Daughter of the Tempest

Myths of the Empyrieos #2

by Braidee Otto

Princess Aella and her best friend become the kingdom’s most-wanted fugitives in the much-anticipated epic romantasy sequel to Songbird of the Sorrows—featuring dual perspectives, ride-or-die friendships, found family, unlikely alliances, and two slow-burn romantic arcs.

Songbird. Traitor. Runaway. Heroine.

Aella is on the run. After a life of being trained to follow orders, she finally defied them when the true purpose of the Aviary’s mission in Eretria was revealed. Still reeling from her lover’s betrayal and Prince Keres’s deadly trials—and now abducted by the very person she risked everything to save—Aella is branded a traitor and has no choice but to flee across the Emyprieos with only her secrets and the silver-eyed stranger by her side. As they evade capture, the two mustgrow to trust each other, but Aella soon discovers that she’s not the only one keeping secrets, and the truth only complicates their already fragile pursuit of freedom.

With Aella accused of treason, her best friend, Nyssa, is under suspicion as an accomplice. Disguised as a servant in the Southern Kingdom’s palace, her sole aim is to find Aella and ensure her best friend’s safety. But between the upcoming Empyrieos Games, the threat of discovery, and a reluctant alliance with Aella’s brother, Prince Kallias, risk waits around every corner.

As both women fight to survive against the dangerous political power of the Southern Kingdom, the Aviary, and the Prince of Eretria, the two must also claim their identities and destinies in a world that seeks to define them.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Romance, Fantasy Romance, Fiction, Adult

448 pages, Paperback

Expected publication October 27, 2026

About the author

A self-proclaimed hopeless romantic, Braidee Otto combines her academic background in Literary Studies with a deep passion for storytelling to create heartfelt, immersive narratives. Songbird of the Sorrows is the first installment in her debut adult romantic fantasy series, Myths of the Empyrieos. She lives in Adelaide, South Australia with her partner, two beloved dogs, and a cat that appeared in her backyard on the winter solstice.

Reviews

[Erin Dunn]

✨Excellent sequel! ✨

I really enjoyed Daughter of the Tempest. I’m so happy with the direction that this book went in and some of it was a bit of a surprise!

I enjoyed getting the POV of Nyssa in addition to Aella. I can’t remember for sure, but I don’t think we had Nyssa’s POV in book 1? 🤔 Either way her POV was really intriguing too! Oh and I love their friendship so much. Also, I loved the romances too and the banter! I’m glad it wasn’t overly saturated with spicy scenes because it wasn’t needed.

I can’t wait for the next book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free ebook copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is expected to be released October 20, 2026 .

[Renee]

Daughter of the Tempest by Braidee Otto
-Myths of the Empyrieos, Book 2-

5/5⭐️
1/3🌶️ (1 scene)
2/3🦋

•My Thoughts•
This is exactly what I was hoping for from this book and it makes me want to scream about it!!! I loved the world expansion, the added POV of Aella’s best friend Nyssa and how we get to follow both of them after the events of book 1. The intrigue had me on the edge of my seat and the romantic story lines were some of my favorite; the tension, the secret yearning, it was fantastic! I loved the mythological creatures and prophecy and reveals. GOSH. You guys. You have to get this series on your tbr!!! I love this balance in romance and fantasy story. I’m already excited to reread this in preparation for the concluding book of the trilogy.

Thank you to Penguin RandomHouse and the Dial Press for the gifted early copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Chelsia]

Thank you NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this book!

Wow what a sequel!! ⭐️ I did not expect this series to go where it went, but man I’m so pumped for how this is shaping up. It feels a little like a pivot from the first book, but I didn’t mind it.

I loved the dual POV between Nyssa and Aella. It kept the story moving and it was so interesting to follow both their journeys. The loyalty and love they have for each other was incredibly moving! 💖 it was also great to fall in love with new side characters and see how they are going to fit into this world.

On the romance, the slow burn was delicccioooussssss. I really enjoyed the slow tension building, and I ate up all the moments with longing looks and lingering touches.

All in all, I’m so invested in this world and these characters and can’t wait to see what’s next!

[Tori]

Braidee Otto, the writer you are! I’m honestly not sure how I’m supposed to recover from this one.

I applied for Braidee’s Arc Team because I knew there was something special about this story after reading Songbird of the Sorrows. The immersiveness of her writing, the way the world is steeped in myths and folklore, the characters and their enduring bonds to one another, the taste and tease of a much larger story waiting to unfold. Daughter of the Tempest is all of this and so much more — elevating the series into a story that’s impossible to put down!

I loved the addition of Nyssa’s POV! What better way to connect the events in the Sorrows to the larger world than to showcase two friends desperately trying to get back to and protect one another. Both Nyssa and Aella grow so much throughout this story - both finding themselves and cultivating enduring relationships along the way. I was equally enamored by each of their POVs and loved how every individual reveal tied back to the overarching plot. Braidee’s character development throughout this series is brilliant. Every single character, every action, every twist has a purpose. I came to care about all of them, and adored the story’s major theme of the family we choose.

And the romances? I hungered for each stolen glance, every light touch, and the brewing tension: a slowburn steadily rising to an inferno. I loved how these relationships deepened naturally over the course of the story, lending to feelings of authenticity and permanence after so much strife. I always love that shift when the romance is no longer one of the challenges, but a given, and the sense of togetherness as they face what’s to come.

It’s such a gift to be able to read this story well ahead of its release, but the wait for the conclusion is going to be excruciating. I’m already revisiting my favorite parts — every romantic glance, every challenge overcome, every devastating reveal. This is a story that lingers. I cannot wait to see what’s in store next for Aella, Nyssa, and crew!

Thank you to Braidee Otto, The Dial Press, and NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Kate Victoria RescueandReading]

This was a stunning follow up book after Songbird of the Sorrows. You can see how much work the author put into the plot, characters, and especially the Empyrieos world building.

Things get pretty crazy fairly quickly with the two main characters Aella and Nyssa. They are each dealing with threats of spies and kingdoms, as well as their own personal problems. Their arcs were well developed and I loved seeing where each character took the readers.

There’s tons of adventure, some romance, and boatloads of intrigue. I loved that there were actually serious consequences happening based on the actions of others; actual character deaths increase the risk and the reward of all the actions taken.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Random House/ The Dial Press for a copy!

[Katrin]

First of all, I need the biggest apology for Maxim.
Second, is Raven dead, or we’ll see him in the next book? I hope not, sorry, not sorry. I don’t like him.

What can I say? The Daughter of Tempest is a beautiful continuation of the story. I really loved the dual POV from Aella and Nyssa. I also loved that the author used the “touch her and you’ll die” trope, but with best friends. It was such a refreshing take on the story.

I really loved the way the author showed us magic in this book, and the way Aella was taught how to use it. And that moment at the end when she finally managed to transform? It was just beautiful. I’m actually really glad it didn’t happen on the first try, because Aella was learning about emotions, and she needed that emotional breakthrough. And it wasn’t triggered by jealousy, sex, or love for some man. It came from her love for her best friend, someone who is basically her sister.

But most of all, I loved Lyxander and Kallias. Hear me out. They are THE MEN.

Let’s talk about the love interests, or why you would love Kallias. And I do think he reminds me of Dorian from TOG.

“𝙈𝙖𝙮 𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙆𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙖𝙨?”

“𝙄 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙄 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙛𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙛 ‘𝙢𝙮 𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙚’ 𝙙𝙧𝙞𝙥𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙥𝙤𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙪𝙚.”

Kallias is honestly the type of book boyfriend you could tell to bark, and he’d just ask how loud. And I absolutely love it. His storyline was beautiful. The slow burn, all those tiny moments between them, all the little touches and glances. Screaming, crying, kicking my feet.

And then there’s Lyxander. I obviously can’t say too much without getting into spoiler territory, but I absolutely loved the way their relationship developed. There’s so much tension between them, and the fact that they don’t fully trust each other makes every interaction even better. They’re forced to work together, there are secrets on both sides, and meanwhile there’s this very obvious attraction neither of them really wants to acknowledge. The slow burn was SLOW burning, and I was completely invested. Give me more of this kind of dynamic, and I will happily suffer through every single chapter.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!

