I've been really excited about this sequel, especially since I had many questions at the end of Crown of Coral and Pearl. This book took me a second to get into and to re-immerse myself in this world and these characters, but once I did it was a gripping adventure. The storyline was dramatic and the stakes were high with war on the horizon. It had really nice pacing with a great build throughout the story. I loved getting to see more of the world and the different cultures spread across the kingdom of Ilara. We got a few new characters, who ended up being my favorites, and they added another level to Nor's journey. My feelings toward Nor and Talin's romance were lukewarm after book one, and I still feel the same way after finishing this book as well. They just didn't seem to fit together, and I found myself rooting for her to move on to someone new. I did really enjoy the complicated relationship and bond between Nor and King Ceren, who is a great villain, and the whole plot surrounding them was creative and well crafted. I flew through the second half of the book and was mostly satisfied with the way it ended. This sequel did a good job of expanding on the brilliance of the first book's concept, and I think fans of Crown of Coral and Pearl will be pleased.

This follow up to Crown of Coral and Pearl was pretty perfect! I loved how everything turned out and just how much we got to know about this world that I have fallen in love with. I loved all the characters and how the story ended and wrapped up. It was ended up also left open in a way that the author could totally come back and do another story. This one had hints of humor along with the darkness of the story which made it so well rounded. I can not wait to read something else by this author!!

Their mom redeemed herself in this installment and I’m just so happy!

Ceren thinks that love is weakness, but what he doesn’t know, what he couldn’t understand, is that love gives you strength to fight for others without regard for yourself. Love can transcend even fear sometimes.

Because this is a sequel, my perdicament is how much can I reveal without giving away any big secrets or spoilers… Well, we still follow Nor, only this one introduces so many more characters and more of this incredible world Mara has created! Honestly, I would love to be a Galethian!

The group now goes on a journey, learning more about themselves and each other on the way. Mara has left so many new characters open for their own stories. I’d even love to read more about Nor’s next big adventure, as I’m sure there will be one, or whatever trouble she gets herself into.

“My girl, take heart. No journey worth taking was ever easy.”

What I can say is that I loved this sequel, they world felt real and I wished I had a sister like Nor. This reminds me of fantastical worlds, with magic and diversity, as well as relateability! Mara will go on my auto-buy author list after this duology…

I had a lot of problems with this book. While I didn't love the first, I did find the story both original and enjoyable. However, my lack of enthusiasm ultimately meant that I had a hard time remembering much of what happened in the first and almost immediately felt lost in the story Regardless, issues I had with the first, immediately became evident (and more pronounced) in this book. First of all, the world building (the actual part of the first book that was interesting-at least in the first half) was pretty nondescript, to the point where the story itself was affected. Without understanding the world that I was reading, it became hard to stay interested in the characters. The love story, which I felt was way too obvious, convenient and boring in the first, continued in the same vein and as a central theme throughout, I found myself really tuning it, and anything to do with it, out. In addition, I felt like the author's decision to make the MC struggle with her feelings was her way of creating excitement, but it seemed more contrived than anything. In fact, the way in which the MC handles the love story piece in both of these books really turned me off because she came off as pretty cold. The ending was less than satisfying, although it certainly wrapped everything up. While I did not have huge expectations for this sequel, I was ultimately still disappointed.

Nor has returned to her ocean village after trading places with her twin sister to go marry the future king, Ceren. Her return is short lived when the king’s brother, and her boyfriend, Talin arrives. Prince Ceren survived the knife wound that Nor thought killed him. He not only survived, but he’s now more powerful than ever. Nor, Talin, and her twin sister Zadie have to travel to find allies to fight against Ceren.

This was one of my most highly anticipated books of the year. I loved the first novel. This one moved away from the first story, since most of that tension in that book was from Nor going to the city to marry the prince. That book ended with a bang, with Nor attacking Ceren to escape, but that turned out not to be what it seemed since he survived the fatal blow.

