4,5*
Pros: Better character development, both of the MC and the secondary ones. Amazing world-building. LGBT secondary characters. Interesting take on flawed humanity and the complexity that makes us human. Delves into war and its many sides and intricacies. Crossed Ts left by the first book. Strong and complex secondary characters. Focuses in oppression, poverty and the terrible conditions of refugees, which is very important these days as well. All in all, a very good sequel with an important ending that left me wanting for more.

Cons: Still somewhat predictable and slow to begin.

Very often the middle book of a trilogy is slower than the first, but this one did not disappoint in any way. Theo is growing and maturing and making hard decisions. I have to say I did not see that ending coming but it makes me just that much more anxious to read the next book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

* Review can be found at https://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/ *

I know I have said this before but I do not care- the covers for this series are so incredibly gorgeous. Hands down some of the best book covers I have seen (and so perfectly chosen for the content) and I will be the first to admit that I am attracted to the pretties. That is actually why I picked up Ash Princess to read initially, with no idea what the book was even about, just that I could not resist. It was an interesting discovery though to find that these beautiful covers can hold such darkness and destruction within their pages.

I struggled a little with Ash Princess, at times furious and others just plain sad for our Princess prisoner Theo. I had a hard time connecting to her and the fact she was at times a meek abused servant and then a complete swap to a conniving emotional betrayer- she was a hard to character to pin down and get to know since I am not sure that Theo knew herself or what she was really capable of. I found the world to be interesting and I really wanted to see where the story would take the characters next so I wanted to continue the story in Lady Smoke.

"But you are the Queen of Flame and Fury, Theodosia, and you will set their world on fire."

I am pleased to report that I loved Theo in Lady Smoke. She became strong and confident, coming into her position as Queen regardless of the obstacles that keep getting thrown at her. She makes the tough choices for the betterment of her cause and people even when it may hurt her heart (and mine a little too). There were a few times where it would have been so easy for her to give in and let others handle the situation (cough cough pushy Dragonsbane) but Theo knew better and I wanted to cheer her backbone and spunk on! She is now the Queen the people need and the ending of the book left me wanting more! What a conclusion.

I flew through this dangerous, violent, destructive story, worrying over the fate of the world and the characters that I have grown to care for. There is no doubt in my mind that I will read the third book in the series, Ember Queen (which I can't wait to see the cover for!), and I will try and be patient even while worrying over my new favorite fiery princess.

This is the second book in the Ash Princess Trilogy and I liked it about as much as the first one.

It starts off with Theo and her friends aboard Dragonbane's ship, sailing for safety and the promise of raising an army big enough to defeat the Kaiser. The only problem is, no other country will lend out their army for free. They all require marriage (and by default, a piece of Astrea) in order to help. But Astrean queens don't marry, which puts Theo in an uncomfortable predicament.

In many ways, this book is your typical middle book in a trilogy. It felt a little bit like filler. However, that didn't diminish my enjoyment of the story. It was fun to dive back into a world filled with magic, romance, and political intrigue. There was even some mystery tossed into the mix, which I loved. I've totally enjoyed getting lost in this series and I can't wait to see what the final book has in store for Theo, Soren, and their friends.

If you like books about fallen royalty, fantasy, romance, and war, you'll enjoy this series. Keep in mind that it's pretty dark, so I would recommend it for readers ages 14 and up.

Content: Violence (war/battles), perilous situations, murder, kissing, and a teensy bit of innuendo. Some characters spend the night together, but there's no sex, only cuddles.

This was definitely a second book, so there was a lot of filler, but I'm still invested in the characters and the plot. I was able to read an ARC so I don't want to talk about it since I tend to spoil things, but it was definitely enjoyable, I need more Soren, and even MORE Soren. There was so much character development and world building, so I'm excited for book 3 (Spring?! 2020?!?!)! I love watching Theodosia learn and grow, and I also love that their fears and nightmares aren't hidden.

I don't want to give anything away, but there were some surprising twists and endings within the book, and it will be interesting to see what happens in the third. Will they get Astrea back? Who will Theodosia end up with? I also hope that there's some more insight into Theo's past and the history of Astrea!

Thank you Netgalley and Random House for the ARC!