Review of The Shadow Wand by Laurie Forest

Forest, Laurie.  The Shadow Wand.  Inkyard, 2020.

 

The Shadow Wand, the third book in The Black Witch Chronicles, takes up where The Iron Flower ends.  Elloren Gardner now knows she is The Black Witch, which has been prophesized, but she must learn how to use her power in order to help the Resistance.  She is sent to her Fastmate, Commander Lukas Grey, Head of the Mage Guard, for protection.  They must work together so that High Mage Marcus Vogel and the Gardnerians under his control do not capture her and use her power for evil.

 

Not wanting to give too much away, Elloren finds out who are her allies and who are her foes.  However, since many who would ally with her don’t realize she is fighting for the Resistance, she is in grave danger from both sides.  She undergoes rigorous training and must learn alternative methods of using her power.  Readers will also learn what has become of Elloren’s friends and family who have been scattered far and wide in Erthia.

 

As in the previous books, Laurie Forest has again managed to weave lush and gorgeous world-building into this edition.  Not only that, but the characters and evil creatures are dynamic, and some are just terrifying!  The love scenes are extremely intense and steamy, which will be swoon-worthy and satisfying for many fans.

 

The book is divided into six parts, starting with character backstories.  The beginning of the book does start off rather slowly as the author works to catch readers up on what has happened to Elleron’s friends and family since the end of The Iron Flower.  Viewpoints change across chapters as we learn what has transpired with each character.  During the course of the book, the plot speeds up and becomes action-packed.  

 

There is still discrimination and persecution among races, as in the earlier stories; this only adds to the shock and empathy one feels toward the victimized species.  Much to my dismay, the Lupine siblings, Jarod and Diana, do not make an appearance in this book.  They are my favorite characters, and I hope we will see them in the next installment.  There is a shocking cliff-hanger ending!  I can’t wait for the next book, The Demon Tide, which won’t come out until June of 2021.  Yes, unfortunately, we must wait an entire year!

 

Hand this book to fantasy lovers and those who have enjoyed the series.  I highly recommend it for high school and public libraries and give it 5 out of 5 fleur de lis!

 

Thank you to Edelweiss for giving me the opportunity to read and review an advanced reader’s copy of The Shadow Wand.

Review of Deathless Divide by Justina Ireland

 Ireland, Justina.  Deathless Divide.  Balzer+Bray, 2020.

This second installment of the Dread Nation duology picks up right where the first book ended.  During the Years of Discord, the time period just after 1863, “shamblers”, or zombies, have taken over the settlement of Summerville, Kansas.  Jane McKeene and Kathryn Deveraux have decided to travel together, heading to Nicodemus, Kansas, the site of a Negro settlement founded by Freedmen and Quaker settlers.  It is supposed to be a secure, welcoming refuge, but it turns out to be just another social-experimental community run by deceitful and criminal characters.  When Nicodemus is also overrun by shamblers, the girls part ways, each heading down their own path.  These two black girls trained in the art of fighting shamblers started out as enemies but ended up as frenemies.  They eventually hope to make their way to Haven, California, a safe Negro settlement near Sacramento, where they believe Jane’s mother is living.  Along the way, they each endure heartbreak, sacrifice, and challenges.

This well-crafted historical-fantasy series has such an unusual concept—that of black, mostly female, zombie hunters during the Civil War and Reconstruction Period. If you are looking for a book that is character-driven and has warrior heroines, look no further.  Both Jane and Kathryn, plus a few other minor characters, have spunk, grit, and determination.  They manage to overcome obstacles within a sinister setting and find intelligent ways out of dangerous situations.  The book is told in alternating chapters in both of their voices, and each chapter begins with a quote either from Shakespeare, the Bible, or some other literary work.  

This series contains, numerous social conflicts—exploitation of the black race, social tensions between native Americans and black characters, and relations between Chinese families and other races.  Add to those conflicts the themes of racism, nationalism, identity, kinship, resilience, immigration, bioethics, and vaccinations, and you have plot that is rich in layers and textures.

Hand this series to readers who love action, zombie stories, and alternative historical fiction.  While it is not necessary to have read the first book, it would be extremely helpful.  I had to go back and reread parts of Dread Nation to bring myself back up to speed.  I highly recommend this book and the whole series to high school and public libraries, and I give it five out of five fleur de lis!