What I loved:
Found family
Hints of Indigenous culture
Good commentary on colonialism
The reveal about the Light Fae at the end
Nik and Syrra and Vrail and their banter

What didn’t work for me:
The writing needs a lot of polishing
The story is convoluted in places (I love the secondary characters, and I actually think they’re more well-developed than Keera, but their backstories are TANGLY)
There’s a weird potential love triangle that felt like it was just as weirdly abandonded (maybe it will come back later? idk)
There are some reveals that were disappointingly predictable
Was Riven anything more than doting wallpaper here?
There is some off-putting glorification of self-mutilation (I’m not saying it shouldn’t be an element of the story, but so many other characters seem to bizarrely approve of and respect this choice and I am just not on board)
Keera talks about feelings (it tightens, it loosens, it cracks open) in her chest over ONE HUNDRED TIMES. Yes, I verified that. I have a screenshot.

I know that’s a lot of dumping on this book. Truly, I know how annoying I can be. I will continue this series, because I think the GOOD things it has to say outweigh the rough writing, but I really do wish this series would get a stronger edit. The storytelling is (mostly) good, and I think the author’s perspectives and experiences are an important infusion into this genre. Unfortunately, those things are being diluted without a better edit.

I am awaiting a Nik spinoff, I will also read the crap out of that.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy!

I really enjoyed the follow up to A Broken Blade. This whole series so far has been really amazing! This is a great fantasy series for anyone who is wanting to go to the next step after YA fantasy.
I believe this series is going to be four books and you can tell that it was well planned out, although the second book has less action then the first it also builds up a lot of what is to come. I can’t wait to read the rest fi the series!

Thank you to TBR & Beyond Tours & Union Square Co for the finished paperbacks in exchange for promotion and an honest review. All opinions are my own.

A Shadow Crown is book two in the Halfing Saga and these books don’t pull any punches. I loved listening to these this week and I’m really tempted to reread them. If you liked the throne of glass books you will love these! Also there’s themes of trying to tear down the monarchy and who doesn’t love that. Also it’s queer!! The MC is canon bisexual. There are bisexual and poly side characters too!

While putting this playlist together I was looking for songs with darker tones about revenge, regretting your past and starting revolutions which these all felt like they fit! It’s a fun playlist and makes me remember my emo middle school days 😂.

This is the second book and I must have been on another planet and missed that part when I requested this book so I need to go read the first book and then I will be back to give a proper review because it sounds like a really good story.

received an ARC but wasn’t able to finish it before the release. This is now available in most retailers.
👑
Review:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⚡️/🌶️
This is a continuation of A Broken Blade and it picks up immediately after book 1 ends. This has one on-screen explicit scene and might not be appropriate for kids or tweens.

The overall story gives me LOTR vibes and would make an amazing tv series. It’s a great plot with lots of rebellion, betrayal, spies, imprisonment, political intrigue, LGBTQ rep, Fae/Elves/Haflings/Elemental powers, fated mates, and complex history.

I had a little hard time finishing the book mainly because I was so busy and distracted with work. I fully enjoyed it, but wish I could have read it quicker. Since I was busy, it would be days between picking it up so I would have to go back a few pages to refresh my memory. The pace of the story was a little slower than book 1. There is a little more time spent doing mundane/daily activities, but you learn about their history during that time as well as character development. There is more action towards the end of the book.

I think you would enjoy this one if you enjoyed A Broken Blade.

I am so disappointed this wasn’t a Duology because this series is so good I didn’t want to have to wait to know the truth. I’ll deal with another year, but it’s going to be hard!

Book 2 in the Halfling Saga is just as good as the first book. Keera is fully invested in helping bring down Amon and his oppressive rule - but at the end of book 1 she thinks she has been betrayed. It takes some time for her to trust those who want her help all the while dealing with the halflings not trusting her.

Book 2 also gives us a bit of insight into why Keera is so unique among all the characters we have met. Her powers are growing stronger, too.

All in all this was a fantastic sequel! Now I just have to wait a year before I get my hands on the next one!

This sequel to A Broken Blade delivers with action, anticipation, conflict, and revenge. Found family is one of my favorite tropes and is done well in this book. If you liked book one, you will like this one as you continue Keera’s journey as an assassin and rebel.

