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A review by thesqueakycleanreader
Crown of Dust by C.F.E. Black
5.0
Red and Aly have defeated the sorcerer who was hunting Aly and who sent the death curse. Now they need to protect their kingdom from the political intrigue from within.
Will they believe the lies they’ve always known about the people in their kingdom? Can they trust their allies and those right next to them?
As Red and Aly learn more about their magic and binding they come to realize they mean more to each other than they thought. As their relationship grows can it stand the tests of the hardship they’re about to go through?
The Writing:
This second book was full of intrigue and more of the moral dilemma of truth vs. lies. It sometimes got a bit too much for me in my personal preferences for writing. It was still very well written and I did enjoy seeing the character growth in this book. I also loved the addition of more character perspectives in this book, it added more depth to the situation and added intrigue to the plot.
The Romance: This is a slow burn CLEAN romance. There are a kiss or two but the characters are too busy saving the world to go beyond that.
Overall Theme and Message: The theme I got out of book two is that truth is worth it. That working hard to be honest about who you are and what your intentions are always pays off even when others are trying to ruin you and your goals. I really enjoyed seeing Red's growth in this book as he took on his responsibilities and tried his best to help his people even when his people were trying to pull him down.
Age recommendation: 14-16+ due to the nature of the war and the intrigue.
Things to be aware of: Book 2: The side character, Elise, really goes through a hard time with her relationship with her ex. He is very manipulative and it could be triggering for someone who has issues with people lying and deceiving and being used. There is also characters who escape from cults and the emotional damage that came from living in one. At the end of the book there is some fighting. Seb gets whipped publicly and Red gets beaten.
Will they believe the lies they’ve always known about the people in their kingdom? Can they trust their allies and those right next to them?
As Red and Aly learn more about their magic and binding they come to realize they mean more to each other than they thought. As their relationship grows can it stand the tests of the hardship they’re about to go through?
The Writing:
This second book was full of intrigue and more of the moral dilemma of truth vs. lies. It sometimes got a bit too much for me in my personal preferences for writing. It was still very well written and I did enjoy seeing the character growth in this book. I also loved the addition of more character perspectives in this book, it added more depth to the situation and added intrigue to the plot.
The Romance: This is a slow burn CLEAN romance. There are a kiss or two but the characters are too busy saving the world to go beyond that.
Overall Theme and Message: The theme I got out of book two is that truth is worth it. That working hard to be honest about who you are and what your intentions are always pays off even when others are trying to ruin you and your goals. I really enjoyed seeing Red's growth in this book as he took on his responsibilities and tried his best to help his people even when his people were trying to pull him down.
Age recommendation: 14-16+ due to the nature of the war and the intrigue.
Things to be aware of: Book 2: The side character, Elise, really goes through a hard time with her relationship with her ex. He is very manipulative and it could be triggering for someone who has issues with people lying and deceiving and being used. There is also characters who escape from cults and the emotional damage that came from living in one. At the end of the book there is some fighting. Seb gets whipped publicly and Red gets beaten.