Queen of Ruin - Book Review

Queen of Ruin (Grace and Fury #2)
by Tracy Banghart

What is it about:
Banished by Asa at the end of Grace and Fury, Nomi and Malachi find themselves powerless and headed towards their all-but-certain deaths. Now that Asa sits on the throne, he will stop at nothing to make sure Malachi never sets foot in the palace again. Their only hope is to find Nomi's sister, Serina, on the prison island of Mount Ruin. But when Nomi and Malachi arrive, it is not the island of conquered, broken women that they expected. It is an island in the grip of revolution, and Serina--polite, submissive Serina--is its leader.

Betrayal, grief, and violence have changed both sisters, and the women of Mount Ruin have their sights set on revenge beyond the confines of their island prison. They plan to sweep across the entire kingdom, issuing in a new age of freedom for all. But first they'll have to get rid of Asa, and only Nomi knows how.

Separated once again, this time by choice, Nomi and Serina must forge their own paths as they aim to tear down the world they know, and build something better in its place.

The stakes are higher and the battles bolder in Tracy Banghart's unputdownable sequel to Grace and Fury.

What did I think of it:
I loved the first book in this duology, so I eagerly dove into this book once it arrived.

And what a great read.

I loved seeing Nomi and Serina together. Serina grew from a submissive girl into a strong woman who fights for what she believes in and for her people, while Nomi is trying to find a way to handle the guilt she feels and to make things right.

I was hooked from the start and was rooting for both sisters and the people close to them to succeed in their plans. Things get very dire a few times, and there were some very emotional moments.

All in all this sequel is everything I had hoped for and I was more than satisfied when I finished it. What a great duology, and what a perfect ending.

You bet I'll reread and that I'll keep an eye out for Banghart's next book.

Why should you read it:
It's an awesome YA Fantasy read.


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Grace and Fury - Book Review *Top Pearl 2018*

Grace and Fury (Grace and Fury #1)
by Tracy Banghart

What is it about:
In a world where women have no rights, sisters Serina and Nomi Tessaro face two very different fates: one in the palace, the other in prison.

Serina has been groomed her whole life to become a Grace - someone to stand by the heir to the throne as a shining, subjugated example of the perfect woman. But when her headstrong and rebellious younger sister, Nomi, catches the heir's eye, it's Serina who takes the fall for the dangerous secret that Nomi has been hiding.

Now trapped in a life she never wanted, Nomi has only one way to save Serina: surrender to her role as a Grace until she can use her position to release her sister. This is easier said than done. A traitor walks the halls of the palace, and deception lurks in every corner. But Serina is running out of time, imprisoned on an island where she must fight to the death to survive and one wrong move could cost her everything.

What did I think of it:
This book was even better than I hoped it would be.

I liked that there wasn't a twisted relationship between Serina and Nomi where the oldest seems to think she can decide what is best for the younger. Instead they were evenly matched. Both thought the other was not doing things as they should, but apart from some griping they weren't too much into each other's face. I liked both of them from the start and was invested in both their stories.

Once the two are separated both have their own problems. Serina has to literally fight for her life, while Nomi must take care to not make a wrong step in the political dance she gets involved in. Both are out of their normal element and must adapt to survive. I loved reading how they cope.

I will confess that at a certain point in Nomi's story I had an idea of what I wanted to happen and of what I thought would happen based on my experience with other YA books. For once I was pleasantly surprised though, and the conclusion of this book was everything I could have hoped for. You bet I'll be eagerly awaiting the next book.

Why should you read it:
It's a wonderful and suspenseful YA Fantasy.


Buy from bookdepository

Grace and Fury - Book Review

Grace and Fury (Grace and Fury #1)
by Tracy Banghart

What is it about:
In a world where women have no rights, sisters Serina and Nomi Tessaro face two very different fates: one in the palace, the other in prison.

Serina has been groomed her whole life to become a Grace - someone to stand by the heir to the throne as a shining, subjugated example of the perfect woman. But when her headstrong and rebellious younger sister, Nomi, catches the heir's eye, it's Serina who takes the fall for the dangerous secret that Nomi has been hiding.

Now trapped in a life she never wanted, Nomi has only one way to save Serina: surrender to her role as a Grace until she can use her position to release her sister. This is easier said than done. A traitor walks the halls of the palace, and deception lurks in every corner. But Serina is running out of time, imprisoned on an island where she must fight to the death to survive and one wrong move could cost her everything.

What did I think of it:
This book was even better than I hoped it would be.

I liked that there wasn't a twisted relationship between Serina and Nomi where the oldest seems to think she can decide what is best for the younger. Instead they were evenly matched. Both thought the other was not doing things as they should, but apart from some griping they weren't too much into each other's face. I liked both of them from the start and was invested in both their stories.

Once the two are separated both have their own problems. Serina has to literally fight for her life, while Nomi must take care to not make a wrong step in the political dance she gets involved in. Both are out of their normal element and must adapt to survive. I loved reading how they cope.

I will confess that at a certain point in Nomi's story I had an idea of what I wanted to happen and of what I thought would happen based on my experience with other YA books. For once I was pleasantly surprised though, and the conclusion of this book was everything I could have hoped for. You bet I'll be eagerly awaiting the next book.

Why should you read it:
It's a wonderful and suspenseful YA Fantasy.


Buy from bookdepository