know, the best part of a sequel is revisiting characters that we’ve grown to love. Our beloved protagonist, Kammani, is back and fiercer than ever, as well as her younger sister Nanaea and brother Kasha. We get to see even more of Kammani’s best friend, the flirty and wild Iltani, whose sex positivity and humor might make her my favorite character in the series! And of course, we have the dreamy Dagan, who remains deeply in love with Kammani.

Much like in the first novel, the romance between Kammani and Dagan is definitely present but isn’t the focal point of the story. Kammani isn’t ready for the commitment of marriage and she has difficulty accepting the misogynistic rules of their society; the idea of potentially losing her independence and herself in a marriage doesn’t sit well with her. Kammani has always been an outlier in Alu culture: she despised the traditions that nearly took her sister to the grave, and she vehemently rejects the idea that marriage is all she’s meant for. She refuses to give up her rights, her freedom, or her dreams of being a healer to marry Dagan, even though they love each other. I love that Kammani is unapologetically feminist—she knows that her value is not rooted in marriage, and she knows she doesn’t owe Dagan anything.

In addition to these beloved characters, we get introduced to some new characters as well, including the queen of Manzazu and the Koru, an elite group of warrior women. I loved that Manzazu was a very women-centered nation and that the army was made up of strong women. Throughout the novel, Kammani is trying to stop a war between Manzazu and Alu by removing Uruku from the throne of Alu by any means necessary. Warmaidens is full of plotting as she and her friends desperately try to take down the evil Uruku and assert Arwia’s power before more lives can be lost.

Much like Gravemaidens, Warmaidens is a fast-paced story that will keep readers turning the page and trying to guess what will happen next. What I love most about Kelly’s writing is that she creates an immersive fantasy setting that is still super accessible and easy to follow. As a reader who often struggles to get into fantasy, I was not only able to follow these novels with ease but also felt like I’d been transported right into Alu. The pacing is spot-on and was just the right amount of action without making it too difficult to keep up. I love recommending this duology to teens at my library who enjoy fantasy but want something easier to read or that isn’t too long. Because Gravemaidens and Warmaidens don’t have any high fantasy elements (no dragons or faeries around here!), they almost feel like historical fiction; I love that whimsical vibe, as if I’m reading of a far land from long ago.

When a debut is as good as Gravemaidens was, you can’t help but wonder if the sequel will live up. I’m happy to report that Warmaidens was well worth the wait and was the perfect ending to Kammani’s story. It’s important to note that there are some scenes involving battle and medical treatment, so be aware going in if those themes are triggering for you. This duology will be loved by fans of We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia and Crier’s War by Nina Varela. While I’m sad to say goodbye to Kammani and the whole squad—Dagan, Nanaea, Kasha, Arwia, and Iltani—I know whatever Kelly Coon writes next will be just as incredible.

I received this an ARC from NetGalley for review.

Having read Gravemaidens, and not loved it.
This continued a lot of the plot problems I had with the last book.
It was better than the last one, but towards the end still had some of the same inconsistencies.

It starts out with Kammani, Dagan and her friends are living in a neighboring territory called Manzazu, ruled by a queen named Sarratum Tabni. Kammani has just been named A-Zu (healer) and gifted a boon by their queen for saving many of her warriors.
Since escaping the emperor's tomb with the other's she's had a link to the Boatmen of death, who collects the souls to repent for his deeds in life.

An assassination attempt is made of the surviving princess from Alu and one another healer. It's clear that she cannot leave her throne in the hands of the man who usurped her and they must get it back or war will come to Alu and innocent people will die.

It was nice to see the growth in Kammani and her friends in character from the last book. But the plot started getting really messy for me in the last 40%.
And it kind of dragged the good points back down.

I was so excited to get my hands on an ARC of this book, especially since I enjoyed the first book so much (see review here: http://leahs-books.com/2020/08/04/gravemaidens/). This one was just as good, in my opinion. It picks up the story 9 months after Gravemaidens ends, and gives the reader time to catch up without info dumping or recapping the entire previous book (which tends to bore me).

