Sarah Hawley’s Princess of Blood was addictingly good! This is the second installment in the Shards of Magic trilogy, and it kept me up way past midnight to finish it because I couldn’t put down Kenna’s story! This is going to be a shorter review to make sure I don’t put any spoilers in, but I do want to rave about this book. It picks up right where the last ends, and it is full of adventure, angst, growth, and love. It is gritty and suspenseful, filled with politics and magic. I left this book slack-jawed and already excited for book 3, even though it’s so far away. There are some ACOTAR vibes, mixed with a feel of the show Reign. It has everything you want in a romantasy read. It is intense and dark, and I am just absolutely obsessed. I cannot stop thinking about this book!

Hmm, 3.5 for this one but I’ll be generous and round up. I have mixed feelings because there were some aspects I enjoyed more than the first book and others I found difficult. But overall, this is a very readable and fun series and I will be diving into the next!

I really do like Kenna as a character and a narrator, she is always really striving to do what’s best but she still has an edge of vengeance and strength to her. I love her friendship with Lara and kinda wish there was juuust a tad more of them! I could sum up my complaints about the first book with “KENNA AND KALLEN WHEN” so you can imagine how happy I was with this sequel having so much of them. ALTHOUGH, their back and forth got a bit tiresome after awhile, though I’m mostly glad where they ended up. I liked seeing more of Hector and Una in this one, too.

I flew through the first half but the second half dragged a bit. Honestly, not much happens in this book; it’s just a LOT of political scheming and conversations about politics and parties about politics, it all got boring after while. The ending was wild, I wouldn’t say the cliffhanger is what draws me to the next book but I am interested to see what the structure of Mistei will end up looking like.

I KNEW not to get too comfortable toward the ending and yet I had my heart ripped out anyway!!! UGHHHH this book was so good but I don’t know how to cope waiting for book 3!!!

Just as dark, devastating, and delightful as book 1 we get to explore even more of the Fae politics as Kenna and her allies navigate schemes for the crown and constant assassination attempts all while she is adjusting to her new Fae form. More villains arise, more complex relationships unfold, more tensions both good and bad, and many more twists, turns and surprises await in book 2!

I adore this series so much already and the chaotic nature of the plot. Sarah Hawley does a fantastic job of keeping the reader on their toes and staying true to traditional Fae characteristics. I need book 3 immediately!

I can't believe the ending of this book! Do I really have to wait for a year for the next one? This was a great read and I will definitely be counting the days until the next installment. I liked watching Kenna start to find her way a little better. She struggles to figure out her next move and to know what the right thing to do for her people is. I like that at her younger age she doesn’t just have all of the answers. Having so much Kallen in this book was definitely a positive. I'm hoping we get some of his POV in the next book. If you liked the first book "Servant of Earth" then you will definitely like this one. If you haven't read the first one yet you should go get it right now to read. You might as well get both because you will want to go straight into this one.

Sarah Hawley is the master of pulling you into her worlds. Princess of Blood grabbed me from the moment I started and I couldn't put it down until I was finished. It is incredibly rare that I finish a book in a single day but that was the case. Every chapter had me wanting more. I loved Servant of Earth, I found it to be unique and refreshing. It flipped the narrative of the Fae in current romantsy trends and brought back everything that the ancient tales tell us. These fae are not to be messed with. Princess of Blood is not just as good as Servant of Earth but even better. The politics of Mistei are front and center and they are treacherous.

Kenna might be my favorite protagonist. We get to watch her struggle. We get to see why she thrives and even more importantly why she fails. We see her heart and determination. I just love her. Hawley shows us what it means to become a fae in their world after a lifetime of being human. Watching her navigate her opportunity to shape the future of Mistei felt so real because I wasn't sure who I would pick either to back as King until the pivotal moment that she makes her choice.

And the twists, oh the twists. The last few chapters had my heart pounding. I swear that I couldn't breathe by the end. Immediately I needed more. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to read Princess of Blood early, thank you so much!!

PRINCESS OF BLOOD is a fun successor to SERVANT OF EARTH, even if it does sort of suffer from "middle book" syndrome--you get the sense that this is building to something, but the "something" hasn't gotten here yet. That's ok! Hawley is laying the groundwork for what I assume will be a great finale to her trilogy.

Princess of Blood was on par with Servant of Earth to me. Intriguing premise but fails to truly grab me. The romance was an improvement with this one but the overall story felt a bit predictable and like little happened until the last 10%. But that last bit absolutely enticed me to continue the series. The politics of it all finally revved up and it wasn’t just talk.

Thank you so much to Ace and Berkley for the eARC and Sarah for the traveling ARC!! I absolutely LOVED and DEVOURED Servant of Earth (it was in my top ten books last year) so when I was given the opportunity to read the sequel, Princess of Blood, early, I screamed and thanked the Shards for their blessing.

Romantasy, as a genre, is one of my favorites, but it struggles to do well in sequels and this book is the exception. Often I feel like we get a sophomore slump, but this book didn’t come close to that. It felt different to Servant of Earth, because it spent more time building up the politics of the world, but I personally LOVED that. I found it so intriguing that we spent time really delving into the underbelly of the Fae and what truly made their gears turn. We also had some really satisfying character arcs that I think are going to really pay off in the next book.

