So, so, so. What to say about The Bone Shard Emperor? Well, I’ll start by saying, I bloody LOVED it! If you’re in a rush and can’t be bothered to read the rest of the review then that can be your take away. 5 stars, love it, desperate for more, etc. etc.

Still here? Oh great! Well, I suppose if you’ve stuck around I’d better try and expand the above into some coherent and well reasoned points then hadn’t I?

Well, first of all, the characters. We got to know our main players some more in this book.

The POV switches between Lin, Jovis, Phalue, Ranami and Nisong, as with Book 1. We get to see how these characters deal with their newfound roles and responsibilities within the Empire, as well as the conflicts that arise both between each other, and within themselves. Lin struggles to juggle the people's needs and gaining the trust and support of the Governors and Jovis is struggling to balance his conflicting loyalties. I liked all of the characters, I liked the way we've sort of seen the "after" here, they've grappled and taken power for themselves, and now we see how they deal with it and what they're going to do. Its not easy for them, we see them struggle and I think that this makes them more relatable. There's not perfect, they're people. Or you know, constructs.

I find the world that Stewart has built here really intriguing and exploring it more with the characters kept me reading. The archipelago geography used was something I don't think I've come across before and I enjoyed Lin and Jovis' visits to the different islands where we could read about differing cultures. And Food! I love reading about food in fantasy worlds!

I love the mythology and lore of the Alanga too and l was gripped by the revelations in this regard. I can't wait to see where this thread goes, who the Alanga were, or are, or are going to be.

Plot wise, things are slightly slower in the first two thirds or so, but not to the point of feeling that the book is dragging at all. We are journeying with the characters, seeing how they deal with the changes that had been thrown at them by the end of Book 1, watching them interact with each other (some that had not done so before) and watching them make discoveries about what those who came before them had done that has led to the current state of the Empire. The switching POV keeps you reading too, as we move all of the Empire and see what everyone is up to.

The last third though, well, its action packed. There's battles, there's reveals, there's set up for the final part in the trilogy. I read the first book and this one with very little break between the two so really felt that I'd been immersed in the world and the story and gotten to know the characters. It was one of those times where you're desperate to read the book but also desperate not to; I really didn't want to be left with no more of this trilogy to read.

I really recommend this one, its a highlight of the year for me and I cannot wait for the next part..

Beware of spoilers for book one! This is the second in the series and will not make sense if you haven’t read the first one.

I would highly recommend picking this up directly after reading the first or giving yourself a bit of a refresher as Andrea does not go over past events. Something I really appreciate.

We are thrown right back into the action with book 2, picking up directly from the events of the first. Lin is now the Emperor but poorly thought of and with few allies. Those she does have she is unsure she can trust. The shardless few are ready to make their move as are a group of constructs, hidden away while the old Emperor was in place.

The characters really grow in this book. They are all flawed (including Lin) and often morally grey, even if they do not want to be. Jovis in particular, he has a lot going on here and watching him trying to keep the pieces all straight really made me feel for him.

Lin is desperately trying to do her best, undo the horrors of previous rule and hold the empire together. A seemingly impossible task. All the while the threat of the Alanga grows ever closer.

Not forgetting the amazing Mephi and Thrana. Two of the best animal companions I have ever come across. I adore them, I loved trying to put the puzzle pieces together of what they are, where they have come from and what’s going to happen next with them? I need to know!!

Once again, the story is told from different perspectives. It works so very well; the World is a series of islands and this allows you to see what is happening as events unfold. However, it also means I may have stayed up late to find out what happened to certain characters, desperate to get back to their point of view. Don’t read this when you have an early start the next day.

We are also treated to fabulous action scenes and fast paced writing, once I was draw back into the world, I found it almost impossible to put back down.

If like me you adored The Bone Shard Daughter, you are going to love this next installment. The characters, the world building, that ending! Amazing. This is a superb fantasy series and I cannot wait to get my hands on the next one to see how it all plays out.

