Sisters of Salt and Iron

The Sisters of Blood and Spirit #2

by Kady Cross

Lark Noble is finally happy. She’s trying to move on and put the events of the past behind her: the people who avoided her because she talked to the ghost of her dead twin sister, the parents who couldn’t be around her anymore and even the attempt she made on her own life. She finally has friends—people who know her secrets and still care about her—and she has Ben, the cute guy she never saw coming.

Wren Noble is lonely. Unable to interact with the living, she wants to be happy for her sister’s newfound happiness, but she feels like she’s losing her. It doesn’t help that Kevin, the very not-dead guy she was starting to fall for, seems to be moving on.

Then Wren meets Noah, the spirit of a young man who died a century ago. Noah is cute, he’s charming and he makes Wren feel something she’s never felt before. But Noah has a dark influence on Wren, and Lark’s distrust of him drives the sisters apart for the first time in their lives. As Halloween approaches and the veil between the worlds thins, bringing the dead closer to the world of the living, Lark must find a way to stop whatever deadly act Noah is planning, even if it means going through her sister to do so.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Ghosts, Paranormal, Supernatural, Ebooks, Horror

345 pages, Hardcover

First published March 30, 2016

About the author

Kady Cross is a pseudonym for USA Today bestselling author Kathryn Smith. She lives in Connecticut with her husband and a pride of cats. She likes singing with Rock Band on the 360, British guys, Vietnamese food, and makeup (she’s hopelessly addicted to YouTube makeup tutorials!). When she’s not writing Kady likes to catch up on her favorite TV shows, read a good book or make her own cosmetics.

Reviews

[Meedah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ugh ben

THERE BETTER BE BOOK 3

[Melanie Schneider · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hm... Ich bin ehrlich gesagt eher enttäuscht vom zweiten Band. Der erste war zwar schon nicht so gut wie die Steampunk Chronicles von der Autorin, aber hat mir doch wesentlich besser gefallen als dieser.

Vielleicht bin ich wirklich zu alt für YA, aber die Probleme erschienen mir teilweise einfach zu übertrieben. Zum Schluss wurde ich zwar noch mit einigem versöhnt, aber der abschließende Band konnte mich auf keiner Seite wirklich mitreißen. Immer wieder wurde ich von anderen Sachen abgelenkt.

Manche Erklärungen waren mir auch zu einfach und auch die Logik fehlte an der ein oder anderen Stelle (vor allem bei den zeitlichen Zusammenhängen). Lark war mir oft viel zu snarky mit ihren Kommentaren und Wren zu naiv mit ihren Begegnungen und ihrem Vertrauen. Das Ende war jedoch ziemlich gut und hat zu drei Sternen verholfen.

Abschließend kann ich sagen: Die Steampunk Chronicles sind viel besser und ich hoffe sehr, dass bei den Sisters nicht noch ein Band erscheint. Rein theoretisch könnte man die Geschichte noch weiterspinnen, aber es ist so auch eine sehr gute Dilogie!

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent sequel!

This book picks up a little ways off from the ending of the first book. Life is better than normal for Lark: she now have a group of friends who know about her abilities to communicate with ghosts, and accept her. As a result, they accept Wren, even though they can't see her. For Wren, she's happy that Lark is happy, but at the same time, is a bit lonely because Lark is hanging out more and more with her living friends. Until she meets Noah, an intriguing and mysterious ghost, who finally makes Wren feel like she belongs somewhere. But Noah isn't quite the gentleman he appears to be, and his influence over with Wren begin to drive the two sisters apart...

There was such a difference in Lark's mindset in this novel. She was so much more open, more trusting. Having friends who had her back definitely helped, as she didn't always have to have her guard up. Lark's compassion grew, as she went from solely caring about her and Wren's safety to her friends' safety to her entire town's. What I particular liked about Lark in this book was that she firmly believed in Wren, even when she bang to turn. Not once did her faith in Wren waver, knowing that Wren would always do the right thing in the end.