I also loved the romance in this one. If you love steamy tension and yearning, this one will be right up your alley. I won’t spoil the details, but it was so delicious and really well done. I thought the build up was phenomenal and I loved how we got to see Kenna grow as an individual and romantically.

Speaking of Kenna, she is still, to this day, one of my all-time favorite FMCs. She has so much heart and desire to do good, even with her newfound powers. She just wants to make the world a better place but also has to wrestle with what sacrifices must be made to achieve her idea of peace. My heart ached for her as she had to navigate this new life.

The ending was INSANE. I kept checking how much I had left in the book because things were too happy and comfortable so be ready for a literal JAW DROPPING ending. Like I was on the floor shook out of my mind over it. I don’t know how I’m going to manage waiting for the next book!!!

Highly highly HIGHLY recommend this series, it is so beautifully done and is easily finding a place as one of my all time favorites.

Princess of Blood gave me everything I loved about Servant of Earth, and MORE. More political backstabbing. More breathtaking parties that turn bloody with delightful frequency. More slow burn that burns so slow it should be a crime.

With so many fae books on the market, I love how this series continues to feel fresh. The elemental magics all feel fascinatingly distinct from each other, and the new foray into blood magic tied seamlessly into scenes of tension, combat, and even spice. The uses of illusion magic messed me up in the best ways, including multiple passages I had to stop and reread just to process what was real or not.

I adore that Kenna is a strong FMC who’s allowed to be flawed, while still being someone I want to endlessly root for. With so many responsibilities suddenly thrust on her shoulders, she understandably makes mistakes, has very real breaking points, but through it all is this persistent drive to do better and a fierce loyalty for the people she’s fighting to protect. The female friendships in this book are so refreshing. These women have each other’s backs, and I support them burning the world down for each other.

Drustan is still here. I still want to punch him in the face. It’s actually impressive how expertly the writing makes me want to punch him in the face, the way he isn’t discarded as the typical scorned ex, but continues to play a crucial role in the story, justifying his actions in a way that brings me perilously close to agreeing with.

And then there’s Kallen. I have been Team Kallen from day 1, I now stan the sad Void boi even harder, please, I am weak for an emotionally repressed man who just wants to get on his knees in front of his girl, and gets turned on when she punches him in the face. 10/10, no notes.

The ending of this book was inhumane and left me staring at a wall for ten minutes. Why isn’t book 3 in my hands already?

Overall, I really enjoy this story and the characters. The romance really seemed to develop into a deeper connection in this book rather than the first. I also the last 50 or so pages were really gripping and I definitely remained in one place for those last few scenes. However, I do think this book was altogether just a bit too long for me. I think I lost sight of the goal in the middle and it was kind of hard for me to want to keep reading. I do love the story and I am so excited for the third book but I think I ultimately was just kind of bored in the middle there for a while. It felt like a lot of networking with little payoff. The romance is a slam-dunk though and I cannot wait to see more of that. I would still die for Kallen so he has my heart.

Ah! I am so lucky to get to read the ARC of Princess of Blood. I was DYING to get my hands on the follow-up to Servant of Earth and it did not disappoint. It's sexy, magical, and exactly what I wanted to read.

3.5 stars rounded up💫 This truly has become such a comfort series for me! I loved returning to this world on my kindle every night. I think my favorite aspects of these books are the traditional-esque fairies and the atmosphere of Mistei. I can picture the underground setting so clearly and I loved learning more about Blood House. IF I HAD A NICKEL FOR EVERY TIME A BOOK HAD A MAGICAL HOUSE, I’D HAVE TWO NICKELS!!!

This book is definitely more characters driven and it really lagged at times. This series is less about plot and more about political posturing (and the emotions that come with it.)

There was a lot I was hoping for in this book that didn’t happen. I would have loved to see more development with Lara, Anya and Kenna. Lara is one of my favorite characters and we barely got any content from her! I also had a hard time with the romance. What I wanted to be a delicious slow burn ended up completely burning OUT for me. I just can’t feel any connection between them even though I know I should. He honestly reminded me of Edward Cullen in all of the good and bad ways😁

All of this being said, Kenna is such a special character and I am SAT for this entire series. It feels a little bit like a fanfiction in a way. The plot doesn’t always feel fleshed out, but the vibes are there and boy do I love vibes!!!

Thank you to netgalley for this arc!🫶🏻 I was so desperate to read it and I feel so lucky to have had that opportunity!

SARAH YOU DID IT AGAIN!!! you broke my heart but this book was a fantastic read. SO much political intrigue, scheming, and tension between all the characters. also, HOTTTT shadow daddy need I say more...

4.5 stars

I enjoyed Servant of Earth, but I think I liked Princess of Blood even more. The romance developed at a pace that really worked for me. I also appreciated that Kenna doesn’t immediately dive headfirst into romance and swooning over the men. She just became the princess of the blood house, so it makes sense that the fantasy and political plotlines are taking priority. There’s still some romance and spice, but it’s not the main focus until towards the end of the book.