My Thanks to Orbit for a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Welcome back to the Phoenix Empire, a land of floating islands ruled over by new Emperor Lin Sukai, after defeating her father in a battle of wills and bone shard magic. Lin intends to become a very different kind of ruler than her secretive father, and her first move in showing her hand as a benevolent and caring emperor has been to cease the Tithing ceremonies, outlaw the constructs created by her father to run his empire, and start to return bone shards to the people from which they were taken. She is determined to change the nature of the empire, transforming it into one which no longer relies on constructs powered by cruel bone shard magic.

Despite Lin's good intentions, her position is weak. Brought up in seclusion, her subjects are wary of her, her political alliances are shaky, and rebellion is now in the air in more than one part of her empire. The Shardless Few are demanding she abdicate in favour of a new council controlled by the islands themselves, and in the distant north an army of constructs is rising unwilling to be dismissed as easily as their new emperor demands.

With former smuggler Jovis, as Captain of the Imperial Guard, drawing magic from his companion Mephi, Lin sets off to gather support from the governors of the islands - taking with her Thrana, her own bonded magical creature, as she starts to learn how to master the powers she now finds she can also control. The people are scared, worried by talk of islands sinking into the waters, rumours of rebel armies on the march, and the belief that the Alanga, an enemy of old, has returned to threaten their existence. What does all this mean for Lin's hopes to keep the empire intact, and be the kind of emperor she wants to be?

The Bone Shard Emperor picks up almost seamlessly from where the first book in this brand new series, The Bone Shard Daughter, ends. As in the first book, there are four strands to the story - Lin, Jovis, Phalue Governor of Nephilanu Island and her wife Ranami, and Sand/Nisong who we now know to be a construct of Lin's own mother.

After defeating her father, Lin is determined to reshape the empire into one which no longer relies on bone shard magic, but she has some hard challenges ahead on a number of fronts: gaining support; quelling unrest; mastering diplomacy and the weight of responsibility that comes with ruling an empire; learning how to use the magic that Thrana has brought her; and finding out all she can about the secrets her father kept from her - all while making sure her own secrets stay hidden. Since Jovis is now Captain of the Imperial Guard his story mostly follows that of Lin's in this book, although he has plenty of diversions of his own, caught as he is between divided loyalties to her and the Shardless Few, and debts owed to his former masters the Ioph Carn - he is also struggling with the feelings that he finds himself developing for Lin.

On Nephilanu, Phalue and Ranami have problems too. The Shardless Few are making threats that force Phalue into a corner, and when Lin comes to try to persuade Nephilanu to join her cause there are some difficult decisions to be made. And if all this wasn't enough to be going on with, Sand has now recovered the memories of Nisong, including how to wield bone shard magic herself, and is building an army of constructs to challenge Lin for the imperial throne. Oh, and more islands are starting to disappear into the briny sea for reasons unknown...

Andrea Stewart really comes into her own in this book, weaving the threads together to create a story that holds you spellbound for every second of its 549 pages, which is no mean feat. This is a masterclass in plotting, and the way the threads all come together in an explosive climax that blows everything apart going into book three is incredible - and oh my, does she know how to write a gripping battle scene or two. Building on what we know of the players in this tale from the first book, the characters develop beautifully, filling out in a way that delves deep into their separate agendas, beliefs, motivations... and their secrets. Some of them firmly cement their place in your heart this time around, and some transform into terrible monsters that I cannot wait to see defeated in the next book. There is also a sprinkling of new characters thrown into the mix who serve to keep things fresh, with a cracking little surprise at the end to draw you into book three - one which made my hair stand on end...

This series has everything you want in a fantasy saga - great characters, thrilling backdrops, intricate world building, and immersive storylines. This is one of the best series I have had the pleasure to read in recent years and I cannot wait for the next book, Bone Shard War.

