DNF
Thank you for the opportunity to read this title. Unfortunately, presently I have no interest in reading this title as I am in a YA slump. I may come back to it when I am in the mood in the future. I apologize for the convenience.

I really enjoyed Island of Exiles by Erica Cameron, so I was excited to dive into Sea of Strangers. Unfortunately this book suffers from second-book syndrome SO bad. I struggled through a majority of the book, and eventually I put it away after I scanned the ending.

Here's what I struggled with:
• Khya and her inability to trust anyone, even Terren. I would have thought that after everything they went through together in the first book that she would trust him with her plans, but nope. She's back to the independent, do it herself, and betray everyone while she's doing it character she was at the beginning of book one. So frustrating!
• There were SO many new characters that a glossary was added to the back of the book. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. I like a large, diverse, fully fleshed out cast of characters. (Under the Dome people is an example of one I love). However these were not fully fleshed out characters, instead they blended together to be one person at times and I had a hard time keeping everyone straight.
• Immortality….y'all this was like a quest for the Holy Grail. I struggled with this whole plot point. Yes I understand that it is an important aspect in the creation of the Elders and more specifically Varan as Khya knows them, but it wasn't really clear on why this was important.
• The original continent/land/kingdom...Khya and her friends travel to the birthplace of their elders, where they lived before they were cast out to die on the island Khya calls home. I expected to learn a lot about the culture and how it intertwines and differs from Khya's. But we really don't get much interaction with them at all. It is mostly told from Khya's perspective, and she and her friends keep a low profile.
• Lastly, it was boring. Island of Exiles had a slow pace, but picked up towards the end. Even with the slow pace, I found the plot and characters and world interesting enough to keep reading. Sadly, I didn't feel this way with Sea of Strangers.

Overall, Sea of Strangers was a disappointment after the excitement I had for Island of Exiles. I was truly hoping for more. Unfortunately I threw in the towel when I hit the 70% mark and skimmed to the end. I just couldn't keep reading. I tried, y'all I really did. Sadly I won't be finishing this series.

Thanks to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for giving me this book to review.

I struggled to connect with Sea of Strangers, despite me enjoying the first book Island of Exiles. This book is a dark fantasy world which has complex cultures and lots of diversity, however, it is very slow paced. I might not have liked this book as much is it has been a while since I have read Island of Exiles and I had trouble remembering what had happened and who everyone was.

Khya seems to have become a natural leader and I have always been a fan of Tessen, so these two were the highlight of the book.

Unfortunately, I just didn’t click with Sea of Strangers but I seem to be in the minority so if you enjoyed the first book, I would recommend you read this sequel.

I probably should have read the other book before this one, because I was CONFUSED. From what I did understand, I did like, but overall, I could truly enjoy this book because I found myself so confused so often.

After struggling with the first book in the series I thought I would give the second book a go.
Unfortunately if anything this is worse.
The characters are boring and the story just plods along.
Not for me..
I will not be reading the third.

In the first installment of The Ryogan Chronicles by Erica Cameron, Island of Exiles, we follow the story of a young warrior and ward mage from the island of Shiara. When Khya’s brother Yorri is pronounced dead following a surprise attack by their enemies and then his body mysteriously vanishes, the truth comes out quicker than Khya is prepared for it. The leaders of the clan have lied and betrayed her people for endless centuries. In order to save her brother, and her home, Khya must team up with a rival, a person her brother had a secret relationship with as well as many other surprising characters.

Sea of Strangers, the second installment in the series, continues Khya’s story as she and her friends and allies leave Shiara and travel to a land they didn’t know existed. Ryogo is the home of Varan and the other immortals who rule over Itagami. Khya must find the secrets hidden in the mountains of Ryogo in order to kill Varan and bring her brother back alive; both of which are seemingly impossible tasks as Varan is immortal and has accumulated knowledge and power over his many years of existence. Finding the secret of immortality might help her defeat Varan but she fears she may lose something in the process - her brother, Shiara, Ryogo, or even herself. The journey she must take isn’t even half the battle.