It was really interesting to see how much most of the characters had changed and grown since they left Alu. Kammani and Dagan seemed to have changed the least, since they had already been working to provide for their families, and generally acting as parental figures. Kammani still struggled with her need to control situations and take all the responsibility on her shoulders, along with the blame when things don’t go the way she expects.

Kammani continues to be torn between her love for Dagan and her fierce desire to be independent. She’s such a feminist, and hates the idea that a woman loses all of her rights in a marriage, becoming little more than the property of her husband and forced to do whatever he says, even though she knows that Dagan isn’t the kind of man who would ever take away from her independence. It got a little frustrating at times, because it felt like she didn’t really trust Dagan, although I really tried to understand how stifling a society where women had to give up all their rights in a marriage, and it was a little easier to extend some empathy towards Kammani.

It was great to see Nanaea really step up, become more responsible, and act more mature than she had in the previous book. The notable exception was Iltani, but I got the feeling from the start that she had the biggest character arc to demonstrate. I loved the focus on a female ruled society in Manzazu, and especially one in which the elite warriors were an all-female force. The Koru were awesome.

The action started quickly and was consistent throughout the entire story. The whole book was fairly fast-paced and it never felt like it lagged. I was quickly wrapped up in the story, and it honestly felt like visiting with an awesome group of friends that I haven’t seen for a while. The characters work well together, and most have their flaws that make them feel realistic. The only exceptions seemed to be Dagan and Nanaea, who are pretty perfect. I let it slide, though, since Nanaea made such progress between the last book and this one, and Dagan has his moments towards the end of this one (but I can’t talk about it because … no spoilers.

Overall, I loved the story and the duology in general. The book made me feel as if I was transported to Manzazu and Alu along with the characters, and I was always on the edge of my seat, waiting to see what would happen next. Kelly Coon is absolutely an author to watch, and I’m going to be waiting to see what she puts out next!

Warmaidens is a pretty good sequel to the equally pretty good Gravemaidens. While I enjoyed the first one more, this was still a nice continuation of the characters I enjoyed from the first book.

I think I wanted more from Warmaidens than it could give me. Coon is a good writer, but I felt like her characters just fell short for me which, in turn, made the story fall short.

I really enjoyed the new gods and the Boatman in this one, I think gods and religion can really help set up the world and Coon does a nice job in both Gravemaidens and Warmaidens. I also really liked the all-female group of elite warriors. I thought both of these things really brought more to the story.

Now, I love a good love story, but Dagan and Kammani just don't do it for me. I think I liked them better in the first book than I did in this one. While I didn't agree with some of the things they did or said, I'm glad Kammani stuck to her principles and did what she thought was best for her and her beliefs when it came to being with Dagan.

I felt like Kammani really doubted herself a lot more in this book than she did the first, which surprised me after all she did in the first book. I think her lack of confidence led to most of the mistakes she made in the book, all of which could have been avoided.

I liked the growth I saw in Kammani's sister in this book and wish it would have extended to Iltani as well. Unfortunately, I just found myself annoyed by Iltani this time around.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this sequel and think it tied up the story nicely. I can't wait to see what Coon does next.

