This book, like the first, was great.

I must admit the first was my favourite, and in this one I did have a hard time reading Bel’s Chapters as I just didn’t enjoy them as much.

But the story about Petra and Zandar was great! Would recommend.

Hmm... Told in dual POV which suited it well. This book would get 5 stars if not for the first part of the story.
Yes, I was dragging thru it. And I was wondering if the action or some relationships will bring it up as I was not interested even while I loved Petra's character in book 1.
Yet please give it a chance as when I got into the turning point there was no going back! O no! I got sucked into the story and I needed to know what will happen next.
There will be lots of twists and turns, cry moments, laugh moments and moments - really good story.

Originally posted to Booked J and Goodreads. I was sent an eARC of this novel from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. This does not change my view in any shape or form.

If you think I'm feeling winded by so many great sequels this year, than you are absolutely correct. This year has been pretty awful in reality, but fiction's been serving us many treats. One of my most highly anticipated sequels, The Stone's Heart, was just as enthralling as its predecessor.

Wow. Just, wow. This wasn't what I expected in terms of sequels to The Queen's Wing but I'm glad it wasn't, because my imagination could never have done it justice. Nor can my review, but I am still going to try. If you haven't read The Queen's Wing yet, you should definitely get on that.

Immediately.

Lovers of fantasy and science fiction that is evenly sprinkled into romance will devour Thorne's completely captivating series. The creativity behind this world was evident in The Queen's Wing, and even moreso in The Stone's Heart. It is impossible to put down, heart pounding and both unique and familiar. Once you've picked it up, you're unlikely to put it down or forget it.

The Stone's Heart introduces a newer voice to the spotlight and at first, I wondered if I'd like this. I was quite attached to Bel's narration in The Queen's Wing, but thankfully she is still one of the two main narrators. I don't think the story, or series, would be what it is without her. Not that Petra isn't compelling in her narration: she is. For me, the weight of the series, the heart of the series, lay with Bel.

Ultimately, the second half of this book is the superior half. If you were accustomed to the high pace throughout The Queen's Wing, the second half of The Stone's Heart will be worth any issues you may have in the first. While I wondered if I'd have issues reading more than just Bel's POV as a main arch, I actually found myself loving Petra's narration most of all this time around.

Plus, HER MAIN ROMANCE. Phew. I'm obsessed.

To avoid spoilers, I will subtly highlight a few things: there are plenty of swoon worthy moments and action packed scenes in The Stone's Heart. There are a lot of political elements for this world and you may want to do a refresher of book one before picking it up, as there are many of essential things you'll want to have in your mind whilst reading it.

This book will knock you out and then lift you so high, you'll feel as though you are in space. (Find the joke.) You simply cannot miss this book and, if you haven't given the series a chance yet: now is your chance.

Now, TQW was slow to start and that was fine because ALL THE CHARACTERS but I sort expected that Thorne would have negated the need to pull the pace right back at the commencement of this one. I was wrong and kind of wanted to give up early on. In my opinion, majority of the central characters had already been in the spotlight so didn't need additional introductions. Maybe it was done for those who had simply jumped into TSH before reading the first of Belengaria's adventures, I will never know. It dragged for a little anyway.

Once everyone is on planet - shoutout to the blue haired lady, Kaeda and eternal sweetie, Valentin - the tension starts to build and we see that the Gravians have left behind some of their friends (or have they *insert suspenseful music here*). Petra does her thing and saves an unexpectant man from certain death and the intrigue once again descends.

Throughout the first half, the action was a little up and down but fairly enjoyable for the most part. The second half, however, was filled with all the punch and adrenaline I had expected from the get go. Twist, turns and body-stealing demon rocks caused the story to go from 0-100 in 20 pages flat.

As I said earlier, Bel and Petra are back. Once again they are butt-kicking betties and I loved them just as much here as I did in TQW. Newcomers Zander (kind of), Val and Kaeda brought some fresh faces to the story and I wasn't disappointed with the villainy that one of them brings to the piece; I love a good villain, stop judging me for my poor choices. Stone's Heart also saw the inclusion of other members of the Vairian royal family - while one of them was fairly hohum, the other has a fairly minor but pivotal role in the unfolding of events and I really loved that this was utilised to its fullest (#intrigue).

Once again, Thorne writes in such a manner that the story flows seemingly effortlessly, with (the majority of) storylines being tied up into a neat little bow by the end. Plot points not resolved from the previous novel have been addressed, with most coming to a logical conclusion that quieted my analytical little heart. My only question with which I was left was, did the villains take the rock or is it still floating away?