[Rebecca ~ readinginNZ]

“Spy. Thief. Princess. Songbird… Each a title. Each a burden. Each one etched into me like a scar - never chosen, only endured.”

✨ Dual POV
✨ Found family
✨ Slow burn
✨ Political intrigue

Okay, I think this one might actually be even better than book one.

The stakes are definitely higher, the world gets so much bigger, and we get SO much more lore and backstory. I loved getting to see more of the world outside of Aella’s original story and watching everything start to connect.

And the dual POV was such a good choice. Aella and Nyssa are both absolute badasses, but in completely different ways, and I loved getting both of their perspectives.

“Cowards don’t need blades to wound; they only need silence when it matters most. That is one of the cold, harsh truths the world has taught me.”

The found family was also a huge highlight for me. The relationships between the characters are getting deeper, and I loved watching these little groups of people become something much bigger than any of them expected.

Then we have the two slow burns.

Aella and Lyxander? 👀

“There is no rule, no custom, no fate I would not bend or break for you, Stormwind.”

And Nyssa and Kallias? Also 👀

“He looks like a fallen painting - too beautiful to burn, too broken to restore. All sharp lines and rumpled grace, like ruin trying to remember it was once royalty.”

I was invested in BOTH, which frankly feels like a personal attack when I now have to wait for the next book.

“Only a blind man wouldn’t see the tempest raging in your eyes.”

Overall, this was everything I wanted from the sequel. Higher stakes, bigger worldbuilding, more lore, two brilliant FMCs, found family and two painfully slow romances that I am absolutely here for.

And after that ending, I need to know what happens next.

Chaos, vibes and opinions are all my own ✨ please give credit if you share.

[Monique Hall]

Thank you Braidee and team for sending me the eARC and having me on board as a Nightwing.
Wow talk about gripping, edge of your seat stuff!
From the action, interactions between Aella and Nissa and the people around them, the tension, twists and revelations… it’s all so very good!!
Gagging for the next book!

[Char]

Arc review

The dedication 🥹🤎
A pronunciation guide & a glossary!! Braidee the queen that you are 👑
The first chapter being from Nyssa’s POV keeps you on edge after the cliffhanger of Songbird of the Sorrows. You get to sense Aella’s kidnapping from the eyes of her best friend (and maybe think of some equally dramatic scenarios if you are like Nyssa).
What was amazing was the subtle shift of metaphors. From birds and cages, to the freedom of the sky and wind.
Raven… I have very complicated feelings.
Nyssa. My girl. She masks her pain and fear with humour. She left me giggling, shaking me head, and my heart aching.
Fake husband. One bed. A pillow wall. Braidee are you trying to kill me.
MY WIFE. someone is going to need to sedate me because holy fucking gods
I love the horses names
THE TEA 🍵 😭😭
The way Lyxander shows he cares in all the little ways is so beautiful. I also appreciate that even in all these acts he doesn’t treat Aella with kid gloves, because he has been there and he sees her.
“Breathe with me”
Lyxander. You cannot possibly be this hot and this swoon worthy. You’re killing me.
Maxim!!!! Gods I love him. He brings such light to our moody duo of Kal & Nyssa.
Seeing Aella through Nyssa’s eyes is so beautiful. To see the absolute adoration and love of these best friends is the truest love story of all.
Keres. Even the name makes me want to punch something.
It is so interesting how connected Aella’s theïkós is to her emotions.
Still not over the WINGS 🪽
“You should have let me fall. It would have hurt less.” OUCH 😩
Thena…bad vibes
Watching Aella slowly accept who she is and start to learn to be one with her theïkós.
A shirtless Xan. Now that is something I am dying to have art of😍🪽
Nickname change?!?!!!!!
If you ever feel like writing lil side stories about the Harpaurai please let me read them 🙏
Lyxander’s mum 🥺😭 I just want both my babies to feel safe and loved.
THE TOUCHING HIS WINGS THING?!!!!
I love that Aella & Xan are slowly starting to get more playful with one another 🥹🤎
Xan gave her books and then he gave her clothes. Honestly he is the dream 🤎🪽
Thank you for the explicit “not related”
Nyssa and Maxim sharing little snippets of their childhoods 🥺🥹
Aella’s mum sounds so ethereal
Aella’s reaction to the prophecy makes me just want to give her a big hug
Kallias FINALLY telling Nyssa how much he cares and wants her 😍 hottest thing ever is Kal finally expressing his feelings
NYSSA AND KALLIAS KISS FINALLY and then holy gods 🥵🔥
The way Lyxander pushes Aella because he knows what she is truly capable of and wants it for her. It makes me love him more.

I love that both Nyssa and Aella found additional friendship supports while they are separated. Nyssa has Maxim. Aella has Titaia. Both are so important because you can just sense how much they miss each other and how important it is for them to have people to lean on that aren’t a love interest.

I love that she isn’t just talking about Lyxander in her jealousy of Solenne but also the feeling of belonging and having a home. Something she has always craved that is always out of her grasp. Because you can tell it is something she could maybe see herself having with Xan and his kin but is still unsure and fearful of.

The feathers!!!! 🪶

EMOTIONS

I love that Lyxander is waiting for her (because of course he is. He is perfect).
I also love that he knows when to push Aella and when not to

I shall be needing an address to forward my therapy bills.

[McKenzie Lowe]

Thank you Braidee Otto, Penguin Random House, and NetGalley for this eARC!

Daughter of the Tempest was basically everything I want more of when it comes to a second book in a series. It really encapsulated the journey that Aella is on, while also expanding the world and giving us so much more insight into the characters around her.

One thing I really enjoyed was having multiple POVs throughout this book. It gave me such a bigger picture of what was happening, and honestly, I didn’t realize how much I needed those different perspectives until I was getting them. Being able to experience events happening around the same time through different characters’ eyes added so much more depth to the story and made the overall plot feel much more expansive.

But I think the biggest thing that stood out to me was the female friendships. There is just something so special about seeing genuine, loving relationships between women portrayed in a way that feels important to the story. Yes, you can have a romantic partner, but at the end of the day, some of the most important relationships you’ll have are the female friendships you build and carry with you. And I loved seeing that sentiment reflected throughout this book.

Which brings me to the found family aspect, because YES. We got hints of this in the first book, but I feel like it really comes alive in book two. It’s such a beautiful reminder that family isn’t always the people you’re related to by blood—it’s the people you choose to keep in your life, the people who show up for you, and the people who become your home. That is a storyline I will always eat up because I wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment.

I also really enjoyed watching the relationships blossom throughout this book. In book one, I thought the romance was okay, but book two really delivered what I wanted from the romantic relationships. It wasn’t just an instant, “Oh, we’re attracted to each other, so now we’re in love.” Instead, we actually get to watch these relationships develop. There’s yearning, there’s effort, there are obstacles, and there’s actual work involved in getting these characters to where they are now.

And honestly? GIVE ME THE SLOW BUILD.

I loved getting to see two prominent relationships grow in their own ways, and I think that development makes the story heading into book three even more exciting. I’m so curious to see how these relationships continue to evolve as the characters face whatever trials and tribulations are coming their way.

Overall, Daughter of the Tempest did exactly what I want a second book in a series to do. It expanded the story, deepened the characters and relationships, strengthened the found-family aspect, and gave me even more reasons to be invested in what happens next.

Now I just need book three because I need to know where this is going. 👀

[Liana White]

Spoilers ahead in this review !!!


This was a 5 star read for me! This book sucked me right in, and I could not put it down! I’ve fallen in love with the Empyrieos world and the characters in this series.

Aella continues to be one of my favourite characters and I was so excited to see what happened with her after the ending of the first book. Man was I in for a treat because SO much happens and it’s super intense.