Title:Warmaidens
Author: Kelly Coon
Pub. Date: December 15, 2020
Rating: 4

Dagan is a whole ass snack. He’s pure husband material and I think I have a new book boyfriend. I mean, I was totally sold in Gravemaidens, but damn did this book seal the deal. He was honestly my favorite character in this book, and dare I say my favorite part. I love emotionally vulnerable male characters, and Kelly did him justice.
I’m now thinking that I need to go find myself a Farm Boy, because phew. Absolutely sunk.
But, like the first book, I was easily and immediately transported back into this world. Even though it’s been a little over a year (I think) since I read Gravemaidens, it took virtually no effort to remember what had happened. The world is still as vivid as I remembered it being. Still a little infuriating with the rules, laws and traditions Kelly wove into it, but also still just wholly enjoyable. It was nice seeing more of the world and seeing more of the characters. With this book picking up nine months after the end of Gravemaidens, a lot has changed and the main core group of characters have as well.
We’ve already covered how I feel about Dagan. I’d marry him in a heartbeat.
Iltani is still fantastic and quite bloodthirsty – rightly so. I’m so glad that she had a much bigger role in this book – and she goes through a lot.
Nanaea does a lot of growing up as well and she feels less like your typical teenager and I liked her so much more. She has this quiet strength that is really admirable.
As for Awria, her transformation was quite wonderful. It felt natural and I loved it. That scene at the end where she [REDACTED FOR SPOILERS] …that whole scene played out like a movie in my head.
Then there’s Kammani. I just…wasn’t a fan. I get why she makes the choices, the decisions she does. I get why she feels the need to burden herself with everything, but omfg it gets a little tiresome after a while. I also get why she can’t say “yes” to Dagan, but the way she treats that man in this book. I just wanted to usher him away and hug him. But to be fair, she does care, and they have some really tender moments that I loved. I’d hoped to like her more in this book, and while I can rationalize the why behind her actions, I just don’t connect with her.
Overall this was a fast paced, enjoyable fantasy read and I loved how it ended. Actually, the very end was really satisfying. You’ll have to read it when it comes out to find out what happens. So, make sure you do that! Warmaidens is out in December so make sure you pre-order, buy when it comes out and request it at your local library!

I liked this conclusion, but I didn't love it as much as I did Gravemaidens. I didn't find any faults with the settings, character development, plot, pacing, or prose. They just didn't leap out at me like in the previous installment. I will say I like how Kelly Coon resolved everything, giving us the readers a nice ending.

Warmaidens is the end of this duology. There will be spoilers from Gravemaidens below. I'll be keeping this short since I struggle to review sequels.

Kammani and her group have been staying in Manzazu. She's been working as a healer there. Nanaea and Kasha are living with her. Dagan wants to marry Kammani, but she's afraid to go through with it. She loves Dagan, but men hold power over their wives and he can make her do anything she wants. This is something Kammani struggles with throughout the book.

There are assassins that are still looking for the women that escaped the tomb. They decide that they need to kill Uruku and put Arwia into power where she belongs. As a healer, this goes against everything Kammani stands for. But it must be done.

"I am going to purposefully kill a man."

Kammani sees The Boatman. He shows her things that she tries to interpret. Their people are being starved and some are killed or tortured. Things back home are really bad and the group isn't really prepared for battles. They think they can get into the palace, kill Uruku, and it will be ok. Sadly, things don't happen that way at all. People close to them will die, but they need to keep trying. They don't want a real war to break out.

I gave this book 4 stars. Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for my review copy.

Warnings for torture, a lot of blood, beatings/lashings, alcohol addiction, sexism, marrying off women without their permission, cutting a body part, death.

Warmaidens is the amazing conclusion to Kelly Coon's duology that began in Gravemaidens. This book picks up nine months later and never stops. I loved the fast pace of the story because it really keeps the reader glued to the book to find out where this is going! The characters, already well developed in the first book, are even more fleshed out in this one. Kammani is a protagonist that everyone can love and relate to; loyal, loving, independent, and always trying to do the right thing. The story has a good villain, Uruku, that you get more of in the first book and it takes awhile to get to in this one. While the pacing doesn't make you realize it, it takes a very long time to actually get to the climax of the story. I truly enjoyed this story and can't wait to read more from this author!

I was so excited to get to read this sequel to Gravemaidens, which was one of my favorite books I read last year. Kammani is such an excellent protagonist: fierce, independent, loyal. I just wish some of the other characters were as developed as she was, especially Nanaea.

I especially liked that Warmaidens kept the same lightning-fast pacing of the first book in the duology. I read it in one sitting because it was too exciting to put down! Though sometimes Kammani's plans seems a little too rushed...

Warmaidens was a great way to end this epic duology. Kammani is granted the Koru's highest honor the symbol of Linaza, their goddess of love and war for everything she has done for them. Things get messy when an assassin mistakenly kills the wrong healer thinking she is Kammani, and attempted to kill the Queen of Alu, causes the queen to call for her warriors to descend on the Anu. for revenge. This causes friction as Kammani knows the she cant allow the war to happen so she needs to stop the Queen if she is to live happily with Dagan and to save all the innocents in the middle.

