A review by chapterswithrae
Queen of Ashes by May Freighter

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Queen of Ashes is book two in May Freighter’s Empire of Shattered Crowns series. I had the pleasure of reviewing the ARC of book one, and I’m quite happy to share how much I enjoyed the second installment!

Usually a fantasy series suffers from second-book-syndrome, but Queen of Ashes did not disappoint! The action was exciting and the plot moved forward in a way that made sense for the overarching series. 

What I loved: 

• The characters felt genuine and just like the first book. Sometimes characters suffer from re-characterization after the first book in a series, but that was not the case here. A the entire cast felt realistic and true to themselves. 
• Clayton!!!!! He must be protected at all costs. I need more on-page interactions between him and Emilia. I won’t say more so I don’t spoil anything, but I! LOVE! HIM!
• Dame Cali reminds me of General Amaya from The Dragon Prince TV series. This is a huge compliment and I can’t wait to see more of her in the next book. 
• I did not expect the major plot twist in the last quarter! I expected something big to happen, but I definitely did not see that coming. Well done, Freighter!
• I love the vibe of this series. It feels like a D&D campaign in the best possible way!

Room for improvement:

• I wish we got more information on Emilia’s past life. I understand why her character is written this way, but the suspense is killing me!

Overall, I am quite happy with Queen of Ashes and am rating is 4.5 out of 5 stars. Thank you to the author for providing me with a free eARC in exchange  my honest and unbiased review!