I also loved getting Nyssa’s POV. Her storyline beautifully complemented Aella’s, and I love how effectively both storylines came together in the end to create even more impact for the reader.

I adore the friendship between Aella and Nyssa. I love that this series places such a strong emphasis on female friendship and female empowerment.

One of the biggest surprises for me was Nyssa and Kallias! I did not see that relationship coming, but I ended up loving it so much! The dynamic between Nyssa, Kallias, and Maxim was such a fun addition to the story, and I enjoyed every scene they shared. They make such a great team.

Ares was hands down my favourite side character. No notes…he’s perfect.

It took me awhile to warm up to Lyxander because after everything Aella has been through with the other men in her life, I wasn’t convinced he could be trusted. I’m happy to admit that I was wrong. Lyxander completely stole my heart. The relationship between him and Aella was beautiful, and their story is only just beginning. The yearning between them was a slow, slow burn. I was desperate for something to happen but I know the payoff will be worth the wait. You gotta love a good slow burn!

The world building continues to be incredible. I loved exploring the world beyond the Sorrows, learning more about Arkhadia, and discovering the Harpaurai (they are so unbelievably cool). Briadee has created such a rich, immersive world, and it still feels like we’re only scratching the surface. I can’t wait to see how everything pans out.

And I can’t forget Maxim…
I don’t even know how to put into words how sad I am. I loved his character so much and while his death was heartbreaking, I thought the boat send off was a beautiful, emotional, and incredibly fitting way to honour him.

The ending has my mind whirling!!!!! I thought the ending of the first book was intense. This one takes it to a whole new level. I’m both excited and terrified for what is to come with “the keeper”.

Thank you to Braidee Otto and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book!

[Rachel]

✨ARC Review✨

I don't know if I can forgive what happens to a character at the end of this book... I AM HEARTBROKEN... WHYYYYY.

But this book was a masterpiece. It had EVERYTHING I wanted for a sequel, especially with how Songbird ended... I couldn't have asked for a better sequel.

This book sucked me back into the story IMMEDIATELY. I LOVED the two POV's and I looked forward to each POV. There wasn't a moment where we switched POV's that I wasn't excited for it, and that is rare with multi-pov books. Both Aella's and Nyssa's storylines were phenomenal. The progression of their stories was great.

The PAIRINGS in this book... the TENSION... the BANTER... the new characters and found family... the new lore and creatures... I loved every single second of it and I devoured it all.

The way love and yearning is portrayed in this book, how it is written, it gave me everything I needed and lacked nothing. The time spent on stage direction and looks and expressions and inner thoughts and feelings... 10/10. I was so all in with everyone and so hooked. Giggling, kicking my feet, turning to my imaginary audience, all of it.

I CANNOT wait for book 3, I need it right now. I need to be with these character again and I only just left them and I miss them and this world. I AM STILL SO HEARTBROKEN OVER A CERTAIN CHARACTER... BUT IT'S FINE... IT WILL BE FINE... *cries*.

Thank you so much for the ARC!

[Emmy]

Songbird of Sorrows was one my favorite books of last year. I feel like second books are sometimes hard to out do after the first but Braidee delivered with an amazing sequels. Nyssa and Aella are honestly one of my favorite friendships I have ever read in a book. They both are strong in their own way and were groomed to be weapons but their journey through this Tempest defies the idea of what that weapon can do turned on you as they have to navigate through corrupt power in the kingdoms. Xan!!!!! You meet him the first book and I knew he would hook me into this second. I love his character so much and the fierce loyalty but also vulnerability into his character. The slowest of slow burns is in this book but it pays off and there was so many quotes that I highlighted! I love how Braidee weaved in another plot of Nyssa story so much and it paralleled with Aella so well, I didn’t want to skip a single chapter. Kailas character is also another one that gets explored as we saw minimal amount of him in Sorrows but I’m so obsessed with this prince! The expanse of this world and characters was on my favorite parts of this story. Tempest is filled with found family, slow burn romances, plot twist and fast pacing

[Hannah Keyser]

First my thanks to Random House and NetGalley for an ARC copy of this novel 🫶

I was able to get an ARC copy of the first book in this series, Songbird of the Sorrows, back at the beginning of the year and loved it’ So when I saw an ARC was available for the second book I knew I had to get my hands on it!

If the first book was good, this book was amazing. The writing and story line are even better than in the first one. I ended up reading it all in just a few days!

In the first book I felt like some aspects were drawn out too long, but in this one, I feel like every chapter is packed with action and moves the plot along.

I can’t wait to see where the next book takes our lovely characters after such a HUGE ending that this book had! Like what a bomb drop!

*SPOILERS*

I didn’t think I would, but I LOVE Xan and he can do no wrong. I need him to kill Keres and he and Aella can live happily ever after, flying around Eretria WITH HER NEW WINGS!

I also love the new POVs from Nyssa and her exploits with Kallias and I also want them to be happy and never sad and live happily ever after.

[Lisa Penninga]

I was given a digital ARC for this book, and all opinions are my own:

Rarely do I like the second books of series, but this— WOW! I loved the continuation of book one, but also the development of new realms and characters. I have so many predictions for the third book- how will I wait?!?! The slow burn is this book is so well done, and I love how the archetypes - the foil, the prince, the spy, work so well in Nyssa’s story. Aella’s development is just beginning. I love the way that it ends, it’s really a beginning for her, is she accepts. This is a great series for anyone who loves the world building of Sarah J. Maas, Hunger games, and Fourth Wing.

[Hannah Kekel]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

⚠️ This review contains spoilers for both Songbird of the Sorrows and Daughter of the Tempest. If you haven’t read Book One yet, you’ve been warned!

After finishing Songbird of the Sorrows, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this sequel and somehow, Daughter of the Tempest exceeded every expectation I had. This is one of those rare sequels that doesn’t just continue the story; it expands everything that made me fall in love with the first book while raising the emotional stakes, the worldbuilding, and the character development to another level.

First, thank you to Random House, NetGalley, and Braidee Otto for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. It was truly an honor to return to this world.

From the very first chapter, the pacing never lets up. Splitting the story between Aella and Nyssa was one of my favorite choices because neither storyline ever felt like an interruption. Instead, every POV built tension until both narratives collided in a way that felt inevitable and incredibly satisfying. Every chapter ended with me thinking, “Just one more,” and before I knew it, I had flown through the entire book.

Braidee Otto’s prose continues to be one of my favorite parts of this series. There were countless passages that felt more like poetry than prose. She has such a gift for creating vivid imagery while weaving emotion into every scene. Some lines genuinely stopped me in my tracks.

“Cowards don’t need blades to wound; they only need silence when it matters most.”

“People rarely look up …. When they’re too busy surviving, they forget the sky exists.”

“Maybe safe isn’t something we wait to feel. Maybe it’s something we claim, even if our hands shake.”

Those are just a few of the many lines I highlighted.

Now…the spoilers.

Aella’s journey completely stole my heart. Watching her slowly learn to trust herself, embrace her magic, and discover who she truly is was incredibly rewarding. I loved that her growth never felt easy. Every victory had to be earned, which made her eventual emergence feel so much more satisfying. The fact that her wings appeared not because destiny demanded it, but because she was protecting someone she loved, made that moment unforgettable.

Speaking of unforgettable… XAN.

I don’t even know where to begin.

Braidee Otto somehow wrote one of my favorite slow burns I’ve read in fantasy.

Their relationship wasn’t built on instant attraction. It was built on trust, patience, vulnerability, and choice. Xan consistently respected Aella’s boundaries, gave her agency after everything she’d survived, and never tried to become her savior. He simply stood beside her. Watching their walls slowly come down, seeing their banter evolve into genuine affection, and finally getting THAT kiss after all the anticipation was absolutely worth the wait.

“I followed you because I have not known a moment of peace since you left.”

Yeah…that line ruined me.

The found family in this book deserves just as much praise. Rhaya, Kato, Cynna, Titia, and even Ares completely stole my heart. Every member of the kin felt like a real person with their own history, personality, and purpose. It never felt like side characters were simply there to fill space- they all mattered.