There are so many things about this book, as well as the first, that I thoroughly enjoyed that I feel like I could write an essay about it. In fact, the only complaints I can find after reading is that at times the ranks within Itagami, the slang terms, and the use of non-gendered terms could be incredibly confusing. But as I read, these became easier to understand and pinpoint. Once I discovered the glossary in the back of the book, it was even easier to just enjoy the story.

Erica Cameron has created an incredibly complex, diverse, gritty and detailed world in these books. It is unlike anything I have ever had the honor of reading before. Especially since it doesn’t feel forced. Instead, it is incredibly realistic. The best example I can find is how we are introduced to the ebet characters. These people are non-gendered and they are considered completely normal and welcome in Shiara. It isn’t until Khya leaves that we see how they are treated in Ryogo - as if they are punishment from the gods - and realize how effortlessly Cameron has managed to normalize something that even in our society can be wrongfully deemed as unnatural. In fact, it seems like it could actually be a reflection on our own society.

It is also shown in how the citizens of Itagami have been kept isolated from the world, made to believe they are the last beings on the planet by the immortals who rule the clan. When Khya and her allies travel outside of the world they know, they learn about new cultures and people and you can visibly see the contract between her society and the new one because of how detailed the writing is. The real world is much like this.

Aside from the diversity, there is the world building which is incredibly breathtaking. There are endless descriptions of the beauty of the land, the rawness of the elements, the differences between the people. And the magical system in this world is incredibly complex and interesting to read as it is expanded on. There is also the character development. It is most seen in Khya and Sanii. Khya begins to see that asking for help does not make her weak, that she is not fully responsible for every single failure that comes up them. Sanii grows into the person you are able to see beneath the whole time, waiting to unfold and steal the show.

Although at times the story seemed to drag along, it was easy to push through because each thing that happened held importance for the story. The journey the characters take in order to discover the secrets they need to save Yorri, Shiara and Ryogo is such an important part of this story. Reading along as these characters face the elements and the prejudiced people of Ryogo made me feel a much deeper connection to it all.

I am so grateful to have been given the chance to read Sea of Strangers. This series is one I will highly recommend to those who enjoy the genre but also to those who enjoy incredible worldbuilding, diversity and characters who practically jump off the pages at you. I cannot wait to be absolutely ensnared by the next installment of this wonderful story.

As I’m reading the book, I try to remember all the things that were important in the book. It was a while since I read the first book and I kind of forgot some of the things in there. But I didn’t forget the story and the main characters. And some of the things I forgot were the terms in the book. I was seriously lost but it’s a good thing that there’s a glossary or dictionary with definitions of the terms used.
I was weary the whole time I was reading the book. I kept doubting every new character the squad meet. I don’t trust them that easily. Why? Because of the phrase in the cover of the book!

For me, the story in this book is better than the first. I love this world and this story better. It got better. I think because in this book, Khya is challenging her power’s limit. And, bes, she is very powerful. I can feel that she’s really the main character. There is no doubt. I mean, there are books I’ve read that the main character seemed like not the main character. And even though Khya is not as powerful as Feyre or as badass as Aelin, she is still badass and powerful to me. She’s a fykina, a mage that has the ability to protect herself and others from magic and the world. But every time Khya uses her fykina magic, she’s amazing! And she’s getting more powerful! I can’t wait to see her use her full power!



And what I like about Khya too is her relationship with Tessen, her boyfriend. He is also amazing. He’s a powerful mage as well.
Like I said in my first review about this series, I like that Khya is the one in control in their relationship. I’m not saying this to promote feminism or whatever. I’m saying this because it’s nice to read something different for a change. It’s mainstream that in a relationship, the one in control are mostly men. And I kind of like Erica’s concept that between Khya and Tessen, Khya is the one who controls. She’s even the one on top during their busy time. (If you know what I mean. Haha!) So yeah. I like that.



One more thing that is different and amazing about this book is the accommodation of the third sex. They even have a term for it in Itagami, ebet. I feel like in this book they are treated equally in whatever the Itagamins do. And I sometimes wish that there is that level of equality in the real world.
The characters in the book have improved in terms of powers and in character development. And I like them better now.



