Sadly this just felt way too drawn out. It didn’t clear up the confusion with ALLLLLLLL the magical groups and beings and only compounded a lot of the issues I had with the first book. The romance felt really really strained despite yet again being billed as a fantasy romance at the very beginning.

The politics and power struggle didn’t feel very clever or like the audience was brought it on it, mostly it was just laid out and told to us after the fact. I also found Keera less compelling this time around as she’s just moved around and used by those around her. I found she lacked agency and maybe that’s the whole point of where this ends, but throughout I just wanted more from her, her taking more control, her taking more of a lead, or honestly her just not being so passive to the brought planning by Killian, Nikolai and co.

A Shadow Crown by Melissa Blair is the highly anticipated second installment in the new adult fantasy series that has taken the book world by storm. This novel picks up right where A Broken Blade left off, with Keera, the king's Blade, working with Prince Killian and the Fae Riven to plot the assassination of a tyrant king.

Keera's past crimes against her own people follow her to Myrelinth, the city of trees where Fae, Elves, and Halflings live in harmony. She is accused of being a traitor, and with her heart still healing from past losses, Keera finds herself surrounded by allies who have become her family. But she soon discovers that she has more to lose than she ever imagined.

Blair's world-building is stunning, and the slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance adds a layer of complexity to the plot. This novel is perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas's Throne of Glass series and readers seeking more LGBTQ+ and BIPOC representation in high fantasy. The characters are diverse and well-developed, and the plot twists and turns will keep readers engaged until the very end. A Shadow Crown is a must-read for fans of the genre.