First, thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

I won't get too far into the plot so as not to spoil the first books.

I am going to formally request that all fantasy readers stop reading this right now and go buy this series. It's so good. In this second installment, we get a lot of character development as all of the characters try to live in and change the ever changing world around them. The plot was incredibly fast paced and political, but never got confusing. All of the romance subplots didn't distract from the story and were so sweet. We get a lot more exploration of the magic system, which is much more complex and varied than the first book indicated. The bone shard magic is just as fascinating as it was in the first book, and we also learn a lot more about Jovis's type of magic. The cliffhanger ending has me dyyiiiinnngggg for the next installment.

I recommend this to all fantasy readers.

TW: amputation, animal abuse, assault, blood, bones, child death, death, emotional abuse, gore, murder, racism, snakes, violence, war

Overall, I enjoyed the book. I struggled to pick between 3 or 4 stars but the ending of the book really did it for me. While the book does suffer from pacing issues, the world building and nuggets of insights into the alanga and the magic system kept me interested

I look forward to reading the last book of the trilogy!

3.75 stars

This was a highly anticipated sequel that I was super excited to get to. I did however struggle with the first half of the book because I found it to be quite slow. It did pick up in the second half and the last 20% was very exciting with some good twists.

I found some characters to be quite annoying for a large portion of the book. There were a lot of repetitive thoughts and interactions which was probably to help with character growth. I’m hopeful that this won’t be an issue in the next book.

I’m still a huge fan of the world the book is set in. It’s one of my favourite parts of the series. The different magic systems with the bone shard magic and the magic of the mysterious Alanga are amazing. The fact that the story takes place on different islands and that the way of living changes depending on if they’re in their dry or wet season is such a cool setting.

Another aspect I really enjoyed from this book was slowly learning a bit more about the Alanga. I liked the choice of adding little snippets at the start of some chapters from a Alanga translated journal. I think that they are very interesting and I am excited to learn more about them in books to come.

As always, the animal companions were a really fun component to the book and I think they made it more enjoyable. They’re precious and need to be protected at all costs.

I am looking forward to the next one in the series and will be picking it up when it comes out.

This was such an amazing continuation. I was worried about the many moving pieces that I wouldn't quite feel this way, but it all worked out in such a fantastic way. I was so interested in the use of the Mephi and Thrana (they're so fun), and the presence of more Algana. We have a genuinely great setup for the next book, as well. The slow-burn romance wasn't really necessary, but it worked and I didn't hate it. Although it was slow in the beginning, the pacing of this really picks up about 50% in and just gets more un-put-down-able from there. Truly fantastic.

Andrea Stewart's novel The Bone Shard Daughter was something really special. It was an entirely new idea of magic, and a world that was fully conceived and not much like anything else I've read. Unique and different in fantasy is not only a great thing, it's quite rare! This second novel mostly lives up to the promise of the first. I devoured the first book and was ecstatic to receive this second novel as an ARC. It isn't perfect, but this series is so inventive and wonderfully interesting- I'm invested and can't wait to find out what happens next! These books swing close to YA to me, and I think have a wide-ranging audience. Every friend I've recommended it to has loved it also- and I think this second book does a good job at expanding the reasoning behind the world and the politics without getting too bogged down in either.

Looking forward to a third book and still recommending the series!

I was not that enamored with the first book in the series, The Bone Shard Daughter, but I thought that for a debut novel it was overall promising. And since it was the first book in the trilogy (as is becoming obligatory, I suppose, in fantasy books) I decided to check out the sequel, knowing well that it’s at the risk of the dreaded middle-book syndrome.

Well, I’m pleased to note that overall it didn’t end up being much of that dreaded middle red-headed stepchild. It was quite alright — nothing earth-shattering or life-changing, but entertaining and often clever and overall a fine continuation of the story. (Now keep in mind, I’m recovering from pretty rough brain fog after getting a Covid vaccine booster the day before I read this book, so don’t hold me responsible for my opinions).

“A coward is not a man who feels fear. A coward is one who would volunteer others for the suffering he would not take on himself,” Phalue said.”


We have our former Emperor’s daughter Lin now trying on the role of the Emperor herself, and discovering that few in the Empire are particularly enamored with that turn of events. She’s trying to give up bloodthirsty bone shard magic while realizing that she needs to scramble for allies as a very real threat from the brutal constructs army is approaching and the Empire islands continue to sink — and realizes bit by bit that as she withdraws the threat of bone magic from her subjects, it also removes the reason for those subjects to subject themselves to her rule. All while she and her sidekick Jovis are coming to terms with their new magical powers.


