Tag Archives: spies

Kelcie Murphy and the Hunt for the Heart of Danu by Erika Lewis

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Kelcie Murphy and the Hunt for the Heart of Danu by Erika Lewis

Kelcie Murphy and the Hunt for the Heart of Danu (Academy for the Unbreakable Arts #2)
Erika Lewis
Starscape
Published July 25, 2023

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About Kelcie Murphy and the Hunt for the Heart of Danu

Kelcie Murphy is back in another action-packed middle grade adventure, Kelcie Murphy and the Hunt for the Heart of Danu, the second book in Erika Lewis’s magical series infused with Celtic mythology, The Academy for the Unbreakable Arts.

It’s hard having a father who’s an infamous traitor. It’s even harder having a mother who’s an omen of doom.

After a summer away, Kelcie Murphy is excited to be back at the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts. But she and her friends have barely settled in when they receive a visit from her mother―the war goddess, Nemain―with a warning of coming calamity.

The Heart of Danu, the legendary source of all light and warmth in the Lands of Summer, is going to be stolen. And only Kelcie and her mates can stop it. As they travel with the rest of the students to Summer City to take part in the glorious Ascension Ceremony, Kelcie has no time for the military parade, the lavish ball, or even to visit her she’s determined to protect the Heart and her new home.

But the Lands of Summer are still not a welcoming place for Kelcie. When disaster strikes, the Queen, the High Guard, and even some of her schoolmates suspect Kelcie is to blame.

As the world is plunged into darkness, Kelcie will have to does she keep fighting for a place that may always see her as a traitor’s daughter, or for a future greater than the war to come.

My Review

I’ve been curious about this book since I first heard about it earlier this year. Books about a magical school can be a lot of fun to read, so it was exciting getting to read a new one. I liked the playfulness of some of the magic elements and tricky weapons.

The story is told from two points of view. First, there’s Kelcie, who recently saved her people from a cursed eye. She returns to school for another term only to learn of a new threat to the Land of Summer. Alternately, the story follows Lexis, the leader of a warrior group from the Land of Winter, whose group is tasked with infiltrating Summer as spies.

Of course, the two sides meet and discover that not all the terrible things they’ve believed about one another are true. But with their people caught in a war without a known cause, peace seems impossible. I liked the way that Kelcie and Lexis’s relationships develop and change through the course of the story.

Though it’s a story about war, there are lots of lighthearted, cute, or silly moments between the characters. At over 400 pages, it’s a bigger book. Lots of things happen in each chapter, but some readers might find the length challenging. Fans of books about magical schools or fantasy inspired by Irish folklore will want to check this one out.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Kelcie and some other characters are white. Lexis is described as having dark brown skin and curly hair. Niall has only one hand. Many of the magical elements or lore are inspired by Irish or Welsh folklore. Two minor characters, both men, are married.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Reference to a first kiss. A boy and girl hold hands briefly.

Spiritual Content
Kelcie, Brona, and Jack are cousins on their mothers’ sides. Their mothers are sister goddesses. Most characters have the ability to perform magic.

Violent Content
Battle scenes and references to torture. Kelcie’s clan is required to live in a restricted area filled with dangerous monsters and experiences prejudice in the rest of the realm.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of KELCIE MURPHY AND THE HUNT FOR THE HEART OF DANU in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Silver in the Mist by Emily Victoria

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , ,

Silver in the Mist
Emily Victoria
Inkyard Press
Published November 1, 2022

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About Silver in the Mist

Eight years ago, everything changed for Devlin: Her country was attacked. Her father was killed. And her mother became the Whisperer of Aris, the head of the spies, retreating into her position away from everyone… even her daughter.

Joining the spy ranks herself, Dev sees her mother only when receiving assignments. She wants more, but she understands the peril their country, Aris, is in. The malevolent magic force of The Mists is swallowing Aris’s edges, their country is vulnerable to another attack from their wealthier neighbor, and the magic casters who protect them from both are burning out.

Dev has known strength and survival her whole life, but with a dangerous new assignment of infiltrating the royal court of their neighbor country Cerena to steal the magic they need, she learns that not all that glitters is weak. And not all stories are true.