This story had steady pacing all the way through. There weren’t many heart pounding moments until the end. I think this steady pacing was because most of the characters got what they wanted, or what they expected. There weren’t many twists like there were in the first novel.

I really enjoyed this story. I’m excited to see what Mara Rutherford writes next!

Thank you Inkyard Press for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

this was another great book from Ms. Rutherford, I had enjoyed the first book and this had what I was looking for in this sequel. I look forward to more from the author.

Crown of Coral and Pearl was one of my favorite books that I read last year, I was super excited to get a chance to read an ARC of this before getting a physical copy in my hands.

**minor spoilers ahead**
At the beginning of this book, we follow Nor directly after the events in the last book, just a recap- Nor tried to kill Prince Ceren after he was holding her captive, bleeding her and drinking her blood for the healing properties caused by the blood coral. When Nor reaches safety, and the shore, she runs into her twin sister Zadie who informs her that Sami, their childhood friend, had been banished in the middle of the ocean after the villagers were angry with him for supposedly conspiring with Nor, whom the villagers think tried to kill Zadie and take her place at the palace. And as a result of Nor being at the palace and a prisoner, the village has been rationing food and water after it had been cut off by the kingdom.

With Nor home, her mission is to set things right until the Woman-King is on the throne. Her mission is to find Sami, but before she can even set out, things become complicated when Talin, the prince's half-brother and her almost-boyfriend, visit her village to warn her of some troubling news.

Any more than that and I will spoil the rest of the book.
If you were disappointed in the lack of magic in the first book then say no more, in the sequel we have a witch that helps Nor to practice blood magic. There are lots of travel and adventure scenes, politics, new characters, difficult struggles, a war ready to spill over, and a formidable foe to defeat.

And through this all Nor is amazing. She is easily one of my favorite YA characters. Her strength and bravery make me envious, but she just a super relatable character even though our circumstances are incredibly different. Oh, and the romance between her and Talin is very much simmering away, I really enjoyed it, although at times it was a little frustrating.

I actually liked the villain in this novel, Prince Ceren, I think he was incredibly well done and such an interesting character, especially with the addition of the myths and blood magic.

Although this was a really great novel, it was well-paced with tender moments and really fast-paced and heart-pounding moments, I didn’t love it as much as the first novel. I still got all the same feels and vibes as I did from the first and still really love this series as a whole, I just think the ending was a little weak and much slower paced than I would’ve liked. I think the author may have struggled to find a way to end the series after such a huge battle scene.

4-4.5 stars.

I still highly recommend the series as a whole, especially if you are looking for a book with a strong female lead and a great sister relationship.

**ARC provided by Inkyard Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Initial Thoughts

I really enjoyed Crown of Coral and Pearl when I read it last year. It was one of the first books I was approved for in NetGalley and I actually met Mara Rutherford at BookCon last year. When I read Crown of Coral and Pearl, the sequel had not been announced so one of the things I wanted to see was a sequel. I’m so glad I got it!

Some Things I Liked

New setting. While I loved the watery setting of Crown of Coral and Pearl, I welcomed the change in Kingdom of Sea and Stone. I really enjoyed exploring more of the world described in the first book.
New side characters. Again, another welcome addition. I loved Roan and was really hoping for more of him. But, that being said, I think there are several characters in this series that could merit their own spin-off stories.
Character growth and unsureness. I loved Nor’s development throughout the story. Particularly, I loved seeing how she was unsure of what she wanted. I loved that this story promoted the message that it’s totally ok to be unsure of the future and what you want.

One Thing I Wasn’t Crazy About

While I welcomed the introduction of new characters and the new settings, they felt a bit rushed. I wanted to get to know these additions to the story more and I felt that this could have been a better trilogy than duology. It would have given the author more time to flesh out the story.