The ending though, I don’t know what to feel about that. It was kind of a cliffhanger and also not a cliffhanger. While I was reading it, I wasn’t expecting that I was already near the end of the book. Then when I flip to the next page and the big letters that formed the word “EPILOGUE” greeted me, bes, I backtracked and reread and backtracked again. I thought my Kindle was just acting up but no. It was really the end. I feel like my whole energy just got sucked out of me. The last chapter felt like it was building and then the next thing I knew it’s already the Epilogue. Like, wtf?



Still, beshy, I love and hate cliffhangers. I hate cliffhangers because, duh, they ruin the end of the book. But I also love them because cliffhangers mean the book is not over yet. It’s not the end yet.
And because of that cliffhanger that doesn’t really feel like a cliffhanger but it is nonetheless, I can’t wait to read the third book! I’m so excited since that Epilogue gave me hope about the outcome of the whole story. I just hope it’s good.

To wrap this up, the second book of the Ryogan Chronicles is amazing! For me it is better than the first book. And I highly recommend this to you, bessies! You should read it. It’s great and it has it’s own world with different cultures and languages and all that and trust me, it’s really great.

I received a copy of the first book in the Ryogan Chronicles, Island of Exiles, earlier this year, so I jumped when I had a chance to read the continuation of this story in Sea of Strangers.

If you read and loved Island of Exiles, you will not be disappointed with Sea of Strangers. The stakes are higher, the missions are deadlier, and things start to heat up between Khya and Tessen.

Like the first book, I had trouble keeping up with all the new terminology, but there is a handy glossary in the back for those who really want to get to know the terms, or if you’re too lazy to keep flipping (like me!) you can still enjoy the story even if some of the words make no sense to you.

This book ended with a BANG and left me wanting the third book in the series ASAP. It feels like this might be a trilogy, but I don’t know, it could probably stretch longer if the author chooses.

If you love epic fantasy, pick up this series. It will be well worth your time and money!

Khya is disappointed in herself for not saving her beloved brother Yorri, but instead barely escaping her beloved city with just a few of her trusted comrades. Khya now knows that everything she was taught and believed in is a lie, making her question her purpose and abilities. But she must put aside her doubts and failure to prepare for the bigger threat- a war that nobody saw coming.




I found myself enjoying book 2 more than book one, and I think that was due to the fact the world building was already established and the plot of this book was forever moving, no time for the self-reflection and doubt that plagued Khya the first book (sure there was some here, but not nearly as much- she was more reasonable to her limits here). There were still a LOT of words that I had not previously been exposed to before the first book (because they are made up) but I was way more comfortable with the use of them and the glossary was extremely helpful. Also, I liked that there was a small cast of characters here for me to get to know and understand, where as before I was overwhelmed by all the people, details, ect. Book 1 is 100% necessary to read before picking up Sea of Strangers for world and character building, and book 2 picks up just a few days after the events of book 1.

I believe that the word epic is ideal to summarize this leg of the adventure that Khya is on. Seriously, this was an incredible action filled journey, going from the sea to the land, all completely unknown, dangerous, treacherous, magical and mysterious. I loved how much action the small band of misfits encountered, where survival was questionable and death potentially eminent (this was one ring to rule them all level adventuring!). The new inventive uses for magic was fun to discover and very complicated.




This series is listed as YA but I would not call it YA at all, it fits more into fantasy in general. The characters are teens (at least most of the main characters) but they are independent people who care for and make decisions for themselves. The content is pretty adults as well, with sexuality being the norm (not that that is a bad thing per se for older teens to be familiar but I would not suggest for a younger teen) and there is so much death and struggle. Survival may not be an option for the characters I have grown to love, and they too have made peace with their possible future outcome.

Based on the ending, this series is at least a trilogy (maybe more!) because there is so much more to come. I feel like leg of the story was very much so needed to the plot overall, that the books are an extension of each other, one every so gently filling the gaps the other has, like puzzle pieces. I was pleasantly surprised by the direction the story took, something I could never predict, and I am really excited to see how Khya and company handles what appears to be an intense battle (most likely to the death). The author has created such a detailed, lush world with unique magic and cultures I could never have even dreamed up, completely brought to life. If you are looking for a fantastical journey I highly recommend pick up this series.