Nyssa’s storyline was equally compelling. I loved that she wasn’t pushed aside while Aella embarked on her own journey. Instead, she became the heart of the political intrigue back in the Sorrows. Watching her navigate espionage, uncover conspiracies, and slowly develop feelings for Kallias had me completely invested. Their banter was everything I wanted, and yes…I absolutely kicked my feet during more than one of their scenes.

Then there was Raven.

I don’t think I’ve ever had such complicated feelings toward a character.

Learning about the binding bargain didn’t erase what happened, but it added so much tragedy to his choices. His redemption didn’t come from asking for forgiveness -it came from finally making the choice he should have made all along, even knowing it would cost him everything. I honestly found myself crying during those chapters.

And Maxim… I was not prepared.

His funeral absolutely shattered me. Sending him out to sea on a boat after learning about his dreams of building ships was such a beautiful and heartbreaking tribute.

“A fugitive spy and a ruinous prince, sending their steadfast guard out to sea.”

That line alone had me in tears.

One of my favorite things about this sequel is how carefully every reveal is planted. Nothing felt random. Mysteries introduced early in the story paid off dozens of chapters later in ways I never expected but immediately believed. Every twist felt earned, whether it was the Harpaurai, the prophecy, Lord Cirillo’s identity, or the true meaning behind the Keeper and the Veil.

The worldbuilding also expanded beautifully. The Harpaurai quickly became one of my favorite fantasy races I’ve read in recent years, and I loved learning about their customs, history, traditions, and politics. Every new location felt distinct, lived in, and meaningful.

And then… That ending.

I genuinely don’t think I blinked during the final chapters.

The Games. The emergence. The reveal of the Anemoi. The fractured sky. The Keeper. And that final scene…

Braidee Otto somehow managed to wrap up this installment while simultaneously making me desperate for Book Three. The cliffhanger feels earned rather than frustrating, and I already know I’ll be counting down until I can return to this world.

If you loved Songbird of the Sorrows, this sequel delivers everything I hoped for and more. Bigger stakes. Richer worldbuilding. Incredible character growth. Beautiful prose. Heartbreaking moments. Found family. Political intrigue. A slow-burn romance that absolutely delivers. And enough emotional damage to leave me staring at my ceiling after I finished.

Read this if you love:
🪽 Slow-burn romance
⚔️ Political fantasy
🗡️ Spy missions and secret identities
🌪️ Elemental magic
🪽 Winged characters
🏰 Royal courts and court intrigue
🤍 Found family
❤️ “Who did this to you?” / fiercely protective love interests
🐉 (Or in this case… giant flying cats instead of dragons.)
📖 Beautiful, lyrical prose
🔥 Sequels that raise the stakes without losing the heart of the story

Braidee Otto has officially made this one of my favorite fantasy series, and I already know I’ll be first in line for Book Three.

[Sarah]

Thank you to The Dial Press, NetGalley, and the author for this advanced copy. The last few sequels I’ve read recently have killed it and this one is no exception.

I loved the addition of Nyssa’s POV. I didn’t know how I was going to enjoy another POV other than Aella’s but I loved both equally and I loved the character development of both. Nyssa, Maxim, and Kallias were such an iconic dream team. And the slow burn tension we got with 2 of the 3 characters kept me turning the page.

Aella’s storyline was so good. I loved watching her discover herself, learn more about her family, and find belonging in the place her mother was from. I didn’t think I’d like another MMC more than Raven, but Xan was so likable and the slow burn between Xan and Aella was so satisfying. It was so glacial, I almost didn’t think it was going to happen.

One thing I also love in a good romance or romantasy is the nicknames. Both Kallias and Xan came up with great nicknames for their ladies. Stormwind and Little bird. And Poison. Those had me kicking my feet.

The found family was so good and I loved the ending and where the characters ended up (mostly). I’m really excited for book 3, not only for the plot and what’s going to happen, but I also really need more of Xan and Aella together and more of Kallias and Nyssa together.

[Deirdre]

I received an eARC directly from the author via NetGalley and this is my honest review.

- ✌️dual POV
- 💕two love stories
- 🫂 best friends
- ❤️reluctant allies to lovers (for both)
- ❤️‍🩹he cleans her wound
- 🫁”breathe with me” moment
- 🏡found family
- 🪽 finding oneself
- ⁉️cliffhanger ending

Overall, this was 4 solid stars. The last 20% of the book really brought the book from 3 to 4 stars for me. The overall pacing of this book was moderate to slower, matching the character development that was needed. This book was very character and relationship driven, focusing on all the characters growing and changing. The overarching and side plots were there in the sidelines, but did not get more focus until the end. When examining the writing, the author’s writing skills definitely advanced from the previous books. Specifically, there was clear improvement in how she wrote from book one indie, to book one published, to this book. This book ended on a major cliffhanger, and I look forward to book three!

As the author advertised, this book was a dual POV, but not from the Aella and Lyxander‘s POV, rather it was Aella’s and her best friend Nyssa’s POV. This was an interesting take on the story and overall a unique approach. I really enjoyed this because, as all of us readers wrote in book one’s review, we loved Nyssa. Therefore, I was delighted to have chapters from her POV. I will say that Aella’s POV occurs much more frequently, but there were many chapters from Nyssa’s to say that the story was dual POV.

Now, jumping into the story. I re-read book one in preparation for this book. If you do not do that, chapter two was from Aella’s POV and there was a very brief review of what happened in book one. This was helpful; yet I recommend skimming book one before entering into this book to know what happened and who all the characters were.

Both Aella and Nyssa’s journeys with their main love interest started as reluctant allies to lovers: Aella with Lyxander and Nyssa with prince Kallias (Aella’s brother). Aella and Nyssa then followed the same path of feeling hesitant, scared, and angry/irritated, all while needing to stay hidden and not get caught by the people hunting them. They also had the exact same path of development in their relationship with their man. Specifically, they were reluctant allies, they slowly grew closer, there would be “heat” or an intense feeling when they touched, there was banter, and, of course, they both justified why they had to push the man away and why it could never work. Then, as time progressed, they slowly grew closer and put their walls down, giving into the relationship. They both were able to bond with their male interest, such as Aella and Lyxander bonding over being tortured by Keres, and Nyssa and Kal bonding over wearing a mask and playing the game to survive, all while loving Aella. Thankfully, Nyssa and Kal finally took a different path than Aella and Lyxander, giving them some uniqueness. I really did love both their journeys and the slow development for both of them and their love interest, but they were so identical I had hoped for a little difference throughout.

In regards to Raven, thankfully, we did not have to wait long in the book for Aella and Raven to meet up, talk, and learn that they were no longer on the same page. Raven made choices that he had to live with. Then, as the book progressed, we learned more and more about him. I developed empathy and sympathy for him. Truly, in the end, I was just sad for him. I appreciated that the author took time to explain his side of the story, all while not justifying his actions. His back story made complete sense and logically explained why he betrayed Aella. Again, having this understanding did not justify it. With all of this, Raven started his redemption journey at the end, he really grew substantially, finally standing up for himself and everyone else, choosing to do the right thing. I truly hope to see him continue growing, own his role and apologize, and progress forward towards his HEA.

Now on to Aella. She had just survived kidnapping and torture by Keres, betrayal by Raven, and then Lyxander kidnapped her. As she was in book one, she was an intelligent woman who made the best of the situation. Aella was not the extremely stabby, F-you to the point of ignorance and arrogance. Yes, she was angry, traumatized, and scared with everyone and everything, leading to her being snippy, rightfully so, but she was smart enough to understand the situation and what she needed to do to survive. Again, she was not ignorant just because she was having intense emotions, and I really appreciated that. Additionally, she wasn’t so angry that she couldn’t say thank you. I get so irritated with MC‘s that are constantly ungrateful and rude, especially when someone is always being really kind towards them. Here, Aella could say thank you and that showed her level of maturity, again something I appreciated.

