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The Isles of the Gods #2
The Heart of the World
Magic and sacrifice will collide as lovers and gods, enemies and allies vie for the fate of the world in this heart-pounding sequel to The Isles of the Gods, which Stephanie Garber called deliciously diabolical and full of heart.
When Selly and Leander began their treacherous voyage to the Isles of the Gods, the captain’s daughter and the playboy prince were strangers. But amid talk of war and a deadly attack on their ship, the unthinkable happened.
They fell in love.
Leander’s ritual at the island temple was meant to prevent a war between the gods. Instead, it nearly cost him his life, and drew the goddess Barrica back from exile. Now, as her Messenger, Leander is imbued with her deadly magic, and only Selly’s presence can stop it from consuming him.
But Barrica wasn’t the only immortal roused from sleep. The God of Risk, Macean, was awakened by an enemy all thought dead, and across the sea he’s calling for war.
The fight to save their world will take Selly and Leander from the gilded ballroom of the royal palace to the hallowed halls of an ancient library. Battle lines will be drawn, and bonds will break.
With the wrath of gods and the machinations of power-hungry rulers straining their loyalties, can their love withstand the trials that await them?
When Selly and Leander began their treacherous voyage to the Isles of the Gods, the captain’s daughter and the playboy prince were strangers. But amid talk of war and a deadly attack on their ship, the unthinkable happened.
They fell in love.
Leander’s ritual at the island temple was meant to prevent a war between the gods. Instead, it nearly cost him his life, and drew the goddess Barrica back from exile. Now, as her Messenger, Leander is imbued with her deadly magic, and only Selly’s presence can stop it from consuming him.
But Barrica wasn’t the only immortal roused from sleep. The God of Risk, Macean, was awakened by an enemy all thought dead, and across the sea he’s calling for war.
The fight to save their world will take Selly and Leander from the gilded ballroom of the royal palace to the hallowed halls of an ancient library. Battle lines will be drawn, and bonds will break.
With the wrath of gods and the machinations of power-hungry rulers straining their loyalties, can their love withstand the trials that await them?
406 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 17, 2024
About the author
Amie Kaufman
34 books13.1k followersAmie Kaufman is a New York Times and internationally bestselling author of young adult fiction. Her multi-award winning work is slated for publication in over 30 countries, and is in development for film and TV. Raised in Australia and occasionally Ireland, Amie has degrees in history, literature, law and conflict resolution. She lives in Melbourne with her husband and daughter, their rescue dog, and an extremely large personal library. She is the host of the podcasts Amie Kaufman on Writing, and Pub Dates.
You can sign up for her newsletter to see what she's working on, hear when she releases a new book, and be automatically entered for giveaways: https://amiekaufman.substack.com/
You can sign up for her newsletter to see what she's working on, hear when she releases a new book, and be automatically entered for giveaways: https://amiekaufman.substack.com/
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November 18, 2023I have to wait till JULY to read this????
July 3, 2024
4.5 Stars
A gorgeously immersive and intricately woven high stakes sequel, The Heart of The World by Amie Kaufman, had me under its thrall for days, and I loved every second of it!
The first book, The Isles of The Gods literally blew me away when I read it last year, so I literally jumped at the chance to read the sequel. And I’m glad to report it didn’t disappoint!
I was once again obsessed with the prose, which was just as free flowing, evocative and heart poundingly pacy as the first book. And I adored the effortless way Kaufman weaves nuance and complexity through the entire narrative — for me, it really brought all five of our POV characters (Selly, Leander, Keegan, Jude and Laskia) to life.
The depth we explore in each of them, through their insecurities, traumatic experiences (both on and off the page) and the emotions that motivate and guide them was really interesting. And actually contributed to making some of the more morally grey characters (like Jude) feel more relatable. That train scene between Tom and Jude actually had me choking up with emotion, it was that good.
Selly, was still my fave character though! And I loved exploring a more vulnerable side of her. Especially when she realises how out of depth she is in Leander’s world of privilege, and watches her perceptions of the people she holds most dear begin to shatter.
In fact, the depth and intimacy of all the characters (caught in their God’s unrelenting thirst for war) was what really drove the plot along and kept me utterly hooked. With the themes of love, sacrifice and destiny batting for dominance in each of them —readers are certain to find themselves on an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish.
Overall, a really satisfying conclusion but I do hope we get to see more of these characters (even if only in a cameo) in future works.
Also, a huge thank you to Rock The Boat for the wonderful proof!
A gorgeously immersive and intricately woven high stakes sequel, The Heart of The World by Amie Kaufman, had me under its thrall for days, and I loved every second of it!
The first book, The Isles of The Gods literally blew me away when I read it last year, so I literally jumped at the chance to read the sequel. And I’m glad to report it didn’t disappoint!
I was once again obsessed with the prose, which was just as free flowing, evocative and heart poundingly pacy as the first book. And I adored the effortless way Kaufman weaves nuance and complexity through the entire narrative — for me, it really brought all five of our POV characters (Selly, Leander, Keegan, Jude and Laskia) to life.
The depth we explore in each of them, through their insecurities, traumatic experiences (both on and off the page) and the emotions that motivate and guide them was really interesting. And actually contributed to making some of the more morally grey characters (like Jude) feel more relatable. That train scene between Tom and Jude actually had me choking up with emotion, it was that good.
Selly, was still my fave character though! And I loved exploring a more vulnerable side of her. Especially when she realises how out of depth she is in Leander’s world of privilege, and watches her perceptions of the people she holds most dear begin to shatter.
In fact, the depth and intimacy of all the characters (caught in their God’s unrelenting thirst for war) was what really drove the plot along and kept me utterly hooked. With the themes of love, sacrifice and destiny batting for dominance in each of them —readers are certain to find themselves on an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish.
Overall, a really satisfying conclusion but I do hope we get to see more of these characters (even if only in a cameo) in future works.
Also, a huge thank you to Rock The Boat for the wonderful proof!
June 25, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I just love this duology and these characters so much! I was so excited for this sequel, and I enjoyed it a lot. I like the first book better, but this one was still so good! The story could be a little slow moving at times compared to the first book, but I love the characters so much that I didn’t mind it. I just wanted to be along on the journey with them.
I said it for the first book and I’ll say it again, Selly is just such a good character. I love her so much, she is one of my favorites. Not only does it help that she loves the sea and sailing, but she also is cute, funny, determined, and loving. She has so many redeeming qualities like not taking crap from anyone but also being caring at the same time. I could gush about her for a while. She was my absolute favorite throughout the book.
I love Leander, he is so charming and funny and has a heart of gold. He annoyed me a little bit in this book, but I understood why he was being the way he was, so I could get passed it. I still love him and Selly together. They are the perfect couple. I loved how touchy they were with each other. They were always holding hands or had their arms around each other, and it was so lovely! They are one of my favorite book couples. I could have used even more scenes of them being together, but I loved what we got considering it was way more than we did in the first book. Though the tension in the first book was amazing.
I love a good non-toxic codependency and that is what they had, even though they couldn’t control it with her being his anchor. That they could feel what each other was feeling and could tell where they were at all times, I was eating it up! They didn’t need that strong connection to be in love, but I loved it all the same.
