by Melissa Blair
ASIN/ISBN: 9781454947899
Publication: May 9, 2023
Series: The Halfling Saga #2

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DESCRIPTiON

The highly anticipated second installment of the fantasy saga that took BookTok by storm sees Keera navigate political scheming, backstabbing, and her own grief as she moves against the cruel king that holds her kingdom hostage.

To the kingdom, Keera is the king’s Blade, his most feared and trusted spy and assassin. But in the shadows, she works with Prince Killian and his Shadow—the dark, brooding Fae, Riven, who sets her blood on fire. Together, they plot to topple the crown that sits upon the king’s head.

A secret can only survive as long as its conspirators, and when nothing is as it seems, all are in danger. Keera swore she would never open her heart again after a loss she barely survived. But she will soon find she has more to lose than she ever imagined . . .

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Melissa Blair (she/her/kwe) is an Anishinaabekwe of mixed ancestry living in Turtle Island. She splits her time between Treaty 9 in Northern Ontario and the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabeg in Ottawa, Canada. She has a graduate degree in Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies, loves movies, and hates spoons. Melissa has a BookTok account where she discusses her favorite kinds of books including Indigenous and queer fiction, feminist literature, and non-fiction. A Broken Blade is her first novel.

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REVIEW

After reading A Broken Blade, I was thankful I had the next book on hand. I immediately jumped into A Shadow Crown, binge-reading it in a single day. It picks up immediately after the first book’s events, maintaining the momentum established by the ending. Similar to the first book, the pace is somewhat uneven, but the writing is more polished with descriptions and greater character introspection. These changes kept me invested in Keera and engaged in the story.

The narrative is different as Keera must reckon with her past. It is less plot-driven and focuses on Keera’s origins as well as defending her place among those trying to overthrow the king. While she undergoes growth, other characters receive less attention. Riven, for instance, plays an important role, but he is relatively underutilized here. He provides a supportive presence for Keera, which I loved, but I wanted him in a more active role. Part of this is due to the story being told solely from Keera’s point of view, yet I could not help wishing there was more for him to do. (Am I biased? Probably…)

The Halfling Saga is Keera’s story, requiring readers to be invested in the character to want to continue the series. For the most part, Blair achieves this. Although I had some doubts in the first half of A Broken Blade, I gradually became engrossed in the story and the world. Despite a rushed ending, A Shadow Crown further establishes why the saga has been so popular. I rooted for Keera throughout both books and continue to cross my fingers she will get to have the life that was taken from her. I look forward to continuing Keera’s journey in the next book.

**Thank you to TBR and Beyond Tours for allowing me to be part of the tour. Remember to check out the schedule and visit more posts. Also, thank you to the publisher and author for providing me with copies of both the books in the saga. I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All opinions are my own.**

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