Lin has defeated her father and ascended to the throne as Emperor, with smuggler turned folk-hero Jovis as her right hand man. But Jovis's loyalties are torn as he is supposed to be spying on Lin for the Shardless Few, and of course Lin is keeping plenty of secrets as well. But an outside threat in the form Nisong and her army of constructs, approaches, and Lin must show strength and conscript an army to defend the empire while also also attempting to prove that she is not a cruel tyrant like her father. We also continue to follow Phalue and Ranami as they negotiate their relationship and their precarious political position on the island that also serves as the base for the Shardless Few.

Like book 1, 'The Bone Shard Emperor' has incredible worldbuilding with a really visceral and complex magic system, lots of political machinations, excellently nuanced characters, some simmering romantic tension, and of course the wonderfully charming Mephi and Thrana. As a bonus there are a couple of plot twists I didn't see coming at the end, setting up an interesting conflict for the next book and an exciting new antagonist. Brilliantly done!

DNF

I was hoping for character developments and more worldbuilding. It just didn't feel epic and the world is too dry? I am also totally not onboard with Lin/Jovis romance. They are just not shippable. After pining after his wife in the first book and suffering that much, I was hoping for a change in Jovis's character and outlook...

I'm seriously enjoying this series.

With it's interesting magics, magical creatures along with some clever politics and plots it has something for every fantasy fan.

This is as book I've been waiting for all year. And it's certainly been worth the wait. Last year I when I reviewed The Bone Shard Daughter, I remember thinking that the book really kept the reader at a distant. It had so many layers to it, a mystery, a bloody magic system, a girl with missing memories, an island with people there with no real idea why. After the explosive conclusion and having read the sequel, the book isn't messing around this time. Everything is happening and we can do nothing about it.

wing multiple points of view, we land right back with Lin and Jovis again. Scrabbling to take her fathers empire before it turns on her, Lin is once again trying to unravel her fathers plans he left behind. Now with her companion, Thrana, she aims to unravel what he was keeping under the castle. Meanwhile Jovis, hero of the people and now Captain of Lin's guard, continues to struggle with his new powers. Alongside where his loyalties might lie. Now these two are excellently written. Both fishes out of water, both trying to figure out how to do their jobs that are far more than they bargained for. And of course, both are headstrong with lots of secrets from each other.

With the world set up so excellently in the previous book, Andrea Stewart really sought to give the characters more moments to stand and develop as their own. Lin, she wants to do better and she seeks to end the bloody Tithing Festival. Renouncing the bone shard magic that gave her the empire in the first place. But how does she handle the governors that want her to abdicate without it? Her internal struggle of trying to do better, help others and make some form of allies is so hard not to empathise with. Jovis now aware of his wife being absolutely dead all this years, has Mephi (YAY FOR MEPHI AND THRANA) and the support of the people. But does that give someone purpose or assure them of their beliefs? To make your story focus on a dichotomy of two characters trying to essentially do the same thing differently but make them is honestly such a good choice and the writing really speaks for itself there.

The other is the attention to the side characters, particularly Phalue and Ranami. Now married, both women are trying to learn their relationships parameters while now being wives and one of them a governor. I root a lot for Lin and Jovis when reading these books but I honestly did not expect to feel such an emotional tug for this pair. Honestly at one point when Phalue has to leave I was tearing up at Ranami's narration of watching her wife leave. But I really love how these two have grown, Phalue especially but also unexpectedly Ranami. Now she has what she always wanted she has to confront her own paranoia and trauma of being a street urchin. She has to do what we saw Phalue doing in the last book; confronting herself.

While all this is happening, the stakes are higher than ever. We get a lot more about the Alanga in the book and I really loved that since this installment is really pushing back to Lin. So if no more tithing or bone shard magic, what now? And the details that are revealed about them as the story goes, as it's woven among the struggles Lin faces against the Shardless few, the other governors of the empire and rogue constructs, Andrea Stewart manages the same thing she achieved so well in the last book. Building the world around the characters and telling the reader all they need to know so they don't realise it until it is too late.

