A Shadow Crown unfortunately had major second book syndrome for me. I really enjoyed A Broken Blade and was looking forward to A Shadow Crown. I started it as soon as I had access to the audiobook, but only made it around 25% before I had to call it quits. It’s been a year now, and I keep trying to hype myself up to go back and give this book a try but I can’t do it.

The narrator's vocal choices matched the book's tone, but since I thought the book was kind of boring the tone of the narrator couldn't help.

Love this book a lot more than book one although it had a lot less action until that cliffhanger! loved listening to this via audio and absolutely can not wait for book three thank you for letting me review this!

I thought the first was clever, fast-paced, and the perfect amount of stabby. I liked the romance and the world building. This one - sigh - is suffering as the dreaded book two bridge. There were so many flashbacks that seemed unnecessary and the romance suffered. It was all filler that I didn't need, could have been edited down and added to the next book (that I'm hoping and assuming will go somewhere).
Will I go on to read book three? I'm not sure. I probably could be convinced to pick it up but not likely one I'll go out of my way to continue.
I can't complain about the narration, as I've listened to Kyla Garcia without issue in the past. It just didn't shine enough to redeem my rating.
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and Netgalley for the alc. All thoughts are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Picking up where the first one left off, we're thrown right into lies, secrets and scheming. I enjoyed the action and the drama unfold and I also liked how the investigation into finding what happened to the light Fae played out. I knew there was more to Damien that what was being portrayed. I definitely get Throne of Glass vibes from this, especially with the names on the skin. I'm interested to see where the third instalment goes, 4.5 stars.

A Shadow Crown by Melissa Blair

Rating: 4.5 stars

Favorite quote(s):

"I felt like I was lost in a dark body of water with no light to guide me and no way of knowing if the water that held me was a pond, a lake, or the sea. No way of knowing if I should stand, swim, or float. Any choice I made was likely to be the wrong one."

Review:

I really enjoyed the second book in this series. I loved learning more about the world, the characters, and the magic. I really loved Keera’s journey and her discovery about herself and her history. I loved the bonds she formed and strengthened with so many characters, like Riven, Killian, Syrra, Nikolai, and Vrail. I loved how she explored her magic and how she and Riven were bonded. I loved how Keera taught Vrail fighting and spent time with Dynarra. I loved her growth. I loved how Riven was so sweet and understanding with her as their relationship grew. I didn’t like Tarvelle or Collin, though I did get their side of things to an extent. The way they behaved was awful. I thought what happened with the Light Fae was so interesting and so sad. The banter and teasing in this book were so good and so funny. I did find moments where I felt like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop, while there were things going on, I felt like some moments dragged and I wanted action. Though despite this I really loved those moments, especially because we got little moments with so many characters and growth with Keera. I think if it wasn't for that, this book might have been 5 stars for me. I loved how her past was talked about and not shied away from. I loved the little moments we got with Keera and Gwyn and their relationship. There were so many interesting things and I didn't expect them. I loved how fiercely protective Keera was over her friends, which is different for her as she didn’t really get close to others before. I didn’t expect that ending, at least not like it happened. I figured Damien was up to something, but I still didn’t see that coming. And that cliffhanger! Cannot wait for the third book after all that!

Melissa Blair's "A Shadow Crown" takes readers on a captivating journey through a richly crafted fantasy world. With its engaging characters and intricate plot, it offers an enthralling reading experience that earns it a solid 4 out of 5 stars.

Blair's world-building is a standout feature of this novel. From the vivid landscapes to the complex political structures, the setting is immersive and thoughtfully constructed. Readers will find themselves easily transported to this fantastical realm.

The characters in "A Shadow Crown" are well-developed and relatable. The protagonist, in particular, undergoes significant growth throughout the story, evolving into a multifaceted and compelling individual. The supporting cast adds depth and diversity to the narrative, enriching the overall experience.

The plot is filled with twists and turns, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. Blair weaves together elements of intrigue, magic, and political machinations, creating a storyline that is both engaging and unpredictable. The pacing is generally well-executed, maintaining a balance between action-packed sequences and moments of character development.

However, there are occasional instances where the narrative feels slightly rushed, which may leave readers wanting more depth in certain areas. Additionally, some may find the resolution of certain plot threads a tad too convenient.