I received this title for reviewing purposes. Come visit me at https://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/ for a chance to win prizes!

I am always excited to read a new Erica Cameron book! She writes wonderful characters that you feel in a world that's engrossing! This book did not disappoint and I can't wait to reread these when the third book comes out

I loved Erica Cameron’s ISLE OF EXILES, and I was very excited to see where she’d take her readers in the sequel. While I didn’t think SEA OF STRANGERS was as strong as its predecessor, it does expand the fascinating world we were introduced to in the series opener.

Forced to flee her home in search of a weapon – or magic – that can defeat her enemies, Khya along with a few members of her squadron washes up on the shores of a land they thought they’d only see in death. But Ryogo is very much alive, and its people are ill prepared for the invasion that’s coming. If Khya wants to save the ones she loves and stop the tyranny that runs rampant in her homeland, she’ll need to convince the people of Ryogo that her group of outsiders can be trusted. Just as with the first book, SEA OF STRANGERS does an excellent job building a new landscape, political structure, and cultures; seeing Khya, Tessen, and Sanii try to navigate the differences and celebrating the similarities between their peoples was my favourite part of the story.

Where SEA OF STRANGERS falters is with the actual plot itself, which is quite pared down: move from one place to another in search of magic, weapons, and allies. Compared to the wild action of the first book, the lack of excitement was a bit disappointing. I was also hoping for more from the character development: while Sanii grows substantially, I felt like Tessen’s character remained stagnant. Maybe he’ll be featured in the conclusion.

The effortless and natural diversity of the characters and the exploration of difference through a curious and compassionate lens remains the strongest part of this series. Despite my problems with this volume, I’m eager to see how Erica Cameron concludes the story.

Sea of Strangers continues Erica Cameron's captivating Ryogan Chronicles, as Khya and company search for the legendary Kaisubeh.

Having travelled to Ryogo, former home of the exiled Miriseh, Khya and her companions seek to learn Varan’s secrets in hopes of defeating him and freeing Yorri. But navigating Ryogo isn't so easy. Though their efforts will help the Ryogan as well as Itagami, they are viewed as enemies, and hunted as such. From the heights of Nentoado, to the desolate wilderness surrounding the Ryogan mages’ prison, this small group of warrior-mages must put to rights what Varan broke so long ago, and craft the weapons to kill those who cannot die before the Itagamin army invades. In a land that now fears magic, they face danger at every turn. They are aided by Lo’a and the nomadic hanaeuu, and by the historian Osshi, but how long can they truly count on their assistance, and how many will survive the trials?

Second in the Ryogan Chronicles, Sea of Strangers left me eager for part three. Unlike the first book, which mostly centred on Itagami and it's immediate environs, this book ranged the length and breadth of Ryogo. From mountain heights to coastal lowlands, and everything in between, Khya and her companions are exposed to elements and conditions they could never have fathomed. Their first experience with snow was amusing! Each had a part to play, in keeping the group safe and alive. Without magic, they never would have made it through Nentoado. I appreciated that all these varied skills were needed. No one person was super powerful.

I liked Khya and Sanii better in this story. Khya evolved more, and Sanii got to open back up from the bitterness at having been placed in the yonin caste. Granted, I'm still not a big fan of Khya. She may be a strong mage, but so are most of the others, in their own gifts. She healed Varan’s damage to the Kaisuama, innovating with her brand of magic, true, but others may have been able to do so in a different way. I just don't see her as being as special as she's made out to be.

I really like Tsua, Chio, and Zonna. The three andofume of the group are the ones I feel should be leading. Centuries of experience give them greater maturity in my eyes. Everything is more a group effort though. Finding Varan’s cache, braving Nentoado, and the Kaisuama, tracking the Imaku rock, and breaking into the prison. All of it required the group as a whole.

I think Tessen is still my most favourite. Learning more about his basaku magic resonated with me. It's not magic (I wish), and nothing is actually enhanced, but I suffer from hypersensitivity. I so grok things being too loud, and too bright, and touch being overwhelming. I can't wear mittens, enclosed shoes, or long sleeved shirts because of that.

