I liked parts of this book more than A Broken Blade, but other parts just made me more angry at how they were handled.

My biggest problem with this book is how all of our characters are supposed to be assumed queer until stated otherwise (according to marketing) but none of them are allowed visibly queer relationships on the page. We see the past queer relationships of our main characters through memories, but it turns out all the queer partners are dead. The only relationships we visibly see any of our characters interacting in are man/woman relationships. This, along with the usage of “bury your gays” felt like I had the rug pulled out from under me as the author yelled “SIKE” and slapped me in the face. Even in the 11th hour of the book, our one and only living queer couple has one of the partners killed. No expressions of queerness could survive this narrative. And maybe that was done to help display the hateful bigotry of the mortal realm. But even in the sanctuary of the Faelands we didn’t get to see a single queer relationship. And that’s not because the Fae’s views on relationships have been colonized too. We’re explicitly told in the first book that the Fae don’t view sex and gender the same way mortals do.

But this doesn’t seem to be true either. Along with “bury your gays” we encounter the “fated mates” trope. Keera and Riven are revealed to have a special fated connection. The text says this connection doesn’t have to take the form of a romantic relationship. They could be friends, siblings, enemies even. However, Keera and Riven are in a romantic man/woman relationship, and all the examples of this connection we are given are of man/woman romantic relationships.
I don’t believe the author when she says this, because she only shows the same usage of this trope as her contemporaries. I don’t believe that Riven and Keera could be just friends and have this fated connection still exist within this story. I don’t believe that the connection could be between any two people, not just a man and a woman. I have been given no evidence that it could be otherwise besides lip service in the exposition.
I would have believed it with literally any other main cast member (except for Killian). It would have made this point stronger. But no subversion of trope is taking place here. It’s just -the trope- happening as it always happens.

One thing I did like and found to be strong was the character vignettes we got in this book. I loved being able to sit down with everyone and feel their emotions. It was done very well.
… but what wasn’t done well was that Keera had to restate everything after the conversation happened and spell out the outcome for the reader.
There was one instance where she and Riven were talking about their moms, and how they didn’t know them, and the pain it caused. It was a beautiful moment. But it was RUINED when Keera then said that she and Riven could bond over the mothers they never knew, and that they could build a connection over that… WHY did I spend time reading this lovely moment of vulnerability just to be told what my conclusions should be? This happened for every conversation Keera had. She would undercut whatever connection had been forged between herself and another character through their interactions or a conversation by stating to herself/the reader through narration that she and the other person were more connected now because they both shared an experience/trait. It felt like such a waste of those intimate moments to need to recap them immediately after.

There is also little to no acknowledgement or examination of the Faeland people’s hatred of Halflings who have been enslaved specifically into the king’s service as shades. The Halflings who have escaped and live in the faelands despise the shades. It’s absolutely reasonable that they do because the shades are the king’s personal private army he uses to control the other Halflings in the realm. But only ONE character in either book, for less than a paragraph, acknowledges that the shades are also Halflings who were stolen at birth and enslaved. They were just enslaved to the king directly, instead of to farmlands or to servitude. There is just hatred for them for being traitors, as if they had a choice as literal child slaves. Everyone goes about like these Halflings don’t deserve redemption as much as other Halflings.

This is even worse when you consider that Keera is the founder and sole benefactor of The Rose Road, and some of the Halflings living in the faelands have definitely only gotten there because of her, and she has proof that she is involved with it, but nobody cares. She doesn’t even care. She never mentions it or talks about her contacts, or seems to have any mutual connection with the rebellion through her halfling smuggling/rescue work. This seems like a huge deal and a way that would help earn their trust of her since there are definitely some Halflings there who have been directly helped by her efforts to undermine the king, but it’s never mentioned.

I liked what this book wanted to do more than what it actually did. What it wanted to do was be a story about queer BIPOC people forming a resistance to the colonizer regime and taking back their land and freeing their people. But it ended up stripping every queer character of their queerness, and felt like it was forcing them into the exact roles the book said it was trying to subvert, but didn’t.