I really loved this, it's a flawless sequel that is very different from the last book while also not dropping a single thread from it. Both The Bone Shard Daughter and The Bone Shard Emperor are available now for your reading joy.

The Bone Shard Emperor is the second book in The Drowning Empire trilogy. Lin is now Emperor and battling with all the pitfalls that brings as well as the fact none of her subjects trust her. The writing is good, very descriptive and the world is fabulous. The main problem for me is the pacing, it is unbearably slow for the first two-thirds of the book, it meanders and seems to lose it’s way and I really did struggle to get through this part of the storyline. It was difficult to get to grips with the plot and to keep track of the different characters’ points of view. Thankfully, the pace picked up for the remaining third of the book, it built up beautifully to the explosive battle scene with a few little twists along the way. This later part of the book was action-packed, gripping and hugely entertaining and had it not been for these scenes my rating would have been lower.

The romance is kept to a minimum and I was actually rooting for Ranami and Phalue’s relationship rather than that of the two main characters. The introduction of Ayesh was an interesting turn of events, the ending hints that we may possibly be seeing more of this youngster and I’m really looking forward to learning more about her back history. The Ossalen (or familiars) Mephi, Thrana and poor little Lozhi are wonderful side kicks to the Alanga, they are a complete mystery and you can’t help but think they have a hidden secret or agenda.

The world continues to be extremely intriguing, revealing more Alanga folk and their magic system and the bone shard magic system is as unique and fascinating. The bone shard constructs add lots of drama and the mystery of the more sinking islands is completely puzzling. It ends rather abruptly but could be a turning point for an interesting new character dynamic in the final instalment. I’m looking forward to seeing what the final book brings us.

Thank you Orbit/Netgalley for the eARC for review.

I LOVED The Bone Shard Daughter, the first story in The Drowning Emperor series.

The Bone Shard Emperor is just as good too!

It says a lot about a story when over a year later, and with all those books read inbetween, you remember so much detail … I can’t believe it’s just over a year since I read The Bone Shard Daughter! So for me, it was really easy to get back into this fantasy world.

My emotional connection was immediately there and just as strong. Although with one difference this time – my loyalties were torn! Nothing is black or white and nothing is quite what it seems.

Lin really has her work cut out for her in The Bone Shard Emperor. It’s not just the politics of her ruling but the politics for the governors on their islands too.

Our four main characters are fabulously flawed and it’s their vulnerabilites more than their strengths that draws me to them. I loved getting to know Lin better and after the shocking reveal in the last story, wondered how I would feel. Jovis comes to a conclusion much later than I did 🙂 Their growing bond adds another dimension.

Once again, the different narrations from the lead characters had me on tenterhooks waiting to find out what was happening whilst also being pulled in to each narration. The battle had me so tense for many different reasons – would the secrets come out? How would that affect how everyone would feel about the Emperor? The reveals were so well timed.

There’s a new character who not only causes problems in this story, but his scheming is going to cause more than the wind to rage, the water to harm and the earth to tremble and shake in the next story. That alliance is going to cause so much conflict!

I loved the surprises. Never guessed about one of the characters. I can’t wait to see what role he will play in the unfolding trilogy!

Do you need to read the first story? Yes, yes you do 🙂

The Bone Shard Emperor is a world that is totally engaging. Whether you read fantasy or not, if you enjoy complex relationships and quests that lead to harmony and safety, you’ll love this too.

Highly recommended.

I loved the bone shard daughter so I was very excited for this one. I loved how it picked up right where the first book left off as I felt right back in the world.

The first half of this book was a little slow and was very political but I still enjoyed following the developments. My favourite character is definitely Mephi.