My Review

I found the first few chapters of this book a little bit confusing. It seemed like there were things I was supposed to know already (magic systems, geography, etc.) that I didn’t know. I actually looked to see if this was a sequel to another book that I’d missed. Nope.

Once I was maybe four or so chapters into the book, though, I felt like the story settled into itself. I liked the whole spy network element and the magic system based on creating shapes called filigree. From the beginning I liked Dev’s character, but I think Lochlan was my favorite. I loved their snappy remarks.

I think readers who enjoy books about magic with a bit of political intrigue will like this one. It reminded me a teeny bit of DEFY THE NIGHT by Brigid Kemmerer, though I think there’s a little more world building in Kemmerer’s books.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
One minor character is nonbinary.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief reference to two women who married. It seemed like there was some attraction between Dev and Alyse (two girls), but nothing is ever openly specified.

Spiritual Content
Some characters have the ability to perform magic by creating filigree. Magic mist spawns terrible monsters.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. In one scene, characters fight off a monster. Other references to monster fights. One reference to torture and execution.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of SILVER IN THE MIST in exchange for my honest review.

Review: King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo

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King of Scars (King of Scars #1)
Leigh Bardugo
Imprint
Published on January 29, 2019

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About King of Scars

The dashing young king, Nikolai Lantsov, has always had a gift for the impossible. No one knows what he endured in his country’s bloody civil war–and he intends to keep it that way. Now, as enemies gather at his weakened borders, Nikolai must find a way to refill Ravka’s coffers, forge new alliances, and stop a rising threat to the once-great Grisha Army.

Yet with every day a dark magic within him grows stronger, threatening to destroy all he has built. With the help of a young monk and a legendary Grisha general, Nikolai will journey to the places in Ravka where the deepest magic survives to vanquish the terrible legacy inside him. He will risk everything to save his country and himself. But some secrets aren’t meant to stay buried–and some wounds aren’t meant to heal.

My Review

Okay. So. I went into this book with some big reservations. When I read SHADOW AND BONE, I was pretty solidly team Alina and Nikolai, so I kind of never got over the fact that they didn’t end up together. I also really didn’t feel like I had a deep connection to or understanding of Zoya, so I wasn’t sure how to feel about reading her perspective. I was looking forward to reading more of Nina’s story, but also not sure I was ready for the wall of grief she’d be experiencing.

So that’s where I was when I picked up the book. It took me a while to get into Zoya’s character. I’m kind of a fool for witty banter, so the back-and-forth between her and Nikolai or her and other members of their team definitely drew me in. Her backstory also deepened her a LOT.

That last quarter of the book, though. Like, I was enjoying reading and getting more into the story all the way through, but once I got to that last 25%, I was definitely hooked. The stakes went up SO much. Zoya and the dragon. Just. Wow. Nina and her plot to change the game in Fyerda. So amazing.

So yep. I pretty much went from finishing the last page of KING OF SCARS to immediately opening up to the first page of RULE OF WOLVES because now I need to see where this ultimately goes. I’m calling that a win.

I think the SIX OF CROWS duology is still my favorite of the Grisha books, but this one is a very close second.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Nina is bisexual.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. A soldier makes a comment that a girl looks like she’d be fun in bed. Nina admires another woman’s beauty in a romantic way.

Spiritual Content
References and some deference to the Fjerdan god, Djel. In Ravka, the people mainly worship saints. There’s some exploration of what it means to be a saint and who should qualify for sainthood.

Violent Content
A horse nearly tramples a soldier, injuring her head. Poison and drug addiction cause injury and death. Some scenes show battle violence. An assassin kills someone and injures someone else. An army of the dead attack a group of soldiers and others.

Drug Content
A highly addictive drug called Jurda Parem changes a Grisha’s power (it’s fatal to non-Grisha) and causes immediate, intense addiction. Nina has taken it before in a dire situation and now carries a sensitivity to it. Nikolai has a team studying the drug looking for a cure or a form that enhances power without creating an addiction.

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