I knew going into this that I wasn't going to love it based off of my opinions of book one, but I felt that this was a major improvement. By expanding the world we are in things start to make more sense. I struggled with a few aspects of this story but again, I feel that I'm in the minority because the writing style isn't for me. I would suggest you give this series a shot! It's a lot of fun. I also liked the secondary characters more than our MC/narrator. I feel like they helped give more to the story.

Amazing follow up to one of my favorite books of 2019! Bravo, Kelly Coon! This is a fierce story filled with a lush setting and deep characters! I will read anything by this author!

Warmaidens is the action-packed conclusion to the heart wrenching Gravemaidens fantasy duology. Just a few moons after Kammani, her sister Nanaea, Simti, Arwia, the displaced Queen of Alu, Nasu, and brother Kasha escaped the tomb in Alu, they have found refuge in the city-state of Manzazu. Kammani has become a respected healer, especially among the warriors she’s brought back from the brink of death. But, while Simti is preparing to be married, she’s having second thoughts about accepting that one day Dagan may be her husband, and as such, would be her legal guardian. Any hope she may have of becoming a full-time healer, would quickly come to an ending.

Just after a ceremony where Manzazu Sarratum Tabni gifts Kammani with the symbol of Linaza, Goddess of War and Love, to be used whenever she needs help, and Simit’s wedding, an assassin murders a healer, Arwia, who was training Kammani to be an even better healer and attempts to kill Nanaea who is supposed to be dead. Kammani and the maidens realize they’ve been found by the usurper King, Uruke. Hungry for revenge, Nanaea wants to strike back at Uruke with her fiercest weapons—her scorpion warrior maidens—but Kammani knows that war harms more than it heals, especially the poor. To save the innocents and any chance of a future with Dagan, Kammani mst be the one take down Alu’s ruler before their lives burn up in the flames of war.

As Kammani, Dagan, Nanaea, Iltani, Nasu, and Kasha are heading towards Alu, rumors spread that Uruke is killing anyone who opposes his rule. Uruke has commandeered most of the fields and forced Dagan’s brothers to slave away in the field while their mother is being kept captive because Dagan found a way to escape with Kammani and the others. To make matters even more stressful Iltani is caught and ends up being party of a bridal gifting to anyone who has the money to pay for a wife. Oh, we are just getting started! Plans unravel quickly when an ally decides that she wants revenge for the murder of her own son, and Uruke someone manages to survive being poisoned.

I loved how Kammani and her sister bonded over a harsh environment which could end up with both of them dead. Unlike the first book when she was all excited to be a bride to the deceased King, this time she’s actively involved in helping Kammani with costumes they need to pass in order to assassinate Uruke and put Arwia on the throne where she belongs. Kammani is a fascinating character in that she has honest regrets about killing someone since she’s made a vow to do no harm. Even during battle, she finds ways of offering comfort to both allies and enemies alike, as well as others who are caught in the crossfire. The story is more action packed then the first book and a bit chaotic at times which worked well to illustrate the difficulties Kammani and her crew are up against. I am not angry with the ending. Kammani made a choice and stuck with it from the beginning to the end when it came to marrying Dagan and remaining a healer. Why give up something you love when you can have both?

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was as well written as the first book but I liked the first book better. In the first one Kammani is trying to keep her sister Nanaea from being a sacred maiden and going to her death when Lugal Marcus dies. In that one, she uses her healing expertise to try and keep Marcus alive. That just was a better message than this one. Although she is trying to protect her family and friends again, she is using her healing knowledge to poison the current Lugal, the awful Uruku so that Arwia can take her rightful place as ruler.

Kammani's plans though are not well though out and it was frustrating to always see them fail. Her and Dagan were such a sweet couple though. I preferred Dagan to Kammani in this book. It was a fairly good duology though. And the covers of these books are gorgeous!