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The Bone Witch #2
The Heart Forger
In The Bone Witch, Tea mastered resurrection - now she's after revenge....
No one knows death like Tea. A bone witch who can resurrect the dead, she has the power to take life...and return it. And she is done with her self-imposed exile. Her heart is set on vengeance, and she now possesses all she needs to command the mighty daeva. With the help of these terrifying beasts, she can finally enact revenge against the royals who wronged her - and took the life of her one true love.
But there are those who plot against her, those who would use Tea's dark power for their own nefarious ends. Because you can't kill someone who can never die....
War is brewing among the kingdoms, and when dark magic is at play, no one is safe.
No one knows death like Tea. A bone witch who can resurrect the dead, she has the power to take life...and return it. And she is done with her self-imposed exile. Her heart is set on vengeance, and she now possesses all she needs to command the mighty daeva. With the help of these terrifying beasts, she can finally enact revenge against the royals who wronged her - and took the life of her one true love.
But there are those who plot against her, those who would use Tea's dark power for their own nefarious ends. Because you can't kill someone who can never die....
War is brewing among the kingdoms, and when dark magic is at play, no one is safe.
Audible Audio
First published March 20, 2018
1395 people are currently reading
25957 people want to read
About the author
Rin Chupeco
24 books6,634 followersGone.
Newsletter: http://www.rinchupeco.com/newsletter
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,193 reviews
May 5, 2021
ARC provided by Sourcebooks in exchange for an honest review.
1.) The Bone Witch ★★★★
“I suppose the trouble began again when I tried raising a king from the dead.”
This series means so much to me. I loved The Bone Witch so much, but The Heart Forger is now in a tier by itself. This is the type of book that makes you wish there were more than fives stars, because it just feels like it deserves something more. It was glorious perfection, and Tea is my favorite necromancer of all time. And Rin Chupeco is a master storyteller.
“She wore the corpses for show. They trailed behind her, grotesque fabrics of writhing flesh and bone, spreading across the plain for miles around us.”
This is an ownvoices, Asian inspired, fantasy story that stars a young necromancer, looking for her place in a world that has constantly told her she is going to become evil. This story is told in two parts, but not equally. The lesser part, before every new chapter, are the events taking place through a bard’s eyes, who is chronicling the events currently, where Tea is proving to become the evil villain the world wanted her to be. But the main story is told in the past, and we get to slowly find out what happened to put Tea on this path that the bard is seeing.
“What’s one more lie to believe when I am just a scheming, murderous bone witch, constantly seeking stars beyond her reach?”
One of the more unique and cool aspects of this world, is that all the people wear heartglasses around their necks. Your heartglass will change colors depending on what you're feeling but will overall stay mostly the same color. Yet, silver means you draw runes, which means you can fight, whether it be as an asha if you're a girl or as a solider if you're a boy. Silver heartglasses are so very important and are so very sought after.
Other ashas control elements: fire, earth, water, wind. But Tea is a bone witch, AKA: a dark asha, and she deals in death. Bone witches are not very respected in this world, even though their powers hold the most important job in this world, because they are the only ones who can defeat Daeva, AKA: different demons who dwell in this world, who are resurrected every so often. Also, bone witches are incredibly rare, but they seem to not live long.
“…black heartsglass is the ultimate fate of bone witches like us, Tea. Dark asha do not live long lives. But when they do, it is only a matter of time before their hearts become corrupted.”
This book places a big emphasis on gender roles and the way the world also forces us to conform to them. A side character, is constantly battling against them, and all the main characters are so supportive and uplifting. Likh is also the sweetest little cinnamon roll and I want to personally protect them at all costs.
Queerness always plays a pretty big part in this story. First off, we have two queer ladies that are big side character that had me smiling from ear to ear. Next, this book is called The Heart Forger, and that heart forger has been ostracized by his ruling father, stripped of his crown, because of the fact he likes men. You all, I don’t have words, only tears. But such wonderful discussions are held within the pages of these books. And I appreciate it so much.
The only “negative” thing I’ll say is that the three boys in this book all have names that start with the letter K, and it is a little hard (at least for me) to keep straight! So, let me do a little break down for you guys, in case you also have this problem:
➽ Khalad - The newest heart forger, but still an apprentice.
➽ Kance - Prince, who will eventually be king. Khalad’s younger brother and Kalen’s cousin.
➽ Kalen - Amazing warrior who is promised to protect Kance at all costs.
But this was honestly my only problem with this book. Besides this little qualm, this book is perfection in my eyes. And this story is so inspiring, I can’t even put the feelings into words. And Tea is one of the most selfless protagonists I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. Every choice she makes is so important. And it’s so beautiful to see her choosing actions that go against what everyone thinks she will become. This series has so many feministic themes, and I’m living for each and every one of them.
“Tea, you should prove them wrong. Show them asha are more than concubines for princes.”
You guys know I’m weak for a good sibling relationship, especially between a brother and sister, and Tea and her brother (that she resurrected to ultimately find out she was a bone witch) are goals! Fox is such a good character. And him and Tea’s banter is so believable and perfection. And Tea catching glimpses of her brother and a princess brought me so much joy and too many giggles. And now that we know what Tea is still trying to accomplish in present time, because they both share a lifeline. My heart, I can’t. The love between siblings can be so powerful.
But speaking of love. You all, I wasn't prepared for the damn romance in this book. The Bone Witch gave us little breadcrumbs, but The Heart Forger busted through the door and asked me to hold their beer. Page 319 did things to me, and I’m still reeling. And, again, to know the outcome from the present time through the bard’s eyes, it equally guts me, yet warms my heart. It is so good.
“He kissed me. In full view of the nobles, in full view of the emperor and anyone who wanted to see, his mouth hot against mine. He tasted like everything I wanted, and he kissed like I could reach into his heart and take everything I desired from it.”
Overall, this has every single element that I look for and love in the fantasy I read. This has such a diverse cast, the magic is so unique, the world building is fantastical, the animal companion of Tea’s is everything, Tea herself is the feminist main character I want in every book, the writing is lyrical, I highlighted at least one quote in each chapter, and I mean, this is ultimately a story about demolishing some patriarchies. This story has it all, and I feel so blessed to have been able to read it. This is, without a doubt, going on my “best of 2018” list.
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The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
Buddy read with Lilly at Lair of Books! ❤
Bonus Content:
Cute picture of me and my Grandmother who immigrated here from the Philippines in the 60s, who also loves The Bone Witch! I normally don’t disclose personal things about my family in reviews, but I got permission from her, and I really wanted to emphasize how much this series means to me. My Lola was so happy when I told her one of my favorite books of 2017 (and now of 2018) was written by a Filipino author! And never let anyone tell you that representation doesn’t matter. In your twenties, in your seventies, at any age, it matters. I promise.
July 17, 2023
Reread 2023 2.5 Stars
****Old Review ⬇️
Omg! I loved it! I still don't understand some things but who cares! And I will never forget starting the book while waiting to get my Pet CT scan all radiated up and drinking some stuff an hour before scan. I'm in the Upside Down!
It was so freaking good!! I want the next one now.
And this cover is even more beautiful then the first book. I wonder what the third book will look like!
Happy Reading Peeps!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
****Old Review ⬇️
Omg! I loved it! I still don't understand some things but who cares! And I will never forget starting the book while waiting to get my Pet CT scan all radiated up and drinking some stuff an hour before scan. I'm in the Upside Down!
It was so freaking good!! I want the next one now.
And this cover is even more beautiful then the first book. I wonder what the third book will look like!
Happy Reading Peeps!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
April 1, 2018
4 stars
After procrastinating for the last few weeks, I'm glad to say I finished reading The Heart Forger and I loved it. Much better than the first book.
Tea's story from being this young girl discovering she's a necromancer to this dark anti-hero was so well and I want more.
Since this is a sequel, I won't go into that much detail about the plot, but I will say my overall thoughts and feelings.
So, was the Heart Forger better than The Bone Witch? Yes. There was a lot of improvement from the 1st book from the way the story was told to how the plot developed. The Bone Witch was essentially exposition whereas The Heart Forger is more focused on plot rather than giving long explanations. Is this a series for everyone? I can honestly say that if you don't like long explanations, then it may not be a series for you.
Rin delivers in both plot and character. I was so invested in the mysteries, the secrets, the world, and the characters. I'm very much attached to this world Rin created and it might be one of my favorite fantasy worlds.
I'm still in love with the world of The Bone Witch because of how unique it is with the magic system, the politics, and just how the way the continents look on the map. I'm a sucker for maps in fantasy novels. The world is a melting pot of different kinds of people, primarily Asian inspired with the asha being akin to geisha and Tea being Asian (Philipino, if I remember correctly). Everything about this world is just so...
Tea is still my favorite character. I love her journey into becoming an anti-hero. She is a morally grey character much like Kaz from Six of Crows. They both know what they're doing is wrong and could hurt others, but they have their reasons for it. For Tea, it's more of revenge and setting things right. All the more reason why I love her. She also has this stubborn side to her that isn't annoying and makes me like her even more. She has her reasons for doing what she's doing and they are valid ones.
The side characters themselves were also a great addition and had moments to shine. Tea is incomplete without. They give Tea encouragement and call her out when needed. I love them all. Especially Likh. He's the pure definition of sweetness. Protect the precious cinnamon roll.
Even the Bard gives a different perspective on the story. He sees what Tea is doing and while he may disagree with how Tea acts, he still wants to tell her story. And bless this man for following a necromancer who is literally raising dead bodies and monsters. He deserves a pat on the back.
One thing I forgot to mention in my review of The Bone Witch was how it challenged gender roles. In this world, if your heartglass is silver, you are trained to fight. If you're a girl, you train to be an asha. If you're a boy, you're trained to become a soldier. Likh himself challenges this because he doesn't want to be a soldier; he wants to be an asha. He likes the beauty of the asha and strives to be one. His friends are so supportive of this and it brought a smile to my face because of how they encourage Likh.
There's even more diversity in the queer department. Two asha are in a relationship and the junior Heartforger, Khalad, is gay. (Likh has a crush on Khalad and it's so funny and cute to see his interactions with Khalad,) It's great to see these character be fleshed out and have flaws while being unapologetically themselves.
The one thing I do have to critique is the subplots. The major plot is Tea and Co. trying to figure out the cause of a sleeping sickness and the subplot is finding out the events that lead Tea to become an anti-hero. It sort of reminded me of Star Wars because every Star Wars movie has subplots that connected to the major plot. While the subplot for The Heart Forger was there, it came off as almost insignificant given how the majority of the book was solving the mystery behind the sleeping sickness. That and the cast are in a different kingdom. The subplot is important, don't get me wrong, but I wanted more from it.
Verdict
Rin continues to surprise me with the world of The Bone Witch. Everything she writes is just golden. From the world to the plot to the characters, it was just fantastic. I'm really looking forward to see how this series ends.
Thanks for reading my review!
-Cesar.
**********************************
3/11/18
EVERYONE! I went to Target today and found a copy of The Heart Forger!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!111!!!1!11!!!!!!11!!!!!
**********************************
THAT COVER!!!!
The combination of red and the grey of the water, I still love it! I need the physical copy in my hands now!
After procrastinating for the last few weeks, I'm glad to say I finished reading The Heart Forger and I loved it. Much better than the first book.
Tea's story from being this young girl discovering she's a necromancer to this dark anti-hero was so well and I want more.
Since this is a sequel, I won't go into that much detail about the plot, but I will say my overall thoughts and feelings.
So, was the Heart Forger better than The Bone Witch? Yes. There was a lot of improvement from the 1st book from the way the story was told to how the plot developed. The Bone Witch was essentially exposition whereas The Heart Forger is more focused on plot rather than giving long explanations. Is this a series for everyone? I can honestly say that if you don't like long explanations, then it may not be a series for you.
Rin delivers in both plot and character. I was so invested in the mysteries, the secrets, the world, and the characters. I'm very much attached to this world Rin created and it might be one of my favorite fantasy worlds.
I'm still in love with the world of The Bone Witch because of how unique it is with the magic system, the politics, and just how the way the continents look on the map. I'm a sucker for maps in fantasy novels. The world is a melting pot of different kinds of people, primarily Asian inspired with the asha being akin to geisha and Tea being Asian (Philipino, if I remember correctly). Everything about this world is just so...
Tea is still my favorite character. I love her journey into becoming an anti-hero. She is a morally grey character much like Kaz from Six of Crows. They both know what they're doing is wrong and could hurt others, but they have their reasons for it. For Tea, it's more of revenge and setting things right. All the more reason why I love her. She also has this stubborn side to her that isn't annoying and makes me like her even more. She has her reasons for doing what she's doing and they are valid ones.
The side characters themselves were also a great addition and had moments to shine. Tea is incomplete without. They give Tea encouragement and call her out when needed. I love them all. Especially Likh. He's the pure definition of sweetness. Protect the precious cinnamon roll.
Even the Bard gives a different perspective on the story. He sees what Tea is doing and while he may disagree with how Tea acts, he still wants to tell her story. And bless this man for following a necromancer who is literally raising dead bodies and monsters. He deserves a pat on the back.
One thing I forgot to mention in my review of The Bone Witch was how it challenged gender roles. In this world, if your heartglass is silver, you are trained to fight. If you're a girl, you train to be an asha. If you're a boy, you're trained to become a soldier. Likh himself challenges this because he doesn't want to be a soldier; he wants to be an asha. He likes the beauty of the asha and strives to be one. His friends are so supportive of this and it brought a smile to my face because of how they encourage Likh.
There's even more diversity in the queer department. Two asha are in a relationship and the junior Heartforger, Khalad, is gay. (Likh has a crush on Khalad and it's so funny and cute to see his interactions with Khalad,) It's great to see these character be fleshed out and have flaws while being unapologetically themselves.
The one thing I do have to critique is the subplots. The major plot is Tea and Co. trying to figure out the cause of a sleeping sickness and the subplot is finding out the events that lead Tea to become an anti-hero. It sort of reminded me of Star Wars because every Star Wars movie has subplots that connected to the major plot. While the subplot for The Heart Forger was there, it came off as almost insignificant given how the majority of the book was solving the mystery behind the sleeping sickness. That and the cast are in a different kingdom. The subplot is important, don't get me wrong, but I wanted more from it.
Verdict
Rin continues to surprise me with the world of The Bone Witch. Everything she writes is just golden. From the world to the plot to the characters, it was just fantastic. I'm really looking forward to see how this series ends.
Thanks for reading my review!
-Cesar.
**********************************
3/11/18
EVERYONE! I went to Target today and found a copy of The Heart Forger!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!111!!!1!11!!!!!!11!!!!!
**********************************
THAT COVER!!!!
The combination of red and the grey of the water, I still love it! I need the physical copy in my hands now!
June 21, 2020
1.) The Bone Witch ★★★★
2.) The Heart Forger ★★★.5
--------------------------------------------------
“It felt so wonderful and strange to know you are your own person but begin to understand how you could also belong to wholeheartedly to someone else.”
representation: own voices Filipino inspired, queer side characters, f/f side relationship.
[trigger warnings are listed at the bottom of this review and may contain spoilers]
★★★.5
trigger warnings: death, torture, imprisonment, war themes, gore, body horror, death, mythical creatures being hurt/imprisoned/dying, loss of loved ones.
2.) The Heart Forger ★★★.5
--------------------------------------------------
“It felt so wonderful and strange to know you are your own person but begin to understand how you could also belong to wholeheartedly to someone else.”
representation: own voices Filipino inspired, queer side characters, f/f side relationship.
[trigger warnings are listed at the bottom of this review and may contain spoilers]
★★★.5
trigger warnings: death, torture, imprisonment, war themes, gore, body horror, death, mythical creatures being hurt/imprisoned/dying, loss of loved ones.
May 16, 2020
“Life isn’t fair, dear one. And sometimes, neither is death.”
That was exceptional, if anyone would have told me when I read The bone witch that I would be a fan of this series I wouldn't have agreed. I started this series on a whim and I don't regret it. I think I'm finally getting closer to why she was exiled, I know of one reason now but not what escalated things.
That is the nature of grief. But to grieve means you have loved. To love opens up the possibility for grief. There cannot be one without the other.”
I can't believe Kance did that, he's such an ass. What shocked me the most is her relationship with Kalen, now that I did not see coming. Tea and Fox's relationship is still my highlight of this series. Zoya, Mykaela and Princess Inessa are also cool characters.
“The dead do not rest,“ she told me, “only the living believe the grave can bring you peace.”
I don't know how true this is but there is a rumour there will be a fourth book, why? It's just not fair. Hopefully its a rumour.
I love the Asian culture added into this book, The azi and the other creatures even made it more awesome.
“It felt so wonderful and strange to know you are your own person but begin to understand how you could also belong to wholeheartedly to someone else.”
The plot is progressing wonderfully we're almost to the present now,this book is necromancer and witchcraft at its best, from elemental magic to others. Shadowglass here I come. I just don't know why this book is underrated, its awesome.
That was exceptional, if anyone would have told me when I read The bone witch that I would be a fan of this series I wouldn't have agreed. I started this series on a whim and I don't regret it. I think I'm finally getting closer to why she was exiled, I know of one reason now but not what escalated things.
That is the nature of grief. But to grieve means you have loved. To love opens up the possibility for grief. There cannot be one without the other.”
I can't believe Kance did that, he's such an ass. What shocked me the most is her relationship with Kalen, now that I did not see coming. Tea and Fox's relationship is still my highlight of this series. Zoya, Mykaela and Princess Inessa are also cool characters.
“The dead do not rest,“ she told me, “only the living believe the grave can bring you peace.”
I don't know how true this is but there is a rumour there will be a fourth book, why? It's just not fair. Hopefully its a rumour.
I love the Asian culture added into this book, The azi and the other creatures even made it more awesome.
“It felt so wonderful and strange to know you are your own person but begin to understand how you could also belong to wholeheartedly to someone else.”
The plot is progressing wonderfully we're almost to the present now,this book is necromancer and witchcraft at its best, from elemental magic to others. Shadowglass here I come. I just don't know why this book is underrated, its awesome.
February 27, 2021
Ack I've deffo left it too long to write any semblance of what passes for a "coherent review" from me...going to give it whirl & hope it'll be somewhat shorter than my usual deluge 🙊
This continues the interlocking dual timeline storytelling which I found super compelling and is much more action/character driven than the descriptive world building of the first book. I really loved seeing all the characters relationships build and blossom as events unfold.
Lol'ing at my "love geometry" commemt when reviewing book1. I was trying to be snarky about a hinted at triangle but I did not see the actual shape coming and even weirder...I'm not remotely mad at it! Quite impressed with how it's handled honestly, made for fun sibling conversations and bonding moments between numerous characters 🙃
Speaking of, the characters & friendships are so wonderful in this book. The namesake of the title is a gem and the merry band of misfits were such a fab group with how they interact with one another.
I really like the imaginative magic system with it's checks & balances such as draining the user so that even the most powerful need to rest & recharge. I must also give a shout out to the Daeva - I NEED to finish this series so I can safely look up some fanart as these sound so interesting!
The characters ages still trip me a little as if I'm remembering correctly Tea is 17 in the "current" timeline. Considering how she behaves, the responsibility she assumes and the choices she makes possibly age her; plus I guess the time period isn't defined but fighting & transport styles are deffo ye olde times so I guess people mature faster but still 🤷♀️
100% a me issue and not a book problem - I might have just aged out of YA which makes me sad as I do enjoy the snarky back and forth that tend to be more prevalent in this storytelling 😅
I'm afraid I left too much time between finishing this and attempting to write this "review" and as such am underselling this series. 🙈 I really liked book2 and am half afraid to pick up book3 as I don't want to leave this world or the wonderful cast of characters behind. This series has been quite unlike many of the other YA series I've read, the characters read more mature than their ages suggest (which is what messes with my brain), the magic is so interesting and the descriptions that were sometimes a little heavy handed & bogged down book1 really paid off for this one as the story & characters picked up the baton and really ran with it 😎
When thinking of popular YA series this one is really underrated & definitely deserves more love.
Please do consider picking it up 🤩
For a better overview of book1, than my previous wafflefest, pretty please check out Eleanor's review as she wonderfully says many of the things I wish I had said in my initial thoughts - namely about expectations when picking up the first book in this series.
Massive thanks to the lovely bunch of booksta peeps who shared this group read and all the fun chats we had around this one.
This continues the interlocking dual timeline storytelling which I found super compelling and is much more action/character driven than the descriptive world building of the first book. I really loved seeing all the characters relationships build and blossom as events unfold.
Lol'ing at my "love geometry" commemt when reviewing book1. I was trying to be snarky about a hinted at triangle but I did not see the actual shape coming and even weirder...I'm not remotely mad at it! Quite impressed with how it's handled honestly, made for fun sibling conversations and bonding moments between numerous characters 🙃
Speaking of, the characters & friendships are so wonderful in this book. The namesake of the title is a gem and the merry band of misfits were such a fab group with how they interact with one another.
I really like the imaginative magic system with it's checks & balances such as draining the user so that even the most powerful need to rest & recharge. I must also give a shout out to the Daeva - I NEED to finish this series so I can safely look up some fanart as these sound so interesting!
The characters ages still trip me a little as if I'm remembering correctly Tea is 17 in the "current" timeline. Considering how she behaves, the responsibility she assumes and the choices she makes possibly age her; plus I guess the time period isn't defined but fighting & transport styles are deffo ye olde times so I guess people mature faster but still 🤷♀️
100% a me issue and not a book problem - I might have just aged out of YA which makes me sad as I do enjoy the snarky back and forth that tend to be more prevalent in this storytelling 😅
I'm afraid I left too much time between finishing this and attempting to write this "review" and as such am underselling this series. 🙈 I really liked book2 and am half afraid to pick up book3 as I don't want to leave this world or the wonderful cast of characters behind. This series has been quite unlike many of the other YA series I've read, the characters read more mature than their ages suggest (which is what messes with my brain), the magic is so interesting and the descriptions that were sometimes a little heavy handed & bogged down book1 really paid off for this one as the story & characters picked up the baton and really ran with it 😎
When thinking of popular YA series this one is really underrated & definitely deserves more love.
Please do consider picking it up 🤩
For a better overview of book1, than my previous wafflefest, pretty please check out Eleanor's review as she wonderfully says many of the things I wish I had said in my initial thoughts - namely about expectations when picking up the first book in this series.
Massive thanks to the lovely bunch of booksta peeps who shared this group read and all the fun chats we had around this one.
March 10, 2018
Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced ebook in exchange for an honest review.
The sequel to The Bone Witch, a fantasy series that I started last year but that I had obviously forgotten that I struggled with the storyline. But I had stated in my review of book one that I was intrigued enough to see where Rin Chupeco would take Tea, her brother Fox, Kance/Kalen/Khalad, and the rest of the cast. We have the future Tea telling her tale to the Bard and the past story in each chapter. I must confess that by chapter 9 I started skipping the future because it was making the story weighed down...sort of like trying to wade through mud. The last few chapters was where all the action ended up being because most was taken up by Tea trying to figure out her feelings while also trying to control the darkness taking over.
The one shining spot of this series does remain the gorgeous cover illustrations, definitely decor for a personal library. Just not my cup of "tea."