I enjoyed this book just as much as the first. Keera is a great main character and has a lot of development. Also who didn't love the secret of Killian and Riven?? I'm glad that the world in this book gets expanded when they travel to the hidden Myram. I want to point out that I figured out the traitor pretty early. There are so many twists and turns that keep the reader stuck in this world that Melissa Blair created. Excited to see where this story goes next.

On the heels of book one this one was fabulous!! Death and mystery come to a head in the Broken Blade follow up that I could not be happier with. Now where is book three? This was a wonderful story with diverse characters and an amazing fast paced plot.

I cannot praise this book enough in every single way.

Melissa has stepped up her game from book one and it shows!

That opening line had me cackling and from there, I laughed, I cried, I screamed in anger and my heart filled with love.

The shining light in this second book is the commentary on Disability and colonialism which expands upon conversations started in the first book so beautifully.

I have so much love for Keera and co, so much love for this world, so much love for this book and endless amounts of love for Melissa.

She's pre-emptively getting my therapy bill for the third book though!

CW: Alcoholism, addiction, colonialism, depression, blood, injury detail, death of a loved one

Unfortunately, this one fell flat for me. The communication was confusing, and I just did not love the romance the way I did in book 1. I had a little bit of trouble following the plot too. I really loved book 1 and had high hopes for book 2, but it just wasn’t my favorite.

Thank you so much to the publisher and to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was in love with the first novel in this series by Melissa Blair, and have been eagerly anticipating the sequel for some time. Overall, the sequel did *not* disappoint. The FMC is as snarky and strong as ever, the side characters are charming and three-dimensional, and the plot, politics, and action were well-written and vividly described.

My minor qualms are about the pacing - at times it was achingly slow, particularly in comparison to the first novel - and certain parts were predictable. That said, I am a fan of this author and this series, and I can't wait to see what the next book in the series will bring.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy of a a shadow crown this was wonderful and i ordered it for my store.

(4/5 stars) It took me a minute to remember what happened in the first book of this series (A Broken Blade), but once I refreshed my memory (a bit like Keera has to, am I right?) it was a total delight to jump back into this story, and I can't WAIT to read the next installment after that ending!! I love books with found family, magic, and diverse representation, and this one scratches those itches for me for sure. There are definitely areas that could have been improved, especially the pacing and continuity from the first book (which you can, I'm sure, read about in others' reviews), but overall I enjoyed the read.

P.S. I know it's a minor thing but I will say the overuse of the phrase "on the morrow" grated at me. That is all.

A great sequel for the first book.
I don’t have many negative things to say, the characters are still coherent and I like the writing. So if you haven’t read the first then give it a go!

I enjoyed this fantasy series, but did not find it particularly groundbreaking. These books aren’t standouts, but I do think fans of Sarah J Maas, Jennifer Armentrout, and Holly Black will enjoy.

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.

Okay, I am obsessed now! I loved Killian and Keera’s relationship and how it developed. I also love Riven, and Nikolia (there is just something about Nikolias that makes them my favorite characters and I must admit I love it) I also love Syrra and Gwyn. Now that Keera is officially working with the rebellion she has a lot to prove. Many are still fearful and distrustful of the King’s Blade. and they have a valid reason to be concerned, there is a mole within the rebellion, and it is threatening the stability of the rebellion. Additionally the revel of who/what. Keera has opened a lot of questions and this book has a lot of answers I loved the reveal of the king's backstory, as well as the history and all of the secrets of the halfling and elves.. I absoutley loved the ending and cannot wait to for book three. I need more Nikolia and KIllian in my life asap.

I had a hard time finishing this book. It wasn't as good as I remember the first book being. The book was a little slow paced for my liking. I felt like some of the details got repetitive; which made the story a bit dull at times. I was happy to see representation throughout the book. (LGBTQ+)
The world building and characters were done quite well I just felt the story lacked in action and plot. The ending felt a little rushed with too much chaos leaving the reader feeling a bit confused and disappointed.

I love to the first book in the series and was so excited for this one, and it did not disappoint.

This book had me laughing and sobbing at certain points. Which shows me great writing.

I did feel like some of the writing got repetitive and redundant at times, but I still really enjoyed it.

I didn’t notice a few typos and errors in the writing, but I assume this will be fixed in the final editing round.