I also appreciated that Aella was very real, she had emotions and logic. I’m so over the MFC’s, who are only emotional or only logical. We want to read about people we can relate to as humans and the author provided that in this MFC. Aella was on a long path of growth this book, as she was so traumatized. She was very messy, flawed, and made mistakes. For example, when she saw the long feather (read the book to find out what I mean), she made a huge assumption, asked zero questions, proceeded forward with a decision because of that assumption, and shut down any conversation about feelings, all to find out her assumption was wrong and she was rash to jump to a conclusion. I LOVED that Lyxander called her out for that.

This book had some common tropes like one bed and one horse, but Aella did not fall all gooey into those tropes, which was a unique take!! For example, when Lyxander was only able to get one horse, Aella went and found herself her own animal to ride alongside him. Loved her independence!

I also really appreciated Aella’s understanding of her hypocrisy. She was not willing to share much about her life with Lyxander yet kept asking questions of him. He called her out and said that, if he’s the only one answering questions because she’s refusing to answer his questions, she’s just interrogating him. She agreed and understood that she was being a hypocrite, wanting him to share his secrets, but not willing to share hers. I have written in so many book reviews that I am so tired of the main female character being a hypocrite. It is never clear to me if the author is aware that they are writing such a hypocrite. Well, here, I was so delighted to read that the author had insight into this and wrote Aella also having insight. The time Aella did get mad at Lyxander for keeping information from her was when he withheld information about her. She didn’t get mad at him when he kept secrets that were about him, that was his private information, but she did share her thoughts and feelings when he knew information about her and did not share right away.

Now, let’s chat about Nyssa. She was a strong, fierce, goal-oriented woman. She fought for herself and those she loved. She stood up to those in power. She also was willing to admit when she was wrong and apologize. There were many similarities between Nyssa and Aella, including that they had a brother, felt abandoned, and again, her love story developed similarly to Aella’s. Nyssa was different from Aella in that she did not live in such strong denial. She did not avoid tough conversations the way Aella did. I admired that she was more assertive and used her words to communicate. I enjoyed her POV and always looked forward to Nyssa’s story continuing.

As I said in my review of book one, the addition of Titaia as Aella’s friend was fantastic. I will say the same for this book, she added so much more to the story. She was such a stable rock for Aella and she happened to be going through similar things as Aella, hiding and running from Keres. They were able to bond in a way that was different the Nyssa, which was good for Aella since she did not have strong, genuine connections to others. I loved when she challenged Aella to think about how safety is something they won’t find, they have to make it, even if scared. Titaia was similar to Nyssa in that she was more assertive in life.

Lyxander was such a great addition to the series and I loved getting to know him. I was intrigued to find out why Lyxander had been caught, that was an interesting twist to the story that I did not see coming. He was a complex character and a much better fit for Aella. He was willing to take a step Raven was not, and that was the willingness to put himself in danger for her, the same way she did for him.

I also really enjoyed getting to know Kal more. I hope more about him is explored in the next book. Since more chapters were focused on Aella and less on Nyssa, we got to know more about Kal, but there is so much more to understand.

The found family in this book was strong. Lyxander’s found family was phenomenal and provided all the support Aella needed to start healing. Then, when they showed up for her and her personal family, they really showed her what unconditional support looked like.

I was hoping and am happy to say we started to obtain more depth to the characters in this book! It started with Nyssa and learning about her past. Also, because Nyssa was living in the castle, we learned more about Aella, her brother, and their family. One thing that was lacking quite significantly in book one was depth to the characters. They had personalities, but we didn’t know why they thought, felt, or behaved the way they did. We were not given much context or nuanced details. The characters were just who they were with no depthful explanation. Therefore, I was really happy more depth was added.

As the book progressed, all characters grew, started building trust, and progressed forward. Because they were further developed, the plot was able to get more attention, triggering the pace to pick up quite substantially at 80%. This was when I couldn’t put the book down. There were some major twists and turns, many I did not see coming. We finally started to get answers to little pieces that were mysterious throughout the book.

Again, the book ended on a major cliffhanger. I really look forward to book 3!


Critiques:
I do have a few critiques to this book. I would say that, from 40-70ish%, I was not loving the story. I didn’t mind it and was hoping it would pick up, which it did, again in a fantastic way that hooked me for book three.

- First, unfortunately, I found Aella’s journey to be copy and paste of soooo many MFC’s journeys I have read the last two years. I want to be clear, her journey was not a “bad” journey, yet it was so predictable and really did not have any uniqueness to her path. Why do I say this? Aella had been traumatized, leading to her being angry/snappy, ALWAYS avoiding, denying, lying to herself, and running, and when given new information, she pushed the other person away. Many times, because she was experiencing a distressing emotion, she didn’t ask any questions and made huge assumptions. When someone would try to talk to her, she shut them down, and of course, avoided. She avoided her thoughts, memories, power, feelings.. really everything. When she was finally done with this less healthy path, she would ask for information, learn her assumptions were wrong, and start to move forward in a heathier way. Again, I appreciated that she was flawed, but I struggled with her taking the exact same path as many other MFC’s take in the romantasy genre. I really LOVE when an author breaks this storyline, particularly because many trauma survivors do not take the path written in this and many other books, yet these other ways of coping are often not represented in books. This one path of avoidance is represented, which is fantastic, but it is not the only path, but seems to be the one primarily written about.

On top of this, so many common tropes that went along with this MFC’s journey were included, making this story again match so many other stories. 1) There was an incredibly vague prophecy about Aella, which she avoided half the book 2) Aella was “the one” and she was super special, 3) she had a super special power, which she avoided and hid until someone (the MMC, like most books) challenged her to use her power and trained her, and 4) she was a princess (which we knew from book one), but we learned that she was a double princess, making her extra special. I have read so many reviews on Instagram and there seems to be a large agreement that the MFC being super magically special, “the one,” avoidant of everything, and a princess is overdone.

- Second, Aella found various reasons to not give into her feelings for Lyxander. All he wanted was to talk and she would not, heavily leaning into the miscommunication trope 😭. Aella was very juvenile in this. Her reasons for not following her feelings were so silly and could have been addressed in ONE conversation. I get that her last love traumatized her, but that wasn’t even her reasoning, it was because she ASSUMED Lyxander wouldn’t choose to leave with her when the time came (SUPRISE she was wrong… he followed her anyway) and she ASSUMED he wanted someone else (SURPRISE she was wrong… he wanted her). None of her assumptions could be challenged because she acted like a child, avoided Lyxander, and would not communicate with him. As we learned, Lyxander had to confront her and show her he did not like that other woman, he liked her, and Aella made an assumption. I was soooo bummed at how juvenile she was about this because she was written more maturely in many other parts, so to see her act like a teenager here was disappointing. Also, why couldn’t Aella be with her man, yet have to travel and be apart at times? Lyxander’s kin did it with his love, why couldn’t they? Again, none of this could be explored because she threw a few tantrums and refused to talk to Lyxander.

Poor Lyxander had also been highly traumatized for years, but at least he was trying to communicate with Aella. Aella also did not seem to learn from her mistakes in regards to her lack of communication. When she would finally have a conversation, things got better. However, the next time she needed to talk, she would not. At one point if Lyxander said he was fed up with Aella for lacking adult communication skills I would have praised him.

- Although I said that there was a lot of depth added to this book regarding the characters, I wish there had been more depth in the romantic relationships. We were given a lot of tension, banter, and individual character nuances, but the individual moments that created the romantic connection between an MFC and MMC was missing, I wanted more context and gritty details. I was hoping for more of the small moments that created a relationship beyond lust. We were given more for Aella and Lyxander when compared to Nyssa and Kal, but overall I just wanted a little bit more depth to their developing love for each other.

- Lastly, the amount of times one of the MFC’s touched their love interest and there was heat, a jolt, or a shutter from either of them was wayyyyyy overdone. And the word heat was used constantly between an MFC and MMC. This was all so redundant. The pattern and word happened so often I was able to predict when it would happen again. I am not talking 2-3 times, I am talking at least 30 or more.

