Tremontaine chapters are always amazing and this one is no exception. I love the characters and world building and of course the chocolate.

S3E9's got lots of EXCITING ACADEMIA, including an emotional debate about whether or not girls will be admitted to Rafe's school (spoiler: they will), but y'all know the Reza bits were my favourite. I'm as into his things with Esha and with Tess as his thing with Rafe, and now he's got a thing with Diane into the bargain! Yay! #teamreza

I'm also starting to wonder when we'll see Vincent again, or if he's out of things until SWORDSPOINT.

It's taken me an awfully long time to get back to Tremontaine, but Season Three more than stands up to a reread: if anything, it's better second time around. Sword and Spirit sees friendship developing between Reza and Esha, while Kaab makes her move against the Cocom and Rafe must face down unexpected sexism at his struggling school (oh, Joshua, you disappoint me).

Reza has - narratively speaking - stepped into Vincent's shoes this season, and this week sees him inching closer towards answering the question 'what would Vincent want me to do?'. Having spent the first part of the season in self-absorbed deathbringer mode, Reza has come back to himself sufficiently to step back into his ambassadorial role and begin trying to influence the City. It's clear that politics is almost as familiar to him as warfare, as he manipulates social gatherings and drops careful suggestions into the right ears. While I suspect that Esha will bring him and Diane together as allies, there's a little bit of me curious to see what would happen if they were antagonists. After all, he has no reason to love the woman who sent Vincent Applethorpe to his death...

Reza has returned Esha's sword to her as good as new, and between his friendship and Diane's possessive desire, Esha has once again achieved an inner peace. She's going to need it, as Davenant make his move at last, letting both Esha and Diane know that he knows exactly who gave Diane power over him. Timing is the one thing he leaves to chance - and ironically, it's timing that gives his revenge extra teeth. Diane gets news of his actions on the very night Micah goes to play cards with him. I'm not sure which bit harder: my anxiety for Micah, or the heart-wrenching moment where Diane wished she could walk her fear away in the garden with her ward - Season Three has been all about making the Duchess vulnerable.

It's another beautifully-written episode from Karen Lord, ratcheting up the tension one more notch as we head towards the inevitable showdown between the Dragon and the Duchess.

couldn't get season 1 or 2 to even start review this sorry! So yup another series I can't start but wanted too!

Sword and Spirit (Tremontaine #3.9)
by Karen Lord
The amazing aspect of this Mosaic novel is that you can miss episodes and still follow the storyline. The aspect of looking at the characters attempting to cope with the cliffhangers from the last season. You find the beauty of characters and this world in every story. The personal struggles of the characters is addictive.

Each chapter is a step in the plot. Now the devious plans are coming to fruition and the ploys and plots and violence is on the edge of each page. Making each page a dagger or sword to the ideals of the reader. I am amazed on how the authors can pull at the heartstrings.

I will write a review on the complete season when it is finished.