Review – The Memory of Fire (The Waking Land, Book 2) by Callie Bates (5/5 stars)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Length: 448 pages
Publisher: Del Rey
Release Date: June 5, 2018
ISBN-13: 978-0399177415
Stand Alone or Series: 2nd book in The Waking Land trilogy
Source: ARC from Amazon Vine
Rating: 5/5 stars
“Thanks to the magic of Elanna Valtai and the Paladisan noble Jahan Korakides, the lands once controlled by the empire of Paladis have won their independence. But as Elanna exhausts her powers restoring the ravaged land, news that the emperor is readying an invasion spurs Jahan on a desperate mission to establish peace.
Going back to Paladis proves to be anything but peaceful. As magic is a crime in the empire, punishable by death, Jahan must hide his abilities. Nonetheless, the grand inquisitor’s hunters suspect him of sorcery, and mysterious, urgent messages from the witch who secretly trained Jahan only increase his danger of being exposed. Worst of all, the crown prince has turned his back on Jahan, robbing him of the royal protection he once enjoyed.
As word of Jahan’s return spreads, long-sheathed knives, sharp and deadly, are drawn again. And when Elanna, stripped of her magic, is brought to the capital in chains, Jahan must face down the traumas of his past to defeat the shadowy enemies threatening his true love’s life, and the future of the revolution itself.”
This is the second book in The Waking Land trilogy. This has been an absolutely amazing fantasy series. I really loved the first book and the second book was just as wonderful, if not better.
This book follows Jahan’s perspective as he journeys back to his home country to try and secure an alliance. I loved learning more about Jaran’s past and meeting his family and friends from Paladis. Watching Jaran come into his power and use his magic was amazing. Elanna also joins the story and we meet a ton of new and intriguing characters.
The world-building was spectacular, in this story we journey to a whole new part of this fascinating world. The plot was very well done; engaging and never predictable. I really enjoyed the magic too and how nature based it is.
Overall I loved the world-building, the intricate plot, the magic, and the characters. This was a beautifully balanced story that I enjoyed from beginning to end. I would highly recommend this whole series to fantasy fans.
This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
– New Release Reading Challenge
– Goodreads Reading Challenge
