Published: December 6, 2022
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Source: Entangled Publishing
Series: Amassia
Synopsis:
For fans of epic fantasy with adventure and romance, Curse of Shadows reveals a world of unique magic, breathtaking action and unforgettable love.
Amassia teeters on the brink of the next Great Dying.
The second sun has returned as our Bone Throwers foresaw–casting the nine realms into war.
My name is Ash, and I fell in the battle for Baiseen. But I’m awake now, slowly putting the pieces back together.
My Heir has lost his throne
My sailor is gone.
And there is an emptiness inside me I can’t explain.
Amid the chaos, someone must collect the original twelve whistle bones from all corners of the world. Marcus is named to lead the cause, but with his volatile phantom, he’ll need diplomacy as much as his sword. And we are not the only ones to seek the bones.
Yet succeed we must.
Because if we don’t, it will be death to all…
Curse of Shadows by A.K. Wilder Book Review
*I would like to thank Entangled Publishing for a copy of this book in return for an honest review!*
“It’s simple. Whoever holds the crown, holds the future of all the realms in their hands.”
A high stakes adventurous quest that takes us across Amassia with a diverse and badass cast of characters!
I won’t hold it against Wilder that I had to wait a very long time for this sequel. I loved every minute of immersing myself back into this world with these characters and have to say It was adventurous rollercoaster for my emotions.
“Damaged is not always a weakness”
It picks up right where Crown of Bones left off with the group traveling with Heir Marcus Adicio facing off with Tann and protecting the sanctuary and whistle bone. By the throw of the bones it is decided that this group will go on yet another quest this time to save the world from the Great Dying.
I loved that we get to continue on with these amazing band of characters, getting to see even more character development and growth as they face many challenges along the way. One of my favorite things that Wilder does in this series is telling the story from multiple POVs. It really gives depth to the story and adds a unique element of being able to know what is going on in other parts of the world in a parallel timeline that create and add to the overall story. I also love getting to see more of the characters personalities to come through. Especially Salila! She is my favorite! Ash continues to be strong willed and starts to learn to have some more faith in herself. The complexity of her relationship with Kailyn and Marcus definitely add a fun element to the story. We also get the addition of so many characters from their travels as well as some more POVs.
We are given so much action as well as personal turmoil as the heroes are faced with multiple villains and challenges. There is more information shared on the Mar as well as the lore of the world and whistle bones thread throughout the book. Up until the very end I had no idea what was going to happen or where the story was going. I had to really process my emotions over the last few chapters because so much happened in such a short time.
“Sometimes , the heart is afraid to speak, for fear of breaking the spell”
Overall, I could not get enough of this world and these characters. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time never knowing the fate of the characters. I was feeling all of my emotions, from the banter between Kailyn and Ash, to the arguing between Deral and Marcus to the heart flutters Salila gives Marcus! Not to mention the heart wrenching moments that came at the end in many forms. I am so excited to see where this story goes with the reveals that came at the end that definitely threw me for a loop and surprised the hell out of me.
This is such an underrated series. Wilder crafts such a beautiful world, dynamic characters and entwines so many moving plot lines while still giving the vibe of a classic fantasy quest!
*disclaimer this contains quotes from uncorrected/unpublished text*
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