While not quite as fast paced or enthralling as the first in the series, I felt that The Stone's Heart was a fitting end to Bel and Con's tale. The tag line once again promises an 'unputdownable fantasy romance'. In TQW, I would beg to differ as action fills every page. In this next novel, I would tend to agree with relationships taking centre stage moreso than action and adventure. Overall, I give it a 4/5 stars and can not wait to see what Thorne releases in the future.

Starting off where the first book concluded the stone's heart adds Petra's POV which was interesting enough. It depicts the aftermath of the war and the rebuilding, but also a new enemy is rising. This book is very political with a lot of chess pieces in play and I have to say this book was confusing at times. The first half was a bit slow, but the plot picks up near the end.

I feel that there were a lot of things that did not get a proper explanation in the book, which took me out of the story a bit. Also if anyone knows me at all they know my distaste of love triangles... eh no, just no.

All and all a decent sequel to the first book.

I received an ARC copy via NetGalley, my opinions are my own.

While I like the book I didn't find it as good as what I should have.. this isn't what i would call hard hitting fantasy but it is solid

I cannot ever imagine growing tired of this series. So original, so engaging, so brutally fantastic. Thank you, Ms. Thorne for following your muse, and please....may I have some more! I have not enjoyed a book so thoroughly in such a long time, solid in characterization, world building, plot, and craft.

WE WERE PROVIDED WITH THIS TITLE TO REVIEW ON OUR BLOG IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
“An absolutely unputdownable fantasy romance” is maybe not as true of this sequel as it was the first installment. With danger, heartbreak, twists and races against time, everyone is captured by Jessica Thorne’s amazing writing style. And yet, it was let down in a few areas. I have said it before, I’ll say it again, and I’ll never go back on it; a love triangle is not a plot. I found that the triangle between Petra, Teel and Zander was so bland and confusing that it didn’t really add much to the book.

When I found out that ‘The Stone’s Heart’ was going to be set on Petra, I was confused. The guards Captain? Okay then, I can’t blow it off because Sarah J. Maas pulled it off with ‘Tower of Dawn’. But, alas, it was not to be. Now don’t get me wrong, I think that it is great that Petra has her own story, especially with her history with Zander and her history with her father, but I didn’t feel like her story was enough to have a book about. The motivation is very bland, as is the triangle.

Luckily, I did get to read about my favourite characters, Bel, Con and the Anathease guardians. I felt even more connected to them than last time, and it was heart-wrenching to have to go through everything with them and watch them suffer again. I can not fault Jessica Thorne’s writing style, at all.

If I’m being honest, if you want to hear more about Bel and Con, but not so much about Petra, maybe just flick through it so that you can be up to date for the next instalment. It was interesting to read, but not as enthralling as ‘The Queen’s Wing’.

*Note. I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley, so I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Stone's Heart (The Queen's Wing #2) by Jessica Thorne was an action packed adventure story with some twists, danger, and heart-break. A beautifully magical but nerve-wrecking space opera. The only complaint from me was the romance (unfortunately, I just didn't feel it) and sadly another love triangle, which fortunately for me was again handled decently, so I didn't hate it at the end, as it often happens with love triangles.

This book was told from Petra and Bel's POVs, so we returned and saw more of Bel and Con's love, the same time we were introduced more closely to Petra (ex-body guard of Bel and current general of Anthaese) and her ex-boyfriend Zander (Bel's brother and Crown Prince of Vairian) and Teel (you will have to read The Stone's Heart to find out more about him). There was drama, trust issues and hard choices to be made.

Also we learn more about this fascinating world. We could see the rebuilding of Anthaese after the devastating Gravian invasion (which took place in the first book). We had a chance to get lost in the web of new dangers, secrets, magic and emotional roller-coaster, which was this story. So this was an entertaining 4 star read for me.

This jumps us right back into the story after the end of the first. If you have not read the first book one should really begin there.
In the second book we get a new voice along with Bel and it is a refreshing addition. New threats are gained just as old are defeated. Petra is added as the second voice. I had thought it would be Col her fiance but I found having Petra was better. She sounded a bit like Bel as the author didn't do a great job of differentiating the differences in personality but it was still refreshing to see a different POV.
As with the first book you need to hang in there for the first part in order to get to the fast paced action. That happens later in the book. I understand why two POV were needed as the book continued. Bel became quite hard to follow by the end of the book.
A good addition to the series that revolves around politics, marriage, and friendship.