Also, Gwynn is cute and we should have gotten more of Keera’s relationship with her. Their friendship/sisterhood/mother-daughter bond was sweet. But it was weird that Keera’s 60+ and Gwynn is 16 and they say they’re like sisters. I get that Keera looks young, but she could be her grandmother, and it would have made just as much sense for her to view her as a daughter since she’s watched her grow up, and it would have been a wonderful use of juxtaposition for Keera’s emotions about not knowing her own mother and being a surrogate to Gwynn.

I really enjoyed this book! What a fun ride! This is book two of the hafling series. Our MC is the blade for a tyrant king who forces her to kill her own people, but he doesn’t know that Keera wants to kill him and free her people. Lots of fun twists in this one that o didn’t see coming. The characters are mostly all very loveable and the side characters are awesome!

I just love it when book two is even BETTER than book one. And this is definitely one of those cases! Admittedly, it took me awhile to get into the book but that was my fault because I didn't reread A Broken Blade to refresh my memory. But even in the beginning when I was still working to remembering characters, I loved the lush setting that Melissa Blair describes so well as well as Kyla Garcia's seamless narration. We learn more of Keera's tragic backstory through several flashbacks and the political intrigue really amps up in the last half of the novel. Keera has to come to terms with all the horrible things she's done as the king's assassin, often times to keep the appearance of being part of the system to undermine it, and also has to navigate new revelations about the parents she never really knew. There are some fun romantic and steamy moments, but the star of this show is the intricate plot to overthrow the king.

I absolutely loved A Broken Blade when it first came out and have been so excited for A Shadows Crown. I'm pleased to say that this book didn't disappoint at all. I love these characters and this story. Keera is such a complex character and Riven is absolutely swoon-worthy. The side characters in this series are also some of my favorites. I genuinely don't think I can say anything bad about this book or series.

I read the book via audiobook as well and enjoyed the narrator. Just an overall very enjoyable experience.

Thank you to NetGalley for the audiobook arc.

I had to go back and read the first book in this series before I tackled this one, because I hate reading out of order. I loved both books in this series, and I hope there are more to follow.

There were lots of twists and turns in the plot, some more obvious than others, but the characters were great, the audio narration was great, and the world building was spot on. This is billed as a SJM ToG comparison, but I didn't get past the first book in that series. The characters and plot lines were much stronger in the The Halfling Saga.

A Shadow Crown, the sequel to A Broken Blade was a welcomed sequel. I enjoyed A Shadow Crown more than A Broken Blade. With most of the world building and background established, A Shadow Crown was able to focus on developing the plot and character relationships.
I was provided the audiobook version arc and the narration was very well done.
The book ends at a critical point in the struggle and I wish there was an advertised release date or year for the next book. I’d be great to know how long this series is going to last.
Overall I rated it 4.25/5. There was some spice but it didn’t overtake the story. I enjoy fantasies with romantic subplots that aren’t overwhelming. There were some twists and turns that I wasn’t expecting and the story left like a new take on fantasy, fae and elves.

Thank you, NetGalley and Union Square & Co!
I absolutely loved the first book, and I loved the second book as well. This is an extremely strong continuation of the series, and I can't wait for the next book. The narrator did a fantastic job of taking the book and giving so much emotion and life. I received both the audio and the e-book, and getting to read them side-by-side was fantastic. I love getting to listen to the story while reading, and the narrator did a fantastic job!
With every book, Blair gets stronger as a writer and more confident, and I am so excited to see where the series goes from here. Especially with the ending of A Broken Blade, I think this did a great job of building on the emotions the first one invoked and setting the stage for later in the series.

Honestly I didn’t think this book would be as good as the first…

But then it was BETTER! This is everything the Throne of Glass series could have been had it been inclusive and properly edited. The twists and turns and BOY did I not see that plot twist coming!!! I adored literally every second. The little bit of smut in there was a nice surprise, but mostly I read it for the absolutely beautifully done overarching themes.

You can learn so much from fiction. However, trigger warnings beware. This parallels between the genocide of the fae in this book and Indigenous Americans is apparent, with depictions of alcoholism, slavery, and violence.

I would absolutely recommend this book and plan to preorder the next.

I love this series, and Book 2 did not disappoint! It wasn't as perfect as book 1, but was a solid follow up, and I can't wait to see what happens in book 3. The narrator was great, I love her storytelling and voice.

