Synopsis: Haunted by the loss of his mother and sister, Han Alister journeys south to begin his schooling at Mystwerk House in Oden’s Ford. But leaving the Fells doesn’t mean that danger isn't far behind. Han is hunted every step of the way by the Bayars, a powerful wizarding family set on reclaiming the amulet Han stole from them. And Mystwerk House has dangers of its own. There, Han meets Crow, a mysterious wizard who agrees to tutor Han in the darker parts of sorcery—but the bargain they make is one Han may regret.
Meanwhile, Princess Raisa ana’Marianna runs from a forced marriage in the Fells, accompanied by her friend Amon and his triple of cadets. Now, the safest place for Raisa is Wein House, the military academy at Oden's Ford. If Raisa can pass as a regular student, Wein House will offer both sanctuary and the education Raisa needs to succeed as the next Gray Wolf queen.
Everything changes when Han and Raisa’s paths cross, in this epic tale of uncertain friendships, cut-throat politics, and the irresistible power of attraction.
Review: The Exiled Queen is the second book in The Seven Realms series. I enjoyed this book quite a bit more than the first one, but I also tend to enjoy school settings. One thing I loved was seeing Han and Raisa away from their comfort zones. They are both strangers in Oden’s Fort, and it shows. Han can’t always rely on his abilities as a street lord, and Raisa can’t rely at all on her lineage. They also have to hone in on their weakest points and find ways to strengthen them. For Han, that’s magic. For Raisa, that’s combat and learning to take orders. While I enjoyed The Exiled Queen, I knew this would be the start of Han and Raisa’s relationship and I’m not a fan. The pacing is, so far, the weakest point of this series and I never felt like we got to see Han and Raisa together enough to really see them falling for each other.
As for the story, like I said, I liked the school setting. Han has his wizard clases, but he also meets up with a mysterious character named Crow who teaches him stronger magic. Han has to learn who he can trust, and who he can’t. It was nice seeing Han and Firedancer spending more time together because that was definitely lacking in The Demon King. In Raisa’s world, we get to know her triple. Specifically, Hallie and Talia. Having worked in an academic setting, I appreciated seeing Hallie going to school as a mom. The struggle to be away from your child in an attempt to make a better life isn’t something that’s often shown in fantasy.
Great second book in this series and it definitely got me more excited to read The Gray Wolf Throne.
4 howls
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