The follow-up to The Queen's Wing centers the story on Petra, Bel's bodyguard who has now been made General, while also having Bel as a second POV. In the aftermath of the Gravian war, Anthaese rebuilding efforts continue, and they are all looking forward to Bel and Con finally being wed; the presence of Bel's older brother Zander adds a complication, though, as he is entangled in Imperial schemes of expansion. Meanwhile, a strange disease is spreading, an ancient myth maybe reawakening and Bel and Petra have to investigate conspiracies regarding the Mecha. Petra's personal conflict stems from her being practically an exile from her own home planet, and her feelings about Zander that threaten to impact her duties.

The book has a lot of plot going on, and several things in play. There are diplomatic complications with Zander's arrival (more about the people that come after him than Zander himself), the rebuilding of a war-torn planet being a distraction for something else to rise, the Rondet and Bel's relationships with this new place she calls home, plot arcs about loyalty and belonging, and the love triangle between Pet, Zander and Teel. Now, it takes a lot of time to build up to those things in a meaningful manner, which makes the first half slow enough that it feels like slogging through. Moreover, I felt at times it was going over some established ruts in the plot, increasing its length unnecessarily.

However, I loved the second half better! It made up for some of the lag, delivering on some built-up tensions, and nicely executing Bel's particular issue. Petra's growth throughout the book is also subtle, where she realizes what she really wants is not to be just a soldier and bring honor to her family name. I did feel, though, that the love triangle had more potential than what it ended up as - Teel definitely felt like an ex to Zander and there were enough hints in place to suggest both of them being bisexual. However, considering that the story about the Imperial conspiracy is barely begun, I have hope that the next book will resolve that in a more satisfactory manner.

Overall, a good sequel that tells the story just as well from another character, but it has a slow first half.

This was one of the most rocking sci-fi thrillers I have read in recent times. Jessica Thorne has done it again. In the first book she had pitched Bel's world against the invaders. In this round, Bel had to face an enemy from the bowels of the earth - the Stoneheart. And there was nobody better than her best friend and her general Petra to help her vanquish it.

Book 1 has to be read to understand this book and to love the characters as I did. Petra had always been a fighter and this time too, she does not disappoint. Her mind and resistance to the power of the Stone was mind blowing. There was a force to her when she came on the scenes in this book. She was both strong and yet so vulnerable to the people she loved and trusted. She had 2 suitors in this story Zander and Teel. It was fun to see a general flustered at the attention. But nothing was ever as it seemed till the very end.

Jessica Thorne has dipped her pen into the ink of valor to write this book. The story had everything fights, action sequences, travel to space, magical beings Rondet who are both humane and crystalline, the evil magical stone wanting blood and power, humans and animals who were made machines, the Mecha, the Empress who wanted to control the world, the mad scientists, sleeping sickness, and more. Whew!! I could barely breathe while reading it all.

Fun books should not have niggles, but this one did, just teeny tiny ones. Few parts like the sleeping sickness were not explained. Some parts felt a bit rushed. Time was spent in explaining the power of the Stoneheart, but the vanquishing was done in a jiffy. I wanted more of the camaraderie between Petra and her soldiers. But they were minor, didn't affect the overall flying pace of the book.

There is a book 3 in waiting, or I should say in writing, and you bet I am eagerly waiting to get to it!!

This sequel managed a very rare thing; it reminded me what happened in the first book without bashing me over the head with exposition. It took barely any time before I was swept back up in the world of Bel, Con, Petra and their old (and new) friends.

It's difficult in a sequel to keep from repeating the same basic story with a few cosmetic changes, but Stone's Heart is a totally different animal to Queen's Wing, and they still fit beautifully together. This series could run for a long time, and I hope it does. I'd love to keep visiting Anthaeus to see what's happening to everyone.


Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.

If you want exquisite torture, stress, tension in your muscles, and a possible heart attack, then this is the book for you!!

This book picks up where The Queen's Wing left off, so please read that one first! This novel alternates between Princess Bel and her guard Petra's point of view, with new villains and a possible romantic plot for Petra.

I cannot get over how stressful this book was to read. I imagine books as having highs and lows, with the highs being the proverbial "good times" and the lows being the major conflict. With that reasoning, this book was one huge low all the way through until the very end. There was so much going on with evil on every side, and nothing ever seemed to let up enough for me or the characters to take a breath! I was so strung out emotionally wanting all of my favorites to be okay. Suffice it to say, I am very invested in this world and these characters, which made this a satisfying read. However, I was on the edge of my seat the whole times with no breaks. I would have appreciated a reprieve every now and then!

I finished this book last night I've been trying to think how best to review this book has the first book The queen's wing was my favorite book of last year I loved its so much I would says its in my top 10 favorite books ever.
So I couldn't wait to read this book what can I say first I did like its was lovely to go back into this world and see what Bel and Col are doing and also see them get married.

