A War of Two Queens was an impressive continuation of the Blood and Ash Series! Inside the pages, hope, love, friendship, death, trials and much more revolved. And while this story is within the Blood and Ash series, the ties in A Shadow in the Ember heightened my emotions even more. It’s a must-read before diving into this book! With tears, laughter, heartache and joy mixed in, this book was impossible to put down. If you’re a fan of this series, fantasy, JLA, or novel, you definitely need these books in your life!
From the first page, my heart was in my throat. I was glad we got chapters in Castel’s pov, but it hurts at the same time. The pain and suffering we watched gutted me to the core. I wanted more than retribution, I wanted to see those who hurt him burn a slow, painful death. The Blood Queen had to be stopped! And while Poppy had the draken and wolven behind her, she needed to solidify the Altlanians to join her battle. Overthrow the Blood Queen and free her king. The paths Cas and Poppy took throughout this story were an emotional, action-packed ride!
I loved seeing Poppy become even more confident in herself and her decisions. I wanted to get up and cheer her on. She was so strong and someone to look up to. Yet at the same time, her pain bled into the pages. The trials she went through and the painful lessons she learned continually tugged at my emotions. And Poppy’s heart wasn’t whole. She ached for Cas. For knowing the horror he must be going through. But through it all, thank the gods she had Kieran. I loved how he supported her in her time of need. I loved that he got her back without any hesitation. Kieran was a beautiful soul and the truest of friends. It was so easy to love him.
Cas is my favorite book boyfriend. The things he would do for love and the ones he cared about?! He was everything. I felt all of his emotions right along with him, but for parts of the story, I didn’t even know what to feel at times. Anger, sadness, loss? I did not even know. Everything got blurry. But even when he was cornered, I knew Cas would persevere. Just like he always did. No matter how dire the situation is. And with Cas there was also joy and hope and so much love that it warmed me from the inside out. I couldn’t wait until I could see him playing with Poppy again. For them to play. For the passion to burn between them. I needed them together and whole.
Even through the hurt and pain, we had so many moments that made us laugh and smile. They helped heal my heart and allowed me to breathe. Reaver, Delano, Netta and many others have been added to this. The friendships they wove throughout this story were breathtaking and real. It added the lightness that was desperately needed in times of darkness. And I can’t wait to see where some of them go! Although I have to say that Reaver was definitely one of my top favorites. He could be so feisty and it almost looked like he could antagonize others with no effort lol but I absolutely loved him!
With the questions answered that had me screaming I knew out loud, there were others that made me second guess everything I knew. The twists and turns in this book were heart-stopping! I never knew what would happen next or who would be safe. I stayed on the edge of my seat trying my best to keep my emotions in check. But it never worked. Tears silently streaked down my face. And other times I couldn’t stifle the sigh or sob this story conjured up for me. Thankfully, there were happy tears mixed in too. But wait, because there were so many emotions in those pages!
The War of the Two Queens consumed all my waking thoughts and this story easily became an instant favorite. The series continued to unfold in a way that was not only complex, but had me beyond fascinated! And the characters easily owned my heart. I was so happy to see that the ending left us in a place where we could relax a bit, but I’m more ecstatic to pick up the next book! I absolutely loved this book and this series. I cannot recommend them highly enough!