Second book syndrome who? Bone Shard Emperor had everything I loved about book one but just better & I can't wait to get my hands on the final instalment of the series. Bone Shard Emperor picks up pretty swiftly after the events of book one, Lin is now Emperor, in charge of people who don't know or trust her, but she is determined to be a fairer and better ruler than her father, something that isn't easy when she is facing threats on multiple fronts. An army of constructs are sweeping across the islands, killing people in their wake, the Shardless Few are calling for her abdication, the Governors of her Islands aren't sure whether they want to follow Lin's rule, and the Alanga of legend have returned to the Empire. Lin will have to decide where her loyalties truly lie and who she can trust if she, and the Empire, are to make it out intact.

Bone Shard Emperor is told from the same 5 POV's from book one. Lin is now Emperor of a divided Kingdom, unsure who she can trust and simply trying to be better than her father before her, she shows both a vulnerability and a can do attitude, and I loved seeing how she chose to interact with certain people throughout this book. Jovis is a man torn between two loyalties, his Emperor and the Shardless Few who sent him there to spy on Lin and find a way to kill or depose her. Phalue and Ramani are trying to build up Nephilanu after the damage Phalue's father caused as governor, whilst also trying to stay on good terms with the Shardless few. After getting her memories back Nisong is understandably angry, angry at the people who decided she wasn't worth keeping, who took her memories and left her on an Island with no knowledge of who she was, or where she came from., and she is determined to make them pay. The main difference in this book is their interactions. Thanks to certain chains of events the characters that were separated in book one eventually meet up & I really loved seeing the differences in their interactions with each other, sizing them up, working out if they are a friend or an enemy.

Stewart really took her world building to a new level with this book. With Lin becoming Emperor, but living an extremely sheltered life, she decides she must show herself to her Kingdom, make herself seem more real, and thanks to this we get to visit a multitude of Islands within her Empire, some we have never visited before. Stewart uses these not only to build on her world, but also show the political frailty of the Kingdom that Lin has inherited, people followed her father out of fear, but they do not fear, nor trust, nor respect Lin, things she is determined to earn. This was also used to further Lin's character growth which was one of my favourite parts of the book, seeing how she reacts to the different Governors, shows strength, kindness and respect when needed, but she also isn't someone to be walked over.

Through both modern events, and diary pages from the original Alanga, Stewart drops little hints about the history of the Alanga throughout the book that ensure it ends with a bang. We learn that they may not have been as wholly evil as they were thought to be, that in fact at one point they lived in harmony with people. And as the story grows and the mystery deepens, we learn that the Alanga powers and those of the Bone Shards may not be as different as first assumed. We also learn a little more about Mephi and Thrana, and the bond they share with Jovis and Lin, how exactly they can 'borrow' their powers and why they were bonded in the first place. For anyone wondering Mephi is my absolute fave! I'm a huge lover of an animal sidekick, and I loved how his personality grew in this book. Jovis compares him to a teen child, which is absolutely perfect, and the scenes with him and Thrana in just completely made this book for me.

One thing Stewart really focused on in this book was relationships, be that familial, friendly or romantic. She shows Lin's loneliness through her lack of confidants, people she can trust. Whereas, with Phalue and Ramani she shows the strength in having someone to rely on, someone who doesn't necessarily come from the same background as you, who can teach you things both about yourself and the people who rely on you. I especially loved seeing the relationship between Lin and Jovis. I think it was brilliantly written, seeing Jovis' inner turmoil over his feelings for Lin knowing he is betraying her with every letter he sends to the shardless few, and seeing Lin not sure whether she has the strength to put her trust in someone after how she has been treated in the past. Their scenes were witty, angsty and some of my favourite throughout the book.

The pacing of this book is just *chefs kiss* and I really struggled to put it down. Between the perfectly placed plot twists and the wondrous descriptive writing, I found myself glued to the pages, desperate for everyone to get their happy endings. Stewart has created a world and magic system that effortlessly jumps off the page, and filled it with unforgettable characters that tug at your every heartstrings. I'm desperate to get my hands on the final book, especially after the cliff hanger ending, and can't wait to see what she has in store for her characters next.