Wren definitely went through the most change in this book. Her fascination with Noah set warning bells ringing right away for me (I mean, the synopsis pretty much gives it away), but I completely understood Wren's interest. Her attraction to Noah was logical: given that she spent most of her time with Lark and never her own kind, the fact that Lark suddenly has new friends and less time for Wren makes her lonely. Of course Wren would jump at the chance to belong somewhere again, especially if it's somewhere she should feel like she belonged to in the first place, like with the other dead. So I didn't blame Wren. I understood it, and felt Lark's devastation as my own. But at the same time, we got to see a glimpse at Wren's darker side, a side where she completely embraces her darkness and acts like a malicious ghost. It only stirs the possibilities of just what she's capable of, especially after we get a bit of general description of Wren and Lark's roles...

I particular liked the growing relationship between Lark and Wren in this book. With their new friends, Lark and Wren's relationship shifted, as their focus was no longer solely on each other. It was nice to see a very natural tension growing between the two, one formed of love and loneliness. I mean, all siblings go through feeling left out one way or another, which made Lark and Wren's strained relationship very relatable. But, like any sibling relationship, in the end, they made up, their bond stronger than every. The only difference is that with Lark and Wren, their relationship literally makes them stronger!

Lark's friends were fantastic. Ben, Kevin, Mace, Roxi and Gage were the perfect supporting characters, emphasis on supporting. Not once did any of them steal the glory from Lark or Wren; it was very clear that Lark and Wren were the stars of the show, that everything that happened did so on the accordance of their actions. It really let Lark and Wren shine, let them grow without interference or other egos getting in the way. They were the leaders, with trustworthy friends who would go through hell to help them save the town.

We get some answers regarding the mysterious issue of Lark and Wren's identities, starting with their great-great grandmother, who also had a twin with identical circumstances. Emily and Alys played a large role in this novel, and I'm certainly will be playing an even bigger role in the next. I'm excited to see what more the author will bring forth in the next book, and how the revelation will affect everyone!

The pacing of this book was fast and gripping. It was exciting, and I couldn't put it down. That being said, I did feel like there could have been a bit more build up towards the revelation of Noah's plans as well as the final confrontation, but it didn't affect the plot or pacing in any way. I also feel like the Melinoe could have been more elaborate in description in relationship to Lark and Wren's immediate circumstances, but there's a possibility the author is saving it for the third book, which is fine by me.

In conclusion: a great book! New revelations, new twists, new vengeful ghosts and haunts. Definitely read it if you enjoyed the first book, and if you're looking for some snarky paranormal action and sibling love!

[Liliana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed on Lili Lost in a Book

I really loved the first book in this duology so I was very excited to read this one, and I’m happy to see that it turned out to be another great read! There was some unexpected mythology in there that I really appreciated, and I just really love the sisters and their complicated relationship.

Right from the start I knew I would love this book...

Ghosts are such douche bags.

Lark is really snarky and I love her! She’s also very badass and kicks serious ghost ass! She’s great! I also really liked Lark’s friends. They were so nice and made an effort to acknowledge Wren even though they couldn't see her. It was so sweet! And then Wren interacting with them... I loved it so much! 🥰

And speaking of Lark’s friends, I totally get that Lark has a boyfriend, and I like him, I really do, but there’s a spark between her and Mace that I just can’t ignore. It’s not just me, is it? Lol. I totally shipped them right from book one, so that fact that they weren’t together made me sad.

As for Wren, she met a super cute, charming ghost, Noah. And things happened way too fast between them. It was kinda instalove-y, which I do not like. But also, the guy, to me at least, was super sketchy right from the beginning. Lark, too, was very iffy about him. But throughout this whole book, Wren was acting kinda strange and sometimes did some surprising things. This was a very difficult time for Wren as she pulled away from Lark and just tried to find herself and interact with more of her kind... the dead. It was very sad to see, but I also understood her reasoning: She doesn’t belong in the world of the living.

And I concentrated all of my attention on the boy I could have, rather than the one who could never be mine.