[motherknows.books]

Thank you Random House for the e-ARC via NetGalley! The following is my honest review:

Spice: 🌶️🌶️ (1 explicit scene)

What a sequel! After this second installment I'm fully expecting the Myths of Empyrieos to become one of my all time favorite romantic fantasy series. Briadee Otto elevates the genre with writing that leans more lyrical, but never at the expense of pacing. With familiar tropes that are re-freshed, re-imagined, or subverted completely. With carefully crafted plotting where every breadcrumb, every detail, is purposeful.

Daughter of the Tempest is everything I loved from book one but, as Songbirds of the Sorrows alluded to, on a far grander scale. Not a simple story of political intrigue and courtly machinations, this book unfolds on an epic scale, spanning multiple realms of the Empyrieos, with new cities and distant kingdoms to explore. The world building is sweeping and textured, whilst lore and magic previously hinted at becomes fully realized. Book one was an introduction, a lens heavily focused on Aella and her experiences. Book two delivers the Empyrieos on a macro scale- its magic, its history, its political climate- whilst remaining emotionally charged, with deeply personal character arcs.

The story is told from dual POV's- of course Aella's but we also follow Nyssa- the two protagonists realms away from each other, both fighting to evade capture, to protect each other, and navigate increasing danger alongside reluctant allies as they find their way back to each other. I loved that we see so much more of Nyssa, who longer exists purely in relation to Aella, but fully actualized- dynamic, lovable, and fierce. The shifting POV structure could've stymied the pacing of the story, but it's executed with care, resolving tension before shifting POV rather than breaking it, or making the shift in a way that continues to move the story forward.

Brace yourself: Otto's writing is never expected and she's not afraid to hurt your feelings. Full of reveals and twists from its opening chapters to the final page, this is ambitious story telling and I couldn't get enough of it. If you love strong found family dynamics, slow- burn romance that doesn't interfere with the plot but weaves seamlessly into it, high stakes and impossible choices, this is the book for you. It reminded me of The Ashen Series by Demi Winters, and Throne of Glass, in the sense of book 1 seeming to be a simple story that grows into a complexity, only hinted at.

Daughter of the Tempest is immersive, the stakes unyielding, yet it's a story that remains quietly personal at its core. After that utterly heart wrenching conclusion I am positively champing at the bit for book 3!

[Dayna H]

Rating: 5⭐️/5⭐️

I loved the first book in this series, but this book somehow managed to be even better. This is one of those rare sequels that doesn't just live up to the first book, it surpasses it. I absolutely loved every second of this book.

From the very first chapter, I was hooked. Since it picks up right where book one ends, I was immediately immersed back into the story. I had no idea where this book was headed, and I loved every second of the journey. Every time I thought I had something figured out, another reveal or twist made me question everything again. The plot kept me guessing from beginning to end, and it was so satisfying to watch all the pieces of the puzzle slowly falling into place.

One of my favorite additions to this book was the dual POVs. While the first book was told solely from Aella's perspective, this installment also gives us Nyssa's POV. Usually, when a book has multiple perspectives, there is one storyline I'm less invested in, but that wasn't the case here. I genuinely looked forward to every chapter from both characters. Their stories were equally compelling, and I loved seeing how their journeys connected while still allowing each character to grow individually. Braidee Otto balanced the two perspectives beautifully, making the story easy to follow without feeling repetitive or confusing.

I also loved how much deeper we got to explore both the characters and the world. Every character showed meaningful growth, and it was rewarding to see how their experiences shaped them throughout the story. The new characters were fantastic additions, fitting seamlessly into the world while bringing fresh dynamics to the story. I especially enjoyed watching the relationships and friendships evolve, as they all felt natural and well-developed. The slow-burning romance was perfectly paced. It never felt rushed, but it also never dragged.

The world-building continues to be one of my favorite aspects of this series. Braidee Otto expands everything we were introduced to in the first book, making the world feel even richer and more immersive. Every new piece of information added another layer to the story, whether it involved history, politics, mysteries, or magic. I became more invested the more I learned.

This book was everything I could have wanted in a sequel: higher stakes, incredible character development, beautiful world-building, an addictive and unpredictable plot, and a perfectly executed slow-burn romance. I can't wait to see what happens next!

I highly recommend picking this one up when it releases on October 27, 2026.

Thank you to Braidee Otto, NetGalley, and Random House for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Meredith]

4.3 stars. I honestly didn't really dislike anything about this book (except one very specific thing!), it just didn't quite fully click together for me.

What I liked:
- The plot in book 2 follows 2 FMCs, the main one from book 1 and her friend. I liked both plots and their eventual convergence. I was unsure if I cared about the friends plot for about 20% of the book, but her chapters were never bad. It just took me a little bit to hop on her bandwagon.

- The FMC's were both great. Strong, smart and confident.

- The world in this series is really the standout. It was a high point in book 1, and I think it is here too. Very interesting worlds full of diverse cultures and environments.

What's holding my rating back
Again I don't fully consider these things as negatives, just observations-

- The series just doesn't feel very original, lots of this has been done before. I think thats fine, and its done well here, but it does feel a bit like a conglomeration of other stories.

- I was a bit underwhelmed by Nyssa's romance (the additional FMC). I liked her and her MMC together and they did have some fun banter here and there. Their pairing totally makes sense and was mostly fine. My issue was the author tried to make them hate each other and I just didn't really buy it. I think this mostly stems from having to share the book with whole other storyline, therefore not allowing for a deep foundation for this relationship.

- This book amps up the fantasy aspect and loses a bit of the politicking, which was one of the best parts of book 1. I was a bit disappointed in that.


My one very specific thing that I hated!......the MMC in Nyssa's storyline was described as having "kohl lined eyes" in EVERY SINGLE SCENE HE WAS IN. I get it, he wears eye liner, I did not need to be reminded of this constantly! lol, I was shocked at the number of times it was mentioned. I swear to the book gods, it is every scene he features.

I was very emotionally invested in this story. The dual POV storylines did work well and helped to build and expand the world, but they also were the reason we didn't get quite enough details on the plots or additional scenes creating deep relationships for the main couples. I will definitely be reading book 3. Looking forward to seeing what happens.

ARC kindly provided by Random House and NetGalley for an honest review.

[the_bookishbee_]

• Review of advance copy received from publisher •
I have several thoughts, and most of them are just screaming.

I will try my best to articulate just how much I loved this book…Six stars. ❤️🔥
I absolutely devoured it and as much as I adored Songbird, this sequel surpassed it, consider me officially emotionally attached to this world and everyone in it.

The Empyrieos is a beautiful, magical world exploding with gods, magic, secrets and political machinations that keep you on edge the whole time. The world building expands heavily in this sequel, and you learn so much more about the lore, history and different cultures within this world.
The dual POV between Aella and Nyssa was perfect and I sank into both their stories and invested quickly. Even though they remained separated for much of the book, their love and friendship remains at the heart of everything. Every time a chapter ended, I wanted to stay with that character, only to be swept up in the next POV.

So… the CHARACTERS❤️ One of my fave things about this series is how you get to know every single one, Nyssa, Kallias, Maxim, Cynna, I was invested in all of their stories and the part they play, I love that they are just as important as the larger plot. Plus, special shout out to Silas and Xerxes… I can’t wait to learn more about them. Ooh and let’s not forget Ares and his moonflower, another instant fave!
Ofc, Aella remains the total badass I fell in love with in book one, but now she’s learning about her magic, herself and where she came from. The trauma she suffered in book one continues to affect her and I am really hoping this is explored more in the next book, I would love to see her and Xan do this together, given they both faced similar trauma.

Xan… omg. The only way I can say this is…ultimate book boyfriend. What a guy, completely irresistible, patient, understanding, loyal, loving… I could go on all day!
The slow burn between Aella and Xan was a thing of beauty and I ate it up. THE ROMANCE. THE BANTER. THE TENSION. THE YEARNING. *internalised screaming* It was everything. Their relationship is one built on trust, patience, choice and respect. I was GONE.