"The Emperor is Dead. Long live the Emperor."

This book was nice, a little too slow paced at first, but loved it has many POVs.

The Bone Shard Emperor is the second instalment of Andrea Stewart’s series, The Drowning Empire. You will need to have read the first novel, The Bone Shard Daughter, before commencing this one.

This book is perhaps a little unforgiving to readers, like me, whose memories of The Bone Shard Daughter are a little hazy - the plot threads of this book pick up directly from where they were left by their predecessor - so it did take me a little while to find my feet again. Andrea Stewart then does what any good writer should in the second book of a series in that she expands the world and develops the characters very satisfactorily.

A solid continuation of the series. If you liked The Bone Shard Daughter, you’ll enjoy this too. Recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had high hopes for this next installment in the series, but was ultimately left disappointed.

First of all I had alot of issues with the pacing. I honestly didn't become that interested in the plot before the 70% mark, and everything before that felt kind of pointless and slow moving. Most of the perspectives felt kind of pointless in this installment as well - especially the perspectives that aren't written in first person point of view. Made it hard to care.
I also had a hard time caring about the romance. It just seemed so sudden - and I can't really understand why they would even fall in love with each other tbqh.

The Emperor is dead. The Islands are drowning. And Lin’s rule is brittle.

4.5 Stars

Synopsis: Lin Sukai had taken the throne, she wants to make the Empire a better place. But, threats are looming, she has no allies and her Empire is drowning. Lin has the throne but can she keep it?

SPOILER WARNING: THIS REVIEW WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR BOOK 1 : Book Review: The Bone Shard Daughter (The Drowning Empire #1) , by Andrea Stewart IN THE DROWNING EMPIRE SERIES.

Heyhey, BookNerds! So today I have a review for book 2 in The Drowning Empire series! As this is a sequel, my review will be shorter to avoid spoilers!

So, The Bone Shard Emperor picks up where book 1 ends; Lin has the throne, Jovis is Captain of her guard, the Alanga seem to be returning, Nisong is on her way, and islands are still drowning- so Lin has alot of work to do.

Firstly, as in book 1, this book is beautifully written and the world is so richly painted. Again, we get a multiple POV which works perfectly with the story, narrative and pacing, and give us more time with other characters such as Ranami, Phalue and Nisong. Of course, we still get a lot of chapters from Lin and Jovis perspective too, which is a lot of fun as they are now working together but each have their own secrets to keep! I really enjoyed each perspective in the story, they all worked incredibly well together and I loved how we got to see so much more of each of the characters through their own perspective and the perspective of others.

The plot of book 2 carries on from book one, but this time a lot of different strings are starting to be woven together. I was actually surprised at how much more we got to learn in this book! Stewart manages to give us a lot of reveals and answers to the questions that grew from book 1, and yet there is still enough mystery, secrets and answers to come in book 3 (There is one thing that I AM DESPERATE to know!!)

This book will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat. We still get that stealth element, a lot of characters are still sneaking around and keeping secrets, and the potential for betrayals and fragile alliances is brilliantly high. But, this time we get to see more sides to the secrets, we have Jovis as Captain of the Guard but his allegiance to Lin is not what it appears, we have Lin as the Emperor but she has secrets surrounding her father’s antics, which is so fun to watch the two character’s navigate while they work together. I enjoyed the dynamic between these two characters over the course of the story, it was interesting to watch play out.

Aside from Lin and Jovis, we start to get more connections between characters appear. Lin starts to try and make alliances for the sake of the Empire and the threat of the islands drowning looms over every decision. I really enjoyed this plot arc, it was incredibly intriguing watching these new relationships form and watching them change over the course of the book. Of course, it’s not all diplomacy and bargains, we have some interesting twists and turns that occur! However, I really enjoyed watching Lin’s development through this part of the plot and how she is trying to come into the role of Emperor.