It was so sad! 😩 She just wanted to make a connection and make ghostly friends. I got that, but I was also a little frustrated with Wren and her naiveté. It’s understandable, but still frustrating. However, she was quite a savage at times, and very snarky. I liked that! Lol. Especially there at the end when they faced the big bad—she was incredible! I just love the sisters as a duo in general. Even though their relationship was a bit rocky at times, I really did enjoy their sisterly relationship, hardships and all.

Speaking of the girls, we actually went into what the girls are, cause there is a term for it. I really liked learning about this and getting to know what they are. It was so interesting! I loved that twist!

“It would be nice if [Alys] or Emily would come to us and explain everything.”
Wasn’t that the truth. “I'd like a manual, thanks.”
“I’d settle for a tweet.”

😂

Melinoe! That’s what they are! Now, Melinoe is a very minor Greek goddess and she is NEVER mentioned in any retellings or other mythology books. But basically, she is the daughter of Persephone and either Hades or Zeus—she’s one half light, one half dark, and she is the Underworld goddess of ghosts and such things. Lark and Wren are descendants of the goddess! Anyway, I absolutely LOVED this! It made so much sense! And every generation of their family has one! It’s so interesting! What happened with Alys and Emily?? WOW. And the girl's grandmother and HER TWIN! She had a twin! But the wrong twin was born dead. The grandma was supposed to be the dead twin, but Alys was tricked into killing grandma’s twin in the womb! It was SO crazy.

But yeah, I really loved that aspect—It was so good! The book also had a bit of humor here and there. It was very dark and I loved it!

His gaze was on our charred and gruesome companion. “Did we just commit ghost murder?”
I shook my head. “More like aggravated assault, I think.”

It was also a bit gory, which I also loved. And it actually gave me some Supernatural vibes with all the salt and burning and all that. I approve 😉 Lol. It was just a great duology with an interesting, unique premise. And that mythology twist was just the cherry on top! I am very much looking forward to reading more books by this author. I've had her Steampunk series on my tbr list forever. Now I can't wait to read it!

[Harlequin Books]

"Readers who fell in love with the unique concept of Sisters of Blood and Spirit will love this sequel just as much. Told in two narratives, this is an engrossing, action-filled and entertaining read. Though the story moves at a quick pace with a host of secondary characters, many of whom are from the first story, the plot never feels overwhelmed or lacking in detail. In fact, there is a spectacular cohesiveness as Cross beautifully ties everything together. The bond between the sisters is exceptionally well-written and poignant, and the worldbuilding is particularly phenomenal. Now all this series needs is another installment ..." (4 stars @ RT Book Reviews).

Miniseries: Sisters of Blood and Spirit

[Diana-christie Biancardi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow this blew me away!

'Until the front door burst open and a group of noisy living people walked right into our house of the dead.'

"What the hell had Noah done to my sister? 'You can't ground me,' she said, her tone dripping mockery. Oh, the look on our grandmother's face! She was a good and kind woman, and I loved her to death, but at that moment I'd rather go a hundred more rounds with Wren than be the recipient of that look.
"Wrenleigh Noble, as a child of my blood I bind you--"Nan put her finger to Wren's forehead and drew a crimson line on it. Blood? "--to this house until I give you release."

[Tez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the teenspeak made me cringe. But I'm old, and therefore not the target audience.

Nan mentions that she likes Mr. Rochester from Jane Eyre. Didn't he lock up his mentally ill wife in the attic and keep her a secret from Jane? Come on, Nan - he's a dud!

[Emmaline · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me forever to find time to finish this book, but once I had the time, I couldn't put the book down. I was very happy for the ending and I can't wait for more of this series.

[Jessica (a GREAT read) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finally finished Kady Cross’ duology Sister of Blood and Spirit with the final installment, Sisters of Salt and Iron, and what a rush! It’s everything you could hope for in a ghosty story. That I was able to read it so amazingly well with little to no memory of the first book made it even better! It’s still a duology of sorts as it continues the first storylines in some way, but also presents new ones too.