I'm so thankful I was about to receive this #advancedlisteningcopy from @netgalley and @blackstonepublishing.
I'll be honest, I started this book in the middle of a major mental health crisis, so l had to pause it for a little while before I was ready to dive back in (hence why it's late
I really love this series! This was a great follow up book!
I was a little nervous that I wouldn't enjoy it as much as the first one, but I loved it so much!
Lots of new information and of course ending was a little cliffy so I'm excited to see what happens next.
Also, the narration is great! I think she does an amazing job telling the stories.

I really enjoyed the first book in the series!

While I enjoyed "A Shadows Crown", sadly I do not think it was as good as the first and definitely suffers from second book syndrome. I also went into this book thinking the series was a duology, so the ending was a bit shocking.

If you like political intrigue--like I do-- you will have a great time with this book. If you are a fan of action and adventure I would read this because the set up for book 3, makes be believe that it is going to have an epic ending.

I have listened to both books in this series and I really liked the narrator. I highly recommend the audiobooks.

This sequel has even more magical fae-ness than the first book and I thoroughly enjoyed delving further into the side of the "enemy" in this one.
We see so much more of Keera being her true self out loud in this one, but we still get to see the Blade to remind us how much she has had to mask over the last several decades. I loved getting to know more about some favourite characters, and meeting some new ones!
This series is great for any fantasy fan who likes a little romance in there, a rich, beautiful world, and complex characters.
The narrator of the audiobook did a great job with the characters too, I would happily listen to her again.

A Shadow Crown

Plot: 1
Writing: 1
World Building: 1
Characters:
Themes: .5
4.5/5

Spice: 3 (There is one scene with medium descriptions. It's not super explicit but it's there. This is not a spicy book)

What you can expect:
- Portal magic
- Shadow Magic
- Fated Mates/Bonded (but more so like Parabatai than forced lovers, as bonds can be familial)

We pick-up right off from the end of book one, A Broken Blade.

I love how much the world is expanded right at the beginning. A Broken Blade was a pretty bush of buds. It's pretty, not bad at all but also not at it's peak. A Shadow Crown's world is a garden of fully bloomed flowers. Lush and thick with different magic and places.

We're not focused so much on the political intrigue in this one. It's much more character and world driven.

<spoiler>
I liked the struggle and consideration of a fated bond taking away the authenticity of a relationship. It's always something that's there but most of the time it's not really addressed. I think Melissa Blair did a good job with it and the bond wasn't just a trope to check off a list.

The reunion between Nikolai and his mother?!?! Syrra?! omggg I'm not crying, you are.

The last 5% is so fast-paced. It's so good! Now we know what they need to do, the goal for the story (finally).

I'm liking Keera's growth and journey emotionally and socially but we've yet to really see her wield her powers and see the extent of it. She's got a little bit of alllll the light fae magic in her. That's a lot. Maybe almost Aelin level (not quite, but in the context of the world).

I kept wanting more depth from Riven. We get more of his background, yes, and he's just in love with Keera. Still can't really control his shadows...but there was just something missing. Would he, as the MMC be viable as a fully fledged character without Keera? ehhh, idk. He's popular but he's no High Lord.

I could read an entire book about Nikolai's escapades. lol. He's charismatic and charming but not in a dumb f-boy kind of way. He's still smart and has a good range of emotional intelligence.

I liked all of the secondary characters that mattered. It still wasn't a strong found family type. More like Keera was absorbed into their existing actual family.
</spoiler>

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who love NA Fantasy. Don't go in expecting a ton of spice, that's not the kind of book this is. You will get a faster-paced story with a cool world building and magic system and interesting characters.

Thank you to Netgalley for an Advanced Listening Copy of The Shadow Crown. This is my honest review.

This is the second book in Melissa Blair’s Halfing Saga.

I loved this audiobook! The narrators were fantastic and I loved listening to them being this story to life. I never wanted the story to end!

Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for this audiobook. This is my voluntary honest review.

I enjoyed this book but I felt like a lot f that hinged on the character and not on the story it self, it didn't fell like much happened in this book except for the last 30%. I would have loved to see Keera assume more responsibility as the blade but I guess that can't happen now , but I thoroughly enjoyed the story over all.