“Watching my father and reading and listening to you … if there’s one thing it’s all taught me it’s that if I try too hard to hold on to power at the expense of everything else, in the end that’s all I’ll have: power.”
“But that’s like winning the battle and losing the war.”
“I have to stand by my convictions. I won’t pick and choose when it’s convenient for me […]”


The good things first — it was easy to read, without any jarring plot inconsistencies. The romance was thankfully minimal (although it would have been better to not include it at all). The characters stayed in character — which unfortunately also means that Jovis, true to himself, can remain an idiot pretty often. A few plot threads left loose in book one were neatly picked up. And even in the slow beginning my attention still never wavered.

But still there were a few obligatory eyerolls. A big conflict between protagonists rests on miscommunication. Decisions only appropriate for young teenagers are made by adults. The scale of the large Empire somehow seems more appropriate to that of a few villages. Romance that was not necessary when friendship would have sufficed. Thin motivation for the villain barely rooted in revenge. Feudalism still relied upon — but as much as we know Lin is one of the good guys, that’s still not a good reason to support absolute monarchy.

“Her fingers curled into claws. “They want me to abdicate. They want to have no Emperor at all.”
———
Unthinkable, I say. Unthinkable. *eyeroll*


What this book suffers from initially, unfortunately, is the pacing. It starts slow and meanders a bit for about 2/3rds of the book, setting ground and revisiting emotional and physical conflicts, setting up pieces in motion for the last third of the story — and that does give it that dreaded lull of a middle book feel. Then in the last third things pick up as the climactic showdown finally happens, and pages are frantically turned, and the annoyances of the first 2/3rds fade. But it would have been much better had the first 2/3rds been condensed a bit more ruthlessly to decrease the duration of the lull in the story.

“The Empire expected a monster? She would be the monster.”


And yet by the time I got through the last third of the story, I was sufficiently entertained, and was overall not unhappy with the direction of the story, and still had a few characters that I did not want to smack upside the head. Even the overly cute “osselen” (familiars-type creatures) did not leave me too exasperated. There was an interesting revelation in the end that may have quite a potential for the final book.

All in all, it was pretty much what I expected from a fun weekend read, even if I wish the first 2/3rds was about 100 pages shorter. Maybe a duology instead of a trilogy would have made this one tighter. Still, Andrea Stewart has potential and I will give her future books a chance.

3.5 stars.

————
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I loved the first book in this series so much, and I was excited to get to read this sequel a little early thanks to getting an eARC from NetGalley. The Bone Shard Emperor was a worthy successor to The Bone Shard Daughter and continued the story into interesting new places while showcasing the same heart and superb writing that made me fall in love with the first book. There's just something about the way Andrea Stewart writes that kept me hanging on every word. The mysteries from the first story were only deepened here as a result of the shocking reveals that set the scene for what will likely be an explosive final installment.

This story considerably expanded the world of The Drowning Empire. Lin and Jovis traveled to many different locales, and the other characters' viewpoints added information about even more islands, as well, which was interesting to see. The greatest expansion, however, had to be in the world-building related to the history of the Alanga and their magic. While far from answering all the questions posed in the first book, this story added an immense amount of info to the lore while raising almost as many new questions as it answered. This book heavily favored the Alanga magic and, unfortunately, didn't provide much new insight into the bone shard magic. Personally, I think the bone shard magic is more unique and more interesting. So, I was a little disappointed we saw so little of it here even though I found the Alanga stuff fascinating too. In general, though, the additions to the lore were intriguing and integrated into the story in an engaging way.

The plot of the book, overall, was pretty straightforward. Lin needed to convince her subjects to remain loyal in order to have the forces necessary to squash a bone shard construct rebellion. So, she spent a great deal of time traveling and meeting with governors to gain their support. I enjoyed all the political intrigue this brought to the story, and it was interesting to see Lin's responses to the different ways the governors treated her. Although, I couldn't help but feel like much of the politics of the first half of the book was somewhat of a waste of time as it didn't seem to have much of an impact on the outcome. Additionally, there were a couple parts of the plot that felt really forced, especially the return to Imperial after visiting the second island. The ending, though, was an absolute blast to read. The action was fantastic, and the outcome of the final battle resolved the main external conflicts of this story, the loyalty of the governors and the construct rebellion, while also laying the foundation for what is likely to be a breathtaking final book.