The story begins with a bang as Lark and her friends, Wren included are battling an evil ghost in the locker room at school where a dance is being held in the days before Halloween. This town apparently has a lot of celebrations leading up to Halloween. It’s insane! Lark has finally found her place in this new school, she has friends, a loving boyfriend, and an awesome grandmother. Her dearly departed sister, Wren is very much in her life as well. Things are pretty much perfect, minus all the other ghostly happenings.

Sadly, poor Wren hasn’t had it as easy lately. She’s a ghost and in love with the very much alive Kevin, a friend of Lark’s and a medium too. He was more essential in the first book, that much I can remember. Though in this one, he more makes an appearance here and there, but still a part of the story in the long run. Then Wren meets Noah, another ghost at the house where the big showdown with the homicidal ghost went down in the previous book. Noah is unlike anyone she’s ever met and she is fast to fall head over heels, but it seems Noah feels the same…or does he?

As the description will tell you, the ghost Wren falls for might not be the most genuine ghost around. He harbors dark secrets and agendas of his own. Honestly, even without the dustjacket telling us this, you can see hints of his darker side from the getgo.

With Halloween coming around the corner, the veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest. And our nefarious villain has very big plans for this special night. Unless two sisters can defeat him in time.

This book was amazingly awesome! I forgotten how much I love Kady’s words! And when you add a ghost story to the mix you get pure gold! There was some digging into Wren and Lark’s family history in this one. Things shall be revealed and they are earth-shattering to say the least! I actually enjoyed this part too, as it put a nice spin to Lark and Wren’s situation.

The ending was incredible too! For a minute I really thought there would be lead up to another book, and while the threads are there, it’s obvious that this is the final book. I mean, I did read it four years later than intended! But I liked that there was still a little more room for more adventures with these guys. Although, one teeny tiny thread that was left unexplored or without more detail left me reeling! I mean even Lark was wondering what would or could happen there…and yet, it was never brought up in those last few paragraphs. Sigh…

If you’re looking for that heart-racing read filled with ghosts of both good and evil nature, then this is the read for you! There were definitely some intense and creepy moments in this one. I was held riveted from start to finish and was only sad that it was over. As far as series finales go, Sisters of Salt and Iron does it just right!


Overall Rating 5/5 stars

[Miriam Puim Roque · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

• review in english • (to read this review in portuguese, please scroll down)

Sisters of Salt and Iron is the sequel to Sisters of Blood and Spirit and, even though I really enjoyed and always recommend Sisters of Blood and Spirit, this second book wasn't really what I expected. It wasn't nearly as good as the first one and it kinda felt like it could have been written by someone else -- I'm not saying it was, it's just how it feels because it's so different from the first book.

There were a few interesting plot lines, but it was just different. The writing doesn't flow as much as in the first book and some things were just really predictable and most of the chapters were really slow paced.

One thing I enjoyed was Lark's character development. She became more trusting and finally stopped pushing people away. She now has friends who believe her and accept her for who she is I really loved the way Ben treats her). Not only do they accept Lark, but they also accept Wren. Hopefuly we get a third book, I still have so many questions!
__________
• review in portuguese •

Sisters of Salt and Iron é a continuação de Sisters of Blood and Spirit e, apesar de eu ter adorado e recomendar Sisters of Blood and Spirit a toda a hora, este segundo livro não foi, de todo, o que eu estava à espera. Não foi nem de perto, nem de longe, tão bom quanto o primeiro e quase que parecia que podia ter sido escrito por outra pessoa -- não digo que foi realmente escrito por outra pessoa, é só que é tão diferente do primeiro livro, que até parece.

Algumas partes do enredo foram interessantes, sim, mas foi diferente. A escrita não é tão fluída e algumas coisas foram simplesmente previsíveis e sem surpresas e a maior parte dos capítulos "arrastava-se".

Uma coisa que gostei imenso foi o amadurecer da Lark. Passou a confiar mais, não só nela mesma, mas também nos outros, deixou de tentar afastar as pessoas e tem amigos que acreditam nela e a aceitam como ela é (adoro a forma como o Ben a trata). Não só a aceitam a ela, mas também aceitam a Wren. Espero que tenhamos um terceiro livro, ainda tenho taaantas perguntas!