Series Value

I was so bummed after reading Crown of Coral and Pearl and not knowing if there would be a sequel. I’m so glad there ended up being one. Furthermore, I really loved the side characters in this series and would love to see more of their adventures.

Lastly, I love Mara Rutherford’s writing. I would definitely keep reading her books in the future.

Final Thoughts

I really enjoyed this book. I think it was an excellent follow up to a debut novel with a unique setting and dynamic characters.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Recommendations for Further Reading

The Princess in the Opal Mask by Jenny Lundquist – if you enjoyed the idea of a duology, twins, and a fight for the throne, try this series.
Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian – if you enjoyed the idea of a tyrant king and a main character who would stop at nothing to stop him, try this finished trilogy.
The Kinder Poison by Natalie Mae – if you liked the idea of a troubled villain who you can almost feel sorry for (and dare I say it, but, almost root for), try this new release.

This book was almost a solid follow-up to Crown of Coral and Pearl (I rated book one 4 stars and this one 3). It was nice to be immersed in this world again. I have to say, though, I’m a little disappointed, but we’ll get to that in a minute. First:

Some good things

- Fast-paced read
- Interesting world-building (though not as good as book one)
- Roan – honestly he was more exciting than Talin
- Titania the horse – love a good animal companion
- Nor’s struggle with what she wants (vs what Talin wants)

This book was pretty quick and easy to get through and held my attention most of the time.

Some not so great things

The plot felt pretty weak. There’s a lot going on, but not enough time give everything what it deserves. None of the BIG THINGS feel very big. There aren’t a whole lot of twists happening and the war in general falls flat. Slowing down and really delving into the politics of what’s going on (plus the people. There was a focus on politics here, but not really in reference to real people) and how it affects Nor would make this a lot more interesting to read.

One of two things would have made this series stronger as a whole. First, a stronger, more satisfying ending to book one and leave it at that. A lot of what was happening here just wasn’t very solid. However, honestly, as strange as it sounds, I really think this duology could have benefited from slowing things down and making it a trilogy. The relationship between Nor, Talin, and Ceren feels veeeery Red Queen. And even though I didn’t love the Red Queen series past book one, I can admit that Mare’s complicated relationship with Maven specifically was really well done and left a lot of people loving it. I feel like there wasn’t time—or even if there was, Rutherford didn’t utilize that time well—to really connect with all of the characters and their relationships. There was just the barest hint at humanity from Ceren between the two books and I think with a bit more depth, Nor and Ceren’s relationship could have been even better. By the end of this book (which, I will say, I am not a fan of Ceren’s ending), we’re supposed to believe (I think) that Ceren actually has some semblance of feelings for Nor? And I am just not seeing it. OH. And their weird Darkling-esque connection just did not make sense to me.

Which brings me to another point: the magic was not well thought out and executed. I’m find with just being told magic exists and that being that, but here it just did not work. I loved the more subtle version of magic in book one, with the coral and pearls, but in this one, with the addition of the bloodstones and especially the blood magic, it was just too much and I have a hard time believing it.

Overall, the first book was enjoyable. This book held my attention, but just was not well executed. I would read Mara Rutherford again, but I wouldn’t rank this among my favorites.

Kingdom of Sea and Stone is the second (and last) novel in Mara Rutherford's Crown of Coral and Pearl Duology. I remember when the first book hit the shelves – people went crazy for it. Now, it's time to see how Nor's story comes to an end.

Not too long ago, Nor found herself trading roles with her twin sister, taking her place as betrothed. What followed was more dangerous than Nor could have ever prepared for. It changed her life forever, as well as the lives of everyone else around her.

She thought that she had won, that the story was over. She was wrong, on both counts. Nor must once again step up to protect those she loves, all while trying to help hold the kingdom together. Even despite all the pain the kingdom and the people within have caused.

“I knew it would only weigh him down, and we were all struggling to stay afloat these days.”

Whew. I thought Crown of Coral and Pearl was a whirlwind of a read, but then I dove into Kingdom of Sea and Stone! Now that is a rush! Nor's journey has doubled in size, leaving behind lives and hearts touched all over the kingdom.

What I truly love about this duology is the leading heroine herself. She's allowed to be human. She gets scared. She certainly gets angry, and she isn't afraid to love, or to let compassion rule her. She's all the good in the world that those around her should be embracing. It makes everything that happens in this novel so much more powerful, because how can you not root for somebody like Nor?

Now, let's talk about that description! Was anybody surprised about that whole “an old enemy resurfaces” line? Because I know I wasn't! I'll admit that it increased my anticipation (and fear) a bit more though, waiting to see how things would turn out this time around.

It was better than I could have dreamed up on my own, I can tell you that much. Mara Rutherford has an excellent grasp of poetic justice, meting out everything the heroes and villains deserve, just not in the way they would expect (or ask for). In my mind, that seemed to make it fit all the better.

There's more politics in this novel (at least, it seemed like there was more), with differing perspectives on the kingdom coming to light. It made for a fascinating read, one that I almost didn't want to see come to an end.

Likewise, the people in this novel! New secondary characters were introduced, and honestly? There were some that could have carried a novel in their own rights. I doubt that there will be a spinoff series, but I wouldn't complain if there was.

All things considered, I seriously enjoyed Kingdom of Sea and Stone. It was every bit the conclusion this duology needed, even if I didn't actually want to see it end. I just took a peek at what Mara Rutherford is currently working on, and guys! It's about a witch in hiding. Say no more, because I'm all in for that! Cannot wait.

I have to say one of my favorite things about a book series is when the second book ends up being my favorite. That is the case with Kingdom of Sea and Stone!

I’ve already fallen in love with the world that Mara built – it’s unique and enthralling. I already know that the main character Nor is awesome – and we already have that little romance between her and Talin established. So it’s a great time to settle in and enjoy what the characters have coming their way.

And what they have coming is what I never knew I wanted to read in a book based around the sea. Horses! And not only horses… but amazing horses. And a whole people and world that you want to sit and spend time in. There are new layers added to the world that are fulfilling – new characters are introduced, new friendships formed, as well as new challenges.

This is a book that I immediately want to re-read after finishing it. I can’t wait for a third book. Mara’s world building, characters, and journey continue to be a huge highlight. I was in a bit of a book slump until I picked this up and ended up staying up late night after night to read more and more.

Fan’s of Mara and newcomers to the series will not be disappointed in this book!

The mystery of the title had me joining the blog tour for this book after the publisher contacted me. I have enjoyed all the other titles I have reviewed from them so far.

The title sounded mysterious and the setting is a magical sea kingdom in which two twin sisters, Nor and Zadie, live.

This is a sequel and I have not reviewed the first book. However, I felt interested in the story and was captivated by the worldbuilding and the twins' bond. Any book with twins in it has me wanting to have it in my Kindle library since I was a twin, too and I am fascinated with the relationship between twins.

The Kingdom of Sea and Stone is a must-read if you like fantasy, great worldbuilding as well as sisterly bonds and the bond between twins. There are political problems in the world, too.

All this combined makes for an absorbing adventure. The characters are well fleshed-out and the author obviously has a gift for showing relationships and bonds in an enthralling and unique world.

Thanks to Mara Rutherford and Inkyard Press for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

I am looking forward to catching up on the parts I missed from the series in book so I can fill myself in on the background, although I felt I knew the characters well by the end of book 2.

I loved this finish to the duology and I was sad to know that it was the end. I loved Nor in book one and even more so in book two. I also loved the complexity of the supporting characters and felt they were all very well developed. The only thing that bothered me about the book was the relationship between Nor and Talin, I get that the author was trying to create some tension with it but I'm just weary of that. I thought it ended well though and overall I was okay with it. In the end I loved this book, though the first one was better, and I will miss these characters and this world.