If you've read my review for the first book, I don't think it will come as a shock that I loved these characters and their trajectories in this story. Each character arc felt like a logical next step for their growth, and all of them struggled with learning to trust others, which seemed to be a major theme of the book. Lin had to figure out what to do with her newly found identity and status as emperor now that she had achieved them. She remained as strong-minded and persistent as ever, but she seemed to struggle a bit more with choosing and implementing the right course of action, partly because things were more complex dealing with all the politics and partly because she had Jovis constantly questioning her decisions and actions. Speaking of Jovis, I found his conundrum of figuring out how to continue being a hero when things get murky to be incredibly compelling. I liked seeing him struggle to figure out the right things to do given his split loyalties. I also really enjoyed the story of Phalue and Ranami here even more than in the first book. Phalue was almost a mirror of Lin as she worked to solidify her rule as governor, with the main difference being she was trying to hold on to the people's love when Lin was trying to earn it. I loved seeing her and Ranami being a happy couple (at least for a while), and digging into Ranami's past was interesting and created the space for some great perspective on the theme of trust. Finally, I enjoyed the character of Sand in this book, as well, but don't want to talk too much about it to avoid spoilers. Her fight for survival really made me think twice about some of the decisions made by Lin and left me contemplating the idea of personhood.

The romance in this book honestly surprised me. It was well-written and delightfully slow burn, but I still felt something was off about it. It made logical sense for the two characters to develop feelings for each other given their close proximity, shared secrets, and other factors I won't disclose here. However, it just felt really soon for the relationship to develop despite there being a time jump between books one and two. Jovis spent the entirety of the first book pining over his dead wife, and I just found it hard to believe he would move on that quickly. Although, I guess it had been seven years. As you can see, I'm conflicted about it...I liked the characters together, but it also just felt wrong.

This review wouldn't be complete without mentioning Mephi! I loved him in this book. He developed into a true teenager, which was adorable and fun to read. I enjoyed all the snark and his ridiculous antics throughout the book. The ending left me heartbroken for him, though. I'm also excited that there were more creatures like him! I love a good animal companion, and this book delivers that wonderfully.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. I just didn't enjoy it quite as much as the first one. I loved the character development and deepening of the lore. However, the plot and pacing weren't as tight as the first book and some of my favorite things from the first book weren't as prevalent in this one (e.g., bone shard magic). Therefore, I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Lin Sukai is finally the Emperor. She has taken over after the treacherous reign of her father, and though she attempts to correct all the atrocities he committed, she is also faced with a slew of disasters. A rebellion led by vengeful constructs has begun on the far away islands at the edge of her Empire and the powerful Alanga magicians have finally returned, and Lin’s reign has only just begun. She is still trying to unravel the secrets her father left behind and doesn’t know who to trust. As Lin attempts to bring peace and safety to her Empire, she discovers a hidden power inside herself, revealing she may not be who she thought she was.

Andrea Stewart’s beautifully rendered characters, intricate worldbuilding, and unique magic system brought the first book in the series, The Bone Shard Daughter, to life. Stewart’s newest installation in the series, The Bone Shard Emperor, contains all those same features but with more mystery, more conflict, and more lovable characters. Lin and Jovis’ characters become more emotionally complex and realistic as they develop new relationships and deal with past trauma. Lin learns what it means to accept herself and to trust another person while fighting to be a worthy Emperor—who is strong and capable but not cruel, like her father was. Jovis, on the other hand, fights with his sense of honor and duty, as well as his growing friendship with Lin. His internal struggles add to his witty and charming voice that readers of the first novel fell in love with. From the very first page, The Bone Shard Emperor tells a story of trust, friendship, and duty, which is sure to entertain readers of all ages.

(Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

The Bone Shard Emperor picks up exactly where The Bone Shard Daughter left off. Lin is now emperor, Jovis is her Captain of the Imperial Guard, and Nisong is on the warpath. Constructs are spying on the empire and Lin must deal with the truths that have been revealed to her about who and what she truly is.

Although I did not enjoy this one as much as the first book, finding it slow moving and repetitive of past events in the beginning, it does pick up and significantly move the storyline and series forward. I would say it is a solid “middle” book that focuses a bit more on the history and mythos of the islands while also exploring new relationships amongst the characters. There is enough action and surprise twists to keep the reader enthralled with this captivating world of bone shard magic.

A huge thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

It was great to be back in this world and following up with these characters! Some of the mysteries and problems from the first book in the trilogy are expanded, some partially explained, some fully explained, and some new ones introduced. The number of problems, mysteries, and POV's really keeps me wrapped up in this story.