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sisters of Salt and Iron is the sequel to Sisters of Blood and Spirit. According to the official book summary, where the first book addressed a dangerous spirit, the second focuses on a human dangerous to the spirits. However, as on point the Sisters of Blood and Spirit summary was, this summary is far behind.

It has to be said, the two books are almost as different as the twin's hair color. While the first book flowed easily and felt well plotted, Sisters of Salt and Iron unfortunately had none of that. From the tone and style, it felt like it could have been written by a different author, who knew the characters.

The only interesting plot line was Wren's twisting and turning, as foreshadowed in the pervious book, but even that felt labored in it's telling. Ultimately, the book is far more focused on the romance side of the plot than the actual ghosts. A matter of a week gets dragged out at least a hundred pages longer than it should've.

I received my copy from the local library. Please donate to your local library today, they perform a large number of necessary community needs.

More reviews can be read on Commute Reads

[Lizzy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I won this book from a Goodreads giveaway.

Even though I have not read the first book in this series, I wanted to read Sisters of Salt and Iron because of its truly interesting premise. That being said, this book simply couldn't grab my attention for more than 10-15 pages at a time. I'm usually the type of reader who has to know and has to finish a story as soon as possible, but I wasn't drawn to this book. I will say that it was very readable - the author's writing flows to make this an easy read. I think this was just not a book for me.

[Ashley Sonlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh, wanted to like this sequel but there just really wasn't anything to it! Barely any supporting characters, and I knew exactly where the plot would go.

[Rosa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the first book two years ago, and to be honest, did not remember much about it aside from the general premise. I remembered the duo book series was about a set of twins -- one of whom was stillborn, but grew up as a ghost alongside her living sister, but only the sister could see her. That was literally all I could remember about the first book when I finally picked up a copy of the second one. I remembered nothing of what the actual plot was, who the villain had been, or what the supporting characters' names were.

Thankfully, they spent enough time talking about the events of book one in conversation that I quickly found myself brought up to speed on any and all plot points I had forgotten. If I had read the books back to back, I would doubtless have found the constant reiterations of what I had read previously to be tiresome, but I appreciated it since I had some distance between readings.

The plot was good, and as usual with Cross' writing style, easily followed and engrossing. There are plenty of pop culture references for the modern teens and lots of references to ghost hunting/supernatural combat for us ghost hunting nerds.

The only real problem I had with a book (and unfortunately, it's a big one and the reason this book only gets 3 stars) is the romance. There didn't really need to be any aside from one certain relationship that had an easily predictable twist on it. It almost felt like Cross felt she had to shoe-horn in romantic thoughts in inappropriate places simply because it was put out by Harlequin Teen. I was a martial artist all throughout my teenage years, and I can tell you for a fact, that no matter how crazy our hormones get, we do not spend our time thinking about banging our boyfriends while in the middle of a fight-for-your-life situation. Even in regular competitive fighting, when I knew my sparring partner was not going to murder me, I was focused on not getting punched in the face or pulled into plum, no matter how attractive my sparring partner was. Cross having the main characters think about nothing but romance felt out of place multiple times and she was really gratuitous about it.

An interesting series, and this second book in particular was very fun, but a bit of a disappointment compared to her Steampunk Chronicles series.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oddly enough, I liked this book better than the first. I think the set up of the first book was maybe a bit slow for my taste, or I wasn't in the right state of mind. This book was entertaining. I enjoyed the expansion on the world and the characters. The explanation as to the twins and what they are is brought more into focus and a bit more of their purpose.

Teen angst all around, but it's to be expected. Even with the angsty moments, there is an abundance of sass. Makes up for it! sings* Teenagers scare the living sh*t out of me They are snarky and no holds barred.

I really enjoyed the mythos included in the book, but I won't say any more about that.

It's a short little book that is highly entertaining! I would reccomend it for anyone who read the first book, or who likes twin horror stuff. Medium length chapters so tuck in. Happy reading.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strong 4, to 4.5. Even better than the first book.