The sequel to The Bone Witch, a fantasy series that I started last year but that I had obviously forgotten that I struggled with the storyline. But I had stated in my review of book one that I was intrigued enough to see where Rin Chupeco would take Tea, her brother Fox, Kance/Kalen/Khalad, and the rest of the cast. We have the future Tea telling her tale to the Bard and the past story in each chapter. I must confess that by chapter 9 I started skipping the future because it was making the story weighed down...sort of like trying to wade through mud. The last few chapters was where all the action ended up being because most was taken up by Tea trying to figure out her feelings while also trying to control the darkness taking over.
The one shining spot of this series does remain the gorgeous cover illustrations, definitely decor for a personal library. Just not my cup of "tea."
February 14, 2019
I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This sequel is a huge step up from The Bone Witch in terms of the pacing, the characters, the plot and the world building. Tea Pahlavi's journey along with her friends was action-packed and thrilling. I'm invested with all the events happened here and you'll feel the war brewing. Truly atmospheric and the characters stood out individually without overshadowing our main protagonist, Tea Pahlavi.
Tea is a remarkable anti-heroine. She's getting more powerful and I love her determination in this mission. Her love interest... well, you know who this brooding hero is (ugh. I'm a sucker for broody heroes!) and the romance between them melts my heart. Tea and Fox's sibling relationship is one of the best ones I've encountered. They're so genuine and they'll protect each other no matter what.
I adore the secondary characters especially Khalad -- The Heart Forger's apprentice. I ship him with Likh (my precious!! He's close to my second favorite). I grew to love Lady Zoya (though I hate her in the first book) and Lady Shadi together.
Anyways, I'm reading The Shadow Glass and you better pray for my soul because I have both good and bad feeling about it.
This sequel is a huge step up from The Bone Witch in terms of the pacing, the characters, the plot and the world building. Tea Pahlavi's journey along with her friends was action-packed and thrilling. I'm invested with all the events happened here and you'll feel the war brewing. Truly atmospheric and the characters stood out individually without overshadowing our main protagonist, Tea Pahlavi.
Tea is a remarkable anti-heroine. She's getting more powerful and I love her determination in this mission. Her love interest... well, you know who this brooding hero is (ugh. I'm a sucker for broody heroes!) and the romance between them melts my heart. Tea and Fox's sibling relationship is one of the best ones I've encountered. They're so genuine and they'll protect each other no matter what.
I adore the secondary characters especially Khalad -- The Heart Forger's apprentice. I ship him with Likh (my precious!! He's close to my second favorite). I grew to love Lady Zoya (though I hate her in the first book) and Lady Shadi together.
Anyways, I'm reading The Shadow Glass and you better pray for my soul because I have both good and bad feeling about it.
February 9, 2022
What a change from the first book! I don't recall ever going from a three star review with a first book to a five star with the second, but this book has everything the first was lacking and more. The characterization was well established in the first novel so there was no need for that. What was overly descriptive in the first book became a summative mention in this second.
While there is such a thing as being too plot driven, this book has a driving plot without excess.The pace quickens and the suspense mounts as the characters begin to uncover what is really happening. The Faceless make great adversaries, and watching the protagonist start down a path that is becoming increasingly dark (but necessary) builds dramatic suspense and irony especially considering we knew early on in the last book what the fate of Mykaela's previous apprentice was. Each time the protagonist makes a choice that moves her further down the dark path I felt like I understood her reasoning, yet I was cringing at the same time.
With the last book I never felt compelled to pick it up or see what was happening next. This book I simply couldn't put down. I read it during shorter intervals than I usually allow myself when I read leisure fiction- even 5-10 minutes at a time if necessary.
A full five star rating. I hope the third book can follow this act.
While there is such a thing as being too plot driven, this book has a driving plot without excess.The pace quickens and the suspense mounts as the characters begin to uncover what is really happening. The Faceless make great adversaries, and watching the protagonist start down a path that is becoming increasingly dark (but necessary) builds dramatic suspense and irony especially considering we knew early on in the last book what the fate of Mykaela's previous apprentice was. Each time the protagonist makes a choice that moves her further down the dark path I felt like I understood her reasoning, yet I was cringing at the same time.
With the last book I never felt compelled to pick it up or see what was happening next. This book I simply couldn't put down. I read it during shorter intervals than I usually allow myself when I read leisure fiction- even 5-10 minutes at a time if necessary.
A full five star rating. I hope the third book can follow this act.
August 10, 2022
DNF-ing it at 60%.
I really tried. The first book seemed like an introduction but it continues into this one. The past never catches up to the present events and I was left confused 90% of the time. I just don't care enough to continue and it wasted enough of my time. Such a shame, I thought I finally found a decent witch book.
I really tried. The first book seemed like an introduction but it continues into this one. The past never catches up to the present events and I was left confused 90% of the time. I just don't care enough to continue and it wasted enough of my time. Such a shame, I thought I finally found a decent witch book.
August 20, 2023
As languorous and atmospheric as The Bone Witch, The Heart Forger follows Dark asha/bone witch Tea into war. Resurrected lover, fearsome daeva, and an undead army in tow, Tea is ready to wage war against the Daanorian king.
Narration once again alternates between Tea's account of past events and the nameless bard observing the present. In her chapters, Tea recounts how she strengthened her secret connection with her daeva familiar, her gradual disillusionment and distrust of the elder asha, and her pursuit of forbidden power. Royals across the continent have fallen victim to a mysterious sleeping sickness. When accused of causing the Odalian Prince Kance to fall ill, Tea and her friends must flee Odalia. Hoping the heart forger can provide a cure, the band journeys to Daanoris, subsequently uncovering yet another treasonous plot.
Mirroring Tea's narrative, in the present the bard travels with Tea and her reanimated army to Daanoris to seek yet another. There, past meets present, and the bard begins to make his own judgements about Tea's story.
As Tea's power increases, she learns how to scry (direct one's will into another's mind). This skill, combined with Tea's connection with her familiar, Fox, enables Chupeco to incorporate more POVs and introduce new romantic arcs.
Though long and slow-paced, like The Bone Witch, The Heart Forger is far from boring. I was not tempted to speed up the 14-hour audiobook, which is pretty unusual for me. Chupeco's writing is beautiful and captivating. Tea is such a powerful heroine (it's hard to remember that she is basically a child). I particularly loved the bard's chapters/present, especially seeing Tea and Kalen's unrivaled, heart-crushing love for one another.
Conclusion: 4.5 stars.
Rating Criteria:
[This rating is not really based on the usual criteria --I just liked it.]
⭐️Entertaining/engaging? Yes
⭐️Creative? Yes
⭐️Educational value? Not really.
⭐️Foregrounds voices historically underrepresented in mainstream lit? Yes.
⭐️Innovative? Transgressive? Not really.
Narration once again alternates between Tea's account of past events and the nameless bard observing the present. In her chapters, Tea recounts how she strengthened her secret connection with her daeva familiar, her gradual disillusionment and distrust of the elder asha, and her pursuit of forbidden power. Royals across the continent have fallen victim to a mysterious sleeping sickness. When accused of causing the Odalian Prince Kance to fall ill, Tea and her friends must flee Odalia. Hoping the heart forger can provide a cure, the band journeys to Daanoris, subsequently uncovering yet another treasonous plot.
Mirroring Tea's narrative, in the present the bard travels with Tea and her reanimated army to Daanoris to seek yet another. There, past meets present, and the bard begins to make his own judgements about Tea's story.
As Tea's power increases, she learns how to scry (direct one's will into another's mind). This skill, combined with Tea's connection with her familiar, Fox, enables Chupeco to incorporate more POVs and introduce new romantic arcs.
Though long and slow-paced, like The Bone Witch, The Heart Forger is far from boring. I was not tempted to speed up the 14-hour audiobook, which is pretty unusual for me. Chupeco's writing is beautiful and captivating. Tea is such a powerful heroine (it's hard to remember that she is basically a child). I particularly loved the bard's chapters/present, especially seeing Tea and Kalen's unrivaled, heart-crushing love for one another.
Conclusion: 4.5 stars.
Rating Criteria:
[This rating is not really based on the usual criteria --I just liked it.]
⭐️Entertaining/engaging? Yes
⭐️Creative? Yes
⭐️Educational value? Not really.
⭐️Foregrounds voices historically underrepresented in mainstream lit? Yes.
⭐️Innovative? Transgressive? Not really.
September 19, 2022
This just dragged. Having the book written in the past (present) and the future with the bard telling the story was too much. I got so sick of things. The past (present) has not caught up to the future and I don't know if I have enough in me to continue to even try to read the rest of this series. I do like Chupeco's writing, but the book gets away from itself so many times. I just didn't enjoy it that much. I was glad to finish this since I am reading this for a book bingo, but was tempted to DNF it a few times. It just was a slog. I really liked the character of Tea and rather would have stayed with her in the past/present than jumping around the whole time. I just felt so removed from things by the end of the book.
November 14, 2020
Update (14 Nov 2020):
My third time reading this book and here I am, broken and still crying over the same scenes.
Update (07 Jan 2019):
I now have hardbound copies of the first two books, and I've decided to reread them before diving into my ARC of The Shadow Glass.
My initial review already nicely summarizes how much I loved The Heart Forger. This book is straight up perfection, really. However, I think it's worth noting that I never expected to love the romantic development in this sequel so much? Tea and her love interest (I won't be dropping names, as it spoils the first book) are so adorable together! I've never swooned so hard for a pairing in a YA fantasy before, and I think that's really saying something.
Undoubtedly still a five-star read for me.
Rating: 5 stars
* Read the full reviews in my natural habitat: The Bone Witch | The Heart Forger | The Shadow Glass
*****
One of the most noticeable differences between The Bone Witch and The Heart Forger is that while the former was anchored to its characters, the latter was significantly more plot-driven. With the intricacies of the world-building already firmly established in the first book, The Heart Forger was given a lot of allowance to place more weight in its plot – a plot that is very faintly reminiscent to numerous dark fantasy novels, but without compromising the integrity and ingenuity of its original premise.
On its own, The Heart Forger is an incredibly well-thought, phenomenally written fantasy told in hauntingly compelling narratives at a thrillingly suspenseful pace. What I really loved about it was the author’s ability in expertly balancing out all the elements. The eventfulness of the plot never compromised the complexity or the development of the characters, especially Tea. The faster pacing never took away any depth – be it in terms of character relationships, themes, or impact. The deepening of a romantic relationship that was only hinted at in The Bone Witch was effective without overshadowing any of the other crucial elements.
I’m not exaggerating when I say that I can continue raving about The Heart Forger for hours and hours, but let me keep this as simple as I can. Basically, this sequel was everything I could hope for and more: excellently placed tension, subtle social commentary, meaningful and relevant themes, surprising reveals from both main and supporting character roles, engrossing and effective writing, and more insight to tons of unanswered questions while still leaving hopelessly obsessed readers, such as myself, wanting more and more and more. Book 3, I cannot wait to get my hands on you!
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of The Heart Forger as part of my participation in a blog tour. This neither affects my opinion nor the content of my review. Thank you very much to the blog tour organizers (The Fantastic Flying Book Club) and the publisher for the opportunity!
Actual rating: 5 stars
* Read the full review (as well as an interview with the author herself!) in my natural habitat.
My third time reading this book and here I am, broken and still crying over the same scenes.
Update (07 Jan 2019):
I now have hardbound copies of the first two books, and I've decided to reread them before diving into my ARC of The Shadow Glass.
My initial review already nicely summarizes how much I loved The Heart Forger. This book is straight up perfection, really. However, I think it's worth noting that I never expected to love the romantic development in this sequel so much? Tea and her love interest (I won't be dropping names, as it spoils the first book) are so adorable together! I've never swooned so hard for a pairing in a YA fantasy before, and I think that's really saying something.