I liked Petra in the first book so its was great to get to know better she a strong woman but I wasn't sure about the love triangle with her Zander and Teel I will be honest and say liked Teel more than Zander and I hope if there a 3rd book he is in i found him so interesting and wished he had been in the book more. I would also like to know more about his and Zander history. i'm really hoping there a 3rd book.

I would definitely recommend this book its exciting fast paced but not has good has the first one would but still a enjoyable read.

I received a E-ARC of The Stone's Heart via Netgalley

I just wanna start out and say that this book was amazing! I honestly was not happy about it being told from Petra's perspective but it was honestly amazing the way this book was written. I thought that it was just going to be from Petra's but it is also told in Bel's perspective. I really happy with the way this book was told. I'm not going to say much more because you should read this series. Very good!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2636362511?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

The second book in The Queen's Wing series follows directly from the events of the first book, so do make sure to read The Queen's Wing first, as it really is essential in order to fully enjoy this one.
As the author does not have to do as much world building or character set up this book really does hit the ground running, though we do get some new rather intriguing characters, most notably a delegation from the Imperial Empress arriving to attend the Royal Wedding, between Bel and Con.
The delegation is not the only danger, a mysterious and ancient power seems to have re-awakened, and now a cult is forming that could signal disaster for Bel, Con and the entire planet.
While Bel is one of the two POV characters, I found myself more drawn to the other, Petra Kel, a General in the Queen's guard who finds herself face to face with the one man she loved, Bel's brother Lysander. Despite breaking up with him to protect him, she has never really overcome her feelings, but to complicate matters even further she is also drawn to one of the Empress' delegates, resulting in a dramatic love triangle.
While I did enjoy the book, I felt like the plot got a little lost at times. I also wish the voices of the two POV characters were a little more different, at times they were so similar that I found myself checking the chapter headers.
All that being said, I really enjoyed the book, the author has created a fascinating world, and some really powerful characters, and I look forward to see where she takes the story next.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

The Stone's Heart (The Queen's Wing Series Book 2)
by Jessica Thorne
The Stone’s Heart is the second book in this series, following Jessica Thorne’s The Queen’s Wing. While I loved the first book, Stone’s Heart didn’t compare. It follows Queen Belengaria’s bodyguard Petra Kel in the aftermath of the events of book 1. Now, I liked Petra herself, and (one?) of her love interests, Belengaria’s brother Zander. We find out a little bit more about Petra’s past interactions with the royal family and more about the legacy of her father.
The plot centers on the rise of a cult, aided by an unknown magic uncovered in from the depths of the planet. We are also introduced to more scheming diplomats, this time send by the Empress herself. Amid strange magic and political currents, Petra tries unsuccessfully to ignore her former lover.
Though they were short, I thought the best parts of the book were from Belengaria’s point of view. Her emotions seemed more real than Petra’s rather one-sided character (motivated by the disgrace of her father). The ending was anticlimactic and prominently featured tertiary characters who then disappear. While I would read more about Belengaria, with Petra as a side character, I am disappointed to say that I would not read another book focusing on Petra.
Overall, a sub-par continuation of a great opening to the series. I would possibly read the next book depending on who it is focused on.

The Stone’s Heart by Jessica Thorne is the second book of The Queen’s Wing fantasy series. This is a continuing fantasy read so it is best to begin with the first book of the series, The Queens Wing to be able to fully understand the series with this book picking up after the end of the first.

The story centers around seventeen year old Bel who wanted nothing more than to become a flyer like her older brothers. Born on the fringes of royalty however Bel was still being trained to be a princess much to her dismay. One day Bel managed to talk her governess into letting her take her Wasp out on a flight and while Bel was gone her city was attacked.

The Gravians managed to attack and destroy the majority of the royal family leaving Bel’s father the new king. In order to secure a new alliance in the wake of the attack Bel is betrothed to Con, an Anthaem on another planet. With a new potential husband Bel leaves her home and is immediately the target of numerous attempts on her life during the ongoing fight for power.

This second installment adds onto what was going on in the first book and continue to expand the world giving us a new character voice with Petra along with Bel. I do wish Petra and Bel would have had a bit more difference to their voices but I still think the same with the world in there was plenty of creativity and action. This is definitely a story that is fast paced and entertaining and one I would continue reading.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

I enjoyed this but I didn’t think it was as good as the first book. I couldn’t quite connect with Petra and zander the same way I did with Bel, Con and Shae. It was still a good entertaining read but I think it lacked a spark the first had.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion