I hate writing reviews especially when its of books that just co I ldnt hold my interest. I just felt lost in this. Maybe I'm in a reading slump.

Title: WARMAIDENS
Author: Kelly Coon
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Delacorte Press/Random House
Publication Date: October 20, 2019

@delacortepress
@kellycoon106

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

“A dark, delectable, and utterly unique series that readers will want to drown in.” —Laura Sebastian, New York Times bestselling author of the Ash Princess series

Warmaidens is the action packed follow up to Kelly Coon Gravemaidens.
This was a wonderful thrilling adventure. I loved Gravemaidens, and this next installment did not disappoint. Stunning world building, engaging fight scenes.
Great continuous character development. Kammani, growth is definitely noticeable.The author has created a remarkable Ya Fantasy concept that will appeal to a large audience of readers. Seamless narration the flows perfectly, it was easy to follow along and be encased within the novel it’s self.

Excited to see more books from this very talented author
This novel will satisfy all Ya Fantasy readers. I will be recommending it to my family and friends

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#gravemaidens #warmaidens #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #alwayscozyforeverbooks #kellycoon #upcomingbook #duology

This sequel is as exciting and deadly as the first book!

Kammani as a healer has sworn to do no harm, but when news of the atrocities committed by the new lugal reaches her, she decides she must act. If they don’t, there will be war with another city. Kammani with the help of Dagan (swoon) and the other Gravemaidens form a plan to take the lugal down from the inside.

Kammani’s struggles to use her skills for death instead of healing fester throughout the book until the climax. The strong female friendships shine as well as a strong dose of feminism and consent. Women choosing their own futures is a wonderful theme that will stay with the reader. The romance between Kammani and Dagan simmers until it finally boils over.

This book was somehow better than the first! I really enjoyed how it picked up right where the previous left off and, even though I read it a while ago, I was able to keep up with the story and the characters. I have to say that this book is enthralling, exciting and action-packed. A lot happened over the course of this book and I legitimately couldn’t put it down. I love the subtle hints of mythology that are thrown in as I am a huge fan of any kind of mythology. The romance in this book does get a strong spotlight and I can’t say that I minded it at all!

This story gradually built itself up to ending on such a high note! The plot flushed out very well from the first page. Every chapter it kept gaining momentum and kept me wanting to know more!

Kammani grew so much since Gravemaidens and she never gave up on their end goal to rid Uruku of his unofficial cruel rule. I liked that Kammani always tried to look for the non-bloodshed solution and stuck by that until the end. Although, it sadly had to end with bloodshed she never stood down and stood her ground for the people's future.

I LOVED Iltani so much! Her character was so funny and brought a great personality to the story. I loved how she is the complete opposite of Kammani, personality wise, but they work so perfectly together. Their friendship is great and you see how much they truly care for one another.

Dagan and Kammani's relationship is so cute. They care for each other so much and I love that Dagan gave Kammani the space to think about his offer to marry her. I love that their relationship grew steadily across the book and ended wonderful. My heart was so happy! They are made for each other.

Uruku is a great antagonist character and gave me the creeps. He was so ruthless and evil.

I'm so pleased with how this duology ended and enjoyed my time reading each book tremendously!

I remember reading Gravemaidens last year and loving it. This year I got approved again to read the sequel called Warmaidens which continues the story of Kammani our brave and defiant A-zu and Ariwa the displaced queen of Alu. I can genuinely say that I enjoyed continuing to read about Dagan's and Kammani's continued commitment to each other while trying to take down the usurper king of Alu. I would have liked to see an actual marriage between them at the end of the book instead of the commitment ceremony but I understand why they did it like that and kudos to Dagan to being a committed and supportive partner.

This book brings back some of the cast of Gravemaidens and introduces a ton of new characters to the plot. Some of them I felt I could have done without their brief storylines and really I wouldn't have even missed them from the story. I get that Rish losing his arm was needed to show how brutal the soldiers are but come on he's a little boy he didn't need to go through that. I did enjoy Iltani's and Gala's storyline and I wish she would have given that poor man a chance even though she was forced into the marriage. It's a shame that he died doing something she asked him to do and she didn't even care that he died.

I really relished this duology and definitely recommend picking it up if you haven't had the chance to yet.

