You know I was so utterly excited for Sisters of the Fire sequel to Daughters of the Storm. I am always ready to read a book from multiple perspectives, centered around five sisters, and with the addition of dragons. Yes, dragons.
Summary
The battle-scarred warrior princess Bluebell, heir to her father’s throne, is rumoured to be unkillable. So when she learns of a sword wrought specifically to slay her by the fearsome raven king, Hakon, she sets out on a journey to find it before it finds her. The sword is rumoured to be in the possession of one of her four younger sisters. But which one? Scattered as they are across the kingdoms, she sets out on a journey to find them.
Her four sisters all have their own paths to tread, the gifted magician Ash is on a journey to find a dragon that could determine her destiny. The beautiful, unhappy Rose has left her undermagician Aunt and is speeding to the aid of her daughter, Rowan, who has been lost to her.
Ivy, sold into marriage for the sake of an alliance, is now set to become the ruling Duchess of Seacaster with the imminent death of her much older and sick husband, and the power-hungry Willow is raising her infant child as a potential trimartyr king and training to be a warrior for the fanatical religious order Maava.
From wild rocky coastline to granite-topped tors, from bustling harbours to echoing ghost towns, from halls of kings to ancient primal woodlands, this story follows five sisters upon whose actions kingdoms will rise and fall.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this free book from Netgalley. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
The bottom line is if you like stories featuring strong women, sisters with complex relationships, fights, and love, dragons, and multiple perspectives, you have to read the Blood and Gold series. From the beginning I was hooked all over again on these fabulous women. They each have such a strong personality and you never lose track of who they are. Fierce, strong, intelligent, and cunning.
Characters
We are immersed back into their worlds, their histories, their mistakes, and their ambitions. While I certainly have my favorites of this book, what I loved was that in Sisters of the Fire we know these women so much better. We can genuinely appreciate their choices. The ways they have their types, their flaws, and their sacrifices. While Bluebell certainly ties this book together, with her quest to save everyone, and better the kingdom, I never felt like she took over my other favorites.
Seriously. I come back and read this series again and again for these phenomenal characters. Sisters of the Fire showcases Wilkin’s ability to write expansive plots. There are layers of secrets upon secrets, religions, heirs, and swords. Because of these multiple perspectives allows us to see every angle of the board. Therefore, we can witness characters coming together, missing each other, and influencing the other sisters without even knowing it. It’s delightful to be above the action, the characters we know and love.
Overall,
Additionally, we are able to understand their decisions. Even if we don’t agree with them. We feel their love, their vulnerability, their fears. In this sequel, more than ever, we are able to see the responsibilities of those in power and make decisions about who exactly should be in power. At the end of the day, these women manage power, love, and responsibility differently and we love them for it.
To say I am eagerly awaiting book three is a vast understatement. I am both terrified and excited beyond belief. I can’t wait to be back with my favorite sisters. But I know that they will probably wring my heart dry. What stakes are high enough to risk it all? And how much further do we have to fall? As my favorites play with fires and forces beyond their imagining and control. They examine questions of family, loyalty, oaths, betrayal, and the sacrifices we make for family.
Find Sisters of the Fire on Goodreads, Amazon, Indiebound & The Book Depository.
THAT COVER!! <3 Awesome review, definitely going to have to check this one out!
Thank you! And yes they look so good together!