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Wolf Song Saga #2
Sword Summer
The wolf riders prepare for war.
As a summer of swords approaches, everything Astrid hoped for is coming true.
She’s found her wolf. A war looms on the horizon—just what a young hero needs to make a name for herself. The path to becoming a warrior of legend is finally clear.
Until strange powers awaken in Astrid and her wolf, Maera.
Meanwhile, Queen Rosamund has made good on her promise of conquest since taking the throne. Thyrden’s armies march for the Wolfmoors. Wielding forbidden magic, she’s determined to succeed where her father could not. Nothing short of total victory will sate her ambition.
As both sides ready for battle, Astrid and her friends find themselves far from the conflict, chasing after myths in the wilderness with an eccentric old matriarch. Their journey is nowhere near the glorious future Astrid had in mind. But not all is at it seems, even in the wild north.
When tragedy strikes, Astrid risks everything to challenge Rosamund’s dark magics. If Astrid and Maera hope to save the wolf riders, they’ll have to trust in each other, and their newfound powers.
Not every fight is won with iron. And sometimes, fate has other plans in mind.
As a summer of swords approaches, everything Astrid hoped for is coming true.
She’s found her wolf. A war looms on the horizon—just what a young hero needs to make a name for herself. The path to becoming a warrior of legend is finally clear.
Until strange powers awaken in Astrid and her wolf, Maera.
Meanwhile, Queen Rosamund has made good on her promise of conquest since taking the throne. Thyrden’s armies march for the Wolfmoors. Wielding forbidden magic, she’s determined to succeed where her father could not. Nothing short of total victory will sate her ambition.
As both sides ready for battle, Astrid and her friends find themselves far from the conflict, chasing after myths in the wilderness with an eccentric old matriarch. Their journey is nowhere near the glorious future Astrid had in mind. But not all is at it seems, even in the wild north.
When tragedy strikes, Astrid risks everything to challenge Rosamund’s dark magics. If Astrid and Maera hope to save the wolf riders, they’ll have to trust in each other, and their newfound powers.
Not every fight is won with iron. And sometimes, fate has other plans in mind.
256 pages, Paperback
Published February 2, 2024
13 people want to read
About the author
Katie Cross
98 books798 followersMy world revolves around my husband (who is a major hottie), my precious kids, my Vizsla’s who act like children, and the mountains.
I wear hiking boots instead of heels when I need to feel powerful, and on a bad day, I love a weightlifting workout. Actually, I love it on a good day.
I don’t eat bread because my thyroid doesn’t like it, although there are days I miss it. Especially ciabatta. Sweet potatoes are kind of my thing. Cookies too.
I write because I never stopped.
Author of The Network Series, The Dragonmaster Trilogy, and The Coffee Shop Series.
Email me at kcrosswriting@gmail.com
I wear hiking boots instead of heels when I need to feel powerful, and on a bad day, I love a weightlifting workout. Actually, I love it on a good day.
I don’t eat bread because my thyroid doesn’t like it, although there are days I miss it. Especially ciabatta. Sweet potatoes are kind of my thing. Cookies too.
I write because I never stopped.
Author of The Network Series, The Dragonmaster Trilogy, and The Coffee Shop Series.
Email me at kcrosswriting@gmail.com
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 1, 2025
3.75 stars.
I read book one A Spring for Spears by Katie Cross and Derek Alan Siddoway as part of my personal SPFBO-9 reading list in 2023. I noticed that book two Sword of Summer was available on Audible recently and went ahead and picked it up to continue the series. I enjoyed the first book a bit more than this one. I'll try and get to the why without giving away too much but I honestly think I'm simply not the desired target audience for this book and perhaps this series.
The pacing in Sword of Summer was smooth. I will point out again that I went with the audio version narrated by Katie Cross who really does a great job with her performance. The audio production quality and book writing are both very professionally done. I have no knocks on the quality of the story that was put together and presented.
The world building expanded in book two which is always a good thing. The different clan factions is always a bonus for me when experiencing fictional reads. It opens so many possibilities for characters or races with vastly different view points of the world. I wouldn't necessarily describe this world as low magic because it plays a fairly big part of the story. But I guess what I'd say it it's more of a mystical or shaman type of magic which is actually very refreshing from my usual wizard or sorcerer type.
The character development is where book two started to lose me. Again, I can't stress enough that this is personal opinion. The characters aren't stale or lacking substance in anyway. I just didn't find myself connecting with any of them this time around. Even as much as I loved Astrid in book one I just felt like I was going through the motions and seeing this story and characters move past me. The only bright side that I loved was the aspect of characters learning they don't have to be pigeon-holed into a single type of person or warrior. Use all abilities you have access to!