Ryogan society was just as fascinating to me as Itagamin. They seem so rigid, a much harsher society. Part is due to the war with Varan and the Miriseh several centuries ago, like the deep-set fear of magic. It seems, though, that Varan made a great deal of positive change when they set up Itagamin society. I'm not clear why they wouldn't want to cultivate the born immortals, instead of isolating them. The Itagamins, though, don't ostracise the ebet gender, and there seem to be more of them. Once again, a fuller explanation is lacking, but Ahta is a child ebet, which again suggests physical differences. The Ryogans view the birth of an ebet as proof the mother did something terrible, and is being punished by the Kaisubeh. The Ryogans also destroyed the area around Varan's childhood village, and several centuries later, that village is still being punished. He did away with such things in Itagami. The transgressor(s) only pay the price. There seems more good than bad in what Varan created.

Lo’a’s people and culture were equally interesting. They practised a form of magic right under the Ryogans noses. They seemed a great deal like the Romany, if they travelled in feudal Japan. They are apart from Ryogan society, which tolerates them and occasionally oppresses them. I hope we get to see more of them in the next book, and also some of the other countries neighboring Ryogo. It seems like making allies would be a good idea!

I'm ready for the next one! If you are a fan of innovative magick, and stories influenced by Japanese lore, be sure to check out The Ryogan Chronicles!

***This book was reviewed via Chapter by Chapter Blog Tours in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I have been obsessing over this book's release ever since I finished Island of Exiles. And dammit. Sea of Strangers is everything I hoped it would be and more.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this extraordinary, original and exciting world the author created! The new additional characters were such a delight to meet! Khya and gang are as badass as ever. Aannd I've found a new appreciation for Sanii. He's come a long way from the seemingly powerless character we met in book one. And eventhough I was expecting a lot of painful deaths in this book (because let's face it how could there not be) I was not prepared for how *that* happened.

This series is such a must-read! I cannot wait for book three! Gaah!!

Khya’s journey to get back her brother and stop the Miriseh has the squad going to Ryogo to seek out the secrets of how the Miriseh came to be. Most of this book is devoted to the journey to Ryogo, the hardships they face on sea and on land (having to hide from Ryogan military forces), and the search for the immortality that Varan had created, and finally them having to choose between the right thing and the smart thing.

The pacing of the story is slower than that of the first, even though it takes place over more terrain. They go from the sea, then a hidden port in the northern parts of Ryogo, come across a nomadic outcast clan (who also happen to be desosa wielders in a different way), brave treacherous climbs on sacred mountains, and race to stop Varan and his Itagamin army before they reach Ryogo. The middle third of the book feels too expansive and nothing of import happens for the most part, so I was kind of bored there, but towards the end it picks up. I liked the addition of Lo’a’s clan, and how good it was for them to have at least one ally in this foreign land, but they do run into them too frequently to be entirely plausible. The distances and timeline don’t make much sense but there wasn’t a map to see, so…

On the character side, Khya feels distant in this book. I don’t know whether it was the pacing that affected it, but I couldn’t connect to her emotionally in this book. There are so many new things coming out – like to the extent they were betrayed by the Miriseh, the different social customs and community structure in Ryogo, but it doesn’t seem like it is shown to affect the characters much, or they mostly take it in stride. Even for a warrior clan, they seem pretty chill about the newness of it all. And Varan’s original quest for immortality seems so amazing, considering he did alone what an entire squad is struggling through. Like, I know he is a villain but I’m still impressed, yo!

I, however, liked the continued attention to how the gender and sexuality of this world are quite different; although, it must be noted that this difference is shown to be limited to Itagami and Lo’a’s clan – Ryogo mostly favors a heteronormative structure and there is one instance of queermisia when an ebet (the third sex in this world) child tells of how ey and eir mother were persecuted by Ryogo. There is, on the other hand, canonical bisexual and asexual characters, three sexes, an established polyamorous relationship in the secondary character ensemble, as well as outright depiction of non-exclusive relationships in this book (hint: Khya gets another love interest), which I think is awesome for a fantasy genre book.

