Greythorne

April 1, 2020
A tangled web of magic and politics. Princess Aurelia's life is in chaos after the catastrophic events of Bloodleaf (2019). Her little brother, Conrad, has had to take up the kingship, but the lands of Achleva and Renalt are in disarray. A refugee crisis echoing current events takes up a little page time, but most of the story revolves around Aurelia's claiming and deepening her power. Rosetta, a wild witch, teaches her how to walk through a shadow version of the world, seeing and influencing the past and the future, and Aurelia uses this to save the world from religious extremists and an imbalance in the natural world. She's aided by Zan, returned from what Aurelia thought was death, and her old nurse, Onal, who has stronger ties to the royal family than previously thought. A too-brief interstitial chapter on Magistrate Arceneaux, a cruel, ambitious, supernatural woman, provides the most intriguing part of this sequel, which doesn't quite live up to the promise of the first installation. Overly complex machinations bog down the forward movement of the plot and largely overshadow any interesting themes. It's hard to keep track of what matters, or who, or why, which means that no particular sense of urgency propels the story, and trying to figure it all out dampens the enjoyment of the world. An unsatisfying follow-up. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)

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April 15, 2020
Grades 9-12 In this sequel to her debut novel, Bloodleaf (2019), Smith creates a dark and riveting tale. We find Princess Aurelia living in a closet-sized room in a brothel, gambling men out of their wealth and plotting revenge for the death of her fianc�. All her carefully laid plans are thwarted, however, when the Tribunal's new leader, the beautiful and ruthless Isobel Arceneaux, arrives calling for Aurelia's execution for being a blood witch. Now on the run, Aurelia is forced to face the consequences of the destruction?both physical and emotional?that she wrought to protect the world, all while working to uncover and thwart the Tribunal's heinous plan. At its heart, this is a story of facing fears and finding the strength to fight for what you want. At times gory, at times heart-wrenching, and always captivating, Smith's latest is a thrilling and surprising sequel that will leave readers eager for the final installment. Recommend the Bloodleaf trilogy to fans of the Throne of Glass series looking for their next read.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

June 1, 2020

Gr 9 Up-Following the dramatic events of Bloodleaf, Aurelia, the Princess of Renalt, is without her fianc� and unable to use her blood magic. Hiding at a tavern where she gambles for money and supplies, she returns to Greythorne Manor to wish her brother luck for his coronation, only to discover that the Tribunal's sinister plot to take over the throne has worsened in unimaginable ways. Aurelia, with the help of her constant protector, Kellen, and a band of engaging and unique secondary characters, launches a quest to stop the evil plot, unearthing major twists along the way. Smith has created a world full of intricate magical properties and rules where nothing is as it seems and the game is constantly changing. There are some time-travel aspects that can get dicey, but readers will surrender disbelief and be pulled to the edge of their seats. The stakes are high and all will be rooting to see if their favorite characters make it through alive. Heavy plotting, violence, death, and one brief sexual encounter make this appropriate for an older audience. VERDICT A sequel that has a somewhat confusing beginning but becomes abruptly awesome. A worthy addition to any fantasy collection.-Erica Deb, Matawan Aberdeen P.L., NJ

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