The fae politics are also really working for me in this one. Kenna is totally in over her head, but that’s expected. She grew up human and is still figuring things out. I also really liked how her relationships with the female side characters are developing. Her bond with Lara in particular has really grown, and I loved seeing that.

The ending completely caught me off guard in the best and worst way. Now I’m very upset that I have to wait another year for the next book!!

This sequel to Servant of Earth continues with the action and complicated relationships among many of the characters introduced in the earlier book. It begins pretty much where the earlier book left off, with the human Kenna transformed into a Fae and as the leader of Blood House, a house that had all but been eliminated by previous political machinations in the land of Mistei. How she learns to find friends and allies in this new world, as well as find something that might be love makes for some very propulsive reading. I had a hard time putting this book down and can't wait to read the next installment. Because of course this story ends on a cliffhanger and I really need to know what will happen to Kenna and her friends next.

The Shards of Magic Series has me in a chokehold. Sarah Hawley’s writing is the perfect balance of thought-provoking and entertaining. Our female main character, Kenna, is wildly relatable, and Sarah Hawley has perfected the art of a flawed, yet strong and passionate main character. Sarah’s use of tension, both romantic and political, will keep readers engaged until the very last page.

Oh my god. The second book in Sarah Hawley’s Shards of Magic series was sooo good!!! Sarah is such a fantastic author. She writes so descriptively and the world of Mistei sounds so tangible that it feels like it must be real.

We left book one with Kenna becoming the new head of Blood House and she’s now trying to figure out how to run said house as well as coming to terms with her new powers and station in life. With a potential illusion house princess making a grasp for power, Kenna must navigate this new world with caution and intelligence and work with allies to ensure a better candidate for the throne is selected.

I sped through this so fast! Honestly I just needed to know what would happen to Kenna and Kallen and when I got to the end I had a Prince Zuko ‘where’s the rest of it?’ moment 😂

As I said above the world building is done so well that it feels like a real place. The descriptions of everything from locations down to the glassware used at a banquet are so exquisitely written that it just is a joy to read.

The romantic tension between Kallen and Kenna was also a lot of fun to read! I love a shadowy prince and he is a great foil for Kenna! Their interactions left me wanting more!

Also THAT CLIFFHANGER. I need book 3 like now!

All in all I’d definitely recommend this book and this series!!

I hate you, Sarah Hawley.
No, I don’t, but holy crap. I was afraid this would suffer second book syndrome. It was a little bit slow as the plot was (predictably for a 2nd book in a trilogy) very character driven, I’ll admit I skimmed a bit, and BOOM tears and anger and laughter and gasps and holy crap I can’t believe that happened.

I can’t really say much else because I’ll spoil it. I’m still mad at you for making me endeared to a certain person, Mrs. Hawley.

Thank you Sarah Hawley for the traveling arc and ACE for the eARC

I have actually already read this ARC, Sarah sent me a copy of her "traveling ARC", so I finished this book about 2 weeks ago! THIS SERIES IS INCREDIBLE AND SARAH HAWLEY IS SO UNDERRATED!

First of all, SARAH HOW DARE YOU WITH THAT ENDING?!

But hey. This was fantastic. We literally pick up RIGHT where we left off. And everything gets MORE complex, MORE devious, and everyone is still morally grey and manipulative and you NEVER know who to trust.
This book did get a little slow through the middle (that is the curse of a second book, after all). But we learned so much more about the characters and their struggles, and things start to make more sense. The side characters here really get their moment, and you learn a lot of secrets that show them in a new light.

My sweet baby Kallen? I need more. My heart was BREAKING for that sweet sweet muffin of a shadow daddy THE WHOLE BOOK. His character is soooo good! I just wanted to hug him (and maybe give him a wet smooch? Sue me.) the entire time.
I did get annoyed with our FMC a few times. Like girl, take a hint, these males are hitting on you, I KNOW YOU AIN'T THAT DENSE. But she seemed to snap out of it after a while and OH BOY did she take control. I love a girl who says "no, this is what I want" instead of simpering and second guessing.

The worst thing about getting an ARC, and now I have to wait even LOOOOOONGER for the next book than the average reader.... BUT THANK YOU SARAH! I wish I was able to keep this "travelling ARC", but boy was I happy to read it!

SARAH WHEN I CATCH YOU..... (Gimme book 3, post haste.)

This book, like the first, drew me in with its blend of fantasy, humor, and an interesting cast of characters. Again, as with the first, this one is filled with a sense of danger, plenty of political intrigue, and magic. I liked the character progression in this book especially with Kenna and Kallen. I think Kallen comes off a bit too "insert broody male hero here" sometimes but I still really like him. I felt like this book gives him more character and depth than the first book and I'm glad he is the main love interest in this one. I definitely appreciate a fantasy book with a slow burn romance and this one delivers on that aspect for sure.

There were some slow parts in this book and also some scenes seemed a bit repetitive but overall it was a great read. The cliffhanger has me wishing the next book was out already so I could dive right in. Needless to say I’m definitely looking forward to what Sarah writes next!

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Ace for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.