Jude and Keegan’s POVs were better in this book than the other book, but I’d still rather just have Selly and Leander. It was helpful to get all the different perspectives to see what was going on, but I still got bored at some points. I did like Jude’s journey and wanted him to find peace, and I really enjoy Keegan as a character, but I didn’t super love their sections.
Laskia still annoyed me to no end, I hated every time her chapter came up. I understand why we needed it, I do, but I still have no sympathy for her. I was unsatisfied with her ending, but I enjoyed the rest of the book too much to care.
KIKI!! I love Kiki. Where has she been all my life? I wish she was in the first book too. I could not get enough of her! She was such a girls girl, so funny and sweet. I loved her and Selly’s friendship. Her and Keegan’s banter throughout the book was so funny too.
That is one thing I will say about these books, I loved the found family in them. Their bonds with each other were so strong, you could tell how all of them cared for each other, there was no jealousy or bitter feelings. I really enjoyed that aspect.
I didn’t get a lot from Barrica as a character. As a goddess she was kind of bland. Maybe because I knew what I was going to get from her, but I thought she was pretty insignificant. Macean on the other hand, he I enjoyed. He was awful and you didn’t want to root for him, but there was something about him that was very charming and more enjoyable as a villain. He’s one you love to hate and I thought he was cool.
I thought this was a very solid conclusion. It wrapped everything up so nicely, while also leaving some things open that you can put your own spin on what happens in the future. I would love little novella’s or something to see everyone again, but I am satisfied with what we got! Highly recommend, especially if you liked the first book. If you haven’t read the first book, you have to!! Go get to know and enjoy these characters as much as I did.
I just love this duology and these characters so much! I was so excited for this sequel, and I enjoyed it a lot. I like the first book better, but this one was still so good! The story could be a little slow moving at times compared to the first book, but I love the characters so much that I didn’t mind it. I just wanted to be along on the journey with them.
I said it for the first book and I’ll say it again, Selly is just such a good character. I love her so much, she is one of my favorites. Not only does it help that she loves the sea and sailing, but she also is cute, funny, determined, and loving. She has so many redeeming qualities like not taking crap from anyone but also being caring at the same time. I could gush about her for a while. She was my absolute favorite throughout the book.
I love Leander, he is so charming and funny and has a heart of gold. He annoyed me a little bit in this book, but I understood why he was being the way he was, so I could get passed it. I still love him and Selly together. They are the perfect couple. I loved how touchy they were with each other. They were always holding hands or had their arms around each other, and it was so lovely! They are one of my favorite book couples. I could have used even more scenes of them being together, but I loved what we got considering it was way more than we did in the first book. Though the tension in the first book was amazing.
I love a good non-toxic codependency and that is what they had, even though they couldn’t control it with her being his anchor. That they could feel what each other was feeling and could tell where they were at all times, I was eating it up! They didn’t need that strong connection to be in love, but I loved it all the same.
Jude and Keegan’s POVs were better in this book than the other book, but I’d still rather just have Selly and Leander. It was helpful to get all the different perspectives to see what was going on, but I still got bored at some points. I did like Jude’s journey and wanted him to find peace, and I really enjoy Keegan as a character, but I didn’t super love their sections.
Laskia still annoyed me to no end, I hated every time her chapter came up. I understand why we needed it, I do, but I still have no sympathy for her. I was unsatisfied with her ending, but I enjoyed the rest of the book too much to care.
KIKI!! I love Kiki. Where has she been all my life? I wish she was in the first book too. I could not get enough of her! She was such a girls girl, so funny and sweet. I loved her and Selly’s friendship. Her and Keegan’s banter throughout the book was so funny too.
That is one thing I will say about these books, I loved the found family in them. Their bonds with each other were so strong, you could tell how all of them cared for each other, there was no jealousy or bitter feelings. I really enjoyed that aspect.
I didn’t get a lot from Barrica as a character. As a goddess she was kind of bland. Maybe because I knew what I was going to get from her, but I thought she was pretty insignificant. Macean on the other hand, he I enjoyed. He was awful and you didn’t want to root for him, but there was something about him that was very charming and more enjoyable as a villain. He’s one you love to hate and I thought he was cool.
I thought this was a very solid conclusion. It wrapped everything up so nicely, while also leaving some things open that you can put your own spin on what happens in the future. I would love little novella’s or something to see everyone again, but I am satisfied with what we got! Highly recommend, especially if you liked the first book. If you haven’t read the first book, you have to!! Go get to know and enjoy these characters as much as I did.
March 28, 2024
HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO WAIT THIS FREAKING LONG?????
September 12, 2024
That was a wonderful sequel and a satisfying conclusion to the series. I read it as audio and I really enjoyed it even with multiple POV's(5 main +1 small entry) because it is a full cast and everyone of them did a phenomenal job with narration, I thought knowing the characters better now made me love the multiple POV a bit more. All though it was slower in the middle in comparison to the first book, I had a really good time overall, it is still character driven and Amy Kaufman continuous to impress us with her story telling skills
The story picks up right where The Isles Of Gods ends as Leander and Selly travel back home and try to formulate a plan for dealing with the eminent danger that Laskia is about to bring to their doorstep along with the meddling Gods who has their agenda. I absolutely adored Selly, probably liked her no nonsense character even more in this, Keegan was just as charming BUT for me personally the award winning character is kiki!! she was such a joy to read and wished we could have her POV from the beginning of the book rather than a small epilogue portion. The found family trope in this second book was delightful to read especially when the characters came together as an united front during the time of need
The issue I had was with the middle of the book being real slow and then ending just flew by me, I kept zoning out during the middle of the book. Another thing to point out is that I felt a little underwhelmed by the entire Goddess/God storyline with Barrica & Macean. I expected a little more chaos and clear intentions and Laskia's plight towards the end left me frustrated as she didn't really face much repercussions. However, on the whole this is a fun duology that I'd definitely recommend
September 30, 2024
The romance was so sweet and the audiobook narration was perfection. Considering this has 5 main POVs and I didn’t get a character confused ONCE that’s a major bonus.
I also appreciate that the author had a blurb at the beginning of the book to help me remember what happened in the last one.
All in all a great conclusion to the duology!
“And I realize that I’m not living in the book of stories. I’m the storyteller, leaning in to say, ‘Ah, but that wasn’t the end. There’s so much more to tell.’”
I also appreciate that the author had a blurb at the beginning of the book to help me remember what happened in the last one.
All in all a great conclusion to the duology!
“And I realize that I’m not living in the book of stories. I’m the storyteller, leaning in to say, ‘Ah, but that wasn’t the end. There’s so much more to tell.’”
October 6, 2024
There is one good plot line in this book. ONE.
We have gods coming back, looming wars and everyone just sits around and talks. There is so much talking. Oh and there is a ball, of course there is a ball.
What happened to Amie Kaufman? Her storytelling was always so good.
We have gods coming back, looming wars and everyone just sits around and talks. There is so much talking. Oh and there is a ball, of course there is a ball.
What happened to Amie Kaufman? Her storytelling was always so good.
September 25, 2024
Another outstanding book my Amie Kaufman (it's not for nothing she's one of my autobuy and leave everything else I'm doing to read authors) and a perfect closing to a duology. I laughed, I made tea because I was stressed about how the conflict was escalating, I cried and I was deeply engrossed from beginning to end.
