The Kingdom Cursed by Iron

The Kingdom Cursed by Iron - Zara Storm
5✨
Wow, I loved this book, perhaps even more than I loved the first one. Ella finds out more about who she is, she learns more about her powers and is taught how to control them. I loved the way it was explained to her how to control them, the inner pool and calming the waves, it felt like even I could do it.
After the first book I wasn’t sure how the story could progress in terms of obstacles and plot twists since the problems in the first book were solved, but Zara nailed it! There is a whole new plot in this book, it ties in a bit with what happened in book 1, but it still feels new. I loved that. In this book you will get-
🌿 Rumpelstiltskin re-telling
🌿Fae
🌿Human with magic
🌿Curses
🌿Alchemy
🌿Secrets
🌿Court drama
I highly recommend this book if you like the above!
Thank you NetGalley, Zara and Relay Publishing for this e-book, I am leaving this review voluntarily💞

This is book 2 in a trilogy, and i had an absolute blast reading it!! It followed on instantly from where book 1 ended, where she left Ruskin after he revealed a lot about himself (a lot of bad, a little good). I was left thinking that they were gonna figure it all out and be together all the way, but as soon as she realised just how many secrets he was keeping from her she was out of there... Cant say i really blame her.

Speaking of this book though, everything moved so quickly! There was hardly any time between when she left Ruskin and the faerie realm to reunite with her father again, and then Ruskin tracking her down and asking for her help again. Seems like there is always a problem in his realm that only she can fix. I really did like just how short their time apart was, i'm a sucker for forced proximity and the fact that they had to work together again (even if they didn't want to) was everything to me!!

Ella's magic keeps growing, or rather she learns how to harness it with help from Ruskin and other that are a part of his court. It's been really interesting seeing her progression and thinking that she was just a talented blacksmith and metallurgist, to realising that she is more like the fae than she wants to be. I'm really glad too just how much of a strong and driven character she is, the fact that she decided to use this magic to her advantage instead of hating having it was fab!

I really liked just how much the story progressed in this book too! Usually not a lot happens in the second book in a series, or its all relationship angst between the two main characters, politics, or unnecessary plot/world building before everything happens in the final book.
Loads is happening in the wider world, not just where the main characters are. This made for a lot of confusing moments where i wasn't sure what was happening, or was going to happen, but things are explained almost perfectly right at the end of the book, or little clues are given away throughout too which was fun to read. I loved just how in the dark we were about certain things, just like the majority of characters.
I also really appreciated that this wasn't all about their relationship, or lack there of. They each got some really cool character growth, and growth that actually made sense to them individually.
Ella learns probably the most (to be expected, she is really going through it in this book). There are the revelations that she has magic, a true name, what actually happened to her mum, and who Ruskin really is to her) and it all seemed to really shape her for the better. I think she got a lot of much needed closure, and hopefully in the next book she will really step into her own and take more control of what she is being forced to go through (also hope that they both get a happy ending after all the shit they have been through together)
Ruskin on the other hand got nothing but the short straw in this book. All the struggles of loving a human who doesn't love or trust him back, his court falling apart right in front of him, and his mother being completely different to how he remembers her!

Speaking of his mother, that was a development i really didn't see coming at all, and i felt so freaking stupid when everything was revealed! I wasn't expecting her whole character to change out of no where, and seeing her de-evolve into this murderous, power hungry, revengeful ex-queen was something else!
The ending was so intense and an emotional roller coaster because of this. I would love to say that it didn't end on a massive cliffhanger, but i would then be lying through my teeth. It was so intense and full on, and i low key hated how it ended, but only because of the fact that i have to wait to read how everything is going to shake down in the final book. I cannot wait!!
Speaking of how devastating of an ending it was, i am really glad, if not heartbroken, that they resolved their issues and confessed their love for each other right before they were ripped apart again. The author is nothing if not ruthless in the best way possible. I already know that book 3 is going to be too much to handle, but i am so ready for it!!

A massive thank you to Netgalley and the author for giving me the chance (yet again) to read this book! I enjoyed it so freaking much!!

I devoured this book! I enjoyed it as much as I did the first book in the series which must be read first as this book picks up where the first book left off giving us more of Elenor and Ruskin. Their back-and-forth banter's is entertaining, and their chemistry is as undeniable as their fates are entwined. I don't want to give anything away because if you love paranormal reads this story should be read. I enjoy this author's writing style as I feel as if I'm on the journey with these characters in the world she created. I'm definitely invested in eventually reading about Elenor and Ruskin getting their HEA in the end. It seems as if I just can't get enough of their story, and I'm more than excited to read the next book in this series as this one ended with a cliffhanger.