Undoubtedly still a five-star read for me.
Rating: 5 stars
* Read the full reviews in my natural habitat: The Bone Witch | The Heart Forger | The Shadow Glass
*****
One of the most noticeable differences between The Bone Witch and The Heart Forger is that while the former was anchored to its characters, the latter was significantly more plot-driven. With the intricacies of the world-building already firmly established in the first book, The Heart Forger was given a lot of allowance to place more weight in its plot – a plot that is very faintly reminiscent to numerous dark fantasy novels, but without compromising the integrity and ingenuity of its original premise.
On its own, The Heart Forger is an incredibly well-thought, phenomenally written fantasy told in hauntingly compelling narratives at a thrillingly suspenseful pace. What I really loved about it was the author’s ability in expertly balancing out all the elements. The eventfulness of the plot never compromised the complexity or the development of the characters, especially Tea. The faster pacing never took away any depth – be it in terms of character relationships, themes, or impact. The deepening of a romantic relationship that was only hinted at in The Bone Witch was effective without overshadowing any of the other crucial elements.
I’m not exaggerating when I say that I can continue raving about The Heart Forger for hours and hours, but let me keep this as simple as I can. Basically, this sequel was everything I could hope for and more: excellently placed tension, subtle social commentary, meaningful and relevant themes, surprising reveals from both main and supporting character roles, engrossing and effective writing, and more insight to tons of unanswered questions while still leaving hopelessly obsessed readers, such as myself, wanting more and more and more. Book 3, I cannot wait to get my hands on you!
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of The Heart Forger as part of my participation in a blog tour. This neither affects my opinion nor the content of my review. Thank you very much to the blog tour organizers (The Fantastic Flying Book Club) and the publisher for the opportunity!
Actual rating: 5 stars
* Read the full review (as well as an interview with the author herself!) in my natural habitat.
May 31, 2018
1 star
Faster-paced than the previous installment, but somehow still finds new and novel ways to disappoint me in ways I've never been disappointed in before.
Honestly, I have to ask who hurt you for the world-building to be so blatantly set on characerizing Daanoris (Bone Witch pseudo-China) and Drycht (Bone Witch pseudo-Middle East) as backwards sexists and bigots. The writing is too puerile to depict them as anything else than sexists who are wrong wrong wrong in everything they do. Tea commits so many political faux pas, I'm surprised she got through asha training in this state. She literally cannot open her mouth without having to comment about how backwards Daanoris and its emperor are... if you are perchance in a situation where you disagree with their policies but cannot voice them in public because you are a delegate, then talk shit behind their backs when no one can hear you.
There are literally no women besides Princess Yansheo (who is basically an NPC with a name) in Daanoris who could even be present to provide their take on the inner workings of their own damn country. Instead, we have to listen to Tea give her hottakes about a country she's never been too while demanding the natives to be tolerant of her not understanding their ways because she's a foreigner AND being offended when they say how strange her country's ways are. Girl, it has to go both ways. you can interpret as you will, but it is a fact that they depict Daanoris and Drycht with way more bias (in text and subtext) than Kion or any of the other countries.
I honestly worry about the next book because in this book, Tea and company invade Daanoris; so naturally, we should progress to invading Drycht as suggested in the end of the Heart Forger. I hope I am wrong in my prediction that they'll dethrone whoever's in charge and replace them with someone more palatable for Tea and company's agenda/worldview. The way Drycht was depicted in the Bone Witch was pretty Islamophobic. I don't want a repeat of Tea's hottakes about all that in book 3.
While there is queer representation in this book , the writing provides such a poor amount of characterization to ANY character that I wouldn't be happy recommending this to anyone looking for queer characters with substance. There's also the issue of the villain(s) being bad in EVERY WAY. We can't just have an evil guy who might be a good father. NO, he has to be an evil guy and a homophobe too. This book somehow conflates Likh wanting to be an asha, a traditionally female-only position, with Khalad being queer/a heart forger. It's not the same. I understand how silver-heartsglass bearers could be considered to be on the fringe of society, but I honestly do not see the in-world justification for why they are discriminated against when they do important work???
I honestly I want to say this book is fake woke, though I'm sure that's not the author's intention. I feel the way this writing calls out sexism is very shallow - only calling out the blatant sexist attitudes and not choosing to explore how pervasive sexism in a society can be. Yes this is YA and there is no obligation to do it, but there are definitely YA books that don't shy away from that subject matter.
This book also needed at least one more round of edits. The amount of errors I found with the puntuation and grammar was unprofessional. In fact, there was one instance where "its" was used correctly but then "it's" was used when "its" was the appropriate choice - ALL THIS OCCURED IN THE SAME SENTENCE. Whoever was editing needs to pay attention to the manuscript and learn the proper usage of a semicolon and just get reacquainted with general sentence structure. Seeing as this book contains less descriptions of hua and poetic stylization, there's no excuse for having an unpolished final product. Simple fixes like... describing the toad-like daeva as a reptile - you don't need to be a zoologist to know toads are amphibians.
Characters - Like I kept saying, Khalad is the character that feels most like an acutal person, but he is overshadowed by Tea's heinous narration and lack of proper characterization. The book is called HEART FORGER, why isn't the story actually about him? All the rest of the chacters have the occasional characterization, but by in large Tea just TELLS us stuff instead of letting the writing SHOW us things about the cast.
I would have liked for Khalad and Narel's relationship to be explored more. In a book called the Heart Forger, they don't really focus much on the heart forgers. They do moreso than in the Bone Witch, but that wasn't much to begin with.
Kalen is actually alright in this book. I feel like he is a spiritual successor to the idea of an endgame Chaol in many ways. He actually goes against Kance and baby, I was proud.
I didn't hate Tea in the Bone Witch, but lord did she test my patience here. The Fox and Inessa drama was so boring... can't they just find a sperm donor if they want kids? Simple solutions, my friends. Simple solutions.
Plot - Stuff actually happens in this book! Yay. The 1st book was definitely a glorified prologue to this one. I think the story suffers from lack of disctinction between the faceless villains. A lot of the time I didn't know the difference between Druj and Usij. Who are these dudes? I didn't even know Usij was a Faceless ... or a prominent figure among the Faceless until way too late. We are just told they are EVIL and not given any complex motivation besides wanting immortiality. There are some reveals that I admit not to catching on until they happen. The cartoony dialogue between the hero and the villains brought that enjoyment down because it was cliche af.
The story still suffers the constant switching between past and present versions of Tea. I saw another reviewer say they skipped the Bard chapters, so I tried that too and the book was a much faster read. I went back to read them every few chapters to catch up, but the flow was much better if you had a large chunk of chapters in one time frame.
Worldbuilding - God, I can't stand how it's done here. We are told facts about the world that we didn't know beforehand, but it is usually information that we SHOULD know but is so conveniently left out, so when we learn about these facts, they feel like WOW ACTUAL WORLDBUILDING, but really it is a lack of worldbuilding and we are happy with the scraps.
I still have similar problems with the world building as I did in book 1 - such as linguistic inconsistencies within the individual nations and reliance on real world stereotypes for Drycht and Daanoris.
On a positive note, I do have to say at least the Daanorian emperor had a yellow dragon as an emblem and at least on the surface you can be sure this is based off imperial China. Not sure what era it was supposed to be, but mentioning it went through a period of isolation was a nice touch, though the political structures of most of the nations in the Bone Witch world don't feel very anchored. Perhaps this is because there's a lack of a depiction of the 'commoners' living their lives and interacting with whatever government they live with. We largely follow characters from high society. If we do see lay people, they're poor, sick, and/or silent. The lack of information from this disparity of representation can create a feeling of immenseness for some because there's always more to learn, but to me it conveyed a feeling of vacancy.
Overall, I would say this is an improvement from the 1st book for those who like a more fast-paced story. There are more plot developments here and the Tea-Kalen romance was not the worst thing by a long shot (more by Kalen's strenght as a character compared to the rest, if anything). However, the storytelling falls into similar problems as seen in the Bone Witch in addition to the lack of complexity in portraying the different nations and their people; the queer-coding of Khalad and Likh because they have silver hearts-glasses and are not Deathseekers (somehow wanting to not be in the traditional male occupation automatically means they are both queer?); and the villains as interchangable moustache-twirling evildoers that do not capitalize on the seemingly interesting origin story of the False Prince. The lack of characterization, concrete world-building in terms of the society and magic, and the tell-not-show nature of the narration takes away from the potential of this series. But if you can look past those things and treat this as a fluff read, I think it'll be a quick read. Otherwise skip it or check it out from your library if you are still curious.
EDIT: Upon some reflection I thought my statements about Likh and his gender expression sounded gate-keepery because it kind of sounded like I didn't think gender-fluidity or genderqueer or what-have-you was queer (they are!). I have no intention of acting as a gate-keeper (they can gtfo), so I think I should clarify what I meant - my point was that gender expression and gender and sexuality aren't the same. I appreciate that Rin wanted to include this. I just didn't think it was done in the best way. I'm still kind of unsure what specifically she was going for...
EDIT 2: To clarify, this is not to say I'm against calling out the BS in these nations and their governments. I just wish this was done better. It'd be hypocritical for me to say you should only call out Western colonialist-based fictional lands.
idk BUT IN MY UNFILTERED OPINION I wanna throw this back into the return bin where it belongs. I'm not sure how many books there are in the series, but I'll follow through till the end because I've gotten this far.
Faster-paced than the previous installment, but somehow still finds new and novel ways to disappoint me in ways I've never been disappointed in before.
Honestly, I have to ask who hurt you for the world-building to be so blatantly set on characerizing Daanoris (Bone Witch pseudo-China) and Drycht (Bone Witch pseudo-Middle East) as backwards sexists and bigots. The writing is too puerile to depict them as anything else than sexists who are wrong wrong wrong in everything they do. Tea commits so many political faux pas, I'm surprised she got through asha training in this state. She literally cannot open her mouth without having to comment about how backwards Daanoris and its emperor are... if you are perchance in a situation where you disagree with their policies but cannot voice them in public because you are a delegate, then talk shit behind their backs when no one can hear you.
There are literally no women besides Princess Yansheo (who is basically an NPC with a name) in Daanoris who could even be present to provide their take on the inner workings of their own damn country. Instead, we have to listen to Tea give her hottakes about a country she's never been too while demanding the natives to be tolerant of her not understanding their ways because she's a foreigner AND being offended when they say how strange her country's ways are. Girl, it has to go both ways. you can interpret as you will, but it is a fact that they depict Daanoris and Drycht with way more bias (in text and subtext) than Kion or any of the other countries.
I honestly worry about the next book because in this book, Tea and company invade Daanoris; so naturally, we should progress to invading Drycht as suggested in the end of the Heart Forger. I hope I am wrong in my prediction that they'll dethrone whoever's in charge and replace them with someone more palatable for Tea and company's agenda/worldview. The way Drycht was depicted in the Bone Witch was pretty Islamophobic. I don't want a repeat of Tea's hottakes about all that in book 3.
While there is queer representation in this book , the writing provides such a poor amount of characterization to ANY character that I wouldn't be happy recommending this to anyone looking for queer characters with substance. There's also the issue of the villain(s) being bad in EVERY WAY. We can't just have an evil guy who might be a good father. NO, he has to be an evil guy and a homophobe too. This book somehow conflates Likh wanting to be an asha, a traditionally female-only position, with Khalad being queer/a heart forger. It's not the same. I understand how silver-heartsglass bearers could be considered to be on the fringe of society, but I honestly do not see the in-world justification for why they are discriminated against when they do important work???