I don't believe this series is finished but I don't know if I'll continue it. I think the target audience might be someone who is either younger than I or at least looking for a younger read. That is just my opinion. There is certainly a solid fantasy story with unique characters to be found within. Maybe someone looking for a bit more of a Young Adult Fantasy read would really connect with it!
I read book one A Spring for Spears by Katie Cross and Derek Alan Siddoway as part of my personal SPFBO-9 reading list in 2023. I noticed that book two Sword of Summer was available on Audible recently and went ahead and picked it up to continue the series. I enjoyed the first book a bit more than this one. I'll try and get to the why without giving away too much but I honestly think I'm simply not the desired target audience for this book and perhaps this series.
The pacing in Sword of Summer was smooth. I will point out again that I went with the audio version narrated by Katie Cross who really does a great job with her performance. The audio production quality and book writing are both very professionally done. I have no knocks on the quality of the story that was put together and presented.
The world building expanded in book two which is always a good thing. The different clan factions is always a bonus for me when experiencing fictional reads. It opens so many possibilities for characters or races with vastly different view points of the world. I wouldn't necessarily describe this world as low magic because it plays a fairly big part of the story. But I guess what I'd say it it's more of a mystical or shaman type of magic which is actually very refreshing from my usual wizard or sorcerer type.
The character development is where book two started to lose me. Again, I can't stress enough that this is personal opinion. The characters aren't stale or lacking substance in anyway. I just didn't find myself connecting with any of them this time around. Even as much as I loved Astrid in book one I just felt like I was going through the motions and seeing this story and characters move past me. The only bright side that I loved was the aspect of characters learning they don't have to be pigeon-holed into a single type of person or warrior. Use all abilities you have access to!
I don't believe this series is finished but I don't know if I'll continue it. I think the target audience might be someone who is either younger than I or at least looking for a younger read. That is just my opinion. There is certainly a solid fantasy story with unique characters to be found within. Maybe someone looking for a bit more of a Young Adult Fantasy read would really connect with it!
February 8, 2024
I don’t even know how to put into words how much I loved this book. I listened to it in my car, and my 12-year-old said, “This is cool.” The last chapter left me in shock, and I loved it! The only issue is that I don’t have Book 3 so I can see what happens next. The narrator is unlike any other I’ve heard. Great job Katie Cross on keeping all the voices straight. 😁
April 13, 2024
Outstanding book, and dare I say even better than Spring for Spears! Rosamund is an incredibly compelling antagonist and seeing her path remains one of my favorite parts of the series. Some wonderful development for Astrid and a thoroughly exciting plot round this out as an excellent read you’ll struggle to put down.
The blend of real world cultures is another strong point for these books - while most groups present are blended enough to allude direct real world analogs, the campaign between the Thyrlings and Skolvarg feels very much akin to the Roman invasion of Gaul or Germaina and is incredibly compelling.
All said, I can’t wait for more!
The blend of real world cultures is another strong point for these books - while most groups present are blended enough to allude direct real world analogs, the campaign between the Thyrlings and Skolvarg feels very much akin to the Roman invasion of Gaul or Germaina and is incredibly compelling.
All said, I can’t wait for more!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 7, 2024
A worthy sequel revolving around mostly the same characters as A Spring for Spears. Slightly more fantastical/mystical. I love that most of the heroes (and villains!) are female and/or four-legged. Familiar themes - nature v human expansion; battling against "dark" magic, youth seeking and finding purpose; daring small-team missions to save the multiverse. Flirtatious, but very chaste, romantic side bars.
Looking forward to Autumn of Axes, and I would love this series to be optioned by one of the streaming services, who would then sign Bella Ramsey as the lead :-) (small dreams!)
Looking forward to Autumn of Axes, and I would love this series to be optioned by one of the streaming services, who would then sign Bella Ramsey as the lead :-) (small dreams!)
September 17, 2025
This was an exciting and thrilling follow-up to the first book! Once again, the authors did an amazing job! Once again, I find myself drawn to and in love with the concept of being bonded and connected with wolves! The consistency and flow of the characters and plot from the first story to this second one were well done as well! Simple but effective and deep! I hope that the authors will be able to continue and make me stories because I want to know what happens next!
February 15, 2024
I liked this even better than the first installment! Nonstop adventure and I love Astrid and Ewen! I can hardly wait for the next book in the series ☺️
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews