Oh, I loved reading this book! I had a really great time reading the first, and I loved going back into this world and spending this time with these characters! I was very appreciative of the little summary of the events of the last book, because my memory is poor, and a lot happened. And this world is so very complicated!

Raine is torn-she doesn't want the power, but she keeps using it, because she does have it. Reading this book that is teaching her more, along with the encouragement of the Queen of Feathers who is still a mystery, alongside dreams of various tyrants who got taken down? I don't know how it's going to resolve but I can't wait to find out!

The fact that Ovitus comes back, engaged to their overload's daughter, that was pretty frustrating, given how much he had, how little he had to work for it, and how little she had and how much she had to work for it, especially with his lie that they'd slept together, which is a constant whisper in her head, causing her to be hesitant in what she actually wants, because of what she's thinking other people will think of it.

But that end, and that reveal? That was so epic, and so awful, and I need to know how they're going to deal with it all! Because the depth of what happened, and the consequences to come and have already happened? Words cannot describe how much I want to read the 3rd and final book right now!

Loved reading this book and I can't wait to finish out this series!

Ahoy there mateys! This is the second book in The Redwinter Chronicles.  I started this book in October 2023 and tried to finish it at least five times.  I stopped at 47%.  The major issue was the plot.  What I enjoyed about book one was Raine and how seeing the dead impacted her life.  In the part I read of this novel, the focus was on factions of the Draoihn and politics.  The politics were boring to me and I was getting the bad guy characters confused.  Raine was behaving badly in all regards.  She got on my nerves.  There was relationship / lust drama in a bi-sexual love triangle.  I wanted to finish this given how much I liked the first book.  Alas.  This also has mostly four and five star reviews so I am again in the minority. Arrrr!

Daughter of Redwinter was one of my favourite reads when it came out, and Traitor of Redwinter was also a delight. Much as with Daughter, I wasn't sure I'd like it at first -- Raine is really going through it, self-hating, doing so many things unconsciously to ruin herself, drugs and drink and gambling and hurting the people who are in love with her. And as with Daughter, it paid off beautifully. I care so much about these characters, and I want Raine to find happiness at the end of the next book, no matter what.

I also really, really ship this triad. Pleaaase this disaster bisexual love triangle has all the hallmarks of something ending for a three-person relationship and I desperately hope it ends there. And I think it will but, uh, the Redwinter series is not afraid to kill characters off, so I am pretty breathlessly waiting for resolution.

Can't wait to read more!

Coming back into McDonald's world, wasn't what I hoped for. TRAITOR OF REDWINTER was difficult to finish for me. I wanted so much to love this book, but I couldn't connect and re-enter this story. I loved book one and maybe should have re-read it before I dived into this.

Traitor of Redwinter, by Ed McDonald, easily wins my pick for best book cover of the year, but the contents of its pages are more contested. The sequel to a standout first book, Daughter of Redwinter, Traitor picks up our story after all the kerfuffle in book one with Raine now accepted at the pseudo-magical school, Redwinter, and studying to open the four gates of magic to understand the mysteries of the world better. If you liked the first book, there is a lot more of that signature McDonald fantasy/horror blend with some fabulous set pieces. While there was a ton of content that I loved in Traitor, there were some identity issues that kept the book from surging up our picks for Best of 2023.

The foundation of this book is very solid. The mysteries of the world are intriguing and demand to be investigated. In book two we get to see Raine spend time with a larger field of mentors and peers, and all of them bring new and interesting perspectives to the table. The headmaster of Redwinter, who is utterly terrifying, is particularly fabulous and every chapter Raine spent with her was a light in the dark guiding me forward like a beacon through the book.

The antagonists of this series are some of the most hateable and punchable people I have read. They evoke a visceral reaction in me as a reader and I just want to see them die. They are clear allegories for common villains in real life and watching them get their comeuppance itched a schadenfreude I didn’t know I had. They make the book feel very contextually relevant to the current era, despite the old-timey fantasy content, which is delightful. On top of this the plot, in broad strokes (I will talk about pacing soon…), is really captivating. I need to know what happens next and McDonald’s story has its hooks in me deep.

But, some of those hooks were also yanked out of my flesh painfully by a number of issues that plagued Traitor of Redwinter. The most obvious one is the stalling character development of Raine. Raine went through a lot in book one and had a nice clear arc to accompany the trauma. Book two has a less clear direction that feels a lot more like ‘wait and find out’ as mysteries come to the cast. The twists and turns are exciting, but Raine feels like she is treading water character-wise a lot of the book and it can make her frustrating.

The pacing is also all over the place, and the ambiance can’t seem to pick a lane. The first third of the book reads like a fact-finding spy story with a team of elite warriors on an intense mission. The second third of the book reads like the cut episodes of a teen drama that the editing team decided didn’t quite work. The last third of the book is a horrifying war story that moves as fast as a plummet to hell. All of this results in a book that had a ton of interesting moments I really liked but I don’t really understand as a cohesive story.

Overall, I still liked Traitor of Redwinter, and I plan on continuing the series when the third book comes out. Yet, I can’t help but feel like I witnessed an impressive gymnast routine that was plagued by fumbles ultimately resulting in frustration. I can see the potential of something incredible here, but the execution needed a little work before the competitor earned a 10.

Rating: Traitor of Redwinter – 7.5/10
-Andrew

In Daughter of Redwinter, we follow Raine, a girl with the power to see the dead, who lives in a world where such power is seen as profane and the punishment for it is death. Raine gets swept up in the struggle between Draoihn, powerful magic users and the forces of darkness bent on destroying the world. It is clear that Raine has a part to play in a much bigger game.

From the beginning of the book 2, I felt that the author’s choice to do a small time jump didn’t work as Raine, underwent a lot of changes during the period we don’t see and the author is forced to tell us about them rather than show us how she has changed. I always feel that showing is better than just telling in a story.

Furthermore, the pacing of book 2 was not as good as book 1. Whereas in book 1 there was a constant sense of tension and suspense which made it hard to put the book down, in book 2 there were moments of high intensity followed by plot lines that just dragged on. It took me a while to finish this book, because every time I put it down I didn’t really want to pick it back up. Lastly, I felt that the world building was poorly done. We don’t really get a good understanding of who the major villains of the story are so to speak. The author refers to personages that the characters are clearly familiar with from the world’s history, but they are never well explained to the readers.

Overall, I was very disappointed with Traitor of Redwinter. Middle books in trilogies are always hard to execute well, but there were too many things in this book that needed to be improved on. Unfortunately, I think I have completely lost interest in this series and will not be picking up book 3.

What is a sequel that you are waiting for? I have many but "Traitor of Redwinter" by Ed McDonald was up there.

Sooo things are sort of good for Raine (at the start) of this book. She is an apprentice, got a sweet bow, and is learning to control her abilities. Cept some of those abilities are called Soul Reaper, come from a book of questionable origins, and are encouraged by a person only she can see, but that's not a big deal right? Meanwhile a conflict is brewing from the north, Ulovar's health is failing, and the Grandmaster has taken an interest in Raine for her own ends. Oh and the worst person comes back to town with a bit of a glow up.

Thank you Tor, NetGalley, and Ed McDonald for the arc.

Reasons to read:
-Find out more about some people's backstories
-Ugggh having to choose between two hot people who treat you well
-Enjoy a nice 'cut loose' moment
-It definitely escalated
-Really cool use of magic to get some vengeance

Cons:
-Ed you made me distrust a (spoilers)
-HE CAN'T KEEP GETTING AWAY WITH THIS

This is my first book I have read in this series and McDonald does a good job providing an overview in the beginning of the story. This was an entertaining story with well-developed characters and packed with action.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

While I enjoyed the book overall and plan to read the next book in the series, there was a whole lot of self-loathing and angst over relationships in this book. That really wasn't what I was expecting of hoping for in the story. There was some more story development, new characters, and new areas of the world brought to light, but overall it was kind of teenage angst-y.

A sequel I never knew I needed! Gave me closure on some of the lingering questions I had but more importantly, gave the story a full circle. Could've worked better on transitions though, I felt dizzy on some of the plot dumps

«Traitor of Redwinter» de Ed McDonald es una notable secuela con bastante más ritmo que su primera entrega.

Una aventura en sí misma que no da sensacion de ser un segundo libro. Para el tercero queda explotar de manera definitiva el aspecto mágico que ya deja detalles super chulos en esta.

Me siguen sobrando las partes más estándar de las aventuras juveniles "joven encerrado/a en lugar del que no puede salir" pero las tramas de esta segunda novela son mucho mas interesantes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Books for the ARC of this book!

This is the second book in The Redwinter Chronicles and is filled with even more necromancy and bi-panic than book one.

I love that this book focuses as much on the characters as it does on the overall plot. The interpersonal relationships we see with Raine and others at Redwinter is so relatable and honestly helped heal a younger version of me. Of course the politics and magic are ramp up in this book as well. I don't want to say much more because of spoilers but I loved where this book took us and I can't wait for the third. I was teary-eyed and screaming at the book for the last 100 pages.

This book is amazing! I loved the first one, and this was just as good. So many shocking moments and reveals. And I loved the character growth. I can't decide if I want Raine to end up with Sanvaunt, or Esher. I love both of them! I might just have to reread both before the next one. They are that good!

I genuinely love when a highly anticipated sequel blows me away just as much as the previous installment did! Just as with Daughter of Redwinter, Traitor of Redwinter will be making it on to my Best Books of 2023 list because I absolutely loved it. This book did not suffer from the dreaded ‘middle book syndrome’ and proved to be just as engagingly plotted as the first and it left me reading late into the night.
Raine, who was first introduced to us as a fearful and lonely young woman trying to escape a demon attack, is now an apprentice of the Draoihn at Redwinter. She’s accessed the First Gate, she’s made friends with the other apprentices, and she’s even garnered some renown for slaying a traitorous Draoihn of the Fourth Gate. These successes and the semblance of stability Raine now has don’t change the fact that she fears the discovery of her other abilities. Raine can access the forbidden Sixth Gate, which is essentially the gate of death and gives some incredibly powerful abilities that would see her killed if discovered.
Because of her fear of discovery and the guilt she feels for having killed with her power, Raine begins to pull away from her friends because she knows she’s turning into a monster. It’s actually quite sad to see Sanvaunt, Liara, and Esher continually reach out to her while she makes excuses and drinks away the memories and guilt. Raine really hates herself and somewhat understandably doesn’t want to drag those she cares about down with her when she feels that discovery is inevitable. Couple this with the fact that Ulover is weakening and Ovitus has returned from Brannlant with a beautiful new bride and an unsettling new confidence and you’ve got a recipe for disaster brewing.
Yes, this installment is full of emotional turmoil and harmful coping mechanisms, but it's also full of persistent friendship, death magic, and political turmoil, which I love even more than emotional turmoil. There are also some way cool battle scenes where Raine gets to show off some of that magic she’s secretly been learning about from the Ashtai grimoire. All in all, Traitor of Redwinter was another incredible installment into what is turning out to be one of my favorite new fantasy series. I can’t wait to get my hands on the third book after that ending, which seems to have opened up a whole new layer of the world!

This series is very much my type of all vibes read.
Overall there's a few small issues I have, like the language sometimes doesn't seem to fit the setting. And Raine being so young makes me slightly uncomfortable with some of the content. In terms of the big mystery of this book I did guess it quite early, but that might just be bc I know how these stories go.

Overall tho I thoroughly enjoyed myself with this book. I love the intrigues and characters as well as the interpersonal relationships and it was definitely a book I binged (as an ebook, which doesn't happen often)

I'll write a more detailed review probably later this week, but I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed this book. After the mystery & action scenes in the first few chapters, the book dragged a bit. But the tension started build up nicely and, once things got going, I literally could not put this book down.

4.5 stars, rounding up to 5.

Added November 1, 2023 - My full review:
:
I'm a huge fan of stories told in the first-person perspective. I love that they're written as if the main character is telling their story to me. I especially like it when the character has a few things to learn either through youth or inexperience because then I get to learn about their world as they learn it.

It's so immersive and, because I'm literally inside their heads as the story unfolds, I'm privy to their most private thoughts and emotions as things progress. I might not agree with decisions they make, which could be foolish or even idiotic, but I understand and accept those choices, even support them because I understand how they came to those decisions.

So, if I don't like the narrator or (worse) if I hate their choices, it's tough to enjoy a first person POV book. But I loved Raine from the very first pages of Daughter of Redwinter. Ed McDonald brought a flawed, 17 year old girl with a terrible secret in that book to life in a way that made her easy to relate to. The way she talks and thinks was realistic and her interactions with the people around her felt so real.

There's no shortage of examples of "men writing women badly" in fiction in general and, in speculative fiction in particular. So, I was amazed by how well Ed McDonald wrote Raine in Daughter of Redwinter. It was a book that I literally could not put down not only because of the great protagonist, Raine, but also because of her "found family" and the great action. I also loved learning about the magical world of the Draoihn (mages) and the terrifying power they can wield.

I was a bit nervous that I might not like Traitor of Redwinter as much, but I needn't have worried. I loved it. I literally could not put this book down.

Highly recommended for fans of "found" families, magic schools and dark fantasy stories with kick ass female protagonists. If you liked Daughter of Redwinter, I think you like Traitor of Redwinter just as much (if not more).

A note about the audiobook: I loved this story so much I got the audiobook: Samara McLaren did a phenomenal job bringing Ed McDonald's book to life. I could listen to her read the phone book. Kudos to both the author and narrator for giving me such a wonderful listen.

4.5 stars

I LOVED this book, it was such a strong sequel and I cannot wait for the next one. It's very quickly becoming a favourite fantasy series of mine.

I loved that we got to explore so much more of Raine and while her self-consciousness and nativity did get on my nerves at times, it was nice to see her start to grow and stop caring what others thought. I'm excited to see where her character goes and see her development. I love her powers and the magic system in these books, its just done so well and is so much fun to read!

The romance was done so well and I really enjoyed it, but at times felt it was a bit out of place at times. Especially with the war going on.

This book solidified my hatred for Ovitus, that man is such a POS and just keeps getting worse, I want to see him rot in hell. There were so many things he did and said that got my blood boiling and enraged me.

4.5/5 - Thanks to Netgalley and Tor for the eARC. It's a little late because I just HAD to get the audiobook. I adore the narrator. This is an honest review.

In the second installment of the Chronicles of Redwinter by Ed McDonald, readers are back into a tumultuous world brimming with political intrigue and a complex young protagonist struggling to grapple with her abilities. Raine finds herself contending with the daunting influence of the Sixth Gate, navigating a path fraught with challenges and difficult choices that put her friendships and loyalties to the test. And I just want to shake her for her terrible actions and decisions through the first 80% of the book.

McDonald weaves a narrative of both inner turmoil and external threats. There is a vivid discussion of Raine's internal struggle as she battles depression and self-hatred by sabotaging herself over and over and over. Wrestling with the repercussions of her (terrible) decisions, Raine's journey is marked by moments of despair and introspection, effectively capturing the intricacies of depression and its impact on one's actions and relationships. But oof, it is often frustrating. The author deftly orchestrates a crescendo of tension and suspense, leading to a gripping climax that serves as a testament to McDonald's narrative prowess. All of that frustration is worthwhile in the end. Raine's evolution, characterized by a palpable sense of emotional reawakening and the resurgence of her suppressed feelings, adds a layer of depth to the storyline, immersing readers in her tumultuous emotional landscape. Masterfully done.

Amidst the multifaceted plot, McDonald introduces a compelling array of political machinations, fueling a sense of foreboding and treachery that permeates the story. Raine's struggles are compounded by the conflicting allegiances and the shadowy motives of those around her, culminating in a series of unexpected twists and revelations that heighten the intensity. Ovitus is the worst and I continue to despise him.

While this novel, unlike the first, occasionally grapples with the portrayal of the female experience, particularly in Raine's depiction, McDonald's exploration of her youth and emotional vulnerability lends insight into her often tumultuous decision-making process. The complexity of her character, though frustrating, ultimately adds a layer of authenticity to her portrayal, contributing to the overall depth of the narrative.

I am eagerly anticipating the next chapter in Raine's compelling saga and have no idea where this story will go in the future (in the best way)! PLEASE give us an OT3, Ed!

I thought I could go into Traitor of Redwinter and just start reading it without a refresher (after all, McDonald helpfully provides a refresher at the beginning of the book), but it turns out I really needed a re-read, so I ended up reading Daughter of Redwinter again so I could have it fresh in mind when I started Traitor of Redwinter. If you haven’t read the first book in this series lately, you may want to do the same, because it really helped me remember all the cogs and sprockets of Redwinter and the characters in this fantastic series.

This book picks up some months after the end of DoR, and Raine, along with other characters from the first book, are on a diplomatic trip to meet up with a Draoihn who has taken over a city. They’re to take the measure of him, because the King’s health is failing and the succession is coming soon. What happens in these opening chapters sets off a chain of events that will follow Raine and company throughout the rest of the book.

Meanwhile, Uvotis has been gone for months to the capitol, Ulovar has fallen gravely ill, rose thistle has become a little too good of a friend, and Raine can’t seem to decide whether to push or pull when it comes to Esher and Sanvaunt.

Sophomore novels in a series are a hit-or-miss phenomena. Luckily, this one is a hit. I enjoyed it a bit more than I did DoR: it had more heart, more depth, more emotion (I cried more than once), more nuance, and (I hate to say it) more actual plot.

There were downsides, though. First of all: Ed McDonald needs to get a female sensitivity reader. I don’t want to read the phrase “tingles tingles” in regards to how a woman feels about a man or woman again. It’s an immature expression of desire for a woman like Raine. It doesn’t fit. It was also predictable. I didn’t mind the predictability this time, but the point stands. The last point is the ending. It felt a bit deus ex machina.

It’s still a fantastic book and a fantastic series. I still love it. I’m still enjoying the magic and the characters and the world. I just think it needs some tweaking.

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: Book Series/Dark Fantasy/Epic Fantasy/Fantasy/Fantasy Series/Found Family/LGBTQ Romance

It's hard being a Sarathi among the Draoihn, but it's even harder being young and not knowing what to do with all the feelings.
Basically. :)

The story continues after the events of Daughter of Redwinter with Raine joining the ranks of young Draoihn applicants, training to master the First Gate and passing the test to join their ranks. But that's not the only thing Raine has to deal with. She is practicing dark Sarathi magic in secrecy, Ulovar is fading away, her diplomatic mission she was sent on was a disaster and the rift between clans is being deepened, Queen of the Feathers still hasn't cashed in on her wish, but she is always there. With the upcoming change on the throne and clans backing up a different candidate it seems like war is coming to Redwinter, the Crown is in danger and Raine and her friends have to grow up fast.

The second book in Redwinter Chronicles is simply said more- more of everything from the first book. It's a more complex story in terms of events because the things that happened will shook the entire nation and are not just contained to Redwinter. Even the fairies, the hidden folk who, so far, were mentioned as an elusive, unseen part of the world have more prominent role in this one. There is more Raine's developing powers, more of her messiness and confusing feelings about Esher and Sanvaunt, more politicking, more death ( :( ), more Ovitus being the worst, more Sarathi and Draoihn magic, more Ulovar being grumpy and fatherly, more Robilar scheming, more Ovitus being the worst and most importantly, more Castus.

And I ate it all up.

The thing about both of books in this series is that despite the fact they go dark places they feel like a comfy blanket I can wrap around myself because I genuinely get lost in this story and characters without feeling beaten to the ground. There is a nice balance between serious and grave scenes and scenes of just Raine and her friends being young and everything that comes with that: emotional, fun and stupid, moody, self-absorbed and sweet.
And this is where I have to talk about Raine. She is a challenging, flawed character, one who goes the route of rash decisions and auto-destructive behavior as we follow her journey. And I understand not everyone enjoys reading that, but McDonald managed to make me invested in her story quite successfully. She's complicated, she's messy and all that fits her age without making it her singular characteristic. Her romance drama got in front of more serious things several times in the book and I caught myself shaking my head because she can't deal with it at all which is funny considering she is ready to do more dangerous things, like assassinating or using Sarathi magic. But her instincts are on point and you actually can believe what drives her to help Ulovar because author made an effort to show us that her Redwinter family are worth fighting for: her friends are great, Sanvaunt is just dreamy, Erish is lovely, Castus is the best and all I can say is that I get her. I totally get her. :)

There is a darkness in this series, a delicious Scottish folklore infused fantasy world and bad things people do to each other, but the author makes an effort to show the good side of humanity and not go to the route of "everyone is actually bad." And yes, there is a drama, a young girl unnecessary drama with heightened emotions mixed in all of that and it just works for me.
What an underrated gem this series is, I can't wait for the next book.