After reading Gravemaidens, I wasn't sure how there was going to be a sequel. After reading it, I now realize there was a lot more that needed to get done after the maidens fled the tomb. 

I really enjoyed Gravemaidens and was excited to hop back into this story. Warmaidens takes place nine months after they escaped the tomb and fled Alu to Manzazu. In those nine months we see the changes these characters have gone through, especially in Kammani's sister, Nanea. Nanea went from a wishful thinking child to a more mature women very quickly. Escaping death might do that to you. 

I found myself not liking Kammani in this book in comparison to Gravemaidens. I'm not sure what about her rubbed me the wrong way, but I was really frustrated reading through some of her thought processes. It was always brought back to being a healer and wanting to not do any harm. I felt like that was her only personality trait and it was so repetitive. Any time something happened that she was involved in, it was always brought back to this thought point. I wanted more out of her personality than that and I thought we lost some of her from Gravemaidens.

I can say though that I appreciate her growth through this book a lot. Her ability to change her viewpoint allows her to continue to develop her relationship with Dagan and Nanea in a more loving and fulfilling way. It was so sweet. 

Another thing I didn't really care much for are the fighting scenes. Again, not sure what about them rubbed me the wrong way, but I wasn't a fan. Except for the final fight scene - that was intense! I also didn't like the pacing. It was a quick book, but it felt like it dragged at some points. It ended up being the same sequence of events. Plan, attack, fail, retreat - over and over again and it got repetitive. Maybe that was the point as Kammani is stuck in this loop and tries to find her way out and save herself and her friends? But it was rough reading. 

Plus, with all the jumbledness of their failed attacks and other people's interference, the book felt jumbled as well. I liked the character growth, I liked the ending, and I liked certain scenes, but the book has some issues. 

Warning: there are remarks of rape and an attempted rape. There is also a comment of someone being "broken" after losing an arm. This definitely was hard to read through and didn't feel right, so I did want to make note of that. Other possibly concerning things discussed are child brides and the common mention of the lack of rights for women. I understand why this was included in the book and it is discussed, but this might be upsetting so I wanted to include it. 

Overall, it was an interesting book. I wanted to reach inside the story and nicely smack some of the characters but unfortunately, I can't. But, it was a quick read that nicely wrapped up the series for me, even if there was a lot going on. So I think I'm gonna give this a 3.5 // 5 stars.

We enter back into Kammani's world nine months after their escape from the tomb and life is good for them. I really liked the beginning and thought it was really cute seeing how everyone had changed and what they were doing now. I liked the progression from just chilling, living life to we gotta start a war! Very fun.

I found myself not liking Kammani in this book (more so than Gravemaidens) and it was mostly due to her inability to compromise. Though I understand why she didn't want to compromise on those fronts, her actions caused more harm in my opinion. It was just kind of annoying.

One thing I did appreciate about this book though was Kammani's journey regarding marriage. She lets herself figure out what marriage would mean for her and Dagan; how it would affect both of them in the long run. It takes a lot of growth to look at your fears and recognize that they are valid, but also not necessarily something to stop you from being with the person you love.

Overall, it was an interesting book. I wanted to reach inside the story and nicely smack some of the characters, but that would defeat the purpose of reading. I thought that the pacing, while good, would get jumbled up from each failed plot point. After four attempts or so, I was kind of bored. But, it was a quick read that nicely wrapped up the series for me. So while I would give this a 3.5 // 5 stars, I'll round up to 4.

Duologies are a blessing. You get a bit more out of the characters you’ve met and gotten to know but don’t have to commit to a long series. One of the main reasons that I read the first book of this series Gravemaidens was because I thought that the cover was absolutely gorgeous and the synopsis had me intrigued. I really loved the idea behind the book itself. The world that author, Kelly Coon created for this story is great. I instantly got a vivid picture of the world and the people. There are a handful of key characters. I really love the idea of being healer and using her talents to try to save her sister. Although, I found the only one that really interesting was Kammani. Now here we are a year later. I always worry about the second book in a series. They're either the best or the worst.

The writing is as crisp, fresh, and intimate as the first book. Luscious similes and lyrical descriptions are ever-present but just like the first one, I found it to be slow to start and, arguably, doesn't find its stride until the midpoint. There were some parts of the book that really grabbed my attention with some dark fantasy but in reality I thought the story with pretty slow.