Of course, we also get more Ranami and Phalue! And ONE OF MY FAVOURITE TROPES STARTS TO FORM HERE! Though I won’t tell you what because spoilers 😉. However, I really really loved their chapters, Phalue and Ranami are now married and are Governing their people – but still have to deal with the Shardless Few. I love the dynamic between Ranami and Phalue, and I so enjoyed watching it develop now that they have more power but I liked how this was handled. The wives want to make things better, but just because they are in power doesn’t mean they can magically fix everything that is wrong, and Stewart does a great job at showing this without making their efforts seem pointless. I also loved one of the new characters introduced through these chapters and really hope we get to see a lot more of them in book 3!

We also get more from Nisong’s perspective, which was incredibly interesting and probably some of the more brutal chapters in the book. We learn of Nisong in book 1, the truth behind her, and this book carries on her story right where it dropped off. I would have liked a bit more of Nisong, but overall her chapters were great. They revealed some very interesting dynamics and introduced tension for Lin to grapple with – as well as raising some interesting questions for later on!

Now, we also get more about the Alanga, which was fascinating. I adored this part of the plot, and absolutely loved learning more about this. I also really liked the little extracts that were included throughout the book – I thought it added excellently to the plot, made it more realistic and authentic. We get a lot of reveals, some that really surprised me, and some that put together pieces already forming in book 1. And yet, there is still more to come in book 3 and I cannot wait to see what else we get to learn!

Another key part of the story is constructs. Lin has, of course, stopped using them because of the shard sickness but they are not absent from the story – which was great because they are so interesting to read about. Bone shard magic is still mentioned and comes into play in some interesting ways throughout this book.

Finally, I cannot finish my review without mentioning MEPHI!! Mephi is the real reason we read this series of course 😉 (and that it is a brilliant series). Anyway, Mephi is as adorable and mischievous as I remember, except he has a new habit in this book and it is so funny to watch! I love Mephi and had to just mention that here – and I still absolutely adore his bond with Jovis!! Of course we also get to see more about the species with Lin and her own sweet companion who also has my heart.

In this book we see all the characters we have come to know but we also get some very interesting new characters appear (some of which I loved, and some of which I wanted to slap xD – when you read this you will know! ). But each new character was incredibly well written and interesting to read about, especially as they interacted with the characters we already love.

Lastly, THE ENDING. The book reaches its climax, which was excellent by the way, but the way the book concluded was PAINNN. Excellent but PAIN (I need book 3 right now to fix it!). I am so excited for book 3 and cannot wait to see where all these secrets lead!

Overall, The Bone Shard Emperor, by Andrea Stewart has an amazing crew of MC’s, a brilliantly twist plot full of reveals and secrets. I cannot wait for book 3.

*I received an eARC via Netgalley from Orbitbooks in exchange for an honest review – Thank you!*

The second book of the trilogy. The book hits the ground running where the last book left off. Lin is now emperor and struggling to win the trust of her people. She is surrounded by threats from every direction.
It took me a while to get back into the story. There is no pause for recaps or explanations and with so much going on I felt a bit lost at first. Once I'd settled into the story, it actually became rather pedestrian, a typical middle trilogy book. Thankfully the pace did pick up in the second half of the book and some exciting plot twists were included. The interaction between Lin and Jovis is very engaging with great supporting characters. The story is now neatly poised ready for the final installment and I can't wait to read it.

The previous novel had ended dramatically - Lin had become Emperor, soaked in blood, guilt and secrets. Jovis had arrived at Imperial island expecting to kill the old emperor, but instead found a young woman on the throne. And forgotten creatures were beginning to rediscover their identity.

This book picks up not long afterwards - Lin has made Jovis - the folk hero - captain of her Imperial Guard. But Jovis is a spy, reporting back to the Shardless Few and ties back to his old smuggling roots too.

Lin meanwhile is attempting to establish her dominance. She has put an end to the Tithing Festivals, is attempting to return the bone shards - fragments of human skulls that are used to power constructs that only the Emperor has the power to create that drain the life of their human 'donors' - and has outlawed constructs. She is working hard to show her scattered empire that she is not the same as her father, but even her apparent kindness isn't enough to win new allies, as she finds islands that are dealing with their own pressures or have virtually established their own independence.

Meanwhile there are rumours of a threat from the north-east islands - attacks from an army of constructs, and Lin needs more soldiers, more guards and more allies to tackle this new threat.

But there is also a looming external threat too - relics that herald the fabled Alanga are beginning to wake up and, although both Lin and Jovis begin to realise that they some kind of unnatural power granted to them by the wonderful Mephi and Thrana, what does this mean for them?

There's a lot of admin to be done in the first half of the book as Lin explores away from Imperial and takes us to where the action or conflict is in her Empire. We see different approaches from different island governors and get a feel for the scope of the political challenge that she's now facing, as well as the level of distrust that people have for her. Both Lin and Jovis are doing a lot of sneaking around and spying (sometimes on each other), and rapidly switch from trusting to suspicious, but there's also an important bond that begins to form, as they begin to realise not only how they can be good for each other, but the Empire too, if anything is left by the time the Shardless Few have had their say.

But despite the slow pacing in the first half, I still found every flawed character interesting and engaging - expect perhaps that of Nisong, whose plans for revenge seemed to involve an awful lot of murdering and burning - the hallmarks of a cartoon rather than fully-developed villain.

However, it massively ramped up towards the end, answering so many questions perfectly. This crumbling empire, this cluster of small islands, so many of which are at risk from so many different forces, and this rough and raw magic system has led to what will undoubtedly be an exciting third book.

I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review as part of my spot on the Compulsive Readers Blog Tour.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series and was excited to get stuck into book two.

The pacing in this felt a lot slower than The Bone Shard Daughter and I found that up until the final third of the book, not a lot was really happening in terms of plot progression. The focus was more on developing the relationships and the politics.

I do love the characters in this series though. Sometimes I find with multi-POV books that I'll prefer certain perspectives more than others, but in this series, I like them all equally and so it never feels like it's dragging.

I also liked that we learnt a little more about the magic in this book.

It did feel like this was largely a set-up book, so I'll be interested to see how things conclude in the final book.

trigger warning
<spoiler> earthquake, being drugged, torture, kidnapping, cruelty towards animals, grief, trauma, mention of mutilation </spoiler>

There are so many threats the empire is facing: A mafia-like organisation is expanding their grasp while the would-be revolutionaries are still recruiting. Islands are sinking, and the Alanga seem to be returning.
Unlikely alliances will have to be brokered to face these threats.

It is not an easy thing to write a non-spoilery blurp for the second installment of a series.

We have different protagonists, and regardless of how different they may be, their common goal is to help people, which means averting a war and solving some very huge problems. The main protagonists are Lin and Jovis, and despite having only just met, and each of them hiding countless secrets, they have to join forces.

Though this might be a huge chunk of a book, it was a quick and easy read, at least if you ignore the triggering topics. Please check them before commiting to this series, there is some heavy stuff going on.
The pacing carries you quickly through the book, and I was able to read the main part of this today, while being sick.

As you would expect from the second book in what I am going to assume will be a trilogy, the ending might explain some things, but ends in a way that would make me reach for the next book immediately if I could.
I will definetly be reading on, and can recommend this series for fans of fantasy storylines which center around animal companions.

The arc was provided by the publisher.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I enjoyed the previous installment of this series, but this one takes it up a notch by upping the stakes. Lin and Jovis are engaging characters, and the outside perspectives of Ranami, Phalue and Nisong are also good. I would still like to see more of Nisong, and hope that she finally gets more of a showing in the last book. Stewart's worldbuilding is strong and I like that information is drip-fed to us through the plot rather than dumped - though I did see the character reveal at the end coming. Looking forward to seeing the finale!