One of my favorite things about this trilogy is the discussion of how to get a better, more equal society. Is the answer just a better, "good" leader? Is it a people's uprising? Is it smaller, more independent states? Sometimes I fear that the story is going to make the answer too simple, but my faith is growing that this is a discussion that is being dealt with with nuance. I have no idea how things are going end up in the end.

The world, characters, and magic are all just as much fun in this installment as in the first. My one critique and reason for four stars rather than five is that I found myself getting bored and annoyed sometimes at how much of the characters' internal angst was on the page. I wanted the story to move along faster.

Sexual violence? No. Other content warnings? War violence, animal cruelty

The pacing is a bit inconsistent as The Bone Shard Emperor is very slow at the front and then completely jam-packed towards the end. This book managed to develop the world and magic-system more than the first novel, and the multiple pov chapters allowed for you to get a good grasp of the scope of the story.

Jovis and Lin develop a lot in this instalment, the romance fell flat for me though. However this is not meant to be a romance novel, so I don’t think it detracts terribly from the story.

I’m loving how Nisong is fully coming into her own and her role in this book, and I can’t wait to see what her, and the islanders, do in the next book!

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and Orbit in exchange for my review.

4.5 stars.
I loved the Bone Shard Daughter and was happy to get the chance to return to that world. Overall, I thought this was very good for a sequel and I'm also looking forward to the next book and seeing how things tie up.

There were a few plot points that seemed a bit forced. <spoiler>Jovis and Lin, for example - I felt that like love relationship came out of nowhere. The monk character was a glaringly obvious villain, as well.</spoiler>

I found the parts about Sand/Nisong to be really compelling and well done; there is obvious sympathy for the character along with horror about what she does.

If you liked the first book, you'll be drawn into this one as well, I think.

The Bone Shard Emperor does a fantastic job as a sequel. The world of The Bone Shard Emperor is as captivating as the first book as we return to the tale of bone shard magicians, replicas and constructs, magical beasts, a strange mystical race, and sinking islands.

The author really knew how to end each chapter with a hook that just kept me turning page after page. There are so many mysteries in this world that have yet to be uncovered, but the slow trickle of revelations that do happen throughout the story are so tantalizing and refreshingly unique. There are secrets upon secrets and twists after twists that make the book a whirlwind of an adventure that I couldn't put down.

The characters, the same as the previous book, are all vibrant on their own and showcase the many struggles within the Empire. There are some characters that didn't shine as bright as the others (Phalue) and some that were a pain to read (Jovis) because of their idiotic decision making skills. Yet the moral struggles and dilemmas each character faces throughout are well crafted and a vivid and brutal portrayal of what leaders and rulers struggle through leading an empire.

The Bone Shard Emperor does not suffer from middle-book-syndrome and shines brightly on its own, taking a massive step up from the first installment and proving that Andrea Stewart is a masterclass storyteller.

Thank you, Orbit Books & Net Galley, for a copy of the ARC!

Whew! What a wild ride. This book stays true to the multi-POV style of The Bond Shard Daughter. I really enjoyed the emphasis on Lin's & Jovis's perspectives because it felt like the story flowed better. The world-building gets better and better as we find out more about Alonga, Nisong, & Shiyen. I especially loved Lin's character development as we watch as she grows into her own as the emperor. Thrana & Mephi have my heart! Absolutely, without a doubt, my favorite. I am also excited to see how Ranami & Phalue rule together in the third book with their adopted daughter and Shark!

Overall, I would give this book 4.5 stars. The pacing was a bit slow to start, so it took a while to keep my interest. That being said, once past the halfway point and the tension starts building, the whole story comes together beautifully. The last 30-40% of the book just flew by. That twist?!

Loved it. I would strongly recommend this to anyone looking for a new fantasy story that has a unique magic system, intricate plot, and fantastic world. There's great representation and themes of love, life, & family. It's just amazing.

