I will admit that I am not a huge fan of the fantasy genre. While I do enjoy some, I find that there is usually so much world building and stuff going on that it is hard for me to keep it all straight, especially when there are usually so many players involved. I love K.A. Linde's books though, and I really enjoyed the first book in her Ascension series, The Affiliate. So after the cliffhanger ending, I was dying to see what would happen next.
If you haven't read The Affiliate yet, you are going to want to start there as The Bound picks up right where The Affiliate left off, and these books cannot be read out of order. Cyrene Strohm is an Affiliate to the queen, but while she has more power and privilege than most, she also is in danger because of the secrets that she keeps. Not only does she have the King's heart, but she also has magic in a world where that is no longer possible. Without knowing much about it, Cyrene sets out to Eleysia, a place forbidden to Affiliates, to discover more. As if the journey wasn't dangerous enough, Cyrene quickly discovers that everything that she has been lead to believe for her whole life is nothing but a lie.
I love Cyrene's character. She is so strong and determined, and I felt that in The Bound more than ever before. She is one of those characters that you can't help but admire because not only is she good, but she stands up for her beliefs no matter what the consequences may be. The cast of characters that we were first introduced to in The Affiliate grew here, and I liked Dean a lot. It was great to see familiar faces though as well. I was on the edge of my seat throughout this entire book though, never knowing exactly who was on Cyrene's side and who wasn't.
K.A. Linde has done such a fantastic job of creating this fascinating and unique world unlike any I have read about before. Everything is so vivid and beautiful, and is truly an experience that I think readers of all genres can appreciate. If you are a fan of the fantasy genre, this series is one I highly recommend. If you are like me though and you tend to shy away from fantasy novels, I recommend giving this series a shot as it is so different from anything I have read before. Linde is a truly gifted writer and while I love her angsty novels, I am really loving this series from her as well. I will warn readers that these books leave you hanging on the edge with cliffhangers, and I can hardly wait for the next book after finishing The Bound. But these books are well worth the read, and I will be anxiously awaiting the next in this series and can't wait to see what lies ahead for these characters that I have come to know and love.
**ARC Provided by Inkslinger PR**
So you liked this sequel better than the first in the series? I'll admit I am intrigued and will now add this series to my tbr pile:)
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't say I liked it better than the first. But I am enjoying the series overall.
DeleteI wouldn't say I liked it better than the first. But I am enjoying the series overall.
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