July 18, 2024
3.5
It got a little lost in the middle but Amie Kaufman KNOWS how to write an ending
It got a little lost in the middle but Amie Kaufman KNOWS how to write an ending
August 17, 2024
Huge thank you to Allen & Unwin for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely loved this! I was hooked from start to finish, absolutely enraptured by this story. It’s even better than the first, with what feels like even more on the line.
I really felt all our POV characters grow so much in this book. All of them really came into their own, reaching for what they wanted for themselves, and I couldn’t be happier for each and every one of them. I’m so dang emotional.
Jude was always a complicated, lost character, but the strength and direction and purpose he found in this book made my heart feel so full. He gave up so much to try and be the kind of person he could be proud to be and he ended up finding so much more than he ever imagined.
Laskia was another whose journey really captivated me in this book. I was so proud of her for finally realising her worth did not depend on the approval of others and I felt a sense of peace in the way her story ended. It was so fitting for her, an angry, fighty, scared character, to finally take a breath and be ready to find herself.
The love and belief Keegan, Selly and Leander had in each other really held their part of the story together and is honestly the beating heart of this duology and I loved the ways it was tested in this book and the fact that they fought for each other til the end.
The plot in this was so fast paced and had such high-stakes I really couldn’t put this one down. A fantastic end to an incredible duology.
I absolutely loved this! I was hooked from start to finish, absolutely enraptured by this story. It’s even better than the first, with what feels like even more on the line.
I really felt all our POV characters grow so much in this book. All of them really came into their own, reaching for what they wanted for themselves, and I couldn’t be happier for each and every one of them. I’m so dang emotional.
Jude was always a complicated, lost character, but the strength and direction and purpose he found in this book made my heart feel so full. He gave up so much to try and be the kind of person he could be proud to be and he ended up finding so much more than he ever imagined.
Laskia was another whose journey really captivated me in this book. I was so proud of her for finally realising her worth did not depend on the approval of others and I felt a sense of peace in the way her story ended. It was so fitting for her, an angry, fighty, scared character, to finally take a breath and be ready to find herself.
The love and belief Keegan, Selly and Leander had in each other really held their part of the story together and is honestly the beating heart of this duology and I loved the ways it was tested in this book and the fact that they fought for each other til the end.
The plot in this was so fast paced and had such high-stakes I really couldn’t put this one down. A fantastic end to an incredible duology.
September 7, 2024
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Steam Level: 🔥🔥 (closed door)
The gods have their messengers, and that means the threat of war is looming. As Selly and Leander face the reality of their new bond, they also wonder if they'll both survive the power that links them. Meanwhile, Laskia revels in her new abilities, and Jude struggles with whether to run or continue the path he's been on with Dasriel and Laskia. Will the gods be released back into the world and bring a war that could destroy everything, or will our heroes find a way to bring about peace without sacrificing themselves?
This. Was. So. Good! Book one was good and fine, but this one sucked me in from the beginning and never let go. There were some POVs in the first book that bored me a bit and seemed unnecessary, but this time every character had a purpose and contributed to the storyline in a meaningful way. There was so much tension and conflict throughout, and I never knew what was going to happen next. The characters all had to gamble with their lives and hope that they'd come out alive in the end. There were stronger friendships and more romance, and I wasn't sure if everyone would get a happy ending. I even loved the addition of Kiki's character, even though she didn't get as much page time as she deserved. I should also point out that the first chapter provided a great recap of book 1 for readers like myself who didn't reread before jumping into this one. Whether you enjoyed Isles of the Gods or not, I highly recommend picking up the conclusion to this duology! It definitely made me excited to read more from Amie Kaufman!
Thank you Netgalley and Random House for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Steam Level: 🔥🔥 (closed door)
The gods have their messengers, and that means the threat of war is looming. As Selly and Leander face the reality of their new bond, they also wonder if they'll both survive the power that links them. Meanwhile, Laskia revels in her new abilities, and Jude struggles with whether to run or continue the path he's been on with Dasriel and Laskia. Will the gods be released back into the world and bring a war that could destroy everything, or will our heroes find a way to bring about peace without sacrificing themselves?
This. Was. So. Good! Book one was good and fine, but this one sucked me in from the beginning and never let go. There were some POVs in the first book that bored me a bit and seemed unnecessary, but this time every character had a purpose and contributed to the storyline in a meaningful way. There was so much tension and conflict throughout, and I never knew what was going to happen next. The characters all had to gamble with their lives and hope that they'd come out alive in the end. There were stronger friendships and more romance, and I wasn't sure if everyone would get a happy ending. I even loved the addition of Kiki's character, even though she didn't get as much page time as she deserved. I should also point out that the first chapter provided a great recap of book 1 for readers like myself who didn't reread before jumping into this one. Whether you enjoyed Isles of the Gods or not, I highly recommend picking up the conclusion to this duology! It definitely made me excited to read more from Amie Kaufman!
Thank you Netgalley and Random House for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
August 1, 2024
thanks to NetGalley for the eARC
⭐️=4.25 | 😘=2 | 🤬=1 | ⚔️=3.25 | 13+
summary: The Isles of the Gods book two
thoughts: I love these characters! and this world! very well-paced as well, and I like where the character arcs (specifically Keegan, Selly, Jude, and Leander’s) ended up. I think Laskia got less attention, or less of a happy ending than I would’ve liked? maybe just… less of an ending. idk. also I want more Kiki content but I think this series should not have any spin offs so idk what to do about that.
my biggest critique (spoiler??):
anyway! overall!! a good time. not as good as book one (tough to beat), but still great! a nice conclusion to it all!!
⭐️=4.25 | 😘=2 | 🤬=1 | ⚔️=3.25 | 13+
summary: The Isles of the Gods book two
thoughts: I love these characters! and this world! very well-paced as well, and I like where the character arcs (specifically Keegan, Selly, Jude, and Leander’s) ended up. I think Laskia got less attention, or less of a happy ending than I would’ve liked? maybe just… less of an ending. idk. also I want more Kiki content but I think this series should not have any spin offs so idk what to do about that.
my biggest critique (spoiler??):
anyway! overall!! a good time. not as good as book one (tough to beat), but still great! a nice conclusion to it all!!
September 22, 2024
I have never wanted to annotate an audiobook so badly. The Heart of the World is a beautiful ending to the story that began in The Isles of the Gods. The character arc resolutions had me cheering from my kitchen and the pantheon of gods had me in awe. The twists had the perfect level of expectedness (I didn’t predict most until maybe the last second and I had enough prior knowledge to be able to feel satisfied with the result) and, as always, Amie had me reeling from minute to minute. I cheered for every character as they reached the end of their arc and I’m so excited for where they’re all heading (yes, even the antagonists). It’s not often I end up with a new favorite book or series but this precious duology has quickly risen the ranks and will be reread often.
July 4, 2024
What a beautiful second book in the duology. I still didn’t love the multiple points of view, five this time. And I still stuggled with Jude’s overall purpose until the very end. That payoff was worth it. Every thing came together in a way I wasn’t expecting. I think Amie Kaufman is a talented writer with some crazy great ideas. I loved Leander and Selly and Keegan. I despised Laskia but at the same time felt so deeply for her. And the introduction of Kiki was the best. I would love to read books from her perspective, not just a single epilogue chapter. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
September 30, 2024
Loveeed it!
This was different to the first but still as wonderful. Mostly the setting is different so the pirate vibes are less, yet somehow the lack of that didn't take away from my enjoyment at all.
I actually thought this was wonderfully profound and a great example of character development. The journey that each POV goes on was so different and deep - I was really impressed!
Certainly recommend continuing if you've read and enjoyed the first book.
This was different to the first but still as wonderful. Mostly the setting is different so the pirate vibes are less, yet somehow the lack of that didn't take away from my enjoyment at all.
I actually thought this was wonderfully profound and a great example of character development. The journey that each POV goes on was so different and deep - I was really impressed!
Certainly recommend continuing if you've read and enjoyed the first book.
July 19, 2024
If YA like this had been around when I was in high school, I think I would have been dangerous.
September 18, 2024
I loved this duology SO MUCH! Full of adventure and heart, it gripped me through every page, and this second book was a very satisfying finale!
September 26, 2024
4.75 stars
September 30, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
September 18, 2024
3.5 stars - I liked the first book in this series better and I gave that one 4.
This book picks up right where the first one left off. Leander and Laskia have both become messengers for gods while trying to prevent a war.
We have our same 5 POVs (Selly, Leander, Keegan, Jude and Laskia). This was obviously easier to follow than the first one because I already knew the characters. We get to know them all so much better and watch their relationships (romantic or friendship) blossom. I really liked that we got to meet Kiki (Keegan's ..."wife"). She was great and I loved how accepting she was that Keegan had no romantic feelings toward her. The fact that she helped him jump out a window to escape their marriage still makes me chuckle. I also liked getting to know Jude better as he is kind of a morally grey character.
This book was pretty slow in the middle and didn't lose my interest, but my mind drifted a little. I don't think the pacing had to do with the writing style, which I liked, it just wasn't as exciting as the beginning and end. The end was super fast paced and I also enjoyed the little epilogue-y part.
This was a full cast audiobook with each POV having a different narrator. I absolutely love it when each POV has a different narrator and each of these 6 (Kiki had a small POV as well) did such a fantastic job. They were all different so I knew whose POV I was in just by listening. They all really brought their characters to life.
Thank you to Netgalley and Knopf Books for an advanced ebook copy and PRHA for an advanced audio copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This book picks up right where the first one left off. Leander and Laskia have both become messengers for gods while trying to prevent a war.
We have our same 5 POVs (Selly, Leander, Keegan, Jude and Laskia). This was obviously easier to follow than the first one because I already knew the characters. We get to know them all so much better and watch their relationships (romantic or friendship) blossom. I really liked that we got to meet Kiki (Keegan's ..."wife"). She was great and I loved how accepting she was that Keegan had no romantic feelings toward her. The fact that she helped him jump out a window to escape their marriage still makes me chuckle. I also liked getting to know Jude better as he is kind of a morally grey character.
This book was pretty slow in the middle and didn't lose my interest, but my mind drifted a little. I don't think the pacing had to do with the writing style, which I liked, it just wasn't as exciting as the beginning and end. The end was super fast paced and I also enjoyed the little epilogue-y part.
This was a full cast audiobook with each POV having a different narrator. I absolutely love it when each POV has a different narrator and each of these 6 (Kiki had a small POV as well) did such a fantastic job. They were all different so I knew whose POV I was in just by listening. They all really brought their characters to life.
Thank you to Netgalley and Knopf Books for an advanced ebook copy and PRHA for an advanced audio copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
September 13, 2024
A great conclusion! I was blown away by the storyline, world building, and action in The Isles of the Gods. This sequel was its reactive counterpart. We see the fallout from the events at the end of the first book and how those choices affect every character. Although the plot was much more slowly paced, I could not put it down. I wish we could have seen more of Laskia’s perspective and more consequences for her. The ending felt rushed, but overall I am happy with how everything came together.
Thank you to Netgalley, Random House, and Knopf Books for Young Readers for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley, Random House, and Knopf Books for Young Readers for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
July 18, 2024
This was a sequel I had high hopes for. As I adored The Isles of the Gods. And was way too excited and nervous to know how it would all end. I was lucky to trade for an early copy of this book and am so glad that I was able to read it early. As I loved it. Five stars for me. It was a most exciting final book in a great duology.
I'm going to try my best not to spoil this second book. And also not write way too much this time. Ha. I always fail at that. The writing was, again, stunning. And I love the world that this book is set in. Mostly I loved reading more about Selly and Leander and them figuring out their story and how they will survive it all.
I loved that we got to see more of all of the characters. Though, honestly, I wanted most to just read about Selly and Leander, ha. But I did like them all. And their stories were so interesting. This book is more about the gods. Leander is now the messenger of Barrica. She wants him to create a door for her to enter the world again. And Laskia is the same for Macean. The two gods want to return to start a war. Which would end up with so, so many dead. And that is mostly what this is about. Selly and Leander does not want this war to come. While pretty much everyone else around them wants it. I did find it a little boring at times, with too much focus on the gods and the war part. I wanted more characters, more romance, more exciting times, haha. But I did like the plot as well. But I also honestly loved Selly and Leander most of all.
And we do get a whole lot of Selly and Leander in this book. We get to see their romance finally happen, after they spent all of the previous book being obviously in love. And this romance was all kinds of cute. Sigh. I do wish it had been a little bit more, yet I adored it so much. They were the cutest together. And they are bound together in a different way too, which I liked learning more about. But honestly, just them being together was enough. And they spent pretty much the whole book being close together. I loved it.
There is so much going on with the plot of this sequel. I'm not going to mention too much about it. But a little. They have just returned from the Isles of the Gods. With Leander now being a messenger for their goddess, Barrica. He is not himself. And I loved how Selly had to bring him out again. I did like reading about his new powers. I wish he had gotten to actually use them more, though. And missed seeing more of the magic of book one. But I loved how close Selly and Leander had to be in this one. It was the best.
I'm not going to say much more about the plot. Selly and Leander is trying to figure out how to survive. As other messengers in the past did not live long. They do not accept that Leander might die. I loved all that they learned. The good and bad. I loved how they were connected, even with the pain. I loved how Selly would do anything for him. Their romance was the cutest and it just healed my heart how very much they cared for each other. Sigh. No drama in this book, thankfully. But yeah. The plot was exciting and good.
There was a lot of Laskia in this book. What happened to her once she became the new messenger of Macean. Which was no easy thing for her. As she is in constant pain. Different from Leander, since she was not a magician. But she had a strong will. Although she was all kinds of crazy. And hurt a bunch of people. Yet I kind of liked her too. Somewhat. I liked her ending, at least. We see her sister, Ruby, more as well. And I honestly hated her. More than Laskia. She was not a nice sister at all. Hmph. So very rude.
We got to see more of Jude. While I did not fully love him, I did somewhat like him. He took part in some bad things in book one. But he did not actually kill someone. The book starts with his mother dying, while he was not there. Which breaks him even more. We get to see more of his boyfriend, Tom. And he was truly the cutest man. I adored them together and wanted to see more of him. But Jude is conflicted. He does not want to serve Laskia anymore. But he isn't sure what else he should do. I liked reading all of it.