I honestly I want to say this book is fake woke, though I'm sure that's not the author's intention. I feel the way this writing calls out sexism is very shallow - only calling out the blatant sexist attitudes and not choosing to explore how pervasive sexism in a society can be. Yes this is YA and there is no obligation to do it, but there are definitely YA books that don't shy away from that subject matter.
This book also needed at least one more round of edits. The amount of errors I found with the puntuation and grammar was unprofessional. In fact, there was one instance where "its" was used correctly but then "it's" was used when "its" was the appropriate choice - ALL THIS OCCURED IN THE SAME SENTENCE. Whoever was editing needs to pay attention to the manuscript and learn the proper usage of a semicolon and just get reacquainted with general sentence structure. Seeing as this book contains less descriptions of hua and poetic stylization, there's no excuse for having an unpolished final product. Simple fixes like... describing the toad-like daeva as a reptile - you don't need to be a zoologist to know toads are amphibians.
Characters - Like I kept saying, Khalad is the character that feels most like an acutal person, but he is overshadowed by Tea's heinous narration and lack of proper characterization. The book is called HEART FORGER, why isn't the story actually about him? All the rest of the chacters have the occasional characterization, but by in large Tea just TELLS us stuff instead of letting the writing SHOW us things about the cast.
I would have liked for Khalad and Narel's relationship to be explored more. In a book called the Heart Forger, they don't really focus much on the heart forgers. They do moreso than in the Bone Witch, but that wasn't much to begin with.
Kalen is actually alright in this book. I feel like he is a spiritual successor to the idea of an endgame Chaol in many ways. He actually goes against Kance and baby, I was proud.
I didn't hate Tea in the Bone Witch, but lord did she test my patience here. The Fox and Inessa drama was so boring... can't they just find a sperm donor if they want kids? Simple solutions, my friends. Simple solutions.
Plot - Stuff actually happens in this book! Yay. The 1st book was definitely a glorified prologue to this one. I think the story suffers from lack of disctinction between the faceless villains. A lot of the time I didn't know the difference between Druj and Usij. Who are these dudes? I didn't even know Usij was a Faceless ... or a prominent figure among the Faceless until way too late. We are just told they are EVIL and not given any complex motivation besides wanting immortiality. There are some reveals that I admit not to catching on until they happen. The cartoony dialogue between the hero and the villains brought that enjoyment down because it was cliche af.
The story still suffers the constant switching between past and present versions of Tea. I saw another reviewer say they skipped the Bard chapters, so I tried that too and the book was a much faster read. I went back to read them every few chapters to catch up, but the flow was much better if you had a large chunk of chapters in one time frame.
Worldbuilding - God, I can't stand how it's done here. We are told facts about the world that we didn't know beforehand, but it is usually information that we SHOULD know but is so conveniently left out, so when we learn about these facts, they feel like WOW ACTUAL WORLDBUILDING, but really it is a lack of worldbuilding and we are happy with the scraps.
I still have similar problems with the world building as I did in book 1 - such as linguistic inconsistencies within the individual nations and reliance on real world stereotypes for Drycht and Daanoris.
On a positive note, I do have to say at least the Daanorian emperor had a yellow dragon as an emblem and at least on the surface you can be sure this is based off imperial China. Not sure what era it was supposed to be, but mentioning it went through a period of isolation was a nice touch, though the political structures of most of the nations in the Bone Witch world don't feel very anchored. Perhaps this is because there's a lack of a depiction of the 'commoners' living their lives and interacting with whatever government they live with. We largely follow characters from high society. If we do see lay people, they're poor, sick, and/or silent. The lack of information from this disparity of representation can create a feeling of immenseness for some because there's always more to learn, but to me it conveyed a feeling of vacancy.
Overall, I would say this is an improvement from the 1st book for those who like a more fast-paced story. There are more plot developments here and the Tea-Kalen romance was not the worst thing by a long shot (more by Kalen's strenght as a character compared to the rest, if anything). However, the storytelling falls into similar problems as seen in the Bone Witch in addition to the lack of complexity in portraying the different nations and their people; the queer-coding of Khalad and Likh because they have silver hearts-glasses and are not Deathseekers (somehow wanting to not be in the traditional male occupation automatically means they are both queer?); and the villains as interchangable moustache-twirling evildoers that do not capitalize on the seemingly interesting origin story of the False Prince. The lack of characterization, concrete world-building in terms of the society and magic, and the tell-not-show nature of the narration takes away from the potential of this series. But if you can look past those things and treat this as a fluff read, I think it'll be a quick read. Otherwise skip it or check it out from your library if you are still curious.
EDIT: Upon some reflection I thought my statements about Likh and his gender expression sounded gate-keepery because it kind of sounded like I didn't think gender-fluidity or genderqueer or what-have-you was queer (they are!). I have no intention of acting as a gate-keeper (they can gtfo), so I think I should clarify what I meant - my point was that gender expression and gender and sexuality aren't the same. I appreciate that Rin wanted to include this. I just didn't think it was done in the best way. I'm still kind of unsure what specifically she was going for...
EDIT 2: To clarify, this is not to say I'm against calling out the BS in these nations and their governments. I just wish this was done better. It'd be hypocritical for me to say you should only call out Western colonialist-based fictional lands.
idk BUT IN MY UNFILTERED OPINION I wanna throw this back into the return bin where it belongs. I'm not sure how many books there are in the series, but I'll follow through till the end because I've gotten this far.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 9, 2023
This was a decent second instalment in Rin Chupeco’s solid YA fantasy series. I actually felt like it was an improvement on what we got in the first book.
The story was a continuation of what we got in the first book. Future Tea prepares for war while past Tea continues to fight Daeva, Faceless, and other Asha all while trying to master her powers.
The characters seem to be growing on me and I felt like the story had better pacing and more intensity in this second book which made it a more enjoyable read. A lot of series I’ve read lately have slumped in quality as the novelty of the worldbuilding and the magic have worn off but the story and characters in this kicked up a notch and carried this second book to new heights.
I’m still not keen on the split timeline story format but I guess I’ve gotten more used to it.
Rating: 3.5 million
Audio Note: The narration was split between Emily Woo Zeller and Will Damron. Zeller did the bulk of the story (the flashback stuff with Tea as the POV) with Damron picking up the future scenes with the make POV.
I’m still not loving the split narration but I do feel like a lot of the audio level issues with the Emily Woo Zeller parts of the performance were much improved compared to the first audiobook in the series.
The story was a continuation of what we got in the first book. Future Tea prepares for war while past Tea continues to fight Daeva, Faceless, and other Asha all while trying to master her powers.
The characters seem to be growing on me and I felt like the story had better pacing and more intensity in this second book which made it a more enjoyable read. A lot of series I’ve read lately have slumped in quality as the novelty of the worldbuilding and the magic have worn off but the story and characters in this kicked up a notch and carried this second book to new heights.
I’m still not keen on the split timeline story format but I guess I’ve gotten more used to it.
Rating: 3.5 million
Audio Note: The narration was split between Emily Woo Zeller and Will Damron. Zeller did the bulk of the story (the flashback stuff with Tea as the POV) with Damron picking up the future scenes with the make POV.
I’m still not loving the split narration but I do feel like a lot of the audio level issues with the Emily Woo Zeller parts of the performance were much improved compared to the first audiobook in the series.
March 16, 2018
The Bone Witch Series
1.) The Bone Witch ★★★.5
2.) The Heart Forger ★★★★.5
You know... I was reading over the synopsis on Goodreads just now and feel like it really doesn't hold a flame to the events in this novel. Yet here I sit.. unable to come up with an adequate synopsis myself. So let's just cut to the chase--If you are reading this review, then you have more than likely already read The Bone Witch. You know the clifhanger. You know where the story is headed. You know the reasons you are picking up a second installment... to see the story continue and flourish. So let's not waste any time and just get down to the nuts and bolts of my review...
★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★
Okay... if you follow my reviews, you know that I was fairly disappointed with The Bone Witch. It was wordy and frilly and descriptive and.. frankly.. dull in places, in my opinion. I will be flat out honest with you.. if I had not received an ARC of The Heart Forger, I probably would have given up on this series after the first installment because of The Bone Witch (and considering the length of the novels).
However... The Heart Forger was everything (and more) that I wanted out of The Bone Witch and I would recommend this series just for the fact that the second novel is so fantastic.
I think that one of the biggest players in the enjoyment of this installment is that there are, for the most part, very little new characters or locations or terminology introduced. The first novel in this series bombarded me with so much world-building, information about the magic system, and so many characters so quickly that I had a difficult time keeping up with them. But I was a lot more comfortable with my knowledge and grasp on characters/locations in The Heart Forger, which left a lot more wiggle room for plot engagement and just general enjoyment.
Also... the purple prose that drove me bonkers in The Bone Witch... gone! Fabulous writing.
I don't know where all these feelings were in the first title.. but the romance and appeal to emotion in this installment were on point. There are multiple romantic relationships that blossom in The Heart Forger and I adored every single one of them. Obviously not a spoiler if you read The Bone Witch, as we know in the end that she has raised him from the dead and is her lover-- but Tea's relationship with Kalen was one of the things I loved the most about this novel. I adore Kalen's character... and I adore Fox.. and Likh... but I'm very partial to Kalen. We also get a f/f romantic partnership in this installment and I adored the personalities that were brought forth with this relationship.. both of these characters became favorites as well.
**Sneaky little tidbits of passion were also included, but nothing direct or graphic enough to make this title inappropriate for parents or educators who were trying to avoid sexual content.
All-in-all.. if you read The Bone Witch...Trust me, you need to hop on over to your favorite book retailer and pre-order this one right now (or go to your local Target.. I hear they had a little mix up about release dates)!
Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review!
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May 9, 2022
Truly an underrated series. This book was amazing and I can perfectly see myself rereading it every year 🥺
September 30, 2018
“Life isn’t fair, dear one. And sometimes, neither is death.”
Stars (Out of 10): 10/10 Stars
I’ve taken a while to finally get to this review, but I still don’t think I’ll be able to properly vocalize how I feel about this book, and a series as a whole.
This sequel contains everything I loved about book 1, and even more. We’ve got the flip flopping past and present POVs, the same characters and tenuous relationships, and both Tea and the Bard narrate as well. What’s added is more action, more plot, and even some romance. One issue many people have with The Bone Witch is its long build-up and slow beginning, but this book does not “suffer” from those same traits. Both the present and past plots deal a lot more with direct actions and consequences, and the tension between the characters increasing as well. It all leads to a much more intense and exciting book.
Specifically in terms of characters, Rin continues to do such a fantastic job of creating fleshed out and real characters. Our main character, Tea, both in past and present, holds so much conflict within her, and her navigation of the truth and lies within her society is such an interesting path to follow. It also helps that we still aren’t sure if her present actions are explained by her past, or if we, as readers, also turn against her later on. The supporting cast all also stands on their own, with almost all characters developing their own stories and backgrounds further. They also work to complement Tea really well, as they do not work to take away from Tea’s story or distract readers, but also show the depth of Rin’s world, and how differently people view the same set of actions.
The plot was also quite intriguing, though I still found myself more interested in the present than the past portions of the chapter. One of the main portions of the plot was almost too well foreshadowed that it didn’t remain so much a mystery to me, and took away from the suspense of the past plot. However, even with this, Rin was able to fully capture me in her tale and world, and I was as fully in love with this book as I was with book 1.
The world was also just as gorgeous as when I was introduced to it in book 1, even now that we begin to see more and more of the shadows of the beauty. We gain more depth in this book, as well as knowledge into other kingdoms, specifically in terms of why some of the authorities in this book do what they do as well as the stark differences between the mindsets of the different members of the world. Additionally, since this book carries more moments of tensions, and actions that bring across consequences, we see more of the world in how they deal with these situations of tension.