This conclusion is a satisfying warmth in the belly. There's just something about the series in general that will be very forgettable.

Warmaidens, the sequel to Gravemaidens, was an excellent conclusion to the series. It picks up right where Gravemaidens left off, with Kammani and her friends escaping Alu to start a new live. Kammani is now able to gain a reputation as a healer and explore her feelings for Dagan, while Nanaea and the other maidens are free from their fate. However, developments in Alu require Kammani and her friends to return to Alu to put Nin Arwia back on the throne to save the city from Uruku.

For some reason, I was less interested in the plot than I was while reading Gravemaidens. I was never sure what direction the plot was going, while I was always sure of it in the first book. I also felt less connected to the characters and their emotions. (For example, I didn’t notice Kammani’s and Nanaea’s bond as sisters very much, while sisterly love was a very strong subplot in Gravemaidens).

So, I did appreciate this book for providing a nicely wrapped up conclusion for the characters, whom I am very attached to. Unfortunately, though, I was more interested in the ending than I was reading any individual scene. 3.5/5 stars.

I enjoyed this book a lot more than Gravemaidens! Though I did not expect a second book, this was definitely more enjoyable. I still felt that this book lacked something, though I couldn’t put my finger on it. Better character development maybe?

This was a great read. The prose, dialogue and cover had me at hello. I loved this story. My attention was held the entire time. I flew through the story in one sitting. The character arc was very well done. I recommend this one.

Wow, this cover blew me away! The stunning cover definitely drew me in, as did the promise of hearing the conclusion of Kammani’s story. This book didn’t disappoint, but neither did it exceed my expectations. It was well written, and I could tell a lot of time and thought had gone into it, but I still failed to connect with the characters. Even so, it was still fun to watch their story unfold. I also loved the cultural aspect of the novel. The richly described setting and religious system were definite boons to the story, and I liked to see Kammani come to trust in her gods, her friends, and even herself. Dagan was also very caring, and I hope his informal relationship with Kammani continues to pan out in the direction they want it to. The final chapter, which reveals Uruku’s new position, was definitely satisfying. I would recommend Warmaidens to readers who read and enjoyed Gravemaidens. It was an decent read, and worth it for the closure it brought to Kammani’s story.

I read and received an ARC from Netgalley, opinions are my own.

Thank you so much for an eARC of this seriously stunning book! I liked but didn't love the first book in the series, and was interested to see where the plot would go. Sadly, I just don't think that these books are for me and don't want to publish a negative review on my blog. Thank you again for the opportunity to read this early, but it was a DNF for me.

I was so excited to dive back into this world by Kelly Coon. I absolutely love the main character as a healer. It was refreshing to see things through her eyes of avoiding destruction. There is just hint of romance and I love the independence that is balanced in the story line. Things in this story are perfect. They go wrong and watching the characters to come together and solve the problems was exciting. It has a found family feel and sacrifice as they journey back home. I would definitely recommend you pick up this duology! I cannot wait to see what Kelly has up her sleeve next. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for this eARC.

I DNF’d this book early in. Not sure if I’m just not interested in this story, or if I’m not in the mood for this kind of book right now. Will likely revisit closer to release date, and will update review when I do.

I recieved an ARC from the publisher and author via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. Any quotes stated in my review are that of the unpublished works and are subject to change before the finished copy is released.

My heart is pounding with excitement after finishing this book. I'm heartbroken that it's the end for the characters that I've grown to love so much.

The character relationships only get better in Warmaidens. You get to watch Kammani struggle and succeed in so many ways with now being an A-zu in the land of Alu. Nanaea becomes so much more of a older sister it feels like and helps Kammani out. They grew stronger together as sisters instead of what left like rivals in the first book Gravemaidens.

My heart hurts for Dagan each time he threw his heart and soul to Kammani, while in this book their love for each other grows but Kammani question s how being tied down as a wife will me she has no more freedom because she will have to obey her husband so to say. Knowing who Dagan is as a strong and loyal person to her makes it all hurt so much more each time they are together and he continues to bring up marriage.

While you have all these amazing characters and their fight to stay alive and do what they have to, to get Nin Arwia back on the thrown, so many lives are put at stake, so many complications and so much more NASU!!!

