How Fear Affects Us

 

A Heart So Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmerer

I couldn't wait long to read book two in the series that began with A Curse So Dark and Lonely.  There is less of a Beauty and the Beast feel in the sequel, but it was still a world that I could easily get lost in.  A lot of people had issues with this book.  For one thing, they didn't like that without Harper being front and center, there was less focus on disability.  And I have to agree with that part, however for the story to work organically, it had to be this way.  The other part they don't seem to like is how quickly Rhen seemed to change.  Here's what I have to say about that.  Fear affects us all differently.  Rhen is SO fearful of magic and losing what he's just recently regained, that he ends up taking things too far.  I have hope that he can be redeemed.  The following is my review...

The series I fell in love with from the first book continues with this volume which focuses on Grey and a new character, Lia Mara.  I liked Grey from the first book, but I was surprised to find how much I liked Lia Mara as well.  I was also surprised to find how much I would lose faith in Rhen.

One thing I do wish, is that we'd gotten to see more of Harper in this book, but I see why we did not.  I'm hoping we get to see more of her again in book three.  Lia Mara was a great female lead in her place though.  I love that, like Harper, she was raised believing she was less than and through the course of the events in the book, she learns that she is more than capable.  Other than Lia Mara, I really loved the addition of Tycho.  

There is also magic again in this book, but a very different kind of magic than was in the first book.  I love that the author is exploring the differences of how we use our abilities... proving that it truly is our choices rather than our abilities that show us who we truly are.  I also think, that while not everyone probably caught this, but there is a lesson here in what fear can do to a person.  I think the changes we see in Rhen are due to Fear more than anything else.

There is an incredible cliffhanger at the end of this book, and I'm kicking myself that I did not buy myself book three when I saw it in the bookstore the other day.  I'll be rectifying that mistake as soon as possible!