But for some reason, grading this book on its individual parts isn’t something that sits right with me. The Heart Forger is so much more than the sum of its parts, and something needs to be said for how well it immerses the reader, and how at home I begin to feel in the world and heads of these characters. In two quick books these characters have attached themselves so strongly to my heart that the characters of much longer series can’t even compare. There is something so compelling and enchanting about the way Rin writes and builds her world that keeps a reader enraptured, even during the less intense, thrilling parts of the book. Simply learning more about Tea’s past, and discovering more about her and her perception of the world and events that lead her to her future is just so interesting.
The Bone Witch world seems to be a world I can revisit and love at any time, and is a book that, to me, can be read at any pace. I’ve admittedly taken longer than I would’ve liked with both The Heart Forger and currently the finale, The Shadowglass, but that somehow does not diminish my experience like it does for some books. All Rin needs is a few lines, maybe a paragraph, to fully suck me back into Tea’s story, and I love this series for it.
Stars (Out of 10): 10/10 Stars
I’ve taken a while to finally get to this review, but I still don’t think I’ll be able to properly vocalize how I feel about this book, and a series as a whole.
This sequel contains everything I loved about book 1, and even more. We’ve got the flip flopping past and present POVs, the same characters and tenuous relationships, and both Tea and the Bard narrate as well. What’s added is more action, more plot, and even some romance. One issue many people have with The Bone Witch is its long build-up and slow beginning, but this book does not “suffer” from those same traits. Both the present and past plots deal a lot more with direct actions and consequences, and the tension between the characters increasing as well. It all leads to a much more intense and exciting book.
Specifically in terms of characters, Rin continues to do such a fantastic job of creating fleshed out and real characters. Our main character, Tea, both in past and present, holds so much conflict within her, and her navigation of the truth and lies within her society is such an interesting path to follow. It also helps that we still aren’t sure if her present actions are explained by her past, or if we, as readers, also turn against her later on. The supporting cast all also stands on their own, with almost all characters developing their own stories and backgrounds further. They also work to complement Tea really well, as they do not work to take away from Tea’s story or distract readers, but also show the depth of Rin’s world, and how differently people view the same set of actions.
The plot was also quite intriguing, though I still found myself more interested in the present than the past portions of the chapter. One of the main portions of the plot was almost too well foreshadowed that it didn’t remain so much a mystery to me, and took away from the suspense of the past plot. However, even with this, Rin was able to fully capture me in her tale and world, and I was as fully in love with this book as I was with book 1.
The world was also just as gorgeous as when I was introduced to it in book 1, even now that we begin to see more and more of the shadows of the beauty. We gain more depth in this book, as well as knowledge into other kingdoms, specifically in terms of why some of the authorities in this book do what they do as well as the stark differences between the mindsets of the different members of the world. Additionally, since this book carries more moments of tensions, and actions that bring across consequences, we see more of the world in how they deal with these situations of tension.
But for some reason, grading this book on its individual parts isn’t something that sits right with me. The Heart Forger is so much more than the sum of its parts, and something needs to be said for how well it immerses the reader, and how at home I begin to feel in the world and heads of these characters. In two quick books these characters have attached themselves so strongly to my heart that the characters of much longer series can’t even compare. There is something so compelling and enchanting about the way Rin writes and builds her world that keeps a reader enraptured, even during the less intense, thrilling parts of the book. Simply learning more about Tea’s past, and discovering more about her and her perception of the world and events that lead her to her future is just so interesting.
The Bone Witch world seems to be a world I can revisit and love at any time, and is a book that, to me, can be read at any pace. I’ve admittedly taken longer than I would’ve liked with both The Heart Forger and currently the finale, The Shadowglass, but that somehow does not diminish my experience like it does for some books. All Rin needs is a few lines, maybe a paragraph, to fully suck me back into Tea’s story, and I love this series for it.
April 13, 2023
I adored The Bone Witch, but I absolutely fell in love with The Heart Forger. This book was everything I wanted and more. I can't even describe how perfect it was.
Tea has finally completed her army of the dead and daeva, and with Kalen and the Bard with her, she is finally ready to star her war. As Tea and her army march towards Daanoris to begin her revenge, Tea continues explaining her story to the Bard starting from the time when Prince Kance fell ill with the sleeping sickness, and Tea was blamed for it.
I have always loved Tea, right from the beginning of this series, but in this book she just became so much more. We see a lot more of present Tea taking action and explaining why she is currently doing the things she is doing, and we also get to see past Tea come into her magic, protect the ones she loves and start on the path that eventually leads her to where present Tea is (If you haven't read the first book, it is told in the perspective of Tea presently, and as she tells the story of her past). There is so much character development, not only from the past Tea but also with the present Tea as well. And finally in this book the two Teas somewhat start to become one, as past Tea has to make difficult choices and face dangerous creatures that require a huge amount of magic, enough to drive any Asha mad.
The one thing I didn't like about the first book, was that present Tea's story was a bit dry and boring and I found myself skipping parts of it. However, in this book that is not the case at all. There was action in both past and present tense, and I couldn't get enough of both. It was action packed, it wasn't confusing to the reader, and I loved every moment of it.
If you've read the first book a while back, and are just picking this one up now, I would definitely recommend just looking at online spoilers of the book just to familiarize yourself with the characters, who's who and who did what. I was definitely able to remember the main characters very well even without help, but there are a lot of secondary characters that play an important role where I sort of forgot who they were, until about a half way into the book when it finally clicked on what they did in the first book and who they were exactly.
Overall, I loved the characters, the action and the world that Rin Chupeco created. I think this series may go down as one of my favourites. I am already dying, just waiting for the third book to come out. I definitely recommend this series to all YA fantasy fans.
Happy Reading,
Aneta
Tea has finally completed her army of the dead and daeva, and with Kalen and the Bard with her, she is finally ready to star her war. As Tea and her army march towards Daanoris to begin her revenge, Tea continues explaining her story to the Bard starting from the time when Prince Kance fell ill with the sleeping sickness, and Tea was blamed for it.
I have always loved Tea, right from the beginning of this series, but in this book she just became so much more. We see a lot more of present Tea taking action and explaining why she is currently doing the things she is doing, and we also get to see past Tea come into her magic, protect the ones she loves and start on the path that eventually leads her to where present Tea is (If you haven't read the first book, it is told in the perspective of Tea presently, and as she tells the story of her past). There is so much character development, not only from the past Tea but also with the present Tea as well. And finally in this book the two Teas somewhat start to become one, as past Tea has to make difficult choices and face dangerous creatures that require a huge amount of magic, enough to drive any Asha mad.
The one thing I didn't like about the first book, was that present Tea's story was a bit dry and boring and I found myself skipping parts of it. However, in this book that is not the case at all. There was action in both past and present tense, and I couldn't get enough of both. It was action packed, it wasn't confusing to the reader, and I loved every moment of it.
If you've read the first book a while back, and are just picking this one up now, I would definitely recommend just looking at online spoilers of the book just to familiarize yourself with the characters, who's who and who did what. I was definitely able to remember the main characters very well even without help, but there are a lot of secondary characters that play an important role where I sort of forgot who they were, until about a half way into the book when it finally clicked on what they did in the first book and who they were exactly.
Overall, I loved the characters, the action and the world that Rin Chupeco created. I think this series may go down as one of my favourites. I am already dying, just waiting for the third book to come out. I definitely recommend this series to all YA fantasy fans.
Happy Reading,
Aneta
July 16, 2018
I'll be honest, I didn't remember much about The Bone Witch when I started reading this. I read that last year, and I all I remembered was that it was enjoyable but not all that memorable. To my surprise, I found that everything came rushing back once I started reading The Heart Forger. I enjoyed this book much more than TBW; I was totally engrossed in it, staying up past 3am because I just had to know what would happen next. It got me thinking that maybe I just wasn't in the right mood when I read TBW last year.
The most interesting part of this series is the magic system. I loved reading about all the ashas and Deathseekers, the daevas and bone witches. Everything in this book is such an Aesthetic. Gimme all the necromancy and witches raising people from the dead while clothed in elaborate dresses. It's awesome.
Tea is such an intriguing character. The distinction between Tea from the past and the Tea who is telling the story is very striking; I found myself desperate to discover how she went from a naive, headstrong but well-intentioned girl to a hardened, bitter, powerful witch seeking revenge. The other characters were great as well - the two that particularly stuck out to me were Kalen and Khalad. I also liked Zoya - she's basically like a nicer version of Zoya from the Grisha trilogy. Likh is my precious son and Inessa is awesome too.
The romance between Tea and Kalen is one of the best I've read in a while. I was beginning to despair of romance in YA fantasy, and this book restored my faith in it. This romance is slow-burn and mature, growing from mutual respect and real reciprocated love, rather than instant infatuation and silly crushes. It was so refreshing to read a romance in a YA fantasy that didn't completely take over the plot or make me cringe at all; it was mature, sexy and not overwhelming at any point. This is how I like my romances in YA: taking its time to develop organically and beautifully, without detracting from the bigger plot.
I would really recommend this to any lovers of dark fantasy and morally grey characters, and people who, like me, are lovers of romance but prefer their romances on the slow side and prefer it as more of a B-plot than the major driving force of the story.
The most interesting part of this series is the magic system. I loved reading about all the ashas and Deathseekers, the daevas and bone witches. Everything in this book is such an Aesthetic. Gimme all the necromancy and witches raising people from the dead while clothed in elaborate dresses. It's awesome.
Tea is such an intriguing character. The distinction between Tea from the past and the Tea who is telling the story is very striking; I found myself desperate to discover how she went from a naive, headstrong but well-intentioned girl to a hardened, bitter, powerful witch seeking revenge. The other characters were great as well - the two that particularly stuck out to me were Kalen and Khalad. I also liked Zoya - she's basically like a nicer version of Zoya from the Grisha trilogy. Likh is my precious son and Inessa is awesome too.
The romance between Tea and Kalen is one of the best I've read in a while. I was beginning to despair of romance in YA fantasy, and this book restored my faith in it. This romance is slow-burn and mature, growing from mutual respect and real reciprocated love, rather than instant infatuation and silly crushes. It was so refreshing to read a romance in a YA fantasy that didn't completely take over the plot or make me cringe at all; it was mature, sexy and not overwhelming at any point. This is how I like my romances in YA: taking its time to develop organically and beautifully, without detracting from the bigger plot.
I would really recommend this to any lovers of dark fantasy and morally grey characters, and people who, like me, are lovers of romance but prefer their romances on the slow side and prefer it as more of a B-plot than the major driving force of the story.
June 27, 2019
6-25-19 don't remember this book so I'm rereading before #3
Audiobook #213
Audiobook #213
March 19, 2019
“Write her a good story, Bard. They say the best tales spare no mercy and spare no lies.” He paused. “But spare her anyway.”
I don’t know why everyone isn’t raving about this trilogy. Honestly, this is one of the best YA fantasy stories I’ve ever read. I liked The Bone Witch, it was a pretty solid first book, but I loved The Heart Forger way more.
The 12-years-old girl who accidentally resurrected her brother from the dead in the first book is now a young woman and a powerful Dark asha. As in The Bone Witch, this sequel shifts between past and present. We find Tea looking for answers in Odalia in the past timeline, while in the present timeline, she’s still telling her story to a bard and seeking revenge.
The plot in this book is amazing. We get to discover more about how Tea ended up exiled and how she became an anti-heroine. We also discover more about the Faceless, the shadowglass and the asha. The world is also more explored in this book, as there are some revelations about the politics and relationships between the different kingdoms and we get to explore new places.
