Lady Smoke - Book Review

Lady Smoke (Ash Princess Trilogy #2)
by Laura Sebastian

What is it about:
The Kaiser murdered Theodosia's mother, the Fire Queen, when Theo was only six. He took Theo's country and kept her prisoner, crowning her Ash Princess--a pet to toy with and humiliate for ten long years. That era has ended. The Kaiser thought his prisoner weak and defenseless. He didn't realize that a sharp mind is the deadliest weapon.

Theo no longer wears a crown of ashes. She has taken back her rightful title, and a hostage--Prinz Soren. But her people remain enslaved under the Kaiser's rule, and now she is thousands of miles away from them and her throne.

To get them back, she will need an army. Only, securing an army means she must trust her aunt, the dreaded pirate Dragonsbane. And according to Dragonsbane, an army can only be produced if Theo takes a husband. Something an Astrean Queen has never done.

Theo knows that freedom comes at a price, but she is determined to find a way to save her country without losing herself.

What did I think of it:
This is a worthy sequel to Ash Princess.

I loved the overall story and the intrigue. So many people want things from Theo for many different reasons. It's unclear who she can trust and who will stab her in the back if she is not careful. I will say that although Theo acts smart most of the time, she is also a bit dense at times. With the danger she is in I would have expected her to be a lot more careful than she is.

The love triangle drama that started in Ash Princess is far from over: Soren and Dingus (yeah, I totally can't remember his name, which might tell you who my favorite of the two is) are in a pissing contest to win Theo's attention and heart, and Theo is angsting over who she likes best while also shopping for a husband elsewhere. The whole love mess is the least interesting part of the story I will confess. I hope Dingus gets dumped soon.

I love the relationship between Theo and Artemesia, one of her advisors and her cousin. Artemisia is not used to having friends and is wary of showing her feelings. I loved seeing the trust and friendship between the two of them grow over the course of the book. I'm rooting for them to be best friends and inseparable by the end of this trilogy.

All in all this story is full of intrigue, difficult decisions, and danger. Some really cool things happen, and the ending left me eager for the next book. I need to know what will happen next. You bet I'll get my trotters on the last book once it releases.

Why should you read it:
It's a cool YA Fantasy read.


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