I read the first book last year as an ARC and really enjoyed it, so I was excited to see the sequel as well!

As with the first book, I think some of the strong suits of this book is definitely the writing style and the world building. The first book was written as a standalone at first with the potential for a sequel, so a lot of aspects were fleshed out pretty well. For example, the characters are well developed by the end of the first book, but their relationships get explored more in the sequel. Not just romantic relationships, but friendships, familial and even political relationships as well. I liked the addition of characters such as Roan, Adriel, and Yana. Also, the word is pretty solidly built in the first book, but in Kingdom of Sea and Stone, we get to explore new parts of the world that weren’t in the first book, and it was really interesting.

The writing style is probably what mostly kept me interested in this book because along with the world-building, Mara Rutherford manages to create really distinct atmospheres between the different regions of the world. The writing is definitely a strong suit of the novel because information about the characters and the world was conveyed clearly without info-dumping, and the words flowed off the pages very easily.

I think the only thing that made me lose interest in the book was the plot and the pacing. This entire book could be summed up as: travel, meet and get to know some new characters, more travel, and then war and a disappointing ending. similarly with the first book, the pacing is quite slow until around 80% of the novel, but this could be more of a "me" issue since i'm not really fold of books with a lot of travel and slow build-up

final rating: 3.5 stars

After the way A CROWN OF CORAL AND PEARL ended I could not wait for the sequel in this duo-logy! ⁣
⁣
I don’t want to give anything away so I’ll stay away from spoilers but I was glad there was an additional love interest thrown in this one for Nor! ⁣
⁣
I really liked Talin in the first one, but for some reason I was just not rooting for him this time around! ⁣
⁣
Nor continues to be a strong lead even though she feels lost and uncertain of her future. ⁣
⁣
I did enjoy this so I could get some closure from the first novel! However I was a little disappointed with the ending. ⁣
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Thank you @inkyardpress for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! Publishes October 6th! ⁣

This was a solid follow-up book. It appears this is just a duology, which is fine. Not every series needs to be a trilogy or longer. But I can't say I loved it. It took a minute to remember everything from the end of the first book, so I wouldn't have minded a bit more of a refresher/recap at the beginning. The plot was fine, though I wouldn't say anything was too surprising or original. However, I really ended up loving the new characters that were introduced and was really hoping for a new relationship to start between the MC and a new character. Overall, it was a solid wrap-up, but nothing spectacular.

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Kingdom of Sea and Stone

Author: Mara Rutherford

Book Series: Crown of Coral and Pearl Book 2

Rating: 3/5

Recommended For...: fantasy, political intrigue, romance

Publication Date: October 6, 2020

Genre: YA Fantasy

Recommended Age: 16+ (romance, slight violence and gore, war)

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Pages: 368

Synopsis: Ever since Nor was forced to go to a nearby kingdom in her sister’s place, she’s wanted nothing more than to return to the place and people she loves. But when her wish comes true, she soon finds herself cast out from both worlds, with a war on the horizon.

As an old enemy resurfaces more powerful than ever, Nor will have to keep the kingdom from falling apart with the help of Prince Talin and Nor’s twin sister, Zadie. There are forces within the world more mysterious than any of them ever guessed—and they’ll need to stay alive long enough to conquer them…

Review: Overall, this was an ok book. The book did well to keep the world building up and the book gave me a conclusion to this series, which I kinda wanted to know from the get go.

However, this book plot was more “will they? Won’t they?” than the stuff I cared about from the first book. The book went hardcore ya cliché in this one, which isn’t a bad thing but definitely isn’t for me. The characters, I feel, weren’t that well developed in this one from the first book, and the pacing was so so slow for me.

Verdict: It’s not for me, but it’s still a good duology.

I read this for a blog tour.

I recommend reading Crown of Coral and Pearl first as this follows pretty much straight on from the events of the first half of this duology.