We also see more of Keegan. Although, I must confess, I found his chapters to be most boring. Oops. I love him, of course I do. But more as a side character. I do love that he was a bookworm. That he loved reading. We get to meet his fiancée, Kiki. Whom he ran away from. And she was the actual cutest. I liked her. Wish we had gotten to know her a little more. But she was fun and kind and sweet. I wish they could have been together, but Keegan was not meant to be with anyone, which I also found to be a good thing.
There were only a couple of things I did not fully like about this book. First there is the cover. I'm not a big fan of it, ack. Or of the first book. They are pretty, yes, but they are not that good. Possibly because of the face closeups. Would have liked them more, if there had been more than just a face to see. Anyway. This second book was more telling than showing. And that annoyed me a bit. So little was actually happening. There was a little too much thinking for my taste, haha. But I obviously did not mind that much, of course.
For the most part, The Heart of the World was an excellent second and final book. I loved the ending a whole lot. How it ended for all of the characters, how we got to see them all. But I do wish it had been a little longer. I wish there had been a bit more of the romance. And a bit more of the world too. But I also found this book to be so good and interesting and I honestly loved it. I liked how everything fit together. I loved the characters. And I'm so happy to have read this wonderful duology. Now you must read this too.
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This review was first posted on my blog, Carina's Books, here: https://carinabooks.blogspot.com/2024...
I'm going to try my best not to spoil this second book. And also not write way too much this time. Ha. I always fail at that. The writing was, again, stunning. And I love the world that this book is set in. Mostly I loved reading more about Selly and Leander and them figuring out their story and how they will survive it all.
I loved that we got to see more of all of the characters. Though, honestly, I wanted most to just read about Selly and Leander, ha. But I did like them all. And their stories were so interesting. This book is more about the gods. Leander is now the messenger of Barrica. She wants him to create a door for her to enter the world again. And Laskia is the same for Macean. The two gods want to return to start a war. Which would end up with so, so many dead. And that is mostly what this is about. Selly and Leander does not want this war to come. While pretty much everyone else around them wants it. I did find it a little boring at times, with too much focus on the gods and the war part. I wanted more characters, more romance, more exciting times, haha. But I did like the plot as well. But I also honestly loved Selly and Leander most of all.
And we do get a whole lot of Selly and Leander in this book. We get to see their romance finally happen, after they spent all of the previous book being obviously in love. And this romance was all kinds of cute. Sigh. I do wish it had been a little bit more, yet I adored it so much. They were the cutest together. And they are bound together in a different way too, which I liked learning more about. But honestly, just them being together was enough. And they spent pretty much the whole book being close together. I loved it.
There is so much going on with the plot of this sequel. I'm not going to mention too much about it. But a little. They have just returned from the Isles of the Gods. With Leander now being a messenger for their goddess, Barrica. He is not himself. And I loved how Selly had to bring him out again. I did like reading about his new powers. I wish he had gotten to actually use them more, though. And missed seeing more of the magic of book one. But I loved how close Selly and Leander had to be in this one. It was the best.
I'm not going to say much more about the plot. Selly and Leander is trying to figure out how to survive. As other messengers in the past did not live long. They do not accept that Leander might die. I loved all that they learned. The good and bad. I loved how they were connected, even with the pain. I loved how Selly would do anything for him. Their romance was the cutest and it just healed my heart how very much they cared for each other. Sigh. No drama in this book, thankfully. But yeah. The plot was exciting and good.
There was a lot of Laskia in this book. What happened to her once she became the new messenger of Macean. Which was no easy thing for her. As she is in constant pain. Different from Leander, since she was not a magician. But she had a strong will. Although she was all kinds of crazy. And hurt a bunch of people. Yet I kind of liked her too. Somewhat. I liked her ending, at least. We see her sister, Ruby, more as well. And I honestly hated her. More than Laskia. She was not a nice sister at all. Hmph. So very rude.
We got to see more of Jude. While I did not fully love him, I did somewhat like him. He took part in some bad things in book one. But he did not actually kill someone. The book starts with his mother dying, while he was not there. Which breaks him even more. We get to see more of his boyfriend, Tom. And he was truly the cutest man. I adored them together and wanted to see more of him. But Jude is conflicted. He does not want to serve Laskia anymore. But he isn't sure what else he should do. I liked reading all of it.
We also see more of Keegan. Although, I must confess, I found his chapters to be most boring. Oops. I love him, of course I do. But more as a side character. I do love that he was a bookworm. That he loved reading. We get to meet his fiancée, Kiki. Whom he ran away from. And she was the actual cutest. I liked her. Wish we had gotten to know her a little more. But she was fun and kind and sweet. I wish they could have been together, but Keegan was not meant to be with anyone, which I also found to be a good thing.
There were only a couple of things I did not fully like about this book. First there is the cover. I'm not a big fan of it, ack. Or of the first book. They are pretty, yes, but they are not that good. Possibly because of the face closeups. Would have liked them more, if there had been more than just a face to see. Anyway. This second book was more telling than showing. And that annoyed me a bit. So little was actually happening. There was a little too much thinking for my taste, haha. But I obviously did not mind that much, of course.
For the most part, The Heart of the World was an excellent second and final book. I loved the ending a whole lot. How it ended for all of the characters, how we got to see them all. But I do wish it had been a little longer. I wish there had been a bit more of the romance. And a bit more of the world too. But I also found this book to be so good and interesting and I honestly loved it. I liked how everything fit together. I loved the characters. And I'm so happy to have read this wonderful duology. Now you must read this too.
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This review was first posted on my blog, Carina's Books, here: https://carinabooks.blogspot.com/2024...
September 11, 2024
*Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review*
I absolutely adore Amie Kaufman, and this duology is just the latest of her books to blow me away. The Heart of the World is the final book of the Isle of the Gods duology, and it picks up where the first book left off. Selly, Leander, and Keegan have returned to Alinor with Leander transformed as the Messager of Barrica, meanwhile, in Mellacea, Laskia has also become a Messanger and is trying to awaken her sleeping god. Jude is caught between his ties to Laskia and his loyalty to Leander. I loved this book, the plot, characters, writing, everything was fantastic. So without further ado my--spoiler free-- thoughts.
First up the adorable, the unbelievable, the one and only, Selly and Leander. I loved these two in the first book, but seeing their relationship grow and face hardships both godly and worldly was amazing. I can’t say much without giving anything away, but let me just say that I was extremely happy with what happened to these two in this book. Now on to the other musketeer, Keegan. Keegan was one of my favorite characters from the first book, and I loved him just as much in this one. He had a bigger role in this book, and I enjoyed learning more about him. Next up is Laskia. I hated her in this first book (obviously). She’s the villain but I also found her super annoying and her reasonings irritated me. She is much the same in this book, but I will say that I liked seeing her finally standing up for herself in the last little bit, and though I would have preferred a different ending for her, I understand why the author chose the one she did. Lastly, Jude. I kinda felt like Jude was unnecessary in the first book, but I really enjoyed him in this one. He was one of my fav characters and I am glad that he finally decided who he was and what he wanted. There are new characters in this book, my fav being Kiki, and I loved seeing more of the world and exploring the magic and gods within this book.