But the real gem of this book are the characters. Tea has become easily one of my new favourite characters. I love her struggles with the Dark, how she can be so selfish sometimes when the people she cares about are in danger. Her character development from the first book is amazing. Also, the sibling relationship with Fox is one of the highlights of this story. And speaking of Tea’s brother, his friendship with Kalen and Khalad and his romance with certain character, gave me all the feels.
Also, Tea’s slow burn love story is really beautiful. I ship her with certain character so hard that it hurts, especially because I honestly don’t see a happy ending here. But that’s not the only romance that made my heart melt. There’s a f/f relationship between two side characters that made me beyond happy because I was rooting for them since The Bone Witch.
The different dynamics between all the characters are just precious in this book. They’re all such a complex and interesting family. I love Tea, Fox, Zoya, Shadi, Mykaela, Kaled, Khalad and Inessa, and they need to be protected at all costs. I’m afraid about their ending in The Shadowglass, as Rin Chupeco has already shown us that her hand doesn’t tremble when it comes to killing characters.
I don’t think my words are doing justice to this ownvoices Asian inspired fantasy story, but I can only ask you to give it a shot because I truly think this trilogy is amazing and it doesn’t deserve to be so underrated. This story, this characters, this world, have stolen my silver asha heart.
“But to grieve means you have loved. To love opens up the possibility for grief. There cannot be one without the other.”
P.S.: English isn’t my native language, so I apologise if you see any mistakes.
July 3, 2020
Y'all better stop sleeping on this series, please!
June 9, 2019
Ughhhh... I’m just so upset that I took so long to pick up this trilogy. I can’t thank the hosts of YARC enough for encouraging me to pick up more Asian authored books and I can confidently say that I’ll be continuing to read them long after this challenge is over. And I also have to thank my dear friend Krisha @ Bookathon for gushing a lot about this trilogy and finally making me read it. I’m so glad to finally have joined this bandwagon because The Heart Forger is truly brilliant.
The plot is so much more interesting in this book than it’s predecessor. We get to know more about the Faceless, their kind of dark magic and lots more about their quest for immortality. The world is also expanded more because the characters travel to a new kingdom and we get to know about the rulers and customs of the place. There is also a lot more action in this one, and I was very impressed by these sequences - I totally wanted to see them on screen. The author also continues telling the story in two timelines, with the major part closing towards the events happening in the Bard’s present timeline and it creates a lot of suspense and anticipation, making me not want to put down the book at all. However, the best part I think about this book was how it challenged gender roles and heteronormativity. Both Likh and Khalad’s journey of trying to live their truth was very powerful and I think the author did a great job showing us their inherent strength, while also providing them a lot of support from their friends.
The characters are definitely the true heart of this book. Tea is such a delight to read about. She has grown so much, learning more about her abilities and responsibilities and helping people when needed. She is stubborn and impulsive and doesn’t always think through her actions, but she is very selfless and loyal and just wants to protect her friends at any cost to herself. That makes her transition into almost an antihero in the Bard’s timeline very fascinating, leaving us with many questions. Despite her possible descent into the dark side, we can never stop loving her or rooting for her to succeed because her heart is always in the right place, and she just wants to prove that she is not as evil as everyone thinks she’ll become, while also protecting everyone around her.
The relationships in this series are so beautiful and each of them is special in its own way. Tea and Fox’s sibling relationship is probably one of my favorites ever and they argue and bicker, but always have each other’s back. The lengths to which Tea is ready to go to ensure Fox survives made me wanna cry. Her friendships with Mykaela, Althy, Polaire, Zoya were all amazing in their own ways and the scenes where they all fought together were awesome. I also particularly enjoyed her dynamic with Khalad because their destinies are so interconnected, making them indispensable to each other, but they actually end up becoming friends who care for and respect the other a lot. Likh is probably the sweetest cinnamon roll of the group, so adorable and kind but also smart and brave and all the scenes where the gang stood by his side and encouraged him were so heartwarming.
I knew this book was going to have more of the romance of the main leads but the development of it was so much better than I expected. It was so emotional and angsty and beautifully written, and I completely fell for them and they’ll probably end up being one of my favorite couples of this year. We also have a lovely sapphic relationship, and the banter between the two girls is super entertaining and oh so precious. There is also one character who has a crush on another, and it’s so so sweet and adorable, but I don’t know if it’ll actually develop into more.
Finally, I don’t even know what I can say about this book other than just pick it up. As much as I enjoyed The Bone Witch, this is a step up - with expansive world building, lots more action and dark magic and phenomenal characters that you will root for every step of the way. If you haven’t read this trilogy yet, I promise you are missing out. This sequel answered many questions but left me with many more, and now all I want to do is jump right into the finale.
The plot is so much more interesting in this book than it’s predecessor. We get to know more about the Faceless, their kind of dark magic and lots more about their quest for immortality. The world is also expanded more because the characters travel to a new kingdom and we get to know about the rulers and customs of the place. There is also a lot more action in this one, and I was very impressed by these sequences - I totally wanted to see them on screen. The author also continues telling the story in two timelines, with the major part closing towards the events happening in the Bard’s present timeline and it creates a lot of suspense and anticipation, making me not want to put down the book at all. However, the best part I think about this book was how it challenged gender roles and heteronormativity. Both Likh and Khalad’s journey of trying to live their truth was very powerful and I think the author did a great job showing us their inherent strength, while also providing them a lot of support from their friends.
The characters are definitely the true heart of this book. Tea is such a delight to read about. She has grown so much, learning more about her abilities and responsibilities and helping people when needed. She is stubborn and impulsive and doesn’t always think through her actions, but she is very selfless and loyal and just wants to protect her friends at any cost to herself. That makes her transition into almost an antihero in the Bard’s timeline very fascinating, leaving us with many questions. Despite her possible descent into the dark side, we can never stop loving her or rooting for her to succeed because her heart is always in the right place, and she just wants to prove that she is not as evil as everyone thinks she’ll become, while also protecting everyone around her.
The relationships in this series are so beautiful and each of them is special in its own way. Tea and Fox’s sibling relationship is probably one of my favorites ever and they argue and bicker, but always have each other’s back. The lengths to which Tea is ready to go to ensure Fox survives made me wanna cry. Her friendships with Mykaela, Althy, Polaire, Zoya were all amazing in their own ways and the scenes where they all fought together were awesome. I also particularly enjoyed her dynamic with Khalad because their destinies are so interconnected, making them indispensable to each other, but they actually end up becoming friends who care for and respect the other a lot. Likh is probably the sweetest cinnamon roll of the group, so adorable and kind but also smart and brave and all the scenes where the gang stood by his side and encouraged him were so heartwarming.
I knew this book was going to have more of the romance of the main leads but the development of it was so much better than I expected. It was so emotional and angsty and beautifully written, and I completely fell for them and they’ll probably end up being one of my favorite couples of this year. We also have a lovely sapphic relationship, and the banter between the two girls is super entertaining and oh so precious. There is also one character who has a crush on another, and it’s so so sweet and adorable, but I don’t know if it’ll actually develop into more.
Finally, I don’t even know what I can say about this book other than just pick it up. As much as I enjoyed The Bone Witch, this is a step up - with expansive world building, lots more action and dark magic and phenomenal characters that you will root for every step of the way. If you haven’t read this trilogy yet, I promise you are missing out. This sequel answered many questions but left me with many more, and now all I want to do is jump right into the finale.
March 27, 2019
“Life isn’t fair, dear one. And sometimes, neither is death.”
“What's one more lie to believe when I am just a scheming, murderous bone witch, constantly seeking stars beyond her reach?”
4.5 stars. The Heart Forger is a worthy second book to The Bone Witch and continues to be Rin Chupeco at her absolute best. Interestingly enough, after rereading this and the previous book, my previous opinion has flipped: I love both of these books, but I honestly love The Bone Witch just the slightest bit more? That's not to say this book is bad by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, it is the complete opposite. The interweaving timelines continue to be compelling, the world becomes more and more complicated, the plot develops in interesting ways, our cast of characters continue to grow and develop, and Tea remains as much of a necromancer icon as ever. But honestly? My favorite part of this book may have just been the romance between Tea and Kalen.
Let's start with the what is probably the best part of the book, second only to Tea's character development and the ensemble cast: the world. God, I love it so much. There are a handful of fantasy worlds that I love with all of my heart: Leigh Bardugo's Grishaverse, Cassandra Clare's Shadowhunter-verse, the Riordanverse and the expanded universe all of Laini Taylor's books are set in come to mind. After reading this series for a second time, I can firmly say that the Eight Kingdoms is firmly solidified in my mind as one of my new favorite fantasy worlds.
Rin Chupeco's prose is perfectly suited to describing this world and the world itself? Ugh amazing. I also really do love the emphasis on small details making huge impact. While her worldbuilding does have its faults, is an expert at crafting a believable world rich in history, steeped in culture, and so real that it is easy to escape into. On both a large (the mythology is so interesting ) and smaller (the Asha, the Deathseekers, as well as the whole concept of Heartglasses, and people like the Heartforger and the Asha Elders) scope, Rin Chupeco's world is easy to lose yourself in. This world is intricately drawn and beautifully illustrated, one of the best I've had the pleasure of being in.
As for plot, amazing as ever. In this book, the pacing is a bit faster as Chupeco has already set up a foundation for the world: we delve deeper into the relations between countries as well as the political intrigue involved with them. One of my recent favorite things in fantasy is seeing how fictional countries interact with each other on their world's chessboard. In this book, the scope gets wider as we visit Daanoris, a unique country with its own culture, history, and more unique from countries that we've visited before like Odalia and the city of Kion. The alternating timelines also continue to be as impressive as ever. Chupeco´s intricate weaving of these two timelines is something I´ve never seen before: there´s this sense of anticipation created by switching between the two times that hooks the reader in and compels them to keep reading. In the vein of Vicious, each of the timelines inform the other, setting up pieces and then utilizing them to create such a fucking amazing story.
Lastly, the characters. Again, the cast forms such a perfect found family: Tea, Fox, Kalen, Likh, Khalad, Inessa, Althy, Mykaela, Polaire, and Zoya are such an amazing cast to read about. While they aren't quite on the level of the Crows or the Diviners, I do very much love the bond that is formed between all of them. Whether it'd be Tea and Fox's unbreakable sibling bond, especially with or the romantic subplots between many of the characters, Chupeco again excels at crafting intricate, powerful relationships between all of her characters that I adore.
Now the romance. God, the romance. I didn't expect to ship it as much as I did? The first time I read this book, I was okay with Tea and Kalen. But on this read. Oh, on this read. My heart and soul loved Tea and Kalen. When they were fighting, my heart hurt. When they kissed, my heart screamed. They are truly one of my favorite couples. Ever. I was totally a sucker for their enemies-to-lovers dynamic, and it brings me so much fucking joy. In addition, the side ships in this trilogy are all iconic. Zoya and Shadi, Fox and Inessa, and (especially) Likh and Khalad? Rin Chupeco takes great care in developing romances, whether they be main plots or subplots.
Oh also. The ending:
Conclusively: Read this. If you liked The Bone Witch, this book is an entirely different beast from it but still retains everything you love about the first book. As Rin Chupeco has recently stated, the first book's writing style is heavily based on "Asian" style fantasy: slow and detail-oriented. As far as the second book, in takes on a mix of the former and a more "Western" fantasy with intense battle scenes and fast paced. But yeah, I love this book and this series. Read it.
“What's one more lie to believe when I am just a scheming, murderous bone witch, constantly seeking stars beyond her reach?”
