Blog Tour: The Sky Weaver (Iskari #3) by Kristen Ciccarelli

The Sky Weaver (Iskari #3) by Kristen Ciccarelli

Release Date: November 12th, 2019

Publishers: Gollancz

Genre: YA, Fantasy 
Source: For Review
Pages: 400
Goodreads: Add to TBR

 

Lavish, romantic and magical, The Sky Weaver is a new standalone story set in the world of The Last Namsara - one that fans of Leigh Bardugo, Holly Black and Laini Taylor will flock to. 

At the end of one world, there always lies another.

Safire, a soldier, knows her role in this world is to serve the King of Firgaard-helping to maintain the peace in her oft-troubled nation.

Eris, a deadly pirate, has no such conviction. Known as The Death Dancer for her ability to evade even the most determined of pursuers, she possesses a superhuman ability to move between worlds.

When one can roam from dimension to dimension, can one ever be home? Can love and loyalty truly exist?

Then Safire and Eris-sworn enemies-find themselves on a common mission: to find Asha, the last Namsara.

From the port city of Darmoor to the fabled faraway Sky Isles, their search and their stories become threaded ever more tightly together as they discover the uncertain fate they're hurtling towards may just be a shared one. In this world, and the next.

The Review: There are no words for how amazing the Iskari series is! The Last Namsara and The Caged Queen were two of my favourite reads from last year so I have been dying to get my hands on the finale, The Sky Weaver. And as much as I have been dying to read it, turning the very last page in this book was such a bittersweet moment because I am so not ready to say goodbye to these characters and captivating storytelling. 

The Sky Weaver tells Safire and Eris’s story – one being the Commandant to the King of Firgaard and the other, a deadly pirate and thief. Two of the most unlikely of characters to be thrown together on the same journey: finding Asha, the last Namsara who is being sort out by dangerous criminals. But not everything is as it seems as Safire and Eris begin to unravel of huge web of lies with some very startling revelations. 

The book is told from both character’s points of view and chapters telling the back story. This is such a fantastic way of telling a story, where both past and present are so important to the storyline. The different chapters helped me to separate the past and present so they didn’t get lost in the other story being told. And while the focus of this book was on Safire and Eris, their story was connected to the other character’s stories and we were able to see how their stories ended.   

I’ve always liked Safire so having her as the main character this time around just made me like her even more. She is such a strong and honourable character that it’s hard not to like her. Eris is a new character altogether and her story brought many unlikable characters with it, but she was a really likable and relatable character. The romance between the two was very sweet as well and I couldn’t help rooting for them. And Sorrow was such a perfect addition to Safire’s story! 

In all, I am very sad to see this series go because Kristen Ciccarelli’s spellbinding and powerful writing is truly magical to read but I am also very eager to see what she comes up with next. 

Thank you to  Gollancz for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review. 

                                                                        Rating: Really Liked It - 4 Flowers 

{Blog Tour} The Caged Queen (Iskari #2) by Kristen Ciccarelli

Posted by Donna
Release Date: September 25th, 2018
Finished Date: September 19th, 2018

Publishers: Gollancz
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Source: For Review
Format: paperback

Pages: 400
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo 

 

Once there were two sisters born with a bond so strong that it forged them together forever. When they were angry, mirrors shattered, and when they were happy, flowers bloomed. It was a magic they cherished - until the day a terrible accident took Essie's life and trapped her soul in this world.

Dax - the heir to Firgaard's throne - was responsible for the accident. Roa swore to hate him forever. But eight years later he returned, begging for her help. He was determined to dethrone his cruel father, under whose oppressive reign Roa's people had suffered. Roa made him a deal: she'd give him the army he needed if he made her queen.

Together with Dax and his sister, Asha, Roa and her people waged war and deposed a tyrant. But now Asha is on the run, hiding from the price on her head. And Roa is an outlander queen, far from home and married to her enemy. Worst of all: Dax's promises go unfulfilled. Roa's people continue to suffer.

Then a chance to right every wrong arises - an opportunity for Roa to rid herself of this enemy king and rescue her beloved sister. During the Relinquishing, when the spirits of the dead are said to return, Roa can reclaim her sister for good.

All she has to do is kill the king.

The Review: The Caged Queen is the second book in Kristen Ciccarelli’s Iskari series and this time around we have Roa and Dax’s story and don’t worry, this book features some very interesting old stories that keep you captivated from start to finish.

The starts only a few days have passed since the events of The Last Namsara so as a reader you really don’t miss out on anything. I was so pleased when I finished The Last Namsara I had this book ready and waiting for me because I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next.

Both characters are in the first book so, it was nice to already be familiar with them. Dax is Asha’s brother and Roa is Dax’s new wife. They married to join their forces together to overcome the Dragon King. I really wasn’t sure what their story would bring. There is a lot of miscommunication between the pair and as a lot of history to uncover as well. They each don’t know if they can trust the other and both having to play a role made for a lot of drama and suspense to the story while you could see that these two characters deeply character for one another.

What made this book for me was that we got chapters from the past from when the characters were younger. It made me understand their friendships and relationships with each other as well with Roa’s sister Essie. It made me root for these characters all the more, I wanted them all to have that happy ending that they all deserved. But I also love how each characters story is linked with the other. Even though Asha and Torwin aren’t a big part of this story, they stories are still entwined and brings the story all together.

I was literally on the edge of my seat the whole time while reading this book because it’s just so captivating and compelling. The authors writing is so addictive that I wish I’d savoured this book more but it was simply impossible to put down.

The Caged Queen is a fantastic follow up to The Last Namsara. These books are definitely a favourite of mine and I’m dying to hear news on the third book because I just can’t wait to get my hands on it.

Thank you to Gollancz for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review. 

{Review} The Last Namsara (Iskari #1) by Kristen Cicceralli

Posted by Donna
Release Date: October 12th, 2017
Finished Date: September 18th,  2018

Publishers: Gollancz
Genre: Fantasy, Romance 
Source: Bought
Format: Hardback

Pages: 420
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo 

 

In the beginning, there was the Namsara: the child of sky and spirit, who carried love and laughter wherever he went. But where there is light, there must be darkness—and so there was also the Iskari. The child of blood and moonlight. The destroyer. The death-bringer.

These are the legends that Asha, daughter of the king of Firgaard, has grown up learning in hushed whispers, drawn to the forbidden figures of the past. But it isn’t until she becomes the fiercest, most feared dragon slayer in the land that she takes on the role of the next Iskari—a lonely destiny that leaves her feeling more like a weapon than a girl.

Asha conquers each dragon and brings its head to the king, but no kill can free her from the shackles that await at home: her betrothal to the cruel commandant, a man who holds the truth about her nature in his palm. When she’s offered the chance to gain her freedom in exchange for the life of the most powerful dragon in Firgaard, she finds that there may be more truth to the ancient stories than she ever could have expected. With the help of a secret friend—a slave boy from her betrothed’s household—Asha must shed the layers of her Iskari bondage and open her heart to love, light, and a truth that has been kept from her.

The Review: Who loves a story about dragons? Well I do and all I knew going into The Last Namsara was that this story was about dragons and about a warrior girl who told forbidden stories. And I’m so glad that it didn’t disappoint!

The Last Namsara is a spellbinding and powerful story and one that once I started was so hard to put down. Author Kristen Ciccarelli provides a story that is story telling at its best where stories are woven into each chapter making it a captivating read. I adored getting to the story parts of the book because I could try to and see how they would connect to Asha’s story.

Asha is an interesting character, one that develops and opens up more with the development of the story. She’s been trained all her life to hate dragons because the first dragon, Kozu burned her when she was a little girl and since them she does her father’s bidding in hunting and killing them. It’s when the opportunity comes for her to get out of an arranged marriage by killing Kozu, it’s there that fate steps in and Asha starts questioning all she’s believed in.

I really loved Asha. I loved her story, I loved how she adapts to the things around her and I loved how she cares for the people around her. I definitely think Torwin and Kozu soften Asha and make her open her eyes and think for herself. Towrin, Safire, Dax, Shadow and Kozu also all play a huge part in the story and I came to care for each and every one of them.

I also loved that the story isn’t over! I’m glad there are more books to come even though they will be about different characters. The Caged Queen which is Dax and Roa’s story is next and they played a big part of Asha’s story that I can’t wait to see what happens next.

The Last Namsara is definitely an instant favourite of mine and it’s one I highly recommend.