The ending leaves us on the cusp of an oncoming war, and I am obviously interested in how Khya will now match up against Varan. Like, even with all their awesomeness, Khya and her squad are still sort of underdogs when you consider the whole Itagamin army of desosa users they will have to face. That third book is going to be epic!

Another great book by this author.
This book just kept getting better. This is the second book to this series. And boy was this an adventure. Khya meets some helpful people along the way, whom at first doesn't know how to take the news that Varan is on his way with an army of more then thousands to destroy everything and everyone. All Khya wants to do is save her brother. But saving him is saving everyone right? Doing the right thing can cost mistakes. With Tessen there to help Khya things only get better. That ending to this book.... I was like wait, what??

Thank you to Chapter by Chapter, Erica Cameron, and Entangled Teen for the ARC through NetGalley and the opportunity to participate in the blog tour!

"We're fighting to get home... to keep the salvageable pieces."

I've been so excited to read this book it wasn't even funny. I loved Island of Exiles and couldn't wait to see where Khya's adventure took her next. This has honestly been one of the most original and intricate series I've ever read. I adore the interesting dynamic Khya and Tessen have and welcome the refreshing break it gives readers from the old cliches.

Khya and her people have been lied to their entire lives. Yorri is not dead. The Miriseh are not gods. Ryogo is not the heaven they get to go to if they serve them well and the Miriseh do not guard its gates. Each one of these lies has been shattered to leave one truth crystal clear: they must kill Varen. However, the one thing he didn't lie about was being immortal, so Khya and allies have traveled to the real Ryogo in search of the secrets Varen had hidden there before he was exiled five-hundred years ago. Many of the Ryogans still fear magic even if they don't believe the legend of the bobasu, so Khya and her friends are being hunted even in the land they're trying to help save. In order to save Shiara, Ryogo, and her brother, Khya will have to make sacrifices and learn to be the leader she always wanted to be.

Because it's apparent that this series is going to go on for a bit, it makes sense that a lot of this book would be a set up for the ones to follow, and it was, but a lot of really important things happened too and there are a couple of interesting plot twists. I like that Erica Cameron doesn't skip steps to get to where she's going, she takes her time to build her plot which makes the world she's shaping so much more rich and developed. The only problem I had was I feel like Khya and Tessen's relationship was a little more....muted than it was in the first book. I mean, it was there and they interacted often, but it just seemed to me that something was missing. Still, they're one of my favorite pairings. I'm usually a total sucker for a hot alpha male, but this relationship was just so different and interesting. It was the epitome of an equal relationship that is so rarely seen in writing. I love that, while Khya often takes control of the romantic interactions in their budding relationship, Tessen is in no way seen as meek or submissive; he is confident and capable of holding his own. And, while Tessen was originally the one constantly pursuing the prospect of a relationship, he respects her wishes and boundaries. So, I'd love to see more of that brought back in the next book. If they survive that long. Will they make it home to save Shiara or will they remain forever adrift, hunted in Ryogo amidst a Sea of Strangers?

Way back in January, I read and reviewed the first book in this series, Island of Exiles . It's set in a really unique and diverse world, and I was really excited to dive back in! This sequel picks up right where book one left off, and I will be keeping this spoiler-free for both books!

What I Liked:

So. Much. Diversity. Like I said in my review of book one, this world is so full of diverse characters. It is, to our main characters, something to be celebrated. Not only is differing appearance, culture, and sexual identity/preference the norm here, but our main character Khya is clearly eager to learn about the cultures and mores of others she encounters. It's refreshing that she actively seeks to learn the way others outside her group do things, and she tries incredibly hard to honor their differences and embrace them.
Sex has always been portrayed in this series as a good, positive, normal part of life. In Khya's world, no one is judged by who they are, who they love, or who they don't love if applicable. There are three genders, and each is treated with the same dignity and respect. Khya and her group does encounter some people who don't feel the same, and I like that this was addressed, since in our own world, this is unfortunately the case. Khya's group, especially those of the ebet gender, are forced to face some discrimination, but also use their experience to help others.
This world continues to be impressively unique. The author has basically made up an entire society, full of culture, language, and traditions. In book one, we're introduced to Khya's home, but this book ventures out a bit more and the world is profoundly expanded. Therefore, the author has created an even more spectacular, bigger set of unique elements. It's certainly like nothing I have encountered before!
There's a lot of moral gray area while Khya and her team try to do the "right thing". There isn't always a "good" choice; often there is just a choice that the group deems less awful than another. It definitely makes for some quality tense moments as the story progresses. They also often have to choice between personal desires and what is best for the group at large, something that most people will face in their lives. Again, makes for provocative storytelling.