Braidee’s writing continues to be beautiful and lyrical… I found myself stopping to reread and appreciate certain lines and descriptions, especially when it came to Nyssa and Kallias, the harps, and the wind. The way she weaves emotion into the story is gorgeous.

Can I also just say… THAT ENDING?! The cliffhanger is criminal! I’m back to counting down the days for the next book so I can return to this world, but don’t get me wrong, I am def not ready to say goodbye.
Sooo, to sum up, this book is everything I could have wanted from a sequel and more. The stakes are higher, the world building is richer, the characters are amazing, the prose is delicious and I was left staring at the ceiling.

Six stars. Blast this series to the very top of your TBR…it’s incredible.

Thank you to so much Penguin Aus for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Lissa G]

Daughter of the Tempest did exactly what a sequel should do: it took everything I loved about the first book and made the world bigger, the stakes higher, and the characters more complicated.

The addition of Nyssa's POV was probably my favorite part. I wasn't sure how I would feel about adding a second perspective, but her storyline completely won me over. Getting to experience the story through two best friends who are separated but desperately trying to find their way back to each other gave the book an emotional center that I really loved. The found-family and friendship dynamics were just as compelling as the romances.

And speaking of romance—the slow burn was SO good. The tension, banter, reluctant alliances, and stolen moments worked for me, and I appreciated that the relationships weren't rushed. There was enough build-up that when things finally started to pay off, it actually felt earned.
The world also expands considerably here, and I loved learning more about the magic, mythology, cultures, and history behind this world. At the same time, that expansion occasionally became a little overwhelming. There is a lot being introduced, and there were moments where I needed to pause and catch up with everything being thrown at me.

The pacing was another mixed bag. I appreciated that the slower sections gave the characters and relationships room to develop, but the middle did drag a little for me. Thankfully, the final stretch absolutely delivered and reminded me why I was so invested in this series in the first place.

I also really appreciated how much the characters continue to grow. Aella's journey of discovering herself and her history was especially compelling, while Nyssa's arc gave us a completely different kind of character development. And the new characters? Somehow, I found myself getting attached to those too. Apparently I have no self-control. Please don't unalive my firends Braidee.

Overall, this was a really strong sequel that expanded the series without falling into the dreaded second-book slump. There are still questions I desperately need answered, and after that ending, I am going to need book three immediately, thank you very much.

4.25 stars for the friendships, found family, slow-burn romance, character development, and a world that keeps getting more interesting. 🖤

Now I just have to patiently wait for book three, which is clearly an unreasonable expectation.
4.25 ⭐️| 1🌶️

[Amber Cassidy]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
First of all, I’m just going to say it: this book was better than the first one. I loved Songbird of the Sorrows, but this sequel had me way more invested. The pacing, the character development, the writing, the tension… EVERYTHING.

I absolutely flew through this book. I stayed up way too late because I HAD TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. There was always something happening, but it never felt like pointless action just for the sake of it. Every chapter felt like it was actually moving the story forward.

I also really loved getting both Aella and Nyssa’s POVs. Their stories are so different this time around, but I was equally invested in both of them. I kept waiting them to find each other again, and the fact that they didn’t even know if the other was still alive made everything feel so much more tense.

And Aella’s character development — Watching her figure out her magic and start figuring out who she actually is was one of my favorite things about this book. She feels so much more layered now, and after that ending I can’t wait to see what she does in book 3.
And Nyssa. Poor Nyssa really went through it in this book. Her palace storyline was so entertaining, especially with Kallias. Their dynamic was NOT what I expected, but I was absolutely here for it.

And then there’s Xan. 👀 I’m not saying anything because spoilers, but I really enjoyed their dynamic. The tension. The secrets. The mistrust. The forced alliance. The slow-burn. The “I don’t know if I can trust you but unfortunately I’m also very interested in you” thing? Yeah. I was here for it.

Braidee Otto’s writing also felt stronger to me in this book. The world feels bigger, the stakes are higher, and everything has so much more emotional weight. I could actually feel how much the characters had changed since the first book, and I loved getting to see more of the world and the magic.

Honestly, this sequel just worked for me. The characters felt more developed, the story had more depth, and I was more emotionally invested in what was happening.
And THE. ENDING. I need the next book immediately. Right now.

Anyway, if you liked the first book, READ THIS. Seriously. I think the sequel is even better, and now I’m completely emotionally attached to these characters and their problems, which is obviously exactly what I wanted.

• Hidden Identities
• Mythical Creatures and Prophecies
• Plot Twists

[Amara]

Before I start, thank you so much to Braidee Otto and NetGalley for the Arc read!!! and here is my truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth review...

4.2✨

💫 ENTER THE PROPHECY: DAUGHTER OF THE TEMPEST 💫

This book review is going to be...interesting, considering the score I gave, but let me explain. Yes, for the 40% of this book, I was bored. It was slow, every time something interesting happened we changed back to Nyssa’s POV, I was wondering when we were going to get to the meat and potatoes of the story, and the reveal of her lineage was in fact not that surprising BUT around 43% of the way through this book, after they kind of explain everything to you, which is one aspect of the book I was really not a fan of, it got VERY interesting.

Aella’s POV, especially with the inclusion of Lyxander and his kin, is SO good! Her and Lyxander are so great together, a partner I love for her SOOOO much more than Raven. Why? COMMUNICATION. Thank you, Braidee Otto, for giving us something that so few authors will do with romance. Lyxander, my communication KING, you are one of a kind. Aella... girl... I don’t know... you’ve been through a lot. Maybe take a bubble bath or something. The inclusion of characters like Kato, Rhaya, and Silas, and bringing back Titaia and Cynna, was such a great inclusion to a “Found Family” storyline for both Lyxander and Aella. It brought a lightheartedness and intrigue that carried all the way to ending, which sets up the next book very nicely while leaving threads of a not quite finished loom ever present in the reader's mind. Nyssa’s POV also got more interesting, but that might just be me loving her with Kallias. RIP to Maxim we hardly knew you, but you will forever be in our hearts. RIP to Keres, hopefully because I hate you, and more importantly, I would like an Ares. Can I get an Ares?

Last, but not least, there is a scene towards the end of the book that is genuinely AMAZING where we see all the characters together, which is the highlight of the book in my opinion. WELL done Braidee Otto!!! That scene, and the inclusion of characters I previously stated, along with the developing relationship for both couples is why this book is a 4.2, it was just so great to a read a book where you could feel the chemistry of ALL the characters rather than having the chemistry explained to you.

[Laura]

I have been WAITING for this ever since I read Songbird of the Sorrows. I shouted in delight when I was approved for an arc of this sequel - thank you so much to Penguin Random House and Netgalley. This review is my genuine opinion.

Firstly, let me reiterate my enthusiasm for a glossary, pronunciations list AND a map. I'm so glad we didn't drop any of those details for the second book.

Just as it was for Songbird, Daughter of the Tempest was easy to read and engaging. I didn't feel quite as gripped as I did for the first book, but I was still fascinated, and it kept drawing me back again and again. It's possible that not loving it quite as much as I did the first was due to my mood at the time of reading.

We have a dual POV here, which always makes me hesitant after a single POV in a previous book. Nyssa's POV was slightly less interesting at the start for the lack of magic, but it didn't take many of her chapters at all for it to start picking up, especially as her path seemed to be leading towards Aella again. That was another huge benefit of the dual POV - there was a much greater emphasis on Aella and Nyssa's friendship in this book - the emphasis we were promised! Nyssa is such a steadfast friend.

I enjoyed the developing romance between Nyssa and Kallias. Although, I didn't feel like we had spent quite enough time with him as his own character, or enough time on the development of their relationship, to be prepared for the spice between them 🙈 It felt a little illegal.