Bone Shard Emperor picked up where Bone Shard Daughter left off and oh boy did it carry. What's more to say than I loved it just as much- if not more than book 1?
Lin continues to be my favorite character and the beautiful relationship between Phalue and Ranami continues to bring me nothing but heart-aching joy. I've only become more attached to the characters as the story progressed and the world building/lore present here has only made me that much more invested in the series.
One of my favorite aspects was how the trauma that Lin had experienced in book 1 wasn't completely dismissed and ignored in the sequel. Though her father is now gone, his neglect and abuse is still something she deals with and attempts to overcome. She struggles with her loneliness and her pain- she is fighting and clawing for her place in the world and watching her experience that and continue to grow here makes me love her more and more with every turn of the page. I loved the emphasis put on her relationship with Thrana, and the fierce, protective love they have for one another was wonderfully shown.
I would say my least favorite aspect character-wise would have to be Jovis, he is a very frustrating character at times and up until the last quarter of the book I honestly found him to be more annoying than funny or charming. I understand that it's part of his character arc as a major part of who he is, is his desire and struggle with doing the right thing, but at times it felt as though that defining characteristic of his was more of a hindrance than anything else (the best part of his character is honestly Mephi, although the way the book ended leaves me with quite a bit of hope for his continued growth and development).
Ranami and Phalue, though secondary characters, continue to fill me with joy. Their unwavering love and trust in one another tugs at my heartstrings every time and the journey they go through together in this book had me sequeling from joy. I love the different types of strength they both display and how well it lends itself to both them as characters and as partners. While I love Phalue and Ranami equally, Ranami was really able to shine through here- especially with a very specific scene she is in towards the end of the book that left me cheering.
Overall, I think this was an excellent sequel to Bone Shard Daughter- it wasn't perfect, there were some issues with relationship development and character that I had during the first portion of the story, but I love where the plot is going and Bone Shard Emperor has done it's job in keeping me invested in this story and the world it takes place it. I am VERY excited to see how Andrea Stewart concludes this trilogy and I am already impatient to have the third book in my possession.

Orbit and NetGalley gave me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review and I honestly enjoyed it. I didn't enjoy it as much as the first book, though. But I love the characters

This is the sequel in The Bone Shard Daughter which introduced us to Lin, daughter of the Emperor. At the beginning of that book, she is struggling with amnesia: she doesn't remember anything that happened more than 5 years before. Because of this issue, her father says she's "broken" and he won't trust her with the secrets of his bone shard magic. Determined to learn her father's secrets, she does everything she can to learn the dark magic on her own. Fair warning, bone shard magic is a bit disturbing. It uses shards of bone from living donors carved with various commands to animate "constructs." The constructs are like robots which follow the commands carved on the shards. The bone shards are "donated" by the children of the island chain during the annual tithing ritual. Unfortunately, tithing is *not* optional. So, the magic is unsettling, but it was an engrossing book that I really enjoyed reading.

I enjoyed getting to know Jovis, too. He's a smuggler searching for his missing wife. I freaking love Jovis. Of all the characters, he was the most likeable and most relatable for me. In The Bone Shard Daughter (TBSD), I got impatient every time the focus switched to another character, I just wanted to get back to Jovis and Lin. The end of TBSD was very satisfying and I eagerly jumped into The Bone Shard Emperor.

At the beginning of "Bone Shard Emperor," things have radically changed from how things started in TBSD. With the death of the emperor, a rebel army of constructs is growing and expanding at the northern reaches of the Empire. Lin has taken the throne, but her position isn't strong. Her decision to appoint Jovis, a hero of the people, the Captain of the Imperial Guard was not only a practical choice, but a political one. I loved seeing how the relationship grew and evolved as they get used to their new roles (or not).

Some of the side characters get fleshed out, so I wasn't so impatient when the point of view switched over to those other characters in this book. We get to know them better and I really started to care about them, too. There's more politics and political maneuvering in this book as Lin works to gain allies and strengthen her position as the new Emperor to fight the growing threat of the construct army. I really enjoyed that part of the book. Plus, there's plenty of action, intrigue, battles and even a bit of romance.

I give this book a solid 4 stars out of 5. It's a satisfying and enjoyable addition to the story of Lin and Jovis. I can't wait to find out what happens next.

Whew so I have complicated feelings about this one. The Bone Shard Emperor was one of my most anticipated reads this year in part because I really enjoyed The Bone Shard Daughter last year. I thought that despite its creeping pace and somewhat uneven plot, the mysteries were compelling and the world was unique. So I expected the second one to overcome those hurdles and knock it out of the park.

Unfortunately this ended up just knocking me flat with disappointment. Before diving into this I reread TBSD and found it really achingly slow plotted. Turns out when you know the mystery and turns of the plot, there wasn’t much going on in the first book. And much to my dismay those pacing and plot issues continued in TBSE. It was even more slow than the first in the series, with Lin and Jovis just drifting from island to island. There was no real driving conflict and without the mystery it was a slog to get through the middle.


