Review: Better than the first two, which is difficult!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 01 23, 2014
Amazon's blurb:Ciardis Weathervane fought for the living dead and won. But worse than taking on a mass murderer, was her discovery that she had been deceived by her friends. Now she needs to not only fight a war in the North and survive, but also decide where she stands in the midst of competing sides.A threat to all she holds dear lies in the North and her heart is not the only thing she might lose. A massive army awaits in the mountain pass, surging closer to the gates of the southern lands. Nothing the Algardis army has done so far has dissuaded their march forward and Ciardis finds out that her powers to enhance are needed now more than ever.As she faces her greatest fears on the battlefields and her heart is torn between her love of Sebastian and loyalty to her family, Ciardis must choose her fate carefully. For in her path, lies the destiny of the empire.My thoughts:I loved the first two books in the series, and was so happy to get a review copy of this one as well. The series has been compared to Kushiel's Dart and Graceling, and I think it defitely fits, both in theme and fast moving plot lines, as well as compelling characters and worldbuilding. There is romance, but not graphic at all, which I like, and Ciardis character grows as the series progresses and is becoming a competent young woman.This book was even better than the first two, and I cannot wait till the fourth is released so I can escape into the world of Ciardis and Sebastian again!!!