Despite these minor quibbles, "A Shadow Crown" is a captivating fantasy adventure that will satisfy fans of the genre. Melissa Blair's skillful world-building and character development make this a worthy addition to the realm of fantasy literature, earning it a solid 4 out of 5 stars.

It was a good book but it didn’t compare with book 1 which was great so it was a little disappointing for that reason

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. this was fantastic, just what i have come to expect from this author and look forward to carrying in my book store.

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

Enjoyable sequel that really delves into the world building and brings a ton of new information to this series. I am enjoying seeing where this goes and will definitely read more! The narrator is good as well.

A Shadow's Crown picks up where A Broken Blade left off, with warrior Keera struggling with her reputation when surrounded by those she has been forced to hurt.

Although I once again enjoyed the writing and the characters, this book felt very long considering the only real events happen right at the end. I could have done with a bit less of the filler!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

This book does something that doesn't happen often. It was better than the first book in the series. I felt like the characters were more developed and the writing style was more captivating than the first. The tension and scope of the danger was higher. I can't wait to dive into book 3 once it's out in the world.

This book was the equivalent of an underfunded Telenovela shot in a fantasy world, cast with elves and humans.

I did not enjoy the constant level of drama, drama infused all interactions, and the constant increase of any latent trauma by choices made. Overall, the characters, the interpersonal growth of sad characters, and the not drama Parts of the romance were very enjoyable so I would give it a 2 1/2 star reading but I did have to stop reading at 70% of the way through the book. This is with taking two different breaks to finish as much as I could but the pacing was horrible, the amnesia convenience gets more ridiculous, the obsession with drama was constant , and at no point did anyone act in the best interests of others, except our main character who is constantly accepting blame for everything. Oh, and the beginning of the book is a conclusion to the cliffhanger, which nearly sent me into a 10 minute rant of rage by itself. (Insert eye roll and a muttered 'men' here.)

TLDR: 2.5* as a benefit of the doubt, if you love drama, melodrama, and elves, this is for you. Otherwise, no.

I absolutely love Kyla Garcia as a narrator (she's a personal favorite!), and she didn't disappoint. I highly recommend the audiobook to anyone planning to read this. Thank you for the early copy!
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I read A BROKEN BLADE last year, and while I enjoyed the overall premise, I didn’t love it enough to want to finish the series. To be honest, I wouldn't have picked up A SHADOW CROWN had it not been a book club pick, but I am glad that I did! The world building, particularly in the city of Myrelinth, was extremely strong, and I found the descriptions to be captivating. I felt that the characters’ motivations were better explained. The romance took a back burner while Keera worked through her past, and surprisingly, I appreciated that. If A BROKEN BLADE gave me A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES vibes, A SHADOW CROWN's female friendships reminded me of A COURT OF SILVER FLAMES. Was this perfect? No, but I will definitely be picking up the final installment when it's published next year.

(4.5) I really enjoyed book one and was so intrigued to see where book 2 would go and I was not disappointed. This had me ignoring responsibilities just so I could binge it. Cannot wait for future work by Blair!

Thank you Netgalley for letting me listen to this audiobook. I loved A Broken Blade and knew I had to read this book as well. Melissa Blair is a great author and I will read whatever she writes.

I enjoyed coming back to Blair's world, and seeing Keera, Killian and Riven again. Her writing style and characters are great and keep me turning the pages. A favorite book for this year!

"To the kingdom, Keera is the king’s Blade, his most feared and trusted spy and assassin. But in the shadows, she works with Prince Killian and his Shadow—the dark, brooding Fae, Riven, who sets her blood on fire. Together, they plot to kill a tyrant king.

In Myrelinth, the lush, secret city of trees, Fae, Elves, and Halflings like Keera live in harmony. But Keera cannot escape her past: her crimes against her own people have followed her all the way to the Faeland. There is a traitor in their midst, and Keera is the top suspect.

Keera finds comfort in the allies that have become her family. She swore she would never open her heart again after a loss she barely survived. But she will soon find she has more to lose than she ever imagined."

I find it interesting that the title of the book on Netgalley is A ShadowS Crown, but the title is actually A Shadow Crown.