On to the plot. I really enjoyed the plot of this book. It is a bit slower than the first one, with everything leading up to one big moment. That being said, I flew through this book, finishing it in just a few sittings. I actually prefer plots that are a little slower and have less action, so there is that. Amie Kaufman is an absolute legend at writing engaging and magical plots and I love them.
In conclusion, yes. I loved this book, it was exciting and lovable and emotional. The first book was super good, but this one was perfection. Oh and don’t worry there is a cute little epilogue where everyone gets their own ever after.
I absolutely adore Amie Kaufman, and this duology is just the latest of her books to blow me away. The Heart of the World is the final book of the Isle of the Gods duology, and it picks up where the first book left off. Selly, Leander, and Keegan have returned to Alinor with Leander transformed as the Messager of Barrica, meanwhile, in Mellacea, Laskia has also become a Messanger and is trying to awaken her sleeping god. Jude is caught between his ties to Laskia and his loyalty to Leander. I loved this book, the plot, characters, writing, everything was fantastic. So without further ado my--spoiler free-- thoughts.
First up the adorable, the unbelievable, the one and only, Selly and Leander. I loved these two in the first book, but seeing their relationship grow and face hardships both godly and worldly was amazing. I can’t say much without giving anything away, but let me just say that I was extremely happy with what happened to these two in this book. Now on to the other musketeer, Keegan. Keegan was one of my favorite characters from the first book, and I loved him just as much in this one. He had a bigger role in this book, and I enjoyed learning more about him. Next up is Laskia. I hated her in this first book (obviously). She’s the villain but I also found her super annoying and her reasonings irritated me. She is much the same in this book, but I will say that I liked seeing her finally standing up for herself in the last little bit, and though I would have preferred a different ending for her, I understand why the author chose the one she did. Lastly, Jude. I kinda felt like Jude was unnecessary in the first book, but I really enjoyed him in this one. He was one of my fav characters and I am glad that he finally decided who he was and what he wanted. There are new characters in this book, my fav being Kiki, and I loved seeing more of the world and exploring the magic and gods within this book.
On to the plot. I really enjoyed the plot of this book. It is a bit slower than the first one, with everything leading up to one big moment. That being said, I flew through this book, finishing it in just a few sittings. I actually prefer plots that are a little slower and have less action, so there is that. Amie Kaufman is an absolute legend at writing engaging and magical plots and I love them.
In conclusion, yes. I loved this book, it was exciting and lovable and emotional. The first book was super good, but this one was perfection. Oh and don’t worry there is a cute little epilogue where everyone gets their own ever after.
September 1, 2024
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
This is an excellent follow up to the first book and completes another great series by Amie Kaufman. The conclusion is satisfying, characters well drawn out, and there are some solid unique plot points to differentiate this novel from so many YA fantasy series out there. I look forward to her next series.Story: Selly and Leander return to his home as anchor and messenger: heavy responsibilities that take a toll on both. Selly must navigate Leander's court while also ensuring that he does not become lost to the goddess who granted him powers. Laskia also has messenger powers - but she needs to find an anchor and allies fast. Meanwhile Jude and Keegan each has a mission to complete that will change the fate of kingdoms and the gods themselves.
I especially appreciated that the author plays with dualities (in this duology) so effectively. We have two groups: Selly/Leander/Keegan and Laskia/Ruby/Jude who have become embroiled with the return of two gods. The first group has support and love on their side while the second is held together by fear and intimidation. The first group is not entirely good while the second is definitely not entirely evil. As well, the first book was about Leander being a fish out of water (no pun intended) at sea while the second novel puts Selly out of her element in the royal palace.
The running theme is of manipulation by the ones they thought loved them and the characters finding their own places in the world. This has less of the swashbuckling action of the first novel due to being set in Leander's palace but is all the better for not being a repeat as a result. Most of the action comes at the end and the first part of the book is about the deteriorating mental states of all the characters under the pressures of the returning gods.
In all, I greatly enjoyed this duology. Kaufman is a solid writer who makes characters that are relatable, flawed, but interesting. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
June 23, 2024
This was my most anticipated book of 2024, and it really delivered...in the form of my tears.
The Heart of the World is the stunning conclusion to the Isles of the Gods series, and it's filled with angst and banter, and also what is quite possibly one of my favorite found families of all time. My e-book is filled with so many highlights and annotations (most of which are me screaming), but I enjoyed this so much.
Picking up right where the previous book left off, Leander, Selly, and Keegan have just arrived home after Leander became the Messenger (aka vessel) for his goddess of war, Barrica. Meanwhile, Laskia is the Messenger for Macean, the god of risk. War is brewing as the rivalry between the gods is reborn once more, and it's up to the main cast of characters to put a stop to it before the whole world is destroyed. The first half of the story was extremely angsty (which I loved), and I also enjoyed the contrast with Selly now being the one out of place in palace life. I thought the ending was satisfying (if a little cliche, which is one of my only complaints) and I cried...a lot. My only other issue was that pacing really slowed down in the middle for character development, but I still enjoyed it.
My favorite part of this duology, though, is probably the characters and their dynamics. I loved seeing Selly's character growth as she adjusted to a new world and how her stubbornness kept her sane. Leander, of course, was amazing as well. He was especially angsty (which I loved), and I enjoyed seeing his character arc. Keegan is literally me, and I love how he fits into Selly and Leander's dynamic. I surprisingly also liked Kiki, especially because she complements Keegan so well. I also liked Jude a lot more in this one because he's Extra Sad Boy now, and Laskia grew on me too.
The Heart of the World is the long-awaited sequel to The Isles of the Gods, and it's filled with angst, love, banter, and libraries.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC! (No, really, I almost cried when I got the email that my request was accepted.)
4.75/5
The Heart of the World is the stunning conclusion to the Isles of the Gods series, and it's filled with angst and banter, and also what is quite possibly one of my favorite found families of all time. My e-book is filled with so many highlights and annotations (most of which are me screaming), but I enjoyed this so much.
Picking up right where the previous book left off, Leander, Selly, and Keegan have just arrived home after Leander became the Messenger (aka vessel) for his goddess of war, Barrica. Meanwhile, Laskia is the Messenger for Macean, the god of risk. War is brewing as the rivalry between the gods is reborn once more, and it's up to the main cast of characters to put a stop to it before the whole world is destroyed. The first half of the story was extremely angsty (which I loved), and I also enjoyed the contrast with Selly now being the one out of place in palace life. I thought the ending was satisfying (if a little cliche, which is one of my only complaints) and I cried...a lot. My only other issue was that pacing really slowed down in the middle for character development, but I still enjoyed it.
My favorite part of this duology, though, is probably the characters and their dynamics. I loved seeing Selly's character growth as she adjusted to a new world and how her stubbornness kept her sane. Leander, of course, was amazing as well. He was especially angsty (which I loved), and I enjoyed seeing his character arc. Keegan is literally me, and I love how he fits into Selly and Leander's dynamic. I surprisingly also liked Kiki, especially because she complements Keegan so well. I also liked Jude a lot more in this one because he's Extra Sad Boy now, and Laskia grew on me too.