I was so afraid it was going to end on a cliffhanger. Seriously, 25-30 pages to go, the big climactic battle was just starting, and I thought there was no way everything was going to get wrapped up. But it was! Awesomely!

But I'm still super sad, because apparently there aren't going to be any more books in this series. The fact that this 2016 book was never put out in paperback had me worried, and I contacted the publisher and was told no plans for paperback or more titles. Boo!!!!! There's definitely lots more story to be told. And I love the characters, Lark and Wren, and will miss them.

[Nyx · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Mostly the same warnings as last time. Cussing and gore. And a little too much perverted ghosts than I like. I enjoyed the book all right, it just seemed to drag forever in the middle. I prefer the first one. This did clear up all the history and rules I asked for in my review of the first book, so I am pleased with that. The ending was awesome. I love the Melinoe. I just wish that excitement had been spread throughout the book, not just all clumped at the end. I am also happy they decided to end it there, and not make a third one and drag the story out more. Not the most pleased, but satisfied.
BUT THAT WAS JUST US.

[Wendy]

DNF in the middle of Chapter 13. This was sort of slow going, but the line stating that one high school ghost who had died by suicide was okay because he jumped off the roof in front of a van and did it around people, which for some reason made it okay, while another who hung himself in a stairwell was an "ass-hat," no reason given, just decided me to stop.

Maybe it's supposed to make Lark's character edgy. I don't know. I think throwing out cheap shots about suicide is in bad taste. It's a teenage (and sadly, younger) epidemic, and I think it should be treated with a little gravity.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the sequel to The Sisters of Blood and Spirit. I wish the first 3/4 of the book moved a bit faster, though. It was pretty slow. The author seems to enjoy waiting until the very end to reveal any sort of information at all. I think the story would be better served if parts were handed out throughout and then all come together at the end.
I would have given this book 4 stars except the swearing was too much. And totally unneeded.

[Danielle Bergeron · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am in love with this book!! 😍😍 love how it captures ur attention right from the very beginning, when it starts with Lark kicking some ghost bitches ass, and all the way through to The Melinoe kicking a whole bunch of ghost’s asses!! Love, love, love, LOVE! I would be interested to see if another book is released, telling the story of how they help Emily save Alys from the Void... but even if that book doesn’t happen, I will be happy with how the story ended ☺️☺️

[Darlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lark is finally at peace with her past. All her friends believe in Wren and With Halloween approaching the veil between the worlds is thinning and she can be seen now. Lark and Ben are a couple now and Wren is happy for her but lonely. When she meets Noah a ghost from a century ago she feels she finally has someone but is Noah all she thinks he is or is everyone in trouble once again. Loved book two and was afabulous story.

[Art Tutor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I was completely caught in this pair of books, reading them almost non-stop, except for a root canal and a few hours sleep, over the last 45 hours.
The author has done a terrific job of producing a first-rate story for the YA supernatural genre. Her characters are well-developed, the description of settings tight and concise, and the plot restrained and readable. I quite enjoyed them!

[Rosario · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed it,mI would loved to see that Mason and Lark got together, they seemed like a perfect fit. Wren, poor Wren, but at the end, Sisters before anyone else. This series shows me the importance of a strong sister bond.

[Brianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! The ending didn't leave me aching for more, it left me with a peaceful kind of sense. I finished the book and I had no questions or other thoughts besides, this is an amazing book. A perfect end to the series.

[aem · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable overall although character and development seemed a bit uneven. This sequel follows the struggles of twins Lark and Wren and their friends - both living and ghostly - trying to understand who/what they are.

[Jennie Damron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent story that was just a bit creepy, but in a good way. I love the characters and the story.

[Art · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific! I read the two books, almost continuously, for most of two days, pausing only for a root canal and a few hours sleep.

[Mallory Z · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing! I can't believe Lark and Wren did it! If you want to know what read the series!

[Holly (sweetteaandgoodreads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt like some of the dialogue wasn’t that great, but the storyline was really great and captivating.

[Diana Groves · Rating 5 out of 5]

All I got to say is, I need a third book in the series!!