I absolutely love these books. Blair is a fantastic writer. She is weaving an engaging story with traditional fantasy characters seen in new lights. I am completely hooked and eagerly anticipating the next book. The characters are well written though I will say Damien is definitely one sided. I also greatly appreciate the way the mystery is being revealed slowly to the readers. Definitely a fun read.

A Shadow Crown is the riveting sequel to a Broken Blade by Melissa Blair. I jumped onto the Broken Blade train a bit late but I loved the first book in the Halfling Saga nonetheless and was very excited to read the second! And can we talk about the cover(?!) for this book! Its so beautiful!

This sequel picks up directly (and I mean directly) after the last page of A Broken Blade. I loved how the book started and how we got answers to some things quickly.

This book also expanded the series in a beautiful way. I loved the new settings, characters and lore that was introduced. Especially with the new setting of Myrelinth - it was described in a breathtaking manner! The intricacies were very cool to read about. I could practically imagine myself there in the trees with Keera and the gang!

I also felt like we got to learn a lot more about Keera herself in this novel and I loved that! Rather it was her backstory or her personality, I loved being in her head! And don’t even get me started on her and Riven…! I could talk for hours on how much I love their relationship.

The plot also took surprising twists and turns that I definitely wasn’t expecting! And then the ending of the novel was suspenseful and jaw dropping! It just left me aching for the next one! (which is going to be such a long wait - I don’t know how I will manage!!)

I definitely recommend all lovers of A Broken Blade to check out its sequel, A Shadow Crown. If you haven’t checked out the first book (I’m not sure why you’re reading this review…but to each their own…) I definitely recommend if you love all out favorite booktok tropes of fae, magic and spice!

Thank you to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for an early edition of the audiobook.

Book two in this series blew my mind right out of the water. We pick up right where they left off in book one & the adventure just keeps on rolling! While found family is not my favourite trope, Melissa had a way of writing such a great found family that I couldn't help but love all the characters and every minute of this book.

I found it fast paced and easy to follow along with, which significantly helped me fly right through the book to the very end! Things were constantly moving & had me hooked from the very first page. All the things we saw in book one? Melissa turned up the heat and just kept it going.

This was a great book two in this series & ended on such a high note, I can only imagine that book three will be that much better!

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I was not fan of a voice, but got used to it. This one was slow start for me- the author gave us a back story on the world. I felt Keera was more human considering we saw her as a brutal assassin in the last one. Halfway through the book I got hooked. It was amazing to see Keera's memory. Keera’s relationship with prince Killian and with Raven was interesting. The author did not forget about evil Prince Dillan - WOW!!! Cannot wait for next!!! If you like Thorn of Glass, it is also similar to Red Queen just adult version.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of A Shadows Crown in exchange of my honest opinion.

I really wished I could have liked this book, since I have seen so many glowing reviews (which also it's what made me request an arc). However I DNF'ed at 60%.
That said, I would like to point out several positive points in this book before going to why it was not for me. First of all I think the world building has been consistently good with the first book. We have a society that has been fiercely oppressed by the current king and there is a revolution brewing. Keera, our FMC is a double agent that is trying to tap into her lost memories to understand who she is and how she can help her people.
I do like to see that she is a complex character with flaws and drawbacks as well as good qualities. I like that she does bad deeds for the crown but those leaves a mark on her and she struggles with them.
Also the representation in this book is quite well done. We have LGBTQA representation as well as disability representation, which is still not enough in this genre.
However, there are a few points that made me not like this book so much. The first one is that everyone has so much past trauma that the book just feels like a downer. I understand that the character's lives has been tough they are going through a lot but I felt a lot of negativity quite often and that started making me not want to pick it up.
I think having a comic relief or more neutral encounters would be really beneficial. For example, at the part I stopped reading, Keera has been fighting tooth and nail to help the halflings but there is a guy that is super hostile towards her even tough she did her best to help his family. Like.. give it a break!
That, combined, with a very heavy political intrigue (which I like by the way) just makes the books feels slow and gloomy.
Sadly, even the romantic parts of the books were not enough to keep me reading. Keera and Riven have this love/hate dynamic which would be ok if they both did not bring all the heaviness of their past into the relationship at the same time.