The plot also felt way less cohesive. In the first book I wasn’t a huge fan of the multiple POVs but thought it worked because each told a unique and distinct strand of the story. However this book felt like those POVs were disjointed and the narrative kept introducing new plot lines and mysteries while dropping them for hundreds of pages and then picking them back up. I honestly did not feel like we need Phalue, Ranami and Sand’s POV in this and felt like it took us away from the main interesting conflict with Lin’s struggle to keep the empire together. And it took forever for cliffhangers to be resolved bc you had to read 4 POVs before looping back.

I also really was disappointed with the character development here. I was looking to Lin and Jovis’ romance but it didn’t feel earned or even natural. They kept on flip flopping on wether they trusted each other-sometimes changing their minds three times within the same paragraph. And I couldn’t understand why they even had a connection (despite being told they did). Like what did they care about each other so much?? Proximity.

I also realized I don’t enjoy Jovis’ POV. It reads really immature and he tries very hard to be this jovial wisecracking guy but honestly I felt like he just came across as an empty/stereotypical character. He kept on making terrible decision after terrible decision with all the forethought of a two year old. So I def didn’t buy his connection with Lin nor his decisions for the entire novel. Lin was my favorite in the first book but I felt like she was lost in all the bajillions of plot machinations. The lack of investment in the characters wasn’t helped by the fact that supposedly emotionally devastating plot turns didn’t seem to phase our characters to the degree they should. It was like bad things happen, think about it for a page, move on and never mention it again.

Overall I’m being tough on this book because I had such high expectations for it. Andrea Stewart has really created an imaginative world but I think this book could have had way better pacing and character development if it had just narrowed its focus and expanded on the things that made book one strong. I’ll probably skim the third book but unfortunately I’m no longer invested in this trilogy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC of The Bone Shard Emperor!

I have to start by saying I squealed out loud when I saw I was approved for an ARC of this book. The Bone Shard Daughter was one of the my favorite books I read this year, and one of my few 5 star books of the year too. If you liked the first book, this sequel will not disappoint you.

'Emperor' starts off not long after we left off in 'Daughter', with Lin trying to be an Emperor while trying to figure out what is going on with the Alanga, sinking islands, and what her father was hiding. Again, we get to see the Empire from multiple POVs, which I enjoy and I think helps add to the complexity of the story. 'Emperor' takes everything that was established in the first book and ramps it up to the next level. More settings, new characters, revelations, and new questions were all things that kept me interested the whole way through. I cannot wait for The Bone Shard War (even though I'm slightly scared for my favorite characters).

An excellent continuation in the Drowning Empire series!

I loved The Bone Shard Daughter, and I loved The Bone Shard Emperor as well. I really enjoyed the added bit of politics that comes in as a result of Lin taking the throne. It was really great seeing her struggles as a new emperor following a predecessor who was so far removed from his people. This became especially salient when Lin is forced to confront the ramifications of bone shard magic; not just what using it means for her people, but also what giving it up means as well.

I really enjoyed getting more information regarding the bone shard magic system, Mephi and Thrana, and the Alanga. It was also great seeing the storylines of the various characters from book 1 become more intertwined. I also think that the developing relationship between Jovis and Lin was well done, and I look forward to seeing more of it in the series' conclusion! One thing I really like about their dynamic is that even though Lin isn't a skilled fighter, she still has her own way to be strong with her bone magic and can still hold her own. A big pet peeve of mine is when the female character immediately loses all competency when the romance kicks into gear. But fear not! This did not happen here.

As much as I enjoyed this book, I will say that it definitely feels like a stepping stone between books 1 and 3, which is often the case with the second book in the series. Although I enjoyed the big battle at the end and was satisfied with the resolution, there were more plot threads open than resolved by the book's close. I wasn't TOO bothered by this (beyond the fact that I need book 3 NOW), but some readers may find this off-putting.

All in all, an incredibly enjoyable read. If you enjoyed the first book, you'll enjoy this one.

Another huge five stars from me!

*I received this ARC via netgally in exchange for an honest review*

This book was just as captivating as the first. I fell in love with Mephi and Jovis in book one and they were still my favorite through book two! I adore animal companionship and this book did an excellent job showing those bonds.

Lin and Thrana are becoming an unstoppable pair and I love their strength and vigor to do what is necessary.

I love that we got to see more of the magic system and learn more about the bone shards and the political side of running an empire.

Gio can kick rocks.

I was slightly disappointed in the ending of the book because it felt like it just cut off. But that could also just be me wishing there was more.

Excellent work with The Bone Shard Emperor. I cannot wait for more!