Anyways. I was unable to finish this book before publication date, and I also didn't realize it was book two in a series. My consortia owns several copies of the first book, as well as this one, so it's available for me to recommend through reader's advisory.

Fantastic sequel to A Broken Blade! It picks up right where that one left off and the action continues. The world and magic are explained in more detail and Keera and Riven's relationship gets much more page time. This one is so much more emotional as well, as Keera's painful memories are relived and others are shared with her. I cried many times. The ending reveal wasn't too unexpected based on where things were going but I can't wait to see how these issues & the mission will get resolved in Book 3!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me an advance copy of this book in return for my honest opinions.

It was a fantastic read.. I could not stop listening to this audio book. I need a physical copy like yesterday!!

I loved the narrator and found this book more engaging than the first one due to her performance.



I think when I read romantasy, I must have a very stringent but as yet uncategorised criteria as to whether I will like it or not. I definitely need the fantasy elements to be really strong (hate being tricked into reading romance with fantasy window dressing). I also need more romantic development between the central couple than just two good looking people want each other. If you follow that up with a magical mating bond of some kind, you've lost me. So in that respect this book and the previous one were just not ringing my bell.



However, the fantasy elements are pretty strong and the world building is sufficiently well done. It has a lot going for it too. If I'd felt any connection to the characters, I'd probably have loved the book more.



The whole 'bad ass female assassin/ spy' who doesn't ever seem to really do anything that supports that description bugged me. Frankly King Aemon must be so stupid, I'm amazed he wasn't assassinated by his valet in the first five months of his rein. No conquering ruler in history has ever held onto power long term by grinding his newly conquered people into the dust. The successful ones use political and religious tools to spin a favourable narrative about their rein. They offer carrot as well as stick. It is insane that he mistreats halflings so badly; he might as well be sending a gold embossed invitation saying 'please revolt against me'. And the really stupid thing is that he clearly has the tools to make his rein successful. All he has to do is a) indoctrinate his halfing shades properly (and we really should have seen Keera go through way more soul searching in book one because she should have believed she was on the side of the good and righteous; she should have felt proud and privileged, as if she had risen above her halfling beginnings and that should have been backed up with royal praise and rewards, maybe even with religious approval. Having a wake up moment and then struggling to come to terms with the fact that she is the tool of a corrupt system would have been far more poignant and engaging.) B) protecting halflings who conform, punishing those who don't. (it's madness allowing Prince Damien to torture them at whim plus it just makes him, and the king weak 2D villains.) C) feeding his human subjects sufficiently, including introducing a middle class they can aspire to. There are other things but this is really basic stuff for rulership and politics.



In fact, the whole evil king thing doesn't make sense the way it's done. We're clearly supposed to believe his actions are driven by hatred for specific races. While rulers absolutely can and have had prejudices against specific races, they do not hold on to their kingdoms by huge acts of cruelty to those people within their own kingdoms. So any prejudice is far more likely to come out in smaller ways because any king who can sit on a throne for more than five minutes knows that you can lead people to think a certain way, but you can't overtly tell them. Otherwise you hit the backlash effect. Humans are very receptive to plausible lies and half truths, especially if it gives them someone to blame. They are equally resistant to being told what to think unless there are generations of inbuilt habit and conditioning towards believing the ruling parties are always right (and there are a few countries in the world that still practice this but even they have mixed success.) I could go on but you get the gist. I know this is romantasy not political fantasy but honestly none of the politics here makes any sense. And since I couldn't switch off that nagging voice which kept pointing that out, I enjoyed this less than I might have.



I won't get into the spycraft but it just wasn't believable.



It sounds like I'm being overly critical and I don't mean to be. I actually enjoyed this in a passive way. I just think with a bit more work it could have been so much better. Then again, a lot of readers are here for the romance, and prefer simplified political threads. Mixed feelings but if you enjoy romantasy that has decent fantasy elements and isn't just about the smut, have at it.

I really enjoyed the follow up to A Broken Blade. This whole series so far has been really amazing! This is a great fantasy series for anyone who is wanting to go to the next step after YA fantasy.
I believe this series is going to be four books and you can tell that it was well planned out, although the second book has less action then the first it also builds up a lot of what is to come. I can’t wait to read the rest fi the series!