4.5 stars. The Heart Forger is a worthy second book to The Bone Witch and continues to be Rin Chupeco at her absolute best. Interestingly enough, after rereading this and the previous book, my previous opinion has flipped: I love both of these books, but I honestly love The Bone Witch just the slightest bit more? That's not to say this book is bad by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, it is the complete opposite. The interweaving timelines continue to be compelling, the world becomes more and more complicated, the plot develops in interesting ways, our cast of characters continue to grow and develop, and Tea remains as much of a necromancer icon as ever. But honestly? My favorite part of this book may have just been the romance between Tea and Kalen.
Let's start with the what is probably the best part of the book, second only to Tea's character development and the ensemble cast: the world. God, I love it so much. There are a handful of fantasy worlds that I love with all of my heart: Leigh Bardugo's Grishaverse, Cassandra Clare's Shadowhunter-verse, the Riordanverse and the expanded universe all of Laini Taylor's books are set in come to mind. After reading this series for a second time, I can firmly say that the Eight Kingdoms is firmly solidified in my mind as one of my new favorite fantasy worlds.
Rin Chupeco's prose is perfectly suited to describing this world and the world itself? Ugh amazing. I also really do love the emphasis on small details making huge impact. While her worldbuilding does have its faults, is an expert at crafting a believable world rich in history, steeped in culture, and so real that it is easy to escape into. On both a large (the mythology is so interesting ) and smaller (the Asha, the Deathseekers, as well as the whole concept of Heartglasses, and people like the Heartforger and the Asha Elders) scope, Rin Chupeco's world is easy to lose yourself in. This world is intricately drawn and beautifully illustrated, one of the best I've had the pleasure of being in.
As for plot, amazing as ever. In this book, the pacing is a bit faster as Chupeco has already set up a foundation for the world: we delve deeper into the relations between countries as well as the political intrigue involved with them. One of my recent favorite things in fantasy is seeing how fictional countries interact with each other on their world's chessboard. In this book, the scope gets wider as we visit Daanoris, a unique country with its own culture, history, and more unique from countries that we've visited before like Odalia and the city of Kion. The alternating timelines also continue to be as impressive as ever. Chupeco´s intricate weaving of these two timelines is something I´ve never seen before: there´s this sense of anticipation created by switching between the two times that hooks the reader in and compels them to keep reading. In the vein of Vicious, each of the timelines inform the other, setting up pieces and then utilizing them to create such a fucking amazing story.
Lastly, the characters. Again, the cast forms such a perfect found family: Tea, Fox, Kalen, Likh, Khalad, Inessa, Althy, Mykaela, Polaire, and Zoya are such an amazing cast to read about. While they aren't quite on the level of the Crows or the Diviners, I do very much love the bond that is formed between all of them. Whether it'd be Tea and Fox's unbreakable sibling bond, especially with or the romantic subplots between many of the characters, Chupeco again excels at crafting intricate, powerful relationships between all of her characters that I adore.
Now the romance. God, the romance. I didn't expect to ship it as much as I did? The first time I read this book, I was okay with Tea and Kalen. But on this read. Oh, on this read. My heart and soul loved Tea and Kalen. When they were fighting, my heart hurt. When they kissed, my heart screamed. They are truly one of my favorite couples. Ever. I was totally a sucker for their enemies-to-lovers dynamic, and it brings me so much fucking joy. In addition, the side ships in this trilogy are all iconic. Zoya and Shadi, Fox and Inessa, and (especially) Likh and Khalad? Rin Chupeco takes great care in developing romances, whether they be main plots or subplots.
Oh also. The ending:
Conclusively: Read this. If you liked The Bone Witch, this book is an entirely different beast from it but still retains everything you love about the first book. As Rin Chupeco has recently stated, the first book's writing style is heavily based on "Asian" style fantasy: slow and detail-oriented. As far as the second book, in takes on a mix of the former and a more "Western" fantasy with intense battle scenes and fast paced. But yeah, I love this book and this series. Read it.
Read
April 1, 2020This book was a continuation of The Bone Witch so my opinions are much of the same, aside from the fact that it took me longer to get into the first book. We have a bit more insight into why Tea became the way she is but a few a pieces are still missing to get the full picture and I'm excited to find out more!!
May 27, 2020
This was absolutely brilliant and definitely my favourite of the series so far! I adore the Asian-inspired fantasy world, filled with dark magic, necromancy, demons and intrigue. There's so many intriguing concepts like the dark asha (bone witches who can raise the dead), how Tea has familiars one of which is her brother (basically the walking dead), and heartsglasses that people wear that show their emotions. I also love the use of magical runes and learning different incantations.
The world building in Heart Forger was absolutely fantastic as it builds up the different lands outside of Kion (where most of the first book was centered). The plot revolves around Prince Kance being afflicted by something and they need to find the Heart Forger to heal him. In their journey, there is much action with the demons that they face, much excitement as the puzzle pieces fall into place, and the romance is soooo good.
I loved the whole "Princess forced to marry for her Kingdom" card, but yet her heart tells her that there is something else, and seeing that whole subplot play out. And Tea crushing hard on Kalen, denying her feelings at all costs and him kind of brushing her aside because of that. And yet...the slow burn romance was silently bubbling up in the background as they search for the Heart Forger, and I loved it a lot.
Finally, there is a lot of political intrigue and I found the interchanging timelines added an interesting dimension to the book. With brewing tensions between the countries and Tea at the heart of it, you're constantly questioning how the past (Tea's first person perspective as they search for the Heart Forger) connects with the present (where Tea's story is told by a Bard, and it's clear that she's gone through A LOT). I'm so in love with this series thus far and can't wait to immerse myself into the next book!
Check out Happy Indulgence Books for more reviews!
The world building in Heart Forger was absolutely fantastic as it builds up the different lands outside of Kion (where most of the first book was centered). The plot revolves around Prince Kance being afflicted by something and they need to find the Heart Forger to heal him. In their journey, there is much action with the demons that they face, much excitement as the puzzle pieces fall into place, and the romance is soooo good.
I loved the whole "Princess forced to marry for her Kingdom" card, but yet her heart tells her that there is something else, and seeing that whole subplot play out. And Tea crushing hard on Kalen, denying her feelings at all costs and him kind of brushing her aside because of that. And yet...the slow burn romance was silently bubbling up in the background as they search for the Heart Forger, and I loved it a lot.
Finally, there is a lot of political intrigue and I found the interchanging timelines added an interesting dimension to the book. With brewing tensions between the countries and Tea at the heart of it, you're constantly questioning how the past (Tea's first person perspective as they search for the Heart Forger) connects with the present (where Tea's story is told by a Bard, and it's clear that she's gone through A LOT). I'm so in love with this series thus far and can't wait to immerse myself into the next book!
Check out Happy Indulgence Books for more reviews!
March 22, 2018
Actual rating 4.5 why won’t it let me add half a star ugh I need this to happen.
This is such a change from the first book. (I’m not complaining, mind you) but it doesn’t even feel like the same author.
This was really good.
The first book was so incredibly SLOW! Purple prose, detail detail detail, all world building. There were teases of a story in the first book but nothing really happened. A girl trained to be an asha (magical fighting geisha) would be the most basic summary.
This book however is all plot and action action action. It’s so refreshing that we don’t have to detail what everyone is wearing every day. We don’t see the daily activities of Tea going through every lesson, every day. At the same time this feels a bit jumpy at times and disjointed. (Really disjointed from the first book). Ex: she is standing talking to one character on one page, the very next she is down in the dungeon with another character yelling at a prisoner.
Again like this first book, each chapter is broken into 2 sections present tense and the past tense. It seems all of the day to day activities and responsibilities that were so important in book 1 are completely gone. They seem to no longer have any obligations and run amok Willy-nilly (against not really complaining but it is an observation).
The mythology and world building is so interesting and we get to go into the heart forger’s abilities. There are interesting “political” (not really politics but power struggles) of the kingdoms and the asha.
The romance is perfect 😘. Spot on. Love it.
Anyway so good. I recommend this book. Not sure I’d recommend the first in the series, but sadly it is needed to understand this one. If you can slog through the first one, this is worth it and completely different from the first.
This is such a change from the first book. (I’m not complaining, mind you) but it doesn’t even feel like the same author.
This was really good.
The first book was so incredibly SLOW! Purple prose, detail detail detail, all world building. There were teases of a story in the first book but nothing really happened. A girl trained to be an asha (magical fighting geisha) would be the most basic summary.
This book however is all plot and action action action. It’s so refreshing that we don’t have to detail what everyone is wearing every day. We don’t see the daily activities of Tea going through every lesson, every day. At the same time this feels a bit jumpy at times and disjointed. (Really disjointed from the first book). Ex: she is standing talking to one character on one page, the very next she is down in the dungeon with another character yelling at a prisoner.
Again like this first book, each chapter is broken into 2 sections present tense and the past tense. It seems all of the day to day activities and responsibilities that were so important in book 1 are completely gone. They seem to no longer have any obligations and run amok Willy-nilly (against not really complaining but it is an observation).
The mythology and world building is so interesting and we get to go into the heart forger’s abilities. There are interesting “political” (not really politics but power struggles) of the kingdoms and the asha.
The romance is perfect 😘. Spot on. Love it.
Anyway so good. I recommend this book. Not sure I’d recommend the first in the series, but sadly it is needed to understand this one. If you can slog through the first one, this is worth it and completely different from the first.
October 5, 2020
Brilliant. I liked The Bone Witch well enough but The Heart Forger takes Tea's story to the next level.
- This book was such a pleasure to read. Considering my terrible reading slump right now, relatively speaking I whizzed through this.
- The story was addictive and the developments so compelling. The way that Chupeco executed the developments were amazing and so engaging.
- The dual narrative, oscillating between present day and the past as Tea tells her story, is brilliantly done.
- I really like Tea as a protagonist. I think she's one fascinating anti-heroine with such rich character development, one whom I can really empathise with.
- THE ROMANCE. WOW. FYI, I'm not a shipper (at all) but I was absolutely giddy and wobbly at the knees over the romance and how it plays out. Is this what shipping feels like?
- Though I really enjoyed reading it and loved the pacing, some of the mysteries lost intrigue and I felt a little lost at 'present day' Tea's motivations.
- Furthermore, unlike The Bone Witch, I feel like the ending didn't really leave me wanting. Nonetheless, I am very excited to read The Shadowglass, because I've become very invested in the story.
- This book was such a pleasure to read. Considering my terrible reading slump right now, relatively speaking I whizzed through this.
- The story was addictive and the developments so compelling. The way that Chupeco executed the developments were amazing and so engaging.
- The dual narrative, oscillating between present day and the past as Tea tells her story, is brilliantly done.
- I really like Tea as a protagonist. I think she's one fascinating anti-heroine with such rich character development, one whom I can really empathise with.
- THE ROMANCE. WOW. FYI, I'm not a shipper (at all) but I was absolutely giddy and wobbly at the knees over the romance and how it plays out. Is this what shipping feels like?
- Though I really enjoyed reading it and loved the pacing, some of the mysteries lost intrigue and I felt a little lost at 'present day' Tea's motivations.
- Furthermore, unlike The Bone Witch, I feel like the ending didn't really leave me wanting. Nonetheless, I am very excited to read The Shadowglass, because I've become very invested in the story.
did-not-finish
November 7, 2021DNF @ 60%
I give up on this series. I give up on Rin Chupeco. Their writing is clearly just not for me and despite liking some elements of the world here, I just have absolutely no interest in what's happening with these characters. Also, just a petty gripe, but why do present day Kalen and Tea just randomly start making out mid conversation with other people around them?? Like it's not only just really unnatural, it's also just super rude???
I give up on this series. I give up on Rin Chupeco. Their writing is clearly just not for me and despite liking some elements of the world here, I just have absolutely no interest in what's happening with these characters. Also, just a petty gripe, but why do present day Kalen and Tea just randomly start making out mid conversation with other people around them?? Like it's not only just really unnatural, it's also just super rude???
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