The Heart of the World is the long-awaited sequel to The Isles of the Gods, and it's filled with angst, love, banter, and libraries.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC! (No, really, I almost cried when I got the email that my request was accepted.)
4.75/5
July 6, 2024
Wow, this was epic. Such a fantastic way to end such a brilliant duology.
I adored the first book. It perfectly encapsulated everything I love about fantasy book; it had action, adventure, magic, humour and romance all in one magical book. I devoured that book. So, I strapped myself in for the longest wait for the next book and conclusion of the story. But boy was it worth the wait.
First of all, I want to massively thank Amie for including a brief summary of the events of The Isle of the Gods at the beginning. I can love a book, but not remember anything that happened. I also thought it was really cleverly done; it took the format of a letter written by Keegan.
The book picks up straight after the first one, which I have to say that I always enjoy when sequels don't skip time at the beginning. And because it follows directly on from the first, you are thrown into the action from the very beginning. It's so wonderful because it honestly feels like you never left this universe; it feels like you're a part of the story. The action and adventure in this book is simply incredible; it's exhilarating and heart-pumping, while also well-paced.
The language is beautifully written; I adored the passages and descriptions of the sea and Selly's longing to return to the water. It's so full of passion that it jumps off the page. I also appreciated that although the majority of the book takes place on land this time, Selly hasn't lost her sea legs and love of the water.
SELLY AND LEANDER ARE MY WORLD. I adored these two with all of my heart; they are so perfect that I would not change a thing about their characters or relationship. Their relationship elevates from the first book, and I could not be more grateful for this. Their chemistry is superb and one of the best things about this series. They're not just lovers without chemistry or affection, they have a beautiful friendship too that shines through.
I'm incredibly sad that the series is now over (adored the ending though), and really hope that it's not the end!
I feel like people are really sleeping on this series! I adore it and cannot recommend it enough!
I adored the first book. It perfectly encapsulated everything I love about fantasy book; it had action, adventure, magic, humour and romance all in one magical book. I devoured that book. So, I strapped myself in for the longest wait for the next book and conclusion of the story. But boy was it worth the wait.
First of all, I want to massively thank Amie for including a brief summary of the events of The Isle of the Gods at the beginning. I can love a book, but not remember anything that happened. I also thought it was really cleverly done; it took the format of a letter written by Keegan.
The book picks up straight after the first one, which I have to say that I always enjoy when sequels don't skip time at the beginning. And because it follows directly on from the first, you are thrown into the action from the very beginning. It's so wonderful because it honestly feels like you never left this universe; it feels like you're a part of the story. The action and adventure in this book is simply incredible; it's exhilarating and heart-pumping, while also well-paced.
The language is beautifully written; I adored the passages and descriptions of the sea and Selly's longing to return to the water. It's so full of passion that it jumps off the page. I also appreciated that although the majority of the book takes place on land this time, Selly hasn't lost her sea legs and love of the water.
SELLY AND LEANDER ARE MY WORLD. I adored these two with all of my heart; they are so perfect that I would not change a thing about their characters or relationship. Their relationship elevates from the first book, and I could not be more grateful for this. Their chemistry is superb and one of the best things about this series. They're not just lovers without chemistry or affection, they have a beautiful friendship too that shines through.
I'm incredibly sad that the series is now over (adored the ending though), and really hope that it's not the end!
I feel like people are really sleeping on this series! I adore it and cannot recommend it enough!
September 16, 2024
12 Parsec Take: Masterful Storytelling
Selly, Leander, and Keegan believed they had successfully saved their country (and the world) from a war between the gods. The cost…Leander’s humanity. Now a Messenger of the goddess Barrica, Leander is filled with untold power, power that is consuming him and leading inevitably to his death. But Leander has one thing other Messengers did not, Selly. For Selly has bound herself to Leander, acting as his anchor and sharing his immense power until they can find a more permanent solution. They think they have time until it becomes apparent that Macean, Barrica’s brother and eternal foe, has made himself a Messenger of the conniving, murderous Laskia. Laskia and her unwilling companion Jude have made their way home to Mellacea where Laskia is raising an army to wage war against Barrica and the country of Alinor. The last time the gods warred, a country and all its people were destroyed. Now Selly, Keegan,and Leander must race against time and journey to The Heart of the World, not only to save Leander, but to save their world.
An amazing ending to The Isles of the Gods duology. Kaufman is a plot spider, weaving the delicate, sticky threads of multiple storylines together. In, out, and around until all the threads coalesce into a strong, solid center that captures the reader’s imagination and won’t let go. The way she balances all of the different characters and plots, layering them, adding to them piece by piece is masterful. She doesn’t shy away from complex, intricately knotted stories. Instead, she slides in, braiding and untangling them as needed, crafting the perfect tale. Kaufman's characters are always strongly written. She deals with multiple main characters at once, but each is truly unique with their own strengths and weaknesses. They are all a piece of a well designed mosaic. Even her villains are three dimensional, often inspiring pity and sympathy. Kaufman’s meticulous storytelling is a hallmark of her books and it shines through in The Heart of the World. The pace is break neck as Kaufman takes us from one end of her world to the next, filling each page with adventure, romance, mystery, and magic. The only complaint is it ended all to soon. This beautiful world is rife with possibilities. I couldn’t put it down and was disappointed when it ended.
Selly, Leander, and Keegan believed they had successfully saved their country (and the world) from a war between the gods. The cost…Leander’s humanity. Now a Messenger of the goddess Barrica, Leander is filled with untold power, power that is consuming him and leading inevitably to his death. But Leander has one thing other Messengers did not, Selly. For Selly has bound herself to Leander, acting as his anchor and sharing his immense power until they can find a more permanent solution. They think they have time until it becomes apparent that Macean, Barrica’s brother and eternal foe, has made himself a Messenger of the conniving, murderous Laskia. Laskia and her unwilling companion Jude have made their way home to Mellacea where Laskia is raising an army to wage war against Barrica and the country of Alinor. The last time the gods warred, a country and all its people were destroyed. Now Selly, Keegan,and Leander must race against time and journey to The Heart of the World, not only to save Leander, but to save their world.
An amazing ending to The Isles of the Gods duology. Kaufman is a plot spider, weaving the delicate, sticky threads of multiple storylines together. In, out, and around until all the threads coalesce into a strong, solid center that captures the reader’s imagination and won’t let go. The way she balances all of the different characters and plots, layering them, adding to them piece by piece is masterful. She doesn’t shy away from complex, intricately knotted stories. Instead, she slides in, braiding and untangling them as needed, crafting the perfect tale. Kaufman's characters are always strongly written. She deals with multiple main characters at once, but each is truly unique with their own strengths and weaknesses. They are all a piece of a well designed mosaic. Even her villains are three dimensional, often inspiring pity and sympathy. Kaufman’s meticulous storytelling is a hallmark of her books and it shines through in The Heart of the World. The pace is break neck as Kaufman takes us from one end of her world to the next, filling each page with adventure, romance, mystery, and magic. The only complaint is it ended all to soon. This beautiful world is rife with possibilities. I couldn’t put it down and was disappointed when it ended.
October 4, 2024
Thank you Allen & Unwin for the gifted review copy in exchange for an honest review!