What I Didn't:

The biggest hardship for me while reading was trying to remember/figure out all the elements of this world. It's not an easy series to read. There are a lot of words that have to be translated, and a lot of magical terminology that I needed to try to remember. A lot of "oh crap, what the hell is that again?", which did take me out of the story a bit.
Similarly, the deluge of characters made me feel a bit disconnected. As there were of course new characters added into this sequel, there were plenty of leftover characters from book one to be accounted for. Sometimes, when the characters were injured or facing death, I had a hard time remembering if I was supposed to care about them, so that was a bit of a bummer.


Will I Read the Next Book: Certainly! I definitely am excited to find out how it ends!

Bottom Line: This is a solid follow up set in an incredibly unique and diverse world!

Plot:

Honestly, the way this book is written, it’s hard to know what to say about the plot. Just like the last, it is epic and intense, plus there are higher stakes and bigger emotions, a ton of twists, surprises, and just wild things that happen, but so much of it is unknown until it happens, because it’s unknown to the main characters. You only know what they know, and frankly, they don’t know very much. They’re desperately trying to fight a war in which they are outgunned, outmanned, outnumbered, and outplanned, and when the book starts, they barely know the first thing about what they need to do to fight. A lot of the book feels very meandering, because the characters are trying to move forward, but half the time they don’t even know what forward is, and the other half there are so many obstacles, it’s almost impossible to go anywhere. Much of it ends up being waiting and discovery and failure and “let’s try this and hope it works,” and then it doesn’t, so they gotta try something else. There are a lot of ups and downs, and they’re always fighting, either a physical enemy, the elements, the facts, or themselves. The odds are against them in a crazy powerful way, but one thing I love about these characters is that they will not stay down. They have done the impossible time and time again, and though this book ends on a cliffhanger and we don’t get to see how it all goes down, I’m confident they will find a way to win. And it’ll be darn epic, a face-off like nothing I’ve read before.

I just gotta wait forever until it to come out.

Plot: 4 ½ stars out of 5

Characters:

Watching Khya’s journey has been really amazing, because, while she hasn’t completely overcome her issues, I could see her actively taking steps and striving to get past them. She still fights to achieve the impossible level she thinks she should be capable of and she still gets upset when she can’t magically save everyone at once; but she’s also trying to trust in her squad, she’s leaning on them a little more, and learning to let go and be held and ask for help when she needs it, figuring out how to roll with her failures instead of wallowing in them, and how to trust in herself as well. I love her relationship with Tessen, the strong and supportive foundation they’re building on, and how the fact of his constancy, loyalty, and love has played into her character growth. Plus, there's their banter, though. It's amazing.

As for the other characters, one thing that’s really nice is that I’ve gotten to know some of the squad better. In the first book, I liked those I knew, but only Tessen, Tyrroh, Etaro, and Rai really stood out to me from Khya’s squad; there were other characters (like Sanii and Yorri) that I noticed outside of it, but within the squad, most of the others were just floating names with powers. Throughout this book though, we spend more time with each of them, and I was able to get to know them individually and start putting faces and feelings to the names and powers. While it’s impossible to know any of them as well as the reader knows Khya, there is a sense to all of them like they’re just very real. They’re full characters with their own complete lives that just so happened to get mixed up with Khya’s; but instead of untangling themselves as soon as the going got deadly, they chose to stick by her in spite of the hardships, because that’s the sort of people all of them are. And for that, if nothing else, I gotta heart them.