I wasn't really ready for Aella to move on from Raven so quickly - I didn't realise going into it that Lyxander was to become a romantic interest. Buuuuut..... just as Raven did in Songbird, Lyxander slowly drew me in. I was intrigued by his untold story and secrets, and the thoughts behind his eyes. I wondered what his intentions were.

There were more recurring characters than I expected, which was a very pleasant surprise. However, at some point it did start to feel a little too easy, everything lining up a little too perfectly, despite the explanation in the story being sound. Similarly to Songbird, I wished some things were explored more times or more thoroughly before they became significant in the plot.

Once again, though, Braidee Otto really stuck that landing. My God, what an ending. I can't wait for book 3.

[Amanda Ammons]

⭐⭐⭐⭐

I loved Songbird of the Sorrows so much, so I was absolutely delighted to have the opportunity to ARC read Daughter of the Tempest. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity!

I read the first book recently enough that I was able to jump right into this one, and I was pleasantly surprised by how well that worked.

Somewhere in the middle, though, I got a little lost. I didn’t always understand Nyssa’s perspective or what she was doing and, more importantly, why she was doing it. I found myself confused by some of her individual missions and how she got from one point to another. I also never really understood the prince’s hatred of her, so the shift from hatred to lust felt abrupt and didn’t quite work for me. It pulled me out of the story rather than pulling me further into their relationship.

That said, I LOVED Maxim. He was absolutely amazing.

I found myself really enjoying Aella’s story as well. I genuinely did not anticipate some of the directions this story took, and I appreciated being surprised by where things went.

I think I’m still a little confused by some of the world-building, even though I don’t feel like it should necessarily be confusing. There were also several scenes where I wasn’t quite sure how we got from point A to point B, both in terms of the plot and sometimes even the relationships. This is a very relationship-heavy book, and while I enjoyed those relationships, I didn’t always feel like I understood how some of the shifts happened.

But there were so many things I loved. The wings. The spy aspect. The relationships. Maxim. And despite some of my confusion, I was invested enough to keep going and see where everything ended up.

I’m curious about what a third book could look like, although I’m not quite sure how I feel about it yet. With so many of the relationships now coming together, I’m not sure the stakes feel quite as high, and I also never felt like I completely understood who the ultimate big bad was supposed to be…?

Overall, this was a solid four stars for me. I had some frustrations and definitely some moments of confusion, but I still really enjoyed the story and the characters, and I’m glad I got to return to this world.

[Ashli Wills]

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Enjoyment: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Characters: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Plot: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🔥🔥

Enjoyment
AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! I just finished this, and I don't normally reread books. Yet I'm already DYING to reread this one! And it hasn't even officially released yet!!

A HUUUUGE thank you to Braidee and her team for getting this ARC into our hands early!! 😭

Quality
I am constantly in love with and amazed by Braidee's ability to write characters. Main characters. Side characters. Random characters the other characters pass on the street. There are very few books I've read where the entire cast of characters feels this alive and diverse.

Braidee's writing also has a quality that I'm not certain how to put into words. With some writing styles, you immediately fall into the pages. With others, it takes a little (or sometimes longer) while to really FEEL the story. Braidee's writing has been the former for me from the very first sentence.

The moment I start reading, I'm completely absorbed. I feel "in the story" even with just the first few words. I don't know how to quantify or explain that any better than her writing is just captivating.

The way she weaves all the plot elements together is also just so freaking impressive?

Characters
Can we talk about Aella and Nyssa!? I always love a good multi-POV between the FMC and MMC. It was so exciting and refreshing and just wonderful to have the story focused on Aella and Nyssa! Despite everything going on and the distance between them, they were always each other's first concern. Best friends > boyfriends!!

In Songbird of the Sorrows, I was never thrilled with Raven. I tried to like him, and I could tell he did care for Aella. I almost started to wonder if Raven was endgame, though. Just saying that felt like blasphemy in the world of most romantasy novels. So without giving too much away in either direction, I'll leave Aella's situationship at this—I ADORE how the romance with the MMC played out!

I already loved Aella's brother, Kallias, in SOTS. Learning so much about Kallias and his guard, Maxim, was unexpected in the best way possible. Nyssa, Kallias, and Maxim just make the best threesome! (Do I mean that literally? Figuratively? Guess you'll just have to read to find out!)

Plot
DOTT picks up almost immediately from Songbird of the Sorrows' cliffhanger. It's a whirlwind of emotions, choices, and secrets from that point on. Like SOTS, there's a fair amount of political intrigue. I really, REALLY appreciated the multi-POV as well!

I also never see what's coming. There are tons of hints and foreshadowing sprinkled throughout both books—I actually caught something new on my first listen/second read of Songbird of the Sorrows. Even with that, though, there were so many things I did not see coming! I can't even imagine what's going to happen in the 3rd book!

Spice
Not a ton of spice! Things got a little heated occasionally, but it definitely isn't the focus at the moment. Which I have appreciated given the context of everything going on. I feel like more would have been forcing it just for the sake of more spice.

[Emma Barresi]

4.5⭐️

What do you mean that’s how it ends?!?

Seriously though, that was so much fun to read and the last 25% was just straight chaos that yet again left me with a cliffhanger. I truly LOVED Songbird of the Sorrows so this was one of my most anticipated sequels of the year, and it definitely didn’t disappoint!

This one is told with dual POVs, flipping between Aella and Nyssa. Aella having been kidnapped after a high stakes jailbreak at the end of book 1 and Nyssa having helped facilitate that jailbreak, book 2 starts off right where we left off and giving us a look at the aftermath. Nyssa is still in the Sorrows while Aella journeys north and both of them have really wonderful character arcs.

Aella has a lot of self-discovery to do and you can really feel her going through the emotions throughout the book - I also love that we went even deeper in the found family trope and were able to see Aella find even more support. Both Aella and Nyssa’s storylines included their own little romance subplots which was so fun, and we got to dig deeper into Kallias and Xan as characters.

My only complaint is that some of Aella’s chapters did feel like they were dragging a bit towards the middle. Yes, that character development was important to the story, but I felt like we spent a lot of time there and I didn’t get all the answers I wanted to. I also felt like, in comparison, the ending was a bit rushed. All the action at the end took place in the last 15% or so and, while I know we wanted to leave some questions open, it felt like there could have been maybe a few extra answers thrown in there.

Despite that, though, this was truly an incredible follow up to Songbird of the Sorrows. These characters continue to be some of my favorites and I loved being able to explore another area of this world. There’s so much potential for where this story could go and I’m so looking forward to spending more time with Aella and friends in the future! Highly recommend!

Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

[Midlife Fantasy Reader]

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Australia for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'll be honest - I absolutely loved book 1 of this series, and Daughter of the Tempest was another fantastic read. I devoured it in two days straight.

I really enjoyed the dual POV from Nyssa and Aella. Nyssa's voice is fully distinct from Aella's and I enjoyed reading her chapters. Having two different perspectives worked really well and allowed us to see what was happening in different parts of the kingdom. I really enjoyed Nyssa as a character and loved getting to know her better. I also enjoyed the new characters who are introduced, and getting to know some characters who pop-up again from book 1.

I also really enjoyed the fact that the plot didn't always go in the direction I thought it would. As a seasoned fantasy and romantasy reader I thought I knew what was going to happen, but it often went in a completely unexpected direction. I liked that. I won't go into specific examples as it really would spoil the plot and it's best to go into book 2 fresh without any spoilers. I will say though that this didn't feel like a typical middle book in a trilogy where very little actually happens. The plot really moves forward, we get answers to some of the questions from the first book, and the world expands considerably, Fair warning though - this ends on another cliff-hanger!

For the most part this was fast-paced and full of action. There was a slight lull for me around the middle of the book, and I did feel that Nyssa spent a little longer sneaking around the castle than was really necessary. It wasn't enough to take away from how much I enjoyed the book overall, and once the pace picked up again I flew through the rest.

Overall, I thought this was a brilliant sequel. It expanded the world, moved the story forward and took the plot in directions I genuinely wasn't expecting. I had such a good time reading it and I absolutely cannot wait to see what happens in book 3.