*spoilers for The Isles of the Gods - the first book in the duology*
Breathtaking, fast-paced and bittersweet.
Selly, Leander and Keegan only just survived travelling to the Isles of the Gods. Along the way, many things happened - they committed treason, battled hard, lost loved ones, and Selly and Leander fell in love.
But Leander had to sacrifice himself for his goddess - Barrica - and is now a shell of his former self. Selly is terrified he'll never return to his usual self and chooses to anchor herself to him. He's been blessed with the goddess's powers and has become her messenger, but it's too much for one mortal to handle. He transfers his power to Selly to ease the load, but the power takes a toll on Selly, and they're not sure how much longer they'll be able to survive.
Leander hoped his sacrifice would prevent the war between his goddess Barrica and Macean - the God of Risk - but instead, it roused Barrica from her slumber. With her power running through him, Leander must find a way to cope with the pressure and stop Macean from awakening before it's too late.
I loved how the action picked up straight away - Amie jumped straight into the story, making it so fun to read! I loved how Selly and Leander leaned on each other a lot - the whole novel focused on their relationship, and I loved how they overcame every difficulty they faced, because they did it together.
My heart genuinely feels so full reading The Heart of the World. The ending was utterly perfect, and I'm full of so many emotions after finishing Selly and Leander's story. I laughed, cried and felt all the emotions while reading this - thank you Amie for such a heartfelt, bittersweet novel.
Perfect for fans of a fantasy novel full of high tensions, loveable main characters and a thrilling storyline.
*spoilers for The Isles of the Gods - the first book in the duology*
Breathtaking, fast-paced and bittersweet.
Selly, Leander and Keegan only just survived travelling to the Isles of the Gods. Along the way, many things happened - they committed treason, battled hard, lost loved ones, and Selly and Leander fell in love.
But Leander had to sacrifice himself for his goddess - Barrica - and is now a shell of his former self. Selly is terrified he'll never return to his usual self and chooses to anchor herself to him. He's been blessed with the goddess's powers and has become her messenger, but it's too much for one mortal to handle. He transfers his power to Selly to ease the load, but the power takes a toll on Selly, and they're not sure how much longer they'll be able to survive.
Leander hoped his sacrifice would prevent the war between his goddess Barrica and Macean - the God of Risk - but instead, it roused Barrica from her slumber. With her power running through him, Leander must find a way to cope with the pressure and stop Macean from awakening before it's too late.
I loved how the action picked up straight away - Amie jumped straight into the story, making it so fun to read! I loved how Selly and Leander leaned on each other a lot - the whole novel focused on their relationship, and I loved how they overcame every difficulty they faced, because they did it together.
My heart genuinely feels so full reading The Heart of the World. The ending was utterly perfect, and I'm full of so many emotions after finishing Selly and Leander's story. I laughed, cried and felt all the emotions while reading this - thank you Amie for such a heartfelt, bittersweet novel.
Perfect for fans of a fantasy novel full of high tensions, loveable main characters and a thrilling storyline.
September 17, 2024
I received a free physical and audio copy for review and switched between the formats. The audiobook was well done with 6 different skilled narrators for the various POVs.
This is book 2 in a YA fantasy duology. I loved the first book The Isle of the Gods and said this about it in my past review: “It reminded me of Fable with the scrappy sailor girl feeling abandoned by her father, a bit of Six of Crows with the way the multiple POVs were included, and a bit of Divine Rivals with the way gods were woven into human wars. But it was also uniquely its own story that swept me up and kept me highly engaged throughout.”
This book picked up shortly after the end of the first book and was a satisfying conclusion to the story. The author includes a short recap at the beginning of the book and I am always very appreciative when authors do that so I can have a refresher before diving in! This book was less action oriented and more character driven, but there were some significant developments that played out. I still liked the first book best, but I have discovered I tend to be a first book kind of girl and that is very typical for me.
I really loved how everything ended in the last portion of the book and the satisfying arc that each character goes through. It was the kind of ending that leaves you with a deep satisfaction!
Trigger/content warnings: Some violence but nothing graphic. Steam level is closed door and light innuendo.
This is book 2 in a YA fantasy duology. I loved the first book The Isle of the Gods and said this about it in my past review: “It reminded me of Fable with the scrappy sailor girl feeling abandoned by her father, a bit of Six of Crows with the way the multiple POVs were included, and a bit of Divine Rivals with the way gods were woven into human wars. But it was also uniquely its own story that swept me up and kept me highly engaged throughout.”
This book picked up shortly after the end of the first book and was a satisfying conclusion to the story. The author includes a short recap at the beginning of the book and I am always very appreciative when authors do that so I can have a refresher before diving in! This book was less action oriented and more character driven, but there were some significant developments that played out. I still liked the first book best, but I have discovered I tend to be a first book kind of girl and that is very typical for me.
I really loved how everything ended in the last portion of the book and the satisfying arc that each character goes through. It was the kind of ending that leaves you with a deep satisfaction!
Trigger/content warnings: Some violence but nothing graphic. Steam level is closed door and light innuendo.
September 26, 2024
These books were page-turners and left me very satisfied with how it ended.
I'll admit that I am a bit disappointed that Laskia had no real consequences for her crimes (she did willfully murder a whole lot of innocent people in her attempts to be seen by her sister and when she was a Messenger). She had a good character arc, but no real redemption narrative. At the very least I think it would be unlikely that she'd be able to walk away scott-free after murdering a whole ship-load of nobles and attempting to kill a prince. The new government of Mellacea would probably jump at the chance of getting rid of Laskia as part of a truce with the other nations.
What really made me love these books was Jude. His arc was beautifully done, his romance with Tom was so sweet and pure and I was so very happy they were able to be together in the end. I don't really know Tom, but I still love their dynamic and how soft and happy Jude is with him. The train scene was heartbreaking. But then Jude found Tom at the end and Tom was so happy to see him and they both agreed to rebuild Vostain because Jude has a positive purpose and is healing! I mean, I'm happy for Selly and Leander and all, but Jude and Tom own my heart.
And I love how Jude was able to bring Valus back by opening up and sharing his grief and empathizing with the god's experience while still holding on to hope that things can always get better. I think his narrative was really the heart of the story.
I'll admit that I am a bit disappointed that Laskia had no real consequences for her crimes (she did willfully murder a whole lot of innocent people in her attempts to be seen by her sister and when she was a Messenger). She had a good character arc, but no real redemption narrative. At the very least I think it would be unlikely that she'd be able to walk away scott-free after murdering a whole ship-load of nobles and attempting to kill a prince. The new government of Mellacea would probably jump at the chance of getting rid of Laskia as part of a truce with the other nations.
What really made me love these books was Jude. His arc was beautifully done, his romance with Tom was so sweet and pure and I was so very happy they were able to be together in the end. I don't really know Tom, but I still love their dynamic and how soft and happy Jude is with him. The train scene was heartbreaking. But then Jude found Tom at the end and Tom was so happy to see him and they both agreed to rebuild Vostain because Jude has a positive purpose and is healing! I mean, I'm happy for Selly and Leander and all, but Jude and Tom own my heart.
And I love how Jude was able to bring Valus back by opening up and sharing his grief and empathizing with the god's experience while still holding on to hope that things can always get better. I think his narrative was really the heart of the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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