Characters: 4 ½ stars out of 5

Writing Style/Setting:

Again, this story is told completely through Khya’s eyes. Every second, every sight, every sound, every instance, it is completely filtered through Khya’s perception; we see the world utterly and only from her mind. The only issue with this is that sometimes things did get confusing for me. The author doesn’t explain anything beyond what Khya knows, which was awesome, sometimes, for the things I already understood. But at other times, it would leave me a little behind. There was less of that in this book, because, like I said in the plot section, there were a lot of things Khya didn’t know either; but there were still a few that either I had forgotten from the first book or Khya latched onto quicker than I did, so it would take a couple extra pages for me to get tracking with the rest of them. Still, it was really amazing to read something so immersively from a character’s POV, so for that, I gotta give it props.

As far as the setting, well… it’s not Itagami, I’ll put it that way. It’s interesting to watch the characters’ wonder in their new world and to see all the different locations through Khya’s eyes. I could picture them all as she did: wild, colorful, new, and sometimes deadly. In their own way, they were beautiful, and they were very much there.

Writing Style/Setting: 4 stars out of 5.

And so we come in at just over 4 stars out of 5. I really enjoyed this book; like I said, the whole series has been unlike anything I’ve read before. Certainly, there are ideas and starting points that are similar, but the way this has all played out…I’ve just never seen anything quite like it.

Sea of strangers is book 2 in The Ryogan Chronicles. It's the middle child journey book of the trilogy. It's full of adventure, action and mysterious lands. The Ryogan Chronicles are continuous and cannot be read as a standalone. Sea of strangers is a fantasy, magical book with an undesirable world. It is aimed at the young adult audience. It has romance, however, there is so much more to this series.

Khya is desperate to get her brother back even if the task seems impossible. The mission will be difficult and dangerous. Luckily she has her friends to help her. Knowing the right people could help them find what they need, but also opens them up to new dangers. Varna is the ultimate enemy. His defeat seems impossible. Using magic, knowledge and their survival skills the quest to find Khya's brother continues. This book ends with a high and leaves you wanting more.

I found this a little more enjoyable than the first book, which is probably because we already know some of the characters. There is a character list at the beginning and a glossary at the back which are essential. This is not a light read and I would recommend you clear your schedule and find a quiet place to read.

*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review as part of the chapter by chapter blog tour*

4 stars out of 5.

The second book in this series brings Khya and her allies to a world they never imagined.

What Fed My Addiction:

Serious magic.
The magic in this book was definitely kicked up a notch and Khya’s strengths become the key to saving her world. The desosa (which could be described as the source of magic) comes to life in this book almost as a character all its own. This was easily my favorite part of the book: Khya’s exploration of magic and how it differs in the new world she faces (and how it’s the same). The stakes are raised when it comes to the magical consequences of the characters’ actions as well!

Questioning beliefs.
Khya and her friends are thrown into a situation where they discover that many of their core beliefs were lies fabricated by a power-hungry man. They are rocked to the core by this realization, of course, and watching them deal with that was fascinating.

Shades of gray.
Khya discovers that, while she has come to see the leader of Shiara as a villain in many ways (and the people of Ryogan certainly view him that way), there are many ways that the Shiaran society seems to have improved on Ryogan values. For instance, In Ryogan, society has a different take on the third gender than they do in Khya’s society, and it’s much less humane. Also, their system of punishment seems unduly harsh to Khya. She realizes that Shiara’s leader has many faults, but he did try to make Shiara a better society than the one he came from in many ways.

What Left Me Hungry for More:

Less connection to the characters than in the first book.
The reason this installment gets three stars from me instead of four is that, for some reason, I never quite connected to the characters in this second book the way I did in the first. There are several reasons that I think this might have happened: First, Khyra’s brother is mostly out of the picture in this book, so her relationship with him feels more distant somehow. The gap could have been filled with other secondary characters, but I felt like there were too many of them for me to truly feel connected to any of them. (There were some moments that should have felt tragic, but they just didn’t really reach me emotionally). The main villain of the story is also missing from this installment, so the stakes didn’t feel quite as high because there was no immediate danger. And, since the romance was pretty much resolved in the first book, we didn’t have that romantic tension to draw us into the relationships either.

While this second installment didn’t quite live up to the first for me, there were aspects like the exploration of magic that I absolutely loved. And the ending hinted at an epic finale, so I’m eager to read book three! I give this second book in the series 3/5 Stars.