Nor and her sister Zadie are finally reunited but the threat of war looms, and together with their friends they must find a way to save their people and the kingdom.

The plot whizzes along, pulling you in its wake, as the twins and their friends travel across the country seeking allies against the despotic prince who is determined to hold everyone in his thrall.

I liked how Nor's character continued to develop and grow as she met new people and learnt more about her world, her friendships with new people and her determination to save the people around her makes her a fascinating and likeable protagonist.

I think the two books are just long enough to sustain the narrative and another would be too much, as the ending leaves you hopeful for the kingdom (and Nor's) future.

Writing:
Like the first novel, Kingdom of Sea and Stone was a delight to read. I found the writing style straightforward and engaging. Rutherford describes scenes well without weighing the narrative down with too many descriptions. I liked how I could read both books (Crown of Coral and Pearl and Kingdom of Sea and Stone) in a single sitting.

Characters:
First and foremost, this novel is solely told in first POV of Nor and I appreciated Nor’s character growth depicted here. As we journey through the story we witness as she takes action and courage whilst remaining the same empathetic and kind-hearted she was in the first book. This book takes a shift and explores themes such as freedom, purpose, and love.

However, akin to the first book I found Nor’s internal struggle to take centre stage (romance in the first book and self-discovery in the second). I appreciate it when books explore a characters internal struggle, however, I found the increased focus on that aspect to downplay other aspects (such as the war, etc.) in the book thereby affecting the pacing. Despite it being slower paced, I appreciate how this book went into great length into Nor’s journey both physically and mentally.

Also, one major aspect I loved in the first book was the twin’s relationship. I adored their strong love for each other and I rejoiced to see them reunite here. Luckily, we get to witness more of Zadie and her interactions with Nor (as well as Zadie/Nor/Sami but the three best friend dynamic wasn’t as depicted as I would’ve liked it). I liked how

There were few recurring characters and some new faces. I quickly grew fond to a few of the new characters and liked how they spiced the story up. There were hidden agendas, unclear motivations, and unexpected twists and I was here for all of them.

Romance:
Whilst some may disagree with me, stating the romance was lacking in comparison to the predecessor, I preferred the romantic resolution presented in this novel. Perhaps I wasn’t as invested in the romance due to it being a little too convenient for me in the first book. However, I did get frustrated at some parts of the book where I feel that a simple straightforward conversation would’ve prevented certain situations but hey, I did enjoy the drama of it all so… Anyway, I can’t complain with how the romance ended (but mind you some may find it lacking).

Setting & World-Building:
I liked how this book explores further than Varenia and Ilara, journeying to a land named Galeth. Rutherford described the scenery well, incorporating little details of the land and culture throughout the story which helped grounded me into this fantastical world. Galeth was refreshingly different to Varenia in various ways (ruling, customs, expectations, etc.). I initially fell in love with how Rutherford depicted Varenia so exploring different lands was quite fun (though I missed the sea).

Overall, this was a pleasant conclusion to the highly anticipated sequel. There is a different shift in terms of pacing and themes compared to the previous book and I did enjoy the thoughtfulness and depth that went behind it all. Be prepared to meet new faces, see new places, and a fun ride!

Recommend for: fans of YA fantasy with political intrigue, character growth depicted in first POV

CW: violence, death

This is the second book in a duology, the first one was “Crown of Coral and Pearl”, an excellent novel.
I liked this one and found it both gripping and entertaining but somehow it lacks the excitement of the first one.
We get to know better the characters and I can say the author did an excellent job with the character development. All of them are fleshed out and interesting and I loved the relationship between Nor and Zadie. The villain of the story was really interesting.
The author is a good storyteller and the fast paced plot flows keeping you hooked till the end. The end was satisfying but it seems to leave space for other books.
I loved the world building and we travel to different and fascinating places.
It’s an entertaining and engrossing read that I recommend.
Many thanks to Inkyard Press and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.