Nasu is my favorite character in the entire book, I grew to love him whole heartedly in book one and it didn't change the slightest with this one!

The last scene in Warmaidens....all I can say is...WOW! The Boatman is such a huge part of this story and you don't really realize it until about halfway in, all the little bits with him are so amazing!

Thank you Kelly for giving us this amazing, heart pounding, adrenaline filled fantasy story. Anytime I had the my phone out I was slowly reading each bn page because I didnt want it to end

*Spoiler free, but spoilers for Gravemaidens, 3.5 stars*

When I read Gravemaidens, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I had a few issues here and there, but I still came out of the experience happy with what I read. I was really curious how the sequel would conclude this duology and how it would expand upon this world, outside of Alu. And there were even assassination attempts and tons of scorpions promised in this one, which even heightened my longing for it! Trigger warnings: mentions of attempted rape, blood, death, grief, gore

For a bit of this book, I wasn't sure how I was going to feel. It seemed like there was so much going on and I didn't know how everything would settle out. But, I am pleased to report that I enjoyed this book! Like Gravemaidens, I had a few issues here and there, but in the end, it left me feeling like this was a fantastic duology.

First off, Coon's writing has this feeling of sweetness too it. It feels like pink peppermint and something fuzzy and white. While I enjoyed that feeling most of the time, I felt like it got to be sickly sweet at times. It's a bit hard to explain since this it's just the feeling I got from the book. Though, I feel like Coon would be FANTASTIC at writing contemporary. Her sweet writing style would fit the genre fantastically and I'm actually really, really hoping she write a contemporary book one day. I think she would knock it out of the park.

I felt like a lot of the plot was hatching plots, getting so close to the goal, and then just falling short. I felt like it was the same formula over and over again. It's a small frustration, but one I couldn't help but notice.

The plot was also incredibly twisted together. I'm not sure how I felt about it, but I'm leaning towards the "liked it" side. I felt like I was in the mess with Kammani. I couldn't quite see the end goal or the path ahead. Things got so muddled and people kept getting in the way and plans kept going sideways. It felt real, which I always appreciate. It is kind of frustrating to never quite know where the plot is heading, but I also enjoyed being in the thick of it with Kammani!

I really liked Kammani's journey in this book. I think parts of it could have been delved into deeper, such as her feelings about her role as a healer, but I still love her character. Her relationships with the other characters is where she really shines. I love her sibling relationships. I love her friendship with Iltani. I love her romantic relationship with Dagan. They're not perfect (especially Iltani, I loved how big a role she played and I kind of want her to get her own book), but they're true. I loved how Kammani was so sure in her healing and her talents. I loved the healing aspect of this book overall really. Kammani is such a kind person and I loved how that shined through.

I also liked how this book expanded on this world. It turned it into something shimmering. Sweltering hot, but something worth fighting for.

Though, this book had so much violence against women. Girls being sold as brides, attempts to bed them without consent, women not having rights in a marriage. It was so ingrained into the world and it just made me a bit uncomfortable to read. Also, a character loses an arm and there's a comment made about him being "broken" and it just rubbed me the wrong way.

All in all, despite my few issues, I enjoyed this duology. It thrives in its relationships and characters. It's vibrant and I'm eager to see what this author writes next!

This is such a satisfying follow up to Gravemaidens. There was good follow through on the themes from the first book as well as continuing the character development of Kammani. I would have liked to see a little more of Nanea but I didn’t mind too much because she also had excellent character development and I enjoyed see her using her skills and working with her sister. 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.

Overall I really enjoy this duology and Kammani’s journey. Both books are well written and overall fun reads and Warmaidens wraps things up nicely. I appreciated that it expanded the world of Gravemaidens and introduced even more awesome and skilled female characters. The books really shine in how well they showcase the importance of the characters’ different abilities and types of intelligence.

Kelly Coon has wrapped up this duology so perfectly that it makes me cry just thinking about it. First, she introduces new characters that make it seem like they’ve been there since day 1. The way she writes these characters is truly remarkable and they are all memorable. Second, the language she uses and her writing style is nothing short of inspirational. And finally, the world building. She really makes you feel like you are present with each of the characters and in every scene. Well done, Kelly Coon. Warmaidens is another hit and people need to read it!!